Security Insurance Research Articles

Daily exercises uptake and associated factors among Social Security and National Insurance Trust pensioners in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana

BackgroundWith a growing body of evidence highlighting the positive impact of regular physical activity or exercise on achieving healthy aging, it is important to gain insight into the factors influencing daily exercises uptake. However, to the best of our knowledge, no study has been focused on factors predicting daily exercises uptake among pensioners, who form a substantial portion of Ghana’s aging population. The goal of this preliminary study was to estimate the factors associated with daily exercises uptake among Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) pensioners in Ghana.MethodsData for this study came from a cross-sectional study on survival strategies and quality of life among SSNIT pensioners in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. Cluster and stratified sampling techniques were used to recruit the study participants. The analytic sample was 410 participants. Multivariable binary logistic regressions were used to estimate factors associated with daily exercises uptake among the participants. The significance of the test was pegged at a p-value of 0.05 or less.ResultsThe results showed that 62% of the participants self-identified as male, 47.6% were aged between 60 and 64 years, 52.7% were employed in the public sector and 44.4% performed daily exercises. The results showed that those who were aged 60–64 years (AOR: 1.197, 95% CI: 1.019–1.405), aged 65–69 years (AOR:1.254, 95% CI: 1.071–1.468), who do not incur expenditure on their household in a month (AOR: 1.519, 95% CI: 1.127–2.046), earned less than GH¢260 (AOR: 1.221, 95% CI: 1.018–1.465), accessed/utilized herbalist medical services (AOR: 1.252, 95% CI: 1.129–1.388), very dissatisfied (AOR: 1.637, 95% CI: 1.242–2.157) and dissatisfied (AOR: 1.516, 95% CI: 1.212–1.896) with their sex life were more likely to undertake daily exercises and this was statistically significant. The results again demonstrated that participants who joined fitness club (AOR: 0.685, 95% CI: 0.614-0.764) and those who were very dissatisfied with their health services access/use (AOR: 0.598, 95% CI: 0.363-0.984) were less likely to undertake daily exercises and this was statistically significant.ConclusionFindings of this study have provided important insights for policy makers and thus constitute a useful framework to help plan and shape future policies and programs on daily exercises uptake among pensioners in Ghana and other geographical contexts with similar cultural, demographic, and socio-economic characteristics.

Impact assessment of COVID-19 and PMO15 on labour in the plantation-wood processing sector in Lao PDR with policy recommendations

The primary objective of this research was to 1) explore the impacts of COVID-19 on availability of, and demand for, labor in the plantation-wood processing sector in Lao PDR; 2) the Government and industry response measures to COVID-19; and 3) the impacts of 2016 Prime Ministers’ Order (No. 15/PM, PMO15) aimed at addressing illegal logging and controlling log exports were also considered, as representative of a similar ‘shock’ to the sector. The research, undertaken in Vientiane Capital City, adopted a mainly qualitative methodology utilizing literature reviews and semi-structured interviews to gather data from the government, industry and workers. Micro, small and medium sized companies and their employees were surveyed. The research found that Lao wood manufacturers were affected by the shutdowns in response to COVID-19 and there were follow-on effects up and down value chains. The experiences of Laos were found to be similar to those experienced in wood producing countries globally. Supply issues and access to markets were key factors impacting the ability of factories to continue to operate and retain workers. Government protection measures were effective but challenging to implement, and access to support was difficult. Impacts on male and female differed. Awareness of, and access to, mandatory social security insurance by workers was very low. Other forms of social ‘safety-net’ were more apparent and important, including company-based programs, charity, and family/self-help. Improved dissemination of information about the need for, and benefits of, social security should occur to mitigate future shocks. The high dependence on foreign workers to fill skilled jobs in the sector remains an issue. Coupled with reforms in response to PMO15, to improve factory and product standards and ongoing export restrictions, there is a need further build Lao skills and capacity. Current efforts to up-skill Lao workers for employment in emerging wood product industries must be maintained, and improved recognition of Lao-acquired competencies is needed. Market needs analysis including the development of product dossiers is required together with the building of relevant technical expertise. Without this the Lao wood processing sector will be remain vulnerable to future shocks.

