bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Het uitsluiten van geïnstitutionaliseerde ouderen in surveys: gevolgen voor de Open Coördinatiemethode Pensioenen
Authors: Debels Annelies , Peeters Hans , Verpoorten Rika
Published: May 2023

In comparative European surveys it is common practice to exclude elderly people living in collective households from the sampling frame. This article examines the implications of this practice for the validity and international comparability of indicators in the Open Method of Coordination on Pensions (Pensions OMC). Analyses using data from the Belgian Datawarehouse Labour Market and Social Protection show that the resulting bias is negligible for average equivalent pension income, but that poverty among pensioners is underestimated by 9%. In subgroups such as the oldest pensioners the underestimation is even larger. Due to the major international differences in the percentage of elderly in collective households, this bias also jeopardizes the international comparability of poverty indicators in the Pensions OMC. This renders the identification of best practices in the Pensions OMC unreliable. Furthermore, it may nourish an unconstructive politics of indicators which in the longer term undermines the credibility and effectiveness of the Pensions OMC.
Is er een toenemende negatieve relatie tussen alleenstaande moeder-gezinnen en onderwijsprestaties bij stijgende percentages eenoudergezinnen?: een vergelijking van PISA 2000, 2003 en 2009
Authors: Dronkers Jaap , De Lange Marloes
Published: May 2023

This papers deals with the question whether the difference in educational per¬ formance of pupils from two or single-mother families changes in relation with the increase of the percentage single-mother families in countries. Based upon information about 15-year old pupils in 25 countries in the PISA survey of 2000, 2003 and 2009, we conclude that in countries with small percentages single¬ mother families pupils with a single-mother have higher, school performances compared to pupils with both parents. However, as the percentage single-mother families increases in a country, this positive difference declines and becomes even negative in countries with high percentages single-mother families. At the school level we find a comparable outcome: the difference becomes more nega¬ tive with higher percentages single-mother families in a school. The effect of growing up in a single-mother family on the educational performance of children seems highly dependent on the societal context of school and society.
Een nieuwe partner na een echtscheiding?: opleidingsverschillen bij mannen en vrouwen in Vlaanderen
Authors: Pasteels Inge , Corijn Martine , Mortelmans Dimitri
Published: May 2023

This article looks at the likelihood to start a new steady partnership after the disso¬ lution of a first marriage. We hypothesize that the educational level might influence the need for a new partner, the attractiveness on the (re)partner market and the opportunities to meet new partners. Using data of the ‘Divorce in Flanders’-survey, we estimate discrete-time event history models, separately for men and women. For divorcees from 1981 to 2005 (from marriage cohorts since 1971), we find that lower educated men have a lower risk of repartnering than higher educated men. Among women, the likelihood to repartner only depends on their educational level for those separated in the 1990s. For women, their age at the separation, the pres¬ ence of children and the age of the youngest child are crucial determinants. Labour market participation does not affect the repartnering risk, for men nor for women.
Gezinsvorming en vrouwelijke arbeidsparticipatie: de opleidingsgradiënt van voltijds werk en attitudes ten aanzien van gezin en werk in 10 Europese landen
Authors: Neels Karel , Theunynck Zita
Published: May 2023

Maternal employment depends on the economic benefits of continued labour force participation, the attitudes towards combining work and family, and the availability of provisions that support maternal employment. Although the impact of family formation on maternal employment has received ample attention, this is less the case for full-time maternal employment. Using data from the Generations and Gen¬ der Surveys, we look into the impact of family formation and education on full-time employment of women in 10 countries. The results indicate that the labour market position of lower educated women is already weaker before entering parenthood, but also subject to considerable variation between countries. Among higher edu¬ cated women, between-country differentials in full-time employment only emerge after parenthood. Full-time employment of both lower and higher educated women with young children ( < 3 years) is strongly associated with the availability of child¬ care provisions. As the age of the youngest child in the household increases, full- time employment recovers for Norway and the Eastern-European countries. France and Belgium take an intermediate position. In Austria and West-Germany the recov¬ ery of full-time employment among mothers is largely absent.
Zorgverdeling tussen vaders en moeders: de rol van gezinsprofessionals. Nederlandse situatie in Europese context
Authors: Veltkamp Gerlieke , Grunow Daniela
Published: May 2023

Despite of European family policies that focus on the reconciliation of work and care, a traditionalisation of parenting roles continues to occur after the transition to parenthood. This paper contains a literature study of institutional changes in European welfare states and of the professional field of health care. What stands out is that previous studies neglect the relationship between national family pol¬ icy and the role of family professionals. We suggest however that professionals in prenatal and postnatal care are able to influence whether family policy works and how. This will be illustrated with expert interviews and observations in The Netherlands, where most mothers work part time and fathers full time. The Dutch professionals appear to utilize an ideal of shared parenting, however at crucial moments they mostly hold mothers responsible for the child’s interest. In this sense, professionals contribute to the reproduction of traditional parenting roles.
Als de dingen slechts 'zijn' en 'gebeuren'. Naar een onttoverde experimentele cultuursociologie.
Authors: Houtman Dick , Achterberg Petera , Manevska Katerina
Published: May 2023

