Level Of Involvement In Activities Research Articles

A Comparative Study of Dietary Related Zero-waste Patterns and Consumer Responses Before and After COVID-19

This study uses text mining compares and contrasts consumers’ social media discourses on dietary related zero-waste movement before and after COVID-19. The results indicate that the amount of buzz on social networks for the zero- waste movement has been increasing after COVID-19. Additionally, the results of frequency analysis and topic modeling revealed that subjects associated with zero-waste movement were more diversified after COVID-19. Although the results of a sentiment analysis and word cloud visualization confirmed that consumers’ positive responses toward the zero-waste have been increasing, they also revealed a need to educate and encourage those who are still not aware of the need for zero-waste. Finally, consumers mentioned only a small number of companies participating in zero-waste movement on SNS, indicating that the level of active involvement by such companies is much lower than that of consumers. Theoretical and educational implications as well as those for government policy-making are considered.

Application of the Engagement Questionnaire (EQ) to compare methodological differences in sensory and consumer testing

Understanding the panelist experience in sensory and consumer testing is a critical step in methodological development that improves data reliability. Therefore, the Engagement Questionnaire (EQ) was recently developed to characterize consumer engagement during sensory and consumer testing and to provide a novel and translatable metric for researchers to compare methodologies. Presently, we assessed whether relatively minor methodological manipulations to common consumer testing paradigms impact panelist engagement. Specifically, panelist engagement was measured in three scenarios: over the course of a two-day consumer hedonic evaluation (Experiment 1), with differing Just-About-Right (JAR) questionnaire formats in an evaluation (Experiment 2), and with a time pressure element imposed during a consumer acceptability test (Experiment 3). In Experiment 1, subjects remained actively involved in the evaluation across both days of testing, however, they found more purpose and affective value in the task after the second day. In Experiment 2, changing the structure of JAR questions did not impact subject’s level of active involvement with the task, yet certain JAR question structures did elicit higher purposeful intent and affective value in subjects. Surprisingly, in Experiment 3, subjects were less actively involved in the time-pressure condition; purposeful intent and affective value were consistent across both conditions. Overall, the EQ was able to resolve differences in panelists’ perceived level of engagement across all the experimental manipulations, aiding in discussion regarding the effect even minor manipulations might have on consumer panelists. The EQ is a valuable asset to methodological development and enables comparisons of differing sensory and consumer methodologies.

Level of active aging: Influence of environmental, social and health-related factors

ObjectiveTo analyze social, environmental and health-related inequalities in the level of active aging among older adults who participated in the Health Survey conducted in the city of Campinas, Brazil. MethodsThe level of active aging was estimated based on a ranking of engagement in activities using factor analysis. More active older adults (situated in the highest tertile of the ranking) were compared with the others through the prevalence ratios (PR) and respective 95 % confidence intervals (CI) estimated by Poisson regression. ResultsThe study population thus consisted of 986 older adults. The majority of the respondents were female (57.6 %), in the 60–69 years age group (56.7 %), had less than 8 years of schooling (65.3 %) and had a per capita family income of 1–3 minimum salaries (55.3 %). Access to public spaces for the practice of physical activity near the home (PR = 1.44; 95 % CI, 1.07−1.94) and higher level of education (PR = 2.14; 95 % CI, 1.60−2.86), income (PR = 1.73; 95 % CI, 1.25−2.40), physical health (PR = 1.44; 95 % CI, 1.13−1.82) and mental health (PR = 1.62; 95 % CI, 1.05−2.49) were more prevalent among older adults with a high level of active aging. DiscussionThe findings demonstrate that the level of involvement in activities does not solely depend on personal choices. Social, economic, environmental, physical and mental contexts all exert a strong influence.

The combined action of a passive exoskeleton and an EMG-controlled neuroprosthesis for upper limb stroke rehabilitation: First results of the RETRAINER project.

