Search

Down syndrome is the most common genetic syndrome of intellectual disabilities with a distinct linguistic profile. Language research so far has come mainly from the English language, a language with different syntax and morphology from many other languages, including Greek, indicating a paucity of research findings in the Greek language. Given the rich morphology and distinct syntactic characteristics of the Greek language, the present study evaluated the performance of children with Down syndrome (N = 45) who are native Greek speakers in syntax and morphology and compared it with the performance of children with typical development (N = 45) matched for chronological age. The paper also analysed the items of each task in terms of the performance of the two groups in subject–verb agreement, noun conversion from singular to plural, and verb conversion from present to past and future tenses. All children were tested in four subscales of a standardized test, including morphosyntactic comprehension, morphosyntactic completion and articulation (parts 1 and 2). The results showed that children with Down syndrome lag behind in syntax and morphology compared with children of typical development and present difficulties in specific aspects of morphology and syntax inherent in the Greek language. What this paper adds: What is already known on this subject: Morphosyntactic skills are severely impaired in Down syndrome, and research so far has come mainly from the English language, a language with different syntax and morphology from many other languages. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: This research adds more information about morphosyntactic skills in children with Down syndrome compared with typically developing children in the Greek language, a language with rich morphology and syntax. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: Children with Down syndrome face difficulties in morphosyntactic skills in the Greek language, especially in subject–verb agreement and in converting nouns from singular to plural. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aims of the study were to identify and analyze the determinants associated with outpatient satisfaction in Greek primary care. This is because there is a general consensus that primary care is the linchpin of effective person-centered care delivery. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 1012 patients' exit interviews; sociodemographic variables were included in the questionnaire to obtain data on the satisfaction of primary care users with 20 public primary healthcare centers in Athens between June 2019 and April 2021. Statistical analysis was applied to 55 items and eight dimensions of patient satisfaction, namely, arrival and admission, waiting before the appointment, cleanliness of toilets, medical examination and behavior of physician, behavior of nursing staff, laboratories, departure, and contribution of the PHCs. Descriptive analyses and multiple linear regression were used to analyze the factors influencing patient satisfaction through coefficients (β) with 95% confidence intervals and associated tests of statistical significance. Results: Τwo-thirds (74.21%) of this survey's participants ranged from 45 to 74 years of age. More than half of the participants were women (62.15%). The most common reasons for visits were pathological (26.48%), followed by cardiological conditions (9.78%), orthopedics (9.49%), gynecologic conditions (8.70%), and ophthalmologic problems (7.31%). In the center of satisfaction with primary care was the medical care and the behavior of the physician (β = 0.427; p < 0.01), followed by the time during appointment (β = 0.390; p < 0.01). Dimensions like "accessibility and availability, 2.19/5"; "waiting times, 2.89/5"; "infrastructure of facilities (2.04/5) and cleanliness of them, (2/5)"; "laboratories, 2.99/5" and "bureaucracy in the departure, 2.29/5" were crucial for the trust and satisfaction of patients. Overall satisfaction was rated at a moderate level (2.62 ± 0.18) while person-centered care was rated as weak (2.49 ± 0.28). Conclusions: Greece is recommended to increase the sensitivity of the use of the primary health care system by patients as a first contact, continuous, comprehensive, and effective patient- and family-focused care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: In the present studies, we examine the construct validity and criterionrelated validity of a previously unpublished, eight-item measure of relational wellbeing. Methods: First, in two pre-COVID-Era pilot studies within the UK (n's = 207 and 146, respectively), results of exploratory factor analyses revealed that--with the possible exception of one item regarding close relationships--the items assessed individual differences along a single dimension (i.e., relational wellbeing), rather than two distinct dimensions (i.e., social connections and close relationships). Second, in an initial pre-COVID-Era main study within the UK (n = 192), results of confirmatory factor analyses provided support for the hypothesized onedimensional factor pattern, although the same problematic item from the pilot studies continued to under-perform relative to the other seven items. Findings: In a subsequent COVID-Lockdown-Era main study across India (n = 205), Greece (n = 354), and the UK (n = 390), results of confirmatory factor analyses established that--after omitting the same problematic item that had surfaced in the preceding studies--a one-dimensional factor pattern provided equally satisfactory fit for the three samples. Original value: Although we had not set out to test a priori hypotheses regarding mean similarities or differences in relational wellbeing among our COVIDLockdown-Era studies, results of an analysis of variance revealed that persons within the UK scored significantly lower in relational wellbeing than did persons in India or Greece. Limitations: As noted above, one particular item repeatedly performed poorly in factor analyses; this item ideally should be dropped from the relational wellbeing scale in future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When people interact with digital artefacts they perceive theirpragmaticandhedonic qualities. In the case of interacting with mobile devices and applications, users seek utility as they try to satisfy certain needs, but at the same time they have certain feelings and emotions when, for example, they feel attached to their personal phone and/or trust its brand. Due to this strong relation between users and mobile devices a significant problem occurs when researchers want to evaluate the user experience of a mobile application in laboratory settings: the selection of an appropriate mobile device. Towards this end, this paper aims to unveil the effect of perceivedhedonic qualityof a mobile device on the user experience evaluation results of an application. Our results show that the perceivedhedonic qualityof a mobile device significantly affected the perceivedpragmaticquality of the application, but not thehedonicone. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Context The paper refers to the increased competition between health care providers and the need for patient-centred services in Greece. Using service quality methodology, this paper investigates service quality perceptions of patients in Greek public primary health centres. Objective To test the internal consistency and applicability of SERVQUAL in primary health care centres in Greece. Strategy SERVQUAL was used to examine whether patients have different expectations from health care providers and whether different groups of patients may consider some dimensions of care more important than others. Results The analysis showed that there were gaps in all dimensions measured by SERVQUAL. The largest gap was detected in empathy. Further analysis showed that there were also differences depending on gender, age and education levels. A separate analysis of expectations and perceptions revealed that this gap was because of differences in patients' perceptions rather than expectations. Discussion and conclusions This paper raises a number of issues that concern the applicability of SERVQUAL in health care services and could enhance current discussions about SERVQUAL improvement. Quality of health care needs to be redefined by encompassing multiple dimensions. Beyond a simple expectations-perceptions gap, people may hold different understandings of health care that, in turn, influence their perception of the quality of services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to investigate the prescribing behavior and applied practices of doctors who are the heads of clinical departments in the National Health System in Greece. Moreover, this paper aims to evaluate a set of factors influencing them in this conduct through both their scientific and managerial status. Design/methodology/approach – The sample consisted of 123 clinical department-heads in 15 hospitals and a questionnaire specifically designed for the purposes of this research effort was used. Prescribing criteria were divided into three categories: scientific, functional and behavioral. Demographic data were also included. The data were processed using SPSS17 statistical package. Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) of the mean of the parameters identified was applied. Findings – The survey assessed, revealed and evaluated the most important factors affecting the selection process of selecting pharmaceuticals on a department head level. Existing gaps in scientific information and rational management of procedure implementation were detected. Different perceptions of doctors-department heads towards prescribing criteria emanating from their previous experience on decision-making positions, age and hospital spatial characteristics (urban-provincial) were also highlighted. Originality/value – The results of this survey provide both researchers and health policy makers with a better insight of the factors influencing prescribing behavior, and decision-making processes of doctors-department heads in the context of a Public Health Care System. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The aim of this study was to identify and evaluate patient-relevant experiences that fulfill the expectations and demands of society in Greece and those that could be improved by offering a better quality of care. The satisfaction of health service recipients is one of the key elements of the success of a health system. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted to obtain data on satisfaction with hospitalization from patients admitted to 10 public hospitals in Athens between June 2019 and December 2021. Statistical analysis was applied to 57 items and 7 dimensions of patient satisfaction, namely waiting–arrival–admission, nursing staff, medical staff, other staff, service and quality of food, interior environment, and procedures. Results: A total of 3724 patients, aged ≥ 18 years, who had experienced hospitalization and agreed to participate in the study were included, the response rate of which was 93%. Patient satisfaction and experience with healthcare services provided by hospitals is moderate, with almost two-thirds of patients (67.38%) satisfied with the care they received. The encounter with the medical–nursing personnel (3.75/5) and other staff (4/5) were factors that positively affected patients' overall satisfaction with hospitalization. However, there were some causes of dissatisfaction, mainly associated with waiting hours, easy access to medical services or services received in emergencies, delays of planned procedures (3.50/5), or problems with old facilities and equipment (3.56/5). Conclusion: Based on the patients' judgment, the performance of hospitals was rated at a 'tolerable' level. Professionalism and the education of personnel led to a positive treatment outcome and improved the experience of patients to a good level. However, public hospitals continued to be underfunded and lacked strong support, which affected staff communication and responsiveness to patients' requirements, while smart technologies and the simplification of procedures were not adopted to help staff provide a better quality of healthcare. The results suggest that there is plenty of room for improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Employee empowerment is regarded as an essential management practice that may offer various benefits in health-care organizations. Despite a growing research body regarding the antecedents of psychological empowerment, the literature indicates limited empirical evidence on the effect of rewards on nurses' psychological empowerment. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of a bundle of rewards, namely skill variety, information, recognition and job security, on the psychological empowerment of public nurses. Further, this study investigates the influence of demographics on this construct. Data from 258 public nurses demonstrate that information, recognition and job security have a significant association with employees' feelings of psychological empowerment. This study shows no relationship between skill variety and psychological empowerment. With respect to demographics, age, work experience and tenure have an impact on psychological empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this study is to empirically examine different types of service firms, featuring strategy orientations and the performance of different emphases. Design/methodology/approach - To answer the questions the paper raises, data of 80 Greek firms of the services sector are analysed with the help of factor analysis, cluster analysis and analysis of variance. Findings - The findings reveal three types of firms pursuing different strategy orientations for dealing with competition (i.e. the hybridists: 44 firms, the confused strategists: 25 firms and the non-strategists: 11 firms). Furthermore, they suggest that performance is dependent on these strategy types. Research limitations/implications - The study provides new evidence outside the manufacturing industry and the US context, which dominates the literature. Nonetheless, further empirical research will help to generalise the findings within