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This dissertation examines the practices and social constructions of volunteering in Southern Africa. Grounded in structural and cultural theory, I focus on volunteering as the product, rather than the raw material, of political processes. My approach stresses the volunteers’ perspectives, yet centers on critiques of dominance. In doing so, I destabilize the view of volunteering as inherently pro-social behavior, or as intrinsically characteristic of deepening democratic systems. Combining evidence from Afrobarometer surveys and twelve months of ethnographic fieldwork in South Africa and Zambia I show how meanings and practices, not just resources and capital, shape the socially constructed nature of volunteering given specific historic, economic and political conjunctures. The findings reveal that contemporary practices of volunteering in Southern Africa are a consequence of poverty, paternalistic exchange relationships, and state-civil society partnerships undergirded by foreign development aid. The dissertation is structured around four empirical points. The first concerns who volunteers. I identify characteristics of Africans who are most likely to actively belong to voluntary groups, and pinpoint the role of foreign development aid and poverty in shaping the volunteer landscape. The second highlights the positive connection between civic culture and active voluntary group membership in Africa, but I argue that this association does not inherently translate into greater democratic gains for a country. The third emphasizes “why” people volunteer. I document the exchange nature of volunteering, revealing its practical function for maintaining social cohesion and augmenting social capital, while simultaneously entrenching social hierarchies and paternalistic inequalities. The fourth point offers a theory linking three orientations to volunteering with activities in three different types of civil society. These view can be “allegiant,” “opportunistic,” or “challenging” and steer people toward volunteer activities that match their inclinations to enhance, confront, or preserve given social systems. Throughout this dissertation I illustrate how volunteerism aids residents of complex, diverse societies to define new social relations, craft compatible identities, and make meaning of social change. I present an effort in doing a sociology of volunteerism from Africa, rather simply in Africa, which increases the generalizability of existing theories of volunteerism to post-colonial, developing country contexts.

La polyconsommation d’alcool et de cannabis est rapportée par un grand nombre de jeunes adultes canadiens (Flight, 2007). Les recherches épidémiologiques suggèrent que le statut de polyconsommateur est associé à certains comportements à risque, dont la consommation excessive d’alcool et la conduite d’un véhicule automobile sous l’influence de l’alcool (Jones et al. 2001; Mohler-Kuo, et al. 2003; Shillington & Clapp, 2006). Les études qui soutiennent le risque accru de comportements à risque pour les polyconsommateurs se focalisent sur l’effet des substances. En rupture avec cette approche, ce mémoire présente une étude situationnelle de la polyconsommation en examinant l’effet du statut de polyconsommateur et, pour ceux-ci l’effet de la consommation simultanée d’alcool et de cannabis, en situant l’action dans son contexte de survenu et en examinant la contribution du contexte. La probabilité d’avoir conduit une voiture sous l’influence de l’alcool et d’avoir consommé excessivement de l’alcool sera examinée auprès d’étudiants universitaires. La contribution respective des substances, des situations et de l’expérience de la vie universitaire sera examinée. La méthodologie employée repose sur la construction de modèles de régression logistique multiniveaux, à la fois chez l’ensemble des buveurs (10 747 occasions, nichées dans 4396 buveurs) et dans le sous-échantillon des polyconsommateurs (2311 occasions de consommation d’alcool, nichées dans 880 polyconsommateurs). Les données sont issues de l’Enquête sur les campus canadiens (2004), menée auprès d’un échantillon représentatif de 6282 étudiants issus de 40 universités. Le statut de polyconsommateur est associé à la consommation excessive d’alcool, mais pas à la conduite d’une voiture suite à la consommation. Cependant, la consommation simultanée d’alcool et de cannabis n’est pas associée à un risque plus élevé de consommer excessivement de l’alcool, et est négativement associée à la conduite d’une voiture après la consommation. Plusieurs caractéristiques situationnelles sont associées aux deux comportements à l’étude