Poor Financial Situation Research Articles

Assessment of adherence to treatment recommendations among patients with heart failure: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundHeart failure (HF) is a chronic condition characterized by significant impairment of the cardiovascular system, leading to a decline in health-related quality of life, recurrent hospitalizations, and increased mortality risk. It poses a substantial challenge for modern medicine, particularly when patients fail to adhere to therapeutic recommendations. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the level of adherence to therapeutic guidelines among patients with HF and identify factors influencing adherence levels.MethodsThe study comprised 105 HF patients admitted to the cardiology department. A diagnostic survey approach was utilized, employing the Adherence in Chronic Diseases Scale (ACDS) along with a self-developed questionnaire.ResultsThe findings revealed that 39.05% of participants exhibited a moderate level of adherence to therapeutic recommendations, while 34.29% reported high adherence and 26.67% displayed low adherence. Most of the patients (n = 66) had a rather good level of knowledge. Factors such as higher education (p < 0.001), engagement in mental work (p = 0.001), favorable socioeconomic status (p < 0.001), being in a stable relationship (p < 0.001), and residing with family (p < 0.001) were associated with increased adherence levels. The multivariable linear regression model indicated significant (p < 0.05) independent predictors that positively influenced the ACDS score, including being in a relationship, widowhood, and average or poor financial situation. Conversely, factors such as obesity and respiratory diseases were associated with a decrease in the ACDS score (p < 0.05).ConclusionsThis study underscores the moderate adherence level to therapeutic recommendations among HF patients. Sociodemographic factors including education level, relationship status, occupation, financial stability, and living arrangements significantly impact adherence. Conversely, patients with obesity, respiratory conditions, or frequent HF-related hospitalizations demonstrate lower adherence. Patient education emerges as a pivotal factor influencing adherence. Tailored interventions targeting these factors could enhance adherence and optimize HF management outcomes.

Sociodemographic and Clinical Characteristics of People Living with Dementia and Their Associations with Unmet Healthcare Needs: Insights from the Baseline Assessment of the InDePendent Study.

The healthcare needs of People living with Dementia (PlwD) (such as Alzheimer's disease) are often unmet. Information about the needs of community-dwelling PlwD and their association with sociodemographic and clinical characteristics is needed to fill the knowledge gap regarding factors influencing unmet needs among PlwD and to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment to develop tailored interventions. To describe sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of the InDePendent study population with particular reference to determinants of unmet needs. We analyzed baseline data of the multi-centre cluster-randomized controlled trial (InDePendent) using descriptive statistics to describe patients' sociodemographic and clinical characteristics and Poisson regression models to predict unmet needs, separated by sex. Data were collected personally via face-to-face interviews. Most of the n = 417 participating PlwD were mild to moderately cognitively impaired, were not depressed, had an average of 10.8 diagnoses, took 6.7 medications, and had, on average, 2.4 unmet needs (62% of PlwD had at least one unmet need) measured by the Camberwell Assessment of Need for the Elderly (CANE). Low social support, a high body-mass-index, a lower education, functional impairment, and worse health status were associated with more unmet needs, regardless of sex. In women, higher unmet needs were associated with more depressive symptoms, a poor financial situation, living alone and not being recently treated by a general practitioner. In males, unmet needs increased with the number of medications taken. PlwD had a broad array of unmet healthcare needs, indicating primary healthcare provision improvement potentials. The results underscore the significance of early assessment of patient's clinical characteristics and unmet needs as a basis for individualized gender-sensible intervention strategies.∥ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04741932, Registered on February 5, 2021.

CIVIC IDENTIFICATION AND VALUE ORIENTATIONS OF THE POPULATION OF BORDER REGIONS OF RUSSIA

The complex social, political and economic processes make more acute the need to study the civic identification and values of the Russian population. Civic identification is a significant component lying in the basis for the formation of civil society. Its function is the creation of unity, common belonging to a single social "organism", the feeling of "we-ness", and the feeling of being part of the whole, the perception of other members of society not as "others" but as "our own" that contributes to the formation of mutual understanding, social solidarity, unity of tasks and interests of individuals and society as a whole. Russian civic identification today considered as a basic identification, along with ethnic, confessional and others. The focus of the article is the analysis of civic identification and value orientations of residents of the border regions of Russia. The results of the research conducted in 2019 in Altai Krai, Novosibirsk Oblast and Altai Republic (n=1418) are presented. According to the results, it has been revealed that some value differences have a pronounced economic determination. Thus, poor financial situation, lack of personal, physical and mental resources led to the formation of different value orientations. The formation of other value orientations, in particular, more oriented on the opportunity to realize their civil rights, to manifest civic activity. Citizens with a low level of economic well-being more often chose health as the main life value. In addition, the comparative analysis of men and women's answers demonstrated adherence to traditional views on life. The most important are family happiness, personal security, and a calm and measured life.

