Proposed Policy Changes Research Articles

Necessary reforms in the Greek academic system

Motivated by our EU funded ERA chair projects, that require proposing reforms to yield the Greek academic system more competitive with a particular emphasis on fostering brain gain and preventing brain drain, we propose policy changes on a wide range of topics, based on our joint academic management experience inside and outside of Greece in conjunction with our diverse backgrounds in the humanities, computer science, and the life sciences. The proposed reforms can contribute to increase the competitiveness of Greece in research and development (R & D). We classify proposals by their associated costs and include a plethora of zero cost proposals that do have the potential to increase efficiency and net research time as well as to improve current working conditions in Greek academia. However, to yield Greece more competitive at the international level, reverse brain drain, and foster brain gain, substantial investments and increases of R&D expenditure are required which depend on political willingness and require a long term strategic development plan for Greece beyond being a tourist destination in the European periphery.

Book Review: Derek S. Jeffreys, America’s Jails: The Search for Human Dignity in an Age of Mass Incarceration. New York University Press. 2018.

In America’ Jails: The Search for Human Dignity in an Age of Mass Incarceration, Derek Jeffreys attempts to primarily focus on the human dignity of inmates in U.S. jails. He draws from his experience volunteering in a prison chapel, visiting various jails and prisons in Wisconsin and overseas, and his access that was granted to him inside the Cook County Jail by Sheriff Thomas J. Dart. Jeffreys states that he was freely able to speak with both inmates and staff inside the jail. He does his best to bring about many disturbing abuses inside the jail system but resists the temptation to portray those working in corrections as evil and to blame. Throughout the book, Jeffreys discusses a long common practice of placing those thought to be insignificant or in a powerless position in mental hospitals, jails, prisons, or other institutions. Jeffreys discusses his ideas of proposed policy changes that may assist in preventing abuse and neglect of inmates in jail and how to reduce the populations of those incarcerated.

Policy design and policy feedback in welfare retrenchment: A survey experiment in China

AbstractA growing body of public policy literature examines how welfare retrenchment reform produces attitudinal and behavioral feedback effects. This study adds to the literature on welfare reforms by exploring how different policy designs, combined with individual proximity to reform, produce heterogeneous feedback effects. Bridging the theories of policy feedback and policy design, we theorize how different policy designs shape individuals' self‐interest or sociotropic considerations when they form opinions on welfare reform. The feedback effects of these different policy designs are channeled by individual proximity to the reform, resulting in heterogeneous responses to proposed policy change. Seizing an opportune time window when the Chinese government undertook a public consultation program in 2020 regarding the proposed reform reallocating financial resources in individuals' medical savings accounts, we conducted a survey experiment to examine if two different policy designs led to varying feedback effects. We find that the moderate de facto retrenchment reform indeed triggered public opposition. Unlike previous research that emphasizes partisanship as a major source of heterogeneous feedback effects, our study reveals different sources of heterogeneity—public opposition to the proposed reform varies by the specific policy designs and individuals' past experiences with the existing health insurance policy.

Farmer Protests in Europe 2023–2024

SummaryIn 2023–2024, farmer protests swept across Europe, with tractors blocking roads and supermarkets, drawing significant media attention. Unlike previous protests, these events spread continent‐wide, suggesting a contagion effect. This paper documents the surge in farmer protests, explores their triggers and underlying causes, and emphasizes the need for a just transition to sustainable food systems. The protests were sparked by proposed policy changes, tighter environmental regulations, perceived pressures on farm incomes and increased trade competition. However, the root causes varied by country. Swift policy responses at both national and EU levels included retracting controversial measures like the Sustainable Use of Pesticides Regulation, but these actions also hindered key initiatives for transitioning to more sustainable agri‐food systems. Moving forward, a comprehensive public debate on the future of Europe's agri‐food systems is crucial, focusing on balancing environmental sustainability with the economic viability of agriculture. A major political challenge will be moving beyond simplistic dichotomies to develop a vision for a food system that fosters synergies between farmer interests as well as environmental and social objectives.

