Usage Practices Research Articles

Health Promotion Measures: Correct Usage of Facemask and Practices of Hand Hygiene

Health Promotion Measures: Correct Usage of Facemask and Practices of Hand Hygiene

Competency in medical training: current concepts, assessment modalities, and practical challenges.

In the past two decades, competency-based medical education (CBME) has rapidly become the cornerstone of medical training and accreditation programmes worldwide. It has increasingly replaced traditional time-based educational approaches which were often rigid, fragmented, and overly emphasized clinical content knowledge over practical skillsets and attitudes. CBME adoption was in the hope of better preparing medical graduates for the demands and responsibilities of real-world clinical practice. For all the supposed merits of CBME, there hitherto remains difficulties in arriving at comprehensive and practical 'competency' definitions, and actual challenges with implementation of clinical competency assessment modalities pertaining to construct validity, reliability, and applicability with the use and interpretation of evaluation metrics. Therefore, in this article, we describe the various conceptualizations of 'competency' in medical education literature and attempt to refine its usage in practice to meet the evolving needs and expectations of healthcare stakeholders, as well as incorporate emerging concepts in the medical education discourse. We herein propose that clinical 'competencies' should be defined as multi-domain clinical expertise, comprising medical knowledge, skills, attitudes and metacognitive capabilities that reflects the prevailing needs of healthcare stakeholders, and is inferred from performance evaluations of medical trainees. In order to attain 'competence', there must then be a process of integrating multi-domain competencies into meaningful professional identity formation that is commensurate with the context and stage of medical training. In addition, we review the current competency assessment modalities, including common pitfalls with their usage, and sought to provide practical strategies to mitigate the identified challenges.

Study of Consumption and Disposal Practices Related to Polythene Shopping Bags


 
 
 The widespread use of polythene shopping bags raises significant environmental concerns about adverse effects to marine ecosystems, wild life and impacts resulting from litter all of which require public resources to mitigate or manage. The main objective of this study is to understand the consumer behaviour on polythene bag usage, their awareness on adverse impacts and their willingness to pay for a tax on reducing polythene bag usage. Data were collected from 100 respondents selected from different locations in Sri Lanka conveniently using a structured online questionnaire. In investigating an economic instruments for reducing pollution from polythene bags, payment from the polluter was obtained from two different methods such increasing the price of the polythene bag and imposing a tax on production of polythene shopping bags. In this analysis, it was considered two different dependent variables and the four independent variables. Those dependent variables are willingness to pay for polythene shopping bag and imposing tax on production. Four independent variables were considered for each regression models such as Household income, number of times of usage of polythene shopping bags, environmental impacts and adequacy about government initiatives. The results indicate that among the respondents 86% have all types of polythene waste and 81% separate polythene waste from their collected waste stream, 60% sort polythene waste as clean and unclean before disposal, 61.50% hand over polythene waste to municipal solid waste collectors and 18% of respondents dump the garbage pit in the backyard and 13% of respondents burn it. Most (85%) of respondents don‘t agree that burning polythene is harmful to life and 92% don‘t agree that dumping polythene bags to garbage pits will provide breeding grounds to mosquitos. Majority is using the bags only one or two times but printed /branded bags are being used one to five times. Majority (36%) of respondents suggests a tax of Rs. 5.00 to pay for a polythene shopping bag which can carry 2-3kg per bag and 31 per cent respondents suggested Rs. 2.00. Most of the respondents prefer to switch to a bio-degradable or reusable bag completely if the government put a blanket ban on polythene. The study suggests that educating and making awareness related to the usage and disposal practices related to the polythene shopping bags is very important for the behaviour of the consumer. Introducing an economic instrument related to increasing the price of the polythene shopping bag or imposing a tax at the production or switch to a reusable bag or any other environmentally friendly alternative as a substitute for polythene shopping bags would be a timely action as the majority of the selected sample is ready and willing to embrace these alternatives.
 Keywords: Polythene, Shopping bags, Reusable, Consumer behaviour, Price
 
 

Is multiple wavelength diode laser for facial contouring safe?

