The organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) is a significant environmental threat, and an economic and social challenge to manage. As such, the efficient treatment of OFMSW is a significant key factor in achieving sustainable waste management. Decentralized Composting (DC) develops a new framework of waste management. The DC Analysis Model (DCAM), proposed in our previous study, provides a powerful tool for decision makers, based on the quantification of the DC project characteristics. In this paper, we focus on the qualitative analysis as a complementary tool to support decision making, in cases where quantitative analysis is unequivocal. The qualitative analysis identifies the main players in the field, the critical stakeholders and the potential conflicts between them. It also reveals the root problems and the core competencies for the project's implementation. DCAM qualitative analysis in Shefa-Amr (case study) indicates that unresolved root problems, such as the “lack of national regulation”, “clear ownership of the project” and “lack of ongoing budget” can result in an unsustainable composting system. Countering that, “the commitment of the municipality”, together with “economic viability” and securing “suitable areas for placing composters” are among the most important core competencies for the effective implementation of DC projects.

(1) Background: As part of the Scottish Governments five-year recovery plan to address the backlog in NHS care following the COVID-19 pandemic, community pharmacies in Scotland are planned to provide a Hospital Discharge Medicines Supply and Medicines Reconciliation Service. We aimed to qualitatively explore patients’ experience of this new service; (2) Method: Adult patients (≥18yrs age) who consented to participate in the Community Pharmacy Hospital Dis-charge and Medicines Reconciliation Service were invited for interview within 21 days of dis-charge from hospital. Qualitative, one-to-one, semi-structured, patient interviews were conducted by telephone and audio-recorded using Microsoft Teams®. The interview audio recordings were transcribed verbatim and underwent thematic analysis; (3) Results: 12 patients were inter-viewed, evenly split by sex and with a median age of 62 years (range; 36 to 88 years). Analysis generated main five themes; Patient Engagement, Stakeholder Communication, Practical Factors, Human Factors, and Comparative Experiences. Many of these were interdependent; (4) Con-clusions: Patients appreciated that the service ensured a quicker discharge from hospital. Good stakeholder communication, practical factors (including choice, location, and the realities of ob-taining their medication from the community pharmacy), and a pre-existing and trusted rela-tionship in their usual community pharmacy were the key factors that regulated the patient ex-perience. In the main, patients were positive about the introduction of this new service. However, a lack of previous relationship or trust with a community pharmacy, and previous experiences with medication supply problems were factors which had the potential to negatively impact on patient experiences.

Background. The Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ) is widely used to measure functional ability in persons with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). The instrument was developed with limited involvement from persons with RA, and their perception of the instrument has not been studied in depth. The aim of this study was to explore how persons with RA experience the use of the HAQ in care. Methods. Forty persons with RA were purposefully recruited to participate in semi-structured interviews. The interviews were then analyzed qualitatively using thematic analysis. Results. The participants questioned the relevance of the HAQ but nevertheless experienced that the instrument had a profound effect on their understanding of health and how care is delivered. The analysis resulted in three themes: Problems with individual items, meaning of the summative score, and effects on care and health perceptions. Conclusions. To make the HAQ relevant to persons with RA, it needs to be revised or to include an option to select items most meaningful to the respondent. To ensure relevance, the HAQ update should preferably be co-created by researchers, clinicians and persons with RA.

Rapid SARS-CoV-2 self-tests have the potential to expand access to COVID-19 testing and improve community-level case detection, particularly in resource-constrained countries such as Kenya. However, prior to their introduction, their acceptability must be assessed. This qualitative study explored key decision-takers’ values towards SARS-CoV-2 self-testing in Kenya. Healthcare workers, representatives of civil society, and potential implementors from Mombasa and Taita-Taveta were selected as decision-takers. Semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions were used to collect data on their values towards self-testing. A thematic analysis approach was applied. Most informants considered that the Kenyan public is equipped to accept and use self-testing safely as an approach to help to reduce workload at public healthcare facilities, and know one’s COVID-19 status in a private manner. The informants emphasized the need to provide counselling to end-users, to support those needing to self-isolate, and to engage different civil society stakeholders in information provision on self-testing. Fear of stigma and of forced isolation were noted as potential deterrents to self-testing uptake for some individuals. In conclusion, there is high acceptability of self-testing in Kenya among decision-takers. However, enhanced education, counselling, and addressing deterrents to testing would be helpful to ensure effective use of SARS-CoV-2 self-testing in Kenya.

: Suicide is a serious public health problem, with a global mortality rate of 1.4% of all deaths worldwide, and the leading cause of unnatural death in Spain. The use of clinical simulation has proven to be a beneficial tool in the training of nursing students. Such experiences allow them to develop cognitive and affective skills that are fundamental for the detection of warning signs and use of interventions in cases of people who want to take their own lives. Working in a mental health environment can be difficult for nursing students; therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of nursing students on the approach, management and intervention of suicidal crisis through clinical mental health simulation. Methods: qualitative descriptive phenomenological study through focus groups and reflective narratives in a sample of 45 students. A thematic analysis was performed using ATLAS-ti. Results: After the analysis, three themes were obtained: (a) management and handling of emotions (b) identification of suicide motives (c) intervention in suicidal crisis. Discussion: Clinical simulation in mental health allows students to exercise clinical judgment reasoning, detect warning signs for a better treatment approach, and provide tools for effective intervention and management of patient care. The results of this study indicate that nursing students face challenges in approaching mental health clinical simulation due to lack of prior exposure.

Qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) was developed by Charles Ragin in 1987 for the comparative analysis of small data sets. The method has become widespread in sociological and economic research. There are examples of successful use of QCA in the field of medicine and epidemiology. The purpose of this review is to describe the key stages of QCA with a discussion the application of this method to the analysis of medical and epidemiological data.

Tourism is the main economic sector in the Balearic Islands (Spain) and hotel housekeepers (HHs) are a large occupational group, in which stress is becoming a major issue. This study aims at exploring in-depth factors perceived as stressors by HHs and key-informants, and their effects on work-life balance (WLB). A qualitative design with phenomenological approach was used, conducting six focus groups with 34 HHs and 10 individual interviews with key-informants. Results were analyzed adopting the job demands-resources model and a gender perspective. High demands –e.g work overload, time pressure, physical burden...-, lack of enough resources and little control –derived from role conflict, unexpected events...- were the most important factors explaining HHs’ stress. Additionally, this imbalance was perceived as leading to health problems –mainly musculoskeletal disorders-. Working schedule was mentioned as a facilitator to WLB, whereas an imbalance between job demands and resources led to work-home conflict –preventing them from enjoying leisure time-. Multiple roles at work and at home increased their stress. HHs experienced their job as invisible and unrecognised. Regarding practical implications, our recommendations for hotel organization include reducing workload and increasing resources, which would improve the job demands-resource balance, diminish negative mental and physical outcomes and improve WLB.

Improving the quality and access to healthcare services in rural areas is fundamental to develop sustainable healthcare systems. This research aims to explore the motivations of healthcare professionals to work and settle in rural island areas of Greece with limited access to secondary and tertiary care. The study suggests practical ways to encourage self-motivation and attract more health workers in rural areas. An exploratory qualitative research approach was employed, involving semi-structured interviews with 16 healthcare professionals working in primary care units that lack direct hospital or hospital-health center access. The research was conducted specifically in the rural islands of Cyclades. Thematic analysis was conducted to identify common themes and unique insights from the participants. The analysis revealed three thematic categories. Τhe «attraction» thematic was influenced by personal factors, random selection, origin, accommodation factors, professional factors and obligatoriness. The «recruitment» thematic was associated with understaffing, special care issues, unstable working environment, educational and organizational aspects, and insular lifestyle. The thematic of «retention» highlighted personal issues, accommodation difficulties, economic and work-related issues, and unique challenges posed by an insular lifestyle. This research provides valuable insights into the motivations that drive healthcare professionals to settle, work, and remain in remote island units, as well as the challenges they encounter in making this decision. The study proposes strategies to motivate and attract more healthcare professionals to rural areas. These findings should be considered when formulating or reviewing primary healthcare empowerment policies to ensure equitable healthcare access for all individuals.

The construction industry plays a crucial role in shaping the built environment and contributes to the global economy. However, the construction process is associated with negative impacts on the environment and communities. This paper examines the environmental impacts of construction and presents strategies for mitigating them, focusing on sustainable construction practices. The research draws on a comprehensive literature review, case studies, and expert interviews to fully understand the construction industry and its environmental effects. The findings indicate that the implementation of greater supervision of every construction project phase, using alternative design practices, and the use of sustainable construction practices can reduce the negative impacts of construction on the environment and society. The study concludes that sustainable construction practices can contribute to a better environment for a better quality of life and should be embraced by the construction industry. The recommendations for future work include the adoption of green building standards, the use of renewable energy sources, the reduction of waste, and the promotion of stakeholder engagement. Future research should focus on the evaluation of the effectiveness of these strategies and their scalability.

Iodine is essential for thyroid hormones synthesis and normal neurodevelopment; however, 60% of pregnant women do not meet the WHO recommended intake. Using a qualitative design, we explored perceptions, awareness and experiences of pregnancy nutrition, focusing on iodine. Women in the perinatal period (n=48) were interviewed and filled in a food frequency questionnaire for iodine. Almost all participants achieved the recommended 150 μg/day intake for non-pregnant adults (99%), but only 81% met the increased demands of pregnancy (250 μg/day). Most were unaware of the importance, sources and recommendations of iodine intake. Attitudes to dairy products consumption were positive (e.g. helps with heartburn; easy to increase). Increased fish consumption was considered less achievable, with barriers around taste, smell, heartburn and morning sickness. Community midwives were the main recognised provider of dietary advice. The dietary advice received focused most often on multivitamin supplements rather than food sources. Analysis highlighted a clear theme of commitment to change behaviour, motivated by pregnancy, with desired focus on user-friendly documentation and continued involvement of the health services. The study highlights the importance of redirecting advice on dietary requirements in pregnancy and offers practical suggestions from women in the perinatal period as the main stakeholder group.

The analysis of drugs is a priority in public health, particularly antibiotics which develop resistance due, among other things, to bad dosages or poor quality of the active substance. In this study, we evaluated eight antibiotics available in health centers in Djibouti through qualitative and quantitative analysis. The tests were based on high-purity reference products. In qualitative analysis by HPLC, only amoxicillin presented two impurity peaks. This observation is found in the dosage of this active ingredient with a value of 83 ±0.6 mg instead of the 500 mg indicated on the label. It will be necessary to diversify the sample’s provenance to seek the origin of this degradation.

Self-employed individuals comprise around 15% of Canada’s workforce. For those with cancer, frequent functional loss and diminished work ability due to side effects of the disease and its treatment significantly impact their well-being and business vitality. Compared to salaried can-cer survivors, the self-employed experience greater reductions in work hours and up to 48% greater income loss, yet most research addresses the former population. To describe self-employed Canadian cancer survivors’ experiences continuing and returning to work, our quali-tative study examines their strategic efforts to continue working throughout the disease trajecto-ry or return to work post-recovery. Employing an interpretive description approach and an in-terview guide based on a vocational rehabilitation model for cancer survivors, we analyze data from 23 participants—both French- and English-speaking—from six Canadian provinces, with eight different job types and nine different cancer diagnoses. Our constant comparative analysis of the transcribed interviews reveals four major themes and twelve sub-themes: Impact of can-cer on the self-employed function (physical, cognitive, and psychological), on their ability to maintain their business, and financial well-being, and facilitating factors for working with can-cer. Cancer disclosure and non-disclosure were both deemed viable strategies, but ceasing work was not. We thus recommend professional support for self-employed cancer survivors in plan-ning any necessary business modifications to accommodate their condition and cancer treatment to lessen the negative impact of cancer on self and on their business well-being.

How much is the h-index of an editor of a well ranked journal improved due to citations which occur after his/her appointment? Scientific recognition within academia is widely measured nowadays by the number of citations or h-index. Our dataset is based on a sample of four editors from a well ranked journal (impact factor – IF – greater than 2). The target group consists of two editors who seem to benefit by their position through an increased citation number (and subsequently h-index) within journal. The total amount of citations for the target group is bigger than 600. The control group is formed by another set of two editors from the same journal whose relations between their positions and their citation records remain neutral. The total amount of citations for the control group is more than 1200. The timespan for which citations’ pattern has been studied is 1975-2015. Previous coercive citations for a journal benefit (increase its IF) has been signaled. To the best of our knowledge, this is a pioneering work on coercive citations for personal (editors’) benefit. Editorial teams should be aware about this type of potentially unethical behavior and act accordingly.

