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Hiyoshi A, Honjo K, Platts LG, Suzuki Y, Shipley MJ, Iso H, Kondo N, Brunner EJ. Trends in health and health inequality during the Japanese economic stagnation: Implications for a healthy planet. SSM Popul Health 2023; 22:101356. [PMID: 36852377 PMCID: PMC9958394 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2023.101356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/04/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Human health and wellbeing may depend on economic growth, the implication being that policymakers need to choose between population health and the health of ecosystems. Over two decades of low economic growth, Japan's life expectancy grew. Here we assess the temporal changes of subjective health and health inequality during the long-term low economic growth period. Methods Eight triennial cross-sectional nationally representative surveys in Japan over the period of economic stagnation from 1992 to 2013 were used (n = 625,262). Health is defined positively as wellbeing, and negatively as poor health, based on self-rated health. We used Slope and Relative Indices of Inequality to model inequalities in self-rated health based on household income. Temporal changes in health and health inequalities over time were examined separately for children/adolescents, working-age adults, young-old and old-old. Results At the end of the period of economic stagnation (2013), compared to the beginning (1992), the overall prevalence of wellbeing declined slightly in all age groups. However, poor health was stable or declined in the young-old and old-old, respectively, and increased only in working-age adults (Prevalence ratio: 1.14, 95% CI 1.08, 1.20, <0.001). Over time, inequality in wellbeing and poor self-rated health were observed in adults but less consistently for children, but the inequalities did not widen in any age group between the start and end of the stagnation period. Conclusions Although this study was a case study of one country, Japan, and inference to other countries cannot be made with certainty, the findings provide evidence that low economic growth over two decades did not inevitably translate to unfavourable population health. Japanese health inequalities according to income were stable during the study period. Therefore, this study highlighted the possibility that for high-income countries, low economic growth may be compatible with good population health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayako Hiyoshi
- Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
- Corresponding author. . Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden.
| | - Kaori Honjo
- Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Loretta G. Platts
- Stress Research Institute, Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Yuka Suzuki
- Department of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Martin J. Shipley
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK
| | - Hiroyasu Iso
- Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka, Japan
- Institute for Global Health and Medicine, Bureau of International Health Cooperation, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naoki Kondo
- Department of Social Epidemiology, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Eric J. Brunner
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, London, UK
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Correlates of the country differences in the infection and mortality rates during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic: evidence from Bayesian model averaging. Sci Rep 2022; 12:7099. [PMID: 35501339 PMCID: PMC9058748 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-10894-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in great discrepancies in both infection and mortality rates between countries. Besides the biological and epidemiological factors, a multitude of social and economic criteria also influenced the extent to which these discrepancies appeared. Consequently, there is an active debate regarding the critical socio-economic and health factors that correlate with the infection and mortality rates outcome of the pandemic. Here, we leverage Bayesian model averaging techniques and country level data to investigate whether 28 variables, which describe a diverse set of health and socio-economic characteristics, correlate with the final number of infections and deaths during the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic. We show that only a few variables are able to robustly correlate with these outcomes. To understand the relationship between the potential correlates in explaining the infection and death rates, we create a Jointness Space. Using this space, we conclude that the extent to which each variable is able to provide a credible explanation for the COVID-19 infections/mortality outcome varies between countries because of their heterogeneous features.
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Marshall GL, Ingraham B, Major J, Kahana E, Stansbury K. Modeling the impact of financial hardship and age on self-rated health and depressive symptoms pre/post the great recession. SSM Popul Health 2022; 18:101102. [PMID: 35607356 PMCID: PMC9123258 DOI: 10.1016/j.ssmph.2022.101102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Stressful life events such as a recession, could be devastating on a macro and micro level. Although there have been a number of articles written examining the health effects of the recession, little is known about age differences in the relationship between financial stressors and health pre and post the 2008 recession. Using the Health and Retirement study, we investigated the relationship between two forms of financial hardships, mental and physical health among middle aged (N = 4403) and older adults) (N = 2709). Our findings indicate that with regard to financial hardships experienced pre/post recessionary periods there are differences by age. Specifically, older adults tend to report having less financial hardship than their younger counterparts. Additionally, reduced medication use due to costs was a significant predictor of poor self-rated health among middle aged participants compared to older adults. These results highlight the selective impact of recessions on certain age groups. They also suggests that economic recessions may also produce short-term procyclical health effects. Future research should focus on the relationship between other sources of financial hardship among middle-aged and older adults pre/post-recession at shorter time intervals. This is a longitudinal study using the Health and Retirement Study data from 2006-2016. Examines the relationship between financial hardships and health outcomes before, during and after the great recession. Few studies have explored age differences and financial-related stressors pre and post the 2008 recession.
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Hirsch JA, Moore KA, Cahill J, Quinn J, Zhao Y, Bayer FJ, Rundle A, Lovasi GS. Business Data Categorization and Refinement for Application in Longitudinal Neighborhood Health Research: a Methodology. J Urban Health 2021; 98:271-284. [PMID: 33005987 PMCID: PMC8079597 DOI: 10.1007/s11524-020-00482-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Retail environments, such as healthcare locations, food stores, and recreation facilities, may be relevant to many health behaviors and outcomes. However, minimal guidance on how to collect, process, aggregate, and link these data results in inconsistent or incomplete measurement that can introduce misclassification bias and limit replication of existing research. We describe the following steps to leverage business data for longitudinal neighborhood health research: re-geolocating establishment addresses, preliminary classification using standard industrial codes, systematic checks to refine classifications, incorporation and integration of complementary data sources, documentation of a flexible hierarchical classification system and variable naming conventions, and linking to neighborhoods and participant residences. We show results of this classification from a dataset of locations (over 77 million establishment locations) across the contiguous U.S. from 1990 to 2014. By incorporating complementary data sources, through manual spot checks in Google StreetView and word and name searches, we enhanced a basic classification using only standard industrial codes. Ultimately, providing these enhanced longitudinal data and supplying detailed methods for researchers to replicate our work promotes consistency, replicability, and new opportunities in neighborhood health research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana A. Hirsch
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, PA Philadelphia, USA
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Kari A. Moore
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Jesse Cahill
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York City, NY USA
| | - James Quinn
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York City, NY USA
| | - Yuzhe Zhao
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Felicia J. Bayer
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA USA
| | - Andrew Rundle
- Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York City, NY USA
| | - Gina S. Lovasi
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, PA Philadelphia, USA
- Urban Health Collaborative, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA USA
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Thompson K, Wagemakers A, van Ophem J. Assessing health outcomes in the aftermath of the great recession: a comparison of Spain and the Netherlands. Int J Equity Health 2020; 19:84. [PMID: 32503561 PMCID: PMC7275523 DOI: 10.1186/s12939-020-01203-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Across time and space, financial security has been shown to impact health outcomes, with the acute loss of financial security being particularly detrimental. We compare financial security’s association with health in Spain and the Netherlands. These countries respectively exemplify low and high levels of financial security, general trends that have been exacerbated by the Great Recession of the 2010s. Methods We exploit the Spanish (n = 1001) and Dutch (n = 1010) editions of the European Social Survey 7, conducted in 2014, and condense relevant financial security- and health-related survey questions into latent variables using factor analyses. Using the component loadings as quasi-weightings, we generate one financial security variable and three health variables (mental, physical and social). Then, we run ordinary least squares regressions interacting financial security and nationality, for each of the three health outcomes. Results In unadjusted models, we find that financial security (p < 0.01) is positively associated with the three health outcomes, while being Spanish relative to being Dutch (p < 0.01) is associated with worse health outcomes. However, the results of the interaction term show that being Spanish relative to being Dutch weakens the relationship between physical health and social health, although not mental health. Conclusions We find evidence that financial security’s influence on health outcomes may vary in different contexts. This may be an important aspect of determining the Great Recession’s influence on health outcomes. Our study is a first step in understanding how the relationships between financial security and health may differ in countries with different experiences of the Great Recession.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Thompson
- Department of Health Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Annemarie Wagemakers
