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This paper focuses on exploring the transition South African learners make from Grade 7 to Grade 8, with an emphasis on the experiences of all the role players in two school cultures during this transition phase. This qualitative exploratory research project was placed in a constructivist research paradigm. The data were analysed in an exploratory and interpretative way by identifying segments that were responsive to our research questions. The participants in the two purposively selected South African schools included a voluntary sample of teachers, parents, and learners in Grade 8 using the draw-and-write technique and focus group interviews with each learner group based on the interpretation of their drawings. Focus group interviews were also conducted with a small group of the parents and teachers of the Grade 8 learners in the two schools, and individual interviews were conducted with the school principals. Findings indicate some common ground but also qualitative differences between the two schools with specific reference to the quality of educational opportunities and socio-emotional challenges that may influence social inequalities in future.

Background: The aim of this study was to explore the associations between the 10 key indicators of the Global Matrix 4.0 project and human development index (HDI) at a national level according to sex, age, area of residence, and ability levels. Methods: Information from the 57 countries/localities included in the Global Matrix 4.0 project was compiled and presented according to the HDI of each country/locality for each of the 10 key indicators. Grades were assigned based on the benchmarks of the Global Matrix 4.0 project ranged between "A+" (best performance) and "F" (worst performance). Results: The population subgroups of females, children, rural residents, with/without disabilities from countries/localities with higher HDI performed better in the organized sport and physical activity indicator than their peers from countries/localities with lower HDI. Children and adolescents living in rural areas of countries/localities with higher HDI showed better performance for active play, and children and adolescents living in urban areas of countries/localities with lower HDI showed better performance for the active transportation. Countries/localities with higher HDI showed better grades for sources of influence than the countries/localities with lower HDI. Conclusions: Physical activity patterns in some population subgroups of children and adolescents differed according to the development level of countries/localities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extreme heat is an important public health concern, and heat stress exposure and related adaptive capacity are not equally distributed across social groups. We conducted a systematic review to answer the question: What is the effect of social disadvantage on exposure to subjective and objective heat stress and related adaptive capacity to prevent or reduce exposure to heat stress in the general population? We systematically searched for peer-reviewed journal articles that assessed differences in heat stress exposure and related adaptive capacity by social factors that were published between 2005 and 2024. One author screened all records and extracted data; a second author screened and extracted 10% for validation. Synthesis included the identification and description of specific social groups unequally exposed to heat stress and with lower adaptive capacity. We assessed European studies for the potential risk of bias in their assessment. We identified 123 relevant publications. Subjective heat stress appeared in 18.7% of articles, objective heat stress in 54.5%, and adaptive capacity in 54.5%. Nearly half came from North America (47.2%), 22.8% from Asia, and 17.1% from Europe. Publishing increased from zero articles in 2005 to 21 in 2023. Most studies considered socioeconomic status (SES) (78.8%), and many considered age (50.4%), race/ethnicity (42.3%), and sex/gender (30.1%). The identified studies show that lower-SES populations, young people, immigrants, unemployed people, those working in outdoor and manual occupations, and racial/ethnic minorities are generally more exposed to heat stress and have lower adaptive capacity. Most studies of objective heat stress use inadequate measures which are not representative of experienced temperatures. European studies generally have a low or moderate risk of bias in their assessments. Social inequalities in heat stress exposure and related adaptive capacity have been documented globally. In general, socially disadvantaged populations are more exposed to heat stress and have lower adaptive capacity. These social inequalities are context-dependent, dynamic, multi-dimensional, and intersectional. It is essential to consider social inequalities during heat-health action planning and when developing and implementing climate change adaptation policies and interventions.

