Utilitarian Research Articles

Help-seeking behaviour in dysmenorrhoea: A cross-sectional exploration using the Behavioural Model of Health Services Use.

Dysmenorrhoea, or period pain, is a prevalent gynaecological condition that can result in functional interference during menstruation. Despite the significant disruption dysmenorrhoea can have on functioning and well-being, medical help-seeking rates are low. Little is known about what factors may predict help-seeking for dysmenorrhoea. The current study aimed to test the predictive validity of the Behavioural Model of Health Services Use (BMHSU) for help-seeking behaviour in dysmenorrhoea, whereby help-seeking behaviour was operationalised as having attended to a healthcare professional for dysmenorrhoea-related care. A cross-sectional observational design was used. Participants (N = 439) completed an online survey, which measured the following eight predictor variables: menstrual pain characteristics, health beliefs, self-efficacy, social support utilisation and satisfaction, perceived healthcare availability, and pain intensity and interference. Participants were also asked to report whether they had ever attended to a healthcare professional for their menstrual pain. The BMHSU accounted for 8% of the variance in help-seeking behaviour. Pain interference and appointment availability were significant predictors of the variance in past help-seeking behaviour, such that those who experienced greater pain interference, and those who perceived greater availability of healthcare appointments were less likely to have visited a healthcare professional for their menstrual pain. The BMHSU had an overall 69% classification accuracy in predicting help-seeking behaviour. Although the BMHSU demonstrated reasonably good model fit, it does not appear to be a particularly robust model for predicting help-seeking behaviour for dysmenorrhoea. Future research should explore whether a refined BMHSU or an alternative theoretical model can provide more useful insight into this behaviour. Better understanding of the determinants of help-seeking behaviour will enable the development of interventions to promote appropriate help-seeking and improve health outcomes for individuals with menstrual pain.

Sociological Upshot of Social Communications on the Academic Performance of Sociology Students at University of Sierra Leone, Fourah Bay College

The nucleus of the sociological research was to dictate the ramifications of the utilization of social communications sites on the academic performance of sociology students at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone. Social communications is a renowned mode for communication amongst university sociology students in Sierra Leone. Nonetheless, extreme social communications utilization, markup inquiries about whether academic performance is affected. This sociological research explores this inquiry by directing a sociological research on Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, sociology students, in evaluates to social communications handling and their academic performance. The sociological research also explored which social web is the most renowned amongst Sierra Leone university sociology students, why sociology students visit their social communications sites and if there exist considerable upgrade in the sociology student academic performance. Survey was utilized as a mechanism for information crowding. The sociological research welcomed 30 feedbacks and expressive social statistics involving commonality trials that is dissipate threads were utilized to explore the social network between the midpoint digit of hours students consumed of social communications a week and the merits they obtain from utilizing social communications sites. The social communications sites expressly Google +, Facebook, WhatsApp, Skype and X former Twitter grab the focus of sociology students for sociological research and affecting certainly their academic Grade points. The disclosures of the sociological research can be utilized to initiate the appropriate social schemes for upgrading the academic performance of sociology students in this fashion that a steadiness in the inactivity, particulars social reciprocity and academic performance can be preserved.

The association between frailty, care receipt and unmet need for care with the risk of hospital admissions.

Frailty is characterised by a decline in physical, cognitive, energy, and health reserves and is linked to greater functional dependency and higher social care utilisation. However, the relationship between receiving care, or receiving insufficient care among older people with different frailty status and the risk of unplanned admission to hospital for any cause, or the risk of falls and fractures remains unclear. This study used information from 7,656 adults aged 60 and older participating in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) waves 6-8. Care status was assessed through received care and self-reported unmet care needs, while frailty was measured using a frailty index. Competing-risk regression analysis was used (with death as a potential competing risk), adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic confounders. Around a quarter of the participants received care, of which approximately 60% received low levels of care, while the rest had high levels of care. Older people who received low and high levels of care had a higher risk of unplanned admission independent of frailty status. Unmet need for care was not significantly associated with an increased risk of unplanned admission compared to those receiving no care. Older people in receipt of care had an increased risk of hospitalisation due to falls but not fractures, compared to those who received no care after adjustment for covariates, including frailty status. Care receipt increases the risk of hospitalisation substantially, suggesting this is a group worthy of prevention intervention focus.

