scholarly journals Research on Problems and Countermeasures of Identifying Students from Economically Disadvantaged Families in Colleges and Universities

Author(s):  
Cang Wang ◽  
Zhiyong Lu
Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 1696
Author(s):  
Ting-Hsuan Lee ◽  
Jen-Hao Kuo ◽  
Chia-Yi Liu ◽  
Yi-Fang Yu ◽  
Carol Strong ◽  
...  

Background: Adolescence is a critical transition period in the course of human development. Although food insecurity (FI) has been shown to be associated with adverse mental health and sleep outcomes in US adolescents, there is a paucity of research examining the relationships between FI, mental health, and sleep outcomes in Taiwanese adolescents. Furthermore, it is unknown how the change of FI over time (i.e., the trajectory of FI) is related to health outcomes. Methods: The data come from the Taiwan Database of Children and Youth in Poverty, which is a national longitudinal project measuring FI in five survey waves (2009–2017). We employed group-based trajectory modeling to classify various FI trends over the five waves using STATA. Furthermore, a generalized estimating equation analysis was conducted with FI trajectories as the independent variable to see how FI trajectory is related to mental health and sleep outcomes. Results: In total, 1921 participants aged 12–18 years in the first wave were deemed valid for the analysis. We classified the participants into four FI trajectory groups: persistently low FI (24.8%), persistently moderate FI (64.7%), declining from high to low FI (4.1%), and food-secure groups (6.4%). As compared to food-secure adolescents, the persistently moderate FI group was more likely to have mental problems (β = 0.30, [95% confidence interval 0.21–0.38]), while the other FI groups were only marginally associated with mental health problems. Moreover, adolescents in the persistently low FI group (β = 0.13, [0.02–0.23]) and persistently moderate FI group (β = 0.39, [0.29–0.48]) were found to have more sleep problems than those in the food-secure group. Conclusions: Our study describes the FI profile of adolescents from economically disadvantaged families and the difficulties they might encounter. With this information, healthcare providers can aid adolescents in the early stages of mental health problems and provide guidance when appropriate.


2008 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-79 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy Wills ◽  
Kathryn Backett-Milburn ◽  
Sue Gregory ◽  
Julia Lawton

This paper examines how young teenagers living in socio-economically disadvantaged families perceive everyday food and eating practices within the home. From in-depth interviews with 36 Scottish teenagers aged 13-14 years, we analysed teenagers’ accounts of contemporary ‘family meals’. We found that food and eating practices were negotiated amidst complex family arrangements with extended, resident and non-resident kin. Parents were often reported to provide food ‘on demand’, a flexible arrangement which seemed to reflect both teenagers’ and parents’ lifestyles and personal relationships. Teenagers often contested the consumption of particular foods which sometimes reflected and reinforced their relationship with a biological or non-biological parent. Teenagers could differentiate themselves from others through their food preferences and tastes and food consumption therefore helped shaped their identity. Many teenagers claimed that parents set rules regarding food and eating, thereby creating boundaries within which their consumption choices had to remain. We discuss whether and how these findings are a reflection of the socio-economic status of the participating families and conclude that exploring food and eating practices is a powerful lens for the examination of family life.


2009 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 579-591 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger Kobak ◽  
Kristyn Zajac ◽  
Seymour Levine

AbstractThis study examines the relation between adolescents' antisocial behaviors and adrenocortical activity during a laboratory visit in a sample of economically disadvantaged families (N= 116, ages 12–14, 51% female). Pretask cortisol levels indexed adolescents' prechallenge response to the lab visit, whereas adolescents' response to a conflict discussion with their caregivers was indexed with residualized change in pre- to postconflict cortisol levels. A trait measure of antisocial behavior (derived from parent, teacher, and self-reports) was associated with lower pretask cortisol levels but greater cortisol response to the conflict discussion. Gender moderated antisocial adolescents' cortisol response to the conflict discussion with girls who reported more covert risky problem behaviors showing an increased cortisol response. The findings suggest that, although antisocial adolescents had lower pretask cortisol levels, conflict discussions with caregivers present a unique challenge to antisocial girls compared with antisocial boys.


