Qualitative Phase Research Articles

Delirium care burden of intensive care nurses caring for patients undergoing open-heart surgery: A mixed-method research.

Delirium is an acute confusional state characterized by inattention, cognitive dysfunction and an altered level of consciousness. Delirium causes negative outcomes in patients, and patients with delirium increase the workload of nurses. Therefore, it is important to recognize the challenges and burdens experienced by nurses caring for patients with delirium. To determine the subjective burden experienced by intensive care nurses caring for patients who have undergone open-heart surgery. A mixed-method sequential explanatory design. A non-probability purposive sampling method was used for the quantitative stage. Using OpenEpi, we employed the method of sample calculation with an unknown universe. The sample size of the quantitive study comprised 130 nurses. Quantitative data were collected with Google survey. For gathering qualitative data, online video interviews were conducted with 10 nurses, an interpretive phenomenological approach was used and content analysis was performed. In the quantitative phase, we found that the subjective burden was high. In the qualitative phase, five main themes emerged: difficulty in recognizing delirium, physical burden, emotional burden, burden in care management of patients with delirium and the effect of patients with delirium on other patients. The nurses experienced physical and emotional burden in delirium management and felt lonely while caring for patients with delirium. Because nurses play a key role in the care of patients with delirium, reducing the burden nurses experience when caring for patients with delirium should be considered important in ensuring that this patient population receives adequate care. Delirium patients create a care burden for intensive care nurses. To reduce this burden of care, in-service training in patient management and bedside teaching support should be provided to nurses. Furthermore, the use of a valid scale to diagnose delirium should be integrated into health policies. Nurses should not be left alone in the management of delirium. Managing delirium patients with a team including physicians, nurses and professionals from other health disciplines will ensure that patients receive high-quality care, thereby reducing the care burden of nurses.

Intersectional analysis of the barriers faced by university women accessing and using ai in the workplace

The purpose of this study was to analyze the barriers faced by university women in accessing and using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the workplace in Argentina, Chile, and Mexico from an intersectional perspective. We explored the complex interactions between gender, ethnicity, social class, and geographical location in shaping these barriers. The study's design and methodology followed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods approach. We collected data in the quantitative phase using an online survey on a sample of 812 university women working in three countries. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews and focus groups were conducted with a subsample of participants. The findings revealed various barriers to accessing and using AI, such as lack of knowledge and skills, gender stereotypes, digital divides, and challenges in work-family balance. We also identified significant differences based on ethnicity and type of work. The qualitative analysis highlighted discrimination, lack of support, and mentoring, as well as the intersection of inequalities. The practical implications of this study underscore the importance of considering intersectionality when addressing the barriers faced by university women when interacting with AI. The findings have implications for the design of policies and programs that promote gender equity in AI and the workplace, taking into account the diversity of women's experiences.

Acceptability of HPV vaccination for cervical cancer prevention amongst emerging adult women in rural Mysore, India: a mixed-methods study

BackgroundIndia has the highest number of estimated deaths from cervical cancer globally, with most cases attributed to Human papillomavirus (HPV). The World Health Organization recommends primary HPV vaccination for girls ages 9–14, with catch-up vaccination for young women ≥ 15 if feasible. India authorized a new, inexpensive HPV vaccine in 2022; given anticipated vaccine expansion, we conducted a mixed-methods study exploring acceptability of HPV catch-up vaccination for young emerging adult women in rural Mysore, India.MethodsBetween September 2022-April 2023, participants were recruited with assistance from community health workers. In the qualitative phase, gender-stratified, audio-recorded focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted in Kannada with emerging adults ages 18–26. FGDs were transcribed, translated, and analyzed using rapid approach to identify key HPV vaccination attributes. In the quantitative phase, a conjoint analysis was conducted to assess the impact of seven vaccination attributes on likelihood to vaccinate (LTV). Women ages 18–26 ranked LTV in eight hypothetical vaccination scenarios, and the relative impact of each attribute on LTV was calculated. All participants received education about cervical cancer, HPV, and HPV vaccination.ResultsFifty-two young adults (female = 31, male = 21) participated in seven FGDs, and 101 women participated in the conjoint analysis. Average age of the 153 participants was 22.5 years, 66.7% had married, and all had completed high school. Only 17.9% had heard of cervical cancer, and 2.7% knew of the HPV vaccine. FGDs identified seven HPV vaccination attributes: cost, vaccination location, family support, peer influence, dose number, side effects, and risk of acquiring HPV. In the conjoint analysis, all attributes except dose number significantly impacted LTV. Family support (impact score = 19.37, p < 0.0001) and peer influence (impact score = 18.01, p < 0.0001) had the greatest influence, followed by cost (impact score = 16.64, p < 0.0001) and HPV risk (impact score = 12.31, p < 0.0001). Vaccination location (government centers preferred) and side effects were also significant.ConclusionParticipants had poor knowledge of cervical cancer and HPV. Social attributes (family support, peer influence) had greatest impacts on LTV, and future studies should explore family-based interventions and peer education. Providing free vaccines at government centers through India’s national immunization program would maximize catch-up HPV vaccination for rural young women.

