The elderly care and domestic services sector during the recent economic crisis. The case of Italy, Spain and France.

Over the past ten years in Italy, Spain and France, the demographic pressure and the increasing women’s participation in labour market have fuelled the expansion of the private provision of domestic and care services. In order to ensure the difficult balance between affordability, quality and job creation, each countries’ response has been different. France has developed policies to sustain the demand side introducing instruments such as vouchers and fiscal schemes, since the mid of the 2000s. Massive public funding has contributed to foster a regular market of domestic and care services and France is often presented as a “best practices” of those policies aimed at encouraging a regular private sector. Conversely in Italy and Spain, the development of a private domestic and care market has been mostly uncontrolled and without a coherent institutional design: the osmosis between a large informal market and the regular private care sector has been ensured on the supply side by migrant workers’ regularizations or the introduction of new employment regulations . The analysis presented in this paper aims to describe the response of these different policies to the challenges imposed by the current economic crisis. In dealing with the retrenchment of public expenditure and the reduced households’ purchasing power, Italy, Spain and France are experiencing greater difficulties in ensuring a regular private sector of domestic and care services. In light of that, the paper analyses the recent economic conjuncture presenting some assumptions about the future risk of deeper inequalities rising along with the increase of the process of marketization of domestic and care services in all the countries under analysis.    

An investigation of routes to cancer diagnosis in 10 international jurisdictions, as part of the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership: survey development and implementation

Objectives This paper describes the methods used in the International Cancer Benchmarking Partnership Module 4 Survey (ICBPM4) which examines time intervals and routes to cancer diagnosis in 10 jurisdictions. We present the study design with defining and measuring time intervals, identifying patients with cancer, questionnaire development, data management and analyses.
Design and setting Recruitment of participants to the ICBPM4 survey is based on cancer registries in each jurisdiction. Questionnaires draw on previous instruments and have been through a process of cognitive testing and piloting in three jurisdictions followed by standardised translation and adaptation. Data analysis focuses on comparing differences in time intervals and routes to diagnosis in the jurisdictions.
Participants Our target is 200 patients with symptomatic breast, lung, colorectal and ovarian cancer in each jurisdiction. Patients are approached directly or via their primary care physician (PCP). Patients’ PCPs and cancer treatment specialists (CTSs) are surveyed, and ‘data rules’ are applied to combine and reconcile conflicting information. Where CTS information is unavailable, audit information is sought from treatment records and databases.
Main outcomes Reliability testing of the patient questionnaire showed that agreement was complete (κ=1) in four items and substantial (κ=0.8, 95% CI 0.333 to 1) in one item. The identification of eligible patients is sufficient to meet the targets for breast, lung and colorectal cancer. Initial patient and PCP survey response rates from the UK and Sweden are comparable with similar published surveys. Data collection was completed in early 2016 for all cancer types.
Conclusion An international questionnaire-based survey of patients with cancer, PCPs and CTSs has been developed and launched in 10 jurisdictions. ICBPM4 will help to further understand international differences in cancer survival by comparing time intervals and routes to cancer diagnosis.

Participatory Patterns in an International Air Quality Monitoring Initiative

The issue of sustainability is at the top of the political and societal agenda, being considered of extreme importance and urgency. Human individual action impacts the environment both locally (e.g., local air/water quality, noise disturbance) and globally (e.g., climate change, resource use). Urban environments represent a crucial example, with an increasing realization that the most effective way of producing a change is involving the citizens themselves in monitoring campaigns (a citizen science bottom-up approach). This is possible by developing novel technologies and IT infrastructures enabling large citizen participation. Here, in the wider framework of one of the first such projects, we show results from an international competition where citizens were involved in mobile air pollution monitoring using low cost sensing devices, combined with a web-based game to monitor perceived levels of pollution. Measures of shift in perceptions over the course of the campaign are provided, together with insights into participatory patterns emerging from this study. Interesting effects related to inertia and to direct involvement in measurement activities rather than indirect information exposure are also highlighted, indicating that direct involvement can enhance learning and environmental awareness. In the future, this could result in better adoption of policies towards decreasing pollution.

