35 results
Search Results
2. Business Abroad.
- Subjects
BUSINESS ,WEAPONS industry ,TRANSPORTATION laws ,PRICE increases - Abstract
The article offers news briefs related to business as of March 1937. There is likelihood that the armament industry in Great Britain would lead to economic crisis. The topics that form part of the reform program of Canadian Transport Minister C. D. Howe include the capitalization of Canadian National Railways, the establishment of a tans-Canada air service, and control of carriers under federal license. Prices of several products in Japan have increased including tuna fish, beef, and bread.
- Published
- 1937
3. BRIEFED FROM THE CABLES.
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BUSINESS enterprises ,FEDERAL aid ,FOREIGN films ,LIQUIDITY (Economics) ,INTERNATIONAL trade ,GOVERNMENT policy - Abstract
The article offers news briefs related to business. No provision has been made by the British government regarding its financial assistance to industries which were forced to evacuate special defense zones. The Tokyo government has imposed new restriction on foreign movie imports due to the increase of its frozen assets. Canadians have been obliged to register for compulsory training for home defense in August 1940.
- Published
- 1940
4. THE RELATIVE INCOME HYPOTHESIS--A CROSS COUNTRY ANALYSIS.
- Author
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Singh, Balvir and Kumar, Ramesh C.
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INCOME ,TECHNICAL specifications ,CONSUMPTION (Economics) ,COST of living - Abstract
This paper presents an attempt to examine the applicability of the relative income hypothesis (RIH) in terms of its various specifications proposed by Duesenberry, Duesenberry, Eckstein and Fromm (DEF), Davis and the authors (MD). Using the time series data for 1951 through 1968 the analysis has been carried out for Canada, Finland, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Japan, Philippines, Sweden, United Kingdom and the United States. It is found that RIH provides a fairly good representation of the consumption behaviour of all the countries included in the study. All specifications, however, do not perform equally well. DEF and Davis functions score the maximum points; MD comes at par with DEF in case of Finland, Guatemala, and India. The original Duesenberry specification performs very poorly. This lends us to conclude that the process of habit formation is continuous contrary to what is implied by Duesenberry's original specification and that consumption is a better indicator of the standard of living than income is. Estimates of the long-run marginal propensities to consume are essentially the same as those computed from the permanent income hypothesis by Singh and Drost [1970]. This lends support to the view that the two hypotheses have essentially the same long-run implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 1971
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5. A Comparative Analysis of Chinese-Western Academic Exchange.
- Author
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Hayhoe, Ruth
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EDUCATIONAL exchanges ,EDUCATION policy ,INTELLECTUAL cooperation ,EDUCATION ,SOCIAL policy ,EDUCATIONAL ideologies - Abstract
The article analyzes the Chinese-western scholarly interaction. China has signified its willingness to strengthen ties with western universities and maintain or increase the flow of scholarly exchange. Chinese leaders are confident that their scholars will absorb from the West techniques that will be useful for a modern, independent China. An examination of China's academic exchange with Great Britain, France and West Germany was undertaken, and the exchange policies and programs of the U.S. Canada and Japan in relation to China was reviewed.
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- 1984
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6. INFORMATIONAL EFFICIENCY IN THE UK, US, CANADIAN AND JAPANESE EQUITY MARKETS: A NOTE.
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Kamarotou, H. and O'Hanlon, J.
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STOCK exchanges ,ECONOMIC activity ,BUSINESS cycles - Abstract
Using a Granger causality test we have compared the informational efficiency of four major national equity markets over a period running from the early 1970s to the mid 1980s. The criterion used was the efficiency of each market's behaviour in anticipating, rather than being anticipated by, the behaviour of measures of real economic activity. Unsurprisingly the US market is found to be the most informationally efficient of the four markets chosen. Similar, though weaker, patterns of evidence in support of the hypothesis of informational efficiency are found in the cases of Canada and Japan. Only in the case of the UK is the tendency for equity market behaviour to be anticipated by economic variable behaviour greater than the tendency for it to anticipate economic variable behaviour. The contrast between the efficiency of the US, Canadian and Japanese market indices in reflecting information before it is reflected in measures of output and the failure of the UK market index to do this suggest the need for further analysis of the UK market using data of a less aggregate nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 1989
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7. Cointegration tests of purchasing power parity among four industrial countries: results for fixed and flexible rates.
- Author
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Mcnown, Robert and Wallace, Myles S.
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PURCHASING power parity ,FOREIGN exchange ,FOREIGN exchange rates ,COINTEGRATION - Abstract
This paper has tested a variant of purchasing power parity to determine if exchange rate adjusted price levels between the United States and Japan, the United Kingdom and Canada form a cointegrated system. Tests for cointegration were performed over a time period that spanned both fixed and flexible exchange rates, and for fixed and flexible rate subperiods.
Evidence favorable to PPP is marginal with a number of test statistics bordering on significance at the 0.10 level. What evidence there is comes primarily from the wholesale price index, thus supporting the arbitrage view of PPP over the alternative which stresses the overall purchasing power of money. Comparing periods, the strongest support for cointegration comes from the fixed rate subperiod, when the Japanese and possibly the Canadian WPIs form cointegrated systems with the US WPI. With the possible exception of Canada (WPI), cointegration is rejected for the recent period of flexible exchange rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 1990
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8. Dynamic Analysis of Stock Return Volatility in an Integrated International Capital Market.
