Demographic Variance Research Articles

Demographic Variance in COVID‐19 Vaccine Hesitancy Among Reproductive‐Aged Females During the First Year of the Vaccine Rollout

ABSTRACTObjectiveInitial COVID‐19 vaccine trials excluded pregnant individuals, making eventual vaccine recommendations nongeneralizable. After noninferiority was established, the CDC, WHO, and ACOG supported vaccination of this group. However, only 31% of pregnant people accepted vaccination. This study aims to assess COVID‐19 vaccine hesitancy in a diverse cohort of reproductive‐aged females.MethodsWe used a validated WHO vaccine hesitancy survey tool, modified to address the COVID‐19 vaccine specifically. From August to November 2021, people capable of pregnancy aged 18–50 years were recruited from inpatient and outpatient OB/GYN services at a large, urban, academic centre in the Midwestern United States. The responses were collected anonymously and analysed using Kruskal–Wallis H and Mann–Whitney U tests.ResultsFifty‐one of sixty participants partially or fully completed the survey. Black individuals were more vaccine‐hesitant in general than Hispanic and White individuals (H[2] = 11.179, p < 0.01), and they were more hesitant toward the COVID‐19 vaccine specifically (H[2] = 9.396, p < 0.01). Pregnant people were less confident that the COVID‐19 vaccine was safe overall (H[2] = 11.473, p < 0.005) compared to those recently pregnant or not pregnant. Individuals not using contraception reported being significantly less confident in the safety of the COVID‐19 vaccine (U = 96.500, p < 0.05). Individuals who declined the flu vaccine were more likely to be COVID‐19 vaccine‐hesitant (U = 79.500, p < 0.001). Participants' age and occupation were not associated with vaccine hesitancy.ConclusionVaccine hesitancy particularly among some demographic groups highlights the need to study the underlying factors contributing to a lack of confidence in the safety of the COVID‐19 vaccine.SynopsisOur validated survey‐based study found that Black participants capable of pregnancy were the most vaccine‐hesitant, highlighting a missed opportunity to care for these individuals.

Identifying patterns of sexual behaviors and PrEP uptake characteristics among MSM who were eligible for PrEP: A national cross-section study

Men who have sex with men (MSM) are at a high risk of HIV infection and should be offered effective preventive measures, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). However, PrEP uptake among eligible MSM was not as high as desired. Diverse research findings on how risky sexual behaviors affect PrEP uptake highlight the necessity for a comprehensive investigation. Understanding the interconnectedness of different sexual behaviors is crucial for evaluating their impact on PrEP uptake among eligible MSM.Using a proportional sampling method, we recruited 5877 MSM aged 16 years and above in mainland China according to PrEP eligibility criteria. Through latent class analysis (LCA), three distinct sexual behavior patterns were identified among eligible MSM. Demographic variances and PrEP uptake among the three distinct sexual behavior patterns were examined using chi-squared tests and multinomial logistic regression.LCA revealed three patterns: low-risk (4,815 MSM), medium-risk (516 MSM), and high-risk (546 MSM). MSM aged 25 years or older with a monthly income of ≥¥8,000 were more likely to be in the medium-risk group. Those from areas with high HIV prevalence and engaging as "top" in anal sex were more likely to be in the medium- and high-risk groups. The medium- and high-risk groups had a higher willingness, uptake, and adherence rates for PrEP than the low-risk group.LCA is effective in identifying diverse sexual behavior patterns among MSM, aiding targeted interventions to enhance PrEP uptake. Addressing demographic variations and tailoring interventions for specific risk groups are crucial for promoting PrEP dissemination and reducing HIV infection risk in eligible MSM.

