Patterns of poverty among elderly Americans: a latent class Markov model

This article studies poverty persistence and the role of social security programmes on poverty among elderly in the US. We use a Latent Markov model to disentangle unobserved heterogeneity and state dependence. Because of its dynamic nature, unobserved heterogeneity is modelled to vary over time. This allows to capture different latent states of poverty that change over time. Result indicates the existence of three unobserved types evolving over time according to their propensity to be poor. Moreover, a strong persistence in poverty especially for women, individuals living alone and ethnic minorities is found. Finally, the estimates indicate that giving social assistance tends to reduce poverty.     

Poverty in US Lesbian and Gay Couple Households

Poverty is a widely researched topic in economics. However, despite growing research on the economic lives of lesbians and gay men in the United States since the mid 1990s, very little is known about poverty in same-sex couple households. This study uses American Community Survey data from 2010 to 2014 to calculate poverty rates for households headed by different-sex versus same-sex couples. Comparing households with similar characteristics, the results show that those headed by same-sex couples are more likely to be in poverty than those headed by different-sex married couples. Despite that overall disadvantage, a decomposition of the poverty risk shows that same-sex couples are protected from poverty by their higher levels of education and labor force participation, and their lower probability of having a child in the home. Lastly, the role of gender – above and beyond sexual orientation – is clear in the greater vulnerability to poverty for lesbian couples.     

因病致贫与缓冲效应的比较优势

当大病的自付医疗费用支出占家庭非食品支出的比例超过一定门槛值时，灾难性医疗支出发生，会增大因病致贫或返贫的概率。本文基于中国家庭追踪调查数据库（CFPS）2014年数据，利用A-F多维贫困测量方法有效识别贫困家庭，探究因病致贫发生率。大病冲击使贫困发生率增加15%，总财富减少6.9%。我们还发现医疗保险、社会资本及民间借贷对因病致贫都具有缓冲效应。这三种缓冲垫具有各自比较优势：医疗保险对中低收入家庭或中高疾病风险家庭缓冲效应显著；社会资本的缓冲效应只存在中高收入家庭或高风险疾病家庭；民间借贷只对低收入家庭具有缓冲效应。因此，家庭尤其是低收入家庭应合理利用缓冲垫，提高大病冲击的抵御能力，降低因病致贫的发生率。     

Food insecurity,gender, and international migration in low- and middle-income countries

The determinants of migration have been widely studied but research has rarely addressed the roles of food insecurity and gender in the migration decision process. To address these gaps, we examine these relationships for 135,078 individuals across 94 low- and middle-income countries. We use a series of binary-choice models with sample selection and data from the 2014–2015 waves of the Gallup World Poll Survey, which includes the first global measure of individual-level food insecurity. Results, which are robust, indicate that food insecurity is an important determinant of both migration intentions and preparations, and the probability of migration intentions increase monotonically with the severity of food insecurity, and the probability of migration preparations decrease. These relationships also differ significantly by gender and level of gross national income. Evidence suggests a need for increased coordination between the international food security and migration policy agendas.     

Closeness matters. Spatial autocorrelation and relationship between socioeconomic indices and distance to departmental Colombian capitals

Socioeconomic indices that developing economies use to combat poverty may show a limited picture of all the variables related to the problem. This study analyzes spatial autocorrelation and clusters of three socioeconomic indices—living conditions, multidimensional poverty, and unsatisfied basic needs—in Colombia to explore the relation of the identified clusters with their physical distance from departmental capitals. Using a local index of spatial autocorrelation, it evaluates spatial patterns and the clustering of socioeconomic indices. Correlation analysis tests the relation between clusters and their distance from departmental capitals in three departments. The spatial patterns of indices in Colombia correspond to the model of economic development in the country and reveal the regions where socioeconomic characteristics form clusters of desirable/undesirable conditions and departments where the distance from main cities may be seen as a condition for a higher quality of life.     

Impacts of protected areas on local livelihoods: Evidence of giant panda biosphere reserves in Sichuan Province,China

Given the debates about whether Protected Areas (PAs) exacerbate local poverty or might contribute to poverty alleviation, there is a critical need for evidence to examine the impacts. In this study, we have conducted a household investigation of 560 rural households in 7 PAs of Sichuan province of China. We used matching method to value impacts of PAs on local livelihoods. The results showed that compared to the Average Treatment Effect, the results of traditional regression model exaggerate the negative impacts of the PAs. However, we should notice that the overall impact of PAs on local household wealth was still negative. Households inside the PAs had more Non-timber Forest Products gathering income and compensation, but fewer crop production income and forestry income. Better conservation policies need to be initiated to realize the harmonious and concurrent development of ecological objectives and livelihood objectives.     

普惠保险发展的路径选择及其优化——基于小额保险的国际经验

保险“十三五”规划要求大力发展小额保险等普惠保险,但我国小额保险发展相对滞后,制约着普惠保险的全面发展。本文基于对印度等五国经营小额保险的经验研究,比照我国普惠保险发展实际情况,期望借此破解我国普惠保险发展困局,优化普惠保险发展路径。研究发现:我国普惠保险发展在政府推动力度、法律法规完善程度、政策支持力度及发展模式上均可进一步强化改善。结合国际经验和中国实践,我国普惠保险发展应重视法律法规等正式制度建设,顺应各地风俗文化等非正式制度,出台“小额保险条例”作为普惠保险的配套支持政策,利用合作代理销售模式和科技创新手段,控制普惠保险交易成本,开发符合消费者实际利益的普惠保险险种。     

社会资本、扶贫政策与贫困家庭福利——基于贵州贫困地区农村家户调查的分层线性回归分析

根据社会资本分层、数据嵌套的特征,采用分层线性模型,利用贵州省贫困地区农村家户的调查数据,分析不同层级的社会资本影响包括扶贫政策在内的中间变量、进而对家庭福利产生的不同效应及其交互作用。研究表明,在物质资本和人力资本都比较贫瘠的农村贫困地区,社会资本在一定程度上发挥了"穷人资本"的功能,其减轻贫困、改善家庭福利的作用不仅显著,而且还存在进一步发挥的空间。     

后金融危机时代农民工权益贫困化与出路的深层次思考

后金融危机时代农民工权益贫困化问题凸现,其实质是合法权益实现的贫困化。用权力行为的公正维护农民工合法财产权益,体现制度优越性;用劳动的正义捍卫体面劳动,实现劳动权益的合法性;用人权的神圣捍卫农民工自我发展权,体现和谐社会"以人为本"的价值理念。这需要在机制改革、制度建设与政策调整上的政治共识和政治智慧。     

Impact of formalisation of property rights in informal settlements: Evidence from Dar es Salaam city

This paper aims to study the responsiveness of the informal property market and management systems towards the introduction of land registration for informal settlements in Tanzania. City governments are increasingly recognising the need to strengthen legal rights for the urban poor as a means to bring them more effectively into the urban economy and ensure better provision of water, sanitation and other primary services. The research focuses on Tanzania and in particular two case studies within Dar es Salaam. The findings of the work suggest that the introduction of residential licenses whilst potentially assisting in creating legal certainty has not resulted in the financial sector accepting them as full security against loans. Accessing credit by the poor however has not yet been fully realised resulting in some further hurdles for the financial sector to overcome. Finally, and of some significance is the registration of property in the informal settlements has provided the opportunity of formal property transactions within these settlements.