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• The past developments in cystic fibrosis (CF) treatment warrant a long-term description of the societal impact of the disease. Understanding how societal impact of CF has developed is important to inform health policies to prevent inequalities and secure the right to equal opportunities in life. • The present study describes the development in key socioeconomic factors across 30 years in people living with CF (pwCF) in Denmark, compared with the general population and an early onset chronic disease population. • The educational level of pwCF was similar to the two comparator cohorts indicating successful mitigation of negative effects. However, pwCF were less often in employment and more often permanently outside the labor force than the comparator cohorts. • PwCF had similar or higher personal or household income than the comparator cohorts. • The societal profile of the CF cohort and the comparator cohorts became more alike during the study period. Past and ongoing advancements in cystic fibrosis (CF) care warrant long-term analysis of the societal impact of the condition. This study aims to evaluate changes in key socioeconomic factors across three decades among people living with CF (pwCF), compared with both the general population and an early-onset chronic disease population. This nationwide, registry-based, matched cohort study included all pwCF ≥ 18 years in Denmark in the years 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2018. Each person living with CF was matched to five individuals in the general population and five individuals living with type 1 diabetes or juvenile arthritis based on age, sex, and municipality. The Danish adult CF population increased nearly fourfold from 88 in 1990 to 331 in 2018, and mean age increased by ten years. The educational level of pwCF was similar to the two comparator cohorts, while pwCF were less often in employment and more often permanently outside the labor force. Personal and household income levels of the CF cohort were higher than those of the comparator cohorts. The disadvantage in employment for pwCF remained, but, over time, the societal profiles of the one-year CF cohorts increasingly converged with those of the comparator cohorts, indicative of improved clinical management, extended life expectancy, and the supportive role of the Danish welfare system in reducing health inequalities. Further research should be done to evaluate the effects of the newly introduced modulator therapies on employment, considering the broader societal impact and impact on quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

En France, pour bénéficier d'une prise en charge médicosociale et éducative adaptée, les enfants ayant un trouble du spectre de l'autisme doivent obtenir une orientation par la maison départementale des personnes handicapées (MDPH) et que ces notifications soient appliquées. En Guyane, les inégalités sociales et territoriales de santé sont omniprésentes. Il n'existe pourtant aucune donnée sur la prise en charge des adolescents avec un trouble du spectre de l'autisme en Guyane. L'objectif du projet était de connaître le parcours scolaire et médicosocial des enfants inclus dans le registre des troubles du spectre de l'autisme de Guyane depuis 2016 (qui vivaient en Guyane en 2016 et dont leur TSA avait été diagnostiqué avant leurs 8 ans) au moyen d'une interview téléphonique et d'un recueil de données à la MDPH. Nous avons inclus 52 jeunes âgés de 11 à 18 ans dont 40 familles jointes par téléphone. Les résultats obtenus à travers les variables recueillies montrent que, malgré un diagnostic posé avant 8 ans, seulement 29 jeunes (sur 47 renseignés) bénéficient d'une prise en charge médicosociale et éducative coïncidente avec les préconisations de la Commission des droits et de l'autonomie des personnes handicapées en cours (CDAPH). Parmi les 52 jeunes suivis, il y en avait au moins 9 – soit 17,3 % – qui ne recevaient aucune forme d'éducation. Trente et un jeunes bénéficiaient d'une prise en charge médicosociale, sanitaire et/ou éducative au moment de l'enquête contre 16 qui n'en recevaient aucune, notamment parce qu'ils étaient sur liste d'attente, depuis 5 ans en moyenne. Par ailleurs, 34 % des familles interrogées disaient ne pas être satisfaites de la prise en charge globale promulguée à leur enfant, surtout du fait du manque de personnel. En conclusion, il existe en Guyane un décalage important et mal vécu entre ce qui est recommandé aux parents pour la prise en charge de leur enfant adolescent et ce qui est en réalité possible. In France, to benefit from appropriate medical, social and educational care, children with autism spectrum disorders must obtain a referral from the Maison Départementale des Personnes Handicapées (MDPH), and these notifications must then be implemented. In French Guiana, social and territorial inequalities in health are omnipresent. However, there are no data on the care of adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder in French Guiana. The aim of the project was to explore the educational and medico-social pathways of children included in Guiana's autism spectrum disorder register since 2016 (who were living in Guiana in 2016 and whose ASD had been diagnosed before their 8th birthday) by means of a telephone interview and data collection at the MDPH. We included 52 young people aged 11 to 18, including 40 families contacted by telephone. The results obtained through the variables collected show that, despite a diagnosis made before the age of 8, only 29 young people (out of 47 completed) benefit from medical, social and educational care that coincides with the recommendations of the current Commission des droits et de l'autonomie des personnes handicapées (CDAPH). Of the 52 young people monitored, at least nine – or 17.3% – were not receiving any form of education. Thirty one young people were receiving medical, social, health and/or educational care at the time of the survey, compared with 16 who were not receiving any, mainly because they had been on a waiting list for an average of five years. In addition, 34% said they were not satisfied with the overall care their child received, mainly because of staff shortages. In conclusion, in French Guiana, there is a significant gap between what is recommended to parents for their teenage child's care and what is actually possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Nexus between the positioning of economies along Global Value Chains (GVCs) and within-country income inequality for 101 countries in 2003–2015. • Distinguish product-level from "functional" positioning of economies, the latter defined by the value-adding activities performed along GVCs. • A more upstream product-level positioning is associated with higher (lower) inequality in low- and middle- (high-) income countries. • Greater involvement of economies in pre- and post-production functions is associated with lower income disparities. • Results on the distributional effects of functional positioning are driven by low- and middle-income countries. This work addresses the nexus between Global Value Chains (GVCs) and within-country inequality by distinguishing two key dimensions: the "product-level positioning" of economies, i.e. their involvement in more upstream or downstream industries, and their "functional positioning", defined by the value-adding activities performed along GVCs. Using trade and FDI data on 101 countries in 2003–2015, we show that a more upstream product-level positioning is associated with higher inequality in low- and middle-income countries. This is consistent with these countries' greater involvement in industries supplying raw materials and energy inputs, characterised by a remarkable income polarisation. Conversely, a more downstream product-level positioning goes together with greater inequality in high-income countries, reflecting downward pressures on labour income due to massive outsourcing of inputs to foreign suppliers. As for functional positioning, we find that a greater involvement of economies in pre- and post-production stages is associated with lower income disparities, while a larger engagement in production operations goes together with higher inequality. This result is driven by low- and middle-income countries, suggesting that a greater involvement in knowledge-intensive GVC activities fosters technological upgrading in these economies, with beneficial effects also on the lower segments of the labour force. