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The availability of support services to ensure financial security is crucial for older people, particularly those who experience functional disability and or financial incapacity. In Ghana, evidence show that many older people report being financially insecure, necessitating an examination of how social provisions such as the social work profession can innovatively and culturally promote financial security for older people. However, limited evidence exists on how social work can innovatively offer culturally appropriate contributions to address the financial security needs of older people in Ghana. Deploying a descriptive qualitative design, this study presents the qualitative findings of older people's financial experiences across three Ghanaian regions. The study participants (N = 15) were purposefully sampled from Ashanti, Bono-East, and Central regions in Ghana to engage in semi-structured interviews. Analysis of participants' experiences regarding their finances using NVIVO 20 resulted in six major themes namely: 1) source of finance; 2) reliability of financial sources; 3) adequacy of finances; 4) perspectives on financial soundness; 5) perceived status of financial security; and 6) preferred measures to improve financial status. These themes, put together, enhance our understanding of the seriousness of older people's financial situation and a quest for financial security. The findings offer evidence for the social work profession in Ghana to adopt innovative and culturally sound approaches, including the 'nnoboa' strategy (a common concept in rural Akan communities in Ghana for cooperative cultivation and fundraising) in ensuring financial security for older people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asset accumulation in later life is a pressing issue in Japan due to the growing gap between life expectancy (87.14 years for women, 81.09 years for men in 2023) and the retirement age (65 or less). This gap heightens financial insecurity, emphasizing the need to meet asset goals by 65. Hyperbolic discounting, driven by present-biased preferences, often hinders this process, but empirical evidence for those aged 65 and older remains limited. Moreover, prior research has overlooked the varying impacts of hyperbolic discounting across different wealth levels. This study addresses these gaps by analyzing data from 6709 active Japanese investors aged over 65 (2023 wave) using probit regression. Wealth thresholds are categorized into four levels: JPY 20 million, JPY 30 million, JPY 50 million, and JPY 100 million. The results show that hyperbolic discounting significantly impairs asset accumulation at the JPY 100 million level but not at lower thresholds. This effect likely reflects the complex nature of hyperbolic discounting, which primarily affects long-term savings and investments. The findings underscore the importance of addressing hyperbolic discounting in later-life financial planning. Recommendations include implementing automatic savings plans, enhancing financial literacy, and incorporating behavioral insights into planning tools to support better asset accumulation outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In high-income countries, socioeconomically disadvantaged adolescents experience a higher risk of obesity, which may have been further exacerbated during the early phase of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aimed to investigate the association between obesity and familial financial insecurity, utilizing data on subjective household socioeconomic status (SES) and perceived family-level financial deterioration induced by COVID-19. Methods: We utilized data from the Korea Youth Risk Behavior Survey, a nationally representative sample of Korean adolescents, in 2020 and 2021. The independent and joint associations of two primary exposures, subjective household SES and perceived family-level financial deterioration, with obesity were assessed using multivariable logistic regression models. Results: Among 106,979 adolescents aged 12-18 years, 16.9% of boys and 9.0% of girls met the criteria for obesity. Notably, 70.5% reported experiencing COVID-19-related financial deterioration. Both subjective household SES and perceived familylevel financial deterioration independently and synergistically increased the odds of obesity. A graded association was observed between obesity and lower SES and more severe financial deterioration, particularly among girls. Younger adolescents were more sensitive to household SES, whereas older adolescents were more sensitive to financial deterioration. Conclusion: While the COVID-19 pandemic presented a unique social context, our findings highlight that financially insecure adolescents were at an increased risk of obesity during the early phase of the pandemic. This underscores the need for obesityprevention strategies in times of macroeconomic recession to address not only the persistent influence of household SES but also the direct and indirect effects of family-level financial deterioration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Efficacious strategies can now prevent the transmission of HIV from mother to child. However, transmission rates remain unacceptably high, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Understanding women's perinatal transitions can inform interventions to support adherence to preventive strategies. Therefore, we applied Transitions Theory in a longitudinal qualitative study to explore perinatal transitions among women living with HIV in western Kenya. We conducted in-depth interviews with 30 women living with HIV at 3 key time points and, using our findings, described the theory's concepts in terms of participants' experiences. We then proposed theory-based interventions that could support smooth transition processes and positive outcomes.