et diminuent la force d’association entre ces comportements et le statut de polyconsommateur. / Alcohol and cannabis polydrug use is a common consumption pattern among Canadian young adults (Flight, 2007). Moreover, epidemiological studies suggest that alcohol and cannabis use is associated with other risky behaviours such as binge drinking and driving a vehicle under the influence of both substances (Jones et al. 2001; Mohler-Kuo et al. 2003; Shillington & Clapp, 2006). Studies which have reported an increased risk for polydrug users focus on substance use. The present study propose a situational approach, in which the effect of poly drug use, as well as the effect of simultaneous use on these risky behaviours are investigated while considering the context in which the consumption takes place. The probability of driving under the influence of alcohol, and the probability of binge drinking are examined among a sample of university students. The respective contribution of substance use, university life experience and drinking situations is examined. The methodology used to perform this study is based on multilevel logistic regression models, among drinkers (10 747 occasions, nested within 4396 drinkers) as well as among the polydrug users subsample (2311 drinking occasions, nested within 880 individuals). The data are drawn from the Canadian Campus Survey conducted in 2004 with a random nationally representative sample of 6282 students from 40 universities. Polydrug status is positively associated with episodic binge drinking, but not with driving under the influence of alcohol. However, cannabis use is not associated with binge drinking, among polydrug users. Moreover, for this specific population, cannabis smoking is negatively associated with driving under the influence of alcohol. Several situational characteristics are associated with either one or both studied behaviours and partially explain the relationship between those behaviours and polydrug use.

La prématurité, définie par un accouchement avant 37 semaines d'aménorrhée, ne cesse de croître en France. Elle a des facteurs de risque médicaux et socio-économiques. Elle se trouve au coeur des enjeux de la sécurité de la naissance et de l'efficience du système de santé, au nom desquelles les maternités de proximité sont fermées progressivement depuis 1998, sans égard pour une équité spatiale des populations. L'étude de l'impact de ces restructurations sur un vaste territoire comme la Bourgogne est d'autant plus intéressante que cette dernière cumule des facteurs de dispersion avec un peuplement en périphérie de ses limites régionales, une moyenne montagne centrale difficile à franchir, le Morvan, et une faible densité de population et de professionnels de santé. Notre travail a permis de confirmer la répartition hétérogène du taux d'accouchement prématuré en Bourgogne. Pour expliquer cette disparité, et à l'aide principalement de données individuelles du PMSI (Programme de Médicalisation des Systèmes d'Information) et contextuelles de l'INSEE (Institut National de la Statistique et des Études Economiques), nous avons étudié séparément ses relations avec l'accessibilité physique, la distance socio‐économique et l'organisation des soins, avec un accent sur les réseaux de santé périnatale qui caractérisent cette région. Nous avons enfin réuni tous les facteurs explicatifs pertinents dans une analyse multi niveaux dont les modèles hiérarchiques linéaires sont les plus adaptés pour prendre en compte simultanément des données individuelles et des données contextuelles agrégées. Les résultats identifient des clusters de prématurité et montrent que la disparité de la prématurité repose essentiellement sur la disparité spatiale du désavantage socio‐économique et sur la situation d'isolement du Morvan central. Ce travail devrait permettre d'intervenir auprès de ces territoires pour améliorer ou compenser leurs facteurs de risque de prématurité / Prematurity, defined as a birth occurring before 37 weeks of gestation, is increasing in France. It has medical and socio‐economic risk factors. It is of concern to issues about birth security and healthcare efficiency, according to which the local maternity units have been gradually closed since 1998, regardless of spatial equity for the population. The study of the impact of the restructuring on such a vast area as Burgundy is all the more interesting that Burgundy combines factors of dispersion such as its settlement on the edge of its regional boundaries, a central mountain Morvan difficult to drive through, and the low density of its population and of its health professionals. Our work has confirmed the heterogeneous