Ordered Logit Regression Analyses Research Articles

There is power in a union? Union members' preferences and the conditional effect of labour unions on left parties in different welfare state programmes

AbstractThis article studies the effect of labour unions on policy‐making in six different parts of the welfare state (passive and active labour market policy, employment protection, old‐age pensions, health care and education) in OECD countries after 1980 with a two‐level strategy: At the micro‐level, we investigate union members’ preferences. Ordered logit regression analyses indicate that union members favour generous social policies more strongly than non‐members. Moreover, this effect is stronger for programmes closely related to the labour market than for programmes without a strong labour market link. At the macro‐level, we investigate the conditional effect of unions on left parties expecting the former to push the left towards more generous labour market‐related (but not towards less‐labour market‐related) programmes. Regression analyses essentially provide evidence for such a relationship. Overall, unions have been powerful in promoting their members’ social policy preferences via left parties in government but their power is recently vanishing.

Cultural Participation and Subjective Well-Being in Latin America: Does Ethnic-Racial Ascription Matter?

Cultural participation has been evidenced to bring several benefits to the well-being of individuals. However, the analysis of this relationship has been addressed mostly in the context of Westernized countries, without considering the diversity of populations in Latin America. Therefore, the aim of this manuscript is to explore the association between cultural participation and subjective well-being (measured by life satisfaction) in Latin America, considering ethnic-racial ascription. With data from the 2013 Latinobarómetro survey (n=20204), several ordered logit regression analyses were performed. Results suggest that read books, read news, attend movies, attend theater, visit heritage places, and participation in community celebrations are associated with life satisfaction. However, these relationships show differentiated patterns depending on the ethnic-racial ascription, which implies that the positive impacts of cultural participation cannot be attributed to all populations, highlighting a process of social exclusion where some individuals get benefits of cultural participation, while others do not.

Perceived Age Discrimination: Implications for Mental Health and Life Satisfaction in Middle and Later Life—a Research Note

This study examined the relationship between perceived age discrimination and subjective well-being in middle and later life in a Canadian context. Data were drawn from the 2013 Canadian General Social Survey Public Use Microdata File (N = 15,759 aged 45 and older). Ordered logit regression analyses addressed the main and interactive effects of age and perceived age discrimination on self-reported mental health and life satisfaction. Our analyses revealed a negative association between perceived age discrimination and both outcome measures. In addition, middle-aged adults were found to be more vulnerable than older adults to the negative mental health and well-being implications of perceived age discrimination. However, in gender-stratified models, this finding was observed among both men and women for mental health but only among women for life satisfaction. From these findings, we conclude that perceived age discrimination appears to be a risk factor when it comes to mental health and life satisfaction in middle and later life and appears to be particularly problematic for the subjective well-being of middle-aged adults.

The Role of Cultural Participation on Subjective Well-Being in Mexico

This paper aims to examine whether the relationships between cultural participation and subjective well-being, informed by social capital theory, are significant in the Mexican population. With data from the 2012 Self-reported Well-Being Survey (BIARE in Spanish), a dataset that evaluate how people experience their quality of life, we performed several ordered logit regression analyses. Results reveals that reading books, reading articles, participating in art classes, and attending movies and theater (cultural participation categories) are associated, at different odds and probabilities, with life satisfaction, positive emotions, and affective balance, but not with negative emotions (subjective well-being components). Besides, social support networks, social integration, and trust (social capital dimensions) present positive statistically significant effects on life satisfaction, positive emotions, and affective balance; and negative significant effects on negative emotion. These outcomes emphasize, first, that the relationship between cultural participation and subjective well-being in Mexico should be studied in their separate categories and components. Second, the social capital approach potentially provides critical insights in the understanding of the phenomenon.

