Poor Research Articles

Building responsible and sustainable supply chain frameworks: limits of international investment law and the CSR initiatives taken by the EU and China

ABSTRACT Supply chains play a pivotal role in global economic relations, fostering growth, employment, and poverty alleviation. Multinational enterprises (MNEs) are central actors in these chains, bearing responsibilities towards workers and the environment. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) standards guide MNEs in assessing the societal and environmental impacts of their activities, though these standards remain largely voluntary. Recent investment treaty practice shows a trend to incorporate CSR provisions in international investment agreements (IIAs), but such clauses fail to impose direct human rights, labour and environmental obligations on investors. Amidst this landscape, the EU and China, major players in global trade and investment, have established diverging legal and policy frameworks to build responsible and sustainable supply chains. Considering these developments, the objectives of this article are twofold. First, the article explores the integration of CSR in international investment law. Second, it evaluates the different CSR initiatives taken by the EU and China that frame their foreign direct investments. Focusing on EU–China FDI relations, the article delineates implications for global supply chain governance offering insights into the evolving landscape of CSR frameworks, and the plagued path in adopting mandatory corporate responsibility standards.

Cost effectiveness analysis of a fixed dose combination pill for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease from an individual participant data meta-analysis

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to impart a large burden on the global population, especially in lower income countries where affordability limits the use of cardiovascular medicines. A fixed dose combination strategy of at least 2 blood pressure lowering medications and a statin with aspirin in a single pill has been shown to reduce the risk of incident CVD by 38% in primary prevention in a recent meta-analysis. We report the in-trial (median follow-up: 5 years) cost-effectiveness of a fixed dose combination (FDC) pill in different income groups based on data from that meta-analysis. Countries were categorized using World Bank economic groups: Lower Middle Income Countries (LMIC), Upper Middle Income Countries (UMIC) and High Income Countries (HIC). Country specific costs were obtained for hospitalized events, procedures, and non-study medications (2020 USD). FDC price was based on the cheapest equivalent substitute (CES) for each component. For the CES-FDC pill versus control the difference in cost was $346 (95% CI: $294-$398) per participant in Lower Middle Income Countries, $838 (95% CI: $781-$895) in Upper Middle Income Countries and $42 (95% CI:-$155 to $239) (cost-neutral) in High Income Countries. During the study period the CES-FDC pill was associated with incremental gain in quality-adjusted life years of 0.06 (95% CI: 0.04-0.08) resulting in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of $5767 (95% CI: 5735-$5799), $13,937 (95% CI: $13,893-$14,041) and $700 (95% CI: $662-$738) respectively. In subgroups analyses, the highest 10 years CVD risk subgroup had ICERs of $2033, $7322 and-$6000/QALY. A FDC pill produced at CES costs is cost-neutral in HIC. Governments of LMI and UMI countries should assess these results based on the ICER threshold accepted in their own country and own specific health care priorities but should consider prioritizing this strategy for patients with high 10 years CVD risk as a first step. Population Health Research Institute.

Unveiling the influence of reproductive health on poverty: a cross-sectional study in Magwi County, South Sudan

Objective: To understand the relationship between household poverty and reproductive health characteristics in Magwi County, South Sudan. Background: Household poverty is a significant issue in many countries, including South Sudan. Poverty has been identified as a major obstacle to international development, affecting various aspects of development goals such as food security and health. Despite interventions by organizations like the World Bank, poverty rates in beneficiary countries like South Sudan have not seen significant reductions, suggesting the presence of predictors of poverty from behavioral, structural, and political origins. Methods: The study was conducted using an analytical cross-sectional survey design. The study targeted female and male spouses in households and employed a multistage sampling approach to select participants. Result: The results of the study revealed that the level of household poverty in Magwi County was 42%. The prevalence of household poverty was found to be influenced by reproductive health characteristics. The use of short-acting contraception by women was associated with a higher prevalence of poverty, whereas women who had ever aborted a pregnancy had a lower prevalence of poverty. Unintended pregnancy and inconsistent condom use by men were also associated with higher poverty rates, whereas men with only one sexual partner had lower poverty rates. Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights into the relationship between household reproductive health characteristics and poverty in Magwi County, South Sudan. It emphasizes the need for comprehensive approaches that address both behavioral and structural factors to effectively reduce poverty and improve development outcomes.