Major axes of variation in tree demography across global forests

The future trajectory of global forests is closely intertwined with tree demography, and a major fundamental goal in ecology is to understand the key mechanisms governing spatio‐temporal patterns in tree population dynamics. While previous research has made substantial progress in identifying the mechanisms individually, their relative importance among forests remains unclear mainly due to practical limitations. One approach to overcome these limitations is to group mechanisms according to their shared effects on the variability of tree vital rates and quantify patterns therein. We developed a conceptual and statistical framework (variance partitioning of Bayesian multilevel models) that attributes the variability in tree growth, mortality, and recruitment to variation in species, space, and time, and their interactions – categories we refer to as organising principles (OPs). We applied the framework to data from 21 forest plots covering more than 2.9 million trees of approximately 6500 species. We found that differences among species, the species OP, proved a major source of variability in tree vital rates, explaining 28–33% of demographic variance alone, and 14–17% in interaction with space, totalling 40–43%. Our results support the hypothesis that the range of vital rates is similar across global forests. However, the average variability among species declined with species richness, indicating that diverse forests featured smaller interspecific differences in vital rates. Moreover, decomposing the variance in vital rates into the proposed OPs showed the importance of unexplained variability, which includes individual variation, in tree demography. A focus on how demographic variance is organized in forests can facilitate the construction of more targeted models with clearer expectations of which covariates might drive a vital rate. This study therefore highlights the most promising avenues for future research, both in terms of understanding the relative contributions of groups of mechanisms to forest demography and diversity, and for improving projections of forest ecosystems.

Unmasking Consumer Behavior: A Deep Dive into Brand Boycotts in the Social Media Age – Exploring Filipino Demographic Variances, Perceptual Constructs, and Activist Actions

The effectiveness of boycotting brands and companies as a means of nonviolent protest has come under increasing examination due to various factors affecting the lives of individuals and organizations involved in such movements. This study aims to learn the various elements of a boycott and assess its effectiveness. The study utilizes descriptive-correlational quantitative research methods to measure consumer’s perceptions of boycotted brands. A random sample of 18–45-year-olds, including both working professionals and students, can capture a wide range of opinions, providing a measurable view of public sentiment and its correlation with boycott practices. The results of this study show that boycotts are an effective way to raise awareness. Although its focus is on social media platforms, which can fundamentally limit the reach and impact of boycott campaigns, research shows that boycott campaigns can still bring forth a call for action to create change. In our society, where social media has a significant influence, especially in the marketing environment, using these platforms for activism can have tangible results. The study acknowledges the limitations of the boycott, particularly its reliance on social media, but emphasizes its potential as a means for dialogue and social change.

Microbial symbionts buffer hosts from the demographic costs of environmental stochasticity.

Species' persistence in increasingly variable climates will depend on resilience against the fitness costs of environmental stochasticity. Most organisms host microbiota that shield against stressors. Here, we test the hypothesis that, by limiting exposure to temporally variable stressors, microbial symbionts reduce hosts' demographic variance. We parameterized stochastic population models using data from a 14-year symbiont-removal experiment including seven grass species that host Epichloë fungal endophytes. Results provide novel evidence that symbiotic benefits arise not only through improved mean fitness, but also through dampened inter-annual variance. Hosts with "fast" life-history traits benefited most from symbiont-mediated demographic buffering. Under current climate conditions, contributions of demographic buffering were modest compared to benefits to mean fitness. However, simulations of increased stochasticity amplified benefits of demographic buffering and made it the more important pathway of host-symbiont mutualism. Microbial-mediated variance buffering is likely an important, yet cryptic, mechanism of resilience in an increasingly variable world.

Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice of Pregnant Women about Anemia during Pregnancy in Baghdad Teaching Hospital

Objectives: to assess the level of knowledge, attitude and practice of pregnant women about anemia. To assess the association between knowledge of pregnant women and their socio – demographic variances. To assess the association between the practice of pregnant women and their socio – demographic variances. Methods: cross sectional study, carried out among pregnant at Baghdad Teaching Hospital, from 25th February to 28th April, 2023. A total of 300 pregnant women participated in the study. The tool of study was questionnaire. Results: The study revealed 63.3% of pregnant women had good knowledge, positive attitude found in 65.3% and health practice in 59.3% among pregnant women regarding anemia, the study show association between the knowledge of the pregnant woman and educational level of her and her husband, also there is association between the practice of pregnant woman and her occupation. Conclusion: A noticeable general good level of knowledge , attitude and practice among pregnant women regarding anemia during pregnancy, level of knowledge in pregnant woman associated with the educational level of her and her husband and healthy practice increase in employed pregnant woman. Recommendations: Raise the level of knowledge and practice for prevention, learn pregnant women healthy dietary habit and encourage pregnant women to early registration in primary health care center.

Exploring the Impact of Socioeconomic Status and Environmental Characteristics on Child and Adolescent Mental Health in Disadvantaged Urban Communities in West Java

This quantitative study investigates the complex interactions that exist between neighborhood features, children's and adolescents' mental health, and socioeconomic status (SES) in underprivileged urban neighborhoods in West Java. 340 individuals in a broad sample offered insights into neighborhood characteristics, SES indicators, demographic variances, and mental health outcomes. The results highlight the critical role that economic differences play by revealing a strong negative connection between SES and mental health. Furthermore, neighborhood features—in particular, social cohesiveness and safety perceptions—have been shown to have a significant impact on mental health outcomes. These neighborhood characteristics, according to mediation analyses, moderate the association between SES and mental health, providing detailed insights into the underlying mechanisms. The results help provide a more comprehensive picture of young people's mental health in urban environments, which helps shape targeted treatments and policies for vulnerable groups.

Do Personality and Demographic Variances of Individual Investors Challenge the Assumption of Rationality? A Two-Staged Regression Modeling-Artificial Neural Network Approach

Do Personality and Demographic Variances of Individual Investors Challenge the Assumption of Rationality? A Two-Staged Regression Modeling-Artificial Neural Network Approach

Early-Onset Colon Cancer: A Narrative Review of Its Pathogenesis, Clinical Presentation, Treatment, and Prognosis.

Colon cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related deaths, and there has been a rise in the incidence of early-onset colon cancer or colon cancer diagnosed before the age of 50 years old. Early-onset colon cancerhas several differences in clinical presentation, as well as histopathology, geneticalteration, and molecular profiling. Early-onset colon cancer can be differentiated into familial type that includes hereditary familial syndrome and sporadic type. Demographic variance also exists in both developing and developed countries. Due to the rising incidence of colon cancer diagnosed in younger age, it is imperative to examine the available evidence regarding the mortality rate of early-onset colon cancer. Colon cancer is affected by numerous modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors. Increasing obesity and lifestyle disorders in the younger population, such as smoking, may influence this increasing trend. There are existing guidelines for colon cancer screening in both average-risk and high-risk individuals.This narrative review aims to highlight the pathogenesis of early-onset CRC; its clinical presentation, treatment, prognosis; and how it differs from late-onset CRC.

The SPEAK study rationale and design: A linguistic corpus-based approach to understanding thought disorder.

Psychotic symptoms are typically measured using clinical ratings, but more objective and sensitive metrics are needed. Hence, we will assess thought disorder using the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) heuristic for language production, and its recommended paradigm of "linguistic corpus-based analyses of language output". Positive thought disorder (e.g., tangentiality and derailment) can be assessed using word-embedding approaches that assess semantic coherence, whereas negative thought disorder (e.g., concreteness, poverty of speech) can be assessed using part-of-speech (POS) tagging to assess syntactic complexity. We aim to establish convergent validity of automated linguistic metrics with clinical ratings, assess normative demographic variance, determine cognitive and functional correlates, and replicate their predictive power for psychosis transition among at-risk youths. This study will assess language production in 450 English-speaking individuals in Australia and Canada, who have recent onset psychosis, are at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis, or who are healthy volunteers, all well-characterized for cognition, function and symptoms. Speech will be elicited using open-ended interviews. Audio files will be transcribed and preprocessed for automated natural language processing (NLP) analyses of coherence and complexity. Data analyses include canonical correlation, multivariate linear regression with regularization, and machine-learning classification of group status and psychosis outcome. This prospective study aims to characterize language disturbance across stages of psychosis using computational approaches, including psychometric properties, normative variance and clinical correlates, important for biomarker development. SPEAK will create a large archive of language data available to other investigators, a rich resource for the field.