Abstract Background This study investigates the impact of financial insecurity on the mental well-being and stress levels of parents in Lebanon amid the country’s severe economic crisis. The context of Lebanon’s economic collapse, coupled with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Beirut port explosion, has exacerbated financial and psychological distress among the population. This research aims to understand the correlation between financial instability and parental stress, identifying key factors contributing to mental health challenges in this demographic. Methods Employing a quantitative research approach, data was collected through an online survey from 785 parents from different backgrounds in Lebanon. The survey incorporated sociodemographic questions, the InCharge Financial Distress/Financial Well-Being Scale (IFDFW), and the Arabic version of the Parental Stress Scale (PSS). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 25. Results Findings showed significant correlations between high levels of parental stress and factors such as age (r = 0.071, p = 0.047) and lower education levels. Notably, refugees residing in Lebanon exhibited higher stress levels compared to Lebanese parents (mean stress score: 51.73 vs. 45.71, p

Background: This study investigates the impact of financial insecurity on the mental well-being and stress levels of parents in Lebanon amid the country’s severe economic crisis. The context of Lebanon’s economic collapse, coupled with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Beirut port explosion, has exacerbated financial and psychological distress among the population. This research aims to understand the correlation between financial instability and parental stress, identifying key factors contributing to mental health challenges in this demographic. Methods: Employing a quantitative research approach, data was collected through an online survey from 785 parents from different backgrounds in Lebanon. The survey incorporated sociodemographic questions, the InCharge Financial Distress/Financial Well-Being Scale (IFDFW), and the Arabic version of the Parental Stress Scale (PSS). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS version 25. Results: Findings showed significant correlations between high levels of parental stress and factors such as age (r = 0.071, p = 0.047) and lower education levels. Notably, refugees residing in Lebanon exhibited higher stress levels compared to Lebanese parents (mean stress score: 51.73 vs. 45.71, p < 0.001). Similarly, employed participants exhibited higher stress levels compared to the nonworking (mean stress score: 46.75 vs. 44.60, p = 0.003). A significant inverse association was found between financial well-being and parental stress (r=-0.216, p < 0.001), emphasizing the profound impact of economic instability on mental health. Conclusions: This study highlights the adverse effects of financial insecurity on parents’ mental health, primarily during a period of economic instability, emphasizing the urgent need for targeted support interventions. These findings contribute to the literature on economic crises and mental health, providing a basis for future research and policy development in similar contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This longitudinal study investigates whether the quality of family interactions at 3–5 years of age predicts narrative abilities in 7–9‐year‐old children from socioeconomically disadvantaged families. The sample consists of 67 children and their parents receiving social welfare. Family interactions were filmed during mealtime at home and coded using the Mealtime Interaction Coding System. Children's narrative abilities were measured based on their capacity to coherently elaborate and resolve stories from the Attachment Story Completion Task. Results revealed that children exposed to family interactions of higher quality make their narratives more accessible and understandable and include more appropriate expression of affects in their stories 4 years later, even after accounting for maternal education and verbal abilities. The results of this study highlight the importance of considering family interactions in the context of financial insecurity when studying socioemotional competence in childhood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In light of a global pandemic, rising inflation, and stock market uncertainty, many across the globe are experiencing financial insecurity. We build on an emerging line of research to explore the mechanisms through which leaders' personal financial insecurity impacts the teams they lead. We draw on compensatory control theory to theorize that leaders' personal financial insecurity has a negative indirect effect on adaptive team performance because more insecurity is associated with less perceived personal control, to which leaders respond by implementing a more hierarchical decision‐making authority structure in their teams. Integrating the social identity theory of leadership, we theorize that this effect is stronger when the leaders are more prototypical of their team. Evidence from three multi‐wave, multi‐source field studies including leaders and their teams and an online experiment supports our model. By uncovering how a leader's perceived financial state impacts those they lead, our work adds to the growing bottom‐line case for why organizations should care about supporting their employees' financial health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months and continued breastfeeding for 24 months or longer is recommended for all mothers world-wide, including women living with HIV (WLWH). Given evidence of suboptimal infant feeding and the need to understand context specific barriers, we explored experiences of perinatal WLWH in Kisumu, Kenya. We applied a longitudinal qualitative approach (4 in-depth interviews) with 30 women from pregnancy to 14-18 months postpartum. Cross-sectional profiling led to a narrative description of infant feeding across time. The majority of women breastfed exclusively for 6 months and weaned by 18 months. Severe financial and food insecurity were primary challenges as women worked through when/how to breastfeed or stop breastfeeding in the setting of multiple competing priorities/pressures across time. Financial and food support and increased support for breastfeeding beyond 18 months have the potential to reduce women's stress and uncertainty associated with infant feeding as well as optimize infant health and nutrition in this setting.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, families have experienced unprecedented financial and social disruptions. We studied the impact of preexisting psychosocial factors and pandemic-related financial and social disruptions in relation to family well-being among N = 4091 adolescents and parents during early summer 2020, participating in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive DevelopmentSM Study. Poorer family well-being was linked to prepandemic psychosocial and financial adversity and was associated with pandemic-related material hardship and social disruptions to routines. Parental alcohol use increased risk for worsening of family relationships, while a greater endorsement of coping strategies was mainly associated with overall better family well-being. Financial and mental health support may be critical for family well-being during and after a widespread crisis, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study aims to explore the financial status of Medicaid Home Care Aides (HCAs) working in Washington State (WA). This study importantly covers both economic and psychological components of financial insecurity, a comprehensive approach that may help advance policy development for HCAs' financial security. An online survey was conducted from April to May 2019 among employed WA HCAs. The descriptive analyses were