Participation In Different Types Research Articles

Types of COVID-19 Disaster Work and Psychological Responses in National Guard Service Members.

The National Guard (NG) served as a critical component of the U.S. response to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Understanding the impact of types of pandemic-related disaster work on mental health responses can aid in sustaining NG service members' health and preparation for subsequent activations and future pandemics. We surveyed 1,363 NG unit (NGU) service members (88% Army; 80% enlisted; 32% 30 to 39 years old; 84% male) following activation in response to the pandemic. Surveys were administered between August and December 2020, which was approximately 2 to 3 months post-activation. Surveys assessed overall activation stress, participation in different types of disaster work, probable post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety and depression, and anger. A disaster work stress scale assessed different types of disaster work during activation and associated stress levels. For each individual, we calculated an overall work task stress (WTS) scaled score, with a maximum score of 100. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship of high-stress disaster work tasks to post-activation PTSD, anxiety and depression, and anger, adjusting for socio-demographic and service-related variables. The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Uniformed Services University (USU) in Bethesda, MD. Among NGU service members, 12.7% (n = 172) described their activation as very/extremely stressful. The work tasks with the highest scaled scores were as follows: (1) Patient transportation (WTS scaled score = 100); (2) working with the dead (WTS = 82.2); and (3) working with families of coronavirus disease 2019 patients (WTS = 72.7). For each individual's work tasks, we identified the work task associated with the highest WTS score. The top one-third of WTS scores were classified as the high-stress group. Approximately 9% of participants (n = 111) had probable PTSD, 6.7% (n = 85) had clinically significant anxiety and depression, and 12.3% (n = 156) had high anger. Multivariable logistic regression analyses, adjusting for covariates, found that NGU service members exposed to the highest level of disaster WTS were more likely to report PTSD (odds ratio [OR] = 1.48 [95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.13-1.94], χ2 = 7.98), anxiety and depression (OR = 1.91 [95% CI = 1.17-3.13]; χ2 = 6.67), and anger (OR = 1.63 [95% CI = 1.13-2.37]; χ2 = 6.66) post-activation. Identifying work tasks associated with high levels of stress can help detect individuals at risk for adverse mental health responses post-exposure. Distinguishing features of high-stress work conditions can be generalized to other types of work conditions and disaster response and are important targets for planning and preventive efforts.

Mining and Modeling Both Association Patterns and Determinants for the Attendance of Performing Arts Activities

ABSTRACT The literature has explored related issues about the audience of performing arts activities with empirical investigations using various analytical approaches in different countries. Certain studies have concentrated on the univorous-omnivorous framework, aiming to examine if people participate in a wide range of performing arts genres or if they exhibit a more distinct preference for a specific type, while others explore what factors may influence individuals’ participation in different types of performing arts activities. This paper analyzes data from a survey that focuses on related issues about the attendance of performing arts events in three cities located in northern Taiwan. Performing arts in Taiwan are classified into four categories: music, dance, contemporary drama, and traditional theater. We mine patterns about how the audiences consume various type combinations of performing arts events through the association rule as well as identify determinants related to events’ attendances. Both the association mining approach and appropriate statistical modeling analytics are applied to achieve said purposes.

Examining the Impact of Long-Term Care Insurance on the Care Burden and Labor Market Participation of Informal Carers: A Quasi-Experimental Study in China.

Existing evidence from high-income countries suggests that policies aimed at enhancing access to formal care can reduce the burden on informal carers and facilitate their reentry into the labor market. However, there is limited evidence regarding the specific carers who have been most affected by such insurance. This study focuses on China's long-term care insurance (LTCI) and examines its effects on informal care burden and the labor market participation of different types of informal carers. Drawing data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study of 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2018, we employ a staggered difference-in-differences (DID) model with propensity score matching to analyze the impact of LTCI. To explore time-varying DID estimates, we adopted the DID event study design. Our study demonstrates that LTCI substantially alleviates the burden on informal carers while markedly boosting labor market participation. Notably, we found a more pronounced decrease in care burden among spouses, amounting to a reduction of 8.5hr per month. Concurrently, LTCI's impact on enhancing labor market participation was more significant among younger household members, reflected in an average income increase of 4,534 yuan per year. Furthermore, subgroup analysis highlights that LTCI primarily benefits informal carers providing care for older people with low income or those who were farmers or previously engaged in informal sectors. Our study demonstrates that LTCI has led to a reduction in care burdens and an enhancement in labor market participation. The impact is especially pronounced for informal carers of older people with low income or those with backgrounds in farming or informal work sectors.

