Health, Happiness and Adaptation: an economic perspective

In this paper we present a theoretical framework for the analysis of the economic relevance of adaptation as an "happiness engine" in bad health conditions. Positing that for a given individual the level of health is quite separate from the degree of adaptation and its effect on happiness, we aim to verify if gaps between health and happiness do exist and which factors can be connected to them. Having provided a general model of health related happiness determination structured on three happiness components, we define the adaptation process and the relevance of its monetary and non-monetary costs. We then test some features of the model using data from the SHARE survey of health, ageing and retirement in Europe (Release 2.0.1, 2007). We eventually conclude with some suggestions for future research and present a number of actual options for health policy.Happiness, Adaptation, Health, SHARE, Adaptation Costs, Health Psychology, Economic Psychology

Scitovsky e Hawtrey sui beni creativi

Il lavoro ha carattere descrittivo-interpretativo e cerca di rispondere alla domanda: “Di che cosa parliamo, quando parliamo di (dei) beni creativi…?”. Qui presento le prime due parti, delle quattro in cui il lavoro è previsto. Nella prima discuto un primo modo in cui Scitosvky ,in Scitovsky and Scitovsky 1959, individua e sostiene la rilevanza della “creatività” nello sviluppo industriale moderno; nella seconda, espongo ed esamino la nozione originaria di beni creativi secondo Hawtrey , 1926. Questo mi servirà per comparare (nelle restanti due parti) aderenza e divergenze tra la posizione originaria di Hawtrey e quelle di Scitovsky del 1959 e delle due edizioni di The Joyless Economy del 1976 e del 1992; e anche di altri autori che in tempi più recenti possono aver fatto uso dello stesso termine (ma forse non della stessa categoria analitica).

Effects of initial-state dynamics on collective flow within a coupled transport and viscous hydrodynamic approach

We evaluate the effects of preequilibrium dynamics on observables in ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions. We simulate the initial nonequilibrium phase within A MultiPhase Transport (AMPT) model, while the subsequent near-equilibrium evolution is modeled using (2+1)-dimensional relativistic viscous hydrodynamics. We match the two stages of evolution carefully by calculating the full energy-momentum tensor from AMPT and using it as input for the hydrodynamic evolution. We find that when the preequilibrium evolution is taken into account, final-state observables are insensitive to the switching time from AMPT to hydrodynamics. Unlike some earlier treatments of preequilibrium dynamics, we do not find the initial shear viscous tensor to be large. With a shear viscosity to entropy density ratio of $0.12$, our model describes quantitatively a large set of experimental data on Pb+Pb collisions at the Large Hadron Collider(LHC) over a wide range of centrality: differential anisotropic flow $v_n(p_T) ~(n=2-6)$, event-plane correlations, correlation between $v_2$ and $v_3$, and cumulant ratio $v_2\{4\}/v_2\{2\}$.Comment: 10 pages, v2: minor revisio

On the measurement of inequalities in health

This paper offers a critical appraisal of the various methods employed to date to measure inequalities in health. It suggests that only two of these—the slope index of inequality and the concentration index—are likely to present an accurate picture of socioeconomic inequalities in health. The paper also presents several empirical examples to illustrate of the dangers of using other measures such as the range, the Lorenz curve and the index of dissimilarity

On the measurement of horizontal inequity in the delivery of health care

This paper offers a critical appraisal of the various methods used to date to investigate inequity in the delivery of health care. It concludes that none of the methods used to date is particularly well equipped to provide unbiassed estimates of the extent of inequity. It also concludes that Le Grand's (1978) approach is likely to point towards inequity favouring the rich even when none exists. The paper offers an alternative approach, which builds on the approaches to date but seeks to overcome their deficiencies