Opinion Survey Research Articles

Initial empirical antibiotic therapy in kidney transplant recipients with pyelonephritis: A global survey of current practice and opinions across 19 countries on six continents.

Despite the burden of pyelonephritis after kidney transplantation, there is no consensus on initial empirical antibiotic management. We surveyed clinicians throughout the world on their practice and opinions about the initial empirical therapy of post-transplant pyelonephritis, using clinical vignettes. A panel of experts from 19 countries on six continents designed this survey, and invited 2145 clinicians to participate. A total of 721 clinicians completed the survey (response rate: 34%). In the hypothetical case of a kidney transplant recipient admitted with pyelonephritis but not requiring intensive care, most respondents reported initiating either a 3rd-generation cephalosporin (37%) or piperacillin-tazobactam (21%) monotherapy. Several patient-level factors dictated the selection of broader-spectrum antibiotics, including having a recent urine culture showing growth of a resistant organism (85% for extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing organisms, 90% for carbapenemase-producing organisms, and 94% for Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Respondents attributed high importance to the appropriateness of empirical therapy, which 87% judged important to prevent mortality. Significant practice and opinion variations were observed between and within countries. High-quality studies are needed to guide the empirical management of post-transplant pyelonephritis. In particular, whether prior urine culture results should systematically be reviewed and considered remains to be determined. Studies are also needed to clarify the relationship between the appropriateness of initial empirical therapy and outcomes of post-transplant pyelonephritis.

Public attitudes toward stuttering and cluttering in Chinese and Japanese speech-language pathology students

PurposeThis study utilized the Chinese and Japanese translations of the Public Opinion Survey of Human Attributes-Stuttering (POSHA–S) and Cluttering (POSHA–Cl) to compare the differences in (a) attitudes towards stuttering versus cluttering in speech-language pathology (SLP) students in either China or Japan, (b) attitudes of SLP students in China versus Japan towards either stuttering or cluttering, and (c) attitudes of Chinese and Japanese students versus international databases for stuttering and cluttering. MethodThe POSHA–S and POSHA–Cl were both administered to 99 SLP students from six universities in China and 352 SLP students from two universities in Japan. ResultsAttitudes toward stuttering were markedly different for Chinese versus Japanese students. Overall, stuttering attitudes were slightly more positive than cluttering attitudes in both countries; however, compared to China, Japanese SLP students attitudes toward stuttering and cluttering were more disimilar. In addition, compared with the international database, the attitudes of Chinese and Japanese SLP students toward self-reactions to both disorders were more positive. ConclusionChinese and Japanese SLP students’ attitudes toward both stuttering and cluttering are likely to be influenced by geography, culture, education, and the “halo effect.” The attitudes of the SLP students in China and Japan are more negative than the attitudes as shown in the global data.

Informal work in Sub-Saharan Africa: Main findings from an opinion survey

Informal work in Sub-Saharan Africa: Main findings from an opinion survey

Urban greening in Dhaka: Assessing rooftop agriculture suitability using GIS and MCDM techniques

Dhaka ranks among the world's most densely populated cities, with built-up areas expanding to accommodate the demands of a growing population. The rapid urbanization has reduced green space and exacerbated urban heat and pollution in the city. In the quest for a greener and healthier urban environment, rooftop agriculture has emerged as a promising solution, offering opportunities for the restoration of the environment and safe food production. Despite its potential, limited studies have explored the viability of this alternative greening solution for Dhaka. Therefore, this study aims to assess the suitability of rooftops for agricultural activities employing Geographic Information System (GIS) and Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) techniques. First, seven criteria were selected based on the literature, such as building age, height, rooftop size, building utility, property value, sunlight, and water availability. Second, an expert opinion survey was conducted using the Best Worst Method (BWM) to calculate the criteria's weights. Finally, the suitability map for Dhaka was derived by combining the criteria layers and was subsequently validated. Rooftop area and property value were identified as the most and least important criteria. Approximately 9% (6.27 km2), 68% (46.59 km2), 22% (15.15 km2), and a negligible portion (0.1 km2) of Dhaka city has been classified as highly suitable, suitable, moderately suitable, and not suitable, respectively, for rooftop agriculture. By identifying and promoting the most suitable locations for rooftop agriculture and highlighting existing opportunities, this research will help to initiate and expand sustainable agriculture practices that can contribute to climate change adaptation and urban resilience.