- Health and Society Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Johan van Ophem
- Urban Economics Group, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, the Netherlands
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Gotsens M, Ferrando J, Marí-Dell’Olmo M, Palència L, Bartoll X, Gandarillas A, Sanchez-Villegas P, Esnaola S, Daponte A, Borrell C. Effect of the Financial Crisis on Socioeconomic Inequalities in Mortality in Small Areas in Seven Spanish Cities. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17030958. [PMID: 32033162 PMCID: PMC7037194 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17030958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Revised: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Background: The aim of this study was to analyze the trend in socioeconomic inequalities in mortality in small areas due to several specific causes before (2001–2004, 2005–2008) and during (2009–2012) the economic crisis in seven Spanish cities. Methods: This ecological study of trends, with census tracts as the areas of analysis, was based on three periods. Several causes of death were studied. A socioeconomic deprivation index was calculated for each census tract. For each small area, we estimated standardized mortality ratios, and controlled for their variability using Bayesian models (sSMR). We also estimated the relative risk of mortality according to deprivation in the different cities, periods, and sexes. Results: In general, a similar geographical pattern was found for the socioeconomic deprivation index and sSMR. For men, there was an association in all cities between the deprivation index and all-cause mortality that remained stable over the three periods. For women, there was an association in Barcelona, Granada, and Sevilla between the deprivation index and all-cause mortality in the third period. Patterns by causes of death were more heterogeneous. Conclusions: After the start of the financial crisis, socioeconomic inequalities in total mortality in small areas of Spanish cities remained stable in most cities, although several causes of death showed a different pattern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mercè Gotsens
- Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, 08023 Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica (IIB Sant Pau), 08041 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josep Ferrando
- Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, 08023 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marc Marí-Dell’Olmo
- Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, 08023 Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica (IIB Sant Pau), 08041 Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Laia Palència
- Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, 08023 Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica (IIB Sant Pau), 08041 Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain
| | - Xavier Bartoll
- Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, 08023 Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica (IIB Sant Pau), 08041 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ana Gandarillas
- Dirección General de Salud Pública, Consejería de Sanidad, Comunidad de Madrid, 28035 Madrid, Spain
| | - Pablo Sanchez-Villegas
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Observatorio de Salud y Medio Ambiente de Andalucía, Escuela Andaluza de Salud Pública, 18080 Granada, Spain
| | - Santi Esnaola
- Department of Health of the Basque Country, 01006 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Antonio Daponte
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Observatorio de Salud y Medio Ambiente de Andalucía, Escuela Andaluza de Salud Pública, 18080 Granada, Spain
| | - Carme Borrell
- Agència de Salut Pública de Barcelona, 08023 Barcelona, Spain
- Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica (IIB Sant Pau), 08041 Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
- Correspondence:
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7
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Zozaya N, Vallejo L. The Effect of the Economic Crisis on Adolescents' Perceived Health and Risk Behaviors: A Multilevel Analysis. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17020643. [PMID: 31963837 PMCID: PMC7013908 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17020643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Background: Previous studies have analyzed the impact of economic crises on adult’s health and lifestyles, but evidence among children and adolescents is limited. The objective of this study was to analyze the impact of the economic crisis on self-perceived health and some risk behaviors in the Spanish adolescent population. Methods: We used data from four waves (2002, 2006, 2010, 2014) of the Health Behavior in School-Aged Children (HBSC) survey in Spain. Separate multilevel logistic and linear regression models were applied for health complaints, self-rated health, life satisfaction, smoking, alcohol consumption, and breakfast skipping. Annual change in Spanish regional unemployment rates was used as a proxy of the economic crisis. An increasing set of control variables were included, consisting of individual, socioeconomic, and family and peer relationships indicators. Median odds ratios were estimated to quantify the cross-region and cross-school variation. Results: Increases in unemployment rates were linked to a higher risk of poorer health and bad habits in the simplest models. The effect was no longer statistically significant when indicators of family and peer relationships were included, suggesting a protective effect against the impact of the economic crisis. Our findings also show that schools had a larger effect on health and lifestyles than regions. Conclusion: The child’s social context—family, peers, school, and region—play an important role on the effects of the economic crisis on health and risk behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Néboa Zozaya
- Department of Quantitative Methods in Economics and Management, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Calle Saulo Torón, 4 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Las Palmas, Spain
- Weber Economía y Salud, Calle Moreto 17, 28014 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence:
| | - Laura Vallejo
- Department of Quantitative Methods in Economics and Management, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Calle Saulo Torón, 4 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35017 Las Palmas, Spain
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Dkhili H. Environmental Performance and Economic Growth in Middle East and North Africa Countries. J Health Pollut 2019; 9:191208. [PMID: 31893169 PMCID: PMC6905134 DOI: 10.5696/2156-9614-9.24.191208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2019] [Accepted: 09/30/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Studies on environmental performance/quality and economic growth show inconclusive results. OBJECTIVE The aim of the present study is to assess the non-linear relationship between environmental performance and economic growth in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region from 2002-2018. METHODS A sample of fourteen (14) MENA countries was used in the present analysis. However, due to important differences between countries in this region, the whole sample was divided into two sub-samples; nine Middle Eastern countries (MEAS) and five North African countries (NAF). We performed the panel smooth transition regression model as an econometric approach. DISCUSSION Empirical results indicate a threshold effect in the environmental performance and economic growth relationship. The threshold value differs from one group of countries to another. More specifically, we found that the impact of environmental performance and economic growth is positive and significant only if a certain threshold level has been attained. Until then, the effect remains negative. CONCLUSIONS The findings of the present study are of great importance for policymakers since they determine the optimal level of environmental performance required to act positively on the level of economic growth. MENA countries should seek to improve their environmental performance index in order to grow output. COMPETING INTERESTS The authors declare no competing financial interests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hichem Dkhili
- College of Business Administration, Northern Border University, Arar, Saudi Arabia
- Faculty of Law and Management, University of Jendouba, Jendouba, Tunisia
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Thompson K, Ophem JV, Wagemakers A. Studying the impact of the Eurozone's Great Recession on health: Methodological choices and challenges. ECONOMICS AND HUMAN BIOLOGY 2019; 35:162-184. [PMID: 31376735 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2019.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2019] [Revised: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Europe's Great Recession provides an opportunity to study the impact of increased financial insecurity on health. A number of studies explored the impact of the Recession on health, but they often reached different conclusions. To understand the root of this debate, we undertook a systematic literature review. Articles were analysed thematically based on: geography, data type, operationalisations of wealth and health, and study design. A critical appraisal was also undertaken. Forty-two studies, published from January 2010 to October 2018, were included in our review. Twenty-six of the forty-two studies found that the Great Recession worsened physical health indicators in the Eurozone. In terms of geography, a large concentration of studies focussed on Spain and Greece, indicating that there may be a gap in understanding the health consequences for EU countries with less severe experiences of the Recession. Regarding data type, nearly all studies used secondary datasets, possibly meaning that studies were constrained by the data available. In terms of operationalisations of wealth and health, a majority of studies used single/simple measures of both, so that these multi-faceted concepts were not fully reflected. Further, fewer than half included studies used panel data, with the remaining studies unable to undertake more causal analyses. The results of the critical appraisal showed that lower-quality studies tended to not find a negative impact of the Recession on health, whereas higher quality studies generally did. In future, we recommend conducting cross-country comparisons, using (inter)nationally-representative panel data conducted over a minimum of a ten-year time horizon, and employing multi-faceted operationalisations of wealth and health. This could provide more common ground across studies, and a clearer indication of whether the Recession impacted health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina Thompson
- Department of Health Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Johan van Ophem
- Chair Group Urban Economics, Department of Social Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, Hollandseweg 1, 6706KN Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Annemarie Wagemakers
- Chair Group Health and Society, Department of Social Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, Hollandseweg 1, 6706KN Wageningen, the Netherlands
