Gender Groups Research Articles

Perceived stress from social isolation or loneliness among clinical and non-clinical healthcare workers during COVID-19

BackgroundWorkplace social isolation and loneliness have been found to result in a decline in job satisfaction and an increase in burnout among working individuals. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated feelings of loneliness and social isolation among healthcare workers. The majority of research on healthcare worker experiences is conducted in siloes which does not reflect the shared experiences of interprofessional teams. The purpose of this study is to understand stress from social isolation or loneliness across the entire clinical and non-clinical healthcare team over the course of the pandemic.MethodsData was acquired using a cross-sectional survey distributed to healthcare workers once a year at a large academic medical center in the Southeastern United States during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2022). Information pertaining to job role, work location, and demographic factors was collected. Participants were also asked to assess individual well-being and resilience, in addition to reporting stress derived from various sources including job demands and social isolation or loneliness. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analyses were conducted to assess the association between stress from social isolation or loneliness and individual characteristics.ResultsStress from social isolation or loneliness was found to decrease over the survey period across all measured variables. Trainees and physician-scientists were found to report the highest rates of this stressor compared to other job roles, while Hospital-Based ICU and Non-ICU work locations reported the highest rates of loneliness and social isolation stress. Younger workers and individuals from marginalized gender and racial groups were at greater risk for stress from social isolation or loneliness.ConclusionsGiven the importance of social connections for well-being and job performance, organizations have a responsibility to create conditions and mechanisms to foster social connections. This includes establishing and reinforcing norms of behavior, and developing connection mechanisms, particularly for groups at high risk of loneliness and social isolation.

Impact of COVID-19 on production decisions of marginal, small and medium farmers: empirical evidence from South India

PurposeThis study analyzes the impact of COVID-19 on agricultural production in South India by evaluating the influence of market channels and socioeconomic conditions on the production decisions of farmers during two key cropping seasons. We base our analysis on primary data from 200 marginal, small and medium farmers, primarily focusing on the key seasonal crops, namely paddy and black gram.Design/methodology/approachWe studied the downstream supply chains of paddy and black gram crops in the district of Villupuram, situated in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Using a Bi-Probit model, we analyzed the production decisions of marginal, small and medium farmers engaged in paddy and black gram cultivation. Various factors are considered, including farmers’ socioeconomic characteristics, gender, market channels accessed and the coping strategies employed.FindingsAfter the easing of lockdown measures in June 2020, our research revealed substantial disruptions in agricultural production during the critical Kharif and Rabi seasons. Most farmers refrained from returning to their fields during the Kharif season; those who did produced millet as the main crop. Factors such as choice of market channels in previous seasons, economic status, access to all-weather roads, labor availability, gender and coping strategies played an important role in the return to production in the subsequent Kharif and Rabi seasons.Research limitations/implicationsOur data revealed several interesting threads related to price volatility, irrigation and access to markets and their impact on food security. The role of intermediaries and market channels in providing liquidity emerges as an important aspect of farmers' choice of markets. The pandemic impacted all these factors, but a detailed analysis was beyond the scope of this study.Social implicationsWe also find that resilience to economic shocks varies not only by economic status but also by gender and social groups. Farmers with female members are more likely to be resilient, and marginal and small farmers primarily belong to social groups that are economically less developed.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature on factors influencing farmer choice and decision-making and provides nuances to discussions by analyzing crop-specific supply chains, highlighting the critical role of socioeconomic factors. It also highlights the role of demographics and infrastructural factors like access to all-weather roads and access to markets that influence farmers’ production decisions.

The academic task performance scale: psychometric properties, and measurement invariance across ages, genders and nations

Academic task performance (TP) refers to the proficiency with which students perform in academic tasks through making the right choices and completing core tasks central to their academic studies, on time and to specification. We adapted Koopmans et al.’s task performance scale (TPS) for use within tertiary education and investigated its psychometric properties, internal consistency and measurement invariance across age, gender and national groups in university students (n = 3,265). The results showed that a hierarchical ESEM model with one higher-order task performance factor consisting of time management and task efficiency fitted the data best. The TPS exhibited full measurement invariance across gender and age groups, implying that the latent mean scores can be used to determine differences. However, invariance could only partially be established for national cohorts, implying that cross-national comparisons may not be possible. These findings offer preliminary support for the TPS as a valid instrument for gauging students’ academic task performance.

