Professional Occupations Research Articles

Perception of Parents Regarding Specialized Pediatric Dentistry

This study analyzed parents’ perceptions of pediatric dentistry and pediatric dental specialists, identified factors influencing their choice of dental practice for children, and compared perceptions between those with and without pediatric dentistry experience. A nationwide online survey (February 15 - 19, 2024) was conducted among 500 parents of children aged 15 years or younger: 170 from Seoul/Gyeonggi/ Incheon, 100 each from Chungcheong, Gyeongsang, Jeolla, and 30 from Gangwon. Data covered demographics, factors influencing dentist selection for children, awareness of pediatric dentists, and insights on whether parents had visited a pediatric dentist. 75.6% had visited a pediatric dental clinic, and 49.6% recognized pediatric dental specialists. Among visitors, 59.5% were aware of pediatric dental specialists, compared to 18.9% of non-visitors. Furthermore, 90.7% of parents aware of pediatric dental specialists had visited a clinic, versus 60.7% of those unaware. The highest visit rates were among parents with three children, especially aged 7 - 9. Awareness of pediatric dental specialists was highest among parents in their 20s, living in Gangwon, Seoul, Gyeonggi, and Incheon regions, with professional occupations and household monthly incomes of 7.5 - 8.5 million won. Parents with experience visiting pediatric dental clinics prioritized dentists’ expertise; those without experience prioritized short waiting times. Prior experience with pediatric dental clinics significantly increased the intention to revisit and reduced hesitation. Improving parents’ perceptions of pediatric dentists enhances decision-making and accessibility for children’s specialized dental care. Professional associations must raise awareness of pediatric dentistry. Pediatric dentists should prioritize expertise and advance their specializations in pediatric orthodontics.

Flexible Working Arrangements and Fertility Intentions: A Survey Experiment in Singapore

This study examines how young, unmarried, working people’s fertility intention is shaped by future scenarios where flexible working arrangements (FWAs) are the default. The unmarried population remains to be an under-studied part of the working population at reproductive ages, who nevertheless becomes increasingly significant for fertility research due to rising ages at marriage and the first birth. Despite significant public anticipation regarding the potential of FWAs to facilitate work–family balance and fertility, there is little research on the effects of FWAs on fertility intentions. We conduct a population-based vignette survey experiment to identify the causal effects of FWAs by randomly manipulating three scenarios of FWAs policy changes—reducing hours, increasing work-schedule flexibility, and increasing workplace flexibility—in Singapore, where both overwork norm and low fertility co-exist. All three types of FWAs improve fertility intentions. The effects are especially substantial for women, for which anticipated work–family conflict is an important mediator. Moreover, FWAs matter particularly to those in professional and managerial occupations. These findings call for policies facilitating a more family-friendly environment to tackle low fertility in the future of work.

Visualized Pattern-Based Hypothesis Testing on Exhaustion, Resilience, Sleep Quality, and Sleep Hygiene in Middle-Aged Women Transitioning Into Menopause or Postmenopause.

Exploratory data analysis involves observing data in graphical formats before making any assumptions. If interesting relationships or patterns among variables are identified, hypotheses are developed for further testing. This study aimed to identify significant differences in the levels of exhaustion, resilience, sleep quality, and sleep hygiene according to the personal characteristics of middle-aged women transitioning into menopause or postmenopause through exploratory data analysis. A total of 200 women aged 44 to 55 years were recruited online in August 2023. Data were collected using valid instruments and analyzed through data visualization, pattern identification in the visualized data, and hypothesis establishment based on the visualized patterns. Hypotheses were tested through the independent-samples t test, analysis of variance, and the Kruskal-Wallis test. A total of 11 patterns and corresponding hypotheses were identified. According to the statistically supported pattern-based hypotheses, middle-aged women who were in their perimenopausal period perceived themselves as unhealthy, had professional occupations, and had the highest level of exhaustion and the lowest levels of resilience, sleep quality, and sleep hygiene. This study demonstrated that data visualization is an efficient way to explore relationships or patterns between data. Data visualization should be considered an informatics solution that can provide insight in the field of healthcare.

