Search results for: consumer health.

Authors: Chinnawat Satsananan

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The amount of heavy metals in our environment has been of great concern because of their toxicity when their concentration is more than the permissible level. These metals enter the environment by different ways such as industrial activities, soil pollution. We have used flame atomic absorption spectrometry technique for determination of the concentration of Co, Cd and Pb in different tissues of five samples of seafoods (mackerel, squid, mussels, scallops and shrimp). The concentrations of Co, Cd and Pb in all examined seafoods were less than the reported literature values (WHO). The results mentioned that the seafoods obtained from Thewet Market were safety to consumption and make the quality of life of people in the community look better.

Keywords: heavy metals, seafood, atomic absorption spectrometry, Bangkok

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Authors: Tolulope Aremu

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The key process steps to produce liquid detergent products will introduce potential defects, such as formulation, mixing, filling, and packaging, which might compromise product quality, consumer safety, and operational efficiency. Real-time identification and characterization of such defects are of prime importance for maintaining high standards and reducing waste and costs. Usually, defect detection is performed by human inspection or rule-based systems, which is very time-consuming, inconsistent, and error-prone. The present study overcomes these limitations in dealing with optimization in defect characterization within the process for making liquid detergents using Machine Learning algorithms. Performance testing of various machine learning models was carried out: Support Vector Machine, Decision Trees, Random Forest, and Convolutional Neural Network on defect detection and classification of those defects like wrong viscosity, color deviations, improper filling of a bottle, packaging anomalies. These algorithms have significantly benefited from a variety of optimization techniques, including hyperparameter tuning and ensemble learning, in order to greatly improve detection accuracy while minimizing false positives. Equipped with a rich dataset of defect types and production parameters consisting of more than 100,000 samples, our study further includes information from real-time sensor data, imaging technologies, and historic production records. The results are that optimized machine learning models significantly improve defect detection compared to traditional methods. Take, for instance, the CNNs, which run at 98% and 96% accuracy in detecting packaging anomaly detection and bottle filling inconsistency, respectively, by fine-tuning the model with real-time imaging data, through which there was a reduction in false positives of about 30%. The optimized SVM model on detecting formulation defects gave 94% in viscosity variation detection and color variation. These values of performance metrics correspond to a giant leap in defect detection accuracy compared to the usual 80% level achieved up to now by rule-based systems. Moreover, this optimization with models can hasten defect characterization, allowing for detection time to be below 15 seconds from an average of 3 minutes using manual inspections with real-time processing of data. With this, the reduction in time will be combined with a 25% reduction in production downtime because of proactive defect identification, which can save millions annually in recall and rework costs. Integrating real-time machine learning-driven monitoring drives predictive maintenance and corrective measures for a 20% improvement in overall production efficiency. Therefore, the optimization of machine learning algorithms in defect characterization optimum scalability and efficiency for liquid detergent companies gives improved operational performance to higher levels of product quality. In general, this method could be conducted in several industries within the Fast moving consumer Goods industry, which would lead to an improved quality control process.

Keywords: liquid detergent manufacturing, defect detection, machine learning, support vector machines, convolutional neural networks, defect characterization, predictive maintenance, quality control, fast-moving consumer goods

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Authors: Katharina Buttenberg

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Customer and brand-oriented capabilities have been identified as key influencing capabilities for business performance. Especially in the early years of the firm, it is crucial to develop and consciously manage these capabilities. In this paper, the results of a quantitative analysis, investigating the causal relationship between customer- and brand-oriented (marketing) capabilities and business performance will be presented. The research displays the dependencies between the constructs and will provide practical implications for young firms in the acquisition and management of these capabilities.

Keywords: brand-oriented capabilities, customer-oriented capabilities, entrepreneurship, resource-based theory, young firms

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Authors: Pelin Sonmez

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Health services provided to refugees and asylum seekers are very important and of priority due to their physical damages during the war and conflict situation, possible diseases in migration journey and negative psychological mood. However, there are very poor international standards in regards to providing health services to these people, which in return cause each country to differ their regulations. United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are in effect as of 2016 assure that attention should be provided to non-citizen vulnerable groups in terms of health policies and they should be included in the global development, thereby aims to decrease the problems arising from providing health services to refugees. Though, we should not forget that these are the recent and yet uncertain attempts, mostly, as a result of Syrian War's forced migration wave. As an attempt to reveal different attitudes of international actors, this study compares/analyzes health services provided to refugees and asylum seekers on the basis of Turkey-EU policy implementations. While doing so, two research data will be focused upon. In this globe, results of the focus group interviews and a field study in a specific work (from its health related section) which was done in 2017 to 5000 Syrian women living in Turkey and presented to Republic of Turkey Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency will be utilized.

