Public Holidays Research Articles

Carbon Reduction Impact from Synchronising PrescriptionS (CRISPS): A pilot study

Abstract Introduction Synchronising the dates of patients’ repeat prescriptions can reduce monthly community pharmacy visits or home deliveries, which may improve patients’ adherence to medicines.[1] It should also reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions associated with avoidable travel, but previous research does not appear to have determined the potential size of this reduction. This pilot study therefore attempted to do so using routinely collected data. Aim To estimate potential carbon savings from synchronising repeat medicines for a sample of patients from one community pharmacy. Methods All patients who had prescriptions dispensed four times per month or more from a single medium-sized (approximately 2,500 items dispensed per month) urban community pharmacy in England were identified from the pharmacy’s home delivery application. The threshold of four deliveries per month was selected to increase the likelihood of this frequency being due to asynchronised prescriptions. Data were collected (August 2023) for deliveries in June 2023 as there were no public holidays or events to affect prescription ordering. Data included patients’ postcode, delivery dates, and using the Patient Medication Record, the pharmacist collecting the data determined acute or one-off prescription items, that neither the patients nor the repeat medicines were new, and where deliveries were made to supply medicines owing. The pharmacy was selected because it efficiently managed stock to minimise items owing. The distance that would have been travelled was calculated as if the medicines had been collected from the pharmacy as a dedicated journey to and from the patient’s home address instead of being delivered. The saving in miles and CO2 emitted for different vehicle types was modelled by assuming that for each patient, all deliveries that were not for acute items or medicines owing could have been reduced to a single delivery if prescriptions had been synchronised. UK Government conversion factors were used to calculate CO2 emissions.[2] Results Data were collected for 59 patients, of whom 7 patients had 8 deliveries, 4 had 7 deliveries, 6 had 6 deliveries, 16 had 5 deliveries and 26 had 4 deliveries. The total number of deliveries to these patients was 269 but would have been 80 deliveries if the repeat prescriptions had been synchronised (70% reduction). The distance travelled would have been reduced from 842 miles to 241 miles (71% reduction). This would have resulted in a 71% reduction in CO2 emissions, although the reduction in volume in kilograms of CO2 emitted would have varied (by an estimated 137 Kg CO2 or 51%) depending on whether e.g., a small diesel car was used or a large petrol car (reduction of 133kg versus 270 kg CO2). An average diesel car was estimated to have reduced CO2 emissions by 163 kg. Conclusion The findings demonstrate that potential carbon savings from medicines synchronisation can be modelled from routinely collected data, but with limited accuracy, especially as patients receiving home deliveries may not be representative of all pharmacy users. Challenges remain in how to measure actual carbon savings of prescription synchronisation and overcoming barriers to widespread implementation of clinically appropriate synchronisation.

Denmark: Political Developments and Data in 2023

AbstractThe government of Mette Frederiksen II took office on 15 December 2022, six weeks after the 1 November 2022 elections. Hence, expectations were high for this new type of government, a ‘cross‐the‐aisle’ majority, to get down to business. However, the government only used the majority to abolish a public holiday and has since then progressed only slowly on its agenda. It has been fairly unpopular with the electorate, losing up to a third of its support. The exits and defections in the Danish Parliament, Folketinget, continue to be higher than before 2019.

Happy Holidays? Evidence from Chinese Stock Exchanges

Abstract There is a consensus in the finance literature that stock markets generally perform well ahead of holidays. However, I argue that this relationship does not hold in the Chinese context, given that public holidays are associated with increased collective action and repression. I propose two possible mechanisms: (1) Chinese investors take cues from the political environment and will thus act more conservatively in the market prior to public holidays or (2) the government increases intervention to stabilize the stock market during these periods. I test this relationship using daily stock exchange data from Shanghai and Shenzhen. In addition, I corroborate the theoretical mechanism by testing whether there is similar conservatism before focal points on the dissident calendar. This research note contributes to our understanding of the Chinese investment market and raises general questions about the representativeness of the finance literature. In addition, this research speaks to the costs of authoritarianism and preserving social stability in these contexts.

