Forutsigbare boligmarkeder og regionale motsetninger

I denne masteroppgaven har vi undersøkt forskjellene i boligprisvekst mellom urbane og rurale områder i Norge. Basert på boligprismodellen til Jacobsen og Naug (2004), har vi bygget en revidert boligprismodell basert på oppdatert kvartalsvis data fra perioden 2005 til 2023. Modellen er en økonometrisk feiljusteringsmodell konstruert for å observere forskjeller i regionale boligprisdrivere. Modellen anvendes ved to separate datasett for henholdsvis urbane og rurale områder som sammen dekker samtlige kommuner i Norge. Resultatene fra hver analyse danner grunnlaget for komparasjon og videre diskusjon tilknyttet utfallet av demografisk utvikling i forbindelse med boligmarkedet. Studien kan oppsummeres i seks funn. Først og fremst finner vi store regionale forskjeller i boligprisvekst mellom 2005 og 2023. Vi finner imidlertid at denne utviklingen i stor grad kan forklares av fundamentale forhold og at konvensjonelle forklaringsvariabler som rente, inntekt og forventninger forklarer en del av veksten. Samtidig finner vi at boligprisveksten i rurale områder kan forklares av fundamentale forhold i større grad enn boligprisveksten i urbane områder. Hovedfunnet i denne studien innebærer at urbaniseringstilpasningen, herunder boligmassens evne til å tilpasse seg etter demografisk utvikling, forklarer store deler av avviket i boligprisveksten mellom urbane og rurale områder. Med bakgrunn i disse funnene, konkluderer vi med at det bygges for få boliger per netto innflytter i urbane områder. Konklusjonen bygger på den norske boligdiskursen som fører en eierlinje og tilhørende visjon om at flest mulig skal eie egen bolig, samtidig som bosettingsmønsteret sentraliseres. Videre finner vi at nybyggingsraten synker betraktelig ved nedgangskonjunkturer og holdes lav over lange perioder grunnet nyere tids liberalisering av byggesektoren. Ettersom både byggesektorens markedssvikt ved nedgangskonjunkturer og befolkningsveksten i urbane områder følger forutsigbare trender, finner vi at manglende politisk vilje forklarer deler av den synkende boligmassen relativ til befolkningsvekst

Er kundens ordrestørrelse hos grossist en indikator på kundens egen lønnsomhet? En analyse av sammenhengen mellom elektroentreprenørenes ordrestørrelser hos elektrogrossist og elektroentreprenørenes lønnsomhet.

I denne masteroppgaven undersøker vi om elektroentreprenørers ordrestørrelser hos grossist kan være en indikator på elektroentreprenørens egen lønnsomhet. Oppgaven bygger på en antagelse om at elektroentreprenørens kjøpemønster hos grossist er tett forbundet med elektroentreprenørens evne til å drive effektivt og økonomisk rasjonelt. Oppgaven er kvantitativ og basert på data over ordrestørrelser mottatt fra én norsk elektrogrossist. Data på lønnsomhet er hentet fra offentlig tilgjengelig regnskapsinformasjon. Vi ønsker med denne oppgaven å bidra til økt innsikt i driverne bak lønnsom drift i et entreprenørforetak. Vi ønsker også å gi støtte for de grunnleggende påstandene innenfor fagfeltet aktivitetsbasert kostnadskalkulasjon. Vårt hovedfunn i denne oppgaven er en positiv signifikant sammenheng mellom ordrestørrelse hos grossist og elektroentreprenørens lønnsomhet. Denne sammenhengen lar seg påvise tilsvarende sterkt i to adskilte regnskapsår. Vi finner også at elektroentreprenørens vareandel hos grossist påvirker graden av sammenheng mellom ordrestørrelse og lønnsomhet. En gruppe elektroentreprenører med en høy vareandel viser sterkere sammenheng enn en gruppe med lavere vareandel.In this master thesis, we examine whether electrical contractors’ order sizes with its wholesalers can be an indicator of the electrical contractor’s own profitability. The thesis is based on an assumption that electrical contractor’s purchase pattern is closely linked to the contractor’s ability to run its company efficient and profitably. The thesis is quantitative and based on data on order sizes received from one Norwegian electrical wholesaler. Data on profitability is gathered from publicly available accounting information. With this thesis, we want to contribute to increased insight into the drivers behind profitable operations within a contracting firm. We also want to provide support for the basic claims withing the field of activity-based costing. Our main finding in this thesis is a positive significant correlation between order size at the wholesaler and the electrical contractor's own profitability. This correlation can be demonstrated to be similarly strong in two separate financial years. We also find that the electrical contractors share of goods with the wholesaler affects the degree of correlation between order size and profitability. A group of contractors with a higher share of goods show a stronger correlation, compared to a group of contractors with a lower share of goods