Knowledge and concern towards endometriosis among Lebanese women: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundEndometriosis is a prevalent disease among women worldwide, including the Middle East. Insufficient knowledge about the disease causes delayed diagnosis which could result in major complications, particularly infertility. Thus, being aware of the symptom’s aids in prompt diagnosis and treatment. Furthermore, no research has been done in Lebanon to assess the Lebanese women’s knowledge about endometriosis.AimTo determine the understanding and concerns of Lebanese women about endometriosis which aids in identifying knowledge gaps and misconceptions so that they can be addressed.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted between February and March 2024 among Lebanese females, who completed the authors’ online questionnaire assessing knowledge and concern about endometriosis and its associated symptoms, Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to explore the relationship between score of knowledge and different characteristics of patients.ResultsA survey of 725 Lebanese women (mean age 32.5 years, SD = 9.5) revealed low knowledge (25.9%) about endometriosis origin, symptoms, and treatment. Over 60% were unaware of endometriosis symptoms, while 9.9% mistakenly believed menstrual cramps indicated the disease. Younger age (< 35 years), higher education (Master’s degree or above), professional occupation, lower pregnancy and live birth rates, and no history of abortion, endometriosis, pelvic inflammatory disease, uterine or ovarian conditions, and pelvic surgeries were significantly associated with greater knowledge of endometriosis.ConclusionLebanese women’s knowledge of endometriosis is limited. This highlights how crucial medical education and awareness initiatives are in addressing the issue in Lebanon. Greater awareness of endometriosis will encourage Lebanese women to seek medical advice and consultation, resulting in earlier detection and treatment.

Silicon caregivers: a multilevel analysis of European perspectives on robotic technologies for elderly care

ABSTRACT As populations age, women's workforce participation grows and AI advances, understanding attitudes towards care technologies becomes increasingly important. This study examines attitudes towards robot caregivers for older adults across 28 European countries, using 2017 Eurobarometer data from working-age adults (20–59; n = 13,839). We investigate how individual characteristics (gender, education, occupation) and local-level factors (GDP, female labour participation, over 65s as % of the population, spending on old age) are associated with comfort levels with domestic care robots. The results show that men, individuals with higher levels of educational attainment, and those in professional or managerial occupations report greater comfort with robot caregivers. Additionally, local context plays a significant role. Those living in local communities with higher female employment rates and lower spending on old-age support demonstrate higher acceptance of robotic care solutions. These findings highlight the dual influence of individual and community factors in shaping attitudes towards automated care technologies.

Socioeconomic Disparities, Service Equity, and Citizen Satisfaction: Cross‐National Evidence

AbstractThe literature on citizen satisfaction has predominantly focused on the key factors of service quality, with scant attention paid to the role of equity. Furthermore, these studies often rely on a single demographic identity within a single country, limiting their scope. This study aims to address these gaps by examining how outcome disparities based on socioeconomic status (SES) affect satisfaction with service providers across countries. Using a cross‐national education database, we employ three SES measures—education, income, and occupation—to test how disparities in student performance across SES groups affect parents' satisfaction with schools. Our findings show that parents in less professional occupations express lower satisfaction with schools when their children underperform compared with students whose parents hold more professional jobs. However, this relationship does not exist for education‐ or income‐based disparities. This study advances the understanding of how outcome disparities based on SES are associated with citizen satisfaction.

Exploring Portuguese Consumers’ Behavior Regarding Sustainable Wine: An Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior

Although consumption is the cornerstone of economic growth, it is unquestionably one of the main reasons for the current degradation of the planet. Hence, it is necessary to understand consumers’ different perceptions and behaviors regarding sustainable goods, as the solution will inevitably involve changing behaviors and promoting more sustainable consumption. In light of the challenges posed by sustainability within the wine sector, namely issues related to climate change, chemical exposure, and the availability of water and energy, and considering the industry’s substantial environmental and social impacts, it is important to understand the factors influencing wine consumer behavior. This research explores sustainable wine consumption in Portugal. Based on a sample of 197 valid responses, collected in an online survey that took place from March 20 to April 30 of 2024, and applying the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework, the current study found that consumers’ intention to consume sustainable wine is influenced by their attitudes, subjective norms, and sustainability awareness. Regarding the individuals’ consumption of sustainable wine, this behavior is influenced by the intention to consume this wine, and by consumers’ perceived behavioral control. The results also concluded that individuals’ intention to consume sustainable wine is significantly different across marital status, professional occupation, level of education, and age. With these valuable insights, this study aimed to increase the available information on sustainable wine consumption, allowing different stakeholders, namely political decision makers, to develop and implement more efficient measures to promote sustainable wine consumption.

Improvement of quality of life on breast cancer-related lymphedema patients through a postmastectomy care program in Mexico: a prospective study.