The multiple wavelength diode laser (MWDL) is a sophisticated device designed to target deeper skin layers by emitting various wavelengths. Its unique feature is the ability to deliver heat to specific depths within the tissue using different wavelengths while simultaneously cooling the skin surface. Recent research by Choi etal. suggests that wavelengths of 755 and 810 nm can induce carbonization in hair follicles, while the 1064 nm wavelength penetrates deeper into tissues. MWDL has been proposed for fat redistribution in aging, but concerns have been raised regarding ocular safety and potential tissue damage, particularly when used near the eyes. Studies have shown ocular injuries during cosmetic laser procedures, emphasizing the need for robust ocular protection and safety protocols. Additionally, there are reports of internal ischemic necrosis and burns, highlighting the importance of precise energy settings and parameter management. While MWDL shows promise, further research and comprehensive guidelines are needed to ensure safe and effective usage in clinical practice.

A Psychometric Study of the Student Evidence-Based Practice Scale S-EBPQ-Arabic Version for Use among Undergraduate Nursing Students.

Previous studies have demonstrated the significance of evidence-based practice in improving patient care and outcomes. Therefore, integrating evidence-based practice into the health professions' education curriculum has become a pedagogical priority. However, there is a lack of reliable and valid scales to measure students' evidence-based practice usage, attitudes, knowledge, and skills in Arab countries. This study aims to examine the adapted Student Evidence-Based Practice Scale Questionnaire (S-EBPQ) validity at logical statistical level and reliability for use among students in Arabic context. This cross-sectional study included 233 undergraduate nursing students from a university in Saudi Arabia, who were recruited after translating and pilot testing the S-EBPQ. Three distinctive types of validity including conceptual, content, and face validity were assessed to determine the quality of the questionnaire items logically. Exploratory factor analyses were performed to examine the tool's structural validity. Additionally, internal consistency was assessed to evaluate reliability. Findings. All items were considered relevant to Arab culture, and no changes were made to any items. The content validity indices for all items were above 0.80 as this was considered an acceptable value. The exploratory factor analysis identified the same four factors (practice, attitude, retrieving and reviewing evidence, and sharing and applying evidence-based practice). All KMO values for the individual items ≥0.876 were also well above the acceptable 0.6 limit. The four-factor structure explained a total variance of 64%, with factor load score λ ≥ 0.455. The total and subscale S-EBPQ scores showed evidence of reliability, with Cronbach's alpha ≥0.8. This study demonstrated the reliability and validity of the Arabic S-EBPQ version. The study has the potential to advance Arab countries' understanding of evidence-based practice. S-EBPQ is a validated tool that can be used to assess nursing students' knowledge of EBP practices. Since educators need to continually evaluate instructional and curricular design in order to meet contemporary nursing needs, this scale can enhance the educational process and enhance students' competencies.

COMPARISON OF KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, AND PRACTICES TOWARDS CL USAGE AMONGST MEDICAL AND NON-MEDICAL STUDENTS

