OBJECTIVE: This paper examines the impact of a scholarship program on underprivileged students, drawing on data from a two-year monitoring and evaluation (M&E) process. The report identifies both enablers and barriers to academic success among scholarship beneficiaries.
METHODS: Data on program impact was collected through interviews with parents, teachers, and school records over two academic years.
RESULTS: Financial aid emerged as a crucial enabler, with scholarships allowing students to focus on their studies by alleviating pressure around basic necessities. However, the research also revealed the importance of a holistic support system. Beyond tuition, the high cost of essential learning materials, including stationery, and subject-specific resources, can create a significant barrier. The study also highlighted the importance of student well-being. Health concerns, limited access to nutritious food, and even unaddressed mental health issues can all negatively impact attendance and focus. Furthermore, a gender gap emerged, with girls facing additional challenges related to social pressures to prioritize chores and the cost of menstrual hygiene products.
CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the importance of holistic scholarship programs that extend beyond tuition coverage. To maximize impact, policymakers and funders should prioritize initiatives that address the multifaceted needs of underprivileged students.

Background Financial aid programs offered by multi-specialty tertiary care hospitals play a crucial role in ensuring equitable access to healthcare. This study investigates the effect of financial aid on the quality of life (QoL) of beneficiaries, aiming to provide a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted relationship between healthcare support and overall well-being. Aim The study\'s objectives included assessing changes in pre- and post-aid QoL, identifying influencing factors, understanding beneficiary experiences, and evaluating the effectiveness of financial aid programs. Methods The study adopted quantitative assessments through QoL questionnaires developed based on the WHO BREF questionnaire and insights obtained through interviews. A representative sample of beneficiaries was selected, informed consent was obtained, and an institutional ethical certificate was also obtained. Results The findings overwhelmingly support the alternative hypothesis. The alternative hypothesis was that after receiving financial support, recipients\' quality of life would increase. Quantitative analysis revealed a statistically significant enhancement in the QoL of beneficiaries across physical, mental, and social well-being domains. The quality of life scores of patients before and after receiving the support was statistically tested using a paired t-test, and the quality of life score has improved significantly with a p-value of 4.156 × 10-28 (p value<0.001). The comparison of quality of life scores of the control group with the patient\'s group before getting the support was tested using an independent sample t-test and found to be non-significant (p=0.496), while a similar comparison between the control group and the patient\'s group after receiving the support was found to be statistically highly significant with a p-value of 8.721 × 10-28 (p-value<0.001). Conclusions This research demonstrates the substantial impact of financial aid on the QoL of beneficiaries in a multi-specialty tertiary care hospital setting. It underlines the importance of addressing economic barriers and providing patient-centered, holistic support. These insights have broader implications for healthcare policy and practice, promoting a more comprehensive approach to patient well-being.

While paratuberculosis control has been studied for over a century, knowledge gaps still exist regarding the uptake and efficacy of control programmes. This narrative review aims to summarise studies on control programmes presented at the IDF ParaTB Fora in 2021 and 2022 and the International Colloquium on Paratuberculosis in 2022. Studies were grouped by topic as follows: successful control, field studies, education and extension, voluntary and compulsory control programmes, and surveillance. Various Map control programmes resulted in a decreasing animal and herd level Map prevalence. Long-term stakeholder commitment, stable funding, involvement of herd veterinarians and incentives for farmers to participate were shown to be pivotal for long-term success. Control measures focused on vertical and calf-to-calf transmission may improve Map control in infected herds. Easy-to-capture visualisation of surveillance test results to inform participants on the progress of Map control in their herds was developed. The probability of freedom from disease and estimated within-herd prevalence were identified as good candidates for categorisation of herds to support low-risk trade of cattle. Results of the surveillance schemes may inform genetic selection for resistance to Map infection. In conclusion, successful paratuberculosis control is feasible at both the herd and country level provided that crucial prerequisites are met.

