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Research background: The aim of the paper is to compare the performance of economic researchers in Austria, Romania and the Visegrad 4 (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia) using performance indicators of researchers from the Scopus and SciVal databases. In the comparison of countries, Austria is included as a benchmark country, while the other five countries represent the countries of the former Eastern bloc. In the study, the definition of an economic researcher is based on indicators that can be obtained from databases. The study focuses first on the statistical properties of the indicators and then groups' researchers from countries using these indicators. Purpose of the article: Paper pursued two goals. First, by presenting the relationships between the data obtained from the Scopus/SciVal databases, to present the most important key indicators, then to group the researchers with the help of the analyzed indicators, and to compare the publication performance of the chosen countries. A researcher is considered to be an economic researcher in the study whose at least thirty percent of the published articles in the SCImago database are in the subject areas of Business, Management, and Accounting and Economics, Econometrics, and Finance. Methods: Three methods were used to perform the study. First, principal component analysis, multicollinearity analysis with variance inflation factor (VIF), and partial correlation analysis were performed using the correlation matrix. Second, using the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) ranking procedure, researchers from each country were ranked using indicators. Finally, the distribution of ninths and tenths of ranked researchers was analyzed for each country. Three data sets were used for the analysis. A representative sample proportional to the population of a country, followed by the principle known in team sports that each country nominates the same number of athletes, and finally a dataset of all selected researchers. Findings & value added: The first most important result can be stated that the stochastic linear relationships that can be described with the three data sets are very similar, the causal relationships are also the same. Based on the principal component analysis, the indicators can be divided into two groups: the component consisting of raw data and the component consisting of reference-based variables. In this case, too, the three datasets resulted in the same groups of variables. Of the eight indicators, two proved to be collinear: all references and the Hirsch index of all publications. A comparison of researchers from countries showed that economic researchers in Austria perform best, and researchers from other countries only follow in each dataset. The results are similar; it is difficult to rank between countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The issue of oral health problems among refugees, not only during their journey but also once they arrive at their destination, is a current one. This study aimed to evaluate the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of refugees, with the intention of highlighting a potential need for improved education and easier access to dental care. Materials and methods: A questionnaire based on the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) was distributed via hyperlink on social media, targeting individuals with a refugee background to collect data on their OHRQoL. Results: A total of 401 participants completed the questionnaire. The median OHIP score for all participants was 8 (IQR 2–17) out of a maximum of 56, with 0 representing the best possible OHRQoL. The median OHIP score was 6 (IQR 2–16) for male and 8 (IQR 2–18) for female participants. Conclusion: A comparison of the OHIP score from this study with reference values from non-refugee populations shows an elevated score and, thus, a lower oral quality of life. Clinical relevance: The findings of this study indicate a clear need for enhanced access to dental care for refugees, coupled with an educational initiative aimed at fostering an appreciation of the importance of daily dental hygiene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article compares and evaluates the efficiency of the banking sector in Austria and the Czech Republic in the period 2004-2011. The paper is divided into the following parts. It begins with a literature review dealing with the bank efficiency generally and then with the efficiency of the banking sector in chosen countries. The second section provides an overview of used methodology. The non-parametric Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) with undesirable output is used for estimating the efficiency. The undesirable output is usually omitted by current authors. Simultaneously were used CCR and BCC models that differ in returns to scale. Section three summarizes the results, discusses them and compares the estimated efficiency rates in both states. This study also attempts to further identify the main sources of inefficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Errors of omissions affect the quality of nursing care in hospitals. The Missed Nursing Care Model explains that the reasons for missed care are linked with 1) demand for patient care, 2) labor resource allocation, 3) material resource allocation, and 4) relationship and communication factors. Scientific evidence points to a lack of adequate nursing staffing as the most important factor triggering missed care. However, it remains unclear how the different theoretical reasons for missed care are interlinked with reports on missed care from the perspective of nurses in acute care settings. The aim of this study was to explore non-trivial configurations of reasons for missed care that are associated with missed care interventions from the perspective of nurses working in general units in Austrian hospitals. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Data collection was performed using the revised MISSCARE-Austria questionnaire. Our sample consisted of 401 nurses who provided complete data. Data were analyzed using qualitative comparative analysis. Configurational models of contextual factors, reasons for missed care, and missed nursing interventions were analyzed. Results: In our study contextual factors were not consistent precursors of the reasons for missed care. Missed care was consistently present when the demand for patient care was high. A lack of labor resources, in combination with the other known reasons for missed care, was consistently observed when missed care occurred. Different configurations of reasons were found to be non-trivially associated with different types and frequencies of missed care. Conclusions: To understand the complexity of the causal mechanisms of missed care, complexity theory may be necessary. Accordingly, a theoretical framework that acknowledges that complex systems, such as missed care, are composed of multiple interacting causal components must be further developed to guide new methodical approaches to enlighten its causal mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prolonged