The purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between socioeconomic status and mental health-related quality of life in a micropolitan community in Iowa and to determine the effect of neighborhood social cohesion, neighborhood violence, and unfair treatment on this relationship. I hypothesized that socioeconomic status would be correlated with mental health quality of life, such that those of low or middle socioeconomic status would have greater odds of reporting poor mental health quality of life than those of high socioeconomic status. Furthermore, I hypothesized that lower perceived neighborhood social cohesion, having reported neighborhood violence in the past six months, and having reported an experience of unfair treatment in the past six months would be associated with being of low socioeconomic status. I then explored which of these factors are the best predictors of poor mental health quality of life when considered together. The study is a secondary data analysis of health information gathered from a large, random-digit dial telephone survey of residents of Ottumwa, Iowa. To address the research questions, responses from a total of 1079 surveys were analyzed. Participants were clustered into three socioeconomic status groupings based on the following factors: annual household income, highest level of education completed, current work status, whether the respondent owned or rented their home, and whether the respondent's household fell at or below 125 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. Mental health quality of life was measured using questions from the CDC's Healthy Days Measure that specifically ask about mental health. Bivariate relationships between variables were calculated utilizing chi-square tests of independence. A series of logistic regression models were then conducted to further explore these relationships. Results showed that those belonging to the low socioeconomic status group had about four times the odds of reporting poor mental health quality of life than those in the high socioeconomic status group. The relationship did not hold true for those in the middle socioeconomic status group, as they had similar odds of reporting poor mental health quality of life than those in the high socioeconomic status group. Results also showed that neighborhood violence, low neighborhood social cohesion, and experiencing unfair treatment were also independently associated with reporting poor mental health quality of life as well as being of low socioeconomic status. Results of the logistic regression model containing the social and neighborhood factors showed that neighborhood social cohesion and perceived unfair treatment were significantly associated with greater odds of reporting poor mental health quality of life. These relationships remained after including demographic co-variates in the model. Low socioeconomic status, lower neighborhood social cohesion, and reporting experience of unfair treatment significantly predicted greater odds of reporting poor mental health quality of life. These results should be interpreted with caution, as data was cross-sectional and inferences about causality cannot be made. Further research investigating the possible causal pathway underlying this relationship is needed.

This thesis examines the impacts of inclement weather days on AP exam scores in public schools, specifically low socioeconomic districts, and the assessment of their current closure procedures. By investigating the potential disruption in scores by inclement weather days, I can create a new dataset in analyzing a field that has yet to be studied through this lens, in addition to advising future policy for district superintendents and state government officials. The areas studied include Massachusetts and Georgia, representing states that are properly prepared for inclement weather closures and are under-prepared for inclement weather, respectively. I use two research methods to fully understand the quantitative and qualitative effects of inclement weather closures. The first is a quantitative analysis of district-level data on inclement weather days and AP exam scores over the past five years. To accomplish this, I contacted public-school districts in the two states involved in the case study to get raw data on school closures and combine this with already available datasets on AP exam score performance. The second is a qualitative account of inclement weather days from teachers and superintendents from districts across both states to establish their opinions regarding school closures and investigate the decision-making process in canceling school. In this qualitative assessment, I observe the roles that socioeconomic status and public transportation, among other factors, play in cancelations. This thesis seeks to challenge the argument proposed by previous research that snow days have no effect on test performance. Previously, this was measured by looking at state-wide exams. By using AP exams as a performance measure instead, a more direct impact on exam scores is expected due to the immovable testing dates and content- specific nature of the exams. Policy recommendations are given to accommodate the negative relationship between closures and test scores, given socioeconomic status.