conducted using Stata. About two-thirds earned less than $30,000 annually (62%) from all their jobs combined, including non-caregiving work. Over 1 in 4 reported having over $40 k in long-term debt (28%). More than 3 in 4 reported they could only cover housing and basic living expenses using savings for less than 2 months (76%), showing likely unreadiness for sudden financial shocks (financial vulnerability). Nearly 3 in 4 HCAs (73%) experienced at least one material hardship that include housing hardship, utilities hardship, medical hardship, and food insecurity. One in 4 expressed their financial stress was severe. More WA HCAs experienced material hardships (73%) than U.S. low-income families (64.2%). In 2021, the median annual wage for WA HCAs was about 20% higher than the national one; however, their wages still remain below the living wage. In conclusion, although WA HCAs' wages are comparable to national averages, they still experience financial vulnerability and material hardships. Therefore, achieving living wages is necessary for WA HCAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The utilitarian approach to pro-EU attitudes – noting that citizens establish their preferences based on their perceived self-interest – remains the dominant one in the social science literature on these attitudes. Yet previous work following this approach has overlooked the role of subjective financial insecurity. Based on prospect theory and marginal utility theory, we argue that individuals who feel financially insecure determine their preference for further European unification in terms of the gains and losses for themselves and that, since they are disproportionately sensitive to economic losses, they display more risk aversion and oppose further macro-political changes in the form of further European unification. Using hybrid models and 15 waves of a representative panel survey conducted in the Netherlands and covering 2008–2023, the evidence strongly supports our expectation. Controlling for individual education, occupational status, individual income, gender and age, subjective financial insecurity is cross-sectionally and longitudinally related to support for European integration. People generally feeling financially insecure (those who over time increased their feeling of financial insecurity) display significantly less support for further European unification than people who generally feel financially secure (people who over time did not feel more financially insecure). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundThe syndemic effects of poverty, food insecurity and living with HIV are recognized as global health priorities, including through the United Nations Sustainability Goals 1, 2 and 3. Today, women and girls account for 63% of all new HIV infections in eastern and southern Africa, including Kenya. Pregnant and postpartum women living with HIV in this setting face unique challenges including increased financial insecurity as women leave the work force to care for their newborn infants. This contributes to poverty, food scarcity and stress.MethodsTo address financial insecurity, improve infant feeding and reduce stress among mothers living with HIV in this setting, we developed a multilevel intervention, Supporting Healthy Mothers, consisting of 10 monthly unconditional cash transfers (10,000 KES, ~$75 USD/month) and personalized infant feeding support from pregnancy to 7 months postpartum. We conducted a non-randomized feasibility trial of this intervention among women engaged in HIV care in Kisumu, Kenya. From February 23, 2022 to March 23, 2022, we enrolled a total of 40 women who were 20-35 weeks pregnant-20 women to the intervention group at a public clinic, and 20 women to the control group at a similar clinic. Our aim was to assess feasibility, acceptability, and the potential impact of the intervention on food security, infant feeding and maternal mental health.ResultsAnalyzing data from all 40 participants, we found a significant reduction in food insecurity scores from baseline for the intervention group when compared to the control group at 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum (p = 0.0008 and p

BackgroundWorkplace legal protections are important for perinatal health outcomes. Black birthing people are disproportionally affected by pregnancy discrimination and bias in the employment context and lack of family-friendly workplace policies, which may hinder their participation in the labor force and lead to gender and racial inequities in income and health. We aimed to explore Black pregnant women's experiences of pregnancy discrimination and bias when looking for work, working while pregnant, and returning to work postpartum. Additionally, we explored Black pregnant women's perspectives on how these experiences may influence their health.MethodsUsing an intersectional framework, where oppression is based on intersecting social identities such as race, gender, pregnancy, and socioeconomic status, we conducted an analysis of qualitative data collected for a study exploring the lived experience of pregnancy among Black pregnant women in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Twenty-four women participated in semi-structured interviews (January 2017-August 2018). Interview transcripts were analyzed using grounded theory techniques.ResultsParticipants expressed their desire to provide a financially secure future for their family. However, many described how pregnancy discrimination and bias made it difficult to find or keep a job during pregnancy. The following three themes were identified: 1) "You're a liability"; difficulty seeking employment during pregnancy; 2) "This is not working"; experiences on the job and navigating leave and accommodations while pregnant and parenting; and 3) "It's really depressing. I wanna work"; the stressors of experiencing pregnancy discrimination and bias.ConclusionBlack pregnant women in this study anticipated and experienced pregnancy discrimination and bias, which influenced financial burden and stress. We used an intersectional framework in this study which allowed us to more fully examine how racism and economic marginalization contribute to the lived experience of Black birthing people. Promoting health equity and gender parity means addressing pregnancy discrimination and bias and the lack of family-friendly workplace policies and the harm they cause to individuals, families, and communities, particularly those of color, throughout the United States.

Asset accumulation in later life is a pressing issue in Japan due to the growing gap between life expectancy (87.14 years for women, 81.09 years for men in 2023) and the retirement age (65 or less). This gap heightens financial insecurity, emphasizing the need to meet asset goals by 65. Hyperbolic discounting, driven by present-biased preferences, often hinders this process, but empirical evidence for those aged 65 and older remains limited. Moreover, prior research has overlooked the varying impacts of hyperbolic discounting across different wealth levels. This study addresses these gaps by analyzing data from 6709 active Japanese investors aged over 65 (2023 wave) using probit regression. Wealth thresholds are categorized into four levels: JPY 20 million, JPY 30 million, JPY 50 million, and JPY 100 million. The results show that hyperbolic discounting significantly impairs asset accumulation at the JPY 100 million level but not at lower thresholds. This effect likely reflects the complex nature of hyperbolic discounting, which primarily affects long-term savings and investments. The findings underscore the importance of addressing hyperbolic discounting in later-life financial planning. Recommendations include implementing automatic savings plans, enhancing financial literacy, and incorporating behavioral insights into planning tools to support better asset accumulation outcomes.