Investigating the Side Effects of Treatments Among Different Age and Gender Groups of Multiple Sclerosis Patients (P2-6.015)

Investigating the Side Effects of Treatments Among Different Age and Gender Groups of Multiple Sclerosis Patients (P2-6.015)

Construction and Validation of a Scale to Assess Social Judgments Toward Sex Work from the Stereotype Content Model

ABSTRACT Sex workers (SW) are subject to social judgment and the associated attitudes, ranging from admiration to contempt. The presence of stereotypical attitudes toward SW is common and can be analyzed using the Stereotype Content Model (SCM), where the concepts of warmth and competence play a central role. The interweaving of both dimensions allows the identification of four emotions and corresponding political positions toward SW: admiration (non-interventionism), pity (abolitionism), contempt (prohibitionism), and fear (regulationism). From the SCM framework, this study offers the construction, validation and performance of a 25-item scale with a snowball sample of 1,543 participants residing in Spanish-speaking countries. The four-factor hypothesized model yielded adequate values. Internal consistency was sufficient on all factors, as was model-based reliability and convergent validity. The scale also showed measurement invariance between gender and age groups, suggesting that the measure is interpreted in a conceptually similar manner by respondents representing different genders or ages. Further analysis revealed that male participants scored significantly higher on admiration. Baby boomers showed less pity and contempt while Millennials showed more fear and less admiration. SW and those who know or work with SW showed less fear and pity and more admiration. The SCM and the process of developing social judgments offer us a way to understand the differences that underlie irreconcilable policy positions. Overcoming these differences requires mutual understanding from scientific frameworks instead of from ideological perspectives.

Determinants of Oral Hygiene Status among Adolescents in Jember, Indonesia

Background: Oral health problems affected 55.6% of adolescents aged 10-14 in Indonesia. This can be prevented by maintaining oral hygiene. Many physical and psychological changes happen in the adolescent phase, and more attention is needed to maintain oral hygiene. Oral hygiene is influenced by various factors, including demographic and socioeconomic factors. Objectives: This study aimed to determine factors associated with oral hygiene among adolescents in Jember, Indonesia. Method: There were 409 students from eight different junior secondary schools in Jember Regency as participants in this study. The sample was obtained using the cluster random sampling method. Data on oral hygiene as a dependent variable was collected through the OHI-S examination. Data on sex, school, ethnicity, mother and father education, father and mother employment, monthly income, and number of children as independent variables was gathered from questionnaires and students' data from the school database. First, a univariate Spearmen test was run for all independent variables (p<0.05). The significant variables were then analyzed using multiple regression to determine factors associated with oral hygiene (p<0.05). Results: The average OHI-S score was 2.53, which was categorized as moderate. Multivariate analysis results showed that females were more likely to have better OHIS-S scores than males (B=-0.716; p=0.000); ethnic Javanese were more likely to have better OHI-S scores than Maduranese (B=0.293; p=0.004); and middle-income students more likely have better OHI-S than low-income students (B=-0.307; p=0.003). Conclusion: It can be concluded from this study that adolescents' socioeconomic background is associated with their oral hygiene. This suggests the need to give more attention to a new model of oral health promotion programs targeting gender, ethnicity, and lower-income groups.

The physical activity and social support scale: a translation and psychometric validation study in a Chinese college student sample.

This study aims to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Physical Activity Social Support Scale (PASSS-C) and its measurement invariance across different gender groups in a Chinese college student sample. A total of 1,689 Chinese college students participated in the study. We assessed the internal consistency of PASSS-C using Cronbach's alpha and McDonald's omega. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) was conducted to test its five-factor model. Multi-group CFA was used to examine measurement equivalence between male and female groups. Convergent and criterion-related validity were assessed using Pearson correlation coefficients. The overall internal consistency of PASSS-C was good with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.952, and the subscales showed acceptable consistency. The CFA results supported the five-factor structure of PASSS-C in the college student sample, with values of CFI = 0.932, TLI = 0.917, RMSEA = 0.048, 90% CI [0.043 0.053], SRMR = 0.047. Scalar invariance was also supported across different gender groups, with ΔCFI = -0.003, ΔTLI = 0, ΔRMSEA = 0. PASSS-C demonstrated good convergent and criterion-related validity. PASSS-C exhibits satisfactory psychometric properties and is a valid and reliable tool for assessing the perceived level of social support for physical activity among college students.