Author(s):  
Tatyana Anatolievna Mikhailova

One of the directions of social policy is to improve the situation of children and families with children. The main objectives of family policy are related to improving the well-being of the family. In this regard, it becomes obvious that there is a need to develop a system of measures for early identification of families in crisis.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Pei-Yi Shen ◽  
Yuan-Ting C Lo ◽  
Zizwani Brian Chilinda ◽  
Yi-Chen Huang

Abstract Objective: To investigate whether an after-school nutrition education (ASNE) programme can improve the nutrition knowledge and healthy eating behaviour of adolescents from economically disadvantaged families. Design: One-group pretest and posttest design. Nutrition knowledge and dietary intake were collected using a questionnaire, and anthropometric measurements were measured before and after the intervention. Nine components of healthy eating behaviour were assessed with reference to the Dietary Guideline of Taiwan. Pretest and posttest differences were analysed using generalised estimating equations. Setting: Three after-school programmes in central and southern Taiwan. The ASNE programme comprised three monthly 1-h sessions (20–30-min lecture and 30–40-min interaction). Participants: A total of 153 adolescents aged 10–15 years from economically disadvantaged families (seventy-eight elementary students and seventy-five junior high school students). Results: Elementary and junior high school students’ nutrition knowledge scores (range 0–6) increased by 0·28 (+ 5·7 %, P = 0·02) and 0·30 points (+ 6·18 %, P = 0·02), respectively, but their fruit intake decreased by 0·36 serving/d (–22·9 %, P = 0·02) and 0·29 serving/d (–18·9 %, P = 0·03), respectively. Junior high school students’ mean snacking frequency and fried food intake dropped to 0·75 d/week (–21·3 %, P = 0·008) and 0·10 serving/d (–28·8 %, P = 0·01), respectively. Conclusions: Short-term ASNE programmes can increase nutrition knowledge and reduce snacking frequency and fried food intake despite a decrease in fruit intake among adolescents from economically disadvantaged families.


2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 250-250
Author(s):  
Eleni Spyreli ◽  
Michelle McKinley ◽  
Jayne Woodside ◽  
Colette Kelly

Abstract Objectives The first lockdown enforced in the United Kingdom to limit the spread of COVID-19 had serious financial consequences for some lower-income households, which were already at risk of suboptimal food choices. Particularly in Northern Ireland, where 10% of the population live in food insecure households, the pandemic has potentially further exacerbated the nutritional challenges experienced by low-income families. This paper aimed to explore the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on food-related decisions as experienced by economically disadvantaged families in Northern Ireland, UK. Methods A qualitative study collected data through online individual interviews. Participation was open to parents of children 2–17 years old who self-identified as living on a tight budget in urban and rural areas of Northern Ireland. A sampling matrix enabled equal representation of single- and two-parent households, as well as younger (<12 y) and older children (>12 y). Photovoice and participatory mapping techniques were employed to capture participant data. A thematic approach was utilised for data analysis. Results A total of 12 interviews were conducted. Five distinct themes were found, reflecting families’ food-related decisions that were affected by the COVID-19 lockdown: 1) food planning; 2) food purchasing; 3) meal preparation; 4) eating and feeding behaviours and 5) eating food prepared outside the house. Changes included an increase in home food preparation, but also in unhealthy snacking. Fear of being exposed to carriers of the virus led to infrequent food shopping and greater reliance on supermarket home deliveries. Long waiting times in-between food shops encouraged food planning but were also a barrier to providing daily fresh foods including fruit and vegetables to their families. Financial constraints were exacerbated during lockdown and led to a search for new ways to budget when food shopping. Food donations from the community and the government were important to maintain food security, particularly in single-parent families. Conclusions This study highlights that the COVID-19 lockdown influenced a broad range of dietary decisions of economically disadvantaged families and offers an insight into the nutritional challenges they experienced. Funding Sources The work was completed with financial support from internal funds of Queens University Belfast.


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