Differences In Answers Research Articles

Measuring Happiness and Life Satisfaction amongst Swedish Citizens: an Inquiry into Semantic Equivalence in Comparative Survey Research

A consistent empirical finding is that Scandinavian countries by international standards score steadily high in terms of subjectively reported levels of happiness and life satisfaction. Intrigued by previous findings in Denmark (Lolle and Goul Anderson in Metode Og Forskningsdesign 1:95–119, 2013, in Journal of Happiness Studies 6:1–14)), this paper confirms that this is partly due to language effects. In this paper, Sweden serves as a case study that, similar to the Danish study, seeks to determine whether it is possible to establish semantic equivalence between translated survey items. By using randomized experiments on a representative sample of Swedish citizens with fluent skills in English, we test the effects of different designs in question wordings and response scale labels implemented by international surveys. The results reveal significant differences in answers on happiness. While the mean differences are very small, the distribution of answers is substantial enough to confirm a strong semantic threshold between the English term happy the Swedish term lycklig. Hence, it requires something more to be “very happy” in Swedish than in English. Notably, language appears to have a lesser impact on the distribution of responses across language groups when using a numbered response scale with endpoint labels, indicating that a particular question design either mitigates or intensifies translational effects. Happiness, it is concluded, is not easily translated and survey practitioners should bear this caveat in mind when operationalizing the concept across countries and cultures.

Clinical Management of Facemasks for Early Treatment of Class III Malocclusion: A Survey among SIDO Members.

To evaluate whether there are differences among orthodontists in the clinical management of facemask treatment for early treatment of Class III malocclusion, a survey consisting of 16 questions was conducted among members of the Italian Society of Orthodontics (SIDO). Sixty percent of the respondents were Specialists in Orthodontics (S) whereas 40% were General Dentists practicing Orthodontics (GD). Descriptive statistics were calculated to summarize the collected data. Differences in answers between S and GD were assessed with the Fisher's exact test for dichotomous variables, chi-square test for qualitative variables, and Mann-Whitney test for ordinal variables. A total of 151 clinicians participated in this survey. As for treatment timing, about 80% of the participants reported treating Class III patients with RPE and facemask between 5 and 8 years of age. Most of the participants requested the patients to wear the facemask in the afternoon and at night for a period of 9 or 12 months with recommended forces of 500 g per side. Comparisons between S and GD showed that S preferred the Petit facemask whereas GD favored the Delaire's type facemask (Fisher's Exact test, p = 0.0005). S and GD also differed significantly in their judgment of the most critical time of treatment, which for the majority of GD was the initial period but for the S was the final period (Chi-square test p = 0.0188). This survey showed that the facemask is not well received by the patients who, along with their parents, express concerns regarding its tolerability.

Analisis Resepsi Isu Pelecehan Seksual Terhadap Pekerja Perempuan Pada Film Bombshell

A real-life case at a well-known media company, Fox News in 2016, which was later made into a movie titled "Bombshell." This incident sparked the researcher's interest in exploring the audience's reception of the issue of sexual harassment of female workers presented in the movie. This incident sparked the researcher's interest in exploring the audience's reception of the issue of sexual harassment of female workers presented in the movie. Therefore, this study involved several female informants who work in various fields with diverse educational backgrounds and occupations. By using Stuart Hall's reception theory analysis, this research aims to understand and position the audience towards the messages contained in the movie "Bombshell" (2019). The research method applied is descriptive qualitative with a constructivist paradigm. Data collection was done through in-depth interviews to get in-depth perceptions from each informant. The results showed that the four informants were in The Dominant Hegemonic-Code Position. Although there are differences in answers to some questions per scene, this variability is influenced by the diverse work and life backgrounds of each informant, including education and employment. Thus, this difference provides a broader context in evaluating the audience's reception of the issue of sexual harassment raised in the movie "Bombshell" (2019).

