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PurposeTo determine the association between sociodemographic characteristics and blood pressure among a demographically diverse population-based sample of 10-14-year-old US adolescents.MethodsWe conducted cross-sectional analyses of data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study (N = 4,466), year two (2018-2020). Logistic and linear regression models were used to determine the association between sociodemographic characteristics (sex, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, household income, and parental education) with blood pressure among early adolescents.ResultsThe sample was 49.3% female and 46.7% non-White. Overall, 4.1% had blood pressures in the hypertensive range. Male sex was associated with 48% higher odds of hypertensive-range blood pressures than female sex (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02; 2.14), and Black race was associated with 85% higher odds of hypertensive-range blood pressures compared to White race (95% CI, 1.11; 3.08). Several annual household income categories less than $100,000 were associated with higher odds of hypertensive-range blood pressures compared to an annual household income greater than $200,000. We found effect modification by household income for Black adolescents; Black race (compared to White race) was more strongly associated with higher odds of hypertensive-range blood pressures in households with income greater than $75,000 (odds ratio 3.92; 95% CI, 1.95; 7.88) compared to those with income less than $75,000 (odds ratio 1.53; 95% CI, 0.80; 2.92).DiscussionSociodemographic characteristics are differentially associated with higher blood pressure in early adolescents. Future research could examine potential mediating factors (e.g., physical activity, nutrition, tobacco) linking sociodemographic characteristics and blood pressure to inform targeted interventions.

Background: Air pollution affects residents' health to varying extents according to differences in socioeconomic status. However, there has been a lack of research on whether air pollution contributes to unfair health costs. Methods: In this research, data from the China Labour Force Dynamics Survey are matched with data on PM2.5 average concentration and precipitation, and the influence of air pollution on the health expenditures of residents is analysed with econometric methods involving a two-part model, instrument variables and moderating effects. Results: The findings reveal that air pollution significantly impacts Chinese residents' health costs and leads to low-income people face health inequality. Specifcally, the empirical evidence shows that air pollution has no significant influence on the probability of residents' health costs (β = 0.021, p = 0.770) but that it increases the amount of residents' total outpatient costs (β = 0.379, p < 0.006), reimbursed outpatient cost (β = 0.453, p < 0.044) and out-of-pocket outpatient cost (β = 0.362, p < 0.048). The heterogeneity analysis of income indicates that low-income people face inequality due to health cost inflation caused by air pollution, their total and out-of-pocket outpatient cost significantly increase with PM2.5 (β = 0.417, p = 0.013; β = 0.491, p = 0.020). Further analysis reveals that social basic medical insurance does not have a remarkable positive moderating effect on the influence of air pollution on individual health inflation (β = 0.021, p = 0.292), but supplementary medical insurance for employees could reduce the effect of air pollution on low-income residents' reimbursed and out-of-pocket outpatient cost (β=-1.331, p = 0.096; β=-2.211, p = 0.014). Conclusion: The study concludes that air pollution increases the amount of Chinese residents' outpatient cost and has no significant effect on the incidence of outpatient cost. However, air pollution has more significant impact on the low-income residents than the high-income residents, which indicates that air pollution leads to the inequity of medical cost. Additionally, the supplementary medical insurance reduces the inequity of medical cost caused by air pollution for the low-income employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A two-stage fractional regression model is applied to 998 farm observations from Ghana to estimate how three climate-change adaptation practices influence the contribution of crop revenue to household income. The first stage, analysing land selection, shows that farmers in peri-urban areas who cultivate drought-tolerant varieties raise their crops on poor soils, but male farmers, who cultivate large farms and have access to inorganic fertiliser (on credit), have the benefit of fertile soils. The second-stage shows that crop substitution, use of drought-tolerant varieties, and variation in planting dates increase the contribution of crop revenue to household income. Therefore, public and non-state institutions should continue to invest in technology transferat the same time, addressing farm-level constraints on the adoption of proven agricultural innovations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unequal divisions of paid work and care among new parents contribute to increasing inequalities. One explanation for this is joint utility maximization and the benefits of partners (temporarily) specializing in paid work and care. This paper examines the (dis)advantages of specializing compared to dividing tasks more equally by studying whether differences in specialization between same-sex and different-sex couples lead to differences in household earnings after entering parenthood. Using register data from Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Sweden and examining first-time parents, we show that female couples have a more equal within-couple income development during the transition to parenthood than different-sex couples do. However, we find no differences in household income (including or excluding social transfers) between the two types of couples. Although a more equal task division may be preferred from an individual perspective, our results show no evidence of a "best strategy" when it comes to maximizing household income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agroforestry practices play a vital role in improving rural income and livelihoods, yet quantifying their contributions in Ethiopia remains limited. This study investigated the contribution of agroforestry practices to rural income and livelihoods, along with factors influencing income derived from these practices. A two-stage sampling method was employed to select 160 rural households engaged in home garden and woodlot agroforestry practices. Data were collected through semi-structured questionnaires, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions. Descriptive statistics, content analysis, generalized linear model, Mann–Whitney U test, and financial analysis tools were used to analyze and interpret the data. The results demonstrated that agroforestry practices provide numerous benefits to rural households, including fuelwood, charcoal, poles, construction materials, fodder, perennial crops, food crops, and fruits for both consumption and income generation. Agroforestry practices significantly increased farm income, contributing 18.2% of the total household income. This income significantly supported annual household expenditures across various livelihood capitals. Income from woodlots was significantly higher than that from home gardens, while home gardens showed a better overall capability to improve livelihoods. Household size, agroforestry size, gender, crop income, access to seedlings, and farm elevation positively and significantly (p < 0.05) impacted agroforestry income. Overall, agroforestry practices significantly contribute to annual income and improve the human, social, natural, physical, and financial capital of rural households in the Tarmaber district. Policymakers and practitioners should consider the socioeconomic, ecological, and institutional factors influencing agroforestry income when developing policies and strategies to improve rural income and livelihoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: West Africa, particularly Guinea-Bissau, heavily relies on cashew nut (Anacardium occidentale L.) production, which significantly impacts the countries' economies. Cashew exhibits remarkable adaptability to impoverished and arid soils. Understanding producers' socio-economic characteristics is crucial due to their potential influence on crop productivity and household income. Methods: This study aims to characterize the socio-economic, productive, and phytosanitary aspects of cashew production in Guinea-Bissau, through 151 interviews with producers across all administrative regions of the country. Results: Our findings reveal that cashew producers are mainly males aged 40 to 60, they typically manage plantations under 5 ha, with the smaller plantation areas located in Gabú, Cacheu, and Bolama. The age of the older trees averaged 31 years, with the highest age found in Biombo. Tree density averaged 286 trees per hectare, with higher values in Cacheu, Bafatá, and