Photovoltaics rooftop regulations and their connection to pro-environment consumer behavior in Indonesia

To address environmental issues, Indonesia aims to achieve a 23% renewable energy share by 2025 and 31% by 2050, according to the National Energy Plan. This article examines the regulations governing the management of rooftop solar power plant (rooftop-PV) in Indonesia and their connection to pro-environment consumer behavior. Despite Indonesia’s ambitious targets for Renewable Energy (RE) growth, progress in the field still needs improvement. Pro-environmental behavior (PEB) within the community is crucial for adopting rooftop PV as a more environmentally friendly energy alternative. This research employs a qualitative descriptive methodology with content analysis to evaluate the current situation. The research findings indicate that rooftop PV offers economic benefits through cost savings for consumers and is supported by existing regulations. However, some businesses feel that the government needs to expedite revising relevant regulations to address investment stagnation and installed solar panel capacity. Concerns arise that proposed policy changes may hinder the growth of rooftop PV businesses and the achievement of national capacity targets. The role of pro-environment consumer behavior, which has the potential to drive rooftop PV adoption, will be influenced by psychological and social factors, as well as changes in applicable regulations.

Systemic Barriers to Fertility Preservation for Sexually and Gender Diverse Populations.

Fertility preservation is the process of collecting and storing oocytes, sperm, or reproductive tissue so that a person may retain their ability to have biologically related children. In instances of infertility caused by medical intervention or an underlying medical condition, this procedure is often sought by affected patient populations. U.S. Title 21 regulations have produced disparities in access, disproportionately restricting services for sexually and gender diverse subpopulations capable of producing sperm. This article examines policies contributing to these disparities, explores how these policies may translate to real-world health care delivery, and proposes policy changes that would increase equitable access to care.

The contribution of Teacher education to universities: a case study for international teacher educators

ABSTRACT This paper reports on the initial stage of a research project which aims to develop deeper understanding of the contribution teacher education, as a sub-discipline within Education, makes to Higher Education in England. The study is located in the intersection between the domains of teacher education and higher education scholarship, which in England represents a contested and ambiguous professional space. Tensions between competing accountability measures, pulling away from university-based to exclusively school-based teacher education, are exacerbated by proposed policy changes arising from the government's recent market review. Findings drawn from analysis of qualitative data from a national survey are discussed in the context of Elizabeth Povinelli's critique of late liberalism and previous scholarship on the nature of teacher educators’ work. Evidence from the study demonstrates numerous benefits to higher education of hosting teacher education departments, including contributions to standard metrics, regional development and knowledge exchange within a strategic social justice agenda. However, teacher educators themselves may find articulating these benefits difficult, because of marginalisation from the dominant ways of achieving and accounting for excellence in the modern university. These findings offer a cautionary tale to international colleagues whose governments may be embarking on equivalent paths of teacher education reform.

Campaign Spending and Its Effect during the 2013 and 2016 Elections in the Province of Cebu

Elections play a crucial role in legitimizing authority in democratic societies, yet the impact of campaign spending necessitates further investigation. This research delves into the influence of campaign expenditures on election outcomes in Cebu province between 2013 and 2016. Analysis of the Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE), this study explores how candidates make decisions regarding the allocation of campaign funds. Employing a mixed-method research approach, quantitative techniques like regression analysis are utilized to examine the relationship between spending and election results, while qualitative methods including scrutinizing SOCE documents and conducting interviews with candidates and COMELEC officials shed light on spending patterns and offer recommendations for policy enhancements. Cebu Provincial data elections spanning 2013 and 2016 reveal a strong positive correlation between election spending and votes. Travel expenses, compensating campaigners, and communication demonstrate statistically insignificant correlations with voting outcomes (p-values of 0.842, 0.771, and 0.811, respectively). Similarly, printed materials and the employment of watchers’ expenditures display slightly positive correlations but lack statistical significance (p-values of 0.239 and 0.984). Moreover, campaign headquarters, meetings, and rallies show no significant correlations (p-values of 0.841 and 0.458). Advertising expenses emerged as the sole statistically significant factor in 2013 (p = 0.000), indicating a substantial 22.6 increase in votes for every 55,895 pesos spent. In the 2013 elections, only campaign paraphernalia and media spending correlated with votes; conversely, media spending was the sole positive correlation in 2016. Findings suggest that wealth played a significant role in the 2013 election, undermining the democratic principle of meritocracy where the most deserving candidate should prevail. Proposed policy changes include criminalizing campaign malpractices, ensuring candidate qualifications are rigorously vetted, and enhancing voter education programs spearheaded by academia. These measures are essential to mitigate the undue influence of money in politics and uphold the integrity of our electoral system.