Prevalence and predictors of fatigue among people living with HIV in Norway

Fatigue is the most commonly noted symptom among people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV). The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and predictors of fatigue among PLHIV in Norway. Two hundred and forty-four people were recruited from two hospitals to participate in a survey, which contained seven instruments used to investigate mental health, addiction, quality of life, and fatigue. More than a third of the participants (38.5%) suffered from fatigue. Predictors of fatigue were the presence of mental distress (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 8.98, 95%CI 3.81, 21.15), multimorbidity (AOR 5.13, 95%CI 1.40, 18.73), living alone (AOR 2.99, 95%CI 1.36, 6.56), trouble sleeping (AOR 2.67, 95%CI 1.06, 6.71), and increased body pain (AOR 1.44, 95%CI 1.25, 1.67). To improve the quality of life for many PLHIV, the continuum of HIV care must address fatigue and its predictors

Factors associated with health-related quality of life in people living with HIV in Norway

Background - Despite the advances in the treatment of HIV, people living with HIV (PLHIV) still experience impairment of health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The aim of the study was to explore factors associated with HRQOL in a well-treated Norwegian HIV population. Methods - Two hundred and forty-five patients were recruited from two outpatient clinics to participate in this cross-sectional study of addiction, mental distress, post-traumatic stress disorder, fatigue, somatic health, and HRQOL. The latter was measured using the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis was used to examine the adjusted associations between demographic and disease-related variables and HRQOL. Results - The study population was virologically and immunologically stable. Their mean age was 43.8 (SD = 11.7) years, 131 (54%) were men, and 33% were native Norwegians. Compared with the general population (published in previous studies), patients reported worse SF-36 scores for five of eight domains: mental health, general health, social function, physical role limitation, and emotional role limitation (all p  Conclusions - HRQOL was poorer in PLHIV than in the general population in Norway. It is important to focus on somatic and mental comorbidities when delivering health-care services in the ageing population of PLHIV to improve HRQOL even among a well-treated group of PLHIV as found in Norway

Kunsten å “sette teamet” : Utfordringer og muligheter ved bruk av oppstartsverktøy