sitting is ubiquitous in modern society and linked to several diseases. Height-adjustable desks are being used to decrease worksite based sitting time (ST). Single-desk sit-to-stand workplaces exhibit small ST reduction potential and short-term loss in performance. The aim of this paper is to report the study design and methodology of an ACTIVE OFFICE trial.Design: The study was a 1-year three-arm, randomized controlled trial in 18 healthy Austrian office workers. Allocation was done via a regional health insurance, with data collection during Jan 2014 - March 2015. Participants were allocated to either an intervention or control group. Intervention group subjects were provided with traditional or two-desk sit-to-stand workstations in either the first or the second half of the study, while control subjects did not experience any changes during the whole study duration. Sitting time and physical activity (IPAQ-long), cognitive performance (text editing task, Stroop-test, d2R test of attention), workload perception (NASA-TLX) and physiological parameters (salivary cortisol, heartrate variability and body weight) were measured pre- and post-intervention (23 weeks after baseline) for intervention and control periods. Postural changes and sitting/standing time (software logger) were recorded at the workplace for the whole intervention period.Discussion: This study evaluates the effects of a novel two-desk sit-to-stand workplace on sitting time, physical parameters and work performance of healthy office based workers. If the intervention proves effective, it has a great potential to be implemented in regular workplaces to reduce diseases related to prolonged sitting.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02825303 , July 2016 (retrospectively registered). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the treatment protocols of orthopedic and trauma departments, but its specific effect on the mortality of hip fracture patients due to possible delays in surgery remains uncertain. This study aimed to investigate whether the COVID-19 pandemic worsened the mortality of patients with hip fractures. Materials and methods: This study included 246 prospectively enrolled patients who suffered from hip fractures during the Austrian State of Emergency period between 1 March and 30 June 2020 and 2021 and were admitted to a tertiary care trauma center. This cohort was compared with a retrospective control group of 494 patients admitted for hip fractures during the same timeframe in 2017, 2018, and 2019. These groups were compared to a prospective recruited "post-COVID-19 collective consisting of the years 2022 and 2023 including 313 patients. Results: This study found a 22% reduction in admissions during the COVID-19 period compared to the pre-COVID period (p = 0.018), as well as significant changes in gender (p = 0.013) and place of accident (p = 0.049). No other changes in demographic variables were observed. The 30-day mortality rate was 14.67% in the pre-COVID period, compared to 15.18% during the COVID-19 period (p = 0.381). No differences were observed in surgical complication rates or in the relationship between comorbidity burden and survival. Conclusion: This study did not show a higher perioperative mortality rate due to COVID-19. However, under current circumstances, with potentially reduced surgical and hospital bed capacities, it is expected that this condition might require a high degree of resources in times when resources are potentially scarce, such as during an ongoing pandemic. Level of evidence: Level III. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2021, the federal government of the United States expanded a set of income transfers that led to strong reductions in child poverty. This research note uses microdata from more than 50 countries and U.S. data spanning more than 50 years to place the 2021 child poverty rate in historical and international perspective. We demonstrate that whether using the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM), relative poverty measures, or an absolute poverty measure, the U.S. child poverty rate in 2021 was at its lowest level since at least 1967. The U.S. tax and transfer system reduced the 2021 SPM child poverty rate by more than 75% relative to the pre-tax/transfer child poverty rate; this reduction was three times the mean reduction effect between 1967 and 2019. These policy changes improved the country's standing from having a relative poverty rate twice that of Germany's in 2019 to the same as Germany's in 2021. Moreover, the U.S. progressed from reducing child poverty at less than half the rate of Norway in 2019 to a rate comparable to Norway in 2021. However, the U.S. success was temporary: after the expiration of the 2021 income provisions, the child poverty rate doubled and returned to being higher than in most other high-income countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ius et Praxis (07172877) is the property of Universidad de Talca and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Introduction. Since there is no uniform global diabetes trend in childhood and adolescence, regional epidemiological surveys of diabetes incidences are important. In Austria, the incidences of type 1 diabetes (T1D), type 2 diabetes (T2D), and other forms of diabetes have been recorded for decades. Methods. To analyze recent developments of diabetes incidence within the decades long-standing Austrian nationwide prospective population-based incidence study for diabetes in children aged <15 years. We estimated time trends of age-standardized rates from 1989 to 2021 for T1D and T2D by joinpoint analysis. Annual percent changes (APCs) were calculated. Case ascertainment was 97%. Results. We observed an unusual increase of T1D incidence in the year 2021, reaching a peak of 28.7/100,000/PY (person years). From 2011 to 2020, there had been a constant plateau phase in the total cohort (APC 0.78, 95% CI [−0.99, 2.58], p = 0.379), which had followed a steep increase of T1D incidence (APC 4.6, 95% CI [3.94, 5.19], p < 0.001) from 1989 to 2011. Age-specific differences in T1D incidence development were observed. For the first time, we observed a statistically significant constant increase in T2D during the observation period (APC 3.47, 95% CI [0.76, 6.26], p = 0.014). Other forms of diabetes are two times more common than T2D in this age group. Conclusion. The incidence of T1D in Austrian children <15 years is still increasing and showed a peak in 2021. For the first time, a significant increase in pediatric T2D was observed in Austria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. The aim of the study is to analyze the swept source-optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA) characteristics of polypoidal lesions in Caucasian patients. Methods. In this retrospective observational case series, 43 polypoidal lesions in 32 eyes of 32 patients were diagnosed using indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) and compared to SS-OCTA at a tertiary medical retina center (Clinic Landstraße, Vienna Healthcare Group, Austria) between June 2017 and March 2020. Vascularity was identified by color-coded B-scan SS-OCTA