the services sector in Greece and/or comparable national contexts, especially within the European Union. Practical implications - The empirical results highlight the discussion of pure vs hybrid forms of competitive advantage pursued by service firms operating at home. A message of the utmost importance for practitioners is that the hybrid form of competitive advantage, which places high emphasis on low cost, is the prevailing and the best-performing strategic choice. Originality/value - The study focuses on strategy types of firms to offer a view on the basis of competitive advantage within the services sector of a dynamic European Union member state. By excluding the well-known pure and stuck-in-the-middle alternatives, the evidence highlights the lack of a strategy and combined choices of strategic orientations, which differ in terms of performance. It appears that the dominant argument of strategic purity is not applicable to all firms in all countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents the findings of a study of the decision-making process which precedes the choice of a university in Greece. Specifically, the degree of rationality exhibited by prospective students is assessed in an attempt to provide a test for the economic approach to the explanation of human behaviour. Information search is used as an indication of rationality and measured through a survey conducted among 220 university students in the academic year 2003/2004. The findings provide weak support for the rationality postulate in that they indicate that more than 40% of respondents could not be classified as information seekers. Logistic regression analysis was used in order to identify characteristics associated with the propensity to engage in information search: high socioeconomic status students, students who perceived the decision as important, and students who had acquired information prior to the choice of a university were found to be more likely to engage in information search. The paper draws attention to the limitations of the economic rational man model of human behaviour and discusses the implications of the findings for the promotional strategy of universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores orthodontists' perspectives on risks associated with orthodontic treatment, as described by Greek and Slovak orthodontists. Informed by the foundational importance of effective communication of risk perspectives in health sciences, particularly in facilitating valid consent and shared decision-making, this research addresses gaps identified in the literature concerning the consistent communication of potential treatment risks based on demographic and cultural characteristics. This study identifies 15 potential critical risks during orthodontic treatment. These risks include root resorption; temporary undesired changes to the occlusion; sleep difficulties; not achieving an ideal result; development of black triangles between teeth; taking additional X-rays; speech difficulties; using a protective splint during sports; duration of treatment; number of visits; transmission of infectious diseases; and swallowing orthodontic appliances. A questionnaire, distributed electronically to orthodontists in Greece (N1 = 570) and Slovakia (N2 = 210) from September 2022 to December 2022, aimed to assess risk communication practices, taking into consideration socio-demographic factors, such as country, gender, age, and academic-degree-related variations. A total of 168 valid questionnaires (91 from Slovakia and 77 from Greece) were obtained, indicating significant disparities in the risks emphasized and preferred forms of consent. The Greek orthodontists focused more on the risks involved, such as relapse, root resorption, temporal occlusal changes, and failure of desired movement, while the Slovak practitioners tended to be more interested in sleeping difficulties, temporal occlusal changes, and not achieving an ideal result. They also obtained written or digital consent from patients or their parents/guardians more frequently than the Greek team. Male orthodontists discussed specific risks more frequently, including relapse and extractions, whereas females preferred written or digital consent. PhD-trained orthodontists prioritized certain risks, indicating the need for tailored approaches. This study underscores the dynamic nature of risk assessment in orthodontic practice, emphasizing its ethical and strategic dimensions. The findings advocate for tailored risk communication strategies that recognize individual, contextual, and cultural factors, and the need for an orthodontic informed consent protocol for a tailored communication approach for patients to elevate the standard of care in European orthodontics. The reliance on digital tools reflects contemporary trends in enhancing patient understanding, thereby supporting ongoing innovation in orthodontic practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of investigations relevant to the study of geomagnetic activity, solar events, and cosmic rays, i.e., space weather phenomena, and their impact on human health has increased dramatically over the past few years. Numerous studies examine the reaction of the cardiovascular, nervous, and other functional systems to variations observed in geospace. These studies examine the behavior of human physiological parameters not only during different levels of activity of the Sun and in the interplanetary space (from no activity to remarkably intense activity) but also through geomagnetic activity storms and Forbush decreases. Here, individuals from the Hippocratio General Hospital in Athens, the cardiology clinics of Nikaia General Hospital in Piraeus, and the Heraklion University Hospital in Crete, Greece, were assessed during the time period from 2011 until 2018. The heart rate of the individuals was recorded every hour via the Holter electrocardiogram method. Data were analyzed using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and the method of superimposed epochs. The investigation covers not only the ascending but also the descending phase of the solar cycle 24 (lasting until 2019 and with its maximum in the year 2014). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The theory of posttraumatic growth (PTG) proposes that from life difficulties positive changes can happen, such as deepened personal relationships and an awareness of new possibilities in life. PTG can occur naturally or can be facilitated. This study aimed to promote PTG through a school-based intervention of eight sessions of 45 min each with mindfulness and character strengths practices (the so-called "The exploration of happiness during the COVID-19 pandemic"). The study conducted assessments at baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up (i.e., one month after the intervention). The post-intervention results showed that the participants in the intervention group experienced an improvement in PTG, well-being, mindfulness, strengths use, and PTS symptoms compared to the children in the control group. Furthermore, these positive changes were sustained at follow-up. The findings of this study highlight that mindfulness-based strengths practices can increase positive outcomes (i.e., well-being, posttraumatic growth) and reduce negative psychological symptoms (PTS) among children. The implications for theory and practice are discussed, and detailed appendices for practitioners are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Caring for individuals with mental disorders poses significant challenges for caregivers, often leading to compromised quality of life and mental health issues such as stress, anxiety, and depression. This study aims to assess the extent of these challenges among caregivers in Greece, identifying which demographic factors influence their well-being. Method: A total of 157 caregivers were surveyed using the SF-12 Health Survey for quality-of-life assessment and the DASS-21 questionnaire for evaluating stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms. t-tests, Kruskal–Wallis tests, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and regression analyses were applied to understand the associations between demographics, quality of life, and mental health outcomes. Results: The study found that caregivers, especially women and younger individuals, faced high levels of mental health challenges. Marital status, educational level, and employment status also significantly influenced caregivers' well-being. Depression was the most significant factor negatively correlating with the mental component of quality of life. The magnitude of the burden experienced by caregivers highlighted the urgency for targeted social and financial support, as well as strategic treatment programs that consider caregiver well-being. Conclusions: Caregivers of individuals with mental disorders endure significant stress, anxiety, and depression, influencing their quality of life. Demographic factors such as age, gender, marital status, education, and employment status have notable impacts. Findings emphasize the need for society-wide recognition of caregivers' roles and the creation of comprehensive support and intervention programs to alleviate their burden, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The study examines F1, F2 and F3 formant frequencies of vowels produced by six Greek intelligible speakers with profound hearing impairment and six speakers with normal hearing (three male and three female in each group). Method: The formant frequencies are measured in words of the form /ʹpVCV/ where V = /i, , , , u/ and C = /p, t, k, s/. The study examines differences in formant frequencies between the two groups and as a function of gender. Three measures are calculated to examine the area of the vowel space and differences along the F1 and F2 axes between the groups and genders. Result: The results show that the vowel space produced by the speakers with hearing impairment is considerably reduced. Greater reduction was evident for F2 compared to F1. Restricted formant frequency ranges and relatively large variation along F1 and/or F2 for selected vowels resulted in overlap among vowel categories. F3 frequencies were systematically lower and showed greater variation for the speakers with hearing impairment. Conclusion: The paper discusses findings with reference to perceptual and production constraints affecting the speech of individuals with hearing impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The present paper examines the influence of stress and context on selected acoustic characteristics of vowels produced by six adult Greek intelligible speakers with profound hearing impairment and six speakers with normal hearing (three males and three females in each group). Method: F1, F2 and F3 formant frequencies and the duration of vowels are measured in words of the form /′pVCV/ with V = /i, ɛ, ɐ, ɔ, u/ and C = /p, t, k, s/. Variation in these parameters due to context and stress is reported for the two genders. A co-articulatory measure and three measures that examine the area of the vowel space and differences along the F1 and F2 axes are calculated. Result: The results show a reduction of the vowel space in the unstressed condition for both groups, while vowel duration was found to be significantly longer in this condition for the speakers with hearing impairment. In addition, smaller C-to-V carryover co-articulatory effects were found for the speakers with hearing impairment. Conclusion: Findings are discussed within the framework of perceptual and production constraints in hearing impairment and with reference to current models of co-articulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To determine whether an electroacupuncture (EA) technique that was developed for a surgical population under general anaesthesia reduces pain after mesh inguinal hernia open repair. Methods A total of 54 patients with right or left inguinal hernia were randomised to group I (preoperative, intraoperative, postoperative EA), group II (preoperative, postoperative EA), or a sham control group (group III; preoperative and postoperative placement of needles, but without skin penetration). The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) (primary outcome) and the State-Trait Anxiety Spielberger Inventory were evaluated preoperatively and at 30 min, 90 min, 10 h and 24 h after surgery. Pain threshold and tolerance were evaluated using an algometer at these same time points and preoperatively before and after EA. Levels of the stress hormones cortisol, corticotrophin and prolactin were determined at 30 min, 90 min and 10 h after surgery and preoperatively before and after EA. Results The results showed significant differences between the true EA and control groups. The true EA groups (I and II) showed statistically significantly greater improvements in the primary (VAS pain, p<0.05) and secondary outcome measures (Anxiety scale; algometer measurements, p<0.05 and stress hormones, p<0.01) compared to the control group. There were no statistically significant differences between groups I and II. Conclusions Electroacupuncture reduces postoperative pain after mesh inguinal hernia repair and decreases stress hormone levels and anxiety during the postoperative period. Trial registration number ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT01722253. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundThe Greek primary health-care system (PHC) seems to be suffering the most from the economic crisis because of understaffing and misdistribution of the health workforce and the shortage of medical supplies and diagnostic equipment.AimsThe objective of the paper is to present for the first time in public national health-care workforce census data for the first two years of the economic recession and the adopted bailout mechanism (2010 and 2011) (a) to evaluate the adequacy of the governmental effort in terms of organization and management of the health-care workforce in PHC; and (b) to identify constraints and opportunities for the development of an integrated PHC ensuring access to health-care services for all.MethodsData were drawn from the national project ‘Health Monitoring Indicators System: Health Map’ coordinated scientifically by the National School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology. They referred to the 202 PHCs and their regional surgeries (with 98% response rate). Descriptive statistics and frequency distributions were used for the analysis.FindingsThe findings pointed that PHC absorbs a very limited part of the national health system's workforce. Important inequalities in the numerical and geographical allocation of the PHC health workforce specialties across the country in favor of the medical profession and to the detriment of rural areas and the islands were identified, raising concerns about the policymakers’ ability to meet the emerging needs of the population, as the retrospective study of the health-care workforce, since 2010, reveals that the numerical and per type allocations remained almost unchanged. These results were in line with previous studies showcasing the lack of holistic approach for PHC questioning the restrictive spending policy (ie, salary and benefit cuts for the health-care professionals, important discharges and nonrenewal of the personnel) adopted in the public health-care sector. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Nurses experience high levels of job burnout and low levels of job satisfaction, while the COVID-19 pandemic has deteriorated working conditions. In this context, our aim was to compare levels of job burnout and job satisfaction among nurses and other healthcare workers (HCWs) after the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, we investigated the influence of demographics and job characteristics on burnout and satisfaction. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 1760 HCWs during June 2023. We used the single-item burnout measure and the "Job Satisfaction Survey". In our sample, 91.1% of nurses experienced high levels of burnout, while the respective percentage for the other HCWs was 79.9%. Nurses' satisfaction was lower than other HCWs. In particular, 61.0% of nurses experienced low levels of satisfaction, while the respective percentage for the other HCWs was 38.8%. Multivariable analysis identified that nurses, HCWs with an MSc/PhD diploma, shift workers, and those who considered their workplace as understaffed had higher burnout score and lower satisfaction score. Our results showed that the nursing profession was an independent factor of burnout and satisfaction. Several other demographic and job characteristics affected burnout and satisfaction. Policy makers, organizations, and managers should adopt appropriate interventions to improve work conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The health sector is one of the most stressful workplaces. Several studies have showed that both nursing staff and nursing students experience different levels of stress. Greek and international literature have identified several stress factors governing the nursing profession: understaffed, exhaustive work, daily care of patients with specificities, interpersonal conflict and organizational obstacles encountered in public hospitals are stress factors that nurses often face. Aim: The main aim of this paper was to investigate the state and trait anxiety that nurses face in public hospitals of Peloponnese. Materials and Methods: The sample consisted of 395 nurses from hospitals of Argos, Kalamata, Korinthos, Molai, Pyrgos, Sparta and Tripoli. The research implementation lasted from August 2011 until June 2012. The participation of nurses was voluntary. A socio-demographic and occupational characteristics questionnaire was completed and the scale State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) of Spielberger. The statistical analysis was based on statistical package IBM SPSS 20. Results: Nurses showed statistically significant higher total and transient stress compared to the healthy population with women experiencing higher total and permanent anxiety than men. With regard to clinics, the findings showed that nurses of open segments reported higher permanent anxiety, while statistically significant was the headquarters of the hospital in the event of permanent anxiety. In addition, the educational level was a statistically significant factor of permanent and total anxiety, graduates of technological institutes (TEI) and those who did not have a graduate degree reported more idiosyncratic and total stress. In contrast no correlation was found between the three scales of anxiety and age, marital status, work experience, the number of patients per shift, satisfaction for the position and object of the work and the frequency of weekly exercise. Conclusion: The nurses have higher levels of stress compared to the healthy population. The adoption of guidelines such as the design of interventions to promote mental health, training programs in anxiety management and support groups for nurses is essential and perhaps protective function for all nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

papastavrou e., efstathiou g., tsangari h., suhonen r., leino-kilpi h., patiraki e., karlou c., balogh z., palese a., tomietto m., jarosova d. & merkouris a. (2011) A cross-cultural study of the concept of caring through behaviours: patients' and nurses' perspectives in six different EU countries. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(5), 1026-1037. Abstract Aim. This paper is a report of an international study of patients' and nurses' perceptions of nurse caring behaviours. Background. Current economic constraints on healthcare systems, demand to increase the quality of care and the incorporation of the consumers' perspective into care, have created a need to develop a clear understanding of nursing behaviours which convey caring. Patients in different areas of the world report different expectations of nurses' caring actions when compared to nurses' views. Method. A descriptive comparative survey design was used to analyse a sample of surgical patients ( n = 1659) and their nurses ( n = 1195) in 88 wards of 34 hospitals in Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Finland, Greece, Hungary and Italy. Data were collected in autumn 2009 using the Caring Behaviours Inventory-24. Nurses' and patients' responses were compared using both inferential and descriptive statistics. Results. Independent samples t-tests showed important differences between nurses' and patients' views. Although both groups perceived knowledge and skill as being the most important sub-scale, the nurses' responses were higher compared to patients ( P < 0·05) with important differences in the 'assurance of human presence' ( P < 0·001) and the 'respectful deference to others' ( P < 0·001) sub-scales. Cross-country comparisons showed important differences between the nurses' ( F = 24·199, P < 0·001) and patients' views on caring ( F = 26·945, P < 0·001). Conclusions. Important differences were observed between patient-nurse perceptions in the participating countries. The results form a foundation for future research into the development of a common international perspective about caring behaviours between patients and their nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

