Low Level Of Understanding Research Articles

Attitudes and perceptions towards epilepsy in an onchocerciasis-endemic region of Tanzania: a mixed approach to determine the magnitude and driving factors

BackgroundEpilepsy remains a significant public health concern in Tanzania, with affected individuals enduring stigma, whether through actions or perceptions. Myths, misunderstandings, and misconceptions about epilepsy have persisted due to a multitude of factors. Here, we assessed attitudes and perceptions toward epilepsy in Mahenge.MethodsA cross-sectional study utilising a mixed-methods approach was undertaken in eight villages in the Ulanga district of Mahenge, integrating a semi-structured questionnaire and focus group discussions (FGDs). The questionnaire involved 778 community members, and 15 FGDs were conducted (seven groups with people with epilepsy and eight without). Descriptive statistics, chi-square, and logistic regression were used for quantitative analysis, while we used NVivo version 14 for thematic analysis of qualitative data.ResultsOf 778 participants, over half were women (425, 54.6%) with a median age of 41 years (IQR: 30–55) and most had completed primary education (79.9%). The majority of participants were aware of epilepsy (96.8%), yet they displayed low knowledge (51%), negative attitudes (45.5%), and perceptions (42.1%) towards the disorder. A low level of understanding was significantly associated with negative attitudes (Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR] = 1.89, 95%CI: 1.41–2.53) and perceptions (AOR = 3.22, 95%CI: 2.05–5.04) towards epilepsy. In the qualitative analysis, often hereditary factors and infections were named as causes of epilepsy, along with misconceptions involving witchcraft and divine punishment. There was also a misconception about the contagiousness of epilepsy. Traditional healers were often the initial point of treatment. Epilepsy-related stigma was evident, with individuals with epilepsy facing derogatory labels, social isolation, and barriers to education. Lastly, there was a lack of understanding regarding a possible association between epilepsy and onchocerciasis.ConclusionsDespite high awareness of epilepsy, there is insufficient understanding, negative attitudes, and perceptions, including misconceptions and stigma about this neurologic condition. Community-based education programmes are essential for promoting proper healthcare-seeking behaviour and dispelling myths.

Education and Training on Making Carrot Hard Candy and Dragon Fruit Soft Candy for Stunting Prevention

Stunting is a form of chronic malnutrition associated with prolonged nutritional deficiencies. One crucial way to meet the nutritional needs of young children is by consuming vegetables and fruits, which are primary sources of micronutrients. Vegetables and fruits are vital for the body as sources of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, essential for achieving a healthy diet according to balanced nutrition guidelines. Vitamins are particularly crucial for maintaining body health. Carrots (Daucus carota L) and dragon fruit (Hylocereus sp.) are highly nutritious vegetables and fruits, containing high levels of carotene, vitamin A, B, C, and various minerals. Providing education and training to individuals and community groups, especially those at risk, aims to enhance knowledge, foster healthy habits and behaviors, and ultimately prevent stunting in the community. This community service project consists of preparation, observation, and implementation stages. The project involved 30 participants from the community and the PKK women's group in Kerang Village, Takeran District, Magetan Regency, East Java Province. The results indicated high participant enthusiasm, as seen from their active engagement. The community learned about the benefits of carrot hard candy and dragon fruit soft candy and understood the process of making these nutritious candies. From a low level of understanding before the education, there was an increase in understanding, and the community's low skill level improved after the training.

Assessment of conceptual understanding in student learning of evaporation

Developing a deeper understanding of scientific concepts is one of the primary goals of science education. To improve students’ conceptual understanding, it is necessary to explore the major characteristics of their learning process. Informed by previous work on conceptual understanding, this study focuses on the concept of evaporation, exploring the level division of students’ conceptual understanding of evaporation and the development of corresponding test questions. The level-based conceptual understanding assessment was tested on 721 seventh-grade Chinese students before and after the evaporation lesson. The results of quantitative and qualitative analyses indicated that the students’ conceptual understanding of evaporation could be divided into three progression levels. Students with a low level of understanding only mechanically remembered the definition of evaporation and could identify evaporation phenomena in their daily lives based on memorized examples. Students with an intermediate level of understanding grasped not only the definition of evaporation but also the factors affecting the evaporation rate. Students with a high level of understanding understood the microscopic nature of evaporation and could explain how these three factors affect the evaporation rate from a microscopic perspective. This study also provides further evidence of the value of grasping the nature of concepts in conceptual understanding. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

