The prevalence and severity of childhood overweight has climbed dramatically in the past three decades and is recognized as a serious public health concern that requires urgent action. The home environment has been identified as a key influence on the diet and physical activity of children. Furthermore, low-income families experience obesity at higher rates and current interventions have not been translated from research to practice settings. Therefore, there is a need to evaluate the potential for evidence-based obesity treatment strategies to be translated into community or clinical delivery settings that reach broadly into the population of low-income families. In addition, while the home environment has successfully been targeted to treat childhood obesity, there is a paucity of measurement tools available to provide a comprehensive assessment of the home physical and social environment as it pertains to physical activity and dietary intake. This dissertation includes: (1) a mixed-methods study to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of a childhood obesity treatment intervention based on a partnership with a Health Care Organization and delivered through Cooperative Extension, (2) a systematic review of home environmental measures related to physical activity and dietary intake, and (3) a home environment measure development and validation study. Smart Choices for Healthy Families (SC) was developed through a research-practice partnership that included a local healthcare provider (Carilion Clinic), Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE), and an interdisciplinary research team. The aim of this study was to assess the reach, implementation, and effectiveness of SC to reduce the BMI z-scores of overweight and obese children from low-income families. The resultant intervention, based on an evidence-based social-ecological model, included brief physician counseling and referral, six-biweekly group sessions taught by VCE lay leaders, and six automated telephone counseling calls on alternate weeks. Twenty-six of 264 eligible children (50% boys; mean age=10.5 years) were recruited and 78% completed baseline and 3-month assessments. Over the 6 class sessions, there was an average 65% attendance rate and an average 58% completion rate for the automated telephone calls. Results revealed a significant reduction in children's BMI z-score (p<0.01), an increase in lean muscle mass (p<0.001) and weight (p<0.05), and an increase in Health Related Quality of Life (HRQL; p<0.0001). The participating group had a higher income (p<0.05) and also participated in fewer food assistance programs (p<0.05). Despite this small difference, Smart Choices reached a sample that was representative of the larger target population and was effective in reducing BMI z-score, increasing lean muscle mass, and improving HRQL of low-income obese children. A systematic review was conducted of the measures of the home environment in order to collect and synthesize the current body of literature. It was found that some authors choose to use non-validated measures and that there is an inconsistent use of measures across the field, making comparisons between studies difficult and conclusions regarding parental influence on childhood obesity difficult to discern. The psychometric properties that were reported on these studies are reported in this review. Through the systematic review of literature a number of measures were identified that assessed different aspects of the home environment. These measures were compiled and combined to generate a comprehensive tool to assess the physical and social aspects of the home environment that could influence eating and physical activity. This measure plus a social-ecological framework for the measure were provided to experts in the field who provided information on potential areas that had been overlooked and advice on additions or contractions of items and scales. The modified measure, the Comprehensive Home Environment Survey (CHES), was then tested for reliability and validity in a low-income audience. Parent-child dyads (n=132; Children 47% girls, age range 5 to 17; Parent 82% mothers; mean age=36) were recruited through a pediatric clinic in Roanoke, Virginia, that serves a primarily low-income audience (i.e., 95% eligible for Medicaid). Each of these parents completed the assessment tool and additional surveys to assess concurrent and predictive validity. Height and weight was assessed in each child, and children between the ages of 9 and 17 also completed nutrition and physical activity self-report surveys. Test-retest reliability was assessed in 43 parents who complete the survey a second time one-to-two-weeks following the initial assessment. Inter-rater reliability was assessed in 36 cases by having a spouse or second care-giver complete the assessment tool. Internal consistency, test-retest, inter-rater reliability, and predictive validity all showed promising results. Across the scales internal consistency was adequate to high with Cronbach's Alphas ranging from 0.67-0.92, test-retest reliability was high with Pearson Correlations ranging from 0.73-0.97 and inter-rater reliability was higher with Pearson Correlations ranging from 0.42-0.92. Finally, the CHES displayed predictive validity with subscale scores predicting outcome behaviors (e.g., parents who modeling more physical activity had children who were more active). This dissertation demonstrated that the home environment is a key factor in the treatment of childhood obesity and provides avenues for both intervention and measurement in this field of study. / Ph. D.

