Differences In Risk Exposure Research Articles

Home range and dynamic space use reveals age‐related differences in risk exposure for reintroduced parrots

AbstractIndividual‐level differences in animal spatial behavior can lead to differential exposure to risk. We assessed the risk‐exposure of a reintroduced population of kākā (Nestor meridionalis) in a fenced reserve in New Zealand by GPS tracking 10 individuals and comparing the proportion of each individual's home range beyond the reserve's fence in relation to age, sex, and fledging origin. To estimate dynamic space use, we used a sweeping window framework to estimate occurrence distributions (ODs) from temporally overlapping snapshots. For each OD, we calculated the proportion outside the reserve's fence to assess temporal risk exposure, and the area, centroid, and overlap to represent the behavioral pattern of space use. Home range area declined significantly and consistently with age, and the space use of juvenile kākā was more dynamic, particularly in relation to locational changes of space use. The wider‐ranging and more dynamic behavior of younger kākā resulted in more time spent outside the reserve, which aligned with a higher number of incidental mortality observations. Quantifying both home range and dynamic space use is an effective approach to assess risk exposure, which can provide guidance for management interventions. We also emphasize the dynamic space use approach, which is flexible and can provide insights into a species' spatial ecology.

Gender differences in risk exposures for acute hepatitis C infection in Taiwan: a nationwide case–control study

BackgroundIn Taiwan, medical providers are required to report all acute hepatitis C (AHC) patients to National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (NNDSS). Identifying factors associated with AHC may inform the strategies to prevent the spread of hepatitis C virus (HCV). We used the national surveillance data to assess gender difference in risk factors associated with AHC in Taiwan and propose control measures in at-risk groups.MethodsWe conducted a nationwide case–control study using data from NNDSS and AHC case investigation questionnaires, for the period of March 6, 2014–December 31, 2016. Cases were AHC confirmed in NNDSS; controls were reported AHC with negative HCV nucleic acid test and negative serum anti-HCV antibody. We used bivariate analysis to identify characteristics and risk exposures for AHC and conducted gender stratified analyses.ResultsWe identified 602 AHC cases (66.9% males, median age 48 years) and 90 controls. Older age, male gender (OR: 1.85, 95% CI: 1.18–2.90), history of viral hepatitis (OR: 7.93, 95% CI:1.91–32.88), history of sexually transmitted infections (OR: 21.02, 95% CI: 2.90–152.43), and having healthcare-associated risk exposures (OR: 2.02, 95% CI: 1.25–3.25) were associated with AHC. Stratified analyses showed receiving intravenous infusion, history of hepatitis B, syphilis, and human immunodeficiency virus infection were risk factors for male AHC; receiving hemodialysis was risk factor for females.ConclusionsOur study demonstrates risk factors for AHC in Taiwan with gender difference. Proper infection control practices in healthcare settings and interventions targeting male patients with HIV and other STIs, remain crucial to prevent individuals from AHC.

Social and Structural Determinants of Community Firearm Violence and Community Trauma

The adverse impacts of community firearm violence in the U.S. are unequally felt across geographic and various sociodemographic segments of our population. Researchers, government leaders, and the general public need to contend with the various ways in which unjust socioeconomic and political forces and systems of power and privilege lead to differences in risk exposure among population groups, as well as differences in the extent to which various segments of the population are protected from the adverse effects of firearm violence. We highlight dozens of studies to illustrate how firearm violence and community trauma in the U.S. can be more effectively addressed when a “social and structural determinants” perspective is used to understand and respond to this public health problem.

Investigating the Dynamics of Exchange Traded Funds Across the Bear and Bull Markets: Evidence from Indian Equity ETFs

The present study attempts to examine the tracking ability of Indian equity exchange traded funds (ETFs) across the bearish and bullish market regimes. Also, ETFs’ sensitivity to their respective underlying indices across the two market conditions is examined so as to gain an insight into the differences in risk exposure under the two regimes using DBM. The results found that the tracking error (TE) of ETFs varies across the two market regimes with it higher during the bullish regime. At the same time, ETFs’ responsiveness to their underlying indices is found to be higher during the bearish market regime, which justifies the existence of lower TE during the bearish regime. NIFTYBEES, KOTAKNIFTY and BANKBEES emerged to be the top three performers in terms of tracking efficiency. Further, NIFTYBEES, BANKBEES and JUNIORBEES are reported to provide significantly positive excess returns during the bullish regime. As such, investors considering investment in equity ETFs can opt for the top performing funds where they also stand a chance to earn excess return (in few cases). Also, it is observed the beta coefficients of ETFs varied significantly from unity. It suggests that the ETFs and their respective underlying indices are not subject to similar systematic risk.

