This thesis consists of an overview and five essays. The purpose of the thesis is to show how economics can contribute to a better understanding of medical practice variations – why they exist, their consequences, and the extent to which they can – and should – be influenced. The first essay, Econometric analysis of variation in cesarean section rates – a cross-sectional study of 59 obstetrical departments in Sweden, is an attempt to identify the causes of variation in cesarean section rates, and to discuss their economic consequences. The econometric model applied explains 27 percent of the variation. We conclude that the unexplained variation in cesarean section rates indicates inefficiency, mainly due to over-utilisation. Estimates of the economic consequences indicate an additional cost for "unnecessary" cesarean sections of 13-16 million SEK per year. The welfare loss to society due to undesired variation is tentatively estimated to be about twice as high. In the second essay, Estimating the effect of cesarean section rate on health outcome – evidence from Swedish hospital data, we test the null hypothesis of a zero effect of cesarean section rate on health outcome, against the alternative of a positive effect. We could not reject the null hypothesis of a zero effect, i.e., we did not find any significant positive relationship between cesarean section rate and health outcome, in terms of perinatal mortality or rate of asphyxia. In the third essay, Benchmarking in obstetric care – a comparative study based on data envelopment analysis (DEA), we apply the DEA method to compare technical efficiency (productivity) of inpatient obstetric care in Swedish hospitals in 1994 and 1995. The results indicate an average potential for enhanced productivity of at least 6-7 percent each year. Most hospitals show decreasing productivity 1994-1995, partly due to inability to adjust production capacity and costs to a decreasing demand. The last two essays apply a new method – Quality Satisfaction Performance (QSP) – for incorporating patient perspectives into the management of health care, i.e., as a basis for quality improvement. Change-oriented patient questionnaires – testing a new method at three departments of ophthalmology, is a pilot study. The results show consistently high patient satisfaction indices. Satisfaction varies somewhat among the different patient segments and departments. We conclude that decisions on improvements must be preceded by thorough assessment of costs as well as effects associated with the various changes. The last essay, Patient satisfaction and priority setting – an economic approach, aims at analysing if and how priorities according to the QSP approach are influenced when an economic perspective is explicitly included. This is accomplished by a cost-effectiveness analysis of certain proposed changes/improvements, and a cost-benefit analysis based upon the patients` willingness-to-pay for these changes. Our results show that the ranking between various improvements is strongly influenced when an economic dimension is included. We conclude that even a methodologically appropriate measurement of patient satisfaction may lead to cost-ineffective priority setting, unless economic consequences are explicitly considered. / Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Handelshögsk., 2001

Description and charting of changes which have been caused by demographic ageing in the Czech society between years 1991 2013 are main aims of this paper. Paper is focused especially on Total Economic Dependency Ratio, Child (Economic) Dependency Ratio, Aged (Economic) Dependency Ratio and Ageing Index and reports about demographic ageing in wide socio-economic view too. Than it tries to show and warn against social and economic consequences of this phenomenon which is present in our society for last few decades. This paper wants to find resolves of changes caused by demographic ageing.

This thesis investigates the impact of climate refugees on the real estate market in coastal Louisiana and methods to mitigate entry barriers in safer markets. Utilizing a mix-methods approach, including quantitative analysis of socio-economic indicators from 2005 to 2023 and qualitative interviews with key stakeholders, the research reveals significant disparities in property values and housing trends between coastal and inland regions. The findings suggest that frequent climate disasters may be a significant factor that has led to declining property values and increased financial instability in affected areas. These results underscore the need for targeted policy interventions to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on vulnerable communities. / Denna avhandling undersöker klimatflyktingars inverkan på fastighetsmarknaden i kustnära Louisiana och metoder för att mildra inträdesbarriärer på säkrare marknader. Genom att använda en blandad metod, inklusive kvantitativ analys av socioekonomiska indikatorer från 2005 till 2023 och kvalitativa intervjuer med viktiga intressenter, visar forskningen betydande skillnader i fastighetsvärden och bostadstrender mellan kust- och inlandsregioner. Resultaten tyder på att täta klimatkatastrofer kan vara en betydande faktor som har lett till sjunkande fastighetsvärden och ökad finansiell instabilitet i drabbade områden. Dessa resultat understryker behovet av riktade politiska insatser för att mildra de negativa effekterna av klimatförändringar på utsatta samhällen.

過去國內電視新聞的相關研究中指出，國內電視新聞報導出現「時段區塊固 定」、「嚴肅新聞比例下降」、「報導內容感官主義化」、「報導形式視覺化」等情況。但僅了解電視新聞的發展趨勢似乎仍不足以了解電視新聞對國人的影響，甚至每日潛移默化的改變。 　　本研究提出有別以往電視新聞研究的新取徑，試圖以新聞框架理論來研究和解釋國內電視新聞的情況，並引用國外電視新聞框架的實證研究，整理出五項已知並已獲得證實的電視新聞框架：「責任框架」、「情感框架」、「衝突框架」、「經濟影響框架」、「道德框架」，以檢視國內電視新聞報導社會運動事件，特別是集會遊行時，這五種新聞框架的呈現和頻道間異同。 　　研究選擇以2008的「８３０嗆馬大遊行」作為觀察對象，經過內容分析後，本研究發現，國內電視新聞確實存在新聞框架，並且因為感官主義的媒體環境趨勢、社會運動團體的視覺訴求、新聞則數分配等原因而使得各新聞框架呈現時的差異。 　　國內電視新聞報導社會運動事件時，最常使用「情感框架」、「責任框架」與「衝突框架」。並且進一步發現發現，國內電視新聞報導社會運動事件時，各頻道間在新聞框架的使用上確實出現差異。 　　政治立場偏藍的電視新聞報導中，比偏綠的新聞台呈現更多「衝突框架」和「經濟影響框架」，其他新聞框架則無太大差異。另外，政治中立的電視台明顯比政治立場偏頗的電視台呈現更多的「衝突框架」；另外，政治偏藍的電視台也比偏綠和中立的電視台運用更多的「經濟影響框架」。 / This study examines how Taiwan television news frames protest news by investigating the prevalence of 5 news frames identified in earlier studies on faming and framing effects: frames of attribution of responsibility, conflict, human interest, economic consequences, and morality. 　This study content analyzed 206 television news stories in the protest against president Ma Ying-jeou’s 100th day in office in August 30th, 2008. The results showed that, overall, the human interest frame was most commonly used in the television news, respectively followed by the attribution of responsibility, conflict, economic consequences, and morality. It also appeared that sensational presentation as popular outlets in Taiwan’s television news. The use of news frames not only was differenced from channels, but also in partisan stances taken by various channels.

This work follows the studies focused on obesity, its global extent and its serious health and economic impact. At the same time, the work examines the unsuccessful fight of public policies which try to reverse growing prevalence of obesity. Nevertheless, the main goal of the thesis is a discussion about priorities of new orientation in the research on the causes of the obesity epidemic and effectiveness of precautions that were taken in many countries and international organizations with the main aim to stop the obesity and its consequences. The discussion leads to the more detailed description of the problems connected with obesity, for instance, environmental aspects, housing culture in relation to physical activities, lifestyle in relation to advertisement/marketing, psychological and socio- psychological aspects, combating stress, etc. My intention was to find out utility of contemporary research on obesity for setting of policy fighting against obesity. At the same time, I wanted to find out other possible directions in the research into this field and discover how the discussion about priorities of the research in the experimental community proceeds. Two international dimensions of paradigmatic approaches separated to the certain degree can be considered as relevant with regard to the global...