Beyond Physical Well-being: Exploring Demographic Variances in Psychosocial Well-being before Breast Reconstruction.

Preoperative BREAST-Q responses and demographic data, including race, generation, median household incomeinstitutional review board and body mass index (BMI) were collected from breast cancer patients scheduled for mastectomy. Associations between demographic group and survey response were analyzed by chi-square or independent t-tests. In total, 646 of 826 patients identified had complete data and were included in the final analysis. Patients in BMI group 1 (16-24.9) were more likely to report feeling "very satisfied" with how they looked unclothed compared with patients in other BMI groups (P = 0.031). Conversely, patients in groups 3 and 4 (35+), reported lower satisfaction (P = 0.037) and felt less attractive without clothes (P = 0.034). Asian women were less likely to feel attractive (P = 0.007), and Black patients were less likely to feel of equal worth to other women (P < 0.001). Finally, patients were less likely to report confidence in social settings if they were Black (P < 0.001), Asian (P < 0.001), from the millennial generation (P = 0.017), or living in zip codes with median household income less than $55,000 (P = 0.042). Breast cancer patients' feelings toward their natural breasts vary widely between demographic groups. Understanding baseline psychosocial factors in this population is key to informing preoperative discussions and interpreting postoperative satisfaction.

Analysis of inpatient complications in HIV/AIDS patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty – A propensity matched cohort study

Patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are at higher risk for orthopedic related diseases due to dysregulation in bone metabolism and metabolic effects related to their medication regimen. Furthermore, the rate of hip arthroplasty in HIV patients is increasing. With the recent changes in THA methodologies and improvements in HIV treatment, there is a need for updated research analyzing hip arthroplasty outcomes in this high-risk patient population. In this study, we used a national database to evaluate postoperative outcomes in HIV patients undergoing THA compared to THA patients without HIV. We use a propensity algorithm to create a cohort of 493 HIV negative patients for matched analysis. Among the 367,894 THA patients included in this study, 367,390 patients were HIV negative and 504 were HIV positive. The HIV cohort had a lower mean age (53.34 vs 65.88, p < 0.001), lower proportion of females (44% vs 76.4%, p < 0.001), lower incidence of diabetes without complications (5% vs 11.1%, p < 0.001) and a lower incidence of obesity (0.544 vs 0.875, p = 0.002). In the unmatched analysis, the incidence of acute kidney injury (4.8% vs 2.5%, p = 0.004), pneumonia (1.2% vs 0.2%, p = 0.002), periprosthetic infection (3.6% vs 1%, p < 0.001), and wound dehiscence (0.6% vs 0.1%, p = 0.009) were higher in HIV cohort, most likely due to inherent demographic variances present in the HIV population. In the matched analysis, the rates of blood transfusion (5.0% vs 8.3%, p = 0.041) were lower in the HIV cohort. Other post-operative variables, such as rates of pneumonia, wound dehiscence, and surgical site infections were not statistically significant between the HIV positive population and HIV negative matched cohort. Our study found similar rates of postoperative complications in HIV positive and HIV negative patients. The rate of blood transfusions in HIV positive patients was also noted to be lower. Our data suggests that THA is a safe procedure in patients infected with HIV.

