Formal Sources Research Articles

A Study on Socio-economic Profile of Paddy Growers in Milkipur Block of Ayodhya District of Uttar Pradesh, India

The study was conducted in five villages of Milkipur block in Ayodhya district, selected purposively based on proximity to the researcher and accessibility. A complete list of all paddy growers in each selected village was prepared. From this list, a total of 120 farmers were selected using a proportionate random sampling technique. The results of the study revealed that the majority of the respondents exhibited various socio-economic characteristics, such as being in the age category of 39-62 years (61.67%), being literate (84.16%), belonging to the general caste (39.17%), living in nuclear families (85.83%), having a family size of 4-8 members (62.50%), being marginal farmers with land holdings below one hectare (43.33%), and having agriculture as their main occupation with subsidiary agricultural labor occupations (90.83% and 21.66%, respectively). A mixed housing pattern was observed in 56.66% of the respondents. In terms of material possessions, diesel engines (53.33%) and chaff cutters (85.83%) were the main farm power and agricultural implements, respectively. For transportation, bicycles (98.33%) were predominant. In terms of communication media, household materials such as coats (100%) and mobile phones (100%) were reported as main possessions. Additionally, 57.50% of respondents had no participation in any organizations. The majority of respondents (52.50%) reported an annual family income of up to 50,000. Gram pradhan (05.57%), family members (06.00%), and mobile phones (06.00%) were identified as the main formal, informal, and communicational sources of extension contact, respectively.

Defining a malaria diagnostic pathway from innovation to adoption: Stakeholder perspectives on data and evidence gaps.

Malaria, a major global health concern, requires effective diagnostic tools for patient care, disease control, and elimination. The pathway from concept to the adoption of diagnostic products is complex, involving multiple steps and stakeholders. To map this process, our study introduces a malaria-specific diagnostic pathway, synthesising existing frameworks with expert insights. Comprising six major stages and 31 related activities, the pathway retains the core stages from existing frameworks and integrates essential malaria diagnostic activities, such as WHO prequalification processes, global stakeholder involvement, and broader health systems considerations. To understand the scope and availability of evidence guiding the activities along this pathway, we conducted an online survey with 113 participants from various stages of the malaria diagnostic pathway. The survey assessed perceptions on four critical attributes of evidence: clear requirements, alignment with user needs, accuracy and reliability, and public and free availability. It also explored the types of evidence used and the challenges and potential solutions related to evidence generation and use. Respondents reported using a broad range of formal and informal data sources. Findings indicated differing levels of agreement on the attributes across pathway stages, with notable challenges in the Approvals and Manufacturing stage and consistent concerns regarding the public availability of data/evidence. The study offers valuable insights for optimising evidence generation and utilisation across the malaria diagnostic pathway. It highlights the need for enhanced stakeholder collaboration, improved data availability, and increased funding to support effective evidence generation, sharing, and use. We propose actionable solutions, including the use of public data repositories, progressive data sharing policies, open-access publishing, capacity-building initiatives, stakeholder engagement forums, and innovative funding solutions. The developed framework and study insights have broader applications, offering a model adaptable for other diseases, particularly for neglected tropical diseases, which face similar diagnostic challenges.

App-based interventions to improve cancer outcomes rely on informational support from professionals: a systematic review.

The importance of social support for cancer patients is well-established, and mobile applications hold promise for implementation. This systematic review examines app-based interventions with social support components for cancer patients, investigating the use of different support functions from different sources and the impact on cancer-related symptoms and psychological outcomes. A systematic search across five databases (EMBASE, Scopus, PsycINFO, PubMed, Web of Science) yielded 449 records, of which 17 studies (12 controlled designs) were included. Two independent reviewers extracted data and assessed study quality, revealing a high risk of bias across studies. Social support was implemented through different app functions, including contact/chat functions (n = 9), automatic alerts based on app input (n = 6) and discussion forums (n = 5). Social support predominantly focused on informational support (n = 17), mostly from healthcare professionals. Emotional support was less common (n = 7). Results indicated some promising intervention effects for pain, fatigue, nausea/vomiting, insomnia, constipation and overall symptom distress, but heterogeneous effects for health-related quality of life. Overall, results were mixed, but indicate that mobile apps incorporating social support may hold promise for cancer patients. However, future studies should focus on measuring and reporting social support as an intervention mechanism to systematically investigate its specific impact and improve effectiveness.HighlightsApps for cancer patients predominantly include informational social supportEmotional social support is substantially less frequently includedApps focus on formal support sources like healthcare professionalsFirst results are somewhat promising for improving cancer-related symptoms.

