Non-essential Items Research Articles

A comprehensive audit of difficult airway trolleys in selected Victorian hospitals

This study aimed to assess the availability, design, and contents of difficult airway trolleys in hospitals in Victoria, Australia. A survey audit was conducted with a 92.3% reply rate, and the responses from 22 major Victorian hospitals were analysed. The results showed that difficult airway trolleys were available in 100% of operating theatres, emergency departments and intensive care units, and the rate of standardisation was high. Compliance with recommended design features and resources was on average 68.3%. There was no significant difference in the compliance rate of major tertiary centres compared with other hospitals. The carriage of non-essential items was reduced compared with earlier audits. However, there was heterogeneity in the brands of supraglottic airway devices, videolaryngoscopes and cognitive aids used. The study highlights the need for ongoing improvement to the organization and content of difficult airway trolleys, and for further discussion regarding the safety of equipment variation across institutions.

“I Don’t have a Pile of Money to Take Care of Things”: Financial Stress and Housing Insecurity Among Low-Income Hispanic/Latinx Immigrant Families During COVID-19

Housing, the single largest expense for low-income individuals, is inherently tied to economic security. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Hispanic/Latinx and Black communities experienced the highest rates of income loss, basic needs insecurity, and COVID-19 hospitalization and mortality. As part of an ethnographic case study, I conducted serial interviews over two years with 35 predominantly low-income Hispanic/Latinx immigrant families in one Denver, Colorado neighborhood during the COVID-19 pandemic. These interviews revealed that very few of these individuals were able to access governmental financial support as a result of limited dissemination despite facing unemployment, underemployment and rising rents. Although governmental financial support forestalled poor outcomes for many US families, these financial interventions were inaccessible for low-income Hispanic/Latinx immigrant families because of their documentation status and/or language barriers. Given no other options, families coped with their increasing economic insecurity by cutting back on non-essential items, doubling-up housing with other families, and relying on nonprofit emergency food assistance in order to maintain stable housing. These experiences highlight the need for further dissemination of information about supportive interventions, which can increase economic security among low-income immigrant families and non-English speaking communities. In tandem, policy efforts related to economic security are needed to mitigate the burden of wealth inequities through poverty-reduction programs, pathways to citizenship, and access to basic needs security – including safe and affordable housing, food security, health-promoting resources, and living wage work.

Effects of fuel prices on economic activity: Evidence from Sudan

The impact of fuel prices on economic activity is a multifaceted phenomenon. Generally, an upward trend in fuel prices has the potential to impede economic growth, concurrently diminishing consumer expenditure on alternative commodities and services. The objective of this study is to scrutinize the influence of fuel prices on economic activity within Sudan, covering the period from 2000 to 2021. Employing a descriptive methodology, the study delineated the observed phenomenon, while employing a standard analytical approach for data analysis. The study yielded several noteworthy findings. Notably, at a confidence level of 1%, there was a statistically significant impact of fuel prices on oil revenues, as evident from the correlation coefficient of 0.628. Specifically, a 1% increase in fuel prices corresponded to a 0.099% increase in Sudan's oil revenues. Moreover, the study ascertained that the level of fuel prices significantly affected economic growth, whereby a 1% increase in fuel prices resulted in a 0.096% reduction in Sudan's economic growth rate. These findings align with previous research. Consequently, elevated fuel prices incur escalated transportation costs, amplifying the expenses associated with production and transport for businesses. Furthermore, higher fuel prices can instigate inflationary pressures, as the augmented transportation costs contribute to increased production expenses. Ultimately, this can constrain consumer spending, as individuals have limited disposable income for non-essential items. Conversely, lower fuel prices can engender heightened economic activity, granting consumers greater purchasing power for alternative goods and services.

Financial adversity and subsequent health and wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic in the UK: A qualitative interview study

AimsThere are concerns that the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, including employment inactivity and job loss, will have consequences for the UK population's health and wellbeing. However, there is limited qualitative research into how financial adversity contributes to poor health outcomes in this context. This study aimed to explore forms of financial adversity experienced during the pandemic and their subsequent impacts for health and wellbeing. MethodsQualitative semi-structured interviews with 20 people who experienced a form of financial adversity during the pandemic and six service providers employed in social welfare support services. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. ResultsTwo main sources of financial adversity were identified: reductions in household incomes and increased living costs which engendered emotional and physical burdens. Coping strategies included increased financial borrowing, support from informal and formal networks and cutting back on energy use, food and non-essential items. ConclusionOur study highlighted exposure to multiple financial adversities because of the pandemic and how these experiences led to poor mental and physical health. The findings underline the importance of measures attending to the immediate needs of individuals, including accessible, co-located financial and psychological services, as well as broader measures that seek to reduce social and economic inequalities.

