Social Circumstances Research Articles

Az Amerikai Egyesült Államok (USA) alkotmányának sajátoságai

Aim: The aim of this study is to review the specific features of the Constitution of the United States of America, in view of the historical circumstances of its creation, and its topicality. The author stresses that the US Constitution and its interpretation have changed in the light of changing economic, political and social circumstances. Methodology: The author of the study has used the historical and comparative method in writing the paper. It has been considered how and to what extent this constitution has been and is being taken into account today outside the United States, particularly in European countries. Findings: The authors, the ‘Founding Fathers’ of the Constitution of the United States of America agreed that the Constitution should provide the legal basis i.e. the garantee of the separation and balance of powers. The principle of separation of powers implies the creation of three separate institutions of equal importance in the exercise of power. The checks and balances enshrined in the Constitution ensure balanced exercise of power. In addition to widespread presidential power, the preeminent role of the Supreme Court is according to ou view the most distinctive feature of the constitutional system of the United States of America. Value: In Hungary, this study provides a complex introduction to the Constitution of the United States of America. This includes the sources of the Constitution, the original text of the Constitution and its Amendments.

What did the Covid-19 pandemic reveal to deaf young people about their lives as young adults?

The Covid-19 pandemic changed the structures of communication, interaction and daily life for everyone. In this study, we examine what those changed social circumstances revealed to deaf young people about their identity, opportunities, strengths and vulnerabilities. Forty-six deaf young people aged 16–19 during the pandemic were interviewed by either deaf co-inquirers or academic researchers with a strong background in working with deaf people. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings demonstrate that the mental health challenges of the times were not new to many participants but rather just more of the familiar experiences of limited contact with others. However, the circumstances spotlighted attributes deaf people had which had been hidden previously to others including resilience, digital skills and creativity. Improved educational access through digital media was positive eventually but required some self-advocacy to achieve parity.

The Cultural Tradition of Zombification in Haiti: An Example of Film White Zombie

The well-known narrative of zombies, the reanimated monsters of contemporary popular culture, can be traced back to the late 1960s, or more specifically to the release of the film Night of the Living Dead (1968) by American director George A. Romero. However, at the time of the film's inception the term zombie was already widely present in American popular culture: the cinematography of voodoo zombie, created in Haiti through magic and psychoactive substances, appeared in America in 1932, with the release of the film White Zombie, based on the travelogue The Magic Island (1929), by American missionary William Seabrooke. The paper initially points to the social and historical circumstances that led to the spread of zombies in Haiti: as the first independent nation of the Western Hemisphere, Haiti at the beginning of the twentieth century became the subject of American imperialist strategies and a threat to the maintenance of hegemony, therefore in the texts of colonial travel writers it was described as a nation of savagery, black magic, powerful voodoo cults, and the reanimated dead. Cultural and racist stereotypes that were transmitted to the United States justified the American "civilizing" mission, i.e. political and economic interventions. The role of zombies in Haiti was that of a slave, a profitable workforce, used by local urban elites, voodoo sorcerers, and colonial regimes since the eighteenth century. In this regard, my analysis highlights the ways in which White Zombie reproduces the established image of Haiti as an exotic place filled with mystery and dangers, adopts the dominant American viewpoints marked by discrimination and racism, and sets cultural norms of distinguishing between the civilized and the barbaric, whereby the white color of the skin reflects the norm of the civilized. To this end, the dialectic of slavery is emphasized in the film by the zombification of a young white woman, thus manifesting the tensions that existed between the imperialist powers and their "subjects" of enslavement, and emphasizing the unequal power relations between subordinate Haitian slaves and Westerners in high positions. Finally, the changes that have taken place over the decades of the zombie monster's development are highlighted: the zombie moves away from Haiti and approaches the modern world, and becomes a reanimated, highly infectious, cannibalistic monster of consumer society, that is, a monster of the global capitalist system.

Inequities in food access during the COVID19 pandemic: a multilevel, mixed methods pilot study.

