Monthly Income Research Articles

Caregivers’ perceptions of factors influencing undernutrition among under five in Ubungo, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

BackgroundUndernutrition in children is predominantly linked to lack of a balanced diet resulting from inadequate nutrition intake. This form of malnutrition remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality under-five children, especially prevalent in low-income countries. Understanding the specific factors contributing to undernutrition among this group, particularly those associated with caregivers, is vital yet insufficiently explored. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate and evaluate caregivers’ perceptions regarding the factors influencing under-nutrition among children under-five in Ubungo, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.MethodsA qualitative study was conducted at Sinza Palestina Hospital in Ubungo Municipal Council, Dar es Salaam, from January 2019 to December 2019. In-depth interviews were carried out with caregivers of undernourished children to explore their thoughts, perceptions, and views on the factors contributing to under-nutrition among this demographic. A semi-structured interview guide facilitated data collection, allowing for comprehensive exploration. Recorded data underwent transcription. And thematic content analysis was utilized to identify caregivers’ perceptions and views, highlighting codes and subcategories that represented factors influencing under-nutrition. A total of 26 participants were purposefully selected among caregivers who provided consent during the study period was included.ResultsThe study revealed several primary factors contributing to under-nutrition among under-five children. Among these, poor adherences to WHO recommended feeding practices by caregivers, exacerbated by poverty resulting from low monthly income. This economic limitation impeded families’ ability to provide essential nutritious foods for their children. Additionally, limited time available for childcare emerged as main factors contributed to under-nutrition. Notably, while caregivers exhibited a good understanding of malnutrition and its causes, their perceptions did not align with WHO definition of under-nutrition.ConclusionAddressing nutrition among under five children necessitates comprehensive support for caregivers, including economic empowerment and education on WHO-recommended feeding practices. Encouraging adherence to these practices is vital. Additionally, care givers should allocate sufficient time for breastfeeding and preparing complementary food for their children.

Determinants of last-mile travel mode choice under different COVID-19 alert levels: A case study of Batasan Hills, Quezon City, Philippines

The COVID-19 outbreak has led to remarkable changes in the transport sector and people’s travel behavior. The suspension of public transport leads to an increase in the number of private car users and the number of walking activities. The last mile, being one of the weakest links in the transport network, has become more challenging to manage with the imposition of different travel restrictions. Using the data collected from the households of Barangay Batasan Hills, Quezon City, Philippines, this study aimed to understand people’s travel behavior during the pandemic. Specifically, a binary logit model was used to determine the significant factors that affect the last-mile travel mode choice under different alert levels. Results showed that age during the pandemic, monthly household income, the purpose of travel, travel expense, travel time, departure time, origin, compliance with COVID-19 measures, and trip duration have significant factors in last-mile travel mode choice. In addition, risk perception on public transport was also a determinant of last-mile travel mode under alert levels 1 and 2. Analyzing travel behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic is deemed beneficial in devising strategies and interventions that will help mitigate the spread of the virus while still allowing economic activity and the movement of people to happen.

30. SURVEY ON THE KNOWLEDGE OF HYPERTENSION ACCORDING TO TRADITIONAL MEDICINE COMBINED WITH MODERN MEDICINE AMONG THE POPULATION OF THUAN AN CITY, BINH DUONG PROVINCE

Objective: To assess the knowledge of the population in Thuan An City, Binh Duong Province, regarding hypertension according to Traditional Medicine combined with Modern Medicine. Subjects and research methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted to survey the knowledge of 384 residents aged 18 and older living in Thuan An City, Binh Duong Province, who agreed to participate in the study. Results: 82.1% of the total participants had a knowledge level of average or higher about hypertension according to Traditional Medicine combined with Modern Medicine, with 24% having a good knowledge level. Analysis of correlations identified several factors associated with the population’s knowledge of hypertension according to Traditional Medicine combined with Modern Medicine, including occupation and income. Specifically, the group engaged in intellectual labor had 2.52 times lower odds of having poor knowledge compared to other occupations (students, unemployed, retirees, etc.), and those with an average monthly income above 10 million VND had 2.66 times lower odds of having poor knowledge compared to those with a monthly income below 5 million VND. Conclusion: The knowledge of the population in Thuan An City, Binh Duong Province, about hypertension according to Traditional Medicine combined with Modern Medicine is at an average level.

