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Cureus Oct 2023Objective The aim of this study was to investigate change in the stigma that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic over time and the factors responsible for the change....
Objective The aim of this study was to investigate change in the stigma that emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic over time and the factors responsible for the change. Methods Individuals with COVID-19 who presented to Ankara Medicalpark and VM Medicalpark Hospitals' Internal Diseases and Chest Diseases polyclinic between May 2021 and April 2022 were examined. The volunteers were divided into two groups: those who had COVID-19 within the first six months of the pandemic (group 1) and those who had it in the second six months (group 2). The questionnaire assessing stigma consisted of 29 propositions that participants could mark whether they agreed with them or not. Results The median age of the volunteers was 38 years. Eighty-eight (69.3%) had the disease in the first six months of the pandemic and 39 (30.7%) in the second six months. Moreover, 76.1% of the participants in the first group and 94.9% of those in the second group did not agree with the statement "I thought COVID-19 was a punishment for me" (p=0.011). Further, 56.8% of the participants in the first group and 97.4% of those in the second group stated that they did not agree with the statement "Employers may terminate the employment of employees who they find out have contracted COVID-19" (p<0.001). 80.7% of the participants in the first group and 38.5% of those in the second group agreed with the statement "There was social discrimination against people who caught COVID-19" (p<0.001). Conclusions At the beginning of the pandemic, the participants had concerns about losing their status and jobs, but this anxiety decreased over time. Stigma in the first six months of the pandemic was greater than that in the second six months, and discrimination related to stigma decreased with recognition of the disease and the increase in experience.
PubMed: 37927764
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.46508 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2023This study investigates the challenges that China's health code system presents to individuals' lives and social development, using normative analysis and a case study....
This study investigates the challenges that China's health code system presents to individuals' lives and social development, using normative analysis and a case study. It looks for effective strategies to reform and regulate this system to prepare for future pandemics. Health code apps and mini programs have been widely deployed as effective tools for COVID-19 containment in China. However, their widespread and improper use has created risks due to the lack of both a systematic design and a basic supervision mechanism. The health code system risks infringing on individual privacy during data collection and storage. During the pandemic, the right to liberty and the right to treatment of Chinese citizens who lacked an appropriate health code were severely compromised. In some instances, the health code system was used as a stability maintenance tool by the authorities through arbitrary health code conversions. This article argues that China's health code systems should be reformed and regulated in preparation for future pandemics and that a new act regulating its management and use should be launched at the national level. Data collection, retention, and processing should be limited to the minimum amount of data needed to achieve the objective of protecting public health. The health code conversion power wielded by the authorities should be defined and regulated, the rules and procedures of code conversion should be transparent, arbitrary health code conversion behaviors should be prevented and punished, and persons whose rights have been violated by wrongful code conversion should have access to legal remedies.
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; Pandemics; Public Health; China
PubMed: 37841734
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1208615 -
Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Oct 2023Low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites have limited on-board resources, user terminals are unevenly distributed in the constantly changing coverage area, and the service...
Low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites have limited on-board resources, user terminals are unevenly distributed in the constantly changing coverage area, and the service requirements vary significantly. It is urgent to optimize resource allocation under the constraint of limited satellite spectrum resources and ensure the fairness of service admission control. Therefore, we propose an intelligent hierarchical admission control (IHAC) strategy based on deep reinforcement learning (DRL). This strategy combines the deep deterministic policy gradient (DDPG) and the deep Q network (DQN) intelligent algorithm to construct upper and lower hierarchical resource allocation and admission control frameworks. The upper controller considers the state features of each ground zone and satellite resources from a global perspective, and determines the beam resource allocation ratio of each ground zone. The lower controller formulates the admission control policy based on the decision of the upper controller and the detailed information of the users' services. At the same time, a designed reward and punishment mechanism is used to optimize the decisions of the upper and lower controllers. The fairness of users' services admissions in each ground zone is achieved as far as possible while ensuring the reasonable allocation of beam resources among zones. Finally, online decision-making and offline learning were combined, so that the controller could make full use of a large number of historical data to learn and generate intelligent strategies with stronger adaptive ability while interacting with the network environment in real time. A large number of simulation results show that IHAC has better performance in terms of a successful service admission rate, service drop rate, and fair resource allocation. Among them, the number of accepted services increased by 20.36% on average, the packet loss rate decreased by 17.56% on average, and the resource fairness increased by 17.16% on average.
PubMed: 37896563
DOI: 10.3390/s23208470 -
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) Jul 2023This study aims to provide useful insights for the Chinese government in dealing with healthcare fraud by creating an evolutionary game model that involves hospitals,...
