Management Assistance Research Articles

DESAFIOS DA ASSISTÊNCIA FARMACÊUTICA NO SISTEMA ÚNICO DE SAÚDE (SUS) SOB O OLHAR DA ATENÇÃO PRIMÁRIA À SAÚDE

Pharmaceutical assistance within the Unified Health System (SUS) plays a central role in ensuring access to essential medicines and the effectiveness of public health actions, particularly in Primary Health Care (PHC), which serves as the main gateway to the system. This study aimed to investigate the challenges faced by pharmaceutical assistance in the SUS, with a focus on PHC, analyzing issues such as failures in distribution logistics, insufficient technical training of professionals, and poor integration between levels of care and information systems. Additionally, it addressed problems related to low patient adherence to treatment and the irrational use of medicines, factors that undermine the effectiveness of comprehensive care. The research was based on an in-depth literature review and employed qualitative methods to explore the complexity of pharmaceutical assistance management and the obstacles encountered in daily practice. Based on the identification of these challenges, recommendations were proposed for the formulation of more effective public policies, improvements in medication management, and enhanced training for health professionals. The study also highlights strategies to promote the rational use of medicines and optimize the quality of pharmaceutical care in PHC. It is expected that the findings will contribute to the improvement of pharmaceutical assistance within the SUS, ultimately strengthening the healthcare system as a whole.

Addressing healthcare disparities and improving osteoporosis management in rural communities: a cluster randomized control trial.

Rural communities face limited healthcare access, financial constraints, and transportation barriers leading to health disparities. This study examined interventions that reduced health disparities in increasing the outpatient attendance and treatment rate of anti-osteoporosis medication (AOM), while identifying factors contributing to therapy refusal in rural communities. A total of 567 patients were randomized at the community level into three groups: multicomponent integrated care (MIC), osteoporosis care only (OC), and usual care (UC). Fracture Risk Assessment Tool and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans were used to evaluate the osteoporosis and osteoporotic fracture risk. High- and moderate-risk patients were advised to pursue further hospital-based assessments and treatment. Both the MIC and OC groups received five interventions to address rural barriers, including specialist access, disease education, overcoming transportation barriers, peer support, and dedicated case managers. However, UC excluded transportation assistance, peer support, and case management. Outcomes measured included outpatient attendance, AOM treatment rates, and factors affecting hospital assessment refusal, analyzed via multivariable logistic modeling. In the MIC group, 73.3% of patients attended the outpatient clinic and 58.6% received AOM. In the OC group, 81% patients attended and 69.3% received AOM. Conversely, in the UC group, only 4.1% attended and received AOM. Significant differences in attendance and AOM rates were found between the MIC and UC groups and between the OC and UC groups (p < .001 for both). Common barriers included beliefs that treatment was unnecessary and lack of hospital access. Risk factors hindering outpatient attendance include male sex, low education, low budget, multiple disabilities, and osteopenia diagnosis. Addressing transportation barriers and implementing dedicated case management are crucial for improving healthcare access among rural patients. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05104034.

Subverting elections in Thailand: inclusion and independence in election commission design and practice

When do election commissions contribute to peace, and when do they subvert it? For years, civil society actors, policy experts and practitioners in electoral management and international electoral assistance have largely assumed that establishing ‘independent’ election commissions is key to fostering positive electoral outcomes, including peace. However, recent post-conflict research indicates that inclusion on independent commissions might be more strongly linked to reducing the risk of violence than independence alone. Building on this research, I propose a relational approach to studying election commissions by examining how inclusion and independence interact and how this nexus impacts peace. Using the example of the Election Commission of Thailand (ECT), I argue that the inclusion–independence election commissions nexus may not guarantee peace in all post-conflict and conflict-prone settings. Instead, it may create opportunities for power-hungry elites to weaponise these commissions against their opponents, ultimately subverting rather than fostering peace.