Can rural elderly groups be supported by increasing the pension contribution rate?

As a typical East Asian country transitioning from a production-based social insurance system to a modern free social insurance system, South Korea has set a precedent for other Asian countries. This study adopts data from 2006, 2010, and 2012 Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging (KLoSA) and uses a fixed effect analysis of the quasi-natural experiment to conclude that the increase in the Korean pension contribution rate has a limited negative impact on social security participation. The degree of filial piety of children, including the financial support of those children, rather than the number of children, affects the participation of the elderly in social security insurance. Thus, an alternative relationship between family pensions and social pensions presents itself. This paper discusses the mechanism that factors influence the willingness to participate in pension insurance with reduced replacement rates in an extended family of a multigenerational population. After systematically delineating the background of South Korea’s welfare system, this paper compares the similarities between China and South Korea in this regard and proposes that China and other East and Southeast Asian countries can learn from South Korea’s example.

An Extension of Small Business Cybersecurity Into the Classroom and Community

Small business owners often feel immune to hackers because of their business’s size and consequently do not have adequate security training, safeguards, policies, or insurance. Accordingly, small businesses are easy and frequent cybercrime targets because of limited budgets, technical personnel, and awareness. To increase small business owners’ awareness, a university conference for Cybersecurity and Small Business was offered with PCI DSS, Social Engineering, and Company Cases topics. To augment such cyber knowledge generation, this paper contains cybersecurity outreach activities for small businesses and cybersecurity learning activities for entrepreneurship students who aspire to be small business owners.

Gender compositions of occupations and firms jointly shape switches from gender-atypical towards more gender-typical positions

ABSTRACT Research on sex segregation in the labor market has repeatedly found that women and men are more likely to exit from occupations and firms in which they are the numerical minority and subsequently seek positions that are more represented by their gender. However, this research looked at mobility either across occupations or across firms, leaving unclear how the simultaneous exposure to gender compositions of occupations and firms shapes attrition from gender-atypical positions. We draw on linked employer-employee register data from the German social security insurance system (SIEED, 2012-2018) to highlight that some occupations can be found in firms with various gender compositions, indicating that gender compositions of occupations and firms do not always align and thereby may independently affect mobility. Conditional relative risk ratios for mobility between gender-typed occupations and firms reveal substantial switches from gender-atypical towards more gender-typical positions. This gendered labor market mobility is most pronounced for men across occupations. For women, gender compositions of firms drive not only mobility across firms but also switches out of gender-atypical occupations. Our findings underscore that gender compositions of occupations and firms jointly shape attrition from gender-atypical positions, which ultimately perpetuates labor market segregation.

Gestational Diabetes Significantly Associated With Food Insecurity and Insurance Status in the United States [ID 2683536

INTRODUCTION: Gestational diabetes (GD) is on the rise in the United States, posing risks to women's cardiovascular health, pregnancy, and their offspring's well-being. We sought to characterize the association between food insecurity and health care access and GD prevalence. METHODS: We analyzed data from 29,732 females aged 18+ in the 2021–2022 National Health Interview Survey to determine the prevalence of self-reported GD and its relationship with food security and health insurance status. We used χ2 tests to compare GD rates across different food security classifications and insurance statuses. Additionally, we cross-examined GD rates within food security groups based on insurance coverage. RESULTS: The overall GD prevalence among females was 5.70%. Stratified by food security, significant differences emerged (P<.05): 5.23% for high security, 7.99% for marginal security, 7.72% for low security, and 11.85% for very low security. We observed significant differences in GD rates by insurance coverage (P<.05): 5.57% for insured and 7.72% for uninsured respondents. Notably, when individuals were not highly food secure, there was no significant difference in the prevalence of GD between those who were insured or uninsured. CONCLUSION: This study highlights the significant associations between food insecurity, insurance coverage, and GD prevalence, although our cross-sectional analysis indicated that food insecurity may be the more salient factor. To combat GD's rise, policies should prioritize providing nutritious food access to pregnant women, potentially through mobile food units. Further research should explore whether food insecurity causally affects GD.