This study aims to provide useful insights for the Chinese government in dealing with healthcare fraud by creating an evolutionary game model that involves hospitals, third-party entities, and the government based on the government reward and punishment mechanism. This paper analyzes the evolutionary stability of each participant's strategy choice, discusses the influence of each element on the tripartite strategy choice, and further analyzes the stability of the equilibrium point in the tripartite game system. The results show that (1) the government increasing fines on hospitals is conducive to compliant hospital operations, and the incentive mechanism has little effect on such operations; (2) the lack of an incentive mechanism for third parties results in false investigations by third parties; and (3) rewards from higher levels of government promote strict supervision by local governments, but that the high cost of supervision and rewards for hospitals inhibits the probability of strict supervision. Finally, Matlab 2020a is used for simulation analysis to provide a reference for the government to improve the supervision of healthcare fraud.
PubMed: 37444806
DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11131972 -
Industrial Psychiatry Journal Nov 2023Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic and long-lasting illness affecting approximately 2% of the population. Up to 40%-60% of patients with OCD do not have...
BACKGROUND
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic and long-lasting illness affecting approximately 2% of the population. Up to 40%-60% of patients with OCD do not have satisfactory outcomes, thereby leading to disability in performing daily routine activities. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) provides a substitute for old-fashioned psychotherapies, as it involves the client directly experiencing the problematic emotion, that is, anxiety and obsessions in the case of OCD.
AIM
To observe the effect of ACT on patients with OCD and compare its effect on obsessive compulsive symptoms, thought control, thought and action fusion, acceptance and action, and depression.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A total of 62 patients diagnosed with OCD as per (DSM-5) in the age range between 18 and 60 years, having duration of illness less than two years, both male and female, literate and illiterate, hailing from rural and urban background, were included in the study. For pre- and post-assessment Yale-Brown Obsessive and Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS), acceptance and commitment questionnaire, thought control questionnaire, and thought and action fusion questionnaire were used in this study, and ACT was used for management of OCD.
RESULTS
There is a significant difference between the groups treated with ACT and those treated as usual, on every domain of thought control questionnaire (TCQ) -- distraction (t = 9.07), social control (t = 11.13), worry (t = 11.93), punishment (t = 16.78), and re-appraisal (t = 16.47). Significance is also seen in the thought and action fusion in the moral domain (t = 16.22), the likelihood domain (t = 16.49), and others (t = 9.23). On Y-BOCS, HDRS, and acceptance and action questionnaire (AAQ) both groups show a significant difference between each other.
CONCLUSION
The findings of the present study indicate that ACT is a productive method for patients with OCD as it encourages the patient to accept and integrate their lived experiences, challenges effective responses, and recognizes and eliminates the controlling dimensions.
PubMed: 38370965
DOI: 10.4103/ipj.ipj_213_23 -
Perspectives on Psychological Science :... May 2024We identify points of conflict and consensus regarding (a) controversial empirical claims and (b) normative preferences for how controversial scholarship-and...
We identify points of conflict and consensus regarding (a) controversial empirical claims and (b) normative preferences for how controversial scholarship-and scholars-should be treated. In 2021, we conducted qualitative interviews ( = 41) to generate a quantitative survey ( = 470) of U.S. psychology professors' beliefs and values. Professors strongly disagreed on the truth status of 10 candidate taboo conclusions: For each conclusion, some professors reported 100% certainty in its veracity and others 100% certainty in its falsehood. Professors more confident in the truth of the taboo conclusions reported more self-censorship, a pattern that could bias perceived scientific consensus regarding the inaccuracy of controversial conclusions. Almost all professors worried about social sanctions if they were to express their own empirical beliefs. Tenured professors reported as much self-censorship and as much fear of consequences as untenured professors, including fear of getting fired. Most professors opposed suppressing scholarship and punishing peers on the basis of moral concerns about research conclusions and reported contempt for peers who petition to retract papers on moral grounds. Younger, more left-leaning, and female faculty were generally more opposed to controversial scholarship. These results do not resolve empirical or normative disagreements among psychology professors, but they may provide an empirical context for their discussion.
PubMed: 38752984
DOI: 10.1177/17456916241252085 -
MedRxiv : the Preprint Server For... Feb 2024Alterations in learning and decision-making systems are thought to contribute to core features of anorexia nervosa (AN), a psychiatric disorder characterized by...