Cashiers and bisphenols: Occupational exposure and health implications in south China

Bisphenols are ubiquitous chemicals used in various industries, raising concerns due to their potential to disrupt endocrine systems, particularly among occupational populations. This study concurrently assessed bisphenol A (BPA) and its 12 analogues in 325 urine samples from cashiers and non-cashiers residing in South China. Results revealed that BPA was the most prevalent bisphenol in urine, subsequent to bisphenol S (BPS), bisphenol F, bisphenol AF (BPAF) and bisphenol E (BPE), with detection frequencies at 60−99%. BPA exhibited the highest median concentration of 1.16 ng/mL. Urine samples from cashiers showed relatively high levels of BPA, BPS and BPE, highlighting potential occupational exposure implications. Variations in urinary bisphenol concentrations across gender and age groups were explored. Significant correlations were identified between urinary BPA and BPE, as well as BPS and BPAF, indicative of shared exposure sources and pathways. Cashiers had 1.50–13.4 times higher exposure than non-cashiers to these bisphenols. The median exposure to five bisphenols exceeded the established tolerable daily intake for BPA, set at 0.2 ng/kg bw/day, by 1.10–180 times. This study underscores the urgent need for assessing the potential health implications of bisphenol exposure, especially for high-exposure groups like cashiers, and suggests actions to reduce these risks.

Psychometric Review of the Smartphone Addiction Scale (EAS - IC) in Peruvian Adolescents

The excessive use of smartphones has raised concerns about their impact on psychological and social well-being. This study developed and validated the Smartphone Addiction Scale (EAS - IC) in Peruvian adolescents. Three dimensions were examined: Smartphone Hobby, Frustration Tolerance, Interpersonal Relationships and Social Perception. A total of 1012 adolescents aged 13 to 17 years were included. Analyses showed that all items met homogeneity and validity criteria. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) indicated good fit for the original model and for gender groups. However, no overall factor was found, suggesting that the dimensions are independent. The alpha and omega coefficients showed good reliability for all dimensions and sex groups. The scale provides a valid and reliable tool to measure smartphone addiction in Peruvian adolescents, with direct scores and established percentiles. It highlights the importance of addressing this problem in the Peruvian context and adapting measurement tools to better understand its psychological and social implications. This study contributes to the development of instruments adapted to specific cultural contexts, addressing the need to better explore and understand smartphone addiction, especially among adolescents, a population vulnerable to its effects.

Reducing the gender gap on adolescents’ interest in study fields: The impact of perceived changes in ingroup gender norms and gender prototypicality

AbstractDespite some progress towards gender equality in Western societies, traditional gender norms still shape career choices, perpetuating a gender gap where girls are more likely to pursue traditionally feminine fields like healthcare, elementary education, and domestic roles (HEED), while boys are drawn to masculine domains such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This research investigates whether, and under which conditions, the perception that gender norms are progressively changing towards less gender dichotomy can reduce this gender gap in academic fields. We recruited a sample of 642 high-school students (394 women and 248 men), and experimentally manipulated both the salience of changes in gender norm (stability vs change) and participants’ gender prototypicality. The main dependent variable was participants’ interest in stereotypically feminine (HEED) and masculine (STEM) academic fields. The results indicated a slight decrease in the gender gap for stereotypically feminine fields (HEED) among participants who saw themselves as typical members of their gender group, but no significant change was observed for stereotypically masculine fields (STEM). These findings suggest that shifting perceptions of gender norms may have a limited effect on modifying traditional educational and career choices, underscoring the resilience of entrenched gender stereotypes.

