Policy Shift Research Articles

Gender differences in sleep behaviors under China’s universal two-child policy

Since 2016, China has progressively relaxed family planning policies to stimulate birth rates. This paper examines the behavioral health repercussions of China’s 2016 universal two-child policy (UTCP) by analyzing sleep pattern data from China Family Panel Studies. Napping is a composite indicator that denotes health outcomes, job quality, and personal well-being. It reveals work conditions and environments to some extent. UTCP may lead to heightened social expectations regarding pregnancy likelihood, and changes in social expectations within the workplace may make work environments less equitable and more stressful for females. Leveraging a difference-in-difference model, this paper explores how napping behaviors among the working-age cohort have responded to the policy shifts. Our analysis reveals a gender discrepancy in response to the policy, specifically, females exhibit a discernible reduction in the likelihood of napping, as well as in the duration of both daytime naps and daily sleep. Conversely, such effects are not significant among males. These results suggest policy consequences extend beyond individuals directly impacted by childbirth or contemplating parenthood. Hence, while promoting fertility is still the government’s goal, policymakers are encouraged to consider the broader challenges the female population faces from social and workplace environment factors.

Spatiotemporal trends and geographic disparities in spatial accessibility to maternal and child health services in Nanning, China: impact of two-child policies

BackgroundChina’s family planning policies have experienced stages of one-child policy, partial two-child policy, and universal two-child policy. However, the impact of these policy shifts on the spatial accessibility to maternal and child health (MCH) services for women and children remains uncertain. This study aimed to evaluate the spatiotemporal trends and geographic disparities in spatial accessibility to MCH services in the context of two-child polices.MethodsThis study was conducted in Nanning prefecture, China, from 2013 to 2019. Data on the transportation networks, MCH institutes, the annual number of newborns, and the annual number of pregnant women in Nanning prefecture were collected. Gaussian two-step floating catchment area (Ga2SFCA) method was employed to measure the spatial accessibility to MCH services at county, township, and village levels. Temporal trends in spatial accessibility were analyzed using Joinpoint regression analysis. Geographic disparities in spatial accessibility were identified using geographic information system (GIS) mapping techniques.ResultsOverall, the spatial accessibility to MCH services showed an upward trend from 2013 to 2019 at county, town, and village levels, with the average annual percent change (AAPC) being 5.04, 4.73, and 5.39, respectively. Specifically, the spatial accessibility experienced a slight downward trend during the period of partial two-child policy for both parents only children (i.e., 2013–2014), a slight upward trend during the period of partial two-child policy for either parent only child (i.e., 2014–2016) and the early stages of universal two-child policy (i.e., 2016–2018), and a large upward trend in the later stages of universal two-child policy (i.e., 2018–2019). Spatial accessibility to MCH services gradually decreased from central urban areas to surrounding rural areas. Regions with low spatial accessibility were predominantly located in remote rural areas.ConclusionWith the gradual opening of the two-child policies, the spatial accessibility to MCH services for women and children has generally improved. However, significant geographic disparities have persisted throughout the stages of the two-child policies. Comprehensive measures should be considered to improve equity in MCH services for women and children.

Critical Rural Theory: A Decade of Influence on Rural Education Research☆

AbstractRural education researchers have long been interested in the impact of increasing urbanization, with its attendant shifts in policy, culture, and capital mobility, on rural people and communities, but their findings have existed largely to the side of “mainstream” research examining urban and suburban populations. With the publication in 2011 of Critical Rural Theory: Structure, Space, Culture, scholars acquired a new theoretical tool for inquiring into processes of place‐making, identity formation, curricular design, and policy implementation. This article establishes key elements of the theory as they have been applied in both K‐12 and higher education research, giving attention to current gaps in the literature as well as future directions for theoretical elaboration. Essential areas of focus include critical rural theory's applications in K‐12 curricula and policy studies as well as research on community capitals, college transitions, and intersectional identity in higher education contexts.

