Applied Social Sciences Research Articles

Global and Regional Prevalence of Domestic Violence During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Determinants: Protocol for a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Domestic violence is one of the most significant global public health priorities. This social problem could be accelerated by global catastrophes such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The structural changes due to the imposition of health measures, combined with personal and social problems, may worsen the situation. This study aims to investigate the global and regional prevalence of domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic and its determinants. We will perform a comprehensive review of the literature in PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, Cochrane COVID-19 Register, and Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts, up to July 2024. This review will adhere to the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) reporting guidelines. Observational studies will be considered eligible if they have a population-based design, report the number of cases or prevalence of domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic, and report potential determinants. Studies in languages other than English, those with unclear data, case reports, conference proceedings, reviews, and letters will be excluded. To assess the methodological quality, a standardized critical appraisal checklist for studies reporting prevalence data will be used. A robust Bayesian approach will be applied using the STATA software package (version 14; STATA Inc) and JASP 0.19.1 (GNU Affero General Public License [GNU AGPL]) software. The search and screening for the systematic literature review are anticipated to be finished in October 2024. Data extraction, quality appraisal, and subsequent data synthesis will begin in November 2024. The review is expected to be completed by April 2025, and the study results will be published in 2025. This systematic review and meta-analysis will address significant gaps in understanding the pandemic's impact on domestic violence, providing a comprehensive assessment of its prevalence and contributing factors. Despite some limitations, the study incorporates diverse data sources and vulnerable groups to offer a detailed and accurate picture. The findings will inform targeted interventions and policy responses to mitigate the impact of future global crises on domestic violence rates. PROSPERO CRD42022351634; https://tinyurl.com/yth37jkx. PRR1-10.2196/60963.

Exploring access to health and social supports for intimate partner violence (IPV) survivors during stressful life events (SLEs)-A scoping review.

Survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) often face increased incidents of violence during stressful life events (SLEs) such as economic recessions, environmental disasters, and pandemics. These events can diminish the effectiveness of both formal (e.g., health, social, justice, labor, community) and informal (e.g., friends, family, neighbors) support systems. Additionally, SLEs exacerbate existing health and social inequities, making it necessary to understand the accessibility of support services during these times. This scoping review investigates access to services by individuals experiencing IPV during SLEs in high-income countries. A comprehensive search was conducted across several electronic databases including MEDLINE (OVID), Embase (OVID), PsychInfo (OVID), CINAHL (EBSCO), Global Health (EBSCO), Gender Watch (ProQuest), Web of Science, and Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts (ProQuest), along with the search engine Google Scholar. This search, which imposed no date restrictions, was extended through May 22nd, 2024. Key search terms were developed from prior literature and in consultation with an expert librarian, focusing on 'stressful life events,' 'intimate partner violence,' and 'access to services.'. Each study was screened and extracted by two reviewers and conflicts were resolved through discussion or a third reviewer. The search across eight databases and citation searching resulted in a total of 7396 potentially relevant articles. After removing 1968 duplicates and screening 5428 based on titles and abstracts, 200 articles underwent full abstract review. Ultimately, 74 articles satisfied the inclusion criteria and were selected for further analysis. The analysis focused on barriers and facilitators to access, identifying challenges within Survivors' support systems, redirected resources during crises, and complex control dynamics and marginalization. Over 90% of the literature included covered the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Addressing these challenges requires innovative strategies, sustained funding, and targeted interventions for high-risk subgroups. This scoping review systematically outlined the challenges and enabling factors influencing the availability of support services for Survivors of IPV during SLEs. It underscores the need for robust, culturally sensitive health and social support mechanisms, and policies. Such measures are essential to better protect and assist IPV Survivors and their service providers during these critical times. Furthermore, it is imperative to integrate the insights and expertise of the violence against women (VAW) sector into emergency planning and policy-making to ensure comprehensive and effective responses that address the unique needs of Survivors in crises.