Where do you stand?: an exploration of perspectives toward feet, foot health, and footwear using innovative digital methods

BackgroundThe cost of losing foot health is significant to the person, healthcare systems, and economy, with diabetes related foot health issues alone costing over £1 billion annually in the UK. Yet many foot health problems are preventable through alternative health behaviour. It is therefore important to understand how feet, foot health and footwear are conceptualised to gain understanding about how these might influence foot health behaviour and inform health messages that seek to protect or improve foot health through altered health behaviour. This research seeks to explore attitudes and beliefs and identify phenomena that may act as barriers or motivators to the proactive self-management of foot health.MethodsPublic conversations involving 2,699 expressions related to feet, footwear or foot health on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram were extracted. Conversations on Facebook and Twitter were scraped with NVivo’s NCapture plugin whereby data is extracted and downloaded to NVivo. Extracted files were uploaded to the Big Content Machine (software developed at the University of Salford) which facilitated the search for keywords ‘foot’, ‘feet’, ‘footwear’, ‘shoe’, and ‘shoes’. Instagram was scraped by hand. Data was analysed using a Thematic Analysis approach.ResultsThree themes were identified; 1) connections and disconnections derived from social and cultural constructs, 2) phenomena beyond attitudes and beliefs that relate to symbolic representations and the impact when foot health is lost, and 3) phenomena relating to Social Media as a conduit for the exploration of attitudes and beliefs.ConclusionsThis novel research exemplifies complex and sometimes incongruous perspectives about feet including their value for what they facilitate, contrasted with negative feelings about the negative impact that can have aesthetically when feet work hard. Sometimes feet were devalued, with expressions of disgust, disconnection, and ridicule. The importance of contextual, social, and cultural phenomena with implications for optimising foot health messages. Knowledge gaps including factors related to children’s foot health and development, and how to treat foot health problems. The power of communities with shared experience to influence decisions, theories, and behaviour about foot health was also revealed. While people do talk about feet in some social contexts, it is not always in a way that promotes overt, positive foot health behaviour. Finally, this research demonstrates the benefit of exploring perspectives in uncontrived settings and illuminates the potential utility of social media (SoMe) platforms Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter as vehicles to promote foot health self-management behaviour that is responsive to the social and demographic variances of engagers who inhabit those spaces.

The Digital Divide Is Aging: An Intergenerational Investigation of Social Media Engagement in China.

The aging-based digital divide has gained increased research attention in recent years. This research focused on two important aspects of the aging society, the digital divide and the intergenerational differences, with regard to social media usage in China. The data were collected through a household interview, using a nationally representative sample (n= 3790) from 58 cities in mainland China. The present study investigated the association between differentiated social media usage with demographic characteristics, social economic status, physical and mental health, and social media perceptions. The results show a significant digital divide and generational differences. The existing socio-economic inequalities and demographic variance largely explained older adults’ social media access and diversity of social media engagement. Social media perceptions play more essential roles in the intensity of social media engagement for each generation group. This study contributes a better understanding of the manner in which different factors are associated with different generations’ social media engagement. A discussion is included regarding the necessity to close the aging-based digital gap in order to cope with the issue of rapid aging.

Differentiation in Posterior Tibial Slope by Sex, Age, and Race: A Cadaveric Study Utilizing 3-Dimensional Computerized Tomography