Leaves of Citrus aurantifolia, Citrus hystrix and Citrus microcarpa collected from Mersing, Johor were selected for this research. The extraction of these samples were carried out using three different polarities of solvents (hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol). Phytochemical screening were done with various test for each of crude extracts. The results showed that C. aurantifolia gave positive result for alkaloids, saponins, reducing sugar and carbohydrates in hexane and ethyl acetate extracts. In contrast to C. hystrix where the presence of alkaloids, steroids, reducing sugar and carbohydrates were proven in all crude extracts. Lastly, C. microcarpa showed positive result for alkaloids, triterpenoids, saponins, flavonoids, reducing sugar, carbohydrates, phenolic content, glycosides and tannins for hexane and ethyl acetate crude extracts. Through antioxidant assays measured at wavelength 234 nm, C. aurantifoliaa has the highest AOA which was 10. The scavenging effect on DPPH radical was done at the wavelength of 517 nm and C. microcarpa has the highest percentage of scavenging effect with 96.41%. Next, the non-enzymatic antioxidant assays on the determination of α-tocopherol and carotenoids showed that C. hystrix has the highest concentration of α-tocopherol (2.30 ± 0.026), while C. microcarpa has the highest concentration of carotenoids (18.40 ± 2.83).

Mental wellness can be related to healthier living, the learning process and working environments for people in the university community. A wide range of mental wellness programmes have been explored to provide students with pleasant and satisfying experiences. The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of integrating Zen meditation(禪)and music listening on the mindfulness and happiness levels of university music therapy students. Qualitative methodology was used, and data were collected through surveys and semi-structured interviews. To investigate various aspects of data regarding the role of meditation and music (MM) programme for mindfulness and happiness, this study used thematic analysis within a qualitative research design. The results of this study indicate that the 8-week MM programme is effective in enhancing mindfulness and happiness and has positive responses to daily life stress (e.g., exam anxiety, financial difficulties, and emotional distress during the COVID-19 pandemic). The role of meditation and music in promoting mental health and well-being has long been discussed and the combination of the two has been recognised as a beneficial intervention. This paper could contribute to the support of mental health resources and coping strategies in higher education, as well as expand the potential range of integrating practices involving music and meditation.

This study explores female university students' attitudes and concerns toward pornography, based on their experience watching it and on sexual encounters with men. It used a qualitative descriptive design. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 22 participants between March and April 2020. Thematic data analysis was performed using COREQ reporting guidelines. Three themes emerged from the data: 1) the sexual learning process, 2) the role of pornography in women’s sexuality, and 3) sexual experiences. Participants reported how they learned about sexuality and how pornography influenced sexual experiences. Self-esteem issues and societal norms regarding hair removal, and difficulty saying “no” to unwanted or humiliating sexual practices were found. Young women were not comfortable with women’s representations in mainstream pornography. They blame pornography for negative sexual experiences and claim it influences them and young men. Participants usually assumed submissive roles during sex and permitted aggressive sexual behaviors. The study reveals valuable information on how young women learn about sex, difficulty in refusing unwanted sexual activities, and even aggressive practices. Sexual education programs should include assertiveness training to improve sexual health, consent, and well-being.

In recent years, the production of renewable energy represents one of the main challenges of modern and future society. The new cultivation method called Agrivoltaic (hereafter AV), combines and associates agricultural production and renewable energy (photovoltaic) production in a collaborative synergy from which both benefit. In this study, the dry matter and essential oils yield of six medicinal species (Salvia officinalis L., Origanum vulgare L., Rosmarinus officinalis L., Lavendula angustifolia L., Thymus citriodorus L. and Mentha spicata L.) grown underneath a dynamic AV system in comparison to those in full sun (T), were evaluated. In particular, below the dynamic AV system, due to the rotation of the panels, two plot areas on the ground were distinguished: one always covered by the panels (UP), and another one covered alternatively (BP). During the aromatic crop cycles, the solar radiation, infrared leaf temperature and air temperatures in UP, BP and T plot, were measured. In addition, at harvest time, weed survey was carried out. The results showed that, in general, the solar radiation and infrared leaf temperature were lower in UP plot than in either the BP and T plots, while the air temperatures were similar in all compared plots. Also the weed cover percentage was lower in the UP plot than other ones. The essential oils yield in the sage, thyme, mint and rosemary plants were higher in both UP and BP plots than for T plot. Thus, shading and/or less weed infestation may have been the main factors favorably influencing the performance of medicinal crops under a dynamic AV system.

The newly discovered coronavirus (COVID-19) has disrupted traditional methods of conducting research, particularly qualitative research. However, there remains a number of methods by which qualitative data can still be collected. These include the use of digital voice, video, and text-based tools, online surveys, and content analysis. Text-based sources can help to overcome the limitations of time and space, and also can be cost-effective. This chapter draws from data collected from 12 participants across Zimbabwe and demonstrates how these tools can be used to generate data or to sample data that is already available to satisfy research questions and meet research objectives. It recommends researchers to experiment with new ways of collecting qualitative data while also observing safety protocols and ethical considerations.

Since the end of 2019 and throughout 2020 the world has been devastated by the SARS COVID-19 pandemic. The sport world suddenly had to deal with a massive reorganization of events with important implications on the physical and psychological preparation of athletes and coaches. The purpose of this study was to explore how these changes impacted coaches’ and athletes’ goal setting strategies and their experience of goal adjustment. As part of a wider mixed-method project involving 2162 coaches and 1354 athletes, an online qualitative survey was used, and data collected were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings highlighted three overarching themes, in response to goal adjustment: “Moving on toward new goals”, “Letting go of goals”, and “Trying to hold on”, with several themes and sub-themes identifying different nuances of athletes’ and coaches’ experience. The implications of such findings for the mental preparation of high-level athletes are discussed in two ways. Firstly, in light of existing literature on goal setting from an applied perspective; secondly, in the broader perspective of the sport culture and the application of our themes to other challenging moments that sport professionals might encounter.

Adventurous play, defined as exciting, thrilling play where children are able to take age-appropriate risks has been associated with a wide range of positive outcomes. Despite this, it remains unclear what factors might aid or hinder schools in offering adventurous play opportu-nities. The purpose of this systematic review is to synthesise findings from qualitative studies on the perceived barriers and facilitators of adventurous play in schools. A total of nine studies were included in the final synthesis. The review used two synthesis strategies: a meta-aggregative syn-thesis and narrative synthesis. Findings were similar across the two syntheses, highlighting that key barriers and facilitators were: adults’ perceptions of children; adults’ attitudes and beliefs about adventurous play and concerns pertaining to health; and, safety and concerns about legis-lation. Based on the findings of the review, recommendations for policy and practice as provided to support adventurous play in schools.

A semi-structured interview (SSI) is one of the essential tools in conduction qualitative research. This essay draws upon the pros and cons of applying semi-structured interviews (SSI) in the qualitative research method. Moreover, the challenges of SSI during the coronavirus pandemic are critically discussed to provide plausible recommendations.

Antibiotic resistance currently considered as a global concern mostly impacting low- and middle-income nations and it can be accelerated by antibiotic abuse and other forms of excessive antibiotic use. There is little data on community practices and understanding in Somaliland on antibiotics and antibiotic resistance. To provide evidence-based communication intervention techniques for safer antibiotic use the qualitative study was done from November 1st to December 1st, 2023, and consisted of in-depth semi-structured interviews with adult heads of households in Hargeisa, Somaliland, using purposive and snowball sampling strategies. Participants were chosen from a variety of medical and educational backgrounds. Thematic analysis was used to investigate community knowledge and antibiotic use in the sampled population. To investigate the level of awareness on antibiotic use, 20 respondents (households) were questioned (Table 1). Of these, 17 (85%) became aware of the term antibiotic itself, with 7 (35%) being prescribed by a physician, 9 (45%) receiving laboratory diagnosis when using antibiotics, and 6 (30%) becoming aware of the potential risks associated with improper antibiotic use. This study highlighted the community's lack of understanding about antibiotic use. The majority of the study participants knew the phrase "antibiotic" but had no idea what it meant, the side effect of the antibiotics and other medical science related information regarding how to safely use antibiotics. According to the findings, initiatives for antibiotic stewardship should focus on community education to prevent antibiotic misuse or abuse.

Resuscitation is one of the most stressful tasks in emergency medicine. The participation of medical professionals in this procedure can have specific effects on them. In the research, we wanted to find out what these effects are. A qualitative approach by conducting semi-structured interviews was used, and thematic data analysis of the recorded interviews was done. The collected data were transcribed verbatim with no corrections to the audio recordings. The computer program ATLAS.ti 22 was used for qualitative data analysis. Eleven male registered nurses were interviewed, with an average of 18.5 years of experience working in a prehospital environment (max. 32/min. 9). A total of 404 minutes of recordings were analyzed and 789 codes were found, which were combined into 36 patterns, and 11 themes. As the most stressful situa-tions, the interviewees pointed out the resuscitation of a child, familiar persons, conflicts with the environment, conflicts within the resuscitation team, non-functioning or insufficient equipment, complications during resuscitation, and resuscitating a person only for exercise. As positive effects, the interviewees cited successful resuscitations or their awareness that, despite the unsuccessful resuscitation, they did everything they could. Participation in these interven-tions has a specific positive or negative impact on the performers. The interviewees shared the opinion that they can cope effectively with resuscitation's adverse or stressful effects. Yet, de-spite everything, they allow the possibility of subconscious influences of this intervention on them.

This study was carried out in a qualitative research type and phenomenological design since it was aimed to determine the life experiences of the parents of deaf children. The study sample consisted of 20 parents of deaf children registered in a special education and rehabilitation center who spoke Turkish and were literate and did not have hearing loss. The data were collected through in-depth interviews in Istanbul between December and January 2022. Colaizzi's phenomenological interpretation method was used in qualitative data analysis. It was determined that parents of deaf children experienced anxiety, sadness, and happiness during diagnosis. They lacked information at first, but then they gained knowledge in the process, and it was not easy to accept this process. They stated that having a deaf child requires more time, responsibility, and effort than other children, this situation affects their social life, and they experience interpersonal conflicts. When parents were asked how they coped, they said they did it through prayer, social support, or time to themselves. It can be recommended to apply psychosocial intervention programs to the parents of deaf children, especially their mothers, from the first diagnosis process.

Dengue fever is a viral mosquito-borne infection, a major international public health concern. With 2.5 billion people at risk of acquiring the infection around the world, disease severity is influenced by the immunological status of the individual, seronegative or seropositive, prior to natural infection. Caused by four antigenically related but distinct serotypes, DENV-1 to DENV-4, infection by one serotype confers life-long immunity to that serotype and a period of temporary cross-immunity (TCI) to other serotypes. The clinical response on exposure to a second serotype is complex with the so-called Antibody-Dependent enhancement (ADE) process, a disease augmentation phenomenon when pre-existing antibodies to previous dengue infection do not neutralize but rather enhance the new infection, used to explain the etiology of severe disease. In this paper, we present a minimalistic mathematical model framework developed to describe qualitatively the dengue immunological response mediated by antibodies. Three models are analyzed and compared: i) primary dengue infection, ii) secondary dengue infection with the same (homologous) dengue virus and iii) secondary dengue infection with a different (heterologous) dengue virus. We explore the features of viral replication, antibody production, and infection clearance over time. The model is developed based on body cells and free virus interactions resulting in infected cells activating antibody production. Our mathematical results are qualitatively similar to the ones described in the empiric immunology literature, providing insights on the immunopathogenesis of severe disease. Results presented here are of use for future research directions to evaluate the impact of dengue vaccines.

The world has been highly impacted by the COVID-19 as the virus has spread to all continents – about 200 countries in total. The latest update claims about 4,000,000 confirmed cases and about 300,000 confirmed deaths owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. This probably makes the COVID-19 as the most dangerous contagious disease in the era 2000s. Apart from massive publications on this topic, there is no available qualitative analysis that describes the dynamic spreads of the COVID-19 and its impacts on healthcare and the economy. Through the system archetypes analysis, this paper explains that the dynamic spread of the COVID-19 consists of the limits to growth and the success to successful structures. The limits to growth elucidates that more symptomatic and asymptomatic patients owing to infected droplets may be bounded by self-healing and isolated treatments. The success to successful structure explains that once the COVID-19 affects the economy through the lockdown, there will be a limited fund to support the government aids and the aggregate demand. In overall, this paper gives readers simplified holistic insights into understanding the dynamic spread of the COVID-19.

Healthy houses is a problem on developing countries. This study mainly focus on urban areas and the health effect of poor water and sanitation, floor, inadequate heating, poor food storage and overcrowding. This research has used qualitative method with questionnaires has spread to a hundred and six homes about characteristics of healthy home. The questionnaires have spread to Pondok village and Bukit Kerman village, Kerinci District, Jambi Province, Indonesia. Result showed 90% houses too dense and 10 no dense, 98% houses on this area are unhealthy houses and 10% healthy houses. Unhealthy houses that affected diseases such as 20% diaarhea, 29% other diseases, 13% ARI, 10% malaria 15% skin and 12% no diseases. We recommended to make a public health policy to reducing unhealthy houses on this area.

