bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identity Transformation through Collaboration
Authors: Thompson James
Published: September 2016

Presenting narratives of three recent graduates of a U.S. Master of Architecture program, this study employs an interpretative-narrative approach to access and evoke the role that collaboration plays in the process of ‘becoming a design professional'. Whereas ontological learning has been recognized as fundamental to life-long learning and development, research has yet to explore themes of self-authorship in relation to collaborative design experiences. In representing authentic voices of learners, the research presented in this chapter contributes to a deeper understanding of the ways in which aspiring design professionals make sense of their transformation from academic to professional selves. This will ultimately inform how design educators value and structure team-based design projects by providing a more holistic understanding of the role such projects might play in shaping individuals' identities.
Current Issues in Psychological Fitness-for-Duty Evaluations of Law Enforcement Officers
Authors: Mayer Martin J. , Corey David M.
Published: September 2016

Courts throughout the United States have ruled that that the “awesome powers” entrusted to law enforcement officers, and the safety-sensitive nature of their positions, impose on their public employers a responsibility to ensure that they are fit to perform their duties. But, as with an officer's powers, the authority of a police employer to mandate a psychological fitness-for-duty evaluation (FFDE) is not without boundaries. This chapter addresses the legal authority of a police employer to require an FFDE, the limits to that authority, and the implications of these constraints both for police employers and the psychologists who conduct these evaluations on their behalf. Written by two prominent experts in police employment law and police psychology, this chapter concerns itself with both the law and professional standards of practice. Key topics include the legal threshold for requiring an FFDE, limitations to the content of an FFDE report, and evaluator qualifications.
Law Enforcement Officer Suicide
Authors: Clark Daniel W. , White Elizabeth K.
Published: September 2016

Suicide is a serious public health problem that impacts individuals, families, communities, and law enforcement personnel. More than 42,000 completed suicides were counted in the United States in 2014. Suicide has long been a concern within law enforcement. In this chapter, the authors explore the current status of Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) suicide research and dispel the myth that officer suicides are dramatically higher than in the general population. We then review general information on suicide prevention, and supplement this general information with law enforcement-specific risk factors, warning signs, variables, tips, and recommendations for intervention and postvention. Additionally, we suggest a range of available resources for further consideration.
Health and Wellness Programming
Authors: Kelly Jennifer , Hoban Jack E.
Published: September 2016

The health and wellbeing of our police community has rightfully become a top priority to ensure the viability of this critically important workforce. This chapter defines officer wellbeing, identifies stressors inherent in policing, and explores the impact of stress upon police officers. The potential contributions of an ethical mindset to officer wellbeing are considered, including the concept of the officer as Ethical Protector. Important elements of health and wellness programs are reviewed, with an emphasis on developing resources that support police officers' physical, mental, emotional, and social wellbeing. Police agencies are encouraged to draw from model programs and national guidelines to develop sustainable, cost-effective health and wellness programs. Such efforts are likely to fit local needs, foster positive community relations, and support police officer resiliency.
Social Climate Change and the Modern Police Department
Authors: Bradford Adrienne C. , McElroy Heather K. , Rosenblatt Rachel
Published: September 2016

The advent of social media, blogs, smartphones, and the 24-hour all access news channels make information available to us constantly on the television, the internet, and even while mobile. This chapter highlights contemporary social and generational trends including the arrival of the Millennial generation into the workforce, legalization of marijuana, the mainstream acceptance of body art as a form of self-expression, and the influence of mass media on the lives of police officers, particularly in officer-involved shootings. These emerging factors challenge law enforcement managers to consider complex issues in the workplace while maintaining the core values, camaraderie, and professional standards inherent in policing. The public safety psychologist's role is also evolving with new technology, social developments, and organizational challenges. This chapter aims to encourage dialogue between mental health professionals, law enforcement managers, and policy-makers.
Emerging Ethical Issues in Police and Public Safety Psychology
Authors: McCutcheon Jeni L.
Published: September 2016

This chapter presents commonly experienced ethical dilemmas among police and public safety psychologists. Real-world, relevant examples are offered with an emphasis on emerging ethical issues. Related American Psychological Association (APA) ethical principles and standards for psychologists and codes of conduct are highlighted. The possibility that ethical dilemmas go unrecognized due to a focus on mandatory rather than aspirational ethics is considered. Solutions for resolving ethical dilemmas are presented.
Higher Education Transitions and Autism
Authors: Browning Scott , Pease Loren
Published: September 2016