Policies to reduce child poverty and child maltreatment: A scoping review and preliminary estimates of indirect effects

This study includes a scoping review of prior studies investigating the effects of policy changes on child poverty rates. It further conducts an empirical analysis to estimate the relationship between child poverty rates and child maltreatment report (CMR) rates, utilizing national county-level data. The study then calculates the indirect effects of policy changes on CMR rates, mediated through child poverty rates, by integrating information from previous studies with its own empirical findings. Among the policy changes explored in prior studies, those related to a child allowance and a fully refundable Child Tax Credit demonstrate the largest indirect effects but also the highest costs. The expansion of in-kinds and near-cash benefits, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits and housing vouchers, shows moderate effects with moderate costs. Tax credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit exhibit lower effects and costs when targeted at the lowest earners, and moderate effects and costs for broader expansion. Focused tax credits, such as the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit, had lower effects and costs, even if made fully refundable. Despite certain limitations, the study's approach yields consistent estimates with a recent simulation study, indicating its potential validity. While some proposed policy changes may seem expensive, implementing them is anticipated to substantially reduce CMR rates, with the benefits outweighing the associated costs. Overall, the findings suggest that addressing child poverty to reduce CMRs is an attractive strategy with numerous potential benefits.

State Coordinator Perceptions of Linkages Between Newborn Screening and Early Intervention

Early Intervention (EI) aims to lessen the effects of developmental delay by providing services to infants and young children. Newborn screening (NBS) is a public health program that identifies infants with treatable conditions, although many conditions put children at risk of developmental delay even after medical intervention. The purpose of this study is to explore the extent to which these programs coordinate to identify, refer, and qualify children for EI services after an NBS diagnosis. A survey of state EI ( n = 30) and NBS ( n = 39) program leaders (i.e., coordinators) demonstrated variability in familiarity and collaboration; however, most coordinators were willing to pursue future collaboration. We discuss the implications of the survey results and propose policy changes that would facilitate future collaboration and, ultimately, benefit children and families.

From Shanghai to Wall Street: The Influence of Chinese News Sentiment on US Stocks

This study explores the influence of Chinese news sentiment on US stocks, focusing on the potential policy shift granting Chinese retail traders direct access to US markets. Analyzing the flow of information between Chinese news sentiment and global news sentiment using transfer entropy, the findings reveal a significant influence of Chinese news sentiment on global news sentiment. Moreover, the study identifies a predominant unidirectional flow of information from news sentiment to stock returns, with Chinese news sentiment having a more substantial impact on future returns of US stocks compared to global news sentiment. This suggests that if the proposed policy changes succeed, Chinese retail traders may rely on Chinese news sentiment, potentially leading to increased volatility in the US market. Policymakers and market participants should be aware of these implications to prepare for changes in the US stock market dynamics. Further research can provide deeper insights into the interplay between news sentiment, investor behavior, and market volatility.

Recommended Changes to Standard of Care for Monitoring of Cortically Blind Fields

Global incidence of stroke has risen 70% in the last 30 years, affecting approximately 25% of adults throughout the course of their lives. Up to 60% of stroke survivors will suffer visual impairments, which significantly reduce quality of life and independence. Despite the high prevalence, patients are hugely underserved by the medical and research communities. Clinical care is variable throughout the United States and United Kingdom, with only 57% of patients receiving visual field assessments and 61% stating their need for support has not been fully met. Additionally, unlike stroke survivors with motor or language deficits, those with vision loss are rarely offered visual rehabilitation. This is despite recent research into the efficacy of visual training and the propensity for the visual deficit to worsen in the absence of an intervention. This article reviews common gaps in patient care and proposes policy changes to increase awareness of the condition, foster clinical and scientific advances in treatment, and enhance patient outcomes.