distribution of the rate of preterm delivery in Burgundy. To explain this disparity, in mainly using individual data from PMSI (Programme de Medicalization of Information Systems) and contextual data from INSEE (National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies), we studied separately the prematurity relationships with physical accessibility, with socio‐economic distance and with perinatal care organization, with a special focus on perinatal health networks that characterize this region. We finally gathered all the relevant explanatory factors in a multilevel analysis with hierarchical linear models that are best suited to take into account both individual and aggregate contextual data. The results identify prematurity clusters and show that prematurity disparity is mainly based on spatial disparity of socio‐economic disadvantage and on the situation of isolation of central Morvan. This work should cause interventions to be carried out within these areas to improve or compensate their risk factors

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a cobertura vacinal aos 12 e aos 24 meses de vida, em Curitiba e seus distritos sanitários (DS) e investigar a associação entre esquema vacinal incompleto e fatores individuais da criança e da mãe e contextuais, especialmente os relacionados aos serviços públicos de saúde. METODOLOGIA: Trata-se de estudo transversal com crianças residentes em Curitiba e nascidas em 2002. As fontes de dados foram: i) o Sistema de Informação de Nascidos Vivos (SINASC); ii) o prontuário eletrônico municipal; iii) inquérito domiciliar para casos com registro incompleto. Foi utilizado o software RECLINK II para a linkage dos bancos de dados. A investigação de fatores associados aos desfechos de interesse foi efetuada por meio da análise bivariada e análise de regressão logística multinível (software MLwiN 2.0). RESULTADOS: A amostra abrangeu 2637 crianças, a cobertura vacinal no município foi de 95,3 por cento aos 12 meses e 90,3 por cento aos 24 meses, observando-se pequena variação nas coberturas entre distritos; 0,2 por cento a 0,9 por cento das vacinas foram aplicadas em datas ou intervalos inferiores aos preconizados e 2,8 por cento a 32,2 por cento após o período recomendado; 98 por cento das crianças têm cadastro no prontuário eletrônico do município, 97,7 por cento recebeu ao menos uma dose de vacina na rede municipal de saúde e 73,3 por cento realizou consulta médica nestas unidades; as crianças com três ou mais consultas em unidade básicas/ESF apresentam melhor situação vacinal. Entre as crianças com acompanhamento nas unidades de saúde, estimou-se entre 4 por cento e 7,3 por cento as oportunidades perdidas de imunização. Na análise multivariada mostraramse independentemente associadas ao esquema vacinal incompleto aos 12 meses: ter mãe adolescente (OR=2,8); a ordem de nascimento (ser o 2º ou 3º filho com OR=7,3 e ser 4º filho em diante com OR=22,2) já considerando a interação com outras variáveis; número inadequado de consultas de pré-natal (OR=2,6); ter efetuado menos de 3 de consultas médicas em unidade básica/ESF no ano (OR=2,2). Para esquema vacinal incompleto aos 24 meses mostraram-se independentemente associadas: a ordem de nascimento (ser 2º ou 3º filho com OR=2,5 e ser o 4º filho em diante com OR=5,3); número inadequado de consultas de pré-natal (OR=1,8); número inferior a 3 de consultas médicas no ano em unidade básica/ESF (OR=1,5) e ter cadastro provisório ou não ter cadastro na US básica (OR=1,7) e inversamente associado a idade materna de 35 anos e mais (OR=0,6). Embora a análise bivariada aponte melhor situação vacinal entre crianças atendidas em US que adotada plenamente a Estratégia de Saúde da Família e em distritos sanitários de estrato socioeconômico mais pobre a análise multivariada não revelou associação. CONCLUSÕES: Os resultados apontam a importância de políticas públicas na promoção da equidade em saúde e permitem a identificação de fatores associados que devem ser considerados no aperfeiçoamento de programas de imunização. / OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the immunization coverage at 12 and 24 months of life, in Curitiba and their health districts, as well as to analyse the influence of child and maternal individual and contextual factors, particulary those related to public health services and their influence on vaccination status. METHODOLOGY: A cross sectional study was led with children that are resident in Curitiba, born in 2002. The data sources were: i) the liveborn information system (SINASC); ii) the municipal electronic medical record; iii) home interviewing for cases with incomplete records. It was used the