Sector Stakeholders Research Articles

Assessment on Influence of the Controller and Audit General Reports on Financial Accountability in Tanzania: A Case Study of Mwanza City Council

The responsibilities of public sectors undertakings in providing the basic transparent to society requires strong financial management. The efficient and effective utilization of available resources in Local Government Authorities (LGA) has been a topic of high interest worldwide including Tanzania. The study assessed the influence of the Controller Audit General (CAG) audit report on financial accountability in Mwanza City Council (MCC). The study has been motivated by the efforts exerted by public sector stakeholders worldwide to properly utilize public resources in local governments. To achieve this objective, the study employed both primary and secondary data. The secondary data were mainly compiled from the CAG general reports of Tanzanian local government, while primary data were collected by using structured questionnaire distributed to MCC accountants, internal auditors, procurements, planning officers, council director and ward councilors that made a total of eighty (80) respondents The study employed statistical techniques to address the subject matter of the research problem. Among other things the study found that quality of financial reporting is very significant in enhancing financial reporting and financial accountability of MCC. Also it was found that the adoptions of IPSASs accrual basis of accounting of MCC will improve decision making, transparency, and accountability. The MCC management is urged to continue improving the proper utilization of CAG finance auditing report to ensure financial accountability and enhancing quality provision of social services to the citizen.

Conceiving and Addressing Modern Slavery in the Events Sector: a narrative analysis of corporate reporting

Emerging literature explores Modern Slavery (MS) implications for businesses, yet corporate actors’ understanding of MS risks and their role in risk mitigation remains under-studied. This paper explores how event sector stakeholders perceive and address MS risks, including human trafficking, labour and sexual exploitation, by analysing the conception of problems and solutions in relation to MS. Using narrative analysis, the paper explores event companies’ reporting under the UK Modern Slavery Act (2015) to gain a better understanding of how reporting can drive change in business practice, especially given the regulatory framework’s limitations of defining precise reporting requirements. Findings show that risk management and mitigation generally translate into staff training, whistleblowing, (internal) auditing, and often a zero-tolerance approach. The paper enables a deeper understanding of businesses’ process of reporting standards and performance measurement. It theorises corporate transparency and responsibility and outlines the practical implications of the limits of transparency and responsibility attribution.

Potencijal održivog investiranja u Srbiji - SDG investiciona mapa

The Serbia SDG Investor map is created using an established SDG Investor Map Methodology 2.0 - a comprehensive step-by-step UNDP methodology that combines secondary data research with desk analysis, interviews, and discussions with public and private sector stakeholders to verify findings and contribute new insights. The data are analyzed to distill Investment Opportunity Areas (IOAs) and data-backed business models. The findings on the SDG Investor Maps are uploaded to the SDG Investor Platform, allowing the investors to use extensive functionality to search for market intelligence on Serbia's SDG-aligned investment opportunities by filtering on several criteria of particular interest, including sectors, regions, SDGs as well as return profiles, market size and timeframes of investments. Serbia's proposed SDG investment portfolio consists of thirteen Investment Opportunity Areas, which came out as a result of the process of prioritization of the country's sustainable development needs, the existence of supporting country and sectoral policies, and the identification of appropriate business models for investment development. The total IOA pipeline is estimated at more than $8.3 billion in the next five years.

Exploring the future with PRO-SPECT: an evidence-based modular foresight approach

In the face of rapid technological advancements and unforeseen societal events, predicting the future of work proves challenging. Foresight, the exploration of potential futures, emerges as a valuable strategy to navigate labor market uncertainties. However, existing foresight methods often lack alignment with the goals prioritized by sectoral and organizational stakeholders. Addressing this gap, we introduce PRO-SPECT (PROfessional Sectoral perSPECTive), a modular foresight approach crafted through literature review, expert interviews, and workshops. Tailored to meet the needs of policymakers, organizations, and communities, PRO-SPECT consists of four key steps: Scope, Scan, Impact, and Perspective. This evidence-based approach aims to equip stakeholders with actionable insights for the future of work and beyond. This article provides a comprehensive overview of PRO-SPECT, encouraging further adoption and knowledge development in foresight practices.

Prevalence and correlates of tetanus toxoid uptake among women in sub-Saharan Africa: Multilevel analysis of demographic and health survey data.

