The document discusses unemployment rates, workforce changes, and economic challenges in rural North Carolina from 2007-2009. It shows that rural counties generally had higher unemployment rates than urban counties during this period. The manufacturing, retail, and wholesale sectors declined significantly in rural areas while the service sector grew. It also notes increasing poverty, home foreclosures, and numbers of people exhausting unemployment benefits in rural North Carolina during the recession.
Presentation to the Oregon Legislature on the latest economic and revenue outlook for the State of Oregon. Overview of the U.S. and international economic landscape in addition to what is happening in Oregon. Tax revenue tracking and outlook for personal income taxes, corporate income taxes and Lottery sales.
The document summarizes tax rates and economic indicators for the top 10 and bottom 10 states according to the 2015 State Business Tax Climate Index. The top 10 states had an average unemployment rate of 4.8% with GDP per capita of $49,956 and GDP growth of 2.5%, while the bottom 10 states had higher average unemployment of 5.2% with GDP per capita of $52,346 and lower GDP growth of 1.7%. Specific states like Florida, New Hampshire, and Texas had more favorable business climates and economic indicators than states like Connecticut and New York.
This document summarizes the economic impacts of the recession on the African American community. It finds that African American homeownership, income, employment, and wealth were disproportionately impacted. Unemployment rates for African Americans remain twice as high as whites. While all groups saw declines in income and wealth during the recession, the drops were largest for people of color who rely more on housing for wealth. The summary concludes that significant recovery in the African American housing market will require non-traditional approaches to address issues like blight, foreclosures, and access to credit.
The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis forecasts the state's economy, General Fund, and Lottery Fund revenues. This slide presentation is part of the May 2021 forecast, released May 19th.
The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis forecasts the state's economy, General Fund, and Lottery Fund revenues. This slide presentation is part of the September 2021 forecast, released August 25th.
The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis forecasts the state's economy, General Fund, and Lottery Fund revenues. This slide presentation is part of the March 2021 forecast, released February 24th.
Presentation to the Oregon Legislature on the latest economic and revenue outlook for the State of Oregon. Overview of the U.S. and international economic landscape in addition to what is happening in Oregon. Tax revenue tracking and outlook for personal income taxes, corporate income taxes and Lottery sales.
The document summarizes tax rates and economic indicators for the top 10 and bottom 10 states according to the 2015 State Business Tax Climate Index. The top 10 states had an average unemployment rate of 4.8% with GDP per capita of $49,956 and GDP growth of 2.5%, while the bottom 10 states had higher average unemployment of 5.2% with GDP per capita of $52,346 and lower GDP growth of 1.7%. Specific states like Florida, New Hampshire, and Texas had more favorable business climates and economic indicators than states like Connecticut and New York.
This document summarizes the economic impacts of the recession on the African American community. It finds that African American homeownership, income, employment, and wealth were disproportionately impacted. Unemployment rates for African Americans remain twice as high as whites. While all groups saw declines in income and wealth during the recession, the drops were largest for people of color who rely more on housing for wealth. The summary concludes that significant recovery in the African American housing market will require non-traditional approaches to address issues like blight, foreclosures, and access to credit.
The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis forecasts the state's economy, General Fund, and Lottery Fund revenues. This slide presentation is part of the May 2021 forecast, released May 19th.
The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis forecasts the state's economy, General Fund, and Lottery Fund revenues. This slide presentation is part of the September 2021 forecast, released August 25th.
The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis forecasts the state's economy, General Fund, and Lottery Fund revenues. This slide presentation is part of the March 2021 forecast, released February 24th.
The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis forecasts the state The economy and General Fund and Lottery Fund revenues. This slide presentation is part of the December 2020 forecast, released November 18th.
The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis forecasts the state economy and General Fund and Lottery Fund revenues. This slide presentation is a part of the September 2019 forecast (released August 28th).
This document summarizes the projected cumulative impact on national health expenditures from 2008 to 2017 of an insurance connector approach combined with selected individual options like improved information, payment reform, and public health initiatives. It shows that this combination is estimated to reduce cumulative NHE by $1.554 trillion by 2017, with an annual net impact ranging from $84 billion in savings in 2008 to $272 billion in savings in 2017.
This document summarizes the March 2022 economic and revenue forecast from the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis. It finds that Oregon's economy continues to experience strong inflation-driven growth, with rising wages and revenues. However, housing supply remains constrained, with Oregon underbuilding over 100,000 homes in recent decades. This shortage contributes to affordability issues and could limit future population and revenue growth. Overall, the revenue outlook has strengthened further, with personal income, corporate, and other tax revenues all projected to grow strongly through 2027.
