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Upsala Journal of Medical Sciences May 2020This report is an ethical analysis based on both facts and values. In fertilization (IVF), there is an intricate interaction between rapid scientific development and... (Review)
Review
This report is an ethical analysis based on both facts and values. In fertilization (IVF), there is an intricate interaction between rapid scientific development and changing societal values. In most countries, the ethical discussion is no longer on whether or not IVF in itself is ethically justifiable. Therefore, in this review, I discuss other ethical aspects that have emerged since IVF was first introduced, such as upper age limits, 'ownership' of gametes and embryos, IVF in single women and same-sex couples, preimplantatory genetic testing, social egg freezing, commercialization, public funding, and prioritization of IVF. Despite secularization, since religion still plays an important role in regulation and practices of IVF in many countries, positions on IVF among the world religions are summarized. Decision-making concerning IVF cannot be based only on clinical and economic considerations; these cannot be disentangled from ethical principles. Many concerns regarding the costs, effects, and safety of IVF subtly transcend into more complex questions about what it means to society to bear and give birth to children.
Topics: Age Factors; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Fertilization in Vitro; Global Health; Humans; Ownership; Patient Safety; Religion and Medicine
PubMed: 31686575
DOI: 10.1080/03009734.2019.1684405 -
PloS One 2022Free-roaming dog population management is conducted to mitigate risks to public health, livestock losses, wildlife conservation, and dog health and welfare. This study...
Free-roaming dog population management is conducted to mitigate risks to public health, livestock losses, wildlife conservation, and dog health and welfare. This study aimed to determine attitudes towards free-roaming dogs and their management and describe dog ownership practices in three European countries. We distributed an online questionnaire comprising questions relating to dog ownership practices and attitudes towards free-roaming dogs using social media. We used logistic regression and ordinal probit models to determine associations between demographic and other factors with ownership practices and attitudes towards free-roaming dogs. This study found that most surveyed respondents wanted to see a reduction in free-roaming dog numbers, and felt that this should be achieved through sheltering, catch-neuter-release, and by controlling owned dog breeding. We identified significant associations between both attitudes and ownership practices with gender, religious beliefs, age, education level, reason for dog ownership, previous experience with free-roaming dogs, and country of residence. Respondents who identified as: (i) male, (ii) holding religious beliefs, (iii) owning dogs for practical reasons, (iv) being young, or (v) having no schooling or primary education had a lower probability of neutering and a higher probability of allowing dogs to roam. Respondents who identified as: (i) female, (ii) feeling threatened by free-roaming dogs, (iii) older, or (iv) having more education had a higher probability of answering that increases in free-roaming dog numbers should be prevented. These findings can help to inform future dog population management interventions in these countries. We emphasise the importance of considering local attitudes and dog ownership practices in the development of effective dog population management approaches.
Topics: Animals; Dogs; Ownership
PubMed: 35235582
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252368 -
JAMA Network Open Oct 2023
Topics: Humans; Child; Young Adult; Adult; Ownership; Violence; Firearms
PubMed: 37851450
DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.40564 -
Tidsskrift For Den Norske Laegeforening... Nov 2023
Topics: Humans; Ownership; Peer Review, Research; Publishing; Peer Group
PubMed: 37987061
DOI: 10.4045/tidsskr.23.0751 -
PloS One 2023This paper uses firm-level data worldwide to investigate productivity gaps between female and male-managed companies in developing and developed countries and compare...
This paper uses firm-level data worldwide to investigate productivity gaps between female and male-managed companies in developing and developed countries and compare the outcomes obtained for different regions in the world. The main aim is to shed some light on the debate around the existence of performance differences when females participate in managerial activities. The main results indicate that it is crucial to distinguish between female management and female ownership and the confluence between both. We find that when the firms have a top female manager and ownership is exclusively male, firms show higher average labor productivity. We argue that firms owned by males belong to male-dominated corporate culture and would only select a female manager if she is more competent than potential male candidates. These results are very heterogeneous among regions, of which South Saharan Africa, East Asia, and South Asia are driving the main results.
Topics: Male; Humans; Female; Asia, Eastern; Organizational Culture; Ownership; South Africa; Africa, Northern
PubMed: 36791054
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273976 -
BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.) Jul 2023To review the evidence on trends and impacts of private equity (PE) ownership of healthcare operators.
OBJECTIVE
To review the evidence on trends and impacts of private equity (PE) ownership of healthcare operators.
DESIGN
Systematic review.
DATA SOURCES
PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Scopus, and SSRN.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR STUDY SELECTION
Empirical research studies of any design that evaluated PE owned healthcare operators.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
The main outcome measures were impact of PE ownership on health outcomes, costs to patients or payers, costs to operators, and quality. The secondary outcome measures were trends and prevalence of PE ownership of healthcare operators.
DATA SYNTHESIS
Studies were classified as finding either beneficial, harmful, mixed, or neutral impacts of PE ownership on main outcome measures. Results across studies were narratively synthesized and reported. Risk of bias was evaluated using ROBINS-I (Risk Of Bias In Non-randomised Studies of Interventions).
