Practical Experience Research Articles

The plight of low-income older adults in Hong Kong: succumbing to barriers or battling with hardship in employment

ABSTRACT This study explores the employment challenges of older low-income adults in Hong Kong, who have limited retirement savings and social security benefits. The study uses a convenience sample of 201 participants aged 55–74. The results show that poor health, family caring duties, and lack of skills are major obstacles to employment, and that many employed older adults face some ageist practices. The study also finds that working out of financial need negatively, and experience of ageism practices in workplace affect their well-being and life satisfaction.

“They talk about it like it's an overdose crisis when in fact it's basically genocide”: The experiences of Indigenous peoples who use illicit drugs in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside neighbourhood

Indigenous Peoples who use illicit drugs (IPWUID) are disproportionately represented among toxic drug poisoning deaths in Canada. These drug-related harms are framed by the historical and ongoing trauma related to settler colonialism and are acutely visible in Vancouver, Canada's Downtown Eastside - a low-income neighbourhood that is an epicenter of the drug poisoning crisis and characterized by entrenched poverty, substance use, violence, and homelessness. This study was undertaken to examine the experiences and perspectives of IPWUID in the Downtown Eastside regarding the drug poisoning crisis and the responsiveness of harm reduction programs within the context of settler colonialism. Indigenous-led qualitative interviews were conducted with 16 IPWUID recruited by Indigenous peer researchers. Indigenous ways of knowing were embedded throughout the entire research design to ensure research was culturally congruent. Interview transcripts were analyzed thematically and interpreted by drawing on concepts of social violence and racial capitalism. Our analysis reviewed three key themes that centered the experiences of IPWUID in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside in relation to the drug poisoning crisis: (1) that the drug poisoning crisis is understood as a form of genocide toward Indigenous Peoples; (2) that the crisis is experienced within the context of pervasive distrust and adversarial relationships with police rooted in structurally racist experiences of place-based policing practices; and (3) that there is a desire for culturally-safe harm reduction care with Indigenous representation, cultural integration, and that addresses inequities and injustice stemming from colonialism and structural racism. Findings demonstrate how responses to the drug poisoning crisis among IPWUID need to respond to social and materials conditions perpetuated by colonialism and racial capitalism, while also centering IPWUID through the development and implementation of Indigenous-led and culturally safe harm reduction approaches.

Bridging the gap: Ethical leadership, human resource practices and organisational justice

Orientation: Perceived organisational justice (POJ) and the role of human resource (HR) practices have been well documented, researched and argued. The role of leadership, and specifically the perception of ethical leadership in the relationship between HR practices and POJ has not been investigated, especially not in South Africa.Research purpose: This study aimed to determine the extent to which HRs practices influence POJ and the mediating role of ethical leadership, through a sectoral comparison.Motivation for the study: It is often, and rightfully, argued that the experience of HR practices determines employees’ perception of organisational justice; however, there is paucity in the perception of ethical leadership.Research approach/design and method: This study used a cross-sectional design and survey methodology. Convenience sampling resulted in 1184 respondents from 20 organisations in the South African private and public sectors.Main findings: A positive significant (p 0.05) relationship exists between HR practices and POJ, mediated by ethical leadership (mediation 32% for the private sector, 13% for the public sector and 21% for the combined sample).Practical/managerial implications: This research endeavour has the potential of empowering the leadership to propose concrete HRs strategies to cultivate proactive work behaviours influencing performance and competitiveness.Contribution/value-add: This study validated the ethical leadership and POJ instruments to be used with confidence in South Africa. It further emphasised the importance, not only of the perceptions of HR practices on the perception of organisational justice but also the role of leadership in this relationship, specifically ethical leadership.