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aims to provide an overview of currently available orthodontic residency programs in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries against a backdrop of dental education institutions in the region. Studying the history of dental and orthodontic education in the GCC revealed relatively young dental education institutions in the region starting in the latter half of the twentieth century. GCC orthodontic programs are profiled in this article showcasing available programs and sharing descriptive information about their manpower, academic degrees offered and teaching methods. Two main categories of training programs were observed: clinical, board-type and academic, degree-type programs. Thirty-nine training centers were identified, of which thirty-one fall under the umbrella of the Saudi Board of Orthodontics. The remaining programs are offered under various other schemes. Challenges and concerns expressed by program directors in the region regarding the establishment and running of these programs are also discussed which included academic, manpower, administrative, financial, and logistical challenges. The information is discussed with reflections against available literature in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faced with high unemployment and labor mismatches, many countries have mainly focused on stimulating labor demand through job creation policies. However, empirical evidence regarding their effectiveness is mixed, while the impact of labor supply-side policies remains underexplored. This study fills the gap by assessing the effectiveness of a labor supply-side policy—the Job Creation Income Tax Credit in Korea—which provides tax incentives for workers under 35 employed in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Using event-study and difference-in-differences models with national survey data from 2016 to 2019, we find insignificant effects on overall SME employment among individuals aged 32–34. While no significant effects are observed on regular workers, only low-educated male SME workers ineligible for the credit transition to eligible temporary SME jobs. These findings highlight that modest tax credits are ineffective in promoting employment for highly educated young individuals due to their high reservation wages and inelastic labor supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human capital plays a crucial role in regional innovation and economic progress, which has increasingly been highlighted in research. However, rising housing costs in cities can push talent away, causing brain drain and hindering local innovation. Within this context, China has seen widespread adoption of talent housing policies (THPs) aimed at providing housing assistance for the high-skilled labor force, although the ramifications of these initiatives remain largely underexplored. Based on labor force heterogeneity, this study investigates the effects of THPs targeted at high-skilled labor on the mobility of both high- and low-skilled workers and their consequent impact on regional innovation. Our findings reveal that while THPs bolster the local pool of highly skilled human capital and attract more low-skilled workforce, enhancing regional innovation through labor–skill complementarities, they concurrently elevate housing costs for low-skilled laborers, reducing their long-term settlement intensions and potentially hindering a city's innovation trajectory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given a general utility and income distribution and positive unemployment benefits, we analyze the impact of a universal basic income (UBI) financed by an income tax and reducing unemployment benefits. With extensive margins only and identical fixed costs of work, we show that UBI can benefit a poor majority. Plausible conditions can ensure similar results with different fixed costs. With both extensive and intensive margins but identical fixed costs, a modest UBI can still benefit a poor majority provided the income weighted tax elasticity of labor supply from intensive margins is less than the non-employment rate, which is usually true. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the problem of voluntary participation in negotiations regarding the provision of public goods. In contrast to earlier studies, in our model, a negotiation is followed by renegotiations. First, players decide whether to participate in a negotiation, and the participants produce a public good. The participants then renegotiate the level of the public good with nonparticipants in the preceding negotiations. We show that with these renegotiation opportunities, many players may participate in providing the public good in the preceding negotiation. In some cases, all players participate in the preceding negotiation and the public good is produced efficiently. Our findings indicate that more players participate in the provision of public goods if they have strong bargaining power in the renegotiations. Hence, this problem may not be as severe as reported by previous studies. Our results may be consistent with the recent developments in voluntary projects for international river management. • We present a simple model of voluntary negotiation on providing public goods. • Players can choose whether to join a negotiation providing public goods. • There are opportunities to renegotiate the agreement of the initial negotiation. • The opportunities may induce many players to join the public good provision. • The public goods may be supplied efficiently by the participation of all players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The COVID-19 pandemic brings more disadvantages to female workers, creating a "she-cession". • Both demand and supply forces drive deteriorated gender inequalities in the labor market. • We use a unique dataset of high-frequency online job postings and job applications between 2018 and 2022. • The "she-cession" in China worsens in the medium run, as more females are competing for fewer jobs in the post-lockdown period. • Fewer job opportunities in contact-intensive industries, unequal intra-household division of childcare responsibilities, and decreases in family savings all contribute to these patterns. We investigate the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on labor market gender differences using a unique dataset of job postings and job applicants in China. We find a "she-cession" in both the national lockdown period (the short run) and afterward (the medium run). Compared to the pre-COVID level, job postings in female (male) dominated industries on average decreased by 38.87 % (37.62 %) and 30.93 % (24.32 %) in the short and medium run, respectively, demonstrating a persistently widening gender gap in labor demand. On the labor supply side, the number of female (male) job applicants decreased by 30.28 % (27.04 %) in the short run but increased by 20.83 % (17.62 %) in the medium run, showing that females search for jobs more actively than males did when the national lockdown was lifted. Hence, the she-cession in China becomes more severe in the post-lockdown period, as more females are competing for fewer available positions. Reduced job openings in contact-intensive industries, unequal intra-household division of childcare responsibilities, and decreases in family savings all contribute to these patterns. Our results have general implications for understanding labor market gender differences in public health crises and economic downturns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal mortality rates continue to rise in the United States. Considerable racial disparities exist, as Black women face two to three times the risks of dying from pregnancy-related complications compared with white women. Doulas have been associated with improved maternal outcomes. This study aimed to 1) investigate Florida doulas' perspectives and influence on severe maternal morbidity/mortality and related inequities, as well as 2) identify opportunities for actionable change. The social ecological model, which acknowledges how individual, interpersonal, institutional, community, and public policy factors intersect, informed our analysis. This qualitative study included seven online in-depth interviews and seven focus groups with doulas (N = 31) in Florida. Interview guides investigated how doulas perceive their role in the context of a) maternal morbidity and b) health disparities. Doulas associated maternal morbidity and health disparities with Black pregnant people, identifying racism as a major contributor. Doulas identified their role as one that most often intersects with the individual and interpersonal levels of the social ecological model. Doulas report providing positive social surveillance and emotional support, contributing education and resources, and championing for advocacy in health care settings. Actionable steps recommended by doulas to further mitigate health disparities include the integration of implicit bias training into doula certification programs, increasing public health funding to bolster a doula workforce that can serve racial and ethnic communities, establishing