Application of Machine Learning Models in Social Sciences: Managing Nonlinear Relationships

The increasing complexity of social science data and phenomena necessitates using advanced analytical techniques to capture nonlinear relationships that traditional linear models often overlook. This chapter explores the application of machine learning (ML) models in social science research, focusing on their ability to manage nonlinear interactions in multidimensional datasets. Nonlinear relationships are central to understanding social behaviors, socioeconomic factors, and psychological processes. Machine learning models, including decision trees, neural networks, random forests, and support vector machines, provide a flexible framework for capturing these intricate patterns. The chapter begins by examining the limitations of linear models and introduces essential machine learning techniques suited for nonlinear modeling. A discussion follows on how these models automatically detect interactions and threshold effects, offering superior predictive power and robustness against noise compared to traditional methods. The chapter also covers the practical challenges of model evaluation, validation, and handling imbalanced data, emphasizing cross-validation and performance metrics tailored to the nuances of social science datasets. Practical recommendations are offered to researchers, highlighting the balance between predictive accuracy and model interpretability, ethical considerations, and best practices for communicating results to diverse stakeholders. This chapter demonstrates that while machine learning models provide robust solutions for modeling nonlinear relationships, their successful application in social sciences requires careful attention to data quality, model selection, validation, and ethical considerations. Machine learning holds transformative potential for understanding complex social phenomena and informing data-driven psychology, sociology, and political science policy-making.

A indústria brasileira de private equity: Market timing para desinvestimento pós IPO

This is a descriptive, quantitative study that used as a database information from Equity Investment Funds (EIF) and records of 49 companies supported by Private Equity (PE) and Venture Capital (VC) in Brazil, between the years 2000 and 2020, which carried out an IPO and were fully divested. The results show that 2.7 years is the approximate time for total divestment - close to the 3 years of the US market, in addition to the fact that when the shares held by the PE/VC Funds were fully divested, the prices of the shares were higher than the prices at the IPO and, finally, that the exits resulted in positive abnormal returns for investors. Therefore, this study brings contributions to society and to the Applied Social Sciences, as it is innovative in measuring the Market Timing of divestment in the PE/VC industry in Brazil, as well as filling a gap in the internal literature and perhaps assisting researchers interested in further exploring this subject.

Mobile Banking: Drives Changes in The Consumptive Behavior of Generation Z in Batu Ampar Kramat Jati

AbstractThe rapid development of technology has led to various changes in the banking industry, including the rise of electronic payments such as mobile banking. This study aims to understand the impact of mobile banking on the consumption behavior of Generation Z in the Batu Ampar area of Kramat Jati. The study collected quantitative data through questionnaires distributed to 100 respondents with sampling techniques, namely non-probability sampling in the form of purposive sampling. The data was then analyzed using the SPSS 25 (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) application. The results showed that there is a significant relationship between mobile banking and consumptive behavior. The regression test revealed that for every 1% increase in mobile banking usage, the value of consumption behavior increases by 1.471. Through the Product Moment Correlation Analysis, it is known that R count 0.05 ≥ 0.000 means that there is a significant relationship between Mobile Banking (X) and Consumptive Behavior (Y). In the F test, it is obtained that F count is 36.417> F table, namely 3.94, which can be seen that variable X (Mobile Banking) has an effect on variable Y (Consumptive Behavior) which means Hα is accepted and H0 is rejected by having an influence value of 27.1% of the consumption behavior can be attributed to mobile banking, while the remaining 72.9% is influenced by other factors not considered in this study. Overall, these findings highlight the influence of mobile banking on the consumption behavior of Generation Z.

Impact of clinical pharmacist on home health care patients in hail region

The primary aim of this research is to assess how the involvement of clinical pharmacists can influence home health care patient’s outcomes, including medication management, adherence to prescribed therapies, and overall patient satisfaction. To achieve this, the study adopted a descriptive and quantitative approach. Data gathered through an electronic questionnaire specifically targeted at home health care patients, totaling 112 individuals, aiming to capture their experiences and perceptions regarding the contributions of clinical pharmacists to their health care. This questionnaire included questions that focus on the effectiveness, accessibility, and patient-centered care provided by clinical pharmacists. The collected data then systematically analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) application, allowing for the identification of trends, correlations, and potential areas for improvement in clinical pharmacy services. The study finally concluded that.