“…Someday the Motherland will Remember with Kindness”: The Fate of Siberian Emigrant Merchants in Northern Manchuria (1920–1930s)

On the basis of diverse sources, the personal composition of Siberian merchants who found themselves in forced emigration in different parts of the world after the events of 1917 and the Civil War that followed them has been revealed and for the first time presented as fully as possible. Information about their life in the 1920s and 1930s has been analyzed. Special attention has been paid to outstanding representatives of the Siberian business world: I. V. Kulaev, M. A. Novomeisky, S. V. Vostrotin, as well as the most numerous community of Siberian merchants-emigrants formed on the territory of Northern Manchuria — primarily in Harbin. The spheres of their professional activity are considered, in particular, attempts to realize themselves in trade, industry, shipping. Information about commercial and industrial establishments owned by former Siberian merchants has been summarized. The article describes poor financial situation of many of them in the 1930s, difficulties that the younger generation of emigrants, whose parents were once related to the merchant environment of Siberia, had to face. Among the factors that negatively affected the lives of Siberian merchants who found themselves in a foreign land there were partial or complete loss of capital, an influx of refugees, uncertainty of legal status, difficult political situation, the economic crisis that broke out in the late 1920s — early 1930s. The conclusion has been made that in the current conditions, the most successful emigrants were old-timers and those who had previously been abroad — they knew foreign realities well, worked with local markets, owned money accounts and estate outside Russia, had acquaintances and specific plans for the development of their entrepreneurship.

Working Capital Management of Catering Enterprises Based on the Supply Chain — Taking the Jiumaojiu Group as an Example

The management of working capital is crucial to the development of a business. In recent years, due to the epidemic, the catering industry has generally suffered from reduced revenue, high costs and financing difficulties. With the increasing competition in the catering industry, it is an important research direction to study the working capital management of listed catering enterprises in China from the perspective of supply chain. As a large catering brand in China, Jiumaojiu was in a poor financial situation in recent years. To better understand and help to tackle the problem existing in the management of its working capital, this paper takes Jiumaojiu Group as a case for study. Based on the working capital management evaluation method proposed by Professor Wang Zhuquan, we analyzed the working capital management of Jiumaojiu Group in recent years from the procurement, production and sales parts of its supply chain. According to the results of financial analysis based on Jiumaojiu Group&amp;rsquo;s annual reports for the periods from 2018 to 2022, we conclude that, in order to improve the utilization of the funds and the management of the working capital, Jiumaojiu Group need to improve it inventory management capabilities, strengthen the management of its accounts receivable, and slow down its business expansion slightly. It is hoped that this research can provide reference for Chinese catering enterprises to improve their working capital management.

Everyday Life of Students of the Kazan Theological Academy during the First World War

This article summarizes the results of a study on the daily life of students at the Kazan Imperial Theological Academy in 1914–1917 when the life of civilians was severely affected by the First World War. Through the analysis of archival materials and literary sources, a close look is taken at such major constituents of everyday activities as space and time, material means, as well as clothing and dietary habits. During that period, most students resided in boarding houses, which also determined their living conditions: state-paid students received food, sleeping and working space, clothes, treatment, etc. The life of all students of the Academy revolved around the main building on the Arsk Field of Kazan. They spent most of their time there but were occasionally allowed to make short-term trips into the city. When the First World War broke out, the students started visiting more places. They went to the infirmaries and hospitals to take part in religious sermons and entertainment events. Many of them fell into a poor financial situation because the annual basic scholarship was only enough to pay for staying at the boarding house. The canteen no longer served sufficient meals, especially during the fast, so the students were malnourished and forced to seek out other sources of food. They were offered nutritious food only on holidays. The statutory clothes (raincoats, uniforms, jackets, trousers, and shoes) supplied by the Academy were of little use to keep warm in the cold seasons. In 1917, the biggest changes occurred. The premises of the Academy were gradually militarized. By the end of the year, due to the social upheavals and the economic crisis, only 142 out of 300 students continued their education. They were mainly accommodated in government apartments, and the classes were held either in the assembly hall or in the rector’s apartment.

