Social Sciences

Abstract: Background: Deafblindness is a distinct disability with major implications for communication, mobility, access to information, and participation. Population estimates vary substantially. Methods: We conducted a secondary cross-sectional analysis of nationally representative Spanish microdata from EDAD-Households 2020 and EDAD-Centres 2023, including persons aged ≥ 6 years. Functional deafblindness was defined as severe limitation in one sensory domain with at least moderate limitation in the other, accounting for residual functioning with assistive products. Weighted prevalence estimates and approximate 95% uncertainty intervals (UI) were obtained using a cluster bootstrap. Results: The integrated population represented 44.9 million persons. The primary definition identified an estimated 45,951 persons with functional deafblindness, corresponding to 102.3 per 100,000 population (95% UI, 82.5–125.1). Prevalence increased markedly with age, reaching 438.0 per 100,000 among persons aged ≥ 65 years. A broader sensitivity definition yielded 202.3 per 100,000 (95% UI, 175.8–231.2). Conclusions: Functional deafblindness affects tens of thousands of people in Spain and is concentrated at older ages and in residential settings. Population-based estimates are needed to complement administrative data and inform equitable planning of specialized, accessible health, social-care, and communication services.

Abstract: Small-area population data underpin efficient resource allocation but are often unavailable where censuses are outdated or absent. We present a generalizable geostatistical model-based computational technique for estimating population counts from limited, imperfectly observed health intervention campaign data. The approach embeds a robust data cleaning strategy while integrating geolocated population enumerations with satellite-derived building footprints and geospatial covariates within a Bayesian Hierarchical modelling framework. Using real data application and a simulation study implemented over a range of biasedness and missingness scenarios, we evaluated three data cleaning strategies and showed that the approach involving exclusion of biased samples from the training set, produced the smallest estimation errors in both simulation studies (1.5% to 65.7% reductions in relative mean absolute error (RMAE)) and when used in prediction modelling from recent geolocated malaria bednet campaign data in Nigeria (17.1% reduction in RMAE). This approach which enabled us to generate gridded and administrative unit-level population estimates (total national estimate ~ 237.4M; 95%CI 233.6M – 243.7M people) from imperfect operational data across Nigeria is transferable to other data-scarce settings.

Abstract: Using a database of global total fertility rates (TFR) from 1990 to 2024, supplemented by a series of indicators, we can observe trends and explain them through cultural and socio-economic factors. Worldwide TFR dynamics show a clear distinction: low fertility (below replacement) in much of Europe, North America, and East Asia; high fertility in sub-Saharan Africa; and moderate fertility in countries at various stages of the demographic transition. Observed variations are explained by economic and social-determinants:GDP and Human Development Index are negatively correlated with TFR; high infant mortality rates correlate positively with TFR; and greater contraceptive prevalence and higher average maternal age at birth are associated with fertility declines. Cultural factors – such as dominant religion or official demographic policies – can modify overall trends, and the level of democratic freedom influences access to reproductive health information and services. These disparities reflect structural differences in socio-economic development, public health, gender equality and social policy.

Abstract: Background/Objectives: Inequality in survival across socioeconomic strata has been growing in the US for decades. Traditional measures of this inequality increasingly fail to capture the heterogeneous biological realities of the US population. Using new measures, this study provides a fresh perspective on the dynamics of mortality inequality across ten socioeconomic deciles in the United States from 1982 to 2019. Methods: Data: The data come from annual life tables from US counties, aggregated according to their socioeconomic characteristics. Measures of Inequality: Three measures of inequality are used, capturing survival inequality from different perspectives, inequality in ages of death over the lifecycle, inequality in survival at older ages, and inequality in survival in midlife. For the latter, the equal survivorship age (ESA)—a metric defined as the age at which a specific subgroup’s survival probability from age 20 matches the survival probability from age 20 to 65 of the total population—is used. Results: We find consistently growing inequality, largely unaffected by economic circumstances such as the Great Recession. By 2019, the ESA for the lowest socioeconomic decile was nearly 11 years lower than the ESA of the highest decile. Conclusions: This “survival gap” in the ESA suggests that low-socioeconomic status (SES) populations effectively exhaust their survival “budget” a decade earlier than their high SES counterparts. These findings challenge the equity of the use of universal chronological ages in public policies and underscore the need for “Social-Determinant-Adjusted” geriatric care models. The regularly growing inequality in the ESA suggests the importance of cohort-based influences.

