Personal Questions Research Articles

Modifications of behavior management strategies pre- and post-covid-19 scenario: A survey among pediatric dentists.

COVID-19 presented a unique scenario among children, specifically all over the world. The children had decrease outdoors activities and learning times, increased use of electronic gadgets and changes in sleep patterns. These altered behavior patterns of children directly influenced their behavior in the dental operatory. This coupled with the stringent protocols of COVID-19, made the behavior management of children a tedious task. However, as they say that necessity is the mother of all inventions, the pediatric dentist took this time to evaluate newer methods of behavior management and modified old strategies with newer modifications. The main aim of this study was to observe the modifications in behavior management strategies among pediatric dentists in the post-COVID-19 era while managing the child in dental operatory. Four hundred pediatric dentists were mailed a questionnaire consisting of 24 open and closed-ended questions consisting of personal data, professional information, and questions regarding various behavior management techniques used by them in pre- and post-COVID-19 era. Data obtained were subjected to statistical analysis using SPSS version 26.0, IBM, and a comparison of frequencies of categories of variables with groups was made using Chi-Square test and McNemar test. The results showed that there were statistically highly significant changes in behavior management strategies pre- and post-COVID-19 scenario with P < 0.01. Conventional techniques like Tell-Show-Do were popular in both pre- and post-COVID-19 times with minor modifications in approach, but conscious sedation and distraction techniques were evaluated to have gained more popularity in the post-COVID-19 times along with exploration of new novel techniques.

Assessment of knowledge and anxiety level of forensic science experts and technicians on SARS–CoV2 Pandemic

This prospective, descriptive and cross-sectional study was performed to assess the knowledge and anxiety levels of forensic science experts and technicians working at the Ministry of Justice Council of Forensic Medicine regarding the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome – Corona Virus2 (SARS–CoV2) pandemic. Research data was obtained by a questionnaire, including personal information questions, a Coronavirus 19 Phobia (C19P–S) scale, and knowledge level questions, conducted on 295 participants between 01/10/2020–30/11/2020. Knowledge scores of the participants having bachelor's degrees (16.57±7.51) were found to be lower than those of the associate degree (23.74±6.52) and postgraduate degree (23.29±6.63) groups. The professional group with the lowest knowledge score was the engineer (12.00±4.95). The knowledge score of forensic medicine specialists (24.78±5.98), forensic medicine residents (24.78±5.53), and technicians (23.84±6.61) were higher than other professional groups. The psychological sub-dimension score was 18.69±5.73, while psychosomatic 8.93±3.72, social 14.65±4.47, economic 8.54±3.39, and the total C19P–S scale was 50.80±14.56. The psychological and total C19P – S scale scores of the female participants were higher than the scores of the men. Total C19P–S scores of the participants working in the specialized departments were higher than the participants working on the specialized boards. The highest C19P–S scale total score was determined in the technician's group. In general, the knowledge and anxiety levels were determined as "moderate". The findings of this study indicate that, in addition to the stress of working with a high risk of transmission, also postponed schedules, accumulated workload, etc. may affect the psychological state of forensic science experts and technicians. However, the coping rates are strong enough to keep the stress level at “moderate”. Moderate level knowledge scores may reveal the need to do more reading on health topics and perform more studies on SARS-CoV2 while it may also be seen due to the significant information pollution.

Evaluation of general dentist's and dental student's knowledge about emergency management of dentoalveolar trauma in Bojnurd, North Khorasan, Iran

