Voluntary Participation Research Articles

Fear, death anxiety, and religious coping in response to COVID-19 among older adults in Turkey

ABSTRACT This study examined fear, death anxiety, and religious coping in older adults during COVID-19, emphasizing the pandemic’s psychological impact. A cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2021 and April 2022 at a university-affiliated Research and Training Hospital Family Medicine polyclinic. The study included 284 voluntary participants aged 65 and above, with no communication issues, recruited through convenience sampling. Data were collected using the Socio-Demographic Information Form, COVID-19 Fear Scale, Religious Coping Scale, and Templer Death Anxiety Scale, and analyzed with SPSS software for descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings indicated a medium level of COVID-19 fear, with singles, those living alone, and individuals who had contracted COVID-19 showing higher fear levels. Female participants reported significantly higher death anxiety. Primary and secondary education graduates relied more on religious coping, which was less common among those who had experienced COVID-19. A negative correlation was found between social-religious coping and death anxiety, while a positive correlation existed between death anxiety and COVID-19 fear. The study highlights that older adults continue to experience moderate levels of COVID-19-related fear and death anxiety. High reliance on religious coping strategies effectively reduces death anxiety. Based on these findings, integrating spiritual support services in healthcare and implementing gender-sensitive mental health interventions are recommended to better support older adults’ psychological needs.

Physician Attitudes Towards Pharmacist-Prescribed HIV Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP): A Survey of a State Medical Association.

Timely initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for non-occupational post-exposure prophylaxis (nPEP) is crucial in preventing HIV infection and advancing efforts to end the HIV epidemic (EHE). nPEP must be administered within 72h of high-risk exposure, ideally within 24h. Pharmacies may play a role in increasing access to nPEP and facilitating referrals for additional care, such as PrEP. Recent legislation permits pharmacist-prescribed nPEP (PDP), though provider attitudes toward this change have not been studied. A survey querying physicians and medical trainees (students and residents) was conducted in 2024 during an annual state medical association conference. The survey included 24 questions on nPEP knowledge and attitudes towards pharmacist-prescribed nPEP (PDP). The survey was administered in person using electronic tablets, with voluntary participation incentivized by a monetary reward. Statistical analysis was conducted using SAS (9.4 version) software, with differences in responses between physicians and trainees evaluated. P values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Of 89 respondents (56% of attendees), 61 were physicians and 28 were trainees. Notably, 28% of licensed providers indicated that pharmacist-directed prescribing (PDP) should not be allowed in the State of Ohio, while no trainees expressed this same opposition (p = 0.001). Trainees were more likely to view pharmacist prescribing as safe and appropriate ((p = 0.0135, p = 0.013). Urban-based providers were more supportive of pharmacist prescribing than their rural counterparts (p = 0.0195). Trainees showed little opposition to PDP, whereas physicians expressed concerns about safety and appropriateness. Addressing these concerns is essential for integrating pharmacists into the EHE strategy.

Sensory preferences are important motivators for using herbs and spices: A cross-sectional analysis of Australian adults.

Herbs and spices have been used in cooking and food preparation to add flavour and aroma for centuries. However, many herbs and spices are also associated with a number of health benefits. Despite this, little is known about the types and frequency of use of herbs and spices in Australian households. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the types of herbs and spices used in cooking and food preparation in Australian households. A cross-sectional study was undertaken amongst Australian adults aged ≥18 years. Participants were recruited via social media platforms requesting voluntary participation in an online questionnaire. The survey tool included questions related to the types of herbs and spices used and consumed in Australian households, frequency of use, and adherence to a Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) using the Mediterranean Diet Adherence Screener. A total of n = 400 participants responded and completed the survey. Participants were mostly female (n = 341; 85.3%) aged between 25 and 64 years (n = 331; 82.8%) and were overweight (body mass index: 26.5 ± 5.9 kg/m2). In the previous 12 months, two-thirds of participants (n = 257; 64.3%) reported consuming herbs and spices 1-2 times per day, which were mostly consumed as part of lunch/dinner meals (n = 372; 93%). Basil (n = 391; 97.8%), pepper (n = 390; 97.5%) and garlic (n = 387; 96.8%) were amongst the most frequently used herbs and spices. Moderate to high adherence to a MedDiet was associated with daily use of herbs and spices [χ2 (1, n = 397) = 5.6, P = 0.018]. This cross-sectional analysis of Australian households shows that most Australian adults consume herbs and spices daily. Further investigation into the quantities used and needed to elicit potential health benefits of herbs and spices when incorporated into a healthy dietary pattern warrants future investigation.

