Impact Of Demographic Characteristics Research Articles

Understanding the Complexities of Student Learning Progress in Texas: A Study of COVID-19 and Rural vs. Non-Rural Districts.

In this study, we investigate the impact of COVID-19 on academic achievement in Texas public schools. Demographic and Grade 5 STAAR test data were collected from 1155 public school districts for 2018-2019 and 2020-2021. Multiple regression was adopted to analyze the differences between rural and non-rural districts, as well as the impact of demographic characteristics on students' achievement. The results reveal significant differences in demographic characteristics between the two academic years, with non-rural districts exhibiting a greater decline in academic achievement than rural districts. Additionally, the findings suggest that higher teacher salaries correlate with better academic performance across various subjects and that English learners require additional support to acquire content knowledge and skills. We further confirm that the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the academic learning experience of Texas students, with rural districts displaying more resilience than non-rural districts.

Learner Engagement and Demographic Influences in Brazilian Massive Open Online Courses: Aprenda Mais Platform Case Study

This paper explores the dynamics of student engagement and demographic influences in Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). The study analyzes multiple facets of Brazilian MOOC participation, including re-enrollment patterns, course completion rates, and the impact of demographic characteristics on learning outcomes. Using survey data and statistical analyses from the public Aprenda Mais Platform, this study reveals that MOOC learners exhibit a strong tendency toward continuous learning, with a majority re-enrolling in subsequent courses within a short timeframe. The average completion rate across courses is around 42.14%, with learners maintaining consistent academic performance. Demographic factors, notably, race/color and disability, are found to influence enrollment and completion rates, underscoring the importance of inclusive educational practices. Geographical location impacts students’ decision to enroll in and complete courses, highlighting the necessity for region-specific educational strategies. The research concludes that a diverse array of factors, including content interest, personal motivation, and demographic attributes, shape student engagement in MOOCs. These insights are vital for educators and course designers in creating effective, inclusive, and engaging online learning experiences.

Abstract 806: Rural residence as a protective factor in melanoma mortality: Insights from a comprehensive analysis of 3,979 New Mexico cases (2010-2017)

Abstract Purpose: Cutaneous melanoma is a significant public health concern with increasing incidence rates over the past three decades. While survival rates have improved, disparities exist among racial/ethnic groups and socioeconomic factors. Our objective was to explore the connection between survival rates of cutaneous melanoma and demographic/socioeconomic factors in New Mexico's varied population, particularly in rural vs. urban settings. Methods: This retrospective study utilized data from the New Mexico Tumor Registry (NMTR) within the National Cancer Institute's Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program. A total of 3,979 cases of cutaneous melanoma diagnosed between 2010 and 2017 among New Mexico residents were analyzed based on specific ICDO-3 criteria. The impact of demographic characteristics, socioeconomic factors, and stage at diagnosis on melanoma-specific mortality was investigated. Cases with incomplete data or where melanoma was not the primary cancer were excluded. Survival differences were assessed using Kaplan-Meier methods and the Cox Proportional Hazards Model, with analyses conducted with a significance threshold set at P=0.05. Only histologically confirmed melanoma cases were included in the study. Results: In our analysis of 3,979 melanoma cases spanning 2010 to 2017, non-Hispanic whites (NHW) displayed the highest incidence (n = 3,617, P < 0.001). Conversely, Hispanic Whites (HW) and American Indians (AI) exhibited a higher likelihood of later-stage diagnoses, with 19.2% of American Indians diagnosed at stage 3, in contrast to 3.9% of NHW and 10.3% of Hispanic Whites (P < 0.001). Rural areas showed a propensity for advanced-stage diagnoses (P < 0.001), and diagnosis stage exhibited an inverse relationship with per capita income (P < 0.001). Increased mortality was observed among males, individuals over 50, and American Indians (all P <0.05). Rural American Indian or Hispanic patients had a hazard ratio of mortality at 0.37 (95% CI, 0.15-0.89). An overall decline in melanoma mortality post-2012, with a notable reduction after mid-2015 (P < 0.001), despite a slight increase in diagnoses from 529 in 2010 to 569 in 2017 (P = 0.034) was observed. Sensitivity analyses revealed that rural residence among AI/Hispanic individuals was associated with a lower risk of melanoma-specific mortality (HR 0.37, p = 0.026 in the inclusive analysis; HR 0.36, p = 0.025 in the exclusion of in-situ cases). Conclusions: Our study indicates rural residency is associated with more advanced melanoma diagnoses and lower income correlates with later-stage diagnoses. However, rural living may offer a protective effect against mortality for American Indian/Hispanic populations. Overall mortality has declined since 2012, contrasting with a slight rise in diagnoses. Citation Format: Yeojin Park, Aaron Segura, Lynn Midani, Barbara Gutierrez, Larimar I. Rodriguez, Charles Wiggins, Vernon S. Pankratz, John R. Durkin. Rural residence as a protective factor in melanoma mortality: Insights from a comprehensive analysis of 3,979 New Mexico cases (2010-2017) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 806.

