bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
THE QUALITY OF SURGICAL CARE PROJECT: A MODEL TO EVALUATE SURGICAL OUTCOMES IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA USING POPULATION‐BASED RECORD LINKAGE
Authors: Semmens James B. , Lawrence–Brown Michael M.D. , Fletcher David R. , Rouse Ian L. , Holman C. D'Arcy J. 
Published: January 2008

Background:The aim of this study is to establish model to evaluate surgical outcomes and, where indicated, recommend changes to improve the quality of surgical care in Western Australia (WA). Open resection for aneurysm of the abdominal aorta was the first procedure evaluated and the results are reported in an accompanying paper.Methods:The Quality of Surgical Care Project (QSCP) is conducted under the aegis of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) in WA, and brings together multidisciplinary team of surgeons, public health researchers and health service administrators. The Western Australia Health Services Research Linked Database (the WA Linked Database) is used to provide linked chains of patients records residing in the state health department from the following sources: hospital morbidity data system, birth and death records, mental health services data, cancer registrations and midwives' notifications. This links 16 years of population–based patient records from 1980, including all public and private hospital admissions and re‐admissions. The Quality of Surgical Care Project was established to use and to correlate the data from the WA Linked Database.Results:The result is powerful database for contained population that is available for scientific analysis by multidisciplinary team of clinical epidemiologists, surgeons and health service managers. Users will have the ability to establish benchmark standards for the outcomes of surgical procedures in WA for use in quality improvement programmes run by the College and will facilitate self‐directed performance auditing activities as commitment to greater community accountability.Conclusions:The Quality of Surgical Care Project provides potential model of benefits to be realized by both the medical profession and the community through multidisciplinary collaboration supported by adequate information. Although migration from WA is relatively low, future linkage to the state electoral roll will allow correction for any population change.
THE QUALITY OF SURGICAL CARE PROJECT: BENCHMARK STANDARDS OF OPEN RESECTION FOR ABDOMINAL AORTIC ANEURYSM IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Authors: Semmens James B. , Lawrence‐Brown Michael M. D. , Norman Paul E. , Codde Jim P. , Holman C. D'Arcy J. 
Published: January 2008

Background:The Quality of Surgical Care Project (QSCP) was established in May 1996, to evaluate surgical outcomes and where indicated, recommend changes to improve the quality of surgical care in Western Australia (WA). The purpose of this study is to establish benchmark standards in WA for operative mortality, 5‐year survival and length of stay in all patients who were surgically treated for aneurysm of the abdominal aorta (AAA) in WA.Methods:The WA Linked Database was used to link the morbidity and mortality records of all patients admitted and surgically treated for AAA in WA from 1985 to 1994. The linked chains of de‐identified hospital morbidity and death records were selected using diagnostic and procedure codes pertaining to AAA. Three groups were separated for analysis: those admitted for rupture, those admitted for elective repair, and those who were admitted to hospital as an emergency without mention of rupture but who underwent repair for AAA. Independent analysis for gender and patients 80 years or more were included in the study. Patients were excluded from the study if they were less than 55 years of age.Results:A total of 1475 cases (1257 males, 218 females) were identified. The mean age in elective cases was 70.4 years in males and 72.4 years in females, and for rupture the mean ages were 71.9 and 74.8 years, respectively. Median length of stay for males was 12 days for elective cases. Admission type or age did not significantly influence length of stay. Thirty‐day mortality in males was 4.4% for elective repair and 36.7% for ruptured AAA and 5‐year survival was 71.7 and 47.7%, respectively. The overall case fatality rate for ruptured AAA was 79.3% which included those cases who died from rupture without being admitted to hospital.Conclusions:These community‐wide data provide a realistic measure of surgical performance for open repair of AAA. The outcomes for elective and rupture repair for AAA compare favourably with standards reported by international centres of excellence. They also support the use of this procedure in patients over 80 years of age with rupture. This information can be used for ongoing audit purposes and as a benchmark for the introduction of new treatment modalities.
DIAGNOSIS OF SMALL SIZED INVASIVE BREAST CANCER BY AN AUSTRALIAN MAMMOGRAPHY SCREENING SERVICE: SURROGATE END‐POINTS FOR MORTALITY REDUCTION
Authors: Rickard Mary , Donnellan Michael 
Published: January 2008