Drivers of hospital nurse practitioner turnover: A national sample survey analysis

BackgroundHospital nurse practitioner (NP) turnover is costly and complex. PurposeProvide a pre-COVID-19 pandemic baseline of hospital NP turnover. MethodsA secondary analysis of NSSRN18 data on 6,558 (67,863 weighted) NPs employed in hospitals on 12/31/2017. We describe rates of turnover, intention to leave, and reasons for leaving or staying. Using multivariate logistic regression, we examine the association between individual and organizational characteristics and turnover. Survey weights and jackknife standard errors were applied to analyses. DiscussionApproximately 10% of NPs left their job the following year, and 53% of NPs that remained considered leaving at some point. The top reasons cited for leaving or staying were largely organizational factors. Regression analysis revealed not practicing to one’s fullest scope, lower income, lack team-based care, and non-white race were associated with an increased likelihood to leave. ConclusionWe find several modifiable factors associated with hospital NP turnover that can be used to tailor recruitment and retention strategies.

Gastrointestinal and Neuropsychological Symptoms Are Associated With Distinct Vomiting Profiles in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy.

To identify subgroups of patients with distinct chemotherapy-induced vomiting (CIV) profiles; determine how these subgroups differ on several demographic, clinical, and symptom characteristics; and evaluate factors associated with chemotherapy-induced nausea and CIV profiles. Adult patients (N = 1,338) receiving cancer chemotherapy. Data were collected on demographic, clinical, and symptom characteristics. Differences among subgroups of patients with distinct CIV profiles were evaluated using parametric and nonparametric tests. Three CIV profiles (None, Decreasing, and Increasing) were identified. Compared with the None class, Decreasing and Increasing classes were more likely to have lower household income and a higher comorbidity burden, as well as to report higher rates of dry mouth, nausea, diarrhea, depression, anxiety, sleep disturbance, morning fatigue, and pain interference. Clinicians need to assess common and distinct risk factors for CIV and chemotherapy-induced nausea.

Determinants of Income Composition Inequality

A rich literature examines the determinants of income inequality. Less is known about the distribution of income composition, or the extent to which different socio-economic groups hold different sources of income. This article explores the drivers of income composition inequality (ICI). Contrary to recent studies, which show that the composition of government has ceased to shape redistribution and income inequality dynamics, this article posits that left-wing parties are associated with lower income composition inequality. We test this expectation with data from thirty European countries between 2003 and 2017. Our results suggest that the polarization between capital and labor income holders declines under left-wing governments. We establish that this is mainly because left-wing parties seek to broaden access to capital income.

The Cointegration Between Energy Subsidy and Energy Accessibility in Eastern Africa Countries

Despite the significant potential, the energy industry in East Africa remains largely underdeveloped, with minimal modern energy access, low per capita consumption, and heavy reliance on biomass energy, which makes up over 90% of the region’s energy consumption. Less than 1% of rural areas have access to electricity. Introduction of subsidies on energy influences energy accessibility. The study found it clear that subsidies slightly improved energy accessibility in Eastern African countries in the long run. This can be explained by the fact that energy subsidies often result in lower prices for energy consumers. This makes energy more affordable for households, particularly those with lower incomes. Lower energy prices reduce the financial burden of meeting energy needs, making it easier for individuals and families to access essential energy services such as electricity, heating, and cooking. Lower energy prices due to subsidies can lead to increased energy consumption. It is therefore the responsibility of each member state to encourage the adoption of renewable energy sources by providing subsidies and incentives for renewable energy technologies such as solar panels, wind turbines, and energy-efficient appliances. Subsidizing renewable energy reduces reliance on fossil fuels, mitigates environmental impacts, and promotes sustainable energy practices.