Since the 1970s, the so-called ‘crisis of sociology’ has sparked intellectual quests for a ‘disenchanted’ sociology. This is a sociology that acknowledges its incapacity to legislate ‘objective’ meaning on the basis of an alleged scientific insight in ‘social reality as it really is’. One major outcome of these quests for intellectual reconstruction was the emergence of cultural sociology as a new field that takes the cultural understandings of those who are studied much more seriously than other types of sociology have traditionally done. Despite the field’s vitality and popularity today, it displays two weaknesses that detract from its potential significance within sociology and beyond. The first is its tendency to confine itself thematically to the social aspects of art, popular culture and media and the second its excessive reliance on ethnographic and other¬ wise qualitative research methods. This article therefore pleads for the use of culturally enriched experimental research designs by cultural sociologists to convincingly demonstrate the causal consequences of culture to non-(cultural] sociologists. Two recent examples are given, one about intercultural communi¬cation and one about science communication, and promises of cultural-experimental research for fields like psychology and medical science are discussed.
Recente migranten in Nederland en de herkomst van de door hen beluisterde muziek en bekeken films.
Authors: Bekhuis Hedde , Lubbers Marcel
Published: May 2023

In this study we answer the question ‘to what extent recent migrants’ consump¬tion of movies and music from their country of origin and from the Netherlands is affected by the identification with the country of origin and the Netherlands?’ Using the Social and Cultural Integration Processes among recent migrants 2011 data (n = 3,355) we found that Bulgarians, former Dutch Antilleans, Moroc-cans, Poles, Surinamese and Turks consume more music and movies from the Netherlands if the identify stronger with the Netherlands. And the consumption of music and movies form the country of origin is higher if they identify stronger with the country of origin. This is in accordance with the idea that the origin of consumed cultural goods sustain ethnic boundaries. Moreover, cultural orien-tation towards the Netherlands is not necessarily associated with a less strong cultural orientation on the country of origin, which argues for the existence of a dual identity.
Lichamen op het kruispunt tussen klasse en gender: sociale klasse, gender en lichaamsoriÃ«ntaties in Vlaanderen.
Authors: Lagaert Susan , Roose Henk
Published: May 2023

The body is not only biological but also social in nature. In this contribution we study how social class and gender are associated with preferences for body- oriented practices, reflecting the relationship one has with the body. Theoretically, the theory of Pierre Bourdieu and the concepts ‘male gaze’ and ‘masculinity’, originating from gender studies, are integrated via the intersectional approach. Empirically, a Multiple Correspondence Analysis shows on the one hand that patterns in the orientations towards the body partly match and partly differ among men and women and are associated with the level of education. On the other hand, the analysis demonstrates that class and gender influence each other in complex ways in relation to the body. New processes occur at the intersections of both systems of dominance and oppression.
ANT en de performatieve productie van sociale kennis
Authors: Meyers Gert , Van Hoyweghen Ine
Published: May 2023

In this article we suggest Actor-Network Theory (ANT) as an alternative perspective on the object of social sciences and its practices. It is often stated that sociologists and social scientists have a ‘societal responsibility’, and that social sciences could provoke the societal consciousness by showing society a mirror image. Showing a state of affairs could urge politicians and other stakeholders in policy-making to take action. In this respect, the sociologist can only observe ‘what is’; although the positing of a state of affairs can start up a societal debate, the sociologists does not have a possibility to intervene. What the sociological imagination is capable of, is (re)presenting uncomfortable truths: description precedes intervention. Developing the ANT-perspective, we argue that this power of imagination can, however, be broadened when sociology undergoes a self-investigation. Sociological research is capable of altering reality: performing research is performative. This claim makes that the responsibility of the social scientist goes beyond just ‘showing’ societal problems by putting society in front of a mirror. Sociological description is in itself an intervention. We support these claims by giving three examples: the European Social Survey (ESS) performs the European Citizen, the data-infrastructure of Big Data challenges practices in the insurance market, and a controversy on a Belgian Voting Aid Application (‘Doe de Stemtest 2014’) makes clear that criteria of inclusion are never neutral.
Sociale implicaties van stadsvernieuwing: een multilevelstudie naar de invloed van gentrificatie op sociale cohesie in Gentse wijken
Authors: Christiaens Eva
Published: May 2023