Exposure to a multi-level multi-component childhood obesity prevention\xa0community-randomized controlled trial: patterns, determinants, and implications

BackgroundFor community interventions to be effective in real-world conditions, participants need to have sufficient exposure to the intervention. It is unclear how the dose and intensity of the intervention differ among study participants in low-income areas. We aimed to understand patterns of exposure to different components of a multi-level multi-component obesity prevention program to inform our future impact analyses.MethodsB’more Healthy Communities for Kids (BHCK) was a community-randomized controlled trial implemented in 28 low-income zones in Baltimore in two rounds (waves). Exposure to three different intervention components (corner store/carryout restaurants, social media/text messaging, and youth-led nutrition education) was assessed via post-intervention interviews with 385 low-income urban youths and their caregivers. Exposure scores were generated based on self-reported viewing of BHCK materials (posters, handouts, educational displays, and social media posts) and participating in activities, including taste tests during the intervention. For each intervention component, points were assigned for exposure to study materials and activities, then scaled (0–1 range), yielding an overall BHCK exposure score [youths: mean 1.1 (range 0–7.6 points); caregivers: 1.1 (0–6.7), possible highest score: 13]. Ordered logit regression analyses were used to investigate correlates of youths’ and caregivers’ exposure level (quartile of exposure).ResultsMean intervention exposure scores were significantly higher for intervention than comparison youths (mean 1.6 vs 0.5, p < 0.001) and caregivers (mean 1.6 vs 0.6, p < 0.001). However, exposure scores were low in both groups and 10% of the comparison group was moderately exposed to the intervention. For each 1-year increase in age, there was a 33% lower odds of being highly exposed to the intervention (odds ratio 0.77, 95% confidence interval 0.69; 0.88) in the unadjusted and adjusted model controlling for youths’ sex and household income.ConclusionTreatment effects may be attenuated in community-based trials, as participants may be differentially exposed to intervention components and the comparison group may also be exposed. Exposure should be measured to provide context to impact evaluations in multi-level trials. Future analyses linking exposure scores to the outcome should control for potential confounders in the treatment-on-the-treated approach, while recognizing that confounding and selection bias may exist affecting causal inference.Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02181010. Retrospectively registered on 2 July 2014.

Probable psychiatric disorder in a rural community of West Bengal, India.

India faces multiple challenges to mitigate a high burden of psychiatric disorders. The risk of developing psychiatric disorder among the rural Indian population is poorly investigated. This study aims to understand the factors associated with probable psychiatric disorder (PPD) among a select rural Indian population. Data from the Birbhum population project of the society for health and demographic surveillance, West Bengal, India, were utilized. Cross-sectional data covering a sample of 31,135 respondents (male 15,384 and female 15,751) aged ≥ 16years were used. The General Health Questionnaire-28 was administered and the responses were computed into three categories: psychological case, psychological caseness, and normal. Bivariate and multivariate ordered logit regression analyses were applied to attain the study objective. Of the total population, 26% of respondents were identified with PPD. People aged ≥ 60 years, females, divorced/separated/widowed individuals, the unemployed and people with no formal education, individuals from the poorest economic group, and people with a history of selling or mortgaging assets towards their healthcare expenditure had a higher prevalence of psychiatric case within their respective group. A high burden of PPD was estimated in the select rural community. While designing an intervention for measuring and addressing psychiatric disorders, the socioeconomic gradient of PPD could be helpful.

Does Fairtrade Certification Meet Producers' Expectations Related to Participating in Mainstream Markets? An Analysis of Advertised Benefits and Perceived Impact

AbstractIn this paper, we identify three literature‐based hypotheses about how and whether Fairtrade labeling delivers its advertised benefits: a market mechanism that provides producers in developing countries advantaged access to consumer markets; a sustainable agriculture mechanism that improves the sustainability of Fairtrade products and a social justice mechanism that protects the rights and livelihoods of farmers and workers. We surveyed a broad cross‐section of Fairtrade‐certified producer organizations and compared their expectations with their satisfactions using an importance–performance analysis (IPA), principal component analysis (PCA) and ordered logit regression analyses. According to our results, Fairtrade producers report both high importance and high performance in terms of metrics such as empowering women, democratic decision‐making and reduction of child labor, suggesting that farmers are most satisfied with Fairtrade as a social justice mechanism. Fairtrade producers report high importance but lower performance of Fairtrade as a market mechanism and least satisfaction as a sustainable agriculture mechanism. We explore the drivers and implications of these findings for Fairtrade and provide recommendations to increase producer satisfaction.