Investigating Differences in Personality Traits, Self-Esteem, Eating Attitudes, and Body Image among Participants in Indoor and Outdoor Fitness Activities.

Physical activity environments influence physical condition, nutrition, individual and social behaviors, and emotional well-being. The aim of the study was to investigate differences in eating attitudes, self-esteem, personality traits, and body image among participants in indoor and outdoor leisure-time fitness programs. Participants included 1747 adults (882 men and 865 women) aged 34 ± 9.2 years, divided into experimental and control groups. All participants completed the Demographic Characteristics Questionnaire, the Eating Attitudes Test 26 (EAT-26), the Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), the Traits Personality Questionnaire 5 (TPQue5), and the Appearance Scales of the Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ-AS). The results revealed statistically significant differences between groups. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed noteworthy variations in personality trait scores between the groups (neuroticism, extraversion, and conscientiousness) as well as body image factors (self-esteem and eating attitudes). Two-way ANOVA revealed a significant interaction between gender and participation in different types of exercise. Females had lower self-esteem and body area satisfaction scores but higher eating disorder proneness, neuroticism, appearance evaluation, and overweight preoccupation scores than males. These findings add to the current literature focusing on the psychosocial and behavioral mechanisms associated with physical activity and exercise environments. The findings provide an effective supplement to promote public health-focused fitness programs and leisure-time physical activity motivation strategies.

Associations of types of physical activity with self-rated physical and mental health in Denmark

The purpose of this article is to analyse the association between types of physical activity and self-rated physical and mental health. The analyses are based on data from a Danish 2020 survey of adults’ exercise habits. The questionnaire was answered by 163,131 adults of whom 55 pct. were women and relatively evenly distributed by age. The questionnaire included questions about participation in different types of physical activity, self-rate of physical and mental health and sociodemographic and socioeconomic background. The analysis distinguishes between 16 main types of sports and exercise activities, cycling as a mode of transport, and gardening at home. The statistical analysis consists of ordinal regression, where the association between practicing a certain form of physical activity and self-rated health takes into account the adults other physical activity habits and their socio-economic and socio-demographic background. The analyses show, firstly, that the association, for most types of physical activity, is stronger for self-rated physical health than for self-rated mental health. Secondly, there are large differences in the strength of the association between the different types of physical activity. Thirdly, the association is significantly stronger for those who practise an activity type most days of the week than for those who do it less often. Fourthly, the analyses show small gender differences in the association between types of physical activity and self-rated health. Finally, the more different types of activity a person practises during a week, the better the self-rated health, but this primarily applies to self-rated physical health.

Association of Socio-Psychological Factors on Decision Making Process of Kvk Officials in Odisha

The role of research and extension system in delivery of appropriate technology to the farmers has been looked at as the most important input for furthering agricultural production. Therefore, considering the requirement of developing the capacity of the farmers and reducing the time lag between technology generation and technology application at farmer’s field; the idea of establishing KVK under the leadership of Dr. Mohan Singh Mehta appointed by ICAR in 1973 took place. The present study is an exploratory survey design undertaking 125 respondents comprising of Sr. Scientist & Head, Scientists, Program Assistants and Farm managers selected randomly from 33 KVKs across the state. The findings of the study revealed that majority of the respondents (56.80%) were middle aged, 64 per cent of them were male officials and (68.00%) of the sample reported to experience moderate level of Job Satisfaction, Job Autonomy and Organizational Stress. Further, Organizational Climate (76.00%) and the Level of Job Management (72.00%) of the KVK was also reported to be moderate. The average gap in participation was maximum in identifying the problem/needs (38.40%) and policy decisions (39.40%) among the all the different stages of decision-making and types of decision-making respectively. Further, it was observed that Professional Experience, Organizational Stress, Job Autonomy and Level of Job Management was strongly associated with extent of Participation in different types of Decision-making. The findings also revealed that Level of Job Management was found to be associated with participation in different stages of decision-making.

