Efficient waste management enables the protection of human health, reducing environmental pollution, saving of natural resources, and achieving sustainable and profitable management of energy. In many countries, the general guidelines for waste management are set by national or local waste management plans. Various models provide local authorities with decision-making tools in planning long-term waste management scenarios.This study aims at providing a special model framework for the evaluation of ecological–economic efficiency (ECO-EE) of waste management. This will serve as an information support tool for decision making by actors of a solid waste management (SWM) scheme, primarily at the municipal and regional levels. The objective of this study is to apply the waste management’s efficient decision (WAMED) model along with the company statistical business tool for environmental recovery indicator (COSTBUSTER) model to SWM and municipal solid waste (MSW) schemes in general in order to evaluate and improve their ECO-EE. COSTBUSTER is a mathematical indicator for the size and extent of implementation costs of a certain SWM scheme, compared with the total size of the average financial budget of a SWM actor of a certain kind. In particular, WAMED is proposed for evaluating the suitability to invest in baling technology. Baling of solid waste is an emerging technology which is extensively used worldwide to temporarily store waste for either incineration or recovery of raw materials. The model for efficient use of resources for optimal production economy (the EUROPE model) is for the first time applied to emissions from baling facilities. It has been analysed how cost-benefit analysis (CBA) and full cost accounting (FCA) can facilitate environmental optimisation of SWM schemes. The effort in this work represents a continuation of such ambitions as an enlargement of the research area of CBA based modelling within SWM. In the thesis, certain theoretical and economic aspects of SWM were analysed as case studies. A shift of viewpoints within the field of waste management is presented. This shift is in accordance with the prevailing concept of sustainable development, as commonly understood. It is concluded that in the practical SWM context, the findings of the study point at the possibilities to modify the common CBA- and FCA-based methods by WAMED, COSTBUSTER, and EUROPE. Therefore, it can be said that estimations in a SWM scheme can be carried out by using certain economic model, if properly modified in a logical and plausible way. New principles for cost allocation to SWM residual products are presented in the current work. They imply strong industrial cost saving incentives through promoting the introduction of new and improved processing technologies for rest-waste. Such incentives then strongly promote investments that are likely to improve both the environment and the corporate profitability. Thereby, the occurrence of non-commercialised, and hence not utilized, wastes is reduced. This improves the short term corporate economy through saving raw materials such as solid waste fuel, spending less time for administrating waste flows, and less wear and tear of the plant machinery. Additional environmental advantages which affect the balance sheets in a favourable way are related to the long-term business economy and extended environmental goodwill. This is due to the recently introduced way of considering solid waste as regular goods in financial terms - the equality principle. If waste is seen as goods, and not wasted in landfills, the environment will improve. This, in turn, leads to an improved quality of life. Based on the current study, it is recommended to apply WAMED to SWM schemes in order to evaluate their ECO–EE to justify decision making and investments. Also, it is recommended to apply COSTBUSTER, based on the current WAMED outcome, to SWM schemes to determine their relative size and extent. It is recommended to apply EUROPE to the emissions in case of accidental burning, treatment of leachate, andabatement with odours at any SWM scheme, based on the induced economic incentives, in order to reduce unwanted substances and phenomena.

La théorie économique conduit à supposer que l’assurance santé accroît les consommations médicales en générant du risque moral ex-post, c'est-à-dire l’achat par les individus de soins dont la valeur est faible au regard de leur coût total. Certains économistes soulignent que tout ou partie de ce surplus de consommation peut résulter également d’une solvabilisation de la demande de soins du fait des remboursements, traduisant ainsi un meilleur accès aux soins. Comprendre lequel de ces effets prédomine représente un enjeu important en termes d’équité et d’efficience du système de santé. Cette thèse vise à mesurer l’ampleur de l’effet de l’assurance complémentaire santé sur les consommations médicales en France et à en comprendre la nature en s’appuyant sur trois articles. Le premier article analyse l’effet du fait d’être couvert par une complémentaire santé sur le recours aux médecins, le second évalue l’impact de la CMU-C sur les consommations médicales de ses bénéficiaires, enfin le troisième étudie l’effet d’une surcomplémentaire santé permettant de compléter les remboursements du contrat de base d’une mutuelle de fonctionnaire. En se focalisant sur l’assurance complémentaire et surcomplémentaire, ces articles permettent d’étudier l’effet d’une variation à la marge du niveau de couverture sur différentes catégories de population. / According to economic theory, health insurance raises medical care consumptions by inducing ex-post moral hazard behavior, it is to say the purchase of health care that individual value below their production cost. Nevertheless, among the economists community, some suggest that these additional consumptions may be the consequence of an increase of financial resources in case of illness due to reimbursements, reflecting a better access to health care. Understanding which of these effects dominates is a crucial issue to assess equity and efficiency of health care system. Based on three articles, this thesis aims to estimate how great the effect of complementary health insurance on health care consumptions is in France, and to understand the nature of this effect. The first article analyzes the effect of being covered by a complementary health insurance on the use of physician care, the second article assess how the CMU-C scheme affected health care consumptions of its beneficiaries, and the third article examines the effect of a supplementary health insurance contract that provides reimbursements in addition of the benefits of a basic complementary health insurance contract that covers civil servants. By focusing on complementary and supplementary health insurance, these articles offer the opportunity to study the effect of health insurance at the margin, on different populations.

