The ageing prisoner population: demographic shifts in Australia and implications for the economic and social costs of health care

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Natasha Ann Ginnivan ◽  
Rafal Chomik ◽  
Ye In (Jane) Hwang ◽  
John Piggott ◽  
Tony Butler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Costs ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Economic Modelling ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Perspectives ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Population Demographic

Purpose The Australian prisoner population has experienced a dramatic increase in the number of older inmates over the past decade, consistent with the greying of the prisoner population that is being observed worldwide. Reviews suggest the need for further evidence and practice outside of the USA. This paper aims to review and discuss the cost and social implications of the rising health-care needs of this population in Australia. Design/methodology/approach A review of international research and policies is presented, as well as the results of basic economic modelling relating to the expected rise in health-care costs of the ageing prisoner population in Australia. Findings Taking into consideration the continued rise in incarceration rates, the calculations show that the health costs of prisoners could increase by anywhere between 17% and 90% depending on whether the increase of older prisoners continues as it has in the past decade. These trends are likely to continue over the next decade and will result in higher health costs of prisons under a number of different imprisonment scenarios. Policy responses in Australia have been slow so far, with most initiatives being undertaken in the USA with promising results. Practical implications The authors suggest that in the absence of a coordinated policy response, covering a range of interventions, costs will continue to increase, particularly as this population continues to age more rapidly than the general population due to an accumulation of risk factors. Well-conceived interventions would be a worthwhile investment from both financial and social perspectives. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first commentary to acknowledge this rising public health issue and to both review and model its implications for the future.

Health care as a worldwide concern. Insights on the Italian and Indian health care systems and PPPs from a VSA perspective

2014 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 198-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marialuisa Saviano ◽  
Ratri Parida ◽  
Francesco Caputo ◽  
Saroj Kumar Datta
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Service Systems ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Indian Health ◽  
Theoretical Approaches

Purpose – Health is a fundamental populations’ need and an integral part of the socio-economic development of a country. However, it is required to explain the growing role of the private sectors in addressing various health care needs. The purpose of this paper is to analyse potential contribution, criticalities and conditions of success of public-private partnership (PPP) as a strategy to face the complexity of nationally relevant Italian and Indian service systems. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology is built upon the basis of the viable systems approach (VSA) integrated with the fundamental interpretative elements of service science and service-dominant logic to contextualize interpretation to the management of service systems benefitting from recent advances in these research fields. Findings – A VSA-based general framework of reference is built that is useful for analysing any relational context in which different aims and expectations need to be harmonized to make the collaboration effective. On the basis of this framework, first insights on Italian and Indian health care PPPs are proposed, highlighting key elements of analysis and criticalities that may challenge a positive conclusion on health care PPPs. Practical implications – The implications of the study are both theoretical and practical. From a theoretical perspective, the study contributes to the scholarly understanding of complex health care system in Italy as well as in India with particular reference to the public-private collaboration phenomenon. It also suggests theoretical approaches in the form of a generic VSA-based framework as applicable. From a practical perspective, the study stimulates managers to a critical reflection about current health care management approaches which are reflected in the adoption of PPPs solutions. Originality/value – The paper discusses relevant worldwide decision-making challenges, such as the equality in the populations’ access to health service, suggesting managers the way to create conditions of consonance among the diverse stakeholders for a successful health care PPPs.

Engagement, inclusion, knowledge sharing, and talent development: is reverse mentoring a panacea to all? Findings from literature review

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanghamitra Chaudhuri ◽  
Sunyoung Park ◽  
Karen R. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Social Exchange ◽  
Social Exchange Theory ◽  
English Summary ◽  
Exchange Theory ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Past ◽  
Member Exchange ◽  
The Usa

Purpose The purpose of this study is to systematically review the practice of reverse mentoring and draw a timeline of the research over the past two decades. Considering the novelty of this intervention, this paper proposed an agenda for future research on this burgeoning topic. Design/methodology/approach By adopting narrative literature review and Gregory and Denniss’ (2018) four-step process, this paper reviewed 54 studies grounded in conceptual, literature review and empirical research published between 1998 and 2020. Findings The articles included in the literature review on reverse mentoring research were summarized according to journal publications, research methodologies, contextual settings, theoretical framework, purpose and outcomes. Reverse mentoring studies are dominantly published in educational journals using primarily qualitative and conceptual approaches to explore both academic and business contexts within the USA and Europe. Theories frequently used to frame and examine the need of reverse mentoring included social exchange theory and leader-member exchange theory. The fundamental purpose of reverse mentoring research is to transfer knowledge and to bridge the technology divide between intergenerational groups. Reverse mentoring has been used to promote inclusivity between multiple generations in relation to gender, ethnicity and culture. Originality/value As per the knowledge, this is the first-ever comprehensive English summary of reverse mentoring research done in the past two decades. Findings from this research can be used to better understand reverse mentoring research trends and directions.

