Oral caries is the most prevalent chronic disease among US children, and disproportionately impacts those of low socioeconomic status. Studies have shown that the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infants and Children (WIC) improves access to dental care among Medicaid children. This study investigated the impact of WIC, Medicaid, and the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) on the prevalence of dental caries among low-income children. The 1999-2000 and 2001-2002 NHANES data were utilized for this analysis. Children 2-4 years old who participated in WIC, Medicaid, or SCHIP, or who were uninsured, and for whom both interview and complete oral health exam data were available (n = 597) were included in the study. Multivariate logistic regression modeling was conducted to examine the effects of program participation on caries. There was no statistically significant association between dental caries and participation in public assistance programs. The risk of dental caries for children in MedicaidSCHIP only was comparable to the risk for children in WIC and MedicaidSCHIP (OR = 1.04; 95%CI = 0.622, 1.745) and also to uninsured children (OR = 0.96; 95%CI = 0.523, 1.773). Dental caries were not impacted if the child did not have a preventive dental visit in the past 6 months (OR = 0.68; 95% CI = 0.436, 1.063) or did not have a regular dental care provider (OR = 1.15; 95% CI = 0.646, 2.044). Participation in WIC and MedicaidSCHIP does not improve the oral health of low-income children. Because this population is a high-risk group requiring more specialized efforts, improving access to care is not sufficient to improve oral health. In addition to increased utilization of services, the program partnership between WIC and MedicaidSCHIP must provide targeted, educational interventions to prevent dental caries. It may also be necessary to increase the recommended number of preventive visits for low-income children.

The intent of this study was to assess low-income parents knowledge and beliefs regarding child development and appropriate classroom practice and to compare their responses with those obtained from a previous survey of upper-income parents (Grebe, 1998). This study group (N=21) consisted of parents or guardians with children in a federally subsidized child-care center. Results indicated a high level of knowledge regarding developmentally appropriate practice and child development. Overall, there were no significant differences in the knowledge between the two income-levels, however, responses to several questions revealed slight differences in beliefs.

This longitudinal study examined factors influencing the relationship between sustained partner violence and depression/suicidality among ethnically diverse, low income, community women. The sample at Wave 1 consisted of 303 African American, 273 Euro-American, and 260 Mexican American women in long term relationships with a household income less that twice the poverty threshold. There were no ethnic differences on frequency of partner violence, depression, or suicidality. The moderate relationship between partner violence and women's depression, confirmed previous findings. Frequency, but not recency, of violence predicted depression and suicidal ideation for African Americans and Mexican Americans, even after controlling for earlier depression or ideation. Recent violence did not predict Euro-American's depression or suicidality after controlling for initial scores. Causal and responsibility attributions for partners' violence did not mediate the relationship between violence and depression or suicidality in any ethnic group. However, African American women's attributions of global effects for violence mediated the relationship of violence on depression and suicidal ideation. Poverty level and marital status moderated the relationship between violence and the number of times women seriously considered and actually attempted suicide. Frequent violence was most lethal among the poorest women and marriage provided the least protection for women in the most violent relationships. Specifically, poverty status moderated violence on consideration of suicide for African Americans and Euro-Americans and suicide attempts among Mexican Americans. Marital status moderated partners' violence on suicidal ideation and attempts for Mexican Americans and consideration of suicide for Euro-Americans, but was not a moderator for African Americans' depression or suicidality. Women with different ethnic backgrounds appear to differ in the ways partner violence contributes to their depression and suicidality. Policy implications include the need to offer suicide intervention, particularly for low income women seeking services for violence. Mental health professionals should routinely inquire about partner violence when women present with depression or suicidality. Further, sensitivity to ethnic differences is recommended when confronting women's attributions regarding violence.

M.Tech. Construction Management / The delivery of low income housing in South African Public Subsidized Schemes is plagued with quality issues, inevitably leading to poor levels of client and more importantly, end-user satisfaction. The characteristics of Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) contractors who operate in this sector, together with external factors in the operating environment, all contribute to poor quality. Quality Management (QM) practices among the contractors are not widely documented hence, this study aimed to explore these practices in the Gauteng low income residential sector. Therefore, the objectives of the study aimed to establish the following: current QM practices; adequacy of such practices; barriers to effective QM practices and the presence of critical success factors for effective QM practices...

