Trapped in a Blind Spot: The Covid-19 Crisis in Nursing Homes in Italy and Spain

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Margarita León ◽  
Marco Arlotti ◽  
David Palomera ◽  
Costanzo Ranci
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Blind Spot ◽  
Structural Factors ◽  
Legacy Effects ◽  
Allocation Of Resources ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Policy Responses ◽  
Emergency Interventions ◽  
Institutional Embedding ◽  
The Welfare State

This article investigates the delay in implementation and inadequacy of specific policy actions in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in nursing homes. The analysis focuses on Lombardy and Madrid, the two wealthiest regions in Italy and Spain. These were the most severely affected by the onset of the pandemic, both country-wise and at the European level. We compare the chronology of policy decisions that affected nursing homes against the broader policy responses related to the health crisis. We look at structural factors that reveal policy legacy effects. Our analysis shows that key emergency interventions arrived late, especially when compared to similar actions taken by the national health services. Weak institutional embedding of nursing homes within the welfare state in terms of ownership, allocation of resources, regulation and coordination hindered a swift response to the onset of the crisis.

scholarly journals Smart and Resilient Urban Futures for Sustainability in the Post COVID-19 Era: A Review of Policy Responses on Urban Mobility

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 6486
Author(s):  
Christina Kakderi ◽  
Eleni Oikonomaki ◽  
Ilektra Papadaki
Keyword(s):  
Operations Management ◽  
Smart Cities ◽  
Smart Growth ◽  
Urban Mobility ◽  
Sustainable Mobility ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Daily Routines ◽  
Policy Responses ◽  
Urban Futures ◽  
Made In

The COVID-19 pandemic has put lifestyles in question, changed daily routines, and limited citizen freedoms that seemed inalienable before. A human activity that has been greatly affected since the beginning of the health crisis is mobility. Focusing on mobility, we aim to discuss the transformational impact that the pandemic brought to this specific urban domain, especially with regards to the promotion of sustainability, the smart growth agenda, and the acceleration towards the smart city paradigm. We collect 60 initial policy responses related to urban mobility from cities around the world and analyze them based on the challenge they aim to address, the exact principles of smart growth and sustainable mobility that they encapsulate, as well as the level of ICT penetration. Our findings suggest that emerging strategies, although mainly temporary, are transformational, in line with the principles of smart growth and sustainable development. Most policy responses adopted during the first months of the pandemic, however, fail to leverage advancements made in the field of smart cities, and to adopt off-the-shelf solutions such as monitoring, alerting, and operations management.

scholarly journals How does globalization affect COVID-19 responses?

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Steve J. Bickley ◽  
Ho Fai Chan ◽  
Ahmed Skali ◽  
David Stadelmann ◽  
Benno Torgler
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Disease Transmission ◽  
State Capacity ◽  
International Travel ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Government Effectiveness ◽  
Policy Responses ◽  
Travel Restrictions ◽  
High Government

Abstract Background The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the vast differences in approaches to the control and containment of coronavirus across the world and has demonstrated the varied success of such approaches in minimizing the transmission of coronavirus. While previous studies have demonstrated high predictive power of incorporating air travel data and governmental policy responses in global disease transmission modelling, factors influencing the decision to implement travel and border restriction policies have attracted relatively less attention. This paper examines the role of globalization on the pace of adoption of international travel-related non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) during the coronavirus pandemic. This study aims to offer advice on how to improve the global planning, preparation, and coordination of actions and policy responses during future infectious disease outbreaks with empirical evidence. Methods and data We analyzed data on international travel restrictions in response to COVID-19 of 185 countries from January to October 2020. We applied time-to-event analysis to examine the relationship between globalization and the timing of travel restrictions implementation. Results The results of our survival analysis suggest that, in general, more globalized countries, accounting for the country-specific timing of the virus outbreak and other factors, are more likely to adopt international travel restrictions policies. However, countries with high government effectiveness and globalization were more cautious in implementing travel restrictions, particularly if through formal political and trade policy integration. This finding is supported by a placebo analysis of domestic NPIs, where such a relationship is absent. Additionally, we find that globalized countries with high state capacity are more likely to have higher numbers of confirmed cases by the time a first restriction policy measure was taken. Conclusions The findings highlight the dynamic relationship between globalization and protectionism when governments respond to significant global events such as a public health crisis. We suggest that the observed caution of policy implementation by countries with high government efficiency and globalization is a by-product of commitment to existing trade agreements, a greater desire to ‘learn from others’ and also perhaps of ‘confidence’ in a government’s ability to deal with a pandemic through its health system and state capacity. Our results suggest further research is warranted to explore whether global infectious disease forecasting could be improved by including the globalization index and in particular, the de jure economic and political, and de facto social dimensions of globalization, while accounting for the mediating role of government effectiveness. By acting as proxies for a countries’ likelihood and speed of implementation for international travel restriction policies, such measures may predict the likely time delays in disease emergence and transmission across national borders.

