scholarly journals Reviewing challenges and gaps in European and global dementia policy

2018 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 157-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toni Wright ◽  
Stephen O’Connor
Keyword(s):  
Research Training ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Policy Documents ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Global Policy ◽  
Care And Support ◽  
Care Models ◽  
Data Extraction Tool ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to scope out European and global policy documents focused on dementia with the purpose of providing a synthesis of the challenges the phenomenon poses and the gaps evident. Design/methodology/approach An adapted PESTEL framework as a data extraction tool resulted in an analysis of the political, economic, social, technological, environmental, organisational, educational and research aspects of dementia policy. Findings Policy documents showed variability of dementia strategy, plan and programme development. All documents recognised rapidly growing ageing populations, and increasing numbers of people living with dementia. Dementia as a public health priority is inconsistent in growth. Global policy documents stress the impact of dementia will be felt most by low- and middle-income countries. Main themes were: a need to raise awareness of dementia and action to reduce stigma around it, the need for early diagnosis and preventative person-centred approaches with integrated care, fiscal investment, further research, training and education for workforces, increased involvement of and support for people living with dementia and care and support close to home. Practical implications By identifying current dementia challenges and policy gap implications this analysis urges engagement with broader frames of reference as potential for enabling bolder and radically better dementia care models. Originality/value This paper offers a review of present global and European dementia policy, outlining the potential implications for the most marginalised in society if it fails to be critical of its own underpinning assumptions.

scholarly journals Mentoring for employability: a state-level impact study

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 180-188
Author(s):  
Claire Jackson ◽  
Dani Milos ◽  
Monica Kerr
Keyword(s):  
Impact Evaluation ◽  
Research Training ◽  
South Australia ◽  
State Level ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Evaluation Instrument ◽  
The South ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Published Evidence ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Industry mentoring has been repeatedly called out in sector reports on research training in Australian Universities as an effective way to develop PhD capacity and capabilities during research degrees (ACOLA, 2016; NOUS, 2017). Despite the understood importance of this type of experiential development, there is little published evidence on how effective mentoring is to develop the capabilities linked to improved employability. The University of South Australia developed the industry mentoring network in STEM (IMNIS) Impact Evaluation Instrument (IIEI) to capture advanced self-assessed data from mentees and demonstrate what impact the IMNIS program has on developing industry-relevant knowledge and skills in PhD participants. In 2017, the three universities in South Australia implemented a state-wide study using the IIEI to understand the impact of the national IMNIS scheme on the South Australian cohort. Design/methodology/approach This paper presents a case study on the impact of mentoring on PhD students during the IMNIS program. A self-assessed, competency-based study design has been used to collect pre, mid and post experience data, which measures the extent to which objectives of the IMNIS program are met. The evaluation of the results, using the Vitae Impact Framework (Vitae, 2012), seeks to understand the development of mentees’ skills and knowledge as a result of their mentoring experience to support program development and build an evidence base of impact. Findings This paper presents the 2017/2018 results from the South Australian IMNIS impact evaluation. Through analysis of the three data sets, findings show that skills and knowledge have been developed in mentees as a result of the program. Originality/value This study provides an extended approach to the existing evaluation undertaken in the national IMNIS program. The IIEI is now available for other universities to use as a method for extended evaluation of their IMNIS program or potentially other WIL opportunities, providing an opportunity for institutional and national benchmarking.

ICT development, governance quality and the environmental performance: avoidable thresholds from the lower and lower-middle-income countries

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mouna Amari ◽  
Khaireddine Mouakhar ◽  
Anis Jarboui
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
Methane Emissions ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Basic Services ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Fossil Fuel Energy ◽  
Fossil Fuel Energy Consumption

