Social Activities Research Articles

The Impact of Functionality and Psychological Outcome on Social Engagement 3-months after Intracerebral Hemorrhage

BackgroundAlthough it is well-known that intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is associated with physical and psychological morbidity, there is scant data on factors influencing social engagement after ICH. Understanding the relationship between functionality, psychological outcome and social engagement post-bleed may facilitate identification of patients at high risk for social isolation after ICH. MethodsPatients ≥18-years-old with non-traumatic ICH from January 2015-March 2023 were identified from the Neurological Emergencies Outcomes at NYU (NEON) registry. Data on discharge functionality were collected from the medical record. 3-months post-bleed, patients/their legally-authorized representatives (LARs) were contacted to complete Neuro-QoL social engagement, anxiety, depression, and sleep inventories. Patients were stratified by ability to participate in social roles and activities (good=T-score>50, poor=T-score≤50) and satisfaction with social roles and activities (high=T-score>50 and low=T-score≤50). Univariate comparisons were performed to evaluate the relationship between post-bleed social engagement and both functionality and psychological outcome using Pearson’s chi-square, Fisher’s Exact test, and Mann-Whitney U tests. Multivariate logistic regression was subsequently performed using variables that were significant on univariate analysis (p<0.05). ResultsThe social engagement inventories were completed for 55 patients with ICH; 29 (53%) by the patient alone, 14 (25%) by a LAR alone, and 12 (22%) by both patient and LAR. 15 patients (27%) had good ability to participate in social roles and activities and 10 patients (18%) had high satisfaction with social roles and activities. Social engagement was associated with both functionality and psychological outcome on univariate analysis, but on multivariate analysis, it was only related to functionality; post-bleed ability to participate in social roles and activities was associated with discharge home, discharge GCS score, discharge mRS score, and discharge NIHSS score (p<0.05) and post-bleed satisfaction with social roles and activities was related to discharge mRS score and discharge NIHSS score (p<0.05). ConclusionIn patients with nontraumatic ICH, social engagement post-bleed was related to discharge functionality, even when controlling for depression, anxiety, and sleep disturbance.

Participation in Social and Community Life Before and After Spinal Cord Injury/Disease: Factors Influencing Changes in Short-Term and Long-Term Participation.

Examining changes in participation frequency (productive, leisure, and social activities) from pre-spinal cord injury/disorder to at least 2 yrs post-spinal cord injury/disorder and identifying sociodemographic and spinal cord injury/disorder characteristics associated with significant shifts in participation frequency. The study used a longitudinal design, using data from the Swiss Spinal Cord Injury Cohort study. Pre-spinal cord injury/disorder participation frequency was assessed retrospectively 12 wks after spinal cord injury/disorder and prospectively 1 and at least 2 yrs after spinal cord injury/disorder. Linear mixed-effects model trees were used to identify subgroups with participation changes and related sociodemographic and spinal cord injury/disorder characteristics. The study involved 550 individuals (median age at spinal cord injury/disorder onset: 53 yrs, 30% female, 63.9% with traumatic etiology, and 5.6 yrs since onset). Pronounced decrease was observed prominently in productive activities. Education and age at spinal cord injury/disorder onset served as initial variables to split the tree at first level for each of the participation dimensions. This research identified participation dimensions most susceptible to changes during the initial years after spinal cord injury/disorder and pinpointed subgroups displaying clinically meaningful longitudinal variations across productive, leisure, and social activities. These findings have the potential to enhance the efficiency of rehabilitation programs, leading to improvements in long-term participation levels for individuals with spinal cord injury/disorder.

“Our earth, it's like it's in a toaster”: Creative, figurative and narrative interactions in interviews with lower secondary school students about climate activism

Previous studies have identified the use of metaphor and metonymy in contexts of youth-led climate protests and social media activism. In this study, we conducted semi-structured interviews to investigate how secondary school students in England make sense of different creative uses of metaphor and metonymy in a sample of slogans shared on social media for the Global Climate Strikes and #FridaysForFuture. For analysing students' responses, we produced a coding scheme to unpack the relationship between figurative interpretation and narrative. The findings suggest that different creative uses (e.g. twice-true, juxtaposition and personification) prompted different kinds of thinking about climate change and its relevance to students’ personal lives. The study has implications for research on figurative creativity, narrative, and climate change education.