Innovative data integration may serve to inform rapid, local responses to community needs. We conducted a mixed methods pilot study among communities of color or low-income in the San Francisco Bay Area amid the COVID-19 pandemic to assess a hypothesized data model to inform rapid response efforts. Between 2020-2021, we collected (1) qualitative data through neighborhood reports submitted via Streetwyze, a mobile neighborhood mapping platform; (2) survey data on social and economic circumstances; and (3) geospatial data among residents of three counties. Qualitative data were coded and then integrated with survey and geospatial data. We used descriptive analyses to examine participants' experiences with food in their neighborhoods. Seventy percent of participants reported food insecurity before and after the pandemic began in March 2020. Within neighborhood reports, food was the most frequently occurring sub-theme within the Goods and Resources parent themes (68% and 49% of reports, respectively). Security (88%), resource programs (88%), outdoor space (84%), and equity (83%) were more likely to be mentioned by participants who were food insecure compared to those who were not (12%, 12%, 16%, 17%, respectively). Mentions of food in neighborhood reports more often occurred in census tracts with lower socioeconomic status and more area-level food insecurity. Individuals who were food insecure reported a constellation of needs beyond food, including needs related to safety and greater social equity. Our data model illustrates the potential for rapid assessment of community residents' experiences to provide enhanced understanding of community-level needs and effective support in the face of changing circumstances.

Opposition Attitudes of the Youth in the Polish People’s Republic

The main aim of this article is to discuss the opposition attitudes of the young people in the Polish People’s Republic (PRL). It is not a regular narrative. It is rather a review of selected phenomena, presented in several interlinked essays. The youth subcultures, underground organizations, some opposition attitudes (resistance, dissent and political opposition) and young people’s answer to the proposition of the Catholic Church were analysed in that work. Those attitudes were determined by the political, social and economic circumstances in the years 1945-1989, especially the lack of freedom of legal action outside of rulers’ control, the degree of integration within the regime and the relations of domination and subordination, as well as the associated with them level of frustration.

Failed Same-Calendar-Day Discharges: Understanding the Reasons for an Inpatient Stay Following Intended Outpatient Total Joint Arthroplasty

BackgroundThe adoption of Same-Calendar-Day discharge, or outpatient, arthroplasty has driven the evolution of care pathway protocols to optimize success rates of discharging patients home on the day of surgery. There are, however, instances where patients are unable to discharge on the same day as intended and require a stay in the hospital. This can lead to a poorer patient and provider care experience as well as incur additional costs. This study, therefore, aimed to determine the incidence of “failed” Same-Calendar-Day discharge, report the demographics of this patient population, and identify common reasons for failure of Same-Calendar-Day discharge. MethodsA retrospective review of a prospectively maintained regional database of 1,002 Same-Calendar-Day discharge hip and knee arthroplasty patients was performed. Patients not discharged on the Same-Calendar-Day were converted to an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) pathway. The ERAS conversion cohort (n = 59) was identified, and demographics, comorbidities, and reasons for conversion were reported. ResultsOf 1,002 patients in the database, 59 (5.9%) did not achieve Same-Calendar-Day discharge. The most common comorbidities were hypertension (52.5%), arthritis of the spine (22.0%), and depression and anxiety (18.6%). The median length of stay for these patients was 1 night. The all-cause 90-day readmission rate of this patient group was 5.1%. Difficulty mobilizing (n = 16), nausea and vomiting (n = 14), and social circumstances (n = 11) were the primary causes of patients being converted to ERAS pathways. ConclusionsSame-Calendar-Day discharge arthroplasty can be successfully achieved in the majority of the patient group, provided patients are assessed and treated under standard protocols that are adapted to the individual needs. Common hurdles encountered in Same-Calendar-Day discharge arthroplasty are mobilization, nausea and vomiting, and social circumstances.