L’objectif général de la thèse était d’étudier le rôle des déterminants sociaux dans l’asthme avec un intérêt particulier pour des aspects méthodologiques de caractérisation du contexte social de résidence.La première partie de la thèse visait à étudier l’hypothèse d’une association entre le niveau socioéconomique (NSE) et la pollution de l’air qui est un facteur de risque important de l’asthme. Nous avons étudié spécifiquement l’association entre le NSE évalué à un niveau individuel (niveau d’études et catégorie socioprofessionnelle) et contextuel (taux de chômage du quartier de résidence) en lien avec l’exposition au dioxyde d’azote (NO2), un marqueur du trafic routier, dans 16 villes d’Europe occidentale (n=5692, 3 cohortes). Dans les analyses stratifiées par ville, nous avons observé que le NSE individuel n’était généralement pas associé au NO2, alors que l’indicateur contextuel était associé positivement et significativement au NO2 dans la majorité des villes.La deuxième partie de la thèse visait à mieux comprendre l’association entre le NSE et le contrôle de l’asthme, objectif majeur de la prise en charge thérapeutique. Ce travail a d’abord porté sur des aspects méthodologiques d’évaluation du contexte social de résidence dans la cohorte E3N (Etude Epidémiologique auprès des femmes de la Mutuelle Générale de l’Education Nationale). La comparaison de trois indices de désavantage (n=63888) a mis en évidence l’intérêt de l’indice FDep (French Deprivation Index) pour caractériser le contexte de résidence de cette cohorte spécifique de femmes âgées avec un NSE relativement élevé comparé à celles de la population générale française. Ce travail a ensuite porté sur l’étude de l’association entre le NSE, individuel et contextuel, et le contrôle de l’asthme dans l’étude Asthma-E3N, une étude cas-témoin sur la santé respiratoire, nichée dans la cohorte E3N. Parmi les 2258 femmes avec un asthme actuel, les femmes avec un niveau d’études moyen (OR= 1.2 (1.0 ; 1.6)) ou bas (1.9 (1.4 ; 2.6)) avaient significativement un moins bon contrôle de leur asthme que celles avec un niveau d’études élevé (≥Bac+3). Les femmes qui résidaient dans les quartiers les plus désavantagés avaient plus fréquemment un asthme non contrôlé, quel que soit leur niveau d’études.Ces résultats montrent l’importance de prendre en compte le niveau socioéconomique au niveau individuel et contextuel dans l’étude des facteurs de risque de l’asthme. / The general aim of the thesis was to study the role of social determinants in asthma with a particular focus on methodological aspects to characterize neighborhood social context.The first part of the thesis aimed to investigate the hypothesis of a differential exposure to air pollution, an important risk factor for asthma. Specifically, we studied the association between socioeconomic position (SEP) assessed at individual-level (educational level and occupational status) and neighborhood-level (unemployment rate) and exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2), a marker of traffic exhaust, in 16 western European cities. In stratified analyses, including 5692 participants from three European cohorts, association between individual SEP and NO2 were generally weak and inconsistent in direction. The neighborhood unemployment rate was positively and significantly associated with NO2 in most of the cities studied.The second part of the thesis aimed to better understand the association between socioeconomic position and asthma control, the main target of asthma management. We first focused on methodological aspects to characterize neighborhood social context in the E3N cohort. We compared three indices of deprivation and showed that the French Deprivation Index was the most appropriate to measure neighborhood social context in this specific cohort composed of elderly women with higher socioeconomic profile than the elderly women in the general French population. We then investigated the association between SEP, at individual- and area-level, and asthma control in Asthma-E3N, a case-control study on asthma nested in the E3N cohort. Including 2258 women with current asthma, the analysis showed that women with medium and low educational level had more often uncontrolled asthma than women with high educational level. Women living in deprived neighborhood had more often uncontrolled asthma independently of their educational level.

Magister Psychologiae - MPsych / Previous studies on motivation of higher education students have predominantly focused on the role of motivation in academic achievement. The aim of this study was to identify what motivates students to attend university and to establish the connection of this motivational orientation to demographic correlates. A correlational research design was employed and data was analysed by means of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Correlational analysis (Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r)) was used to determine the strength of the association between demographic factors and student motivations for attending university.

Thesis advisor: Juliet Schor / This study aims to understand the prevalence and consequences of food insecurity among four-year undergraduate students at Boston College. It used an anonymous survey to collect data on students’ experiences making financial decisions about food and eating in the Fall of 2019. The final analytic sample consisted of 325 undergraduate students. The study found that roughly 13% of participants were characterized as experiencing food insecurity. Students who received high levels of financial aid and individuals who identified as first-generation college students were more likely to experience characteristics of food insecurity. Students experiencing food insecurity also reported a variety of social, emotional, behavioral, and academic consequences. This study finds that food insecurity is an issue at Boston College and suggests that faculty and administrators should urgently address students’ difficulties ensuring consistent access to food. / Thesis (BA) — Boston College, 2020. / Submitted to: Boston College. College of Arts and Sciences. / Discipline: Departmental Honors. / Discipline: Sociology.

