Research

17 pages, 33238 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Equitable City in an Aging Society: Public Transportation-Based Primary Care Accessibility in Seoul, Korea

by Yoonchae Yoon and Jina Park

Sustainability 2022, 14(16), 9902; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14169902 - 10 Aug 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2064

The development of an equitable city has been the primary goal of recent urban planning. Whereas previous urban planning has addressed problems caused by urbanization and population growth, current urban planning must closely consider demographic changes such as an aging society. An aging [...] Read more.

The development of an equitable city has been the primary goal of recent urban planning. Whereas previous urban planning has addressed problems caused by urbanization and population growth, current urban planning must closely consider demographic changes such as an aging society. An aging population, characterized by an increased need for regular healthcare and a growing reliance on public transport, can pose a major challenge to equitable cities. Thus, it is necessary to scrutinize the medical and public transportation links in urban planning strategies to create a more equitable city in an aging society. This study analyzed primary care accessibility for older adults using public transportation in Seoul and considered whether it is socially and economically equitable. Primary care accessibility was derived using the modified 2SFCA model and the Seoul Public Transportation API and social equity was analyzed using the concentration index and concentration curve. The results showed that primary care accessibility of the elderly is related to public transportation mobility, medical facilities and the distribution of elderly populations, revealing both social and economic inequality. This analysis suggests the need for integrated urban planning for an equitable city in an aging society, with implications for efficient resource distribution. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health in All: Global Health and Sustainable Development Goals)

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12 pages, 250 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Revisiting the Impact of Clean Water and Improved Sanitation on Child Mortality: Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

by Anh M. Ly, Hayley Pierce and Michael R. Cope

Sustainability 2022, 14(15), 9244; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159244 - 28 Jul 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2383

Abstract

Using Demographic and Health Surveys, this study examined the impact of clean water and improved sanitation on child morality in five South Asian countries. South Asia is the region with the second most public health crises due to the utilization of unsafe water [...] Read more.

Using Demographic and Health Surveys, this study examined the impact of clean water and improved sanitation on child morality in five South Asian countries. South Asia is the region with the second most public health crises due to the utilization of unsafe water and sanitation, only second to Sub-Saharan Africa. Logistic regression models suggest that access to improved water and sanitation is significantly associated with a lower probability of child mortality, especially during the post-neonatal period. Although increased parental educational attainment and household wealth reduce the risk of child mortality, the combined household wealth and place of residence variable revealed the higher risk of mortality for children living in urban areas than rural areas. These findings emphasize the importance of the access to clean water and improved sanitation to reduce the number of children dying due to water-related diseases. Additionally, they suggest the need for additional research on the contribution of clean water and improved sanitation to achieve the global goals of child mortality reduction, especially the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health in All: Global Health and Sustainable Development Goals)

17 pages, 670 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Self-Rated Health and Socioeconomic Status in Old Age: The Role of Gender and the Moderating Effect of Time and Welfare Regime in Europe

by Aviad Tur-Sinai, Amira Paz and Israel Doron

Sustainability 2022, 14(7), 4240; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14074240 - 02 Apr 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1832

Abstract

Research has shown that health status and self-rated health (SRH) are correlated not only with age and gender but also with socioeconomic determinants, such as income, education, and employment status, in the course of life and in late life. Much less investigated, however, [...] Read more.

Research has shown that health status and self-rated health (SRH) are correlated not only with age and gender but also with socioeconomic determinants, such as income, education, and employment status, in the course of life and in late life. Much less investigated, however, are gender differences in the association between socioeconomic factors and SRH and how the connection differs among the European welfare state regimes. This study examines the association between SRH and socioeconomic status in later life and in relation to gender and welfare state regime characteristics. Using SHARE data, it builds an analytical sample of respondents aged 60–70 (1275 men, 1544 women) who participated in Wave 1 and, ten years later, in Wave 6. The analysis regresses SRH by gender on socioeconomic status, controlling for various sociodemographic, health, and socioeconomic variables, as well as welfare regime indicators, at two points in time. Past health variables are also controlled for in order to evaluate their effect on SRH at the time of the investigation. A significant gender gap in SRH is found from childhood to late life. The association of socioeconomic status with poorer SRH is significant over time and within welfare state regimes. Consequently, the relationship between gender and SRH, and the extent to which it varies by socioeconomic position, does appear to differ across welfare state regimes. In all regimes and all points in time, including retrospective childhood SRH, women report poorer health than men. The analysis underscores the association between SRH and socioeconomic status in relation to gender in late life and finds that it correlates differently for men and women. The odds of women experiencing poorer SRH are higher, although they become more moderate over time. Even under the most egalitarian welfare regimes, gender differences in the nexus of SRH and socioeconomic status do not favor women. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health in All: Global Health and Sustainable Development Goals)