Financial Performance of Banking in Indonesia: A Comparison Before and During the Covid-19 Pandemic

This research aims to examine the financial performance of the banking sector in Indonesia both before and during the pandemic. In the course of this investigation, financial performance was evaluated using several factors namely Loan to deposit ratio (LDR), non-performing loan (NPL), return on assets (ROA), as well as operating expenses and operating income (BOPO). Furthermore, the data used comprised information on the banking financial conditions before (2018-2019) and during the pandemic-affected periods (2020-2021). Purposive sampling was used for sample selection and the analytical methodology adopted comprised the Wilcoxon signed rank test and paired samples t-test analysis. It is also crucial to establish that the present research utilized statistical computations conducted via the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) application, with a significance level of 5%. The obtained results showed that no significant difference was identified between LDR and BOPO both before and during the pandemic. However, a substantial difference was identified between NPL and ROA over the two examined periods.

Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Child Development in South America: A Systematic Review

Abstract Background Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have garnered attention globally for their detrimental effects on children’s development, such as lower communication, gross and fine motor, and personal-social domains. While extensively studied in high-income countries, there remains a gap in understanding their prevalence and impact in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). This review aimed to identify, evaluate, and summarize the findings of an association between ACEs and children’s developmental and mental health outcomes in South America Methods A systematic review was conducted to investigate the association between ACEs and childhood development in South America. Databases MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Applied Social Sciences Index and Abstracts, Literatura Latino Americana em Ciências da Saúde, IBECS and CINAHL were searched. Selection criteria encompassed studies from Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, Peru, Venezuela, Chile, Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Guyana and Suriname examining the effects of ACEs on developmental outcomes and mental health disorders in children under 18 years old. Quality assessment aligned with World Health Organization standards was employed. Results Twenty-four studies met the inclusion criteria, with most categorized as low or very low quality. While the majority demonstrated a significant association between ACEs and developmental or mental health outcomes, a few studies reported null findings. Challenges in study quality, such as small sample sizes and selection bias, were identified. Conclusions Despite limitations in study quality, findings underscore the impact of ACEs on child development and mental health in South America. Because of the low quality of the existent studies the next steps should be to grasp a greater understanding of the issue. This review also highlights the urgency for further research and targeted interventions to mitigate the long-term consequences of ACEs in this region. Key messages • ACEs profoundly affect child development and mental health in South America, necessitating urgent attention and intervention. • Addressing the impact of ACEs in South America is critical for fostering healthier developmental trajectories and enhancing public health outcomes.

Researching moral foundations using the Bayesian approach

Moral foundations theory describes a complex space of human morality along five moral foundations: care/harm, fairness/cheating, loyalty/betrayal, and sanctity/degradation. The first aim of this study is to explore the role of socio-demographic variables in endorsing the five moral foundations and to provide insight into the role of moral foundations in attitudes towards homeless people. The second objective of the study is to provide an example of employing the Bayesian statistical approach. There were 162 participants in our study (27% male, mean age 36 years). Convenience sampling method was used. Age and education found to be the most important predictors of moral foundations, with Bayesian factors showing the strongest evidence for age as a positive predictor of moral foundations. Gender, political affiliation, care and authority were found to be important predictors of attitudes towards homeless people, with Bayesian factors showing much stronger evidence for moral foundations than sociodemographic variables. This study lays the groundwork for research on moral foundations in Slovenian samples and provides a practical example of Bayesian approach application in social science.

Pengaruh Microteaching dan Dukungan Teman Sebaya terhadap Minat Mahasiswa Pendidikan Administrasi Perkantoran Universitas Negeri Jakarta Menjadi Guru

This study aims to see the influence of microteaching and peer support on students' interest in becoming teachers in Office Administration Education students of the State University of Jakarta 2022. The research approach used is quantitative through surveys with online questionnaire distribution. Data processing uses the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) application. From the test results, it was found that partially microteaching directly affected students' interest in becoming teachers, this was evidenced by a significant value of 0.025. In addition, partially, peer support did not affect students' interest in the teaching profession, this was evidenced by a significant value of 0.268. Meanwhile, simultaneously microteaching and peer support did not simultaneously affect interest in becoming a teacher, this was evidenced by a significant value of 0.078. In addition, the results were also strengthened by the results of the determination coefficient test which showed that the two independent variables only explained 14.3% of the dependent variables.