RESULTS
The electronic search identified 1778 studies, with 55 meeting the inclusion criteria. Studies spanned eight countries, with most (n=47) analyzing PE ownership of healthcare operators in the US. Nursing homes were the most commonly studied healthcare setting (n=17), followed by hospitals and dermatology settings (n=9 each); ophthalmology (n=7); multiple specialties or general physician groups (n=5); urology (n=4); gastroenterology and orthopedics (n=3 each); surgical centers, fertility, and obstetrics and gynecology (n=2 each); and anesthesia, hospice care, oral or maxillofacial surgery, otolaryngology, and plastics (n=1 each). Across the outcome measures, PE ownership was most consistently associated with increases in costs to patients or payers. Additionally, PE ownership was associated with mixed to harmful impacts on quality. These outcomes held in sensitivity analyses in which only studies with moderate risk of bias were included. Health outcomes showed both beneficial and harmful results, as did costs to operators, but the volume of studies for these outcomes was too low for conclusive interpretation. In some instances, PE ownership was associated with reduced nurse staffing levels or a shift towards lower nursing skill mix. No consistently beneficial impacts of PE ownership were identified.
CONCLUSIONS
Trends in PE ownership rapidly increased across almost all healthcare settings studied. Such ownership is often associated with harmful impacts on costs to patients or payers and mixed to harmful impacts on quality. Owing to risk of bias and frequent geographic focus on the US, conclusions might not be generalizable internationally.
SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION
PROSPERO CRD42022329857.
Topics: Humans; Ownership; Hospitals; Nursing Homes; Health Services; Outcome Assessment, Health Care
PubMed: 37468157
DOI: 10.1136/bmj-2023-075244 -
Global Health, Science and Practice Sep 2020Although enduringly intangible, community ownership is foundational to primary health care. This intangibility is a reminder of what programs can and should do (create...
Although enduringly intangible, community ownership is foundational to primary health care. This intangibility is a reminder of what programs can and should do (create space for dialogue, question their own choices, expand diversity in stakeholder voices making sense of program-induced changes, including through evaluation) and what they cannot do (manage someone else’s ownership).
Topics: Female; Humans; Ownership; Pregnancy; Primary Health Care; Zambia
PubMed: 33008849
DOI: 10.9745/GHSP-D-20-00427 -
PloS One 2022The study examined the relationship between ownership structure and financial performance of commercial banks in Kenya for the period 2009-2020. The data were collected...
The study examined the relationship between ownership structure and financial performance of commercial banks in Kenya for the period 2009-2020. The data were collected from audited financial statements of 39 commercial banks in Kenya. Regression results found strong evidence on ownership structures in explaining the differences in commercial banks' financial performance. The results established that the greatest influence of ownership structures was on net interest margin at 53.04% and return on assets at 31.37%. Influence of ownership structures was found to be low on return on equity at 3.32% and earnings per share at 2.13%. The results found a negative association between state ownership and net interest margin, negative association between management ownership and both net interest margin and earnings per share, negative association between institutional ownership and return on assets and a negative association between foreign ownership and earnings per share. Based on the findings, commercial banks should vary their ownership structures to boost financial performance. Secondly, banks with high percentage of state ownership should consider partial privatization to improve corporate governance practices. Third, banks should adopt managerial ownership policy limiting the proportion of equity stock on executives to limit their powers in strategic decision making. Fourth, the study proposes a percentage limit on equity stock of an individual institutional investor. Lastly, the study proposes that bank's management to come up with a policy detailing the role and place of foreign investors in strategic decision making to ensure their presence in every decision undertaken by bank managers.
Topics: Internationality; Kenya; Ownership
PubMed: 35594258
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0268301 -
Current Psychiatry Reports Aug 2020The topic of sex doll ownership is becoming an increasingly discussed issue from both a social and legal perspective. This review aims to examine the veracity of the... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE OF REVIEW
The topic of sex doll ownership is becoming an increasingly discussed issue from both a social and legal perspective. This review aims to examine the veracity of the existing psychological, sexological, and legal literature in relation to doll ownership.
RECENT FINDINGS
Strong views exist across the spectrum of potential socio-legal positions on sex doll ownership. However, there is an almost total lack of empirical analyses of the psychological characteristics or behavioral implications of doll ownership. As such, existing arguments appear to represent the philosophical positions of those scholars expressing them, rather than being rooted in any objective evidence base. Despite an absence of empirical data on the characteristics and subsequent effects of doll ownership, discussions about the ethical and legal status of doll ownership continue. This highlights a real and urgent need for a coherent research agenda to be advanced in this area of work.
Topics: Humans; Ownership
PubMed: 32803480
DOI: 10.1007/s11920-020-01177-w -
The New England Journal of Medicine Feb 2014
Topics: Clinical Trials as Topic; Information Dissemination; Ownership
PubMed: 24450856
DOI: 10.1056/NEJMe1400850