PurposeThis paper aims to study the relationship between information and communication technology (ICT) readiness, use, and intensity and environmental sustainability factors in the lower and middle lower-income countries from 2012 to 2018.Design/methodology/approachICT readiness, use and intensity are measured with the impact of ICT on access to basic services, phone penetration and Internet penetration, while CO2 emissions per capita, fossil fuel energy consumption and methane emissions are used as indicators for air pollution. To achieve this goal, a two-step generalized method of moments (GMM) estimation was performed which thresholds are computed contingent on the validity of tested hypotheses.FindingsThe results demonstrate that increasing ICT readiness, use and intensity in lower and lower-middle-income countries enhance environmental sustainability by decreasing CO2 emissions and energy consumption.Research limitations/implicationsOne of the limitations of this study is that the conclusions and policy recommendations do not take into account the specificities of each country. Indeed there are some differences in the growth pattern of ICT in the lower and middle-lower-income countries. Taken together, the authors conclude that increasing ICT has a positive net effect on CO2 and methane emissions per capita, while increasing the impact of ICT access in basic services has a net negative effect on CO2 fossil fuel energy consumption and methane emissions.Practical implicationsThe world needs immediate emissions reduction to avoid the long-term danger of climate change. Second, government authorities should give additional efforts in the more pollutant sector such as transport and industry to monitor their energy consumption.Originality/valueTo explore this issue further, the negative net effects suggest that ICT needs to be further developed beyond the determined thresholds, to attain the required negative net effect on fossil fuel energy consumption.

scholarly journals Global Use of Traditional and Complementary Medicine in Childhood Cancer: A Systematic Review

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (6) ◽  
pp. 791-800 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Diorio ◽  
Catherine G. Lam ◽  
Elena J. Ladas ◽  
Festus Njuguna ◽  
Glenn M. Afungchwi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Complementary Medicine ◽  
Pediatric Oncology ◽  
Active Treatment ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Low Income Countries ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Treatment Abandonment ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) strategies are commonly used in pediatric oncology. Patterns may vary based on country income. We systematically reviewed published studies describing T&CM use among pediatric oncology patients in low-income countries (LIC/LMIC), middle-income countries (UMIC), and high-income countries (HIC). Objectives included describing estimated prevalence of use, reasons for use, perceived effectiveness, modalities used, rates of disclosure, and reporting of delayed or abandoned treatment. Methods MEDLINE, EMBASE, Global Health, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and ProceedingsFirst were searched. Inclusion criteria were primary studies involving children younger than the age of 18 years, undergoing active treatment of cancer, and any T&CM use. Exclusion criteria included no pediatric oncology–specific outcomes and studies involving only children off active treatment. Data were extracted by two reviewers using a systematic data extraction form determined a priori. Results Sixty-five studies published between 1977 and 2015 were included, representing 61 unique data sets and 7,219 children from 34 countries. The prevalence of T&CM use ranged from 6% to 100%. Median rates of use were significantly different in LIC/LMIC (66.7% ± 19%), UMIC (60% ± 26%), and HIC (47.2% ± 20%; P = .02). Rates of disclosure differed significantly by country income, with higher median rates in HIC. Seven studies reported on treatment abandonment or delays. Conclusion The use of T&CM in pediatric oncology is common worldwide, with higher median prevalence of use reported in LIC/LMIC. Further research is warranted to examine the impact on treatment abandonment and delay.

Cross-country income variations and inclusive financing

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Nabeel Safdar ◽  
Tian Lin ◽  
Saba Amin
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
High Income ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Cross Country ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Low And Middle Income

Purpose This study, a symposium, aims to explore the determinants of financial inclusion, impact of cross-country income-variations on financial inclusion, do high-income countries really uplift the financial inclusion and does the higher financial inclusion index indicate the larger economy? Design/methodology/approach This study adopts the panel data model to investigate the impact of high-income countries and low- and middle-income countries on financial inclusion. However, this study further adopts the principal component analysis rather than Sarma’s approach to calculate the financial inclusion index. Findings Based on the Data of World Bank, United Nations, International Monetary Fund, World Development Indicators, this study concludes that there is no nexus between income variations and financial inclusion, as the study reveals that some low- and middle-income countries have greater financial inclusion index such as Thailand (2.8538FII), Brazil (1.9526FII) and Turkey (0.8582FII). In low- and middle-income countries, the gross domestic product per capita, information technology and communication, the rule of law, age dependency ratio and urbanization have a noteworthy impact on financial inclusion that accumulatively describe the 83% of the model. Whereas, in high-income countries, merely, information technology and urbanization have a substantial influence on the growth of financial revolution and financial inclusion that describes the 70% of the total. Research limitations/implications The biggest limitation is the availability of data from different countries. Originality/value The originality of this paper is its technique, which is used in this paper to calculate the financial inclusion index. Furthermore, this study contributes to 40 different countries based on income, which could help to boost financial inclusion, and ultimately, it leads them toward economic growth.