Traditions of the Independence Day Celebrations in Poland and the Baltic States

The system of public holidays and rituals developed by people is an important indication of the transformation of the spiritual culture of each European nation. At the same time, they return to the origins – the historical past and declare the vectors of development for the future. The article is aimed at the investigation and analysis of the typology of the formation of state independence holidays in Poland and the Baltic states, correlating it with key, fateful moments in the history of each nation. Poland has rebuilt radically all spheres of material and spiritual life after the fall of the communist regime. The formation of society on new democratic essential principles reflects the calendar of festive and commemorative dates of the modern Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. It includes major and minor holidays of the liturgical (Catholic) year and secular traditions of various origins. A notable attitude of the Poles is to celebrate officially both religious and important civil anniversaries on the same day. The special historical significance of the Polish Independence Day is given by the chronological reference to the date of the end of the First World War (November 11, 1918). The contemporary holiday culture of Poland is characterized by a symbiosis of ethnic and confessional elements. At the everyday level the state holiday of independence is combined harmoniously with folklore and ethnographic traditions of St. Martin’s Day. Along with Poland, the Baltic countries - Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia - whose history has a lot in common, have fought radically and consistently with the heritage of the communist past. Song holidays and festivals are of a great significance in preserving the national identity of the Baltic states. Today there are, in fact, two independence holidays in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. The first is connected with 1918, when all these republics have gained statehood on the ruins of the Russian Empire, the second one - in honor of the events of 1990-1991, finished with the decay of the USSR. The conducted research has proved that the peoples of Poland and the Baltic states at the turn of the 20th-21st centuries have been able to free themselves from the heritage of the communist past and the totalitarian dictation of the aggressive Russian Federation, becoming full members of the European Union and NATO. The system of currently acting official holidays and rituals can serve as a clear evidence of the radical restructuring of ideology and culture in these countries.

A comparison between veterinary small animal general practitioners and emergency practitioners in Australia. Part 1: demographic and work-related factors.

Occupational stressors are commonly encountered in small animal veterinary practice and have been associated with burnout. The working context of veterinarians differs by specialty, and this can potentially lead to variable exposures to risk factors for burnout. The aim of this study was to explore differences in demographic and working conditions of veterinary general practitioners (GPs) and emergency practitioners (EPs) to compare exposure to different potential stressors. An anonymous, online survey was administered to veterinary GPs and EPs practicing in metropolitan regions of Australia. In total, 320 participant responses were analyzed (n = 237, 74.2% GPs and n = 83, 25.9% EPs). Significant differences (P < 0.05) in the demographics and work-related exposures were found between the two groups. GPs were found to be older than EPs with a greater number of years of experience in their field (P < 0.001). Most veterinary GPs worked only day shifts (207/236, 87.7%); where EPs worked a greater variety of shift patterns, with "only day shifts" being the least common shift pattern (P < 0.001). Most GPs worked a set and predictable roster pattern (195/236, 83.6%), while most EPs did not (51/83, 61.5%). EPs worked more weekends and public holidays (P < 0.001). The EP group performed more hours of work each week but worked less overtime. The main contributing factors for overtime were scheduling factors for GPs and staffing issues for EPs. EPs were commonly not able to take meal-breaks and GPs' meal-breaks were commonly interrupted by work. EPs were more frequently exposed to patient death, euthanasia (including for financial reasons), emotionally distressed clients and delivering negative news (P < 0.001). Both groups indicated that most work environments were collegiate and supportive, and a minority reported toxic colleagues (11.8%) or management teams (26.9%). Just under one-half of respondents reported having witnessed or experienced workplace bullying. Of our respondent group, 52.0% (166/319) were not satisfied with their remuneration. Desire to leave their principal area of practice was prevalent among this survey group (192/319, 60.2%) with approximately one-third considering leaving the veterinary profession. We discuss the implications of these workplace factors, including mitigation strategies.