The role of the opponent's head in perception of kick target location in martial arts

Athletes in Martial Arts must anticipate the target of their opponent's kick or strike to avoid contact. Findings suggest that features, e.g., head and face may play a greater role in predicting opponent action intent compared to global movement information, however little research has explored the role of the head in action anticipation. The aim of this study was to examine the role of the head in predicting the target of a kicking action in martial arts. N = 76 volunteer participants (n = 32 athletes &amp;gt; 5 years of experience, n = 36 non-athletes with no experience) were asked to watch a series of video clips depicting various kicking techniques with differing levels of spatial occlusion of the head. These clips were also temporally occluded compelling participants to predict the landing target of each kick (i.e., head or chest). The hypothesis of the current study is that athletes would be more accurate than non-athletes, but there was no significant effect of expertise on accuracy. Both athletes and non-athletes performed well above chance level performance. Head occlusion did not significantly influence performance and did not interact with expertise, suggesting head and face information did not play a role in predicting opponent action intent. Across participants the landing target of the roundhouse kick was identified with greater accuracy than the front or the back kick. Additionally, participants identified kicks from the rear leg with greater accuracy than the front leg. These findings have significant implications for combat sports where athletes are required to anticipate the action intent of their opponent to formulate an effective defensive response.

Menstrual Blood as a Non-Invasive Alternative for Monitoring Vitamin Levels

Background/Objectives: Menstrual blood has recently emerged as a novel specimen for diagnostics, offering a non-invasive alternative to traditional blood testing methods. Despite the importance of vitamins and monitoring their levels in preventative healthcare measures, the feasibility of measuring them in menstrual blood has yet to be explored. In this study, we aimed to assess the potential of using menstrual blood for determining vitamin levels by comparing their levels in menstrual blood to those in matched capillary blood samples. Methods: A prospective, monocentric, observational study was conducted with healthy, reproductive-aged voluntary participants. Menstrual blood was collected from 30 participants using a menstrual cup, and the corresponding capillary blood samples were obtained using a finger prick. The samples were transferred to dried blood spot (DBS) cards and analyzed using mass spectrometry to determine vitamin levels. Statistical analyses were performed to compare menstrual blood vitamin A and D levels, and hemoglobin, to those in capillary blood. Results: The vitamin levels could be ascertained from the menstrual blood, and were observed to significantly correlate with those from the capillary blood for both vitamin A (r = 0.77, p &lt; 0.001) and vitamin D (r = 0.66, p &lt; 0.001), despite being statistically different. Conclusions: The results of this pilot study demonstrate the potential utility of menstrual blood in estimating vitamin A and D levels, illustrating the prospect of a non-invasive menstrual blood-based vitamin test following larger clinical and analytical validation studies.