- Author
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Chiang, Thomas C. and Chiang, Jeanette Jin
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STOCKS (Finance) ,MARKET volatility ,FINANCIAL markets - Abstract
This paper examines the dynamic behavior of the stock return volatility for Canada, Japan, Germany, and the United Kingdom. The evidence indicates that international stock return volatility is mainly influenced by the U.S. stock return volatility and the exchange rate volatility, supporting the international capital market integration hypothesis. There seems to be some correlation between stock return volatility and macroeconomic volatility, but the effect is relatively weaker. In addition to the economic fundamentals, the noise component is found to be time varying, confirming the AR(MA)CH specifications in the stock return models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 1996
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9. International linkages in bank lending and borrowing markets: evidence from six industrialized countries.
- Author
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Chatrath, Arjun, Ramachander, Sanjay, and Song, Frank
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COINTEGRATION ,TIME series analysis ,INTERNATIONAL banking industry - Abstract
This study employs cointegration analysis to examine the long-run relationships in Prime and CD rates across the US, Canada, Japan, Germany, France and the UK. The nature and strength of the results are found to be contingent on the time periods investigated. While we are unable to reject the null hypothesis of noncointegration for the January 1972-December 1979 interval, there is substantial evidence of cointegration for the more recent January 1980-October 1989 interval. These results are indicative of a pattern of increasing integration among the international bank lending and borrowing markets, coinciding with the trend towards the globalization of banking activity. The evidence from the error correction model suggests that the US and Germany are the dominant countries in the bank lending and borrowing markets. The Prime and CD rates for these countries are seen to cause (in the Granger sense) the rates of other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 1997
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10. Volatility Spillovers Between Stock Returns and Exchange Rate Changes: International Evidence.
- Author
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Kanas, Angelos
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STOCKS (Finance) ,RATE of return ,FOREIGN exchange rates ,MARKET volatility - Abstract
This article investigates the interdependence of stock returns and exchange rate changes within the same economy. Six countries were tested for volatility spillovers, namely the U.S., Great Britain, Japan, Germany, Canada and France. Evidence of spillovers from stock returns to exchange rate changes is found for all countries except Germany. These results suggest that the asset approach to exchange rate determination is valid when formulated in terms of the second moments of the exchange rate distribution for these countries. The spillovers from stock returns to exchange rate changes are symmetric in nature. Volatility spillovers from exchange rate changes to stock returns are insignificant for all countries.
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- 2000
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11. Equity Prices, Household Wealth, and Consumption Growth in Foreign Industrial Countries: Wealth Effects in the 1990s.
- Author
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Bertaut, Carol C.
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CONSUMPTION (Economics) ,WEALTH ,INTERNATIONAL markets ,HOUSEHOLDS ,DEVELOPED countries - Abstract
This paper investigates the strength of the wealth effect across countries. The author uses a variety of methods and finds evidence of significant wealth effects in the United Kingdom and Canada of a size similar to that in the United States, reflecting the importance of equities in aggregate household wealth in these countries. In Japan, a significant wealth effect is also evident, but since household wealth has changed little on balance in Japan in recent years, this channel has been less significant in explaining Japanese consumption growth in the second half of the 1990s. In the major continental European countries since 1995, equities remain a less important form of household wealth in most of these countries, and the consumption response to changes in wealth remains limited. In some smaller European countries where equity issuance is more frequent, the emerging evidence suggests that wealth effects may be more important. This working paper can be found at the United States Federal Reserve Board's International Finance Discussion Papers. You can access it by going to http://www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/ifdp/.
- Published
- 2002
12. Some international evidence on the stability of aggregate import demand function.
- Author
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Matsubayashi, Yoichi and Hamori, Shigeyuki
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INTERNATIONAL trade ,INTERNATIONAL economic relations - Abstract
This paper empirically analyses the stability of the aggregate import demand function for G7 countries. The standard cointegration test and a test developed by Gregory and Hansen are performed. The results of standard cointegration tests suggest that there is no stable cointegrating relation between real import, real GDP and relative import price for all G7 countries. The cointegrating relation is empirically supported for France and Germany if structural change for cointegrating vector is explicitly taken into consideration. The cointegrating relation is empirically rejected for Canada, Italy, Japan, the UK and the USA. Thus, the stimulation of domestic business conditions will not necessarily link the quantity of imports for these five countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2003
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13. A TIME-VARYING VOLATILITY APPROACH TO MODELING THE PHILLIPS CURVE: A CROSS-COUNTRY ANALYSIS.
- Author
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Seyfried, William L. and Ewing, Bradley T.
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MATHEMATICAL models of inflation ,PHILLIPS curve ,MATHEMATICAL analysis ,ECONOMICS - Abstract
This research examines the Phillips curve price adjustment mechanism allowing for the conditional variance of inflation to be time varying. Specifically, we estimate ARCH and GARCH models of inflation for Canada, Japan, and the U.K. The results suggest that an increase in the conditional variability of inflation leads to higher levels of inflation. In addition, inclusion of inflation variability in the Phillips curve model results in a higher weight being attributed to the output gap than in traditional models. (JEF E24) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2004
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14. A Methodology for Calculating the Allowance for Loan Losses in Commercial Banks.
- Author
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Gray, Robert P. and Clarke, Frank L.
