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Adherence and accuracy of self-monitoring of dietary intake influences success in weight management interventions. Information technologies such as computers and smartphones have the potential to improve adherence and accuracy by reducing the burden associated with monitoring dietary intake using traditional paper-based food records. We evaluated the acceptability and accuracy of three different 7-day food record methods (online accessed via computer, online accessed via smartphone, and paper-based). Young women (N=18; aged 23.4±2.9 years; body mass index 24.0±2.2) completed the three 7-day food records in random order with 7-day washout periods between each method. Total energy expenditure (TEE) was derived from resting energy expenditure (REE) measured by indirect calorimetry and physical activity level (PAL) derived from accelerometers (TEE=REE×PAL). Accuracy of the three methods was assessed by calculating absolute (energy intake [EI]–TEE) and percentage difference (EI/TEE×100) between self-reported EI and TEE. Acceptability was assessed via questionnaire. Mean±standard deviation TEE was 2,185±302 kcal/day and EI was 1,729±249 kcal/day, 1,675±287kcal/day, and 1,682±352 kcal/day for computer, smartphone, and paper records, respectively. There were no significant differences between absolute and percentage differences between EI and TEE for the three methods: computer, –510±389 kcal/day (78%); smartphone, –456±372 kcal/day (80%); and paper, –503±513 kcal/day (79%). Half of participants (n=9) preferred computer recording, 44.4% preferred smartphone, and 5.6% preferred paper-based records. Most participants (89%) least preferred the paper-based record. Because online food records completed on either computer or smartphone were as accurate as paper-based records but more acceptable to young women, they should be considered when self-monitoring of intake is recommended to young women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixed-mode questionnaires are increasingly used in research. Psychological measures, developed for paper-and-pencil (paper) administration require measurement equivalence testing when administered in an alternative mode. Here, Icelandic translations of the NEO-FFI personality measure and Adult Reading History Questionnaire (ARHQ) were tested for equivalence of measurement and data quality between paper and web mode. Perceived sensitivity of data and preference for survey mode were also assessed. One hundred adults were recruited to answer both modes in a randomized, crossover design. Eighty-eight participants completed both administrations with an average of 63.8 days ( SD = 2.2) between them. Within-subjects comparisons of means between modes demonstrated measurement equivalence for both measures. However, differing invalidity coefficients by mode observed by multi-trait multi method (MTMM) analysis suggested systematic effects not captured by traditional psychometric evaluation. Of note was a greater tendency for acquiescence responding to the NEO-FFI observed in web mode. Neither personality traits nor ARHQ reading difficulty scores were associated with preference for survey mode. However, 36% of participants who considered their personality data moderately to highly sensitive scored higher in neuroticism and lower in agreeableness compared to those rating their personality data of low sensitivity. While the Icelandic NEO-FFI and ARHQ have demonstrated measurement equivalence in paper and web mode, mode equivalence of psychometric measures may require ongoing evaluation as perceptions of web privacy continue to evolve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: There is little doubt surrounding the benefits of the Nutrition Care Process and International Dietetics and Nutrition Terminology (IDNT) to dietetics practice; however, evidence to support the most efficient method of incorporating these into practice is lacking. The main objective of our study was to compare the efficiency and effectiveness of an electronic and a manual paper-based system for capturing the Nutrition Care Process and IDNT in a single in-center hemodialysis unit. A cohort of 56 adult patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis were followed for 12 months. During the first 6 months, patients received the usual standard care, with documentation via a manual paper-based system. During the following 6-month period (Months 7 to 12), nutrition care was documented by an electronic system. Workload efficiency, number of IDNT codes used related to nutrition-related diagnoses, interventions, monitoring and evaluation using IDNT, nutritional status using the scored Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment Tool of Quality of Life were the main outcome measures. Compared with paper-based documentation of nutrition care, our study demonstrated that an electronic system improved the efficiency of total time spent by the dietitian by 13 minutes per consultation. There were also a greater number of nutrition-related diagnoses resolved using the electronic system compared with the paper-based documentation (P<0.001). In conclusion, the implementation of an electronic system compared with a paper-based system in a population receiving hemodialysis resulted in significant improvements in the efficiency of nutrition care and effectiveness related to patient outcomes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Examine the relationship between nutrition knowledge, diet quality, and eating behavior among active-duty US Army Soldiers. Cross-sectional study with data collection in February 2018 via paper surveys during the validation of the Military Eating Behavior Survey. Among 440 US Army Soldiers, nutrition knowledge was positively and significantly associated with diet quality (b = 0.29, P < 0.001). For every 1-point increase in nutrition knowledge, the Healthy Eating Index-2015 score was expected to increase by 0.29 points. Nutrition knowledge was not significantly associated with skipping breakfast (odds ratio, 1.01; 95% confidence interval, 0.98–1.04) or dining out (odds ratio, 1.01; 95% confidence interval, 0.98–1.03). The outcomes of this study warrant further investigation to determine what interventions provide the strongest outcomes for improving nutrition knowledge and diet quality, as well as create and support an environment that enhances healthy behaviors regarding nutrition that lead to improved diet quality among active-duty Soldiers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To reduce smoking uptake in adolescents, the medical students' network Education Against Tobacco (EAT) has developed a school-based intervention involving a face-aging mobile app (Smokerface). A two-arm cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted, evaluating the 2016 EAT intervention, which employed the mobile app Smokerface and which was delivered by medical students. Schools were randomized to intervention or control group. Surveys were conducted at baseline (pre-intervention) and at 9, 16, and 24 months post-intervention via paper & pencil questionnaires. The primary outcome was the difference in within-group changes in smoking prevalence between intervention and control group at 24 months. Overall, 144 German secondary schools comprising 11,286 pupils participated in the baseline survey, of which 100 schools participated in the baseline and at least one of the follow-up surveys, yielding 7437 pupils in the analysis sample. After 24 months, smoking prevalence was numerically lower in the intervention group compared to control group (12.9 % vs. 14.3 %); however, between-group differences in change in smoking prevalence between baseline and 24-months follow-up (OR=0.83, 95 %-CI: 0.64–1.09) were not statistically significant (p = 0.176). Intention to start smoking among baseline non-smokers declined non-significantly in the intervention group (p = 0.064), and remained essentially unchanged in the control group, but between-group differences in changes at the 24-months follow-up (OR=0.88, 0.64–1.21) were not statistically significant (p = 0.417). While a trend towards beneficial effects of the intervention regarding smoking prevalence as well as intention to start smoking among baseline non-smokers was observed, our smoking prevention trial demonstrated no significant effect of the intervention. • A face-aging app intervention aimed to reduce adolescent smoking uptake. • Two-arm cluster-randomized controlled trial with 144 German secondary schools. • No significant difference in smoking prevalence change at 24 months (p = 0.176). • Subgroup analyses showed a tendency towards benefits among boys and grammar school pupils. • Intention to start smoking declined non-significantly in the intervention group (p = 0.064). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using cross-sectional data from a representative sample of the French population (the 2008 Disability Health survey), this paper examines whether the SF-6D, a widely used preference-based measure of health-related quality of life in economic evaluations, fully captures the variation in subjective well-being (SWB) due to chronic illnesses. We conduct a mediation analysis to disentangle the direct and indirect, through the SF-6D, effects of various chronic conditions on SWB (happiness). Our results show that the SF-6D reflects changes in happiness due to most illnesses except mental illness. Changes in SWB mediated by the SF-6D account for 74% of the total effect. The variation unexplained by the SF-6D is significant and increases substantially in the presence of multimorbidity when a chronic illness is combined with anxiety or depression. Overall, our results suggest that the SF-6D incompletely captures the subjective experience of chronically ill patients, especially those with comorbid conditions. • 74% of the effect of chronic illness on happiness is captured by the SF-6D. • The SF-6D does not fully capture the effect of mental illness on happiness. • The effect not captured by the SF-6D increases significantly with multimorbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Analysis of a subset data of 533 young people in the Czech Republic (mean age 13.6 years). • Youth identified and described their natural mentors in qualitative descriptive questionnaires. • Results describe the characteristics, risks and perceived benefits of natural mentors in youth' perspectives. • Young people identified peers, family members, and formal and informal education teachers and leaders. • Natural mentors were described as 'a good person' with a caring, attentive, kind, and friendly nature. Natural mentoring is a type of youth-adult relationship distinguished with the supportive and caring qualities. The complex conceptual definition as well as the youth-centred knowledge on this type of relationship in youths' daily experiences are missing in the literature. This empirical article reports the analysis of data subset exploring the experiences of youths in natural mentoring relationships in the Czech context. Overall, 533 young people (aged 11–16, mean age 13.4) in eight secondary schools in the Czech Republic participated in the qualitative open-ended questionnaire, identifying, and describing natural mentors from their social networks. The paper reports results of thematic analysis of selected questionnaire items on young people's experiences and perceptions of their identified natural mentors. Young people identified natural mentors most often (n = 105) among their peers or older friends. Besides, youths mentioned and described grandparents, older siblings, family acquaintances, schoolteachers, youth-group and sport leaders, and one-to-one music teachers as natural mentors. Identified mentors were most often perceived as 'a good person' with a caring, attentive, empathetic, nice, kind, and friendly nature who, as a result, is perceived as helpful and supportive. Results are discussed with recommendations for further exploration of natural mentoring as a type of youth–adult relationship, naturally occurring in institutions, organisations, and various youth-work settings where youth-adult interactions are part of the service/institution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The social identity approach to leadership posits that leaders' effectiveness depends on their ability to represent, advance, create, and embed a shared sense of social identity among their followers. Although significant progress has been made in investigating the benefits of identity leadership