...Under what economic conditions are children living across the United States? Child poverty and its misfortunes By: Racheal H. Caldwell A Paper Presented in Partial Fulfillment Of the Requirements of CST5006 – Survey of Research Methodology Racheal H. Caldwell May 2013 Address: 22-04 Collier Ave Apt 5H Far Rockaway NY 11691 Phone: 347-985-6673 Email: racheal_caldwell@yahoo.com Instructor: Kathy Blaydes Abstract The United States economy is going through a phenomenon described as “globalization” of an economy or global competition. A very large part of global competition involves the development of a strong labor force, and this development starts with the nurturing of children (Ozawa, Soo, & Kim 2004). A great challenge lives in the United States and by international standards; the United States has the highest proportion of children in low income families than any other industrialized country (Smeeding, Torrey, & Rain 2002). It is believed that the reasoning for children’s income status being relatively low is due to adults and the elderly. In the proposed research, we will: examine the published research on child poverty that impacts social and behavioral studies and define the scope and nature of problem and discuss strategies for solving this problem. Qualitative and quantitative research approaches will be used to examine diverse perspectives and factors associated with child poverty. In addition, we will summarize key findings of research and different...
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...Is Childhood Poverty Increasing Inequality In America? Is childhood poverty increasing inequality in America? The test of our progress," said Franklin Roosevelt, "is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have too much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little." It is by that great test that we must measure our progress in the years ahead. John F. Kennedy, 1960' (Lindsey, pg 34, 2009) Children born in America are promised equality and opportunity. How well is America keeping its promise to 1 in 4 children living in poverty? The Bible teaches we are created in God's image (Genesis 1:27). Each child is born with God's DNA but not all children grow up in a world conducive to developing their God-given potential and dreams. Not all children are given equal opportunity. "Their economic and social development will be primarily influenced by the opportunities their parents, community, and society provide" (Lindsey, 2009, p. 3). What defines childhood poverty? The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) defines child poverty as "a child is deemed to be living in relative poverty if he or she is growing up in a household where disposable income, when adjusted for family size and composition, is less than 50% of the median disposable household income for the country concerned" (Garofalo, 2012, p. 1). The United States Census Bureau for 2011 qualified the poverty threshold for a family of four as $22,281 annual income...
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...under age eighteen lived in families with incomes below the official poverty threshold. Although children age eighteen and under represent 26 percent of the United States population, they comprise nearly 40 percent of the poverty population. Despite a steady decrease from 1993 (23%) to 1999 (17%) in the rate of children in poverty, the United States still ranks highest in childhood poverty among all industrialized nations. In the United States, income poverty is defined by the poverty threshold, developed in 1959 and based on expected food expenditures (thrifty food basket) for families of varying sizes. Each year the threshold is adjusted for the Consumer Price Index cost of living. In 1999, the poverty threshold for a single mother raising two children was $13,423. Researchers have criticized the poverty threshold on numerous counts. First, government transfers such as food stamps and housing subsidies as well as tax benefits (e.g., the Earned Income Tax Credit) and tax payments are not included when assessing the poverty threshold. Second, regional and urban differences in the cost of living are not considered when computing the poverty threshold. Despite the criticisms levied against the way poverty is assessed in the United States, the current review highlights research that has used this definition of poverty, while acknowledging its weaknesses. This article reviews the literature linking family poverty to children's cognitive and educational outcomes such as achievement...
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...USA and France To fight the growing trend of childhood obesity many countries have implemented measures or programs to help reduce this serious public health challenge. A National Nutrition and Health Program (PNNS) was established in France in 2001 and later extended to 2010. The main objectives of this policy were based around the improvement of health by focusing on nutrition and physical exercise (Hercberg, Chat-Yung & Chauliac 2008). The actions implemented by the PNNS included the development of nutrition guides for the general population and more specifically children. The PNNS also took aim at the schooling system developing a nutritional education program that focused on increasing physical exercise and the promotion of healthy food consumption. Since the implementation of the PNNS the Ministry of Health has successfully accomplished more than 75% of the actions developed. While the success of the PNNS is not yet fully known it should be noted that the obesity epidemic has decreased or stalled in France since its implementation (Salanave et al. 2009). Similarly United States congress amended the child nutrition act to implement nutrition standards for foods available in schools. The policies introduced also focused on a need for nutrition education and an increase in physical activity. It is not known however, how many school districts actually established or implemented that policy (Friedman and Schwartz 2008). Despite the fact obesity is a major health issue...