Arthroscopy assistance in the surgical management of distal radius fractures does not result in superior radiological and functional outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

To evaluate the efficacy of assistant arthroscopy in the surgical treatment of distal radius fractures (DRFs) by the functional and radiological outcomes between the arthroscopic and control groups. We searched the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases for studies that compared the clinical outcomes of patients who underwent surgery with or without adjuvant arthroscopy. After screening the studies, we identified six randomized controlled trials. We analyzed radiological outcomes, range of motion, functional scores, grip strength, operative time, and complication rates. The standardized mean difference (SMD) was used to analyze differences in outcomes between the two groups. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Six studies involving 455 patients were included. The findings of this analysis indicate that the utilization of arthroscopic assistance did not yield superior radiological outcomes and functional outcomes, except in radial deviation (SMD = 0.96; 95% CI = 0.36, 1.55; I2 = 69%) and ulnar deviation (SMD = 0.69; 95% CI = 0.38, 1.00; I2 = 16%). In addition, the arthroscopic group exhibited longer operation time (SMD = 0.65; 95% CI = 0.1, 1.2; I2 = 81%) compared to the control group. There were no significant differences in the grip strength or complication rates between the two groups. The findings of this analysis indicate that arthroscopy-assisted surgery for DRF does not yield significantly enhanced outcomes in terms of radiological outcomes, functional scores, grip strength, and complications, even though range of motion (radial deviation and ulnar deviation) were superior in the arthroscopically assisted cases. Given the extended operational time associated with adjuvant arthroscopy, the efficacy of assistant arthroscopy in the surgical management of distal radius fractures with joint involvement is not justified. Level II, meta-analysis of Level I and Level II studies.

Private, non-profit, and plantation: Oil palm smallholders in management-assistance programs vary in socio-demographics, attitudes, and management practices.

Smallholder farmers produce over 40% of global palm oil, the world's most traded and controversial vegetable oil. Awareness of the effects of palm oil production on ecosystems and human communities has increased drastically in recent years, with ever louder calls for the private and public sector to develop programs to support sustainable cultivation by smallholder farmers. To effectively influence smallholder practices and ensure positive social outcomes, such schemes must consider the variety in perspectives of farmers and align with their priorities. We conducted social surveys on smallholder farmers in Indonesia and Malaysia with varying degrees of participation in programs that offer advice and support with plantation management ("management-assistance programs") led by an industrial palm oil producer in Indonesia and a conservation-focused NGO in Malaysia. We surveyed farmers on their demographics, attitudes, and management decisions. Our analyses act as case studies to investigate the similarities and differences between smallholder palm oil producers involved in different schemes, allowing us to determine the alignment between the intentions of partnership programs and the current realities of smallholder plantations. The relationship between heterogeneity of social factors and management decisions and degree of program involvement differed across different groups and region: Indonesian smallholders most closely partnered with the private sector were the most varied in socio-demographics and attitudes but showed little variation in management inputs, while Malaysian smallholders most closely partnered with an NGO were the most heterogenous across all survey sections. Specifically, Indonesian farmers partnered with the private sector used less herbicide, more fertilizer, and had higher yield and total household income than farmers completely uninvolved with management assistance programs. In Malaysia, farmers partnered with an NGO also had higher yield and fertilizer application than independent farmers, however they used significantly more herbicide and had lower total household income. Our findings demonstrate the wide variety of smallholder farmers in both regions, directly opposing a 'one-size-fits-all' approach to sustainability. The wide variety of existing management practices also provides a potentially valuable natural experiment to identify high-yield, environmentally-friendly management approaches. When taken in context, our findings may inform the interventions of management-assistance programs, ensuring they are approaching the most relevant farmer groups in the most effective way.

Social assistance management and Social Work: the professional job market

Resumo: Esta pesquisa objetiva analisar aspectos da ocupação de assistentes sociais em cargos no órgão gestor das políticas municipais de assistência social. Realizaram-se a sistematização e a análise dos dados do Censo Suas e da produção acadêmica em Serviço Social sobre a inserção e a atuação profissional nesses espaços. Os resultados mostram uma predominância dos(as) assistentes sociais na gestão desta política, desafios na formação continuada e a existência de lacunas na produção acadêmica.

Improving the Quality of Intravenous Procedures in a Pediatric High Dependency Unit.