A holistic approach to sustain and support lifelong practices of wellness among healthcare professionals: generating preliminary solid steps towards a culture of wellness

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has served as a catalyst for recognizing the challenging environments in which healthcare workers operate, underscoring the urgent need to enhance their wellness to better support themselves and others. The implementation of a culture of wellness within the context of healthcare education, with a particular emphasis on individual-level strategies, allows for the realization of its intrinsic value and significance as a foundation for broader organizational strategies. This approach facilitates the establishment of a sustainable culture of wellness that benefits both current and subsequent generations of healthcare professionals.MethodsWe implemented our wellness program using a pragmatic pre-post study design for different settings. Our wellness intervention program was tested in three ways by creating combinations of different intensities (high, moderate, or low), delivery methods (face-to-face vs. virtual), different motivations (incentive, mandatory, or volunteer participation), and different timings (during medical programs or before entering into healthcare programs) among medical and nursing students. The effects of the wellness program were measured on quality of life, emotional intelligence, and efficacy scores among healthcare students. Statistical methods included repeated measures analysis of variance and paired t-tests.ResultsA total of 224 students (13 in high, 145 in moderate, and 66 in low-dose interventions) participated in our study program. Most scores were significantly improved except for a few factors in the high-dose face-to-face Well-Teach intervention cohort. Among quality of life components, the average psychological scores were markedly increased after high (13.2 vs. 14.7, p = .018), moderate (13.9 vs. 14.8, p < .001), and low (12.8 vs. 13.4, p < .001) intensity intervention cohorts. The moderate and low intensity of wellness intervention cohorts had the highest impact on the total emotional intelligence scores (mean difference = 3.021, 95%CI:0.553–5.488, p = .008) and (mean difference = 5.197, 95%CI:3.057–7.337, p = < 0.001), respectively. The low-dose healthcare intervention program yielded improvements in all components of all scores to a greater extent than moderate-dose or high-dose with face-to-face intervention programs.ConclusionsThis study demonstrates that our multifaceted Well-Teach model can be used to improve the quality of life, emotional intelligence, and self-efficacy of healthcare students. Low- or moderate-intensity intervention programs integrated into the curriculum may be more practical in health sciences education to sustain and promote lifelong wellness practices as solid steps toward attaining a “culture of wellness”. Our model should be considered to be beneficial, sustainable, cost-effective, comprehensive, and effective for current and future generations of healthcare providers.

Enrollment in Alzheimer’s disease-focused research registries: altruistic and egocentric motivations

ABSTRACT The relative effectiveness of altruistic and egocentric persuasion messages is an important research question when voluntary participation in medical research is the target behavior. In the US, most participants in Alzheimer’s disease-focused research registries are White females, so increasing diversity in registry membership is a public health priority. We compared the association of two belief-based motivations – egocentric and altruistic – with intention to enroll in an Alzheimer’s research registry using a nationally representative theory-based survey of US adults 50 years of age or older while oversampling Black and Hispanic respondents. With the exception of Hispanic females, there were few respondent differences between individual motivational belief items and the correlations between the altruistic and egocentric indices were similar with independent effects on intention: the effects of the two motivations on intention were not redundant. Further analysis demonstrated that a moderation model was not superior to an additive model when both altruistic and egocentric indices simultaneously predicted intention. Registry recruitment messages should use both altruistic and egocentric persuasive message components to increase enrollment into Alzheimer’s research registries. Similar studies should determine if the additive effects of altruistic and egocentric motivations apply to other voluntary research participation contexts such as chronic diseases and mental illness.

Conceptions Towards Early Academic Studies in Computer Science: Focusing on Students, Lecturers, and Parents

The goal of this study was to identify conceptions towards early academic studies in computer science. We focus on a program which offers high school students the unique opportunity to earn a B.Sc. degree in parallel to their studies, resulting in them holding a prestigious degree at an early age. Activity theory framed the design of this study. Fifteen voluntary participants representing three distinct research groups participated in this study: students, parents, and lecturers. The data were collected using a qualitative research paradigm through semi-structured interviews. The findings demonstrated that the research groups mostly held distinctive conceptions. Little similarity may be detected. We argue that high school students are more likely to succeed in early academic programs when they have a rigorous curriculum, an on-staff educational consultant, and lessons that are exclusively attended by other students in their peer group. These types of programs, in our opinion, are well positioned to develop exceptional and gifted individuals’ educational potential.