Environmentally sustainable apparel merchandising of recycled cotton-polyester blended garments: Analysis of consumer preferences and purchasing behaviors

This research work examines how consumer behavior and purchasing pattern are affected by recycled cotton-polyester blended clothing, with a particular emphasis on sustainable apparel merchandising. The use of recycled materials has drawn a lot of attention as environmental sustainability in the fashion business is growing attention. In order to investigate customer behavior, perceptions, preferences and purchasing decisions regarding recycled cotton-polyester blended clothing.This research employed a mixed-methods design that included both qualitative and quantitative methods. For a deeper understanding of the customer attitudes, opinions and motives towards sustainable fashion recycled materials in particular, this phase qualitatively involves a one-on-one interview and focus group discussions based on age, gender social class as well as the level of education. In addition, the study considers aspects such as longevity in use, wear resistance, quality, ease of use and clothing comfort that influence buying decisions. Using data from the qualitative phase as a foundation, the quantitative phase uses surveys given to a broad consumer sample to measure consumer preferences and purchasing pattern for recycled cotton-polyester clothing. This research aims at identifying the key factors that impact the preference of customers and buying behavior for recycled cotton and polyester blends based apparel. Additionally, it aims to assess how well sustainable clothing merchandising techniques work to promote these goods. This study indicates that individuals aged 25–45 from higher social strata and with higher educational attainment exhibit greater awareness and preference for recycled apparel with more than 60 % demonstrating a marked inclination towards these products.

Study to explore the facilitators and barriers of infant and young children feeding (IYCF) practices among mothers of infants and young children attending referral centres - A MMR

Ideal infant and young children feeding, (IYCF) includes initiation of breastfeeding within half an hour to one hour of birth, exclusive breastfeeding for six months of birth. The Government is spending huge amount of time and sources towards improving the health of mother and children still the mothers are not aware of importance of IYCF practices. The aim of the study was to explore the facilitators and barriers of IYCF practices among mothers of infants and young children attending urban and rural Health centers at Madurai. The majority of the mothers (86.6%) had inadequate level of feeding practices. In the qualitative phase the researcher noted facilitators and barriers. The facilitators were appropriate ante natal health check-ups, institutional deliveries etc Regarding the barriers influence of social media, economic crisis, cultural barriers etc. the researcher concluded that still continuous step to be taken by VHN in the health centres to promote IYCF practices.

Enhancing Academic Success: A mixed Study on the Influencing Factors among Pharmacy Students in Syrian Universities

Background Academic achievement is the result of both effort and perseverance exerted by the students. This mixed-methods study aims to investigate the factors affecting the academic achievement of pharmacy students in Syrian universities. Methods A convergent parallel mixed-methods study was utilized. In the quantitative phase, a cross-sectional study was conducted on 1008 students (773 females and 235 males) from 23 Syrian universities. A questionnaire consisting of 48 items was designed to be completed by pharmacy students using a 5-point Likert scale. In the qualitative phase, twelve questions were developed to interview thirty pharmacy students from five Syrian universities to obtain in-depth insights into the factors influencing their academic achievement. Results A significant number of students lacked effective time management skills, identified as a weakness among students. The majority of students faced challenges in maintaining a consistent study routine, averaging a score of (2.0). Motivation towards learning emerged as a crucial factor in enhancing academic performance. Lecturers in the pharmacy faculty employed traditional teaching methods (2.01), and the pharmacy curriculum was perceived as lacking modernity (1.92). Quantitative findings demonstrated that pharmacy students experienced exam-related anxiety (2.05), identified as a weakness in the qualitative phase. Factors associated with the Syrian crisis, like unreliable electricity (1.87) and transportation issues (1.83), could have an impact on academic achievement. Economic conditions were identified as challenging to students’ academic performance, negatively affecting the learning process (1.98). Conclusion The results of the study demonstrate that personal factors, lecturers, educational environment, exams, and the Syrian crisis influence the academic achievement of pharmacy students in Syrian universities.