Deinstitutionalization of children in residential care facilities: Experiences and perceptions of professionals in Ghana

AbstractAccording to the literature, the success of deinstitutionalization (DI) practices in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs) is dependent on key factors including, a well‐functioning family‐based alternative care and social protection system, adequate funding and resources, and professional and other stakeholders' engagement and support. Following a practice research qualitative method, the study explored practitioner's experiences and perceptions on the status of Ghana's ongoing DI efforts and their recommendations for improving implementation. The study's main themes were establishing the need for residential homes for children (RHCs), RHCs not being an ideal family environment and RHCs as respite. Family marital problems, poor financial situation, stigma attached to some children in care, abusive parents and a lack of suitable alternatives when families have a crisis were identified as key factors that impede DI implementation in Ghana. The findings suggest the need for a progressive approach towards DI implementation in LMICs, with the first step being the re‐positioning of RHCs as respite care centres while progressively developing other alternative family‐based care options (such as kinship care) for children.

The association between patients' timely access to their usual primary care physician and use of walk-in clinics in Ontario, Canada: a cross-sectional study.

Challenges in timely access to one's usual primary care physician and the ongoing use of walk-in clinics have been major health policy issues in Ontario for over a decade. We sought to determine the association between patient-reported timely access to their usual primary care physician or clinic and their use of walk-in clinics. We conducted a cross-sectional study of Ontario residents who had a primary care physician by linking population-based administrative data to Ontario's Health Care Experience Survey, collected between 2013 and 2020. We described sociodemographic characteristics and health care use for users of walk-in clinics and nonusers. We measured the adjusted association between self-reported same-day or next-day access and after-hours access to usual primary care physicians or clinics and the use of walk-in clinics in the previous 12 months. Of the 60 935 total responses from people who had a primary care physician, 16 166 (weighted 28.6%, unweighted 26.5%) reported visiting a walk-in clinic in the previous 12 months. Compared with nonusers, those who used walk-in clinics were predominantly younger, lived in large and medium-sized urban areas and reported a tight, very tight or poor financial situation. Respondents who reported poor same-day or next-day access to their primary care physician or clinic were more likely to report having attended a walk-in clinic in the previous 12 months than those with better access (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.23, 95% confidence interval [Cl] 1.13-1.34). Those who reported being unaware that their primary care physician offered after-hours care had a higher likelihood of going to a walk-in clinic (adjusted OR 1.14, 95% Cl 1.07-1.21). In this population-based health survey, patient-reported use of walk-in clinics was associated with a reported lack of access to same-day or next-day care and unawareness of after-hours care by respondents' usual primary care physicians. These findings could inform policies to improve access to primary care, while preserving care continuity.

Роль Пензенского церковного историко-археологического и статистического комитета в формировании общественного интереса к провинциальной повседневности (по материалам "Пензенских епархиальных ведомостей")

The article analyzes the activities of the Penza Church Historical, Archaeological and Statistical Committee for the Preservation of the History and Description of the Daily Life of Cities, Villages and Parishes of the Penza Diocese.As a source for studying this problem, the materials of the «Penza diocesan gazette» (1866-1917) were used, on the pages of which articles and essays of members of the Committee were published.Documents on the organization of the Penza Church Historical, Archaeological and Statistical Committee, as well as numerous publications of its members, have been studied. The reasons for the organization of the Committee, its place and role in the system of historical and archival institutions of the Penza province were investigated; organizational structure and composition; quantitative and qualitative analysis of the results of the activity was carried out; a description of the clergy'perception of parish life in the cities and villages of the Penza diocese, as well as the peculiarities of the class organization of Russian society in the era of modernization, using the example of the peasantry and clergy, was given.The historical, archaeological and statistical committee acted at the Penza Theological Seminary from February 14 (27), 1902 until 1918. This body played a prominent role in shaping public interest in local history and provincial everyday life. The Orthodox clergy was involved in expeditionary research of the provincial "living history," not recorded in historical documents, but transmitted from generation to generation according to oral tradition. The description of the modern state of the parishes was carried out, in modern terms, through the "included observation" of the priests themselves. The activities of the Committee significantly complemented the research results of the Provincial Statistical Committee.The analysis of publications in the Penza diocesan gazette convinces that representatives of the Orthodox clergy, having the initial goal of collecting and summarizing information on the history of the Russian Church in the Penza Territory, describing the history of settlements, churches, monasteries and parishes, discovered crisis bias in the development of the entire Russian society. While describing the daily life of the province, it turned out that the clergy and peasantry underwent unfavorable historical circumstances. The acute shortage of arable land became widespread and everyday phenomena; the insufficient level of development of education and medicine, as well as technical equipment of peasant farms; lack of productive land-cultivation practices, mass poverty, the low crop capacity and recurrent hunger; forced migration in the conditions of "latrine" industries, etc. The consequences of the above phenomena were the extinction of the cultural traditions of the peasant world, the rupture of stable social ties and crisis phenomena in the religious and moral state of society. The clergy fully shared the hardships of the daily life of the peasantry, experiencing a poor financial situation. Essays on the history of villages and parishes, compiled by members of the Committee, were a signal for the deep reform of society.

