Flash Mobs Research Articles

What Matters to Patients on the Day of Surgery—A Flash Mob Study

PurposeTo explore what matters to patients on the day of surgery, to describe how a flash mob study was conducted in a perioperative setting and to provide recommendations for future studies adopting the flash mob design. DesignFlash mob study. MethodsOn June 6 to June 7, 2023, a 24-hour flash mob study was carried out in eight Danish perioperative units. Eligible for inclusion were adult patients scheduled for elective or acute surgery. After giving informed consent, patients answered two qualitative questions: what mattered to them on the day of surgery, and whether the staff were aware of this. Data were analyzed using content analysis. Patient characteristics were presented using descriptive statistics. FindingsPatients expressed a need to feel safe and cared for, be informed, and to receive proper anesthesia and postoperative care. Twenty-nine percent had not told health care staff, most often because they had not been asked about what mattered to them and because they did not want to be a nuisance. ConclusionsThe flash mob study was feasible and provided insight into patients' perspectives on the day of surgery. To gain insight into what matters on the day of surgery, health care professionals must actively ask patients. Furthermore, the flash mob proved to be an opportunity to create attention to what matters to patients on the day of surgery.

Evaluating collective action theory-based model to simulate mobs

A mob is an event that is organized via social media, email, SMS, or other forms of digital communication technologies in which a group of people (who might have an agenda) get together online or offline to collectively conduct an act and then disperse (quickly or over a long period). In recent years, these events are increasingly happening worldwide due to the anonymity of the internet, affordability of social media, boredom, etc. Studying such a phenomenon is difficult due to a lack of data, theoretical underpinning, and resources. In this research, we use the Agent-Based Modeling (ABM) technique to model the mobbers and the Monte Carlo method to assign random values to the factors extracted from the theory of Collective Action and conduct many simulations. We also leverage our previous research on Deviant Cyber Flash Mobs to implement various scenarios the mobber could face when they decide to act in a mob or not. This resulted in a model that can simulate mobs, estimate the mob success rate, and the needed powerful actors (e.g., mob organizers) for a mob to succeed. We finally evaluate our model using real-world mob data collected from the Meetup social media platform. This research is one step toward fully understanding mob formation and the motivations of its participants and organizers.

Patients' Perspectives and Feasibility of Home Monitoring in Acute Care: The AcuteCare@Home Flash Mob Study.

Objective: To determine patients' perspectives on home monitoring at emergency department (ED) presentation and shortly after admission and compare these with their physicians' perspectives. Methods: Forty Dutch hospitals participated in this prospective flash mob study. Adult patients with acute medical conditions, treated by internal medicine specialties, presenting at the ED or admitted at the admission ward within the previous 24 h were included. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients who were able and willing to undergo home monitoring. Secondary outcomes included identifying barriers to home monitoring, patient's prerequisites, and assessing the agreement between the perspectives of patients and treating physicians. Results: On February 2, 2023, in total 665 patients [median age 69 (interquartile range: 55-78) years; 95.5% community dwelling; 29.3% Modified Early Warning Score ≥3; 29.5% clinical frailty score ≥5] were included. In total, 19.6% of ED patients were admitted and 26% of ward patients preferred home monitoring as continuation of care. Guaranteed readmission (87.8%), ability to contact the hospital 24/7 (77.3%), and a family caregiver at home (55.7%) were the most often reported prerequisites. Barriers for home monitoring were feeling too severely ill (78.8%) and inability to receive the required treatment at home (64.4%). The agreement between patients and physicians was fair (Cohens kappa coefficient 0.26). Conclusions: A substantial proportion of acutely ill patients stated that they were willing and able to be monitored at home. Guaranteed readmission, availability of a treatment team (24/7), and a home support system are needed for successful implementation of home monitoring in acute care.