Abstract: Introduction: Neurological diseases are a major cause of long-term disability and de-pendence. In Poland, as in many countries, informal caregivers provide most long-term care for individuals with chronic and progressive neurological conditions. Although essential, this role is associated with substantial physical, psychological, and social burden. This study aimed to assess the scope and nature of support provided by care-givers to people with neurological diseases and to identify factors associated with dif-ferences in support and caregiver burden. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted using a CAWI survey. The sample included 104 informal caregivers of adults with various neurological conditions. An author-designed questionnaire and the “Actually Provided Support” subscale of the Berlin Social Support Scales (BSSS) were used. Nonparametric statistical tests were applied (p < 0.05). Results: Caregivers provided a high level of support, particularly emotional and in-strumental support, while informational support was less intensive. Women more fre-quently reported high emotional and instrumental support. Higher buffering–protective support was more common among caregivers aged over 45 years. The most frequently reported difficulties were mental and physical fatigue. Key barriers included limited access to reimbursed healthcare services and the lack of temporary replacement in caregiving. Caregivers most often indicated the need for respite care and better ac-cess to information and education. Conclusions: Informal caregivers play a crucial role in the daily functioning of people with neurological diseases, despite high burden and insufficient systemic support. Ex-panding respite care, improving access to information, and better coordination of healthcare services are urgently needed.

Abstract: Pastoralist socio-ecological systems across Africa, Asia, and Latin America are transforming under climate stress, with adaptation patterned by gendered power. I systematically reviewed 35 empirical studies (2013–2025) using PRISMA 2020 and the SWiM protocol. Searches in Web of Science and Scopus applied pre-registered inclusion criteria (empirical, pastoralist/agro-pastoralist focus, gender analysis); screening used a single reviewer with a 25% independent audit. The objective of the research was to examine power as an organising principle across four interconnected domains: labour redistribution, resource control, decision-making authority, and knowledge recognition. Majority of studies (≈70–80%) report increased women’s workloads alongside male control of land, water, and high-value stock, decision-making as mitigated by committee presence without agenda/budget authority, and women’s knowledge recorded as informal rather than actionable. Exceptions arise where inheritance or titling and decision procedures change. The paper’s innovation is a relational agency framework that links roles, rights, and records to specify tractable, auditable levers that convert participation into consequential authority. The goal is to guide context sensitive reforms that redistribute power and improve adaptation in pastoralist systems.

Abstract: Generalized Age-Period-Cohort (GAPC) models are mortality models incorporates stochasticity which can be represented in generalized linear or non-linear context. By fitting the data to either mortality model, one can make forecasts for the future under the extrapolation framework. Previous research indicates that the machine learning techniques can be applied to improve forecasting ability of such mortality models using different training/testing time periods. However, there is no consensus about generalizing this phenomenon on the improvement of fitted/forecasted mortality rates without depending on particular mortality model or models’ training/testing period. The idea in this study is to re-estimate the mortality rates obtained from each mortality models by applying tree-based machine learning methods within a procedure that creates suitable environment for integrating machine learning models for each GAPC models. This study shows that if the proper procedure is applied, the forecasting ability of each mortality model can be improved.

Abstract: Using Chinese county-level panel data from 2007 to 2022, this study employs the pro-pensity score matching–difference-in-differences (PSM-DID) method to empirically assess the impact of Forest Carbon Sequestration Projects (FCSP) on the economic welfare of rural residents in pilot counties, from both absolute and relative perspectives. The study found that from an absolute perspective, FCSP significantly improved the economic welfare of rural residents; but after incorporating relative comparison factors, the positive effect of the project was weakened, especially in the horizontal comparison between rural areas, showing a significant relative welfare loss. The impact of FCSP on rural economic welfare has obvious lag, and long-term implementation is more conducive to improving the absolute and relative welfare levels of rural residents. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the longer the project inclusion period, the stronger the economic welfare effect; the implementation of FCSP in poverty-stricken counties can significantly improve the economic welfare of rural residents compared with non-poverty-stricken counties, and FCSP are more suitable for implementation in non-ethnic areas.

Abstract: This study adheres to a logistic regression modeling protocol originally developed for long-range intelligence analyses and employs data from UN demographic estimates (2024 Revision) to generate a set of statistical functions that suggest a moderately strong relationship between median age and the direction (arithmetic sign) of the international net migration rate (NMR). According to this functional relationship, from 1990 to 2015, the probability of experiencing a persistently positive net migration rate (a +NMR, directly followed by five consecutive years of +NMRs) rose from less than 0.13 at a median age of 15 years, to a probability greater than 0.55 at 36 years, and to nearly 0.78 at 45 years. Assuming that a significant number of countries surpassing a median age of 36 years before 2055 will become continuous migrant net receivers, several countries in Asia, Latin America, and North Africa, for which UN scenarios currently project a continuous series of -NMRs, or a pattern of sign-switching NMRs, will likely experience a continuous series of +NMRs. These results suggest that, by 2055, more of the flow of international migrants could be spread amongst a more varied pool of continuous net-receiving states than the UN’s future scenarios currently indicate.