This document is a neighborhood report for Belleville, IL 62221 that includes housing statistics, demographic data, economic indicators, and quality of life information for the area. It provides charts comparing the median home price and sales volume, listing price and volume, price ranges and sizes of homes sold, population breakdown by age and income, unemployment rates, and average temperature. The report was created by Aislinn Kornegay, a real estate agent with Brown Realtors, and contains copyrighted data from 2014.
The document discusses disrupted global supply chains across states due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Strong demand has strained domestic production capacity in most sectors. Struggling global supply chains have resulted in record shipping costs, low inventories, and rising prices. Imports and exports have been harder with affected industries in every state. Trucking plays a major role in domestic shipments. The pandemic has accelerated the importance of distribution centers. The outlook expects supply chain pressures to ease as the pandemic wanes and demand cools, increasing production and goods movement to meet demand.
Keynote address given by Dr. Patrick Barkey, director of the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at the University of Montana, during the 2011 Montana Economic Outlook Seminars.
Working from home is a long-run growth opportunity. Many such workers bring their jobs with them or start their own business in part because it is harder to find a similar job locally. One key need is good, reliable broadband. Overall Oregon does better than much of the country in terms of working from home and broadband access, however gaps exist. Furthermore there are a lot of inequities regarding access to technology. Broadband is important for social, economic, and educational needs.
The recent economic data have been disappointing, but hardly a disaster. The broad range of indicators suggest a slowing in the pace of growth – not a contraction. One month does not a trend make, but the data have generated some anxieties about whether the current slow patch could be a lot longer lasting or turn into something more severe.
The document summarizes economic indicators for the 7 Rivers region. It discusses the ongoing economic recovery beginning in late summer 2009, which was expected to be slow. It also covers provisions of the Affordable Care Act, including expanding health insurance coverage to 32 million more Americans, establishing an independent Medicare board to control costs, and addressing long-term fiscal problems with Medicare and Medicaid through taxes and fees. The document concludes by mentioning encouraging innovation and changes to the housing market.
The document discusses trends in healthcare real estate investment in central Florida. As Florida's population ages, the percentage of residents over 65 is expected to grow significantly in central Florida by 2025. Developers are responding to this demographic trend by increasing investments in healthcare facilities and medical office developments in the region. Several large and small speculative medical office projects are currently under construction or proposed in anticipation of increased demand from a growing senior population.
This document summarizes estimates of charitable giving in Kent County, Michigan for the year 2012. It finds that a total of $947.2 million was donated, a substantial increase from 2011. The majority (64.8%) came from individuals, while foundations contributed significantly at 25.8%. Foundations in Kent County contributed a higher percentage than nationally (14.5%). Kent County individuals donated 10% of Michigan's total individual giving despite Kent County households making up only 6% of the state.
The document discusses the difficulties that many recent college graduates face with high student loan debt and a challenging job market. It contrasts their "American Dream" of attaining success and prosperity with the "American Nightmare" of living paycheck to paycheck. It proposes that individuals can take control of their health and wealth by participating in a program that provides residual income and benefits through building partnerships over time.
Analyzing demographic and economic trends across rural Oregon and rural America at large. Topics include educational attainment, employment, industrial structure, labor force participation, migration, population and the quality of jobs.
by Jason Breslow and Evan Wexler, Frontline, PBS
For many middle-class families, the American Dream can feel as though it's slipping away. For others, it can seem lost for good.
Consider Terry and Tony Neumann and Claude and Jackie Stanley -- the two Milwaukee couples featured in an episode of FRONTLINE, Two American Families.
In 1992, both Tony and Claude had recently lost their manufacturing jobs. For the next 20 years, our cameras followed them and their families as they struggled to avoid poverty. When they could find work, it was often for longer hours, less pay and no benefits. Bills piled up, tensions rose and relationships became strained.
Of course, their story is far from unique. Over the last several decades, the middle class has struggled to keep pace with smaller paychecks, mounting debt and shrinking opportunities for steady work. The following eight charts offer a brief snapshot.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/business-economy-financial-crisis/two-american-families/the-state-of-americas-middle-class-in-eight-charts/
This document contains information about the number of realtors in Oregon compared to the state population, realtor profits, and unemployment rates. It shows that from 2004-2006, the number of realtors increased more rapidly than population growth, peaking at a 0.51% realtor to consumer ratio in 2006. Since then, the ratio has decreased to a more traditional level. For realtor profits to match 2002 levels with current sales volumes, over 2,000 realtors would need to leave the market. Additionally, the number of realtors historically correlates with unemployment rates, with more realtors during times of lower unemployment and fewer during economic downturns when unemployment rises.
