Digital Survey Research Articles

DIAGNOSIS OF DAMP AND STRUCTURAL PATHOLOGIES IN A SAMPLE OF MUD HOUSES USING 3D SCANNING. CASE STUDY: A HOUSE IN THE KHANGUET SIDI NADJI KSAR, BISKRA, ALGERIA

Raw earth architecture is an important part of Algeria's cultural heritage, especially in arid and desert regions. These historic settlements, inhabited since the Middle Ages, have enabled people to survive in difficult conditions. However, these centres are now abandoned and neglected by their inhabitants, who prefer more modern lifestyles. The Ksar of Khanguet Sidi Nadji in Biskra, a fortified urban settlement, is renowned for its rich historical heritage and exceptional architectural beauty. Classified as a natural heritage site in 1968, the ksar is facing gradual deterioration and increasing abandonment, mainly due to the intrinsic fragility of the mud buildings, structural problems and various pathologies. These deteriorations are exacerbated by the passage of time and human impacts, leading to premature ageing of the buildings, a lack of maintenance and the abandonment of certain structures that have become obsolete. The aim of this article is to undertake an in-depth investigation of the pathologies affecting adobe architecture, using the 3D digital survey technique. The study will focus on a specific building (House 10) located in the ksar of Khanguet Sidi Nadji, selected from a representative sample. The in situ survey will be carried out in close collaboration with experts in the pathology of mud constructions, and will be supplemented by analyses carried out using specialist tools. This scientific approach will enable us to establish a precise diagnosis, which is a prerequisite for the rehabilitation of this endangered architectural heritage. It will also ensure rigorous traceability, while promoting the use of raw earth as a sustainable building material.

The potential for emojis to facilitate communication between patients and healthcare professionals: results from a digital survey and qualitative interviews

The potential for emojis to facilitate communication between patients and healthcare professionals: results from a digital survey and qualitative interviews

Expert opinions on pharmacological symptomatic treatment of behavioral symptoms in frontotemporal dementia: A survey of the Neuropsychiatric International Consortium on Frontotemporal Dementia (NIC-FTD).

Behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) is essentially characterized by progressive changes in personality and cognition. Clinically, bvFTD presents with often profound behavioral symptomatology. Despite the high burden of these symptoms for both patients and caregivers, there is no general consensus on an effective pharmacological symptomatic treatment. Interestingly, for multiple similar symptoms in primary psychiatric disorders, there is consensus on an effective pharmacological treatment. The aim of this study is to explore currently preferred clinical practices in the pharmacological treatment of specific core behavioral symptoms in bvFTD by world-leading clinical experts. A digital survey was conducted among members of the Neuropsychiatric International Consortium on Frontotemporal Dementia, comprising neurologists, psychiatrists, and neuropsychiatrists. Respondents recommended pharmacological treatments targeting symptoms including disinhibition, apathy, loss of empathy, hyperorality, perseverative/compulsive behaviors, and positive psychotic symptoms. Of 48 respondents with a median experience of 11.5 years in treating bvFTD, disinhibition was most frequently targeted (58.4%), followed by perseverative/compulsive behaviors (46.5%). Recommended drug classes included atypical antipsychotics (35.1%), selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (31.2%), antiepileptics (10.0%), serotonin antagonist and reuptake inhibitors (8.4%), benzodiazepines (4.0%), and others (11.4%). Our survey revealed diverse pharmacological treatment practices for behavioral symptoms in bvFTD, reflecting the expected radical heterogeneity in pharmacological treatment strategies. Notwithstanding this, results from this explorative survey could further inform future research directions, and thus in turn potentially aid in establishing more consensus on effective pharmacological management of bvFTD, while the field awaits the development of highly anticipated disease-modifying treatment(s).

