The black middle–class market segment also known as the black diamond market segment has shown immense growth in SA. It currently consists of approximately 3 million black middle–class South Africans with a buying power of approximately R200 billion. Despite the immense size and spending power of black diamonds, combined with its rapid growth over the past 15 years and expected future growth, little research has been conducted on this market segment. The rapid market growth of the black diamond market segment has lead to an immense rise in the demand for middle–income houses. This has caused a shortage of middleincome houses, and government and real estate developers have been unable to supply housing in this bracket to meet this ever increasing demand. The study examines this missing middle between supply and demand for the black diamond market in Tlokwe municipal region in order to provide the Tlokwe Municipality, real estate developers, construction companies, town planners, real estate agencies and the Tlokwe Department of Housing with sufficient information to address this challenge in Tlokwe municipal region. The study was conducted by way of a literature review and empirical study. For the empirical study, the information was obtained through two questionnaires. One questionnaire was compiled for black diamond respondents and one for real estate developers and estate agents in the Tlokwe municipal region. The study found that there is a gap between the supply side and demand side of middleincome housing (houses within the R50 000 to R550 000 price range) in the Tlokwe municipal region, and that there is a high demand for such houses. It was also found that there is a tendency for black diamonds to relocate from the townships to the suburbs. The major reasons for this movement were identified as family and the lack of availability of middle–income houses in the townships. It was also found that the black diamond respondents have a tendency to spend their money on bad debt (debt on expenses) instead of good debt (debt on assets), and are inclined to save rather than spend. Furthermore, as evident from the number of respondents with clothing accounts and cellphone contracts, it was confirmed that black diamonds are status driven, as suggested in the literature. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Background: While specific taxation has been found to be effective in reducing alcohol consumption and its related harms in High-Income Countries, it theoretically encourages drinking initiation in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC) with a high prevalence of lifetime abstainers. This dissertation aims to systematically review the existing evidence of the effects of taxation in LMIC on alcohol consumption, alcohol-related harms, and the rate of drinker initiation, and to examine how changes in Thailand’s Two Chosen One (2C1) taxation rates affect alcohol consumption, related harms and drinking initiation. Method: (1) A systematic review and meta-analysis that examines the effects of taxation policy on alcohol consumption, alcohol-related harms and the rate of drinker initiation in LMIC. (2) A quasi-experimental study using interrupted time-series analysis that examines the effects of alcohol taxation increases in Thailand on alcohol consumption and traffic fatalities. (3) An analysis of four consecutive national surveys on alcohol consumption behaviours to examine the effect of alcohol tax increases on drinking initiation prevalence in Thailand. Result: There were only 10 published studies that quantitatively examined the effect of alcohol taxation policy on consumption in LMIC. In LMIC the price elasticity of demand was -0.64 for all alcohol consumption, -0.50 for beer consumption, and -0.79 for consumption of other alcohol. No studies were found that examined the effects of taxation policy on alcohol-related harms and drinking initiation in LMIC. Thailand’s alcohol taxation increase in 2009 was associated with a reduction in alcohol consumption (tax elasticity of -1.95) and in traffic fatalities (tax elasticity of -1.90). Increased taxation prevented drinking initiation among young people 15 – 24 years of age during 2001-2011 in Thailand (tax elasticity of -0.40). Conclusion: Increases in taxation under the 2C1 taxation method were associated with decreases in alcohol consumption, alcohol-related harms and drinking initiation.

Breast cancer is a growing international health epidemic, and patients in low and middle income countries (LMCs) have worse outcomes than those in high income countries. High quality, well-implemented guidelines help improve patient outcomes, but are often not resource-sensitive, and support therapies that may not be feasible in LMCs. A systematic review to address the content, quality, and resource-sensitivity of international breast cancer guidelines was completed. Also, a survey of global physicians evaluated the impact of resource setting on practice patterns and guideline use. Guideline use did not appear to be directed by quality (which was variable across guidelines) or resource-sensitivity (found in few guidelines). However, practice patterns were found to vary by resource setting and by continent, often due to the cost of certain therapies. In order for guidelines to better impact global breast cancer outcomes, they need to be of higher quality, more resource-sensitive, and better implemented.

