bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How Does CSR Orientation of CEOs Associate with Financial Performance and Online Reputation: A Longitudinal Analysis
Authors: Thakur Shivani , Sharma Nidhi , Kar Arpan Kumar
Published: December 2023

This study aims to explore how CSR-related messages posted by CEOs on social media are beneficial in fostering social capital, which in turn impacts the FP and online reputation of the firm. The study also examines whether there is any difference in FP due to sharing of CSR-related messages by CEOs before and during the pandemic. Hierarchical regression is used to examine the influence of CEOs CSR related tweets on FP and online reputation. The study reveals that by posting CSR-related messages on Twitter, CEOs can build social capital available on social media, which leads to better FP and online reputation. Findings also indicate that there is no statistically significant difference in FP and online reputation of the firm due to sharing of CSR-related messages by CEOs before and during the pandemic. Our research makes a significant addition to the empirical studies of CSR, social media and social capital theory.
“This Is a Disease” and “Disease Has No Sin”: Discourse Constructions of Individuals With Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder With Regard to Being Diagnosed
Authors: Baltacı Sinem , Gençöz Tülin , Sarı Sevda
Published: December 2023

Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms have different cultural images in society. Deconstructive psychology studies can contribute to understanding the dominant discourse surrounding these patients, given the prevalence of OCD. The objective of this study was to investigate the discourse of participants regarding “having/receiving a diagnosis of OCD” and the function of this discourse. The research approach was qualitative and language-based, specifically employing Lacanian Discourse Analysis (LDA) perspective. The possible questions and prompts were determined along with the research team, and seven semi-structured interviews were conducted with six participants diagnosed with OCD. The interviews explored how participants referred to their diagnosis, the language they used, and the function of this discourse. The findings revealed that participants diagnosed with OCD insistently used the term “disease” to explain their peculiar and distressing situations, referring to “medical discourse” with expressions such as “This is a disease” and “This disorder.” Additionally, they often utilized “religious discourse” with the statements like “Disease has no sin” and “The sick and insane are exempt from their responsibilities.” The findings of the current research indicated that when individuals with OCD “receive a name” through a recognized diagnosis, they experience a sense of recognition and validation for their OCD-related problems. Consequently, individuals diagnosed with OCD tend to find “legitimacy” for their irrational or unwanted thoughts and behaviors by taking comfort from their diagnosis. This study provides valuable insights into an understanding of patients with OCD. The findings are discussed in the context of their implications for both theoretical and applied research.
Contrasting Experiences: Two Case Studies on Teenage Boys’ Perceptions of Unsolicited Dick Pics and Gender Dynamics at Two Schools
Authors: Berndtsson Kristina Hunehäll
Published: December 2023

The present article examines teenage boys’ perceptions of the practice of sending unsolicited dick pics and gender dynamics among peers at two lower secondary schools in Sweden. Drawing on focus group interviews as well as individual and pair interviews with ninth-grade students (14–15 years) from a rural working-class area and an urban middle-class area. The study indicates that class habitus has a significant influence on the boys’ perceptions and practices. In the rural working-class school, the boys had a humorous attitude towards the practice of sending unsolicited dick pics and were not aware that unsolicited sexting could be experienced as sexual harassment. In the urban middle-class school, one the other hand, the boys clearly distanced themselves from and expressed their strong disapproval of unsolicited dick pics, mainly due to their fear of girls’ power to portray boys as sexual harassers.
Computer-Assisted Drug Discovery of a Novel Theobromine Derivative as an EGFR Protein-Targeted Apoptosis Inducer
Authors: Eissa Ibrahim H , Yousef Reda G , Elkaeed Eslam B , Alsfouk Aisha A , Husein Dalal Z , Ibrahim Ibrahim M , El-Mahdy Hesham A , Elkady Hazem , Metwaly Ahmed M
Published: December 2023