Rhizomic Interdisciplinary Model in the Research into the Phenomenon of “New Sincerity”

The article localizes the problem of interscientific system methodology in the study of a new social practice domain, which manifests itself in the form of the trend towards sincerity and frankness in language interaction. The purpose of the article is to consider the issues that arise within the overlapping scientific approaches in the context of polyparadigmality in linguistics. The article describes vectors and scenarios of discipline interaction, as well as the examples of interdisciplinary transfer practice. The author presents the concept of rhizomic interdisciplinarity as a nonlinear development of scientific research that contains the potential for differentiation and integration. The system methodology application has enabled the author to build the core part of the model for describing linguistic facts. It includes some clusters of scientific knowledge that are undergoing a development phase. The article outlines the problems of “new sincerity” with an emphasis on network communication. For illustration, data from social events with elements of a flash mob, cases of cancel culture and eco-alarmism were used. The patterns that form a social community in the form of thematic fashion, Internet communication algorithms, and mobilizing potential are indicated. The author presents several clusters of research into the phenomenon of “new sincerity” from the perspective of the science of language. Being indicative of the dynamics of interaction amongst currently existing approaches and theories, they can form the core of the research model.

"What matters to you" on the day of surgery: Protocol for a mixed methods study.

The anticipation of anesthesia and surgery is the source of fear and anxiety in millions of patients worldwide. Although patients' fear and anxiety are recognized, more knowledge is needed to address patient responses and needs. Understanding the needs of the patients are important, and asking patients directly is the first step towards addressing these needs. This again might help reducing medications such as anesthetics and postoperative pain relief. The aim of this study protocol is to describe how we will investigate what matters to patients on the day of surgery, as well as their degree-of-worry and surgical fear. Using a convergent mixed methods design with equal weighting of the qualitative and quantitative data strand we take advantage of the international "What Matters To You" Day on June 6, 2024 to conduct a flash mob study. We will approach perioperative departments around Denmark to participate and eligible patients arriving to the perioperative department for surgery will be invited to participate. Consenting patients are asked to complete a survey in three parts regarding (1) what matters to you, (2) degree-of-worry, and (3) surgical fear. We will use qualitative analysis for the first part and descriptive statistics for second and third parts. The data strands will be analyzed separately followed by integrated analysis and joint displays.

Photographic narrative as a factor in overcoming witness trauma

The research aims to explore the multifunctional potential of photography in overcoming the traumatic experience of witnessing violence and brutality. The paper presents how photography can be used in rehabilitation practices for those who have lived through war. It outlines the tendencies of the modern digital information environment (cross-media, interactivity) that enhance the "restorative" functions of photography in overcoming psycho-emotional and socio-cultural crisis reactions.
 It has been found that photography’s narrative nature can enhance the viewer’s experience of interacting with their emotions and memories, while also providing a therapeutic effect by mitigating the pain of reflecting on cruelty. The article uses examples of war-related content to demonstrate how storytelling technology can provide a variety of tools for audience participation in the development of collective restorative experiences, particularly through photographic flash mobs.
 The structural-functional method was used to work with factual material and identify the role of war photography in the discourse of trauma/post-trauma, clarifying its therapeutic potential. It is well-established that photographs can serve as a means of recording and providing evidence of a crime, facilitating the expression of collective identity and social cohesion. Similarly, the sharing of unprofessional, user-generated visual content on social media can be seen as a form of testimony that elicits strong public reactions. Photography plays a key role in helping people to go through the grieving process by perpetuating and honouring the dead, constructing ‘places of memory’ and ‘portraits of grief’.
 The study aims to determine the role of photography in shaping the visual environment, in which the act of ‘seeing’ constructs a system of restorative practices to overcome the negative psycho-emotional consequences of traumatic events provoked by war.

How flash mobs can be used for data collection in healthcare? A scoping review protocol.

Traditional research methods often involve a lengthy process, but the emergence of flash mobs as an innovative data collection method offers the potential to gather substantial data within a short time frame. Flash mobs draw inspiration from the concept of large groups organizing through the internet or mobile devices to perform a prearranged action in public. In healthcare research, flash mobs serve as research organizing method to investigate clinically relevant questions on a large scale within a limited period. This study aims to present a study protocol for a scoping review that comprehensively maps the existing literature on the use of flash mobs as a data collection method in healthcare research. The review will follow established guidelines and include steps such as identifying the research question, identifying relevant studies, selecting studies, charting the data, and collating and summarizing the results. The review will utilize databases, manual screening of additional sources, and covidence for study selection and data charting. The findings will be summarized using descriptive statistics and a descriptive synthesis of qualitative data. The review protocol has been registered with the Open Science Framework. The results of this scoping review will provide insights into different flash mob designs, motivations, and the data collection process, contributing to the development of high-quality flash mob data collections in healthcare research.