Background: While specific taxation has been found to be effective in reducing alcohol consumption and its related harms in High-Income Countries, it theoretically encourages drinking initiation in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC) with a high prevalence of lifetime abstainers. This dissertation aims to systematically review the existing evidence of the effects of taxation in LMIC on alcohol consumption, alcohol-related harms, and the rate of drinker initiation, and to examine how changes in Thailand’s Two Chosen One (2C1) taxation rates affect alcohol consumption, related harms and drinking initiation. Method: (1) A systematic review and meta-analysis that examines the effects of taxation policy on alcohol consumption, alcohol-related harms and the rate of drinker initiation in LMIC. (2) A quasi-experimental study using interrupted time-series analysis that examines the effects of alcohol taxation increases in Thailand on alcohol consumption and traffic fatalities. (3) An analysis of four consecutive national surveys on alcohol consumption behaviours to examine the effect of alcohol tax increases on drinking initiation prevalence in Thailand. Result: There were only 10 published studies that quantitatively examined the effect of alcohol taxation policy on consumption in LMIC. In LMIC the price elasticity of demand was -0.64 for all alcohol consumption, -0.50 for beer consumption, and -0.79 for consumption of other alcohol. No studies were found that examined the effects of taxation policy on alcohol-related harms and drinking initiation in LMIC. Thailand’s alcohol taxation increase in 2009 was associated with a reduction in alcohol consumption (tax elasticity of -1.95) and in traffic fatalities (tax elasticity of -1.90). Increased taxation prevented drinking initiation among young people 15 – 24 years of age during 2001-2011 in Thailand (tax elasticity of -0.40). Conclusion: Increases in taxation under the 2C1 taxation method were associated with decreases in alcohol consumption, alcohol-related harms and drinking initiation.

Breast cancer is a growing international health epidemic, and patients in low and middle income countries (LMCs) have worse outcomes than those in high income countries. High quality, well-implemented guidelines help improve patient outcomes, but are often not resource-sensitive, and support therapies that may not be feasible in LMCs. A systematic review to address the content, quality, and resource-sensitivity of international breast cancer guidelines was completed. Also, a survey of global physicians evaluated the impact of resource setting on practice patterns and guideline use. Guideline use did not appear to be directed by quality (which was variable across guidelines) or resource-sensitivity (found in few guidelines). However, practice patterns were found to vary by resource setting and by continent, often due to the cost of certain therapies. In order for guidelines to better impact global breast cancer outcomes, they need to be of higher quality, more resource-sensitive, and better implemented.

This study seeks to investigate the attitudes towards mental illness in Sweden in comparison with India. To measure attitudes towards people with mental illness the questionnaire Community Attitudes Towards Mental Illness (CAMI) was used containing positive and negative statements regarding mental illness. These statements are divided into the four attitude categories of Authoritarianism, Benevolence, Social Restrictiveness and Community Mental Health Ideology. The questionnaire study consisted of a total of 410 students; 272 from Sweden and 138 from India. Sweden and India were chosen because of their differences based on factors that recent studies have shown affect a community’s attitudes towards mental illness; socio-economic, religion and culture. The results show that there is a difference in attitudes between the two countries in three out of the four attitude categories, where India showed a more positive attitude than Sweden towards mental illness meaning they have a greater sense of authoritative approach, goodwill, and social inclusion. This result was expected in the sense that there was a significant difference between the countries but not in the sense that India was to be the country to have a more positive attitude than Sweden since it goes against what previous research indicated. / Följande studie söker att undersöka attityderna gentemot psykisk ohälsa i Sverige i jämförelse med Indien. För att mäta attityderna gentemot personer med psykisk ohälsa användes frågeformuläret Community Attitudes Towards Mental Illness (CAMI) innehållandes positiva samt negativa påståenden inom ämnet mental ohälsa. Dessa uttalanden är uppdelade i de fyra attityd-kategorierna: Authoritarianism, Benevolence, Social Restrictiveness and Community Mental Health Ideology. Studien bestod av totalt 410 studenter; 272 från Sverige och 138 från Indien. Sverige och Indien blev valda som länder genom deras skillnader baserade på faktorer som tidigare studier har visat ha effekt på ett samhälles attityder gentemot psykisk ohälsa; socioekonomi, religion samt kultur. Resultaten visar att det finns en skillnad i attityd mellan de två länderna i tre utav de fyra attityd-kategorierna där Indien visade på en mer positiv attityd gentemot psykisk ohälsa än vad Sverige gjorde vilket innebär att Indien har ett mer auktoritärt förhållningssätt, social inkludering samt känsla för välvilja. Detta resultat var delvis förväntat då vi förutspådde en skillnad mellan länderna men då tidigare forskning indikerat, genom faktorerna nämnda tidigare, att Sverige borde ha en mer positiv attityd än Indien var den delen av resultaten inte förväntad.