I denne masteroppgaven har vi undersøkt hvordan bruken av oppstartsverktøy oppleves i team, og hvilke forhold som er sentrale for at team kan lykkes med oppstartsverktøy. Gjennom en kvalitativ casestudie har vi intervjuet ni informanter fra samme casebedrift om deres erfaring med å ta i bruk et oppstartsverktøy. Slik har vi dratt nytte av perspektivene fra ledere, teammedlemmer og en fasilitator for å belyse hva som skal til for at team kan lykkes med oppstartsverktøy. Vår studie kan oppsummeres i tre hovedfunn. Det første er at vi fant at det er avvik mellom hvordan oppstartsverktøyet er designet for å bli brukt, og hvordan teamene drar nytte av det i praksis. Dette kommer blant annet av at teamene opplever å være presset på tid, særlig i oppstartsfasen. Likevel oppleves det som om bruk leder til økt bevisstgjøring på viktigheten av relasjoner og forventningsavklaringer. Det andre funnet var at tre hovedfaktorer - eierskap, sårbarhet og tilstedeværelse - var avgjørende for å få til gode diskusjoner i oppstartsverktøyets sesjoner. Disse ledet til det vi har valgt å kalle fortrolighetsfellesskap. Dette beskriver et trygt samtalerom som oppsto i forbindelse med oppstartsverktøyets øvelser, der teammedlemmene forholdt seg til hverandre på en måte som var annerledes enn i andre møter. I dette fortrolighetsfellesskapet klarte de å ha gode samtaler om hvordan de opplevde at teamet fungerte, og være ærlige om egne oppfatninger. Til slutt fant vi at to roller, fasilitator og leder, hadde stor påvirkning på hvordan man lykkes med bruk av oppstartsverktøy. Informantene var svært fornøyde med å benytte seg av en ekstern fasilitator som tilrettelegger for oppstartsverktøyet. Det virket også som tilstedeværelsen av fasilitator bidro til å styrke fortrolighetsfellesskapet. Ved at fasilitator i sin rolle ble sett på som en nøytral moderator fikk denne rom til å utfordre teamet i diskusjoner, som også bidro til å styrke fortrolighetsfellesskapet. Ettersom fasilitator hadde ansvar for å lede sesjonene, opplevde lederne at dette ga dem mulighet til å føle seg som en del av teamet på lik linje med de andre teammedlemmene. Dette gjorde at lederne klarte å være mer til stede og by på egen sårbarhet, som også styrket fortrolighetsfellesskapet. Samlet kan dette tyde på at det er gode muligheter for at organisasjoner kan forbedre arbeidet i egne team ved å introdusere oppstartsverktøy ved hjelp av fasilitatorer.nhhma

Prevalence of mental distress and factors associated with symptoms of major depression among people living with HIV in Norway

For people living with HIV (PLHIV) who can access lifesaving treatment, HIV has become a chronic lifelong condition; however, PLHIV have more mental and somatic comorbidities than their HIV-negative peers. In this cross-sectional study, we assessed the prevalence of mental distress and identified factors associated with major depression among 244 well-treated PLHIV residing in Norway. Participants completed validated questionnaires covering mental and somatic health. The prevalence of mental distress, defined as a score on the Hopkins Symptom Check List-25 >1.75, was 32%, and that of symptoms of major depression, defined as a score on the Beck Depression Inventory-II ≥20, was 15%. The factors associated with major depressive symptoms identified using logistic regression were risk of drug abuse (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) 15.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 3.28, 69.3), fatigue (AOR 12.5, 95% CI 3.90, 40.0), trouble sleeping (AOR 7.90, 95% CI 2.85, 21.9), African origin (AOR 3.90, 95% CI 1.28, 11.9), low education (AOR 3.31, 95% CI 1.18, 9.30), and non-disclosure (AOR 3.22, 95% CI 1.04, 10.0). Our findings indicate that the prevalence rates of mental distress and major depressive symptoms are higher among well-treated PLHIV residing in Norway than in the general population. These conditions are under-diagnosed and under-treated, and increased awareness is needed

Dental care for drug users in Norway: Dental professionals’ attitudes to treatment and experiences with interprofessional collaboration

Background - The present study aimed to assess dental professionals’ attitudes and experiences related to the dental treatment of drug users and to interprofessional collaboration with the rehabilitation institutions (RIs). Methods - The study population comprised 141 dentists and dental hygienists (response rate 73%) working in the Public Dental Service (PDS) in three counties in Norway. All of the participants completed an electronically distributed questionnaire on existing practices and experiences regarding dental treatment for drug users and interprofessional collaboration with RIs. The Norwegian Centre for Research Data (NSD) approved the study. Results - Thirty-five percent of the dentists and 10% of the dental hygienists had treated five or more drug users per month (p  Conclusions - Dental professionals perceived the management of drug users as demanding due to dental fear, difficulties in coping with appointments, poor compliance to preventive measures, and disagreement between dental treatment defined as necessary and drug users’ expectations. Attitudes and experiences related to dental treatment of drug users were significantly associated with background characteristics of clinicians. Organizational barriers regarding leadership, accessibility, and collaborative routines, as well as lack of interprofessional communication, suggest current models of health care delivery to drug users need reviewing

