Is Gender Inequality a Barrier to Economic Growth? A Panel Data Analysis of Developing Countries

This study provides empirical evidence about the effects of various dimensions of gender inequalities (education, labour market and institutional representation) on economic growth. We use data from the World Bank Development Indicators database for the period 1990–2017. We initially use a large panel of 105 developing countries. Subsequently we study a panel with the sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries since this region is one of the poorest regions in the world. We estimate cross-country and panel regressions. The results suggest that gender equality in education contributes to economic growth and this is a common feature in developing countries. The contribution of equality in education to growth seems to be greater in the SSA countries than in the entire sample of developing countries. The female–male ratio of labour market participation is not statistically significant. We also find a significant link between the presence of women in parliaments and growth in the sample of all developing countries, while this relationship is negative for the SSA countries. It is likely that despite the increased participation of women in the political arena in these countries, women may still encounter major obstacles to altering political priorities and affecting economic growth.The research was funded from the Research Group by the Basque Government «Institutions, Regulation and Economic Policy» (IT1052-16)

Repositioning through Culture: Testing Change in Connectivity Patterns

Symbolic knowledge-driven innovations can play an important role in the economic development of cities and regions. Cultural events and infrastructures can act as powerful connectivity engines, generating new connections, rewiring links, and repositioning institutions/cities/regions on the Internet map. Within this framework, this paper aims to contribute to the analytical understanding of culture-led repositioning. For this purpose we perform regression analysis with cultural networks (observational cross-sectional network data) from digital media for a specific cultural case study: the Basque Culinary Center (BCC), a higher education faculty of haute cuisine promoted by the University of Mondragon along with a group of Michelin-starred chefs. Results show that a cultural sector, such as haute cuisine, can contribute to structural changes in connectivity patterns, putting an institution/city/region on the media map. It is the connection (in the online press) of the BCC to the influential Michelin-starred chefs that can fuel the accumulation of press articles (media items) on the BCC; and it is precisely this accumulation of press articles that can impact BCC revenues. Put differently, the co-branding between the influential Michelin chefs and the BCC may have put the BCC on the press map, promoting new student registrations and fostering Basque haute cuisine. The main contribution of this article is a prototype of regression analysis to test repositioning with network data.The authors acknowledge the financial support from the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECOR 2015 CREA-NETWORK CSO2015-65265-C4-3-R MINECOR-FEDER). The Art4pax Foundation (Guernica) and the Basque Government (SAIOTEK) provided support for this project. We are grateful to BASQUETOUR (Basque Agency of Tourism) and to Silke Haarich (Germany) who kindly read an early draft of the article. They are not responsible for our interpretations

Diferencias de género en la distribución del tiempo de trabajo en las regiones españolas

This study examines, from a regional perspective, the relationship between the patterns of time allocation to paid and domestic work within heterosexual couples and the socio-economic and institutional characteristics of regions. The hypothesis of this work is that, in regions with an institutional system characterized by generous social and family policies, greater participation of women in the labor market, greater wealth and higher educational level, the distribution of paid and domestic work between men and women is more egalitarian. Regarding domestic work, we distinguish between time devoted to housework and childcare. Using the 2009- 2010 Spanish Time Use Survey, we applied Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and Cluster Analysis. We identified five groups of regions or patterns of time allocation between men and women. Heterogeneity among these patterns can be associated to regional differences in the economic, social and institutional settings.Este trabajo examina la relación entre los patrones de distribución del tiempo dedicado al trabajo remunerado y al doméstico de las parejas heterosexuales y las características socioeconómicas e institucionales de las regiones españolas. La hipótesis que contrastamos es que las regiones con un sistema institucional amplio de políticas sociales y familiares, mayor riqueza, nivel educativo y participación femenina en el mercado laboral, tienen una distribución del trabajo remunerado y doméstico entre géneros más igualitaria. Distinguimos, dentro del trabajo doméstico, entre el tiempo dedicado a las tareas del hogar y al cuidado de los niños. Los datos utilizados provienen de la última Encuesta de Empleo de Tiempo española (2009-2010). La metodología utilizada es el Análisis en Componentes Principales (ACP) y el Análisis Clúster. Los resultados permiten identificar cinco grupos de regiones o patrones de distribución del tiempo entre hombres y mujeres que se asocian con contextos socioeconómicos e institucionales diferente

Valoración económica del palivizumab en prematuros en la Seguridad Social en Costa Rica