Current overview and outlook of the Portland, Oregon housing market. Details recent affordability trends in addition to new construction, demand, demographics, remodeling work and the continued impact of the housing bubble aftermath. Forecasts provided for population growth, new construction and prices.
Slide presentation from Gary Keith, vice president and regional economist for M & T Bank, who assessed the key economic indicators for 2008 and talked about what’s in store for our region in 2009 at the Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce's 2008 Economic Forecast Luncheon.
Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 128,000 jobs in October. Job growth has averaged 167,000 per month thus far in 2019, compared with an average monthly gain of 223,000 in 2018. Employment declined in motor vehicles and parts manufacturing due to strike activity. Federal government employment was also down, reflecting a drop in the number of temporary jobs for the 2020 Census.
The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis forecasts the state The economy and General Fund and Lottery Fund revenues. This slide presentation is part of the December 2020 forecast, released November 18th.
The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis forecasts the state economy and General Fund and Lottery Fund revenues. This slide presentation is a part of the September 2019 forecast (released August 28th).
This document summarizes the projected cumulative impact on national health expenditures from 2008 to 2017 of an insurance connector approach combined with selected individual options like improved information, payment reform, and public health initiatives. It shows that this combination is estimated to reduce cumulative NHE by $1.554 trillion by 2017, with an annual net impact ranging from $84 billion in savings in 2008 to $272 billion in savings in 2017.
This document summarizes the March 2022 economic and revenue forecast from the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis. It finds that Oregon's economy continues to experience strong inflation-driven growth, with rising wages and revenues. However, housing supply remains constrained, with Oregon underbuilding over 100,000 homes in recent decades. This shortage contributes to affordability issues and could limit future population and revenue growth. Overall, the revenue outlook has strengthened further, with personal income, corporate, and other tax revenues all projected to grow strongly through 2027.
This document is a neighborhood report for Belleville, IL 62221 that includes housing statistics, demographic data, economic indicators, and quality of life information for the area. It provides charts comparing the median home price and sales volume, listing price and volume, price ranges and sizes of homes sold, population breakdown by age and income, unemployment rates, and average temperature. The report was created by Aislinn Kornegay, a real estate agent with Brown Realtors, and contains copyrighted data from 2014.
The document discusses disrupted global supply chains across states due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Strong demand has strained domestic production capacity in most sectors. Struggling global supply chains have resulted in record shipping costs, low inventories, and rising prices. Imports and exports have been harder with affected industries in every state. Trucking plays a major role in domestic shipments. The pandemic has accelerated the importance of distribution centers. The outlook expects supply chain pressures to ease as the pandemic wanes and demand cools, increasing production and goods movement to meet demand.
Keynote address given by Dr. Patrick Barkey, director of the Bureau of Business and Economic Research at the University of Montana, during the 2011 Montana Economic Outlook Seminars.
Working from home is a long-run growth opportunity. Many such workers bring their jobs with them or start their own business in part because it is harder to find a similar job locally. One key need is good, reliable broadband. Overall Oregon does better than much of the country in terms of working from home and broadband access, however gaps exist. Furthermore there are a lot of inequities regarding access to technology. Broadband is important for social, economic, and educational needs.
The recent economic data have been disappointing, but hardly a disaster. The broad range of indicators suggest a slowing in the pace of growth – not a contraction. One month does not a trend make, but the data have generated some anxieties about whether the current slow patch could be a lot longer lasting or turn into something more severe.
The document summarizes economic indicators for the 7 Rivers region. It discusses the ongoing economic recovery beginning in late summer 2009, which was expected to be slow. It also covers provisions of the Affordable Care Act, including expanding health insurance coverage to 32 million more Americans, establishing an independent Medicare board to control costs, and addressing long-term fiscal problems with Medicare and Medicaid through taxes and fees. The document concludes by mentioning encouraging innovation and changes to the housing market.
The document discusses trends in healthcare real estate investment in central Florida. As Florida's population ages, the percentage of residents over 65 is expected to grow significantly in central Florida by 2025. Developers are responding to this demographic trend by increasing investments in healthcare facilities and medical office developments in the region. Several large and small speculative medical office projects are currently under construction or proposed in anticipation of increased demand from a growing senior population.
This document summarizes estimates of charitable giving in Kent County, Michigan for the year 2012. It finds that a total of $947.2 million was donated, a substantial increase from 2011. The majority (64.8%) came from individuals, while foundations contributed significantly at 25.8%. Foundations in Kent County contributed a higher percentage than nationally (14.5%). Kent County individuals donated 10% of Michigan's total individual giving despite Kent County households making up only 6% of the state.
