Identifying the challenges, needs and difficulties among adults living in rural areas

Abstract

Financial literacy plays a crucial role in the decision-making processes of individuals. The article aims to thoroughly identify the financial literacy needs and challenges of adults with low financial literacy living in rural areas. The article presents the results of a focus group study among a target group (35 people) and interviews with financial experts (14 people) in the first quarter of 2023. The research allows us to identify common areas of financial knowledge that are crucial for adults with low financial literacy living in rural areas. The research was conducted in seven European countries as part of the Erasmus+ project ‘Learning by Experiencing Escape Rooms: Financial Literacy for Adults (FLER)’. Key findings from the study showed that participants had low awareness of financial fraud and expressed a need to protect personal information when using digital platforms. There was a clear demand for improved knowledge in certain areas, such as budgeting, emergency funds, balancing risk and reward, and planning for retirement or long-term savings. Participants consistently viewed gamification as a valuable tool to increase their understanding of financial topics. The contribution of our research is to narrow the research gap on the needs and challenges related to financial literacy among rural residents. The results will help identify specific areas of financial knowledge and competencies that are especially important for adults with low financial literacy. Furthermore, these insights are crucial for developing educational content integrated into a virtual escape room to improve financial literacy through engaging, scenario-based learning.