Information Support Research Articles

Theoretical and legislative approaches to the use of certain terms and concepts in the field of environmental safety

The scientific article highlights the legislative and theoretical approaches to the use of certain terms and concepts in the field of environmental safety, on the basis of which proposals are made for their optimal use in the relevant normative legal acts and in scientific circulation. It is noted that the stability of information and legal support, including in the environmental sphere, is possible subject to the unification of legislative terms, a clear normative consolidation of their content in order to have the same understanding and application in practice. It is concluded that the identification of the concepts of “ecology” and “environment” is erroneous, because “ecology” is that part of it that concerns the natural component of the environment. In this regard, as well as in view of the need to bring national legislation to international standards in the sphere under study, it is more appropriate to use the synonymous term “environment” for the concept of “environment,” which would cover not only the natural component, but also the habitat of mankind as a whole. Arguments are given that the most acceptable title of the relevant section (Book) of the future criminal law, which would take into account the content and meaning of the terms used in it, characterizing first of all the generic object of criminal offenses in the studied sphere, is the title “Criminal offenses against nature and environmental safety.” Such a structural unit of the Special Part of the Criminal Code of Ukraine should contain both criminal offenses against environmental safety and torts against the environment, which are actually identified with criminal violations against the use of natural resources. After all, individual acts in this area can encroach both on relations against environmental safety and on the order of use of the state’s natural resources, while directly or indirectly affecting public health.

Social media group support for antidepressant deprescribing: a mixed-methods survey of patient experiences.

Background Antidepressant use has continually increased in recent decades and although they are an effective treatment for moderate-to-severe depression, when there is no longer a clinical benefit, deprescribing should occur. Currently, routine deprescribing is not part of clinical practice and research shows that there has been an increase in antidepressant users seeking informal support online. This small scoping exercise used a mixed-methods online survey to investigate the motives antidepressant users have for joining social media deprescribing support groups, and what elements of the groups are most valuable to them. Methods Thirty members of two antidepressant deprescribing Facebook groups completed an online survey with quantitative and open-text response questions to determine participant characteristics and motivation for group membership. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, and open-text responses were analysed thematically through NVivo. Results Two overarching themes were evident: first, clinician expertise , where participants repeatedly reported a perceived lack of skills around deprescribing by their clinician, not being included in shared decision-making about their treatment, and symptoms of withdrawal during deprescribing going unaddressed. Motivated by the lack of clinical support, peer support developed as the second theme. Here, people sought help online where they received education, knowledge sharing and lived experience guidance for tapering. The Facebook groups also provided validation and peer support, which motivated people to continue engaging with the group. Conclusions Antidepressant users who wish to cease their medication are increasingly subscribing to specialised online support groups due to the lack of information and support from clinicians. This study highlights the ongoing need for such support groups. Improved clinician understanding about the complexities of antidepressant deprescribing is needed to enable them to effectively engage in shared decision-making with their patients.

PROVIDING NECESSARY RESOURCES FOR HIGHER EDUCATION ACQUISITIONS WHEN STUDYING PSYCHOLOGY IN THE CONDITIONS OF MARTIAL STATE

PROVIDING NECESSARY RESOURCES FOR HIGHER EDUCATION ACQUISITIONS WHEN STUDYING PSYCHOLOGY IN THE CONDITIONS OF MARTIAL STATE

Formal and Informal Support among Mothers Aging out of Foster Care and Maternity Group Homes: Who Steps in When Mothers Age Out?

Formal and Informal Support among Mothers Aging out of Foster Care and Maternity Group Homes: Who Steps in When Mothers Age Out?

Enhancing Employee Well-Being and Productivity in Evolving Work Environments

The evolving nature of work environments has led to an increasing emphasis on holistic employee development, recognizing the importance of emotional well-being, spiritual values, restoration, and motivation in the workplace. Research shows that emotional intelligence, workplace spirituality, emotional regulation, and emotional interdependence influence employee well-being and productivity. Spiritual values provide meaning, purpose, interconnectedness, and community, supporting performance. Restoration through natural environments and restorative practices enhances well-being and motivation. Employee engagement involves intrinsic factors like meaningful work, extrinsic factors like rewards, organizational support, work-life balance, training and development, recognition, job design, and organizational culture. Strategies for diverse spiritual beliefs include inclusive policies, nourishing spirit at work, managing beliefs, open expression, humanistic environment, accommodating demands, and studying experiences. Promoting work-life balance involves flexible policies, wellness support, arrangements, connections, formal and informal support, empowerment, family-friendly policies, and assessments. Rest, rejuvenation, and leisure contribute to health, reduced stress, productivity, and motivation. Motivational factors for engagement include intrinsic motivation, extrinsic motivation, organizational support, work-life balance, training and development, recognition, job design, and culture. Received: 12 February 2024 / Accepted: 19 April 2024 / Published: 5 May 2024