Preparing Teachers to Use GIS: The Impact of a Hybrid Professional Development Program on Teachers’ Use of GIS

This article reports the findings of a 3-year study of a hybrid professional development program designed to prepare science and mathematics teachers to implement GIS in their classrooms. The study was conducted as part of the CoastLines Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers project funded by the National Science Foundation. Three cohorts of teachers participated in the program, with each participant receiving 40 h of synchronous online instruction and 80 h of in-person instruction and support over an 8-month period. Data from surveys of participants both before and after the program were analyzed using correlation, ordinary least squares, and ordered logit regression analyses. The analyses revealed increases in the self-reported frequency of GIS use and enhanced feelings of preparation, competence, community, and comfort with respect to using GIS for instruction. A composite index of all impact variables was positively influenced as well. The statistical analyses found a strong relationship between self-reported feelings of preparation and use of GIS. Some support was found for the idea that feelings of competence, community, and comfort were related to the teachers’ sense of preparation. The findings suggest that a robust hybrid model of teacher professional development can prepare teachers to use GIS in their classrooms. More research is needed to understand how hybrid models influence the sociopsychological and other dimensions that support teachers’ feelings of preparation to implement GIS.

Leisure Time, Leisure Activities, and Happiness in China

This study utilized a nation-wide survey (n=73,622) to examine the associations of leisure time, leisure activities, and demographics with happiness among residents in China. Ordered logit regression analyses indicated that leisure time was positively associated with happiness. While passive leisure activities (e.g., watching TV, Internet surfing) were found to contribute to happiness, active leisure activities (e.g., exercising, socializing, and shopping) had no significant association with happiness. Among demographic variables, income was found to have a positive association with happiness; females were found to be generally happier than males, and urban residents happier than their rural counterparts. While age was surprisingly found to have no relation to happiness, education levels seemed to have varied non-linear relationships with happiness. The study contributes to empirically verifying the relationship between leisure and happiness and generates implications directing leisure policies and industry practices in China.

How Do People Perceive Service Attributes at Transit Facilities?

Given the well-known fact that transit users perceive out-of-vehicle travel (walking, waiting, and transferring) as more onerous than in-vehicle travel, understanding what makes travelers' perceptions of the out-of-vehicle travel experience better is important for transit planners who seek to make public transit more attractive. Original survey data collected from 2,122 transit users regarding their perceptions of various attributes of service at 36 transit stops and stations in California were used to examine which attributes are important to transit users, as well as their satisfaction levels with each attribute, and to ascertain the relative needs for improvement of these attributes. The paper also examines how different sets of attributes that determine overall satisfaction vary by transit users' trip characteristics and demographics, such as age, sex, income level, race and ethnicity, auto availability, mode of travel, and frequency of transit use. In a series of ordered logit regression analyses, satisfaction levels for safety- and access-related variables were found to be more aligned with overall user satisfaction than were information- and reliability-related attributes and amenities. A similar result was found for various subpopulations—men, those making less than $15,000 per year, frequent riders, commuters, and those with an alternative mode of travel—but not for others. The analysis indicates that while safety is certainly the number-one priority for all transit users, travelers with different backgrounds on different modes of transit have different priorities for services and attributes to improve their transit experience.

STD and HIV Testing Behaviors Among Black And Puerto Rican Young Adults

Given the high rates of infection among urban young adults, STD and HIV testing promotion is a public health priority. To inform future testing efforts, lifetime and recent testing behaviors of this population within casual and serious relationships should be better understood. Data from a 2007-2008 study conducted in select neighborhoods in Hartford and Philadelphia were used to examine self-reported STD and HIV testing behaviors and attitudes among 483 sexually active black and Puerto Rican young adults aged 18-25. Multivariate ordered logit regression analyses were conducted to assess characteristics associated with lifetime number of STD tests. More than eight in 10 participants reported having been tested for STDs, and a similar proportion for HIV, most of them multiple times. Nineteen percent had ever had an STD diagnosis. A majority-86%-perceived their risk of STD infection in the next year as "not at all likely." Sixty-one percent of those in serious relationships reported that both partners had been tested, compared with 25% of those in casual relationships. Characteristics associated with higher lifetime number of STD tests were being female (odds ratio, 2.2), being from Philadelphia (2.5), being black (1.5), having lived with two or more serious partners (1.7) and having ever received an STD diagnosis (2.3). Despite their risks, participants did not perceive themselves to be at risk of STDs. However, they did report testing repeatedly. Testing was highly acceptable, particularly within serious relationships. Questions about the timing of testing initiation and repeat testing merit attention for the benefits of widespread testing to be fully realized.

