Significant Effect Of Gender Research Articles

Regional background and donor-language fluency as predictors of Finnish loanword frequency in Finland-Swedish

Aims and objectives: This study examines fennicisms (i.e., Finnish loanwords and calques) in Finland-Swedish, a Swedish variety spoken in Finland. We investigate how fennicism frequency relates to speakers’ regional backgrounds and fluency in Finnish. Methodology: 134 participants from four regions in Finland performed a picture-naming task designed to elicit fennicisms. The participants also rated their own fluency in Finnish. Data and analysis: A regression analysis with the outcome variable of fennicism frequency and the predictors of region, fluency in Finnish, and gender was performed. Findings: Results show that speakers from the more bilingual regions of Southern Finland and Helsinki used significantly more fennicisms than speakers from Ostrobothnia or Swedish-speaking Åland. The study suggests that fluency in Finnish was a strong predictor for fennicism use, as speakers with low or moderate knowledge of Finnish used fewer fennicisms than speakers with high or native(-like) fluency. No significant effect of gender was found. Originality: While fennicisms are considered widespread in Finland-Swedish, there is little previous research on their use and distribution. Implications: The results demonstrate that while many of the fennicisms are well-established in the Finland-Swedish variety, their use is limited to certain groups and communities.

Exploring the effects of gender and sexual orientation on disordered eating: an EFA to CFA study of the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire

Several problems limit our understanding of the ways that gender and sexual orientation influence disordered eating. These include the reliance on measures that have been developed and validated in samples of cisgender heterosexual women, and the lack of confirmed measurement invariance that allows us to meaningfully compare these experiences between groups. This study was an EFA to CFA exploration of the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire in a group of heterosexual, bisexual, gay, and lesbian men and women. In total 1638 participants were recruited via adverts in traditional and social media to complete an online survey. A 14-item, three-factor model of the EDE-Q was confirmed as best fitting the data and measurement invariance between groups was ascertained. Sexual orientation influenced disordered eating and muscularity-related thoughts and behaviours in men but not women. Heterosexual men reported more muscularity-related concerns and behaviours, whereas gay men showed more thinness-related concerns and behaviours. Bisexual participants showed a different pattern, highlighting the importance of treating this group individually and not collating all non-heterosexual participants together. Small but significant effects of sexual orientation and gender have an impact on the kinds of disordered eating thoughts and behaviours one might experience, and could influence prevention and treatment. Clinicians may be able to provide more effective and tailored interventions by taking into account gender and sexual orientation in sensitive ways.

Effect of Flipped Learning on Nigeria Certificate in Education (NCE) Mathematics Students’ Interest and Achievement in Trigonometry in Kano State, Nigeria

This study sought to determine the effects of flipped learning strategy on NCE Mathematics students’ interest and achievement in trigonometry. The study employed a quasi-experimental 2 x 2 factorial research design. The sample of the study consisted of 60 students, who had a personal computer and Internet access at home. They were randomly assigned into an experimental group of 32 students (22 males, 10 female) and control group of 28 students (20 male, 8 female) The instruments used for data collection during the pre-test and post-test consisted of a trigonometry achievement test (TAT) and trigonometry interest scale (TIS). The TAT was validated by specialists in mathematics education and measurement and evaluation using table of specifications constructed for the multiple choice test items. The multiple choice test had average difficulty and discrimination indices of 0.43 and 0.55 respectively. The reliabilities of the multiple choice test items and trigonometry interest scale were established using the coefficient of internal consistency based on Cronbach Alpha ( ).The reliability coefficients for the TAT and TIS were 0.68 and 0.75 respectively. The data collected from the pre-test and post-test were subjected to statistical analysis using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The research questions were answered using descriptive statistics while the hypotheses for the study were tested using t-test statistics and the Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) with pre-test scores as covariates at 0.05 level of significance. The findings from the study showed that: flipped learning l strategy was more effective than the lecture method in improving students’ academic achievement and interest in trigonometry. The result also shows that there was no significant difference between the achievement of male and female students from the experimental group in trigonometry and that there was no significant interaction effects of treatment and gender on students’ achievement in trigonometry. It was recommended among others that Curriculum planners and educational policy makers should consider a review of the curriculum to incorporate flipped classroom strategy into the Nigeria Certificate in Education Mathematics Curriculum

