Gender gaps in education

This chapter reviews the growing body of research in economics which concentrates on the education gender gap and its evolution, over time and across countries. The survey first focuses on gender differentials in the historical period that roughly goes from 1850 to the 1940s and documents the deep determinants of the early phase of female education expansion, including preindustrial conditions, religion, and family and kinship patterns. Next, the survey describes the stylized facts of contemporaneous gender gaps in education, from the 1950s to the present day, accounting for several alternative measures of attainment and achievement and for geographic and temporal differentiations. The determinants of the gaps are then summarized, while keeping a strong emphasis on an historical perspective and disentangling factors related to the labor market, family formation, psychological elements, and societal cultural norms. A discussion follows of the implications of the education gender gap for multiple realms, from economic growth to family life, taking into account the potential for reverse causation. Special attention is devoted to the persistency of gender gaps in the STEM and economics fields

Gender Gaps in Education

This chapter reviews the growing body of research in economics which concentrates on the education gender gap and its evolution, over time and across countries. The survey first focuses on gender differentials in the historical period that roughly goes from 1850 to the 1940s and documents the deep determinants of the early phase of female education expansion, including preindustrial conditions, religion, and family and kinship patterns. Next, the survey describes the stylized facts of contemporaneous gender gaps in education, from the 1950s to the present day, accounting for several alternative measures of attainment and achievement and for geographic and temporal differentiations. The determinants of the gaps are then summarized, while keeping a strong emphasis on an historical perspective and disentangling factors related to the labor market, family formation, psychological elements, and societal cultural norms. A discussion follows of the implications of the education gender gap for multiple realms, from economic growth to family life, taking into account the potential for reverse causation. Special attention is devoted to the persistency of gender gaps in the STEM and economics fields

Healthy lifestyle promotion via digital self-help for mental health patients in primary care : a pilot study including an embedded randomized recruitment trial

Aim:This study piloted a digital self-help intervention facilitating healthy lifestyle for patients with mental health problems in primary care. Background:Patients with mental health problems show more unhealthy lifestyle behaviors than the general population and prior research indicates that healthy lifestyle behaviors can improve mental health. Methods:This pilot study assessed use of a self-help digital intervention for healthy lifestyle promotion and included an embedded randomized recruitment trial, where all patients were randomized to digital self-help plus treatment as usual (TAU) or to TAU only. Patients seeking help for mental health problems were recruited from two primary care clinics in Stockholm, Sweden, and offered participation in a healthy lifestyle promotion study via digital self-help. Outcome measures included use-related assessment of inclusion and follow-up rates at both clinics, participant characteristics, and intervention adherence. Secondary outcomes included depression (the Patient Health Questionnaire-9) and anxiety (the GAD-7) up to 10 weeks, and changes in alcohol and tobacco use, physical activity, and diet. Results:The study included 152 patients. The recruitment rate, initially low, increased after involving the clinicians more and maintaining more frequent contact with the patients. The 10-week missing data rate was 33/152 (22%). Participants were 70% (106/152) women, with a mean age of 42 years (SD = 14); fewer than half (38%, n = 58/152) had one or more high-risk unhealthy behaviors at inclusion. Psychiatric symptoms were moderate at baseline and declined in both groups after 10 weeks (d = 0.57-0.75). No between-group effects over time occurred on depression (b = 0.3 [95% CI -1.6, 2.2]; d = 0.06), anxiety (b = -0.7 [-2.5, 1.2]; d = 0.13), or lifestyle behaviors (b = 0.01 [-0.3, 0,3]; d = -0.01). Conclusions:Recruitment routines seemed to be decisive for reaching as many patients as possible. The relatively low rate of unhealthy lifestyle behaviors and small effect sizes suggests that the intervention may only suit patients at risk. Trial registration:ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03691116 (01/10/2018), focusing on the embedded trial. Retrospectively registered for the first clinic and prospectively for the second clinic

Healthy lifestyle promotion via digital self-help for mental health patients in primary care : a pilot study including an embedded randomized recruitment trial

Aim:This study piloted a digital self-help intervention facilitating healthy lifestyle for patients with mental health problems in primary care. Background:Patients with mental health problems show more unhealthy lifestyle behaviors than the general population and prior research indicates that healthy lifestyle behaviors can improve mental health. Methods:This pilot study assessed use of a self-help digital intervention for healthy lifestyle promotion and included an embedded randomized recruitment trial, where all patients were randomized to digital self-help plus treatment as usual (TAU) or to TAU only. Patients seeking help for mental health problems were recruited from two primary care clinics in Stockholm, Sweden, and offered participation in a healthy lifestyle promotion study via digital self-help. Outcome measures included use-related assessment of inclusion and follow-up rates at both clinics, participant characteristics, and intervention adherence. Secondary outcomes included depression (the Patient Health Questionnaire-9) and anxiety (the GAD-7) up to 10 weeks, and changes in alcohol and tobacco use, physical activity, and diet. Results:The study included 152 patients. The recruitment rate, initially low, increased after involving the clinicians more and maintaining more frequent contact with the patients. The 10-week missing data rate was 33/152 (22%). Participants were 70% (106/152) women, with a mean age of 42 years (SD = 14); fewer than half (38%, n = 58/152) had one or more high-risk unhealthy behaviors at inclusion. Psychiatric symptoms were moderate at baseline and declined in both groups after 10 weeks (d = 0.57-0.75). No between-group effects over time occurred on depression (b = 0.3 [95% CI -1.6, 2.2]; d = 0.06), anxiety (b = -0.7 [-2.5, 1.2]; d = 0.13), or lifestyle behaviors (b = 0.01 [-0.3, 0,3]; d = -0.01). Conclusions:Recruitment routines seemed to be decisive for reaching as many patients as possible. The relatively low rate of unhealthy lifestyle behaviors and small effect sizes suggests that the intervention may only suit patients at risk. Trial registration:ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03691116 (01/10/2018), focusing on the embedded trial. Retrospectively registered for the first clinic and prospectively for the second clinic