http://management.eurekajournals.com/index.php/IJEFRA <p style="text-align: justify;">International Journal of Economics &amp; Finance Research &amp; Applications&nbsp;(IJEFRA)&nbsp;is a scholarly peer review, refereed journal, which is an attempt of Eureka Group of Journals to bridge the gap between "Campuses and Corporate" by including both academic research activities as well as the innovation done on industries and corporate professionals.&nbsp;IJEFRA provides a platform for the researchers, academicians, professional, practitioners and students to impart and share knowledge in the form of high quality empirical and theoretical research papers, case studies, literature reviews and book reviews. The journal focuses on a fast peer review process of submitted papers to ensure accuracy, relevance of articles and originality of papers.</p> Eureka Journals en-US International Journal of Economics & Finance Research & Applications [ISSN: 2581-4249 (online)] 2581-4249 http://management.eurekajournals.com/index.php/IJEFRA/article/view/1231 <p>The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the implementation of national lockdown measures in Jamaica as part of a broader public health strategy to mitigate viral transmission. While these interventions were epidemiologically justified, they generated significant psychosocial and economic consequences that exposed structural vulnerabilities within the Jamaican society. This study critically examines the effects of lockdown policies on depression, domestic violence, psychological frustration, and economic downturn, and evaluates whether these intersecting conditions may contribute to the emergence of civil unrest or popular revolt. Drawing on secondary data from national surveys, governmental reports, and peer-reviewed literature, the study reveals that lockdown measures exacerbated mental health challenges, with a substantial proportion of Jamaicans reporting symptoms of depression and anxiety. Concurrently, domestic violence incidents increased as confinement intensified interpersonal tensions within households. Economic contraction, particularly within tourism and informal sectors, further compounded financial insecurity and social strain.</p> <p>The study applies relative deprivation theory and strain theory to explain how unmet expectations and structural constraints contribute to psychological distress and potential social instability. Although these conditions theoretically increase the likelihood of unrest, the findings suggest that Jamaica’s cultural resilience, institutional stability, and social norms mitigate the probability of large-scale revolt in the short term. However, the persistence of these stressors poses a latent threat to long-term social cohesion. The study concludes that comprehensive policy interventions addressing mental health, economic recovery, and social protection are essential to prevent the escalation of psychosocial vulnerabilities into broader societal instability.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> Paul Andrew Bourne, PhD, DrPH. 10 2 http://management.eurekajournals.com/index.php/IJEFRA/article/view/1253 <p>Education is the most powerful instrument for national transformation, economic development, social progress, and human capital formation. India's aspiration to become a developed nation by 2047 requires a strong, innovative, financially sustainable, and globally competitive education system. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 provides a transformative framework for reshaping India's educational landscape through multidisciplinary learning, skill development, research, innovation, digitalization, and inclusive growth.</p> <p>This research paper examines the concept of the Financial Educational Economy of India in the context of NEP 2020 and Viksit Bharat 2047. It explores strategies for strengthening educational financing, integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into education, enhancing skill development, promoting employability, and positioning India as a global education hub. The study further discusses the prospects of transforming India into a knowledge-driven economy and a global leader in education.</p> Dr. Ajay Krishna Tiwari 10 2 http://management.eurekajournals.com/index.php/IJEFRA/article/view/1261 <p>Urbanisation and socioeconomic inequality are increasingly recognised as structural determinants of non-communicable diseases, yet their combined impact on diabetes prevalence in Jamaica remains underexplored. This study examines the association between urban growth, social inequality, and adult diabetes prevalence from 2010 to 2025 using spatial and longitudinal data. Annual diabetes prevalence rates were obtained from national health surveys, while urbanisation metrics and socioeconomic indicators were derived from census and administrative datasets. Spatial autocorrelation and panel regression models were applied to assess the effects of urbanisation and inequality on diabetes prevalence across parishes. The current findings indicate that areas experiencing rapid urban growth and higher socioeconomic deprivation exhibit significantly higher diabetes prevalence, even after controlling for age, sex, and other covariates. These findings highlight the importance of structural and environmental determinants in shaping population health. Policies targeting urban planning, equitable resource allocation, and access to healthy food may mitigate the growing diabetes burden in Jamaica.</p> Paul Andrew Bourne, PhD, DrPH. Nicola Brown, PhD. 10 2 http://management.eurekajournals.com/index.php/IJEFRA/article/view/1262 <p><strong>Background:</strong> Road traffic accidents (RTAs) represent a persistent public health and economic challenge in Jamaica. While national statistics document fatalities and injuries annually, there is limited empirical evidence quantifying their comprehensive economic burden.</p> <p><strong>Objective:</strong> This study estimates the total economic cost of road traffic accidents in Jamaica from 2015 to 2025 using a cost-of-illness framework and human capital approach.</p> <p><strong>Methods:</strong> A retrospective quantitative design was employed using secondary data obtained from the Jamaica Constabulary Force, Statistical Institute of Jamaica, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Jamaica, and Planning Institute of Jamaica. Direct medical costs (emergency care, hospitalisation, rehabilitation), indirect productivity losses (premature mortality and morbidity), and property damage costs were estimated. Productivity losses were calculated using the human capital approach. Annual economic burden was expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Time-series trend analysis and sensitivity testing (3%-5% discount rates) were conducted.</p> <p><strong>Results:</strong> Preliminary modelling suggests that RTAs impose substantial macroeconomic losses, with productivity costs accounting for the largest share of total burden. Estimated annual costs are projected to exceed 2% of GDP in peak years, indicating significant economic strain.</p> <p><strong>Conclusion:</strong> Road traffic accidents generate substantial economic losses in Jamaica, primarily through productivity reductions associated with premature mortality. These findings provide critical evidence for cost-benefit evaluation of road safety interventions and national injury prevention strategies.</p> Paul Andrew Bourne, PhD, DrPH. Nicola Brown, PhD. 10 2 http://management.eurekajournals.com/index.php/IJEFRA/article/view/1316 <p>Socioeconomic disadvantage is widely associated with poorer health. Yet comparatively little contemporary evidence has examined whether household economic position and health-insurance coverage independently predict functional difficulty among Jamaican adults after demographic and social differences are considered. This study used cross-sectional secondary data from the 2023 Jamaica Survey of Living Conditions (JSLC) to examine functional health among 3,312 adults aged 18 years and older, with descriptive statistics, Pearson's chi-square tests, Cramer's V and multivariable binary logistic regression employed to assess socioeconomic, demographic and insurance-related differences. Functional difficulty was reported by 21.9% of respondents, 79.2% were uninsured; insurance coverage displayed a pronounced socioeconomic gradient, increasing from 9.6% among adults in Quintiles 1-2 to 31.4% among those in Quintiles 4-5, ?²(2) = 198.108, <em>p</em>&lt; .001, Cramer's V = .245, whereas functional health was not significantly associated with socioeconomic group at the bivariate level, ?²(6) = 6.697, <em>p</em> = .350. The adjusted logistic model was statistically significant, ?²(13) = 686.541, <em>p</em>&lt; .001, Nagelkerke R² = .290, and identified age, sex, education and single union status as independent predictors; socioeconomic group and health insurance were not independently associated with functional difficulty. These findings suggest that functional-health inequality in contemporary Jamaica cannot be reduced to current household economic position or insurance status alone and instead reflects a life-course structure in which ageing, female disadvantage and educational stratification appear especially important, with implications for disability prevention, healthy ageing and socially differentiated health policy.</p> Paul Andrew Bourne, PhD, DrPH 10 2