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LOAN loss reserves ,BANKING industry ,COLLECTING of accounts ,INTERNATIONAL accounting standards - Abstract
Severe disturbances in the financial markets in many countries during the 1980s and 1990s caused many stakeholders to examine whether commercial banks had adequate reserves for future loan losses. In the United States, bank regulators considered an adequate Allowance for Loan Losses a‘safety and soundness’ issue while the SEC became increasingly concerned over the possibility of banks using the Allowance as a method to‘manage earnings’. Both regulators demanded more rigorous calculations from banks to support their accounting entries. Also the FASB and the IASB have expressed concerns about a lack of harmonization and convergence in standards. An analysis of measurement standards in the United States, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom and Australia, as well as by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision and the IASB, reveals the partially conflicting goals for the Allowance: (a) promote harmonization (IASB), (b) increase transparency (SEC), (c) promote safety and soundness (bank regulators) and (d) maintain reasonable flexibility in recognition of the subjective aspects in determining an appropriate Allowance (bankers). The article offers a methodology which an individual bank may utilize to reconcile the conflicting goals of all interested parties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2004
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15. THE WORLD TRADE MAGAZINE 30 Top Countries FOR TRADE & EXPANSION.
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INTERNATIONAL trade ,BUSINESS expansion ,FOREIGN investments - Abstract
Presents the results of the Top 30 Countries for Trade and Expansion survey conducted by "World Trade" magazine in 2005. Foreign direct investment partnership between the U.S. and Great Britain; Advantage of Japan's weakened economy; Trade relationship between the U.S. and Canada. INSET: Surprising Scandinavia.
- Published
- 2005
16. Is the Exchange Rate a Shock Absorber or a Source of Shocks? New Empirical Evidence.
- Author
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FARRANT, KATIE and PEERSMAN, GERT
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LONG run (Economics) ,FOREIGN exchange rates ,ECONOMIC statistics ,EFFICIENT market theory ,ECONOMIC models ,EUROZONE - Abstract
This paper analyses the role of the real exchange rate in a structural vector autoregression framework for the United Kingdom, Euro area, Japan, and Canada vis-á-vis the United States. A new identification strategy is proposed building on sign restrictions. The results are compared to the benchmark conventional approach of Clarida and Gali (1994) based on long-run zero restrictions. Although the restrictions are derived from the same theoretical model, the results are strikingly different. In contrast to the benchmark model, an important role for nominal shocks in explaining real exchange rate fluctuations is found. Hence, the exchange rate can rather be considered as a source of shocks instead of a shock absorber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2006
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17. Intercity Passenger Rail: National Policy and Strategies Needed to Maximize Public Benefits from Federal Expenditures: GAO-07-15.
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RAILROAD finance ,FEDERAL aid to transportation ,GOVERNMENT policy - Abstract
Intercity passenger rail service is at a critical juncture in the United States. Amtrak, the current service provider, requires $1 billion a year in federal subsidies to stay financially viable but cannot keep pace with its deteriorating infrastructure. At the same time, the federal government faces growing fiscal challenges. To assist the Congress, GAO reviewed (1) the existing U.S. system and its potential benefits, (2) how foreign countries have handled passenger rail reform and how well the United States is positioned to consider reform, (3) challenges inherent in attempting reform efforts, and (4) potential options for the federal role in intercity passenger rail. GAO analyzed data on intercity passenger rail performance and studied reform efforts in Canada, France, Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom. The existing intercity passenger rail system is in poor financial condition and the current structure does not effectively target federal funds to where they provide the greatest public benefits, such as transportation congestion relief. Routes of 750 miles or more, while providing service for some rural areas and connections between regions, show limited public benefits for dollars expended. These routes account for 15 percent of riders but 80 percent of financial losses. "Corridor" routes (generally less than 500 miles in length) have higher ridership, perform better financially, and appear to offer greater potential for public benefits. The countries GAO studied varied in their reform approach, but their experience shows the United States needs to consider three key elements in attempting any reform: (1) define national policy goals, (2) define the roles of government and other participants, and (3) establish stable funding. Countries found these elements important in setting the role of passenger rail in the national transportation system and increasing the benefit from investing in passenger rail. Currently, however, the United States is not well positioned to address these key elements. The goals or expected outcomes of intercity passenger rail policies are ambiguous, participants' roles are unclear, and there is widespread disagreement about the level of funding to devote to this effort. Amtrak is taking actions within its authority to reduce costs and increase efficiency, but Amtrak is not in a position to address all key elements. To undertake reform, federal leadership is needed. Addressing key elements of reform poses many challenges, because those who have a stake in the process have divergent goals or points of view. Amtrak workers, freight railroads that own much of the rail system over which passenger trains operate, and federal and state governments would be among those affected. The diversity of viewpoints poses challenges for determining both the overall goal for passenger rail in the United States and the federal role in achieving this goal. Funding-related challenges include identifying how to pay for... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2006
18. Reviews of Acoustical Patents.
- Author
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Rice, Lloyd, Augspurger, George L., Donskoy, Dimitri, Edelmann, Geoffrey, Helffrich, Jerome A., Preves, David, Rosenberg, Carl J., Shaw, Neil A., Ungar, Eric E., and Waag, Robert C.
- Subjects
PATENTS ,SOUND ,INTELLECTUAL property ,RESONANCE ,LOUDSPEAKERS ,ELECTROACOUSTIC transducers - Abstract
The article reviews several patents related to acoustics. A patent for a resonance method for measuring thickness was filed in Japan in September 2003. A patent for a speaker for vehicle and mounting structure of the speaker was also filed in Japan in November 2001. A patent was filed in Canada in August 2001 for an electromagnetic piezoelectric acoustic sensor. A patent filed in Great Britain in September 2001 describes loudspeaker systems with a pancake arrangement in which tubes are nested in a spiral configuration.