Background and Objective: Amidst the myopia epidemic, the number of contact lens (CL) users is steadily increasing, especially youngsters. Many CL practitioners presume optimum knowledge and good practice of CL usage by medical professionals. With rising complications and a significant dropout rate, there is a need to investigate the knowledge (K), attitudes (A), and practices (P) among CL users. This study aimed to assess the K, A, and P in CL users registered in various programs in a university. We hypothesized no difference between K, A, and P in CL users with medical (M) and non-medical (N) academic backgrounds.
 Methods and Materials: A pre-validated questionnaire, consisting of 19 questions on knowledge, 9 questions on attitude, and 30 questions on practice, was distributed among the university students admitted to various programs, excluding optometry, through an online survey tool. Inferences were drawn using a Chi-square test and Mann-Whitney U test to compare the M and N groups, with a predetermined significance of 0.05. Spearman’s correlation gave a relationship between the K, A, and P of CL users.
 Results: Out of 1041 (M=146 and N=895) valid responses, 476 (45.7%) respondents had prior experience or were CL users. The prevalence of CL users was a little higher in the N group (M=39.0%; N=46.8%) but statistically not significant (χ2=3.057, df=1, p<0.05). The knowledge about CL hygiene and complications was not significantly different between the two groups (U=10370, z=–1.645, p<0.05). However, there was a significant difference in the attitude towards CL wear and care (U=9268, z= –2.751, p>0.05) and practice of lens wear and care (U=8770, z=–3.318, p>0.05). For all the respondents, a weak correlation between knowledge and practice was observed (r=0.137, p<0.05), and a fair to strong correlation in medical respondents (r=0.465, p<0.05). For the non-medical student group, a statistically significant weak correlation was found between attitude and practice (r=0.110, p<0.05).
 Conclusion: Medical students exhibited a slightly better attitude and practice toward CL use than non-medical students. However, knowledge scores in both groups were similar. The results of this survey disrupted the presumption that CL users with medical backgrounds possess better K, A, and P toward CL usage. This study highlights the need to be proactive in educating young CL wearers, irrespective of their academic background, providing them with optimum knowledge and skill, and nurturing their right attitude towards CL usage, which will ultimately contribute to the optimization of eye health outcomes and prevention of complications associated with CL wear. This will help the CL industry overcome growth challenges, providing safe opportunities for vision correction to the increasingly prevalent myopic population at large.

Deep Learning Based Prediction of Pulmonary Hypertension in Newborns Using Echocardiograms

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) in newborns and infants is a complex condition associated with several pulmonary, cardiac, and systemic diseases contributing to morbidity and mortality. Thus, accurate and early detection of PH and the classification of its severity is crucial for appropriate and successful management. Using echocardiography, the primary diagnostic tool in pediatrics, human assessment is both time-consuming and expertise-demanding, raising the need for an automated approach. Little effort has been directed towards automatic assessment of PH using echocardiography, and the few proposed methods only focus on binary PH classification on the adult population. In this work, we present an explainable multi-view video-based deep learning approach to predict and classify the severity of PH for a cohort of 270 newborns using echocardiograms. We use spatio-temporal convolutional architectures for the prediction of PH from each view, and aggregate the predictions of the different views using majority voting. Our results show a mean F1-score of 0.84 for severity prediction and 0.92 for binary detection using 10-fold cross-validation and 0.63 for severity prediction and 0.78 for binary detection on the held-out test set. We complement our predictions with saliency maps and show that the learned model focuses on clinically relevant cardiac structures, motivating its usage in clinical practice. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work for an automated assessment of PH in newborns using echocardiograms.

The disputed territories of information: The case of alleged war crimes during the Kosovo War

This article analyses participants’ sense-making and demonstrates procedural consequentially and relevance, and makes the data on which observations are based available to readers. By looking at a TV interview, in Albanian, of Hashim Thaçi, the former PM of Kosovo, given to respond to allegations against him regarding involvement in war crimes, the focus will be not only on what it is said but also on the epistemic positions occupied by the participants, with a particular interest in knowledge as a norm-governed domain and in the practices of language usage. We will highlight strategies like repetition, repair, code selection and code switching that are used by participants as a means to claim and govern knowledge. Such knowledge can become the basis of contestation and one speaker may seek to impose their knowledge of some facts or events over another’s and thereby establish a territory of knowledge in a series of moves, not entirely unlike the way that physical territory may be defended or attacked; held or occupied.

Attitudes Toward and Usage of Evidence-Based Mental Health Practices for Autistic Youth in Bangladesh and Germany: A Cross-Cultural Comparison.

The implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) for autistic youth is a critical concern worldwide. Research examining factors facilitating the implementation of EBPs found that providers' attitudes are an important factor. In this study, we evaluated cross-cultural differences in attitudes toward and use of EBPs. We tested socio-demographic factors as predictors of attitudes, and attitudes as predictors of EBPs use among mental health professionals working with autistic youth in Bangladesh and Germany. We used purposeful sampling. Two-hundred-ninety-two professionals who worked in a clinical setting responded to the survey and fulfilled the inclusion criteria (101 in Bangladesh, 191 in Germany). Participants were asked to respond to nine subscales of the Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale-36 (EBPAS-36), to indicate which of nine types of treatments they used, and to provide sociodemographic data. Measurement invariance across countries could be established for four subscales of the EBPAS-36. Comparative analyses of attitudes showed that professionals in both countries were open to using EBPs, but German practitioners were more likely to use EBPs when they appealed to them. By contrast, Bangladeshi professionals claimed to be more likely to adopt an EBP when required and to be more willing to learn EBPs to enhance job security. The relationship between caseload and attitudes varied between countries. A broader variety of EBPs was used in Germany. The findings highlight the importance of considering country-specific factors when implementing EBPs. Directions for conducting comparative studies on mental health professionals' attitudes towards EBP including methodological considerations are discussed.

Design and evaluation options of multimedia applications to support the care of people with mild dementia

In order to cognitively and physically activate people with dementia (MMD) in institutional settings, there are numerous touch-based multimedia applications specifically designed for this target group that are actually being used in practice. In contrast, the use of similar applications in domestic settings has been relatively limited. This study is based on 11expert interviews guided by questions and examines design options and requirements for application content as well as requirements for study designs to provide evidence of the effectiveness of touch-based multimedia applications for MMD and their caregiving relatives (PA). There is ahigh degree of consensus regarding the criteria for requirements for touch-based multimedia applications. Acceptance is highly dependent on user competence, usage practices, experiences and incentive structures; however, there are diverse opinions about their structural and content-related design. The quality of life is mentioned as an essential evaluation parameter for multimedia applications. The highly variable individual life circumstances of MMD and their PAs, along with limited access options and alack of suitability of the multimedia applications, may be causal factors for their relatively limited use, especially in domestic settings. Daily performance capabilities and individual disease progression pose special requirements for the scientific evaluation and the demonstration of the effectiveness of touch-based multimedia applications.

Exposure to indoor air pollution and angina among aging adults in India: evidence from a large-scale nationwide study

ABSTRACT This study tried to understand the association between exposure to indoor air pollution and angina among the aging population in India. We utilized the data from the Longitudinal Ageing Study in India (LASI) Wave–1 (2017–2018), with a sample of 62,846 aging adults. We applied Chi-square and multivariate logistic regression models. The odds of angina were higher among individuals living in households that used solid fuels for cooking (aOR = 1.15, 99% CI- 1.09-1.20), had someone smoked inside the house (aOR = 1.12, 99% CI- 1.07-1.18), and households that used of incenses inside the home (aOR = 1.11, 99% CI- 1.05-1.18). In addition, it was also found that work-limiting impairment, unhealthy behaviors, and poor health status increased the odds of angina. These results indicate the need to reduce in-house air pollution by promoting clean fuel usage and changing attitudes and practices. Other implications are discussed.

Effect of green taxation on renewable energy technologies: an analysis of commonwealth and non-commonwealth countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

African nations encounter difficulties enforcing regulations and providing incentives for using renewable energy sources. However, several nations are making efforts to encourage renewable energy through financial and tax advantages. Therefore, a shift to renewable energy is essential for African nations to experience sustainable growth and lessen environmental deterioration. Similarly, the extant literature examining green taxes' influence on renewable energy technology has documented equivocal findings. Hence, there is a need for a more thorough investigation. This study, therefore, explores the influence of green taxation on renewable energy technologies of emerging countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. We employed data from a sample of 28 countries of 54 African countries spanning 21years from 2001 to 2021, providing a panel of 588 country-year observations. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the World Bank Dataset provided all the study's data. A heterogeneous dynamic panel data modelling using the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) has been adopted. The study found that green taxes might be used to mitigate the adverse effects of non-renewable energy activities on the environment in Africa. Considering the findings of the components of green taxes, it was recognised that an increase in energy-related tariffs would lead to a growth in Africa's use of renewable energy. It was further established that an increase in transport taxes increases the adoption of renewable energy technologies in Africa. A comparative analysis between the commonwealth and non-commonwealth countries showed that green taxes of commonwealth countries in Africa significantly contribute to the growth of renewable energy technologies compared to non-commonwealth countries in Africa. Primarily, the results of this study can be a valuable resource for African governments and policymakers as they develop policies and evaluate legislation about the usage of renewable energy sources and other green practices. Finally, the study can shed light on creating and using efficient tax laws that support renewable energy sources.