The Community Cultural Tourism: Linking Religious Tourism, Karawitan, and Local Business in Puhsarang, Kediri

Puhsarang Village is one of the religious tourism destinations in Kediri District that has the uniqueness of inculturation (adaption of church values and culture) as well as a place for meditative encounters of religious people throughout the region. The pandemic has hit the existing tourism sector and resulted in a decrease in small business income around tourist attractions. Some of the businesses affected include souvenir shops, wood sculpture, food stalls, and ‘bumbu kacang’ peanut paste production. In an effort to support Puhsarang's economic potential, the community service team carried out two main activities, namely product improvement assistance and designing social media utilization and marketplace management for local businesses. Secondly, promoting the art of karawitan as a unique characteristic of the Puhsarang tourism village. The empowerment method is carried out collaboratively with the PALAR approach, starting from the process of discussing business problems to the stage of reflecting on the business going forward. The assistance provided by the CED Team is expected to be a forum to support Community Cultural Tourism through the participation of local communities in exploring the potential of religious tourism and cultural inculturation that characterizes Puhsarang and ultimately can foster economic stretching around the village of Puhsarang.

Quantifying multi-dimensional services of water ecosystems and breakpoint-based spatial radiation of typical regulating services considering the hierarchical clustering-based classification

This study proposes a set of water ecosystem services (WES) research system, including classification, benefit quantification and spatial radiation effect, with the goal of promoting harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, as well as providing a theoretical foundation for optimizing water resources management. Hierarchical cluster analysis was applied to categorize WES taking in to account the four nature constraints of product nature, energy flow relationships, circularity, and human social utility. A multi-dimensional benefit quantification methodology system for WES was constructed by combining the emergy theory with multidisciplinary methods of ecology, economics, and sociology. Based on the theories of spatial autocorrelation and breaking point, we investigated the spatial radiation effects of typical services in the cyclic regulation category. The proposed methodology has been applied to Luoyang, China. The results show that the Resource Provisioning (RP) and Cultural Addition (CA) services change greatly over time, and drive the overall WES to increase and then decrease. The spatial and temporal distribution of water resources is uneven, with WES being slightly better in the southern region than the northern region. Additionally, spatial radiation effects of typical regulating services are most prominent in S County. This finding suggests the establishment of scientific and rational intra-basin or inter-basin water management systems to expand the beneficial impacts of water-rich areas on neighboring regions.

Social Media as Digital Marketing Tool in MSME: A Systematic Literature Review

The pandemic has caused difficulties for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in managing their finances, as all activities have been temporarily halted for health recovery. As a result, MSMEs have experienced losses in sales. One of the ways to ensure continuous sales and attract more buyers is by utilizing digital marketing. There are various options available in digital marketing, and one of them is leveraging social media platforms. MSME players have started to venture into digital marketing to increase their sales volume. However, previous research has shown that it has been only partially effective despite utilizing social media for sales facilitation. To address this issue, a Systematic Literature Review was conducted to document and review all articles related to enhancing social media utilization as a digital marketing tool to facilitate sales for MSMEs. A total of 20 nationally and internationally accredited journal articles were accessed from DOAJ, Google Scholar, and lens.org. The findings of the literature review study analyzed these 20 research articles that suspected social media as a digital marketing strategy to facilitate sales for MSMEs.