In this commentary, I argue that attention to intersecting social inequalities is crucially important for any scholarly analysis of the relationship between transhumanism, markets, and consumption. Drawing on my sociological research about egg and sperm donation, genetic testing, and men's reproductive health, I discuss how social beliefs – particularly those around gender, race, class, and sexuality – become embedded in biological, technological, and medical approaches to human bodies, profoundly shaping how they are categorised, studied, treated, and commodified. On their own and in combination, these social processes both reflect and produce devastating inequalities. This is where futuristic flights of transhumanist fancy meet sociological realities, and debates about transhumanism must grapple with the persistence of such inequalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, contact, education, and employment opportunities have fundamentally changed worldwide. However, various studies have pointed out that not everyone is equally affected by the changed circumstances. This paper focuses on the impact of the pandemic on the study situation in German higher education and explores the question to what extent the pandemic has led to increasing or decreasing social inequalities. Building on social stratification research and Tinto's model of social and academic integration we focus on dropout intentions of traditionally disadvantaged student groups – students with disabilities, with children, from families with lower levels of education, and with a migrant background. Based on comparable data from a German-wide representative student survey 'Studying in Corona Times' (2020) and data from the '21st Social Survey' (2016) our analysis shows to what extent the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced students' dropout intentions in Germany and which vulnerable student groups are particularly affected. The results of our logistic regression analysis indicate that compared to 2016 social inequalities in dropout intention have increased significantly in all vulnerable student groups. In particular, students with disabilities and students with children have a higher risk of intending to drop out in 2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent decades have brought significant worldwide expansion of private supplementary tutoring. Demand is especially driven by social competition, which has intensified in the context of globalization. The main suppliers of tutoring are serving teachers, commercial enterprises, and informal providers such as university students. Private tutoring has far-reaching implications for social inequalities, especially because higher-income households can easily secure more and better tutoring than their lower-income counterparts. While private tutoring can support low-achieving students, further stretch high achievers and provide employment, it can also have a backwash effect on schooling. Further, commercial enterprises and even teachers involved in tutoring may operate with questionable business practices. Yet comparative analysis shows wide variations in the governance and regulation of tutoring. While a few governments enact tight regulations, many others have laissez-faire attitudes toward private tutoring. Stronger multi-stakeholder focus on private tutoring and more robust regulations are needed to achieve the sorts of goals envisaged by UNESCO's International Commission on the Futures of Education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Asian Journal of Women's Studies is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In Denmark and Sweden, statutory retirement age is indexed to life expectancy to account for mortality improvements in their populations. However, mortality improvements have not been uniform across different sub-populations. Notably, in both countries, individuals of lower socioeconomic status (SES) have experienced slower mortality improvements. As a result, a uniform rise in the statutory retirement age could disproportionally affect these low-SES groups and may unintentionally lead to a reverse redistribution effect, shifting benefits from short-lived low-SES individuals to long-lived high-SES individuals. The aim of this study is twofold: to quantify and contextualise mortality inequalities by SES in Denmark and Sweden, and to assess how indexing retirement age will affect future survival to retirement age by SES in these countries. We used Danish and Swedish registry data (1988–2019), to aggregate individuals aged 50 + based on their demographic characteristics and SES. We computed period life tables by year, sex, and SES to estimate the difference in survival across different SES groups. We then forecast mortality across SES groups to assess how indexing retirement age will affect survival inequalities to retirement age, using two forecasting models—the Mode model and the Li-Lee model. Mortality inequalities are comparable in Denmark and Sweden, even though the latter generally has higher survival. We also find that indexing retirement age to life expectancy will have two main consequences: it will reduce the probability of reaching retirement for all SES groups, particularly those of low SES, and time spent in retirement will be reduced, particularly for those of high SES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Greenness exposure has been associated with many health benefits, for example through the pathway of providing opportunities for physical activity (PA). Beside the limited body of longitudinal research, most studies overlook to what extent different types of greenness exposures may be associated with varying levels of PA and sedentary behavior (SB). In this study, we investigated associations of greenness characterized by density, diversity and vegetation type with self-reported PA and SB over a 9-year period, using data from the ORISCAV-LUX study (2007–2017, n = 628). Methods: The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) short form was used to collect PA and SB outcomes. PA was expressed as MET-minutes/week and log-transformed, and SB was expressed as sitting time in minutes/day. Geographic Information Systems (ArcGIS Pro, ArcMap) were used to collect the following exposure variables: Tree Cover Density (TCD), Soil-adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI), and Green Land Use Mix (GLUM). The exposure variables were derived from publicly available sources using remote sensing and cartographic resources. Greenness exposure was calculated within 1000m street network buffers around participants' exact residential address. Results: Using Random Effects Within-Between (REWB) models, we found evidence of negative within-individual associations of TCD with PA (β = − 2.60, 95% CI − 4.75; − 0.44), and negative between-individual associations of GLUM and PA (β = − 2.02, 95% CI − 3.73; − 0.32). There was no evidence for significant associations between greenness exposure and SB. Significant interaction effects by sex were present for the associations between TCD and both PA and SB. Neighborhood socioeconomic status (NSES) did not modify the effect of greenness exposure on PA and SB in the 1000 m buffer. Discussion: Our results showed that the relationship between greenness exposure and PA depended on the type of greenness measure used, which stresses the need for the use of more diverse and complementary greenness measures in future research. Tree vegetation and greenness diversity, and changes therein, appeared to relate to PA, with distinct effects among men and women. Replication studies are needed to confirm the relevance of using different greenness measures to understand its' different associations with PA and SB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Le Bigot, Eugénie. (2022) Pratiques de femmes dans les espaces publics: représentations, stratégies corporelles et inégalités sociales. Une comparaison entre Caen, Rouen et Portsmouth. Géographie. Université de Caen Normandie. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shadow education is a widely used metaphor for private supplementary tutoring, i.e. instruction in academic subjects on a fee-charging basis outside school hours. The metaphor is used because much tutoring mimics schooling. Thus, as the curriculum changes in the schools, so it changes in the shadows; and as schooling grows, so does the shadow. Initially with particular prominence in East Asia, albeit with deep roots elsewhere, shadow education has expanded worldwide. The phenomenon has been mapped in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North America, but has received modest attention in Latin America. This article provides an overview of the phenomenon in the region using available data and stressing the need for further research. It presents global as well as Latin American contextual factors and drivers of demand before turning to data on the scale, nature and suppliers of shadow education. The assembled picture then permits commentary on educational and social impact, and on policy implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agroecological and artisanal produce markets have multiplied as part of a broader process that promotes food citizenship oriented towards justice and sustainability. However, this phenomenon is immersed in the complexity of food systems and entails great heterogeneity. This article analyzes the relationship between these types of initiatives and the gentrification processes in some of the areas where they are established. The topic is approached from ethnographic material collected in the framework of a research project on agroecological production initiatives and artisanal transformation in Mexico City and on the citizens’ collectives that facilitate the commercialization of this production. The findings show that in certain areas of the city these markets shape a broader set of “alternative” food supply networks linked to gentrification processes and the findings identify some of the factors that affect the reproduction of social inequalities within the framework of these