software RECLINK II to make the databases linkage. It was performed bivariate analysis and multilevel logistic regression analysis (MLwiN 2.0 software) to investigate factors associated to interest outcomes. RESULTS: For a final sample of 2637 children the immunization coverage in Curitiba was 95.3 per cent at 12 months and 90.3 per cent at 24 months, with a low variation between the sanitary districts; The adequacy evaluation of the doses shows 0.2 per cent to 0.9 per cent of vaccine applied in dates or ranges lower than the recommended and 2.8 per cent to 32.2 per cent later than the recommended. Most children (98.8 per cent ) have municipal electronic medical record, 97.7 per cent have at least one dose of vaccine applied in the municipal health computerized network, 73.3 per cent had medical consultation in these health units, and children with three or more consultations in basic units / ESF have better vaccine status. Among children monitored by health units, has been estimated in 4 per cent and 7.3 per cent the missed opportunities for immunization. The multivariate analysis shows, independently associated to the incomplete vaccine status at 12 months: teenager mother (OR= 2.8); birth order (OR= 7.3 for 2nd and 3rd child and OR=22.2 after the 4th child) already considering interactions with other variables; inadequate number of prenatal consultation (OR=2.6); the number of medical consultations in basic units / ESF lower than 3 per year (OR=2.2). For the incomplete vaccine status at 24 months arises as independently associated: the birth order (OR=2.5 for the 2nd and 3rd child; OR=5.3 after the 4th child); inadequate number of prenatal consultation (OR=1,8); the number of medical consultations in basic health units / ESF lower than 3 per year (OR=1.5) and have temporary register or none register when compared with definitive register (OR=1.7) and inversely associated to mothers aged 35 years and more (OR=0,6). Although the bivariate analysis point better vaccination status among children linked to a health unit where the Family Health Strategy is completely adopted and in health districts of worst socioeconomic stratum, multivariate analysis revealed no association. CONCLUSIONS: The study results shows the relevance of public policies in promoting health equity and identify associated factors that must be considered in the improvement of immunization programs

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a cobertura vacinal aos 12 e aos 24 meses de vida, em Curitiba e seus distritos sanitários (DS) e investigar a associação entre esquema vacinal incompleto e fatores individuais da criança e da mãe e contextuais, especialmente os relacionados aos serviços públicos de saúde. METODOLOGIA: Trata-se de estudo transversal com crianças residentes em Curitiba e nascidas em 2002. As fontes de dados foram: i) o Sistema de Informação de Nascidos Vivos (SINASC); ii) o prontuário eletrônico municipal; iii) inquérito domiciliar para casos com registro incompleto. Foi utilizado o software RECLINK II para a linkage dos bancos de dados. A investigação de fatores associados aos desfechos de interesse foi efetuada por meio da análise bivariada e análise de regressão logística multinível (software MLwiN 2.0). RESULTADOS: A amostra abrangeu 2637 crianças, a cobertura vacinal no município foi de 95,3 por cento aos 12 meses e 90,3 por cento aos 24 meses, observando-se pequena variação nas coberturas entre distritos; 0,2 por cento a 0,9 por cento das vacinas foram aplicadas em datas ou intervalos inferiores aos preconizados e 2,8 por cento a 32,2 por cento após o período recomendado; 98 por cento das crianças têm cadastro no prontuário eletrônico do município, 97,7 por cento recebeu ao menos uma dose de vacina na rede municipal de saúde e 73,3 por cento realizou consulta médica nestas unidades; as crianças com três ou mais consultas em unidade básicas/ESF apresentam melhor situação vacinal. Entre as crianças com acompanhamento nas unidades de saúde, estimou-se entre 4 por cento e 7,3 por cento as oportunidades perdidas de imunização. Na análise multivariada mostraramse independentemente associadas ao esquema vacinal incompleto aos 12 meses: ter mãe adolescente (OR=2,8); a ordem de nascimento (ser o 2º ou 3º filho com OR=7,3 e ser 4º filho em diante com OR=22,2) já considerando a interação com outras variáveis; número inadequado de consultas de pré-natal (OR=2,6); ter efetuado menos de 3 de consultas médicas em unidade básica/ESF no ano (OR=2,2). Para esquema vacinal incompleto aos 24 meses mostraram-se independentemente associadas: a ordem de nascimento (ser 2º ou 3º filho com OR=2,5 e ser o 4º filho em diante com OR=5,3); número