Arts and psychomotor therapies in personality disorder treatment: An appropriate therapeutic entrance to personal development: A commentary.

Personality disorders (PD) are based not just on maladaptive ideas about self and others, they also are grounded on embodied patterns of behaviors and reactions to interpersonal stressors. There is growing interest in working with the body and through the body so to address automatisms that lead to suffering and dysfunctional social action. In this issue of the Journal of Clinical Psychology: In-Session the use of art and psychomotor therapies for these patients was explored by seven different clinical perspectives. Patients described presented with different PD and associated symptoms. The arts and psychomotor therapies deployed in personality disorder treatment are: (visual) art therapy, music therapy, drama therapy, dance (movement) therapy, and psychomotor therapy making psychotherapeutic use of the different modalities: art, music, play, role-play, performance, improvisation, dance, body awareness and movement. Interventions provide kinesthetic, sensory, perceptual, and symbolic opportunities to invite alternative modes of meaning-making, accessing own needs and wishes, and communicating them to others. In this commentary we summarize some of the different topics covered by the clinical-based papers, including working mechanisms of arts and psychomotor therapies, the importance of bottom-up emotion regulation processes, how to treat trauma in the presence of a PD, how to integrate art and psychomotor therapies in a fine-grained formulation and how to understand the process of change. Although there is a need for more empirical research, we hope this issue makes a solid case that clinicians can effectively include art and psychomotor therapies when treating the full range of PD.

Examining the nonlinear relationships between park attributes and satisfaction with pocket parks in Chengdu

Pocket parks have become a popular intervention for improving urban residents’quality of life. Although previous studies have investigated how park attributes contribute to user satisfaction, most assume that they have a (generalized) linear relationship. The assumption may understate the importance of parking attributes that are nonlinearly associated with park satisfaction and misestimate the effects of other attributes, yielding flawed implications for park planning and design. In this study, we employed linear regression and gradient boosting decision trees sequentially on data from Chengdu, a typical large and developing city aiming to become a Garden City by 2035, to examine the associations between park satisfaction and park attributes, which were measured on a five-point scale. Both models showed that the most important correlate of park satisfaction is entrance location, followed by footpath design, trees and shrubs, safety, flowers, convenience for social activities, and greenness.Moreover, some attributes are nonlinearly related to park satisfaction. For instance,green spaces and flowers greatly contribute to park satisfaction only when they perform well (i.e., their performance scores exceed Scale 3 of the five-point scale).The attribute of trees and shrubs diminishes park satisfaction substantially only when its performance is inferior (i.e., its score is lower than Scale 3). Furthermore, some seemingly unimportant attributes (such as recreational facilities and park maintenance) impose a non-trivial detrimental impact on park satisfaction when park users are extremely dissatisfied with the attributes (i.e., their performance scores are at the lowest level). The nonlinear relationships offer nuanced insights on the design of small public parks in densely developed urban areas.

AI-driven personalization framework for SMES: Revolutionizing customer engagement and retention