Examining the impact of a universal positive psychology program on mental health outcomes among Australian secondary students during the COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundThis study aimed to examine the impact of a web-based positive psychology program delivered universally to secondary school students during school closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in New South Wales, Australia.MethodsUsing a quasi-experimental design conducted in 2020, 438 students aged 12–15 years (73% male) from 4 secondary schools were invited to complete the ‘Bite Back Mental Fitness Challenge’. This web-based program consisted of 7 self-directed modules that targeted 5 key domains of positive psychology. Self-reported symptoms of anxiety and depression and help-seeking intentions for mental health were assessed at baseline prior to school closures (February to March 2020) and at post-test after the return to school (July to August 2020). At post-test, students also reported on their perceived changes in mental health and help-seeking behavior for mental health during the pandemic. Completion of the program modules was recorded.ResultsA total of 445 students consented and 336 (75.5%) completed both assessments. On average, participants completed 2.31 modules (SD: 2.38, range: 0 to 7). There was no change in symptoms of anxiety and depression or help-seeking intentions between baseline and post-test, with no significant effects for gender and history of mental illness. Students who were symptomatic for anxiety and depression at baseline reported lower symptoms at post-test, but this change was not significant. Ninety-seven students (27.5%) reported that their mental health had worsened during the pandemic, and a significant increase in anxiety and depressive symptoms was found in this subsample at post-test. Only 7.7% of students reported a change in their help-seeking behavior, with increased mental health support sought from the Internet, parents, and friends.ConclusionsThe universal delivery of a web-based positive psychology program during school closures did not appear to be associated with improved mental health symptoms; however, completion of the modules was low. Different effects may emerge when selectively delivered to students with mild or greater symptoms. The findings also suggest that broader measures of mental health and wellbeing, including perceived change, are key to the mental health surveillance of students during periods of remote learning.

Capacity building to enhance knowledge and practices toward rabies among nursing students: A quasi-experimental intervention study in Rajasthan, India

Background: Rabies is a vaccine-preventable, zoonotic, viral disease which is virtually 100% fatal once clinical symptoms appear. India contributes for 59.9% of rabies death in Asia and 35% of deaths worldwide. Objectives: The objectives of the study were to assess the basic knowledge of nursing students on causes, consequences, and treatment against rabies and to examine the impact of a knowledge-empowering intervention on rabies among nursing students. Materials and Methods: A quasi-experimental study with knowledge intervention but without control was carried out on 119 nursing students. A self-administered, pretested, semi-structured questionnaire was used to assess knowledge and practices toward rabies and a well-designed health education program imparted to nursing students. “Paired t-test” was applied to compare results before and after intervention. Differences in pre- and postqualitative responses were examined by the McNemar’s test. Results: Major knowledge improvement was seen after intervention in crucial aspects of epidemiology, prevention and treatment of rabies. There was no significant gender effect in average knowledge score on different aspects of rabies. Postintervention mean knowledge score (16.54 ± 2.40) was significantly higher over preintervention score (14.08 ± 2.61), P < 0.0001. Conclusion: Nursing students lacked adequate knowledge on causes, consequences and treatment against rabies, despite being the first point of contact with the rabies patients. The study findings clearly demonstrated a scope of significant improvement in knowledge after intervention.

