School of Social and Political Sciences - Research Publications
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ItemAwareness and practice of patient's rights law in Lithuania.(Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2006-09-02)BACKGROUND: Patient's rights law is intended to secure good medical practice, but it can also serve to improve understanding between patients and medical staff if both were aware of their rights. METHODS: Awareness and practice of the new patient's rights law in Lithuanian health care institutions was explored through a survey of 255 medical staff and 451 patients in the four Kaunas city medical units in 2002. Participation rates were 74% and 66%, respectively. RESULTS: Majority of the medical staff (85%) and little over one half of the patients (56%) had heard or read about the Law on Patient's Rights (p < 0.001). Only 50% of professionals compared to 69% of patients thought information for patients about diagnosis, treatment results and alternative treatments is necessary (p < 0.001). A clear discrepancy was indicated between physicians informing the patients (80%-98% of physicians) and patients actually knowing (37%-54%) their treatment prognosis, disease complications or possible alternative treatment methods. CONCLUSION: These results suggest a need for awareness-raising among patients to improve the practical implementation of the Patient's Rights Law in Lithuania.
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ItemThe Role of Community in Restorative Justice Conferencing(RMIT Publishing, 2009-02-01)In examining the role of the community in restorative justice conferencing, this article seeks to highlight the critical aspect of conferencing which differentiates it as a mode of restorative justice: the involvement of supportive others of both victims and offenders; the engagement of a restorative community. Reflection on the nature of this community, and its role in the conferencing process, reveals both its functional and symbolic significance. Drawing on the findings of a study of conferencing for young offenders in Melbourne, Australia, between 2000 and 2003, a detailed picture of the role of the restorative community is presented, largely from the perspective of those most closely involved: young offenders and their families.
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ItemMeasuring emotional and social wellbeing in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations: an analysis of a Negative Life Events Scale.(Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2007-11-14)Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians experience widespread socioeconomic disadvantage and health inequality. In an attempt to make Indigenous health research more culturally-appropriate, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians have called for more attention to the concept of emotional and social wellbeing (ESWB). Although it has been widely recognised that ESWB is of crucial importance to the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, there is little consensus on how to measure in Indigenous populations, hampering efforts to better understand and improve the psychosocial determinants of health. This paper explores the policy and political context to this situation, and suggests ways to move forward. The second part of the paper explores how scales can be evaluated in a health research setting, including assessments of endorsement, discrimination, internal and external reliability.We then evaluate the use of a measure of stressful life events, the Negative Life Events Scale (NLES), in two samples of Aboriginal people living in remote communities in the Northern Territory of Australia. We argue that the Negative Life Events Scale is a promising assessment of psychosocial wellbeing in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations. Evaluation of the scale and its performance in other samples of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations is imperative if we hope to develop better, rather than more, scales for measuring ESWB among Indigenous Australians. Only then will it be possible to establish standardized methods of measuring ESWB and develop a body of comparable literature that can guide both a better understanding of ESWB, and evaluation of interventions designed to improve the psychosocial health of Indigenous populations and decrease health inequalities.
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ItemDecentralization, Horizontal Inequalities and Conflict Management in Indonesia(Informa UK Limited, 2009-03)The impact of decentralization on conflict dynamics is as important as its impact on service delivery and growth, as violent conflict can undo development gains. This paper argues that the impact of decentralization has been twofold. It has relieved centre-periphery tensions around longstanding grievances towards nationalist agendas in Indonesia. The evidence suggests, through examining the case of conflict affected Central Sulawesi, that decentralization has also to some extent addressed long-standing inter-group tensions and horizontal inequalities at the local level, particularly where geographically concentrated ethno-religious groups have previously been marginalised from government. It has also reduced grievances by increasing local autonomy and participation in decision making through direct elections of district heads, now a hotly contested arena of local politics. However, significant structural and institutional change can result in new tensions, particularly when poorly planned for or monitored. Decentralization has stimulated changes in population demographics in some areas in Indonesia resulting in ethno-religious segregation through splitting of sub-national administrative units into increasing numbers of regions. Groups with previous minority status have found safe-haven as majorities, setting the scene for how future rights of access and representation play out. Tensions run high when high-stakes local elections are contested along sensitive identity lines, or when district governments are not inclusive of minorities in their regions. This is not to say that the demographic, structural, and institutional changes with decentralization will necessarily lead to violent conflict, but rather due attention should be given to ensuring appropriate conflict management mechanisms are in place.
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ItemNo Preview AvailableMature age employment: Recent developments in public policy in Australia and the UK(Wiley, 2000-08-01)Objective: To examine recent policy developments in mature age employment in Australia and the UK. Method: Recent data and policy statements in the UK and Australia, supplemented by the findings from interviews undertaken with government and industry leaders in the UK in October/November 1998, reflecting similar work in Australia, were analysed and compared. Conclusions: •bL Population ageing, a long term decline in activity rates and skills among mature age workers and discrimination against them are important policy issues in both Australia and the UK (as in other countries). •bL A major policy difference is the use of antidiscrimination and related legislation in Australia; compared with a reliance on education and codes of practice in the UK. Sustained awareness raising is required, together with evaluation of the longer‐term impact on employer practices. •bL Employer involvement is low and systematic approaches are needed to identify and support good practice by employers towards older workers in both countries. •bL A comprehensive approach is crucial (whole of government, industry, unions), taking into account industry, occupational, locational and gender differentials.
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ItemNo Preview AvailableAge and participation in vocational education and training(SAGE Publications, 2001-01-01)In recent years increasing attention has been paid to the problems faced by older workers in the UK labour market. In this paper we examine the issue of older workers' participation in vocational training and education, drawing upon data from the Labour Force Survey. Our initial analysis identifies how rates of participation in workrelated education and training differ between age groups. Further exploratory analysis attempts to identify possible reasons for this, analysing the type of training undertaken by various age groups as well as the incidence of self-financed training. We then estimate an ordered-probit model for males and females separately, in an attempt to isolate the extent to which this lower incidence among older workers is due to employer or employee decision making. We find that, when compared to a reference group of prime aged individuals, those aged between 40 and 49 and 50 and 59/64 are less likely to undergo training and, also, less likely to be offered training. We conclude that the lower incidence of training among older workers can be mainly attributed to employer decision making. Finally, we discuss the implications of these findings for public policy.
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ItemNo Preview AvailableFlexible employment contracts and their implications for product and process innovation(Informa UK Limited, 2002-02-01)
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ItemNo Preview AvailableOlder workers: Trends and prospects(BLACKWELL PUBL LTD, 2002-10-01)
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ItemNo Preview AvailableAge Discrimination in the Labour Market and Policy Responses: The Situation in the United Kingdom(Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2003-01-01)
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ItemNo Preview AvailableOlder workers, employer behaviour and public policy(PALGRAVE MACMILLAN LTD, 2003-10-01)