doula–hospital partnerships to improve relational communication, providing tailored resources for clients featuring representative messaging, and doulas' continued engagement in positive social surveillance of their clients. Doulas perceived their role as integral to mitigating maternal morbidity and health disparities, particularly in the context of supporting and advocating for birthing persons on all levels of the social ecological model. Equitable access to doulas for low-income and/or minoritized populations may be one key strategy to improve maternal health equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research analyzed car-ownership in the US during and after the COVID-19 pandemic, by utilizing a nationally representative household survey spanning from January 2020 to March 2022. Using a multilevel Hurdle model with month and state random effects, vehicle ownership trends are separately modeled for car-owning and carless households within the same modeling framework, while accounting for endogeneity and unobserved heterogeneity. An increase in the total amount of economic stimulus funding received increased the odds of vehicle ownership, while high car prices, high levels of housing expenditures, living in multi-family dwelling, and being from minority and low-skilled worker families negatively affected car-ownership. Greater household labor force participation, increases in household size and young persons in the household, living in states with high COVID caseloads and with moderately stringent Stay-at-Home social distancing mandates affected car-ownership propensities differently for car-owning and carless households. The significance of the research is that it disentangled pandemic-related and transportation policy variables from changes in household structure, living arrangements and employment-related characteristics. The analysis jointly considered how short-term pandemic-related influences as well as long-term demographic and occupational factors differently affect car-ownership for car-owning households and those without cars. Policy implications are drawn for consumer protection in the car ownership process, auto loan forbearance in future economic disruptions, strategies for public transportation which has continued to suffer from lower levels of use, and sustainability programs due to higher volumes of older used cars. • Increase in economic stimulus funding increased the odds of car-ownership. • High car prices and high housing costs negatively affected car-ownership. • Greater proportion of workers affected car-owning and carless households differently. • Stringency of Stay-at-Home levels and COVID caseloads also had different effects. • Pre-existing racial, occupational and dwelling effects persisted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growth in Australia's demand for engineers is fast outpacing supply. A significant challenge for Australia to achieve high projected low emissions hydrogen export targets by 2030 will be finding engineers with suitable knowledge, skills, and attributes to deliver hydrogen engineering projects safely and sustainably. This systematic review investigates educational outcomes needed to develop a hydrogen engineering workforce. Sixteen relevant studies published between 2003 and 2023 were identified to explore "What key knowledge, skills and attributes support the development of a hydrogen engineering workforce?". While these studies advocated the need for training and prescribed areas of required knowledge for the low-emissions hydrogen sector, there was limited empirical evidence that informed what knowledge, skills and attributes are relevant for entry to practice. This finding represents a significant opportunity for researchers to engage with employers and engineering practitioners within emerging low-emissions hydrogen sector, capture empirical evidence and inform the design of educational programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore how changes in planned retirement age, practice setting, and physician productivity may impact the workforce shortage in urology. We compared data between the 2015 and 2022 American Urological Association census, a specialty-wide annual survey which collects data on demographics, practice patterns, and procedures from a representative sample of U.S. urologists. Workforce productivity was measured by the self-reported number of hours worked per week and patients seen per week. A novel formula was developed to demonstrate how planned retirement age and productivity impact the workforce's production capacity. The total number of practicing urologists increased during the period from 2015 to 2022 (11,990 to 13,976), while the mean age of practicing urologists decreased slightly (55.0 to 54.5 years; P <.002). During this period, the mean planned age of retirement for all urologists decreased from 68.9 years to 67.7 (P <.001). Urologists in solo practice had a significantly higher planned age of retirement at 71.9 years (P <.001) as compared to all other practice models. The number of patients seen per week for all urologists decreased from 78.7 to 72.9 (P <.001). The amount of hours worked per week remained relatively constant between the study periods. The maximum possible number of patients seen by the workforce prior to retirement increased by only 2.4% during the study interval. Though the U.S. urology workforce is growing and the mean age is decreasing, decreases in planned retirement age and productivity may offset these gains and intensify the physician shortage for U.S. urologists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Workforce education and development are key cornerstones in advancing and maturing the Cell & Gene Therapy sector. A skilled worker shortage can significantly impact and delay progress as well as the quality of output for any developer, thereby negatively impacting a patient's access to life-saving treatments. Several roundtable discussions were held at the International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy (ISCT) 2023 Annual Meeting to dive deeper into the current state of workforce development and solutions to address this bottleneck. One roundtable discussion was co-hosted by the Alliance for Regenerative Medicine (ARM) and ISCT, which focused on the gap analysis provided for the United States Cell & Gene Therapy (CGT) sector, highlighting the lack of skilled workers in manufacturing and quality control. In this manuscript, the roundtable participants continue this conversation, review the roles and staffing requirements in both academic and industry as well as small and large company settings. The adoption of increased manufacturing automation is one promising solution to propel the sector forward. However, automation alone won't replace on-site staff, but will lower the bar to entry for a larger pool of people and require different training. This paper also addresses the workforce development and training paradigm shift as advanced manufacturing techniques are implemented, which will differ considerably based on the type of manufacturing efforts, thus emphasizing the need for a well-thought-out strategy to up-skill and re-skill the technical workforce to adapt to these advancements. Organizations such as ISCT and ARM have a role to play in propelling the field forward, providing awareness and education to stakeholders at all levels, as well as acting as a convener and participating as a key stakeholder in discussions and partnerships between academia and industry towards solutions for training the best personnel for CGT manufacturing. This scope includes novel digital tools and technologies to simplify training to increase access to new talent pools interested in careers in a rapidly advancing sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We hypothesize that reduced self-employment delays marriage and childbirth. • Empirical evidence shows US-Vietnam trade reduces self-employment for both genders. • Post-2012, women experienced a more significant decline in self-employment. • Survival analysis shows trade exposure reduces the risk of marriage and childbirth. • Nevertheless, trade exposure increases marriage and children for women over 40. This study investigates the impact of a large demand shock driven by the US-Vietnam Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) in 2001 on the timing of women's marital decisions and first childbirth experiences in Vietnam. We hypothesize that the reduction in women's and men's self-employment would delay family formation and childbirth, with the ultimate impact on marriage remaining ambiguous. Analyzing data from the Vietnam Household Living Standards Surveys, we find that both men and women are less likely to be self-employed in the face of a substantial trade shock. Notably, the decreasing impact on women's