Health care-seeking behavior for childhood illnesses in western Kenya: Qualitative findings from the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) Study

Background Child mortality in Kenya is 41 per 1,000 live births, despite extensive investment in maternal, newborn, and child health interventions. Caregivers’ health-seeking for childhood illness is an important determinant of child survival, and delayed healthcare is associated with high child mortality. We explore determinants of health-seeking decisions for childhood illnesses among caregivers in western Kenya. Methods We conducted a qualitative study of 88 community members between April 2017 and February 2018 using purposive sampling in an informal urban settlement in Kisumu County, and in rural Siaya County. Key informant interviews, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were performed. We adopted the Partners for Applied Social Sciences model focusing on factors that influence the decision-making process to seek healthcare for sick infants and children. The discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed. Data management was completed on Nvivo® software. Iterative analysis process was utilized and themes were identified and collated. Results Our findings reveal four thematic areas: Illness interpretation, the role of social relationship on illness recognition and response, medical pluralism and healthcare access. Participants reported some illnesses are caused by supernatural powers and some by biological factors, and that the illness etiology would determine the health-seeking pathway. It was common to seek consensus from respected community members on the diagnosis and therefore presumed cause and necessary treatment for a child’s illness. Medical pluralism was commonly practiced and caregivers would alternate between biomedicine and traditional medicine. Accessibility of healthcare may determine the health seeking pathway. Caregivers unable to afford biomedical care may choose traditional medicine as a cheaper alternative. Conclusion Health seeking behavior was driven by illness interpretation, financial cost associated with healthcare and advice from extended family and community. These findings enrich the perspectives of health education programs to develop health messages that address factors that hinder prompt health care seeking.

Integrating social sciences in community engagement in humanitarian action: benefits and challenges seen from the field

The application of social sciences has been recognized as valuable to inclusive humanitarian programming that aims to be attentive to the needs and initiatives of affected communities. However, the integration of social science-informed community engagement (CE) approaches in humanitarian action remains episodic, fragmented, and under-resourced. This research article provides insights from a study that reviewed existing and needed capacities for the systematic integration of social sciences for community engagement in humanitarian action. We examined what capacity resources exist and what resources need to be developed for strengthening social science integration into humanitarian programming for improved engagement of affected and at-risk communities in conflict and hazard contexts. A mixed method approach was used, including twenty-two key informant interviews and a focus group discussion with social scientists and humanitarian practitioners, an online survey with 42 respondents, a literature review, and a year-long monthly consultation with social scientists and humanitarian practitioners in a UNICEF-led global technical working group. Results illustrate insights on the value of the “social science lens” in humanitarian action and current usage of different social science disciplines. Challenges found include different understandings (e.g., on standardization), languages and methods used by practitioners and social scientists, and how to integrate the seemingly “slow” processes of social sciences to fit emergency response. Institutional barriers to mainstream community-centered humanitarian action facilitated by the social sciences include top-down decision-making and resourcing, lack of localization, and many siloed, dispersed, and episodic efforts.

A Bayesian Record Linkage Approach that Adjusts for Variables in One File

In many healthcare and social science applications, information about units is dispersed across multiple data files. Linking records across files is necessary to estimate associations between variables exclusive to each of the files. Common record linkage algorithms only rely on similarities between linking variables common to all the files. Moreover, analysis of linked files often ignores errors that may arise from incorrect or missed links. Bayesian record linking methods allow for natural propagation of linkage errors, by jointly sampling the linkage structure and the model parameters. We extend an existing Bayesian record linkage approach to integrate associations between variables exclusive to each file being linked. We show analytically, and using simulations, that the proposed method improves the linkage process, and results in accurate statistical inferences. We apply the proposed method to link Meals on Wheels (MOW) recipients to Medicare Enrollment records, and examine the relationship between activities of daily living and healthcare utilization among MOW recipients.