With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, among other crises (e.g., Russia–Ukraine conflicts and recession projections) threatening organizations' financial conditions across the globe, supervisors may not only encounter challenges such as job cuts that test their ethical leadership, but also experience financial insecurity themselves. However, our knowledge of why and when supervisors' ethical leadership behaviors may be affected in such a situation remains quite limited. In this research, we draw on uncertainty management theory (UMT) to examine the potential influence of financial insecurity on ethical leadership. Specifically, we suggest that financial insecurity triggers anxiety in supervisors, which inhibits their demonstration of ethical leadership. We also propose organizational pay fairness as a boundary condition for this process, such that supervisors who perceive their pay as fair are less susceptible to the anxiety resulting from financial insecurity than those who perceive their pay as unfair. Results from two multi-source, multi-wave studies supported our hypothesized model. We conclude by discussing the theoretical and practical implications of our findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, depressive symptoms among pregnant and postpartum (i.e., perinatal) women living with HIV (WLWH) are alarmingly high and associated with poor outcomes such as suboptimal adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART), and early cessation of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF). Few qualitative studies have described the experience of perinatal depression among WLWH to identify the underlying social-structural determinants of poor mental health and potential strategies to intervene. We conducted a longitudinal qualitative study applying semi-structured interviews with 30 WLWH at three timepoints (28-38 weeks pregnant, 6-weeks postpartum and 5-7 months postpartum) to understand mental health experiences of perinatal WLWH in western Kenya. Financial insecurity emerged as the central theme impacting the mental health of women across time. Financial insecurity was often attributed to the loss of employment, related to pregnancy and the demands of breastfeeding and caring for an infant, as well as a lack of support from male partners. The loss of income and subsequent financial strain contributed to worsening levels of food insecurity and relationship stress and challenged engagement in HIV care. In this way, increased financial strain during the perinatal period negatively impacted the mental health of perinatal WLWH. Our findings suggest support to meet basic needs and remain engaged in HIV care during pregnancy and postpartum could improve perinatal mental health for WLWH in this setting.

Abstract Background The syndemic effects of poverty, food insecurity and living with HIV are recognized as global health priorities, including through the United Nations Sustainability Goals 1, 2 and 3. Today, women and girls account for 63% of all new HIV infections in eastern and southern Africa, including Kenya. Pregnant and postpartum women living with HIV in this setting face unique challenges including increased financial insecurity as women leave the work force to care for their newborn infants. This contributes to poverty, food scarcity and stress. Methods To address financial insecurity, improve infant feeding and reduce stress among mothers living with HIV in this setting, we developed a multilevel intervention, Supporting Healthy Mothers, consisting of 10 monthly unconditional cash transfers (10,000 KES, ~$75 USD/month) and personalized infant feeding support from pregnancy to 7 months postpartum. We conducted a non-randomized feasibility trial of this intervention among women engaged in HIV care in Kisumu, Kenya. From February 23, 2022 to March 23, 2022, we enrolled a total of 40 women who were 20–35 weeks pregnant—20 women to the intervention group at a public clinic, and 20 women to the control group at a similar clinic. Our aim was to assess feasibility, acceptability, and the potential impact of the intervention on food security, infant feeding and maternal mental health. Results Analyzing data from all 40 participants, we found a significant reduction in food insecurity scores from baseline for the intervention group when compared to the control group at 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum (p = 0.0008 and p

Using the EU-SILC 2008 module on over-indebtedness and financial exclusion, this paper analyses how perceived future-orientated economic insecurity alters individual self-assessed health (SAH), once controlling for past and current financial situation in a range of European countries. Those effects differ by gender and by country. Our results also suggest that country characteristics explain a larger part of the unknown variability of individual levels of SAH than individual-household characteristics. Thus, our findings might be of help in designing the most effective policies intended to alleviate the individual welfare costs of perceived financial insecurity provoked by upcoming business-cycle downturns. • There is a significant effect of past financial strain on current levels of self-assessed health (scarring effect). • Perceived future-orientated economic insecurity alters individual self-assessed health (loss aversion). • Those effects differ by gender and by country. • Country characteristics explain a larger part of the unknown variability of self-assessed health. • The importance of country characteristics varies by gender, being more relevant for females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundDuring public health emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic, access to adequate healthcare is crucial for providing for the health and wellbeing of families. Pregnant and postpartum people are a particularly vulnerable subgroup to consider when studying healthcare access. Not only are perinatal people likely at higher risk for illness, mortality, and morbidity from COVID-19 infection, they are also at higher risk for negative outcomes due to delayed or inadequate access to routine care.MethodsWe surveyed 820 pregnant people in California over two waves of the COVID-19 pandemic: (1) a 'non-surge' wave (June 2020, n = 433), and (2) during a 'surge' in cases (December 2020, n = 387) to describe current access to perinatal healthcare, as well as concerns and decision-making regarding childbirth, over time. We also examined whether existing structural vulnerabilities - including acute financial insecurity and racial/ethnic minoritization - are associated with access, concerns, and decision-making over these two waves.ResultsPregnant Californians generally enjoyed more access to, and fewer concerns about, perinatal healthcare during the winter of 2020-2021, despite surging COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, as compared to those surveyed during the COVID-19 'lull' in the summer of 2020. However, across 'surge' and 'non-surge' pandemic circumstances, marginalized pregnant people continued to fare worse - especially those facing acute financial difficulty, and racially minoritized individuals identifying as Black or Indigenous.ConclusionsIt is important for clinicians, researchers, and policymakers to understand whether and how shifting community transmission and infection rates may impact access to perinatal healthcare. Targeting minoritized and financially insecure communities for increased upstream perinatal healthcare supports are promising avenues to blunt the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on pregnant people in California.

