Online Posts Research Articles

Expressions of customer rumination in online posts and firm responses

AbstractWhen faced with service failures, customers tend to ruminate, i.e., engage in repetitive negative thoughts about service failures and their causes/consequences. Some customers express these ruminative thoughts in online posts, making the internal cognitive process of rumination publicly visible to prospective customers who read the posts. This research proposes a novel conceptualization and operationalization of customer expressions of rumination as the repetitive use of words related to (a) service failure aspects and (b) service failure causes/consequences. Across two field studies, one survey, and two experiments, this research demonstrates that rumination expressions in online posts about service failures are linked to lower sales, weaker prospective customers’ purchase intention, and more “likes” of the post. Responses expressing empathetic apologies are more effective in handling rumination expressions about service failure aspects, whereas responses mentioning compensation are more effective in handling rumination expressions about service failure causes/consequences. We urge managers to recognize the visibility and harmfulness of rumination expressions in digital outlets and provide solutions to minimize their damage.

Developing a Knowledge-Based Online Recommendation System to Guide STD Patients Through Their Journey

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) significantly impact public health, affecting one in five U.S. adults and imposing substantial economic burdens. Many at-risk individuals seek information and support online rather than through regular testing, facing challenges due to fragmented information and a lack of personalized recommendations. This study develops an online health recommendation system (OHRS) tailored for STD patients, integrating informational and emotional support based on their disease journey. Using a BERT-based named entity recognition (NER) algorithm, the system identifies patient emotions and stages from online posts, providing relevant support resources. Data collection for designing a recommendation engine included analyzing online posts and consulting healthcare experts. The system's effectiveness was validated through user-based simulation studies. Key contributions include developing text-mining algorithms, creating a knowledge-based recommendation system, and proposing design principles for AI-driven support systems for stigmatized conditions.

How does contact valence and group salience affect outgroup attitudes in asynchronous computer mediated contact? Experiments on intergroup contact via social media posts

ABSTRACT The prejudice reduction potential of face-to-face intergroup contact is widely established, but we know much less about computer-mediated intergroup contact (online contact) specifically via social media where interactions are less controlled and mostly asynchronous. Additionally, much of the work on online contact has focused on positive, controlled contact, neglecting the effect of negative contact. We examined the effects of mediated contact via online posts with differing valence (positive, negative, and neutral) in three experimental studies, in an imaginary scenario (Study 1: N = 120) and a real intergroup scenario with South and North Indians (Study 2: N = 296, Study 3: N = 336). Main effects of One way and factorial ANOVA showed that contact valence significantly affected outgroup attitudes in Study 1 & 2 but was not replicated in Study 3, where quality and quantity of past contact and status differences emerged as significant predictors of attitudes. Multiple mediation analysis revealed that intergroup anxiety and quality of contact explained changes in attitudes, which was less affected by valence and more by regional identity and history of contact. Findings are discussed in light of the possibilities and limitations of asynchronous mediated contact on social media.

Exposure to Peers’ Online Postings about Substances and Adolescents’ Substance Use: a Longitudinal Study

Exposure to Peers’ Online Postings about Substances and Adolescents’ Substance Use: a Longitudinal Study

