Multidimensional Poverty in Pakistan: Case of Punjab Province

This paper applies Alkire & Foster (2007) approach for measuring the multidimensional poverty. The data set used in the study is Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 2003-04 of Punjab, Pakistan. Eight dimensions used in the study are Housing, Water, Sanitation, Electricity, Assets, Education, Expenditure, and Land. Results shows that at cut off K=2; Rajanpur, Muzaffargarh, Rahimyar Khan, Kasur, Okara and Lodhran respectively are the most multidimensionally poor districts of Punjab whereas, Gunj Buksh Town Lahore, Ravi Town Lahore, Cantt Town Lahore, Sialkot, Rawalpindi, Allama Iqbal Town Lahore, Gujranwala and Jhelum are the least deprived Towns/Districts of Punjab province. Dimension wise breakdown shows that Land deprivation, expenditure, sanitation, housing and education are respectively the major contributors among overall multidimensional poverty.Multidimensional Poverty, Pakistan, MDGs

Why do Parents Make their Children Work? Evidence from Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey

Since few decades ago, the issue of child labour has detained the global attention. This study highlights the supply side determinants of child labor in case of Punjab, Pakistan. Multiple indicator cluster survey 2007-08 for Punjab was used. Probit model was used to capture the objectives of this research. Results shows that the absence of mother’s education, household head’s education, large family size, low level of family income, less education of child etc. were the factors that pushed the children into work that is often damaging to their development.Child labour, MICS, Pakistan

Measurement of SF-6D utility among patients with active tuberculosis

Inspite of so much development in medical technology, Tuberculosis (TB) is still the problem for humans. Few studies, in Pakistan highlighted the factors that affect patients health related quality of life (HRQOL) with active TB. The aim of this study is to measure short form six dimension (Sf-6D) utility scores of patients with active TB of Sargodha district. 120 active TB patients were interviewed and short form-36 questionnaire was followed. District TB hospital of Sargodha district was visited. Results show that Utility scores of female patients were better than male, while patients belong to urban areas have better utility scores as compared to rural patients of TB. Indoor patient’s utility scores were better than outdoor patients. Disease severity, use of drugs, depression, pain and death threat were the factors that negatively affect the patients health related quality of life, while opportunity of leisure and income level increase patients HRQOL.Sf-6D, Pakistan, TB

Status of Health related Quality of life between HBV and HCV Patients of Pakistan

The aim of the study is to explore the factors those differentiate health related quality of life (HRQOL) among hepatitis B (HBV) and hepatitis C (HCV) patients. Different public and private hospitals of Sargodha district were visited and 120 patients of hepatitis B and C were interviewed. World health related quality of life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire was used to construct HRQOL instrument. Multiple regression analysis was performed to observe the collision of demographic, medical, economic and physical and psychological factors on patients HRQOL. Results showed that HBV patients enjoyed better HRQOL then HCV patients. 86.4% HCV patients faces death threat while, 67.3% HBV faces this threat. 93.5% HBV patients feels depression while, 97.8% HCV patients feels depression. Urban patients HRQOL scores were superior then rural patients in both HCV and HBV case. Moreover, male patients HRQOL scores were better as compared to female patients. Age of the patient, disease severity, use of drug, pain, depression, financial hindrance and threat of death negatively influence the HRQOL of both HBV and HCV patients while, vaccination, income, sleep, opportunity of leisure and better living condition were positively related to HRQOL.Sargodha; HBV; HCV; Pakistan

Analyzing the efficiency differences among basic health units in Sargodha District

Pakistan has adequate infrastructure for health services delivery at primary level. The study aims to calculate the technical efficiency of Basic Health Units (BHUs) in Sargodha by using the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) with the choice of inputs and outputs being specific to BHUs operation. DEA model results reveals that the mean technical efficiency under, Constant Returns to Scale (CRS) and Variable Returns to Scale (VRS) was 0.719 and 0.807 while the mean scale efficiency was 0.88. Study exposed that 77 % BHUs were technically inefficient under CRS while 66 % BHUs were technically inefficient under VRS modal. Overall 76% BHUs were inefficient and destructing the infrastructure. Moreover, findings evidently point to adverse inefficiency of BHUs in health services delivery. Study concluded that existing high level of inefficiency in BHUs needs institutional fascination for scaling up BHUs to meet both regional as well international targets such as Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and recommended such measures that may curb the waste.Basic Health Units, Technical Efficiency, Data Envelopment Analysis, Pakistan

Financial Development, International Trade and Economic Growth: Empirical Evidence from Pakistan

The study utilizes the Autoregressive-distributed lag (ARDL) approach for cointegration and Granger causality test, to explore the long run equilibrium relationship and the possible direction of causality between international trade, financial development and economic growth for the Pakistan economy. Imports plus exports of goods and services is used as a proxy for international trade, while broad money (M2) and gross domestic product (GDP) are used as the proxies for financial development and economic growth, respectively. Result explores a long run relationship between the variables. In case of Pakistan, economy supply leading hypothesis is accepted. Moreover, unidirectional causality is observed from international trade to economic growth and from financial development to international trade.Financial development, international trade, economic growth, Pakistan

