Financial literacy, institutions and education: Lessons from the German reunification

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maddalena Davoli ◽  
Jia Hou

Abstract A growing body of literature highlights the importance of financial literacy in affecting household choices. However, much fewer studies focus on understanding the determinants of different levels of financial literacy. Our paper contributes to filling this gap by analyzing a specific determinant, i. e., the educational system, to explain the heterogeneity of financial literacy scores across Germany. The results suggest that the lower financial literacy observed in East Germany can be partially attributed to the different institutional framework experienced during the Cold War, more specifically, to the socialist educational system experienced in East Germany, which affected specific cohorts of individuals. By exploiting the unique set-up of the German reunification, we identify education as a channel through which institutions and financial literacy are related in the German context. In support of this hypothesis, we find that individuals exposed to the Eastern educational system exhibit 12 % 12\hspace{0.1667em}\% to 21 % 21\hspace{0.1667em}\% lower financial literacy scores compared with the households in the control group, not exposed to such system.

1999 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 127-136
Author(s):  
Robert Gerald Livingston

Robert L. Hutchings, American Diplomacy and the End of the Cold War: An Insider’s Account of U.S. Policy in Europe, 1989-1992 (Washington, D.C. and Baltimore: The Woodrow Wilson Center Press and The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1997)Charles S. Maier, Dissolution: The Crisis of Communism and The End of East Germany (Princeton, New Jersey, Princeton University Press, 1997)Peter E. Quint, The Imperfect Union: Constitutional Structures of German Unification (Princeton, New Jersey, Princeton University Press, 1997)


2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 132-141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie Wagner

This study examines associations between financial education and financial literacy among people with different levels of education and income using a large, national data set, the 2015 National Financial Capability Study. This study estimates whether financial education in high school, college, or through an employer, is associated with a person's financial literacy score. Results show that people who received any financial education are likely to have higher financial literacy scores compared to those without financial education. Financial education has larger predicted probabilities for those with lower education and income, suggesting that financial education is especially important for this demographic group. This research emphasizes a need to teach financial education to people whom previous research suggests lacks financial literacy the most.


Author(s):  
T. N. Tserakhava ◽  
N. V. Shakavets ◽  
E. I. Melnikava ◽  
M. I. Klenovskaya ◽  
D. N. Naumovich ◽  
...  

Relevance. Prevention of caries of the first permanent molars is one of the most relevant problems in pediatricdentistry.Purpose – to develop an algorithm for prevention of first permanent molars caries in children with differentlevels of caries risk.Materials and methods. The article presents the results of the implementation of the algorithm for prevention of first permanent molars caries in children with different levels of caries risk. This algorithm includes a comprehensive assessment of the values of indices dmft, DMFT, OHI-S, and the patient's health group is also taken into account. The study involved 253 children aged 6-7 years divided into 4 groups: 3 groups of children depending on the health group and the control group. 3 subgroups were identified in each group – with a low, medium, and high caries risk. We developed preventive measures schemes were for children of each group including training in oral hygiene; controlled and home toothbrushing using fluoride-containing toothpastes; applications of varnishes containing fluoride, calcium, phosphates from 2 to 3 times a year; fissure sealing of the first permanent molars. We carried out these activities were for 24 months, and then evaluated theirs effectiveness. Children in the control group were trained in oral hygiene. The clinical effectiveness of medical prophylaxis was evaluated by changes in the above clinical indicators.Results. In group of children with medium caries risk the increase in caries was 0.09, and the reduction in caries was 89.65%. In children with a low and high caries risk no increase in caries was observed; the reduction in the intensity of caries was 100%. A significant decrease in OHI-S oral hygiene index values was noted in all groups (p < 0.05). We noted high preventive efficacy of fissures sealing in the first permanent molars. No occlusal surface caries developed in sealed fissures.Conclusions. The application of the proposed preventive schemes in patients demonstrates high efficacy of fluoride and calcium-containing varnishes and sealing the fissures of the first permanent molars. 