scholarly journals Building Smart and Resilient Urban Futures by Setting a Mission for Sustainability in the Post COVID-19 Era

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christina Kakderi ◽  
Eleni Oikonomaki ◽  
Ilektra Papadaki
Keyword(s):  
Operations Management ◽  
Smart Cities ◽  
Smart Growth ◽  
Urban Mobility ◽  
Sustainable Mobility ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Daily Routines ◽  
Policy Responses ◽  
Urban Futures ◽  
Made In

The COVID-19 pandemic has put lifestyles in question, changed daily routines and limited citizen freedoms that seemed inalienable before. A human activity that was greatly affected since the beginning of the health crisis is mobility. Focusing on mobility, we aim to discuss the transformational impact that the pandemic brought on this specific urban domain, especially with regards to the promotion of the smart growth agenda and the acceleration towards the smart city paradigm. We collect 60 initial policy responses related to urban mobility from 86 cities around the world and analyse them based on the challenge they aim to address, the exact principles of smart growth and sustainable mobility that they encapsulate and the level of ICT penetration. Our findings suggest that emerging strategies, although mainly temporary, are transformational, in line with the principles of smart growth. As a result the pandemic becomes an opportunity for shifting towards more sustainable urban planning and mobility practices. However, most policy responses adopted during the first months of the pandemic fail to leverage advancements made in the field of smart cities, and to adopt off-the-shelf solutions such as in monitoring, alerting and operations management.

Ideology, Conflict and Social Policy

1975 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 243-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Derek Birrell ◽  
Alan Murie
Keyword(s):  
Social Policy ◽  
Northern Ireland ◽  
Welfare State ◽  
Social Services ◽  
The Political ◽  
Allocation Of Resources ◽  
Number Of Factors ◽  
The Government ◽  
Significant Factors ◽  
The Welfare State

ABSTRACTSocial policy in Northern Ireland offers examples of social policies strongly influenced by ideological considerations. There are a number of factors which determine how susceptible services and policies are to ideological influences. Some services are particularly sensitive to ideological values and demands, for example, education. In certain areas the distribution of services and the allocation of resources has been significant in maintaining the political structure. The distribution of administrative responsibility, the absence of pressure from Britain for maintaining parity in social services, and the absence of non-secretarian pressures on the government are other significant factors. The process of analysing problems and formulating social policy reflects deep ideological divisions. This can be contrasted with the rational, empirical and pragmatic models of policy making, implicit in the development of social policy in Britain. With some minor modifications the British model of the Welfare State operates in Northern Ireland. In some areas it operates to serve ends other than those of redistribution or meeting social need. This provides insights into some of the assumptions made about social policy and the Welfare State in Britain.

Measuring operational efficiency of isolation hospitals during COVID-19 pandemic using data envelopment analysis: a case of Egypt

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahmoud Abdelrahman Kamel ◽  
Mohamed El-Sayed Mousa
Keyword(s):  
Data Envelopment Analysis ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Operational Efficiency ◽  
Data Envelopment ◽  
Allocation Of Resources ◽  
Tobit Regression ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Dea Analysis ◽  
Using Data

PurposeThis study used Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to measure and evaluate the operational efficiency of 26 isolation hospitals in Egypt during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as identifying the most important inputs affecting their efficiency.Design/methodology/approachTo measure the operational efficiency of isolation hospitals, this paper combined three interrelated methodologies including DEA, sensitivity analysis and Tobit regression, as well as three inputs (number of physicians, number of nurses and number of beds) and three outputs (number of infections, number of recoveries and number of deaths). Available data were analyzed through R v.4.0.1 software to achieve the study purpose.FindingsBased on DEA analysis, out of 26 isolation hospitals, only 4 were found efficient according to CCR model and 12 out of 26 hospitals achieved efficiency under the BCC model, Tobit regression results confirmed that the number of nurses and the number of beds are common factors impacted the operational efficiency of isolation hospitals, while the number of physicians had no significant effect on efficiency.Research limitations/implicationsThe limits of this study related to measuring the operational efficiency of isolation hospitals in Egypt considering the available data for the period from February to August 2020. DEA analysis can also be an important benchmarking tool for measuring the operational efficiency of isolation hospitals, for identifying their ability to utilize and allocate their resources in an optimal manner (Demand vs Capacity Dilemma), which in turn, encountering this pandemic and protect citizens' health.Originality/valueDespite the intensity of studies that dealt with measuring hospital efficiency, this study to the best of our knowledge is one of the first attempts to measure the efficiency of hospitals in Egypt in times of health' crisis, especially, during the COVID-19 pandemic, to identify the best allocation of resources to achieve the highest level of efficiency during this pandemic.