Understanding Customer Satisfaction Factors: A Logistic Regression Analysis

Background: In the dynamic landscape of modern business, understanding customer satisfaction is crucial for success and competitiveness. This research intends to analyze the various elements that affect customer contentment, concentrating on the impact of demographic characteristics, economic inclinations, and involvement in loyalty programs. Methods: Employing logistic regression analysis, this research analyzes data collected from a diverse customer base across various industries. The study explores the relationship between customer satisfaction (binary dependent variable) and key independent variables, including age, income level, and loyalty program participation. Model validation is conducted through the Hosmer-Lemeshow test, along with the assessment of model fit using Cox & Snell and Nagelkerke R² metrics. Multicollinearity is checked using the Variance Inflation Factor (VIF). Results: The logistic regression model reveals that age and income level significantly influence customer satisfaction, with younger customers and individuals with greater income levels being more probable to report satisfaction. Additionally, participation in loyalty programs emerges as a strong predictor of customer satisfaction. The model demonstrates good fit and predictive ability, as indicated by statistical tests and graphical analyses, including an ROC curve and a Predicted Probability Plot. Conclusions: The research offers significant understanding into the determinants of customer satisfaction, highlighting the importance of demographic factors, economic status, and loyalty programs. These findings offer both theoretical contributions to the field of customer satisfaction research and practical implications for business strategies focused on customer engagement and loyalty.
 
 Received: 17 November 2023 / Accepted: 17 February 2024 / Published: 5 March 2024

Exploring the Investment Behaviour of Petty Traders in Sunyani Municipality

Purpose: The primary goals of the study are to assess the level of awareness among small merchants in Sunyani Municipality regarding investment prospects, the sources of investment information, and the impact of demographic characteristics.
 Methodology: Questionnaires were employed in gathering data for the study, which was based on the quantitative research approach. Using Slovin's sample size computation, a sample size of 396 respondents was selected for the investigation.
 Findings: The results revealed that the majority of small traders were aware of prospective investment alternatives such as real estate, government bonds, bank deposits, life insurance, mutual funds, and stocks and shares. It was discovered that the traders had access to two information sources: the formal and informal sectors. The survey discovered that friends and family serve as the key informal sources of information. Regarding the formal sector, it is disclosed that radio and television served as their sources of investment-related information. Also, the degree of awareness regarding investment opportunities was influenced by gender, age, and household size. The findings indicate that among the investment avenues available to traders, gold and other minerals are not well-known by traders.
 Unique contributor to theory, policy and practice: Therefore, it is recommended that programs and talk shows are organized for people to be aware of these avenues. Policymakers should prioritize programs focused on enhancing the financial inclusion of petty traders by improving the accessibility of formal financial services such as savings accounts, credit facilities, and insurance products. The research findings could potentially aid in improving financial inclusion for small-scale traders, informing local government policies that support them, providing valuable market intelligence for businesses targeting this demographic, and contributing to academic knowledge in the fields of economics, finance, and development studies.

