Using the example of a large coalition of senior citizens in Ontario, Canada, the potential of consumer input to contribute to policy development and some key barriers to fulfilling that potential are explored. The political appeal of consumer involvement in policy development is highlighted, as is the potential for opposition from providers. The critical issue of finding sustainable funding to...

Global demands for increased food safety and quality assurance programmes, increased global competition, changing government rules and regulations, political and trade barriers, bioterrorism, and identity preservation requirements in global markets are affecting the world's food supply chain. To satisfy changing market demands, all suppliers in the food supply chain must adaptto these global is...

Now civil-rights lawyers are turning once again to psychology as a way to reveal the powerful hidden barriers created by modern-day bias. In battles over issues from affirmative action to workplace discrimination, educators, political theorists and activists are relying on Stanford University social psychologist Claude Steele's studies on "stereotype threat" to argue for policies that might mak...

Article history: Received 7 August 2014 Received in revised form 20 June 2015 Accepted 29 June 2015 Available online 9 July 2015 This study investigates whether a firm with strong corporate governance (CG) requires political connections (PCs), that is, we examine whether CG and PC substitute for or complement each other. Using 71,069 individual bank loan contracts from Taiwan, we examine how lo...

and political issue confronting society today. Estimates of the number of disabled persons in the United States vary greatly, ranging from 27 million to 35 million to 49 million. Disability is associated with an increased likelihood for hospitalization, institutionalization, and loss of economic self-sufficiency and normal role behaviors. In addition, some persons with disabilities face barrier...

Background. Michigan is 1 of only 4 states that require a physician referral or prescription before a consumer can receive treatment from a physical therapist.Objective. The purpose of the present analysis was to examine why the most recent attempts to pass direct access legislation in Michigan failed.Methods. The Policy Analysis Triangle approach, which considers the relevant actors, processes...

The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion calls for building healthy public policy, that is for '[putting] health on the agenda of policy makers in all sectors and at all levels, directing them to be aware of the health consequences of their decisions and to accept their responsibilities for health'. The objective of this study was to assess the past and potential future influence of information ...

OBJECTIVE Despite major advances in research on acute stroke care interventions, relatively few stroke patients benefit from evidence-based care due to multiple barriers. Yet current evidence of such barriers is predominantly from high-income countries. This study seeks to understand stroke care professionals' views on the barriers which hinder the provision of optimal acute stroke care in Ghan...

While most existing eParticipation projects have embraced the need for citizen engagement to achieve effective democracy, as of yet only limited success has been achieved. This lack of success stems from many challenges and barriers: in some cases, it is a lack of interest in policy issues and low levels of trust in politicians; in others, it is a lack of vision or awareness about the benefits ...

INTRODUCTION Adolescence is a critical period of transition from childhood to adulthood. In today's world, to pass through this period successfully it is necessary to have adequate information and knowledge about sexual and reproductive health (SRH) issues. In Iran, it is crucial that special attention be paid to reproductive health services for adolescents, especially for girls. PURPOSE This...