Awareness and Learning in Participatory Noise Sensing

The development of ICT infrastructures has facilitated the emergence of new paradigms for looking at society and the environment over the last few years. Participatory environmental sensing, i.e. directly involving citizens in environmental monitoring, is one example, which is hoped to encourage learning and enhance awareness of environmental issues. In this paper, an analysis of the behaviour of individuals involved in noise sensing is presented. Citizens have been involved in noise measuring activities through the WideNoise smartphone application. This application has been designed to record both objective (noise samples) and subjective (opinions, feelings) data. The application has been open to be used freely by anyone and has been widely employed worldwide. In addition, several test cases have been organised in European countries. Based on the information submitted by users, an analysis of emerging awareness and learning is performed. The data show that changes in the way the environment is perceived after repeated usage of the application do appear. Specifically, users learn how to recognise different noise levels they are exposed to. Additionally, the subjective data collected indicate an increased user involvement in time and a categorisation effect between pleasant and less pleasant environments.

Fascicule technique pour la mise en œuvre du suivi "Paramètres Physico-Chimiques & Phytoplancton" du réseau de contrôle de surveillance DCE à La Réunion : Réseau Hydrologique du Littoral Réunionnais

De 2010 à 2012, le projet " Bon Etat : Actualisation de l’état des lieux du SDAGE, volet eaux côtières réunionnaises " (DEAL de La Réunion/Ifremer) a permis la mise en place de 4 groupes de travail DCE experts dont les travaux ont été synthétisés à travers 4 fascicules techniques définissant les conditions de mise en oeuvre des différents suivis du réseau de contrôle de la surveillance (RCS) DCE en milieu marin à la Réunion. Une première version du fascicule "Physico-chimie & phytoplancton", a été produite en 2012 et validée au niveau national par les référents DCE (Coordination "phytoplancton", Coordination "hydrologie", Coordination nationale DCE milieu Marin, responsable projet Quadrige). Une mise à jour a été proposée en 2015 (Office de l'eau Réunion/Ifremer) dans la double perspective des recommandations du GT DCE de la Réunion et des nouvelles campagnes de suivi du "Réseau Hydrologique du Littoral Réunionnais - RHLR". Ce fascicule a vocation à constituer le support technique des méthodes et des référentiels pour la réalisation du suivi "RHLR" du RCS DCE à La Réunion. Il précise les protocoles de prélèvement, d’analyse, de bancarisation, de synthèse et de diffusion des données. Il présente également les indicateurs associés aux différents éléments de qualité, adaptés à La Réunion

Ravinnevisio : Selvitys Pirkanmaan puhdistamolietteiden ja biojätteiden ravinteista ja niiden potentiaalisesta käytöstä

Selvityksen Pirkanmaan puhdistamolietteiden ja biojätteiden ravinteista ja niiden potentiaalisesta käytöstä on teettänyt Pirkanmaan ELY-keskus, Pirkanmaan Jätehuolto Oy, Tampereen Seudun Keskuspuhdistamo Oy ja Nokian Vesi Oy. Työn on toteuttanut Tampereen teknillinen yliopisto ja Luonnonvarakeskus. Työssä selvitettiin Pirkanmaan alueen ja erityisesti Tampereen seudun yhdyskuntajätevesien käsittelyssä muodostuvien puhdistamolietteiden ja biojätteiden ravinnesisältöä, käsittelyä biokaasulaitoksessa ja mädätysjäännöksen prosessointiin soveltuvia tekniikoita. Lisäksi selvitettiin mädätysjäännöksen tai siitä prosessoitujen lannoitevalmisteiden käyttöä maa- ja metsätaloudessa sekä viherrakentamisessa. Työn pidemmän aikavälin tavoitteena on yhdyskuntajäteveden puhdistamolietteiden ja biojätteiden sekä niiden sisältämien ravinteiden hyötykäytön edistäminen maakunnassa. Selvityksen perusteella Tampereen seudulla näyttäisi olevan puhdistamoliete- ja biojäteperäisten lannoitevalmisteiden ja maanparannusaineiden käyttöön soveltuvaa peltoalaa kohtuullisella kuljetusetäisyydellä. Tuotteiden laajamittainen hyötykäyttö ja ravinteiden kierrätys riippuu oleellisesti tuotteen myyntiketjun ja levityspalvelujen sekä tuotteen ominaisuuksien kehittämisestä, ohjaavien toimien ja lainsäädännön ohella. Nykyisen tietämyksen valossa suurin este puhdistamolietteiden hyödyntämiselle ovat ennakkoasenteet, sillä tehtyjen riskinarviointien perusteella puhdistamoliete- tai biojäteperäisten lannoitevalmisteiden käytöstä ei aiheudu vaaraa ihmisille.