Análise de custo-benefício (CBA) é um instrumento de avaliação de políticas que auxilia na tomada de decisão, empregada principalmente por gestores públicos. A CBA foi utilizada com o intuito de alcançar o objetivo principal desse estudo: verificar se a exportação de água virtual - água incorporada em um produto durante seu processo produtivo - embutida em 10 produtos do setor agropecuário brasileiro, no período de 2002 a 2016, está sendo benéfica ao Brasil. Os produtos estudados foram agrupados em 5 grupos, Açúcar, Café, Milho, Soja e Boi que, somados, desde o ano de 2012 têm representado mais de 20% do total das exportações brasileiras, em termos monetários, US$. Para qualquer análise custo-benefício é necessário que todos os impactos (custos e benefícios) sejam monetizados para se apurar o benefício líquido (BL), que é alcançado diminuindo-se os custos (C) dos benefícios (B), (BL=B-C). O estudo admitiu como custo os custos de produção, dos produtos estudados; a tarifa de armazenagem portuária; e, o valor da água virtual exportada pelo Brasil. Como benefício está sendo considerado o valor recebido com a exportação desses produtos, convertido em moeda nacional. Dessa forma, para alcançar o objetivo principal do estudo, foi necessário precificar a água virtual, um dos objetivos específicos do estudo. Ademais, o estudo apresenta ainda os principais parceiros importadores do Brasil, com relação aos produtos estudados; a importância brasileira como país exportador para esses parceiros importadores; a diferença no volume de água utilizado para produção, tanto no Brasil quanto nesses importadores; e, o volume e o valor total da água virtual exportada no período analisado. A hipótese central que norteou esse trabalho é que o Brasil obteve mais benefícios do que custos ao exportar água virtual, embutida na cesta de produtos agropecuários escolhida. Inclusive, essa hipótese pôde ser confirmada, uma vez que se identificou, por meio da CBA, benefícios totais líquidos positivos, no período de 2002 a 2016, isto é, os benefícios (valor das exportações) superaram os custos (custo de produção, tarifa portuária e valor da água virtual). No que tange aos benefícios líquidos por grupo de produto estudado, os mesmos apresentaram resultado negativo em alguns anos do período analisado. Como exemplo, para o grupo Milho, nos anos de 2005, 2006 e 2009 os benefícios líquidos foram negativos. Quanto aos benefícios totais líquidos, os mesmos foram de R$ 216.342.482.411,98 no período de 2002 a 2016. Em relação ao volume total de água virtual exportada, incorporada nos produtos abordados pelo estudo, no período analisado, o mesmo foi de 2.514.850,651 milhões de m3 de água. Em termos de valor monetário, o total apurado para esse volume de água foi de R$ 27.166.366.824,47. / Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is a policy evaluation tool that assists in decision-making, used primarily by public managers. CBA was used in order to reach the main objective of this study: to verify if the export of virtual water - water contained in a product during its production process - embedded in 10 products of the Brazilian agricultural sector, from 2002 to 2016, is being beneficial to Brazil. The products studied were grouped into 5 groups: Sugar, Coffee, Corn, Soybean and Bovine, which, since the year of 2012, represented more than 20% of total Brazilian exports, in monetary terms, US$. For any cost-benefit analysis it is necessary that all impacts (costs and benefits) are monetized to determine the net benefit (NB), which is achieved by decreasing the costs (C) of the benefits (B), (NB = B-C). The study admitted as cost the costs of production, of the products studied; the port storage tariff; and, the value of virtual water exported by Brazil. As a benefit is being considered the value received with the export of these products, converted into national currency. Thus, to reach the main objective of the study, it was necessary to value the virtual water, one of the main objectives of the study. In addition, the study also analyses the main importing partners of Brazil, in relation to the products studied; the importance of Brazil as a leading agricultural exporting country for these importing partners; the difference in the volume of water used for production, both in Brazil and in the importing partners; and, the volume and total value of the virtual water exported in the analyzed period. The central hypothesis that guided this work is that Brazil obtained more benefits than costs when exporting virtual water embedded in the chosen basket of agricultural products. This hypothesis could even be confirmed, since the CBA identified positive total net benefits from 2002 to 2016, i.e., benefits (value of exports) exceeded costs (production cost, tariff port value and virtual water value). Regarding the net benefits per product group studied, they presented negative results in some years of the analyzed period, for example, for the Corn group, in the years 2005, 2006 and 2009 the net benefits were negative. As for the total net benefits, they were R$ 216,342,482,411.98 in the period from 2002 to 2016. In relation to the total volume of virtual exported water, incorporated in the products addressed by the study, during the analyzed period, it was 2,514,850,651 million m3 of water. In terms of monetary value, the total amount for this volume of water was R$ 27,166,366,824.47.

