[Economic situation in urology-information from the Zi-Praxis-Panel]. / Wirtschaftliche Lage in der Urologie ­ Informationen aus dem Zi-Praxis-Panel.

This article describes the economic situation in German outpatient practices of urology during the period 2012-2015 based on data from the Zi-Praxis-Panel (ZiPP). Additionally, it discusses the aspects of working times and operating times. Furthermore, the article presents a new Zi project in the field of day surgery and ambulant inpatient surgery. It then introduces a new economic climate index for outpatient practices. Finally, the article explains the immediate excess value which outpatient practices gain from participating in the yearly ZiPP survey.

Gendered histories: garment production and migration in Mexico.

Data gathered in Aguascalientes during the 1990s are used to analyze how the garment industry in Mexico has responded to economic recession and trade liberalization. In particular, the relationship between industrial change and gendered patterns of migration are explored. The author concludes that "migration over recent years has increasingly allowed working women the possibility of entering a transnational labour force and given them important labouring and living experiences on both sides of the border."

Migration and labour supply in New England.

The author links changes in regional employment with demographic changes in New England during the relative economic boom that occurred in the region during the 1980s. It is noted that during this period, "New England had a very slow rate of natural population growth. The relatively high rate of growth in jobs coupled with the relatively stable population has produced labour shortages in parts of the region. It is demonstrated that the labour supply has become dependent on migrants from other regions. If the economic expansion continues, the region must significantly increase its net migration gains. If immigration to the region remains sluggish, the revival will be short-lived." This is a revised version of a paper originally presented at the 1988 Annual Meeting of the Population Association of America (see Population Index, Vol. 54, No. 3, Fall 1988, p. 428).

Sending countries and the politics of emigration and destination.

PIP: This article examines available means and activities of sending countries in their efforts to exert control over the "long-term temporary" emigration process. In the European case, the structure of migration has provided sending countries with ongoing channels for promoting their interests. In this picture the political dimensions of immigration are analyzed as epiphenomenal, dependent, or inconsequential. It is assumed that 1) state power directly correlates with economic power, and 2) economic and strategic power differences between states necessarily imply inequality in social and cultural terms. Although emigration may not serve the long-term "objective" interests of senders, it does provide a short-term safety value from the point of view of political managers. Both sending and receiving countries' interests are best served by a system of temporary labor migration, not permanent immigration. The receivers' ability to act according to narrow economic self-interest is restricted by a host of multilateral agreements that regulate and define the obligations and rights of the participants in international migration. Bilateral agreements not only specify the conditions of recruitment, employment, and family migration, they also provide a continuing basis for sending country influence throughout the migration process. Sending states that have a long history of emigration tend to have more developed and articulated emigration policies and commensurate institutional structures to channel and control the migration process in all stages--leaving, working abroad, and returning. The reluctance of Europe's immigrants to serve their social and political ties to their countries of origin is reinforced by the sending countries' activities aimed at insuring the continued long-term but temporary nature of migration.^ieng

Migrant workers in the Arab Gulf: the impact of declining oil revenues.

"This article explores the relationship between government expenditure and labor immigration in the Arab Gulf states. This relationship was close and positive during the rapid growth of the 1970s. Using Kuwait as a case study, trends in immigrant labor movements over the period 1981-85 are considered in detail. This analysis shows that the current economic downturn, reflecting the collapse of the world oil prices, has not resulted in the large scale re-export of foreign labor which was envisaged. The reasons for this foreign labor retention are considered and the authors speculate on future migration trends in the region."

The role of foreign workers in the seasonal fluctuations of the French economy.