Keywords: European Union, health policies, refugee, Syrian women, Turkey

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Authors: Mika Kaufman

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Behavioral health in school-age children is a great concern. Negative behaviors can affect mental and physical health and, if ignored, can lead to further problems later in life. Rural communities often lack resources for counselors, social workers, and mental health care in the hopes of intervening with children who exhibit negative behaviors. Because of this, schools in rural communities are more likely to have children with behavioral issues. Prevention programs to recognize and address these behavioral concerns can educate teachers about mental health, different negative behaviors that students might exhibit, and how to manage those behaviors and engage with students in a positive way.

Keywords: prevention programs, behavioral health, resources for teachers, rural schools

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Authors: Corinne Kowalski, Lea de Jong, Rainer Sauerborn, Niamh Herlihy, Anneliese Depoux, Jale Tosun

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Climate change is considered one of the biggest threats to human health of the 21st century. The link between climate change and health has received relatively little attention in the media, in research and in policy-making. A long term and broad overview of how health is represented in the legislation on climate change is missing in the legislative literature. It is unknown if or how the argument for health is referred in legal clauses addressing climate change, in national and European legislation. Integrating scientific based evidence into policies regarding the impacts of climate change on health could be a key step to inciting the political and societal changes necessary to decelerate global warming. This may also drive the implementation of new strategies to mitigate the consequences on health systems. To provide an overview of this issue, we are analyzing the Global Climate Legislation Database provided by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment. This institution was established in 2008 at the London School of Economics and Political Science. The database consists of (updated as of 1st January 2015) legislations on climate change in 99 countries around the world. This tool offers relevant information about the state of climate related policies. We will use the database to systematically analyze the 829 identified legislations to identify how health is represented as a relevant aspect of climate change legislation. We are conducting explorative research of national and supranational legislations and anticipate health to be addressed in various forms. The goal is to highlight how often, in what specific terms, which aspects of health or health risks of climate change are mentioned in various legislations. The position and recurrence of the mention of health is also of importance. Data will be extracted with complete quotation of the sentence which mentions health, which will allow for second qualitative stage to analyze which aspects of health are represented and in what context. This study is part of an interdisciplinary project called 4CHealth that confronts results of the research done on scientific, political and press literature to better understand how the knowledge on climate change and health circulates within those different fields and whether and how it is translated to real world change.

Keywords: climate change, explorative research, health, policies

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Authors: Nafees Ahmed, Nur Izyani Kamaruzman, Saralla Nathan, Mohd Ezharul Hoque Chowdhury, Anuar Zaini Md Zain, Iekhsan Othman, Sharifah Binti Syed Hassan

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Meat quality is always subject to consumer scrutiny when purchasing from retail markets on mislabeling as fresh meat. Various physiological and biochemical changes influence the quality of meat. As a major component of muscle tissue, proteins play a major role in muscle foods. In meat industry, freezing is the most common form of storage of meat products. Repeated cycles of freezing and thawing are common in restaurants, kitchen, and retail outlets and can also occur during transportation or storage. Temperature fluctuation is responsible for physical, chemical, and biochemical changes. Repeated cycles of ‘freeze-thaw’ degrade the quality of meat by stimulating the lipid oxidation and surface discoloration. The shelf life of meat is usually determined by its appearance, texture, color, flavor, microbial activity, and nutritive value and is influenced by frozen storage and subsequent thawing. The main deterioration of frozen meat during storage is due to protein. Due to the large price differences between fresh and frozen–thawed meat, it is of great interest to consumer to know whether a meat product is truly fresh or not. Researchers have mainly focused on the reduction of moisture loss due to freezing and thawing cycles of meat. The water holding capacity (WHC) of muscle proteins and reduced water content are key quality parameters of meat that ultimately changes color and texture. However, there has been limited progress towards understanding the actual mechanisms behind the meat quality changes under the freeze–thaw cycles. Furthermore, effect of freeze-thaw process on integrity of proteins is ignored. In this paper, we have studied the effect of ‘freeze-thawing’ on physicochemical changes of chicken meat protein. We have assessed the quality of meat by pH, spectroscopic measurements, Western Blot. Our results showed that increase in freeze-thaw cycles causes changes in pH. Measurements of absorbance (UV-visible and IR) indicated the degradation of proteins. The expression of various proteins (CREB, AKT, MAPK, GAPDH, and phosphorylated forms) were performed using Western Blot. These results indicated the repeated cycles of freeze-thaw is responsible for deterioration of protein, thus causing decrease in nutritious value of meat. It damges the use of these products in Islamic Sharia.

Keywords: chicken meat, freeze-thaw, halal, protein, western blot

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Authors: Nashwah Alnajjar

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This research paper provides an overview of Replika, an AI chatbot application that uses natural language processing technology to engage in conversations with users. The app was developed to provide users with a virtual AI friend who can converse with them on various topics, including mental health. This study explores the experiences of Replika users using quantitative research methodology. A survey was conducted with 12 participants to collect data on their demographics, usage patterns, and experiences with the Replika app. The results showed that Replika has the potential to play a role in mental health support and well-being.