Are Immigrants from Asia Healthier than Immigrants from Other Regions?: Self-reported Health Status and Functional Difficulties of Immigrants in the USA

This study examines how regions of origin are related to immigrant health status in the USA. This paper uses the National Health Interview Survey to examine health status differences between East and Southeast Asian immigrants and immigrants from other regions. The models control for duration, socioeconomic factors, and behavioral factors. Two health indicators are examined: self-reported health and functional difficulties. Results from ordered logit regression analyses demonstrate that some of the regions of birth do significantly predict differences in health for immigrants. Specifically, immigrants from Central America and the former Soviet Union do exhibit significant health disadvantages when compared with immigrants from East and Southeast Asia. The duration effect was positively related to functional difficulties but not to self-reported health status. Overall, economic resources and education typically have a strong relationship to the measures of immigrants’ physical health. It was also found that drinking is persistently associated with better measures of physical health while smoking appears to have the opposite effect.

Performance Management and Trust in Supervisors

This article investigates the effect of performance management and explores one factor—trust in one’s supervisor—as a critical facilitator of it. Although improving performance is a prominent issue in public management and the term, performance management, is in heavy use in the public sector, systematic investigations on the subject are relatively rare. Defining performance management as a human resource management tool, this research empirically tests the associations between performance management and two outcomes: perceived work-unit performance and perceived agency performance. In addition, it examines the role of trust as a facilitator of the successful implementation of performance management. Using the Merit Principles Survey 2005, we test the ideas. Ordered logit regression analyses confirm that performance management promotes perceived performance of both work-unit and agency, and the leverages are further increased under a high level of trust in supervisors.

Toxicity Analysis of Dose Escalation From 75.6 Gy to 81.0 Gy in Prostate Cancer

Several randomized trials have demonstrated a biochemical control advantage to an increase from the "conventional" 66 to 70 Gy range to the "high-dose" 75 to 81 Gy range; these trials have also, however, demonstrated a toxicity disadvantage. Our objective was to perform a toxicity analysis of a minor dose escalation (from 75.6 to 81.0 Gy) within this "high-dose" range. A total of 189 patients comprised the study population-119 received 75.6 Gy and 70 received 81.0 Gy. Acute, late, and final (at most recent follow-up) gastrointestinal (GI) and genitourinary (GU) toxicity were charted for each group and compared using the χ test. Ordered logit regression analyses were performed on each toxicity end point, using all major demographic, disease, and treatment factors as covariates. The 81.0 Gy group had higher rates of grade 2 acute GU (P < 0.001), late GU (P = 0.001), and late GI (P = 0.082) toxicity, a lower rate of acute GI toxicity (P = 0.002) and no notable differences in final GU (P = 0.551) or final GI (P = 0.194) toxicity compared with the 75.6 Gy group. The ordered logit regression analyses showed that only age (P = 0.019) and radiotherapy dose (P = 0.016) correlated with acute GU toxicity and only radiotherapy dose (P = 0.018) correlated with late GU toxicity. Only intensity modulated radiotherapy use (P = 0.001) correlated with acute GI toxicity; no factors correlated with late GI toxicity or final GU or GI toxicity. Although some increases in acute and late toxicity rates were observed with even a minor dose escalation from 75.6 to 81.0 Gy, notably no increases in final late GI or GU toxicity rates were observed.

