ETHNICITY AND EQUITY IN THE USE OF HEALTH CARE SERVICES IN THE SPANISH NATIONAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEM

An important recent change in the Spanish society is the increasing proportion of the population who are immigrants. Immigrants often face situations of social exclusion and disadvantage, circumstances that may affect their health status. Empirical evidence about differences in health status or the utilisation of health services between native and immigrant population is however insufficient. This paper uses the 2003 National Health Survey to explore whether non-Spaniards, for the same level of need, use health care services at the same rate as national citizens. The findings show different patterns of health care use to the disadvantage of immigrants.Equity in health care, immigrant population, Spanish National Health System

Coloring decompositions of complete geometric graphs

A decomposition of a non-empty simple graph $G$ is a pair $[G,P]$, such that $P$ is a set of non-empty induced subgraphs of $G$, and every edge of $G$ belongs to exactly one subgraph in $P$. The chromatic index $\chi'([G,P])$ of a decomposition $[G,P]$ is the smallest number $k$ for which there exists a $k$-coloring of the elements of $P$ in such a way that: for every element of $P$ all of its edges have the same color, and if two members of $P$ share at least one vertex, then they have different colors. A long standing conjecture of Erd\H{o}s-Faber-Lov\'asz states that every decomposition $[K_n,P]$ of the complete graph $K_n$ satisfies $\chi'([K_n,P])\leq n$. In this paper we work with geometric graphs, and inspired by this formulation of the conjecture, we introduce the concept of chromatic index of a decomposition of the complete geometric graph. We present bounds for the chromatic index of several types of decompositions when the vertices of the graph are in general position. We also consider the particular case in which the vertices are in convex position and present bounds for the chromatic index of a few types of decompositions.Comment: 18 pages, 5 figure

FOREIGN MONOPOLIES AND TARIFF AGREEMENTS UNDER INTEGRATED MARKETS

In this paper the optimal policy and the stability of a tariff agreement among the importers of a monopolized good that is sold in an integrated market are studied. To analyze the stability, the tariff agreement formation is modelled as a two-stage game. In the first stage each importer decides whether or not to sign the agreement and in the second stage the signatories and non-signatories choose their tariff whereas the monopoly chooses the quantity or the price. The findings show that the optimal policy of the importers depends on which strategic variable is selected by the monopolist but that, on the contrary, this decision has no effects on the level of cooperation that can be reached by a self-enforcing tariff agreement that, in any case, is very low.foreign monopolies, self-enforcing tariff agreements, integrated markets, rent-shifting hypothesis, prices versus quantities

Ethnicity and equity in the use of health care services in the Spanish National Health Care System

An important recent change in the Spanish society is the increasing proportion of the population who are immigrants. Immigrants often face situations of social exclusion and disadvantage, circumstances that may affect their health status. Empirical evidence about differences in health status or the utilisation of health services between native and immigrant population is however insufficient. This paper uses the 2003 National Health Survey to explore whether non-Spaniards, for the same level of need, use health care services at the same rate as national citizens. The findings show different patterns of health care use to the disadvantage of immigrants

Was there Monetary Autonomy in Europe on the eve of EMU? The German Dominance Hypothesis Re-Examined

In this paper we re-examine the German dominance hypothesis, as a way to assess whether the loss of monetary autonomy in Europe associated with EMU had been significant. We use Granger-causality tests between the interest rates of Germany and all the countries participating in the European Monetary System, with the sample period running until December 1998. Our results would support a weak version of the hypothesis, with Germany playing a certain "leadership" or special role in the EMS, although she would not have been strictly the "dominant" player.European monetary union; German dominance hypothesis; Granger-causality

Advances in the Analysis of Properties Behaviour of Cement-Based Grouts with High Substitution of Cement with Blast Furnace Slags

This article presents a study of the main properties (consistency, workability, leaching, unsoundness, and mechanical properties) of cement grouts prepared with cement replacement by blast furnace slag (GGBS). Mixtures have been analyzed in the absence of additives and reached high replacement percentages. As shown in the different tests presented, the observed evolution of the resistance and workability of the mixtures makes them very interesting for its application. Different types of cement (CEM-I 42.5 and CEM-I 52.5 R) and different water/binder values (1 and 0.67) are used. The results present opportunities for the steel industry by the intensive valorization of slag waste. The reduction of the use of cement in construction is also one of the key aims of this line of research. Results show improvements in the mechanical response with good fresh state properties for substitution percentages up to 70%. It is verified with leaching analysis that these products have less impact on the environmen

The complexity of environmental education: teaching ideas and strategies from teachers

Ponencia de 7th International Conference on Intercultural Education “Education, Health and ICT for a Transcultural World”, EDUHEM 2016The research presented tries to understand and analyze the conceptions that the teachers keep from different levels of education (primary, secondary, and higher education), about the paradigm in which are placed in the treatment of Environmental Education (EE ), as well as methodological strategies used and / or designed for practice. This work argues with the intention of detecting possible reductionism, determinism and fragmentation, in the conceptions of teachers. To do this quantitative techniques have been combined, by using a questionnaire, with qualitative techniques, through the interview in depth; which has allowed us to know and analyze the current situation of the participating teachers in their conceptions of EE, as well as methodological aspects used in its treatment. For this, it conducted an investigation of descriptive-interpretative type with 58 teaching participants, of different educational levels and they teach different subjects and / or disciplines. The results make visible that there is interest in a reflective view closer to the complex thought in the treatment of EE, howev er we check reductionism associated with the difficulties of their practic

An economic framework for analysing the social determinants of health and health inequalities

Reducing health inequalities is an important part of health policy in most countries. This paper discusses from an economic perspective how government policy can influence health inequalities, particularly focusing on the outcome of performance targets in England, and the role of sectors of the economy outside the health service – the ‘social determinants’ of health - in delivering these targets.