Keywords: Replika, chatbot, mental health, artificial intelligence, natural language processing

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Authors: Ali Bhayani

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College is a high involvement decision making where students are expected to evaluate several college offerings before selecting a college or a course to study. However, even in high involvement product like college, students get influenced by opinion leaders and suffer from social contagion. This narrative style study, involving 98 first year students, was able to demonstrate that social contagion differs with regards to gender, ethnicity and personality. Recommendations from students with academically strong background would impact on the college choice of the undergraduate students and limit information search. Study was able to identify the incidence of anchoring heuristics amongst the students. Managerial implications with regards to design of marketing campaign follows at the end of the study.

Keywords: social contagion, opinion leaders, higher education, consumer behavior

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Authors: Koteswara Rao Pagolu, Raghava Rao Tamanam

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In India, genetic disease is a disregarded service element in the community health- protection system. This study aims to gauge the accessibility of services for treating genetic disorders and also to evaluate the practices on deterrence and management services in the district health system. A cross-sectional survey of selected health amenities in the government health sector was conducted from 15 primary health centers (PHC’s), 4 community health centers (CHC’s), 1 district government hospital (DGH) and 3 referral hospitals (RH’s). From these, the existing manpower like 130 medical officers (MO’s), 254 supporting staff, 409 nursing staff (NS) and 45 lab technicians (LT’s) was examined. From the side of private health institutions, 25 corporate hospitals (CH’s), 3 medical colleges (MC’s) and 25 diagnostic laboratories (DL’s) were selected for the survey and from these, 316 MO’s, 995 NS and 254 LT’s were also reviewed. The findings show that adequate staff was in place at more than 70% of health centers, but none of the staff have obtained any operative training on genetic disease management. The largest part of the DH’s had rudimentary infrastructural and diagnostic facilities. However, the greater part of the CHC’s and PHC’s had inadequate diagnostic facilities related to genetic disease management. Biochemical, molecular, and cytogenetic services were not available at PHC’s and CHC’s. DH’s, RH’s, and all selected medical colleges were found to have offered the basic Biochemical genetics units during the survey. The district health care infrastructure in India has a shortage of basic services to be provided for the genetic disorder. With some policy resolutions and facility strengthening, it is possible to provide advanced services for a genetic disorder in the district health system.

Keywords: district health system, genetic disorder, infrastructural amenities, management practices

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Authors: Simon J. Wilde, David M. Herold, Michael J. Bryant

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Social media networks have become the hotbed for advertising activities due mainly to their increasing consumer/user base and, secondly, owing to the ability of marketers to accurately measure ad exposure and consumer-based insights on such networks. More than half of the world’s population (4.8 billion) now uses social media (60%), with 150 million new users having come online within the last 12 months (to June 2022). As the use of social media networks by users grows, key business strategies used for interacting with these potential customers have matured, especially social media advertising. Unlike other traditional media outlets, social media advertising is highly interactive and digital channel specific. Social media advertisements are clearly targetable, providing marketers with an extremely powerful marketing tool. Yet despite the measurable benefits afforded to businesses engaged in social media advertising, recent controversies (such as the relationship between Facebook and Cambridge Analytica in 2018) have only heightened the role trust and privacy play within these social media networks. Using a web-based quantitative survey instrument, survey participants were recruited via a reputable online panel survey site. Respondents to the survey represented social media users from all states and territories within Australia. Completed responses were received from a total of 258 social media users. Survey respondents represented all core age demographic groupings, including Gen Z/Millennials (18-45 years = 60.5% of respondents) and Gen X/Boomers (46-66+ years = 39.5% of respondents). An adapted ADTRUST scale, using a 20 item 7-point Likert scale, measured trust in social media advertising. The ADTRUST scale has been shown to be a valid measure of trust in advertising within traditional media, such as broadcast media and print media, and, more recently, the Internet (as a broader platform). The adapted scale was validated through exploratory factor analysis (EFA), resulting in a three-factor solution. These three factors were named reliability, usefulness and affect, and the willingness to rely on. Factor scores (weighted measures) were then calculated for these factors. Factor scores are estimates of the scores survey participants would have received on each of the factors had they been measured directly, with the following results recorded (Reliability = 4.68/7; Usefulness and Affect = 4.53/7; and Willingness to Rely On = 3.94/7). Further statistical analysis (independent samples t-test) determined the difference in factor scores between the factors when age (Gen Z/Millennials vs. Gen X/Boomers) was utilized as the independent, categorical variable. The results showed the difference in mean scores across all three factors to be statistically significant (p<0.05) for these two core age groupings: (1) Gen Z/Millennials Reliability = 4.90/7 vs. Gen X/Boomers Reliability = 4.34/7; (2) Gen Z/Millennials Usefulness and Affect = 4.85/7 vs Gen X/Boomers Usefulness and Affect = 4.05/7; and (3) Gen Z/Millennials Willingness to Rely On = 4.53/7 vs Gen X/Boomers Willingness to Rely On = 3.03/7. The results clearly indicate that older social media users lack trust in the quality of information conveyed in social media ads when compared to younger, more social media-savvy consumers. This is especially evident with respect to Factor 3 (Willingness to Rely On), whose underlying variables reflect one’s behavioral intent to act based on the information conveyed in advertising. These findings can be useful to marketers, advertisers, and brand managers in that the results highlight a critical need to design ‘authentic’ advertisements on social media sites to better connect with these older users in an attempt to foster positive behavioral responses from within this large demographic group – whose engagement with social media sites continues to increase year on year.