Public Responses to Health Disparities: How Group Cues Influence Support for Government Intervention*

Objective. To examine whether public support for government intervention to address health disparities varies when disparities are framed in terms of different social groups.Method. A survey experiment was embedded in a public opinion poll of Wisconsin adults. Respondents were randomly assigned to answer questions about either racial, economic, or education disparities in health. Ordered logit regression analyses examine differences across experimental conditions in support for government intervention to address health disparities.Results. Health disparities between economic groups received the broadest support for government intervention, while racial disparities in health received the least support for government intervention. These differences were explained by variation in how respondents' perceived and evaluated health disparities between different social groups.Conclusion. Efforts to garner public support for policies aimed at eliminating health disparities should attend to the politics of social diversity, including the public's disparate perceptions and evaluations of health disparities defined by different social groups.

Chronic Genitourinary and Gastrointestinal Toxicity of Prostate Cancer Patients Undergoing Pelvic Radiotherapy With Intensity-Modulated Versus 4-Field Technique

To compare chronic GU and GI toxicity of pelvic radiotherapy delivered using intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) versus conventional 4-field technique. The records of consecutive prostate cancer patients receiving RT at a single institution with a minimum follow-up of 120 days were reviewed; 48 of these patients received a prostate boost preceded by pelvic radiotherapy (PRT), 14 with IMRT (IM-PRT), and 34 with 4-field (4F-PRT). Dosimetric endpoints for the bladder, rectum, composite, and target for the PRT plans were compared using the 2-tailed t test. Late RTOG GU and GI toxicity were compared using the chi test. Ordered logit regression analyses were performed using all major patient, disease, and treatment factors as covariates. IM-PRT demonstrated superior bladder and rectum dosimetric endpoints over 4F-PRT for the PRT portion of the treatment and for the composite treatment at the expense of higher target inhomogeneity in the PRT portion of the treatment plan. Late GU toxicity was significantly lower in the IM-PRT group (P < 0.001), whereas late GI toxicity was similar in both groups (P = 0.44). When considering a similar follow-up interval in both groups, however, the difference in GU toxicity only reached a trend (P = 0.10). The regression analyses showed that no factor, including IMRT, reached significance in predicting GU or GI toxicity. Use of pelvic IMRT for prostate cancer patients was not associated with reduction of late GI toxicity but was associated with a small reduction of late GU toxicity. This reduction of late GU toxicity warrants further exploration in consortium studies.

Influence of Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy on Acute Genitourinary and Gastrointestinal Toxicity in the Treatment of Localized Prostate Cancer

The objective of this investigation is to compare acute genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity results of radiotherapy to localized fields delivered using intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) versus conventional radiotherapy (ConvRT). The records of 481 consecutive prostate cancer patients receiving RT to localized fields at a single institution were reviewed; 108 received IMRT and 373 received ConvRT. Acute GU and GI toxicity, as defined by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) grading system, were compared using the chi-square test. Ordered logit regression analyses were performed using all major disease and treatment factors as covariates. Acute GU grade 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 toxicity rates were 23%, 40%, 34%, 3%, and 0%, respectively, in the IMRT cohort and 31%, 37%, 30%, 1%, and 1%, respectively, in the ConvRT cohort -- these rates were not significantly different (p=0.118). Acute GI grade 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 toxicity rates were 42%, 37%, 22%, 0%, and 0%, respectively, in the IMRT cohort and 33%, 32%, 35%, 0%, and 0%, respectively, in the ConvRT cohort--this lower toxicity in the IMRT group was significant (p=0.013). The regression analyses showed that only IMRT use (p=0.046) predicted reduction in acute GI toxicity but no factors correlated with acute GU toxicity rate. In conclusion, in our retrospective single-institution analysis, IMRT was not associated with reduction of acute GU toxicity but was associated with a reduction of acute GI toxicity over ConvRT in the treatment of prostate cancer to localized fields.

