This thesis deals with the evaluation of the socio-economic consequences of the current migration wave in Europe based on the comparison of individual macroeconomic indicators in the member states of the European Union, which were most affected by migration, whether as transit or destination country. The monitored indicators are for example GDP growth, unemployment rate, growth of public expenditures and others. The first part of the thesis defines the theoretical foundations of migration based on sociological theories and defines the key concepts for the topic, such as economic migration, migrant, integration. The second, practical part of the thesis, focuses on monitoring the specific socioeconomic consequences of the migration crisis for selected countries and evaluates its pros and cons. It follows from this assessment that migration to Europe is an economically sustainable phenomenon. The work focuses more on the possibilities and positives or negatives of the integration of migrants into the labor market, also due to the potential threat of an aging Europe in the future. Using several foreign studies and models, it demonstrates the need to change the integration of migrants to benefit the European countries' pension system. It also pays attention to the social and political consequences of...

Student Number : 9707731W - PhD thesis - School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies - Faculty of Science / Southern Mozambique has experienced changes in land-use and land-cover over the last 45 years. South Central Chibuto is a dynamic environmental change ‘hotspot’ of this region, and because of the socio-economic development that is taking place it is unveiling a number of land-use changes in Mozambique. In this research, environmental changes in the region are shown to be a function of various socioeconomic and biophysical drivers of change. A variety of research methods including interpretation of aerial photographs and satellite images, analysis of archival material, Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) and structured interviews, have been used to derive some of the drivers of environmental change. These drivers of change include socio-economic factors, the colonial dual economy and the increase in cash crop production that led to negative impacts on some lands in the steep slopes of the ancient dunes, the post-independence policy of nucleation of settlements that has induced extensive conversions of land use together with the war and the recent shifts into a market economy that have led to further intensification of land use. The biophysical drivers include, among others but not limited to, fluctuations in rainfall, with periods of alternating dry and wet spells shaping land-use change, as well as single shock events, such as extreme droughts and floods. New factors, including the HIV/AIDS pandemic and globalization have been identified as having an impact on the livelihoods in the study area. A valuable, local-scale case or place-based case study approach is shown to enable a detailed and rich analysis of the complex trajectory of environmental change. Finally, lessons drawn from this study are shown to have the potential to inform policies for sustainable livelihoods in Mozambique.

This thesis examines the impacts of adult HIV/AIDS related mortality on elderly women and their households in Agincourt, a rural area in the north-eastern part of South Africa. It focuses specifically on demographic, socio-economic and socio-cultural impacts of adult AIDS and non-AIDS illness/death on near-old women aged 50-59 and older women aged 60 and above. The study uses the Agincourt Health and Demographic Surveillance System (AHDSS) 2004 census data which contains some history about individuals and their households (e.g. household mortality experience between 1992 and 2004). The AHDSS dataset is used to examine elderly female household headship and its relationship with, firstly, pension status and secondly, adult AIDS/non-AIDS mortality, through statistical analyses. Also, the AHDSS census data is utilised as a sampling frame to select a random sample of 60 households in which 30 women aged 50-59 and 30 women aged 60-75 lived, for the qualitative part of this study. The sample was made up of 20 women who lived in households that had experienced an HIV/AIDS death between 2001 and 2003, 20 women that lived in households where another type of adult death had occurred, and 30 women in households with no adult death during the period. The findings from the quantitative analyses of the AHDSS dataset reveal that there is no significant relationship between adult AIDS/non-AIDS death and elderly female household headship. Further findings, however, show that elderly female household headship is strongly associated with pension status, thereby suggesting that pension grant is a determining factor in the household headship status of elderly women. One implication of this is that elderly female household heads who are pensioners may be able to cope better with HIV/AIDS impacts as findings from the qualitative data demonstrate that pensioners (older women) are more likely, than non-pensioners (near-old women), to have access to coping strategies, which enable them to deal with the financial crises of adult illness/death in their households. There is, therefore, the need for programmes to target near-old women, who experience the financial impact of adult morbidity/mortality like their older peers. iii Further findings from the qualitative data explicate secondary stigma as a socio-cultural impact of adult HIV/AIDS on elderly women who are caregivers to infected children. Findings also highlight different types of secondary stigma such as physical stigma in the form of separation from family members and social stigma in the form of social isolation. The study suggests that there is need for intervention programmes that address the issue of secondary stigma as it makes caregiving responsibilities more burdensome for elderly women.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Humanities, International Relations, 2013 / The African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) was established on 9 March 2003 by the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Implementation Committee (HSGIC) as an innovative instrument to improve governance in Africa. The APRM is a voluntary mechanism which enables African leaders to periodically monitor and review each other’s governance performance thus promoting peer-dialogue and peer-learning. The rationale behind the establishment of the APRM is the realization that socio-economic development and good governance are inextricably linked. Furthermore, for NEPAD to achieve its goal of placing African countries on a path of sustainable growth and development, it is imperative to ensure that an environment of good political and economic governance is created. In 2013, the APRM will mark ten years since its inception. This significant milestone provides scholars interested in governance and development issues on the continent with an opportunity to assess the gains (successes) which have been registered and the weaknesses regarding the implementation of this innovative African initiative. It is against this backdrop that this study undertakes to perform a retrospective analysis of the APRM since its inception in 2003. The study identifies as assesses the achievements and challenges of the APRM over the decade (2003-2013) as well as provides recommendations aimed at overcoming the challenges, strengthening the Mechanism as well as positioning it to effectively and efficiently carry out its mandate. The study establishes that there exists a positive correlation between good governance and development. The study further illustrates that the APRM has achieved much in its relatively short time of existence. Lessons have been learnt. However, as is the case with any new initiative, the Mechanism has experienced some teething problems (challenges) that ought to be addressed if the APRM is to effectively deliver on its mandate and improve the quality of governance across African countries. In essence, the APRM have proven itself to be a tool that holds immense potential for improving governance on the African continent.