Keywords: social media advertising, trust, older consumers, internet studies

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Authors: Wan You Ning

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Addressing the rising prevalence of mental health issues among youths, the Multi-dimensional Approach to Resilience and Support in Advanced School-based Mental Health Service Delivery (MARS-ASMHSD) framework proposes the implementation of advanced mental health services in low-resource areas to further instil mental health resilience among students in a school-based setting. Recognizing the unsustainability of direct service delivery due to rapidly growing demands and costs, the MARS-ASMHSD framework endorses the deinstitutionalization of mental healthcare and explores a tiered, multi-dimensional approach in mental healthcare provision, establishing advanced school-based mental health service delivery. The framework is developed based on sustainable and credible evidence-based practices and modifications of existing mental health service deliveries in Asia, including Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Japan, and Taiwan. Dissemination of the framework model for implementation will enable a more progressive and advanced school-based mental health service delivery in low-resource areas. Through the evaluation of the mental health landscape and the role of stakeholders in the respective countries, the paper concludes with a multi-dimensional framework model for implementation in low-resource areas. A mixed-method independent research study is conducted to facilitate the framework's development.

Keywords: mental health, youths, school-based services, framework development

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Authors: Ioannis P. Panapakidis, Marios N. Moschakis

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With the continuous increment of smart meter installations across the globe, the need for processing of the load data is evident. Clustering-based load profiling is built upon the utilization of unsupervised machine learning tools for the purpose of formulating the typical load curves or load profiles. The most commonly used algorithm in the load profiling literature is the K-means. While the algorithm has been successfully tested in a variety of applications, its drawback is the strong dependence in the initialization phase. This paper proposes a novel modified form of the K-means that addresses the aforementioned problem. Simulation results indicate the superiority of the proposed algorithm compared to the K-means.

Keywords: clustering, load profiling, load modeling, machine learning, energy efficiency and quality

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Authors: Alpa Mehta

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Talent acquisition, development, and retention are major issues encountered in the health care industries in any country. Recent authentic data showed that employee turnover in the field of health care is increasing day by day compare to other industrial sectors. There are many reasons behind retention issues. One of such can be the lack of involvement and engagement of health workers in day to day HRM. Health care is a noble profession and employee has to deal with the patient with the optimum level of satisfaction and productivity. So employee morale and motivation should be high. This area of concern is mostly ignored by management, and ultimately it turns into dissatisfaction and abandonment in search of other jobs. The paper analyses the HRM tools to retain healthcare employee with high moral through employee involvement. The paper includes the case study of One of the Prominent Health care institute of India has found out a way to retain talented employees in the organization with the tool of employee engagement.

Keywords: employee involvement, health care industry, human resources management, talent retention

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Authors: Renjith George, Preethy Mary Donald

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Use of internet sources to retrieve health care related information among health care professionals has increased tremendously as the accessibility to internet is made easier through smart phones and tablets. Though there are huge data available at a finger touch, it is doubtful whether all the sources providing health care information adhere to evidence based practice. The objective of this survey was to study the prevalence of use of internet sources to get health care information, to assess the mind-set towards the authenticity of health care information available via internet sources and to study the awareness about evidence based practice in health care among medical and dental students in Melaka-Manipal Medical College. The survey was proposed as there is limited number of studies reported in the literature and this is the first of its kind in Malaysia. A cross sectional survey was conducted among the medical and dental students of Melaka-Manipal Medical College. A total of 521 students including medical and dental students in their clinical years of undergraduate study participated in the survey. A questionnaire consisting of 14 questions were constructed based on data available from the published literature and focused group discussion and was pre-tested for validation. Data analysis was done using SPSS. The statistical analysis of the results of the survey proved that the use of internet resources for health care information are equally preferred over the conventional resources among health care students. Though majority of the participants verify the authenticity of information from internet sources, there was considerable percentage of candidates who feels that all the information from the internet can be utilised for clinical decision making or were not aware about the need of verification of authenticity of such information. 63.7 % of the participants rely on evidence based practice in health care for clinical decision making while 34.2 % were not aware about it. A minority of 2.1% did not agree with the concept of evidence based practice. The observations of the survey reveals the increasing use of internet resources for health care information among health care students. The results warrants the need to move towards evidence based practice in health care as all health care information available online may not be reliable. The health care person should be judicious while utilising the information from such resources for clinical decision making.

Keywords: authenticity, evidence based practice, health care information, internet

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Authors: Amy Gooden, Meshandren Naidoo

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Genetic research and transfers of big data are not confined to a particular jurisdiction, but there is a lack of clarity regarding the legal requirements for importing and exporting such data. Using direct-to-consumer genetic testing (DTC-GT) as an example, this research assesses the status of data sharing into and out of South Africa (SA). While SA laws cover the sending of genetic data out of SA, prohibiting such transfer unless a legal ground exists, the position where genetic data comes into the country depends on the laws of the country from where it is sent – making the legal position less clear.