The impact of telehealth cost-sharing on healthcare utilization: Evidence from high-deductible health plans.

Evaluate whether cost-sharing decreases led high-deductible health plans (HDHP) enrollees to increase their use of healthcare. National sample of chronically-ill patients age 18-64 from 2018 to 2020 (n = 1,318,178). Difference-in-differences analyses using entropy-balancing weights were used to evaluate the effect of a policy shift to $0 cost-sharing for telehealth on utilization for HDHP compared with non-HDHP enrollees. Due to this shock, HDHP enrollees experienced substantial declines in cost-sharing for telehealth, while non-HDHP enrollees experienced small declines. Event study models were also used to evaluate changes over time. Outcomes included use of any outpatient care; use of $0 telehealth; use of $0 telehealth as a proportion of all outpatient care; and use of any telehealth. To test whether any differences were due to preferences for care modality versus cost-sharing, we further evaluated use of non-$0 telehealth as a placebo test. There was no difference in change in overall outpatient visits (p = 0.84), with chronicall-ill HDHP enrollees using less care both before and after the policy shift. However, compared with non-HDHP enrollees, HDHP enrollees increased their use of $0 telehealth by 0.08 visits over a 9-month period, a 27% increase (95% CI 0.07-0.09, p < 0.001) and shifted 1.2 percentage points more of their care to $0 telehealth, a 15% increase (ß = 0.01, 95% CI 0.01, 0.01, p < 0.001). However, HDHP enrollees had lower uptake of non-$0 telehealth than non-HDHP enrollees (ß = -0.01, 95%CI -0.02, 0.00, p = 0.04). Recent-but-expiring federallegislation exempts telehealth from HDHP deductibles for care provided in 2023 and 2024. Our results indicate that extending the protections provided by this legislation could help reduce the gap in access to care for chronically-ill persons enrolled in HDHPs.

Low-Income Homeownership and Safety Nets: The Role of Radical Community Practices

ABSTRACT Nonprofit networks that oversee housing accessibility within urban neighbourhoods emerge as crucial arenas for inducing transformative shifts in policy and practice in the United States. However, civil society actors are subject to considerable critique in the discourse on radical planning theory. They are often alleged to be hand in glove with state and market actors in enabling displacement and dispossession of marginalised groups. This study challenges some of these entrenched positions and provides important counter-narratives on the transformative roles of civil society. Delving into the roles of various institutions that facilitate low-income homeownership, community building, and neighbourhood stabilisation, the study reveals that civil society actors present opportunities for subaltern expression, disruptive activism, and structural transformation in power relationalities. Their strategies respond to wealth-building pathways through housing and address intersectional challenges related to identity, citizenship, and access, thus reaffirming their transformative potential in the urban planning discourse.

Collaborating in future states—Contextual instability, paradigmatic remaking, and public policy

AbstractCollaboration is ubiquitous in public policy life, with its presence and profile determined by prevailing governance conditions. Commitments to globalisation and marketisation in the latter part of the 20th century marked the onset of an era defined by collaboration, between and across tiers and spheres of government, with non‐state actors, and through market and network instruments. Current contextual instability poses questions for dominant public policy paradigms and the existing collaborative settlement. This article explores the challenges presented in the current moment and how policymakers and scholars might navigate them. It focuses on how ideas about economics and security shape public policy, illustrating the paradigm‐shifting impact of economism and securitisation. It argues for the replacement of economism and securitisation by sustainability, sovereignty, and justice and demonstrates the latter's engagement with economics and security and their accounting for what have hitherto been ‘subaltern voices’ in public policy. It discusses the implications for collaboration in relation to future collective action problems, more diverse and disconnected ‘publics’, and a more congested and lower trust policy environment. It highlights the need for collaborative plasticity and pluralistic agency.Points for practitioners Public policymaking is shaped by dominant ideas about economics and security; ideas that become ‘taken for granted’ in policy practice. The prevailing ideas of economism and securitisation are being challenged by contextual changes, globally, regionally, and nationally. This creates space for new ideas to shape future public policy. Ideas of sustainability, sovereignty, and justice offer an alternative framework for public policymaking. These ideas can engage productively with economics and security, and they are also inclusive of a wider variety of ‘voices’ particularly those previously marginalised. Collaboration will remain integral to the success of public policy. However, it will need to adapt to new circumstances. This will include defining new purposes, reassessing its appropriateness, reshaping collaborative scope, scale, and form, and refining collaborative activities. A paradigmatic shift in public policy that highlights sustainability, sovereignty, and justice will require the active involvement of a plurality of actors enabled to contribute new knowledge and contest the status quo.

