<p><span lang="pl" style="font-size:10.0pt"><span style="line-height:115%"><span style="font-family:"Arial Narrow",sans-serif">The article examines the interdependence between pay disadvantage and the formation of informal hierarchies in residential social care homes (Domy Pomocy Społecznej, DPS) in Poland, with particular attention to the feminised character of care work. It assumes that wages-often close to the minimum wage and only weakly differentiated across positions-have not only an economic but also a symbolic function: they communicate the level of recognition granted to care work. The analysis draws on a qualitative study grounded in constructivist grounded theory (Charmaz), combining participant observation in a DPS in Silesia (2023) with 20 in-depth interviews (2023–2024) with women employed in different occupational roles. The findings indicate that wage compression and “role expansion” (multi-tasking, para-medical tasks and emotional labour) contribute to conflicts over prestige, visibility of work, and organisational agency. The article shows how respondents’ narratives link remuneration to an order of recognition, thereby revealing mechanisms through which informal hierarchies are reproduced in institutional long-term care.</span></span></span></p>

Fragmentation of electronic health records in oncology hinders coordinated care, delays diagnoses, and limits therapeutic personalization. Blockchains promise to promote secure, interoperable, and patient-centered data governance; however, patient perceptions of blockchains remain underexplored, particularly in middle-income countries such as Brazil. We assessed opinions, attitudes, and willingness among patients with cancer to digitally share clinical information and the feasibility of applying blockchains to restructuring secure health data sharing in the Brazilian public health context. We had three research questions: (1) What is the level of digital health tool acceptance among patients with cancer in Brazil? (2) Which sociodemographic factors are associated with willingness to share health data? (3) Are blockchains feasible and acceptable for restructuring secure oncology data sharing? An exploratory, descriptive, cross-sectional self-report survey was conducted at Hospital Santa Izabel, a national oncology reference center in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, between September and November 2023. A convenience sample of 110 outpatients with cancer was recruited systematically; data were collected via a self-administered questionnaire. The 20-item instrument, developed de novo and validated via expert panel and pilot testing, covered 5 content domains yielding 3 composite scoring domains: self-management, adherence, and governance. We used Cronbach α to assess internal consistency, independent 2-tailed t tests, 1-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlations to compare domain scores across sociodemographic groups, and a chi-square goodness-of-fit test to examine trust proportions across recipient types. We received sufficiently complete responses from 94.5% (104/110) of patients. The sample was predominantly female (63/98, 64.3%), self-identified as pardo (mixed-race; 64/98, 65.3%), and lower income (55/96, 57.3% earned less than twice the minimum wage). Acceptance of technology was high: 86.4% (95/110) would use health apps and 89.1% (98/110) expressed interest in prevention-focused applications. Trust in data sharing varied significantly across recipient types (χ23=210.4; P<.001): 79.1% (87/110) trusted health care professionals, 51.8% (57/110) hospitals, 15.5% (17/110) the pharmaceutical industry, and 10% (11/110) the government. Anonymization and encryption significantly increased willingness to share (92/110, 83.6%). Younger patients (18-59 years) showed significantly higher adherence scores than those aged ≥60 years (mean 76.49, SD 19.16 vs mean 65.83, SD 26.66; t95=2.29; P=.02). Domain reliability was good to excellent (Cronbach α=0.8807 [adherence], 0.8504 [self-management], and 0.7576 [governance]). Patients with cancer in Brazil demonstrated high acceptance of digital health tools and openness to data sharing when privacy, security, and governance are guaranteed. This supports the feasibility of blockchain-based health data management systems, provided they incorporate patient-centered principles, digital inclusion strategies, and robust governance aligned with Brazilian regulations (the General Data Protection Law) and the Unified Health System (Sistema Único de Saúde) infrastructure. Importantly, patient support reflected acceptance of blockchain's functional principles, data security, anonymization, and auditability rather than familiarity with the technology itself, a distinction with direct implications for future implementation studies.

To elucidate potential economic pathways that may improve violence prevention among Black youth and young adults, we estimated the association of state minimum wage and annual firearm mortalities from 2000 to 2020 among Black individuals aged 10 to 34 using data from the National Vital Statistics System. Two-way fixed effects models were used to analyze the relationship between state minimum wage and overall firearm deaths, as well as firearm deaths by category, including homicide and suicide. Additionally, models were stratified by age group. We found that a $1 increase in state minimum wage was associated with a 5% decrease (RR = 0.95, 95% CI [0.92, 0.98]) in overall, annual firearm mortality and a 6% decrease (RR = 0.94 [0.91, 0.98]) in annual homicides caused by firearms, adjusted for covariates and state and year fixed effects. Our findings in overall and homicide mortalities held true across all age groups. For the association between minimum wage and suicide among Black youth and young adults, the results were roughly null overall (RR = 0.99 [0.96, 1.02]). These estimates, however, were not robust to additional analyses examining the plausibility of the parallel trends assumption. Re-estimation of models including 1- and 2-year leads and lags suggest that changes in firearm mortality preceded changes in the minimum wage. Thus, the decrease in firearm deaths is likely due to a myriad of socioeconomic shifts that coincide with, but were not directly caused by, minimum wage increases. This research emphasizes the importance of further evaluating the complex relationship between economic policies and firearm violence and prevention.