in adult sports, research in youth sports is still in its infancy. One reason is the lack of a youth-centric inventory that adequately measures identity leadership in this population. To bridge this gap, we developed and validated a long (16 items) and short (5 items) version of the Identity Leadership Inventory for Youth Sport (ILI-Y or ILI-Y-Short-Form) through five studies conducted in three phases of research. Data were primarily collected in football in the United Kingdom, involving a total of 1096 participants. Results of Phase I of this study provided little to no evidence that the ILI – originally developed for adults – was understandable (Study 1) and had factor validity and internal consistency (Study 2) in a sample of youth athletes. Therefore, in Phase II, the ILI was revised, leading to the development of the ILI-Y, which was understandable for youth athletes (Study 3). Results from Phase II (Study 4) also indicated that the ILI-Y exhibited a unidimensional factor structure, which was subsequently confirmed in Phase III (Study 5). This last phase offered additional evidence for the discriminant, criterion, and incremental validity of the ILI-Y and its short form, along with their measurement invariance across genders and age groups, and internal consistency. This study provides sports psychology researchers and practitioners with a valid measure to assess identity leadership in youth sports. • This mixed-method paper reports on five studies with 1096 participants. • We validated an inventory for measuring identity leadership in youth sports. • Identity leadership in youth sports is positively associated with key outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Reducing modifiable risk factors could prevent the onset of cognitive decline. • Physical multimorbidity–cognitive function association was mediated by depression. • Routine screening for depression in multimorbidity patient may delay dementia onset. This paper explores the role of depressive symptoms (mediator/moderator) in the association between physical multimorbidity (exposure) and cognitive function (outcome) among older adults in the three most populous middle-income countries. This study used cross-sectional data from China (2015 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study), India (2017/2018 Longitudinal Ageing Study in India), and Indonesia (2014/2015 Indonesian Family Life Survey), with a total sample of 73,199 respondents aged ≥ 45 years. Three domains of cognitive tests were harmonised across surveys, including time orientation, word recall, and numeracy. The four-way decomposition analysis assessed the mediation and interaction effects between exposure, mediator/moderator, and outcome, adjusted for covariates. The mean age of the respondents (in years) was slightly younger in Indonesia (56.0, SD = 8.8) than in China (59.5, SD = 9.3) and India (60.0, SD = 10.5). The proportion of male respondents was 49.3 % in China, 47.3 % in India, and 47.5 % in Indonesia. Respondents in China had the highest mean cognitive function z scores (54.7, SD = 19.9), followed by India (51.1, SD = 20.0) and Indonesia (51.0, SD = 18.4). Physical multimorbidity was associated with lower cognitive function in China and India (p < 0.0001), with 48.4 % and 40.0 % of the association explained by the mediating effect of depressive symptoms ('overall proportion due to mediation'). The association was not found in Indonesia. Cognitive functions were lower among individuals with physical multimorbidity, and depressive symptoms mainly explained the association. Addressing depressive symptoms among persons with physical multimorbidity is likely to have not only an impact on their mental health but could prevent cognitive decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing use of digital technologies (DTs) has a myriad of implications to socio-technical systems, which are not yet fully recognised. This paper investigates the contributions and drawbacks of DTs to resilient performance (RP), an aspect that so far has received less attention in comparison to others such as efficiency. To this end, a survey questionnaire was applied to 79 academics and practitioners linked to resilience engineering. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics and a thematic analysis of the open-text responses to the survey. Mixed impacts were identified, with 10 themes related to contributions and 16 to drawbacks. Regarding the contributions, the results highlighted the use of DTs for monitoring and anticipating system performance. Machine learning seems to be the most promising approach for this purpose. A key drawback is the need for developing new skills across the workforce so that they can make sense of the outputs of DTs and are aware of their strengths and weaknesses. The human role is expected to remain crucial for RP, which makes the current coordination difficulties with DTs even more important to address. A research agenda composed of five topics is proposed, encompassing description, prescription, and assessment. The agenda emphasizes the need for mapping the attributes or functionalities of DTs onto resilience concepts, models, and frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The buyer-seller relationship in live streaming commerce is crucial especially in service failure situations, yet it has been underexplored. In this paper, we reconceptualized the relationship between consumers and sellers in live streaming commerce as "parasocial guanxi", which consists of ganqing (emotional attachment), xinren (trust) and reciprocal value. The effects of parasocial guanxi on consumer dissatisfaction and complaint intention in service failure situations were further investigated based on the expectation confirmation theory. Our study involved 425 valid questionnaires and employed the partial least squares structural equation method (PLS-SEM). The findings are mixed: on one side, parasocial guanxi acts as a buffer, mitigating dissatisfaction and complaint intention in the face of product or service problems and reducing the impact of disconfirmation on consumer dissatisfaction. On the other side, it may also increase the likelihood of dissatisfied consumers complaining. Furthermore, the buffering effect weakens as consumers make more frequent purchases. The findings have important theoretical and practical implications for understanding the buyer-seller relationship in live streaming commerce. • This paper reconceptualized the buyer-seller relationship in live streaming commerce as "parasocial guanxi". • The effects of parasocial guanxi in service failure situations were investigated. • Parasocial guanxi has a buffering effect in alleviating consumers' dissatisfaction and complaint intention. • Meanwhile, parasocial guanxi can increase the likelihood of dissatisfied consumers to complain. • The effects of parasocial guanxi vary across different demographic groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cancer-specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) questionnaire of the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC), the EORTC QLQ-C30, is a frequently applied questionnaire to assess cancer patients' self-reported health used as part of research and clinical practice. Normative data obtained from the general population can facilitate the interpretation of these data. Despite its frequent application, no detailed EORTC QLQ-C30 normative data have yet been published for the United Kingdom (UK). This study presents detailed EORTC QLQ-C30 normative data for the United Kingdom overall and by sex and age. The data are drawn from a larger published, international, cross-sectional online survey. For the recruitment, the sample was stratified by sex (males, females) and age in five age groups with a sample size of n = 100 per subgroup. A total of N = 1026 UK respondents completed the survey (n = 517 females, n = 509 males). There were no clear subgroup patterns by sex or age; however, older patients tended to show higher (i.e., better) scores in emotional and social functioning; they also reported some of the lowest (i.e., best) scores for symptoms, such as insomnia, appetite loss, diarrhoea, nausea/vomiting or financial difficulties. This paper provides EORTC QLQ-C30 general population normative data for the UK, further stratified by sex and age. These data will greatly support the interpretation of EORTC QLQ-C30 scale scores obtained from UK cancer patients, and also enable comparison with other detailed national normative datasets collected in the same project, across several other European countries and the US. • EORTC QLQ-C30 is a cancer quality of life (QoL) tool for functioning and symptoms. • Normative QoL data collected from 1026 respondents in UK general population. • No clear patterns, generally oldest had better functioning and fewer symptoms. • Look-up tables for EORTC QLQ-C30 scales for the UK general population. • Interpretation aid for data from individual and groups of UK cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 is a frequently used cancer-specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) questionnaire. To aid interpretation of data obtained via EORTC QLQ-C30, general population norm data have been published for many countries. However, despite its frequent use in the United States, no normative data by sex and age exist to date. Therefore, this study aimed to generate sex- and age-specific EORTC QLQ-C30 normative data for the United States. Recruitment and data collection were carried out via online panels as part of a larger cross-sectional study. For the recruitment, the sample was stratified by sex and age (18–39, 40–49, 50–59, 60–69, ≥ 70 years) to achieve a balanced distribution, with n = 100 per subgroup. Descriptive statistics are presented by age and age/sex. A total of N = 1009 respondents completed the survey (n = 508 females, n = 501 males). More than two thirds of participants (72.5%) reported at least one health condition, e.g., arthritis (26%). Across EORTC QLQ-C30 scales, women and men 60 years and older reported generally better/higher functioning and better/lower symptom scores compared to the younger age groups. To date, no specific EORTC QLQ-C30 general population normative data have been published for the United States. This paper provides these important normative data, which will greatly support the interpretation of EORTC QLQ-C30 scale scores obtained from US cancer patients, and also enable comparison with European norms. • EORTC QLQ-C30 is a cancer-specific health related quality of life (HRQoL) measure. • HRQoL normative data from US general population was collected (1009 respondents). • EORTC QLQ-C30 look-up tables for the US general population by sex/age are presented. • Participants ≥ 60 years reported overall better functioning than younger age groups. • Results will enhance interpretation and validity from EORTC QLQ-C30 data in the US. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic cannabinoids (i.e. Spice) are a major public health problem in UK prisons, however, research in this area is limited. Here we aimed to draw comparisons between people with and without experience of using synthetic cannabinoids in prison, to characterise the features of, and motivations for use within this setting and evaluate support for different treatment interventions. Questionnaires were administered to 122 people in a category-B prison for adult males in England between July 2022 and March 2023. Participants were asked questions related to their sociodemographic and custodial characteristics, use of synthetic cannabinoids (and other drugs) inside and outside of prison and psychological distress was measured via the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI-18). Those that had ever used synthetic cannabinoids in prison completed additional questions related to features of use, motivations for use and support for various interventions. In total 46.7 % (n = 57) of participants reported use of synthetic cannabinoids in prison and this group experienced significantly greater levels of psychological distress compared to those reporting no use (mean (± standard deviation) BSI-18 scores = 23.7 (±16.7) vs 12.8 (±13.6), p < 0.001). Participants mostly reported using paper-based preparations (77.4 %) and use via e-cigarettes (75.9 %). The most strongly endorsed motivations for use included to alleviate boredom (91.1 % strongly agree/agree), to make the sentence pass faster (89.3 % strongly agree/agree) and to cope with stress (80.4 % strongly agree/agree). The interventions that received most support were strategies to better manage time and medication to manage withdrawal. The use of synthetic cannabinoids in UK prisons typically involves the use of paper-based preparations via e-cigarettes, and use is associated with greater levels of psychological distress. Motivations for use were mostly pragmatic (e.g. to alleviate boredom or cope with stress) and interventions should prioritise increasing the time individuals spend out of cells and in meaningful activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A later start of English as a foreign language (EFL) lessons is beneficial to pupils with DLD. • Pupils with more positive attitudes towards EFL lessons obtain higher scores. • In pupils with DLD, more EFL anxiety is associated with lower achievement. • Predictors of EFL achievement change over time. Like children with typical language development, their peers with developmental language disorder (DLD) are expected to learn English as a foreign language (EFL). For pupils without DLD, it is well-established that amount of informal exposure to English outside of the classroom, starting age of EFL instruction and motivation are strong positive predictors of EFL learning rate and/or achievement, whereas anxiety is negatively related to performance. This paper is the first attempt to investigate how these predictors of EFL performance operate in learners with DLD. Participants were nineteen Dutch-speaking 7th graders with DLD learning English as a school subject at a specialist education facility in the Netherlands. English receptive grammar and receptive vocabulary were measured twice, with a four-month interval. Foreign language learning motivation, anxiety and (length and amount of) informal exposure to and instruction in English were measured via questionnaires. The participants did not show any progress on English vocabulary and grammar. At Time 1, vocabulary and grammar scores were positively related to starting age of EFL instruction and negatively related to anxiety. For vocabulary, achievement was also positively predicted by attitudes towards English lessons. Only the relationship between starting age of instruction and vocabulary outcomes was visible at Time 2. Amount and length of informal exposure to English did not predict performance, which is in stark contrast to the patterns observed in EFL learners with typical language development. We conclude that children with DLD benefit from a later onset of foreign language lessons, whereas length and amount of out-of-school exposure to English are less important in the context of DLD, possibly due to difficulty with implicit learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This study reviewed the prevalence of mental health disorders among Looked After Children in the UK. • Prevalence rates varied across studies. • The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was the most frequently used tool to assess mental health. • There is still uncertainty about the scale and nature of mental health difficulties in this group. Care-experienced children and young people are more likely to experience poorer mental health relative to the general population. Some of the most highly cited literature in this area is becoming increasingly outdated, however, and as the gap between mental health service availability and provision is steadily growing, it is imperative that we understand the scale and nature of the mental health needs of this group. A systematic review of all literature published from the UK was conducted in March 2022 using APA PsycINFO, ASSIA, Cochrane Library, Medline, PubMed, Scopus, Social Policy and Practice, Social Services Abstracts, and Web of Science. Papers were included if they 1) sampled young people (aged 0 to 18 years) with care experience and, 2) used either a standard or non-standardised measurement tool, or health records to assess mental health prevalence rates (reported as a percentage). Risk of bias assessed used the QuADS tool (Harrison et al., 2021) and data was extracted. Thirty-nine studies were included and summarised. The estimated prevalence of mental health disorders of young people in care ranged from 1 to 82 %. The most frequently used tool to assess mental health was the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (Goodman, 1997) and, while over half of studies utilised prevalence information from a comparator group, this was most commonly young people in the general population. The results of the systematic review demonstrate that estimates of mental health disorders among care-experienced young people in the UK vary considerably. Further consideration should be given toward what measures are used to assess mental health in this population and how we can optimally assess and characterise their support needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was to examine the relationship between health literacy (HL) and health behaviors in the South Bohemia Region in the Czech Republic (CR) and compare them to HL and health behaviors in the Visegrád group countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia). The paper reports the results from the research in the CR. A quantitative descriptive study. The sample was stratified by sex and age and included a representative sample of 303 adults. The data were collected using the combination of a country-specific questionnaire with the HLS-EU-16 standardized questionnaire. Exercise was significantly associated with perceived health and HL; those with a lower level of HL did not exercise during the previous month. Based only on full answers (N = 251), inadequate HL was identified in 17.5% of the respondents (44), marginal HL in 31.5% (77), and adequate HL in 51% (128) of the respondents. Nearly 49% of the participants evaluated their health as 'good', 25.7% rated their health as 'very good' and 'satisfactory' by 25.7%. But 41.6% experienced one or more chronic diseases, 37.6% had some limitations to their health, and 20.5% smoked. For alcohol consumption, 26% drank weekly and 23% drank two to three times a month. Exercise varied from never (29.7%) to daily (7.9%). Based on our results, we conclude that health behavior risk factors are still present in the South Bohemia region of the CR regardless of levels of HL reported on the HLS-EU-16. • Inadequate health literacy (HL) was identified in 17.5% of the respondents, marginal HL in 31.5%. • Exercise was significantly associated with perceived health and HL. • For alcohol consumption, 26% drank weekly and 23% drank two to three times a month. • Health behavior risk factors are still present in South Bohemia region of the CR. • We still have not accomplished universal levels of adequate health literacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technostress is an emergent phenomenon related to the pervasive use of technology and is associated with the increased computerisation and digitalisation seen over recent decades. This cross-sectional observational study aims to investigate the impact that stress from the use of technologies (i.e. technostress) has on the productivity and life of an individual. Cross-sectional study. Data were collected using a previously proposed and validated questionnaire. The questionnaire was translated into Italian and transformed into an online format with a Google Docs form. The questionnaire was then associated with a link and QR code (also available in paper format) and disseminated manually and through the use of e-mail and social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter. The study sample included 313 individuals, 54.6% of whom were women. The mean age of the sample participants was 34.7 years. The dependent variables were technstressors (i.e. techno-overload, techno-invasion, techno-complexity, techno-insecurity and techno-uncertainty), role stressors (i.e. role overload and role conflict) and productivity. In the multivariate analysis, techno-overload was significantly associated with female gender (β = 0.128; P = 0.018) and unemployment (β = −0.303; P < 0.001); techno-invasion was significantly associated with female gender (β = 0.098; P = 0.081) and degree-level education (β = 0.149; P = 0.008); techno-complexity was significantly associated with female gender (β = 0.107; P = 0.057) and being married (β = 0.113; P = 0.046); techno-uncertainty was significantly associated with unemployment (β = 0.337; P < 0.001); role overload was significantly associated with female gender (β = 0.160; P = 0.014) and productivity was significantly associated with degree-level education (β = 0.125; P = 0.057). This observational study evaluated the phenomenon of both work-related and non–work-related technostress of 313 individuals aged between 16 and 65 years. The present study investigated the impact of five techno-stressors, two role stressors and productivity. The results indicate that different techno-stressors are significantly associated with female gender, degree-level education and unemployment. Further research in this field is required to better understand and clarify the epidemiology, clinical presentation and determinants of technostress. • Technostress is an emergent phenomenon related to the pervasive use of technology in the current digital age. • Different techno-stressors are significantly associated with female gender, degree-level education and unemployment. • Further research is required on the epidemiology, clinical presentation and determinants of technostress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A single cryolipolysis session has no effect on abdominal adipose tissue in healthy women. • Randomized controlled trial with blind assessor. • Ultrassonography was used as a method of evaluating the outcome. To analyze the effects of cryolipolysis on the fat thickness of the lower abdomen of healthy women and patient's satisfaction. Design and setting : a randomized controlled trial, with concealed allocation and blinded assessor. Participants: 34 healthy women between 18 and 48 years, skinfold in the lower abdomen ≥3 cm, BMI between 18.5 and 27 kg/m2, low level of physical activity, and no contraindication to cryolipolysis were allocated to intervention group (IG, n = 17) or control group (CG, n = 17). Interventions: The IG received one session of cryolipolysis with −10 °C of temperature for 50 min. The CG was not submitted to any kind of intervention. Both groups did the evaluation protocols at baseline, 30, 60 and 90 days after the intervention. Main outcome measures: fat thickness was measured by ultrasonography (US), skinfold (SF) and abdominal circumference (AC1 and AC2). No significant differences between the IG and CG were demonstrated at any evaluation at any time of follow up for the variables US (30 days: 0.05 cm (95%CI: −0.12; 0.22), 60 days: 0.05 cm (95%CI: −0.11; 0.20) and 90 days: 0.04 cm (95%CI: −0.7; 0.25)), SF (30 days: −0.09 cm (95%CI: −0.25; 0.08), 60 days: −0.14 cm (95%CI: −0.36; 0.09) and 90 days: −0.001 cm (95%CI: −0.237; 0.234)), AC1 (30 days: 0.42 cm (95%CI: −1.1; 1.9), 60 days: −0.1 cm (95%CI: −1.74; 1.54) and 90 days: −0.007 cm (−1.9; 1.9)) and AC2 (30 days: 0.183 cm (95%CI: −0.84; 1.20), 60 days: −0.13 cm (95%CI: −1.61; 1.35) and 90 days: −0.31 cm (95%CI: −1.61; 1.00)). The current study showed that a single application of the utilized protocol of cryolipolysis does not produce any significant effect on fat thickness of the lower abdomen of healthy women. Clinical Trial Registration number: NCT03160976 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03160976). Contribution of the Paper : the study is one of the first studies in the literature with methodological rigor to report an unfavorable result for localized abdominal fat treatment with a single session of cryolipolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We will monitor compliance with the intervention and adverse events. • Data will be analyzed following intention-to-treat principles. • A cost-effectiveness analysis will be performed. This a priori statistical analysis plan describes the methods of analysis for the Trial Of Prevention Strategies for low back pain (TOPS). TOPS aimed to investigate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of exercise and education classes compared with a minimal intervention control in preventing recurrence of low back pain (LBP) in people who have recently recovered from an episode of LBP. TOPS is a superiority, pragmatic, parallel-group randomized controlled trial with allocation concealment, blinded outcome assessors, and intention-to-treat analysis. Participants were randomized to a physical therapist-led exercise and education program for 12 weeks or minimal intervention. The primary outcome was days to recurrence of an episode of LBP. The three key secondary outcomes were days to recurrence of an episode of LBP resulting in (1) activity limitation, (2) care seeking for LBP; and (3) work absence of at least 1 day. Differences in survival curves for the primary (days to recurrence) and secondary outcome (days to LBP with activity limitation, days to care seeking due to LBP, and days to work absence due to LBP) will be compared using Cox regression. Hazard ratios (HRs) and median survival times with 95% confidence intervals (CI) will be calculated. The number of adverse events, including serious adverse events will be reported and the proportion of adverse events between groups will be compared using a Chi-squared test. This paper will provide a detailed description of the planned analyses for the TOPS trial. Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12615000939594). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is the first examination of the longitudinal associations between behavioural regulation and accelerometer-assessed physical activity in parents of primary-school aged children. A cohort design using data from the B-Proact1v project. There were three measurement phases over five years. Exercise motivation was measured using the BREQ-2 and mean minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were derived from ActiGraph accelerometers worn for a minimum of 3 days. Cross-sectional associations were explored via linear regression models using parent data from the final two phases of the B-Proact1v cohort, when children were 8–9 years-old (925 parents, 72.3% mothers) and 10 to 11 years-old (891 parents, 72.6% mothers). Longitudinal associations across all three phases were explored using multi-level models on data from all parents who provided information on at least one occasion (2374 parents). All models were adjusted for gender, number of children, deprivation indices and school-based clustering. Cross-sectionally, identified regulation was associated with 5.43 (95% CI [2.56, 8.32]) and 4.88 (95% CI [1.94, 7.83]) minutes more MVPA per day at times 2 and 3 respectively. In the longitudinal model, a one-unit increase in introjected regulation was associated with a decline in mean daily MVPA of 0.52 (95% CI [-0.88, −0.16]) minutes per year. Interventions to promote the internalisation of personally meaningful rationales for being active, whilst ensuring that feelings of guilt are not fostered, may offer promise for facilitating greater long-term physical activity engagement in parents of primary school age children. • This paper presents the first data examining the longitudinal associations between behavioural regulations and physical activity in adults. • Greater personal value of exercise was associated with higher accelerometer-estimated moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. • Higher levels of guilt and shame related to not being physically activity were associated with a decrease in physical activity over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance This research describes the ethnomedicinal plants as used by three Chin indigenous groups inhabiting areas at Natma Taung National Park (NTNP) in bio-culturally diverse Myanmar. The aim of this study was (1) to identify wild medicinal species and evaluate their local importance in local peoples’ healthcare as well as in protected area conservation; and (2) to compare traditional medicinal plant knowledge among the informants. Materials and methods A total of 206 Müün, Ng’gah and Daai informants from 20 villages were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires. Species use-reports were computed to determine plant local importance and the informant consensus factor. Descriptive and the inferential statistics Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests were employed to evaluate and compare the informants' traditional medicinal knowledge. Results A total of 75 wild ethnomedicinal taxa in 40 plant families across 16 ICPC-based disease categories were recorded. Species which recorded the highest number of use-reports appeared to play an important role not only in informants’ primary healthcare and in park conservation, but also in local livelihood. Conclusion This study presents the diversity of ethnomedicinal plants and their local importance in Chin indigenous peoples’ healthcare. This paper also recognizes the value of these plants and the local traditional knowledge for the conservation and management of NTNP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Physical inactivity is an established risk factor for non-communicable diseases (NCD) and identified as the major public health concern worldwide. However, nationally representative and internationally comparable data on physical activity (PA) are lacking in Bangladesh. The objective of this paper was to determine nationally representative prevalence of PA levels among Bangladeshi adults. Study design: Cross-sectional survey. Methods: Data, on PA for this paper, were analysed from the NCD risk factors survey 2010 in Bangladesh. A standardized approach known as STEPS (STEPSwise approach to Surveillance for NCD risk factors) was followed for this survey. A total of 9275 adults (aged ≥25 years) were interviewed. Data on PA were processed and analysed according to Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) version 2 analysis framework. Results: Of total 9275 respondents 4312 were men and 4963 women with a mean age of 42.4 (±13.5) years. Median MET-minutes of total PA in a typical week was double in rural areas (3360) than urban (1680) areas. The overall country wide prevalence of low PA was 34.5% (95% confidence interval, 33.5-35.5), urban 37.7% (36.3-39.1) and rural 31.6% (30.3-32.9). Women in general were more inactive (women, 53.6% [52.2-55.0], men 15.4% [14.9-17.1]). The main contributions to total PA were from work (urban 47.0%, rural 61.0%), and active commuting (38.0%, 30.0%) domains. Leisure-time PA represented only a small proportion (15.0%, 9.0%). Conclusions: Insufficient physical activity is highly prevalent among the Bangladeshi adult population. Promoting overall PA at leisure-time and commuting considering country context can be feasible options with special attention to the women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Training Con-tAct, a Dutch communication partner training. • Changes in communicative behaviour and experiences in SLT students. • Improved conversation scores in supporting techniques. • SLT students may benefit from Training Con-tAct. • Improved access to health care, especially for communication vulnerable people. This paper describes the changes in communication skills, knowledge and confidence in Speech Language Therapy (SLT) students in conversations with People With Aphasia (PWA) after Training Con-tAct, a Dutch Communication Partner Training. On a voluntary basis, nine SLT students (2nd yr) completed Training Con-tAct, in which People With Aphasia (PWA) were involved as co-workers. A mixed method design with pre- and post-measures was used to analyze the students' communication skills, knowledge and confidence. A quantitative video analysis was used to measure changes in students' communication skills. Besides, a self-report questionnaire was used to measure the changes in students' knowledge and confidence regarding their communication with PWA. To evaluate the perspectives of the students on Training Con-tAct, additionally a focus group interview was held. Regarding students' communication skills the outcomes revealed a significantly higher score on the 'supporting' competence in students who took part in Training Con-tAct. The mean scores for the 'acknowledging' and 'checking information' competences did not improve significantly. The outcomes of the questionnaire showed students gained more knowledge and confidence regarding communication with PWA. The focus group interview provided insights into: motivation for participating in Communication Partner Training, content and structure of the training, feedback in CPT, and learning experiences. The present study suggests that SLT students may benefit from Training Con-tAct as the training leads to better skills, more knowledge about aphasia and more confidence in communicating with PWA. Training Con-tAct could be a valuable addition to the curricula of all healthcare disciplines, and eventually support interprofessional collaboration, resulting in improved access to health care, which is important for communication vulnerable people. Further research with a larger sample size and a control group is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Home visitation programs offer a unique opportunity to implement a novel digital early childhood obesity prevention program. Evaluate usability of a digital infant feeding nutrition education module with key stakeholders (N=21) of a home visiting program in Florida. Home visitors (n=11) and enrolled mothers (n=10) of a home visiting program in Florida participated in a one-time, 45-minute qualitative interview via Zoom with a trained researcher using a semi-structured script based on constructs from the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Social Cognitive Theory (SCT). Participants also completed a modified version of the mHealth App Usability Questionnaire (MAUQ). Interviews were audio-recorded, deidentified, transcribed verbatim and coded by two trained researchers using an inductive thematic analysis approach based on TAM and SCT constructs to develop themes. MAUQ subscales were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Most participants noted that they liked the digital format, and specifically mentioned the visual or interactive components, convenience and accessibility of the information, and general preference for digital information over paper handouts. Home visitors were interested in content related to food allergies and readiness for solid foods, whereas mothers were interested in all of the infant feeding topics. Nonetheless, the majority (90%) reported that they would be very likely to use information in the learning modules as part of home visits. Usability of the module was high across all three MAUQ subscales (mean ratings out of 7±SD: ease of use = 6.88±0.2, interface and satisfaction = 6.90±0.4, usefulness = 6.78±0.1). Limited access to technology by parents, compatibility of the module with various phone types, and necessity of keeping information updated were mentioned by home visitors as limitations that may impact usability. The results revealed that a digital nutrition education module to prevent early childhood obesity was deemed usable by both staff and parents of a home visiting program. Future research is needed to determine impact on parental feeding behaviors and child health outcomes. University of Florida Mowery Innovative Research Fund [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance A survey was undertaken in Jamaica to document medicinal plants frequently used in the treatment or prophylaxis of illness and trends in their use, following the methodology established by the TRAMIL network. TRAMIL, a Caribbean-wide applied research programme, scientifically evaluates and documents the efficacy and safety of medicinal plant remedies used for primary health care. Initial results from this survey, on an aspect of safety, focusing on the concomitant use and prevalence of medicinal plant use in combination with pharmaceutical drugs in Jamaica, were published in an earlier paper in 2011. This paper now reports survey results on the ethnobotanical use of medicinal plants by Jamaicans. Materials and methods A survey using a structured and modified TRAMIL questionnaire was administered to 407 adults selected randomly from systematically selected households within randomly selected clusters. The clusters were selected from each of the three areas that were purposefully selected. Key findings Respondents identified their use of 107 botanically identified medicinal plants distributed in 51 plant families to treat illnesses or maintain health in the previous twelve months. Fourteen plants, with significant use equal to or greater than 20% for a specified health issue were shortlisted, representing Jamaica׳s first submission to the TRAMIL database. Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees (Rice Bitters) was reported as a plant remedy with significant use for the first time in a TRAMIL survey. Informant consensus factor (ICF) values were high for a number of health issues such as mental health (nerves, insomnia, etc.), respiratory system (cold/flu/cough etc.) and for health maintenance with tonics (washout and blood cleanse), indicating strong cultural coherence in medicinal plant selection for these categories. Forty two per cent (113/270) of medicinal plant users utilised mixtures, combining more than one plant. Leaf material was the most commonly used plant part (69%), with fresh material (98%) most commonly prepared as a tea for internal use by decoction (87%). The majority of medicinal plant respondents sourced plants from their backyards (75%) and cited grandmothers (33%) and mothers (32%) as their main sources of information. Jamaicans reported limited use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), supporting the assertion that a significant number of citizens in developing countries continue to rely on the use of medicinal plants for primary healthcare. Conclusions Medicinal plant use continues to play an important role in primary healthcare in Jamaica. Fourteen plant remedies with significant use are reported, five previously reported elsewhere and recommended (REC) for the same health condition. Eight plant remedies, including one Jamaican endemic, are reported for different health issues for the first time to TRAMIL and will be investigated (INV) for the new health conditions, together with one plant remedy reported for the first time. This latest survey will be followed by literature reviews, appropriate laboratory screens (TRIG) and community outreach activities (TRADIF) in Jamaica. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) has been widely used by health professionals. However, no study in Brazil has investigated the data regarding the knowledge and difficulties related to EBP from a representative sample of physical therapists. Objective: To identify behavior, knowledge, skills, resources, opinions and perceived barriers of Brazilian physical therapists from the state of São Paulo regarding EBP. Method: A customized questionnaire about behavior, knowledge, skills, resources, opinions and perceived barriers regarding EBP was sent by email to a sample of 490 physical therapists registered by the Registration Board of São Paulo, Brazil. Physical therapists who did not respond to the questionnaire were contacted by telephone and/or letter. The data were analyzed descriptively. Results: The final response rate was 64.4% (316/490). Because 60 physical therapists were no longer practicing, 256 answers were analyzed. The physical therapists reported that they routinely read scientific papers (89.5%) as a resource for professional development, followed by continuing education courses (88.3%) and books (86.3%). Approximately 35% of the respondents reported a clear understanding of the implementation of research findings in their practice; approximately 37% reported no difficulties in critically appraising scientific papers; and 67.2% strongly agreed that EBP is important for their practice. The most commonly reported barriers were related to difficulties in obtaining full-text papers (80.1%), using EBP may represent higher cost (80.1%) and the language of publication of the papers (70.3%). Conclusion: Physical therapists from São Paulo state believe that they have knowledge and skills to use EBP. Although they have favorable opinions regarding its implementation, they still encounter difficulties in implementing EBP successfully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Childhood injury is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide with the most socio-economically deprived children at greatest risk. Current routine NHS hospital data collection in England is inadequate to inform or evaluate prevention strategies. A pilot study of enhanced data collection was conducted to assess the feasibility of collecting accident and emergency data for national injury surveillance. Aims To evaluate the reliability and feasibility of supplementary data collection using a paper-based questionnaire and to assess the potential relationship between income deprivation and incidence of paediatric injury. Methods Clinical staff conducted an audit of injuries in all patients under 16 years between June and December 2012 through completion of a questionnaire while taking the medical history. Descriptive statistics were produced for age, sex, time of arrival, activity at time of injury, mechanism and location of injuries. The association between known injury incidence and area level income deprivation (2010 English Index of Multiple Deprivation [IMD] Income Deprivation Domain from home postcode) was assessed using Spearman's rank correlation. Representativeness of the audit was measured using z -test statistics for time of arrival, age, sex and ethnicity. Results The paper audit captured 414 (6.5%) of the 6358 under-16 injury-related attendances recorded on the NHS Care Record Service Dataset. Comparison of the audit dataset with NHS records showed that the audit was not representative of the larger dataset except for sex of the patient. There was a positive correlation between injury incidence and income deprivation measured using IMD score where data were available ( n = 384, p < 0.001). Nearly half of the attendances were due to falls, slips or trips (49.8%) and more than half were due to either leisure (32.9%) or sport (18.1%) activities. Conclusion There is evidence of area level income inequalities in injury incidence among children attending the Royal London Hospital. The audit failed to capture a high proportion of cases, likely due to the paper-based format used. This study highlights the importance of routinely collecting enhanced injury data in computerized hospital admission systems to provide the necessary evidence base for effective injury prevention. The findings have contributed to plans for implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Statistical analysis plans increase the transparency of decisions made in the analysis of clinical trial results. The purpose of this paper is to detail the planned analyses for the PREVENT trial, a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of patient education for acute low back pain. Results: We report the pre-specified principles, methods, and procedures to be adhered to in the main analysis of the PREVENT trial data. The primary outcome analysis will be based on Mixed Models for Repeated Measures (MMRM), which can test treatment effects at specific time points, and the assumptions of this analysis are outlined. We also outline the treatment of secondary outcomes and planned sensitivity analyses. We provide decisions regarding the treatment of missing data, handling of descriptive and process measure data, and blinded review procedures. Conclusions: Making public the pre-specified statistical analysis plan for the PREVENT trial minimizes the potential for bias in the analysis of trial data, and in the interpretation and reporting of trial results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As health services research (HSR) expands across the globe, researchers will adopt health services and health worker evaluation instruments developed in one country for use in another. This paper explores the cross-cultural methodological challenges involved in translating HSR in the language and context of different health systems. Objectives: To describe the pre-data collection systematic translation process used in a twelve country, eleven language nursing workforce survey. Design and settings: We illustrate the potential advantages of Content Validity Indexing (CVI) techniques to validate a nursing workforce survey developed for RN4CAST, a twelve country (Belgium, England, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland), eleven language (with modifications for regional dialects, including Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Spanish, and Swedish), comparative nursing workforce study in Europe. Participants: Expert review panels comprised of practicing nurses from twelve European countries who evaluated cross-cultural relevance, including translation, of a nursing workforce survey instrument developed by experts in the field. Methods: The method described in this paper used Content Validity Indexing (CVI) techniques with chance correction and provides researchers with a systematic approach for standardizing language translation processes while simultaneously evaluating the cross-cultural applicability of a survey instrument in the new context. Results: The cross-cultural evaluation process produced CVI scores for the instrument ranging from .61 to .95. The process successfully identified potentially problematic survey items and errors with translation. Conclusions: The translation approach described here may help researchers reduce threats to data validity and improve instrument reliability in multinational health services research studies involving comparisons across health systems and language translation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Experiencing a cardiovascular disease-related event affects quality of life in the ageing population only for the first few years after experiencing said event. • Depression and regular moderate to vigorous physical activity plays a significant role in determining quality of life in the ageing population. • Present study was conducted over 17 years and modelled the association structure of baseline demographic characteristics, cardiovascular disease, and quality of life. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate how graphical chain models can be used to model how cardiovascular disease affected quality of life in later life over the course of 17 years of data. Waves 1-9 of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing was used to investigate how quality of life changed over each wave using the CASP-19 questionnaire, and whether having experienced a cardiovascular event had an effect on quality of life. A total of 12,099 participants were included in the study. Participants had a mean age of 64.2 years, the majority of which were over 50 years old. Older people are more likely to have cardiac events. A one-unit rise in CES-D 8-item score was related with a 14% increased risk of CVD at Wave 1. Those with an O-level, A-level, or degree (or equivalent) had lower CVD risks than those with no education. Women had half the CVD risk of men. Living alone reduced the risk of a CVD-event by 15%. Moderate and vigorous exercise lowered cardiac event risk compared to no exercise. Current or ex-smokers have a 30% higher risk of CVD than non-smokers. Cardiovascular event was significantly associated with quality of life at waves 1 and 2 only. Events related to cardiovascular disease only affected quality of life in later life up to 4 years. Factors such as age, depression, perceived position on social ladder, and high levels of physical activity affected quality of life throughout the majority of waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2013, San Francisco was one of eight sites funded by Partnership for a Healthier America to implement Play Streets, a smaller-scale Open Streets-type initiative, aimed at increasing physical activity (PA) among children and youth by closing neighborhood streets for recreational activities. This paper evaluates the pilot Play Streets events held in summer of 2013 in San Francisco with a focus on examining the characteristics of users of such events, the impact on youth and children's physical activities, use of open space and level of community engagement. The study uses survey data, observational data, existing secondary data as well as GIS mapping to measure the space created by Play Streets. Demographic characteristics, levels/types of PA and level of community engagement for a sample of 1364 participants were examined. Engagement in vigorous PA increased three-fold (11.5% to 35%) during PS and 93.3% of participants agreed that “PS strengthens our community.” Open space for PA and recreation added through Play Streets ranged from 47%–100% of available space depending on the site. Play Streets offers a significant opportunity for neighborhoods and small communities to implement a health-benefiting recreational event for its youth and families. However, specific programming is an important key to the success of Play Streets implementation and for attracting the targeted participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Inspite of