Social Support, Caregiver Burden, Quality of Life and Resilience Among Mothers with Down Syndrome Children in East Kalimantan: A Mixed Method Study

One effect of spending time with children who have Down syndrome is that parents may spend less time interacting with their surroundings. Parents' resilience and quality of life will both be impacted by this behavior. The study sought to ascertain the relationship between quality of life, resilience, carer load, and social support in mothers of children with Down syndrome. This study employed a hybrid methodology, with two phases in February and May of 2023: quantitative and qualitative. In the initial phase, 135 parents with DS children were involved. The qualitative phase involved 8 individuals after that. The quality-of-life variable has a strong correlation; however, it is correlated negatively, meaning that the variable's resilience decreases as quality-of-life increases. However, the variables measuring the burden of caring and social support show a negligible connection with a negative direction. This implies that the resilience variable decreases with increasing stress and increases with social support. Six themes surfaced in the qualitative stage in the meantime. Social support, caregiver burden, and quality of life influence the strengthening of parents who have DS children; therefore, protection service providers can consider parenting using this method as early detection in maintaining the resilience of parents who have DS children.

The evaluation of computational modelling performance within the context of rationality theory: finding the area between two curves

ABSTRACT This study aimed to investigate the development of computational modelling performances of students during the computer-assisted system (CAS) integrated ACODESA method based on Habermas’ construct of rationality. The participants included 22 university students. In the study, in which the embedded design was utilised, the qualitative phase aimed to examine the computational modelling performances of the students during the stages of CAS integrated ACODESA method. It was determined that the students showed improvement in modelling the Riemann sum accurately with CAS, and in choosing to use for loop to determine the area of the rectangles that represented the Riemann sum, and in comprehensibility and acceptability. In the quantitative phase of the study, pre and post-tests were conducted to determine the effect of the CAS-integrated ACODESA method on computational modelling performances of the students. The computational modelling scores were compared with the paired samples t-test. It was found that CAS-integrated ACODESA method made statistically significant effect on computational modelling performances of the students.

IMPROVING WRITING SKILLS IN BUSINESS ENGLISH STUDENTS – THE IMPACT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE BASED TECHNOLOGY

Today, more than ever, effective communication, regardless of the shape it takes, is important for every company’s success. Having as a target the idea of going global, employers search for employees who know exactly how to express themselves in order to be understood efficiently and correctly, constantly ranking writing ability among the most popular skills for business graduates to possess. Nowadays, the global business image needs professionals who possess communications skills, especially writing skills since businesses want to convey their idea, a message, a concept to employees, customers, partners, contractors all over the world. We can think of a lot of reasons why writing skills are important in the business world. As communication technologies and information are having a great impact on all the aspects of the language use, written communication changes, too. The more diffused computer-mediated communications are, the more we witness a modification in the purpose of writing, the genres of written communication and the nature of the audience. For both teachers and students, writing has always been a problematic issue, due to several aspects, among which the most significant ones are: it is more time-consuming, it is not very dynamic, it is not very interactive and therefore, it is more difficult to be integrated in the structure of the course of Business English. The whole picture has changed. One of the most used platforms among students is WhatsApp, being a popular instructional learning medium. The present article is based on research using semistructured interviews, in the qualitative phase, as an instrument for data collection, aimed to find out the students’ perspective towards the use of WhatsApp group in improving their writing ability in English. The sample of the study consists of 45 students at the Faculty of Economic Sciences, University of Oradea, first and second year of study. The author wants to research how today’s technology influences the development of writing skills in Business English students, more exactly the impact of the WhatsApp groups, in the case of the abovementioned students. The elements discussed are the following: tone, simplicity, clarity and concision. The results show that the students feel that their writing skills have improved after a period of using WhatsApp group and benefit during the teaching and learning process. It also shows that it can develop the writing ability of the students. This result is supported by the opinions of the students who gave more good responses than bad ones. Thus, the result shows that the WhatsApp group is one of the most appreciated and appropriate learning platforms for today’s Generation Z.