Security and Privacy Perspectives of People Living in Shared Home Environments

Security and privacy (S&P) perspectives of people in a multi-user home are a growing area of research, with many researchers reflecting on the complicated power imbalance and challenging access control issues of the devices involved. However, these studies primarily focused on the multi-user scenarios in traditional family home settings, leaving other types of multi-user home environments, such as homes shared by co-habitants without a familial relationship, under-studied. This paper closes this research gap via quantitative and qualitative analysis of results from an online survey and qualitative content analysis of sampled online posts on Reddit. The study explores the complex roles of shared home users, which depend on various factors unique to the shared home environment, e.g., who owns what home devices, how home devices are used by multiple users, and more complicated relationships between the landlord and people in the shared home and among co-habitants. Half (50.7%) of our survey participants thought that devices in a shared home are less secure than in a traditional family home. This perception was found statistically significantly associated with factors such as the fear of devices being tampered with in their absence and (lack of) trust in other co-habitants and their visitors. We observed cyber-physical threats being a prominent topic discussed in Reddit posts. Our study revealed new user types and user relationships in a multi-user environment such as ExternalPrimary-InternalPrimary while analysing the landlord and shared home resident relationship with regard to shared home device use. Based on the results of the online survey and the Reddit data, we propose a threat actor model for shared home environments, which has a focus on possible malicious behaviours of current and past co-habitants of a shared home, as a special type of insider threat in a home environment. We also recommend further research to understand the complex roles co-habitants can play in navigating and adapting to a shared home environment's security and privacy landscape.

MultiADE: A Multi-domain benchmark for Adverse Drug Event extraction

Objective:Active adverse event surveillance monitors Adverse Drug Events (ADE) from different data sources, such as electronic health records, medical literature, social media and search engine logs. Over the years, many datasets have been created, and shared tasks have been organised to facilitate active adverse event surveillance. However, most—if not all—datasets or shared tasks focus on extracting ADEs from a particular type of text. Domain generalisation—the ability of a machine learning model to perform well on new, unseen domains (text types)—is under-explored. Given the rapid advancements in natural language processing, one unanswered question is how far we are from having a single ADE extraction model that is effective on various types of text, such as scientific literature and social media posts. Methods:We contribute to answering this question by building a multi-domain benchmark for adverse drug event extraction, which we named MultiADE. The new benchmark comprises several existing datasets sampled from different text types and our newly created dataset—CADECv2, which is an extension of CADEC (Karimi et al., 2015), covering online posts regarding more diverse drugs than CADEC. Our new dataset is carefully annotated by human annotators following detailed annotation guidelines. Conclusion:Our benchmark results show that the generalisation of the trained models is far from perfect, making it infeasible to be deployed to process different types of text. In addition, although intermediate transfer learning is a promising approach to utilising existing resources, further investigation is needed on methods of domain adaptation, particularly cost-effective methods to select useful training instances.The newly created CADECv2 and the scripts for building the benchmark are publicly available at CSIRO’s Data Portal (https://data.csiro.au/collection/csiro:62387). These resources enable the research community to further information extraction, leading to more effective active adverse drug event surveillance.

A novel multi-model feature generation technique for suicide detection

Automated expert systems (AES) analyzing depression-related content on social media have piqued the interest of researchers. Depression, often linked to suicide, requires early prediction for potential life-saving interventions. In the conventional approach, psychologists conduct patient interviews or administer questionnaires to assess depression levels. However, this traditional method is plagued by limitations. Patients might not feel comfortable disclosing their true feelings to psychologists, and counselors may struggle to accurately predict situations due to limited data. In this context, social media emerges as a potentially valuable resource. Given the widespread use of social media in daily life, individuals often express their nature and mental state through their online posts. AES can efficiently analyze vast amounts of social media content to predict depression levels in individuals at an early stage. This study contributes to this endeavor by proposing an innovative approach for predicting suicide risks using social media content and machine learning techniques. A novel multi-model feature generation technique is employed to enhance the performance of machine learning models. This technique involves the use of a feature extraction method known as term frequency-inverse document frequency (TF-IDF), combined with two machine learning models: logistic regression (LR) and support vector machine (SVM). The proposed technique calculates probabilities for each sample in the dataset, resulting in a new feature set referred to as the probability-based feature set (ProBFS). This ProBFS is compact yet highly correlated with the target classes in the dataset. The utilization of concise and correlated features yields significant outcomes. The SVM model achieves an impressive accuracy score of 0.96 using ProBFS while maintaining a low computational time of 5.63 seconds even when dealing with extensive datasets. Furthermore, a comparison with state-of-the-art approaches is conducted to demonstrate the significance of the proposed method.