The Implementation of the Green School Model in Shaping Sustainable Lifestyles

The problem with the green school program implemented in schools is that it has not yet been integrated into the curriculum or teaching materials, resulting in its limited impact on students. Teachers often feel concerned about addressing waste issues, maintaining school cleanliness, and selecting beneficial plants for the school, as they are the spearhead of the green school initiative. This research is qualitative with a case study strategy, this training employs lectures, discussions, and Focus Group Discussions (FGD). The initial evaluation results indicate a low level of understanding among teachers and students regarding their roles and responsibilities in supporting the green school initiative. This lack of understanding stems from the belief among teachers and students that waste management and school environment maintenance are the responsibilities of the principal and the government. After receiving training and undergoing evaluation, both teachers and students began to understand the roles and functions they could play in helping the school implement the green school initiative. Their enthusiasm for the training resulted in a high level of understanding of their roles in carrying out the green school program at SMP AMKUR Bengkayang, Bengkayang Regency.

Knowledge of Undergraduate Students About Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Aims Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most common causes of death worldwide. This study assesses the level of knowledge about COPD among undergraduate students that makes it different from other respiratory illnesses. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate students at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS). The Bristol Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Knowledge Questionnaire (BCKQ) was used to evaluate the knowledge about COPD, epidemiology, symptoms, exercise, smoking, and breathlessness domains. The questionnaire was distributed among the different male colleges. Results There were 304 respondents from five colleges. The overall BCKQ mean score was 15.16±4.52 (maximum 30). The mean score was highest for the Colleges of Pharmacy (18.89±2.17) and Medicine (18.00±3.84), and the College of Science and Health Professions had the lowest score (11.56±5.58). The highest overall means for the different domains (max=5) were for smoking (2.19±1.2), and epidemiology (2.83±1.27), while symptoms of COPD (2.23±1.06) and breathlessness (1.96±1.13) were the lowest among the domains. Conclusions There was a low level of understanding among undergraduate students in general, but the Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy had better knowledge. On the other hand, the College of Science and Health Professions had a lower score. This indicates some areas for improvement in the education program. Appropriate development in the education program is recommended, such as increasing the awareness of symptoms of COPD and other aspects of the disease.

Understanding the psychological impact of identifying carrier status on young adults: A qualitative study exploring peer reactions.

The benefits and harms of identifying carriers in childhood have long been debated with European Guidelines advising against this practice. Yet over a thousand carriers are identified via newborn bloodspot screening per year in the United Kingdom alone. One of the concerns about identification is the impact it has on an individual's identity. This, in part, will be determined by how parents and peers view carriers, particularly during young adulthood. To address the paucity of research looking at how carriers are perceived by peers, this study sought to explore the views of young adults, who themselves are not carriers, toward carriers. As the narratives around COVID-19 increased, the salience of the term "carrier", the impact of such narratives on perceptions, was also explored. Twenty-five 18-25 year olds participated in a diary-interview study in the United Kingdom during 2021 to explore their perceptions of carriers via hypothetical scenarios. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Interviewees believed carriers would experience stigma-including societal and self-stigma. This was because people used existing illness beliefs to make sense of carrier status about which they had low levels of understanding. Interviewees believed carriers would experience challenges in familial and romantic relationships due to others' judgments. They also believed parents of carriers would experience a burden around making reproductive decisions, with clear views on what society would view as acceptable choices. Importantly interviewees felt knowledge of ones' own carrier status conferred complex communication challenges within relationships. These findings suggest an urgent need for more research and support for young adults entering a key stage in life for identity formation who have knowledge of their carrier status. The results suggest that support targeted toward the carrier regarding navigating complex communication and targeted more broadly to avoid stigma based on misunderstanding should be researched and developed.

Articulate Storyline Learning Media on Speed and Discharge Concepts for Elementary School

The low level of understanding among fifth-grade students in learning the concepts of speed and discharge causes difficulties in solving story problems. This research aims to develop a learning media using an Articulate Storyline for the concepts of speed and discharge in the fifth grade of SDN Krian IV. The Articulate Storyline learning media contains concepts of speed and discharge presented in a narrative form, accompanied by triggering questions and interactive quizzes. The Research and Development method with the 4D model was used, but only up to three stages: Define, Design, and Development. Time constraints were a consideration for the researcher in determining the research stages. Data collection techniques used in this research included interviews with fifth-grade teachers and questionnaires for validation. The research results are as follows: 1) the development process of Articulate Storyline learning media for the topics of speed and discharge went through several stages and product revisions; 2) the Articulate Storyline learning media for the concepts of speed and discharge meets the criteria for suitability to be used in the learning process, as indicated by the validation results from an expert in three aspects: media, content, and language assessment, all of which received the category of Very Feasible.

