Comparative Study of Informal Health Care Networks and Elderly Health Status in Argentina and Cuba

The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact of informal care support networks on the health status, life satisfaction, happiness and anxiety of elderly individuals in Argentina and Cuba. Recent economic changes, demographic changes, the structure of families and changes in women?s labor participation have affected the availability of informal care. Additionally, the growing number of elderly as a percentage of total population has significant implications for both formal and informal care in Argentina and Cuba. Methods: The SABE - Survey on Health, Well-Being, and Aging in Latin America and the Caribbean, 2000 was used as the data source. The survey has a sample of 10,656 individuals aged 60 years and older residing in private households occupied by permanent dwellers in 7 cities in the Latin American and Caribbean region. My study will focus on the Buenos Aires and Havana samples in which there were 1043 individuals and 1905 individuals respectively. General sampling design was used to establish comparability between countries. Individuals requiring assistance are surveyed on their source of help and the relative impact of informal versus paid help is measured for this group. Other measures of social support (number of living children, companionship and number of individuals living in the same dwelling) are used to measure networks for the full sample. Multivariate probit regression analyses were run separately for Cuba and for Argentina to evaluate the marginal impacts of the types of social support on health status, life satisfaction, happiness and anxiety. Results: For Argentina, almost all of the family help variables positively impact good health. Getting help from most other members of the family negatively impacts satisfaction with life. Happiness is affected differently by each of the family help variables but community support increases the likelihood of being happy. Although none of the family or community help variables show statistical significance, most negatively affect anxiety levels. In Cuba, all of the social support variables have a positive marginal impact on the health status of the elderly. In this case, some of the family and community help variables have a negative marginal impact on life satisfaction; however, it appears that having those closest to the elderly, children, spouse, or other family, positively impacts life satisfaction. Most of the support variables negatively impact happiness. Receiving help from a child, spouse or parent is associated with a marginal increase in anxiety, whereas receiving help from a grandchild, another family member or a friend actually reduces anxiety. Discussion: The study highlights the necessity for enhancing the coordination of various care networks in order to provide adequate care and reduce the burdens of old age on the individual, family and society and the need for consistent support for the caregivers. More qualitative work should be done to identify how support is given and what comprises the support. The constant change and advancement of the world, and the growth of the Latin American and Caribbean region, suggests that more updates studies need to be done.

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF INFORMAL HEALTH CARE NETWORKS AND ELDERLY HEALTH STATUS IN ARGENTINA AND CUBA

This study will explore familial and friend support networks and living arrangements among elderly individuals in Latin America and the impact that this type of support has on the health of the elderly individuals in the countries of interest. Using data from the Survey on Health and Well-Being of Elders (SABE) from 1999-2000, I will explore which type of support has a larger impact on overall health. I will also measure differences in unmet needs for certain health services. This topic is particularly interesting because it will help to uncover what policies are best for aiding in the healthcare of the elderly in aging population. Lastly, the investigation of this topic will allow me to draw conclusions about the most effective means of social and public policy for the elderly community and provide me with information about the role of both informal provisions of support from family and friends, and formal provisions of support from the government. My primary focus will be on Argentina, using Buenos Aires as the sample city, and Cuba, using Havana as the sample city. These two countries have increasingly aging populations, poorer resources and vast inequalities, but, extremely different political, economic and cultural situations. Comparing the two countries will further allow me to determine correlations between health and the existence of support networks, as well as provide me with information to make more general claims that may be of use in the United States. Argentina is particularly interesting to me because of my abroad experience and homestay experience with an older Argentine woman who lived alone but depended upon her family for many healthcare needs, doctors’ visits and general well-being. In Argentina, I experienced a different form of living than I am used to in the United States, where many older individuals or couples live in nursing homes or assisted living facilities rather than alone or with family. The changing economic climate of the two countries coupled with labor patterns of women returning to work at rapid rates indicates that policies cannot just rely on either the formal or informal sector but require a combination of the two sectors working together.This paper will first give background on the difference in the economies and the health care systems in Argentina and Cuba and will show why it interesting to study and compare these two countries. I will then discuss the health status of the elderly in each population as well as discuss the informal care networks and the role of family in each country. This section will then be followed by a description of the data and methods used. I will end by drawing conclusions about the study and the outcomes, and then I will attempt to make suggestions about effective health care policies for the elderly.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their polar derivatives (oxygenated PAHs, azaarenes) in soils along a climosequence in Argentina

We evaluated the effects of soil properties and climate on concentrations of parent and oxygenated polycyclic aromatic compounds (PAHs and OPAHs) and azaarenes (AZAs) in topsoil and subsoil at 20 sites along a 2100-km north (N)–south (S) transect in Argentina. The concentrations of Σ29PAHs, Σ15OPAHs and Σ4AZAs ranged 2.4–38 ng g− 1, 0.05–124 ng g− 1 and not detected to 0.97 ng g− 1, respectively. With decreasing anthropogenic influence from N to S, low molecular weight PAHs increasingly dominated. The octanol–water partitioning coefficients correlated significantly with the subsoil to topsoil concentration ratios of most compounds suggesting leaching as the main transport process. Organic C concentrations correlated significantly with those of many compounds typical for atmosphere–soil partitioning. Lighter OPAHs were mainly detected in the S suggesting biological sources and heavier OPAHs in the N suggesting a closer association with parent-PAHs. Decreasing alkyl-naphthalene/naphthalene and 9,10-anthraquinone (9,10-ANQ)/anthracene ratios from N to S indicated that 9,10-ANQ might have originated from low-temperature combustion.