De feriis in Roman-Canonical Legal Tradition

Throughout history, the legal regulation of holidays has been the product of human needs for rest and entertainment, religious beliefs, and pragmatic economic imperatives dictating the optimal use of time to produce goods. The first part of the article examines the significance of the division between dies fasti and dies nefasti and explores the categorisation of holidays in the Roman pagan era and their legal implications. The author then looks at the origins of Sunday as a day of rest and considers Theodosius’ reform of the Roman calendar. This reform established the liturgical year in the emerging Christian state, and enduringly shaped the calendar of most European countries. The third part considers the attitude of the late Roman state towards Jewish and pagan festivals, and the innovations in medieval ecclesiastical legislation concerning holidays. The final section of the paper reflects on the role of tradition in the state’s recognition of religious festivals as public holidays.

Wastewater-based Epidemiology to Investigate Spatio-Temporal Trends in Alcohol Consumption in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

Alcohol is an influential drug that has extensive societal impact. In Aotearoa New Zealand, there are a number of worrying trends related to alcohol consumption including rates of alcohol-related harm and violence and heavy episodic drinking. To understand and address these issues, alcohol consumption rates and related trends need to be understood. A wastewater-based epidemiology study was carried out over the course of six months (April-September 2021), sampling one week per month from ten catchment areas covering ~40 % of the national population. The average alcohol consumption was found to be 12.2 mL/person/day. Temporal and geographical trends in alcohol consumption were found; there was higher alcohol consumption on the weekends compared to weekdays, alcohol consumption was inversely related to settlement size, there was increased alcohol consumption due to public holidays and alcohol consumption was not seen to increase during COVID restrictions, however there was a notable change in the weekly trend during lockdowns. This application of alcohol WBE to Aotearoa New Zealand represents a comprehensive national study to understand alcohol consumption and its influences. The knowledge obtained will allow appropriate services and public policies to be reviewed to best serve communities.

Admission time and outcomes of patients admitted to intensive care unit in a tertiary hospital in Nepal: an observational study

Background and aims: Time of admission to the intensive care unit may have a significant impact on the outcome. However, there is scarcity of published literature regarding admission hours and outcomes from low-income and middle-income countries like Nepal. The aim of this study was to compare the outcome of patients admitted to intensive care units at office hours and off hours. Methods: This observational study was conducted in the intensive care units of Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal. Data from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2022, over a period of three years, were curated from the ICU registry. Patients were divided into two groups based on the time of admission to intensive care unit: 1) office hours (from 9:00 am till 4:59 pm that day) and 2) off hours (5:00 pm to 8:59 am next day, including Saturdays and public holidays). Results: Among 3733 patients admitted to ICU, 3242 patients were enrolled for analysis. There were no significant differences in mortality rate as well as average duration of mechanical ventilation between two groups. The average length of stay was however longer by 1 day among patients admitted during off hours compared to office hours. Conclusion: The time of admission in ICU has no significant effect on the outcome of patients. Off hour ICU admission is not associated with poor patient outcomes compared to office hours.

Public holidays increased the transmission of COVID-19 in Japan, 2020-2021: a mathematical modelling study.

Although the role of specific holidays in modifying transmission dynamics of infectious diseases has received some research attention, the epidemiological impact of public holidays on the transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) remains unclear. To assess the extent of increased transmission frequency during public holidays, we collected COVID-19 incidence and mobility data in Hokkaido, Tokyo, Aichi, and Osaka from February 15, 2020 to September 30, 2021. Models linking the estimated effective reproduction number (Rt) with raw or adjusted mobility, public holidays, and the state of emergency declaration were developed. The best-fit model included public holidays as an essential input variable, and was used to calculate counterfactuals of Rt in the absence of holidays. During public holidays, on average, Rt increased by 5.71%, 3.19%, 4.84%, and 24.82% in Hokkaido, Tokyo, Aichi, and Osaka, respectively, resulting in a total increase of 580 (95% confidence interval [CI], 213 to 954), 2,209 (95% CI, 1,230 to 3,201), 1,086 (95% CI, 478 to 1,686), and 5,211 (95% CI, 4,554 to 5,867) cases that were attributable to the impact of public holidays. Public holidays intensified the transmission of COVID-19, highlighting the importance of considering public holidays in designing appropriate public health and social measures in the future.

