Specific Social Factors Research Articles

Cultural Factors, Social Structures, and Social Determinants of Health: The Need for Clarity in Assessing Psychopathology

Abstract Over the past decade, researchers translating anthropological theories for clinical use have debated how practitioners should assess cultural factors, social structures, and social determinants of health with patients. Advocates of structural competency have suggested that clinical cultural competency programs demonstrate limited effects on health outcomes because of the static understanding of culture employed. They recommend that cultural factors be reformulated with an emphasis on social structures. In response, researchers in cultural psychiatry specializing in cultural assessments have developed three models—sociocultural formulation (SCF), the cultural-ecosocial view, and the contextual developmental assessment—to integrate cultural and structural factors. Their methods for integration, however, differ, resulting in various understandings of psychopathology mechanisms. This paper analyzes arguments from all four positions in this debate. It reveals a lack of consensus about interrelationships among these constructs, their definitions, and methods for assessment. The article concludes with recommendations, such as developing consensus definitions with broad stakeholder involvement; adopting a data-driven approach to clarify how specific cultural, social, or structural factors interact; and identifying how extant assessments capture clinically relevant factors across constructs to develop additional assessment tools.

A Survey of Quantitative Techniques in Electricity Consumption—A Global Perspective

This study uses the Scopus and Web of Science databases to review quantitative methods to forecast electricity consumption from 2015 to 2024. Using the PRISMA approach, 175 relevant publications were identified from an initial set of 821 documents and subsequently subjected to bibliometric analysis. This analysis examined publication trends, citation metrics, and collaboration patterns across various countries and institutions. Over the period analyzed, the number of articles has steadily increased, with a more rapid rise observed after 2020. Although China dominates this research field, strong bibliographic coupling worldwide indicates significant international collaboration. The study suggests that no single method consistently outperforms others across all contexts and that forecasting methods should be adapted to regional contexts, considering specific economic, social, and environmental factors. Furthermore, we emphasize that review papers should compare methods and results regarding both time horizon and temporal resolution, as these aspects are crucial for the accuracy and applicability of the forecasts.

The theory of planned behavior explored in entrepreneurial intentions among university students in Shandong province, China

This study, based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), aims to explore the entrepreneurial intentions of university students in Shandong Province, China, and analyze the major factors influencing these intentions. Structural Equation Modeling was applied to data collected from 680 students across five universities in Shandong Province. The findings reveal that attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control significantly influence the students’ entrepreneurial intentions. Specifically, a positive attitude towards the outcomes of entrepreneurship emerged as the strongest factor influencing their intentions, indicating that positive perceptions and expectations of entrepreneurship significantly enhance students’ entrepreneurial inclinations. Perceived behavioral control also showed a strong influence, suggesting that enhancing students’ self-efficacy and awareness of accessible resources is crucial for fostering entrepreneurial intentions. However, the influence of subjective norms was weaker, which may relate to specific cultural and social environmental factors. This study not only provides an empirical basis for entrepreneurship education and policy-making in Shandong Province and beyond but also offers new insights into the application of TPB in the field of entrepreneurship research.

"We don't do any of these things because we are a death-denying culture": Sociocultural perspectives of Black and Latinx cancer caregivers.

Cancer is an enormous public health burden among Black and Latinx cancer survivors, and they are at risk of facing barriers to accessing cancer treatment and support in the United States. This study explored the unique challenges and experiences faced by Black and Latinx cancer survivors through the lens of their caregivers, including the specific cultural, social, and systemic factors that influence cancer survivorship experience and quality of life within these communities in the United States. We used a qualitative descriptive design for the study, and conducted 6 focus group discussions (3 Latinx and 3 Black groups) with a total of 33 caregivers of cancer survivors, (Mean age = 63 years). Data were analyzed using inductive content analysis. We identified 3 main themes: (1) families as (un)stressors in survivorship such as the vitality of social connections and families as unintended burden; (2) responses after diagnosis specifically whether to conceal or accept a diagnosis, and (3) experiencing health care barriers including communication gaps, biased prioritizing of care, and issues of power, trust, and need for stewardship. The findings align with previous research, highlighting the complex interplay between cultural, familial, and healthcare factors in cancer survivorship experiences within underserved communities. The study reiterates the need for culturally tailored emotional, physical, financial, and informational support for survivors and their caregivers. Also, to improve quality of life, the study highlights a need to strengthen mental health and coping strategies, to help address psychological distress and improve resilience among survivors and their caregivers.