In today's competitive business landscape, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) face unique challenges in building and maintaining strong customer relationships. An AI-driven personalization framework offers a transformative solution by enabling SMEs to deliver highly targeted and individualized customer experiences, improving both engagement and retention rates. This review outlines how artificial intelligence (AI) can empower SMEs by integrating data-driven insights with customer interaction processes to revolutionize business practices. AI-driven personalization leverages machine learning algorithms, natural language processing (NLP), and predictive analytics to analyze customer behaviors, preferences, and feedback. By aggregating data from various sources—such as online interactions, purchase histories, and social media activity—AI can generate personalized recommendations, offers, and communication strategies that resonate with individual customers. The framework facilitates dynamic customer segmentation, allowing SMEs to tailor marketing efforts and enhance service delivery. The personalization process also extends beyond marketing by optimizing customer support through AI-powered chatbots and recommendation systems, which provide real-time solutions and advice. This level of personalization fosters stronger emotional connections, increasing customer satisfaction and brand loyalty. Additionally, AI-driven insights enable SMEs to anticipate customer needs, predict churn rates, and proactively address potential issues, thereby boosting retention rates. For SMEs, the implementation of an AI-driven personalization framework is not only cost-effective but scalable, making it accessible even to businesses with limited resources. As SMEs increasingly adopt digital tools, the integration of AI-based personalization becomes essential for staying competitive in a rapidly evolving market. This review highlights the potential of AI in transforming customer engagement strategies for SMEs by offering a tailored, efficient, and sustainable approach to enhancing customer experiences.

Common goods, cities, territories: processes for the reactivation of disused public assets

The research outlined in the paper aims to define tools and protocols to guide the functional reactivation of a disused public complex into an educational hub, in line with the objectives of a regional programme for funding and activating urban and social regeneration actions. Within this framework, the reconsideration of large historic containers becomes an opportunity to enhance social and educational services in the context. The research aims to define guidelines and programmatic, meta-design, and design directions for the integration of new functions and the consequent reactivation of the area, reintegrating it into the network of identity-based “common goods” of the city.

Enhancing the Ecosystem of Central Areas in European Metropolises: A Project for Rome

The paper presents the results of a third-party research project defining the process of redevelopment and social and environmental regeneration along the historic urban axis of Via Nazionale and Corso Vittorio Emanuele II in Rome. The site is affected by the construction of the new tram line connecting Termini Station to the Vatican City. The study proposes an approach to the design of public spaces that, starting by inhibiting traffic from rubber-tired vehicles and private cars and the application of environmental mitigation strategies, allows to reduce pollutant emissions, enhance the cultural heritage along the urban axis, and revitalise cultural, social, and commercial activities, thus triggering a virtuous process of sustainable growth and development.

Exploring the link between foresight and artificial intelligence methods to strengthen collective future-building in contexts of social instability

Purpose The study explores the connection between foresight and Artificial Intelligence (AI) methods in a community within an environment of social instability in Colombia. It aims to contribute to research on aligning these methods for future-shaping, with the goal of enhancing shared governance, peer learning and collective learning among traditional decision-makers and local communities in emerging countries. The study seeks to foster a community of social actors who are likely to engage constructively in strategic dialogues. To enhancing shared governance and learning a hybrid model is synthesized, combining foresight and computational intelligence. Design/methodology/approach The case study explores the integration of computational intelligence and foresight through Gaston Bachelard's (Bachelard, 1936) phenomenology concept of ante-perception. The mathematical representation of the cone of scenarios provides a structured way to explore multiple future pathways, allowing communities to visualize and compare different trajectories and make informed decisions amid uncertainty. The model facilitates critical reflections on present assumptions, deepening insights into future scenarios. Ante-perception challenges traditional approaches to foresight by encouraging a break from established experiences, allowing for novel insights into possible futures. When enriched by computational intelligence, this reflective process is further strengthened by quantitative approach scenario modeling. Findings This research develops and tests a proposal that includes the logic and methods for constructing a mathematical representation of the cone of scenarios. This process, which is interactive and deliberative, is driven by anticipation and combines qualitative and quantitative approaches within a context of high uncertainty. By combining the critical reflection facilitated by ante-perception with the predictive power of computational intelligence, the model allows communities to transcend established thought patterns and explore innovative future possibilities. This integrative approach helps them envision and work toward social self-transformation. Research limitations/implications The article aims to identify the creation of scenarios in contexts of high uncertainty, to respond to the needs of communities in emerging countries to manage change. Practical implications This article explores a novel approach to using foresight for address collective intelligence by developing a shared future vision in high-uncertainty contexts within local communities in emerging countries. The application of the hybrid model demonstrates that foresight is a key innovative social tool for developing long-term strategic reflection and planning for territories. Social implications In developing long-term reflective processes, explaining phenomena, mechanisms and correlations requires the use of value judgments. This set of value judgments requires a representation that facilitates their treatment, helps to account for their behavior during the inference process to form a shared future vision. Consequently, ensuring the recognition of the opinions of local communities through participatory discussion spaces and their subsequent refinement, from a technical perspective, aims to illustrate the development of this social construction process. While similarities exist, differences add value through a transfer process, often subconscious. This process stimulates collective learning and builds capacities as knowledge is developed through inquiry, evaluation, interpretation and generalization. Originality/value This research provides a unique hybrid model that fosters collective learning and engagement by integrating local community perspectives with advanced computational intelligence methods. By facilitating both reflective and quantitative approach future-shaping, it offers a practical framework for addressing uncertainty while empowering communities to shape their own futures. It underscores the importance of recognizing local community views through bottom-up participatory discussions, thereby widening the stakeholder community to active engagement in addressing broader societal issues. The case study focuses on community collaboration in Puerto Gaitán, a Colombian municipality.

