Extent Of Use Research Articles

The mediating role of Organizational identification and Employee organizational commitment on the association between Employee empowerment and management innovation

ABSTRACT This study examines the role of Employee empowerment as a driver of management innovation and the mediating role of two employee behavioural factors, Organizational identification and Employee organizational commitment, on the association between Employee empowerment and management innovation. Data were collected from 156 middle-level managers in Australian organizations using mail and online survey questionnaires and analysed using structural equation modelling. The results show a direct positive association between Employee empowerment with both dimensions of management innovation (practices and techniques). Further, Organizational identification was found to mediate the association between Employee empowerment and management innovation techniques and Employee organizational commitment was found to exhibit a direct association with management innovation. The findings provide organizations with an insight into the critical role of Employee empowerment, Organizational identification and Employee organizational commitment in influencing the extent of use of management innovation.

Examining Ethnic Disparities in Digital Healthcare Services Utilization: Insights from Israel.

The purpose of this study was to examine ethnic disparities in the utilization of digital healthcare services (DHS) in Israel and explore the characteristics and factors influencing DHS use among the Arab minority and Jewish majority populations. A cross-sectional correlational design was employed to collect data from 606 Israeli participants, 445 Jews, and 161 Arabs. Participants completed a digital questionnaire that assessed DHS utilization, digital health literacy, attitudes towards DHS, and demographic variables. The findings reveal significant disparities in DHS utilization and attitudes between these ethnic groups, with Jewish participants demonstrating higher rates of utilization and positive attitudes toward DHS. The study also explores the predictive role of digital health literacy and attitudes in DHS use while considering ethnicity as a potential moderator. Significant predicting factors related to DHS utilization among Jews include positive attitudes and high health literacy. Among the Arabs, only attitudes towards DHS significantly predict the extent of DHS use. Digital health literacy affects the extent of use through attitudes at the two groups of the moderator significantly, but it is stronger among the Arab group. To improve healthcare outcomes and reduce disparities, efforts should focus on ensuring equitable access to DHS for the Arab minority population. Targeted interventions, including digital literacy education, removing technology access barriers, offering services in Arabic, and collaborating with community organizations, can help bridge the gap and promote equal utilization of DHS.

Veterans and Nonveterans Coping With Stress During 4 Months of COVID-19.

Identifying how people have been coping with stress during the COVID-19 pandemic allows us to anticipate how the population may react to similar stressors over time. In this study, we assessed patterns of coping styles among veterans and nonveterans, and stability and change in these strategies at 3 time points during the pandemic. Using an online survey platform, we circulated a questionnaire at 3 time points during the period when COVID-19 vaccines became widely available (December 2-27, 2020; January 21-February 6, 2021; and March 8-23, 2021). The questionnaire asked participants about their extent of use of 11 coping strategies, and symptoms of anxiety and depression. A total of 2,085 participants (50.8% veterans) completed the questionnaire at 1 or more time points and 930 participants (62.8% veterans) completed it at all 3 time points. Cluster analysis identified 3 distinct coping styles: adaptive, distressed, and disengaged. Compared with nonveterans, veterans more commonly had adaptive and disengaged coping styles, and less commonly had a distressed coping style. The majority of the cohort (71.3%) changed coping style at least once during the study period. Participants who used the same coping style across all 3 time points reported lower levels of anxiety and depression. Our data demonstrate a need to better understand the dynamic nature of coping with pandemic-level stressors across time. We did not find patterns of change in coping styles, but our findings point to potential advantages of stability in coping style. It is possible that less adaptive styles that are more stable may be advantageous for mental health. This research has implications for supporting patients dealing with stress in family medicine.