The study was conducted at El-Sabahia Research Station (latitude 31°12'N, longitude 29°58'E), Alexandria, Egypt, to evaluate the effect of Spirulina platensis algae extract on the growth, yield, and juice quality of four sugarcane genotypes during the 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 seasons. The sugarcane genotypes tested (G.T. 54-9, G. 2003-47, G. 84-47, and G. 2004-27) were treated with four concentrations (0, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3%) of Spirulina algae extract (SE) during their development as plant cane and first ratoon crops. At harvest, the growth, physiological, and juice quality characteristics were documented, while chlorophyll content was measured 210 days after sowing. Spraying canes with 0.2% of SE was the most effective treatment in enhancing all of the evaluated characteristics compared to those left without SE. Cane yield was more closely correlated with stalk weight (r = 0.88), followed by leaf area index (r = 0.82), chlorophyll content (r = 0.82), stalk length (r = 0.76), and number of tillers (r = 0.73), while recoverable sugar yield was closely correlated (P < 0.01) with sugar content% (r = 0.76).

The research investigates the factors affecting the financial performance of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Indonesia and their impact on the country’s economic growth. The research methods of the studies involve data collection through surveys or interviews, followed by statistical analysis. The study found that entrepreneurial qualities such as motivation, entrepreneurial orientation, and risk behavior positively influence the financial performance of MSMEs. MSMEs that manage working capital optimally tend to increase profitability and growth, despite operational difficulties like worker shortages. MSMEs engaged in foreign trade usually achieve higher profitability. Bank loans can enhance profitability and sales, but the collateral requirement may hinder growth. The owner’s involvement doesn’t affect growth but can enhance profitability. Factors like the Human Capital Index, interest rates, the Indonesian Rupiah exchange rate, and inflation do not significantly impact MSME investment. However, business units, labor, investment, and exports of MSMEs significantly influence Indonesia’s economic growth. MSMEs play a crucial role in job creation, rural development, economic diversification, and GDP contribution in Indonesia. Despite challenges, they have the potential for sustainable growth. The research also explores strategies for overcoming challenges faced by MSMEs and investigates the role of universities in supporting the MSME sector. The University of Indonesia (UI) supports the MSME sector through strategic initiatives, including education, training, mentoring, and internship programs. The research provides valuable insights into the operation of MSMEs in Indonesia and their contribution to the economy, highlighting areas for further exploration and potential strategies for supporting the growth and sustainability of these enterprises.

Dreams and positive symptoms of schizophrenia are similar in many aspects, such as bizarre-ness, impairment of reality testing, intense emotional participation. Hallucinations, delusions, and disorganized thoughts have been proposed to be an intrusion of the dreaming state in wake-fulness: conversely, psychotic patients’ abnormal cognitive and behavioral features could over-flow into sleep, transferring peculiar features to their dreams which would differ, in quantity and quality, from those of healthy people. Here we assess this latter hypothesis by analyzing the dreams of 46 patients, hosted in a residential facility or in a day-treatment center, affected by disorders of the schizophrenic spectrum with psychotic symptoms, versus those of 28 healthy controls, in terms of several quantitative and qualitative characteristics. In patients, we also in-vestigated whether dream variables correlated with the severity of symptoms assessed via the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. Overall, patients reported fewer and shorter dreams than controls, with a reduction of many ele-ments like characters and settings. The greatest differences regarded emotions, which were less frequent in patients and inversely correlated with symptoms’ severity. This evidence supports the hypothesis that dreams are crucial for emotion regulation during wakefulness and that this func-tion could be totally or partially ineffective in psychoses.

Software-defined networking (SDN) divides a traditional network into a programmable data plane and a centralized control plane. This technology is expected to transform traditional network companies that provide flexible and intelligent network operations. The core component utilized to oversee every data plane action is the controller in the control plane. In order to achieve optimal performances, the controller’s performance and capabilities are therefore crucial. There are lots of controller research available in existing literature. Nevertheless, no qualitative comparison study of OpenFlow-enabled distributed but logically centralized controllers exists for them. This article also includes a quantitative investigation of the performance of several distributed but logically centralized SDN controllers in custom network scenarios using Mininet, as well as a thorough qualitative comparison of them. More precisely, we give a qualitative evaluation of their attributes and classify and categorize 13 distributed but logically centralized SDN controllers according to their capabilities. Additionally, we offer a comprehensive SDN emulation tool called Mininet-based SDN controller performance assessment in this study. Using six performance metrics—bandwidth, round- trip time, delay, jitter, packet loss, and throughput—this work also assesses five distributed but logically centralized controllers against two custom network scenarios (uniform and non-uniform host distribution). Our investigation shows that the OpenDayLight controller performs the best across all performance criteria, with the exception of delay, packet loss and round trip time, where the Ryu controller excels. In the entire experiment, the HyperFlow and ONOS controller performs the worst in terms of all performance metrics. Finally, we discuss detailed research findings on the performance. These experimental results provide a decision-making guideline when selecting a controller.

School meals can have a key function in promoting children’s health. However, simply providing a free school meal is not a guarantee that pupils will actually eat the food. The purpose of this study was to explore factors influencing pupils’ participation in free school meal schemes in Oslo The study has a qualitative research design, inspired by grounded theory. Data were collected through interviews with pupils, teachers and parents, and participant observations in two schools participating in a pilot project funded by Oslo Municipality. Line-by-line coding, memo writing and a constant comparative technique were used to analyse the data. One primary school and one lower-secondary school in different districts in Oslo that were implementing two different free school meal models. 39 pupils (5th–10th grade), 15 parents and 12 school employees were included. Four main factors related to pupils’ participation to free school meals emerged from the analysis: the popularity of the food served, the attraction to the nearby shopping centre, social aspects and predictability. To promote pupils’ participation in free school meal schemes, schools need to solve the challenges of balancing between healthy food and popular but often unhealthy food. Children and parents involvement, regularity of the meals provision, a good flow of information and the creation of a friendly eating environment are recommended

We presented a fractional order model to capture the transmission dynamics of Anthrax infection with a nonlinear force of infection and its long-term impacts. Analysis by the standard Fabrizio Caputo approach established the model is well-posed and investigation on the stability of the model, Anthrax-free equilibrium as connected to the basic reproduction number R0

The concept of artisanal products has been largely discussed mainly due to concerns about the inappropriate use of the term that may cause confusion for the consumers. Cheeses are important food models to evaluate consumers’ and producers’ perception about artisanal foods worldwide. Thus, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the perception of consumers and cheesemakers towards artisan foods, focusing on artisanal cheeses. For this purpose, two focus group were performed either with cheese producers and with consumers to discuss the topic. Colonial and Serrano cheeses, traditional and cultural dairy products in Brazil, were used as food model for the discussion. Producers and consumers related artisan foods to small scale of production, handicraft and freshness. Affective memories were also an important issue related to artisanal cheeses. For cheesemakers, artisan cheeses must be produced with unpasteurized milk, which was not cited by consumers. Consumers disclosed the intention of pay a premium price for food products that present artisan seals on front-package-label, mainly due to the guarantee of acquiring a quality product. The confusion about artisanal and traditional food concepts were observed, which is a subject to be deeply evaluated further. The findings provide useful implications to policy makers and institutions that can influence citizens’ attitudes and consumption patterns of artisanal products.

Living with a chronic disease involves a variety of daily life limitations that severely affect people in their daily life. Identifying and promoting self-management strategies may improve health outcomes and increase patients’ autonomy. The purpose of the present study was to explore the perceived limitations and self-management strategies of elder patients suffering from chronic diseases. An inductive content analysis was applied, with a purposive sampling of 21 patients living with chronic conditions. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews. Two main-categories were emerged from content analysis, namely “Limitations of daily life” and “Disease Management”. Physical restrictions and negative feelings were referred to as daily burdens, while scheduling and self-care, supporting environment and technology were related to disease management. Information, training and provision of digital literacy may increase patients' self-efficacy in managing their chronic condition.

Background: This literature review investigates qualitative and quantitative uses of indocyanine green (ICG) in surgical treatment, as this novel technique has become increasingly popular in ORs (operating rooms) worldwide due to its many advantages. Method: An extensive literature review was performed by searching for relevant terms in 5 international databases (www.pubmed.gov, www.sciencedirect.com, www.scopus.com, www.Oxfordjournals.com, www.reaxys.com). The results of this search were summarized into the main advantages of employing ICG in colorectal surgery as follows: a) intraoperative fluorescence angiography capability; b) fluorescence-guided identification of lymph node involvement in colorectal cancer and the sentinel lymph node method; c) positive fluorescence flagging of a liver tumour as small as "only" 200 tumour cells; d) facilitation of fistula diagnosis; and e) tumour tattooing. Moreover, in addition to qualitative intraoperative ICG use, this technique can be combined with quantitative methods and parameters, such as maximum intensity, relative maximum intensity, and different inflow parameters (time-to-peak, slope, and t1/2max). The conclusion of this article is that fluorescence surgery with ICG aided by near-infrared (NIR) light is a relatively recent technology, an advantage of which is improving the specific anatomic and functional information provided, thus allowing more comprehensive and safer tumour removal as well as preservation of important structures.

This qualitative study explores sustainable procurement practices and supplier selection criteria, delving into the complexities, challenges, and opportunities of integrating sustainability considerations into procurement decisions. Through in-depth interviews with procurement professionals from diverse industries, the research uncovers key themes such as the multifaceted nature of sustainable procurement criteria, the challenge of assessing and managing suppliers' sustainability performance, the importance of collaboration and communication, and the influence of regulatory and market pressures. Findings reveal that sustainable procurement involves a comprehensive approach that considers environmental, social, and ethical factors alongside traditional criteria like cost and quality. Assessing suppliers' sustainability performance emerges as a significant challenge, necessitating robust assessment processes and technological solutions to enhance transparency and traceability. Collaboration and communication with suppliers are identified as critical enablers of sustainable procurement, fostering trust and mutual understanding. Regulatory mandates and market demands drive organizational commitments to sustainability, shaping supplier selection criteria and procurement strategies. Despite challenges, sustainable procurement offers benefits such as enhanced risk management, cost savings, innovation, and reputation enhancement. Overall, sustainable procurement represents a strategic approach that contributes to positive environmental and social outcomes, supporting a more sustainable and equitable future for organizations and society.

Media thermal conductivity is important in various heat-transfer processes. Many conventional fluid conductors suffered low conductivity and environmental issues. Therefore, researchers developed efficient aqueous nanofluid conductors. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are widely studied to reach efficient, stable, low-cost and environmentally-friendly aqueous-nanofluids. This review provides a clear understanding of how CNTs improve thermal conductivity of aqueous nanofluids. A qualitative model is presented to explain literature mechanisms behind improvement. CNT type effects are discussed with other factors such as aspect ratio, Reynold number, dispersion quality, composition, temperature and additives. CNT functionalization is described. Relations to estimate nanofluid thermal conductivity are discussed. The model will help specialists to tailor CNT aqueous nanofluids as desired.

The article explores Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), an approach for establishing causal relationships between conditions and outcomes. QCA, applied in case studies and empirical analyses, facilitates generalizations for future research and addresses causal complexity by identifying various causal "recipes" leading to the same outcome. Three widely used QCA variants are Crisp-Set QCA (csQCA), Multi-value QCA (mvQCA), and Fuzzy-Set QCA (fsQCA), each with unique approaches. The article emphasizes the significance of bibliometric analysis in mapping a research field's intellectual structure, revealing key contributions and trends. In QCA, bibliometric analysis identifies leading researchers, affiliations, and influential countries. Results show QCA's widespread adoption across disciplines, with continuous growth in article production since 2013. The favored variant is fsQCA, followed by csQCA, and China notably contributes to QCA-related research. In conclusion, QCA proves a potent tool for discerning complex causal relationships in empirical studies, with its increasing interdisciplinary use indicating substantial potential for advancing scientific knowledge.

Apart from their obvious educational mission, public schools provide health, psychological, emotional, and social development grounding for students. Thus, the educational system is special in that it combines multiple integrated responsibilities and duties beyond the scope of any other social welfare program. As such, social workers are a very important constituent of this system, and they ostensibly serve to attend to the wellbeing of students while ensuring educational system performance. In light of this extremely steep set of demands, this work assesses and compares social workers’ authentic roles in UAE schools during and after the COVID-19 pandemic so that we may contribute to the improvement of educational systems worldwide. The results are nuanced and will better illuminate the important capabilities of social workers in the continually changing educational system, as well as the challenges they face and ameliorate during emergency scenarios.

