Federal Office Research Articles

Child Mortality, Fertility and Poverty: A Counterfactual Analysis

Larger sizes of households tighten the resources of families particularly those in lower wealth quintiles. Households in poorer quintiles are trapped into high child mortality. The risk of child survival leads to high fertility and little investment in children. The conditions to pull these households from this malicious trap are already absent. For instance, the indicators like, women’s low rates of education, early marriages and early pregnancies, and too little birth intervals are very discouraging in Pakistan. Unfortunately, households in poorer quintiles are the least beneficiaries from national revenues and policies in developing countries, in general, are designed for general public and benefit from those policies rarely reach to most needy households. The objectives of this paper are: (i) to emphasize the changing dynamics of fertility behavior and incidence of child mortality across the wealth distribution through an empirical investigation of five wealth quantiles, (ii) to explore the causal relationship between under 5 child mortality and fertility, and finally to examine the counter effect of a few policy instruments. For this purpose, the paper exploits the latest Pakistan Demographic Health Survey to examine few important policy variables to break the nexus between poverty, child mortality and high fertility. The counterfactual analysis suggests marginal improvement in a few variables; like female education, delay in first conception and incremental increase in birth intervals if in targeted households, will significantly change the child mortality and fertility rates. The analysis will be helpful for designing interventions. This analysis can also provide guidelines for women centered institutions like Banazir Income Support Programme, federal and provincial mother and child health departments and family planning offices.

Hearing loss following the use of topical otitis therapeutics in dogs

Hearing loss occurring in temporal association with the topical application of otic medications is regularly reported to the Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety (Bundesamt für Verbraucherschutz und Lebensmittelsicherheit - BVL) in the form of adverse event (AE) reports. Although deafness or impaired hearing are listed as possible adverse reactions in the Summary of Product Characteristics of the otic medications approved in Germany little information about the underlying causes is available to date. A search for cases reporting impaired hearing following the use of otic medication was conducted in the national AE database. Subsequently, descriptive analysis was performed. Due to their small number, cases involving cats were excluded. Possible risk factors and causes of hearing loss were considered against the background of current literature. While dogs of all age groups were affected, the majority of reports referred to dogs older than 10 years of age. Besides crossbreds, dogs of the breeds West Highland White Terrier, Dalmatian, Miniature Poodle and French Bulldog were most frequently involved. The analysis of the available data does not point to specific products or active substances that could be associated with a more frequent occurrence of hearing loss. In addition to possible ototoxicity of a product, other causes of hearing loss should be considered. These include the underlying otitis itself, age-related hearing loss, previously undetected unilateral congenital deafness, or conductive deafness due to obstruction of the ear canal. Treatment options include discontinuation of potentially ototoxic substances or treatment of conductive deafness, e. g. by removal of drug residues and exudate or treatment of otitis media. In the case of hearing loss subsequent to the use of otic medication, the BVL should be notified of this event in as much detail as possible in order to further improve the data situation concerning this topic.

Gynecologic oncology patients living in rural areas less likely to utilize telemedicine services during the COVID-19 pandemic (054)