The overexpression of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) marks it as a pivotal target in cancer treatment, with the aim of reducing its proliferation and inducing apoptosis. This study aimed at the CADD of a new apoptotic EGFR inhibitor. The natural alkaloid, theobromine, was used as a starting point to obtain a new semisynthetic (di-ortho-chloro acetamide) derivative (T-1-DOCA). Firstly, T-1-DOCA’s total electron density, energy gap, reactivity indices, and electrostatic surface potential were determined by DFT calculations, Then, molecular docking studies were carried out to predict the potential of T-1-DOCA against wild and mutant EGFR proteins. T-1-DOCA’s correct binding was further confirmed by molecular dynamics (MD) over 100 ns, MM-GPSA, and PLIP experiments. In vitro, T-1-DOCA showed noticeable efficacy compared to erlotinib by suppressing EGFRWT and EGFRT790M with IC50 values of 56.94 and 269.01 nM, respectively. T-1-DOCA inhibited also the proliferation of H1975 and HCT-116 malignant cell lines, exhibiting IC50 values of 14.12 and 23.39 µM, with selectivity indices of 6.8 and 4.1, respectively, indicating its anticancer potential and general safety. The apoptotic effects of T-1-DOCA were indicated by flow cytometric analysis and were further confirmed through its potential to increase the levels of BAX, Casp3, and Casp9, and decrease Bcl-2 levels. In conclusion, T-1-DOCA, a new apoptotic EGFR inhibitor, was designed and evaluated both computationally and experimentally. The results suggest that T-1-DOCA is a promising candidate for further development as an anti-cancer drug.
Mental health interventions for children and young people with long-term health conditions in Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services in England
Authors: King Thomas , Hui Gladys CM , Muschialli Luke , Shafran Roz , Ritchie Benjamin , Hargreaves Dougal S , Heyman Isobel , Griffiths Helen , Bennett Sophie
Published: December 2023

Background

Almost a quarter of children and young people (CYP) in England have a long-term health condition (LTC), which increases the risk of developing mental health difficulties. There is a lack of understanding regarding the routine provision and efficacy of mental health interventions for CYP with LTCs within Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services (CYPMHS).

Methods

This study analysed national service-reported data in England from two secondary datasets. Data were submitted by services between 2011 and 2019. We evaluated data on the presence or absence of a serious physical health or neurological issue, and which interventions were offered.

Results

A total of 789 CYP had serious physical health issues and 635 had neurological issues. The most common interventions delivered to CYP in either group have some evidence in the literature. Most CYP showed improvements across a range of outcomes.

Conclusions

This study found that prevalence rates and psychological intervention and outcome data were widely under-reported across both datasets, posing questions about their utility for this population. Such data would benefit from triangulation with data from other sources to understand pathways of care for these young people and the extent to which clinical datasets underreport the number of CYP with LTCs.
Good night versus goodbye? Comparing the mourning remarks of virtual and human uploaders through a data-mining approach
Authors: Mou Yi , Lan Jianfeng , Huang Yingjia
Published: December 2023

In response to the rapid growth in the popularity of virtual humans, this study investigates the attitudes and perceptions of young viewers, from Generation Z in particular, toward virtual uploaders (VTubers). We qualitatively and quantitatively compared the online mourning directed at the “demised” virtual uploaders and deceased human uploaders, and human celebrities through a data-mining approach. Two salient patterns emerge. The mourning remarks for virtual uploaders are considerably different from those concerning human celebrities. And the mourning remarks for the disembodied human uploaders are more consistent with those for virtual uploaders, but the remarks for embodied human uploaders are more in line with those for offline celebrities. Our findings suggest that young viewers are becoming accustomed to virtual beings in online environments and are beginning to treat humans like machines based on their similarities (the degree of embodiment in this case). Young generations immersed in virtual spaces may develop different concepts of life, demise, and even humanity.
Professional Quality of Life of Foster and Kinship Carers in Australia, United Kingdom, and the United States: A Scoping Review
Authors: McLaren Helen , Patmisari Emi , Huang Yunong
Published: December 2023

Professional quality of life (ProQOL) refers to workers’ subjective feelings associated with work involved in helping others who have experienced trauma. It consists of positive and negative aspects, that is, subscales of compassion satisfaction, and burnout and secondary traumatic stress. Foster and kinship caring inherently involves risks associated with exposure to the trauma responses of children in their care. This exposure can lead to poor ProQOL, carer attrition, and placement instability. While limited studies specifically explore ProQOL of carers, many studies have examined factors and interventions related to ProQOL. However, there is a lack of synthesis of these studies. To fill such a research gap, we undertook a scoping review of 70 empirical studies from Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, published from 2012 to 2022 reporting on ProQOL, and its related factors and concepts. We applied a multilevel ecosocial construct to examine complex interrelationships between private and governance settings to better understand factors related to ProQOL of carers and interventions aimed to improve it in these dynamic systems. In our review, some studies showed positive outcomes for carers, such as reduced stress or burnout associated with training. However, there was insufficient attention to factors associated with ProQOL at relational and sociopolitical levels. It is crucial to improve carers’ ProQOL or well-being to ensure their retention and placement stability. Long-term systemic improvements require interventions across different levels of the system.
Integrative Literature Review on People Analytics and Implications From the Perspective of Human Resource Development
Authors: Lee Jae Young , Lee Yunsoo
Published: December 2023

