Community-oriented Approach Research Articles

Socioeconomic burden of cystic fibrosis in Canada

BackgroundCost of illness studies are important tools to summarise the burden of disease for individuals, the healthcare system and society. The lack of standardised methods for reporting costs for cystic...

Urban communist politics of the everyday in Graz, Austria

The everyday communist politics of local politicians in Graz offers a potential way forward for the left more broadly In September 2021, the Communist Party of Austria (KPÖ) won the municipal elections in Austria’s second-largest city, Graz, and Elke Kahr became the city’s mayor. Kahr has governed in a coalition with the Green Party and the Social Democrats, replacing the former conservative and far-right coalition that had lasted for eighteen years. A different kind of local politics has since then proved possible, even in conservative Austria. Graz local communists practise a politics that is sensitive to class injustice and engaged in the local community. Its slogan for the last thirty years has been ‘A party for everyday life’. The party’s success is based on its focus on everyday concerns such as housing, tenants’ rights, public health, education and mobility issues, as well as its battles against austerity and neoliberal privatisation. Its community-oriented approach, strongly committed to social infrastructure at the scale of people’s everyday experiences is explicitly critical of top-down state solutions ‐ and thus stands in stark contrast both to the previous neoliberal and profit-oriented policies in Graz, and to the centralist ways of governing of the socialist states. KPÖ politicians voluntarily cap their salaries at the level of the average worker, with the surplus going into a social fund for emergency help for those on low incomes. This has been criticised by some as a charity commitment rather structural change, but it can also be read as an attempt at lived solidarity. Drawing from local media coverage as well as interviews with politicians and local residents, the article discusses the everyday politics of Graz communists through the lens of relational care ethics, and discusses the potential international movements that could be built on this approach to communist municipal politics. The focus is on alternative social norms in urban cultures of care: solidarity among all members of society, and a recognition of people’s everyday practices and needs.

Bioethics-CSR Divide

Bioethics-CSR Divide

PROPEDEUTICS OF CHILDREN'S DISEASES AND POLYCLINIC PEDIATRICS

This article explores the crucial realms of propedeutics in children's diseases and polyclinic pediatrics, emphasizing their integral roles in the holistic care and well-being of the pediatric population. Propedeutics, as the preliminary study and diagnosis of diseases based on observed signs and symptoms, serves as a vital tool for pediatricians to identify subtle indicators of underlying health issues in children. In parallel, polyclinic pediatrics offers a comprehensive and community-oriented approach to child health, operating in outpatient settings to provide continuity of care. The article delves into the proactive role of propedeutics in early intervention and disease prevention, highlighting how polyclinic pediatrics fosters preventive care, routine check-ups, and collaborative relationships with parents. Together, propedeutics and polyclinic pediatrics emerge as indispensable components in nurturing the health and well-beingof the younger generation, contributing to a healthier and brighter future.

The Heartbeat of Equity: The Crucial Contributions of Nurses in Health Equity

Background: The pursuit of health equity has gained significant attention in recent years, with a focus on eliminating health disparities and addressing social determinants of health. Health equity is crucial in ensuring that everyone has an equal opportunity to attain his/her full potential for well-being and health. Purpose: This paper aimed to conduct a comprehensive analysis of health equity and healthcare disparities, specifically from the perspective of nursing. It also emphasizes the importance of nursing professionals in promoting health equity, addressing health disparities, and advocating for fair and equitable access to healthcare services. Methods: A scoping review was performed to determine applicable international reports and literature published in English. The search was conducted across various electronic databases, including Google Scholar, CINAHL, EBSCO, MEDLINE, and PubMed. Results: The findings revealed that achieving health equity involves addressing the root causes that hinder individuals from attaining optimal health. Social determinants of health play a significant role in shaping health outcomes, and addressing these factors is essential to achieve health equity. Furthermore, the study underscores the need for a community-oriented approach that involves collaboration with community and government sectors to improve social care resources and healthcare delivery. Conclusion: Nurses play multi-faceted roles in promoting health equity through technology, policy, education, research, philosophy and theory context, and disaster response. They have the opportunity to address health disparities and promote health, particularly in underserved communities. Implications for Nursing: Nurses need to be actively involved in advocating for policies and practices that address social determinants of health and promote equity in healthcare delivery. By recognizing the impacts of social, economic, and environmental factors on health outcomes, nurses can play a key role in addressing health disparities and promoting health equity. This involves collaboration with various stakeholders, advocating for resource allocation, and implementing communityoriented approaches to address health inequities Keywords: Health equity, Health disparities, Social determinants, Nursing research, Nursing theories, Nursing policy, Nursing education, Health technology, Disaster response, Jordan.