A Study on Consumer Spending during the Post Covid-19 period in Chennai City

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected consumer buying patterns all over the world and upset the global economy. The epidemic has had a substantial impact on consumer purchasing patterns in Chennai, India. This study intends to look into the variables affecting consumer purchasing patterns in Chennai following COVID-19. The research technique includes the collecting of primary data through a structured questionnaire, and the acquired data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The pandemic has caused shifts in consumer behaviour, with people prioritising spending on vital goods and decreasing expenditure on non-essential items. Additionally, elements like income level, age, and occupation have a big impact on how much people spend.

AN IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE OF SELECTED FMCG COMPANIES IN INDIA

The Covid-19 pandemic caused disruptions in supply chains, leading to difficulties in obtaining raw materials, manufacturing, and distributing goods. These challenges, along with shifts in consumer behaviour and demand patterns, had an impact on the revenue and profitability of FMCG companies. While essential products experienced a surge in demand at the beginning of the pandemic, non-essential items faced decreased demand due to changes in consumer spending habits. FMCG companies also incurred additional costs due to disruptions in the supply chain, safety measures, employee welfare initiatives, and increased marketing and promotional activities. These added expenses placed pressure on profit margins, further affecting the financial performance of the companies. This study examines the financial performance of Godrej Consumer Products Ltd and TATA Consumer Products Ltd before and after the Covid-19 period. The results indicate that Godrej Consumer Products Ltd maintained a relatively stable and consistent financial performance in the post-Covid-19 period, while TATA Consumer Products Ltd experienced a slight decline in various financial ratios. These findings suggest that Godrej Consumer Products Ltd has successfully adapted to the post-Covid-19 environment, whereas TATA Consumer Products Ltd may need to address specific challenges to enhance its financial performance.

Multidimensional Poverty Measurement in Pakistan :Time Series Trends and Breakdown

In the recent literature, consensus has emerged that poverty is a multidimensional phenomenon; see Alkire and Santos (2010) for a review of the major arguments. Nonetheless, the most widely used measures of poverty remain unidimensional, being based on income or caloric intake cutoffs. The logic for the use of income based measures was that it was only lack of income which led to deprivation—with sufficient income; rational agents would automatically eliminate deprivations in all dimensions in the right sequence of priorities. However, careful studies like Thorbecke (2005) and Banerjee and Duflo (2006) show that this does not happen. Even while malnourished and underfed, the poor spend significant portions of their budgets on festivals, weddings, alcohol, tobacco and other non-essential items. The move from abstract theoretical speculation based on mathematical models of human behaviour to experiments and observations of actual behaviour has led to dramatic changes in the understanding of poverty and how to alleviate it. Some of these insights are encapsulated in a new approach to poverty advocated by Banerjee and Duflo (2011).

Inventory Management of Health Commodities in a Tertiary Teaching Hospital in Ethiopia.