suhonen r., papastavrou e., efstathiou g., lemonidou c., kalafati m., da luz m.d.a., idvall e., berg a., acaroglu r., sendir m., kanan n., sousa v.d., katajisto j., välimäki m. & leino-kilpi h. (2011) Nurses' perceptions of individualized care: an international comparison. Journal of Advanced Nursing 67(9), 1895-1907. Abstract Aim. This paper is a report of a study of internationally-based differences in nurses' perceptions of individualized care in orthopaedic surgical in-patient wards. Background. Individualized care is valued in healthcare policy, practice and ethical statements as an indicator of care quality. However, nurses' assessments of individualized care are limited and comparative cross-cultural studies on individualized nursing care are lacking. Methods. A descriptive comparative survey was used to sample orthopaedic surgical nurses ( n = 1163) working in 91 inpatient wards in 34 acute hospitals in Finland, Cyprus, Greece, Portugal, Sweden, Turkey and the United States of America. Data were collected between March and November 2009 using the Individualized Care Scale-Nurse and analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results. Nurses in different countries perceived that they supported patients' individuality generally and provided individualized care during nursing activities. Although the highest scores were in support of patients' individuality in the clinical situation both through nursing provision and nurses' perceptions of individuality, there were between-country differences within these scores. Generally, the Greek and American nurses gave the highest scores and the Turkish, Cypriot and Portuguese nurses the lowest. Conclusions. Between-country differences found may be attributed to differing roles of nurses, care processes, healthcare systems and/or the ways nursing care is defined and organized. As this was the first time the Individualized Care Scale-Nurse was used in an international context, the results are formative and indicate the need to continue studies in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research using the masked priming paradigm has suggested that there is a form of morphological decomposition that is robust to orthographic alterations, even when the words are not semantically related (e.g., badger/badge). In contrast, delayed priming is influenced by semantic relatedness but it is not clear whether it can survive orthographic changes. In this paper, we ask whether morpho-orthographic segmentation breaks down in the presence of the extensive orthographic changes found in Greek morphology (orthographic opacity). The effects of semantic relatedness and orthographic opacity are examined in masked (Experiment 1) and delayed priming (Experiment 2). Significant masked priming was observed for pairs that shared orthography, irrespective of whether they shared meaning (mania/mana, 'mania/mother'). Delayed priming was observed for pairs that were semantically related, irrespective of orthographic opacity (poto/pino, 'drink/I drink'). The results are discussed in terms of theories of morphological processing in visual word recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the increasing calls for a more skeptical analysis of web 2.0 and the empowerment of learners' voices in formulating upcoming technologies, this paper elaborates on the participatory design of a web learning environment. A total of 117 undergraduate students from two Greek Informatics Departments participated in 25 participatory design sessions, employing two needs' elicitation techniques, with the aim of envisioning a learning platform that meets their learning particularities and needs, incorporates and exploits their new technological habits, and can be harmoniously situated in their daily routine. Overall, 773 needs were elicited, proving that students had refined views about the elements that can render the next wave of e-learning applications successful. They convincingly demonstrated their web 2.0 mentality but sought for a smooth transition to the new environment, promoting an evolution rather than a revolution. The resulting set of needs demarcates a zone of expectancies where the enhancement of the learning content and the contextualization of knowledge remain top priorities with revamped opportunities, while networking, participation and collaboration complement and improve their characteristics. Our study is an example of exploiting participatory design for exposing students' thoughts and requirements from a critical design perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

iliopoulou k.k. & while a.e. (2010) Professional autonomy and job satisfaction: survey of critical care nurses in mainland Greece. Journal of Advanced Nursing 66(11), 2520-2531. Aim. This paper is a report of a study conducted to describe Greek critical care nurses' views on professional autonomy and its relationship with job satisfaction and other work-related variables. Background. Professional autonomy is generally considered a highly desirable nursing attribute and a major factor in nurse job satisfaction. In the critical care environment, a high level of accountability, responsibility and autonomy are required to optimize outcomes of critically unstable patients. Method. A questionnaire survey was conducted with a convenience sample of Greek critical care nurses ( n = 431; response rate 70%) in 2007. Data were collected on professional autonomy, job satisfaction, role conflict and role ambiguity. Results. Overall, nurses reported acting moderately autonomously. Younger nurses reported statistically significant lower levels of autonomy. Higher levels of autonomy were reported by female nurses. Multiple logistic regression revealed that appointment level, type of critical care unit and registration with a professional organization were independently associated with autonomy. A positive moderate association was found between reported autonomy, job satisfaction, role conflict and role ambiguity, but there was no relationship between job satisfaction and reported role conflict and role ambiguity. Conclusion. Further education, role enhancement and support are required for nurses working in critical care in Greece if they are to achieve the maximum potential of their professional role. Failure to address the perceptions of professional autonomy may have an impact on staff retention, because of job dissatisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Nosileftiki is the property of Hellenic Nurses' Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: Increased wear of teeth may constitute a major problem in the future for the elderly. The aim of the present study was to investigate tooth wear in a sample of elderly Greeks and explore the presence and extent of severe occlusal/incisal wear in relation to the parameters of age, gender and remaining teeth.Materials and Methods: A convenience sample of 70 dentate elderly (60-92 years old) was examined. Tooth wear was assessed using a modification of the tooth wear index. The presence of severe occlusal/incisal wear was explored using the multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) and x2 tests and