Need For Information Research Articles

Does conversation lead to better searches? Investigating single-shot and multi-turn spoken searches with children

Interactive speech technologies such as Siri and Amazon Echo allow people to search for information via speech. These systems generally take a single spoken statement or query as input, which may not be enough to fully capture the user’s information need. Therefore, multi-turn conversations have been proposed to establish more detail. A conversational approach can particularly benefit children who experience more difficulty formulating precise queries. We carried out a study with 32 children comparing multi-turn conversations with single-shot (or Query-Response) interactions. We compared the descriptions of the information needs, as well as children’s search experience. Findings indicate that more elaborate descriptions of children’s information needs (more keywords) were gathered through conversational search, leading to more focused search results compared with the Query-Response search. Further analysis of children’s responses yielded insights into their preferences for conversing with speech-based interfaces. This paper also offers design and methodological recommendations for conversational agents that support children’s information search.

Investigating the Information Needs of Nigerian Youths in Zamfara State for National Development

Investigating the Information Needs of Nigerian Youths in Zamfara State for National Development

An Exploratory Study of Information Access and 1:1 Devices

Abstract This exploratory study investigated the experiences of students using school-issued devices to access information for school and lifelong learning. 1:1 programs have evolved to enable learning anywhere, allowing students to complete coursework both inside and outside school while taking their school-issued devices with them. This qualitative study suggests that school-issued devices have many restrictions that impact access to information, free-agent or instructor-led learning, and information autonomy, identifying a need for public information and learning agencies, such as libraries and schools, to address these constraints.

Sexual health and fertility in Duchenne muscular dystrophy-An exploratory study.

Recent clinical guidelines recommend that adolescents with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) who are on daily glucocorticoid treatment should be offered pubertal induction in order to ensure adult levels of sex hormones as they reach adulthood. However, it remains unclear how gonadal status, including androgen concentrations, impacts physical function and future fertility. The aim of this study was to give a voice to adults with DMD, exploring their perspectives around sexual health, hormone treatment, and fertility. Qualitative data was collected from six adults with DMD through two online focus groups. Participants were recruited through Pathfinders Neuromuscular Alliance and Duchenne UK and invited to take part if they had DMD and were 18 years of age or older. Conversations were transcribed verbatim and an interpretivist paradigm was used with thematic analysis. The main themes identified were (1) the need for communication and information about sexual health, (2) dealing with the potential fear of rejection, (3) physical barriers to relationships including sex, (4) testosterone supplementation in DMD, and (5) parenthood and fertility. We recommend that clinicians work with young people with DMD individually, to explore the benefits of testosterone treatment for them and their personal sexual health needs. If they are offered treatment, this should always be accompanied by the opportunity for psychological support. This work highlights the need for further research to establish the role of testosterone supplementation in adults with DMD and its effects on fertility and the value of specific emotional and practical support for sexual health.

Feasibility and acceptability of integrating mass distribution of azithromycin to children 1-11 months into a trachoma mass drug administration campaign to reduce child mortality in Côte d'Ivoire.

Evidence suggests that bi-annual mass drug administration (MDA) of single-dose azithromycin to 1-11 month-old children reduces child mortality in high child-mortality settings. Several countries conduct annual MDAs to distribute azithromycin to individuals ages 6 months and older to prevent trachoma infection. This study examined the feasibility and acceptability of reaching 1-11 months-old children during a trachoma MDA in Côte d'Ivoire by extending azithromycin distribution to infants 1-5 months old during the campaign. In November 2020, the study piloted single-dose azithromycin for 1-5 month-olds during a trachoma MDA in one health district. Monitoring data included the number of children reached and occurrences of adverse drug reactions. Feasibility, the extent to which the target population received the intervention (coverage), was assessed through a population-based, household survey with parents/caregivers of eligible children conducted after the MDA. Acceptability was explored through in-depth interviews (IDIs) with parents/caregivers of eligible children, focus group discussions (FGDs) with community drug distributors (CDDs), and IDIs with their supervisors. CDD FGDs and supervisor IDIs also documented implementation challenges and recommendations for scale-up. 1,735 1-5 month-olds received azithromycin during the pilot activity (estimated population coverage of 90.2%). Adverse drug reactions were reported for 1% (n = 18) infants; all were mild and self-limited. The post-MDA coverage survey interviewed 267 parents/caregivers; survey-based intervention coverage was 95.4% of 1-5 month-olds. Qualitative data revealed high intervention acceptability among parents, CDDs, and supervisors. Implementation challenges included the need to weigh babies to calculate dosage for 1-5 month-olds and the need to obtain written informed consent from parents to provide the drug to 1-5 month-olds. CDDs also indicated the need for more information on azithromycin and possible side effects during training. Delivering azithromycin to younger infants appears acceptable to parents and implementers; >90% coverage indicates feasibility to integrate into a trachoma MDA. (Clinicaltrials.gov ID number: NCT04617626).