An Estimate Study to Measure the Impact of Social Spending Changes on Poverty Rates in Egyptian Desert and Non-Desert Governorates

An Estimate Study to Measure the Impact of Social Spending Changes on Poverty Rates in Egyptian Desert and Non-Desert Governorates

Women Entrepreneurship and Poverty Alleviation among Low income Families in Developing Societies: An Empirical Evidence from Nigeria

Women Entrepreneurship and Poverty Alleviation among Low income Families in Developing Societies: An Empirical Evidence from Nigeria

Patient practices, perceptions, and barriers to self-measurement of blood pressure in a rural health system.

Self-measurement of blood pressure (SMBP) is endorsed by current guidelines for diagnosing and managing hypertension (HTN). We surveyed individuals in a rural healthcare system on practices and attitudes related to SMBP that could guide future practice. : Survey questions were sent via an online patient portal to a random sample of 56,275 patients with either BP >140/90 mmHg or cardiovascular care in the system. Questions addressed home blood pressure (BP) monitor ownership, use, willingness to purchase, desire to share data with providers, perceptions of patient education, and patient-centeredness of care. Multivariable logistic regression was used to examine patient characteristics associated with SMBP behaviors. The overall response rate was 12%, and 8.4% completed all questions. Most respondents, 60.9%, owned a BP monitor, while 51.5% reported checking their BP at home the month prior. Among device owners, 45.1% reported receiving instructions on SMBP technique, frequency, and readings interpretation. Only 29.2% reported sharing readings with providers in the last six months, whereas 57.9% said they would be willing to do so regularly. Older age, female sex, and higher income were associated with a higher likelihood of device ownership. Younger age, lower income, and Medicaid insurance were associated with a greater willingness to share SMBP results with providers regularly. While a significant proportion of respondents performed SMBP regularly, many reported insufficient education on SMBP, and few shared their home BP readings with providers. Patient-centered interventions and telemedicine-based care are opportunities that emerged in our survey that could enhance future HTN care.

Correlates of missed or late versus timely diagnosis of dementia in healthcare settings.

There is limited evidence about factors related to the timeliness of dementia diagnosis in healthcare settings. In five prospective cohorts at Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, we identified participants with incident dementia based on annual assessments and examined the timing of healthcare diagnoses in Medicare claims. We assessed sociodemographic, health, and psychosocial correlates of timely diagnosis. Of 710 participants, 385 (or 54%) received a timely claims diagnosis within 3 years prior to or 1 year following dementia onset. In logistic regressions accounting for demographics, we found Black participants (odds ratio [OR]=2.15, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.21 to 3.82) and those with better cognition at dementia onset (OR=1.48, 95% CI: 1.10 to 1.98) were at higher odds of experiencing a diagnostic delay, whereas participants with higher income (OR=0.89, 95% CI: 0.81 to 0.97) and more comorbidities (OR=0.94, 95% CI: 0.89 to 0.98) had lower odds. We identified characteristics of individuals who may miss the optimal window for dementia treatment and support. We compared the timing of healthcare diagnosis relative to the timing of incident dementia based on rigorous annual evaluation. Older Black adults with lower income, higher cognitive function, and fewer comorbidities were less likely to be diagnosed in a timely manner by the healthcare system.