The combined use of Functional Electrical Stimulation (FES) and robotic technologies is advocated to improve rehabilitation outcomes after stroke. This work describes an arm rehabilitation system developed within the European project RETRAINER. The system consists of a passive 4-degrees-of-freedom exoskeleton equipped with springs to provide gravity compensation and electromagnetic brakes to hold target positions. FES is integrated in the system to provide additional support to the most impaired muscles. FES is triggered based on the volitional EMG signal of the same stimulated muscle; in order to encourage the active involvement of the patient the volitional EMG is also monitored throughout the task execution and based on it a happy or sad emoji is visualized at the end of each task. The control interface control of the system provides a GUI and multiple software tools to organize rehabilitation exercises and monitor rehabilitation progress. The functionality and the usability of the system was evaluated on four stroke patients. All patients were able to use the system and judged positively its wearability and the provided support. They were able to trigger the stimulation based on their residual muscle activity and provided different levels of active involvement in the exercise, in agreement with their level of impairment. A randomized controlled trial aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of the RETRAINER system to improve arm function after stroke is currently ongoing.

A Day in the Life: How Time is Spent Doing Time among Older Inmates

Based on an interview study with 67 male inmates, aged 55 and above, at a medium security facility, the most common activities in reports on daily life were exercise, employment, and program participation. Respondents were considerably less active in these areas than older adults living in the community. Quantitative analysis showed that higher levels of involvement in activity were not correlated with enhanced health nor greater sociability. Inmates subjectively confirmed that tangible benefits from activity were lacking, reflected in their perceptions of insurmountable barriers to participation, constraints on initiative to pursue activity, and skepticism that participation would yield desirable outcomes.

Ethical considerations for research involving boys diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

ABSTRACTThe ‘new sociology of childhood’ has activated a growing interest in children as social actors and their level of involvement in activities that affect their lives. In the field of research, debate is underway regarding the consent processes and methodological activities that support child participation. This paper highlights methodological and ethical considerations that emerged while engaging in research with young boys (aged 9–11 years old) with a formal diagnosis of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Key issues include recruitment, informed consent, and participatory activities for data production. Sociocultural theories of childhood and disability are applied to reflect on the power and privilege operating through the research process. Engaging in research that involves children with disabilities, in which discourses of risk, stigma, and protection are elevated, problematizes the researcher–researched relationship and expands considerations of what constitutes ethical practice and ‘valuable data’.

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: The Influence of a Late-Life Transition on Occupational Engagement

ABSTRACTAim: Participation in social, leisure, and instrumental activities is associated with better physical and mental health in later life; however, unlike other older adults, grandparents raising grandchildren may replace previously enjoyed activities with child-rearing responsibilities. In light of poor health status among custodial grandparents, this paper focuses on the way raising a child influences grandparent engagement in occupation and perceptions of health and well-being. Methods: Ten grandparents age 60 and older responded to the SF-36v2 Health Survey, Activity Card Sort, demographic questionnaire, and interview. Data were analyzed for descriptive statistics and comparison to national norms, and a descriptive qualitative method of coding was followed to identify themes. Results: Grandfathers retained an appreciably higher level of activity involvement than grandmothers; most notably for social activities. Four grandmothers identified that raising a grandchild had a negative impact on their physical and emotional well-being. Conclusion: Occupational therapists can support grandparents’ re-establishment of leisure, social, and more demanding physical activity to avert functional decline.

Democracy and Good Governance: The Missing Link in Nigeria

At the minimum, democracy refers to a political system that guarantees opportunities for citizens to choose and replace their leaders or representatives via free and fair elections; that respects and protects socio-economic, political and cultural rights of citizens as well as guarantee acceptable level of active involvement of citizens in decision-making. In any good sense of the word, in terms of its ability to bring changes to the living conditions of citizens, it is a form of governance that holds this truth that the people are the most that matter. This implies that both civic engagement of citizens and responsiveness of the state to citizens’ promptings and demands are key ingredients of democratic governance. However, except in very few countries such as Botswana, Ghana, Mauritius, Senegal, South Africa and Tanzania, democracy appears to be rare for most of Africa. Against this backdrop therefore, this paper seeks to examine based on direct observation and grand narratives found in literature, the missing link in the actualization of citizens’ aspirations in the supposed democratic states of Africa, focusing on Nigeria. It argues that good governance is virtually, the missing link in Nigeria's democratic experience since 1999. Furthermore, it posits that the institutionalization and realistic intensification of the crusade against corruption remains the basis of ensuring good governance only if the anti-corruption institutions will themselves be subject to democratic governance and the oversight powers of responsible civil society. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n16p524