The document discusses the difficulties that many recent college graduates face with high student loan debt and a challenging job market. It contrasts their "American Dream" of attaining success and prosperity with the "American Nightmare" of living paycheck to paycheck. It proposes that individuals can take control of their health and wealth by participating in a program that provides residual income and benefits through building partnerships over time.
Analyzing demographic and economic trends across rural Oregon and rural America at large. Topics include educational attainment, employment, industrial structure, labor force participation, migration, population and the quality of jobs.
by Jason Breslow and Evan Wexler, Frontline, PBS
For many middle-class families, the American Dream can feel as though it's slipping away. For others, it can seem lost for good.
Consider Terry and Tony Neumann and Claude and Jackie Stanley -- the two Milwaukee couples featured in an episode of FRONTLINE, Two American Families.
In 1992, both Tony and Claude had recently lost their manufacturing jobs. For the next 20 years, our cameras followed them and their families as they struggled to avoid poverty. When they could find work, it was often for longer hours, less pay and no benefits. Bills piled up, tensions rose and relationships became strained.
Of course, their story is far from unique. Over the last several decades, the middle class has struggled to keep pace with smaller paychecks, mounting debt and shrinking opportunities for steady work. The following eight charts offer a brief snapshot.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/business-economy-financial-crisis/two-american-families/the-state-of-americas-middle-class-in-eight-charts/
This document contains information about the number of realtors in Oregon compared to the state population, realtor profits, and unemployment rates. It shows that from 2004-2006, the number of realtors increased more rapidly than population growth, peaking at a 0.51% realtor to consumer ratio in 2006. Since then, the ratio has decreased to a more traditional level. For realtor profits to match 2002 levels with current sales volumes, over 2,000 realtors would need to leave the market. Additionally, the number of realtors historically correlates with unemployment rates, with more realtors during times of lower unemployment and fewer during economic downturns when unemployment rises.
Current overview and outlook of the Portland, Oregon housing market. Details recent affordability trends in addition to new construction, demand, demographics, remodeling work and the continued impact of the housing bubble aftermath. Forecasts provided for population growth, new construction and prices.
Slide presentation from Gary Keith, vice president and regional economist for M & T Bank, who assessed the key economic indicators for 2008 and talked about what’s in store for our region in 2009 at the Greater Syracuse Chamber of Commerce's 2008 Economic Forecast Luncheon.
Total nonfarm payroll employment increased by 128,000 jobs in October. Job growth has averaged 167,000 per month thus far in 2019, compared with an average monthly gain of 223,000 in 2018. Employment declined in motor vehicles and parts manufacturing due to strike activity. Federal government employment was also down, reflecting a drop in the number of temporary jobs for the 2020 Census.
The Truth About Lying: An Economic AnalysisJoe Morgan
The document provides misleading statistics and information about various economic indicators such as housing, employment, and financial markets. It includes graphs and charts with made-up or manipulated data designed to portray a rosier picture than the actual economic situation. The document is critiquing the practice of using false or misleading statistics to claim the economy is improving more than it really is.
Did you know the U.S. Census Bureau reported that the homeownership rate reached 64.6% at the end of 2018, the highest level since the third quarter of 2014? Increasing millennial demand was one of the biggest trends influencing the housing market. We complied an overview of US economic trends for Q1 2019.
2014 Economic Outlook (Michael Brown, Wells Fargo)PublicFinanceTV
The document analyzes the economic outlook for 2014 and beyond. It finds that while the US economic recovery will continue in 2014, growth will remain below historical averages. Unemployment remains elevated due to structural factors. Consumer spending and business investment will slowly increase in 2014, supporting moderate GDP growth. Federal fiscal policy uncertainty poses a headwind. Overall, the recovery is ongoing but uneven across states, industries, and demographic groups.
This document provides a neighborhood report for Alpine, California that includes statistics and charts related to the housing market, demographics, economy, and quality of life. Key facts include a median home value of $515K, median household income of $75,151, unemployment rate below the county and state averages, and average commute time of 30 minutes. Various charts visualize data on home sales, prices, listings, population breakdowns and more.
This document provides a neighborhood report for Bonita, California that includes statistics and charts related to the housing market, demographics, economy and quality of life. Key details include the median home value of $611K, median household income of $82,214, population of 12.9K, and unemployment rate below the county and state averages. Charts visualize data on home sales, prices, listings, household types and more.
- Real GDP declined in the first quarter of 2014 but this contraction is expected to be temporary. The public sector has weighed on overall growth but may soon contribute to growth again.
- While the budget deficit is shrinking, there is no credible plan to return to a budget surplus. Business investment and personal consumption expenditures also declined slightly in Q1 but are expected to pick up going forward.
- The unemployment rate overstates the health of the labor market as discouraged workers and part-time employment remain issues. Wage growth has been slow and consumer spending growth is expected to remain subdued.