The Impact of Demographic Characteristics on Parenting Stress among Parents of Children with Disabilities: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Even though it is already known that parents of children with developmental delays or disabilities experience higher parenting stress than families of typically developing children, the contributing factors need to be analyzed in more detail. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the influence of demographic characteristics on parenting stress from caring for a disabled child and to identify possible protective or additional stressful social factors. A total of 611 mothers and fathers of children with developmental delays, chronic diseases, or disabilities completed two questionnaires during their medical appointments at the Children's Development Center (CDC) of Leipzig University Hospital between June 2020 and February 2021. These consisted of the German versions of the Parenting Stress Index (PSI) and the Impact on Family Scale (IOFS). To determine differences between the various groups, we used parametric and non-parametric tests. Mothers and single parents are significantly more strained than fathers and non-single parents. Parents with vocational training, those who graduated with a higher-level diploma, and those within employment report a higher financial burden. While unemployed and full-time workers experience the lowest stress, parents who work part-time or exclusively take care of their child show higher levels of stress. Looking at the age of the child, parents of children of young primary school age are the most stressed, and those of infants are the least stressed. These findings suggest that mothers and single parents especially should receive more support, and parents need to be provided with more attention during their child's entry into school. Possible limitations and the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic are discussed.

Cybersecurity Students’ Interest in Government Careers: Impact of Demographic Characteristics and Job Dynamics

A critical shortage of cybersecurity talent exists in the United States. The lack of personnel has resulted in increased competition for the cybersecurity professionals. As the field of cybersecurity has evolved, a significant salary gap has surfaced between public and private employers. With private employers paying higher salaries, it has become harder for government agencies to hire cybersecurity professionals. Different policies and programs have been developed by government agencies to address this barrier. The current study examines the employment goals of a sample of cybersecurity students (n = 156). Specific attention is given to the types of employers students want to work for as well as how students rate the importance of different job dynamics. A sizeable number of the students (n = 90) expressed interest in working in public service. Job dynamics most important to students included being treated with respect, having job security, knowing expectation, safety, and opportunities for improvement. The results show significant demographic dissimilarities as well as differences in the ways that public service-oriented students (versus students seeking careers with private companies) rated job dynamics. Bivariate analyses showed that female and first-generation cybersecurity students were more likely to express interest in public service careers, as were juniors, seniors, and graduate students. In addition, students whose mother worked for the government were more likely than students whose mother worked for a private company to express interest in working in public service careers. Multivariate analyses confirmed these results. Female cybersecurity students also rated the importance of job security, mission attainment, personal empowerment, teamwork, commitment to representation, and personal empowerment higher than male cybersecurity students. Those who expressed interest in working in public service careers rated the importance of personal empowerment, collaboration, and physical conditions higher than those seeking careers in private industry.

Impact of Demographic Characteristics and Therapy on Tuberculosis Incident Cases

Impact of Demographic Characteristics and Therapy on Tuberculosis Incident Cases

Online social integration of migrants: Evidence from Twitter

Abstract As online social activities have become increasingly important for people’s lives, understanding how migrants integrate into online spaces is crucial for providing a more complete picture of integration processes. We curate a high-quality data set to quantify patterns of new online social connections among immigrants in the United States. Specifically, we focus on Twitter and leverage the unique features of these data, in combination with a propensity score matching technique, to isolate the effects of migration events on social network formation. The results indicate that migration events led to an expansion of migrants’ networks of friends on Twitter in the destination country, relative to those of similar users who did not move. Male migrants between 19 and 29 years old who actively posted more tweets in English after migration also tended to have more local friends after migration compared to other demographic groups, indicating the impact of demographic characteristics and language skills on integration. The percentage of migrants’ friends from their country of origin decreased in the first few years after migration and increased again in later years. Finally, unlike for migrants’ friends’ networks, which were under their control, we did not find any evidence that migration events expanded migrants’ networks of followers in the destination country. While following users on Twitter in theory is not a geographically constrained process, our work shows that offline (re)location plays a significant role in the formation of online networks.

