Could New Zealand's Domestic Purposes Benefit in Conjunction with the Tax Systems Impact Low-Income Women's Decision Regarding Family Formation and Childbearing?

<p>This thesis provides a descriptive analysis of whether New Zealand's Domestic Purposes Benefits (DPB) and some Family Assistance programmes, mainly Family Support, creates incentives for low-income women to become single mothers. This concern arises from two sources: firstly, eligibility criteria for many of these programmes require recipients to be single parents and secondly, assessment units for the welfare and income tax systems are different, resulting in relatively high Effective Marginal Tax Rate (EMTR) for low-income earners when they form a union with their partners. The Household Labour Force Participation Survey (HLFS) was used in the study over the period 1986 to 2004, during which significant welfare policy changes were introduced. If welfare policies do affect incentives for child-bearing and partnering among actual or potential welfare recipients, we would expect these policy changes to have had an impact on these outcomes. Our results indicate that low educated women demonstrated a continuous decline in partnering up rates, whereas high educated women revealed an increase in the partnering up rates over this period. Nevertheless, there were no fluctuations in partnering up rates among low-educated women, in response to these policy changes. Also, the pattern in the childbearing behaviour is similar among low and high educated women. Hence, without a comprehensive regression analysis, this study suggests that the New Zealand DPB and FS, in conjunction with the income tax system, might not have had an impact on actual or potential beneficiaries' decisions to form a union with their partner and to have a dependent child.</p>

Could New Zealand's Domestic Purposes Benefit in Conjunction with the Tax Systems Impact Low-Income Women's Decision Regarding Family Formation and Childbearing?

<p>This thesis provides a descriptive analysis of whether New Zealand's Domestic Purposes Benefits (DPB) and some Family Assistance programmes, mainly Family Support, creates incentives for low-income women to become single mothers. This concern arises from two sources: firstly, eligibility criteria for many of these programmes require recipients to be single parents and secondly, assessment units for the welfare and income tax systems are different, resulting in relatively high Effective Marginal Tax Rate (EMTR) for low-income earners when they form a union with their partners. The Household Labour Force Participation Survey (HLFS) was used in the study over the period 1986 to 2004, during which significant welfare policy changes were introduced. If welfare policies do affect incentives for child-bearing and partnering among actual or potential welfare recipients, we would expect these policy changes to have had an impact on these outcomes. Our results indicate that low educated women demonstrated a continuous decline in partnering up rates, whereas high educated women revealed an increase in the partnering up rates over this period. Nevertheless, there were no fluctuations in partnering up rates among low-educated women, in response to these policy changes. Also, the pattern in the childbearing behaviour is similar among low and high educated women. Hence, without a comprehensive regression analysis, this study suggests that the New Zealand DPB and FS, in conjunction with the income tax system, might not have had an impact on actual or potential beneficiaries' decisions to form a union with their partner and to have a dependent child.</p>

Prevalence and risk factors of burnout among Lebanese community pharmacists in the era of COVID-19 pandemic: Results from the first national cross-sectional survey

Background: The increasing occupational challenges inflicted on community pharmacists (CPs) in the wake of COVID-19 lays this valuable human resource at increased risk of burnout.Objectives: This study aimed to assess the prevalence of burnout among Lebanese CPs in the era of COVID-19 and to identify its associated factors.Methods: A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted among Lebanese CPs between the 1st of February and the end of March 2021 using a snowball sampling technique. Data was collected using an anonymous Arabic self-administered questionnaire that includes information on socio-demographic characteristics, exposure and work-related variables, and two scales: the Copenhagen burnout inventory (CBI) which includes personal, work-related, and patient-related dimensions of burnout, and the COVID-19 threat perception scale. To evaluate the prevalence of burnout, CBI scale cut-off score of 50 was used. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to identify the factors associated with burnout among CPs.Results: Burnout was detected among 81.9% of surveyed CPs, where 61% had a moderate burnout and 20.9% had a high level of burnout. Client burnout (CB) ranked first among other burnout aspects (89.7%) followed by personal burnout (77.8%) and work-related burnout (76.8%). Younger age, female gender, being staff pharmacist, working in pharmacy operating around the clock and working more than 40 hours per week were associated with higher level of burnout. Similarly, suffering from comorbidity, having a dependent child or living a family member with comorbidities, experiencing sleep disturbance and high perception of COVID-19 threat were also associated with higher burnout. However, being married, having large professional experience, having high socioeconomic situation, accepting the risk of dealing with COVID-19 cases and having previous history of COVID-19 were negatively associated to burnout.Conclusion: Burnout hits 81.9% of the Lebanese CPs. This alarming prevalence called health authorities to take prompt and warranted measures based on the factors associated with this syndrome unearthed in this study, to prevent burnout and mitigate among CPs in order to support resiliency in the profession.