while morphology was described as revealed by en face SS-OCTA after alignment with ICGA-confirmed findings. Results. In total, SS-OCTA detected all polypoidal lesions, as identified by ICGA. On B-scan SS-OCTA, circumscribed flow was detected in 33 (76.7%) polypoidal lesions and diffuse flow in 10 (23.3%) lesions. On en face SS-OCTA, polypoidal lesions appeared morphologically as 19 tangled vessel balls (44.2%), 6 tangled vessel balls next to dilated vessels (13.9%), 8 vascular dilatations (18.6%), and 8 ill-defined vascular networks (18.6%), leaving 2 lesions (4.6%) undetected. Circumscribed flow was significantly associated with tangled vessel balls (p = 0.005). Conclusion. This study highlights the importance of a multimodal imaging approach, including SS-OCTA, for the evaluation of polypoidal lesions. Our findings suggest a morphological heterogeneity of vascular patterns in Caucasian patients with polypoidal lesions, as pictured by SS-OCTA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: People experiencing homelessness (PEH) are known to be at higher risk of adverse health outcomes and premature mortality when compared to the housed population and often face significant barriers when attempting to access health services. This study aimed to better understand the specific health care needs of PEH and the barriers and facilitators associated with their timely and equitable access to health services in the European context. Methods: We conducted an exploratory cross-national qualitative study involving people with lived experience of homelessness and health and social care professionals in Austria, Greece, Spain, and the UK. A total of 69 semi-structured interviews comprising 15 social care professionals, 19 health care professionals, and 35 PEH were completed, transcribed, and analysed thematically. Results: Findings were organised into three overarching themes relating to the research question: (a) Health care needs of PEH, (b) Barriers to health care access, and (c) Facilitators to health care access. Overall, the general health of PEH was depicted as extremely poor, and mainstream health services were portrayed as ill-equipped to respond to the needs of this population. Adopting tailored approaches to care, especially involving trusted professionals in the delivery of care, was identified as a key strategy for overcoming existing barriers. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate there to be a high degree of consistency in the health care needs of PEH and the barriers and facilitators associated with their access to health care across the various European settings. Homelessness in itself is recognized to represent an essential social determinant of health, with PEH at risk of unequal access to health services. Changes are thus required to facilitate PEH's access to mainstream primary care. This can also be further complemented by investment in 'in-reach' services and other tailored and person-centred forms of health care. Trial registration: This study was registered retrospectively on June 6, 2022, in the registry of ClinicalTrials.gov under the number NCT05406687. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gender equality, as a preferred social norm based on both ethical considerations and legislative demands, can be boosted by networking. However, the concept of organizational networks is too often associated with old boys' clubs or old boy networks that effectively exclude women, thus limiting their potential. As a result, there is a movement to form women-inspired networks, to address the experiences of women with a goal for increasing their perceptions of belonging and engagement. So how do such networks operate in practice? This research focuses on the organizational differences and commonalities in two women's woodland owner networks, one in the US and one in Austria, in order to understanding how participation in networks influence the advancement of women in the forest sector. Based on expert interviews, we found that both cases well reflect current networking potential for strengthening the capabilities of women engaging in network activities. Regardless of country women in similar circumstances tend to have similar networks. Yet, there are some differences even among these organized networks operating with similar targets. Results also show the limitations of sole networking approaches for the enhancement of women's positions in the men-dominated forest sector. We suggested more action in terms of active equality policies, such as mentoring/networking programs, family friendly policies, and quota/sensibilization measures for boards and selection committees to increase the gender balance in the sector and its related industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study evaluated a simple environmental intervention called 'Water Schools' in Lower Austria providing free refillable water bottles and educational material.Design: Non-randomised controlled cluster trial with three measurements: at baseline (T0), after the intervention at 9 months (T1) and after 1-year follow-up (T2).Setting: Half-day elementary schools in Lower Austria (Austria).Participants: Third-grade pupils from twenty-two schools in the intervention group (IG) and thirty-two schools in the control group (CG) participated in the study. Data were analysed for 569 to 598 pupils in the IG and for 545 to 613 in the CG, depending on the time of measurement.Results: The consumption of tap water increased in the IG from baseline to T1 and then decreased again at T2, but this was similar in the CG (no statistically significant difference in the time trend between the IG and CG). Similar results were seen for tap water consumption in the mornings. The proportion of children who only drank tap water on school mornings increased significantly from baseline to T1 in the IG compared to the CG (P = 0·020). No difference in the changes over time occurred between the groups for the proportion of pupils drinking approximately one bottle of tap water during school mornings.Conclusions: Not only the children in the IG but also those in the CG drank more tap water after 1 school year than at the beginning. The measurement of drinking habits in the CG may have been intervention enough to bring about changes or to initiate projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper introduces an integrative approach to hedonic house price modeling which utilizes high density 3D airborne laser scanning (ALS) data. In general, it is shown that extracting exploratory variables using 3D analysis – thus explicitly considering high-rise buildings, shadowing effects, etc. – is crucial in complex urban environments and is limited in well-established raster-based modeling. This is fundamental in large-scale urban analyses where essential determinants influencing real estate prices are constantly missing and are not accessible in official and mass appraiser databases. More specifically, the advantages of this methodology are demonstrated by means of a novel and economically important externality, namely incoming solar radiation, derived separately for each flat. Findings from an empirical case study in Vienna, Austria, applying