PIP: The few studies that have been carried out only take into account the annual inflows of seasonal immigrants. This present article covers 2 other aspects of the problem: 1) the seasonal nature of immigration in general and 2) above all the role of permanent immigrant workers in certain sectors influenced by seasonal changes. The number of permanent first-time immigrants is determined, among other causes, by the need for a certain seasonal regulation of overall economic activity. The role of the foreign work force is o fparticular importance in 3 sectors influenced by seasonal changes, and it fulfills a function of seasonal regulation of activity in at least 2 of these sectors: the building trade and agriculture. However, the recognition of the need for seasonal regulation has been used as a pretext for making employment more unstable, in particular for permanent immigrant workers, many of whom cannot find work for the whole year. Seasonal work also plays a key role in agriculture and the hotel trade. Moreover, the part played by illegal immigrants is decisive, not only in these 2 sectors, but throughout the illegal labor market. In the years to come it is likely that seasonal immigration will continue to fall perhaps by half, as a result of mechanization in general, its application in grape-harvesting, and the adoption of new farming techniques. However, it will probably remain sufficiently high to make up for the lack of a national reserve of seasonal labor, especially in vegetable and fruit farming, lumbering, and catering. Seasonal immigration will doubtlessly continue also because it puts a downward pessure on the average wage and makes employment more precarious. It also constitutes a reserve of illegal labor, which can be used in sectors which have a crucial impact on the balance of goods and services in France. These advantages for the French government and employers are above all disadvantages for the seasonal immigrant workers themselves, whose living and health conditions are increasingly catastrophic.^ieng

Migration from Jamaica in the 1970s: political protest or economic pull?

PIP: This article discusses the high rates of out-migration from Jamaica in the late 1970s. The principal receiving countries of Jamaican migrants since World War II have been in the UK, the US, and Canada. Average yearly out-migration from Jamaica between 1964 and 1984 stands at 20,736. Since the 1950s 1) the actual number of migrants from Jamaica to the UK has decreased considerably with the introduction of prohibitive legislation in 1962, 2) the "slack" has been taken by the US and Canada, and 3) migration to the US dipped slightly in the early to mid 1970s, yet increases during those years of Jamaicans migrating to Canada adequately compensated for any loss of an outlet to the US. The "brain drain" forms a chronic feature of the Jamaican economy--a permanent sapping process of much needed labor--not simply an occasional event capable of being explained primarily by the political position of a particular politician. The increases in the migration rates of professional, technical, administrative, and managerial workers, and skilled craftsmen in 1977 and 1978 did not herald a new event; high rates of migration for these categories of workers have existed for several years. The volume and the composition of the actual Jamaican migrant population are decided in the main by legislation in other parts of the world. Although Jamaica's population problem has been eased over the years by as much as 50% of the country's natural increase being removed by migration, many of those who left were of the type whose skills might have contributed to the national economy--and in ways that might have created employment for others. The economic pull of loss of skilled labor is a permanent feature; legislative pull is the key.^ieng

Labor migration in Asia.

"A recent conference sponsored by the United Nations Center for Regional Development (UNCRD) in Nagoya, Japan examined the growing importance of labor migration for four major Asian labor importers (Japan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Singapore) and five major labor exporters (Bangladesh, Korea, Pakistan, Philippines, and Thailand).... The conference concluded that international labor migration would increase within Asia because the tight labor markets and rising wages which have stimulated Japanese investment in other Asian nations, for example, have not been sufficient to eliminate migration push and pull forces...."

International contract migration and the reintegration of return migrants: the experience of Sri Lanka.

"This article attempts to shed light on the issue of how far the labor exporting countries can monitor the process of reinsertion of return migrants in the domestic economy, with a view to maximizing net gains from international labor migration, drawing upon the experience of Sri Lanka. It begins with an examination of the socioeconomic characteristics of migrant workers with special emphasis on their post-migration activity status and the pattern of remittance utilization. Then it proceeds to evaluate critically the self-employment scheme that has been introduced by the Sri Lankan labor administration to advise and train return migrants in establishing themselves in business. The findings point to the danger of expecting too much from policy initiatives in this sphere."

The worldwide market for skilled migrants: can Australia compete?

"The purpose of this article is to...[analyze] the relative importance of internal and external factors on the demand for skilled immigration visas to Australia. Our objectives are to determine how the size of the pool of potential migrants is influenced by factors such as relative economic conditions and U.S. and Canadian immigration policies and to determine what implications these factors have on the relative quality (skill level) of potential migrants to Australia. Our results indicate that the demand for skilled immigration visas to Australia is related to the number of immigrants accepted by the United States and Canada as well as employment possibilities in Australia. We do not find a relationship between U.S. and Canadian policy and the relative quality of the applicant pool."