Bolama. Cashew nut yield in 2020 averaged less than 0.5 tons per hectare, with farmer-set prices generally lower than government determined prices. Oio, Tombali, and Bolama were the regions most affected by pests, while Oio and Cacheu (North) were the most affected by diseases. Top pests included termites, branch girdler, weaver ants, African grasshopper, and stem borer; while top diseases comprised gummosis, anthracnose, and dieback. Discussion: Characterization of cashew production system is crucial at both national and regional levels to identify region-specific limitations and strengths, aiding in the formulation of tailored strategies for sustainable production. Moreover, cashew production plays a crucial role in household incomes in Guinea-Bissau, underscoring the necessity of developing integrated management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Household food security and income play central roles in sustainable development at the global, national, and local levels. Smallholder vegetable farming systems are widely regarded as crucial contributors to enhancing household food security and income in the developing world. Comprehensive whole-farm analysis of smallholder vegetable farming systems points out greater diversity and heterogeneity driven by interactions of socioeconomic and biophysical factors such as land profiles, land use, farm assets, enterprise income, off/non-farm activities, and household structure and expenditure. However, three distinct farm typologies exist (Resource and Livelihood Constrained Offfarm Dependent/Supplemented–RLCOD farmers, Resource and Livelihood Abundant and Commercial Oriented–RLACO farmers, and Medium Resources and Livelihoods Constrained Market Oriented–MRLCMO farmers), exhibiting significant differences and variability in structural and functional factors. The production of maize, groundnuts, soybean, and bean crops remains the primary source of livelihood for all farm typologies. Similarly, vegetable production is vital for farmers’ livelihoods in all farm types, yielding more income than food needs. However, both crop and vegetable productivity and production are still low and below the national and potential target across farm typologies. Smallscale irrigation offers one alternative solution in the context of increasing climate change. Small livestock (chickens, goats, and pigs) play a significant role in the livelihood of vegetable farmers despite their low productivity. Disparities exist across farm typologies in available arable and irrigable land, available household labor, capacity to hire additional labor, farm assets, and inputs, as well as participation in off-farm and non-labor-farm activities. While vegetable production and its proportion sold and earned income emerge as critical factors affecting household food accessibility and acquisition, additional factors such as crop production, proportion of crops sold, daily food expenditure, livestock income, and TLU significantly influence household access for different farm typologies, requiring consideration to achieve food security in vegetable farming systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study is focused on the development of industrial working-class households' economic life cycle, including income, capital savings, and credits in the nineteenth century. The annual household income was low up to the age of 35 of the head of the household. It then rose and culminated when the head of the household was 55–60 years old. The earnings of other members of the family, foremost the adult sons, being entered on the accounts of their fathers, made the annual income increase higher than the daily wages imply. Credits and savings were used to balance long-term consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research suggests that coming from a lower economic background compromises social integration at school, yet the precise mechanisms underlying this link remain unknown. Therefore, this study examined the effect of household income on friendship network dynamics among classmates in a large sample of Swedish youths (n = 4787 from 235 classes, m age = 14.65, 51% girls, and 33% immigrant background), using multilevel longitudinal social network analysis. Over time, students from poorer households were less often selected as a friend by classmates and they less often initiated or maintained friendship ties than students from higher income households. Furthermore, different conceptualizations of income relative to classmates did not impact friendship formation tendencies. The findings indicate that theories of relative income do not extend understanding of students' friendship formation beyond processes related to absolute income. In addition, this study suggests that the social integration of students from low-income households could be boosted by both promoting their agency in forming friendships and preventing exclusion by classmates. • Students from poorer households have fewer friends than students from higher income households. • A third of the "friendship gap" is explained by household income. • Income position relative to classmates does not play a role. • Thus, theories of relative income position shaping social processes are not supported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Air pollution affects residents’ health to varying extents according to differences in socioeconomic status. However, there has been a lack of research on whether air pollution contributes to unfair health costs. Methods In this research, data from the China Labour Force Dynamics Survey are matched with data on PM2.5 average concentration and precipitation, and the influence of air pollution on the health expenditures of residents is analysed with econometric methods involving a two-part model, instrument variables and moderating effects. Results The findings reveal that air pollution significantly impacts Chinese residents’ health costs and leads to low-income people face health inequality. Specifcally, the empirical evidence shows that air pollution has no significant influence on the probability of residents’ health costs (β = 0.021, p = 0.770) but that it increases the amount of residents’ total outpatient costs (β = 0.379, p

EU-SILC is a survey focused mainly on mapping income and living conditions of households. In the Czech Republic, the survey has been conducted annualy since 2005 under the name “Životní podmínky” (Living Conditions). Each year, approximately 10 thousand households are surveyed – around one quarter of these households for the first time, while the rest repeatedly as part of the four-year rotating panel. As the EU-SILC has a uniform methodology for all participating countries, the results for the Czech Republic can be compared with other European countries or with the EU average. The Living Conditions survey was introduced in the context of the Czech Republic´s integration into the EU. However, similar surveys focused on households and their current living situation have been conducted regularly in the former Czechoslovakia since 1956. This article focuses primarily on methodology of SILC, but also offers a brief overview of the living conditions surveys in former Czechoslovakia and in present-day Czech Republic.

[Objective] Exploring the impact of household income on household energy consumption and energy poverty from the perspective of mental account can provide a theoretical basis for solving the contradiction between the increase of household income and the coexistence of low energy consumption level and high energy poverty in China. [Methods] Based on the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) data from 2016 to 2018, this study measured the energy poverty in China, and then explored the impact of household income on household energy consumption and energy poverty from the perspective of mental account. [Results] (1) At present, China’s energy poverty is relatively serious. An increase in household income can promote household energy consumption and reduce energy poverty. (2) There is a mental account effect in Chinese households, and energy consumption and energy poverty are mainly affected by the wage income account and business income account. (3) The results of the mechanism analysis show that the wage income account and the business income account can promote the household energy consumption and reduce the incidence of energy poverty by increasing the willingness of household energy consumption and willingness of improving household energy facilities. (4) The results of heterogeneity analysis show that for households with higher energy consumption threshold, lower household income, and being in the eastern region, the mental account of income has a more significant impact on their energy consumption and energy poverty. [Conclusion] Therefore, for the current phenomenon of low energy consumption and high energy poverty in China, we should pay attention to the difference in household income sources, focus on increasing the wage and business income of households, further reduce the cost of household energy consumption, and increase the willingness of household energy consumption.