Re-defining evidence-based policing

Abstract This article re-defines evidence-based policing as ‘a decision-making process which integrates the best available evidence, professional judgement and community values, preferences and circumstances’. The article argues that this definition serves to position evidence-based policing more clearly as a research-informed, practitioner-centred, and community-oriented approach to policing practice. It moreover advances links between evidence-based policing and related concepts—such as evidence-based medicine—which, in turn, promises to address misunderstandings in (and streamline) debates about evidence-based practice across disciplinary lines. The article provides an in-depth discussion of each key element of its proposed three-pronged definition—best available evidence, professional judgement, and community values, preferences, and circumstances—through a review of ongoing discussions about evidence-based policing in the field of criminology and evolving discussions (and conceptualizations) of evidence-based practice across other disciplines. Finally, the article outlines how its proposed definition—and its three integral elements—can guide the future development of an evidence-based policing agenda.

The image of a policeman and the attitude of society towards policemen of different countries

This article analyzes the image of the police and society's attitudes towards law enforcement in different countries. The study includes various aspects such as the prestige of the profession, the image of law enforcement, and guarantees of professional activity for police officers. The authors consider the experiences of some countries, including Ukraine, and highlight the importance of police reform based on a community-oriented approach. The results of this study can be useful for police officers, law enforcement agencies, and governments in ensuring a positive image of the police and improving relations between police officers and the community.
 Special conditions of service, such as a state of emergency, can have both positive and negative impacts on the image of the police and society's attitudes towards them. On the one hand, strengthening loyalty and unity among police officers can enhance their professionalism and effectiveness. On the other hand, a too strong sense of a military atmosphere can lead to the use of violence and human rights violations, which negatively affects the image of the police and citizens' attitudes towards them.
 Furthermore, dedication to their duties and readiness to perform them under any circumstances are crucial components of effective police work. This is where high morale is necessary, which is required for effective police work. The responsibility for the safety and order of the country is entrusted to them, and they must always be ready to act. Therefore, the police should strive to ensure the support and respect of the community, reflect their needs, and perform their duties with a high degree of professionalism and ethics.
 The article compares the image of the police in different countries and examines how police officers act during times of crisis. It analyzes and compares the approaches of different countries to the development of police activity and their impact on the relationship between the police and citizens during a state of emergency in Ukraine.

Evaluation Strategies of Iran’s Medical Education Policies

Background: The critical nature of the medical field necessitated an investigation into the evaluation of Iran’s medical education policies. This study aimed to identify strategies for evaluating medical education policies in Iran. Methods: This research, a mixed-method study, was conducted using grounded theory and a cross-sectional survey. Interviews were carried out with 17 individuals, including members of parliament, policymakers, and policy professors, using non-random method methods. Questionnaires were developed from the coded and validated interviews using the triangulation method. A total of 200 individuals were selected for this study. This mixed-method research was conducted using grounded theory and a cross-sectional survey. Interviews were carried out with 17 individuals, including members of parliament, policymakers, and policy professors, using non-random method methods. Questionnaires were developed from the coded and validated interviews using the triangulation method. A total of 200 individuals were selected for this study. Results: The results revealed that the strategies for evaluating medical education policies encompass a range of factors. These include a simultaneous focus on institutional and non-institutional agendas, prioritization of social benefits, implementation of economic strategies, updating of resources and information, precise definition and design of policies, executive strategies, and policy considerations. Conclusion: In the evaluation of policies, it is essential to adopt a community-oriented approach, with a focus on decentralization and public interests. This approach ensures that the objectives and general health needs of the population are met in a reasonable manner.

Addressing food insecurity: what is the role of healthcare?