"I'm a Solo Developer but AI is My New Ill-Informed Co-Worker": Envisioning and Designing Generative AI to Support Indie Game Development

Indie game developers are often defined as game developers who are typically not employed by or affiliated with tech giants or large gaming companies/publishers. Although people may decide to "go indie" for various purposes, indie game development has become a crucial part of the global gaming culture. However, this community is now facing unprecedented tensions as generative AI technologies are shifting how games can be designed, produced, and experienced. Through a qualitative analysis of 3,091 online posts and comments from subreddits and Facebook groups for indie game developers, we offer an in-depth investigation of how indie game developers perceive and envision the multifaceted role of generative AI in their creative practices. Our empirical investigation reveals that generative AI both promotes and harms indie game developers' endeavors to innovate the traditional game production model, which further influences the nature and workflow of creativity in game development. We also propose three principles for designing future generative AI technologies to improve indie developers' work while mitigating potential risks, harm, and negative impacts of AI. We hope that this study can help design and develop future generative AI technologies to foster and sustain more democratic and inclusive practices in game development rather than replacing human creators.

Folk Models of Loot Boxes in Video Games

Regulations require video games to provide transparency regarding loot box odds to keep players informed, leading many games to disclose probabilities in various ways; yet, the extent of players' comprehension of loot box mechanics remains unclear. We performed a content analysis on 80 online posts to understand players' perceptions of loot box odds in two popular video games (Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail). We then conducted semi-structured interviews with 24 players to explore the causes of these folk models across more games. Utilizing a bottom-up open coding approach, we created a taxonomy of folk models players have about loot boxes. We found that participants generally possessed inaccurate mental models of how loot boxes work, and they wanted game companies to enhance loot box transparency in three areas of probability disclosures: granularity, longitude, and scope.

A Structured Social Media Health Support Program after Bariatric Surgery.

Social media networks have been found to provide emotional, instrumental, and social support, which may contribute to improved adherence to postbariatric surgery care recommendations. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of an online social media-based, health care professional-led, educational and support program on patients' long-term engagement with and adherence to follow-up guidelines, self-care recommendations, and weight management after bariatric surgery. An observational cohort study, employing mixed methods, accompanied a 12-week interactive, structured, social media psychoeducational intervention program delivered on Facebook. Program participants, who had undergone one bariatric surgery within the past 1 to 7 years and were at least 18 years old at the time of surgery, were invited to join the program via posts online. Interested individuals were provided information about the program and the accompanying evaluation study, and those who met requirements completed study questionnaires before and after the program. Questionnaires included demographic and anthropometric information; postoperative recommendations received and their clarity and implementation; attitudes toward recommendation adherence; and well-being. Daily system data on program engagement were collected from the Facebook website. Of the 214 participants enrolled in the program, 101 (80.2% female, mean age 43.8 ± 9.1 years and mean body mass index 30.2 ± 6.8 kg/m2, 1-7 years after bariatric surgery) completed both baseline and end-of-program questionnaires and were included in the analysis. Following the program, improvements were observed in most aspects of participants' adherence to postoperative recommendations and well-being. Close to half of the participants (44.6%) reported reaching their postoperative target weight at the end of the program or maintaining it throughout the program. Video posts drew higher participant engagement than other media, and content about proteins received the highest number of reactions. However, participants' active engagement gradually declined over time. Interactive health support on social media can positively enhance patient engagement, adherence to treatment recommendations, health outcomes, and overall well-being.

In Their Own Words: Patient Narratives of Breast Cancer Surgery and Reconstruction.