REGIONALISM IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION OF UNDERWATER CULTURAL HERITAGE REGIME

The article is devoted to the characteristics of the peculiarities of public administration of underwater cultural heritage regime in the regions whose water areas are significantly rich in such objects. The research of regional specifics of legal regulation and organizational mechanisms of the maintenance of the operational regime aimed at underwater cultural heritage represents experience of countries that are parties to the 2001 UNESCO Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage and those who have not yet adhered to it. The relevance of the research issues is determined by the necessity to create the concept of the public administration of underwater cultural heritage regime in Ukraine based on the best international practices and progressive experience of the functioning of comprehensive legal regimes of sea areas and regional cooperation. The article aims to determine the main tendencies, the best tools and mechanisms of the public administration of underwater cultural heritage regime in the range of regions of the world, whose water areas are significantly rich in such objects. The article’s purpose is to suggest proposals regarding the adoption of the positive experience and implementation of the new practices of legal regulation and organizational support of the underwater cultural heritage regime in Ukraine. The methodological basis of the research is composed of general scientific and special legal methods of scientific knowledge (historical, statistical, analysis and synthesis, comparative, scientific abstraction, forecasting, simulation). The authors describe the main modern risks for underwater cultural heritage and the ways of their potential detrimental effects elimination. Within the classical ways of regional cooperation in the field of maritime activity, the joint efforts and national approaches to public administration of underwater cultural heritage regimes in Mediterranean, Black Sea and Caribbean Basins have been characterized. It was mentioned that typical features of such administration include the establishment of specially authorized national management bodies, approval of relevant legislation and regional specialized treaties, cooperation with interested parties and digitization of vaults of museums and underwater objects in situ. Special attention was drawn to the necessity of the development of national legislation of Ukraine on the activity in the field of underwater cultural heritage, to the intensification of efforts regarding cooperation on regional and global basis, as well as to the implementation of new technical opportunities for activation of underwater historical, cultural and archeological artifacts digitization.

Facilitators and barriers to revaccination after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation among pediatric patients in Ecuador

Abstract Background Revaccination after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is a challenge in areas where there is variability of access to vaccines and where special schedules are unfamiliar to physicians and primary care providers. We report the experience of re-immunization practices in pediatric patients after HSCT in Ecuador. Methods The database and medical charts of pediatric patients who had been in follow after HSCT from 2021 to 2023 in Solca Guayaquil was reviewed in order to assess the completeness of the revaccination schedule and to identify facilitators and barriers in implementation of the process. Patients with pediatric infectious diseases follow up where included. Results There were 30 patients who underwent HSCT during the reviewed period. Among them, 7 were excluded because they had not been seen by pediatric infectious diseases. Four patients who had their HSCT before the studied period were later added as they received follow-up by the specialty, therefore a total of 27 patients were included. There were 16 (59.3%) boys, mean age was 11 years (SD 3.6), and 16 (59.3%) lived outside Guayaquil. The most common diseases prompting HSCT were 14 (51.9%) lymphoblastic leukemia, 4 (14.8%) myeloid leukemia, 3 (11.1%) for Hodgkin lymphoma and 3 (11.1%) aplastic anemia. HSCT was performed outside Ecuador in 15 (55.6%) cases. Reimmunization schedule had been initiated in 21 (77.7%) of patients. Public health system was used exclusively in 11 (52.4%) cases, a combination of private and public system in 8 (38.1%) cases and exclusively private system in 2 (9.5%) cases. Among them, 9 (42.9%) had completed all recommended inactivated vaccines. Mean number of visits required for this was 5.1 (SD 1.9). After completion of inactivated vaccines, live vaccines where recommended and had been completed by 2 (9.5%) patients. The main facilitator identified was vaccine confidence and adherence to physician recommendations while the main barriers identified where health system related: a) Lack of awareness in public vaccination centers about special schedules, b) lack of availability of age licensed vaccines in public system and c) Lack of documentation of immunization administrated. Conclusion Health system related logistics (vaccine availability, knowledge of special schedules, coordination with immunization centers) continues to be a main barrier to complete recommended reimmunization schedule after HSCT while confidence in vaccines and adherence is the main facilitator in Ecuador. Government interventions need to be implemented in order to facilitate the process for this population of patients. Figure 1. Revaccination after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in Solca Guayaquil (2021 – 2023).

Stay safe, stay home? Majority world children, the COVID-19 pandemic, and (everyday) security politics

This article explores children in the majority world’s experiences of the stringent health security practices implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on original empirical research in five majority world countries, it examines children’s own accounts of their experiences of lockdowns and stay-at-home orders. Our analysis of the children’s narratives draws out the spatial, temporal, and affective dimensions of home-making under stay-at-home orders. In turn, we highlight complex and ambivalent connections between the notable and the mundane, between security and the everyday, and between home-making and world-building, and offer conclusions informed by majority world children on the ‘(important) banality of security and security politics’.

