https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/133180 2026-04-05T10:00:33Z 2026-04-05T10:00:33Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/140268 2025-12-04T07:52:35Z 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: The impact of an increase in foreigners on the waiting times in healthcare in Malta Abstract: The increasing presence of foreign residents in Malta has raised questions about its impact on essential public services, including healthcare. As Malta’s only major public hospital, Mater Dei Hospital’s Emergency Department (ED) is critical to meeting the healthcare needs of both locals and foreigners. With the continuous growth of the foreign population, concerns have emerged regarding potential strains on the system, particularly in terms of increased waiting times in emergency care. This study investigates the impact of foreign residents on waiting times in Malta’s healthcare system, specifically at Mater Dei Hospital’s Emergency Department (ED). The objective is to assess whether foreign residents experience longer waiting times than Maltese residents and to identify the main factors contributing to these delays. Using data spanning from 2017 to 2023, the research employs an Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression model to examine various determinants of ED waiting times, including nationality, age, gender, arrival type, triage level, and the need for admission. The methodology involved comprehensive data cleaning and preparation of over 600,000 anonymous observations from Mater Dei’s records to fully adhere to ethical considerations. Separate regressions were run for the years 2017, 2020, and 2023 to account for temporal variations, particularly the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results showed that although nationality has a statistically significant impact on waiting times, its influence is relatively low compared to other variables. These findings underscore the need for policy measures to manage ED demand, particularly for non-native populations, and improve the overall efficiency of Malta’s healthcare system. Description: M.Sc.(Melit.)

2024-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/133773 2025-04-01T12:54:56Z 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Brain drain's impact : a case study on final year students Abstract: This dissertation investigates the phenomenon of brain drain among young adults in Malta, particularly focusing on final-year tertiary students contemplating migration after graduation. Brain drain, defined as the emigration of highly qualified individuals seeking better opportunities abroad, poses significant challenges for home countries, especially small states, by depleting their talent pool and undermining economic contributions. The study aims to assess the migration intentions of Maltese students, examining various influencing factors such as field of study, gender, degree type, income, and push and pull factors. Utilizing a custom survey and employing a linear probability model and a logistic regression analysis, the research identifies significant influences on migration intentions and provides a comprehensive understanding of the motivations behind potential emigration. The literature review highlights existing studies on brain drain, focusing on the critical role of youth in this trend and the socio-economic pressures they face. It discusses the push and pull factors that shape migration decisions, including educational opportunities, job prospects, and living conditions. Notably, the review identifies gaps in current research, such as the lack of concrete policy recommendations and the need for a more nuanced understanding of the interconnectedness of migration flows. The findings from the survey, which analysed responses from final-year students, reveal that economic opportunity is the primary motivator for migration, with about two-thirds of respondents indicating a desire to seek better job prospects and higher salaries abroad. The econometric analysis indicates that while demographic factors such as gender did not exhibit statistically significant effects on migration intentions, self-perception emerged as a crucial determinant. Students who viewed themselves as likely to migrate demonstrated a stronger inclination towards emigration, highlighting the importance of personal beliefs and attitudes in shaping migration behaviour, with pull factors emerging significant in the decision to migrate. The study also identifies a range of push factors, including limited job opportunities and low wages in Malta, alongside pull factors such as the allure of better salaries and quality of life in destination countries. The preference for migration to English-speaking countries, particularly the UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, reflects broader trends in migration patterns, where individuals gravitate towards nations offering favourable economic conditions and social stability. The implications of brain drain for Malta are profound, as the emigration of skilled graduates threatens to widen the skills gap and hinder economic growth. To address these challenges, the research emphasizes the need for targeted policy interventions that enhance the attractiveness of staying in Malta, such as improving job prospects, offering competitive salaries, and fostering an environment conducive to entrepreneurship and innovation. In conclusion, this dissertation contributes to the understanding of brain drain in Malta by providing insights into the factors influencing migration intentions among young adults. The findings underscore the importance of addressing both economic and emotional dimensions of migration decisions, as well as the necessity for comprehensive strategies to retain educated youth and foster a thriving economy. Future research directions are suggested, including longitudinal studies and qualitative approaches to further explore the complexities of migration intentions and the potential for brain circulation. Description: M.Sc.(Melit.)