self-employment becomes more pronounced than that for men post-2012, a decade after the agreement's enforcement. Employing the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey and survival analysis, we empirically demonstrate that increased exposure to trade postpones women's timing of marriage and first childbirth. On average, in 2013, the BTA resulted in a 7.39- and 7.42 %-point decrease in the probability of entering marriage and becoming a mother, respectively. We also present suggestive evidence that increased exposure to trade liberalization eventually increases the likelihood of marriage and the number of children among women over 40. The findings in this study imply that policy promoting trade liberalization should consider its extensive impacts on young labor force's family formation through change in their individual economic prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides new empirical evidence on the impacts of state and federal mental health parity laws on related labor market outcomes, particularly working time. The mandated benefits for mental health in the US drive up the costs of providing health insurance substantially. In response, employers may avoid hiring more full-time workers, whose compensation includes health insurance, by increasing working time per worker and reliance on part-time employment; employees may also have an incentive to increase their labor supply to qualify for the benefits. Using individual-level data from the Current Population Survey 1992–2010 and exploiting policy variation by state and year, we find state parity laws increase average weeks worked by 1.4 percent (47.56 weeks as the baseline). Since self-insured firms are exempted from state regulations, parity is estimated to have nearly twice as large an effect on small firms as it does on large firms. Moreover, we study two federal parity laws and find the more comprehensive one is associated with 1.7 percent more weeks worked (47.62 weeks as the baseline). These results indicate that both of employers and employees may response to the increasing costs of providing more comprehensive health insurance by extending their working time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Realizing environmental protection and employment stability when facing strict environmental regulations is an essential issue of concern for many developing countries, including China. Based on a dataset of Chinese listed companies and a dataset of Chinese individual labor-force surveys, this paper uses an estimation technique pairing propensity score matching with a difference-in-differences estimator to examine the impact of the new Environmental Protection Law (EPL) on the supply and demand of labor at the micro level and the reallocation effect of interindustry labor at the macro level. The results show that the new EPL generated employment losses at the micro level. The policy reduces firms' labor demand by lowering firms' output and total investment expenditures and, in the process, does not stimulate firms' innovative behavior. Moreover, implementing the new EPL reduces the wage income of workers, which in turn reduces the labor supply. Conversely, at the macro level, the new EPL promotes the transfer of labor from polluting to cleaner industries, realizes the reallocation of labor between industries, and thus promotes the transformation and upgrading of regional industrial structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been a modest but progressive increase in the neurosurgical workforce, training, and service delivery in Nigeria in the last 2 decades. However, these resources are unevenly distributed. This study aimed to quantitatively assess the availability and distribution of neurosurgical resources in Nigeria while projecting the needed workforce capacity up to 2050. An online survey of Nigerian neurosurgeons and residents assessed the country's neurosurgical infrastructure, workforce, and resources. The results were analyzed descriptively, and geospatial analysis was used to map their distribution. A projection model was fitted to predict workforce targets for 2022–2050. Out of 86 neurosurgery-capable health facilities, 65.1% were public hospitals, with only 17.4% accredited for residency training. Dedicated hospital beds and operating rooms for neurosurgery make up only 4.0% and 15.4% of the total, respectively. The population disease burden is estimated at 50.2 per 100,000, while the operative coverage was 153.2 cases per neurosurgeon. There are currently 132 neurosurgeons and 114 neurosurgery residents for a population of 218 million (ratio 1:1.65 million). There is an annual growth rate of 8.3%, resulting in a projected deficit of 1113 neurosurgeons by 2030 and 1104 by 2050. Timely access to neurosurgical care ranges from 21.6% to 86.7% of the population within different timeframes. Collaborative interventions are needed to address gaps in Nigeria's neurosurgical capacity. Investments in training, infrastructure, and funding are necessary for sustainable development and optimized outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We utilize a comprehensive individual panel dataset from China and employ an event study approach to investigate the influence of childbirth on gender disparities across various labor market outcomes, emphasizing the role of gender norms in shaping the child penalty. Our findings show a pronounced decline in individual earnings, labor force participation and working hours for women after childbirth, though labor force participation returns to pre-childbirth level in the long term. Such trends are not observed among men. These gender differentiated outcomes are driven by a key factor: gender norms, specifically women's and their husbands' views toward gender roles. Parents' or in-laws' views play a smaller role. Women suffer a larger child penalty in individual earnings if they or their spouses hold traditional views compared to those who, or whose spouses, hold more egalitarian views. Potential channels are that traditional views may predispose mothers to focus more on household activities and/or engage in informal jobs that are more flexible and family friendly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies how social structure — the pattern of social links that connect individuals in a community — affects labor markets. Under competing views on the role of networks, social structures that discourage network hiring could improve or hinder labor market performance. We test these competing views using data on marriage networks in 15,000 villages, combined with labor force survey data. Using regressions analyses and an instrumental variable strategy, we find that individuals living in more socially fragmented villages are less likely to work in family firms, more likely to use formal job search strategies, invest more in education and earn higher wages. Social fragmentation thus discourages network hiring and improves labor market performance. These results survive 384 combinations of robustness checks. We further provide direct evidence against reverse causality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community Paramedicine is a model of care which is effective and accepted by health professionals and the community. Community paramedicine delivers low acuity primary care to disadvantaged communities and addresses service gaps. We aimed to identify successful implementation of community paramedicine models and signalled opportunities and challenges. A narrative review was conducted. We identified 14 literature reviews from four databases EMBASE, CINAHL, PubMed, Cochrane. The results from the thematic analysis were structured along the quadruple aim for healthcare redesign framework. The reviews supported acceptability of the model. Patients are satisfied and there is evidence of cost reduction. Long term evidence of the positive effects of community paramedicine on patient, community health and the health system are lacking. Equally, there is unfamiliarity about the role and how it is part of an integrated health model. Community paramedicine could alleviate current stresses in the healthcare system and uses an available workforce of registered paramedics. To facilitate integration, we need more evidence on long-term effects for patients and the system. In addition, the unfamiliarity with the model needs to be addressed to enhance the uptake of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) of genomic data has established its fundamental value in public health surveillance, research and development, and precision medicine. In Africa, severe shortages of competent experts in genomics and bioinformatics, few opportunities for research, and inadequate genomic infrastructure have had a knock-on effect on the use of NGS technologies for research and public health practice. Several