Government Welfare Research Articles

Effects on mental health of a UK welfare reform, Universal Credit: a longitudinal controlled study

SummaryBackgroundUniversal Credit, a welfare benefit reform in the UK, began to replace six existing benefit schemes in April, 2013, starting with the income-based Job Seekers Allowance. We aimed to determine the effects on mental health of the introduction of Universal Credit.MethodsIn this longitudinal controlled study, we linked 197 111 observations from 52 187 individuals of working age (16–64 years) in England, Wales, and Scotland who participated in the Understanding Society UK Longitudinal Household Panel Study between 2009 and 2018 with administrative data on the month when Universal Credit was introduced into the area in which each respondent lived. We included participants who had data on employment status, local authority area of residence, psychological distress, and confounding variables. We excluded individuals from Northern Ireland and people out of work with a disability. We used difference-in-differences analysis of this nationally representative, longitudinal, household survey and separated respondents into two groups: unemployed people who were eligible for Universal Credit (intervention group) and people who were not unemployed and therefore would not have generally been eligible for Universal Credit (comparison group). Using the phased roll-out of Universal Credit, we compared the change in psychological distress (self-reported via General Health Questionnaire-12) between the intervention group and the comparison group over time as the reform was introduced in the area in which each respondent lived. We defined clinically significant psychological distress as a score of greater than 3 on the General Health Questionnaire-12. We tested whether there were differential effects across subgroups (age, sex, and education).FindingsThe prevalence of psychological distress increased in the intervention group by 6·57 percentage points (95% CI 1·69–11·42) after the introduction of Universal Credit relative to the comparison group, after accounting for potential confounders. We estimate that between April 29, 2013, and Dec 31, 2018, an additional 63 674 (95% CI 10 042–117 307) unemployed people will have experienced levels of psychological distress that are clinically significant due to the introduction of Universal Credit; 21 760 of these individuals might reach the diagnostic threshold for depression.InterpretationOur findings suggest that the introduction of Universal Credit led to an increase in psychological distress, a measure of mental health difficulties, among those affected by the policy. Future changes to government welfare systems should be evaluated not only on a fiscal basis but on their potential to affect health and wellbeing.FundingWellcome Trust, UK National Institute for Health Research, and Medical Research Council.

Accountability and hybridity in welfare governance

AbstractHybridity has become a central characteristic of accountability in public governance. Contemporary service delivery is increasingly defined by the mixing and layering of public, market and social accountability regimes operating as overlapping ‘hybrid’ accountability arrangements. Although hybrid accountability is not a new phenomenon, recent trends have accelerated the process of hybridization, particularly in welfare state governance. In this symposium, we seek to advance our understanding of the under‐theorized concept of hybrid accountability and empirically examine what is actually going on. In this introductory article, we put forward a definition of what hybridity means in public welfare governance and explore its origins and dynamics. We then present the articles of this symposium, showing how they go beyond fixed and static typologies to grasp the dynamics of interactions between actors, values and mechanisms under hybrid accountability. We conclude by reflecting on a future research agenda for studying hybrid accountability arrangements.

Not all dogs are equal: perception of canine welfare varies with context

AbstractCommunity attitudes drive societal expectations, influencing government and industry regulations that determine standards of care for industries reliant on animals. It is important for dog industry stakeholders to understand public perceptions and attitudes, to inform management strategy priorities relating to animal welfare. This study sought to determine if the welfare status of dogs (Canis familiaris) is important to people and whether the perceived level of welfare varies with dog context (eg companion, protection, stock herding, assistance, sporting, free-roaming, wild, etc). Over 2,000 self-selected adults completed a voluntary, internet-based questionnaire. Responses were received from more than twelve countries and from a range of stakeholders with varied experiences. Perceived welfare status of dogs varied significantly across 17 dog contexts and roles, from extremely low (eg fighting dogs) to very high (eg guide dogs). Over 95% of respondents agreed that the welfare of dogs was very important to them. Demographic features of respondents did not relate to meaningful differences in reported importance of canine welfare or ratings of perceived welfare of dogs. The constructs underlying how people perceive the welfare of dogs appear complex and multi-dimensional. As public scrutiny forces reassessment of the welfare status of animals used in various contexts, proactive management of perceived welfare issues by companion and working dog industry stakeholders, including government, industry organisations, advocacy groups, and animal welfare researchers, is likely to be key to the sustainable participation of dogs in these roles.

