Articles tagged with Inequalities
Researchers analyzed fine-scale energy use data to reveal significant racial and income disparities in urban energy use. Block groups with higher poverty rates exhibit significantly higher annual energy consumption, particularly for temperature-sensitive applications.
A new study provides fine-grained methods for measuring income and racial disparities in energy use intensity. The research found that households in low-income non-white neighborhoods report higher energy use intensity, reflective of lower energy efficiency and lower participation in rebate programs. Cities can now apply this method to...
Researchers found a connection between high inequality in subsistence societies and increased blood pressure, as well as respiratory diseases like pneumonia. However, chronic conditions like hypertension and cardiovascular disease were less prevalent in these communities.
A new article analyzes seven books that discuss health inequalities in Latin America and the Caribbean, highlighting regional disparities in healthcare access. The author calls for a universal approach to health care based on equity and inclusion to address these inequalities.
Researchers explore the relationship between free choice, locality, and causality using Bell's inequalities. They find that reality breaks these inequalities, prompting questions about local realism and experimenters' choices.
Research by Swansea University highlights the importance of taking a wider approach to wellbeing influenced by issues like inequality and climate change. The study presents a transdisciplinary framework to understand and improve wellbeing, emphasizing the need for focused efforts to tackle societal challenges.
A recent study by researchers at the University of Hong Kong and Lingnan University found that wealth inequality is the key driver of global wildlife trade. Wealthier countries are responsible for the majority of the world's demand, with top importers including the US, France, and Italy.
London's low-income households face higher levels of indoor air pollution due to poor housing quality and surrounding environmental factors. Long-term exposure to pollutants like PM2.5, NOx, and CO can lead to health problems such as respiratory issues and cardiovascular complications.
The LSE-Lancet Commission calls for increased funding to improve health and care in the UK, with a focus on workforce, disease prevention, and integration of services. The report warns of chronic weaknesses in the NHS, including underfunding, poor coordination, and staffing shortfalls, if action is not taken.
A UK study of 360 people with severe mental illness found that 55% of smokers increased their smoking and 29% of drinkers increased their alcohol consumption during the pandemic. Targeted support, including face-to-face interactions, is needed to mitigate these effects.
Researchers estimate economic inequality using satellite sensing of nighttime light emissions and population density data. The study finds that inequality is lower in high-income countries and hotspots are evident in Russia, China and Southeast Asia.
A study by UNSW found that areas with high misogynistic tweeting had higher rates of domestic and family violence, even after controlling for other factors. The researchers used big data from Twitter and local law enforcement records to examine the relationship between online hate speech and real-world violence.
A Spanish study led by María José González found that homosexual men suffer from wage disadvantages compared to heterosexuals, even after controlling for sociodemographic differences. In contrast, partnered lesbians tend to earn more due to their socio-occupational profile.
A study by researchers from Russia, Germany, and Switzerland found that natural resources decrease income inequality in countries like Denmark, Norway, and the Netherlands. These nations' developed democracies and transparent market economies hindered the concentration of control over resources, preventing an increase in inequality.
A new study from Northwestern University found that individuals' ideological beliefs about equality significantly impact their perception of social inequality. Egalitarians are more likely to notice disparities affecting disadvantaged groups, while anti-egalitarians are more tolerant of inequality between groups.
Historical disasters have widened wealth gaps, except in cases where ordinary people had strong organizational influence. The COVID-19 pandemic's impact on inequality depends on these factors.
A study of Classic Maya communities in southern Belize reveals that they had higher wealth inequalities than neighboring regions with more collective governance, based on assessments of house size. The researchers analyzed data funded by various organizations and found no competing interests among the authors.
Researchers analyzed ancient Maya house remains to find a link between autocratic governance and wealth inequality. They found that societies with more collective governance had more similarly sized houses, indicating less wealth disparity.
A research team from the University of Göttingen found significant inequality in travel permit costs globally. People from poorer countries often pay significantly more for tourist visas, with North Africans and South Asians paying an average of $60 compared to Western Europeans at $18.
Members from underrepresented groups in German Bundestag are more active in legislative process but tend to move on after few years due to career-related incentives. They often focus on group interests initially, then shift to broader topics for greater power and appeal.
