Demographic Transition, Human Capital And Growth

This paper firstly deals with the evolution of the literature on fertility and mortality growth rates and secondly discusses the extent to which both fertility and mortality affect the population growth rate as an endogenous variable. We develop an economic growth model using an infinite horizon setup in which economic development and health status influence the population growth rate. Mortality depends on health expenditure and fertility is endogenously determined. Each generation of family is linked altruistically and adults within each household take into account the welfare and resources of their actual and future descendants. The current generation maximizes utility and incorporates a budget constraint over an infinite horizon. Their decisions determine not also the evolution of the population growth rate but even the evolution of the per capita income

Potential conflicts in the fight against counterfeit drugs

This analysis looks at the best way to deal with the proliferation of fake drugs, and considers the conflict that arises when government agencies aim to reduce the harmful effects of the fake medicine trade while the pharmaceutical firms seek profit maximization. It is demonstrated that the pharmaceutical industry might wish to encourage better law enforcement rather than improved information policies, even when the latter would lead to a greater reduction in the fake drug trade.fake medicine trade

Provisión de cuidados informales y enfermedad de Alzheimer: valoración económica y estudio de la variabilidad del tiempo.

Alzheimer's disease represents a significant burden in terms of time for the carer of the patient not institutionalized. The aim of this article is to estimate the cost of the time of the informal care depending on the type of disability and study the underlying factors of its variability. The empirical analysis has been made with data obtained through a retrospective questionnaire administered by the caregiver, using a probabilistic estimation model. The results show that most of the time is spent on personal care activities and physical mobility, increasing the average cost when considering more severe stages of the disease. Differences in time are explained mainly by the stage of the disease, the state of health of the caregiver and the availability of professional care.Alzheimer's disease; informal care, cost, time

Economic Crisis, Unemployment and Illegal Drug Consumption in Spain

[Abstract] Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the association between drug consumption and unemployment. This paper also studies the differential association between these variables in both the preand current-crisis periods. The results are compared in an attempt to verify that the population of users is more vulnerable in terms of how likely they are to get and hold down a job in the labour market. Design/methodology/approach – Matching methods and microdata from the Survey on Alcohol and Drugs in Spain, EDADES are used. The use of these methods on the estimates carried out prove to be particularly effective in reducing treatment-selection bias. The authors’ interest is also to analyse the differential association between the interest variables in both the pre- and current-crisis periods. For this purpose, the authors also use the differences-in-differences (DID) estimation method between the two periods to check if the impact of drug use on unemployment depends on the economic context. The estimations are compared in an attempt to verify that the population of users is less likely to attain and hold down a job in the labour market than non-drug users. Findings – The results obtained in the current study are consistent with the hypothesis that drug use decreases an individual’s capacity and availability when he or she is trying to enter the labour market. In both 2007 and 2013, drug users were more likely to be unemployed, regardless of the type of drug. Differences in the probability of being unemployed intensify during an economic crisis. In light of these results, it is possible to conclude that the negative effect of drug consumption on an individual’s employability is increased during periods of economic recession. Research limitations/implications – The study presented here has some limitations. Firstly, crosssectional data were used to examine the causal relationship between consumption and employment. In this sense, the results are susceptible to bias. The unavailability of longitudinal data on the same individual made it impossible for the researchers to consider periods of abstinence, the duration of periods of consumption and how this consumption affected an individual’s productivity and his or her working situation. Another limitation is that certain relevant unemployment variables may have been omitted. Among the variables that affect an individual’s labour participation is the existence of sources of income as an alternative to market salaries. With state subsidies, income from illegal activities and money sent by family or friends, an individual may decide not to work. This problem could be mitigated if omitted variables operate in a similar way throughout both of the periods examined. Social implications – Given the results obtained in this paper, the authors believe that public policy conclusions should be mainly concerned with the importance of implementing proactive employment policies, along with family support programmes and a greater role for primary care among the people with the highest risks of exclusion. Health treatment should go jointly with measures that make it easier for individuals to enter the workforce. These steps would only be possible with an improved level of education and more complete professional profiles, to increase motivation when individuals seek employment. Originality/value – This study could make various contributions to the existing body of evidence. In the authors’ knowledge, this is the first attempt to document the effect of the economic crisis on the employability of the drug-using population in contrast with the general population. Moreover, a methodology is presented that provides an alternative to those used in earlier studies, in terms of reducing treatment-selection bias. At the same time, the use of a DID estimation method between pre- and current-crisis periods allow us to check if the impact of drugs consumption on unemployment depends on the economic context.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación de España; ECO2013-4821

Identifying the impact of the business cycle on drug-related harms in European countries

[Abstract] Background: The evidence resulting from the analysis of the association between economic fluctuations and their impact on the substance use is mixed and inconclusive. Effects can be pro-cyclical (drug-related harms are predicted to rise when economic conditions improve), counter-cyclical (drug-related harms are predicted to rise in bad economic times) or unrelated to business cycle conditions as different transmission mechanisms could operate simultaneously. Methods: The main aim of this study is to assess, from a macroeconomic perspective, the impact of economic cycles on illegal drug-related harms in European countries over the 2000-2020 period. To this end, the regime dependent relationship between drug-related harm, proxied by unemployment, and the business cycle, proxied by overdose deaths will be identified. Applying a time dynamic linear analysis, within the framework of threshold panel data models, structural-breaks will also be tested. Results: The relationship between economic cycles (proxied by unemployment) and drug-related harms (proxied by overdose deaths) is negative, and therefore found to be pro-cyclical. One percentage point in the country unemployment rate is predicted to reduce the overdose death rate by a statistically significant percentage of 2.42. A counter-cyclical component was identified during the 2008 economic recession. The threshold model captures two effects: when unemployment rates are lower than the estimated thresholds, ranging from 3.92% to 4.12%, drug-related harms and unemployment have a pro-cyclical relationship. However, when unemployment rates are higher than this threshold, this relationship becomes counter-cyclical. Conclusions: The relationship between economic cycles and drug-related harms is pro-cyclical. However, in sit uations of economic downturns, a counter-cyclical effect is detected, as identified during the 2008 economic recession.This paper is based on work supported by the funding of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA). Contract number: CT.21.HEA.0110.1.0. Emma Iglesias has also obtained financial support from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, project PID2022-137923NB-I00, and from Xunta de Galicia, project ED431C 2020/26.European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction; CT.21.HEA.0110.1.0Xunta de Galicia; ED431C 2020/2

Relatório de Estágio Curricular - Câmara Municipal de Manteigas (Manteigas)

O presente relatório de Estágio Curricular enquadra-se na unidade curricular Estágio, do Curso de Licenciatura em Design de Equipamento da Escola Superior de Tecnologia e Gestão do Instituto Politécnico da Guarda, em colaboração com a Câmara Municipal de Manteigas, entidade acolhedora. O trabalho desenvolvido neste estágio consiste na reabilitação de um espaço, no qual existia anteriormente um edifício para habitação em avançado estado de degradação. O edifício representava perigo para os transeuntes e provocava desconforto visual. Foi assim necessário encontrar e propor a função ideal que o largo poderia ter para a população e pessoas que frequentem aquela zona da Vila de Manteigas