Evaluating the Causes of Deductions for Inpatient Bills Covered by Social Security Insurance in Rofeideh Hospital, Tehran City, Iran, in 2021

Evaluating the Causes of Deductions for Inpatient Bills Covered by Social Security Insurance in Rofeideh Hospital, Tehran City, Iran, in 2021

Planning for retirement during active service in Ghana: Insights from pensioners in the Greater Accra Region

ABSTRACT Workers often participate in pre-retirement planning activities to gain awareness of the likely changes they may experience when they retire to enable them to prepare accordingly. Although pre-retirement planning is essential for successful retirement and healthy aging, studies on pre-retirement planning activities among older adults in Ghana are limited. This study explored pre-retirement planning actions that were taken by Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) pensioners in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods approach was adopted to gather data from 437 pensioners aged 60 years and above through surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions. The results indicate that while in active service, many (309) pensioners were not motivated to plan for retirement due to issues, such as low income, and distrust of financial institutions. When planning did take place, the pensioners favored financial planning over social, mental, and physical planning. The respondents also revealed that they did not prepare adequately for retirement due to low salaries, as well as low knowledge on pre-retirement planning. Policies are needed to encourage pre-retirement planning among workers in Ghana to enable them to have an appreciable quality of life in old age.

Public Sector Employees’ Arrangement and Plans Towards Retirement in Ghana

As a saying goes, if one fails to plan, that individual plans to fail. This well-known saying holds true relative to retirement that formal sector employees experience at a point in their life time. It is also a truism that effective and efficient retirement planning by employees is contingent on the information about retirement they receive. Although myriad of studies have been conducted on retirement experiences of formal sector employees, the specific activities that employees do for their retirement had attracted less research attention. The study aimed to close the gap identified, which is quintessential for the information, education and action of employees, employers, psychologists and counsellors. The study focused on employees of the Ghana Health Service (GHS) and Ghana Education Service (GES) in two municipalities. Stratified and simple random sampling procedures were adopted to select the employees to participate in the study. To garner the requisite data to achieve the study objectives, a questionnaire was designed, pre-tested and used. The data gathered were analysed using descriptive statistical tools. It emerged from the study that the employees’ principal sources of information on retirement are the media, private insurance companies, Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), friends and relatives. It also emanated from the study that most of the employees were doing the following for their retirement: investment in shares, bonds, treasury bills and insurance policies; savings and standing orders. Stakeholders of the two services need to do more to help their employees to prepare well for an enhanced livelihood during retirement.

Pension Systems in Ghanaian Public Universities

Workers think more about the future and the pension schemes they join when they are in active employment. The study considers the pension systems in the Ghanaian public universities. It assesses how university workers’ pay their defined benefit and contribution plans towards their pensions. Survey design was used in the methodology and chi-square was used to test the hypothesis. It was found out that there is significant difference in the retirement packages that the Ghana University Staff Superannuation Scheme (GUSSS) and Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) pay to their members.