Breast cancer's global burden prompts a comprehensive understanding of patient experiences surrounding surgical interventions. Social media platforms serve as a new potential avenue for analysis, reflecting patients' coping mechanisms and support-seeking behaviors. This study's objective is to further understand patient experiences regarding breast cancer interventions via social media to improve physician-patient dialogue. A cross-sectional study was conducted of Instagram and TikTok posts surrounding breast cancer surgeries using procedure-related hashtags. Content was categorized to prevalent themes related to Breast-Q foci and was subsequently analyzed. Data from 1,028 individuals were analyzed. Posts encompassed double mastectomy (39%), single mastectomy (22%), and combineddeep inferior epigastric perforator flap, latissimus dorsi flap, and transverse rectus abdominis muscle flapreconstruction (39%). Frequently identified themes included 'Raising Awareness' (86.87%), 'Spreading Positivity' (53.11%), 'Resiliency' (31.03%), 'Online Support' (24.61%), 'Update of Appearance' (20.82%), 'Recovery/Rehab' (19.94%), and 'Scientific Explanation' (19.75%). Instagram posts more likely encompassed positivity (p < 0.001), resiliency (p = 0.001), and mental health (p = 0.011). TikTok posts more likely (p = 0.001) discussed scientific explanations, decision-making, and symptoms (p < 0.001). Preoperative posts more likely (p < 0.001) surrounded scientific explanations, decision-making, and fear. Postoperative posts more likely (p < 0.001) highlighted appearance updates, recovery/rehab, and positivity (p = 0.012). Experiences with mastectomy and reconstruction differed: recovery/rehab (p < 0.001), scientific explanations (p = 0.015), treatment process (p = 0.003), range of motion (p < 0.001), self-esteem (p = 0.017), and wound management (p = 0.008). Concerns of patients online reflect Breast-Q measures. Understanding these nuanced patient discussions can provide novel insights for providers. Tailoring interactions through these insights may facilitate enhanced support, discussions, and experiences throughout the treatment journey. Main Points Social media offers a unique insight into personal patient experiences Online breast surgery patient perspectives reflect Breast-Q measures Outlooks from shared online posts may facilitate physician-patient dialogue LEVEL OF EVIDENCE V: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

From Consumption to Online Review Posting: Examining the Influential Factors of Conversion Rate

ABSTRACT Online reviews reflect consumer needs and generate an electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) effect influencing businesses’ financial performance. Existing literature on online reviews largely assumes consumers have a consistent conversion rate of writing and posting online reviews after a consumption experience. Using dual-source data of consumers’ footprints and online restaurant reviews, we challenge this assumption and quantify the online review conversion rate by depicting a comprehensive pathway from consumers’ visitation to their review writing. We find that consumer overall satisfaction has a nonlinear impact on the online review conversion rate. Extremely dissatisfied consumers are more likely to post online reviews to complain than generally dissatisfied consumers. In contrast, generally satisfied consumers are more likely to post online reviews than extremely satisfied consumers. Additionally, consumer engagement in the platform stimulates their online review behavior. Further, consumers’ geographical distance from providers has a U-shaped impact on online review conversion rate. Local nearby consumers and consumers from a relatively long distance have a higher chance to post online reviews than consumers from a moderate distance. Moreover, price promotions from providers facilitate consumers’ review behavior. The findings guide businesses to prioritize reading and responding to online consumer reviews based on these influential factors. Companies thus can use more targeted actions to encourage consumers to post positive reviews and spread a positive eWOM effect to attract consumers and enhance financial performance

Exploring the influence of online restaurant promotions on consumer behavioral intentions