Objectives: The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented event in the era of modern medicine and has resulted in a rapid shift in clinical care delivery to incorporate more telemedicine services. While there is a well-recognized need for the integration of telehealth into gynecologic oncology care, there are concerns about limitations of its use regarding access to and ability to use requisite technology. The purpose of this study was to characterize gynecologic oncology patients who utilized telemedicine as part of their cancer care during the pandemic in order to determine potential barriers and facilitators of telemedicine use.Methods: A single-institution retrospective chart review was performed of patients who participated in at least one telemedicine visit from March 1 to September 30, 2020, at an NCI-designated cancer center. Demographic factors were compared between telemedicine users and non-users using Fisher’s exact test for categorical values and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test for continuous variables.Results: A total of 2238 patients were seen during the study period. Of which, 193 patients participated in telemedicine visits, and 2045 patients did not participate in any telemedicine visit with gynecologic oncology providers (Table 1). The median age was 63 years in both groups, and 65% of users were older than 60 years versus 62% of non-users. There were no significant differences with respect to race and primary language; the majority were Caucasian and English-speakers. There was no difference in terms of insurance status; about 50% in each group were privately insured. Among the telemedicine users, 97% had private insurance or Medicaid/Medicare, compared to 93% of non-users. Among users, the median distance of the patient’s residence from the cancer center was 21 miles, with 36% living 50 miles or further and 28.5% living in rural zip codes as designated by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. Among non-users, the median distance was 24.5 miles, with 37% living 50 miles or further and 38% living in rural zip codes. The odds of using telemedicine for patients living in rural zip codes was 34.6% less than for patients living in non-rural zip codes (Odds Ratio: 0.654, 95% CI: 0.473-0.906).Conclusions: Telemedicine provides an important opportunity to reduce unnecessary patient exposure to healthcare settings and has the potential to decrease the financial toxicity and treatment burden associated with cancer care. Our findings suggest that telemedicine at our institution was accessible to patients of a wide range of ages, including a large percentage of older adults. While 37% of gynecologic oncology patients seen during this period lived in rural areas, we found that the odds of utilizing telemedicine were significantly lower among patients who lived in rural areas compared to those living in non-rural areas (p=0.0101). This highlights the importance of identifying barriers rural patients face in utilizing telemedicine services and developing strategies to improve their access.

Effects of Public Debt on Economic Growth in Nigeria

The study was centered on the effect of public debt on economic growth in Nigeria. Given the impact of debt burden on economic growth and other macro-economic parameters, total debt was disaggregated into domestic, external and debt servicing cost. The data was obtained from the Debt Management Office and Federal Office of Statistics. For ease of analysis, the study employed Vector Error Correction Model (VECM) due to the presence of long run relationship identified during data diagnosis. The findings confirmed that domestic debt in the short run is inversely related to growth but positively related in the long run provided it is done with moderation where the total domestic debt did not outweigh 30% of the total domestic bank deposits against crowding out effects. The impact of external debts was both negatively related to economic growth at both short run and long run period due to possible wrong application of loans to project types. It was also important to note that debt servicing posits a major evil plaguing the economy of the country. In summary, the findings confirm that public debts significantly do affect economic growth and against their justification for infrastructural development on fixed capital formation, it was also revealed that it is non-incentive to economic growth, due to wrong resource allocation and timing of such fixed capital investment for appropriate economic growth drive and stimulation. The coefficients of most of these parameters are all statistically significant at 5% confident level. Policy recommendation from the study is that government should only borrow on items that can repay, what the loan was collected for, in the first place. Keywords; Crowding effects, debt financing, debt overhang, Fixed capital formation, economic growth, Nigeria economy

Valuing the Partnership Between the Veterans Health Administration and Academic Medicine.

Valuing the Partnership Between the Veterans Health Administration and Academic Medicine.

In-hospital survival paradox in patients with sleep apnea-A nation-wide nested case-control study.

