Information from injury data collections is widely used to formulate injury policy, evaluate injury prevention initiatives and to allocate resources to areas deemed a high priority. Obtaining quality data from injury surveillance is essential to ensure the appropriateness of these activities. This thesis seeks to develop a framework to assess the capacity of an injury data collection to perform injury surveillance and to use this framework to assess the capacity of both injury mortality and morbidity data collections in New South Wales (NSW) Australia to perform work-related or motor vehicle crash (MVC)-related injury surveillance. An Evaluation Framework for Injury Surveillance Systems (EFISS) was developed through a multi-staged process, using information from the literature to identify surveillance system characteristics, SMART criteria to assess the suitability of these characteristics to evaluate an injury data collection, and by obtaining feedback on the characteristics from a panel of surveillance experts using a two round modified Delphi study. At the conclusion of development, there were 18 characteristics, consisting of 5 data quality, 9 operational, and 4 practical characteristics, that were identified as important for inclusion within an EFISS. In addition, a rating system was created for the EFISS characteristics, based on available evidence and reasonable opinion. The evaluation of six injury data collections using the EFISS for their capacity to perform either work- or MVC-related injury surveillance illustrated the inability of any of the data collections to enumerate all cases of either work- or MVC-related injury mortality or morbidity in NSW or to capture all of the data considered necessary for work- or MVC-related injury surveillance. This evaluation has identified areas for improvement in all data collections and has demonstrated that for both work- and MVC-related injury surveillance that multiple collections should be reviewed to inform both work- and MVC-related policy development and injury prevention priority setting in NSW. The development of an EFISS has built upon existing evaluation guidelines for surveillance systems and provides an important step towards the creation of a framework specifically tailored to evaluate an injury data collection. Information obtained through an evaluation conducted using an EFISS would be useful for agencies responsible for injury data collections to identify where these collections could be improved to increase their usefulness for injury surveillance, and ultimately, for injury prevention.

This dissertation consists of three independent essays evaluating the impact of public health interventions in two countries, Indonesia and Australia. The first two essays concern the national pro-poor health card program in Indonesia, which fully subsidises health care purchases by its recipients. In quantifying the impact of the program, the combination of propensity score matching and difference-in-differences techniques is used to address bias due to non-random assignment. Covariates to match include both variables affecting demand and eligibility and variables measuring local health care supply. Using data from the single, nationally-representative longitudinal study of Indonesian households, the program is found to have limited impact. The second essay evaluates the program??s impact on supply variables. In the absence of a wage revision or additional staff, the program lowers the incentives for health workers to maintain their public position. This is particularly true for those workers providing outpatient care as patients can not be controlled by waiting lists. The analysis finds some evidence of reduced number of full-time doctors in areas where the distribution of health cards were most extensive. The final essay uses Australian data to investigate changes in women??s preferences for cervical screening following a screening promotion campaign and a vaccination program. Discrete choice experiments were used to elicit preferences, and results from experiments conducted prior and after the interventions were compared. Several additional comparison groups were created based on spatial variations and by variation induced by randomisation. The study finds that the interventions have minor impact on how women valued various screening attributes. However, there was a general reduction in the willingness to screen, which was unexpected given the awareness campaign. Through simulation, it is shown that an effective way to increase the screening rate is through encouraging a more active role of the provider.

