From payday loans to pawn shops: predatory lending, the unbanked, and poor health
The alternative financial services (AFS) industry, such as short-term predatory lenders and check cashers, generates revenue of $75 billion annually. Growth in the industry accelerated in the 1980s due to deregulation and increased need for credit among the poor and working class suffering from stagnant wages and social service cuts. In particular, AFS businesses exploit the financial marginalization of African Americans and immigrants, groups harmed by discriminatory policies and institutions that have hindered their ability to accumulate wealth and participate in mainstream financial programs. Unregulated short-term predatory loans carry annual interest rates of 300-400%. Users primarily borrow to cover basic living expenses and compensate for lost income. Those without access to a bank account, the unbanked, are especially likely to use AFS; by one estimate, a typical unbanked household earning $25,000 spends $2,400 on AFS annually. In addition to the high monetary costs of poverty, those who are unbanked must spend large amounts of time travelling and waiting to pay bills in person. Though many studies have assessed the relationship been financial instability, specifically wealth and debt, and health, few have focused on AFS use and the unbanked. We hypothesize that AFS use and being unbanked results in poor health because of increased stress and material deprivation. Our study investigated the relationship between predatory loan use, unbanked status, and self-rated health using data from the Current Population Surveys from 2011-2016. In this talk, I discuss the results of our analysis and explore their policy implications for financial regulations and social welfare programs.
Dr. Hajat is currently an Assistant Professor in the Epidemiology Department at the University of Washington’s School of Public Health and a CSDE Affiliate. She received her PhD in Epidemiology from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill and her MPH in Epidemiology and International Health from the University of Michigan. Dr. Hajat’s current NIH funded research explores the joint effects of psychosocial stress and environmental exposures as they impact cardiovascular disease. In addition, much of her research to date has explored the role of stress, including financial instability, in causing poor mental and physical health.
This workshop is a 2 hour introduction to the free, open-source statistical programming language R. It assumes no prior experience with R. You can register for the workshop at the link below.
This workshop is a 2 hour introduction to the free, open-source statistical programming language R. It assumes no prior experience with R. You can register for the workshop at the link below.
Tim Thomas, CSDE Trainee and UW graduate student in Sociology, recently spoke with KUOW about a demographic movement pattern he observed: black migration out of Seattle. Thomas explains that rising rent prices are shifting the city’s makeup by racial background as well as economic status. This movement has accelerated in recent years, and the data suggest the trend will continue as long as inner-city rent remains high. You can read the full story below.
Lisa Jones-Engel, CSDE Affiliate and UW Affiliate Associate Professor of Anthropology, and Amy Klegarth, a Postdoctoral Research Associate in Anthropology at UW, recently published a study on the ranging patterns of urban primates. The team placed GPS collars on two species of macaques in order to better understand how urbanization has affected mobility in Singapore and Gibraltar. The study’s findings highlight how macaques’ behavioral plasticity is represented in their ranging patterns and preferences. You can read the full study below.
Middle East Studies at Brown University invites applications for a Visiting Assistant Professor in Middle East Studies (MES). The position is open to all disciplines, with a preference for the social sciences such as anthropology, history, political science, and sociology. This is a two-year position. We especially welcome candidates who thrive in an interdisciplinary environment, who have experience teaching and supervising undergraduates, and whose work is informed by comparative and global perspectives. The successful candidate will serve as the Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS) for the MES concentration (major) and will teach two classes a year: a seminar dedicated to developing honors theses for MES students and a lecture course in the applicant’s area of interest. The DUS oversees the undergraduate curriculum, is the point of contact for current and potential concentrators, provides oversight for the undergraduate advising program, and represents the Department at undergraduate events on campus. More information is available below.
The Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Alma College invites applications for a one-year Visiting Instructor/Assistant Professor position in Anthropology. Duties will begin in August, 2017. Teaching responsibilities will include introductory classes in archaeology and anthropology, upper level offerings in the instructor’s area of expertise, and the capstone course for the major. A Master’s degree in anthropology is required; Ph.D. required for appointment as Assistant Professor.
Applications should be submitted electronically, with review beginning May 22, 2017. Send a curriculum vita, a statement of teaching, evidence of teaching effectiveness, and the names of three references to: Ms. Jodie Reeves, Administrative Assistant, Provost’s Office, Alma College, 614 W. Superior St., Alma, MI 48801-1599, reeves@alma.edu.
Betty Bekemeier, CSDE Affiliate and Assistant Professor of Psychosocial and Community Health at UW, recently published a study on local areas’ efforts in promoting physical activity among residents. This cluster analysis examines practices in six states and discovered that coordinated community health plans can lead to clear reductions in obesity incidence. The study also highlighted the importance of data tracking and storage, practices that made this research possible. The full report is available below.
Kam Wing Chan, CSDE Affiliate and UW Professor of Geography, spoke with Toronto Star about how China’s population problems are affecting the availability of education. China’s hukou, an internal passport system based on heredity, is geared toward population control. Children of migrant parents, however, exist outside that system—as a result, they face near-insurmountable barriers to a Beijing education and are often forced away from the city. You can read the full article below.
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is inviting applicants for a tenure-line, Spatial Scientist faculty position in the School of Natural Resources. We are seeking someone with advanced expertise in GIS with skills such as programming (Python), advanced spatial analysis techniques (e.g., R), geovisualization, and/or experience with remotely sensed image data. The position will also lead the GIS component within the Center for Advanced Land Management Information Technologies (CALMIT). The link with more information about this positon and to apply is below.