Sexual Orientation, Religiosity, and Subjective Wellbeing in Canada

2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (4) ◽  
pp. 540-565 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maryam Dilmaghani
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Orientation ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Subjective Wellbeing ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Religious Involvement ◽  
Weight Of Evidence ◽  
Gay Males ◽  
Canadian Data ◽  
Nationally Representative

The cumulative weight of evidence supports that religious involvement has a positive association with subjective wellbeing. This association is found to vary by cultural context, gender, and age. No large scale study exists regarding the effects of sexual orientation on the association between religiosity and subjective wellbeing. This article, using nationally representative Canadian data from 2010 to 2014, fills this gap. As a prelude, the sexual orientation-related differences in religiosity, also not previously examined using Canadian data, are assessed. Both gay males and lesbians are found more likely to be unaffiliated than their heterosexual counterparts. The association of religiosity with subjective wellbeing is found to be positive, though small, for heterosexuals of both genders and for gay males. No statistically significant effect is found for lesbians. Various venues of explanation are explored.

scholarly journals Exploratory Analysis of the Relationship between Happiness and Religious Participation within China

Religions ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 410
Author(s):  
Tianyuan Liu ◽  
Lin Wu ◽  
Yang Yang ◽  
Yu Jia
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Context ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
General Social Survey ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Religious Involvement ◽  
Vulnerable Groups ◽  
Religious Participation ◽  
Religious Identification ◽  
Heated Debate ◽  
Chinese General Social Survey

Although the positive relationship between religion and happiness has aroused heated debate, empirical studies on this are limited in the Chinese cultural context. Furthermore, there is a lack of heterogeneity analysis concerning this influence. This paper aims to address this gap in the existing literature. Using the Chinese General Social Survey data from 2015 for empirical analysis, the results show that people with religious beliefs have an increased probability of feeling very happy. This positive association does not exist in urban and eastern groups, but it still holds up in other remaining sub-samples (i.e., rural group). This study further finds that the effect of religiosity on happiness varies by different religious identification. Muslims are more likely to feel very happy compared with non-Muslims, but people of the Christian faith do not rate themselves higher on the happiness scale than non-Christians. Moreover, the results also reveal that religious involvement is significantly and positively related to happiness. Specifically, vulnerable groups are more likely to perceive themselves to be happier from continuous religious participation, whereas advantaged groups do not. This is because vulnerable groups generally have a lack of social security, and religious practices provide them with social support among their members. They therefore can enjoy larger and denser social networks. These are vital mechanisms for them to cope with stress and risk.

scholarly journals Advancing Methods for Measurement of Complementary Feeding Interventions and Practices at Scale: Outcomes from Two Rounds of National Surveys in Burkina Faso and Kenya (P10-135-19)

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Heidkamp ◽  
Audrey Buckland ◽  
Ifta Choiriyyah ◽  
Peter Gichangi ◽  
Georges Guiella ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Burkina Faso ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Complementary Feeding ◽  
Dietary Diversity ◽  
Household Survey ◽  
Household Surveys ◽  
Funding Sources ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Gates Foundation

Abstract Objectives Promotion of improved complementary feeding (CF) practices for children 6–23 m is a priority intervention to prevent stunting and also childhood obesity. However, global household survey programs do not include CF intervention coverage or “unhealthy” diet practices. We aimed to develop and refine indicators and questions for measuring these outcomes in large-scale household surveys. Methods In 2017 and 2018, we carried out nationally-representative household surveys in Burkina Faso (BF) and Kenya (K) that included children 0–59 m and women 10–49 yrs. Over two rounds per country we modified the questionnaire, tools and enumerator training to better capture the intended information. In 2018, we used both prompted and unprompted approaches to ask about specific CF messages received. Results Coverage of any CF counseling among caregivers of 6–23 m olds who received counseling in the specified recall period (within 1 m for 6–11 m olds, within 3 m for 12–23 m olds) remained constant over the two years in both countries (2017: 16% Burkina Faso, 20% Kenya; 2018: 17% Burkina Faso; 18% Kenya). Between years, we changed the structure of questions about the timing of their last counseling visit. The revised 2018 method allowed more flexibility in defining and comparing recall periods by age group (Figure 1). Unprompted questions about CF messages resulted in much lower coverage compared to prompted (Figure 2). The proportion of children achieving minimum dietary diversity increased slightly across years (2017: 16% BF, 40% K; 2018: 20% BF, 43% K). Consumption of unhealthy foods, particularly sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) increased with age (Figure 3). However, when we excluded “milk tea with sugar” from the SSB definition in Kenya, consumption was only 11% for children 6–59 m. Perceptions around unhealthy foods and SSBs varied by cultural context, making it challenging for enumerators to classify foods into these categories. Conclusions Consideration should be given to recall periods, prompted versus unprompted responses, and culturally appropriate training around dietary data collection to elicit the most accurate results in survey settings. Our findings are generalizable to global and national nutrition surveys programs including the Demographic and Health Survey. Funding Sources Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Supporting Tables, Images and/or Graphs