COMMUNICATION OF ORAL HEALTH MYTHS ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON ADOLESCENTS

Relevance. Current doctor-patient communication is now mediated by the use of social media, raising concerns among dentists about the quality of the information provided on the Internet and its scientifi c support, especially when the recipients of these messages are children and adolescents, with insuffi cient knowledge about oral health. Objective is to assess the infl uence exerted on adolescents by oral health myths communicated on digital social media. Methodology. Qualitative research was conducted at the «Felipe Poey» Secondary School in Plaza municipality in Havana, from February to March . A non-probabilistic sample of voluntary participants was taken, with  students of both sexes aged  to  who gave their consent to participate in the study. Results. .% of adolescents use WhatsApp, .% use Facebook*, and .% use Instagram*. On these platforms, .% have learned that “teeth cannot be brushed without toothpaste” and .% consider “Colgate the best” for brushing their teeth. .% reported seeing that “chewing gum causes cavities”, as well as that “cavities always cause pain”. Between .% and .% mentioned myths about the white colour of teeth. .% of the subjects want to have white teeth to look better, and if they do not have toothpaste, they do not brush their teeth, while .% believe they do not have cavities because they do not chew gum or have pain. Conclusions. The social media platforms Instagram** and Facebook*, frequently used by adolescents, communicate myths related to dental brushing, dental cavities, and tooth colour that have an impact in their oral health, generating risk factors such as poor oral hygiene, irregular visits to the dentist, and altered perception of dental aesthetics.

마음챙김 기반 젠탱글(Zentangle)의 활용 방안 모색: 아동 대상 젠탱글아트명상 프로그램 운영 사례를 중심으로

Objectives This study is to derive a relational model between mindfulness meditation, Zentangle, self-healing, and to explore ways to utilize mindfulness-based Zentangle by studying cases of Zentangle art meditation programs for children. Methods To this end, we explored related literature and previous research and conducted a case study to derive a model for the relationship between Zentangle and mindfulness meditation from a self-healing perspective. Data collection includes 250 children's Zentangle works published serially in Lotus magazine from March 2021 to February 2022, their impressions, and phone interviews with Buddhist instructors. Results First, the relational model between mindfulness meditation, Zentangle, and self-healing focuses on the senses in the process of drawing, and awareness is promoted through inner concentration, and in this process, the mind deeply suppressed in the unconscious is expressed through drawings. It can be seen that concentration, awareness, and self-expression increase the effect of ‘mind and body stability’, and this is cyclical. Second, the purpose, content, and method of using mindfulness-based Zentangle are as follows. The purpose is for preventative self-healing. The content is selected as a material that gives children a sense of familiarity and trust so that they can recognize that they can take good care of themselves and practice this in their daily lives. The method focuses on the use of various materials that take the child's psychology and emotions into account and a step-by-step creative process based on self-healing. Self-healing can be created by oneself through craft work using Zentangle, and self-healing can be achieved through exhibition activities. Organize mind-expanding activities that help you realize your connection to the healing of others. Conclusions It was confirmed that Zentangle can be used to promote self-healing as a mindfulness tool that helps children's voluntary participation. The significance of this study is that it was presented as basic data for the development and application of a mindfulness-based Zentangle program for children.

Volunteer mobilisation and old-age support in urban China

In response to demographic and socio-economic shifts in China’s transitional economy, influenced by neo-liberalism, the state has actively encouraged greater volunteer participation in supporting older people in urban China. To understand the effectiveness of volunteer mobilisation for old-age support, 39 qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with older people, supplemented by the views of expert informants including NGO operators, Residents Committee officers, academics and a government official in Beijing and Guangzhou. The findings highlight that older people value the emotional support provided by volunteers. However, policymakers must address challenges related to mobilising volunteers for old-age support. As the state emphasises increased volunteer use to meet the growing needs of older people amid ongoing socio-economic changes, sustaining the long-standing practice of mutual help becomes more difficult. To address this, efforts should focus on establishing a local platform to coordinate volunteer resources, strengthening existing formal community support services with volunteer services serving as a supplementary source and finding ways to sustain young retirees’ involvement as community volunteers, which represents valuable social capital.