Background: Analyzing purchased health commodities based on their budgetary consumption and importance is crucial for efficient utilization of a hospital’s budget. However, it is rarely seen when hospitals, mostly in developing countries, conduct such kinds of analyses and make an informed decision, including to utilize their limited budget efficiently. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to analyze a 3-year inventory of health commodities (medicines, medical supplies, and laboratory reagents and chemicals) in Saint Paul Hospital Millennium Medical College (SPHMMC). Methodology: The study was conducted in SPHMMC located in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. It is one of the largest specialized public hospitals in the country. It is a huge teaching hospital in the country where a large amount of budget is utilized. Three years of data were collected and ABC, VEN, and ABC-VEN matrix techniques were applied for the analysis. The data collection period was from March to April 2017. Results: An average of 296 medicines, 194 laboratory commodities, and 105 medical supplies were purchased over 3 years. Class A medicines, which consume 80% of the total annual pharmaceutical expenditures (APE) account, are 17.8%–20% of the total medicines by quantity. Antibiotics (ceftriaxone 1 gm injection and metronidazole), IV fluids (sodium chloride 0.9% injection and dextrose 40% injection), and antidiabetic medication (insulin zin suspension and metformin) are among the top 10 medications by value that consume significant amounts of the budget of the hospital. On VEN analysis, an average of 24% of the items were vital, 67% were essential, and 4–8–8.9% were nonessential. Nonessential items consumed 0.49%, 9.9%, and 1.1% of Annual Expenditures (AEs) in 2013/14, 2014/15 and 2015/16, respectively. On ABC-VEN matrix analysis, a single expensive and nonessential medicine (valganciclovir HCL 450 mg tablet) consumed 9.4% of expenditure in 2014/15. Class A laboratory commodities, which consume 70%–80% of the total laboratory expenditures represented 8.5%–20% of the total laboratory commodities analyzed for the 3 years. From class A items, antimonoclonal antibodies in 2013/14, hemocue glucose 201 4 × 25 tests in 2014/15, and glucose tests in 2015/16 consumed the highest percentages: 9.2%, 8.2%, and 23.7% of the AEs, respectively. There were laboratory commodities procured out of the VEN list, and these accounted for 6.8%–31.2% of the total laboratory expenditures over the 3 years. Class A medical supplies, which consumed 80% of the total medical supply expenditures, represented only 8.2%–15.8% of the total items over the 3 years studied. Surgical gauze 90 cm × 100 m, surgical gloves sterile latex number 7.5, and examination gloves were the top three based on expenditures in all the studied years. In 2015/16, examination gloves alone consumed 71.9% of the total expenditure. Conclusion: SPHMMC manages large numbers of health commodities (more than 500 excluding program commodities) which necessitate efficient inventory management practice in place. However, the purchase of the commodities particularly those products used for laboratory diagnosis is not strictly based on the hospital’s VEN list, indicating the need for better communication of the laboratory unit with the Drug and Therapeutic Committee (DTC) of the hospital. The DTC of the hospital should update the VEN list of the health commodities and strictly enforce the hospital procurement to adhere to the agreed upon list of medicines. In addition, the hospital should prioritize and decide the quantity and frequency of ordering health commodities based on regular ABC-VEN results.

Understanding the Psychology Behind Panic Buying: A Grounded Theory Approach

A psychological phenomenon that has triggered panic buying by the rapid spread of emergent epidemic is worthy of consideration. Population across cultures and national boundaries has raided shops at each growth stage of this epidemic, and India’s fast-moving consumer goods companies have faced increased pressure to ramp up production to meet demand. Limited research in consumer behaviour theory has approached to this collective action of panic buying or in other terms stockpiling. A theory needs to be developed from panic literature to understand this collective action by consumers in an emergency situation. The framework thus developed will facilitate in making economic choices in relative social isolation. This article is an attempt to identify the factors that lead to panic buying in case of pandemic. The research is carried out in stressed circumstances during the lockdown in Delhi and uses grounded theory to obtain insights from 22 consumer goods retail store operators to understand the reasons of panic buying by consumers. The responses have been carefully analysed to propose a model for further testing of consumer behaviour towards panic buying of essential and non-essential items under the pandemic situation.

Food Safety Farm to Fork Chain in Covid-19 Pandemic: Challenges and Solutions

In the wake of the current COVID-19 a restraint was put on the supply of non-essential items. At the same time, provision of essential food items, health supplements, nutraceuticals, food for special dietary and special medical purpose, infant/baby food, animal feed/pet food needs to be ensured. Apart from these items, food delivery services, e-commerce, cold storage and warehousing of food products, fuel such as coal, rice husk, diesel/furnace oil and all raw materials, intermediaries, packaging materials needed to support the above list of products are required to be included in the essential list to ensure uninterrupted functioning of food supply chain. This article describes methods to ensure food safety along with prevention of COVID-19 infection while ensuring food security for all.