An interpretation of the effects of age on migration: Nordic migrants' choice of settlement in Sweden.

A model of the relationship between age and migration is developed and applied to data concerning migrants from other Scandinavian countries who settled in Sweden between 1968 and 1985. The author shows "how changes in Sweden's domestic economic conditions and distance determine the probability for settlement in any of its 24 provinces for migrants of different ages. The results show that in the integrated Nordic labor market, wages at destination do not explain differences in migrants' settlement behavior across ages. Instead they suggest that the major factors to explain the differences are the labor market situation for the different age groups and distance."

Remittances, trade and the Philippine economy.

"The relationships between trade, remittances from overseas workers and the domestic economy are examined for their implications for labor and trade policy [in the Philippines].... The limited use of remittances for real reproductive investments at the household level is associated with length of migration, reliance on overseas workers as a source of foreign exchange, and a failure to correct the structural imbalances of the economy."

Labor emigration and the accumulation and transfer of human capital.

"This article examines the processes involved in the acquisition and transfer of human capital by Filipino overseas workers.... In the four major occupational groupings (seamen, production/construction workers, domestic helpers and entertainers), little homeward transmission of human capital has been identified.... Because of the high rate of unemployment in the economy, the outflow of workers has had no observable impact on domestic wage rates."

[International migration and income redistribution: a trade-theoretic analysis]. / Internationale Migration und Einkommensverteilung: eine auBenhandelstheoretische Analyse.

"We analyze the income-redistribution effects of international migration in the host and source country in a general equilibrium framework. The well-known result that marginal migration leaves the welfare of nonmigrants unaffected is discussed in more detail with regard to shifts in national income distributions. With endogenous goods' prices the consequences for the income distribution are in general ambiguous--we show possibilities for an estimation of their magnitude. As long as wage disparities determine the direction of migration it increases world efficiency. However, redistributive policies may generate migration towards the low-wage country." (SUMMARY IN ENG)

Migration from rural to urban areas in China.

PIP: During the regime of Mao Zedong the migration of rural population to urban areas was forbidden. In 1982 the people's communes were dissolved creating surplus labor. In 1984 permission was given to peasants to move to towns of 100,000 inhabitants or less. In 1986 the state allocation of jobs and lifetime employment practices were abolished leading to the migration of peasants. Urban population has increased 30-50 million annually since 1985. In 1988-89 urban population consisted of urban registry holders numbering 200 million protected by the government, 100 million new residents unqualified for food rations who had moved into towns of 100,000 population, and the so-called floating population getting no government services numbering about 60-80 million in February 1990. Rural towns grew as a result of promotion of smaller sized cities. In 1983 there were 62,310,000 people in such cities, and by 1984 there were over 134 million mainly in the 15-29 age group. The increasing inflow of population into major cities also occurred in 1984-5 owing to the dissolution of communes. 23 cities with populations over 1 million received 10 million migrants/year, and 50 million migrate to towns and cities every year. In 1988 Shanghai had a mostly male floating population of 2.08 million/year, and Beijing had 1,310,000. This phenomenon led to the emergence of surplus agricultural labor. Village and township enterprises absorbed this surplus: in 1988 there were 18,888,600 such entities employing 95,454,600 people or 23.8% of the labor force. Surplus labor totals 220 million out of 400 million agricultural labor force. The gap between the hinterland and the rich coastal areas with special economic zones is widening, reminiscent of the north-south problem. This phenomenon is the harbinger of the transformation of China into a freer society with higher population mobility.^ieng

[The influence of politically determined wage rates on migration between Germany's new and old states]. / Lohnpolitik und innerdeutsche Arbeitskraftewanderung.