The Right of the Beneficiary When Executing the Irrevocable Documentary Credit

The principle of irrevocable documentary credit involves a direct personal commitment by the beneficiary and it is definite, final and irrevocable by cancelling or modifying it unless all the parties agree. The principle of irrevocable documentary credit is that the right of the beneficiary in its framework is irrevocable, and that the right of the beneficiary derives the character of irrevocability by comparing it with the contract of opening documentary credit through which the bank may revert to it. However, in front this final irrevocable commitment which can't be cancelled or modified except with the agreement of all the parties, there are several problems which are considered the questions of this study including: What is the degree of independence of the right of the beneficiary for opening the credit concluded between the buyer and the bank? Moreover, specifying the time in which this credit is conferred by its inability to return it, is it considered irrevocable from the date on which the buyer issued his order to the bank to open the credit? Or is it from the date on which the bank receives these instructions? Or is it from the date on which the bank informs the beneficiary of opening the credit? Or from the date on which the beneficiary knows that the credit was opened in his favor? What is the degree of possibility of recourse to this credit in the case of the buyer’s poor financial situation? In this framework, this study aims to answer these questions, and to reach to important results in the framework of banks' dealing with their clients when opening documentary credits. Doing so, this study reached several results, the most important of which was that the beneficiary’s right towards the bank is characterized by independence, whether in the contract of sale or the opening contract concluded between the bank and the buyer and the bank. If the credit is fulfilled, it fulfills an obligation on the source of the letter of credit and not as an agent on behalf of the buyer or the beneficiary. This study made several recommendations, the most important of which was to enable the buyer to reserve the amount of the credit precautionary under the authority of the issuing bank in order to guarantee his rights before the seller in case the latter implements the credit on other than its conditions according to the rule of seizure of what the debtor is under the control of others.

Socioeconomic disparities in adolescent anxiety and depression in Finland have not increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The purpose of this research was to assess whether socioeconomic disparities in adolescent depression and anxiety in Finland increased among middle adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Repeated cross-sectional surveys (the School Health Promotion Study) from spring 2019 and spring 2021 were compared. The respondents were 87,283 eighth and ninth graders (14-16-year-olds) in 2019 and 91,560 in 2021, corresponding respectively to 73% and 75% of the age groups. Depression was measured by Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), and anxiety with GAD-7, and adverse socioeconomic background using low parental education, not living with both parents, and family's poor financial situation. Associations of socioeconomic adversities with depression and generalised anxiety, and the effect of COVID-19 (2021 vs 2019), were analysed using logistic regression. Depression and anxiety were more common in both sexes the more sociodemographic adversities there were in the adolescent's background. However, increases in the prevalence of anxiety and depression from pre- to in-pandemic time did not differ with accumulating sociodemographic adversities. Depression and anxiety increased in prevalence among Finnish adolescents during the pandemic. Sociodemographic disparities in depression and anxiety show no increase. Emotional symptoms are nevertheless more common in adolescents from lower socioeconomic status families.