Perceived Self-Efficacy Effect and Demographic Factors in Work-Family Balance Among Manufacturing Sector Employees

Abstract Work and family are important domains of life to many individuals with each attracting different roles and expectations. Employees who are able to balance work and family responsibilities have been reported to engage more with their work. However, negative work outcomes may result from conflicts among roles. Therefore, this paper investigated the influence of self-efficacy, gender, job status and length of service on work-life balance among employees in selected manufacturing companies in Nigeria. Participants consisted of 464 (female = 25.9%) employees that were randomly selected from manufacturing companies in Lagos state, Nigeria. Participants completed the Work-Family Balance Questionnaire and Self-Efficacy Scale. Results of the Two-Way ANOVA analyses revealed a between subject significant main effect of job status, [F(2,455) = 14.35, p<.05, ƞp2 = .059] and self-efficacy, [F(2, 455) = 7.501, p<.05, ƞp2 = .032] on work-family balance. It further showed a between subject significant main effect of gender, [F(1,458) = 14.68, p<.05, ƞp2 = .031] and a significant main effect of length of service, [F(2, 458) = 4.83, p<.05, ƞp2 = .021] on work-family balance. The study concluded that self-efficacy, job status, length of service and gender influenced the capacity to balance work and family roles among employees of manufacturing companies in Nigeria and thus recommended that management should enable employees to utilize their initiative to an acceptable level to enhance their self-efficacy.

Perceptions of Gender Stereotypes among Women Residents in Surgical and Nonsurgical Specialties.

The objective of this study was to determine whether and to what degree residents experience stereotype perception by gender and specialty type (surgical vs nonsurgical). A cross-sectional survey was sent to resident physicians across all specialties at a single academic institution in February 2021. The survey items asked whether participants believe residents, faculty, and the public expect men or women to be better physicians on a numerical scale from 1 to 7. A χ2 test compared the calculated mean and standard error for each survey item. This study took place at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, a large academic tertiary care center. A total of 411 (46% of total) residents participated; 13 were excluded because of nonbinary gender or missing demographic information, for a final sample of 398. Participants perceived all three groups to expect men to be better physicians than women. Regression analysis showed a significant effect of gender on stereotype perception, with women reporting stronger stereotype perceptions than men. There were no significant differences in stereotype perceptions by specialty type. Women resident physicians in both surgical and nonsurgical fields reported higher levels of gender stereotype perception compared with men, making it imperative that graduate medical education leadership support changes to the current learning environment.

Overexcitabilities as Predictors of Creative ‎Personality among Gifted and Ordinary Students in ‎the State of Kuwait

This study aimed to investigate the contributions of ‎overexcitabilities to the creative personalities of gifted and ‎ordinary secondary school students in the State of Kuwait. ‎Furthermore, to determine the significance of the differences in ‎overexcitability‏ ‏and creative personality, according to the ‎student's classification, gender, and the interaction between ‎them. To achieve the research objectives, the research measures, ‎namely: overexcitabilities, and creative personality, were ‎validated and administered to a sample of 545 secondary school ‎students (545, of whom 176 are gifted and 369 are ordinary), ‎during the second semester of the academic year 2019- 2020. ‎They were selected using the available sampling method (for the ‎gifted) and the cluster method (for the normal). A two-way ‎Anova revealed that there are statistically significant effects of ‎student’s classification on their estimations of creative ‎personality in favor of gifted students, while there is no ‎statistically significant effect of gender, or the interaction ‎between gender and student’s classification on their estimations. ‎A two-way Manova revealed that there is a statistically ‎significant effect of the student’s classification on the student’s ‎practice of overexcitabilities in favor of gifted students, while ‎there is no statistically significant effect of gender or the ‎interaction between gender and the student’s classification on ‎the student’s practice of overexcitabilities. Multiple regression ‎analysis revealed that mental overexcitability contributes to the ‎creative personalities of gifted students while sensory ‎overexcitability contributes to the creative personality of ‎ordinary students. It was observed that the contributions of ‎sensory overexcitability to the creative personality of the gifted ‎students are statistically stronger than those of their ‎counterparts. In light of the results of the study, a similar study ‎might be conducted on different samples, and policy-makers ‎attention might be directed to the inclusion of the research ‎variables in the educational curricula.‎ ‎(Keywords: Overexcitability, Creative Personality, Gifted ‎Students, Ordinary Students, State of Kuwait)‎

Ok I need help! Can CTCA rescue Teaching and Learning Machine Language in an African secondary school?