ABSTRACT We examine inference in a two-group, three-period staggered difference-in-differences setting where conventional pre-trends testing is infeasible. By imposing structured assumptions on treatment effect heterogeneity and dynamics, we develop a novel framework that enables reliable inference on the direction of treatment effects while relaxing the parallel-trends assumption. We apply this framework to assess the effects of minimum wages in China, a context in which the validity of existing DiD-based findings may be compromised by the inability to validate pre-trends. The results indicate that minimum wages substantially increase the wages of low-skilled rural migrant workers, with no detectable effects for high-skilled workers. We find no evidence of employment reductions; conversely, the findings suggest a positive employment effect for low-skilled workers.

Social inequalities in the use of implant-supported prostheses among older adults: A cross-sectional study.

Our aim was to determine the 30- and 90-day all-cause mortality of healthcare-associated Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia (HA-SAB) and determine mortality risk factors. We collected HA-SAB events from 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2024. Patient age, sex, ethnicity and source of HA-SAB were submitted via a secure portal. Patients' National Health Index numbers were matched to the National Minimum Dataset, and 30- and 90-day all-cause mortality was determined. The mortality rate was calculated as a percentage of all HA-SAB events and by age, sex, ethnicity and source. There were 961 HA-SAB events: a rate of 0.15 cases per 1,000 inpatient bed days. Thirty- and 90-day all-cause mortality were 13.8% and 20.7%, respectively. There was no difference in mortality by sex or ethnicity. Mortality increased with age and increased significantly for ≥75 years of age. Invasive medical devices were the source of 70% of HA-SAB events, organs were the source of 12% of HA-SAB events, and surgical site infections were the source of 8% of HA-SAB events. There was no significant difference in mortality by attributable source. The 30- and 90-day all-cause mortality associated with HA-SAB is high. The most common sources are vascular access devices. The use of a "care bundle" incorporating proven interventions, applied using a quality improvement framework, should reduce patient harm from these events.

Java Island remains the largest centre of poverty in Indonesia despite its dominant contribution to national economic activity. This study examines the direct effects of the Islamic Human Development Index (I-HDI), employment opportunities, and minimum wage on poverty, as well as their indirect effects through unemployment, in six provinces of Java Island during 2015–2022. This study uses secondary panel data obtained from official statistical sources and applies panel data regression with path analysis using EViews 10. The findings show that employment opportunities have a negative and significant effect on unemployment, while I-HDI and minimum wage have negative and significant direct effects on poverty. However, unemployment does not significantly mediate the effects of I-HDI, employment opportunities, and minimum wage on poverty. These findings imply that poverty reduction in Java Island should not rely solely on unemployment reduction, but should also prioritise Islamic-based human development, the expansion of decent employment opportunities, and minimum wage policies that improve household welfare without weakening labour absorption.

ABSTRACT We examine the effects of Spain’s substantial 2019 minimum wage hike, from EUR 735.90 to EUR 900 per month, on labour market outcomes and consumer prices. Using the Synthetic Control Method with quarterly data from 2015 to 2023, we find no evidence of job losses or higher unemployment among low-skilled workers, indicating that the reform did not harm employment in the most exposed groups. In contrast, we detect a significant price impact with a treatment effect reaching 1 index point by 2021, driven by price increases in services and processed food. These results suggest that while the policy improved wages without reducing employment, it led to measurable cost pass-through in labour-intensive sectors, raising distributional and consumer welfare considerations.

Thousands of women die annually from preventable pregnancy-related complications. The high cost of treating complications in pregnancy remains a significant setback to improving maternal health and averting maternal mortality. Efforts by the government of Ghana to improve access to skilled maternal health care led to the provision of free maternal health care under the National Health Insurance Scheme in 2012. However, household costs associated with pregnancy-related conditions is not well researched in Ghana. Therefore, this paper estimated the cost of treating pregnancy-related complications in Ghanaian households. A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed to estimate the household cost of treating pregnancy complications (PRCs) at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH). A systematic sampling technique was adopted to sample 102 pregnant women who received treatment for pregnancy-related complications between March and November 2022. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from respondents. Data analysis was done using Microsoft Excel version 16 and STATA, 16. Sensitivity analysis was conducted by varying the cost of drugs at 9% and productivity loss due to absenteeism at the daily minimum wage. The average cost of treating PRC was estimated at GHS 2,003.95 (US$265.07). The direct cost of treating PRCs accounts for 77.7%, while the indirect cost accounts for 22.2% of the total economic cost. The main drivers of the direct and indirect costs were the cost of feeding GHS 106,159.00 ($14,042.20) (41.7%) and productivity loss due to absenteeism at GHS57,906.34 ($7,659.57) (22.2%), respectively. The household cost of treating PRCs at the KBTH was very high, and policies and programs are required to support families to ease the economic burden on them.

