Major Cities Of Pakistan Research Articles

Assessing the knowledge, attitude and perception of Extended Reality (XR) technology in Pakistan's Healthcare community in an era of Artificial Intelligence.

The Extended Reality (XR) technology was established by combining elements of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality, offering users the advantage of working in a virtual environment. The study aimed to evaluate medical professionals' and students' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding using XR technology in Pakistan's healthcare system and identify its benefits, drawbacks, and implications for the system's future. A cross-sectional study was executed by circulating a self-structured online questionnaire among the Medical Community across Major Cities of Pakistan using various social media platforms as available sampling. The sample size was calculated to be 385 using RAOSOFT. Cronbach's alpha was calculated as 0.74. The Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) conducted on the dataset was validated using the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure and Bartlett's Test of Sphericity. The KMO value of 0.752 indicates adequate sampling, and Bartlett's Test was significant (χ2 (435) = 2809.772, p < 0.001), confirming the suitability of the data for factor analysis. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS-25, and data description was done as frequency and percentage. Pearson correlation and regression analysis kept p-value < 0.05% significant. Approximately 54.8% of 406 participants conveyed their familiarity with XR technologies. The majority of participants (83.8%) believed that using XR technology effectively enhanced medical education and patient care in Pakistan. Regarding clinical outcomes, 70.8% believed XR improved the efficiency of procedures and 52.8% agreed XR would lead to more device-dependent systems and eradicating human error (32.4%). Major barriers to XR integration included ethical and privacy issues (63.9%), lack of technological advancements in Pakistan (70%), and lack of ample knowledge and training of XR among health care professionals (45.8%). Hypothesis testing revealed a low positive but significant correlation between the use of AI-based healthcare systems and the increasing speed and accuracy of procedures (r = 0.342, p < 0.001), supporting Hypothesis 1. Similarly, a very low positive yet significant correlation was observed between the augmentation of diagnostic and surgical procedures and addressing data security and ethical issues for implementing XR (r = 0.298, p < 0.001), supporting Hypothesis 2. Lastly, a correlation between the mean Attitude (MA) score and the mean Perception (MP) score was found to be moderately positive and significant (r = 0.356, p < 0.001). Hence, the hypothesis 3 was supported. XR technology has the potential to enhance medical education and patient care in Pakistan, but its adoption faces significant challenges, including ethical concerns, technological gaps, and inadequate training. The study's findings highlight the need to address these issues to maximize the benefits of XR in healthcare.

Assessment of urbanization impacts on vegetation cover in major cities of Pakistan: evidence from remotely sensed data

Assessment of urbanization impacts on vegetation cover in major cities of Pakistan: evidence from remotely sensed data

Perceived Trust and Its Antecedents’ Impact on Intentions to Use Fintech; Evidence from Pakistan

The Study examines the impact of perceived trust and its antecedents on the intentions of individuals to use fintech services in Pakistan. By identifying the primary factors that influence these intentions, the research offers fintech service providers and policymakers valuable insights into the adoption and utilization of fintech in the Region. This information is indispensable for the successful marketing of these services. The research centers on four primary constructs: perceived risk, perceived usefulness, perceived convenience of use, and perceived trust. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) are employed as theoretical frameworks. Perceived risk refers to the potential negative consequences of fintech usage, perceived usefulness evaluates the enhancement of financial activities through fintech, perceived ease of use measures the simplicity of utilizing fintech services, and perceived trust evaluates the reliability and competence of the fintech provider. A convenience sampling method was employed to recruit 400 participants aged 18 and older who have either used or are willing to use fintech services from the major cities in Pakistan. According to data analysis conducted with PLS software, the intention to utilize fintech services is significantly influenced by perceived usefulness, perceived simplicity of use, and perceived trust. Hence, there is no significant impact on perceived risk. Cronbach’s alpha if less than. 6 or greater than. 8 is not considered good; while the acceptable limit for CR and AVE lies between. 7 and 9. This paper aims to explain the overall understanding of Pakistan’s fintech adoption and hereby stresses the significance of the perceived trust and perceived usefulness in the context of the given phenomenon.