This study was conducted to determine if the use of the Culturo-Techno-Contextual Approach (CTCA), a learning strategy that incorporates the use of cultural knowledge (indigenous knowledge), contextual drawing from the immediate environment to illustrate teaching, and the component of technology, can improve learning. What is the purpose of machine language? It is a difficult-to-learn concept in the computer studies curriculum of Nigeria, despite being the basis of computer programming. It is hypothesised that (i) there is no statistically significant difference in (a) academic achievement and (b) attitudes between males and females when taught in machine language. (ii) There are no statistically significant interaction effects of sex and training method on (a) academic achievement and (b) attitudes of students in machine language. A total of 207 computer studies students in senior secondary year two (SS2), comprising 106 females and 101 males, participated in the study. The instruments used to gather data were the machine language attitudes questionnaire (MLAQ) and machine language achievement test (MLAT), which had reliability coefficients of 0.71 and 0.70, respectively. The one-way MANCOVA multivariate F (Pillai’s Trace) was not significant [F = 0.49; P > 0.05]. Univariate tests on achievement [F (1, 203) = 0.72; P > 0.05] and attitude [F (1, 203) = 0.36; P > 0.05] failed to attain statistical significance. Hypothesis one was not rejected because there was no statistically significant effect of student gender on (a) academic achievement and (b) attitudes when taught using CTCA and the lecture method. The two-way MANCOVA multivariate F (Pillai’s Trace) was not significant [F = 2.26; p > 0.05]. The interaction effect between sex and training method on achievement [F (2, 199) =.90; P =.41] was not significant, but on attitude [F (2, 199) = 3.67; P =.03] attained statistical significance. The study concluded that educators are encouraged to use the CTCA and could demonstrate how it could be used as a pedagogical design for improving the achievement and attitude of students in computer studies and other subjects offered in senior secondary schools by capitalising on its assets. The strategies will assist both teachers and students in gaining respect for local activities and culture, its wisdom and ethics, indigenous science and technology, and the use of local resources, thereby enhancing sustainability, and they will encourage collaboration among students, resulting in improved academic achievement and attitude. Both males and females performed on neutral ground. Giving both male and female students the opportunity to excel on a neutral ground without having any influence over the other.

Retrospective analysis of 102 neonatal cases hospitalized with diagnosis of the ongoing phenomenon of neonatal period: hypernatremic dehydration

Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of hypernatremic dehydration (HD) among term neonates admitted to a tertiary care unit over a three-year period and to identify mother and neonate related risk factors associated with HD.
 Material and Method: Medical records of 102 term babies and their mothers were analyzed retrospectively. The gender, weight at birth, type of birth, postnatal day of diagnosis, weight and weight loss percentage at diagnosis, season and presenting complaint upon admission, feeding with human milk/formula/mixed, laboratory findings, usage of antibiotics as well as maternal age, parity, residence, level of education and presence of smoking were recorded. Serum sodium (Na) levels, severity of dehydration, age on admission, and length of stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) were recorded along with any significant effect of maternal demographic properties, residence, season, gender, and type of birth.
 Results: The average Na levels were found to be 152.1±4.2 mEq/L (max:166 mEq/L). Mild, moderate and severe hypernatremia were found in 34 (33%), 62 (61%) and 6 (6%) patients, respectively. More weight loss was observed in neonates born via cesarean section vs. vaginal delivery (12.8±3.0% vs. 11.6±3.5%, p=0.01). Higher serum Na levels (153.9±4.86 mEq/L vs. 151±2.34 mEq/L, p=0.008) and a greater median age at admission (4.5 [IQR4-6]) days vs. 3 [IQR3-4]) days, p=0.03) were reported for neonates born to mothers residing in rural/suburban vs. urban areas. Serum Na levels were not different based on the mother's level of education or parity (p=0.96 and p=0.29, respectively). There was no difference in serum Na levels (p=0.05) but the percentage of weight loss was higher when the mother smoked (14.3±3.8% vs. 11.7±3.1%, p=0.003). Serum Na and glucose levels were lower, antibiotics usage rates, and prevalence of mixed feedings were higher in early term infants (p=0.01, p=0.002, p=0.04 and p=0.04, respectively). Males had higher creatinine levels (0.89±0.27 mg/dl vs. 0.78±0.28 mg/dl, p=0.005), but there was no difference between the sexes in terms of day of admission, percentage of weight loss, or length of stay in NICU.
 Conclusion: Hypernatremic dehydration is a significant and increasingly prevalent problem of neonatal period. Serum Na levels and severity of dehydration in neonates may be affected by the type of birth, mother's smoking status, residence and early term birth. Counseling on breastfeeding, education of health professionals and caregivers on the signs and symptoms of dehydration, and monitoring of body weight are essential for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of HD.

