BACKGROUND In 2012 the Norwegian Coordination Reform was implemented. The main motivation was to encourage municipalities to expand local, primary health care services. From 2012 to 2014, under the Municipal Co-Financing regime, municipalities were obliged to cover 20 % of the costs of health services provided at the specialist (hospital) level. Importantly, use of rehabilitation services in pr...

BACKGROUND Promoting physical activity and healthy eating habits by structural measures that reach most children in a society is presumably the most sustainable way of preventing development of overweight and obesity in childhood. The main purpose of the present study was to analyse whether policies and plans of action at the central level in municipalities increased the number of measures that...

Using data from 2001–2012, the effects of IKEA entry in four Swedish municipalities, 2004–2007, on labor productivity in durable goods retailing is investigated using synthetic control methods. We contribute to the literature on synthetic control methods by considering parametric specifications of the intervention effect, which in our case arguably improves the likelihood of identifying the int...

OBJECTIVES Mobile systems are widely adopted in healthcare services. Mobile reporting systems have been recently introduced for social home care by municipalities in Sweden. The study aims to assess the benefits of using these systems. METHODS We followed an expert survey approach. Data were collected by means of telephone interviews with the experts in charge of managing and implementing the...

Despite increased funding for research on the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), neither vaccine nor cure is yet in sight. Surveillance and prevention are essential for disease intervention, and it is recognised that spatio-temporal analysis of AIDS cases can assist the decision-making process for control of the disease. This study investigated...

Municipalities consume over 67% of global energy and are responsible for over 70% of greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that rapid adjustments need to happen at a global level, or the effects of climate change will be irreversible. The contribution of municipalities is therefore vital if GHG emissions are to be reduced. Our research is timely in ...

The increasing complexity concerning leadership and management of small and medium size municipalities in Switzerland, poses high demands on executive authorities. Cockpits for municipalities collect data for the decision-making processes in order to launch and establish a strategy and to enhance information based municipal leadership.

Purpose This paper explores how global pandemic crises affect the financial vulnerability of municipalities. Design/methodology/approach is developed from relevant literature an analytical framework to examine municipal before a crisis and in its immediate aftermath by mapping systematizing dimensions sources. To illustrate it can be used evaluate robustness flexibility, such tool was applied P...

This study analyzes the epidemiology of American tegumentary leishmaniasis in the municipalities of the Central North, Central West, and Northwest mesoregions of Paraná State, Brazil. Diagnosis of American tegumentary leishmaniasis cases was performed at the State University in Maringá from 1987 to 2004. According to the probable site of infection, cases were classified as autochthonous (infect...

BACKGROUND Assessing the impact of cost sharing on healthcare utilization is a critical issue in health economics and health policy. It may affect the utilization of different services, but is yet to be well understood. OBJECTIVE This paper investigates the effects of reducing cost sharing for outpatient services on hospital admissions by exploring a subsidy policy for children's outpatient s...