Research from the Complexity Science Hub found that urban planning can directly influence social network formation and socio-economic equality. Towns with evenly distributed social networks tend to have lower economic inequality, while those with fragmented networks exhibit higher disparities.
A study of almost 26 million articles found citation rates increased for the top 1%, with Australasian and Western European universities gaining ground on US dominance. Global citation inequality rose over two decades.
A new study finds that ethnic health disparities among older adults in England are significant, with certain groups experiencing worse quality of life than White British people. The study highlights the need for policy reform and long-term research to address structural and institutional racism.
Research found that individuals with lower power distance beliefs (egalitarian values) react more harshly to morally transgressing companies due to increased empathy for victims. Companies can improve standing by offering sincere apologies and remedies.
A study by Université de Genève found that online courses deepen inequalities between high-potential and struggling students by 5%. The research suggests that different behaviour patterns, such as preferring face-to-face classes or streaming, contribute to these disparities.
New research highlights the challenges of providing childhood vaccinations in hard-to-reach populations and the emergence of vaccine hesitancy among wealthy families in low- and middle-income countries. Targeted interventions are needed to reduce inequality gaps and ensure universal coverage.
A new study projects that empowering women and eradicating gender inequalities can improve societies' adaptive capacity to climate change impacts. Projections of future socioeconomic dynamics and gender inequality show that faster progress in areas like education can benefit millions of girls worldwide by 2030.
A University of Houston researcher has developed a mathematical model showing that economic inequality causes political polarization. Once polarization occurs, it can spread rapidly to the whole population and persist even when the conditions that produced it have reversed.
Researchers found that messages focusing on reducing poverty and lower-class disadvantages lead to increased engagement and support. Framing economic inequality as an issue of unjust disadvantage for the lower class can heighten perceptions of injustice and enhance action to reduce inequality.
A new study found significant inequalities in public drinking water arsenic exposure across US regions and sociodemographic subgroups. Despite a decline in national arsenic levels, Hispanic communities and those relying on groundwater continued to exceed maximum contaminant levels, raising environmental justice concerns.
A new study finds that the 'pink tax' imposes direct penalties on women consumers due to gender-biased import tariffs. However, countries with higher female representation in politics have lower tax penalties, indicating a positive correlation between representation and policy change.
Research finds that infant health inequality has increased in the US since 2010, with disparities growing between mothers' educational attainment and socioeconomic status. This trend is concerning as it may lead to long-term health complications and affect mental, physical, and economic well-being.
A new study recommends protecting first-time borrowers from long-term debt by introducing psychometric tests to assess age, experience, and personality traits. The study argues that lenders should have a duty of care and control access to credit more carefully for young people and those with impulsive tendencies.
Researchers developed a model to assess the relative risks of airborne transmission of COVID-19, finding that physical distancing increases protection in a linear proportion. The study also suggests that simple cloth masks can significantly reduce the spread of the virus and that increased physical activity increases transmission risk.
Research across 40 low- and middle-income countries found that adolescent girls face high burdens of poor sexual reproductive health, violence, and child marriage. Boys experience poorer outcomes in areas like mortality, substance use, and labor, highlighting the need to address gender inequality during early adolescence.
Research found increasing gaps in premature death rates between lower-income and higher-income individuals in Canada. Socioeconomic inequalities have worsened over the past 25 years, with lower-income groups experiencing significantly higher risks of premature death.
Bell's inequalities contrast local realism with quantum mechanics, relevant to security, cryptography, and computing applications.
A new study from North Carolina State University finds that racism is associated with increased social consciousness and activism in Black youth. The research found that stress from individual racism is linked to higher levels of perceived inequality, critical agency, and action aimed at changing systems.
A UCL-led study found that unequal compensation reduces people's happiness and willingness to work. The research suggests that large disparities in rewards for the same task bring about greater unhappiness, leading to lower motivation and well-being. Participants who were told they would benefit from unfair advantages still showed a de...
A recent study by Cornell University found that individual success inspires greater awe and hope than team success, with people preferring to see extraordinary achievements by lone individuals. This preference has implications for how we perceive economic inequality and policy solutions.