Tetanus toxoid vaccination is one of the most effective and protective measures against tetanus deaths among mothers and their newborns. We examined the prevalence and correlates of tetanus toxoid uptake among women in sub-Saharan African (SSA). We analysed pooled data from the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) of 32 countries in SSA conducted from 2010 to 2020. We included 223,594 women with a history of childbirth before the survey. Percentages were used to present the prevalence of tetanus toxoid vaccine uptake among the women. We examined the correlates of tetanus toxoid uptake using a multilevel binary logistic regression. The overall prevalence of tetanus toxoid uptake was 51.5%, which ranged from 27.5% in Zambia to 79.2% in Liberia. Women age, education level, current working status, parity, antenatal care visits, mass media exposure, wealth index, and place of residence were the factors associated with the uptake of tetanus toxoid among the women. Uptake of tetanus toxoid vaccination among the women in SSA was low. Maternal age, education, current working status, parity, antenatal care visits, exposure to mass media, and wealth status influence tetanus toxoid uptake among women. Our findings suggest that health sector stakeholders in SSA must implement interventions that encourage pregnant women to have at least four antenatal care visits. Also, health policymakers in SSA could ensure that the tetanus toxoid vaccine is free or covered under national health insurance to make it easier for women from poorer households to have access to it when necessary.

Tobacco use in Haiti: findings from demographic and health survey

IntroductionAlthough tobacco has harmful effects on the physical and mental health of individuals, its use remains significant, according to the World Health Organization. To understand this phenomenon, studies have been carried out in many countries around the world, while in Haiti where more than 5,000 people die each year due to tobacco use, little is known about the use of this substance. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and the factors associated with tobacco use in Haiti.MethodsWe used data from the 2016/17 Haitian Demographic Health Survey. Both descriptive and multivariate analyses were conducted using STATA 16.0 software to assess the prevalence and identify factors associated with tobacco use. Results were reported as adjusted odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals. Statistical significance was declared at p < 0.05.ResultsThe prevalence of tobacco use was estimated at 9.8% (95% CI: 9.2–10.4) among men and 1.7% (95% CI: 1.5–1.9) among women. Although the prevalence of tobacco use was low among young people, it increased with age. Respondents aged 35 and above, with no formal education, non-Christians, divorced/separated/widowed, from poorest households, rural areas, “Aire Métropolitaine de Port-au-Prince” region, with high media exposure had a higher likelihood of tobacco use.ConclusionThe low prevalence of tobacco use among Haitian women and youth represents a public policy opportunity to prevent these vulnerable groups from starting smoking. Adult male smokers should also be targeted by appropriate policy to reduce the different health burdens associated with tobacco, both for the smokers and other people they may expose to passive smoking. Government and health sector stakeholders, along with community leaders, should create and enforce awareness strategies and rules to control advertisements that encourage irresponsible and health-risky consumption behaviors.

Multi-country collaborative citizen science projects to co-design cardiovascular disease prevention strategies and advocacy: findings from Ethiopia, Malawi, Rwanda, and South Africa

BackgroundCardiovascular diseases (CVD) were responsible for 20.5 million annual deaths globally in 2021, with a disproportionally high burden in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). There is growing evidence of the use of citizen science and co-design approaches in developing interventions in different fields, but less so in the context of CVD prevention interventions in SSA. This paper reports on the collaborative multi-country project that employed citizen science and a co-design approach to (i) explore CVD risk perceptions, (ii) develop tailored prevention strategies, and (iii) support advocacy in different low-income settings in SSA.MethodsThis is a participatory citizen science study with a co-design component. Data was collected from 205 participants aged 18 to 75 years in rural and urban communities in Malawi, Ethiopia and Rwanda, and urban South Africa. Fifty-one trained citizen scientists used a mobile app-based (EpiCollect) semi-structured survey questionnaire to collect data on CVD risk perceptions from participants purposively selected from two communities per country. Data collected per community included 100–150 photographs and 150–240 voice recordings on CVD risk perceptions, communication and health-seeking intentions. Thematic and comparative analysis were undertaken with the citizen scientists and the results were used to support citizen scientists-led stakeholder advocacy workshops. Findings are presented using bubble graphs based on weighted proportions of key risk factors indicated.ResultsNearly three in every five of the participants interviewed reported having a relative with CVD. The main perceived causes of CVD in all communities were substance use, food-related factors, and litter, followed by physical inactivity, emotional factors, poverty, crime, and violence. The perceived positive factors for cardiovascular health were nutrition, physical activity, green space, and clean/peaceful communities. Multi-level stakeholders (45–84 persons/country) including key decision makers participated in advocacy workshops and supported the identification and prioritization of community-specific CVD prevention strategies and implementation actions. Citizen science-informed CVD risk screening and referral to care interventions were piloted in six communities in three countries with about 4795 adults screened and those at risk referred for care. Health sector stakeholders indicated their support for utilising a citizen-engaged approach in national NCDs prevention programmes. The citizen scientists were excited by the opportunity to lead research and advocacy.ConclusionThe collaborative engagement, participatory learning, and co-designing activities enhanced active engagement between citizen scientists, researchers, and stakeholders. This, in turn, provided context-specific insights on CVD prevention in the different SSA settings.