Using a Syndemics Perspective to (Re)Conceptualize Vulnerability during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review.

Syndemics theory has been applied to study interactions between biomedical and social factors leading to the clustering of diseases. Because syndemics theory focuses on interactions that enhance risk, the concept of vulnerability is central to this approach. We conducted a scoping review to better understand how this theoretical framework helped to define, operationalize, and tackle issues of vulnerability during the COVID-19 pandemic. Original research, reviews, and opinion pieces elaborating on syndemics, vulnerability, and COVID-19, published between December 2019 and October 2022 and available from PubMed, were eligible. We analyzed 40 records and identified three framings of syndemics operating during this period: (1) interactions between COVID-19, diseases/health conditions, and specific social factors; (2) interactions between COVID-19 and social determinants of health; and (3) impacts of COVID-19 on specific populations. Emerging conceptualizations described vulnerability to COVID-19 as a systemic issue, explained the impact of COVID-19 control measures on increased vulnerability, and presented COVID-19 as a syndemic on its own. However, this theory's potential for deepening our understanding of vulnerability during this pandemic was constrained by superficial explorations of the interactions between biomedical and social spheres, and insufficient theoretical and methodological support from the social sciences.

Sociodemographic Determinants of Extreme Heat and Ozone Risk Among Older Adults in 3 Sun Belt Cities.

Vulnerable populations across the United States are frequently exposed to extreme heat, which is becoming more intense due to a combination of climate change and urban-induced warming. Extreme heat can be particularly detrimental to the health and well-being of older citizens when it is combined with ozone. Although population-based studies have demonstrated associations between ozone, extreme heat, and human health, few studies focused on the role of social and behavioral factors that increase indoor risk and exposure among older adults. We conducted a household survey that aimed to understand how older adults are affected by extreme heat and ozone pollution inside and outside of their homes across Houston, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. We examine contributing factors to the risk of self-reported health effects using a generalized linear mixed-effects regression model of telephone survey data of 909 older adults in 2017. We found an increased occurrence of self-reported symptoms for extreme heat with preexisting respiratory health conditions and a lack of air conditioning access; self-reported ozone symptoms were more likely with preexisting respiratory health conditions. The risk of heat-related symptoms was slightly higher in Los Angeles than Houston and Phoenix. We found several demographic, housing, and behavioral characteristics that influenced the risk of heat- and ozone-related symptoms. The increased risk among older adults based on specific social and behavioral factors identified in this study can inform public health policy and help cities tailor their heat and ozone response plans to the specific needs of this vulnerable population.

Особливості вербалізації концепту БРЕХНЯ (БРЕХАТИ) в українській лінгвокультурі

The paper discusses the prominent verbalization features of the LIES (LYING) concept at the level of the Ukrainian communicators’ paremic worldview, covering the linguistic and cultural aspects. The current piece of research is based upon the selected paremic units and displays the LIES (LYING) concept structure in the Ukrainian language, focusing on the analysis of relevant dictionary definitions as well as semantic and pragmatic load, and communicative tonality with specific social factors to be considered. The author finds that paremies conveying the LIES phenomenon are capable of modeling the justification, rebuke, encouragement, warning, reassurance, mistrust, support, irritation, and threat speech genres. The paper concludes that the LIES (LYING) concept verbalization is possible by means of imperative and exclamatory constructions with ironic, mocking, humorous, and pragmatic tonality to be expressed. Additionally, the author examines the relevant linguistic and philosophical postulates of the LIES phenomenon interpretation, typical of Ukrainian language communicators.

Do measures of social support and social distress share general factors associated with suicidal ideation and attempts?

