National Welfare Research Articles

Towards a Re-insurance union? SURE as an EU response to preserve jobs in the COVID-19 pandemic

Is the EU evolving towards a Re-Insurance Union? The creation of SURE, an EU financial tool to support national short-time work (STW) schemes in the midst of the pandemic, has revitalized debates on fiscal stabilizers as a means to counter economic downturns and protect jobs within the European Union. Drawing from document analyses and 17 interviews with EU and national stakeholders, this study explores the politics underpinning SURE’s adoption following a decade of heated and unsuccessful debates on the European Unemployment Reinsurance Scheme (EURS). Through the lens of ‘purposeful opportunism’, the article illustrates how the European Commission leveraged prior EURS insights and the emerging consensus on STW schemes to craft SURE in a way which addressed national concerns about EU-wide welfare harmonization, while positioning the EU as a holding environment for national welfare states. Looking ahead, making SURE a permanent ‘second line of defence’ against macroeconomic shocks could contribute to further substantiating new, EU-wide, social rights codified in the European Pillar of Social Rights.

The impact of the russian-ukrainian war on economic processes in russia: analysis and forecasting

In this article, the author examines the impact of the war in Ukraine on the Russian economy, analyzes and forecasts some of the main factors. The relevance of the issue under consideration is due to the fact that the economic situation in Russia directly affects Russia's ability to continue the war in Ukraine. Therefore, the purpose of the article is to analyze and forecast the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian war on economic processes in Russia. Despite the fact that officialstatistics are mostly classified or distorted by Rosstat, the analysis shows that the economic situation in Russia is getting worse. For the past six years, the Russian economy has been experiencing strong inflation, and in the current environment, inflationary processes have intensified significantly. Eventually, the Kremlin will face a problem: either to continue fighting in Ukraine, or to boost the economy, or to move to a large-scale money issue, which will lead to even higher prices. The National Welfare Fund has shrunk by almost a third and continues to shrink. That is, without additional investments of foreign capital, Russia will not be able to raise the economy and conduct military operations.The key policy rate was forecasted using neural networks based on the method of group consideration of arguments using the GMDH Shell program. The forecast shows that in 2023 the key policy rate may increase to 23%.The article shows how the national welfare fund of Russia has been reduced, and the federal budget expenditures are analyzed. The author gives the estimated expenditures of the Russian Federation for the first year of the war and the budget deficit. According to experts' estimates, an approximate figure of the need for funds to support combat operations in the current conditions is provided. The materials of the article are of practical value for analysts, economists and anyone who studies the Russian-Ukrainian war from the point of view of the economic component.

Rates of out-of-home care among children in Canada: an analysis of national administrative child welfare data.

As a part of the public health approach to child welfare, data about children placed in out-of-home care are needed to assess population trends, understand drivers of social and health inequities, and examine outcomes for children and families. We analyzed administrative data from Canada to describe the population of children in out-of-home care, and estimate and compare rates of out-of-home care by province/territory, year, sex/gender, age group and placement type. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of point-in-time data from all provinces and territories for the period 2013/2014 to 2021/2022. We used frequencies and percentages to describe the population of children (and youth up to age 21 years) in out-of-home care and estimated overall and stratified rates and rate ratios. An estimated 61 104 children in Canada were in out-of-home care on 31 March 2022. The national rate of out-of-home care was 8.24 children per 1000 population. Rate variations by province/territory were substantial and changed over time. Rates were highest among males and children aged 1 to 3 and 16 to 17 years. Foster homes were the most common type of placement, although kinship homes accounted for an increasing share. This analysis demonstrated that administrative data can be used to generate national indicators about children involved in the child welfare system. These data can be used for tracking progress towards health and social equity for children and youth in Canada.

School Well-Being and Academic Performance of Children With Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: A National Register-Based Study.

We aimed to investigate how school well-being (SWB) and academic performance of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) compare to their peers on a national level using the Danish national registers. Further, we investigated the potential influence of socioeconomic status (SES). A population-wide, register-based, cross-sectional study was performed. We compared the results of children with and without JIA in the Danish National Well-Being Questionnaire (DNWQ), the National Danish School Testing (NDST), and their ninth grade (aged approximately 16 yrs) final school marks in Danish and mathematics. The results were analyzed using adjusted ordinal logistic regression (SWB) and linear regression (tests and marks). In separate cohorts, we included a total of 505,340 children answering the DNWQ, 812,461 children with NDST results, and the ninth-grade final marks of 581,804 children. Of these children, 1042, 1541, and 1410, respectively, fulfilled the criteria of JIA. Children with JIA reported SWB comparable to their peers, except for the question "Do you perform well in school?" (odds ratio 0.89, 95% CI 0.81-0.99). In the NDST, the children with JIA in general did just as well as their peers. We found no differences in the ninth-grade final marks in either Danish or mathematics. Stratifying the analyses on SES showed no significant differences in the associations. Overall, children with JIA report SWB comparable to that of children without JIA and perform equally well in school as children without JIA.