Adopting the 2023 CDC Early Testing for Perinatal Hepatitis C: Call to Action for Pediatric Primary Care Providers.

In the US, the burden of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is disproportionately high among young adults including pregnant persons, resulting in increased infections among children as perinatal transmission remains the main route of HCV infection in children. Hence, in 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended universal HCV screening during each pregnancy. HCV infection in infancy is usually asymptomatic, so the diagnosis entirely relies on testing of perinatally-exposed infants which, historically, included anti-HCV antibody testing at ≥ 18 months of age. However, nation-wide perinatal HCV testing rates have been suboptimal with significant loss to follow up. To address this problem, in 2023, the CDC introduced early single HCV RNA testing at 2-6 months of age with an alternative for HCV RNA testing up to 17 months of age if not previously tested. The high sensitivity and specificity of the HCV real-time PCR laid the grounds for this policy shift. In this review we highlight how these new CDC recommendations will enhance testing of infants and children and ultimately contribute to overall HCV elimination efforts. We also emphasize the role of all pediatric providers and obstetricians in implementing these new guidelines. Additionally, we offer our perspective and practical advice for testing of perinatally exposed infants and children. Currently, curative oral antivirals for HCV-infection treatment are approved for children ≥ 3 years of age. As pediatricians, advocating for children's wellness, it is our utmost duty to ensure that every child exposed to perinatal hepatitis C has been tested, diagnosed, linked to care, treated, and achieved cure.

Overcoming the Patronage System: Propaganda Fide and Its Portuguese Patronage Documents on China in the Early Modern Period

From its foundation in 1622, the Congregation de Propaganda Fide held supreme jurisdiction over all missionary activities of the Catholic Church at the global level, with authority coming directly from the pope. Its main goals were the expansion of the Catholic faith, the reaffirmation of papal spiritual primacy, and the promotion of Indigenous clergy throughout the world, which put Propaganda Fide in direct competition with secular rulers who also wanted to control missionary activities in their overseas territories. This article will examine one such conflict, namely that regarding Portugal and its royal patronage system in China. The Historical Archive of Propaganda Fide in the Vatican City holds extensive material concerning Portuguese patronage and China, which has remained relatively unknown and understudied. Through an examination of several of the most significant documents, such as the formal terms sent by the Portuguese court to the Holy See, the response of Propaganda Fide, and the final declaration of the Holy See, which would become the cornerstone for all future decisions over the patronage system, it is suggested that these negotiations about China are in fact central to a wider shift in global Catholic policy and politics in the field of missionary activity.

Testing the unit root of social, environmental, and governance stock price indexes using a multivariate ARDL model

ABSTRACT The establishment of a green stock market (GSM) has significant implications for the advancement of sustainable development. However, it is susceptible to fluctuations caused by fluctuations in fossil fuel prices, economic policy and geopolitical uncertainties, and monetary policy. This study evaluates the persistence of shocks to five social, environmental, and governance (ESG) stock price indexes using the novel multivariate ARDL unit root test. The Federal Fund Effective Rate (FFER) and West Texas Intermediate Crude Oil Price (WTIOIL) were separately included as covariates in the ARDL model and tested for the null hypothesis of a unit root using a multivariate ARDL unit root test. The results of this study indicate that the ESG stock price indexes exhibit unit root behaviour, suggesting that policy shifts and shocks have a lasting impact on the dynamics of the green stock market and sustainable development.