Farmers in Ethiopia and other sub-Saharan African countries often implement various agricultural land management (ALM) practices to mitigate the negative impact of land degradation, increase crop yield, improve income, and safeguard the security of food. Despite the widespread use of these measures, their effect on crop productivity and related income has received relatively little attention in research, particularly in the context of mixed farming systems. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of ALM practices on crop production and household income in southern Ethiopia. Data was gathered from 423 sampled respondents, which included adopters and non-adopters of ALM practices. This study adopted multistage sampling to gather the data through a survey questionnaire. This study’s findings reveal that ALM strategies have a considerable impact on crop productivity and the incomes of farm households (p

The debate on tuition-free higher education has raged in South Africa since the #FeesMustFall protests at South African universities in 2015 and 2016. The government responded with a tuition-free education policy targeting students from households earning less than R350 000. However, the question remains can South Africa sustain a tuition-free education policy given its developing nation status and the levels of its GDP? This article sought to assess the feasibility of tuition-free higher education for all in South Africa. A scoping review was used, and fifteen articles about tuition-free higher education feasibility in South Africa were reviewed. The choice of the scoping review was due to the need for an understanding of the current state of play in research on the feasibility of tuition-free higher education in South Africa. The results suggest that tuition-free higher education for all is not feasible in South Africa. There seems to be a consensus that South Africa lacks the resources to finance tuition-free higher education for all. Tuition-free higher education is also viewed as a regressive tax on the poor given that the majority of students in higher education institutions come from middle and upper-income households. However, it is important to note that a distinction is drawn between tuition-free higher education for all and tuition-free higher education for the poor and academically deserving. The latter seems to receive support with some viewing it as a moral imperative in an unequal society such as South Africa’s. It is recommended that future studies approach the issue from an empirical standpoint whereby the GDP levels are assessed against higher education funding.

Small area estimation models are critical for dissemination and understanding of important population characteristics within sub-domains that often have limited sample size. The classic Fay-Herriot model is perhaps the most widely used approach to generate such estimates. However, a limiting assumption of this approach is that the latent true population quantity has a linear relationship with the given covariates. Through the use of random weight neural networks, we develop a Bayesian hierarchical extension of this framework that allows for estimation of nonlinear relationships between the true population quantity and the covariates. We illustrate our approach through an empirical simulation study as well as an analysis of median household income for census tracts in the state of California. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the effect of birth order on educational attainment in the United States and the underlying mechanism producing these effects. Using a family fixed effects model, we find negative birth order effects on educational outcomes. However, this effect varies depending on the household's income, being the strongest for households with the highest income and diminishing as households' income decreases. In addition, we show that the timing of income across childhood is important for completed education, as the largest gap in educational attainment between siblings emerges between those who were born and spent their early childhood in wealthier households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The entrepreneurial intention is of great importance as an immediate antecedent of entrepreneurship, understood as a key to explain future regional economic development in emerging countries. There is a growing interest from academia about the entrepreneurial intention of university students from emerging countries. This study addresses, in an exploratory way, the combined effect of three internal variables affected by the environment (perceived insecurity, corruption perception, and subjective norm) and two sociodemographic variables (household income and gender) and their impact on the entrepreneurial intention of university students. A sample of students (N = 380; male = 185; female = 195) from the Technological University of the State of Zacatecas (Mexico) is used and a causal model is proposed following the fsQCA configurational methodology. This study highlights the gender gap that affects women even in the stage that precedes the act of entrepreneurship as well as the importance of having financial resources. Also, the results show how citizen security facilitates the development of entrepreneurial intention and the need of improving the formal procedures surrounding entrepreneurship to reduce the facilitating effect of corruption. Finally, the findings support the important role of subjective norm. From a cognitive point of view, a configurational approach is addressed to explain the effect on entrepreneurial intention of phenomena that are strongly prevalent in the Latin America and the Caribbean region, such as gender inequality, citizen insecurity, corruption, and poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Entrepreneurship is associated with economic growth in developed countries. Education level, however, has different impacts on entrepreneurship. In some contexts, it has a negative impact due to educated individuals having greater job choice and awareness of risks and challenges in establishing a business. In other cases, low levels of education may drive the pursuit of entrepreneurship out of necessity. Using Global Entrepreneurship Monitor data from 2016, this research sought to determine the role of education and related factors in entrepreneurial motivation. The study focuses on the following Latin American countries: Panama, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Mexico, Brazil, Columbia, Peru, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Belize. Extending current research on entrepreneurship in the Latin American context, specifically related to opportunity and necessity motivations, the current study examines household income, education level, and work status. In this paper, findings indicate that education plays a role in entrepreneurial participation intent. Higher levels of education the intent leans toward opportunity motives and lower levels of education by necessity. We find that low-income households show greater evidence of nascent entrepreneurship. The study also looks at fully employed versus part-time employed entrepreneurs who show a propensity to not only see but act on entrepreneurship due to a perception or reality of a good opportunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol consumption, associated with various cancers, mental disorders, and aggressive behavior, leads to three million deaths globally each year. In Brazil, the alcohol per capita consumption among drinkers aged 15 and over is 41.7 g of pure alcohol/day (~1 L beer/day), which falls into the risky consumption category and exceeds the global average by almost 30%. An effective way to mitigate alcohol-related harm is to increase its retail price. This study assesses the costs of consuming leading brands of beer and sugarcane spirit cachaça (Brazil's most popular alcoholic beverages) against the expenditure on staple foods. Data on food and alcoholic beverage prices were collected in João Pessoa, Brazil, for 2020 and 2021. The cost per gram of pure alcohol and food were considered to establish consumption patterns of 16.8 g/day (moderate), 41.7 g/day, and 83.4 g/day (heavy), distributed in three scenarios involving the beverages alone or combined (64% beer and 36% cachaça), and a balanced 2000 kcal/day staple diet. The study finds that all heavy consumption scenarios cost less or significantly less (cachaça alone) than a 2000 kcal/day staple diet, highlighting an urgent need for fiscal policies, such as a minimum unit pricing for alcohol, to address public health concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assesses whether changes in older adults' financial situation after an economic shock are associated with feelings of loneliness. Data come from the 2006 and 2010 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (N = 2,510) which span the 2008 Great Recession. We conduct first-differencing and formal mediation analyses to determine whether change in financial situation is related to change in loneliness in older age and test potential mediation of personal and social resources. Results show that a higher level of loneliness in 2010 is associated with a higher level of subjective financial strain but not with changes in household income and net