Enhancing Skill, Socio-Economic Status &amp; Family Welfare: Employment-Specific on Job Training in Pakistan's Informal Sector

Pakistan, with a population exceeding 200 million and the 10th largest labor force globally, grapples with a significant informal sector, employing a majority of its workforce, particularly the youth. This research paper explores the dynamics of the informal sector, its contributions to the economy, and the challenges faced by informal workers. The focus is on the crucial role of employment-specific training in enhancing the skills and livelihoods of the labor force engaged in micro-businesses within the informal economy. The data was collected from 1200workers and 60 entrepreneurs from 6 major cities of Pakistan. The application of the chi-square technique revealed significant positive correlations between on job training and various variables. Notably, a positive correlation was observed between on job training and skill proficiency, emphasizing the role of training in enhancing workers' skills. Positive correlations were also found with factors such as total duration and resources, wages, socio-economic status, engagement level, family welfare, and positive attitude This paper delves into the complexities and contributions of the informal sector, emphasizing the need for tailored policies and strategies.

Examining the relationship between Exposure to Avengers Action Figures and Men’s Body Dissatisfaction and Eating Disorders in Pakistan

This study investigates the relationship between social comparison, body dissatisfaction, and eating disorders among males in five major cities of Pakistan. The sample comprised 400 male participants drawn from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. The Social Comparison Theory serves as the theoretical framework for examining how individuals' perceptions of their bodies are influenced by comparisons with others. Results revealed significant correlations between eating disorder symptoms and body dissatisfaction as well as social comparison tendencies. More specifically, there was a larger tendency toward disordered eating practices and higher degrees of body dissatisfaction among those who participated in upward social comparison. The results emphasis the importance of considering social comparison processes in understanding body image concerns and eating disorders among males in Pakistan. Implications for intervention and prevention efforts aimed at promoting positive body image and healthy eating behaviors are discussed. The implications of these findings extend to intervention and prevention strategies geared towards fostering positive body image and cultivating healthy eating behaviors among this demographic.

Relationship between personality traits and postpartum depression in Pakistani fathers.

The previous studies have found an association between Big Five personality traits and postpartum depression in women. The present study aimed to find out an association between Big Five personality traits and postpartum depression in a sample of Pakistani fathers. A total of 400 Pakistani fathers who had birth of a child in the past 1 month to 1 year period and had been living with their married partners were recruited purposively by using Google Form based survey from the major cities of Pakistan. The Urdu translated versions of Big Five Personality Inventory (BFI) and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) were used as the main outcome measures to assess the relationship between personality traits and postpartum depression. The results found a significant negative and moderate association between Big Five personality traits and paternal postpartum depression except openness which had a weak association and neuroticism which had a positive and moderate association with PPPD (r(398) = .45). The multiple linear regression analysis found that Big Five personality traits significantly predicted paternal postpartum depression (F(5, 394) = 53.33, p = .001) except openness (B = .007, p = .98). The analysis of variance (ANOVA) found significant differences in paternal postpartum depression for age of father (F(2, 397) = 6.65, p = .001, ηp2 = .03), spouse age (F(2, 393) = 5.97, p = .003, ηp2 = .02), employment type (F(2, 395) = 9.69, p = .001, ηp2 = .04) and time spent at home (F(2, 397) = 6.23, p = .002, ηp2 = .03) while there were found no significant differences for education (F(2, 397) = 1.29, p = .27, ηp2 = .006), marital duration (F(2, 397) = 2.17, p = .11, ηp2 = .01), and birth number of recent child (F(2, 397) = 1.48, p = .22, ηp2 = .007). The study concluded that Big Five personality traits are significantly correlated with and predict paternal postpartum depression except openness which did not predict paternal postpartum depression. The occurrence of paternal postpartum depression varied significantly for age of father, age of spouse, type of employment and time spent at home.

The Outbreak of Highly Contagious Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye) in Major Cities of Pakistan

The Outbreak of Highly Contagious Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye) in Major Cities of Pakistan

Factors Affecting the Female School Principals’ (in Pakistan) Leadership and Management Styles

The number of female teachers and principals in Pakistan, in both public and private sectors, has significantly increased. However, there are very few studies that have focused on how female principals lead and manage their schools, as well as the factors influencing their leadership behaviors and practices. The study aims to investigate the barriers and factors that affect women's leadership and management styles in the context of Pakistan. The research collected data from school principals from three major cities of Pakistan: Rawalpindi-Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi. The individual interviews were conducted online using Zoom and Google Meet. Research participants were selected through a convenience sampling strategy. The interview data was analyzed and categorized into themes such as family and peer support, social, cultural, and religious associations, and their influence on school principals' perspectives and leadership value systems. This study finds a connection between family and peer support and their influence on the transition of teachers into school principals. This study also found that the social, cultural, and religious belief systems also contributed to the growth of female principals' development and played a crucial role in nurturing their leadership skills.