A pilot project was done to improve the quality of intravenous cannulation procedures at the pediatric high-dependency unit (PHDU) of a tertiary eye care hospital. In a nurses-led initiative, baseline data was collected, fishbone root cause analysis was done, and a custom checklist was prepared to test improvement. Plan Do Study Act (PDSA) cycles were done to test change ideas. Simple change ideas such as implementing a well-equipped designated IV trolley, hand hygiene, proper illumination, nursing assistance, reduced movement, and biomedical waste management at the point of care were implemented. The initiative improved the quality of IV procedures from a baseline of 25% to 79%. Healthcare teams used basic QI measures to rapidly improve patient quality of care at no extra cost.

Assistance for Marketing Communication Strategy to Increase Revenue Generating for Indonesian MSMEs Upcycle Project

Upcycle Project Indonesia is a Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSMEs) that focuses on jeans waste management to support environmental issues in Indonesia. Despite having creative ideas and interesting concepts, Upcycle Project Indonesia faces various challenges in its development process, namely problems with production quality and marketing management. The purpose of this mentoring activity is to strengthen Upcycle Project Indonesia's unique product, so that it can compete nationally and internationally. The activity method used is the Participatory Rural Appraisal approach with active community participation. Through this community service program, we succeeded in helping Upject to be more productive and expand its marketing reach by providing support in the form of production equipment to produce higher quality products, marketing communication strategy management assistance and also the application of technology in the form of a Businness Model Canvas map which has an impact on increasing revenue generation.

Hybrid intelligence – systematic approach and framework to determine the level of Human-AI collaboration for production management use cases

AbstractArtificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have emerged as transformative technologies in production management, enhancing decision-making and operational efficiency across a range of use cases. The challenge of determining the optimal level of Human-AI collaboration in decision-making processes persists for many organizations, despite the potential benefits of such integration. However, the current systematic approaches frequently lack a structured approach to determine the level of Human-AI collaboration in production management use cases. This results in inconsistent applications and suboptimal outcomes. This study presents a first and superior systematic approach for the systematic evaluation, development and implementation of AI in production management and introduces a structured framework that can be employed to assess and determine the optimal level of Human-AI collaboration for a range of production use cases. The framework classifies use cases based on critical factors such as data availability, process variability, error susceptibility, and decision complexity. This classification assists managers in calibrating the balance between automation and human intervention. The application of this framework could enhance the efficacy, productivity, and accuracy of Human-AI collaboration in production management. Furthermore, the systematic approach incorporates continuous evaluation and adaptation, ensuring long-term success in dynamic production environments. These findings provide a practical tool for managers to strategically implement AI, improving decision-making processes and operational outcomes. The proposed framework offers immediate opportunities to enhance production management through a structured, scalable, and human-centered approach to AI integration.

Financial management assistance and strengthening oyster mushroom business management in the Kelompok Difable Desa (KDD) Rejo Mandiri Purworejo

This activity aims to manage finances and strengthen business management, enhance skills, and promote independence for people with disabilities through inclusive mentoring with partners. The method used in this activity is training and mentoring. The results of this activity show an 80% increase in partners' knowledge and skills in financial management and report preparation. An increase in mushroom sales turnover by 14% per month. The addition of 2 offline marketing access points. This PMP program is expected to make a positive contribution to achieving economic independence for the disabled group.

Assistance in Administrative Management and The Concept of Learning by Game in Kampung Lali Gadget, Dusun Bendet, Pagerngumbuk Village, Sidoarjo Regency

Excessive gadget use among children in the digital era causes various negative impacts, such as motor development disorders, immune system issues, and reduced social interaction. The community service program at Kampung Lali Gadget (KLG), located in Dusun Bendet, Pagerngumbuk Village, Sidoarjo, aims to reduce children's gadget dependency through a traditional games-based approach and learning by game. The method employed is Participatory Action Research (PAR), involving the community in every stage, from needs identification to evaluation. The results demonstrated positive impacts, including increased social interaction among children, reduced screen time, and heightened awareness of gadget-related risks among parents. Additionally, the program fostered new community structures, such as mentoring groups and local leadership, to support its sustainability. This approach proves that integrating traditional games with innovative learning concepts can effectively address gadget dependency while promoting sustainable social transformation.