Aspects of social relationships have variably been associated with suicidal ideation (SI) and suicide attempts (SAs). This study assessed whether social support and social distress measures have general factors versus measure-specific factors that are associated with suicide risk. Adults (N = 455, 60.0% female), admitted to psychiatric inpatient units following a recent suicide attempt or active SI, completed assessments of social support (emotional support, instrumental support, friendship, perceived support from significant others, friends, family) and social distress (loneliness, perceived rejection, perceived burdensomeness, thwarted belongingness). Bifactor modeling examined general and specific factors of social support and distress in relation to SI (week prior to hospitalization, via the Beck Scale for SI) and SAs (past 30 days, via the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale). SI was significantly associated with the general social support (B = -1.51), the general social distress (B = 1.67), and the specific perceived burdensomeness (B = 1.57) factors. SAs were significantly associated with the specific Perceived Rejection (OR = 1.05) and Thwarted Belongingness (OR = 0.91) factors. General social support and social distress were associated with SI but not recent SAs. Specific social distress factors were also related to SI and SAs controlling for general social distress, suggesting areas for future interventions.

Mixed-species flock sizes and compositions influence flock members' success in three field experiments with novel feeders.

Mixed-species groups and aggregations are quite common and may provide substantial fitness-related benefits to group members. Individuals may benefit from the overall size of the mixed-species group or from the diversity of species present, or both. Here we exposed mixed-species flocks of songbirds (Carolina chickadees, Poecile carolinensis, tufted titmice, Baeolophus bicolor, and the satellite species attracted to these two species) to three different novel feeder experiments to assess the influence of mixed-species flock size and composition on ability to solve the feeder tasks. We also assessed the potential role of habitat density and traffic noise on birds' ability to solve these tasks. We found that likelihood of solving a novel feeder task was associated with mixed-species flock size and composition, though the specific social factor involved depended on the particular species and on the novel feeder. We did not find an influence of habitat density or background traffic noise on likelihood of solving novel feeder tasks. Overall, our results reveal the importance of variation in mixed-species group size and diversity on foraging success in these songbirds.

Information Literacy Empowerment in Islamic Education: Examining the Potential in the Indonesian Context

Information literacy plays a critical role in empowering individuals within the realm of Islamic education. This study explores the empowerment potential of information literacy in the Indonesian context of Islamic education. As the world’s largest Muslimmajority country, Indonesia provides a unique setting to investigate the intersection of information literacy and Islamic education. The study aims to examine the impact of information literacy on knowledge acquisition, critical thinking, and ethical engagement within Islamic education in Indonesia. It also identifies challenges, opportunities, and best practices for integrating information literacy in Indonesian Islamic educational institutions. Through a literature review and qualitative analysis, the study sheds light on the role of information literacy in strengthening Islamic education and highlights the specific cultural, social, and technological factors influencing information literacy practices in Indonesia. The findings contribute to a better understanding of information literacy’s significance in the Indonesian context of Islamic education and provide practical insights for educators and policymakers to enhance information literacy programs. This research underscores the importance of information literacy in empowering individuals within Islamic education and emphasizes the need for context-specific approaches to maximize its potential in the Indonesian educational landscape.
 Keywords: empowerment, information literacy, Islamic education

Identifying Individuals with Highest Social Risk in Adults with Type 2 Diabetes Using Item Response Theory.

The aim of this analysis was to create a parsimonious tool to screen for high social risk using item response theory to discriminate across social risk factors in adults with type 2 diabetes. Cross-sectional data of 615 adults with diabetes recruited from two primary care clinics were used. Participants completed assessments including validated scales on economic instability (financial hardship), neighborhood and built environment (crime, violence, neighborhood rating), education (highest education, health literacy), food environment (food insecurity), social and community context (social isolation), and psychological risk factors (perceived stress, depression, serious psychological distress, diabetes distress). Item response theory (IRT) models were used to understand the association between a participant's underlying level of a particular social risk factor and the probability of that response. A two-parameter logistic IRT model was used with each of the 12 social determinant factors being added as a separate parameter in the model. Higher values in item discrimination indicate better ability of a specific social risk factor in differentiating participants from each other. Rate of crime reported in a neighborhood (discrimination 3.13, SE 0.50; item difficulty - 0.68, SE 0.07) and neighborhood rating (discrimination 4.02, SE 0.87; item difficulty - 1.04, SE 0.08) had the highest discrimination. Based on these findings, crime and neighborhood rating discriminate best between individuals with type 2 diabetes who have high social risk and those with low social risk. These two questions can be used as a parsimonious social risk screening tool to identify high social risk.