O câncer do colo do útero é o quarto tipo de câncer mais frequente em mulheres em todo mundo. No Brasil, estima-se que cerca de 16 mil novos casos ocorrem por ano. A redução deste tipo de câncer ao longo dos anos deve-se ao rastreamento das lesões intraepiteliais cervicais por meio do exame citológico de Papanicolaou. Em 2014, o Programa Nacional de Imunização (PNI) introduziu a vacina contra o papilomavírus humano (HPV) como prevenção primária deste câncer, uma vez que este vírus é uma causa necessária para o surgimento desta malignidade. A vacinação não substitui o rastreamento, visto que não há proteção contra todos os tipos de HPV de alto risco e nem imunização de toda a população. A incorporação do programa de vacinação interfere nos resultados do programa de rastreamento, pois leva a diminuição dos casos de câncer e lesões precursoras. Desta forma, existe a necessidade de explorar novas estratégias de rastreamento, considerando também outras tecnologias existentes. Objetivo: desenvolver um modelo do tipo Markov para realizar uma análise de custo-efetividade de estratégias de rastreamento do câncer do colo do útero para hipotéticas coortes imunizadas e não imunizadas contra o vírus do HPV no Brasil na perspectiva do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS). Métodos: A primeira parte é a exploração e avaliação qualitativa de estudos de avaliação econômica sobre estratégias de rastreamento para prevenção do câncer do colo do útero que utilizaram um modelo do tipo Markov feita por meio de uma revisão sistemática. A reunião das várias abordagens utilizadas e das principais características destes modelos poderá auxiliar a construção de um modelo em cenários onde há poucos profissionais capacitados com esta técnica. Baseando-se nesta revisão e nas consultas a especialistas das áreas de ginecologia, virologia e epidemiologia, foi desenvolvido um modelo matemático de análise de decisão estático do tipo Markov que simula a história natural do câncer do colo do útero considerando a imunização contra o HPV. Este modelo simula o seguimento de uma coorte de mulheres, dos 10 anos até o óbito, cujos parâmetros foram estimados a partir de dados secundários (revisão da literatura, sistemas de informação em saúde e inquéritos populacionais) nacionais específicos do rastreamento e calibrados de forma a refletir as condições reais de rastreamento encontradas no Brasil. Resultados: A revisão dos modelos de Markov para avaliação econômica de estratégias de rastreamento do câncer do colo do útero mostrou que a declaração do problema e a descrição das estratégias a serem comparadas foram muito bem relatados. Em contrapartida, os itens de avaliação da incerteza e consistência do modelo e a consistência precisam melhorar o relato. Os resultados obtidos por meio da calibração do modelo se mostraram satisfatórios, pois alcançaram uma boa concordância com os dados empíricos. A análise do caso base sugeriu que a melhor estratégia foi o Teste HPV-DNA como triagem para o encaminhamento da citologia ou da colposcopia, com repetição a cada 5 anos, para mulheres entre 30 e 70 anos. Esta estratégia promove um ganho de 9,5 dias ao longo dos anos e detecta, a cada 100 mil mulheres, 6 casos a mais de câncer e 16 de NIC II/III. A razão de custo-efetividade incremental (RCEI) foi de R$16.056,94 por ano de vida ganho, na perspectiva do sistema de saúde. Conclusão: Estudos futuros devem considerar metodologias que levem em conta a incerteza, a heterogeneidade e a consistência no modelo de decisão e utilizar diretrizes validadas para o relato do estudo / Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide. In Brazil, it is estimated that around 16,000 new cases occur per year. The reduction of this type of cancer over the years owes to cervical intraepithelial lesions screening through pap smears. In 2014, the National Immunization Program (NIP) introduced a vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV) as the primary prevention of this cancer, since this virus is a necessary cause for the onset of this malignancy. Vaccination does not replace screening because there is no protection against all types of high risk HPV nor immunization of the entire population. Incorporation of the vaccination program interferes with the results of the screening program, leading to a decreased number of cancer cases and precursor lesions. In this way, there is a need to explore new screening strategies, also considering other existing technologies. Objective: Determining a Markov based model to perform a cost-effectiveness analysis of cervical cancer screening strategies for hypothetical immunized and non-immunized cohorts against the HPV in Brazil from the perspective of the Unified Health System (UHS). Methods: The first part is a qualitative appraisal and assessment of economic evaluation studies on screening strategies for cervical cancer prevention using a Markov based model done through a systematic review. The combination of different approaches and of the main features of these models can be auxiliary in the construction of a model in scenarios where there are few professionals trained with this technique. Based on this review and consultations with specialists in the areas of gynecology, virology and epidemiology, a Markov model for decision analysis was developed, which simulates the natural history of cervical cancer considering immunization against HPV. This model simulates the follow-up of a cohort of women, from 10 years-old to death, whose parameters were estimated from secondary data, particular to screening and calibrated in order to reflect real screening conditions found in Brazil. Results: A review of Markov models for economic evaluation of cervical cancer screening strategies showed that the report of the problem statement and the description of the compared strategies were well conducted. In contrast, the uncertainties of the model and the consistency were the worst items. The results obtained by calibration of the model were satisfactory, since a good agreement with empirical data was achieved. The baseline case analysis suggested that the best strategy was the HPV-DNA Test as triage for cytology or colposcopy referral, repeated every 5 years, for women between 30 and 70 years-old. This strategy promotes a gain of 9.5 days over the years and detects, every 100,000 women, 6 cases of cancer and 16 of CIN 2/3. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) was R$16,056.94 per life years gained from the health system perspective. Conclusion: Future studies should consider methodologies that take into account uncertainty, heterogeneity and consistency in the decision model and use validated guidelines for the study report

Introdução: As avaliações econômicas completas do tipo custo-utilidade, suportadas por dados de efetividade do mundo real, permitem uma perspectiva diferenciada da avaliação de tecnologia em saúde. Objetivo: Realizar uma análise de custo-utilidade do uso de estatinas para a prevenção secundária de eventos cardiovasculares em portadores de doença cardiovascular isquêmica, e avaliar a variabilidade da efetividade e da razão de custo-efetividade incremental com diferentes classificações de usuários de estatina (incidentes e prevalentes). Método: Um modelo de microssimulação de Markov com 5 estados, ciclos anuais e horizonte temporal de 20 anos, com taxas de desconto de 5% foi desenvolvido. As probabilidades de transição para mortalidade por todas as causas foram extraídas após pareamento por escore de propensão dos dados e tratamento de dados ausentes de uma base secundária de registro assistencial com linkage determinístico com a base de mortalidade do Ministério da Saúde. As probabilidades dos desfechos não-fatais foram obtidas na literatura. As medidas de efetividade (QALY) foram calculadas com dados publicados dos domínios do SF-36 de um estudo realizado com a população do mesmo hospital, no mesmo período e com as mesmas condições clínicas e transformados em medidas de utilidade por modelo validado. Somente custos diretos na perspectiva do reembolso do SUS foram considerados. Resultados: 3.150 pacientes foram pareados após o escore de propensão, 1.050 não usuários de estatina, 1.050 usuários de estatinas classificados como prevalentes e 1.050 usuários de estatinas classificados como incidentes, com diagnóstico de doença cardiovascular isquêmica prévia, com seguimento médio de 5,1 anos. A efetividade das estatinas quando considerados todos os usuários em relação aos não usuários resultou em um HR para mortalidade de 0,992 (IC 95% 0,85; 0,96) e de 0,90 (IC 95% 0,85; 0,96) para os usuários incidentes. A RCEI comparando todos os usuários de estatinas versus não usuários foi de R$5.846,10/QALY e de R$7.275,61/QALY para os usuários incidentes. Conclusão: As estatinas diminuíram a mortalidade por todas as causas, e a análise incluindo usuários prevalentes diminui o tamanho do efeito. O tratamento possui custo-efetividade favorável dentro do limiar de disponibilidade a pagar definido, sendo modificado pela forma de extração do dado de efetividade / Background: The complete economic evaluations, such as cost-utility analysis, supported by real world data of effectiveness lead to a more realistic perspective of a health technology assessment. Objective: Perform a cost-utility analysis of statins for secondary prevention in ischemic cardiovascular disease patients based on effectiveness from real world data and evaluate the variability of