Self-employment grants vs. subsidized employment: Is there a difference in the re-unemployment risk?

Self-employment grants and employment subsidies are active labor market programs that aim at helping unemployed workers to escape unemployment by becoming self-employed or being hired at an initially reduced cost for the employer. In Sweden in the 1990's the participation rate in the self-employment program increased from virtually none to almost same as in the employment subsidy program. The advancement of the self-employment program is likely to be a result of (i) a change in the labor market program policy, and (ii) an increase in the supply of skilled unemployed workers. The justification for the policy change is unclear, however. The literature indicate that a rather specific group of unemployed workers may benefit from self-employment programs; Neither are there any strong reasons to believe in general that self-employment should be preferable to conventional employment through subsidies. We examine, ex post, the justification for the policy change by comparing the post-program duration of employment for the two programs. In addition, we focus in some detail on the outcome for female workers and workers of foreign citizenship. The reason for this is the explicit policy to direct those workers to self-employment. The data we study are the inflow to the two programs from June 1995 to December 1996. The program participants are followed to March 1999. The data contain detailed spell and background information on 9,043 unemployed workers who participated in the self-employment program and 14,142 who participated in the employment subsidy program. The second explanation, see (ii), for the increase in self-employment program implies a potentially serious selection problem. We discuss how the selection process may bias the effect estimate in the non-linear duration model that we use. Simulations help us to determine the magnitude of the selection bias in our application. Moreover, we exploit the existing behavioral heterogeneity across labor market offices to reduce the selection bias. We find that the risk of re-unemployment is more than twice as high for the subsidized employment program compared with the self-employment program. The large positive effect is, however, limited to male and female workers of Swedish origin. We thus conclude that the policy change in general has been successful, though we note that directing immigrant workers to self-employment is unlikely to improve the situation for this group of unfortunate workers on the Swedish labor market.Empirical Bayes methods; Employment duration; Program evaluation; Proxy variables; Selection bias; Simulations

Midlife psychological stress and risk of dementia: a 35-year longitudinal population study.” Brain 133

The number of people with dementia has increased dramatically with global ageing. Nevertheless, the pathogeneses of these diseases are not sufficiently understood. The present study aims to analyse the relationship between psychological stress in midlife and the development of dementia in late-life. A representative sample of females (n = 1462) aged 38-60 years were examined in 1968-69 and re-examined in 1974-75, 1980-81, 1992-93 and 2000-03. Psychological stress was rated according to a standardized question in 1968, 1974 and 1980. Dementia was diagnosed according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders criteria based on information from neuropsychiatric examinations, informant interviews, hospital records and registry data. During the 35-year follow-up, 161 females developed dementia (105 Alzheimer's disease, 40 vascular dementia and 16 other dementias). We found that the risk of dementia (hazard ratios, 95% confidence intervals) was increased in females reporting frequent/constant stress in 1968 (1.60, 1.10-2.34), in 1974 (1.65, 1.12-2.41) and in 1980 (1.60, 1.01-2.52). Frequent/ constant stress reported in 1968 and 1974 was associated with Alzheimer's disease. Reporting stress at one, two or three examinations was related to a sequentially higher dementia risk. Compared to females reporting no stress, hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) for incident dementia were 1.10 (0.71-1.71) for females reporting frequent/constant stress at one examination, 1.73 (1.01-2.95) for those reporting stress at two examinations and 2.51 (1.33-4.77) at three examinations. To conclude, we found an association between psychological stress in middle-aged women and development of dementia, especially Alzheimer's disease. More studies are needed to confirm our findings and to study potential neurobiological mechanisms of these associations

Association of Adherence to a Healthy Diet with Cognitive Decline in European and American Older Adults

Aim: To examine the association between a healthy diet, assessed by the Healthy Diet Indicator (HDI), and cognitive decline in older adults. Methods: Data from 21,837 participants aged ≥ 55 years from 3 cohorts (Survey in Europe on Nutrition and the Elderly, a Concerted Action[SENECA], Rotterdam Study [RS], Nurses’ Health Study [NHS]) were analyzed. HDI scores were based on intakes of saturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, mono- and disaccharides, protein, cholesterol, fruits and vegetables, and fiber. The Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status in NHS and Mini-Mental State Examination in RS and SENECA were used to assess cognitive function from multiple repeated measures. Using multivariable-adjusted, mixed linear regression, mean differences in annual rates of cognitive decline by HDI quintiles were estimated. Results: Multivariable-adjusted differences in rates in the highest versus the lowest HDI quintile were 0.01 (95% CI –0.01, 0.02) in NHS, 0.00 (95% CI –0.02, 0.01) in RS, and 0.00 (95% CI –0.05, 0.05) in SENECA with a pooled estimate of 0.00 (95% CI –0.01, 0.01), I 2 = 0%. Conclusions: A higher HDI score was not related to reduced rates of cognitive decline in European and American older adults

Responsibility for managing musculoskeletal disorders – A cross-sectional postal survey of attitudes

