UK drug regulator formalises plan to cut staff in response to Brexit income loss

Workplace incivility, also called bullying, mobbing, and harassment, is pervasive and takes a high toll on employees. This study draws on 18 in-depth interviews with women in the precarious, low-wage, service sector in jobs such as customer service representative, retail sales, food service, pharmacy technician, and bank teller. Women service workers are a particularly vulnerable group, and yet most research on workplace problems of this type focus on professional women’s experience. We find that in this sample, most incivilities came from supervisors, followed by customers and then coworkers. Among supervisors, women were the most common perpetrators, while customer and coworker perpetrators were largely men. The type of incivility varied depending on role: Disparagement was common on the part of supervisors and customers, while coworkers were far more likely to engage in sexual harassment, which was virtually nonexistent among supervisors. Consequences for targets of these incivilities included anxiety, which most had experienced, and income loss. We offer suggestions for future research and policy.

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Staying Home, Staying Alive: Campus Food Pantry Student Clients’ Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Journal of Applied Social Science ◽

10.1177/19367244211035671 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 193672442110356

Author(s):

Elmira Jangjou

Keyword(s):

Coping Strategies ◽

Thematic Analysis ◽

Future Research ◽

Postsecondary Students ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Short Term ◽

Income Loss ◽

Food Pantry ◽

Global Pandemic ◽

Seeking Help

In response to students’ food insecurity, a number of colleges and universities have taken action and established campus food pantries as part of their intervention plans. However, many of these pantries ceased operation due to COVID-19 campus shutdowns. The purpose of this study is to illustrate the short-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on postsecondary students, who use a university-provided food pantry. Drawing from semi-structured interviews with 12 participants, the thematic analysis explored the initial coping strategies these students used to endure the pandemic. Findings revealed that many students experienced the immediate effects of the pandemic in the form of income loss, self-isolation, anxiety, and appetite change. Although the pandemic interrupted these students’ journeys to continue their studies and become independent in various ways, the affected students implemented various coping strategies, including seeking help from family or friends, using available resources, cooking at home, and even trying to save money. However, considering that the targeted population in this study was already at risk because of their basic needs insecurity, these postsecondary students require extra attention from their higher education institutions in the case of emergencies, such as a global pandemic. In addition to its timely and relevant findings, this study provides important avenues for future research and intervention efforts.

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Predictors of COVID-19-Related Perceived Improvements in Dietary Health: Results from a US Cross-Sectional Study

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13062097 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 2097

Author(s):

Kelly Cosgrove ◽

Christopher Wharton

Keyword(s):

Dietary Habits ◽

Eating Habits ◽

Binary Logistic Regression ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Lifestyle Changes ◽

Income Loss ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Healthy Eating Habits ◽

Health Related ◽

Survey Responses

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in substantial lifestyle changes. No US study has identified predictors of perceived dietary healthfulness changes during the pandemic period. This study included analyses of lifestyle and dietary healthfulness changes using 958 survey responses from US primary household food purchasers. Information was collected related to demographics, COVID-19-related household changes, and health-related habits before and during the pandemic. Binary logistic regression identified predictors of perceived increase in dietary healthfulness during the pandemic period. Overall, 59.8%, 16.4%, and 23.4% of participants reported that their eating habits likely changed, may have changed, and likely did not change, respectively. Of the participants whose dietary habits likely or may have changed, 64.1%, 16.8%, and 19% reported healthier, neither healthier nor less healthy, and less healthy eating habits, respectively. COVID-19-related income loss, more meals consumed with household members in front of the television, an increase in food advertisement exposure, increased perceived stress, and better perceived current health were significant predictors of a perceived increase in dietary healthfulness. Overall, dietary habits were perceived to become healthier during the pandemic. The predictors of perceived improvement in dietary healthfulness were surprising and indicate the need for further study of these factors in crisis and noncrisis situations.

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On Employment, Wage and Consumption: Impact of Nationwide Lockdown on Muslim Casual Workers

The Indian Economic Journal ◽

10.1177/00194662211023841 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 001946622110238

Author(s):

Kashif Mansoor ◽

Faraz Khan

Keyword(s):

Economic Impact ◽

Job Loss ◽

Muslim Women ◽

Household Survey ◽

Employment Rate ◽

Income Loss ◽

Jel Codes ◽

Informal Workers ◽

Socio Economic Impact ◽

Daily Wage

The effects of nationwide lockdown were disproportionate on informal workers. Based on a primary household survey conducted among Muslim casual labour working in Aligarh lock industries, we add to studies on the socio-economic impact of the lockdown. We find 44% reduction in employment rate and fall in daily wage for 60% of workers, in the post-lockdown period. A net job loss of 20% was found. The incidence of violation with the minimum wages is severe in the lock industries, and this has increased tremendously as high as 90% for some workers, in the post-lockdown. Muslim women were affected more than men, in terms of unemployment and wages. With little to no savings, the income loss during the lockdown has led to a rise in indebtedness with one-third of households incurring debt Rs. 5,000–10,000. More than 90% of them were found unable to pay rent and electricity bills. Protecting livelihoods and dignity of workers is a constitutional duty of the state. This has become even more demanding now. JEL Codes: E21, E24, E26

