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Current Oncology (Toronto, Ont.) Jul 2023Cancer is a rapidly rising cause of morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Cervical cancer, in particular, is still one of the leading causes of mortality for...
BACKGROUND
Cancer is a rapidly rising cause of morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Cervical cancer, in particular, is still one of the leading causes of mortality for women in this setting. The uptake of healthcare services is in part influenced by patients' belief systems. We sought to better understand the perception of cancer in the Kom tribe of Northwest Cameroon.
METHODS
A qualitative research study was completed using a semi-structured interview guide and one-on-one interviews with 45 parents of girls aged 9-14 years. These girls were candidates for free HPV vaccination to prevent cervical cancer. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using ATLAS.ti 9.
RESULTS
Thirty-five mothers and ten fathers with a median age of 42 yo were interviewed from Mbingo, Belo, Njinikom, and Fundong. Half of the parents were farmers, with three being herbalists or traditional medicine doctors. Seventy-seven percent had either no or only primary school education. None had had cancer. All knew at least one person with cancer. The most common word for cancer in the Kom language is "". It can refer to a bad infection or cancer. The occurrence of is the result of either a curse placed on you, ancestral retribution, or transgressing the (snail shell spoken over and usually placed in a garden). The implications are that treatment of must involve the traditional doctor who determines the spiritual issue and prescribes a remedy (like a herb or tea) and/or an incantation. Within the context of cancer, this can lead to a delay in diagnosis until the disease is no longer curable by conventional therapies.
CONCLUSION
Ways to bridge biomedical healthcare services and traditional medicine are needed, especially in tribal contexts where the latter is an integral part of daily life.
Topics: Humans; Adolescent; Female; Nuclear Family; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms; Cameroon; Parents
PubMed: 37623000
DOI: 10.3390/curroncol30080519 -
BMC Health Services Research Sep 2023This study aimed to explore the experiences and needs of (ex-)welfare benefit recipients from a large urban municipality in the Netherlands regarding their...
BACKGROUND
This study aimed to explore the experiences and needs of (ex-)welfare benefit recipients from a large urban municipality in the Netherlands regarding their welfare-to-work services and their case workers.
METHODS
Quantitative data from a client satisfaction survey that was filled out by 213 people (response rate 11%) who received welfare-to-work services was combined with results from four group interviews with a total of 15 people receiving welfare-to-work services. Verbatim transcripts from the interviews were analysed using inductive thematic analysis.
RESULTS
The survey results showed that most clients were reasonably satisfied with the welfare-to-work services they received. Four main themes emerged from the interviews: (1) experiences and needs related to the interactions between case workers and benefit recipients; (2) the need for tailored services; (3) the complicating role of the system the case workers operate within; and (4) the existence of differences between case workers regarding how strict they followed the rules and to what extent they connected with their clients on a personal level.
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings show that clients were reasonably satisfied with the welfare-to-work services provided by their municipality but that there is still room for improvement. Case workers should have good social skills to build a trusting relationship with the client, welfare-to-work services should be tailored to the individual, and clear concise information should be given to welfare benefit recipients, especially with regard to what benefit recipients can expect of the municipality and the case workers, given their dual role in supporting (re-)integration to work and monitoring benefit eligibility.
Topics: Humans; Netherlands; Patient Satisfaction; Trust; Vulnerable Populations
PubMed: 37710259
DOI: 10.1186/s12913-023-09954-y -
Journal of Environmental and Public... 2022In the network environment, online ideological and political education is facing many challenges, the mainstream values of education have been impacted, and the backward...
In the network environment, online ideological and political education is facing many challenges, the mainstream values of education have been impacted, and the backward educational model, single communication method, and solidified educational content are not conducive to the smooth progress of ideological and political education. However, at the same time, its innovation also ushers in development opportunities, rich educational resources, information platforms, diversified education subjects, strongly targeted education models, etc., which can become favorable factors for educational innovation. To this end, online educators should seize the development opportunities, grasp the good network environment, actively build a network platform for ideological and political education, create a personalized ideological and political education resource recommendation system, and reform the ideological and political education classroom, effectively playing the role of the main position of educating people. Online education breaks through the limitations of time and space, allowing students to get guidance from online teachers without leaving home, and is favored by more and more primary and secondary school students because of its unique advantages. At present, the forms of tutoring for off-campus online education in China are diverse, and there are several specific teaching modes. Whether online teaching can meet the needs of users is a problem worth studying.
Topics: China; Education, Distance; Educational Status; Humans; Students
PubMed: 35874891
DOI: 10.1155/2022/3845749 -
Education and Information Technologies 2021Schools are responsible for helping students in their vocational career development in the sense that they should sustain students in developing skills required by the...