Student Number : 0107471X - MSc research report - School of Civil and Environmental Engineering - Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment / Water plays a global role in an enormous variety of ways. More importantely it also plays a fundamental role on a regional and local scales where it has a profound effect on the environment and socio economic development. It is a prerequisite for many of the mans activities and as such it must be managed and protected accordingly. In this water quality plays a fundamental role and water quality monitoring is a foundation stone of any serious efforts to manage water resources on any scale. The research conducted focused on water quality monitoring in the SADC region. It looked at the current practice and the gaps present with respect to the real needs and international best practice. SADC region is characterized by trans-boundary water systems where pollution of water resources is often not understood properly nor has been seriously studied. A regional Water Quality Monitoring Program is advocated to address these issues and is seen as one of the prerequisites for effective water resources management in the SADC region. Existing Water Quality Monitoring in individual countries of the SADC region has been studied on the basis of existing (limited) information and gaps with respect to international best practice have been identified. Recommendations have been made regarding the establishment of the SADC Water Quality Monitoring program. A set of principles on which this should be based have been formulated. It has been concluded that SADC countries do not have an appropriate water quality monitoring in place and that what does exist is not in line with the best practice recommendations. It is suggested that without an appropriate regional water quality monitoring program water quality could become one of the limiting factors of the future economic development in the region.