Nexus of financial inclusion, competition, concentration and financial stability

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mallika Saha ◽  
Kumar Debasis Dutta
Keyword(s):  
Low Income ◽  
Financial Stability ◽  
Generalized Method Of Moments ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Study Support ◽  
Econometric Tests ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Since the strike of the 2007-2008 global financial crises, financial stability has been discussed with immense interest in academic and policy circles. Following this essence, this paper aims to investigate the nexus of financial inclusion, competition concentration and financial stability. Design/methodology/approach To analyze this relationship, this study uses different inclusion indices constructed by principle component analysis, Boon indicator, different concentration measures and Z-score, for a sample of 92 countries and subsamples based on income and economic grouping of those countries as well as for pre- and post-crisis episodes over the period of 2004-2014. This study also investigates the variation in inclusion–stability relationships in the presence of competition and concentration. This study uses two-step system-generalized method of moments (GMM) and two-stage least square to address the endogeneity. Findings The study finds that competition contributes to stability; however, there is evidence of fragility in the presence of concentration in the banking industry. Moreover, this study finds a U-shaped inclusion–stability relationship. The overall results of this study support the competition–stability view and a trade-off between inclusion and stability, which are consistent and robust to alternative econometric tests. Research limitations/implications Financial inclusion should be endorsed with caution in low-income, middle-income and emerging countries, and prudent policies should be taken to govern the market concentration to maintain financial stability. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to explain the impact of financial inclusion on financial stability in the presence of market heterogeneity.

scholarly journals The Impact of HIV Care and Support Interventions on Key Outcomes in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

2015 ◽  
Vol 68 ◽  
pp. S253-S256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan E. Kaplan ◽  
Tiffany E. Hamm ◽  
Sara Forhan ◽  
Ahmed Saadani Hassani ◽  
Gail Bang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hiv Care ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Care And Support ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Low And Middle Income

scholarly journals Socioeconomic inequalities in child obesity and overweight in Portugal

2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (10) ◽  
pp. 1377-1389 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlota Quintal ◽  
Joana Oliveira
Keyword(s):  
Task Force ◽  
Child Obesity ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
National Health Survey ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Child Overweight ◽  
Data Limitations ◽  
Sleeping Habits ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the association between socioeconomic status and child overweight/obesity in Portugal and to evaluate income-related inequalities in its distribution. Design/methodology/approach Data come from the last Portuguese National Health Survey (2005/2006) – sample of 6,903 observations. To define child overweight/obesity, the International Obesity Task Force cut-offs for body mass index (BMI) were used; the logistic regression analysis was adopted to explain the risk of overweight/obesity and inequality was measured by means of concentration curve and index. Findings The evidence obtained points to income-related inequalities in child overweight/obesity favourable to the better-off. The probability of child overweight/obesity was lower for higher income households, but up to a certain point a positive association between income and caloric food intake was found. The concentration index obtained was −0.072 (p-value<0.001). Research limitations/implications Some data limitations, no information on: physical exercise; sleeping habits; parents’ education and BMI; age is coded in groups. Although the data are from 2005/2006, the current analysis is useful to future works aiming to discuss the impact of the economic and financial crisis which occurred after these data were collected. Social implications It is important to tailor policies targeting child obesity/overweight in order to tackle not only the prevalence of this disease but also its distribution. Originality/value Drawing attention on inequalities in child obesity/overweight in Portugal as the vast majority of studies have focussed on prevalence. The middle income effect is an issue raised in this work which deserves further investigation.

scholarly journals Best practice for providing social care and support to people living with concurrent sight loss and dementia: professional perspectives

