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Actuarially fair endowment funds enable equitable risk-sharing in large pools

A new framework for endowment contingency funds ensures equitable compensation among participants by pooling contributions and distributing resources upon adverse events. The framework's mathematical modeling reveals that as the pool approaches infinity, the distribution of payouts converges to traditional insurance mechanisms.

SourceKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.·JournalRisk Sciences·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 5, 2025

Challenging our intuitions: How social forces shape success

A literature review reveals that our intuitions about success are often misleading, with failure being a predictor of future success and early successes reinforcing inequalities. The study also shows that persuading 'bridge' individuals in social networks is more effective at driving mass adoption than celebrity endorsements.

SourceUniversity of Zurich·JournalNature Communications·TypeLiterature review·DateMar 4, 2025

Despite high employment rates, Black immigrants in the United States more likely to be uninsured, USC study shows

A recent USC study found that Black immigrants in the United States have a 9% higher likelihood of being uninsured compared to U.S.-born white adults, despite having a 70.2% employment rate. The disparity is attributed to wage penalties and systemic barriers related to race and immigration status.

SourceUniversity of Southern California·JournalHealth Affairs·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateMar 3, 2025

At your service: How older adults embrace demand-responsive transportation

A study found that social influence and trust play key roles in older adults' adoption of demand-responsive transportation. The research, conducted in Senboku New Town, Osaka, revealed significant relationships between behavioral intention and performance expectancy among older people.

SourceOsaka Metropolitan University·JournalTransportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateFeb 26, 2025

Telehealth may be closing the care gap for people with substance use disorder in rural areas

A recent study found that telehealth is closing the care gap for people with substance use disorder in rural areas, but those covered by Medicaid managed care have lower access to this treatment. Rural individuals experienced the greatest overall increase in substance use disorder treatment among all populations studied.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences·JournalJAMA Network Open·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateFeb 12, 2025

COVID-19 pandemic drove significant rise in patients choosing to leave ERs before medically recommended

A recent study found that patients who left emergency departments before being medically advised had higher rates of readmission, mortality, and increased costs. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a 53.6% increase in such cases, primarily due to concerns about infection, long wait times, and dissatisfaction with care.

SourceTexas A&M University·JournalThe American Journal of Emergency Medicine·DateJan 30, 2025

Long before the L.A. fires, America’s housing crisis displaced millions

A new USC study reveals that the US is facing a shortage of 4.5 million homes due to policy missteps in the early 2000s, which led to a historic housing bubble and subsequent Great Recession. The crisis has disproportionately affected millennials and people of color, with racial and ethnic disparities in homeownership widening over time.

SourceUniversity of Southern California·JournalRSF The Russell Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJan 14, 2025

One of the world’s largest social programs greatly reduced tuberculosis among the most vulnerable

A landmark study by Barcelona Institute for Global Health found that Brazil's Bolsa Família Program reduced TB cases and deaths among extreme poverty, indigenous groups, and improved healthcare access. The program's effects were stronger among the poorest and indigenous populations, with a 50-60% decrease in TB cases.

SourceBarcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal)·JournalNature Medicine·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJan 3, 2025

Societal inequality linked to reduced brain health in aging and dementia

A new study reveals a direct link between structural inequality and changes in brain structure and connectivity associated with aging and dementia. Higher levels of inequality are linked to reduced brain volume and disrupted connectivity, especially in temporo-posterior and cerebellar regions essential for memory and cognitive function.

SourceTrinity College Dublin·JournalNature Aging·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateDec 27, 2024

People from some racial and ethnic groups may face barriers to obtaining obesity medications

A new study found significant disparities in the use of obesity-management medications among different racial and ethnic groups. People of Asian, Black, and Hispanic descent were significantly less likely to use these medications compared to whites, even after adjusting for income, education, health insurance coverage, and clinical need.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences·JournalJournal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateDec 18, 2024

Parents’ childhood predicts future financial support for children’s education

A new study from Penn State found that parents who experienced difficult childhoods provided an average of $2,200 less for their children's college education. This suggests that intergenerational monetary exchanges could influence the next generation's success, with even parents' current socioeconomic status mattering.