initiatives. At the same time, the study underscores the agency of the actors involved and documents their abilities to use these spaces through the growing demand for fresh, healthy, and locally-sourced food to advance their own ends in areas subject to gentrification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Czech & Slovak Social Work / Sociální Práce / Sociálna Práca is the property of Czech & Slovak Social Work and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Gênero e Interdisciplinaridade is the property of Instituto de Ensino e Pesquisa Periodicojs and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Odeere is the property of Edicoes UESB and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Food addiction (FA) has been widely investigated. For the first time, two studies reported its association with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) in the general population and populations with mental disorders and undergoing bariatric surgery. However, the relationship between FA and DM2 needs to be better explored in different social contexts and population groups. Given this, the present study aims to evaluate whether DM2 diagnosis is associated with FA diagnosis in women living in poverty. This is a cross-sectional, population-based study conducted in a Brazilian capital city. FA was assessed by the modified Yale Food Addiction Scale (mYFAS) 2.0, and DM2 diagnosis was assessed by self-reporting of previous medical diagnosis. The association was assessed by multivariable Poisson regression with robust variance estimation adjusted for age, poverty situation, race/skin colour, physical activity and BMI. A total of 1878 women were included, of whom 15·1 % had FA and 3·2 % had a medical diagnosis of DM2. In the multivariable analysis, the medical diagnosis of DM2 was associated with FA (prevalence ratio, PR: 2·18; 95 % CI (1·26, 3·76)). The DM2 diagnosis was also identified to be associated with role interference (PR: 1·93; 95 % CI (1·01, 3·67)) symptom of FA. In conclusion, a positive association between FA and DM2 in women living in poverty was observed, information that adds to the current evidence already available in the literature, pointing to a new line of research and integrated care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite major advances, our understanding of the neurobiology of life course socioeconomic conditions is still scarce. This study aimed to provide insight into the pathways linking socioeconomic exposures--household income, last known occupational position, and life course socioeconomic trajectories--with brain microstructure and cognitive performance in middle to late adulthood. We assessed socioeconomic conditions alongside quantitative relaxometry and diffusionweighted magnetic resonance imaging indicators of brain tissue microstructure and cognitive performance in a sample of community-dwelling men and women (N = 751, aged 50--91 years). We adjusted the applied regression analyses and structural equation models for the linear and nonlinear effects of age, sex, education, cardiovascular risk factors, and the presence of depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. Individuals from lower-income households showed signs of advanced brain white matter (WM) aging with greater mean diffusivity (MD), lower neurite density, lower myelination, and lower iron content. The association between household income and MD was mediated by neurite density (B = 0.084, p = 0.003) and myelination (B = 0.019, p = 0.009); MD partially mediated the association between household income and cognitive performance (B = 0.017, p < 0.05). Household income moderated the relation between WM microstructure and cognitive performance, such that greater MD, lower myelination, or lower neurite density was only associated with poorer cognitive performance among individuals from lower-income households. Individuals from higher-income households showed preserved cognitive performance even with greater MD, lower myelination, or lower neurite density. These findings provide novel mechanistic insights into the associations between socioeconomic conditions, brain anatomy, and cognitive performance in middle to late adulthood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Loneliness is most often understood as resulting from individual deficits that shape poor social engagement and unsatisfying interactions. As a consequence, interventions to address loneliness most often focus on fixing the lonely individual, for example, by modifying their social appraisals and skills, or encouraging them to get out more. In this paper, we characterize and contribute to changing this dominant narrative by arguing that it is both unhelpful and incomplete. We explain that this dominant narrative (1) increases loneliness and makes people feel worse about this experience, (2) does not account for important predictors of loneliness, (3) guides us to interventions that do not produce sufficiently effective or sustainable change, and (4) hinders broader understandings of the societal impact of loneliness. In this way, we argue that the dominant narrative around loneliness contributes to further setting those who feel lonely apart from the rest of society. We propose that attention to individual factors needs to be complemented by the acknowledgement that loneliness is heavily determined by social and structural conditions that render it unequally distributed in society, a situation that qualifies loneliness as a social justice issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the work practices of female street vendors on the suburban coast of Salvador, utilizing a constructionist approach anchored in actor-network theory. The methodology included observations of these women's everyday work, with the use of field journals for recording information generated in the field. The produced information encompassed the precarious working conditions, exhausting work hours, and social inequalities present in this context. Additionally, the presence of children, adolescents, and elderly individuals in the labor activities was noted, highlighting the need for measures to protect their rights and well-being. Challenges faced during the study included some participants' refusal to share their experiences and the complexity of interactions in the research field. There is a need to develop and implement policies and actions that improve working conditions and promote gender equality in the informal sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article aims to identify how systemic, multi-scale dynamics influence access to adequate and healthy food and eating and how food is produced and circulated in the Amazonian context of the Metropolitan Region of Santarém (PA). We conducted a literature review, qualitative interviews with key actors, discussion groups and visits to food retailers to address the following research questions: how do socio-economic and political dynamics, especially those related to the soy-meat agroindustrial complex, create or reproduce social inequalities, injustices and inequities, and how do they affect the access to adequate and healthy food? Our findings suggest that the expansion of large-scale soybean growing and livestock, forming the industrial soy-meat complex, contributes to the impoverishment of certain social segments of the local population, accompanied by the erosion of the base for food production. Smallholder farmers and Indigenous and traditional people are among the main affected groups, while violence in rural areas contributes to restricting access to adequate and healthy food. The novelties of our study lie in approaching food systems, taking access to food as the entry point and linking adverse effects of the soy-meat complex to inequalities in access to healthy food. The study also discusses value conflicts between "traditional" and "modern food" (e.g., ultra-processed food), reflecting intergenerational disputes between ways of life and culture, which are also nurtured by the expansion of the soy-meat complex. These multi-scale dynamics have significant repercussions on how food is produced and circulated and highlight the relations between local food politics and conflicts, as well as their connections with processes beyond the local scale. Finally, the article calls for advancing integrated and multi-scale analysis of food production and access to address challenges of social injustices in food system transitions, fostering sustainability, human health and climate change mitigation and adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Social Inequalities & Economic Growth / Nierownosci Spoleczne a Wzrost Gospodarczy is the property of University of Rzeszow and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of this article is to document the current reality of inequalities in university education, focusing on the way in which purely material difficulties condition the academic performance of students. The statistical analysis is based on survey data collected at Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB); it has the particularity of starting from the living situation of students and categorising them according to the hardships they experience. The survey was carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the difficulties of those in the most precarious situations and thus shedding light on the question of living conditions. The analysis shows that there are indeed significant academic inequalities between students according to their living conditions: the greater the hardship, the lower the students' marks. Students who experience the greatest hardships are more likely to come from modest backgrounds, but we can see that hardship can exist independently of social and family background, indicating that material constraints are an obstacle in themselves to the successful completion of higher education. The analysis also reveals that there are many inequalities with respect to university education, which stem from different social relationships: in particular, at equal social levels, ethno-racial inequalities exist.