BackgroundSleep apnea (SA) is a prevalent disorder characterized by recurrent events of nocturnal apnea originating from obstructive and/or central mechanisms. SA disrupts normal sleep and can lead to a series of complications when left untreated. SA results in intermittent hypoxia which has an impact on the cardio- and cerebrovascular system. Hospitalized patients with SA typically have a greater burden of comorbidity, a longer length of hospital stay, but may show an improvement of in-hospital mortality compared to patients without diagnosed SA. The reason for this survival benefit is controversial and we aimed to clarify this protective effect in the light of predictive factors including SA-associated comorbidities using a nation-wide hospitalization database.Methods and findingsData were extracted from a nation-wide hospitalization database provided by the Swiss Federal Office for Statistics. Hospitalized patients with a SA co-diagnosis were extracted from the database together with a 1:1-matched control population without SA. Overall, 212’581 patients with SA were hospitalized in Switzerland between 2002 and 2018. Compared to the controls, SA cases had a longer median length of hospital stay (7 days; 95% CI: 3 to 15 vs. 4 days; 95% CI: 2 to 10) (p < 0.001) and a higher median number of comorbidities (8 comorbidities; IQR: 5 to 11 vs. 3 comorbidities; IQR: 1 to 6) (p < 0.001). The risk of in-hospital mortality was lower in the SA cases compared to the controls (OR: 0.73; 95% CI: 0.7 to 0.76; p < 0.001). SA was associated with a survival benefit in hospitalizations related to 28 of 47 conditions with the highest rate of in-hospital death. Sixty-three comorbidities were significantly over-represented in SA cases among which obesity, hypertension and anatomic nasal deviations were associated with a significant decrease of in-hospital mortality.ConclusionsCompared to matched controls, SA was associated with significant and relevant inpatient survival benefit in a number of most deadly conditions. Within SA-patients, associated comorbidities mostly correlated with a poorer prognosis, whereas obesity and hypertension were associated with an improved in-hospital mortality.

Whose voice counts? Examining government-donor negotiations in the design of Ethiopia's large-scale education reforms for equitable learning.

SummaryMotivationThe Government of Ethiopia has a long‐standing commitment to improving the quality of education. In recent years, this has shifted to include a more explicit focus on equity in learning outcomes. In this paper, we examine the education reform design process in the context of Ethiopia’s political environment which is widely recognised as a strong developmental state.PurposeThe article examines how federal, regional, and international donor actors negotiate their interests in relation to Ethiopia’s national quality education reform programme, the General Education Quality Improvement Programme for Equity (GEQIP‐E).Methods and approachWe conducted 81 semi‐structured, key informant interviews with federal and regional government officials and international donors who were involved in the design of GEQIP‐E.FindingsWe find that federal government was able to leverage considerable political influence over high‐level priorities and the framing of GEQIP‐E. Large donors leveraged financial influence to exclude some specific priorities, while smaller donors were able to draw on social influence and technical expertise to include priorities aligned with their interests. Regional governments—which are responsible for policy implementation—were largely excluded from the reform design process.Policy implicationsOur analysis highlights the importance of recognizing and understanding different forms of influence in the dynamic process of negotiating reform between government and donors. It identifies that both government and donor voices counted in the process of negotiations, but in different ways and to varying degrees. Understanding how different actors draw on their relative political, financial, and social influence is vital for ensuring successful implementation and sustainability. Importantly, we identify that voices of local actors are left out.

The Deportation Machine: America's Long History of Expelling ImmigrantsOne Mighty and Irresistible Tide: The Epic Struggle over American Immigration, 1924–1965

The Deportation Machine: America's Long History of Expelling ImmigrantsOne Mighty and Irresistible Tide: The Epic Struggle over American Immigration, 1924–1965

Effects and utility of an online forward triage tool during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic: a mixed method study and patient perspectives, Switzerland

ObjectiveTo assess the effects (quantitatively) and the utility (qualitatively) of a COVID-19 online forward triage tool (OFTT) in a pandemic context.DesignA mixed method sequential explanatory study was employed. Quantitative data...

BSEF and NAFRA react to proposed Canadian restrictions on DBDPE

On the 14th of May, Canada's federal department for Environment and Climate Change (ECCC) introduced the first draft of the Prohibition of Certain Toxic substances Regulations 2022. The draft proposal contains unprecedented restrictions on the manufacture, use, sale and import of both DBDPE decabromodiphenyl ethane) and products containing DBDPE. BSEF and the American Chemistry Council have reacted as follows:

The Effect of the Corona Pandemic (covid-19) on the Quality of the Auditor’s Reporting by Application to Iraqi Economic Units