Background: Traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) are one of the most common dental problems among children and adolescents, which usually occur in the anterior parts of the mouth and have great impact on the patient's physical and mental health. Therefore, dentist's knowledge and effective measures in the treatment of TDI are the most important factors in improving the prognosis of these teeth. Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge of general dentists working in Bojnurd and also 6th-year dental students about the treatment of such injuries. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a questionnaire was provided to 70 general dentists and 6th-year dental students, including personal information and questions related to the knowledge of general dentists, on how to deal with various TDIs by available methods. Data were analyzed using t-test, Chi-square test, Kruskal–Wallis test, and analysis of variance, Spearman's, and Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results: Regarding general dentists' knowledge about dentoalveolar trauma: 39 (55.7%) were moderate, 28 (40%) were good, and 3 (4.3%) were excellent. The mean value knowledge of dentists and dental students was 8.18 ± 1.98. There was no significant relationship between age, gender, place of work, university of study, desire for education, and self-evaluation of dentists and level of awareness (P = 0.26, P = 0.61, P = 0.47, P = 0.93, P = 0.35, and P = 0.57, respectively). Conclusions: The results of our study indicate that majority of the participants are moderately aware of TDIs and the type of treatment, and due to the increasing prevalence of dental trauma and its high complications, especially in children, the need to make appropriate plans to update the level of knowledge of general dentists in the management and treatment of TDI increases.

Factors explaining resilience among Nepalese older adults experiencing disasters: A cross-sectional study

Identification of protective factors of resilience among older adults experiencing disasters is essential to the promotion of a positive and successful psychosocial and spiritual adaptation to life adversities in the post-disaster phase. This cross-sectional analytical study was done to examine the factors explaining resilience among 303 randomly selected older adults experiencing disasters. Data were collected using the Socio-demographic, Personal, and Earthquake-related questions and another ten sets of standards and reliable instruments measuring explanatory and outcome variables. Descriptive and inferential statistics namely Pearson Product Moment Correlation were employed to analyze the data including path analysis for identifying the factors associated with resilience. The results reveal that the model shows a good fit with the empirical data that explained 75% of variance by self-efficacy, perceived stress, spirituality, self-esteem, and social support on resilience, and 47% of variance by self-esteem, social support, and perceived stress on self-efficacy. The strongest statistically significant factor explaining resilience was self-efficacy. Thus, resilience-focused interventions or services should be designed for public health practitioners, social workers, nurses, and other health professionals to enhance intrapersonal protective factors such as enhancing self-efficacy, creating a spiritual environment, alleviating perceived stress, and promoting self-esteem and social support which could foster older adults' survivors’ resilience, both during and after disasters.

Explorative Study of Tourist Behavior in Seeking Information to Travel Planning

This study aims to explore the behavior of domestic tourists in seeking information to travel during the COVID-19 pandemic and whether there are significant differences with tourist behavior before the pandemic and what are the best strategies so that they can be helpful in tourism actors in creating and developing digital marketing strategies based on the latest information technology phenomena. This study uses a qualitative paradigm. Data collection techniques used in the study were observation, in-depth interviews, literature study, and documentation. The results of this exploratory research can then be used as a basis for the following research stage, namely descriptive analysis. Online focus group discussions and surveys were conducted to achieve the objectives of this research. Tourist behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic has changed, that tourists will always look for travel information using window shopping or online search through social media and ask personal questions (individuals) in travelling to a tourist destination. The right strategy for tourism actors in developing sustainable digital marketing includes building personal trust to tourists, implementing innovation strategies that involve guests, and mutual integration and collaboration, which are the main keys to the success of tourism actors in creating or developing sustainable digital marketing. The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented and ongoing crisis for the global tourism industry. The key to the recovery of the worldwide tourism industry will be to encourage tourism activities both domestically and internationally.

Философствование как вопрошание о бытии

The article is devoted to the study of philosophizing as questioning. It is substantiated that in terms of content, it is, firstly, an ideological questioning about the world and the place of human in it; secondly, conceptual questioning, which is realized in a developed philosophical theory; thirdly, metaphysical questioning, the purpose of which is the knowledge of being as such; fourth, transcending questioning, expanding and complicating the spheres of knowledge and practice; fifth, projective questioning aimed at creating and implementing possible models of a person; sixth, personal questioning, which forms the consciousness of a particular individual. Various types of philosophizing in ancient, medieval, modern European and modern thought are analyzed. It is emphasized that the definition of the main issue of philosophy as the question of the relationship of thinking to being, spirit to nature makes sense only within the framework of classical thought. In post-non-classical philosophy, interrogation is carried out within disparate semantic "clusters", through which it is impossible to comprehend the being as such, to cognize the world whole.