Although people analytics is a fast-emerging field with importance to HRD, HRD researchers still lack a comprehensive understanding of it. This study examines the current body of knowledge in people analytics through the lens of human resource (HR) development by performing an integrative literature review of 91 articles. This study identifies five categories of knowledge: (1) definitions and boundaries of terms, (2) building blocks of people analytics in organizations, (3) types of analytics, (4) ethical issues related to people analytics, and (5) applications of people analytics to the HRD field. This study makes theoretical and practical contributions to the field of HR development by exploring the current state of people analytics and people analytics’ application to HR development practice. It also enhances scholars’ understanding of people analytics within HR development boundaries and provides insights for future research. Finally, this study provides practical guidance for HR development practitioners seeking to leverage people analytics in their work.
A Systematic Meta-Review of Measures of Classroom Management in School Settings
Authors: Chow Jason C. , Sayers Robin , Fu Yang , Granger Kristen L. , McCullough Shannon , Kingsbery Corinne , Morse Ashley
Published: December 2023

The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic meta-review with the goal of documenting the landscape of measures of classroom management in the school-based literature. Our systematic search for systematic reviews and extraction of primary studies in the classroom management research yielded 73 studies for inclusion that captured 76 different classroom management measures. We present an inclusive repository of measures from the field. Results revealed high levels of variability in aspects of both scales and observational measures across a range of domains assessed. We discuss our descriptive analysis of the landscape of classroom management measures and provide implications for future work.
Assessing Classroom Management Practices: Setting the Stage for Effective and Equitable Intervention
Authors: Stevenson Nathan A. , McDaniel Sara , Hirsch Shanna E.
Published: December 2023

This introduction to the special series, “Assessing Classroom Management Practices: Setting the Stage for Effective and Equitable Intervention” overviews the importance of classroom management and how the field defines classroom management and previews the articles included in this special issue. The purpose of the special issue was to provide readers with wide-ranging assessment tools, their strengths, and weaknesses used to assess classroom management practices. This extends to how researchers analyze classroom management data and novel approaches to analyses. Readers will see the special issue leads with a thorough meta-analysis of existing classroom management assessment tools, followed by descriptions of other tools and related practices.
“I had Some Memories that Popped up Again From My Childhood:” Perspectives of Incarcerated Women on the Initiation and Continuation of Substance Use
Authors: Lutgen-Nieves Laura , Petty Taylor
Published: December 2023

Women’s incarceration has been increasing over the past several decades, representing an incredibly high-need population. Jailed women have the highest rates of substance use and mental health issues compared to other criminal legal populations. Their trajectories into crime differ from men, often attributed to trauma, substance use, and traditional heterosexual partnerships. Using a thematic analysis and data from 42 interviews with jailed women, the current study examines women’s decision to engage in substance use and continuation or cessation of use. Findings contribute to the literature on gendered-pathways by describing their perspectives. Findings inform recommendations for future research and policy implications.
Alterations and predictive value of blood routine parameters in patients with lupus enteritis: A retrospective study
Authors: Zhang Wen-Xin , Xiong Jin-He
Published: December 2023

Background

Lupus enteritis (LE) is prone to incorrect and missed diagnoses. LE primarily occurs during the active stage of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), which often manifests with alterations in peripheral blood cell that may serve as indicators of disease activity and organ damage. This study aims to investigate the alterations and predictive value of routine blood parameters for LE diagnosis.

Methods

This exploratory study retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 36 patients with SLE who were admitted to Suining Central Hospital between January 2006 and April 2023. Additionally, a control group consisting of 72 SLE patients without LE, matched for sex and age, was enrolled. A comparison was made between the two groups regarding clinical characteristics and changes in routine blood parameters. Binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were conducted to identify independent risk factors and evaluate their diagnostic performance for LE.

Results

The LE group exhibited significantly higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), along with a lower lymphocyte count (LYM), compared to the control group ( p < .05). Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that NLR independently predicted the onset of LE, with an odds ratio of 1.347 and a 95% confidence interval of 1.070–1.696 ( p < .01). ROC curve analysis demonstrated that NLR had an area under the curve of 0.68 for diagnosing LE ( p < .05). When the cutoff value was set at 2.44, the Youden Index was only 0.31.

Conclusion

Significant differences were observed in several routine parameters between patients with LE and the control group, which can be attributed to the occurrence of LE during the active stage of SLE. However, only the NLR emerged as an independent risk factor for LE,and its predicting vulue for was insufficient; no blood routine parameter has been identified as an reliable predictor for LE.
Why collective memory can never be pluriversal: A case for contradiction and abolitionist thinking in memory studies
Authors: Antweiler Katrin
Published: December 2023

