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American Countries (american + country)
Kinds of American Countries Selected AbstractsMean and Variance Causality between Official and Parallel Currency Markets: Evidence from Four Latin American CountriesFINANCIAL REVIEW, Issue 2 2002Angelos Kanas This paper examines the issue of mean and variance causality across four Latin American official and black markets for foreign currency using monthly data for the period 1976,1993. We apply a recent test developed by Cheung and Ng (1996) in order to test for mean and variance spillovers. The main findings are: (1) In contrast to the findings of previous studies, EGARCH-M processes characterize each bilateral exchange rate series in both markets; (2) There is substantial evidence of causality in both mean and variance with the causality in mean largely being driven by the causality in variance; and (3) The results indicate that the major exporter of causality is the Mexican black market with the black market of Argentina and the black and official markets of Brazil being the smallest contributors. [source] IS TIGHTER FISCAL POLICY EXPANSIONARY UNDER FISCAL DOMINANCE?: HYPERCROWDING OUT IN LATIN AMERICACONTEMPORARY ECONOMIC POLICY, Issue 2 2010WILLIAM C. GRUBEN Hypercrowding out occurs when fiscally dominated governments' domestic credit demands are so intrusive to a nation's financial system that a move toward fiscal surplus lowers interest rates and increases growth. We sample nine Latin American countries to test for these relationships. The impulse-response results of vector error correction models, six nations test positive for these two connections, suggesting market concern despite recent efforts toward fiscal balance. (JEL E430, E620, O230, O540) [source] Public capital formation and labor productivity growth in ChileCONTEMPORARY ECONOMIC POLICY, Issue 2 2000MD. Ramirez Following the lead of the endogenous growth literature, this article analyzes the impact on labor productivity growth of public and private investment spending in Chile. Using cointegration analysis, the results of the dynamic labor productivity function for the 1960,95 period show that (lagged) public and private investment spending, as well as the rate of growth in exports, has a positive and highly significant effect on the rate of labor productivity growth. The estimates also indicate that increases in government consumption spending have a negative effect on the rate of labor productivity growth, thus suggesting that the composition of government spending may also play an important role in determining the rate of labor productivity growth. The findings call into question the politically expedient policy in many Latin American countries of disproportionately reducing public capital expenditures to meet targeted reductions in the fiscal deficit as a proportion of GDP. [source] CONSUMING CLASS: Multilevel Marketers in Neoliberal MexicoCULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 3 2008PETER S. CAHN ABSTRACT Since the 1980s, Mexican leaders have followed other Latin American countries in pursuing neoliberal economic policies designed to stimulate foreign investment, reduce public spending, and promote free trade. Recent studies of indigenous movements and popular protests challenge the idea that these market-based economic reforms enjoy a broad consensus and suggest that elites impose them by force. By turning the focus to middle-class Mexicans, I argue that some nonelite sectors of society avidly welcome the reign of the free market. Although they do not profit directly from unregulated capitalism, the middle class looks to neoliberalism to ensure access to the material markers of class status. The rising popularity of multilevel marketing companies in Mexico, which glorify consumption and celebrate the possibilities of entrepreneurship, demonstrates the appeal of neoliberalism to citizens fearful of diminished purchasing power. By tying consumption to globalized free markets, neoliberalism does not need coercion to win acceptance. [source] Brazil's Bolsa Família: A Double-Edged Sword?DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE, Issue 5 2008Anthony Hall ABSTRACT In common with most Latin American countries, as governments embrace safety nets to attack poverty, conditional cash transfer (CCT) programmes have become part of mainstream social policy in Brazil. Under president Fernando Henrique Cardoso (1995,2002), and especially since Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took office in 2003, targeted assistance in education, health and nutrition, now united under Bolsa Família, have expanded rapidly to benefit forty-four million (24 per cent of the total population), absorbing almost two-fifths of the social assistance budget earmarked for the poorest sectors. Despite its operational problems, Bolsa Família appears to have been effective in providing short-term relief to some of the most deprived groups in Brazil. Yet it could prove to be a double-edged sword. There is a risk that, due to its popularity among both the poor and Brazil's politicians, Bolsa Família could greatly increase patronage in the distribution of economic and social benefits and induce a strong dependence on government handouts. There are also early signs that it may be contributing to a reduction in social spending in key sectors such as education, housing and basic sanitation, possibly undermining the country's future social and economic development. [source] The Rise of China: Implications for Latin American DevelopmentDEVELOPMENT