SOCIAL FACTORS AFFECTING STYLE VARIATION

This research delves into how gender, age, ethnicity, social network, socioeconomic status, and other social factors impact language choices regarding style. This is called style variation, when people's speech patterns, dialects, and registers change based on social circumstances. Vocabulary is a powerful tool for self-expression and group identification, and this analysis shows how people change their vocabulary to fit in or stand out from their social circles. How prevailing social standards impact linguistic prestige and stigmatization is one area that the article delves into, as does the impact of power dynamics and social stratification on language patterns more generally. The study shows how language is a social identity marker that reflects larger social structures and interactions through case studies and sociolinguistic research. The results indicate that differences in style are not static but depend on the surrounding environment. They are an integral part of society and lighten the relationship between language, culture, and personal identity.

Child Motor Development before and after the COVID-19 Pandemic: Are There Social Inequalities?

COVID-19 pandemic has influenced all children's motor development. We examine whether this differs by social circumstances. We hypothesise that socially disadvantaged children experienced more pronounced motor problems compared with better-off children. Our trend study includes three representative waves of preschoolers (school years 2018/19, 2019/20, 2023/24) from a German school enrolment medical screening. Based on logistic regressions, we computed predicted prevalences of motor problems separately for children in different social circumstances (neighbourhood, migration background, family status). Motor development of preschoolers slightly worsened by 2023 compared to pre-pandemic level (6.3 percent 2018 to 7.4 percent 2023). Results by neighbourhood highlight that preschoolers from well-off districts experienced a deterioration of motor development (4.9 percent 2018-6.4 percent 2023). The prevalence of motor problems is, however, below that of children from deprived neighbourhoods with consistently high prevalence (9.2-10 percent). Results by migration background show a worsening trend for children without migration background and the gap between the groups disappears in 2023. Results by family status do not indicate significant differences. Contrary to our hypothesis, socially disadvantaged children experienced smaller change in motor problems. However, our results highlight the potential of structured physical activities in daycare centres and sports facilities to enhance the motor development of these children.

Investigating digitization and digital preservation strategies for theses and dissertations: a case study of Quaid-I-Azam university, Pakistan

Purpose The purpose of this study is to outline the process, procedures and techniques used for digitization and digital preservation of theses and dissertations (TDs) collection at the Central Library of Quaid-I-Azam University, Pakistan. Design/methodology/approach Since the phenomenon under investigation is exploratory in nature, a case study qualitative paradigm was used to conduct this study. Findings The findings of the study offer a brief overview of the cost-effective solution that leveraged in-house expertise for the digital preservation of TDs. This led to the establishment of a knowledge repository hosting a substantial collection of approximately 25,857 electronic theses and dissertations, accessible online since August 2023. This project digitally preserved approximately 9,387 TDs on CDs/DVDs, and scanned about 15,000 print TDs, comprising around 1,399,244 pages. The cost incurred per page, including labor and rent of a photocopy machine, was just Rs 0.548 making it a cost-effective technique. The total cost incurred for this process was just 0.768m Pakistani rupees (equivalent to $2,509.55). The findings revealed key challenges, including administrative, financial, technical and copyright issues, that impede the effective execution of the project. Research limitations/implications This case study is limited to one Pakistani public sector university library. This case study holds significance in terms of practical insights and implications for academic institutions and library administrators in other developing countries like Pakistan, which have similar economic, social and technical circumstances. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first-ever study conducted to elucidate the cost-effective strategy adopted for digitally preserved TDs without additional financial and human resources while creating a knowledge repository.

"I make myself get busy": Resilience and social connection among low-income older adults living in subsidized housing.