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Joarder T, Shimul SN, Hasan MI, Yeasmin F, Islam A. Predictors of Self-Reported Health Status of Ready-made Garment Workers in Bangladesh in Post Global Economic Recession Period. Cureus 2019; 11:e5742. [PMID: 31723503 PMCID: PMC6825434 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.5742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction There has been disagreement within academia in Bangladesh on whether the global economic recession of 2008-2009 came out as a bane or a boon to their economy and for their people, particularly workers in the ready-made garments (RMG) sector; therefore, we sought to conduct a study among currently employed and recently unemployed RMG workers to examine the influence of recession on their self-reported health status. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted among 200 workers across 20 factories and 108 recently unemployed workers from different locations of Dhaka. Workers were selected based on a systematic sampling method from 20 randomly selected factories. Unemployed respondents were selected via snowball sampling. A questionnaire was prepared to cover different socio-demographic variables, which were then explored against an outcome variable of how the respondents rate their current health status (2009) compared with their past health status during the economic recession period (2008). A simple logistic regression was conducted for each of the independent variables with the outcome variable. Finally, all independent variables were loaded against the outcome variable, and multiple logistic regression was run. Results The only statistically significant predictor of self-reported health status was age, which indicated a 4% decrease (p = 0.05; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.9203417 to 1.000015) in improved or better health with each year increase in age, holding other variables constant. Respondent health status was unchanged or even improved after the period of recession. The employed group had 1542.061 Taka (approximately $20) more average monthly family income than the unemployed group (two-sample t-test p-value 0.007), their health status was not affected (odds ratio (OR) 0.998; p-value 0.907). Conclusion The absence of an association between self-reported health status and economic recession is not uncommon, and explanations have been proposed for this phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shafiun N Shimul
- Miscellaneous, Institute of Health Economics, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, BGD
| | - Md Imran Hasan
- Epidemiology and Public Health, Institute of Public Health Nutrition, Dhaka, BGD
| | - Farjana Yeasmin
- Radiology, Bangladesh Institute of Research and Rehabilitation In Diabetes, Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders, Dhaka, BGD
| | - Anwar Islam
- Epidemiology and Public Health, School for International Development and Global Studies, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, CAN
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Blázquez-Fernández C, Cantarero-Prieto D, Perez P. Do the unemployed hit the bottle during economic downturns? An empirical approach for Spain. BMC Public Health 2019; 19:523. [PMID: 31064373 PMCID: PMC6505297 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-019-6882-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2018] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This paper analyses the 2008 economic collapse in Spain with its long-lasting effects. Precisely, the ones associated with lifestyles. Thus, the aim of this paper is to examine to what extent economic downturns affect individual's drinking behavior when focusing on unemployed people. METHODS We use discrete-choice models and matching techniques. Data from the National Health Survey for 2006 and 2011-2012 provides a clear picture before and after the 2008 breakdown in Spain. RESULTS We find that drinking over the business cycle is a function of individual socio-demographic status. Besides, our empirical findings are consistent with the idea that following the crisis differences between unemployed and non-unemployed fell to at least in accordance with a lower overall consumption of alcoholic beverages. CONCLUSIONS Public policy design for drinkers would require both prevention and recovery from alcohol use strategies to be met towards health and labour pillars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Blázquez-Fernández
- Department of Economics, Universidad de Cantabria, Av. Los Castross/n, 39005, Santander, CP, Spain. .,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Valdecilla. IDIVAL, Santander, Spain. .,GEN Governance and Economics Network, Universidad de Vigo, Vigo, Spain.
| | - David Cantarero-Prieto
- Department of Economics, Universidad de Cantabria, Av. Los Castross/n, 39005, Santander, CP, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Valdecilla. IDIVAL, Santander, Spain.,GEN Governance and Economics Network, Universidad de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
| | - Patricio Perez
- Department of Economics, Universidad de Cantabria, Av. Los Castross/n, 39005, Santander, CP, Spain
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Arroyo E, Cabrera-León A, Renart G, Saurina C, Serra Saurina L, Daponte A, Saez M. Did psychotropic drug consumption increase during the 2008 financial crisis? A cross-sectional population-based study in Spain. BMJ Open 2019; 9:e021440. [PMID: 30674485 PMCID: PMC6347932 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-021440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES AND SETTING Although psychotropic drugs are used to treat mental health disorders, little evidence analyses the effects the 2008 economic downturn had on psychotropic drug consumption in the case of Spain. We analyse these effects, considering both gender and employment situation. PARTICIPANTS We used the microdata from the face-to-face cross-sectional population-based Spanish National Health Survey for two periods: 2006-2007 (n=28 954) and 2011-2012 (n=20 509). Our samples included adults (>15 years old). METHODS The response variables are consumption (or not) of antidepressants or sedatives and the explanatory variables are the year of the survey, gender and employment status. Covariates are mental health problems, mental health index General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and self-reported health outcome variables such as self-rated health, chronic diseases, smoking behaviour, sleeping hours, body mass index, physical activity in the workplace, medical visits during the past year, age, region of residence (autonomous communities), educational level, marital status and social class of the reference person. Finally, we include interactions between time period, gender and employment status. We specify random effects logistic regressions and use Bayesian methods for the inference. RESULTS The economic crisis did not significantly change the probability of taking antidepressant drugs (OR=0.56, 95% CI 0.18 to 2.56) nor sedatives (OR=1.21, 95% CI 0.26 to 5.49). In general, the probability of consuming antidepressants among men and women decreases, but there are differences depending on employment status. The probability of consuming sedatives also depends on the employment status. CONCLUSIONS While the year of the financial crisis is not associated with the consumption of antidepressants nor sedatives, it has widened the gap in consumption differences between men and women. Although antidepressant use dropped, the difference in consumption levels between men and women grew significantly among the retired, and in the case of sedatives, risk of women taking sedatives increased in all groups except students.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Arroyo
- Research Group on Statistics, Econometrics and Health (GRECS), Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
- CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health, CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Andrés Cabrera-León
- CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health, CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Escuela Andaluza de Salud Publica, EASP, Granada, Spain
| | - Gemma Renart
- Research Group on Statistics, Econometrics and Health (GRECS), Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
- CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health, CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Carme Saurina
- CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health, CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Serra Saurina
- Research Group on Statistics, Econometrics and Health (GRECS), Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
- CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health, CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Center for Research in Occupational Health (CiSAL), Experimental and Health Sciences, University Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- Center for Research in Occupational Health (CiSAL), Experimental and Health Sciences, IMIM (Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute) Parc de Salut Mar, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Antonio Daponte
- CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health, CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
- Escuela Andaluza de Salud Publica, EASP, Granada, Spain
- Observatorio de Salud y Medio Ambiente de Andalucía (OSMAN), Escuela Andaluza de Salud Pública (EASP), Granada, Spain
| | - Marc Saez
- Research Group on Statistics, Econometrics and Health (GRECS), Universitat de Girona, Girona, Spain
- CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health, CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
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Habibov N, Auchynnikava A, Luo R, Fan L. Effects of the 2008 global financial crisis on population health. Int J Health Plann Manage 2018; 34:e327-e353. [PMID: 30265409 DOI: 10.1002/hpm.2652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
We compare the transmission channels through which the 2008 global financial crisis affected health. We find that postponing or skipping visits to the doctor after falling ill and stopping buying regular medication had the strongest negative effects on health, followed by a reduced consumption of staple foods, utilities being cut, being forced to move, and having to sell assets. In comparison, experiencing cuts in TV, phone, and internet services, as well as delaying payments for utilities had relatively weaker negative impacts. In contrast, having a household head or household member lose a job also had negative effects on health status, although this effect was relatively lower. Finally, a reduced flow of remittances had the weakest negative effect.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Rong Luo
- University of Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lida Fan
- Lakehead University, Thunderbay, Ontario, Canada