Effects of in-situ stroboscopic training on visual, visuomotor and reactive agility in youth volleyball players.

Stroboscopic training is based on an exercise with intermittent visual stimuli that force a greater demand on the visuomotor processing for improving performance under normal vision. While the stroboscopic effect is used as an effective tool to improve information processing in general perceptual-cognitive tasks, there is still a lack of research focused on identifying training protocols for sport-specific settings. Therefore, we aimed at assessing the effects of in-situ stroboscopic training on visual, visuomotor and reactive agility in young volleyball players. Fifty young volleyball athletes (26 males and 24 females; mean age, 16.5 ± 0.6 years) participated in this study and were each divided randomly into an experimental group and a control group, who then both performed identical volleyball-specific tasks, with the experimental group under stroboscopic influence. The participants were evaluated three times using laboratory based tests for simple and complex reaction speed, sensory sensitivity and saccade dynamics; before the after the 6-week-long training (short-term effect) and 4 weeks later (long-term effect). In addition, a field test investigated the effects of the training on reactive agility. A significant TIME vs GROUP effect was observed for (1) simple motor time (p = 0.020, ηp2 = 0.08), with improvement in the stroboscopic group in the post-test and retention test (p = 0.003, d = 0.42 and p = 0.027, d = 0.35, respectively); (2) complex reaction speed (p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.22), with a large post-test effect in the stroboscopic group (p < 0.001, d = 0.87) and a small effect in the non-stroboscopic group (p = 0.010, d = 0.31); (3) saccade dynamics (p = 0.011, ηp2 = 0.09), with post-hoc tests in the stroboscopic group not reaching significance (p = 0.083, d = 0.54); and (4) reactive agility (p = 0.039, ηp2 = 0.07), with a post-test improvement in the stroboscopic group (p = 0.017, d = 0.49). Neither sensory sensitivity nor simple reaction time was statistically significantly affected as a result of the training (p > 0.05). A significant TIME vs GENDER effect was observed for saccadic dynamics (p = 0.003, ηp2 = 0.226) and reactive agility (p = 0.004, ηp2 = 0.213), with stronger performance gains in the females. There was a larger effectiveness from the 6-week volleyball-specific training in the stroboscopic group compared to the non-stroboscopic group. The stroboscopic training resulted in significant improvements on most measures (three of five) of visual and visuomotor function with more marked enhancement in visuomotor than in sensory processing. Also, the stroboscopic intervention improved reactive agility, with more pronounced performance gains for short-term compared to the long-term changes. Gender differences in response to the stroboscopic training are inconclusive, therefore our findings do not offer a clear consensus.