Technology‐assisted caregiver matching to address isolation and stress

AbstractBackgroundCaregiving for persons with dementia negatively impacts physical and mental health, including increased risk for chronic loneliness and isolation. This Phase I study aimed to recruit former and current dementia caregivers as engaged partners in the design of a unique, technology‐assisted pairing platform to match caregivers to one another for meaningful connection and support based on characteristics chosen by the caregivers themselves.MethodWe recruited thirty‐two caregivers to participate in two semi‐structured focus groups (audio recorded for qualitative analyses) and complete a survey to understand the characteristics desired in another caregiver for the purpose of emotional support. Participants interacted with a website prototype on their personal device and completed a user experience feedback form. An iterative process was used to design the website and matching questionnaire allowing participants to validate preferences and concerns. Website analytics were captured (e.g. time to answer each question, total time spent on the website).ResultThe efforts culminated in a website ‘look and feel’ that addressed the preferences and criticisms of study participants. Figure 1 shows the home page slider inviting caregivers to join (images 1‐3) and describes the matching process (4); the caregiver answers up to 34 questions to create a profile (5‐7) and the website provides a list of caregivers that best match criteria (8). Overall, 87% of study participants rated a high level of comfort with completing the personal profile questions; 82% felt confident the questions asked would lead to a good match. An algorithm to match caregivers was created using the profile questions which asked participants to self‐select and then rank the characteristics of highest importance. Good and poor matches are scored by the algorithm, with 1 being a “perfect” match (Figure 2). In the current cohort, each participant had at least one match that scored 0.708 or higher.ConclusionOur study established interest in a technology assisted peer‐to‐peer caregiver matching program that is a potential low‐cost, high‐impact resource. The study resulted in a set of matching characteristics and an algorithm prototype within a user influenced website and will be further tested in Phase 2. Research supported from NIA of the NIH.

Virtual Social Events: An Integral Component of Recruitment in the New Era of Graduate Medical Education.

Virtual Social Events: An Integral Component of Recruitment in the New Era of Graduate Medical Education.

A Collaborative Approach to Safety, Equity, and Fairness by Medical Staff, Graduate Medical Education, Human Resources, and Law Enforcement.

A Collaborative Approach to Safety, Equity, and Fairness by Medical Staff, Graduate Medical Education, Human Resources, and Law Enforcement.

Interactions between the Public and Assistance Dog Handlers and Trainers

Simple SummaryThe number of disability assistance dogs in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) is small but slowly growing; therefore, encountering an assistance dog in a public place remains a novel experience for most people. Little is known about the experiences of NZ handlers and trainers with the public. In this research, there were both benefits and challenges for participants when interacting with the public. Handlers benefited from increased social engagement but they experienced the challenges of denied access to businesses, cafés, restaurants, shops, and public transport; invasive personal questions; unwanted interactions; and interference with the dog. These challenges were most difficult to manage. These findings highlighted the complexity of such interactions and the need to inform the public about the dog/handler or dog/trainer teams’ legal right of access to public places and etiquette on how to interact with these teams.This research aimed to explore the experiences of handlers and trainers of disability assistance dogs in terms of the types of interactions they had with members of the Aotearoa NZ (NZ) public and how these interactions were perceived, interpreted, and managed. A qualitative method, guided by an interpretive approach and social constructionism, was utilised to collect data via semi-structured interviews with six handlers and six trainers of assistance dogs. Data were analysed using thematic analysis with the social model of disability as the theoretical base. Findings indicated that participants regularly faced a complex range of unique interactions due to various factors such as the public’s lack of knowledge and understanding of the dog’s role and right of access to public places. While participants encountered brief friendly comments about the dog and its role, other encounters involved long conversations, invasive personal questions, interference with their dogs, and denied access to businesses, cafés, restaurants, and public transport. These findings underpin the need to provide more education to the public on the etiquette of engaging with handlers and their assistance dogs and more support for businesses to understand the legal rights of handlers. Through education and support to change societal attitudes and remove structural barriers, disabled people using assistance dogs may be able to independently participate in community life and be fully included without hindrance.