Tools for Success in Experiential Education for PharmD Students With Trauma and Adverse Childhood Events (ACEs)

In the past 5 years, new priorities for student wellness, burnout prevention, and improved mental health have become top priorities for experiential learning. Individual students' academic resilience is a critical aspect of these student factors. Self-regulatory skills like emotion regulation and executive functioning are vital underlying resilience processes. Preceptors, faculty, and administration should assess threats to academic resilience, such as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and trauma, to ensure students' optimal outcomes in experiential learning. This article uses the recognizing, responding, and preventing re-traumatization principles from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) concept of a trauma-informed approach to provide tools for success for pharmacy students living with trauma and ACEs. Preceptor tools for students living with trauma and ACEs are designed to proactively recognize trauma responses, whether they occur in isolated incidences or of a chronic nature. Screening and assessment can identify students preemptively who may need extra support, resources, and tools for academic resilience. Responding to a student's disclosure with a disclosure plan will lay the groundwork for a safe and productive encounter. During the encounter, prevent re-traumatization by being up to date on sensitive and appropriate language while providing daily logistical tools for success in an experiential practice rotation. Little is known about the specific effects of ACEs on self-regulation, resilience, and executive function in Doctor of Pharmacy students. However, preceptors can provide tools to develop students' academic resilience and improve their educational outcomes in experiential learning.

Online Experiences of Pharmacy Practices during COVID-19 Pandemic in Pharmacy Program in Jordan

Online Experiences of Pharmacy Practices during COVID-19 Pandemic in Pharmacy Program in Jordan

Categorising inclusive education and disability narratives, actors and expertise on Instagram, YouTube and Twitter

Social networks play a relevant role in the construction of narratives on disability and inclusive education. This paper categorises the themes of the most viral publications on Instagram, YouTube and Twitter X, with a twofold objective: to identify the social actors associated with them and to comparatively analyse the value of thematic use for the three digital platforms. Social listening techniques developed using the Twitter X API and web scraping techniques for Instagram and YouTube are applied to store the publications with the keywords education, inclusion and/or disability in Spanish and English. The database consists of 100,091 posts captured from October 2021 to September 2022, a full year. Subsequently, the 100 most viral publications from each social network are selected and a content analysis is applied. The results show a tendency towards thematic specialisation: Instagram defines the demand for rights and disseminates empathetic attitudes; YouTube collects experiences of good practices in informal contexts with a reflective function; Twitter X disseminates reports on the barriers and prejudices experienced by people with disabilities with a critical tone. The main social actors are diverse and varied with different profiles, therapists, politicians and parents with children with disabilities, among others. The impact of the narratives to face the new educational challenges that require an understanding of the network to establish long-term strategies for building a critical digital citizenship is discussed.

Is Chinese Dyslexia Similar Across Chinese Societies? Evidence from Hong Kong, Beijing, and Taipei

AbstractWhile previous research has documented the unique aspects of Chinese dyslexia as compared to dyslexia in alphabetic scripts, it remains unclear whether the difference in Chinese literacy experiences influences the manifestation of Chinese dyslexia. The present article first reviews the characteristics of Chinese languages and scripts, including important cognitive‐linguistic correlates (rapid automatized naming, phonological, orthographic, and morphological awareness) of Chinese reading development and impairment. The diversity in Chinese literacy experiences of scripts, languages, and instructional practices, and consequently their impact on Chinese literacy acquisition across different Chinese societies are also reviewed. Using an equivalent Chinese assessment battery administered to 91 children with dyslexia from Hong Kong, Beijing, and Taipei, we examined the subtypes of Chinese dyslexia across these three societies concurrently. With the four cognitive‐linguistic skills included as the clustering variable, the hierarchical cluster analysis revealed four cognitive subtypes of dyslexia: 38% mild orthographic deficit subtype (OD), 33% phonological deficit subtype (PD), 18% morphological deficit subtype (MD), and 11% global deficit subtype (GD)—each with their own set of cognitive‐linguistic deficit profiles. Interestingly, all four subtypes of dyslexia manifested poorer orthographic skills as compared to the control group. Bayesian Analysis of Contingency Table further showed that the distribution of dyslexia subtypes remains similar across the three Chinese societies, suggesting invariance of the Chinese dyslexia construct. Findings highlight the importance of assessment in orthographic processing, rapid automatized naming, phonological awareness, and morphological awareness in order to understand Chinese dyslexia, both in a within and cross‐cultural Chinese perspective.