Background:The percentage of screen‐detected infiltrating cancers that are small, the percentage that are node‐negative and the percentage of those that are grade 3 and small, are surrogate end‐points for the main object of breast screening, namely the reduction in mortality from breast cancer in the screened population.Methods:This study reports these end‐points; that is, the prognostic features of invasive cancers, as detected by the Central and Eastern Sydney Service of BreastScreen NSW. The data reported were collected by the Service on women who attended for screening between March 1988 and December 1994.Results:Breast cancer detection rates for women aged 50‐69 years were 78 per 10 000 for prevalent screens and 37 per 10 000 for incident screens with 36 and 37%, respectively, of the invasive cancers being ≥ 10 mm in size and 64 and 70%, respectively, being ≥ 15 mm in size. Seventeen per cent of invasive cancers were grade 3 and of these 45% were ≥ 15 mm in size. Axillary nodal dissection was carried out in 86% of invasive cancers and 69% of these were node‐negative, the rates of node negativity being higher for small‐sized cancers.Conclusions:Breast cancer detection rates, small invasive cancer detection rates, the percentage of small grade 3 cancers and the node negativity rates indicate that the potential long‐term mortality benefits of mammography screening should be achieved. These rates could be used to underpin a review of the Australian Accreditation Standards.
A STUDY OF THE RISK OF STRANGULATION AND OBSTRUCTION IN GROIN HERNIAS
Authors: Rai S. , Chandra S. S. , Smile S. R. 
Published: January 2008

Background: Complications that develop in groin hernias, such as irreducibility and obstruction, with or without strangulation may make an easily treatable condition a life‐threatening one. Identification of risk factors that may predict development would help place the patient in a high‐risk group. Priority admission and early elective surgery for such a patient would avoid significant mortality and morbidity. Methods: This is a 10‐year combined prospective and retrospective study of children and adults. Records of complicated groin hernias were identified from July 1985 to July 1995 from the outpatient department and available inpatient medical records. The same number of controls of simple uncomplicated hernias were then chosen using random number tables from among the large number belonging to the same time period. These two groups were then compared and analysed using statistical methods for age, sex, side of hernia, site of hernia (inguinal/femoral), duration of hernia, length of the waiting list for elective surgery, and contents of the hernial sac along with some other parameters to identify patients with high–risk factors. Results: Age was found to be a significant risk factor and predicted complications in both elderly adults and very young children. Sex of the patient (male) and side of hernia (right) were significant risk factors in children only. Site of hernia was an important risk factor and adults with femoral hernia were most likely to experience complications. Duration of hernia for less than a year proved to be the most important risk factor for both children and adults. The majority of patients with complicated hernias had not presented earlier in the outpatient department, which implies that most hernias that become complicated do so within a very short time before patient referral. Mortality was high in patients with coexisting diseases, while morbidity was affected by viability of contents of the hernial sac which in turn was directly affected by duration of irreducibility or delay in presentation. Conclusions: The risk factors useful in predicting complications in an adult patient with groin hernia were age (older age group), duration of hernia (short duration), type of hernia (femoral more than inguinal) and coexisting medical illness. In children, the risk factors were age (very young), gender (male), short duration of hernia and side (right side).
Protection and Structural Change form a Contestable Market Perspective
Authors: Pincus Jonathan J. 
Published: January 2008

AbstractBecause they are so well and so flexibly insulated from private competition, highly protected Australian producers in the public sector are resistant to the forces of structural change. The degree of protection is difficult to rationalise as an attempt to ensure that known technology is used efficiently, although it is possible that the threat of entry could, in some circumstances, produce a multifirm industry when a single producer would be cheaper. To set against this undesirable contingency are the possible normative benefits of freedom of entry (in keeping monopolists hones) as well as the positive power of vested interests.
The Economics of Regulation of Alcohol Distribution and Consumption in Victoria
Authors: Lloyd P. J. 
Published: January 2008

AbstractThis article examines critically the present structure of regulation of the liquor industry in Victoria. This is a mixture of detailed regulation of liquor supply conditions through the licensing of outlets and of taxation and other regulation of consumption activities. It examines the justification for regulation in some form which derives from socially harmful consequences of alcohol consumption such as drink driving and nuisance actions. The present controls are seen to be largely ineffective because they are not targetted closely to the activities which cause social harm. Substantial changes to the licensing system and other policies are recommended.
A Note on Estimating Unemployment Duration
Authors: Trivedi P. K. 
Published: January 2008

AbstractA focal point of a number of recent studies of unemployment duration has been the estimation of the unobserved average completed duration (ACD) of an unemployment spell using groped data on observed incomplete spells. Both parametric and non‐parametric methods are available. This note compares the assumptions underlying the two approaches and argues for the use of a non‐parametric estimator, specifically the Kaplan‐Meier estimator, on grounds of its use of the weaker assumptions. In an actual application of the Kaplan‐Meier estimator to some data from the Australian Labour Force Survey a Number of problems are experienced due to the fact that the estimator is intended for data in a life table format. The note briefly discusses the resolution of these problems and related statistical issues.
Housing Finance and Deregulation: Predictions and Outcomes
Authors: Yates Judith 
Published: January 2008