inadequado de consultas de pré-natal (OR=1,8); número inferior a 3 de consultas médicas no ano em unidade básica/ESF (OR=1,5) e ter cadastro provisório ou não ter cadastro na US básica (OR=1,7) e inversamente associado a idade materna de 35 anos e mais (OR=0,6). Embora a análise bivariada aponte melhor situação vacinal entre crianças atendidas em US que adotada plenamente a Estratégia de Saúde da Família e em distritos sanitários de estrato socioeconômico mais pobre a análise multivariada não revelou associação. CONCLUSÕES: Os resultados apontam a importância de políticas públicas na promoção da equidade em saúde e permitem a identificação de fatores associados que devem ser considerados no aperfeiçoamento de programas de imunização. / OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the immunization coverage at 12 and 24 months of life, in Curitiba and their health districts, as well as to analyse the influence of child and maternal individual and contextual factors, particulary those related to public health services and their influence on vaccination status. METHODOLOGY: A cross sectional study was led with children that are resident in Curitiba, born in 2002. The data sources were: i) the liveborn information system (SINASC); ii) the municipal electronic medical record; iii) home interviewing for cases with incomplete records. It was used the software RECLINK II to make the databases linkage. It was performed bivariate analysis and multilevel logistic regression analysis (MLwiN 2.0 software) to investigate factors associated to interest outcomes. RESULTS: For a final sample of 2637 children the immunization coverage in Curitiba was 95.3 per cent at 12 months and 90.3 per cent at 24 months, with a low variation between the sanitary districts; The adequacy evaluation of the doses shows 0.2 per cent to 0.9 per cent of vaccine applied in dates or ranges lower than the recommended and 2.8 per cent to 32.2 per cent later than the recommended. Most children (98.8 per cent ) have municipal electronic medical record, 97.7 per cent have at least one dose of vaccine applied in the municipal health computerized network, 73.3 per cent had medical consultation in these health units, and children with three or more consultations in basic units / ESF have better vaccine status. Among children monitored by health units, has been estimated in 4 per cent and 7.3 per cent the missed opportunities for immunization. The multivariate analysis shows, independently associated to the incomplete vaccine status at 12 months: teenager mother (OR= 2.8); birth order (OR= 7.3 for 2nd and 3rd child and OR=22.2 after the 4th child) already considering interactions with other variables; inadequate number of prenatal consultation (OR=2.6); the number of medical consultations in basic units / ESF lower than 3 per year (OR=2.2). For the incomplete vaccine status at 24 months arises as independently associated: the birth order (OR=2.5 for the 2nd and 3rd child; OR=5.3 after the 4th child); inadequate number of prenatal consultation (OR=1,8); the number of medical consultations in basic health units / ESF lower than 3 per year (OR=1.5) and have temporary register or none register when compared with definitive register (OR=1.7) and inversely associated to mothers aged 35 years and more (OR=0,6). Although the bivariate analysis point better vaccination status among children linked to a health unit where the Family Health Strategy is completely adopted and in health districts of worst socioeconomic stratum, multivariate analysis revealed no association. CONCLUSIONS: The study results shows the relevance of public policies in promoting health equity and identify associated factors that must be considered in the improvement of immunization programs

Introdução-O aleitamento materno promove vantagens para a criança, mulher e sociedade. Entretanto as taxas de amamentação, principalmente o aleitamento materno exclusivo estão abaixo dos níveis desejados em diversos países. A identificação dos determinantes da interrupção precoce e a quantificação da interação destes fatores é crucial para estabelecer, avaliar e promover políticas públicas em prol das práticas de amamentação. Objetivo-Estimar os efeitos dos fatores associados à prevalência do aleitamento materno exclusivo, predominante e continuado no primeiro e segundo anos de vida em países da América Latina e Caribe no período de 2000 a 2016. Métodos-Foram utilizados microdados coletados no projeto Monitoring and Evaluation to Assess and Use Results Demographic and Health Survey. Para complementar as informações foram recolhidos dados agregados do World Bank. Os indicadores analisados foram aleitamento