No abstract

Using kernel density estimation we find that, over their 1990s business cycles, the entire distribution of after-tax household size-adjusted income moved to the right in the United States and Great Britain while inequality declined. In contrast, Germany and Japan had less income growth, a rise in inequality and a decline in the middle mass of their distributions that spread mostly to the right, much like the United States experienced over its 1980s business cycle. In the United States and Japan, younger persons fared relatively better than older persons while the opposite was the case in Great Britain and Germany.

No abstract

Quality of life (QoL) is an important psychological dimension in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The factor structure of the SF-36 in patients with PD was investigated to determine how this measure might best be used to assess QoL in this clinical population. METHODS: Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on self-report SF-36 data from 339 individuals diagnosed with PD. Six structural models of the SF-36 were evaluated against data. RESULTS: The underlying factor structure of the SF-36 in PD was found to be inconsistent with the assumed measurement model of SF-36 but consistent with contemporary theoretical models of the instrument. CONCLUSIONS: The use of the SF-36 in individuals with PD can be recommended when eight subscales are used and reported. The use of the instrument as a two-subscale measure of physical health and mental health components, however, was not found.

Using data from the March Current Population Survey, summary inequality measures as well as kernel density estimations, we find gains from economic growth over the 1990s business cycle (1989-2000) were more equitably distributed than over the1980s business cycle (1979-1989). The entire distribution of household size-adjusted income moved upwards in the 1990s with profound improvements for African Americans, single mothers and those living in households receiving welfare. Most gains occurred over the growth period 1993-2000. Improvements in average income and income inequity over the latter period are reminiscent of gains seen in the first three decades after World War II.