Bringing together memory studies with the emerging field of contradiction studies, in this article, I suggest the need for an alternative way of thinking about collective memory by juxtaposing the ideal of wholeness that necessarily underlies any group’s identity with that of the inevitable contradiction of the plurivers. I discuss the power of the Western narrative order in regard to the Haitian Revolution and examples of mnemonic disharmony in contemporary Germany and seek to illuminate the epistemic violence constitutive of this narrative order. The article therefore interrogates memory study’s epistemological foundation and the practices in which these underpinnings result. The aim is to highlight the potential of contradiction in an attempt to pluriversify responses to the past as well as future visions for the worlds we live in. Special attention is paid to the question of what it is we hope for when attempting to (scholarly) contribute to making collective memory more inclusive, and where the limitations of this might lie. The purpose of my contribution, then, is to explore the tacit imperative of harmony that often remains unchallenged in memory studies, and to propose a shift in focus, from the ways in which memory might help us understand (e.g., current clashes of identities), toward a research agenda that is considerate of its own entanglements with power, yet, at the same time, lives up to its potential to contribute to transformation.
Ecologies of violence: Cultural memory (studies) and the genocide–ecocide nexus
Authors: Knittel Susanne C
Published: December 2023

Ecocide and large-scale ecological degradation raise critical questions regarding guilt, justice, and responsibility. The complexity and scale of ecological violence present a singular challenge for memory studies, especially when it comes to understanding how we are implicated in this violence. Often, the way ecological violence is framed as violence relies on repertoires, forms and conventions for representing and commemorating genocides and other acts of large-scale violence against humans. Moreover, cultural forms are able to reveal the historical, structural and discursive links between crimes against humanity and crimes against nature. To explore the implications of these ‘ecologies of violence’ for memory studies, this essay brings together two major strands in the field that have so far not intersected in a substantial way: the turn towards the figure of the perpetrator and to questions of guilt, complicity/implication on the one hand, and on the other, the turn towards the environment and the non-human. The increased interest in the question of perpetration and complicity has gone hand in hand with a critical interrogation of the perpetrator–victim–bystander triad and a shift towards more relational and dynamic conceptions of violence. The environmental turn in memory studies is beginning to rethink memory in terms of more-than-human temporalities or scales, as well as developing new conceptualizations of trauma and victimhood. The aim of this essay is twofold: first, it will briefly sketch each of these developments, bringing out possible points of convergence and divergence. Second, it will explore the potential for memory studies in bringing these two strands together, taking the re-emergence of tribunal theatre as a key example of the cultural imaginary of the genocide–ecocide nexus.
Beyond denial: Justifications of mass violence as an agenda for memory studies
Authors: Prade-Weiss Juliane , Markl Dominik , Petrović Vladimir
Published: December 2023

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 challenges memory studies to analyze transmissions of discourses which justify mass violence and challenge the focus on denial. On the one hand, the Russian regime’s claim to undertake “denazification” and prevent a “genocide” expounds the seminal role of cultural memory in politics. The weaponization of history, international law, and religion is widely accepted in Russian society and by global populisms. On the other hand, the invasion came as a surprise even to many experts because in politics, media, and research, justifications of mass violence are often dismissed as pretexts distracting from facts. Yet, the dismissal entails a major lacuna: we know too little about how justifications travel through societies and have a long-term impact. The article proposes that while acts of mass violence alter political and socio-economic realities, justifications of mass violence establish the linguistic and heuristic parameter for their subsequent juridical, moral, and scholarly evaluation. Normalizations of justifications contribute to perpetuating societal fault lines and set the frame for further conflict. The memory studies focus on transgenerational transmissions of psycho-social sequalae of violence laid the groundwork for understanding longue durée transmissions. However, memory studies have focused on denial as a key psychological and political driving force of transmissions, while, for instance, Russian and Serbian memory cultures are shaped by both denial and outright affirmations—not-even-denial—of past mass violence as model for present politics. Memory studies provide the appropriate conceptual space as a framework for addressing implicit normalizations and explicit affirmations of justifications of mass violence.
The user is dead, long live the platform? Problematising the user-centric focus of (digital) memory studies
Authors: Makhortykh Mykola
Published: December 2023

The rise of digital technologies has caused a major shift in memory studies. The unprecedented possibilities for storing and retrieving information enabled by platforms not only expand capacities for preserving memory-related content for individuals and collectives but also challenge existing memory power structures. An integral constituent of the scholarly assessment of these transformations is the increased focus on the memory actors’ agency and connectivity. Despite the importance of such a user-centric focus, the article argues that it can be limiting for the field of (digital) memory studies conceptually and methodologically. Under the condition when platforms and their algorithms turn into (hegemonic) memory actors themselves and determine what data memory scholars and the general public can (not) access, there is a pressing need for critically revisiting the key assumptions about memory in the digital age. To address this need, the article discusses the fundamental premises of a more infrastructure-centric approach to memory studies together with the conceptual and methodological implications of its adoption for studying individual and collective remembrance.
A new agenda for a consolidated field of studies: New and old themes of memory studies in Latin America1
Authors: Allier Montaño Eugenia , Granada-Cardona Juan Sebastián
Published: December 2023