Two Decades of Generalizable Evidence on U.S. Instruction from National Surveys

2011 ◽  
Vol 113 (3) ◽  
pp. 561-610 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric M. Camburn ◽  
Seong Won Han
Keyword(s):  
Student Achievement ◽  
Social Studies ◽  
Language Arts ◽  
English Language Arts ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
English Language ◽  
Classroom Instruction ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Subject Area ◽  
Nationally Representative

Background Students’ instructional experiences—that is, their experiences working with subject matter during classroom instruction—are a major determinant of how they learn. Given the importance of classroom instruction, valid, generalizable evidence is needed by policymakers, researchers, and practitioners. Over the past two decades, a wealth of generalizable evidence on instruction has been generated by large-scale surveys administered to nationally-representative probability samples. But this vast body of research has not been systematically summarized. Purpose of the Study This article attempts to fill a gap in the research by describing evidence on instruction from all surveys conducted between 1987 and 2005 that measured instruction using nationally-representative samples. Our goal is to generate a portrait of the evidence from these surveys that identifies strengths and gaps in the literature and that summarizes what this research base says about the relationship between classroom instruction and student outcomes. Research Design Evidence on instruction was compiled and summarized in four steps: (1) all surveys conducted between 1987 and 2005 that measured instruction and were administered to nationally representative probability samples were identified, (2) manuscripts using data from these surveys were selected for review, (3) the dimensions of instruction addressed by each manuscript and other manuscript characteristics were coded, and (4) the methodology and findings of each manuscript were summarized. Findings More than half the studies used data more than a decade old; few studies examined instruction during important transition years such as sixth and ninth grade; and subject area emphasis was lopsided, with mathematics and science instruction receiving much greater attention than English/language arts and social studies. The summary also revealed a repeated finding of low-SES students receiving diminished learning opportunities than more affluent peers. We also found repeated evidence of a positive association with student achievement for six dimensions of instruction, and repeated evidence of a negative or null association with achievement for five dimensions of instruction. Conclusions More research is needed on disparities in the instructional experiences of low-and high-income students. More research is also needed on instruction at key transition points and on instruction in English/language arts and social studies. This review also suggests a need for studies that more rigorously test research questions about instruction using measures that more authentically reflect the complexities of instruction and that examine student achievement growth over longer periods of time.

Openness and Self-enhancement are predictors of cultural and economic beliefs: an analysis of European countries across 15 years

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriela Czarnek ◽  
Małgorzata Kossowska
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Context ◽  
Cultural Beliefs ◽  
European Social Survey ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Political Beliefs ◽  
Economic Beliefs ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Self Transcendence ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Relationship

In this study, we investigate the relationship between values and political beliefs and how it varies as a function of cultural context and time. In particular, we analyzed the effects of Conservation vs. Openness to change and Self-transcendence vs. Self-enhancement for cultural and economic political beliefs using data from nationally representative samples of citizens from 34 European countries from eight rounds of the European Social Survey (data spans the 2002–2016 period). We found that the effects of values on political beliefs are moderated by the Western vs. Eastern cultural context and that there is a modest round-to-round variation in the effects of values on beliefs. The relationship between Openness and cultural beliefs was negative and largely consistent across the Western and Eastern countries. Similarly, the effects of Self-enhancement were positive across these Western and Eastern countries. In contrast, the effects of Openness on economic beliefs were positive for the Eastern countries but largely weak and inconsistent for the Western countries. Finally, the effects of Self-enhancement on cultural beliefs are weak for both cultural contexts.