Best practices in creating partnerships for transformative engaged learning experiences at a small, liberal arts, Lasallian institution

AbstractAll undergraduate students at Saint Mary's College of California, a small, private institution, are required to complete an engaged learning (EL) course or experience for graduation. This graduation requirement was established to provide students with the opportunity to learn in and from the community; an important value from the principles of the Liberal Arts and Catholic Lasallian traditions that inform the College's pedagogy. The social justice and community engagement center on campus called the Catholic Institute for Lasallian Social Action (CILSA), establishes EL partnerships with nonprofit organizations, school districts, campus departments, and other higher education institutions throughout California for EL courses, internships, place‐based work, and research projects. We value the expertise of our partners and view them as co‐educators in creating transformative learning experiences for nearly 600 students annually. In this article, we will share our process in sustaining community partnerships, our scaffolding engagement efforts, and best practices for collaborating with partners.

Lifestyle factors associated with episodic memory in middle-aged and older adults: evidence from a 9-year longitudinal study

BackgroundEpisodic memory naturally deteriorates with age, and its deficits are widely recognized as the most significant feature and the most sensitive indicator of cognitive decline. It has been suggested that adopting a healthy lifestyle can play a protective role in preserving episodic memory. This study aimed to systematically examine the relationship between lifestyle factors (social activities, leisure activities, physical activities, internet use, smoking, alcohol drinking, and sleep quality) and episodic memory in middle-aged and older adults.MethodsThe current study included 10,392 participants from the Chinese Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey. A linear mixed model was used to explore the associations between lifestyle factors and episodic memory performance and the age- and sex-specific effects of the association.ResultsLow-frequency alcohol drinking, higher engagement in social, leisure, and physical activities, increased internet use, and improved sleep quality were associated with better episodic memory performance in middle-aged and older adults. Stratified analyses demonstrated that internet use significantly correlated with episodic memory performance in middle-aged adults but not in older adults. On the other hand, sleep quality showed a significant association with episodic memory performance in women but not in men.ConclusionsThis study highlights the association between various lifestyle factors and episodic memory performance, with variations observed based on age and sex. Adopting healthy lifestyle factors can have positive effects on episodic memory in middle-aged adults, emphasizing the importance of adhering to healthy lifestyles from middle age onwards to counteract episodic memory decline.