- Published
- 2007
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19. Does Real Exchange Rate Volatility Affect Foreign Direct Investment? Evidence from Four Developed Economies.
- Author
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Chowdhury, AbdurR. and Wheeler, Mark
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FOREIGN investments ,FOREIGN exchange rates ,PRICE regulation ,INTEREST rates ,POLITICAL planning - Abstract
This study examines the impact of shocks to exchange rate uncertainty (volatility) on foreign direct investment (FDI) in Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The analysis is conducted using vector autoregressive models that contain the price level, real output, the real exchange rate, the volatility of the real exchange rate, the interest rate, and FDI. The results from variance decompositions yield public policy implications. In Canada, Japan, and the United States, innovations to exchange rate uncertainty explain significant portions of the forecast error variance in FDI at longer time horizons. The impulse response functions indicate that, to the extent that shocks to exchange rate volatility have an impact on FDI, the impact is positive and takes place with a lag. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2008
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20. Detection of switching cointegration rank allowing for switching lag structure: an application to money-demand function.
- Author
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Fukuda, Kosei
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COINTEGRATION ,ECONOMETRICS ,ESTIMATION theory ,SIMULATION methods & models ,ECONOMICS - Abstract
A new method is developed for detecting regime switches between cointegration and no-cointegration at unknown times allowing for switching lag structure. In this method, time-series observations are divided into several segments, and a regression model with or without cointegration is fitted to each segment. The goodness of fit of the global model composed of these local models is evaluated using the corresponding modified information criterion, and the division which minimizes this criterion defines the best model. Simulation results suggest that the proposed method works well. Empirical results indicate that money demand is well described by the proposed method in Canada, UK and Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2008
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21. Stem cell research policy and iPS cells.
- Author
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Caulfield, Timothy, Scott, Christopher, Hyun, Insoo, Lovell-Badge, Robin, Kato, Kazuto, and Zarzeczny, Amy
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EMBRYONIC stem cells ,HUMAN cloning ,RESEARCH ethics ,GOVERNMENT policy - Abstract
In this article, authors discuss various aspects of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) research and research ethics regulations that resulted due to controversies associated with human embryonic stem cells. Potential policy challenges associated with iPSC work in different countries including Canada, Japan and Great Britain are discussed. A table highlighting several common themes in among iPSC research regulating policies, is also presented.
- Published
- 2010
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22. Why so little strategy? District-level electoral entry in theory and practice.
- Author
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Weiner, Robert J.
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ELECTIONS ,ECONOMIC competition ,POLITICAL parties ,POLITICAL candidates ,DEMOCRACY - Abstract
General theories of electoral competition often assume that parties are 'strategic' - that parties pick their battles and pragmatically abandon unpromising districts. But most parties in district-based electoral systems contradict this assumption, running candidates nearly everywhere, with little apparent regard for their prospects. This gap between theory and practice has yet to receive focused attention. This article examines elections in Canada, Great Britain, Jamaica, the USA, and Japan to answer two basic-research questions: How prevalent is strategic electoral entry (in established democracies with simple-plurality or single non-transferable vote elections)? And how does one measure strategic entry in the first place? Although strategicness does vary somewhat across and within party systems, non-strategic entry proves most common. These results invite further research on why strategicness varies and how this variation shapes party system development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2011
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23. Global news highlights.
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GUN laws ,PRODUCT safety laws ,SUICIDE prevention ,TRAFFIC safety ,CHILD restraint systems in automobiles ,BABY cribs ,FOOTBALL ,INFANTS' supplies ,INTERPROFESSIONAL relations ,SAFETY ,SAFETY hats ,SUICIDE ,LAW - Published
- 2011
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24. The Cross-Cultural Association Between Marital Status and Physical Aggression Between Intimate Partners.
- Author
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Bernards, Sharon and Graham, Kathryn
- Subjects
AGGRESSION (Psychology) ,CONFIDENCE intervals ,CULTURE ,DIVORCE ,EPIDEMIOLOGY ,MARITAL status ,MARRIED men ,MARRIED women ,QUESTIONNAIRES ,REGRESSION analysis ,RESEARCH funding ,STATISTICAL sampling ,SELF-evaluation ,SEX distribution ,SINGLE men ,SINGLE women ,SURVEYS ,LOGISTIC regression analysis ,DATA analysis ,RELATIVE medical risk ,INTIMATE partner violence ,DESCRIPTIVE statistics - Abstract
Some research suggests that the risk of physical aggression by an intimate partner is related to marital status, but this relationship may vary across cultures and by gender. In the present study, we systematically examine the relationship between marital status and physical partner aggression by gender across 19 countries. Logistic and multilevel regression confirmed previous findings of lower rates of physical aggression for legally married versus cohabiting and separated/divorced women and men across most, but notably, not all countries. Single status was associated with higher risk in some countries and lower in others reflecting possible cultural differences in risk for different marital statuses. For example, single women had significantly lower rates of victimization than did married women in India where violence against wives is often accepted. The variation in the cross-cultural findings highlights the importance of examining both men and women and considering the cultural context when interpreting the relationship between partner aggression and marital status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2013
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25. Bridging the Gaps in Palliative Care Bereavement Support: An International Perspective.