scholarly journals The Relationships Between Serum DHEA-S and AMH Levels in Infertile Women: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 1211
Author(s):  
Li-Te Lin ◽  
Kuan-Hao Tsui
Keyword(s):  
Generalized Linear Models ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Dehydroepiandrosterone Sulphate ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Infertile Women ◽  
The Relationship

The relationship between serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEA-S) and anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) levels has not been fully established. Therefore, we performed a large-scale cross-sectional study to investigate the association between serum DHEA-S and AMH levels. The study included a total of 2155 infertile women aged 20 to 46 years who were divided into four quartile groups (Q1 to Q4) based on serum DHEA-S levels. We found that there was a weak positive association between serum DHEA-S and AMH levels in infertile women (r = 0.190, p < 0.001). After adjusting for potential confounders, serum DHEA-S levels positively correlated with serum AMH levels in infertile women (β = 0.103, p < 0.001). Infertile women in the highest DHEA-S quartile category (Q4) showed significantly higher serum AMH levels (p < 0.001) compared with women in the lowest DHEA-S quartile category (Q1). The serum AMH levels significantly increased across increasing DHEA-S quartile categories in infertile women (p = 0.014) using generalized linear models after adjustment for potential confounders. Our data show that serum DHEA-S levels are positively associated with serum AMH levels.

scholarly journals Correcting Citizens’ Misperceptions about non-Western Immigrants: Corrective Information, Interpretations, and Policy Opinions

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frederik Juhl Jørgensen ◽  
Mathias Osmundsen
Keyword(s):  
Immigration Policy ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Total Population ◽  
Survey Experiment ◽  
Correct Information ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Large Scale Survey ◽  
Nationally Representative ◽  
Information Change ◽  
Corrective Information

Abstract Can corrective information change citizens’ misperceptions about immigrants and subsequently lead to favorable immigration opinions? While prior studies from the USA document how corrections about the size of minority populations fail to change citizens’ immigration-related opinions, they do not examine how other facts that speak to immigrants’ cultural or economic dependency rates can influence immigration policy opinions. To extend earlier work, we conducted a large-scale survey experiment fielded to a nationally representative sample of Danes. We randomly expose participants to information about non-Western immigrants’ (1) welfare dependency rate, (2) crime rate, and (3) proportion of the total population. We find that participants update their factual beliefs in light of correct information, but reinterpret the information in a highly selective fashion, ultimately failing to change their policy preferences.

scholarly journals The Role of Risk Preferences in Responses to Messaging About COVID-19 Vaccine Take-Up

2021 ◽  
pp. 194855062199962
Author(s):  
Jennifer S. Trueblood ◽  
Abigail B. Sussman ◽  
Daniel O’Leary
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Risk Preferences ◽  
Herd Immunity ◽  
Disease Spread ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Flu Vaccine ◽  
Nationally Representative

Development of an effective COVID-19 vaccine is widely considered as one of the best paths to ending the current health crisis. While the ability to distribute a vaccine in the short-term remains uncertain, the availability of a vaccine alone will not be sufficient to stop disease spread. Instead, policy makers will need to overcome the additional hurdle of rapid widespread adoption. In a large-scale nationally representative survey ( N = 34,200), the current work identifies monetary risk preferences as a correlate of take-up of an anticipated COVID-19 vaccine. A complementary experiment ( N = 1,003) leverages this insight to create effective messaging encouraging vaccine take-up. Individual differences in risk preferences moderate responses to messaging that provides benchmarks for vaccine efficacy (by comparing it to the flu vaccine), while messaging that describes pro-social benefits of vaccination (specifically herd immunity) speeds vaccine take-up irrespective of risk preferences. Findings suggest that policy makers should consider risk preferences when targeting vaccine-related communications.

scholarly journals The utility of self-rated health in population surveys: the role of bodyweight

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Bozick
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Group ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Self Rated Health ◽  
Risk Of Mortality ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Group Members ◽  
Nationally Representative