(314) An Evaluation of Race-Based Representation Among Men Participating in Clinical Trials for Prostate Cancer and Erectile Dysfunction

Abstract Introduction Inclusion of ethnic/racial minorities in clinical trials is essential to fully assess therapeutic efficacy. It is well-known that populations respond dissimilarly to interventions. This concept has been research ed thoroughly in the context of urologic oncology research, however research into the impact of demographic characteristics in andrology trials is lacking. Objective To analyze the inclusion of historically under-represented minority men in clinical trials for Erectile Dysfunction (ED) in comparison to Prostate Cancer (PC) trials. Methods We searched ClinicalTrials.gov for the disease keyword: “Erectile Dysfunction” and used “Prostate Cancer” trials for comparison. Completed trials that had available demographic data were included for analysis. Literature was reviewed to determine the prevalence of ED and PC diagnosed among Hispanic, Black, White, and Asian men. The proportion of individuals of each group that participated in trials is divided by the proportion of each group in the disease population to calculate the “Participation to Prevalence Ratio” (PPR). PPRs between 0.8-1.2 indicates adequate representation, 1.2 is over-representation. Results A total of 312 trials were assessed: 289 for prostate cancer and 23 for ED. Hispanic men comprised 11.8% of ED trial participants and 4.61% of prostate cancer trial participants, yet represented 18% of ED patients and 7.3% of PC patients. Black/African-American (AA) men accounted for 10.2% of ED trial participants and 9.4% of PC trial participants, but comprised 16% of ED patients, and 16.3% of PC patients. Hispanic and AA men are under-represented in trials for ED and Prostate Cancer (Hispanic ED PPR=0.66; Hispanic PC PPR=0.63; AA ED PPR=0.42; AA PC PPR=0.58). Conclusions Our findings show that both Hispanic and AA men are underrepresented in both ED and PC clinical trials. A greater emphasis must be placed on achieving representative enrollment in clinical trials for ED and PC in order to address this disparity and improve generalizability of the findings. Disclosure No

Leveling Entrepreneurial Skills of Vocational Secondary School Students in Indonesia: Impact of Demographic Characteristics

Context: This article aims to determine the entrepreneurial skills of Vocational Secondary School students after the implementation of a new curriculum that promotes entrepreneurship courses in Indonesia. The authors believe that after taking such courses, students will be able to generate entrepreneurial skills. This study also explores the effect of demographic characteristics on students' entrepreneurship skills level, especially with respect to gender, school, and family. Approach: This study used a quantitative approach, with data collected through a questionnaire with five variables, that is, leadership, reflective communication, risk-taking, creatively innovative, and future orientation. Data were collected from 463 students who had taken entrepreneurship subjects that were chosen randomly. Data were analyzed using linear regression. Findings: 52.22% of our respondents had a moderate score for entrepreneurial skills, this is not in accordance with the expected learning outcomes, there are students who have entrepreneurial skills at a high level. With respect to creative innovation, in particular, a majority (53.15%) had a low score and 4.1% had a very low score. Moreover, family had a significant and positive effect on all dependent variables (leadership scores, reflective communication scores, risk-taking scores, creatively innovative scores, future orientation scores, and overall entrepreneurial skills scores). School demographic characteristics had a significant positive effect on the value of future orientation. These results indicate that private schools tend to strengthen the level of reflective communicative scores. Conclusion: The entrepreneurial skills of most vocational students are middling. This indicates that entrepreneurship subjects at Vocational Secondary schools have not been able to achieve their expected learning outcomes or help students develop entrepreneurial skills at a high level. Thus, further research is needed to determine the causes behind the problem. Schools are expected to be able to establish harmonious relationships by involving families to support the improvement of an informal learning environment that supports the mastery of entrepreneurial skills of vocational students.