a non-linear generalized additive hedonic model, suggest that solar radiation is significantly capitalized in flat prices. A model comparison clearly proves that the hedonic model accounting for ALS-based solar radiation performs significantly superior. Compared to a model without this externality, it increases the model’s explanatory power by approximately 13% and additionally reduces the prediction error by around 15%. The results provide strong evidence that explanatory variables originating from ALS, explicitly regarding the immediate 3D surroundings, enhance traditional hedonic models in urban environments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Most commonly, sustainability indicator sets presented as lists do not take into account interactions among indicators in a systematic manner. Vice versa, existing environmental indicator systems do not provide a formalized approach for problem structuring and quantitative decision support. In this paper, techniques for considering indicator relationships are highlighted and a coupled approach between a qualitative and a quantitative method is analysed. Cognitive mapping (CM) is used for structuring indicators and three different causal maps are derived based on established sustainability concepts: (a) criteria and indicators (C&I hierarchy), (b) indicator network, and (c) Driving Force-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) system. These maps are transferred to the Analytic Network Process (ANP) to allow their application in multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA). In an application example, Pan-European indicators for sustainable forest management (SFM) are utilized in an ANP-based assessment. The effects of the model structure on the overall evaluation result are demonstrated by means of three reporting periods on Austrian forestry. In a comparative analysis of CM and ANP it is tested whether their measures of indicator significance do correspond. Both centrality in CM and single limited priorities in ANP have been reported to identify key indicators that play an important role in networks. We found out that the correspondence between CM and ANP is the stronger the more rigidly cause-effect relationships are interpreted, which is the case for the DPSIR system of SFM indicators. It is demonstrated that using indicator sets without consideration of the indicator interactions will cause shortcomings for evaluation and assessment procedures in SFM. Given strict and consistent definition of causal indicator relationships, a coupled use of CM and ANP is recommendable for both enhancing the process of problem structuring as well as supporting preference-based evaluation of decision alternatives. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents a societal level exergy analysis approach developed to analyse transitions in the way that energy is supplied and contributes to economic growth in the UK, the US, Austria and Japan, throughout the last century. We assess changes in exergy and useful work consumption, energy efficiency and related GDP intensity measures of each economy. The novel data provided elucidate certain characteristics of divergence and commonality in the energy transitions studied. The results indicate that in each country the processes of industrialization, urbanisation and electrification are characterised by a marked increase in exergy and useful work supplies and per capita intensities. There is a common and continuous decrease in the exergy intensity of GDP. Moreover for each country studied the trend of increasing useful work intensity of GDP reversed in the early 1970s coincident with the first oil crisis. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background To halt the spread of COVID-19, Austria implemented a 7-week 'lockdown' in March/April 2020. We assess whether the ensuing reduction in social contacts led to increased loneliness among older adults (60+). Methods Three analyses were conducted: (i) a comparison between pre-pandemic (SHARE: 2013–17) and pandemic (May 2020) levels of loneliness (UCLA-3 scale), (ii) an assessment of the cross-sectional correlation between being affected by COVID-19 restriction measures and loneliness (May 2020) and (iii) a longitudinal analysis of weekly changes (March–June 2020) in loneliness (Corona panel). Results We found (i) increased loneliness in 2020 compared with previous years, (ii) a moderate positive association between the number of restriction measures older adults were affected from and their loneliness and (iii) that loneliness was higher during 'lockdown' compared to the subsequent re-opening phase, particularly among those who live alone. Conclusions We found evidence that COVID-19 restriction measures in Austria have indeed resulted in increased levels of loneliness among older adults. However, these effects seem to be short-lived, and thus no strong negative consequences for older adults' mental health are expected. Nonetheless, the effects on loneliness, and subsequent mental health issues, could be both more long-lasting and severe if future restriction measures are enacted repeatedly and/or over longer time periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The objective of this work was to analyse the prevalence trends of multimorbidity among European community-dwelling adults.Methods: A temporal series study based on waves 1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 7 of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) was conducted, and community-dwelling participants aged 50+ (n = 274,614) from 15 European countries were selected for the period 2004-2017. Prevalence, adjusted by age, Average Annual Percentage Change (APC) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were all calculated. Trend analyses were realised by period, age groups and groups of diseases.Results: The results showed a large variability in the prevalence of multimorbidity in adults aged 50 and over among European countries. Increase in the prevalence of multimorbidity in the countries of central Europe (Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany and Switzerland) and Spain in both sexes, and in the Netherlands among men. Stability was observed in northern and eastern European countries. Musculoskeletal and neurodegenerative groups showed more significant changes in the trend analyses.Conclusions: This information can be useful for policy makers when planning health promotion and prevention policies addressing modifiable risk factors in health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The study aims to shed light on cross-country comparisons of brand engagement in self-concept (BESC) among consumers from European countries and to link presumed differences with country-level economic growth and materialism. This study contributes to the literature on the customer–brand relationship and provides implications for international branding strategies. Design/methodology/approach: This observation study explored levels of BESC in three European countries. Questionnaire data were collected from consumers of Austria (N = 302), Italy (N = 431) and Poland (N = 410) with the purpose to make cross-country comparisons