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders are a major burden on individuals, health systems and social care systems and rehabilitation efforts in these disorders are considerable. Self-care is often considered a cost effective treatment alternative owing to limited health care resources. But what are the expectations and attitudes in this question in the general population? The purpose of this study was to describe general attitudes to responsibility for the management of musculoskeletal disorders and to explore associations between attitudes and background variables. Methods: A cross-sectional, postal questionnaire survey was carried out with a random sample of a general adult Swedish population of 1770 persons. Sixty-one percent (n = 1082) responded to the questionnaire and was included for the description of general attitudes towards responsibility for the management of musculoskeletal disorders. For the further analyses of associations to background variables 683–693 individuals could be included. Attitudes were measured by the "Attitudes regarding Responsibility for Musculoskeletal disorders" (ARM) instrument, where responsibility is attributed on four dimensions; to myself, as being out of my hands, to employers or to (medical) professionals. Multiple logistic regression was used to explore associations between attitudes to musculoskeletal disorders and the background variables age, sex, education, physical activity, presence of musculoskeletal disorders, sick leave and whether the person had visited a care provider. Results: A majority of participants had internal views, i.e. showed an attitude of taking personal responsibility for musculoskeletal disorders, and did not place responsibility for the management out of their own hands or to employers. However, attributing shared responsibility between self and medical professionals was also found.The main associations found between attitude towards responsibility for musculoskeletal disorders and investigated background variables were that physical inactivity (OR 2.92–9.20), musculoskeletal disorder related sick leave (OR 2.31–3.07) and no education beyond the compulsory level (OR 3.12–4.76) increased the odds of attributing responsibility externally, i.e placing responsibility on someone or something else.Conclusion: Respondents in this study mainly saw themselves as responsible for managing musculoskeletal disorders. The associated background variables refined this finding and one conclusion is that, to optimise outcome when planning the prevention, treatment and management of these disorders, people's attitudes should be taken into account

Rates and Mechanisms for Halide Anation Reactions of Platinum(IV) Complexes

The bromide anation of tr-PtCl4BrH2O− has been studied at 25 °C and the chloride anations of tr-PtCl4BrH2O− and PtBr5H2O− at 50 °C. These reactions proceed via halide assisted mechanisms, compatible with the experimental rate laws determined. The bromide anation of tr-PtBr4CIH2O− studied at 50 °C gives PtBr5Cl2− via a bromide assisted path and PtBr62− via an REOA-path. The observed rate law is determined. PtBr5Cl2− reacts subsequently with bromide to form PtBr62− via a rate-determining (bromide assisted or REOA) formation of an intermediate aqua complex according to the mechanism given. The observed rate law at 50 °C is determined. All reactions have been studied in a 0.50 M perchloric acid medium. A general survey of reactivity correlations and mechanisms for platinum(IV) anation reactions is given. Effects of reductants, bridging and entering ligands, and of the four non-labile ligands in the plane around the platinum atom are quantitatively compared

A Reaction Mechanism for Oxidative Addition of Halogen to Platinum(II), Reductive Elimination of Halide from Platinum(IV) and Halide Assisted Anations of Platinum(IV) Complexes

The oxidative addition of iodine to Pt(CN)42− is first-order with respect to iodide, iodine and complex. The reverse reductive elimination of iodide from trans-Pt(CN)4I22- is first-order with respect to iodide and Pt(CN)4I22−. The kinetics for the reaction between bromide and trans-Pt(CN)4ClH2O2− involves a rate-determining reductive elimination of chloride, followed by a rapid oxidative addition of bromine to the formed Pt(CN)42−. The reactions between trans-Pt(CN)4BrH2O− and bromide or chloride can be described as halide assisted anations. The rate constant for the bromide anation is kexp = k′[Br−]2 and for the chloride anation (in the presence of bromide) k′[Br−][Cl−] + k′' [Cl−]2. All reactions were followed using a stopped-flow technique at 25°C in 0.50M perchloric acid medium. The equilibrium constant for the redox equilibrium between Pt(CN)42−, iodine and Pt(CN)4I22− was determined separately to be (1.29 ± 0.03) × 104M−1. Exploratory stopped-flow experiments indicate that the oxidative addition of chlorine to PtCl42− is first-order with respect to both chlorine and tetrachloroplatinate. The experimental rate laws can be described by a reaction mechanism which resembles that introduced previously for Pt(II)-catalyzed anations and substitutions, in that both mechanisms can be considered as oxidative additions/reductive eliminations

Bromide Anation Kinetics of Some Platinum(IV) Bromo Aqua Complexes

Bromide anations of PtBr5H2O− in the presence of PtBr42− or bromine, of trans-PtBr4(H2O)2 in the presence of PtBr42− and of cis-PtBr4(H2O)2 in the presence of bromine have been studied in 0.50 M perchloric acid medium at 25 °C. The rate law for the bromide anation of PtBr5H2O−indicates two parallel reaction paths. The term k′Br−2 corresponds to a bromide assisted mechanism. The second term in the rate expression can be accounted for by assuming that a dimeric intermediate is formed from the platinum(IV) substrate and hydrated PtBr42−. The formation of the reaction product PtBr62− is preceded by a substitution of water by bromide in this dimer. A bromide assisted mechanism can also describe the bromide anation kinetics of cis-PtBr4(H2O)2, the rate law determined. The bromide anation of trans-PtBr4(H2O)2 in the presence of PtBr42− occurs by a two-term rate law, indicating two parallel paths, k′ corresponding to formation of PtBr5H2O− and k″ to formation of PtBr62−. Trans-PtBr4(H2O)2 reacts so slowly with bromide in the absence of PtBr42− that no reaction can be observed. The large difference in bromide anation rates for PtBr5H2O− and cis-PtBr4(H2O)2 compared to trans-PtBr4(H2O)2 might indicate that halide assisted anations are possible only for complexes having a halide (or some other effective bridging group) in trans-position to the aqua ligand to be replaced