The Formal and the Informal in the History of Socialist Scholarly Interconnectedness in East Central Europe.

With the emergence of Olympic internationalism, scholarly networking in East Central Europe came to be dominated by the idea of scholars representing their nations, which replaced the previously leading pattern of private elite scholars with extensive international contacts. This also formalised trans-border contacts, which became increasingly seen as international. In this article, we trace the relationship between these formal and informal networks from the late 19thcentury to the end of the socialist period, showing that even as formalisation grew, it depended heavily on avariety of informal connections. Even during the period of socialism, when the state sought to control international exchange, scholars used informality to circumvent politically determined constraints. Nevertheless, these informal contacts were not outside the system, but were an integral part of it and depended on formal preconditions. Concentrating on Czechoslovak-Polish relations we argue that in addressing the issue of the relationship between the formal and the informal, acombination of sources must be used, which should then be scrutinised for the stories their authors wish to tell. While archival sources are used for the formal part, oral histories or memoirs reveal the informal part. In East Central Europe, formal sources are likely to ignore informality, especially when it was associated with illegality, whereas ego-documents, especially those produced after 1989, are likely to ignore or downplay connections to the state and overemphasise informality as ameans of acting outside politics. Thus, writing the history of informality in socialist scholarship, not only in terms of international contacts but also in terms of everyday practices, is away of developing counter-narratives to the state-centeredness of current research, which must be linked to acritical study of the contemporary memory of socialist scholarship that shapes the narratives told in oral history.

Exploring the Links Between Immigration and Birth Outcomes Among Latine Birthing Persons in the USA.

Birth outcomes are worse for birthing people and infants in the USA than other high-income economies and worse still for underprivileged communities. Historically, the Latine community has experienced positive birth outcomes, despite low socioeconomic status and other socio-political disadvantages, leading to what has been termed as the Hispanic birth paradox. However, this perinatal advantage and protective effect appears to have been shattered by unfavorable policies, structural conditions, societal attitudes, and traumatic events impacting Latine immigrants, leading to negative effects on the health and well-being of birthing Latines-regardless of citizenship status and increasing rates of preterm birth and low birth weight infants. We conducted a comprehensive literature review and identified two pathways through which birth outcomes among Latine birthing persons may be compromised regardless of citizenship status: (1) a biological pathway as toxic levels of fear and anxiety created by racialized stressors accumulate in the bodies of Latines and (2) a social pathway as Latines disconnect from formal and informal sources of support including family, friends, health care, public health programs, and social services during the course of the pregnancy. Future research needs to examine the impact of immigration climate and policies on health and racial equity in birth outcomes among Latines regardless of citizenship status. Attaining health and racial equity necessitates increased awareness among health providers, public health practitioners, and policy makers of the impact of larger socio-political pressures on the health of Latine birthing persons.

Gendered Trends in Formal and Informal Care Utilization Among Older Adults in South Korea

ABSTRACT Drawing on data from two waves of the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing (2010 and 2018), this study examined how community-dwelling older men and women (65+) with functional limitations utilized formal and informal sources of care and how their patterns of care utilization changed over time. The usage patterns of formal and informal caregiving services were categorized into three groups: (a) informal help only, (b) formal-informal mix, and (c) no help from either. More men and women used both formal and informal help for their care needs in 2018 than in 2010 (15% compared to 7%). The proportion of older men who relied on informal help only remained similar across survey years, whereas a smaller proportion of older women relied on informal help only in 2018. Although formal care use has been expanded in South Korea, older men continue to utilize help from their families. However, for older women, the proportion who did not receive any help increased – despite an increase in formal care utilization. These findings highlight the importance of considering gendered resources in caregiving in Korea.