Annotation practices in computational pathology: a European Society of Digital and Integrative Pathology (ESDIP) survey study

Integrating digital pathology (DP) and artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms can potentially improve diagnostic practice and precision medicine. Developing reliable, generalizable, and comparable AI algorithms depends on access to meticulously annotated data. However, achieving this requires robust collaboration among pathologists, computer scientists and other researchers to ensure data quality and consistency. The lack of standardization and scalability is a significant challenge when generating annotations and annotated datasets. Recognizing these limitations, the Scientific Committee of the European Society of Digital and Integrative Pathology (ESDIP) performed a comprehensive international survey to understand the current state of annotation practices and identify actionable areas to address critical needs in the annotation process. The analysis and summary of the survey results provide several insights for all stakeholders involved in data preparation and ground-truthing, ultimately contributing to the advancement of AI in computational pathology.

Factors Influencing Consumer Loyalty: A Study in the Tech Industry

Since Apple’s 2010 release of the revolutionary iPhone 4, the brand has become a dominant force in the tech industry, fostering high customer loyalty through its integrated, secure ecosystem. This study aims to explore the factors driving Apple’s consumer loyalty in Malaysia, focusing on brand experience, brand innovativeness, social influence, perceived value, and brand trust. Primary and secondary data were collected, and a digital survey of 150 Malaysian Apple users provided insights into their loyalty determinants. Using regression analysis, the findings reveal that perceived value and brand trust significantly and positively impact consumer loyalty, while brand experience, brand innovativeness, and social influence show minimal influence. With an R-squared value of 0.596, the model suggests that nearly 60% of loyalty variance is explained by these factors, highlighting perceived value and trust as critical components. These results imply that Apple should prioritize enhancing perceived value and maintaining brand trust to strengthen consumer loyalty in competitive markets. Future research could explore additional factors like sustainability and community engagement to provide a fuller understanding of loyalty drivers in the tech industry

Building a Postgraduate Supervision Model for Student Success in South Africa: How Masters and Doctoral Students’ Experiences can Assist?

A critical gap exists in South African higher education research on postgraduate supervision models. Research emphasis is placed in administrative aspects over the supervision praxis for student throughput. This paper investigates an effective postgraduate supervision model in South Africa to enhance student success. The literature underscores the need for an approach that balances the teaching and the supervising of research. Supervision is a supportive and collaborative journey between the student and the supervisor. However, there are complexities of postgraduate supervision pedagogy that are hardly explored in South Africa - the quality of supervision, time-to-degree, throughput rates, and perceived organisational support. Therefore, inadequate understanding of the elements constitutes supervision relationships issues for masters and doctoral students. Current practice falls short of addressing supervision praxis which necessitated this study to explore a tailored model of supervision. Therefore, how can experiences of masters, doctoral candidates and graduates assist to explain and propose an optimal postgraduate research supervision model that best supports the student success rates in South African universities? As a constructivist designed study, a quantitative digital survey and a snowball sampling method were used targeting masters and doctoral candidates and graduates across private and public universities in South Africa. An online survey was designed and administered using Microsoft Forms to over 500 participants. Descriptive statistical analysis was conducted measuring position in percentile rankings. Results elucidate the nature and main feature of postgraduate supervisory relationships in South Africa. We found that a postgraduate research supervision model can be tailored to the South African context, and we contribute to the development of postgraduate supervision model as pedagogical tool related to metacognitive strategies and humanising pedagogy for research supervisors and students.

Seismic assessment of churches through integration of digital survey, texture recognition and distinct element modelling

The paper proposes an integrated methodology for the seismic assessment of masonry churches, which exploits the recent progresses of digital survey tools, image-processing algorithms for automatic texture identification, and non-linear seismic analysis. Starting with the digital survey of structural macro-elements, which provides accurate information on geometry, defects and blocks arrangement, discrete element models are generated. Then, a pushover analysis is carried out, which allows to detect local collapse mechanisms and follow their development up to failure. The capacity curve of the macro-element is therefore obtained, including both ascending and descending branches. The effect of retrofitting measures is directly considered within the model and their efficacy evaluated in terms of variation in acceleration and displacement capacity. The proposed methodology is described step-by-step through the application to the case study of the Romanesque church of Santa Maria Maggiore in Tuscania, Italy.

Challenges for staff encountering older people's existential concerns: Swedish first-line managers' views. A cross-sectional study.