To assess whether health-related quality of life (HRQOL) improved through a postmastectomy care program focused on breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) protection/awareness. Postoperative breast cancer patients were enrolled prospectively (February-2018 to September-2019) at Nursing and Obstetrics Faculty, Durango, Mexico. Sociodemographic/clinical characteristics, arm measurements, and HRQOL evaluation with Functional Assessment Cancer Therapy-Breast Cancer were collected at baseline and after six follow-up assessments between six-to-twelve-month postmastectomy. Lymphedema was verified through circometry. Descriptive analysis and McNemar-Bowker test were used to evaluate paired differences in HRQOL. Subgroup analysis was conducted to assess sociodemographic/clinical characteristics of BCRL using Pearson's chi-squared or Fisher exact test along with odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). All tests were two-sided with P-values < 0.05 considered statistically significant. One-hundred-two patients developed BCRL (incidence 66.2%, n = 154). All dimensions of HRQOL improved after the postmastectomy care program (P < 0.05). The subgroup analysis indicated that elementary academic degree (OR = 2.40, 95%CI: 1.01-5.69), laborer (OR = 9.85, 95%CI: 3.30-29.3), and total mastectomy (OR = 4.23, 95%CI: 1.20-14.9) were more associated with BCRL (P < 0.05). Conversely, high school academic degree (OR = 0.46, 95%CI: 0.22-0.94), married status (OR = 0.42, 95%CI: 0.21-0.86), housewife (OR = 0.27, 95%CI: 0.12-0.61), professional occupation (OR = 0.10, 95%CI: 0.01-0.64), and having no comorbidities (OR = 0.31, 95%CI: 0.15-0.63) were less associated with BCRL (P < 0.05). Although HRQOL improved through the postmastectomy care program, our findings suggest that lower education, working as a laborer, and total mastectomy may be more associated with BCRL. Continuing research may uncover liabilities among BCRL patients within limited-resources settings.

Assessment of Muscle Activity During a Deadlift Performed by Construction Workers

Construction work is physically demanding. The tasks involved in this professional occupation physically exhaust workers and put them at high risk of injury. This work aimed to analyze muscle fatigue in civil construction workers with and without a history of physical activity. For this purpose, the muscle activity of the biceps femoris, trapezius transversalis, and erector spinae longissimus muscles was evaluated using surface electromyography. Eleven male civil construction workers aged 26 to 52 years (38.00 ± 9.60), seven of whom were untrained (N = 7) and four of whom were trained (N = 4), participated in this study. Each subject completed two assessments at two different times. A questionnaire was completed for the first assessment, and each subject’s maximum repetition for the deadlift exercise was assessed. In the second assessment, the subjects were assessed while performing the deadlift in four different situations: 50%RM at rest, 70%RM at rest, 70%RM at fatigue, and 50%RM at fatigue. The trained construction workers had higher levels of muscle activity, and there were no significant differences in muscle activation between the fatigued and non-fatigued sets. There appears to be a strong influence of physical exercise on muscle activity and fatigue in civil construction workers.

Charting the Course of the Nursing Professional Identity: A Qualitative Descriptive Study on the Identity of Nurses Working in Care for Older Adults.

To explore and describe the meaning of nurses working in care for older adults give to the nursing professional identity. A qualitative approach was taken. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 50 bachelor and vocational-educated nurses working in care for older adults. Interviews were conducted between December 2019 and May 2020. Data were analysed and interpreted through inductive content analysis. Five themes embody the meaning of the nursing professional identity of nurses who work in care for older adults. The five themes are: born to care: a lifelong motivation to nursing; nursing through the noise: dedication in a demanding profession; the silent backbone: caught in the crossfire of interdisciplinary teams; learning under pressure: the demand for expanded nursing expertise and against the current: the barriers to advocacy in nursing. The professional nursing identity of nurses working in care for older adults is multi-faceted. A personal dedication to patient care, where patients 'human' aspect is heavily valued, commits nurses to their profession and underscores their dedication to upholding the quality standard in nursing practice. The older adults' nursing identity highlights that nursing deserves acknowledgement as a professional occupation. Nurses should speak to the public about their professional roles to improve the public view of older adult nursing. A clear understanding of the older adult nursing professional identity clarifies specific roles, experiences and expectations. This can help attract and retain nurses whose views of older adult nursing align with the nursing professional identity. This could help resolve nurse turnover and reduce shortages in older adult care. We adhered to Consolidated Criteria For Reporting Qualitative Research guidelines. No patient or public contribution.