This chapter intends to examine the segment of adolescent and young adult development; particularly, how interactions with academic establishments create difficult challenges. In the first part of the chapter we review the ASD from neurological angle. Then, we discuss the general problems with counseling of those on the spectrum. The chapter then continues by examining the decisions that individuals on the spectrum and their parents must make. Parents need to make decisions with their children on the spectrum as to level of involvement; the specific concerns needed to be addressed are examined. This chapter also looks at the specific issues that institutions of higher learning need to address if they intend to label themselves as “autism-friendly institutions.” Each office within a college needs to make some adjustments in order to properly serve students on the autism spectrum, and this chapter examines the role of the counseling center, dean's office, academics and residential living.
The Social Experiences of College Students on the Autism Spectrum
Authors: Altman Kate
Published: September 2016

As children on the autism spectrum age out of the K-12 system, many will go on to attend college. Often, they are intellectually capable and academically prepared for the college curriculum, but struggle when faced with the new social challenges posed by their new school setting and young adulthood in general. This book chapter offers information about the social experiences of college students with ASD, gleaned from a qualitative, phenomenological study using semi-structured interviews with college students on the spectrum. The results offer insights that are interesting and informative for prospective and current college students and their parents, educators at the high school and college level, and college staff working with students with ASD. Results of the study revealed some common themes, such as: the participants reported feeling socially accepted at college and have made friendships, college has had a positive impact on self-esteem; use of individual counseling and ASD support groups improve socialization.
Remediation and Assistive Technologies for Communication Deficits in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Beals Katharine
Published: September 2016

This chapter surveys and critiques the existing and emerging remediation technologies and assistive technologies targeted at verbal communication deficits in individuals with autism spectrum disorders. Focusing on deficits in grammar/syntax and pragmatics (language use), we examine remediation technologies that teach sentence-level comprehension, sentence-level production, and productive pragmatics. We then examine assistive technologies for sentence-level production and productive pragmatics. Throughout, we explore pedagogical strategies, questions of efficacy, and what to look out for in selecting technologies. We conclude with a discussion of the importance of ensuring that the goals of assistive technologies complement rather than undermine the goals of remediation technologies.
Technological Tools and Interventions to Enhance Learning in Children with Autism
Authors: Sharma Anurag , Khosla Arun , Khosla Mamta , Yogeswara Rao M.
Published: September 2016

Recent years have witnessed an alarming rise in the number of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). These children have special needs and hence require different kind of learning mechanisms as well as access to technological interventions that offer extra means of building links for an individual. This heightened focus includes services and interventions combined with technological advances that redefine how support and instruction can be provided. This chapter presents an overview of emerging technology tools such as Virtual Environment (VE)/Collaborative Virtual Environment (CVE), therapeutic robots, language tools, multimedia handheld devices, floor/table top projectors along with different interventions that have been used to enhance different learning skills in children with ASD.
Social Stories in Robot-Assisted Therapy for Children with ASD
Authors: Silvera-Tawil David , Strnadová Iva , Cumming Therese M.
Published: September 2016

Mobile technology devices are commonly used as assistive technology to support children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in gaining skills in interpersonal communication. While considered generally safe and effective, there are concerns that a child that is taught to communicate through interactive technologies may become dependent on the virtual world and its rewards, while interpersonal skills are sacrificed or not generalized to real world settings (Bauminger-Zviely, Eden, Zancanaro, Weiss, & Gal, 2013). This chapter theorizes that the anthropomorphic embodiment of humanoid robots may provide a compromise between the real and the virtual worlds. The authors suggest that a humanoid robot can use social stories within an Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) framework to support the acquisition of social interaction skills of children with ASD. The objective of this chapter is to contribute to the current literature by providing a description of this intervention and make suggestions for its implementation using a case study approach.
Potential of Human Tracking in Assistive Technologies for Children with Cognitive Disabilities
Authors: Tsun Mark Tee Kit , Theng Lau Bee , Siswoyo Hudyjaya , Lau Sian Lun
Published: September 2016

The development of human tracking systems has had a significant influence over the evolution of Assistive Technologies for aiding children with cognitive disabilities. Techniques that range from radio frequency, Inertial Measurement Units, and Electroencephalography to the Global Positioning System and depth-based vision systems have provided tools for researchers to incorporate indoor and outdoor localization, motion and activity tracking as well as well-being monitoring into their projects. This chapter aims to introduce the latest human tracking options to consider for implementation of future Assistive Technology projects. Some example research work is discussed with emphasis on how human tracking systems can help in gathering the right data. The chapter concludes with a discussion of a proposed hybrid vision-based system for assisting in full-time supervision of children with cognitive disabilities, utilizing the chapter's central theme of sensor fusion application.
The Use of iPad® Devices and “Apps” for ASD Students in Special Education and Speech Therapy
Authors: O'Connor Jr. Johnny R. , Jackson Keonta N.
Published: September 2016