To describe first-line managers' (FLMs) views of the challenges faced by staff when encountering older people's existential concerns in home and residential care. This cross-sectional study uses a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. The study was approved by the Swedish Ethical Review Authority (ref. number 2014/652 ) and followed the guidelines of the Helsinki Declaration. FLMs in home and residential care were randomly selected and invited to participate. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed online to 467 managers, 136 (29%) of whom completed it. About 80% of the FLMs reported that their staff members sometimes or frequently had conversations with the older people in their care about existential concerns, including the following topics: thoughts and feelings about meaning in life; losses and longing for meaningful relations; death, fears and uncertainty and supporting meaningful everyday life. About 75% of the managers also reported that their staff sometimes or often had conversations about existential concerns with one another. Major hindrances to existential conversations were reportedly cognitive impairment and aphasia among the older people and insecurity and unwillingness among the staff. Most managers (73%) reported that their staff received support when encountering existential concerns, mostly as individual support from managers or registered nurses. The main limitation of this study is its low response rate, which is common for digital surveys. Nevertheless, the sample is considered to be representative; therefore, the study holds exploratory value. Regular conversations among staff, improved conversational skills and the ability to listen reflect on and perceive older people's perspective and life world are needed when encountering older people's existential concerns. FLMs play a crucial role in emphasising and planning staff support on a regular basis.

Attitudes of Employees in Tourism Towards Guests with Disabilities in Norway: A Survey Study.

Associations for people with disabilities in Norway receive much feedback about negative experiences with travel. Little research has been done on this topic, and thus there is little knowledge about what can be done to improve these experiences. In this study, we have mapped travel experiences of people with disabilities and attitudes from employees in the tourism industry with two digital surveys. The questions were created in a workshop by collaboration with researchers, user representatives from a national association for people with disabilities, and employees from the tourism industry. The results show that some of the employees' attitudes that are perceived as discriminatory by guests with disabilities are paradoxically caused by fear of doing something wrong. There seemed also to be a need for more knowledge about invisible disabilities, and a company-level and practice-based strategy for implementation of universal design in the customer service.

Old age from the perspective of LGBTQ+ and heterosexual young: A comparative study.

In today's world, the challenges and achievements of LGBTQ+'s throughout their lives are increasingly gaining attention. However, the specific needs of LGBTQ+'s in the aging process and potential challenges they might face during this period are often overlooked. This study aims to demonstrate LGBTQ+'s and heterosexual young's perspectives on old age. This descriptive, cross-sectional comparative study collected data from 230 LGBTQ+ and 201 heterosexual individuals. Data were collected using a digital survey comprising an 8-item Personal Information Form and a 17-item Questionnaire for Opinions Regarding Old Age. Compared to others, LGBTQ+'s consider old age to be a more problematic period. In this study, it was determined that LGBTQ+'s perceive old age as a bigger problem compared to those in the heterosexual group. It was determined that the possible difficulties that LGBTQ+'s expect to face in old age are mostly related to basic needs such as the need for care and lack of social support. In the heterosexual group, concerns about age-related physical changes such as loss of youth were observed more frequently. It is recommended that studies to be conducted and services to be offered in this area should be of nature that would ensure safety of LGBTQ+'s, protect their basic humanitarian rights and respond to their needs.

More Money and Less Diversity: What is the Ideal Workplace According to the Gen-Z Perception?