PurposeConsumer behavior is evolving rapidly due to the increasing role of technology in daily life. Online food ordering has emerged as a key channel in this changing landscape. This paper investigates the relationships between online promotions, consumer skepticism, information sharing on social media and the intention to purchase food and beverages through online delivery services.Design/methodology/approachMeasures were developed based on a review of existing literature. Data from 402 participants were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM).FindingsThe study reveals that online promotions significantly impact consumers' sharing of restaurant posts. Additionally, consumer skepticism about online food sales affects both their sharing behavior and their intention to purchase online. Engagement in sharing restaurant posts online is a strong predictor of online food purchasing intentions.Practical implicationsThe findings offer valuable insights for restaurant operators, policymakers and technology developers in the competitive online food delivery sector. They emphasize the importance of implementing innovative promotions and crafting appealing food presentations. These strategies can accelerate customer decision-making, attract new customers and contribute to market expansion and customer base sustainability.Originality/valueThis research provides significant insights for restaurant owners and contributes to the limited literature on online promotions, consumer skepticism and information sharing in the restaurant industry. It also lays the groundwork for future studies aimed at deepening understanding in this field.

The meaning of obstetric violence experiences: A qualitative content analysis of the Break the Silence Campaign

BackgroundObstetric violence involves the mistreatment, disrespect, and abuse of birthing people and the problem has been recognized in healthcare systems worldwide. Obstetric violence is a gendered, sex-specific form of violence against women that is a public health problem and a violation of human rights. There are an unknowable number of online posts and social media messages that describe obstetric violence experiences. There are no known studies about self-published experiences of obstetric violence in the US maternity care system. ObjectiveTo understand the meaning of obstetric violence experiences in the US maternity care system from a naturally occurring, purposive sample. DesignA secondary analysis of the textual data from the original Break the Silence social media campaign using qualitative content analysis. The theory of social justice in nursing provided a theoretical framework. A healthcare systems approach was used for a wide-angle view of the multidirectional structure, processes, and outcome of obstetric violence. SettingThe study setting is the public Facebook page where the Break the Silence social media campaign can be seen. Break the Silence was an online activism response to the problem of obstetric violence in the US maternity care system with signboard messages posted from 31 known US states. The setting is bounded by the digital page where the campaign is published. ParticipantsThere were 139 participants, and 11 of them posted more than one signboard message. Most participants were birthing people (n = 125) followed by doulas (n = 10). MethodsKrippendorff's methodology for qualitative content analysis was applied to 156 signboard messages posted on Break the Silence from 2014 to 2016. Qualitative content analysis was supported by Atlas.ti 23. ResultsFour themes illustrated the meaning of obstetric violence in US maternity care: 1) pregnancy and birth as a battle with healthcare providers and the healthcare system, 2) sacrifice of the maternal body normalized and assumed as a gender stereotype, 3) disrupted rites of passage from childbirth, and 4) abuse of fiduciary power by healthcare providers. ConclusionsThis study demonstrated thematic meanings for the experience of obstetric violence in US maternity care with a healthcare systems approach that included structural and organizational considerations to increase understanding. Categories and forms of obstetric violence from the existing literature were expanded and strengthened by findings from this study. Themes were validated in principle with consistency in findings across the international evidence base on obstetric violence.Tweetable abstract: The meaning of #obstetricviolence experiences is interpersonal and structural with thematic consistency across international studies.

Paving the Path to Permanence: Filipino HEI Instructors’ Experience of Balancing Work and Studies in Pursuit of Permanent Teaching Positions

While the Commission on Higher Education of the Philippines mandates graduate degrees for college instructors, the lived experiences of these educators pursuing them amidst demanding schedules and unclear career goals remain under-researched. Hence, this study explored the lived experiences of SUC instructors pursuing graduate degrees as part of the minimum job requirement. Through online posting, a total of 12 participants were recruited from different state colleges and universities in the Philippines. Eight participants were interviewed in-depth, and the other 4 participants had focus group discussions. Themes emerged, focusing on challenges regarding time management issues, an overwhelming workload, and job security concerns. These challenges underscore the urgent need for interventions to support these educators. Regarding their coping mechanisms, they observed help-seeking behavior and strategic rest for well-being. As to their insights, institutional financial support transcends. Conclusively, the main essence of completing their graduate degree is to achieve knowledge to feel empowered and as a path to permanence. These themes highlight the need for a specific intervention addressing time management, career planning, help-seeking behavior, financial literacy, and motivation regulation.