Light Wars: An Interactive Game-Based Sim Towards A Better Understanding of Interference and Diffraction in Senior High School

Interference and diffraction are phenomena of wave behavior discussed at senior high school level of the K-12 curriculum. Common misconceptions and low levels of understanding in this area of Physics often arise due to different factors. Due to these challenges, this study aimed to develop an engaging and educational game-based strategic intervention material called Light Wars. The content and quality of the supplementary material were evaluated by content experts in the field of Physics and students enrolled in grade 11 of the general academic strand in terms of goals and objectives, card design, components and organization, playability and playfulness, and usefulness. Based on the evaluation of the Light Wars after the utilization of the educational material, the content experts and students gave it an excellent rating and recognized it as an effective supplementary material in engaging learners, improving conceptual understanding, and concept retention. Furthermore, this study suggested that Light Wars could be utilized in other disciplines of Physical Science in grade 11 academic strands to further investigate the game’s efficacy. The efficiency of the game in terms of usage between the card component and the actual hybrid game setup was also advised to be determined through comparative research.

Tindak Pidana Korupsi dan Alokasi Dana Desa

Introduction: The village funds that are managed are expected to realize the welfare of the village community. Community welfare can make a country strong and can compete with other countries. To be able to meet the needs of a quality life, it can be seen from how welfare is. Therefore, welfare is the main value that is always pursued so that humans can realize it. One important factor in realizing welfare is the existence of village funds. Efforts to increase awareness of village officials on the management of state finances, in this case the management of village funds for village officials, require counseling on the allocation of village funds and criminal acts of corruption. The low level of understanding and awareness of the law can be caused by the lack of socialization and supervision, this can be seen from the high level of corruption that occurs in Indonesia, especially in rural villages in Indonesia including Maluku, the lack of community access to knowledge of village financial management certainly causes miss management in village financial management.
 Purposes of the Research: Analyzing Corruption in Village Fund Allocation.
 Methods of the Research: The research method used is normative juridical, with a statutory approach and a conceptual approach. The sources of legal materials used are primary, secondary and tertiary legal materials.
 Results of the Research: The management of village funds in Indonesia, including in the Maluku region, should aim to improve the welfare of village communities. However, unfortunately, there are several obstacles that hinder the achievement of this goal. Low levels of legal understanding and awareness among village officials and village financial management tools contribute to this problem. Therefore, to overcome this problem, serious efforts are needed to improve understanding and legal awareness related to village fund management. This includes counseling on the allocation of village funds and the impact of corruption crimes. Better education and training should be provided to village officials and staff involved in village financial management. Only in this way can we reduce the level of corruption that harms village communities and the country as a whole.

Pemahaman Ilmu Nahwu dan Tajwid “Waqaf dan Ibtida’” dalam Pembelajaran Al-Qur’an: Studi Kasus di Pondok Pesantren Ma’arif NU Metro

As a life guide for Muslims, the Qur'an is a must to study. Therefore learning the Qur'an has existed since the time of the Prophet and continues to this day. Especially in Islamic boarding schools, it is one of the things that is mandatory and must be studied by all students. In studying the Qur'an, other sciences are needed, for example, the science of Tajwid, Nahwu science and others as a support for studying it. The purpose of this research is to analyze how the Al-Qur'an is taught at the Ma'ariF NU Metro Islamic Boarding School, to analyze how the implementation of Nahwu and Tajwid knowledge in the waqaf and ibtida' in Al-Qur'an learning, and to analyze the supporting and inhibiting factors. This research uses a descriptive qualitative approach with a case study method on the implementation of Al-Qur'an learning at Ma'arif NU Metro Islamic boarding school. Researchers as the main instrument, with data collection techniques through in-depth interviews (with teacher and student components), observation and document study. All of the data is analyzed using an interactive model with the flow: data recording, data reduction, data presentation, data analysis and conclusions. The results of this study can be concluded as follows: First, in learning the Koran at Ma'arif Islamic boarding school using the bandongan and sorogan methods, and using tartil in reading the Koran. Second, all students are considered capable of implementing the knowledge of Tajweed in determining waqaf and ibtida', but not all students can implement Nahwu knowledge in determining waqaf and ibtida' in learning the Qur'an. Third, the factors supporting the implementation of nahwu and tajwid sciences in waqaf and ibtida', namely, the level of understanding and learning motivation is high, the teacher uses effective and efficient methods, the teacher always warns and corrects when students forget or make mistakes when reading the Qur'an. The inhibiting factors are low level of understanding and interest in learning, still unfamiliar with Nahwu knowledge, and limited hours of Al-Qur'an lessons.