Capital's Contribution in the Perspective of Bourdieu to Reduce Multidimensional Poverty to the Recipient of the Entrepreneurship Social Assistance

This research focuses on capital contributions in reducing multidimensional poverty to the recipients of entrepreneurial social assistance. This study uses a qualitative approach with the phenomenological method to explore the subjective experience of seven participants who recipient the Entrepreneurship Social Assistance Program carried out by the Indonesian Ministry of Social Affairs through the Galih Pakuan Bogor Center, in Bojonggede District, Bogor Regency. This study aims to analyze how the contribution of each converted capital form can reduce the dimensions of multidimensional poverty to recipients of social entrepreneurial assistance. The findings of this study indicate that capital transformation contributes to alleviating multidimensional poverty to recipients of entrepreneurial social assistance in the economic, health, education and living standards. Interaction of various forms of capital (economic, social, embodied, objectified, and digital) can optimize the management of entrepreneurial social assistance to increase business income and sustainability. Economic capital contributes to help the education costs of family members. Social capital strengthens networks to get access to health services, reach consumers and social support for meeting basic needs and decent residence assistance. Digital capital contributes to providing information, strengthening social capital and increasing knowledge. The implications of this finding indicate that programs and policies in tackling poverty requires the integrative development of various forms of capital in the recipient of social entrepreneurial assistance. This study provides a theoretical contribution by enriching literature related to the conversion of capital in the context of multidimensional poverty and offers practical insights for the development of programs and policies for more effective poverty alleviation.

The effect of Torreya grandis inter-cropping with Polygonatum sibiricum on soil microbial community.

Inter-cropping is a reasonable planting pattern between different plants. Inter-cropping of Torreya grandis with Polygonatum sibiricum is a relatively mature planting pattern in China, which has been applied to improve soil ecological environment and reduce the occurrence of pests and diseases in China. However, there is currently limited knowledge on the response of soil microbial communities to this practice. In this study, we employed Illumina MiSeq sequencing coupled with Functional Annotation of Prokaryotic Taxa (FAPROTAX) and Fungi Functional Guild (FUNGuild) analyses to investigate the dynamic changes in soil microbial communities across seven treated groups [the bulk soil of the T. grandis inter-cropping with P. sibiricum (IB), the bulk soil for mono-cropping of P. sibiricum (PB), the bulk soil for mono-cropping of T. grandis (TB), the P. grandis rhizosphere soil of the T. grandis inter-cropping with P. sibiricum (IPR), the rhizosphere soil for mono-cropping of P. sibiricum (PR), the T. grandis rhizosphere soil of the T. grandis inter-cropping with P. sibiricum (ITR), and the rhizosphere soil for mono-cropping of T. grandis (TR)]. The results showed that the rhizosphere soil of Torreya-Polygonatum inter-cropping exhibited higher microbial community richness, diversity and evenness than mono-cropping (ITR > TR, IPR > PR). Inter-cropping increased the abundance of Micrococcaceae, Xanthobacteraceae, Saitozyma, while decreased Bacillus, Burkholderia, Streptomyces, Cladosporium, and Gibberella significantly of the rhizosphere soil of T. grandis. Further, the abundance of pathogens, such as Fusarium and Neocosmospora, was higher in mono-cropping samples compared to inter-cropping. There existed distinct variations in bacterial and fungal communities among all groups except for IB and TB. The FAPROTAX and FUNGuild analyses results indicated that inter-cropping significantly enhanced soil microbial function associated with nutrient cycling and exhibited a consistent increase in the relative abundance of nitrogen-cycling and carbon-cycling bacteria, and decreased the abundance of plant pathogen guild in the inter-cropping sample ITR compared to the mono-cropping TR. Our findings suggest that T. grandis inter-cropping with P. sibiricum not only enhance the diversity of soil microbial communities, but also improve the nitrogen and carbon cycling functions. In addition, the inter-cropping can effectively reduce the relative abundance of some soil-borne pathogens for T. grandis and P. sibiricum, indicating that this intercropping method may alleviate the impact of pathogens on crops, thus providing assistance for plant disease prevention and sustainable management.