Characteristics, Influence, Prevention, and Control Measures of the Mpox Infodemic: Scoping Review of Infodemiology Studies.

The mpox pandemic has caused widespread public concern around the world. The spread of misinformation through the internet and social media could lead to an infodemic that poses challenges to mpox control. This review aims to summarize mpox-related infodemiology studies to determine the characteristics, influence, prevention, and control measures of the mpox infodemic and propose prospects for future research. The scoping review was conducted based on a structured 5-step methodological framework. A comprehensive search for mpox-related infodemiology studies was performed using PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus, with searches completed by April 30, 2024. After study selection and data extraction, the main topics of the mpox infodemic were categorized and summarized in 4 aspects, including a trend analysis of online information search volume, content topics of mpox-related online posts and comments, emotional and sentiment characteristics of online content, and prevention and control measures for the mpox infodemic. A total of 1607 articles were retrieved from the databases according to the keywords, and 61 studies were included in the final analysis. After the World Health Organization's declaration of an mpox public health emergency of international concern in July 2022, the number of related studies began growing rapidly. Google was the most widely used search engine platform (9/61, 15%), and Twitter was the most used social media app (32/61, 52%) for researchers. Researchers from 33 countries were concerned about mpox infodemic-related topics. Among them, the top 3 countries for article publication were the United States (27 studies), India (9 studies), and the United Kingdom (7 studies). Studies of online information search trends showed that mpox-related online search volume skyrocketed at the beginning of the mpox outbreak, especially when the World Health Organization provided important declarations. There was a large amount of misinformation with negative sentiment and discriminatory and hostile content against gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men. Given the characteristics of the mpox infodemic, the studies provided several positive prevention and control measures, including the timely and active publishing of professional, high-quality, and easy-to-understand information online; strengthening surveillance and early warning for the infodemic based on internet data; and taking measures to protect key populations from the harm of the mpox infodemic. This comprehensive summary of evidence from previous mpox infodemiology studies is valuable for understanding the characteristics of the mpox infodemic and for formulating prevention and control measures. It is essential for researchers and policy makers to establish prediction and early warning approaches and targeted intervention methods for dealing with the mpox infodemic in the future.

Sharenting: characteristics and awareness of parents publishing sensitive content of their children on online platforms

BackgroundThe term “sharenting” describes the increasingly popular habit of parents to share photos, videos, or other information regarding their children on their social profiles, through online platforms. It is highly likely that many parents are posting content about their underage children online with little knowledge of the risks associated with this practice. This study aims to investigate whether variables such as parents’ age, gender, marital status, occupation and educational level influence the practice of sharing child-related content and the degree of awareness.MethodsWe performed a pilot cross-sectional study, based on an anonymous questionnaire. The questionnaire was administered to parents of underage children attending the pediatric outpatient clinic of the Umberto I Hospital, Sapienza University, in Rome, Italy, by researchers, through the google forms platform; qualitative variables were generated on excel sheets and a statistical analysis was performed on SPSS Ibm-statistics using the chi-square test.ResultsTwo hundred twenty-eight parents of children under 18 years of age completed the questionnaire (82% mothers, 18% fathers); 98% of the respondents used social media and 75% of them published their children’s related content online. Thirty-one percent of the compilers started their practice of sharenting in the first 6 months of life of their child. Our analysis showed that compared to parents who do not post online, parents who usually post online their children are significantly more likely to be partial employees or unemployed (p = 0,002), with lower educational level (p = 0,05), younger (less than 35 years of age (p = 0,01)) and have a higher number of followers (p < 0,001). Finally, 93% of the compilers were not aware of the current legislation and of the risks related to the practice of sharenting.ConclusionsPediatricians, healthcare assistants and preventive healthcare professionals should play a central role in alerting parents and families to the risks of sharenting; the results of our study could draw their attention to the increasing practice of sharenting and make healthcare professionals active part in the protection of children.