An Interconnection between Earnings Quality and Earnings Management in the Business Environment

This paper reviews the interconnection between earnings quality and earnings management in the business environment, through the use of flexibility in determining the practices and methods as well as accounting estimates, to change the income that affecting disclosure process when preparing the financial statements. Which will be based on many of the misinformation, through corporate management manipulation results of company profits and losses and financial position statement. These multiple reasons include capital market motivations to raise their share prices and attract potential shareholders. In addition, the motives of borrowing loans and funding. All this leads to the loss of the most important characteristics of the quality of representation is sincere of accounting information. Therefore, will negatively affect the quality of accounting profits. This is one of the most important information that concerns the shareholders. By consideration, the earnings quality and earnings management are two related challenging interwoven issues in financial reporting as earnings management is an aspect influencing earnings quality. In this paper, fundamental scientific processes such as analysis, synthesis, induction, and deduction have been utilized in order to achieve the objective of this paper. This paper concluded that earnings management has a negative impact on the quality of earnings if it distorts the information in a way that is less useful for forecasting future cash flows, which in turn result in unreliable financial reports leading to incorrect decision. Also, corporate earnings of high quality are those that have a high level of persistence, are more timely, more predictable, less volatile and have lower level of earnings management. And on the other side it is important to understand that lower earnings quality are not indicators of poor financial situation or the misapplication of accounting policies, judgments, and estimates.

Strategies for maintaining the individual health of the elderly: urban and rural contexts

The article discusses the features that, in the regional aspect, influence the choice of various strategies for the preservation of individual health by older people. It is concluded that the individual health of the elderly depends on the specific social environment, as well as on individual psychological and physiological factors, on the level of activity and autonomy in decision-making. The study was conducted by the Sociological Institute of the RAS – branch of the FCTAS RAS from March to September 2022 in two regions of the Russian Federation: St. Petersburg and rural areas of the Republic of Karelia. The main research method used was semi-structured interviews, the approach to analysing interview data was thematic. One of the results of the analysis is the identification of specific factors of two health preservation strategies typical for older people: self-help, with distinctive features of autonomy in the social environment, the poor financial situation of representatives of this strategy and their search for alternative methods of treatment; and a care strategy related to older people’s trust in institutional medicine, their experience in managing a chronic disease, and their higher financial status. The results of the study allow us to conclude that when choosing a particular strategy, older people are guided by such factors as the level of trust in the social environment in general and profess ional medicine in particular, individual psychological and emotional aspects of ideas about maintaining one’s health and the level of personal material well-being.

Resilience level and its association with maladaptive coping behaviours in the COVID-19 pandemic: a global survey of the general populations

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has induced a significant global concern on mental health. However few studies have measured the ability of individuals to “withstand setbacks, adapt positively, and bounce back from adversity” on a global scale. We aimed to examine the level of resilience, its determinants, and its association with maladaptive coping behaviours during the pandemic.MethodsThe Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU) conducted a global survey involving 26 countries by online, self-administered questionnaire (October 2020-December 2021). It was piloted-tested and validated by an expert panel of epidemiologists and primary care professionals. We collected data on socio-demographics, socioeconomic status, clinical information, lifestyle habits, and resilience levels measured by the Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) among adults aged ≥ 18 years. We examined factors associated with low resilience level, and evaluated whether low resilience was correlated with engagement of maladaptive coping behaviours.ResultsFrom 1,762 surveys, the prevalence of low resilience level (BRS score 1.00–2.99) was 36.4% (America/Europe) and 24.1% (Asia Pacific). Young age (18–29 years; adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.31–0.58 in older age groups), female gender (aOR = 1.72, 95% C.I. = 1.34–2.20), poorer financial situation in the past 6 months (aOR = 2.32, 95% C.I. = 1.62–3.34), the presence of one (aOR = 1.56, 95% C.I. = 1.19–2.04) and more than two (aOR = 2.32, 95% C.I. = 1.59–3.39) medical conditions were associated with low resilience level. Individuals with low resilience were significantly more likely to consume substantially more alcohol than usual (aOR = 3.84, 95% C.I. = 1.62–9.08), take considerably more drugs (aOR = 12.1, 95% C.I. = 2.72–54.3), buy supplements believed to be good for treating COVID-19 (aOR = 3.34, 95% C.I. = 1.56–7.16), exercise less than before the pandemic (aOR = 1.76, 95% C.I. = 1.09–2.85), consume more unhealthy food than before the pandemic (aOR = 2.84, 95% C.I. = 1.72–4.67), self-isolate to stay away from others to avoid infection (aOR = 1.83, 95% C.I. = 1.09–3.08), have an excessive urge to disinfect hands for avoidance of disease (aOR = 3.08, 95% C.I. = 1.90–4.99) and transmission (aOR = 2.54, 95% C.I. = 1.57–4.10).ConclusionsWe found an association between low resilience and maladaptive coping behaviours in the COVID-19 pandemic. The risk factors identified for low resilience in this study were also conditions known to be related to globalization-related economic and social inequalities. Our findings could inform design of population-based, resilience-enhancing intervention programmes.