Dissertation (M. Tech. (Food Service Management, Dept. of Hospitality and Tourism)) -- Vaal University of Technology / Very poor families, mostly in developing parts of the world, consume a monotonous staple diet out of need and are least likely to eat healthy diets. This study focussed on how the low income households in the urbanised informal settlement of Eatonside used available income to buy plant staples (situation analysis), the share of the food budget Rand allocated to this (investigative survey), as well as the extent of influence of low income, food prices, and locality on the buying behaviour. The aspects of where, how much, when and how low-income households purchased were examined in order to determine the purchasing patterns for plant staples. From the households surveyed, most (62,2%) received an income of less than R500.00/month. Household size affected food purchasing and varied according to the type of household head. Total food budget expenditure by male-headed households was 83,1 percent, 58,1 percent by female-headed households and 27,9 percent by de facto headed households. The total average share/portion of the food budget allocated to purchasing of plant staples was reported as R64.63 ±(R8.04). While male-headed households spent 15 percent of the total share/portion/month allocated to purchasing of plant staples, female-headed households spent 23,1 percent and de facto-headed households spent 21,1 percent. Total average expenditure allocated to plant staples was 58,1 percent for maize meal, 23,2 percent for rice, 4,6 percent for mabella, 3,9 percent for sugar beans, 3,7 percent for samp, 2,5 percent for split peas and 4 percent on various other plant staples. Price and quantity (63,6%) were main purchasing indicators. Less plant staples were purchased when prices were high and more when prices were low. Normally when prices of other food products are high, people buy more staples to survive. Most frequent purchases for maize meal was 12,5 kg (65%) once a month (41,7%) at an average price of R32.80 per unit from spaza shops. Plant staples were mostly purchased once a month (80,2%) at supermarkets (47%) or spaza shops (42%). The urbanised low income households of Eatonside were poor, leading to the allocation of a major component of the budget to food (plant staples). Purchasing patterns, plant staples, low-income households, Eatonside informal settlement. / Central Research Committee of the Vaal University of Technology

Thesis (M.B.A.)-Business Studies Unit, Durban University of Technology, 2006 v, 96 leaves, Annexures A-F / The marginal and low-income groups face a number of obstacles in their quest to secure housing finance to improve their living conditions. South Africa has a sophisticated and effective finance system. However, it appears that the only beneficiaries from it are the middle and upper income groups of the housing market. The whole system of accessing housing finance has proven to be problematic for the marginal and lower income groups for various reasons, among others: it is not user friendly and is not easily understood by an illiterate or poorly educated person. The key challenge for the South African housing finance system is to find ways of bridging the gap between those who have a regular income and those who do not. The credit gap exists because of the relationship between risk and cost which is a standard lending issue across the globe. The study has unpacked the obstacles by looking at the literature and role players in the housing finance. / M

[pt] O contrato de concessão das empresas de distribuição de energia com a Agência Nacional de Energia Elétrica – ANEEL estabelece que as distribuidoras são obrigadas a investir anualmente um percentual de sua Receita Operacional Líquida em Programas de Eficiência Energética e Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, de acordo com alguns parâmetros básicos determinados pela Agência. Esses programas têm como foco conscientizar a sociedade para a importância de ações de combate ao consumo irresponsável de energia elétrica, além da viabilidade econômica e estímulo ao desenvolvimento de equipamentos, processos e usos finais de energia mais eficazes. Após a regulamentação da Lei 12.212 de 2010, o perfil do beneficiário foi alterado unicamente para clientes que estão cadastrados na Tarifa Social de Energia Elétrica, com base no Cadastro Único para Programas Sociais do Governo Federal. Esse trabalho busca informar as principais ações de um projeto do Programa de Eficiência Energética direcionadas à população de baixa renda: a seleção dos beneficiários baseada na aplicação de um questionário de prospecção, a distribuição geográfica dos beneficiários, além de demonstrar, através de um exemplo prático e real voltado para a substituição de geladeiras, os impactos provocados na eficiência operacional de uma ação logística, com base em um estudo de acompanhamento dos processos objetivando sua melhoria. / [en] The concession of power distribution companies with the National Electric Energy Agency - ANEEL establishes that energy distributors are required to invest a percentage of their annual Net Operating Revenue (NOR) in Energy Efficiency Programs (EEP) and Research and Development (P and D), according to some basic parameters set by the Agency. This program focuses on raising society s awareness over the importance of actions to combat the irresponsible consumption of electricity, in addition to the economic feasibility and to stimulate the development of equipment, processes and more effective end use energy. After the regulation of Law 12.212 / 2010, the profile of the beneficiary was changed to only customers that are registered in the Social Tariff for Electric Power, based in the Single Registry for Social Programmes of the Federal Government. In line with the best management practices applied to various sectors of the world economy, Logistics assumes the responsibility of managing several processes related to the Program of Efficient use of Energy. This master thesis seeks to inform the reader about the main actions of a project of the Program for low-income population, which relying on several steps: selection of the beneficiaries after evaluation of a questionnaire, the geographical distribution of the beneficiaries, and a description of a practical example of substituting old refrigerators. In order to improve the present and similar future processes, the real impacts caused by the operational efficiency of logistics action, are evaluated.