Strongyloides stercoralis infection in solid organ transplant recipients.

Strongyloides stercoralis infection remains of concern due to its high associated morbidity among solid organ transplant recipients (SOTR) and the risk of donor-derived infection (DDI). We review key aspects of epidemiology to inform screening for and treatment of chronic infection among organ transplant candidates to reduce the risk of infectious complications in the posttransplant setting. In this work, we offer guidance regarding the optimal management of Strongyloides hyperinfection syndrome and disseminated infection and offer recommendations regarding posttreatment surveillance and the potential need for repeat treatment during subsequent periods of augmented immunosuppression. This review also provides updated recommendations for screening of deceased and living donors as recently proposed by the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network's Ad Hoc Disease Transmission Advisory Committee. Risk reduction of Strongyloides infection in the SOTR population can be further enhanced by optimized treatment of infection, posttreatment surveillance during at-risk periods and recent proposed policy shifts to universal donor screening.

Ghana and the IMF: Policy shifts, economic bailouts and macroeconomic outcomes

Ghana has a long history of engagement with the IMF. Successive governments of Ghana have sought economic bailouts from the IMF due to worsening domestic macroeconomic stability. This paper examines Ghana’s historical engagement with the IMF and the associated macroeconomic outcomes, and offers lessons for economic restructuring and growth beyond the bailouts. The paper explores the common patterns of the key macroeconomic variables and possible latent causal effects. The results reveal intermittent and short-term effects of the IMF programs. The bailouts often have a short-term impact on macroeconomic stability and growth, but the effects are unsustainable in the long term, especially after the IMF program ends.

The Abolition of the One-Child Policy and Its Impact on Household Investment in Educating Girls in China

Implemented in 1979, the One-Child Policy was a controversial measure aimed at controlling population growth but resulted in significant unintended consequences, including gender imbalances and economic strains. The policy's relaxation in 2016 to allow two children, and later up to three children, was a response to demographic and socio-economic challenges. This article examines the short-term impacts of these policy changes on educational investments for girls, noting increases in enrollment rates and evolving parental attitudes towards gender equality. It also considers the long-term effects, such as improved gender parity in education and its implications for workforce and economic growth. However, persistent cultural biases, regional disparities, and economic burdens continue to challenge progress. The findings suggest that while the policy shift has fostered greater educational investment in girls, comprehensive efforts are necessary to address enduring inequalities and ensure equitable educational opportunities across all regions.

Más que palabras: Understanding the mental health and behavioral consequences of sociodemographic risk and deportation fears in Latinx families.

Exponential increases in deportation and negative public discourse have resulted in heightened fears of profiling and deportation among Latinx immigrant families in the United States. Deportation fears could compound the inequalities Latinx families face, worsening mental and behavioral health. To better understand the mental health consequences of the climate of deportation concerns among low-income Latinx mothers in the United States, we conducted a linguistic analysis of interviews of Latinx mothers' parenting experiences, examining their use of words related to deportation fears (e.g., separado). We examined the interaction of sociodemographic risk with maternal deportation fears in predicting maternal and youth mental health. Recent immigrant Latinx mothers (N = 160) and youth (Mage = 12.88, SDage = 1.73) completed the Parent Development Interview-Revised (Slade et al., 2004), analyzed using a deportation fears custom dictionary (Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count; Pennebaker et al., 2003). Mothers completed the Brief Symptom Inventory (Derogatis, 2001); youth completed the Youth Self-Report (Achenbach, 1991). Cumulative sociodemographic risk was assessed using a composite score of six risk variables. Regressions revealed significant Sociodemographic Risk × Deportation Fear interactions for maternal depression (p = .01) and youth depression (p < .01) but not for maternal anxiety, youth anxiety, or aggression. As sociodemographic risk increased, associations between deportation fears and psychopathology decreased. The adverse impact of maternal deportation fears on mental health is visible only when demographic stress is lower. Deportation fears may increase mental health risk, potentially reducing treatment seeking among families previously at lower risk. Findings underscore the importance of policy and sociocultural shifts. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