In the evolving employment landscape, organizations are compelled to confront the formidable challenge of managing a multigenerational workforce. Generation Z—also referred to as Gen-Z, iGen, or the post-millennial cohort—are embarking on their initial career endeavors and are anticipated to significantly transform the work sphere in the forthcoming years. To tailor the prospective work milieu to the traits, necessities, and expectations of these youths, comprehending their conception of an optimal workplace is imperative. Concurrently, to efficaciously navigate talent management, it is paramount for organizational leaders to gain a nuanced comprehension of the factors influencing young individuals' decisions to depart from their jobs. This manuscript offers preliminary insights from a research endeavor conducted to discern Gen-Z's perspectives regarding the job market. A digital survey was disseminated in the summer of 2023 among Gen-Z individuals, garnering 461 responses. The investigative outcomes afford a distinctive opportunity to enhance our grasp of the anticipations and vocational ambitions harbored by this nascent workforce. In addition to a pronounced preference for substantial remuneration, commensurate benefits, and superior, adaptable working conditions, data indicates that Gen-Z places considerable value on the prospect of professional growth. We deduce that if employers accentuate their commitment to employee development and progression, they will more readily captivate this demographic's allegiance. Given the findings and Gen-Z's heightened propensity for intrinsic motivation relative to preceding generations, it is incumbent upon business executives to cultivate managerial competencies conducive to bolstering the young workforce's sense of purpose. These revelations provide a propitious foundation for extended inquiry into the future of employment, particularly concerning the assimilation of "digital natives" therein.

Abstract Su1106: Evaluating Culturally Competent Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Training in Urban Minority Communities

Introduction: Timely resuscitation can triple the chance of survival for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients. Differences in bystander CPR rates between white and minority communities lead to significant racial and ethnic disparities in OHCA survival rates. Immigrant populations, in particular, face several educational barriers and are often excluded in community CPR trainings. Previous efforts have increased the inclusivity of CPR education for female and disabled citizens through targeted interventions. Significant opportunities exist to apply similar strategies and tackle community-level disparities. Aim: To examine the impact of culturally competent CPR instruction on confidence levels and acceptability of CPR skills among minority citizen groups. Methods: CPR cohorts were taught using a local emergency services syllabus. Through discussion with course site leaders, the syllabus was adapted in three categories: language variations, cultural adaptations, and/or consideration of cultural learning styles. A pre-post design was utilized to assess impact of culturally-tailored CPR training. Confidence and acceptability levels in performing CPR were measured using a digital survey. An unpaired t-test was used to analyze pre/post-course data. Trainings were held from November 2023 to May 2024. Results: All participants were 18 years or older (n=217). The response rate was 36.7% (n=80). Confidence levels increased by 121% for checking for breathing and responsiveness (p<0.0001), 63.9% for communicating with 911 (p<0.0001), 137% for administering chest compressions (p<0.0001), and 172% for connecting an AED (p<0.0001). CPR acceptability improved, with participants reporting a 47.8% reduction in perceived difficulty post-course (p<0.0001). Conclusions: Implementing culturally tailored CPR training significantly improved confidence in CPR skills and acceptability of CPR. Future experiments may compare outcomes between intervention and control CPR cohorts at more course sites.

Exploring the invisible threads: Social determinants of health and emotional self-perception in Colombia.

Mental health is essential for overall well-being, but it is affected by disorders such as depression and anxiety, which are highly prevalent both globally and regionally. The prevalence of these disorders has risen due to factors such as the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, lack of adequate investment in mental health care, and the implementation of low-impact strategies. To establish the social determinants of health associated with the self-perception of sadness, depression, and/or anxiety in people in Colombia. Materials and methods: Using the DESOSA81 tool, a quantitative, cross-sectional study with a correlational phase was conducted with 2,725 participants from the five regions of the Colombian mainland. Data were collected through a digital survey and analyzed using Jamovi software to perform univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analyses (logistic regression). Heterogeneity was found in the predictive determinants between regions. The Amazon presented the regression model with the highest prediction (R2N = 0.650), while Orinoco had the lowest (R2N = 0.503). Among the social determinants associated with a greater risk of sadness, depression, and anxiety, those found to have a significant influence on emotional self-perception are female gender, stress, support networks, and social cohesion. Stress management and interpersonal relationship programs, comprehensive family care strategies, and community support should be strengthened. Furthermore, public policies should adopt comprehensive approaches that go beyond the biomedical paradigm.