effectiveness and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) considering prevalent and incident users. Methods: A Markov microssimulation model with five states, annual cycle and time horizon (TH) of 20 years, with discount rate of 5% was developed. Transition probabilities for all cause mortality was derived from a secondary database of a teaching hospital after record linkage with national registry of mortality database and an analysis of propensity score matching and multiple imputation analysis for missing data. Non-fatal endpoints were derived from a published meta-analysis. Utility measures was calculated with a validated model to derive values from published domains of SF-36 QoL questionnaire, domains was measured for a published RCT in the same teaching hospital, over the same period, with similar age and diagnostic characteristics. Only direct costs were analyzed from the Brazilian public health reimbursement perspective. Results: 3150 patients were matched, 1050 non-statins users (CG), 1050 prevalent statins users (PSU) and 1050 incident statins users (ISU) with previous cardiovascular disease, with mean follow-up of 5,1 years. Treatment effects on the treatment group considering all statins users for all cause mortality had a hazard ratio of HR:0,992 (IC 95% 0,85 - 0,96) and HR: 0,90 (IC 95% 0,85 - 0,96) only for ISU. The ICER comparing all users with non-users was R$5.846,10 per QALY and for ISU was R$7.275,61 per QALY. Conclusion: Real world evidence demonstrated that statins are an effective treatment to reduce all cause mortality in secondary prevention and are a cost-effective strategy considering the willingness to pay established, but the prevalent users resulted in less effectiveness of the drug when included in the analysis and influenced the ICER

INTRODUÇÃO: Aproximadamente 170 milhões de pessoas são portadores de hepatite C crônica, sendo esta atualmente a principal causa de transplantes hepáticos no mundo. Os pacientes com hepatite crônica C são atualmente tratados com interferon e ribavirina (IFN/RBV). Estudos de associação do genoma associaram à resposta ao tratamento com IFN/RBV a um polimorfismo de nucleotídeo único (SNP) nas proximidades do gene da Interleucina 28B, que codifica a interferona-?. OBJETIVOS: Padronizar nova metodologia de baixo custo e menor tempo de execução para a genotipagem do polimorfismo rs12979860. Investigar a frequência do polimorfismo rs12979860, em uma coorte de pacientes com hepatite crônica C e sua associação com a resposta ao tratamento no Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade de São Paulo. MÉTODOS: A genotipagem foi realizada, por novo método diagnóstico, PCR multiplex CTPP (confronto de dois pares de iniciadores) e validado através de sequenciamento direto e PCR em tempo real. Um estudo retrospectivo foi realizado em 248 portadores de hepatite C crônica, tratados com interferon e ribavirina; 138 portadores de hepatite C crônica, virgens de tratamento e 240 doadores de sangue. Foi analisado o DNA, dados clínicos e demográficos, juntamente com dados sobre a resposta ao tratamento. RESULTADOS: O método de PCR CTPP foi padronizado e mostrou-se mais rápido e de menor custo comparado ao sequenciamento e PCR em tempo real. Pacientes com resposta virológica sustentada (RVS) apresentaram uma frequência de 33/61 (54,1%) para o genótipo C/C, de 21/61 (34,4%) para o genótipo C/T e 7/61 (11,5%) para o genótipo T/T. Pacientes que não tiveram RVS (Não RVS) apresentam uma frequência de 44/185 (23,8%) para o genótipo C/C, de 102/185 (55,1%) para o genótipo C/T e de 39/185 (21,1%) para o genótipo T/T. Os Não RVS estão associados ao genótipo C/T (p=0,002) e ao genótipo T/T (p=0,001) quanto comparados com o grupo de RVS. CONCLUSÕES: Esta dissertação descreve um método inovador, rápido e de baixo custo, o PCR CTPP, que detecta o polimorfismo rs12979860. O ensaio é internamente controlado e não requer a utilização de endonucleases de restrição ou equipamento especial. O polimorfismo rs12979860 é um preditor significativo da resposta ao tratamento com IFN/RBV em pacientes com infecção crônica pelo vírus da hepatite C. A genotipagem deste, em conjunto com os indicadores já existentes, pode identificar prováveis não respondedores ao tratamento / INTRODUCTION: Approximately 170 million people are chronic carriers of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Chronic HCV patients are currently treated with pegylated interferon and ribavirin (PEG- IFN/RBV). A genome-wide association with PEG-IFN/RBV treatment response and a single nucleotide polymorphism (rs12979860) has been identified near the interleukin 28B gene that encodes interferon-?