POLICY REVIEW, Issue 4 2009Eva Paus This article analyses the implications of the rapid economic rise of China for the development prospects of Latin America. Based on an analysis of the changing trade relations between China and 15 Latin American countries over the period 2000,6, it argues that these relations have significantly exacerbated the subcontinent's dilemma of being caught in the middle-income trap. At the same time, some of the key drivers behind China's economic success point to a possible solution, first and foremost the lessons provided by its proactive development strategy which has focused on developing domestic technological capabilities and diversifying the productive structure with a move up the value chain. [source] The prevalence of methamphetamine and amphetamine abuse in North America: a review of the indicators, 1992,2007DRUG AND ALCOHOL REVIEW, Issue 3 2008JANE CARLISLE MAXWELL PhD Senior Research Scientist Abstract Introduction. This paper reviews epidemiological information about methamphetamine production and use in North America. Methods. Information is drawn from a range of sources, including, but not limited to, historical accounts, peer-reviewed papers, population surveys and large national databases. Results. Methamphetamine and amphetamine use in North America is characterised by geographic variations, with different types of the drug, different routes of administration and different types of users at various times. Unlike some other drug use patterns in North America, the nature of methamphetamine use in Canada, Mexico and the United States has been linked closely in terms of production and supply of the drug. According to their national household surveys, the annual prevalence for ,speed' use in Canada was 0.8% in 2004, 0.3% for ,anfetaminas' and 0.1% for ,metanfetaminas' in Mexico in 2002, and 1.4% for ,stimulants' in the United States in 2006. Discussion. Although the data sources in the three North American countries are not consistent in methodology, terminology or frequency of reporting, all show similar trends. The type of stimulant most used has shifted from non-medical use of pharmaceutical amphetamine to use of powder methamphetamine and then to use of ,ice'. The indicators show the problem is greatest in the western parts of the countries and is moving eastward, but the decreased availability of pseudoephedrine may have a significant impact on the nature of the epidemic in the future. Nevertheless, use of methamphetamine poses a number of risks for users and specialised treatment resources for these various populations are needed. [source] BANKING SPREADS IN LATIN AMERICAECONOMIC INQUIRY, Issue 4 2009R. GASTON GELOS Intermediation spreads in Latin America are high by international standards. This paper examines the determinants of bank interest margins in that region using bank- and country-level data from 85 countries, including 14 Latin American economies. The results suggest that Latin America has higher interest rates, less efficient banks, and larger reserve requirements than other regions and that these factors have a significant impact on spreads. However, Latin American countries do not differ markedly from their peers in other aspects that are found important in determining the cost of financial intermediation, such as inflation and bank profit taxation. (JEL E43, E44, G21, O54) [source] Comparison of dental licensure, specialization and continuing education in five countriesEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF DENTAL EDUCATION, Issue 4 2002Titus Schleyer Dental practice and education are becoming more globalized. Greater practitioner and patient mobility, the free flow of information, increasingly global standards of care and new legal and economic frameworks (such as European Union [EU] legislation) are forcing a review of dental licensure, specialization and continuing education systems. The objective of this study was to compare these systems in Canada, France, Germany, the UK and the US. Representatives from the five countries completed a 29-item questionnaire, and the information was collated and summarized qualitatively. Statutory bodies are responsible for licensing and re-licensing in all countries. In the two North American countries, this responsibility rests with individual states, and in Europe, with the countries themselves, mainly governed by the legal framework of the EU. In some countries, re-licensure requires completion of continuing education credits. Approaches to dental specialization tend to differ widely with regard to definition of specialities, course and duration of training, training facilities, and accreditation of training programmes. In most countries, continuing education is provided by a number of different entities, such as universities, dental associations, companies, institutes and private individuals. Accreditation and recognition of continuing education is primarily process-driven, not outcome-orientated. Working towards a global infrastructure for dental licensing, specialization and continuing education depends on a thorough understanding of the international commonalities and differences identified in this article. [source] Gender and Welfare Reform in Post- Revolutionary MexicoGENDER & HISTORY, Issue 1 2008Nichole Sanders This article discusses the impact a gender and woman's history conference had on the development of my own research and writing. ,Las Olvidadas' was a conference held at Yale in the Spring of 2001, and was the first in a series of Mexican women's and gender history conferences