Green product purchase decision: a conceptual model of factors influencing the decision of Indian consumers

PurposeMany studies conducted on green consumer behaviour are related to environmental concerns, the motives behind green consumer behaviour and the impact of demographic characteristics on purchase decisions are not studied yet in the Indian context. Hence, this study aims to analyse the green product purchase decision and factors influencing the decision of Indian consumers along with demographic characteristics.Design/methodology/approachPresent study utilise survey-based research method. Primary data were collected from 367 consumers in Hyderabad using a snowball sampling method. A structural equation modelling approach was employed to test the hypothesis.FindingsFindings confirm that supporting environmental protection, drive for environmental responsibility, green product experience, environmental friendliness of companies, social appeal and motives behind green product purchase significantly influence the green product purchase decision. Meanwhile, control variables such as gender, qualification and income also have a significant effect on the green product purchase decision.Research limitations/implicationsResults discussed in this paper will help policymakers to formulate their policies in lieu of variables affecting the purchase decision. Further, the findings of the current study can be utilised by managers to study the buying behaviour of green purchasers. This will help them to remain competitive in the Indian market.Originality/valueThis research presents a novel conceptual framework for the present study influenced by literature. The present study expanded the framework by adding a new independent variable: motives behind green product purchases and a control variable: demographic characteristics of Indian consumers.

Canada population norms for the EQ-5D-5L.

In Canada, population norms are only available for 2 provinces, Alberta and Quebec. The objective of this study was to derive the population norms for the EQ-5D-5L based on a representative sample of the Canadian general population. Data from the Canadian EQ-5D-5L valuation study, a cross-sectional study, were used. A quota sampling method was used to recruit a representative sample of the Canadian general population in terms of age, sex, and education. EQ-5D-5L utilities and EQ VAS were summarized using descriptive statistics and the impact of demographic characteristics on the EQ-5D-5L utilities was evaluated using statistical hypothesis testing and Tobit regression. 1207 eligible participants were included in the analysis. Pain/discomfort (53.1%) was the most frequently reported domain with any problem, and self-care (7.6%) domain was the least. The mean (standard deviation [SD]) EQ-5D-5L utility was 0.864 (0.121) and the mean (SD) EQ VAS was 82.3 (14.23). The highest mean EQ-5D-5L utility was 0.881 in age group 25-34 while the lowest was 0.839 in age group 55-64. Participants who had full-time employment, were married, a higher annual household income and no chronic health conditions had significantly higher EQ-5D-5L utilities. This article reports the first Canadian population norms for the EQ-5D-5L and can be used as population references for economic evaluations and clinical research.

Impact of Demographic Characteristics on Self-Reported Psychological Distress of Cancer Patients during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Purpose/Objective(s)To investigate how at-risk demographic features correlate with the perceived level of psychological distress in cancer patients actively receiving care during the COVID-19 pandemic.Materials/MethodsPatients treated with radiotherapy at a single academic cancer center were reviewed 3 months before (11/01/2019-03/16/2020) and during (03/17/2020- 2/01/2021) the COVID-19 pandemic. Patients who reported an NCCN distress score (range 0=no distress to 10=extreme distress) as a part of their radiation care were reviewed for inclusion. Variables of interest were extracted from the medical record including age, gender, ethnicity, and Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) score. Distress scores were recorded around the time of simulation or treatment start. The relationship between these variables and NCCN distress scores were assessed using univariate and multivariate linear regression.ResultsOf all the patients receiving active treatment during the study interval (n=3,129), a total of 2,012 patients reported distress scores and thus were included. Median pre-pandemic distress was 3 (Interquartile Range 0-5) compared to median score of 2 (IQR 0-4) during the pandemic. There was no change in pre- and during pandemic distress on subgroup analysis by age, gender, ethnicity, or KPS score. The following variables were significantly correlated with increased distress on univariate analysis: older age (beta-age = -0.0163 [95% CI: -0.0262 to -0.0063], female gender (OR = 2.43 [95% CI 1.88 to 3.03], race (“black” race OR = 2.77 [95% CI: 1.68 to 4.57] and “other” race OR 1.96 [95% CI: 1.34-2.83]) and lower KPS score (beta-KPS = -0.403 [95% CI: -0.509 to -0.298]. Multivariate analysis was used to test if these demographic features were correlated with psychological distress among all patients. The overall regression was statistically significant albeit with a small effect size (R2=0.0605, p < .0001). On multivariate analysis, the following variables remained significant: age (beta-age = -0.0145 [95% CI: -0.0266 to -0.00241]), KPS score (beta-KPS = -0.429 [95% CI: -0.561 to -0.297]), and female gender (OR = 1.88 [95% CI: 1.28-2.75]).ConclusionThe ongoing COVID-19 pandemic did not significantly affect patient-reported distress levels at the time of receiving cancer-directed therapy. Older age, female gender, and low KPS score were associated with higher psychological distress in cancer patients receiving radiotherapy. Current analysis reveals vulnerable populations of cancer patients may have higher risk of distress during radiotherapy. These populations would warrant additional surveillance during treatment and may benefit from additional psychosocial support.