Background: Posterior tibial slope (PTS) has recently gained increased attention for its possible role in anterior cruciate ligament and posterior cruciate ligament injury. The possible differences among age, sex, and ethnicity in PTS have not yet been reported. Purpose: To describe demographic variances of proximal tibial anatomy and to detect differences in regard to ethnicity, sex, and age. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: In total, 250 cadaveric specimens with full-body computerized tomography scans from the New Mexico Descendant Imaging Database were randomly selected (inclusion/exclusion criteria: older than 18 years, complete imaging of the knee without previous surgery or arthroplasty) and reviewed by 3 independent observers measuring medial posterior tibial slope (MPTS), lateral posterior tibial slope (LPTS), and global posterior tibial slope (PTS), which was calculated as the mean of the MPTS and LPTS. Individuals were evenly divided among male and female and ethnicities/races: African American/Black, Asian American, Hispanic, Native American, and White. Intraclass correlation coefficient was calculated for interobserver reliability and analysis of variance statistical testing to determine statistical significance between groups. Fisher exact test was also used to understand PTS differences among ethnicities when looking at clinically significant values for potential ligamentous injury. Results: Measurements were obtained from 250 specimens with a mean age of 49.4 years (range, 19 to 103 years). The mean PTS was 8.92° (range, –9.4° to 14.95°). Asian Americans had a 1.7° greater mean MPTS than Whites (P = .016), and African Americans/Blacks had a 1.6° greater mean PTS than Whites (P = .022). No difference in mean PTS was seen between age and sex. When looking at clinically significant PTS, 61 (24.4%) individuals had tibial slopes <6° or >12°, 32 (12.8%) and 29 (11.6%), respectively. Statistically significant differences were seen among ethnicities with PTS <6° (P = .017) but not with PTS >12° (P = .106). No sex-based differences were seen in the percentage of specimens with a PTS of >12° or <6°. Conclusion: Among ethnicities, African Americans/Blacks and Asian Americans have increased PTS in comparison with Whites. Nearly 25% of individuals have clinically significant slopes of <6° or >12°, with no difference in tibial slope among sex or age groups.

Analyzing dynamic species abundance distributions using generalized linear mixed models.

Understanding the mechanisms of ecological community dynamics and how they could be affected by environmental changes is important. Population dynamic models have well known ecological parameters that describe key characteristics of species such as the effect of environmental noise and demographic variance on the dynamics, the long‐term growth rate, and strength of density regulation. These parameters are also central for detecting and understanding changes in communities of species; however, incorporating such vital parameters into models of community dynamics is challenging. In this paper, we demonstrate how generalized linear mixed models specified as intercept‐only models with different random effects can be used to fit dynamic species abundance distributions. Each random effect has an ecologically meaningful interpretation either describing general and species‐specific responses to environmental stochasticity in time or space, or variation in growth rate and carrying capacity among species. We use simulations to show that the accuracy of the estimation depends on the strength of density regulation in discrete population dynamics. The estimation of different covariance and population dynamic parameters, with corresponding statistical uncertainties, is demonstrated for case studies of fish and bat communities. We find that species heterogeneity is the main factor of spatial and temporal community similarity for both case studies.

Psychological impacts of Intentional Non-Medical Fentanyl Use Among People Who Use Drugs: A Systematic Review

IntroductionThe use of non-medical fentanyl and structurally related compounds has changed drastically over the last ten years. Community members working with individuals who use fentanyl intentionally currently struggle with the rapidly evolving drug markets and patterns of use, thereby failing to adapt treatment approaches and harm reduction strategies to individuals with severe opioid use disorder (OUD) and concurrent psychiatric disorders.ObjectivesThis systematic review aims to evaluate intentional fentanyl among PWUD by summarizing demographic variance, concurrent disorders, and resulting patterns of use.MethodsThe search strategy in this study was developed with a combination of free text keywords and Mesh and non-Mesh keywords, and adapted with database-specific filters to Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and PsychINFO (May 2021). The search results resulted in 4437 studies after de-duplication, of which 132 were selected for full-text review. A total of 42 articles were included in this review.ResultsIt was found that individuals who use fentanyl intentionally were more likely to be young, male, and Caucasian. Individuals who intentionally use fentanyl were more commonly homeless, unemployed or working illegally, and live-in cities. Independent correlates of any purposeful fentanyl use included moderate/severe depression.ConclusionsIndividuals who intentionally use fentanyl are more likely to report injection drug use and polysubstance use, including cocaine use, heroin use, and methamphetamine use. Among PWUD, individuals who intentionally use fentanyl have the most severe substance use patterns, the most precarious living situation, and the most extensive overdose history and higher proportion of ever having a mental health diagnosis.DisclosureNo significant relationships.