of BESC among consumers. Findings: The results provide evidence for partial scalar invariance of the BESC scale. Cross-country comparisons of latent means reveal that Polish consumers score higher on BESC than consumers from Austria and Italy. Moreover, Austrian consumers score higher on BESC than Italian consumers. Research limitations/implications: Culture as a contextual factor of BESC should be studied further. The findings should be replicated with non-convenience samples in additional cultural contexts to improve the generalizability of data. Structural equation modeling could be used to investigate psychological drivers of BESC differences. Practical implications: The findings coming from the cross-country comparisons of BESC are of practical relevance to marketing managers: they should tailor their branding and communication strategies accordingly. Originality/value: So far, the understanding of cross-cultural and cross-country differences in consumer–brand relationships has remained limited. This study adopts a rigorous approach to cross-cultural research enriching the literature on BESC from a cross-country perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the Austrian health care system using the ecology of care model. Our secondary aim was to compare data from Austria with those available from other countries. Design: 3508 interviews employing a 30-item questionnaire related to the utilization of the health care system including demographic factors were conducted. Participants were chosen by a Random Digital Dialing procedure. Further, a literature review of studies of other countries use of the ecology of care model was conducted. Main outcome measures: Austria has one of the highest utilization of health care services in any of the assessed categories. The comparison with the literature review shows that Austria has the highest utilization of specialists working in the outpatient sector as well as the highest hospitalization rates. Taiwan and Korea have comparable utilization patterns. Canada, Sweden, and Norway are countries with lower utilization patterns, and the U.S. and Japan are intermediate. Conclusion: In Austria and similarly organized countries, high utilization of all health care services can be observed, in particular, the utilization of specialists and hospitalizations. The over-utilization of all levels of health care in Austria may be due to the lack of a clear demarcation line between the primary and secondary levels of care, and the presence of universal health coverage, which also allows for unrestricted and undirected access to all levels of care. Previous studies have shown that comparable countries lack the health benefits of a strong primary care system with its coordination function. In Austria and similarly organized countries, there appears to be high utilization of health care in general, as well as with particular utilization of specialists and hospitalizations. The high utilization of all levels of care in Austria may be the result of competition, lack of a clear demarcation line between the primary and secondary level of care, and the presence of universal health coverage. Pathways between primary and secondary care should be strengthened as previous studies have shown that comparable countries lack the health benefits of strong primary care and its function for health care coordination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Financial & Credit Activity: Problems of Theory & Practice is the property of University of Banking of the National Bank of Ukraine and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background Unhealthy diet, especially consumption of trans fatty acids (TFAs), is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), a leading cause of death in Austria. In 2009, Austria introduced a law regulating the content of TFAs in foods. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the TFA regulation on CVD-related outcomes. Methods The study evaluated the TFA regulation as an intervention in a natural experiment. Two study periods were assessed: pre-intervention (1995–2009) and post-intervention (2010–14). The study compared the age-standardized death rates per 100 000 population for CVD outcomes with those of a 'synthetic' international comparator population, created from data of OECD countries where TFA regulation has not been implemented, but where the population is otherwise comparable. Results There was a continuous decrease in CVD-related mortality throughout the study period in both the synthetic international comparator population, as well as in the adult Austrian population, with no significant change in this trend observed as an effect of TFA regulation. Conclusions Whilst the results are counterintuitive, given the established link between TFA consumption and an increased risk of CVD, there are many possible explanations: high prevalence of tobacco smoking, changes in TFA content in foods due to international guidance as opposed to formal regulation and a beneficial impact of TFA regulation on sub-groups of the population that might not be detected with nationally aggregated data. However, reduction in TFAs should still be considered an important part of risk factor reduction for CVD and other non-communicable diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The organization of long-term care is one of the main challenges of public health and health policies in Europe and worldwide, especially in terms of care concepts for people with dementia. In Austria and the Czech Republic the majority of elderly institutionalized persons with dementia are cared for in nursing homes. It is however unclear, how many persons living in nursing homes in Austria and in the Czech Republic are suffering from cognitive impairment and dementia. In addition, basic information on the nutritional status, the status of mobility and the medication prescription patterns are often missing. To facilitate new effective and evidenced based care concepts, basic epidemiological data are in urgent need. Thus, DEMDATA was initiated to provide important basic data on persons living in nursing homes in Austria and the Czech Republic for future care planning.Methods: DEMDATA is a multicentre mixed methods cross-sectional study. Stratified and randomly drawn nursing homes in Austria and the Czech Republic are surveyed. The study protocol used in both study centres assesses four different domains: a) Resident, b) Care team, c) Relative and d) Environmental Factors. Resident's data include among others health status, cognition, dementia, mobility, nutrition, behavioural symptoms, pain intensity and quality of life. A minimum of 500 residents per country are included into the study (N = 1000 residents). The care team is asked about the use of the person-centred care and their burden. The relatives are asked about the number of visits and proxy-rate the quality of life of their family member. All staff employed in the nursing homes, all residents and relatives can voluntary take part in the study. The environmental factors include among others the organisational category of the nursing home, number of residents, number of rooms, social activities and the