Analisis Pengawasan Inspektur Angkutan Udara Kantor Otoritas Bandar Udara Wilayah I Kelas Utama terhadap Penetapan Harga Tarif Tiket oleh Maskapai PT. Lion Mentari Airlines

In domestic flights, currently many people choose economic services, of course this is a very competitive aviation business arena for users of aviation services in terms of fares, equipment, services, human resources, and flight security and safety. This study aims to determine the setting of tariffs, besides that this research also aims to determine the supervision of tariff implementation. Air Transport Inspector. This research uses a type of qualitative descriptive research method. To get answers from the research, the researcher made a research design in the form of observations, interviews, and documentation. The data obtained is in the form of interview results with the Air Transport Inspector at the Regional 1 Main Airport Authority Office. The results of the study show that the arrangements made by the Ministry of Transportation are the main basis for Aviation Business Entities in setting fares and facilitating supervision for Air Transport Inspectors. Fare inspection supervision is an SOP given by the Ministry of Transportation to Air Transport Inspectors. Not only that, tariff monitoring can occur when there are public reports and national holidays. Existing obstacles such as the occurrence of violations can be handled by a Ministerial Decree in accordance with the rules for enforcing sanctions. Keywords : tariff, policy, supervision, sanctions.

Short-term effects of air pollution and weather on physical activity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

IntroductionPatients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) accumulate low levels of physical activity. How environmental factors affect their physical activity in the short-term is uncertain. Aim: to assess the short-term effects of air pollution and weather on physical activity levels in COPD patients. MethodsThis multi-center panel study assessed 408 COPD patients from Catalonia (Spain). Daily physical activity (i.e., steps, time in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), locomotion intensity, and sedentary time) was recorded in two 7-day periods, one year apart, using the Dynaport MoveMonitor. Air pollution (nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter below 10 μm (PM10) and a marker of black carbon (absorbance of PM2.5: PM2.5ABS), and weather (average and maximum temperature, and rainfall) were estimated the same day (lag zero) and up to 5 days prior to each assessment (lags 1–5). Mixed-effect distributed lag linear regression models were adjusted for age, sex, weekday, public holidays, greenness, season, and social class, with patient and city as random effects. ResultsPatients (85% male) were on average (mean ± SD) 68 ± 9 years old with a post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) of 57 ± 18% predicted. Higher NO2, PM10 and PM2.5ABS levels at lag four were associated with fewer steps, less time in MVPA, reduced locomotion intensity, and longer sedentary time (e.g., coefficient (95% CI) of −60 (−105, −15) steps per 10 μg/m3 increase in NO2). Higher average and maximum temperatures at lag zero were related to more steps and time in MVPA, and less sedentary time (e.g., +85 (15, 154) steps per degree Celsius). Higher rainfall at lag zero was related to fewer steps and more sedentary time. ConclusionAir pollution affects the amount and intensity of physical activity performed on the following days in COPD patients, whereas weather affects the amount of physical activity performed on the same day.

Time Management and its Impact on Business Growth: A Study of Public Holidays and Work Stoppages in Nigeria

This article provides a nexus between time management, public holidays and other work stoppages in Nigeria. It looks at the negative consequences of having too many public holidays and work stoppages in a fragile and dependent economy like Nigeria. Too much of everything is bad it is said. Any action that leads to the stoppage of work activities is detrimental to the growth of businesses. Nigeria observes too many works stoppages in a calendar year, and research shows that intermittent and frequent works stoppages can cause damage to the efforts designed to make a country’s financial and capital markets catch up with global trends. Further researches also show that Nigeria’s financial system handles a large amount of transaction that principally involves all banks in the country. In turn, these institutions facilitate the transactions of all economic agents. This study treats all holidays as works stoppage; all off duty activities such as strikes that consumes economic or man-hour is referred to as work stoppage (strike inclusive).