Schools are responsible for helping students in their vocational career development in the sense that they should sustain students in developing skills required by the job market. Pre-tertiary school guidance is an indispensable aspect, since poor scholar guidance is always associated with failure at school. In the context of career paths, we propose an innovative approach, a solution to guide pre-tertiary students to choose the optimum vocational path. The purpose of the current study is to develop a school guidance system called "IoT-School Guidance". The latter is supposed to create a smart and conducive environment for the successful adoption of school guidance using the Internet of things (IoT), given the fact that the IoT is the next revolutionary technology in the world where anything can transmit and receive information in real time. It is a new approach that includes implementing an adaptive orientation process using smart technologies to guide pre-tertiary students choose and follow the best professional career generated automatically by the IoT-school guidance system.
PubMed: 33897270
DOI: 10.1007/s10639-021-10548-6 -
The Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgeon Dec 2021The professional demands on the expertise in pediatric intensive care have continuously increased in recent years. Due to a lack of applicants, the staffing of a...
BACKGROUND
The professional demands on the expertise in pediatric intensive care have continuously increased in recent years. Due to a lack of applicants, the staffing of a continuous shift service with qualified medical staff poses major challenges to the hospitals.
METHODS
A web-based questionnaire with 27 predominantly matrix questions on working conditions and motivation for working in this area was sent to pediatric hospitals throughout Germany.
RESULTS
165 doctors responded to the survey. The average age of the participants was 35.2 years. The average weekend work load reported by 79% of the respondents was 2 weekends per month, 70% of the study participants performed five to seven night shifts per month. 92% of the respondents stated that they basically enjoyed working in the intensive care unit (ICU). When asked to prioritize the working conditions, an appreciative working atmosphere in the team was named as priority 1 by 57%, followed by good guidance in the independent performance of interventions (25%) and good working conditions (19%).
DISCUSSION
The survey result shows that neither aspects of work-life balance nor payments are the key issues selecting the interesting, but physically and emotionally demanding job in pediatric ICU.
CONCLUSION
When evaluating vocational training in pediatric intensive care medicine, the immediate working atmosphere in the team with mutual respect and understanding and the guidance in training are more important than the general conditions.
Topics: Adult; Child; Humans; Intensive Care Units, Pediatric; Motivation; Physicians; Surveys and Questionnaires; Treatment Outcome; Workload
PubMed: 34891179
DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1736663 -
Frontiers in Psychology 2022The present study had two goals: to test the validity of Planned Happenstance Career Inventory (PHCI) in the Italian context and to explore the relations between PHC...
The present study had two goals: to test the validity of Planned Happenstance Career Inventory (PHCI) in the Italian context and to explore the relations between PHC skills and vocational identity processes within a sample of 472 undergraduate students attending university in the southern of Italy. Moreover, we examined relations between the PHCI and measures of vocational identity processes. With regard to the first goal, results show that for the Italian version of the instrument was confirmed the multifactor structure of the original version. The multi-group analyses showed that invariance between genders is supported. Convergent validity and divergent validity of the measure were reported. Concerning the second goal, the skills of planned happenstance show different associations with Vocational Identity Dimensions. As hypothesized, the exploration and commitment dimensions of vocational identity status are positive related to Planned Happenstance Skills. These findings suggest implications for career guidance and counseling.
PubMed: 35846707
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.899411 -
BMJ Open Oct 2023This study investigated the experiences of front-line healthcare workers who had been in close contact with COVID-19 patients and had been quarantined in order to...
BACKGROUND
This study investigated the experiences of front-line healthcare workers who had been in close contact with COVID-19 patients and had been quarantined in order to provide guidance on quarantine measures with more humanistic care when dealing with future public health emergencies.
METHODS
We conducted a qualitative study using semistructured, qualitative, in-depth interviews between April and June 2022. The interviews were recorded and transcribed, followed by a thematic analysis. The study followed the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research.
RESULTS
This study identified the following four themes: (1) personal psychological changes, (2) increased reflection on life and work during quarantine, (3) the important role of others' support and (4) different types of demands during quarantine and isolation. Each theme is supported by several subthemes that further illustrate the participants' experiences.
CONCLUSIONS
Quarantine of close contacts is necessary to prevent outbreaks. Front-line doctors and nurses are at a greater risk of COVID-19 infection than others. The results showed the psychological reactions of ordinary close contacts, and the unique feelings and experiences of doctors and nurses during the epidemic. Therefore, future research should cooperate with multiple departments to assess their needs, provide them with individualised care and love and give them incentives in order to reduce their psychological burden, improve their quality of life and allow them to engage in healthcare with a healthy mind.