Impact of Demographic Characteristics on Workplace Friendship: A Meta-Analytic Review.

Although demographic characteristics are the most analyzed variables in the literature on workplace friendship, their effects on its formation and development remain unclear, owing to conflicting results. To draw generalizable conclusions, this study employed meta-analytical techniques to examine the relationships between employees' demographic characteristics and their workplace friendship, and investigated whether collectivism and year of data collection moderated this relationship. Seventy-seven empirical pieces of literature and 219 correlations (N = 34,856) were included in the final meta-analysis. Our findings revealed that male employees acquired more workplace friendships than female employees, and that organizational tenure, hierarchical position, and education were positively related to workplace friendships. However, employees' age and marital status had no significant effect on workplace friendships. Furthermore, the results of the moderating effects analysis suggested that, as collectivism diminished and data collection was delayed, the impact of certain demographic characteristics on workplace friendships became weaker.

Consumer Perspectives on the Use of Artificial Intelligence Technology and Automation in Crisis Support Services: Mixed Methods Study.

BackgroundEmerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), have the potential to enhance service responsiveness and quality, improve reach to underserved groups, and help address the lack of workforce capacity in health and mental health care. However, little research has been conducted on the acceptability of AI, particularly in mental health and crisis support, and how this may inform the development of responsible and responsive innovation in the area.ObjectiveThis study aims to explore the level of support for the use of technology and automation, such as AI, in Lifeline’s crisis support services in Australia; the likelihood of service use if technology and automation were implemented; the impact of demographic characteristics on the level of support and likelihood of service use; and reasons for not using Lifeline’s crisis support services if technology and automation were implemented in the future.MethodsA mixed methods study involving a computer-assisted telephone interview and a web-based survey was undertaken from 2019 to 2020 to explore expectations and anticipated outcomes of Lifeline’s crisis support services in a nationally representative community sample (n=1300) and a Lifeline help-seeker sample (n=553). Participants were aged between 18 and 93 years. Quantitative descriptive analysis, binary logistic regression models, and qualitative thematic analysis were conducted to address the research objectives.ResultsOne-third of the community and help-seeker participants did not support the collection of information about service users through technology and automation (ie, via AI), and approximately half of the participants reported that they would be less likely to use the service if automation was introduced. Significant demographic differences were observed between the community and help-seeker samples. Of the demographics, only older age predicted being less likely to endorse technology and automation to tailor Lifeline’s crisis support service and use such services (odds ratio 1.48-1.66, 99% CI 1.03-2.38; P<.001 to P=.005). The most common reason for reluctance, reported by both samples, was that respondents wanted to speak to a real person, assuming that human counselors would be replaced by automated robots or machine services.ConclusionsAlthough Lifeline plans to always have a real person providing crisis support, help-seekers automatically fear this will not be the case if new technology and automation such as AI are introduced. Consequently, incorporating innovative use of technology to improve help-seeker outcomes in such services will require careful messaging and assurance that the human connection will continue.

