scholarly journals Economic Crises and Returns to University Education in Middle-Income Countries: Stylized Facts and COVID-19 Projections

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tazeen Fasih ◽  
Harry A. Patrinos ◽  
M. Najeeb Shafiq
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Significance ◽  
University Education ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Economic Crises ◽  
Stylized Facts ◽  
Rates Of Return ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Relationship

In this study, we develop a conceptual framework that explains the reasons behind a widening of the gaps in private rates of return to university education during an economic crisis such as COVID-19. Next, we report stylized facts on the private rates of return to university education before and after economic crises in Indonesia, Pakistan, and South Africa. We further conduct panel regression analysis to assess the statistical significance of the relationship between private returns and crises in the three countries. We conclude by speculating on COVID-19 implications and future research.

scholarly journals Overweight and obesity among women of reproductive age in Mali: what are the determinants?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdul-Aziz Seidu ◽  
Bright Opoku Ahinkorah ◽  
Ebenezer Agbaglo ◽  
Albert Apotele Nyaaba
Keyword(s):  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Binary Logistic Regression ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Reproductive Age ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Wealth Status ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Region Of Residence ◽  
Public Health Promotion

Abstract Background Existing evidence suggests that there has been a surge of overweight and obesity in low- and middle-income countries around the world. In this study we investigated the prevalence and factors associated with overweight and obesity among women in Mali. Methods We conducted the study among 5198 women using the 2018 Mali Demographic and Health Survey data. We used binary logistic regression for the analysis and pegged statistical significance at p<0.05. Results The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 26.9%. The likelihood of overweight and obesity was high among women 40–44 y of age (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 5.94 [confidence interval {CI} 4.10 to 8.60]), those who were widowed/divorced/separated (AOR 1.59 [CI 1.04 to 2.43]), those with secondary education (AOR 1.41 [CI 1.13 to 1.75]), richest women (AOR 3.61 [CI 2.63 to 4.95]), those who watched television at least once a week (AOR 1.28 [CI 1.07 to 1.52]) and those who lived in the Kidal region (AOR 10.71 [CI 7.05 to 16.25]). Conversely, the likelihood of overweight and obesity was low among women who belonged to other religions compared with Muslims (AOR 0.63 [CI 0.43 to 0.92]). Conclusions This study found a predominance of overweight and obesity among women in Mali. The study showed that age, marital status, education, religion, region of residence, wealth status and frequency of watching television are associated with overweight and obesity among women in Mali. It is therefore critical for public health promotion programs in Mali to sensitize people to the negative effects associated with overweight and obesity. This implies that policies aimed at controlling overweight and obesity in Mali must take these factors into consideration.

scholarly journals Outcomes of HIV treatment from the private sector in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review protocol

BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. e031844
Author(s):  
Gitau Mburu ◽  
Ewemade Igbinedion ◽  
Sin How Lim ◽  
Aung Zayar Paing ◽  
Siyan Yi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
Clinical Outcomes ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Hiv Treatment ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Publication Date ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Secondary Outcomes

IntroductionPrivate sector provision of HIV treatment is increasing in low-income and middle-income countries (LMIC). However, there is limited documentation of its outcomes. This protocol reports a proposed systematic review that will synthesise clinical outcomes of private sector HIV treatment in LMIC.Methods and analysisThis review will be conducted in accordance with the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-analyses protocols. Primary outcomes will include: (1) proportion of eligible patients initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART); (2) proportion of those on ART with <1000 copies/mL; (3) rate of all-cause mortality among ART recipients. Secondary outcomes will include: (1) proportion receivingPneumocystis jirovecipneumonia prophylaxis; (2) proportion with >90% ART adherence (based on any measure reported); (3) proportion screened for non-communicable diseases (specifically cervical cancer, diabetes, hypertension and mental ill health); (iv) proportion screened for tuberculosis. A search of five electronic bibliographical databases (Embase, Medline, PsychINFO, Web of Science and CINAHL) and reference lists of included articles will be conducted to identify relevant articles reporting HIV clinical outcomes. Searches will be limited to LMIC. No age, publication date, study-design or language limits will be applied. Authors of relevant studies will be contacted for clarification. Two reviewers will independently screen citations and abstracts, identify full text articles for inclusion, extract data and appraise the quality and bias of included studies. Outcome data will be pooled to generate aggregative proportions of primary and secondary outcomes. Descriptive statistics and a narrative synthesis will be presented. Heterogeneity and sensitivity assessments will be conducted to aid interpretation of results.Ethics and disseminationThe results of this review will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed scientific manuscript and at international scientific conferences. Results will inform quality improvement strategies, replication of identified good practices, potential policy changes, and future research.PROSPERO registration numberCRD42016040053.