Building state capacity for welfare governance: The pathway and development of child welfare system and social work in China

ABSTRACT China’s dramatic socioeconomic transformation after the reform and opening up, coincided with changes in state-family relationship, has resulted in a large number of children at risk of care. In the past three decades, child welfare has been highly concerned by the government and society, and the child welfare system has substantially developed in the direction of establishing a moderately universal system. In this process, the development of child welfare and social work has shown a mutually reinforcing trend. This includes the professionalisation of child welfare services, the professional training of child welfare workers and the advancement of child welfare policies. The governance of child welfare is an essential component of national social governance. Its future development should be oriented towards a developmental and holistic approach of governance, and social work as an important institutional actor plays a critical role in promoting good governance of child welfare and beyond.

The Expansion of Regulation in Welfare Governance

This article provides a historical and theoretical account of the emerging regulatory welfare state, which is greatly understudied in contemporary regulatory and welfare research. We analyze the interplay between the “welfare state” and the “regulatory state” in an age in which regulation is expanding through liberalization, privatization, and the new public management of social services. We then provide a multi-faceted framework for understanding the regulatory welfare state and discuss its implications in terms of 1) the normative social goals of the state; 2) the ways in which social policy is delivered through institutions; and 3) the implications of the framework for individuals’ rights and duties.

Accountability and Hybridity in Welfare Governance

English Abstract: Hybridity has become a central characteristic of accountability in public governance. Contemporary service delivery is increasingly defined by the mixing and layering of public, market and social accountability regimes operating as overlapping “hybrid” accountability arrangements. Although hybrid accountability is not a new phenomenon, recent trends have accelerated the process of hybridisation, particularly in welfare state governance. In this symposium, we seek to advance our understanding of the under-theorised concept of hybrid accountability and empirically examine what is actually going on. In this introductory article, we put forward a definition of what hybridity means in public welfare governance and explore its origins and dynamics. We then present the papers of this symposium, showing how they go beyond fixed and static typologies to grasp the dynamics of interactions between actors, values and mechanisms under hybrid accountability. We conclude by reflecting on a future research agenda for studying hybrid accountability arrangements.

A Study on the Integration of Multiple Subjects in Financial Supply of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Long-term care

China is a country with an aging population, and the social risks brought by the incapacitated elderly and demented elderly are constantly increasing. It is difficult for families to bear the financial burden of long-term care for the incapacitated elderly and demented elderly independently, so they must rely on external forces to provide financial support for long-term care. The advantages of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the treatment and rehabilitation of senile diseases are increasingly prominent, but there is still a lack of integration between Traditional Chinese Medicine services and long-term care of the elderly, which should guide social subjects to enter the field of long-term care of the elderly in Traditional Chinese Medicine. This paper analyzes the feasibility of “3+1” model in which multiple subjects, such as family, government, market, charity and public welfare organizations, share the financial burden of long-term care for the incapacitated elderly and demented elderly, and studies the construction of an effective financial supply integration mechanism.

A multipronged strategy operationalized to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in India

Background: COVID-19 is an ongoing largest public health emergency of the 21st century. India is effectively controlling the pandemic by taking bold and stringent steps right from the beginning of the pandemic. This article aimed to formulate a multipronged strategy to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in India. Method: We have gone through websites of World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Indian Council of Medical Research, and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare of Government of India to avail updated information on COVID-19. Result: We found that there may be three pillars of this COVID-19 pandemic management, namely public health measures, diagnostic and testing, and hospital and health care. These pillars should be aimed to achieve three primary goals, namely containment, capacity building, and recovery. For India, gradual relaxation in lockdown with social distancing and personal and environmental hygiene measures must be the more suitable exit plan.

Informal caring for back pain: overlooked costs of back pain and projections to 2030.