care concept. The project started in March 2016 and will be concluded in February 2018.Discussion: DEMDATA will provide important epidemiological data on four different nursing home domains in Austria and the Czech Republic, with a focus on the prevalence of dementia in this population. Thereby supplying decision and policy makers with important foundation for future care planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Women's participation in medicine and the need for gender equality in healthcare are increasingly recognised, yet little attention is paid to leadership and management positions in large publicly funded academic health centres. This study illustrates such a need, taking the case of four large European centres: Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin (Germany), Karolinska Institutet (Sweden), Medizinische Universität Wien (Austria), and Oxford Academic Health Science Centre (United Kingdom).Case: The percentage of female medical students and doctors in all four countries is now well within the 40-60% gender balance zone. Women are less well represented among specialists and remain significantly under-represented among senior doctors and full professors. All four centres have made progress in closing the gender leadership gap on boards and other top-level decision-making bodies, but a gender leadership gap remains relevant. The level of achieved gender balance varies significantly between the centres and largely mirrors country-specific welfare state models, with more equal gender relations in Sweden than in the other countries. Notably, there are also similar trends across countries and centres: gender inequality is stronger within academic enterprises than within hospital enterprises and stronger in middle management than at the top level. These novel findings reveal fissures in the 'glass ceiling' effects at top-level management, while the barriers for women shift to middle-level management and remain strong in academic positions. The uneven shifts in the leadership gap are highly relevant and have policy implications.Conclusion: Setting gender balance objectives exclusively for top-level decision-making bodies may not effectively promote a wider goal of gender equality. Academic health centres should pay greater attention to gender equality as an issue of organisational performance and good leadership at all levels of management, with particular attention to academic enterprises and newly created management structures. Developing comprehensive gender-sensitive health workforce monitoring systems and comparing progress across academic health centres in Europe could help to identify the gender leadership gap and utilise health human resources more effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Role functioning (RF) as a core construct of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) comprises aspects of occupational and social roles relevant for patients in all treatment phases as well as for survivors. The objective of the current study was to improve its assessment by developing a computer-adaptive test (CAT) for RF. This was part of a larger project whose objective is to develop a CAT version of the EORTC QLQ-C30 which is one of the most widely used HRQOL instruments in oncology.Methods: In accordance with EORTC guidelines, the development of the RF-CAT comprised four phases. Phase I involved the conceptualization of RF. In Phase II, a provisional list of items was defined and revised by experts in the field. In phase III, feedback was obtained from cancer patients in various countries. Phase IV comprised field testing in an international sample, calibration of the item bank, and evaluation of the psychometric performance of the RF-CAT.Results: Phases I-III yielded a list of 12 items eligible for phase IV field-testing. The field-testing sample included 1,023 patients from Austria, Denmark, Italy, and the UK. Psychometric evaluation and item response theory analyses yielded 10 items with good psychometric properties. The resulting item bank exhibits excellent reliability (mean reliability = 0.85, median = 0.95). Using the RF-CAT may allow sample size savings from 11 % up to 50 % compared to using the QLQ-C30 RF scale.Conclusions: The RF-CAT item bank improves the precision and efficiency with which RF can be assessed, promoting its integration into oncology research and clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background This study examines short- and long-run effects of a new—stricter—road traffic law on traffic accident-related fatalities in the Czech Republic. The law introduced tougher punishments through the introduction of a demerit point system and a manifold increase in fines, together with augmented authority of traffic police. Methods Identification is based on difference-in-differences methodology, with neighbouring countries serving as a control group. Results There was a sharp, 33.3%, decrease in accident-related fatalities during the first three post-reform months. This translates into 127 saved lives (95% confidence interval: 51, 204). The decline was, however, temporary; the estimates of the effects going beyond the first year are around zero. Unique data on traffic police activity reveal that police resources devoted to traffic law enforcement gradually declined. Conclusions Tougher penalties have significant, but often short-lived effects. Weaker enforcement in the aftermath of such reforms may explain the absence of long-run effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The objective of this study was to compare epidemiology, causative pathogens, outcome, and levels of laboratory markers of inflammation of community-onset (i.e. community-acquired and healthcare-associated) and hospital-acquired bloodstream infection (BSI) in South-East Austria. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 672 patients fulfilling criteria of systemic inflammatory response syndrome with positive peripheral blood cultures (277 community-onset [192 community-acquired, 85 healthcare-associated BSI], 395 hospital-acquired) were enrolled at the Medical University of Graz, Austria from 2011 throughout 2012. Clinical, microbiological, demographic as well as outcome and laboratory data was collected. Results: Escherichia coli followed by Staphylococcus aureus were the most frequently isolated pathogens. While Streptococcus spp. and Escherichia coli were isolated more frequently in patients with community-onset BSI, Enterococcus spp., Candida spp., Pseudomonas spp., Enterobacter spp., and coagulase-negative staphylococci were isolated more frequently among those with hospital-acquired BSI. With regard to the outcome, 30-day (82/395 vs. 31/277; p = 0.001) and 90-day mortality (106/395 vs. 35/277; p<0.001) was significantly higher among patients with hospital-acquired BSI even though these patients were significantly younger. Also, hospital-acquired BSI remained a significant predictor of mortality in multivariable analysis. At the time the blood cultures were drawn, patients with community-onset BSI had significantly higher leukocyte counts, neutrophil-leucocyte ratios as well as C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, interleukin-6 