scholarly journals Provision of health care for prisoners during the COVID-19 pandemic: an ethical analysis of challenges and summary of select best practices

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Berkemeier Brelje ◽  
Debra A. Pinals
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Legal Principles ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Health Care Policies ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
Pandemic Response

Purpose This paper aims to analyze the COVID-19 pandemic response in prisons, focusing on the USA, which imprisons a higher percentage of its population than any other country in the world. Design/methodology/approach This paper evaluates the current pandemic response in prisons based on legal and ethical imperatives for providing health care to prisoners. Findings Themes of best practices identified include increasing rapid detection of new cases, reducing transmission and advocating for both short- and long-term ethical health care policies. Halting progress now could risk dire consequences and is unacceptable on legal, ethical and public health grounds. Research limitations/implications This paper does not involve primary research with prisoners; rather it focuses on reviewing the pandemic response in prisons. Although it may be possible to translate findings in this study to similar environments (e.g. jails and detainment centers), there are unique characteristics pertaining to each that deserve separate, focused analyses. Originality/value Outbreaks that occur within prisons are likely to spread to the community and vice versa. Analyses based on ethics, law and public health point to the same conclusion: preventing significant outbreaks within prisons will benefit not only prisoners but also the general public. Furthermore, even though the scientific understanding of the pandemic may change with future research, the ethical and legal principles highlighted in this paper will continue to be foundational when considering just care for prisoners.

The massive spreads and fatalities of COVID-19 pandemic in the USA: symptoms of leadership failure

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Oluwole Owoye ◽  
Olugbenga A. Onafowora
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Risks ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Political Leaders ◽  
President Obama ◽  
Conspiracy Theories ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Leadership Failure ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Social Media Platforms

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to empirically examine whether the massive spreads and fatalities of the COVID-19 pandemic in the USA, the country with the most advanced medical technology in the world, are symptomatic of leadership failure. The authors posit that when political leaders, such as the President of the USA, in conjunction with a group of state governors and city mayors, employed conspiracy theories and disinformation to achieve their political goals, they contributed to the massive spreads and fatalities of the virus, and they also undermined the credibility of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the health-care professionals in providing the pertinent control guidelines and true scientific-based medical information.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted a review of current studies that address the handling of global infectious diseases to build a better understanding of the issue of pandemics. They then employed a theoretical framework to link the massive spreads and fatalities of the COVID-19 pandemic to political leaders, such as President Trump and the group of obsequious state governors and city mayors, who propagated conspiracy theories and disinformation through social media platforms to downplay the severity of the virus. The authors compared the massive spreads and fatalities of the COVID-19 pandemic in the USA under President Trump to President Obama who handled H1N1, Ebola, Zika and Dengue. More importantly, the authors compared President Trump's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic to other political leaders in advanced countries where there were no concerted efforts to spread conspiracy theories and disinformation about the health risks of COVID-19 pandemic.FindingsThe authors' theoretical analysis alluded to the fact that political leaders, such as President Trump, who are engulfed in self-deceptions, self-projections and self-aggrandizements would engage in self-promotion and avoid accountability for their missteps in handling global pandemic shocks. In contrast, political leaders in other advanced countries did not downplay the severity thus their ability to curtail the spreads and fatalities of the COVID-19 pandemic.Research limitations/implicationsThe theoretical viewpoints presented in this paper along with the derivations of the spreads–fatalities curtailment coefficients and the spread–fatality upsurge coefficients under Presidents Obama and Trump, respectively, may not be replicable. Given this plausible limitation, future research may need to provide a deep analysis of the amplifications of conspiracy theories and disinformation because they are now deeply rooted in the political economy of the USA. Furthermore, since scientists and medical professionals may not be able to forecast future epidemics or pandemics with pin-point accuracy nor predict how political leaders would disseminate health risks information associated with different pathogens, it is imperative that future research addresses the positive or adverse effects of conspiracy theories and disinformation that are now easily propagated simultaneously through different social media platforms, which are currently protected under Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act. The multiplier effects of conspiracy theories and disinformation will continue to amplify the division about the authenticity of COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence or reemergence of other pathogens in the foreseeable future.Originality/valueThe authors derived the unique spreads-fatalities curtailment coefficients to demonstrate how President Obama used effective collaboration and coordination at all levels of government in conjunction with medical experts to curtail the spreads and fatalities associated with H1N1, Ebola, Zika and Dengue. They further derived the spreads-fatalities upsurge coefficients to highlight how President Trump contributed to the spreads and fatalities of COVID-19 pandemic through his inability to collaborate and coordinate with state governors, city mayors and different health-care agencies at the national and international levels.