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Gonzalez-Viana A, Violan Fors M, Castell Abat C, Rubinat Masot M, Oliveras L, Garcia-Gil J, Plasencia A, Cabezas Peña C. Promoting physical activity through primary health care: the case of Catalonia. BMC Public Health 2018; 18:968. [PMID: 30075720 PMCID: PMC6090750 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-018-5773-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 06/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In adults, as little as 10 minutes of moderate physical activity (PA) three times a day can help prevent non-communicable diseases and prolong life expectancy. The aim of the study was to evaluate the process and impact of scaling up a complex intervention (PAFES) implemented in Catalonia, aimed to increase the proportion of adults complying with PA recommendations (especially those with cardiovascular risk factors). METHODS The intervention, piloted in 2005, had three elements: 1) establishing clinical guidelines for PA; 2) identifying local PA resources; 3) PA screening and advice in primary health care (PHC) settings, based on stage of change. Central and local level implementation activities included training, support to municipalities, dissemination through a web page, and promotion of World Physical Activity Day (WPAD). Evaluation followed the RE-AIM framework (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance), identifying 3-6 variables for annual evaluation of each dimension. These included coverage of PA screening and advice and individuals with access to a healthy exercise route (Reach), increased PA level between 2006 and 2010-15 (Effectiveness), PAFES adoption by PHC centres and municipalities (Adoption), process evaluation data (Implementation), and cost (Maintenance). RESULTS PHC screening coverage increased from 14.4% (2008) to 69.6% (2015) and advice coverage from 8.3% (2012) to 35.6% (2015). In 2015, 82.5% patients had access to a "healthy route" (Reach). The proportion of patients with at least one cardiovascular risk factor who were "sufficiently active" increased from 2006 to 2010-2013 (Effectiveness). By 2015, PAFES was applied by all PHC teams, 8.3% municipalities and 22.7% PHC centres had organized WPAD events (Adoption). The Plan showed good penetration in all health regions by 2013, with relatively low use of resources and estimated cost (Implementation). By 2013 the Plan was embedded within the health system (Maintenance). CONCLUSIONS In the first application of the RE-AIM framework to evaluate the scaling-up of a PA plan, PAFES showed good results for most RE-AIM indicators. Changes in priority and investment in health promotion programs affect reach, adoption, and effectiveness. It is important to maintain support until programs are strongly embedded into the health system.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Conxa Castell Abat
- Public Health Agency of Catalonia, Government of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | - Laura Oliveras
- Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Juanjo Garcia-Gil
- Blanquerna Health Sciences School, Ramon Llull University, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Antoni Plasencia
- Institute of Global Health Barcelona - IS Global, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carmen Cabezas Peña
- Public Health Agency of Catalonia, Government of Catalonia, Barcelona, Spain
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Nisticò F, Troiano G, Nante N, Piacentini P. Socioeconomic factors and mortality: evidences from an Italian study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/20479700.2018.1500224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Nisticò
- U.O.C. Sistema Demografico ed Epidemiologico, AUSL Toscana Sud Est, Grosseto, Italy
| | - Gianmarco Troiano
- Post Graduate School of Public Health, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Nicola Nante
- Post Graduate School of Public Health, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Paolo Piacentini
- U.O.C. Sistema Demografico ed Epidemiologico, AUSL Toscana Sud Est, Grosseto, Italy
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Correia T, Carapinheiro G, Carvalho H, Silva JM, Vieira J. Listening to doctors on patients' use of healthcare during the crisis: uncovering a different picture and drawing lessons from Portugal. J Public Health (Oxf) 2018; 39:e56-e62. [PMID: 27521924 DOI: 10.1093/pubmed/fdw071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2016] [Accepted: 06/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The consequences of financial crises on patients' use of healthcare have been widely discussed. This paper seeks to ascertain whether the position of key players, i.e. doctors, may reveal realities other than those officially reported about the 2008 financial crisis. Methods In 2013-14, a national survey of doctors was conducted in Portugal, which received international assistance in the wake of the financial crisis. An exploratory model comprising descriptive statistics, regression and independence analyses focused on doctors' experience of patients' use of medications, consultations, exams and treatment services, and whether they stopped treatments. Results According to doctors, an unspecified number of patients experienced difficulties using healthcare as more patients requested prescriptions for cheaper medications or simply stopped treatments. Significant variations were found according to speciality, years of practice and sector of activity. Conclusions Cost-containment mechanisms are regarded as necessary. However, the evidence indicated a side effect, i.e. a decrease in patients' ability to use healthcare, including in the National Health Service (NHS). It also highlighted the need to listen to health professionals as key informants on patient's behaviour and the daily functioning of health services.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Correia
- Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), 1649-026 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - G Carapinheiro
- Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), 1649-026 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - H Carvalho
- Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), 1649-026 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - J M Silva
- Portuguese Medical Association, 1749-084 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - J Vieira
- Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), 1649-026 Lisbon, Portugal
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17
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Buchan IE, Kontopantelis E, Sperrin M, Chandola T, Doran T. North-South disparities in English mortality1965-2015: longitudinal population study. J Epidemiol Community Health 2017; 71:928-936. [PMID: 28790164 PMCID: PMC5561382 DOI: 10.1136/jech-2017-209195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2017] [Revised: 05/29/2017] [Accepted: 06/16/2017] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social, economic and health disparities between northern and southern England have persisted despite Government policies to reduce them. We examine long-term trends in premature mortality in northern and southern England across age groups, and whether mortality patterns changed after the 2008-2009 Great Recession. METHODS Population-wide longitudinal (1965-2015) study of mortality in England's five northernmost versus four southernmost Government Office Regions - halves of overall population. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE directly age-sex adjusted mortality rates; northern excess mortality (percentage excess northern vs southern deaths, age-sex adjusted). RESULTS From 1965 to 2010, premature mortality (deaths per 10 000 aged <75 years) declined from 64 to 28 in southern versus 72 to 35 in northern England. From 2010 to 2015 the rate of decline in premature mortality plateaued in northern and southern England. For most age groups, northern excess mortality remained consistent from 1965 to 2015. For 25-34 and 35-44 age groups, however, northern excess mortality increased sharply between 1995 and 2015: from 2.2% (95% CI -3.2% to 7.6%) to 29.3% (95% CI 21.0% to 37.6%); and 3.3% (95% CI -1.0% to 7.6%) to 49.4% (95% CI 42.8% to 55.9%), respectively. This was due to northern mortality increasing (ages 25-34) or plateauing (ages 35-44) from the mid-1990s while southern mortality mainly declined. CONCLUSIONS England's northern excess mortality has been consistent among those aged <25 and 45+ for the past five decades but risen alarmingly among those aged 25-44 since the mid-90s, long before the Great Recession. This profound and worsening structural inequality requires more equitable economic, social and health policies, including potential reactions to the England-wide loss of improvement in premature mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iain E Buchan
- Farr Institute, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.,Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.,NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, Central Manchester Foundation NHS Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Evangelos Kontopantelis
- Farr Institute, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.,Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.,NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, Central Manchester Foundation NHS Trust, Manchester, UK.,School for Primary Care Research, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, National Institute for Health Research, Manchester, UK
| | - Matthew Sperrin
- Farr Institute, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.,Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.,NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, Central Manchester Foundation NHS Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Tarani Chandola
- School of Social Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Tim Doran
- Department of Health Sciences, University of York, York, UK
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Bartfay WJ, Bartfay E, Wu T. Impact of the Global Economic Crisis on the Health of Unemployed Autoworkers. Can J Nurs Res 2017; 45:66-79. [DOI: 10.1177/084456211304500305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
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Borowy I, Aillon JL. Sustainable health and degrowth: Health, health care and society beyond the growth paradigm. SOCIAL THEORY & HEALTH 2017. [DOI: 10.1057/s41285-017-0032-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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20
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Ásgeirsdóttir HG, Ásgeirsdóttir TL, Nyberg U, Thorsteinsdottir TK, Mogensen B, Matthíasson P, Lund SH, Valdimarsdóttir UA, Hauksdóttir A. Suicide attempts and self-harm during a dramatic national economic transition: a population-based study in Iceland. Eur J Public Health 2016; 27:339-345. [DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckw137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Charters TJ, Harper S, Strumpf EC, Subramanian SV, Arcaya M, Nandi A. The effect of metropolitan-area mortgage delinquency on health behaviors, access to health services, and self-rated health in the United States, 2003-2010. Soc Sci Med 2016; 161:74-82. [PMID: 27261531 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2015] [Revised: 05/11/2016] [Accepted: 05/13/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The recent housing crisis offers the opportunity to understand the effects of unique indicators of macroeconomic conditions on health. We linked data on the proportion of mortgage borrowers per US metropolitan-area who were at least 90 days delinquent on their payments with individual-level outcomes from a representative sample of 1,021,341 adults surveyed through the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) between 2003 and 2010. We estimated the effects of metropolitan-area mortgage delinquency on individual health behaviors, medical coverage, and health status, as well as whether effects varied by race/ethnicity. Results showed that increases in the metropolitan-area delinquency rate resulted in decreases in heavy alcohol consumption and increases in exercise and health insurance coverage. However, the delinquency rate was also associated with increases in smoking and obesity in some population groups, suggesting the housing crisis may have induced stress-related behavioral change. Overall, the effects of metropolitan-area mortgage delinquency on population health were relatively modest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Charters
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health & Institute for Health and Social Policy, McGill University, Charles Meredith House Room B8, 1030 Pine Ave. West, Montreal, QC H3A 1A3, Canada.