Social isolation and loneliness are pervasive issues among older adults in the United States, carrying significant health risks. Low-income older adults are particularly vulnerable to these challenges compared with their higher-income counterparts due to their limited access to resources and social networks. Many low-income older adults live in subsidized housing, which has the potential to offer unique support tailored to their needs. The intersection of aging and the unique social circumstances faced by low-income older adults significantly influences how they navigate crises. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 24 older adults aged 63-86 residing in subsidized housing communities in the United States. The data were collected from August 2021 to November 2022 and subsequently analyzed using a thematic constant comparison analysis approach. Many participants felt connected to their housing community. Participants reported that their lives changed substantially due to the pandemic: communal activities ceased leading to isolation and feelings of loneliness. Amid this challenge, participants were resourceful and found creative ways to manage. Many emphasized the crucial role of technology in maintaining emotional support despite physical separation. Participants in subsidized housing shared their experiences before and during this unique crisis highlighting the challenges they face, as well as their resilience and adaptability when facing challenges. Our findings underscore the significance of community activation, demonstrating that activities motivated older adults to improve their well-being. Additionally, the role of technology in maintaining connections proved to be crucial.

Effect of Supportive Care on Quality of Life for People Living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus: A Systematic Review

The survival of people living with HIV (PLWH) affects physical, psychological, sexual, social, and financial circumstances during the care and treatment phase. Supportive care is an effective intervention associated with a better quality of life. The aim of this systematic study was to identify effect supportive care intervention on quality-of-life infected people. This study was a systematic review to examine the effect of supportive care in PLWH. Four databases including Science Direct, ProQuest, PubMed, and Wiley library were included to identify the relevant articles. A total of eight articles out of the 247 publications potentially met the inclusion criteria. Supportive care was grouped into four categories, including Community Based Intervention, M-Health Intervention, Social Media-Based Interventions as well as Psychosocial Interventions. The combination of all interventions showed that supportive care needs to be prescribed in line with the conditions and needs of PLWH. Conclusion, several supportive care approaches including Group Support Psychotherapy (GSP), Peer Support (PS), Run4Love WeChat, ALWH treatment strategy, effective communication, and psychosocial assessment, Mental health care pathway PASEO and combination logotherapy, ACT, as well as family psychoeducation (FPE) affected the quality of life for PLWH. This helped in characterizing the intervention and its effect on the conditions of HIV patients.Keywords: Databases; Supportive care; Psychosocial interventions; Quality of life

Community hospitals of the future: the role of community hospitals to mitigate health system burden in Singapore.

In Singapore, an ageing population with increasing chronic disease burden and complex social circumstances have strained the healthcare system. For the health system to run more efficiently, patients should be appropriately sited according to their medical needs. In Singapore, community hospitals serve as an intermediate inpatient facility managing patients with sub-acute and rehabilitation care needs. Our policy brief uncovers the gaps in transforming community hospital care models and offers actionable steps to unlock the community hospital chokepoints in Singapore's health system. The future community hospitals can accommodate higher acuity but medically stable patients, while patients who do not require inpatient rehabilitation care can be appropriately sited to community partners, if policy, resourcing and technology factors are addressed. An evidence-based, stepwise approach involving all stakeholders will be required to pilot and evaluate new models before large-scale change.

Exploring the Relationship Between Peer Pressure and Frustration in Adults

Peer pressure can be defined as the social influence that peers exert on an individual, compelling them to adopt certain behaviours, attitudes, or values to fit in or gain acceptance within a group. The influence can take many different forms, like pushing conformity, influencing the adoption of beliefs or ways of behaving, or persuading someone to do things they might not have otherwise chosen to do. This paper examines the complex interactions that individuals encounter in a range of social circumstances between peer pressure and frustration. A substantial positive association between frustration and perceived peer pressure was found through quantitative research. The findings suggest that there is a strong moderate correlation between peer pressure and frustration (r=0.348, p<0.001), indicating a significant relationship between the two variables. Additionally, research findings revealed the many ways in which peer pressure fuels frustration, such as perceived expectations, fear of rejection, and social comparison. To address the detrimental effects of peer pressure on individual well-being, specific interventions are required, as the study highlights the widespread influence of peers on adult behaviour and emotional experiences.