An Assessment of the Case for Monetary Union or Official Dollarization in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay and Venezuela

We use a data set covering the whole period of Argentina's currency board and most of that spanned by the Mercosur trade agreement to examine the case for either a Latin American monetary union or monetary union with the USA (through official dollarization). Our econometric evidence using VAR techniques indicates that macroeconomic shocks are still so highly asymmetric in Latin America and between Latin American countries and the USA as to make monetary union or official dollarization somewhat doubtful policies.

Assessing the identity of the variety 'Pedro Giménez' grown in Argentina through the use of microsatellite markers

Pedro Giménez' is a white criolla variety cropped in Argentina, mainly in Mendoza and San Juan, being the most planted white variety destined for wine making in the country. Its origin remains unknown, as well as its relationship with Spanish variety 'Pedro Ximénez', mostly grown in Jerez, Spain. Previous works have probed that most of Criollas varieties existing in America at the moment, are the offspring of 'Muscat of Alexandria' x 'Criolla Chica'. The aim of the present work was to compare 'Pedro Giménez' with the Spanish variety 'Pedro Ximénez', and to establish its degree of relatedness to 'Muscat of Alexandria' and 'Criolla Chica'. Therefore we used a set of 18 nuclear SSR loci and 3 chloroplast SSR loci. 'Pedro Giménez' shared only 38% of the alleles under analysis with 'Pedro Ximénez', indicating that they are indeed two different varieties. In all 18 polymorphic nuclear SSR loci 'Pedro Giménez' shared 50% of its alleles with 'Muscat of Alexandria', while the other 50% of the alleles present in 'Pedro Giménez' were also present in 'Criolla Chica'. This data, along with those from the chloroplast SSR analysis, strongly suggest that 'Pedro Giménez' is the progeny of 'Muscat of Alexandria' x 'Criolla Chica', being the latest one the most likely female progenitor.

An exploratory study of cultural understanding in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) reading in Argentina

Fil: Porto, Melina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educación; Argentina.

Experimentación científica, genética aviar y dictadura militar en el Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (1956-1976)

Este artículo analiza una experiencia pionera de investigación y experimentación orientada a la actividad agropecuaria argentina, radicada en el Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Con el objetivo de identificar rupturas y continuidades en la orientación de las actividades del Instituto durante su intervención militar y conexiones con la dinámica socio-económica del período, se estudia una de sus líneas de investigación, abocada a desarrollar una línea genética aviar nacional. A partir de publicaciones científicas, documentos institucionales, prensa de la época y entrevistas a informantes clave, se reconstruye y analiza esta trayectoria y su desmantelamiento durante la última dictadura (1976-1983)

Analysis and visualization of the dynamics of research groups in terms of projects and co-authored publications : A case study of library and information science in Argentina

Objective: The present study offers a novel methodological contribution to the study of the configuration and dynamics of research groups, through a comparative perspective of the projects funded (inputs) and publication co-authorships (output). Method: A combination of bibliometric techniques and social network analysis was applied to a case study: the Departmento de Bibliotecología (DHUBI), Universidad Nacional de La Plata, Argentina, for the period 2000-2009. The results were interpreted statistically and staff members of the department, were interviewed. Results: The method makes it possible to distinguish groups, identify their members and reflect group make-up through an analytical strategy that involves the categorization of actors and the interdisciplinary and national or international projection of the networks that they configure. The integration of these two aspects (input and output) at different points in time over the analyzed period leads to inferences about group profiles and the roles of actors. Conclusions: The methodology presented is conducive to micro-level interpretations in a given area of study, regarding individual researchers or research groups. Because the comparative input-output analysis broadens the base of information and makes it possible to follow up, over time, individual and group trends, it may prove very useful for the management, promotion and evaluation of science

History of professional guidance in Argentina

Professional guidance has developed in Argentina since 1940, influenced by the guidance which in that time came from Spain, France, Belgium and Switzerland. The paper analyzes the first experiences in professional guidance, developed both in the great industrial cities as Buenos Aires and Rosario, and little urban centres as Tucumán or San Luis. The institutional and political context of such experiences is also analyzed, as well as the State's full support of them.

El campo científico argentino en los años de plomo : Desplazamientos y reorientación de los recursos

El golpe de Estado producido en 1976 abrió una de las etapas más sombrías para el campo académico y científico argentino. Las universidades nacionales fueron intervenidas militarmente y se desplegaron acciones de terror material y simbólico: desmantelamiento de centros de investigación, disminución de la matrícula universitaria y reducción del plantel docente, persecución ideológica, cesantías masivas. El CONICET sufrió procesos de depuración-expulsión de investigadores y de concentración de cargos directivos en manos de un reducido grupo de agentes. Intentaremos comprender las orientaciones de esta compleja política científico-universitaria, poniendo el foco en un aspecto escasamente explorado: la transferencia de recursos de la Finalidad Ciencia y Técnica del Presupuesto General de la Administración Nacional desde las universidades hacia el CONICET. Nos proponemos analizar cómo en este periodo el Consejo creció en términos estructurales, de recursos humanos y materiales y, simultáneamente, las universidades nacionales fueron despojadas de su actividad de investigación

(Reseña sobre) L'invenzione di un medioevo americano. Rappresentazioni moderne del passato coloniale in Argentina, de Amanda Salvioni

Fil: Añón, Valeria. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educación; Argentina.

An exploratory study of cultural understanding in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) reading in Argentina

Fil: Porto, Melina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias de la Educación; Argentina.