Immigration-Related Factors and Depression Help-Seeking Behaviors Among Older Chinese Americans

ABSTRACT Objectives Asian Americans have the lowest mental health service utilization rate among all racial/ethnic groups. This study investigates how immigration-related factors shape the depression help-seeking behaviors of older Chinese Americans. Methods Data were collected from participants who reported experiencing any depressive symptoms in the Population-based Study of Chinese Elderly in Chicago (n = 907). Multinomial logistic regressions were conducted to examine the associations between immigration-related factors and help-seeking behaviors, including not seeking help (23.5%), seeking help from informal source(s) only (40%), seeking help from both informal and formal sources (28.7%), and seeking help from formal source(s) only (8.8%). Results Older Chinese Americans with lower levels of acculturation (OR = 0.88, 95% CI = 0.79–0.97) and those who lived in Chinatown (OR = 2.34, 95% CI = 1.21–4.52) were more likely to seek help from formal sources only (relative to not seeking any help). Conclusions Older Chinese Americans with depressive symptoms predominately relied on informal sources of help, either solely or in combination with formal sources, to address their depressive symptoms. Clinical Implications Leveraging informal support networks and ethnicity-specific resources represents a promising approach for this population.

Increasing Help-Seeking Intentions for Mental Health Difficulties in Early Adolescence: The Role of Cumulative Promotive Factors

AbstractDespite evidence to suggest that receiving support for mental health difficulties can improve later outcomes, adolescents often do not seek help when needed. While factors that reduce the likelihood of help-seeking intentions are well established, little is known about the factors that may increase adolescents’ intentions to seek help. This study sought to identify promotive factors for general help-seeking intentions, as well as help-seeking intentions from formal and informal sources specifically, and to test the assumptions of cumulative promotion theory in relation to help-seeking. Participants comprised 290 early adolescents (aged 11–14) in Northwest England who completed a suite of online measures assessing their mental health, wellbeing, and help-seeking intentions. Candidate promotive factors were modelled, and a cumulative promotive index (CPI) score was generated for each participant. Hierarchical regression was used to analyse the data. A range of promotive factors were identified for help-seeking intentions. CPI scores were significant predictors of all three help-seeking outcomes, even after accounting for the variance explained by the individual promotive factors. Thus, this study confirms two key tenets of cumulative promotion theory in relation to help-seeking intentions amongst adolescents: (1) as the number of promotive factors increases, intentions to seek help for mental health difficulties also increase, and (2) the number of promotive factors is more important than their nature when increasing help-seeking intentions.

Do different sources of sexuality education contribute differently to sexual health and well-being outcomes? Examining sexuality education in Spain and Portugal

Sexuality education (SE) can be acquired through different sources. In a cross-sectional online study with Spanish and Portuguese participants ( N = 595), we examined differences between formal traditional sources (i.e., mandatory SE received in schools), formal modern sources (e.g., SE received in courses), informal traditional sources (e.g., talks with friends and family), and informal modern sources (e.g., pornography and online content) and their contribution to sexual health and well-being outcomes. Results showed that sexual and reproductive health were among the most addressed topics across all sources. Nearly all participants received SE from informal sources, whereas more than two-thirds received SE from formal traditional sources. Results of a linear regression model showed that participants who perceived more influence from formal traditional sources reported using condoms more often, were more focused on disease prevention, and enacted more sexual health communication, but were also less sex-positive. Participants who perceived more influence from both types of informal sources attributed more importance to SE topics but reported having condomless sex more frequently and were more focused on pleasure promotion. Still, participants who perceived more influence from informal traditional sources also endorsed more internal/external consent, were more sexually satisfied, were more sex-positive, and enacted more sexual health practices. Lastly, participants who perceived more influence from informal modern sources were also more likely to have been diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection. Only a small proportion of participants received SE from formal modern sources and had to be excluded from this analysis. Some differences between Spain and Portugal are discussed. Taken together, our findings highlight the need to consider different sources for a more comprehensive and inclusive SE, in articulation with sociocultural and political contexts.