Title page, summary and table of contents only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University of Adelaide Library. / Diatomaceous earth (DE) is widely used in the filtration of beer to remove suspended yeast and other particulate material that can cause cloudiness or haze in the final product. The DE used has a particle size diameter of between 60 and 100 um. However, health and safety concerns arise its human carcinogenic classification in 1997 from Category 2 (Probable Human Carcinogen) to Category 1 (Human Carcinogen) by the IARC. In a confidential study conducted at Adelaide University, zeolite-A, a hydrated aluminosilicate of alkali earth metals, showed promising filtration capabilities when used in the removal of haze in white wine. Zeolite-A is non-toxic via oral, dermal, ocular and respiratory exposure as well as safe for the environment at disposal. An experimental study to investigate zeolite-A as a possible substitute for DE in the brewing industry was therefore undertaken. The particular zeolite-A used was selected as it was judged as nearly the same as that manufactured within the Department of Chemical Engineering, Adelaide University from naturally occurring deposits of kaolin. Two size-grades of zeolite-A (large diameter particles of 125-250 um and small diameter particles of 63-125 um) were selected to cover the particle size range of widely used DE (as Celite 503). These two zeolites, together with filter sand (200 um diameter particle size) and silica were experimentally evaluated against DE in the clarification of beer simulants and commercial beer product. Flux-time experiments on each of three packed beds of each of the five filter media (3.63, 11.23, 18.83 g) with three values of pressure driving force (70, 125, 180 kPa) were carried out in a specially constructed pilot plant, initially in the laboratory and later in situ in a commercial brewing plant. This special pilot plant, together with protocols for the preparation of media, simulated conditions and practices in current use in the brewing industry. The flux obtained from the small grade zeolite-A (particle 63-125 um) was significantly lower compared to DE, i.e. respectively, 22 mLm⁻²s⁻¹ and 390 mLm⁻²s⁻¹ (using 18.83 g media at 180 kPa) Large grade zeolite-A (particle size 125-250 um) showed comparable flux properties to DE with flux rate of 290 mLm⁻²s⁻¹ . Microbiological analyses were carried out initially on eight selected filter media - which also additionally included pumice, perlite and cellulose (as cotton wool) - to assess effectiveness in removing haze forming constituents from a simulated beer (yeast solution) and two home-brewed beer types. The pumice, perlite and cellulose were rejected as alternative filter media because of poor performance in haze removal. Microbiological, chemical and sensory analyses were carried out on each of the five remaining media. Results of the microbial analyses highlighted that DE and zeolite-A were the best filter media because practically all yeast cells were retained on the filter cake from both the simulated beer and the home-brewed beers. With filtration of commercial beers using small grade zeolite-A as the filter medium in situ at Cooper's Brewery an increase in pH value of the filtrate of 2.0 pH units was observed. For large grade zeolite-A the pH increase of the filtrate was less than 0.5 pH units. This increased pH of the filtrate with both grades of zeolite-A was demonstrated to be due to the release of sodium ions from the filter medium. Additional experiments were conducted to exhaust the sodium from the filter media of both the small and large grade zeolite-A. The pH of the filtrates was monitored for between 8 and 16 h of continuous filtration to determine if all sodium could be exhausted from the medium. A practical constraint was that the filter cake became clogged with yeast and other solid particles from the beer haze before a noticeable change in pH of the filtrate could be observed. Sensory analyses of filtrates of each of the five selected media were carried out by 16 industry noses to assess: colour, aroma, taste, clarity and drinkability ( = overall impression). Overall the large grade zeolite-A filtrates compared satisfactorily with the DE filtrates in ratings of differences from the Descriptive Method employed in the brewery industry for colour, taste, aroma, clarity and drinkability. Small grade zeolite-A filtrates however compared poorly where the filtrate was regarded as inferior to DE, filter sand and silica, by all the members of the panel of noses. Small grade zeolite-A was further found to have a significant adverse effect on the filtrate taste using the Triangular Method widely employed commercially for establishing taste. Therefore small grade zeolite-A was deemed an unsuitable filter substitute for DE in the clarification and removal of haze constitutes in commercial beer. Large grade zeolite-A however appears to be a suitable substitute filter medium for DE in the removal of haze constituents in beer. Importantly it can be readily substituted for DE without the need for significant changes in brewery industry process equipment and protocols for preparation. The findings from this study are sufficient to strongly recommend a focused study on contributing chemical and mechanical factors to the (small) pH increase of the filtrate using large grade zeolite-A. It is not known whether a range of zeolites might also provide a practical substitute to DE, present understanding must therefore be said to be limited. Other zeolites proposed for the removal of haze from beer would need to be evaluated experimentally. The pilot plant and procedures developed for this study would be readily applicable for such an undertaking. An important justification for future work is that a suitable substitute for DE such as zeolite-A is seen as timely in view of the significant health risks associated with the established carcinogenic properties of DE. There is no evidence available to show that zeolites have been studied as an alternative to DE for the removal of haze (in beer or wine). Therefore the findings reported in the present study for zeolite-A, together with earlier findings from the polishing of white wine, strongly indicate the basis for development of IP patent(s). / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=707221 / Thesis (M.App.Sc.) -- University of Adelaide, Dept. of Chemical Engineering, 2001

