Health Economics Commons^™

Empirical Essays On The Impact Of Health-Aid On Health Outcomes, Elsy Thomas Kizhakethalackal

Dissertations

This dissertation consists of three essays that empirically explore the impact of multilateral health-aid on health outcomes like infant mortality rate (IMR) and incidences of an infectious disease, Tuberculosis, in developing economies. The first essay uses parametric and semiparametric mean regressions (additive and non-additive specifications) to capture the impact of education and health-aid on the IMR, after controlling for other covariates. Both specifications confirm education as an important factor in reducing IMR. However, the effect of health-aid on IMR is not significant. In our additive model, we do see a threshold level of health-aid after which the impacts of health-aid …

Compassion: Why It Is Better To Eat Fish, Knowledge@Smu

Knowledge@SMU

Compassion was probably the farthest notion from Colonel Sanders’ mind when he became the global poster boy for delicious fried chicken. He had started his business in the early twentieth century – a period marked by the great depression and two world wars. Prejudices festered under the hostile global climate then, where little consideration was given to the suffering of human beings, much less animals. However, with the progress of time, scientific advancements have urged us, increasingly, to be kinder to fellow humans, animals, the environment… and that we really ought to be munching on fried fish instead.

Booty Calls: Is It Just About Sex?, Knowledge@Smu

Knowledge@SMU

It may seem that booty calls serve men more so than women. After all, men desire sex more than women – a notion often rationalised by the lower biological cost of sex to men, compared to women. However, if booty calls favour men more than women, why might women be inclined to entertain calls for casual sex? Psychology professor Norman Li believes that booty calls should be looked upon as more than just sex; that it is, in fact, a strategy employed by both sexes in negotiating between their needs.

A Nation In Dilemma, Professor Issam A.W. Mohamed

Professor Issam A.W. Mohamed

following the Global financial Crisis there were economic collapses in all the world. Sudan officials claimed that the country was immune from that epidemic. Such declaration were truly weird as it has been deeply affected from the first instant. That article presented many questions about the economic and social conditions and the eminent southern Sudan, Darfur crises.

Male Metal Goat Wanted: Why Our Children’S Futures May Lie In The Stars, Knowledge@Smu

Knowledge@SMU

The birth of a child is usually a joyous occasion. In many Asian societies, it also represents an important milestone for families - so important that spiritual mediums have to be consulted and fortunes told, for there are auspicious and inauspicious times to bear a child. While the idea of birth planning by means of star-gazing may sound ludicrous, research has shown that ‘auspicious children’ do indeed fare better. Are there mystical powers at play? A study of child births and children in Vietnam provides an unusual take on the motivating factors behind a child’s future.

Public Health H1n1 Response Research Protocol, Glen Mays

Glen Mays

This research protocol was developed to analyze local variation in the public health response to the 2009 H1N1 influenza outbreak in the United States. The protocol was fielded in North Carolina and Kentucky through practice-based research networks (PBRNs) operating in these states.

Penny For Your Pint: The Tricky Art Of Buying Kindness, Knowledge@Smu

Knowledge@SMU

Do material incentives influence blood donations? A commonly held view is that people donate their blood out of a pro-social motivation. But not everyone is willing to offer their blood for nothing. Material incentives might persuade some to step forward, yet they could very well alienate those who believe that such acts must not be motivated by selfish gains. Indeed, blood banks thread a fine line between motivating the ‘selfish’ and pandering to the ‘selfless’. Economist Alois Stutzer shares the results of a field experiment involving more than 10,000 potential blood donors with Singapore Management University.

Complexity, Cofactors, And The Failure Of Aids Policy In Africa, Eileen Stillwaggon

Economics Faculty Publications

Global AIDS policy still treats HIV as an exceptional case, abstracting from the context in which infection occurs. Policy is based on a simplistic theory of HIV causation, and evaluated using outdated tools of health economics. Recent calls for a health systems strategy – preventing and treating HIV within a programme of comprehensive health care – have not yet influenced the silo approach of AIDS policy.

Evidence continues to accumulate, showing that multiple factors, such as malnutrition, malaria and helminthes, increase the risk of sexual and vertical transmission of HIV. Moreover, complementary interventions that reduce viral load, improve immune response, …

The Janjaweed And The Armed Movements Of Sudan, Professor Issam A.W. Mohamed

Professor Issam A.W. Mohamed

The emergence of the Janjaweed as an armed force working with the government to suppress rebellions in Darfur region outraged the international community. They were marked by brutality, destruction, burning, killings and mass rapes. They were also described as Arabs. However, that was not the whole picture, no one observed the living conditions of the Arabs or how were they victims also as the other inhabitants of Darfur. No one also observed that they were used by the Ingaz government to execute the dirty work and bear the consequences. The Arab tribes however, also had other thoughts as they realized …

Opportunities For Comparative Research In Public Health Pbrns: A Baseline Analysis Of Local Practice Settings, Glen P. Mays, Sharla A. Smith