- Author
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Breen, LaurenJ., Aoun, SamarM., O'Connor, Moira, and Rumbold, Bruce
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BEREAVEMENT ,PALLIATIVE treatment ,SOCIAL support - Abstract
A review of palliative care policies and bereavement support practices in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia, and Japan demonstrated 4 challenges: questions over providing universal versus targeted support; a lack of clear evidence driving service delivery; informal or no risk assessment; and limited or no evaluation of services. Bridging the gaps between the policy and practice of palliative care bereavement support requires acknowledging the challenges of medical and public health models, improving bereavement need assessment processes, enhancing the role of primary care providers, and extending research to provide an evidence-base for interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
- Published
- 2014
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26. Decreased Proportion of Dementia-Free Life Expectancy in Hong Kong SAR.
- Author
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Cheung, Siu-Lan Karen, Yip, Siu-Fai Paul, Branch, Laurence G., and Robine, Jean-Marie
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CONFIDENCE intervals ,DEMENTIA ,LIFE expectancy ,RESEARCH funding ,SELF-evaluation ,SEX distribution ,CROSS-sectional method ,STATISTICAL models - Abstract
Background: Estimations of life expectancies (LE) in health and ill health are important for planning future health care support. This study aimed at quantifying whether an increased LE is accompanied by an increase in the duration of life with dementia (DemLE) in Hong Kong SAR. Methods: Two parameters from a logistic model were used to fit the overall trend of the weighted prevalence of dementia. Abridged age- and sex-specific life tables and Sullivan's method were used to calculate dementia-free LE (DemFLE) for 1998 and 2013. Results: In 2013, among elderly individuals in Hong Kong aged 65 years, men had lived with dementia for 1.8 years and women for 3.6 years. These values are similar to those for subjects aged ≥85 years, while the proportion of DemLE was much greater at advanced ages. Elderly female individuals tend to experience a greater number of years with dementia than males. Conclusion: Our results indicate although LE has increased for all older age groups over time, the increase in DemFLE has not been greater than the gain in LE, suggesting an absolute expansion of the burden of dementia to the community between 1998 and 2013. The results suggest that more caregiving resources and manpower will be needed in the future as the population ages. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2015
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27. How Sedentary are Older People? A Systematic Review of the Amount of Sedentary Behavior.
- Author
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Harvey, Juliet A., Chastin, Sebastien F.M., and Skelton, Dawn A.
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AGING ,CINAHL database ,HEALTH behavior ,LEISURE ,MEDLINE ,META-analysis ,SELF-evaluation ,TIME ,SYSTEMATIC reviews ,ACCELEROMETRY ,SEDENTARY lifestyles ,PHYSICAL activity ,DESCRIPTIVE statistics ,AMED (Information retrieval system) - Abstract
Background/objectives: Sedentary behavior (SB), defined as sitting (nonexercising), reclining, and lying down (posture), or by low energy expenditure, is a public health risk independent to physical activity. The objective of this systematic literature review was to synthesize the available evidence on amount of SB reported by and measured in older adults. Data source: Studies published between 1981 and 2014 were identified from electronic databases and manual searching. Large-scale population studies/surveys reporting the amount of SB (objective/ subjective) in older adults aged ≥ 60 years of age were included. Appraisal and synthesis was completed using MOOSE guidelines. Results: 349,698 adults aged ≥ 60 within 22 studies (10 countries and 1 EU-wide) were included. Objective measurement of SB shows that older adults spend an average of 9.4 hr a day sedentary, equating to 65-80% of their waking day. Self-report of SB is lower, with average weighted self-reports being 5.3 hr daily. Within specific domains of SB, older adults report 3.3 hr in leisure sitting time and 3.3 hr watching TV. There is an association with more time spent in SB as age advances and a trend for older men to spend more time in SB than women. Conclusion/ implications: Time spent sedentary ranges from 5.3-9.4 hr per waking day in older adults. With recent studies suggesting a link between SB, health, and well-being, independent of physical activity, this is an area important for successful aging. Limitations: Different methodologies of measurement and different reporting methods of SB made synthesis difficult. Estimated SB time from self-report is half of that measured objectively; suggesting that most self-report surveys of SB will vastly underestimate the actual time spent in SB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2015
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28. Continuous decline in mortality from coronary heart disease in Japan despite a continuous and marked rise in total cholesterol: Japanese experience after the Seven Countries Study.
- Author
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Akira Sekikawa, Yoshihiro Miyamoto, Katsuyuki Miura, Kunihiro Nishimura, Willcox, Bradley J., Masaki, Kamal H, Rodriguez, Beatriz, Tracy, Russell P, Tomonori Okamura, Kuller, Lewis H, Sekikawa, Akira, Miyamoto, Yoshihiro, Miura, Katsuyuki, Nishimura, Kunihiro, and Okamura, Tomonori
- Subjects
CORONARY disease ,PUBLIC health ,BLOOD cholesterol ,CARDIOVASCULAR disease related mortality ,MEDICAL statistics ,CARDIOVASCULAR diseases risk factors ,ASIANS ,BLOOD pressure ,CHOLESTEROL ,COMPARATIVE studies ,DATABASES ,DIABETES ,RESEARCH methodology ,MEDICAL cooperation ,RESEARCH ,RESEARCH funding ,SMOKING ,EVALUATION research ,BODY mass index ,LIFESTYLES - Abstract
Background: The Seven Countries Study in the 1960s showed very low mortality from coronary heart disease (CHD) in Japan, which was attributed to very low levels of total cholesterol. Studies of migrant Japanese to the USA in the 1970s documented increase in CHD rates, thus CHD mortality in Japan was expected to increase as their lifestyle became Westernized, yet CHD mortality has continued to decline since 1970. This study describes trends in CHD mortality and its risk factors since 1980 in Japan, contrasting those in other selected developed countries.Methods: We selected Australia, Canada, France, Japan, Spain, Sweden, the UK and the USA. CHD mortality between 1980 and 2007 was obtained from WHO Statistical Information System. National data on traditional risk factors during the same period were obtained from literature and national surveys.Results: Age-adjusted CHD mortality continuously declined between 1980 and 2007 in all these countries. The decline was accompanied by a constant fall in total cholesterol except Japan where total cholesterol continuously rose. In the birth cohort of individuals currently aged 50-69 years, levels of total cholesterol have been higher in Japan than in the USA, yet CHD mortality in Japan remained the lowest: >67% lower in men and > 75% lower in women compared with the USA. The direction and magnitude of changes in other risk factors were generally similar between Japan and the other countries.Conclusions: Decline in CHD mortality despite a continuous rise in total cholesterol is unique. The observation may suggest some protective factors unique to Japanese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2015
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29. Comparison of public health and preventive medicine physician specialty training in six countries: Identifying challenges and opportunities.