SUBSTANTIAL VERSUS FUNCTIONAL PRINCIPAL AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON THE SUCCESS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS OF ALTERNATIVE LEARNING TEACHING AND ASSESSMENT IN HIGH SCHOOLS IN ISRAEL

The article deals with two main types of school principals, a substantial principal and a functional principal, which were discovered during research, conveying the influence of principals' different management styles on alternative learning, teaching and assessment processes in high schools in Israel. The full research was a two-phase research, a quantitative phase and a qualitative phase, carried out in 30 schools throughout Israel and included 30 principals, 340 teachers and 337 students. The main findings of the research indicated that a principal of an substantial type prominently and significantly promotes alternative learning and evaluation processes, while a functional principal does not bring a significant contribution, and even hinders this process. This can be clearly seen by examining the relationships between the different variables of the research, when, for example, strong, significant and positive relationships were found between a variable such as an substantial management style and variables such as teaching and learning using alternative methods or assessment using alternative methods, as opposed to strong, significant, but negative relationships between those last two variables, and a variable of functional management style of the school principal. The article also includes conclusions as well as recommendations for exposing school principals to their strengths, which must be preserved, and also indirectly to their weaknesses, which make it difficult to implement alternative assessment processes, in order to additionally train themselves in diverse management habits.

A roadmap of retargeting campaigns for SMEs: a case study

PurposeRunning advertising campaigns and attracting the traffic, as well as collecting information from users who have entered the website once, provides the conditions to perform retargeting campaigns and consequently increases website visit rates and sales. The purpose of this research is to design a roadmap of retargeting campaign for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), as well as to compare normal and retargeting advertising campaigns in order to confirm the effectiveness of retargeting campaigns.Design/methodology/approachA single-case-study strategy was adopted by choosing advertising Company-X to design the roadmap of retargeting campaigns and evaluate its effectiveness. Using a purposive sampling, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 experts of advertising Company-X. Furthermore, the documents and reports available in the company were also analyzed. Thematic analysis was employed to analyze the interviews and documents. Next, a one-way ANOVA test and a two-sample t-test were used to measure the effectiveness of retargeting campaigns of the Company-X compared to normal campaigns with secondary data of 22 SMEs for a six-month period.FindingsThe qualitative phase led to the presentation of a roadmap for the retargeting campaigns in three stages: preparation, process and implementation. The results of the quantitative phase revealed that the ratio of clicks to impressions (click-through rate) and the ratio of successful purchase tags to clicks (conversion rate) are much higher in the retargeting product campaign. Therefore, the performance of selected SMEs as an example in the product retargeting campaign was better than that of the non-retargeting campaigns. Also, the ratio of cost to the successful purchase tag was higher for the product retargeting campaigns.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature of retargeting. First, this study provides SMEs with a successful roadmap for retargeting campaigns. Second, this research reveals the effectiveness and mechanism of retargeting for SMEs.

Investigating the Possibility of Nurse Prescribing Training Development in Nursing Education System in Iran