Glen Mays

This anaysis describes the organizational and operational characteristics of local public health agencies participating in an initial cohort of five (5) public health PBRNs in the U.S. We examine variation in practice settings within and between PBRNs; compare practice settings to state and national norms; and identify opportunities for comparative research that can be conducted through PBRNs

Opportunities For Comparative Research In Public Health Pbrns : A Baseline Analysis Of Local Practice Settings, Glen P. Mays, Sharla A. Smith, Elaine B. Wootten, Sylvia J. Porchia

Health Management and Policy Presentations

This analysis describes the organizational and operational characteristics of local public health agencies participating in an initial cohort of five (5) public health PBRNs in the U.S. We examine variation in practice settings within and between PBRNs; compare practice settings to state and national norms; and identify opportunities for comparative research that can be conducted through PBRNs.

A Critique Of Neoclassical Theory Of Health Care Consumption, Xiao Jiang

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this thesis is to display an internal critique of the neoclassical theory of health care consumption with the intention of understanding its true merits and limitations. To avoid arbitrariness, instead of criticizing it directly, this thesis first explores the existing scholarly critiques, as well as the developments of this theory in response to these criticisms. What is interestingly observed is that the neoclassical responses tend to systematically fall into two problematic categories – the trade-off between reality and theoretical determinacy, and free-market behavior resolution. Such observation suggests that there is something fundamentally problematic with this theory, which …

Assessing The Viability Of Investment In Sudan (1979-2008), Professor Issam A.W. Mohamed

Professor Issam A.W. Mohamed

Most developing and underdeveloped countries beside Sudan suffer from low levels of income in addition to the low savings that are result from the lack of public savings channels. Hence, investments depend on the individuals' abilities on savings where they are major motivating vehicle for economic activity due to its direct correlation with capital accumulation process that increases the productive capacity for the national economy and help to create job opportunities and achieving economic development. Subsequently, the importance of the investment comes from the effective role that can be practiced on the national product. Currently, Sudan endures severe economic crisis …

Rogue Counrty And Potential Cooperation: The United States And Sudan And Feasible Economic Partnership, Professor Issam A.W. Mohamed

Professor Issam A.W. Mohamed

The United States declared Sudan as a rogue country in 1995 due to many political considerations. It has imposed many economic and political sanctions against it since that time which represented hindrance to development and resulted in economic crises. Oil explorations started long time by Total Oil Company and resumed by Chevron that halted her activities in Sudan after the flaring of the civil war between the Northern and Southern parts of the country. That work was resumed in 1996 by Chinese companies and was crowned by success and commercial production in 1999. Although the economic situations of Sudan improved …

Who Cries For Sudan: من الذي يرثي السودان, Professor Issam A.W. Mohamed

Professor Issam A.W. Mohamed

The institutional collapse in Sudan started long time ago. However, it has accelerator in the past years since Nivasha Comprehensive Peace Agreement and Darfur war.

Who Will Care For The Women?, Candace Howes

Economics Faculty Publications

Over 20 million people today, including children, working-age disabled, and elderly persons, require some sort of assistance to live safely. Largely because women live longer than men, well into the ages when the probability of needing care increases, 70 percent of elderly people who need long-term care are women. Furthermore, most long-term care is provided by women, mainly as unpaid care in the home, or as low-paid care in institutions and community settings (Stone & Weiner 2001). The United States faces a severe long-term care crisis because of the nation's inability to plan for the changing demographic balance. The crisis …

Health Insurance Tax Credits And Health Insurance Coverage Of Low-Income Single Mothers, Merve Cebi, Stephen A. Woodbury

Employment Research Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Leadership Styles Of Nursing Home Administrators And Their Association With Staff Turnover, Christopher Donoghue, Nicholas G. Castle

Department of Sociology Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between nursing home administrator (NHA) leadership style and staff turnover.

Design and Methods: We analyzed primary data from a survey of 2,900 NHAs conducted in 2005. The Online Survey Certification and Reporting database and the Area Resource File were utilized to extract organizational and local economic characteristics of the facilities. A general linear model (GLM) was used to estimate the effects of NHA leadership style, organizational characteristics, and local economic characteristics on nursing home staff turnover for registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and nurse’s aides (NAs).

Results: …

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Value-Based Purchasing Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Governance And Value-Based Purchasing: What Employers Need To Know, Valerie Pracilio

Value-Based Purchasing Newsletter

In the current economy, employers are increasingly aware of the need to employ value-based purchasing strategies. Similar strategies can also be used by health care organization governing boards.

Today, more health care providers are accepting positions at the boardroom table than in the past. These providers are well trained in the clinical aspects of health care but not the business of health care delivery. It is not surprising that providers often find themselves unprepared for a board member’s role as a decision-maker and steward. It has become clear that education is essential to prepare providers for board positions.