CONSCIOUS ADOLESCENCE

The field research focused on teenage pregnancy had the general objective of sensitizing and educating the school community about the challenges associated with early pregnancy, promoting prevention, quality of life formation, and appropriate support. To achieve these objectives, the research utilized an exploratory and descriptive methodology, employing both qualitative and quantitative approaches to gain a comprehensive understanding of the topic. During the research, questionnaires and interviews were conducted to collect data on students’ knowledge about contraceptive methods, the consequences of teenage pregnancy, and the importance of family planning. Additionally, discussion groups were held to promote open dialogue about sexuality, prevention, and support for pregnant teenagers. The findings indicated significant gaps in understanding of contraceptive methods, family planning, and the implications of teenage pregnancy among the participants. Consequently, most participants expressed a need for more information and educational resources on the subject. The educational and awareness activities were well-received, and participants reported an improved understanding of the issues addressed. The research also highlighted the importance of adequate support for pregnant teenagers, emphasizing the need for emotional and social support in schools. Thus, the field research not only contributed to raising awareness about teenage pregnancy but also provided practical directions for future interventions, focusing on preventive education and support for pregnant teenagers within the school environment.

Food safety concerns and purchase choices among poor households in the urbanising global south: the case of Dhaka, Bangladesh

This article looks into the daily food shopping practices of poor urban households in Dhaka, Bangladesh. A practice theory-based approach is used to explore their coping strategies in response to food safety concerns. By applying an exploratory sequential mixed-method approach, two groups of shoppers are compared: recently arrived migrants and established residents, as recently arrived migrants are expected to face an unfamiliar food shopping environment and therefore need to reconsider their daily food shopping practices. The results describe the elements of food shopping practices: food items, retail outlets, affordability, social networks, and relations to work. We identified the absence of freshness, undesirable substances, and the need for more information about the production process as the primary food safety concerns. Among both shopper groups, the harmful consequence of applying the chemical 'formalin' to food is considered the most prominent food safety concern. Major coping strategies include identifying (un)safe food, proactive selection, and establishing and maintaining social relationships. The two groups have similarities and differences in using skills and competencies to mitigate their food safety concerns in everyday shopping practices. Recently arrived migrants have to adapt to urban lifestyles and reconfigure their food safety concerns into their daily food shopping practices.

Forty-Year Fire History Reconstruction from Landsat Data in Mediterranean Ecosystems of Algeria following International Standards

Algeria, the main fire hotspot on the southern rim of the Mediterranean Basin, lacks a complete fire dataset with official fire perimeters, and the existing one contains inconsistencies. Preprocessed global and regional burned area (BA) products provide valuable insights into fire patterns, characteristics, and dynamics over time and space, and into their impact on climate change. Nevertheless, they exhibit certain limitations linked with their inherent spatio-temporal resolutions as well as temporal and geographical coverage. To address the need for reliable BA information in Algeria, we systematically reconstructed, validated, and analyzed a 40-year (1984–2023) BA product (NEALGEBA; North Eastern ALGeria Burned Area) at 30 m spatial resolution in the typical Mediterranean ecosystems of this region, following international standards. We used Landsat data and the BA Mapping Tools (BAMTs) in the Google Earth Engine (GEE) to map BAs. The spatial validation of NEALGEBA, performed for 2017 and 2021 using independent 10 m spatial resolution Sentinel-2 reference data, showed overall accuracies > 98.10%; commission and omission errors < 8.20%; Dice coefficients > 91.90%; and relative biases < 3.44%. The temporal validation, however, using MODIS and VIIRS active fire hotspots, emphasized the limitation of Landsat-based BA products in temporal fire reporting accuracy terms. The intercomparison with five readily available BA products for 2017, by using the same validation process, demonstrated the overall outperformance of NEALGEBA. Furthermore, our BA product exhibited the highest correspondence with the ground-based BA estimates. NEALGEBA currently represents the most continuous and reliable time series of BA history at fine spatial resolution for NE Algeria, offering a significant contribution to further national and international fire hazard and impact assessments and acts as a reference dataset for contextualizing future weather extremes, such as the 2023 exceptional heat wave, which we show not to have led to the most extreme fire year over the last four decades.