AbstractThis article explores the extent to which the deregulation of the Australian financial system over the past few years has borne out the claims of the Campbell and Martin Reports with regard to housing finance. It concludes that claims that there would be an increase in the availability of finance were optimistic but that claims that the effective rate of interest would not increase have been vindicated. It also concludes that the most significant innovations which have taken place have come, not from the private sector as predicted, but from the public sector.
The Relationship Between Output Growth and Unemployment: A Re‐examination of Okun's Law in Australia
Authors: Nguyen D. T. , Siriwardana A. Mahinda 
Published: January 2008

AbstractIn this article, we investigate the questions of whether some form of Okun's Law holds for Australia, and if so whether the Okun relationship has been stable. The results indicate that alternative formulations of the ‘law’ do not give rise to numerically similar parameter estimates. Nevertheless, one of these formulations yields estimates which appear to be both plausible and consistent with results from previous analyses. This particular formulation suggests that Okun's relationship in Australia underwent a structural change around 1974. The parameter estimates obtained can be regarded as rules of thumb which may be useful in discussing broad consequences of policy actions.
Income Inequality in Australia in an International Comparative Perspective
Authors: Saunders Peter , Hobbes Garry 
Published: January 2008

AbstractEarlier comparative work on income distribution has tended to suggest that Australia is characterised by less income inequality than other industrialised economies. Concerns about the quality of the Australian data used in such comparisons have led to the need for more detailed assessment of the situation. The Luxembourg Income Study has been a focus for this work by bringing together microdata sets for a range of countries and reorganising them to conform to standardised concepts and definitions. This paper builds on earlier work undertaken as part of the Luxembourg Income Study by including Australia in an international comparative analysis of income distribution and redistribution. The Australian data are those from the 1981–82 Income and Housing Survey, with income tax imputed onto the data file. Results are presented for the gross and net income distributions between both families and individuals in seven countries. A common set of equivalence scales is also used to adjust for differing family needs. The results indicate that, using several summary measures of inequality, the distribution of income in Australia is less equal than in four of the other six countries studied. Earlier research which placed Australia high on the international league table of income equality is thus not confirmed by the results.
Has Investment in Australia's Manufacturing Sector Become More Export Oriented?
Authors: Wood G. A. , Lewis P. E. T. , Petridis R. 
Published: January 2008

AbstractA more competitive and export‐oriented manufacturing sector is an important objective of the Australian Labor Government's economic strategy. In furthering this objective levels of tariff protection have been lowered and foreign exchange markets deregulated. The strategy has been boosted by the competitive gain afforded by depreciation of the Australian dollar in 1985 and 1986. This article offers estimates of the size of Australian manufacturing investment in export‐creating capacity over the period 1980‐81 to 1987‐88. A breakdown of these estimates by individual industries is also provided.Our estimates indicate an improving trend since depreciation of the Australian dollar. However, this improvement has been from a low base. Moreover, the levels of investment in export‐creating capacity have yet to attain the levels prevailing in the early 1980s, and there are worrying signs that the improving trend stalled toward the end of the period. However, the breakdown of our estimates by industry groupings shows positive changes in the pattern of investment in export‐creating capacity. There has been a movement away from resource‐based manufactures and a larger share for elaborately transformed manufactures. This is a favourable shift in emphasis since such technologically sophisticated manufactures have been amongst the fastest growing world markets.
The Cairns Group and the Uruguay Round of International Trade Negotiations
Authors: Tyers Rod 
Published: January 2008

AbstractThe Cairns Group was formed out of frustration among comparatively efficient agricultural exporting countries about a series of changes in the conduct of world agricultural trade over which they, as individual countries, could have no influence. They are collectively significant as producers of agricultural products, with more value added in agriculture than either the EC or the United States, and as agricultural exporters, with more such exports than the EC and the United States combined. Their cohesion, stemming from the reduction in their net agricultural export earnings by more than half as a consequence of protection in industrial countries, and their unique combination of industrial and developing countries has given them an extraordinary influence over the conduct of the Uruguay Round. This article quantifies their collective interest in agricultural trade reform, reviews their contributions to the Round and examines their interest in the reforms which are most likely to emerge from it.
Union Membership and the Legal and Institutional Environment: Labour Market Policy in Australia and the United Kingdom
Authors: Kenyon Peter , Lewis Philip E. T. 
Published: January 2008