The incidence of type 2 diabetes has greatly increased in the U.S. population over the last decade and continues to increase each year. Over 90% of those with diabetes have type 2 diabetes, for which obesity, diet, and inadequate physical activity remain the strong nongenetic determinants. In Virginia between 1994 and 1996, the estimated number of people with diabetes was 220,000 and another 75,000 were estimated to have the disease, but did not know it (http://www.vahealth.org accessed 7/10/01). A study has been conducted that involves two separate surveys. The Community Diabetes Education Survey (CDES) was an interview questionnaire or mailed questionnaire for assessing community diabetes education resources and was completed by Extension Nutrition and Wellness Specialty Agents and five Area EFNEP/FSNEP coordinators located throughout Virginia. The Diabetes Patient Survey was a client interview questionnaire assessing the attitudes, behaviors, and knowledge of persons with diabetes. This survey was conducted by FSNEP Program Assistants. More than 150 low-income adults who have type 2 diabetes and were enrolled in FSNEP at the time of data collection were interviewed. The results from this study showed hospitals were the main health agency to fill out CDES-II. Most diabetes education done by extension is delivered through a combination of methods like group classes, individual counseling sessions, phone or e-mail, and providing handouts. Almost all of the health agencies offer diabetes diagnosis and treatment for adults. Results from this study showed on gender, age, and race, the study sample was similar to the total FSNEP population, except that the percentage of African Americans was higher among the diabetes patients than among the general FSNEP population. The African American subjects also had diabetes longer (12 years vs. 8 years), although their current mean age was the same as Caucasians. The study did not reveal substantial differences in African Americans and Caucasians regarding recommendations they had received on dietary practices. Forty-nine percent of study's participants were physically active. Most participants exercised two to three times per week, for only 15 to 30 minutes at a time. The purpose of this research was to assess the extent to which diabetes education is available and easily accessible to the low-income adult population in Virginia and to assess FSNEP clients regarding attitudes, behaviors, and knowledge that may affect their management of diabetes. / Master of Science

While the market of high-class apartment in Vietnam remains rather „quiet‟, the medium and low-price apartment segments are attracting investors‟ interest and becoming scarce because the demand is growing faster than the supply (VietRees,2009). Moreover, apartments for low-income people draw the attention of more buyers due to reasonable price matching their affordability.Investors in Vietnam have begun to re-consider the market and found out a great demand for accommodation from low-income population. Most of them are from different provinces in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) so they don‟t have proper houses. According to a recent statistics, more than 80% of HCMC citizens in the age range from 18 to 35 have to live with their family; more than 90% of the immigrated young people have to live in rented houses; more than 30% of the total number of families have to live in houses of less than 36m2; thousands of families have to live in houses below minimum standards (Xay Dung, 2009). Most of the rest have to rent houses with very poor living conditions. Especially, the majority of Vietnam populations who are young, dynamic and usually rush to big cities for jobs having high demand to own an apartment even when they are still single. Hence, we can see that the housing market for low-income earners is full of potential and quite attractive.~ ii ~By modeling main risk factors in Monte-Carlo simulation on financial performance of the project in HCMC, the findings demonstrate that the period of loan and apartment selling price (positive risk factors) make financial performance of the project increase faster than other risk factors (including inflation rate) that decrease the profit of the project. Besides policies and flexible financial systems, risk management should be implemented regularly to control these risk factors from the beginning to the end of the project. Therefore, I could support the entrepreneurs to plan economic strategy specifically and effectively such as recommending how to make both state-owned and private projects successful and create profits for investors at an acceptable degree of risks as well as how to bring accommodation to low-income people with reasonable prices.The project will provide accommodations for approximately 2000 people. This number may not be large enough to create a significant social impact. However, if this business model and my research bring to good result, making benefits for its inhabitants and profits for the investors, it can be multiplied in larger scale and scope, hence creating more practical socio-economic benefits. It can be said that this project is the seed, laying premises for bigger project afterwards.For these reasons, I hope that this study is useful not only to investors, researchers, and low-income people in Vietnam but also to those in Sweden.