Principles of Periodontology

Periodontal diseases are among the most common diseases affecting humans. Dental biofilm is a contributor to the etiology of most periodontal diseases. It is also widely accepted that immunological and inflammatory responses to biofilm components are manifested by signs and symptoms of periodontal disease. The outcome of such interaction is modulated by risk factors (modifiers), either inherent (genetic) or acquired (environmental), significantly affecting the initiation and progression of different periodontal disease phenotypes. While definitive genetic determinants responsible for either susceptibility or resistance to periodontal disease have yet to be identified, many factors affecting the pathogenesis have been described, including smoking, diabetes, obesity, medications, and nutrition. Currently, periodontal diseases are classified based upon clinical disease traits using radiographs and clinical examination. Advances in genomics, molecular biology, and personalized medicine may result in new guidelines for unambiguous disease definition and diagnosis in the future. Recent studies have implied relationships between periodontal diseases and systemic conditions. Answering critical questions regarding host‐parasite interactions in periodontal diseases may provide new insight in the pathogenesis of other biomedical disorders. Therapeutic efforts have focused on the microbial nature of the infection, as active treatment centers on biofilm disruption by non‐surgical mechanical debridement with antimicrobial and sometimes anti‐inflammatory adjuncts. The surgical treatment aims at gaining access to periodontal lesions and correcting unfavorable gingival/osseous contours to achieve a periodontal architecture that will provide for more effective oral hygiene and periodontal maintenance. In addition, advances in tissue engineering have provided innovative means to regenerate/repair periodontal defects, based upon principles of guided tissue regeneration and utilization of growth factors/biologic mediators. To maintain periodontal stability, these treatments need to be supplemented with long‐term maintenance (supportive periodontal therapy) programs

Stratifying workers on sick leave due to musculoskeletal pain: translation, cross-cultural adaptation and construct validity of the Norwegian Keele STarT MSK tool

Objectives: Stratified care using prognostic models to estimate the risk profiles of patients has been increasing. A refined version of the popular STarT Back tool, the Keele STarT MSK tool, is a newly developed model for matched treatment across a wide range of musculoskeletal pain presentations. The aim of this study was to translate and culturally adapt the Keele STarT MSK tool into Norwegian, examine its construct validity and assess the representativeness of the included sample. Methods: The Keele STarT MSK tool was formally translated into Norwegian following a multistep approach of forward and backward translation. A pre-final version was tested in 42 patients. Minor changes were implemented. To assess its construct validity, an online survey was conducted among workers aged 18-67 years who were on sick leave (>4 weeks) due to musculoskeletal disorders. Construct validity was evaluated in terms of convergent and discriminant validity using Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and known-group validity by comparing risk subgroups as suggested by the COSMIN checklist. The representativeness of the sample was assessed by comparing demographic and sick leave information of participants to eligible non-participants (n=168 137). Results: A representative sample of 549 workers participated in the validity assessment; 74 participants (13.5%) were categorised as low risk, 314 (57.2%) as medium risk and 161 (29.3%) as high risk. The construct validity was found sufficient, with 90.9% and 75.0% of the pre-defined hypotheses confirmed for convergent and discriminant validity, and known-group validity, respectively. Floor or ceiling effects were not found. Conclusions: The Keele STarT MSK tool was successfully translated into Norwegian. The construct validity of the tool was acceptable in a representative cohort of workers on sick leave as a result of musculoskeletal pain. However, the analyses raised concerns as to whether one of the questions captures the construct it is intended to measure.publishedVersio