To identify psychosocial, sociodemographic, and clinical factors associated with adherence to gestational syphilis treatment. cross-sectional study with a sample of 325 pregnant women diagnosed with syphilis during pregnancy. The main outcome was complete adherence to the therapeutic regimen of three doses of penicillin, including the partner's treatment. Data were collected through structured interviews and medical records. Statistical analysis included logistic regressions and co-occurrence network analysis to explore interrelationships between factors associated with treatment adherence. Treatment adherence was observed in 43.6% of pregnant women and their partners. Newborns of mothers who adhered to treatment had significantly higher Apgar and Capurro scores. Positive factors associated with adherence included early diagnosis in the first trimester (odds ratio [OR]: 5.12, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 2.8-9.7), adequate prenatal follow-up (OR: 4.37, CI: 2.5-7.7), planned pregnancy (OR: 2.36, CI: 1.3-4.1), employment (OR: 1.72, CI: 1.1-2.7), and income above the minimum wage (OR: 1.71, CI: 1.1-2.6). Negative factors included a history of substance misuse during life and pregnancy (OR: 0.34, CI: 0.1-0.7), childhood maltreatment (OR: 0.53, CI: 0.3-0.8), recurrent unprotected sex (OR: 0.61, CI: 0.3-0.9), marital conflicts (OR: 0.47, CI: 0.3-0.7), witnessed violence (OR: 0.51, CI: 0.3-0.8), and prior police detention (OR: 0.29, CI: 0.1-0.5). Network analysis revealed three clusters related to these factors: one associated with violence, another with substance use, and another involving socioeconomic factors and prenatal care access. Adverse maternal psychosocial factors, such as violence, maltreatment, and substance use, hamper treatment adherence and may contribute to worse neonatal outcomes.

Purpose: This study aims to analyze the factors influencing the MW and assess its role in regional economic development. Research Method: This study uses a quantitative approach with panel data regression. The estimation models used are the Fixed Effects Model (FEM) and the Random Effects Model (REM), with the independent variables being Regional Gross Domestic Product (GDRP), Labor Force Participation Rate (LFPR), Average Years of Education, Open Unemployment Rate (OUR), and Dependency Ratio. Results and Discussion: The results show that GDRP, LFPR, and the dependency ratio have a significant positive effect on the MW, while the LFPR has a significant negative effect. Average years of education has a positive but insignificant effect. Simultaneously, all variables have a significant effect on the Minimum Wage MW. Implications: These findings emphasize that determining the MW requires considering economic, employment, and demographic conditions in proportion. Originality: This study integrates regional economic, employment, and demographic factors to analyze minimum wage determination across 35 regencies/cities in Central Java Province, using panel data for the 2020–2024 period.

Minimum wages, low-wage workers, and compliance under imperfect enforcement

Living off waste: A qualitative study of scrap scavengers in Ethiopia

Minimum wage regulations: What it reveals about the Chinese forest products industry?

Soft bandage vs rigid immobilisation in pediatric distal radius torus fractures: A cost and patient burden analysis - A retrospective cohort study.

Socioeconomic determinants and their impact on clinical outcomes in pediatric home parenteral nutrition.