2002 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 177-189
Author(s):  
O. U. Manafa ◽  
T. S. Awolola ◽  
A. N. Isamah

A study in human Onchocerciasis was undertaken in four endemic communities in Ondo State, Nigeria. In-depth interviews were conducted on peoples' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding Onchocerciasis aetiology, treatment, prevention, and symptoms. These were complemented by key informant interviews and focus group discussions. Based on this information, an educational program was set up which included the training of selected villagers (motivators) and community intervention organized by these motivators. Evaluation used a control group where intervention was focused on other health problems in the area. Onchocerciasis education took place only with the intervention group. At the start of the project, peoples' knowledge about Onchocerciasis, its cause, treatment, prevention, and symptoms were varied and only a small proportion could link the bite of the blackfly to Onchocerciasis. The educational intervention achieved a high level of participant satisfaction which was expressed in continuous attendance at workshops and keeping appointments with motivators. The intervention helped to bring a significant improvement in the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of the respondents. The knowledge of Onchocerciasis aetiology increased to 79.8 percent, 71.5 percent, and 74 percent from 48.5 percent, 48.7 percent, 34 percent, and 45 percent pre-intervention in the four study areas used. The project demonstrated that a community-based health education can be effective in Onchocerciasis control.


2011 ◽  
Vol 48 (No. 1) ◽  
pp. 20-26
Author(s):  
M. Birkás ◽  
T. Szalai ◽  
C. Gyuricza ◽  
M. Gecse ◽  
K. Bordás

This research was instigated by the fact that during the last decade annually repeated shallow disk tillage on the same field became frequent practice in Hungary. In order to study the changes of soil condition associated with disk tillage and to assess it is consequences, long-term tillage field experiments with different levels of nutrients were set up in 1991 (A) and in 1994 (B) on Chromic Luvisol at G&ouml;d&ouml;ll&ouml;. The effects of disk tillage (D) and disk tillage combined with loosening (LD) on soil condition, on yield of maize and winter wheat, and on weed infestation were examined. The evaluation of soil condition measured by cone index and bulk density indicated that use of disking annually resulted in a dense soil layer below the disking depth (diskpan-compaction). It was found, that soil condition deteriorated by diskpan-compaction decreased the yield of maize significantly by 20 and 42% (w/w), and that of wheat by 13 and 15% (w/w) when compared to soils with no diskpan-compaction. Averaged over seven years, and three fertilizer levels, the cover % of the total, grass and perennial weeds on loosened soils were 73, 69 and 65% of soils contained diskpan-compaction.


2021 ◽  
pp. 263208432110100
Author(s):  
Satyendra Nath Chakrabartty

Background Scales for evaluating insomnia differ in number of items, response format, and result in different scores distributions and score ranges and may not facilitate meaningful comparisons. Objectives Transform ordinal item-scores of three scales of insomnia to continuous, equidistant, monotonic, normally distributed scores, avoiding limitations of summative scoring of Likert scales. Methods Equidistant item-scores by weighted sum using data-driven weights to different levels of different items, considering cell frequencies of Item-Levels matrix, followed by normalization and conversion to [1, 10]. Equivalent test-scores (as sum of transformed item- scores) for a pair of scales were found by Normal Probability curves. Empirical illustration given. Results Transformed test-scores are continuous, monotonic and followed Normal distribution with no outliers and tied scores. Such test-scores facilitate ranking, better classification and meaningful comparison of scales of different lengths and formats and finding equivalent score combinations of two scales. For a given value of transformed test-score of a scale, easy alternate method avoiding integration proposed to find equivalent scores of another scales. Equivalent scores of scales help to relate various cut-off scores of different scales and uniformity in interpretations. Integration of various scales of insomnia is achieved by finding one-to-one correspondence among the equivalent score of various scales with correlation over 0.99 Conclusion Resultant test-scores facilitated undertaking analysis in parametric set up. Considering the theoretical advantages including meaningfulness of operations, better comparison, use of such method of transforming scores of Likert items/test is recommended test and items, Future studies were suggested.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 367
Author(s):  
Pilar Charle-Cuéllar ◽  
Noemí López-Ejeda ◽  
Mamadou Traore ◽  
Adama Balla Coulibaly ◽  
Aly Landouré ◽  
...  

(1) Background: The Ministry of Health in Mali included the treatment of severe acute malnutrition (SAM) into the package of activities of the integrated community case management (iCCM). This paper evaluates the most effective model of supervision for treating SAM using community health workers (CHWs). Methods (2): This study was a prospective non-randomized community intervention trial with two intervention groups and one control group with different levels of supervision. It was conducted in three districts in rural areas of the Kayes Region. In the high supervision group, CHWs received supportive supervision for the iCCM package and nutrition-specific supervision. In the light supervision group, CHWs received supportive supervision based on the iCCM package. The control group had no specific supervision. (3) Results: A total of 6112 children aged 6–59 months with SAM without medical complications were included in the study. The proportion of cured children was 81.4% in those treated by CHWs in the high supervision group, 86.2% in the light supervision group, and 66.9% in the control group. Children treated by the CHWs who received some supervision had better outcomes than those treated by unsupervised CHWs (p < 0.001). There was no difference between areas with light and high supervision, although those with high supervision performed better in most of the tasks analyzed. (4) Conclusions: Public policies in low-income countries should be adapted, and their model of supervision of CHWs for SAM treatment in the community should be evaluated.