organised. My own research, on the gendered nature of the welfare state in Mexico, explores how class and race intersected with gender to produce a welfare system that, while particular to Mexico, also nevertheless had much in common with other Latin American countries. These conferences shaped both my views of gender, but also the importance of the transnational to historical research. [source] Urban Primacy: Reopening the DebateGEOGRAPHY COMPASS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 3 2009John Rennie Short This paper reviews the empirical and theoretical material on urban primacy. The problems with data are highlighted. A measure of primacy is estimated and calculated for most countries in the world. Countries with relatively high rates of primacy are noted. The hyperprimacy of Thailand is discussed as well as the high primacy in middle-income Latin American countries, low-income African countries, and selected European countries. Countries with very low primacy rates are identified. A retheorization of urban primacy is suggested with more emphasis on history, geography and scale. [source] Informal Work in Latin America: Competing Perspectives and Recent DebatesGEOGRAPHY COMPASS (ELECTRONIC), Issue 1 2009James J. Biles During the ,lost decade' of the 1980s, informal work and self-employment emerged as the most prevalent forms of work throughout Latin America. In response to the economic crisis, the majority of Latin American countries adopted a series of sweeping neoliberal reforms designed to open nations to trade and investment, promote export-led growth, and generate employment, ultimately reducing the incidence of informal work. Despite the widespread adherence to the neoliberal model and implementation of structural adjustment reforms during the past quarter century, informal work has not diminished and in much of Latin America the odds of finding ,decent work' are no better today than during the economic crisis of the 1980s. In light of this seeming paradox, this article offers an overview of the recent debates and controversies surrounding informal work in Latin America. Drawing on recent research, as well as reports and policy documents from key international organizations, I pose and attempt to answer four core questions: What counts as informal work? Who works informally in Latin America? Why do men and women throughout Latin America increasingly resort to informal work? What role does informal work play as a livelihood strategy in Latin America and how has this role changed in recent years? [source] Hepatitis C virus infection among HIV-1 infected individuals from northern MexicoHEPATOLOGY RESEARCH, Issue 5 2007Ana M. Rivas-Estilla Aims:, The prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, risk factors and HCV genotypes in 140 HIV-1 infected individuals from northern Mexico was determined. Methods:, Hepatitis C infection was confirmed by the detection of anti-HCV antibodies and HCV-RNA in sera, and genotyping was performed by the InnoLiPA-HCV genotype assay. Results:, Seventeen (12.1%) out of 140 HIV-infected individuals were found to be HCV-positive. Coinfected individuals were more likely to be male (87%). The most frequent genotype was 1a (41%), followed by 1b (29.4%), 2a/c (17.6%), 2b (5.9%) and 3 (5.9%). Serum transaminase concentrations (AST and ALT) were higher in coinfected patients. Among the risk factors for coinfection: sexual transmission was the most frequently observed (men who have sex with men (MSM); 64.7% and bisexual behavior; 64.7%) followed by intravenous drug users (IVDU) (53%). There was no association of the HCV genotypes with the age and risk factors for HIV-1 and HCV infection observed in the studied patients. Conclusion:, The results suggest that the prevalence of HIV-1/HCV coinfection in Mexico is lower than in other American countries. [source] The Limits of Women's Quotas in BrazilIDS BULLETIN, Issue 5 2010Clara Araújo In this article, I examine the case of Brazil which, unlike many other Latin American countries, is an example of where quotas are not working. Drawing on over ten years of research and exploring the dynamics of a varied group of political parties, I contest that male resistance is not the only reason behind this failure. Vagueness around the quota law and a lack of sanctions, together with the elitist nature of politics in Brazil are all contributing factors. My research has also revealed a few anomalies, showing that contrary to much of the literature, women would seem to fare better in elections within less developed and smaller states in Brazil. In conclusion, I propose that in order to move forward and get quotas, working reform measures are needed to strengthen the law, but in addition, women's access to financial support for campaigning needs to be fully understood. [source] Tourism demand response by residents of Latin American countriesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF TOURISM RESEARCH, Issue 1 2009Manuel Vanegas Sr Abstract A general-to-specific methodology was used to build international tourism demand models by residents from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela to Aruba. We seek to evaluate demand parameters, especially elasticity values, which were disaggregated on a country-to-country basis. We also aim to learn more about the structure and important variables and investigate the process of adjustment. The study has provided new and compelling evidence that, in the short run, residents in developing countries respond rationally and substantially to economic stimulus. The