Temporal trends in population attributable fractions of modifiable risk factors for dementia: a time-series study of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (2004–2019)

BackgroundInterest in modifiable risk factors (MRFs) for dementia is high, given the personal, social, and economic impact of the disorder, especially in ageing societies such as the United Kingdom. Exploring the population attributable fraction (PAF) of dementia attributable to MRFs and how this may have changed over time remains unclear. Unravelling the temporal dynamics of MRFs is crucial for informing the development of evidence-based and effective public health policies. This investigation examined the temporal trajectories of MRFs for dementia in England.MethodsWe used data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, a panel study over eight waves collected between 2004 and 2019 (76,904 interviews in total). We calculated the PAFs for twelve MRFs (including six early- to mid-life factors and six late-life factors), as recommended by the Lancet Commission, and the individual weighted PAFs (IW-PAFs) for each risk factor. Temporal trends were analysed to understand the changes in the overall PAF and IW-PAF over the study period. Subgroup analyses were conducted by sex and socioeconomic status (SES).ResultsThe overall PAF for dementia MRFs changed from 46.73% in 2004/2005 to 36.79% in 2018/2019, though this trend was not statistically significant. During 2004–2019, hypertension, with an average IW-PAF of 8.21%, was the primary modifiable determinant of dementia, followed by obesity (6.16%), social isolation (5.61%), hearing loss (4.81%), depression (4.72%), low education (4.63%), physical inactivity (3.26%), diabetes mellitus (2.49%), smoking (2.0%), excessive alcohol consumption (1.16%), air pollution (0.42%), and traumatic brain injury (TBI) (0.26%). During 2004–2019, only IW-PAFs of low education, social isolation, and smoking showed significant decreasing trends, while IW-PAFs of other factors either did not change significantly or increased (including TBI, diabetes mellitus, and air pollution). Upon sex-specific disaggregation, a higher overall PAF for MRFs was found among women, predominantly associated with later-life risk factors, most notably social isolation, depression, and physical inactivity. Additionally, hearing loss, classified as an early- to mid-life factor, played a supplementary role in the identified sex disparity. A comparable discrepancy was evident upon PAF evaluation by SES, with lower income groups experiencing a higher dementia risk, largely tied to later-life factors such as social isolation, physical inactivity, depression, and smoking. Early- to mid-life factors, in particular, low education and obesity, were also observed to contribute to the SES-associated divergence in dementia risk. Temporal PAF and IW-PAF trends, stratified by sex and SES, revealed that MRF PAF gaps across sex or SES categories have persisted or increased.ConclusionsIn England, there was little change over time in the proportion of dementia attributable to known modifiable risk factors. The observed trends underscore the continuing relevance of these risk factors and the need for targeted public health strategies to address them.

Alcoholism, Family Violence and Related Consequences: A Case Study of Alcohol Affected Families of Punjab

Aims: The main objective of the study was to understand the issues of alcoholism and violence in the family. It discusses how alcoholism leads to family violence and further, derails the life of family members and put an institution of family into a crisis. Study Design: The study was based on fieldwork conducted in different parts of Punjab. Exploratory research design was prepared to understand the issue. Methodology: Sample of 100 families were selected for study and further, four members in each family namely, the alcoholic, spouse, one of the parents and one of the children were selected for the interview, so that an overall picture of family violence can be obtained. A total number of 303 respondents (100 alcoholics, 73 spouse, 68 children, and 62 parents) are interviewed. Semi-structured interview schedule used for data collection purpose. With the help of snowball technique, sampled families and their members are located and interviewed. Results: The study found 87% of the families faced the incident of violence due to the critical addiction of alcoholic members. Among these families, 80.82% spouses, 79.03% parents and 64.70% children were the victim of violence. Physical abuse was found very common among spouses (69.86%), verbal abuse among parents (91.78%) and mental abuse among children (63.01%). Majority (57.47%) families, who faced violence, belongs to low income category and less education category (86.18%). Conclusion: The study concludes, critical addiction of alcohol leaves the highest probability for occurrence of violence in the family. Further, it increases the probability of more critical consumption of alcohol among alcoholics and then more violence. Gradually, all of this turn into a vicious circle of critical drinking and family violence. Moreover, this creates many troubles for all members of the family and pushes the institution of family towards crisis.