Mark Vitner, managing director and senior economist at Wells Fargo, keynoted the 2014 Economic Outlook Briefing, describing trends and the latest economic issues facing the nation and the region.
Based in Charlotte, Vitner writes for the company’s Monthly Economic Outlook report, the Weekly Economic & Financial Commentary, and also provides regular updates on the housing markets, commercial real estate, regional economies, and inflation. Vitner’s commentary has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg, among other publications.
In addition to Vitner’s economic forecast, briefing attendees heard the results of the Chamber’s annual Economic Conditions Survey, an online survey that gauges our community’s thoughts on the current economy based on Chamber member response.
This document provides a neighborhood report for Mission Valley West in San Diego, CA. It includes statistics on the housing market, demographics, economy, and quality of life in the neighborhood. Key details include the median home value of $307K, population of 2.24K, median household income of $66,200, and an overall walkability score of 2.9 out of 5. Charts and graphs visualize additional data on home sales, prices, listings, population characteristics, income levels, employment, and more for the neighborhood.
This document summarizes an economic conference held by the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis on October 15, 2014. It discusses current economic conditions in the US and Arkansas. The US economy is seeing steady job growth and falling inflation and unemployment. However, a stronger dollar and weaker global growth could impact exports. In Arkansas, farm income decreased while farmland values fell slightly. The latest survey suggests Arkansas farmland prices may have peaked. Regional economic growth has exceeded the national average, though job growth in Arkansas has been half the national rate and incomes remain below average.
This document provides a neighborhood report for Lemon Grove, California that includes statistics and charts related to housing, people, economics, and quality of life for the area. Key details include a median home value of $361K, median household income of $49,986, and unemployment rate of 6.7% for Lemon Grove. Charts show distributions of home values, sale prices, ages, household types and more to compare Lemon Grove to the county and state.
The document summarizes economic trends in Atlanta and nationally. It finds that while recovery from the recession continues, with GDP and employment increasing, progress has been slow. Job growth has primarily occurred in lower-wage sectors, holding down wage growth. Unemployment rates remain higher for minorities and less educated groups. However, leading indicators like increasing job postings in high-tech fields, rising patent activity, and forecasts predict potential growth in higher-wage sectors going forward.
This document is a neighborhood report for Jamul, California that includes statistics and charts about the housing market, demographics, economy and quality of life. Some key facts are that the median home value is $597K, 85% of residents own their homes, the median household income is $102,344, and the largest employment sectors are construction, retail trade and educational services.
This document provides a neighborhood report for Mission Valley East in San Diego, CA. It includes statistics on the housing market, demographics, economy, and quality of life in the area. Some key details are median home value is $365k, population is 8k, median household income is $68,361, and the walkability score is 2.7 out of 5. The report also contains numerous charts displaying additional data about homes sales, prices, population characteristics, and more for the neighborhood.
This document provides a neighborhood report for Carmel Valley, California that includes statistics and charts related to the housing market, demographics, economy, and quality of life. Some key details include a median home value of $813,000, median age of 33, median household income of $60,143, and average annual rainfall of 19.9 inches. Charts show data on home sales prices, listings, building permits, unemployment, and other metrics to analyze trends in the area.
This document provides a neighborhood report for Coronado, California that includes statistics and charts related to housing, people, economics, and quality of life for the area. Some key facts presented include a median home value of $1.47M, population of 22K, median household income of $89,277, and unemployment rate of 2.9%. Charts visualize data on topics like sales prices and volume, property values, household demographics, occupations, and commute times.
Pennsylvania faces significant fiscal challenges that threaten to further weaken its credit quality if not addressed, including a large unfunded pension liability and structural budget imbalance. Its economic growth and tax revenues have lagged other states, and proposed solutions like a shale gas tax would not cure its problems. Pennsylvania's credit ratings were downgraded in 2014 due to these structural issues, and its credit quality is expected to continue deteriorating without policy changes that address its pension costs and spending levels.
This document provides a neighborhood report for Oceanside, California that includes statistics and charts related to housing, people, economics, and quality of life for the area. Key details include the median home value of $418K, population of 168K, median household income of $61,181, and unemployment rate of 5.2%. Charts visualize data on topics such as sales prices and volume, property listings, home characteristics, demographics, occupations, and commute times.
This document summarizes a breakout session at a health literacy conference on using tweets for engagement and health messaging. It introduces the three presenters and their areas of expertise in health communication and social media. It then outlines the objectives of the session, which are to effectively use Twitter and tweet chats for health literacy messaging, establish and structure tweet chats, and analyze participant feedback. The rest of the document provides details on how to create effective health messages as tweets, examples of good and bad tweets, how to create and structure a tweet chat, and Twitter tools and etiquette.