Firstly, the government support system provided welfare support for single mothers through danwei institution and social assistance system. Danwei used to provide general welfare for single mothers and ensure their economic security. With the demise of danwei , many working single mothers started to xiagang (lose job) and became poor. Social assistance system was recently established in China to ensure the subsistence security of the poor and single mothers were also included. But since the subsistence allowance was too low, the benefit of its effect limited. / In the context of changing social economic and structure in China, poverty of single mothers is becoming an important issue in social policy and social welfare. How do single single mothers react against poverty? What kinds of welfare support are provided to them by the government, the market and the community? Could single single mothers alleviate poverty successfully under the present welfare support system? In order to answer these questions, this study takes the low-income single mothers in Beijing as the research target and examines the structure, context and effect of their welfare support system which were composed by the government, the market and the community. The study puts forward a new welfare support system design for single mothers by studying the main characters and the main problems of the actual welfare support system. / Secondly, the market support system provided welfare support through the free labor market. Single mothers in this study confronted the double discrimination due to gender and age in the labor market; and they usually only get low-income job in marginal employment. Most re-employed single mothers in this study were still living in poor conditions, they were in fact working poor. / The study concludes that to cope with poverty, single mothers in this Beijing small sample had to ask for formal welfare support, mainly social assistance, medical assistance and family assistance. Single mothers in this study had a welfare support system primarily based on the family and taking the family as the latent welfare provider by stressing the mutual responsibility of family members. Although this type of welfare support system can ensure the subsistence security of single mothers, it cannot help them stay away from threat of poverty. Considering the situation of China, it is suggested that the welfare support system for single mother should be primarily based on employment and taking the government, family and NGOs as the complementary sources of welfare support. This will help single mothers strengthen their self-development and independence, so they can positively and effectively respond to poverty. / The study takes a qualitative approach and the analysis is based on the materials stemmed from the in-depth interviews of 20 low-income single mothers in Beijing, Xuan Wu district which were taken on Nov 2006-Jan 2007 and Jan 2008-Mar 2008 respectively. The main findings are described as the following: / Thirdly, the community support system provided welfare support for single mothers through family, neighbours, colleagues, friends, community organizations and NGOs Family was the main support resource for single mothers in this study the government and the market. Parents, brothers and sisters had provided plenty of support for single mothers such like economic, house and caring support which helped them respond to poverty and other needs. The diversity of family support had led to the diversity of single mothers' economic status. The ex-husbands and their families usually had little connections with single mothers in this study and the former hardly provided any welfare support for them. The neighbours usually provided caring support while the colleagues and friends usually provided working and emotional supports. The community organizations and NGOs provided support for sourcing employment, emotional support and short-term monetary or material support for single mothers. / 黃霞. / Adviser: Chack Kie Wong. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 72-01, Section: A, page: . / Submitted: Nov. 2009 / Thesis (doctoral)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 286-306). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / Huang Xia.

The following thesis addresses the need for low income housing in Jamaica with the purpose of evaluating the existing circumstances that influence the growth or decline of the low income housing industry. The focus is on identifying solutions that fuel growth. Research on the current state of low income housing in Jamaica and the programs that have been established to aid in the development of such housing, was carried out in the United States and in Jamaica. Questionnaires were developed and sent to individuals within the construction industry, targeting those who participate on low income housing projects. The results were collected, analyzed, described, and were used to extrapolate the research results. From this conclusions were drawn and recommendations made. Although Jamaica is considered a developing nation, in some advancement the island operates on a first world level. However, challenged by economic development, providing low income housing is limited by the resources available and the effectiveness of the programs implemented. This research attempts to create an overview of Jamaicas low income housing industry.

Volatile and rising global fuel prices present a tremendous challenge to our energy-dependent economy, and the ramifications are especially great for low-income households. Residential weatherization programs represent a tremendous opportunity to shield vulnerable populations, but the allocation of funding and assessment of efficacy has historically been fraught with political and procedural hurdles. This report examines the methods of assessing the efficacy of low-income weatherization and proposes a set of best practices. / text

Thesis (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1990. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 156-165). Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--University of Washington, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 138-144).