Socio-economic determinants of girl’s higher education: empirical insights from the high-mountain Nagar District, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan

ABSTRACT Girls in the high mountainous regions of Pakistan have a comparative disadvantage in terms of getting higher education. By conducting 255 household surveys and employing a binary logistic regression, this study determined socio-economic factors influencing the likelihood of household heads sending their daughters for higher education. The findings indicate that household size, maternal education, and monthly income significantly influence decisions about girls’ higher education. Specifically, daughters of educated mothers are 2.84 times more likely to pursue higher education compared to daughters of illiterate mothers. Additionally, an increase in household monthly income enhances the likelihood of a daughter receiving higher education 14.2 times more than households with stable income. The study recommends raising awareness among mothers about the importance of girls’ education to improve their engagement in educational activities. Additionally, it suggests providing targeted financial support to girls from high-mountain regions to facilitate their access to higher education.

Environmental and socio-economic determinants of fecal sludge emptying in Sub-Saharan Africa: A cross-sectional mixed-methods study in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire.

This study sought to understand the determinants of household's choices for fecal sludge (FS) emptying to help fighting against unhygienic/unsafe practices and environmental pollution. A cross-sectional mixed study used in the municipality of Yopougon (Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire), involved surveys (559 household), and 24 semi-structured interviews. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) from logistic regressions indicated the variables significantly associated with these practices while thematic content analysis helped assessing stakeholders' perceptions. Respondents (47.6%) reported unhygienic/unsafe emptying, mainly direct FS discharge into open drains or the immediate environment via illegal toilets/pits connections (38.1% out of 47.6%). Household heads with a high monthly income (aOR = 0.59; 95% CI 0.35-0.98; p = 0.04), house ownership (aOR = 0.27; 95% CI 0.15-0.47; p < 0.001) and distance to a water body (aOR = 0.03; 95% CI 0.009-0.12; p < 0.001) were the main explanatory variables, significantly reducing the likelihood of unsafe emptying. This likelihood increases when the household is close (≤ 100m) to gully/gutter (aOR = 1.73; 95% CI 0.99-3.03; p = 0.05). Our recommendations for improving sanitation in low-income settings include reducing environmental pollution caused by unhygienic/unsafe emptying practices requires, enhancing and enforcing current regulations and making implementing texts effective, raising public awareness focusing on the benefits associated to hygienic sanitation practices, and subsidizing sanitation interventions for the poor that includes homeowners.

Analysis of Income Disparity Fishermen in Papua Barat Daya Regency

This study analyses income disparity between fishermen and mangrove crab fishermen in Papua Barat Daya Village, Papua Barat Regency. Quantita-tive methods were used with descriptive analysis and statistical tests, in-cluding the Gini Index and two-sample independent t-test. Data were col-lected from 50 fishermen and 50 mangrove crab fishermen through ques-tionnaires related to their monthly income. The results showed that the av-erage income of fishermen was IDR 6.13 million higher than the average in-come of mangrove crab fishermen of IDR 5.26 million. The Gini Index anal-ysis showed a value of 0.32 for fishermen and 0.45 for mangrove crab fish-ermen, indicating greater income inequality among mangrove crab fishermen. The two-sample independent t-test showed that the difference in in-come between the two groups of fishermen was statistically significant (p &lt; 0.05). This study concludes that there is significant inequality in income between fishermen and mangrove crab fishermen, with higher inequality oc-curring in mangrove crab fishermen. Policy recommendations to reduce this inequality include improving market access, cultivation technology, and government intervention to support the welfare of fishermen in the man-grove crab sector.

