European Health System Typologies: Last 30 Years Under Review

The quest of the researcher to classify national health systems into homogeneous groups has a long history. In this paper, the last 30 years are divided in two periods (1985–2000 and 2000–2015) in order to present and briefly describe the most influential national health system typologies

Comércio internacional e investimento directo estrangeiro : o caso da indústria portuguesa

Mestrado em Economia InternacionalNeste trabalho faz-se uma análise descritiva das teorias tradicionais do comércio internacional, que assumem, por hipótese, a imobilidade factorial. Analisa-se o efeito sobre o comércio internacional quando se introduz a hipótese da mobilidade factoria num modelo neo-clássico de equilíbrio geral. A relação estabelecida entre a mobilidade do factor capital, materializada no IDE, e o comércio internacional pode ser de dois tipos: substituibilidade e a complementaridade. E é sobre estas duas perspectivas que se apresenta a introdução da hipótese da mobilidade factorial. Face ao distanciamento daqueles modelos da presente realidade, em que as EMN representam um papel cada vez mais importante nas economias e em que são as principais responsáveis pela mobilidade do factor capital, as novas teorias do comércio internacional procuram introduzir as EMN nos modelos explicativos do comércio internacional e, assim, explicar o comércio que emerge entre os países bem como definir a relação entre o comércio internacional e o IDE. Estas novas propostas não conseguem explicar cabalmente as razões que levam as empresas a investir no estrangeiro, daí a importância das teorias do investimento estrangeiro para enumerar os factores determinantes do IDE. No final, é apresentado um estudo empírico sobre o comércio internacional e o IDE para a indústria transformadora portuguesa, no período 1994-1997, onde se procuram as determinantes e o tipo de relacionamento que se estabelece entre o IDE e as exportações.In this work we do a description of the traditional international trade, which assume factor immobility. And we analyse the effect on international trade when it is introduced the factor mobility hypothesis in neo-calssic general equilibrium model. The relation which is established between capital factor mobility, that is foreign direct investment, and international trade can be of two types, substituibility and complementarity. And it is under this two perspectives that we present the effects of introducing the factor mobility hypothesis. As these models are far from the present reality, in which multinational corporations are very important and they assume a primarily responsability over the capital factor mobility, the new trade theories try to introduce those corporations in the models to explain international trade and to define the relationship between international trade and foreign direct investment. These new proposals can not explain the reasons that leads an enterprise to the option of insting abroad, that is what foreign investment theories are for, they list the determinants behind the decision to invest abroad. At the final of this work, we present an empirical work on the international trade and foreign direct investment on the portuguese manufacturing industry in the period 1994-1997. Here we try to identify the determinants and the relationship between foreign direct investment and exports

Ageing, health, and decision

Tese de Doutoramento em Gestão, Ciência Aplicada à Decisão apresentada à Faculdade de Economia da Universidade de Coimbra.A percentagem de pessoas mais velhas na população é cada vez maior gerando o fenómeno demográfico conhecido como envelhecimento da população. Este grupo de pessoas apresenta características específicas de natureza diversa. No caso da saúde, estas pessoas tendem apresentar uma saúde mais frágil e são mais suscetíveis de adoecer. As decisões das pessoas, ainda que racionais, podem não ser as que melhor respondem às suas necessidades ou que melhor garantem a sua saúde. Conhecer os determinantes das decisões individuais fornece aos decisores políticos uma base de conhecimento fundamentado que lhes permita decidir e definir políticas que melhor se adequam ao grupo populacional mais envelhecido. Contribuindo desta forma para a sua saúde e respondendo de forma compatível às experiencias e expectativas das pessoas seniores. Esta tese centra-se em dois temas da decisão, relacionadas com a saúde, tomada pelos mais velhos: a satisfação dos utilizadores do sistema de saúde e a procura de seguro de saúde privado e voluntário. Em ambas as linhas de investigação são identificados os determinantes das decisões na Europa e em Portugal. As bases dados utilizadas são micro-dados fornecidos pelo SHARE (Survey in Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe), pelo Inquérito Nacional de Saúde e pelo Inquérito à Satisfação dos Utilizadores. Os métodos de análise são de natureza quantitativa e são distintos consoante o objetivo pretendido. Ao longo dos diferentes estudos são apresentadas propostas de medidas de política de saúde que possam, por um lado, melhorar o acesso e mitigar iniquidades de acesso aos cuidados de saúde; por outro, melhorar a saúde e bem-estar do crescente número de mais velhos na sociedade.The share of older people in the population is increasing, generating the demographic phenomenon known as aging. This group of people has specific characteristics which may differ them from the remaining population. Concerning health, older people tend to be more fragile and more susceptible of getting ill. People's decisions, although rational, may not be the ones that best respond to their needs or that best guarantee their health. Understanding the determinants of individual decisions provides policy makers with a well-grounded knowledge that allows them to decide and design policies that best serve the aging population. Contributing in this way to their health and responding in a compatible way to the experiences and expectations of senior people. This thesis focuses on two aspects of decisions related with health: satisfaction of users of the health system and voluntary choice for private health insurance. In both lines of research, determinants of decisions in Europe and Portugal are identified. The databases used in empirical analysis are micro-data provided by SHARE (Survey in Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe), by National Health Survey and by Users Satisfaction Survey. The methods of analysis are quantitative and are different depending on the aim of each analysis. Throughout the different studies, proposals for health policy measures are presented that may, on the one hand, improve access and mitigate inequities in access to health care; on the other, to improve the health and well-being of older people