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 86-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon Chester Evans ◽  
Jennifer Bray
Keyword(s):  
Information Needs ◽  
Social Care ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Care And Support ◽  
Geographical Regions ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Sight Loss ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – Approximately 100,000 people in the UK aged 75 and over have concurrent dementia and sight loss, but current understanding of their experiences, needs and preferences is limited. The purpose of this paper is to report on a research project that explored the provision of social care and support for older people with both conditions. Design/methodology/approach – The project was a collaboration between the universities of York, Worcester, Bournemouth and Cambridge, supported by the Thomas Pocklington Trust and the Housing and Dementia Research Consortium. Data for this paper were drawn from focus groups held in 2013 involving 47 professionals across the dementia, sight loss and housing sectors. Findings – Thematic analysis identified five main barriers to providing high-quality, cost-effective social care and support: time constraints; financial limitations; insufficient professional knowledge; a lack of joint working; and inconsistency of services. The requirements of dementia and sight loss often conflict, which can limit the usefulness of equipment, aids and adaptations. Support and information needs to address individual needs and preferences. Research limitations/implications – Unless professionals consider dementia and sight loss together, they are unlikely to think about the impact of both conditions and the potential of their own services to provide effective support for individuals and their informal carers. Failing to consider both conditions together can also limit the availability and accessibility of social care and support services. This paper is based on input from a small sample of self-selecting professionals across three geographical regions of England. More research is needed in this area. Practical implications – There are growing numbers of people living with concurrent dementia and sight loss, many of whom wish to remain living in their own homes. There is limited awareness of the experiences and needs of this group and limited provision of appropriate services aids/adaptations. A range of measures should be implemented in order to support independence and well-being for people living with both conditions and their family carers. These include increased awareness, improved assessment, more training and greater joint working. Social implications – People living with dementia or sight loss are at high risk of social isolation, increasingly so for those with both conditions. Services that take an inclusive approach to both conditions can provide crucial opportunities for social interaction. Extra care housing has the potential to provide a supportive, community-based environment that can help residents to maintain social contact. Originality/value – This paper adds much-needed evidence to the limited existing literature, and reflects the views of diverse professionals across housing, health and social care.

Impact of Islamic banking share on financial inclusion: evidence from MENA

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 655-673
Author(s):  
Duha Farouq Khmous ◽  
Mustafa Besim
Keyword(s):  
Banking Sector ◽  
Estimation Method ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Financial Inclusion ◽  
Islamic Banking ◽  
Mena Region ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mena Countries ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This study aims to investigate how the Islamic banking share (percentage of total Islamic banking assets relative to total banking sector assets) and individual characteristics (gender, age, income and education) affect financial inclusion in 14 Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) countries with different income levels. Design/methodology/approach This study uses data from the 2014 World Bank Global Findex database to analyze the impact of individual characteristics, Islamic banking share and countries’ developmental levels on financial inclusion and its barriers in MENA countries. The probit estimation method is used for estimations. Findings The findings indicate that financial inclusion, particularly in middle-income MENA countries, is lower than the global average. While being male, rich and older positively affects financial inclusion in these countries, education does not. Islamic banking practises also contribute to financial inclusion, especially for individuals with strong religious affiliations. The effect of Islamic banking on financial inclusion is found to be greater in middle-income MENA countries. Practical implications Islamic banking institutions could play a greater role in promoting financial inclusion in the MENA region by offering Sharia-compliant products that meet individuals’ needs, matching the specific requirements and status of each country with affordable costs and offering adequate information to customers. Governments should promote more Islamic banking and incentivise investments in technology, which helps expand financial inclusion. Originality/value This is the first study to examine the influence of Islamic banking share and countries’ levels of development on financial inclusion in the MENA region.

scholarly journals Corruption and international trade: a comprehensive analysis with gravity

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (79) ◽  
pp. 3-20
Author(s):  
Salvador Gil-Pareja ◽  
Rafael Llorca-Vivero ◽  
José Antonio Martínez-Serrano
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Structural Model ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
Structural Index ◽  
Middle Income ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Middle Income Countries ◽  
Gravity Equations ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of corruption on trade. Design/methodology/approach The authors estimate gravity equations with the last econometric advances on a wide sample of countries and years using three different measures of corruption. Two of them belong to the so-called perception-based indexes and the third is derived from a structural model that takes into account the causes and indicators of corruption across countries. Findings A negative effect of corruption on trade appears with perceptions, but it is not widespread. However, the authors find sensible evidence of the “grease the wheels” view with the structural index if low and middle income countries are implicated. Additionally, when using this measure, differences in corruption levels negatively impact trade. Both results are in line with expectations. Originality/value Moreover, membership in regional trade agreements does not seem to significantly alter these results.

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