The primary hypothesis of this study was that low-income individuals purchase more packaged foods of lower healthiness and lower price compared to similar packaged foods of higher healthiness and higher price. The Nutrition Metric was chosen as the system to measure the nutritional value of foods because it is in the public domain and uses nutrients common to the Nutrition Facts panel; however, prior to use, the validity of the Nutrition Metric needed to be tested. The convergent validation of the Nutrition Metric was tested with four systems (NuVal, Guiding Stars, WXYfm, Go-Slow-Whoa) that met the study criteria. A sample of 600 foods that were purchased over a 104 week period that ended in November 2009 by 34,407 low-income households was drawn to achieve at least 168 items having scores available for each system. The Nutrition Metric had a positive correlation with all scoring systems for the 174 foods (P<0.01) that verified its validity as a tool to assess food healthiness. The Nutrition Metric was used to measure the healthiness of packaged products from the list of low-income food purchases (n=316). Products had a negative mean healthiness score of -0.88 ± 1.72 and low levels (<5% Daily Value) of dietary fiber, vitamin A and C, iron, and cholesterol. The majority of the products (n=305) did not have a nutrient claim on product packaging. The Nutrition Metric was a successful tool that can be utilized to assess the healthiness differences between products with and without nutrient claims purchased by low-income shoppers with counterpart products at the supermarket. Food price and healthiness differences were evaluated for the list of packaged products (n=305 (minus 11 single ingredient cooking staples)) commonly purchased by low-income shoppers to counterpart products of the same brand and package size with or without nutrient claims. Products with nutrient claims (n=77), on average, had higher healthiness scores and prices than products without claims (n=77) (P<0.01). Research and education initiatives that promote the selection of products with claims instead of products without claims are potential options to improve the diets of low-income consumers. / text

This report examines the spatial characteristics of tax credit housing within the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) for the years 2007 through 2009. The report analyzes tax-credit affordable housing sites in an attempt to determine the effects that geographically based program guidelines have on the distribution of LIHTC developments, and low-income communities throughout the area. Moreover, the report suggests recommendations for the clarification of program goals and objectives, the improvement of project application review procedures, and the revision of existing rules and development incentives. / text

Research has shown that caregivers are confronted with a number of stressors such as burnout, compassion fatigue, and post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of being in direct or close contact with the people suffering from chronic diseases such as HIV/AIDS. However, relevant and professional training, and effective self-care strategies could prevent such stressors. Using the “Individual Interviews with Formal Caregivers” dataset, this study looked at the experiences of seventeen caregivers who provided care to stigmatized and low income people of living with HIV/AIDS. The study sought to understand how the well-being of caregivers was impacted by providing care to stigmatized and low income people living with HIV/AIDS in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Also, it examined how formal caregivers perceived their relationship with people living with HIV/AIDS at their care. The findings suggested that caregivers were confronted with and experienced stressors such as burnout, compassion fatigue, and secondary traumatic stress due to having direct and close relationships with people living with HIV/AIDS in their care. Medical caregivers treating HIV/AIDS patients perceived these as formal professional relationships; however, most caregivers working in community support, community outreach, and education sectors understood their caregiving relationships with people living with HIV/AIDS as that of supporter and helper. There was not much research on how caregivers in HIV/AIDS sector perceived their relationships with people living with HIV in their care, so further research is needed to explore the nature of the relationship between the caregiver and care recipients. Finally, this study enriched the existing research on this topic by providing an insight on how caregivers in HIV sector perceive their relationships with individuals living with HIV/ AIDS in their care. / October 2015

Thesis (MTech. degree in Public Management.)--Tshwane University of Technology, 2012. / This study has examined the implementation of the incremental housing process, or as the researcher has termed it, self-driven housing, in rural South Africa. Self-driven housing is the type of housing where individual households drive the processes of addressing their own housing issues, with government playing a supporter role. The purpose of the study was to obtain a thorough understanding of how this process has been implemented internationally and in South Africa to improve the lives and living spaces of the rural poor. Most importantly, this study was aimed at investigating whether this process can be considered a viable alternative to the provision of free low-cost government houses in the quest for reducing the housing backlog, in South Africa in general, and urban areas in particular. In other words, "Can the self-driven housing approach be a solution to the housing crisis in South Africa?"

