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The dramatic growth in health expenditures is an important health policy concern worldwide. Therefore, understanding the factors that increase health expenditures provides policy makers with evidence for decision-making. We aim to examine long-term effects of carbon dioxide emission, urbanization rate and GDP per capita on health expenditures. This study investigates the effect of carbon dioxide emission, urban population, and GDP per capita on health expenditure for 21 OECD countries over the period 1992–2018. Panel ARDL Approach and Gengenbach, Urbain and Westerlund Panel Co-integration Test have been used in the article. Test results indicate the long-run relationship among health expenditure and carbon dioxide emission, urban population, and GDP per capita. Effect of carbon dioxide emission (CO2), urban population, and GDP per capita is significant and positive on health expenditure. Rapid economic growths of OECD countries recently and environmental pollution have increased health expenditures in the long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Research has just begun to identify American college students who study abroad as a group at-risk for sexual violence victimization. The purpose of the current study was to examine the context of these incidents. Participants: We utilized a large longitudinal sample of 2,428 United States college students studying abroad for between 4 and 21 weeks in 12 different foreign countries. Methods: We estimated descriptive statistics and logistic regression models to assess prevalence and correlates of sexual victimization abroad, as well as effect size comparisons to quantify changes in drinking abroad. Results: Over one-fifth of students experienced sexual violence while abroad, including sexual assault and verbal coercion. Women, younger students, those who experienced sexual violence prior, and heavier drinkers had the greatest odds of sexual violence victimization abroad. Conclusions: Findings point to the need for evidence-based programming to reduce sexual violence risk among American college students studying in foreign countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Coronavirus pandemic and associated measures for the protection of the public have impacted differently on different parts of the population and across different nations. In many areas, COVID-19 has also either exacerbated already existing or created new inequalities in relation to specific parts of the population. Older individuals are one group in society that has been widely impacted, while social isolation/shielding measures have placed them in higher risk of loneliness, isolation, financial deprivation and mental health challenges, to name a few. This commentary reflects on such inequalities across four European nations (the United Kingdom (UK), Republic of Ireland, Finland, Spain) and draws attention to the critical role of Gerontological Social Work (GSW), while emphasizing the ways in which social work can intervene. First, we identify common concerns for the rights of older people that span across all four nations, and second, we identify significant roles for GSW practitioners at the individual, community and policy levels and conclude with a call for GSW in these four nations to be reimagined in a time of global crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses the growth of the private rental sector over recent years through a comparative analysis of three classic homeowner societies: Ireland, the UK and Spain. The article argues that theories of financialization provide a useful framework for understanding 'generation rent'. In particular, the cyclical nature of credit markets tends to undermine homeownership over the medium term. This contributes to and intensifies the wider set of policy changes associated with neoliberalism. The article also accounts for the divergent experiences of our three case study countries within their common trajectory. It does so through an analytical focus on the interaction between global aspects of financialization and more nationally based ones, such as mortgage markets, as well as on how both are mediated by national policy regimes. The article thus aims to contribute to the emerging literature seeking to explain 'generation rent' and explore its significance, and more broadly to political economy approaches to housing system change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on a study which estimate prevalence of gambling among European professional athletes and explore factors that are associated with gambling practice and gambling problems in professional athletes. It states that self-completion questionnaire was designed for this study and socio-demographic variables, variables linked to gambling and impulsive behavior data were gathered. It mentions that instruments used for screening problem gambling were all validated.