Abstract:&#x0D; The research aims to shed light on the Corona pandemic and its repercussions on the global economy in general, and on the activities of Iraqi economic units in particular. It also aims to show the impact of the auditor’s reporting on the effects of the Corona pandemic on economic units and its reflection on the quality of his reporting. To achieve the objectives of the research, the researcher prepared a questionnaire according to the five-point Likert scale and took into account in its preparation compatibility with the characteristics of the study community, and that the target community for this questionnaire are the economic units listed in the Iraq Stock Exchange that have completed their final accounts for the year 2020 (the year of the pandemic) , the number of (62) economic units, auditors working in the Federal Office of Financial Supervision and private auditing companies and offices, as well as academics specialized in this field, based on the following hypotheses:&#x0D; 1- There is no statistically significant correlation between the auditor’s reporting on the impact of the Corona pandemic and the auditor’s reporting quality.&#x0D; 2- There is no statistically significant effect between the auditor’s reporting on the impact of the Corona pandemic and the auditor’s reporting quality.&#x0D; The research sample was represented by a group of auditors working in the Federal Office of Financial Supervision and private auditing companies and offices, as well as academics specialized in this field working in the accounting departments of Iraqi universities.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; The most prominent finding of the research is that it is necessary for the auditor to reconsider amending the method of obtaining audit evidence, for the purpose of allowing him to finally reach a neutral technical opinion about the fairness of the financial statements, as well as relying on information technologies and other new methods in his work. In addition, the auditor should consider using new procedures to facilitate the audit process, in order to avoid delays in obtaining the information and data necessary to complete the audit in a timely manner.

Social Justice Campaigns and Democratic Party Gains: How Georgia's Partisan Reformers Overtook North Carolina's Moral Advocates

AbstractHow did Democrats running for federal office win in Georgia in 2020–21, but not in North Carolina, a state long regarded as more “flippable”? This article uses newly assembled organizational data to situate recent Democratic fortunes in the context of two long-running statewide campaigns for racial and economic justice—led by North Carolina's Reverend William Barber II and Georgia's Stacey Abrams. We track shifting political opportunity structures and the organizational and strategic evolution of both movements during the 2010s, with a special focus on outreach beyond major metropolitan areas. Our findings suggest that social justice campaigns aiming to increase government responsiveness to poor minority citizens do better if they engage in persistent, locally embedded voter outreach along partisan lines rather than heavily relying on morally framed, media-friendly protests. This research also demonstrates how data on organizational networks can be assembled and used to explore historical-institutional hypotheses about the development and impact of social movements.

Online Land Registration Using Blockchain

Abstract: If a person wishes to make purchases properties, an intermediary known as a dealer (as in India's old Land Administration system) would help facilitate the transaction by creating and compiling all the necessary physical papers to support a settlement as proof of ownership. A recognized federal department will document the property, and all its qualities will be recorded in a book by the broker before the contract is made. Files may be lost or tampered with in this situation since anybody who has access can access or edit the papers, and that in turn compromises this physical evidence of land ownership. Our suggested smart contract-based solution, on the other hand, is more efficient in terms of time and security, as well as synchronized and less susceptible to distortion or fraud over the course of completing a purchase or asset management process. As a result of a thorough examination of something like the traditional land application procedure, as well as an evaluation of Blockchain's leadership and integrity repair work, as well as the virtualization factor, we have proposed a solution using Blockchain technology.