A behaviour change intervention to increase volunteer participation in charity

The factors that influence volunteerism are still insufficiently investigated today. What motivates people to engage as volunteers, and how can their willingness to do so be increased through the application of behavioural psychology in marketing campaigns? This study analyses the possibility to influence volunteer participation by applying behavioural psychology, in particular, ten behaviour change techniques (BCTs) from the BCT Taxonomy. Eighty-three study participants were recruited via the mailing list of an inclusive local charity (KEEN Oxford). Individuals were assigned to one of two groups (control/intervention) in a survey, each consisting of an email addressing potential recruits. The results show a significant difference between the two groups (p&lt;.05), for the increase in both willingness to volunteer (1.56 vs 0.35 points on a ten-point scale) as well as time commitment (4 vs 0.54 hours). This reinforces the hypothesis that behavioural psychology can increase volunteer participation.

The Serial Mediator Role of Difficulties in Emotion Regulation and Entrapment between Intolerance of Uncertainty and Mental Well-Being.

Mental health is a subject that has been extensively researched by mental health experts. It is essential for individuals to give priority to their mental well-being in order to live productive lives. Individuals may face unforeseeable circumstances, a range of emotions, such as feeling trapped, and situations that demand emotional self-regulation at any stage of their lives. An individual's mental health is contingent upon their capacity to uphold a heightened state of well-being despite encountering challenging circumstances. The current study aims to look into the role of difficulties in emotion regulation and entrapment in the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and mental well-being. The relationships between these variables have never been investigated, and this study is the first to address them. The current study's data were collected from 427 volunteer participants, including 316 women and 111 men. The mediation analysis was conducted using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). According to the findings, difficulties in emotion regulation and entrapment served as serial mediators between intolerance of uncertainty and mental well-being. According to the model, uncertainty intolerance predicts difficulties in emotion regulation and entrapment, while difficulties in emotion regulation and entrapment predict negative mental well-being. It could be argued that being tolerant in the face of uncertainty enables people to easily regulate their emotions and avoid feeling trapped, potentially leading to higher levels of mental well-being.

CSR expectations and voluntary participation among employees

Our research aims to reveal the expectations of employees towards their organization about CSR initiatives, and also to map out what attitudes characterize them in connection with volunteerism that looks back on old traditions. With the involvement of more than 300 people in our research - mostly employees of large companies - we mapped the employee attitudes by analysing statistical and spontaneous mentions. Based on our results, it became clear that the employees consider it important that their employer also carries out socially responsible activities, and that their most important task is to achieve economic efficiency. They are also happy to participate in volunteer activities for a good cause.

Multiple environmental regulations and green technology innovation: a boundary theory perspective

Purpose Based on boundary theory, the authors try to clarify the boundaries of multiple environmental regulations. This paper aims to explore the strategic choices of multiple environmental regulations, analyze their spatial impact on green technology innovation and clarify the implementation priorities of multiple environmental regulations in various regions. Design/methodology/approach The authors construct an asymmetric response model based on the boundary theory perspective to analyze the strategic choices of different environmental regulations. In addition, dynamic spatial econometric methods are used to empirically analyze the differentiated regulatory boundaries of command-control type, market-incentive and voluntary-participation in environmental regulations and their spatial effects on green technology innovation. Findings Strict compulsory boundaries are formed in China when the command-control and market-incentive types are selected in a dynamic spatial and competitive game environment. When voluntary participation is selected, strict compulsory or loose basic boundaries are formed in each region. The command-control type is highly dependent on geographical distance, the market-incentive type is more dependent on an economic connection and the voluntary-participation type has obvious spatial spillover effects under the spatial weight matrix of geographical distance and economic connection. When Eastern China chooses voluntary participation in environmental regulation, the incentive effect on green technology innovation is the strongest. Middle China is the market-incentive type, and Western China is the command-control type. Command-control type and market-incentive type form strong complementary effects in dynamic spatial environments. Originality/value From the boundary theory perspective, this study analyzes the differentiated dynamic spatial boundaries of command-control, market-incentive and voluntary-participation in environmental regulations. Analyze the spatial impact of multiple environmental regulations on green technology innovation and clarify the implementation priorities of multiple environmental regulations in various regions.