Abstract: Hypertension is a major public health concern globally, with varying prevalence and risk factors across different populations. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of hypertension and identify its associated determinants among adults in Hawtat Bani Tamim Province. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 384 adult participants. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle factors, and clinical measurements were collected. Hypertension was diagnosed based on standard criteria. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with hypertension, and odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. The overall prevalence of hypertension among the participants was 25.5%, with a higher rate observed in urban areas (15%) compared to rural areas (10.4%). Multivariate analysis revealed that age was significantly associated with hypertension, with participants aged 20–30 years (OR=0.181, 95% CI: 0.067–0.485), 31–40 years (OR=0.235, 95% CI: 0.092–0.599), 41–50 years (OR=0.184, 95% CI: 0.067–0.510), and 51–60 years (OR=0.268, 95% CI: 0.104–0.690) having lower odds compared to those over 60 years. Males had a lower risk than females (OR=0.423, 95% CI: 0.192–0.932). Lower educational attainment was also associated with reduced odds of hypertension (secondary or less: OR=0.315, 95% CI: 0.118–0.844; bachelor’s degree: OR=0.294, 95% CI: 0.127–0.679) compared to postgraduates. Regarding BMI, normal weight (OR=0.262, 95% CI: 0.126–0.544) and overweight (OR=0.421, 95% CI: 0.220–0.805) individuals had lower odds of hypertension compared to obese participants. Marital status was a significant determinant, with married individuals having higher odds of hypertension (OR=3.222, 95% CI: 1.807–6.110). Smoking was associated with a lower risk of hypertension (OR=0.181, 95% CI: 0.067–0.485). Hypertension is prevalent among adults in Hawtat Bani Tamim Province, with significant associations observed for age, gender, education, BMI, marital status, and smoking. Targeted interventions addressing these risk factors are recommended to reduce the burden of hypertension in this population

Abstract: Background: Anemia during pregnancy remains a significant public health concern, especially in low- and middle-income countries. It contributes to adverse maternal and fetal outcomes and is influenced by multiple socioeconomic, dietary, and obstetric factors. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of anemia and its associated risk factors among pregnant women attending antenatal care in Meerut City. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 210 pregnant women attending antenatal care services at an Urban Primary Health Center (UPHC) in Meerut City. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, obstetric history, dietary habits, knowledge regarding anemia, and supplementation adherence were collected using a pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire. Hemoglobin levels were measured to classify anemia severity. Bivariate analysis identified factors associated with anemia, and variables with p < 0.10 were included in a multivariable logistic regression model. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Out of the total 210 respondents, the overall prevalence of anemia among pregnant women was 63.8%, with 28.6% having mild anemia, 31.4% moderate anemia, and 3.8% severe anemia. Anemia was significantly more prevalent among women from low-income households (p < 0.001), those with lower educational attainment (p = 0.002), poor dietary intake (p < 0.001), and limited knowledge of anemia and its sources (p = 0.000). A significant proportion (83.3%) of anemic women rarely consumed iron-rich foods such as meat, beans, and green leafy vegetables. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified low household income (AOR = 2.7; 95% CI: 1.4–5.3; p = 0.003) and poor dietary intake (AOR = 3.5; 95% CI: 1.8–6.7; p < 0.001) as independent predictors of anemia after adjusting for age, parity, and gestational age. Conclusion: Anemia remains highly prevalent among pregnant women in this urban setting, primarily driven by low socioeconomic status, poor dietary diversity, and suboptimal nutritional practices. Strengthening antenatal care services with a focus on poverty alleviation, nutritional counseling, early antenatal care initiation, and enhanced iron and folic acid supplementation adherence is critical to reducing anemia burden and improving maternal and neonatal health outcomes.The study highlights a high burden of anemia among pregnant women in Meerut City, with nutritional inadequacy and economic deprivation being the major contributing factors. These findings emphasize the urgent need for integrated antenatal interventions focusing on improving maternal nutrition, dietary counselling, and addressing underlying socioeconomic inequalities. Strengthening existing national programs such as Anemia Mukt Bharat with local-level nutritional surveillance and community-based education can play a pivotal role in reducing the anemia burden among pregnant women in urban India. Keywords: Maternal anemia, Nutritional status, Socioeconomic status, Dietary diversity, Iron intake, Maternal health, Urban population in India, North India