Intersections of Adverse Childhood Experiences, Race and Ethnicity and Asthma Outcomes: Findings from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System.

Racial and ethnic minority subpopulations experience a disproportionate burden of asthma and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). These disparities result from systematic differences in risk exposure, opportunity access, and return on resources, but we know little about how accumulated differentials in ACEs may be associated with adult asthma by racial/ethnic groups. We used Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data (N = 114,015) from 2009 through 2012 and logistic regression to examine the relationship between ACEs and adult asthma using an intersectional lens, investigating potential differences for women and men aged 18 and older across seven racial/ethnic groups. ACEs were significantly related to asthma, adjusting for race/ethnicity and other covariates. Compared to the reference group (Asians), asthma risk was significantly greater for Black/African American, American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN), White, and multiracial respondents. In sex-stratified interactional models, ACEs were significantly related to asthma among women. The relationship between ACEs and asthma was significantly weaker for Black/African American and AIAN women compared to the reference group (Asian women). The findings merit attention for the prevention and early detection of ACEs to mitigate long-term health disparities, supporting standardized screening and referrals in clinical settings, evidence-based prevention in communities, and the exploration of strategies to buffer the influence of adversities in health.

The disease burden attributable to 18 occupational risks in China: an analysis for the global burden of disease study 2017

BackgroundChina has more than 18% of the global population and over 770 million workers. However, the burden of disease attributable to occupational risks is unavailable in China. We aimed to estimate the burden of disease attributable to occupational exposures at provincial levels from 1990 to 2017.MethodsWe estimated the summary exposure values (SEVs), deaths and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) attributable to occupational risk factors in China from 1990 to 2017, based on Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2017. There were 18 occupational risks, 22 related causes, and 35 risk-outcome pairs included in this study. Meanwhile, we compared age-standardized death rates attributable to occupational risk factors in provinces of China by socio-demographic index (SDI).ResultsThe SEVs of most occupational risks increased from 1990 to 2017. There were 323,833 (95% UI 283,780 - 369,061) deaths and 14,060,210 (12,022,974 - 16,125,763) DALYs attributable to total occupational risks in China, which were 27.9 and 22.1% of corresponding global levels, respectively. For attributable deaths, major risks came from occupational particulate matter, gases, and fumes (PGFs), and for the attributable DALYs, from occupational injuries. The attributable burden was higher in males than in females. Compared with high SDI provinces, low SDI provinces, especially Western China, had higher death rates attributable to total occupational risks, occupational PGFs, and occupational injuries.ConclusionOccupational risks contribute to a huge disease burden in China. The attributable burden is higher in males, and in less developed provinces of Western China, reflecting differences in risk exposure, socioeconomic conditions, and type of jobs. Our study highlights the need for further research and focused policy interventions on the health of workers especially for less developed provinces in China to reduce occupational health losses effectively.

Heterogeneity and Persistence in Returns to Wealth

We provide a systematic analysis of the properties of individual returns to wealth using 12 years of population data from Norway's administrative tax records. We document a number of novel results. First, individuals earn markedly different average returns on their net worth (a standard deviation of 22.1%) and on its components. Second, heterogeneity in returns does not arise merely from differences in the allocation of wealth between safe and risky assets: returns are heterogeneous even within narrow asset classes. Third, returns are positively correlated with wealth: moving from the 10th to the 90th percentile of the net worth distribution increases the return by 18 percentage points (and 10 percentage points if looking at net‐of‐tax returns). Fourth, individual wealth returns exhibit substantial persistence over time. We argue that while this persistence partly arises from stable differences in risk exposure and assets scale, it also reflects heterogeneity in sophistication and financial information, as well as entrepreneurial talent. Finally, wealth returns are correlated across generations. We discuss the implications of these findings for several strands of the wealth inequality debate.

Between-hospital and between-neighbourhood variance in trauma outcomes: cross-sectional observational evidence from the Detroit metropolitan area

ObjectiveDisparities in treatment outcomes for traumatic injury are an important concern for care providers and policy makers. Factors that may influence these disparities include differences in risk exposure based on...