| | - Sam Harper
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Purvis Hall 34B, 1020 Pine Ave. West, Montreal, QC H3A 1A2, Canada.
| | - Erin C Strumpf
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Purvis Hall 36C, 1020 Pine Ave. West, Montreal, QC H3A 1A2, Canada; Department of Economics, McGill University, Leacock 418, 855 Sherbrooke St. West, Montreal, QC H3A 2T7, Canada.
| | - S V Subramanian
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard School of Public Health, Kresge Building 716, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115-6096, USA.
| | - Mariana Arcaya
- Harvard Center for Population and Development Studies, Harvard School of Public Health, 9 Bow Street, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
| | - Arijit Nandi
- Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health & Institute for Health and Social Policy, McGill University, Charles Meredith House Room 102, 1030 Pine Ave. West, Montreal, QC H3A 1A3, Canada.
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Brall C, Schröder-Bäck P, Brand H. The Economic Crisis and Its Ethical Relevance for Public Health in Europe - an Analysis in the Perspective of the Capability Approach. Cent Eur J Public Health 2016; 24:3-8. [PMID: 27070963 DOI: 10.21101/cejph.a4106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2014] [Accepted: 03/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Policy responses to the economic crisis have manifest consequences to European population health and health systems. The aim of this article is to assess, by using the capability approach advanced by Sen, the ethical dimension of trade-offs made in health policy due to austerity measures. From a capability approach point of view, austerity measures such as reducing resources for health care, further deregulating the health care market or moving towards privatisation are ethically challenging since they limit opportunities and capabilities for individuals of a population. Public policies should thus aim to guarantee sufficient capabilities (options to access health care and possibilities to make healthy choices) for its populations. Prioritising those in need is a notion the capability approach particularly focuses on in its goal of supporting those with the least capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Brall
- Department of International Health, School CAPHRI, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Peter Schröder-Bäck
- Department of International Health, School CAPHRI, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Helmut Brand
- Department of International Health, School CAPHRI, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ziad A Memish
- Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; College of Medicine, Alfaisal University, Riyadh 11514, Saudi Arabia.
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Romano E, Scherer M, Fell J, Taylor E. A comprehensive examination of U.S. laws enacted to reduce alcohol-related crashes among underage drivers. JOURNAL OF SAFETY RESEARCH 2015; 55:213-221. [PMID: 26683563 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsr.2015.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2015] [Revised: 05/18/2015] [Accepted: 08/13/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION To effectively address concerns associated with alcohol-related traffic laws, communities must apply comprehensive and well-coordinated interventions that account for as many factors as possible. The goal of the current research article is to examine and evaluate the simultaneous contribution of 20 underage drinking laws and 3 general driving safety laws, while accounting for demographic, economic, and environmental variables. METHODS Annual fatal crash data (1982 to 2010), policies, and demographic, economic, and environmental information were collected and applied to each of the 51 jurisdictions (50 states and the District of Columbia). A structural equation model was fit to estimate the relative contribution of the variables of interest to alcohol-related crashes. RESULTS As expected, economic factors (e.g., unemployment rate, cost of alcohol) and alcohol outlet density were found highly relevant to the amount of alcohol teens consume and therefore to teens' impaired driving. Policies such as those regulating the age of bartenders, sellers, or servers; social host civil liability laws; dram shop laws; internal possession of alcohol laws; and fake identification laws do not appear to have the same impact on teens' alcohol-related crash ratios as other types of policies such as those regulating alcohol consumption or alcohol outlet density. CONCLUSIONS This effort illustrates the need for comprehensive models of teens' impaired driving. After simultaneously accounting for as many factors as possible, we found that in general (for most communities) further reductions in alcohol-related crashes among teens might be more rapidly achieved from efforts focused on reducing teens' drinking rather than on reducing teens' driving. Future efforts should be made to develop models that represent specific communities. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Based on this and community-specific models, simulation programs can be developed to help communities understand and visualize the impact of various policy alternatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Romano
- Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE), 11720 Beltsville Dr., Suite 900, Calverton, MD 20705, United States.
| | - Michael Scherer
- Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE), 11720 Beltsville Dr., Suite 900, Calverton, MD 20705, United States
| | - James Fell
- Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE), 11720 Beltsville Dr., Suite 900, Calverton, MD 20705, United States
| | - Eileen Taylor
- Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation (PIRE), 11720 Beltsville Dr., Suite 900, Calverton, MD 20705, United States
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Mayer A, Foster M. Understanding Recession and Self-Rated Health with the Partial Proportional Odds Model: An Analysis of 26 Countries. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0140724. [PMID: 26513660 PMCID: PMC4626113 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2015] [Accepted: 09/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Self-rated health is demonstrated to vary substantially by both personal socio-economic status and national economic conditions. However, studies investigating the combined influence of individual and country level economic indicators across several countries in the context of recent global recession are limited. This paper furthers our knowledge of the effect of recession on health at both the individual and national level. Methods Using the Life in Transition II study, which provides data from 19,759 individuals across 26 European nations, we examine the relationship between self-rated health, personal economic experiences, and macro-economic change. Data analyses include, but are not limited to, the partial proportional odds model which permits the effect of predictors to vary across different levels of our dependent variable. Results Household experiences with recession, especially a loss of staple good consumption, are associated with lower self-rated health. Most individual-level experiences with recession, such as a job loss, have relatively small negative effects on perceived health; the effect of individual or household economic hardship is strongest in high income nations. Our findings also suggest that macroeconomic growth improves self-rated health in low-income nations but has no effect in high-income nations. Individuals with the greatest probability of “good” self-rated health reside in wealthy countries ($23,910 to $50, 870 GNI per capita). Conclusion Both individual and national economic variables are predictive of self-rated health. Personal and household experiences are most consequential for self-rated health in high income nations, while macroeconomic growth is most consequential in low-income nations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Mayer
- Department of Sociology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Michelle Foster
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, United States of America
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Labonté R, Stuckler D. The rise of neoliberalism: how bad economics imperils health and what to do about it. J Epidemiol Community Health 2015; 70:312-8. [DOI: 10.1136/jech-2015-206295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2015] [Accepted: 08/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Dagher RK, Chen J, Thomas SB. Gender Differences in Mental Health Outcomes before, during, and after the Great Recession. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0124103. [PMID: 25970634 PMCID: PMC4430539 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0124103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2014] [Accepted: 02/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
We examined gender differences in mental health outcomes during and post-recession versus pre-recession. We utilized 2005-2006, 2008-2009, and 2010-2011 data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Females had lower odds of depression diagnoses during and post-recession and better mental health during the recession, but higher odds of anxiety diagnoses post-recession. Males had lower odds of depression diagnoses and better mental health during and post-recession and lower Kessler 6 scores post-recession. We conducted stratified analyses, which confirmed that the aforementioned findings were consistent across the four different regions of the U.S., by employment status, income and health care utilization. Importantly, we found that the higher odds of anxiety diagnoses among females after the recession were mainly prominent among specific subgroups of females: those who lived in the Northeast or the Midwest, the unemployed, and those with low household income. Gender differences in mental health in association with the economic recession highlight the importance of policymakers taking these differences into consideration when designing economic and social policies to address economic downturns. Future research should examine the reasons behind the decreased depression diagnoses among both genders, and whether they signify decreased mental healthcare utilization or increased social support and more time for exercise and leisure activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rada K. Dagher