short-run income elasticity ranges from the low of 1.52 for Venezuela to the high of 2.34 for Argentina. These results indicate that Aruba will benefit differently from income increases in these four Latin American countries. The coefficients of the price variable had the expected negative signs, inelastic in the short-run for all countries but significant at the 5% level for Venezuela only. Any deliberate effort to expand tourist arrivals will require a much larger decline in prices than would be the case in the presence of short-run elastic response. The adjustment elasticity, being less than one, suggests that a period of more than one year is required for Latin American residents to fully adjust their tourism decisions in response to demand shocks. This study would seem to provide some useful information about international tourism demand from developing to developing countries that could form a very good and solid basis for analyses and policy action. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Can Migration Foster Development in Mexico?INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION, Issue 5 2009Inequality, The Case of Poverty The impact of migration on development can be analysed from a number of perspectives. This article focuses on poverty and inequality. It assesses the relative contribution of migrants to Mexico,s economy through remittances, compared to other Latin American countries; analyses the distributional impact of remittances (with an emphasis on the poor), and compares this impact to the counterfactual impact of migrants' stay-at-home income. It explains the processes leading to scant economic success rates among poor international migrants. Finally, it describes the nature and impact of current Mexican migrant-oriented policies, and recommends a shift in focus, to lessen emigration, increase the income of migrants, promote returns, and bolster the economic impact of returning migrants. [source] Migration of Highly Skilled Chinese to Europe: Trends and PerspectiveINTERNATIONAL MIGRATION, Issue 3 2003Guochu Zhang Since China's economic opening and reforms in 1978, the country has broadened and deepened its exchanges and relations with other countries. This has contributed to the increase in the scale of international migration of highly skilled Chinese abroad. The impact of the migration of highly skilled Chinese on China and the relevant nations particularly deserve attention and study. Following the earlier migration flows mainly to the United States, Japan, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, the migration of highly skilled Chinese to Europe has become a notable new trend. Currently, the flow of international migration of highly skilled Chinese personnel is mainly oriented toward Europe and the United States. While studying abroad has been the main form of migration of the skilled, this has now been joined by the migration of technical and professional staff, and the trend is increasing. The main country of destination for Chinese students is the United States, which absorbs more than half of the total, while Australia and Canada receive the largest number of skilled Chinese manpower. The United States also receives a large number of Chinese technical personnel, but its proportion has declined, while the flow to Europe has sharply increased. This development may be attributed to the global expansion of economic, scientific and technological, as well as cultural and educational exchanges and cooperation. But it is also the result of an increase in the educational investment made by the Chinese people following the continuous increase in China's economic strength and the population's personal income. Of greater importance are the gaps between China and Europe at the scientific, technological, and educational levels and the research and marketing environment. The intervening changes in labour market and immigration policies in European and American countries accelerate the trend further. For all of these and other reasons, the spatial distribution of Chinese students will become more balanced and play a positive role in the promotion of mutually beneficial exchanges between China and other countries. [source] Labor Migration between Developing Countries: The Case of Paraguay and Argentina,INTERNATIONAL MIGRATION REVIEW, Issue 1 2003Emilio A. Parrado Despite the historical and numerical importance of international migration between Paraguay and Argentina, the socioeconomic forces affecting the dynamics of the flow remain largely unexplored. This article contributes to the understanding of migration movements between the Latin American countries by analyzing patterns of labor migration from two Paraguayan communities to Argentina. The analysis separates the process of migration into four segments representing different migration decisions that Paraguayan men face throughout their life course: first trip, first return, recurrent trips, and duration of additional trips. Results confirm that Paraguayan migration to Argentina is closely related to individual characteristics and wealth, the extent of migrant networks and experience, and changes in macroeconomic conditions. The relative importance of these factors on migration varies depending on the aspect of migration under consideration. More generally, the analysis shows that unlike migration between Mexico and the United States, Paraguayan migrants to Argentina tend to be positively selected with respect to educational attainment and skills. This reflects the higher transferability of skills between the