This presentation discusses using social media to communicate health literate messages. It begins with an agenda that includes discussing the range of social media sites, how to use them to communicate health messages, and how to evaluate their effectiveness. It then reviews popular social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Google+, and Instagram and their unique capabilities and limitations. The presentation emphasizes understanding your target audience and their social media usage. It provides tips for health literate messaging on social media, including using hashtags, pictures/videos, plain language, and questions instead of instructions. It concludes by discussing how to evaluate social media's effectiveness.
1. The document analyzes the relationship between health literacy, demographic factors, and disparities in health insurance coverage using a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults.
2. It finds that lower health literacy directly predicts lack of health insurance, and that health literacy mediates the impact of race/ethnicity, education, and other factors on insurance coverage.
3. The results suggest health literacy initiatives should target systemic barriers to improve access to health insurance for vulnerable groups defined by demographics and socioeconomic status.
This document discusses a project that uses GIS mapping and cost analysis to develop a method for estimating school transportation costs for foster youth. The project partners with local agencies in Cumberland County, NC to obtain data on foster youth placements, school locations, and transportation costs. The method calculates distances and travel times between placements and schools using a Google Maps API to estimate costs. Preliminary results show transportation costs increase with each school change. The project aims to inform strategic planning to increase school stability and educational outcomes for foster youth.
A Problem-posing Health Intervention: Developing an HIV /AIDS Health Literacy...RV Rikard
1. The document describes a partnership between an AIDS services organization, members of the African American community, and researchers to develop an HIV/AIDS health literacy toolkit using a problem-posing methodology.
2. The problem-posing method engaged participants in dialogue to identify generative themes about HIV/AIDS in the African American community, which were then codified into culturally appropriate representations.
3. The process helped establish relationships, develop a culturally sensitive toolkit to raise HIV/AIDS awareness, and empower community members to contribute to health literacy efforts. The main challenge was limited resources.
Gender Differences in Self-Esteem: Perceived Gender Discrimination and Gender...RV Rikard
This study examines factors that influence gender differences in self-esteem among middle school students. It hypothesizes that perceived gender discrimination mediates the relationship between gender and self-esteem. The study finds that perceived discrimination has the strongest negative impact on self-esteem. Peer relationships have a greater influence on self-esteem than family or teacher relationships. Younger middle school students tend to have higher self-esteem than older students.
Know Your Status: Health Literacy, Attitudes, and Beliefs Among African Amer...RV Rikard
This study examined the relationship between health literacy, attitudes, and beliefs related to HIV testing among African Americans. The authors hypothesized that higher health literacy would predict more positive attitudes toward HIV testing, even after controlling for other factors. They surveyed 172 African Americans and found that higher health literacy significantly predicted more positive testing attitudes. Prior HIV testing, religious importance, views of HIV as a gay disease, and beliefs about condoms also impacted testing attitudes. The authors concluded that interventions should address multiple factors beyond just self-efficacy to help reduce health disparities.
The document summarizes North Carolina's economic and workforce situation as of June 30, 2009. Unemployment rates were high, reaching 11.1% in North Carolina. Many people were receiving food stamps and homes were being foreclosed. The recession had caused widespread job losses, especially impacting manufacturing and dislocated workers. Recovery was expected to be slow and difficult, with challenges including high poverty levels, lower wages in new jobs, and effects continuing even after the economy improves.
2008 Southern Sociological Society Meeting "Race Differences in Girl Violence...RV Rikard
This study examines differences in violence between black and white adolescent females and the role of school identity. The researchers hypothesized that 1) black females would report higher levels of violence, 2) identifying as a good student would reduce violence, and 3) stress, anger, and peers would help explain racial differences in violence. Analyses found black females reported twice as much violence but identifying as a good student reduced violence for all. Strong student identity buffered the impact of race such that black females committed less violence than white females if they valued being good students. The findings suggest marginalized identities and commitment to academics influence adolescent female violence.
Rural Economic Development Organization Green Business Fund PresentationRV Rikard
The document discusses the green economy in North Carolina through three key points:
1) The green economy in North Carolina includes around 500 companies working in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainability. It is one of the top 10 states for new green energy investment and jobs.
2) The NC Green Business Fund was created in 2007 to award up to $100,000 per project to small businesses and organizations to encourage developing green technologies in areas like biofuels and green building. In 2008, it received 85 proposals totaling $7 million and awarded four grants.