Street Rhythms and the Revolution

Cuban street vendors use pregones, high-pitched rhymes and rhythms, to promote their goods and services. This ambulant form of small-scale commerce has been part of the urban soundscape since the early years of Spanish colonization. While often celebrated as a vibrant addition to the nation’s identity, the pregón has sometimes been regarded as a nuisance that must conform to the regulations and preferences of elites or stay silent. This paper explores the shifting circumstances under which street vendors have operated in Cuba, specifically since the 1959 Revolution. The drive to establish communism on the island during the 1960s resulted in the partial decline of street traders and their tunes. However, the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s brought about social conditions that led to their resurgence in a new form. Presently, Cuban street vendors confront an expanding legal framework aimed at regulating their activities, as well as popular critique that their sales jingles lack musical creativity. Nevertheless, the musical-commercial expressions of Cuba’s ambulant vendors persist. They continuously adapt to their social circumstances, finding new ways to draw attention to their goods and services. Photo: Ingrid Evensen

HISTORICAL EVENTS INFLUENCE ON THE FORMATION OF MILITARY VOCABULARY IN THE UKRAINIAN LANGUAGE (ON THE EXAMPLE OF THE FIRST AND SECOND WORLD WARS)

The paper deals with the influence of various historical events on the emergence, evolution and adaptation of military terms in the Ukrainian language. The object of research is the military vocabulary of the Ukrainian language, and the subject is the processes of its formation under the influence of historical circumstances. The study focuses on the identification and analysis of specific military terms that arose in different historical periods, namely, during the First and Second World Wars. The article examines the reasons and circumstances of the appearance of certain lexemes or word combinations, their consolidation in the military terminology system, as well as how these terms are defined and described in modern dictionaries. The methodological basis of the research includes historical-comparative analysis, methods of semantic and etymological analysis, as well as a contextual approach to the study of terminology. Special attention is paid to how social and political circumstances influenced the transformation of military lexicon and its adaptation to the modern linguistic environment. The study also investigates the preservation and relevance of these terms in today’s usage, particularly in military literature, official documents, and mass media. A complex analysis model of the influence of historical events on the formation of the term system of military vocabulary in the Ukrainian language is proposed. As a result of the research, several possible options for changing the initial meaning of the military term will be demonstrated. The research conclusions are interesting not only from a linguistic point of view, but also contribute to a deeper understanding of the cultural and historical processes that influenced the development of the language. These results can be useful for linguistic studies, creation of dictionaries, for teaching Ukrainian as a foreign language, and development of educational materials for foreign students studying the Ukrainian language.

Governing Over Distance: Delegating Trust and Dealing with Disorder in the Early East India Company Trade

ABSTRACT This study uses an overlooked case to reveal how the problem of distance shaped the early English East Indies trade. In 1617, preacher William Lesk returned to London from Surat. He had been sent to be a moral leader for East India Company factors, but they returned him when his scandalous behaviour threatened the survival of the Company’s trade in the Mughal empire. The social circumstances of the factory had real, material consequences. The factors sent signed eyewitness accounts of his misdeeds for Company leaders to address, but in London, Lesk’s claims of first-hand knowledge of the East Indies trade and affairs in Surat, along with savvy use of the politics of publicity, meant that Company leaders found him challenging to deal with. The story of Lesk reveals how managing distance required compromises on how best to govern the East Indies trade. Distance shaped how Company leaders interpreted events in the East Indies, while also opening up avenues for resisting Company judgements. Distance informed every aspect of the Company’s operation – not just economic but also social and political – and is essential to understanding how and why the Company developed as it did, both in the East Indies and London.