Food insecurity - when individuals or households have difficulty accessing sufficient, safe, culturally appropriate and nutritious food due to lack of money or other resources - is a global public health concern. Levels of food insecurity have increased across the UK in recent years, due in part to a decade of austerity, widespread loss of income during the COVID-19 pandemic and the more recent cost-of-living crisis, leading to rising use of food banks. The stress of living with uncertain access to food and going periods without food is damaging to physical and mental health. Food insecurity is linked to both obesity and malnutrition, as often the most readily available foods are processed, high in fats, sugars and salt, but low in essential nutrients for health. While recognising that many of the drivers of food insecurity, and health inequalities more broadly (i.e. the social determinants of health) lie outside the health service, it is increasingly acknowledged that the National Health Service - and primary care in particular - has a key role to play in mitigating health inequalities. This review considers the potential role of healthcare in mitigating food insecurity, with a focus on primary care settings. Recent initiatives in Scotland, such as community links workers and general practitioner practice-attached financial advice workers, have shown promise as part of a more community-oriented approach to primary care, which can mitigate the effects of food insecurity. However, a more 'upstream' response is required, including 'cash first' interventions as part of broader national strategies to end the need for food banks.

Evaluation of association between the quality of life of urban senior citizens living in the slum area and their socio-demographic factors: A community-oriented approach

Factors influencing the quality of life (QoL) of senior citizens are many. We evaluated the factors affecting various domains of quality of life in this vulnerable population. A community-based survey was conducted in the Thane District of Maharashtra state, India amongst 427 individuals above 60 years of age. A pre-validated World Health Organization quality of life questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF) followed by personal interviews was used.Overall a lower QoL was observed amongst the study participants. Advanced age, female gender, informal education, economically dependence on the family members, low socio -economic status and those with multiple health problems were observed to be associated with poor QoL. We have identified factors significantly associated with poor QoL amongst the senior citizens living in a slum area. Interventions targeting this vulnerable population (particularly with risk factors) should be explored for their utility in improving the QoL.

Challenges Introducing a Novel Health Assessment System in Disaster-prone Japan: Community-Oriented Approach for Comprehensive Healthcare in Emergency Situations (COACHES)

Introduction:Collecting real-time individual health data of all disaster-affected populations is usually considered impossible. The University of Kochi's team and its partners conceived a novel health assessment system named "Community Oriented Approach for Comprehensive Healthcare in Emergency Situations (COACHES)." It collects individual health data anonymously and records such data in a cloud-based database. The system runs on any personal mobile device by scanning a personal identification code (QR code). It is expected that anyone on site with qualifications in healthcare will run this system as a volunteer to ensure data reliability. The COACHES app development is in process, and its prototype is currently available. This study aimed to assess how people react to the novel system and see the feasibility of installation in Japan.Method:Two focus group interviews (FGI) were conducted in a small coastal village in western Japan. The village anticipates severe damages with days of isolation once a large-scale earthquake followed by a tsunami hits the area. The first FGI was held with nine purposively recruited participants. The second FGI was held one month after and included seven of the first FGI participants with one of the absent participants providing a written response. FGI was for one-hour each, with discussion following the system demonstration. The voice data during the FGI were recorded and analyzed. The research was approved by the University of Kochi IRB.Results:Some showed intense interest in the system, whereas concerns such as the privacy violation for using personal devices, the availability of healthcare personnel, or a fear that anonymous data collection may delay identifying a person in need of assistance.Conclusion:Further studies are proposed, particularly in recruiting volunteers, data storage in case of technical damage, and how to make people with limited IT literacy comfortable using the new system.

An exploration of a third participatory museology approach in the interaction with local business and tradition at the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area art museums

PurposeThis paper aims to summarize the conditions under which participatory art museums and local commercial traditions can have positive and sustained interactions.Design/methodology/approachThe methods include studying the quantity and content of exhibitions in the four cities of the Bay Area, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Hong Kong and Shunde, to compare their academic positioning and influence on local commercial production. Through interviewing curators, artists and university scholars who are active in the Bay Area and are invited by the museums on a regular basis, it will let us understand the attitudes from the government, public and capital towards the regional art museums and how these attitudes influence the choice of theme in the participatory art museum practice.FindingsTo summarize the findings, the author concludes that a participatory art gallery with commercial production in the Bay Area requires the following: a long tradition of local business and wealth accumulation; a local area is of a size where the community of acquaintances can interact on a regular basis; continued interest of a diverse local elite, including a mix of businessmen and gentry, government officials and various sectors of the public; and museums serving as intermediaries to coordinate the effective integration of the commercial and traditional resources.Originality/valueParticipatory approaches and their impacts are a shared area of interest across urban planning, heritage studies and the creative arts. Crucially, solely relying on either the Latin bottom-up community-oriented approach (Barnes, 2003) or the British top-down policy-oriented approach (Heijnen, 2010) did not maximize benefits, though these distinctive two approaches were convinced that museums should play a larger role in becoming agents of contemporary social change. By contrast, in focusing on Chinese Art Museums, this study will explore participatory practice in the Asian context. In doing so, it will not only diversify the emerging literature on the social and economic impacts of arts and heritage organizations but also challenge the Western lens through which participatory approaches are viewed in the interdisciplinary literature. As Lefebvre acknowledged his lack of non-Western regions in his research, this study will offer new perspectives on museology and its contributions to the Production of Space.