PEMANFAATAN PENGETAHUAN TRADISIONAL SAAT PANDEMI COVID-19 DENGAN KEMAS ULANG INFORMASI

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how people live and socialize, these things happen because people are asked to maintain their health and stay active at home and not leave the house if there is no urgent need. Society did this to prevent the high-speed and dangerous transmission of COVID-19. Therefore, people carry out daily activities from home, so the existence of social media is beneficial in meeting information needs. One is the need for information about traditional ingredients that can increase society immunity. At the time of the pandemic, news about traditional medicine sprang up, and it was a form of repackaging traditional knowledge about health. This study examines activities related to repackaging traditional knowledge information using social media during the COVID-19 pandemic to meet the socitety information needs regarding health information needs. This study aims to describe the role of social media in disseminating traditional knowledge and information repackaging as the preservation of traditional knowledge. The method used in this research is literature study, which is the writing, summarizing, synthesizing, and/or critiquing of the literature found as a result of a literature search. Qualitative descriptive analysis was used in this study's analysis process. The data obtained were then summarized and reviewed in depth so they could be described through text. The result is online media repackaging information so that information related to traditional knowledge can be easily accessed and accepted by the society. In addition, this pandemic creates momentum for information managers and institutions to be proactive in presenting the information needed by the society through digital media, one of which is social media. Because during the pandemic, people massively use social media to communicate and search for alternative information in treating and preventing COVID-19 with traditional medicines, information managers need to repackage information related to traditional knowledge to meet society needs.

Quarter-Life Crisis: Dealing with a Reality that Doesn't Align with Expectations and Aspirations

Quarter life crisis occurs when a person reaches the age of 18 to 29 years. A person will begin to find it difficult to face the world, find it difficult to control their emotions, and begin to question whether the life they are living is the right life. So there is a need for more information about the quarter life crisis. One solution that can be considered is to provide information and disseminate it so that individuals recognize and understand how to respond to the quarter life crisis by using posters. The research method used in this research is qualitative with a survey of Instagram posts with the characteristics of respondents, namely people aged 20 years and over who have Instagram and see posts that researchers have posted on the Instagram page. The instrument used was in the form of an Instagram post containing the meaning, characteristics and factors causing the quarter life crisis which were then analyzed using descriptive analysis. The results of this research show that the majority of respondents are experiencing a quarter life crisis. It is hoped that with this post about the quarter life crisis, they will be able to realize that they are experiencing a quarter life crisis and can face the appropriate measures

An Explanatory Sequential Study of Public Elementary School Teachers on Deped Computerization Program (DCP)

The purpose of the study was to determine what personal information need further explanation on the utilization of DepEd computerization program in terms of; (1) purpose of computer usage, (2) indicated computer skills, (3) type of software for teaching and learning, (4) educational software by subject, (5) types of peripherals, (6) teaching and learning activities by subject and (7) internet usage of teachers and students. Further, to find out the significant difference between the utilization of DepEd computerization program when they are grouped according to their personal information variables. A total of 30 EPP/TLE teachers of Binugao District are the respondents were identified through purposive sampling technique. The study utilized explanatory sequential mixed method design. Two methods in collecting the data were utilized, for the quantitative phase the researcher used survey questionnaire in determining the personal information and utilization of DCP. Furthermore, in the qualitative phase the researcher used in-depth interview in gathering the data to identify what school program should be enhanced in utilizing DCP efficiently. On the quantitative analysis, there is no significant difference between the utilization of DepEd computerization program when they are grouped according to their personal information variables. In addition, the quantitative findings were follow-up by the qualitative findings. Thus, it was found that the school program to enhance the utilization of DCP efficiently of teachers revealed four major themes namely: (1) resiliency, (2) results-focus, (3) innovation and (4) receptiveness.