Essentiality of non-essential purchases for digitally influenced, bottom of pyramid customers

This paper aims to broaden the understanding why bottom of pyramid customers in Pakistan purchase non-essential items despite their financial constraints. Qualitative data was collected through in-depth interviews from a purposive sample of 14 respondents. NVivo 12 was used to analyze data. In the light of self-determination theory, this hermeneutic inquiry suggests that bottom of pyramid customers who are negatively stereotyped on account of their consumption inadequacy, have a specific need to improve self-worth. They struggle to engage in socially relevant consumption practices, to avoid social exclusion. Internet increases their awareness about products that they consider necessary for a minimal level of decent living. This digital influence transforms their consumer behavior. Since consumer culture does not adequately define what makes up a minimally decent living, bottom of pyramid customers will keep on aspiring products that they perceive as socially relevant for a better lifestyle. These reasons make ‘non-essential’ purchases extremely essential and relevant for bottom of pyramid customers. This practice is observed in more affluent people too, however, the sacrifices that bottom of pyramid customers make in order to fulfill their need for a more respectable social standing, are relatively more critical than the trade-off that more affluent people make among their choices. This research will enable marketers to understand value requirements of bottom of pyramid customers more deeply and create more precise value propositions.

Social prescribing in a time of Covid‐19 and social isolation…

Social prescribing in a time of Covid‐19 and social isolation…

Did U.S. Consumers Respond to the 2014-2015 Oil Price Shock? Evidence from the Consumer Expenditure Survey

The impact of oil price shocks on the U.S. economy is a topic of considerable debate. In this paper, we examine the response of U.S. consumers to the 2014-2015 negative oil price shock using representative survey data from the Consumer Expenditure Survey. We propose a difference-in-difference identification strategy based on two factors, vehicle ownership and gasoline reliance, which generate variation in exposure to oil price shocks across consumers. Our findings suggest that exposed consumers significantly increased their spending relative to non-ex-posed consumers when oil prices fell, and that the average marginal propensity to consume (MPC) out of gasoline savings was above 1. Across products, we find that consumers increased spending especially on transportation goods and non-essential items.

The Signal and the Noise: Lessons from G.E. Hutchinson

The Signal and the Noise: Lessons from G.E. Hutchinson

What effects will the strategy changes undertaken by next Plc have on themselves and their competition in the UK Clothing Retail Market?

Next is at the forefront of retail progression, from its 1988 Next Directory launch, online presence in 1999, next-day delivery in 2000 and mobile and tablet innovations today. Despite this, Next can no longer rely on this to maintain a competitive advantage. Digital is the primary growth driver, forcing retailers to invest heavily, whereby reducing differentiation. Expansion compresses margins including traditional channels, digital channels, product pricing, product quality and product offerings. Product differentiation and cost minimization throughout the entire supply chain became key success elements. Brexit uncertainty impacted the UK in areas including low interest rates, immigration, consumer sentiment and exchange rates, leading to potentially higher prices. Consumer shopping habits forced by the 2008 economic downturn reduced spending on many non-essential items. Despite the economy improving, discounting and quality, for a lowprice have remained, forcing retailers to react. The three traditional retail segments of value, mass market, and luxury are analyzed showing the technological impact on each sector and the latest category addition, the Internet-only component.

Medicine expenditures in Sudan National Health Insurance Fund: an ABC-VEN analysis of 5-year medicine consumption

This study was conducted to assess the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) program in Sudan in terms of the expenditure trends over the period of 5 years (2006 and 2010), their value of usage and the pattern of medicines expenditure. The standard tools for analysing aggregate medicine data (ABC and VEN) analysis were used. The total value of consumption was calculated by multiplying quantities by unit cost, and the total values sorted in descending order. The percentage of total value for each item was calculated. Similarly, for Vital, Essential and Non-essential (VEN) analysis, the NHIF medicine lists (2006 and 2007) were classified as vital, essential or non-essential medicines (based on explanatory statement for physician, medical doctors and pharmacists). ABC analysis showed that small number of items (n = 80, 16.98%) in Class A account for large proportion of the fund (70.19%), whereas large number of items (n = 288, 61.15%) of Class C account only for 9.92% of the total fund. Similarly, the VEN analysis showed that small number of items (n = 11, 2.34%) of Class V account for 5.46%, whereas Class N consists of 212 (45.01%) items that account for 26.43% of the total fund. The medicine class that accounted for the highest expenditure were medicines related to general anti-infectives for systemic use (40.37%) and it made the largest contribution to increases in the total medicine expenditure (48.59%). The findings reveal that relatively small number of items accounts for most of the value of the supply fund and non-essential items represent around half of number of NHIF items and account for around quarter of the total fund.