two countries and the absence of large urban centers attracting internal migrants in Paraguay. In addition, results show that migration between Paraguay and Argentina is very responsive to fluctuations in macroeconomic conditions, particularly income differentials and peso over-valuation. Government policies oriented towards the regulation of migration flows in the Southern Cone should pay closer attention to the impact of macroeconomic fluctuations on migration decisions, especially in the context of the Mercosur agreement. [source] Hearing Latin American Voices in International Relations StudiesINTERNATIONAL STUDIES PERSPECTIVES, Issue 4 2003Arlene B. Tickner This article offers a general account of international relations studies (IR) in Latin America through an examination of IR thinking in the region, an inventory of IR theory courses in seven Latin American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Trinidad and Tobago), and an analysis of journal articles selected from five specialized IR journals in Latin America. Although considerable U.S. influence upon the ways in which IR is approached in Latin America is made apparent through this narrative, the specific context in which IR studies have evolved in the region has substantially altered the content of U.S. IR discourse. Therefore, the article concludes with a discussion of the possible contributions of Latin American IR to Anglo-American perspectives in the field. [source] Whither Latin America? trends and challenges of science in Latin AmericaIUBMB LIFE, Issue 4-5 2007Marcelo Hermes-Lima Abstract Science in Latin America has experienced vigorous growth in the past decade, as demonstrated by the fact that the Latin American share of the world's scientific publications increased from 1.8% in 1991 - 1995 to 3.4% in 1999 - 2003. Significant growth has also taken place in the numbers of PhDs in science and engineering (S&E) awarded in Latin American countries in recent years, including those in the natural sciences. Importantly, albeit at different rates, growth has been verified in almost all countries in the region, indicating a general effort to promote the development of S&E. In most research fields, however, the recognition or relative impact of Latin American science, as measured by the average number of citations received by published articles (CpP), is still below world averages and much lower than in developed nations. We show that average CpP values for a set of 34 representative developing and developed countries correlate significantly with gross expenditure in research and development (GERD), with gross domestic product (GDP) per capita and with the number of researchers per million inhabitants (RpM). Among those countries, Latin American nations present some of the lowest average values of CpP (<6), GERD (,1% of GDP) and RpM (<2,000). We also examined recent trends in scientific activity in Latin America, with focus on the natural sciences and on biochemistry and molecular biology (BMB). In terms of citation scores, publications in BMB compare favorably to those in other research fields within Latin America. At the same time, however, Latin American BMB is one of the areas for which relative impact - compared to developed nations or normalized to world averages - is lowest. These observations clearly indicate the need to establish effective policies to increase competitiveness in terms of the quality and international recognition of Latin American natural sciences in general, and BMB in particular, as opposed to merely increasing the absolute numbers of publications or the numbers of PhDs awarded in the region. IUBMB Life, 59: 199-210, 2007 [source] Population genetic analysis of the Brahman cattle (Bos indicus) in Colombia with microsatellite markersJOURNAL OF ANIMAL BREEDING AND GENETICS, Issue 2 2010M.A. Novoa Summary The Brahman is one of the most popular breeds for meat production in the Neotropics. However, genetic studies of the breed in Latin American countries have only recently begun. In total, 178 animals of the Brahman breed from 20 Colombian provinces were genotyped at 11 microsatellite markers with the aim of studying the genetic diversity of this population and its genetic relationships with zebuine and taurine breeds. The outcomes of multivariate analyses, Bayesian inferences and inter-individual genetic distances suggested that there is no genetic sub-structure in the population, because of the high rate of animal migration among provinces. The population shows a high degree of heterozygosity and allelic diversity compared with other breeds, reflecting its multibreed origin. The study of the genetic relationships among the breeds reveals that the Brahman breed belongs to the zebuine group. However, it is the population nearest to taurine breeds with high frequencies of taurine alleles. Intensive artificial selection may have favoured the taurine alleles after the breed was formed. There has also been some degree of mixture with local taurine breeds while the Brahman breed has evolved in Colombia. [source] Immigration and femininity in Southern Europe: A gender-based psychosocial analysisJOURNAL OF COMMUNITY & APPLIED SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 5 2008J. M. González-González Abstract Despite the growing presence of female immigrants in Western countries, research on the subject highlights two important biases that hinder appropriate explanation of the migratory phenomenon and hence prevent adequate intervention. First, most of the research studies conducted so far focus on male