Research on Multi-Dimensional Influencing Factors Regarding the Perceived Social Integration of New Urban Immigrants: An HLM Analysis Based on Data from 58 Large- and Medium-Sized Cities in China.

Based on the China Migrants Dynamic Survey (CMDS) data from 2018 and the data from 58 large- and medium-sized cities in China, in this paper a hierarchical linear model was used to investigate the impact of demographic characteristics, social participation, and economic and social development on the perceived social integration of new urban immigrants at the individual and urban levels. The results revealed the following: (1) social participation, gender, age, education, health status, flow time and housing type of new urban immigrants had a significant positive impact on their perceived social integration, while income showed a U-shaped relationship with the sense of urban social integration; (2) macro-urban characteristics regulated the correlation between micro-individual factors and perceived social integration; (3) the significant advantages of new urban immigrants with higher education and more social participation in the process of integration into urban society were more obvious in cities with higher levels of economic development or public services. These findings enriched relevant research on the factors influencing the social integration of new urban immigrants and provided valuable insight with which the government could use to improve urban construction and promote the equalization of basic public services.

Pet Owners' Perceptions of COVID-19, Zoonotic Disease, and Veterinary Medicine: The Impact of Demographic Characteristics.

This study aimed to investigate the impact of sociodemographic characteristics on pet owners’ concern about the transmission of zoonotic disease and SARS-CoV-2, and to describe owners’ perceptions of veterinarians and physicians as resources for zoonoses information. Between September and October 2020, 1154 individuals completed an online survey via Qualtrics. Binary logistic regression models were used to examine the associations between owner demographics and perceptions of zoonoses and SARS-CoV-2. Most participants were minimally concerned about their pets contracting or transmitting zoonotic diseases or SARS-CoV-2, although perceptions of risk differed based on age, race, and education. Older participants were typically less concerned about the transmission of zoonotic diseases and SARS-CoV-2. Considering where participants obtained information about zoonoses, pet owners were more likely to contact their veterinarian for advice (43%) than their physician (17%). However, 17% of pet owners struggled to access veterinary care, and 51% said their access to veterinary care had become more difficult during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings highlight a need for further education about zoonoses and SARS-CoV-2, and suggest veterinarians may play a key role in these communications. The results also emphasize the need to address access to care issues in veterinary medicine.

Impact of Demographic Characteristics on Job Satisfaction of Teachers in Pakistan: An Analysis

Impact of Demographic Characteristics on Job Satisfaction of Teachers in Pakistan: An Analysis

Nurses’ Perceived Facilitators of Research Utilisation in a Multicultural Setting in Saudi Arabia: Observational Study

Facilitators of research utilisation are important in the implementation of evidence-based practice. Numerous facilitators for nursing practice have been identified, but knowledge of the impact of demographic characteristics on these enablers of research utilisation is limited. The study’s aim was to determine nurses’ perceptions of the facilitators of research utilisation and assess differences in the facilitator of research utilisation score based on nurses’ demographic characteristics. A total of 2650 registered nurses from five hospitals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, were recruited for participation. A facilitator scale and self-designed demographic survey were used for data collection. The number of completed questionnaires was 1824 (69%). The results showed that many of the participants were female, aged between 20 to 40 years, and were expatriates mainly from the Philippines. Most respondents were clinical nurses with 6 to 10 years of experience. Many of the nurses had a bachelor’s degree and a qualification from the Asian region. The mean total facilitator score was 26.1, with strong facilitators of research, including advanced education, providing colleague support, more clinically focused research and employing nurses with research skills. Recommendations for the facilitation of research utilisation include a strengthening of the research curriculum in nursing education programs as well as through continuing professional education.