Pengaruh Gender pada Pengembangan Diri Mahasiswa dalam Konteks Perguruan Tinggi Menggunakan Statistika Nonparametrik

Self-development is an important aspect that is the goal of a student to express abilities, interests, and talents through activities and activities inside and outside an educational institution. The study aims to determine the relationship between differences in answers based on gender with factors influencing student self-development with a nonparametric statistical method approach. Followed by a nonparametric statistical method, namely the Chi-Square test, with α = 5%. The results showed that there was no difference between male and female students in the influence factors of lecturer teaching methods, friendship environments, organizations/committees, and courses on student self-development

A study of knowledge and acceptance of kidney xenotransplantation among Chinese kidney transplant recipients and candidates.

In recent years, the implementation of the first case of pig-to-human heart xenotransplantation and the report of three cases of pig-to-brain-dead human recipient kidney transplantation indicate that xenotransplantation is getting closer to clinical application. In the near future, China may also launch clinical trials of kidney xenotransplantation. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate the level of knowledge and acceptance of xenotransplantation among kidney transplant recipients and candidates in China. This study aims to investigate the level of comprehension and acceptance of kidney xenotransplantation in kidney transplant recipients and explore related factors, providing a reference for promoting the application and clinical trials of xenotransplantation in the near future. A questionnaire was completed by 211 kidney transplant recipients and 21 candidates. Answers to the questionnaires were self-administered by the respondents. Scores were compared using nonparametric tests, as well as using Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test to compare differences in answers. Respondents demonstrated a high score of 75 (out of 100) on knowledge and acceptance of kidney xenotransplantation. The sector "Knowledge and Attitude" received the overall highest score from respondents (85.0 out of 100), while "Risks and Concerns" received the lowest score (50 out of 100). Interestingly, respondents paid more attention to infection risks but showed less concern about rejection or unknown risks. Furthermore, 191 respondents (82.3%) expected that pig kidney xenografts could function for at least 5 years or more. The scores were statistically significant in terms of age, gender, level of education, level of knowledge on the case of xenotransplantation clinical trial, and willingness to donate organs. cognition CONCLUSIONS: The awareness rates of xenotransplantation are high among kidney transplant recipients and candidates, for which the majority showed a generally favorable attitude towards this procedure. Respondents did not have a comprehensive understanding of the specific knowledge of xenotransplantation and expressed more concern about the risk of infection compared to the risk of rejection and other unknown risks, while also expecting long-term survival similar to allograft transplantation for pig kidney xenografts.

Consumer Nutritional Awareness, Sustainability Knowledge, and Purchase Intention of Environmentally Friendly Cookies in Croatia, France, and North Macedonia.

The increasing demand for greater utilization of byproducts in the food industry has been driven by growing interest in environmental sustainability. This paper examines the market potential and consumer attitudes toward whole-grain and sustainable cookies made with food byproducts and edible films. Additionally, particular attention was given to evaluating levels of sustainability knowledge and nutritional awareness, willingness to purchase environmentally friendly cookies with food byproducts, and to appraise differences in answers between countries and generations. An online questionnaire was used to collect data from Croatian (n = 472), French (n = 166), and North Macedonian consumers (n = 119) aged between 18 and 62, predominantly women (82%) with higher education degrees. Results showed that even if chocolate-coated cookies remain very popular, North Macedonians prefer whole-grain and plain cookies, while the French prefer chocolate-coated cookies and Croats prefer both types of cookie. The majority of consumers (96%) were interested in purchasing environmentally friendly cookies. However, consumers' interest in purchasing cookies with food byproducts was generally low, which may be related to their limited knowledge of byproducts. In conclusion, there is market potential for whole-grain cookies with food byproducts, but brand, price, and consumer education may be critical to their success.

Implementation of a Specific Set of Intraoperative C-Arm Fluoroscopy Terminologies in Percutaneous Vertebroplasty.

Percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) is currently the primary minimally invasive surgical approach for treating vertebral compression fractures caused by senile osteoporosis. The current existing problem is the lack of research on the application of a specific set of intraoperative C-arm fluoroscopy terminologies in PVP. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore the use of a specific set of intraoperative C-arm fluoroscopic terminologies in PVP in order to increase fluoroscopy accuracy, decrease fluoroscopy frequencies and ray protection, and minimize operation times through rapid preoperative training of surgeons and radiographers. Spine surgeons and radiographers with at least 5 years of experience from nine different hospitals were randomly selected for a series of specialized intraoperative C-arm fluoroscopy terminology training between October 2018 and December 2021. Before and after the training, they were surveyed using a five-point Likert scale to statistically compare their knowledge of the terminology. Simultaneously, 190 PVP cases completed by these surgeons and radiographers before and after the training were chosen for comparison and analysis of fluoroscopy times, effective fluoroscopy rate, fluoroscopy time, repeated puncture rate, and other indicators before and after receiving specialized terminology training. Two-sample tests were mainly used to investigate differences in answers between surgeons and radiographers. After the training, there was a notable improvement in the fluency of intraoperative communication between professional spine surgeons and radiographers. By comparing the indicators of pre-training with post-training, the effective anteroposterior fluoroscopy rate increased from 46.5% to 75.7%; the effective lateral fluoroscopy rate increased from 59.8% to 76.9%. Moreover, a notable decrease in communication barriers, fluoroscopy frequencies, fluoroscopy time, and the rate of repeated punctures, and a notable increase in the effective fluoroscopy rate was observed. Smooth intraoperative communication between professional spine surgeons and radiographers can significantly lower the communication barrier, reduce the fluoroscopy frequencies and time, the rate of repeated puncture, and increase the effective fluoroscopy rate, all of which are important in improving the fluoroscopy in PVP.

РЕЛИГИЯ В ВОСПРИЯТИИ СОВРЕМЕННОЙ МОЛОДЕЖИ: СРАВНЕНИЕ РЕЗУЛЬТАТОВ ОНЛАЙН И ОФЛАЙН-ИССЛЕДОВАНИЙ

The article presents the experience of comparing the results of online and offline surveys conducted by the authors as part of a study of the attitude of youth of the Krasnoyarsk Territory to religious issues according to a single method in 2021. Sample aggregates of online and offline surveys were reduced to an identical structure by a weighting procedure by the following sociodemographic characteristics: gender, age, city. As a result of the comparative analysis, the authors conclude that the presence or absence of differences between online and offline samples is significantly influenced by the nature of the questions. Thus, questions involving the identification of the respondent's personal emotional attitude to any phenomenon provide statistically significant shifts towards more socially desirable assessments, and in questions focused on measuring the respondent's external assessment of any phenomenon, statistically significant differences in answers are mainly not observed.

Digitalne komunikacije u funkciji podizanja svesti o onkološkim bolestima - razlike u odgovorima između ispitanika različitih demografskih karakteristika

At a time when the use of digital technologies has become totally available to a large number of people, digital transformations in the domain of health enable significant changes when it comes to knowledge, information and provision of healthcare services. Therefore, in the conditions of an increase in the number of people suffering from malignant diseases, the application of digital communications provides new frameworks for the provision of healthcare services as well as the organization of some preventive activities. The paper tests the differences in answers between respondents who have different demographic characteristics, general health assessment, performed screening and received information about malignant diseases. Carrying out this research, the authors want to draw attention to the current issues of the healthcare system, in order to define some strategies for new ways of doing business in healthcare. All their efforts are in that context.