Psychological Distress Changes During COVID-19: A Belgian Cohort Study On Psychosocial Factors

Abstract Longitudinal studies have identified an increase in psychological distress across the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, the trajectories of mental health outcomes exhibit variations, suggesting potential associations with psychosocial individual factors. This paper identifies the factors of this individual trajectory of psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Five waves of a prospective cohort survey were conducted with a convenience sample of the general population in Belgium between March 2020 and November 2021 (n = 4,550). Psychological distress was measured using the GHQ-12. Individual covariates included socioeconomic factors (age, gender, level of education), psychological factors (loneliness, social support, and social activities), and factors related to the virus and the lockdown measures (exposure to COVID-19 and survey wave). Multilevel models were used for analysis. Women and young people experienced more pronounced fluctuations in their risk of psychological distress across study waves, experiencing both increases and decreases. We found that individual variance in psychological distress breaks down into two components, respectively 43% for psychosocial factors (time-invariant) and 57% for the survey waves (time-variant) variation. A significant share of the time-invariant difference in psychological distress over COVID-19 is associated with loneliness, social support, and social activities. Loneliness emerged as the most important interpersonal factor associated with psychological distress. The change in psychological distress was mainly associated with psychosocial factors rather than with pandemic-related dynamics (e.g. survey waves). These findings suggest that mitigation policies aiming at controlling the pandemic should focus more on addressing specific individual vulnerabilities rather than solely responding to the fluctuations within pandemic waves to decrease their detrimental impact on mental health.

6.M. Scientific session: Risk And Resilience Factors Of Mental Health During COVID: European Multi-country Data Findings

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic significantly affected mental health. It worsened the mental health and well-being of those already vulnerable or exposed to excess pandemic-related stress. In addition, lockdowns and other measures created additional obstacles to mental health support access. In response, the European Commission funded the RESPOND project in 2020, aimed at enhancing the preparedness of mental health systems for pandemics and global crises. As part of the RESPOND project, (meta-)analyses were conducted on prospective cohort datasets, national health register data, and multi-country individual participant data (IPD). The aim was to examine whether there was a change in prevalence rates of mental health conditions (e.g., anxiety and depression) in the general adult population of the EU during, compared to before and in between, the COVID-19 pandemic waves. Analyses on risk factors (e.g. sociodemographic- and economic factors, severity of COVID-19 infection, (lack of) social activity and support, and loneliness) associated with psychological distress and mental disorders as well as resilience and well-being (coping strategies and core value orientations) in the general population or specific vulnerable groups were conducted as well. This workshop will feature five talks covering various aspects of the RESPOND epidemiological analyses. First, an introduction and rationale of the RESPOND study on short- and long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and outbreak response, will be provided. Subsequently, findings from the multi-country longitudinal COvid MEntal healTh Survey (COMET) on forecasting psychological distress throughout the pandemic will be presented. Second, findings from the French TEMPO (Trajectoires EpideMiologiques en POpulation) cohort and merged datasets will be presented indicating associations and interactions between socioeconomic factors, mental health, and public health behaviours during the pandemic. Third, using data of a large Belgian prospective cohort, fluctuations in risk of psychological distress across study waves and the factors associated with individual trajectories of psychological distress during the COVID-19 pandemic will be presented. Fourth, the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection, severe COVID-19 outcomes, and death among individuals with various mental disorders, based on Spanish health records, will be presented with specific attention to sex differences. Finally, based on the IPD meta-analyses of 9 European cohorts, findings on stressor reactivity, resilience trajectories, and factors associated with resilient outcomes and vulnerability are presented. By presenting a selection of findings from large datasets together, we aim to facilitate discussions on critical topics such as vulnerability and resilience to mitigate mental health impacts in future public health crises. Key messages • Targeting specific individual vulnerabilities appears to be more effective in reducing the pandemics’ mental health impact than solely responding to pandemic-related fluctuations. • Research and harmonised data on vulnerability and resilience factors are essential for guiding the development of targeted interventions and support systems for vulnerable populations during crises.