scholarly journals Burnout among Direct-Care Workers in Nursing Homes during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Spain: A Preventive and Educational Focus for Sustainable Workplaces

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 2782
Author(s):  
José Ángel Martínez-López ◽  
Cristina Lázaro-Pérez ◽  
José Gómez-Galán
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Personal Development ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Maslach Burnout Inventory ◽  
The Elderly ◽  
Direct Care ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Continuous Contact

Due to their continuous contact with pain and death, healthcare workers have one of the most stressful professions. Pain and death are more common in nursing homes. During the health crisis associated with COVID-19, these work centers have been characterized as spaces of high vulnerability to infection for the elderly, with a high mortality rate. This research aims to determine how the health crisis associated with COVID-19 has influenced healthcare professionals working in nursing homes for the elderly. Using a quantitative and cross-sectional method, the research was developed in residential centers in the Region of Murcia (Spain) during the second wave of the pandemic. A survey design based mainly on the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) was employed. MBI measures three subscales: emotional burnout, depersonalization, and self-fulfillment. The results show that 6.4% of the respondents were burned out, 53.8% of the participants were emotionally exhausted, 35.1% were found to suffer from depersonalization, and in the case of personal development, the respondents showed a low level of 15.6%. This study shows the need to consider the establishment, in the academic environment, of training programs for health professionals related to coping with, managing, and identifying stress, especially in adverse circumstances. Similarly, in the professional field, it is necessary to develop strategies to prevent stress and anxiety in the workplace. The development of training programs for this purpose is essential for achieving a sustainable work context.

scholarly journals Varieties of Crises: Comparing the Politics of COVID-19 and Climate Change

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Hamish van der Ven ◽  
Yixian Sun
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Climate Change ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Economic Activity ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Public Health Crisis ◽  
Policy Responses ◽  
Climate Action ◽  
Climate Crisis ◽  
State Responses

The COVID-19 pandemic is the largest public health crisis in recent history. Many states have taken unprecedented action in responding to the pandemic by restricting international and domestic travel, limiting economic activity, and passing massive social welfare bills. This begs the question, why have states taken extreme measures for COVID-19 but not the climate crisis? By comparing state responses to COVID-19 with those to the climate crisis, we identify the crisis characteristics that drive quick and far-reaching reactions to some global crises but not others. We inductively develop a conceptual framework that identifies eight crisis characteristics with observable variation between the COVID-19 and climate crises. This framework draws attention to under-considered areas of variance, such as the perceived differences in the universality of impacts, the legibility of policy responses, and the different sites of expertise for both crises. We use this structured comparison to identify areas of leverage for obtaining quicker and broader climate action.

scholarly journals Individual or Structural Inequality? Access and Barriers in Welfare Services for Women Who Sell Sex

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 310-318
Author(s):  
Anette Brunovskis ◽  
May-Len Skilbrei
Keyword(s):  
Welfare State ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Structural Factors ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Theoretical Understanding ◽  
Complex Needs ◽  
Welfare Services ◽  
Or Groups ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
The Welfare State

It is often taken for granted that women who sell sex are vulnerable, that welfare services can and should alleviate this vulnerability, and as such, being defined as ‘vulnerable’ can be beneficial and associated with special rights that would otherwise be inaccessible. At the same time, ongoing debates have demonstrated that establishing individuals and groups as vulnerable tends to mask structural factors in inequality and has negative consequences, among them an idea that the path to ‘non-vulnerability’ lies in changing the ‘afflicted’ individuals or groups, not in structures or in addressing unequal access to resources. In this article, we take this as a starting point and discuss challenges for the welfare state in meeting the varied and often complex needs of sex sellers. Based on qualitative research with service providers in specialised social and health services in Norway, we examine access and barriers to services among female sex sellers as well as how vulnerability is understood and shapes what services are available. An important feature of modern prostitution in Norway, as in the rest of Western Europe, is that sex sellers are predominantly migrants with varying migration status and corresponding rights to services. This has influenced the options available to address prostitution as a phenomenon within the welfare state and measures that have previously been helpful for domestic women in prostitution are not easily replicated for the current target population. A starting point in a theoretical understanding that considers vulnerability to be a human predicament (rather than the exception to the rule or a deficit in individuals or groups) allows for a discussion that highlights the centrality of structural conditions rather than a need for change in the individual. In order to understand the limitations of the welfare state in addressing modern prostitution as such, it is highly relevant to look at the structural origin of vulnerabilities that may look individual.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document