Pieter Quast’s drawings in the collection of the State Hermitage Museum

The article analyses five drawings by the Dutch painter Pieter Quast (circa 1606– 1647) from the collection of the State Hermitage Museum. The sheets shown are unpublished. They are executed in the artist’s characteristic technique: in black chalk on vellum; some sheets are signed and dated. They come from three different collections, four of the drawings came into the museum in the 18th century and one is a late acquisition and was purchased in 1972. The little-known master’s diverse body of work is represented in museum collections and private collections mainly by graphic material, including numerous drawings. The artist’s passion for drawing seems to have also been caused by his poor financial situation. Although Quast’s biography is known in fragments, published archival materials reveal the artist’s complex creative path. A study of his works from the national collection confirms their authorship and gives grounds for speculation about the reading of the subjects. The themes chosen by the master are inextricably linked with the pictorial tradition: the work of the 16th century masters, in particular Pieter Bruegel the Elder, and Quast’s contemporaries Adriaen Braouwer, Adriaen van Ostade and others. The artist relied heavily on theatrical representations, both biblical and humorous folk sketches, as an important source of inspiration. This research paper analyses the master’s drawings both in terms of iconography and using the formal and stylistic method, using comparative analysis and putting the works in line with the artist’s other famous works.

Poziom samooceny wychowanków młodzieżowych ośrodków socjoterapeutycznych

Self-esteem is one of the personal resources that determine an individual’s social functioning. Its level and adequacy play an important role in the process of proper social adaptation of adolescents. The aim of the study was to examine the level of self-esteem of socially maladjusted youth. The research group consisted of 157 mentees of youth sociotherapeutic centres. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (SES) was used in the Polish adaptation of Dzwonkowska et al. Research questions were posed regarding the level of self-esteem in the group of respondents in general and in view of the influence of socio-demographic variables such as gender, age, place of residence, family economic status and time spent in the institution. The results of the research showed that the overall level of self-esteem of socially maladjusted youth is low, while within the adopted variables its moderator was age, place of residence and family economic status. It was found that a statistically significantly lower level of self-esteem is characteristic of socially maladjusted socially maladjusted youth in early adolescence, coming from county areas and families with poor financial situation. The data on the significance of the level of self-esteem for the functioning of socially maladjusted youth are inconclusive, hence it is worth continuing research in this direction. Their results may foster adequate therapeutic and upbringing and re-socialisation measures in youth re-socialisation centres.

Caring about The Caregivers: Challenges for Female Caregivers in Lithuanian and Estonian Labour Law

ABSTRACT While considerable efforts are being made to consolidate and implement the principle of gender equality, the gender pay gap remains a real problem. One of the reasons for this gap is the traditional role of women in caring for children and other relatives. By devoting a significant part of their time to the unpaid care function, women have fewer opportunities to participate in employment relationships. This leads to women’s poorer financial situation, limited career opportunities, and a higher risk of poverty in old age. Therefore, both at the EU and national level, there has been a search for optimal ways to enable female caregivers to remain in the labour market and ensure their income levels. This article provides an overview of the situation of female caregivers and the legal measures taken by Lithuania and Estonia (both EU Member States) to improve the situation of women performing unpaid care functions in labour relationships.

COVID‐19‐related loneliness, social isolation and burden in informal caregivers worldwide