Latin America is a very fertile region for memory studies, as evidenced by the publications that range from the founding works of Elizabeth Jelin to the most recent compilation works. It is important to recognize that this consolidated field of studies has traditionally revolved around victimization processes and, more recently, transitional justice. However, it is also a scenario for the renewal of memory studies, in tune with contemporary global debates such as (1) the new generations and post-memory; (2) the redefinition of the role of the state as guarantor of official and public memories and, added to this; (3) the new place (geographical, institutional) occupied by the citizenry. Based on an assessment that recovers both the founding studies in Latin America, as well as the main contributions of research on memory and violence (with emphasis on work on transitional justice, exile and new generations), here we identify the new lines of research that are being privileged by memory studies in the region, this in order to draw a new research agenda for the field, which registers both the renewal of traditional themes (e.g. systematic investigations on the engagements of the researchers regarding issues such as transitional processes, and violence against marginalized or repressed groups; or the need to reintroduce the field of corporeity to think about issues such as gender, violence, exile) and the emergence of new problems of urgent research (the field of crises and uncertainty).
The digital turn in memory studies
Authors: Mandolessi Silvana
Published: December 2023

This article examines the changes experienced by collective memory in the digital era. Contrary to the thesis that digital memory entails a new type of memory, which is radically different from the traditional conceptualization, I argue that the practice of digital memory materializes and implements the theoretical claims made by Memory Studies since the field’s inception – collective memory conceived as a process, mediated and remediated by multiple media, with the participation of dynamic communities that perform rather than represent the past. In the article, I address what I propose are the following four major transformations that collective memory has undergone in the digital era: (1) the new ontology of the digital archive; (2) the shift from narrative as a privileged form of collective memory to the cultural form of the database; (3) the reconfiguration of agency, in which a distributed memory is performed by human and non-human agents in a dynamic entanglement; and (4) the shift from mnemonic objects to mnemonic assemblages, comprising persons, things, artefacts, spaces, discourses, behaviours and expressions in dynamic relatedness.
Memory studies on the frontlines of the culture wars
Authors: Young Jessica K
Published: December 2023

On 6 January 2023, New College of Florida, a small public liberal arts college, made headlines when it was announced that prominent figures in the American culture wars were appointed to its board of trustees in an effort to turn this progressive institution into a test bed for right-wing educational reform. This pedagogical reflection examines how the culture wars enact illiberal legislative and curricular reforms that attempt do more than censor difficult histories, they seek to keep the traumatic past in the past. Teaching under increasingly precarious conditions, I argue that it is more important than ever to connect history to the present in our classrooms and offer insights into how a pedagogy of vulnerability might lead to reconciliation despite the right’s efforts to foment division and polarization.
Memory study as and through the socially responsive and meaningful design: A classroom experience
Authors: Blandón Gómez Hernando , Golovátina-Mora Polina
Published: December 2023

Using the case of an undergraduate graphic design course taught in a Colombian private university, this article focuses on ways of teaching memory – historical, collective, cultural and individual. The authors emphasize the importance of the critical and socially responsible approach in education. Drawn from critical pedagogies and affective memory studies, the authors discuss the journey of the students of rediscovering alternative realities of their city and country and learning to acknowledge the complexity of memory and multiple forms of its mediation in a socially fragmented post-conflict society.
Memory in action: Reflections on multidirectionality’s possibilities in the classroom
Authors: Barr Nicolaas P , Contreras Jazmine , Mellis Johanna
Published: December 2023

Our essay examines the use of multidirectional memory in three different classrooms and institutions. It reflects on the possibilities and challenges of a multidirectional framework for Europeanists seeking to teach students how to identify and/or commemorate historical linkages between minoritized groups, encourage students to develop bonds of solidarity among themselves, and diversify and globalize their syllabi. Reading authors such as W.E.B Du Bois, Amié Césaire, and William Gardener Smith through a multidirectional lens helped students place events such as the Holocaust, the Civil Rights Movement, and the Algerian Revolution in conversation with one another while staying attuned to the spaces between particularist and universalist readings of the past. Discussing media sources such as films La Haine and Battle of Algiers within this larger multidirectional context give students a frame with which to imagine alternative trajectories of memory and solidarity in Europe. Finally, by applying their understanding of multidirectional memory to a real-life scenario in a commemorative proposal, students attempt to grasp the never-finished complexities of creating liberatory, solidarity-based historical commemorations. We argue that the concept of multidirectional memory helps students to develop a stronger sense of investment in learning about the complex historical legacies of persecution of violence and to engage more critically with the competitive memory frameworks that remain dominant in contemporary political discourse about antisemitism and racism.
Developing a memory studies program: Lessons and challenges
Authors: Odak Stipe , Cordonnier Aline , Rios Oyola Sandra , Bouchat Pierre , Rosoux Valerie
Published: December 2023