: Effectiveness Of Information And Communication Technology In Hill Agriculture: A Case Study

For all round development of agriculture, the communication process deserves its significant role as in case of social, economic, religious, political and educational development. Farming is an ancient occupation. If the farming may be recognized only as a factory of producing the food grains there is no difference between the ancient time and modern time farming. According to the economics, for other productions there are needed factors as land, labour, money and management which are still in the present and were in the past also. Now, what is the modern farming? The modern farming is that in which the person adopts the latest new methods of farming based on science for the agricultural production. Thus for the modern agriculture there is need of one more factor and this factor is the latest knowledge. Thus, in the modern agriculture for the agricultural production along with the four factors one more factor of the latest knowledge (fifth) has been added. The question arises from where this new knowledge may be achieved? The first need is that to create the new knowledge and the second need is to send this latest knowledge to the farmers. More than three-fourths of total population of Uttarakhand depends on agriculture for their livelihood. The economy is predominantly dependent on mountain agriculture, however, the land holdings are small and fragmented, and irrigation facilities limited. Soil and water conservation is another issue for inclusive development. As a result, the majority of the rural population in the hills either survives on subsistence agriculture or migrates to other parts of the country for employment. The state faces the challenge of promoting livelihoods to retain people through local employment and income generation and to enhance their quality of life. The success of agricultural development programmes in developing countries largely depends on the nature and extent of use of communication media in mobilization of people for development. The planners in developing countries realize that the development of agriculture could be hastened with the effective use of communication media. A wide variety of communication technologies are available for diffusion of innovations / information to Indian farmers. For effective communication / information the basic ingredients are purpose of communication, information / innovations to be communicated, methods to be employed, end users and response or reaction of the users. ICTs are emerging as a powerful tool for gender empowerment in a developing country like India. The new tools and techniques are evolving and the implications are clearly visible in a global scale but the level of dissemination of ICT in hills is very low. No doubt, communication media created a greater awareness among farmers thus contributing a lot to our “food self-sufficiency status” of nowadays. In the present investigation the status and usage of communication media by hill farmers and the kind of communication media to enhance their agricultural knowledge were incorporated. Communication media methods in agricultural information dissemination generally, are useful in reaching a wide listeners at a very fast rate. To a large extent, communication media serve as a authentic instrument for information dissemination in agriculture.

Digital dashboards for direct oral anticoagulant surveillance, intervention and operational efficiency: uptake, obstacles, and opportunities

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) are the most widely prescribed oral anticoagulants in the United States. Despite advantages over warfarin, system-level improvements are needed to optimize outcomes. While Veterans Health Administration and others have described successful DOAC management dashboard implementation, the extent of use nationally is unknown. A survey of Anticoagulation Forum’s members was conducted to assess access to digital tools available within a dashboard and to describe implementation models. An Expert Forum was subsequently convened to identify barriers to dashboard development and adoption. Responses were received from 340 targeted recipients (8.5% of invitees). Only a minority of inpatient (25/52, 48.1%) and outpatient (47/133, 35.3%) respondents outside of Veterans Health Administration were able to generate rosters of DOAC users on-demand, and fewer had the ability to digitally display key clinical data elements, identify drug-related problems, document interventions, or generate reports. The lack of regulatory requirements regarding Anticoagulation Stewardship was identified by the Expert Forum as the major barrier to widespread development of digital tools for improved anticoagulation management. While some health systems have demonstrated the feasibility of DOAC dashboards and described their impact on quality and efficiency, these tools do not appear to be widely available in the United States apart from Veterans Health Administration. The lack of regulatory requirements for Anticoagulation Stewardship may be the primary barrier to the development of digital resources to better manage anticoagulants. Efforts to secure regulatory requirements for Anticoagulation Stewardship are needed, and evidence of improvements in clinical and financial outcomes through DOAC dashboard use will likely bolster such efforts.