Exploring the Spectrum of VEGF Inhibitors' Toxicities from Systemic to Intra-Vitreal Usage in Medical Practice.

The use of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor inhibitors (VEGFi) has become prevalent in the field of medicine, given the high incidence of various pathological conditions necessitating VEGF inhibition within the general population. These conditions encompass a range of advanced neoplasms, such as colorectal cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, renal cancer, ovarian cancer, and others, along with ocular diseases. The utilization of VEGFi is not without potential risks and adverse effects, requiring healthcare providers to be well-prepared for identification and management. VEGFi can be broadly categorized into two groups: antibodies or chimeric proteins that specifically target VEGF (bevacizumab, ramucirumab, aflibercept, ranibizumab, and brolucizumab) and non-selective and selective small molecules (sunitinib, sorafenib, cabozantinib, lenvatinib, regorafenib, etc.) designed to impede intracellular signaling of the VEGF receptor (RTKi, receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors). The presentation and mechanisms of adverse effects resulting from VEGFi depend primarily on this distinction and the route of drug administration (systemic or intra-vitreal). This review provides a thorough examination of the causes, recognition, management, and preventive strategies for VEGFi toxicities with the goal of offering support to oncologists in both clinical practice and the design of clinical trials.

Validity and Reliability of the Turkish Version of School Function Assessment in Children with Special Needs

ABSTRACT Background To assess the validity and reliability of the Turkish Version of School Function Assessment in children with special needs. Methods School children between 6 and 12 years of age with special needs and their typically developing counterparts participated in the study. The School Function Assessment (SFA) was the main outcome with the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory providing data for the convergent construct validity analysis. Results The SFA’s convergent construct validity analysis results were satisfactory. There were no differences between genders, and significant differences between children with and without special needs; showing an acceptable discriminative construct validity and known-group validity for the SFA. The Cronbach’s alpha scores were over 0.90 for all domains, showing an excellent internal consistency. Implications for School Health Policy, Practice and Equity Wide usage of the SFA in school settings can enable tailoring specific educational and rehabilitative interventions through making the children’s limitations and strengths within the school context clear. Conclusions The results indicate that the Turkish version of the SFA is a valid and reliable assessment tool for school children with disabilities. This tool can help teachers and therapists to understand children’s school functioning.

The Legal Protection of Personal Data in Fintech peer-to-peer (P2P) Lending Practices: Orientation and Formulation

<em>In the era of digital transformation, one prominent model of Fintech is Peer-to-Peer (P2P) lending, which offers alternative financing access through digital platforms. The protection of personal data in P2P lending becomes crucial as sensitive information such as financial and credit history is collected and processed by these platforms. Data protection regulations, like GDPR, play a vital role in maintaining the balance between Fintech innovation and individual privacy rights. This research aims to discuss the legal protection of personal data within the context of Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Lending in the realm of Financial Technology (Fintech) in Indonesia. The research methodology employed is normative law, using descriptive legal analysis. Data is gathered from various sources, including legal statutes, court decisions, legal literature, and government guidelines related to Fintech and personal data protection. Qualitative analysis is conducted to identify relevant legal provisions, explain their legal implications, and formulate improvement recommendations. The research findings reveal that personal data protection within Indonesian Fintech P2P Lending is governed by a range of regulations, including the Electronic Information and Transactions Law (UU ITE), the amended UU ITE, OJK regulations, and the Ministry of Communication and Informatics regulations. Moreover, the Omnibus Law on Job Creation provides a strong foundation for the protection of consumer personal data. Key principles in personal data protection encompass transparency, explicit consent, data security, limited data usage, fair and ethical business practices, individual rights over personal data, and data integration</em>

