scholarly journals Links Between Disadvantage and Educational Achievement in a Low-income Urban Setting in Bangalore, India

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 223-236
Author(s):  
Arshia CHATTERJEE ◽  
Stephanie BURNS

This study focused on the experiences that contributed to the academic achievement of students in disadvantaged settings in India. In India, young people in disadvantaged neighbourhoods are at higher risk of underachievement and dropping out of school. However, some of them achieve highly despite their adverse circumstances and experience. Through interviews with 12 high achievers and their school principal, this study explored the perceived factors that contributed to their academic achievement. Data were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis, and findings indicate a combination of protective factors at different levels – individual, family, school, and community – that contribute to resilience and achievement. The supportive relationships that these adolescents have at the different levels contribute to their achievement directly and indirectly. The findings are discussed in relation to theory with future considerations for Indian-centred research that can inform interventions in disadvantaged and low-income urban communities.

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-13
Author(s):  
Md Humayun Kabir Talukder ◽  
Shahana Parvin

This cross - sectional descriptive study was conducted to explore the relationship of medical students' self-concept with their academic achievement. The study population was preclinical second year medical students. Study was carried out at one government and one non-government medical colleges in Dhaka. Sample size was 254 and sampling technique was purposive. The three dimensions of self concept: personal, family and social self-concept of medical students were assessed through 45- items questionnaire, which was answered on a five-point Likert scale. Data was collected by self administered structured questionnaire with Bengali version. Academic achievement data were measured by two term examinations marks of three subjects (Anatomy, Physiology & Biochemistry) based on written and oral examinations. Simple statistical tests were used to analyze the dominant dimension of student's self-concept. Inferential statistic such as ttest was used to analyze the difference between the self-concept and gender. Pearson correlations were used analyze the relationship between self-concept of students with their academic achievement. The participant's age ranged from 17 - 23 years with a mean of 19.8 and a standard deviation of 0.93. Among the respondents 47% were male and 53% were females. In term-I and term-II exams majority (66.9% and 66.1%) student were high achievers. The research finding showed that the dominant dimension of self concept was family self-concept (mean value was 53.73). Beside that, t-test analysis showed that there was significant difference between dimension of self-concept of students according to gender (p= 0.03, p= 0.02). Pearson correlations analysis showed that there was positive correlation between dimensions of self-concept with student's academic achievement. Study recommended to increase the student's self-concept in order to enhance their academic achievement. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjme.v2i1.18131 Bangladesh Journal of Medical Education Vol.2(1) 2011: 10-13


Author(s):  
Jason Knight ◽  
Mohammad Gharipour

How can urban redevelopment benefit existing low-income communities? The history of urban redevelopment is one of disruption of poor communities. Renewal historically offered benefits to the place while pushing out the people. In some cases, displacement is intentional, in others it is unintentional. Often, it is the byproduct of the quest for profits. Regardless of motives, traditional communities, defined by cultural connections, are often disrupted. Disadvantaged neighborhoods include vacant units, which diminish the community and hold back investment. In the postwar period, American cities entered into a program of urban renewal. While this program cleared blight, it also drove displacement among the cities’ poorest and was particularly hard on minority populations clustered in downtown slums. The consequences of these decisions continue to play out today. Concentration of poverty is increasing and American cities are becoming more segregated. As neighborhoods improve, poorer residents are uprooted and forced into even more distressed conditions, elsewhere. This paper examines the history of events impacting urban communities. It further reviews the successes and failures of efforts to benefit low-income communities.


Thorax ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. thoraxjnl-2020-215338
Author(s):  
Jamilah Meghji ◽  
Stefanie Gregorius ◽  
Jason Madan ◽  
Fatima Chitimbe ◽  
Rachael Thomson ◽  
...  

BackgroundMitigating the socioeconomic impact of tuberculosis (TB) is key to the WHO End TB Strategy. However, little known about socioeconomic well-being beyond TB-treatment completion. In this mixed-methods study, we describe socioeconomic outcomes after TB-disease in urban Blantyre, Malawi, and explore pathways and barriers to financial recovery.MethodsAdults ≥15 years successfully completing treatment for a first episode of pulmonary TB under the National TB Control Programme were prospectively followed up for 12 months. Socioeconomic, income, occupation, health seeking and cost data were collected. Determinants and impacts of ongoing financial hardship were explored through illness narrative interviews with purposively selected participants.Results405 participants were recruited from February 2016 to April 2017. Median age was 35 years (IQR: 28–41), 67.9% (275/405) were male, and 60.6% (244/405) were HIV-positive. Employment and incomes were lowest at TB-treatment completion, with limited recovery in the following year: fewer people were in paid work (63.0% (232/368) vs 72.4% (293/405), p=0.006), median incomes were lower (US$44.13 (IQR: US$0–US$106.15) vs US$72.20 (IQR: US$26.71–US$173.29), p<0.001), and more patients were living in poverty (earning <US$1.90/day: 57.7% (211/366) vs 41.6% (166/399), p<0.001) 1 year after TB-treatment completion compared with before TB-disease onset. Half of the participants (50.5%, 184/368) reported ongoing dissaving (use of savings, selling assets, borrowing money) and 9.5% (35/368) reported school interruptions in the year after TB-treatment completion. Twenty-one participants completed in-depth interviews. Reported barriers to economic recovery included financial insecurity, challenges rebuilding business relationships, residual physical morbidity and stigma.ConclusionsTB-affected households remain economically vulnerable even after TB-treatment completion, with limited recovery in income and employment, persistent financial strain requiring dissaving, and ongoing school interruptions. Measures of the economic impact of TB disease should include the post-TB period. Interventions to protect the long-term health and livelihoods of TB survivors must be explored.