Exploring the efficacy of herbal medicine in the treatment and prevention of COVID-19: a study on the Sudanese population in Khartoum state

IntroductionHerbal medication has a long history of use in Sudan for various illnesses. The Corona-19 virus (COVID-19), a disease that affects the respiratory system, is the cause of the most recent global pandemic. Since there is no cure, some individuals in the Sudanese population have chosen to use herbal medication to prevent and treat symptoms of COVID-19. This study aims to assess the use of herbal medications among the Sudanese population in Khartoum for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. MethodsA descriptive, community-based, cross-sectional online survey was conducted on Sudanese adults over the age of 18 from June 2021 to August 2021. ResultsA total of 1012 participants from seven different localities in the state of Khartoum were included. Of the participants, 66.4% were female and 33.6% were male. Among them, 53.8% admitted to using herbal medication to prevent COVID-19. The most commonly used herbal medications for COVID-19 symptoms were Quarad (22.4%), Citrus (20.1%), Ginger (15.7%), and Black seed (11.7%). The majority of participants who contracted COVID-19 believed that herbal medication helped with the symptoms (68.4%), followed by those who thought it might have helped (28.4%). Family and friends were the main sources of knowledge about herbs. A significant association was found between the use of herbal medication and the female gender and middle-aged groups. ConclusionHerbal medication was commonly used in Khartoum during the pandemic.Health authorities should consider the effectiveness of herbal medication in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

Normative measurements of orbital structures on magnetic resonance images; a cross-sectional study with mini review of the literature.

Awareness of normative values of extra orbital structures would provide useful information to interpret the radiological images better and use them for diagnostic purposes. This study aimed to reveal the average values of major extraocular structures measured on magnetic resonance images. In this retrospective cross-sectional study, magnetic resonance (MR) images of 256 orbits of 128 patients were re-interpreted regarding the measurements of major orbital structures. Extraocular muscles, superior ophthalmic vein, and optic nerve-sheath complex were measured on orbital MR images of these patients. The data distributions were presented by box-plot analyses for each parameter, and the measurement results were analyzed regarding gender and age groups. Lateral rectus muscle thickness (LR), inferior rectus muscle thickness (IR), globe position (GP), and interzygomatic line (IZL) values were higher in the male group than in the female group (p values were < 0.001, 0.003, 0.020, and < 0.001 respectively). LR, the thickness of the superior group muscles (SUP GR), IR, superior oblique muscle thickness (SOBL), and the thickness of optic nerve-sheath complex (ON) values indicated a significant relationship between age groups. There was a significant, positive, and low-level correlation between age and LR, SUP GR, and IR values (p values were < 0.001, 0.001, and < 0.001, respectively). This study provides quantitative data on normative values of orbital structures with gender and age group comparisons. Clinicians or surgeons can easily use the measured values to gather diagnostic information from the orbital region.

Spatial analysis of outdoor indecent assault risk: a study using ambient population data

Spatiotemporal data on ambient populations have recently become widely available. Although previous studies have indicated a link between the spatial patterns of crime occurrence and ambient population distribution, more detailed information, such as the population most likely to be victims by gender and age group, could better predict the risk of crime occurrence. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the risk of indecent assault, a typical crime with a high number of young female victims, in southern Kyoto Prefecture. We utilized population distribution by gender and age group at different times of the day. After extracting daily patterns (factors) of the population using non-negative matrix factorization, we statistically modeled the risk of indecent assault using a spatial conditional autoregressive model. The results showed that the model, which considered a spatiotemporal ambient population, demonstrated superior performance during nighttime hours. Furthermore, by interpreting the factors significantly associated with the risk of crime occurrence, the findings provided valuable insights into local crime prevention measures that consider daily temporal changes in the gender and age-group composition of individuals present in a specific area.

Comparing the Diagnostic Accuracy of Direct Digital and Conventional Intraoral Peri-apical Radiographs in Identifying Interdental Bone Loss: An Observational Study

