Traditional Services Research Articles

Comprehensive evaluation and analysis of traditional Chinese medicine medical service ability based on Entropy Weight TOPSIS method

Comprehensive evaluation and analysis of traditional Chinese medicine medical service ability based on Entropy Weight TOPSIS method

The use of digital occupational health services among employer customers: A cross-sectional study

Occupational health (OH) service providers, together with their client organizations co-operate in promoting health and work ability. Alongside with the so-called traditional services, more and more digital services are offered by OH service providers. However, little is known how the employer customers experience and use digital OH services. This study evaluates the types of digital OH services employer customers use and how they assess the usefulness and ease of use of these digital services. Furthermore, the aim is to find out factors associated the usefulness and ease of use. To determine these features of usefulness and ease of use of digital services the Technology Acceptance Model was utilized. A cross-sectional, electronic survey was carried out to the members of human resources (HR) and entrepreneur associations between December 2022 and January 2023. The survey was in Finnish. The research material consisted of the employer customers’ answers to the multiple-choice questions of the use, usefulness and ease of use of digital OH services. The data was analyzed by quantitative statistical analysis. A total of 455 respondents took part in the study, comprising 198 representatives of HR professionals and 257 entrepreneurs. Most of the respondents were women (65%) and over 50 years old (61%). HR professionals rated their information and communications technology skills significantly more often good or really good compared to the entrepreneurs, being 92 % and 62 %, respectively. The most frequently utilized digital OH services were the ability to update personnel’s information in the OH patient registry (48.0%) and remote action plan negotiations (37.1%). Less than one-third of the respondents (29.9%) took part in remote work ability negotiations, while approximately one-fifth (20.8%) participated in remote workplace surveys. In general, the HR professionals used digital OH services more frequently and estimate the usefulness and the use of digital OH services more positively compared to the entrepreneurs (p<0.05). The study produced new information of the use and experiences of using digital OH services among the employer customers. The findings can be used to optimize the delivery and effectiveness of digital OH services for all employer customers, especially for the entrepreneurs who seemed be less used to utilize digital services.

The Role of Black Churches in Promoting Mental Health for Communities of Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Black Americans.

Churches in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods serve as safe havens in many Black communities. Churches provide faith and charitable services but often have limited resources to address the mental health needs of their communities. This article reports on a collaborative effort, driven by members of a Black church, to understand mental health needs, coping strategies, and resilience factors in a community of socioeconomically disadvantaged Black Americans. A community-based participatory research effort was established among a church, a community mental health organization, clinicians, and researchers to interview and survey individuals residing near the church. The sample consisted of 59 adults, most of whom were ages 46-65 years, men (N=34, 58%), and unemployed (N=46, 78%). Mean scores on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (9.2±7.7) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 scale (9.4±6.7) were almost three times higher than those reported by studies of other Black populations in the United States. Five themes emerged: prolonged poverty and daily exposure to violence trigger emotional distress, mental health stigma affects help seeking, spirituality promotes mental relief and personal recovery, spirituality helps in coping with poverty and unsafe neighborhoods, and church-based programs are needed. Uptake of traditional mental health services was low, and reliance on faith and resource distribution by the church was high. Church-led interventions are needed to promote mental health at the individual and community levels. Mental health stigma, and negative attitudes toward mental health promotion in the community, may be addressed by integrating traditional mental health services in church-based recreational and leisure activities.