As in many other cities, the Belgian city of Ghent regularly carries out urban redevelopment projects to attract middle class inhabitants and investors to its urban core. This urban renewal can cause gentrification, the revival of socially deprived neighbourhoods combined with a population shift from primarily low income to mainly middle class households. This article aims to examine which Ghent neighbourhoods have experienced gentrification between 2005 and 2012 and whether this shift has influenced the social cohesion within the area. Through the use of multilevel modelling, two possible indirect effects of gentrification are explored: the first through increased neighbourhood social mix, the second through improved neighbourhood socioeconomic status (data retrieved from the Ghent Liveability Monitor 2013 and the Ghent Neighbourhood Monitor). Social cohesion is measured as social capital and neighbourhood attachment. Results show that age, income and type of residency are key determinants of social cohesion at the individual level. At the neighbourhood level, gentrification is found to have a positive effect on both social capital and neighbourhood attachment. No indirect effect of social mix is found, neither can the effect of gentrification be ascribed solely to diminished neighbourhood deprivation. Rather, deprivation suppresses the positive effect of gentrification. This study concludes that many policy makers correctly assume that gentrification will benefit social cohesion, but mistakenly ascribe this effect to increased social mix or fully to enhanced SES of the neighbourhood. Gentrification in Ghent also shows a direct effect on social cohesion which has not yet been explained in previous studies.
Je bent jong... en je verveelt je: een analyse van de oorzaken van verveling bij Vlaamse jongeren en de invloed ervan op hun levenstevredenheid
Authors: Vandenbossche Lauren , Keppens Gil Antoine , Siongers Jessy , Spruyt Bram , Van Droogenbroeck Filip
Published: May 2023

Recent years have seen a growing interest in young people’s leisure time. Since leisure boredom is consistently associated with different emotional and societal problems, concerns about the occurrence of leisure boredom are an integral part of this interest. Against that background, this paper studies social variation in boredom during leisure time and its consequences for life satisfaction among pupils following secondary education in Flanders (the Dutch speaking part of Belgium; N = 1598). In general girls, younger pupils and pupils who are enrolled in vocational education experience leisure boredom more often. In-depth analyses, however, show interesting interaction effects between these characteristics. In addition, leisure boredom correlates positively with a weak social network and a lack of parental monitoring. After taking these characteristics into account there remains no direct relationship between material and cultural deprivation and the occurrence of leisure boredom. We also find that leisure boredom, even after taking into account many other characteristics of young people’s social, economic and cultural living environment, significantly predicts low life satisfaction. In the conclusion we discuss the implications of our findings.
Alain Ehrenberg en de mythe van het individualisme: van individualisering naar een sociologie van het individualisme
Authors: Cortois Liza
Published: May 2023

This article proposes an alternative to theories of individualization such as the one from Beck, Giddens and Bauman and other forms of subject-oriented sociology that assume a sharp opposition between individual and civil society. Instead, a more cultural sociological perspective on the individual as a shared value in an individualist culture is elaborated. I follow the French sociologist Alain Ehrenberg who analyzes multiple concrete cases to illustrate the nature of contemporary individualism but who is to date not particularly well-known to a Dutch-speaking audience (nor an English-speaking one). Ehrenberg develops a sociology of individualism that surpasses a realist interpretation of the individual-as-actor who constructs his own biography, but instead focusses on the cultural stories or ‘myths’ explaining our view on individuality. Broadening this view beyond this particular sociologist, the article suggests a sociology based on late Durkheimian insights that stress the social nature of our perception of the individual, and his students Marcel Mauss and Louis Dumont. Finally, this also brings us to the fundamental question of the essence of sociological analysis in a time of enhanced emphasis on subjectivity.
Discours over hedendaagse kunst: een empirische analyse van 25 jaar Frieze en Artforum via topic models
Authors: Roose Henk , Roose Willem
Published: May 2023

We use topic modeling to explore changes in discourse on contemporary art. Topic modeling is an inductive statistical technique that allows to detect ‘hidden’ thematic structures or topics in large text corpora. We analysed articles published in two leading magazines on contemporary art, Frieze and Artforum, between 1991 and 2015, and found a plurality of topics to be present in professional art criticism. Not unexpectedly, genre and media-specific topics emerge, e.g. painting, sculpture/ installations or performance/dance, but also extra-artistic topics are present in the discourse. We see that in the last 25 years, there is growing attention for the relationship between art and society, for war and ideology, and for digital technology within the pages of Frieze and Artforum. Despite the ‘social turn’ since the nineties – i.e. social forms and content are gaining more attention in contemporary art – ‘autonomous’ discourse continues to be dominant in contemporary art critique. So, in describing and analysing contemporary art, it is still the esthetical and formal characteristics of artworks that make up most of the discourse.
Van grote kuis naar open huis?: de evolutie van etnocentrisme in België tussen 1981 en 2009
Authors: Van Rossem Ronan , Roose Henk
Published: May 2023

