Suchergebnisse

Population aging is a concern to policy makers in Cuba where by 2025 there will be more pensioners than workers. We describe a unique, exploratory study of older Cubans 60+ years of age and how they cope with stress associated with economic vulnerability and adverse living conditions. Many older persons have incomes too low to provide a minimum standard of living. We address the following questions. (1) What chronic environmental stressors do older persons face? (2) What strategies do they employ to cope with these stressors? (3) What implications for policy follow from these questions? We discuss qualitative data from interviews with 50 older persons conducted in Havana in a mixed methods investigation. Most participants appraised difficult living conditions as hard to change, which explains a high prevalence of the use of avoidance coping strategies, including resignation. Policy makers need to understand how older persons cope with adversity to determine relevant service needs for this population.

The United States government proposes the eradication of the coca leaf in Peru to combat narcotics trafficking and cocaine use in the U.S. This proposal is discussed not only in terms of its officially stated goals, but also in terms of other factors which motivate its implementation. The proposal is likely to be accepted by Peru despite the fact that it contains a number of political disincentives to the Peruvian government. The proposal, if implemented, is likely to face difficulties, but will silence Congressional criticism that narcotics agencies have been ineffectual in stopping trafficking.