INVESTIGATING THE MODERATING ROLE OF GENDER, EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION ON ENTREPRENEURIAL ORIENTATION AMONG CROATIAN ENTREPRENEURS

Entrepreneurial orientation (EO) represents one of the most robust scientific constructs explored by academics in management and entrepreneurship literature, where research mostly focuses on exploring EO as a firm-level or as an individual-level construct. Even though numerous studies found gender differences in EO, there is still a need to further explore differences in gender, experience and education on each of the EO dimensions separately. Therefore, the aim of this study is to further test these effects in a small open economy context such as Croatia. More specifically, by using the linear regression analysis this study will explore direct and moderating effects gender, experience and education have on EO and EO’s dimensions within the context of Croatian SMEs. Results of this study have confirmed that male entrepreneurs are more entrepreneurially oriented and are more proactive than their female counterparts. On the other hand, results indicated no significant gender differences in the level of innovation and risk taking. Furthermore, results demonstrated that gender has a significant and direct effect on EO, and on risk taking as a dimension of EO, however, there are no significant effects of gender on innovativeness and proactiveness. Results also confirmed moderation effects gender has on the relationships between the level of education and EO, innovativeness and proactiveness, where these relationships are moderated as such that the relationships are stronger for women than for men. These findings are very interesting since they place significance on the importance education has on the success of female entrepreneurs. Therefore, findings of this study provide more evidence on how important tailor-made educational programs are for the development of successful female entrepreneurs.

Academic Identity, School Belongingness, Athletic Identity, and Athletic Expectations as Predictors of Academic and Athletic Time Use of College Athletes

Abstract Time demands are among the primary challenges for college student-athletes. They have to attend to classes and study halls as well as athletic-related activities such as training and competition. Both academic and athletic tasks require tremendous amount of time. Thus, it is argued that academics and athletics compete for the student-athletes’ attention. This research examined the impact of academic and athletic factors on student-athletes’ time use in academics and athletics using a subset of the 2015 United States National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) GOALS data. The relationships of academic identity, school belongingness, athletic identity, and athletic expectations with academic time use and athletic time spent were tested. Differences on the variables of interest according to race, gender, and division level were also investigated. Our findings revealed that academic identity is a positive predictor of academic time use and a negative predictor of athletic time use, while athletic identity is a positive predictor of athletic time spent. We also determined a contrasting influence of athletic expectations in time commitments. Lastly, we likewise found significant effects of race, gender, and division level on the academic and athletic engagements of college athletes. Our findings have implications on the development of programs for athletic department to optimize the academic and athletic experiences of college student-athletes.

Sensory appeal and puffing intensity of e-cigarette use: Influence of nicotine salts versus free-base nicotine in e-liquids

BackgroundIn the US, nicotine salts (with protonated nicotine instead of free-based nicotine) have been reported to lower the harshness and bitterness of e-cigarette aerosols, making it easier to inhale high levels of nicotine. This study aimed to determine whether nicotine salts also increase sensory appeal at lower concentrations (< 20mg/mL). Moreover, and novel, inhalation intensity of both types of e-liquids was compared. MethodsIn a randomized, double-blinded, within-participants design, healthy adults who use e-cigarettes (n=68) vaped tobacco-flavored e-liquids containing 12mg/mL of free-based nicotine or nicotine salt ad libitum, using their own device, during two online sessions (June-July 2021, Utrecht, The Netherlands). The sensory parameters perceived liking, nicotine intensity, harshness, and pleasantness were rated on a 100-unit visual analog scale. The intensity of use was determined by the recorded puff number, duration and interval. ResultsTest scores on appeal, harshness and puffing behavior parameters showed no significant differences between the nicotine salt and the free-base condition. The average inhalation time was 2.5seconds. Additional analyses found no significant effect of liquid order, age, gender, smoking status, vaping frequency and familiarity with nicotine salts. Significant positive correlations were found between the sensory parameters except for harshness. ConclusionsContrary to a previous study that used higher nicotine concentrations and standardized puffing conditions in a laboratory setting, we did not observe the effects of nicotine salts on sensory appeal in our real-life study paradigm. Moreover, we did not see effects on study parameters related to puffing intensity.

Exploring gender influences in the quality of workplace-based assessments.