DIGITAL HEALTH TOOLS FOR BREASTFEEDING MOTHERS: A COMPARATIVE REVIEW BETWEEN NIGERIA AND THE US

This comparative review evaluates and compares the impact and adoption of mobile apps and digital platforms, including Babyroo, in supporting breastfeeding mothers in Nigeria and the US. Breastfeeding is crucial for infant health and development, yet many mothers face challenges and require support. Digital health tools, such as mobile apps and online platforms, offer a promising solution to provide information, guidance, and support to breastfeeding mothers. Nigeria and the US were chosen for comparison due to their different healthcare systems, cultural norms, and levels of technological adoption. The review examines the features, accessibility, and effectiveness of digital health tools, particularly Babyroo, in supporting breastfeeding mothers in both countries. The findings reveal that digital health tools play a significant role in supporting breastfeeding mothers in both Nigeria and the US. Babyroo, in particular, offers a range of features such as breastfeeding tips, tracking tools, and online communities for mothers to connect and share experiences. However, the adoption of these tools varies between the two countries. In Nigeria, where access to healthcare services is limited, digital health tools like Babyroo can bridge the gap and provide essential support to breastfeeding mothers. In contrast, in the US, where healthcare services are more accessible, digital health tools serve as a supplement to traditional healthcare services, offering convenience and additional resources for breastfeeding mothers. Overall, the review highlights the potential of digital health tools, such as Babyroo, in supporting breastfeeding mothers globally. However, it also emphasizes the importance of context-specific approaches and the need for further research to understand the impact and effectiveness of these tools in different cultural and healthcare settings.
 Keywords: Digital Health, Tools, Breastfeeding, Mothers, Comparative.

Smart Ambulance Service and Tracking Applications for Critical Needs

This abstract introduces a Smart Ambulance Service (SAS) along with its accompanying service application designed to address critical needs in emergency medical care. The SAS incorporates cutting-edge technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT) and real-time data analytics to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of emergency response systems. The SAS aims to revolutionize traditional ambulance services by leveraging IoT devices installed within ambulances. These devices collect vital signs of patients en route to the hospital, such as heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen levels, and transmit this data in real-time to healthcare providers. This real-time data transmission allows medical personnel to prepare for the patients arrival, making the transition from ambulance to hospital smoother and reducing delays in treatment. Furthermore, the service application is user-friendly interface accessible to both emergency responders and hospital staff. It provides a centralized platform for managing ambulance dispatch, tracking ambulance locations and monitoring patient conditions remotely. Emergency responders can input patient information, vital signs, and the nature of the emergency directly into the application, ensuring that hospital staffs are well- informed before the ambulance arrives.

Improving Library Services: From Information Services to Knowledge Services

Digital natives and the alpha-beta generation have different behavior from previous generations when it comes to searching for information. They are more likely to use gadgets in every activity of searching, processing, and sharing information/knowledge. This has implications for how libraries serve them. The importance of appropriate services for digital natives and the alpha-beta generation is because they are the nation’s assets in the future. The SECI model describes how knowledge is disseminated from, by, for, and/or to individuals in an organizational environment. The use of the latest web technology in libraries will further dynamize the organization of knowledge in an institution. This text is in the form of an idea prepared based on a literature review with a qualitative approach, describing how to improve library services from information services to knowledge services. Traditional library services only provide information as desired by the library without any analysis or abstracts beyond the data/information in question. The combination of understanding of ontology, semantics, and SECI models encourages an increase in higher service levels from information services to knowledge services. Knowledge services are developed from a combination of various data/information formats on the same subject linked to each other through multimedia visualization so that users get solutions/knowledge to the problems they are looking for. The development of knowledge services requires several related things, namely: technology architecture design, content, human resources, and future development.
 Keywords: information services, knowledge management, knowledge services, library

Integrating connected autonomous shuttle buses as an alternative for public transport – A simulation-based study

The concept of connected autonomous shuttles is gaining recognition for its potential to revolutionize traditional public transport by offering a safer and more consistent travel experience. Despite technological advancements facilitating their integration into current traffic systems, research in this area is still exploratory, with public acceptance and trust in autonomous technology posing significant challenges. This paper contributes to the field by validating the benefits of deploying connected autonomous shuttles and examining their impact on ridership via an immersive experience. We introduce a VR-enabled co-simulation strategy to analyze the effects of replacing a traditional bus service line with connected shuttles in Melbourne, Australia. Our case study results reveal that while autonomous shuttles can reduce travel time because of optimized vehicle motion, their traffic efficiency is affected by fleet size, with the optimal fleet size identified as four in the study area. Furthermore, we observed a mismatch between participants’ stated intentions and actual boarding behavior, indicating that the attractive appearance of this novel mobility mode may not necessarily enhance ridership. Our work offers an alternative approach to simulation studies in futuristic public transportation and complement existing literature in the field.