PurposeEnough medical knowledge and skills are fundamentals for nurse prescribing authority development. This study will explore the potential for developing nurse prescribing training in Iran, where nurses currently lack prescribing authority despite their strong academic nursing education. MethodsThis is a study with two phases. At first, in a conventional qualitative content analysis method, with purposive and snowball sampling, from June 2021 to March 2023, 20 participants, including 16 nurses in different clinical, managerial, educational, and policy-making settings, three physicians, and one clinical pharmacist were interviewed. Unstructured interviews were conducted face-to-face or virtually due to COVID-19. Qualitative content analysis Elo and Kyngäs 2008 was used for data analysis. In the second comparative analysis phase, four masters of science and one doctor of nursing curricula were analyzed in the existence of the nurse prescribing prerequisite courses and these five curricula and two potential masters of science in community health and critical care nursing curricula were compared with John Hopkins University curricula. ResultsIn the qualitative phase, two themes emerged: nursing education challenges and the potential for nurse prescribing training development. These were further broken down into four subthemes: inadequate nurses' knowledge in prerequisite nurse prescribing courses, unprepared educational infrastructure, treatment sector potentials, and educational potentials, with a total of 12 concepts identified. During the comparative phase, it was found that none of the nursing curricula had adequate prerequisite courses for nurse prescribing. However, the Community Health and Critical Care nursing curricula showed potential for developing nurse prescribing training. ConclusionsIn the nursing education system, there are some challenges and potentials for prescribing training, and the community health and critical care nursing curricula have the potential capacity to prepare the graduated nurses to prescribe. It needs educational and managerial policies. More developmental research and pilot studies are recommended.

A mixed-methods study for understanding the motives of trans persons’ participation in leisure-time physical activity and sport

ABSTRACT The primary objective of this mixed-methods study was to identify and comprehensively understand the motives that drive trans people to engage in leisure-time physical activities and sports (LTPAS). In the quantitative phase, face-to-face surveys were administered to 155 Spanish trans persons [64 women (TW), 84 men (TM), and 7 non-conforming binary gender participants (NBG)]. The qualitative phase included 43 semi-structured interviews (21 TW, 17 TM, and 5 NBG). The fieldwork was carried out between 2012 and 2015. The most prominent motive was ‘to do physical exercise’ while the least important was ‘to enjoy competing’. TM and NBG persons expressed higher levels than TW in motives such as ‘to reaffirm my gender identity’, ‘to do physical exercise’, ‘to enjoy doing sport’, and ‘to increase my musculature’. Additional extrinsic (‘appearance and body image’) and intrinsic motives (‘pleasure of body exertion’) were identified in the qualitative phase. Extrinsic and the relationship between intrinsic-extrinsic motives highlight the importance of gender reaffirming embodiment among the participants. These findings have the potential to raise awareness and sensitise professionals, policymakers, and society at large to promote greater involvement and more fulfilling experiences for trans persons in LTPAS.

How public opinion of food safety affects green food purchase intentions: The mediating role of insecurity and the moderating role of green label trust

Widespread public opinion of food safety (POFS) has exacerbated consumer concerns about food safety and health, then driving consumers to purchase green food. However, the mechanisms at play in such concerns to consumer behaviour towards green food consumption have not explored, especially in the environment of social media. To fill up this gap, this research adopted a sequential two-stage mixed-methods approach to identify and examine the effects and mechanisms of public opinion of food safety on consumers' green food purchase intentions. In the initial qualitative research phase, the public comments on the microblogging platform was analyzed and we identified four top hot topics: public opinion of food safety, insecurity, green label trust (GLT) and green food purchase intentions (GFPI) based on text mining. In the quantitative phase of the survey-based research, we introduced the protection motivation theory and the hyper-attention cognitive model to construct a conceptual model. Based on this conceptual model, we conducted an empirical test with 1087 online questionnaires. The result showed that POFS had a significant positive effect on consumers' GFPI; consumer insecurity mediated the relationship between POFS and GFPI, and GLT played a moderating role between them. This study illustrates a psychological mechanism by which public opinion of food safety motivates consumers to switch to green food and provides new insights into green food consumption behaviour. It is an essential reference for encouraging green food consumption and promoting sustainability in the food industry.

Reflections on the Collaborative Story Analysis Method to Understand Qualitative Perspectives of Indigenous Syringe Services Program Clients