2024-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/133295 2025-03-18T13:02:35Z 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Reviving trams as a form of public transport in Malta : students’ perspective and willingness to pay Abstract: Urban transportation plays a crucial role in Malta, a small island state grappling with issues of car dependency, traffic congestion, and environmental degradation. This study sought to explore Maltese tertiary students’ willingness to pay (WTP) for a proposed tram system, aimed at addressing the limitations of the current bus-based public transport (PT)system. The research focuses on four key tram attributes: travel time, frequency, reliability, and comfort. A survey based approach using the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) and econometric models, including an ordinal mixed-effects and an ordered logit model, was employed to elicit students’ perceptions and WTP for an improved PT system. The findings reveal widespread and strong dissatisfaction with Malta’s current bus system. The CVM results show that participating students valued reliability (€2.37) and comfort (€2.35) most, followed by travel time (€2.31) and lastly frequency (€2.21). The ordinal mixed-effects model added nuance by highlighting individual variations, with some students placing more emphasis on travel time than reliability. Initially the ordered logit model was run, however, due to concerns about the proportional odds assumption, the generalised ordered logit, which is a more flexible model, was adopted. The generalised ordered logit model indicates that higher car expenses were positively associated with WTP for a tram pass, suggesting that students facing higher car costs could find PT more appealing. Additionally, students perceived trams as a modern and trendy mode of transport, which could further encourage PT adoption. Despite current free bus services in Malta, the study suggests that participating students were willing to pay for improved PT, underscoring the importance of service quality over cost-free access. The study concludes with recommendations for policymakers, advocating for investments in tram infrastructure that can improve travel time, reliability, frequency, and comfort to better meet student needs. It also proposes campaigns to raise awareness about the true costs of car ownership and highlights the potential of modernising PT aesthetics to make PT more attractive. Description: M.Sc.(Melit.)

2024-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/133294 2025-04-02T04:51:59Z 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z

Title: A microeconometric analysis of housing quality and wellbeing in Malta Abstract: Poor housing quality undermines stability and security, negatively affects physical and mental health, and hinders affected individuals from achieving acceptable standards of living. Despite the significant influence of housing quality, limited research assesses how the conditions within one’s house and its neighbouring environment affect wellbeing in Malta. Against this backdrop, this study investigates (i) the association between housing quality (as measured through housing and environmental conditions) and wellbeing (as measured through life satisfaction); (ii) the impact of a change in housing and environmental conditions on life satisfaction, and (iii) the moderating effects of tenure and material and social deprivation. The final question assesses heterogeneities by subgroups. By utilising longitudinal microdata from the EU Statistics on Income and Living Conditions (2018-2022) for Malta, the study implements a Two-Way Fixed Effects (TWFE) model to tackle endogeneity bias. The findings reveal that poorer housing quality is associated with significantly lower life satisfaction. However, this relationship is predominantly correlational, characterised by significant unobserved heterogeneities. Changes to housing and environmental conditions using TWFE do not significantly affect life satisfaction, unless complemented by improvements to those factors that cause poor housing quality. Meanwhile, environmental conditions in the neighbourhood, mostly noise and pollution, impose a significant negative effect on the materially and socially deprived. Such cohorts are less likely to witness improvements to their housing quality due to insufficient resources. On the other hand, tenure is not a significant moderator. This implies that although renting is a precursor to experiencing poorer quality housing, the effect on life satisfaction is more strongly related to deprivation. Policy should focus on the underlying causes of poor housing quality, and target interventions to cohorts a) most likely to experience poor housing quality, and b) least likely to improve it. Moreover, the legal framework that regulates noise and pollution should be standardised. Description: M.Sc.(Melit.)

2024-01-01T00:00:00Z