Factors Influencing Speaking and Listening Skills of ESL Learners at University Level in Sindh

The purpose of the present research was to investigate the factors impacting the speaking and listening of ESL learners at the university level in Sindh, Pakistan. The study utilized both qualitative and quantitative research methods, targeting ESL learners from twenty universities across various districts in Sindh, including Larkana, Khairpur, Jamshoro, and Karachi. Through the survey technique, the researchers distributed an online questionnaire with seven closed-ended and two open-ended questions to 360 research participants of both genders via Email and WhatsApp for data collection. The data was then analyzed using frequency and thematic approaches and presented in tables and respectively appendices A, B, and C, which cover demography, quantitative questions, and qualitative results. The results indicate that vocabulary, class environment, cultural influence, motivation and confidence, and cognitive processing are significant factors influencing speaking and listening skills of ESL learners. Additionally, the research proposes practical and dynamic solutions to address the challenges affecting the speaking and listening skills of ESL learners which are valuable for decision-makers in the academic sector, individuals, teachers, and other stakeholders.

Potential Causes of Spread of Antimicrobial Resistance and Preventive Measures in One Health Perspective-A Review.

Antimicrobial resistance, referring to microorganisms' capability to subsist and proliferate even when there are antimicrobials is a foremost threat to public health globally. The appearance of antimicrobial resistance can be ascribed to anthropological, animal, and environmental factors. Human-related causes include antimicrobial overuse and misuse in medicine, antibiotic-containing cosmetics and biocides utilization, and inadequate sanitation and hygiene in public settings. Prophylactic and therapeutic antimicrobial misuse and overuse, using antimicrobials as feed additives, microbes resistant to antibiotics and resistance genes in animal excreta, and antimicrobial residue found in animal-origin food and excreta are animals related contributive factors for the antibiotic resistance emergence and spread. Environmental factors including naturally existing resistance genes, improper disposal of unused antimicrobials, contamination from waste in public settings, animal farms, and pharmaceutical industries, and the use of agricultural and sanitation chemicals facilitatet its emergence and spread. Wildlife has a plausible role in the antimicrobial resistance spread. Adopting a one-health approach involving using antimicrobials properly in animals and humans, improving sanitation in public spaces and farms, and implementing coordinated governmental regulations is crucial for combating antimicrobial resistance. Collaborative and cooperative involvement of stakeholders in public, veterinary and ecological health sectors is foremost to circumvent the problem effectively.

Preface

The 6th ICoSA (International Conference on Sustainable Agriculture) 2023 is annual international scientific meeting organized by Department of Agrotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (UMY). This conference is dedicated to facilitate discussion among stakeholders (both domestic and/or international) related to the major issues found in agricultural sectors, particularly in the implementation of sustainable agriculture. This conference also mediates a beneficial exchange of information to support the improvement and the development of agriculture. For its fifth implementation, the 6th ICoSA 2023 brought the theme of "Smart Farming Toward Society 5.0 For SDGs. This conference was conducted in the form of Hybrid meeting on August 9-10 2023. We recorded high enthusiasm from the participants coming from different areas and institutions across Indonesia that applied to join in this conference. This excitement was reflected by 104 papers received. Regarding its implementation, this conference provided two main activities, including plenary talks and parallel discussion regarding various fields of studies related to agriculture.After performing highly selective scientific review on the submitted paper, we are delighted to present this proceeding as a paper compilation representing various field of studies, such as crop production system, crop protection, management of land use, and postharvest management. We would like to express our gratitude to the organizing committees and supporting parties for their hard work and precious support, either during the conference and the post- conference publication, thus leading to a success of 6th ICoSA. We sincerely hope that this conference can be considered as a scientific forum providing high quality discussion among researchers and other related stakeholders in agricultural sectors. We believe that the proceeding may serve as a useful source of reference for further studies which will contribute significantly to the future agriculture development.list of Committees are available in this Pdf.