Many scholars have cautioned that the use of Western research methods is problematic in studies with Indigenous communities given colonialist histories that have exploited Indigenous populations. One solution has been to utilize a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach to enhance equity in research partnerships. Employing a CBPR approach, however, does not necessitate the inclusion of Indigenous Research Methods, an additional step that can further benefit studies with their explicit alignment with Indigenous worldviews and values. In a CBPR project aiming to understand Indigenous harm reduction clients' perspectives of barriers and facilitators to opioid use disorder treatment, our research group assembled a multidisciplinary qualitative data analysis team that included diverse tribal community members and academics. Sparse literature was available to guide the use of Indigenous Research Methods for the qualitative data analysis phase of the research. To address this gap, the aims of this process paper are: (1) to describe the implementation of the Collaborative Story Analysis method, and (2) in the Indigenous tradition of honoring and sharing stories, describe our analysis team's experiences and perceptions of implementing this Indigenous Research Method. Through a series of process discussions, the analysis team found that applying the Collaborative Story Analysis method: (1) honored relationships and story, (2) strengthened the depth of analysis, and (3) exhibited tensions when working in a dominant Western culture. Through sharing our team's experiences, the aspiration is that others can use these insights in their own consideration and implementation of an Indigenous Research Method for qualitative data analysis.

Investigating the factors influencing ease of doing business in Gilan province

PurposeThe ease of doing business (EODB) is a key factor in the development of investment, production and employment in a country. The purpose of this research is to identify the components of EODB in Gilan province in Northern Iran and rank these components from the perspective of economic operators.Design/methodology/approachThis research uses a mixed methods design. In the qualitative phase, the components of EODB in Gilan province are identified through meta-synthesis with the participation of 10 experts. In the quantitative phase, structural equation modeling is used to rank these components from the perspective of 75 randomly selected economic operators from different economic sectors of Gilan province.FindingsAccording to the participants, the main factors influencing EODB in Gilan province are: (1) public services and infrastructure; (2) political stability and the government; (3) policies, laws and regulations and (4) security of property rights.Practical implicationsIdentifying factors conducive to the business environment can play an effective role in removing the barriers to achieving the goals of development programs, such as economic growth and reducing unemployment, poverty and inflation. Gilan province, in particular, is in a favorable condition in terms of climate and geography, with an abundance of young, specialized human resources, which can help remove barriers to improving the business environment and facilitate the use of these capacities. It must be noted that the labor force participation rate in Gilan province is 41.3%, indicating that 58.7% of the working age population is not working or actively looking for work, and removing EODB barriers can provide these people with incentives for economic participation.Originality/valueThe results suggest that creating a stable, transparent, anti-rent, predictable and reliable business environment will allow for increasing investment, production and employment across the province, and that controlling the inflation caused by increased production will make it possible to achieve maximum productivity and economic development.

The role of psychological safety in promoting software quality in agile teams

Psychological safety continues to pique the interest of scholars in a variety of disciplines of study. Recent research indicates that psychological safety fosters knowledge sharing and norm clarity and complements agile values. Although software quality remains a concern in the software industry, academics have yet to investigate whether and how psychologically safe teams provide superior results. In this study, we explore how psychological safety influences agile teams’ quality-related behaviors aimed at enhancing software quality. To widen the empirical coverage and evaluate the results, we chose a two-phase mixed-methods research design with an exploratory qualitative phase (20 interviews) followed by a quantitative phase (survey study, N = 423). Our findings show that, when psychological safety is established in agile software teams, it induces enablers of a social nature that advance the teams’ ability to pursue software quality. For example, admitting mistakes and taking initiatives equally help teams learn and invest their learning in their future decisions related to software quality. Past mistakes become points of reference for avoiding them in the future. Individuals become more willing to take initiatives aimed at enhancing quality practices and mitigating software quality issues. We contribute to our endeavor to understand the circumstances that promote software quality. Psychological safety requires organizations, their management, agile teams, and individuals to maintain and propagate safety principles. Our results also suggest that technological tools and procedures can be utilized alongside social strategies to promote software quality.