This chapter presents an examination of the various uses of iPads and applications (“apps”) for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in special education and speech therapy settings. Although many individuals view these technologies as less academic and as more entertainment or “busy tasks,” if appropriately vetted, and with proper training, they can serve a significant purpose in the lives of individuals with ASD. Using this technology in educational and therapeutic environments can further extend the often static approach to education and therapy treatments to a more fluid and flexible approach meeting the varied and individualized needs of students with ASD.
Use of Information and Communication Technologies Tools to Capture, Store, and Disseminate Indigenous Knowledge
Authors: Dlamini Petros Nhlavu
Published: September 2016

This chapter explores the role played by Information and Communication Technology tools in the management of indigenous Knowledge in general. Of importance to note, therefore, is the fact that the emergence of Information and Communication Technology tools has opened new avenues in Indigenous Knowledge Management (IKM) which have the potential of playing important roles in the society by making the valuable knowledge available to everyone who recognizes and uses it. Given the nature of indigenous knowledge which is commonly exchanged through personal communication and demonstration exemplified as deriving from the master to the apprentice, from the parents to the children, from the one neighbour to the other and so on. Information and Communication Technology tools appear to be providing as a solution in forestalling the possible extinction of IK.
Indigenous Knowledges and Knowledge Codification in the Knowledge Economy
Authors: Shizha Edward
Published: September 2016

The production, dissemination and archivization of knowledge are important processes in contemporary knowledge economy. Questions on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) arise when Indigenous Knowledges (IKs) are examined and evaluated on how they benefit the knowledge economy and development. These questions seem to be addressed in terms of dominant epistemological ideologies based on Eurocentric knowledge production philosophies embedded in positivism and how knowledge is codified and patented. The purpose of this chapter is to examine the process and effect of codification and on IKs. The chapter argues that while knowledge codification is necessary for IKs to be preserved and archived, it is important not to lose sight of the communal ownership of the knowledges and to protect them from exploitation and appropriation. The chapter concludes that while codification of IKs and intellectual property rights are controversial, for IKs to play their full role in socioeconomic development they cannot be left out of codification that is pervasive in today's knowledge economy and society.
Garnering Faculty Buy-In to Improve Online Program Quality
Authors: Pollard Terry
Published: September 2016

This case study details the implementation of the Online Learning Consortium's Scorecard for the Administration of Online Programs to assess quality and standards adherence within an allied health sciences school at a research university. The scorecard is comprised of seventy-five standards. Twenty-four faculty comprised the scoring committees. Artifacts were identified and collected by the director of distance learning. Programs involved include dental hygiene, health sciences, radiologic sciences, health informatics and information management, and health administration. These online programs, which lead to baccalaureate, masters, and doctoral degrees, are taught primarily by full-time clinical faculty, approximately 90% of whom hold the terminal degree in their field.
Exploring Chinese Faculty Perceptions of Quality Standards for Online Education
Authors: Dai Dave , Dirkx John M.
Published: September 2016

This chapter explores how U.S. quality indicators for online education are perceived by Chinese online faculty. Thirty-one quality indicators from the U.S. literature were analyzed to develop a survey that was administered to 400 Chinese online faculty and their teaching assistants at a Chinese institution. The results indicate that U.S. quality indicators for online education are perceived by Chinese faculty as relevant and valuable. Based on responses to this survey, however, the U.S. based standards do not fully capture the essence of quality for online education because these indicators focus more on inputs rather than outcomes. The findings underscore the importance of the local settings in determining the characteristics of online education quality. Chinese scholars and administrators should not blindly adopt quality standards from other countries but use them as tools to help Chinese universities develop their own standards to improve quality of their online education programs.
From 0 to 60
Authors: Borasi Raffaella , Fredericksen Eric , Miller Dave
Published: September 2016

This chapter reports findings from the case study of a school of education that had not previously engaged in online education and within two years was able to offer a total of 61 online courses (ranging from hybrid to fully online) as part of its existing programs, with high student and faculty satisfaction as well as limited upfront investments. With the goal of informing academic leaders planning similar online initiatives, the chapter examines how this start-up was realized, with a focus on how the school secured quality online instructors, other key resources and infrastructures, student and faculty buy-in, consistent policies and expectations about online courses, as well as how decisions were made about the specific courses to be offered online. This study was informed by entrepreneurship as a theoretical lens to study innovations.
A New Model of Online Student Service in the Digital Age
Authors: Reissman Sallie A.
Published: September 2016