Dugong chirp type classification based on fundamental contour extraction and hierarchical cluster analysis

A steady decrease in the Dugong (Dugong dugon) population has been notices worldwide. Considering the social function and utilization rate, dugong chirp classification has become an important bioacoustics research topic, which may help marine biologists monitor the change of their population, study their behavioral context in different environments and optimise the protection policy. However, the objective classification of dugong chirps has not been adequately addressed in the literature. In this paper, an automatic fundamental contour extraction using the tempo-frequency variables to describe the contours of the fundamental frequency of the chirps is presented. With the automatic fundamental contour extraction, the time–frequency information of dugong chirps can be effectively represented, which gives a good classification performance. Following the principles used for the classification of dolphin whistles, three variables were chosen and performed with hierarchical cluster analysis. Based on these results and further visual examination, five categories of chirps were identified. A simple classification criterion was proposed which could be used in the automatic and effective identification of chirp types. Our findings enrich the known repertoire of dugong chirps, and may be useful in future passive acoustic monitoring studies.

Mentor teachers’ motivations and implications for mentoring style and enthusiasm

Using expectancy-value theory, this cross-sectional study examines the extent to which the expectations and values mentor teachers attach to mentoring are associated with their mentoring styles and enthusiasm. Path-analytical results of N = 189 Austrian mentor teachers surveyed in 2022 showed that high expectations of success and high attribution of values related to the social utility of mentoring are associated with self-assessed constructive mentoring. Transmissive behavior correlated positively with extrinsic personal utility value. Enthusiasm is high when mentors have a strong intrinsic motivation and attach high intrinsic personal utility value to mentoring. These findings contribute to knowledge on factors shaping mentoring quality.

Social media utilization and knowledge levels in exclusive breastfeeding among mothers in Indonesia

The utilization of social media for obtaining information on exclusive breastfeeding is driven by various user-friendly features that facilitate information retrieval. This study delves into understanding the correlation between mothers' engagement with social media for information and their knowledge levels regarding exclusive breastfeeding in Indonesia. Through a cross-sectional analysis involving 93 purposefully selected respondents, demographic factors such as age, education, occupation, social media usage for breastfeeding information, and knowledge levels were evaluated using a validated questionnaire. Descriptive analysis was applied to the data, and significance testing was conducted using Chi-square tests. The questionnaire underwent validity and reliability tests, confirming its robustness. Results indicated a significant association (p < 0.000) between social media usage for breastfeeding information and the knowledge levels of mothers successfully practicing exclusive breastfeeding. Mothers who achieved exclusive breastfeeding demonstrated a discernible level of knowledge about utilizing social media as an information source for breastfeeding. This study highlights the escalating role of social media in shaping mothers' understanding of exclusive breastfeeding. The findings underscore the significance of targeted interventions and educational programs through social media platforms to enhance breastfeeding practices.

FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH SERVICE UTILIZATION AMONG OLDER ADULTS WITH FUNCTIONAL OR COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT

Abstract Social services (e.g., senior centers, adult day care centers) and home health services (e.g., in-home personal care, visiting nurses) have been found to provide numerous benefits, such as opportunities for social interaction, physical activity, cognitive stimulation, as well as personal care and regular medical check-ups for older adults. These services may have greater positive impacts among older adults with disabilities or impairments given their limited mobility and reduced capacities to perform daily tasks. However, as most previous studies have focused on the general population, our understanding of factors associated with service utilization among those with disabilities or impairments is limited. This study examined individual characteristics associated with social and home health service utilization among older adults with functional limitations or cognitive impairments using data from the Health and Retirement Study. Results from logistic regression models suggest that older age and being not married were positively associated with utilization of both social and home health services, while being foreign-born was negatively associated with the outcomes, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. Respondents with higher educational attainment tend to use social services more and are less likely to use home health services than those with less than a high school education. Rural residence was negatively associated with the utilization of social services, but not with home health services. Providing information on available services and enhancing access by increasing the number of service providers, transportation options, and financial assistance would promote utilization of supportive services among older adults with functional limitations and cognitive impairments.

Resource Mobilisation, Utilisation and Wellbeing of Social and Solidarity Groups In The Assin Fosu Municipality, Ghana.

