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Financial Situation (financial + situation)
Selected AbstractsP-26 CONVENTIONAL V THIN LAYER TECHNIQUES: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF BRONCHIAL SPECIMENS USING CONVENTIONAL AND TWO LBC METHODS, THINPREP AND SUREPATHCYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 2006J. L. Conachan The current, conventional method used is quick, easy and reasonably cheap but the nature of bronchial specimens themselves creates the need for a better preparation technique. Bronchial specimens often present with many obscuring features, such as blood and mucus, which can affect definitive diagnosis. In the study, the bronchial specimens underwent routine conventional preparation and that remaining was used to prepare an LBC slide. Both LBC methods were separately evaluated alongside the conventional method where, of the 44 specimens used, half were prepared using the conventional and ThinPrep and half with the conventional and SurePath. Evaluation forms were completed by pathologists who assessed all preparations. The results showed both LBC methods produced superior preparations that were better fixed, more cellular and had improved nuclear detail. They also removed a high percentage of background debris, were more diagnostically accurate and reduced the inadequate rate by a third. The conventional slides prepared from the same specimen as the SurePath had a lower average than those prepared with the ThinPrep. This indicated that the specimens used to evaluate the SurePath method were in fact inferior to those used for ThinPrep, with the SurePath slides showing only a slight improvement in overall quality. Despite LBC preparations reducing pathologist screening and reporting time, both methods are more labour intensive and less cost effective. The majority of laboratories are not in the financial situation to trial new methods that require extra training and more staff hours, and as such this study has highlighted an important question ,Do the benefits of better quality preparation and diagnostic accuracy offset an increase in time and cost'. [source] Do Firms Share their Success with Workers?ECONOMICA, Issue 280 2003The Response of Wages to Product Market Conditions We provide new evidence that industry financial conditions help determine wages in the US manufacturing sector. Ordinary least squares estimates of the effect of rents per worker on wages are significantly positive, but quite small. We show that this may stem from econometric difficulties that plague the OLS estimates. Using the US input,output tables to isolate demand shocks, we overcome these issues and identify the effects of the industry financial situation on wages. Our IV estimates reveal substantial rent sharing,much more than is consistent with a purely competitive labour market. [source] Areca nut use following migration and its consequencesADDICTION BIOLOGY, Issue 1 2002S. Warnakulasuriya The combined use of areca nut and smokeless tobacco (ST) is practiced particularly in the Indo-Chinese continents. While there is considerable global variation in the use of these products, migrant studies relevant to areca nut use is of considerable interest to epidemiologists in suggesting the extent to which these environment exposures are important in the aetiology of different cancers and other health-related consequences. Studies on Indian migrants to the Malay peninsula, South and east Africa and various Asian ethnic groups resident in several parts of the United Kingdom have shown that the consumption of areca nut (often mixed with ST) is highly prevalent in these communities. Available data on the prevalence of areca chewing among these migrant populations are reviewed here. The carriage of these risk factors from South Asia to other countries has resulted in excess risk of oral cancer in these new settlements. There is also a high incidence of cardiovascular disease, hypertension and late onset diabetes among Indians living in the United Kingdom and there is new evidence to suggest that the combined roles of areca and ST may be contributory. Because of their enhanced financial situation, substance abuse may increase in their new country of domicile. The two products are psychologically addictive and a dependency syndrome related to their use among Asian immigrants to the United Kingdom has been described recently. [source] The patient's view on quality of life and eating disordersINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EATING DISORDERS, Issue 1 2007Simone de la Rie MA Abstract Objective: This study investigated the personal views of eating disorder (ED) patients on their quality of life (QOL). Method: The views of 146 current ED patients and 146 former ED patients on their QOL were studied using a self-report questionnaire. Patients were requested to name the most important aspects of their life and they subsequently rated themselves on these aspects. Qualitative analysis clustered items into meaningful categories. Results: A sense of belonging was mentioned most often (93.0%) by the participants. Work or education, health and well-being were also mentioned frequently. Furthermore, participants stated a sense of self, disease-specific psychopathology, life skills, leisure activities, a sense of purpose, financial situation, living condition, and pets. Current ED patients more frequently mentioned disease-specific psychopathology than former ED patients. Current ED patients reported poor QOL on most domains, particularly on self-image and well-being. Former ED patients reported better QOL than current ED patients, but ratings were just above average. Conclusion: The views on QOL of ED patients broadens the scope of relevant domains of QOL. The assessment of these views may be a useful adjunct to the use of standardized QOL measures. © 2006 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2006 [source] Healthcare financing reform and the new single payer system in the Republic of Korea: Social solidarity or efficiency?INTERNATIONAL SOCIAL SECURITY REVIEW, Issue 1 2003Soonman Kwon In July 2000, national health insurance in the Republic of Korea was transformed into a single insurer system. This major reform in healthcare financing resulted from the merger of more than 350 health insurance societies. Inequity in healthcare financing and the chronic financial situation of the health insurance societies for self,employed workers in rural areas have been the driving forces leading to the unified health insurance system. The unique institutional