During the fall 2011 semester, 1,089 students dropped an online course at Wilmington University. This loss totaled 11.8% of the initial online enrollment for the fall semester. This number is in staggering contrast to the drop rate for an on-campus course at the university: 6.6%. This chapter uses Wilmington University as a case study to explore why this problem exists and how to solve it: using student survey and administrative data to look at student expectations and satisfaction with current academic and co-curricular services; technical and service needs associated with online learning factors that facilitate course completion and recommend interventions to help keep students on track to complete courses.
Ensuring Quality
Authors: Smith Arthur Richardson
Published: September 2016

A varied set of major stakeholders in higher education results in diverse perspectives on what entails quality in online higher education. Learners, employers, accreditation agencies, funding and regulatory authorities, and higher education institutions exist for different purposes. Yet, all have a common interest in the success of the learners' education. Examining the faculty role in ensuring quality in online higher education, developing a working definition of that role, and identifying considerations for faculty practice that are essential to achieving that end is the purpose of this chapter. The chapter conveys and explains the results of a thematic analysis of the requirements and expectations of the major stakeholders, their contribution toward the formulation of the working definition of the faculty role, their contribution toward the identification of significant considerations for faculty in exercising their role, and makes recommendations for further investigation.
Ready-to-Teach Online Courses
Authors: Quinn Pamela K. , Mason Diane , Shelton Kaye
Published: September 2016

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the roles and attitudes of experienced full-time and part-time community college faculty members teaching online courses, pre-produced by a subject matter expert, an advisory committee, and a development team. Interviews conducted with five full-time and five part-time professors were analyzed for textual and structural descriptions to understand the essence of faculty attitudes and roles toward using a ready-to-teach master course with online students. Data revealed that faculty members associated personal teaching experience with the quality of the course and that instructors were not resistant to teaching with master courses, provided the courses afforded flexibility for modifications. In addition, faculty research participants were highly satisfied in present roles because the ready-to-teach courses worked well for instructors and students while meeting the faculty members' personal and professional needs.
Improving the Quality of Online Learning Environments
Authors: Khan Komar Parveen
Published: September 2016

In spite of the numerous changes in technology in the past decades, designers continue to utilize traditional instructional design models as a foundation for designing teaching and learning materials, which may not be suited for the design and development of online learning environments. A study was conducted to investigate the characteristics of an online-specific design model called Proactive Design for Learning (PD4L) (Sims, 2012; Sims & Jones, 2003) and its ability to address limitations of traditional design models. The study was conducted to examine in what ways the PD4L model would contribute to enhance the quality of online learning. Based on this research, this chapter will be able to provide readers with ideas on the ways the elements of an online specific model can serve as design guidelines, a framework or “a set of guiding principles” (Sims, 2011) for designers and developers to create quality teaching and learning environments.
Designing Blended Learning Strategies for Rich Content
Authors: Politis Dionysios , Tsalighopoulos Miltiadis , Kyriafinis Georgios
Published: September 2016

Today, an immense amount of photorealistic and high quality medical information circulates over the Internet, whether copyright protected and distributed under license from learning portals or simply freely available. Certified textual data along with audiovisual material that has been gathered from medical professional practices may be used for the production of learning objects for multimedia learning. The use of Content Management Systems (CMS) and Virtual Learning Environments (VLE) allow a vast array of images, videos, animations and sounds to be offered through e-Learning. In many professions, e-Learning is the norm. Accordingly, in medicine there is a tendency to blend in the first years of study more and more online material that leads to extensive multimedia learning. However, not all clinical courses within hospitals and examinations can be replaced by media rich content.
Health in MENA
Authors: Alami Randa
Published: September 2016

This chapter argues that health is an essential pillar of growth, and that ensuring Universal Health Coverage is a key pre-requisite for equitable and inclusive development. MENA health systems are far from meeting this challenge, because of clear developmental failures and lack of political will, not to mention wars. At present, MENA health systems are fragmented, inefficient, and deficient, delivering often mediocre, urban centered, tertiary care. They exclude large swathes of the population, particularly the poor, resulting in persistent disparities and inequities. Because of privatization, the neglect of public health, and defective social protection, MENA citizens shoulder some of the highest financial burdens amongst developing regions, which worsen and deepen poverty. To meet its health challenges and achieve inclusive development, governments need to revamp their public health sectors, and play a more central role in protecting the poor and vulnerable. MENA must invest in health, equity and development.
Infectious Diseases and Climate Vulnerability in Morocco
Authors: Behnassi Mohamed , Kahime Kholoud , Boussaa Samia , Boumezzough Ali , Messouli Mohammed
Published: September 2016

