Womens education and diffusion of the fertility transition: The case of Egypt 1960–1996 in 4905 administrative subdivisions

Egypt comprises thousands of small geographic units. Total fertility rates are reconstructed for the 4905qism, qarya, medina, markaz andshiyakhat covering non-desert Egypt at the 1960, 1976, 1986 and 1996 censuses. This fine spatial scale reveals that heterogeneity across subdivisions increased during the fertility transition, illustrating the rapidity of change. Spatial patterns appear in the fertility upsurge of 1974–85, which is accompanied by a large but temporary reduction in heterogeneity. Fertility varies greatly between subdivisions and geographic differentials underlie the expected and observed association between fertility, literacy, family transfers and industrialization. Cairo led the decline of fertility, but that decline is counterbalanced by rapid economic growth and persistently high levels of illiteracy. A similar pattern of fertility change is observed for the chief city of the Muhafaza and its surrounding area. Egypt presents an archetype of demographic transition as improved economic and educational status diffuses across the country, moderated by its specific geography.     

Hard-to-reach or out-of-reach? Reasons why women refuse to take part in early interventions

The aim of this study was to explore the reasons why vulnerable women refuse to take part in early interventions. In-depth interviews were conducted with 19 women who refused to take part in an evaluation of an intensive home visiting programme. A number of themes were identified including perceptions about vulnerability, misperceptions about the service, misgivings about the service, and lack of trust. It is concluded that women who refuse to take part in early interventions are a diverse group, and that service providers need to take this diversity into account, if they are to improve uptake of services by vulnerable women. Service providers may also need to consider new ways of providing services.     

“Did You Pay Your Taxes?” How (Not) to Conduct Tax Evasion Surveys in Transition Countries

Gathering large-scale data on tax evasion is an undisputable challenge in and of itself. Doing so in a country in transition from a communist to a democratic system is even more difficult. This paper discusses the challenges and presents a case study to show how they can be dealt with effectively. One important implication of the paper is that such a sample survey can be successful if it combines a careful sample design, research method and questionnaire design, and explicitly takes country-specific institutional and cultural features into account. ‘‘Data! Data! Data! I can’t make bricks without clay’’ - Sherlock HOLMES     

The Family Economic Strain Scale: Development and Evaluation of the Instrument with Single- and Two-Parent Families

The purpose of this study is to develop an instrument to measure economic strain in single-parent and two-parent families. The Family Economic Strain Scale (FESS) originally contains 25 items. Thirteen items is adapted from previous research and 12 are developed for the study. The FESS is pilot tested using data from a sample of 59 single-mother, 12 single-father, and 164 two-parent families. Factor analysis reveals that the instrument contained one 13-itein dimension that is highly reliable (.92). The construct validity of the measure is evaluated using three hypotheses and data from a second study involving 30 single-mother, 30 single-father, and 30 two-parent families. ANOVA and standard multiple regression are used for the analyses. All three hypotheses are supported and variance accounted for is substantial. The FESS is a highly reliable and valid instrument that will be of value to researchers examining perceived economic strain in single-parent and two-parent families.     

Asymptotic variances for the multiplicative interaction model

When modelling two-way analysis of variance interactions by a multiplicative term-[Formula] asymptotic variances and covariances are derived for the parameters p, yi and Sj using maximum likelihood theory. The asymptotic framework is defined by a2/K where K is the number of observations per combination of the two factors and a2 the common variance of the eijk values. The results can be applied when K = 1. Two Monte Carlo studies were carried out to check the validity of the formulae for small values of 02/K and to assess their usefulness when replacing the unknown parameters by their estimations. The formulae fit well but the confidence regions produced are too narrow if the interaction term is small. The procedure is illustrated with two examples.     

Consumerism in Health Care: The Case of a U.K. Voluntary Sector HIV Prevention Organization

This paper examines the potential for, and the contradictions inherent in, voluntary sector health service providers acting as consumer representatives. The paper examines a U.K. gay men's HIV prevention organization to consider whether members are united by their experiences of using services, whether their work involves consumerist strategies, if so whether these are influential, and what tensions emerge from the dual provider/consumer role. Fieldwork was carried out in 1997–98, examining, via documents and interviews, activity between 1992 and 1997. Qualitative analysis was performed. Consumer action is shown to emerge not so much from abstract constructions of consumer interest, but more from the particularities of consumption, which become politicized more powerfully through their attachment to other interests and ideologies.     

Understanding the sex ratio in India: A simulation approach

The highly masculine sex ratio in India has increased substantially in the twentieth century, in contrast to most other countries in the world. Competing arguments alternatively posit under-enumeration, highly masculine sex ratios at birth, or excess female mortality throughout the life course as the factors underlying the level of the overall sex ratio; these arguments have not been resolved. Based on population projections that simulate population dynamics, our findings show that small differences in mortality at young ages, persisting over a long period, as well as a sex ratio at birth of 106 males per 100 females, result in a highly masculine population sex ratio.     

Low socioeconomic status increases effects of negative life events on antenatal anxiety and depression

Problem

Low socioeconomic status and prior negative life events are documented risk factors for antenatal anxiety and depression, preterm birth and birth weight. We aimed to asses whether the adverse effects of prior negative life events increase with lower socioeconomic status and which aspects of socioeconomic status are most relevant.

Solitary Time and Mental Health in the Netherlands

Whereas prior research focused on the beneficial effects of time spent with others, this study investigated the association between solitary time and mental health by hypothesizing about the possible detriments as well as benefits. Additionally, we studied whether the association between solitary time and mental health was nonlinear and moderated by gender and life stage. We hypothesized that whereas solitary time limits individuals’ access to social resources and support (decreasing mental health), it also helps individuals to recharge (enhancing mental health). We used the Dutch Time Use Survey from 2006 (N = 1,487). Results of Tobit models indicated that more solitary time in leisure (but not household labor) was associated with a reduction in mental health. For men, we did find a negative association between alone time in household labor and mental health. There was no evidence for a curvilinear relationship between time alone and mental health, nor did life course stage appeared to moderate this association.