assets. The findings hold when accounting for personal and social resources. Knowledge of the direct link between financial strain and loneliness in older age provides an important insight for programmes and initiatives aimed at relieving widespread loneliness in later life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examines relations between adolescent employment and three aspects of higher education: beginning an undergraduate degree, completing the degree and type of institution (more prestigious university versus less prestigious college). Our research adds a new dimension to the concept of adolescent employment: the contribution of the adolescent's earnings to household income. This dimension links the earnings of the adolescent, as reflected in his/her salary, with parental socioeconomic status, as reflected in family income. Analyzing administrative data from the Israel National Insurance Institute for the cohort of 1991, which includes information for ages 12–28 (2003–2019), we found that adolescent employment per se does not usually affect higher education attainment, but there is a negative relation between the adolescent's income share and higher education, even after controlling for household income in early adolescence. Engaging in the debate on the consequences of employment during adolescence for later life outcomes, our study reveals that this depends on the centrality of the adolescent's contribution to family income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Little is known about the social difficulties and health care needs of adult Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients in Japan, as well as the financial and physical stress experienced by their caregivers. This study aimed to clarify the social circumstances surrounding adult DMD patients and assess the degree of involvement of family members in their care and the associated economic burden of the disorder in Japan. Methods: Adult DMD patients were identified through the Registry of Muscular Dystrophy (Remudy) in Japan and invited to complete a questionnaire together with a caregiver. Data on health care use, quality of life, work status, informal care, and household expenses were collected to estimate the costs associated with DMD from social and caregiver household perspectives. Results: In total, 234 (63.7%) of 367 adult DMD patients (mean age, 27.4 ± 6.0; range, 20–48 years) completed the questionnaire. Of these, 38 (21%) had developmental disorders (mental retardation, autism, and learning disorders), 57 (33%) experienced bullying in school, and 44 (77%) indicated the reason for bullying to be their physical handicap. Employment histories were noted by 72 (31%), although 23 (10%) lost their jobs mainly due to physical difficulties. Of the 234 patients, 164 (74%) lived with their relatives, and 78% of care time was supplied by family members, in particular, their mothers. The mean rate of care work provided by family members was 81%. Household income of families with an adult DMD patient was lower, whereas the rate of living with parent(s) and grandparent(s) was higher, in comparison with the general Japanese population. Conclusions: Adult DMD patients in Japan experience many social difficulties from childhood up to adulthood. As adults, many DMD patients experience bullying and workplace difficulties. Families were found to provide most of the care and financial support for DMD patients. Our results suggest the need to improve public patient care systems, including financial support, to address the physical and economic burdens of care for adult DMD patients in Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Examining the equity of health care and financial burden in households of deceased individuals in urban and rural areas is crucial for understanding the risks to both national and individual household finances. However, there is a lack of research on catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) in these households, specifically in urban and rural contexts. This study aims to identify the ability to pay and equity of CHE for both households of deceased individuals in urban and in rural areas. Methods: This study analysed data from the Korea Health Panel for 10 years (2009--2018) and targeted 869 deceased individuals and their households in the Republic of Korea (South Korea). Annual household income and living costs were adjusted based on equivalent household size, and the difference between these values represented the household's ability to pay. Out-of-pocket (OOP) expenditure included copayments and uninsured healthcare expenses for emergency room visits, inpatient care, outpatient treatments and prescription medications. CHE was defined as OOP expenditure reaching or exceeding 40% of the household's ability to pay. ANCOVA was performed to control for confounding variables, and the equity of CHE prevalence between urban and rural area was assessed using χ analysis. Results: Compared to urban households, the rural households of deceased individuals had, respectively, fewer members (2.7 v 2.4, p=0.03), a higher rate of presence of a spouse (63.8% v 70.7%, p=0.04) and a higher economic activity rate (12.7% v 20.5%, p=0.002). The mean number of comordities before death was 3.7 in both urban and rural areas, and there was no difference in the experience of using over-the-counter medicines for more than 3 months, emergency room, hospitalisation, and outpatient treatment. In addition, annual household OOP expenditures in urban and rural areas were US$3020.20 and US$2812.20, respectively, showing no statistical difference (p=0.341). This can be evaluated as a positive effect of various policies and practices aimed at alleviating urban--rural health equity. However, the financial characteristics of the household of the deceased in the year of death differed decisively between urban and rural areas. Compared to urban households, the annual income of rural households (US$15,673.80 v US$12,794.80, respectively, p≤0.002) and the annual ability to pay of rural households (US$14,734.10 v US$12,069.30, respectively, p=0.03) were lower. As a result, the 2 prevalence of CHE was higher in rural areas than in urban areas (68.3% v 77.6%, p=0.003). Conclusion: The findings of this study highlight the higher risk of CHE in rural areas due to the lower income level and ability to pay of the household of the deceased. It is evident that addressing the issue of CHE requires broader social development and policy efforts rather than individual-level interventions focused solely on improving health access and controlling healthcare costs. The findings of this study contribute to the growing evidence that income plays a crucial role in rural health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farmers in Ethiopia and other sub-Saharan African countries often implement various agricultural land management (ALM) practices to mitigate the negative impact of land degradation, increase crop yield, improve income, and safeguard the security of food. Despite the widespread use of these measures, their effect on crop productivity and related income has received relatively little attention in research, particularly in the context of mixed farming systems. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of ALM practices on crop production and household income in southern Ethiopia. Data was gathered from 423 sampled respondents, which included adopters and non-adopters of ALM practices. This study adopted multistage sampling to gather the data through a survey questionnaire. This study's findings reveal that ALM strategies have a considerable impact on crop productivity and the incomes of farm households (p<0.05). Moreover, the adoption of integrated physical and biological intervention practices for longer durations resulted in a steady increase in both crop productivity and household incomes. Furthermore, analysis of the effect of long-term treatment indicates that farms show a significant and increasing marginal benefit to production after six years of intervention. These findings imply that integrating ALM practices and maintaining them for an extended period (i.e., 10 years) will help to increase crop productivity and household incomes. Hence, adopting a wider range of physical and biological ALM measures and ensuring their continual adoption are key strategies for improving crop production and increasing household income. This strategy will have significant policy implications and provide a solid foundation for sustainable agricultural development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