A Study on Internet News for Patient Safety Campaigns: Focusing on Text Network Analysis and Topic Modeling.

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to identify the main issues related to public patient safety campaigns reflected in Korean online news. This study utilized a text-mining method to identify keywords and topics related to patient safety campaigns. Methods: The data collection period was from 1 January 2022 to 31 December 2023, and 4110 news articles were extracted. Through data preprocessing, 2661 duplicated news and 1213 unrelated news were removed, and 236 news were selected. Using the NetMiner program, keyword co-occurrence frequency calculation, keyword centrality analysis, and topic modeling analysis were performed. Results: The results showed that the most frequently mentioned keywords with high degree centrality, betweenness centrality, and closeness centrality in online news were "hospital", "medical", "medicine", "project", and "treatment". The topics of online news related to the patient safety campaign were "patient-centered care for medical safety", "health promotion projects at a regional institution", "hand hygiene education to prevent infection", "healthcare quality improvement through the Mint Festival", and "safe use of medicines". Conclusions: This study analyzed patient safety campaign news topics using text network analysis and topic modeling. It was confirmed that patient safety campaigns are essential for fostering a patient safety culture, improving medical quality, and encouraging patient participation in hospitals. Therefore, to build a safe medical environment, it is necessary to establish an effective patient safety campaign for not only medical staff providing medical care, but also patients and their caregivers, and for this, cooperation and participation from various professional occupations are necessary.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of healthcare professionals toward rehabilitation of peripheral nerve injury

Peripheral nerve injury (PNI) occurs due to damage of peripheral nerves, with healthcare professionals playing significant roles in PNI rehabilitation. This study aimed to explore the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) towards PNI rehabilitation among healthcare professionals. This cross-sectional study was conducted on June 2023 in China and healthcare professionals were enrolled. A total of 611 valid questionnaires were collected, with 62.52% female respondents. Mean scores for KAP were 14.26 ± 2.044 (possible range: 0–19), 29.77 ± 3.622 (possible range: 7–35), and 41.55 ± 9.523 (possible range: 11–55), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression revealed positive associations of professional titles (OR = 1.743, 95% CI: 1.083–2.804), occupation (OR = 1.833, 95% CI: 1.151–2.919), and involvement in treatment or care of PNI patients (OR = 1.462, 95% CI: 1.024–2.088) with knowledge. Knowledge (OR = 1.155, 95% CI: 1.042–1.280), gender (OR = 2.140, 95% CI: 1.255–3.646), education (OR = 2.258, 95% CI: 1.131–4.507), and involvement in treatment or care of PNI patients (OR = 2.463, 95% CI: 1.460–4.155) were positively associated with attitude. Attitude (OR = 1.214, 95% CI: 1.148–1.283), bachelor's degree education (OR = 0.548, 95% CI: 0.326–0.919), master's degree or higher (OR = 0.545, 95% CI: 0.308–0.964), having rehabilitation training for PNI (OR = 2.485, 95% CI: 1.633–3.781), and involvement in treatment or care of PNI patients (OR = 2.093, 95% CI: 1.395–3.138) were independently associated with practice. Healthcare professionals exhibited moderate knowledge, positive attitudes, and moderate practices towards the PNI rehabilitation. Those involved in the treatment or care of PNI have significantly higher KAP. Targeted interventions were needed to enhance understanding and promote proactive engagement in clinical practice.

한국 서원의 원생과 서양 중세 대학 학생의 성격 비교 - 원생과 학생의 특권을 중심으로

This thesis is a comparative review of students in Korea’s Seowon and medieval university students of the West with the focus on special privilege. The institutions of the two sides were one of the highest education institutions for respective region to educate the national elites. Therefore, the national and regional powers provided social and economic special privilege to the students in respective institution. However, there are extremely clear differences in the special privilege granted to the specific class on the level of influence on the actual national advancement and development into modern educational institution. First of all, those students in medieval western universities had taken the extremely public benefit position regarding the functions of universities. Namely, those medieval universities were the self-autonomous organization of students who had strong drive on academic freedom and professional occupation, not as a facility of church or state power. The kept demanding on right of self-autonomy to the Pope and kings, and such demands were materialized due to the realistic needs. Such self-autonomy of universities and special privilege of students were symbolized as so-called ‘freedom of university’, and it was the foundation to establish them to grow into professional education institution to accommodate diversified academic fields after the modern era. On the other hand, the special privilege of Seowon students of Korea was distanced from the educational efficacy. Those special privileges granted for the purpose of encouraging the academic endeavors had turned into a mean to secure social and economic interests that are represented as an avoidance of national duties. Under the situation, the educational function of Seowon was greatly declined after the 17th century, but the special privilege represented for exemption of military service. In such aspect, it would be attributable as one of important factors that Seowon was unable to transit or advance as a modern educational institution in Korea.