Level of knowledge, attitude, and practice on modern contraceptive method and its associated factors among housemaids living in Debre Tabor town, northwest Ethiopia: a community-based cross-sectional study

BackgroundContraception is widely recognized as an effective technique for avoiding unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. Promoting contemporary contraceptive methods would minimize the number of unplanned pregnancies and the high number of maternal fatalities connected with unsafe abortions.ObjectiveThis study aims to assess the level of knowledge, attitude, and practice of modern contraceptive methods and its associated factors among housemaid residents of Debre Tabor Town, northwest Ethiopia:MethodsA structured questionnaire supplemented with face-to-face interviews was used to conduct a community-based cross-sectional study with 423 housemaids’ women of reproductive age in Debre Tabor City. The data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, binary analysis, and multivariable logistic regression.ResultsA 12.8% of respondents in this study used modern contraceptive methods. A 44.68% of study participants had good knowledge of modern contraceptive methods, and 36.40% had a positive attitude towards them. Housemaids’ older age, urban location, educational status, work experience, and family situation were found to be positive predictors of a good understanding of current contraceptive techniques. Housemaids’ older age, urban residence, educational level, work experience, family situation, and first sex before now are all positive predictors of a positive attitude and good practices.ConclusionsHousemaids’ knowledge, attitude, and practice of modern contraceptive methods were influenced by a variety of socio-demographic factors. As a result, housemaids should be educated about modern contraceptive methods by the health sector and other stakeholders to improve their knowledge, attitude, and practices.

An analysis of barriers to the implementation of smart grid technology in Pakistan

The share of renewables in the energy mix of Pakistan has gradually been increasing over the past few years, and the generated electricity is sufficient to cater to consumer electricity demands. However, almost one-third of the population still lacks electricity because of inefficiencies in transmission and distribution systems. To address this, the government introduced smart grid projects that were ineffective. Therefore, for the successful implementation of the Smart grid technology in Pakistan, it is important to know the barriers to implementing the technology in Pakistan and determine their interrelationship with each other. This research aims to identify Pakistan-specific smart grid implementation barriers through a mixed-methods approach involving a literature review and expert surveys based on the Delphi method to identify barriers and determine their interlinkages. Nine barriers are identified: state monopoly, lack of public awareness, lack of relevant regulations and policies, organizational barriers, financial constraints, market uncertainty, a dearth of technical human resources, lack of modernized grid infrastructure, and data management issues. This is followed by developing a hierarchical model in consultation with Pakistan's Energy sector experts using the Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) method. The driving and dependence powers of the identified barriers are determined by using MICMAC analysis. The result shows that the nine barriers are interlinked at five hierarchical levels. These are: ‘state monopoly’, and ‘lack of public awareness (level five)’, ‘lack of relevant regulations and policies (level four)’, ‘organizational barriers (level-three)’, ‘market uncertainty and financial barriers (level-two)’, and ‘lack of modernized grid infrastructure’, ‘a dearth of technical human resources’, and ‘data management issues (level-one)’. From this, we draw the conclusion that since the barriers with high driving power are influencing those with less driving power, the identified barriers may be addressed sequentially starting from level-five for the successful implementation of the Smart grid technology in Pakistan. The existing literature on the Smart Grid Implementation barriers in Pakistan lacks a determination of the interlinkages between barriers. Therefore, the findings of this research will help the energy sector stakeholders in Pakistan understand the nature of the barriers hindering smart grid technology implementation and enable them to devise effective energy policies while simultaneously adopting intelligent implementation and operational strategies. Insights reported in this study could also be useful for policymakers and stakeholders from other developing countries with socioeconomic and political contexts similar to Pakistan. Further investigations on the findings of this study may be performed using the Analytical Hierarchical Process method to quantify the weights of barriers identified in this research, and Structural Equation Modeling may be used to check the validity of the hierarchical model developed in this study.