The data mining and high-performance network model of tourism electronic word of mouth for analysis of factors influencing tourists’ purchasing behavior

This study establishes a deep learning model for personalized travel recommendations based on factors that affect tourists’ purchases to provide users with more accurate and personalized travel recommendations. Firstly, Natural Language Processing (NLP) technology is used to process and emotionally analyze tourism review information, dividing it into positive, negative, or neutral to understand tourists’ attitudes towards purchasing products and services. Secondly, a High-Performance Network (HPN) model is constructed based on factors that affect tourists’ purchases. The relationship among tourists, products, and word of mouth (WOM) is represented as a complex network to analyze and predict event occurrence patterns and influencing factors in tourism electronic word-of-mouth (EWOM) data. The construction of the model considers various factors, such as the spread of WOM, the impact of price, etc., to reveal the complex relationships among tourists, WOM, products, etc. Finally, the Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) model is combined with the Backpropagation (BP) model, the time series data is processed with the help of the gated recurrent unit, and the HPN model is trained and evaluated. The Yelp dataset is employed to verify the accuracy and feasibility of the model, which contains the score and review data of many tourist destinations. The results reveal that price, WOM, and destination are one of the main factors influencing tourists’ purchasing behavior, with WOM being the most significant. Positive WOM reviews remarkably increase product sales, while negative WOM has the opposite effect. The minimum expectation for age, occupation, education, personal monthly income, and tourists’ willingness to purchase is 0.00, and the minimum expectation for gender factors is 0.31. The RNN-BP hybrid model has higher accuracy and predictive ability, which is 1.73% and 2.30% more accurate than single models and traditional machine learning predictive models. In short, this study contributes to a better understanding travelers’ needs and preferences to optimize products and services and improve market competitiveness. In addition, the methods and models of this study can also be applied in EWOM data mining in other fields.

Interstate Migrant Workers and Access to Social Security Benefits: A Critical Study

According to the latest data, the construction sector is one of the second largest employment generation sectors with 71 million workers’ force and Indian construction workers are listed under the unorganized sector. The Ministry of Labor and Employment launched the e-sharam portal for unorganized sector workers which helps them to get awareness about the social security schemes. It is the first database in India that covers migrant workers, gig workers, construction workers, and migrant workers. However, it is crucial to study the status of social security among migrant construction workers. The main intention of this paper is to understand the status of social security among migrant construction workers in India. The present paper focuses on the latest literature related to social security especially related to migrant workers. The methodology adopted by the researcher is the secondary data. The finding of the study reveals that workers will only know information about social security through the welfare boards, workers who work on sites, and eighty percent of workers are not conscious about social security privileges. Meanwhile, the socioeconomic condition of workers was poor and factors like education level, and monthly income were very poor, the average monthly income was less than five thousand rupees per month. A few prominent studies were conducted on comparative studies comparing their economic status before and after their migration and it was found that the economic condition has improved when they have migrated from their place to some other place for livelihood. Keywords- Social security, Migrant construction workers, Unorganised sector, Socio-economic conditions.

Parent's Perception Regarding the Effects of Excessive Use of Mobile Phone on Children's Health: A Sociological Study in City Dera Ghazi Khan

