Anne McDaniel

The Black Gender Gap in Educational Attainment: Historical Trends and Racial Comparisons

It is often asserted that the gender gap in educational attainment is larger for blacks than whites, but historical trends comparing the black and white gender gap have received surprisingly little attention. Analysis of historical data from the U.S. census IPUMS samples shows that the gender gap in college completion has evolved differently for whites and blacks. Historically, the female advantage in educational attainment among blacks is linked to more favorable labor market opportunities and stronger incentives for employment for educated black women. Blacks, particularly black males, still lag far behind whites in their rates of college completion, but the striking educational gains of white women have caused the racial patterns of gender differences in college completion rates to grow more similar over time. While some have linked the disadvantaged position of black males to their high risk of incarceration, our estimates suggest that incarceration has a relatively small impact on the black gender gap and the racial gap in college completion rates for males in the United States.

Measuring Gender Egalitarianism: The Attitudinal Difference Between Men and Women

Gender egalitarianism is often used in research on womens status, but research has yet to develop a comprehensive measure of this variable for a large number of countries. Moreover, current studies neglect to examine the difference between mens and womens attitudes toward gender equality. This article aims to overcome these shortcomings. Applying factor analysis to the World Values Survey data, I create a composite index of gender egalitarianism for Western and non-Western countries. I begin with an extended model for a limited number of countries (n = 38) and predict the value of this index for all countries for which data are available (n = 67). This new index can be used in further research on the causes and effects of gender egalitarianism in a more diverse set of countries than previously available; it is sound methodologically. Substantively, this article contributes to the discussion on the difference between mens and womens gender egalitarian attitudes. Specifically, the results show that in less egalitarian countries womens attitudes toward gender equality are significantly stronger than mens, while in more egalitarian countries, womens and mens attitudes in this domain are practically the same.

Exploring Differences in College Student Financial Wellness by Institution Type

The authors argue that there are multiple dimensions of financial wellness that student affairs practitioners must consider when understanding and helping students improve their financial wellness. Data were analyzed from more than 3,000 students attending 19 two- and four-year colleges in one midwestern state to uncover underlying factors of financial wellness, how these factors are related, and how they vary across institution type. The authors offer recommendations for supporting students’ financial wellness.

Gender and Education

In the past few decades, there has been a dramatic shift in education. Females once lagged behind males in their years of schooling, but now males lag behind females. Now, females consistently earn higher grades, have fewer behavioral problems, and are more likely to graduate from high school and college than males. A great deal of research has examined reasons for these gender differences in education. This chapter identifies patterns of gender inequality in education from kindergarten through college completion, outlines key explanations for these inequalities and highlights promising areas for further inquiry to better understand the female advantage in school, especially college completion. We focus on the United States and particularly emphasize research on higher education. While much is known about patterns of and reasons for gender differences in academic performance, as well as the role of families, resources and the school environment in producing unequal outcomes by gender, there is still much to learn. We conclude by offering suggestions for future research that should focus on the daily lives and experiences of students, and how the education system coupled with societal structures of gender intersect to shape student experiences and outcomes.

Food Insecurity and Academic Disruption Among College Students

Food insecurity is a growing problem among college students, but little is known about how it is related to academic outcomes. We analyze broad demographics of food insecurity at one institution and explore how food insecurity is associated with whether students have neglected their academics, reduced courses, or considered dropping out of college due to their finances. We then discuss programs that may support food insecure students.

Nonmedical use of over-the-counter medications is significantly associated with nonmedical use of prescription drugs among university students

ABSTRACT Objective: To examine the association between nonmedical use of over-the-counter medications (NMUOTC) and nonmedical use of prescription drugs (NMUPD). Participants: University students surveyed on NMUOTC and NMUPD between August and December 2011 (N = 939). Methods: Cross-sectional data analysis of online survey. Results: The majority of respondents were women, undergraduate, Caucasian, and not affiliated with Greek life. NMUPD and NMUOTC were reported by 21.4% and 11.2% of students, respectively. NMUOTC was significantly associated with NMUPD in unadjusted analyses and after adjustment for gender, age, race/ethnicity, and Greek membership (odds ratio: 3.37, 95% confidence interval: 2.17, 5.23). Secondary analyses showed a relationship between over-the-counter (OTC) cough medication misuse and NMUPD, OTC stimulant misuse and prescription stimulant misuse, and OTC sleep aid misuse with prescription depressant misuse. Conclusions: Results suggest the importance of both measuring the prevalence of OTC misuse and incorporating its misuse into assessments of polydrug use in the university population.

Sexual Orientation and College Students’ Reasons for Nonmedical Use of Prescription Drugs

ABSTRACT Background: Nonmedical use of prescription pain medications, sedatives, and stimulants is a well-documented problem among college students. Research has indicated that students who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual are at elevated risk. However, little is known about students’ reasons for use. Objectives: (1) To replicate findings that sexual minority students report higher nonmedical use than heterosexual students, moving from a campus-specific to a multicampus sample and (2) to test for an association between sexual orientation and reasons for use. Methods: The 2015 College Prescription Drug Study surveyed 3389 students from nine 4-year public and private colleges and universities across the United States using an anonymous online survey. Measures assessed demographic information, prevalence of nonmedical use, frequency of use, where the drugs were obtained, reasons for use, and consequences of use. Stepwise logistic regression models were used to determine if sexual orientation predicted use. Chi-square tests of independence were also used to analyze prevalence of use by demographics as well as to assess differences in reasons for use by sexual orientation. Results: Sexual minority students were significantly more likely than heterosexual students to nonmedically use any prescription drug, pain medications, and sedatives. Sexual minority students were also more likely to select that they used pain medications to relieve anxiety, enhance social interactions, and to feel better. Conclusions/Importance: Although sexual minority students are more likely to report nonmedical use, students overall use prescription medications for similar reasons, with the exception of painkillers. Implications and areas for future research are discussed.