Climate change is expected to affect the distribution, prevalence and life cycle of several infectious diseases. This scenario is relevant to Morocco since the country is considered by many IPCC assessments reports as a climate change hotspot with a high vulnerability to many expected impacts. Given this existing vulnerability, this chapter aims to highlight relevant vector-borne diseases, the risks of their reemergence in many vulnerable regions and the pressing need to understand their dynamics within a context marked by knowledge gaps and limited scientific evidence; underline the problematic aspects of health adaptation to climate change and the current difficulties in terms of policy and governance to manage climate-health linkages; and finally undertake an assessment of Morocco's adaptive capacity from a health perspective and formulate recommendations for effective climate-health governance and policy.
Promoting Health Literacy in Global Health Care
Authors: Kasemsap Kijpokin
Published: September 2016

This chapter emphasizes the prospect of health literacy; the evaluation of health literacy level; health literacy and health communication; health literacy and health information; and the current issues of health literacy in global health care. Good health literacy is important because patients are living longer and experiencing a wider range of health issues. Health professionals must commit to promoting for improved health literacy in health care organizations and should establish the specific health care goals toward improving health literacy in strategic plans, performance plans, programs, and educational initiatives. Health professionals can utilize a broad range of health communication strategies to ensure patients understand their options and share their health care decisions. Through health education and training, effective health information can help promote patients' health literacy level in global health care.
Laboratory Information Management Systems
Authors: Colangeli Patrizia , De Massis Fabrizio , Cito Francesca , Mercante Maria Teresa , Ricci Lucilla
Published: September 2016

The Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) is recognized as a powerful tool to improve laboratory data management and to report human health as well as veterinary public health. LIMS plays an essential role in public health surveillance, outbreak investigations, and pandemic preparedness. The chapter aims is to provide an overview of LIMS use in veterinary fields as well as to report 20 years of experience of a Veterinary Public Institute in working with LIMS, illustrating the features of the LIMS currently in use in the institute and highlighting the different aspects that should be considered when evaluating, choosing, and implementing a LIMS. In depth, the chapter illustrates how LIMS simplifies the accreditation path according to ISO IEC 17025 and the role in the epidemiology and veterinary public health. For this aspect, it is very important to collect clear data, and for this reason, a LIMS has to activate formal checks and controls on business rules. To facilitate this issue, an interconnection between LIMS and other applications (internal or external to laboratory) could be improved to allow automatic data exchange. At the same time, the unique data encoding at national/international level should be used.
Developing SMS Health Messages for Pregnant Indigenous Australians Using Persuasive Technology
Authors: George Reece
Published: September 2016

While developed nations search for solutions to pay for the increasing financial burden of healthcare, developing nations provide a way forward in the deployment of innovative healthcare. Mobile SMS programs are low-cost and effective in supporting health services. Having been successfully used to address lifestyle factors directly affecting maternal outcomes, such as: smoking, physical activity, nutrition, substance use and psychological stressors. Of primary importance in the development of SMS behavior change programs to support the maternal healthcare of Indigenous Australian women, is cultural appropriateness; specifically, the cultural notion of ‘women's business'. In traditional Indigenous Australian culture, it is senior women who teach young women about maternal health and it is considered offensive for anyone other than a senior woman to instruct women on such matters. This discussion will consider the challenges in developing maternal healthcare SMS messages that aim to satisfy both the culturally sensitive requirements in addition to the medical requirements.
Twitter and Its Role in Health Information Dissemination
Authors: Dumbrell Dan , Steele Robert
Published: September 2016

The utilization of micro-blog-based systems for the dissemination of health-related information offers a number of potential benefits. In this chapter, the authors describe a study of such micro-blog-based dissemination of health information by Australian health-related organisations through the manual categorization of over 4,700 tweets posted during a defined sample period. These tweets were analysed in relation to the sector of the tweeting organisation, health condition area, type of information in the micro-blog post, and level of retweeting. The particular category of public health-related tweets is also analysed in greater detail. This chapter differs from previous health and Twitter-related studies in that it: 1) seeks to characterize the overall and relative Twitter activity of health-related organisations for the sector across a whole nation, rather than collecting a sample matching a specific keyword or health condition; and 2) carries out a more semantically deep analysis of the content of those tweets, hence the manual analysis-based methodology adopted.
The Philippine Health Care Delivery System and Health Expenditure
Authors: Işık Abdulkadir , Gunda Abdulhamid Mauyag , Topçu Birol
Published: September 2016