Rendimiento cognitivo de personas mayores que participan en grupos organizados en la provincia de San José

Dado que el rendimiento cognitivo es uno de los principales determinantes para el envejecimiento saludable, se realizó una primera descripción del rendimiento en funciones ejecutivas y memoria de 110 Personas Adultas Mayores (PAM) que participan en programas formales en San José, Costa Rica. Se registraron datos sociodemográficos y se evaluaron las variables de rendimiento cognitivo y nivel de participación social en grupos organizados. Al finalizar, las PAM evidenciaron un rendimiento cognitivo esperable para su edad y nivel educativo en las pruebas globales, mientras en las que evalúan funcionamiento ejecutivo y memoria mostraron un rendimiento, esperable normativamente, pero ubicado en los percentiles medios e inferiores de calificación. Pese a que las PAM no muestran un alto nivel de rendimiento cognitivo se mantienen activas socialmente en diversas actividades.

Early-Life Outdoor Experiences and Involvement in Outdoor Recreational Activities in Adulthood: A Case Study of Visitors in Da-Keng, Taiwan

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between outdoor experiences in adolescence and outdoor activity involvement in adulthood, with the aim of determining which kinds of outdoor experiences could significantly influence outdoor activity involvement. According to a literature review, five variables appeared to be common in early-life outdoor experiences, including participating in outdoor activities with family and friends, participating alone, participating in outdoor activities provided by organizations, and extracurricular outdoor activities provided by schools. Data were collected from 800 participants in outdoor activities in the Da-Keng recreational area in Taiwan, with questionnaires asking about their level of activity involvement and their early-life outdoor experiences. The results revealed that there were three significantly predictive factors: participating in outdoor activities with parents, participating in outdoor activities with friends, and participating in outdoor activities provided by organizations. Based on these results, suggestions were made and discussed.

Curbing Corruption Through Social Welfare Reform? The Effects of Mexico’s Conditional Cash Transfer Program on Good Government

Conditional cash transfer programs, an innovation in social welfare administration, have received considerable acclaim as a means of enhancing human capital and reducing leakage of public resources through corruption. While numerous studies examine the effects of the program on human capital indicators in Mexico and various other countries that have adopted the approach, little is known about the effects of these programs on levels of corruption and on political life more generally. Using data from Transparency International Mexico, the Federal Register of Civil Society Organizations, and the national census, this paper analyzes whether conditional cash transfers have any bearing on corruption but also on two other aspects of political life argued to affect government probity in the long term: the density of civil society organizations and the empowerment of women as indicated by levels of active involvement in civil society. The conclusions are encouraging with respect to reducing corruption but rather dismal regarding the effects on civil society and the empowerment of women.

The Importance of Church Attendance and Membership of Religious Voluntary Organizations for the Formation of Social Capital

The author discusses whether church attendance and membership of religious voluntary organizations contribute to establishing social capital in society, and if so, whether faith, membership, or the level of active involvement is the key factor. She analyses what bearing religious involvement has on a citizen's political involvement, and to what extent religious involvement helps to build social trust and tolerance of other groups in society. Data used is from the 2001 Norwegian Citizenship Survey. The study shows that religious involvement is positively associated with political engagement, social trust and tolerance. It also emerges, after controlling for other background variables, that membership of religious voluntary organizations has no effect on social trust and tolerance of other groups in society.

Risk of Exposure to Hepatitis B and Other Blood‐Borne Viruses Among Australians Who Travel Abroad