RESUMEN Introducción: El virus sincitial respiratorio afecta la salud de prematuros y el palivizumab puede reducir sus complicaciones. En Costa Rica se desconoce la eficiencia del uso de esta tecnología sanitaria. Objetivo: Evaluar la eficiencia de la aplicación profiláctica de palivizumab en prematuros versus la práctica tradicional o clínica habitual en la Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social entre 2013-2017. Métodos: Se realizó una evaluación económica del tipo costo efectividad, desde la perspectiva de la Seguridad Social (7 hospitales), horizonte temporal de un año y sin tasa de descuento. El universo estuvo compuesto de 173 prematuros (38 con palivizumab y 135 sin palivizumab). Los datos clínicos fueron peso al nacer, edad gestacional, displasia broncopulmonar, cardiopatía congénita. Los datos de costos expresados en dólares americanos fueron: medicamentos, consulta médica y prueba diagnóstica. Se valoró la efectividad por el número de días de hospitalización, oxigenoterapia, ventilación mecánica, episodios de bronquiolitis, neumonía y muertes. Los análisis contemplaron: árbol de decisiones, costo efectividad medio e incremental y de sensibilidad. Resultados: Los prematuros tratados con palivizumab mostraron menor frecuencia en todas las variables de efectividad, el árbol de decisiones mostró un costo efectividad incremental de 78 USD, el costo efectividad medio fue mayor en los prematuros con palivizumab. Un día de hospitalización adicional, con palivizumab tiene un costo de 823 USD y en la unidad de cuidados intensivos de 72 154 USD. Conclusiones: El palivizumab produce beneficios para la salud de los prematuros, en consonancia con las políticas de salud en Costa Rica y a nivel mundial. Esta tecnología, se puede considerar como eficiente en la Seguridad Social de Costa Rica al generar beneficios en salud que sopesan los costos que se encuentran circunscritos a los cambios que ocurren en diversos aspectos tales como el número y las condiciones de los prematuros que lo utilizan, estacionalidad del virus o los costos del tratamiento. Palabras clave: palivizumab; infección respiratoria; virus sincitial respiratorio; prematuro, costo-efectividad; seguridad social; Costa Rica.Introduction: Respiratory syncytial virus affects the health of premature infants. Palivizumab can reduce its complications. In Costa Rica, the efficiency of using this health technology is unknown. Objective: To evaluate the efficiency of prophylactic administration of palivizumab in premature infants versus traditional or usual clinical practice in the Costa Rican Social Security Fund, between 2013-2017. Methods: An economic cost-effectiveness evaluation was carried out, from a socialsecurity approach (7 hospitals), with a one-year time horizon and without discount rate. The study population consisted of 173 premature infants: 38 were treated with palivizumab; and 135, without palivizumab. The clinical data were weight at birth, gestational age, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and congenital heart disease. The cost data expressed in US dollars were medications, medical consultation, and diagnostic test. Effectiveness was assessed by the number of hospitalization days, oxygen therapy, mechanical ventilation, bronchiolitis episodes, pneumonia, and deaths. The analyzes considered the decision tree, average and incremental cost-effectiveness, as well as of sensitivity. Results: Premature infants treated with palivizumab showed lower frequency in all the effectiveness variables, the decision tree showed an incremental cost-effectiveness of 78 US dollars, and mean cost-effectiveness was higher in premature infants treated with palivizumab. One additional hospitalization day with palivizumab treatment has a cost of 823 US dollars, while, in the intensive care unit, its cost represents 72 154 US dollars. Conclusions: Palivizumab produces health benefits for premature infants, in line with health policies in Costa Rica and worldwide. This technology can be considered as efficient in the social security of Costa Rica, insofar it generates health benefits that outweigh the costs circumscribed to the changes that occur in various aspects such as the number and conditions of premature infants who receive it, virus seasonality, or treatment cost.UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias de la Salud::Instituto de Investigaciones Farmacéuticas (INIFAR

Worldwide prevalence of inadequate work ability among hospital nursing personnel: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Purpose To estimate the worldwide pooled prevalence of inadequate work ability among hospital nursing personnel using the Work Ability Index (WAI). Design Systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods A systematic search was conducted on Medline/PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Scielo, PsychInfo, CINAHL, Nursing and Allied Health, LILACS, and Google Scholar from inception to July 2021 to identify observational studies on work ability among hospital nursing personnel using the WAI. Two researchers independently completed the study selection, quality assessments, and data extraction on the prevalence of inadequate work ability that was pooled using the random effects model. Finally, subgroup analyses were performed to explore sources of heterogeneity. Findings A total of 42 studies were included, consisting of 24,728 subjects worldwide from 14 countries. Of these, 35 studies were included in the meta-analytical analyses. The worldwide pooled prevalence of inadequate work ability among hospital nursing personnel was 24.7% (95% CI = 20.2%-29.4%). High levels of heterogeneity were detected in all studies. Prevalence was higher in studies where samples were composed of nurses and nursing assistive personnel (26.8%; 95% CI = 22.4%-31.5%) than in those of nurses alone (22.2%; 95% CI = 13.1%-32.9%) and in studies where the sample was over 40 (28.1%; 95% CI = 19.5%-37.5%) than in those with a sample under that age (22.4%; 95% CI = 15.8%-29.7%). Conclusions Almost one in four members of hospital nursing staff in the world has inadequate work ability and therefore are at risk of several negative outcomes during their working life. These prevalence data correspond to the pre-pandemic period, so new studies should also be especially useful in quantifying the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on work ability in the hospital nursing workforce. Clinical relevance The above findings justify the launch of initiatives that include annual assessment for the early identification of inadequate work ability, offering the possibility of anticipated corrective measures. Nursing workforce older than 40 years and those belonging to the professional category of nursing assistive personnel should be priority target groups for screening and intervention to improve work ability