Analysis of Formal and Informal Sources of Entrepreneurial Financing on the Performance of MSMEs in Lagos, Nigeria

Analysis of Formal and Informal Sources of Entrepreneurial Financing on the Performance of MSMEs in Lagos, Nigeria

Tenancy and Interlinkages in Rural India: A Study of Two Villages in West Godavari District

Tenancy has been increasing in the post-reform period, in which pure tenancy has significant share. The pure tenants lack ownership rights over the land, which restricts access to agricultural inputs from the formal sources. This leads to the emergence of personalised informal arrangements with moneylenders and other input dealers. Using village-level data, we attempt to understand how input and output markets interact in informal arrangements. If so, what is their impact on the output and rental rates in a village economy? This study shows that the cultivators go for interlinked exchanges ranging from zero to three, and a significant share of them have more than two interlinkages in the input market. It is also evident that the more the number of linkages, the more the output produced and rent paid. This self-exploitative arrangement has the potential to become a vicious cycle in the future.

Preparing solo mothers for childbirth and parenthood – The importance of being with like-minded women

ObjectivesDenmark and many high-income countries have seen an increase in the number of single women getting pregnant through medical assisted reproduction (MAR). These women are also named solo mothers. According to the Danish Health Authorities, they should, as all other pregnant women, be offered antenatal education. The aim of this study was to explore solo mothers’ needs in order to prepare them for childbirth and parenthood. MethodsThis qualitative study was set to investigate solo mothers’ experiences and requirements during pregnancy toprepare them for childbirth and parenting. Semi-structured interviews were conducted by telephone or face-to-face. A systematic text condensation and interpretation was used to analyse data. Results38 interviews were conducted before and after pregnancy. Twenty solo mothers participated in the study. Three themes emerged from the analysis: ‘Confrontation with the normative pregnancy’, ‘Mirroring and network’ and ‘Using formal and informal sources to gain information’. ConclusionThe conventional antenatal packages offered by the healthcare system did not meet the solo mothers’ needs. The women called for content and information tailored to single parents. Solo mothers may benefit from structured antenatal classes in small groups. Being with like-minded women was essential for preparing for childbirth and parenting.

Leaders’ Experiences of Integrated Leadership Development in Higher Education

This article examines the perceptions of leaders of a public university in Ghana on how leader and leadership development perspectives are reflected in the institution’s leadership development (LD) practices. While there is an extensive body of literature on LD, further research is required on how leader and leadership development perspectives can be integrated. The study examined the applicability of the 70:20:10 model to leaders’ LD experiences and blended this model with Kolb’s experiential learning theory. A qualitative case study research approach was employed to explore the experiences of the institution’s leaders. Data were gathered using semi-structured interviews, document review and observation of a training session. The data were analysed using the thematic perspective of narrative analysis. The study found that the concepts in the 70:20:10 model, namely (1) on-the-job task performance (2) relationships in the workplace, and (3) training formed the basis of formal and informal sources of learning that propelled leaders in their development journeys. However, the university did not leverage these to consciously integrate the perspectives of leader and leadership development. It is thus recommended that LD should be consciously planned to ensure holistic learning from the three sources in the university setting.

Constraints to agricultural finance in underdeveloped and developing countries: a systematic literature review

ABSTRACT Agricultural finance plays a pivotal role in facilitating the modernization and commercialization of farming practices and bolstering global food security. However, the provision of sustainable financial services in remote regions poses a significant challenge within the developing and underdeveloped countries. Consequently, farmers often grapple with inadequate access to formal credit sources and essential productive assets due to diverse constraints. Although, several studies have investigated constraints to agriculture finance; the literature is divergent and a holistic framework of constraints to agriculture finance is missing. Therefore, this research explores the constraints to agriculture finance in 31 developing and underdeveloped countries using systematic review approach, and synthesizes a holistic framework of the constraints using Qualitative Evidence Synthesis (QES) method that can be used as dependable framework for conceptualization and policy formation. Moreover, it describes the interplay and mutual reinforcement between the challenges faced by different stakeholders to elaborate how they influence each other in complex ways. Additionally, this study suggests a collective and multi-faceted approach for overcoming barriers to agricultural financing, and highlights the limitations and unintended consequences of agricultural credit and its implications for agricultural sustainability.