Association between frailty and main work during the LIFE: A cross-sectional analysis of the UK Biobank

BackgroundThe role of main work during the life course in predicting frailty, a typical geriatric syndrome, is still largely unknown. Therefore, with this research, we aimed to investigate the potential association between the main work done during the life with frailty and pre-frailty among participants 60 years and older of the UK Biobank study. MethodsFrailty and pre-frailty presence were ascertained using a model including 5 indicators (weakness, slowness, weight loss, low physical activity, and exhaustion); the main employment status was ascertained using self-reported information. The association between frailty and main work was explored using an ordinal logistic regression model and reported as odds ratios (ORs) with their 95 % confidence intervals (CIs). ResultsThe final sample comprised a total of 50,447 individuals (mean age: 64.2 years, females: 50.2 %). Individuals with higher qualifications had a reduced risk of frailty (OR = 0.881, 95%CI = 0.83–0.95, p-value<0.001 for pre-frail and OR = 0.681, 95%CI = 0.63–0.73, p-value<0.001 for frail) compared to those with lower qualifications. Moreover, active participation in the workforce, compared to being inactive, emerged as a protective factor from frailty (OR = 0.753, 95%CI = 0.70–0.81, p-value<0.001). The categories of Associate Professional and Technical Occupations exhibited protective effects against both pre-frailty and frailty. Similarly, occupations categorized as Professional and Management demonstrated protective effects against pre-frailty and frailty when compared to Elementary Occupations. Additionally, engagement in Trades and Services occupations, as opposed to Elementary Occupations, appeared to be protective against frailty. ConclusionsIn this large cross-sectional investigation based on the data of the UK Biobank we found that work during lifetime could be an important factor in determining frailty later in life.

Criminology significant signs of criminal offenses related to the illegal use of minerals

This scientific article is aimed at clarifying the criminologically significant signs of criminal offenses related to the illegal use of minerals (Articles 240, 2401 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine). It is noted that the complex geopolitical and economic situation, the imperfection of legislation and other factors lead to an increase in the number of cases of illegal amber mining in Ukraine. This indicates that the specified problem needs to be solved in a theoretical and practical aspect. It was concluded that the criminological characteristics of criminal offenses related to the illegal use of minerals should be considered as an information model that displays typical features, that is, those inherent in such an array of criminal offenses, and specific ones that allow them to be separated from other groups illegal acts. Among the main characteristics of criminal offenses related to the illegal use of minerals, the following criminologically significant signs of a criminal offense are singled out: data on preparation for the commission and concealment of a criminal offense; typical techniques; time, place and circumstances of the commission; the subject of criminal encroachment; tools, means, data about the identity of the criminal, the motive and purpose of committing the criminal offense; typical traces of a criminal offence. All methods of illegal mineral extraction are divided into two groups: open method; underground way. The most common method of spontaneous extraction is hydromechanical. The subject of criminal offenses related to the illegal use of minerals can be the subsoil and minerals of national significance (except for common ones). The place of illegal extraction of minerals depends on their location, and the situation is often determined by weather conditions, the specifics of the activity of controlling bodies, and the organization of the work of individual services. The main sources and carriers of traces of committed criminal offenses are people and things. Special devices have been identified as tools for illegal amber mining. The subjects of such illegal actions can be persons both related and unrelated by nature of their professional occupations to amber mining. The usually group method of committing criminal offenses is indicated.

Negotiating Work and Family Spheres: The Dyadic Effects of Flexible Work Arrangements on Fertility Among Dual-Earner Heterosexual Couples

Academics and policymakers have suggested making flexible work arrangements (FWAs) the default in workplaces to promote a family-friendly workplace culture conducive to having and raising children. However, systematic research investigating how FWAs, as a long-term approach to negotiating work–family spheres, are related to fertility among dual-earner heterosexual couples is limited. Drawing on the linked-lives perspective, we theorize the relationship between FWAs and fertility among couples and potential variation depending on the interplay of both spouses’ work and family characteristics. We test our hypotheses using longitudinal couple-level dyadic data in the United Kingdom (2010–2022). We find that although FWA availability alone is unrelated to fertility, wives’ (not husbands’) FWA use is significantly associated with a higher probability of experiencing a first birth. Moreover, the effect of wives’ FWA use is particularly pronounced when both spouses work in professional and managerial occupations and when husbands contribute a larger proportion of income and at least equal housework. This study reveals a gendered effect of FWAs on fertility across work–family arrangements, deepening our understanding of couple-level dynamics in the fertility process.