“Revolving” Ownership: The Interplay between Yang-Ownership and Yin-Ownership

The article examines the concept of “revolving ownership” as a metamodel of property, whose structure allows for the interchange (rotation) of diverse components included in it, each capable of achieving different objectives through varied means. It is noted that the metamodel of revolving ownership can be utilized in the creation and structuring of property models over specific entities, necessitating consideration of specific social and environmental factors. In this context, a distinction is made between yang-ownership (“classic” private ownership used as an instrument for growth through extraction and accumulation, analogous to so-called “extractive” ownership) and yin-ownership (engaged possession involving a healthful balance between rights and obligations, i.e., flexible distribution of various components aimed at achieving sustainable equilibrium, analogous to the so-called “generative” ownership).

Revolving”Ownership: The Interplay between Yang- Ownership and Yin-Ownership

The article examines the concept of “revolving ownership” as a metamodel of property, whose structure allows for the interchange (rotation) of diverse components included in it, each capable of achieving different objectives through varied means. It is noted that the metamodel of revolving ownership can be utilized in the creation and structuring of property models over specific entities, necessitating consideration of specific social and environmental factors. In this context, a distinction is made between yang-ownership (“classic” private ownership used as an instrument for growth through extraction and accumulation, analogous to so-called “extractive” ownership) and yin-ownership (engaged possession involving a healthful balance between rights and obligations, i.e., flexible distribution of various components aimed at achieving sustainable equilibrium, analogous to the so-called “generative” ownership). The thesis is presented that the sooner the “proprietary” nature of yang-ownership is overcome, yielding to its dominance through the integration of balancing yin-components, the more easily and effectively legal professionals can propose novel and diverse ownership models. The recognition and acknowledgment of the complexity of nature imply greater intricacy in contemporary property law. It is time for property law to reconsider its unquestionable axioms and seek an appropriate solution to the challenges humanity faces today.

Immigrant Perspectives of Social Connection in a Nontraditional Migration Area.

Social connection is a core dimension of health and wellness among all populations, yet the experience of moving to and living in a new country makes social and community-level influences particularly salient for immigrants. We interviewed 38 Latino immigrants living in a nontraditional migration area to explore the social and community foundations of health and wellness. Using hybrid (inductive/deductive) qualitative analysis, we identified seven domains of social connection from the perspective of the interviewed participants: (1) lens of the individual; (2) immigrant experience; (3) interpersonal support; (4) community belonging; (5) community capital; (6) community navigation; and (7) social acceptance. Social connection domains generated by participants are consistent with the scientific literature, but this study identifies the specific social factors that immigrants describe as most salient to their own health and wellness. Our community-generated understanding of social connection can be used by healthcare providers to reduce risks and build on assets that will improve the health of immigrants living in nontraditional migration areas. Additionally, these results might serve as a foundation for a quantitative measure that can be used by providers to more accurately and comprehensively assess the social connection of their patients and by researchers to evaluate the effectiveness of community-level interventions for immigrants.

The Social Factors Associated with COVID‐19 Vaccine Distrust in the United States

AbstractThis study examined whether specific social factors are associated with COVID‐19 vaccination distrust. Data originated from the Census Bureau's Household Pulse Survey Phase 3.3 Week 42 collected from January 26 to February 7, 2022. In total, 38,504 adults answered the questions regarding receiving the COVID‐19 vaccine, COVID‐19 vaccine distrust, and the designated social factors. Logistic regression and ordinal regression were performed to examine specific social factors associated with the COVID‐19 vaccine to determine if differences were seen in a dichotomous outcome or scale outcome for distrust. Over 7% of men reported 1 or both types of COVID‐19 distrust compared to 6.6% of women. Men were more likely to distrust the COVID‐19 vaccine than women. There was a significant association between educational attainment and COVID‐19 distrust scale. The same association was seen also in household income and COVID‐19 distrust scale. Overall, this study identified specific social factors were a strong predictor of COVID‐19 vaccination distrust. These findings can assist public health efforts to reduce the health inequity of COVID‐19 vaccination efforts and reduce distrust in racial‐ethnic minorities.

