Stick or switch? Consumer switching in 14 retail markets across Europe. ESRI Research Bulletin 2019/12

Consumer advocates and regulators encourage the public to search for better deals in markets for services like telecoms, energy and insurance, arguing that there are opportunities to save money and get better service by switching. Consumer switching can also help spur competition. Yet rates of switching vary a lot across markets: many people seldom think about changing their package or service provider and fewer still actually switch. If research can identify some of the barriers that deter people from searching or switching in particular markets, maybe policies can be designed to help enable and encourage switching behaviour. This study examines some of the factors that affect switching rates for European consumers across a wide range of markets

Cradle to Cradle for End-user Computing Devices in Business

Whilst computers can and do contribute significantly to improving our use of sustainable materials and practices, computers themselves are responsible for the consumption of large amounts of such resources contributing extensively to hazardous waste. The aim of this study is to develop a model to collect data on an organisations specific approach to implementing several types of end-user computing devices, which through key lifecycle stages of each device and, through comparison with a set of benchmarks, will identify areas where the organisation might improve its performance. The key objective will be to analyse the implementation of this model within a number of organisations and identify, through feedback gained from each organisation, whether there has been a net gain in understanding, policy, culture or practice following the implementation

Estimating the Economic Cost of Disability in Ireland. ESRI WP230. March 2008

Addressing the extra economic costs of disability seems a logical step towards alleviating elements of social exclusion for people with disabilities. This paper estimates the economic cost of disability in Ireland in terms of the additional spending needs that arise due to disability. It defines and estimates models of the private costs borne by families with individuals who have a disability in Ireland when compared to the wider population, both in general and by severity of illness. Our modelling framework is based on the standard of living approach to estimating the cost of disability. We extend on previous research by applying an ordered logit modelling approach to Living in Ireland survey data 1995-2001 to quantify the extra costs of living associated with disability in Ireland. We also derive estimates of the cost of disability for ‘pensioner’ and ‘non-pensioner’ households, as well as over time. Our findings suggest that the economic cost of disability in Ireland is large, varies by severity of disability, and across household types. Overall our findings have important implications for measures of poverty in Ireland

HOW MUCH EXTRA ENERGY DOES A HOUSEHOLD USE WHEN ITS INCOME RISES? THE ANSWER DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH ENERGY IT USES IN THE FIRST PLACE. ESRI Research Bulletin 2017/11

Many government policies seek to increase household incomes, particularly the incomes of households suffering from poverty or deprivation. Other policies aim to reduce the amount of energy that households use, to help limit carbon emissions and thus meet climate policy goals. In general, boosting a household’s income leads it to consume more energy, not less. In order for policymakers to manage the inter-relationships between income-enhancing and energy-saving policies, they need information on how different sorts of consumers change their energy use following an income gain

MultiTex RCT - A multifaceted intervention package for protection against cotton dust exposure among textile workers - A cluster randomized controlled trial in Pakistan: Study protocol

Background: In the Pakistani textile industry the prevalence of workplace respiratory illnesses, including byssinosis, is high. The MultiTex RCT study aims to determine the effectiveness of a multifaceted intervention package in reducing dust levels in cotton mills, decreasing the frequency of respiratory symptoms among cotton textile workers, and improving their lung function.Methods/design: We will conduct a cluster-randomized controlled trial at 28 textile mills in Karachi. The intervention will comprise: training in occupational health for all workers and managers reinforced by regular refresher sessions; the formation of workplace committees to draw up, agree and promote a health and safety plan that includes wet mopping, safe disposal of cotton dust, and the use of simple face-masks, as well as further publicity about the risks from cotton dust; and provision of adequate supplies of face-masks to support the health and safety plan. Participating mills will be randomized to intervention and control arms following a baseline survey. The impact of the intervention will be determined through follow-up surveys conducted at 3, 12 and 18 months. Data collection in the surveys will include spirometry, questionnaire-based interviews and cotton-dust measurements.Discussion: If successful, the study may pave the way for simple, low-cost interventions that can help reduce cotton-dust levels in textile mills, and improve the respiratory health of textile workers in developing countries such as Pakistan

Immunohistochemical Analysis of IL-1 beta in the Discs of Patients with Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction

Purpose: Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) is a cytokine that participates in the regulation of immune responses and inflammatory reactions. It is hypothesized that IL-1 levels may be elevated in patients suffering from temporomandibular joint dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to determine the association of IL-1β expression with TMD using an immunohistochemical approach to evaluate the joint disc. Materials and methods: A total of 39 human temporomandibular joint disc samples were collected, with 31 samples in the test group. Nineteen of the test group samples were from discs of patients with anterior disc displacement with reduction, and 12 of the samples were from patients with anterior disc displacement without reduction. Eight control samples were used in the control group. The samples were immunostained and evaluated on both quantity and intensity of staining. Results: There was a statistically significant difference (p \u3c 0.05) between the control and test groups for both quantity and intensity of staining. Conclusion: IL-1β plays a role in the inflammatory process and degradation of TMJ discs in patients with TMJ dysfunctions

Use of Low-Cost Particle Counters for Cotton Dust Exposure Assessment in Textile Mills in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Objective There is a lack of consensus on methods for cotton dust measurement in the textile industry, and techniques vary between countries—relying mostly on cumbersome, traditional approaches. We undertook comparisons of standard, gravimetric methods with low-cost optical particle counters for personal and area dust measurements in textile mills in Pakistan. Methods We included male textile workers from the weaving sections of seven cotton mills in Karachi. We used the Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) sampler with a Casella Apex 2 standard pump and the Purple Air (PA-II-SD) for measuring personal exposures to inhalable airborne particles (n = 31). We used the Dylos DC1700 particle counter, in addition to the two above, for area-level measurements (n = 29). Results There were no significant correlations between the IOM and PA for personal dust measurements using the original (r = −0.15, P = 0.4) or log-transformed data (r = −0.32, P = 0.07). Similarly, there were no significant correlations when comparing the IOM with either of the particle counters (PA and Dylos) for area dust measurements, using the original (r = −0.07, P = 0.7; r = 0.10, P = 0.6) or log-transformed data (r = −0.09, P = 0.6; r = 0.07, P = 0.7). Conclusion Our findings show a lack of correlation between the gravimetric method and the use of particle counters in both personal and area measurements of cotton dust, precluding their use for measuring occupational exposures to airborne dust in textile mills. There continues to be a need to develop low-cost instruments to help textile industries in low- and middle-income countries to perform cotton dust exposure assessment

Association of respiratory symptoms and lung function with occupation in the multinational Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study

Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease has been associated with exposures in the workplace. We aimed to assess the association of respiratory symptoms and lung function with occupation in the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease study. Methods We analysed cross-sectional data from 28 823 adults (≥40 years) in 34 countries. We considered 11 occupations and grouped them by likelihood of exposure to organic dusts, inorganic dusts and fumes. The association of chronic cough, chronic phlegm, wheeze, dyspnoea, forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)/FVC with occupation was assessed, per study site, using multivariable regression. These estimates were then meta-analysed. Sensitivity analyses explored differences between sexes and gross national income. Results Overall, working in settings with potentially high exposure to dusts or fumes was associated with respiratory symptoms but not lung function differences. The most common occupation was farming. Compared to people not working in any of the 11 considered occupations, those who were farmers for ≥20 years were more likely to have chronic cough (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.19–1.94), wheeze (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.16–1.63) and dyspnoea (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.53–2.20), but not lower FVC (β=0.02 L, 95% CI −0.02–0.06 L) or lower FEV1/FVC (β=0.04%, 95% CI −0.49–0.58%). Some findings differed by sex and gross national income. Conclusion At a population level, the occupational exposures considered in this study do not appear to be major determinants of differences in lung function, although they are associated with more respiratory symptoms. Because not all work settings were included in this study, respiratory surveillance should still be encouraged among high-risk dusty and fume job workers, especially in low- and middle-income countries.publishedVersio

Cohort Profile: Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study

The Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease (BOLD) study was established to assess the prevalence of chronic airflow obstruction, a key characteristic of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and its risk factors in adults (≥40 years) from general populations across the world. The baseline study was conducted between 2003 and 2016, in 41 sites across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, the Caribbean and Oceania, and collected high-quality pre- and post-bronchodilator spirometry from 28 828 participants. The follow-up study was conducted between 2019 and 2021, in 18 sites across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Caribbean. At baseline, there were in these sites 12 502 participants with high-quality spirometry. A total of 6452 were followed up, with 5936 completing the study core questionnaire. Of these, 4044 also provided high-quality pre- and post-bronchodilator spirometry. On both occasions, the core questionnaire covered information on respiratory symptoms, doctor diagnoses, health care use, medication use and ealth status, as well as potential risk factors. Information on occupation, environmental exposures and diet was also collected