Factors influencing pharmacists' participation in continuing education activities in the United Arab Emirates: insights and implications from a cross-sectional study

BackgroundContinuing professional development (CPD) is essential for pharmacists to maintain and enhance their knowledge and skills. The purpose of this research was to collect data about the perception of pharmacists in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) towards CPD and identify factors that motivate or hinder their participation in different types of CPD activities.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among 322 pharmacists who completed a self-administered questionnaire that assessed their demographic characteristics, CPD preferences, motivators and obstacles to attending CPD programs, and perceived learning outcomes.ResultsParticipants’ average age was 33 years (mean = 30.6, SD = 5.97), and the range of years, since they graduated from a pharmacy degree program was 18 years (mean = 10.9, SD = 4.8). More than half of the participants were female; 198 (61.5%) and 193 (59.9%) of them were married. The study found that married pharmacists (AOR = 0.5, 95% CI 0.266–0.939, P value = 0.031), older participants (AOR = 0.232, 95% CI 0.266–0.939, P value = 0.04), and those who graduated longer than 16 years ago were less likely to attend live CPD events (AOR = 0.454, 95% CI 0.22–0.924). However, participants who worked up to 15 h had higher odds of attending live CPD events (AOR = 3.511, 95% CI 1.117–11.039, P value: 0.026). In addition, female pharmacists were less likely to participate in computer/internet-based continuing education than male pharmacists (AOR = 0.038, 95% CI 0.293–0.965, P value = 0.038). It also revealed that pharmacists who were not motivated by the topic of the CPD activity had a higher chance of attending computer/internet-based format (AOR = 2.289, 95% CI 1.198–4.371, P value = 0.012). In contrast, those who did not report the long distance to the CPD site as a hindrance had a lower likelihood of attending online internet-based CPD (AOR = 0.548, 95% CI 0.319–0.941, P value = 0.029).ConclusionsThis study is the first to explore pharmacists’ predictors of attending different CPD activities. These predictors are gender, age, marital status, experience since graduation, working hours, family barriers, work responsibilities, interest in the presentation topic, and the long travel distance to the site. These findings suggest that pharmacists have unique challenges and motivations regarding continuing education and that tailored approaches may be necessary to encourage participation.

Motivations to be active in club-based sport compared to fitness centres

ABSTRACT Purpose Understanding motivations for participation in different types of physical activity and settings has important implications for growing, servicing and retaining participants. The aim of this study was to identify the motivations to engage in organised club-based sport and activity through fitness centres. Methodology Two surveys were conducted, of Australian adults, those playing sport or who were active through fitness centres. Findings 4,509 adult survey respondents reported their motivations for participating in sport clubs (n = 3824) or fitness centres (n = 685). There were many significant differences in the motivations between the two groups. Overall, sport club participants were significantly more likely to report fun and enjoyment, and social reasons for a motivation to play compared to fitness centre users (p < 0.001). The fitness centre users were significantly more likely than the sport club participants to report physical health or fitness, to lose weight/keep weight off/tone and for psychological/mental health/therapy (p < 0.001). Practical implications These findings have implications for sport and fitness centre managers in terms of program design decisions. For example, motivations may inform the creation of options that lean more to social or health outcomes for new users. Research contribution This study uniquely investigates motivations for participation across organised sport clubs and fitness centres.

Music culture teachers’ participation in informal lifelong learning activities

The purpose of this paper was to determine the frequency of Music Culture teachers’ participation in different types of informal lifelong learning activities, as well as to find out their opinions on the importance and contribution of the above-mentioned points to thedevelopment of their own competencies necessary for teaching Music Culture. It is concluded that teachers participate the most in informal learning activities which do not require dedication of additional time and accordingly, they participate less frequently in activities which require more of their attention. They feel competent in performing all musical activities. Furthermore, they see benefits and the importance of participating in informal learning activities, however, their opinions are divided when considering whether they should dedicate additional time to informal learning and when deciding whether their teaching would be of the same quality if they did not apply the new knowledge acquired through informal learning.

The Impact of COVID-19 Restrictions on Perceived Health and Well-Being of Active Australian Older Adults.

The aim of this study was to determine the impact of COVID-19 restrictions on older adults' perceived health and well-being according to different types of participation in sport and physical activity by gender and region. A survey was implemented during the first COVID-19 lockdown in Australia (June 2020) and information collected on demographics, sport and physical activity patterns pre-COVID-19, and health and well-being outcomes during lockdown and compared to 1 year earlier. During COVID-19 lockdown, older adults who participated in both club sport and informal activities had significantly better general health, physical health, and resilience than those who participated solely in a single setting. Those participating in both team and individual activities reported better general well-being. Older adults who were active in a range of settings and modes had improved health and well-being. Social support is especially important for older adults to become and remain active.