Impact of educational intervention on hypertension management by primary care physician: A randomized control trial

ObjectiveThe current study aimed to observe hypertension educational intervention's effect on general physicians (GPs) to improve blood pressure control and patient outcomes indirectly. MethodsThis randomized control trial includes 42 GPs divided into 2 groups. GPs in group 1 receive face-to-face education with structured educational material on hypertension management strategies by a senior cardiologist. GPs in group 2 receive the print version of education material. The data was collected from six major cities in Pakistan. GPs with at least three years of experience in the broad primary care disciplines, with ages above 18 years, were included in the study. ResultsA total of 42 physicians (21 from each group) completed questionnaires, while out of 420 hypertension patients, 105 newly diagnosed and already diagnosed patients enrolled under physicians of both groups. The educational material did just as well at informing clinicians as the face-to-face group intervention did and both the interventions had a significant effect on knowledge and BP control. ConclusionAfter the 3-month follow-up, both interventions, including face-to-face and educational approaches, demonstrated significant effectiveness in improving knowledge and blood pressure control. InnovationThe study shows that hypertension educational intervention's effect on general physicians indirectly improves blood pressure control and patient outcomes. And emphasize for developing a hypertension educational program targeted at general physicians.

An integrated skip convolutional network with residual learning and feature extraction for point and interval prediction of solar radiation

Spinning reserve based on solar radiation prediction can ensure the secure operation of large-scale grid-connected photovoltaic systems, but irrational spinning reserve can lead to substantial economic losses and even grid collapse. Therefore, it is imperative to identify characteristic patterns of solar radiation and establish an effective solar radiation prediction model. However, existing hybrid models often struggle to efficiently recognize and leverage input features, compromising the robustness of the model. To address this limitation, this study proposes an integrated skip-convolutional network with residual learning and feature extraction (InSCNet), which enhances the capability to represent information data and thereby improves the stability and accuracy of solar radiation prediction by employing a series of feature extraction and prediction blocks with residual learning. InSCNet includes a sophisticated feature extraction module to effectively address the underutilization of feature information, and it incorporates residual learning, skip-convolution, and recursive networks in the prediction module, reducing the risk of gradient vanishing or gradient explosion while enhancing prediction accuracy. Additionally, an interval estimation method with adaptively chosen distributions is introduced, which extends the prediction interval estimation method. The proposed InSCNet is rigorously evaluated using datasets from three major cities in Pakistan. Experimental results demonstrate that InSCNet outperforms existing solutions in both point and interval predictions.

Antecedents of Islamic Corporate Governance: Evidence from Major Cities of Pakistan

Islamic Finance was adopted as a discipline in the 1980s. Islamic corporate governance is different from conventional corporate governance, as it’s purely based on shariah laws. This paper aims to identify the antecedents of Islamic Corporate Governance based on the subjective approach behind taking the interviews of experts from the field. The study found the most important drivers of Islamic corporate governance are Structure, Independence, Heterogeneity, Monitoring, Shareholder Activism and Disclosure. The theoretical contribution of the study is that the study found multiple significant antecedents behind Islamic corporate governance adoption in organisations. The practical implication of the study is that identification of Islamic corporate governance practices may now be easy to evaluate.

Crafting Entrepreneurial Pet Brands: Unravelling the Influence of Media Exposure on COVID-19 Anxiety through the Lens of Pet Attachment

This study aims to investigate the impact of media exposure regarding COVID-19 on anxiety with the mediating role of risk perception and the moderating role of pet attachment. The target population of the study is pet owners in major cities of Pakistan. The results concluded that media exposure has a significant and positive impact on risk perception, and risk perception has a significant and positive impact on anxiety. Furthermore, pet attachment plays a moderating role between media exposure and risk perception, and there is a partial mediation effect of risk perception between media exposure and anxiety. The study suggests that pet attachment must be considered as a solution to reduce risk perception caused by media exposure to COVID-19. The effect of media exposure regarding COVID-19 on anxiety has not been widely studied in Pakistan, nor has the mediating role of risk perception and the moderating role of pet attachment; therefore, this study is a contribution towards filling this gap. The goal of the study is to find out how business owners in the pet sector strategically mold their brands and deal with the difficulties posed by the COVID-19 environment. It also explores how media exposure affects people's anxiety levels throughout the epidemic, with a focus on how people's attachment to their pets mediates this effect. When examining and interpreting the emotional and psychological components of people's reactions to COVID-19-related media messages in the context of their relationships with their pets, the lens of pet attachment offers a distinctive viewpoint. For future studies, the impact of media exposure on anxiety may be examined across various cities in Pakistan, with larger sample sizes. Managerial implications are discussed.