context together with political change opened the window of policy change, and various stakeholders such as politicians, rural self,employed workers, trade unions and civic groups were involved in the healthcare reform process. Fair income assessment of the self,employed and the role of the single insurer as a prudent purchaser of medical care will be vital for the new system to achieve its intended goal and improve social solidarity and efficiency of healthcare. [source] The Political Economy of Pension Reform in Eastern EuropeINTERNATIONAL SOCIAL SECURITY REVIEW, Issue 2-3 2001Katharina Müller The retirement schemes in several East European countries underwent fundamental change in recent years, defying conventional wisdom in welfare state research. This article takes a new look at the determinants of paradigm choice in the area of old-age security, comparing the Polish, Hungarian and Czech experience from an actor-centred institutionalist perspective. The author points out that structural factors , notably the financial situation of retirement schemes and the level of external debt , largely determined the set of main pension reform actors, as well as their relative strength. The resulting actor constellations produced the basic paradigm choice, based on the actors' respective cognitive maps and consequent perception of pension reform alternatives. Tactical moves and the strategic potentialities of the chosen paradigm were also relevant. [source] Researching Internet-Based Populations: Advantages and Disadvantages of Online Survey Research, Online Questionnaire Authoring Software Packages, and Web Survey ServicesJOURNAL OF COMPUTER-MEDIATED COMMUNICATION, Issue 3 2005Kevin B. Wright This article examines some advantages and disadvantages of conducting online survey research. It explores current features, issues, pricing, and limitations associated with products and services, such as online questionnaire features and services to facilitate the online survey process, such as those offered by web survey businesses. The review shows that current online survey products and services can vary considerably in terms of available features, consumer costs, and limitations. It is concluded that online survey researchers should conduct a careful assessment of their research goals, research timeline, and financial situation before choosing a specific product or service. [source] Consumer decision making in low-income families: The case of conflict avoidanceJOURNAL OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR, Issue 5 2009Kathy Hamilton This paper explores consumer decision making in low-income families. The focus is on the issue of conflict avoidance within the family when making consumption choices. Whereas previous studies have focused on conflict resolution strategies, this paper considers the ways in which families prevent conflict from arising in the first instance. These include individual control in purchasing and budgeting decisions, giving in to the requests of children and ensuring open communication about the family's financial situation. Importantly, the connections between the poverty narrative and the family decision making narrative are considered as the decision making strategies employed are not only aimed at avoiding conflict but also making experiences of poverty more manageable. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Economic statistics and U.S. agricultural policyAGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS, Issue 2007Bruce Gardner agricultural policy; data collection and estimation; economic history of U.S. agriculture Abstract Economic statistics can be used to inform policy as it is being designed, avoid policy design mistakes, or implement government programs once they are established into law. Oftentimes, statistics are used for all three purposes. This article considers the relationships between statistics and agricultural policy in the case of the United States. We address first the broad historical picture of U.S. official economic statistics concerning agriculture, and then turn to selected examples that relate policies to economic statistics in more detail. The examples show diversity in the interplay between statistics and policy. Over time, policymakers have asked for more detailed information about the financial situation of individual farm businesses and households, sources of risk in farm returns, and production practices that affect the environment. [source] Support and faculty mentoring programmes for medical students in Germany, Switzerland and AustriaMEDICAL EDUCATION, Issue 6 2000Woessner Objectives To study what is being done at German-speaking universities regarding the counselling and tutoring of students, we carried out a survey among the deans of medical faculties in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Our main concern was if any such projects were already available to the medical student or whether efforts to this purpose were under way. Design We focused in particular on faculty mentoring programmes, a continuous tutoring by designated members of the faculty on a person-to-person basis. Setting German, Austrian and Swiss medical faculties. Subjects Medical faculty deans. Results The return rate was 80%. While general student counselling is, if required, available at nearly all of the faculties, faculty mentoring programmes are offered by only 36·1% of the medical schools, and individualized career counselling by 30·6%. Conclusions Compared to other countries, such as the United Kingdom or the United States, counselling and tutoring programmes, e.g. career planning or faculty mentoring, are not generally available to the German medical student. Regional differences are evident, which can be attributed to differences in the universities' legal and financial situation. The medical faculties at German-speaking universities should make it their priority to offer these services to the student on a permanent basis. [source] Partnership Dissolution in the UK , the Role of Economic CircumstancesOXFORD BULLETIN OF ECONOMICS & STATISTICS, Issue 2 2001Rene Boheim Estimates based on couples with dependent children in the first eight years of the British Household Panel Study (1991-98) indicate that changes in a couple's economic circumstances affect the probability that a partnership dissolves. In particular, unexpected improvements in finances substantially reduce the dissolution risk, which strongly supports the importance of new information in decisions concerning partnership dissolution. Measures of a couple's own