-3. AIM: Describe an innovative, fast, and low-cost multiplex polymerase chain reaction with confronting two-pair primers that detects the rs12979860 polymorphism. Investigate the frequency of polymorphism rs12979860, among patients with chronic hepatitis C and association with to response treatment at the Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade de São Paulo. METHODS: Genotyping was performed by new diagnostic method, multiplex PCR CTPP (confronting two-pairprimers) and validated by direct sequencing and real time PCR. Retrospective study was conductedin 248 patients with hepatitis C chronic treated with interferon and ribavirin, 138 patients with chronic hepatitis C treatment-naïve and 240 blood donors. We analyzed DNA, clinical and demographic data, along with data onthe response to treatment. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The CTPP method was standardized and proved faster and lower cost compared to sequencing andreal time PCR. Patients with sustained virologic response (SVR) showed a frequency of 33/61 (54.1%) for the genotype C/C of 21/61 (34.4%) for the genotype C/T and 7/61 (11.5%) for genotype T/T. Patients with out sustained virologic response (Non SVR) have a frequency of 44/185 (23.8%) for the genotype C/C,102/185 (55.1%) for the genotype C/T and 39/185 (21.1%) for genotype T/T.The Non SVR are associated with genotype C/T (p = 0.002) and T/T genotype (p= 0.001) as compared with the group of SVR. Today, the IL28B genotyping is recomended by in the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases and the European Association for the Study of the Liver guidelines. As a result, physicians should consider testing IL28B in patients with hepatitis C; however, the implementation of routine genotyping has been halted in tertiary care hospitals because of the need for molecular biology tools that are expensive and highly complex. The CTPP multiplex assay described here detects in a single reaction the genotypes C/C, C/T, and T/T. This method allows rapid genotyping of the polymorphism rs12979860, which is reproducible in minimally equipped laboratories; it does not require any special equipment and is a relatively low-cost procedure. The PCR-CTPP method can be used for large testing arrays and is also suitable for genotyping a small number of samples

Democracy has been encountering an increasing number of critics. Whether it comes from a sympathy for autocrats, free-markets, or the more knowledgeable, this increasing democratic scepticism often takes an epistemic form. Democracy's critics argue that democratic procedures and institutions are unlikely to make good decisions or produce good outcomes in terms of justice or the common good, and should, therefore, be restricted if not completely rejected in favour of its more able alternatives. In the face of such scepticism, this thesis develops an epistemic theory of deliberative democracy. This theory has two principal aims. The first is to analyse and define the epistemic properties of deliberative democracy, and the second is to clarify the possible role epistemic values can play in a wider justification of democratic rule. In accordance with the first, the thesis analyses the ability of deliberative democratic institutions to make good or correct decisions in comparison to a broad range of prominent alternatives. These include traditional rivals such as autocracy and aristocracy, but also more modern and less considered alternatives such as free-markets, limited epistocracy and forms of technical calculation. Through these comparisons, it is argued that we have no good or clear epistemic reason to reject democracy. Deliberative democracy is found to be epistemically superior to many of its alternatives and epistemically equivalent to even its best competitors. The thesis, therefore, mounts a strong reply to democracy's epistemic sceptics. The analysis, however, also helps clarify which form of deliberative democracy is epistemically most valuable, pointing to the value systems approaches which give a prominent role to direct citizen deliberation. The epistemic theory of deliberative democracy also aims to clarify what role epistemic values can play in a wider justification of democratic rule. The thesis argues that deliberative democracy is epistemically superior to many of its rivals and no worse epistemically than even its best alternatives. This suggests that although epistemic values cannot mount a stand-alone defence of democracy, democrats would only be required to defend very weak non-epistemic values to produce a mixed justification. Far from being 'rule by the incompetent many' and therefore highly reliant on procedural values, the thesis will demonstrate that epistemic values can carry significant weight in an argument for democratic rule.