The aim of this article is to document the current reality of inequalities in university education, focusing on the way in which purely material difficulties condition the academic performance of students. The statistical analysis is based on survey data collected at Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB); it has the particularity of starting from the living situation of students and categorising them according to the hardships they experience. The survey was carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the difficulties of those in the most precarious situations and thus shedding light on the question of living conditions. The analysis shows that there are indeed significant academic inequalities between students according to their living conditions: the greater the hardship, the lower the students' marks. Students who experience the greatest hardships are more likely to come from modest backgrounds, but we can see that hardship can exist independently of social and family background, indicating that material constraints are an obstacle in themselves to the successful completion of higher education. The analysis also reveals that there are many inequalities with respect to university education, which stem from different social relationships: in particular, at equal social levels, ethno-racial inequalities exist.

The aim of this article is to document the current reality of inequalities in university education, focusing on the way in which purely material difficulties condition the academic performance of students. The statistical analysis is based on survey data collected at Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB); it has the particularity of starting from the living situation of students and categorising them according to the hardships they experience. The survey was carried out during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the difficulties of those in the most precarious situations and thus shedding light on the question of living conditions. The analysis shows that there are indeed significant academic inequalities between students according to their living conditions: the greater the hardship, the lower the students' marks. Students who experience the greatest hardships are more likely to come from modest backgrounds, but we can see that hardship can exist independently of social and family background, indicating that material constraints are an obstacle in themselves to the successful completion of higher education. The analysis also reveals that there are many inequalities with respect to university education, which stem from different social relationships: in particular, at equal social levels, ethno-racial inequalities exist.