Hartmann test using a screen with arbitrarily positioned holes

We present a novel, to the best of our knowledge, approach for reconstructing wavefronts from hartmanngrams, eliminating the need for precise hole position information. This technique utilizes both intra- and extrafocal hartmanngrams to assign a set of direction cosines to each ray. By employing these direction cosines and a ray tracing optimization process, the wavefront can be effectively recovered. The methodology will be outlined, the Hartmann test using two kinds of screens will be simulated, and the results obtained will be discussed.

Tacker Fixation versus Suturing of Mesh in Laparoscopic Inguinal Hernia Repair

Abstract Background Laparoscopic hernia repair is more difficult technically than open surgery and there is evidence of learning curve in its performance and many complications which reported from laparoscopic procedure is due to learning curve lead to operative complications. Objective To compare the outcome results of the fixation of mesh by intracorporeal sutures and by tackers in TAPP hernia repair. Patients and Methods In our study, 30 patients were included divided on two groups, 15 for each. Group A; fixation mesh with tackers, Group B; fixation mesh with intracorporeal sutures. Both groups were compared in terms of operative technique, operative time, mesh device fixation cost, intra & post operative complications, early post operative pain within two weeks and in first month, hospital stay, restriction of physical activity and incidence of recurrence and chronic pain. Results We found that using Intracorporeal sutures for fixation mesh is available, cheaper and more handle than using the Tackers which are expensive and less available so it makes a laparoscopic hernia more practical and decrease need for open surgery so we avoid the complication of open surgery. Both techniques are considered safe and effective with similar rates of recurrence and chronic pain although further wider scale studies are recommended. Conclusion TAPP hernia is considered safe as all perioperative complications are well tolerated by patients and mostly there was no need for a second operative intervention. Mesh fixation technique did not affect long-term persistent pain. A large number of patients reported persistent pain regardless of mesh fixation technique, which emphasizes the need for preoperative information. Preoperative pain was a risk factor for persistent pain. The optimal surgical approach must be selected individually for the patient, taking into account patient age, hernia size, unilateral or bilateral, primary or recurrent status, strangulation and type of anesthesia, occupation, and leisure activities. Both techniques are effective in the management of inguinal hernia and were associated with same recurrence rate. However, due to small sample size and short follow up duration, longer- term studies are also recommended.

Factors influencing patient decision-making to undergo shoulder arthroplasty.

Shoulder arthroplasty is effective in the management of end-stage glenohumeral joint arthritis. However, it is major surgery and patients must balance multiple factors when considering the procedure. An understanding of patients' decision-making processes may facilitate greater support of those considering shoulder arthroplasty and inform the outcomes of future research. Participants were recruited from waiting lists of three consultant upper limb surgeons across two NHS hospitals. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 participants who were awaiting elective shoulder arthroplasty. Transcribed interviews were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Systematic coding was performed; initial codes were categorized and further developed into summary narratives through a process of discussion and refinement. Data collection and analyses continued until thematic saturation was reached. Two overall categories emerged: the motivations to consider surgery, and the information participants used to inform their decision-making. Motivations were, broadly, the relief of pain and the opportunity to get on with life and regain independence. When participants' symptoms and restrictions prevented them enjoying life to a sufficient extent, this provided the motivation to proceed with surgery. Younger participants tended to focus on maintaining employment and recreational activities, and older patients were eager to make the most of their remaining lifetime. Participants gathered information from a range of sources and were keen to optimize their recovery where possible. An important factor for participants was whether they trusted their surgeon and were prepared to delegate responsibility for elements of their care. Relief of pain and the opportunity to get on with life were the primary reasons to undergo shoulder arthroplasty. Participants highlighted the importance of the patient-surgeon relationship and the need for accurate information in an accessible format which is relevant to people of different ages and functional demands.