Federal Directorate for Safe Storage and Destruction of Chemical Weapons – 30th Anniversary

The Russian Federation has ratified the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction, and thereby reaffirmed its international obligations assumed in the field of chemical disarmament. To solve the problem of the destruction of chemical weapons, given its complexity and versatility, the Presidential Federal Target Program «Destruction of stockpiles of chemical weapons in the Russian Federation» was developed. This article is dedicated to the history of the formation of a unique structure – the Federal Office for the Safe Storage and Destruction of Chemical Weapons and the formation of a team of its specialists who directly performed the difficult task of destroying chemical weapons. September 27, 2017 at the facility for the destruction of chemical weapons in the village Kizner of the Udmurt Republic, in a special ceremony, the last chemical munition was destroyed. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has recorded the fact of the complete destruction of chemical weapons in the Russian Federation with the relevant certificates. The program for the destruction of chemical weapons was completed 3 years ahead of schedule, with savings of 9.6 billion rubles. The main results of the completed process of destruction of chemical weapons are that no human life has been lost and no damage has been done to the environment. Currently, the Federal Directorate is implementing measures within the framework of the departmental project «Liquidation of the consequences of the activities of storage facilities and facilities for the destruction of chemical weapons in the Russian Federation» of the state program of the Russian Federation «Development of industry and increasing its competitiveness»

Perception and consideration of cumulative effects and multiple stressors by marine managers in Canada

The cumulative effects of multiple stressors are a pressing global concern for marine ecosystems. The effectiveness of marine management can be improved by considering three key elements that can affect their impacts: stressor interaction types, non-linear stressor–effect relationships, and ecosystem tipping points. Little is known about the degree to which cumulative effects, or these key elements, are considered in marine management in Canada. We surveyed Canadian federal government managers involved in managing either marine conservation areas or commercial fisheries, and asked (1) if they currently assess cumulative effects in decision-making, (2) if so, how and which elements are considered, and (3) the perceived importance of considering the three key elements. We also compared approaches among federal departments, management type, oceans, experience levels, and position types. We found that most managers (84%, n = 80) consider cumulative effects in decision-making. Responses clustered into either a structured approach, which included using an assessment framework and considering the three key elements of cumulative effects, or an intuitive approach, characterized by the absence of a formal framework or consideration of key elements. Neither was strongly linked with demographic categories. Despite most managers (97%, n = 37) believing that the three key elements of cumulative effects are important to consider, only 21% actually did so in decision-making. This discrepancy appears to be underpinned by barriers such as a lack of guidelines for assessing cumulative effects and data quality, quantity, and availability. We provide recommendations to overcome these challenges.

Developing Implementation Capacity of a State Education Agency to Improve Outcomes for Students With Disabilities

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs has adopted a Results Driven Accountability (RDA) framework to support state education agencies (SEAs) in improving results for students with disabilities. RDA directed SEAs to focus on measurable outcomes. A leadership team in a large Midwestern state in the United States partnered with an institute of higher education implementation science purveyor team to systematically apply a particular approach, the Active Implementation Frameworks (AIFs), to build capacity, effectively implement, and scale an evidence-based program, Check &amp; Connect, to improve statewide graduation rates for Black and American Indian students with disabilities. The presented case example illustrates how the SEA partners with local education agencies’ district teams to continuously measure and manage changes in (a) system capacity and (b) practice fidelity to improve graduation rate outcomes. Application of the AIFs in education, measured implementation progress and preliminary outcome data, and implications for policy for individuals with disabilities are discussed.

In Case You Haven't Heard…

The devastating Wit v. United Behavioral Health decision (see Advocates fear implications of reversal of Wit decision for plans' coverage, ADAW April 4; https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adaw.33392) threatens to undermine the progress made in parity for treatment for substance use disorders. The American Medical Association and others are fighting back; writing to the federal Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services to seek to overturn the pro‐insurance decision, which favored United Behavioral Health. For the letter, go to https://searchlf.ama‐assn.org/letter/documentDownload?uri=%2Funstructured%2Fbinary%2Fletter%2FLETTERS%2F2022‐4‐1‐Signed‐On‐Letter‐to‐Walsh‐and‐Becerra‐on‐Wit‐v‐UBH‐Amicus‐FINAL.pdf