Educating researchers in the metadiscipline of foresight

foresight ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (5/6) ◽  
pp. 703-715
Author(s):  
James P. Kahan
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Educational Innovations ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Disciplinary Boundaries ◽  
American Higher Education ◽  
The Past ◽  
Scientific Disciplines ◽  
Logical Type ◽  
The Usa

Purpose The science of Foresight differs from the commonplace notion of what a science is because it is a metadiscipline – a logical type of science higher than the logical type of disciplinary sciences. It is practical, uses transdisciplinary processes that combine scientific disciplines and often examines counterfactuals in a scientific manner. This study aims to demonstrate that Foresight is a science, by presenting a number of best practices and potential innovations in higher education that could facilitate obtaining skills for Foresight science. Design/methodology/approach The methods of scientific education that have served us well in the past are inadequate for metadisciplinary sciences such as Foresight. The paper discusses what metadisciplinarity is, using a variety of examples, and distinguishes it from disciplines and ways of crossing disciplinary boundaries. Understanding the essential characteristics of Foresight as a metadisciplinary science leads to identifying current best practices and possible educational innovations in undergraduate education that will facilitate obtaining Foresight skills. Throughout the paper, examples are drawn from the education and professional experience of the author in the USA and Europe. Findings This paper demonstrates that Foresight is a science and presents a number of best practices and potential innovations in higher education that could facilitate obtaining skills for Foresight science. It identifies barriers to those innovations and approaches to overcome them. Originality/value This viewpoint paper clarifies the meaning of the terms interdisciplinarity, transdisciplinarity and metadisciplinarity to identify the essential characteristics of Foresight as a science. Then, it identifies and advocates needed changes in North American higher education to provide earlier and more efficient opportunities for Foresight researchers and users to obtain the skills they need.

Forward-backward translation and cross-cultural validation of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale among Tigrigna-speaking Eritrean refugees

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-176
Author(s):  
Mulubrhan F. Mogos ◽  
Jason W. Beckstead ◽  
Mary E. Evans ◽  
Kevin E. Kip ◽  
Roger A. Boothroyd
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Measurement Invariance ◽  
Semantic Analysis ◽  
Epidemiologic Studies ◽  
Vulnerable Population ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Depression Symptoms ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Usa

Purpose The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale is a widely used instrument for studying depression in the general population. It has been translated into several languages. Cross-cultural relevance of the construct of depression and cultural equivalence of the CES-D items used to measure it are crucial for international research on depression. Given the increasing number of refugees from Eritrea entering the USA and Europe, there is a need among health care researchers and providers for an instrument to assess depressive symptoms in the native language of this vulnerable population. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach The study employed forward–backward translation and assessed the CES-D scale for cross-cultural research and depression screening among Tigrigna-speaking Eritrean refugees. Forward–backward translation, cognitive interview and semantic analysis were conducted to ensure equivalence of comprehension of the items and instructions between Tigrigna- and English-speaking samples. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess the measurement invariance of the translated version. Findings Translation efforts were successful as reflected by the results of semantic analysis and pilot testing. Evidence supporting the measurement invariance of data collected using the Tigrigna version of the CES-D was obtained from a sample of 253 Eritrean refugees in the USA. Practical implications The findings of this study provide support for reliability and validity of data collected using the Tigrigna version of the CES-D scale. This important tool for assessing depression symptoms among Eritrean refugees is now available for health care providers and researchers working with this vulnerable population. Originality/value This work is an original work of the authors and it has not been published previously.