Prevalence of Frailty in European Emergency Departments (FEED): an international flash mob study

Key summary pointsAimTo determine the prevalence of frailty among older people attending emergency care.FindingsAcross 14 European countries, 40% of older people using emergency care were living with at least mild frailty. 14% of all adult users were older people with frailty.MessageThe high prevalence of frailty in emergency care indicates the need to accordingly configure healthcare systems and plan workforces.

Recognition of cognitive dysfunction in hospitalised older patients: a flash mob study

BackgroundIt is important that healthcare professionals recognise cognitive dysfunction in hospitalised older patients in order to address associated care needs, such as enhanced involvement of relatives and extra cognitive and functional support. However, studies analysing medical records suggest that healthcare professionals have low awareness of cognitive dysfunction in hospitalised older patients. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of cognitive dysfunction in hospitalised older patients, the percentage of patients in which cognitive dysfunction was recognised by healthcare professionals, and which variables were associated with recognition.MethodsA multicentre, nationwide, cross-sectional observational study was conducted on a single day using a flash mob study design in thirteen university and general hospitals in the Netherlands. Cognitive function was assessed in hospitalised patients aged ≥ 65 years old, who were admitted to medical and surgical wards. A Mini-Cog score of < 3 out of 5 indicated cognitive dysfunction. The attending nurses and physicians were asked whether they suspected cognitive dysfunction in their patient. Variables associated with recognition of cognitive dysfunction were assessed using multilevel and multivariable logistic regression analyses.Results347 of 757 enrolled patients (46%) showed cognitive dysfunction. Cognitive dysfunction was recognised by attending nurses in 137 of 323 patients (42%) and by physicians in 156 patients (48%). In 135 patients (42%), cognitive dysfunction was not recognised by either the attending nurse or physician. Recognition of cognitive dysfunction was better at a lower Mini-Cog score, with the best recognition in patients with the lowest scores. Patients with a Mini-Cog score < 3 were best recognised in the geriatric department (69% by nurses and 72% by physicians).ConclusionCognitive dysfunction is common in hospitalised older patients and is poorly recognised by healthcare professionals. This study highlights the need to improve recognition of cognitive dysfunction in hospitalised older patients, particularly in individuals with less apparent cognitive dysfunction. The high proportion of older patients with cognitive dysfunction suggests that it may be beneficial to provide care tailored to cognitive dysfunction for all hospitalised older patients.

Fostering the social activity of future specialists in physical education and sports in a health-preserving environment

Aim: The aim of the study is to conduct an analysis of the current state of social activity fostering of future specialists in physical education and sports in a health-preserving environment with the possibility of using social networks by teachers during mixed and distance forms of education. Materials and Methods: The research was conducted during 2022–2023 of the Luhansk Taras Shevchenko National University, Municipal Establishment ≪Kharkiv Humanitarian Pedagogical Academy≫ of Kharkiv Regional Council, Poltava State Medical University. There were 320 respondents involved in the experimental work majors 014 ≪Secondary Education (Physical Culture)≫, 017 ≪Physical Culture and Sports≫ and 227 ≪Therapy and Rehabilitation≫. Research methods: theoretical, empirical, methods of statistical data processing. Results: Education of students’ social activity is carried out not only during studies, but also in extracurricular, leisure activities. Educational hours, beauty and health festivals, flash mobs and social projects have been introduced by group advisors in higher education institutions: ≪My value orientations≫, ≪Olympic week≫, ≪I am for a healthy lifestyle≫, ≪Believe in yourself≫ festival, ≪Beauty and health≫, ≪Respect by action≫ training, holding student and student leagues ≪JuniorS Games≫ and others. Conclusions: With the help of Google Forms, we determined the motives and interests in various types of physical activity and sports, the attitude of student youth to the organization of the educational process on various online platforms using various social networks.

