Childhood physical activity as a labor market investment

This study examined the role of physical activity and changes in physical activity levels during childhood in long‐term labor market outcomes. To address this important but under‐researched theme, the study utilized data drawn from longitudinal research, the Cardiovascular Risk in Young Finns Study (YFS), and from registries compiled by Statistics Finland. The study consisted of children aged 9 (n = 1565) and 15 (n = 2445) at the time their physical activity was measured. Labor market outcomes, including employment status, average employment months, and average unemployment months, were calculated from 1997 to 2010, when the participants were aged 20 to 48 years. Regression models were used to assess the relationship between physical activity and labor market outcomes. The results show that the consequences of childhood physical activity may be far‐reaching, as higher childhood physical activity was positively related to the probability of being employed and employment months and was negatively related to unemployment months. On average, a one‐unit increase in physical activity index was related to a 1% higher probability of being employed, 0.10 more months of yearly employment, and 0.05 fewer months of yearly unemployment. The results also imply that persistently active individuals had the highest level of employment and the lowest level of unemployment compared with other activity groups. In conclusion, investments in childhood physical activity may not only promote health and well‐being but may also correlate with better labor market outcomes later in life, providing both personal and societal benefits.     

Cost-utility and cost-effectiveness of individual placement support and cognitive remediation in people with severe mental illness: Results from a randomized clinical trial

BackgroundAdministrators and policymakers are increasingly interested in individual placement and support (IPS) as a way of helping people with severe mental illness (SMI) obtain employment or education. It is thus important to investigate the cost-effectiveness to secure that resources are being used properly.MethodsIn a randomized clinical trial, 720 people diagnosed with SMI were allocated into three groups; (a) IPS, (b) IPS supplemented with cognitive remediation a social skills training (IPSE), and (c) Service as usual (SAU). Health care costs, municipal social care costs, and labor market service costs were extracted from nationwide registers and combined with data on use of IPS services. Cost-utility and cost-effectiveness analyses were conducted with two primary outcomes: quality-adjusted life years (QALY) and hours in employment. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICER) were computed for both QALY, using participant’s responses to the EQ-5D questionnaire, and for hours in employment.ResultsBoth IPS and IPSE were less costly, and more effective than SAU. Overall, there was a statistically significant cost difference of €9,543 when comparing IPS with SAU and €7,288 when comparing IPSE with SAU. ICER’s did generally not render statistically significant results. However, there was a tendency toward the IPS and IPSE interventions being dominant, that is, cheaper with greater effect in health-related quality of life and hours in employment or education compared to usual care.ConclusionIndividual placement support with and without a supplement of cognitive remediation tends to be cost saving and more effective compared to SAU.     

The effects of sociodemographic and contextual factors on employment of persons with mental retardation living in residential facilities

Data from a 1987 national sample of persons in residential facilities were used to assess the effects of sociodemographic and contextual factors on rates of paid employment among this population. The results showed that age, race, facility type, and U.S. Census Region had significant effects on the likelihood of any type of paid employment even when controlling for the individual's functional limitations, level of retardation, and SSI status. Sex and county unemployment rate had independent effects on the likelihood of being employed in supported or competitive employment. As more persons with mental retardation move into competitive employment arrangement, those concerned with increasing access to employment should give some consideration to factors not directly associated with physical and intellectual functioning.The views expressed in this paper are those of the authors and no official endorsement by the Department of Health and Human Services or the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research is intended or should be inferred.     

北京中医药大学中医药学专业研究生招生就业工作的几点思考

随着我国研究生教育规模的不断扩大,研究生就业问题日显突出,通过对比我校2008届、2009届和2010届研究生就业及其招生情况,从主客观不同角度分析影响研究生就业的关键因素,同时提出通过加强学科建设、优化招生结构、改革培养模式、优化课程设置、全程化职业生涯规划等措施,建立招生-培养-就业联动模式的研究生工作机制,切实提高中医专业研究生培养质量,全面促进医学专业背景的研究生高质量就业.