SourcePenn State·JournalJournal of Marriage and Family·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateDec 17, 2024

Abortion and women’s future socioeconomic attainment

A new study finds that access to safe, legal abortion is associated with higher college graduation rates, better financial stability, and lower poverty levels among women. Women who had an abortion were more likely to experience economic mobility compared to those who became teen parents.

SourceUniversity of Utah·JournalAmerican Sociological Review·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateNov 11, 2024

Salmon frequently mislabeled in Seattle grocery stores and sushi restaurants

A recent study by Tracie Delgado and colleagues found that 18% of salmon samples from Seattle grocery stores and sushi restaurants were mislabeled. The researchers called for continued development and enforcement of legislation against salmon fraud to prevent accurate tracking of supply chains and conserve wild salmon.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·TypeObservational study·DateNov 6, 2024

Gentrification can leave residents feeling powerless and alienated in their own neighborhood, research shows

A new study reveals gentrification's complex impact on residential communities in Seoul, Korea, finding that state-led urban change can lead to emotional displacement of residents. Meanwhile, property-led redevelopment has resulted in direct displacement and replacement of industrial clusters with high-rise residential construction.

SourceXi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University·JournalThe Developing Economies·TypeObservational study·DateNov 1, 2024

Unpaid caregiving is undervalued by society

Research published by the American Psychological Association found that unpaid caregiving contributes billions of dollars' worth of labor annually, yet is often overlooked in societal value. The study suggests that people with lower socioeconomic status are more likely to provide care within their social networks but perceive themselve...

SourceAmerican Psychological Association·JournalJournal of Personality and Social Psychology·DateOct 17, 2024

Chinese Medical Journal study reveals key insights on the global burden of thyroid cancer in 2022

A study published in the Chinese Medical Journal projects a significant rise in global thyroid cancer burden, with 821,214 new cases and 47,507 related deaths reported worldwide in 2022. The incidence is expected to increase by 44.1% from 2019 to 2030, with women experiencing higher rates than men.

SourceChinese Medical Journals Publishing House Co., Ltd.·JournalChinese Medical Journal·TypeObservational study·DateOct 16, 2024

Honey, I shrunk the city: What should declining Japanese cities do?

A study reveals that shrinking Japanese cities are often medium-sized or small, and that urban policies should be tailored to their specific needs. The research found correlations between population changes and social, economic, and urban-planning factors in cities of varying sizes.

SourceOsaka Metropolitan University·JournalEnvironment and Planning B Urban Analytics and City Science·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateSep 30, 2024

Heart transplant patients from socioeconomically deprived areas face higher risk for postoperative complications, earlier death than others

Researchers found that heart transplant recipients from most deprived areas had a higher risk of dying within five years and experiencing organ failure compared to those from less deprived areas. Treatment at high-quality hospitals did not translate into better outcomes.

SourceUniversity of California - Los Angeles Health Sciences·JournalThe Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateSep 30, 2024

Preterm births are on the rise, with ongoing racial and economic gaps

A new study analyzing over five million births found a 10.6% increase in preterm births between 2011 and 2022, with racial and socioeconomic disparities persisting. Factors like diabetes, high blood pressure, and mental health conditions became more common, while protective factors such as prenatal care and WIC participation declined.

SourceNew York University·JournalJAMA Network Open·TypeObservational study·DateSep 27, 2024

Explaining the mechanism of social evolution driven by gift giving

A new study explores the mechanism of social evolution driven by gift giving, revealing four phases with different distribution shapes of wealth and social reputation. The emergence of strong disparities is attributed to the rich-get-richer process, while band societies have less economic inequality.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Complex Systems·DateSep 3, 2024

Lack of competition between petrol stations hits households most in poorest areas

Households in low-income areas face higher petrol price increases when rival fuel stations close compared to high-income areas. Despite new station openings, low-income areas do not benefit from the same drop in prices. The study found that larger chains respond with higher price increases following a rival's exit.

SourceUniversity of East Anglia·JournalJournal of Industrial Economics·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateAug 29, 2024

People of lower socioeconomic status less likely to receive cataract surgery in private clinics

A new study found that private clinics in Ontario increased cataract surgery rates for higher-income patients after receiving public funding, while lower-income patients saw a 9% decrease in access. The researchers suggest policy changes to address conflicts of interest and ensure equitable access to surgery.

SourceCanadian Medical Association Journal·JournalCanadian Medical Association Journal·TypeObservational study·DateAug 26, 2024