Workplace-based assessments are an important tool for trainee feedback and as a means of reporting expert judgments of trainee competence in the workplace. However, the literature has demonstrated that gender bias can exist within these assessments. We aimed to determine whether gender differences in the quality of workplace-based assessment data exist in our residency training program. This study was conducted at the University of Ottawa in the Department of Emergency Medicine. Four end-of-shift workplace-based assessments completed by men faculty and four completed by women faculty were randomly selected for each resident during the 2018-2019 academic year. Two blinded raters scored each workplace-based assessment using the Completed Clinical Evaluation Report Rating (CCERR), a published nine-item quantitative measure of workplace-based assessment quality. A 2 × 2 mixed measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) of resident gender and faculty gender was conducted, with mean CCERR score as the dependent variable. The ANOVA was repeated with mean workplace-based assessment rating as the dependent variable. A total of 363 workplace-based assessments were analyzed for 46 residents. There were no significant effects of faculty or resident gender on the quality of workplace-based assessments (p = 0.30). There was no difference in mean workplace-based assessment ratings between women and men residents (p = 0.92), and no interaction between resident and faculty gender (p = 0.62). Mean CCERR score was 25.8, SD = 4.2, indicating average quality assessments. We did not find faculty or resident gender differences in the quality of workplace-based assessments completed in our training program. While the literature has previously demonstrated gender bias in trainee assessments, our results are not surprising as assessment culture varies by institution and program. Our study cautions against generalizing gender bias across contexts, and offers an approach that educators can use to evaluate whether gender bias in the quality of trainee assessments exists within their program.

Gender digital health literacy gap across age: A moderated moderation effect on depression among in‐school adolescents in Ghana during COVID‐19

AbstractThe COVID‐19 pandemic amplified the need for digital health literacy aimed at reducing the psychological distress levels of people, including in‐school adolescents. Available evidence suggests the presence of a gender health literacy gap among adolescents in schools in Ghana and beyond. Previous literature has established the role of age in digital health literacy levels. What is unknown is how gender and age interact with digital health literacy levels to influence the levels of depression. This research assessed how gender digital health literacy gap across different age groups relates to the depression levels of adolescents during the COVID‐19 pandemic. A cross‐sectional survey was conducted using 942 students from secondary schools in Ghana who were sampled using the stratified sampling technique. Study participants completed the digital health literacy scale and World Health Organization (WHO‐5) well‐being index. Results from the two‐way analysis of variance revealed a nonsignificant interaction between age and gender on digital health literacy, with significant main effects for gender and age. Further analysis from the moderated moderation analysis revealed that gender and age interact to moderate the relationship between digital health literacy and depression. The findings of this research stress the need for gender‐age‐specific intervention programs on digital health literacy to moderate depression levels during pandemics and other stressful situations.

On the auditory identifiability of Asian American identity in speech: The role of listener background, sociolinguistic awareness, and language ideologies

The current study examined the auditory identifiability of Asian American ethnoracial identity, including the role of listener characteristics and ideologies. Results of an identification experiment showed that the overall accuracy of ethnoracial identification on (East and Southeast) Asian talkers was low, but not the lowest among talker groups and not significantly different from accuracy on Black talkers. There were also significant effects of listeners' ethnoracial identity, gender, and linguistic chauvinism (i.e., disfavoring linguistic diversity in the US). In particular, being Asian or a woman was associated with a higher likelihood of accuracy, whereas greater linguistic chauvinism was, to an extent, associated with a lower likelihood of accuracy. Results of a discrimination experiment additionally showed an effect of listeners' awareness of ethnoracially-based language variation: having this awareness was associated with a higher likelihood of accuracy on discrimination trials with one or more Asian talkers. Taken together, these findings converge with previous results showing an effect of the listener's background on ethnoracial perception and further implicate the listener's sociolinguistic awareness and ideologies.

