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Journal of Risk and Uncertainty 2021While much literature has focused on preferences regarding risk, preferences over skewness also have significant economic implications. An important and understudied...
UNLABELLED
While much literature has focused on preferences regarding risk, preferences over skewness also have significant economic implications. An important and understudied aspect of skewness preferences is how they affect risk taking. In this paper, we design a novel laboratory experiment that elicits certainty equivalents over lotteries where the variance and skewness of the outcomes are orthogonal to each other. This design enables us to cleanly measure both skewness seeking/avoiding and risk taking behavior, and their interaction, without needing to make parametric assumptions. Our experiment includes both left- and right-skewed lotteries. The results reveal that the majority of subjects are skewness avoiding risk takers who correspondingly also take more risk when facing less skewed lotteries. Our second contribution is to link these choices to individual rank-dependent utility preference parameters estimated using a separate lottery choice protocol. Using a latent-class model, we are able to identify two classes of subjects: skewness avoiders with the classic inverse s-shaped probability weighting function and skewness neutral subjects that do not have an inverse s-shaped probability weighting function. Our results thus demonstrate the link between probability distortion and skewness seeking/avoidance choices. They also highlight the importance of accounting for individual heterogeneity.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11166-021-09345-w.
PubMed: 33967390
DOI: 10.1007/s11166-021-09345-w -
The Journal of Pain Feb 2019Despite widespread use as a chronic pain management strategy, pacing has been linked with higher levels of pain and disability. A recent meta-analysis found a positive...
Despite widespread use as a chronic pain management strategy, pacing has been linked with higher levels of pain and disability. A recent meta-analysis found a positive correlation between existing measures of pacing and avoidance, which may partially account for these poorer outcomes. A measure was developed to differentiate pacing from avoidance by emphasizing non-pain-contingent pacing behaviors and nonavoidance of pain. A sample of 283 adults with chronic pain completed the Non-Avoidant Pacing Scale (NAPS) and existing measures of pacing, avoidance, pain, and physical and psychological functioning. Exploratory factor analysis of 10 items (subsample 1, n = 141) suggested two 4-item factors: planned pacing behaviors and pacing through flare ups. Confirmatory factor analysis of 8 items (subsample 2, n = 142) revealed satisfactory fit (goodness-of-fit index .947, comparative fit index .964). The pattern of correlations between each factor and avoidance and key outcomes suggests that the NAPS total scale (ɑ = .819) captures key pacing behaviors and differentiates pacing from avoidance. Unlike existing measures, the NAPS was not positively correlated with avoidance and was associated with better psychological functioning across affective and cognitive domains. The NAPS allows researchers and clinicians to assess the role of pacing in chronic pain management without artefactual overlap with avoidance. PERSPECTIVE: The NAPS assesses activity pacing in chronic pain without artefactual overlap with avoidance. Associations were found between more frequent pacing, as measured by the NAPS, and better psychological functioning. Clearly differentiating pacing from avoidance allows for accurate assessment of the role of pacing in chronic pain management.
Topics: Adaptation, Psychological; Adult; Aged; Avoidance Learning; Chronic Pain; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Motor Activity; Pain Measurement; Psychometrics; Reproducibility of Results; Time Factors
PubMed: 30278232
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2018.09.006 -
Annals of Medical and Health Sciences... Sep 2014Plagiarism has become more common in both dental and medical communities. Most of the writers do not know that plagiarism is a serious problem. Plagiarism can range from... (Review)
Review
Plagiarism has become more common in both dental and medical communities. Most of the writers do not know that plagiarism is a serious problem. Plagiarism can range from simple dishonesty (minor copy paste/any discrepancy) to a more serious problem (major discrepancy/duplication of manuscript) when the authors do cut-copy-paste from the original source without giving adequate credit to the main source. When we search databases like PubMed/MedLine there is a lot of information regarding plagiarism. However, it is still a current topic of interest to all the researchers to know how to avoid plagiarism. It's time to every young researcher to know ethical guidelines while writing any scientific publications. By using one's own ideas, we can write the paper completely without looking at the original source. Specific words from the source can be added by using quotations and citing them which can help in not only supporting your work and amplifying ideas but also avoids plagiarism. It is compulsory to all the authors, reviewers and editors of all the scientific journals to know about the plagiarism and how to avoid it by following ethical guidelines and use of plagiarism detection software while scientific writing.