Becoming vegan: A study of career and habitus

This article aims to understand the stages of adopting veganism in young people. To achieve this objective, we analyze 30 biographical interviews with young vegans in Santiago, Chile. The participant’s stories allow us to identify that the transition to this new lifestyle implies acquiring a secondary habitus, that is, a gradual shift in understanding and acting in the world, which entails progressive identity changes until becoming vegan. This transition consists of five steps: personal questioning, vegetarianism attempt, vegetarianism, veganism, and activism. This path constitutes a career process but presents nuances according to the young people’s social class of origin and individual characteristics. The main contribution of this article is to delve into the career stages that lead to the consolidation of a vegan identity, based on two classical sociological concepts (career and habitus).

Reflective Journal Writing: Writing Processes applied by Skilful and Less Skilful EFL Graduate Students

Journal writing is the process of recording personal insights, reflections, and questions on assigned topics. It is extensively applied in educational setting as an individual activity with diverse terms and these include journal dialogue, learning journals, and reflective writing (RW). Reflective writing (RW) is one of the most common writing activities applied by higher education students. However, some still struggle with this writing technique. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the right processes/ sub-processes used by skilful and less skilful EFL graduate students in conducting Reflective writing. Data were collected from two (2) female graduate students through think-aloud, observation, retrospective, and semi-structured interviews. The result showed the significance of integrating a focus on an effective writing process/sub-process in academic writing and encouraging students to practice Reflective writing in multiple contexts by reading extensively when writing reflection.

Diagnosing the "master mechanism of the universe" in interwar and war-era America.

Drawing on personal testimonials and questions addressed to psychiatric hospital officials, this article explores how patients and their loved ones engaged with the idea of diagnosis in interwar and war-era America. I argue that diagnosis had synergies with intellectual sensibilities of American modernity, among them an enthusiasm for science and newness, a modernist sense of time that could be both forward- and backward-looking, and a knowable, interpreted self. While self-understanding and the creation of life narratives were more often considered the bailiwick of psychoanalysis in this period, understanding subjectivity and self-interpretation were not solely expressed in its conceptual vocabulary. Patient and family dialogs with diagnosis and psychiatric authorities allow for an illumination of the interaction between domestic intuitions, common sense, and folk wisdom, on the one hand, and institutional taxonomy, categorization, and scientific terminology on the other, or more broadly, between dispositions that are ostensibly antimodern and more modern ideas. I suggest that the protean and wide-ranging intellectual origins of the discipline of psychiatry, along with the inherent ambiguity of psychiatric diagnosis during the early 20th century, allowed patients to participate in their own medicalization in the most capacious way possible: by combining biology with diagnostic narrative capacities, as well as broader perceptions of morality and character. In the concluding reflection, I speculate about why it is that late 20th-century American critics and activists have tended to view diagnosis and medicalization as coercive and threatening, in contrast to earlier 20th-century patients and their intimate observers.

Voluntarily Stopping Eating and Drinking: Conceptual, Personal, and Policy Questions.

Although voluntarily stopping eating and drinking (VSED) as a way to hasten one's death is not yet a widely recognized practice in the United States, it has received increasing attention in the medical and bioethics literature in recent years. After a brief review of the broader context of human death and dying, this article poses and examines 11 conceptual, personal, and public policy questions about VSED. The article identifies essential features of VSED and discusses whether VSED is a type of suicide. It identifies reasons why people may or may not choose VSED, and it considers responses by family members and professional caregivers to people who have chosen VSED. It also considers how public policies may permit and regulate or restrict the practice of VSED. Examination of these questions is designed to increase understanding of VSED and to inform moral evaluation of this practice.