The use of mobile phones among children has major effects on their health. Excessive and unrestricted use of mobile phones can contribute to various physical and psychological problems. Physically, children who spend excessive time on their phones often lead sedentary lifestyles, which can result in weight gain, obesity, and related health issues. Additionally, poor posture while using mobile phones can lead to musculoskeletal problems, causing discomfort and pain in the neck, back, and shoulders. The study objectives were i) to investigate the awareness level among parents regarding the potential health effects of excessive mobile phone use on children, ii) to examine the perception and attitudes of parents towards the use of children's mobile phones and its adverse effects on children's health as well as study the factors influencing parents decision regarding use of children mobile phone, and iii) to explore the knowledge gap among parents regarding the recommended guidelines for managing children's mobile phone usage. For this study, 280 parents were selected as respondents through a multistage sampling technique. At the first stage, 4 urban union councils (UC # 7 "Block–H", UC # 9 "Block–5", UC # 12 "Khayaban–e–Sarwar", and UC # 16 "Model Town") out of a total of 7 union councils were chosen using a simple random sampling method. At the second stage, 8 localities (two from each union council) were selected through a simple random sampling procedure. At third stage, 35 parents (as respondents) were selected from each locality using a purposive sampling technique. The results indicated that majority of parents (60.7%) were female , were age bunch from 31-40 years (52.5%), said their education was matriculation to upto graduation level (53.6%), were married (98.9%), and having 1–3 children (52.9%) were housewives (48.9%). The results also depicted majority (70.0%) of respondents said their household monthly income was 20,000– upto 50,000 rupees, parents' replied upto 6 hours spent their children to use mobile phone in a day (68.9%), parents sometimes allowed their children to use mobile phone in free time (77.9%) and sometimes allowed their children to use mobile phone in childhood (68.9%). Data regarding various purpose their children use mobile phone i.e. majority (71.4%) of the respondents said that children often use mobile phone for playing games; movies (47.9%); cartoons (55.0%); DIY crafts (49.6%); animated stories (54.3%); motivational content (49.3%); and educational Apps (48.9%). The results indicated that majority of parents (83.9%) were agreed that excessive mobile phone utilization cause neurological (mental health) issues in youngsters', mobile phone helped their child to stay organized (80.0%), mobile phone use likely obstruction with parent-kid association (78.2%) and empowering age-fitting substance and applications for youngsters deal with kids' cell phone utilization (85.3%). The bivariate analysis hypothesis showed that more hours spend by children on mobile phone in a day had significant relationship between more the risk of neurological (brain development) problems (χ2 = 33.882, p &lt; .006). More hours spend by children on mobile phone in a day had significant correlation between more the potential interference with parent-child interaction (χ2 = 30.376, p &lt; .016). Parents more allow to use mobile phone children's in free time had significant association between lower the children stay organized (χ2 = 21.748, p &lt; .005). Parents more allow to use mobile phone children's in childhood had highly significant relationship between lower encourage age-appropriate content and apps to manage children's mobile phone usage (χ2 = 25.726, p &lt; .001). The study was suggested that parents should be monitoring apps and games children download manage children’s mobile phone usage.

Which Chemotherapy-Related Terms were Difficult for Cancer Patients, and Who Would Have the Most Difficulties?

This cross-sectional study aimed to examine which chemotherapy (CTx) terms were most difficult to understand for cancer patients and identify vulnerable patient populations who might need extra support to understand the terms. We listed 56 CTx-related terms based on the experts' review, then 300 cancer patients and their caregivers completed a questionnaire that assessed literacy in CTx terms (LCT), functional health literacy, and empowerment. Descriptive analysis was performed to examine which CTx-related terms were most difficult for them. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with LCT level. Of the total 300 people, 162 (54.0%) were in the low-scoring (LS) group in LCT. LS group had a higher proportion of males, lower monthly income, and lived at the province, compared to the high scoring (HS) group. The participants tended to have difficulties in understanding terms related to blood count, risk of infection, and symptoms written in Sino-Korean. In the multivariable logistic regression, male participants (Adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] = 2.59, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.48-4.62), those with no cancer-related information-seeking (aOR = 4.32, 95% CI: 1.75-12.33), and those with low empowerment (aOR = 3.07, 95% CI: 1.83-5.23) were more likely to have a low level of LCT. There were still linguistic health literacy challenges faced by cancer patients and their caregivers, specifically in understanding chemotherapy-related terms. Minimizing medical jargon and Sino-Korean terms and empowering patients to be ready for treatment are necessary.