Purpose: The study focused on farm-based cooperatives in the Assin Fosu municipality and examined resource mobilisation as well as the factors that determine resource utilisation and the wellbeing of social and solidarity organisations.
 Design/Methodology/Approach: 180 respondents from six registered farm-based cooperatives in the Assin Fosu Municipality were chosen for the study using a mixed research design and a multi-stage sample method that included purposive, proportional, and simple random sampling procedures. The Focus Group comprised cooperative chairpersons and was further expanded to include the Municipal Co-operative Officer, who was specifically chosen as a key informant. In addition to narratives drawn from qualitative data, descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to examine the data.
 Research Implications/Limitations: The limitation of this study is the measurement of farm size and income which were based on the mental construct of farmers because most of the cooperative members did not keep records. This tended to distort the reality related to farm size and income which were included in the construct of wellbeing and collective resource mobilisation.
 Findings: We discovered that, except for cooperatives based on cocoa, resource mobilisation was low across all the cooperatives. The study found that the mobilisation of resources and the collective purchase of agricultural equipment and supplies, which reduced production costs, were the driving forces behind resource utilisation. The main wellbeing indicators were longer membership durations and group resource mobilisation and utilisation.
 Practical Implications: The findings of the study will help contribute to the management of social and solidarity groups in Ghana and broaden the understanding of how this development approach affects livelihoods. It is also hoped that the findings will contribute to the mitigation of the cost of neoliberal policies by providing a path to wellbeing at the micro and informal levels through group resource mobilisation and utilisation.
 Social Implications: Social and Solidarity organisations serve as an alternative to economic organisations that are based on neoliberal principles. This is because the latter favours the dominant few in developing economies culminating in widespread poverty, inequalities, and a decline in wellbeing. To maximise wellbeing, cooperatives should intensify resource mobilisation, and utilisation whilst maintaining their membership.
 Originality/Value: The novelty of this paper lies in its contribution to the literature on social and solidarity economies. It provides information on the missing link on how farm-based cooperatives mobilise and utilise resources for the wellbeing of their members.

Social media proficiency, digital information accessibility and information sharing behaviors among library and information science students

Background of the study: Students proficiency in using academic resources is a topic of interest, particularly in social media utilisation, digital information literacy, and online information sharing practices. Purpose: The study investigated the social media proficiency, digital information accessibility and information sharing behaviours among library and information science students, university of Maiduguri, Borno State Method: The study was guided by 3 research objectives and 2 hypotheses. The study consisted 742 undergraduate students, out of which 649 responded to the questionnaire dispersed through online survey. Mean scores and standard deviations were used for descriptive analysis and inferences were made with regression analysis. Findings: Students demonstrated moderate digital literacy skills for academic activities, with average competencies in locating and evaluating quality online sources and leveraging digital tools, (x̅w = 3.01, Std. 1.489); and that social media usage among the students is moderately frequent (x̅w= 2.97, Std.= 1.48); while collaborative digital learning behaviours are moderately high among the LIS students (x̅w = 3.68, Std. = 1.435). Conclusion: Individual student engaged in online collaboration and communication via social media for educational purposes, but still have deficiencies in certain abilities such as evaluating online authenticity, and effectively managing distractions.

Towards an ethical tourism recovery in Northern peripheries

Unsustainable tourism growth prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and disruption of tourism caused by its outbreak, together with the global environmental crisis and different global and local injustices, have raised debates on what tourism should be like in the future. A more ethical tourism sector post-recovery has become a topical issue for strategy making in post-pandemic tourism. In this research note, we tie together local stakeholder views on ethical tourism recovery in northern peripheries, a review of current tourism strategies in the area and relevant literature to add to the debate regarding ethical tourism recovery in the region. Our findings show that the local stakeholders participating in our research saw need for more inclusive and participatory community-centred tourism planning and development than most of the reviewed tourism strategies, which were mainly following neoliberal utilitarian ethics. Ethics should be explicitly referenced and discussed in tourism planning and policy making and form an integral part of tourism strategies, and further research is needed to support this transition.

