Childhood Inequality in China: Evidence from Recent Survey Data (2012–2014)

2018 ◽  
Vol 236 ◽  
pp. 1063-1087 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie A.E. Young ◽  
Emily C. Hannum
Keyword(s):  
Child Welfare ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Family Environment ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Psychosocial Health ◽  
Panel Survey ◽  
Socio Economic Status ◽  
Egalitarian Society ◽  
Welfare Measures ◽  
Nationally Representative

AbstractIn recent decades, China has transformed from a relatively egalitarian society to a highly unequal one. What are the implications of high levels of inequality for the lives of children? Drawing on two nationally representative datasets, the China Family Panel Studies and the China Education Panel Survey, we develop a comprehensive portrait of childhood inequality in post-reform China. Analyses reveal stark disparities between children from different socio-economic backgrounds in family environments and in welfare outcomes, including physical health, psychosocial health and educational performance. We argue that childhood inequality in China is driven not only by the deprivations of poverty but also by the advantages of affluence, as high socio-economic status children diverge from their middle and low socio-economic status counterparts on various family environment and child welfare measures.

Taller but thinner: trends in child anthropometry in Senegal, 1990–2015

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (13) ◽  
pp. 2365-2372
Author(s):  
Michel Garenne
Keyword(s):  
Economic Status ◽  
Demographic And Health Surveys ◽  
Average Weight ◽  
Average Height ◽  
Linear Regression Models ◽  
Income Per Capita ◽  
Socio Economic Status ◽  
Control And Prevention ◽  
Per Capita ◽  
Nationally Representative

AbstractObjective:To investigate trends in child anthropometry in Senegal between 1990 and 2015 and relate them with potential causes. Several hypotheses were tested: changes in health status, income, diet and socio-economic status.Design:Statistical analysis of trends in anthropometric data: height, weight, BMI and associated Z-scores calculated with the CDC-2000 standard (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention): height-for-age (HAZ), weight-for-age (WAZ) and weight-for-height (WHZ). Trends were fitted with linear regression models and were related with changes in health and socio-economic status.Setting:Nine nationally representative samples of Senegalese children aged 12–59 months, taken between 1986 and 2017 by Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS).Participants:Children aged 12–59 months.Results:Over the 25 years of investigation, the average height of children increased by +1·88 cm, their average weight by +0·10 kg, but their BMI decreased by −0·53 kg/m2. Corresponding changes expressed in Z-scores were +0·454 in HAZ, +0·109 in WAZ and −0·302 in WHZ. This pattern of decreasing stunting while increasing wasting was correlated with decreasing child mortality, despite small changes in income per capita and in adult heights or BMI. Largest improvements in HAZ were among the lower socio-economic strata, while largest declines in WHZ were among higher socio-economic strata.Conclusions:Decline in stunting appeared associated primarily with the control of infectious diseases, also responsible for the mortality decline. Increase in wasting was surprising. It appears associated with small changes in income per capita, and therefore in diet, in a context of increasing height.

scholarly journals Physical attractiveness – who believes it is a ticket to success?

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. 5-14
Author(s):  
Outi Sarpila ◽  
Jani Erola
Keyword(s):  
Middle Class ◽  
Everyday Life ◽  
Social Stratification ◽  
Physical Attractiveness ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Physical Appearance ◽  
Representative Survey ◽  
Socio Economic Status ◽  
Lower Status ◽  
Nationally Representative

According to previous research, physical appearance is an important asset that contributes to socio-economic success. However, the consequences associated with physical appearance are often considered gendered. By focusing on the two aspects relevant to physical attractiveness and social stratification, gender and socio-economic status (SES), the article examines whether or not women and men in certain socio-economic positions consider physical attractiveness an important asset in everyday life. We use data from a nationally representative survey. Our analyses suggest that women tend to believe that physical attractiveness contributes to success in life more often than men. Furthermore, we find that the representatives of the middle class, in particular, recognise the significance of physical attractiveness. This applies to both women and men. The results suggest that appearance-related beliefs reflect, first and foremost, the internal battle of middle status positions as well as the willingness to separate oneself from a lower status group.