Abstract: The report discusses food availability and demands in the Anthropocene era, consid-ering the links to global population growth and the extended concept of Cohen’s Con-dorcet equation for carrying capacity estimations. It recalls the Super-Malthus and Verhulst-type scalings, and the recently introduced analytic relative growth rate. Particular focus is on the ongoing 5th Industrial Revolution (IR) times and its feedback interplay with the Sustainable Civilization concept. In such context, the significance of innovative food preservation technologies that can yield high-quality foods with pro-health features, simultaneously increasing food quantity and reducing adverse environmental impacts, is discussed. For this trend, high-pressure preservation and processing (HPP) plays a dominant role. The high-pressure ‘cold pasteurization,’ related to room-temperature processing, has already achieved a global scale. Notable are superior features, fairly correlated with social expectations of the Sustainable Society and the technological tasks of the 5th Industrial Revolution. The discussion is based on the authors’ experiences in HPP-related research and application experiences. The next breakthrough can be HPP sterilization. The innovative path developing the barocaloric effect supporting concept is presented. The mass implementation of HPP sterilization can lead to milestone societal, pro-health, environmental, and eco-nomic benefits.

Abstract: Background/Objectives: Against the backdrop of increasing global aging and the transformation of family structures, grandparental caregiving has become commonplace, and its impact on the mental health of older persons is of great concern. Methods: Utilizing data from the 2023 Xi'an Jiaotong University Urban and Rural Elderly Family Support and Psychological Condition Survey, this study employs the Psychological Condition Measurement Scale to assess mental health outcomes. A multi-method analytical approach is adopted, including linear regression modeling, Propensity Score Matching (PSM), and Instrumental Variables Method (IVM), to rigorously evaluate the causal relationship between grandparental caregiving and mental health, while addressing potential endogeneity and selection bias. Results: Grandparental care has a significant positive effect on the mental health of older people, but this positive effect diminishes and may even turn negative as the intensity of care increases. The results of the sub-sample estimation indicate that grandparental caregiving has a more significant impact on the mental health of female older adults, those aged 70-79, and rural older adults. In addition, intergenerational financial support and intergenerational emotional comfort play an important mediating role between grandparental caregiving and the mental health of older persons, in line with the explanatory framework of intergenerational exchange theory. Conclusions: It is recommended that the Government support grandparental care for the elderly at the financial, social security, and policy levels; that society build a diversified system of elderly care services and strengthen public childcare services; and that families establish a value identity of two-way support.

Abstract: The report presents a discussion regarding food requirements in the Anthropocene epoch, examining the im-pact on global population growth. It recalls the recently introduced Super-Malthus and Verhulst-type scal-ings, the carrying capacity concept, and the Condorcet equation linking the mentioned properties. The exten-sion of the latter, introducing the per capita relative growth rate, is proposed. The report focuses particularly on the last 2 centuries, i.e., the Industrial Revolutions epoch with the global population boost. The Condor-cet-based analysis indicates the transition to the development phase with significant sensitivity to current global limitations, including the carrying capacity, after 1965. The report particularly focuses on the most important factor shaping the carrying capacity over the millennia, i.e., food, with special attention to preser-vation-related innovations. Global, even pandemic, threats resulting from current preservation technologies are indicated. It creates the call for an innovative change. The unique possibilities of high-pressure processing (HPP) are presented in this context, including the newly found next-generation innovation: colossal baro-caloric effect (CBE) coupled HPP. After millennia of focusing on securing sufficient food amount, the possibil-ity of food processing in line with the expectations of the sustainable society of the 5th Industrial Revolutions era appears.

Abstract: South Korea has experienced the world’s lowest birth rate for more than two decades. In fact, South’s Korea’s population of close to 52 million is on track to halve by the end of this century. Yet spending more than $270 billion (390 trillion won) on policies including subsidized housing, paid parental leave, child care and early education programs, and family support services failed to reverse this declining trend. Thus, this paper explored the role of socioeconomic and gender inequities that have shaped cultural beliefs regarding parenting, child care, and family life in Korea, and how the sociocultural, educational, historical, and political processes have subsequently shaped the contemporary landscape of Korean early childhood policies and programs. Employing the critical discourse analysis (CDA), this paper describes, interprets, and explains the ways in which discourses of parenting and child care construct, legitimize, and at times, resist inequities in parenting and early childhood development. Key explanatory frameworks emerged from data: 1) Family socioeconomic status and excessive comparison in a hyper-competitive culture; 2) Childrearing as luxury: Gender inequities in parenting and family life; and 3) Parenting as investment: The opportunity cost of childrearing. The paper concludes with implications for early childhood policies designed to strengthen families and children’s well-being.