"This paper investigates the influence of politically determined wage rates on migration between Germany's new and old states. Apart from their direct influence on expected income and hence on migration, nominal wages affect migration indirectly by the unemployment they generate. Under reasonable assumptions the relation between nominal wages and migration is negative. The long-run influence of wages on capital accumulation and hence employment opportunities emphasizes that wage policy can be used either to control the long-run population stock or to stop migration immediately. That latter requires instantaneous wage-rate adjustments and initial wage-rate undershooting." (SUMMARY IN ENG)

Income inequality and urban/rural migration.

"The purpose of this paper is to examine some of the consequences of [U.S.] migration trends from 1970-1980, focusing on the relationship of income inequality within a state with population shifts within and across states. Furthermore, we wish to determine if the movement of wealth and the changing employment opportunities [have] had any effect on the distribution of income within the four census regions and for urban and rural populations across all fifty states." Data are from the 1970 and 1980 censuses.

Italy in the context of European migration.

"This article is divided into three sections. The first section analyses the transformation of Italy and other Southern European countries from nations of emigrants to nations of immigrants. In the second section, the volume and characteristics of immigration to Southern Europe are analysed in an attempt to point out, given the context of national characteristics, the similarities in the phenomenon of non-European migration. In the third section, an attempt is made to analyse the role played in the labour market by migrants from developing countries and to present evidence of the expansion of the underground Italian economy." Comments by R. Magni are included (pp. 113-4).

An analysis of the basic population structure of Shanghai Municipality.

PIP: This paper analyzes the changes in Shanghai's population structure over the last 30 years in the 4 aspects of age structure, sex composition, urban and rural composition, and labor and employment structure. In 1953 those of the 0 to 6 age group accounted for 21.2% of the total population; in 1957 the group represented a proportion of 24.6%. Since the 1960s, especially after the 1970s, the family planning program gradually took effect, and the birthrate of the entire municipality fell drastically. The number of school-age children in 1979 was 1 1/2 times more than the same age group in 1953; there should be no worry that population control may result in a shortage of manpower to meet the needs of the work force and the armed forces either toward the end of this century or at the beginning of the next. The economy in China is underdeveloped, production and technology remain at a low level, average wages for employees are low, and for a long time the low living standard of the people has shown little sign of improvement. The problem is mainly manifest in the following areas: 1) distribution of the work force in heavy and light industries is not sufficiently rational, 2) the distribution of the work force between captial construction and transport and communications on the 1 hand and the national economy on the other is out of proportion, 3) the distribution of the work force between commerce, service trades, and public utilities on the 1 hand and the national economy on the other is disproportionated, and 4) the distribution of the work force between undertakings of culture, education, scientific research, health, and medical care on the 1 hand and economic construction on the other is improper. How to control population growth and adjust parts of the population structure to suit the national economic development poses a problem that calls for further in-depth study and analysis to resolve it step by step.^ieng

Gender, Health and Retired Healthcare Professional Women / Género, Salud y Mujeres Profesionales de la Salud Retiradas

ABSTRACT This article focusses on issues that may impact the health and well-being of women who have retired from the healthcare professions. Gender ideologies that interconnect with social situations, economic conditions and family responsibilities are highlighted as these may influence the health status of these women. Women in health professions contribute significantly to the health status of our population at large. They may be able to contribute significantly to health-care even in their retirement years if their needs are known and addressed. It is intended that persons reading this article will become sensitive to the needs of these women and take steps to address them.

RESUMEN Este artículo se centra en problemas que pueden afectar la salud y el bienestar de las mujeres que se han retirado de profesiones de atención a la salud. Se destacan las ideologías de género que se interconectan con las situaciones sociales, las condiciones económicas y las responsabilidades familiares, ya que pueden influir en el estado de salud de estas mujeres. Las mujeres en profesiones de atención a la salud contribuyen significativamente al estado de salud de nuestra población en general. Ellas pueden contribuir significativamente a la atención a la salud incluso en sus años de jubilación, si sus necesidades son conocidas y atendidas. Se pretende que las personas que lean este artículo se sensibilicen con las necesidades de estas mujeres y tomen medidas en tal sentido.