Conspiracy theories and the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan: the rise, radicalization, and fall (?) of YamatoQ-kai

Abstract This article investigates how conspiracy theories, spirituality, and resistance against pandemic-mitigation measures became intertwined during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis in Japan. Utilizing selected concepts from social movement theories (SMT), this case study-driven exploratory analysis focuses on the activities of YamatoQ-kai, a civil society organization that originated in a group of conspiracy-theory influencers and whose activities included the dissemination of an anti-immunization agenda. By analysing online posts on the organization’s homepage and journalistic reports on the organization, the article illuminates the underlying implications of the conspiracy theorists’ activism and demonstrates how the group adopted QAnon’s conspiracy rhetoric whilst taking a Japanized form. Second, it explains YamatoQ’s pivotal place amongst the Japanese societal actors espousing vaccine-hesitant attitudes. Finally, it shows how the group—as an unconventional case of conspirituality—created tangible experiences for followers and demonstrates the affective impact of group solidarity. In this way, the article’s findings contribute to closing the research gaps in scholarship on conspiracy theories, vaccine scepticism, and conspirituality.

Retrospective text and qualitative analyses of patient experience and management of vasomotor symptoms due to menopause: voices from the PatientsLikeMe community.

Vasomotor symptoms (VMS) due to menopause cause substantial burden and distress. Some women join online communities to share experiences and treatment outcomes through peer-to-peer interactions. This study describes women's experiences with VMS and symptom management on the PatientsLikeMe online support group. Mixed-methods research included women aged 40 to 65 years in the PatientsLikeMe community who were recruited using convenience sampling. Text from online posts by members was analyzed retrospectively using natural language processing. Relevant data, including numbers and percentages of women and frequencies of mentions, were summarized descriptively. Qualitative semistructured interviews were conducted; data, notes, and recordings were transcribed and deidentified and thematic analyses were performed. Demographic information was available from 1,614 accounts included in retrospective text analyses. Women had a mean age of 56.7 years; most were White (87.8%) and not Hispanic/Latino (90.2%). Hot flashes and night sweats were most commonly mentioned symptoms (n = 146). Of 16 women who were interviewed, 14 met the inclusion criteria, and their responses were included in the analysis. VMS impacted life quality in terms of physical (43%) and mental well-being (36%), social activities (21%), and productivity (14%). Symptom management included temperature regulation (43%), lifestyle changes (36%), over-the-counter Estroven (29%), hormone therapy (21%), and contraceptives (21%). Half of the women were surprised by symptom intensity and duration; many felt unheard by their healthcare providers. VMS have a substantial negative impact on multiple aspects of women's life. Management strategies for these symptoms vary widely, and many women feel unprepared for navigating the complex challenges of menopause.

A Video Data Analysis of Pet Theft Incidents: An Examination of Offense Form, Situational Dynamics, & Offender Characteristics

ABSTRACT Pet theft is a type of property crime, but pet-owner relationships include emotional dimensions and life experiences that can compound their loss far beyond property value. Their bondedness with humans includes companionship as well as healthy lifestyle and mental wellness benefits, which are abruptly halted at junctures of pet loss. Though pets are stolen for various motives (e.g. ransom, reward, resale, or breeding), this crime form has received little research attention from academic criminology and criminal justice. Toward building a line of inquiry, this paper empirically explores the phenomena of “dognapping” as dogs are the most frequently stolen pet and the only pet for which there is a database large enough for meaningful exploration. Content analysis of online posts and web-based video data (Twitter/X1 posts, YouTube videos, and social media websites dedicated to missing and stolen pets) enabled a delineation of dog theft forms, offense dynamics, and offender characteristics. Findings regarding residential and commercial dog theft center discussion on situational crime prevention implications and additional research opportunities to further evidence and explore this relatively disregarded crime.