scholarly journals Keeping up with the Joneses: Examining relative concerns in health related domains

2021 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-20
Author(s):  
Jérémy CELSE ◽  
Gilles Grolleau

People care about relative position and are willing to engage resources to be above others or at least not below them. Nevertheless, the scarce existing evidence suggests that health is a less positional good: people prefer to be healthy even if others are healthier than them. Unlike previous literature, we use a survey-based study to explore the positionality of several health-related dimensions (e.g., health care reimbursement, cosmetic surgery) in a Choice versus Happiness condition. We find that agents exhibit mainly egalitarian preferences, namely they take into account others' situations but prefer everybody to receive the same amount of health attributes. Moreover, when health attributes are related to physical appearance, agents express significantly higher levels of positional preferences. We draw several policy implications from these egalitarian preferences.

2008 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael F. Cannon

The creation of tax-free health savings accounts presents a new opportunity to reduce the distortions created by federal tax preferences for health-related expenditures that ultimately could help eliminate those distortions. This paper proposes changes to current law that would allow most workers to receive the full amount that they and their employer spend on their health benefits as a tax-free cash contribution to the worker's health savings account. Restructuring the exclusion for employer-sponsored health benefits in this way would enable more individuals to obtain health insurance that matches their preferences, would increase efficiency in the health care sector, and could reduce inequities created by the exclusion. These changes also offer a means of limiting the currently unlimited tax exclusion for employer-sponsored health benefits that may be more politically feasible than past proposals.


Author(s):  
Amy Hasselkus

The need for improved communication about health-related topics is evident in statistics about the health literacy of adults living in the United States. The negative impact of poor health communication is huge, resulting in poor health outcomes, health disparities, and high health care costs. The importance of good health communication is relevant to all patient populations, including those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Efforts are underway at all levels, from individual professionals to the federal government, to improve the information patients receive so that they can make appropriate health care decisions. This article describes these efforts and discusses how speech-language pathologists and audiologists may be impacted.


BMC Cancer ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Helena M. Linge ◽  
Cecilia Follin

Abstract Background The survival rate after childhood cancer has improved to 80%. The majority of childhood cancer survivors (CCS) will experience late complications which require follow up care, including access to their individual cancer treatment summary. The need to understand CCS needs and preferences in terms of ways to receive information e.g. digitally, becomes important. This study aims to through a mixed methods approach a) examine how CCS’ health awareness was impacted by viewing their personalized digital treatment summary and follow-up recommendations, b) explore E health literacy, and c) determine self-reported survivorship experiences and health care usage. Methods Survivors with a recent visit to the Late effects clinic were eligible for the study (n = 70). A representative sample of primary diagnoses were invited (n = 28). 16 CCS were enrolled. Recent medical visits, e health literacy and impressions of the digital treatment summary were assessed by a survey in conjunction with viewing their digital treatment summary on a computer screen. Their experience of reading and understanding their digital treatment summary in the context of their health related survivorship experiences were assessed in focus groups. The transcribed data was analyzed with conventional qualitative content analysis. Results The self-reported medical problems largely reflected that, only 6,3% reported no cancer-related reasons for seeking medical attention. Of the medical specialists, the primary care physician was the most frequently visited specialist (68.8%). High E health literacy was not associated with treatment features but with educational level (p = 0.003, CI: 3.9–14.6) and sex (p = 0.022, CI: − 13.6- -1.3). All survivors graded the digital treatment summary above average in terms of being valuable, agreeable and comprehensive. The focus group interviews identified three themes: 1) The significance of information, 2) The impact of awareness; and 3) Empowerment. Conclusions Reading the treatment summaries furthered the survivors understanding of their health situation and consequently aided empowerment. A digital treatment summary, provided by knowledgeable health care professionals, may increase the self-managed care and adherence to follow-up recommendations. Further insights into e health literacy in larger samples of CCS may determine to what extent health-related information can be communicated via digital resources to this at risk population.


2021 ◽  
pp. 074391562199903
Author(s):  
Praveen K. Kopalle ◽  
Donald R. Lehmann

This paper highlights some benefits to and issues with the application of big data and analytics, with emphasis on its role in health care. It considers both its effectiveness/value (i.e., how it can be used) and concerns about its use related to privacy and acceptance by individuals (i.e., how it should be used)


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 279-292
Author(s):  
Sarah Marshall

Purpose Ideas of health-related deservingness in theory and practise have largely been attached to humanitarian notions of compassion and care for vulnerable persons, in contrast to rights-based approaches involving a moral-legal obligation to care based on universal citizenship principles. This paper aims to provide an alternative to these frames, seeking to explore ideas of a human rights-based deservingness framework to understand health care access and entitlement amongst precarious status persons in Canada. Design/methodology/approach Drawing from theoretical conceptualizations of deservingness, this paper aims to bring deservingness frameworks into the language of human rights discourses as these ideas relate to inequalities based on noncitizenship. Findings Deservingness frameworks have been used in public discourses to both perpetuate and diminish health-related inequalities around access and entitlement. Although, movements based on human rights have the potential to be co-opted and used to re-frame precarious status migrants as “undeserving”, movements driven by frames of human rights-based deservingness can subvert these dominant, negative discourses. Originality/value To date, deservingness theory has primarily been used to speak to issues relating to deservingness to welfare services. In relation to deservingness and precarious status migrants, much of the literature focuses on humanitarian notions of the “deserving” migrant. Health-related deservingness based on human rights has been under-theorized in the literature and the authors can learn from activist movements, precarious status migrants and health care providers that have taken on this approach to mobilize for rights based on being “human”.