Alterations in learning and decision-making systems are thought to contribute to core features of anorexia nervosa (AN), a psychiatric disorder characterized by persistent dietary restriction and weight loss. Instrumental learning theory identifies a dual-system of habit and goal-directed decision-making, linked to model-free and model-based reinforcement learning algorithms. Difficulty arbitrating between these systems, resulting in an over-reliance on one strategy over the other, has been implicated in compulsivity and extreme goal pursuit, both of which are observed in AN. Characterizing alterations in model-free and model-based systems, and their neural correlates, in AN may clarify mechanisms contributing to symptom heterogeneity (e.g., binge/purge symptoms). This study tested whether adolescents with restricting AN (AN-R; = 36) and binge/purge AN (AN-BP; = 20) differentially utilized model-based and model-free learning systems compared to a healthy control group (HC; = 28) during a Markov two-step decision-making task under conditions of reward and punishment. Associations between model-free and model-based learning and resting-state functional connectivity between neural regions of interest, including orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), nucleus accumbens (NAcc), putamen, and sensory motor cortex (SMC) were examined. AN-R showed higher utilization of model-free learning compared to HC for reward, but attenuated model-free and model-based learning for punishment. In AN-R only, higher model-based learning was associated with stronger OFC-to-left NAcc functional connectivity, regions linked to goal-directed behavior. Greater utilization of model-free learning for reward in AN-R may differentiate this group, particularly during adolescence, and facilitate dietary restriction by prioritizing habitual control in rewarding contexts.
PubMed: 38352608
DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.31.24302097 -
Assessment Jun 2024Existing research shows that children's responses to rewards and punishments are essential for understanding attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, oppositional...
Existing research shows that children's responses to rewards and punishments are essential for understanding attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, and callous-unemotional traits. The present study developed the Contingency Response Rating Scale (CRRS) to fulfill the need for a reliable and valid measure of children's contingency response style that is brief, easy to use in applied settings, and provides additional information to existing clinical measures. We examined the psychometric properties of the CRRS in a sample of 196 children (ages 5-12), most of whom were referred to evaluate attention and behavior problems in an outpatient clinic. Using principal axis factoring, we identified five factors: (a) punishment ineffectiveness, (b) reward ineffectiveness, (c) punishment dysregulation, (d) reward dysregulation, and (e) contingency insensitivity. The subscales based on these factors showed acceptable test-retest and internal consistency reliability, and scale intercorrelations varied from low to moderate. The subscales also captured significant variance not explained by child or parent demographics and were associated with measures of psychopathology and impairment. The results provide preliminary evidence that the CRRS may be a helpful tool for assessing reward and punishment sensitivity in children with attention and behavior problems.
PubMed: 38869172
DOI: 10.1177/10731911241256536 -
Maternal and Child Health Journal Dec 2023Improving maternal and child outcomes requires us to understand and deconstruct our country's historically punitive policies toward pregnant and parenting people who use...
Improving maternal and child outcomes requires us to understand and deconstruct our country's historically punitive policies toward pregnant and parenting people who use drugs. We also must build a new system that centers wellness in partnership with individuals directly affected by these policies. From a maternal and child health (MCH) perspective, wellness is defined as parent-infant dyads living in supportive, preserved, and loving families with access to the resources needed for optimal health. To achieve wellness and positive outcomes, all individuals must have equitable access to a full continuum of culturally and linguistically effective, geographically available, evidence-informed, non-punitive, and welcoming health and social services that prioritize family preservation. In addition, to attain transformative and equitable outcomes, advocates for families affected by substance use must focus on implementing and evaluating services and continuously monitoring disaggregated data to ensure inequities are eliminated.
Topics: Female; Humans; Infant; Pregnancy; Love; Parenting; Parents; Social Work; Substance-Related Disorders
PubMed: 37955838
DOI: 10.1007/s10995-023-03843-w -
Child Abuse & Neglect Jan 2024Parents' beliefs about how private/public their parenting role is and their acceptability of the use of corporal punishment as a disciplinary measure have been...
BACKGROUND
Parents' beliefs about how private/public their parenting role is and their acceptability of the use of corporal punishment as a disciplinary measure have been associated with how parents raise their children and their willingness to seek support. However, there are no reliable and valid instruments measuring these beliefs.
OBJECTIVE
This study evaluated the psychometric properties of the Parenting Belief Scale, a self-reported brief measure targeting parents' perception of parenting as a private concern and their attitudes towards the use of corporal punishment.
PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING
Participants were 6949 parents from several high-income countries (i.e., Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, Australia, and the UK) who completed the International Parenting Survey, an online cross-sectional survey focused on parents' self-report of their parenting, children, and family.
METHODS
This study evaluated the internal consistency, factor structure (i.e., exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses), and convergent and discriminant validity of the Parenting Belief Scale.
RESULTS
Findings indicated that this scale was a relatively reliable measure to evaluate parents' perceived privacy in their role and acceptability of corporal punishment. A two-factor structure was confirmed by both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Correlations with scales of parenting practices supported the convergent and discriminant validity of the Parenting Belief Scale.
CONCLUSIONS
This study supported the use of the Parenting Belief Scale across high-income countries to evaluate parenting beliefs in influencing parenting practices and parents' help-seeking behaviours.
Topics: Child; Humans; Parenting; Psychometrics; Cross-Sectional Studies; Developed Countries; Parents; Surveys and Questionnaires; Reproducibility of Results
PubMed: 38000351
DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106565