Czas wolny, turystyka i rekreacja osób niesłyszących w Polsce - zarys specyfiki problemu

This study brings closer the problems of a selected group with a handicap – deaf people for whom the main mode of communication is the Polish Sign Language. The subject of studies is leisure time, how it is spent by them both everyday and during vacation. The book presents a survey of literature, good practice and also results of the author’s own studies conducted in the years 2004-2010, concerning problems of tourism and recreation of the deaf. In the years 2008-2010 studies were conducted within the research project financed by Ministerstwo Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego (the Ministry of Science and Higher Education). One of the results of work on this project are multimedia programmes – tourist guides: SITur and SITex containing a translator of the Polish Sign Language.

Problems of Tourism Development on a Regional Scale

In the first part of the study the types of barriers to tourism development that may occur during the planning phase of this development, and in the phase of implementation of these plans, including the endogenous and exogenous barriers, were presented. The second part presents the results of research on the factors hindering the development of tourism identified in the selected region of Wielkopolska Province (Poland). The article presents detailed description of tourism barriers categories, which include: political and legal, economic, infrastructure, social, geographical and organizational problems. In the final part article presents a difference in the understanding of problems depending on the stakeholder groups, which leads to the conclusion that in order to be able to specifically identify problematic issues opinion of different stakeholders categories should be recognized. Only such action can lead to the construction of the development strategy, which will not have any areas of uncertainty (i.e. «gaps» in the identifying problem areas).

Podstawy planowania rozwoju „turystyki dostępnej”

Artykuł przybliża podstawowe założenia, dotyczące planowania rozwoju „turystyki dostępnej”, związane z: rozpoznaniem jej uwarunkowań (społeczno-demograficznych, ekonomicznych, prawnych), czynników ograniczających (barier) oraz doborem narzędzi polityki wspierającej ten rozwój. Materiały źródłowe stanowią dane zaczerpnięte z literatury, dokumentów, aktów prawnych, rekomendacji związanych z tematem, jak również wyniki wcześniejszych badań autorek, omówione w wielu opracowaniach. W oparciu o przeprowadzone analizy, do podstawowych zasad planowania rozwoju „turystyki dostępnej”, istotnych na wszystkich etapach prac zaliczono: (1) systemowe ujmowanie turystyki, (2) współpracę podmiotów tworzących ofertę turystyczną, (3) partycypację OzN na wszystkich etapach planowania, (4) personalizację i dywersyfikację oferty turystycznej, (5) spójność informacji turystycznej z ofertą, (6) wypracowanie i wdrażanie standardów dostępności, (7) projektowanie uniwersalne oraz (8) kształtowanie świadomości społecznej i kompetencji kadry obsługującej turystów w zakresie obsługi osób z niepełnosprawnością.

THE CONTRIBUTION OF THE GEOGRAPHY OF DISABILITY TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ‘ACCESSIBLE TOURISM’

The article presents an outline of the evolution of the geography of disability (since the 1930s) taking into account significant issues in the creation of theoretical foundations as well as practical action in ‘accessible tourism’. It may be considered a review. Based on an analysis of literature, the first section presents a definition of ‘accessible tourism’ and the development of the geography of disability, the result of which is the geographical model of disability. The second section is a synthetic presentation of the effect of geographical research on the development of theoretical accessible tourism concepts and their implications in practice. The final conclusions highlight the need to identify the level of detail in universal design principles applied to buildings, spaces, services, which are to fulfil the criteria of accessibility for people with various types of disability.

WKŁAD GEOGRAFII NIEPEŁNOSPRAWNOŚCI W ROZWÓJ „TURYSTYKI DOSTĘPNEJ”

Zarys treści: Celem artykułu jest przedstawienie w zarysie ewolucji badań geografii niepełnosprawności (od lat 30. XX w.), z uwzględnieniem zarówno tematyki istotnej dla tworzenia podstaw teoretycznych, jak i działań praktycznych w zakresie „turystyki dostępnej”. Opracowanie ma charakter przeglądowy. W oparciu o analizę literatury w pierwszej części przedstawiono definicję „turystyki dostępnej” oraz rozwój geografii niepełnosprawności, którego efektem jest m.in. geograficzny model niepełnosprawności. W części drugiej syntetycznie ukazano wkład wyników badań geograficznych w rozwój podstaw teoretycznych koncepcji „turystyki dostępnej” oraz ich implikacje w działaniach praktycznych. We wnioskach końcowych zwrócono m.in. uwagę na potrzebę określenia poziomu szczegółowości zasad uniwersalnego projektowania obiektów, przestrzeni, usług, które mają spełniać kryteria dostępności dla osób z różnymi rodzajami niepełnosprawności.