1997 ◽  
Vol 78 (6) ◽  
pp. 3460-3464 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terry Crow ◽  
Vilma Siddiqi

Crow, Terry and Vilma Siddiqi. Time-dependent changes in excitability after one-trial conditioning of Hermissenda. J. Neurophysiol. 78: 3460–3464, 1997. The visual system of Hermissenda has been studied extensively as a site of cellular plasticity produced by classical conditioning. A one-trial conditioning procedure consisting of light paired with the application of serotonin (5-HT) to the exposed, but otherwise intact, nervous system produces suppression of phototactic behavior tested 24 h after conditioning. Short- and long-term enhancement (STE and LTE) of excitability in identified type B photoreceptors is a cellular correlate of one-trial conditioning. LTE can be expressed in the absence of STE suggesting that STE and LTE may be parallel processes. To examine the development of enhancement, we studied its time-dependent alterations after one-trial conditioning. Intracellular recordings from identified type B photoreceptors of independent groups collected at different times after conditioning revealed that enhanced excitability follows a biphasic pattern in its development. The analysis of spikes elicited by 2 and 30 s extrinsic current pulses at different levels of depolarization showed that enhancement reached a peak 3 h after conditioning. From its peak, excitability decreased toward baseline control levels 5–6 h after conditioning followed by an increase to a stable plateau at 16 to 24 h postconditioning. Excitability changes measured in cells from unpaired control groups showed maximal changes 1 h posttreatment that rapidly decremented within 2 h. The conditioned stimulus (CS) elicited significantly more spikes 24 h postconditioning for the conditioned group as compared with the unpaired control group. The analysis of the time-dependent development of enhancement may reveal the processes underlying different stages of memory for this associative experience.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (15) ◽  
pp. 7901
Author(s):  
Luca Scaccini ◽  
Roberta Mezzena ◽  
Alessia De Masi ◽  
Mariacristina Gagliardi ◽  
Giovanna Gambarotta ◽  
...  

Peripheral nerve injuries are a common condition in which a nerve is damaged, affecting more than one million people every year. There are still no efficient therapeutic treatments for these injuries. Artificial scaffolds can offer new opportunities for nerve regeneration applications; in this framework, chitosan is emerging as a promising biomaterial. Here, we set up a simple and effective method for the production of micro-structured chitosan films by solvent casting, with high fidelity in the micro-pattern reproducibility. Three types of chitosan directional micro-grooved patterns, presenting different levels of symmetricity, were developed for application in nerve regenerative medicine: gratings (GR), isosceles triangles (ISO) and scalene triangles (SCA). The directional patterns were tested with a Schwann cell line. The most asymmetric topography (SCA), although it polarized the cell shaping less efficiently, promoted higher cell proliferation and a faster cell migration, both individually and collectively, with a higher directional persistence of motion. Overall, the use of micro-structured asymmetrical directional topographies may be exploited to enhance the nerve regeneration process mediated by chitosan scaffolds.


1959 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 471-478
Author(s):  
B. C. Das

Three synthetic growth-promoting substances were administered to cauliflower plants (Brassica oleracea) to determine their effect on flower weight and flower growth. A Youden square experimental design was employed to set up treatment groups for all possible combinations of three substances at four concentration levels and three frequencies of application, and an untreated control group. The substances employed were 3-indolylbutyric acid (IBA), 2,3,5-tri-iodobenzoic acid (TIBA), and β-naphthoxyacetic acid (NOXA); concentrations used were 0.01, 0.2, 4.0, and 80.0 parts per million; and frequencies adopted were 2, 3, and 6 times in a 12-day period. Final flower weights were analyzed by an analysis of variance which showed that the treatments differed significantly (P <.01). Treatments with NOXA and IBA produced flowers weighing significantly more than those of the control group. Flower growth was characterized by a rapid initial rise, which subsequently levelled off in the control group. For treated groups, the initial rise continued throughout the flowering period. The results suggest that the use of certain synthetic growth-promoting substances may be feasible commercially for enhanced production of cauliflower crops.


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