scholarly journals Causality and confounding between Right Wing Authoritarianism, education, and Socio-Economic Status; a twin study

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikolai Haahjem Eftedal ◽  
Thomas Haarklau Kleppestø ◽  
Nikolai Olavi Czajkowski ◽  
Espen Moen Eilertsen ◽  
Jennifer Sheehy-Skeffington ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Family Environment ◽  
Twin Study ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Causal Effect ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Causal Effects ◽  
Right Wing ◽  
Right Wing Authoritarianism ◽  
Socio Economic Status ◽  
The Family

While it is well-established that education and Right Wing Authoritarianism (RWA) are quite strongly negatively correlated, it is still unclear why this is the case. There could be causal effects between these variables, in one or both directions, which can be either direct or mediated. And there could also be confounding third variables influencing their association. Using a sample of 320 monozygotic- and 312 dizygotic twin pairs, we were able to control for confounding influences from both genes and the family-environment, increasing our ability to infer causal effects. Furthermore, we investigate the roles of perceived Socio-Economic Status (SES) in both childhood and adulthood; SES in childhood could be a confound between education and RWA, and SES in adulthood could be a mediator. We explore these hypotheses with ACE-β models, which extend the logic of discordant twin designs into a structural equation framework. Our results are consistent with a causal effect of education to reduce RWA. SES in adulthood did not mediate this effect. We find that the negative correlation between RWA and education is further amplified by confounding influences, mostly from the family environment, which are partly associated with SES.

scholarly journals The association between physical fitness and health in a nationally representative sample of Canadian children and youth aged 6 to 17 years

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 (3) ◽  
pp. 104-111 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin J. Lang ◽  
Richard Larouche ◽  
Mark S. Tremblay
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Physical Fitness ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Representative Sample ◽  
Handgrip Strength ◽  
Health Indicators ◽  
Psychosocial Health ◽  
Children And Youth ◽  
Muscular Endurance ◽  
Nationally Representative

Introduction This study explored the relationship between physical fitness and indicators of physical and psychosocial health in a nationally representative sample of Canadian children and youth aged 6–17 years. Methods We conducted a secondary data analysis of Canadian Health Measures Survey (Cycles 1 and 2; 2007-2011) data. The physical fitness measures included cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF; modified Canadian Aerobic Fitness Test), strength (handgrip strength), flexibility (sit-and-reach), and muscular endurance (partial curl-ups). The physical health indicators included directly measured biomarkers (total and HDL [high-density lipoprotein] cholesterol, C-reactive protein, glucose, and HbA1c [glycohaemoglobin]) and measures of adiposity, resting heart rate, and blood pressure. Psychosocial health was assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Multiple linear regressions were used to determine the association between variables, stratified by age groups and sex. Results 3,800 (48.9% female) children and youth were retained for this analysis. CRF displayed significant favourable associations with most physical health indicators in male and female participants. There were less significant favourable associations with flexibility and muscular endurance compared with CRF across age and sex groups. Strength was associated with higher adiposity in males and females, and lower heart rate in male children (β = −1.9; 95% CI: −2.9, −1.0) and female youth (β = −2.0; 95% CI: −2.7, −1.2). There were few significant favourable associations between measures of physical fitness and psychosocial health in this sample of children and youth. Conclusion These findings suggest that physical fitness, and especially CRF, is a significant indicator of physical health among Canadian children and youth aged 6–17 years.

scholarly journals Time trends in adolescent mental well-being in Czechia between 2002 and 2018: Gender, age and socio-economic differences

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alina Cosma ◽  
András Költő ◽  
Petr Badura ◽  
Petr Winkler ◽  
Michal Kalman
Keyword(s):  
Life Satisfaction ◽  
Gender Gap ◽  
Time Trends ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Hierarchical Regression ◽  
Socio Economic Status ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Mental Well Being ◽  
Over Time