ABSTRACT The evaluation of conventional two-dimensional radiography is crucial in making the diagnosis of periodontitis. Radio-visiography (RVG) is one of the digital imaging modalities that have received significant recognition as a replacement for film-based radiography due to its improved image quality, quick turnaround time, and minimal radiation dose. In order to compare the diagnostic efficacy of Direct Digital and Conventional Intraoral Peri-apical Radiographs in identifying Interdental Bone Loss, the present investigation was carried out. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted among 96 patients prospectively. Radiographs were exposed using a Gendex Oralix AC machine. Statistical data was analyzed using IBM SPSS statistical software using appropriate statistical tests. For both age categories, the radiographic method yielded a higher mean score than the periodontal probe method. The mean scores were noted to be higher following surgery. The radiographic approach recorded a greater mean score when gender groups were compared than the periodontal probe, which had a lower mean score. The mean scores after surgery were noted to be lower than the radiography approach and higher than the periodontal probe. The results demonstrate the radiographic technique’s significant advantage over clinical tests in determining furcation regions as well as its superior accuracy in spotting periodontal disintegration over clinical probing.

Chinese version of the Simplified Psychological Flexibility Scale-6 (C-Psy-Flex): study of its psychometric properties from the perspective of classical test theory and network analysis

Existing measures of psychological flexibility have demonstrated certain limitations, highlighting the critical need for the development of a more comprehensive assessment tool that encompasses all facets of psychological flexibility. In response to this necessity, we have developed the 6-item Psychological Flexibility Scale (C-Psy-Flex) as a concise instrument designed to evaluate individuals' psychological flexibility comprehensively. The objective of this study was to assess the reliability and validity of the Psy-Flex among Chinese college students and teachers. A total of 1511 valid responses were collected, and participants completed the Chinese version of the Psy-Flex, along with several other questionnaires. Exploratory factor analysis with 6 factors and 6 items was conducted on Sample 1 (n=756). Confirmatory factor analysis on Sample 2 (n=755) demonstrated good fit for a single-factor structure (χ2 =21.17, df=8, P<0.001, CFI=0.989, TLI=0.980, RMSEA=0.047, RMSEA 90% CI [0.023, 0.071], SRMR=0.020). Measurement invariance testing indicated strict equivalence of the Chinese version of Psy-Flex across different gender and sample groups. Psychological flexibility was significantly positively associated with life satisfaction, indicators of physical and mental health, and value questionnaire scores, and significantly negatively associated with negative emotions (depression, anxiety, stress) and experiential avoidance. Network analysis visualization techniques were used to further confirm the factor structure of the scale, providing additional evidence of the scale's structural consistency and internal coherence. The Chinese version of the psychological flexibility scale demonstrated good internal consistency, with a Cronbach's α coefficient of 0.82, 95% CI [0.810, 0.840], and a McDonald's ω coefficient of 0.83, 95% CI [0.811, 0.841]. Overall, the study found that the Chinese version of the Psychological Flexibility Scale demonstrated good reliability and validity.

Impact of COVID-19 Countermeasures on South Korean Citizens’ Behavior and Psychological Changes: An Online Survey Between the First Waves of the Pandemic

This study analyzed behavioral changes in South Korean individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic due to movement restrictions and examined their psychological effects. Attributes considered include age and gender, place of residence, and characteristics of the residential environment and communities they came into contact with, which are considered important factors in individuals’ psychological changes. The results showed that in terms of psychological change, the negative effects were more significant for attributes such as age and gender than for spatial characteristics such as residential area and type of residence. In addition, depression was found in specific gender and age groups. In particular, those in their 20s were found to be more depressed than those in their 30s and 40s, even though they were less prone infection with COVID-19 than older adults. Through the findings of this study, we have discovered materials and factors that should be taken into account when preparing policies to limit the motion of people in circumstances similar to a pandemic.

Epidemiology of suicide: Autopsy audit of five years in an industrial city of Punjab.

Objective: To determine the epidemiological pattern of suicidal deaths in an industrial city of Punjab Province over a period of five years as well as to determine the gender and age group mostly affected. Study Design: Retrospective Cross-sectional Descriptive study. Setting: Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology, Punjab Medical College, Faisalabad. Period: 1st January 2019 to 31st December 2023. Methods: Subjects of the study were victims of suicidal death in areas covered by Police stations where the postmortem was performed in the Mortuary of Punjab Medical College / Faisalabad Medical University. Data was collected from respective official Police records, FIRs and Postmortem reports and recorded on pre-structured proformas. It was categorized on the basis of manner of death, type of weapon, gender and age groups involved. Results: A total of 1329 autopsies were conducted during the Five-year time period from 2019 to 2023 in which 82 cases (6.17%) were labelled as Suicide on Autopsy and Police inquest. The highest percentage of suicides was recorded in year 2020 with 19 out of 254 cases (7.48%). Among the suicidal cases, 81.7% were males predominantly in the age group 20-29 years. It was found that 57.3% cases were reported from the rural areas. Hanging accounted for 65.8% of suicidal deaths making it the major method employed to commit suicide. Conclusion: Our study concluded that 6.71% cases of suicide were reported among all autopsy cases during the five-year time period of 2019-2023. Among these, young males in age group 20-29 years from rural areas were in majority and hanging was the most common method of suicide employed.