The Influence of Case Characteristics, Attitude, and Affect on Citizens’ Willingness to Help Search for a Missing Person

AbstractNot all missing persons are treated equally. Research shows that certain types of victims are overrepresented in the media, but it is not clear whether these patterns also reflect differences in people’s propensity to help certain types of victims. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine whether the characteristics of a missing person’s case influence respondents’ willingness to help find the missing person. Using a 2 × 2 × 2 vignette study (N = 675), gender (male/female) and background of a missing person (western/non-western) and police involvement (yes/no) were manipulated to test respondents’ subsequent willingness to search. We further examined the influence of two-person specific factors among potential searchers: the respondent’s attitude toward searching and levels of perceived positive and negative affect. This study found that, despite a small but significant effect of gender, respondents’ intention to search is primarily determined by affect and attitude, with the former having relatively the strongest influence. Of the two affective states, positive affect had the strongest effect, about twice that of negative affect. Affect not only fully mediated the effects of gender on intention, but also had an independent influence on willingness to help that exceeded the indirect effect of gender. Therefore, it can be concluded that willingness to help find someone depends primarily on the (positive) affective state of the potential searcher than on specific characteristics of the missing person case or considerations regarding the search itself. The study has important practical implications for engaging citizens in missing persons cases.

Appropriateness of frequent use of emergency departments: A retrospective analysis in Rome, Italy.

Frequent users (FUs) are patients who repeatedly and inappropriately visit the emergency department (ED) for low-grade symptoms that could be treated outside the hospital setting. This study aimed to investigate the phenomenon of the FU in Rome by profiling such users and analyzing ED attendance by FUs. The analysis was carried out for attendance in 2021 at 15 EDs in the Local Health Authority Roma 1 geographical area. A digital app collected data, including information on the following variables: number of attendance, demographic characteristics, emergency medical service (EMS) usage, triage code, and appropriateness of attendance. COVID-19 diagnosis was also studied to analyze any possible influence on ED attendance. Differences between FUs and non-FUs were investigated statistically by t-test and chi-square test. Univariate analysis and multivariable logistic regression were performed to analyze the associated factors. A total of 122,762 ED attendance and 89,036 users were registered. The FU category represented 2.9% of all users, comprising 11.9% of total ED attendance. There was a three times higher frequency of non-urgent codes in attendance of FU patients (FU: 9.7%; non-FU: 3.2%). FUs were slightly more likely to have used the EMS (13.6% vs. 11.4%) and had a lower frequency of appropriate ED attendance (23.8% vs. 27.0%). Multivariate logistic analysis confirmed a significant effect of triage code, gender, age, EMS usage, and COVID-19 diagnosis for the appropriateness of attendance. The results were statistically significant (p < 0.001). The FU profile describes mostly non-urgent and inappropriate attendance at the ED, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study represents an important tool for strengthening preventive policies outside the hospital setting. The Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan represents an excellent opportunity for the development of new strategies to mitigate the phenomenon of FUs.

Unintentional force drifts in the lower extremities.

We explored the phenomenon of unintentional force drift seen in the absence of visual feedback during knee extension contractions in isometric conditions. Based on the importance of knee extensors for the anti-gravity function, we hypothesized that such force drifts would be slower and smaller compared to those reported for the upper extremities. We also explored possible effects of foot dominance and gender on the force drifts. Young healthy persons produced isometric knee extension contractions to different levels, ranging from 15 to 25% of maximal voluntary contraction force, with the help of visual feedback, and then, the visual feedback was turned off. Force change over the time interval without visual feedback was quantified. In the absence of visual feedback, force drifted to smaller magnitudes. The drift magnitude expressed in percent of the initial force magnitude was smaller for smaller initial force levels, ranging between 8 and 15% of the initial force for the initial force magnitude of 15% and 25% of maximal voluntary contraction force. The time exponent of the force drift was independent of the initial force magnitude and was, on average, 6.45s. There were no significant effects of foot dominance or gender, although the male subjects tended to show stronger scaling of the drift magnitude with the initial force level compared to the female subjects. The results show that unintentional force drift is a common phenomenon across limbs and muscle groups. This conclusion fits the theory of control with spatial referent coordinates and the general tendency of all natural systems to drift to states with lower potential energy.