- Author
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Peik, Samuel M., Mohan, Keerthi M., Baba, Toshiaki, Donadel, Morgane, Labruto, Andrea, and Loh, Lawrence C.
- Subjects
COMPARATIVE studies ,CURRICULUM ,EMPLOYMENT ,ENDOWMENTS ,INTERPROFESSIONAL relations ,MEDICAL practice ,MEDICAL specialties & specialists ,STUDY & teaching of medicine ,PREVENTIVE health services ,PUBLIC health ,CERTIFICATION ,ACCREDITATION - Abstract
Rationale: Public health and preventive medicine (PHPM) has been recognized internationally as a physician specialty, but national parallels and differences exist between training contexts. This paper reviews PHPM training and employment in Canada, France, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the USA. Methods: Information gathered from relevant accreditation bodies and literature searches was used to create descriptive profiles of national training demographics and structure and a narrative outlining trends and challenges facing the specialty. Results: Notable similarities and differences exist between national contexts. Key themes were differences in training strategies and practice scope, specialty stakeholders, certification structure, and funding. Recognition challenges faced the specialty across all six countries. Other challenges included unclear competencies and training strategies and a need for PHPM specialists to highlight their role in combating population health threats. Additional differences existed between comparator countries on the structure of training, funding sources for training programs, availability of training posts, and linkages with other physician specialties. Conclusion: Highlighting these themes is a first step to fostering training collaborations between PHPM specialist physicians to augment transnational action on global public health challenges and also supports PHPM physician educators with innovative solutions from abroad that might address domestic specialty challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
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- View/download PDF
30. The Intracranial Distribution of Gliomas in Relation to Exposure From Mobile Phones: Analyses From the INTERPHONE Study.
- Author
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Grell, Kathrine, Frederiksen, Kirsten, Schüz, Joachim, Cardis, Elisabeth, Armstrong, Bruce, Siemiatycki, Jack, Krewski, Daniel R., McBride, Mary L., Johansen, Christoffer, Auvinen, Anssi, Hours, Martine, Blettner, Maria, Sadetzki, Siegal, Lagorio, Susanna, Naohito Yamaguchi, Woodward, Alistair, Tynes, Tore, Feychting, Maria, Fleming, Sarah J., and Swerdlow, Anthony J.
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BRAIN tumors ,COMPARATIVE studies ,COMPUTED tomography ,EAR canal ,ELECTROMAGNETIC fields ,GLIOMAS ,INTERVIEWING ,LONGITUDINAL method ,MAGNETIC resonance imaging ,POISSON distribution ,RESEARCH funding ,SELF-evaluation ,CELL phones ,ENVIRONMENTAL exposure ,DATA analysis software ,MEDICAL coding - Abstract
When investigating the association between brain tumors and use of mobile telephones, accurate data on tumor position are essential, due to the highly localized absorption of energy in the human brain from the radio-frequency fields emitted. We used a point process model to investigate this association using information that included tumor localization data from the INTERPHONE Study (Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom). Our main analysis included 792 regular mobile phone users diagnosed with a glioma between 2000 and 2004. Similar to earlier results, we found a statistically significant association between the intracranial distribution of gliomas and the self-reported location of the phone. When we accounted for the preferred side of the head not being exclusively used for all mobile phone calls, the results were similar. The association was independent of the cumulative call time and cumulative number of calls. However, our model used reported side of mobile phone use, which is potentially influenced by recall bias. The point process method provides an alternative to previously used epidemiologic research designs when one is including localization in the investigation of brain tumors and mobile phone use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2016
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31. Economic impact and cost-effectiveness of fracture liaison services: a systematic review of the literature.
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Wu, C.-H., Kao, I.-J., Liu, H.-C., Hung, W.-C., Lin, S.-C., Hsieh, M.-H., Bagga, S., Achra, M., Cheng, T.-T., and Yang, R.-S.