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...Environmental Health Term Paper: Childhood Obesity in Low Socioeconomic Status Communities Jordan Landers Florida State University Abstract Obesity is at an all time high in the Unites States, affecting 35% of adults and 17% of children. Childhood obesity can be very detrimental causing emotional, physical, and social strain on the lives of adolescents. Those that are affected the most are citizens that live in low socioeconomic status communities due to lack of education and lack of resources. There are shortages of grocery stores and markets that offer fresh fruits and vegetables thus communities rely on fast food restaurants and convenient stores for food. Furthermore lack of fresh food coupled with physical inactivity is the main reason for the rise of childhood obesity and obesity in general in the past 30 years. Creating safe places for children to play as well as providing food and resources is the only way to eliminate the ongoing obesity epidemic. Growing up there has always been a certain degree of importance placed on the diet and living a healthy lifestyle to live a long and successful life. As of late there has been a boom in fitness sales, gym memberships, and importance on diet and quality food consumption, yet in the past 30 years the United States has seen a drastic increase in the amount of obese individuals. With social media and so many other health initiatives taking place across the country, why is there still a rise in obesity levels amongst...
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...OF ISSUES RELATED TO CHILDREN LIVING IN POVERTY _________________________________________________ A PAPER SUMBITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR FS 5833: FAMILY ECONOMICS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY SCIENCES TEXAS WOMAN’S UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION BY SARAH KERAMATI ______________________________________________ DENTON, TEXAS APRIL 2012 Introduction Over the last few decades, the world has drastically changed, and the effect on the family dynamic has been profound. Today, there are more single parents, dual earner couples, and parents with more than one job living in both rural and urban areas in the United States than at any time in history (Miller, 2007). There is approximately one in five American children who live below the national poverty level (Meyer, Cancian & Nam, 2007). In today’s society, many people live below the poverty line and those numbers continue to increase because of our high unemployment rates. The Census Bureau reported that 12% of Americans live in poverty. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the poverty level in 2009 for a family of four was $22,050. Working parents have no time and their finances are often strained. Welfare reform in the United States may pressure single mothers to be employed even though child care is expensive and they may barely make minimum wage (Miller, 2007). If a child experiences poverty during their preschool or early school years...
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...Health Disparities Based on Socioeconomic Status MHA614: Policy Formation & Leadership in Health Organizations Tuesday, October 28, 2014 Introduction The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is a body of the United Nations Program that provides assistance to children and their mothers in the developing countries. The organization helps in building a world where every child enjoys the liberty and freedom. The organization believes in the fact that a today’s children will determine tomorrow’s world. Thus, nurturing the children in a positive manner will help in the betterment of the world in the future. The organization was established with the purpose of working with others in order to overcome problems faced by social and economic issues like poverty, violence, ill health discrimination among the children based on race, ethnicity etc. I - UNICEF span and work focus The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) takes a large number of measures to provide the best start for a child’s life as a good care in the initial stages of an individual’s life ensures the best foundation for its future. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) encourages education for girls making sure that they at least complete their primary school education in order to learn to read and write. This is applicable to boys as well (David Gorski, 2012). But, the organization stresses more upon the girls’ education as an educated girl can be and help one to be a better thinker, a better...
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...Is the Food Stamp Program a Substantial Contribution to Childhood Obesity? Is the Food Stamp Program a Substantial Contribution to Childhood Obesity? Introduction Is the rising rate of childhood obesity within the United States affected by the food stamp program? This is the question that formulated the basis of my research. Looking at the rising statistics of obesity rates within America’s youth and researching why the weight of the United States community is significantly passing those of its surrounding countries. In researching this topic I hope to determine if the food stamp program is in any way responsible for this increasing health issue. As the years progress the health of today’s youth is rapidly decreasing. Although the lacks of exercise and poor food influences serve as a high influence on this issue, researching this topic has shown that the food stamp program has helped contribute to the issue at hand. Presenting Argument and Supportive Research To be classified as an overweight child, the body mass index is in the 85th percentile and the ratio of weight to height is unhealthy (Baun, 2011 p. 623). This number has increased drastically among America’s youth over the past decade. As obesity increases among youth, there is a decrease in physical activity as well as healthy eating habits. Healthy eating choices are the focus of my research, as I concentrate on the eating habits of children participating in America’s Food stamp Program. The heaviest children...