Establishing the psychometric properties of the Self and Perceived-partner Authenticity in Relationships Scale-Short Form (AIRS-SF): Measurement invariance, reliability, and incremental validity

This article evaluates the psychometric properties of Self and Perceived-partner versions of the Authenticity in Relationships Scale (AIRS; Lopez & Rice, 2006). Two samples were collected. Sample 1 (N=487) was comprised of romantically involved adults residing in the United States, recruited from the Amazon Mechanical Turk, who completed Self and Perceived-partner versions of the AIRS, along with a number of other self-report measures. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to establish measurement invariance across Self and Perceived-partner versions of the scale and eliminate non-essential items. The revised 12-item short-form (AIRS-SF) exhibited excellent reliability in the validation sample, as well as a holdout sample of romantically involved college students (N=112). Multi-group path analysis provided additional evidence for the incremental validity of the AIRS-SF. Consistent with prior experimental work, the Perceived-partner AIRS-SF predicts relationship satisfaction and commitment through interpersonal trust, independent of attachment avoidance.

A patient safety approach to setting pass/fail standards for basic procedural skills checklists.

Checklists for basic procedural skills require an approach to standard setting in which patient safety concerns are paramount. We suggest that faculty members identify dimensions such as patient or clinician safety, procedure outcome, and patient comfort that are essential for a given procedure and demand for essential checklist items a high level of mastery that is not compensated by performance of nonessential items. This approach differs from traditional standard setting methods developed for written examinations, which allow examinees to miss a given percentage of items regardless of the specific items missed. Application of cut scores based on this patient safety standard resulted in requiring a substantial number of students to retrain and retest; these students would have passed if the traditional Angoff method had been used. Only by demanding a high level of mastery in the simulation laboratory can we promote patient safety in the messy and unpredictable real world.

Quality of inguinal hernia operative reports: room for improvement

Operative reports (ORs) serve as the official documentation of surgical procedures. They are essential for optimal patient care, physician accountability and billing, and direction for clinical research and auditing. Nonstandardized narrative reports are often of poor quality and lacking in detail. We sought to audit the completeness of narrative inguinal hernia ORs. A standardized checklist for inguinal hernia repair (IHR) comprising 33 variables was developed by consensus of 4 surgeons. Five high-volume IHR surgeons categorized items as essential, preferable or nonessential. We audited ORs for open IHR at 6 academic hospitals. We audited 213 ORs, and we excluded 7 femoral hernia ORs. Tension-free repairs were the most common (82.5%), and the plug-and-patch technique was the most frequent (52.9%). Residents dictated 59% of ORs. Of 33 variables, 15 were considered essential and, on average, 10.8 ± 1.3 were included. Poorly reported elements included first occurrence versus recurrent repair (8.3%), small bowel viability in incarcerated hernias (10.7%) and occurrence of intraoperative complications (32.5%). Of 18 nonessential elements, deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis, preoperative antibiotics and urgency were reported in 1.9%, 11.7% and 24.3% of ORs, respectively. Repair-specific details were reported in 0 to 97.1% of ORs, including patch sutured to tubercle (55.1%) and location of plug (67.0%). Completeness of IHR ORs varied with regards to essential and nonessential items but were generally incomplete, suggesting there is opportunity for improvement, including implementation of a standardized synoptic OR.

The impact of the economic recession on well-being and quality of life of older people

The importance of economic well-being is recognised in the recent UK Government policy. Older people may be particularly vulnerable to economic fluctuations as they are reliant on fixed incomes and assets, which are reducing in value. Within the literature, little is understood about the impact of the current economic downturn on people's general quality of life and well-being and, in particular, there is little research on the financial experiences and capability of the older age group, a concern in light of the ageing UK population. This article reports a qualitative research study into the nature of older peoples' vulnerability by exploring their perceptions of the impact of the economic recession on their well-being and quality of life. It explores specifically a group of older people who are not the poorest within the ageing population, but who may be described as the 'asset rich-income poor' group. Key themes relate to the impact of the recession on the costs of essential and non-essential items and dimensions of mental, physical and social well-being. Implications for health and social care practice in meeting the needs of older people during times of economic recession are then explored. The paper adds to the debate by demonstrating that the recession is having adverse consequences for older people's quality of life in terms of economic, mental and social well-being, although there is also evidence that some of them are equipped with certain resilience factors due to their money management and budgeting skills.