Desired recreation companionship and travel behaviour of people with disabilities

This study examines whether people with disabilities(PWD) participate in leisure and travel activities with their desired companions and if there are discrepancies between their social networks and real recreation companions. The recreation companionship and travel behaviour of PWD have not been thoroughly explored, particularly in non-Western contexts. Accordingly, data were collected from 494 respondents in South Korea, and findings suggest that there was a significant gap between companions PWD desire and those they actually maintain. Travel and tourism were the least frequent recreation activities for PWD. The results can provide managerial implications regarding practices of inclusive and accessible tourism.     

Application of early risk detection concepts and methods to environmental health. A German feasibility study

Early risk detection is essential for being able to address the most important environmental health risk‐topics in a persistent and prospective manner. In support of the action programme “Environment and Health” (APUG) of the German Federal Ministry of Health and Social Security (BMGS) and the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety (BMU) which recommended that a detection and evaluation system for the timely recognition of emerging risk problems be developed, a qualitative feasibility study was commissioned. The results of this study are presented here and support the development of an early risk detection system based on the insights gained from the investigation of case studies and the differentiation and presentation of a risk typology, methods, tools, and suggested organizational processes.

The study has shown that early risk detection includes the identification, characterization, evaluation and dissemination of information on possible risks as well as the circumstances of appearance and distribution. The goal is the recognition of possible risks in order for risk management to be able to introduce swift and appropriate measures. Consequently, it can also serve as an instrument towards further development of a balanced and structured implementation of the precautionary principle in the environmental health policy.     

Speculative attacks to currency target zones: A market microstructure approach

This paper develops a simple optimization model to characterize the behaviour of market participants during currency attacks and tests it empirically. Specifically, we test for the determinants of the timing, magnitude and chance of success of an attack. The empirical part is carried out using Mexican data, as this market provides us with an appropriate target zone framework and with a very rich dataset. We find empirical support for a set of microeconomic determinants which include: daily order flow, inventory management, intra-day price volatility, and the forward intervention-price differential. Finally, we test for the role of central bank reserves in speculative attack dynamics.     

Evaluation of Efficiency in Primary Health Care Centres: An Application of Data Envelopment Analysis

The aim of this paper is to analyse one of the principal problems in primary health care management: the evaluation of efficiency in primary health care centres. Given the special characteristics of measuring outcome in primary care it is necessary to evaluate the performance of centres from a quality perspective too. The methodology used, DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis), allows us to introduce quantitative and qualitative variables in a sample of primary care centres in a Spanish province. Once the efficiency of the different centres is known, we investigate the sensitivity of the methodology to changes in the definition of outputs used.     

台湾全民健康保险财务危机论析

台湾全民健康保险自1995年实施至今已经取得了显著的成效,民众的健康有了基本的保障.但是,台湾健保也面临着严重的财务问题,至今已经爆发了三次财务危机.本文从台湾健保的管理制度、财务收入制度和财务支出制度等方面对其财务危机进行了分析,并总结出它为完善我国大陆健康保险制度提供的借鉴意义.     

Applying neutralization theory to fair trade buying behaviour

More and more consumers are willing to pay a premium for fair trade products. However, great potential remains as the market shares of these products are still low. In the present study, neutralization theory was applied to investigate the reasons for consumers hesitating to buy more fair trade products. A postal paper‐and‐pencil survey was sent out using random addresses from the telephone book in the German‐speaking part of Switzerland, resulting in a final sample size of n = 620. The results show that the techniques of neutralization are used to various degrees. A principal component analysis resulted in two strategies of neutralization: an internal strategy (focusing on the consumers themselves) and an external strategy (focusing on the farmers in developing countries). A regression analysis proved that the internal neutralization strategy was an important predictor for fair trade buying behaviour, even when controlling for attitudes towards fair trade.     

湛江模式的启示:探索社会医疗保险与商业健康保险的合作伙伴关系

在推进全民医保的新探索中,广东省湛江市在推进社会医疗保险与商业健康保险的合作伙伴关系上呈现出独有的特色,引起了政府和社会各界广泛的关注。"湛江模式"的重要启示是,社会医疗保险与商业健康保险建立合作伙伴关系,可以有效促进双方的共同发展以及多层次医疗保障体系的形成与发展。     

United we stand,divided we fall: the failure of an accounting information system in a major radiology provider

This article explores the way in which a major Australian radiology organization implemented a complex accounting information system and how workers in the 72 radiology practices that had to use it resisted the change. The study reports on the issues that led to the circumvention of the system by individuals and, after only three years, complete withdrawal of the accounting information system by the parent organization. This article has implications for firms in the health care and other sectors considering implementing new accounting information systems. Organizations need to incorporate change management techniques and provide open communication to all stakeholders to minimize disruption and potential problems.     

Altruism and the Economic Values of Environmental and Social Policies

Altruism is a type of non-use value which can have different definitions depending on the type of goods entering the utility function of the altruists and their expectations about the contributions of others. The purpose of this paper is to measure the trade-offs between different types of altruist values originating from social and environmental policies. Environmental policies are concerned with reducing health effects from a power plant while social policies involve both the attainment of public facilities for education and leisure and an increase in the income of the affected population. The empirical application utilizes a choice experiment technique which allows for valuation of multiple goods. Health effects are decomposed into the values of the risk of becoming ill, the duration of the episodes and the limitations imposed by illness. Altruist values are elicited from a population that is not affected by pollution. Results show that altruism is significant for policies directed to reducing health effects and improving the income level of the affected population, whereas there is egoism for a policy aimed at improving public facilities in the polluted suburb. The value of altruism is significantly influenced by the expectations of net benefits to be received by the affected population.     

中国老年人口自杀问题研究

老年人口是自杀率最高的人群。中国老年人口自杀率存在显著的性别差异、城乡差异和年龄差异。将我国老年人口自杀率与全球已进入老龄社会的国家作了对比,提出老年人口自杀率的三种不同模型。虽然我国老年人口的自杀率整体上呈下降趋势,但农村老年人口和高龄老年人口的自杀率仍然很高。应对老年人口自杀问题,一方面应着力解决相关的老龄问题,消除与减少老年人产生自杀意念的诱因;另一方面,要重点关切高自杀风险的老年群体,特别是群体中的男性老人、农村老人和高龄老人;还要高度重视老年人精神健康问题与精神卫生工作。