BackgroundMortality among people with dependency to perform basic activities of daily living (ADL) is higher than that of non-dependent people of the same age. Understanding the evolutionary course and factors involved in non-institutionalized ADL dependency, including the influence of the family structure that supports this population, would contribute to improved health planning.MethodsA longitudinal study carried out in the ADL-dependent population of the Orcasitas neighborhood, Madrid (Spain), between June 2020, when the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown ended, and June 2023. A total of 127 patients participated in the study, 78.7% of whom were women and 21.3% were men. Risk analysis was performed via odds ratios (OR) and hazard ratios (HR). Survival analysis was performed using Cox regression.ResultsA total of 54.33% of the ADL-dependent persons did not live with their adult children and 45.67% did, being associated living independently with economic capacity and the married marital status but not with the dependency level. In women, being married increased the probability of living independently of their adult children (OR = 12.632; 95% CI = 3.312–48.178). Loss of mobility (OR = 0.398; 95% CI = 0.186–0.853), economic capacity of the dependent (HR = 0.596; 95% CI = 0.459–0.774), and living independently and having better economic capacity (HR = 0.471; 95% CI = 0.234–0.935) were associated with 3-year survival. Those who lived with their adult children had a worse autonomy profile and higher mortality (HR = 1.473; 95% CI = 1.072–2.024). Not being employed, not being married, and not owning a home were significantly associated with being an essential family caregiver. Caregivers were mostly women (OR = 1.794; 95% CI = 1.011–3.182).ConclusionAmong ADL-dependent persons, economic capacity influenced the ability to living independently and affected survival after 3 years. Loss of mobility (wheelchair use) was a predictor of mortality. Social inequalities promote that adult children end up as essential family caregivers. This generates reverse dependency and maintains a vulnerability that is transmitted from generation to generation, perpetuating social and gender inequalities. Dependent parent care in this cohort maintained an archaic pattern in which the eldest daughter cared for her parents. This study made it possible to show that ADL dependence is accompanied by complex interrelationships that must be considered in socio-health planning.

BackgroundProlonged confinement can lead to personal deterioration at various levels. We studied this phenomenon during the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown in a functionally dependent population of the Orcasitas neighborhood of Madrid, Spain, by measuring their ability to perform basic activities of daily living and their mortality rate.MethodsA total of 127 patients were included in the Orcasitas cohort. Of this cohort, 78.7% were female, 21.3% were male, and their mean age was 86 years. All participants had a Barthel index of ≤ 60. Changes from pre- to post-confinement and 3 years afterward were analyzed, and the effect of these changes on survival was assessed (2020–2023).ResultsThe post-confinement functional assessment showed significant improvement in independence over pre-confinement for both the Barthel score (t = −5.823; p < 0.001) and the classification level (z = −2.988; p < 0.003). This improvement progressively disappeared in the following 3 years, and 40.9% of the patients in this cohort died during this period. These outcomes were associated with the Barthel index (z = −3.646; p < 0.001) and the level of dependence (hazard ratio 2.227; CI 1.514–3.276). Higher mortality was observed among men (HR 1.745; CI 1.045–2.915) and those with severe dependence (HR 2.169; CI 1.469–3.201). Setting the cutoff point of the Barthel index at 40 provided the best detection of the risk of death associated with dependence.ConclusionsHome confinement and the risk of death due to the COVID-19 pandemic awakened a form of resilience in the face of adversity among the population of functionally dependent adults. The Barthel index is a good predictor of medium- and long-term mortality and is a useful method for detecting populations at risk in health planning. A cutoff score of 40 is useful for this purpose. To a certain extent, the non-institutionalized dependent population is an invisible population. Future studies should analyze the causes of the high mortality observed.