Influence of Social Occupation on Relapse among Recovering Alcoholic Rehabilitees in Selected Rehabilitation Centres in Meru County, Kenya

Relapse remains a significant challenge in the treatment of alcohol-related disorders, particularly after the completion of inpatient treatment programs. In Kenya, relapse rates range from 20-80% among recovering rehabilitees. This study emerged to investigate the specific social occupational factors contributing to relapse among alcoholic rehabilitees in selected rehabilitation centres in Meru County, Kenya, addressing a gap in local research on the topic. The study aimed to delve into the social occupational influences on relapse rates, a relatively unexplored area in previous local research about relapse. The respondents of the study were individuals who had relapsed and were currently undergoing treatment in three selected rehabilitation centres in Meru County: Holy Innocents BPSS Centre in Timau, Methodist Treatment Centre in Kaaga, and St Nicolas Rehabilitation Centre in Tigania West. Employing a correlational research design, the study gathered data through interviews and questionnaires, focusing on a target population of 93 relapsed alcoholics receiving inpatient treatment. Prior to the main data collection, a pilot study was conducted at Harmony Therapy Centre in Nkubu, Meru County. This pilot study was crucial in refining the data collection tools and ensuring the response validity, which is essential for the credibility of the research findings. Descriptive statistics results related to social factors influencing alcohol relapse among the respondents revealed that work-related stress (M=3.29, SD=1.239), lack of work (M=3.12, SD=1.160), financial instability (M=3.34, SD=1.137), and boredom (M=3.34, SD=1.229) significantly contribute to alcohol relapse among rehabilitees in Meru County, Kenya. Participants agreed that these factors were influential in their relapse. However, multi-regression analysis (β=-0.017, p=0.845) showed no significant relationship between social occupation and relapse, suggesting that while these factors are acknowledged by the rehabilitees, the broader influence of social occupation on relapse may be less significant in this specific context. The comprehensive analysis suggests that effective treatment for alcohol-related relapse requires personalized and holistic approaches. These should address the specific social and occupational risk factors that individuals face and aim to build resilience and well-being in their recovery journey. Thus, the findings of this study emphasize the importance of designing treatment programs that not only focus on the addiction itself but also on the broader life context of the individuals, promoting a more sustainable and supportive recovery process.

Forest roads in Sweden – infrastructure with multiple uses and diverse impacts

Since the 1950s, more than 200 000 km of roads have been built in Sweden’s forests, making them easily accessible and open to multiple uses. The aim of this study was to review the impacts of forest roads in Sweden from a broad perspective encompassing social, ecological, and environmental factors. The Swedish case is interesting because it has an extensive network of permanent forest roads which were built primarily for forestry-related transportation but are currently used by many other stakeholders for many different purposes. Forest roads not only facilitate transportation of wood, machinery, personnel, and equipment into and out of the forest but also enable emergency response to wildfires and support berry and mushroom picking, hunting, recreation, tourism, and access to second homes. The roads increase the opportunities for members of the public to experience forests in various ways. Conflicts arise when different interests collide, for example when the interests of the forest owner clash with those of commercial berry-picking companies, tourism entrepreneurs, or reindeer (Rangifer tarandus L.) herding. Forest roads may have ecological impacts such as barrier and disturbance effects, fragmentation or loss of habitats, altering fauna movement patterns, and changing the composition of plant and insect species. The environmental impacts of forest roads relate to, among other things, hydrology, water quality, and erosion. Predicted changes in the climate are likely to place new demands on Swedish forest roads but, despite their extent, this review shows that there is only a small amount of rather fragmented research on their social, ecological, and environmental consequences. Overall, few studies appear to cover both social and ecological/environmental factors and their interactions, either in Sweden or elsewhere. This review provides examples of such interactions in the case of Sweden, and suggests that more research into these and the specific social, ecological, and environmental factors involved is warranted.

Non-biological factors associated with postpartum depression among women in Shenzhen: a case-control study.