The impact of human capital on urban poverty: The case of Sargodha city

The positive relationship between human capital and income/wages has been supported by empirical research. Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) enormously emphasize on human capital for curbing poverty. The economic development in East Asian countries is also linked with investment in education for the development of human capital. This study is designed to investigate the relationship of different levels of education and experience upon urban poverty at medium sized city in Pakistan such as Sargodha. A survey-based analysis was carried out on a sample of 330 households. Poverty status of the individual is defined by using adjusted official poverty line. Results show that education and experience is negatively related with the poverty status of individuals and this fact sustains even in separate gender estimates as well. This implies education of poor is necessary in breaking the vicious circle of poverty. Combined effort by public, private, community participation and NGO’s with special focus on elementary (Primary and middle) education is suggested for reducing poverty by increasing the productivity of the poor through education.Human Capital, Urban Poverty, Sargodha, Pakistan

Health related quality of life assessment in patients with hepatitis: a case of Pakistan

The intention of this study is to dig out the demographic, medical, economic and psychosocial factors that affect the health related quality of life of the hepatitis B and C patient in district Sargodha. 120 patients of hepatitis B and C virus were interviewed. WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire was followed for the construction of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) instrument. Age of the patient, disease severity, use of drug, pain, depression, financial hindrance and threat of death negatively affect the HRQOL of the hepatitis patient while, vaccination, income, education, sleep, opportunity of leisure and better living condition affect HRQOL positively.HRQOL, HBV, HCV, Pakistan

Specific energy consumption of metal cutting with thin abrasive discs

The aim of this research is to provide an in-depth understanding of energy consumption in abrasive disc cutting processes. The specific energy consumed in cutting is measured,analysed, and then characterised in to three components. To this end, an experimental device is built using an Arduino-controlled grinder to measure the specific energy consumed by cutting at different feed rates. Using a model, the experimental data is validated and the Specific Energy Consumed is separated into three energy components: sliding, ploughing and specific cutting energy. Furthermore, the influence of cutting conditions and material properties significantly influenced the specific energy consumption and its components. To analyse the effect of grain shape and the relative dependence of the different components of the Specific Energy Consumed as a function of material removal rate, integral models of specific ploughing energy, specific sliding energy and specific cutting energy are developed. Conventional and super abrasive cubitron abrasive grains were used. Cutting with pyramidal abrasive discs (cubitron) was used for the determination of the relative components of the specific energy consumed. It was found that the specific ploughing energy is more sensitive to the change in material removal rate compared to the sliding energy. Due to the fast shearing and precisely shaped cubitron grains, the transition from sliding to a specific shear regime was so fast for some materials that the magnitude of the ploughing energy was found to be negligible.However, the model implementation for some materials showed that the absence or presence of ploughing energy also depends on the rate of material removed. Finally, the development of a cutting grain model is presented which will allow the study of the chip compression ratio which is not possible to characterise by means of a single cutting grain in metal cutting with thin abrasive discs. This latest development is the beginning of a study of chip formation in the primary cutting zone of an abrasive grain. This research provides a machine and a methodology to characterise cutting with commercially available abrasive discs in terms of the Specific Energy Consumed parameter.El objetivo de esta investigación es proporcionar un conocimiento profundo sobre el consumo de energía en los procesos de corte con discos abrasivos. Se mide y analiza la energía específica consumida en el corte, caracterizando dicha energía en tres componentes. Para ello se construye un dispositivo experimental que utiliza una amoladora controlada por un Arduino, para medir la energía específica consumida por el corte a diferentes velocidades de alimentación. Utilizando un modelo, se validaron los datos experimentales y se separa la Energía Específica Consumida en tres componentes energéticos: deslizamiento, arado y energía de corte específica. Además, la influencia de las condiciones de corte y las propiedades del material influyeron significativamente en el consumo de energía específico y sus componentes. Para analizar el efecto de la forma del grano y la dependencia relativa de las diferentes componentes de la Energía Específica Consumida en función de la tasa de remoción de material. Se desarrollan modelos integrales de energía de arado específica, energía de deslizamiento específica y energía de corte específica. Se utilizaron granos abrasivos convencionales y súper abrasivos de Cubitrón. El corte con discos abrasivos de granos piramidales (cubitron) se utilizaron para la determinación de las componentes relativas de la energía específica consumida. Se encontró que la energía de arado específica es más sensible al cambio en la tasa de remoción de material en comparación con la energía de deslizamiento. Debido a los granos de Cubitrón de corte rápido y de forma precisa, la transición de deslizamiento a un régimen de corte específico fue tan rápida para algunos materiales que la magnitud de la energía de arado resultó ser insignificante. Sin embargo, la implementación del modelo para algunos materiales demostró que la ausencia o presencia de energía de arado también depende de la tasa de material removido. Por último se presenta el desarrollo de un modelo de grano de corte que permitirá estudiar la relación de compresión de la viruta que no es posible caracterizar a través de un solo grano de corte en el corte de metales mediante discos abrasivos delgados. Este último desarrollo es el comienzo de un estudio de la formación de viruta en la zona primaria de corte de un grano abrasivo. Esta investigación proporciona una máquina y una metodología para caracterizar el corte con disco abrasivos, disponibles comercialmente, en términos del parámetro Energía Específica Consumida.Postprint (published version