migration; second, the macro-social perspective has prevailed in these areas of study since socio-economic and political aspects have taken centre stage in analyses on migratory phenomena, From a gender-based psychosocial perspective, this study addresses the migration project of 53 women from different South American countries, the Maghreb region and Eastern Europe now living in Southern Spain. For this purpose we conducted 23 in-depth interviews, and staged six discussion groups with the aim of elucidating to what extent gender-based psychosocial beliefs,stereotypes, ideology and identity,determine women's migration process. Our results suggest that the main stages in the process,deciding to emigrate, itinerary for social and labour integration in the host country, and general assessment of the migration experience,are strongly influenced by psychosociological constructs which arise as a result of female gender-typing or female profile. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Hydroa-like lymphoma with CD56 expressionJOURNAL OF CUTANEOUS PATHOLOGY, Issue 5 2008Katherine Doeden Hydroa-like lymphoma is an extremely rare and aggressive lymphoma described in children from Latin American countries (Mexico, Guatemala and Peru) and Asia (Japan, Korea and Taiwan). Clinically, patients present with vesicles, ulcers and scars occurring on both sun-exposed and non-sun-exposed areas. In contrast to classical hydroa vacciniforme, hydroa-like lymphoma is associated with systemic lymphoma of T-cell type that expresses either CD4 or CD8. We report the findings from two unusual cases of hydroa-like lymphoma that, unlike the cases described thus far in the literature, express CD56 and resemble natural killer cell lymphomas. Two 9-year-old boys presented with clinical histories of waxing and waning ulcerative blistering lesions since 3 years of age. Histological examination of skin biopsies from both cases showed periappendigeal infiltrates of atypical lymphocytes. Immunohistochemical studies showed that the cells were highlighted by markers for CD3, CD56 and CD30, but did not express CD4 and CD8. Both patients were alive with disease 1 year later. Hydroa-like lymphoma with natural killer-cell phenotype may have a similar outcome to T-cell derived hydroa-like lymphoma, but the prognosis appears to be better than classic NK lymphomas, which in general behave in an aggressive fashion. [source] Foreign exchange pressures in Latin America: Does debt matter?JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, Issue 5 2008Alex Mandilaras Abstract Latin American countries have been in the eye of economic and financial storms several times in recent years. Advice from the International Monetary Fund has consistently highlighted the need for sound fiscal policies and lower debt levels. But is public debt relevant? Following a brief discussion of the theoretical issues involved, this paper examines empirically the relationship between public indebtedness and pressures in the foreign exchange market. Alternative measures are used to capture the latter and the analysis controls for a de facto classification of exchange rate regimes. Estimations of static and dynamic panels for 28 Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries report substantial fiscal effects. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Survey of laxative use by adults with self-defined constipation in South America and Asia: a comparison of six countriesALIMENTARY PHARMACOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS, Issue 2 2010A. WALD Summary Background, In contrast to the US and Europe, prevalence and laxative use for self-defined constipation among adults was previously reported to be unassociated with age among adults in South Korea and Brazil. Aim, To determine whether observations in South Korea and Brazil are reflective of other Asian and South American countries. Methods, A total of 8100 adults from Argentina, Colombia, Indonesia and China completed a questionnaire identical to that previously used in South Korea and Brazil. Results, Prevalence of constipation was similar to that reported for Brazil and South Korea and was 2.17-fold (95% CI: 1.71,2.64) higher amongst women than amongst men. Prevalence increased with age amongst all adults in Argentina and China and only among men in Colombia and Brazil. With the exception of Indonesia, the majority of those with constipation had symptoms at least once weekly, and for ,3 years. Less than one-third of adults reported using laxatives to treat constipation. Laxative use was not associated with gender and increased with age in Argentina and Colombia. Conclusions, No clear geographical or cultural tendencies were observed in the prevalence of constipation and laxative use among the South American and Asian countries studied in this survey. Aliment Pharmacol Ther,31, 274,284 [source] Institutional Change and Ethnic Parties in South AmericaLATIN AMERICAN POLITICS AND SOCIETY, Issue 2 2003Donna Lee Van Cott ABSTRACT The central question of this article is why indigenous social movements formed electorally viable political parties in Latin America in the 1990s. This development represents a new phenomenon in Latin America, where ethnic parties have been both rare and unpopular among voters. Institutional reforms in six South American countries are examined to see if the creation and success of these parties can be correlated with changes in electoral systems, political party registration requirements, or the administrative structure of the state. The study concludes that institutional