Background: The financial burden resulting from cancers on families is higher when it arises in young people compared with older adults. Previous research has provided insight into the financial toxicities associated with childhood cancer, but less is known about the efficacy of financial aid systems in reducing the financial burden on families. We conducted a scoping review to identify the determinants of success and failure of financial aid. Methods: Five databases were searched for articles published between January 1, 2000 and December 1, 2022. Dual processes were used to screen and select studies. Through thematic content analysis, we identified barriers and enablers of financial aid, categorised by country income level. Results: From 17 articles, which were evenly split between high-income countries and upper middle- to low-income countries, four major themes emerged: (1) accessibility of support, (2) delivery of support, (3) administration, and (4) psychosocial factors. Within these themes, the enablers identified were (1) support navigators, (2) establishing a direct contact between donors and beneficiaries, (3) implementation of digital solutions to improve outreach, and (4) using cultural and community values to encourage donor engagement. Conclusions: This scoping review identified the determinants of success and failure of financial aid in supporting families in the context of childhood, adolescent, and young adult (CAYA) cancers. By understanding the barriers and enablers identified in this review, organizations could develop pragmatic evidence-based care models and policies to ensure access to assistance is equitable and appropriate for families experiencing CAYA cancers.

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. At Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (GCSOM), we are developing strategies to reduce the rising debt of our medical students. During a collaborative and iterative process that involved a surprisingly wide group of stakeholders, we developed an innovative service commitment award for medical students: the Abigail Geisinger Scholars Program. Beginning in spring 2019, GCSOM selected 10 current medical students for the program, and an additional 10 medical students from the class of 2023 will receive the award beginning in fall 2019. With 20 students enrolled in the Abigail Geisinger Scholars Program, student debt for these students will be decreased by approximately $3.9 million. The potential of this program to significantly reduce medical student debt while mitigating the physician shortage in the primary service areas of Geisinger is tremendous. As the loan debt of medical students continues to rise, medical schools around the country should strategically think about innovative ways to reduce this burden while remaining true to the mission of their institution.

Experiencing housing instability, food insecurity, and financial stress can negatively impact retention in care and treatment adherence for people living with HIV. Expanding services that support socioeconomic needs could help improve HIV outcomes. Our objective was to investigate barriers, opportunities, and costs of expanding socioeconomic support programs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with organizations serving U.S. Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program clients. Costs were estimated from interviews, organization documents, and city-specific wages. Organizations reported complex patient, organization, program, and system challenges as well as several opportunities for expansion. The average one-year per-person cost for engaging new clients was $196 for transportation, $612 for financial aid, $650 for food aid, and $2498 for short-term housing (2020 USD). Understanding potential expansion costs is important for funders and local stakeholders. This study provides a sense of magnitude for costs to scale-up programs to better meet socioeconomic needs of low-income patients living with HIV.

This study longitudinally tracks students participating in a STEM-focused intervention program to investigate workforce participation patterns and their association with degree completion in a STEM field. Using longitudinal data from the University of Houston\'s Education Research Center, this study examines the extent to which students participating in a STEM intervention program require additional work to fund tuition and other life expenses. Findings demonstrated a negative effect of workforce participation on college completion and showed that minority students were more likely to participate in the workforce while also receiving financial support from the STEM program compared to peers from other racial backgrounds. Results inform institutional and financial aid policies, as well as admission criteria as it relates to broadening access of under-represented students in STEM.

To evaluate whether financial aid for acupuncture therapy is beneficial for non-manufacturing job workers (office workers) who are aware of reduced job performance due to health issues (presenteeism), a four-wk pragmatic multicenter randomized controlled trial was conducted with office workers who were aware of their presenteeism. The control group only implemented the workplace-recommended presenteeism measures, whereas the intervention group received financial aid for acupuncture therapy of up to 8,000 JPY (Japanese yen) in addition to implementing the presenteeism measures recommended by each workplace. The major outcome measure was the World Health Organization Health and Work Performance Questionnaire relative presenteeism score. A total of 203 patients were assigned to the intervention (n=103) and control (n=108) groups. The intervention group underwent a median of 1.0 (interquartile range [IQR], 1.0 to 2.0) sessions of acupuncture for neck disorders (64%), back disorders (16%), and depressed mood/anxiety/irritation (5%), among others. Results showed that the intervention group had slightly better job performance than the control group (effect size [r]=0.15, p=0.03). Financial aid for acupuncture therapy may help compensate for losses incurred by enterprises in the form of 14,117 JPY per worker a month.