3) For rural North Carolina, the green economy could mean economic development and jobs as well as improved environmental and personal quality of life. Immediate needs include
N C General Assembly Government Operations Subcomm.RV Rikard
The document discusses North Carolina's Green Business Fund, which provides grants to small businesses and non-profits to encourage the growth of the state's green economy. It received $1 million in funding for fiscal years 2008 and 2009. The fund prioritizes projects in biofuels, green building, and clean technology. In its first round of grants, it awarded over $1 million total to 12 recipients across those priority areas. Continued funding is seen as critical to support North Carolina's green businesses and environment.
Grant Informaiton Network "How Do I Find The Money?"RV Rikard
The document provides tips for finding funding sources by first determining key details like funding needs, timeframe, and purpose. It recommends searching federal sites like CFDA and Grants.gov as well as specific agency sites. Commercial sites like GuideStar and eCivis are also mentioned. Professional organizations may have specialty funding opportunities. Knowing search criteria and using multiple sources can help locate applicable grants.
General NC Green Business Fund PresentationRV Rikard
The document provides information about applying for grants from the North Carolina Green Business Fund (NCGBF). It discusses the background and purpose of the NCGBF, which provides grants to green businesses and projects. It outlines the eligibility requirements, priority areas, application process and requirements, including preparing a proposal with sections for the narrative, work plan, outcomes and budget. Tips are provided for writing a strong proposal to increase chances of receiving a grant. Contact information is also included for the grant administrator to answer any questions.
2007 Southern Soc. Society - "The Strength of Strong Ties for Older Adults: I...RV Rikard
This study examined the relationship between social ties, residential location, and subjective well-being among older adults. The researchers hypothesized that rural residents would report higher subjective well-being than urban/suburban residents, and that informal social integration would be associated with higher subjective well-being. The results showed no difference in subjective well-being between rural and urban residents. However, informal social ties, such as interactions with friends and family, were significantly associated with higher subjective well-being across all groups. Additionally, informal social ties appeared to have a greater impact on the well-being of rural older adults compared to their urban counterparts. The researchers concluded that strong, informal social ties are important for the well-being of older adults, especially
2007 Southern Soc. Society - "The Strength of Strong Ties for Older Adults: I...
State of Recession in Rural NC
1. How We Commonly See Rural North Carolina Billy Ray Hall President of the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center Prepared by R.V. Rikard, Senior Associate for Research
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5. Frequency of Rural Urban Counties by Unemployment Rate Categories (June 2009) UR Categories Rural Urban 9.1% or Less 14 4 9.2% - 11.1% 23 3 11.2% - 13.1% 24 4 13.2% - 15.1% 16 3 15.2% or Greater 8 1 NC 11.0%
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8. Manufacturing Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis and NC Employment Security Commission, Labor Market Information Division. Note: Data suppression underestimates percentage change across years.
9. Retail Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis and NC Employment Security Commission, Labor Market Information Division. Note: Data suppression underestimates percentage change across years.
10. Wholesale Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis and NC Employment Security Commission, Labor Market Information Division. Note: Data suppression underestimates percentage change across years.
11. Services Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis and NC Employment Security Commission, Labor Market Information Division. Note: Data suppression underestimates percentage change across years.
12. Government Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis and NC Employment Security Commission, Labor Market Information Division. Note: Data suppression underestimates percentage change across years.
The Rural Center counts 85 of North Carolina’s counties as rural, based on population density. The Rural Center’s view of what is rural is counter to the crude notion that rural equals non-metro North Carolina. Or that every county within a metro region is urban. In fact, according to the 2000 Census, nearly 49 percent of North Carolina's rural population, as defined by the Census Bureau, lives in a metropolitan county. In the future we will understand far better the increasing interdependence of rural and urban North Carolina.
The 40 Tier 1 counties are the most economically distressed in the state. All but one of them are rural. The Rural Center’s activities are concentrated in assisting these counties.
The seven economic development regions bring a necessary regional framework. Through them, we gain a better sense of shared regional challenges, and see the potential for collaborative strategies.
These are June figures. The July statewide unemployment rate was released last week, but it will be this Friday before the county numbers are released. The July statewide figure did not move much from the June rate. There are 56 counties with unemployment rates above the state average – 48 of them are rural.
Until county numbers are released later this week, this is the most up to date landscape of unemployment we have. The cluster of counties between Charlotte and Asheville and extending north up to Wilkes County is an intense cluster of high unemployment counties reflecting loss of manufacturing jobs. Two other clusters stand out: The rural triangle of counties anchored by Anson and Scotland counties extending up to Davidson County. Finally there is the region including Edgecombe, Nash, Halifax, Warren, and Vance counties.