Self-Assessment of Driving Abilities of Deaf and Hearing Drivers

This research aim is to evaluate how deaf and hearing traffic participants assess their driving abilities and to determine frequency of communication, traffic violations and traffic accidents that respondents are involved in. Sample of respondents was comprised of 60 drivers, 30 deaf and 30 hearing. Qualitative and quantitative analysis was used in data processing. Self-assessment was conducted by conducting a survey about their driving abilities and abilities of the other subsample of respondents. Differences in answers were determined with t-test. Results indicate that both subsamples assess their driving abilities as very good and their driving as safe. There are differences in the safety aspect of the driving, where hearing drivers expressed some doubt about this aspect when it comes to deaf drivers. By assessing frequency of communication during driving, it has been concluded that hearing drivers communicate more often and have more involvement in traffic accidents. When it comes to correlation between frequency of communication and number of committed traffic violations, no significant differences were observed between the two subsamples. Despite self-assessment of driving ability being very good and safe by both subsamples of respondents, traffic accidents are a very frequent occurrence. Although, conversation with passengers is not prohibited, drivers should be advised to reduce it to minimum, as it has proven to be one of the significant distracting factors when it comes to driving.

English care home staff morale and preparedness during the COVID pandemic: A longitudinal analysis

BackgroundStaff actions to prevent infection introduction and transmission in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) were key to reducing morbidity and mortality from COVID-19. Implementing infection control measures (ICMs) requires training, adherence and complex decision making while trying to deliver high quality care. We surveyed LTCF staff in England about their preparedness and morale at 3 timepoints during the COVID-19 epidemic. MethodsOnline structured survey targeted at LTCF workers (any role) administered at 3 timepoints (November 2020-January 2021; August-November 2021; March-May 2022). Narrative summary of answers, narrative and statistical summary (proportionality with Pearson's chi-square or Fisher's Exact Test) of possible differences in answers between waves. ResultsAcross all 3 survey waves, 387 responses were received. Morale, attitudes towards working environment and perception about colleague collaboration were mostly positive at all survey points. Infection control training was perceived as adequate. Staff felt mostly positive emotions at work. The working environment remained challenging. Masks were the single form of PPE most consistently used; eye protection the least used. Mask-wearing was linked to poorer communication and resident discomfort as well as mild negative health impacts on many staff, such as dehydration and adverse skin reactions. Hand sanitizer caused skin irritation. ConcusionsStaff morale and working practices were generally good even though the working environment provided many new challenges that did not exist pre-pandemic.

Early adolescents’ knowledge of anatomy, sexual characteristics and contraception from reproductive health education in Bagamoyo, Tanzania: a cross-sectional study

Background/Aims Adolescent girls in Tanzania may drop out of school if they experience an unwanted pregnancy. Evidence shows that sex education can improve adolescents’ understanding of issues related to intercourse, pregnancy and contraception, but this education is lacking in Tanzania. In order to improve sex education in Tanziania, this study investigated early adolescents’ knowledge of anatomy, changes during puberty, pregnancy, contraception and safety. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted among randomly selected 10−14-year-old students in a primary school in Bagamoyo, Tanzania. A questionnaire was used to gather data on participants’ knowledge of fundamental anatomy and physiology, sexual characteristics and contraception. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, with P<0.05 used to determine significance. Results A total of 111 students (44 girls, 67 boys, from the fifth and sixth grades) participated. Significantly more boys than girls had begun talking to classmates about steady girl/boyfriends across both grades (P=0.003). The participants’ understanding of basic anatomy (including the functions of the heart, lungs and digestive system) was mostly high, although they scored low in some areas (pain, dentistry and facial muscles). When asked about pregnancy, contraception and safety, significantly more boys than girls could correctly identify appropriate contraception for teenagers (P=0.01). When analysed by grade, the boys’ grade had a significant impact on whether they correctly answered the questions on pregnancy (P=0.001) and contraception (P=0.001), but there were no differences in answers between girls of different grades. Conclusions Girls’ knowledge of pregnancy, contraception and safety was significantly lower than the boys, and despite beginning sex education in sixth grade, no significant differences in were observed between the fifth and sixth grade answers by the girls. The comprehensive sexual education programme for adolescent girls in Tanzania needs urgent improvement.