PubMed: 25364588
DOI: 10.4103/2141-9248.141957 -
Deutsches Arzteblatt International Jan 2010A considerable percentage of children and adolescents who avoid school have mental illnesses. This article reviews the typical manifestations, classification,... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
A considerable percentage of children and adolescents who avoid school have mental illnesses. This article reviews the typical manifestations, classification, development, course, and treatment of school-avoiding behavior.
METHODS
Based on a selective review of recent literature, we present findings on the psychopathologically relevant features of school-avoiding children and adolescents, including psychiatric diagnoses, developmental, family-related, and psychological test variables. The emphasis is placed on our own studies of the subject.
RESULTS
Although the evidence from the studies that have been performed to date is not definitive, the available findings show that school avoidance is associated with poor mental health and with unfavorable consequences onward into adulthood. Its causes include a number of individual and social stressors that place excessive demands on the affected children and adolescents and lead them to avoid school as a coping attempt.
CONCLUSIONS
Many preventive and therapeutic interventions are now available, but the existing measures need to be better coordinated, and more effort needs to be directed to the early recognition and treatment of school-avoiding behavior. Physicians should consider the possibility of mental illness. Rather than writing sick notes or prescribing mother-child treatments at health resorts, which rather tend to sustain the problem, they should refer patients promptly to a child and adolescent psychiatrist.
Topics: Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior; Child; Child Behavior; Child Welfare; Germany; Humans; Personality Disorders; Prevalence; Psychology, Adolescent; Psychology, Child; Students
PubMed: 20165699
DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.2010.0043 -
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal... Dec 2011Neuro-immune interactions are widely manifested in animal physiology. Since immunity competes for energy with other physiological functions, it is subject to a circadian... (Review)
Review
Neuro-immune interactions are widely manifested in animal physiology. Since immunity competes for energy with other physiological functions, it is subject to a circadian trade-off between other energy-demanding processes, such as neural activity, locomotion and thermoregulation. When immunity is challenged, this trade-off is tilted to an adaptive energy protecting and reallocation strategy that is identified as 'sickness behaviour'. We review diverse disease-avoidant behaviours in the context of ingestion, indicating that several adaptive advantages have been acquired by animals (including humans) during phylogenetic evolution and by ontogenetic experiences: (i) preventing waste of energy by reducing appetite and consequently foraging/hunting (illness anorexia), (ii) avoiding unnecessary danger by promoting safe environments (preventing disease encounter by olfactory cues and illness potentiation neophobia), (iii) help fighting against pathogenic threats (hyperthermia/somnolence), and (iv) by associative learning evading specific foods or environments signalling danger (conditioned taste avoidance/aversion) and/or at the same time preparing the body to counteract by anticipatory immune responses (conditioning immunomodulation). The neurobiology behind disease-avoidant ingestive behaviours is reviewed with special emphasis on the body energy balance (intake versus expenditure) and an evolutionary psychology perspective.
Topics: Animals; Brain; Communicable Diseases; Energy Intake; Energy Metabolism; Feeding Behavior; Smell; Taste
PubMed: 22042916
DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2011.0061 -
Acta Informatica Medica : AIM : Journal... Jun 2020Telepediatric is one of the subspecialties of telemedicine that can be defined as the use of information and communication technology tools to offer healthcare services... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Telepediatric is one of the subspecialties of telemedicine that can be defined as the use of information and communication technology tools to offer healthcare services to children at a distance.
AIM
The use of telepediatric healthcare services for children living in rural or deserved areas may reduce the cost and time of travel to access these services. This study aims to review published papers that assess the percentage of avoided travel or referrals with the use of telepediatric.
METHODS
This is a systematic review study. PubMed database was searched in September 2019 to retrieve the published papers. The final 24 retrieved papers were assessed based on the variables such as modality, referral setting, specialty, continent, weight, and percentage of avoided travel. The multivariate linear regression model was used to estimate the percentage of travel avoidance by telepediatric.