and serum creatinine levels when compared to those with hospital-acquired BSI. Patients with healthcare-associated BSI presented with significantly higher PCT and creatinine levels than those with community-acquired BSI. Conclusions: Hospital-acquired BSI was associated with significantly higher 30- and 90-day mortality rates. Hospital-acquired BSI therefore poses an important target for the most aggressive strategies for prevention and infection control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to test whether rooks (Corvus frugilegus) represent good indicators for the potential circulation of antibiotics in their native habitat, two populations with different migratory behavior were tested for the presence of beta-lactamase producing Enterobacteriaceae and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In all, 54 and 102 samples of fresh feces of a migratory and a resident population were investigated. A total of 24 and 3 cefotaxime-resistant enterobacterial isolates were obtained from the migratory and resident population, respectively. In these isolates CTX-M-1 (n = 15), CTX-M-3 (n = 3), and CTX-M-15 (n = 3) genes were detected. TEM-1 and OXA-1 were associated with CTX-M in 3 and 2 isolates, respectively. In two E. coli isolates CMY-2 could be detected, where from one isolate displayed an overexpression of chromosomal AmpC as well. Among E. coli isolates the most common phylogenetic group was A (n = 11) and ST1683 (n = 5). In one E. coli of B2-ST131 the rfbO25b locus was detected. Three Enterobacter isolates were stably derepressed AmpC-producers. In five samples of the migratory population, PVL positive MRSA could be isolated. Two isolates were typed SCCmec IVa, spa type t127, and ST1. Three isolates carried a SCCmec type IVc, with spa type t852 and ST22. The highly significant difference of the occurrence of antibiotic resistance between the migratory population from eastern Europe compared to resident population in our study indicates that rooks may be good indicator species for the evaluation of environmental contamination with antibiotic resistant bacteria, especially due to their ecology, foraging behavior and differing migratory behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, several methods have been used to compare the performance of fire danger indices in an effort to find the most appropriate indices for particular regions or circumstances. Various authors have proposed comparators and demonstrated different responses of indices to their tests, but rarely has much effort been put into demonstrating the validity of the comparators themselves. We present a demonstration that many of the published comparators are sensitive to the different frequency distributions, that may be inherent in the performance of the different indices, and outline a non-parametric method that may be useful for future work. We compare four hypothetical fire danger indices, three of which are simple mathematical transformations of each other. The hypothesis tested is that the comparators often used in such studies may indicate spurious performance differences between these indices, which is found to be the case. Non-parametric methods are robust to differences in index value frequency distribution and may allow more valid comparisons of fire danger indices. The new comparison method is shown to have advantages over other non-parametric comparators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through a short comparative analysis, the author showed how much the speed of legislative work can influence the quality of normative solutions, and their effects in legal practice. Special attention was paid to the Austrian civil code (Allgemeines btirgerliches Gesetzbuch - ABGB, ACC), of year 1811, which succeeded in resisting the challenges of time for two centuries. A number of factors influenced its longevity. First of all, prior to adoption of the law, a long lasting and well designed work, which has been described in greater detail in this article, was done. The Code was written gradually, with lots of recalculations, checks and public debates. In legal literature, it is often written about a unique lawmaking experiment, which Austrian authorities made by implementing the Code in one part of the state territory. The Code was written for feudal order, but according to principles of natural law. This second thing has, in addition to widely formulated and flexible legal norms, left enough space for extensive interpretation of outdated rules, and filling in the legal lacunas, whose number was increasing as the time passed. Courts often used this opportunity in a creative manner, contributing to survival of the Code. Many additions and changes were made to the Code, but there were few of those who thought that it should be changed by a new one Code. Austrians are preparing a more detailed revision of the ACC, which will allow modernization of the national law and it's synchronization with trends in current European law, but on the other hand, to preserve the two century old legal heritage. In contrast, the Serbian civil code of 1844. emerged from different social and economic conditions. It was written in a relatively short period of time, with the Austrian code as a model. The opinion that the legislator contributed to the rapid decadence of family clans (porodi(na zadruga) and along with it the economic weakening of society as a whole, by his inappropriate adoptions of normative solutions from foreign law, is predominant. Similar processes are taking place today. Supranational law of the European Union is being shaped progressively, in a long time period, which is measured in decades. On the other hand, countries which are candidates for membership in the EU are required to adopt hundreds of laws and other regulations, in accordance with European legal standards, in very short time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this comparative analysis of twelve focus groups conducted in Austria, France, and the Netherlands, we investigate how lay people come to terms with two biomedical technologies. Using the term ''technopolitical culture,'' we aim to show that the ways in which technosciences are interwoven with a specific society frame how citizens build their individual and collective positions toward them. We investigate how the focus group participants conceptualized organ transplantation (OT) and genetic testing (GT), their perceptions of individual agency in relation to the two technologies and to more collective forms of acting and governing, and also their understanding of the two technologies' relationship to broader societal value systems. Against the background of the sustained political effort to build common European values, we suggest that more fine-grained attention toward the culturally embedded differences in coming to terms with biomedical technologies is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Living at moderate altitudes has been reported to be associated with health benefits, including reduced mortality from male colorectal and female breast cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate altitude-dependent incidence rates and to compare