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...Children & Poverty in the United States Children & Poverty in the United States Kylon D. Shipp SOC120 University of Phoenix In the United States, there are millions of families with children who live at or below the poverty guidelines set by the federal government. The federal poverty income level is around $22,050 a year for a family of four, and it takes about twice that amount to cover the basic needs and expenses of a family of this size (National Center for Children in Poverty, August, 2010). Although most parents are employed, the low pay wages these days tend to leave these families in a constant struggle to provide for their children. Most states have programs that help families that have a lower income take care of their children’s basic needs such as food, shelter, and medical expenses. However, children who grow up in poverty may still be affected by poor health and mental health issues. Poverty has also been known to affect a child’s ability to learn and leaves them at a greater risk for emotional, social, or behavioral problems. Research shows that poverty is the highest threat to a child’s well-being (National Center for Children in Poverty, August, 2010). Since 1964 when the war on domestic poverty was declared, the United States has spent hundreds of billions of dollars helping large and small towns across the country. They have repaired old homes, helped people find jobs, and also provided free food for those who are living in poverty. Despite the...
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...Poverty and Children in the United States Kenneth Pike SOC/120 March 28, 2011 Onesphor Kyara Poverty and Children in the United States The children of the United States should not have to worry about where their next meal is going to come from or worried if they will have a nice warm bed to sleep in for the night. There are so many children that are born into the United States that do not ask to have to live in poverty each and every day. There are many of us that have been at a stop light and seen the people that are wearing the dirty torn clothes asking for help because they are hungry and have no money. Most of these people are homeless or live in poverty. There are many factors to why we as a nation have so many children that are living in poverty and it needs to change, as these children are our future and will carry on the legacy of the United States. The United States is one of the wealthiest countries in the world, but it is considered the second behind Mexico in the amount of children that live in poverty. This is very alarming to read or hear that our children of the next generation are living in today’s society homeless and starving, because there family is taking money away from one bill to pay the other bill. In 2009 the number of people that are living in poverty was the largest in 51 years. The poverty rate and the number in poverty increased across all types of families: married-couple families (5.8 percent and 3.4 million in...
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...1990-3839 © 2011 Academic Journals Review The effects of poverty on academic achievement Misty Lacour1 and Laura D. Tissington2* 2 Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia, Arkansas, USA. th University of West Florida, 1732 N. 13 Avenue Pensacola, Florida 32503, USA. Accepted 12 May, 2011 Poverty, which forms a specific culture and way of life, is a growing issue in the United States. The number of Americans living in poverty is continually increasing. Poverty indicates the extent to which an individual does without resources. Resources can include financial, emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical resources as well as support systems, relationships, role models, and knowledge of hidden rules. Poverty directly affects academic achievement due to the lack of resources available for student success. Low achievement is closely correlated with lack of resources, and numerous studies have documented the correlation between low socioeconomic status and low achievement. Several strategies exist to assist teachers in closing the poverty achievement gap for students. Key words: Poverty, family income, achievement gap, academic gap. INTRODUCTION In the United States (US), the gaps in achievement among poor and advantaged students are substantial (Rowan et al., 2004). Through multiple studies, The U.S. Department of Education (2001: 8) has indicated results that “clearly demonstrated that student and school poverty adversely affected student achievement”. The U.S. Department...