Racism and radicalisation in Denmark: outline for a social pedagogical prevention model

This article focuses on social pedagogical work with young people from minority ethnic communities who are at risk of becoming radicalised. The aim is to contribute to the further qualification of general social pedagogical work, so that radicalisation and extremism can be more effectively prevented. In Denmark there has been an increased focus on radicalisation and extremism in recent decades. Radicalisation is often characterised as a process where extremist attitudes develop before an act of violence takes place. It is a politically charged subject with a series of discourses that link radicalisation with parallel societies and a lack of integration. The prevailing discourse often portrays ethnic minorities as living in ethnic enclaves that are isolated from the majority of society, where they reproduce their religious and cultural values which can lead to a form of radicalisation and a threat to the national social cohesion. One profession that engages with this topic is social pedagogy, which aims to intervene in such situations. However, we are far from seeing social pedagogy succeeding in this intention. In practice, many social pedagogical initiatives take an individualising and disciplinary approach and are therefore ineffective solutions to young people’s challenges. In this article, we first analyse the dominant political discourse on ethnic minorities and connect it to the Danish government’s various action plans against radicalisation and extremism. We then discuss the implications of European and Danish prevention work against radicalisation and raise a criticism of this work for its individualising, disciplinary and uncritical nature. We highlight the need for a community-oriented approach to prevention work, where the cornerstones are involvement, network building and critical insight.

Leadership for the common good: Students’ self-assessment in a mexican university

Although Leadership for the Common Good (LCG*) was initially conceptualized by Crosby and Bryson in 1992, this study examines and discusses the foundational aspects of LCG in light of a new theory, emphasizing qualities and dynamics related to the common good. This cross-sectional study utilized a validated and reliable LCG scale, administered to undergraduate students from the Technological University of Queretaro (UTEQ) in Mexico. The participants (N = 1569, Age = 20.9 SD ± 2.2) self-assessed their levels of LCG across eleven dimensions. The findings revealed positive self-reported perceptions among the participants but lower actual achievements, indicating a discrepancy between idealistic beliefs and realistic actions as measured by the scale. The results suggest that while participants possess desired qualities aligned with Mexican culture and family values, they may not necessarily translate these into concrete actions, particularly in terms of community participation and social involvement. As the COVID-19 pandemic is being controlled and a return to in-person classes is imminent, there is an urgent need to promote a more active and community-oriented approach to LCG.

A Place-Based Digital Learning Environments with Learning Resources Application to Enhance Student Learning and Innovations


 Sustainable development has underlined the relevance of education and culture in the specific area. While place-based learning has been shown to be a successful community-oriented approach, this study combined the participation of people in a variety of physical and social activities to develop a local wisdom learning-management model with digital resources application for learners in Thailand's educational innovation sandbox. The 146 key information providers and 340 students from two elementary schools and two secondary schools took part in the research and development process. The results indicated the local wisdom learning model could enhance student’s learning achievement and learning and innovative skills. Key involved persons, learning management goals, local wisdom content, and digital learning resource application are the four critical components including key involved persons, goals of learning management, the content of outstanding local wisdom, and digital learning resources application. In addition, the topic covers the five steps of learning procedures and three evaluation methods. The practical implications for future policy and practice are discussed.

An Introduction to Engaged Phenomenology

ABSTRACT In this article, I introduce engaged phenomenology as an approach through which phenomenologists can more explicitly and critically consider the generative conditions and implications of their research. I make an explicit link between philosophical insights from critical and generative phenomenology and the ethical and methodological insights offered by engaged research methods—a community-oriented approach to the generation of shared understanding for the mutual benefit of all stakeholders in research. The article consists of (a) a review of these respective strands of inquiry, (b) an overview and critique of mainstream qualitative methodologies in phenomenology, and (c) suggestions for those interested in working through engaged phenomenology as an approach to both theory and research praxis.