Prevalence and recognition of cognitive impairment in hospitalized older patients: a flash mob study

Background: It is estimated that over one-third of hospitalized older patients have cognitive impairment. Cognitive impairment directly impacts care across all disciplines during and after hospitalization. Recognition of cognitive impairment is important to provide integrated, person-centred care, involve relatives and informal caregivers in the care plan, prevent adverse outcomes, and identify people that need support after discharge. However, previous studies of medical records and discharge reviews suggested under-recognition of cognitive impairment in hospitalized patients by healthcare professionals. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of cognitive impairment in hospitalized older patients and recognition of cognitive impairment by healthcare professionals.&#x0D; Method: This nationwide, cross-sectional, observational study was conducted in thirteen hospitals in the Netherlands on the 21st of September 2022, following a flash mob design. The study was an initiative of Alzheimer Centre Groningen as part of ABOARD (A Personalized Medicine Approach for Alzheimer’s Disease), which is a public-private partnership. Cognitive impairment, indicated by a Mini-Cog score of &lt;3 (out of 5), was assessed in Dutch-speaking, hospitalized patients aged ≥ 65 years old. Patients were excluded if they were unable to perform the Mini-Cog due to sensory impairment or severe delirium, required medical isolation, or were not willing to participate. On the same day, nurses and physicians that took care of the participating patient were asked whether they thought the patient had cognitive impairment. Since the flash mob design entails working with a large group ‘mob’ of data collectors to answer a relatively simple but relevant research question in a short time ‘flash’, we involved many healthcare education students (e.g. nursing, medicine, applied psychology) and hospital staff (e.g. nurse practitioners, researchers) with data collection. &#x0D; Results: In three university hospitals and ten general hospitals, there were a total of 1,308 potentially eligible patients. Of these patients, 378 (29%) were excluded because they were unable to perform the Mini-Cog or were isolated, and 176 (13%) were excluded because they were not willing to participate. Finally, a total of 754 patients (58%) were included (mean [SD] age, 77 [7.43] years; male [%], 383 [51]). Preliminary data showed that 344 patients (46%) had cognitive impairment. Cognitive impairment was recognized by their nurse in 141 of 344 patients (41%). Cognitive impairment was recognized by their physician in 156 patients (45%). In 104 patients (30%) cognitive impairment was recognized by both their nurse and physician. Final results will follow after completion of data analysis.&#x0D; &#x0D; Conclusion and discussion: Preliminary data showed that cognitive impairment is common in older hospitalized patients, and is poorly recognized by healthcare professionals. Recognition of cognitive impairment by healthcare professionals needs to be improved to be able to provide integrated and person-centred care, and identify patients that need support from other healthcare providers after discharge. By conducting a flash mob study, by means of involving (future) healthcare professionals with data collection and highlighting the topic among participating hospitals, we may already have raised awareness about cognitive impairment in hospitalized older patients.

Prevalence and recognition of cognitive impairment in hospitalized older patients: a flash mob study