Exploring the influence of commercial determinants on public health: An overview in the context of social sciences

Despite the increasing attention that is devoted to the social-economic determinants of public health (SDoH) factors that influence people's health, the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) is at an all-time high worldwide. Commercial determinants of public health (CDoPH), or the associated corporate and business environments, have garnered much interest. This study attempts to articulate the CDoPH to summarize key results, as stated in the literature and to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the body of available material. Review formal sources (Scopus, Global Health and Google Scholar). The search technique employed the terms commercial determination of public health, among others. Some major factors contributing to CDoPH dynamics are trade, social and economic power expression, corporate structures, regulatory frameworks, neoliberal and capitalist through. Corporate activities, including advertising, mutual social responsibility, corporate politics, vast supply chains, hazardous product development and accessibility problems are additional factors. These worsen the status of the results for global health. The use of CDoPH nomenclature in work examines how business operations and macro conditions affect health that can be beneficial. It would be helpful to facilitate an updated, operationalized definition of CDoPH. To enhance global health, systematic methods for recognizing, defining and avoiding these are needed.

Factors Influencing Success of Incubatees of ANGRAU POSHAN Agribusiness Incubator in Tirupati

The ANGRAU POSHAN Agribusiness Incubator was purposively selected for the research study (conducted in the year 2023) because it has a specific goal of nurturing agri-startups that are working towards improving the farming communities in the state of Andhra Pradesh and neighboring states. Ten successful incubatees trained at ANGRAU POSHAN agribusiness incubator was purposively selected for the study in the year 2023, based on category, product, service, R&D and achievements and case studies were recorded. The findings demonstrated that personal factors such as entrepreneurial intention, entrepreneurial capacity, social skills, alignment with personal values and achievement motivation play significant role in the success of agribusiness ventures and received mean scores of 3.0,2.9,2.9,2.9,2.9, respectively. Additionally, resilience, education level, passion for work, experience in the agriculture sector and access to formal and ICT sources of information contribute to entrepreneurial effectiveness and received mean scores of 2.8,2.7,2.7,2.6,2.6,2.6, respectively. The perception of agri-incubatees regarding the personal factors influencing their success is positive. While half of the incubatees (50.00%) rated these factors as moderate, nearly one third (30.00%) also considered them good. The participants in this study highly valued psychological factors such as innovativeness, self-efficacy, risk-taking ability and the need for affiliation in their agribusiness endeavors. These factors received higher mean scores of 3.0,2.9,2.9,2.9, respectively when compared to resource mobilization, need for power and pro-activeness. These findings highlighted the significance of personal traits and motivations in driving success in the agri-business sector. The perception of incubatees regarding the psychological factors influencing their success is positive. While half of the incubatees rated these factors as ‘moderate’ (50.00%), a significant proportion also considered them high (40.00%).

A Missing Piece of Occupational Therapy Education: Attitudes About Sex

Following a lecture on sexual health and function, occupational therapy students were surveyed regarding their past sex education and their comfort level with the topic of sex. Students indicated a lack of sexual education received from parents/guardians and a prevalence of fear-based education from formal or informal sources. Results reflected a significant increase in students’ perceived comfort level with the topic following the lecture from a provider trained and certified in sexual health. As sexuality falls within the domain of occupational therapy, these results suggest a need for comprehensive sex education taught to students by qualified instructors.

