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Socio-economic Situation (socio-economic + situation)
Selected AbstractsGovernments and unpopular social policy reform: Biting the bullet or steering clear?EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF POLITICAL RESEARCH, Issue 1 2009BARBARA VIS This article shows that there exists substantial cross-cabinet variation in the degree to which governments take unpopular measures and argues that current studies cannot adequately explain this variation. Using insights from prospect theory, a psychological theory of choice under risk, this study hypothesises that governments only engage in unpopular reform if they face a deteriorating socio-economic situation, a falling political position, or both. If not, they shy away from the risk of reform. A fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fs/QCA) of the social policy reform activities pursued by German, Dutch, Danish and British cabinets between 1979 and 2005 identifies a deteriorating socio-economic situation as necessary for unpopular reform. It is only sufficient for triggering reform, however, if the political position is also deteriorating and/or the cabinet is of rightist composition. This study's findings further the scholarly debate on the politics of welfare state reform by offering a micro-foundation that helps one to understand what induces political actors aspiring to be re-elected to engage in electorally risky unpopular reform. [source] Horizontal equity in utilisation of care and fairness of health financing: a comparison of micro-health insurance and user fees in RwandaHEALTH ECONOMICS, Issue 1 2006Pia Schneider Abstract This paper uses two methods to compare the impact of health care payments under insurance and user fees. Concentration indices for insured and uninsured groups are computed following the indirect standardisation method to evaluate horizontal inequity in utilisation of basic health care services. The minimum standard approach analyses the extent to which out-of-pocket health spending contributed to increased poverty. The analysis uses cross-sectional household survey data collected in Rwanda in 2000 in the context of the introduction of community-based health insurance. Results indicate that health spending had a small impact on the socio-economic situation of uninsured and insured households; however, this is at the expense of horizontal inequity in utilisation of care for user-fee paying individuals who reported significantly lower visit rates than the insured. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Oral health and cardiovascular disease in SwedenJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PERIODONTOLOGY, Issue 3 2002Results of a national questionnaire survey Abstract Objective: The purpose of the present study was to assess the relation between dental health and cardiovascular disease in an adult Swedish population. Material and method: A questionnaire was sent to 4811 randomly selected Swedes. It contained 52 questions about dental care habits, oral health, cardiovascular disease and their socio-economic situation. Odd ratios for all cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and the subgroup myocardial infarction, stroke and high blood pressure were calculated with a logistic regression model adjusted for age, gender, smoking, income, civil status and education. These ratios were calculated for subjects 41 years since few people suffer from CVD before this. Results: The national questionnaire was answered by 2839 (59%) people between 20,84 years of age and, of them, 1577 were 41 years of age or more. We found a significant association between self-reported bleeding gums (odds ratio 1.60, p=0.0017), presence of dentures (odds ratio 1.57, p=0.0076) and known CVD, which has also been reported in international studies. However, no association between loose teeth, deep pockets and known CVD was detected. Conclusion: The results indicate that oral health and, especially gingival inflammation is associated with CVD. Zusammenfassung Zielsetzung: Untersuchung des Zusammenhanges von oraler Gesundheit und kardiovaskulären Erkrankungen in einer Population schwedischer Erwachsener. Material und Methoden: Ein Fragebogen wurden an 4811 zufällig ausgewählten Schweden verschickt. Er enthielt 52 Fragen zu Zahnhygienegewohnheiten, Mundhygiene, Herz-Kreislauf-Erkrankungen und sozioökonomischem Status. Odds Ratios (OR) für alle kardiovaskulären Erkrankungen (KVE) und für die Untergruppen Myocardinfarkt, Schlaganfall sowie Bluthochdruck wurden mit einem logistischen Regressionsmodell berechnet, das für Alter, Geschlecht, Rauchen, Einkommen, sozialen Status und Ausbildung korrigiert war. Dies erfolgte für Personen 41 Jahre, da jüngere Individuen selten an KVE leiden. Ergebnisse: Der Fragebogen wurde von 2839 Personen (59%) im Alter zwischen 20 und 84 Jahren beantwortet, von denen 1577,41 Jahre oder älter waren. Es ergab sich eine signifikante Assoziation zwischen von den Patienten berichtetem Zahnfleischbluten (OR 1.60, p=0.0017) sowie Vorhandensein von Prothesen (OR 1.57, p=0.0076) und bekannter KVE. Allerdings konnte keine Assoziation zwischen lockeren Zähnen bzw tiefen Taschen und bekannter KVE gefunden werden. Schlussfolgerungen: Diese Ergebnisse zeigen, dass ein Zusammenhang zwischen oraler Gesundheit, speziell gingivaler Entzündung, und KVE besteht. Résumé But: Le but de cette étude était de mettre en évidence la relation entre la santé dentaire et la maladie cardiovasculaire dans une population suédoise adulte. Matériaux et méthodes: Un questionnaire fut adresséà 4811 suédois sélectionnés au hasard. Il contenait 52 questions sur les habitudes de soins dentaires, la santé orale, la maladie cadiovasculaire et leur situation socio-économique. L'odds-ratio pour toutes les maladies cardiovasculaires (CVD) et le sous-groupe d'infarctus du myocarde, d'attaque et d'hypertension, fut calculé par un modèle de régression logistique ajusté pour l'âge, le sexe, le tabagisme, le revenu, l'état civil et le niveau d'éductation. Ces odds-ratio furent calculés pour les sujets de plus de 41 ans, puisque peu de gens souffrent de CVD avant cet âge. Resultats: 2839 (59%) personnes entre 20 et 84 ans, parmi lesquelles 1577 étaient âges d'au moins 41 ans répondirent à ce questionnaire national. Nous avons trouvé une association significative entre les saignement gingivaux (décrits par les sondés euxmêmes) (odds-ratio 1.60, p<0.0017), la présence de prothèse amovible (odds ratio 1.57, p=0.0076) et une CVD reconnu, ce qui a étéégalement rapporté dans les études internationales. Cependant, aucune association entre les dents perdues, la profondeur de poche et une CVD connue ne fut détectée. Conclusion: Les résultats indiquent que la santé orale et particulièrement l'inflammation gingivale est associée avec les CVD. [source] Conservation of gullies in susceptible riparian areas of alluvial soil regionsLAND DEGRADATION AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 3 2002R. C. Yadav Abstract The problem of gully erosion is very severe in the riparian areas of the alluvial deep soil region in India. Research and development have progressed in response to the change in social needs. The earlier strategy of maintenance of law and order has changed to one of reclamation and restoration of the productive capacity of riparian areas. Watershed management in the ravines has been adopted for development of food security, eco-restoration and pollution control. Case studies on the watershed management in watersheds projects initiated in the mid-1980s revealed the scope for bringing increased prosperity through crop diversification and eco-restoration. In consideration of the erosion process, new concepts of management zones and improved conservation and reclamation practices have been developed. The sociological factors have been rationally analysed, as they applied to watershed management in the ravines. A new paradigm of watershed management by group action is necessary in the future. Since the ways of combating the ravine problem and enhancing the productivity of ravine-degraded lands were made on rational process-based approach, there is scope for it to be implemented in other countries with similar land and socio-economic situations. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] | ||||||||||