Expanding higher education systems in low- and middle-income countries: the challenges of equity and quality

Introduction: Sedentary behavior (SB) has been associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in high-income countries. However, the burden and impact of SB in low- and middle-income countries is not well known. This study examined self-reported sedentary behavior and the association with CVD risk in Grenada, a middle-income country. Methods: A modified WHO STEPS survey was administered to a random sample of the Grenadian adult population, and sedentary behavior was assessed. Participants were asked to quantify the amount of time per day spent sitting (at home or work), reclining (excluding during sleep), or traveling in a vehicle. SB was assessed in hourly intervals and also grouped into two categories: 3 hours or less (approximately two thirds of the sample) and greater than 3 hours (approximately one third). Frequency of SB was compared across gender (age-standardized), age, and education groups. The relationship between SB and log-transformed 10-year CVD risk (Framingham) was evaluated using multivariable linear regression. Statistical analyses were performed using STATA v. 10. Results: Of 2622 participants, 32.4% reported greater than 3 hours per day of SB. SB was more common among men, among the youngest (age 18-29) and oldest (age 70+) individuals, and among those with higher education ( Table ). In univariate analysis, SB was adversely associated with 10-year CVD risk (p<0.05). However, after controlling for gender, age and education, SB was not significantly associated with 10-year CVD risk. Conclusions: Sedentary behavior in Grenada is more common among men, extremes of age, and higher education levels. Increased SB is not independently associated with 10-year CVD risk when controlling for gender, age and education. This is in contrast to findings in high-income countries. These results call for further exploration of the patterns of sedentary behavior, an emerging health issue in low- and middle-income countries, and its effect on CVD risk. Table Frequency of reported sedentary behavior (figures are %; all p-values within groups<0.05) N Greater than 3 hours per day Gender Men 1129 35.2 * Women 1493 30.3 * Age (years ) ≤18-29 634 39.1 30-39 428 30.6 40-49 580 23.6 50-59 448 28.1 60-69 249 28.1 ≥70 283 48.4 Education No schooling to Primary 1532 29.0 Secondary School 639 34.7 Post Graduate 419 39.9 * Age-standardized rates

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Inequalities in higher education in low‐ and middle‐income countries: A scoping review of the literature

Development Policy Review ◽

10.1111/dpr.12535 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Simone Reinders ◽

Marleen Dekker ◽

Jean‐Benoît Falisse

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Scoping Review ◽

Review Of The Literature ◽

Middle Income ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Low And Middle Income

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Maternal education and equity in breastfeeding: trends and patterns in 81 low- and middle-income countries between 2000 and 2019

International Journal for Equity in Health ◽

10.1186/s12939-020-01357-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Paulo A. R. Neves ◽

Aluisio J. D. Barros ◽

Giovanna Gatica-Domínguez ◽

Juliana S. Vaz ◽

Phillip Baker ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Middle East ◽

South Asia ◽

North Africa ◽

Exclusive Breastfeeding ◽

Formal Education ◽

Maternal Education ◽

Middle Income ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Low And Middle Income

Abstract Background In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), low levels of formal maternal educational are positively associated with breastfeeding whereas the reverse is true among women with higher levels of formal education. As such, breastfeeding has helped to reduce health equity gaps between rich and poor children. Our paper examines trends in breastfeeding and formula consumption by maternal educational in LMICs over nearly two decades. Methods We used 319 nationally representative surveys from 81 countries. We used WHO definitions for breastfeeding indicators and categorized maternal education into three categories: none, primary, and secondary or higher. We grouped countries according to the World Bank income groups and UNICEF regions classifications. The trend analyses were performed through multilevel linear regression to obtain average absolute annual changes in percentage points. Results Significant increases in prevalence were observed for early initiation and exclusive breastfeeding across all education categories, but more prominently in women with no formal education for early breastfeeding and in higher level educated women for exclusive breastfeeding. Small decreases in prevalence were seen mostly for women with no formal education for continued breastfeeding at 1 and 2 years. Among formula indicators, only formula consumption between 6 and 23 months decreased significantly over the period for women with primary education. Analysis by world regions demonstrated that gains in early and exclusive breastfeeding were almost universally distributed among education categories, except in the Middle East and North Africa where they decreased throughout education categories. Continued breastfeeding at 1 and 2 years increased in South Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Eastern Europe and Central Asia for primary or higher education categories. Declines occurred for the group of no formal education in South Asia and nearly all education categories in the Middle East and North Africa with a decline steeper for continued breastfeeding at 2 years. With a few exceptions, the use of formula is higher among children of women at the highest education level in all regions. Conclusions Over the course of our study, women with no formal education have worsening breastfeeding indicators compared to women with primary and secondary or higher education.

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Disabilities Inclusive Education Systems and Policies Guide for Low- and Middle-Income Countries

10.3768/rtipress.2017.op.0043.1707 ◽

2017 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Anne M. Hayes ◽

Jennae Bulat

Keyword(s):

Students With Disabilities ◽

Inclusive Education ◽

Limited Resources ◽

Learning Needs ◽

Education Systems ◽

Middle Income ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Learning Challenges ◽

Inclusive System ◽

Low And Middle Income

Having a disability can be one of the most marginalizing factors in a child’s life. In education, finding ways to meet the learning needs of students with disabilities can be challenging, especially in schools, districts, regions, and countries with severely limited resources. Inclusive education—which fully engages all students, including students with disabilities or other learning challenges, in quality education—has proven particularly effective in helping all students learn, even while challenges to implementing inclusive education systems remain. This guide provides suggestions for developing inclusive education systems and policies, especially for low- and middle-income countries that are moving from a segregated system toward an inclusive system of education. We specifically address the needs of countries with limited resources for implementing inclusive education. However, our strategies and recommendations can be equally useful in other contexts where inclusive education practices have not yet been adopted.

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Towards a pedagogical and sociotechnical framework for the strategic integration of mobile learning in higher education in low and middle income countries

Higher Education Research & Development ◽

10.1080/07294360.2020.1773768 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-18

Author(s):

Safiya Okai-Ugbaje

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Mobile Learning ◽

Middle Income ◽

Strategic Integration ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Low And Middle Income

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Internationalisation in Higher Education:

International Journal of African Higher Education ◽

10.6017/ijahe.v7i2.12891 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Hans De Wit

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Anglo Saxon ◽

Middle Income ◽

Middle Income Countries ◽

Internationalisation Of Higher Education ◽

Low And Middle Income

Internationalisation of higher education is still mainly considered in termsof a westernised, largely Anglo-Saxon, and predominantly English-speakingparadigm (Jones and de Wit, 2012), and, as Teferra (2019) states, is acoerced form of internationalisation. This article analyses the challengesand need for internationalisation in low- and middle-income countries tomove from coercion to intentionality and inclusion.

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