The impact of institutional support on university research efficiency in China: based on super-efficiency SBM and panel regression models

ABSTRACT This study utilizes provincial-level panel data from 2013 to 2021 from the Chinese mainland and applies the super-efficiency SBM model to measure provincial university research efficiency. This study categorizes institutional support into formal and informal types, examines the impact of institutional support on university research efficiency, and analyzes the mediating role of industry-university cooperation intensity and university research platform construction in this impact. Through regression analysis, the findings indicate that both formal and informal institutional support can promote university research efficiency. Institutional support can influence university research efficiency through the mediation of industry-university cooperation intensity and university research platform construction.

Effect of video angle on detection of induced front limb lameness in horses

BackgroundLameness examinations are commonly performed in equine medicine. Advancements in digital technology have increased the use of video recordings for lameness assessment, however, standardization of ideal video angle is not available yielding videos of poor diagnostic quality. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of video angle on the subjective assessment of front limb lameness. A randomized, blinded, crossover study was performed. Six horses with and without mechanically induced forelimb solar pain were recorded using 9 video angles including horses trotting directly away and towards the video camera, horses trotting away and towards a video camera placed to the left and right side of midline, and horses trotting in a circle with the video camera placed on the inside and outside of the circle. Videos were randomized and assessed by three expert equine veterinarians using a 0–5 point scoring system. Objective lameness parameters were collected using a body-mounted inertial sensor system (Lameness Locator®, Equinosis LLC). Interobserver agreement for subjective lameness scores and ease of grading scores were determined.ResultsInduction of lameness was successful in all horses. There was excellent agreement between objective lameness parameters and subjective lameness scores (AUC of the ROC = 0.87). For horses in the “lame” trials, interobserver agreement was moderate for video angle 2 when degree of lameness was considered and perfect for video angle 2 and 9 when lameness was considered as a binary outcome. All other angles had no to fair agreement. For horses in the “sound” trials, interobserver agreement was perfect for video angle 5. All other video angles had slight to moderate agreement.ConclusionsWhen video assessment of forelimb lameness is required, a video of the horse trotting directly towards the video camera at a minimum is recommended. Other video angles may provide supportive information regarding lameness characteristics.

How online social support enhances individual resilience in the public health crisis: Testing a dual-process serial mediation model

Under the background of the COVID-19 pandemic, our paper attempts to advance a dual-process model from online social support to individual resilience via diverse social capital (bonding and bridging) and political beliefs (political efficacy, political trust and city identification). Drawing on a survey of 446 residents in Shanghai, China, the findings indicate that neither informational nor emotional social support directly affects individual resilience, but indirectly influences it through different pathways. Specifically, bridging social capital mediates informational social support and individual resilience, but bonding social capital might not follow a similar path. Notably, political efficacy and political trust are involved in the above mediation between informational social support and individual resilience. Besides, the serial mediation effect of emotional social support on individual resilience via bonding social capital and then city identification or political trust is also significant. Our findings are expected to reveal the mechanism of resilience construction and prepare for the future public health crisis.

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.

Abstract PO1-03-08: Association of patient-reported triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) knowledge with clinical trial participation