Profile and burden of the family caregiver: the caring experience in multiple sclerosis. An observational study

BackgroundThe broad implications of caring for a family member with a chronic medical condition, such as MS, can lead caregivers to experience a high burden of care. The aim of the study was to describe profile of MS caregivers and their burden and to explore potential factors influencing this burden.Methods200 family caregivers of a person with MS completed survey questionnaires across a cross-sectional study. Many information were collected: caregiver socio-demographic and health-related data, caregiving activities, knowledge of MS, coping strategies, mood, social support received and care recipient information. Caregiving burden was measured by the ZBI (Zarit Burden Interview). The extent to which the variables explained caregiver burden was analyzed using a hierarchical approach.Results68% of the caregivers reported a perceived burden of care (ZBI score > 20). Our results show that physical and mental related-health variables are important predictive factors of the care burden, explaining much of the observed variance (40.9%).ConclusionFamily caregivers in MS continue to make up the shortfall produce by national health and welfare systems. We highlighted the importance of good physical and mental health in decreasing perceived burden. Working to alleviate psychological distress through mechanisms focus on reducing worries and perceived burden may be a valid approach.

Responsibility for impairment shapes the perceived deservingness of welfare claimants with disabilities

AbstractWhen do people support government assistance for people with disabilities? Disability welfare programs account for large shares of national welfare budgets, but little is known about public attitudes toward disabled welfare claimants. Drawing on psychological research in stereotype content, we argue that attitudes toward welfare for people with disabilities are likely to be more conditional than previously acknowledged. In two nationally representative, preregistered survey experiments in Wales (N = 3393) and Scotland (1707), we ask respondents to evaluate the deservingness of a fictitious disabled claimant to government assistance. We manipulate the claimant's outgroup status and the manner in which they acquired their impairment. We find that disabled claimants perceived as even somewhat responsible for their impairments are considered substantially less deserving of government assistance than those perceived not responsible, even when their needs for assistance are identical. Contrary to expectations, we find relatively modest and inconsistent outgroup penalties in perceived deservingness. Finally, we find large heterogeneous treatment effects among respondents holding to more authoritarian social values. These results challenge conventional wisdom regarding the universality of support for disability welfare and help explain why voters may not be inclined to punish politicians who propose cuts to programs for even stereotypically high‐deserving groups.

Contribution of Science and Technology to the Country’s National Security

In the face of Nepal's constant vulnerability to major geopolitical forces, the country has yet to fully harness technology to safeguard its national interests. This paper highlights how states, in demanding times, have wielded scientific technology to safeguard their security and address their interests. This paper draws attention to the importance of investment in innovation and research for the survival of a nation. Drawing upon historical, technological, and geopolitical perspectives, this paper explores the pivotal role of scientific and technological breakthroughs in shaping military strategies, and war efforts. The paper examines key moments when innovations such as the development of bow and arrow, gunpowder, RADAR, proximity fuse, cryptography, and computer malware have provided nations, civilizations, and communities with a vital advantage in safeguarding their security. Furthermore, the paper explores the mutual relationship between scientific research, innovation, and economic growth. It highlights how investments in science bolster a country's defence capabilities and foster innovative ecosystems that drive economic prosperity. Ultimately, this paper seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of the contributions of science to national security and well-being. Analyzing the relationship between innovation, strategy, and global dynamics; the paper highlights the imperativeness of nations to adapt, collaborate, and harness scientific advancements, to safeguard their interests in an increasingly complex world. Through an enriched understanding of the past and present contributions of science in national defence, Nepalese policymakers, military leadership, and the country’s scientific community can navigate the intricate landscape of national safe guardianship to ensure a secure and prosperous future for Nepal.

Research on the Impact of Rural Logistics on Regional Economy under the Background of Rural Revitalization: A Case Study of Anhui Province.

