Employment Hardships and Single Mothers’ Self-Rated Health: Evidence from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics

Using a national sample of single mothers from the 2007 and 2009 waves of the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, this study examined the effects of multiple employment statuses on the selfrated health of single mothers during the recent economic recession. Unlike other studies, the current study minimized selection bias by controlling for prior self-rated health, in addition to other predisposing factors, enabling factors, and need factors. We found that underemployment, but not unemployment, is associated with lower levels of self-rated health of single mothers. Results further indicate that the 25–39 age range (compared to the 18–24 age range), lower family income, prior lower self-rated health, more chronic diseases, and binge drinking place single mothers at an increased risk of lower levels of self-rated health. In contrast, strength-building physical activity is significantly associated with higher levels of self-rated health. Implications for health care policy and social work practice are drawn from the results.     

Hearing loss and paid employment: Australian population survey findings

This paper provides an analysis of participation in paid employment for people with a hearing loss over the full span of adult ages. The paper is based on original analysis of the 2003 Australian survey of disability, aging and carers (SDAC). This analysis shows that hearing loss was associated with an increased rate of non-participation in employment of between 11.3% and 16.6%. Advancing age and the existence of co-morbidities contribute significantly to reduced participation in employment. A disproportionate impact is evident for women and for those having low education and communication difficulties. Controlling for co-morbidities, hearing loss was associated with a 2.1% increase of non-participation in employment, a proportional difference of 1.4 times the population. People with hearing loss were less likely to be found in highly skilled jobs and were over-represented among low income earners. The SDAC data set provides self-report findings on the experience of disability rather than hearing impairment. As such, these findings serve as a conservative estimate of the impact of hearing loss on accessing well-paid employment.     

Contingency management is effective across cocaine-dependent outpatients with different socioeconomic status

Contingency management (CM) has demonstrated its efficacy for treating cocaine dependence, but there is still some controversy with regard to its dissemination. Understanding how individual differences affect CM outcomes is important for detecting barriers to its dissemination. The aim of this study is to examine the impact of socioeconomic variables in cocaine-dependent outpatients on the effectiveness of CM in a community setting. Cocaine-dependent outpatients (N = 118) were randomized to community reinforcement approach (CRA) treatment or a CRA plus vouchers program. The impact of baseline economic variables, alone and in combination with treatment conditions, on abstinence and retention outcomes after 6 months of treatment was assessed. Results showed that income had no effect on retention or abstinence outcomes after 6 months of treatment in either treatment condition. The addition of a CM component was beneficial for individuals with any socioeconomic status. These results support the generalizability of CM strategies with patients of different socioeconomic status in community settings.     

某集团化医院岗位设置与聘任的实践探讨

医院岗位设置与聘任关乎每个医务工作者的切身利益，做好集团化医院职工岗位聘任与管理是医院人力资源管理者的追求。本文描述了安徽省某医院集团实施岗位设置与聘任工作的实践并进行分析，阐述了岗位设置与聘任中存在的主要问题，以及现阶段集团医院实施岗位设置与聘任的主要做法和所取得的成效，得出岗位设置与聘任工作是医院人事制度和职工收入分配改革的前提和基础。通过实施岗位聘任与管理，按照合理设岗、竞聘上岗、以岗定薪的方式，构建岗位管理机制，有利于明确岗位职责、提高工作效率，为医院管理者在人员聘用、收入分配以及青年人才培养等方面提供决策依据。同时本文为其他医院实施岗位聘任与管理提供引导与借鉴。     

Income and race/ethnicity influence dietary fiber intake and vegetable consumption