EU-SILC is a survey focused mainly on mapping income and living conditions of households. In the Czech Republic, the survey has been conducted annualy since 2005 under the name “Životní podmínky” (Living Conditions). Each year, approximately 10 thousand households are surveyed – around one quarter of these households for the first time, while the rest repeatedly as part of the four-year rotating panel. As the EU-SILC has a uniform methodology for all participating countries, the results for the Czech Republic can be compared with other European countries or with the EU average. The Living Conditions survey was introduced in the context of the Czech Republic´s integration into the EU. However, similar surveys focused on households and their current living situation have been conducted regularly in the former Czechoslovakia since 1956. This article focuses primarily on methodology of SILC, but also offers a brief overview of the living conditions surveys in former Czechoslovakia and in present-day Czech Republic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using data from the American Community Survey for 2014–2018, we provide empirical evidence about the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of South Asian Americans. Our study investigates not only Indians, but also provides the first multivariate analyses for Bangladeshi, Nepalese, Pakistani, and Sri Lankans. The focus is on second-generation South Asians, but some descriptive statistics are shown for first-generation immigrants. In comparison to Whites, the educational distributions of first-generation immigrants are bimodal to varying degrees across the South Asian groups. However, with the exception of the Nepalese, all of the native-born South Asian groups obtain higher levels of education than Whites. Poverty among South Asian groups tends to reflect their educational levels so that poverty rates decline between the first-generation and the native-born, but second-generation Bangladeshi and Pakistani have somewhat higher than expected poverty due to family size and composition. Second-generation Indians, Pakistanis and Sri Lankans are more likely to be affluent than Whites, and these differences are partly but not fully explained by educational and other demographic characteristics. Other findings provide no support for the popular claim that the wages of second-generation South Asian groups are disadvantaged in comparison to Whites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionWest Africa, particularly Guinea-Bissau, heavily relies on cashew nut (Anacardium occidentale L.) production, which significantly impacts the countries’ economies. Cashew exhibits remarkable adaptability to impoverished and arid soils. Understanding producers’ socio-economic characteristics is crucial due to their potential influence on crop productivity and household income.MethodsThis study aims to characterize the socio-economic, productive, and phytosanitary aspects of cashew production in Guinea-Bissau, through 151 interviews with producers across all administrative regions of the country.ResultsOur findings reveal that cashew producers are mainly males aged 40 to 60, they typically manage plantations under 5 ha, with the smaller plantation areas located in Gabú, Cacheu, and Bolama. The age of the older trees averaged 31 years, with the highest age found in Biombo. Tree density averaged 286 trees per hectare, with higher values in Cacheu, Bafatá, and Bolama. Cashew nut yield in 2020 averaged less than 0.5 tons per hectare, with farmer-set prices generally lower than government determined prices. Oio, Tombali, and Bolama were the regions most affected by pests, while Oio and Cacheu (North) were the most affected by diseases. Top pests included termites, branch girdler, weaver ants, African grasshopper, and stem borer; while top diseases comprised gummosis, anthracnose, and dieback.DiscussionCharacterization of cashew production system is crucial at both national and regional levels to identify region-specific limitations and strengths, aiding in the formulation of tailored strategies for sustainable production. Moreover, cashew production plays a crucial role in household incomes in Guinea-Bissau, underscoring the necessity of developing integrated management strategies.

Household food security and income play central roles in sustainable development at the global, national, and local levels. Smallholder vegetable farming systems are widely regarded as crucial contributors to enhancing household food security and income in the developing world. Comprehensive whole-farm analysis of smallholder vegetable farming systems points out greater diversity and heterogeneity driven by interactions of socioeconomic and biophysical factors such as land profiles, land use, farm assets, enterprise income, off/non-farm activities, and household structure and expenditure. However, three distinct farm typologies exist (Resource and Livelihood Constrained Off-farm Dependent/Supplemented–RLCOD farmers, Resource and Livelihood Abundant and Commercial Oriented–RLACO farmers, and Medium Resources and Livelihoods Constrained Market Oriented–MRLCMO farmers), exhibiting significant differences and variability in structural and functional factors. The production of maize, groundnuts, soybean, and bean crops remains the primary source of livelihood for all farm typologies. Similarly, vegetable production is vital for farmers’ livelihoods in all farm types, yielding more income than food needs. However, both crop and vegetable productivity and production are still low and below the national and potential target across farm typologies. Small-scale irrigation offers one alternative solution in the context of increasing climate change. Small livestock (chickens, goats, and pigs) play a significant role in the livelihood of vegetable farmers despite their low productivity. Disparities exist across farm typologies in available arable and irrigable land, available household labor, capacity to hire additional labor, farm assets, and inputs, as well as participation in off-farm and non-labor-farm activities. While vegetable production and its proportion sold and earned income emerge as critical factors affecting household food accessibility and acquisition, additional factors such as crop production, proportion of crops sold, daily food expenditure, livestock income, and TLU significantly influence household access for different farm typologies, requiring consideration to achieve food security in vegetable farming systems.

The debate on tuition-free higher education has raged in South Africa since the #FeesMustFall protests at South African universities in 2015 and 2016. The government responded with a tuition-free education policy targeting students from households earning less than R350 000. However, the question remains can South Africa sustain a tuition-free education policy given its developing nation status and the levels of its GDP? This article sought to assess the feasibility of tuition-free higher education for all in South Africa. A scoping review was used, and fifteen articles about tuition-free higher education feasibility in South Africa were reviewed. The choice of the scoping review was due to the need for an understanding of the current state of play in research on the feasibility of tuition-free higher education in South Africa. The results suggest that tuition-free higher education for all is not feasible in South Africa. There seems to be a consensus that South Africa lacks the resources to finance tuition-free higher education for all. Tuition-free higher education is also viewed as a regressive tax on the poor given that the majority of students in higher education institutions come from middle and upper-income households. However, it is important to note that a distinction is drawn between tuition-free higher education for all and tuition-free higher education for the poor and academically deserving. The latter seems to receive support with some viewing it as a moral imperative in an unequal society such as South Africa’s. It is recommended that future studies approach the issue from an empirical standpoint whereby the GDP levels are assessed against higher education funding.

Urbanization is a driving factor for biodiversity loss and potential climate change by reducing carbon stocks. Understanding how urban development, as mitigated by socio-economic factors alters urban biodiversity is crucial for effective urban planning that maintains or improves environmental resilience. The luxury effect hypothesis predicts that wealthier parts of a city will have higher levels of biodiversity. This effect has been tested widely but we still have limited understanding of how wealth influences urban biodiversity in tropical regions of developing countries where plant species play profound sociocultural roles beyond aesthetics. This study investigates links between household income and the diversity of cultivated plants distribution within neighborhoods of two growing cities in Benin. We conducted a survey of 936 randomly selected households to record their socioeconomic characteristics and survey the cultivated plant species found in household gardens’. This enabled us to estimate household-level diversity metrics including taxonomic diversity and phylogenetic diversity. We found no global support for the luxury effect on phylogenetic diversity but rented properties had lower plant taxonomic diversity along with less phylogenetic diversity than privately owned houses. Taxonomic diversity is higher in the less urbanized areas while phylogenetic diversity is weakened. Household’s cultural connection to plants has a negative effect on both diversity indices. Our results highlight the complex relationships between socioeconomic traits and urban plant diversity distribution in two tropical African cities, which only partly confirmed the luxury effect hypothesis. Disentangling these complex relationships can help city planners and policymakers to take informed decisions to promote sustainable cities.