O presente trabalho tem por objetivo descrever o valor percebido dos consumidores das camadas de baixa renda, moradores de bairros notadamente pobres de Porto Alegre, sobre o seu consumo de alimentos e produtos de limpeza, adquiridos preferencialmente em estabelecimentos comerciais (pequenos mercados) de bairros. Ao partir da premissa de que os consumidores das camadas de baixa renda pagam mais por seus alimentos e produtos de limpeza, se buscou investigar seus hábitos de consumo, procurando entender as motivações que norteiam seu consumo, aspectos cujo entendimento nos leva também a compreender o valor percebido que estes consumidores atribuem ao seu universo de consumo. Para tanto, o trabalho foi apoiado num referencial teórico essencialmente da área de marketing, transitando por aspectos essenciais da disciplina, como preço, comportamento de consumo, níveis de envolvimento e percepção de valor (noção de justiça X noção de injustiça). A opção pela abordagem qualitativa deve-se ao fato de que o objeto de estudo não demanda um resultado que possa ser expresso em números, mas a descrição e o melhor entendimento de um fenômeno social. Recentemente, Deighton; MacInnis; McGill & Shiv (2010) destacaram as pesquisas conceituais como ricas em ideias, na maior parte das vezes inovadoras, interessantes, fundamentadas teoricamente e capazes de estimular outras pesquisas, além de proporcionarem novas maneiras de se pensar o comportamento do consumidor. A utilização de uma etapa de observação ao trabalho proporcionou uma vivência fundamental do universo de estudo e sedimentou o terreno para a elaboração e execução das entrevistas em profundidade, instrumento este que propiciou uma riqueza significativa de informações na sua coleta. Por fim, a análise de conteúdo, apoiada nos trabalhos de Bardin (1979) e Minayo (2012), trouxe à tona resultados que demonstram um valor percebido de seu consumo altamente positivo pelas camadas de baixa renda da população, afastando a ideia de injustiça pelos preços mais altos que pagam e colocando os estabelecimentos comerciais (pequenos mercados) de bairros de baixa renda no centro de um processo de sociabilização das comunidades, aonde as pessoas encontram confiança, ética e, em especial, um universo de consumo com o qual tem afinidade cultural, colocando o valor percebido em um patamar muito distante dos modelos tradicionais de preço, qualidade e conveniência. / This monograph aims to describe the perceived value of low-income consumers, residents of poor neighborhoods in Porto Alegre, on their consumption of food and cleaning products, preferably acquired in neighborhood’s shops (small markets). Based on the premise that consumers of low income populations pay more for their food and cleaning products, seek to investigate their consumption habits, trying to understand the motivations that guide their consumption, aspects whose understanding leads us also to understand the perceived value these consumers attach to their universe of consumption. Therefore, the work was supported by a theoretical framework mainly in the area of marketing, moving through the essential aspects of the discipline, such as price, to consumer behavior, levels of involvement and perceived value (notion of justice X notion of injustice). The choice of a qualitative approach is due to the fact that the object of study does not require a result that can be expressed in numbers, but an understanding, as it is a description of a social phenomenon at its best. Recently, Deighton; MacInnis; Shiv & McGill (2010) highlighted the research conceptual as rich in ideas, in most cases innovative, interesting, theoretically grounded and able to stimulate further research, in addition to providing new ways of thinking about the behavior of consumer. Using an observation phase the work experience provided a fundamental study of the universe and cemented the ground for the development and implementation of in-depth interviews, this instrument that provided a significant wealth of information in its collection. Finally, content analysis, supported by the work of Bardin (1979) and Minayo (2012), brought up results that demonstrate a perceived value of their consumption highly positive by layers of low-income population, pushing the idea of injustice by higher prices they pay and putting commercial establishments (small markets) of low-income neighborhoods in the center of a process of socialization of communities, where people are trusted, ethical and, in particular, a universe with which the consumer has an cultural affinity, placing the perceived value at a level far away from the traditional models of price, quality and convenience.