Informal caregivers' feeding experiences for children with cancer: a qualitative systematic review protocol.

The objective of this review is to synthesize the experiences of informal caregivers' feeding practices for children with cancer. Changes in eating among children with cancer impact their nutritional status, leading to several negative outcomes. In addition to interventions given by health care providers, informal caregivers' experiences in feeding these children are worth exploring. This review will include qualitative studies or the qualitative component of mixed method studies examining informal caregivers' experiences of feeding children with cancer under 18 years old, published in English or Thai in any year up to the present. This review will follow the JBI approach for qualitative systematic reviews. A full search strategy for MEDLINE (PubMed) was developed from an initial limited search of MEDLINE (PubMed) and CINAHL (EBSCOhost) to identify articles on the topic. The search strategy will be adapted for each database, including Embase (Ovid), MEDLINE (PubMed), CINAHL (EBSCOhost), Cochrane Library (CENTRAL), LILACS (BVS), PsycINFO (Ovid), Web of Science, Scopus, and ThaiJO (TCI). The reference lists of studies included in the review will be hand-searched for additional studies. Sources of unpublished studies and gray literature will also be searched. Two reviewers will separately screen for eligible studies, perform the critical appraisal, and extract data. They will then synthesize via meta-aggregation and summarize the data. The final synthesized findings will be graded using the ConQual approach to establish confidence in the qualitative research synthesis. PROSPERO CRD42024501382.

V All-Russian Congress with international participation «5P Children’s Medicine»

The article presents materials and results of the VAll-Russian Anniversary Congress with international participation «5P Children’s Medicine», held in Moscow on March 27-29, 2024. The significance of this event for the development of Russian pediatric medicine and as asignificant event in the world of pediatric medicine is considered in the framework of extrapolating the experience of the best pediatric practices, highlighting new achievements in fundamental and applied pediatrics.

Teacher Training: (Dis)encounter between Theory and Practice

The preparation of teachers is a key process in the development of effective teachers, however, initial training always seems insufficient and outdated to produce the expected teaching profile and respond to the dynamic character of today's society. This article reports part of the research "teachers in the process of initial training" (2020-2021), developed in the context of a Faculty of Education Sciences, Chile. Based on a qualitative methodology and a case study research strategy, we worked with 120 pedagogy students in the process of training, who offered their representations regarding the theory-practice relationship in the context of the Chilean educational system. In a complementary way, 5 focus groups were administered with the intention of enriching ideas and perspectives. The criteria to choose them were to be studying a pedagogy program, with experience of practices in schools and that they accepted to participate voluntarily, after signing consent. The results show that the theory-practice relationship can be understood in various ways: dependence, disagreement and integration which influence the way teaching is understood and its exercise. In terms of projections, the need arises to think of a training that in a bidirectional way manages to theorize the practice and experience the theory.

Recruitment of informal caregivers into community oncology research studies: results from the 2022 Landscape Assessment.

Understanding the experiences of community oncology practices in recruiting informal (unpaid/family) caregivers into research studies can inform strategies to improve caregiver enrollment. We used data from the 2022 National Cancer Institute Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) Landscape Assessment to describe the experience of recruiting informal caregivers for research studies in community oncology practices. Among 258 practice groups, only one-third (30%, 78/258) reported prior experience recruiting informal caregivers for research studies. In multivariable logistic analyses, having a greater number of oncology providers (increase per 10 providers, adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 1.16, 95% CI 1.03-1.31) and having advanced practice providers (APPs) involved in research (AOR 2.17, 95% CI 1.05-4.48) were significantly associated with prior experience recruiting caregivers. In conclusion, many community oncology practices lack caregiver recruitment experience and may benefit from education, integration of APPs/caregiver stakeholders in research infrastructure, and/or other strategies to improve caregiver recruitment.