Using the four waves of the European Values Study (1981, 1990, 1999 en 2009), we analyse how ethnocentrism has developed in Belgium, how it is socially embedded and how it relates to other value orientations. We find ethnocentrism to be more prevalent in Flanders than in Brussels or Wallonia. Ethnocentrism reaches its maximum prevalence in the nineteen nineties after which it decreases again. In line with the literature, ethnocentrism is related to educational attainment, but the relationship is too weak to provide a real explanation. The cultural embeddedness is weak as well and changes over time from an association primarily embedded with a more conservative socio-economic discourse, to a relationship with institutional distrust and cultural conservatism. The findings suggest that ethnocentrism is not clearly socially structured and that it common sociological explanation may no longer be able to explain ethnocentrism.
Wie verlaat de gezinswoning bij een echtscheiding?: het belang van de socio-economische positie van partners
Authors: Theunis Lindsay , Willaert Didier , Van Bavel Jan
Published: May 2023

This study investigates how and to what extent the socio-economic positions of husbands and wives play a role in the decision of who moves out from the family home: only the man, only the woman, or both. We expected the partner with more financial power, knowledge and skills to have a greater chance to claim and maintain the family home. The analyses are based on the survey ‘Divorce in Flanders’ (N = 3.039) and the ‘General Socio-Economic Survey 2001’ linked to national register data for the period 2001-2006 (N = 61.573). The results show that, in general, women more often leave the family home than men. However, in line with the proposed hypothesis, the woman is more likely to stay in the family home if she is older, higher educated and if she is the only person employed in the household. There are also several gender specific results. Women seem to benefit more from an educational advantaged position than men do. The man is more likely to leave the family home when both partners share the same high level of education. The negative repercussions of a divorce – which are often also higher among women – might stimulate highly educated women more than men to claim the family home.
Relaties met grootouders en het welzijn van kleinkinderen na echtscheiding
Authors: Jappens Maaike , Van Bavel Jan
Published: May 2023

Grandparents are often considered as providing important resources in times of family crisis. Little is known, however, about the influence of grandparents on the well-being of grandchildren after parental divorce. Guided by the family systems theory, this article investigates the association between the quality of relationships with grandparents and grandchildren’s subjective well-being. Using data from the study ‘Divorce in Flanders’, we compare 650 grandchildren with divorced and 276 with married parents regarding three indicators of subjective well-being (life satisfaction, self-esteem and anxiety) and also examine variation within the group with divorced parents. Results show that the strength of grandchild-grandparent relationships is positively associated with grandchildren’s subjective well-being. Compared to children with married parents, having a close relationship with a grandparent is even more related to the well-being of grandchildren whose parents are divorced. Moreover, for grandchildren who experience frequent conflicts between their divorced parents, having a good grandparent relationship is most strongly linked to their well-being.
Beroepsmobiliteit in de vroege arbeidsloopbaan van Turkse en Marokkaanse allochtonen
Authors: Laurijssen Ilse , Glorieux Ignace
Published: May 2023

Previous research showed that second-generation migrants are less successful than natives when entering the labour market. This article analyses the early career occupational mobility of young people from a Turkish or Moroccan descent in Flanders. We compare the progress in socio-economic status (SES) that youngsters of native and non-native descent make from their first to later jobs at the start of their career. Both immigrants and native majority young adults experience upward occupational mobility during this crucial phase of their occupational careers. The gap between native and ethnic minority youth, however, does not narrow over the course of the years, with one exception because youth with non-traditional migrant background who migrated at a young age are more upwardly mobile during the first years of their career than the natives. The future career is largely determined by the characteristics of the start of the occupational career, and educational attainment even before. A first job with a relative low occupational status does however offer better opportunities for Turkish and Moroccan second-generation migrants than for native majority youth to do some catching up later on. In combination with a long-term negative impact of initial unemployment, these ethnic minority youth perhaps are best off with starting to work as soon as possible after school leaving.
De mythe van de Nederlandse vondelingenluiken (1500-1900)
Authors: van Tiggelen Kerstin
Published: May 2023

The social discussion regarding foundlings and baby corpses regularly refers to the numerous baby hatches provided by Dutch churches and convents in the distant past. This is one of the most important arguments in the public justification of the modern foundling rooms. Based on historical and contemporary sources concerning the 1500-1900 period, the current article argues that this is in fact a double myth. Firstly, there has never been a large-scale system of baby hatches in the Netherlands from the middle ages on; at the time of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, they were mainly situated in the area which is modern-day Belgium. And secondly, those baby hatches which did exist were not linked to said religious institutions. The most probable explanation for the origin of this myth is the fact that religious buildings and baby hatches were popular locations for mothers to abandon their new-borns in the past. In the folklore on baby hatches, these elements became falsely united. This study interprets the function of this mythologisation process to be the formation of a moral compass in the quest for a solution for women not able, willing or allowed to keep their babies, and thereby shunning the formal channels.
Verbinding tussen de creatieve industrie en de herstructurering van achterstandswijken: weloverwogen strategie of opportunistische keuze?
Authors: Nijkamp Jeannette , Burgers Jack , Kuiper Chris
Published: May 2023