Teleassistance Telerehabilitation Services for urgent mental health needs of people with Intellectual and Developmental disabilities

Abstract Persons with intellectual disability (PwID) and/or and autism spectrum disorder with high support needs (ASD-HSN) have resulted to be among the most vulnerable populations to COVID-19 and distress factors associated to the measures for containing its spread. Many health, rehabilitation, and assistance needs were managed through the use of telemedicine, specifically teleassistance (TA) and telerehabilitation (TR), with regard to the prevention and treatment of the epidemic illness as well as the continuity of care required for the condition of developmental disability and co-occurring physical or mental disorders. TA and TR can function either directly or indirectly with the PwID/ASD; in the latter case, a family member, a regular caregiver, or a technician provides local mediation. This paper examines the most common TA and TR activities, along with their requirements, applications, and goals. All of these activities should be in line with the overarching goal of each customized therapy and rehabilitation plan, which is to enhance and support the quality of life for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Studies on TA and TR efficacy for PwID/ASD are limited, especially concerning adulthood. The scant research that is currently available demonstrates efficacy in maintaining or marginally enhancing cognitive, adaptive, and vocational skills. In addition to managing both routine and unusual activities as well as critical episodes, family members and other caregivers reported feeling more empowered about their educational and interpersonal abilities with the PwID/ASD. The primary benefits over traditional in-person services have been found to be greater accessibility and availability as well as a reduction in both physical and psychological distance. The primary limits include the absence of all elements of the therapeutic alliance pertaining to face-to-face communication, possible poor ability to use technology, accessibility of the technology itself, concerns regarding privacy, and variables that divert attention connected to the household setting. Even while telemedicine has proven to be feasible and beneficial thus far, it is doubtful that traditional techniques will be able to be replaced, at least not anytime soon. Telemedicine could, nonetheless, serve as a useful addition, integration, or short-term substitute. Future studies should provide light on the indications, contextual deployment, efficacy evaluation, and operational stability over time of certain TA and TR activities in addition to the use of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and interactive avatars.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Using learned tools for experiential gain: the application of experiential knowledge to traditional service processes.

Using learned tools for experiential gain: the application of experiential knowledge to traditional service processes.

A Study on the Impact of Fintech on the Financial Behaviour of Individuals

Technological infusion into the financial services sector is the new mode of advancement that brought in enormous changes to the sector. There are roughly over 3085 Fintech companies operating in India as of 2023 with market capital over USD 226 billion. The financial services industry has shifted from providing traditional services to giving Fintech services. Fintech has brought in changes in the financial behaviour patterns of individuals. The present trends in Fintech revolve around embedded finance, digital regulatory standards, and e-money institutions. This study is undertaken to explore the factors that have caused individuals to adopt Fintech and how this Fintech adoption has influenced their financial behaviour patterns concerning savings, expenditure, investment, and financial management. The users of Fintech applications from Chennai have been considered for the study. A sample of 256 respondents has been collected via a well-structured questionnaire using the purposive sampling method and analyzed using SPSS (v20) software using correlation, regression, and descriptive analysis. Variables of Utility, Ease of use, Performance of individuals, Societal influence, Trust and security, Risks, and Financial and technological literacy have been taken as the factors that influence the adoption of Fintech. It can be concluded these factors affecting Fintech use, significantly influence the financial behaviour that in turn highly influences the overall Fintech adoption and satisfaction. The study suggests that the factors influence each financial behavioural aspect at different levels. Thus, the Fintech adoption has brought changes in the way through which individuals behave towards their financial planning and goals.