materno exclusivo (AME), aleitamento materno predominante (AMP) e aleitamento materno continuado (AMC) no primeiro e segundo anos de vida; os valores foram expressos em prevalência e estratificados por quintos de riqueza. Selecionou-se o último inquérito disponível de cada país da América Latina e Caribe com dados entre os anos de 2000 e 2016. As variáveis foram selecionadas segundo disponibilidade e enquadramento no modelo conceitual proposto por ROLLINS et al. (2016). O modelo utilizado no estudo foi elegido após análise com Regressão de Poisson e, posteriormente, foi realizada análise logística multinível de efeitos mistos para quantificar o efeito de cada determinante do efeito fixo ajustado pelo efeito randômico. Resultados-A variação das prevalências dos indicadores foi de 7,4% a 60,3% no AME, 13,9% a 71% no AMP, 35,0% a 86,6%no AMC no primeiro ano e 18,9% a 55,0% no AMC no segundo ano de vida. Bolívia e Guatemala se destacam por apresentar as maiores taxas de AME, 60,3% e 54,2%, respectivamente. Os países apresentaram maior prevalência dos indicadores nos quintos inferiores de renda, destacando-se as associações do padrão de aumento da magnitude do efeito negativo à medida que o quinto de renda aumenta. O AME e AMP se associaram diretamente à \"amamentação na primeira hora\", \"estado conjugal\" e \"queria o último filho; \"idade materna\" e \"status de trabalho\" se associaram inversamente aos indicadores AMC no 1º e 2º anos de vida. Na análise de efeitos mistos, os indicadores AME e AMP se associaram diretamente a \"amamentação na primeira hora\" e \"estado conjugal\" e inversamente às variáveis \"local do parto\" e \"status de trabalho\". A escolaridade materna apresentou associação inversa com os indicadores AMP, AMC no 1º e 2º anos de vida e o quinto de riqueza apresentou associação inversa com todos os indicadores estudados. O AME apresenta maior variância explicada pelo nível individual, enquanto o AMC no 2º ano de vida sofre grande influência pelo nível contextual (8,99e-15% e 69,7%, respectivamente). Conclusão-As variáveis relacionadas ao indivíduo foram as que melhor explicaram a variância do modelo para o AME, AMP e AMC no 1º ano de vida. As variáveis relacionadas ao contexto explicam maior variabilidade da prevalência do AMC no 2º ano de vida, exibindo a maior interferência do PIB e de influências de âmbito nacional. / Introduction-Breastfeeding promotes benefits for the child, woman and society. However, breastfeeding rates, especially exclusive breastfeeding, are below desired levels in many countries. The identification of the determinants of the interruption precociated and the quantification of interaction factors are crucial to establish, evaluate and promote public policies in breastfeeding practices. Objective-Estimate the effects of factors associated with the prevalence of exclusive, predominant and continued breastfeeding in the first and second years of life in Latin American and Caribbean countries from 2000 to 2016.Methods- We used microdata collected in the project Monitoring and Evaluation to Assess and Use Results Demographic and Health Survey. In addition to the information, aggregated World Bank data was collected. The indicators analyzed were exclusive breastfeeding (EB), predominant breastfeeding (PB) and continuous breastfeeding (CB) in the first and second years of life; the values were expressed in prevalence and stratified by quintiles of wealth. The last available survey of each Latin American and Caribbean country with data between the years 2000 and 2016 was selected. The variables were selected according to availability and framing in the conceptual model proposed by ROLLINS et. al. (2016). The model used in the study was chosen after analysis with Poisson Regression and later, multi-level mixed-effects logistic analysis was performed to quantify the effect of each determinant of the fixed effect adjusted by the random effect. Results- The prevalence of indicators ranged from 7.4% to 60.3% EB, 13.9% to 71% in PB, 35.0% to 86.6% in CB in the first year, and 18.9% to 55.0% in CB in the second year of life. Bolivia and Guatemala stand out for having the highest rates of EB, 60.3% and 54.2%, respectively. The countries presented a higher prevalence of indicators in the lower quintiles of income, especially the associations of the pattern of increase of the magnitude of the negative effect as the fifth of income increases. EB and PB were directly associated with \"first-time breastfeeding\", \"marital status\" and \"wanted the last child; \"maternal age\" and \"work status\" were inversely associated with the CB indicators in the 1st and 2nd years of life. In the mixed