ABSTRACTS OF THE 31st ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ITALIAN SOCIETY OF URO-ONCOLOGY (SIUrO): 30 September - 2 October 2021, Virtual Meeting.

Main menu Home Current Issue Archive Info forAuthors Subscribers Advertisers Editorial Board Other PublicationsIn Vivo Cancer Genomics & Proteomics Cancer Diagnosis & Prognosis MoreIIAR Conferences 2008 Nobel Laureates About UsGeneral Policy Contact Other PublicationsAnticancer Research In Vivo Cancer Genomics & Proteomics User menu Register Subscribe My alerts Log in My Cart Search Search for this keyword Advanced search Other PublicationsAnticancer Research In Vivo Cancer Genomics & Proteomics Register Subscribe My alerts Log in My Cart Search for this keyword Advanced Search Home Current Issue Archive Info forAuthors Subscribers Advertisers Editorial Board Other PublicationsIn Vivo Cancer Genomics & Proteomics Cancer Diagnosis & Prognosis MoreIIAR Conferences 2008 Nobel Laureates About UsGeneral Policy Contact Visit us on Facebook Follow us on Linkedin MeetingAbstracts ABSTRACTS OF THE 31st ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ITALIAN SOCIETY OF URO-ONCOLOGY (SIUrO)30 September - 2 October 2021, Virtual Meeting Orazio Caffo, Renzo Colombo and Vittorio Vavassori Anticancer Research October 2021, 41 (10) 5255-5332; DOI: https://doi.org/10.21873/anticanres.15345 Orazio Caffo Italian Society of Uro-OncologyFind this author on Google ScholarFind this author on PubMedSearch for this author on this siteRenzo Colombo Italian Society of Uro-OncologyFind this author on Google ScholarFind this author on PubMedSearch for this author on this siteVittorio Vavassori Italian Society of Uro-OncologyFind this author on Google ScholarFind this author on PubMedSearch for this author on this site ArticleInfo & Metrics PDF This is a PDF-only article. The first page of the PDF of this article appears above. PreviousNext Back to top In this issue Anticancer Research Vol. 41, Issue 10 October 2021 Table of ContentsTable of Contents (PDF)Index by authorBack Matter (PDF)Ed Board (PDF)Front Matter (PDF) Download PDF Article Alerts User Name * Password * Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address Email * Email Article Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on Anticancer Research.NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address. Your Email * Your Name * Send To * Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas. You are going to email the following ABSTRACTS OF THE 31st ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ITALIAN SOCIETY OF URO-ONCOLOGY (SIUrO) Message Subject (Your Name) has sent you a message from Anticancer Research Message Body (Your Name) thought you would like to see the Anticancer Research web site. Your Personal Message CAPTCHAThis question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions. Math question * 8 + 12 = Solve this simple math problem and enter the result. E.g. for 1+3, enter 4. Citation Tools ABSTRACTS OF THE 31st ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ITALIAN SOCIETY OF URO-ONCOLOGY (SIUrO) Orazio Caffo, Renzo Colombo, Vittorio Vavassori Anticancer Research Oct 2021, 41 (10) 5255-5332; DOI: 10.21873/anticanres.15345 Citation Manager Formats BibTeXBookendsEasyBibEndNote (tagged)EndNote 8 (xml)MedlarsMendeleyPapersRefWorks TaggedRef ManagerRISZotero Reprints and Permissions Share ABSTRACTS OF THE 31st ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ITALIAN SOCIETY OF URO-ONCOLOGY (SIUrO) Orazio Caffo, Renzo Colombo, Vittorio Vavassori Anticancer Research Oct 2021, 41 (10) 5255-5332; DOI: 10.21873/anticanres.15345 Share This Article: Copy Tweet WidgetFacebook LikeGoogle Plus One Jump to section ArticleInfo & Metrics PDF Related ArticlesNo related articles found.PubMedGoogle Scholar Cited By...No citing articles found.Google Scholar More in this TOC Section ABSTRACTS OF THE JOINT INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIA “VITAMIN D IN PREVENTION AND THERAPY” AND “BIOLOGIC EFFECTS OF LIGHT” Show more Abstracts Similar Articles © 2022 Anticancer Research