Mixed grazing of cattle with sheep and goats as a solution for livestock farmers in Greece and other countries around the Mediterranean Sea: a review

The management of common pastures is often a matter of conflict between cattle farmers and small ruminants (goats and sheep), especially in areas with small pastures and low capacity. This conflict is reflected in a relevant opinion survey in Evrytania (Central Greece) where cattle farmers consider that cattle can graze together with goats and/or sheep while goat and sheep farmers consider that cattle should be restricted to separate pastures. However, international experience as reflected in publications, mainly from the USA, shows that the co-grazing of cattle with goats and/or sheep, under certain conditions, can yield multiple benefits which have not been particularly highlighted in Greece. The aim of this paper is to investigate the potential of co-grazing of cattle with small ruminants and to list the benefits of this practice.

Identifying stakeholder preferences for rebuilding a Canadian Atlantic redfish fishery—limitations and benefits of different opinion survey approaches

Fisheries management authorities seek to improve the incorporation of stakeholders’ preferences into decision-making but conventional approaches to assessing stakeholder viewpoints may risk under-representing a diversity of opinions. In Atlantic Canada’s units 1 and 2 redfish fisheries, there are competing visions about re-developing the fishery following historical overfishing. A management strategy evaluation (MSE) sought to identify which fishery objectives should guide the formulation of performance metrics. Following the MSE, we carried out a study to further sample the social, economic, and ecological objectives for the fishery using multiple questioning methods: i.e., workshops, questionnaires, and interviews. Results of interviews and questionnaires identified areas of consensus and complexity of opinion among the different groups (commercial, government and Indigenous), and showed that the workshop-based performance metrics defined in the MSE underrepresented the diversity of stakeholder preferences, particularly regarding social and economic goals. Multi-method and multi-disciplinary approaches to formalizing objectives are resource-intensive. However, there is value in applying multiple methods to systematically develop and formalize performance metrics that accurately reflect a diversity of stakeholders’ priorities for the fishery.

All About China?

Combining international relations and critical geopolitics literature with a public opinion survey in Thailand that delves into some rarely explored and sensitive questions to understand respondents’ political views and attitudes, we examine the extent to which domestic political developments can be understood through a US–China great power lens. Are politically progressive Thais more likely to be pro-US, and more politically conservative Thais likely to favor China? While we find some relationship between liberal domestic political leanings and sympathy for the United States, we also show that conservative domestic political leanings do not automatically translate into support for China. To view election outcomes in a country such as Thailand as “wins” for one or other great power would be highly misleading.

Psychometric Properties of the Attitudes Toward Polyamory Scale (ATP) in the Spanish Context

Given the potential discrimination faced by individuals in polyamorous relationships, understanding attitudes toward polyamory in society is crucial. To this end, instruments to measure attitudes toward polyamory with adequate psychometric properties are necessary. The aim of this study was to adapt the Attitudes Toward Polyamory Scale (ATP) to the Spanish context and analyze its psychometric properties in a sample of young adults. The sample comprised 1,162 individuals aged 18 to 35 years. Participants responded to sociodemographic questions and completed the Revised Sexual Opinion Survey (SOS) and the ATP. The findings indicate: (1) adequate reliability coefficients, (2) good fit statistics for the one-factor confirmatory model that verify results of exploratory factor analysis, (3) that homosexual and bisexual people have more favorable attitudes toward polyamory than heterosexual, (4) positive correlations between ATP scores, SOS scores, and political orientation (individuals with higher levels of erotophilia and a more left-leaning political orientation tend to hold more favorable attitudes toward polyamory), and (5) association between ATP scores and religion, with non-religious individuals showing more favorable attitudes toward polyamory than Catholics. In conclusion, the ATP demonstrates adequate psychometric properties in Spanish young adults.