The DORIVIR Study

Objectives: To analyze the efficacy and safety of dolutegravir/rilpivirine (DTG/RPV) in HIV-infected patients who switched from any other antiretroviral therapy (ART). Methods: Open-label, multicenter study including patients who switched to DTG/RPV between February 2015 and February 2016. Efficacy (HIV RNA <50 copies/mL), adverse events, and metabolic changes at 24 weeks were analyzed. Results: A total of 104 participants were included, who switched for the following reasons: toxicity/intolerance (42.3%), convenience (27.8%), and drug interactions (17.3%). Prior regimens are protease inhibitor (56.7%), integrase strand transfer inhibitor (26.9%), and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (16.3%). Efficacy at 24 weeks was 88.4% (intention to treat) and 96.8% (per protocol). Triglyceride levels were reduced, on average, by 12.7% and a mean decrease of 9.0% in the glomerular filtration rate was observed as well ( P values of .003 and .002, respectively), whereas total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, creatinine, and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase remained unchanged. No patient discontinued due to adverse events. Conclusions: Dolutegravir/RPV is effective and safe in long-term HIV-infected patients under any prior ART. Toxicity, convenience, and interactions were the main reasons for changing. At 24 weeks, the lipid profile improved with a decrease in triglycerides.The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Funding was received from the Andalusian Society of Infectious Diseases (SAEI) (provided study code SAEI 00/0067)

Behavioral activation for the control of depression in cancer patients: a review

Behavioral activation (AC) is defined as a therapeutic process focused in increasing patient’s behaviors through an environment that provides the patient reinforcing contingencies. This therapy is empirically validated as a non-pharmacological treatment for depression because of its flexibility and its patient-tailored focus. The purpose of this work was to do a literature review about behavioral activation and major depressive disorder in cancer patients. We conducted a systematic review into seven databases using the PICO system in order to identify the articles. Studies in both English and Spanish published between 2000-2016 were included; the keywords “depression”, “behavioral activation therapy” and “cancer patients” were used in the search. 373 articles were found, however only 10 fulfilled the required criteria. The studies were carried out with non-hospitalized ambulatory patients; all the interventions were conducted individually. Results showed the relevance of behavioral activation as the main treatment of Major Depressive Disorder in an oncological population. We suggest to perform a clinical evaluation before applying AC considering: the tumor characteristics, clinical stage, type of treatment, collateral or adverse effects, cumulative toxicity and the natural story of the disease

Babesia microti-like piroplasm (syn. Babesia vulpes) infection in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in NW Spain (Galicia) and its relationship with Ixodes hexagonus

Piroplasmosis is caused by several species of protozoa such as the Babesia microti-like piroplasm (Bml), an emerging blood protozoan also known as Theileria annae or Babesia vulpes. Infection by Bml was first reported in dogs in Spain where it is endemic today. Recently, a high prevalence of Bml has been increasingly detected in red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) in European countries. The objective of this study was to determine infection levels of this parasite in foxes from Galicia, NW Spain, and ticks species infestation in these carnivores, where they are so far unknown. Samples of blood, spleen and ticks (if present) were taken from 237 hunted red foxes in the Galicia region. Blood smears were prepared for direct parasite observation, and spleen and tick samples were examined by nested PCR. Prevalences of Bml infection in Galician red foxes were estimated at 72% (171/237) by PCR and 38.23% (26/68) by direct observation. Among 837 ticks collected, the main tick identified was Ixodes hexagonus (present in 82.4% of the foxes) followed by Ixodes ricinus (12.3%), Dermacentor reticulatus (12.3%) and Rhipicephalus sanguineus sensu lato (3.5%). From 34 foxes testing positive for Bml, 616 ticks were collected: positive Bml PCR results were obtained in 55.6% (227/408) of ticks collected from 9 foxes, while the 208 ticks from the remaining 25 infected foxes returned negative PCR results. Given that canine piroplasmosis is endemic in this area, our observations point to the red fox as the main reservoir for Bml infection and the high proportion of I. hexagonus among ticks collected from red foxes suggests its likely role as vectors of B. microti-like piroplasm in this region. Further studies are needed for a better understanding of the link between the wild and domestic life cycles of this piroplasmS