Poverty‐Armed Conflict Nexus: Can Multidimensional Poverty Data Forecast Intrastate Armed Conflicts?

Poverty is widely acknowledged as a significant factor in the outbreak of armed conflicts, particularly fueling armed conflict within national borders. There is a compelling argument positing that poverty is a primary catalyst for intrastate armed conflicts; reciprocally, these conflicts exacerbate poverty. This article introduces a statistical model to forecast the likelihood of armed conflict within a country by scrutinizing the intricate relationship between intrastate armed conflicts and various facets of poverty. Poverty, arising from factors such as gender inequality and limited access to education and public services, profoundly affects social cohesion. Armed conflicts, a significant cause of poverty, result in migration, economic devastation, and adverse effects on social unity, particularly affecting disadvantaged and marginal groups. Forecasting and receiving early warnings for intrastate armed conflicts are crucial for international policymakers to take precautionary measures. Anticipating and proactively addressing potential conflicts can mitigate adverse consequences and prevent escalation. Hence, forecasting intrastate armed conflicts is vital, prompting policymakers to prioritize the development of effective strategies to mitigate their impact. While not guaranteeing absolute certainty in forecasting future armed conflicts, the model shows a high degree of accuracy in assessing security risks related to intrastate conflicts. It utilizes a machine‐learning algorithm and annually published fragility data to forecast future intrastate armed conflicts. Despite the widespread use of machine‐learning algorithms in engineering, their application in social sciences still needs to be improved. This article introduces an innovative approach to examining the correlation between various dimensions of poverty and armed conflict using machine‐learning algorithms.

Implementation of Social Science Theory in Civic Education for School Students

Civic education plays an important role in shaping Indonesian students into democratic, responsible and active citizens in social, political and economic life. Through an understanding of the political system, rights and responsibilities, community participation, social and cultural awareness, critical thinking, ethics, global citizenship and communication skills, citizenship education provides a foundation for students' active engagement and understanding of global roles. The purpose of this study is to identify and analyze the theories in social science that underlie citizenship education, as well as analyze how the application of social science can assist students in understanding and exercising their rights and responsibilities as citizens. This research uses a qualitative method with a literature study approach to examine the relationship between civic education and social science theories. The results show that the integration of social sciences such as sociology, psychology, education, politics and law in the civic education curriculum strengthens students' understanding of their rights and responsibilities. In addition, social sciences help advance civic engagement and responsibility, equipping students to face challenges in the 21st century. In conclusion, the application of Social Sciences in citizenship education prepares students to become informed and responsible citizens, capable of contributing positively in local and global communities.

Patient, family and caregiver engagement in diabetes care: a scoping review protocol

IntroductionNew treatments and technologies have advanced diabetes care; however, diabetes continues to have a major impact on the daily lives of affected individuals, especially among equity-deserving groups. Evidence from patient...

Health care-seeking behavior for childhood illnesses in western Kenya: Qualitative findings from the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) Study.

Child mortality in Kenya is 41 per 1,000 live births, despite extensive investment in maternal, newborn, and child health interventions. Caregivers' health-seeking for childhood illness is an important determinant of child survival, and delayed healthcare is associated with high child mortality. We explore determinants of health-seeking decisions for childhood illnesses among caregivers in western Kenya. We conducted a qualitative study of 88 community members between April 2017 and February 2018 using purposive sampling in an informal urban settlement in Kisumu County, and in rural Siaya County. Key informant interviews, semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were performed. We adopted the Partners for Applied Social Sciences model focusing on factors that influence the decision-making process to seek healthcare for sick infants and children. The discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed. Data management was completed on Nvivo® software. Iterative analysis process was utilized and themes were identified and collated. Our findings reveal four thematic areas: Illness interpretation, the role of social relationship on illness recognition and response, medical pluralism and healthcare access. Participants reported some illnesses are caused by supernatural powers and some by biological factors, and that the illness etiology would determine the health-seeking pathway. It was common to seek consensus from respected community members on the diagnosis and therefore presumed cause and necessary treatment for a child's illness. Medical pluralism was commonly practiced and caregivers would alternate between biomedicine and traditional medicine. Accessibility of healthcare may determine the health seeking pathway. Caregivers unable to afford biomedical care may choose traditional medicine as a cheaper alternative. Health seeking behavior was driven by illness interpretation, financial cost associated with healthcare and advice from extended family and community. These findings enrich the perspectives of health education programs to develop health messages that address factors that hinder prompt health care seeking.