The population-based Tromsø 8 study and e-mental health

IntroductionAgeing populations with increased needs, rising costs of traditional services, and new technologies are some factors driving the use of e-health services. A Norwegian study with data from 2015-2016 found that 13.5% had used apps, 7.3% had used social media, and 5% had used video services for health purposes. Little is known about the effects of many online health services, but in general they seem to increase knowledge and make most people feel reassured, although some users feel more anxious or confused after using such tools. Recent technological developments have resulted in new online health services, including AI-based technologies. More updated knowledge regarding the population’s use of e-health services in general and e-mental health services in particular, is needed.ObjectivesThe objective here is to provide information about an upcoming large population-based epidemiological study and how it addresses e-health and e-mental health.MethodsWe introduce the upcoming 8th version of the epidemiological Tromsø Study and discuss its importance to the field of e-mental health.Results The Tromsø epidemiological study has since 1974 taken place in the Norwegian municipality of Tromsø. It contains information on a range of topics within health and illness, including topics from many medical specialities, psychiatry and substance use. In the upcoming 8th version of the study (2025-2026), more than 33,000 people aged above 40 will be invited to participate. The main questionnaire will include questions relating to a wide variety of topics, including on e-health use. We suspect the importance of e-health and e-mental health have increased lately, and we will examine how the use of e-health may impact mental health.ConclusionsCommunity-based studies, such as the Tromsø Study, allow researchers to study associations between many different variables, including mental health and e-health. The upcoming Tromsø 8 study will enable us to study e-health use and its relationship to mental health in a large sample representative of the Norwegian population.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Telemedicine in diabetic eye care: A meta-analysis of its effectiveness in underserved populations

Telemedicine has emerged as a promising tool in diabetic eye care, particularly for underserved populations facing barriers to accessing traditional healthcare services. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effectiveness of telemedicine interventions in managing diabetic eye conditions within underserved communities. Through a systematic review of existing literature, encompassing diverse telemedicine approaches such as remote screening, teleconsultation, and telemonitoring. These studies were conducted across various regions with underserved populations, including rural areas, low-income urban neighborhoods, and underserved ethnic groups. The meta-analysis revealed significant improvements in several key outcome measures. Firstly, telemedicine interventions led to increased rates of early detection of diabetic retinopathy and other diabetic eye complications, facilitating timely intervention and preventing progression to more severe stages of the disease. Secondly, telemedicine facilitated better access to specialist care, overcoming geographical barriers and reducing the burden of travel for patients. Thirdly, telemedicine interventions were associated with improved patient compliance with follow-up appointments and treatment regimens, leading to better long-term management of diabetic eye conditions. Moreover, subgroup analyses revealed that telemedicine was particularly effective in reaching vulnerable populations such as elderly individuals, those with limited mobility, and ethnic minorities, thereby addressing disparities in healthcare access. Telemedicine holds great promise as an effective tool for diabetic eye care in underserved populations, offering a scalable and cost-effective approach to improving access to timely screening, diagnosis, and management of diabetic eye conditions. Further research and implementation efforts are warranted to optimize telemedicine interventions and ensure equitable access to quality eye care for all.

The Logic of Digital Finance in the Age of Digital Economy

This paper explores the development logic, trends, and challenges of digital finance in the era of the digital economy. As a crucial component of the digital economy, digital finance has completely transformed the traditional financial services model through factors such as technological innovation, data intelligence, and personalized user experiences, paving the way for new business models and market opportunities. However, the rapid development of digital finance also faces challenges such as competition, security, and regulation. This paper emphasizes the importance of finding a balance between innovation and security in the development of digital finance and discusses the potential of digital finance in promoting financial inclusion and sustainable development. Through comprehensive analysis, this paper aims to provide valuable insights for academic researchers and industry practitioners, promoting the healthy development of digital finance.

The Application and Ethical Issues of Digital Mental Health Services

The widespread popularity of digital technology has brought about significant changes in the treatment of mental health problems. Traditional mental health services can no longer meet the needs of society for mental health, and digital mental health services are developing vigorously. Digital mental health services have shown significant advantages in rapid diagnosis, improving mental health, and improving mental service efficiency. This article outlines the development and application of mental health services so far. On the basis of describing the various uses of digital psychological intervention measures, it focuses on the ethical issues faced by the current application of digital mental health services, such as privacy and data security caused by Big data, potential ethical risks caused by digital technology, insufficient clinical verification, imperfect market regulations and professional threats to psychological workers. To ensure the rational and compliant use of digital technology in the field of mental health, this article discusses the ethical problem- solving directions of current digital mental health services from three levels: technical policies, ethical norms and systems, and social individuals, in order to promote the integration of digital technology and mental health services and improve the quality and efficiency of digital mental health services.