Experiences of the Parents of Children Admitted to PICU.

A pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) is a highly technological and fast-paced setting in a hospital. To explore the experiences of the parents in the critical care area of a selected tertiary care facility. In a qualitative study, we interviewed 10 purposively selected parents of the children admitted to PICU using a pre-validated in-depth interview schedule. All parents, whose children were admitted to PICU for more than 5 days, who understood Hindi or English and were willing to participate in the study, were enrolled in the study. Parents of critically ill children having readmission to PICU or prolonged stay of more than 15 days and not accompanied by parents were excluded. Parents had unmet needs, such as the need for information, counseling and education from the healthcare team (HCT) members, having trusting relationship with the HCT, and expecting receiving orientation of the routines and the protocols of PICU, and empathy from the various levels of PICU team. The majority of subjects expressed the desire to talk to a dedicated person for their queries. The parents had multiple feelings of distress, hopelessness, helplessness, guilt, and the fear of losing the child and used various coping strategies. Parents of critically ill children in the PICU have unmet needs. Healthcare team members should take initiative in relieving parental distress and improving their coping abilities. Kichu S, Joshi P, Bhandari S, Lodha R, Jaykrishnan K. Experiences of the Parents of Children Admitted to PICU. Indian J Crit Care Med 2024;28(7):696-701.

Higher thermal plasticity in flowering phenology increases flowering output.

Ongoing climate change poses an increasing threat to biodiversity. To avoid decline or extinction, species need to either adjust or adapt to new environmental conditions or track their climatic niches across space. In sessile organisms such as plants, phenotypic plasticity can help maintain fitness in variable and even novel environmental conditions and is therefore likely to play an important role in allowing them to survive climate change, particularly in the short term. Understanding a species' response to rising temperature is crucial for planning well-targeted and cost-effective conservation measures. We sampled seeds of three Hypericum species (H. maculatum, H. montanum, and H. perforatum), from a total of 23 populations originating from different parts of their native distribution areas in Europe. We grew them under four different temperature regimes in a greenhouse to simulate current and predicted future climatic conditions in the distribution areas. We measured flowering start, flower count, and subsequent seed weight, allowing us to study variations in the thermal plasticity of flowering phenology and its relation to fitness. Our results show that individuals flowered earlier with increasing temperature, while the degree of phenological plasticity varied among species. More specifically, the plasticity of H. maculatum varied depending on population origin, with individuals from the leading range edge being less plastic. Importantly, we show a positive relationship between higher plasticity and increased flower production, indicating adaptive phenological plasticity. The observed connection between plasticity and fitness supports the idea that plasticity may be adaptive. This study underlines the need for information on plasticity for predicting species' potential to thrive under global change and the need for studies on whether higher phenotypic plasticity is currently being selected as natural populations experience a rapidly changing climate.

High in-hospital preoperative anxiety levels are not associated with an increased length of stay or readmission following primary shoulder arthroplasty

BackgroundAnxiety is prevalent in our society, affecting all facets of patients’ lives. There is, however, a paucity of literature exploring how anxiety extends into the orthopedic perioperative setting. We sought to analyze a subset of patients undergoing primary shoulder arthroplasty to determine whether correlations exist between anxiety, patient characteristics, time spent in the hospital, and likelihood of returning to the hospital after discharge. MethodsAfter obtaining institutional review board approval, our hospital prospectively identified and approached all patients undergoing total shoulder arthroplasty between February and June of 2023. Patients completed the Visual Analog Scale for Anxiety (VAS-A) and Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS), two validated tools used to assess preoperative anxiety levels and need for information, in the preoperative holding area before surgery. Patient demographics, hospital length of stay (LOS), and 30-day readmission rate were collected and analyzed. ResultsA total of 79 patients were enrolled. Nineteen percent of patients were found to be anxious using the APAIS tool, while 37.7% of patients were found to be anxious using the VAS-A tool. No significant correlation was found between APAIS or VAS-A anxiety scoring and hospital LOS. No significant correlation was found between APAIS or VAS-A anxiety scoring and 30-day readmission rate. A significant correlation was found between APAIS anxiety scoring and body mass index (BMI), as well as VAS-A scoring and BMI. However, no significant correlation was found between BMI and hospital LOS or between BMI and 30-day readmission rate. ConclusionOur study did not find a statistically significant correlation between immediate preoperative anxiety levels in patients undergoing shoulder arthroplasty and their length of stay or 30-day readmission rate. We did discover a linear relationship between patient BMI and their preoperative anxiety scores; however, no significant direct correlation was found between a patient’s BMI and their length of stay or their 30-day readmission rate. Our findings suggest that higher levels of preoperative anxiety should not preclude a patient from the benefits of consideration of early discharge planning such as same-day total shoulder replacement.