Democracia representativa-una lectura interseccional

Objective: Analyze, from a critical and intersectional perspective, the organization, composition and legislative performance of a commission focused on women's sexual and reproductive rights, called the Parliamentary Front to Combat Abortion – Pró-Vida. Methodology: An intersectional reading was carried out regarding the constitution of the Parliamentary Front to Combat Abortion - "Pró-Vida", of the Legislative Assembly of the State of Goiás (ALEGO), and the sociodemographic profile of its members was outlined, discussed in light of social markers, gender, race/ethnicity, social class and religion and problematized about a topic that directly affects women's health and lives, abortion. Results and discussion: analysis of the results points to female underrepresentation, the prevalence of white people and the predominance of conservative ideology in customs and religion in the sociodemographic profile considered. In contrast, the literature, when discussing the social markers under investigation, portrays those who choose to have an abortion as black women, with low income and education, and who look to parties with a progressive bias to advocate for their causes. Conclusion: The traditional structure present in the Parliamentary Front investigated faces challenges in building a representative debate capable of reproducing in public policies the complex identities, needs and experiences of women at risk of miscarriage. In this argument, the construction of political practices and legislative approaches must primarily consider the complexities of identity and the intersections and oppressions that lead women to abortion in order to, ultimately, build an inclusive, equitable and representative democracy. Submission: 02/22/24| Review: 03/12/24| Approval: 04/24/24

Research on trust mechanism of supply chain finance under Industrial Internet embedded with blockchain.

In traditional supply chain finance, the financing of enterprise mainly relies on the credit segmentation of the core enterprise, resulting in a short trust transmission radius and poor financing ability. The development of Internet technology, while expanding financing channels, has also seen an increasing severity in issues such as information fraud and data breaches, which has further aggravated the trust crisis in supply chain finance. This paper integrates blockchain technology into the industrial internet platform and analyzes the applicability of both in empowering supply chain financial trust. Then a supply chain financial trust framework, which emphasizes information sharing, data security, and trust circulation, is proposed. Furthermore, combined with the theories of Funk-SVD and entropy value, this paper designs a global trust evaluation mechanism that facilitates the trust circulation in supply chain finance and proposes a recommendation algorithm for global trust. With the testing conducted using the Epinions dataset, it is found that the algorithm proposed in this paper has a strong data dimensionality reduction and concentration ability, especially for large sample data, it can obtain more accurate evaluation values with less space occupation, thus enhancing the trust circulation ability of supply chain finance. Finally, the paper puts forward specific policy recommendations for the implementation of the supply chain finance information mechanism, aiming to better improve the financing accessibility of enterprises in supply chain, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises.

Analyzing variability in urban energy poverty: A stochastic modeling and Monte Carlo simulation approach

Urban energy poverty remains a critical challenge affecting millions worldwide, with significant implications for socio-economic development and sustainability. This study employs Monte Carlo simulations to analyze the variability in energy poverty, as measured by the Multidimensional Energy Poverty Index (MEPI). Through this approach, we explored how different socio-economic predictors affect MEPI scores across five scenarios: economic growth and diversification, energy transition and technological innovation, climate change impacts and vulnerability, policy intervention and social safety nets, and stagnation and rising inequality. The sensitivity analysis revealed that household income, size, and food security are paramount in influencing urban energy poverty levels. Scenarios involving economic growth and technological innovation demonstrated positive impacts on reducing energy poverty, while scenarios of climate change and economic stagnation highlighted the vulnerabilities and widening disparities within populations. The results suggest that to effectively alleviate urban energy poverty, policy interventions must be comprehensive, targeting the identified influential factors. The study emphasizes the need for targeted policy interventions on social safety nets to alleviate energy poverty.