Adapting the Contextualized Reading Strategies Scale into Turkish Culture and Identifying its Psychometric Features

Reading comprehension is a complex cognitive process that necessitates the employment of various strategies before, during, and after reading. Researchers have developed a number of measurement tools to both identify these strategies and evaluate their extent of use among successful and poor readers. The aim of this study was to adapt the Contextualized Reading Strategies Scale (CReSS) into Turkish. The study data were obtained from two separate samples using a convenience sampling method. The first sample, Group A, was comprised of 435 secondary school students (F=246, M=189). The second sample, Group B, consisted of 384 secondary school students (F=228, M=156). The results of the exploratory factor analysis suggested a five-factor structure for the Turkish version of the CReSS, unlike the original version, which contains four subscales. This proposed new construct was further supported by confirmatory factor analysis, which yielded good fit indices. Furthermore, the reliability values were higher than the established threshold values for each subscale and for the whole scale. These results indicate that the Turkish version of the CReSS, with its robust psychometric properties, can be used as a valid and reliable measurement tool to assess the level of reading strategy utilization among Turkish secondary school students.

Strategies for becoming a more desirable mate: Evidence from 14 countries

AbstractThe current research aimed to study the strategies that people employ in order to become more desirable as mates in different cultural settings. More specifically, using a closed‐ended questionnaire on a sample of 7181 participants from 14 different countries, we identified 10 different strategies that people employ to become more appealing as mates. Participants indicated that they had more frequently used the “Enhance looks,” followed by the “Show off abilities and talents,” and the “Demonstrate similarity” strategies. On the other hand, they had less frequently used the “Keep undesirable things hidden,” the “Show off and exaggerate wealth and abilities,” and the “Drastic appearance changes” strategies. Female participants indicated that they had more extensive used the “Enhance looks” strategy than male participants, while male participants indicated that they had more extensive used the “Increase income and social status” and the “Show off and exaggerate wealth and abilities” strategies than female participants. The sex effects, as well as the extent of use, were generally consistent across the different cultures. The identified strategies were classified further into two main strategies, namely the “Develop and demonstrate desirable traits” and the “Deceive about undesirable traits,” which was generally consistent across the different countries.

AN ASSESSMENT OF THE USAGE OF REFERENCE SERVICES BY USERS OF PROF. FESTUS AGHAGBO NWAKO LIBRARY, UNIZIK, AWKA - NIGERIA

This study examined the extent of use of reference services by users of the Prof.Festus Aghagbo Nwako Library, UNIZIK, Awka. The study adopted the descriptive survey design and questionnaire was distributed to 50 users of the library that were selected for the study. The responses to the items in the questionnaire were analysed by means of relevant descriptive statistical tools. The results were further presented by means of tables and discussed. Based on the analysis, the study found that apart from reprographic services, the Prof. Festus Aghagbo Nwako Library renders significant reference services to users of the library. Several problems associated with the delivery and patronage of the reference services were identified and solutions proffered. Given the research outcome, this study recommended that the library should educate students and other users about the reference and information services that are available at the library and efforts should be made by the Librarians to routinely update available reference sources in the Library.
 Keywords: References Sources, Libraries, Library Services, Academic Libraries.

Using a Variety of Interactive Learning Methods to Improve Learning Effectiveness: Insights from AI Models Based on Teaching Surveys

The last decade has brought far-reaching changes in higher education, leading institutions to shift some or all instruction online. This shift to distance learning has contributed to a more significant need for active learning: changing students from passive knowledge consumers into proactive knowledge producers using interactive teaching practices. The present study joins an emerging body of literature examining the relationship between active learning, the online environment, and students’ performance. In this study, we examined the effect of four interactive learning methods (combined with technology) on students’ overall assessments of the class, the clarity of the teaching, and the perceived effectiveness of online distance learning. The data source for the research is teaching evaluation surveys filled out by undergraduate and master’s students. In total, we analyzed ~30,000 surveys completed by ~4,800 students from 23 departments, covering 1,265 classes taught by 385 lecturers. We used both classic statistical and AI-based methods. Our findings suggest associations between high use of interactive learning methods and higher student evaluation scores, higher perceived effectiveness of distance learning, and clearer course teaching. A more interesting finding indicates that not only the extent of use, but also use of a variety of interactive learning methods significantly affects the perceived clarity of teaching and learning effectiveness. Based on the findings, we recommend that academic staff integrate a variety of interactive teaching methods, and especially short knowledge tests, in their courses (both online and frontal). Beyond these results, the prediction model we built can be used to examine what mix of different interactive learning methods might improve students’ evaluations of any given course.