Comprehensive Analysis of Knowledge, Perception, and Preparedness of Ghanaian Pharmacists Towards a Pandemic or Another Wave of COVID-19

Despite the decline in infection and death rates, COVID-19 remains a significant global health concern. This study delves into Ghanaian pharmacists' knowledge, perception, and preparedness towards a pandemic or another wave of COVID-19. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among pharmacists across all 16 regions of Ghana between May and July of 2023, with a total of 1199 responses recorded. The data was analyzed using IBM Statistical Product and Service Solution (SPSS). Of the respondents, 629 (52.5%) were males, while 570 (47.5%) were females. Our study reveals that 98% of the participants provided positive feedback about knowledge-related questions. The study also found an adequate understanding of pharmacists' attitudes toward coronavirus symptoms, transmission, disease severity, and preventive measures. Ghanaian pharmacists' responses toward the perceived susceptibility to COVID-19 were analyzed using questions related to disease contamination, contracting, and fear level due to the disease. The optimistic behaviour and perception of Ghanaian pharmacists were commendable. However, only 45% of the pharmacists were confident about their level of preparedness, underlining the urgent need for updated information and infection control policies. Infection control policies with updated information should be available for all healthcare professionals. Moreover, Ghana needs a blueprint for pandemic management.

Exploratory actions as mediators of the association between career exploration self-efficacy and decisional outcomes: Does exploration type matter?

This study used a short-term longitudinal design to test the social-cognitive model of career self-management's (CSM) theorized pathway in which exploratory actions mediate the association between career exploration self-efficacy and decisional outcomes. The study clarifies the role of exploratory actions in the decision-making process by distinguishing between self-exploration and environmental exploration. College students ( N = 136; 77% female; mean age = 18.71 years [ SD = 1.19]; 47% with undeclared majors) completed an online survey assessing self-efficacy for self-appraisal and self-efficacy for obtaining occupational information. A month later, they reported the frequency of their engagement in self-exploratory and environment-exploratory actions over the past month and completed measures of two decisional outcomes reflecting readiness to make career decisions (vocational identity and need for additional occupational information). The CSM's mediational pathway was supported with respect to self-exploration but not environmental exploration. I discuss implications for the CSM model and for career-development interventions.

Evaluation of Anxiety Levels in Patients Undergoing Intravitreal Injection for Diabetic Macular Edema

Objective: In this study, we aimed to analyze the anxiety levels of patients regarding intravitreal injection (IVI) using the Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS) and to evaluate the effect of repeated injections on anxiety levels. Methods: Between September 01, 2023 and January 10, 2024, 85 patients who underwent intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor injection for diabetic macular edema in our clinic were included in this study. Results: According to APAIS scores, mean anesthesia anxiety was 5.4±2.6, surgical anxiety was 5.1±2.6 and total anxiety score was 10.5±3.7. Anesthesia information need was 2.7±0.95, surgical information need was 2.6±1.14 and total information need score was 5.3±1.50. There was no significant difference between genders in terms of total and subgroup scores (p>0.05, all). No significant correlation was found in the correlation analysis between age and number of injections and APAIS scores (subdimensions and total) (p>0.05, all). Conclusion: In conclusion, the potential anxiety of patients before and during intravitreal injection should be considered. In addition, since IVI often involves repeated treatments, it is of great importance to identify modifiable factors that may reduce anxiety. Given the importance of compliance, premedication may be considered to reduce anxiety, especially in high-risk (high preoperative anxiety) patients. Comprehensive explanations about treatment and well-structured processes are crucial for long-term adherence to anti-VEGF therapy.