Sound-Quality-Based Decision Making in Multiobjective Optimisation of Operations for Sustainable Airport Scenarios

The paper deals with a community-oriented approach to the multiobjective optimisation of sustainable takeoff and landing procedures of commercial aircraft. The objective functions to be minimised are defined as the measure of area surrounding the airport where the Sound Exposure Level (SEL) is higher than 60 dBA, and the amount of fuel burned during the procedure. The first merit factor is a measure of the number of citizens affected by a potentially harmful noise level, whereas the second is proportional to the chemical emissions. The novelty of the present approach is the use of a criterion based on sound quality for the selection of the optimal procedure from the Pareto front set. The spectrum of the noise produced by each non-dominated solution is compared to a reference spectrum, the target sound. This is synthesised to meet the acceptance requirements that emerged by a campaign of psychometric tests. The rationale underlying the research is tightly linked to the expected transformation of civil aviation, with the advent of new air transport solutions in urban and suburban environments. The breakthrough nature of the emerging scenarios requires a drastic renewal of the approaches used in the management of operations, and the present work represents a contribution to this evolution. The optimisation is attained adopting a global, deterministic method, and numerical results are obtained for single- and twin-aisle aircraft.

The Relationship Between Adolescents' Knowledge About the Dangers of Drugs and Health Behavior

This study investigates the relationship between adolescent knowledge of drug dangers and health behavior at SMA Negeri 1 Panyabungan Selatan, Mandailing Natal Regency. Narcotics, whether plant-based, synthetic, or semi-synthetic, are often associated with addiction and dependence. The abuse and illicit trafficking of drugs have severe consequences, including damage to individuals, communities, and the nation's future. Approximately 200 individuals were suspected of involvement in drug-related activities, prompting a community-oriented approach to address the issue. Using a descriptive research design, this study employed a questionnaire as the research instrument and utilized accidental sampling to select 36 respondents from class XI Science students in 2022. Univariate analysis, conducted using the SPSS program, revealed varying levels of knowledge among respondents: 20 individuals (55.6%) exhibited good knowledge, 6 individuals (16.7%) had sufficient knowledge, and 10 individuals (27.8%) possessed poor knowledge regarding drug dangers. This study sheds light on the importance of understanding the relationship between adolescent knowledge of drug dangers and their health behavior, offering insights for interventions aimed at promoting informed decision-making and healthy lifestyles among youth.

Qualitative analysis of the barriers and facilitators influencing uptake of direct-acting antiviral therapy for hepatitis C in a primary healthcare environment.

Historical interferon and ribavirin therapies for hepatitis C virus have been replaced by modern treatments with improved efficacy and tolerability. Despite the availability of direct-acting antiviral therapy, evidence demonstrates poor uptake in Australia. Presently, the barriers and facilitators influencing uptake of direct-acting antiviral therapy are not fully understood, especially in a primary healthcare environment. Our study aimed to discover methods of improving uptake of treatment in the community. We conducted 15 semi-structured, face-to-face interviews in a metropolitan, primary healthcare clinic in Australia. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and subsequently analysed using thematic content analysis. We identified patient-related and healthcare system-related barriers and facilitators to commencing treatment. This included established themes from current literature, and novel themes unique to direct-acting antiviral therapy and primary care. Overall, our study reinforces the importance of public health campaigns to promote community awareness and emphasises the concomitant role of mental health in fostering treatment uptake. Informed by our findings, we suggest further research on an integrated model of care, focused on the domains of disease awareness, patient engagement and treatment adherence. Hence, a community-oriented approach, driven by primary healthcare, ultimately underpins a successful public strategy to improve outcomes for patients affected by hepatitis C.

The feasibility of domestic raintanks contributing to community-oriented urban flood resilience

This interdisciplinary study investigates the technical and social feasibility of developing a domestic raintank programme to increase urban flood resilience. Hydrological modelling of different types of tank was used to determine the advantages and disadvantages of different models in controlling runoff. Qualitative socio-cultural interviews with local people revealed that raintanks were broadly acceptable to the local community. However, interviews with representatives from flood authorities suggest that resource constraints and technocratic industry norms focused on physical flood risk mitigate against consideration of a raintank programme. Our research suggests that there are transformative advantages to a more community-oriented approach to flood resilience, particularly the potential to change the relationship between the public and flood authorities away from a traditional model that pictures the former as passive, towards a process of mutual learning and two-way communication. Our research illustrates that this is not merely a matter of ‘good practice’, but a shift that can produce new practical solutions that a technical perspective alone cannot reveal.