The paper brings answers on the the question whether it is possible to measure the field of recruitment. Via quantifying the administrative process of recrutment, the paper reflects the savings of time and costs by using e-recruitment application (applicant tracking system ATS) and it searchs for the relationship between quality of hire and increase of company value and its profit.

Introdução O Transtorno de Déficit de Atenção/hiperatividade (TDAH) tem sido muito estudado, mas informações econômicas referentes ao seu tratamento com o metilfenidato de liberação imediata (MFD-LI) ainda necessitam ser exploradas. Grande parte da população mundial, principalmente aqueles que vivem em países em desenvolvimento, utiliza essa formulação como principal escolha para o tratamento do TDAH. Esses países, por sua condição financeira, necessitam informações de análises econômicas para administrar de forma eficiente os recursos públicos destinados aos setores da saúde. Objetivos Avaliar a eficácia do MFD-LI através de estudos com tempo superior a 12 semanas, e realizar uma análise econômica para o tratamento do TDAH com MFD-LI para crianças e adolescentes brasileiros. Método O estudo foi planejado em cinco etapas: 1) estimativa de custo do não tratamento do TDAH para o Brasil, e estimativa de economia com tratamento com MFD-LI; 2) revisão sistemática da literatura nas principais bases de dados internacionais onde se buscaram estudos abertos com tratamento do TDAH com MFD-LI por tempo igual ou superior a 12 semanas; também foram feitas metanálises e uma metaregressão 3) estudo naturalístico para obterem-se dados de uma amostra brasileira referentes a probabilidades de uso e sucesso com tratamento com MFD-LI por 12 semanas, e estimar os utilities desses indivíduos; 4) painel Delphi com especialistas em TDAH no Brasil; 5) estudo de custo-efetividade para o tratamento do TDAH com MFD-LI no Brasil, utilizando um Modelo de Markov. A perspectiva adotada será a do sistema público de saúde brasileiro como pagador. Resultados Os resultados principais encontrados para cada uma das etapas foram: 1) a estimativa de custos anuais com o TDAH não tratado no Brasil foi de R$ 1.594 bilhões/ano, e da quantia que poderia ser economizada se tratado, R$ 1 bilhão/ano. 2) na revisão sistemática da literatura, de 4.498 resumos, sete foram incluídos para compor a metanálise. O tempo de tratamento variou entre 13 e 104 semanas. O efeito agregado para desatenção e hiperatividade medida pelos pais, respectivamente, foi 0.96 (95%CI 0.60 - 1.32) e 1.12 (95%CI 0.85 - 1.39), e pelos professores 0.98 (95%CI 0.09 - 1.86) e 1.25 (95% CI 0.7 - 1.81). A metaregressão não mostrou associação entre as variáveis idade, qualidade do artigo e tempo de tratamento com heterogeneidade. 3) no estudo naturalístico, de 171 pacientes avaliados, 73 forneceram informações para o baseline, e 56 para a 12a semana de tratamento com MFD-LI. Os utilities para um paciente com TDAH não tratado (baseline) foram 0.69 (crianças) e 0.66 (adolescentes), e estimaram-se ganhos entre 0.09 a 0.10 utilities/mês, se tratados adequadamente. 4) no painel Delphi, de 26 especialistas, 14 responderam o questionário online, e foi estimado que a probabilidade dos pacientes não tratados se manterem sintomáticos na 12a semana seria de 91%, e 9% a probabilidade de melhora espontânea; 5) no estudo de custo-efetividade, para o caso base, estimou-se que o Incremental Cost Effectiveness Ratio (ICER) seja I$9,103/QALY (Quality Adjusted Life Years) para crianças e I$11,883/QALY para adolescentes em um horizonte temporal de 06 anos. Para os cenários mais desfavoráveis, os ICERS mais elevados foram I$95,164/QALY para 50% de sucesso com o tratamento, e I$15,000/QALY para 70% de adesão em um horizonte temporal de 06 anos. Conclusões O MFD-LI é um tratamento eficaz para crianças e adolescentes, por um período superior a 12 semanas. Entretanto, o Brasil pode estar aumentando os custos referentes à saúde por não estar fornecendo um tratamento eficaz e economicamente acessível para o TDAH. O tratamento mostrou ser uma opção custo-efetiva para crianças e adolescentes brasileiros, mesmo em cenários desfavoráveis para o tratamento. / Introduction Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a well-known psychiatric disorder, but some economical aspects of the treatment with Methylphenidate Immediate-release (MPH -IR) still need to be explored. A large number of people around the world, most living in Low-Middle Income Countries (LMIC), use this formulation as the first choice for ADHD treatment. These countries, due to their financial condition, need information from health economic analyzes to efficiently manage the public resources allocated to the health sector. Objective To study the efficacy of MPH-IR reviewing studies conducted for more than 12 weeks long, and to perform an economic analysis for the treatment of