Heritage and Community: Rehabilitation of a Traditional Kabyle House in Achelouf, Bejaia

This paper details the rehabilitation of a traditional Kabyle house in the village of Achelouf in Bejaia, Algeria, emphasizing its importance as part of local heritage and identity. The intervention, initiated by local associations, has involved support from CAPTERRE (the Algerian Center for Earthen Cultural Heritage) and the participation of students and local volunteers. This collaborative effort reflects the community’s commitment to preserving its cultural heritage.

HAS GENERAL ENGLISH KNOWLEDGE OF SERBIAN FRESHMEN STUDENTS PREPARED THEM FOR AN ESP COURSE – A PILOT STUDY

This study delves into the language knowledge of incoming freshmen students at two Serbian faculties, the Department of Criminal Investigation of the University of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies and the Faculty of Mining and Geology at the University of Belgrade. The aim of the pilot study was to assess their prior English language proficiency before beginning English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses. Recognizing the challenges of teaching ESP in large, multi-level groups, the study sought to gather initial data on the distribution of Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) levels within the student sample. A questionnaire was administered, gathering demographic details on English language learning experiences, alongside a Face2Face Written Placement Test to assess proficiency levels from A1 to C1. The study, conducted during the 2022/2023 academic year, involved 152 voluntary participants from two faculties. The findings offer valuable insights into the dynamics of language education and their impact on English for Specific Purposes (ESP) courses. The results reveal that while a significant portion of students is expected to have a B level of English proficiency upon completing secondary school, the actual language proficiency among students varies widely. ESP courses face the challenge of accommodating students with varying language skills, as this demands tailored language support and instructional strategies to bridge the proficiency gap effectively.

Public Perception of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Protective Measures in Nigeria

The infection and fatality rates in many African countries have been unpredictably fluctuating since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 vaccination rate in Africa is also notably lower than on other continents. As part of Africa, Nigeria has also experienced several spikes in COVID-19 infection cases and fatalities. Focusing on Nigeria’s urgent need to ramp up the COVID-19 vaccination rate, this study investigated Nigerians’ perceived protective measures, which indicates their risk perception of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study employed the protection motivation theory (PMT) as its theoretical framework. The PMT explains how individuals are motivated to protect themselves and engage in protective measures when they encounter a health risk. Specifically, this study focused on the difference between healthcare professionals and the general public, comparing their risk perception of the COVID-19 pandemic and its protective measures. Analysing data from 630 voluntary participants, this study provides recommendations and meaningful implications for Nigeria's current and future pandemic health communication campaigns and interventions.

Consideration and implementation of the elements of hospital mass casualty planning in the hospitals of the TraumaNetworks DGU® : An evaluation within the framework of the development process of the guidelines for clinical disaster medicine in Germany (LeiKliKatMeD) by the EKTC, NIS, AKUT, AUC