Low and middle-income countries (LMICs) around the world are experiencing a global cancer crisis. For treatable disease, cancer specific mortality in LMICs is much higher than in high-income countries. Botswana is a middle-income country in Sub-Saharan Africa that had its population decimated by the AIDS epidemic. In the aftermath and due to the successful implementation of an anti-retroviral program, patients are living longer and are developing cancer. Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of death in women around the world, but it is curable. Patients in Botswana live far from treatment centers and therefore often present with locally advanced disease that can be cured with a combination of chemotherapy, external beam radiation therapy and brachytherapy. The goal of this present study is to describe the challenges and implementation of brachytherapy in the country of Botswana in 2012 and to report its uses within the cervical cancer population between 2012 and 2014. The government of Botswana recognized that there was a need for in country brachytherapy to help reduce the cervical cancer burden. A public-private partnership was negotiated through the government of Botswana in order to bring brachytherapy into the country. In March 2011, a Nucletron HDR-Brachytherapy unit that uses Ir-192 was installed at Gaborone Private Hospital. Longitudinal support from international partners provided instruction in insertion, dosimetry, physics and management of complications. The initial burden of patients presented with severe cervical fibrosis and vaginal stenosis due to late presentation of disease. This resulted in numerous complications in the first treatments, which included failed insertions, perforations and bleeding. Following training and support from international partners, complications have been reduced. There are about 45 insertions performed each month, with an average of 3 insertions per patient. Introduction of HDR Brachytherapy to Botswana has led to decreased treatment time, reduced complications, increased patient compliance and projected improved survival. Implementation of brachytherapy was facilitated by a public-private partnership and onsite mentorship by expert clinicians. Further research is needed to evaluate impact on patient quality of life and survival, and whether this experience can be replicated for other tumor sites.

Middle class is important for economic development and growth of a country. Nowadays middle class in asian countries like China, Vietnam or India is significantly growing. Middle class in China has started to develop after economic reforms, which were launched in 1980s. People belonging to middle class in China are concentrated in urban area. Originally it started to develop in the coastal part of the country. There is a trend to move also to the inner part of the country. The biggest potential of the middle class is boosting domestic consumption. On the other hand there are certain problems, which might lead to middle income trap. The main problems are low productivity, high disparity, pressures on environment or aging population. The government is making a lot of measures to solve this problém. Nevertheless these problems are long term and they must focus on them in the future too.

Since the beginning of the millennium, Southeast Asia has become one of the fastest growing regions in the world. After recovery from the slowdown caused by the Asian financial crisis, most of them achieved significant growth and Asian miracle was created. Thanks to the liberalization of trade, export supporting policies, cheap labour and foreign investment, many of the southeast Asian countries entered the middle income countries group, which the World Bank defines with the Gross National Income per capita in the range from 1 045 USD to 12 760 USD. However, some countries in Southeast Asia are experiencing economic slowdown now and some of them fell into so called middle income trap. It is an economic phenomenon, which describes the situation when the country is no longer able to use its comparative advantages in the form of labour intensive production and its economic growth stagnates. Such economies find themselves on the edge between poor countries with cheap labour and advanced economies with high income. The main goal of the diploma thesis is to examine the topic of middle-income trap on chosen economies of Southeast Asia - Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. The thesis is focused on the evaluation of their economic situation, the depth of the middle income trap and possible solutions for each of these countries.

The thesis is focused on issue of the middle income trap and its application on Chinese market. Thesis is divided into three parts. The first chapter deals with concept of "middle income trap" and defines its causes. The second chapter analyses current situation of Chinese economy, also selected problems and trends in economy whitch are related to middle income trap. The goal of the last part is to answer questions whether China is in the middle income trap or manage to escape.