Health is recognized by the Philippine constitution as a basic human right. The Philippines, compared to most Asian countries, produces more and better human resources for health. However, the Philippines are challenged by attracting and retaining staff in the under-served areas of the country. Philippine allotted 4.2-4.4% of its GDP to health from 2009 to 2011. Furthermore, considerable inequities in health care access and outcomes between Socio-economic groups remain. The Phil Health's limited breadth and depth of coverage has resulted in high levels of out of pocket payments. The implementation of the reforms in financing, service delivery and regulation which are aimed to tackle the inefficiencies and inequalities in the health system has been challenged by the decentralized environment and the presence of private sector, often creating fragmentation and variation in the quality of health services across the country.
An Investigation of the Application of New Media and Its Impact on Taiwan Health Communication
Authors: Hung Rose , Hsu Pi-Fang , Tsai Chia-Wen
Published: September 2016

Along with the rise of social networks and mobile media, health communication models also change with each passing day. Compared to traditional media, are the new media more effective to achieve the dissemination of health knowledge, or help people and patients to implement lifestyle adjustments? With the shift in modern lifestyles, social media have revolutionized health communication. The means and channels for health communication are now very diversified. In order to assess the influence of social media in health communication, this study analyzed the “1922 Prevention Expert”, a campaign launched by Taiwan's Centers for Disease Control. In this study, the researchers collected data through interviews and a survey to investigate the use and outcomes of social media in health communication and explores how to use social media well in health communication.
The Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Various Dietary Practices and Intervention Possibilities to Reduce This Impact
Authors: Green Celia , Joyce Andrew , Hallett Jonathan , Hannelly Toni , Carey Gemma
Published: September 2016

This chapter examines the link between dietary choices and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and possible interventions to reduce this impact. The connections between climate change, food systems and public health are explored. It is shown that there is variance in the impact of different food types on GHG emissions, with animal products having the greatest impact. The role of food system activities in the production of GHG emissions is also explored. Dietary choices and GHG emissions are examined using case studies from a variety of countries. Results show that reduced animal food production has increased potential to reduce GHG emissions compared to technological mitigation or increased productivity measures. Finally, a systems science approach is used to explore possible interventions aimed at reducing consumption of animal products.
Community Development and Faith-Based Organizations
Authors: Wrightman Stephanie
Published: September 2016

This chapter is a reflection of analyses, experiences and research on the opportunities and challenges of working with faith-based organisations (FBO's) in the context of global health. The purpose of this chapter is to demonstrate the important role that FBO's have with state and non-state actors in the development of communities in complex contexts. The role of FBO's in development are demonstrated in reference to the Author's work experience with FBO's, which form case studies in East Africa, and Timor Leste. Further analyses through literature build on these experiences to demonstrate the leading role FBO's can have with state and non-state actors, and the effects on public health. In the case study of Timor Leste, suggestions are proposed to overcome challenges and build on the opportunities of state and non-state actors incorporating the Catholic Church into health programs.
Spatial Aspects of Mortality Rates and Neighborhood Environmental Characteristics in Seoul Mega City Region, South Korea
Authors: Joo Yoohyung , Lee Hee Yeon
Published: September 2016

This study of the spatial patterns of standardized mortality rates (SMRs) in Seoul Mega City Region (SMCR) explores whether neighborhood characteristics affect mortality rates and identifies important determinants of spatial disparity in mortality rates in SMCR. Spatial patterns of mortality rates show a strong positive spatial autocorrelation, suggesting that mortality rates are spatially clustered. A spatial lag model and a GWR model were used to reflect the spatial aspect of mortality rates. The spatial lag model showed better model fitness by considering spatial dependence of mortality rates. It indicates that a higher level of residential deprivation, a less walkable environment, less economic affluence and less social participation are all associated with higher mortality rates with statistical significance. This study suggests that health and welfare policy could incorporate urban planning to consider the neighborhood factors which determine mortality rates in order to improve the health of neighborhood residents.
Stakeholders Engagement and Agenda Setting in a Developing Context
Authors: Rabbani Golam
Published: September 2016

One area of focus in the study of policymaking in developing countries is the extent to which policymaking in the developing countries is similar to the interaction among stakeholder groups, including politicians, that occurs in developed countries. This paper explores this issue in the case of the development of the Bangladesh Health Policy 2011. It is found that the policymaking process has many well-organized actors with very clear and efficient roles in generating policy outputs. This study indicates that the distinctions between policymaking in western and eastern countries, at least in some countries, may be breaking down.
The Role of Online Health Education Communities in Wellness and Recovery
Authors: King Kathleen P. , Leos Julie A. , Norstrand Lu
Published: September 2016