With global economic growth, the burden on the natural environment is severe, and more and more attention is paid to sustainable development that enhances the economic growth and sustainability of the natural environment. This study aims to show the concern of global citizens regarding the natural environment and household income. It used worldwide individual interview data from 149 countries between 2007 and 2021, with 2,450,043 observations (Gallup World Poll surveys) and an original large-scale internet- and face-to-face-survey from 37 nations with 100,956 observations. Using a binary logit regression model, this study also analyzes public sentiment regarding who should bear the financial burden for environmental conservation. We found that 60 % of citizens showed that their current income provides a comfortable life; on the other hand, 49 % of the respondents were dissatisfied with conservation of the natural environment. The satisfaction with household income was much greater than satisfaction with natural environmental conservation, leaving space for improvement in environmental stringency. For citizens’ preferences regarding financial responsibility, the government and companies are expected to afford conservation costs.

This study examines the effects of educational attainment and household income on wealth accumulation in Vietnam using various Vietnam Household Living Standards Surveys (VHLSSs) in 2008, 2018 and 2020. We use the threshold regression to separate households into different groups depending on their assets. We find that owning a university degree is optimal to maximize wealth accumulation for households in 2008. However, post-graduate qualifications are needed for wealth accumulation in 2018 and 2020. For those household heads without a university degree, owning advanced training certificates provides the best opportunity to accumulate household wealth in all three surveys. Besides, our empirical results confirm that household income played no role in wealth accommodation in 2008. Interestingly, household income positively contributes to wealth accumulation for households with assets above the threshold of VND 634.40 m in 2020. However, the effect is negative for households with assets below the threshold of VND 440.25 m in 2018. We also find that households with widowed or divorced household heads are associated with lower wealth accumulation. Another interesting finding is that living in urban areas reduces wealth accumulation for households whose assets are below VND 440.25 m in 2018. These findings largely remain unchanged when Lewbel's (Lewbel, Journal of Business and Economic Statistics 30:67–80, 2012) instrument variable estimator is used to ensure the robustness of the empirical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

India is one of the world's largest producers and exporters of cotton, the major raw material for the textile industry, employing more than 4.5 crore people in the country. The present study aimed to analyse the impact of adverse trade in Indian cotton sector on labor and household income by employing Social Analysis Matrix based multiplier model and partial equilibrium model. Indian textile sector has strong backward linkages with primary input multiplier and household income multiplier of 4.13 and 3.44, respectively and, thus transmitting external impacts to the labour and household income. The sector has a higher multiplier effect of 10.17 on production activities, of which the impact on the cotton sector is 0.126. Fall in export and domestic demand for clothing and apparel in addition to movement restrictions around the world during the period 2020-2021, disrupted cotton supply chain and consequent fall in demand and price of the commodity. Simulations for the increase in carry-over stock and reduction in domestic consumption and cotton exports revealed that limiting the commodity's production and supply would retain the market equilibrium and increase the domestic price to the advantage of the farmers. The study reveals that dynamics in the Indian cotton sector trade significantly impacted labour and household income. Appropriate planning for areas under cotton cultivation and alternate procurement mechanisms during emergency situations would stabilise the Indian cotton economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most studies on the impacts of non‐tariff measures (NTMs) on economic outcomes are at the macro‐level with limited micro‐level studies. This study uses primary data on 604 commercial farm households in Ghana to examine the relationship between NTMs and household welfare outcomes. The results show that NTMs are positively associated with assets, household expenditure and income but negatively associated with food expenditure, household dietary diversity score (HDDS) and poverty probability index (PPI). We find that the results are not likely to be driven by unobserved heterogeneity. Our results suggest that the potential mechanisms through which NTMs influence welfare outcomes are household income and expenditure. The main implication of the study is that a reduction in the number of customs formalities and the cost of testing and certification can facilitate trade and contribute to the economic development of commercial farm households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we examine intergenerational income mobility in Turkey using data from the Turkish Statistical Institute's Survey of Income and Living Conditions and the TS2SLS methodology. Our findings reveal an intergenerational earnings elasticity of 0.51 between fathers and sons and 1 between fathers and daughters. This gender disparity stems from historically low female labor force participation and self-selection of women into employment in Turkey. Our estimates for household income elasticity for both sons and daughters are similar, at around 0.8. We also observe a slight decrease in intergenerational mobility for more recent birth cohorts, consistent with trends in other countries. Our further analysis using rank-rank slopes and transition matrices indicates weak intergenerational rank mobility and strong persistence at both ends of the income distribution in Turkey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food is a fundamental human need. Food must be provided in sufficient quantity, be of good quality, be safe to consume, and be affordable. Furthermore, the determining factor of household food consumption is income. If income increases, the consumption pattern of nutritious food will also improve. The study aimed to analyze the characteristics of female vegetable farmers, their household food consumption, and the determinants of household food consumption in Pekanbaru City. The research data were obtained through an interview survey, with 65 female vegetable farmers selected using simple random sampling. This study found that female vegetable farmers in Pekanbaru City were of productive age, had a high school education level, and mostly had 3-4 family members. The household food consumption of the participants fulfilled the PPH score target for Pekanbaru City but did not fulfill the national target. Therefore, the household food security of female vegetable farmers in Pekanbaru City has not been achieved nationally. The study further revealed that household income, number of family members, and education of female vegetable farmers were significant determinants of household food consumption. In contrast, the age of female vegetable farmers did not significantly affect household food consumption. Overall, the study highlights the importance of improving the food security of female vegetable farmers in Pekanbaru City by addressing the significant determinants of household food consumption. This can be achieved by implementing policies and programs to increase household income, improve education levels, and reduce family size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the relationship between female contribution to household income and the division of housework between the partners, while accounting for their attitutes towards gender roles. We use data from the "Generation and Gender Survey" for Poland: a country where both employment rates of women and their involvement in housework are high, men and women work long hours, and labour market regulation and policies are unsupportive of work− family balance. We find that the female share of total household income is negatively related to women's heavy involvement in housework. The direction of this relationship does not change when women earn more than their partners, so there is no support for the gender deviance neutralization hypothesis. We also find that individual gender norms matter for women's involvement in unpaid work at home, and the uncovered link between the female share of household income and inequality between the partners in the division of housework. Women from less traditional households are more likely to share housework equally with their partners. Among couples with traditional gender attitudes, the female contribution to household income is not related to the division of housework. We conclude that narrowing gender pay gaps may be an important step towards more equality not only at work but also at home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses changes in the private rental sector (PRS) in Australia, highlighting a significant long-term shift in the distribution of household incomes. Topics include the shortage of affordable private rental supply for lower-income households, with a national shortage of 348,000 dwellings in 2021 and 82% of Q1 PRS households facing unaffordable rents.