Enhancing Paternal Support: A Concept Analysis of Social Support for First-Time Fathers

Introduction. Social support, as a multidimensional concept, is studied across disciplines. However, examining the concept in relation to first-time fathers in the perinatal period remains an underexplored avenue. This analysis aims to clarify what social support for first-time fathers means through an operational definition that will assist healthcare providers in supporting fathers as valuable assets to the wellbeing of their partners and children. Design. Walker and Avant’s concept analysis approach is used to identify the attributes, antecedents, and consequences of social support for first-time fathers during the perinatal period. Data Source. A thorough title and abstract review led to the analysis of 41 articles from databases, including MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, the Social Sciences Citation Index, and Embase databases from 1970 to 2022. Results. Social support for first-time fathers can be described as a relational strategy and supportive intervention from both informal and formal sources. This concept analysis broadens the meaning of social support by considering structural and functional attributes. It offers fresh insights into how support can be coordinated across microsystems and macrosystems to address the distinctive requirements of current-day fathers within the intricate family dynamics. Furthermore, gender, cultural, and generational differences affect the preferences and needs of fathers, as well as their ability to support their partners and infants. Fathers preferred emotional support from their partners and sought informational and appraisal support from healthcare professionals. In addition, supportive relationships are characterized by proximity, reciprocity, congruency, and continuity during the perinatal period. Conclusion. Conceptualizing social support encompasses both upstream and downstream approaches across structures and systems to support fathers. Support for first-time fathers includes developing father-specific approaches to perinatal nursing care and practice. Social support carries implications for fostering socially inclusive policies, interdisciplinary curriculum integration, advocacy, and research aimed at improving paternal mental health and perinatal wellbeing.

«Constitutional Values» as a Scientific Category: Problems of Definition, Formalization, Systematization

The paper is devoted to the issues that include academic research of constitutional values, namely, their doctrinal definition, establishment of legal forms (formal sources) and systematic generalization. The author provides arguments in favor of attributing constitutional values to the categories of the science of constitutional law. The paper consists of several blocks devoted to certain problems. In the first block, the author examines the problems of defining constitutional values, refers to various academic standings, and offers his own doctrinal definition. In the second block, using structural and logical analysis, the author comes to the conclusion that constitutional values are embodied (formed) in three types of sources: normative, normative-doctrinal, doctrinal. The third block examines the problems of classification and systematization of constitutional values, analyzes approaches to generalizing their diversity. In conclusion, the author elucidates the system of constitutional values based on axiological analysis of the Constitution of the Russian Federation.

Vulnerability to Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) / Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) among adolescent girls and young women in India: A rapid review.

Limited evidence is available on the vulnerability of Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) to sexual risk behaviour and STI/HIV. Though there are almost no statistics available on vulnerability, related literature suggests that AGYW have low awareness about sexual risk behaviour/ transmission and the prevalence of STI/HIV, making them vulnerable. We conducted a rapid review of peer-reviewed studies addressing transmission network, prevalence, incidence awareness, common determinants of sexual risk behaviour/STI/HIV, health-seeking behaviour and existing interventions addressing the situation among AGYW (age 15-24) to inform the evidence gap in this crucial area of research. We registered the study in PROSPERO (CRD42023403713). We developed detailed inclusion/exclusion criteria, searched JSTOR, PubMed, Google Scholar, Science Direct and Population Council Knowledge Commons databases and followed the guidance from Cochrane Rapid Review to develop the rapid review. We also searched the bibliography of the included studies. We included the English language peer-reviewed quantitative, qualitative, mixed method studies published from Jan 1 2000 to Mar 31 2023. Six reviewers extracted data, and the seventh reviewer independently assessed the quality. Ninety-six studies met the inclusion criteria. We used descriptive statistics and narrative synthesis methods for data analysis. We also conducted a Risk of Bias Assessment (RoB) to check the quality of the included studies. Inadequate literature was found on the transmission network. Prevalence and awareness of STI/HIV are low among AGYW. However, Female Sex Workers, sex-trafficked women or drug users in this age group suffer more. Age, education, income, relationship dynamics with spouses/partners, multiple partners, and substance use are crucial in determining STI/HIV. Traditional sources of health seeking are more popular than formal sources because of social stigma. Mass media campaigns, community mobilization programs, and life skills training programs increase awareness about HIV, condom use and self-efficacy. The inclusion of only English language studies and not conducting meta-analysis because of high heterogeneity are some of the limitations of the study.