Understanding and improving seismic resilience in regions prone to earthquakes is crucial for mitigating the effects of natural disasters. This study zeroes in on Montenegro, a region frequently affected by seismic activity, with the goals of critically evaluating current resilience levels, pinpointing key preparedness gaps, and assessing the efficacy of existing response strategies. Employing qualitative methods, the research involved semi-structured interviews with residents from Montenegro's most vulnerable areas, including Nikšić, Podgorica, Bar, Kotor, Cetinje, Budva, Herceg Novi, and Berane. These participants, selected for their firsthand experiences with significant earthquake impacts, contributed to a deeper understanding through discussions that aligned with a broad conceptual framework, exploring everything from the nuances of citi-zen resilience to local government responses and personal preparedness. The study aimed to gather in-depth views on community resilience during earthquakes, evaluate citizens' knowledge and preparedness for such disasters, and examine local governance strategies for enhancing seismic resilience. It revealed varying resilience levels across communities, with some displaying well-structured strategies while others showed notable deficiencies. The findings underscore the urgent need for community-specific preparedness programs and improvements in both structural and educational frameworks to enhance resilience. This research highlights the necessity of a comprehensive approach that includes detailed risk assessments, tailored preparedness training, and stronger public awareness efforts. Additionally, it emphasizes strengthening local governments' capabilities to enact and sustain effective response measures to ensure ongoing community resilience against future seismic challenges.

Introduction: Intimate partner violence occurring during pregnancy has a similar prevalence as usual obstetrical disorders routinely screened for. Referenced publications insist on the importance of adequate screening but the proper course of action has yet to be defined. Aim of study: We qualitatively explored the different resources and concepts that emerge from the discourse of maternity staff across professions. Material and methods: We led a semi structured interview with professionals included following their involvement with preselected patients. Nine professionals provided a sample of 19 interviews. The data was analysed using IPA methodology. Results We highlight the investigative importance of navigating the patient’s initial demand or lack thereof and the baby’s importance within, mindful of mechanisms of maternal disqualification. Creating an atmosphere prone to patient empowerment was the final theme to emerge from the study as the most beneficial tactic both in the short and long term. Conclusion: HCPs need to enable patients’ trust on a personal and an institutional level. As well as empowering the patient in the moment and respecting their values and choices, HCPs also convey the stability of the institution that has to become a reference of refuge and assistance for patients from their pregnancy onwards.

The nursing home (NH) population becomes increasingly frail, suffering several chronic ill-nesses, high symptom severity, and short remaining lifespan after admission; all this requires skilled, well-organized professional care. Little is known about how NH managers influence the caring and learning environment (CLE) to ensure competencies in meeting NH patients’ needs. The aim of this study is to explore how NH managers influence the CLE to provide basic nursing education for students and apprentices, in order to improve it. This study applies a qualitative design, using multiple methods and focusing on NHs as a context involving complex adaptive systems and on basic nursing as a complex issue. NH managers express a constant struggle to keep workloads manageable, and NHs come across as exhausted organizations with little surplus. Both managers and staff look for ways to execute the work with as little effort as pos-sible and mainly stick to well-established routines. Not participating directly in either daily caring or placement learning, NH managers influence the CLE indirectly through taming and coping strategies, largely using taming strategies that lead to serious unintended outcomes. Coping strategies involve leading collaborative processes in holding environments that are feasible with their workload and roles as managers.

Migratory movements are a political, social and public health issue on a global scale. Access to sexual and reproductive health services for irregular migrant women (IMW) is a public health issue. The aim of this study is to identify qualitative evidence on IMW's experiences of sexual and reproductive health care in emergency and primary care settings. Methods: meta-synthesis of qualitative studies. Synthesis includes assembling and categorising findings based on the simili-arty in meaning. The search was conducted between January 2010 and June 2022 using PubMed, WOS and CINAHL databases. Results: of 131 articles found in the initial search, only 9 articles met the criteria and were included in the review. Four main themes were established: (1) The need to focus emergency care on sexual and reproductive health, (2) Unsatisfactory clinical experiences, (3) Forced reproduction, (4) Alternating between formal and informal healthcare services. Con-clusions: IMW’s attitudes towards sexual and reproductive health are influenced by culture, ed-ucational level, fear, barriers and the attitude of healthcare providers. Healthcare institutions need to be aware of the IMW’s experiences to understand the specific difficulties they face. IMW call for socially and culturally sensitive health care, cultural mediators, improved communication and safe environments that ensure confidentiality.

Background: Idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus is a syndrome with neuroradiological findings and clinical pattern characteristic but not specific for the pathology. Since the prevalence is growing due to the rapidly aging society, standardized and validated protocol for diagnosis is needed, also because this condition may mimic other disorders among elderly such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. Material and methods: We analysed data from 44 patients with suspect diagnosis of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus with age > 60 years, clinical triad and neuroradiological pattern examined in our ward from November 2018 to November 2022. Neu-ropsychological assessment includes Mini Mental State Examination and Mental Deterioration Battery. Motor scores were collected from gait and balance tests. The evaluation was performed before and after an extended lumbar drainage last 48h. Patients who has scores improvement after the extended lumbar drainage, undergo ventriculoperitoneal shunt with a programmable valve. Results: All patients undergo neuropsychological assessment and motor tests, only 2 patients were unable to perform motor tests because bedridden. 16 patients showed no benefit from the tests, in 2 cases even a worsening of cognitive performance. 28 patients showed an improvement in their performances, but in most cases the improvement involved only the neuropsychological as-sessment. All patients underwent ventriculoperitoneal shunt have had a typical answers pattern in Mental Deterioration Battery test. We performed 9 ventriculoperitoneal shunt and 1 ventricu-lo-atrial shunt. Conclusions: Qualitative neurocognitive tests come out to be more sensitive compared to quantitative neurocognitive tests in identifying patients with suspected idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus benefiting from extended lumbar drainage test and then un-derwent surgical treatment. This could be considered a valid screening in elderly patients with suspected idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus in order to minimize the number of invasive procedures. More studies are necessary to validate this tool.

The literature on substance use usually extracts conclusions from data with correlational methods. Our study shows the usefulness of complementing ordered logistic regression (OLR) and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to assess factors inducing cannabis consumption in a sample of 1,935 teenagers. OLR showed a significant influence of gender (odd ratio (OR) =0.383, p<0.0001), parental monitoring (OR=0.587, p=0.0201); religiousness (OR=0.476, p=0.006); parental tolerance to substance use (OR=42.01, p<0.0001) and having close peers that consume substances (OR=5.60, p<0.0001). FsQCA has allowed fitting linkages between factors from a complementary perspective. (1) Coverage (cov) and consistency (cons) attained by solutions explaining use (cons=0.808, cov=0.357) are clearly lower than by recipes of non-use (cons=0.952, cov=0.869) (2) The interaction of gender, a tolerant family to use and the attitude toward substances by peers is very consistent to explain cannabis use. (3) The most important recipe explaining resistance to cannabis is simply parental disagreement with substance consumption (cons=0.956, cov=0.861) (4) Factors as gender, religiosity, parental monitoring and age show also a relevant impact on attitude toward cannabis use. However, whereas some of them impact symmetrically on use and non-use this does not follow in factors such as parental monitoring or age.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization issued a practical approach and Global Action Plan to control the threatening emerging antibacterial resistance. One of the main basis of this plan is the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASPs). This study aimed to evaluate community pharmacists’ awareness and perception towards antimicrobial resistance and ASPs in Jordan. Thus, a qualitative study was conducted through in-depth interviews with twenty community pharmacists. Convienience sampling was used in the study. Qualitative analysis of the data yielded four themes and eleven sub-themes. All the respondents showed good understanding about the causes of antimicrobial resistance. The most important causes reported by them was the non-restricted prescription of antimicrobials. Most of the pharmacists believed that they are competent to provide ASPs, however, they believed that there are several barriers against the implementation of ASPs in community pharmacies in Jordan. Barriers demonstrated by the pharmacists, including organizational obstacles, resources obstacles, and personal obstacles. As a conclusion, this study revealed several barriers against the implementation of ASPs in community pharmacies in Jordan. Incorporating ASPs in the community pharmacy settings requires proper pharmacist training, several academic disciplines team efforts, and good pharmacy practice of antimicrobial guidelines.

Objective. To describe patient satisfaction with pre-hospital emergency knowledge and determine if patients and professionals share a common vision on the satisfaction predictors. Methods. A qualitative study conducted in two phases. First, a systematic review following the PRISMA protocol was carried out searching publications between January 2000 and July 2016 in Medline, Scopus, and Cochrane. Second, three focus groups involving professionals (advisers and healthcare providers) and a total of 79 semi-structured interviews involving patients were conducted to obtain information about what dimensions of care were a priority for patients. Results. Thirty-three relevant studies were identified. A majority conducted in Europe using questionnaires. They pointed out a very high level of satisfaction of callers and patients. Delay with the assistance and the ability for resolution of the case are the elements that overlap in fostering satisfaction. The published studies neither reviewed the overall care process nor related the measurement of the real time in responding to an emergency with the satisfaction. The patients and professionals concurred in their assessments about the most relevant elements for patient satisfaction, although safety was not a predictive factor for patients. Response capacity and perceived capacity for resolving the situation were crucial factors for satisfaction. This qualitative approach yielded assistance targets to be improved. Conclusions. Published studies have assessed similar dimensions of satisfaction. Furthermore, despite the fact that few explanations may be given due to the no face to face attention, taking into account the patient’s emotional needs or maintaining contact with the patient until the emergency services arrive are high predictors of the satisfaction.

Parental labour migration, either one or both parents, has been associated with various challenges among left-behind children (LBC). However, there is a limited understanding of the LBC’s own views and experiences of social and mental wellbeing and how the new daily life circumstances they encounter following their parents’ migration impact them. This study aimed to understand the influence of parental migration and its aftermath on the social and mental wellbeing of children and adolescents (referred to as LBC) in two rural districts in Indonesia. Employing a qualitative design, data were collected through individual in-depth interviews with LBC (n=24) aged 14 to 18 years, recruited using the snowball sampling technique. Data were thematically analysed, guided by a qualitative data analysis framework. The findings showed that parental migration negatively impacted the social wellbeing of LBC. This impact was reflected in negative labelling from friends and changes in familial roles which influenced their social interactions and activities with peers. Parental migration also caused challenges to the mental wellbeing of LBC. These manifested in the LBC experiencing fractured emotional bonds, leading to negative emotions, including stress, anxiety, sadness, depression, frustration, loss of motivation, and self-imposed isolation, which were associated with their parents’ migration and abrupt disruptions in parent-child communication. The transition to new life situations with caregivers after parental migration and the dynamics within the caregivers’ households were additional factors that detrimentally affected their mental well-being. Unmet basic needs and educational needs due to financial hardships faced by mothers and caregivers, further exacerbated mental health challenges for the children. The findings indicate the importance and improvement of policies and interventions in Indonesia (e.g., counselling services, non-cash food assistance, family hope program, direct cash assistance) that cover and address the diverse needs of mothers or caregivers and the LBC.

Since large articulated vehicles have uncertainties in trailer articulation angle as well as dynamic complexity, it is not easy to accurately establish a reliable motion plan. In this paper, two geometric path plans constructed based on the empirical rules of driving experts are presented so that articulated vehicles can automatically perform perpendicular parking on a reverse path. By analyzing the empirical parking methods of professional drivers, these path plans were constructed by appropriately combining several standardized simple basic motions to facilitate implementation in real vehicles. In addition, path plans included appropriate complementary motions to effectively respond to uncertainties arising from articulation angles, etc. The complementary motions developed in this study are based on the results of qualitative analysis on the behavior of articulated vehicles. The usefulness of the proposed articulated vehicle parking method has been proven through hundreds of experimental tests using a 1:10 ratio model automated vehicle.

Background: Mental health difficulties during teenage years e are common and are a risk factor for later mental and physical health problems. Rural young people are at greater risk for mental health difficulties and have less access to services than their urban counterparts. The purpose of this study was to explore young people and their carers’ experiences of mental health support provided by a rural mobile service, and to identify access enablers from the service users’ perspective. Methods: A qualitative descriptive approach was used to analyse twelve interviews with current service users and eight interviews with family members of young people who had accessed the service.Results: Three main themes were identified: (a) Access and flexibility, (b) Clinicians’ qualities and strategies, and (c) Experiences of change. The mobile service was perceived to be effective in producing positive change in mental health, relationships and attainment of life goals. Key enablers to access included the flexibility of the mobile service, the variety of service delivery modes and therapeutic methods offered, the ease of access facilitated by location in schools, and young people’s autonomy in how they chose to utilise the service. Conclusion: This study provides information about what is important to rural young people and their families in mental health service provision. The findings have implications for changing the way services are organized and operated. Healthcare policy and services could support user-led model design that incorporates the access and use enablers and removes the barriers to rural mental health support.