RESULTS
The linear regression model was determined based on the provided specialty for telepediatric (cardiology, general (multi), and other (rehabilitation, dermatology, psychiatry, respiratory)) with R2 =0.41. The results showed that the mean percentage of avoided travel in cardiology specialty as a baseline was 56%. The use of telepediatric in the general (multi) and other specialties can avoid travel for 26.5% (p=0.02) and 85% (p=0.03) respectively.
CONCLUSION
This study showed that telepediatric could reduce travel at least 26.5% and maximal 85%. These results can be used by healthcare providers to decide on the implementation of successful telepediatric systems to reduce referrals.
PubMed: 32742065
DOI: 10.5455/aim.2020.28.124-129 -
Disaster Medicine and Public Health... Jul 2022During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), individuals' compliance with protective behaviors was the most effective strategy to break the infection chain and...
OBJECTIVE
During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), individuals' compliance with protective behaviors was the most effective strategy to break the infection chain and prevent disease spread, even with vaccine availability and use. Understanding protective behaviors within the Jordanian context will shape health promotion campaigns and guide decision-makers to facilitate required resources and support Jordanian citizens. The objective of this study was to identify personal protective (preventive and avoidant) measures used by the Jordanian population during the COVID-19 pandemic to protect themselves from infection.
METHODS
A cross-sectional study with an exploratory, descriptive design was used to collect data using an online self-reported questionnaire from Jordanian people. The survey included the Protection from Infection Scale and the Infection Avoidance Scale.
RESULTS
A total sample of 1053 Jordanian citizens was included in the study. The participants exhibited a moderate level of self-care behaviors and high levels of protective and infection avoidance behaviors. Their most common behaviors were getting enough sleep, wearing masks, washing hands, and avoiding travel to infected areas. Contrariwise, the least adopted behaviors were exercising, wearing gloves, and leaving their jobs or schools.
CONCLUSIONS
During pandemics, policy-makers must understand public concerns and protective behaviors, then provide them with tailored education through health promotion campaigns to enhance healthy behaviors.
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; Pandemics; SARS-CoV-2; Cross-Sectional Studies; Jordan; Avoidance Learning; Surveys and Questionnaires
PubMed: 35892228
DOI: 10.1017/dmp.2022.178 -
PloS One 2021Africa is home to some of the world's most functionally diverse guilds of large carnivores. However, they are increasingly under threat from anthropogenic pressures that...
Africa is home to some of the world's most functionally diverse guilds of large carnivores. However, they are increasingly under threat from anthropogenic pressures that may exacerbate already intense intra-guild competition. Understanding the coexistence mechanisms employed by these species in human-impacted landscapes could help shed light on some of the more subtle ways in which humans may impact wildlife populations, and inform multi-species conservation planning. We used camera trap data from Tanzania's Ruaha-Rungwa landscape to explore temporal and spatiotemporal associations between members of an intact East African large carnivore guild, and determine how these varied across gradients of anthropogenic impact and protection. All large carnivores except African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) exhibited predominantly nocturnal road-travel behaviour. Leopard (Panthera pardus) appeared to employ minor temporal avoidance of lion (Panthera leo) in all sites except those where human impacts were highest, suggesting that leopard may have been freed up from avoidance of lion in areas where the dominant competitor was less abundant, or that the need for leopard to avoid humans outweighed the need to avoid sympatric competitors. Lion appeared to modify their activity patterns to avoid humans in the most impacted areas. We also found evidence of avoidance and attraction among large carnivores: lion and spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta) followed leopard; leopard avoided lion; spotted hyaena followed lion; and lion avoided spotted hyaena. Our findings suggest that large carnivores in Ruaha-Rungwa employ fine-scale partitioning mechanisms to facilitate coexistence with both sympatric species and humans, and that growing human pressures may interfere with these behaviours.
Topics: Animals; Animals, Wild; Carnivora; Conservation of Natural Resources; Ecosystem; Humans; Tanzania
PubMed: 34506529
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256876 -
European Journal of Pediatrics Feb 2023Adverse food reactions have become an important health concern in pediatrics. There are discrepancies between diagnosed and self-reported food allergies and...