Academic libraries, ICT use and sustainable higher education development

PurposeEducation is a strong pillar to national development. It is vital to ensure sustainable higher education development (SHED) in a bid to facilitate global development. This study aims to investigate academic libraries, information and communication technology (ICT) use and SHED.Design/methodology/approachDescriptive survey research design was used for this study. The population of the study was 607 librarians in the 41 public university libraries in Southern Nigeria. Total enumeration and purposive sampling techniques were used for this study. The instrument of data collection was questionnaire. Descriptive statistics was used for the data analysis.FindingsIt was found that qualified teachers and promotion of scholarship constitute SHED. The extent of contribution of academic libraries to SHED is high. Academic libraries face a number of challenges in their effort to provide information services for the actualisation of the SHED. The extent of use of ICT in SHED is high. It was therefore recommended that academic libraries and ICT should be adequately used to accomplish SHED in Nigeria.Research limitations/implicationsThis study will contribute to the body of literature on how academic libraries and the use of ICT can contribute to SHED.Practical implicationsWhile SHED is central to global development, the role of academic libraries and the use of ICT should be unanimously embraced by all the stakeholders in education industry.Originality/valueSHED is inevitable in the contemporary era. This study reveals that academic libraries and ICT use are vital in achieving SHED.

Trends in the Use of Probiotics in Aquaculture of Bangladesh—Present State, Problems, and Prospects

Aquaculture in Bangladesh has expanded, diversified, and intensified over the last decades. Control of infectious diseases is critical for a successful and sustainable aquaculture. In this study, we examined the extent of use of probiotics in aquaculture of Bangladesh, using a questionnaire. Data were collected from 200 individual respondents from commercial fish farms located at Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Jashore, and Cumilla (50 from each) regions. A total of 88 different probiotics products from 36 companies, mostly imported, are used in the aquaculture in Bangladesh. Although in most cases the purpose of the use of probiotics is not clear for the farm owners, several representatives of different companies suggested the use of their different probiotic products, for different situations. Most of the farm owners responded that they used probiotics to get higher production by promoting the growth of fish. A considerable number of farm owners responded that probiotics reduced mortality as well as reduced gas emissions from the aquaculture ponds. Although the use of commercial probiotics varies from region to region, Pondcare and Safegut, the product of SK + F, are mostly used in aquaculture based on the responses (32% and 21% of respondents, respectively). To safeguard and clarify the value and effectiveness of these goods, the fish feed manufacturers and regulatory authorities should monitor their production, collection, and marketing.

A Cross-Association Analysis of Scientific Designations (Grades) With the ‘Extent of Use of Electronic Information Resources’ And the ‘Purpose of Use of the Internet’ Amongst The Indian Aerospace Scientists and Engineers of Bangalore

Aerospace is seen as a key technology today owing to its growth in Asia in general and India in particular. Indian aerospace scientists and engineers currently working on strategically important projects depend heavily on rapid collection of information from various electronic information resources. Seeking information through e-resources is an upcoming and an endearing activity. The coming of the Internet has totally transformed the way scientific communication has spread among the scientists and engineers in general across the world and more specifically amongst the aerospace scientists and engineers. Aerospace scientists and engineers greatly depend upon the network and Internet technologies for accessing electronic information resources (most importantly electronic journals) related to aerospace engineering right at their desktops. The Indian aerospace scientists and engineers representing the various aerospace organizations in Bangalore belong to different scientific designations or cadres or grades. These designations represent their scientific hierarchy within the organization. As part of an ongoing research, a questionnaire based survey was undertaken to study the association of scientific designations with the ‘Extent of Use of electronic information resources’ and ‘Purpose of the Use of the Internet’. The study has been restricted to the geographic boundary of the city of Bangalore and the selected 16 aerospace Indian organizations. The present analysis is purely based on the 583 responses that were found suitable for the study out of the 625 questionnaires distributed. The responses from the participants towards the ‘extent of use of electronic information resources’ and the ‘Purpose of Use of the Internet’ versus the‘ association of scientific designations’ were graded on a scale of 0 to 4 with 4 representing ‘Most Frequently’. The major findings that the authors would like to report in this paper are: (a) The χ2 test indicates that the different grades (designations) of the aerospace scientists and engineers (Chi-Square = 156.599, P = 0.0438) by the ‘Use of Electronic Information Resources’ have significant association, and ‘Purpose of Use of the Internet’ (Chi-Square = 124.452, P = 0.5722) have no significant association.This implies that percentages of preference for these different grades (designations) of aerospace scientists and engineers by the ‘Extent of Use of Electronic Information Resources’ are not approximately the same and the ‘Purpose of Use of the Internet’ are approximately the same. (b) Hence, the authors infer that the ‘Extent of Use of Electronic Information Resources’ show a dissimilar pattern of use, and the ‘Purpose of Use of the Internet’ show a similar pattern of use amongst the aerospace scientists and engineers with regard to the different designations/grades of the selected 16 aerospace organizations.