Празднование годовщины установления антибольшевистской власти в Сибири 7 июня 1919 г. По документам Омской городской думы

The paper analyzes the story of the history of Omsk city self-government, associated with the attempt to approve a new public holiday in anti-Bolshevik Siberia - the anniversary of the entry of White-Czech troops into Omsk. The connection of the investigated issue with the historiography of the problem is given, on this basis the relevance of the work is connected with the introduction into the scientific turnover of unpublished sources from the funds of the Historical Archive of the Omsk region. These documents allow us to detail the emergence, discussion and coordination of the initiative, the course and results of the official celebrations in Kolchak's Omsk on June 7, 1919, positioned as the day of "liberation of Siberia" and "revival of Russian statehood". The importance of those events is connected with the fact that Omsk then had the official status of the capital of anti-Bolshevik Russia. The aim of the paper is to analyze the preparation and results of the celebration on the basis of new sources - minutes of the Omsk City Duma meeting within the period - the end of May and the beginning of June 1919. The theoretical basis of the research is a combination of approaches (institutional, systemic, anthropological) and methods (problem-chronological, comparative-historical) traditional for historical science. This makes it possible to establish the degree of participation of the institutions of power in the attempt to establish a new public holiday of potential significance for the entire anti-Bolshevik Siberia, as well as the role of specific socio-political figures in the realization of that initiative. The nature and course of the celebration demonstrate the conservative views of the authorities in White Omsk (both at the level of the Russian government and the City Duma), as well as the special importance of the festivities of June 7, 1919 for the highest circles of the anti-Bolshevik statehood. In addition, the study of the celebrations in the Kolchak capital prompts thoughts about the significant influence of the religious factor in the Civil War in eastern Russia. The study is an example of when a casual episode of local history acquired all-Russian significance. The work also emphasizes the inviolable postulate of historical research that for a full-fledged assessment of events it is essential to take into account the widest possible range of sources. The publication may be of interest to academic specialists studying the Civil War and anti-Bolshevik movement in the East of Russia, the history of public holidays, as well as socio-political and everyday life in the era of social cataclysms.

Effect of testing criteria for infectious disease surveillance: The case of COVID-19 in Norway.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in Norway, the testing criteria and capacity changed numerous times. In this study, we aim to assess consequences of changes in testing criteria for infectious disease surveillance. We plotted the proportion of positive PCR tests and the total number of PCR tests for different periods of the pandemic in Norway. We fitted regression models for the total number of PCR tests and the probability of positive PCR tests, with time and weekday as explanatory variables. The regression analysis focuses on the time period until 2021, i.e. before Norway started vaccination. There were clear changes in testing criteria and capacity over time. In particular, there was a marked difference in the testing regime before and after the introduction of self-testing, with a drastic increase in the proportion of positive PCR tests after the introduction of self-tests. The probability of a PCR test being positive was higher for weekends and public holidays than for Mondays-Fridays. The probability for a positive PCR test was lowest on Mondays. This implies that there were different testing criteria and/or different test-seeking behaviour on different weekdays. Though the probability of testing positive clearly changed over time, we cannot in general conclude that this occurred as a direct consequence of changes in testing policies. It is natural for the testing criteria to change during a pandemic. Though smaller changes in testing criteria do not seem to have large, abrupt consequences for the disease surveillance, larger changes like the introduction and massive use of self-tests makes the test data less useful for surveillance.

The Value of Leisure Synchronization

This paper explores the extent to which workers are willing to trade hours worked for leisure time shared with their spouse. We use the fact that the number and timing of paid vacation days to which French employees are entitled vary in a quasi-random way from year to year along with the dates of public holidays. Self-employed workers do not benefit from public holidays, but we show that a large fraction of them substitute a day of unpaid leisure for a day of paid work whenever their spouse gets an extra day of paid leave. (JEL D12, D91, J22, J23)

Ambulatory (P3) patients at the emergency department

Introduction Overcrowding at Emergency Departments (EDs) has negative implications on healthcare systems, hospitals, staffs, and patients. We aimed to describe the characteristics of ambulatory (P3) patients to mitigate input of these patients to the ED to ease overcrowding. Methods A retrospective study was conducted from 2019 to 2022. Information on demographics, attendance patterns, length of ED stay, diagnoses and dispositions were collected and analysed. Results Among 541,762 attendances, there were 183,592 (33.9%) ambulatory (P3) patients. Adults between 16- to 65-year old accounted for the majority ( n = 149,846, 81.6%). Compared to emergent (P1) and urgent (P2) patients, there were greater proportions of ambulatory (P3) patients who attended the ED during weekends and public holidays, and between 0800 and 2359 h ( p &lt; .01). There were also greater proportions of ambulatory (P3) patients who self-conveyed to the ED, and did not have referral from primary care physicians ( p &lt; .01). Their median (interquartile range) time, in minutes, of wait for triage, wait for consult and length of stay were 9 (4–19), 35 (18–71) and 110 (65–168) respectively. About one in 10 ambulatory (P3) patients required admission to the hospital. The top three diagnoses were upper respiratory tract infection (11.0%), musculoskeletal pain (9.7%), and laceration (4.3%). Conclusion Ambulatory (P3) patients accounted for a sizeable load which can exacerbate overcrowding at the ED. They may be better sited at primary care services that are appropriate for their conditions. Measures should be directed at addressing their healthcare needs and health seeking behaviour.