Social Determinants of Health for Positive Mental Health of Iranian Adults

Objectives Considering the importance of positive mental health promotion for preventing psychosocial disorders and increasing physical health and productivity, it is necessary to identify the social determinants of health (SDH) to implement the necessary interventions to improve community health. The present study aims to identify the SDH of positive mental health in Iranian adults. Methods This is a quantitative and correlational study that was conducted on adults aged 30-60 years living in Tehran, Iran. The sample size was estimated to be 547 people using G*Power software. The samples were selected using a multi-stage random sampling method. After reviewing the literature and meeting with a panel of experts, the SDH list was extracted, and the conceptual model was plotted. The criteria for entering the model was a significance level (P≥0.2). At the end, the structural equation modeling method was applied. The tools used included the mental health continuum–short form, the socioeconomic status questionnaire, multidimensional scale of perceived social support, perceived stress scale-10 items, international physical activity questionnaire-short form, Neissi’s job security questionnaire, Ten Horn’s job security questionnaire, the visual analogue scale for occupational stress assessment, the neighborhood status checklist, Internet use checklist, and social security insurance checklist. The data was analyzed in SPSS software, version 21 and LISREL version 8.8. Results The data of 607 questionnaires were analyzed. The mean age of participants was 44.04±9.4 years. The mean score of positive mental health was 45.96±8.65. Among structural determinants, the social class (B=0.181), socio-economic status (B=0.114), job position (B=0.08), building volume per capita (B=0.092) had positive effect on positive mental health, while education (B=-0.071) had negative effect. Among intermediary determinants, job satisfaction (B=0.16), social support (B=0.23) and insurance (B=0.14) had positive effect on positive mental health, while perceived stress (B=-0.62) had negative effect. Conclusion Improving socioeconomic status by increasing social support and job satisfaction can increase Iranian adults' positive mental health. On the other hand, the reduction of perceived stress can determine the positive mental health of Iranian adults both directly and indirectly.

COMPARISON OF TAX BURDEN INDICATORS IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC AND SLOVAKIA

Abstract The article focuses on the comparison of the tax systems of the Czech Republic and Slovakia in the period 2017-2020. First, it deals with a brief description of the basic parameters of Czech and Slovak taxes, which also include contributions to social security and health insurance. In the next section, there are selected indicators of taxation. These indicators are implicit tax rates on consumption, labour, and capital, effective tax rates, tax mix, and tax quota, and on the other hand, the standard of living is presented by the indicator of gross domestic product per inhabitant in purchasing power parity. By evaluating the selected indicators, it was found that the tax burden in the Czech Republic is higher than in Slovakia, although the tax quota indicator indicates the opposite. It can be stated that it is appropriate to use more indicators to assess the tax burden. Keywords: tax quota, taxation, implicit tax rate, tax mix, Czech Republic, Slovakia.

Exploring the awareness, preparedness and the state of pension among informal workers in Ghana

The study explored the awareness, preparedness, and the state of pensions among informal workers in Ghana. The interpretive approach and the exploratory research design were used for this study. The snowball and purposive sampling techniques were adopted to select 45 informal workers in Ghana and two management members of a pension scheme in Ghana. Data gathered was transcribed, coded and analysed with the qualitative interpretative analytical framework. The study found that the majority of respondents had a partial understanding or lack of understanding of pension, SSNIT tier 1,2 and 3 pension schemes. Informal workers were identified to really have pension needs and desired to contribute towards their old age. Regarding how informal workers want to contribute towards their pension, the study found that most respondents wanted to contribute a monthly amount of GH 50–100 through either “momo” platforms or agents of pension schemes that were not part of the existing pension scheme by the Social Security and National Insurance Trust. Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) came out as the favourite pension house among informal workers in Ghana. It was therefore recommended that managers of pension schemes in Ghana should embark on more vigorous sensitisation programmes and consider the variability of the income of informal workers in coming out with a minimum rate for contribution to pension schemes for informal workers. It is further recommended that managers of pension schemes for informal workers should provide mobile money platforms and mobile agents to visit and collect contributions so that informal workers can continue to work on their busy work schedules while contributing to pension schemes.

Healthy life skills and related factors among university students: a cross-sectional study in Istanbul, Turkey

BackgroundChronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of global deaths. University students with unhealthy lifestyle constitute a high-risk group for NCDs. Evaluating and developing healthy behaviors during this period is very important for future health outcomes. This study was conducted to determine healthy life skills in university students.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted at a university, and data were collected between January and March 2023 in Istanbul. Data were collected using the healthy living skills scale in University Students and the Personal Information Form. Normal distribution conditions of the data were checked with the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test. According to data distribution, data with normal distribution were analyzed using parametric statistics including t-test, ANOVA and Chi-square tests and data with non-normal distribution were analyzed using non-parametric tests including Mann–Whitney U-test and Fisher’s exact test. Logistic regression test was used to determine predictor variables.ResultsThe average score for healthy life skills was 63.5 out of 84. Significant differences were found in the scores based on marital status, economic income, social security insurance coverage, and educational grade (p = 0.03, p = 0.001, p = 0.004, p = 0.04, respectively). Students who reported alcohol and smoking consumption had lower scores (60.8 ± 12) out of 84.ConclusionThe study revealed that university students in Istanbul possess a satisfactory level of healthy life skills. By providing social support, such as expanding the coverage of social security insurance and establishing conducive educational environments, while also paying attention to the influence of peers on students, we can contribute to the development of healthy life skills in university students.