A Study on Radiation Safety Awareness amongst the Healthcare Professionals of Private Hospital in Vadodara

Background/Objective: The study aimed to assess the level of awareness of radiation safety amongst the Healthcare Professionals in the Private Hospital of Vadodara. Radiation protection tries to avoid the detrimental effects of ionizing radiation by reducing unnecessary radiation exposure. With the increased utilization of radiological investigations, it is essential for referrers to be aware of the harms associated with ionizing radiation to avoid unnecessary exposure for Healthcare Professionals. Methods/Statistical Analysis: This descriptive cross-sectional study in nature where the Healthcare Professionals who are willing to participate will be included in the study. In evaluating the level of awareness 62 Healthcare professionals we used close-ended structured questionnaire which include 8 statements was used for evaluating radiation safety status. The questionnaires used included personal and general questions and its validity and reliability had been confirmed. Findings: A total of 62 healthcare professionals participated in the study. The majority of individual participants whose age is between 20-30 Years, their awareness regarding radiation safety is very well. The participants whose experience between 1-5 years having more knowledge about radiation safety as compared to the other groups whose experience is less than 6 months and greater than 5 years. 90% of the participants were aware about the radiation safety policy of the hospital so it can be stated that the p values of the Chi-square Test are higher than the significant value of 0.05. Novelty/Applications: The study addresses an important aspect which is related to the operational quality of the hospital. Radiation safety is an area of concern because of the safety threats faced by the staff, patients and patient relatives. Assessing the level of awareness among the staff will help in better and planned preparedness of hospital with respect to radiation safety. Keywords: Radiation Safety; Awareness; Healthcare Professionals; Hospital

Literacy in statistics for the public discourse

If one assesses the quality of statistics according to whether they are fit for purpose, one must put the question of this very purpose at the beginning, not only for the production of statistics, but also for their use and the literacy required. In this contribution, public discourse, political communication and decision-making processes are placed at the beginning of the argument. Official statistics work with a conceptual approach in which very much emphasis is placed on standardisation of products and processes, thus ensuring comparability of facts in regional and temporal terms. Only in this way can statistics be used as a common language to objectify conflicting issues. It is not about everyone being able to create his or her own statistical model of reality, quite the opposite. In this sense, public statistics are an infrastructure, comparable to rail transport. Moreover, statistical processes today are highly rationalised and industrialised, comparable to a factory. So, when approaching the question of what literacy is needed in this particular application area of statistics, the education and training of professional statisticians has accordingly specific requirements, which are in many ways comparable to what professions in other industries or in the operation of the railways should have as a basic qualification. For the citizen, the entrepreneur, the teacher, the student, etc., who wants to understand and apply the indicators of the public statistical sources, technical skills are of secondary importance. Rather, it is necessary to understand enough about the product and its properties to be able to judge its quality in the light of personal application goals and questions. This indeed already presupposes a lot of knowledge and experience in dealing with quantitative information. Such competencies do not necessarily belong to the field of mathematics but demand practice in interpreting indicators in their context, an assessment of the reliability of sources and processes, experience with graphical representations of statistics (including the flaws that may appear in them) and practice in assessing uncertainties, etc. One needs to know a certain amount about the data sources, the preparation processes, quality standards, etc., but not at the level that would be required if one were to carry out this work oneself.