Notwithstanding substantial criticism on Florida’s creative city thesis, many national and local governments have taken a great variety of initiatives to stimulate creative entrepreneurship. Besides economic development, an important reason often underlying these initiatives is urban regeneration. This article focuses on one of those initiatives, namely the Creative Factory in Rotterdam, which has offered both accommodation and support to 70 creative entrepreneurs from 2008 onwards. The main aim was to contribute to economic development and employment in Rotterdam by attracting and stimulating creative entrepreneurship. Besides, the intention was to give a boost to the surrounding deprived neighbourhoods. In this article, we scrutinize how the connection between the Creative Factory and the regeneration of the surrounding neighbourhoods was established and how it turned out to be in practice, and which socioeconomic effects it had on neighbourhood residents, according to the stakeholders involved. Our article is based on a case study on the effects of the Creative Factory on the surroundings. Data were collected between October 2010 and June 2013 using document analysis, in-depth interviews, participatory observation and informal conversations. Our research shows that in establishing and maintaining this connection, the municipality of Rotterdam and the other stakeholders were mainly motivated by political and economic considerations, and that there was no deliberate strategy concerning how the Creative Factory could contribute to the socioeconomic development of neighbourhood residents. It is also clear that according to the stakeholders, the Creative Factory did not contribute substantially to this socioeconomic development. These stakeholders had a strong interest in the success of the project, therefore it may be argued that this conclusion comes from a rather unsuspected source.
Web-Based 24-Hour Dietary Recall Tool for Russian Adults and School-Aged Children: Validation Study
Authors: Pigat Sandrine , Soshina Mariya , Berezhnaya Yulia , Kryzhanovskaya Ekaterina
Published: May 2023

Background

Data on dietary intakes in Russian adults and children are assessed very infrequently primarily due to the time, cost, and burden to the participants for assessing dietary patterns. To overcome some of those challenges, the use of web-based 24-hour recall methods can be successfully used.

Objective

The study objective is to assess the extent of agreement between a self-administered and an interviewer-administered 24-hour dietary recall in Russian adults and school-aged children using an adaptation of a web-based 24-hour recall tool.

Methods

This web-based dietary assessment tool is based on a previously validated tool, which has been adapted to the Russian diet and language. A randomized 50% (n=97) of 194 participants initially completed a self-administered web-based dietary recall, followed by an interviewer-administered 24-hour dietary recall later that same day, and vice versa for the other 50% (n=97) of participants. Following at least 1 week wash-out period, during visit 2, participant groups completed the 2 dietary recalls in the opposite order. Statistical analysis was carried out on the intake results from both methods for the 2 recalls. Finally, an evaluation questionnaire on ease-of-use of the tool was also completed.

Results

In total, intakes of 28 nutrients and energy were analyzed in this study. The Bland-Altman analysis showed that between 98.4% and 90.5% of data points were within the limits of agreement among all age groups and nutrients analyzed. A “moderate to excellent” reliability between the 2 methods was observed in younger children. In older children, a “moderate to good” reliability was observed, with the exception of sodium. In adults, “moderate to excellent” reliability between both methods was observed with the exception of vitamins B1, B2, and B6, and pantothenic acid. The level of agreement between the categorization of estimates into thirds of the intake distribution for the average of the 2 days was satisfactory, since the percentages of participants categorized into the same tertile of intake were ˃50%, and the percentages of participants categorized into the opposite tertile of intake were <10%. The majority of respondents were very positive in their evaluation of the web-based dietary assessment tool.

Conclusions

Overall, the web-based dietary assessment tool performs well when compared with a face-to-face, interviewer-administered 24-hour dietary recall and provides comparable estimates of energy and nutrient intakes in Russian adults and children.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04372160; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04372160
Implementation of a Triage Protocol Outside the Hospital Setting for Timely Referral During the COVID-19 Second Wave in Chennai, India
Authors: John Alby , M Jagadeesan , Rubeshkumar Polani , Ganeshkumar Parasuraman , Masanam Sriramulu Hemalatha , Narnaware Manish , Singh Bedi Gagandeep , Kaur Prabhdeep
Published: May 2023

India experienced a surge in COVID-19 cases during the second wave in the period of April-June 2021. A rapid rise in cases posed challenges to triaging patients in hospital settings. Chennai, the fourth largest metropolitan city in India with an 8 million population, reported 7564 COVID-19 cases on May 12, 2021, nearly 3 times higher than the number of cases in the peak of COVID-19 in 2020. A sudden surge of cases overwhelmed the health system. We had established standalone triage centers outside the hospitals in the first wave, which catered to up to 2500 patients per day. In addition, we implemented a home-based triage protocol from May 26, 2021, to evaluate patients with COVID-19 who were aged ≤45 years without comorbidities. Among the 27,816 reported cases between May 26 and June 24, 2021, a total of 16,022 (57.6%) were aged ≤45 years without comorbidities. The field teams triaged 15,334 (55.1%), and 10,917 (39.2%) patients were evaluated at triage centers. Among 27,816 cases, 19,219 (69.1%) were advised to self-isolate at home, 3290 (11.8%) were admitted to COVID-19 care centers, and 1714 (6.2%) were admitted to hospitals. Only 3513 (12.7%) patients opted for the facility of their choice. We implemented a scalable triage strategy covering nearly 90% of the patients in a large metropolitan city during the COVID-19 surge. The process enabled early referral of high-risk patients and ensured evidence-informed treatment. We believe that the out-of-hospital triage strategy can be rapidly implemented in low-resource settings.
Still Exhausted: The Role of Residual Caregiving Fatigue on Women in Medicine and Science Across the Pipeline
Authors: Meese Katherine A , Boitet Laurence M , Sweeney Katherine L , Nassetta Lauren , Mugavero Michael , Hidalgo Bertha , Reamey Rebecca , Rogers David A
Published: May 2023