Abstract Background Self-rated health (SRH) is one of the most commonly used summary measures of overall health and well-being available to population scientists due to its ease of administration in large-scale surveys and to its efficacy in predicting mortality. This paper assesses the extent to which SRH is affected by its placement before or after questions about bodyweight on a survey, and whether differences in placement on the questionnaire affects SRH’s predictive validity. Methods I assessed the validity of SRH in predicting the risk of mortality by comparing outcomes of sample members who were asked to rate their health before reporting on their bodyweight (the control group) and sample members who were asked to rate their health after reporting on their bodyweight (the treatment group). Both the control and treatment group were randomly assigned via an experiment administered as a module in a nationally representative sample of adults in the USA in 2019 (N = 2523). Results The odds of reporting a more favorable appraisal of health are 30% lower for sample members who were in the treatment group when compared with the control group. Additionally, the SRH of treatment group members is significantly associated with their risk of mortality, while the SRH of control group members is not. Conclusion The findings from this study suggest that for researchers to maximize the utility of SRH, closer attention needs to be paid to the context of the survey within which it asked. SRH is highly sensitive to the questions that precede it, and this sensitivity may in turn mischaracterize the true health of the population that the survey is intending to measure.

scholarly journals A Positive Association of Overactivated Immunity with Metabolic Syndrome Risk and Mitigation of Its Association by a Plant-Based Diet and Physical Activity in a Large Cohort Study

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 2308
Author(s):  
Sunmin Park ◽  
Ting Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Metabolic Syndrome ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Smoking Status ◽  
Characteristic Curve ◽  
Daily Intake ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
High Hba1c

The association between immunity and metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been studied, but its interaction with lifestyles remains unclear. We studied their association and interactions with lifestyles in 40,768 adults aged over 40 years from a large-scale, hospital-based cohort study collected during 2010–2013. White blood cell counts (WBC) and serum C-reactive protein concentrations (CRP) were used as indexes of immune status. The participants were categorized into four groups by the cutoff points of 6.2 × 109/L WBC(L-WBC) and <0.5 mg/dL CRP(L-CRP): L-WBC+L-CRP(n = 25,604), H-WBC+L-CRP(n = 13,880), L-WBC+H-CRP(n = 464), and H-WBC+H-CRP(n = 820). The participants in the H-WBC+L-CRP were younger and had higher numbers of males than the L-WBC+L-CRP. MetS risk was higher by 1.75- and 1.86-fold in the H-WBC+L-CRP and H-WBC+H-CRP, respectively, than the L-WBC+L-CRP. MetS components, including plasma glucose and triglyceride concentrations, and SBP were elevated in H-WBC+L-CRP and H-WBC+H-CRP compared with L-WBC+L-CR+P. The risk of hyperglycemia and high HbA1c was the highest in the H-WBC+H-CRP among all groups. Areas of WBC counts and serum CRP concentrations were 0.637 and 0.672, respectively, in the receiver operating characteristic curve. Daily intake of energy, carbohydrate, protein, and fat was not significantly different in the groups based on WBC counts and CRP. However, a plant-based diet (PBD), physical activity, and non-smoking were related to lowering WBC counts and CRP, but a Western-style diet was linked to elevating CRP. A high PBD intake and smoking status interacted with immunity to influence MetS risk: a low PBD and current smoking were associated with a higher MetS risk in the H-WBC+H-CRP. In conclusion, overactivated immunity determined by CRP and WBC was associated with MetS risk. Behavior modification with PBD and physical activity might be related to immunity regulation.

scholarly journals The Relationships among Self-Worth Contingency on Others’ Approval, Appearance Comparisons on Facebook, and Adolescent Girls’ Body Esteem: A Cross-Cultural Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 901 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Prieler ◽  
Jounghwa Choi ◽  
Hye Eun Lee
Keyword(s):  
South Korea ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Body Esteem ◽  
Asian Country ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Self Worth ◽  
Appearance Comparison

The present study examined the relationship between appearance-related social comparison on social networking services (SNSs) and body esteem in a cross-cultural context (three European countries, i.e., Austria, Belgium, and Spain, versus one Asian country, i.e., South Korea). The role of self-worth contingency on others’ approval was considered to be a psychological and cultural factor. Utilizing a large-scale cross-national survey of early and middle adolescents in 2017, the responses of female adolescents (N = 981) were analyzed. The results generally support the findings from previous studies but also reveal cultural differences. Appearance comparison on Facebook negatively influenced girls’ body esteem in all European countries, but not in South Korea. Self-worth contingency on others’ approval negatively influenced girls’ body esteem across all four countries. Finally, a positive relationship between self-worth contingency on others’ approval and appearance comparison on Facebook was found in all European countries, but not among Korean girls. These findings suggest the importance of self-worth contingency on others’ approval and cultural contexts can be used to study the effects of body image-related SNS use.

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