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OSTEOPOROSIS prevention ,WRIST injuries ,PREVENTIVE health services ,HIP joint injuries ,BONE fracture prevention ,COST control ,COST effectiveness ,INFORMATION storage & retrieval systems ,MEDICAL databases ,MEDICAL information storage & retrieval systems ,INTERPROFESSIONAL relations ,MEDICAL care costs ,MEDLINE ,ONLINE information services ,POSTAL service ,TELEMEDICINE ,SYSTEMATIC reviews ,HUMAN services programs ,PREVENTION ,ECONOMICS - Abstract
Fracture liaison services (FLS), implemented in different ways and countries, are reported to be a cost-effective or even a cost-saving secondary fracture prevention strategy. This presumed favorable cost-benefit relationship is encouraging and lends support to expanded implementation of FLS per International Osteoporosis Foundation Best Practice Standards. This study summarizes the economic impact and cost-effectiveness of FLS implemented to reduce subsequent fractures in individuals with osteoporosis. This systematic review identified studies reporting economic outcomes for FLS in osteoporotic patients aged 50 and older through a comprehensive search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central, and PubMed of studies published January, 2000 to December, 2016. Grey literature (e.g., Google scholar, conference abstracts/posters) were also hand searched through February 2017. Two independent reviewers screened titles and abstracts and conducted full-text review on qualified articles. All disagreements were resolved by discussion between reviewers to reach consensus or by a third reviewer. In total, 23 qualified studies that evaluated the economic aspects of FLS were included: 16 cost-effectiveness studies, 2 cost-benefit analyses, and 5 studies of cost savings. Patient populations varied (prior fragility fracture, non-vertebral fracture, hip fracture, wrist fracture), and FLS strategies ranged from mail-based interventions to comprehensive nurse/physician-coordinated programs. Cost-effectiveness studies were conducted in Canada, Australia, USA, UK, Japan, Taiwan, and Sweden. FLS was cost-effective in comparisons with usual care or no treatment, regardless of the program intensity or the country in which the FLS was implemented (cost/QALY from $3023-$28,800 US dollars (USD) in Japan to $14,513-$112,877 USD in USA. Several studies documented cost savings. FLS, implemented in different ways and countries, are reported to be cost-effective or even cost-saving. This presumed favorable cost-benefit relationship is encouraging and lends support to expanded implementation of FLS per International Osteoporosis Foundation Best Practice Standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2018
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32. Bibliometric study of research productivity in occupational therapy and physical therapy/physiotherapy in four Western countries and five Asian countries/regions.
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Man, David W.K., Tsang, Walter S.F., Lu, Erin Yiqing, and Tsang, Hector W.H.
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BIBLIOMETRICS ,OCCUPATIONAL therapy ,PHYSICAL therapy research ,RESEARCH ,DESCRIPTIVE statistics - Abstract
Introduction: High‐quality research is the foundation of occupational therapy and physical therapy/physiotherapy. A bibliometric study on the research productivity of occupational therapy and physical therapy/physiotherapy scholars in different Western and Asian countries/regions could provide a snapshot of current research achievement in rehabilitation science. Method: On the basis of an understanding of the leading role of rehabilitation research in Western countries and a recognition of achievements made by Asian occupational therapy and physical therapy/physiotherapy scholars, the current bibliometric study examined the research productivity of occupational therapy and physical therapy/physiotherapy professors and associate professors from four Western countries (Australia, Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom) and five Asian countries/regions (Hong Kong, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea). The h‐indices of these scholars were retrieved online and aggregated to quantify the research productivity of institutions and countries/regions. Results: Australia, Canada, Hong Kong and the United States were identified as countries/regions with higher research productivity in occupational therapy and physical therapy/physiotherapy. The institutions were ranked on the basis of the median h‐indices of their professors and associate professors; the top 20 productive institutions with occupational therapy programmes had a median h‐index of 17.5 or higher, whereas the benchmark of the top 20 institutions with physical therapy/physiotherapy programmes was 25. Conclusion: Professors and associate professors in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong and the United States are productive in occupational therapy and physical therapy/physiotherapy research. The number of faculty members and university connections are regarded as important for research achievement. Recommendations for various levels of collaboration are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2019
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33. COVID-19 and the ageing workforce: global perspectives on needs and solutions across 15 countries.
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Pit, Sabrina, Fisk, Malcolm, Freihaut, Winona, Akintunde, Fashola, Aloko, Bamidele, Berge, Britta, Burmeister, Anne, Ciacâru, Adriana, Deller, Jürgen, Dulmage, Rae, Han, Tae Hwa, Hao, Qiang, Honeyman, Peter, Huber, Peter C., Linner, Thomas, Lundberg, Stefan, Nwamara, Mofoluwaso, Punpuing, Kamolpun, Schramm, Jennifer, and Yamada, Hajime
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WORK environment ,COVID-19 ,AGEISM ,INTERGENERATIONAL relations ,AGE distribution ,LABOR supply ,SOCIOECONOMIC factors ,AGING ,CASE studies ,BUSINESS ,DECISION making ,COMMUNICATION ,INDUSTRIAL hygiene ,MANAGEMENT ,PERSONNEL management - Abstract
Background: COVID-19 has a direct impact on the employment of older people. This adds to the challenge of ageism. The World Health Organization has started a worldwide campaign to combat ageism and has called for more research and evidence-based strategies that have the potential to be scaled up. This study specifically aims to identify solutions to combat the adverse effects of COVID-19 on the global ageing workforce. Methods: We present 15 case studies from different countries and report on what those countries are doing or not doing to address the impact of COVID-19 on ageing workers. Results: We provide examples of how COVID-19 influences older people's ability to work and stay healthy, and offer case studies of what governments, organizations or individuals can do to help ensure older people can obtain, maintain and, potentially, expand their current work. Case studies come from Australia, Austria, Canada, China, Germany, Israel, Japan, Nigeria, Romania, Singapore, Sweden, South Korea, Thailand, United Kingdom (UK), and the United States (US). Across the countries, the impact of COVID-19 on older workers is shown as widening inequalities. A particular challenge has arisen because of a large proportion of older people, often with limited education and working in the informal sector within rural areas, e.g. in Nigeria, Thailand and China. Remedies to the particular disadvantage experienced by older workers in the context of COVID are presented. These range from funding support to encouraging business continuity, innovative product and service developments, community action, new business models and localized, national and international actions. The case studies can be seen as frequently fitting within strategies that have been proven to work in reducing ageism within the workplace. They include policy and laws that have increased benefits to workers during lockdowns (most countries); educational activities such as coaching seniorpreneurship (e,g, Australia); intergenerational contact interventions such as younger Thai people who moved back to rural areas and sharing their digital knowledge with older people and where older people reciprocate by teaching the younger people farming knowledge. Conclusion: Global sharing of this knowledge among international, national and local governments and organizations, businesses, policy makers and health and human resources experts will further understanding of the issues that are faced by older workers. This will facilitate the replication or scalability of solutions as called for in the WHO call to combat ageism in 2021. We suggest that policy makers, business owners, researchers and international organisations build on the case studies by investing in evidence-based strategies to create inclusive workplaces. Such action will thus help to challenge ageism, reduce inequity, improve business continuity and add to the quality of life of older workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
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34. Self-Assessments of Mentoring Skills in Healthcare Professions Applicable to Occupational Therapy: A Scoping Review.