Social studies without walls: engaging students in online collaboration across district lines

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 254-269
Author(s):  
Eric B. Freedman ◽  
Lauren Willigan ◽  
Randall Glading ◽  
Kristin N. Rainville
Keyword(s):  
Social Studies ◽  
Digital Technology ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Urban Centers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Race And Class ◽  
The Past ◽  
Civic Dialogue ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Collaborative Activities

Purpose Intercultural dialogue and collaboration are critical to social studies education. Yet over the past 30 years, schools in the USA have grown increasingly segregated by race and class. The purpose of this paper is to offer a possible response based in digital technology. Design/methodology/approach The authors describe a project called Classes Without Walls that links elementary schools in wealthy suburbs with those in impoverished urban centers. Students at the two schools engage in collaborative activities through online video conferencing. Findings The authors explore two sample lessons in depth: a virtual town tour and a social demographics scavenger hunt. Originality/value Such activities, they argue, can contribute toward cultural understanding and civic dialogue.

scholarly journals Senior healt-hcare fraud under investigation

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicole F. Stowell ◽  
Carl Pacini ◽  
Martina K. Schmidt ◽  
Nathan Wadlinger
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Prevention Strategies ◽  
Effective Prevention ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Health Care Fraud ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
The Usa

Purpose This study aims to increase awareness and educate the reader about health-care fraud targeting seniors in the USA to help stakeholders better understand, recognize and prevent this type of fraud. Design/methodology/approach This paper collects statistics on the current state of health care frauds committed against seniors, and examines related cases and laws. Findings The authors find this type of fraud is highly prevalent and expected to increase. Current laws preventing this fraud from occurring are multifold and complex. While prevention strategies through law enforcement have been somewhat successful, a reduction in resources may put seniors at an increased risk in the years to come. Research limitations/implications Without additional prevention strategies, the problem will likely escalate with a growing population of older adults. This study encourages further research into effective prevention strategies and methods to fight health-care fraud against seniors. Practical implications Health-care fraud and its associated costs pose a significant threat to the society and economy of the USA. Reducing this fraud will not only reduce the costs to the US economy but also improve the physical and mental well-being of senior victims, reduce their mortality and hospitalization rates and improve the public trust placed to health-care providers. Originality/value This study highlights how health-care fraud is committed against seniors. With the projected trend of an aging US population, educating stakeholders, increasing awareness and applying tools to protect seniors will be important to reduce the absolute scope of this problem in the future.

scholarly journals ‘Prison facilities were not built with a woman in mind’: an exploratory multi-stakeholder study on women’s situation in Malawi prisons

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 303-318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis Gadama ◽  
Chrissie Thakwalakwa ◽  
Chimwemwe Mula ◽  
Victor Mhango ◽  
Chikosa Banda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Practice Change ◽  
Women Prisoners ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Women Health ◽  
Sub Saharan ◽  
Senior Officers ◽  
Multi Stakeholder ◽  
Health Situation

Purpose Sub-Saharan African prisons have seen a substantial increase in women prisoners, including those incarcerated with children. There is very little strategic literature available on the health situation and needs of women prisoners and their circumstantial children in Malawi. The study aims to explore this issue. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative exploratory study using in-depth key informant interviews with senior correctional stakeholders (commissioner of prison farms, senior correctional management staff, senior health officials and senior officers in charge) (n = 5) and focus group discussions (FGD) with women in prison of age between 18 and 45 years (n = 23) and two FGD with correctional staff (n = 21) was conducted in two prisons in Malawi, Chichiri and Zomba. Narratives were transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Findings Three key themes emerged and are as follows: “hygiene and sanitary situation across multiple prison levels and subsequent health implications for women”; “nutritional provision and diets of women and children in prison”; and “women’s access to prison-based and external health services”. Divergence or agreement across perspectives around sanitation and disease prevention, adequacy of nutrition for pregnant or breast-feeding women, health status and access to prison-based health care are presented. Practical implications Garnering a contemporary understanding of women’s situation and their health-care needs in Malawian prisons can inform policy and correctional health practice change, the adaptation of technical guidance and improve standards for women and their children incarcerated in Malawi. Originality/value There is a strong need for continued research to garner insight into the experiences of women prisoners and their children, with a particular emphasis on health situation.

Supporting older military veterans in the rural US

2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 286-297
Author(s):  
Bret Hicken ◽  
Kimber Parry
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Veterans Health ◽  
Health Administration ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Access To Health ◽  
The Us

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of rural older veterans in the US and discuss how the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is increasing access to health care for older veterans in rural areas. Design/methodology/approach This is a descriptive paper summarizing population and program data about rural veterans. Findings VA provides a variety of health care services and benefits for older veterans to support health, independence, and quality of life. With the creation of the Veterans Health Administration Office of Rural Health (ORH) in 2006, the needs of rural veterans, who are on average older than urban veterans, are receiving greater attention and support. ORH and VA have implemented several programs to specifically improve access to health care for rural veterans and to improve quality of care for older veterans in rural areas. Originality/value This paper is one of the first to describe how VA is addressing the health care needs of older, rural veterans.

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