Patterns of Use of Aerospace Engineering e-Technical Reports by the Indian Aerospace Scientists and Engineers in Bangalore : A Research Survey

A large number of aerospace e-technical reports are frequently referred by the aerospace scientists and engineers for their day to day research work. A survey study was undertaken to ascertain the most frequently used aerospace e-technical reports amongst 16 selected aerospace organizations of Bangalore. The study is restricted to geographic boundary of the city of Bangalore. Out of the 650 survey questionnaires distributed to the scientists and engineers, a total number of 612 were received back and finally 583 responses found suitable were selected for the study. The total responses usable from all the 16 aerospace organizations amounted to 89.7 percent. The analysis is based purely on the responses received from the aerospace scientists and engineers representing these selected aerospace organizations. The responses from the participants towards the extent of use of the e-technical reports were graded on a scale of 4 to 0, 4 representing to a great extent. The major findings that the authors would like to report in this paper are: The most frequently referred aerospace engineering e-technical reports by these scientists and engineers are: (a) ‘USA, NASA’, followed by, (b) ‘USA, AIAA’, (c) ‘Indian NAL’, (d) ‘AGARD’, (e) ‘British ARC and RAE’, (f) ‘ESA’, (g) ‘French ONERA’, (h) ‘German DFVLR, DLR and MBB’, (i) ‘Dutch NLR’, (j) ‘Russian TaAGI’, and, finally, (k) ‘Japanese NAL’. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was applied for testing the significant difference among the mean scores attained from 16 aerospace organizations towards the ‘Use of e-Technical Reports’. It is observed that all the 16 aerospace organizations show a significant difference (P < 0.05) in their mean scores viz., ‘AGARD’, ‘British ARC and RAE’, ‘ESA’, ‘Indian NAL’, ‘German DFVLR’, DLR and MBB’, ‘Japanese NAL’, ‘Russian TaAGI’, ‘Dutch NLR’, ‘USA, NASA’ and ‘USA, AIAA’, except for ‘French ONERA’ (P = 0.092).

The association between ethical leadership and environmental activity management: The mediating role of employee environmental empowerment

This study examines the association between ethical leadership and environmental activity management (EAM) [environmental activity analysis (EAA), environmental activity cost analysis (EACA) and environmental activity-based costing (EABC)] and the mediating role of employee environmental empowerment in such an association. Data was collected using an online survey questionnaire from 400 middle and lower-level Australian managers. The results reveal that the relationship between ethical leadership and EAM transpires indirectly, with ethical leadership found to be positively associated with employee environmental empowerment which in turn, exhibits a positive association with the use of all three levels of EAM (EAA, EACA and EABC). Such findings highlight the importance of ethical leadership as a means of enhancing employee environmental empowerment, and subsequently increasing the extent of use of EAM. Accordingly, organisations should endeavour to encourage ethical leadership through leadership training programs and/or the recruitment of appropriate ‘ethical’ leaders. In addition, as employee environmental empowerment fully mediates the association between ethical leadership and the extent of use of EAM, organisations should look to enhance employee environmental empowerment through providing employees with greater opportunities: to discuss and be involved with the development of new environmental management practices; to be actively involved in the development, management and evaluation of environmental management practices; and/or to be involved in strategic decision making regarding environmental management practices.