Abstract Extreme flooding events are becoming more frequent and costly, and impacts have been concentrated in cities where exposure and vulnerability are both heightened. To manage risks, governments, the private sector, and households now rely on flood hazard data from national‐scale models that lack accuracy in urban areas due to unresolved drainage processes and infrastructure. Here we assess the uncertainties of First Street Foundation (FSF) flood hazard data, available across the U.S., using a new model (PRIMo‐Drain) that resolves drainage infrastructure and fine resolution drainage dynamics. Using the case of Los Angeles, California, we find that FSF and PRIMo‐Drain estimates of population and property value exposed to 1%‐ and 5%‐annual‐chance hazards diverge at finer scales of governance, for example, by 4‐ to 18‐fold at the municipal scale. FSF and PRIMo‐Drain data often predict opposite patterns of exposure inequality across social groups (e.g., Black, White, Disadvantaged). Further, at the county scale, we compute a Model Agreement Index of only 24%—a ∼1 in 4 chance of models agreeing upon which properties are at risk. Collectively, these differences point to limited capacity of FSF data to confidently assess which municipalities, social groups, and individual properties are at risk of flooding within urban areas. These results caution that national‐scale model data at present may misinform urban flood risk strategies and lead to maladaptation, underscoring the importance of refined and validated urban models.

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has had, and still has, a profound impact on national health systems, altering trajectories of care and exacerbating existing inequalities in health. Postponement of surgeries and cancellation of elective surgical procedures have been reported worldwide. In Italy, the lock-down measures following the COVID-19 pandemic caused cancellations of surgical procedures and important backlogs; little is known about potential social inequalities in the recovery process that occurred during the post-lockdown period. This study aims at evaluating whether all population social strata benefited equally from the surgical volumes’ recovery in four large Italian regions. Methods This multicentre cohort study covers a population of approximately 11 million people. To assess if social inequalities exist in the recovery of eight indicators of elective and oncological surgery, we estimated Risk Ratios (RR) through Poisson models, comparing the incidence proportions of events recorded during COVID-19 (2020-21) with those in pre-pandemic years (2018-19) for each pandemic period and educational level. Results Compared to 2018-19, volumes of elective surgery showed a U-shape with the most significant drops during the second wave or the vaccination phase. The recovery was socially unequal. At the end of 2021, incidence proportions among highly educated people generally exceeded the expected ones; RRs were 1.31 (95%CI 1.21–1.42), 1.24 (95%CI 1.17–1.23), 1.17 (95%CI 1.08–1.26) for knee and hip replacement and prostatic surgery, respectively. Among low educated patients, RR remained always

Abstract Background Improving our understanding of household incomes and what constitutes financial insecurity can help us to better understand how financial insecurity is experienced and how this can change over time within and between individuals and populations. However, financial circumstances are often perceived as sensitive and stigmatising, particularly within some ethnic minority groups. This research aims to explore attitudes and variation by sociodemographic factors in consent provided for financial data linkage in an experimental birth cohort study, in order to obtain validated income and benefits data and to better understand the impact of community interventions on the financial security of its participants and their families. Methods This research utilises an observational study design to explore consent rates, attitudes and variation in sociodemographic factors between participants of an experimental birth cohort in a deprived and ethnically diverse setting who consent and do not consent to financial data linkage. Results Overall, participants were equally likely to consent and decline consent for financial data linkage. Measures of socioeconomic insecurity were associated with being more likely to provide consent for financial data linkage. Participants who were not employed (OR 1.49 95% CI 0.93, 2.40) and were more financially insecure (OR 1.85 95% CI 1.14, 3.93) were more likely to provide consent for financial data linkage. Where the participant’s first language was a language other than English, participants were also less likely to provide consent for data linkage (OR 0.65 95% CI 0.39, 0.98). The choice of consent for financial data linkage was not associated with: ethnicity; relationship factors; employment status of the participant’s partner; person present at time of recruitment; and measures of health, such as general health, mental health, wellbeing and health-related quality of life. Conclusions This research sets out an approach to obtaining validated income and benefits data, as a proxy measure for financial security, within an experimental birth cohort study in a deprived and ethnically diverse setting. It achieves good consent rates and demonstrates greater input from those who report greater potential need for financial support. Further research should be conducted to further understand the interplay of language spoken in this context.