tremendous advances made in allopathic medical practices, herbs still play an important role in the management of various liver diseases. A large number of plants and formulations have been claimed to have hepatoprotective activity. Jaundice is a symptom, indicative of the malfunctioning of the liver. This paper provides ethnomedicinal information on the plants used to treat jaundice by three important indigenous communities, i.e., nomadic Gujjars, Tharu and Bhoxa of Sub-Himalayan region, Uttarakhand, India. Aims of the study: To record herbal preparations used by the studied indigenous communities in treatment of jaundice and discuss hepatoprotective properties of the recorded plants. Research strategy and methods: The traditional knowledge of the studied indigenous communities on herbal preparations used for treating jaundice was collected through structured questionnaire and personal interviews. The interviews were conducted with 91 traditional healers (29 Bhoxa, 35 Tharu and 27 nomadic Gujjars) in Sub-Himalayan region of Uttarakhand, India. More than 250 research papers reporting ethnomedicinal information on the hepatoprotective plants used by various communities from different parts of India were extensively reviewed. Results: A total of 40 medicinal plants belonging to 31 families and 38 genera were recorded to be used by the studied communities in 45 formulations as a remedy of jaundice. Bhoxa, nomadic Gujjars and Tharu communities used 15, 23 and 9 plants, respectively. To our knowledge eight plants reported in the present survey viz., Amaranthus spinosus L., Cissampelos pareira L., Ehretia laevis Roxb., Holarrhena pubescens Wall., Ocimum americanum L., Physalis divaricata D. Don, Solanum incanum L. and Trichosanthes cucumerina L. have not been reported earlier as remedy of jaundice in India. Literature review revealed that a total of 214 (belonging to 181 genus and 78 families), 19 (belonging to 18 genus and 12 families) and 14 (belonging to 14 genus and 11 families) plant species are used as internal, external and magico-religious remedies for jaundice, respectively by various communities in different parts of India. Most widely used hepatoprotective plant species for treatment of jaundice in India is Boerhavia diffusa L. followed by Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers, Saccharum officinarum L., Phyllanthus amarus Schumach. & Thonn., Ricinus communis L., Andrographis paniculata (Burm. f.) Nees., Oroxylum indicum (L.) Kurz, Lawsonia inermis L. and Eclipta prostrata (L.) L. Conclusions: The plants recorded in the present survey have also been discussed in relation to pharmacological studies and hepatoprotective phytoconstituents present in them. Most of the recorded plants have shown hepatoprotective effects on experimental animals in earlier studies but more studies are needed to assess hepatoprotective properties of some recorded medicinal plants viz., Averrhoa carambola L., Ehretia laevis Roxb., Holarrhena pubescens Wall., Mangifera indica L., Ocimum americanum L., Oroxylum indicum (L.) Kurz, Physalis divaricata D. Don, Solanum incanum L., Sphaeranthus senegalensis DC. and Tribulus terrestris L.. The plants enumerated in this study with high number of citations and wider distributions have given some useful leads for further biomedical research. Nevertheless more phytochemical, pharmaceutical and clinical studies are needed to evaluate hepatoprotective properties, efficacy and safety of all the claimed medicinal plants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background: Nurses guide and support learning of students and new graduates in the workplace. A plethora of literature exists about learners needs in the workplace however nursing leadership teams also need to support experienced nurses who facilitate others’ learning. Aim: This study sought to develop a tool for Registered Nurses’ to report on the support they receive when they facilitate the learning of others. Scale development: An extensive literature review identified 28 papers about support RNs need to facilitate learning. Five re-occuring themes pertaining to workload, communication, acknowledgement, teamwork and preparation for role emerged from analysis of these papers. These were verified independently through focus groups. A 30-item instrument was generated based on the themes; further RN focus groups were conducted to ensure clarity of items. Testing of instrument: Data were collected from RNs working in medical and surgical areas across three acute care hospitals (ranging from 300 to 750 beds). A total of 372 registered nurses responded. Principle component analysis identified 5 distinct sub scales represented by 17 items with good reliability: workload 0.953; communication 0.847; acknowledgement 0.858; teamwork 0.852; preparation 0.942. Conclusion: This newly developed tool measures Registered Nurses perceptions of support they receive to fulfil their role in supporting the learning of others. The data generated from use of this tool can inform nursing leadership about the effectiveness of existing infrastructure and resources to support RNs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Aim: To use published literature and experts’ opinion to investigate the clinical meaning and magnitude of changes in the Quality of Life (QOL) of groups of patients measured with the European Organisation for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire Core 30 (EORTC QLQ-C30). Methods: An innovative method combining systematic review of published studies, expert opinions and meta-analysis was used to estimate large, medium, and small mean changes over time for QLQ-C30 scores. Results: Nine hundred and eleven papers were identified, leading to 118 relevant papers. One thousand two hundred and thirty two mean changes in QOL over time were combined in the meta-analysis, with timescales ranging from four days to five years. Guidelines were produced for trivial, small, and medium size classes, for each subscale and for improving and declining scores separately. Estimates for improvements were smaller than respective estimates for declines. Conclusions: These guidelines can be used to aid sample size calculations and interpretation of mean changes over time from groups of patients. Observed mean changes in the QLQ-C30 scores are generally small in most clinical situations, possibly due to response shift. Careful consideration is needed when planning studies where QOL changes over time are of primary interest; the timing of follow up, sample attrition, direction of QOL changes, and subscales of primary interest are key considerations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The dynamics of childhood vaccination uptake in developing countries are unclear. Numerous studies document the relationship between vaccination coverage and access, socio economic and demographic factors. However, there is less knowledge about the relationship between vaccination coverage and carers'' motivation and willingness to seek childhood vaccinations. The aim of this paper is to introduce a framework for studying demand for childhood vaccination and to examine the coherence between theoretical predictions and empirical findings in a rural area in Malawi. We interviewed 635 carers with children aged 18–59 months. About 96 percent of the respondents reported to have fully vaccinated their youngest eligible child for all routine vaccinations scheduled in the Expanded Program on Immunization. This paper concludes that easy access to vaccination services cannot explain why demand is high. Many carers had to travel long distances to reach vaccination delivery points and a considerable share of the respondents scored waiting and travelling time as long. Results from the present study, in combination with theoretical predictions, suggest that a high level of trust in distributors of information and vaccines may be an essential explanatory factor for why carers seek immunization for their children, even in the presence of considerable costs. Trust may be an important explanatory factor as it can be seen to generate positive perceived benefits. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Background and aims: GP-TCM is the 1st EU-funded Coordination Action consortium dedicated to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) research. This paper aims to summarise the objectives, structure and activities of the consortium and introduces the position of the consortium regarding good practice, priorities, challenges and opportunities in TCM research. Serving as the introductory paper for the GP-TCM Journal of Ethnopharmacology special issue, this paper describes the roadmap of this special issue and reports how the main outputs of the ten GP-TCM work packages are integrated, and have led to consortium-wide conclusions. Materials and methods: Literature studies, opinion polls and discussions among consortium members and stakeholders. Results: By January 2012, through 3 years of team building, the GP-TCM consortium had grown into a large collaborative network involving ∼200 scientists from 24 countries and 107 institutions. Consortium members had worked closely to address good practice issues related to various aspects of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) and acupuncture research, the focus of this Journal of Ethnopharmacology special issue, leading to state-of-the-art reports, guidelines and consensus on the application of omics technologies in TCM research. In addition, through an online survey open to GP-TCM members and non-members, we polled opinions on grand priorities, challenges and opportunities in TCM research. Based on the poll, although consortium members and non-members had diverse opinions on the major challenges in the field, both groups agreed that high-quality efficacy/effectiveness and mechanistic studies are grand priorities and that the TCM legacy in general and its management of chronic diseases in particular represent grand opportunities. Consortium members cast their votes of confidence in omics and systems biology approaches to TCM research and believed that quality and pharmacovigilance of TCM products are not only grand priorities, but also grand challenges. Non-members, however, gave priority to integrative medicine, concerned on the impact of regulation of TCM practitioners and emphasised intersectoral collaborations in funding TCM research, especially clinical trials. Conclusions: The GP-TCM consortium made great efforts to address some fundamental issues in TCM research, including developing guidelines, as well as identifying priorities, challenges and opportunities. These consortium guidelines and consensus will need dissemination, validation and further development through continued interregional, interdisciplinary and intersectoral collaborations. To promote this, a new consortium, known as the GP-TCM Research Association, is being established to succeed the 3-year fixed term FP7 GP-TCM consortium and will be officially launched at the Final GP-TCM Congress in Leiden, the Netherlands, in April 2012. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Poverty is known to be associated with poorer child mental wellbeing. Relatedly, the security and quality of employment are reported to affect adult wellbeing. Less is known about how both poverty and parental employment affect children's mental wellbeing. This paper uses nine waves (2005/06–2017/18) of the Growing Up in Scotland (GUS) study to examine how the longitudinal trajectories of poverty and work intensity are associated with the longitudinal trajectories of mental wellbeing in a nationally representative sample of 3994 children (ages 0 to 12). This analysis was conducted via a bivariate multilevel non-linear growth curve model for the widely used Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) subscales of conduct problems and emotional symptoms. Results show that unstable work intensity and poverty trajectories arising from the 2008 financial crisis are associated with substantial changes in the trajectories of conduct and emotional problems, but with key differences between the individual outcomes: increasing work intensity is associated with around a fifth of a standard deviation increase in conduct problems; decreasing work intensity over time is associated with around a fifth of a standard deviation increase in emotional problems; material deprivation is associated with an increase in both conduct and emotional problems, at around a tenth of a standard deviation; and longitudinal income poverty trajectories are associated with up to around a fifth of a standard deviation increase in conduct problems, but not emotional symptoms. These findings are discussed with the purpose of informing policies to tackle the effects of unstable and/or changing socioeconomic circumstances on children's mental health wellbeing in the context of an economic crisis, as well as its implications for the contemporary socioeconomic landscape and the devastating effects expected of the COVID-19 crisis. • Children's conduct problems naturally attenuate over time as they grow older. • Children's emotional problems intensify and swing towards the extremes over time. • Unstable parental work is linked to raised children's conduct and emotional problems. • Poverty trajectories are associated with conduct but not emotional problems. • Children continue to be affected by the 2008 economic crisis many years later. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Nurses are often portrayed as possessing specific traits and dispositions associated with care and empathy. The assumption has been that possessing these traits makes nurses competent, engaged, and well suited to their job. This proposition has been mostly normative, and few studies have investigated how this plays out empirically. Objective The aims of this study were to investigate (a) whether possessing a personality trait related to empathy and care was more common among nursing students than students in teaching and social work programs and (b) whether nursing students possessing an affirming personality trait judged themselves to be more suited to their future work – understood as commitment to the profession – than students in teaching and social work. Design A cross-sectional survey design was used. Participants and setting All first-year students attending seven Norwegian universities and university colleges were invited to participate in the study. Of the 1675 students who participated in the survey, 527 were nursing students, 668 were students in teaching, and 480 were social work students. A response rate of 65 percent was achieved. Methods The survey was conducted by Oslo and Akershus University College in the autumn of 2012. Data collection methods included both a paper-and-pencil questionnaire and an online survey. Instruments used included Blau's Career Commitment Scale and Orlinsky and Rønnestad's Interpersonal Adjective Scale. Analysis of variance and regression analysis were performed on the data. Results Nursing students did not differ from students in teaching and social work programs in terms of the degree of affirming personality trait. Furthermore, the regression analysis revealed an equally strong association between having an affirming personality trait and being committed to the profession among all these student groups. Conclusion The results of this study indicate that the narrative of nursing students as individuals who possess a special personality characteristic does not entirely reflect reality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Studies estimate that approximately one-third of episodes of delirium are preventable and that delirium prevention and management are often suboptimal in practice. While there is no doubt that prevention is desirable, the evidence of the benefits of early intervention and treatment for older hospitalised patients with dementia is unclear. Aim To determine the effects of DemDel, a comprehensive delirium management programme, in inpatient acute care elders with cognitive impairment. Design and methods This paper reports the quantitative part of a mixed methods study, comparing an intervention with treatment as usual using validated outcome measures. After training, ward nurses and physicians administered the intervention based on the DemDel algorithm that focused on delirium prevention, including an intensive systematic screening schedule for cognitive impairment and delirium, as well as comprehensive delirium management. The delirium management regimen included timely administration of pro re nata medication. Settings The study was conducted within four medical wards of an acute care university hospital in urban Switzerland. Participants A total of 268 patients with cognitive impairment participated in the pre/post comparison study. The intervention and treatment as usual groups consisted of 138 and 130 patients, respectively. Results Eighty-seven (32.5%) out of 268 patients developed delirium, of whom 51 (58.6%) were of mixed, 10 (11.5%) hyperactive and 26 (29.9%) hypoactive delirium subtypes. Delirium appeared within the first five days after admission in 81.6% of cases. The 44 (31.9%) patients with delirium in the intervention group with systematic delirium management had less severe episodes of delirium and required medication for management than the 43 (33.1%) delirious patients in the control group. Intervention compliance was good on three of the four units. Conclusions The DemDel programme was effective with regard to improvement of outcomes associated with delirium in patients with cognitive impairment. The intervention was feasible and possible to be embedded within routine practice on four busy general medical wards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trust is essential for Mobile Banking (MB) adoption and usage. MB technology has the potential to improve people's quality of life and to bring efficiency to banks. In this paper, MB trust was addressed in Brazil, a developing country that has an enormous potential for expansion of banking services. We used Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modeling to analyze the database, which was composed of 1077 questionnaires. In this study sample, determinants of trust had similar behavior when compared to determinants of trust previously pointed out in the literature. Our discussion indicated a kind of information asymmetry that could be mitigated in order to build trust in MB and promote its adoption. However, we observed a negative relationship between trust in MB and undergraduate course area (dummy variable for undergraduate courses in technology). The inclusion and analysis of this new variable, especially in developing countries, may contribute with the literature on MB adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to examine the impact of avatars’ utilitarian and hedonic values on the different dimensions of e-service quality. Despite the existence of many studies focusing on the impact of the avatar on user’s online experience, there is a lack of research on the effect of avatars’ values on the different dimensions of websites’ perceived quality. We asked respondents to interact with an avatar and then fill in our questionnaire. We applied this process to 8 different service companies’ websites with an avatar already integrated. We received 945 questionnaires back. In order to measure e-service quality, we used WEBQUAL. As we had several latent variables, we used partial least squares (PLS), a variance-based structural equation modeling method. Results show that the utilitarian and hedonic values of the avatar increase significantly the perception of the website’s quality. The utilitarian value of the avatar impacts 9 of the 10 dimensions of e-service quality. The hedonic value impacts 5 of the 10 dimensions of e-service quality. The results of this study are relevant to the academic world, as we identified that the utilitarian value of an avatar can impact nearly all dimensions of WEBQUAL. Our results can also have immediate and direct implications for companies who want to improve a specific dimension of their website by the use of an avatar. Moreover, this study will be useful for developers of online agents in order to adjust the knowledge of their avatars to clients’ and users’ needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing interest in operationalising the capability approach to measure quality of life. This paper reports the results of a research project undertaken in 2007 that sought to reduce and refine a longer survey in order to provide a summary measure of wellbeing and capability in the realm of public health. The reduction and refinement of the questionnaire took place across a number of stages, using both qualitative (five focus group discussions and 17 in-depth interviews) and quantitative (secondary data analysis, N = 1048 and primary data collection using postal surveys and interviews, N = 45) approaches. The questionnaire was reduced from its original 60+ questions to 24 questions (including demographic questions). Each of Nussbaum's ten Central Human Capabilities are measured using one (or more) of the 18 specific capability items which are included in the questionnaire (referred to as the OCAP-18). Analysis of the questionnaire responses (N = 198) found that respondents differed with respect to the levels of capabilities they reported, and that these capabilities appear to be sensitive to one's gender, age, income and deprivation decile. An index of capability, estimated by assuming equal weight for each capability question, found that the average level of capability amongst respondents was 12.44 (range 3–17.75). This index was found to be highly correlated with a measure of health (EQ-5D) and wellbeing (global QoL), although some differences were apparent. This project operationalised the capability approach to produce an instrument to measure the effectiveness (and cost effectiveness) of public health interventions; the resulting OCAP-18 appears to be responsive and measure something supplementary to health and wellbeing, thus offers a promising addition to the current suite of outcome measures that are available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The last few years have witnessed a growing concern with the well-being of healthcare professionals internationally because of increasing recognition of its impact on patient outcomes and staff retention. The COVID-19 pandemic, which has placed additional and substantial pressure on frontline healthcare professionals, gives added urgency to the topic. While numerous, and successful, interventions have been developed to address compromised well-being among healthcare professionals, they have not always been able to support the needs of frontline staff, specifically those working in high-pressure environments. This paper presents findings of an evaluative research study of an intervention, named the Resilience and Well-being Training Programme, developed and implemented within an Acute Assessment Unit in a hospital in the UK. The 8 week-long programme followed a combined approach (both person-directed and work-directed), with mindfulness training as well as lectures and discussions to deepen participants' understanding of organisational life. The training, delivered from January to July 2018, involved a total of 72 healthcare professionals from a wide range of levels (UK bands 2–8), trained in three cohorts. The research followed a pre-post design to explore participants' experiences of working on the Unit, the programme and its impact on themselves and their working life. The study was conducted in a large NHS district general hospital in South London, UK. Participants included healthcare assistants and nurses who had completed their preceptorship, worked in the hospital's acute assessment unit, and had undertaken the resilience and well-being training programme. The study employed mixed methods (online questionnaire, face-to-face focus groups/interviews) to collect data. Findings showed participants' positive experience with the programme, however it had limited positive impacts on aspects of compromised well-being at the personal level and a statistically significant enhancement of the quality of relationships and communication on the Unit, with medium effect size (Cohen's D). The programme had a positive impact on the culture of the Unit. Results highlight the demand for and value of programmes designed in ways that enable this group of professionals to take part, because these professionals are often not able to participate in such programmes. A strong commitment from the leadership to enable staff attendance in time-protected programmes is one approach that works well in the short-term. However, this may be challenging to accomplish and raises issues of sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grounded in social cognitive theory (SCT), this study sought to examine whether parents perceived social cognitive factors regarding children's physical activity (PA) behaviors were associated with preschool children's moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) levels. A total of 142 Hong Kong parent-child pairs from five preschools/childcare centers completed all assessments in the cross-sectional study. Children's (42% girls; mean age = 4.52 ± 0.67 years) PA was measured through accelerometers. Parents (74% mothers; mean age = 37.38 ± 4.63 years) completed a paper-based questionnaire assessing the social cognitive factors on their children's PA participation. The data were analyzed using latent variable structural equation modeling. Findings revealed that the model showed acceptable fit with the data: χ2 (23) = 38.14, p =.025, χ2/df = 1.66, CFI = 0.955, TLI = 0.929, RMSEA = 0.068, 90% CI [0.025, 0.106], and SRMR = 0.072. The model accounted for 39.1% of the variance in the PA behavior of preschool-aged children. Structural equation modelling revealed parental self-efficacy (β = 0.29, 95% CI [0.95, 0.49]) and goal setting (β = 0.25, 95% CI [0.06, 0.44]) were directly associated with children's MVPA. Outcome expectations (β = 0.09, 95% CI [0.01, 0.03]) and goal setting (β = 0.18, 95% CI [0.05, 0.32]) mediated the association between parental self-efficacy and children's MVPA. Indirect associations of parental self-efficacy from setting goals via parental support (β = 0.15, 95%CI [0.02, 0.30]) and perceived barriers (β = 0.15, 95% CI [0.05, 0.28]) were uncovered. Results supported the use of SCT in understanding how the parents perceived social cognitive factors predict the PA behaviors of young children. This study provides insight into whether these theoretical variables could be modified or promoted in future intervention programs. Enhancing parents' abilities to ensure preschool-aged children are physically active is of great importance given the global decline in PA among children. • Social cognitive theory represents a useful model to understand preschool-aged children's physical activity. • Parental self-efficacy and goal setting exerted a direct effect on children's physical activity levels. • Goal setting was found to mediate the relationship between parental self-efficacy and child moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. • Parents play a pivotal role in shaping and sustaining their children's physical activity behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnobotanical relevance Turkey is one of the richest countries in terms of plant diversity, owing to its unique geographical location with different climatic and geomorphological structures. For this reason interest in ethnobotanical studies has been rising. The goal of this study is to document traditional uses of medicinal plants and supply phytomedicines with efficacy and safety for use in primary health care in Bozüyük in Bilecik district, located in the nortwestern part of Anatolia in Turkey. Materials and methods The ethnomedicinal data was collected during 2009–2010 using semi-structured questionnaires, personal interviews and group discussion with 60 informants (22 men and 38 women). As a statistical method, informant consensus factors ( F IC ) and fidelity level (FL) values were calculated to analyze the importance of ethnobotanical plant species. Results 104 Plant species belonging to 47 families were found in this study. Among them 59 species were wild and 45 species were cultivated plants. The most common wild species belongs to Lamiaceae (15.3%), Apiaceae (6.8%), Fabaceae (5.1%), Asteraceae (5.1%), Polygonaceae (5.1%) and the most common cultivated species belongs to Rosaceae (24.4%), Apiaceae (11.1%), Fabaceae (11.1%), Brassicaceae (8.9%) and Poaceae (6.7%) families. The most common preperation method is infusion with the rate of 45%. According to use value (UV) the most important plant is Linum usitatissimum L. (0.86). The highest Consensus Informants Factor ( F IC ) of the ailments are skeletomuscular and conjunctivitis diseases with the same value of 0.80. The most frequent species is Mentha longifolia (L.) Hudson which is used for diuretic ailments with the amount of 88.33% fidelity level. Conclusions This paper reserves valuable ethnobotanical information for research area. The importance of traditional medicines and indigenous knowledge should be conserved and encouraged. In addition to this further laboratory investigations should be conducted on plants to produce pharmaceutical output. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance Sokoto is known for its diverse traditional medicinal wealth and international market of traditional medicines in Africa. However, information of the folk knowledge, especially for the treatment of diabetes, is not documented. Aim of the study This survey identified and documented the information on traditional medicinal plants used by Hausa–Fulani community of Sokoto for the treatment of diabetes. Materials and method Demographic data and information about the medicinal plants were collected via administration of semi-structured oral questionnaires. Willing herbal medical practitioners/traditional healers were interviewed. The medicinal plants mentioned by herbalists were collected and authenticated by a taxonomist and the voucher specimens were preserved. Results Fifty one informants across the state divulged information on traditional medicinal plants and practices used in diabetes and revealed 54 species, belonging to 33 families, with Cassia sieberiana being cited the most (19 times) and ranked first (39%). Azadirachta indica , Ficus exasperata and Schwenckia americana ranked second (15%), each cited 8 times. Conclusion The survey documented the rich wealth of knowledge and usage of plants for the treatment of diabetes in Sokoto. The paper will not only serve as a source of information but will also help to make the knowledge accessible for further drug screening and development, and at the same time underlines the need for biodiversity conservation of this traditional wealth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance This paper provides significant ethnobotanical information on medicinal plants in the villages of Çatak in the Eastern Anatolia Region. Recording such data calls for urgency. This is the first ethnobotanical study in which statistical calculations about plants are carried out by means of FIC method in Eastern (Van) part of Turkey. Aim of the study This study aims to identify the wild plants collected for medicinal purposes by locals of Çatak which is located in the Eastern Anatolia Region of Turkey, and to identify the uses and local names of these wild plants. Materials and methods A field study had been carried out for a period of approximately 2 years (2010–2012). During this period, 78 plants taxa were collected. Demographic characteristics of participants, names of the local plants, their utilized parts and preparation methods were investigated and recorded. The plant taxa were collected within the scope of the study; and herbarium materials were prepared. In addition, the relative significance value of the taxa was determined, and informant consensus factor (FIC) was calculated for the medicinal plants included in the study. Results We have found out in the literature review of the plants included in our study that 78 plant taxa are already used for medicinal purposes while 19 plants are not available among the records in the literature. The most common families are Asteraceae, Apiaceae, Lamiaceae, Rosaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, and Malvaceae. We include in our study and report for the first time the medicinal uses of Alchemilla buseriana Rothm., Astragalus longifolius Lam., Cephalaria microcephala Boiss., Euphorbia grisophylla M.S. Khan, Fritillaria crassifolia Boiss. & Huet. subsp. kurdica (Boiss. & Noe) Rix, Fritillaria pinardii Boiss., Malabaila lasiocarpa Boiss., Nepeta betonicifolia C.A. Mey., Onobrychis altissima Grossh., Onobrychis carduchorum C.C. Townsend, Papaver bracteatum Lindl., Phlomis tuberosa L., Psephellus karduchorum (Boiss.) Wagenitz, Scutellaria orientalis L. subsp. pichleri (Stapf.) Edmondson, Stachys kurdica Boiss. & Hohen var. kurdica, Tanacetum kotschyi (Boiss.) Grierson, Tanacetum zahlbruckneri (Nâb.) Grierson, Turanecio eriospermus (DC.) Hamzaoğlu, Verbascum pyramidatum M.Bieb. Names of local plants in Turkey vary especially due to vernaculars. The plants that the locals of Çatak use are called with the same or different local names in various parts of Anatolia. Conclusion We found out that locals living in the research area use for therapeutic purpose 78 plants taxa which belong to 22 families. Turkish citizens with different ethnic backgrounds took the questionnaire. These people use these wild plants in treatment of several diseases. Comparison of the data obtained in this study with the experimental data obtained in the previous laboratory studies on the wild plants which grow in Çatak proved ethnobotanical usages to a great extent. Literature review indicated that the therapeutic plants that grow in Çatak are used in different parts of the world for the treatment of similar diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Moldova, large-scale and rapidly feminised migration flows have inspired a wave of qualitative reports on children “left behind”. Despite this recent interest, few studies have empirically evaluated the effects of parental migration on the psychosocial health of such children. Using data collected from a nationally-representative household survey conducted in Moldova between September 2011 and February 2012, this paper analyses the psychosocial health outcomes of children of migrant parents by comparing them with children without migrant parents ( n = 1979). Child psychosocial health is measured through caregiver-reported Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) scores. Multivariate regression analyses show that parental migration seldom corresponds to worse emotional symptoms outcomes but does correspond to increased conduct problems. Separate analyses for male and female children show significant gendered differences. The results partially contest the negative results that have been the subject of qualitative reports and, in particular, demonstrate that the migration of mothers infrequently results in worse psychosocial outcomes for children—contrary to what has been assumed in the discourse about parental migration in Moldova. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When parents migrate, leaving their children in the origin country, transnational families are formed. Transnational family studies on children who are “left behind” indicate that children suffer psychologically from parental migration. Many of the factors identified as affecting children's responses to parental migration however are not considered in child psychology and family sociology studies. This study aims to bridge these areas of knowledge by quantitatively investigating the association between transnational families and children's psychological well-being. It analyzes a survey conducted in three African countries in 2010–11 (Ghana N = 2760; Angola N = 2243; Nigeria N = 2168) amongst pupils of secondary schools. The study compares children in transnational families to those living with their parents in their country of origin. Children's psychological well-being is measured through the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Multiple regression analyses reveal that children in transnational families fare worse than their counterparts living with both parents but not in Ghana where living conditions mediate this relationship. This paper also looks at four characteristics of transnational families and finds that specific characteristics of transnational families and country contexts matter: (1) changing caregivers is associated with poorer well-being in all countries; (2) which parent migrates does not make a difference in Ghana, when mothers migrate and fathers are caregivers results in poorer well-being in Nigeria, and both mother's and father's migration result in worse outcomes in Angola; (3) the kin relationship of the caregiver is not associated with poorer well-being in Ghana and Nigeria but is in Angola; (4) children with parents who migrate internationally do not show different results than children whose parents migrate nationally in Ghana and Nigeria but in Angola international parental migration is associated with poorer psychological well-being. The study shows that broader characteristics in the population rather than parental migration per se are associated with decreased levels of well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]