Qbnb: An innovative C2B2C2B2C e-commerce mode for integrated on-demand services.

The traditional supply-side-driven e-commerce modes provide consumers with massive amounts of structured information about goods and services. Due to the lack of a tailor-made ability to describe, explain, and accurately understand unstructured service demands, existing technologies and service modes still struggle to fully explore, articulate, and meet the personalized, high-quality, and urgent service demands of the disadvantaged groups in e-commerce. This paper innovatively proposes the concept of "integrated services on demand" and develops its C2B2C2B2C-based "Qbnb" e-commerce mode, operation mechanism and intermediary platform architecture. After conducting exploratory operation training, it demonstrates that the Qbnb mode can effectively achieve centralized allocation of idle social surplus service capacity to cater to the needs of disadvantaged groups in e-commerce. Compared to the traditional e-commerce service mode, Qbnb will significantly expand service demand and capacity, achieve higher service efficiency, and create a broader service consumption market, resulting in many more job opportunities.

RAC-Chain: An Asynchronous Consensus-based Cross-chain Approach to Scalable Blockchain for Metaverse

The metaverse, as an emerging technical term, conceptually aims to construct a virtual digital space that runs parallel to the physical world. Due to human behaviors and interactions being represented in the virtual world, security in the metaverse is a challenging issue in which the traditional centralized service model is one of the threat sources. To conquer the obstacle caused by centralized computing, blockchain-based solutions are potential problem-solving methods. However, it is difficult for a single blockchain to support large-scale data and business services in the metaverse, due to the scalability restrictions. Moreover, multi-chain settings also encounter the interoperability issues. In this work, we propose a Relay chain and Asynchronous consensus-based Consortium blockchain cross-Chain model, which realizes message transmission and cross-chain transactions in multiple chains by adopting the relay chain and cross-chain gateways. All nodes of the application chains and the relay chain execute cross-chain transactions in sequence and reach a consensus on transactions at any transmission delay. Our experiment evaluations demonstrate that our approach performs well in atomicity, security, and functionality (cross-chain transactions), such that the performance of blockchain scalability in the metaverse can be improved, compared with the traditional relay chain schemes.

Electronic Financial Services Market in RK: Problems and Prospects of Development

Main problem: At the present stage of life, Innovations in the financial sector contribute to the optimization of financial intermediation and, in turn, stimulate economic growth. Financial innovations increase the efficiency of the allocation of savings capital to investment capital, as well as increase liquidity in the markets. As the digital economy has developed, the functionality of traditional large financial institutions has been partially replaced by financial technologies (FinTech). FinTech involves the convergence of traditional financial services with mobile services, social media services, big data aggregation and processing, and cloud technologies.\ Purpose of this article is to identify the main directions of the electronic financial services market in the Republic of Kazakhstan, identify the main problems and prospects for the development of the financial sector of the economy. Methods: The work used general scientific methods of comparative system, vertical and horizontal analysis, structural and functional method, analytical techniques, economic and statistical research methods. The results and their significance: the authors identified the main directions of digitalization of the financial sector of the modern economy, noted the role of FinTech companies and services in both theoretical and practical terms, and provided relevant approaches to the definition of this concept in the economic literature. The main reasons and factors for the development of this direction of digitalization of the financial sector are substantiated, including the concept of financial accessibility, the advantages and disadvantages of FinTech, various approaches to their classification, country and regional characteristics, and an analysis of development trends. The crowdfunding direction of FinTech is noted, approaches to its definition and classification are given, the advantages of the crowdfunding mechanism are revealed, and its role in the modern economy is analyzed. The trend of algorithmic trading development as the most important direction of digitalization of the financial sector is investigated. A detailed analysis of mobile financial services as one of the fastest-growing areas of FinTech is carried out, approaches to their classification are given, factors stimulating the growth of mobile payments, country and regional characteristics are substantiated. The main directions of digitalization of the insurance sector are analyzed, reasonable conclusions about the advantages of InsurTech are made. Keywords: digitalization of the financial sector, FinTech, financial accessibility, crowdfunding, algorithmic trading, mobile financial services, mobile money, InsurTech.