AbstractBackgroundInformal caregivers may experience high levels burden. Prior to COVID‐19, loneliness and social isolation, and especially the discordance between them, were recognized for rapid aging‐related cognitive decline. The COVID‐19 has significantly increased social isolation and loneliness in caregivers. Thus, we aimed to explore the variables that were associated with higher care burden among all caregivers and only among caregivers for people living with dementia, and whether the increased burden could be associated with a discrepancy between loneliness and social isolation.Method‘Comparing Loneliness and Isolation in COVID‐19’ was an online global survey of over 20,000 respondents, including 5243 caregivers across 50 countries with enduring brain or/and physical health conditions. We first used a multilevel modelling to identify risk factors associated with higher burden. Then, we defined profiles of discrepancy between loneliness and social isolation, based on the differences between standardized score on a scale of loneliness and of social connectedness and estimated the association between the discrepancy and higher burden.ResultIn our sample, 74% of caregivers were female, 44% were caring for people with dementia, and 22% for people with multiple conditions, including dementia. The most prevalent age group was 60‐69 years old. Factors significantly associated with higher care burden were being female, having poorer financial situation, worse mental health during the pandemic, caring for people with dementia or intellectual disabilities, caring in the same home, being diagnosed with COVID, and changes of care abilities. 40% of caregivers consistently reported high level of loneliness and social isolation, 38% reported consistent lower levels of both, and two groups reported discordance (low levels of loneliness and high social isolation in 13%; high levels of loneliness and mild social isolation in 12%). The latter group was at the highest risk of self‐reported increased and intense care burden.ConclusionThis represents the largest, most widespread survey on the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on caregivers of people with long‐term conditions to date and reflects the importance of capturing the nuances in the relationship between loneliness and social isolation in caregivers. It will be an important resource for support agencies and to inform policy.

Attitudes towards Sustainable Fashion in Romania

Abstract The present study is an attempt at mapping the Romanian society’s attitudes towards sustainable fashion. Our analyses are based on the European Commission Eurobarometer 92.4 (2019) data relevant for Romania. We have looked into ten Likert-type variables focused on consumer attitudes regarding sustainable fashion. As a first step, we created a sustainable-fashion attitude scale, followed by an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) aimed at investigating the inner structure of the variables. Thereafter, we employed a linear regression analysis in a bid to answer the question as to which are the variables that account for commitment to sustainable fashion in Romania. Inter alia, our results suggest that positive attitudes towards sustainable fashion are most enhanced by awareness about environmental issues and sensitivity to environmental protection in general and are weakened most significantly by poor financial situation measured in terms of difficulty in paying the bills. Besides gathering information on environmental protection from traditional media (the press), relying on Internet sources in this respect also increases support for the transition to a more environmentally conscious textile industry. Our analysis touches upon research limitations such as the attitude–action gap.

Self-reported prevalence and potential factors influencing cardio-cerebral vascular disease among the Chinese elderly: A national cross-sectional study.

Aging is an essential national condition throughout China in the 21st century. Cardio-cerebral vascular disease (CCVD) is a common chronic vascular disease in the elderly. Despite aging becoming an increasingly pressing issue, there has been no comprehensive national investigation into the risk factors, prevalence, and management of CCVD among the elderly population in China. Through the 4th Survey of the Aged Population in Urban and Rural China (SSAPUR), a nationally representative sample of 224,142 adults aged more than 60 years was surveyed using a multistage, stratified sampling method. The 4th SSAPUR was used to investigate CCVD in the elderly. Univariate and multivariate logistic proportional regression analyses explored the risk factors. These risk factors were then entered into a multivariate linear regression model to identify independent predictive factors for CCVD. Disease management was assessed from the self-reported history of physician diagnosis, treatments, and hospital visits among individuals with CCVD. After excluding samples with missing information, 215,041 individuals were included in the analysis. The overall prevalence of CCVD was 26%. Living in a rural area, being older, being female, having low literacy, smoking, getting little sleep, losing a spouse, being single, not getting enough exercise, having a bad financial situation, and not taking part in public welfare programs were the main risk factors for CCVD among the elderly in China (P < 0.05). In the multivariate linear regression model, holding all other variables at any fixed value, CCVD remained associated with "urban and rural" (β = 0.012, P < 0.001), "age" (β = -0.003, P < 0.001), "sex" (β = -0.022, P < 0.001), "education level" (β = -0.017, P < 0.001), "marriage" (β = 0.004, P = 0.047), "smoking" (β = 0.012, P = 0.003), "drinking" (β = -0.015, P = 0.001), and "sleep" (β = 0.008, P = 0.005). There were no collinearity problems among these factors. Major risk factors for prevalent CCVD among the elderly in China include the following: rural residence, female, low literacy level, poor sleep quality, bereavement, non-marriage, living alone, lack of exercise, poor financial situation, and non-participation in public welfare activities. Chinese national policies for preventing, controlling, and managing risk factors for CCVD in the elderly must be urgently developed.