Abstract Background: Patients with TNBC are highly encouraged to participate in clinical trials given the lack of targeted treatment options for this breast cancer subtype. Yet little is known regarding barriers to trial participation in this population, including the impact of patients’ understanding about TNBC biology. We examined whether disease knowledge and other patient-level factors were associated with TNBC patients’ participation in trials. Methods: From a multicenter, prospective cohort study of patients enrolled from 2019-present with newly diagnosed TNBC (ER/PR ≤10% also eligible), we identified those with stage I-III tumors who completed at least one survey. Surveys assessed demographics, TNBC knowledge, risk perceptions, and participation in clinical trials. Patients were assigned to Cohort A if surgery was the first intervention and Cohort B if neoadjuvant therapy was given. Medical records were reviewed to verify the accuracy of tumor characteristics reported by patients. Data was summarized with descriptive statistics and logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with trial participation. Results: Of the 137 patients included, median age was 56 years (IQR 46-63), 104 (82%) were non-Hispanic White, 10 (8%) Black, 5 (4%) Hispanic. and 110 (86%) had at least some college education. Overall, 55 (41%) had stage I tumors, 65 (48%) stage II, and 14 (10%) stage III. Among 116 patients with available clinical trial participation data, 55 (47%) reported trial participation, 59 (51%) reported no trial participation, and 2 (2%) were unsure. The majority (36/55, 65%) of trial participants were in Cohort B. Among 129 patients with TNBC knowledge data, 82 (64%) and 73 (57%) correctly reported their tumor stage and grade, respectively. Most (104/129, 81%) knew TNBC was defined as ER/PR/HER2-negative, but only 16% (21/128) knew the ER/PR-negative cut off was ≤1%. Of 98 patients with risk perception data, 30 (31%) estimated their likelihood of recurrence within the next 5 years as 0%, 60 (61%) between 10-50%, and 8 (8%) between 60-100%. When asked if TNBC patients who remain cancer-free after 3 years will most likely not experience recurrence, 44 (45%) said “True,” 13 (13%) said “False,” and 40 (41%) were unsure. On univariate analysis, trial participation was less likely in Cohort A patients (OR 0.42, 95% CI 0.20 – 0.89, P=0.02) and more likely in stage II patients (vs. stage I, OR 2.43, 95% CI 1.09 – 5.39, P=0.03). On multivariable analysis, patients with at least some college education had higher odds of trial participation compared to patients with a college degree or higher (OR 3.21, 95% CI 1.11 – 9.28, P=0.03). No associations were found for other factors, including TNBC knowledge. Conclusions: About half of TNBC patients surveyed reported participating in clinical trials. Most of these patients were undergoing neoadjuvant therapy, likely reflective of greater study availability in this setting. While TNBC knowledge was not significantly associated with trial participation in this small sample, a considerable number of patients reported their tumor characteristics incorrectly and/or appeared to underestimate their recurrence risks. This highlights the need for enhanced informational support for TNBC patients during treatment decision-making. More research is needed to understand barriers to trial participation in this population to leverage patient engagement and accelerate progress towards more effective treatments for TNBC. Citation Format: Megan Tesch, Noah Graham, Sean Ryan, Melissa Hughes, Eileen Wrabel, Nadine Tung, Steve Lo, Thomas Fynan, Meredith Faggen, Natalie Sinclair, Maria Constantinou, Sarah Sinclair, Nabihah Tayob, Nancy Lin, Ann Partridge, Eric Winer, Sara Tolaney, Ana Garrido-Castro. Association of patient-reported triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) knowledge with clinical trial participation [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO1-03-08.

Integrating Perspectives on Family Caregiving After Critical Illness: A Qualitative Content Analysis.

To date, no intervention has definitively improved outcomes for families of critical illness survivors. An integrated perspective on caregivers' needs after critical illness could help identify high-priority intervention targets and improve outcomes. To obtain diverse perspectives on the needs, barriers and facilitators, and social determinants of health associated with family caregiving across the critical illness continuum and assess the extent to which successful caregiving interventions in other populations may be adapted to the critical illness context. This qualitative content analysis of 31 semistructured interviews and 10 focus groups with family caregivers, health care providers, and health care administrators explored family caregivers' needs during post- intensive care unit (ICU) transitions and the barriers and facilitators associated with addressing them. Trained coders analyzed transcripts, identified patterns and categories among the codes, and generated themes. Caregivers have 3 instrumental needs: formal and informal support, involvement in care planning, and education and training. Only caregivers described their self-care and mental health needs. Social determinants of health are the key barriers and facilitators shaping the caregivers' journey, and caregiving as a social determinant of health was a prominent theme. Caregivers have instrumental, self-care, and mental health needs after critical illness. Adapting hands-on and skills training interventions to the post-ICU setting, while tailoring interventions to caregivers' health-related social context, may improve caregiver outcomes.

