Original scientific paper
Poverty, Multidimensional Deprivation and Social Exclusion in Croatia
Zoran Šućur
Abstract
The concept of social exclusion has been a “hallmark” of European social policy, putting the term of poverty out of use. Notwithstanding, there are many difficulties in defining or operationalizing social exclusion. The aim of this paper was to research the scope of poverty, multidimensional deprivation and social exclusion, and key factors determining these three risks. Research data are from a study titled Monitoring Poverty in Croatia, carried out in 2004 by Croatian Caritas and the Centre for the Promotion of Catholic Social Teaching. The sample was consisted of 1.216 respondents being older than 18. Deprivation was measured through four dimensions (objective and subjective poverty, housing conditions and consumer goods, and social bonds), while social exclusion was defined as a combination of material and nonmaterial dimensions. Results have shown that most of Croatian population is deprived in none of four areas, while a cumulative disadvantage is characteristic of small population groups. Experiences of social exclusion are confined to narrow group of predominantly older people living alone or with another old person. Findings of logistic regressions suggest that similar factors have been determining the risks of poverty and multidimensional deprivation (in particular, employment status and education), although certain differences exist. In contrast to the risk of poverty, the risk of multidimensional deprivation is correlated to health problems and adverse marital status (being divorced or single). Even though social exclusion is a distinctive concept, differences between poverty, multidimensional deprivation and social exclusion are small, at least from the standpoint of key factors determining these risks.
Keywords
POVERTY; MULTIDIMENSIONAL DEPRIVATION; SOCIAL EXCLUSION; CROATIA
Hrčak ID:
13210
URI
Publication date:
31.12.2006.
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