Analysis of Factors Contributing to the Employment of Migrants in Tirupur, India

Migrant workers play an important role in the Tiruppur's economy. This paper explores the factors responsible for getting employment and how it is a source of employment based on the primary data collected from 200 migrant households of Tirupur by using stratified random sampling technique. The structured interview schedule was used to collect the information from the selected households and Garett Ranking Technique was used. The analysis of pull factors shows that continuous employment is the most important pull factor. It is found that relatives and friends are the important source of information for more migrants after getting the assurance of employment. The main reason for the migration is landlessness, indebtedness, family commitment, inadequate income to maintain family, low income from agriculture, failure of crop, low wage, failed of own business, not willing to be an agricultural laborer, family problem and religious/social/political conflicts.

Digital Divide Among Beneficiaries and Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program

IntroductionSuccessful delivery of the virtual Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) is influenced by a beneficiary's access to a computer and use of the Internet. MethodsUsing the 2020 nationally representative Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, a three-level categorical dependent variable was created: (1) has a computer AND uses Internet, (2) has a computer OR uses Internet, and (3) has no access to either (reference group). A survey-weighted multinomial logit model was performed to examine associations between socio-demographics, comorbidities, and computer access and Internet use in 2023. ResultsOf study beneficiaries aged ≥65 years with BMI ≥25 kg/m2 and no history of diabetes (n=3,875), 70.8% had a computer AND used Internet; 14.3% had a computer OR used Internet; and 14.9% had no computer AND did not use Internet. Hispanics and non-Hispanic Blacks were less likely (OR=0.28, 95%CI [0.17-0.43]) than non-Hispanic Whites to have a computer AND use Internet. Beneficiaries with less education (<high school) were less likely to have a computer AND use Internet (OR=0.04, [0.03-0.06]) or have a computer OR use Internet (OR=0.21, [0.14-0.33]) than those with more than a high school education. Beneficiaries with lower incomes (<$25,000) were less likely to have a computer AND use Internet (OR=0.27, [0.20-0.35]) or have a computer OR use Internet (OR=0.58, [0.41-0.80]) than those with higher incomes (≥$25,000). ConclusionsApproximately 30% of potentially MDPP-eligible beneficiaries (representing ∼6 million beneficiaries) lacked full digital access. Efforts to encourage enrollment in the virtual MDPP must address digital disparities for beneficiaries at-risk for type 2 diabetes.

Effects of a monthly unconditional cash transfer starting at birth on family investments among US families with low income.

How does unconditional income for families in poverty affect parental investments for their young children? Mothers in four US metropolitan areas were randomized to receive a monthly unconditional cash transfer of either $333 per month (high) or $20 per month (low) for the first several years after childbirth. During the first 3 years, high-cash gift households spent more money on child-specific goods and more time on child-specific early learning activities than the low-cash gift group. Few changes were evident in other core household expenditures. Compared with low-cash gift families, high-cash gift families reported lower rates of public benefit receipt and fewer were residing in poverty, although mean income and wealth remain low for the majority of families by year 3. No statistically significant differences were evident in mothers' participation in paid work, children's time in childcare or mothers' subjective wellbeing.

Do Where People Interact Matters to Social Capital? Comparative Analysis of Middle- and High-Rise Public Housing

As a growing country, the challenge of providing affordable housing has grown over recent years. Public housing has emerged as a leading government initiative to provide better housing alternatives, especially for low incomes. However, due to the limited land availability, public housing development has shifted from middle- to high-rise housing type. Previous studies have shown that high-rise living can have detrimental effects on low-income residents, especially regarding their social capital. This study explores the interactional spaces within both housing types, their social capital, and whether the former influences the latter. Quantitative analysis was conducted on 255 respondents in middle- and high-rise public housing for low incomes in the Jakarta Special Region, Indonesia. The results indicated some similarities as well as differences in both housing styles. Respondents in both housing types mostly interacted in corridor areas, even though the percentage was higher for the high-rise case. Moreover, while both cases lacked the same social capital indicators, the middle-rise case had a relatively better situation than its high-rise counterparts. Furthermore, it was found that interactional spaces appear to influence their social capital, and the effects were varied for both middle- and high-rise and each social capital indicator. This study concludes that the intensity of interaction within a particular space does not necessarily translate to better social capital.