European studies indicate that up to 67% of travelers traveling abroad participate in activities that put them at risk of exposure to hepatitis B. Australians are increasingly traveling to destinations where hepatitis B is highly endemic, such as Asia, and are likely to have similar levels of involvement in activities with an associated risk of hepatitis B exposure. A series of annual telephone surveys of approximately 500 randomly selected Australian overseas travelers have been conducted under the auspice of the Travel Health Advisory Group over the years 2001 to 2003. The surveys examined the extent to which travelers seek pretravel health advice, what immunizations they receive and what risks they are exposed to during travel including the risk of hepatitis B and other blood-borne virus acquisition. In the 2003 survey, 281 (56%) of the 503 people interviewed had visited at least one country with high or medium hepatitis B endemicity on their most recent overseas trip in the past two years. Approximately a third of travelers undertook one or more activities that were considered to be associated with increased risk of potential hepatitis B exposure. Less than half the travelers (46%) had been vaccinated against hepatitis B. The results have implications for the individual traveler, as well as to the broader community. Infected travelers can be an important source of hepatitis B into their own home communities. Improved advice and clear recommendations for hepatitis B vaccination are needed to avoid infection.

An Interpretation Specialization Continuum of Environmental Volunteerism in Taiwan

The Society of Wilderness (SOW) is a non-governmental organization in Taiwan that relies on volunteers to protect nature through environmental education. Since volunteers play such an important role in natural resource preservation, more information is needed to understand their participation in SOW. The purpose of this study was to develop an interpretation specialization continuum of environmental volunteerism in Taiwan. A mail-back survey was administered to interpreters volunteering at Er-ge Mountain during the winter of 2005. Forty-five of 48 questionnaires were returned, yielding a 93.8% response rate. The resource knowledge and place attachment scores of volunteer interpreters were combined into a 2 x 2 matrix, thus providing one explanation for their level of activity involvement in SOW. Although volunteer interpreters were distributed throughout the continuum, results showed that highly specialized interpreters had greater activity involvement scores than those who were less specialized. Length of membership in SOW had no effect on their activity involvement scores. This specialization continuum addressed key managerial issues, such as recruitment and retention of volunteer interpreters.

The Social Hierarchy of Fishing: Myth or Reality?

This study compared the activity involvement of hand fishers (lower status) with trout anglers (higher status) in Missouri. Hand fishing is deeply ingrained in the culture of many mid-western and southern states. The object is to catch fish without modern equipment. A small number of rural citizens practice hand fishing despite the stigma often associated with it. Other than anecdotal evidence, little is known about this sport or its participants. Surveys were administered to hand fishers (n = 103) and trout anglers (n = 523) in Missouri to measure their respective levels of activity involvement. No significant differences were found between the groups using a 12-item activity involvement index. Centrality to lifestyle (one dimension of activity involvement), however, was more important for hand fishers than trout anglers. Implications for resource policy are discussed.

Women's Perceptions of the Effectiveness of Telephone Support and Education on Their Adjustment to Breast Cancer

Social support is believed to be important in helping women adjust to breast cancer. Reports have suggested limited positive effects of social support on well-being, mood disturbances, and relationships with significant others for women who receive telephone support. Women's perceptions of the role of social support in recovery, however, has had limited study. The purpose of this study was to describe women's perceptions of their emotional and interpersonal adaptations to breast cancer after their involvement in a randomized clinical trial in which one group received educational materials and telephone support from oncology nurses and another group received educational materials only. Content analysis was used to discover women's perceptions of their emotional and interpersonal adaptation to breast cancer following their participation in a study in which one group received educational materials and telephone support from oncology nurses and another group received educational materials only. All participants were interviewed by telephone in their homes. 77 of 106 women with breast cancer from a randomized clinical trial were interviewed about their expectations of their adaptations and the effectiveness of the experimental and social support intervention delivered by telephone. Telephone interviews were recorded on audiotape and transcribed for analysis. Structured interviews were completed by a non-nurse interviewer. Frequency counts were obtained from the responses to items and comments were clustered for themes. Emotional and interpersonal adaptations to breast cancer, educational materials, and telephone support from oncology nurses. Fifty-four percent of the women who received the telephone support interventions reported improvement in attitude, whereas 43% of the interviewed women in the control group reported improvement. Only three participants, all in the control group, reported worsened emotional status. The percentage of those reporting improved or unchanged physical status was about equal in each group. The majority of participants in both groups indicated that their levels of involvement in activities remained the same or increased. Forty-six percent of participants in the intervention group reported improved relationships with their spouses compared to 38% in the control group. Women from both groups indicated that the diagnosis of cancer had caused them to review their lives and make changes in their relationships and activities. Participants who received telephone support for one year, in addition to educational materials, reported improvement in their attitudes toward their breast cancer and better relationships with their significant others. The women's perceptions are consistent with quantitative results from the clinical trial. This article reports additional evidence that telephone support is an effective alternative to support groups and may be appropriate for those with limited access to such groups because of geography, work demands, or family situations.