Influential Factors in the Decision to Pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Engineering and Artificial Intelligence at the School of Engineering and Technology, Walailak University

Background and Objectives: University education is essential for empowering individuals and fostering economic, social, and intellectual growth. In Thailand, fair and competitive university admissions are ensured across 75 institutions by the Thai University Center Admission System (TCAS). At the same time, each individual’s decision to pursue higher education is influenced by the quality of program’s curriculum and academic reputation, along with geographical considerations and parental guidance. This study investigates factors influencing the decision to pursue a bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering and Artificial Intelligence (CEAI) at Walailak University, focusing in particular on their revised curriculum. Insights gained aim to enhance curriculum alignment, boost recruitment, and meet the diverse needs of students. Methodology: This study employed an exploratory approach, using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis. The population consisted of 126 students enrolled in the CEAI program at Walailak University in 2022. A sample of 96 participants were randomly selected and voluntarily completed an online questionnaire. The questionnaire, distributed via academic platforms and social media, elicited demographic information and explored factors influencing participants’ decision to pursue this degree. Main Results: The results showed that curriculum factors had the greatest impact on the decision to pursue the program, followed by financial factors, educational institution factors, and personal reasons. The t-test results indicated that gender impacted decision regarding course enrollment and the total monthly income of the family affected the decision as to whether or not to enroll at a particular institution. Discussions: This study revealed key factors influencing enrollment decisions for CEAI students at Walailak University. Curriculum relevance, faculty expertise, and financial considerations emerged as their primary concerns. Notably, female students valued curriculum aspects more highly than their male counterparts, yet they remain underrepresented, highlighting persistent gender stereotypes in engineering. Income-related differences significantly impacted perceptions of financial factors. To address these findings, we recommend: (1) curriculum-focused marketing emphasizing industry relevance, (2) targeted outreach to female students, (3) expanded financial support and transparency, and (4) enhanced public relations leveraging social media and outreach programs. These strategies aim to create a more diverse and inclusive program, aligning with global trends in STEM education and workforce development. Conclusions: The study reveals that curriculum factors, particularly job market relevance and faculty expertise, are most important to students in Walailak University's CEAI program. Gender and income related differences significantly influence student perspectives. These insights can help improve program quality, develop targeted admission strategies, and better serve diverse student needs.

Work Reward Moderates the Association Between Work Effect and Workplace Violence Among Medical Staff in China.

Workplace violence (WPV) against healthcare workers is a significant public health issue in China and globally. Although the effort-reward imbalance theory claimed that work rewards may moderate the relationship between work effort and WPV, the quantitative evidence is limited. This study aimed to examine if work reward could moderate the associations between work effort and WPV against medical staff based on the effort-reward imbalance theory. This is a cross-sectional study, which was conducted in 12hospitals in Shandong, China. Data collected from 3426 medical staff were analyzed in this study.Work effort was evaluated by working hours and night shift work times per month (NSWM), and work reward was evaluated by monthly income and perceived social status. WPV, occupational characteristics, physical disease, and social-demographic variables were also evaluated in this study. There were 1788 (52.2%) medical staff, who reported the experience of workplace violence. Working hours, NSWM, and perceived social status were associated with WPV (all p<0.001). Monthly income could moderate the associations between monthly income and WPV or verbal violence (p<0.05), and perceived social status could moderate the associations between NSWM and WPV (p<0.001). Monthly income could moderate the associations between monthly income and WPV (verbal violence), and perceived social status could moderate the associations between NSWM and WPV, which could be explained by the effort-reward imbalance model. These findings also can be translated into practices to control WPV against medical staff.

The elderly population’s social networks and HIV perceptions: Evidence from China