Motives for becoming a teacher in times of digital change: Development and validation of the (D)FIT-Choice scale

This research paper introduces the (D)FIT-Choice (Digital Factors Influencing Teacher Choice) scale and discusses the outcomes of its initial implementation. The (D)FIT-Choice scale expands upon the existing FIT-Choice scale by incorporating additional subscales, namely “Prior digital technology use in education” within Socialization Influences, “Perceived digital teaching competence” within Self-perceptions, and “Contribute to the digital transformation” within Social Utility Value. “Intrinsic value subject” has also been incorporated within Intrinsic Value, and other items have been improved. By administering the (D)FIT-Choice scale to a sample of 506 student teachers, its validity and reliability as an assessment tool were established. The results indicate that digital factors are not prominent drivers for individuals choosing to pursue a career in teaching. Instead, higher levels of digital motivation are associated with the practical benefits of the job rather than with teaching-related intentions. These findings hold implications for teacher training, emphasizing the importance of understanding student teachers’ motivations concerning digital technology and adequately preparing future educators for the present and future digital educational landscape.

Social Enterprises Within the Public Sector’s Purview: A Taxonomy-Based Study on South Korea

This study applies a hierarchical clustering approach to identify social enterprise models that have appeared in a setting of public sector-led incubation. Within such a context, a high degree of conformity ought to be apparent due to the coercive isomorphic pressures associated with public sector patronage. We nominate South Korea for our analysis, given that the rising number of social enterprises in the country is closely related to a regulatory intervention. Based on an analysis of 468 social enterprises, we find, contrary to expectations, that distinct clusters of government-certified social enterprises have emerged, namely social utility niche, job outsourcing, market opportunity, and integrated balanced models. We typologize these models according to their strategic orientation, mission focus, and institutional alignment. In doing so, we contribute to social enterprise research by illustrating how organizational pluralism may manifest when the growth of a population of social enterprises is directly linked to public sector intervention and regulation.

Real‐world use and cost of health and social care services of 18,116 patients living with Alzheimer’s disease

AbstractBackgroundThe increasing prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) will substantially impact health and social care systems worldwide. In this study, we aimed to estimate the real‐world use and cost of health and social care services in a large cohort of AD patients in the United Kingdom.MethodWe conducted a retrospective cohort study using Discover‐NOW, a real‐world database containing linked primary and secondary care electronic health records of people living in North‐West London, England. A total of 18,116 patients diagnosed with AD were followed from first observed AD diagnosis to end of patient follow up, within the time window from 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2021. The baseline prevalence of 33 comorbidities, survival duration, health and social care resource utilisation and total direct health and social care costs (in 2019 terms) were estimated.ResultOf 18,116 patients with AD, 8,970 (50%) used social care after diagnosis. Most patients using social care were female (65% vs 62% in the general AD population) and were a similar age at diagnosis (median 82 years) compared to those who did not. Of the patients with social care utilisation, 5,248 (59%) resided in care homes and 2,636 (29%) received domiciliary care at home. Annual direct social and health care costs for each patient receiving social care were £25,664 and £6,248 respectively, constituting an annual total cost of £31,912. Median survival from time of AD diagnosis was 4.9 years in the general AD population and 1.9 years after care home admission. Patients who entered care homes, entered at a median age of 85 years and had higher baseline prevalence of stroke (11% vs 7%), chronic kidney disease (40% vs 35%), and atrial fibrillation (17% vs 13%) than the general AD population.ConclusionIn AD patients who used social care, social care costs were >4 times other healthcare costs. Slowing or delaying the requirement for social care would have a major impact on reducing the societal and economic burden of AD on patients and society.

Social services utilisation and referrals after seeking help from health services for self-harm: a systematic review and narrative synthesis

ObjectivesSuicide prevention is a major public health challenge. Appropriate aftercare for self-harm is vital due to increased risks of suicide following self-harm. Many antecedents to self-harm involve social factors and...

