Medical students' and tutors' experiences of directed and self-directed learning programs in evidence-based medicine: a qualitative evaluation accompanying a randomized controlled trial

This qualitative study aims to interpret the results of a randomized controlled trial comparing two educational programs (directed learning and self-directed learning) in evidence-based medicine (EBM) for medical students at the University of Oslo from 2002 to 2003. There is currently very little comparative educational research in this field. In the trial, no statistically significant differences between the study groups were shown for any outcomes considered (EBM knowledge, skills, and attitudes). Further analysis suggests that main reason for the negative trial results was that the majority of students learned equally effectively, whichever program they received, although implementation of the educational programs was not complete because of varying attendance. This study illustrates a stepwise evaluation model that might be useful in evaluating other socially complex interventions.     

On value-judgements and ethics in health technology assessment

The widespread application of technology in health care has imposed a broad range of challenges. The field of health technology assessment (HTA) is developed in order to face some of these challenges. However, this strategy has not been as successful as one could hope. One of the reasons for this is that social and ethical considerations have not been integrated in the HTA process. Nowadays however, such considerations have been included in many HTAs. Still, the conclusions and recommendations of the HTAs are not followed. The reason for this may be that the methods for integrating ethics for HTA are not sufficiently developed, or that they are not adequate. This article presents a supplementary approach to the ethical inquiry in HTA. It is argued that a value analysis is crucial in order to address the ethical issues of health care technology in a fruitful way and to make viable decisions about such technology.

Conflicting strategic objectives in hospital design

This paper presents a multigoal linear programming model designed to analyse the impact of different strategic objectives in the planning of hospitals. The paper argues that it is necessary to adopt an overall point-of-view in planning; that it is necessary to consider the interactions between the hospital, other social and health institutions and the community at large in order to attain an efficient plan. A simplified cost-benefit analysis is suggested, and it is demonstrated that the opportunity costs of lost working days may be more important than both capital and operating costs from a social point of view.     

Anthropological versus sociological approaches to the study of soccer hooliganism: some critical notes

It is argued that the anthropological approach, as used by Armstrong and Harris, has not generated any breakthrough in the study of soccer hooliganism. In particular, it is suggested that their use of a commonsense rather than a sociological concept of violence vitiates their analysis in several ways, contributing above all to substantial inconsistencies between some of their own empirical data and their general conclusions concerning levels of soccer-related violence. It is also contended that their critique of the ‘figurational’ or ‘process-sociological’ approach followed by the Leicester researchers is based on a confused misrepresentation of that approach. Specifically it is argued (i) that Armstrong and Harris fail to recognize the wide range of methods, including extensive participant observation, used by the Leicester group, (ii) that their attempt to cast doubt on the Leicester group's contention that the core football hooligans come predominantly from the ‘rougher’ sections of the working class is based on nothing more than a priori speculation. In this connection, Armstrong and Harris themselves provide no reliable data on the social class of soccer hooligans in Sheffield, and they seem unaware of the fact that several different sources of data appear to confirm the finding of the Leicester group, (iii) they have misunderstood both the terminology and the reasoning of the Leicester group concerning the ‘rougher’ sections of the working class and their relationship to football hooliganism.     

On the Testability of Identification in Some Nonparametric Models With Endogeneity

This paper examines three distinct hypothesis testing problems that arise in the context of identification of some nonparametric models with endogeneity. The first hypothesis testing problem we study concerns testing necessary conditions for identification in some nonparametric models with endogeneity involving mean independence restrictions. These conditions are typically referred to as completeness conditions. The second and third hypothesis testing problems we examine concern testing for identification directly in some nonparametric models with endogeneity involving quantile independence restrictions. For each of these hypothesis testing problems, we provide conditions under which any test will have power no greater than size against any alternative. In this sense, we conclude that no nontrivial tests for these hypothesis testing problems exist.     

Iterative bias reduction: a comparative study

Multivariate nonparametric smoothers, such as kernel based smoothers and thin plate splines smoothers, are adversely impacted by the sparseness of data in high dimension, also known as the curse of dimensionality. Adaptive smoothers, that can exploit the underlying smoothness of the regression function, may partially mitigate this effect. This paper presents a comparative simulation study of a novel adaptive smoother (IBR) with competing multivariate smoothers available as package or function within the R language and environment for statistical computing. Comparison between the methods are made on simulated datasets of moderate size, from 50 to 200 observations, with two, five or 10 potential explanatory variables, and on a real dataset. The results show that the good asymptotic properties of IBR are complemented by a very good behavior on moderate sized datasets, results which are similar to those obtained with Duchon low rank splines.     

“功能性表达性模型”与中国警察信任——基于全国样本的多重中介与调节模型分析

功能性模型认为，提升警察信任的主要方法在于预防和控制犯罪，降低犯罪率与提升公众安全感；而表达性模型认为，提升警察信任更应注重维护社会正义与社区凝聚力。基于提出促进中国警察信任度提高的理论模型，提升公众获得感、幸福感、安全感，实现国家和社会整体安全的最终目的，采用结构方程模型验证“功能性-表达性模型”与中国警察信任关系的结果表明，功能性模型与表达性模型内部因素之间存在显著路径关系，同时功能性模型显著影响表达性模型指标进而改变公众对警察的信任程度。经调节效应分析后发现，主观社会阶层负向调节被害经历到犯罪恐惧感的直接路径，社交媒体使用负向调节犯罪恐惧感到警察信任的直接路径；在主观社会阶层和社交媒体使用的共同调节作用下，“被害经历→犯罪恐惧感→警察信任”中介路径效应值，随社交媒体使用频率的提升而增大，随主观社会阶层的升高而减小。