How has the recession changed the composition of the rural labor force? The next set of slides will show the percentage change over time of key employment sectors that make up the state’s total labor force, then the percentage each sector makes up of urban and rural nonfarm employment. We use county data from the Federal Bureau of Economic Analysis which gives us the rural and urban values between 2001 and 2007. After that, we have only the state figures provided by state Employment Securities Commission. So for now we can only extrapolate the rural impact of the recession on specific sectors of the economy.
There is a relationship between educational attainment levels and employment. Recessions by and large hit the least-educated the hardest. This slide highlights the parallel trend between unemployment graduation rates. This is consistent with a national trend. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that in July of 2009 the unemployment rate for the civilian labor force that had less than a high school diploma was 15.4 percent. For high school grads, the rate was 9.4 percent. For those with a bachelor’s degree or higher it was 4.7 percent. The North Carolina graduation rates alone did not cause the higher unemployment rates, but addressing broad education needs is a critical part of the equation of how these counties recover in the future.
The largest increases this decade in poverty come from two regions of rural North Carolina long hurt by chronic poverty. It is important to note that this map just takes us up to the beginning of the recession which officially started in December of 2007. We know that recession induced job loss will increase rural poverty across nearly all of rural North Carolina. This map suggests where those areas are that were already the most distressed at the beginning of the recession.
This chart details the change over time in rural and urban employment rates from January 2008, a month after the start of the recession, up to June of this year. Two points stand out: The rural unemployment rate has been consistently higher over the period, with significant increases in the early part of 2009. The job loss significantly ramped up for both rural and urban labor force in October and November of 2008. While the recession officially started nearly a year earlier – the financial melt down of September and October of 2008 was when the impact really began to be felt across North Carolina.
This data comes from N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts. Rural foreclosures are lower than the significant numbers we see in urban and suburban communities. In part this reflects the far greater number of homes with mortgages in urban counties. This is consistent with national data. The chart nonetheless affirms that foreclosures are having an impact across rural North Carolina, a counter to a trend that seems to be viewed as only an urban/suburban issue.
This maybe the most troubling slide in today’s presentation. “ Exhausted” in this case means that an individual has no further unemployment benefits. As of July of this year, there are nearly twice as many rural North Carolinians as urban ones who have exhausted their unemployment insurance. The rates were always higher from the start of the recession, and may be a sign of the chronic manufacturing job lose in rural communities that had a head start prior to the recession’s formal beginning.
Whatever one’s position on the merits of the Obama Administration’s stimulus, we still need to think carefully about how rural North Carolina maximizes the impact of the projected $8.6 billion that will come to the state over the next two years. Approximately $3 billion has already made its way to North Carolina. All of this is formula funding for existing programs such as Title 1 school assistance, weatherization programs, or Workforce Investment Act resources. Another major portion is the one time infusion of state fiscal support which helped North Carolina respond to the down turn. The key point here is not so much what has come so far – formula funding that rural North Carolina communities can change in the near term – but what we do collectively to maximize opportunities for rural communities to secure competitive grants to be put to good use.
Of the ARRA funding that has come to the state so far, rural counties have a per capita $49. 42 greater than urban ones. The 16 percent greater per capita in rural counties in part is a reflection of high cost transportation spending in rural counties – which arguably has a broader impact than just for the locality accounts for some of this. The next slide will show why reality on the ground is more complex than simple urban-rural comparisons.
Test On the earlier unemployment slide we saw that 48 of the 56 counties with unemployment rates above the state average are rural. 24 of 28 counties (85%) with unemployment rates above 13.2% are rural. Rural Center Research Associate RV Rikard has analyzed the data on funding announced so far. We see that the higher the unemployment rate, the lower the per capita for ARRA funding became. This is a worrisome analysis, and more research and analysis is required to fully understand why this is so. This reminds us of the importance of working with rural North Carolina communities and their leaders to maximize the access and impact of stimulus funding.
It is hard to fully appreciate the magnitude of this recession. We have seen job loss before in recessions – but not as we have today. Unless we are old enough to have experienced the 1930’s depression, not in our lifetimes have we seen such economic consequence from the failure of financial markets. We did not get into this over night, and it will take years to recover. Employment growth is always viewed as a “lagging” indicator of a recovery and that will especially be the case here. Many economists fear a “jobless recovery.” The recession impact in North Carolina has two narratives. One is of those who were doing quite well and suddenly found themselves without a job. Maybe that had savings to fall back on. Maybe there were networked and found work elsewhere. Maybe they had neither savings or job connections. But the other narrative is the tens of thousands who were already in poverty at the beginning of the recession, or were teetering on the edge. For them, many of them rural people, this recession has been a catastrophe. It reduces the door of economic mobility to a key hole. Everything we do at the North Carolina Rural Economic Development Center must aim to once again widening that door of opportunity for rural North Carolinians.