Genogram in psycho consultation of an elderly person

In the modern world, thanks to the achievements of science and civilization, people live longer, and at any age are faced with personal internal questions, including a spiritual one, to which they are looking for their own answers. A lot of research is devoted to children, since the young new generation is always interesting and unrecognized to some extent, adolescence is of interest for its metamorphoses and unpredictability, middle-aged adults are still the most psychologically accessible generation, open to research. We turn to the more mature generation of 55-75 years old, the generation of parents of middle-aged people who are already less socially mobile, but still active, responsible, and with attention to their in- ner world. The study of the psychological effect of the sociogenogram reveals interesting facts about the use of this tool not only for the purpose of meeting and collecting information about the family and the closest circle of a person who turned to a psychologist for help, but also allows us to see some therapeutic effect from the application of the sociogenogram in practice. This article describes one of several cases with a detailed analysis of the subjective reaction of an elderly person to those realizations that emerged during the use of the tool in sessions with a psycholo- gist. A theoretical description of the genogram itself and an analytical review of materials on this topic are preliminary given. The result of this study is the algorithm for working with the elderly when constructing a diagram, given in the article. The value of this study lies in the uniqueness of the presented and described case. A practical study of the results of the work involves the use of a genogram in working with the el- derly in closed institutions for the elderly, open leisure centers, in a psychologist’s office at a polyclinic and other places where there is an interaction between a psychologist and an elderly person in the role of a client. Key words: genogram, elderly person, generation of elderly parents, mourning, transgenerational connections, psychology of counseling for the elderly.

Sequential and Concurrent Internet-Telephone Mixed-Mode Designs in Sexual Health Behavior Research

AbstractThe 2013 FECOND (Fertility, Contraception, and Sexual Dysfunction) probability telephone survey aims to monitor sexual health behaviors among fifteen to forty-nine year olds in France. We conducted a random experiment to compare a classic telephone survey (group T, n = 3,846 respondents) with two Internet-telephone mixed-mode protocols: a sequential Internet-telephone protocol (group S, n = 762, among which there were 462 Internet questionnaires), and a concurrent protocol (group C, n = 1,165, among which there were 208 Internet questionnaires). We compare telephone (T), sequential (S), and concurrent (C) samples on cooperation rates, break-off, and item nonresponse rates, sociodemographic characteristics, health behaviors, and seven sexual health behaviors and personal opinions questions. Reports on the most sensitive behaviors were expected to be more truthful and more prevalent on the Internet—and thus in the mixed-mode samples—than in the telephone sample. The cooperation rate (i.e., the response rate among the possible respondents selected during the initial telephone call) was higher in the classic telephone survey than in the sequential and concurrent mixed-mode protocols (88 percent for T versus 77 percent for S and 55 percent for C), where break-off and item nonresponse rates were also higher. Despite these lower response rates, mixed-mode samples showed better representativeness: their marginal distribution of sociodemographic characteristics was closer to that of the 2013 census, and they had higher R-indicators. A causal estimation of the measurement effect resulting from Internet administration found higher prevalence of three out of the seven sexual health behaviors and personal opinions in the sequential protocol compared to the classic telephone group; a similar pattern was found in the concurrent protocol. In addition, the variance of the weights of the mixed-mode protocols is lower, especially for the sequential design. Sequential telephone-Internet mixed-mode protocols nested in a probability telephone survey may be a good way to improve survey research on sensitive behaviors.

Is Twitter a Good Place for Asking Questions? A Characterization Study

People often turn to their social networks to fulfill their information needs. We conducted a study of question asking and answering (Q&amp;A) behavior on Twitter. We found that the most popular question types were rhetorical and factual. Surprisingly, along with entertainment and technology questions, people asked personal and health-related questions. The majority of questions received no response, while a handful of questions received a high number of responses. The larger the askers’ network, the more responses she received; however, posting more tweets or posting more frequently did not increase chances of receiving a response. Most often the ‘follow’ relationship between asker and answerer was one-way. We provide a rich characterization of Q&amp;A in social information streams and discuss implications for design.