Sub-Saharan social-ecological systems are undergoing changes in environmental conditions, including modifications in rainfall pattern and biodiversity loss. Consequences of such changes depend on complex causal chains which call for integrated management strategies whose efficiency could benefit from ecosystem dynamic modelling. However, ecosystem models often require lots of quantitative information for estimating parameters, which is often unavailable. Alternatively, qualitative modelling frameworks have proved useful for explaining ecosystem response to perturbations, while requiring fewer information and providing more general predictions. However, current qualitative methods have some shortcomings which may limit their utility for specific issues. In this paper, we propose the Ecological Discrete-Event Network (EDEN), an innovative qualitative dynamic modelling framework based on "if-then" rules which generates many alternative event sequences (trajectories). Based on expert knowledge, observations and literature, we use this framework to assess the effect of permanent changes in surface water and herbivores diversity on vegetation and socio-economic transitions in an East African savanna. Results show that water availability drives changes in vegetation and socio-economic transitions, while herbivore functional groups had highly contrasted effects depending on the group. This first use of EDEN in a savanna context is promising for bridging expert knowledge and ecosystem modelling.

A project-based module on Sustainable Development Goal number 5, Gender Equality, was im-plemented on 5 different groups of Business English students consisting of a total number of 62 students in higher education. The main purpose of this project was to raise awareness of this goal by means of a flipped method in which students were required to carry out some research on specific areas of the aforementioned goal and work in teams to elaborate oral presentations. Once their findings were shared in class, students were expected to answer a written questionnaire of open-ended questions which were part of a qualitative analysis. Results of this survey showed that not only 90% of the students gained in depth knowledge of this goal, but also 85% had built a positive attitude to take initiative and 80% were optimistic about future gender equality. Finally, 70% of students suggested further social action to curb the problem of gender discrimination. On the whole, the flipped classroom method of learning combined with project-based group work have proven to be an effective way to raise awareness of this goal, create a more positive attitude, in-crease their willingness to take action as well as widening their English lexical resources.

This qualitative research study delves into the intricate dynamics of how organizations adapt to supply chain disruptions during crises, offering profound insights into the strategies, practices, and challenges encountered in enhancing supply chain agility. Through in-depth interviews with supply chain managers across diverse industries, key themes such as proactive risk management, technological integration, collaboration with supply chain partners, and adaptive leadership have emerged as crucial determinants of agility and resilience. Additionally, the study highlights the significance of organizational culture, effective communication, and external factors such as regulatory requirements and market dynamics in shaping supply chain agility. By embracing a holistic approach that integrates these multifaceted factors, organizations can bolster their capacity to anticipate, detect, and respond to disruptions, thereby maintaining or enhancing overall performance even in the face of uncertainty and complexity. The insights gleaned from this research are poised to inform theory development, guide managerial practice, and influence policy-making in the realm of supply chain management, equipping organizations with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate future disruptions successfully.

Inclusive education recognizes the diverse needs of students and ensures that each student is pro-vided with equal opportunities to learn and succeed. The Dubai government has implemented an inclusive education policy aimed at promoting equity and inclusivity in schools. This study aimed to investigate school leaders' understanding, implementation, and perspectives on the Dubai Inclusive Education Policy Framework (DIEPF). To gather data, a qualitative research study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with ten school leaders from private schools located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). The findings show that school leaders have a strong understanding of the policy and deem it to be significant. The study also found evidence of effective strategies implemented by school leaders to promote inclusive education. However, there are challenges in the UAE that resonate with those worldwide such as inadequate funding, high student-teacher ratios, shortage of specialized staff, and limited training opportunities for teachers. These findings emphasize the significance of ongoing professional development and training of educators who are involved in inclusive education. Implications for practice and suggestions for future research are provided.

Background: Therapeutic climbing (TC) has emerged as a prospective rehabilitation approach for individuals with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Existing literature primarily focuses on the physical and psychological benefits of TC across diverse populations but is limited concerning its application and efficacy for patients with MS. Objectives: This study aimed to delineate the experiences, effects, and perceptions of both individuals with MS and therapists regarding TC, highlighting the potential benefits and challenges of this therapeutic approach. Methods: Using a qualitative design, structured interviews were conducted with patients living with MS (N=5) and therapists (N=7) involved in TC sessions at a rehabilitation facility. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and subjected to thematic qualitative text analysis. Results: Our analysis resulted in the identification of five main categories: (1) motivational factors, (2) training conditions, (3) training content, (4) observed effects, and (5) safety protocols. Findings primarily centred around the motivational aspects of TC. Participants consistently reported experiencing feelings of accomplishment, success, enjoyment, and increased self-confidence. Furthermore, TC was often perceived as a comprehensive intervention, addressing endurance, strength, flexibility, neuromotor functions, cognition, and mental health while having a low-risk profile. However, due to the demanding nature of TC, careful fatigue management is crucial. This entails personalized intensity adjustments during sessions and coordinating TC with other physically demanding therapies when implementing TC within a rehabilitation environment. Conclusions: TC shows promise within MS rehabilitation and can be considered safe under certain framework conditions. This research sheds light on its potential benefits, facilitators and barriers and provides insights for practical integration into rehabilitation programmes.

As ethically motivated vegans (EMV) frequently feel responsible for suffering caused by the consumption of animal products, feelings of guilt are therefore an important issue for many of them. To date, studies on the experience and handling of guilt in vegans have rarely been identified. Therefore, we investigated this topic using a qualitative design. N=64 interviews with N=57 EMV were analyzed using content analysis. Key results are that they perceive guilt as a psychological and sometimes even as a physical influencing factor. They describe how feelings of guilt arise in combination with anger, revulsion and pity thereby affecting their thinking and behavior. Some experience even corporal strain, a physical heaviness. Others helped the transition to a vegan diet to get rid of guilt and to feel emotional and partially also physical relieve. In contrast, others were faced with new problems: no dissociation from other people’s guilt, heightened awareness of one’s own perception, more compassion, and a stronger sense of responsibility. Some even registered an increased tendency to depression and self-destructive thoughts. Beyond its limitations, our study is one of the first illustrating the possible impact of feelings of guilt on mental and physical well-being EMV may sense and suffer from.

(1) Background: Franco’s dictatorship was an authoritarian regime in Europe in the twentieth century. The political and historical context has a significant influence on the socio-cultural make-up of each era, having consequences on equality and violence against women. The objec-tive of our study is to explore and understand women’s experiences of violence against women during the Franco regime and how it affects them today; (2) Methods: This qualitative study ex-plores violence against women in Francoist Spain. Data was colleted between January and march 2022 through twenty-one interviews were carried out with female survivors of Francoism; (3) Results: Three themes emerged from the analysis: underlying social conditions that allow for vio-lence against women; forms of violence against women: from punishment to forced silence; dif-ferent standpoints about violence against women: the feminist struggle versus denial; (4) Conclu-sions: We concluded that the imposed patriarchy during Francoist repression was harmful for Spanish women for decades. Women suffered violence against women and they are still bearing the consequences, passing on attitudes that could contribute to the persistence of violence against women.

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a nonarticular rheumatic syndrome which presents as chronic musculoskeletal pain, stiffness and body aches. FMS affects approximately 2.5% of the population, mostly women. FMS causes physical and psychological problems and reduces quality of life. The objective of this study is to identify qualitative evidence about experiences of women diagnosed with FMS about their sexuality. Methods: Metasynthesis of qualitative studies. The search included articles published between 2000 and June 2023 on the PubMed, WOS, CINAHL, SCOPUS, and SCIELO databases. Results: 450 articles were found through the initial search, of which, only 9 fulfilled the criteria and were included in the thematic synthesis. From this analysis, three main themes emerged: (1) “I want to, but I can’t”: FMS causes a shift in feminine sexuality. (2) Resetting sex life and intimacy. (3) Taking charge of a “new sexuality.” Conclusions: Women with FMS suffer from limitations of their sexuality that affect their partner. Pain, stiffness and a loss of desire make sexual encounters difficult. Becoming aware of this and striving not to lose their sexuality is key to coping with this problem. Women and their sexual partners can change roles and encourage communication, games, foreplay or touching. The use of lubricants, physical exercise and complementary therapies, along with social, professional and partner support, are key to coping with FMS.

Background: Due to the importance of brain death (BD) diagnostic do not mistake, reliable confirmatory exams should be performed to enhance its security. This study aims to evaluate the intracranial pressure (ICP) pulse morphology behavior in brain-dead patients through a noninvasive monitoring system. Methods: A pilot case-control study was conducted in adults that met the BD national protocol criteria. Quantitative data from the ICP waveforms were extracted and analyzed comparing BD patients and health subjects. Results: Fifteen patients were included. ICP waveforms presented substantial differences amidst BD patients when compared to the control group. Moreover, pulse amplitude and time to peak variables values in the case group were also statistically significant. Conclusions: In this exploratory study, noninvasive ICP waveforms have shown potential as a screening method in patients with suspected brain death. Future studies should be carried out in a larger population.

This paper presents the evaluation of a fungal disease forecast model in vineyards for qualitative parameter analysis using the data from off the shelf sensors, i.e. temperature and air relative humidity, rain precipitation, and leaf wetness. The rules for the fungal disease models are digitalized as a decision support tool that serve as an indicator to farmers for the need of spraying of the chemical substances to ensure the best growing condition and suppress the level of parasites. The temperature and humidity contexts are used interchangeably in practice to detect the risk of the disease occurrence. By taking into account a number of influences on these parameters collected from the shelf sensors, new topics for research in the multidimensional field of precision agriculture emerge. In this study, the impact of the humidity is evaluated by assessing how different humidity parameters correlate with the accuracy of the Botrytis cinerea fungi forecast. Each humidity parameter has it’s own threshold that triggers the second step of the disease modeling - risk index based on the temperature. The research showed that for humidity a low-cost relative humidity sensor can detect in average 14.61% risk values, a leaf wetness sensor an additional 3.99% risk cases, and finally, a precipitation sensor will detect only an additional 0.59% risk cases.

Sexual education is a part of the teaching-learning process that addresses cognitive, psychological, physical and social aspects of sexuality. The purpose of sexual education is to provide people with knowledge, abilities, attitudes and values that will help them to have good sexual health, well-being and dignity. The objective of this study was to explore the experiences and opinions of primary school teachers regarding Sexual Education in school. A descriptive qualitative study was designed based on content analysis. Twelve open-ended interviews with primary school teachers were carried out, followed by inductive data analysis using ATLAS.ti software. Two key themes emerged from the analysis: ‘In search of a comprehensive approach to Sexual Education’ and ‘Barriers to Sexual Education in schools: From the lack of training to fear of the families’. We conclude that despite the efforts to implement a comprehensive approach to Sexual Education that recognises sexuality as a right, primary school teachers face difficulties in delivering Sexual Education in schools due to a lack of training and the fear that parents will reject their children being spoken to about sexuality.

Objective: The study aimed to explore the experiences of women undergoing Assisted Reproductive Technologies namely; Invitro Fertilization and Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection at the Finney Hospital and Fertility Centre, New Bortianor, Ghana. Method: A qualitative research design was employed to analyse and describe the experiences of the women seeking Assisted Reproductive Technologies. Fifteen women were invited and interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide. The responses were transcribed verbatim and analysed using content analysis. Results: Three themes emerged from the study: the women’s experiences, challenges and the roles and contributions of significant others. The women were anxious, stressed-up, exhausted and financially burdened. Spouses and health professionals played significant roles by providing social, emotional and financial support for these women. Significant others such as spouses and close relatives were supportive and provided encouragement to the women. Conclusion: The experiences of women undergoing Assisted Reproductive Technologies are multi-dimensional. Thus psychosocial intervention as part of ART services with health insurance cover may be client-centered and more appropriate for these group of women.

Background: Community-based medical education (CBME) is an essential component of medical education, where primary healthcare physicians (PHPs) play a crucial role. This study explores PHPs' awareness and engagement in CBME and investigates the factors influencing their participation. Methods: This mixed study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, a qual-itative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with PHPs, and thematic analysis related to their awareness and engagement in CBME. In the second phase, a quantitative survey was conducted among 72 PHPs pre- and post-training programs. Results: Primary healthcare physicians had a positive attitude toward community-based medical education. The participants have an acceptable level of awareness and engagement, which increased substantially (p-value = 0.03) and (p-value = 0.003), respectively. Logistic analysis indicated that non-Saudi physicians were likelier to participate in the CBME (p-value=0.001). Professions and academic experiences influence their willingness and engagement to participate in CBME (OR= 7.5, p-value=0.001) and (OR=0.21, p-value=0.001), respectively. Conclusion: The study findings highlighted the importance of increased awareness and the factors that enhance PHPs' engagement in CBME. This positive perspective of the PHPs helps build effective partnerships and facilitates the extension of the curriculum to apply CBME.

