Valentina Viego

Empresarialidad e instituciones: dos nuevas perspectivas del análisis regional contemporáneo

This paper offers a review of the main progress made in entrepreneurship analysis and institutional economics, discussing its possible integration to genera...

Socioeconomic status and self-reported chronic diseases among Argentina’s adult population: results based on multivariate probability models

Background Hypertension, diabetes and hypercholesterolemia are the most frequent and diagnosed chronic diseases in Argentina. They contribute largely to the burden of chronic disease and they are strongly influenced by a small number of risk factors. These risk factors are all modifiable at the population and individual level and offer major prospects for their prevention. We are interested in socioeconomic determinants of prevalence of those 3 specific diseases. Design and methods We estimate 3-equation probit model, combined with 3 separate probit estimations and a probit-based Heckman correction considering possible sample selection bias. Estimations were carried out using secondary self-reported data coming from the 2013 Risk Factor National Survey. Results We find a negative association between socioeconomic status and prevalence of hypertension, cholesterolemia and diabetes; main increases concentrate in the transition from low to high SES in hypertension and diabetes. In cholesterol, the major effect takes place when individual crosses from low to middle SES and then vanishes. Anyway, in Argentina SES exhibit and independent effect on chronic diseases apart from those based on habits and body weight. Conclusions Public strategies to prevent chronic diseases must be specially targeted at women, poorest households and the least educated individuals in order to achieve efficacy. Also, as the probability of having a condition related to excessive blood pressure, high levels of cholesterol or glucose in the blood do not increase proportionally with age, so public campaigns promoting healthy diets, physical activity and medical checkups should be focused on young individuals to facilitate prophylaxis. Significance for public health Latin American countries are going through an epidemiological transition where infectious illnesses are being superseded by chronic diseases which, in turn, are related to lifestyles and socioeconomic factors. Specificities in the relationship between chronic diseases and socioeconomic status have been recorded in high income countries, but has not been sufficiently studied in low and middle income countries. We believe that analysis grounded on large scale datasets, recently available in Argentina, and based on proper statistical tools can provide useful guidance for decision making in public health policies as they highlight where population needs and risks do concentrate.

Condicionantes socioeconómicos y obesidad en adultos: evidencia basada en regresiones por cuantiles y datos de panel

Objective To measure the effect of socioeconomic variables on the prevalence of obesity. Factors such as income level, urbanization, incorporation of women into the labor market and access to unhealthy foods are considered in this paper. Method Econometric estimates of the proportion of obese men and women by country were calculated using models based on panel data and quantile regressions, with data from 192 countries for the period 2002-2005.Levels of per capita income, urbanization, income/big mac ratio price and labor indicators for female population were considered as explanatory variables. Results Factors that have influence over obesity in adults differ between men and women; accessibility to fast food is related to male obesity, while the employment mode causes higher rates in women. The underlying socioeconomic factors for obesity are also different depending on the magnitude of this problem in each country; in countries with low prevalence, a greater level of income favor the transition to obesogenic habits, while a higher income level mitigates the problem in those countries with high rates of obesity. Discussion Identifying the socio-economic causes of the significant increase in the prevalence of obesity is essential for the implementation of effective strategies for prevention, since this condition not only affects the quality of life of those who suffer from it but also puts pressure on health systems due to the treatment costs of associated diseases.

Metaheuristic Techniques for the Optimal Design of NGL Pipelining

Abstract We have considered the problem of designing a convenient piping layout in order to transport NGL (Natural-Gas Liquids) through a country subjected to an unstable economy. In this paper we provide a preliminary design of an optimization model by applying metaheuristic algorithms to a set of networks corresponding to a real-world case study. Experimental results for Simulated Annealing and Genetic Algorithms are presented and these techniques are compared.

Out-of-Home Care Programs in Argentina: Contradictions Between Effective Protection and Long-Term Permanency

According to UNICEF, in 2011 nearly 14,700 children lacking parental care were attended by public protection measures, such as out-of-home care devices. The aim of this work is to account for the operating conditions of such interventions in Buenos Aires province. Our approach agrees with methodological perspectives guiding current interventions aimed at childhood, which consider children as subject-bearing rights and request all social institutions watch their well-being. The analysis exploits documentary and primary sources of information based on interviews with actors involved in public special protection devices. Our focus is directed towards the analysis of suggested and effective conditions of permanence in special protective measures and, therefore, in exiting from such devices. One of the main conclusions is that bureaucratic requirements aimed to establish an explicit time horizon for public cash transfers face conflicts with more general guidelines that should guide interventions with childhood.

Childhood Rights in Argentina: Lessons from the New Regulatory Framework

In 2005 the Government of Argentina passed the National Law for the Integrated Protection of the Rights of Children and Adolescents. The legislation laid the groundwork for a new long awaited regulatory framework for the promotion and protection of children’s rights in Argentina. In this article we assess this regulatory framework and the extent to which it has enhanced the protection of children, particularly in Buenos Aires Province. In reviewing the administrative structure of the regulatory framework, and evidence of public expenditures on child protection and welfare, the working conditions of child protection staff, and the volume and nature of interventions directed towards children in the province, we argue that the formulation of child rights legislation has done little to alter longstanding popular perceptions and professional practices related to impoverished children.

The «Argentine failure» from a comparative perspective: the role of total factor productivity

The paper proposes an interpretation of the «Argentine failure» based on development accounting and econometrical approaches frequently used in the current cross-country income differentials literature. The main results are as follows: the development process of Canada — in term of per capita GDP –– moved away from that of Argentina around 1918, but there was a structural change in the determinants of aggregate productivity around 1935 that led Argentina to take a diverging path. Recovery — thanks to improved aggregate productivity –– was not possible after 1940. The results support the idea that Argentina fell into a «staple trap», while Canada embarked on a successful path due to the adjacency and political proximity with a larger and complementary economy.