- Department of Health Services Administration, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jie Chen
- Department of Health Services Administration, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Stephen B. Thomas
- Department of Health Services Administration, School of Public Health, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland, United States of America
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Cooper D, McCausland W, Theodossiou I. Is unemployment and low income harmful to health? Evidence from Britain. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2014. [DOI: 10.1080/00346764.2014.986969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Fanourgiakis J, Kanoupakis E. Greek’s health, waiting for the ‘deus ex machina’. Expert Rev Pharmacoecon Outcomes Res 2014; 14:637-42. [DOI: 10.1586/14737167.2014.927316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Antillón M, Lauderdale DS, Mullahy J. Sleep behavior and unemployment conditions. ECONOMICS AND HUMAN BIOLOGY 2014; 14:22-32. [PMID: 24958451 PMCID: PMC4083051 DOI: 10.1016/j.ehb.2014.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2013] [Revised: 03/27/2014] [Accepted: 03/28/2014] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Recent research has reported that habitually short sleep duration is a risk factor for declining health, including increased risk of obesity, diabetes and coronary heart disease. In this study we investigate whether macroeconomic conditions are associated with variation in mean sleep time in the United States, and if so, whether the effect is procyclical or countercyclical. We merge state unemployment rates from 2003 through 2012 with the American Time Use Survey, a nationally representative sample of adults with 24h time diaries. We find that higher aggregate unemployment is associated with longer mean sleep duration, with each additional point of state unemployment associated with an additional average 0.83 min of sleep (p<0.001), after adjusting for a secular trend of increasing sleep over the time period. Despite a national poll in 2009 that found one-third of Americans reporting losing sleep over the economy, we do not find that higher state unemployment is associated with more sleeplessness. Instead, we find that higher state unemployment is associated with less frequent time use described as "sleeplessness" (marginal effect=0.05 at 4% unemployment and 0.034 at 14% unemployment, p<0.001), after controlling for a secular trend.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Antillón
- Yale University, 60 College Street, P.O. Box 208034, New Haven, CT 06520, United States
| | - Diane S Lauderdale
- University of Chicago, 5841 S, Maryland Ave. MC 2007, Chicago, IL 60637, United States.
| | - John Mullahy
- University of Wisconsin, 610 Walnut Street Room 787, WARF Building, Madison, WI 53726, United States
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Toffolutti V, Suhrcke M. Assessing the short term health impact of the Great Recession in the European Union: a cross-country panel analysis. Prev Med 2014; 64:54-62. [PMID: 24718086 DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2014.03.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2013] [Revised: 03/25/2014] [Accepted: 03/28/2014] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND There are great concerns and some initial country-specific, descriptive evidence about potential adverse health consequences of the recent Great Recession. METHODS Using data for 23 European Union countries we examine the short-term impact of macroeconomic decline during the Great Recession on a range of health and health behaviour indicators. We also examine whether the effect differed between countries according to the level of social protection provided. RESULTS Overall, during the recent recession, an increase of one percentage point in the standardised unemployment rate has been associated with a statistically significant decrease in the following mortality rates: all-cause-mortality (3.4%), cardiovascular diseases (3.7%), cirrhosis- and chronic liver disease-related mortality (9.2%), motor vehicle accident-related mortality (11.5%), parasitic infection-related mortality (4.1%), but an increase in the suicide rate (34.1%). In general, the effects were more marked in countries with lower levels of social protection, compared to those with higher levels. CONCLUSIONS An increase in the unemployment rate during the Great Recession has had a beneficial health effect on average across EU countries, except for suicide mortality. Social protection expenditures appear to help countries "smooth" the health response to a recession, limiting health damage but also forgoing potential health gains that could otherwise result.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Toffolutti
- Health Economics Group, Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Marc Suhrcke
- Health Economics Group, Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK; UKCRC Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), Institute of Public Health, Cambridge, UK.
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Pfoertner TK, Rathmann K, Elgar FJ, de Looze M, Hofmann F, Ottova-Jordan V, Ravens-Sieberer U, Bosakova L, Currie C, Richter M. Adolescents' psychological health complaints and the economic recession in late 2007: a multilevel study in 31 countries. Eur J Public Health 2014; 24:961-7. [PMID: 24860027 DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/cku056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The recent economic recession, which began in 2007, has had a detrimental effect on the health of the adult population, but no study yet has investigated the impact of this downturn on adolescent health. This article uniquely examines the effect of the crisis on adolescents' psychological health complaints in a cross-national comparison. METHODS Data came from the World Health Organization collaborative 'Health Behaviour in School-aged Children' study in 2005-06 and 2009-10. We measured change in psychological health complaints from before to during the recession in the context of changing adult and adolescent unemployment rates. Furthermore, we used logistic multilevel regression to model the impact of absolute unemployment in 2010 and its change rate between 2005-06 and 2009-10 on adolescents' psychological health complaints in 2010. RESULTS Descriptive results showed that although youth and adult unemployment has increased during the economic crisis, rates of psychological health complaints among adolescents were unaffected in some countries and even decreased in others. Multilevel regression models support this finding and reveal that only youth unemployment in 2010 increased the likelihood of psychological health complaints, whereas its change rate in light of the recession as well as adult unemployment did not relate to levels of psychological health complaints. CONCLUSION In contrast to recent findings, our study indicates that the negative shift of the recent recession on the employment market in several countries has not affected adolescents' psychological health complaints. Adolescents' well-being instead seems to be influenced by the current situation on the labour market that shapes their occupational outlook.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timo-Kolja Pfoertner
- 1 Institute of Medical Sociology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Katharina Rathmann
- 1 Institute of Medical Sociology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Frank J Elgar
- 2 Institute for Health and Social Policy and Douglas Mental Health University Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Margaretha de Looze
- 3 Department of Interdisciplinary Social Sciences, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Felix Hofmann
- 4 Ludwig Boltzmann Institute - Health Promotion Research, Vienna, Austria
| | - Veronika Ottova-Jordan
- 5 Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Research Unit Child Public Health, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Ulrike Ravens-Sieberer
- 5 Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, and Psychosomatics, Research Unit Child Public Health, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lucia Bosakova
- 6 Department of Health Psychology, Institute of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Pavol Jozef Safarik University Kosice, Kosice, Slovakia 7 Department of Business Informatics and Mathematics, Faculty of Business Economy, University of Economics in Bratislava, Kosice, Slovakia
| | - Candace Currie
- 8 Child and Adolescent Health Research Unit, School of Medicine, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, UK
| | - Matthias Richter
- 1 Institute of Medical Sociology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle (Saale), Germany
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Austerity and health. Maturitas 2014; 77:301-2. [DOI: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2013.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2013] [Accepted: 12/23/2013] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Clark T, Fleming T, Bullen P, Crengle S, Denny S, Dyson B, Peiris-John R, Robinson E, Rossen F, Sheridan J, Teevale T, Utter J, Lewycka S. Health and well-being of secondary school students in New Zealand: trends between 2001, 2007 and 2012. J Paediatr Child Health 2013; 49:925-934. [PMID: 24251658 DOI: 10.1111/jpc.12427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/15/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AIM To describe indicators of health and well-being for New Zealand secondary school students; explore changes between 2001, 2007 and 2012; and compare these findings to international estimates. METHODS Three national health and well-being surveys of randomly selected New Zealand secondary school students were conducted. Data are presented as prevalence and variation over time (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)). Comparisons with international estimates were made with subsets of the data. RESULTS Between 2001 and 2012, students reported reductions in cigarette use (aOR 0.27, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.23-0.32), alcohol use (aOR 0.39, 95% CI 0.33-0.46), marijuana use (aOR 0.37, 95% CI 0.31-0.43), sexual abuse (aOR 0.52, 95% CI 0.46-0.58), fighting (aOR 0.63, 95% CI 0.55-0.73), seatbelt use (aOR 1.47, 95% CI 1.31-1.65) and risky driving behaviours (aOR 0.39, 95% CI 0.33-0.45). Positive connections to school (perception that the school cares, aOR 1.22, 95% CI 1.10-1.35; liking school, aOR 1.55, 95% CI 1.33-1.82) and family (good family relationship, aOR 1.83, 95% CI 1.70-1.97) also improved. Indicators that did not improve and compared poorly with international estimates were protected sex (condom use at last sexual intercourse, aOR 0.77, 95% CI 0.68-0.87) and healthy life-style (daily physical activity, aOR 0.88, 95% CI 0.78-0.99; overweight/obese, aOR 1.09, 95% CI 0.92-1.31). Exposure to family violence (aOR 1.37, 95% CI 1.11-1.68) and depressive symptoms (aOR 1.03, 95% CI 0.91-1.17) also did not improve. CONCLUSIONS There have been important improvements in the health and well-being of New Zealand adolescents over a relatively short period. These findings demonstrate that population rates of adolescent risk behaviours are amenable to change. Current policy efforts should not lose momentum, while identified priority areas must be adequately resourced to ensure young people have opportunities to thrive now and in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terryann Clark