This paper summarizes opinions on the economic impacts of horticulture research and extension at MSU Coastal Research and Extension Center. More than 8,400 horticulture producers, master gardeners, research and extension staff, and non-profit organizations participated in horticulture events during the last five years. Qualitative assessments of horticulture research and extension performed by the faculty and staff were solicited during voluntary surveys.

Bioenergy produced from perennial feedstocks such as woody biomass could serve as an opportunity to strengthen local and regional economies and also jointly produce various environmental services. In order to assess the potential for biomass- based bioenergy, it’s essential to characterize the interest that potential biomass suppliers have in such an endeavor. In the U.S. Great Plains region, this largely means assessing relevant perceptions of farmers and ranchers. We conducted a series of farmer and rancher oriented focus groups in North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas to qualitatively explore opinions about the role that trees can play in agriculture and interest in woody biomass systems within existing Northern Great Plains (NGP) farms and ranches. Our findings suggest that farmer and ranchers generally value the role that trees, or tree-based practices like windbreaks can play in agriculture particularly on marginal farmland in terms of conservation or crop protection. Yet relative to the potential of trees as a biomass crop there is a distinct lack of knowledge and skepticism. Farmers and ranchers also noted variable degrees of risk concern and uncertainty regarding investing in tree-based systems, as well as a number of perceived external market related constraints to integrating trees within their managed systems. Most of the participants recognized that if biomass production or an increase in tree planting and management in general were to expand in the NGP region, government programs would likely be required to provide much needed technical guidance and financial incentives. As the NGP regional bioeconomy continues to emerge and expand, private and public investment relative to niche bioenergy feedstocks such as woody biomass should address the type of information needs that farmers and ranchers have relative to integrating biomass production into existing farm and ranch systems.

This paper explores as a case study the development of e-cigarette use and smoking within small friendship group (n=8) in Glasgow, Scotland. Interviewed twice at six months apart these 16/17 year olds reported substantial change in their use of and attitudes towards e-cigarettes and tobacco. At time 1 vaping generated much excitement and interest, with 6/8 having their own vape device. At time 2 only two young people still vaped, with the others no longer professing any interest in continued vaping. The two regular smokers, who had been smoking before they first vaped, now only vaped privately and to reduce their tobacco intake. This small case study illustrates plasticity in the use of electronic cigarettes; just as young people can initiate using these devices so too can they more away from their use- with such changes in actual use occurring within a relatively short period of time. These findings demonstrate more than anything else the volatility in young peoples’ substance use behaviour. If we are to better understand these behaviours we require both quantitative and qualitative research studies that are capable of both monitoring changes in individual and group behaviour over time but which are also able to elucidate the nuance of individual behaviour differentiating between long term, frequent, consistent use and more episodic, experimental and infrequent use by young people.

Diagnosis and treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in women remain insufficient. Fluctuations of reproductive hormones during the premenstrual period, postpartum period and (peri)menopause are neglected, even though they impact ADHD symptoms and as-sociated mood disorders [1]. Therefore, we created a female-specific treatment group for women with ADHD and premenstrual worsening of ADHD and/or mood symptoms. We describe the group programme and underlying rationale, offering a qualitative analysis of the participants’ evaluation. The 7 two-weekly sessions foreground the menstrual cycle and address several ADHD-specific topics in relation to this cyclical pattern: emotional regulation; impulsivity; setting boundaries, and triggers. Concurrently, women track their menstrual cycle and (fluctuating) ADHD and mood symptoms with an adjusted premenstrual calendar. In total, 18 women (25-47yrs) participated in three consecutive groups. We analysed the evaluation of the last group. Participants experienced the group as a safe and welcoming space. Recognition was valued by all. The topics discussed were deemed valuable and the structure suited them well. Completing the premenstrual calendar augmented awareness and recognition of individual cyclical symptoms. Discussing ADHD throughout the lifespan increased self-understanding. Participants took their menstrual cycle more seriously, prioritising self-acceptance and self-care in the luteal phase of the cycle. Exploring a cyclical approach in a group setting seems to be a positive addition to treatment for female ADHD.

Background: Machine learning can analyze vast amounts of data and make predictions for events in the future. Our group created machine learning models for vital sign predictions. To transport the information of these predictions without numbers and numerical values and make them easily usable for human caregivers, we aimed to integrate them into the Philips Visual-Patient-avatar, an avatar-based visualization of patient monitoring. Methods: We conducted a computer-based simulation study with 70 participants in three European university hospitals. We validated the vital sign prediction visualizations by testing their identification by anesthesiologists and intensivists. Each prediction visualization consisted of a condition (e.g., blood pressure low) and an urgency (a visual indication of the timespan in which the condition is expected to occur). To obtain qualitative user feedback, we also conducted standardised interviews and derived statements that participants later rated in an online survey. Results: The mixed logistic regression model showed 77.9% (95%CI 73.2-82.0%) correct identification of prediction visualizations (i.e. condition and urgency both correctly identified) and 93.8% (95%CI 93.7-93.8%) for conditions only (i.e. without considering urgencies). Forty-nine of 70 participants completed the online survey. The online survey participants agreed that the prediction visualizations were fun to use (32/49, 65.3%), and that they could imagine working with them in the future (30/49, 61.2%). They also agreed that identifying the urgencies was difficult (32/49, 65.3%). Conclusions: This study found that care providers correctly identified >90% of the conditions (i.e. without considering urgencies). The accuracy of identification decreased when considering urgencies in addition to conditions. Therefore, in future development of the technology, we will focus on either only displaying conditions (without urgencies) or improve the visualizations of urgency to enhance usability for human users.

The edible portion of Cannabis sativa L. are the seeds. The seeds are generally used for the production of hemp oil, appreciated for the high percentage of α-linolenic acid. The waste obtained after seeds oil extraction, reduced in fine powder, is the subject of this study. Since hemp seeds are considered to be a source of many valuable bioactive compounds, the addition of hemp seed flour to durum wheat for making fortified bread could have an effect on the health of consumers. The aim of this study was to use variable percentages of hemp seed flour for the production of bread, and to determine the fortification impact on chemicals, texture, organoleptic characteristics, crumb color, changes in crumb texture, total polyphenols, free radical scavenging activity and amino acids contents. The rheological and chemical qualities of bread samples, obtained by using a durum wheat cultivar Ciclope fortified with defatted hemp seeds flours, were evaluated. The solid residue left after the extraction of the oil from seeds (generally thrown away as waste or added to feed) was shredded and sieved at 0.530 mm (Hemp 1) or 0.236 mm (Hemp 2). Samples of fortified breads were obtained by substitution of variable percentages of durum wheat flour with the two hemp flours (5%, 7.5%, and 10%). Fortified bread’s total phenolic content was in a range of 0.73±0.017 and 1.73±0.029 mg GAE/g and an-ti-radical scavenging activity was included in the range from 1.17±0.099 and 3.18±0.071mmol TEAC/100g, according to the increasing fortification. Comparison between bread made with Ciclope semolina and hemp flour fortified breads, showed a large increase in amino acid content in fortified samples ones. In particular, bread fortified with 10% Hemp 2 flour highlights a greater content of glutamic acid, tyrosine, proline and essential amino acids such as leucine and isoleucine, compared to the other samples with same percentage of substitution. The amount of hemp seed flour influenced the color of the crumb by increasing the yellow index from 18.24 (100% Ciclope) to 21.33 (bread with Hemp 2 flour at 5%).

During the Covid 19 pandemic, we saw a huge impact on the lives of individuals in cities. The way people responded was controlled and limited. The lockdown restricted a lot of movements in the cities as well as contained the citizens in their houses. Through a semi-structured interview, the research aims to understand the change in behaviour and response of individuals across various cities. The paper aims to understand how people change their day-to-day life in cities during the pandemic and while the restrictions getting released post the first wave. The paper also understands how the pandemic impacted urban spaces and what value they hold for people. By interviewing individuals from different cities, the data were transcribed and analysed to understand this behavioural change and the attitude of people. The outcome of the research was derived as a concept map through the codes generated during the research.

Performing arts used as a method of spreading health information dates back to the origins of storytelling. However, interventions in developing, non-Western countries typically utilise Western entertainment forms. This qualitative investigation assesses responses to an intervention designed around traditional Javanese shadow puppetry (wayang kulit). Semi-structured interviews provided in-depth responses from a sample (n=12) of villagers. Responses analysed both cross-case and within-case, focused on perceptions of the music and storyline, responses to the intervention, and perceived appropriateness of wayang kulit for disseminating a health message. Wayang kulit was considered to be interesting and easy to remember, but concerns remained regarding the reliability of information provided through the drama. The fusion of traditional and modern music and story elements were perceived positively. Some participants were inspired to improve their hygiene practices, although the lack of motivation, or belief that they were unable to change was noted. The performance was generally received positively in terms of the nature of the intervention, the fusion of traditional and Western music and story elements, as well as the use of wayang kulit to spread health information. The study provides guidance for modifications to the production, prior to scaling up.

While vaccines are a well-established method of controlling the spread of infectious diseases, vaccine hesitancy jeopardizes curbing the spread of COVID-19. Through the Vaccine Information Network (VIN), this study explored barriers and motivators to COVID-19 vaccine uptake. We conducted 18 focus group discussions with male and female community members, stratified by country, age group, and—for Zimbabwe only—by HIV status. Participants’ median age across both countries was 40 years (interquartile range of 22–40) and most (65.9%) were female. We conceptualized the key themes within the World Health Organization’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) 3Cs (convenience, confidence, complacency) vaccine hesitancy model. Barriers to vaccine uptake—lack of convenience, low confidence, and high complacency—included inaccessibility of vaccines and vaccination sites, vaccine safety and development concerns, and disbelief in COVID-19’s existence. Motivators to vaccine uptake—convenience, confidence and low complacency—included accessibility of vaccination sites, user-friendly registration processes, trust in governments and vaccines, fear of dying from COVID-19 and knowing someone who had died or become infected with COVID-19. Overall, vaccine hesitancy in South Africa and Zimbabwe was influenced by inconvenience, a lack of confidence, and high complacency around COVID-19 vaccines.

Over the past decade, Thailand has experienced a rapid increase in its elderly population. Many unfavorable health outcomes among elderly people are associated with nutrition. Nutrition in elderly people is affected by physical, mental, and social factors. This study explored the food choices and dietary practices among community-dwelling elderly people in Thailand from the perspective of both caregivers and the elderly people themselves. Six focus group discussions and six semi-structured interviews were conducted in the Samut Sakhon Province of Thailand. A combination of deductive and inductive thematic analyses was adopted, and the results show that physical and mental factors and societal factors are important determinants of food choices. Moreover, a changing food environment and economic factors were found to affect food choices. Issues of trust in food safety and food markets were highlighted as growing issues. Therefore, fostering healthy food choice interventions that consider both environmental and societal aspects is necessary.

This qualitative study investigates consumer perceptions of price inflation within renewable energy markets. Renewable energy markets have seen significant growth due to global sustainability efforts, yet understanding consumer responses to price inflation remains limited. Through semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, this research explores consumer awareness, factors influencing perceptions, attitudes towards price fluctuations, and strategies for enhancing acceptance. Findings reveal varied levels of awareness among consumers, with economic, environmental, social, and cultural factors shaping their perceptions. While some view price fluctuations as natural market dynamics, others express concerns about affordability and equity. Strategies to address negative perceptions include enhancing transparency, implementing progressive pricing schemes, and promoting community engagement. Ultimately, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of consumer attitudes towards renewable energy pricing mechanisms, providing insights for policymakers and industry stakeholders to foster greater acceptance and support for renewable energy adoption.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe parent perceptions of the home exercise pro-gram (HEP) for their infant with congenital muscular torticollis (CMT), and how these perceptions evolved over a physical therapy (PT) plan of care. Twelve participants were recruited from a pediatric PT clinic, and nine completed interviews at three time points. Qualitative description and an iterative approach for thematic analysis of 27 interviews yielded three themes that corresponded to the research questions. The participants’ responses were categorized into three main themes: 1) parents’ perceptions of three key exercises within the HEP; 2) internal and external sources of stress; and 3) sources of empowerment and disempowerment. Regarding the HEP, parents articulated common sentiments for three frequently prescribed exercises for the management of CMT: 1) Tummy time was the fast favorite, 2) ipsilateral cervical rotation was perceived as stressful, and 3) contralateral cervical lateral flexion felt uncomfortable. Additionally, participants disclosed internal and external sources of stress (guilt, uncertainty, and the demands of returning to work) and sources of disempowerment (inconsistent messaging from providers, feeling overwhelmed) and empowerment (being able to see the bigger picture and clear communication and education about the diagnosis) with respect to managing their infant’s CMT. These themes provide insight into the evolution of parent perceptions over a PT plan of care for CMT. Participants’ insights suggest a need for consistent messaging regarding the diagnosis and evidence-based management of CMT, addressing parent stress, and modifying how exercises are taught. This study contributes updated research on parents’ experience with physical therapy and the HEP for their infant’s CMT.

