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Assessing loan applicants’ credit risk via smartphone activities helps improve financial inclusion and business profitability

A study by Carnegie Mellon University found that using alternative data from smartphones is more effective in improving financial inclusion (23% better) and business profitability (42% better) compared to social media data. This approach can help microloan companies adopt cost-effective solutions and offset potential economic loss.

SourceCarnegie Mellon University·JournalMIS Quarterly·DateDec 12, 2023

Workplace culture is preventing men from taking paternity leave, writes Claudine Mangen

A study by Claudine Mangen found that male professionals prefer to spend more time with their partners and newborn babies but are pressured to delay or forego paternity leave due to workplace obligations. This highlights the need for organizations to rethink strategies around gender inequality and foster equitable workplaces.

SourceConcordia University·JournalAccounting Horizons·TypeSurvey·DateDec 5, 2023

Using public incentives for negative emissions increases economic inequality

A new study finds that public incentives for negative emissions can exacerbate economic inequality, especially in countries with concentrated equity ownership and expensive mitigation options. Researchers propose alternative policy provisions to mitigate the increase in inequality while ensuring decarbonization at reasonable cost.

Human rights are a low priority for many national climate change adaptation policies, new Concordia research finds

A Concordia-led study found that human rights are frequently absent from national climate change adaptation policies. The researchers assessed 147 countries and discovered that vulnerable groups, including poor people, elderly individuals, and Indigenous communities, are often excluded from planning and decision-making processes. This ...

SourceConcordia University·JournalClimate Policy·TypeContent analysis·DateNov 28, 2023

Inequality hotspot map shows where women in agriculture are hit the hardest by the climate crisis

A new hotspot map reveals where women working in agri-food systems face the highest climate risk, with central, east, and southern Africa, as well as west and south Asia, being among the most vulnerable regions. Women's exposure to climate hazards and systemic gender inequalities converge to increase their vulnerability.

SourceFrontiers·JournalFrontiers in Sustainable Food Systems·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateNov 16, 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic imposed new burdens on already disadvantaged groups and left pre-existing social inequalities in place

The COVID-19 pandemic worsened social inequalities in Sweden, particularly among those with low incomes and education. The study found that disadvantaged groups faced higher risks of poor health, economic strain, and reduced access to medical care.

SourceStockholm University·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeObservational study·DateNov 13, 2023

Warming world, widening gap: climate change’s toll on poverty and inequality in South Africa

A new study reveals that climate change widens the inequality gap in South Africa, particularly for poorer segments of the population. The research highlights the need for climate change policies to address poverty and inequality, as warming is expected to reduce average growth and exacerbate inequalities by the end of the century.

SourceCMCC Foundation - Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change·JournalEnvironmental Research Letters·DateNov 2, 2023

Action plan for better data on migration and health

A new study reveals gaps in including migrants and refugees in national data collection systems, hindering their human rights and societies' well-being. The authors propose a roadmap for European health systems to improve data quality and promote equity in healthcare.

SourceBielefeld University·JournalThe Lancet Regional Health - Europe·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateOct 27, 2023

People with severe mental illness at 50 per cent higher risk of death following COVID-19 infection

A recent study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry found that individuals with severe mental illness were 50% more likely to die from all causes following a COVID-19 infection. The research also highlighted regional disparities and differences in mortality risk based on ethnicity and geographical location.

SourceKing's College London·JournalThe British Journal of Psychiatry·TypeObservational study·DateOct 25, 2023

Behind the scenes of social class on TV

A team of researchers from the University of Leeds is studying how social class influences TV shows and their reception by audiences. The study will consider the backgrounds of producers, talent, and crew members, as well as how shows represent class and are understood by viewers.

Most non-English speakers in the U.S. are turned away before their first cancer visit according to new research in JNCCN

A new study from the University of Michigan found significant language-based disparities in patients' access to cancer care. English-speaking callers were able to get information on next steps 94% of the time, while Spanish-speakers and Mandarin-speakers were only connected at 38% and 28% respectively.