the extent (% of surfaces) with analysis of variance (ANOVA).Results: Increased prevalence of severe wear was observed in the occlusal/incisal and, to a lesser extent, in the cervical surfaces of the examined teeth. Seventy per cent (70%) of the participants had at least one severely worn tooth surface. Advanced age seemed to be associated with severe occlusal/incisal wear (>70 years: 79.4%; 60-70 years: 52.8%; x2 test, p = 0.024). The mean (± SD) percentage of severely worn teeth and surfaces was 34.2 ± 32.6% and 9.6 ± 9.6%, respectively. ANOVA showed that males and those with less than 20 remaining teeth exhibited more severely worn occlusal/incisal surfaces (p = 0.031 and p = 0.000, respectively).Conclusions: The presence and the extent of severe wear in the sample of the examined elderly is high compared to elderly populations in other countries. Severe wear was more prevalent with advanced age and more extensive in the occlusal/incisal surfaces in males and those having less than 20 remaining teeth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study explores the effect of antenatal education on fathers' attitudes toward: (i) breastfeeding and (ii) attachment to the fetus. A secondary aim is to explore the relationship of fathers' demographic and the psycho-emotional characteristics that come with breastfeeding and attachment. Methods: This is a longitudinal study involving a group of 216 Greek expectant fathers who participated with their partners in an antenatal educational program performed by midwives in Athens, Greece (September 2020–November 2021). The Iowa Infant Feeding Attitudes Scale (IIFAS) and Paternal Antenatal Attachment Scale (PAAS) were administered at two time points: (a) 24th–28th gestation week and (b) 34th–38th gestation week. The T-test and Univariate Analyses of Variance (ANOVA) were performed. Results: The expectant fathers' scores show that breastfeeding intention/exclusivity and prenatal attachment to the fetus were higher after their participation in the antenatal education program, but the difference was not statistically insignificant. Expectant fathers with a cohabitation agreement (p = 0.026), who felt very much supported by their partners (p = 0.001) and had no relationship difficulties with their partners (p < 0.001), as well as those who reported being very happy during pregnancy (p < 0.001), showed greater paternal antenatal attachment to the fetus. Conclusions: Although the difference was statistically insignificant, antenatal education appears to have an impact on paternal breastfeeding attitudes and antenatal attachment to the fetus. Additionally, several paternal characteristics were associated with greater antenatal attachment. Future research should be directed toward the investigation of additional factors that impact antenatal–paternal attachment and breastfeeding attitudes so that effective education programs can be designed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, controversy exists regarding the influence of comorbid depression on cognition in old age. Additionally, we still know little about the influence of depression in mixed dementia (MD), that is, in cases where there is the co-existence of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia (VaD). Given that the assessment of financial capacity is pivotal for independent living as well as in the prevention of financial exploitation and abuse in old age, in this pilot study, we aimed to examine whether comorbid depression in MD patients can influence financial capacity performance. A total of 115 participants were recruited. They were divided into four groups: MD patients with and without depressive symptoms and healthy elderly without depression as well as older adults suffering from depression. Participants were examined with a number of neuropsychological tests, including the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15), and Legal Capacity for Property Law Transactions Assessment Scale (LCPLTAS). The results of this study suggested that financial capacity as measured with LCPLTAS in MD patients was severely impaired when depression co-existed compared to patients suffering only from depression and healthy controls. Deficits in financial capacity in MD and comorbid depression should be a point on which healthcare professionals should focus during neuropsychological assessment in order to prevent financial exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Human papilloma virus (HPV) is one of the most common sexually transmitted infections and is widely known as the main causative agent for cervical cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the perceptions, knowledge and attitudes of young Greek adults concerning prevention of HPV infection and HPV immunization. Material and Methods: This constitutes a cross-sectional online survey. A convenience sample of young Greek adults (n = 883) residing in Greece, aged 17 to more than 35 years was surveyed from December 2020 to March 2021. Two validated questionnaires were used to collect data. Results: Participants demonstrated moderate knowledge about HPV infection and vaccination, with a mean knowledge score of 53.26 (SD ± 20.65) and 38.92 (SD ± 17.58), respectively. Cronbach's alpha value was 0.77 and 0.80. Female participants were better informed than males. Approximately 52.3% of respondents had been vaccinated and 65.5% were willing to get vaccinated in the future. Vaccination rate was significantly associated with gender (OR = 11.99; 99% CI = 6.59–21.84), knowledge about the HPV vaccine (OR = 1.04; 99% CI = 1.03–1.04) and age (OR = 0.07; 99% CI = 0.03–0.15). Reasons for vaccine refusal were insufficient information (36.8%) and fear of side effects (19%). Correlates of positive vaccination intention were knowledge about HPV (OR = 1.02; 99% CI = 1.01–1.02). Conclusions: The findings suggest that the Greek government's continuing HPV promotion efforts and education on the risks of HPV infection among young people are likely to increase vaccination acceptance among this group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent outbreak of the covid-19 pandemic can be stressful for many people, who could resolve to addictive substances or other addictive behaviors as coping strategies. The purpose of this study was to detect changes in alcohol, tobacco, cannabis use and gambling in the general population, during the covid-19 lockdown in Greece. A cross-sectional study was conducted online, using the AUDIT-C questionnaire for alcohol use, the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence, and qualitative questions about alcohol, tobacco, cannabis use and gambling. Results were analyzed using the SPSS v.26 software. Of N = 1365 responders, 300 abstained completely. During lockdown: 43.7% of alcohol users reported drinking less or abstain, followed by a lower mean score in AUDIT-C (p < 0.001), 1/3 of tobacco smokers reported that they smoked more, confirmed by a difference in Fagerstrom Test scores (p < 0.001). 