Impact of healthcare inequities on survival in Mexican patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma.

The survival of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) has improved dramatically due to novel systemic treatments. However, mRCC mortality continues to rise in Latin America. A retrospective, multicenter study of patients diagnosed with mRCC between 2010-2018 in Mexico City was conducted. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of healthcare insurance on access to treatment and survival in patients with mRCC. Among 924 patients, 55.4%, 42.6%, and 1.9% had no insurance (NI), social security, (SS) and private insurance (PI), respectively. De novo metastatic disease was more common in NI patients (70.9%) compared to SS (47.2%) and PI (55.6%) patients (p<0.001). According to IMDC Prognostic Index, 20.2% were classified as favorable, 49% as intermediate, and 30.8% as poor-risk disease. Access to systemic treatment differed by healthcare insurance: 36.1%, 99.5%, and 100% for the NI, SS, and PI patients, respectively (p<0.001). NI patients received fewer lines of treatment, with 24.8% receiving only one line of treatment (p<0.001). Median overall survival (OS) was 13.9 months for NI, 98.9 months for SS, and 147.6 months for NI patients (p<0.001). In multivariate analysis, NI status, brain metastases, sarcomatoid features, bone metastases, no treatment were significantly associated with worse OS. OS in mRCC was affected by insurance availability in this resource-limited cohort of Mexican patients. These results underscore the need for effective strategies to achieve equitable healthcare access in an era of effective, yet costly systemic treatments.

Financial Strain, Covid-19 Anxiety and Suicidal Ideation Among Wage Workers During the Pandemic Crisis 2019

The global lockdowns owing to the Covid-19 pandemic have sparked attention in the relationship between financial strain, anxiety and suicidal thoughts among wage workers in India, the worst hit. This study was inspired by the lack of data on wage labourers’ financial strain, Covid-19 anxiety and suicidal ideation during the pandemic. This study is supported by the General Strain Theory, which states that economic or financial stress causes dissatisfaction, sadness and anxiety, which can lead to suicide ideation ( Agnew, 1992 ). Wage labourers from Jammu and Kashmir (India) in the informal sector were studied. However, the sample frame was unavailable. Thus, the researchers used convenience sampling to choose respondents from all Kashmir valley districts. Questionnaire item count determined sample size. According to Hair et al. (1998) , the sample size should be 10 times the questionnaire items. A sample of 395 wage workers was selected. Path analysis showed that financial strain causes suicidal ideation and anxiety (Covid-19), while wage workers’ worry leads to suicidal ideation. Financial stress and suicidal ideation are partially mediated by anxiety (Covid-19). These findings imply wage workers take specific steps to improve themselves and prepare for future crises like Covid-19. The survey found wage employees were hardest harmed by the pandemic. This experience shows that government, non-government organizations and religious communities are necessary and supportive. The government should provide food security and health insurance to wage earners in emergencies. For schemes, compensation and other benefits, the government should help workers to register with labour and employment organizations. Future studies would seek to identify other pandemic-related factors that drive wage workers to suicide. In a crisis, revealing additional factors might help create wage-earning programmes. Further investigations in diverse situations are needed to derive context-specific findings to validate this study.