Title page, summary and table of contents only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University of Adelaide Library. / Diatomaceous earth (DE) is widely used in the filtration of beer to remove suspended yeast and other particulate material that can cause cloudiness or haze in the final product. The DE used has a particle size diameter of between 60 and 100 um. However, health and safety concerns arise its human carcinogenic classification in 1997 from Category 2 (Probable Human Carcinogen) to Category 1 (Human Carcinogen) by the IARC. In a confidential study conducted at Adelaide University, zeolite-A, a hydrated aluminosilicate of alkali earth metals, showed promising filtration capabilities when used in the removal of haze in white wine. Zeolite-A is non-toxic via oral, dermal, ocular and respiratory exposure as well as safe for the environment at disposal. An experimental study to investigate zeolite-A as a possible substitute for DE in the brewing industry was therefore undertaken. The particular zeolite-A used was selected as it was judged as nearly the same as that manufactured within the Department of Chemical Engineering, Adelaide University from naturally occurring deposits of kaolin. Two size-grades of zeolite-A (large diameter particles of 125-250 um and small diameter particles of 63-125 um) were selected to cover the particle size range of widely used DE (as Celite 503). These two zeolites, together with filter sand (200 um diameter particle size) and silica were experimentally evaluated against DE in the clarification of beer simulants and commercial beer product. Flux-time experiments on each of three packed beds of each of the five filter media (3.63, 11.23, 18.83 g) with three values of pressure driving force (70, 125, 180 kPa) were carried out in a specially constructed pilot plant, initially in the laboratory and later in situ in a commercial brewing plant. This special pilot plant, together with protocols for the preparation of media, simulated conditions and practices in current use in the brewing industry. The flux obtained from the small grade zeolite-A (particle 63-125 um) was significantly lower compared to DE, i.e. respectively, 22 mLm⁻²s⁻¹ and 390 mLm⁻²s⁻¹ (using 18.83 g media at 180 kPa) Large grade zeolite-A (particle size 125-250 um) showed comparable flux properties to DE with flux rate of 290 mLm⁻²s⁻¹ . Microbiological analyses were carried out initially on eight selected filter media - which also additionally included pumice, perlite and cellulose (as cotton wool) - to assess effectiveness in removing haze forming constituents from a simulated beer (yeast solution) and two home-brewed beer types. The pumice, perlite and cellulose were rejected as alternative filter media because of poor performance in haze removal. Microbiological, chemical and sensory analyses were carried out on each of the five remaining media. Results of the microbial analyses highlighted that DE and zeolite-A were the best filter media because practically all yeast cells were retained on the filter cake from both the simulated beer and the home-brewed beers. With filtration of commercial beers using small grade zeolite-A as the filter medium in situ at Cooper's Brewery an increase in pH value of the filtrate of 2.0 pH units was observed. For large grade zeolite-A the pH increase of the filtrate was less than 0.5 pH units. This increased pH of the filtrate with both grades of zeolite-A was demonstrated to be due to the release of sodium ions from the filter medium. Additional experiments were conducted to exhaust the sodium from the filter media of both the small and large grade zeolite-A. The pH of the filtrates was monitored for between 8 and 16 h of continuous filtration to determine if all sodium could be exhausted from the medium. A practical constraint was that the filter cake became clogged with yeast and other solid particles from the beer haze before a noticeable change in pH of the filtrate could be observed. Sensory analyses of filtrates of each of the five selected media were carried out by 16 industry noses to assess: colour, aroma, taste, clarity and drinkability ( = overall impression). Overall the large grade zeolite-A filtrates compared satisfactorily with the DE filtrates in ratings of differences from the Descriptive Method employed in the brewery industry for colour, taste, aroma, clarity and drinkability. Small grade zeolite-A filtrates however compared poorly where the filtrate was regarded as inferior to DE, filter sand and silica, by all the members of the panel of noses. Small grade zeolite-A was further found to have a significant adverse effect on the filtrate taste using the Triangular Method widely employed commercially for establishing taste. Therefore small grade zeolite-A was deemed an unsuitable filter substitute for DE in the clarification and removal of haze constitutes in commercial beer. Large grade zeolite-A however appears to be a suitable substitute filter medium for DE in the removal of haze constituents in beer. Importantly it can be readily substituted for DE without the need for significant changes in brewery industry process equipment and protocols for preparation. The findings from this study are sufficient to strongly recommend a focused study on contributing chemical and mechanical factors to the (small) pH increase of the filtrate using large grade zeolite-A. It is not known whether a range of zeolites might also provide a practical substitute to DE, present understanding must therefore be said to be limited. Other zeolites proposed for the removal of haze from beer would need to be evaluated experimentally. The pilot plant and procedures developed for this study would be readily applicable for such an undertaking. An important justification for future work is that a suitable substitute for DE such as zeolite-A is seen as timely in view of the significant health risks associated with the established carcinogenic properties of DE. There is no evidence available to show that zeolites have been studied as an alternative to DE for the removal of haze (in beer or wine). Therefore the findings reported in the present study for zeolite-A, together with earlier findings from the polishing of white wine, strongly indicate the basis for development of IP patent(s). / http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=707221 / Thesis (M.App.Sc.) -- University of Adelaide, Dept. of Chemical Engineering, 2001

No description available.