Equity and inclusion in work-integrated learning: participation and outcomes for diverse student groups

ABSTRACT Universities support students in their transition to work and future career through programmes such as work-integrated learning (WIL). WIL engages students in authentic industry-based experiences and is considered valuable for preparedness for work, including professional socialisation and developing skills prioritised by graduate employers. Research shows, however, that access and participation in WIL is not equal among all student groups. This paper reports on the responses of over 151,000 recent graduates in an Australian-wide survey. It investigates participation in different types of WIL and its influence on self-perceptions of employability and the employment outcomes of graduates from different backgrounds. Findings show how access to diverse forms of WIL is not uniform, urging universities to carefully consider barriers and challenges for different student cohorts. Those that do access WIL largely experience significant positive outcomes, highlighting WIL’s instrumental role in preparing students for future work. The paper highlights the need for tailored approaches to WIL that enable access and optimise outcomes for all students to best prepare them for career pathways.

Hong Kong Adolescents’ Participation in Political Activities: Correlates of Violent Political Participation

The present study aimed to examine Hong Kong junior secondary school students’ participation in different types of political activities, to identify profiles of adolescents based on their political participation, and to examine potential protective and risk factors associated with adolescents’ violent political participation during the social unrest in Hong Kong from a positive youth development perspective. A total of 2,016 students (age = 13.92 ± 1.10 years) recruited from 24 secondary schools in Hong Kong participated in an online survey six months after the social unrest subsided. The findings provide a comprehensive descriptive profile of Hong Kong adolescents’ political participation. Four clusters of adolescents with homogeneous patterns of political participation were identified: (1) “Politically Inactive” (42.6%); (2) “Legal Participant” (27.5%); (3) “Radical/Violent Activist” (13.0%); and (4) “Peaceful Activist” (17.0%). Logistic regression analysis showed that being female, born in Hong Kong, having a weak local identity and a strong national identity, a high level of bonding, prosocial involvement and prosocial norms, a low level of parental psychological control and family conflict, and a good parent–child relationship were associated with a low risk of adolescents’ violent political participation. The findings point to the needs to further promote social cohesion in Hong Kong society, to help adolescents avoid the potentially essentialized dichotomy in their identity construction, and to develop programs targeting the identified risk and protective factors to prevent adolescents from engaging in political violence and to promote their civic participation.

Associations of extracurricular activity participation with bullying victimization among U.S. middle and high school students: A nationally representative sample

ABSTRACT While prior studies have addressed bullying experienced during school, limited research exists on the associations between participation in school-sponsored extracurricular activities and bullying victimization risk. The current study utilized data from the 2013, 2015, and 2017 National Crime and Victimization Survey’s School Crime Supplement (n = 13,376) to examine the associations between participation in different types of extracurricular activities and three types of bullying victimization (physical, verbal, and relational) among middle and high school students. Results indicated that participation in performing arts, service clubs, and “other” activities was associated with all three types of victimization. Additionally, participation in athletics was associated with decreased risk for verbal victimization. Prevention strategies and implications for schools regarding how to reduce bullying among middle and high school students, especially in the context of extracurricular activities, are discussed.

Medical information seeking behavior of urban patients in Zhejiang Province, China: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundHealth information seeking behavior (HISB) is a prevalent research topic. However, little is known about sociodemographic factors of HISB in China. This study aimed to examine the HISB of urban patients in China and identify predictors of source preference, online information seeking, and the timing of online seeking.MethodsBased on the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), this study conducted a cross-sectional survey of 1653 participants in different types of hospitals in 3 cities of different income levels within Zhejiang Province, China. Binary logistic regression analysis and multinomial logistic regression analysis were used to identify predictors of source preference, online medical information seeking, and the timing of online seeking for urban patients.ResultsThe offline was the primary source of medical information for 58.61% of adult urban patients, while 78.19% had ever sought medical information online. 36.81% of online medical information seekers sought information before the medical visit, 8.65% sought information after the visit, and 54.54% sought information before and after the visit. China’s urban patients with higher education levels, higher income levels, young, active in internet use, and living in high-income cities were more likely to be active online medical information seekers (using the internet as the primary source) and online medical information seekers (having ever sought medical information online). Except for gender and age, most sociodemographic characteristics were not significantly associated with the timing of online medical information seeking.ConclusionsSignificant predictors of active online medical information seekers and online medical information seekers in China were almost the same. Regional economic development had a significant direct impact on medical information seekers. Most sociodemographic characteristics were not significantly associated with the timing of online medical information seeking. The findings of this study imply that China’s health information technology industry has Chinese characteristics.