ABSTRACT Background: Previous studies have found that people with low participation in social activities and living alone were prone to have risky sexual behaviors, while people with high participation in social activities were less prone to have risky sexual behaviors. Based on the above assumptions, we conducted an analysis on elderly population’s social networks and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risky behaviors in China. In the survey study, considering the sensitivity of sexual behavior, HIV risk behavior of the elderly population is more difficult to measure, so the intermediate variable of HIV perceptions was used instead of the sexual behavioral variable. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in July to September 2023 among the elderly aged ≥ 50 years in China to measure the social networks with the Social Support Rate Scale (SSRS) and to measure the HIV perceptions of the elderly with the degree of knowledge of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) prevention and treatment and the degree of discrimination of HIV/AIDS patients, and the data were statistically analyzed with SPSS 27.0 software. Statistical analysis methods included descriptive analyses such as frequency, percentage, mean ± standard deviation, and median, two independent samples t-test analysis, and multivariate logistic regression model analysis. Results: Among the 1022 elderly people surveyed, the proportion of those with weak and strong levels of social support was 46.9% and 53.1%, respectively; the proportion of those with low, medium, and high levels of HIV knowledge perceptions was 4.8%, 5.9%, and 89.3%, respectively; and the proportion of those with low, medium, and high levels of attitudinal perceptions was 24.7%, 35.0%, and 40.3%, respectively. Based on the Goodman–Kruskal Gamma test, it was found that there was a positive correlation between social support and HIV knowledge perceptions in the elderly population, and there was a negative correlation between social support and HIV attitudinal perceptions in the elderly population. Ethnicity, current occupation or pre-retirement occupation, personal average after-tax monthly income, attitudinal perceptions, and social support were the influencing factors for the knowledge perceptions in the elderly population (P &lt; 0.05); literacy, number of children, mode of residence, personal average monthly income after tax, knowledge perceptions, and social support were the influencing factors of attitudinal perceptions in the elderly population (P &lt; 0.05). Conclusions: There is a correlation between social networks and HIV perceptions in China’s elderly population, which is positively correlated with HIV knowledge perceptions and negatively correlated with HIV attitudinal perceptions, and it is important to improve the HIV prevention and knowledge of the elderly population and reduce their HIV-related discrimination.

An online engineering education framework based on the predictors of adaptability and fuzzy inference system

Online engineering education utilizes the internet and information communication technologies as media of learning. Unfortunately, there is a dearth of frameworks developed that address the issues of online learning based on predictors of adaptability of engineering students and faculty members. This paper aims to identify the issues of online learning, establish the causal-effect relationship between socio-demographic factors and adaptability, and propose an Artificial Intelligence-driven framework using mixed methods. The author engaged 886 engineering students and 61 faculty members from the Technological University of the Philippines in Manila and Taguig Campuses in the Philippines. Based on test results, fewer disruptions, more ICT devices, lower monthly internet bills, faster internet speed, and age significantly predict the students’ adaptability to online learning. Meanwhile, faculty members with faster internet speed and higher monthly income have significantly higher adaptability to online learning. The author proposed a framework using a Fuzzy Inference System, which can be used for an accurate and timely decision-making process. Further test results confirmed that the framework is consistently accurate and significantly faster than the conventional method Hence, the proposed framework is a viable decision-making tool for large datasets and complex use cases in online engineering education.

Knowledge and practices of parents of school age children towards Helminthiasis and malaria in northwestern Ethiopia

BackgroundHelminthiasis and malaria prevail in developing countries including Ethiopia, where they claim lives, retard physical and mental growth, reduce productivity and contain economic growth. Implementing helminthiasis and malaria control strategies require adequate knowledge and practices of the affected communities. Knowledge and practices of parents of school age children was assessed in relation to risk of child infection with Helminthiasis and malaria.MethodsA total of 398 parents of school age children attending Maksegnit Number Two Elementary School from September 2020 to June 2021 were interviewed regarding their sociodemography, knowledge and practice towards Helminthiasis and malaria. The risk of child infection with Helminthiasis and malaria in relation to sociodemography and household practices was tested using multivariable logistic regression model.ResultsRisk of child infection with Helminthiasis was lower when the responding parent was female (OR = 0.54; CI = 0.32–0.92) and monthly household income was ≥ 2001 birr (OR = 0.39; CI = 0.22–0.70). A monthly income of ≥ 2001 birr was associated with a low risk of child infection with malaria (OR = 0.37; CI = 0.21–0.65). Children living with married parents were at higher risk of Helminthiasis (OR = 2.25, CI = 1.33–3.81) and malaria (OR = 2.71, CI = 1.60–4.58) infection. Latrine with wooden floor was correlated with a high risk of child infection with Helminthiasis (OR = 7.2; CI = 2.16–23.95). While washing with soap after toilet (OR = 0.09; CI = 0.03–0.34) and eating washed cabbage/fruit (OR = 0.26; 0.15–0.44) were associated with a lower risk of infection. Parents who participated in environmental management based vector control were less likely to report child infection with malaria (OR = 0.44; 0.20–0.97). A child living in residual insecticide sprayed house was at risk of malaria infection (OR = 3.16; CI = 1.45–6.92).ConclusionsIn general female responding parent, higher household income, and washing with soap after toilet or eating washed cabbage/fruit were associated with decreased risk of intestinal helminthiasis infection in children. In addition, higher income and participation in enviroinmental management based vector contol were associated with decreased malaria infection risk in children.

