THE COVARIANCE ANALYSIS OF SOME CENSORED SURVIVAL DATA FROM A LARGE SCALE STUDY OF MELANOMA

Regression models of the proportional hazard type are applied to investigate the effect of certain covariates on the survival function of some cancer patients. The censored survival data for these patients were taken from a survey conducted by the Queensland Melanoma Project through which there are available histories of all malignant melanoma cases in Queensland for the period 1963–1969; follow-up data on these cases were considered up to mid-1976. One of the results of the survival analysis shows that the well-known empirical observation that women have a better prognosis than men can be explained by the existence of a significant interaction between sex and the anatomical site of the lesion.     

The etiology of low back pain in military helicopter aviators: prevention and treatment

Low back pain (LPB) is a major health problem among military rotary-wing aircrews worldwide. In order to define the etiology and propose remedies to LBP in helicopter aviators a review and critique of the literature was conducted. In-flight sitting posture and vibration generated by the aircraft were identified as high risk factors for LBP. Consequently, researchers recommended ergonomic modifications to the crew stations. The efficacy of these technical interventions has not been proven. As well, these design changes are not financially practical. Following an in depth kinesiological analysis of the physical demands of this type of flying, and preliminary experimentation, an alternative aeromedical approach focusing on the aircrew rather than the craft is presented. The authors propose a set of flight-specific exercises that might effectively deal with this problem. A thorough testing of this approach is envisioned.     

Health care futures, Part 1. The emergence of the new health care consumer. Panel discussion

In Part 1 of this second annual panel discussion, six experts examine the new health care consumer. The whole concept of the patient as consumer still makes people uneasy when it's applied to health care. Whether you prefer consumer, customer, purchaser, end-user, ultimate buyer, or beneficiary, one thing's for sure: Many of us are as different from the bygone patient as an HMO is from the general practitioner who made house calls. One of the reasons for many Americans' new interest, knowledge, attitudes, and expectations about health and health care is the Internet, the second topic in this discussion. In Part 2, physician executives from the three leading physician practice management companies (PPMCs) join Jeff Goldsmith, Barbara LeTourneau, and Uwe Reinhardt for a spirited exchange about this burgeoning new industry in the American health care sector. They will tackle questions such as: Are PPMCs delivering what they promise? What will separate successful PPMCs from the rest? Can PPMCs meet Wall Street's earnings expectations and also help physicians deliver better care? When PPMCs win, who loses? And, what roles will physician executives play in PPMCs?     

Book Review: Civil Society and the Professions in Eastern Europe: Social Change and Organizational Innovation in Poland. By S. Wojciech Sokolowski. Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers,New York, 2001

VOLUNTAS: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations -     

‘You Can Stand on Your Head and Still End Up with Lower Pay’: Gliding Segregation and Gendered Work Practices in Danish ‘Family‐friendly’ Workplaces

This article explores the process of gliding segregation in two Danish workplaces. We address the questions of how and why women and men at the same workplace, with the same levels of education, often end up doing different work tasks. Drawing on a gendered organization perspective and sense of entitlement theory we illustrate the processes whereby structural and cultural expectations place women in predictable and routine work, and men in more developmental work. We also show that the level of education makes a difference to women's sense of entitlement to developmental work, but that the discourse of family friendliness disadvantages women in the allocation of interesting and valued work tasks. The findings illustrate the resilience of gendered work practices and the importance of focusing on workplace interactions to explain this.     

Redefining procreation: facing the issues

It is now possible for a child to have up to 5 individuals claiming to be parents: a sperm donor, an egg or ovum donor, the woman providing a womb for gestation, and the couple raising the child. Technology has provided 3 techniques of conception: artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer, and surrogate motherhood. There is increased concern with infertility in the US and decreased availability of children for adoption. New reproductive technologies share, with the recent profound changes in the American family and more relaxed attitudes towards sexuality, a common potential to alter family structure and family dynamics. Certain issues are germane to all birth technologies such as whether such technologies should exist at all, whether there is a right to procreate, what criteria should govern access to these technologies, and how they should be regulated. Complex ethical, legal, social and moral questions are involved. Advances in reproductive technologies have created a gap between science and public policy. The articulation of guiding principles is essential to narrow that gap.