ADHD with MPH-IR for Brazilian children. Method The study was planned in a five stages process: 1) to estimate the cost of untreated ADHD for Brazil, and to estimate the savings if MPH-IR were adequately provided; 2) systematic review of the literature to identify papers published where young patients with ADHD were treated with MPH-IR for more than 12 weeks, and to perform a meta-analysis and a meta-regression; 3) to conduct a naturalistic study with a Brazilian sample to collect the probabilities of use and success with the MPH-IR treatment for 12 weeks, and to estimate the utilities; 4) to perform a Delphi panel with ADHD Brazilian experts; 5) to conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis for the treatment of ADHD with MPH-IR in Brazil, using a Markov model. The perspective is the one of the Brazilian public health system as the payer. Results The main findings for each step were: 1) the estimated annual expenditures with untreated ADHD in Brazil were R$1.594billon/year, and the estimated amount that could be saved was R$1billion/year; 2) in the systematic review, from 4,498 abstracts, 7 studies were selected. The length of treatment ranged from 13 to 104 weeks. The aggregate effects for inattention and hyperactivity, according to parents evaluations were respectively 0.96 (95%CI 0.60 - 1.32) and 1.12 (95%CI 0.85 - 1.39), and for teachers 0.98 (95%CI 0.09 - 1.86) e 1.25 (95% CI 0.7 - 1.81). There was no evidence of association between heterogeneity and the variables, age, paper quality and length of treatment; 3) in the naturalistic study, from 171 patients assessed, 73 provided information in the baseline, and 56 in the 12th week of MPH-IR treatment. Utilities for an untreated ADHD patient (baseline) were 0.69 (children) and 0.66 (adolescents), and it was estimated a gain ranging from 0.09 to 0.10 utilities/month if subjects were properly treated; 4) in the Delphi Panel, 26 experts were addressed and 14 filled in the online questionnaire. It was estimated the probability of untreated patients to remain symptomatic on the 12th week to be 91%, and the probability of spontaneous improvement, 9%; 5) in the cost-effectiveness analysis, for the base case, it was estimated an Incremental Cost Effectiveness Ratio (ICER) of I$9,103/QALY (Quality Adjusted Life Years) for children and I$11,883/QALY for adolescents, in a time horizon of 6 years. The worst case scenarios were also tested, and the highest ICER were I$95,164/QALY when patient reached 50 % of success with the treatment, and I$15,000/QALY if only 70% of use was observed in a time horizon of 6 years. Conclusions MPH-IR is an efficacious treatment for ADHD children and adolescents for periods longer than 12 weeks. However, Brazil may be probably wasting money due to not provide an efficient and affordable treatment for ADHD such as the MPH-IR. The treatment proved to be cost-effective for children and adolescents living in Brazil, even when the worst case scenarios were tested.

The challenge in most developing countries is lack of funding in education. This leaves no option for most learners except to drop out of school. Even when safety nets are provided for by governments, this does not fully address the issues of access, equity and retention in secondary education. Education for All, as pronounced in the Dakar Declaration (2000) calls on governments to address access, retention and equity in basic education, overlooking the provision of secondary education. Many policies were adopted by governments in post-colonial rule in Africa and Asia to address the colonial disparities in education. This had a tendency of drowning the budgets in educational matters, notwithstanding the issues of fully addressing access, equity and retention in secondary education. In the developing world, the bulk of the population lives in rural areas where infrastructure for teaching and learning still has to catch up with the urban setting. In view of the global economic meltdown in the 1980s, 1990s and mid-2008, education has seen a squeeze on its budget. It is in this context that funding for secondary education has to be analysed in order to establish policies and programmes which are most suitable and sustainable to enable access, equity and retention of learners in secondary education. Models of funding in various countries are carefully examined in this study, in order to draw on the best practices in funding secondary education as applicable to the Zimbabwean case, and possibly to other countries in a similar situation. The research was carried out in three administrative districts of the Manicaland province of Zimbabwe. Using a mixed methods approach, this study examines the safety nets for the provision of secondary school education in Zimbabwe and proposes better ways to finance secondary school education. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)