Eficacia del simulador PhET en la graficación de funciones en estudiantes de nivel medio superior

Mathematics are fundamental in various areas of science, and although teaching it presents challenges, using technology in the classroom offers an opportunity to enhance the learning process, allowing a deeper understanding of concepts and their application in real contexts. In light of this, the current research evaluated the effectiveness of the PhET simulator in teaching the topic of graphing quadratic functions to upper secondary students, aiming to identify the impact of this educational technological tool on their learning. The study was quantitative with a descriptive scope and a pre-experimental design. Prior to the implementation of the treatment, a written questionnaire was applied to students in their fourth semester at Conalep Plantel Tizimín (Yucatan – Mexico), which served to measure their knowledge on the subject under study. After the treatment, the questionnaire was reapplied, along with an opinion survey in which the students expressed their views on the use of the PhET simulator. The results indicated that the use of the PhET simulator significantly improved the understanding of the topic of graphing quadratic functions, with an average increase of 17.33% in student grades (p<0.05). In conclusion, the implementation of the PhET simulator in teaching quadratic functions significantly improves academic performance and, in turn, increases students' interest in using technological tools.

Enquête sur la mise en place d’un lieu de santé sans tabac à l’hôpital

In a prevalence and opinion survey on smoking, this work focused on a strategy favoring tobacco-free areas at hospital entrances. Outreach to the public occupying outdoor spaces led to immediate collection of responses over the course of 13 actions carried out in November 2022, a tobacco-free month. Thirty-two percent of the persons interrogated were smokers, 38% among patients, 26% among professionals and 18% among nursing students. A majority expressed support for smoke-free building entrances, which were viewed by half of the smokers as an encouragement to quit or cut down on their consumption. However, a quarter of participants anticipated difficulties, particularly the "heaviest" smokers. In the psychiatry sector, 54% were smokers, and they were relatively unfavorable to the initiative. As for non-smokers, most voiced discomfort regarding the smell of tobacco, the infiltration of smoke in indoor spaces, passive smoking, a negative image of the hospital, and the detrimental ecological impact. The tobacco-free hospital entrance initiative is relevant and of benefit to hospitals. In order to succeed, it must involve all stakeholders, whether they are users or professionals, in a concerted attempt to optimize assistance to smokers wishing to quit, by applying an educational and synergistic approach at all levels.

Corrigendum to: A survey of Australian public opinion on using comorbidity to triage intensive care patients in a pandemic.

Corrigendum to: A survey of Australian public opinion on using comorbidity to triage intensive care patients in a pandemic.

Conventionalist Accounts of Personal Identity Over Time

AbstractConventionalism about personal identity over time is the view that personal identity is in some sense dependent on our beliefs, desires, social practices, or language use (collectively: on our “conventions”). This paper provides an opinionated survey of the state of the art about personal identity conventionalism. First, it offers a taxonomy of possible types of conventionalism along four different axes and discusses weak vs. strong, private vs. public, doxastic vs. non‐doxastic, and realizer‐relative vs. assessor‐relative varieties of conventionalism. Second, it reviews the main sources of motivation for conventionalism about personal identity: methodological, epistemological, and normative motivations. Third, it maps out the place of conventionalism in logical space and distinguishes it from related philosophical theses: personal identity pluralism, indeterminacy about personal identity, revisionism, and self‐concern relativism. Finally, some potential avenues for future research are considered.

Citizen profiles based on social capital in the Spanish fiscal context: Profile development and multivariate consistency analysis

Previous studies have established that social capital plays a significant role in individual tax-related behaviors, including inclinations toward tax evasion and compliance. This study seeks to extend the understanding of tax morale in Spain using data from the Public Opinion and Fiscal Policy Survey (CIS, Study 3332). We use factor analysis with maximum likelihood extraction and Varimax rotation to identify key social capital variables and tax attitudes. We identify profiles based on their social capital and tax compliance using cluster analysis. We will apply hierarchical clustering with Ward's chaining and k-means clustering. The robustness of the resulting profiles will be confirmed by discriminant analysis and a multilayer perceptron neural network, which will look for higher rates of correct classification as an indicator of improved profile consistency. Our findings suggest that identifying Spanish tax citizens' profiles helps analyze social capital in tax policy. After our analysis, we have determined that enhancing the accumulation of social capital variables leads to better tax adherence.