Postpartum depression (PPD) presents a significant public health challenge. While PPD's impact extends from maternal health to child development, cultural stigma and a lack of public awareness, particularly in developing countries, contribute to its underestimation and under diagnosed. This study investigated the non-biological associated factors for PPD in Shenzhen city due to its unique socioeconomic landscape, where rapid urbanization and migrant influx could uniquely impact maternal mental health. By identifying local PPD determinants, the research aimed to contribute to targeted mental health interventions in the region. Data were collected from May to December 2019 at the Luohu Maternal and Child Health Medical Center, Shenzhen. Inclusion criteria were postpartum women without psychiatric histories who live within the locality. The Chinese Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was utilized to confirm PPD diagnosis. Participant information including demographics, economic status and postnatal factors were collected via structured questionnaires. Statistical analyses of t-tests, Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, chi-square tests, and logistic regression, were performed using SPSS 20.0, with significance set at p ≤ 0.05. The study included 430 healthy mothers and 73 PPD mothers. Several factors were found to significantly influence the onset of PPD (p < 0.05): age (OR = 0.921, 95% CI: 0.864-0.981); living with in-laws (OR = 2.133, 95% CI: 1.108-4.106); bottle feeding (OR = 3.757, 95% CI: 1.567-9.006); prenatal depression (OR = 3.515, 95% CI: 1.61-7.675); prenatal anxiety (OR = 6.072, 95% CI: 3.209-11.49); and adverse life events during pregnancy (OR = 3.287, 95% CI: 1.165-9.269). Other factors were not found to have a significant effect. Our study found that in the developed city of Shenzhen in Southern China, living with in-laws, exclusive bottle feeding, prenatal anxiety, depression, and adverse life events are non-biological associated factors for postpartum depression. The findings emphasize the importance of considering a range of factors when addressing maternal mental health within a specific local regions. It calls for targeted interventions or prevention program that take into considering the specific cultural, social, and individual factors.

A novel MABAC approach for multi-attribute group decision-making with single-valued neutrosophic sets: An application in assessing microfinance group lending performance

In the 40 years of global microcredit practice, loan technology has played a positive role in microcredit as one of the most important supporting elements. The development and evolution of microcredit institution lending technology is the result of comprehensive consideration of specific regional economic, social, cultural, and geographical factors. In the context of the diversified trend of microcredit technology, choosing loan technology reasonably, exploring flexible guarantee conditions, and innovating diversified loan technology combinations will become practical problems faced by microcredit institutions, and also the direction of theoretical research. The timely innovation of group loan technology in microcredit has practical value and theoretical significance for promoting the innovation of financial agricultural products in the implementation of China’s rural revitalization strategy, as well as bridging the theoretical controversy of microcredit loan technology. The performance evaluation of microfinance groups lending is a MAGDM issues. In this paper, the distances measures of single-valued neutrosophic sets (SVNSs) and maximizing deviation method (MDM) is used to obtain the attribute weight values. Based on the classical Multi-Attributive Border Approximation area Comparison (MABAC) method, the single-valued neutrosophic numbers MABAC (SVNN-MABAC) method is constructed for MAGDM under SVNSs. Finally, an example for performance evaluation of microfinance groups lending and some comparative decision analysis are constructed to verify the SVNN-MABAC model.

Neuropsychology and Electroencephalography in Rural Children at Neurodevelopmental Risk: A Scoping Review.

Children from rural areas face numerous possibilities of neurodevelopmental conditions that may compromise their well-being and optimal development. Neuropsychology and electroencephalography (EEG) have shown strong agreement in detecting correlations between these two variables and suggest an association with specific environmental and social risk factors. The present scoping review aims to describe studies reporting associations between EEG features and cognitive impairment in children from rural or vulnerable environments and describe the main risk factors influencing EEG abnormalities in these children. The method for this purpose was based on a string-based review from PubMed, EBSCOhost, and Web of Science, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). Qualitative and quantitative analyses were conducted from the outcomes that complied with the selected criteria. In total, 2280 records were identified; however, only 26 were eligible: 15 for qualitative and 11 for quantitative analysis. The findings highlight the significant literature on EEG and its relationship with cognitive impairment from studies in children with epilepsy and malnutrition. In general, there is evidence for the advantages of implementing EEG diagnosis and research techniques in children living under risk conditions. Specific associations between particular EEG features and cognitive impairment are described in the reviewed literature in children. Further research is needed to better describe and integrate the state of the art regarding EEG feature extraction.