Understanding delays to parathyroidectomy: A mixed-methods approach

BackgroundPatients from ethnic and racial minority groups with primary hyperparathyroidism may have greater time delays to curative parathyroidectomy. Contributing factors are unclear. MethodsThis was a sequential mixed-methods study. The quantitative phase was a retrospective chart review of adults with primary hyperparathyroidism who underwent parathyroidectomy between 2015 and 2020, collecting demographic and clinical data. Social vulnerability of the patients' residential area, measured with the Social Vulnerability Index, and relevant clinical time intervals were calculated. A multivariable analysis of factors associated with greater time intervals was performed. The qualitative phase involved semistructured interviews with endocrinologists, analyzed inductively for themes. ResultsOn chart review of 1,083 patients, the median age was determined to be 61 years and 856 (79%) were female. Six hundred twenty-eight (57.9%) were non-Hispanic White and 456 (42.1%) were Hispanic ethnicity or Asian, Pacific Islander, Black, Native American, Other or Unknown race. Patients of Hispanic ethnicity, or Asian or Pacific Islander, Black, Native American, Other or Unknown race were more likely than non-Hispanic White patients to live in the most socially vulnerable areas (19.3% vs 5.9%, P < .01) and had greater time intervals than non-Hispanic White patients between index hypercalcemia and first parathyroid hormone level, surgical referral, or parathyroidectomy (all P < .05). On multivariable analysis, age (coefficient 7.9, 95% CI 2.8–13.0) and living in the most socially vulnerable areas (coefficient 297.9, 95% CI 87–508.7) were associated with greater days between index hypercalcemia and parathyroidectomy. In the study's qualitative phase, identified themes for reasons for care delays included socioeconomic, nonsocioeconomic patient, and nonsocioeconomic nonpatient factors. ConclusionCare delays are driven by a combination of socioeconomic and nonsocioeconomic factors.

Physical and mechanical properties of ceramics based on ZrN-ZrO2 obtained by spark plasma sintering method

Relevance. Increasing the service life of mining tools is an important task in the development of geology associated with the investigation of new ceramic materials for functional purposes. The ability to reduce wear and thermal and chemical effects of rocks on the working elements of mining equipment determines the vector of development of the use of super-hard, high-strength and refractory ceramics. At the same time, the task is set to increase the fracture toughness of the materials used to solve the problem of maintaining the operability of equipment under conditions of critical deformations. To accomplish this task, it is necessary to study the patterns of consolidation of ceramic materials and search for the optimal combination of consolidation parameters to achieve improved physical and mechanical properties. Aim. To develop a method for producing high-density durable ceramics based on commercially available zirconium nitride powders using spark plasma sintering under vacuum conditions, to study the phase composition and physical and mechanical properties of the resulting samples. Methods. X-ray phase analysis of the studied samples, nanoindentation, microscopic analysis. Results and conclusion. The authors have studied the physical and mechanical properties of zirconium nitride consolidated by spark plasma sintering at 2000℃, a pressure of 30–60 MPa and a holding time at a given temperature of 5–10 minutes. Qualitative and quantitative X-ray phase analysis was carried out, within which the content of the main phase of zirconium nitride and zirconium dioxide phase was determined. It was found that an increase in the pressure applied during consolidation and holding time contributes to better compaction and a decrease in the porosity of the samples from 8.52 to 2.72%. It was found that with a decrease in porosity, the elastic modulus increased in the range from 320 to 378 GPa, and the hardness from 7.3 to 10.4 GPa. At the same time, by extrapolating the data, it was established that non-porous zirconium nitride samples will have an elastic modulus of 394 GPa and a Martens hardness of 11.56 GPa. For the samples under study, critical stress intensity factors were determined. It was established that at a porosity of less than 5%, the critical stress intensity factor of zirconium nitride consolidated by spark plasma sintering has values of at least 4 MPa m1/2.

An Inventory of Learning Styles Among Eleventh Graders

This study aimed to determine the learning styles of the eleventh-graders and their manifestations in terms of their learning styles. The study utilized a mixed-method research design, namely sequential explanatory design, that involved 135 respondents for the quantitative phase and eight outlier participants selected for the qualitative phase based on their higher marks from the quantitative results. The study found that among the three learning styles, namely, auditory, tactile, kinesthetic, and visual learning styles, the respondents preferred the visual learning style red among the three learning styles of the study. Also, the study findings found no significant difference between the sex of the respondents and the three learning styles. In addition, the study discovered the participants' manifestations and the utilization of various learning styles and approaches when it comes to their learning, such as studying at night, using search engines, and doing extracurricular activities to help them enhance their learning process. Finally, learning styles and strategies serve as pivotal tools for the students to be more equipped, practical, and efficient regarding their academic performance at school. Hence, students, teachers, and school administrators should be able to understand various learning styles and approaches. Also, future researchers should study the environmental factors that affect students' learning process.