Knowledge-based education and the management of artificial intelligence tools: Experiences and good practices

The purpose of the research is to share experiences of good practices in the implementation of Knowledge-Based Education (CBE) and the management of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in the classroom. The methodology corresponds to a documentary research with a qualitative approach. A systematic review of the literature and analysis of successful cases in higher education programs were carried out. Key factors for the success of CBE and AI in the classroom were identified. The result obtained was the elaboration of a set of recommendations for the implementation of CBE and AI in the classroom that can serve as a guide to integrate AI tools into their teaching practice. It was concluded that CBE and AI are powerful tools that contribute to improving student learning, as long as ethical considerations and relevant validation strategies are taken into account, however, their implementation in the classroom is subject to proper planning by the counselor and the responsible use of technological tools. The implementation of AI tools is a means to improve the quality of education and not an end.

ADAPTATION OF THE WORLD EXPERIENCE OF CONSTITUTIONAL JUSTICE IN THE REPUBLIC OF KAZAKHSTAN

The study contains an analysis of theoretical and practical issues of adapting the world experience of constitutional justice to the national legal system of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Based on general scientific and special scientific methods (historical and legal analysis, structural and functional, comparative legal, regulatory and others) the article discusses the experience of the best world practices, different jurisdictions, an attempt was made to create a model of constitutional justice that meets modern requirements in the Republic of Kazakhstan, aimed at the effective protection of human rights.The institution of constitutional control, which is constantly in different phases of transformation, is adapting in the legal systems of the states of the young democracy. The article presents a study of the adaptationof world experience in the development of the institution of constitutional control into the national legal system of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Issues of imperfection of the current legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan regulating public relations related to the organization of constitutional proceedings, as well as ensuring effective practice of its application, have been identified.The study contains a number of practical proposals for improving the status and competence of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In the orbit of the results -recommendations on expanding the powers of the constitutional control body to check for compliance with the Constitution of the newly adopted constitutional laws, as well as laws introducing amendments and additions (according to the mandatory procedure); to limit the powers of the President to challenge any existing legal acts in the Constitutional Court, to give the Constitutional Court the right to check for compliance with the Constitution of the existing international treaties of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as the official interpretation of the norms of constitutional laws on its own initiative, or at the request of the Supreme Court of the republic.

Evaluation of an eating disorder screening and care pathway implementation in a general mental health private inpatient setting

BackgroundGeneral mental health inpatient units hold a valuable place in the stepped system of care, and for identification and treatment of people with eating disorders (EDs) or disordered eating behaviours (DEBs). This study aimed to pragmatically evaluate an evidence-informed screening and care pathway, alongside a staff education program, implemented to improve identification and treatment access for consumers with EDs and DEBs, with co-occurring psychiatric conditions, on a general mental health ward.MethodsA mixed methodology design was mapped to the RE-AIM implementation framework. It encompassed medical record audits across two 3-month time points pre and post implementation of the pathway, and key informant consumer and health professional interviews.ResultsProcess and implementation data were compared for three-month periods pre (2019, n = 348) and post-implementation (2021, n = 284). Post-implementation, intake SCOFF screening occurred in 94.7% of admissions. People with ED/DEBs diagnoses were 35 times more likely to have a SCOFF score ≥ 2 (OR = 35.2, p < .001) with the odds of identifying previously undiagnosed DEBs 3.3 times greater (p = .002). Post-implementation, for those with an ED/DEB, dietitian referrals (p < .001) and micronutrient supplementation (p = .013) were more likely. For those with weight and height data, both absolute (-1.1 kg ± 2.2 vs. 1.3 kg ± 2.3; p < .001) and percentage weight change were significantly higher post-implementation with similarities across BMI categories. Universally, consumers and health professionals expressed that the service had “changed care for the better” encouraging therapeutic relationships, mediated by trust, that resulted in better consumer outcomes. 50 health professionals undertook tailored ED and meal support therapy education. They noted that their knowledge and confidence improved allowing value to be seen in understanding EDs and the role for care within general mental health.ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that an articulated screening and care pathway could be feasibly implemented in general mental health. The evaluation demonstrated advances in ED detection and management with noted improvements in management access, care planning, physical monitoring and weight gain outcomes. Understanding stakeholders’ experiences of new care practices enabled the identification of enablers and barriers for implementation, and avenues to optimise care for consumers with EDs in the general mental health setting.