The Cervical Cancer Treatment Gap in Mexico Under Seguro Popular, 2006-2016

ABSTRACT From 2005 to 2019, the Mexican government financed cervical cancer treatment for individuals without social security insurance through Seguro Popular’s Fund for Protection against Catastrophic Health Expenses. To better understand the impact of this program on access to treatment, we estimated the cervical cancer treatment gap (the proportion of patients with cervical cancer in this population who did not receive treatment). To calculate the expected number of incident cervical cancer cases we used national surveys with information on insurance affiliation and incidence estimates from the Global Burden of Disease study. We used a national claims database to determine the number of cases whose treatment was financed by Seguro Popular. From 2006 to 2016, the national cervical cancer treatment gap changed from 0.61 (95% CI 0.59 to 0.62) to 0.45 (95% CI 0.43 to 0.48), with an average yearly reduction of −0.012 (95% CI −0.024 to −0.001). The gap was greater in states with higher levels of marginalization and in the youngest and oldest age groups. Although the cervical cancer treatment gap among individuals eligible for Seguro Popular decreased after the introduction of public financing for treatment, it remained high. Seguro Popular was eliminated in 2019; however, individuals without social security have continued to receive cancer care financed by the government in the same healthcare facilities. These results suggest that barriers to care persisted after the introduction of public financing for treatment. These barriers must be reduced to improve cervical cancer care in Mexico, particularly in states with high levels of marginalization.

Improving risk management – combining security and cyber insurance practices

Cyber insurance will help you deal with the costs of recovering from a breach. But it can also play a deeper role. Insurance companies now demand that organisations demonstrate their security preparedness, and this means having a detailed and accurate picture of your infrastructure and IT estate. The tools you use to obtain this picture can also give you the insight you need to improve your readiness.

Prospects of edible insects as sustainable protein for food and feed – a review

Abstract The residual population growth imposes an increase in food demand, driving humans to practice agricultural intensification on a large scale. Paradoxically, food and feed production may end up causing various environmental problems. At the same time, about 2.37 billion people in the World currently lack basic food security insurance. As a consequence, alternative sources that can substantially address the demand for food and feed sustainably are needed. Insect farming may offer an environmentally friendly solution for mitigating global food and feed challenges. The article aims to explore the potential of insects as sustainable food and feed sources while assessing their environmental impact, offering innovative solutions for global food security challenges. By highlighting the benefits of edible insects, the article supports informed decision-making and promotes sustainable practices. Mass production of edible insects has seen record growth over the decade, and their demand as future proteins is projected to reach up to 3 million tons in 2030. Additionally, insect farming is evidenced to be economically viable. To meet the demand for edible insects, a breakthrough such as the internet of things can be used to scale up production and processing. However, detailed environmental impact assessments are needed to predict scenarios of large-scale insect farming. Life cycle assessments of some edible insect production systems have validated that insect farming has various beneficial environmental impacts. The utilization of edible insects as food and feed is promising for significantly improving food security and the environmental sustainability of food.

Socio-Economic Factors Influencing Household Access to Liquefied Petroleum Gas in Dodoma City, Tanzania

study sought to establish the influence of socio-economic characteristics on the household access to Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) in Dodoma City, Tanzania, using the cross-sectional survey design. Yamane formula was used to determine the sample size of 100 respondents. The decided heads of households (respondents) were then selected from the population using a systematic random sampling procedure to fill a questionnaire. The IBM-Statistical Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) Version 20 was used to code and analyze the obtained data. Binary Logistic Regression model was used to establish the socio-economic factors that influenced households’ decisions regarding access to LPG. The study concludes that socio-economic factors aside from sex and marital status have a substantial influence on the possibility of accessing LPG service in Dodoma City. Given these strong results, the researchers call for strategic investments in civic education programs focused at promoting eco-friendly alternative energy sources and supporting household economic stability to consistently increase the affordability of LPG pricing. The study also emphasizes how crucial it is for policymakers to be committed to tackling problems associated to poverty. The adoption of policies intended to enhance the general living standards of households in the area is advised as is the creation of a social security insurance program to lessen instances of poverty. These suggestions are essential steps to guaranteeing better access to LPG and improving the community's general standard of living in Dodoma City.