Abstract Background It has consistently been shown that perceived discrimination is associated with adverse health outcomes. Despite this uncontested relevance, there is a lack of research on the experiences of discrimination in health care. Therefore, the following research questions were addressed: (1) How often do people in Germany report having been discriminated in health care due to different reasons? (2) Which socio-demographic groups are most afflicted by perceived discrimination in health care? Methods Analyses are based on a cross-sectional online survey conducted in Germany. An adult population sample was randomly drawn from a panel which was recruited offline (N = 2,201). Respondents were asked whether they have ever been discriminated in health care due to the following reasons: age, sex/gender, racism (i.e. migration history, religion, language problems, colour of skin), health issues or disability (i.e. overweight, mental illness/addiction, disability), socio-economic status (SES, i.e. income, education, occupation). Results 26.6% of the respondents reported discrimination experiences. Perceived discrimination due to health issues or disability was most frequent (15%), followed by age (9%) and SES (8.9%). Discrimination due to racism and sex/gender was less frequently reported (4.1% and 2.5%). Younger age groups, women, and 2nd generation migrants as well as respondents with low income and low education were more likely to report any kind of discrimination in health care. Two groups were found to be at special risk for reporting discrimination in health care across different reasons: women and younger age groups. Discrimination due to racism was more prevalent among respondents who have immigrated themselves than those who were born in Germany but whose parents have immigrated. Discrimination due to SES was significantly associated with (low) income but not with education. Conclusions More than a quarter of the adult population in Germany reported experiences of discrimination in health care. Such experiences were more frequent among lower SES groups, migrants, women, and younger people. Results underline the necessity of interventions to reduce the magnitude and consequences of discrimination in health care. Future studies should apply an intersectional approach to consider interactions between social inequality indicators regarding discrimination and to identify risk groups that are potentially afflicted by multiple discrimination.

Abstract Background Denmark was one of the few countries that experienced an increase in life expectancy in 2020, and one of the few to see a decrease in 2021. Because COVID-19 mortality is associated with socioeconomic status (SES), we hypothesize that certain subgroups of the Danish population experienced changes in life expectancy in 2020 and 2021 that differed from the country overall. We aim to quantify life expectancy in Denmark in 2020 and 2021 by SES and compare this to recent trends in life expectancy (2014–2019). Methods We used Danish registry data from 2014 to 2021 for all individuals aged 30+. We classified the study population into SES groups using income quartiles and calculated life expectancy at age 30 by year, sex, and SES, and the differences in life expectancy from 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021. We compared these changes to the average 1-year changes from 2014 to 2019 with 95% confidence intervals. Lastly, we decomposed these changes by age and cause of death distinguishing seven causes, including COVID-19, and a residual category. Results We observed a mortality gradient in life expectancy changes across SES groups in both pandemic years. Among women, those of higher SES experienced a larger increase in life expectancy in 2020 and a smaller decrease in 2021 compared to those of lower SES. Among men, those of higher SES experienced an increase in life expectancy in both 2020 and 2021, while those of lower SES experienced a decrease in 2021. The impact of COVID-19 mortality on changes in life expectancy in 2020 was counterbalanced by improvements in non-COVID-19 mortality, especially driven by cancer and cardiovascular mortality. However, in 2021, non-COVID-19 mortality contributed negatively even for causes as cardiovascular mortality that has generally a positive impact on life expectancy changes, resulting in declines for most SES groups. Conclusions COVID-19 mortality disproportionally affected those of lower SES and exacerbated existing social inequalities in Denmark. We conclude that in health emergencies, particular attention should be paid to those who are least socially advantaged to avoid widening the already existing mortality gap with those of higher SES. This research contributes to the discussion on social inequalities in mortality in high-income countries.

Background: This study aims to investigate inequalities in leisure-time physical activity (PA) practice amid the COVID-19 pandemic in a southern Brazilian city. Methods: Four repeated population-based surveys were carried out. PA was collected using a questionnaire proposed by the authors and an adapted version of the leisure-time section of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The sociodemographic variables were sex, age, skin color, and education level. The participants also answered questions regarding social distancing measures compliance. Descriptive analyses based on proportions and their respective P values for categorical variables were presented. The chi-square test for heterogeneity and linear trend was used. Results: The sample is composed of 1556 individuals (66.1% female). Overall, between rounds 1 and 2, PA prevalence declined, followed by a gradual increase thereafter. PA practice during the pandemic was higher among men, individuals with higher education level, and individuals with white skin color in all rounds. In rounds 2, 3, and 4, PA was lower among individuals who were practicing more social distancing. Conclusion: To tackle the PA inequalities, policymakers and stakeholders need to confront disparities, defending greater availability of public policies that are attentive to inequalities, especially regarding gender, skin color, and educational level, to promote PA as a human right. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Caries experience in Argentine children is quite high and no national data are present. Aim: This cross-sectional observational survey aimed to assess the oral health status of schoolchildren in Buenos Aires (CABA) using CTNI and to evaluate the ecological association between health inequalities and caries prevalence. Design: Data were collected, via a clustered procedure, during the 2016–2018 school years. Children were examined at school to determine dental status according to the CTNI performed under standardized conditions, using light, dental mirrors, WHO probes and magnification (2.5×). Secondary sources were used to acquire socio-demographic and epidemiological data. A hierarchical cluster analysis was carried out with the municipalities of the CABA as the dependent variable and the socio-demographic factors. Results: The study population consisted of 62,904 schoolchildren, 43,571 of whom were enrolled into the study. Total caries prevalence was 67.78% while severe caries prevalence was 28.29%, which was statistically associated with the year of the survey (p < 0.01). Four territorial conglomerates from a socio-epidemiological standpoint outline homogeneous areas of social risk; cluster 1 had the highest social risk. The prevalence of severe caries (CTNI 7–14) was highest in cluster 1 (44.7–53.2% of the population). Conclusion: The social inequalities between municipalities of the CABA were statistically associated with high inequalities in oral health needs.