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20 pages, 291 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Does Social Insurance Block the Inter-Generational Transmission of Poverty? Evidence from the 2018 China Family Panel Survey

by Xianhua Dai and Nian Gu

Sustainability 2022, 14(2), 750; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14020750 - 11 Jan 2022

Viewed by 1217

Abstract

In this research, we explored whether participation in pension insurance and medical insurance for children and fathers blocks the inter-generational transmission of poverty. Using data from the China Family Panel Survey of 2018, this paper took the average level of insurance participation of [...] Read more.

In this research, we explored whether participation in pension insurance and medical insurance for children and fathers blocks the inter-generational transmission of poverty. Using data from the China Family Panel Survey of 2018, this paper took the average level of insurance participation of a sample group as an instrumental variable, applied the IV-probit model, and found that the participation of children in pension insurance and the participation of fathers in medical insurance significantly reduce the probability of the inter-generational transmission of poverty, but that the participation of children in medical insurance and the participation of fathers in pension insurance increase it. These results were robust. Furthermore, there was heterogeneity in household registration, geographical location, and marriage with regard to the impact of social insurance participation on the inter-generational transmission of poverty. These results could help the formulation of anti-poverty policies to address the inter-generational transmission of poverty. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health in All: Global Health and Sustainable Development Goals)

22 pages, 300 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Role of Land Ownership and Non-Farm Livelihoods on Household Food and Nutrition Security in Rural India

by Loan Vu, Anu Rammohan and Srinivas Goli

Sustainability 2021, 13(24), 13615; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132413615 - 09 Dec 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2791

Abstract

South Asia remains the region with the highest prevalence of undernourishment with India accounting for 255 million food insecure people. A worsening of child nutritional outcomes has been observed in many Indian states recently and children in rural areas have poorer nutrition compared [...] Read more.

South Asia remains the region with the highest prevalence of undernourishment with India accounting for 255 million food insecure people. A worsening of child nutritional outcomes has been observed in many Indian states recently and children in rural areas have poorer nutrition compared to those in urban areas. This paper investigates the relationship between land ownership, non-farm livelihoods, food security, and child nutrition in rural India, using the Young Lives Survey. The survey covers the same rural households and children over the period 2002–2013 in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Our empirical analysis uses a sample of 1209 children (and their households) who were aged around 1 year in 2002. Our results show that large agricultural land ownership is significantly associated with better child nutrition (measured using height-for-age and stunting) and household food security. A transition from farm to non-farm work improves child nutrition, but only among landless households. While access to land is still critical for improving household food and nutrition security among rural households, there is a trend towards greater non-farm livelihoods, and a decline in reliance on farming, particularly among landless and marginal farmers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health in All: Global Health and Sustainable Development Goals)

18 pages, 358 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Public Acceptability of Policy Interventions to Reduce Sugary Drink Consumption in Urban Vietnam

by Lan Nguyen and Hans De Steur

Sustainability 2021, 13(23), 13422; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132313422 - 03 Dec 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1893

Abstract

This study aims to assess the public acceptability of interventions to reduce sugary drinks in Vietnam, identify the key determinants, and develop a classification of consumers. A cross-sectional survey with 263 urban consumers evaluated perceptions of four potential interventions: restricting choice, taxation, nudging, [...] Read more.