İzlenim Yöneticisi Olarak Influencerların Instagram Kullanım Pratikleri

İnternetin günlük yaşama dahil olması ve sosyal ağ sitelerinin yaygınlaşması ile çevrimiçi iletişim, yüz yüze iletişim kadar önemli hale gelmiştir. Bireyler sosyal ağlarda yeni bir sosyal kimlik geliştirmekte, bu ortama uygun iletişim biçimleri geliştirmektedir. Sosyal ağların popülerliklerinin artması ve gerçek yaşama etki eden maddi ve manevi sonuçlarının olması gibi etmenlerle faaliyet gösterdiği ağ üzerinde belli bir takipçi kitlesine ulaşmış yeni bir kullanıcı türü ortaya çıkmıştır. Influencer olarak adlandırılan bu kullanıcılar sosyal ağlarda yoğun dijital çaba harcayarak bilgi, düşünce ve deneyimlerini paylaşarak diğer kullanıcıları etkilemeye çalışmaktadır. Influencerların birçoğunun kayda değer bir eğitimi veya sanatsal bir yeteneği olmamasına rağmen sosyal ağlarda ulaştıkları takipçisi sayısı ve maddi kazanç göz önünde bulundurulduğunda başarılı bir izlenim yönetimi gerçekleştirdikleri düşünülmektedir. Influencerların bu başarıyı hangi Instagram kullanım pratikleri ile elde ettikleri bu araştırmanın temel problemini oluşturmaktadır. Araştırmada influencerların Instagram platformunu kullanım pratikleri, profil sayfalarında ve içeriklerinde hangi ögelerin yer aldığı metin analizi yöntemiyle incelenmektedir. Yapılan analiz sonucunda influencerların Instagram platformunun teknik özelliklerinin ve takipçi kitlesinin farkında olarak paylaşım yaptıkları, profillerinde dengeli bir içerik paylaşımı olduğu, çoğunlukla filtreli görüntüler paylaştığı, samimi bir yazı dili kullandıkları, her zaman pozitif mesajlar verdiği ve takipçilerinin tepkisinin çekecek konularda paylaşım yapmadıkları tespit edilmiştir.

Merenje otpornosti bankarskog sistema primenom Teksas racija

The issue of banking sector resilience is one of the most exploited after the global financial crisis. Competent authorities and central banks worldwide conducted a series of actions to strengthen their systems and made them more resilient to extraordinary events. For that purpose, there were conducted stress tests leading to results for the improvement of the central bank's supervisory activities and practices. Also, the analysis of banking sector resilience should be complemented with other measures, which are also treated as early warning indicators. Texas ratio is one of the early warning indicators that could indicate the banking system's stability through the analysis of non-performing loans as a portion of "toxic" assets in banks. A high percentage of non-performing loans poses a serious threat to banking institutions' ability to survive, hence it is crucial to monitor them and find effective solutions. The authors of the research stress the importance of using the Texas ratio when evaluating the resilience of the banking industry. The main findings of the paper are reflected in a positive correlation between NPL and Texas ratio and recommendation for Texas ratio's widespread usage in practice.

Validity based on the response processes of the MMBGR Protocol Infants and Preschoolers: Instructional and Orofacial Myofuncional Clinical History.