The article results from the creation and implementation of a 1-year online Memory Studies Certificate Program at UCLouvain (Belgium). It describes the program designed by a team of researchers with different disciplinary backgrounds (i.e. sociology, political science, psychology, philosophy) and with different pedagogical styles. After this description, the article highlights key lessons informed by data from lecturers’ internal discussions and a survey involving the pioneer student cohort enrolled during the 2021–2022 academic year. This experience shows the importance of teaching as a way of contributing to field of Memory studies. As a counterpoint to the relentless publish-or-perish ethos, which often favors expedited dissemination of fragmented knowledge, creating a study program necessitates deep understanding and cohesive dialogue.
Beyond the “memory wars”: Teaching the next generation of Korean and Japanese students
Authors: Hong Seunghei Clara
Published: December 2023

Rooted in a bitter history and propelled by a motley sense of shame, resentment, and nationalism, memories of the colonial past remain fraught in South Korea and Japan. This article surveys the course “Beyond the ‘Memory Wars’: Reconciling the Past,” which was offered as part of a hybrid exchange program between Underwood International College at Yonsei University in Seoul, Korea and International Christian University in Tokyo, Japan, to assess the challenges and possibilities of teaching memory studies within a cross-cultural undergraduate classroom. While a mix of earnest curiosity, personal stakes, and healthy competition kept the students engaged, empathetic, and enthusiastic, they displayed a curious commitment to facts and truths. This was manifest in both their learning agility on-site and their mistrust of digital technology—even as they were thoroughly immersed in it. Perhaps owing to their generational milieu, students appeared to need more engagement with memory beyond institutionalized archives and systems of knowledge.
Burnout among European IBD specialists: a survey supported by ECCO
Authors: Dávid Anett , Volosin Márta , Farkas Klaudia , Resál Tamás , Keresztes Csilla , Rafael Beatrix , Molnár Tamás
Published: December 2023

Background:

Burnout remains a significant health concern within the healthcare sector. Numerous studies have explored burnout among gastroenterologists. However, as far as we are aware, there is currently no documented research specifically focused on burnout for specialists in the field of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Objective:

The aim of our study was to assess the extent of burnout, its determinants, and to analyze potential risk factors among European healthcare professionals who provide care to patients with IBD.

Methods:

We carried out a cross-sectional pilot study involving healthcare professionals responsible for the treatment of patients with IBD. A total of 102 participants (56.9% male, average age 48 ± 10.6) completed the anonymous multiple question open web survey. The survey consisted of four distinct psychological constructs (burnout, depression, somatization, and well-being), along with inquiries associated with sociodemographic, health-related, and work-related factors.

Results:

In our study, we observed that 47.1% of professionals specializing in IBD experienced burnout. When considering all three factors of burnout simultaneously, 5.9% of participants fell within the moderate range. Among these, depersonalization (DP) was the most prevalent factor, with 48% at a medium level and 47.1% at a high level. Depression, somatization, and well-being correlated with emotional exhaustion (EE) and DP, while only depression correlated with personal accomplishment (PA). Furthermore, age, physical activity, total time spent in healthcare, and time spent as an IBD specialist were correlated with EE. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that depression was the most dominant predictor of both PA and DP. In terms of work-related factors, we observed that having endoscopic access had a detrimental impact on burnout, while the presence of a dedicated IBD outpatient unit and opportunities to participate in multidisciplinary meetings had a positive effect on mitigating burnout.

Conclusions:

Our pilot study underscores the importance of burnout among IBD professionals in Europe, with a specific emphasis on DP. Subsequent studies may help to uncover the way underlying factors contribute to burnout, potentially laying the foundation for international support and prevention initiative programs.
Auditory function assessment in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Eid Hoda A , Eltrawy Heba H , Kabil Shaimaa E , Abou-Elhassan Hanaa A , Abdelshafy Rania , Aboseif Ahmed , Albalsha Abdullah M , Omar Fawzy M , Heggy Mohamed , Ibrahim Mostafa A , Moursi Ashraf , Elbwab Ahmed F , Atef Moaz , Kabil Ahmed E
Published: December 2023

Background:

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a multisystem disease with multiple comorbidities. Hearing is dependent on the cochlear functions that may be affected by oxygenation. Affection of hearing is problematic and represents a major concern that should be seriously investigated as an important comorbidity in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.

Objective:

To assess auditory status among chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients.