Keywords: cross-border, data, genetic testing, law, regulation, research, sharing, South Africa

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Authors: Metkel Gebremedhin, Biruk Kebede, Guash Abay

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Job satisfaction largely determines the productivity and efficiency of human resources for health. There is scanty evidence on factors influencing the job satisfaction of health extension professionals (HEPs) in Addis Ababa. The objective of this study was to determine the level of and factors influencing job satisfaction among extension health workers in Addis Ababa city. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Among all public health centers found in the Addis Ababa city administration health bureau that would be included in the study, a multistage sampling technique was employed. Then we selected the study health centers randomly and urban health extension professionals from the selected health centers. In-depth interview data collection methods were carried out for a comprehensive understanding of factors affecting job satisfaction among Health extension professionals (HEPs) in Addis Ababa. HEPs working in Addis Ababa areas are the primary study population. Multivariate logistic regression with 95% CI at P ≤ 0.05 was used to assess associated factors to job satisfaction. The overall satisfaction rate was 10.7% only, while 89.3%% were dissatisfied with their jobs. The findings revealed that variables such as marital status, staff relations, community support, supervision, and rewards have a significant influence on the level of job satisfaction. For those who were not satisfied, the working environment, job description, low salary, poor leadership and training opportunities were the major causes. Other factors influencing the level of satisfaction were lack of medical equipment, lack of transport facilities, lack of training opportunities, and poor support from woreda experts. Our study documented a very low level of overall satisfaction among health extension professionals in Addis Ababa city public health centers. Considering the factors responsible for this state of affairs, urgent and concrete strategies must be developed to address the concerns of extension health professionals as they represent a sensitive domain of the health system of Addis Ababa city. Improving the overall work environment, review of job descriptions and better salaries might bring about a positive change.

Keywords: job satisfaction, extension health professionals, Addis Ababa

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Authors: Afolabi Joseph Fasoranti

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Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease caused by mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis is a major public health problem in Nigeria, being one of the ten leading causes of hospital admissions and a leading cause of death in adults, especially among the economically productive age group. This paper critically examined the importance of health education towards the eradication and prevention of tuberculosis in Nigeria. It was reviewed and discussed under the following subheadings; Global burden of tuberculosis in Nigeria, concept, definition and etiology of tuberculosis, Signs and symptoms of tuberculosis, diagnosis of tuberculosis, causative agent, modes of infection and incubation period, risk factors of pulmonary tuberculosis Dots and stop TB programmes in Nigeria Treatment and prevention of tuberculosis TB treatment strategies, Dealing with treatment problems in Nigeria Stigmatization against Tuberculosis Patients Health education as a tool for achieving free tuberculosis country. Emphasis for Tb control has been placed on the development of improved vaccines, diagnostic and treatment courses but less on health education and awareness. Although the need for these tools is indisputable, the obstacle facing the spread of TB go beyond technological. The findings of this study may stimulate health system policy makers, Government and non- governmental organizations, donor agencies and other stakeholders in planning and designing health education intervention programs on the control and eradication of tuberculosis. It therefore recommended that Government should implement health education as part of the DOTs, this will thus empower the tuberculosis patients on ways to live healthy, lifestyle, in doing this, they will recover fast and prevent them from spreading the disease.

Keywords: tuberculosis, health education, panacea, Nigeria, prevention

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Authors: Anum Obaid, Iman Fatima, Wanisha Feroz, Haleema Imran, Hammad Tariq

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In Pakistan, the health of unmarried women over thirty is an emerging public health concern due to its increasing prevalence. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) requires addressing nutrition and public health issues. This research investigates these goals through the lens of nutrition and public health, specifically examining the challenges faced by unmarried women over thirty in Faisalabad, Pakistan. According to a recent United Nations report, there are 10 million unmarried women over the age of 35 in Pakistan. The United Nations defines health as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." Being unmarried and under constant societal pressure profoundly influences the dietary behaviors and nutritional status of these women, affecting their overall health, including physical, mental, and social well-being. A qualitative research approach was employed, involving interviews with both unmarried and married women over thirty. This research examines how marital status influences dietary practices, nutritional status, mental and social health, and their subsequent impacts. Factors such as physical health, mental and emotional status, societal pressure, social health, economic independence, and decision-making power were analyzed to understand the effect of singleness on overall wellness. Findings indicated that marital status significantly affects the dietary patterns and nutritional practices among women in Faisalabad. It was also revealed that unmarried women experienced more stress and had a less optimistic mindset compared to married women, due to loneliness or the absence of a spouse in their lives. Nutritional knowledge varied across marital status, impacting the overall health triangle, including physical, mental, and social health. Understanding these dynamics is crucial for developing targeted interventions to improve nutritional outcomes and overall health among unmarried women in Faisalabad. This study highlights the importance of fostering supportive environments and raising awareness about the health needs of unmarried women over thirty to enhance their overall well-being.