[pt] Este trabalho investiga, sob a perspectiva do encontro de serviço, como os alunos de baixa renda - bolsistas - lidam com as diferenças e os preconceitos vividos em um ambiente acadêmico de elite. Encontro de serviço é um conceito que tem origem e importância no marketing de serviços e que trás para este trabalho o papel dos alunos como consumidores de um serviço. O trabalho, de cunho prático, introduz no encontro de serviços o que alguns autores, particularmente Sue et al. (2010), chamam de microagressões. Estuda as estratégias de enfrentamento diante das diferenças socioeconômicas e culturais e o modo como lidam com o preconceito. Foram realizadas várias entrevistas com alunos de último período de graduação de universidade privada para identificar os principais temas ligados às dificuldades de integração e de adaptação. Os resultados indicam que a agressão ocorre de forma sutil, velada e indireta e, em muitos casos, o autor sequer tem a consciência de que comete uma ação de discriminação. Após essa etapa, as principais questões foram levantadas e classificadas segundo o tipo de microagressão, seguindo o modelo de análise de Sue et al. (2010), com o objetivo de compreender o nível de consciência de quem pratica a ação, seja ele professor, aluno ou funcionário e o grau de prejuízo causado a esse grupo de consumidores. As principais questões encontradas, como exclusão e isolamento mostram a necessidade de pensar medidas gerenciais que busquem atender as necessidades deste grupo de consumidores em desvantagem, em relação aos demais. Neste sentido, este trabalho pode auxiliar as universidades e seus gestores no entendimento dos preconceitos vividos por esses consumidores e nas possibilidades de solução. / [en] This work investigates how low-income students handle prejudices in a university elite environment. To that end, it adopts two standpoints. First, it supports the perspective of the service encounter as an underlying concept for the role of students as consumers. Second, it introduces the concept of microaggressions (SUE et al, 2010) to the academic scene of service s marketing. This study also acknowledges the socioeconomic and cultural differences of students as the primary cause of the aggressions. Because of this, the study has a particular concern with how students deal with prejudice. Accordingly, it focuses on the coping strategies students adopt in the face of discrimination. This study results from several interviews with undergraduate students to identify the difficulties of integration and adaptation. The findings indicate that aggressions occur in a subtle, veiled and indirect way. In many cases, even the perpetrator is unaware of the discrimination action. Finally, the work presents a classification of microaggressions following the model of Sue et al. (2010). This model addresses two central issues. The first is the level of awareness of who does the action, be it teacher, student or employee. The other is the degree of damage caused to the consumers. Equally important is to add here the concerns with isolation and exclusion. All these questions require proper managerial attention.

Thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree of Master of Science in Development Planning to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, School of Architecture and Planning at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2017 / Throughout the 21st century, floods have caused major disasters in urban areas worldwide and especially in Africa. Several factors influence the ability of government to manage flood disasters through the phases of, preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery at a local level. The vulnerability of poor communities to flood disasters exacerbates the impact of the flooding on their livelihoods. The inability of governments to communicate effectively with communities about preparedness strategies for flood mitigation has resulted in much damage in urban areas. The study used semi-structured interviews with Disaster Management officials and community members involved in flooding to evaluate the Disaster Risk Management in Bramfischerville. The fieldwork took place in Bramfischerville that was affected by the 2009 floods. The research revealed that the 2009 Bramfischerville floods were caused by heavy rains, the building of RDP housing on a floodplain and ineffective implementation of Disaster Management strategies by the CoJ. This research argues that in order to understand flood disasters, cooperation between all stakeholders involved in Disaster Management is vital in knowledge accumulation. The 2009 floods had negatively impacted the livelihoods of people in Bramfischerville. Their houses were damaged and they had difficulty traveling to work and school. In this view, the costs associated with floods are continuously being a debt for the people living in Bramfischerville. This research found that the disjuncture between the community and the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) officials exacerbates the negative impacts floods have on people’s livelihoods in Bramfischerville. / MT2018

Thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment for the degree of Master of the Built Environment in Housing to the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, School of Architecture and Planning at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2017 / The research report is based on the complex nature of land registration within a township establishment process in South Africa. Post 1994 democratic government have placed a great emphasis on land tenure security. Therefore it becomes crucial for government departments to identify, acquire and expropriate land for the provision of affordable integrated human settlements. The political drive for low income housing developments results in community pressured projects, disregarding the opening of a township register which enables individual title transfers. Several townships established on municipal owned land are incomplete wherein the General Plan is approved but not registered at the deeds office, hampering deed of transfers to allocated beneficiaries. Land exchanges, employer housing allowance, family inheritance and insurance contracts necessitate land ownership declaration. The various land tenure security approaches are explored and argued for formal recognition since they have been proven to be working successfully in other parts of the world. / XL2018