Present the step of evidence of validity based on the responses to procedures of the MMBGR Protocol Infants and Preschoolers: Instructional and Orofacial Myofunctional Clinical History. Study developed according to phonoaudiologic tests validations recommendations. Validity analysis performed based on the process of instrument response. Ten speech therapists, that work on phonoaudiology clinic and/or orofacial myofunctional research on the population with age between 6 to 71 months, participated and applied the MMBGR Protocol Infants and Preschoolers: Instructional and Orofacial Myofunctional Clinical History with those responsible for the children. The speech therapists appraised the instrument applicability via Google®️ electronic forms, containing dichotic and/or multiple-choice questions, and likert scale with space to justify negative answers. The data was tabulated on Microsoft Excel 2016®️ worksheets and analyzed by the content validity index (CVI). The software R Core Team 2022 (Versão 4.2.2) was used. All items from the MMBGR Protocol Infants and Preschoolers: Instructional and Orofacial Myofunctional Clinical History were valid when applied to real contexts. Orofacial Myofunctional Clinic history protocol- IVC 100% in terms of ease of application and filling and usage in professional practice; IVC 90% in terms of usefulness for phonoaudiology clinic. The instructional got IVC 80% in terms of clinic usefulness and 70% regarding to the prior reading necessity to fill the MMBGR Protocol Infants and Preschoolers. The Instrucional and Orofacial Myofunctional Clinical History, in the MMBGR Protocol Infants and Preschoolers had its validity proven based on the processes of responses to the usage on phonoaudiology clinic.

Unraveling diarrheal disease knowledge, understanding, and management practices among climate change vulnerable coastal communities in Ghana.

Diarrheal disease is a global public health concern, particularly in low-income countries. In Ghana, widespread issues like inadequate sanitation, unsafe drinking water, malnutrition, and poor hygiene practices contribute to the high incidence of diarrhea. Climate change exacerbates these challenges by increasing the frequency and severity of conditions that spread diarrheal diseases. This study explores households' knowledge, understanding, and management practices for diarrhea in climate change-vulnerable coastal communities. The study is set in Ghana's central (Mumford, Opetekwei) and eastern (Anyako, Anyanui-Atiteti) coastlines. Using a cross-sectional study design, a structured questionnaire was administered to randomly sampled households (n = 419) to collect quantitative data. The study collected qualitative data from focus group discussions (n = 8), with groups separated into men and women, key informant interviews, and observations of food, water, and sanitation conditions across the studied communities. The study found significant variations between the studied communities and socio-demographic variables except for the respondents' gender. Multivariate regression analyses identified significant associations between socio-demographic variables (especially gender and educational status) and perceptions of diarrhea causes. The most used first management action against diarrhea is 'over-the-counter drugs', followed by home-made traditional remedies. Significant differences were observed in the usage of management practices across the studied communities. Trust, affordability, and availability were identified as the main factors influencing households' use of approved pharmaceutical drugs and traditional herbal remedies for managing behavior, with significant differences being observed across communities. The study recommends a multi-sectoral approach, including improved access to regularly flowing, safe water and sanitation facilities, education on preventing diarrhea, and adequate healthcare services. Community-based interventions such as promoting good hygiene practices at homes and community settings such as schools, lorry parks, funeral grounds, and recreational areas can also effectively reduce the burden of diarrhea.

Digital divide of regions (by example of the Russian Federation)

The reduction of intranational differences is the topical issue of modern states sustainable development. One of the conditions for its reduction is to provide equal access of different categories of population to information, resources and services, to the informational and communicational technologies usage. This article raises the problem of the specific social group`s digital divide. And it`s associated with the residence of its representatives in different territories. The object of the study is student youth. The digital divide has been studied through the practices of Internet usage by the younger generation of eight federal districts of the Russian Federation. There have been identified common trends for all districts young people. It is shown that territorial differentiation of online practices is manifested by the purposes of accessing them, the degree of technological solutions use and the preferences of social media. Data analysis about the specifics of Internet use among young people from different federal districts made it possible to combine such territories into three groups. Students from the first group are characterized by the highest involvement in online practices. They are more actively resorting to information and communication technologies and more present on social networks and use IT innovations. The online practices among young people from the second type districts are characterized by unevenness. In some cases students demonstrate high involvement in it (for example, when they are using information and communication technologies in the moment of job research, using cloud file storage services), in others cases it is low due to a weaker presence in some social media. Students from federal districts of the third type are characterized by the lowest involvement in the most part of online practices. The results of the study could be useful in the digital divide monitoring and in the developing government measures to reduce it.