How level of understanding and type of used sources relate to adherence to COVID-19 public health measures in Canada

Previous studies have highlighted the importance of promoting health literacy and minimizing misinformation to encourage higher adherence to key public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study explores how one’s self-reported understanding of information and types of sources used to get information regarding COVID-19 can hinder adherence to public health measures implemented by the Canadian government. Data was collected following a longitudinal design of 11 time points for April 2020 to April 2021. The sub-sample used for this study included 2659 Canadians who completed the survey for at least four time points. Using Latent Class Growth Analysis, we modelled typical trajectories of adherence to three key public health measures: staying home, social distancing and mask wearing. Overall, a lower level of understanding was associated with lower adherence trajectories to public health measures, and vice-versa. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) showed that the higher the level of understanding, the higher were the chances of following a high adherence trajectory. The type of used sources also showed a significant statistical association with adherence trajectories for social distancing and staying home (AOR: between 1.1 and 3.4). These results are discussed considering future policy implications.

Persepsi Masyarakat Kth Buttu Puang Untuk Pengembangan Budidaya Trigona Sp. Di Desa Mirring Kabupaten Polman

Persepsi Masyarakat Kth Buttu Puang Untuk Pengembangan Budidaya Trigona Sp. Di Desa Mirring Kabupaten Polman

Resident Perception of Forest Resource Management in Selected Communities in Ede South Local Government, Nigeria

This study examined residents’ perceptions of how forest resources are maintained and managed in Osun State, Nigeria's Ede South local government. The primary data were obtained by randomly selecting community members to receive questionnaires. The data was examined using cross tabulation, linear regression, and correlation. The analysis's findings indicate that 86% of the respondents are already aware of the need to save forests. The respondents are 48 years old on average. The majority of respondents (67.1%) believed that if the government is allowed to control the forest resources, they can be managed more effectively. According to the survey, only 20% of respondents had a low level of understanding regarding community-based forest resource management. The majority of respondents (41%) don't know what they stand to gain from this strategy. 41% of them hold the view that the government owns the forest and should therefore be responsible for managing it, not them. In order to manage forest resources sustainably, community members should have the opportunity to participate in decision-making. Young professionals should also be involved.

Analisis Model Pembelajaran Multiliterasi dalam Meningkatkan Kualitas Pemahaman Membaca Siswa

The low level of understanding and writing ability of students causes students to find it difficult to accept, absorb, and understand existing lessons. This will also have an impact on the inability of students to deal with problem solving. Therefore, it is necessary to do an appropriate learning model. However, at this time there are still many educators who do not know an effective learning model to enable students to master reading comprehension skills. The solution in this case is to apply a multiliteracy learning model to hone students' higher-order thinking skills and improve their writing skills. Because this is a competency capital that must be possessed in facing the digital era of the 21st century. The purpose of this research is to find out the multiliteracy learning models that will be applied by educators to students. This research is a type of literature study qualitative research. By using primary sources derived from books and articles related to the multiliteracy learning model. The results of this study are textual, visual, musical, digital literacy models, understanding and skill representation models as well as supporting learning process models that can improve students' reading comprehension and critical thinking.TRANSLATE with x EnglishArabicHebrewPolishBulgarianHindiPortugueseCatalanHmong DawRomanianChinese SimplifiedHungarianRussianChinese TraditionalIndonesianSlovakCzechItalianSlovenianDanishJapaneseSpanishDutchKlingonSwedishEnglishKoreanThaiEstonianLatvianTurkishFinnishLithuanianUkrainianFrenchMalayUrduGermanMalteseVietnameseGreekNorwegianWelshHaitian CreolePersian // TRANSLATE with COPY THE URL BELOW Back EMBED THE SNIPPET BELOW IN YOUR SITE Enable collaborative features and customize widget: Bing Webmaster PortalBack//