This study models the economic costs of informal caring for people with back pain, using a microsimulation model, Care&WorkMOD, from 2015 to 2030. Care&WorkMOD was based on 3 national Australian Surveys of Disability, Ageing and Carers (2003, 2009, 2012) data sets for individuals aged 15 to 64 years. Estimated national income loss due to caring for people with back pain was AU$258 million in 2015, increasing to $398 million in 2030 (54% increase). Lost income tax revenue to the Australian government due to informal care of people with back pain was estimated to be AU$78 million in 2015, increasing to AU$118 million in 2030 (50% increase), and additional welfare payments were estimated to rise from $132 million in 2015 to AU$180 in 2030 (36% increase). Larger growth in lost income, compared with the increase in welfare payments, means that there would be an increasing income gap between those out of the labour force providing informal care and noncarers who are in the labour force, leading to increased inequality. Informal carers are defined as providers of informal, unpaid assistance to someone with a health condition, for at least 6 months. Informal carers of people with back pain who are out of the labour force incur substantial economic costs. Furthermore, back pain is a large economic burden on national governments. Policies addressing back pain prevention and treatment, and supporting carers, may offset government welfare expenditure, while improving the socioeconomic well-being of carers and patients.

Community-Based versus Statistical Targeting of Anti-Poverty Programs: Evidence from Burkina Faso

AbstractTargeting of governmental welfare programmes in low-income countries commonly relies on statistical procedures involving household-level data, while smaller-scale programmes often employ community-based targeting, where village communities themselves identify beneficiaries. Combining original data from community-based targeting exercises in Burkina Faso with a household survey we compare the targeting accuracy of community-based targeting with four common statistical targeting methods when the objective is to target consumption-poor households. We find that community-based targeting is substantially less accurate than statistical targeting in villages, while it is as accurate as the much more costly statistical methods in semi-urban areas. We show that this difference is due to differences in poverty concepts held by rural and urban communities. Its large cost advantage makes community-based targeting far more cost-effective than statistical targeting for common amounts of welfare programme benefits.

Is the welfare norms of public service officials positive for strengthening the government's welfare role? Is it negative?- Moderating effect on the level of government welfare budget -

Is the welfare norms of public service officials positive for strengthening the government's welfare role? Is it negative?- Moderating effect on the level of government welfare budget -

Neighbourhood-scale public spaces, inter-group attitudes and migrant integration in Beijing, China

Cities worldwide face the challenge of persistent social polarisation that is exacerbated by the mass migration of populations. Scholars have debated whether the planning of public spaces, which presumably fosters inter-group encounter, potentially reduces prejudice against minorities such as migrants, and eventually promotes social inclusiveness. This research uses a large-scale questionnaire survey conducted in 36 neighbourhoods (estates) in Beijing, China, combined with field observations and interviews, to investigate whether the presence, perception and use of neighbourhood-scale spaces of encounter are relevant in predicting residents’ attitudes towards migrant social inclusion, particularly with respect to equal access to citizenship and government welfare. Qualitative and quantitative analyses found that residents’ inclusiveness attitude is less associated with the physical presence of public spaces and facilities in the neighbourhood, and more with actually using such spaces for neighbourly encounters in daily life. The findings echo recent critiques of the romanticised view of public spaces for urban encounters, and suggest that neighbourhood planning of public spaces should incorporate elements from social projects that facilitate meaningful interaction between native and migrant residents to achieve the goal of building an inclusive city.

Robert McClelland: surgeon who tried to help save both President John F Kennedy and Lee Harvey Oswald

Picture credit: University of Texas South-western Medical Centre, Dallas, USA Robert McClelland was born in the small town of Gilmer in east Texas, to Robert, a butcher, and Verna (nee...