Low-income parents value excellent schools, yet often enroll their children in low-performing schools. The literature is inconclusive when examining how low-income families go through school choice decisions. It is important to understand the school decision-making process among different racial groups because choosing a good school improves later academic outcomes. Choosing a good elementary school is especially important because this is a critical period in a child's development and can affect performance in subsequent educational institutions. I am interested in understanding how race/ethnicity shapes how low-income parents make decisions about schools. Using interview data from an extensive qualitative study, I examine differences and similarities among white, Latino, and Polynesian parents' values of school quality and how they use those values to make school decisions for their children. By keeping social class constant, I delve into racial differences not previously discussed in the literature. I find racial distinctions among values and priorities in school decision-making. Ignoring these differences will create obstacles for policymakers and school administrators attempting to make a quality education available to children who come from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Orientador: Elton Eustáquio Casagrande / Resumo: Objetivo Analisar a inserção ocupacional de egressos de cursos com perfil agroindustrial, a partir das respostas do questionário institucional, conhecido como WebSAI-e, nas regiões administrativas do Estado de São Paulo, desenvolver uma avaliação comparada dos resultados, com ênfase aos egressos e da capacidade de firmar novos empreendedores. Procedimentos de Pesquisa Essa pesquisa utiliza as abordagens quantitativa e qualitativa, de natureza aplicada, com finalidade de caráter descritivo por apresentar e analisar aspectos da instituição de ensino Centro Paula Souza, o objeto do estudo. O procedimento de coleta utilizado foi documental, a partir de relatórios obtidos pela aplicação do questionário institucional via sistema eletrônico denominado de WebSAI-e. O foco da análise qualitativa é a descrição do CPS, sua estrutura e concepção do ensino para o êxito na inserção dos egressos no mercado de trabalho. A unidade de análise quantitativa da pesquisa é a condição ocupacional do egresso, obtida através das respostas do WebSAI-e, com série histórica de 2013 a 2018. Resultados e Discussões A partir das análises desenvolvidas sob a inserção ocupacional dos egressos de cursos com perfil agroindustrial contatou-se que as atividades empreendedoras remuneradas, relacionadas aos cursos técnicos que realizaram, nos setores agricultura / pecuária, comércio, indústria e serviços é 10,63% e que as regiões administrativas oferecem oportunidades de atuação com carteira assinada e como empree... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Purpose To analyze the occupational insertion of graduates of courses with agroindustrial profile, from the answers of the institutional questionnaire, known as WebSAI-e, in the administrative regions of the State of São Paulo, to develop a comparative evaluation of the results, with emphasis on the graduates and the ability to firm new entrepreneurs. Design This research uses the quantitative and qualitative approaches, applied in nature, with the purpose of descriptive character to present and analyze aspects of the educational institution Centro Paula Souza, the object of the study. The collection procedure used was documentary, based on reports obtained by applying the institutional questionnaire via the electronic system called WebSAI-e. The focus of the qualitative analysis is the description of CPS, its structure and conception of teaching for the successful insertion of graduates in the labor market. The unit of quantitative analysis of the survey is the occupational condition of the egress, obtained through WebSAI-e responses, with historical series from 2013 to 2018. Findings and Discussions From the analysis developed under the occupational insertion of the graduates of courses with agro-industrial profile it was found that the paid entrepreneurial activities, related to the technical courses that took, in the agriculture / livestock, commerce, industry and services sectors is 10.63% and that The administrative regions offer opportunities for acting with a formal c... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Attitudes towards immigration in Ireland are the focus of this study and, more specifically, what aspects of life the native-born population perceive to be impacted by immigration into Ireland in 2018. This thesis uses two primary socioeconomic attributes of the native-born respondents as explanatory variables, focusing on education and income levels of the native-born population. The aim of this study is to examine the association between attitudes towards immigration, across different attitudinal dimensions, and socioeconomic status of native-born individuals in the Republic of Ireland in 2018. This thesis uses data taken from round 9 of the European Social Survey and purports that individuals (i) without tertiary education and (ii) on low-incomes will be more likely to oppose immigration across all dimensions of attitudes to immigration, all else equal. In addition, it propagates the idea that individuals will be more likely to oppose immigration due to the perceived effect of immigration on the economy, all else being equal.  This research draws on Group threat theory and Contact theory as the foundation for the hypotheses and research questions and enables investigation into the primary socioeconomic determinants influencing attitudes towards immigration in Ireland. Furthermore, whether an association exists between socioeconomic status and attitudes across all attitudinal dimensions is explored.  The results indicate that, all else equal, those who studied to at least a tertiary level are more likely to display positive attitudes towards immigration than those without a tertiary education, regardless of attitudinal dimension. Similarly, those on the highest incomes are more likely to exhibit positive attitudes to immigration across all dimensions compared to their low-income counterparts, all else being equal. Interestingly however, this thesis did not find statistically significant evidence that individuals will be more likely to oppose immigration due to the perceived impact of immigration on the economy, as was originally hypothesised.