effects analysis, the EB and PB indicators were directly associated with \"first-hour breastfeeding\" and \"marital status\" and inversely to the variables \"place of birth\" and \"work status\".The maternal schooling presented an inverse association with the PB, CB indicators in the 1st and 2nd years of life, and the fifth of the wealth had an inverse association with all the indicators studied. The EB shows greater variance explained by the individual level, while the CB in the second year of life suffers great influence at the contextual level (8.99e-15% and 69.7%, respectively). Conclusion- The variables related to the individual were the ones that best explained the variance of the model for EB, PB and CB in the 1st year of life. The variables related to the context explain a greater variability of the prevalence of CB in the second year of life, showing the greater interference of GDP and national influences.

The importance of organizations for understanding differences in the working conditions and health of employees is often emphasized but rarely explored empirically. The general aim of this thesis is to describe organizational characteristics of workplaces, and to assess their impact on the psychosocial working conditions and health of employees. In modern working life, it is assumed that employees' working conditions and health are affected by a general transformation of workplaces from bureaucracy to post-bureaucracy.  The organizational data used are based on structured interviews with managers at workplaces in different types of operations in mid-Sweden, whereas the individual data consist of a questionnaire to all employees working in the participating workplaces, resulting in a dataset of 90 workplaces and 4306 individuals. Descriptive analysis was carried out for comparison of organizational characteristics in different types of operations, while multilevel analysis was applied to investigate the magnitude of the organizational impact on psychosocial working conditions, and to analyze associations between organizational characteristics, psychosocial working conditions and health. The results showed that the workplaces were mainly displayed by a combination of bureaucratic and post-bureaucratic characteristics, and these were unequally distributed between types of operations. A systematic variation in the psychosocial working conditions and health of employees was found between workplaces, and the variation in psychosocial working conditions was attributed to several organizational levels. The variation between workplaces was explained by both organizational characteristics of the workplaces and individual characteristics of the employees. Formalization, centralization, job enrichment, individual responsibility, soft control systems, and performance control were associated with psychosocial working conditions when controlled for occupational class, gender and age of employees, and a high degree of customer adaptation was associated with increased sickness absence of employees.   It is concluded that bureaucracy and post-bureaucracy should not be regarded as dichotomies. Organizational characteristics of workplaces have an impact on the psychosocial working conditions and health of employees beyond occupational class. This has implications for both the theory and the practice of occupational health research. / The Healthy Workplace Study

The aim of this study is to describe and explain (individual level) public political participation, with particular focus on the significance of the local, geographical context. Studies of political participation have traditionally focused on individual level explanations. Here, however, the question of the significance of place, is also raised i.e. does place have an effect on the probability of the individual to take political action? Such causal relationships are known as contextual (or neighbourhood) effects. These occur when contextual factors affect individual behaviour so that it varies systematically between different contexts, even after controlling for individual level predictors. Although empirical research has been lacking, there is a widespread assumption that place of residence can have both positive and negative effects on outcomes at the level of the individual. This is the case especially with regard to urban residential segregation, which is believed to cause self-generating, negative effects on the political engagement of citizens. My line of argument is that contextual effects cannot be taken for granted; rather they must be tested empirically in a systematic way, using individual level data and appropriate techniques. Political participation is