Despite the considerable improvements in housing conditions during the last decade, housing still remains a critical determinant of one’s health. Broader social and environmental issues that are associated with housing and health problems have emerged. Such issues include neighborhood characteristics, individual behaviors and associated health outcomes, social backgrounds, and housing affordability as well as the physical conditions of housing. Many low-income families’ substandard housing conditions make them suffer from housing-related health problems more seriously. This report suggests a green affordable housing program, in particular Green Communities, as one of the solutions to address this issue. To understand how Green Communities affects one’s health, this report evaluates existing Green Communities’ criteria against housing health performance criteria that are developed based on a literature review. After the evaluation, this report suggests how current green affordable housing practices can be improved to be a health promotion tool. / text

The huge housing backlog that plagues South Africa requires concerted effort to develop capacity for low-income delivery systems that will improve the socioeconomic conditions of low-income people. Social housing, and housing associations in particular are recent housing delivery systems that promise to meet the needs of low-income people in South Africa. It is the intention of this research to investigate to what extent housing associations can improve housing delivery and improve the socio-economic conditions of low-income people. The literature review provides information on national experience in housing delivery. It investigates the difficulties of housing provision and how delivery fails to meet the needs of low-income people in South Africa. An international model of housing associations is used to provide an alternative form of delivery that may assist in reducing the backlog. The research uses integrated development as a framework for housing delivery. This paradigm advocates mixed landuse, and mixed income housing. Thus, it a move against 'housing in the veld" and 'one house one plot' delivery, and encourages housing delivery that is integrated with other functions within the inner city. Two examples of Johannesburg's inner city housing associations, namely Navarone and Jeppe Oval are used as case studies. These two case studies suit an integrated development approach. The survey includes a sample of 30 people from the two housing associations. Data analysis of the socio-economic issues and responses of tenants suggests that housing associations provide better living conditions and therefore a viable option for housing delivery in inner city areas of South Africa. / Thesis (M.Sc.U.R.P.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1998.

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1997.

Childhood obesity has become an increasingly important public health concern in Canada. This paper provides an econometric analysis of the role of income and other explanatory factors on adolescent overweight and obese statuses within Canada using data from the 2009/2010 Canadian Community Health Survey. Results reveal the importance of low-income status on adolescent body weight. The effect of low income is particularly pronounced after accounting for household size. However, it does not account for much of the additional incidence of overweight and obesity in the Atlantic region of Canada.

<p>For close to a decade, Zimbabwe has experienced a protracted socio-economic crisis. Although it is affecting both rural and urban areas, major forms of formal safety nets by the Government and Non-Governmental Organisations have been confined to rural areas. On the other hand the virtual collapse of the formal food marketing system in urban areas and the high formal unemployment rates have contributed to increased vulnerability of low income urban households to food insecurity. Using qualitative research methods, the study set out to understand livelihoods of low income urban households in Dzivaresekwa. In particular strategies low income households employ to cope with the negative macro-economic environment prevailing in Zimbabwe.</p>

An individual’s housing situation can have a significant impact on their well-being and overall health. Low-income individuals and those on social assistance often have little choice in housing. Increased housing satisfaction can have an immediate impact on quality of life and can also have influence in the longer-term. This case study examines the satisfaction and well-being of tenants in a Winnipeg, Manitoba low-income housing project. The buildings that are part of the Kikinaw Housing Project were renovated using green building strategies, a tenant-centred management model is being implemented, and there are several social supports available exclusively to tenants. Interviews and focus groups were conducted with tenants, support staff and management. The practicum concludes that tenants are more satisfied with their living conditions at Kikinaw compared to their previous residence. Residents generally feel better about their health, have more social ties, and take pride in their homes. This improvement in tenant’s lives in turn strengthens the community. The practicum concludes with eight recommendations for housing providers, policy makers, and government bodies. These are divided into three categories: delivery of services, funding provisions and policy, and green and community enhancements. Recommendations include: i) more tenant involvement, ii) improving people’s ability to deal with stress, iii) flexible funding and support, iv) consistent funding and cooperation, v) enhancing social interaction and community, vi) green housing for all incomes levels, vii) resident education about the project, viii) healthy housing policy and healthy public policy.