A behavioural perspective on pandemic preparedness

Abstract Driven by lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, the RIVM Behavioural Unit is working on the preparedness of social and behavioural sciences. This includes establishing and maintaining a stakeholder network and a knowledge base on pandemic preparedness and behaviour. Using the socio-ecological model and the emergency management cycle, we propose a conceptual framework for a behavioural perspective on pandemic preparedness. The multilevel (individual, community, organisational, national and supra-national), time-dependent (cold, acute, recovery phase) structure of the framework can be helpful in explicating who has to do what, when. In addition, to explain and understand what different actors require for those behaviours prior to or during a pandemic, we propose an adapted version of the COM-B model (Michie et al., 2011), including determinants of behaviour related to motivation, capabilities and opportunities. Based on these frameworks, various monitoring tools are developed. Here we present the Pandemic Preparedness and Behaviour (PPb) survey aimed at cold phase monitoring behaviour on an individual level (i.e. hygiene behaviours, social activity, preparedness behaviours) and their determinants. With this survey we will obtain baseline measurements ahead of a possible future pandemic and will have developed the appropriate tools to be used in a hot phase for as much as possible. In addition, results on cold phase determinants can help to identify where communities, organisations and governments can provide support to improve pandemic preparedness. In this presentation, the proposed conceptual framework and the PPb survey will be discussed, together with their relevance for preparedness of the social and behavioural sciences.

Adapting the Place Standard Tool for Border Regions: The Euregional Approach

Abstract The Place Standard Tool (PST) is a well-established tool that helps policymakers and communities discuss which aspects of a place - like buildings and transportation or the the way people are involved in decision making concerning their surroundings - need attention in order to improve public health. Even though the PST is widely used in many countries, it primarily focuses on a national level, overlooking the fact that 35% of EU citizens live in border regions. Many people living in these areas cross national borders for work, school, or social activities, so their everyday lives span more than one country. Using this tool to develop policies may ignore the real needs of border residents or even exclude their views, which can have a significant impact on their lives. To address this, the euPrevent Active Citizenship Participation (ACP) project adjusted the tool for a cross-border setting in the Euregio Meuse-Rhine (EMR). In this project, the German version of the StadtRaumMonitor, which is based on the PST, was modified to include questions that reach beyond national borders. This adaptation encourages people to respond to questions not just from a national perspective, but also to reflect on their experiences in neighboring countries. It was further translated into the four languages: French, German, Dutch and English, and made available online across the entire border region, which is home to nearly 4 million people. Moreover, the Euregional PST was effectively tested with local and cross-border citizen panels, and it’s set to become a key element in creating a sustainable framework for citizen participation within the EMR. And although this Euregional PST was initially developed for the border regions of the EMR, the modifications are such that the tool can be applied in no matter which European border region. Thereby, the Euregional PST offers a way to create policies that truly reflect the diverse needs and realities of border citizens, all over Europe. Key messages • The Cross-border Place Standard Tool EMR is easy to apply for a broad spectrum of stakeholders in border regions and applicable to all border regions in Europe. • The tool helps preventing policy issues by considering the entire context of people living in border areas.

Nationwide prevalence and trends in high-risk drinking among adult men the disabled and non-disabled

Abstract Background Excessive drinking is an important public issue that causes various levels of physical, psychological, behavioral problems. Especially for the disabled, it matters in that it could lead to poor health and secondary health conditions. Methods This study analyzed high-risk drinking (HRD) behaviors over a 9-year period in adult South Korean men according to disability presence, severity, type. We linked national disability registration data with the National Health Insurance claims data. Age-standardized prevalence of HRD were analyzed for each year and the odds of current HRD were determined by multivariate logistic regression after adjusting for income level, residence, insurance type, Charlson comorbidity index. Results The age-standardized HRD prevalence of the mildly disabled was higher than that among the non-disabled. Among the mildly disabled and physically disabled, younger aged group showed higher prevalence of HRD than that of non-disabled. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, the mildly (aOR=1.26, 95% CI = 1.24-1.29), physically (aOR=1.31, 95% CI = 1.28-1.33), communication disabled (aOR=1.12, 95% CI = 1.07-1.17) had higher prevalence of HRD than the non-disabled. Conclusions The prevalence of HRD was higher among the young mildly disabled than the non-disabled, this was more evident in young men physically disabled, communication disabled. This may be a result of the physical and social limitations of severely disabled and should be interpreted with caution. Social activities should be supported, and health policies on alcohol consumption should be implemented to prevent secondary conditions and reduce health disparities. Funding: This research was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Ministry of Education (No. 2022R1I1A3070074) and by a grant of Patient-Centered Clinical Research Coordinating Center (PACEN) funded by the Ministry of Health &amp; Welfare, Republic of Korea (grant number: HC23C0165). Key messages • The prevalence of high-risk drinking was highest among the mild disabled, especially the mild, physical, communication disabled in younger aged men. • Health policies and efforts to improve health disparities aimed at reducing alcohol consumption among people with disabilities are needed.