Abstract Background: Recent literature points to a decline over time in adolescent mental well-being but results are inconsistent and rely mainly on data from Western societies. This study investigates time trends in adolescent mental well-being (psychological and somatic complaints, life satisfaction) among Czech adolescents and explores whether these time trends are moderated by gender, age and socio-economic status. Methods: Nationally representative data from 29,378 Czech adolescents (50.8% girls, M age = 13.43; SD age = 1.65) across five Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) surveys (2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018) were included in the analyses. Hierarchical regression models estimated national trends in adolescent mental well-being. We also tested whether these trends vary between girls and boys, adolescents of different age and from different socio-economic backgrounds. Results: Across the quadrennial surveys from 2002 to 2018, an increase in the psychological complaints was observed. Life satisfaction decreased over time up to 2014 only, whereas somatic symptoms increased until 2010, followed by a decline in 2014 and 2018. Girls, older adolescents and those from low family affluence reported poorer mental well-being outcomes. Gender gap increased over time for psychological complaints and life satisfaction. Socio-economic inequalities gap in adolescent mental well-being remained stable over the investigated timeframe. Conclusions: Our findings do not provide evidence for substantial temporal changes in mental well-being among adolescents in Czechia. Yet, only the increase in psychological complaints has been consistent which is an indicator of a decline over time in adolescent mental well-being. Furthermore, the gender gap in reporting psychological complaints and life satisfaction increased over time, whereas the age and socio-economic differences remained relatively stable. This calls for the attention of public health professionals and policy makers from Czechia. Keywords: Adolescence; mental health; mental well-being; well-being; gender; trends; age; socio-economic status; HBSC

scholarly journals GENDERED LEISURE ACTIVITY BEHAVIOR AMONG NORWEGIAN ADOLESCENTS ACROSS DIFFERENT SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS GROUPS

2012 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ingrid Leversen ◽  
Torbjorn Torsheim ◽  
Oddrun Samdal
Keyword(s):  
Propensity Scores ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Leisure Activity ◽  
World Health ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Socio Economic Status ◽  
Activity Behavior ◽  
Nationally Representative

The present paper explores gendered behavior based on participation patterns of leisure activities among adolescents across socio-economic status (SES) groups, aiming to increase knowledge and understanding of how gender socialization processes are expressed through boys’ and girls’ participation in leisure activities. Furthermore, the aim is to investigate whether such gendered behavior is associated with general levels of participation, and if there may be differences between low, middle, and high SES groups. The study used Norwegian nationally representative data of 15- and 16-year-olds from the World Health Organization's cross-sectional survey, <em>Health Behaviour in School-aged Children 2005/06</em> (<em>n</em> = 3,273). Logistic regression analysis and propensity scores showed that adolescent boys and girls had clear gendered behavior patterns based on leisure activity participation in 27 different activities, and that boys and girls had about equal distributions on what was classified as typical (“boyish” or “girlish”), atypical, and neutral gender behavior. Furthermore, gendered behavior was correlated with higher levels of participation for both sexes, and it was more or less similar for boys and girls and for different socio-economic status groups. However, when investigating differences in distributions between SES groups, high SES girls were found to have a significantly higher prevalence of both “boyish” and “girlish” activity behavior, but less “gender-neutral” compared with girls in medium and low SES groups. There were no such differences for boys.

EMPOWERMENT OF DALITS IN THE POST-INDEPENDENCE ERA

2020 ◽  
pp. 91-95
Author(s):  
B.M. Rajanikanth ◽  
Dr.T.H Murthy ◽  
Dr. Sreekantaiah
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Social Justice ◽  
Economic Status ◽  
The State ◽  
Natural Justice ◽  
Socio Economic Status ◽  
Qualitative Research Methodology ◽  
Welfare Measures ◽  
Independence Era

Dalits constitute about 25% of the population in India. The Directive Principles of State Policy emphasize the role of State in the delivery of social justice, distributive justice and natural justice to Dalits and other marginalized sections of society. The State is also responsible for allocating judicious funds under various plan periods for undertaking various welfare and development schemes for the empowerment of Dalits. Since national independence, the governments have been taking certain remedial steps for the upliftment of the socio-economic status of Dalits in India. The state has put in place laws, policies and programmes without which even the modest progress in the overall situation would not have been possible. However, these welfare measures are quite inadequate and have to be more effectively implemented to enable the Dalits to overcome the continued subordination, exclusion and exploitation in India. The empowerment of Dalits in India is amplified in this paper on the basis of qualitative research methodology.

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