A Tale of Two Districts

Judicial districts do make a difference. They do in sentencing; and they do when it comes to a supervised release violation. This article examines the extent and unevenness. We compare and contrast sentences for supervised release violations in two judicial districts in the Ninth Circuit: Arizona and California Northern. Although in the same circuit, the two districts approach hand down dissimilar punishments. The article examines the differences across race and gender and type of offense. Across the board, sentences not only are more severe in Arizona than California Northern, they also skew higher for certain offenders and genders. A close scrutiny of the results reveals the variabilities that can vanish in broad data collections of national averages. In a dialogue format, two practitioners in the federal defender offices discuss the differences and offer explanations. Such differences result from distinct approaches to supervised release violations: punishment versus rehabilitation. The differences may also arise from types of cases, number of matters, and use of supervised release as a deterrence. The discussion illustrates the more severe sentences with a close scrutiny of the statistics. The conclusion is inescapable: the culture and practice of the district determines outcomes.

We need a broader debate on the sustainability of blockchain

Alexander Rieger is a postdoctoral researcher at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT) at the University of Luxembourg. His research interests include innovative digital technologies such as blockchain, decentralized digital identities, and artificial intelligence. Alex leads the scientific advisory team for the FLORA blockchain project of Germany's Federal Office for Migration and Refugees and acts as advisor to the European Blockchain Partnership and various public and private sector partners in Germany and Luxembourg. Tamara Roth is a postdoctoral researcher at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT) at the University of Luxembourg. Her research interests include the interplay of innovative technologies such as blockchain and decentralized digital identities with sociocultural and socioethical constructs in public administration and healthcare. Moreover, she investigates technology adoption and implications of technologies for sustainable development from a psychological and neurobiological perspective. Johannes Sedlmeir is a researcher on information systems at the FIM Research Center, University of Bayreuth. In his research, he focuses on the energy consumption and performance benchmarking of different blockchains, the application of cryptographic methods such as zero-knowledge proofs for scalable and privacy-oriented blockchain solutions in different sectors, and decentralized digital identities. He received his M.Sc. in theoretical and mathematical physics. Gilbert Fridgen is professor and PayPal-FNR PEARL chair in digital financial services at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Security, Reliability and Trust (SnT) at the University of Luxembourg. In his research, he analyzes the transformative effects of digital technologies on individual organizations and on the relationship between organizations. He addresses potentially disruptive technologies like blockchain, decentralized digital identities, artificial intelligence, or the Internet of Things. His research involves information systems engineering and IT strategy and (risk) management, as well as regulatory compliance. In his projects and partnerships, he collaborates with partners in financial services, energy, mobility, manufacturing, and consulting, as well as with public bodies and governments.

A field study of acute dynamic risk assessment in individuals convicted of sexual offenses.

Acute dynamic risk factors can change over short periods of time, even within days or hours. When making risk assessments of individuals convicted of sexual offenses, it is necessary to consider this rapidity of change, in order to monitor appropriately the recidivism risk and to prevent future crimes. Until now, there is only one instrument-the Acute-2007-which assesses acute risk factors in individuals convicted of sexual offenses. However, the current state of research about its psychometric properties is still limited. The aim of the present study was to examine the German version of the Acute-2007 in a final sample of N = 534 adult male individuals convicted of a sexual offense in Germany. Within a prospective-longitudinal field study, appropriately trained parole officers used the Acute-2007 directly after a case was allocated to them. By using an average follow-up period of M = 3.83 years, recidivism data were drawn from the Federal Central Criminal Register of the Federal Office of Justice. Results revealed that the Acute-2007 predicted moderately general (AUC = .64), sexual (AUC = .64), and violent (AUC = .64) recidivism. By using Cox regression analysis, the Acute-2007 significantly predicted the time periods until a sexual reoffense. Furthermore, the Acute-2007 added incremental predictive validity beyond the Static-99 in the prediction of sexual recidivism. Taken together, the results of the present study support the relevance of acute dynamic risk factors in risk assessment and management of individuals convicted of sexual offenses. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).