Support mechanisms for renewables: How risk exposure influences investment incentives

We analyse quantitatively how risk exposure from different support mechanisms, such as feed-in tariffs and premiums, can influence the investment incentives for private investors. We develop a net cash flow approach that takes systematic and unsystematic risks into account through cost of capital and the Capital Asset Pricing Model as well as through active liquidity management. Applying the model to a specific case, a German offshore wind park, we find that the support levels required to give adequate investment incentives are for a feed-in tariff scheme approximately 4-10% lower than for a feed-in premium scheme. The effect of differences in risk exposure from the support schemes is significant and cannot be neglected in policy making, especially when deciding between support instruments or when determining adequate support levels.

Performance of European socially responsible funds during market crises: Evidence from France

This paper investigates the performance, investment styles and managerial abilities of French socially responsible investment (SRI) funds investing in Europe during crisis and non-crisis periods. Our results show that SRI funds significantly underperform characteristics-matched conventional funds during non-crisis periods, but match the performance of their peers during market downturns. The underperformance of SRI funds during good economic states is driven by funds that use negative screens, since funds that use only positive screens perform similarly to conventional funds across different market conditions. SRI and conventional funds show significant differences in risk exposures during non-crisis periods but exhibit much more similar investment styles during crises. Furthermore, we find little evidence of significant differences in managerial abilities during bad economic states. Yet, during non-crisis periods, SRI and conventional fund managers exhibit significantly different style-timing abilities and these differences are also related to screening strategies.

Explaining Racial Disparities in Obesity Among Men

National data indicate that Black men have higher rates of obesity than White men. Black men also experience earlier onset of many chronic conditions and premature mortality linked to obesity. Explanations for these disparities have been underexplored, and existing national-level studies may be limited in their ability to explicate these long-standing patterns. National data generally do not account for race differences in risk exposures resulting from racial segregation or the confounding between race and socioeconomic status. Therefore, these differences in obesity may be a function of social environment rather than race. This study examined disparities in obesity among Black and White men living in the same social and environmental conditions, who have similar education levels and incomes using data from the Exploring Health Disparities in Integrated Communities-SWB (EHDIC-SWB) study. The findings were compared with the 2003 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). Logistic regression was used to examine the association between race and obesity adjusting for demographics, socioeconomic status, and health conditions. In the NHIS, Black men had a higher odds of obesity (odds ratio=1.29, 95% confidence interval=1.12-1.49) than White men. However in the EHDIC-SWB, which accounts for social and environmental conditions of where these men live, Black men had similar odds of obesity (odds ratio=1.06, 95% confidence interval=0.70-1.62) compared with White men. These data highlight the importance of the role that setting plays in understanding race disparities in obesity among men. Social environment may be a key determinant of health when seeking to understand race disparities in obesity among Black and White men.

Support Mechanisms for Renewables: How Risk Exposure Influences Investment Incentives

We analyse quantitatively how risk exposure from different support mechanisms, such as feed-in tariffs and premiums, can influence the investment incentives for private investors. We develop a net cash flow approach that takes systematic and unsystematic risks into account through cost of capital and the Capital Asset Pricing Model as well as through active liquidity management. Applying the model to a specific case, a German offshore wind park, we find that the support levels required to give adequate investment incentives are for a feed-in tariff scheme approximately 5-7% lower than for a feed-in premium scheme. The effect of differences in risk exposure from the support schemes is significant and cannot be neglected in policy making, especially when deciding between support instruments or when determining adequate support levels.

Latino families report lower child injury rates than white families

Latino children have lower visit rates to emergency departments and primary care physicians than white children in the USA. Using a nationally representative household survey, this study asked whether parental report of injury was also lower for Latino children, after adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, health status and health care access factors. Data were obtained on injuries for which medical advice or treatment was received from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) from 1997 to 2003. Using the multistage probability design of NHIS, annual rates and adjusted odds of childhood injury report by race and ethnicity were calculated. Respondents reported lower rates of injury for Latino children (6.0 (95% CI 5.3–6.8)/100 person-years) than white children (13.4 (12.7–14.2)/100 person-years). Lower injury rates were mainly due to lower rates of sports injuries and accidental falls. Latino children had lower odds of reported injury than white children, even after adjusting for multiple factors (odds ratio 0.7; 95% CI 0.6–0.8). Lower odds of injury report among Latino children are independent of direct measures of demographic, socioeconomic, health status and health care access factors and indirect measures of acculturation including respondent language and country of origin. Potential explanations include lower exposure to risk, greater child supervision, reporting bias, differences in cultural attitudes toward seeking of health care and reduced health care access that cannot be explored in NHIS due to the form of the current questions. Further research is needed to investigate cultural differences in risk exposure, child supervision and seeking of injury care.

