No abstract

The ability of preretirement programs to generate changes which will facilitate the transition to retirement was investigated. A research design incorporating two experimental groups and one control group was employed to evaluate a group discussion program and an individual briefing program. Questionnaire data were collected prior to the programs and 1 mo. after program completion. Over 70 hourly and salaried male workers, age 60+, participated in the project. The group discussion program was effective in increasing knowledge of retirement issues. Participants felt better prepared for retirement and evidenced less uncertainty about the future. They also exhibited a significant increase in the number of preparation activities undertaken and the prevalence of retirement plans. Effectiveness of the individual briefing program was relatively minimal. This study indicated that a comprehensive preretirement program can produce favorable changes in retirement-related knowledge, attitudes, and behavior.

No abstract

This study assesses the influence of household structure and resource dilution characteristics on children's immunization coverage in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago. The study has three objectives: (1) to compare the impact of different types of household structures (e.g., single parent, two-parent, cohabiting and extended) on child immunization;(2) to examine the effects of household income and resource dilution on child immunization; and (3) to determine whether household structure and resource dilution interact to affect child immunization in these contexts.We use data from the Jamaica 1996 and Trinidad and Tobago 1997 Living Standards Measurement Study Survey and a series of logistic regression models to test hypotheses derived from the current child well-being literature. The results show that household income and household structures selectively predict children's immunization coverage in both contexts, with significant interaction effects enhancing the interpretation for Jamaica. The key policy implications that emerge from this study are that household structure and income are crucial for understanding child immunization in the Caribbean.

No abstract