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Distributive Consequences of Risk Privatization: The Case of the Swedish Unemployment Insurance System

Zeitschrift für Sozialreform ◽

10.1515/zsr-2020-0010 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 66 (3) ◽

pp. 207-235

Author(s):

Jayeon Lindellee

Keyword(s):

Unemployment Insurance ◽

Unemployment Benefit ◽

Income Loss ◽

The Public ◽

Insurance Benefit ◽

Insurance Program ◽

Unemployment Insurance Benefit ◽

Income Insurance ◽

Unemployment Insurance System ◽

Retail Workers

Abstract The public unemployment insurance program in Sweden has retrenched in terms of its benefit generosity in the last three decades. As a response to this trend, in which an ever-smaller proportion of the previous income of unemployed persons is compensated by public unemployment insurance benefit, complementary income insurance schemes provided by unions have expanded rapidly in the last 15 years, currently covering one half of the working population. What does this change mean for people who need income protection upon unemployment and are more likely to find themselves unemployed or underemployed? By analyzing survey-based benefit recipiency data among retail workers who were unemployed in 2014, this article explores the outcomes of the multi-pillarized unemployment benefit provision system in Sweden. While public unemployment insurance benefit does not fully compensate for the income loss for the majority of retail workers, the promise of a complementary income insurance scheme seems to be illusory for many individuals as they repeatedly oscillate between precarious work and benefits, accompanied by the burden of navigating a complex system.

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The impact of COVID-19 on households´ income in the EU

The Journal of Economic Inequality ◽

10.1007/s10888-021-09485-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Vanda Almeida ◽

Salvador Barrios ◽

Michael Christl ◽

Silvia De Poli ◽

Alberto Tumino ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fiscal Policy ◽

Disposable Income ◽

Income Loss ◽

Eu Member States ◽

Policy Interventions ◽

Discretionary Fiscal Policy ◽

Policy Measures ◽

The One ◽

The Impact ◽

The Eu

AbstractThis analysis makes use of economic forecasts for 2020 issued by the European Commission in Autumn 2019 and Spring 2020, and of a counterfactual under a no-policy change assumption, to analyse the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on EU households´ income. Additionally, our analysis assesses the cushioning effect of discretionary fiscal policy measures taken by the EU Member States. We find that the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to affect significantly households’ disposable income in the EU, with lower income households being more severely hit. However, our results show that due to policy intervention, the impact of the crisis is expected to be similar to the one experienced during the 2008–2009 financial crisis. In detail, our results indicate that discretionary fiscal policy measures will play a significant cushioning role, reducing the size of the income loss (from −9.3% to −4.3% for the average equivalised disposable income), its regressivity and mitigating the poverty impact of the pandemic. We conclude that policy interventions are therefore instrumental in cushioning against the impact of the crisis on inequality and poverty.

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Assessing local impacts of water use on human health: evaluation of water footprint models in the Province Punjab, Pakistan

The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment ◽

10.1007/s11367-021-01888-z ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Natalia Mikosch ◽

Markus Berger ◽

Elena Huber ◽

Matthias Finkbeiner

Keyword(s):

Human Health ◽

Water Use ◽

Water Deprivation ◽

Water Footprint ◽

Local Scale ◽

Water Supply Systems ◽

Domestic Water ◽

Income Loss ◽

Human Health Damage ◽

Health Damage

Abstract Purpose The water footprint (WF) method is widely applied to quantify water use along the life cycle of products and organizations and to evaluate the resulting impacts on human health. This study analyzes the cause-effect chains for the human health damage related to the water use on a local scale in the Province Punjab of Pakistan, evaluates their consistency with existing WF models, and provides recommendations for future model development. Method Locally occurring cause-effect chains are analyzed based on site observations in Punjab and a literature review. Then, existing WF models are compared to the findings in the study area including their comprehensiveness (covered cause-effect chains), relevance (contribution of the modeled cause-effect chain to the total health damage), and representativeness (correspondence with the local cause-effect chain). Finally, recommendations for the development of new characterization models describing the local cause-effect chains are provided. Results and discussion The cause-effect chains for the agricultural water deprivation include malnutrition due to reduced food availability and income loss as well as diseases resulting from the use of wastewater for irrigation, out of which only the first one is addressed by existing WF models. The cause-effect chain for the infectious diseases due to domestic water deprivation is associated primarily with the absence of water supply systems, while the linkage to the water consumption of a product system was not identified. The cause-effect chains related to the water pollution include the exposure via agricultural products, fish, and drinking water, all of which are reflected in existing impact assessment models. Including the groundwater compartment may increase the relevance of the model for the study area. Conclusions Most cause-effect chains identified on the local scale are consistent with existing WF models. Modeling currently missing cause-effect chains for the impacts related to the income loss and wastewater usage for irrigation can enhance the assessment of the human health damage in water footprinting.