Insomnia in cancer patients - A survey of health-care professionals' views and current practice in Romania.

Changes in the quality of sleep are reported often in cancer patients and have a major impact on general health. However, insomnia tends to be insufficiently evaluated and managed. The aim of the study was to analyze the perception of clinical staff working in oncology units regarding patients' sleep disorders. Furthermore, we assessed the prevalence of insomnia in this category of professionals. The study was cross sectional and used a descriptive and correlational design. Clinical personnel working in oncology departments were invited to complete a questionnaire regarding sleep problems in patients, and optionally, the Pittsburgh sleep quality index questionnaire was administered. Correlations between age, profession, experience, and their responses were statistically analyzed. We gathered 101 responses, with 63.4% coming from doctors. With one exception, all professionals observed changes in sleep patterns in patients, but less than a third were actively looking for these problems and only three health professionals used questionnaires. No significant differences in answers were noted based on age, profession, or experience. Regarding professionals, 45.6% of them had impaired sleep based on the Pittsburgh questionnaire results. Oncology staff are aware of the existence and impact of sleep problems, but active assessment for sleep problems is low. There is a relative high prevalence of poor sleep quality among oncology staff. In order to improve the well-being of patients, the quality of sleep should be documented as part of the care plan. The existence of guidelines is desirable.

Hiding or Pleasing: Spousal Disagreement Among Ugandan Maize Farmers

To gain a better understanding of intrahousehold bargaining processes, surveys increasingly collect data from co-heads individually, especially on decision-making, asset ownership and labour contributions. However, answers provided by co-heads to the same set of questions often differ substantially. Recent research suggests that while some of this disagreement is due to random measurement error and cognitive bias, part also reflects non-overlapping information sets. We document differences in answers between male and female co-heads in monogamous smallholder maize-farming households in Uganda. We first confirm that not all disagreement can be explained by measurement error or bias. Using a field experiment, we then test if disagreement is due to information asymmetry between male and female co-heads. We also test an alternative explanation where discord is attributed to co-heads’ tendency to respond in line with prevailing gender norms and social customs. While the interventions did seem to reduce discord in survey response about decision-making, we do not find that information asymmetry nor reporting in line with gender norms and customs are the primary drivers of disagreement.

Knowledge and Attitude towards Orthodontic Treatment among Non-Orthodontic Specialists: An Online Survey in Croatia.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine the knowledge and attitudes towards orthodontic treatment among non-orthodontic specialists. Methods: A web-based survey was formulated for non-orthodontic dental specialists to respond to statements regarding an orthodontic treatment. It contained 20 multiple-choice questions with three or more possible answers. Two hundred and fifty questionnaires were sent via email, with explanatory letters, to randomly selected non-orthodontic Croatian dental specialists. Data were assessed using IBAM SPSS 23.0. and p < 0.01 was considered significant. Results: The results indicate that the majority of respondents were well informed about principles and practices in orthodontics. All the respondents (100%) were aware that malocclusions can affect a patient’s facial aesthetic and masticatory function. The results also showed statistically significant differences in answers about contraindications for orthodontics therapy among different non-orthodontic specialists (p < 0.01). Private health practitioners were better informed about the ideal time for the first orthodontic appointment (74.2%) and that implants and periodontal problems are not contraindications for orthodontic treatment (over 70%), in comparison with public health practitioners. Conclusion: Non-orthodontic specialists in this sample exhibit encouraging awareness and knowledge of the principals and practices of orthodontic treatment. Additional improving of practitioners’ knowledge and awareness can help patients with malocclusion to decide upon orthodontic treatment at earlier stages and avoid later complications in the future.

Fellowship program directors and trainees across the United States find parental leave policies to be inconsistent, inaccessible, and inadequate.