In the report of the 19th National Congress, Comrade Xi Jinping pointed out that the issues concerning agriculture, rural areas, and farmers are fundamental to national welfare and people's livelihood, and solving these "three rural issues" must always be the top priority in the Party's work. Implementing the strategy for rural revitalization is an important foundation for building a modern economic system, and promoting the development of rural logistics to drive regional economic growth is one of the important ways to achieve the strategy of rural revitalization. Against the backdrop of rural revitalization, this paper assesses the current state of rural logistics and regional economic development in Anhui Province, analyzing the present situation of rural logistics and regional economy in Anhui Province. Firstly, taking Anhui Province as the case study area, this research constructs an index evaluation system and establishes a comprehensive evaluation model by surveying recent data on rural logistics and economic development from 16 cities within the province. Then, based on statistical data, the comprehensive evaluation index, correlation, and synergy of both are calculated, and an analysis is made accordingly. This paper examines the coupling relationship between the development of rural logistics and regional economic development in Anhui Province from both temporal and spatial dimensions, arriving at the following conclusions: From the temporal dimension, it is evident that since 2010, both the development index of rural logistics and regional economic development index in Anhui Province have been rising continuously, showing a good development trend. The development indexes of Anhui Province's rural logistics and regional economy have shown the same upward trend, indicating a coupling in their development. From the spatial dimension, the development of rural logistics is linked to the level of economic prosperity, and the regional economy has a spatial expansion effect on promoting rural logistics, which in turn facilitates urban economic development and is also influenced by the population base. By summarizing the conclusions on the relationship between rural logistics and regional economic development, this paper provides valuable suggestions for effectively promoting rural economic development, increasing farmers' income, and achieving the strategy of rural revitalization sooner.

Implementation and Evaluation of a National Well-Being Curriculum for KL2 Scholars.

Introduction: The study aimed to pilot test a well-being curriculum for KL2 scholars to be used across the Clinical and Translational Science Award consortium. Methods: Between November 2022, and May 2023, 36 KL2 scholars from 25 hubs participated in the program. The General Well-Being Index for U.S. Workers and the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS-29) were completed by scholars before and after the program. Results: Postparticipation, there was a trend of improvement in the domains of well-being, sleep, anxiety, and fatigue. Conclusion: Implementing a virtual synchronous well-being curriculum allowed the scholars to connect across the consortium and improve their well-being.

What if Black Studies studied fat for real for real?

ABSTRACT Only four years after Black Studies departments began to form in the US, Johnnie Tillmon, then Chairwoman of the National Welfare Rights Organization, proclaimed in her 1972 article in Ms. magazine that her marginalized intersectional identities – woman, Black, poor, fat, middle-aged, and on welfare – gave her little to no value in the American imaginary. How, in the midst of establishing departments for the study of Black life, could Tillmon’s Black fat life not be studied as well? Cathy Cohen (1999) asserts that welfare reform, like women’s rights and HIV/AIDS, are “cross-cutting issues” that complicate “respectable,” singularized notions of group identity. Black Studies departments have long aligned with this “secondary marginalization,” and Black feminists have stepped in and fought to obtain epistemological space for Black women and femmes. However, there was a missed opportunity to connect Tillmon’s embodiment with the social justice work being done to establish Black Studies. Fat Black women, such as Fannie Lou Hamer, had been on the front lines, but their embodied experiences had no seats in the front of the Black liberation bus. Because of this disconnect, I posit that Black Studies’ secondary marginalization of fat Black women leaves a noticeable gap in its disciplinary project. I argue that Black Studies as a field must 1) engage with Fat Studies via a social justice commitment to disrupt Black fat women from being rendered hyper-visible as service-workers and hyper-invisible as decision-makers, and 2) utilize body size as an analytical category to gain more nuanced and deeper understandings of Black life.

Long-term follow-up of cancer and catastrophic diseases in hematopoietic stem cell donors: a comprehensive matched cohort study.

Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation, using either bone marrow (BM) or peripheral blood stem cells (PBSC), is a well-established therapy for various hematologic and non-hematologic diseases. However, the long-term health outcomes after HSC donation remain a major concern for several potential donors. Thus, we aimed to conduct a matched cohort study of 5003 unrelated donors (1099 BM and 3904 PBSC) and randomly selected 50,030 matched controls based on age, sex, and resident area from the donor registry between 1998 and 2018. The medical insurance claims of all the participants were retrieved from the Taiwan National Health and Welfare Data Science Center after de-identification. Our findings revealed no differences in the incidence of cancer, death, and catastrophic diseases between HSC donors and matched healthy participants during long-term follow-up. Kaplan-Meier curves depicting the cumulative incidence of cancer and overall mortality throughout the follow-up period also demonstrated similar outcomes between donors and non-donors. In conclusion, our results indicate that HSC donation, whether through BM or PBSC, is safe and not associated with an increased risk of cancer, death, or catastrophic diseases. These findings provide valuable information for counseling potential HSC donors and for long-term management of HSC donor health.