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Mental health and wellbeing implications of the COVID-19 quarantine for disabled and disadvantaged children and young people: evidence from a cross-cultural study in Zambia and Sierra Leone

BMC Psychology ◽

10.1186/s40359-021-00583-w ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Darren Sharpe ◽

Mohsen Rajabi ◽

Clement Chileshe ◽

Sitali Mayamba Joseph ◽

Ibrahim Sesay ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Young People ◽

Sierra Leone ◽

Peer Relationships ◽

Well Being ◽

Mental Wellbeing ◽

Planning Tool ◽

Income Loss ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

Children And Young People

Abstract Background The mental health impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantining on children and young people (CYP) living in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has yet to be fully comprehended. CYP in LMICs are at utmost risk, given the COVID-19-related restrictions and social distancing measures, resulting in reduced access to school-based services for nutritional and mental health needs. This study examined mental health of CYP during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Zambia and Sierra Leone. Method A total of 468 disabled and disadvantaged CYP aged 12 to 25 completed a planning tool that comprised the short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMWBS), as well as open-ended questions covering social connectedness, physical distancing and educational challenges during the lockdown. The community coaches screened individuals and families who could be eligible to receive emergency aid, and based on a convenience sample following distribution of aid, recipients were invited to complete the planning tool. Results The data showed that participants in the global south have increasing anxieties and fears centred on accessing offline educational resources and income loss in the family effecting food security and their ability to return to education. Mean (SD) SWEMWBS scores for all participants in Zambia and Sierra Leone, were 19.61 (3.45) and 21.65 (2.84), respectively. Mental well-being scores were lower in females, children aged 12–14 and participants with two or more disabilities. Factors significantly associated with poor mental wellbeing in the sample were: type of disability, nationality, peer relationships, connection to others during the pandemic, knowledge about COVID-19, worry about the long-term impact of COVID-19, and the types of self-isolating. Conclusion The study shows that participants who self-reported low levels of COVID-19 health literacy also scored low on the mental wellbeing self-assessment. Yet, despite undoubted limited resources, these CYP are doing well in identifying their needs and maintaining hope in the face of the problems associated with COVID-19 in countries where stigma persists around mental ill-health.

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Recent developments in China’s biopharmaceutical industry (2012-2017)

Journal of Science and Technology Policy Management ◽

10.1108/jstpm-11-2018-0106 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 686-707

Author(s):

Marcus Conlé

Keyword(s):

Product Innovation ◽

Academic Research ◽

Domestic Market ◽

Growth Strategy ◽

Future Research ◽

Biopharmaceutical Industry ◽

Content Type ◽

Drug Regulator ◽

Recent Developments ◽

Product Portfolios

Purpose The paper aims to take stock of China’s recent biopharmaceutical industry development by analyzing product innovation and changes in the firms’ product portfolios during the five-year period between 2012 and 2017. Design/methodology/approach The paper introduces a classification of biopharmaceutical products. By applying the classification to the product data of China’s drug regulator, the CFDA, it becomes possible to trace the developments within the sector by looking at changes in the number of firms within each subgroup and changes in the number of subgroups in which each firm is involved. The classification allows an evaluation of the latest product innovation achievements. Findings The paper demonstrates a mild shakeout of firms in the relatively long-existing domestic market segments, a trend toward more specialized product portfolios and an enduring prevalence of innovation strategies aimed at exploiting relatively unpopulated domestic market niches instead of pioneering entirely new products. Especially the capability of upgrading to second-generation protein therapeutics has become a key criterion for separating the wheat and the chaff in China’s domestic sector. The paper moreover points out the relevance of acquisitions as a corporate growth strategy. Research limitations/implications The research does not consider complementary indicators, product pipelines in particular. Future research should compare patterns across emerging economies. Originality/value The paper is unique in using the CFDA database for systematic academic research on (bio)pharmaceutical innovation and in introducing a biopharmaceutical product classification to trace innovative activities and changes in corporate product portfolios over time.

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