Dementia care navigation: A systematic review on different models and their prevalence

AbstractBackgroundDementia Care Navigators (DCNs) are professionals without clinical training, who provide individualised emotional and practical support to people living with dementia, working alongside clinical services. Navigator services have been implemented widely but the service offered vary without a consistent overview provided. The aim of this narrative systematic review was to describe and compare existing models, and to synthesise evidence regarding their implementation and impacts.MethodsThe review was registered on PROSPERO [CRD42021292518]. Three electronic databases were searched and included studies reported on a DCN model, defined as a service in which non‐clinically trained workers provide personalised advice and support to people with dementia and/or carers in the community. Two independent reviewers screened abstracts and titles and read through full papers for inclusion. Risk of bias was assessed using the Standard Quality Assessment QualSyst.ResultsWe included 13 papers (six studies). All models were US‐based and only varied by integration and training provided. Studies reported different degrees of impact on service utilisation and on symptoms and mental well‐being of people with dementia and their carers, with too little evidence to draw substantial/meaningful conclusions. One study evidenced greater impacts on people with more advanced dementia compared to earlier stages.ConclusionsDCN models have the potential to effectively provide non‐clinical support to people with dementia and carers from the point of diagnosis. Further research from countries other than the USA, focusing on the impact on social care and social support service access and utilisation, and utilising similar stablished outcome measures are required.

Social Media Acceptance and Utilization among Health-care Professionals of Bhopal City

Introduction: Every day, billions of people visit social media platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. It is not surprising that many people have been using social media to share their health experiences or discover more about their medical issues given the popularity of these websites. Family doctors are in a unique position to give precise information on a variety of health-related topics. The study’s objective was also to understand how health professionals perceive and use social media to provide better patient care. Methodology: This study was a cross-sectional questionnaire conducted among health-care practitioners of Bhopal city, recruited from government and private hospitals. A pilot study was done for the questionnaire. The study was conducted from March 2022 to April 2022. Data were entered and analyzed using SPSS software. Data analysis included Chi-square test was applied to find any significant difference in the variable between the groups. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 353 responses were received. 53.3% of the participants were specialists (MD/MS), and 46.7% were general practitioners. The majority (55.3%) of health-care professionals used Facebook as their most common social media platform. On social media, 64.3% of doctors follow other doctors. Specialists who posted on social media regarding the cases were 52.1%, whereas only 7.2% of the general physicians posted them which was highly significant. Conclusion: It is our responsibility as health-care professionals to learn how to use social media platforms effectively so that we may communicate with our patients, colleagues, professional organizations, and regulatory authorities in an ethical and professional manner.

P69: The effect of social prescribing on improving cognitive performance among community-dwelling older adults: A pilot study

Objective:The study aimed to examine the effect of social prescribing on improving cognitive performance among community-dwelling older adults, and to explore the potential association between social support and the change of cognitive performance.Method:One hundred and eighteen older adults from Changtang community participated in the study and were followed up for three months. Cognitive function was assessed with Hong Kong Brief Cognitive test (HKBC) at baseline and 3-month follow-up. Pre- and post-social prescribing difference in cognitive performance was examined with paired t-test. Multivariate regression analysis was used to explore the potential factors of social support associated with the change of cognitive function.Results:Compared with baseline measurement (25.4±4.1), the total score of HKBC improved significantly after three-month social prescribing (26.5±3.6; t=-3.300，P=0.001). Multivariate regression analysis showed that baseline level of social support utilization was associated with the change of cognitive performance. The lower the utilization of social support at baseline, the more the change of cognitive performance due to social prescribing (β= -0.25, 95%CI = - 0.88 ~ -0.05).Conclusion:Social prescribing may have a beneficial effect on cognitive function for community older adults. The utilization of social support may be one of the factors associated with its effect on cognitive performance.