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Stephenson, Sara, Kemp, Erika, Kiraly-Alvarez, Anne, Costello, Paula, Lockmiller, Catherine, and Parkhill, Brianna
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ONLINE information services ,PSYCHOLOGY information storage & retrieval systems ,MEDICAL databases ,OCCUPATIONAL therapy education ,MEDICAL information storage & retrieval systems ,SELF-evaluation ,SYSTEMATIC reviews ,PHYSICAL therapy ,MENTORING ,OCCUPATIONAL therapy ,ABILITY ,TRAINING ,LITERATURE reviews ,MEDLINE ,ALLIED health personnel ,ERIC (Information retrieval system) - Abstract
This scoping review explores the professional literature in allied healthcare to determine which self-assessments of mentor skills are the most valid and reliable for use in occupational therapy doctoral capstone programs. The aims of this scoping review include mapping evidence related to mentor assessments in healthcare, exploring implications for occupational therapy doctoral mentor training programs, and identifying common characteristics of mentor self-assessments for occupational therapy programs to consider when developing capstone mentoring resources. Researchers applied and reported via PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). A librarian and authors formulated keywords and database selections to search PubMed/MEDLINE/PMC, and Embase were searched from across healthcare professions for training outcomes, mentor self-assessment, mentor attributes, and use of researcher-developed assessments. The search was limited to English publications from the last 20 years. Data were extracted for quantitative information regarding study characteristics and qualitative information about mentoring skills. A total of 852 results were delivered across all databases. Nineteen papers met the final eligibility criteria and were included in the data extraction. Populations were included from several healthcare professions, including 11 nursing, four healthcare researchers, one pharmacy, one midwifery, one medicine, and one medical dietetics. Countries included the United States (n = 7), Finland (n = 5), United Kingdom (n = 4), Japan (n = 1), South Africa (n = 1) and Canada (n = 1). The authors identified four valid self-assessment tools, demonstrating III and IV levels of evidence, that may be implemented by occupational therapy programs as they develop resources for mentor programs. Occupational therapy programs can use the mentor attributes found in this scoping review to create their own mentor assessment measures or may choose to use a validated tool. The authors recommend additional research in mentor education and mentor skill acquisition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
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35. Resource allocation in public sector programmes: does the value of a life differ between governmental departments?
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Cubi-Molla, Patricia, Mott, David, Henderson, Nadine, Zamora, Bernarda, Grobler, Mendel, and Garau, Martina
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LOCAL government -- Societies, etc. ,EVALUATION of human services programs ,SOCIAL values ,MEDICAL care costs ,PUBLIC health ,CONCEPTUAL structures ,RESOURCE allocation ,PUBLIC sector ,QUALITY of life ,DECISION making ,RESEARCH funding ,POLICY sciences - Abstract
Background: The value of a life is regularly monetised by government departments for informing resource allocation. Guidance documents indicate how economic evaluation should be conducted, often specifying precise values for different impacts. However, we find different values of life and health are used in analyses by departments within the same government despite commonality in desired outcomes. This creates potential inconsistencies in considering trade-offs within a broader public sector spending budget. We provide evidence to better inform the political process and to raise important issues in assessing the value of public expenditure across different sectors. Methods: Our document analysis identifies thresholds, explicitly or implicitly, as observed in government-related publications in the following public sectors: health, social care, transport, and environment. We include both demand-side and supply-side thresholds, understood as societies' and governments' willingness to pay for health gains. We look at key countries that introduced formal economic evaluation processes early on and have impacted other countries' policy development: Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. We also present a framework to consider how governments allocate resources across different public services. Results: Our analysis supports that identifying and describing the Value of a Life from disparate public sector activities in a manner that facilitates comparison is theoretically meaningful. The optimal allocation of resources across sectors depends on the relative position of benefits across different attributes, weighted by the social value that society puts on them. The value of a Quality-Adjusted Life Year is generally used as a demand-side threshold by Departments of transport and environment. It exceeds those used in health, often by a large enough proportion to be a multiple thereof. Decisions made across departments are generally based on an unspecified rationing rule. Conclusions: Comparing government expenditure across different public sector departments, in terms of the value of each department outcome, is not only possible but also desirable. It is essential for an optimal resource allocation to identify the relevant social attributes and to quantify the value of these attributes for each department. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
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