Factors Affecting the Selection of Survival Strategies for the Urban Poor: A Case Study of Residents of Disfunctional Tissues in Torbat-e Jam

Introduction: Urban poor use many initiatives to survive before they reach a real dead end in life and pose fundamental risks to themselves and the host community. There is a variety of strategies used by poor households in Iran and the world with different consequences depending on the type and extent of use. Method: This descriptive and analytical study has investigated the factors affecting the selection of survival strategies among residents of disfunctional urban tissues (marginal section). Due to the nature of the subject, the data were obtained in two ways, including qualitative (sample size of 30 households) and quantitative (survey of 300 households living in this area). The collected data were analyzed qualitatively based on the content analysis (according to Brown and Clark’S framework) and quantitatively in the form of logistic regression. Findings: The results showed that although the number of households that choose risky strategies is small, around 10%, the same number is very important and fundamental considering the border situation of the city in question and its cultural and social conditions. Quantitative investigations also show that households with little social capital are twice as likely to choose high-risk strategies as those who use social capital. Discussion: The development of social capital among the poor not only prevents them from remaining in this cycle but also helps them consider strategies that have the least social, family, and individual consequences even if they enter the cycle of poverty. To strengthen social capital, it is necessary to form cultural associations and connections among the inhabitants of disfunctional urban contexts.

Level of Knowledge and Extent of Use of Anabolic-Androgenic Steroids among Physical Education University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study from Palestine

Background: Androgenic-anabolic steroids (AAS) use has increased in the last years, especially among athletes, due to their effect on body shape and performance. These agents could have serious side effects among this highly susciptable population.
 Methods: Cross-sectional study that included physical education students at An-Najah National University over the period of November 2020 to January 2021, using an electronic questionnaire. The main outcome was to measure the level of knowledge and use of AAS.
 Results: A total of 380 students were included. The mean age of the students was 21 years (SD= 4.2), and study participants were distributed almost equally according to sex. About one fourth of the students were smokers. Eighty percent of the study participants are from West Bank while the remaining 20 % are from Jerusalem and 48 territories. Furthermore, most of the students live with their families, half of them live in cities, while about 40% live in villages and only 8% in camps. The average level of knowledge about AAS was 2.95 over 8 (37/100) with a median of three. Furthermore, only 36 (10%) participants had satisfactory knowledge, scoring 80% or more. Regarding the use of AAS, eleven participants (2.9%), all males, confirmed that they are currently using AAS. Additionally, about 28 (7%) had previously used them while 30 (8%) are planning to try them in the future. Overall, 221(58%) confirmed using vitamins and minerals.
 Conclusion: Our study showed that the majority of participants have a substantial lack of information regarding the potential side-effects of AAS while the level of use is comparable with other populations.

Radiation Safety Awareness and Practice among Radiology Staff in Kabul National Specialty Hospitals

In the world, more than ten million photographs and hundreds of thousands of nuclear medicine operations are performed daily. The exposure of such a large population even at the low dose levels used in diagnostic radiology due to definite effects and the possibility of ionizing radiation has caused public concern. This study aimed to determine the awareness of radiology staff from X-Rays adverse effects and the extent of use of safety measures in their practice in Kabul National hospitals. Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 60 radiology staff in national specialty hospitals of Kabul Afghanistan. A structured multiple-choice questionnaire was used. Data were coded and analyzed using the statistical package for social science (SPSS) software. Results: 83.3% of participants were male. 71% of the participants had >40 years old and the mean age of them was 41 years old. The type of job of participants was radiology technician. The mean of the years of job experience was 16 years. The knowledge or awareness of 95.0 % of participants was weak and 5.0% was intermediate. 96.7% of participant's practice was good and 3.3 % was intermediate. Conclusion: The level of awareness of 95.0 % of radiology staff was very poor. This is of concern as technologists are the first point of contact with the patients and they should be adequately trained to answer common patient questions and concerns. The level of practice of 3.3 % of the staff was intermediate and 96.7% was good. Based on our results, a conscientious effort to provide a more robust education and acquire greater knowledge in these matters is required.