Survey on Low Back Pain among Cyclists: Prevalence, Risk Factors and Knowledge of Injury Prevention Strategies

The study aimed to determine prevalence of low back pain (LBP), risk factors, and knowledge of injury prevention strategies in recreational cyclists. Materials and methods. This cross-sectional quantitative study included 141 adult recreational cyclists aged 18 to 70. LBP prevalence was determined using a standard Nordic questionnaire. In addition, a validated self-developed questionnaire was used to assess knowledge level, with a high score representing the highest level of knowledge. Frequencies and percentages were used to report the descriptive variables, whereas the Chi-square test was used to determine the association between risk factors and LBP. Results. The study identified that 55.3% of cyclists had a lifetime prevalence of LBP, and 35.5% reported LBP in the past 12 months. However, no significant association (p>0.05) was found between the risk factor and the LBP. Despite this, a low level of knowledge of injury prevention strategies for recreational cyclists was found. Conclusions. This survey found that recreational cyclists have a low level of understanding about crucial bicycle characteristics such as seat height, saddle tilt, and handlebar position to maintain optimal body biomechanics. Recreational cyclists should be educated on the need for appropriate bicycle modifications and ergonomics, effective warm-up, stretching, and cool-down techniques, and some critical injury prevention strategies, especially in the low back.

Improving the Understanding of Reading Rhythm and Notes in Music Education by Using Kodály and Suzuki Technique Method in Grade 8 Junior High School XYZ

The basic or elementary music theory is one of the knowledge that one should masters in playing music. the most common thing, which occurs in students of Arts and Culture subjects (Music) with keyboard musical instrument interest, is a low level of understanding in reading and playing rhythm as well as reading notes in general. Students of grade 8 with keyboard musical instruments interest also have issues with their knowledge regarding basic music theory, especially on reading rhythm and notes. The purpose of this research is to find out methods to improve students' understanding of reading rhythm and notes in a short period. this research consists of three cycles. On each cycle, the researcher uses techniques derived from Kodály and Suzuki's teaching method. Instruments used in this research are observation sheets, rubrics, tests, and student interviews. The result of the activities conducted in the class following this research shows techniques derived from Kodály and Suzuki's teaching method could help improve students' understanding of reading and playing rhythm as well as improving understanding of reading notes. Students of grade 8 with keyboard musical interest experience quite significant understanding improvement and have been helped with reading rhythm and music notation.

Early access provision: Awareness, educational needs and opportunities to improve oncology patients’ access to care

An unmet medical need exists for many oncology patients who cannot be treated satisfactorily by available therapeutic options. Early access provision (EAP) is endorsed by competent authorities to improve patient access to innovative medicinal products (InMPs). This paper determined awareness and understanding among practicing physicians of integrated EAP protocols, and of the procedures involved in EAP applications for oncology trials prior to marketing authorization. An on-line, fully anonymous survey reaching out to more than 3,258 physicians (including practicing oncologists) was initiated between November 2020 - January 2021. Participants were questioned about their knowledge and understanding of EAP and the decision processes involved, level of experience, interest for further educational activities and opportunities to improve the process, both in general and specifically during the COVID-19 pandemic. The frequency of EAP protocols for oncology InMPs was identified by a search of ClinicalTrials.gov and EU Clinical Trials registers. Survey results (75% oncologists) indicated 75% of respondents were 'very comfortable' or 'comfortable' with using EAP for their patients, but only 54.5% correctly answered the specific knowledge-based question related to the EAP definition. For 56% of respondents, experience with EAP in daily practice was very limited. Two-thirds indicated an average or lower level of understanding about the application process and regulatory requirements involved (65.2% and 66.0%, respectively). Knowledge on data collection and serious adverse event reporting under EAP was lower at 57.8% and 50.5% of respondents, respectively. Awareness of physician responsibilities was high in 59.7% of respondents, but fewer understood roles and responsibilities of manufacturing companies (31.2%). Most indicated they would consider clinical efficacy and safety data from comparative phase III randomized controlled trials as of high importance to support their decision to apply for EAP (93.4% and 86.8%, respectively). During the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of respondents highlighted the need to improve and adapt EAP with regard to the application process and documentation (83.8%), InMP supply and logistics (88.4), and safety reporting process (78.0%). Of identified oncology trials with a ClinicalTrials.gov protocol, only 149 (0.4%) included EAP, and 23 used the data to receive a marketing authorization during the period Jan 2015 to December 2020. Of oncology trials with a EudraCT protocol, only 21 (0.23%) included EAP, of which 6 were used to receive a conditional or full marketing authorisation over the same period. Use of EAP in daily practice remains limited. Challenges posed by the EAP process, together with a lack of education on this topic, might contribute to its under-utilization and influence access of oncology patients to care. Continuous educational efforts from different stakeholders are required to better inform and support practicing oncologists during the EAP application process and regulatory framework follow up. Education should also be provided on EAP roles and responsibilities, monitoring, and potential adaptations when faced with specific challenges, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic.