Authoritarian Nostalgia and Democratic Decline in Contemporary Indonesia

This paper investigates the phenomenon of authoritarian nostalgia in Indonesian politics. Drawing on data from a Populi Center public opinion survey, we explore the characteristics, patterns and workings of authoritarian nostalgia. On the one hand, we find authoritarian nostalgia prevalent in the survey data and also anecdotally. Many in the public remember the New Order era fondly and have positive impressions of President Soeharto despite 32 years of military authoritarian rule. At the same time, we find that much of the nostalgia revolves around economic issues. Furthermore, our study shows that key age cohorts who lived during the New Order period have the most support for the authoritarian era. This paper also contributes to our understanding on how Indonesian people perceive and behave to their current Indonesian political development.

The role of artistic quality in a heritage architectural style in modulating tourist interest and aesthetic pleasure: a case study of Hui-style architecture in the Hongcun Scenic Area, China

ABSTRACT Aesthetic considerations are integral to the competitive advantage and value creation of tourism destinations. This study aims to explore the modulating role of the artistic quality of a heritage architectural style in tourists’ travel interest and aesthetic pleasure. Focusing on Hongcun, a renowned Hui-style architecture scenic area in China, this research employed public opinion surveys to quantitatively analyse travel interest, aesthetic pleasure, and the artistic quality of the architectural style (including variety, unity, typicality, and novelty). The results indicate that typicality and variety play a significant role in modulating the relationship between travel interest and aesthetic pleasure, whereas the modulating effects of unity and novelty are not significant. These findings deepen the understanding of how tourists’ aesthetic pleasure is impacted by their tourist interests. By demonstrating that tourists’ interests significantly enhance aesthetic pleasure and promote it through the typicality and variety of heritage architecture, they advance the theory of destination aesthetics in cultural heritage tourism. These insights guide tourism planners and heritage managers in designing interpretive content and tour itineraries that highlight the aesthetic value of heritage architecture, thereby enhancing the overall visitor experience.

Soft skills: students and employers crave

This study focuses on soft skills – over-professional competencies that are assessed on a par with professional competencies in today’s world, including for employment purposes. At ITMO University these skills are taught as a separate block of compulsory subjects for students’ choice. The aim of the research was to find out whether teaching soft skills meets the requirements of their future employers. For this purpose, an analysis of vacancies on a popular job search platform was conducted, followed by a public opinion survey of both students and employers. A large-scale study of graduates’ experiences and the labor market in Russia and the Northwestern Federal District in particular was conducted. All the results of the three phases of the work were used to draw conclusions about the development of the study and the application of the results. In general, it was shown that the trajectory of learning and development of soft skills in students should be supported, and future employers appreciate this experience in actual work.

Electronic Cigarettes and Tobacco Product Cessation: A Survey of Healthcare Providers' Opinions on Safety and Recommendation.

Background: This study aimed to: (1) assess healthcare providers' opinions on e-cigarette safety and compare them across professions; (2) evaluate providers' recommendations for e-cigarettes as a tobacco product cessation tool and identify any associations with their safety perceptions. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 760 healthcare professionals (January-March 2020). The survey included eight opinions on e-cigarette safety with five Likert-scale answers and a question on recommending them for tobacco product cessation. Results: Among 760 healthcare providers (173 physicians/dentists, 69 pharmacists, and 518 nurses), only 20% reported prior experience with tobacco product cessation counseling. Providers expressed uncertainty regarding e-cigarette safety (mean ± SD: 2.5 ± 0.7 on a 5-point Likert scale), with no significant differences between professions (p = 0.836). Similarly, e-cigarette recommendations for tobacco product cessation remained low across professions (13%, 85/637), with no significant differences found (p = 0.072). The recommendation of e-cigarettes for tobacco cessation is associated with perceived safety, lower respiratory irritation, lower coughing, a lower risk of cancer, and a lower risk for secondhand smokers when compared to traditional cigarettes (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Most healthcare providers were unsure about the safety of e-cigarettes; about 13% of providers suggested using them for tobacco product cessation, with safety perceptions influencing recommendations.