O presente trabalho tem por objetivo descrever o valor percebido dos consumidores das camadas de baixa renda, moradores de bairros notadamente pobres de Porto Alegre, sobre o seu consumo de alimentos e produtos de limpeza, adquiridos preferencialmente em estabelecimentos comerciais (pequenos mercados) de bairros. Ao partir da premissa de que os consumidores das camadas de baixa renda pagam mais por seus alimentos e produtos de limpeza, se buscou investigar seus hábitos de consumo, procurando entender as motivações que norteiam seu consumo, aspectos cujo entendimento nos leva também a compreender o valor percebido que estes consumidores atribuem ao seu universo de consumo. Para tanto, o trabalho foi apoiado num referencial teórico essencialmente da área de marketing, transitando por aspectos essenciais da disciplina, como preço, comportamento de consumo, níveis de envolvimento e percepção de valor (noção de justiça X noção de injustiça). A opção pela abordagem qualitativa deve-se ao fato de que o objeto de estudo não demanda um resultado que possa ser expresso em números, mas a descrição e o melhor entendimento de um fenômeno social. Recentemente, Deighton; MacInnis; McGill & Shiv (2010) destacaram as pesquisas conceituais como ricas em ideias, na maior parte das vezes inovadoras, interessantes, fundamentadas teoricamente e capazes de estimular outras pesquisas, além de proporcionarem novas maneiras de se pensar o comportamento do consumidor. A utilização de uma etapa de observação ao trabalho proporcionou uma vivência fundamental do universo de estudo e sedimentou o terreno para a elaboração e execução das entrevistas em profundidade, instrumento este que propiciou uma riqueza significativa de informações na sua coleta. Por fim, a análise de conteúdo, apoiada nos trabalhos de Bardin (1979) e Minayo (2012), trouxe à tona resultados que demonstram um valor percebido de seu consumo altamente positivo pelas camadas de baixa renda da população, afastando a ideia de injustiça pelos preços mais altos que pagam e colocando os estabelecimentos comerciais (pequenos mercados) de bairros de baixa renda no centro de um processo de sociabilização das comunidades, aonde as pessoas encontram confiança, ética e, em especial, um universo de consumo com o qual tem afinidade cultural, colocando o valor percebido em um patamar muito distante dos modelos tradicionais de preço, qualidade e conveniência. / This monograph aims to describe the perceived value of low-income consumers, residents of poor neighborhoods in Porto Alegre, on their consumption of food and cleaning products, preferably acquired in neighborhood’s shops (small markets). Based on the premise that consumers of low income populations pay more for their food and cleaning products, seek to investigate their consumption habits, trying to understand the motivations that guide their consumption, aspects whose understanding leads us also to understand the perceived value these consumers attach to their universe of consumption. Therefore, the work was supported by a theoretical framework mainly in the area of marketing, moving through the essential aspects of the discipline, such as price, to consumer behavior, levels of involvement and perceived value (notion of justice X notion of injustice). The choice of a qualitative approach is due to the fact that the object of study does not require a result that can be expressed in numbers, but an understanding, as it is a description of a social phenomenon at its best. Recently, Deighton; MacInnis; Shiv & McGill (2010) highlighted the research conceptual as rich in ideas, in most cases innovative, interesting, theoretically grounded and able to stimulate further research, in addition to providing new ways of thinking about the behavior of consumer. Using an observation phase the work experience provided a fundamental study of the universe and cemented the ground for the development and implementation of in-depth interviews, this instrument that provided a significant wealth of information in its collection. Finally, content analysis, supported by the work of Bardin (1979) and Minayo (2012), brought up results that demonstrate a perceived value of their consumption highly positive by layers of low-income population, pushing the idea of injustice by higher prices they pay and putting commercial establishments (small markets) of low-income neighborhoods in the center of a process of socialization of communities, where people are trusted, ethical and, in particular, a universe with which the consumer has an cultural affinity, placing the perceived value at a level far away from the traditional models of price, quality and convenience.