Improved landslide susceptibility assessment: A new negative sample collection strategy and a comparative analysis of zoning methods

Landslide susceptibility assessment (LSA) aims to determine the spatial probability of landslides, reducing the loss caused by future landslides. In order to assess the impact of various negative sample collection strategies on the prediction accuracy of the landslide susceptibility assessment (LSA) model, and to investigate the effectiveness of landslide susceptibility zoning methods. Taking Fengjie County, Chongqing City, China as the study area, this study proposes three negative sample collection strategies based on slope unit, buffer zone, and information value, and combines them with C5.0 decision tree (DT) model respectively to construct an LSA model. Concurrently, the landslide susceptibility indexes (LSIs) were divided using the K-means clustering algorithm and contrasted with the natural breakpoint classification (NBC), quantile classification (QC), equal interval classification (EIC), and geometric interval classification (GIC) methods. The results show that: (1) Rainfall, elevation, and water system are the primary conditioning factors of landslide development in the study area. (2) The accuracy of the negative sample collection strategy based on the slope units on the model training subset and the test subset reached 97.78 % and 92.99 %, respectively, and the AUC values were 0.978 and 0.930, indicating high model accuracy. (3) The zoning effect based on the K-means clustering algorithm was the best, and the predicted very-high and high susceptibility areas were 805.73 km2 and 567.66 km2, respectively, accounting for 19.59 % and 13.80 % of Fengjie County. The very-high and high susceptibility areas had maximum FR values of 3.963 and 1.432, respectively, when compared to other zoning methods. This study can provide a more objective and scientific method for LSA, and the findings can offer more precise decision assistance for risk management and geological disaster prevention.

The BCPC Weeds Review 2024

The 61st Annual BCPC Weeds Review took place on Thursday 31st October 2024 in the Sophi Taylor Building at NIAB, Cambridge, with 85 delegates in person or online. The theme of the 2024 Review was "Keeping Pace? Continuing weed challenges and new control technologies". It was split into three sessions. Firstly, updates on three major weed management projects, ASSIST, Oper8 and BGRI. The second session covered novel weed management technologies and also included three short poster presentations by post-graduate students. The Review was completed by a session covering emerging weeds.

Evaluating criteria for the implementation of energy management strategies

Strategic management assists organizations in formulating, implementing, and evaluating decisions to set objectives. Energy management should consider top management commitment, risk management, corporate social responsibility, and knowledge and awareness of energy strategies as criteria for implementation. The research aimed to evaluate the four criteria in terms of energy management strategy implementation. A quantitative, non-experimental research design was followed using a structured questionnaire. The most important criterion identified is top management commitment. The results indicate a strong positive correlation between top management commitment and energy management strategies and the importance of risk management. Corporate Social Responsibility and limited knowledge and awareness showed a lower correlation but also contributed to the implementation of energy management strategies. It showed that a lack of knowledge and awareness influences the implementation; organizations can do internal awareness campaigns and appoint a dedicated energy team that can assist management in educating and communicating energy strategies. Further findings included that energy management strategies are essential to the overall business strategy of organizations and that organizations can increase their public reputation by positively contributing to corporate social responsibility and top management commitment. Management needs to lead from the front and provide training, resources and leadership in energy practices. It is recommended that organizations set energy plans, have a dedicated energy team and increase their internal awareness and communication.

Business Management Training For The Milk Candy Business Group In Penyaring Village, Sumbawa Regency

Downstreaming of cattle farming products in the form of milk candy products continues to develop in Penyaring Village, Sumbawa district. This product is a characteristic of Sumbawa which is driving the economy of Penyaring Village. The demand for this product continues to increase all the time, making this product a typical souvenir that is very popular with local and foreign tourists. However, on average the milk candy business group does not have good business management, such as not having an organizational structure, a production system that is still manual, product marketing that is still manual and product quality is not good, making it very difficult to develop. For this reason, it is necessary to empower business groups by carrying out training and business management assistance consisting of organizational management, production management, quality management, and product marketing management to increase the income of the milk candy business group. The Service Team surveyed milk candy business groups, assessing business management training as very useful and helpful in increasing income.