The emotional terrain of foster and kinship carers’ relationships with parents of children in care: Carers’ perspectives

Children in foster and kinship care have a right to relationships with their parents. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) asserts children’s right to contact with their parents and families during periods of separation, except where this is proven not to be in the child’s best interests. Foster and kinship carers can play a pivotal role in children’s opportunities for, and experiences of, connection to parents and other family. Yet, the relationship between carers and parents is often characterised by ambivalence and tensions. Emerging research suggests that training and support to carers can help them to navigate their own and children’s relationships with their families. However, such support is not routinely available, and the evidence-base for supporting carers to manage complex relationships with parents is not well-developed. In this paper, we report on a study with 113 foster and kinship carers in Queensland (Australia). We explore carers’ perceptions of the emotional aspects of their relationships with parents. A novel feature of our study is our exploration of carers’ perceptions of affiliative and threat-based emotions in their relationships with birth parents. We report that carers experience a wide spectrum of emotions in their relationships with parents, some of which strengthen these relationships while others create distance. We find also that carers receive little, if any, formal support in building relationships with parents and for supporting children’s opportunities for, and experiences of family contact. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander carers report being unsupported in meeting their cultural obligations in developing relationships with children’s parents and families. We discuss the implications for formal support to improve carers capacities to build and maintain their own, and children’s, relationships with parents.

Six aspects of female genital mutilation education (SAFE) model: findings from a qualitative study

ObjectivesRecent figures show that over 200 million women and girls, globally, live with the consequences of female genital mutilation (FGM). Complex debilitating physical, psychological and social problems result from the...

Entrepreneurial failure influences the health of Chinese farmers:evidence from the data of China Labor-force Dynamic Survey

High failure rate is a primary characteristic of current farmer entrepreneurial activities in China. We examined the impact of entrepreneurial failure on the health of Chinese farmers based on the data from the China Labor-force Dynamics Survey (CLDS). We found that entrepreneurial failure significantly depresses the health of Chinese farmers. Specifically, the farmers with entrepreneurial failure experience are more likely to have low self-reported levels of psychological and physical health, and the probability of experiencing severe injury and illness is elevated by 4.6%. Mechanism analysis shows that entrepreneurial failure depresses the health of Chinese farmers through weakening informal social support and increasing the probability of overwork. Furthermore, these effects are more significant in the older generation of farmers who were born before 1980 and the farmers striving to make a living.

Social support and negative emotions of Chinese older adults: Comparison of those who had been widowed to those with a spouse

We investigated the association between social support and negative emotions in Chinese people aged 65 years and over, by comparing those who still had a spouse with those who had been widowed. Data were drawn from the 2018 Chinese Longitudinal Health and Longevity Survey of Elders. The results showed that there were significant differences between those who were widowed and those whose spouse was still alive in terms of the negative emotions of uselessness and loneliness, but not anxiety. The more informal and formal social support (excluding economic support and medical insurance) these older adults had, the fewer negative emotions they felt. These findings provide theoretical and practical insights for scholars who are researching the topic of old age, and also offer practical insights for older adults to maintain their health.

Promoting child welfare and supporting families in Europe: Multi-dimensional conceptual and developmental frameworks for national family support systems

Family members across Europe are currently experiencing a range of socio-economic adversities, as well as health and welfare risks. These issues are particularly challenging in the context of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, war in Ukraine, increasing poverty, socio-economic disadvantages, and societal and technological transformation. Consequently, there is an ongoing and pressing need to provide effective support for families in response to their diverse needs and circumstances. However, European governments have diverse political persuasions regarding social and family policies and operate in differentiated and complex contexts. Such factors influence their approaches to, and configurations of, family support policies and provisions. This article investigates the conceptualisation and development of family support policies and provisions, and proposes a multi-dimensional, multi-modal, and multi-level conception of formal family support. It also provides a framework for analysing and developing family support and highlights challenges that arise within and across the relevant ‘policy, provision and practice’ domains while promoting a participatory ethos.

