Objective: To measure the level of functional health literacy (FHL) in an Australian population, and to explore the level of risk associated with level of FHL. Design, setting and participants: Cross‐sectional, random population survey administered to 2824 South Australians aged ≥ 15 years, September – October 2008. Main outcome measures: Newest Vital Sign as a measure of FHL, self‐reported general health status, and use of health services. Results: 24% of respondents were at risk of limited FHL, and 21% had a high likelihood of inadequate FHL; this increased with age (≥ 65 years, 50% v 25–44 years, 11%). In multiple logistic regression models, a high likelihood of inadequate FHL was significantly more common among those with lower education (left school ≤ 15 years of age, odds ratio [OR], 8.1; 95% CI, 4.8–13.6); with lower annual income (< $20 000, OR, 4.1; 95% CI, 2.3–7.4); who were born in countries other than Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Ireland; and with poorer health status (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.2–2.2). Inadequate FHL was significantly less common among females (OR, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.5–0.8). People with inadequate or at‐risk FHL were significantly more likely to report having diabetes, cardiac disease or stroke, and significantly less likely to have recently attended a doctor. Respondents aged ≥ 65 years with inadequate FHL were more likely to have been admitted to hospital (OR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.1–4.5). Conclusion: Many Australians are likely to have limited health literacy, and this is a risk to effective health care delivery and health improvement across the community.

Gravity model, food standards, tariff equivalent,

No abstract

In this paper, we explore the possible policy responses to the COVID‐19 pandemic shock as well as the related economic (financial crisis) shocks on trade and global value chains (GVC) in East Asia. We find that regional policy coordination is critical to mitigate and isolate the pandemic shock. It is important to identify the pandemic events early to flatten the pandemic curve at the national and regional level. This supports a recent study by the World Bank (2020), which highlights the importance of early mitigation policies during the pandemic shock. The cost of the pandemic and economic shocks will increase significantly when several countries in the region experience the pandemic shock concurrently. In this case, flattening the regional pandemic curve becomes important. The results also indicate the need for greater coordination in East Asia to mitigate the pending economic shock in terms of unemployment, corporate bankruptcy and financial market fragility. The paper also highlights that the stability of the GVC network is critical during the pandemic in terms of hedging the risk of disruptions to the procurement of critical medical and health products as well as maintaining service linkages to manufacturing, such as the logistics sector. Regional policy coordination and the stability of GVC will be valuable in the post‐pandemic recovery of the region.

When thefinancing ofexpenditure programmes involrrs u weware cost, that cost shouldbe consideredpart of the opportunity cost of the expenditure programme. In this paper, we explore some concepts of the werare loss oftaxing labour income. We correct some measures previously appliedandestimate the marginal cost of Australian public funds. Using our measure of the cost of public f u n k . we explore the costs of policy options in the motor vehicle industry.