Methodology:

The current study was carried out at Al-Azhar University Hospitals, Cairo, from 1 August 2021 to 2022, including 120 participants. In addition to the control group (60 healthy participants), there were two study groups: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients with respiratory failure group (30 patients) and non-respiratory failure group (30 patients). Hearing functions were studied using pure tone audiometry, and auditory brain stem response.

Results:

There was statistically significant hearing impairment in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients in comparison to control group. The hearing impairment was more significant in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with respiratory failure group in comparison to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease without respiratory failure group. The auditory impairment shows a negative interrelationship with oxygen tension (PaO2) and a positive interrelationship with the smoking index.

Conclusion:

Hearing affection was meaningfully higher among chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients and more prominent in patients with respiratory failure. Hypoxia results in deterioration of pure tone audiometry and increased absolute and interpeak latencies in auditory brain stem response. At every frequency, the mean pure tone audiometry thresholds were higher for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease groups than control group albeit remaining in the mild to moderate area of hearing loss. Retro-cochlear affection was suggested among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease as evidenced with the prolongation of auditory brain stem response waves latencies.
The past and present of prostate cancer and its treatment and diagnostics: A historical review
Authors: Lehtonen Miikka , Kellokumpu-Lehtinen Pirkko-Liisa
Published: December 2023

The prognosis of local prostate cancer has improved drastically during the past 60 years. Similarly, the prognosis in metastatic stage is constantly improving due to a number of new pharmaceuticals introduced over the past 10 years. Previously, only palliative treatments were available for prostate cancer, but today, there are multiple options for treatment with curative intent: robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy, stereotactic radiotherapy and brachytherapy. Additionally, life-prolonging chemotherapeutic and androgen-suppressive treatments, as well as diagnostic imaging and staging, have improved considerably. This review summarizes the history of the treatment and diagnostics of prostate cancer, with a focus on the past 60 years. The aim was to provide a concise and easy-to-read introduction on the matter for all people that work with prostate cancer, as well as for patients. The literature was thoroughly examined covering the period from the earliest traceable records to the latest state-of-the-art studies.
Self-Efficacy of the Community Health Agent, Importance of Motivation and Empowerment
Authors: Núñez Cabrera Evelym , Cajachagua Castro Mayela , Huancahuire-Vega Salomón
Published: December 2023

Introduction:

The community health agent plays an essential role as a link between the community and health institutions; the effectiveness of their work is crucial in promoting health, prevention, and detection of diseases. Motivation and empowerment could affect the performance of the community agent in carrying out his work.

Objective:

To determine if work motivation and empowerment are factors associated with the self-efficacy of the community health agent.

Methodology:

Observational and cross-sectional study. The study included community health agents in the Non-Governmental Organization ADRA in Imbabura and Pichincha, Ecuador. The sample selected by the census method corresponds to 300 agents. The instruments were the Motivation at Work Scale (R-MAWS), the Psychological Empowerment Scale, and the Professional Self-efficacy Questionnaire (AU10). Descriptive statistical analyses were performed using dispersion and summary measures—a comparative analysis with chi-square. The inferential analysis was done through logistic regression where the B coefficient and the odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were evaluated, P < .05. The theoretical and adjusted model of the structural model allowed us to corroborate the association of the variables.

Results:

Motivation had a positive effect on self-efficacy (OR = 10.091, CI [5.509-18.485], P < .05), empowerment had a minimal effect (OR = 0.664, CI [0.363-1.214], P > .05), which is not significant to predict the perception of self-efficacy.

Conclusion:

This study suggests that to improve the self-efficacy of the work of community health agents, it is necessary to intervene through strategies that keep them motivated in the exercise of their mediation work between the community and health institutions. Likewise, empowering them would contribute to self-efficacy and thus help in the fulfillment of the functions of health agents.
Free and Charitable Clinic Perspectives on the Implementation and Utilization of Telehealth Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Parks Ashley V. , Sakowski Julie A. , Wear Andrew G. , Russell Ian , Nunnery Danielle
Published: December 2023

Background:

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic challenged healthcare providers to adapt their models of care and leverage technology to continue to provide necessary care while reducing the likelihood of exposure. One setting that faced a unique set of challenges and opportunities was free and charitable clinics. In response to the emerging pandemic, The North Carolina Association for Free and Charitable Clinics (NCAFCC) offered their 66 member clinics access to a telehealth platform, free of charge.

Objective:

This paper explores the varied perspectives of leaders in the NCAFCC member clinics regarding the implementation of telehealth services to facilitate continuity of care for patients during the height of the pandemic.

Design:

This qualitative study is part of a broader research effort to understand and contextualize the experience of implementing and using telehealth services by North Carolina free and charitable clinics during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The research team conducted 13 key informant interviews and employed thematic analysis and grounded theory to explore critical themes and construct a model based on the CFIR to describe the use of telehealth in free and charitable clinics.