Em estudo realizado com 167 pacientes ambulatoriais idosos atendidos em serviço especializado de geriatria em centro de saúde escola, localizado no bairro da Consolação, no município de São Paulo (SP), foi avaliado o perfil farmacoepidemiológico, investigado se as listas de medicamentos padronizados coincidem com as prescrições e estimados os custos da medicação utilizada. Para este estudo, foram utilizadas informações extraídas dos prontuários médicos e obtidas através de entrevistas com os pacientes ou seus acompanhantes responsáveis. A maioria foi do sexo feminino (74,4%), a média de idade foi 80,4 anos, sendo 71 pacientes entre 60 e 79 anos e 96 entre 80 e 96 anos. Os participantes apresentaram condições socioeconômicas acima da média da população brasileira na faixa etária estudada. O perfil de morbidade, entre os pacientes entrevistados, mostrou média de 6,3 (± 2,5) diagnósticos. O número de medicamentos prescritos a cada paciente foi em média 6,1 (± 2,7). Não houve correlação significativa entre as variáveis pessoais pesquisadas e o número de doenças ou medicamentos registrados. No total foram 1.018 medicamentos prescritos, a maioria (82,9%) de padronizados e distribuídos gratuitamente pelo serviço público. A estimativa de gasto mensal pelo governo com a aquisição desses medicamentos foi de R$ 4.100,55, R$ 24,55/paciente/mês, equivalentes a US$ 11,92/paciente/mês (US$ 0,40/dia). Para 100 pacientes foi registrado pelo menos um medicamento não padronizado, observando-se alguns fármacos indisponíveis na padronização com prevalência relativamente alta de prescrição (memantina, mirtazapina, zolpidem, domperidona). É sugerido um estudo para revisão da padronização de medicamentos para o tratamento de pacientes idosos. / In study carried out with 167 elderly outpatients attended in specialized geriatric service in Centro de Saúde Escola, located in Consolação district, in the municipality of São Paulo, was evaluated the pharmacoepidemiological profile, investigating if the standardized medicament lists match with the prescriptions and estimated the costs from the utilized medication. For this study it was used information extracted from the medical handbooks and obtained through interviews with the patients or their accompanying charge. The majority was female (74,4%), average age of 80,4 years old, being 71 patients between 60 and 79 years old, and 96 between 80 and 96 years old. The participants presented socio-economic conditions above the Brazilian average in the age group studied. The morbidity profile, between the interviewed patients, shown an average of 6,3 (± 2,5) diagnostics. The number of medicaments prescribed to each patient had an average of 6,1 (± 2,7). There were no significantly correlation between the personal variables researched and the number of diseases or medicaments registered. In total 1.018 medicaments were prescribed, the majority (82,9 %) of standardized and freely distributed by the public service. The estimative of monthly cost by the government with the acquisition of these medicaments was R$ 4.100,55, R$ 24,55 by patient a month, equivalent to US$ 11,92 a month (US$ 0,40 a day). For 100 patients was registered at least one non standardized medicament, observing some unavailable drugs on the standardization with relatively high prescription prevalence (memantine, mirtazapine, zolpidem, domperidone). It\'s suggested a revision study from the standardization of medicaments for treatment of elderly patients.

Thesis advisor: Philip G. Altbach / The literature on Latin American higher education indicates the existence of a relationship between socio-economic status and college enrollment. One of the hypotheses of this study was that in Haiti, socio-economic status is related not only to college access but also to students' ability to enter their preferred field of study. As a result, students from higher socio-economic status were expected to report higher levels of satisfaction with their academic situation. In this quantitative survey study, an instrument was developed and administered to 742 college students in 5 different Haitian institutions in order to determine whether there exists this hypothesized relationship between students' socio-economic status and their satisfaction with their academic situation. Data analysis revealed a weak, negative relationship between students' socio-economic status and their satisfaction with their academic situation. No significant relationship could be established between socio-economic status and access to a preferred field of study, across all students. Instead the study found what seems to be a paradox: although a majority of students were not able to access their desired field of study, they showed a high level of satisfaction with their academic situation. This paradox is explained by the importance of intrinsic factors as well as job prospect in predicting students' satisfaction. Other findings include (a) a low level of participation for women in Haitian higher education, (b) a lower level of satisfaction for Haitian female science, engineering, and technology students, and (c) little differentiation in academic preparation between science, engineering, and technology students and the rest of the sample. Based on the research findings, the study concludes with policy recommendations to help Haitian higher education achieve its economic development mission. / Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2009. / Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education. / Discipline: Educational Administration and Higher Education.

Background: According to the World Health Organization, coronary artery disease (CAD), including ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), is the most common cause of death worldwide as well as in Europe and Austria. There is valid data on the impact of conventional risk factors on the medical outcomes for STEMI patients. However, only few studies examine the role of the socio-economic environment for medical outcomes. The main task of this study is to investigate if the socio-economic environment of patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) after STEMI has an impact on the distribution of risk factors and medical outcomes. Methods: The study focuses on the population of the City of Vienna, Austria, and includes 870 STEMI patients, who underwent PCI at the General Hospital of Vienna (AKH Wien) between 2008 and 2012. The following data were collected: conventional risk factors (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, overweight, smoking, family history and vascular disease) and socio-economic indicators of the patient's residential district (number of residents, income pre-tax, residents per general practitioner, residents per internal specialist, compulsory education only, academic degree and rate of unemployment). Cox regressions were performed to evaluate the impact of socio-economic environment and conventional risk factors on survival. Results: Most of the conventional risk factors show a significant difference between deceased and surviving patients. The study revealed significant differences across districts in relation to the socio-economic background of STEMI patients. Surprisingly, medical outcomes, as measured by the survival of patients, are significantly related to a patient's district of residence ( p -Value = 0.028) but not in a systematic way as far as the socio-economic environment of These districts is concerned. Conclusions: The study provides intuitive evidence for a hitherto understudied Central European context on the link between socio-economic environment and conventional risk factors at population level and the link between conventional risk factors and survival both at the population at the individual level. While this is in line with previous evidence and suggestive of the incorporation of measures of socio-economic status (SES) into policy & guidelines toward the management of CAD, more data on the SES - STEMI nexus are needed at individual level.

