A Clustering Method for Categorical Ordinal Data

Often, categorical ordinal data are clustered using a well-defined similarity measure for this kind of data and then using a clustering algorithm not specifically developed for them. The aim of this article is to introduce a new clustering method suitably planned for ordinal data. Objects are grouped using a multinomial model, a cluster tree and a pruning strategy. Two types of pruning are analyzed through simulations. The proposed method allows to overcome two typical problems of cluster analysis: the choice of the number of groups and the scale invariance.     

Hansen and Hurwitz estimator with scrambled response on the second call

In this paper we propose a modified version of the estimator of Hansen and Hurwitz [12] in the case of quantitative sensitive variable and consider a randomization mechanism on the second call that provides privacy protection to the respondents to get truthful information. We use variance of the modified estimator as a tool to measure privacy protection and it is observed that the higher is the variance, the lower is the efficiency but the higher is the privacy protection. To overcome this efficiency loss, we consider a linear regression estimator using known non-sensitive auxiliary information. With consideration of four scrambled models, we try to make a trade-off between efficiency and privacy protection. To show this compromise, analytical and numerical comparisons are obtained.     

A calibration-based approach to sensitive data: a simulation study

In this paper, we discuss the use of auxiliary information to estimate the population mean of a sensitive variable when data are perturbed by means of three scrambled response devices, namely the additive, the multiplicative and the mixed model. Emphasis is given to the calibration approach, and the behavior of different estimators is investigated through simulated and real data. It is shown that the use of auxiliary information can considerably improve the efficiency of the estimates without jeopardizing respondent privacy.     

Body dissatisfaction in midlife women

We examined the extent and correlates of body dissatisfaction among 1026 54-year-old women from the MRC National Survey of Health and Development. Weight dissatisfaction was reported by nearly 80% of the sample and by over 50% of 'normal weight' women (BMI < 25). Women indicated being most dissatisfied with their bodies currently, relative to their younger years, including their forties. Adjusting for BMI, dissatisfaction was highest in higher social class women and in those who rated themselves in poorer health. Women with poor body esteem, regardless of body size, were likely to avoid various everyday situations because of how they felt about their bodies. Adjusting for BMI, women who were happy with their weight were more likely to report distress about other aspects of their appearance. We suggest that body dissatisfaction in women of this age group merits further attention.     

The family's role in person-centered care: practice considerations

Effective implementation of person-centered care requires a shared understanding and commitment to make it a reality by administrative personnel, direct care providers, and residents and their family members. Long-term care facilities must seek ways to engage residents' families in person-centered care through its training, policies, care planning, and documentation. Doing so may require revisions to policies and work practices, and ongoing leadership efforts to maintain this care framework within the realities of staff turnover and regulatory requirements. Developing protocols and procedures that facilitate family members' communication with staff and build consensus and shared values will result in a system that represents and honors the unique perspectives, values, and needs of each resident receiving care. It is important for facility leadership to set the tone for acknowledging the importance of family involvement in person-centered care by modeling acceptance of concerns and criticisms as valid and by acknowledging that direct care providers, residents, and their family members have a voice in care decisions. Such an approach has the greatest chance of success in promoting person-centered care and the shared values necessary to ensure its successful implementation.     

Who is banked in low income families? The effects of gender and bargaining power

We use data from the U.S. Survey of Consumer Finances and a framework that accounts for intrahousehold dynamics to examine bank account ownership for low-income couples. We find that even among families who are banked, some family members are not. Those without accounts may lack access to financial services, be at a disadvantage within their families, or face financial risks if their partnerships end. Our results indicate that men and women are equally likely to be banked, but the factors predicting whether or not they have accounts differ. Women with more bargaining power are more likely to hold bank accounts and their families are more likely to be banked. Moreover, individual characteristics of male and the female partners have different effects on the chances that they, their partners, or their families are banked.     

A class of estimators for quantitative sensitive data

Randomized response methods for quantitative sensitive data are treated in an unified approach which includes the use of auxiliary information at the estimation stage. A class of estimators for the mean of a sensitive variable is proposed under a generic randomization model and the optimum estimator is obtained. Some special models are discussed in detail. To evaluate the degree of respondents’ confidentiality in models using auxiliary variables, a new measure of privacy protection is introduced. Different models are then compared both from the perspective of efficiency and privacy protection.     

Why Don't They Just Change? Contract Farming,Informational Influence,and Barriers to Agricultural Climate Change Mitigation

Using a mixed‐methods study of contract seed‐corn farmers in southwest Michigan, we examine the effect of interlocking macro and micro social forces on climate change behavior and apply the theoretical frames of treadmills of production and informational influence. We find that competitive agricultural contracts in the seed‐corn industry impose significant structural barriers to adopting climate change mitigation behaviors. Seed‐corn contracts constrain adoption of those behaviors through competitive rankings based solely on net commodity production and by limiting farmers’ access to information to make judicious management decisions. At the micro level, our findings suggest that informational influence—that is, where farmers turn for trusted information—also affects climate change mitigation behaviors, and that these informational networks are embedded within structural constraints. Our findings suggest that agricultural contracts serve as a significant structural constraint on the adoption of mitigation practices and that climate scholarship and policy must address both macro and micro dimensions simultaneously to encourage adoption of climate change mitigation.