Characterisation of microbial attack on archaeological bone

As part of an EU funded project to investigate the factors influencing bone preservation in the archaeological record, more than 250 bones from 41 archaeological sites in five countries spanning four climatic regions were studied for diagenetic alteration. Sites were selected to cover a range of environmental conditions and archaeological contexts. Microscopic and physical (mercury intrusion porosimetry) analyses of these bones revealed that the majority (68%) had suffered microbial attack. Furthermore, significant differences were found between animal and human bone in both the state of preservation and the type of microbial attack present. These differences in preservation might result from differences in early taphonomy of the bones. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved

Management practices for postdural puncture headache in obstetrics: a prospective, international, cohort study

© 2020 British Journal of AnaesthesiaBackground: Accidental dural puncture is an uncommon complication of epidural analgesia and can cause postdural puncture headache (PDPH). We aimed to describe management practices and outcomes after PDPH treated by epidural blood patch (EBP) or no EBP. Methods: Following ethics committee approval, patients who developed PDPH after accidental dural puncture were recruited from participating countries and divided into two groups, those receiving EBP or no EBP. Data registered included patient and procedure characteristics, headache symptoms and intensity, management practices, and complications. Follow-up was at 3 months. Results: A total of 1001 patients from 24 countries were included, of which 647 (64.6%) received an EBP and 354 (35.4%) did not receive an EBP (no-EBP). Higher initial headache intensity was associated with greater use of EBP, odds ratio 1.29 (95% confidence interval 1.19–1.41) per pain intensity unit increase. Headache intensity declined sharply at 4 h after EBP and 127 (19.3%) patients received a second EBP. On average, no or mild headache (numeric rating score≤3) was observed 7 days after diagnosis. Intracranial bleeding was diagnosed in three patients (0.46%), and backache, headache, and analgesic use were more common at 3 months in the EBP group. Conclusions: Management practices vary between countries, but EBP was more often used in patients with greater initial headache intensity. EBP reduced headache intensity quickly, but about 20% of patients needed a second EBP. After 7 days, most patients had no or mild headache. Backache, headache, and analgesic use were more common at 3 months in patients receiving an EBP

Management practices for postdural puncture headache in obstetrics : a prospective, international, cohort study

Background: Accidental dural puncture is an uncommon complication of epidural analgesia and can cause postdural puncture headache (PDPH). We aimed to describe management practices and outcomes after PDPH treated by epidural blood patch (EBP) or no EBP. Methods: Following ethics committee approval, patients who developed PDPH after accidental dural puncture were recruited from participating countries and divided into two groups, those receiving EBP or no EBP. Data registered included patient and procedure characteristics, headache symptoms and intensity, management practices, and complications. Follow-up was at 3 months. Results: A total of 1001 patients from 24 countries were included, of which 647 (64.6%) received an EBP and 354 (35.4%) did not receive an EBP (no-EBP). Higher initial headache intensity was associated with greater use of EBP, odds ratio 1.29 (95% confidence interval 1.19-1.41) per pain intensity unit increase. Headache intensity declined sharply at 4 h after EBP and 127 (19.3%) patients received a second EBP. On average, no or mild headache (numeric rating score <= 3) was observed 7 days after diagnosis. Intracranial bleeding was diagnosed in three patients (0.46%), and backache, headache, and analgesic use were more common at 3 months in the EBP group. Conclusions: Management practices vary between countries, but EBP was more often used in patients with greater initial headache intensity. EBP reduced headache intensity quickly, but about 20% of patients needed a second EBP. After 7 days, most patients had no or mild headache. Backache, headache, and analgesic use were more common at 3 months in patients receiving an EBP