Piecewise proportional hazards models with interval-censored data

We consider the piecewise proportional hazards (PWPH) model with interval-censored (IC) relapse times under the distribution-free set-up. The partial likelihood approach is not applicable for IC data, and the generalized likelihood approach has not been studied in the literature. It turns out that under the PWPH model with IC data, the semi-parametric MLE (SMLE) of the covariate effect under the standard generalized likelihood may not be unique and may not be consistent. In fact, the parameter under the PWPH model with IC data is not identifiable unless the identifiability assumption is imposed. We propose a modification to the likelihood function so that its SMLE is unique. Under the identifiability assumption, our simulation study suggests that the SMLE is consistent. We apply the method to our cancer relapse time data and conclude that the bone marrow micrometastasis does not have a significant prognostic factor.     

The Relationship Between Corporate Volunteering and Employee Civic Engagement Outside the Workplace in Russia

This paper discusses the relationship between corporate volunteering and civic engagement outside the workplace in Russia, proceeding from a mixed-method approach. The quantitative findings are based on a comparison between employees in 37 Russian companies who participated in corporate volunteering (N = 399) and those who did not (N = 402). Using binary logistic regression analysis, we demonstrate that employee participation in corporate volunteering is positively related to four forms of civic engagement outside the workplace: informal volunteering, formal volunteering, formal monetary donation, and informal monetary donation. In addition, we draw on information obtained from interviews with 10 corporate volunteers, as well as with all 37 company corporate volunteering managers, to develop a general explanation for why corporate volunteering might lead to civic engagement. We identify three primary explanations. First, trust in companies can be converted into increased trust in social institutions. Second, corporate volunteering can expose employees to other realities, thereby leading them to rethink their priorities. Third, corporate volunteering socializes employees to volunteering, thus making them more likely to incorporate volunteering into their personal repertoires of activities. Corporate volunteering appears to be an effective mechanism for stimulating civic engagement and volunteering infrastructure in post-communist countries.     

Use of propensity score matching to evaluate a national smoking cessation media campaign

Sustained mass media campaigns have been recommended to stem the tobacco epidemic in the United States. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to estimate the effect of awareness of a national smoking cessation media campaign (EX) on quit attempts and cessation-related cognition. Participants were 4,067 smokers and recent quitters aged 18-49 in targeted U.S. media markets. Controlling for potential confounders through PSM and regression analysis, confirmed awareness of EX was not significantly associated with either outcome at 6-month follow-up. Matched analyses excluding 217 quitters resulted in a significant effect of EX on both outcomes.     

Resource Dependence and Community Well‐Being in Rural Canada*

Abstract The well‐being of residents of resource dependent communities is a question of traditional interest to rural sociologists. The label “resource dependent” obscures how this relationship may vary between particular resource industries, regions, or indicators of well‐being. Few analyses have compared the relationship between well‐being and resource dependence across different industries, nor tested competing theories about the relationship between resource dependence and well‐being. Our paper presents an overview of the relationship between resource dependence—agriculture, fisheries, mining, energy, forestry—and human well‐being in Canada. Analysis of 1996 Statistics Canada data revealed a great deal of variation in the effect of “resource” dependence on indicators of well‐being (e.g., human capital, unemployment, income): some industries exhibit fairly positive outcomes (e.g., agriculture), others more negative outcomes (e.g., fishing). Consistent with analyses conducted in the United States, these relationships vary by region, suggesting the need for models that incorporate the particulars of place and industry.     

A constructivist approach to the help-seeking process of clients: A response to cultural diversity

The issue of cultural diversity presents clinicians with both delemmas and opportunities. To deal with such a challenge, I have proposed a constructivist approach to the help-seeking process of clients from diverse ethnoracial backgrounds. A model of clients' help-seeking processes provides a useful and systematic frame for clinicians to understand clients' construction of their problem situations and possible solutions. It provides a useful key for clinicians non-presumptuously to understand clients' subjective experiences, and to enhance clients' ability to resolve problems.     

A NOTE ON A SEQUENTIAL GROUP t-TEST

A sequential probability ratio test (SPET) of the mean of a normal distribution with unknown variance, based on an independent sequence of groups of observations, is investigated and its efficiency compared with that of the WAGE sequential t-test, which is based on an invariantly sufficient sequence of test statistics.     

Item count technique with no floor and ceiling effects

Abstract

Conclusions of sample surveys dealing with matters of privacy are often disputed. Many people either refuse to participate or provide false answers. Indirect questioning techniques are designed so that reliable estimates can be produced while the privacy of the participants is protected. One such method, the Item Count Technique is gaining increasing popularity. However, the original version of the method does not fully protect the privacy of the participants. In this paper we propose a new version of the technique which better protects the privacy of the respondents and does not have the so-called floor and ceiling effects.