- School of Nursing, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Theresa Fleming
- Department of Paediatrics: Child and Youth Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.,Department of Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Pat Bullen
- Faculty of Education, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Sue Crengle
- Te Kupenga Hauora Māori, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Simon Denny
- Department of Paediatrics: Child and Youth Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Ben Dyson
- Faculty of Education, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Roshini Peiris-John
- Section of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | | | - Fiona Rossen
- Social and Community Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Janie Sheridan
- Centre for Addiction Research and School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Tasileta Teevale
- Pacific Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Jennifer Utter
- Section of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Sonia Lewycka
- School of Nursing, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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Nandi A, Charters TJ, Strumpf EC, Heymann J, Harper S. Economic conditions and health behaviours during the ‘Great Recession’. J Epidemiol Community Health 2013; 67:1038-46. [DOI: 10.1136/jech-2012-202260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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Iwu C, Benedict H. Economic recession and investment on human resource information systems (HRIS). JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT 2013. [DOI: 10.1108/02621711311326383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of an economic recession on human resource information systems (HRIS) investment decisions by asking: Are there high levels of disinvestment in HRIS during a recession? Are there low levels of trust and confidence in HRIS during a recession? Could there be an absence of concerted commitment in leveraging technology, even in the face of an economic crunch?Design/methodology/approachAn HRIS impact questionnaire was used, targeting human resource and financial managers. The data obtained were analyzed using Statistical Programme for Social Sciences (SPSS).FindingsThe findings suggest that while a recession is acknowledged, the continued use of HRIS is not considered a risk factor that warrants cost cutting.Originality/valueThis is an original study. It will add value by indicating to management the significance of strategic decision making. The study also points out the need for further research in order to make more sense of certain variables.
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Danno K, Komukai J, Yoshida H, Matsumoto K, Koda S, Terakawa K, Iso H. Influence of the 2009 financial crisis on detection of advanced pulmonary tuberculosis in Osaka city, Japan: a cross-sectional study. BMJ Open 2013; 3:bmjopen-2012-001489. [PMID: 23558729 PMCID: PMC3641501 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2012-001489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the association between the economic recession and the detection of advanced cases of pulmonary tuberculosis in Osaka city from 2007 to 2009. DESIGN A repeated cross-sectional study. SETTING Osaka city has been the highest tuberculosis burden area in Japan. After the previous global financial crisis, the unemployment rate in Osaka prefecture has deteriorated from 5.3% in 2008 to 6.6% in 2009. PARTICIPANTS During the study period, 3406 pulmonary tuberculosis cases were enrolled: 2530 males and 876 females; 1546 elderly cases (65 years and above) and 1860 young cases (under 65 years); 417 homeless cases and 2989 non-homeless cases. OUTCOME MEASURES Patients' information included the sex, age, registry, health insurances, places of detection, sputum smear test results, patients' delay, doctors' delay and the grade of chest x-ray findings. They were statistically analysed between 2007 and 2008, two years before and just before the financial crisis, and between 2008 and 2009, just before and after the financial crisis. RESULTS The total numbers of pulmonary tuberculosis cases were 1172 in 2007, 1083 in 2008 and 1151 in 2009. In health examinations for non-homeless people, higher number of cases in 2009 were sputum smear positive, had respiratory symptoms and showed advanced disease in chest x-rays than those in 2008, with a longer patients' delay. On the contrary, in health examination for homeless people, fewer cases of advanced pulmonary tuberculosis were found in 2009 than in 2008, with a shorter patients' delay. In clinical examinations, there was no trend towards a difference between non-homeless and homeless people. CONCLUSIONS Although homeless people might be protected by public assistance, tuberculosis prevention and control need to be reinforced for the non-homeless population after the financial crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katsura Danno
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Osaka City Public Health Office, Osaka City, Japan
- Public Health, Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita City, Japan
| | - Jun Komukai
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Osaka City Public Health Office, Osaka City, Japan
| | - Hideki Yoshida
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Osaka City Public Health Office, Osaka City, Japan
| | - Kenji Matsumoto
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Osaka City Public Health Office, Osaka City, Japan
| | - Shinichi Koda
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Osaka City Public Health Office, Osaka City, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Terakawa
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Osaka City Public Health Office, Osaka City, Japan
| | - Hiroyasu Iso
- Public Health, Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita City, Japan
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Zavras D, Tsiantou V, Pavi E, Mylona K, Kyriopoulos J. Impact of economic crisis and other demographic and socio-economic factors on self-rated health in Greece. Eur J Public Health 2012; 23:206-10. [DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/cks143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 114] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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Katikireddi SV, Niedzwiedz CL, Popham F. Trends in population mental health before and after the 2008 recession: a repeat cross-sectional analysis of the 1991-2010 Health Surveys of England. BMJ Open 2012; 2:e001790. [PMID: 23075569 PMCID: PMC3488736 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2012-001790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2012] [Accepted: 08/28/2012] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess short-term differences in population mental health before and after the 2008 recession and explore how and why these changes differ by gender, age and socio-economic position. DESIGN Repeat cross-sectional analysis of survey data. SETTING England. PARTICIPANTS Representative samples of the working age (25-64 years) general population participating in the Health Survey for England between 1991 and 2010 inclusive. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Prevalence of poor mental health (caseness) as measured by the general health questionnaire-12 (GHQ). RESULTS Age-sex standardised prevalence of GHQ caseness increased from 13.7% (95% CI 12.9% to 14.5%) in 2008 to 16.4% (95% CI 14.9% to 17.9%) in 2009 and 15.5% (95% CI 14.4% to 16.7%) in 2010. Women had a consistently greater prevalence since 1991 until the current recession. However, compared to 2008, men experienced an increase in age-adjusted caseness of 5.1% (95% CI 2.6% to 7.6%, p<0.001) in 2009 and 3% (95% CI 1.2% to 4.9%, p=0.001) in 2010, while no statistically significant changes were seen in women. Adjustment for differences in employment status and education level did not account for the observed increase in men nor did they explain the differential gender patterning. Over the last decade, socio-economic inequalities showed a tendency to increase but no clear evidence for an increase in inequalities associated with the recession was found. Similarly, no evidence was found for a differential effect between age groups. CONCLUSIONS Population mental health in men has deteriorated within 2 years of the onset of the current recession. These changes, and their patterning by gender, could not be accounted for by differences in employment status. Further work is needed to monitor recessionary impacts on health inequalities in response to ongoing labour market and social policy changes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Frank Popham
- Social Patterning of Health Over the Lifecourse, MRC/CSO Social & Public Health Sciences Unit, Glasgow, UK