The health situation in the cities of Southern Kurdistan in the nineteenth century

The content of this research talks about the health situation in the cities of southern Kurdistan in the nineteenth century, which its population was suffering from poverty, back wardness illiteracy, destruction, high taxes rates and bad political conditions, due to the bad economic, social and political circumstances, beside these, a variety of dangerous diseases like (plague, cholera, malaria, fever, diarrhea and vomiting.) had spread in (Sulaimani, Kirkuk, Hawler, Ramanduz, Amedi) durnng the years (1820, 1821, 1830, 1831,1832, 1845, 1865, 1871, 1889, 1900 …), which caused great economic, social, political losses and health disasters. sometimes they caused the death of nearly half of these cities population. Low health awareness and lack of health service forced the inhabitants of these areas to resort to alternative medicine, magic and sorcery and the shrine of the righteous. The indifference and neglecting of the health sector by Ottoman Empire caused frequent health disasters, despite the fact that the Ottoman state had opened several hospitals and quarantine centers in both cities Sulaimani and Kirkukein the seventieth of the nineteenth century , but they were not provided enough budget as compared to the military sectors , the laste money was allocated for the helth sector, no hospitals or governmental health centers were found in cities like Hawler , Koya , Rawandz and the Amedi tell the beginning of the twenentieth century.

ECtHR: Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz and Others v. Switzerland (Application No. 53600/20, 9 April 2024)

The present paper focuses on the analysis of the landmark decision of the European Court of Human Rights in which the Court has, for the first time, ruled on human rights violation due to climate change. It begins with the description of the convention as a so-called living instrument that aims at the interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights taking into account the current social circumstances and challenges, such as the growing need for environmental protection and addressing climate change. In the judgment in question, the Court held that Switzerland had violated the applicant's rights due to insufficient legislative measures to protect individuals from the adverse effects of climate change. As a result of the long-awaited but unconventional conclusion, the judgment has become the target of much criticism. The paper thus concentrates on the main seemingly innovative or rather surprising pillars of the judgment, such as the court's determination of locus standi, the scope of a state's positive obligations in the context of climate change and its related margin of appreciation, as well as the unprecedented consideration of scientific evidence. The paper concludes by summarising the possible implications of the court's arguments for similar future cases, which will undoubtedly increase in number.

Health Disparities Among Indigenous Peoples: Exploring the Roles of Evolutionary and Developmental Mismatch on Cardiometabolic Health

The health of Indigenous populations suffers compared with that of non-Indigenous neighbors in every country. Although health deficits have long been recognized, remedies are confounded by multifactorial causes, stemming from persistent social and epidemiological circumstances, including inequality, racism, and marginalization. In light of the global morbidity and mortality burden from heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, cardiometabolic health needs to be a target for building scientific understanding and designing health outreach and interventions among Indigenous populations. We first describe health disparities in cardiometabolic diseases and risk factors, focusing on Indigenous populations outside of high-income contexts that are experiencing rapid but heterogeneous lifestyle change. We then evaluate two evolutionary frameworks that can help improve our understanding of health disparities in these populations: (a) evolutionary mismatch, which emphasizes the role of recent lifestyle changes in light of past genetic adaptations, and (b) developmental mismatch, which emphasizes the long-term contribution of early-life environments to adult health and the role of within-lifetime environmental change.

THE PROTAGONIST IN KAVITA KANE'S NOVEL "KARNA'S WIFE: THE OUTCAST'S QUEEN" FACES SOCIO-PSYCHOLOGICAL CHALLENGES - AN ANALYTICAL INVESTIGATION

This study analyses the socio-psychological challenges encountered by the protagonist in Kavita Kane's novel "Karna's Wife: The Outcast's Queen," exploring the factors contributing to the socio-psychological difficulties faced by marginalised individuals throughout the historical era portrayed in the book. This study aims to investigate the existing social circumstances during that period and evaluate their influence on causing psychological discomfort in the main character. The Freudian psychological perspective asserts that the source of psychological distress is located in the unconscious mind, while the Marxist perspective argues that it is grounded in the current material circumstances of social existence. The use of the Marxist literary critical approach is crucial for doing this research, as it allows for the analysis of the dialectical relationship between the human psyche and the prevailing social relations during that period. It is said that social discriminations can have negative effects on persons' socio-psychological well-being, and this was also the case for Karna.