Chrisann Newransky

Microcredit Self-Help Groups for Widowed and Abandoned Women in South India: Do They Help?

ABSTRACT Results are presented from a study on a microcredit program with self-help groups implemented for widowed and abandoned women in Tamil Nadu shortly after the Indian Ocean Tsunami. Data were collected from 109 participants measuring the womens investment patterns, loan amounts, demographics, and overall well-being (psychological, economic, communal, and familial). Results indicate that loan amounts and investment patterns were not significantly related to the womens well-being. Length of group participation and having children were negatively related to the womens well-being. These findings are discussed in relation to social and cultural contexts. Suggestions for programs for this population of vulnerable women and other marginalized groups are proposed.

Exploring Moderating Effects of Violent Conflict on Household Welfare in a Resource-Constrained Environment: The Case of Sub-Saharan Africa

ABSTRACT This study examines correlates of household welfare in three countries of sub-Saharan Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, using data from the 2004 wave of the Afrobarometer survey. We also assess the role violent conflict might play in influencing this relationship. This subject has become especially relevant today in sub-Saharan Africa, given the growing disfranchisement of vulnerable individuals and households and increased incidents of violent conflict. Insight into the relationship between violent conflict and household welfare may be an important step in understanding why many sub-Saharan African countries have difficulties in stimulating economic growth and welfare. The study sample includes 3,525 respondents. Study findings provide partial support for the hypothesized relationship. Specifically, poverty reduction initiatives and informal assistance are associated with reduced hardship, while violent conflict is related to an increase in hardship. We also note that certain individual and household characteristics are linked to hardship. Practice and policy implications are suggested.

Predictors of welfare and child outcomes in female-headed households in sub-Saharan Africa

This study examines correlates of household welfare in female-headed households in three countries of sub-Saharan Africa – Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe – using data from the 2004 wave of the Afrobarometer survey (n = 3525). More specifically, we assess the role government interventions and informal assistance might play in predicting household welfare. The association between female headship of a household and aspirations for child future outcomes is also examined. Study findings suggest country variations in experiences of welfare and perception of child outcomes. We also note that certain individual and household characteristics are linked to both household welfare and perception of child outcomes. Practice and policy implications are suggested.

The Development of Self-Efficacy Beliefs of Widowed and Abandoned Women Through Microcredit Self-Help Groups: The Case of Rural South India

ABSTRACT Widowed or abandoned women are among the poorest and marginalized people in Indian society. In an effort to empower these women to achieve a sustainable livelihood and overcome discrimination related to marital status and caste, a local nongovernmental organization, Kalangarai, organized widows and abandoned women into microcredit self-help groups (SHGs) along the Southeast coast of India. This mixed-methods study examines the effects of microcredit SHG training and facilitation on the perceived self-efficacy of widowed or abandoned women in the groups (N = 64). Data were collected on SHG training, facilitation, self-efficacy, well-being, and caste discrimination. Regression results indicate that participation in SHG trainings and having more intensive staff facilitation significantly impacted the womens perception of self-efficacy. These findings suggest that the microcredit SHG structure can be utilized to spark a transformative process for women to collectively gain power and political voice. Further implications for advocacy, scholarship, and program design are discussed.

Correlates of Treatment Retention Among Persons with Serious Mental Illness Receiving Integrated Care in a Community Mental Health Setting

ABSTRACT Knowledge about methods to retain community mental health (CMH) clients in integrated primary and behavioral health care (PBHC) programs is needed to address longstanding health disparities. A preexisting data set that contained the clinical records of 446 PBHC program participants was used to examine whether baseline sociodemographic, health, and psychosocial characteristics predicted retention in care at 6 months post-enrollment. Results indicated that less than half of PBHC participants (43.7%) were retained in care, and approximately 17% of the variance in retention was explained by the inclusion of seven predictors in the model (overall health, medications, laboratory data, primary care provider, disorder type, transportation, and living arrangement). Clients with thought disorders were almost twice as likely as those with mood disorders to be retained in care, and greater frequency of prescribed medications also increased the likelihood of treatment continuation (ORs = 1.99 and 1.20, respectively). Future research should identify factors that improve retention in integrated PBHC programs overall, and among persons with mood disorders, in particular.

Assessing the Effects of an Asset-Building Program in Resource-Constrained Households: The Case of Sub-Saharan Africa

ABSTRACT Using a survey that was administered individually to respondents at set locations, this study examines the effects of participation in an asset-building program in resource-constrained households in rural Ghana (n = 120 in the experimental group and n = 120 in the comparison group). Results suggest the program is effective in reaching the most economically vulnerable households. We also learned that program participation was related to ownership of social assets, as well as psychosocial and financial well-being. Program characteristics, including trust among members and time spent on program-related activities, were related to enhanced social and financial assets, respectively. A number of implications emerge from this study. Given that the program, although effective in reaching the most economically vulnerable households, did not produce significant outcomes in such households, attention may be devoted to understanding ways to enhance the welfare of vulnerable program participants. A targeted approach may be a viable option. With respect to policy, consideration could be given to incorporating microfinance models in poverty alleviation strategies. Continued research using more rigorous design is needed to explore the relationship between microfinance and the welfare of vulnerable participants.