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; Quarantine; Quality of Life; Health Personnel; Qualitative Research
PubMed: 37865408
DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-073868 -
Heliyon Jun 2024This study aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis to determine trends and emerging research directions of sustainable aviation between 2001 and 2023. 726 studies... (Review)
Review
This study aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis to determine trends and emerging research directions of sustainable aviation between 2001 and 2023. 726 studies indexed in the Web of Science were examined through VOSviewer software. Science mapping and performance analyses were implemented to demonstrate a systematic quantitative review and the characteristics of the research area. Moreover, by using co-occurrence of keywords, citation, bibliographic coupling, co-authorship, and co-citation analyses, the trends of the research area were revealed in detail. Findings indicated that the publications on sustainable aviation literature were mainly conducted between 2020 and 2023. Research areas of the publications were mainly on "engineering" and "energy fuels". In terms of number of the publications, "International Journal of Sustainable Aviation Fuel" was the most productive source and Heyne was the most productive author. Co-occurrence analysis demonstrated that "sustainable aviation fuel" was the most frequently used keyword. Furthermore, sustainable aviation research has shifted in focus toward more challenging and technology-oriented research over time. Citation analysis indicated that the most cited author was Heyne, the most cited study was Ma et al.'s study on "Aviation biofuel from renewable resources: routes, opportunities and challenges" and the most cited sources was "Energy". Among countries, the U.S.A was the most cited country and Chinese Academy of Sciences was the most cited organization. Bibliographic analysis showed that Heyne was the author with the highest connection strength. Co-authorship analysis demonstrated that Washington State University was the most collaborative organization. Finally, co-citation analysis of cited references indicated that fundamental subjects and related references were mainly sustainable aviation fuel, production of sustainable aviation fuel and its use in aviation studies. It is anticipated that results of this study would contribute to sustainable aviation research and ensure guidance and new perspectives for future research topics and directions on sustainable aviation.
PubMed: 38947464
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32306 -
BMC Infectious Diseases Aug 2021To fight against COVID-19, many policymakers are wavering on stricter public health interventions. Examining the different strategies both in and out of China's Hubei... (Observational Study)
Observational Study
BACKGROUND
To fight against COVID-19, many policymakers are wavering on stricter public health interventions. Examining the different strategies both in and out of China's Hubei province, which contained the epidemic in late February 2020, could yield valuable guidance for the management of future pandemics. This study assessed the response process and estimated the time-varying effects of the Hubei control strategy. Analysis of these strategies provides insights for the design and implementation of future policy interventions.
METHODS
We retrospectively compared the spread and control of COVID-19 between China's Hubei (excluding Wuhan) and non-Hubei areas using data that includes case reports, human mobility, and public health interventions from 1 January to 29 February 2020. Static and dynamic risk assessment models were developed to statistically investigate the effects of the Hubei control strategy on the virus case growth after adjusting importation risk and policy response timing with the non-Hubei strategy as a control.
RESULTS
The analysis detected much higher but differential importation risk in Hubei. The response timing largely coincided with the importation risk in non-Hubei areas, but Hubei areas showed an opposite pattern. Rather than a specific intervention assessment, a comprehensive comparison showed that the Hubei control strategy implemented severe interventions characterized by unprecedentedly strict and 'monitored' self-quarantine at home, while the non-Hubei strategy included physical distancing measures to reduce contact among individuals within or between populations. In contrast with the non-Hubei control strategy, the Hubei strategy showed a much higher, non-linear and gradually diminishing protective effect with at least 3 times fewer cases.
CONCLUSIONS
A risk-based control strategy was crucial to the design of an effective response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Our study demonstrates that the stricter Hubei strategy achieves a stronger controlling effect compared to other strategies. These findings highlight the health benefits and policy impacts of precise and differentiated strategies informed by constant monitoring of outbreak risk.
Topics: COVID-19; China; Humans; Pandemics; Retrospective Studies; SARS-CoV-2
PubMed: 34399697
DOI: 10.1186/s12879-021-06502-z -
Ultrasonics Sonochemistry Oct 2023In biomedical research, ultrasonic cavitation, especially inertial cavitation (IC) has attracted extensive attentions due to its ability to induce mechanical, chemical...
In biomedical research, ultrasonic cavitation, especially inertial cavitation (IC) has attracted extensive attentions due to its ability to induce mechanical, chemical and thermal effects. Like ultrasound contrast agent (UCA) microbubbles or droplets, acoustic cavitation can be effectively triggered beyond a certain pressure threshold through the interaction between ultrasound and nucleation particles, leading to an enhanced thrombolytic effect. As a newly developed nanocarbon material, nitrogen-doped annealed nanodiamond (N-AND) has shown promising catalytic performance. To further explore its effects on ultrasonic cavitation, N-AND was synthesized at the temperature of 1000 °C. After systematic material characterization, the potential of N-AND to induce enhanced IC activity was assessed for the first time by using passive cavitation detection (PCD). Based on experiments performed at varied material suspension concentration and cycle number, N-AND demonstrated a strong capability to generate significant cavitation characteristics, indicating the formation of stable bubbles from the surface of the materials. Furthermore, N-AND was applied in the in vitro thrombolysis experiments to verify its contribution to ultrasound thrombolysis. The influence of surface hydrophobicity on the cavitation potentials of ND and N-AND was innovatively discussed in combination with the theory of mote-induced nucleation. It is found that the cavitation stability of N-AND was better than that of the commercial UCA microbubbles. This study would provide better understanding of the potential of novel carbonous nanomaterials as cavitation nuclei and is expected to provide guidance for their future biomedical and industrial applications.
PubMed: 37647744
DOI: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2023.106563