Background: The tendency to prefer smaller, immediate rewards over larger, delayed rewards is known as delay discounting (DD). Developmental deviations in DD may be key in characterizing psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. Recent work empirically supported DD as a transdiagnostic process in various psychiatric disorders. Yet, there is a lack of research relating developmental changes in DD from mid‐childhood to adolescence to psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. Additionally, examining the interplay between socioeconomic status/total household income (THI) and psychiatric symptoms is vital for a more comprehensive understanding of pediatric pathology and its complex relationship with DD. Methods: The current study addresses this gap in a robust psychiatric sample of 1843 children and adolescents aged 5–18 (M = 10.6, SD = 3.17; 1,219 males, 624 females). General additive models (GAMs) characterized the shape of age‐related changes in monetary and food reward discounting for nine psychiatric disorders compared with neurotypical youth (NT; n = 123). Over 40% of our sample possessed a minimum of at least three psychiatric or neurodevelopmental disorders. We used bootstrap‐enhanced Louvain community detection to map DD‐related comorbidity patterns. We derived five subtypes based on diagnostic categories present in our sample. DD patterns were then compared across each of the subtypes. Further, we evaluated the effect of cognitive ability, emotional and behavioral problems, and THI in relation to DD across development. Results: Higher discounting was found in six of the nine disorders we examined relative to NT. DD was consistently elevated across development for most disorders, except for depressive disorders, with age‐specific DD differences compared with NTs. Community detection analyses revealed that one comorbidity subtype consisting primarily of Attention‐Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Combined Presentation and anxiety disorders displayed the highest overall emotional/behavioral problems and greater DD for the food reward. An additional subtype composed mainly of ADHD, predominantly Inattentive Presentation, learning, and developmental disorders, showed the greatest DD for food and monetary rewards compared with the other subtypes. This subtype had deficits in reasoning ability, evidenced by low cognitive and academic achievement performance. For this ADHD‐I and developmental disorders subtype, THI was related to DD across the age span such that participants with high THI showed no differences in DD compared with NTs. In contrast, participants with low THI showed significantly worse DD trajectories than all others. Our results also support prior work showing that DD follows nonlinear developmental patterns. Conclusions: We demonstrate preliminary evidence for DD as a transdiagnostic marker of psychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders in children and adolescents. Comorbidity subtypes illuminate DD heterogeneity, facilitating the identification of high‐risk individuals. Importantly, our findings revealed a marked link between DD and intellectual reasoning, with children from lower‐income households exhibiting lower reasoning skills and heightened DD. These observations underscore the potential consequences of compromised self‐regulation in economically disadvantaged individuals with these disorders, emphasizing the need for tailored interventions and further research to support improved outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the impact of various economic sectors on household income in Thailand. It is conducted in light of the substantial "digital wallet" scheme initiated by the Thai government, with the goal of providing empirical evidence and suggesting alternative policies for regional development informed by sectoral and spatial insights. The research aims to deepen the understanding of how different economic sectors affect household income, filling a gap in the current understanding of the relationship between sectoral productivity and income. Utilising spatial lag models (SLM), the study analyses data spanning from 2005 to 2021, testing the effects of 19 economic sectors comprising the Gross Provincial Product (GPP) of Thailand's 76 provinces on the average household income. The findings indicate direct associations between agriculture, real estate, professional services, support services, and leisure sectors and household income, alongside pronounced spatial autoregression. This implies that income levels in one province can substantially influence those in neighbouring provinces. This research extends the understanding of economic influences at the regional level and highlights the importance of considering spatial factors in economic policymaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 1990s, immigrants have been increasingly moving to rural areas of the U.S., yet we know little about the economic well-being of these immigrants as compared to their more urban peers. To fill this knowledge gap, we draw on both segmented assimilation and industrial restructuring approaches and use microdata data from the American Community Survey (ACS) 2019 5-year estimates (n = 10,536,645) to examine the household income of U.S.-born and foreign-born heads of households by metropolitan status, as well as the roles of race/ethnicity and regional location in conditioning the impact of nativity status on household income. Similar to Census reports on the urban–rural wealth gap (Shrider et al. in Income and poverty in the United States: 2020. United States Census Bureau. Washington, DC. , 2021), OLS regression results indicate that rural respondents tend to report significantly less income than their nonrural peers, however, there is significant variation by nativity status, racial/ethnic background, and regional location. On average, foreign-born respondents, racial/ethnic minorities, and respondents located in the South report lower household incomes than their peers. Racial/ethnic background has a greater influence on household income than does nativity status, however, especially in rural areas. Race/ethnicity also moderates the effects of nativity status, although somewhat differently depending on metropolitan location and region. Predicted estimates of household income by nativity and race/ethnicity show that, regardless of race/ethnicity, foreign-born individuals in urban areas tend to have household incomes that are slightly lower than or similar to those of their same-race U.S.-born peers, with the exception of Black immigrants, those who report having two or more races, and respondents who belong to the Other Race category who tend to have higher incomes. In rural areas, however, substantively meaningful nativity differentials in income are only apparent for Black respondents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eliminating energy poverty is not only a prerequisite for escaping the "energy poverty trap" but also crucial to enhancing the welfare of residents and realising ecological civilization. Income inequality has become an essential challenge affecting China's economic growth and social stability. By integrating Chinese household data for 2016, 2018, and 2020, a mixed-method approach of energy income response modeling, income inequality measurement modeling, and fixed panel modeling is used in this paper to explore the relationship between income inequality and household energy poverty. Further, the mechanism of income inequality on energy poverty and the poverty reduction effect of household income on energy poverty are explored. The results show that income inequality is significantly and positively correlated with household energy poverty, implying that widening income inequality leads to energy "poverty enhancement." In terms of mechanisms, income inequality increases energy poverty by increasing households' willingness to save and reducing energy consumption. The moderating effect analysis shows that the breadth of digital financial inclusion reduces the contribution of income inequality to household energy poverty. The increase in household income will increase the affordability of households, especially the increase in wage income and property income, which can help households lift themselves out of "energy poverty." Therefore, creating sustainable digital ecosystems, incorporating sound government interventions, and providing diversified income channels are key to helping households escape energy poverty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Driven by rapid socioeconomic development over recent decades, there are widening income inequalities and subjective health disparities among older adults in China. This study explored the relationship between income inequalities and self‐rated healthy life expectancy (HLE) considering potential sex‐specific differences. Methods: From a cohort of 1760 individuals aged ≥60 years from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (1997–2006), we calculated age‐specific life expectancy (LE), HLE and the proportion of HLE to LE (HLE/LE) by sex using the IMaCh software, incorporated time‐varying income levels of older adults. Results: Although longevity has significantly improved, the well‐being of Chinese older adults could be further enhanced by assessing HLE, as the results showed that at age 60 years, ~20% of their LE was characterized by unhealthiness. Discriminated by economic status, lower‐income individuals experienced worse self‐rated health compared with the general population and affluent counterparts. For instance, at age 60 years, the LE, HLE and HLE/LE of low‐income men were 19.8 (95% CI 18.4–21.1), 16.2 years (95% CI 15.0–17.5) and 81.8%, respectively, lower than their general (21.7, 95% CI: 20.4–23.0; 18.0, 95% CI 16.8–19.2; and 82.9%) and high‐income counterparts (25.1, 95% CI 23.1–27.2; 21.4, 95% CI 19.5–23.3; and 85.3%). Sex disparities were noticeable among low‐income individuals in HLE/LE, with low‐income women showing the most significant disadvantage. Conclusions: Income inequalities exacerbated subjective health disparities among older adults, particularly among lower‐income individuals and women. Our findings carry significant implications for formulating public health and social welfare strategies, especially in nations grappling with an aging population and undergoing parallel socioeconomic development. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 109–115. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses how households in Brazil, in urban areas of metropolitan regions, with distinct income ranges, can or cannot access adequate housing services, especially water supply and sanitation. In order to conduct the analysis, the concept of household inadequacy was developed. Besides descriptive analyses of the data, tests of association were conducted between household income and the existence of inadequacies. The results indicate that, besides being concentrated among low-income households, frequent and significant inadequacies are also found in high-income households. This aspect reduces the degree of association between household income and the inadequacies analysed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression's relations to psychosocial processes are complex, bidirectional, and include financial functioning. The current study compared the extent to which household income, financial literacy (knowledge and skill), and financial health (saving, spending, borrowing, and planning behavior) were risk factors and outcomes of depression. A United States national sample of working-aged adults (N = 6565) completed self-report measures of financial functioning and depression in years 2020 and 2022. Depression scales assessed both negative (depressive symptoms) and positive (life satisfaction) affective dimensions. Lower income, less financial literacy, and especially poorer financial health correlated significantly with more depressive symptoms and lower life satisfaction. Poorer financial health demonstrated the strongest prospective relations with increasing depressive symptoms and decreasing life satisfaction over the two-year retest interval. In parallel, higher depressive symptoms and lower life satisfaction each predicted subsequent decreases in financial health. Results from this longitudinal, observational study suggested but could not establish causal connections between depression and financial functioning. The study's novel results require replication before clinical application. More so than low income or limited financial literacy, poor financial health is both a risk factor and potential outcome of depression, including more depressive symptoms and lower life satisfaction. If these findings are replicated, financial health may be an important research and clinical target for depression assessment, prevention, and treatment. • This study compared three financial functioning dimensions' relations to depression. • Less household income and lower financial literacy correlated with depression. • Low financial health was the strongest prospective risk and outcome of depression. • Adults with low financial health spent, saved, borrowed, and planned maladaptively. • Financial health may be an important depression assessment and intervention target. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed the impact of household income on tuberculosis (TB) recurrence and the long-term impact of TB on household income. This was a retrospective nationwide cohort study of patients with drug-susceptible TB (DS-TB) and TB recurrence. Using the South Korean national TB cohort database, we identified a sub-set cohort of patients with newly diagnosed drug-susceptible TB between 2013 and 2016 and tracked their TB recurrence and longitudinal income data from 2007 to 2018. Income levels were evaluated as 'Medical aid' and quintile categories. To assess risk factors associated with TB recurrence, we used a sub-distribution hazard model, adjusting for the competing risks of death. Of 66,690 patients successfully treated with DS-TB, 2095 (3.1 %) experienced recurrence during a median follow-up of 39 months. The incidence of TB recurrence was 982.1/100,000 person-years, with 50.3 % of the recurrences occurring within 1 year of treatment completion. The risk of TB recurrence increased with decreasing income levels, with the highest risk observed in the lowest income group. The effect of income on TB recurrence was prominent in males but not in females. Overall, patients with TB recurrence experienced a linear decline in income levels, compared with those without recurrence. Household income during the initial TB episode was an important risk factor for TB recurrence, particularly in males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL), which can be influenced by various aspects, especially socioeconomic status and lifestyle, has been identified as an important predictor of the prognosis of older adults. Dietary habit, a major part of lifestyle, can affect the nutritional status, which is closely correlated with the development of geriatric syndromes in the elderly. Aims: The aim of the study was to examine the association of HRQoL, socioeconomic status, and lifestyle with the risk and severity of sarcopenia, a geriatric syndrome characterized by progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength and function. Methods: A cross-sectional retrospective study with 2877 participants aged ≥65 years was performed. HRQoL was assessed using EuroQoL Five Dimensions questionnaire. Socioeconomic status was assessed by the educational attainment, occupation, and household income. Lifestyle was assessed using 12 items closely related to Chinese living habits. The information of daily dietary habits including tea, alcohol, type of diet, and volume of drinking water were collected. The associations of HRQoL, socioeconomic status, and lifestyle with the risk of sarcopenia were examined by multivariate regression logistical analysis. The potential causal role of age, body mass index, and waist circumference in the effect of HRQoL on sarcopenia risk was analyzed by causal mediation analysis. Results: High HRQoL [adjusted odds ratio (OR) =0.85, 95% confidence interval (CI) =0.69–0.95, P=0.034] and household income levels (adjusted OR =0.74, 95% CI =0.57–0.95, P=0.019) were inversely associated with the risk of sarcopenia. Meanwhile, more consumption of spicy food (adjusted OR =1.34, 95% CI =1.09–1.81, P =0.037) and occasionally drinking (adjusted OR =1.46, 95% CI =1.07–2.00, P =0.016, as compared to those never drinking) were associated with higher risk of sarcopenia, while skipping breakfast occasionally (adjusted OR =0.37, 95% CI =0.21–0.64, P <0.001, as compared to those eating breakfast every day) and less consumption of salt (adjusted OR =0.71, 95% CI =0.52–0.96, P =0.026, as compared to those consuming high amount of salt) were associated with lower risk of sarcopenia. Further causal mediation analysis aimed to explore how much age, body mass index, and waist circumference might explain the effect of HRQoL on the risk of sarcopenia showed that the estimated proportion that mediated the effect of HRQoL on the risk of sarcopenia by age was 28.0%. Conclusions: In summary, our findings demonstrate that low levels of HRQoL and household income, more intake of salt and spicy food, and occasional intake of alcohol are correlated with higher risk of sarcopenia, while skipping breakfast occasionally is associated with lower risk of sarcopenia in a Chinese population of older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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