AbstractBackgroundIt is estimated that over one‐third of hospitalized older patients have cognitive impairment. Cognitive impairment directly impacts care during and after hospitalization. Recognition of cognitive impairment is important to provide person‐centered care, involve relatives, prevent adverse outcomes, and identify people that need support or diagnostic evaluation for dementia after discharge. Previous studies of medical records suggested under‐recognition of cognitive impairment in hospitalized older patients by healthcare professionals. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of cognitive impairment in hospitalized older patients and the recognition of cognitive impairment by healthcare professionals.MethodA cross‐sectional, observational study was conducted in three university hospitals and ten general hospitals in the Netherlands on a single day in 2022, following a flash mob design. The study was an initiative of Alzheimer Center Groningen as part of ABOARD (A Personalized Medicine Approach for Alzheimer’s Disease). Cognitive impairment, indicated by a Mini‐Cog score of &lt;3 (out of 5), was assessed in Dutch‐speaking, hospitalized patients aged ≥ 65 years old. Patients were excluded if they were unable to perform the Mini‐Cog due to sensory impairment or severe delirium, required medical isolation, or were not willing to participate. The nurses and physicians that took care of the patient that day were asked whether they thought the patient had cognitive impairment.ResultA total of 1,318 potentially eligible patients were available. Of these patients, 374 (28%) were excluded because they were unable to perform the Mini‐Cog or were isolated, and 187 (14%) were excluded because they were not willing to participate. Finally, a total of 757 patients (58%) were included (median age, 77 years [71‐82]; male, 386 [51%]). Of the included patients, 347 patients (46%) had cognitive impairment. Cognitive impairment was recognized by their nurse in 137 of 323 patients (42%) and by their physician in 156 patients (48%). In 135 patients (42%) cognitive impairment was not recognized by either the nurse or physician.ConclusionCognitive impairment is common in older hospitalized patients, and is poorly recognized by healthcare professionals. This study highlights the need for quality improvement of cognitive impairment recognition to provide person‐centered care.

Performance tożsamości: w splotach badania socjologicznego i działania artystycznego

The text describes an experimental form of combining sociological research with collective artistic activity during the 17th Lublin Night of Culture. The study involved collecting TST (twenty statement tests) from festival participants. The "bridge" element between research and artistic activity was the choice of a framework identity or a counterpoint to the test – in the form of an aphorism. The artistic activity took the form of a flash mob using symbols identifying participants with selected aphorisms, and then proposing new identifications. The last one broke all the previous ones, creating an ephemeral community.

Social risks of internet activity of virtual communities

The article studies a phenomenon of Internet activism of virtual communities, identifies their essence and characteristics, and analyzes possible social risks of their activities. The authors substantiate a position that such communities are able to quickly mobilize users for coordinated actions in social reality, responding to economic, social, political, and cultural events. These activities are generally oppositional to established values and social institutions and carry social risks. Based on the approaches of G. Rheingold, N. Baym, and B. Wellman, the authors propose, justify, and develop their own typology of virtual communities depending on their Internet activity. The article focuses on the activity of explicitly virtual (latently real) communities that influence social reality through protest performances, flash mobs, spam attacks, Internet actions, etc. Using the case study method, the authors examine Reddit’s r/wallstreetbets and V.V. Pozdnyakov’s Muzhskoe Gosudarstvo Telegram communities. Based on the analysis of the Internet activism practices of virtual communities, risks and threats of uncontrolled and spontaneous actions on their part have been demonstrated. As a result, need for multidimensional analysis of virtual communities by government agencies, business representatives, and research scientific centers has been noted.

#izoizolyatsiya: creativity as a method of socialization

The Izoizolyatsiya challenge became one of the most popular forms of entertainment during lockdown in Russia. In this article, I analyzed this virtual communication environment that functions in an extreme situation of the pandemic. The earlier manifestations of the principle of recreating art works with live models in the field of leisure and art were briefly outlined. The flash mob accumulated features of the traditions of tableaux, painting, photography, and specific characteristics of social networks. It was revealed that the carnival features of this challenge contributed to the actualization of creative forces among the participants and their emancipation. Participation in the Izoizolyatsiya flash mob helped compensate for the lack of everyday communication during isolation, and also became a new form of interaction between family members.

Dancing with Anthems, Godzilla and Laser Pointers: Performance as Protest in the Post-Umbrella Movement Era and the 2019 Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill movement in Hong Kong

In this paper, I explore public performances in protest as a form of civic participation, especially for performances that aim to challenge and critique two controversial laws in Hong Kong, the Anthem Law and the Anti-Extradition Law. I focus on how arguments presented in the protest are performed in public, particularly on how participants make use of their voices and bodies in improvised and choreographed ways. I focus on two examples. The first is a series of “flash mob” events organized by the pro-democracy political party, Demosistō, who performed and parodied the national anthem, “March of the Volunteers”. The second example is a public assembly during the Anti-Extradition Law movement, where protestors used laser pointers to transform a protest space into a disco-like dance floor. I read these cases in dialogue with scholarship on performativity by Judith Butler, Richard Schechner, Jorge Cadena-Roa and Cristina Puga. I focus on how protestors navigate identity through performing with music in public space, where civic engagement manifests as bodily movements, sound and voices.