scholarly journals Early Mathematics Counts: Promising Instructional Strategies from Low- and Middle-Income Countries

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yasmin Sitabkhan ◽  
Linda M. Platas
Keyword(s):  
Instructional Strategies ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Mathematics Interventions ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Early Mathematics ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Informal Mathematics ◽  
Early Grade ◽  
Research And Policy ◽  
Low And Middle Income

This occasional paper examines common instructional strategies in early-grade mathematics interventions through a review of studies in classrooms in low- and middle-income countries. Twenty-four studies met the criteria for inclusion, and analyses reveal four sets of instructional strategies for which there is evidence from multiple contexts. Of the 24 studies, 16 involved the use of multiple representations, 10 involved the use of developmental progressions, 6 included supporting student use of explanation and justification, and 5 included integration of informal mathematics. Based on the review, we provide conclusions and recommendations for future research and policy.

scholarly journals Much research, but little learned to date: A scoping review on mental health of health workers in low- and lower-middle income countries and roadmap for future research

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Lohmann ◽  
Denny John ◽  
Aso Dzay
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Scoping Review ◽  
Health Workers ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Psychological Wellbeing ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Measurement Tool ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries

Abstract BackgroundSARS-CoV-2 has resulted in unprecedented research efforts on health workers’ work realities and their potential mental health impacts. To understand the latter, high-quality evidence on the baseline situation is paramount. With the aim of providing a comprehensive overview of existing evidence and to inform future research, we undertook a scoping review of the quantitative literature on mental health and psychological wellbeing of clinical skilled healthcare personnel working in all settings of care in low- and lower-middle income countries (LLMIC).MethodsWe performed a systematic search of the literature up to the end of 2019, in English or French language, in MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO, Global Health, and CAIRN. We included both studies estimating levels of mental health and studies investigating associations with other factors. We extracted data on study characteristics and methodology, and assessed the methodological quality of the included studies along nine criteria.ResultsWe found 143 relevant studies, 135 including data on mental health levels and 126 including data on associations with other factors. The studies covered 26 of the world’s 78 LLMICs, with most studies conducted in India, Nigeria, Pakistan, or Egypt, in urban secondary- and tertiary-care settings. 67% of studies assessed burnout, 25% general psychological wellbeing, and 20% other mental health outcomes. Only 19% of studies were of high quality due to shortcomings particularly in regards to sample representativeness, context-specific measurement tool validity, and reporting of methodological detail. We found much heterogeneity in investigated associated factors. Studies focused almost exclusively on potential determinants of mental health, while none linked mental health to objectively measured performance outcomes.ConclusionWe conclude that despite its impressive size, we can learn comparatively little from the current body of literature. Based on our findings, we outline areas for expansion, methodological improvement, and standardization of reporting in future research on mental health of health workers.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO no. CRD42019140036

scholarly journals Children against antibiotics misuse and antimicrobial resistance: assessing effectiveness of storytelling and picture drawing as public engagement approaches

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 202
Author(s):  
Bernard Appiah ◽  
David Anum-Hagin ◽  
Martha Gyansa-Luterrodt ◽  
Elfreda Samman ◽  
Franklin Konadu Addo Agyeman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Resistance ◽  
Science Teachers ◽  
Public Engagement ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Attitudes And Beliefs ◽  
Framework Analysis ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Engagement Interventions