Keywords: health triangle, unmarried woman over thirty, socio-cultural barriers, women’s health

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Authors: Ashish Khanal, Suja Giri

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The scrap collection work is associated with multiple health hazards. Cut and scratches during collection and transportation of scraps are common. IWBs purchase the scraps mainly papers, cartoons, glass bottles and metals from the households. This study was conducted in Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal. The location was chosen because Kathmandu is the biggest city of Nepal with highest number of IWBs. The research used a case study strategy to examine the occupational health hazards of IWBs. The only mode of collecting and transporting of scraps in Kathmandu is the bicycle. They have to do this regular work even during the scorching sun and chilled winter. The musculoskeletal and gastrointestinal disorders are the common health problem shared by IWBs in Kathmandu, Nepal. Despite of these problems, IWBs don’t take it seriously and rarely goes for the health check-up. There is need of personal protective equipment and guidance for safety of IWBs. IWBs need to wear closed shoes and use gloves to avoid cuts during the collection and transportation of the recyclables.

Keywords: itinerant waste buyers, Kathmandu, occupational health, scrap

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Authors: Proud Arunrangsiwed

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The part of “future direction” in the findings of meta-analysis could provide the great direction to conduct the future studies. This study, “The Documentary Analysis of Meta-Analysis Research in Violence of Media” would conclude “future directions” out of 10 meta-analysis papers. The purposes of this research are to find an appropriate research design or an appropriate methodology for the future research related to the topic, “violence of media”. Further research needs to explore by longitudinal and experimental design, and also needs to have a careful consideration about age effects, time spent effects, enjoyment effects, and ordinary lifestyle of each media consumer.

Keywords: aggressive, future direction, meta-analysis, media, violence

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Authors: Richard Okyere Boadu, Judith Obiri-Yeboah, Kwame Adu Okyere Boadu, Nathan Kumasenu Mensah, Grace Amoh-Agyei

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Routine health information system (RHIS) quality assurance has become an important issue, not only because of its significance in promoting a high standard of patient care but also because of its impact on government budgets for the maintenance of health services. A routine health information system comprises healthcare data collection, compilation, storage, analysis, report generation, and dissemination on a routine basis in various healthcare settings. The data from RHIS give a representation of health status, health services, and health resources. The sources of RHIS data are normally individual health records, records of services delivered, and records of health resources. Using reliable information from routine health information systems is fundamental in the healthcare delivery system. Quality assurance practices are measures that are put in place to ensure the health data that are collected meet required quality standards. Routine health information system quality assurance practices ensure that data that are generated from the system are fit for use. This study considered quality assurance practices in the RHIS processes. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in eight health facilities in Tarkwa Sub-Municipal Health Service in the western region of Ghana. The study involved routine quality assurance practices among the 90 health staff and management selected from facilities in Tarkwa Sub-Municipal who collected or used data routinely from 24th December 2019 to 20th January 2020. Results: Generally, Tarkwa Sub-Municipal health service appears to practice quality assurance during data collection, compilation, storage, analysis and dissemination. The results show some achievement in quality control performance in report dissemination (77.6%), data analysis (68.0%), data compilation (67.4%), report compilation (66.3%), data storage (66.3%) and collection (61.1%). Conclusions: Even though the Tarkwa Sub-Municipal Health Directorate engages in some control measures to ensure data quality, there is a need to strengthen the process to achieve the targeted percentage of performance (90.0%). There was a significant shortfall in quality assurance practices performance, especially during data collection, with respect to the expected performance.

Keywords: quality assurance practices, assessment of routine health information system quality, routine health information system, data quality

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Authors: Sehrish Ather

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Introduction: To improve organizational achievements through the production of new knowledge, health policy and system research is the basic requirement. An aging population is always the source of the increased burden of chronic diseases, disabilities, mental illnesses, and other co-morbidities; therefore the provision of quality health care services to every group of the population should be achieved by making strong policy and system research for the betterment of health care system. Unfortunately, the whole world is lacking policies and system research for providing health care to their elderly population. Materials and Methods: A literature review of published studies on aging diseases was done, ranging from the year 2011-2018. Geriatric, population, health policy, system, and research were the key terms used for the search. Databases searched were Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct, Ovid, and Research Gate. Grey literature was searched from various websites, including IHME, Library of the University of Lahore, World Health Organization (Ageing and Life Course), and Personal communication with Neuro-physicians. After careful reviewing published and un-published information, it was decided to carry on with commentary. Results and discussion: Most of the published studies have highlighted the need to advocate the funders of health policy and stakeholders of healthcare system research, and it was detected as a major issue, research on policy and healthcare system to provide health care to 'geriatric population' was found as highly neglected area. Conclusion: It is concluded that physicians are more involved with the policy and system research regarding any type of diseases, but scientists and researchers of basic and social science are less likely to be involved in methods used for health policy and system research due to lack of funding and resources. Therefore ageing diseases should be considered as a priority, and comprehensive policy and system research should be initiated for diseases of the geriatric population.