Public opinion on alcohol policies in Sri Lanka.

Alcohol imposes a significant burden on health, social and economic systems in Sri Lanka. In the present economic crisis taxes on alcohol provides necessary revenue increases. Yet, the perception of the public on alcohol policies in Sri Lanka is not well explored. This opinion survey was conducted with the aim to understand the public's awareness on alcohol harm, alcohol industry influences, barriers and facilitators for implementing alcohol control policies in Sri Lanka, and the level of public support for alcohol policies, particularly taxes on alcohol products. A street intercept survey among 997 participants (with a ratio of 2:1 for males and females) selected through a cluster sampling method responded to an interviewer administered questionnaire. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to determine associations and a p < 0.05 was considered significant. Among the respondents, 36.1% have consumed alcohol at least once in their lifetime and 29.1% have consumed alcohol during the past 12 months with a significant gender difference (females - 2.8%; males- 43.4%; p < 0.001). Significant proportions of both men (81.4%) and women (71.8%); p < 0.017 agreed that policy measures to reduce alcohol consumption would benefit the government including a significant proportion (73.8%, p < 0.008) of alcohol users. The vast majority -72.8%- agreed that increasing alcohol prices would help address the alcohol consumption problem in Sri Lanka. Moreover, only 30.8% of men and 44.3% of women agreed that the government's alcohol laws are currently strong enough to protect people from alcohol harm. The regression analysis revealed that men are 2.43 times more in agreement with the statement that "policy measures aimed at reducing alcohol consumption can benefit the public" as compared to women. However, individuals aged 50-64 years are 40% less likely to agree with this statement as compared to 18-33 years. The majority of the public, including people who consume alcohol, are supportive of improving alcohol related policies, including taxes, and acknowledge negative impact of alcohol consumption on the country. This presents a clear opportunity for Sri Lanka to strengthen and enforce the alcohol related policies to protect and improve public health.

Impact of the 2022 energy crisis on energy transition awareness in Latvia

Citizens, businesses, and governments faced energy scarcity, skyrocketing costs, and a high degree of unpredictability due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022. This situation has forced the European Union and national governments to switch to local energy resources and increase energy efficiency more strictly. But has society's attitude changed in the same way? Two separate public opinion surveys and network analyses were carried out to gain an understanding of energy efficiency practices prevalent in Latvia before and after the war erupted. In addition, the energy community simulation tool has been used to quantify the economic indicators under various conditions.The household survey results show that there, in fact, have been relatively few measures adopted to increase energy efficiency among the population during the energy crisis. The developed policy energy community simulation tool shows, that the energy costs in existing multi-family buildings have increased from around 61 EUR/m2 to 83.5 EUR/m2. However, it is still not motivating households to seek solutions toward more efficient energy use and RES generation due to the governmental subsidies to cover steep cost increases. Interventions targeting efficient energy communities through building managers would give higher strength and long-term effects.

Swayed by leading questions

AbstractThe use of leading questions as part of interrogation techniques and the factors associated with the witness suggestibility are well researched in the scientific literature. Nevertheless, literature on suggestibility in intentionally or unintentionally poorly designed social opinion surveys and push polls is scarce. The objective of this paper was to test how easily the public is swayed by leading questions in poorly designed surveys, whether certain group types of respondents in terms of their susceptibility exist, and to investigate the relationship between several demographic and personality characteristics and susceptibility. For this purpose, an online self-administered survey was conducted, containing a block of neutral and several blocks of leading questions about the respondents’ opinions on minority groups. The results indicated that the negative wording in questions was reflected in a more negative opinion on minority groups, while there are differences between respondents in their level of suggestibility. Three groups of respondents exist, i.e., non-suggestible (with no shift in opinion), suggestible (who express a more negative opinion on minorities following the suggestion), and contra-suggestible respondents (who react on the contrary and give a more positive opinion after a negative suggestion). Susceptibility to suggestion is associated with respondents’ age, openness to experience, conscientiousness, and social desirability. The results suggest that contra-suggestibility might counterbalance the error made by the leading questions, at least when more controversial topics are being surveyed.