Strategic Orientation on National Security: Nepal's Path to Prosperity and Sustainability

This article provides a distinct examination of Nepal's strategic orientation on national security, intricately dissecting the dynamic interplay between security imperatives, economic prosperity, and sustainability. It will discuss the economic foundations, scrutinize trade policies, investment strategies, and economic development plans, and unravel their role in fostering fiscal resilience and shaping the nation's capacity to navigate external challenges. The environmental factor emerges as a strategic imperative, recognizing the inseparable link between a secure environment and long-term national well-being. The socio-economic dynamics explored in-depth will reveal policies contributing to citizens' well-being and recognizing the population as a strategic asset. The integration of technological innovations is identified as a dynamic force shaping Nepal's national security approach and positioning the nation within the global economic setting. The role of public awareness and informed citizenship is also highlighted in shaping the nation's path. This article unfolds as a comprehensive description that unstitches the layers of complexity defining Nepal's unique path toward a secure, prosperous, and sustainable future.

What Matters to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Youth (WM2Y): a study protocol to develop a national youth well-being measure

IntroductionAdolescents face challenges associated with unprecedented environmental, social and technological changes. The impacts of colonisation, intergenerational trauma, racism and socioeconomic disadvantage intensify these challenges for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait...

Unionization, industry concentration, and economic growth

Abstract This paper examines how unionization affects economic growth through its impact on industry concentration in a two-country model of international trade and endogenous productivity growth. Knowledge spillovers link firm-level productivity in innovation with geographic patterns of industry ensuring a faster rate of output growth when industry is relatively concentrated in the country with the greater labor supply. We show that stronger bargaining power in the relatively large country increases the rate of output growth when labor unions are employment-oriented but decreases the rate of growth when unions are wage-oriented. We then calibrate the model using labor market data for the United Kingdom and France and study the effects of union bargaining power on industry location patterns, output growth, and national welfare.

Inadequacies in Local Entrepreneurial Ecosystems that Impede Growth-Oriented Entrepreneurship in Lesotho

Entrepreneurship is acknowledged globally as a driver of unemployment reduction, poverty alleviation and national economic well-being. However, many nations, especially developing ones, struggle to sustain growth-oriented entrepreneurship due to limitations in their entrepreneurial ecosystems. With an unemployment rate of 28.9% as of 2019, Lesotho is one of the countries struggling to sustain effective entrepreneurial ecosystems. This article seeks to identify the inadequacies in local entrepreneurial ecosystems that impede the emergence of entrepreneurs and small-and-medium enterprises in Lesotho. This study, grounded in systems theory, utilised a qualitative approach using semi-structured interviews to collect data from twenty-five budding entrepreneurs. Data analysis showed that financial institutions funding, entrepreneurial apathy, poor infrastructure, dearth of talents and leaders, and inadequate support networks were the main barriers to entrepreneurship in Lesotho. This study raises awareness of Lesotho's entrepreneurial ecosystem's basic flaws, which hinder growth-oriented business. The study is expected to improve policymakers’ intervention strategies and attract more scholars' attention to the phenomenon. The study is limited in scope due to the participants' concentration in Maseru, the capital city. This geographical restriction is a limitation to the extent that businesses operating in the city and those operating in the countryside may experience different systemic impacts. Future research should explore broader scope.

Mothers’ education and childhood anaemia in Uganda

ABSTRACT This article employs ordered probit to examine the effect mother’s education and other socio-economic and community factors on the prevalence of childhood anaemia in urban and rural areas and severity of anaemia in Uganda using the Uganda Demographic and Health Survey. In Uganda, 53% of children aged 6–59 months suffered from some degree of anaemia, with 24% being mildly anaemic, 27% moderately anaemic, and 2% severely anaemic (UDHS, 2016). Anaemia has substantial negative effects on the health and economic wellbeing of nations and communities. The study findings indicate that mother’s education attainment and the partner’s schooling and socio-economic factors are important in explaining the prevalence of childhood anaemia in Uganda. The major implication of these results is that raising women’s education improves their economic opportunities, and the behavioural responses and this can greatly improve children’s health outcomes in terms of low prevalence of childhood anaemia.

