717 research outputs found
Explaining the Health Gap Between Canadian- and Foreign-Born Older Adults: Findings from the 2000/2001 Canadian Community Health Survey
No full textPrevious research (Gee, Kobayashi, Prus, 2004) indicates that foreign- born older adults (65 years and older) have poorer health than their Canadian-born counterparts. Using data from the 2000/2001 Canadian Community Health Survey, the current study tests two hypotheses to explain the health gap between these two groups. Findings indicate support for the differential vulnerability hypothesis but not for the differential exposure hypothesis in explaining the health gap between Canadian- and foreign-born older adults. What this suggests is that differences in health status between these two groups, rather than being the result of different social locations and/or lifestyle behaviours, can instead be attributed to the different “reactions” of Canadian- and foreign- born older adults to various social and lifestyle determinants of health.health, immigrants, aging
Underfunding of Defined Benefit Pension Plans and Benefit Guarantee Insurance - An Overview of Theory and Empirics
No full textWe review the theoretical literature on defined benefit (DB) pension plans, particularly focusing on the issue of plan underfunding and benefit guarantee insurance schemes. The literature shows that underfunding can, under reasonable assumptions, be an equilibrium outcome even in the absence of benefit insurance. The introduction of benefit guarantee funds was a reaction to the problem of underfunding, and we summarize the ensuing standard problems of moral hazard and adverse selection. We briefly discuss the small empirical research on the subject and propose directions for future research.defined benefit pension plans, underfunding, pension benefit guarantee
Home and Mortgage Ownership of the Dutch Elderly: Explaining Cohort, Time and Age Effects
No full textThe relationship between home ownership of Dutch elderly households and age is strongly negative. Other studies suggest that this age gradient should be attributed to a cohort effect. In this paper we investigate where those cohort effects come from. We also observe that mortgage ownership among elderly home-owners increased considerably during the nineties. Using panel data we estimate models explaining home and mortgage ownership by age, cohort, and time effects, as well as other factors. Cohort and time effects are modelled explicitly using macro economic and housing market related variables. We find that the level of GDP per capita when the household head was young is the main factor explaining generation effects in home ownership among the elderly. After accounting for cohort effects it also appears that home ownership decreases slightly with age. Mortgage ownership among elderly home owners rose considerably during the nineties due to house price increases and due to financial innovation in the mortgage market. Cohort effects are also important. A supplementary analysis suggests that those cohort effects are due to the fact that the accidental bequest motive is becoming less important.home ownership, mortgages, cohort effects
Correction to : Cost-Effectiveness of Parent–Child Interaction Therapy in Clinics versus Homes : Client, Provider, Administrator, and Overall Perspectives (Journal of Child and Family Studies, (2018), 27, 10, (3329-3344), 10.1007/s10826-018-1159-4)
No full textThe original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake. The Author contributions section currently states: “A.F.: designed and conducted data analyses for this study, supervised by B.Y. with input by T.F. A.F. and T.F. assisted B.Y. in writing and revising the manuscript.” In fact, B.Y. and T.F. assisted A.F. in writing and revising the manuscript. Although T.F. and B.Y. were both involved in the writing, primary credit should go to A.F. (Alexis French, the first author). The authorship order above is accurate.</p
Review of the Monograph T.F. Khaidarov “Age of ‘Black Death’ in Golden Horde and Adjacent Regions” Kazan: Marjani Institute of History of Academy of Sciences, 2018. 304 P.
No full textThe author examines the monographic work of T.F. Khaidarov, devoted to the study of the second plague pandemic in the Golden Horde and neighboring territories, which was published in 2018. Researchers have already studied some aspects of the course of the Black Death in Eastern Europe. Before the publication of the monograph, T.F. Khaidarov had published several articles devoted to this problem. Despite this, the monograph is the first experience of a comprehensive study of the manifestations of the second plague pandemic in all their diversity in Eastern Europe. The objectives set in the book required the synthesis of various natural sciences (biology, climatology, medicine) and social (history, historical source study, social anthropology) disciplines. In the monograph phenomena of different scale are investigated. On the one hand, the epidemics in Eastern Europe were considered in the context of the worldwide course of the pandemic. On the other hand, from the researcher’s view did not escape the local phenomena: the specific dating of a particular outbreak of the epidemic, the problem of the perception of the disease by society, the features of its description, etc. In the review, an assessment is given to this "total" study of the pandemic. The advantage of this approach is that it overcomes the boundaries between different scientific disciplines, allows us to fill the knowledge that is fragmentary in each separate science. The drawback of this approach is that it leads to the absolutization of the plague factor in history. The study of Black Death becomes the main link in the whole multidisciplinary research, turns into a kind of paradigm. Sometimes this leads to incorrect reading of historical sources and scientific works. Despite the revealed shortcomings, it should be recognized that the monograph of T.F. Khaidarov is a serious step forward in the study of the problem at the present stage of the development of science
How should we support pharmaceutical innovation?
No full textThe question as to how society should support pharmaceutical (‘pharma’) innovation is both pertinent and timely: Pharma drugs are an integral component of modern health care and hold the promise to treat more effectively various debilitating health problems. The rate of pharma innovation, however, has declined since the 1980s. Many observers question whether the patent system is capable of providing the appropriate incentives for pharma innovation and point to several promising alternative mechanisms. These mechanisms include both ‘push’ programs – subsidies directed towards the cost of pharma R&D – and ‘pull’ programs – lumpsum rewards for the outputs of pharma R&D, that is, new drugs. I review evidence why our current system of pharma patents is defective and outline the various alternative mechanisms that may spur pharma innovation more effectively.Pharmaceuticals, R&D, patents, prizes, innovation
An Evaluation of the Working Income Tax Benefit
No full textThe federal government has implemented an earned income tax credit what it has called the Working Income Tax Benefit in the 2007 Budget. Edmund Phelps has argued that the earned income tax credit in the United States should be replaced with an employment subsidy. This paper assesses the importance of Phelps' concern, and related issues, for Canada. This debate is important for two reasons: the plight of those blocked by the "welfare wall" is dire, and the entire community has an interest in lower structural unemployment in an environment that involves an aging population and an accompanying labour shortage.earned income tax credit, employment subsidy, open economy
Is Foreign-Owned Capital a Bad Thing to Tax?
No full textThe aging population has raised at least two concerns about tax policy. First, taxes will need to be increased to cover higher public-pension and medical-care expenses when baby boomers have retired. Second, taxes can be cut in the meantime, as the government realizes the "fiscal dividend" that accompanies its debt reduction program (that has been motivated by the aging population development). This paper uses a simple endogenous growth analysis to examine these issues. It is assumed that sales tax increases are infeasible on political grounds. Two conclusions emerge: the income tax rate levied on domestic residents should be cut during the debt-reduction period, and the tax rate on foreigners whose capital is operating in Canada should be increased later on when the bulk of the baby boomers have retired.fiscal policy, endogenous growth, open economy
A Note on Income Distribution and Growth
No full textMany analysts expect the aging population to lead to a reduction in the growth of living standards. Income inequality – a problem that has been accentuated by the payroll tax hikes that were necessary to fund the public pension as the population ages – is becoming an increasing challenge at the same time. As a result, policy-makers need to pursue initiatives that can simultaneously address both our efficiency and our equity objectives. With the challenge of the aging population, it is all the more important that we not rely on fiscal policies that involve a trade-off between growth and equality. This paper identifies a strategy for tax policy that meets these objectives.fiscal policy, endogenous growth, efficiency and equity
- …