The study proposes a new perspective on urban development, revealing the complex interplay of individual and collective actions that drive meaningful change. It highlights the slow pace of change in cities and the negative impact of uncertainty and policies promoting aggregate growth on innovation and inequality.
A recent study suggests that an increase in immigration to the US has little impact on the wages of native citizens. However, it does benefit low-skill workers, with average wage gains of around 4%. The study also found a small positive effect on high-skill natives' wages and reduced local real wage inequality.
A study analyzing US survey and tax data reveals a strong relationship between rising income inequality and lower college enrollment and completion rates among disadvantaged groups. The research highlights the significant impact of income inequality on educational opportunities in the United States.
A survey of UK households found a substantial decline in mental health from before the pandemic into the first month of lockdown. The average level of mental distress increased, with over one quarter of participants reporting clinically significant levels of distress.
A Columbia professor is using data science to design interventions and recommend policies that help the most vulnerable populations overcome inequalities in access and outcomes. His project, Nudging New York, aims to eliminate inequality and increase healthcare access in underserved communities.
A recent study analyzed anonymized Facebook data from over 3m Italians to examine the impact of COVID-19 lockdowns on human mobility. The research found that while national mobility declined by an average of 70%, regional variations were significant, with some areas experiencing reduced mobility despite low COVID-19 cases.
A new study revisits the concept of inequity across individuals, time, and states of the world, proposing a general measure of welfare as
The authors argue that the resurgence of racism and far-right ideologies is not driven by popular demand, but rather a top-down process legitimized by elite behaviors. They suggest that real concerns and radical alternatives can help build egalitarian futures.
A new study found that TV news reporting about racial achievement gaps led to exaggerated stereotypes of Black Americans as lacking education and increased implicit stereotyping of Black students. However, it did not affect explanations for achievement gaps or prioritization of inequality as a national issue.
The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened health inequalities in hospitals due to restricted clinical services and emergency department attendances. Marginalized groups, including homeless people and migrants, are disproportionately affected by these changes.
Researchers from IIASA and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology used the Human Life Indicator to measure progress in development, finding it easier to calculate and interpret than the Human Development Index. The new approach can provide a clearer idea of regional inequalities, helping policymakers design means to bridge gaps.
Researchers found rising income inequality in private sectors worldwide except Canada and Hungary. Enacting policies to protect low-skilled workers and limit firm outsourcing may help reduce inequality, according to the study.
A study of 20 years of data found that between-workplace share of wage inequality is growing in 12 of the 14 high-income countries studied, including the US. Rising between-firm inequalities are linked to declining national labor market institutions and weak protections for lower-skilled workers.
Studies involving over 2,800 people show that individuals prioritize environmental benefits over harms when allocating resources. Presenting solutions in terms of benefits rather than harms can help equate environmental conditions across communities and reduce environmental inequality.
Despite improved measures of gender equality since 1970, recent decades have seen stalled progress, with some gaps widening. Women now outpace men in higher education and certain occupations, but overall trends suggest a need for cultural and institutional shifts to address remaining disparities.
A group of researchers used a poverty simulation game called SPENT to study people's beliefs about poverty and economic inequality. The study found that playing the game helped develop stronger recognition of situational causes of poverty and reduced support for economic inequality.
A new study examines energy inequality across 86 countries, revealing extreme disparities in energy footprints and consumption patterns. The research shows that the top 10% of consumers consume roughly 20 times more energy than the bottom 10%, with significant inequalities in transport, heating, and electricity.
A new study found that people who experienced the greatest levels of hardship, stress, and personal loss were five times more likely to experience a lower quality of life, with significantly more health and physical difficulties in later life. Those raised by emotionally cold mothers were also less likely to experience good quality of ...
A study of 591 people reveals that prosocial choices initially increase happiness, but this effect is reversed after a month. The findings suggest that prosociality may not always lead to increased happiness.
Growing concern that AI may exacerbate existing health disparities due to biased data, particularly in skin color recognition for melanoma detection. Experts warn that market incentives alone cannot overcome historical gaps in medical research for ethnic minority groups.