Retraction Note: The COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on environment: the case of the major cities in Pakistan.

Retraction Note: The COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on environment: the case of the major cities in Pakistan.

Shades of green: Exploring the fascinating landscape of consumer behavior towards eco-friendly cosmetics in Pakistan

Green cosmetics made from organic ingredients are becoming increasingly popular due to their environmentally friendly nature. However, research on consumer behavior towards green cosmetics is rare, especially in developing countries like Pakistan. Previous studies have primarily focused on female consumers, and little is known about the behavior of male consumers. Therefore, this research aims to investigate the behavior of both male and female consumers towards green cosmetic products and analyze the factors that affect their purchase behavior. This study employs a quantitative approach with deductive reasoning and collects data through a questionnaire from major cities in Pakistan. The study finds that eco-awareness, social influence, price-quality instructions, health consciousness, and the need for uniqueness significantly influence consumer purchase behavior when buying green cosmetics. Interestingly, price sensitivity does not significantly affect consumer purchase behavior as consumers are willing to pay for high-quality green cosmetics. Based on the findings, the study recommends promoting eco-awareness and health consciousness among consumers through educational campaigns and workshops launched by the government and the private sector. Future research can explore factors such as age, gender, and specific generations like millennials and Generation Z, as well as packaging, branding, and product design to promote environmentally friendly and health-conscious products. Additionally, comparative studies between countries can identify universal and region-specific factors, and examining the overall impact of green cosmetic products on the environment can highlight areas for improvement in sustainability.

EFFECT OF FINANCIAL INCLUSION ON GROWTH OF SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES IN PAKISTAN THROUGH MODERATING EFFECT OF SHARIAH-COMPLIANT FINANCING

The key objective of this study is to check the impact of financial inclusion on the SME's growth by taking Shariah-compliant financing as a moderator. The sample has been based on cluster sampling, the sample comprised the SMEs operating in nine major cities of Pakistan and its size is 600 in total. Structural equation modeling has been employed on the responses of the respondents through SmartPLS4. The direct results shows that the impact of financial inclusion is positive and significant on dimensions of the SME's sales growth and workforce growth, while insignificant on profit growth and market share growth. Similarly, Shariah-Compliant Financing impacts Market Share Growth and Sales Growth positively and are statistically significant, while insignificant effect on profit growth and workforce growth. Indirect results, Shariah-Compliant Financing is moderating between Financial Inclusion and dimensions of the SMEs growth has a positive and significant effect on market share growth and sales growth. The Shariah-compliant financing could be increased by adopting effective strategies and financial knowledge. The financial institutions campaign an awareness program about the products and services offered for SME sectors, rules and regulations of loans, and loan documentation and provide financial literacy to them.

Air Pollution: A Challenge to Public Health and Healthcare Systems

Air Pollution: A Challenge to Public Health and Healthcare Systems

LAND COVERAGE ANALYSIS OF PAKISTAN USING SATELLITE IMAGERY

Abstract. Pakistan has a unique landscape geographically due to its strategic geo-political importance. It has played a vital role in global climate and politics. There are various semantic segmentation studies performed on remote sensing high-resolution imagery of various urban and rural areas into major classes of buildings, vegetation, water, and roads. These analyses have supported the land coverage study, which can facilitate urban infrastructure management, forestry, disaster management, and climate challenges. Recent climate reports have confirmed the importance of these studies, especially for Pakistan. It’s a critical location for the global south to observe the climate catastrophe. This research will focus on three major cities of Islamabad, Karachi, and Quetta and semantically segment the satellite imagery to study the land coverage. Our research contributes the dataset from major cities of Pakistan and compare the performance of state-of-the-art semantic segmentation networks to evaluate the dataset. Benchmark can help in selecting a highly effective deep learning network and generalizing those networks on our prepared dataset. Dataset can be downloaded from here: https://github.com/Abdullah-Sabir/Pakistan-Land-Coverage-Analysis-Dataset

A dilemma of patients: poor quality administration of tertiary care hospitals: a cross-sectional study