Factors of front-end innovation in fem-tech startups: An empirical study

The nascent fem-tech sector, estimated to reach $103 billion by 2030, represents a transformative intersection of women's health and technology. One of the important players within the ecosystem, fem-tech startups are continuously innovating and trying to sustain themselves. However, the sector is characterized by intense competition and a notably high mortality rate among startups. This study attempts to find what drives front-end innovation in the fem-tech startups. We conducted a national-level survey, capturing the perspectives of diverse fem-tech stakeholders. The collected data was validated using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings underline the central role of entrepreneurial orientation in propelling front-end innovation in fem-tech startups, encompassing dimensions like process, practice, and decision-making activities. Intellectual capital significantly shapes the entrepreneurial trajectory. Establishing symbiotic partnerships and cultivating relationships with key stakeholders are pivotal strategies for fostering human and organizational capital development. These factors collectively form a path model that offers insights into the direction of successful fem-tech product development. The study contributes to the emerging literature on successful health-tech entrepreneurship and also provides practice recommendations to the sectoral stakeholders.

Responding to Climate Change in Jordan: understanding institutional developments, political restrictions and economic opportunities

ABSTRACT Jordan is one of the world’s most resource-poor, arid and freshwater-stressed countries with climate change aggravating these challenges further. We argue that due to Jordan’s climate change vulnerability and low levels of resilience, as well as its vital role in Middle Eastern politics, it is necessary to examine how climate change policies are approached in the kingdom. Based on a thematic analysis of official climate change policy documentation and elite interviews, we find that climate change problems are portrayed as important in Jordan, but the policymaking and implementation processes face significant challenges. The main predicaments are: the prioritization of short-term political and economic interests, over-reliance on external actors, limited financial, technical and knowledge capacities, and a lack of coordination between the key public sector stakeholders. Furthermore, as with other authoritarian states, Jordan’s ability to respond to climate change is influenced by restrictions stemming from the governing regime’s prioritization of its own survival.

The Evolving Privacy Right: an Analysis of Tanzania’s Legal Scheme in E-health Data Protection

Rapid technological developments and globalization have brought new challenges to the protection of personal data. The scale of the collection and sharing of personal data has increased significantly. Technology allows both private companies and public authorities to make use of personal data on an unprecedented scale to pursue their activities. Natural persons increasingly make personal information available publicly and globally. The importance of the subject of privacy and data protection has gained unprecedented attention in recent years, requiring better and more elaborate rules of protection. Individuals are sometimes exposed to possible abuse and even to harmful consequences as a result of the developments in information and communication technology (ICT) and the role it plays in the collection of personal information, and the tendency of companies and business enterprises to collect and use personal information in making business decisions. It is therefore not surprising that many countries in the West enacted comprehensive legislation on data protection some time ago. Europe in particular, through the recently passed General Data Protection Regulation, 2016, is heading towards the harmonization of data protection laws to have consistency within the region This article aims to provide an overview of the evolving “right to privacy (Data protection)” in this digital health (e-health) world to give the main key facts to stakeholders in e-health sectors to adapt their practices and ensure compliance with the current evolving legal scheme in Tanzania. The processing of personal health data, genetic data biometric data, and other kinds of sensitive information is strictly regulated and even widely interpreted by justice-dispensing organs.

Effect of uptake of improved seed potato and donor‐funded training on smallholder farmers’ market participation

AbstractEnhancing the productivity of crops through the adoption and uptake of technologies improves farmers' socioeconomic status through increased market participation. However, smallholder farmers in Sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) face a myriad of challenges that make it difficult for them to access and participate in the output markets. Like most SSA countries, the uptake of improved technologies is still low in Malawi. This study examines the relationship between the uptake of improved potato seed and donor‐funded training on market participation. Using secondary data from 393 potato farmers in Malawi, the study applied a triple‐hurdle model to examine the extent to which such interventions and other socioeconomic and institutional factors influence market participation. The results showed that male‐headed farm households, more experienced farmers, and those who participated in International Potato Center (CIP)‐led training were likely to market their potato output. Further, farmers closer to urban centers, those with off‐farm income, those who had participated in potato training, use of improved potato seed, and quantity of output positively influenced the decision to sell in high‐value markets such as supermarkets. On the other hand, land size, ownership of transport equipment, group membership, and access to credit had positive effects on the amount of potatoes sold, while the distance to the markets reduced the quantity sold. Based on these findings, there is a need to set up a seed system within the local communities where farmers can easily access the seeds. Additionally, there is a need for a collaborative effort between public and private sector stakeholders to invest in the production of improved potato seeds that would help to address the shortfall in supply. Finally, institutional support interventions that utilize farmer groups as a key entry point in sustaining training on improved potato seed, relaxing credit constraints, and promoting diversification into off‐farm enterprises would enhance potato production and marketing.