reasons—ranging from poor funding, inadequate infrastructure for training and practice, to brain drain—might partly account for the scarcity of genomics and bioinformatics expertise in the region. In recognition of these shortcomings and the importance of NGS genomic data, which was amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-2021, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) through the Africa Pathogen Genomics Initiative began building and expanding Africa's workforce in pathogen surveillance. By the end of 2022, the Africa CDC in collaboration with its partners and centres of excellence had trained 413 personnel, mostly from public health institutions, in 53 (96%) of 55 African Union Member States. Although this training has increased genomics, bioinformatics, and genomic epidemiology literacy, and genomic-informed pathogen surveillance, there is still a need for a strategic and sustainable public health workforce development in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze ophthalmology workforce supply and demand projections from 2020 to 2035. Observational cohort study using data from the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis (NCHWA). Data accessed from the Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) website were compiled to analyze the workforce supply and demand projections for ophthalmologists from 2020 to 2035. Projected workforce adequacy over time. From 2020 to 2035, the total ophthalmology supply is projected to decrease by 2650 full-time equivalent (FTE) ophthalmologists (12% decline) and total demand is projected to increase by 5150 FTE ophthalmologists (24% increase), representing a supply and demand mismatch of 30% workforce inadequacy. The level of projected adequacy was markedly different based on rurality by year 2035 with 77% workforce adequacy versus 29% workforce adequacy in metro and nonmetro geographies, respectively. By year 2035, ophthalmology is projected to have the second worst rate of workforce adequacy (70%) of 38 medical and surgical specialties studied. The HRSA's Health Workforce Simulation Model forecasts a sizeable shortage of ophthalmology supply relative to demand by the year 2035, with substantial geographic disparities. Ophthalmology is one of the medical specialties with the lowest rate of projected workforce adequacy by 2035. Further dedicated workforce supply and demand research for ophthalmology and allied professionals is needed to validate these projections, which may have significant future implications for patients and providers. Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2002, an average of 17.5% of registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) have reported being out of the paid dietetics workforce, and approximately half of those report intention to return. With the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' focus on expanding workforce demand and capacity, understanding why and how dietitians opt in and out of the dietetics workforce may provide insights into how to potentially reduce the number of career breaks or expedite and enhance the reentry process. To explore the lived experiences and perspectives of dietitians who were taking (with intention to return) or had taken a career break and returned to the paid dietetics' workforce. A qualitative study with semistructured interviews was conducted. Participants (n = 22) were recruited through purposive sampling over social media. They were required to be credentialed as RDNs, reside in the United States, and have either previously or currently (with intent to return) taken a break from the dietetics workforce. Interviews were conducted using Zoom videoconferencing technology during September 2021. Data were analyzed using a Coding Reliability Thematic Analysis approach. The data are summarized in four themes: (1) motivations to leave and return, (2) staying connected with dietetics, (3) preparing to return and returning to the dietetics workforce, and (4) desired resources for career breaks and reentry. Understanding the experiences of dietitians who take career breaks may help inform career reentry and help the profession meet the current and future workforce demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To estimate the current gap and the necessary supply of human resources for care (HRC) for older people experiencing severe care dependence in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Simulation study using previous estimations of severe care dependence for LAC countries. Older people (aged 65+) experiencing severe care dependence in 26 countries of LAC. We calculated the current gap and the necessary supply of HRC in 2020, 2035, and 2050 assuming a mix of complementary human resources, in line with regional standards for long-term care (LTC) schemes, and differing levels of care coverage. Considering 100% coverage of LTC services for the population aged 65+ experiencing severe care dependence, the region will need almost 5 million people working full-time in the sector. This figure is expected to increase to more than 14 million by 2050. Nurse assistants and nurses will be the professional profiles in highest demand. In addition, the region requires 2 million rehabilitation professionals in 2020, and this figure will increase to more than 6 million in 2050. The rapid aging process in LAC will bring several challenges and opportunities to the region. Countries should start designing strategies to reduce the current gaps of HRC to meet older people's care needs in the coming years, in terms of both quantity and competencies, to help ensure that their human rights are met. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The perpetual changes affecting manufacturing systems caused by highly fluctuating demand and customer requirements make quality management of manufacturing systems more complex. In this context, the implementation of Reconfigurable Manufacturing Systems (RMS) offers decision-makers an efficient solution to cope with these changes. However, these systems require a large number of modifications and changes handled by workforces who must have an adequate level of qualification and skills. The aim of this paper is to propose a workforce qualification framework in RMS to ensure the skills needed for performing the activities. First, new framework is proposed to define the main phases of workforce qualification in a system requiring several changes. Second, new approach is proposed for workforce skills management and the building of training modules linked to the proposed qualification phases, using a modular design. This work provides decision-makers with a solution for the qualification and management of workforce skills in RMS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Workforce scheduling is becoming increasingly complex and time-consuming as the number of influencing factors increases. Intelligent, algorithmic optimization approaches can support managers in mastering this complex task. Since workforce scheduling influences key elements of work design, it has the potential to promote human-centered work design and thus, e.g., reduce stress and increase job satisfaction. This paper presents a literature review of various factors considered by existing algorithmic scheduling approaches in manufacturing environments. The identified factors are classified based on the dimensions of human-centered work design. The results show that the identified approaches integrate various aspects that can support human-centered workforce scheduling. However, usually only specific aspects are considered (e.g. learning effects) and certain dimensions are not considered at all (e.g. feedback). In order to exploit the potentials of algorithmic management for the design of humane work, an exemplary optimization model is presented and discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are too few oncologists to meet the increasing burden imposed by the rising incidence of cancer. This results from issues with the retention of established oncologists and longstanding challenges to the recruitment of adequate numbers of trainees. To counter this, the British Oncology Network for Undergraduate Societies (BONUS) devised an online oncology careers event for medical students and junior doctors who are yet to select a specialty. An online careers event was devised with a focus on oncology practice and related subspecialties, as well as research. Event attendees were asked to respond to piloted pre- and post-event surveys. Knowledge and attitudes towards a career in oncology were evaluated using Likert scale and multiple-choice questions. A systematic literature search was carried out to contextualise these data. Of the 73 attendees, 44 (60%) participants completed both the pre- and post-event surveys; 79.5% of attendees believed that information on a career in oncology is lacking in medical training. This viewpoint was supported by the systematic review, which highlighted a need for relevant focussed interventions targeted at medical students and fledgling doctors. The education event led to an increase in the median reported understanding of the oncology career pathway from 6.0 to 8.0 (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001), as well as the likelihood of pursuing a career in oncology (8.0–9.0; P < 0.05). It was also associated with a proportional increase in medical and surgical oncology interest, albeit with a fall in interest in clinical and interventional oncology as well as academia. A targeted online careers event increases knowledge of and interest in a career in oncology, albeit predominantly for medical and surgical subspecialties. Broader initiatives based on our model should be developed and careers in academia as well as clinical and interventional oncology emphasised. • Most attendees reported undergraduate oncology rotations were 2 weeks or less in duration. • Attendees reported limited knowledge on what a career in oncology entails. • Targeted online events increase knowledge of and interest in a career in oncology. • Interest in medical and surgical oncology increased post-event. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluate the acceptability and feasibility and explore the potential health impacts of a hospital-based herb and vegetable garden. Mixed-method program evaluation assessed dietetic and food service staff health, well-being, and garden engagement. Surveys were administered at baseline and follow-up (6 months). Key informant interviews (n = 6) were conducted at 6 months to evaluate program feasibility. There was good acceptance and engagement with the garden, with 18 participants volunteering to maintain the garden. Key informant interviews identified workforce, leadership, and garden design engagement factors. Participants also noted several psychosocial benefits. A hospital-based garden for staff is feasible if programmatic improvements are addressed. More robust evaluations considering challenges with measuring key outcomes with survey methodology and extended periods are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Integrated disease surveillance (IDS) offers the potential for better use of surveillance data to guide responses to public health threats. However, the extent of IDS implementation worldwide is unknown. This study sought to understand how IDS is operationalized, identify implementation challenges and barriers, and identify opportunities for development. Synthesis of qualitative studies undertaken in seven countries. Thirty-four focus group discussions and 48 key informant interviews were undertaken in Pakistan, Mozambique, Malawi, Uganda, Sweden, Canada, and England, with data collection led by the respective national public health institutes. Data were thematically analysed using a conceptual framework that covered governance, system and structure, core functions, finance and resourcing requirements. Emerging themes were then synthesised across countries for comparisons. None of the countries studied had fully integrated surveillance systems. Surveillance was often fragmented, and the conceptualization of integration varied. Barriers and facilitators identified included: 1) the need for clarity of purpose to guide integration activities; 2) challenges arising from unclear or shared ownership; 3) incompatibility of existing IT systems and surveillance infrastructure; 4) workforce and skills requirements; 5) legal environment to facilitate data sharing between agencies; and 6) resourcing to drive integration. In countries dependent on external funding, the focus on single diseases limited integration and created parallel systems. A plurality of surveillance systems exists globally with varying levels of maturity. While development of an international framework and standards are urgently needed to guide integration efforts, these must be tailored to country contexts and guided by their overarching purpose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to establish an occupational disease surveillance system by identifying high-risk industries for silicosis in Taiwan using a national database linkage approach. The study was based on a comprehensive analysis of benefit claims from the National Labor Insurance Research Database and medical records from the National Health Insurance Research Database between 2004 and 2020, providing coverage for more than 88.5% of the workforce and 99.9% of citizens. Silicosis was defined as having received compensation for labor insurance benefits or having received a diagnosis of silicosis (International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision : J62 or International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision : 502). The study used the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities for industry-specific classification. Cox proportional hazard models were used to compare the silicosis incidence and risk among each industry and identify high-risk industries for silicosis. This study analyzed 1466 cases of silicosis between 2004 and 2020 and found that 28 industries had incidence rates of over 40 cases per 100,000 workers, indicating more than double the risk of developing silicosis. Of these industries, 14 were considered high risk (relative risk of over four times). Among these, this study identified industries rarely mentioned in the past, such as wholesale of brick, sand, cement, and products, artistic creation, landscape construction, and materials recovery. Stratification by years of work experience reveals those industries such as quarrying of stone, sand, clay, and other mining, construction of buildings, landscape construction, site preparation, foundation and structure construction, building completion and finishing, manufacture of ships, boats, and floating structures, and plumbing, heat, and air conditioning installation display higher hazard ratios for individuals with <10 years of work experience. The current surveillance system has identified certain industries that are at a higher risk of developing silicosis, which could be used for future occupational epidemiological surveys and targeted preventive measures in these sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International migration of healthcare workers is well established and has become a means of maintaining service quality in many high income countries. In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in recruitment of health personnel who have been trained abroad, including from the poorest countries in the world. In this article, using General Medical Council (GMC) data, we chart the growth in numbers of international staff working in the United Kingdom, where since 2018, over half of all new GMC registrations have been of doctors trained abroad. There is evidence that this migration of health staff results in poorer health service provision in low and middle income countries, as well as substantial economic impacts in these countries that have invested in training their health workforce. Recruiting governments have argued that remittances compensate for the loss of personnel, and that training opportunities can enable skills transfer to countries with weaker health systems. However, we found that the costs to the source countries dwarfed remittances, and that only a tiny fraction of people who move to take up posts in wealthier countries ever return to their countries of origin to work. We conclude that in addition to the investment in health systems (and workforce development) in low and middle income countries as part of Official Development Assistance for Health, there is an urgent need to increase training of nurses and doctors so that damaging migration is no longer relied upon to fill gaps in healthcare personnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weak surveillance systems have limited countries' ability to adequately respond to public health emergencies. Strengthening the human workforce in this field is considered an important opportunity to ensure the future response to infectious diseases outbreaks globally. A scoping review of the academic literature and relevant documents was conducted to identify approaches, challenges, and opportunities to strengthen the epidemic intelligence (EI) workforce. Five peer-reviewed databases were systematically searched, as well as Google as a grey literature source. English language articles and documents published between 2014 and 2022 were included. No geographical restrictions were set. 37 articles and 20 documents were included in the review. Professional training, the acknowledgement of including a broad variety of disciplines into the workforce, the inclusion of communities, the pursuit of a One Health approach and the use of digital tools were identified as impeding and/or facilitating the EI workforce. The review shows that the field epidemiology training programme is a prominent approach for strengthening the EI workforce and that little evidence exists on how non-traditional disciplines (e.g., disciplines besides medicine, laboratory science, or epidemiology) contributing to surveillance may support the future EI workforce. The identification of approaches, challenges, and opportunities of EI can inform future policy and practice on strengthening the EI workforce. The conduct of more high-quality studies is needed to guide this process. The potential benefits of integrating a wider range of disciplines than currently found in the surveillance workforce and of involving communities in disease surveillance needs to be further researched. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• It evaluates employment and economic growth in the Indian labour market. • It decomposes the GDP Per Capita growth into employment, output per worker, and population change. • Different exist between labour force entering and employed in the job market. • The major contributor to value-added is output per worker & inter-sectoral shifts. • Better quality of jobs across sectors with overall economic development. This study analyses the changing contours of employment and economic growth in the Indian labour market over four decades (1983–2019-20) using the NSSO-EUS & PLFS datasets. Here, the Shapley Decomposition methodology (as developed by World Bank) has been used to decompose the per capita income growth into changes in employment, changes in output per worker, and the population change components at the aggregate level and by sectors for the Indian labour market. The study unfolds a pattern of inter-sectoral variations in growth in income and employment since pre and post-reform periods. The estimate shows that the major contributor to the value-added is output per worker and inter-sectoral shifts. Further, despite the output growth in the industrial and service sector, it didn't reflect in absorbing the labour force entering the job market. The aggregate employment and income growth pattern entails proper policy intervention in the Indian labour market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study compares the effects of international trade and fertility on the gender gap in the household workforce in Vietnam from 2002 to 2016. The results reveal that having children prevents women from entering the labor market, although international trade has opened more job opportunities for them. The ratio of working hours of wives to husbands only increases if their child is aged >6 years. Further, both international trade and fertility reduce the gender gap in working hours. However, regarding the gender pay gap, the impact of international trade is often more statistically significant than that of fertility. In addition, other factors that affect the participation of female workers include their education level, their husbands' income, and whether they live with someone who can help take care of their children when they are unable to take care of them because of secular work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The international division of the value chain brings both opportunities and challenges to developing countries. Integration into the global value chain (GVC) has become a new driving force for economic growth in developing countries while simultaneously creating huge pressures for the reduction of carbon emissions. The existing literature focuses on the measurement of GVC embeddedness and embodied emissions, but rarely on the influencing mechanisms between them. From the perspective of value-added trade, this study recalculates the emissions embodied in exports of developing countries using the multi-regional input-output model (MRIO), and analyzes the influencing mechanisms between the GVC and embodied emissions arising from four transmission paths: export scale, industrial structure, technological progress, and environmental regulation. The results show that there is an inverted U-shaped nonlinear relationship between the degree of GVC embeddedness and the carbon emissions of developing countries. Consequently, a low degree of participation in the GVC is not conducive to the improvement of a country's ecological environment; conversely, when GVC participation exceeds the inflection point, it helps to reduce the scale of embodied emissions. Export scale and industrial structure play important positive transmission roles in the impact of GVC embeddedness on carbon emissions embodied in exports, and developing countries are locked-in at the low end of the GVC. Environmental regulation plays a non-linear intermediary role in the relationship between GVC participation and carbon emissions, while technological progress has no significant impact. Thus, developing countries should actively participate in the GVC, while focusing on learning opportunities arising out of advanced low-carbon production technologies from developed countries, thereby benefiting from the technology spillover effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A mandated minimum wage supports low-wage workers at the expense of domestic employment and overall welfare in a closed economy. This, however, does not occur in an economy with open labor markets like the Philippines. Our general equilibrium simulations demonstrate that a minimum wage increase would be welfare-improving thanks to remittances earned by, especially, unskilled workers who lose jobs and migrate abroad. Migration would cause currency appreciation and less domestic labor supply which make exports and domestic production weaker, especially in manufacturing, like the Dutch disease. Among four household groups, welfare gains would accrue largely to both the richest and poorest household groups; middle-income groups would gain smaller. Our neutral inequality finding does not imply equal gains by all household groups but is brought by the poorest household group being able to keep up with the second and third-richest household groups, while trailing behind the richest household group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aging of the workforce has become a paramount concern for ASEAN+3's productivity. In response, government health expenditure emerges as a potential solution. However, the existing literature has generated inconclusive results and has yet to reveal the mechanisms and potential nonlinear effects of these factors on productivity. This study addresses this gap by examining the impact of changes in the proportion of the working-age population and government health expenditures on productivity growth, using data from ASEAN+3 countries over the period 2008–2009. Employing a robust methodology, we utilize several panel threshold regression models to derive statistically sound inferences and consistent parameter estimates. Our investigation reveals that government health expenditure effectively enhances productivity when the old labor force participation rate is below 51.352%. However, this effect loses significance at higher levels of the aging workers' proportion. Additionally, we identify an optimal government health expenditure range of 1.906% to 2.859% of GDP, signifying a positive correlation with labor productivity growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patient education is a professional obligation for all nurses. Public health messaging in emergency departments during disasters can help prevent further risk or illness for affected communities. In this study, Australian emergency nurse Key Informants share their perceptions and experiences of preventative messaging provided in their departments during disasters and the governance and processes in place to support this practice. The qualitative phase of a mixed methods study, where semi structured interviews were utilised, and data analysed using a six step Thematic analysis. Three themes were identified: (1) Part of the Job; (2) It's all in the delivery; and (3) Preparation is the key. These themes include concepts involving the confidence and competence of nurses providing messages, what, when and how messages are being given and how prepared both the department and staff are regarding patient education during disaster events. Nurse confidence is a key factor in the delivery of preventative messages during disasters, potentially resulting from a lack of exposure, a junior workforce and minimal training. Leaders agree that departments are not preparing or supporting messaging practice, with an absence of specific training, formal guidelines, and patient education resources; and that improvement is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The neurosurgical workforce in the