The Patient Centered Medical Home-What Employers Need To Know, Richard Jacoby Md

Value-Based Purchasing Newsletter

In their capacity as payers for their employees’ medical services, employers need to be aware of trends that impact the provision and payment of healthcare services. One such trend in primary care healthcare services – specifically, the Patient Centered Medical Home (PCMH) - meets both of these criteria by providing financial incentives to physicians for meeting certain quality criteria. In the following paragraphs, I’ll elaborate on the concepts underlying the PCMH, its potential to impact quality and cost of patient care, and some of the barriers to its implementation.

Consumer Health Websites Accelerate Consumer-Driven Healthcare, Richard Toner

Value-Based Purchasing Newsletter

Consumer health websites (sites) have been around for more than a decade now. WebMD, RevolutionHealth, MyOptumHealth, HealthCentral, Everydayhealth, QualityHealth… the list of sites goes on and on. Employers, employees, health plans, providers, and general healthcare consumers have had varying reactions to these sites and buy-in remains largely a personal preference.

Editor's Updates From The College, Neil I. Goldfarb

Value-Based Purchasing Newsletter

CAMHB Gets a New Name. The College for Advanced Management of Health Benefits has been renamed The College for Value-Based Purchasing of Health Benefits (CVBP). When the College was founded in 2004 the term “value-based purchasing” was relatively unknown outside of the limited circle of employers and coalitions that were already engaged in VBP activity. Since that time, the VBP movement has gathered steam, due in no small part to DHHS’ stated commitment to becoming a value-based purchaser of health services. The College curriculum has always been focused on value-based purchasing, and will continue to have this focus, so, in …

Has Vietnam’S Economic Progress Bypassed Its Ethnic Minorities?, Knowledge@Smu

Knowledge@SMU

In Vietnam, young people account for about one-third of the country’s 85 million population, a historic peak for this age group. While previously with the Population Council in Vietnam, sociology professor at the Singapore Management University (SMU), Bussarawan Teerawichitchainan, conducted studies of ethnic minority youths as well as health-seeking behavioural practices of minority parents with children less than five years. The findings raised concerns that the benefits of the country’s rapid progress as well as improvements in living and health standards have not filtered through to those living in the remote areas.

Initial Research And Evaluation Concepts For Public Health Pbrns, Glen Mays

Glen Mays

Initial research and evaluation activities of the Public Health PBRN Program are intended to provide a descriptive characterization of networks during their early stages of development. This descriptive ‘network analysis’ will provide a baseline for tracking changes in network structure and function over time. The information generated through these activities is intended to be useful for a variety of audiences, including current grantees and others interested in developing or expanding public health PBRNs, as well as policy and practice stakeholders interested in using the evidence and insight to be produced through PBRNs.

Start-Up Activities For Public Health Pbrns, Glen Mays

Glen Mays

Launching a successful public health practice-based research network requires a planned approach to developing the necessary infrastructure, relationships, and scientific direction.

A Look At Women And Abortion In The United States, Denitsa D. Koleva, Kristina V. Marinova, Robyn A. Byrne

Gettysburg Economic Review

The issue of abortion is defined by ethical questions and, often, controversial views. This paper argues the importance of a coherent and enhanced effort to study the quantitative relationship between women’s characteristics and the average number of abortions in the United States. It specifically looks at the average number of previous abortions and socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, as this relationship has not been explored before in the existing literature. We expect to establish a correlation between the average number of previous abortions and characteristics such as age, marital status, income and highest degree of education completed. An empirical model is …

Bringing Sexual Orientation And Gender Identity Into The Tax Classroom, Anthony C. Infanti

Articles

A recent piece in the Journal of Legal Education analyzing student surveys by the Law School Admission Council reports that, despite improvement in the past decade, LGBT students still experience a law school climate in which they encounter substantial discrimination both inside and outside the classroom. Included among the list of "best practices" to improve the law school climate for LGBT students was a recommendation to incorporate discussions of LGBT issues in non-LGBT courses, such as tax. In a timely coincidence, the Section on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Issues held a day-long program at the 2009 AALS annual meeting …

Rescuing Baby Doe, Mary Crossley

Articles

The twenty-fifth anniversary of the Baby Doe Rules offers a valuable opportunity to reflect on how much has changed during the past two-and-one-half decades and how much has stayed the same, at least in situations when parents and physicians face the birth of an infant who comes into the world with its life in peril.

The most salient changes are the medical advances in the treatment of premature infants and the changes in social attitudes towards and legal protections for people with disabilities. The threshold at which a prematurely delivered infant is considered viable has advanced steadily earlier into pregnancy, …

The Effects Of Tort Reform On Medical Malpractice Insurers’ Ultimate Losses, Patricia Born, W. Kip Viscusi, Tom Baker

All Faculty Scholarship

Whereas the literature evaluating the effect of tort reforms has focused on reported incurred losses, this paper examines the long run effects using a comprehensive sample by state of individual firms writing medical malpractice insurance from 1984-2003. The long run effects of reforms are greater than insurers' expected effects, as five year developed losses and ten year developed losses are below the initially reported incurred losses for those years following reform measures. The quantile regressions show the greatest effects of joint and several liability limits, noneconomic damages caps, and punitive damages reforms for the firms that are at the high …