Adverse food reactions have become an important health concern in pediatrics. There are discrepancies between diagnosed and self-reported food allergies and intolerances, leading to food avoidance with possible psychological and nutritional implications in the latter. There is no data available so far on the number of children and adolescents, who reduce or completely avoid certain foods in their diet. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of children and adolescents in the Northwest of Switzerland, who omit foods from their diet because of a self-reported intolerance, as well as the prevalence of children and adolescents who eliminate well-tolerated foods for presumed health reasons. This is a cross-sectional study conducted in the Children's hospitals of Aarau and Basel (Switzerland) and in 4 pediatric private practices. A total of 2036 children and adolescents (54% male and 46% female) between 1 month and 18 years (mean age: 7.4 years) were included, of which 316 (16%) participants reported to avoid foods due to intolerance. Lactose intolerance is the most frequent one. In 55% of all cases, no medical tests had been performed to confirm such an intolerance. Avoiding tolerated foods for presumed health reasons was stated by 251 (12%) participants. Conclusions: Clinicians should be aware of the high frequency of food avoidance in the pediatric population due to true intolerance, functional diseases, or due to lifestyle reasons. Milk is the most avoided food and half of the affected patients avoid foods without guidance by professional dieticians, therefore risking possible negative impacts on their physical and mental health. Pediatricians should perform further investigations or advise nutritional guidance if an avoidance of foods or specific diets occurs. What is Known: • The prevalence of food intolerances in children and adolescents is unknown. • Eating behavior in children is influenced by the consumption of social media. What is New: • Based on this large cross-sectional study, it was shown that 16% of children and adolescents avoid foods, half of them without any medical advice. • Food avoidance is common among this Swiss cohort of children because of different reasons: lifestyle habits, functional diseases, true intolerances with possible consequences such as micronutrient deficiencies if not properly monitored.
Topics: Child; Humans; Male; Female; Adolescent; Food Intolerance; Switzerland; Cross-Sectional Studies; Food Hypersensitivity; Lactose Intolerance; Allergens
PubMed: 36512149
DOI: 10.1007/s00431-022-04755-7 -
PloS One 2012Adverse drug reactions in children are an important public health problem. We have undertaken a systematic review of observational studies in children in three settings:... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Adverse drug reactions in children are an important public health problem. We have undertaken a systematic review of observational studies in children in three settings: causing admission to hospital, occurring during hospital stay and occurring in the community. We were particularly interested in understanding how ADRs might be better detected, assessed and avoided.
METHODS AND FINDINGS
We searched nineteen electronic databases using a comprehensive search strategy. In total, 102 studies were included. The primary outcome was any clinical event described as an adverse drug reaction to one or more drugs. Additional information relating to the ADR was collected: associated drug classification; clinical presentation; associated risk factors; methods used for assessing causality, severity, and avoidability. Seventy one percent (72/102) of studies assessed causality, and thirty four percent (34/102) performed a severity assessment. Only nineteen studies (19%) assessed avoidability. Incidence rates for ADRs causing hospital admission ranged from 0.4% to 10.3% of all children (pooled estimate of 2.9% (2.6%, 3.1%)) and from 0.6% to 16.8% of all children exposed to a drug during hospital stay. Anti-infectives and anti-epileptics were the most frequently reported therapeutic class associated with ADRs in children admitted to hospital (17 studies; 12 studies respectively) and children in hospital (24 studies; 14 studies respectively), while anti-infectives and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were frequently reported as associated with ADRs in outpatient children (13 studies; 6 studies respectively). Fourteen studies reported rates ranging from 7%-98% of ADRs being either definitely/possibly avoidable.
CONCLUSIONS
There is extensive literature which investigates ADRs in children. Although these studies provide estimates of incidence in different settings and some indication of the therapeutic classes most frequently associated with ADRs, further work is needed to address how such ADRs may be prevented.
Topics: Child; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; Hospitalization; Humans; Outpatients
PubMed: 22403604
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0024061