Patients with schizophrenia often face difficulty in employment. Non-competitive supported employment serves as an important option for individuals with schizophrenia, yet research focusing on such type of work is rare. This study aimed to investigate factors related to employment in schizophrenia. We particularly focused on patients engaging in subminimum wage non-competitive supported work by comparing such patients to those receiving minimum wage or above and those unemployed. We recruited 282 outpatients from 16 to 65 years old diagnosed with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Data were collected from September 2024 to February 2025. Participants were categorized into two groups: employed and unemployed. The employed group consisted of patients with full-time jobs, part-time jobs, those employed through a special system for individuals with disabilities, minimum wage or above non-competitive supported employment, and subminimum wage non-competitive supported employment. We evaluated schizophrenia symptoms using the Brief Evaluation of Psychosis Symptom Domains (BE-PSD), social functioning using the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF), and collected demographic and clinical data. Comparative and subgroup analyses with focus on subminimum wage non-competitive employment were conducted. Employment was associated with milder negative symptoms (p = 2.64 × 10- 6), less excitement (p = 0.0173), younger age (p = 0.00580), and male sex (p = 0.0274). Additionally, achieving employment paying minimum wage or above was linked to milder negative symptoms (p = 0.00150), disorganization symptoms (p = 0.00271), and depression/anxiety symptoms (p = 0.0389). No significant differences were observed between participants in subminimum wage paying non-competitive employment and those unemployed. Negative symptoms and excitement symptoms may be important clinical correlates of employment among patients with schizophrenia. The lack of significant differences between those engaged in subminimum wage paying non-competitive employment and those unemployed should be interpreted with caution, but it may suggest that subminimum wage paying non-competitive employment represents a level of vocational engagement that remains accessible even for individuals with more severe symptom burden. Not applicable.

This study aimed to examine expenditure items and amounts and whether these expenditures constitute an economic burden for individuals with diseases requiring low-protein diets. The study also evaluates patients' perceptions regarding the adequacy, affordability, and accessibility of dietary products. In this descriptive and cross-sectional study, 141 participants living in Türkiye were included in the sample. Most participants had Phenylketonuria (PKU), but individuals with diseases such as maple syrup urine disease, alkaptonuria, and homocystinuria were also included in the study. The study used a 28-question questionnaire form created by the researchers based on expert opinion. The research data collected between 29.09.2023 and 15.03.2024 were analyzed in the SPSS package program. 84.4% of the study participants were patients with PKU. The study determined that 41.1% of the participants had physician and hospital service expenditures, 27% had expenditures on medicines and medical supplements, 95.7% had low protein food expenditures, and 31.2% had other expenditures (transportation, special education, etc.) other than these items. Most participants reported that the variety of products related to their diseases needs to be improved, product costs are high, and their expenditures on these products pose a challenge for their household budget. When the amounts of expenditures were analyzed, the average annual physician and hospital service expenditure was 636.84 ± 736.44 USD, the average expenditure on medicines and medical supplements was 610.44 ± 741.60 USD, the average low protein food expenditure was 1847.16 ± 1166.88 USD, and the average other expenditure was 764.64 ± 650.76 USD. When all expenditures are considered together, a patient spends an average of 2451.12 ± 1758.12 USD per year. The study demonstrates that annual out-of-pocket expenditures for patients with diseases requiring a low-protein nutrition are considerable, placing a substantial financial strain on affected households. If a household earning the national minimum wage had annual out-of-pocket expenditures at the sample mean, these would represent approximately 39% of their income.

The objective of this research is to analyze the structure of the Salvadoran education system and its impact on socioeconomic inequalities and the configuration of the labor market. A mixed-methods approach with an exploratory sequential design is adopted; the qualitative phase employs inductive logic and documentary analysis to examine categories such as poverty, while the quantitative phase uses the most recent official enrollment statistics from the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MINEDUCYT) for 2023, and the Multiple Purpose Household Survey (EHPM) of the Central Reserve Bank of El Salvador (BCR). The results reveal a profound territorial and academic gap: while basic education coverage reaches 93%, it drops drastically at the secondary level, where only 14% of schools offer high school diplomas. There is a hyper-concentration of educational opportunities in urban areas, especially in San Salvador, which accounts for 25% of early childhood education and most higher education, leaving departments such as Cabañas and San Vicente in a situation of structural exclusion. At the employment level, it was found that 54% of employed individuals have only a basic education, linking the low average years of schooling with employment in low-productivity sectors and minimum wages. It is concluded that the current education system fails to break the intergenerational cycle of poverty, functioning more as a literacy mechanism than as an engine of social transformation, thus requiring a comprehensive territorial reform.

This study analyses asymmetric cost behaviour in 3,399 Croatian manufacturing SMEs from 2018 to 2024 using an extended Anderson–Banker–Janakiraman model within a two-way fixed-effects panel with firm-clustered standard errors. Total operating costs show clear stickiness (β₂ = −0.165, p &lt; 0.01), rising by 0.70% for a 1% increase in revenue but falling by only 0.53% for an equivalent decrease. Material costs exhibit the strongest asymmetry (β₂ = −0.214, p &lt; 0.01). Personnel costs do not display systematic stickiness (β₂ = 0.015, p = 0.764), suggesting that labour market factors such as minimum wage increases, emigration-related shortages, and eurozone accession shaped their dynamics independently of revenue changes. Larger SMEs show lower cost rigidity than smaller ones. Sectoral analysis indicates that labour-intensive industries have the highest stickiness, resource-intensive industries show near-symmetric behaviour, and capital-intensive industries fall in between.