Evaluating the Factors Affecting Users’ Satisfaction of the ABSHR E-Services System in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: تقييم العوامل المؤثرة على رضا مستخدمي نظام أبشر للخدمات الإلكترونية في المملكة العربية السعودية

The main objective of this study is to evaluate the factors that affect users’ satisfaction of the ABSHR system in Saudi Arabia. An in-depth study was conducted by using qualitative and quantitative approaches. Two questionnaires were used in this study. The first questionnaire was used to evaluate the users’ satisfaction with ABSHR system with a sample of 676 respondents, who are the actual ABSHR system actual users. It was designed to elicit information about the relationship of the four dimensions that determine the attitudes toward ABSHR use, and it was found that benefits, cost, risk, and opportunity have a significant positive relationship with the users’ satisfaction. Generally, the results also showed that the degree of acceptance of the ABSHR system is at a good level. Benefits, cost, opportunity, and customer satisfaction are at a good level according to users’ responses. Whereas, risk factor is at an acceptance level. The demographic characteristics variance was conducted and it was found that there are no statistically significant differences except gender with risk and opportunity. The second questionnaire evaluated the ABSHR system of employees’ attitudes toward electronic systems by obtaining their opinions. Therefore, data were obtained from 51 respondents. The results showed that the relative advantage, complexity, compatibility, trialability, and observability have a significant positive relationship with the attitude toward electronic systems. The result also showed that the degree of acceptance, in general, of the ABSHR system is at a very good level with relative advantage, complexity, observability, and attitude toward electronic systems according to employees’ responses. Whereas, compatibility and triability factors are at an excellent level of acceptance. Employees’ demographic information was tested and found that education and experience have no statistically significant differences, while age and job title have statistically significant differences. The study recommended to keep the ABSHR e-services system always updated to improve the users’ satisfaction in addition, to providing new e-services and improving the existing ones.

Does personality and demographic variances of individual investors challenge the assumption of rationality? A two staged regression modeling-artificial neural network approach

Does personality and demographic variances of individual investors challenge the assumption of rationality? A two staged regression modeling-artificial neural network approach

Benchmarking of Emotional Intelligence in radiography students within KwaZulu- Natal, South Africa

IntroductionEmotional Intelligence (EI) is an important skill within the various health care professions, and a higher level of EI is associated with better patient care, communication, empathy and teamwork. Within the Republic of South Africa, there is limited literature on EI within the health care sector, and specifically within radiography. MethodsThe Trait EI Questionnaire Short Form (TEIQue-SF) was used to record the EI scores of 247 BHSc Radiography students in all four disciplines over the four years of study at the selected University of Technology (UoT) in Kwazulu-Natal (KZN), South Africa. The TEIQue-SF yields a Global EI score and the four factors of EI. ResultsThe study benchmarked the TEI scores of the radiography cohort.The male participants scored significantly higher in Global EI (p = 0.020 and 0.029) and the Self-control factor (p = 0.000) of EI compared to the female participants. The younger participants scored significantly higher in three of the five factors of TEI, namely: Global EI (p = 0.003), Well-being (p = 0.003) and Self-control (p = 0.010), which was an unexpected finding and against the norm. Racially (0.010 and 0.009) and culturally (P = 0.022 and 0.026), the Black participants and the Zulu participants scored significantly higher in the Self-control factor of TEI. ConclusionThis study benchmarked the TEI scores of radiography students within KZN and compared these TEI scores to the demographic variances of the students with interesting results. This study has highlighted the TEI level of the students at a selected UoT, which can be used to ensure that better prepared, well-rounded and employable graduates enter the workplace. This can be achieved by the implementation of the recommendations, which includes the levels of EI to be developed and relevant EI training required. Further research is required within the field of TEI and Radiography in the South African context to strengthen this study's findings. Implication for practiceThis study has highlighted the EI scores of a cohort of radiography students. The results of this study have made the institution more aware of the students’ TEI which will allow the institution to ensure students are better prepared and are employable graduates within their chosen profession by including EI training within the health faculty curriculum.