Abstract Recent research has evidenced the gender differentiated impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on health and socio-economic inequalities in the UK. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on gender inequalities particularly regarding the increased burden of unpaid care work, health, education, and gender-based violence have been evidenced in a number of recent studies (O’Donnell et al. 2021; Flor et al. 2022; Herten-Crabb and Wenham 2022; Dotsikas et al. 2023). In particular, gendered inequalities are reflected in gendered themes within caregivers’ discourse and reports on patterns among caregivers. This chapter analyses recent empirical evidence relating to the gender-differentiated health, economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 crisis in the UK. The chapter also explores recent research relating to gendered themes within private and public discourse relating to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This is followed by a discussion of the policy implications of private and public discourse relating to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on gendered health inequalities in the UK. The main findings of the chapter are that the burden of normative expectations placed on women during the two lockdowns in the UK were overwhelming, with mothers facing extraordinary levels of emotional and psychological stress as they struggled to cope with conflicting demands of domestic work, home schooling, working from home and/or working within health care or social care. Moreover, women and caregivers in general faced extraordinary pressures in attempting to live up to dominant public narratives of caregivers as stoic and heroic.

This paper provides a sociological perspective on urban gentrification and its societal implications, employing a research method that primarily involves an extensive literature study. Gentrification, characterized by the influx of more affluent residents into previously disadvantaged urban neighborhoods, is a multifaceted phenomenon with significant social, economic, and cultural consequences. Drawing on sociological theories and empirical research from existing literature, the study examines the drivers and consequences of gentrification, exploring issues such as housing affordability, displacement, social demographics, and the dynamics of urban change. It also considers how gentrification both perpetuates and alleviates social inequalities, emphasizing the importance of inclusive urban development policies and community-based initiatives to address the challenges and opportunities that gentrification presents in contemporary cities.

Abstract Background The widening of group-level socioeconomic differences in body mass index (BMI) has received considerable research attention. However, the predictive power of socioeconomic position (SEP) indicators at the individual level remains uncertain, as does the potential temporal variation in their predictive value. Examining this is important given the increasing incorporation of SEP indicators into predictive algorithms and calls to reduce social inequality to tackle the obesity epidemic. We thus investigated SEP differences in BMI over three decades of the obesity epidemic in England, comparing population-wide (SEP group differences in mean BMI) and individual-level (out-of-sample prediction of individuals’ BMI) approaches to understanding social inequalities. Methods We used repeated cross-sectional data from the Health Survey for England, 1991–2019. BMI (kg/m2) was measured objectively, and SEP was measured via educational attainment, occupational class, and neighbourhood index of deprivation. We ran random forest models for each survey year and measure of SEP adjusting for age and sex. Results The mean and variance of BMI increased within each SEP group over the study period. Mean differences in BMI by SEP group also increased: differences between lowest and highest education groups were 1.0 kg/m2 (0.4, 1.6) in 1991 and 1.3 kg/m2 (0.7, 1.8) in 2019. At the individual level, the predictive capacity of SEP was low, though increased in later years: including education in models improved predictive accuracy (mean absolute error) by 0.14% (− 0.9, 1.08) in 1991 and 1.05% (0.18, 1.82) in 2019. Similar patterns were obtained for occupational class and neighbourhood deprivation and when analysing obesity as an outcome. Conclusions SEP has become increasingly important at the population (group difference) and individual (prediction) levels. However, predictive ability remains low, suggesting limited utility of including SEP in prediction algorithms. Assuming links are causal, abolishing SEP differences in BMI could have a large effect on population health but would neither reverse the obesity epidemic nor reduce much of the variation in BMI.