Introduction: The study focuses on healthcare delivery standards in Pakistan’s tertiary care hospitals. Poor accountability and a lack of financial and human resources are the main contributing factors to a hospital’s substandard performance and low patient satisfaction rates. Feedback surveillance forms are the Achilles tendon in the quality improvement of a facility, and this practice is, unfortunately, not widely practiced in the hospitals of Pakistan. Through this paper and experience, the authors hope to shed light on the need for regular feedback surveys and implementing their results to improve healthcare quality. Settings and Design: A prospective, observational study of seven tertiary care hospitals in Pakistan. Materials and Methods: The data was collected using a survey form. Each survey form was filled out by a team comprising three public health professionals who observed the hospital and its functioning without interfering with its workings. The questionnaire was developed with the help of Tools for Assessing the Operationality of District Health Systems: Health Facility Questionnaire designated in the respective facilities. The analysis was then draughted as a qualitative narrative review. Finally, the review was broken down into an assessment of the hospital’s outpatient clinic setting, inpatient department, emergency department and other departments. Results: The survey was conducted at seven public sector hospitals in three major cities of Pakistan. The survey focused on administrative and nonmedical parameters of healthcare facilities. Overall, the hospitals of Lahore and Islamabad lacked mass casualty apparatus and cleanliness, and staff behaviour can be improved. The hospitals in Rawalpindi have mass casualty apparatuses in place. However, they need improvement in accessibility services and hygiene and staff attitude. Conclusions: The survey showed that all the hospitals had good access and accessibility, and the directions were clearly marked for the visitors. The hospital staff is knowledgeable about the hospital, but their behaviour needs to be improved. Also, the quality of the cleanliness and waiting areas is fair but needs improvements. Finally, regular cheques via regular feedback and quality assessments can improve healthcare delivery.

Antecedents, clinical and psychological characteristics of a large sample of individuals who have self-harmed recruited from primary care and hospital settings in Pakistan.

Suicide is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide, and the majority of suicide deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. To evaluate the demographic and clinical characteristics of individuals who have presented to health services following self-harm in Pakistan. This study is a cross-sectional baseline analysis of participants from a large multicentre randomised controlled trial of self-harm prevention in Pakistan. A total of 901 participants with a history of self-harm were recruited from primary care clinics, emergency departments and general hospitals in five major cities in Pakistan. The Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (BSI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) and Suicide Attempt Self Injury Interview assessment scales were completed. Most participants recruited were females (n = 544, 60.4%) in their 20s. Compared with males, females had lower educational attainment and higher unemployment rates and reported higher severity scores on BSI, BDI and BHS. Interpersonal conflict was the most frequently cited antecedent to self-harm, followed by financial difficulties in both community and hospital settings. Suicide was the most frequently reported motive of self-harm (N = 776, 86.1%). Suicidal intent was proportionally higher in community-presenting patients (community: N = 318, 96.9% v. hospital: N = 458, 79.9%; P < 0.001). The most frequently reported methods of self-harm were ingestion of pesticides and toxic chemicals. Young females are the dominant demographic group in this population and are more likely to attend community settings to seek help. Suicidal intent as the motivator of self-harm and use of potentially lethal methods may suggest that this population is at high risk of suicide.

ANALYSIS OF INDIGENOUS BACTERIAL FLORA FOUND IN LEAD CONTAMINATED SOIL OF FAISALABAD AND HARVESTING ITS ABILITY FOR BIOREMEDIATION

Some microorganisms have the ability to either degrade or remove environmental pollutants and could serve an effective role in bioremediation. Lead is a chemically inert heavy metal and if present in toxic amount in environment, can have negative health effects by becoming a part of the natural food chain. The main objective of this experiment was to identify soil micrbiota present in Pb contaminated soil of Faisalabad. WHO has reported elevated levels of lead contamination in water, and air across major cities in Pakistan. It majorly affects children aged 3-5 years and the urban population residing in major cities in Pakistan. Major source of Pb exposure in Pakistan are industrial wastes and effluents discharged directly into environment and it has toxic effects on the human nervous, renal and reproductive systems. Molecular Docking via CB dock is performed taking some bacterial proteins as receptors molecules and lead salts as ligand molecule for insilico analysis of bacterial strain involved in biosorption or biotransformation process. To identify lead tolerant bacteria, soil samples were collected from Pb contaminated sites near Faisalabad, followed by inoculation and purification of bacterial colonies in lead nitrate based culture media. UV spectrophotometry was performed and the colony showing maximum growth rate was subjected to 16s rRNA and Phylogenetic analyses. The identified bacterial species possesses considerably high lead tolerance and further analyzed for potential lead biosorption capabilities.