SourceNational Comprehensive Cancer Network·JournalJournal of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network·DateSep 6, 2023

New research sheds light on how gender inequality in the media industry impacts job satisfaction

A new study by City University of London researchers found that lower perceptions of gender equality and workplace sexual harassment significantly impact job satisfaction in newsrooms globally. The study highlights the need for structural changes to combat inequalities affecting women in the industry, including policies to address all ...

SourceCity St George’s, University of London·JournalJournalism Practice·TypeSurvey·DateAug 29, 2023

The scale of emissions inequality in U.S. society

A new study links US household income to greenhouse gas emissions, revealing that the top 1% of households generate 40% of total emissions. This income-based carbon tax could incentivize decarbonization and provide revenue for climate finance, addressing emissions inequality.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Climate·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 17, 2023

Survey suggests geographic inequalities in patient registration versus primary care physician density can exclude patients from comprehensive care access

A simulated study found that patients face challenges registering with primary care physicians, even when they have a nearby doctor. The research revealed that doctors are less likely to accept new patients requiring time-consuming procedures or working in areas with low PCP density.

SourceAmerican Academy of Family Physicians·JournalThe Annals of Family Medicine·DateJul 25, 2023

Conditional cash transfer programs have prevented 739,919 child deaths in Latin America

A study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health found that conditional cash transfer programmes in Brazil, Mexico, and Ecuador reduced child mortality by 24%, equivalent to 700,000 deaths averted. Expanding these programmes could save up to 150,000 lives by 2030 during economic crises.

SourceBarcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal)·JournalJAMA Network Open·TypeObservational study·DateJul 14, 2023

Hyenas inherit power from mothers, but it’s a privilege they pay dearly for

A study found that every member of a hyena clan, except the highest-ranking queen, suffers downward mobility across their lifetime due to demographic processes. Hyenas can move up and down in the hierarchy over time, but they slide down more often than jumping up.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalPhilosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJun 26, 2023

COVID-19's impact on socioeconomic inequality in health behaviors among Japanese adolescents

This study found widening socioeconomic inequality among Japanese adolescents in achieving recommended physical activity levels before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis also revealed narrowing inequality in breakfast intake, but no differences observed for screen time, sleep duration, or bowel movement frequency.

SourceKobe University·JournalJournal of Physical Activity and Health·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJun 22, 2023

Two-thirds of physicians and biomedical scientists report harassment on social media since start of the COVID-19 pandemic

A new study found that two-thirds of physicians and biomedical scientists reported harassment on social media, with women and minority groups facing higher rates. The survey highlighted the need for these individuals to be represented in combatting misinformation on social media, as their loss could exacerbate health inequities.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalJAMA·DateJun 15, 2023

When local economic inequality is high, the rich tend to be more generous

A recent study published in PLOS ONE found that individuals with higher incomes tend to be more generous when living in areas with high levels of economic inequality. In contrast, the lowest-income groups show less generosity in more unequal areas. The researchers used local data from the US and UK to examine this relationship.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·TypeObservational study·DateJun 14, 2023

Study finds similar quality and cost of care for patients treated by an allopathic (M.D.) or osteopathic (D.O.) physician

An observational study of 329,000 Medicare admissions found that older persons receiving hospital care from allopathic (M.D.) or osteopathic (D.O.) physicians experience similar quality and cost of care. Researchers also highlight systemic health inequities faced by persons with sickle cell disease.

SourceAmerican College of Physicians·JournalAnnals of Internal Medicine·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateMay 29, 2023

More than half of English patients with NSCLC in areas with low socio-economic levels do not receive new anti-cancer therapies

A study found that over half of English NSCLC patients living in low-socio-economic areas did not receive new anti-cancer therapies, despite having access to free treatment through the National Health Service. The researchers examined data from 90,785 patients diagnosed between 2012 and 2017.

SourceInternational Association for the Study of Lung Cancer·JournalJournal of Thoracic Oncology·DateMay 19, 2023