operationalised in terms of: voting in local elections, contacting local officials, and participating in manifestations. The local, geographical context is operationalised in two ways; as Swedish municipalities and as city districts. The latter is done using case studies of two Swedish cities; Umeå, a medium-sized town with moderate socioeconomic segregation, and Göteborg, a large city with extensive polarisation. Survey data is used and analysed by means of multilevel analysis, a technique developed especially for hierarchical data and contextual analysis of individual level outcomes. The results do not provide strong support for the hypothesis of contextual effects on public political participation. There are, in several cases, strong, bivariate relationships between socioeconomic composition and political participation at the aggregate level. However, this is not confirmed in analyses of individual level data. The variation between individuals residing in different places is significant in only one case; when the context is operationalised as municipalities and the dependent variable is participation in manifestations. This variation cannot, however, be explained neither by individual level SES/political engagement nor by socioeconomic composition at the municipal level. An analysis of crosslevel interactions shows that employed persons residing in affluent districts of Göteborg have a higher probability to vote and to participate in contacting than employed persons living in poor neighbourhoods. Similarly, individuals with an immigrant background living in affluent districts in Göteborg are more likely to vote than those living in poor areas. These results give some support for the hypothesis of contextual effects on political participation. However, as the number of observations in this particular analysis is very small, the results are not robust and, consequently, must be interpreted with caution. In order to identify relevant individual level predictors, the SES and CV-models are applied. The results indicate that socioeconomic variables such as employment status and education are important predictors of voting. However, when it comes to contacting officials and participating in manifestations, socio-political resources such as political engagement and organisational membership are better as predictors of political participation.

Urban sprawl often has a negative connotation, used as a derogatory label for certain forms and consequences of land development that are seen as environmentally and socially unpleasant. Although sprawl may be seen as offensive, there may be other, far greater and more harmful consequences of sprawl. The literature indicates that rates of negative health outcomes, such as obesity, tend to be higher in more developed areas. However, aside from a few studies, little empirical research looks specifically at the influence of sprawl when it comes to individual health. This research project focuses on sprawl and examines the relationships it has with health behaviors and health outcomes. By analyzing data from the CDC’s 2003 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), an annual telephone survey of adults that include more than two-hundred self- reported and calculated variables, I investigate the associations between sprawl, physical activity, body weight, and health outcomes using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). By employing SEM, my research differs from previous research in this field by adding not only additional layers to the evaluation of sprawl and health outcomes, but also allows for the evaluation of associations through various “paths” instead of looking at variables within simpler hierarchical regression models. In addition to direct effects, it also allows for the determination of indirect, or mediated, effects between variables within a path model. Even though no direct relationship between sprawl and health outcomes was revealed, sprawl did show to have a statistically significant indirect effect on health outcomes mediated by physical activity and body weight. Physical activity is also shown to mediate the relationship between sprawl and body weight. Additionally, physical activity reveals both a direct and indirect effect on health outcomes, with its indirect effect being mediated by body weight. Finally, physical activity and body weight are both shown to have statistically significant direct effects on health outcomes. In the concluding chapter I propose a new path model in light of the results of the analyses of data in order to represent the associations between sprawl, physical activity, body weight, and health outcomes more accurately.