This chapter discusses the powerful role of online health education communities in wellness, fitness, and recovery. From knee and hip replacement to student service worker burnout, there are many freely available professional online communities, which provide health education and support for a wide variety of needs. Using qualitative inquiry, this multiple case study includes site analysis. This study explores whether adult learning principles are embedded in the design and operation of these popular virtual health education communities. The analysis specifically examines the presence and function of four specific adult learning theories' characteristics: informal learning, self-directed learning, peer learning, and common adult learning principles. Additionally, the nature of benefits and support are documented. Finally, in addition to the analysis and discussion, the chapter provides examples to identify emergent guidelines for discerning trustworthy vs. unhelpful online health education communities. Several suggestions are provided for future research.
Climate Change Effects on Human Health with a Particular Focus on Vector-Borne Diseases and Malaria in Africa
Authors: Halliru Salisu Lawal
Published: September 2016

Malaria is currently affecting more people in the world than any other disease. On average, two members of each household suffered from malaria fever monthly, with females and children being most vulnerable to malaria attacks. This chapter assessed communities' perception about malaria epidemic, weather variable and climate change in metropolitan Kano. Information was extracted related to communities' perception about malaria epidemic and climate change. Socio demographic characteristics of respondents in the study areas were extracted and analyzed. 75% of the participants were males, while 25% were females, malaria disease affected 79.66% and 59.66% respondent perceived that heavy rainfall, floods and high temperature are better conditions to the breeding and spread of malaria vectors. Hospital records revealed that Month of March and April (2677 and 2464, respectively) has highest number of malaria cases recorded between December 2010 to June 2011. Further research is recommended for in-depth information from health officials related to raising awareness.
Are Climate Change Adaptation Policies a Game Changer?
Authors: Buse Chris G.
Published: September 2016

The health impacts of climate change have received significant attention in the international scholarly literature. Despite this, there is an absence of research evaluating existing policies aimed at promoting and protecting population health. This chapter provides an implementation analysis of the Ontario Public Health Standards (OPHS), 2008/2014--the provincial policy statement that governs mandatory public health activities in the province which includes taking action on climate change. This chapter responds to two specific questions: First, how are Ontario's 36 regional health units interpreting and implementing this policy statement; and second, how are those interpretations translated into practice. Using a web-scan and in-depth interviews with practitioners from twenty Ontario health units, this paper presents four interpretations of the OPHS, a typology of best practices related to regional adaptation, and policy recommendations to bolster domestic and international adaptive capacity to emerging infectious diseases associated with climate change, and a variety of other health-related climate impacts.
A Systematic Approach towards the Typology of Functions of National Health System
Authors: Zamanian Mostafa , Karimmian Zohreh
Published: September 2016

As one of the main national systems in any country, the health system has always been considered by governments. What distinguishes health system from other systems is that its purpose is directly related to the public health. Different countries adopt different structural patterns in this field but one can consider relatively common functions for a national health system which includes all functional aspects for this system. In recent years, attempts have been made for offering a comprehensive model in describing the functions. The OECD determined principles needed to offer an appropriate typology that should be independent of the names of health programs in different countries. In this chapter, it's tried to provide an overview of the proposed models for structures and functions of the health system and to propose a comprehensive model for it with an emphasis on theoretical aspects of public policy-making and binding functions in any national development system. This comprehensive model, provides the possibility to evaluate the success of a health system.
The Future of Antibiotics and Meat
Authors: Raphaely Talia , Marinova Dora , Marinova Mira
Published: September 2016

This chapter discusses antibiotic use in the livestock industry and potential ramifications for human health. Antibiotics are routinely administered to food animals, primarily at sub-therapeutic levels. The extensive use of antibiotics in global animal husbandry in quantities greater than used for humans is creating antibiotic resistance. There is evidence that antibiotic resistant organisms emerging in food animals transfer to humans through the food chain, environmental contamination, direct association with animals or through mobile resistant genetic elements resulting in co-resistance to other antibiotics. No new classes of antibiotics have been developed since the 1980s. Intensifying use of existing antibiotics for meat production poses new challenges for treating humans, needs to be taken seriously and dealt with urgently. This chapter argues that reduced meat consumption is an under-considered but essential part in any suite of solutions aimed at preserving the use of antibiotics for human treatment.
Clinical Communication in the Aspect of Development of New Technologies and E-Health in the Doctor-Patient Relationship
Authors: Rosiek-Kryszewska Aleksandra , Leksowski Łukasz , Rosiek Anna , Leksowski Krzysztof , Goch Aleksander
Published: September 2016