Results:

Twelve clinic managers and executive directors from free and charitable clinics across the state participated in the key informant interviews providing their unique perspective on the experience of implementing telehealth services in a free and charitable clinic environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. When examined within the lens of the consolidated framework for implementation research (CFIR), 3 key themes emerged from the key informant interviews: mission driven patient centered care, resilience and resourcefulness, and immediate implementation.

Conclusions:

This study aligns with existing literature regarding telehealth implementation across other safety net provider settings and highlights the key implementation factors, organizational elements, provider perspectives, and patient needs that must collectively be considered when implementing new technologies, especially in a low-resource, high need healthcare setting. The study showcases the implementation climate, resourcefulness, and mission driven approach that allowed many NCAFCC clinics to respond to an emergent situation by adopting and implementing a telehealth platform in a period of 2 weeks or less.
Perspectives of Older Adults on COVID-19 and Influenza Vaccination in Ontario, Canada
Authors: Music Milena , Taylor Nicholas , McChesney Christopher , Krustev Christian , Chirila Alexandra , Ji Catherine
Published: December 2023

Introduction/Objectives:

Addressing vaccine hesitancy has become an increasingly important public health priority in recent years. There is a paucity of studies that have focused on vaccine hesitancy among older adults, who are known to be at greater risk of complications from infections such as COVID-19. We aim to explore the attitudes and beliefs of older adults regarding COVID-19 and influenza vaccines in Toronto, Ontario.

Methods:

Older adults enrolled in the Student Senior Isolation Prevention Partnership (SSIPP) program at the University of Toronto were contacted to participate in a phone survey and semi-structured interview. Survey data was analyzed descriptively, and attitude toward vaccination was compared between sociodemographic groups by using Fisher’s exact test. Interview audio files were transcribed verbatim and analyzed inductively for themes and sub-themes.

Results:

All thirty-three (100%) older adults reported that they had received the first and second doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Twenty-six (78.8%) participants reported intent to get vaccinated against influenza or had already received the influenza vaccine that year. Notably, only 2 out 7 (28.6%) individuals who did not plan to get vaccinated against influenza believed that vaccines offered by health providers are beneficial and only 3 out of 7 (42.9%) agreed that getting vaccines is a good way to protect oneself from disease. No other significant differences in attitudes among participants were found when compared by gender, ethnicity, or education level. The qualitative data analysis of interview transcripts identified 5 themes that impact vaccine decision making: safety, trust, mistrust, healthcare experience, and information dissemination and education.

Conclusions:

Our data showed that older adults in the SSIPP program generally had positive views toward vaccination, especially toward the COVID-19 vaccines. However, several concerns regarding the effectiveness of the vaccines were brought up in interviews, such as the speed at which the vaccines were produced and the inconsistency in government messaging.
Assessing Social Needs and Engaging Community Health Workers in Underserved Kansas Counties: Insights From Primary Care Providers and Clinic Managers
Authors: Bridges Kristina M. , LeMaster Joseph W. , Parente Daniel J. , Pacheco Christina M. , Schultz Christine , Morrow Emily , Corriveau Erin , Miras Neira Ton , Greiner K. Allen , Woodward Jennifer , Anders- Rumsey Jordan , Cirotski Daniel , Finocchario-Kessler Sarah , Ellerbeck Edward F.
Published: December 2023

Introduction:

Rural and under-resourced urban communities face unique challenges in addressing patients’ social determinants of health needs (SDoH). Community health workers (CHWs) can support patients experiencing social needs, yet little is known about how rural and under-resourced primary care clinics are screening for SDoH or utilizing CHWs.

Methods:

Interviews were conducted with primary care clinic providers and managers across a geographically large and predominately rural state to assess screening practices for SDoH and related community resources, and perspectives on using CHWs to address SDoH. Interviews were conducted by phone, recorded, and transcribed. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. We completed interviews with 27 respondents (12 providers and 15 clinic managers) at 26 clinics.

Results:

Twelve (46.1%) clinics had a standardized process for capturing SDoH, but this was primarily limited to Medicare wellness visits. Staffing and time were identified as barriers to proper SDoH screening. Lack of transportation and affordable medication were the most cited SDoH. While respondents were all aware of CHWs, only 8 (30.8%) included a CHW on their care team. Perceived barriers to engaging CHWs included cost, space, and availability of qualified CHWs. Perceived benefits of engaging CHWs in their practice were: assisting patients with navigating resources and programs, relieving clinical staff of non-medical tasks, and bridging language barriers.

Conclusions:

Rural and under-resourced primary care clinics need help in identifying and addressing SDoH. CHWs could play an important part in addressing social needs and promoting preventive care if financial constraints could be addressed and local CHWs could be trained.