AbstractThis article examines how the political and institutional environment impinges upon unionisation. Changes in policy towards trade unions in two countries are contrasted: the United Kingdom under the Conservative government where the industrial relations legal environment shifted in a direction antithetical to unionism, and Australia under the Labor administration where the union movement was incorporated into the labour policy process through a corporatist, centralised wage‐fixing system—the Accord. How these changes in the legal and institutional environment in the two countries affect the propensity to unionise is examined. It is found that in both the United Kingdom and Australia union density has declined from what it otherwise would have been in the absence of these radically different policies. It is argued that the extremes of corporatist centralisation and laissez‐faire decentralisation, perhaps paradoxically, make it difficult for unions to increase their membership.
Capital Market Integration and National Wealth
Authors: Makin Tony 
Published: January 2008

AbstractThis article examines the effects of increased capital market integration on Australia's external liabilities, total assets and national wealth using an inter‐temporal approach. Stylised national balance sheets‐then provide summary statements of how these aggregates changed following the unprecedented international financial liberalisation of the 1980s. Though the level of international debt was relatively high at the end of the 1980s compared to the 1970s, it was easily exceeded by growth in asset values, resulting in a sharp rise in wealth per head.
The Impact of Competition and Trade Unions on Workplace Reform and Organisational and Technological Change
Authors: Nunes Natalia , Crockett Geoffrey , Dawkins Peter 
Published: January 2008

AbstractThis article addresses two research questions, firstly to test the hypothesis that organisational and technological changes are more likely to occur in the traded goods sector, in the private sector relative to the public sector and in more competitive product markets. Secondly, to examine whether trade unions have a positive or negative effect on the implementation of different types of workplace reforms, and organisational and technological changes.The analysis supports the hypothesis that workplaces in the traded goods sector are more likely to implement organisational and technological changes. It also indicates that workplaces in the private sector are more likely to implement certain types of reforms, whereas workplaces in the public sector are more likely to implement others. However, this study does not provide conclusive evidence that competitive pressure in product markets increases the probability that a firm will implement each workplace reform mentioned in this study. The evidence on unions provides tentative support to the view that more unionised workplaces are less likely to implement the reforms in question.
The Cost of High and Long‐Term Unemployment
Authors: Flatau Paul , Hemmings Philip 
Published: January 2008

AbstractThe sharp increase in unemployment in the 1990s has focused attention once again on the causes, extent and effects of high and long‐term unemployment. This article presents a methodology for estimating the cost, in income terms, that individuals and their families bear as a result of becoming unemployed. Estimates of the cost of job loss are developed for Australia for the period 1973 to 1992. Two methods of estimating the cost of job loss are presented in this article. The first method is the conditional cost of job loss which refers to the loss in income an employed person would incur over a given period of time if they became unemployed. In Australia, the conditional cost of job loss rose sharply in the mid 1980s and again in the early 1990s because of a marked increase in the average duration of unemployment which more than offset a slight increase in the net replacement ratio (that is, the ratio of unemployment income to wage income). The second cost of job loss measure we estimate is the expected cost of job loss. This measure refers to the difference between the expected income stream of workers and the income stream associated with continued certain employment. We interpret the expected cost of job loss as an indicator of the bargaining strength of workers.
Penalty Rates and Enterprise Bargaining
Authors: King Stephen P. 
Published: January 2008

AbstractIndustrial relations procedures in both Australia and New Zealand are changing from a system based on centralised arbitration towards enterprise level negotiation. This article considers how this change will affect overtime and other penalty rate payments. In particular, we show how, despite the existence of a legislative ‘safety net’, enterprise level negotiations can lead to the widespread removal of penalty rates, possibly to the detriment of both employees and employers. Such changes will, however, enhance competition and benefit consumers.
Economic Transition in Central and Eastern Europe: Comparisons and Lessons
Authors: Balcerowicz Leszek 
Published: January 2008

Abstract There are three features which distinguish the global transition in Central and Eastern Europe: both economic and political systems are the focus of radical transformation, this institutional revolution has been largely peaceful, and a pluralistic political system emerged faster than capitalism in the economic sphere. The initial conditions, for example the inherited economic structure, the macroeconomic situation and the type of economic system, have an important impact upon the pace and effects of the subsequent market‐oriented reform. There are four important reasons why the state should concentrate its activity on the sphere of its natural competence. These reasons are even more important in economies of transition. The speed of the subordinate processes of transition differs which gives rise to important issues of phasing. Macroeconomic stabilisation, microeconomic liberalisation and privatisation should be implemented at a speed close to maximum. The Polish economic reform shows that a radical and comprehensive economic program introduced in an initially socialist economy, under extremely difficult macroeconomic conditions, can be successful in spite of powerful external shocks.