Mothers’ Experiences of Wellbeing and Coping While Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Qualitative Study

Background Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can result in difficulties for mothers when undertaking daily care activities and increased psychological distress. However, few studies have examined how women with RA subjectively experience coping and wellbeing as part of their motherhood. Methods Twenty mothers with a diagnosis of RA and a dependent child (18 years or younger) who were living in Australia took part in a semi-structured interview between June and November 2017. Purposive sampling was undertaken to include participants across degree of current RA severity, number and age of children, and having received a diagnosis before or after a first child to take account of variability across these experiences. A qualitative thematic analysis was conducted on the interview transcripts. Results The following themes were identified: ‘Burden and complexity in the mothering role’, ‘Losing control: Women’s experiences of distress’, and ‘Adjusting and letting go: Women’s experiences of wellbeing’. Experiences of distress, including feelings of failure, were associated with accounts of a loss of control over mothering practices among women, regardless of child age. In contrast, accounts of adjusting mothering practices and relinquishing control were associated with reports of enhanced wellbeing. In addition, some mothers reported greater ease due to increased independence of older children. The absence of social support exacerbated burden and distress in the women’s accounts, while the availability of support alleviated burden and was associated with reports of wellbeing. Conclusion Health professionals and services can provide support to mothers with RA by addressing feelings of failure, acknowledging strategies of adjustment and letting go, and encouraging access to social support.

Factors associated with nonessential workplace attendance during the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK in early 2021: evidence from cross-sectional surveys

Background and aims: Working from home where possible is important in reducing spread of Covid-19. In early 2021, a quarter of people in England who believed they could work entirely from home reported attending their workplace. To inform interventions to reduce this, this study examined associated factors. Methods: Data from the ongoing CORSAIR survey series of nationally representative samples of people in the UK aged 16+ years in January-February 2021 were used. The study sample was 1422 respondents who reported that they could work completely from home. The outcome measure was self-reported workplace attendance at least once during the preceding week. Factors of interest were analysed in three blocks: 1) sociodemographic variables, 2) variables relating to circumstances of respondents, and 3) psychological variables. Results: 26.8% (95%CI=24.5%-29.1%) of respondents reported having attended their workplace at least once in the preceding week. Sociodemographic variables and living circumstances significantly independently predicted non-essential workplace attendance: male gender (OR=1.85,95%CI=1.33-2.58), dependent children in the household (OR=1.65,95%CI=1.17-2.32), financial hardship (OR=1.14,95%CI=1.08-1.21), socio-economic grade C2DE (OR=1.74, 95%CI=1.19-2.53), working in sectors such as health or social care (OR=4.18, 95%CI=2.56-6.81), education and childcare (OR=2.45, 95%CI=1.45-4.14) and key public service (OR=3.78, 95%CI=1.83-7.81), and having been vaccinated (OR=2.08,95%CI=1.33-3.24). Conclusions: Non-essential workplace attendance in the UK in early 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic was significantly independently associated with a range of sociodemographic variables and personal circumstances. Having been vaccinated, financial hardship, socio-economic grade C2DE, having a dependent child at home, working in certain key sectors were associated with higher likelihood of workplace attendance.

Adherence to the test, trace, and isolate system in the UK: results from 37 nationally representative surveys