Knowledge and Attitude Towards Lifestyle Modification Among Hypertensive Patients: A Cross-sectional Study In Ghana.

Introduction: Hypertension stands as a silent yet pervasive health challenge affecting millions worldwide. Appropriate lifestyle modification which are often overlooked are the linchpin for the prevention and control of hypertension. This study aimed at assessing the knowledge and attitude towards lifestyle modification among hypertensive patients at Methodist Hospital, Wenchi, Ghana. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted employing a quantitative approach. A structured questionnaire was administered to hypertensive patients and data collected through an interview. A multivariate logistic regression model was set up to determine independent predictors of knowledge and attitude towards lifestyle modification among hypertensive patients. Results: The study revealed that 36% of respondents had good knowledge and 59% had favourable attitude towards lifestyle modification recommended for hypertension management. Educational status (AOR: 4.32, 95% CI: 1.25 – 14.55), marital status (AOR: 2.12, 95% CI: 1.02 – 4.40), employment status (AOR: 1.73, 95% CI: 0.26 – 3.58) and average monthly income (AOR: 2.13, 95% CI: 0.33 – 5.62) were factors significantly associated with good knowledge of lifestyle modification. Knowledge level was significantly associated with attitude towards lifestyle modification (AOR: 3.19, 95% CI: 1.10 – 9.27). Conclusion: In this study, knowledge on lifestyle modification was poor but attitude was favourable. Concerted strategies are required to increase knowledge and attitude towards lifestyle modification.

Exploring end-of-life decision-making in China for disorders of consciousness

Objectives We aim to investigate the ethical attitudes of the Chinese population toward withdrawal of life-sustaining treatment (WLST) in disorders of consciousness (DoC) patients. Methods A self-administered questionnaire concerning WLST was distributed to Chinese medical professionals and non-medical participants between February and July 2022. Statistical analysis included chi-square tests and logistic regressions. Results A total of 1223 Chinese participants responded to the questionnaire (39% of whom were medical professionals). Less than one third of participants reported positive attitudes towards withdrawing artificial nutrition and hydration (ANH), antibiotics, and do-not-resuscitation (DNR) orders in patients with unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (UWS) (30%, 24%, 24%) and minimally conscious state (MCS) (23%, 19%, 15%). More respondents agreed with WLST in UWS compared to MCS (p < 0.05). Positive attitudes toward DNR orders were associated with participants’ older age, religion, monthly income > 5000 RMB and medical profession (p < 0.05). Most participants deemed patient’s will (78%), families’ wishes (67%), and financial burden (63%) to be crucial factors when considering WLST. Conclusions Chinese respondents exhibit a relatively low propensity to accept WLST in DoC. Ethical attitudes toward WLST resulted to be affected by individual characteristics of responders. These results call for developing better regulations for identifying qualified surrogate decision-makers and reducing legal ambiguities.

Financial anxiety of university students in Poland and Czechia: fsQCA analysis

PurposeThis study aims to formulate propositions based on combinations of causal conditions that lead to high or low financial anxiety among European students, particularly in Poland and Czechia.Design/methodology/approachThe data for this study were collected in September 2023 from 265 undergraduate and graduate students with their income at one university in Poland and three in Czechia. Students’ views on financial anxiety were explored using a seven-item Likert scale. This study uses fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), an emerging marketing research technique.FindingsThere are specific factors that may cause increased financial anxiety among young adults in Poland and Czechia, leading to the following key findings: (1) A mix of factors such as perceived lack of financial knowledge, being female, living with parents, having a low monthly income, single status and working a few hours or not at all is linked to higher financial anxiety. (2) Experiencing financial anxiety is also likely when there is low financial knowledge, female gender, living away from parents, single status and a high number of work hours. (3) The combination of low financial literacy, female gender, living with parents, being single and working more hours can elevate financial anxiety.Originality/valueThis study expands the scope of personal financial research by examining how cultural, socioeconomic and psychological factors affect students’ financial anxiety in two European countries that were infrequently studied in this context. It contributes to identifying the drivers of increased and diminished financial anxiety among young adults in Poland and Czechia.