Consequences of chronic diseases and other limitations associated with old age \u2013 a scoping review

BackgroundThe phenomenon of the increasing number of ageing people in the world is arguably the most significant economic, health and social challenge that we face today. Additionally, one of the major epidemiologic trends of current times is the increase in chronic and degenerative diseases. This paper tries to deliver a more up to date overview of chronic diseases and other limitations associated with old age and provide a more detailed outlook on the research that has gone into this field.MethodsFirst, challenges for seniors, including chronic diseases and other limitations associated with old age, are specified. Second, a review of seniors’ needs and concerns is performed. Finally, solutions that can improve seniors’ quality of life are discussed. Publications obtained from the following databases are used in this scoping review: Web of Science, PubMed, and Science Direct. Four independent reviewers screened the identified records and selected relevant publications published from 2010 to 2017. A total of 1916 publications were selected. In all, 52 papers were selected based on abstract content. For further processing, 21 full papers were screened.”ResultsThe results indicate disabilities as a major problem associated with seniors’ activities of daily living dependence. We founded seven categories of different conditions - psychological problems, difficulties in mobility, poor cognitive function, falls and incidents, wounds and injuries, undernutrition, and communication problems. In order to minimize ageing consequences, some areas require more attention, such as education and training; technological tools; government support and welfare systems; early diagnosis of undernutrition, cognitive impairment, and other diseases; communication solutions; mobility solutions; and social contributions.ConclusionsThis scoping review supports the view on chronic diseases in old age as a complex issue. To prevent the consequences of chronic diseases and other limitations associated with old age related problems demands multicomponent interventions. Early recognition of problems leading to disability and activities of daily living (ADL) dependence should be one of essential components of such interventions.

EFFECTS OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS ON GOVERNMENTAL TAX EXPENDITURES FOR PRIVATE PENSIONS IN SELECTED OECD COUNTRIES

With the advent of an aging society all over the world, there has been a growing policy interest in the pension system that can guarantee old-age income at some level. Many countries also encourage people to join public pensions as well as private pensions. As a result, there has been a phenomenon of substituting private pensions. This study investigates the effects of various socio-economic factors on tax benefits for private pensions at the country level. The results of this study show that lower total income replacement rate of public pension and private pension assets leads to increasing tax expenditures on private pensions. And also, higher individual tax burden and governmental social welfare expenditure causes to increase tax expenditures on private pensions. Despite differences in the type of old-age income security systems by country, it is recognized that attempts to resolve the public pensions crisis caused by socio-economic changes take the form of expanding the roles of private pensions. So, this study provides politic implications that lower benefits from public pensions lead to expanded roles of private pensions supported by the government.

The Role Of The Merangin Regency Government Through Welfare Policy In The Globalization Era

The background of this research is related to two things, namely: how the forms of roles that can be carried out by the Merangin Regency Government in the era of globalization and how they affect the welfare of society public. The purpose of this study is to analyze the role of government to improve the welfare of society in the era of globalization. The discourse of globalization gave rise to radical groups who thought that the government did not need to intervene in development because it was carried out by the private sector and were skeptical that it was precisely because of the many negative effects of globalization that it became an important entry point for that role. This study uses a qualitative approach by analyzing public policy from the Merangin District Government and community welfare data. The study results show that local governments play an important role in exploiting opportunities and preventing the negative impacts of globalization. In conclusion through a series of innovative and solutive policies, the Merangin District Government seeks to improve the welfare of the community by utilizing its local potential.

Convergence in Income Inequality Across Australian States and Territories

This paper investigates stochastic convergence in income inequality across Australian states and territories since the end of World War II by utilising the LM and RALS-LM unit root tests that allow for endogenously determined structural breaks. We find that income inequality for Australia’s capital city—the Australain Capital Territoy—converges to a stable steady-state when we account for endogenously determined trend-breaks. The null hypothesis of a unit root is rejected when utilising the two-break unit root test for New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Western Australia indicating that income inequalities in these states converge to a stable steady-state when accounting for multiple structural breaks. In contrast, the state of Victoria consistently shows evidence of divergence regardless of the number of endogenously determined structural breaks. Structural changes in income inequality across states and territories may be linked to the mining boom, the transition from manufacturing to a service-based economy, changes in government welfare, and favourable changes in tax policies and superannuation.