The Effect Of Job Description On Employee Performance At The Office Of The Regional Revenue Agency Of Tual City

This study aims to determine the effect of Job Description on employee performance at the Tual City Regional Revenue Agency Office. The types of data used in this study are primary data and secondary data. The research instrument used in this study used the Likert scale method. Based on the results of data research using statistical calculations through the Statistical for the Social Science (SPSS) application regarding the Effect of Job Description on Employee Performance, the author can conclude that Variable X, namely Job Description, has a positive and significant effect on Employee Performance with a Job Description (X) coefficient value of 0.393 and a calculated t value of 2,836 t > table 2.021 with a significant value of 0.007 < 0.05.

Interventions for intimate partner violence during the perinatal period: A scoping review: A systematic review.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a prevalent global health problem. IPV that occurs before pregnancy often continues during the perinatal period, resulting in ongoing violence and many adverse maternal, obstetrical, and neonatal outcomes. This scoping review is designed to broadly capture all potential interventions for perinatal IPV and describe their core components and measured outcomes. We conducted a search for empirical studies describing IPV interventions in the perinatal population in June 2022. The search was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycInfo, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Web of Science, Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts, ClinicalTrials.gov and MedRxiv. Hand searching of references from select articles was also performed. Included studies described an intervention for those experiencing IPV during the perinatal period, including 12 months before pregnancy, while pregnant or in the 12 months post-partum. The search encompassed January 2000 to June 2022 and only peer-reviewed studies written in either English or French were included. Included interventions focused on the survivor exposed to IPV, rather than healthcare professionals administering the intervention. Interventions designed to reduce IPV revictimization or any adverse maternal, obstetrical, or neonatal health outcomes as well as social outcomes related to IPV victimization were included. We used standard methodological procedures expected by The Campbell Collaboration. In total, 10,079 titles and abstracts were screened and 226 proceeded to full text screening. A total of 67 studies included perinatal IPV interventions and were included in the final sample. These studies included a total of 27,327 participants. Included studies originated from 19 countries, and the majority were randomized controlled trials (n = 43). Most studies were of moderate or low quality. Interventions included home visitation, educational modules, counseling, and cash transfer programs and occurred primarily in community obstetrician and gynecologist clinics, hospitals, or in participants' homes. Most interventions focused on reducing revictimization of IPV (n = 38), improving survivor knowledge or acceptance of violence, knowledge of community resources, and actions to reduce violence (n = 28), and improving maternal mental health outcomes (n = 26). Few studies evaluated the effect of perinatal IPV interventions on obstetrical, neonatal or child health outcomes. The majority of intervention studies for perinatal IPV focus on reducing revictimization and improving mental health outcomes, very few included obstetrical, neonatal, and other physical health outcomes. Future interventions should place a larger emphasis on targeting maternal and neonatal outcomes to have the largest possible impact on the lives and families of IPV survivors and their infants.

Editorial

The Alpha Centauri Scientific and Technological Research Journal is a peer-reviewed journal produced internationally, it is published QUARTERLY in online version ISSN: 2709-4502. Alpha Centauri publishes scientific articles specializing in Applied Social Sciences and Social Sciences in Information Technologies with great impact at an international level. We are currently trending in more than 24 countries disseminating Open Access scientific knowledge. IMAGES: Still images, audio recordings, video and related computer files for non-commercial use. NASA content (images, audio, video, and computer files used in the reproduction of three-dimensional models, such as texture maps and polygonal data in any format).