Quiddity College: Thomas Jefferson's Legacy for Moral Science

William Stephenson clearly regarded this manuscript as one of his major works, an inevitable outcome of his life-long involvement in education. Given his commitment to the importance of subjective science, Stephenson felt the need for him to anticipate what kind of education it should entail, to focus his attention on how subjectivity might be cultivated. Quiddity College is his answer. It describes a two-year college curriculum in which facts are taken for granted – prior to entering Quiddity College students would have already acquired a grounding in physics, chemistry, genetics, etcetera, and everything subjective would be fostered in the College. Part I, drawing on his own experience of both British and North American practices, provides a critique of existing systems at College and University levels. It continues with a presentation of his ideas about subjectivity and the role it should play in an ideal College. The notions of play and communication-pleasure are central to his vision. Part II outlines a curriculum for Quiddity rooted in principles from the Scottish Enlightenment and taught by the seven Fellows of Quiddity College, named after Thomas Jefferson and members of his circle such as Thomas Paine, Joseph Priestley, David Rittenhouse, and Benjamin Rush.

Experiences of antenatal care practices to reduce stillbirth: surveys of women and healthcare professionals pre-post implementation of the Safer Baby Bundle

BackgroundThe Safer Baby Bundle (SBB) aimed to reduce stillbirth rates in Australia through improving pregnancy care across five elements; smoking cessation, fetal growth restriction (FGR), decreased fetal movements (DFM), side sleeping in late pregnancy and decision making around timing of birth. We assessed experiences of women and healthcare professionals (HCPs) with antenatal care practices around the five elements.MethodsA pre-post study design using online surveys was employed to assess change in HCPs awareness, knowledge, and frequency of performing recommended practices (22 in total) and women’s experiences of care received related to reducing their chance of stillbirth. Women who had received antenatal care and HCPs (midwives and doctors) at services participating in the SBB implementation program in two Australian states were invited to participate. Surveys were distributed over January to July 2020 (pre) and August to December 2022 (post). Comparison of pre-post responses was undertaken using Fisher’s exact, Pearson’s chi-squared or Wilcoxon rank-sum tests.Results1,225 women (pre-1096/post-129) and 1,415 HCPs (pre-1148/post-267, ≥ 83% midwives) completed the surveys. The frequency of HCPs performing best practice ‘all the time’ significantly improved post-SBB implementation across all elements including providing advice to women on side sleeping (20.4–79.4%, p < 0.001) and benefits of smoking cessation (54.5–74.5%, p < 0.001), provision of DFM brochure (43.2–85.1%, p < 0.001), risk assessments for FGR (59.2–84.1%, p < 0.001) and stillbirth (44.5–73.2%, p < 0.001). Practices around smoking cessation in general showed less improvement e.g. using the ‘Ask, Advise and Help’ brief advice model at each visit (15.6–20.3%, p = 0.088). Post-implementation more women recalled conversations about stillbirth and risk reduction (32.2–50.4%, p < 0.001) and most HCPs reported including these conversations in their routine care (35.1–83.0%, p < 0.001). Most HCPs agreed that the SBB had become part of their routine practice (85.0%).ConclusionsImplementation of the SBB was associated with improvements in practice across all targeted elements of care in stillbirth prevention including conversations with women around stillbirth risk reduction. Further consideration is needed around strategies to increase uptake of practices that were more resistant to change such as smoking cessation support.Trial registrationThe Safer Baby Bundle Study was retrospectively registered on the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry database, ACTRN12619001777189, date assigned 16/12/2019.

Navigating the AI Revolution: AI’s Impact on Business Practices and Employee Experiences

Navigating the AI Revolution: AI’s Impact on Business Practices and Employee Experiences