The Prevalence of Sarcopenia in Adults Aged 20 to 59 Attending a Primary Care Clinic at a University Hospital

Objective: Identify the prevalence of sarcopenia in adults aged 20 to 59 years in the Primary Care clinic at a hospital in Mexico. Methods: An observational, cross-sectional, and descriptive study was carried out, which included 174 participants distributed according to the gender and age groups. Detailed analyses were performed, such as place of residence, schooling level, socioeconomic level, body mass index, and level of sarcopenia. This analysis was based on the diagnostic criteria established by the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2). Result: In evaluating 174 participants, a gender distribution was identified with 56 men and 118 women. The majority of participants came from urban environments (172). By dividing these by age group (20 to 30 years, 31 to 40 years, 41 to 50 years, and 51 to 59 years), a total of 81, 32, 32, and 39 participants were obtained, respectively. Regarding body mass index, the study was divided into underweight (4), average weight (60), overweight (58), and obesity (52). In this study, probable sarcopenia was identified in 7 participants, while no cases of confirmatory sarcopenia or severe sarcopenia were found. When analyzing the presence of probably sarcopenia according to the body mass index, it was observed that this condition manifested itself in patients with average weight (4 patients), overweight (2 patients), and obesity (1 patient). Conclusion: The results of this study reveal the absence of sarcopenia in the population between 20 and 59 years of age. Although the findings in this study differ from other studies, it is suggested that longitudinal and specific research aimed at adults in the age range of 20 to 59 years of age be carried out.

Reconstructive Classification for Age and Gender Identification in Social Networks

Author profiling is a challenging task that consists of identifying a person’s relevant attributes based on the content he/she generates. In this article, we validate a classification method based on the reconstructive classification to identify two demographic attributes, age and gender, for users of social networks based on the text content they publish. For the problem, we consider balanced and unbalanced data, where a gender or age group has a larger presence than the others. The proposed method is based on using the reconstructive property of singular value decomposition (SVD), and its suitability to work with sparse data, to find a matrix with the main latent components to represent the information of specific gender or age classes. Afterward, we use such a matrix to project and reconstruct new users’ information to identify their demographic variables. We test our method with a set of datasets in several languages collected from Twitter and Pinterest users, and we use different evaluation metrics to compare their performance with the ones of several popular classifiers based on traditional machine learning, and on deep learning, and with some relevant works in the literature. The results show that the proposed classifier performs generally well in identifying the age and gender of users in social networks.

Measuring disease burden of dominant variants of COVID-19 in Taiwan

ObjectivesThe disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of COVID-19 have been applied as a time-based measurement to estimate years of life lost due to premature mortality or healthy life lost in different countries. Limited information was found for DALYs among different variants of concern (VOC). MethodsDisease severities based on categories of asymptomatic, mild, moderate, severe, and critical cases were explored among different VOC by analyzing the proportions in confirmed cases. DALY or years of healthy life lost due to disability (YLD)-based annual burdens of COVID-19 on different ages, genders as well as trend analysis were also evaluated for VOC in Taiwan. ResultsDifferent trends were observed in years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLLs) or YLD for various age or gender categories. Disease severity at critical stage had the highest percentage for overall YLDs encompassed from 2020 to 2022. Also, critical-grade cases were found to be predominantly caused by Wild-type, Alpha, and Omicron variants in 2020, 2021, and 2022, respectively. ConclusionPrecautionary measures are also suggested for policy makers to take in specific seasons, age or gender groups based on YLL and YLD analyses.