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...ISSN 1990-3839 © 2011 Academic Journals Review The effects of poverty on academic achievement Misty Lacour1 and Laura D. Tissington2* 2 Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia, Arkansas, USA. th University of West Florida, 1732 N. 13 Avenue Pensacola, Florida 32503, USA. Accepted 12 May, 2011 Poverty, which forms a specific culture and way of life, is a growing issue in the United States. The number of Americans living in poverty is continually increasing. Poverty indicates the extent to which an individual does without resources. Resources can include financial, emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical resources as well as support systems, relationships, role models, and knowledge of hidden rules. Poverty directly affects academic achievement due to the lack of resources available for student success. Low achievement is closely correlated with lack of resources, and numerous studies have documented the correlation between low socioeconomic status and low achievement. Several strategies exist to assist teachers in closing the poverty achievement gap for students. Key words: Poverty, family income, achievement gap, academic gap. INTRODUCTION In the United States (US), the gaps in achievement among poor and advantaged students are substantial (Rowan et al., 2004). Through multiple studies, The U.S. Department of Education (2001: 8) has indicated results that “clearly demonstrated that student and school poverty adversely affected student achievement”. The U.S. Department of...
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...Sex Work In A HIV Prevalent World The anthropological article, Childhood Sexual Abuse and HIV Risk Among Crack-Using Commercial Sex Workers in San Salvador, El Salvador, offers a qualitative and in-depth analysis into the lives of sex workers in the metropolitan area of San Salvador. The purpose of this paper will be to examine the collected data from the article and apply previously discussed anthropological tactics to better understand the given information. The article underscores childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and its connection to adopting prostitution as an occupation, although, through the studied sample group no clear connection could be drawn. It is obvious that, though CSA seems to have contributed to stigmatization and negative feelings that could have led a women to seeking sex work, poverty seems to be a greater determinant of whether a woman became involved in sex work or not. The article comprises of several sections, introducing the issue of what factors may cause initiation to sex work, drug use, and vulnerability to HIV in San Salvador. The basic argument of the article is to establish a relationship between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and increase in HIV risk. Ethnographic interviews of 40 women who were sex workers, crack users, or both were conducted in Spanish. The theoretical framework of the study suggested that girls who ran away at a young age did not actively choose to participate in deviant lifestyles but, rather, they were vulnerable to sex work...
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...Running Head: Poverty Examination of a Concept: Poverty Shelton Land Virginia Commonwealth University Poverty 2 EXAMINATION OF A CONCEPT: POVERTY Introduction Poverty has existed persistently since it was uncovered. The results of a family or individual living in poverty range from infectious diseases to drug abuse. “As the economy has shifted from the industrial sector to services and computer based technology, the impact has hit hardest for working class and poor families, with limited education, job skills and employment opportunities” (Walsh, 2003, pp.17). Despite the effects of poverty, different individuals have different perceptions about the persisting problem. Some assert that poverty is a natural condition of man; while others view it as self-imposed, imposed, or a debilitating economic situation. This paper will examine the many concepts of poverty and discuss how it is related to at least two theoretical perspectives on human behavior, how it has changed over time, current issues related to poverty and how these issues are similar and different for two countries. Definition Many scholars and researchers define poverty as an insufficiency of the material necessities of life. The disparities between the rich and poor have increased so solemnly since the industrial revolution that it formed a poverty line. A poverty line which is used in defining what percentage of the population is poor based on the economy. Poverty 3 The US Census Bureau (2009) cites...
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...The Relationship between Obesity and Poverty Obesity in the United States and similar societies is a socioeconomic problem. Obesity is defined as an abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to one’s health. The energy intake coming from food is stored as fat since the body does not use it. This ultimately impacts one’s physical health that many degenerative diseases are directly and indirectly linked to obesity. Throughout the history of obesity, its reputation varies from appreciation and the opposite among cultures over time. For instance, Ancient Egyptians are said to consider obesity as a disease, having been drawn in a wall of depicted illnesses. The Aztecs believed that obesity was supernatural, an affliction of the gods. Hippocrates, the father of medicine, was aware of sudden deaths being more common among obese men than lean ones as stated in his writings. In certain cultures and areas where food is scarce and poverty is prevalent, obesity is viewed as a symbol of wealth and social status. Throughout the history of obesity, the public’s view and status of obesity started to considerably change in the 1900’s. During this time the government started to become more involved by initiating campaigns against the problem and publishing ideal weights for various heights. In 1996, the Body Mass Index (BMI) was published, which was a statistical calculation and index to determine if a person is obese or not. In the 21st century, obesity is considered an epidemic...
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