them with mortality rates of those cancers. We further explored whether altitude-associated differences in lifestyle behaviour exist. Analyses including all incidence cases and deaths over a 10-year observation period of an Alpine country (Austria) revealed that the age-standardized incidence and mortality rates of male colorectal cancer decreased by 24.0% and 44.2%, and that of female breast cancer by 6.5% and 26.2%, from the lowest (<251 m) to the highest (1000–2000) altitude level. The population-based survey indicated higher physical activity levels and lower body mass index for both sexes living at a moderate altitude compared to those living below 251 m. These observations may, in certain cases, support decision making when changing residence. Background: Living at moderate altitude may be associated with health benefits, including reduced mortality from male colorectal and female breast cancer. We aimed to determine altitude-dependent incidence and mortality rates of those cancers and put them in the context of altitude-associated lifestyle differences. Methods: Incidence cases and deaths of male colorectal cancer (n = 17,712 and 7462) and female breast cancer (n = 33,803 and 9147) from altitude categories between 250 to about 2000 m were extracted from official Austrian registries across 10 years (2008–2017). Altitude-associated differences in health determinants were derived from the Austrian Health Interview Survey (2014). Results: The age-standardized incidence and mortality rates of male colorectal cancer decreased by 24.0% and 44.2%, and that of female breast cancer by 6.5% and 26.2%, respectively, from the lowest to the highest altitude level. Higher physical activity levels and lower body mass index for both sexes living at higher altitudes were found. Conclusions: Living at a moderate altitude was associated with a reduced incidence and (more pronounced) mortality from colorectal and breast cancer. Our results suggest a complex interaction between specific climate conditions and lifestyle behaviours. These observations may, in certain cases, support decision making when changing residence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Limited evidence exists for intergenerational interventions to promote health and well-being in older adults and preschool children. We therefore aimed to evaluate the implementation, feasibility and outcome of an intergenerational health promotion program based on psycho-motor activity.Methods: A multicenter mixed-methods study with preschool children and older adults as equivalent target-groups, and professionals and parents as additional informants was conducted in Austria. The study included a needs assessment, a pilot phase with a formative process evaluation and a subsequent rollout phase to evaluate the outcome and the adapted processes of the intervention program. To analyze the qualitative data, a modified form of the framework method was applied. Quantitative data were collected with a time-sampling method and were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical procedures.Results: One hundred ninety-six participants (93 older adults [54 to 96 years old, 83% female], 78 children [2 to 7 years old, 58% female], 13 professionals and 12 parents) from 16 institutions (eight kindergartens and eight geriatric facilities) were included in the study. The qualitative process evaluation revealed several aspects for improvement of the intervention program. Well-being as measured by observing spontaneous intergenerational contacts (p < 0.001) and facial expressions (effect size r = 0.34; p < 0.001) showed a significant increase between the rollout baseline and follow-up assessments.Conclusions: Professionals in geriatric institutions and kindergartens could facilitate interactions between members of the different generations by offering an intergenerational intervention program based on psycho-motor activities in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Various actions have been taken during the last decade to increase the number of organs from deceased donors available for transplantation in Switzerland. This study provides an overview on key figures of the Swiss deceased organ donation and transplant activity between 2008 and 2017. In addition, it puts the evolution of the Swiss donation program's efficiency in relation to the situation in the neighboring countries.Methods: This study is an analysis of prospective registry data, covering the period from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2017. It includes all actual deceased organ donors (ADD) in Switzerland. Donor data were extracted from the Swiss Organ Allocation System. The "donor conversion index" (DCI) methodology and data was used for the comparison of donation program efficiency in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Italy and France.Results: During the study period there were 1116 ADD in Switzerland. The number of ADD per year increased from 91 in 2008 to 145 in 2017 (+ 59%). The reintroduction of the donation after cardiocirculatory death (DCD) program in 2011 resulted in the growth of annual percentages of DCD donors, reaching a maximum of 27% in 2017. The total number of organs transplanted from ADD was 3763 (3.4 ± 1.5 transplants per donor on average). Of these, 48% were kidneys (n = 1814), 24% livers (n = 903), 12% lungs (n = 445), 9% hearts (n = 352) and 7% pancreata or pancreatic islets (n = 249). The donation program efficiency assessment showed an increase of the Swiss DCI from 1.6% in 2008 to 2.7% in 2017 (+ 69%). The most prominent efficiency growth was observed between 2012 and 2017. Even though Swiss donation efficiency increased during the study period, it remained below the DCI of the French and Austrian donation programs.Conclusion: Swiss donation activity and efficiency grew during the last decade. The increased donation efficiency suggests that measures implemented so far were effective. The lower efficiency of the Swiss donation program, compared to the French and Austrian programs, may likely be explained by the lower consent rate in Switzerland. This issue should be addressed in order to achieve the goal of more organs available for transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In accordance the WHO framework of health system functions and by using the indicators collected within the EURO-HEALTHY project, this work aims to contribute to the discussion on the classification of EU health systems.Methods: Three methods were used in this article: factor analysis, cluster analysis and descriptive analysis; data were mainly collected from the WHO and Eurostat databases.Results: The most relevant result is the proposed classification of health systems into the following clusters: Austria-Germany, Central and Northern Countries, Southern Countries, Eastern Countries 'A' and Eastern Countries 'B'.Conclusions: The proposed typology contributes to the discussion about how to classify health systems; the typology of EU health systems allows comparisons of characteristics and health system performance across clusters and policy assessment and policy recommendation within each cluster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]