Este trabalho insere-se no âmbito do saneamento básico e da tendência relativamente nova de valoração da proteção e dos recursos ambientais. Destaca a atual problemática ambiental e os problemas específicos do saneamento básico, seu entendimento e providências sugeridas para sua minimização. Através de questionário, levantou-se e, com análise multivariada, investigou-se a percepção pública sobre as condições, os sentimentos e as participações públicas relativas aos serviços de água, esgotos, lixo, drenagem e arborização de Fernandópolis, SP. Como resultado, constatou-se que, a partir do serviço de água, suas situações e sentimentos decrescem, sucessivamente, para os serviços de esgotos, limpeza pública, drenagem e arborização. Em todos eles, a participação popular, assim como a ocorrência de campanhas que poderiam potencializá-la além de potencializar os demais aspectos questionados, não eram as desejáveis. Do cotejo dos resultados obtidos com princípios de sustentabilidade concluiu-se que, em diferentes níveis, todos os serviços avaliados não se mostraram sustentáveis. Finalizando, sugere-se que a valoração dos serviços de saneamento básico e recursos ambientais urbanos podem contribuir, mutuamente, para realizar seus respectivos potenciais de participação popular, melhorar suas situações e sentimentos públicos que despertam além de contribuir para a inserção socioeconômica nos problemas de saneamento urbano, de forma a torná-los, e ao ambiente urbano, sustentados. / This work encompasses basic sanitation and the relatively recent trend of valuating the environmental protection and the environmental resources. It points out current environmental issues and the specific problems of basic sanitation considering how they have been dealt with and the suggestions for minimizing them. Through a questionnaire, it was possible not only to analyze the public view on the sanitation conditions and people reactions to them, but also their participation in the as well as in the essential services such as water, sewers, garbage and drainage in the city of Fernandópolis, SP. It was founded that the respondents answered more positively to the water service and less favorably to sewer, garbage collection, drainage, and arborization, successively. It was also suggested that public participation was not a prevailing public view, nor were public service campaigns; although those could improve the essential services assessed. Concerning sustainability, it can be included that generally all the evaluated services proved not to be sustainable. Accordingly, it indicates that valuating the basic sanitation services and the environmental resources can contribute to their mutual progress with greater public participation to improve the services and consequently their opinions about them contributing for their socio-economic insertion by taking part in the plans to handle the urban sanitation matters to make them and the urban environment sustainable development.

This research aims to explain teacher policy developments in England since the nineteenth century, using a historical approach. To this end, this research has demarcated the scope of teacher policy, in consideration of the main career phases of regular teachers, into three policy areas – initial teacher training, curriculum and teaching, and employment and professional development – and has divided the whole period of 1800-2008, in consideration of major political changes and the management of the research, into four periods of governments: early era governments (1800-1943), post-war era governments (1944-1979), Thatcherite governments (1979-1997), and New Labour governments (1997-2008). Teacher policy in each period has been explained in accordance with an analytical framework employing concepts of historical-institution legacies (HILs), interlinking-institution legacies (IILs), government strategies, political ideologies and socio-economic situations, devised largely on the basis of the perspectives of historical institutionalism and the statecentred approach. Teacher policy in the early era governments has been explained in terms of HILs developed to address the long-lived effects of early institutions on subsequent policies over time. The changing pattern of teacher policy during the period of government change in the last three periods has been explained in terms of IILs. This research suggests certain teacher policies in the early era governments have had a strong effect on subsequent policies, consistently or intermittently, in the form of revival. For example, apprenticeship instituted as an early form of school-based teacher training has reflected its legacy in subsequent policies such as SCITT and employment-based training. This research has found that, as IILs, striking changes in certain policies have already started before government change. Furthermore, this research argues that the three groups of governments have employed their own strategies under different political ideologies and socio-economic situations, and that most teacher policies have been made in line with their strategies.