Development of civic and political engagement in schools: A structural equation model of democratic school characteristics’ influence on different types of participation

ABSTRACT Democratic school climate, critical reflection, and student participation at school have been linked to the development of civic and political attitudes. The study aims to identify the contribution of these characteristics to the development of civic and political attitudes and their impact on students’ participation (civic, political, activist, and lifestyle/online). Questionnaire data were collected in two waves with 1589 students from four European countries (Italy, Sweden, Germany, and the Czech Republic). Structural equation modelling tested the effects of school characteristics on different types of participation, mediated by institutional trust, political efficacy, and political interest. The results highlight the importance of opportunities for active involvement and critical reflection in fostering interest, efficacy, and all forms of participation activities. Democratic school climate was found to positively impact institutional trust and efficacy, but not participation. The findings highlight the need for a school environment that invites critical reflection and gives value to students’ participation.

Human resource development in SMEs in a context of labor shortage: a profile analysis

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) level of participation in human resource development activities during a labor shortage. Drawing on human capital theory, it examines whether SMEs’ profiles, determined according to their participation in different types of training activities, relate to perceived benefits of training, barriers to participation in training and learning culture.Design/methodology/approachThis study applies latent profile analysis (LPA) to 10 training practices of 427 SMEs in Quebec, Canada.FindingsThe LPA distinguished four profiles of SMEs, reflecting differing capacities for mobilizing training resources during a labor shortage. These four profiles show differences with regard to perceived training benefits, barriers to participation in training and learning culture.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is among the first to focus on the specific ability of SMEs to invest in their human capital in the unique and recent context of a labor shortage.

Examining youth participation in ongoing community and citizen science programs in 3 different out-of-school settings

We investigated youth participation in three Community and Citizen Science (CCS) programs led by natural history museums in out-of-school settings. Using second generation Activity Theory, we looked at repeated participation over time, collecting and then qualitatively analyzing ethnographic fieldnote observations on focal youth participation and components of the activity systems. We found each program provided multiple and unique access points for youth to participate in environmental science. Further, when facilitators emphasized the scientific goals of the programs clearly and repeatedly, youth participation in the scientific processes of the CCS programs deepened. Access to scientific tools, facilitation in using them, and repeatedly applying them in authentic research, enabled youth to participate in different aspects of CCS, from exploring to submitting biological data. Repeated participation in CCS activities provided the opportunities for youth to try the same type of participation multiple times (intensification), as well as provided the opportunity for youth to try different types of participation (diversification). Our findings suggest that repeated participation in authentic scientific research in CCS contexts fosters youth development of new roles and possible development of environmental science identities.

El papel de los monocitos y los macrófagos en la respuesta inmune innata

Monocytes and macrophages are part of the innate immune system. They come from bone marrow precursor cells, and we can find them in almost all the organs and tissues of the human body. Monocytes and macrophages help us to eliminate pathogens and infections, to promote the inflammatory and anti-inflammatory immune response, and repair damaged tissues. For this reason, they are very important to keep our body healthy and in physiological balance.&#x0D; In this section, we will describe the generalities of these cells to understand their origin, function, subtypes, their participation in different types of diseases and their regulation mechanisms withinthe immune response.&#x0D;

Children's Involvement in Different Sport Types Differentiates Their Motor Competence but Not Their Executive Functions.

Sports provide a context where important aspects of children’s health, such as motor skills and cognitive functions, can be enhanced. However, it is unknown which type of sport may be better for the development of motor competence (MC) and executive functions (EFs). This study investigated potential differences in MC and EFs in boys and girls, being involved in different types of sports (team, individual open skill, individual closed skill). A total of 115 children (49 boys), 8–12 years old (10.30 ± 1.19 years), participated in the study. Their MC was assessed with the Bruininks–Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency-2 Short Form, whereas for EFs, the Attention Network Test, the digits backwards test, and the how many–what number test were utilized. Significant MC differences among participants in different types of sports were revealed, favoring those from closed-skill sports; nevertheless, their EFs were at similar levels. Furthermore, no significant gender MC and EFs differences were detected. It seems that children’s participation in specific types of sports differentiates their motor skills but not their EFs, whereas boys and girls, when provided with the same opportunities, present similar levels of MC and EFs.

Students’ School and Political Participation in a Former Socialist Country

ABSTRACT Former socialist states made great progress in the institutional set up and development of civil societies after the fall of their non-democratic regimes. However, the gap in levels of political participation between former socialist states and old democracies remains. Using two-wave panel data, this study explores how four different types of participation are related to each other and whether a sense of internal political efficacy is a prerequisite or a product of these types of participation. The results imply that facilitation of a sense of internal political efficacy is the key for enhancing the level of youth political participation.