change is likely to be a necessary but not sufficient condition for the emergence and electoral viability of ethnic parties. [source] "We Have A Consensus": Explaining Political Support for Market Reforms in Latin AmericaLATIN AMERICAN POLITICS AND SOCIETY, Issue 2 2002Leslie Elliott Armijo ABSTRACT By the 1990s, to the astonishment of many ob0servers, most Latin American countries had reformed their systems of national economic governance along market lines. Many analysts of this shift have assumed that it circumvented normal political processes, presuming that such reforms could not be popular. Explanations emphasizing economic crisis, external assistance, and politically insulated executives illustrate this approach. Through a qualitative investigation of the reform process in the region's four most industrialized countries, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico, this study argues, to the contrary, that reforming governments found or created both elite and mass political support for their policies. [source] Asthma in Latin America: a public heath challenge and research opportunityALLERGY, Issue 1 2009P. J. Cooper ,Asthma has emerged as an important public health problem in many Latin American countries over the past decade. In Brazil and Costa Rica, the prevalence of asthma and associated morbidity is as great or greater as reported in traditional high prevalence countries such as the US, but remains neglected as a public health priority. Asthma in Latin America is associated particularly with underprivileged populations living in cities but remains relatively rare in many rural populations. The causes of asthma in Latin America are likely to be associated with urbanization, migration, and the adoption of a modern ,Westernized' lifestyle and environmental changes that follow these processes that include changes in diet, physical activity, hygiene, and exposures to allergens, irritants, and outdoor and indoor pollutants. Because of the enormous social, genetic, and environmental contrasts within and between Latin American countries, and the large differences in prevalence associated with these differences, the investigation of asthma in Latin America provides important research opportunities to identify the social and biological mechanisms that underlie asthma development. Asthma in Latin America poses enormous challenges for health policy makers, health services, and researchers to respond to and alleviate the growing burden of asthma disability, particularly among marginalized urban populations. [source] Maternal history, sensitization to allergens, and current wheezing, rhinitis, and eczema among children in Costa RicaPEDIATRIC PULMONOLOGY, Issue 4 2002Manuel E. Soto-Quiros MD Abstract Little is known about the factors associated with asthma, allergic rhinitis, and eczema in Latin American countries. We investigated the relation between potential risk factors and current wheezing, allergic rhinitis, and eczema among 208 Costa Rican children aged 10,13 years participating in phase II of the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood (ISAAC). The geometric mean (,±,SD) serum total IgE level of children with current wheezing was significantly higher than that of children without current wheezing (533.8,±,5.2 vs. 144.7,± 6.0 IU/mL, P,<,0.01). In a multivariate analysis, a maternal history of asthma, skin test reactivity (STR) to house dust mites, and STR to Alternaria were significantly associated with current wheezing. Children who had a maternal history of asthma had 2.4 times higher odds of current wheezing than those without maternal history of asthma (95% CI for OR,=,1.1,5.3). Sensitization to either house dust mite or Alternaria was associated with 3.3 times increased odds of current wheezing (95% CI for OR for STR to dust mite,=,1.6,6.7; 95% CI for OR for STR to Alternaria,=,1.1,11.0). In a multivariate analysis, STR to house dust mite and STR to cat dander were significantly associated with allergic rhinitis, and a maternal history of eczema and STR to dog dander were associated with eczema in the child. The interaction between familial factors and lifestyle changes resulting from social reforms implemented 60 years ago may explain the high prevalence of atopic diseases in Costa Rica. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2002; 33:237,243. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Latin America and the Social Contract: Patterns of Social Spending and TaxationPOPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW, Issue 4 2009Karla Breceda This article analyzes the incidence of social spending and taxation by income quintile for seven Latin American countries, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Absolute levels of social spending in Latin America are fairly flat across income quintiles, a pattern similar to that in the United States and differing from the more progressive pattern of spending in the United Kingdom. The structure of taxation in Latin America is also similar to that of the United States. Because of high income inequality in Latin America and the US, the rich bear of most the burden, whereas the United Kingdom taxes the middle class to a greater extent. The analysis suggests that many Latin American countries are trapped in a vicious cycle in which the rich resist the expansion of the welfare state (because they bear most of its tax burden without receiving commensurate benefits), and their opposition to its expansion in turn maintains long-term inequalities. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||