The challenges of strategic planning in academic libraries

PurposeThis paper reports on the findings of the HEFCE‐funded outcomes project which aimed to investigate strategic planning in UK academic libraries.Design/methodology/approachThe research consisted of a literature and documentation review, followed by interviews with academic library directors and senior institutional managers. There was also a survey of all UK HE libraries.FindingsThe key issues which need to be addressed by academic libraries in terms of strategic planning are: the involvement of library staff; communication of library aims and plans externally; level of active involvement in institutional and departmental planning; evaluation and target setting; and involvement in more “difficult” institutional aims such as income generation and widening participation.Research limitation/implicationsThe response to the various activities of this research project indicate the lack of interest in outcomes assessment within the academic library sector. There is little rigorous evidence in this area to inform library professionals.Practical implicationsThe lack of interest in outcomes assessment with the sector is worrying; there is a general view of libraries as essential part of higher education and do not need to demonstrate how they contribute to institutional aims. This may leave libraries in a vulnerable position.Originality/valueThe paper reports on an issue which should be of great concern to the academic library sector, especially in the light of the proposal to axe professional posts at the University of Wales, Bangor library.

UNDERSTANDING GREAT BARRIER REEF VISITORS: SEGMENTATION ACCORDING TO REEF TRIP BENEFITS

Previous studies of visitors to Australia's Great Barrier Reef (GBR) reveal that, for some, a visit to the reef is an active learning experience, while for others it is merely a chance to relax or socialize in a pleasant natural setting. The aim of this study was to further explore these findings by conducting a detailed benefit-based segmentation study of tourists on commercial tours to the reef. The resulting segments differed with respect to the desired level of active involvement with the reef and the desire for information and learning. Dive Learners (n = 442) exhibited the greatest desire for a hands-on reef learning experience, while Nature Learners (n = 613) showed a preference for a more passive reef learning experience. In contrast, the Nature Relaxers (n = 345) and Nature Family Visitors (n = 411) were more interested in a relaxing and/or social reef experience. Visitor management implications are discussed.

Contributing to research: the basic elements of a scientific manuscript

The changing focus within medical and allied health disciplines towards evidence-based practice has resulted in an increasing acceptance of research and professional researchers. Despite the shift towards tertiary degree-based training for medical imaging and allied specialty streams, with many teaching institutions now incorporating compulsory research components into their final year curriculum, the level of active involvement in research among graduates remains low. In addition to this, many of those who completed their training before the introduction of university degree courses have had little or no exposure to hands-on research. While not overtly difficult, the process of ‘writing up’ the findings of a research endeavour for presentation to peers can often seem a somewhat daunting task, especially for novice researchers. The structure of a scientific manuscript however follows a relatively basic and universally accepted pattern, adherence to which can greatly simplify the writing process. To contribute to a wider understanding of research, the purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the basic elements of a scientific research paper for journal publication. The outline provided, while not intended to be a recipe for manuscript construction, will provide a fundamental framework to assist student, junior or inexperienced researchers in their writings.

Junior doctors' views on clinical audit--has anything changed?

A postal questionnaire survey of junior doctors' views was conducted in a large acute hospital in the south-east of England, amongst 146 junior medical staff recorded as being employed by the Trust across 21 specialities. It profiled their level of participation in audit and the quality of current audit programmes within their specialities and assessed their knowledge and understanding of clinical governance. Our findings suggest: a high level of involvement in activities labelled audit, but that these activities did not necessarily conform to robust audit methodologies; that junior doctors' professional attitudes towards clinical audit are influenced by negative experience of undertaking audit within their specialities; and that there was a variety of understanding about the principles and meaning of clinical governance. It concluded that the conditions for coherent strategy aimed at promoting effective audit programmes which could support the use of clinical audit as a tool for continuous professional development are not yet in place across the Trust.