Credit momentum policies, or performance-based financial aid policies, have become increasingly popular among policymakers seeking to improve degree completion rates. This paper examines Indiana\'s 30-credit-hour completion policy on first-time, full-time students who receive the Twenty-First Century Scholars (TFCS) Promise Program. Using administrative data from the Indiana University\'s University Institutional Research and Reporting, representing 7842 low-income students who enrolled shortly before the policy was implemented, I use a difference-in-differences framework to explore the heterogeneous treatment effects of a credit (academic) momentum policy that was supported by the Complete College America 15 to Finish initiative on the academic progression and completion of promise scholarship recipients at Indiana University Bloomington and Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis, compared to non-TFCS Pell recipients from the Fall 2011 cohorts through the Fall 2014 cohorts. I find some evidence to suggest that credit momentum policies are associated with small increases in cumulative credits and grades but had no effect on degree completion status (Year 4 Graduation Status, Year 6 Graduation Status). I also find evidence that TFCS female and first-generation recipients responded positively to the policy change but find no evidence that the policy affects promise recipients differently by race/ethnicity. While consistent with prior work on credit momentum, these findings are among the first to explore the academic performance of college promise recipients. Together, these findings indicate that credit momentum policies may improve academic progression and completion for low-income, first-generation students who receive a promise scholarship. Implications for policy and research are discussed.

OBJECTIVE: Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is an uncommon disease known for its acute phase mortality and long-term sequelae. The objective was to assess the impact of IMD on post-discharge mortality risk and dependence on the French state for financial aid.
METHODS: A 6-year retrospective analysis in the national insurance database (SNIIRAM) assessed mortality in IMD cases (both during acute phase and post-discharge) and matched controls as well as benefit claims (i.e., for salary loss compensation [SLC], long-term sickness [ALD] and complementary health insurance [CMUc]). Observed survival data were extrapolated to estimate lifetime life expectancy following IMD.
RESULTS: Between 2012 and 2017, 3532 incident IMD cases were hospitalised in France (peak in < 2 years and 15-24 year olds), of which 23.3% developed sequelae. With an average follow-up of 2.8 years, 12.9% of cases vs. 3.2% of controls died (p < 0.0001), with significantly more cases than controls dying both during the acute phase and post-discharge. Around a third of these deaths occurred post-discharge. Extrapolation to lifetime life expectancy estimated that having IMD at any age significantly reduces life expectancy in survivors of the acute disease phase, e.g., by around 16 years for cases aged 0-50 years. IMD cases in France were significantly more likely to receive state-funded SLC (relative risk [RR] 3.9, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 2.3-6.4) and ALD benefits (RR 1.85, 95% CI 1.71-2.00).
CONCLUSIONS: IMD has a significant impact on mortality post-discharge, expected to persist over a lifetime. In addition to long-term sequelae, the financial burden extends beyond the healthcare sector. These results highlight the importance of IMD prevention (e.g., vaccination).
Invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) is an uncommon disease mainly affecting children, with severe consequences such as a risk of dying within hours of symptoms and a risk of developing long-term conditions affecting health, learning and ability to work. Little is known of the risk of dying in survivors after discharge from hospital or of survivors’ financial support needs. The French national insurance claims database (SNIIRAM) was reviewed for data on IMD patients hospitalised between 2012 and 2017 and matched controls without IMD. Data, available following IMD hospitalisation for an average of around 3 years, were extrapolated to estimate the lifelong impact of the disease. Among 3532 hospitalised IMD cases, the study found that nearly 13% died, of which a third of deaths occurred post-discharge. The cases who survived the acute disease phase were also more likely to require government funds because of loss of salary or to cover long-term healthcare costs. In addition to the well-known acute phase burden of IMD, this study has shown that there is a long-term effect on risk of dying and on need for government support. This demonstrates the importance of prevention, for example, by vaccination.