Heatwave studies typically estimate heat-related mortality and morbidity risks at the city level; few have addressed the heterogeneous risks by socioeconomic status (SES) and location within a city. This study aimed to examine the impacts of heatwaves on mortality outcomes in Memphis, Tennessee, a Mid-South metropolitan area top-ranked in morbidity and poverty rates, and to investigate the effects of SES and urbanicity. Mortality data were retrieved from the death records in 2008–2017, and temperature data from the Applied Climate Information System. Heatwave days were defined based on four temperature metrics. Heatwave effects on daily total-cause, cardiovascular, and respiratory mortality were evaluated using Poisson regression, accounting for temporal trends, sociodemographic factors, urbanicity, and air pollution. We found higher cardiovascular mortality risk (cumulative RR (relative risk) = 1.25, 95% CI (confidence interval): 1.01–1.55) in heatwave days defined as those with maximum daily temperature >95th percentile for more than two consecutive days. The effects of heatwaves on mortality did not differ by SES, race, or urbanicity. The findings of this study provided evidence to support future heatwave planning and studies of heatwave and health impacts at a coarser geographic resolution.

Background: To throw light on the under-researched association between socioeconomic position (SEP) and health in Cuba, this study examined SEP gradients in health and their underlying mechanisms among urban Cuban adults aged 18-65. Methods: By applying linear regressions to data from the 2010 National Survey on Risk Factors and Chronic Diseases, the analysis explored the SEP-health gradient along three SEP dimensions-education, occupation, and skin colour-using ten health measures: Self-reported health (SRH), general and abdominal obesity, hypertension, high glucose, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, metabolic syndrome, and cumulative risk factors. Regressions also included behaviours and health-related risk perceptions (tobacco and alcohol consumption, diet, physical activity, and risk-related behaviours). It thus investigated the SEP-health gradient and its underlying mechanisms via both behaviours and health-related risk perceptions. Results: Once controlling for gender, age, marital status, region and provincial dummies, the analysis detected educational gradients in SRH (estimated coefficient [95% CI]: Middle-level education = 3.535 [1.329, 5.741], p < 0.01; high-level education = 5.249 [3.050, 7.448], p < 0.01) that are partially explainable by both health-affecting behaviours (tobacco and alcohol consumption, diet, physical and sedentary activity) and risk perceptions. Using objective measures of health, however, it found no SEP-health gradients other than hypertension among people identified as having Black skin color (adjusted for demographic variables, 0.060 [0.018, 0.101], p < 0.01) and high cholesterol among those identified as having Mulatto or Mestizo skin color (adjusted for demographic variables,-0.066 [-0.098,-0.033], p < 0.01). Conclusions: In terms of objective health measures, the study provides minimal evidence for an SEP-health gradient in Cuba, results primarily attributable to the country's universal healthcare system-which offers full coverage and access and affordable medications- A nd its highly developed education system.