This study draws on conservation of resources theory and transactional stress theory to guide our understanding of how social isolation, financial insecurity, and social support serve as a balance of both risk and protection for late-life depression. Data were from the Leave-Behind Questionnaire in the 2016 (N = 4293) and 2018 (N = 4714) waves of the Health and Retirement Study. We conducted a cross-sectional path analysis via structural equation modeling, including objective and subjective perspectives. The same model was tested in both samples. Both social isolation and financial insecurity were associated with depression. We found several mediating risks and protective factors of these relationships. Objective financial status affected depression through both perceived financial insecurity and perceived social isolation, whereas objective isolation affected depression through perceived social support. This mediation model was -significant after adjusting for confounders. This study underscores the importance of investigating the balance between risk and protection for depression, in the rising number of older adults aging alone in society. Findings suggest that objective and perceived measures offer unique windows into psychological constructs. Considering both objective and subjective perspectives may provide alternative targets for subsequent interventions to improve mental health in later life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concern is growing about financial stress among U.S. workers, many of whom experience financial insecurity (FIS) as they struggle to make ends meet, manage debt, and save. Benefits comprise almost a third of total compensation and affects hiring and retention, which is important with respect to the shortage of frontline healthcare workers (FHWs). We present results from a survey of 2321 FHWs, finding that FHWs without college degrees and working in home health and private duty settings have lower access to benefits and greater FIS compared to those with college degrees and who work in facility-based settings. Among all FHWs, access to benefits has a strong association with FIS, even while controlling for income. Our findings suggest that employers consider improving benefits to help address FIS and within healthcare, address issues of compensation equity based on educational attainment. Still, addressing worker FIS may take strengthening the public social safety net. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Workplace legal protections are important for perinatal health outcomes. Black birthing people are disproportionally affected by pregnancy discrimination and bias in the employment context and lack of family-friendly workplace policies, which may hinder their participation in the labor force and lead to gender and racial inequities in income and health. We aimed to explore Black pregnant women’s experiences of pregnancy discrimination and bias when looking for work, working while pregnant, and returning to work postpartum. Additionally, we explored Black pregnant women’s perspectives on how these experiences may influence their health. Methods Using an intersectional framework, where oppression is based on intersecting social identities such as race, gender, pregnancy, and socioeconomic status, we conducted an analysis of qualitative data collected for a study exploring the lived experience of pregnancy among Black pregnant women in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Twenty-four women participated in semi-structured interviews (January 2017-August 2018). Interview transcripts were analyzed using grounded theory techniques. Results Participants expressed their desire to provide a financially secure future for their family. However, many described how pregnancy discrimination and bias made it difficult to find or keep a job during pregnancy. The following three themes were identified: 1) “You’re a liability”; difficulty seeking employment during pregnancy; 2) “This is not working”; experiences on the job and navigating leave and accommodations while pregnant and parenting; and 3) “It’s really depressing. I wanna work”; the stressors of experiencing pregnancy discrimination and bias. Conclusion Black pregnant women in this study anticipated and experienced pregnancy discrimination and bias, which influenced financial burden and stress. We used an intersectional framework in this study which allowed us to more fully examine how racism and economic marginalization contribute to the lived experience of Black birthing people. Promoting health equity and gender parity means addressing pregnancy discrimination and bias and the lack of family-friendly workplace policies and the harm they cause to individuals, families, and communities, particularly those of color, throughout the United States.

In rich-economy countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand women are increasingly experiencing first-time homelessness in older age. Focusing on the specific case of Australia, this article develops a theoretical critical realist causal account of how a gendered role in care and social reproduction has increased contemporary homelessness risk by constraining women's capacity to build financial security. We show how gender, capitalism and age have intersected as social structures to explain gendered economic outcomes for women over the life course; and how life events, individual women's experiences, agency, and decision-making interact with these structures to explain homelessness. Women's gendered financial vulnerability, accumulated whilst living conventional lives, sits at the heart of older women's susceptibility to housing loss. Limited resources reduce their capacity to respond to crises challenging their housing security within the contemporary context of Australia's unaffordable housing market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advancements in cancer treatments over the past several decades have led to improved cancer survival in adolescents and young adults (AYAs, ages 15–39 years). However, AYA cancer survivors are at an increased risk for "late effects", including cardiovascular, pulmonary and bone diseases as well as fatigue, infertility and secondary cancers. The treatments for cancer may also alter taste, lead to nutritional deficiencies and increase financial burdens that, when taken together, may increase the risk of food and nutrition security in AYA cancer survivors. Furthermore, although AYAs are often merged together in cancer survivorship studies, adolescents and young adults have distinct developmental, psychosocial and pathophysiological differences that may modify their risk of nutritional challenges. In this narrative review and "Call to Action", rationale is provided for why there is a need to better understand nutritional challenges and food insecurity in AYA cancer survivors as a special population. Then, recommendations for next steps to advance knowledge and policy in this field are provided. In particular, integrating screening for food and nutrition insecurity and enhancing awareness of existing resources (e.g., the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, SNAP) might help AYA cancer survivors combat nutritional deficiencies and reduce late effects while improving their overall survival and quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: International palliative care policy often views home as the most desirable location for end-of-life care. However, people living in more deprived areas can worry about dying in poor material circumstances and report more benefits from hospital admission at the end of life. There is increasing recognition of inequities in the experience of palliative care, particularly for people living in more deprived areas. Promoting an equity agenda in palliative care means building healthcare professionals' capacity to respond to the social determinants of health when working with patients near the end of their life. Objectives: The purpose of this article is to present data which reveal how some health and social care professionals view home dying for people experiencing financial hardship and deprivation. Design: This work was framed by social constructionist epistemology. Methods: Semi-structured qualitative interviews (n = 12) were conducted with health and social care professionals who support people at the end of life. Participants were recruited from one rural and one urban health board area in Scotland, UK. Data collection occurred between February and October 2021. Analysis: Thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview data. Discussion: Our findings suggest that healthcare staff relied on physical clues in the home environment to identify if people were experiencing financial hardship, found discussions around poverty challenging and lacked awareness of how inequities intersect at the end of life. Health professionals undertook 'placing' work to try and make the home environment a suitable space for dying, but some barriers were seen as insurmountable. There was recognition that increased partnership working and education could improve patient experiences. We argue further research is needed to capture the perspectives of individuals with direct lived experience of end-of-life care and financial hardship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bangladesh government issued a lockdown throughout the country from March–May 2020 in response to the COVID-19. The sudden lockdown caused economic ruptures across the country due to job loss. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of the outbreak through 40 in-depth interviews with men and women living in three Dhaka informal settlements from January to November 2021 to identify gaps to mitigate negative downstream effects of global pandemic policies. In this paper, we explore the critical importance of social networks as coping mechanisms for those who lost livelihood due to COVID-19 lockdown. Due to the congested living conditions in informal settlements, many established residents foster close, trusting relationships, and a strong sense of community. Formal and informal networks in urban slums, whether reciprocal or strategic, played an integral role as a way of coping during times of scarcity. We found limited analysis in public health literature on the resilience of these social networks and its impact on health and wellbeing. Our paper attempts to unpack the ways our respondents drew on their own social networks to combat the socio-economic and emotional health challenges brought on by a lack of adequate formalized support as part of the pandemic response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines undocumented Latinx older adults' perceptions and experiences regarding their economic security in the United States. In-depth semistructured interviews were used to facilitate dialogue with older undocumented adults about their economic security in the United States (N = 25). Participants were on average 61 years old (SD = 4.52), Latinx, and had resided in the United States an average of 23 years (SD = 7.05). More than 70% of the participants were employed; the remaining participants were not working due to poor health (n = 5), advanced age (n = 1), or being in between jobs (n = 1). Authors present a model to illustrate participants' narratives on their economic (in)security in the United States. Some participants discussed having long-term security in their jobs while others described a cycle of job insecurity due to their status. Their precarious status limited their employment opportunities and earning potential. Their savings capacity is narrow; many did not have savings for emergencies, and less so for a time when they are no longer able to work. Many participants believe they will work until they are physically unable to continue working; others believe their children will be a source of support. Practitioners can engage undocumented immigrants in economic empowerment interventions and advocacy efforts to eliminate exploitation in the workplace. Policy change is needed to provide undocumented older adults the opportunity to achieve financial security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the course of 2020 and 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted lives globally. In the UK, unemployment rate continued to increase during and post-lockdown periods, and job security and financial wellbeing deteriorated. It is important to understand whether individual decisions related to retirement plans have changed systematically as a result of the pandemic, especially among older adults who experienced greater rates of pandemic unemployment. Using the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, this article examines changes in retirement plans of older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic and estimates the impact of health and financial circumstances on these changes. In June/July 2020, 5% of 2095 participants reported planning earlier retirement, while 9% reported planning later retirement. We found that poor self-rated health and financial insecurity were associated with intentions to postpone retirement. Additional risk of later retirement associated with poor health was detected among those experiencing financial insecurity. In November/December 2020, 7% of 1845 participants reported planning earlier retirement, while 12% reported planning later retirement. We found that poor health was predictive of a lower relative risk of later retirement, while depressive symptomology and financial insecurity predicted a higher relative risk of later retirement. The findings imply a contextual role of health factors in, and a persistent influence of financial insecurity on, retirement planning in the older population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Michigan is a critical agricultural state, and small family farms are a crucial component of the state's food sector. This paper examines how the race/ethnicity of the family farm owners/operators is related to farm characteristics, financing, and impacts of the pandemic. It compares 75 farms owned/operated solely by Whites and 15 with People of Color owners/operators. The essay examines how farmers finance their farm operations and the challenges they face doing so. The article also explores how the Coronavirus-19 (COVID-19) pandemic affected farming operations, the financial viability of farms, and how farmers responded to the challenges posed by the pandemic. The study found that People of Color farm owners/operators were younger than White farm owners/operators. The People of Color farm owners/operators tended to manage smaller farms for shorter periods than White farm owners/operators. Though two-thirds of the Farmers of Color owned their farms, they were more financially vulnerable than White farm owners/operators. The farmers studied had difficulty obtaining loans to finance their farms. Farmers reported increasing requests from people for food assistance during the pandemic. Farmers responded to the pandemic by participating in government programs such as the Farm to Families Food Box Program that purchased their produce. It allowed farmers to supply emergency food assistance programs with products from their farms. The products went to families receiving food assistance from soup kitchens, food banks, and other community-based nonprofits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adults from structurally marginalized populations have disproportionately higher rates of diabetes, highlighting the importance of addressing social risk factors in diabetes prevention and management. This study examined the correlations among multiple social risk factors and their respective burden on diabetes management and psychosocial health outcomes among adults with diabetes. Data came from the baseline assessment of an ongoing randomized controlled trial evaluating approaches to addressing unmet social needs among 579 adults with diabetes. Four social risks (food insecurity, financial insecurity, housing insecurity, and utility insecurity) were assessed, dichotomized and summed to create a score of cumulative social risk factors. The outcomes of interest were: hemoglobin A1c, cost-related non-adherence for diabetes, diabetes distress, and anxiety or depression. Multivariate regression models were used to examine the associations between cumulative social risk factors and health outcomes, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and diabetes duration. Approximately 18% of study participants reported one social risk, 18% reported two social risks, and 23% reported three or four social risks. After multivariate adjustment, adults with three or four social risk factors had a greater likelihood of cost-related non-adherence (OR 2.81, 95% CI 1.95, 4.06), diabetes distress (OR 3.03, 95% CI 2.13, 4.31), and anxiety or depression (OR 5.36, 95% CI 3.39, 8.47), compared to adults with no social risk factors. Significant dose–response relationships were observed with greater social risk factors and poorer diabetes-related outcomes. These findings support efforts to address systemic contributors to diabetes management and care to better promote individual and population health.