Background: Interventions delivered in schools have been found to be effective in improving knowledge of antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among school-aged children, particularly those in high-income countries, but the evidence is largely lacking in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to design, implement and assess storytelling in one school and picture drawing in another school as engagement approaches for improving knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about antibiotics and AMR among schoolchildren in Ghana.  Methods: Two schools with a total population of 375 schoolchildren ages 11-15 years in Tema, a city in Ghana, participated in public engagement interventions involving storytelling in one school and picture drawing in another school. The interventions included eight weeks of engagement led by science teachers and a competition held in each school. For quantitative outcome-based evaluation, schoolchildren were randomly sampled in each school (31 in the storytelling school and 32 in the picture-drawing school). Purposive sampling was also used to select 20 schoolchildren in each school for qualitative outcome-based evaluation. Respondents completed identical knowledge, attitudes and beliefs questionnaires and were interviewed at two time points (before and at most a week) after key interventions to assess changes in antibiotics and AMR knowledge, attitudes and beliefs. McNemar test was conducted to assess statistical significance between baseline and endline scores. Framework analysis was used for analysing the qualitative data. Results: Picture drawing had more significant effects (both positive and negative) on schoolchildren’s AMR knowledge, attitudes and beliefs, whereas storytelling had a negative effect on children’s AMR knowledge and no significant impact on beliefs and attitudes.  Conclusions: Our project’s findings suggest that public engagement interventions that use picture drawing and storytelling may influence the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs of schoolchildren regarding antibiotic misuse and AMR. However, modifications are required to make them much more effective.

scholarly journals Capital account opening and economic growth——an empirical test based on systematic GMM

2021 ◽  
Vol 235 ◽  
pp. 01019
Author(s):  
Siming Jia
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Empirical Test ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
High Income ◽  
Capital Account ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
National Differences ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Low And Middle Income

This paper collected panel data of 74 countries from 1990 to 2017, and based on the Chinn-It index to depict the degree of capital account opening. Under the framework of the neoclassical economic growth model, the impact of capital account opening on economic growth was empirically tested by systematic GMM. The results show that: first, taking the overall capital account openness as the explanatory variable, the coefficient of the capital account openness of the whole sample is significantly positive. Further, considering the national differences found that high income countries capital account openness coefficient is significantly positive, but in low and middle-income countries capital account openness coefficient on economic and statistical significance were not significant, indicating that high income countries made open dividends, while in low and middle-income countries and earnings in the capital account liberalization. Finally, it proposes to open the capital account sub-projects step by step, strengthen prudent supervision in the process of further opening the capital account, and improve the regulatory legal system.

The Impact of Cash Transfers: A Review of the Evidence from Low- and Middle-income Countries

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (03) ◽  
pp. 569-594 ◽  
Author(s):  
FRANCESCA BASTAGLI ◽  
JESSICA HAGEN-ZANKER ◽  
LUKE HARMAN ◽  
VALENTINA BARCA ◽  
GEORGINA STURGE ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Evidence Base ◽  
Cash Transfers ◽  
Cash Transfer ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Unintended Effects ◽  
Screening Process ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Low And Middle Income

AbstractThis article presents the findings of a review of the impact of non-contributory cash transfers on individuals and households in low- and middle-income countries, covering the literature of 15 years, from 2000 to 2015. Based on evidence extracted from 165 studies, retrieved through a systematic search and screening process, this article discusses the impact of cash transfers on 35 indicators covering six outcome areas: monetary poverty; education; health and nutrition; savings, investment and production; work; and empowerment. For most of the studies, cash transfers contributed to progress in the selected indicators in the direction intended by policymakers. Despite variations in the size and strength of the underlying evidence base by outcome and indicator, this finding is consistent across all outcome areas. The article also investigates unintended effects of cash transfer receipt, such as potential reductions in adult work effort and increased fertility, finding limited evidence for such unintended effects. Finally, the article highlights gaps in the evidence base and areas which would benefit from additional future research.

scholarly journals Evaluating contextually adapted reading interventions with third-grade, Costa Rican students experiencing significant reading difficulties

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-24
Author(s):  
John C. Begeny
Keyword(s):  
School Psychology ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Group Intervention ◽  
Reading Interventions ◽  
Reading Difficulties ◽  
Third Graders ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Future Research Directions

Scholarship in school psychology has continued to document the need and importance of contextually relevant intervention and prevention research, but this type of research remains relatively scarce. Also problematic, this type of research is even more limited in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) compared to high-income countries. This situation within school psychology scholarship not only has negative implications for research and practice, it also limits internationalization within the discipline. The geographical context for the present study was in Costa Rica, currently a Latin American LMIC. Given the global importance of literacy, this article describes an experimental evaluation comparing two time- and resource-efficient reading interventions that differed only by instructional grouping: A one-on-one intervention, and an even more resource-efficient small-group intervention. Participants included third-graders experiencing significant reading difficulties. Analyses showed that all students benefitted from intervention, but some students responded somewhat more favorably to one intervention versus the other. Limitations, implications, and future research directions are discussed, particularly within the context of international school psychology and how professionals in the discipline can benefit from more intervention research in otherwise underrepresented global regions.

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