İNSAN KAYNAKLARI DEPARTMANLARININ VERDİKLERİ İŞ İLANLARININ ÇOK BOYUTLU ANALİZİ

In today’s business world, job postings are an important part of the recruitment process used to attract candidates with the qualifications desired by organizations. Job postings are not only a recruiting tool, but also a tool that indicates the experience, skills, and qualifications the industry demands from candidates. The analysis of job postings, on the other hand, provides a general framework regarding the qualifications, skills and experiences that the sector expects from candidates, and provides guidance for sector stakeholders (candidates, educational institutions and the sector). In this context, it is aimed to analyze the job advertisements given by the human resources departments in terms of various categories. Although there are studies on the analysis of job postings for various sectors and professions, this study is the first to analyze human resources job postings. In the study, document/document scanning and examination technique, which is one of the qualitative survey methods, was used as a data collection method. The data were collected from various job posting sites on the internet and frequency analysis was performed using the SPSS program. According to the findings of the research, it has been determined that job postings are given by almost all sectors, more common job postings are given for 23 job positions, foreign language, computer knowledge and software program knowledge is important, gender equality is ensured in job postings, the duration of experience varies according to job positions, job postings 74 different skills and 54 different experience topics.

Free School Meals Extension to all 4-11 year olds in primary education in Wales

Abstract There were 272,339 primary age students in Wales in April 2021, of whom 63,614 (23%) were entitled to free school meals. Free school meals (FSMs) are currently means tested in Wales. Estimates suggest around 40,000 children in primary education may be currently living in poverty but are not eligible for a free school meal .Free school meals have been available to all children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 in England since 2014. Wales does not currently have universal provision to children in any school year. However, Welsh Government committed to this for 2023/4. Steered by a Task and Finish Group, a comprehensive mixed-method HIA was conducted over a six month period in 2022-23. A comprehensive database search of peer-reviewed and grey literature published in the ten years to 2021 identified evidence relating to the impacts on health, educational attainment and household socioeconomic outcomes of making school meals free to all primary age children compared with no or means-tested provision. Routine data sources and school census data were analysed to contextualise evidence in relation to Wales. This evidence was supplemented with interviews and data provided by cross sector stakeholders. The HIA identified significant potential impacts across the determinants of health, including impacts across population groups such as children in working families on low incomes, mental well-being and food behaviours. School food policy and provision, length of lunchtimes and implementation were identified as key pathways for health impacts. For example, a strong theme was that current provision is often experienced as stressful, with requirements for rapid turnaround limiting opportunities to socialise and enjoy meals and wider opportunities to play during lunch hours constricted. The report was used to inform the Health and Education ministers who approved the extension and the implementation of the offer. The unique HIA has transferrable learning for others. Key messages • This work has demonstrated the value of evidence based HIA on government policy and has enhanced implementation plans. • Free school meals for children can promote better health and educational and mental wellbeing outcomes.

Medical Tourism in Alanya from the Perspective of Sectoral Stakeholders

Bu çalışma; Alanya’nın medikal turizmini sektörel paydaşların bakış açısıyla değerlendirmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Çalışma, nitel araştırma yöntemleriyle, olgubilim desenine uygun olarak yürütülmüştür. Araştırmada, katılımcılar amaçlı örnekleme yöntemlerinden maksimum çeşitlilik örneklemesi ile belirlenmiştir. Araştırmanın çalışma grubu; Alanya’da görev yapan 11 yöneticiden oluşmaktadır. Araştırmada birincil veri setini oluşturmak üzere yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme formu kullanılmıştır. Katılımcıların izniyle gerçekleştirilen mülakatların ses kayıtları alınmıştır. Araştırma kapsamında görüşmelerin ses kayıtları herhangi bir elemeye tabi tutulmadan, ham veri olarak dijital ortama aktarılmıştır. Araştırmada her bir transkript, satır-satır analiz yaklaşımı ile incelenmiş ve görüşme verileri tümevarımsal betimsel analiz yöntemiyle yorumlanmıştır. Verilerin analizi sonucu bulgular; Medikal Turizm açısından ülke ortamına ilişkin değerlendirmeler, Turizm Destinasyonuna İlişkin Değerlendirmeler, Medikal Turizm Maliyetlerine İlişkin Değerlendirmeler, Tesis ve Hizmetlere İlişkin Değerlendirmeler, Medikal Turizm konusunda genel değerlendirmeler olmak üzere beş ana tema etrafında toplanmıştır. Araştırma sonucunda Alanya’nın önemli medikal turizm destinasyonlarından biri olduğu ancak potansiyelinin yeterince değerlendirilemediği tespit edilmişir. Alanya’nın potansiyelini gerçekleştirebilmesi için medikal turizmin bütüncül bir yaklaşımla uygulanması ve kayıtdışı faaliyetlerin rekabet ortamını bozmasına engel olunması önerilmektedir.