The protection and maintenance of hospital functionality and treatment capacity require preventative planning and preparation for amass casualty incident with respect to the scenarios, disasters or catastrophes to be expected. The hospital alarm and operations (KAEP) or stockpiling plan should include and organize the procedures and measures in the respective clinics and hospitals. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the hospitals of the Trauma Networks of the German Society for Trauma Surgery® (TNW DGU®) with respect to the established organizational structures and contents of the KAEP. In this study 622 hospitals from the TNW DGU® were surveyed to determine current treatment capacities depending on the principles and standards of care. This was done via the DGU Academy of Trauma Surgery (AUC) and an online-based survey with voluntary participation via aweb-based platform (SurveyMonkey Europe UC, Dublin, Ireland). The data presented here represent an excerpt of the overall data focused on the topic of this paper. Of the 622 certified clinics 252 (40%) took part in the survey in December 2022 and 250 data sets could be evaluated. LevelI,II,III trauma centers (LTZ, RTZ, ÜRTZ) took part in equal numbers. Of the participating clinics 90% have aKAEP that has been updated in the last 3 years. The manual of the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) was known in two thirds of the clinics surveyed. Only 30% of the clinics adapted their own KAEP after it was published and only 40% exercised it in the last 3 years. Elements for the care of those affected and injured (psychosocial network, end-of-life care, care of relatives) were included in 25-44% of hospitals. Regardless of the certification, it became obvious that around 80% of the hospitals rely exclusively on one alarm procedure and only 20% use aredundant system with 2 or more notification procedures. The survey showed that more than 75% of the hospitals already have the option of selective or partial alerting. Depending on the triage category, the LTZs were able to initially admit an average of 2SKI and 4SKII patients. These capacities were almost doubled by the RTZ and tripled by the ÜTZ. The DGU Trauma Networks represent an essential part for the care in disaster and major disaster situations. The KAEP has been implemented in the majority of hospitals. Updating the KAEPs to current content, practicing and digital, selective and redundant systems for alerting represent achallenge. In addition, the harmonization of terms and organizational elements but also the establishment of care for relatives and the care and psychosocial emergency treatment (PSNV) have not yet been fully implemented. Ultimately, aKAEP must be implemented to make hospitals and the healthcare system more resilient to disasters and major disasters. It is important to support the hospitals and ensure that costs for exercises and training course formats are covered.

A DEVICE-BASED (GAITON) SAGITTAL PLANE KINEMATICS ANALYSIS OF LOWER EXTREMITY JOINTS AMONG PATIENTS WITH KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS – A METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH.

Background: Gait assessment is an effective method for identifying functional limitations associated with knee Osteoarthritis and understanding the relationship between disease symptoms and gait quality. Objective: To evaluate the mean difference in the kinematics of lower extremity joints among patients with knee osteoarthritis. Methods: A total of 20 people living with Knee OA were recruited as of 25th September 2024 in this prospective cross-sectional design study. The eligible participants were conveniently recruited from the SRM physiotherapy OPD based on voluntary participation after signing the informed consent. Adult participants aged 18 years and above, both sexes and able to walk independently without mobility aids were recruited and the joint kinematics were measured using the GaitOn Software, 2-dimensional analysis, and sagittal kinematic parameters of stance phase. Results: The mean age of the patients was 53.6 ± 7.3, and the mean BMI was 29.1±4.6. The one sample t-test demonstrated a statistically significant difference between kinematic angles of the lower extremity joint in sagittal plane of population mean (reference value) and sample mean (measured by GaitOn); Initial contact phase (hip: mean diff -4.06, p&lt;0.01, ankle: mean diff 34.1, p &lt; 0.0001), Loading response (hip: mean diff -5.8. p &lt;0.001, knee: mean diff 9.6, p &lt; 0.001, ankle: mean diff 32.4, p &lt; 0.001). Midstance (hip: mean diff 11.06, p &lt;0.001, ankle: 31.4, p&lt; 0.001). Terminal stance (hip: mean diff 28.3, p&lt; 0.004, ankle: mean diff 31.4, p&lt; 0.001) and Pre-swing (hip: mean diff 16.5, p&lt; 0.001, ankle: mean diff 31.4, p&lt; 0.001). Conclusions: The hip and ankle joints equally share knee kinematic compensations. By acknowledging the complex interactions between the hip, ankle, and knee joints, healthcare providers can develop more comprehensive and effective treatment plans for individuals with knee OA.