Understanding the impact of caregiving responsibilities on women in medicine is crucial for ensuring a healthy and intact workforce, as caregiving responsibilities have the potential to affect the careers of women in health care along the entire pipeline, from students and trainees to physicians, physician-scientists, and biomedical researchers.
Effects of Active Video Games in Patients With Cancer: Systematic Review (Preprint)
Authors: Peyrachon Romane , Rébillard Amélie
Published: May 2023

BACKGROUND

Physical activity (PA) is now considered an adjuvant therapy in cancer treatment; nevertheless, multiple barriers could reduce PA engagement during treatment. Active video games (AVGs) lead to the achievement of mild- to moderate-intensity PA and represent a promising tool for regular movement and exercise.

OBJECTIVE

This paper aims to review the current literature and provide updated content on the physiological and psychological effects of AVG-based interventions in patients with cancer undergoing treatment.

METHODS

Four electronic databases were investigated. Studies reporting on AVG interventions delivered to patients undergoing treatment were included. A total of 21 articles (17 interventions) were identified for data extraction and quality assessment.

RESULTS

A total of 362 patients with cancer participated in the studies (number of participants 3-70). The majority underwent treatment for breast, lung, prostate, hematologic, or oral or laryngeal cancer. The types and stages of cancer varied in all studies. Participants ranged in age from 3 to 93 years. Four studies included patients with pediatric cancer. The duration of interventions ranged from 2 to 16 weeks, with a minimum of 2 sessions per week and a maximum of 1 daily session. Sessions were supervised in 10 studies, and 7 included home-based interventions. AVG interventions improved endurance, quality of life, cancer-related fatigue, and self-efficacy. Effects were mixed on strength, physical function, and depression. AVGs did not affect activity level, body composition, or anxiety. Compared with standard physiotherapy, physiological effects were lower or similar, and psychological effects were higher or similar.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, our results suggest that AVGs can be recommended to patients undergoing cancer treatment, given the physiological and psychological benefits. When AVGs are proposed, supervision of the sessions should be considered as it can limit dropouts. In the future, it is important to develop AVGs that combine endurance and muscle strengthening, with the possibility of achieving moderate to high exercise intensity, depending on the physical abilities of the patients, as indicated in the World Health Organization’s recommendations.

CLINICALTRIAL
Machine Learning–Based Time in Patterns for Blood Glucose Fluctuation Pattern Recognition in Type 1 Diabetes Management: Development and Validation Study (Preprint)
Authors: Chan Nicholas Berin , Li Weizi , Aung Theingi , Bazuaye Eghosa , Montero Rosa M
Published: May 2023

BACKGROUND

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) for diabetes combines noninvasive glucose biosensors, continuous monitoring, cloud computing, and analytics to connect and simulate a hospital setting in a person’s home. CGM systems inspired analytics methods to measure glycemic variability (GV), but existing GV analytics methods disregard glucose trends and patterns; hence, they fail to capture entire temporal patterns and do not provide granular insights about glucose fluctuations.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to propose a machine learning–based framework for blood glucose fluctuation pattern recognition, which enables a more comprehensive representation of GV profiles that could present detailed fluctuation information, be easily understood by clinicians, and provide insights about patient groups based on time in blood fluctuation patterns.

METHODS

Overall, 1.5 million measurements from 126 patients in the United Kingdom with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) were collected, and prevalent blood fluctuation patterns were extracted using dynamic time warping. The patterns were further validated in 225 patients in the United States with T1DM. Hierarchical clustering was then applied on time in patterns to form 4 clusters of patients. Patient groups were compared using statistical analysis.

RESULTS

In total, 6 patterns depicting distinctive glucose levels and trends were identified and validated, based on which 4 GV profiles of patients with T1DM were found. They were significantly different in terms of glycemic statuses such as diabetes duration (P=.04), glycated hemoglobin level (P<.001), and time in range (P<.001) and thus had different management needs.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed method can analytically extract existing blood fluctuation patterns from CGM data. Thus, time in patterns can capture a rich view of patients’ GV profile. Its conceptual resemblance with time in range, along with rich blood fluctuation details, makes it more scalable, accessible, and informative to clinicians.
Research Trends of Medical Big Data: A Bibliometric Analysis (Preprint)
Authors: Wang Yanjue , Li Xu , Dong Jingyi , Li Yixin , Lai Sicen , Peng Yihao , Jiang Zixi , Hao Lingjia
Published: May 2023

BACKGROUND

Medical big data has gained widespread attention worldwide and has been cross-applied in a number of fields including computing, medicine and engineering.