Interpreting COPD Prevalence Estimates: What Is the True Burden of Disease?

To summarize the available data on COPD prevalence and assess reasons for conflicting prevalence estimates in the published literature. We reviewed published studies that (1) estimated COPD prevalence for a population, and (2) clearly described the methods used to obtain the estimates. Thirty-two sources of COPD prevalence rates, representing 17 countries and eight World Health Organization-classified regions, were identified and reviewed. Prevalence estimates were based on spirometry (11 studies), respiratory symptoms (14 studies), patient-reported disease (10 studies), or expert opinion. Reported prevalence ranged from 0.23 to 18.3%. The lowest prevalence rates (0.2 to 2.5%) were based on expert opinion. Sixteen studies had measured rates that could reasonably be extrapolated to an entire region or country. All were for Europe or North America, and most fell between 4% and 10%. There is considerable variation in the reported prevalence of COPD. The overall prevalence in adults appears to lie between 4% and 10% in countries where it has been rigorously measured. Some of the variation attributed to differences in risk exposure or population characteristics may be influenced by the methods and definitions used to measure disease. Spirometry is least influenced by local diagnostic practice, but it is subject to variation based on the lung function parameters selected to define COPD.

Market Segmentation and Foreign Share Discount in China

In this paper, I formulate and test a one-period capital asset pricing model under ownership restrictions to explain the price differentials between the classes of shares that can be bought by Chinese citizens and by foreign investors, respectively. I find that time-series variability in the spread between domestic and foreign share returns is consistent with differences in risk exposures and expected risk premium, thus supporting the hypothesis of effective market segmentation and price discrimination. I also find that cross-sectional differences between domestic and foreign share returns are correlated with individual shares'; market betas. The result further supports the price discrimination hypothesis.

Foreign ownership restrictions and stock prices in the Thai capital market

Abstract We study the effects of barriers to capital flows using data from the Stock Exchange of Thailand, which segments local and foreign trading of securities that have reached foreign ownership limits. Cross-sectional differences between local and foreign prices are correlated with proxies for the severity of foreign ownership limits, liquidity, and information availability. Time-series variability in the spread between local and foreign returns is consistent with differences in risk exposures and expected risk premiums, suggesting effective capital market segmentation. The results have numerous implications for portfolio and direct investment activity in developing countries.

The Prognosis of Immaturity

<h3>Objective</h3> Disparities in treatment outcomes for traumatic injury are an important concern for care providers and policy makers. Factors that may influence these disparities include differences in risk exposure based on neighbourhood of residence and differences in quality of care between hospitals in different areas. This study examines geographical disparities within a single region: the Detroit metropolitan area. <h3>Design</h3> Data on all trauma admissions between 2006 and 2014 were obtained from the Michigan State Inpatient Database. Admissions were grouped by patient neighbourhood of residence and admitting hospital. Generalised linear mixed modelling procedures were used to determine the extent of shared variance based on these two levels of categorisation on three outcomes. Patients with trauma due to common mechanisms (falls, firearms and motor vehicle traffic) were examined as additional subgroups. <h3>Setting</h3> 66 hospitals admitting patients for traumatic injury in the Detroit metropolitan area during the period from 2006 to 2014. <h3>Participants</h3> 404 675 adult patients admitted for treatment of traumatic injury. <h3>Outcome measures</h3> In-hospital mortality, length of stay and hospital charges. <h3>Results</h3> Intraclass correlation coefficients indicated that there was substantial shared variance in outcomes based on hospital, but not based on neighbourhood of residence. Among all injury types, hospital-level differences accounted for 12.5% of variance in mortality risk, 28.5% of variance in length of stay and 32.2% of variance in hospital charges. Adjusting the results for patient age, injury severity, mechanism and comorbidities did not result in significant reduction in the estimated variance at the hospital level. <h3>Conclusions</h3> Based on these data, geographical disparities in trauma treatment outcomes were more strongly attributable to differences in access to quality hospital care than to risk factors in the neighbourhood environment. Transfer of high-risk cases to hospitals with greater institutional experience in the relevant area may help address mortality disparities in particular.