Objective To investigate rates of adherence to the UK’s test, trace, and isolate system over the initial 11 months of the covid-19 pandemic. Design Series of cross sectional online surveys. Setting 37 nationally representative surveys in the UK, 2 March 2020 to 27 January 2021. Participants 74 697 responses from 53 880 people living in the UK, aged 16 years or older (37 survey waves, about 2000 participants in each wave). Main outcome measures Identification of the main symptoms of covid-19 (cough, high temperature or fever, and loss of sense of smell or taste), self-reported adherence to self-isolation if symptoms were present and intention to self-isolate if symptoms were to develop, requesting a test for covid-19 if symptoms were present and intention to request a test if symptoms were to develop, and intention to share details of close contacts. Results Only 51.5% of participants (95% confidence interval 51.0% to 51.9%, n=26 030/50 570) identified the main symptoms of covid-19; the corresponding values in the most recent wave of data collection (25-27 January 2021) were 50.8% (48.6% to 53.0%, n=1019/2007). Across all waves, duration adjusted adherence to full self-isolation was 42.5% (95% confidence interval 39.7% to 45.2%, n=515/1213); in the most recent wave of data collection (25-27 January 2021), it was 51.8% (40.8% to 62.8%, n=43/83). Across all waves, requesting a test for covid-19 was 18.0% (95% confidence interval 16.6% to 19.3%, n=552/3068), increasing to 22.2% (14.6% to 29.9%, n=26/117) from 25 to 27 January. Across all waves, intention to share details of close contacts was 79.1% (95% confidence interval 78.8% to 79.5%, n=36 145/45 680), increasing to 81.9% (80.1% to 83.6%, n=1547/1890) from 25 to 27 January. Non-adherence was associated with being male, younger age, having a dependent child in the household, lower socioeconomic grade, greater financial hardship during the pandemic, and working in a key sector. Conclusions Levels of adherence to test, trace, and isolate are low, although some improvement has occurred over time. Practical support and financial reimbursement are likely to improve adherence. Targeting messaging and policies to men, younger age groups, and key workers might also be necessary.

Sudden cardiac arrest in an epicardial paced-dependent child: watch out, it’s a pitfall!

Coronary artery compression by epicardial leads is a rare complication in children and can be difficult to identify with potentially lethal outcomes. Herein, we report the case of a previously asymptomatic paced-dependant 5-year-old girl who presented to our institution with resuscitated cardiac arrest. We describe the atypical sequence of clinical findings misleading initial diagnosis. Hardware failure and the commonly occurring lead fracture were incriminated in the mechanism of cardiac arrest, precipitating implantation of a new pacing system while concealing dynamic compression of the left anterior descending coronary artery.

Navigating Reconceptualist and Feminist Ethics of Care Scholarship to Find a Conceptual Space for Rethinking Children’s Needs in Early Childhood Education

The aim of this article is to navigate through differing perspectives on the concept of children’s needs in early childhood education. Reconceptualist scholars critique the developmental narrative of the needy and dependent child. In contrast, feminist ethics of care scholars regard having needs and dependencies as ontologically what it means to be human. The article proposes a potential in-between space that recognizes that children have needs and dependencies, as do all entities. At the same time, this recognition is complicated through entangled ideas about subjectivity, needs interpretation, relationality, ethics, and politics.

Adherence to the test, trace and isolate system: results from a time series of 21 nationally representative surveys in the UK (the COVID-19 Rapid Survey of Adherence to Interventions and Responses [CORSAIR] study)

Objectives: To investigate rates of adherence to the UKs test, trace and isolate system over time. Design: Time series of cross-sectional online surveys. Setting: Data were collected between 2 March and 5 August 2020. Participants: 42,127 responses from 31,787 people living in the UK, aged 16 years or over, are presented (21 survey waves, n≈2,000 per wave). Main outcome measures: Identification of the key symptoms of COVID-19 (cough, high temperature / fever, and loss of sense of smell or taste), self-reported adherence to self-isolation if symptomatic, requesting an antigen test if symptomatic, intention to share details of close contacts, self-reported adherence to quarantine if alerted that you had been in contact with a confirmed COVID-19 case. Results: Only 48.9% of participants (95% CI 48.2% to 49.7%) identified key symptoms of COVID-19. Self-reported adherence to test, trace and isolate behaviours was low (self-isolation 18.2%, 95% CI 16.4% to 19.9%; requesting an antigen test 11.9%, 95% CI 10.1% to 13.8%; intention to share details of close contacts 76.1%, 95% CI 75.4% to 76.8%; quarantining 10.9%, 95% CI 7.8% to 13.9%) and largely stable over time. By contrast, intention to adhere to protective measures was much higher. Non-adherence was associated with: men, younger age groups, having a dependent child in the household, lower socio-economic grade, greater hardship during the pandemic, and working in a key sector. Conclusions: Practical support and financial reimbursement is likely to improve adherence. Targeting messaging and policies to men, younger age groups, and key workers may also be necessary.