Quality of life of professionals working in primary care

Objective: To analyze the factors associated with the quality of life of health professionals working in primary care. Methods: an integrative literature review was conducted using the secondary databases Virtual Health Library, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, Scientific Electronic Library Online and Online System for Search and Analysis of Medical Literature based on the specific descriptors retrieved from the Health Sciences Descriptors. Results: the following factors were identified as associated with the outcome: inadequate conditions to perform work, lack of organization and difficulty in social relationships, professional occupation, with community health agents being the professionals with the lowest quality of life, followed by mid-level professionals, in the qualitative data, the perspectives that most impact the quality of life were infrastructure and salary deficits, Regarding the quality of life domains, there was great variation in the findings of the various studies. Conclusion: the data of the study indicate that the factors that influence the quality of life of professionals working in primary care are complex and multifaceted, ranging from individual variables or to the work environment.

Slow walking speed and health-related exit from employment among older workers over 5 years of follow-up: evidence from the Health and Employment After Fifty (HEAF) cohort study

IntroductionWith demographic changes, there is increasing demand for individuals and governments to lengthen working lives. Jobs that are very physically demanding are likely to be more difficult to sustain at...

부적응 요인이 직업상담사의 직무성과에 미치는 효과: 자기성찰, 전문직업성 및 내재적 직무만족의 매개 효과

This study was conducted to examine the effect of maladjustment factors on the job performance of counselors and to explore ways to improve them. The subjects of this study were a total of 212 career counselors working at institutions of the Employment and Welfare Plus Center of the Ministry of Employment and Labor, private consignment institutions of the Ministry of Employment and Labor, local government job centers, new work support centers, and university Job Plus centers. The survey was conducted online from April 1st to April 26th, 2023 through the in-house bulletin board or e-mail of each institution. The measurement tools used a work environment scale, a self-reflection scale, a professional occupation scale, an intrinsic satisfaction scale, and a job performance scale. Data analysis was performed using the SPSS 23.0 program and the PROCESS macrover. 3.3 program. The research results were as follows.: First, in the relationship between maladaptive factors and job performance of career counselors, a significant multi-mediating effect was found in which self-reflection and professionalism sequentially influence each other. Second, in the relationship between maladaptive factors and career counselors' job performance, a significant multimediating effect was found in which self-reflection and intrinsic job satisfaction sequentially influence each other. These results confirmed that it is important to improve job performance by improving career counselor's self-reflection, intrinsic job satisfaction, and expertise in order to reduce the influence of maladjustment factors. It was confirmed that career counselors with maladjustment factors had a great influence on the performance of career counseling in terms of self-reflection and recognition of professionalism. This suggests that there is a need to provide systematic continuing education for career counselors and opportunities to share field experiences.

The role of socio-economic factors, parental occupation, and education in enhancing adolescent knowledge of STDs: A quasi-experiment study, Bangalore

This study investigates the impact of socio-economic status, occupation of the head of the family, and education of the head of the family on adolescents' knowledge of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Adolescents often face knowledge gaps regarding STDs, increasing their risk of infection and adverse health outcomes. Addressing these gaps through targeted educational interventions is crucial for promoting safer sexual practices and improving adolescent health. Using a quasi-experimental one-group pre-test and post-test design, this study assessed sixty adolescents from 1st and 2nd Pre-University (PU) classes at NSVK PU College, Bangalore, selected via convenience sampling. Data were collected using a demographic proforma, including socio-economic status, occupation, and education of the head of the family. A structured questionnaire evaluated baseline STD knowledge. A planned teaching program on STDs covered transmission modes, symptoms, prevention, and treatment. The effectiveness of the intervention was measured by comparing pre-test and post-test scores, with statistical analysis confirming significant knowledge improvements. The analysis showed that socio-economic status, occupation, and education of the head of the family critically influenced knowledge acquisition. Adolescents from families with higher socio-economic status, more educated heads, and professional occupations exhibited greater knowledge improvement. These results highlight the importance of considering socio-economic factors when designing educational programs to increase STD awareness among adolescents. Tailored interventions addressing the specific needs of different demographic groups are essential to reduce STD incidence and promote healthier behaviours.