Keywords: geriatric population, health care system, health policy, system research

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Authors: Thirumila Muthukamaru

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The objective of a Health Risk Assessment (HRA) is to achieve a quality evaluation of risk assessments in a timely manner where adequate controls can be in place to protect workers health, especially during turnarounds where the exposure to health hazards is expected to rise during the performance of the many activities that take place, exposing workers to health risk. HRA development requires a competent team comprising experienced subject matter experts in the field, such as Industrial hygienists, Occupational Health Doctors, Turnaround Coordinators, Operation / Maintenance personnel, etc. The conventional way of conducting HRA is not only tedious and time-consuming but also less appreciated when it is not interpreted correctly, which may contribute to inadequate operationalization of it. Simplification can be the essence of timely intervention in managing health risks. This paper is intended as a sharing of the approach taken to simplify the methodology of developing the HRA report and operationalizing it. The approach includes developing a Generic HRA for turnaround activities to be used as a reference document and the empowerment of identified personnel through upskilling sessions to take up the role of facilitating HRA sessions. This empowerment is one of the key approaches towards the successful translation of the HRA into specific turnaround Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) that embed it in the Permit to Work (PTW) process. The approach used here increases awareness and compliance on HRA for turnaround activities through better interpretation and operationalization of the HRA report, adding value to the risk assessment for turnaround activities.

Keywords: industrial hygiene, health risk assessment, HRA, risk assessment

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Authors: Tolulope A. Olukunle

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Plastic waste management has emerged as one of the greatest challenges facing developing countries. This paper describes the design of various components of a plastic shredder. This machine is widely used in industries and recycling plants. The introduction of plastic shredder machine will promote reduction of post-consumer plastic waste accumulation and serves as a system for wealth creation and empowerment through conversion of waste into economically viable products. In this design research, a 10 kW electric motor with a rotational speed of 500 rpm was chosen to drive the shredder. A pulley size of 400 mm is mounted on the electric motor at a distance of 1000 mm away from the shredder pulley. The shredder rotational speed is 300 rpm.

Keywords: design, machine, plastic waste, recycling

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Authors: Kyung-Sook Bang

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Background: The health status of school-age children has a great influence on their growth and life-long health. The purposes of this study were to identify physical and mental health status of late school-age children in Seoul, South Korea and to investigate the related factors for their health. Methods: After gaining the approval from Institutional Review Board (IRB), a cross-sectional study was conducted with elementary students in grade 4 or 5. Questionnaires were distributed to eight elementary schools located different regions of Seoul in November, 2016, and 302 participants were finally included. From all participants, informed consents from the parents, and assents from children were received. Children's socioeconomic status, family functioning, peer relations, physical health symptoms, and depression were measured with self-reported questionnaires. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, t-test, Pearson’s correlations, and multiple regression. Results: Children's physical health symptoms and depression were not significantly different, and only their peer relations were significantly different according to their socioeconomic status (t=-3.93, p<.001). Depression showed significant positive correlation with physical health symptoms (r=.720, p<.001) and negative correlations with family functioning (r=-.428, p<.001) and peer relations (r=-.775, p<.001). The multiple regression model, which explained 73.5% of variance, showed peer relations (r2 =.604), physical health symptoms (r2 change=.125), and family functioning (r2 change=.005) as significant predictors for depression. Only the peer relations was significant predictor for their physical health symptoms and explained 50.6% of it. Conclusions: The peer relations was the most important factor in their physical and mental health at this age, and it can be affected by their socioeconomic status. Nursing interventions for promoting social relations and family functioning are required to improve children’s physical and mental health, especially for vulnerable population.

Keywords: child, depression, health, peer relation

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Authors: Leena Inamdar, David Allen, Sushma Acquilla, James Gore

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Health systems globally are facing increasingly complex challenges. Emerging health threats, changing population demographics and increasing health inequalities, globalisation, economic constraints on government spending are some of the most critical ones. These challenges demand not only innovative funding and cross-sectoral approaches, but also require a multidisciplinary public health workforce equipped with skills and expertise to meet the future challenges of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We aim to outline an approach to assessing the feasibility of establishing a competency-based public health training at a country level. Although the SDGs provide an enabling impetus for change and promote positive developments, public health training and education still lag behind. Large gaps are apparent in both the numbers of trained professionals and the options for high quality training. Public health training in most Low-Middle Income Countries is still largely characterized by a traditional and limited public health focus. There is a pressing need to review and develop core and emerging competences for a well-equipped workforce fit for the future. This includes the important role of national Health and Human Resource Ministries in determining these competences. Public health has long been recognised as a multidisciplinary field, with need for professionals from a wider range of disciplines such as management, health promotion, health economics, law. Leadership and communication skills are also critical to achieve the successes in meeting public health outcomes. Such skills and competences need to be translated into competency-based training and education, to prepare current public health professionals with the skills required in today’s competitive job market. Integration of academic and service based public-health training, flexible accredited programmes to support existing mid-career professionals, continuous professional development need to be explored. In the current global climate of austerity and increasing demands on health systems, the need for stepping up public health training and education is more important than ever. By using a case study, we demonstrate the process of assessing the in-county capacity to establish a competency based public health training programme that will help to develop a stronger, more versatile and much needed public health workforce to meet the SDGs.