This study aims to assess the public acceptability of interventions to reduce sugary drinks in Vietnam, identify the key determinants, and develop a classification of consumers. A cross-sectional survey with 263 urban consumers evaluated perceptions of four potential interventions: restricting choice, taxation, nudging, and labeling. Thereby, specific attention was devoted to perceived intrusiveness and (personal and societal) effectiveness, as well personal characteristics, including Confucius values. Results showed that “hard” interventions like taxation are less acceptable to consumers than “soft” measures such as labeling. Acceptability is generally affected by perceived intrusiveness and effectiveness (especially on other people in the society), while other factors (sugary drink behavior, trust in government’s competence, personal values, age, education) only matter for some of the interventions. Cluster analysis revealed three consumer segments, depicted as anti-taxation (28%), pro-intervention (20%) and pro-labeling (52%), which further underpins the heterogeneity of intervention acceptability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health in All: Global Health and Sustainable Development Goals)

12 pages, 1855 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Contraceptive Method Information and Method Switching in India

by Md. Juel Rana, Srinivas Goli, Rakesh Mishra, Abhishek Gautam, Nitin Datta, Priya Nanda and Ravi Verma

Sustainability 2021, 13(17), 9831; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13179831 - 01 Sep 2021

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2720

Abstract

The stagnation in the unmet need for family planning and rise in contraceptive discontinuation rates are major concerns among researchers and policymakers in India. This study attempts to investigate the association between method information received by the users at the time of initiation [...] Read more.

The stagnation in the unmet need for family planning and rise in contraceptive discontinuation rates are major concerns among researchers and policymakers in India. This study attempts to investigate the association between method information received by the users at the time of initiation and the switching of contraceptive methods in India. Using the fourth round of National Family Health Survey (NFHS) data (2015–2016), a multinomial logistic regression model has been applied to assess the net effects of method information received by the users on switching of contraceptive methods. The reuse of contraceptive methods is higher among those who were not provided any method information. The reuse is also higher among those who were informed only about the side effects. Overall, the users who received comprehensive method information are more likely to switch. Particularly, the users who were informed about how to manage side effects either alone or along with other method information have a higher likelihood of switching especially to long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARC). The findings call for program intervention to provide comprehensive method information to the users because it gives them the freedom to switch to more suitable methods. Thus, it would help in achieving the sustainable development goal (3.7) of informed choice of contraceptive methods. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health in All: Global Health and Sustainable Development Goals)

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20 pages, 2380 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Family Welfare Expenditure, Contraceptive Use, Sources and Method-Mix in India

by Sheuli Misra, Srinivas Goli, Md Juel Rana, Abhishek Gautam, Nitin Datta, Priya Nanda and Ravi Verma

Sustainability 2021, 13(17), 9562; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13179562 - 25 Aug 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2993

Abstract

Making universal access to sexual and reproductive health care a reality, and thus building momentum for comprehensive family planning by 2030, is key for achieving sustainable development goals. However, in the last decade, India has been retreating from progress achieved in access to [...] Read more.

Making universal access to sexual and reproductive health care a reality, and thus building momentum for comprehensive family planning by 2030, is key for achieving sustainable development goals. However, in the last decade, India has been retreating from progress achieved in access to family planning. Family planning progress for a large country such as India is critical for achieving sustainable developmental goals. Against this backdrop, the paper investigated the question of how far family welfare expenditure affects contraceptive use, sources of contraceptive methods, and method-mix using triangulation of micro and macro data analyses. Our findings suggest that, except for female sterilizations, modern methods of contraception do not show a positive relationship with family welfare expenditure. Notwithstanding a rise in overall family welfare expenditure, spending on core family planning programs stagnates. State-wise and socio-economic heterogeneity in source-mix and method-mix continued to influence contraceptive access in India. Method-mix continued to skew towards female sterilization. Public sector access is helpful only for promoting female sterilization. Thus, the source-mix for modern contraceptives presents a clear public-private divide. Over time, access to all contraceptive methods by public sources declined while the private sector has failed to fill the gap. In conclusion, this study identified a need for revitalizing family planning programs to promote spacing methods in relatively lower-performing states and socio-economic groups to increase overall contraceptive access and use in India through the rise in core family planning expenditure. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health in All: Global Health and Sustainable Development Goals)

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