Almost without exception organisations have become reliant on Information Systems (IS) and Information Technology (IT) applications. Although competitive advantage, task efficiency and effective information management are considered to be among the major drivers for investing in IS/IT, recognising, valuing and realising these expected business benefits from their investments has proved to be a complex task for organisations. The track record of the IS/IT industry shows that there are high rates of project failures, budget overruns and cancellations, resulting in the so-called IT productivity paradox. Researchers argue that the current evaluation techniques (primarily financial) are insufficient to identify, track and evaluate benefits obtained through IS/IT projects. Therefore they encourage organisations to employ non-financial techniques that are apparently more suitable for IS/IT investments. There is still much debate, however, concerning the efficiency and effectiveness of the current evaluation techniques in terms of satisfying the IS/IT investment evaluation criteria.Benefit realisation (BR) approaches are among the non-financial techniques suggested by some in order to facilitate organisations to track, identify, measure and optimise business benefits from IS/IT projects. It appears, however, that most organisations worldwide have failed to change their practices, in part due to managerial perspectives and uncertainty of the effectiveness of BR models.The situation in New Zealand in relation to BR is unknown. This research therefore focuses on analysing the perspectives of IT and business/finance managers' towards their current IS/IT practices. Thereby to investigate the influence of three key factors, awareness, use and effectiveness of BR models those were identified from past studies, in New Zealand business context.In order to assess these factors, this exploratory study employed a positivist cross-sectional survey approach and selected five hundred IT-enabled New Zealand organisations across a variety of industry sectors, sizes and localities as the main sample. The results describe local perspectives on current IS/IT evaluation practices and on formal BR models in use. The report further compares and contrasts IT and finance managers' views towards organisations' current IS/IT practices and BR approaches. Finally concludes with recommendations for practice and implications for further research.Although the survey received relatively low levels of response, some preliminary outcomes are evident. The main insight obtained through this study is that among the responding organisations, awareness of formal benefit realisation and use of formal BR models are fairly low. In spite of this low awareness, there is some evidence of the presence of BR practice among nearly one-third of IT respondents and almost half of finance respondents, who indicated the use of in-house developed models. Some of the in-house models encompass important aspects of formal BR approaches. However the extent of their use varies significantly.Many of the responding organisations, in acknowledging their limited awareness of BR, indicated a desire to know more about the formal methods available. Moreover this research's findings are consistent with the similar studies conducted in Australia and UK. Therefore this study emphasises the need for improvement of NZ organisations' current IS/IT practice by incorporating a BR approach in order to better optimise business benefits from IS/IT. This study recommends that organisations identify the missing links in their current practices through a conceptual framework suggested here and to improve their awareness (and likely adoption) of BR in order to better optimise their business benefits and justify their investments in IS/IT.

This dissertation consists of three independent essays evaluating the impact of public health interventions in two countries, Indonesia and Australia. The first two essays concern the national pro-poor health card program in Indonesia, which fully subsidises health care purchases by its recipients. In quantifying the impact of the program, the combination of propensity score matching and difference-in-differences techniques is used to address bias due to non-random assignment. Covariates to match include both variables affecting demand and eligibility and variables measuring local health care supply. Using data from the single, nationally-representative longitudinal study of Indonesian households, the program is found to have limited impact. The second essay evaluates the program??s impact on supply variables. In the absence of a wage revision or additional staff, the program lowers the incentives for health workers to maintain their public position. This is particularly true for those workers providing outpatient care as patients can not be controlled by waiting lists. The analysis finds some evidence of reduced number of full-time doctors in areas where the distribution of health cards were most extensive. The final essay uses Australian data to investigate changes in women??s preferences for cervical screening following a screening promotion campaign and a vaccination program. Discrete choice experiments were used to elicit preferences, and results from experiments conducted prior and after the interventions were compared. Several additional comparison groups were created based on spatial variations and by variation induced by randomisation. The study finds that the interventions have minor impact on how women valued various screening attributes. However, there was a general reduction in the willingness to screen, which was unexpected given the awareness campaign. Through simulation, it is shown that an effective way to increase the screening rate is through encouraging a more active role of the provider.

Zugl.: Leipzig, Universiẗat, Diss., 2007 u.d.T.: Noll, Sebastian: Das Verhältnis zwischen Kommune und Bürger im Wandel der Zeit.

Erlangen, Nürnberg, Universiẗat, Diss., 2007. / Enth. 3 Sonderabdr. aus verschiedenen Zeitschr. - Beitr. teilw. dt., teilw. engl.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of North Carolina at Greensboro, 2007. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed Feb. 29, 2008). Directed by Terry A. Ackerman; submitted to the School of Education. Includes bibliographical references (p. 295-303).