2021 ◽  
Vol 80 (Suppl 1) ◽  
pp. 1277.1-1277
Author(s):  
F. Majdoub ◽  
M. Sellami ◽  
S. Miladi ◽  
A. Fazaa ◽  
L. Souabni ◽  
...  

Background:The occurrence of Spondyloarthritis (SpA) often conditions patients’ quality of life and hinders their well-being. Physical activity (PA) is associated with various health-related benefits among adults with chronic inflammatory rheumatism but may be insufficiently performed.Objectives:This study aimed to assess PA in patients with SpA and explore its associated factors.Methods:This is a single-center cross-sectional study, involving patients with SpA, visiting our outpatient hospital over eight weeks. Patients responded to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short form (IPAQ-S).Results:Sixty patients were included (39 M/21 F) with an average age of 45.8 years [25-78]. The mean duration of SpA was 13.2 years [1-25]. About 80% of patients were from an urban setting. Sixty-three percent of patients had a professional activity, while 13.3% were retired. Twenty-nine patients (48.3%) had axial and peripheral form, 18 patients (30%) had SpA with enteropathic arthritis, 8 (13.3%) with psoriatic arthritis, 3 patients (5%) had axial spondyloarthritis, and only 2 patients (3.3%) with SAPHO-Syndrom. About 23% of patients had hip arthritis and only 5% had uveitis. Fifty-eight patients were on TNF-inhibitor (21/58 Adalimumab, 15/58 Infliximab, 14/58 Etanercept, 8/58 Golimumab). The average BASDAI was 2.7/10. The average ASDASCRP was 2.1/10. The average BASFI was 3.3/10. IPAQ results were distributed as follows: 78.3% of patients were in the « low physical activity » category, 21.7% were in the « moderate physical activity » while none of the patients were in the « high physical activity ». Patients without employment had lower levels of physical activity (29.7%) but no association was observed between those two items (p=0.082). Disease activity objectified with BASDAI was related to low physical activity (p=0.045) whereas no association was observed with ASDASCRP (p=0.870) or BASFI (p=0.056). Otherwise, TNF-inhibitor treatment was not related to different levels of PA (p=0.09).Conclusion:Tunisian patients with SpA don’t perform enough physical activity. Except for high disease activity, the different levels of PA did not appear to be explained by other disease-related variables. Thereby, physical activity should be encouraged in SpA.References:[1]Fabre, S., Molto, A., Dadoun, S. et al. Physical activity in patients with axial spondyloarthritis: a cross-sectional study of 203 patients. Rheumatol Int 36, 1711–1718 (2016).Disclosure of Interests:None declared.


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.


2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
pp. 825-851 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gordon Emmett Hall ◽  
James Clyde DiPerna

The present study used multiple regression analyses to examine the relationships between fifth-grade social skills and eighth-grade academic achievement. Data were drawn from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Kindergarten Class of 1998-1999 (ECLS-K). Results indicated no relationship between positive or negative social behavior in fifth grade and academic achievement or teacher-rated academic skills in eighth grade. However, consistent with previous studies, fifth-grade approaches to learning were found to be positive predictors of both academic achievement and teacher-rated academic skills in eighth grade. In addition, these results suggest that socioeconomic status plays a significant and potentially unexplored avenue for understanding these outcomes. These results further illuminate the way behaviors in elementary school relate to academic adjustment to middle school.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. e049564
Author(s):  
Mary Abboah-Offei ◽  
Akosua Gyasi Darkwa ◽  
Andrews Ayim ◽  
Adelaide Maria Ansah-Ofei ◽  
Delanyo Dovlo ◽  
...  

IntroductionWith rapid urbanisation in low-income and middle-income countries, health systems are struggling to meet the needs of their growing populations. Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) in Ghana have been effective in improving maternal and child health in rural areas; however, implementation in urban areas has proven challenging. This study aims to engage key stakeholders in urban communities to understand how the CHPS model can be adapted to reach poor urban communities.Methods and analysisA Participatory Action Research (PAR) will be used to develop an urban CHPS model with stakeholders in three selected CHPS zones: (a) Old Fadama (Yam and Onion Market community), (b) Adedenkpo and (c) Adotrom 2, representing three categories of poor urban neighbourhoods in Accra, Ghana. Two phases will be implemented: phase 1 (‘reconnaissance phase) will engage and establish PAR research groups in the selected zones, conduct focus groups and individual interviews with urban residents, households vulnerable to ill-health and CHPS staff and key stakeholders. A desk review of preceding efforts to implement CHPS will be conducted to understand what worked (or not), how and why. Findings from phase 1 will be used to inform and co-create an urban CHPS model in phase 2, where PAR groups will be involved in multiple recurrent stages (cycles) of community-based planning, observation, action and reflection to develop and refine the urban CHPS model. Data will be managed using NVivo software and coded using the domains of community engagement as a framework to understand community assets and potential for engagement.Ethics and disseminationThis study has been approved by the University of York’s Health Sciences Research Governance Committee and the Ghana Health Service Ethics Review Committee. The results of this study will guide the scale-up of CHPS across urban areas in Ghana, which will be disseminated through journal publications, community and government stakeholder workshops, policy briefs and social media content. This study is also funded by the Medical Research Council, UK.


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