Abstract: This study examines older adults' subjective well-being (SWB) in Jambi Province, Indonesia, and identifies the key socio-economic determinants influencing their well-being. Using a structured survey of 207 respondents aged 60 and above, SWB was measured through a 19-item instrument encompassing life satisfaction, emotional well-being, and sense of purpose. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression. The findings indicate that increasing age correlates with a decline in SWB while being female, having a higher level of education, maintaining an active role in the household, being married, and having a stable source of income contribute positively. Pensions or steady financial support can significantly enhance well-being, often even more than simply having a job. On the other hand, larger households may lead to lower well-being, likely because of the financial strain and caregiving demands they bring. Interestingly, older adults from the Malay and Bugis/Banjar ethnic groups tend to feel better than those from the Javanese/Sundanese groups. These findings highlight the importance of strengthening social security systems, lifelong learning programs, and community-based support to enhance the well-being of older adults.

Abstract: Relying solely on aggregated ethnicity-based population counts has limited utility for ethnic minority groups. Accurate and relevant population counts are critical for monitoring and improving outcomes related to health, social welfare, and education. This article examines additional dimensions of identity to provide a revised estimate of the total population count for Peoples of Fiji (PF) living in Aotearoa. Customized data tables from the Census of Population and Dwellings, provided by Statistics New Zealand, were analyzed using ethnicity and additional recorded characteristics, such as country of birth, and parents’ ethnicity, to obtain more accurate counts for the major ethnic groups from Fiji living in Aotearoa. Our analysis revealed that almost 50,000 Fijian Indians were misclassified. Utilizing additional variables, we estimate the revised count for the Fijian Indian ethnic group alone exceeds 70,000 and the PF total count exceeds 2% of Aotearoa’s current population. Accurate population counts and granularity within aggregated groups are essential for informing funding formulas and health policies. We highlight significant variations in ethnicity coding for PF and their implications for health monitoring and risk assessment, data quality, and interpretation. We make key recommendations to improve granular reporting for minority migrant groups in Aotearoa.

Abstract: This article examines the multifaceted relationships between pre-colonial ethnic institutions, colonial interventions, and historical traumas on contemporary African development trajectories. Drawing upon the seminal research of Bolt and Bezemer (2009), Michalopoulos and Papaioannou (2013), and Nunn and Wantchekon (2011), this analysis elucidates how historical forces have distinctively shaped developmental outcomes across African regions. The article establishes a theoretical framework integrating institutional persistence, human capital formation, and social capital theories to examine these relationships. It critically evaluates methodological approaches whilst acknowledging regional variations in how these historical processes manifested. The analysis extends to Brazil-Africa connections, providing comparative insights into how similar historical forces produce divergent outcomes in different contexts. The findings suggest significant implications for development policies that acknowledge historical legacies whilst addressing contemporary challenges.

Abstract: The accelerated growth of older adults (the over-65s) in Italy fits within the context of the complex, hybrid nature of the pension system and the welfare benefits financed by tax revenues, which often overlap. As a result, older adults are facing growing inequalities in living and health conditions, both in the Centre-North and the Southern regions, as well as between genders. Through differential analyses, this paper aims to illustrate the progressive increase in older adults, focussing on their most vulnerable component (i.e. the over-85s), especially concerning social assistance and care issues. Our study considers the current characteristics of social ageing and mortality trends that determine older adults’ growth and number, highlighting the pronounced gender disparities that emerge at older ages. Our findings reveal an ongoing process of change that has led to significant territorial disparities in the types of pension benefits and social allowances. This has exacerbated, in turn, inequalities in living conditions across households and between genders.

Abstract: Brain drain represents a critical challenge to global development, reflecting structural inequalities and tensions between mobility and rootedness. This study analyzes the determinants of skilled migration in 178 countries (2006-2022) using a regression model based on panel data, identifying six key variables: uneven economic development, quality of public services, external intervention, voice and accountability, rule of law, and political stability. Governance, particularly political stability and the rule of law, stands out as crucial for retaining talent, while external interventions and economic inequality exacerbate emigration. From a sociological perspective, migrants are active agents who transform transnational networks, challenging traditional notions of citizenship and belonging. Civil society organizations play a central role by facilitating sociocultural inclusion, mediating resettlement processes, and promoting brain circulation as an alternative to retention-focused models. Additionally, the study highlights the cultural and symbolic dimension of migration, revealing the impact of uprooting on communities of origin. Future research should explore how inclusive policies, digital nomadism, and remittances can reduce structural inequalities, strengthen the connection between migrants and their communities, and advance towards a sustainable and equitable mobility model.