ATTEMPTS TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF CLEAN AND HEALTHY BEHAVIOR AND TO PREVENT SEXUAL VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN IN LABANASEM VILLAGE, DISTRICT OF KABAT, REGENCY OF BANYUWANGI

Clean and Healthy Behavior (PHBS) is a preventive measure against disease or health problems. Meanwhile, sexual education for children is one of the efforts to help prevent sexual violence against children. The low level of understanding among elementary school students, especially in Labanasem Village, regarding PHBS such as proper hand washing with soap, proper toothbrush and sexual education makes children vulnerable to various diseases and sexual violence. So it is necessary to increase the understanding of the importance of washing hands with soap, brushing teeth properly, and understanding the body parts that can and should not be touched for elementary school students as an effort to improve health status in Labanasem Village. Based on this, the author is interested in this problem through the KKN (Real Work Class) program which is aimed at an educational approach that is applied to elementary school students in Labanasem Village, Banyuwangi. This program has been successfully carried out in the MI Miftahul Ulum Labanasem school hall which was attended by students in grades 5 and 6 with a total of 58 participants, besides that this activity was also successfully carried out at the Lotus Labanasem Early Childhood Education (PAUD) level and produced a positive response. positive.

The Understanding of Maternal Smoking among Women who were Smoking or had Quit Smoking during Pregnancy.

Maternal tobacco smoking during pregnancy is associated with adverse health effects for the woman, fetus, and child, including such serious effects as preterm birth, low birth weight, stillbirth, and neonatal and sudden infant death. Smoking cessation during pregnancy reduces health risks. In order to support pregnant women to quit smoking, it is essential to know determinants of quitting smoking in pregnancy. The purpose of this research was to examine women's understanding of maternal smoking, in terms of their beliefs, in relation to quitting smoking during pregnancy. The study was a cross-sectional survey with anonymous questionnaires. The sample consisted of 161 pregnant and postnatal women who were continuing or had continued to smoke during pregnancy or had quit smoking during pregnancy. Logistic regression was used to determine the impact of women's understanding of maternal smoking on quitting smoking in pregnancy. A large majority of the women had low to moderate understanding of maternal smoking. Those with higher levels of understanding were more likely to quit smoking during pregnancy than were those with a low level of understanding. Not having children prior to the current pregnancy or childbirth also increased the likelihood of quitting smoking during pregnancy while being without a partner combined with having a longer duration of smoking decreased the likelihood of quitting smoking during pregnancy. As a modifiable factor, pregnant women's understanding of maternal smoking can be readily targeted with informational interventions in an effort to help them quit smoking.

Decoding Algorithms: Exploring End-Users’ Mental Models of the Inner Workings of Algorithmic News Recommenders

Algorithmic recommenders are omnipresent in our daily lives. While a multitude of studies focus on how people use algorithmic recommenders, far too little attention has been devoted to how they perceive and understand these complex systems. In this study we focus on Algorithmic News Recommenders (ANR). Drawing on 26 semi-structured interviews, we investigated how laypeople decode Google News and Facebook News. In our method we employ the scroll-back method, make use of visualizations and a double interview design. Our results differentiate between those with a high and low level of understanding. Those with a high level of understanding acknowledged the role of companies and developers in the workings of ANR. Others, who were less cognizant had a more instrumental view and mostly focused on the relation between their individual data disclosed and the ANR. More importantly, in both groups, their feelings (ranging from admiration to frustration) about and everyday interactions (both dominant and deviating) with ANR shape their general understanding. In the discussion we argue how it’s necessary for future research endeavors and algorithmic literacy initiatives to be mindful of the interconnection between knowledge, feelings, and interactions to understand layman’s perspectives.