Ocean literacy research community: co-identifying gaps and priorities to advance the UN Ocean Decade

IntroductionThe overarching goal of the UN Ocean Decade is to “change humanity's relationship with the ocean.” While this may be a challenge, it is, at the same time, a once in a generation opportunity. How can 8 billion people, including those who don't live near coastal areas, be inspired to value and care for the ocean? This is the essence of ocean literacy, and the driver of ocean literacy research (OLR).MethodsIn 2021, we began a research initiative to co-create a global OLR agenda by the developing OLR community, to better understand existing research themes, gaps, future priorities, actions, and impacts of ocean literacy initiatives. To deliver this, a series of virtual workshops – with the first taking place as part of the UN Ocean Decade Laboratories – was complemented by a participatory methodology using digital survey and mapping tools for crowdsourced collaboration.Results and discussionThrough this process, four initial OLR priorities were identified, including measuring ocean literacy, the role of ocean literacy as a policy mechanism, and alignment of OLR with climate change and the blue economy agendas. Finally, a working definition of OLR was developed to further guide OLR priorities for the UN Ocean Decade and beyond.

Assessment of Facility Readiness for Pediatric Emergency and Critical Care Utilizing a 2-Phase Survey Conducted in Six Hospitals in Uganda and Cameroon: A Quality Improvement Study.

Each year, 5.3 million children under 5 years of age die in low-resource settings, often due to delayed recognition of disease severity, inadequate treatment, or a lack of supplies. We describe the use of a comprehensive digital facility-readiness survey tool, recently developed by the Pediatric Sepsis Data CoLaboratory, which aims to identify target areas for quality improvement related to pediatric emergency and critical care. Facility-readiness surveys were conducted at six sub-Saharan African hospitals providing pediatric emergency and critical care in Uganda (n = 4) and Cameroon (n = 2). The tool is a 2-phase survey to assess readiness to provide pediatric essential emergency and critical care: (1) an "environmental scan," focusing on infrastructure, availability, and functionality of resources, and (2) an "observational scan" assessing the quality and safety of care through direct observation of patients receiving treatment for common diseases. Data were captured in a mobile application and the findings analyzed descriptively. Varying levels of facility readiness to provide pediatric emergency care were observed. Only 1 of 6 facilities had a qualified staff member to assess children for danger signs upon arrival, and only 2 of 6 had staff with skills to manage emergency conditions. Only 21% of essential medicines required for pediatric emergency and critical care were available at all six facilities. Most facilities had clean running water and soap or disinfectants, but most also experienced interruptions to their electricity supply. Less than half of patients received an appropriate discharge note and fewer received counseling on postdischarge care; follow-up was arranged in less than a quarter of cases. These pilot findings indicate that facilities are partially equipped and ready to provide pediatric emergency and critical care. This facility-readiness tool can be utilized in low-resource settings to assist hospital administrators and policymakers to determine priority areas to improve quality of care for the critically ill child.

Technological adoption in building surveying: exploring the impacting factors and strategies for enhancing utilisation

PurposeEmbracing digitisation within the building surveying profession will enhance its practices and, of course, improve productivity. However, the level of digitisation within the building surveying profession is very low. Thus, this study aims to identify factors impacting technology adoption within the building surveying professions and provide practical ways of improving the adoption of technology.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed a convergent mixed-methods approach to identify digital technologies applicable to building surveying professions. The study also investigates factors influencing technological adoptions and provides ways of improving their adoption. The data collected were analysed using thematic analysis and ordinary least squares regression.FindingsThe study found that business communication platforms and smartphone applications are frequently used, while digital survey equipment and in-house developed applications are less commonly utilised by building surveyors. The influencing factors identified are economy, technical knowledge, culture, efficiency and regulatory factors. The study recommends increased education and training for building surveyors, promotional opportunities from manufacturers and government intervention in the form of subsidies or tax breaks to promote further digitisation within the building surveying profession.Originality/valueThis study provides valuable insight into strategies for the digitalisation of the building surveying profession. Application of the findings would promote further utilisation of digital technologies.

The influence of celiac disease on fertility and pregnancy: an Italian survey.