Comparative Studies on Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Health Workers towards Medical Waste Management in Two Developed Regions of the World

Background: Worldwide, healthcare waste still remains a challenge to public health and potential source of hazard to biosphere. Assessment of knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) of healthcare workers towards healthcare waste management was carried out in Sweden and Hungary for comparative analysis.&#x0D; Methods: Data was collected using a pretested questionnaire and analyzed using spss version 20.0. Total Sample size of 210 was used for the study; comprising of 105 from each area.&#x0D; Results: In Hungary, 11(10.5%) were male while 94(89.5%) were female. While Sweden comprised of 28(26.7%) male and 77(73.3%) female. In Sweden frequencies of 5.7%, 56.2%, 22.9%, 3.8%, 6.7% and 4.8% were recorded for age groups of &lt;20 years, 20-30years, 31-40years, 41-50years,51-60years and ≥61years respectively. While amongst the Hungarian respondents, the respective age groups yielded frequencies of 1.0%, 18.1%, 21.0%, 36.2%, 17.1% and 6.7% respectively(p&lt;0.05).More Doctors(63.8%) and Nurses(63.8%) in Hungary participated in the study than in Sweden(Doctors=15.2%;.Nurses=15.2%). The proportion of medical students was highest (32.4%) in Sweden than in Hungary (7.6%). According to educational qualifications, respondents with Bachelors degree occurred most in equal proportion (50.5%) in the two study areas. While those with doctorate degree recorded highest frequency of 11.4% in Sweden and least (1.0)% in Hungary. Respondents with masters degree occurred with frequencies of 27.6% and 21.0% in Hungary Sweden respectively. Result of respondents’ knowledge on healthcare waste shows that in Hungary, 81% of the respondents affirmed they are aware of waste management guidelines used in their hospital while in Sweden the proportion was 51.4%. Conversely, 19.0% of respondents from Hungary said they are not aware while in Sweden it was 26.7% and the remaining proportion (21.9%) said they don’t have idea. Where waste disposal guidelines exist, only 43.8% of Swedish respondents said they are aware of the contents while in Hungary, the proportion is high (81.0%). Those that responded “no” to the question;-meaning they are not aware of such guidelines occurred most (37.1%) in Sweden than in hungary(11.4%), though the proportion that said they don’t have idea is low in Hungary(7.6%) than in Sweden(19.0%) (P&lt;0.05).Also from the result, few proportion (19.0% in Hungary; 24.8% in Sweden) of the respondents believed that disposal of hazardous waste is extra burden to them. While most of the respondents (76.2% in Hungary; 48.6% in Sweden) said “no” to the question;- meaning that disposal of hazardous waste is not extra burden to them. More (68.6%) of the respondents from Hungary said they have been educated/trained on waste handling than the Swedish respondents where 54.3% had education/training on waste handling. The proportion that was not trained was high in Sweden (41.9%) than Hungary (31.4%). However, knowledge and attitude on healthcare waste management yielded high percentage rating scores for Hungarian respondents than those of Sweden. On the contrary, Swedish respondents demonstrated more practice than Hungarian counterparts in the area of HBV vaccination (Sweden=90.5%; Hungary=6.7%), use of personal protective equipment (Sweden=93.3%; Hungary=91.4%), change of personal protective equipment (Sweden=52.4%; Hungary=19.0%).&#x0D; Conclusion: Good knowledge and attitude was noted in the two areas but more in Hungary while Practice was mostly demonstrated in Sweden. This stands as a useful tool to relevant stakeholders in health sectors in the two areas.