China: the state and the economy under Xi Jinping

How does the Chinese Communist Party navigate its way through the contradictions and tensions of managing a capitalist economy? This article traces the dynamics of recent developments within the Chinese economy and state, particularly the period of President Xi Jinping’s dominance. It explores the paradox of the juxtaposition of Communist Party rule with capitalist economic development. The resulting tensions are evident in the state’s successive changes of strategy, in its efforts to reconcile the antagonistic forces that have arisen during China’s extremely rapid industrialisation. An elite party is ruling without any functional or democratic means of negotiating between such antagonisms. China’s economy is currently shifting to a new phase, away from its emphasis on cheap labour from the rural areas and towards becoming a high‐tech economy. The current plan for growth rests upon a quest for greater self-reliance and vast investment in new technologies. Xi’s regime is attempting this while simultaneously seeking to strengthen its control over capital, labour and civil society. The article discusses recent shifts of policy resulting from Xi’s need to maintain the party’s authority following the financial crisis and the Covid pandemic: including the u-turn over Covid restrictions at the beginning of 2023, and the clampdown on companies such as Evergrande following the property crash.

New York City Catholic Schools Operating in the Public Space in a Post-Makin World

ABSTRACT Given recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions, specifically Carson v. Makin, which permit public funding for religious schools, we examine how Catholic diocese and school leaders interpret these legal shifts for Catholic education. We utilize the Catholic education sector in New York City as a case study to examine how Catholic school leaders interpret local, state, and national policy shifts in funding for Catholic education. Specifically, we examine how Catholic school leaders currently navigate public–private partnerships and how they think Makin will affect future funding of Catholic education in New York City. We find that Catholic school leaders are already participating in limited public–private partnerships and are enthusiastic about potential policy windows for opportunities such as tax-credits and religious charter schools. However, Catholic school leaders in New York face challenges in terms of state politics, Catholic identity of schools, and other school-choice advocates including public charter schools.

The Transformation of NATO-Russia Relations under the Context of NATO Expansion: From Post-Cold War to the 2014 Crimea Crisis

This paper will examine the transformation of NATO-Russia relations from the post-Cold War stage to the 2014 Crimea crisis. It will specify how NATO's several eastward expansions contributed to the shift of Russia's foreign policy and their bilateral relationship. The analysis will begin with the optimism the Russian side held after the Cold War and the establishment of bilateral cooperation acts such as the Basic Act and the Partnership for Peace. The paper will also analyze the color revolutions that occurred in Ukraine and Georgia, as well as the subsequent 2008 Russo-Georgian War, to examine how Russia's foreign policy has shifted during the 2000s. The paper will then shed light on the Ukrainian crisis in 2014, which ultimately ended the cooperation between Russia and NATO. Through case studies, this paper will examine the shift of Russias foreign policy in the context of NATO's eastward expansion, which has reshaped the geopolitical landscape of Eastern Europe in the past decades.

Private Tutoring as a Relief or Burden? Changes in Parental Beliefs About Young Children's English Learning in China

AbstractThe increasing trend of early English education has promoted the rapid growth of English private tutoring (EPT) for children, which garners attention in research as a global educational phenomenon. In China, EPT for children experienced a fervent expansion under neoliberalism. However, a recent policy (Double‐Reduction Policy) has banned EPT for preschoolers (age 3–6), creating a unique context where state‐led neoliberalism prevails. This study employs narrative inquiry to investigate the changes in beliefs about young children's English learning among three Chinese parents who enrolled their children in EPT. Data were gleaned through interviews, observations, informal conversations, and collection of parent‐recorded videos and artifacts over a year of fieldwork. The findings reveal that parents hold contradictory beliefs at different times, and the belief changes were interacted inextricably with the tensions experienced by these parents, including pressure from EPT and challenges from the policy. EPT was initially perceived as relief but eventually became burdensome. This study sheds light on the dynamic and intricate nature of parental beliefs, as well as the tensions arising from the interplay between neoliberalism and policy shifts in China. The findings have implications for parents, TESOL practitioners, and policymakers who involved in English education decisions for young children.