Abstract Background Gains in cancer detection and treatment have meant that more patients are now living with both cancer and other chronic health conditions, which may become burdensome. We used the Patient Experience with Treatment and Self-Management (PETS) framework to study challenges in self-management and its impact on health among survivors of women’s cancers who are caring for other chronic health conditions. Methods Applicability of the PETS domains among survivors of women’s cancers with comorbidities was assessed in focus groups to create the study survey. Women surviving primary breast, cervical, ovarian, or endometrial/uterine cancer treated between 6 months and 3 years prior at two large healthcare systems in Virginia were mailed study invitation letters to complete a telephone-based survey. The survey included questions on cancer treatment history, comorbid conditions prior to cancer, treatment and self-management experiences, health literacy, financial security, and items on self-management activities, self-management difficulties and self-management impact (i.e., role/social activity limitations and physical/mental exhaustion). Additionally, general health was assessed with items from the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS). Hierarchical regression models and path analysis were used to examine correlates of self-management impact on general physical health (GPH) and mental health (GMH). Results Of 1448 patients contacted by mail, 274 (26%) returned an interest form providing their consent to be contacted. Of these, 183 completed the survey. Reasons for non-completion included ineligibility (42), unable to be reached (33) and refusal (6). The majority were survivors of breast (58%) or endometrial/uterine cancer (28%), and 45% resided in non-urban locations. After adjusting for age, race, and cancer type, survivors with higher self-management difficulty reported higher self-management impact, which was associated with lower perceived general health. Reports of higher self-management impact was associated with being single or unmarried, white race, fulltime employed, higher financial insecurity, lower health literacy and more comorbidities. In path analysis, self-management impact was a significant mediator in the association of comorbidity and financial insecurity on GPH and GMH. Conclusions Among survivors of women’s cancer, pre-diagnosis comorbidity, health literacy, and financial security are associated with psychosocial impact of self-management and general physical and mental health in the 6 month to 3-year period after cancer treatment has ended. The impact of self-management on psychosocial functioning is an important factor among cancer survivors caring for multiple chronic health conditions. This study provides evidence on the importance of assessing cancer survivors’ self-management difficulties such as in future interventions to promote health and wellness.

The main objective of the current study is to examine the role of HRM Practices, work engagement and turnover intention, the moderating effect of financial insecurity during covid-19. This study collects data from 348 permanent faculty members at private universities in Pakistan using a cross-sectional survey technique. The direct and indirect hypotheses were tested using PLS two-step path modeling. The findings show that financial reward, career adaptability, and performance appraisal are all connected to turnover intention, both positively and negatively.. Work engagement, on the other hand, was found to mediate the links between career adaptability, and turnover . Nonetheless, the findings demonstrate that financial insecurity has a significant impact on the connection between work engagement and turnover intention. This conclusion implies that, in order to reduce employee turnover intention, companies must recognize that the impact of job engagement on minimizing turnover intention is exacerbated when staffs are worried about their compensation and security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black and Hispanic Americans are disproportionately affected by COVID-19, which impacts their social needs. The objective of this study was to examine differences in white, Black, and Hispanic adults' application and receipt of services to address their social needs during COVID-19. Utilizing weeks 1, 2, and 3 from the COVID Impact Survey, descriptive statistics analyzed covariates and the 12 social services by participants' race/ethnicity. Unweighted frequencies and weighted percentages were computed for the services score by race/ethnicity. Forward stepwise binary logistic regression analyses examined the relationship between services needed and race/ethnicity. All analyses were conducted using STATA MP 14. Among 20 533 participants, unemployment insurance was a common service participants reported applying for or trying to apply for. Compared with white participants, Hispanic participants had higher adjusted odds of needing unemployment insurance services (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.58; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18-2.11). Black (AOR = 3.25; 95% CI, 2.49-4.25) and Hispanic (AOR = 1.55; 95% CI, 1.14-2.10) participants had higher adjusted odds of needing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program services than white participants. It is important for Black and Hispanic Americans to have access to these social services. Research and evaluation studies are warranted to inform policies that sustain/modify social services for future use. These studies must include a representative sample of Black and Hispanic Americans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The impact of social determinants of health in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remains understudied. We evaluated the impact of social barriers on IBD outcomes within a diverse cohort of patients. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study on adult IBD patients and assessed known social determinants of health. We calculated the total prevalence of these barriers in the sample as a whole and within each ethnic group. We summed the number of barriers present for each individual to create a cumulative social barrier score (SBS), and we evaluated the relationship of each barrier and of the cumulative SBS with IBD outcomes, including disease activity and depressive symptoms. Results: A total of 316 patients were included in the study. Disparities in the prevalence of social barriers emerged by ethnicity: non-Hispanic Blacks reported the greatest number of social barriers, followed by Hispanic patients. Prevalent social barriers included financial strains (38.4%), such as food insecurity, medical care delays (~30%), and low educational attainment (26.8%). Social barriers associated with poor IBD outcomes included low educational attainment, poor health literacy, and financial insecurity. High SBS was associated with greater depressive symptoms [odds ratio (OR) 1.94, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.21–2.9, p = 0.001] and lower reported use of medications. Greater ulcerative colitis (UC) disease activity was observed in patients with greater SBS. No associations were identified between SBS and IBD surgeries, hospitalizations, or disease location. Conclusion: Our study identifies social barriers that may impact IBD care and are disproportionately higher in non-Hispanic Blacks and Hispanics in the United States. Future studies should focus on implementing interventions to reduce these barriers and improve delivery of care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthropomorphism of nature is known to be related to pro-environmental outcomes; however, little is known about these variables in the context of the coronavirus pandemic. The economic impact of the prolonged lockdowns may disrupt the historical relationship between these variables, as financial insecurity may compete with environmental concerns for consideration. This study examined the relationship between anthropomorphism of nature the context of COVID-19, and pro-environmental support, and the potential moderating role of financial insecurity in this relationship. It was hypothesised that anthropomorphism of nature in the context of COVID-19 would have a lesser effect on pro-environmental support for individuals who experienced financial insecurity during the pandemic. Participants (N=615; Mage=48.71, SDage=17.50; 70% female) completed self-report measures of anthropomorphism of nature, anthropomorphism of nature in the context of COVID-19, financial insecurity, and a measure of support for pro-environmental policies in the economic recovery from COVID-19. Results demonstrated that, after controlling for general anthropomorphism of nature, anthropomorphism of nature in the context of COVID-19 predicted pro-environmental support (R2 = .05, F(4, 610) = 8.36, p < .001). However, contrary to expectation, pro-environmental support was higher in those experiencing financial insecurity compared to those who were financially secure (B = -2.65, BootSE= .93, p = .004, 95% BootCI [-4.47, -.83]). Financial insecurity also did not moderate the relationship between anthropomorphism of nature in the COVID-19 context and pro-environmental support. Furthermore, the general tendency to anthropomorphise nature was not a significant predictor of support for pro-environmental policies. These findings have important implications for understandings of anthropomorphism, financial insecurity, and environmental protection as well as for public policy on economic recovery in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The introduction of lockdown due to a public health emergency in March 2020 marked the beginning of substantial changes to daily life for all families with young children. Here we report the experience of families from London Borough of Tower Hamlets with high rates of poverty and ethnic and linguistic diversity. This inner city community, like communities worldwide, has experienced a reduction or closure in access to education, support services, and in some cases, a change in or loss of income, job, and food security. Using quantitative survey items (N = 992), we examined what differences in family circumstances, for mothers and fathers of young children aged 0–5 living in Tower Hamlets, during March 2020 to November 2020, were associated with their mental health status. We measure parental mental health using symptoms of depression (self-report: Patient Health Questionnaire depression scale: PHQ-8), symptoms of anxiety levels (self-report: General Anxiety Disorder: GAD-7), and perceptions of direct loneliness. We find parental mental health difficulties are associated with low material assets (financial security, food security, and children having access to outside space), familial assets (parents time for themselves and parent status: lone vs. cohabiting), and community assets (receiving support from friends and family outside the household). South Asian parents and fathers across ethnicities were significantly more likely to experience mental health difficulties, once all other predictors were accounted for. These contributing factors should be considered for future pandemics, where restrictions on people's lives are put in place, and speak to the importance of reducing financial insecurity and food insecurity as a means of improving the mental health of parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The introduction of lockdown due to a public health emergency in March 2020 marked the beginning of substantial changes to daily life for all families with young children. Here we report the experience of families from London Borough of Tower Hamlets with high rates of poverty and ethnic and linguistic diversity. This inner city community, like communities worldwide, has experienced a reduction or closure in access to education, support services, and in some cases, a change in or loss of income, job, and food security. Using quantitative survey items (N = 992), we examined what differences in family circumstances, for mothers and fathers of young children aged 0–5 living in Tower Hamlets, during March 2020 to November 2020, were associated with their mental health status. We measure parental mental health using symptoms of depression (self-report: Patient Health Questionnaire depression scale: PHQ-8), symptoms of anxiety levels (self-report: General Anxiety Disorder: GAD-7), and perceptions of direct loneliness. We find parental mental health difficulties are associated with low material assets (financial security, food security, and children having access to outside space), familial assets (parents time for themselves and parent status: lone vs. cohabiting), and community assets (receiving support from friends and family outside the household). South Asian parents and fathers across ethnicities were significantly more likely to experience mental health difficulties, once all other predictors were accounted for. These contributing factors should be considered for future pandemics, where restrictions on people's lives are put in place, and speak to the importance of reducing financial insecurity and food insecurity as a means of improving the mental health of parents.