Factors Influencing Quality of Life in the Disabled: Focus on Household Members Mental Health

Abstract Background Household members of the disabled experience various difficulties such as social isolation and the burden of caregiving. These difficulties can lead to mental health problems, which in turn affect the quality of life(QoL) of the disabled. Research on the QoL of the disabled is ongoing, but there are few studies addressing the mental health of household members. We aimed to investigate the impact of household members’ mental health on the QoL of the disabled. Methods We used data from the 2021 Disability and Life Dynamics Panel(nationwide survey). On the base of Patrick’s model of disability health promotion, we analyzed the impact of household members’ mental health on the QoL of the disabled by using correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis adjusted for gender, age, income level, employment status, education level, activities of daily living, participation in social activities, type and severity of disability, presence of multiple disabilities, and health status. Results The level of depression(r=-.316, p&amp;lt;.0001) and self-esteem(r=.248, p&amp;lt;.0001) of household members were found to be significantly correlated with the QoL of the disabled. The level of depression of household members had a significant negative impact on the QoL of the disabled(β=-.153, p&amp;lt;.0001), while self-esteem had a significant positive impact(β=.144, p&amp;lt;.0001). It was found that the level of depression had a greater impact on QoL than self-esteem. Conclusions Lower levels of depression and higher levels of self-esteem of household members are associated with higher QoL for the disabled. Improving the mental health of household members is crucial in improving the QoL of the disabled, enabling them to interact more positively with society. Additionally, as 27% of household members experience depressive issues, enhancing their mental health positively impacts on the overall well-being of families with disabilities. Efforts to enhance household members’ mental health are crucial. Key messages • Household members’ mental health significantly influences the quality of life of the disabled. • To improve the quality of life of the disabled, strengthening programs for promoting the mental health of household members and policy improvements are necessary.

Prioritizing health, well-being, active ageing needs in Lithuania: insights from stakeholders

Abstract Background The rate of aging in Lithuania is faster than the EU average. The number of long-term health problems in older (65+yrs) people increases, posing changes in societal needs. The aim of our study was to identify the most important needs of older people in Lithuania. Methods Generic qualitative inquiry employed purposeful sampling of stakeholders in Lithuania: policymakers, administration, academia, civil society, health care, social service, public health, organizations of elderly. 43 experts, engaged in online focus groups, generated a list of needs for health, wellbeing, active ageing in elderly; they deliberated to prioritize top 5; scientific team condensed a list of 10 for voting to determine final 5 national needs. Research was done within project “Roadmap to improve the health and well-being of the ageing population in the Baltic Sea Region (AgeFLAG)”, 2020. Results Top needs identified were: shaping healthy lifestyle habits and motivation for change (72%) / age friendly environment and virtual assistive technologies (72%); person centred care (domiciliary care, residential care and nursing, social activities and etc. depending on the needs and wishes of the older person) (58%); increasing and maintaining physical capacity (56%); intersectoral collaboration and integration of social and health services (53%); establishment of positive public attitudes towards elderly people (50%). All stakeholders indicated that “Establishment of positive public attitudes towards elderly people” is the corner stone of all priorities for action to healthy ageing in Lithuania. Conclusions The main issue hindering active and healthy ageing in Lithuania - negative image of ageing in the society. Recommendations on the public health actions included promoting intergenerational conversation, reducing stigmas around ageing, strengthening social inclusion, generating age-friendly environments, and creating a safe space for self-realization and development. Key messages • The main issue hindering active and healthy ageing in Lithuania – negative image of ageing in the society. • The change in the population requires the transformation of health care and social care systems building age friendly environments in Lithuania.