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Schwartz BS, Parker CL, Hess J, Frumkin H. Public health and medicine in an age of energy scarcity: the case of petroleum. Am J Public Health 2011; 101:1560-7. [PMID: 21778506 DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2010.205187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Petroleum supplies have heretofore been abundant and inexpensive, but the world petroleum production peak is imminent, and we are entering an unprecedented era of petroleum scarcity. This fact has had little impact on policies related to climate, energy, the built environment, transportation, food, health care, public health, and global health. Rising prices are likely to spur research and drive efficiency improvements, but such innovations may be unable to address an increasing gap between supply and demand. The resulting implications for health and the environment are explored in the articles we have selected as additional contributions in this special issue. Uncertainty about the timing of the peak, the shape of the production curve, and decline rates should not delay action. The time for quick, decisive, comprehensive action is now.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian S Schwartz
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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Mohindra K, Labonté R, Spitzer D. The global financial crisis: whither women's health? CRITICAL PUBLIC HEALTH 2011. [DOI: 10.1080/09581596.2010.539593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- K.S. Mohindra
- a Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine , Institute of Population Health, University of Ottawa , Ottawa , Ontario , Canada
| | - Ronald Labonté
- a Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine , Institute of Population Health, University of Ottawa , Ottawa , Ontario , Canada
| | - Denise Spitzer
- a Department of Epidemiology and Community Medicine , Institute of Population Health, University of Ottawa , Ottawa , Ontario , Canada
- b Institute of Women's Studies , University of Ottawa , Ottawa , Ontario , Canada
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Nikolopoulos G, Bagos P, Lytras T, Bonovas S. An ecological study of the determinants of differences in 2009 pandemic influenza mortality rates between countries in Europe. PLoS One 2011; 6:e19432. [PMID: 21589928 PMCID: PMC3092762 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0019432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2011] [Accepted: 03/28/2011] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pandemic A (H1N1) 2009 mortality rates varied widely from one country to another. Our aim was to identify potential socioeconomic determinants of pandemic mortality and explain between-country variation. METHODOLOGY Based on data from a total of 30 European countries, we applied random-effects Poisson regression models to study the relationship between pandemic mortality rates (May 2009 to May 2010) and a set of representative environmental, health care-associated, economic and demographic country-level parameters. The study was completed by June 2010. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Most regression approaches indicated a consistent, statistically significant inverse association between pandemic influenza-related mortality and per capita government expenditure on health. The findings were similar in univariable [coefficient: -0.00028, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): -0.00046, -0.00010, p = 0.002] and multivariable analyses (including all covariates, coefficient: -0.00107, 95% CI: -0.00196, -0.00018, p = 0.018). The estimate was barely insignificant when the multivariable model included only significant covariates from the univariate step (coefficient: -0.00046, 95% CI: -0.00095, 0.00003, p = 0.063). CONCLUSIONS Our findings imply a significant inverse association between public spending on health and pandemic influenza mortality. In an attempt to interpret the estimated coefficient (-0.00028) for the per capita government expenditure on health, we observed that a rise of 100 international dollars was associated with a reduction in the pandemic influenza mortality rate by approximately 2.8%. However, further work needs to be done to unravel the mechanisms by which reduced government spending on health may have affected the 2009 pandemic influenza mortality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgios Nikolopoulos
- Hellenic Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Athens, Greece
- Department of Computer Science and Biomedical Informatics, University of Central Greece, Lamia, Greece
| | - Pantelis Bagos
- Department of Computer Science and Biomedical Informatics, University of Central Greece, Lamia, Greece
| | - Theodoros Lytras
- Hellenic Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Athens, Greece
| | - Stefanos Bonovas
- Hellenic Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Athens, Greece
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Schempf AH, Decker SL. Decline in the United States black preterm/low birth weight rate in the 1990s: can the economic boom explain it? Ann Epidemiol 2011; 20:862-7. [PMID: 20933194 DOI: 10.1016/j.annepidem.2010.07.100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2010] [Revised: 07/15/2010] [Accepted: 06/19/2010] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Macroeconomic improvements have been posited as an explanation of the decline in the Black preterm birth rate during the 1990s. This study assessed whether decreasing unemployment explained the decline in preterm, low birth weight births (PT-LBW) for Black women. METHODS United States singleton births to non-Hispanic Black women ages 18 and over, conceived between 1990 and 2001, were pooled to examine PT-LBW trends by level of social advantage (approximated by education and marital status). The impact of the state-level unemployment rate in the first and second trimester of pregnancy was evaluated in multiple logistic regression models. RESULTS During the 1990s, PT-LBW declined 11% among disadvantaged (unmarried, less than high school educated) Black women. Although the unemployment rate and PT-LBW were positively related, decreases in unemployment did not explain the decline in PT-LBW. Instead, improvements in prenatal care utilization and smoking behavior largely accounted for the temporal trend. CONCLUSIONS Macroeconomic improvements, measured by unemployment, only marginally contributed to the Black PT-LBW trend in the 1990s. To effect further reductions, future studies should investigate other possible determinants of the proximate behavioral changes that did explain the trend (e.g., Earned Income Tax Credit expansions, increased, cigarette taxes/smoking legislation).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley H Schempf
- Office of Epidemiology, Policy and Evaluation, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, Health Resources and Services Administration, Rockville, MD 20852, USA.
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Hewison A. Feeling the cold: implications for nurse managers arising from the financial pressures in health care in England. J Nurs Manag 2011; 18:520-5. [PMID: 20636499 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2834.2010.01116.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AIM The purpose of this short paper is to identify some of the implications and opportunities nurse managers in England face as a result of the current global economic recession. BACKGROUND Government borrowing and poor global economic conditions have combined to create a pound175 billion budget deficit in the UK. The National Health Service in England will be required to make substantial savings in order to help offset this shortfall. KEY ISSUES This is a brief critical commentary which examines some of the challenges and opportunities for nurse managers in England. It draws on a number of sources to identify key issues concerning nursing management arising from the financial pressures facing health care. CONCLUSION The next few years are going to be very difficult for nurses and their managers, however, the current situation also presents opportunities to advance the contribution and influence of nursing and nursing management. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT What nurse managers do next will be crucial in shaping the NHS response to the financial storm and the future nature of health care in England.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alistair Hewison
- School of Health and Population Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK.
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Politics and health in eight European countries: A comparative study of mortality decline under social democracies and right-wing governments. Soc Sci Med 2010; 71:841-50. [DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2010.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2009] [Revised: 10/20/2009] [Accepted: 05/13/2010] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Arinaminpathy N, Dye C. Health in financial crises: economic recession and tuberculosis in Central and Eastern Europe. J R Soc Interface 2010; 7:1559-69. [PMID: 20427332 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2010.0072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The ongoing global financial crisis, which began in 2007, has drawn attention to the effect of declining economic conditions on public health. A quantitative analysis of previous events can offer insights into the potential health effects of economic decline. In the early 1990s, widespread recession across Central and Eastern Europe accompanied the collapse of the Soviet Union. At the same time, despite previously falling tuberculosis (TB) incidence in most countries, there was an upsurge of TB cases and deaths throughout the region. Here, we study the quantitative relationship between the lost economic productivity and excess TB cases and mortality. We use the data of the World Health Organization for TB notifications and deaths from 1980 to 2006, and World Bank data for gross domestic product. Comparing 15 countries for which sufficient data exist, we find strong linear associations between the lost economic productivity over the period of recession for each country and excess numbers of TB cases (r(2) = 0.94, p < 0.001) and deaths (r(2) = 0.94, p < 0.001) over the same period. If TB epidemiology and control are linked to economies in 2009 as they were in 1991 then the Baltic states, particularly Latvia, are now vulnerable to another upturn in TB cases and deaths. These projections are in accordance with emerging data on drug consumption, which indicate that these countries have undergone the greatest reductions since the beginning of 2008. We recommend close surveillance and monitoring during the current recession, especially in the Baltic states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nimalan Arinaminpathy
- Department of Zoology, Institute for Emerging Infections, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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