Flash Mob Marketing Promotes Events

Flash Mob Marketing Promotes Events

Are social robots the solution for shortages in rehabilitation care? Assessing the acceptance of nurses and patients of a social robot

Social robots are upcoming innovations in the healthcare sector. Currently, those robots are merely used for entertaining and accompanying people, or facilitating telepresence. Social robots have the potential to perform more added value tasks within healthcare. So, the aim of our paper was to study the acceptance of a social robot in a rehabilitation centre. This paper reports on three studies conducted with the Pepper robot. We first conducted an acceptance study in which patients (N = 6) and nurses (N = 10) performed different tasks with the robot and rated their acceptance of the robot at different time points. These participants were also interviewed afterwards to gather more qualitative data. The second study conducted was a flash mob study in which patients (N = 23) could interact with the robot via a chatbot and complete a questionnaire. Afterwards, 15 patients completed a short evaluation questionnaire about the easiness and intention to use the robot and possible new functionalities for a social robot. Finally, a Social Return on Investment analysis was conducted to assess the added value of the Pepper robot. Considering the findings from these three studies, we conclude that the use of the Pepper robot for health-related tasks in the context a rehabilitation centre is not yet feasible as major steps are needed to have the Pepper robot able to take over these health-related tasks.

The dynamics of street-level marketing: Engaging urban audiences with interactive strategies

Street-level marketing has become a dynamic approach for engaging urban audiences through interactive and experiential strategies. This paper explores the effectiveness of street-level marketing, examining its evolution, theoretical underpinnings, and the impact of urban environments on marketing strategies. Key interactive methods, including guerrilla marketing, experiential campaigns, and flash mobs, are discussed alongside the critical role of technology and social media in enhancing audience engagement. Additionally, the paper addresses the challenges marketers face, such as regulatory constraints, audience diversity, and measurement of success. Despite these challenges, opportunities for leveraging community involvement, cultural relevance, and real-time feedback are abundant. By analyzing current trends and successful campaigns, the paper offers practical recommendations for businesses seeking to capitalize on urban marketing strategies and build authentic connections with city-based consumers.

Educational work in institutions of higher education in the conditions of distance learning

The article is devoted to the analysis of the peculiarities of the implementation of forms of educational work with students of higher education in the conditions of distance learning (from the experience of H.S. Skovoroda Kharkiv National Pedagogical University), based on the approach to education and upbringing as a single process, continuous at all stages of education. Traditional forms of educational work with students in a higher education institution (organizational, practical, verbal, active, face-to-face) were considered and it was proved that in the conditions of distance learning they acquire special features and even certain new opportunities due to the online format. Examples of such educational activities are given and the specifics of preparation and implementation of them are revealed at the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics H.S. Skovoroda KhNPU. Meetings of the student team (in courses, in groups, meetings of student self-government bodies, etc.); festivals and competitions (university and faculty); interactive online games and quizzes; online tours; different types of meetings; online holidays; flash mobs and challenges are concedered as examples of such educational activities. The role of curators in the educational process in a distance format has been specified. Special attention is paid to the work of Student Council, its structure and committees and it is emphosised on the cooperation with student self-government. The areas of coverage of educational activities due to the use of modern Internet technologies are considered – websites, social networks, chats, channels, etc. The following features of educational work in institutions of higher education were singled out as significant: overcoming spatial and temporal barriers between participants in the educational process; overall quantitative and qualitative increase in the number of participants in educational activities; individualization of work with students; popularization of the idea of student self-government; changes in organizational principles and introduction of new methods of educational work; strengthening of requirements for digital competence of participants, etc. It is emphasized that taking into account the specified advantages should perform a compensatory function during the aggravation of the problems of the implementation of the educational process associated with the limitations of the distance form of education.