Real earnings and human migration in the United States

"The present article offers an alternative [to Rabianski's] empirical analysis of the migration impact of living cost differentials and deals with net (as opposed to gross) [U.S.] migration to some 25 (as opposed to just 11) SMSAs over the 1960-70 rather than the 1955-60 time period. The results...indicate that...living cost differentials do significantly affect geographic mobility, i.e., improve the regression results."     

Using macro variables in program evaluation

This paper discusses the importance of using macro-level variables for program analysis. It is argued that three types of macro variables--cultural, economic, and demographic--provide a context for evaluation, and offer alternative explanations for the success or failure of a program. The problems of causality and availability of data are discussed. Macro variables are seen to be especially useful in "meta evaluation," and in integrating the results of specific program evaluations into general conclusions.     

The utilization of prevailing evaluation policy in the selection of performance measures

This study considers the problem of inferring a functional evaluation criterion from existing performance measure policies. The objective is to develop a rational basis by which to adaptively evaluate a current best set of performance measures from alternative sets. The analysis is based on a matrix approach for relating system characteristics to performance measures across a set of activities. A procedure for ranking measure combinations which are candidate implementation alternatives is devised using this matrix representation and cost information. An example illustrating the procedure is presented.     

Behavioral evaluation of a state program of deinstitutionalization of the developmentally disabled

The purpose of this study was to evaluate one phase of a statewide program of deinstitutionalizing developmentally disabled individuals. Forty adults who had spent a minimum of six months in community placements were evaluated with respect to changes in behavior associated with movement out of state institutions and into community settings such as group homes and day activity centers. Pre- and post-deinstitutionalization measures were taken with the Behavior Development Survey. Post-deinstitutionalization measures on Cataldo and Risley's Resident Activity Manifest were compared to the same measures obtained on 159 developmentally disabled individuals scheduled for deinstitutionalization. A consistent pattern of positive changes on both instruments favored deinstitutionalization, but changes could not be unequivocally attributed to movement out of the institutions per se.     

Behaviorally caused loss of health and the use of medical care

This paper extends the analysis of the demand for medical care to an aspect which has previously been ignored: variations in expected, as opposed to experienced, cause of losses of health and the current use of medical care. Losses of health which cannot be prevented by the prior use of medical care are hypothesized to decrease the use of medical care by reducing the rate of return to investments in health, ceteris paribus. The reduction in the rate of return occurs both because these losses curtail the length of the stream of benefits to the use of medical care and because prior use of medical care is not effective in reducing the occurrence of these types of loss. Empirical findings support this hypothesis. Results suggest that differences in expected losses may account for some of the differences in utilization of medical care by sex.     

Possible approaches to improving the international comparability of immigration and emigration statistics: an illustration of the Canadian situation

"This article seeks to highlight the extent of the lack of standardization which exists in the field of international migration statistics and, using statistics for Canada as an example, to illustrate how significant progress towards resolving this problem could be made if sufficient numbers of countries made their immigration and emigration statistics gradually comply more fully with the United Nations recommendations."     

Pragmatic decisions in the evaluation of consumer satisfaction with mental health treatment

This article examines pragmatic choices which must be made in conducting consumer satisfaction assessment of mental health treatment. It is argued that choices involving sample, format, and procedure for examining satisfaction may influence the results of such research, and must be considered when creating or evaluating these efforts. These choices are examined in detail.     

Evaluating employee assistance programs. A review of methods, outcomes, and future directions

Renewed interest in assisting troubled employees has led to an upsurge in the development of employee assistance programs, coupled with demands for demonstrable effectiveness. This review examines the nature and scope of these programs, their administrative and methodological context, and the types and outcomes of evaluation studies conducted thus far. Proposals for improving future investigations through a number of different approaches and strategies are then made.