Evaluating the determinants of support for police militarization among officers

AbstractWe evaluate the determinants of officer support for their agency participating in the 1033 Program: a program that facilitates the flow of military hardware to local law enforcement agencies. In doing so, we provide insight into why officers demand such equipment, which, in turn, may partially explain patterns of program participation and equipment usage. We utilize a series of random forest models to examine survey data collected from officers in a large police department, finding that being White and exhibiting animus toward minority communities are highly predictive of officer support across models. Our findings validate long‐held public concerns regarding the distributional patterns and consequences of 1033 transfers: concerns that have led to a number of proposed policy changes at the state and federal levels meant to restrict program usage (e.g., EO‐13688, HR‐1694, MO HB‐330). Policy makers should consider how out‐group animus may drive distributional patterns and usage when considering policy reform.

Affordable and sustainable transportation: Key drivers and policy choices for a megacity in India

The city of Bengaluru is one of the latest entrants to the list of 33 mega cities in the world. The transportation infrastructure of the city is expanding to accommodate the rapidly increasing population. As such, there is a need to reevaluate public transport policies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 11.2. In this study, we conducted a socio-economic survey of 1350 households belonging to the low and low-middle income categories in Bengaluru city to understand their travel behaviour and transportation mode choices in the event of changing transport infrastructure dynamics of the city. While two-wheelers are the dominant mode among employed working males in the age group of 18–45 years, buses are preferred for long-distance travel. Metro ridership is low even where metro stations are accessible at the start of the journey because low- and middle-income groups are unable to afford metro services. Additionally, we used Random Forest model to assess the contribution of each explanatory variable in mode choice determination. The results shows that travel cost followed by travel time and travel distance are the most important explanators in determining the mode choice for our sample population. Based on these findings, the authors have created two scenarios to assess the impact of metro fare rationalisation on metro ridership. This study quantifies the co-benefits of the proposed policy changes in terms of economic benefits to the operators and the avoidance of air pollution and CO2 emissions.

Reducing Unnecessary Organ Discards: Utilizing Best Case/Worst Case to Improve Conversations Regarding ‘Increased Risk’ Kidney Donors with Patients

In 1994, to guide patients and surgeons in making informed decisions about organ transplantation and reduce transplant-mediated infectious disease transmission, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced the Public Health Service guidelines for increased risk donor (IRD) organs. This classification identifies donors associated with greater risk for contracting human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus as increased risk donors. These donor organs are discarded at higher rates than non-IRD organs, despite equivalent patient and graft survival rates following transplantation. Biases and stigmas, as well as misunderstandings about the term “increased risk,” may contribute to the discard of these high-quality organs. Novel communication strategies regarding the risk of disease transmission from IRD organs are needed to reduce misunderstandings between patients and providers and shift the conversation from probabilities and statistics to patient-centered values and expectations. Using a standardized tool such as Best Case/Worst Case to elicit patients’ preferences and share expected outcomes of accepting versus rejecting an IRD organ has the potential to improve IRD risk communication. The purpose of this article is to elucidate the underutilization of IRD organs, through the example of a potential kidney transplantation, to demystify this complex and high-stakes decision utilizing a novel communication strategy and to propose policy changes to IRD organ management that could result in hundreds of additional lives saved each year.

Gender gap in travel behaviour and public opinion on proposed policy measures: Evidence from India

AbstractEmploying primary survey data collected from Jaipur city in India, this work attempts to evaluate inconsistencies in travel behaviour based on gender. It also intends to discuss the public opinion on a few proposed policy changes which can aid in bridging the established gender gap. Stratified random sampling approach is used to gather data on travel pattern measures and socioeconomic attributes. Descriptive statistics complemented with bivariate probit model and seemingly unrelated bivariate probit model is applied on the data acquired. The obtained results confirm the existence of a gender gap in all observed measures of travel behaviour. Compared to men, women travel shorter distances, use more of non‐motorised modes of transport, have lower frequency of travelling, and travel majorly for purposes other than work. Results of the study also highlight how a majority of the respondents are in favour of policy changes aimed at narrowing the observed gender disparities. The analysis demands infrastructural development of non‐motorised transportation and public transportation in the city in such a way which is both efficient and secured, so as to neither obstruct the objective of empowerment nor of sustainability.