OBJECTIVE

To summarize the current trend of research and inform the direction of future research in medical big data through bibliometric and visualized analysis.

METHODS

We comprehensively searched all relevant papers in the core database of Web of Science. Vosviewer(version 1.6.18.0), R (version 4.2.1) and Scimago Graphic were used to systematically summerized the main authors, journals, countries and organizations in the field, and keywords were also analyzed.

RESULTS

996 papers were included in the analysis, the most of which were article with the number of 711. Among them, the United States has an outstanding advantage in number of published articles, journals, and relevant institutions. We also analyzed the authoritative journals and authoritative authors in the field based on the number of paper published and cited. Besides, through cluster analysis, we extracted research keywords in the field by time and hotness, including system, medicine, patient, etc. However, medical big data faces problems of data silos and uneven development at the national level. By taking advantages of multiple disciplines, putting medical big data into clinical practice and enabling precision medicine may be the focus of future development.

CONCLUSIONS

Medical big data has been a hot spot in recent years. In the future, precision medicine and intelligent medicine will become the research focus of medical big data.
Influence of Pokémon GO on Physical Activity and Psychosocial Well-Being in Children and Adolescents: Systematic Review (Preprint)
Authors: Liang Haiyan , Wang Xi , An Ruopeng
Published: May 2023

BACKGROUND

Pokémon GO, an augmented reality game with widespread popularity, can potentially influence players’ physical activity (PA) levels and psychosocial well-being.

OBJECTIVE

This review aims to systematically examine the scientific evidence regarding the impact of Pokémon GO on PA and psychosocial well-being in children and adolescents.

METHODS

Using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines and the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations) framework, we conducted keyword and reference searches in the PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. We performed title and abstract screening, full-text review, evidence synthesis, and identified research gaps.

RESULTS

Our review included 10 studies that explored the effect of Pokémon GO on PA or psychosocial well-being among children and adolescents. These studies used diverse designs across multiple countries and regions. Pokémon GO use measures encompassed frequency, experience, adherence, and motivation. PA assessment methods ranged from self-reported questionnaires to technology-based evaluations and qualitative approaches. Psychosocial well-being measures included emotional intelligence, personal well-being, self-control, emotionality, and sociability. In general, the estimated impact of Pokémon GO on PA was positive, with gaming elements and engagement correlating with increased PA levels. However, the effect on psychosocial well-being presented mixed results, with positive associations for sociability but a complex relationship involving well-being and internet gaming disorder. The limitations of these studies comprised the absence of randomized controlled trials, heterogeneity in study designs and outcome measures, and potential confounding bias.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, Pokémon GO tends to positively affect PA levels, while the impact on psychosocial well-being remains complex and requires further investigation. Future research should investigate the mechanisms connecting Pokémon GO use with PA and psychosocial well-being and the potential risks of excessive gameplay. These findings can help inform public health interventions to harness gaming technologies for promoting PA and enhancing well-being among the younger generation.

CLINICALTRIAL

PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews CRD42023412032; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=412032
Chatbots for Symptom Screening and Patient Education: A Pilot Study on Patient Acceptability in Autoimmune Inflammatory Diseases (Preprint)
Authors: Tan Tze Chin , Roslan Nur Emillia , Li James Weiquan , Zou Xinying , Chen Xiangmei , - Ratnasari , Santosa Anindita
Published: May 2023

BACKGROUND

Chatbots are increasingly used in health care to enhance patient engagement, satisfaction, and cost-effectiveness. However, chatbot acceptability varies among patient populations and has not been well studied in patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic disease (AIIRD).

OBJECTIVE

To examine the acceptability of a chatbot designed explicitly for AIIRD.

METHODS

A survey was conducted in an outpatient setting at a tertiary rheumatology referral center, targeting patients who interacted with a chatbot developed explicitly for diagnosing and providing information on AIIRD. Based on the RE-AIM framework, the survey assessed the chatbots’ effectiveness, acceptability, and implementation.