Patient-clinician communication presents the views of several national authorities on the principles and expectations of shared decision-making between patients and their healthcare providers, including doctors, and nurses and oncology nurses. In this chapter authors focus on the communication challenges facing doctors who trained in medical environment in Poland, in order to prepare communications training designed specifically for doctors and to illustrate how a close analysis of professional discourse can be transferred to work environments beyond the medical world. Authors draw attention to clinical roles performed by medical staff practicing locally and trained doctors.
Evaluating User Interface Adaptation using the Context of Use
Authors: Soui Makram , Ghedira Khaled , Abed Mourad
Published: September 2016

The aim of adaptive user interface is to provide different layouts and relevant information according to the current context-of-use (users, platforms and environments). Today, these systems are indispensable to those who want to retrieve appropriate information with less effort at anytime and anywhere. In this paper, the authors present an approach to automatically evaluate UI adaptation at runtime. The idea consists on foreseeing the evaluation from the early stages of application development by integrating a tracing system which represents the first phase of a user-centred approach for the design and the evaluation of adaptive system (AS) called MetTra (evaluation METhod based on a TRAcing system). In fact, the authors will explain in depth the stages of tracing mechanism integration in AS design, with illustrations concerning transport applications. Finally, they will propose some future works.
Staff Restructuring
Authors: Claver-Cortés Enrique , Fernández-Sánchez José Antonio
Published: September 2016

The number of staff restructuring processes has considerably increased worldwide in recent years, and their effects are increasingly dramatic. Furthermore, the global economic context is becoming more and more turbulent. All this poses a series of new challenges for firms that they will only be able to face if they utilize the traditional tools which are available to them. However, the research works about staff restructuring processes offer highly disparate results with regard to the effects of the methods used. This is precisely the reason which led us to focus the present work on analyzing those ‘old methods' applied to restructuring with the aim of checking how they could be successfully utilized to cope with the ‘new challenges' arising from this new economic context.
Tourism Migration in South Africa
Authors: Henama Unathi Sonwabile , Sifolo Portia Pearl Siyanda
Published: September 2016

This article explores the tourism migration within the South African context, thereby focusing on the current dynamics, challenges and future prospects. Tourism and migration are significant towards globalisation. Almost all countries have jumped on the tourism bandwagon as a result of the positive economic benefits that include improving the balance of payments, attracting foreign exchange, and increasing state coffers through the taxation of non-residents. South Africa has also adopted tourism into the developmental policies. Although Africa's share of the global tourism market remains less than 10%, the continental bodies such as the African Union under the wing NEPAD recognises that tourism and migration as an important factor to societies. This paper adopts the content analysis to address the tourism migration, dynamics, challenges and future prospects as a critical phenomenon. Tourism has deep characteristics of a plantation economy that does not benefit the majority of the societies, particularly in South Africa. Despite being a geographical dispersed country, the tourism industry in South Africa faces numerous challenges such as the integration of Black South Africans as product owners; reported high rates of crimes, lack of integration of locals in the tourism industry, the lack of aviation competition, paucity of ports of entry, and most recently the cyber-crime and the visa regulations etc. However, South African tourism remains resilient as a major destination due to its fauna and flora and increasing market niches are developing such as adventure tourism, health tourism and volunteer tourism. South Africa plans to be one of the top 20 destinations by 2020; steps are in place to ensure that South Africa achieves this objective.
Investigations On Some Aspects of Reliability of Content Based Routing SOAP based Windows Communication Foundation Services
Authors: Medhi Subhash , Bora Abhijit , Bezboruah Tulshi
Published: September 2016

The web services have emerged as a web based matured and popular technology paradigm. Due to increasing popularity, the reliability assurance and prediction have acquired more attentions to the developers, researchers and service providers. In this paper, the authors propose to design, develop and implement a service oriented prototype research electronic automated teller machine service using Windows Communication Foundation technology to study and predict some reliability aspects of web services. One master service is designed to authenticate a particular user to access services that is acting as a service broker and redirects the query to content service executing agents, acting as a service provider. The system has been implemented using C# programming language, Visual Studio.NET framework, Internet Information Service web server and Microsoft Structured Query Language database server. The authors present here the novel prototype architecture, testing procedures, HTTP transactional status and reliability analysis of the system under massive stress of consumers.