Current Evidence to Guide Practice, Policy, and Research: Extending Medicaid Coverage in the Postpartum Period

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, signed into law on March 11, 2021, allowed states to extend Medicaid for a full 12 months in the postpartum period. As of October 2022, 15 states have yet to endorse this state option. In this column, I review Medicaid eligibility requirements, the proposed policy changes, and summarize research findings and recommendations from professional organizations supporting the permanent extension of Medicaid in the postpartum period.

Awarding additional MELD points to the shortest waitlist candidates improves sex disparity in access to liver transplant in the United States

Since the introduction of the MELD-based allocation system, women are now 30% less likely than men to undergo liver transplant (LT) and have 20% higher waitlist mortality. These disparities are in large part due to height differences in men and women though no national policies have been implemented to reduce sex disparities. Patients were identified using the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients (SRTR) from 2014 to 2019. Patients were categorized into five groups by first dividing into thirds by height then dividing the shortest third into three groups to capture more granular differences in the most disadvantaged patients (<166 cm). We then used LSAM to model waitlist outcomes in five versions of awarding additional MELD points to shorter candidates compared to current policy. We identified two proposed policy changes LSAM scenarios that resulted in improvement in LT and death percentage for the shortest candidates with the least negative impact on taller candidates. In conclusion, awarding an additional 1-2 MELD points to the shortest 8% of LT candidates would improve waitlist outcomes for women. This strategy should be considered in national policy allocation to address sex-based disparities in LT.

Recalibrating US Medical School Admissions With an Equity Lens

This Viewpoint discusses unresolved barriers in US medical school matriculation for racial and ethnic minority groups and other historically marginalized communities and proposes policy changes to recalibrate admissions with an equity focus.

Collaboration over competition? Regulatory reform and inter-organisational relations in the NHS amidst the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study

BackgroundIn 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic, England’s Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) released a White Paper outlining proposed legislative reform of the National Health Service (NHS). Key to the proposals is the shift from relationships between providers based on competition, to cooperation, as the central driver of improved performance and quality. Against this background we explore potential regulatory barriers and enablers to collaboration identified by key NHS stakeholders and assess whether the proposed policy changes are likely to deliver the desired improvement in collaborative relationships, in the context of challenges experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsWe conducted 32 semi-structured interviews with 30 key stakeholders, taking place during the COVID-19 pandemic from Jan 2020 to May 2021. Participants were selected for their expertise regarding collaboration and were recruited purposively. Interviews were conducted online with the use of video conferencing software. The interviews were thematically analysed to identify themes. Proposals contained in the DHSC White Paper helped to structure the thematic analysis, interpretation, and reporting of the results.ResultsRequirements to compete to provide services, regulatory ability to block collaborative arrangements, lack of collaboration between providers and Clinical Commissioning Groups, and current lack of data sharing were found to hamper collaborative efforts. These issues often negatively affected collaborative relations by increasing bureaucracy and prompted leaders to attempt to avoid future collaborations. Other barriers included opaque accountability arrangements, and erosion of trust in regulators. The COVID-19 pandemic was found to foster collaboration between organisations, but some changes mandated by the new legislation may stifle further collaboration.ConclusionsMany of the proposed legislative changes in the White Paper would help to remove existing barriers to service integration and collaboration identified by stakeholders. However, the proposed shift in the concentration of power from NHS England to the DHSC may exacerbate historically low levels of trust between providers and regulators. Many of the proposed changes fail to address endemic NHS policy issues such as chronic understaffing. Further dialogue is needed at all levels of the health and social care system to ensure future legislative changes meet the needs of all stakeholders.