Social Cohesion in Different Periods of the Pandemic: What Works in Reducing COVID-19 Mortality

Abstract Background Inconsistent results were reported regarding the effects of social cohesion dimensions on COVID-19 mortality rate (MR). Most studies have indicated that trust in civil services, but not participating in social activities, reduces COVID-19 MR, possibly because of the highly contagious nature of this disease. In this study, we investigated how the effects of various dimensions of social cohesion on COVID-19 MR vary across different phases of the pandemic. Methods This longitudinal study was conducted using data from 86 countries that participated in the 2017-2020 World Values Survey. The measures of social cohesion were identified by aggregating survey responses to the country level. COVID-19 MR was calculated-using data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control-separately for three distinct periods during the pandemic (January 2021-June 2022). A factor analysis was conducted to identify the dimensions of social cohesion, and negative binomial regression models were constructed to analyze data for each period. Results The factor analysis revealed three dimensions of social cohesion: social participation and inclusion, health service equality, and trust in civil services and democracy. Our findings suggest that each dimension of social cohesion uniquely affected COVID-19 outcomes in different periods of the pandemic. Trust in civil services and a positive attitude toward democracy are strongly associated with a low COVID-19 MR. However, this association was observed only in the early and middle stages of the pandemic. By contrast, our study demonstrated that in the late stage of the pandemic, increased social participation and inclusion helped combat COVID-19. Conclusions This study underscores the importance of collective cohesion and solidarity in mobilizing public responses against pandemic situations. This study emphasizes that preventive or regulatory interventions should be tailored to different phases of a pandemic. Key messages • COVID-19 mortality rate was negatively associated with trust in civil services during the early two periods and with social participation and social inclusion during the late period of the pandemic. • This study emphasizes that preventive or regulatory interventions should be tailored to different phases of a pandemic.

Heavy Work Investment (HWI) and Its Effect on Employees’ Physical and Mental Health

Abstract Background Economic reality and centrality of work have led to employees investing much time and effort in work. However, The number of hours spent at work may not be the only explanation, and other characteristics, such as type of work, employees’ personality, economic status, motivations, etc., need to be considered. The Heavy Work Investment model (Snir &amp; Harpaz, 2012) considers these variables and classifies employees into four types of investors. This study examines the physical and mental health consequences of each HWI group. Methods Participants (N = 962) were workers who came to a medical center for annual medical screenings. About 70% were males, and the average age was 50.13 years (SD = 9.53). They divided into 5 groups: Typical full-time workers (N = 208, 29.2%), ‘Needy’ (N = 111, 15.6%), ‘Employer directed’ (N = 111, 15.6%), ‘Workaholic’ (N = 192, 26.9%) and ‘Work devoted’ (N = 91, 12.7%). The personal data was cross-referenced with the respondents’ health data. Differences for categorical variables were examined with Chi-square analyses. Results ‘Employer-directed’ employees, more than ‘work-devoted’ employees, perceived their health status as preventing them from performing mild activities. ‘Employer-directed’ and ‘needy’ employees, more than ‘work-devoted’ employees, perceived their health status as interfering with their social activities and their pain as interfering with their regular activities. ‘Workaholic’ employees suffered from more diseases than ‘work-devoted’ employees, and they were found to be 3.70 times more likely to be at a high risk of cardiovascular disease than typical full-time workers. Conclusions It is possible to anticipate types of health damage according to occupation type and develop occupation-adjusted health promotion programs. It is necessary to base labor laws on protecting employees’ health, particularly regarding time and workload’ outside of work’ in both hours (additional or flexible) and location (hybrid work). Key messages • Inspire organizations to be aware of potential injuries caused by HWI and promote the creation of intervention programs, potentially significantly improving employees’ health and well-being. • Evidence for the necessary laws that protect employees’ health, particularly regarding time and workload ‘outside of work’ in both hours (additional or flexible) and location (hybrid work).