IntroductionDetermine the consistency, accessibility, and adequacy of parental leave policies for adult and pediatric medicine fellowship programs.MethodsWe administered a 40-question survey to fellowship program directors (PDs) and trainees in adult and pediatric cardiology, hematology/oncology, gastroenterology, and pulmonology/critical care fellowship programs in the United States. We used Chi-square tests to compare proportions for categorical variables and t-tests to compare means for continuous variables.ResultsA total of 190 PDs from 500 programs (38.0%) and 236 trainees from 142 programs (28.4%) responded. Most respondents did not believe that parental leave policies were accessible publicly (322/426; 75.6%), on password-protected intranet (343/426; 80.5%), or upon request (240/426; 56.3%). The PDs and trainees broadly felt that parental leave for fellows should be 5–10 weeks (156/426; 36.6%) or 11–15 weeks (165/426; 38.7%). A majority of PDs felt that there was no increased burden upon other fellows (122/190; 64.2%) or change in overall well-being (110/190; 57.9%). When asked about the biggest barrier to parental leave support, most PDs noted time constrains of fellowship (101/190; 53.1%) and the limited number of fellows (43/190; 22.6%). Trainees similarly selected the time constraints of training (88/236; 37.3%), but nearly one-fifth chose the culture in medicine (44/236; 18.6%). There were no statistically significant differences in answers based on the respondents’ sex, specialty, or subspecialty.DiscussionParental leave policies are broadly in place, but did not feel these were readily accessible, standardized, or of optimum length. PDs and trainees noted several barriers that undermine support for better parental leave policies, including time constraints of fellowship, the limited number of fellows for coverage, and workplace culture. Standardization of parental leave policies is advisable to allow trainees to pursue fellowship training and care for their newborns without undermining their educational experiences.

European Medical Education Initiative on Noonan syndrome: A clinical practice survey assessing the diagnosis and clinical management of individuals with Noonan syndrome across Europe

IntroductionNoonan syndrome (NS) is a rare genetic disorder caused by mutations in genes encoding components of the RAS/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathway. Patients with NS exhibit certain characteristic features, including cardiac defects, short stature, distinctive facial appearance, skeletal abnormalities, cognitive deficits, and predisposition to certain cancers. Here, a clinical practice survey was developed to learn more about differences in the diagnosis and management of this disease across Europe. The aim was to identify gaps in the knowledge and management of this rare disorder. Materials and methodsThe European Medical Education Initiative on NS, which comprised a group of 10 experts, developed a 60-question clinical practice survey to gather information from European physicians on the diagnosis and clinical management of patients with diseases in the NS phenotypic spectrum. Physicians from three specialities (clinical genetics, paediatric endocrinology, paediatric cardiology) were invited to complete the survey by several national and European societies. Differences in answers provided by respondents between specialities and countries were analysed using contingency tables and the Chi-Squared test for independence. The Friedman's test was used for related samples. ResultsData were analysed from 364 respondents from 20 European countries. Most respondents came from France (21%), Spain (18%), Germany (16%), Italy (15%), United Kingdom (8%) and the Czech Republic (6%). Respondents were distributed evenly across three specialities: clinical genetics (30%), paediatric endocrinology (40%) and paediatric cardiology (30%). Care practices were generally aligned across the countries participating in the survey. Delayed diagnosis did not emerge as a critical issue, but certain unmet needs were identified, including transition of young patients to adult medical services and awareness of family support groups. ConclusionData collected from this survey provide a comprehensive summary of the diagnosis and clinical management practices for patients with NS across different European countries.

Do patients' characteristics influence their healthcare concerns?-A hospital care survey.