Differentiated Instruction as A Strategy in Teaching Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person (IPHP) for Grade 11 Students

The research study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of differen-tiated instruction as a strategy in teaching Introduction to the Philosophy of the Human Person (IHLP) of one hundred sixty-nine (169) students. The researcher followed a prescribed lesson plan and focused on one ob-jective to meet the expected competency using the students Multiple In-telligences in dividing each class into small groups best suited the study.The study utilized a quantitative research method with a descriptive design to assess the effectiveness of differentiated instruction. To deter-mine the performance of the respondents on the pre-test and post-test using the differentiated instruction, quasi-experimental design is utilized to establish a causal relationship between an independent variable, the differentiated instruction and the dependent variable which is the stu-dents’ performance. T-Test and ANOVA is used to identify the significant differences between the pre-test, post-test, and demographic profile.The findings of the study revealed that majority of student-respondents are female adolescents, belong to a middle-income class fam-ily, are body/kinestic, logic/math, and music styled-learners. The stu-dents performed very satisfactory during pre-test. Differentiated instruc-tion as an intervention strategy was applied to tailor instruction to the learning needs of students based on the Pre-test scores and the students performed very satisfactory during post-test. The ANOVA computation revealed a significant difference between the performance of students during pre-test and post-test. However, no significant difference in the pre-test scores of students when grouped according to sex, age, family monthly income and learning style. A significant difference in the post-test scores of students when grouped according to sex was established. The proposed enhancement to intervention strategies aimed for a differ-entiated output.

Post-recovery quality of life (QoL) of the healthcare professionals affected by COVID-19: a longitudinal study in Bangladesh

PurposeThe study investigated the enduring impacts on the quality of life (QoL) of healthcare workers (HCWs) recovered from the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) over 12 months.MethodsThe study was conducted among 371 HCWs from November 2021 to January 2022, using the WHOQOL-BREF tool to evaluate the disparities in participants' QoL scores between the two interviews. Descriptive statistics, paired-sample analyses, Generalized Estimation Equation (GEE) analysis, and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed using R Studio (version 2022.07.1).ResultsThe average physical domain score notably declined between the interviews, contrasting with substantial rises in other QoL domain scores (p < 0.001). After adjusting for other factors, the changes in individuals' QoL scores were considerably linked with multiple characteristics, including older age, female, higher education, higher monthly income, married, active smokers, number of comorbidities, and hospital admission during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the regression analysis, the occurrence of new chronic illnesses was related to the lower physical domain score (AOR: 2.42, 95%CI 1.10, 5.35). Similarly, a reduced psychological domain score was correlated with a monthly family income > 60000 BDT (AOR: 3.26, 95%CI 1.39, 7.65), past smoking status (AOR: 3.42, 95%CI 1.21, 9.67) and COVID-19 re-infection (AOR: 3.94, 95%CI 1.91, 8.16). Meanwhile, being married (AOR: 3.55, 95%CI 1.47, 8.57), having at least one chronic disease (AOR: 2.07, 95%CI 1.17, 3.69), and COVID-19 re-infection (AOR: 2.81, 95%CI 1.37, 5.79) were significant with social domain scores. Subsequently, compared to nonsmokers, active smokers (AOR: 2.12, 95%CI 1.0, 4.49) had drastically decreased environmental domain scores.ConclusionsAfter 12 months of recovery, the overall QoL of HCWs improved in all domains between the interviews except the physical domain. Participants' monthly income, marital status, smoking history, onset of new chronic diseases, and COVID-19 re-infection were accountable for altering the QoL index of the HCW.