Полевые дневники Б.А. Куфтина, руководителя Тунгусской экспедиции, как источники эпохи становления советской этнографии

The article analyzes the travel diaries of the head of the Tunguska expedition of 1927–1928, Boris Kuftin (1892–1953). Methods and materials. Participants of the Tunguska Expedition conducted field research on Lake Baikal and the Far East in places where Evenks, Nanais, Negidals, Nivkhs, Oroches, and Udeges people lived. They collected valuable ethnographic materials about the ethnocultural features of settlement, types of dwellings, fishing activities, life cycle rituals, shamanism, holidays, and features of the language and folklore of the Tunguso-Manchus and Paleoasiats. Field notebooks of B.A. Kuftin are stored in St. Petersburg, in the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (the Kunstkamera) of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and contain a large volume of ethnographic and anthropological information, drawings, shamanic texts, and various life support technologies. Results. However, in addition to them, the scientific heritage of the scientist has a travel diary, which reflects personal road observations and impressions of B.A. Kuftin, subjective characteristics of regional transport infrastructure in the first quarter of the 20th century, his own assessments of the development of Siberian and far Eastern historical science, their relationship with world science, and museum business in Eastern Siberia and the Far East. During the route, B.A. Kuftin met a large number of scientists – representatives of different scientific disciplines – who showed aspects of their complex social relations at the time.

Enablers and barriers to home management for children with gastroenteritis: systematic review

ObjectiveTo identify enablers and barriers to home management for children with acute gastroenteritis perceived by healthcare professionals and caregivers. Study designA systematic review was conducted using the following databases: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and CINAHL. Studies from high-income countries published from 2003 to 2023 who included children with acute gastroenteritis under six years, treated via home management, and addressed enablers or barriers from the perspective of healthcare professionals or caregivers, were eligible for inclusion. Studies were independently reviewed for inclusion, data extraction, and quality assessment. Data synthesis was conducted utilizing the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) and Capability, Opportunity, Motivation-Behavior (COM-B) model . Results4476 studies were screened with 16 meeting the inclusion criteria. The commonest enablers for healthcare professionals concerned the ‘opportunity’ component (i.e., access to clinical decision tools, protocols, provision of free oral rehydration therapy (ORT)), followed by their ‘capability’ component (i.e., knowledge about guidelines, ORT and ondansetron) to initiate home management. Conversely, caregivers’ factors relied more on internal factors within the ‘motivation’ component (i.e., emotions, insecurity, need for reassurance), while ‘opportunity’ components (i.e., information sheets, monitoring calls) could assist them in managing their child with gastroenteritis at home. ConclusionsHealthcare professionals could benefit from enhanced capabilities and clinical decision support systems, while caregivers may require access to information resources and support for positive emotions and beliefs in their capabilities. Addressing these aspects could optimize home management, potentially allowing more children with acute gastroenteritis to be treated at home.

“Can Anyone Tell Me…”. Online Health Communities in Diabetes Self-Management in Poland and Italy

ABSTRACT This paper contributes to the debate about the role of Online Health Communities (OHCs) in the healthcare system by concentrating on the kind of information sought and shared by their members. The paper focuses on OHCs for diabetes and discusses the main findings of a qualitative study conducted in Italy and Poland. The Uses and Gratifications approach informed the study, while content analysis was used to perform the analysis. The findings show that OHCs’ role goes beyond information and emotional support, which relies on expertise by experience. Indeed, the lack of basic knowledge constituting the essential diabetes literacy for self-management was partially compensated by peer exchange in the OHCs. This raises at least two problems: quality and reliability of the information shared online, and consequences in terms of the equity that a healthcare system provides.

Financial toxicity and its influencing factors in patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma: A cross-sectional study

PurposeFinancial toxicity has emerged as a prevalent psychosocial problem in cancer patients, but data on non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients receiving chemotherapy remain limited. The present study aims to explore financial toxicity and its influencing factors among non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients. MethodsA total of 236 non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients were enrolled from March to June 2023 in the oncology department of a tertiary grade-A hospital in China. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to analyze potential influences on financial, including general information, symptom burden, family and social support. ResultsThe financial toxicity score for non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients was (19.24±6.97). Among them, 92 participants (38.98%) were classified as experiencing high levels of financial toxicity, with a COST score of ≤ 17.5 points. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that symptom burden accounting for 11.0% of the variance in financial toxicity, while family functioning and social support explained 5.8% and 4.9%, respectively. ConclusionThe financial toxicity of non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients needs to be further improved. Patients with low household income, unemployment, high symptom burden, and inadequate family and social support may experience severe financial toxicity. Financial toxicity of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma patients must be assessed and targeted interventions must be implemented to reduce their financial burden.