Business-to-business (B2B) manufacturing companies are increasingly confronted with transformative trends such as sustainability, digitalization, and servitization. These trends are changing how product portfolios are developed, and value contributions are assessed, and therefore have disruptive potential. Dealing with these disruptive factors in Product Portfolio Management (PPM) is a largely unexplored topic. This study presents an empirical-qualitative exploration that contributes significantly to the field. The aim is to clarify the extent to which disruptive factors influence the evaluation and shaping of the product portfolio in B2B manufacturing companies. The Gioia method was used to evaluate 21 semi-structured interviews with experts from leading B2B manufacturing companies. Eight overarching challenges in PPM resulting from the disruptive factors were identified. Based on the eight overarching challenges and their associated causal relationships, two aggregated dimensions of action were derived: (1) increasing speed and flexibility by using generative artificial intelligence (AI) in a defined PPM process and (2) adjusting the product portfolio evaluation to consider various strategic drivers. These two dimensions of action call for future research to overcome the disruptive factors in PPM.

IntroductionHope is an essential concept for rehabilitation of people with stroke. The current study extended research on the model of emotions, adaptation, and hope (MEAH) by extending it according to a previously established framework of hope.MethodsAn interpretive hermeneutic phenomenological study was conducted. People with stroke living in the community of the West Midlands were included. Physiotherapy students received training as part of a research placement to deliver a single intervention session using an extended version of the MEAH. Content analysis of the responses to the MEAH were taken and a process evaluation was undertaken in the form of a semi-structured interview after the intervention.ResultsSeventeen individuals (70.1±12.2 years) with stroke were included. Results considered the responses to the MEAH as a therapeutic driver and a process evaluation from people with stroke that undertook the intervention. Important scoring differences were noted for those who could and those who were not able to set goals. The MEAH tool appeared to be one way to help develop goals for people with stroke in a personalised way, however the value of the tool was identified by those who did not set a goal. Positive experiences of the intervention were reported across all people with stroke.DiscussionThe MEAH tool may be one way to support stroke rehabilitation and enhance the therapeutic encounter between physiotherapists and people with stroke.

The phenomenon of Airbnb has significantly permeated the urban housing markets of major U.S. cities. This qualitative analysis meticulously examines its wide-ranging impacts, exploring Airbnb’s operational model, regulatory challenges, and its influence on housing availability, prices, and neighborhood dynamics. The research aggregates insights from various sources, including academic articles, web-based resources, and case studies, providing a nuanced understanding of the intricate balance cities are endeavoring to achieve between the economic opportunities Airbnb presents and the potential strains it places on local housing markets. The paper also scrutinizes the evolving policy frameworks and their effectiveness in mitigating the impacts of short-term rental platforms. Furthermore, it deliberates on future trends in the short-term rental market and the wider implications for the sharing economy. Concluding, the paper acknowledges the limitations of the qualitative method and suggests areas for future in-depth research, aiming to offer insightful contributions to policymakers, researchers, and urban planners engaged in urban housing discourse in the United States.

Background: Reminiscence studies and life reviews have a number of proven advantages. Future generations gain by learning from elders' life experiences, as do older adults themselves who share their memories. Despite Oman's sizable geriatric population, research on older individuals' life experiences is scarce. Therefore, this study aims to explore the life experiences of older Omani individuals across their many life stages, from childhood to the present. Methods: This was a qualitative study design. A total of 13 Omani older adults (9 females and 4 males) with an average age of 68 years were recruited for this study. Socio-demographic and life review information was gathered according to a set of semi-structured guiding questions. The responses were then captured on audio recordings, which underwent transcription and translation. Thematic analysis techniques were applied to the extracted data. Results: Three main themes were evident in the study’s findings: Childhood memories, Friendships, and Relationships, as well as the elders’ past. Additionally, older adults passed on a number of gems of wisdom to be shared with the younger generations. Conclusion: This study aided in revealing the resiliency, social connections, and life reflections of Omani older adults. Based on these findings, future studies might explore particular aspects of older experiences and pinpoint solutions to improve their quality of life and well-being.

Dual-method use is the most reliable form of protection against unintended pregnancies and HIV/STIs. Although dual-method use remains uncommon among women in stable relationships, some women do practice it. In this study, we explored the barriers that make dual-method use rare and the behaviors of women who practice dual-method use using a positive deviance framework in Uganda. We screened 150 women using highly effective contraceptives at five health facilities. We identified nine women who practiced dual-method use and 141 women who did not. In a qualitative study, we conducted in-depth interviews with all nine women practicing dual-method use and 10 women randomly selected out of the 141 who did not. We performed a thematic analysis using the positive deviance framework. Regardless of practicing dual-method use or not, women faced perceived barriers against dual-method use, such as partner’s objection, distrust, shyness about introducing condoms into marital relationships, and limited access to condoms. However, women practicing dual-method use had higher levels of risk perception about unintended pregnancies and HIV/STIs. They also engaged in unique behaviors, such as influencing their partners’ condom use by initiating discussions, educating their partners on sexual risks and condom use, and obtaining condoms by themselves. These findings will be useful in developing effective community-led and peer-based interventions promoting dual-method use to reduce the dual burden of unintended pregnancies and HIV/STIs among women in Uganda.

OBJETIVE: This study analyses the views of four groups of healthcare professionals who may play a role in the management of suicidal behaviour. The goal was to identify key factors for suicide prevention in different areas of the healthcare system. METHODOLOGY: Qualitative research was conducted using focus groups made up of different healthcare professionals who participated in the identification, management and prevention of suicidal behaviour. Professionals included were primary care physicians, psychologists, psychiatrists and emergency physicians. RESULTS: ‘Suicide’ was amongst the most relevant terms that came up in discussions most of the times it appeared associated with words such as ‘risk’, ‘danger’ or ‘harm’. In the analysis by categories, the four groups of professionals agreed that interventions in at-risk behaviours are first in importance. Prevention was the second main concern with greater significance among psychiatrists. DISCUSSION: Primary care professionals claim for more time to address patients at risk for suicide and an easier access to and communication with the mental health network. Emergency care professionals have a lack of awareness of their role in the detection of risk for suicide in patients who seek attention at emergency care facilities for reasons of general somatic issues. Mental health care professionals are in high demand in case of self-harm but they would like to receive specific training in dealing with g suicidal behaviour.

Interdisciplinary research into the underlying neural processes of music therapy (MT) and subjective experiences of patients and therapists are largely lacking. The aim of the current study was to assess the feasibility of newly developed procedures (including EEG/ECG hyperscanning, synchronous audio-video monitoring, and qualitative interviews) to study the personal experiences and neuronal dynamics of moments of interest during MT with stroke survivors. The feasibility of our mobile set-up and procedures as well as their clinical implementation in a rehabilitation centre and an acute hospital ward were tested with four phase C patients. Protocols and interviews were used for the documentation and analysis of the feasibility. Recruiting patients for MT sessions was feasible, although data collection on three consecutive weeks was not always possible due to organisational constraints, especially in the hospital with acute ward routines. Research procedures were successfully implemented, and according to interviews, none of the patients reported any burden, tiredness or increased stress due to the research procedures, which lasted approx. 3 hours (ranging from 135min to 209min) for each patient. Implementing the research procedures in a rehabilitation unit with stroke patients was feasible and only small adaptations were made for further research.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing measures were put into place to flatten the pandemic curve. It was projected older adults were at increased risk for poor psychological and health outcomes resulting from increased social isolation and loneliness. However, little re-search has supported this projection among community-dwelling older adults. While growing body of research has examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults, there is a paucity of qualitative research that captures the lived experience of community-dwelling older adults. The current study aimed to better understand the lived experience of community-dwelling older adults during the first six months of the pandemic. Semi-structured one on one interviews were conducting with independent living older adults aged 65 years and older. After achieving saturation, 22 interview were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis. Following a recursive process, two overarching themes emerged from the data: perceived threat and challenges of the pandemic and coping with the pandemic. Specifically, participants reflected on the threat of contracting the virus and challenges associated with living arrangement, social isolation, and financial insecurity. Participants shared their coping strategies to maintain health and wellbeing, including behavioral strategies, emotion-focused strategies, and social support. Overall, this re-search highlights resilience among older adults during the first six months of the pandemic.

Worldwide initiatives currently aim to reduce free sugar intakes, but success will depend on consumer attitudes towards sugar and the alternatives. This work aimed to explore attitudes towards sugar, sweeteners and sweet-tasting foods in the general public of the UK, including attitudes towards personal consumption and related policies. Focus groups and interviews were conducted with 34 adults (7 males, ages: 18-65 years). Thematic analysis identified six themes: ‘Value’ (e.g. pleasure, emotions), ‘Angle’ (e.g. disinterest), ‘Personal Relevance’ (to be concerned and/or change one’s own behaviour), ‘Personal Responsibility’ (one has an active relationship with these food items), ‘Understanding’ (the acquisition, comprehension and application of information surrounding these food items) and ‘It’s Not Up to Me’ (a passive approach towards these food items, because intake is subjected to other factors). Both positive and negative attitudes towards sugar, sweeteners and sweet-tasting foods were expressed in all themes, largely dependent on the individual. Potential strategies for reducing free sugar intakes were also reported, but differences in likely value were suggested by different individuals. Future work should assess associations between attitudes and intakes. For greatest population benefit, evidence of the dominant attitudes in those in greatest need of reduced free sugar intakes would be of value.

As professionals, social workers have a special position in relation to considering the needs of children with cancer and their families. Hence, it is important to recognize the experiences and challenges of social workers to improve care of their clients. This study was a qualitative content analysis that aimed to determine a comprehensive understanding of 19 pediatric oncology social workers’ experiences in Iran. Data were collected using semi structured interviews and field observations, analyzed through face content analysis. Concepts extracted from social workers’ experiences consisted of the nature of oncology work, lack of professional competence, low organizational support and professional inferiority that were related to main concept of "exhausting and stressful service". The results indicated that social workers' involvement in stressful and emotionally demanding situations and professional and organizational challenges caused personal exhaustion. In addition to explaining the social workers’ experiences and related factors, the results emphasize the importance of taking care of service providers to prevent them becoming stressed and exhausted. It is also important to protect patients from the consequences of stressed and exhausted care providers so further research is recommended to develop specific intervention.

Traditional Medicine (TM) is a culturally-rooted healthcare practice, and its use, including for treating illnesses among children, has been reported in many countries. Despite the cultural significance of TM in managing children’s illnesses, evidence suggests that child mortality remains high in many settings. This indicates that the sole use of TM within families and communities might act as a barrier to using biomedical services, contributing to avoidable deaths. Globally, Indonesia is in the top 10 countries with the highest child mortality rates. In addition, Belu is a district in East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia that exhibits a high number of child deaths within the last three years. However, the use of TM for the treatment of illnesses among children in Indonesia has received minimal academic attention. This study aimed to understand parental beliefs, knowledge, views, and perceptions of TM and the impact on the use of TM and biomedical services in the treatment of illnesses among their children in Belu district, Indonesia. The participants (n=25) were parents with the real-life experiences of using TM for treating their children’s illnesses. They were recruited using the snowballing sampling technique. Data were collected using in-depth qualitative interviews. A thematic data analysis was performed and guided by a qualitative data analysis framework. The findings were grouped into four main themes: (i) parental beliefs, knowledge, views, and perceptions of TM, (ii) the influence of these factors on parental use of TM and biomedical services for the treatment of children’s illnesses, (iii) social and cultural influences on the use of TM and biomedical services among their children, and (iv) the impact of the sole use of TM or late medical diagnosis on the health condition and the death of children. The findings show that the use of TM is a common practice within families and communities in Belu, however evidence suggests that child mortality remains high in the setting, indicating less effectiveness of the sole use of TM. Thus, there is a need for the development of collaborative models of healthcare programs and service delivery fostering mutual respect and understanding between traditional healers and healthcare professionals, which could significantly contribute to improving parental use of biomedical services for the treatment of their children’s illnesses.

Some qualitative results are provided on the cylindrical version of the Lane-Emden equation. Although the explicit form of the solution is not exactly known, we establish some properties on the critical points of the solution in some specific cases and we propose a technique to evaluate the distance between a pair of solutions in small intervals.

Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy techniques were applied in this work to 9 lead-acid battery prototypes fabricated industrially, divided on three type/technology packages. Frequency dependent impedance changes were interpreted during successive charge/discharge cycles on two distinct stages: 1) immediately after fabrication; and 2) after a controlled aging procedure to 50% Depth of Discharge, following industrial standards. By investigating their State of Health behaviour vs electrical response, three methods were employed, namely the (Q-Q0) total charge analysis, the decay values of Constant Phase Element in the equivalent Randles circuits, and the resonance frequency of the circuit. A direct correlation has been found for prediction of the best performant batteries in each package, thus allowing a qualitative analysis capable to provide the decay of the battery State of Health. We emphasized which parameters are directly connected with their lifetime performance in both stages, and by consequence, which type/technology battery prototype emphasize the best performance. Based on this methodology, the industrial producers can further establish the quality of the novel batteries in terms of performance vs lifespan, allowing them to validate the novel technological innovations implemented in the current prototypes.

The concept of public financial accountability, often associated with account-rendering, lacks a clear and comprehensive definition in the realm of accounting literature. Disentanglement the true essence of a phenomenon is essential, as formal definitions can only provide a superficial understanding. This study seeks to delve into the core principles of public financial accountability and their implications for financial reporting in the public sector. Applying a qualitative approach, data was gathered through in-depth interviews with 25 Nigerian scholars, professionals, and public affairs experts. The analysis reveals that the essence of public financial accountability lies in upholding citisens' trust in public officials, ensuring the responsible management of public financial resources for the greater public good, and effectively communicating financial decisions, actions, and outcomes to the public through a transparent reporting mechanism. This study sheds light on the fundamental nature of financial accountability in the public sector, enhancing our understanding of its significance in governance and financial reporting.

Background: Since 2000, vaccine coverage in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has surpassed multiple milestones. Its contribution to global health, especially in low-middle-income countries is one of the achievements in global governance of modern medicine, averting 2-3 million child deaths every year. However, in Nigeria, vaccine-preventable-diseases still account for one in eight child deaths before their fifth-year birthday and remains one of the ten countries where 4.3 million children under five are without complete immunization. The reasons for declining childhood vaccine demand are unclear. Therefore, the goal of this contribution is to shed light on the reasons to set a foundation for future interventions. Methods: Four focus group discussions were conducted. The primary targets were mothers of children 0 – 12 months old in Nigeria. A simplified quota sampling approach was used to select mothers in four geographical clusters of Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory. At least six mothers from each cluster were randomly included, giving a total of 24 participants. An interview guide developed from the 5C psychological antecedence model was used (assessing confidence, complacency, calculation, constraints, collective responsibility); two additional variables were included that had proved meaningful in previous work (religion and masculinity). The data were analyzed using meta-aggregation approach such as framework synthesis, which summarized data in a stepwise fashion. Results: The sample was generally relatively positive towards vaccination. Still, mothers reported low trust in vaccine safety and the healthcare system (confidence). Yet, they had great interest in seeking additional information during antenatal visits (calculation), difficulties in prioritizing vaccination over other equally competing priorities (constraints) and were aware that vaccination translates into overall community health and wellbeing (collective responsibility). They had a bias towards God as ultimate giver of good health (religion) and reported that their husbands played a dominant role in vaccination decision-making (masculinity). Mothers perceived their children vulnerable to disease outbreaks, which motivated them to get them vaccinated (complacency). Conclusion: The 5C model and the added determinants provided a useful qualitative tool for understanding mothers’ vaccination decision-making in low resources settings.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the education sector of Bangladesh suffered a lot. To adapt to this uncertain situation, the online teaching-learning method was introduced for the first time in the dental colleges to continue regular classes. This qualitative study explored the in-depth perception among students of this new, affordable, flexible online learning method and to find out the scope of improvement of the delivery method. Two focus group discussions (FGD) were conducted, each including 6-8 participants (N=16, the male: female ratio was 7:9) for gaining an in-depth understanding of the perception of online teaching among the dental students. With the help of the trigger questions, the facilitator and moderators conducted both the FGDs. By analysing the Focus group discussion, four distinct themes were identified. The main themes extracted from the data refer to the difficulties which students faced during participation in online classes (e.g., low attention span, unusual timing of classes, internet accessibility, power cut, boring content, etc.), advantages of online learning (e.g., saves time, able to continue studying during the lockdown, saves money, avoids commuting, being safe during a pandemic situation, one can participate in classes if sick, etc.), disadvantages of online classes (e.g., not feasible for clinical classes and lab works, lack of social interactions, lack of group study, long screen time, lack of after class peer discussion, lack of engagement, etc.), and also scopes of improvements (e.g., technological training for staff, recorded classes, technological orientation for students, more engaging contents, online support, more interactive lessons, short duration of the class, break after 30-45 minutes and also teachers training for online facilitation, etc.). In Bangladesh, the online teaching-learning method is not a regular practice. Most of the institutions were forced to adopt this method on very short notice because of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. Online education in a clinical subject like dentistry requires a special training program, online content preparation, and interactive lesson delivery setup which are big challenges for a re-source-constrained medical education setup. The focus group discussion unveiled some key issues which indicated that there are many scopes for improvement in online teaching methods. With the help of the medical education department and through faculty development the online learning sessions can be made attractive as well as beneficiary for the key stakeholders.

Global anaesthesia workforce limitations contribute to emigration of skilled anaesthesiologists from lower- to higher-income countries, jeopardizing workforce balance and patient outcomes in Pakistan. This study aims to explore challenges experienced by anaesthesiologists in Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province, and necessary changes to encourage their retention. We conducted a qualitative study to examine perspectives of anaesthesiologists who chose to serve in Pakistan. We drew data from semi-structured interviews conducted with 25 purposively-sampled consultant anaesthesiologists. We analysed data thematically and distinguished the practice hurdles faced by anaesthesiologists in public and private hospitals of Punjab. The main reasons to work abroad could be broadly categorized under two inductive themes, i.e. practice hurdles in public and private sector. Both had distinct issues which compromised the number and quality of anaesthesia workforce in the country. The key outcomes were workplace security, promotion/incentive issues and gender inequalities in the government sector. The private sector had improper salaries and facilities, anaesthesiologist’s dependency on surgeons for getting work and lack of out-of-theatre practice which minimise the scope and earnings of anaesthesiologist within the country. There is a need to overcome surgeon dependency and hospital manipulation by fixing salary percentages for each surgical case and encouraging direct patient-anaesthesiologist relationships.

This study explored the living situations, financial conditions, religious obligations, and social distancing of Muslims during the covid 19 pandemic. In total, 20 Muslim community members living in the Kanto region were recruited, 15 of them were included in the in-depth qualitative and five in the focus group interviews. The Snowball method was used, and the questionnaires were designed into four themes. The audio/video interviews were conducted via Zoom and NAVIO was used to analyse the data thematically. The major Muslim events were cancelled, and the recommended physical distancing was maintained during the prayers at home and in the mosques. The Japanese government's financial support to each person was a beneficial step towards social protection, which was highlighted and praised by every single participant. Regardless of religious obligations, the closer of all major mosques in Tokyo demonstrates to the Japanese community how serious they are about adhering to the public health guidelines during the pandemic. This study highlighted that the pandemic has affected the religious patterns and behaviour of Muslims from inclusive to exclusive in a community and narrated the significance of religious commitments.

Artic root is a well-known plant adaptogen with multipotential pharmacological properties. Thin-layer chromatography (TLC) – screening followed by diode-array high-performance liquid chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy proved to be a reliable and convenient method for simultaneous determination of quality of various herbal raw materials and supplements. This combination allowed for comparing and differentiating arctic root samples as well as defining their authenticity. The study provided information on the chemical and biological properties of the seven chosen samples as well as qualitative and quantitative evaluation of the quality markers: rosavin, salidroside, and p-tyrosol. The absence of rosavin, salidroside, and p-tyrosol in three samples was detected using TLC-screening and confirmed by HPLC-DAD and NMR. The paper highlighted the importance of quality control and strict regulation for herbal medicine supplements and preparations.

Purpose: Post-pandemic management of COVID-19 infections and any emergent outbreaks is as an endemic disease remains a public health concern. Vaccine hesitancy may continue to hamper efforts to respond any new disease outbreaks and future epidemics. This qualitative study aimed to explore factors influencing covid-19 vaccine acceptance and hesitancy in Kenya too gain deeper insights on this issue. Methods: The study was implemented in Western Kenya using key informant interviews. Fourteen (14) key informants were purposively selected for the study. All interviews were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. Interpretation of findings was done within the framework of the Health Belief Model. Key findings: Knowledge was a critical factor in combatting misinformation and fostering vaccine acceptance among participants in this study. Misinformation included rumors that the vaccine lowers immunity and was intended for population control. Cues to action included influence from political and opinion leaders and observing the loss of life among unvaccinated individuals. Perceived barriers to vaccine uptake included fear of vaccine safety, side effects, long waiting times at that time of our study, fear of contracting the COVID-19 at vaccination sites, family/spousal influence on vaccine uptake and fear of the unknown with the vaccine. Conclusion: Findings from this study provides insight into areas for targeted strategies for managing Covid-19 vaccinations and future pandemics. Within the framework of the Health Belief Model, this study identified salient barriers and facilitators of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy that may be helpful to inform future pandemic response.

Indian tobacco farm laborers are primarily women and children working for very low wages. The aim of this study was to explore occupational and reproductive health challenges faced by women tobacco farm labors in Mysore District, India. We conducted interview and six focus group discussions among 41 women tobacco farm laborers. Codes and themes were generated based on deductive and inductive approaches using the socio-ecological model. Participants reported symptoms of green tobacco sickness including headaches, back pain, gastric problems, weakness, and allergies during menstruation, pre-natal, and post-natal periods. Participants had poor awareness about the health effects of tobacco farming and there were gender inequalities in wages and use of personal protective equipment. Participants received support from family and commu-nity health workers during their pregnancy and post-natal period. Women reported wanting ma-ternity benefits from the tobacco board, monetary support, and nutritional supplements. There is a need for health education about the environmental dangers of tobacco among farm laborers, and more supportive policies for women farmworkers during pregnancy and post-natal periods.

With young adults (18-30 years) exhibiting the lowest vegetable intake, primarily due to in-adequate cooking skills, this study aims to explore the usability and desirability of educational tools such as written recipes and cooking videos to foster sustainable eating habits. Employing a descriptive, qualitative, and user-centered design, three focus groups were held at a major urban university campus in New Zealand, engaging students, and staff within the target age group. Discussions with 15 participants identified key facilitators for vegetable-based cooking, including access to ingredients, ease of recipe visualization, and cost-effectiveness. Conse-quently, 13 vegetable-centric recipes and instructional videos were created, incorporating nu-tritional value, affordability, and preparation efficiency. These resources, tailored to young adults' preferences, were designed to mitigate the identified barriers to vegetable use, con-tributing to sustainable food practices. The application of a user-centered approach in devel-oping educational content yielded a set of recipes and videos that not only address the gaps in cooking skills among young adults but also promote the broader goals of sustainability in food consumption patterns. This approach offers actionable insights for practitioners and food marketers to enhance vegetable utilization and sustainable eating behaviors in this demo-graphic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused detrimental impacts on different population groups throughout the world. This study aimed to explore the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic’s mandatory lockdown protocols on activities and mental health conditions of community-dwelling older people in Jakarta, Indonesia. A qualitative design using one-on-one in-depth interviews was employed to collect data from the participants (n=24) who were recruited using the snowball sampling technique. Data analysis was guided by a qualitative data analysis framework. The findings showed that before the COVID-19 outbreak participants engaged in different kinds of regular individual and social activities. However, the COVID-19 outbreak and its mandatory lockdown protocols significantly influenced both their activities and social life, which led to social disconnection and financial difficulties for them. COVID-19 outbreak, mandatory lockdown protocols, and disruption of individual and social activities of the participants also caused mental health challenges to them, including feelings of loneliness, loss, sadness, stress, and anger. The findings suggest that there is a need for intervention programs addressing the socio-economic and mental health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on older populations to help them cope with these challenges. Future studies involving large-scale older populations to comprehensively understand COVID-19 impacts on them are recommended.

Introduction: The attitudes of doctors and nurses toward patient safety is a significant factor in hospital safety climates and medical error rates. Yet, there are very few studies of patient safety attitudes in Saudi hospitals and none conducted in hospital emergency departments. Aims: The current study aims to investigate the discrepancy between the patient safety attitudes of doctors and nurses in a Saudi hospital emergency department. Materials and Method: The study employed a qualitative research designvia semi-structured interviews with Saudi and non-Saudi doctors and nurses working in a Saudi hospital emergency department to determine their attitudes and experiences about the patient safety climate. Results: The findings showed doctors and nurse held some similar safety attitudes, however, nurses reported issues with doctors with respect to their teamwork, communication, and patient safety attitudes. Moreover, several barriers to the patient safety climate were identified such as limits to resources, teamwork, communication, and incident reporting. Conclusion: The findings provide one of the few research contributions to knowledge on the differential patient safety attitudes of Saudi and non-Saudi doctors and nurses and suggest the application of such knowledge would enhance positive patient outcomes in emergency departments.