Intensity-modulated versus conventional pelvic radiotherapy for prostate cancer: Analysis of acute toxicity: Jani AB, Su A, Milano MT, Department of Radiation and Cellular Oncology, University of Chicago Hospitals, Chicago, IL

To provide a single-institution analysis of the influence of pelvic intensity-modulated radiotherapy (RT) on acute genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity. The records of 610 consecutive patients with prostate cancer receiving RT were reviewed. Of these 610 patients, 49 had received a prostate boost preceded by pelvic RT (PRT), 15 intensity-modulated PRT (IM-PRT), and 34 four-field PRT (4F-PRT). The dosimetric endpoints for the bladder, rectum, and target for the PRT plans were compared using the paired t test; similar dosimetric analyses were done for the composite plans. Acute GU and GI toxicity were compared using the chi-square test. Ordered logit regression analyses were performed using all major treatment factors as covariates. The bladder and rectum dosimetric endpoints were improved for IM-PRT compared with 4F-PRT for the PRT portion of the treatment plan (P = 0.06 and P = 0.03, respectively) and for the composite treatment plan (P = 0.04 and P = 0.01, respectively), at the expense of greater target inhomogeneity in the PRT portion of the treatment plan (P < 0.01). GU toxicity was significantly lower in the IM-PRT group (P < 0.001), and GI toxicity was similar in both groups (P = 0.637). The regression analyses showed that intensity-modulated RT for the pelvic portion of treatment was the only factor significantly predicting for GU toxicity (P = 0.05); no major treatment factor reached significance in predicting GI toxicity. Compared with 4F-PRT, the use of IM-PRT improved dosimetric outcomes, was not associated with a reduction in acute GI toxicity, and was associated with a reduction in acute GU toxicity in the treatment of prostate cancer.

Intensity-modulated versus conventional pelvic radiotherapy for prostate cancer: Analysis of acute toxicity

Objectives To provide a single-institution analysis of the influence of pelvic intensity-modulated radiotherapy (RT) on acute genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity. Methods The records of 610 consecutive patients with prostate cancer receiving RT were reviewed. Of these 610 patients, 49 had received a prostate boost preceded by pelvic RT (PRT), 15 intensity-modulated PRT (IM-PRT), and 34 four-field PRT (4F-PRT). The dosimetric endpoints for the bladder, rectum, and target for the PRT plans were compared using the paired t test; similar dosimetric analyses were done for the composite plans. Acute GU and GI toxicity were compared using the chi-square test. Ordered logit regression analyses were performed using all major treatment factors as covariates. Results The bladder and rectum dosimetric endpoints were improved for IM-PRT compared with 4F-PRT for the PRT portion of the treatment plan ( P = 0.06 and P = 0.03, respectively) and for the composite treatment plan ( P = 0.04 and P = 0.01, respectively), at the expense of greater target inhomogeneity in the PRT portion of the treatment plan ( P <0.01). GU toxicity was significantly lower in the IM-PRT group ( P <0.001), and GI toxicity was similar in both groups ( P = 0.637). The regression analyses showed that intensity-modulated RT for the pelvic portion of treatment was the only factor significantly predicting for GU toxicity ( P = 0.05); no major treatment factor reached significance in predicting GI toxicity. Conclusions Compared with 4F-PRT, the use of IM-PRT improved dosimetric outcomes, was not associated with a reduction in acute GI toxicity, and was associated with a reduction in acute GU toxicity in the treatment of prostate cancer.

Late radiotherapy toxicity after prostate cancer treatment: Influence of hormonal therapy

Objectives To analyze the impact of hormonal therapy (HT) on late gastrointestinal (GI) and genitourinary (GU) toxicity from external beam radiotherapy (RT). Methods The records of 445 consecutive patients with prostate cancer undergoing RT with or without HT were reviewed. Late toxicity rates, using established toxicity scoring guidelines, were tabulated in the two groups and compared using the chi-square test. Ordered logit regression analyses were performed that included the major demographic, disease, and treatment factors. Results The chi-square analyses demonstrated lower rates of GI toxicity ( P = 0.013) and GU toxicity ( P = 0.041) in the cohort receiving HT; this reduction in toxicity appeared to be consistent across different toxicity grades. However, on regression analysis, the only factor reaching statistical significance in predicting late GI and late GU toxicity was the radiation dose ( P = 0.004 and P = 0.047, respectively). In particular, on regression analysis, HT did not reach statistical significance in predicting late GI toxicity ( P = 0.229) or late GU toxicity ( P = 0.910). Conclusions Observed late RT toxicity rates were generally similar in patients who did and did not receive HT. Thus, increased late RT toxicity should not be a major concern when deciding to add HT to RT for treatment of localized prostate cancer.