2015 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 244-253 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher E. Johnson ◽  
Ruth L. Bush ◽  
Jeffrey Harman ◽  
Jane Bolin ◽  
Gina Evans Hudnall ◽  
...  

2011 ◽  
Vol 26 (S2) ◽  
pp. 1565-1565 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Sahraian ◽  
A. Javadpour ◽  
A. Mani

IntroductionSleep-wake cycle is one of human biological rhythm highly correlated to well being and general health status.Poor sleep quality, sleep disruption and changes in regular Sleep-wake pattern may cause physical and psychological burden such as impairment in job performance, decreased work efficiency and learning disability.ObjectiveHealth care students trained in medical, nursing and midwifery fields is a population who are at great risk to develop sleep disruption and its subsequent physical and mental morbidity.AimThe aim of this study was to describe how sleep quality correlated to general health status among 280 health care students.Methods280 health care students studying in health related fields participated in this cross section study. Pittsburg sleep quality index (PSQI), sleep- wake questionnaire and the general health questionnaire (GHQ) administered to gather data describing sleep quality, sleep wake disruption and the general health status.ResultsPreliminary results showed that 61.4% of subjects defined as poor sleeper. In further co relational analysis there was a significant correlation between sleep quality and general health status (r = .6, p = . 000, n = 280). Regression analysis showed that number of nights with sleep disruption due to shift work or academic needs was a strong predictor for both poor sleep quality and general health status.ConclusionIn conclusion, Sleep disruption due to shift work or other academic demands is a predictor for poor sleep and its subsequent mental health morbidity, which should be considered as a part of mental health policy for health related college students.


1997 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 173-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. Ozminkowski ◽  
M. Noether ◽  
P. Nathanson ◽  
K. M. Smith ◽  
B. E. Raney ◽  
...  

We developed methods for comparing physicians who would be selected to participate in a major employer's self-insurance program. These methods used insurance claims data to identify and profile physicians according to deviations from prevailing practice and outcome patterns, after considering differences in case-mix and severity of illness among the patients treated by those providers. The discussion notes the usefulness and limitations of claims data for this and other purposes. We also comment on policy implications and the relationships between our methods and health care reform strategies designed to influence overall health care costs.


Author(s):  
Jana Shaw ◽  
Telisa Stewart ◽  
Kathryn B Anderson ◽  
Samantha Hanley ◽  
Stephen J Thomas ◽  
...  

Abstract Background As a priority group, healthcare personnel (HCP) will be key to success of COVID-19 vaccination programs. The purpose of this study was to assess HCP willingness to get vaccinated and identify specific concerns that would undermine vaccination efforts. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional survey of HCP, including clinical and non-clinical staff, researchers, and trainees between November 23 rd ,2020 and December 5 th ,2020. The survey evaluated attitudes, beliefs and willingness to get vaccinated. Results A total of 5287 respondents had a mean age of 42.5 years (SD=13.56), and were 72.8% female (n=3842). Overall 57.5 % of individuals expressed intent to receive COVID-19 vaccine. 80.4% were physicians and scientists representing the largest group. 33.6% of registered nurses, 31.6% of allied health professionals, and 32% of master’s level clinicians were unsure they would take the vaccine (p<.001). Respondents who were older, males, White, or Asian were more likely to get vaccinated compared to other groups. Vaccine safety, potential adverse events, efficacy and speed of vaccine development dominated concerns listed by participants. Fewer (54.0%) providers of direct care vs. non-care providers (62.4%), and 52.0% of those who had provided care for COVID-19 patients (vs. 60.6% of those who had not) indicated they would take the vaccine if offered (p<.001). Conclusions We observed that self-reported willingness to receive vaccination against COVID-19 differs by hospital roles, with physicians and research scientists showing the highest acceptance. These findings highlight important heterogeneity in personal attitudes among HCPs around COVID-19 vaccines and highlight a need for tailored communication strategies.


2021 ◽  
pp. 49-52
Author(s):  
Shrivastava P ◽  
Verma S ◽  
Khushboo Khushboo ◽  
Bhattacharya P K

Despite the ubiquity of health-related communications via social media, no consensus has emerged what information should be conveyed and how it should be conveyed to avoid creating panic among general population. With lockdowns social media, mass media became as a habit by people for news, information regarding COVID-19 and it is practiced even after lockdown. During the COVID-19 pandemic, mass media, social media and local news has become as the source of a toxic “infodemic” source for public. It contained both solicited and unsolicited advice. No conceptual model exists for examining the roles of media. It is important to rst assess the important mis-information, role of infodemics and prevalent casualness among the public regarding the COVID-19. Till mass vaccination is not commenced it is prudent to emphasize guidelines and practices as per COVID guidelines like social distancing, wearing mask, hand hygiene


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