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Targeting Interventions (targeting + intervention)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	50%

Selected Abstracts

Optimising the policy cost of market stabilisation: Which commodity matters most in Ethiopia?

JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, Issue 3 2009
Kindie Getnet
Abstract Unprecedented food crop price spikes in recent years prompted the Ethiopian government to impose grain export ban and to distribute grain stocks as price stabilization strategies. Successful price stabilization and size of public spending for such programs depend, to a large extent, on the choice and targeting of stabilization strategies. In a situation where a single commodity plays a leadership role in the price dynamics of other crops, targeting intervention at such a commodity would provide a useful mechanism to reduce policy cost of price stabilization while achieving commodity-wide stabilization objectives. Using multiple cointegration analysis techniques to generate knowledge useful in targeting price stabilization intervention, this study investigates whether there is a single food crop in Ethiopia, among the three major ones (teff, wheat, and maize), with an exclusive price leadership role in the price formation process of the rest. The results show that maize price plays a leadership role in the dynamics of teff and wheat prices at all markets studied, except that of Addis Ababa teff market. Given the major evidence of a price leadership role of maize, it might be possible to achieve commodity-wide price stabilization objectives through targeting intervention on maize. Such targeted intervention may also prove efficiency in terms of reducing policy cost and public spending. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Assessment of physical fitness for esophageal surgery, and targeting interventions to optimize outcomes

DISEASES OF THE ESOPHAGUS, Issue 7 2010
C. Feeney
SUMMARY This review examines how higher levels of physiological reserve and fitness can help the patient endure the demands of esophageal surgery. Lung function, body composition, cardiac function, inflammatory mediators and exercise performance are all determinants of fitness. Physical fitness, both as an independent risk factor and through its effect on other risk factors, has been found to be significantly associated with the risk of developing postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) in patients following esophagectomy. Respiratory dysfunction preoperatively poses the dominant risk of developing complications, and PPCs are the most common causes of morbidity and mortality. The incidence of PPCs is between 15 and 40% with an associated 4.5-fold increase in operative mortality leading to approximately 45% of all deaths post-esophagectomy. Cardiac complications are the other principal postoperative complications, and pulmonary and cardiac complications are reported to account for up to 70% of postoperative deaths after esophagectomy. Risk reduction in patients planned for surgery is key in attaining optimal outcomes. The goal of this review was to discuss the risk factors associated with the development of postoperative pulmonary complications and how these may be modified prior to surgery with a specific focus on the pulmonary complications associated with esophageal resection. There are few studies that have examined the effect of modifying physical fitness pre-esophageal surgery. The data to date would indicate a need to develop targeted interventions preoperatively to increase physical function with the aim of decreasing postoperative complications. [source]

Using sensation seeking to target adolescents for substance use interventions

ADDICTION, Issue 3 2010
James D. Sargent
ABSTRACT Aims This study examines the predictive validity of sensation seeking as a predictor of adolescent substance use, in order to optimize targeting for substance use prevention programs. Design Longitudinal study. Setting Random-digit dial telephone survey. Participants A total of 6522 US adolescents aged 10,14 years at baseline, resurveyed at 8-month intervals for three subsequent waves. Measurements Two outcomes were assessed,onset of binge drinking (more than five drinks in a short time) and established smoking (>100 cigarettes life-time). Sensation seeking level was assessed at baseline. Logistic regression was used to predict onset of substance use at any follow-up wave as a function of sensation seeking. The receiver operating characteristics curve was used to illustrate how well sensation seeking predicted substance use as a function of different cut-off points for defining high sensation seeking, and area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AROC) was the metric of predictive validity. Findings Of 5834 participants with one or more follow-up assessments, 5634 reported no binge drinking and 5802 were not established smokers at baseline, of whom 717 (12.7% of 5634) reported binge drinking and 144 (2.5% of 5802) reported established smoking at one or more follow-up interviews. Sensation seeking predicted binge drinking moderately well [AROC = 0.71 (95% confidence interval 0.69, 0.73)] and was a significantly better predictor of established smoking onset [AROC = 0.80 (0.76, 0.83)]. For binge drinking, predictive validity was significantly lower in blacks; for established smoking it was significantly higher for Hispanics. Implications for two targeting interventions are discussed. Conclusions Sensation seeking works moderately well at identifying adolescents at risk for onset of binge drinking and established smoking. This study offers a guide for determining the appropriate targeting cut-off value, based on intervention efficacy, costs and risks. [source]

The relationship among cognitive schemas, job-related traumatic exposure, and posttraumatic stress disorder in journalists,

JOURNAL OF TRAUMATIC STRESS, Issue 4 2003
Caroline M. Pyevich
Abstract American newspaper journalists (N = 906) participated in a study examining a cognitive mediational model for explaining the relationship between exposure to work-related traumatic events and work-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Results indicated (a) greater exposure to work-related traumatic events was associated with work-related PTSD symptoms, as well as negative cognitive schemas; (b) cognitive beliefs partially accounted for PTSD symptoms, but the full cognitive mediational model was not supported. Implications include targeting interventions for journalists who experience traumatic stress and modifying theories about PTSD symptoms in journalists. [source]