Caribbean and surrounding countries is largely unknown due to the diversity in cultural, linguistic, political, financial disparities, and colonial history between the countries. About 45 neurosurgeons serve 16 million people in the Caribbean Community and Common Market, a trade alliance including most Caribbean nations. We aimed to understand the current scope of neurosurgical workforce in this region while highlighting any system challenges and potential solutions for upscaling the workforce. We surveyed neurosurgeons within Caribbean countries and surrounding countries online using qualitative and quantitative methods via Qualtrics. Of the 38 countries within the Caribbean and surrounding countries, 26 (68%) were surveyed and of which 18 (69%) replied. In total, 172 regional neurosurgeons were identified, of which 61 (35%) replied—with a majority of general neurosurgeons (56%). Remarkably, the majority of countries failed to meet the threshold workforce density for safe health care—either expressed by full-time equivalent neurosurgeons or neurosurgical centers (see table). Most neurosurgical practices confirmed receiving or sending medical referrals. If so, most referrals took longer than 8 hours without significant difference regarding the destination. Lastly, challenges confronting neurosurgical advancement were found in the following: technology and equipment (40%), trained personnel (31%), hospital or medical center infrastructure (14%), neurosurgical education, and training (44%). To our knowledge, this is the first qualitative and quantitative study exploring the current status of the neurosurgical workforce within the Caribbean and surrounding countries. Identifying resources and challenges can contribute to improving regionalized neurosurgical care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the value/utility of developing an online mentorship program for underrepresented in medicine (URiM) students interested in urology. The Michigan Urology Academy (MUA) was launched in 2020 to increase exposure and provide mentorship to URiM students interested in urology, in an effort to address the continued low numbers of Black and LatinX urologists in the workforce. The 2-day virtual mentorship program was launched in June 2020 and held annually thereafter. Demographic information was collected, and surveys were distributed at 1 week and 3 months after the events. Surveys assessed participants' perception of the utility and effectiveness of the sessions. Thematic analysis was performed on qualitative data. Fourth-year med students were followed longitudinally to determine urology match results. Over the last 3 years, MUA hosted 208 students from 104 medical schools. Participants self-identified as 42.3% (n = 88) identified as African American/Black, 14.9% (n = 31) Hispanic/LatinX, 12.98% (n = 27) white, 18.75% (n = 39) as Asian/Indian 7.7% (n = 16) as Middle Eastern/North African, and 0.48% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander (n = 1). Overall, fourth-year MUA participants matched at a higher rate than the national average (80.2% vs 71.4%; P =.0486). Narrative feedback revealed five themes: (1) the importance of community support within urology, (2) the utility of vulnerability and storytelling, (3) the importance of representation of diverse backgrounds, (4) the desire for in-person mentorship opportunities, and (5) the need for transparency in application logistics. Mentorship programs such as MUA allow URiM students to have greater exposure to the field of urology and to networking opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current staffing shortage across all disciplines of post-acute and long-term care (PALTC) settings is affecting the health and safety of residents, as well as the well-being of the current staff. The need to retain and recruit new talent to this challenging but fulfilling setting demands that we look to existing evidence-based strategies and identify ways to implement them quickly, effectively, and in a sustainable way. Using the 4 Ms Framework of the Age-Friendly Health System developed by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and the John A. Hartford Foundation (What Matters, Medication, Mentation, and Mobility), we can build on successful strategies to address what matters to staff, mental health, career mobility, and the overall safety and wellness of our nation's careforce. This paper summarizes "More of a Good Thing: A Framework to Grow and Strengthen the PALTC Careforce," a series of 6 roundtable discussions held in 2022 that brought together clinicians, industry leaders, and change-makers to share strategies that have been researched and successfully implemented and discuss ways to scale and disseminate them to a broader audience. The role of PALTC leadership is highlighted, with key points from the final roundtable discussion outlined, and challenging leadership to think about what they can begin doing immediately to build trust with existing staff and lay the foundation for a stronger nursing home careforce. Next steps for "More of a Good Thing" include a survey of participants about what they have tried, what has been successful, and what barriers they face; a series of focused interviews with leaders; and potential collaboration with quality improvement organizations to help facilities build on and implement the strategies presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper shows the advantages of an individual-level approach when estimating undeclared work using the labor input method. It shows the shortcomings of an aggregated approach, namely assuming that all workers with missing administrative data are working fully undeclared, being unable to adequately account for overtime, extreme values and not being able to detect and correct for errors in the administrative data. The paper illustrates how these shortcomings can be overcome to a large extent by using an individual-level linked dataset and yield results that are useful both for researchers and for tax authorities. It shows that the method can estimate undeclared work for the self-employed, as well as show seasonal and industry differences in undeclared labor. Denmark is used as a case study, and unlike other papers utilizing individual-level data, this paper provides detailed instruction for how a similar approach can be applied in other countries with Labor Force Survey data. The paper shows how an individual-level approach can yield results that are useful for example for tax administrations' monitoring of undeclared work across sectors. The study uses Danish Labor Force Survey data linked with individual-level tax data, yielding estimates of undeclared work that are in line with past Danish studies of related aspects of undeclared work, namely that approximately 29% of workers have undeclared hours, 25% of wage earners and 37–39% of non-wage earners, and that the value of these hours is close to 2% of the Danish GDP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development and production of cell gene and tissue (CGT)-based therapies requires a specialized workforce. Entering the CGT arena is complex because it involves different scientific and biomedical aspects (e.g., immunology, stem cell biology and transplantation), as well as knowledge of regulatory affairs and compliance with pharmaceutical quality standards. Currently, both industry and academia are facing a worldwide workforce shortage, whereas only a handful of educational and training initiatives specifically address the peculiarities of CGT product development, the procurement of substances of human origin, the manufacturing process itself and clinical monitoring and biovigilance. The training offered by traditional Master's and PhD programs is not suited for training a skilled workforce ready to enter the increasingly fast-growing CGT field. Indeed, typically these programs are of long duration and only partially cover the required competencies, whereas the demand for a specialized workforce relentlessly increases. In this paper, we (i) present and discuss our understanding of the roots of current growth acceleration of the CGT field; (ii) anticipate future workforce needs due to the expected increase of marketed CGT-based therapies and (iii) evaluate potential solutions that seek to adapt, develop and implement current educational and training initiatives. Importantly for these solutions, we call for scientific societies, such as the International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy, to play a more active role and act as catalysers for new initiatives, building bridges between academia and Industry to establish effective educational and training programs that will engage and prepare a new generation of qualified professionals for entry into the CGT field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]