Le futur du métier de traducteur face à la révolution numérique : préoccupations et perspectives pour les bilingues

The Future of The Translation Profession in The Age of Digital Revolution: Concerns and perspectives for bilingual professionals The digital revolution has caused a significant shift in labour market policies across all sectors. The rapid advancement and widespread adoption of software and IT tools have led to an increased risk of job displacement for skilled professionals, as these tools enable even non-experts to perform tasks traditionally handled by specialists. This study explores the potential threat to employment faced by professional translators due to these technological advancements. The rise of artificial intelligence and machine translation (MT) has encouraged many bilingual individuals to enter the translation field, a trend that has raised concerns among linguistic researchers. These technological developments have also cast doubt on the value of language experts. This research addresses key questions: To what extent is the future of professional translators at risk? Do professional translators face significant competition in the Information Age? To answer these questions, this study employed both quantitative and qualitative research methods, including field data collection from bilinguals and professional translators. Questionnaires were administered first to bilinguals to gauge their motivations and then to professional translators to understand their concerns and perspectives. The data analysis provided clear insights that supported the study's hypotheses. The research suggests that professional translators may face substantial unemployment risks in the future. This is largely attributed to the increasing involvement of bilinguals in the field, driven by the proliferation of machine translation tools. The study highlights the relevance of connectivism and job prospection theories in understanding the challenges faced by professional translators and in addressing the rise of bilinguals in the workforce.

Deciphering Consistency and Coherence in U.S Foreign Policy: North Korea under Trump and Biden

Propose: This study investigated how consistent and coherent U.S. foreign policy toward North Korea was under President Trump and Biden. Methodology: Through qualitative analysis of policy shifts and diplomatic strategies, this paper explored how effectively both administrations advanced their policy objectives within the intricate dynamics of U.S.-North Korea relations. Data were collected from primary sources like official government documents and secondary sources like academic journal articles and media reports. Thematic and content analyses were employed to identify recurring motifs and evaluate the articulation and implementation of policy strategies. Findings: Findings indicated that Trump's untraditional approach of involving North Korean leader Kim Jong-un directly, alongside a "maximum pressure" campaign, yielded mixed outcomes. While it broke long-standing diplomatic deadlocks, it faced challenges such as inconsistencies and limited progress on denuclearization. In contrast, Biden's administration focused on multilateralism, alliance-building, and a structured policy framework. Nonetheless, it also encountered several challenges in making tangible progress toward denuclearization. The study underscored the importance of future U.S. administrations integrating the strengths of both approaches to enhance foreign policy effectiveness. Unique Contribution to Theory Practice and Policy: This study improved understanding of contemporary international relations by dissecting American interactions with North Korea under two different administrations. It provided crucial insights for policymakers, highlighting how maintaining consistency and coherence is pivotal in forming effective foreign policy.

Unpacking Challenges within South African Institutions of Higher Learning in Addressing Student Grievances: A Literature Review

The persistent episodes of violence have been a thorn in the flesh of many South African institutions of higher learning. This predicament has tarnished the reputation of these institutions and compromised the overall quality of education provided. Employing a qualitative narrative literature review as the methodology and the theory of anomie, this paper examines and delineates the challenges confronted by higher learning institutions in addressing student grievances. The findings reveal many factors motivating student grievances and subsequent campus protests. These factors encompass administrative and managerial deficiencies in handling student grievances, inadequacies in managing student financial challenges, distorted perceptions among students regarding their rights and responsibilities, and substandard student accommodation and learning facilities. The discourse presented herein aspires to influence a transformation in the operational frameworks of higher learning institutions. The researchers envisage that their insights will diminish instances of violence and catalyse policy shifts to mitigate student exclusion.