expectations concerning their financial situation over the coming year have been used in conjunction with realised changes to gauge the impact of unexpected changes. The study also finds that the risk of partnership dissolution increases with the number of children. [source] Attitude of health-care providers toward childhood leukemia patients with different socio-economic status,PEDIATRIC BLOOD & CANCER, Issue 5 2008Saskia Mostert MD Abstract Background Treatment results differ significantly between poor and prosperous children with leukemia in Indonesia. The objective of this study was to determine whether parental socio-economic status influences beliefs, attitude, and behavior of health-care providers (hcp) treating childhood leukemia in Indonesia. Procedure A self-administered semi-structured questionnaire was filled in by 102 hcp (69 doctors, 28 nurses, 2 psychologists, 2 hematology technicians, 1 administrator). Results Most hcp (98%) asked parents about their financial situation. The decision to start treatment was influenced by parental socio-economic status (86%), motivation of parents (80%), and motivation of doctors (76%). Health-care providers stated that prosperous patients comply better with treatment (64%), doctors comply better with treatment for the prosperous (53%), most patients cannot afford to complete treatment (58%), less extensive explanations are given toward poor families (60%), and communication is impeded by differences in status (67%). When dealing with prosperous families a minority of hcp stated that they pay more attention (27%), work with greater accuracy (24%), take more interest (23%), and devote more time per visit (22%). Most hcp denied differences in the quality of medical care (93%) and the chances of cure (58%) between poor and prosperous patients. Conclusions Beliefs, attitude, and behavior of hcp toward poor versus prosperous patients appeared to differ. These differences may contribute to the immense drop-out rate and slight chances of survival among poor patients with leukemia in developing countries. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2008;50:1001,1005. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Independence and self-provision in old age: how realistic are these goals?AUSTRALASIAN JOURNAL ON AGEING, Issue 3 2004Rob Ranzijn Objectives:,The aim of the present paper was to examine the relationship between perceived choices in work and retirement in middle age and financial security and confidence about the future in old age. Methods:,A qualitative study of 30 middle-aged adults in Adelaide and Whyalla in South Australia, either presently employed, unemployed or retired, were interviewed about their work histories, the factors in their work changes, their perceived options concerning future work and retirement, and their anticipated financial security and sources of income in retirement. Results:,In general, participants with a history of continuous stable employment believed they were in a good financial situation and were confident about their future, but many of the participants had a history of precarious employment, no financial security, and expected to rely primarily on government support in their old age. Conclusion:,A substantial proportion of older adults may not be able to provide for themselves in later life without public policies which are more interventionist. [source] Academic Paths, Ageing and the Living Conditions of Students in the Late 20th Century,CANADIAN REVIEW OF SOCIOLOGY/REVUE CANADIENNE DE SOCIOLOGIE, Issue 2 2001Arnaud Sales Le monde étudiant est profondément marqué par la diversité des tra-jectoires individuelles, qui sont souvent très éloignées d'un déroule-ment linéaire des études. Les conséquences sur l'âge des étudiants sont majeures, et la condition étudiante ne peut plus être définie comme une expérience strictement juvénile. Or, entre 20 et 30 ans, l'âge engendre des impératifs différentiels sur le plan des conditions et des modes de vie qui ne sont pas toujours compatibles avec la condition étudiante classique. Cette étude des parcours et de la situation financière des étudiants des universités québécoises de langue françhise et anglaise montre comment s'opère la déconnexion entre jeunesse et condition étudiante, et comment cette déconnexion influe sur la différenciation des conditions de vie et de financement des études. Student life is profoundly marked by the diversity of individual trajectories, which are in stark contrast with the linear path traditionally taken by students. The impact on the age of the student population is significant: indeed, student life can no longer be qualified as strictly for the young. Between the ages of 20 and 30 years, different imperatives come into play in terms of living conditions and lifestyle. These imperatives are not always compatible with the conditions of classic student life. This study of the academic paths and the financial situation of Quebec university students shows how the disconnection between student condition and youth occurs and how this disconnection impacts the differentiation of student's living conditions and modes of financing university studies. [source] The influence of gender on the new-age elderly's consumption orientationPSYCHOLOGY & MARKETING, Issue 10 2001Elaine Sherman This article offers some fresh insights on the richness of cognitive age as it is implicitly embodied as part of the conceptual and operational definition of the New-Age Elderly (and their counterpart,the Traditional Elderly). First, the research provides evidence of the reliability and validity of the NAVO scale, a relatively new measurement instrument, designed to identify the New-Age Elderly consumer. Then, as an important piece of new learning, the article explores the influence of gender on older consumers' consumption orientations. Among other things, the research indicates that older women (as compared to older men) seem to be more price conscious and more responsive to retail special and incentives, that they are more adventurous, and that they generally possess more market-relevant knowledge in the form of shopping smarts. Still further, the research reveals that both New-Age Elderly men and New-Age Elderly women tend to be more optimistic about their financial situations than their Traditional Elderly counterparts. The article ends by offering suggestions relevant to the need for specific future research, and the potential marketing strategy implications of the research. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. [source] | ||||||||||||||||