Celiac disease (CD) is an inflammatory enteropathy that has been associated to obstetric and gynecological disorders. However, it is still not adequately tested by gynecologists due to the misconception that it is solely a gastrointestinal disease. This underestimation requires the development of targeted interventions. This study aims to evaluate the association between CD and obstetric/gynecological complications, highlight the importance of informing patients about CD manifestations, and assess the patient satisfaction with the information provided by healthcare professionals on the disease. A digital survey was administered to celiac women via the Italian Celiac Association's website. We analyzed 493 questionnaires. Obstetric and gynecological disorders led to the diagnosis of CD in 11.7% of interviewed. The study revealed that untreated CD patients are more predisposed to miscarriages (41.8% vs 34% before/after diagnosis, respectively, p = 0.111), anemia in pregnancy (71.4% vs 40.4% before/after diagnosis, respectively, p < 0.001) and the risk of low birth weight (newborns weighing < 1500g were 4.0% before and 1.1% after the gluten-free diet, p = 0.028). Women with CD, both before and after gluten-free diet, had higher infertility rates (about 19%) than the general population. Additionally, 73% of interviewees were dissatisfied with the information they received from health professionals about the reproductive implications of CD. Our research contributes to a deeper understanding of the intersection between CD and reproductive outcomes, highlighting the main obstetric and gynecological problems related to it. It emphasizes the importance of patient's perspective and the need for greater awareness about celiac disease from healthcare workers.

A machine learning approach for analyzing sexual satisfaction based on psychological features

AbstractThe emergence of machine learning techniques has revolutionized various fields, helping to shed light into the complexities of human sexuality and address sexuality-related problems. The present study aimed to classify sexual satisfaction in both women (n = 503) and men (n = 342), who completed a digital survey aimed at Colombian adults based on a snowball sampling. Collected data were analyzed using several supervised learning algorithms where inputs included marital status, sociosexuality, sexual drive, sexual functioning, and personality traits. The results showed that the XGBoost model provided best classification results for sexual satisfaction in women, while the Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) had the best performance in classifying sexual satisfaction in men. In both groups, sexual functioning and sexual drive were the most significant predictors of sexual satisfaction. Traits such as extraversion, narcissism, machiavellianism, and sociosexual behavior had a lesser importance. Lastly, psychopathy emerged as a significant predictor of men's sexual satisfaction, whereas conscientiousness emerged as a significant predictor of women's satisfaction. This study provides a technological tool to classify sexual satisfaction using Machine Learning models, in addition, provide, in terms of entropy, variables with the greatest influence based on the data and predictions.

Pre-service teachers’ experiences, interests and confidence in teaching Humanities and Social Sciences

ABSTRACT With education research focused heavily on literacy, numeracy and STEM, our understanding of HASS (Humanities and Social Sciences) is comparatively underdeveloped. HASS disciplines, such as Geography, History and Civics, not only contextualise learning in other disciplines, but are vital to ensuring that society is prepared to face complex social, economic and environmental challenges. There is room for improvement in HASS education for students and teachers alike. This paper examines the HASS education experiences, interest and teaching confidence of 80 pre-service teachers from a regional Australian university. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from a digital survey. Descriptive statistics and thematic analyses were used. Results showed that the pre-service teachers were most interested in Indigenous Culture, Sustainability, Local Community and Global History. Conversely, they were far less interested in Economics and Democracy. Participants’ responses were mixed in terms of their previous HASS educational experiences and their confidence to teach HASS concepts.

Teachers’ Attitudes Toward the Educational Inclusion of Children with Disabilities in Omani Kindergartens

This study investigated the attitudes of female teachers (N = 169) toward the educational inclusion of children in kindergarten within the Sultanate of Oman. A Digital survey was conducted to gather insights into the teachers’ perspectives across two domains: the learning environment (LE) and the Impact of Early Inclusion in Kindergarten (IEIK). The results indicate that teachers demonstrate strong support for the inclusion of children with disabilities in kindergarten, underscoring the importance of establishing a conducive learning environment. This includes recommendations for increasing the number of teachers, modifying school infrastructure, and adapting curricula to accommodate the diverse abilities of all students. A comparative analysis of the two domains reveals a greater endorsement among teachers for issues related to the physical environment over those pertaining to the non-physical environment. The study concludes with a discussion of the implications of these findings. Keywords: Educational Inclusion, children with disabilities, Oman, Kindergarten, teachers’ attitudes