Grains, fruits, and vegetables are the primary sources of dietary fiber (DF), with the white potato contributing nearly 7% of the DF to the US food supply. The DF composition of the white potato—with or without the skin and regardless of cooking method—compares well with the DF content of other vegetables. Many health benefits, including improved gastrointestinal health, are attributed to greater DF consumption; however, less than 3% of males and females have an adequate intake of DF. Because of this population-wide shortfall, DF is considered to be a nutrient of concern. In this study, using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2009 to 2010, we examined the mean intake of DF across sex, age, race/ethnicity, family income, and poverty threshold. This study shows that mean intake of DF is far below recommendations, with children and adolescents aged 2 to 19 years consuming an average of less than 14 g of DF per day. Adults 20+ years old consume, on average, about 17 g of DF per day, and men consume significantly more DF than women. Non-Hispanic black adults consume significantly less DF compared with other race/ethnic groups. Lower family income and living at less than 131% of poverty were associated with lower DF intakes among adults. Federal and local government policies should encourage consumption of all vegetables, including the white potato, as an important source of DF.     

The association between relative deprivation and self-rated health,depressive symptoms,and smoking behavior in Taiwan

Relative deprivation has been hypothesized as one explanation for the association between income inequality and health. However, few studies have examined the effect of relative deprivation on psychosocial and behavioral outcomes. Using a cross-sectional data from the National Survey on Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Health Promotion in Taiwan, this study examined the relationship between relative deprivation and physical health (self-rated health), psychosocial health (depressive symptoms), and behavioral health (smoking) among working-age Taiwanese men and women. We found that higher relative deprivation (measured by the Yitzhaki Index) is significantly associated with a higher prevalence of poor self-rated health, depressive symptoms, and current smoking in both genders. After controlling for demographic variables and absolute income, the prevalence ratios (PRs) of reporting poor health for each 10,000 NT-dollars higher in the Yitzhaki Index are between 1.25 and 1.57, depending on the reference groups. The PRs were between 1.33 and 1.77 for depressive symptoms, and between 1.04 and 1.46 for smoking. Additionally, the depressive symptoms attenuated the association between relative deprivation and self-rated health. The results were consistent with various definitions of reference groups. In conclusion, this study suggests that the psychosocial process of relative deprivation is a crucial mechanism linking income inequality to health. Narrowing the income gap between rich and poor may protect the physical and mental well-being of the population and reduce the prevalence of smoking.     

Combined Effects of Working Hours,Income, and Leisure Time on Suicide in All 47 Prefectures of Japan

This study describes an ecological study that evaluated the combined effects of working hours, income, and leisure time on suicide in all 47 prefectures of Japan. In men, the age-adjusted rate of suicide (per 100,000 population) was significantly correlated with working hours (r=0.587, p<0.0001) as well as significantly and negatively correlated with income (r=−0.517, p=0.0002) and times for the leisure activities of self-education (r=−0.447, p=0.0016) and hobbies (r=−0.511, p=0.0002). In addition, a stepwise multiple regression analysis identified time for leisure social activities as a determining factor in suicide rate, even after adjusting for working hours and income. However, the impact of time for leisure social activities on suicide rate was smaller than that of working hours and income. In contrast, none of these factors affected suicide rate in women. These results suggest that increasing leisure time may be useful for preventing suicide among men in Japan.     

Factors Affecting Job Satisfaction and Their Correlation with Educational Standards among Dental Assistants

A disparity exists in the educational qualifications of dental assistants working in various public and private institutions in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The aim of this study was to assess the influence of professional and personal characteristics on job satisfaction among dental assistants. A cross-sectional survey was performed among dental assistants using a 24-item self-administered questionnaire. Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between overall job satisfaction and other variables. The overall response rate was 72.1%. Factor analysis suggested that five underlying factors were related to job satisfaction. The mean score for overall job satisfaction was 3.86 (satisfied) out of 5. Among the work environment factors, the highest mean score, 4.26 (satisfied), was obtained for quality of service, and the lowest mean score, 2.78 (neutral), was obtained for the perception of income. The income and general prospects of the profession was significantly associated with overall job satisfaction. This study suggests that for dental assistants, professional and personal life, quality of service, perception of income and prestige and self-respect are important factors for job satisfaction. Despite differences in professional formation standards, in general, the study participants were considerably satisfied with their jobs.