Keywords: public health training, competency-based, assessment, SDGs

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Authors: Ritu Sarsoha

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According to World Summit 2002 health is an integral component of sustainable development. Due to overpopulation and lack of employment opportunities in villages and small towns, the rural youth tend to migrate to the big cities causing mushrooming of slums. These slums lack most of the basic necessities of life particularly regarding environmental pollution and appropriate health care system. Present paper deals with the socio-economic and environmental status of people living in slum area of Chandigarh which has now grown as a big city today as it has become a hub for the migrants from U. P. and Bihar. Here is a case study of Colony no. 5 of Chandigarh which is divided into more than one block.

Keywords: slum, socio-economic, environment pollution, health

Procedia PDF Downloads 305

Authors: Bailey Houghtaling, Sarah Misyak

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Food access; the availability, affordability, convenience, and desirability of food and beverage products within communities, is influential on consumers’ purchasing and consumption decisions. These variables may contribute to lower dietary quality scores and a higher obesity prevalence documented among rural and disadvantaged populations in the United States (U.S.). Current research assessing linkages between food access and obesity outcomes has primarily focused on distance to a traditional grocery/supermarket store as a measure of optimality. However, low-income consumers especially, including U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants, seem to utilize non-traditional food store formats with greater frequency for household dietary needs. Non-traditional formats have been associated with less nutritious food and beverage options and consumer purchases that are high in saturated fats, added sugars, and sodium. Authors’ formative research indicated differences by U.S. region and rurality in the distribution of traditional and non-traditional SNAP-authorized food store formats. Therefore, using Virginia as a case study, the purpose of this research was to determine if a relationship between store format, rurality, and obesity exists. This research applied SNAP-authorized food store data (food access points for SNAP as well as non-SNAP consumers) and obesity prevalence data by Virginia county using publicly available databases: (1) SNAP Retailer Locator, and; (2) U.S. County Health Rankings. The alpha level was set a priori at 0.05. All Virginia SNAP-authorized stores (n=6,461) were coded by format – grocery, drug, mass merchandiser, club, convenience, dollar, supercenter, specialty, farmers market, independent grocer, and non-food store. Simple linear regression was applied primarily to assess the relationship between store format and obesity. Thereafter, multiple variables were added to the regression to account for potential moderating relationships (e.g., county income, rurality). Convenience, dollar, non-food or restaurant, mass merchandiser, farmers market, and independent grocer formats were significantly, positively related to obesity prevalence. Upon controlling for urban-rural status and income, results indicated the following formats to be significantly related to county obesity prevalence with a small, positive effect: convenience (p=0.010), accounting for 0.3% of the variance in obesity prevalence; dollar (p=0.005; 0.5% of the variance), and; non-food (p=0.030; 1.3% of the variance) formats. These results align with current literature on consumer behavior at non-traditional formats. For example, consumers’ food and beverage purchases at convenience and dollar stores are documented to be high in saturated fats, added sugars, and sodium. Further, non-food stores (i.e., quick-serve restaurants) often contribute to a large portion of U.S. consumers’ dietary intake and thus poor dietary quality scores. Current food access research investigates grocery/supermarket access and obesity outcomes. These results suggest more research is needed that focuses on non-traditional food store formats. Nutrition interventions within convenience, dollar, and non-food stores, for example, that aim to enhance not only healthy food access but the affordability, convenience, and desirability of nutritious food and beverage options may impact obesity rates in Virginia. More research is warranted utilizing the presented investigative framework in other U.S. and global regions to explore the role and the potential of non-traditional food store formats to prevent and reduce obesity.

Keywords: food access, food store format, non-traditional food stores, obesity prevalence

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Authors: Jenny Clift, Rebeccah Sokol, LaTricia Mitchell, Nicholas Alexander, Karissa Rusnick

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Aims: This study sought to identify prevalent promotive factors supporting urban adolescent health and wellbeing, per adolescent and caregiver reports. Setting: The research team conducted online surveys with adolescent (n=520) and caregiver (n=73) respondents from a predominately Latinx urban high school. Methodology: A cross-sectional, qualitative study. Analysis: Inductive thematic analysis was used to analyze responses to open-ended questions. -Findings. Adolescent and caregiver respondents identified promotive factors (eight and six, respectively) that encourage adolescent health and well-being. Supportive relationships were the most frequently reported factor among adolescents (68%) and caregivers (55%). Implications: Health promotion interventions among adolescents should consider how to promote relationships to counteract negative social determinants of health (SDH) and promote optimal quality of life.

Keywords: Latinx adolescents, health and wellbeing, social determinants of health, school

Procedia PDF Downloads 88