Evolution and characteristics of shared e-scooters usage in Munich, Germany – Results of an over 8 million trips data analysis

Based on Mobility Data Specification (MDS) data supplied by almost all operating sharing e-scooter companies in Munich, Germany, this study investigates how shared e-scooters have been used in the city.This research examines how the aspects such as the frequency, duration, and distance of travel have changed. Indeed, variations over time, differences by weekday, and developments throughout the day are investigated more closely. Furthermore, the study addresses the effect of temperature and precipitation on the frequency of use across the entire period.The analysis of over 8 million trips during 27 months reveals that since shared e-scooters were introduced in Munich, the number of rides using them has gradually risen yearly. Furthermore, the utilization of the services increases noticeably throughout the summer.According to the investigations, the weather and temperature change significantly impact booking rates. The impact of temperature is directly correlated with the volume of rides. In the case of precipitation, it depends more on whether it is raining at the time or not, while the amount of rain plays a subordinate role. The study shows apparent differences in demand between weekdays and weekends or public holidays: During the week, the number of trips rises earlier, and there is a morning peak. Most journeys occur in the afternoon between 4 and 6 pm. The weekday bookings are generally consistent from Monday through Thursday, slightly higher on Fridays and Saturdays, and again decreasing on Sundays. Another study finding is that the typical journey time has stayed constant over time, ranging between seven and eight minutes.

Factors Influencing Decision Making to Revisit Japan of the Thai Bangkokian Millennial Tourists during Public Holidays

Even though Japan encounters several tourism issues including an epidemic like COVID-19, Japan is still among the pioneering countries when it comes to opening its doors to tourists. Currently, Japan tour packages are drawing high attention from Bangkokian millennials who prefer to travel during Thai public holidays due to diverse reasons. Hence, this study focused on identifying tourism marketing mix factors that influence Thai Bangkokian millennial tourists during Thai public holidays. Two hypotheses were set up. A verified questionnaire was used to collect the data from targeted 400 samples, then the data were analyzed into percentage, mean, and standard deviation. Also, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and regression analysis were used to test hypotheses and identify relationships and influences between variables. The results indicated that, in terms of demographic characteristics, gender, age, status, occupation, and income influence Thai millennial tourists to revisit Japan. Meanwhile, according to 12 tourism marketing factors, product and service quality factor, price factor, promotion factor, process factor, political factor, performance management factor, and presentation and public relations factor significantly affect the decision to revisit Japan of Thai millennial tourists in the Bangkok during public holidays.&#x0D;

Public Transportation Assessment Along Kathmandu Bhaktapur Route

The transportation sector of Kathmandu Valley is facing numerous intricacies because of soaring population density. According to the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office, the number of vehicles that ply the Valley roads at present is 1.75 million. Just a year ago, traffic police data showed the number to be 1.4 million. Also, only about 20% of the vehicles are used for public service suggesting that public transportation management has been a major challenge in Kathmandu Valley. This leads to an increase in travel time coupled with huge traffic congestion. The Kathmandu Bhaktapur route is around 13 KM in length and is used by more than 68000 passengers on normal days and more than 56000 passengers on public holidays; but the service offered is not reliable and systematic and needs to be upgraded. Significant travel duration due to low running speed, and unnecessary and frequent stops at short distances proved to be the major issues. After the removal of unnecessary stations, 3200 passengers’ hours can be saved.

Jurisprudence: payment of overtime work, work in weekend and holidays

The review presented court decisions on disputes over overtime pay, weekend work and public holidays.