The prevalence and perceived effectiveness of using a medication-swallowing lubricant in aged care facilities across Australia.

To explore the extent of use and perceived effectiveness of using a medication lubricant that is specifically designed to help people who struggle to swallow their solid medications whole. Health care workers of varying professional levels in aged care facilities (ACFs) across Australia who are involved in medication administration were invited to participate in a structured online survey. Of the 355 health care workers who completed the survey, 48% had used the medication lubricant to aid administration of whole and/or crushed solid oral dosage forms, and of these 89% agreed with the statement that "it is effective method to facilitate medication swallowing in residents." The main benefits of using the medication lubricant were considered to be easier medication administration to residents (49%), reduction in need for crushing of medications (34%), and better adherence with medications (33%). This study showed that using a medication lubricant for aged care residents may facilitate the process of medication administration for health care workers, which they perceive to improve residents' adherence with medications. Serious complications associated with solid dosage form modification may also be decreased by using a medication lubricant, as the need for modifying medications is reduced. Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)-approved medication lubricants could therefore be a valuable tool to aid the medication administration for patients who have difficulties swallowing medications. Future research may consider the clinical efficacy and acceptability of medication lubricants specifically for people with swallowing difficulties.

Radiation Safety Awareness and Practice among Radiology Staff in Kabul National Specialty Hospitals

Background and Aim: In the world, more than ten million photographs and hundreds of thousands of nuclear medicine operations are performed daily. The exposure of such a large population even at the low dose levels used in diagnostic radiology due to definite effects and the possibility of ionizing radiation has caused public concern. This study aimed to determine the awareness of radiology staff from X-Rays adverse effects and the extent of use of safety measures in their practice in Kabul National hospitals. Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 60 radiology staff in national specialty hospitals of Kabul Afghanistan. A structured multiple-choice questionnaire was used. Data were coded and analyzed using the statistical package for social science (SPSS) software. Results: 83.3% of participants were male. 71% of the participants had >40 years old and the mean age of them was 41 years old. The type of job of participants was radiology technician. The mean of the years of job experience was 16 years. The knowledge or awareness of 95.0 % of participants was weak and 5.0% was intermediate. 96.7% of participant's practice was good and 3.3 % was intermediate. Conclusion: The level of awareness of 95.0 % of radiology staff was very poor. This is of concern as technologists are the first point of contact with the patients and they should be adequately trained to answer common patient questions and concerns. The level of practice of 3.3 % of the staff was intermediate and 96.7% was good. Based on our results, a conscientious effort to provide a more robust education and acquire greater knowledge in these matters is required.

UTILIZATION OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES BY THE FARMERS

Information and communication technologies (ICTs) can help farmers access the information they need. Nowadays, an array of ICTs tools and projects are available not only in urban areas but in rural areas also. However effective utilization of ICTs for accessing agricultural information by the farmers is the major concern as generally, people use them more for entertainment and time passing. To what extent the farmers are using the ICTs in accessing agriculture information is fundamental for redesigning the agricultural development projects integrating the ICTs. Keeping this in view, the study was undertaken to ascertain the extent of the use of ICTs for accessing agricultural information by the farmers of South Gujarat. The study was carried out in the Valsad and Navsari districts of Gujarat for 120 farmers. Multistage random sampling was adopted for the selection of respondents. An Ex-post-facto research design was used for the study. Results of the study indicated that the majority (62.50 percent) of the respondents had a moderate level of extent of utilization of ICTs followed by 19.17 and 18.33 percent of them had high and low extent of utilization, respectively. Out of the 14 factors studied, education, extension participation, training received, mass media exposure, information source accessibility, innovativeness, social participation, and economic motivation were found positively and highly significantly correlated with the extent of use of ICTs.