Traditional healing for physical and mental problems in the Arab region: past and current practices.

Exploring traditional healing practices in the Arab world unveils a diverse range of methods deeply rooted in ancient beliefs. Traditional healing practices encompass natural remedies, spiritual rituals and physical treatments. These historical practices persist today, reflecting their enduring relevance in Arab culture and their influence on healthcare approaches. Factors such as accessibility to traditional healing services, a lack of affordable medical treatment, cultural familiarity and a strong belief in the efficacy of traditional healing methods in treating mental problems contribute to their continued use. However, potential challenges arise when an exclusive reliance on traditional methods might hinder access to critical medical interventions. Thus, the need for further documentation and research into these deeply ingrained healing traditions is emphasised. Some research has focused on integrating these traditional approaches with the modern medical system, recognising their combined value in healthcare. This balanced approach holds the potential to bridge the gap between culturally informed traditional practices and contemporary medical treatments.

Motivation to change predicts college students’ utilization of self-help resources

Background: Stress and mental health difficulties are common burdens on college students. College counseling centers have been overrun by demand. Thus, self-help interventions may offer a promising alternative to traditional college counseling services. Methods: The current study examined the influence of perceived stress, motivation to change, and self-efficacy beliefs on college students’ use of self-help resources, to determine whether these factors would predict follow-up with self-help recommendations. Results: Results of stepwise linear regression models suggest that perceived stress and self-efficacy did not predict self-help resource utilization. Different types of self-help recommendations did not predict different levels of follow-up. However, motivation to change was a significant predictor college students’ self-help resource use, and this variable was particularly important when self-help recommendations were less structured. Conclusions: These findings can help to predict which college students are likely to make use of self-help resources, and inform targeted individual treatment.

The Transformative Role of Fintech in Modern Business Organizations: A Comprehensive Analysis

The power of Fintech has been growing rapidly, and it has become a world of choice for small,medium-sized and large enterprises.Fintech enterprises facilitate consumers' access to an extensive array of financial alternatives, such as business loans via digital platforms.The adoption of Fintech among SMEs is 25% globally, leaving plenty of room for growth.Small businesses may now handle their finances more easily and affordably thanks to fintech developments, which frequently provide more cheap alternatives to traditional banking services. Small businesses can leverage financial technology to enhance customer service, reduce costs, and streamline operations with the help of fintech..The impact of Fintech on small and large businesses is significant and multi-faceted.Fintech has completely changed how companies handle their money, carry out financial transactions, and obtain capital (Bulkhairova et al., 2023). It has provided small businesses with access to affordable and convenient financial services,leveling the playing field with larger companies. Furthermore, Fintech has streamlined and automated various financial processes, saving businesses time and resources. Additionally, Fintech has facilitated the development of innovative business models and the emergence of new industries. It has fostered financial inclusion by reaching underserved populations and facilitating access to banking services. Overall, Fintech has proven to be a transformative force for businesses of all sizes, offering a wide range of benefits and opportunities. Fintech is of utmost importance for both small and large scale businesses. In recent years, thanks to technological innovations , Fintech's interaction with finance is quickly altering how traditional financial services are offered, significantly impacting banks activities . Furthermore, Fintech is increasingly impacting the real economy,stimulating the modernization of financial business . It is clear that Fintech plays a crucial role in the growth and success of both small and large scale businesses. Not only does Fintech provide small and large businesses with access to affordable and convenient financial services, it also streamlines financial processes, saves time and resources, fosters innovation, and promotes financial inclusion (Sembiring et al., 2022). Keywords :fintech; small-scale businesses; large-scale businesses; financial technology; traditional financial services;banks' activities; disruptive force; alternative source of credit