Parents’ Expectations of Familial Elder Care under the Neoliberal Hong Kong Society

Previous studies have examined the shifts in traditional familial values among Chinese populations. It was argued that the values have diminished or eroded due to Westernization and modernization. Instead of the collectivist-individualist divide, this study aims to understand the role of neoliberal discourse in Hong Kong Chinese parents’ beliefs in familial values and elder care. Using data from 120 in-depth individual interviews with parents of different generations, this study found four themes: (1) the notion of self-reliance; (2) the intertwinement of neoliberal ideas and filial values; (3) redefinition of filial behaviors; and (4) commodification of care. Results suggest that the changes in parents’ filial beliefs have shifted senior care responsibilities from families to individuals and the private market. It creates a disjuncture between care arrangement and governmental welfare; more comprehensive pension and senior care services are thus needed to respond to societal changes.

The Interplay of Empathy and Individualism in Support for Social Welfare Policies

Public support for government welfare programs is grounded in two potentially conflicting factors: a belief in individualism which undermines support for welfare assistance and the capacity for empathy which potentially enhances support. However, empathy is an expensive psychological commodity subject to pervasive up‐ and down‐regulation. This article examines the degree to which a belief in individualism affects the expression of compassionate support for a person in need among those with the capacity for empathy. In two online survey experiments, empathic ability powerfully increases support for a welfare recipient and social welfare policies when it does not conflict with individualism. But, empathic ability decreases compassion and support for government welfare among strong individualists. Evidence that individualists down‐regulate empathy for someone in need of government assistance is consistent with the conservative view that welfare promotes dependency and undermines individual agency. In contrast, charitable assistance is not associated with long‐term dependency, and we find that empathy is up‐regulated by strong individualists to generate charitable support for the same individual to whom they denied government assistance. The up‐ and down‐regulation of empathy in response to someone in need of government welfare helps illuminate the sharp divisions over social welfare policy among the American public.

Adverse Event On Educational System Case Study; Historical Thailand’s Educational Policy And National Testing Score

Under a democratic system, the policy is the most crucial factor that made the party is selected to be representative of the citizen. Furthermore, “Favorited” policy is a key success factor to indicate which party would be selected as “Government” or “Opposition.” Similarly, in Thailand, all parties propose the policies that hopefully would gain a number of voters. Regarding to official Thailand national statistical office report 2015, there are 696,321 voters (who work for school, both public and private school, ministry of education’s staff are included) in educational system and 13,954,735 related voters (students from primary school, secondary school, undegraded students and graduated students) that is around 29.7 % of total voters. As the historical data from 2001 to 2011, all of Thailand’s government came from the party got 11,637,495 – 15,387,223 voters then voters from the educational system was being focused from all parties. Educational policy was used as the key attractiveness for the party from the democratic system. Every composition of the educational system was defined and typed for understanding that finds “How to assess them?” Especially in school level, government welfare was created for teacher and more increasing in every government. Finally, the teacher’s average total income was higher than others who similarly work for the government. By theoretical assumption, the performance of teaching process should vary with input on return to someone who is responsible. The empirical results from national testing examination show controversy on the assumption, result from national testing examination stable and trend to die-down while total return to staff of teaching process is significantly increasing and still trend to higher. But not for the coup, educational policy from the revolutionary party look like base on idealism, focus on problem-solving by theory, that sounds good by logic at the first but there are many limitations to the theory. National testing’s result increased scores by the revolutionary party’s administration but not significant gain scores as people’s expectation. Although, the coup’s policy on education was not canceled or inhibit the favorite educational policy but is not the same advantage as a democratic party. Outcomes from teaching process required more than during democratic government that effect to educational staff’s norm, more strictly control process and more systematic process (also create some non-skill and time consumed in the same time). Finally, resistance to enforcement/punishment was the major cause to create “Ignorance.” The primary purpose of the study is to explore the adverse effect of the educational system by the relationship between cause, educational policy, and education output, historical result from Thailand’s national testing score. Analysis of data was based on documentary research methodology from empirical evidence, both official and un- official documents were analyzed, the content analysis was used in this study. The bias of pollical interest is declared by self-support in the study; without any support by both democratic and revolutionary parties.