RESULTS

A total of 200 patients with rheumatological conditions participated in the survey between June and October 2022 (100 first visits and 100 follow-up visits). The study demonstrated the overall high acceptability of chatbots in rheumatology, which remained consistent across age, gender, and visit type. The subgroup analysis indicated that individuals with higher educational backgrounds tended to be more receptive to chatbots as sources of information. Participants with inflammatory arthropathies also demonstrated a higher degree of chatbot acceptability as an information source than individuals with connective tissue disease.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrated that the chatbot had high acceptability among patients with AIIRD, independent of patient demographics or type of visit. Acceptability is more pronounced in patients with inflammatory arthropathies and in those with higher educational levels. Health care providers can use these insights when considering the implementation of chatbots in rheumatology to improve patient care and satisfaction.
Barriers and facilitators of the use of critical care information systems in the intensive care unit - A qualitative interview study (Preprint)
Authors: Thissen Alica , Fürstenau Daniel , Salgado Eduardo , Meske Christian , Kuss Pauline , Angermair Stefan , Spies Claudia , Balzer Felix
Published: May 2023

BACKGROUND

Critical care information systems (CCIS) can have positive, neutral or negative effects on clinical care in intensive care units (ICUs) and the job satisfaction of ICU staff. Central mediating factors here are a high usability of the IT system and sufficient training, but also possible occuring resistance generated by increased control via the system and lack of participation. The usability of CCIS and co-determination factors in connection with CCIS use are not sufficiently examined.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to investigate the usage barriers of CCIS to derive recommendations for action for manufacturing companies and hospitals. The aim was to directly address previously researched potentially relevant factors and at the same time to leave room for free comments.

METHODS

Ten semi-structured qualitative interviews of 1 hour were conducted with ICU staff of 3 ICUs of a German university hospital (4 nurses, 6 doctors) where the CCIS was also reviewed together. The 10 interviews were recorded, transcribed, coded with MAXQDA and analyzed in terms of content structure (deductive and inductive).

RESULTS

: A total of 86 different usability problems was found, which were divided into 7 main categories and 22 subcategories. Particularly relevant were the unclear presentation of information (especially in medication documentation and order), too small or lengthy interaction steps in documentation (especially in nursing documentation), missing information or information distributed on different pages (especially also missing reminders of new entries), necessary duplicate entries of data and too low a speed of the system. Independently of this, other problems mentioned in connection with the use of the system were categorized as training, co-determination, feeling of being hazed, standard operating procedures and process changes. Satisfaction with the system was described as directly related to job satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

The usability of the CCIS is a central factor for the satisfaction with the IT system and can explain why CCIS use can have such opposing outcomes. Improving the usability of a complex system like an CCIS is a promising but challenging task and should involve iterative user testing. As co-determination is a relevant factor for use satisfaction, a comprehensive, transparent communication and opportunities for employee participation should be established. Sufficient training opportunities and SOPs for the system should also be a focus. System implementation requires sufficient monetary and time resources to create effective organizational structures and roles that can enable an effective feedback structure and system development.
Microbial and Heavy Metal Assessment of Meat Samples from Ranched and Non-ranched Domestic Animals Sold at Gariki Market, Enugu State, Nigeria
Authors: O.R. Okeke , C.C. Aniobi , C.C. Ezejiofor , P.C. Ezeagwu , J.O. Ndubuisi , K.C. Ndubuisi , S.A. Igoche
Published: May 2023

Studies were carried out to evaluate the microbial and heavy metal contamination of meat samples from ranched and non-ranched domestic animals sold at Gariki market, Enugu State, using standard analytical and biochemical procedures and instrumentation.The meat samples from the ranched and non-ranched domestic animals (goat, cow, pig and chicken) were procured at slaughter from the Gariki market and under ice condition transported to the laboratory for microbial and heavy metal analysis. Ranched goat meat, non-ranched goat meat, non-ranched cow meat, ranched cow meat, indoor-reared pork meat, out-door reared chicken meat and in-door reared chicken meat samples had mean Cd values ranging from 0.110- 0.292 µg/g; Pb, 0.176 -0.505µg/g and Cu, 1.303 -5.972µg/g.The mean levels of the investigated heavy metals in the meat samples were statistically significant. Meat samples procured from the non- ranched domestic animals and some ranched or in-door reared ones (cow and pig) had mean Cd levels at toxic level. Mean Pb value in the non –ranched cow meat samples followed the same trend. The pathogenic bacteria of interest to food scientists namely, S. aureus, Streptococcus spp. and Salmonella enteritidis were isolated in the meat samples from the domestic animals. The range of mean bacterial counts of S.aureus, Streptococcus spp. and Salmonella enteritidis in the ranched goat meat, non-ranched goat meat, non –ranched cow meat, ranched cow meat, in-door-reared pork meat, out-door reared chicken meat and in-door reared chicken meat samples were 1.04 × 102 – 1.73× 10 8 Cfu/g. 1.14×102 – 2.64 × 106 Cfu/g and 0.82 ×102 -3.92×105 Cfu/g respectively. With the inclusion of ranched cow meat and in-door reared pork meat samples, the meat samples from the non-ranched domestic animals had mean bacterial counts of the isolated pathogenic organisms above threshold limits. The quality of meat samples from the non-ranched (out-door reared) domestic animals sold at Gariki market, could be said to be more burdened by heavy metal and microbial contamination, which apart from decreasing the nutritive quality of the meats, also portends food safety challenges to the consumers.