Pathways between foodways and wellbeing for first nations Australians

BackgroundSupporting the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (hereafter respectfully referred to as First Nations peoples) is a national priority for Australia. Despite immense losses of land, language, and governance caused by the continuing impact of colonisation, First Nations peoples have maintained strong connections with traditional food culture, while also creating new beliefs, preferences, and traditions around food, which together are termed foodways. While foodways are known to support holistic health and wellbeing for First Nations peoples, the pathways via which this occurs have received limited attention.MethodsSecondary data analysis was conducted on two national qualitative datasets exploring wellbeing, which together included the views of 531 First Nations peoples (aged 12–92). Thematic analysis, guided by an Indigenist research methodology, was conducted to identify the pathways through which foodways impact on and support wellbeing for First Nations peoples.Results and conclusionsFive pathways through which wellbeing is supported via foodways for First Nations peoples were identified as: connecting with others through food; accessing traditional foods; experiencing joy in making and sharing food; sharing information about food and nutrition; and strategies for improving food security. These findings offer constructive, nationally relevant evidence to guide and inform health and nutrition programs and services to harness the strengths and preferences of First Nations peoples to support the health and wellbeing of First Nations peoples more effectively.

Challenging the role of resilience and vulnerability in narratives of well-being

We analyse prevailing discourse on resilience and vulnerability amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with a focus on well-being. This involves a critical review of the Australian Governmental National Mental Health and Wellbeing Pandemic Response Plan, and the enforced lockdown of inner-Melbourne public housing tours by the Victorian Government. We explore these issues within the framework of neoliberal processes that responsibilise individuals for their own well-being. We suggest that Contemporary forms of discourse on resilience are actually unable to address the core issue they seek to confront; vulnerability. We argue that locating responsibility for resilience and well-being with individuals may well exacerbate their vulnerability and ignores any sense of collective responsibility for the well-being of marginalised groups. We propose that the connection between vulnerability and well-being is a moral concern that should be incorporated into political agendas and policies. These should affirm collective responsibility for well-being. Drawing on relational autonomy theorists, we assert that vulnerability is intrinsic to human flourishing, shaped by relational dynamics. Instead of using vulnerability as a tool to justify neoliberal agendas, we advocate for a transformation in our shared narrative of well-being. This shift should focus on embracing vulnerability as an integral part of well-being in relationships, rather than fixating on resilience and well-being as an individual responsibility.

Financial instruments of crisis reversal in the Russian economy

Aim. To study the economic crises that occurred in the Russian Federation (RF) from 1991 to 2022 from the point of view of analyzing the causes of their occurrence and the factors of reversal, as well as identifying the chances of overcoming the stages of slowdown and decline in economic dynamics, including those associated with digitalization.Objectives. To reveal the causes of economic crises by identifying the risks realized during this or that crisis; to determine the financial instruments of economic crises reversal in the Russian economy since 1991; to identify the chances of the economic system to overcome the stages of slowdown and decline in economic dynamics and to turn the economic system to sustainable growth.Methods. General scientific methods, including comparative, retrospective and analogy methods, were used as methodological tools.Results. The article identifies the realized risks of economic crises in the Russian Federation, from the crisis of 1991 to the crisis of 2022. As chances of economic growth in the period of digital transformation of the economy and the financial sector, the risks of innovative financial technologies, risks of digitalization of the banking sector, risks of insurance and financial services were identified. Financial and non-financial tools to turn the economic crisis to the recovery period and subsequent sustainable growth were identified.Conclusions. Any crisis is based not only on factors that aggravate and destabilize its parameters, but also on factors that present new chances for further economic development. When assessing economic dynamics during crises, one should take into account the realized risks, possible chances and tools for economic turnaround, including financial and non-financial instruments. Financial instruments, which allow to implement extraordinary management decisions, serve as instruments of turnaround. Additional state budget expenditures from the reserve fund (until 2017) or from the national welfare fund represent corrective financing in periods of uncertainty and are associated with emergency management decisions during crises, including during a special military operation. The main task of the regulator is to limit the negative effects of realized internal and external risks.

Assessing the Effects of Macroeconomic Variables on Economic Welfare in Ghana

This study employs the Auto-Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) bounds approach to investigate the relationship between Real GDP, which serves as an estimator of a nation’s economic performance, and selected macroeconomic variables. Using data from the World Bank Development Indicators spanning the period from 1993 to 2022, our analysis reveals distinct patterns in the interplay between inflation, labour productivity, public consumption expenditure, and real GDP. The results highlight the negative impact of inflation on economic well-being. Conversely, a positive correlation emerges between real GDP and both labour productivity and public consumption expenditure. These findings contribute nuanced insights to the ongoing discourse on the appropriateness of Real GDP. The observed negative influence of inflation on Real GDP underscores the importance of vigilant inflation management for sustained economic stability. On the other hand, the positive association between real GDP and labour productivity, as well as public consumption expenditure, implies potential avenues for fostering economic growth and prosperity. These findings not only enhance our understanding of the dynamic interactions within economic systems, but also challenge conventional perspectives on real GDP as an indicator of economic health. These insights provide valuable considerations for crafting effective policies that go beyond GDP figures to ensure holistic and sustainable national economic well-being.