Hospital performance is often monitored by surveys that assess patient experiences with hospital care. Certain patient characteristics may shape how some aspects of hospital care are viewed and reported on surveys. The aim of the study was to examine factors considered important to patients and determine whether there were differences in answers based on age, gender, or educational level. Cross-sectional study based on a hospital survey developed via literature review and specialist recommendations. This study included randomly selected patients 18 years or older who were recently admitted to the hospital or admitted more than 50 days before the survey was being applied. Survey domains included age, gender, educational level, factors considered important for the health care in a hospital setting and sources of information about hospital quality used by each subject. Answers description and statistical analysis using Fisher exact test were performed. The survey was applied to 262 patients who were admitted under different services. The most important concern reported was the risk of getting a hospital-acquired infection (67.18%), followed by understanding explanation from the doctors' plans (64.12%) and doctors' ability to listen carefully (58.78%). Women are more concerned about their risk of falling (p = 0.03). Patients older than 65 years find important that the doctors explain everything in a way they can easily understand (p = 0.02), while lower educated patients consider most if the doctor treats them with courtesy and respect (p = 0.0027). Patient characteristics have an effect on how hospital care is perceived. Regardless of the characteristics of the population, the risk of getting an infection was the main concern overall, so it is important that hospitals promote actions to prevent it and share them with patients.

Parents’ perceived knowledge about food-related behaviours influencing speech-language competences of preschool children

PurposeThere is a relationship between eating behaviours and the development of speech-language competences during childhood. This study aims to evaluate the impact of interdisciplinary sessions on food and speech-language education with children’s parents.Design/methodology/approachThe session was focused on healthy eating habits and behaviours that may improve or impair child speech competence. Using a self-administered questionnaire, before and immediately after the session, parents from 11 preschools, answered 12 questions, on a five-point Likert scale. Questionnaires from the final sample (n = 96) were statistically analysed using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test.FindingsStatistical analysis revealed statistically significant differences in answers to six questions between pre and post intervention: items 1 (Z = −5.04; p < 0.001), 2 (Z = −3.68; p < 0.001), 3 (Z = −4.12; p < 0.001), 4 (Z = −5.87; p < 0.001), 9 (Z = −2.73; p = 0.006) and 12 (Z = −2.00; p = 0.046). The questionnaire responses after the session showed that parents became more aware of the relationship between the two areas addressed. In addition, the subjects presented more assertiveness in their answers after the educational intervention of the nutritionist and the speech therapist.Practical implicationsThe study showed the importance of associating topics on food and speech-language education and both being addressed simultaneously to parents. The empowerment of parents and other caregivers about feeding and speech-language development may increase their motivation to foster child healthy eating behaviours. It is also desirable to extend this kind of interdisciplinary intervention to other preschools.Originality/valueThis study fulfils an identified need to study the perceived knowledge of parents about the food-related behaviours influencing speech-language competences of children.

Predictive Risk Factors and Occupational Impact of Self-Perceived Voice Problems in Preschool-Kindergarten versus First- to Sixth-Grade Teachers

Aim: The aim of this investigation was to complete a further analysis of existing data to compare risk factors of voice problems as well as create a hierarchical ranking of risk factors in preschool-kindergarten and 1st- to 6th-grade teachers in order to develop a voice hygiene program and prioritize its goals for each group of teachers. Methods: An online survey was completed by 148 preschool-kindergarten and 301 1st- to 6th-grade public school teachers. Participants were divided into four groups, preschool-kindergarten and 1st- to 6th-grade teachers with no self-perceived voice disorders and preschool-kindergarten and 1st- to 6th-grade teachers with self-perceived voice disorders. A χ2 test and a multivariate logistic regression model were used to examine the differences in answers between the preschool-kindergarten teachers with and without voice disorders and the 1st- to 6th-grade teachers with and without voice disorders and to identify the most important predictors. Results: The significant predictors for preschool-kindergarten teachers are frequently or sometimes continuing to talk after a breath cycle and being exposed to an excessive or a lot of noise generated in the classroom. The significant predictors for 1st- to 6th-grade teachers include having short breaks between classes and continuing to talk frequently after a breath cycle. Conclusions: Job-related risk factors in preschool-kindergarten and in 1st- to 6th-grade teachers may vary. Therefore, a preventative vocal hygiene education program specifically tailored for each population of teachers is suggested.