Assistance In Financial Management Of Karampuang Island Tourism Towards International Tourism

This study aims to analyze and assist in the financial management of tourism on Karampuang Island with the hope of increasing the island's tourist appeal for foreign visitors. The methods used in this study are literature study and Focus Group Discussion (FGD). Through literature study, data and information regarding best practices of financial management in the tourism sector were taken from various literature, journals and related documents. Furthermore, FGD was conducted by involving local stakeholders, including tourism attraction managers, local communities, and government officials. This activity aims to explore ideas, challenges, and solutions related to sustainable tourism financial management. The results of the FGD show that many tourism actors on Karampuang Island still experience difficulties in managing finances effectively. Therefore, training and assistance in budget management, financial recording, and marketing planning are needed. It is hoped that with this assistance, tourism actors can improve their managerial capacity and develop effective strategies to attract foreign tourists. These findings form the basis for formulating policy recommendations that support the development of sustainable tourism on Karampuang Island.

Assistance of Sustainable Forest Management through Strengthening of Human and Social Capital in Arjuna Mount East Java Community

This study is part of a community service project aimed at examining the role of human and social capital in the sustainable forest management of Mount Arjuna East Java. The objective of the community service initiative is to empower local communities around the forest to actively participate in forest conservation efforts. The study employs a descriptive method with a survey technique to gather factual data from the research area, which includes the spring areas around Mount Arjuna in East Java, Indonesia. The study population consists of communities from three villages: Leduk, Jatiarjo, and Dayurejo, located in Pasuruan, East Java. Data were collected from respondents through questionnaires and analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to understand the general responses regarding community participation in forest preservation. The results indicate that the human capital of the community, particularly education level and employment, contributes significantly to the success of sustainable forest development. Additionally, social characteristics such as mutual-cooperation and kinship within the community play a vital role in supporting long-term forest management. This community service initiative aims to strengthen both human and social capital to foster a sustainable forest management approach based on local wisdom and community-driven efforts.

Leveraging international stakeholders’ experiences with oral PrEP costs to accelerate implementation of the monthly dapivirine vaginal ring: A qualitative study

BackgroundCosting and financing systematic implementation are recognized barriers to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention. In the absence of empiric implementation and economic data, perspectives from international stakeholders involved in developing and supporting daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) policy, and programs can provide critical insights for developing costed plans to support and accelerate the rollout of novel long-acting PrEP (LA-PrEP) methods, such as the monthly dapivirine vaginal ring (PrEP ring).MethodsWe interviewed stakeholders from purposively selected international organizations about anticipated PrEP-ring implementation costs, evidence gaps and key process steps for developing a costed rollout plan template (CRPT). We deductively analysed interviews.ResultsThe 27 stakeholders (11 donors, 10 nongovernmental, 4 academic/research, 2 multilateral) identified 10 cost-related themes: 7 for planning and implementation and 3 for financing, costing and budgeting. Planning and implementation cost considerations included: (1) actionable target setting; (2) multilevel communication strategies for awareness-raising, demand creation, client-level adherence and choice counselling; (3) human resources, encompassing task shifting and integration into non-HIV services; (4) supply chain costs, including commodities, manufacturing diversification, packaging and forecasting; (5) laboratory infrastructure and monitoring; (6) updated health information systems and metrics to monitor and evaluate multiple methods integrated into HIV, non-HIV and de-medicalized delivery settings; and (7) technical assistance and knowledge management. Themes for financing, costing and budgeting comprised: (8) cost and budget analyses, such as cost–effectiveness; (9) economic evidence gaps on service integration; and (10) innovative or co-financing for sustainable and equitable allocation of limited financial resources to support accelerated PrEP-ring delivery. We organized these themes within the CRPT.ConclusionsThe CRPT could expedite planning and enhance the pace and scale of optimized, systematic and sustainable delivery of PrEP methods. Further research is needed to evaluate use cases of the CRPT.