67.4% of cannabis users reported abstinence and 71.4% of gamblers answered that they played less or not at all (females > males, p = 0.031). Changes were mostly attributed to factors linked to the lockdown. Alcohol, cannabis users and gamblers seemed to quit their habits during lockdown. Tobacco smoking seemed to become heavier, despite reports that smokers are more vulnerable to heavier respiratory symptoms after covid-19 infection. Present situation played a more important role, than fears about health. A significant percentage used alcohol or tobacco to cope with anxiety or depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To examine the acute effects of a conditioning plyometric exercise on long-jump performance during a simulated long-jump competition. Methods: Eight national-level track and field decathletes performed 6 long-jump attempts with a full approach run separated by 10-min recoveries. In the experimental condition subjects performed 3 rebound vertical jumps with maximal effort 3 min before the last 5 attempts, while the 1st attempt served as baseline. In the control condition the participants performed 6 long jumps without executing the conditioning exercise. Results: Compared with baseline, long-jump performance progressively increased only in the experimental condition, from 3.0%, or 17.5 cm, in the 3rd attempt (P = .046, d = 0.56), to 4.8%, or 28.2 cm, in the 6th attempt (P = .0001, d = 0.84). The improvement in long-jump performance was due to a gradual increase in vertical takeoff velocity from the 3rd (by 8.7%, P = .0001, d = 1.82) to the 6th jump (by 17.7%, P = .0001, d = 4.38). Horizontal-approach velocity, takeoff duration, and horizontal velocity at takeoff were similar at all long-jump attempts in both conditions (P = .80, P = .36, and P = .15, respectively). Conclusions: Long-jump performance progressively improved during a simulated competition when a plyometric conditioning exercise was executed 3 min before each attempt. This improvement was due to a progressive increase in vertical velocity of takeoff, while there was no effect on the horizontal velocity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IOANNIDOU C., GALANIS P., TSOUMAKAS K. & PAVLOPOULOU I.D. (2012) Characteristics of dog bites among nursing students and knowledge about their emergency management. International Nursing Review 59, 245-251 Background: Dog bites represent a significant health concern leading to a variety of consequences. Nursing students should be appropriately educated in order to manage and help prevent such injuries. Aim: This paper is the first to report the lifetime experience and characteristics of dog bites among Greek nursing students and their knowledge in managing the above injuries. Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative study was performed using an anonymous questionnaire distributed to first and fourth year nursing students from April though June 2009. A knowledge score based on key questions was set on a scale from 0 to 7, to assess their competence on bite injuries management. Results: Of 237 nursing students recruited, 56 (23.6%) had experienced a dog bite. Men outnumbered women as dog bite victims [ n = 15 (39.5%) vs. n = 41 (20.6%), P = 0.012]. Mean age at the attack was 11.1 (standard deviation = 5.6) years and legs sustained the majority of injuries ( n = 31; 55.4%). Most bites ( n = 39; 69.9%) involved a dog known to the victim, were provoked ( n = 30; 53.6%) and occurred in a public place ( n = 35; 62.5%). Ten (17.9%) of the victims sustained a moderate or severe injury. The majority (67.9%) of students answered correctly to less than or equal to three out of seven key knowledge questions. After multiple linear regression analysis, previous educational course attendance was the only factor associated with increased score (b = 0.48, standard deviation = 0.17, 95% confidence interval = 0.12-0.84, P = 0.009). Conclusions: Dog bites were common and presented characteristic patterns among nursing students, but knowledge in their management was suboptimal. Improved education should be provided during undergraduate studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Results arising from a prosodic and interactional study of the organization of everyday talk in English suggest that news receipts can be grouped into two categories: valenced (e.g., oh good) and non-valenced (e.g., oh really). In-depth investigation of both valenced and non-valenced news receipts shows that differences in their prosodic design do not seem to affect the sequential structure of the news informing sequence. News receipts with falling and rising pitch may have the same uptake and are treated in the same way by co-participants.A preliminary study of a Greek telephone corpus yielded the following receipts of news announcements: a malista, a(h) orea, a ne, a, oh. These are news markers composed of a standalone particle or a particle followed by an adverb or a response token (ne). Analysis of the sequential and prosodic design of Greek news announcement sequences is made to determine any interactional patterns and/or prosodic constraints. By examining the way in which co-participants display their interpretation of these turns I show that the phonological systems of contrast are different depending on the sequential environment, in much the same way that consonantal systems of contrast are not the same syllable initially and finally. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Sapountzi-Krepia D, Tsaloglidou A, Psychogiou M, Lazaridou C, Vehvilainen Julkunen K. International Journal of Nursing Practice 2011; 17: 583-590 Mothers' experiences of pregnancy, labour and childbirth: A qualitative study in Northern Greece This qualitative study aims at describing the mothers' most positive and negative experiences during pregnancy, labour and childbirth, and at identifying the aspects of pregnancy monitoring and obstetric care that should be developed most urgently in the future. The sample consisted of 607 mothers. The data were analyzed using content analysis. Mothers who preferred vaginal delivery believe that they do not interfere with nature and, consequently, their convalescence is easier and faster. Those who selected Caesarean section stress that they feel much safer because the whole process is well organized and controlled. The mothers' experiences are closely related with their interaction with the health-care professionals. Psychological support, good education and delivery preparation courses are some of the factors that could contribute to the improvement of maternal services. The basis of prenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care should be influenced by the women's experiences of pregnancy, labour and childbirth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Empirical data suggest that children with infrequent tobacco use have difficulty quitting smoking. Methods Data were obtained from the nationally representative Global Youth Tobacco Survey of middleschool students in Cyprus and Greece. Regression analyses examined associations between smoking frequency (smoking days per month or cigarettes smoked per day) and loss of autonomy (difficulty refraining from smoking). Results The prevalence of lost autonomy was 40% among subjects who smoked 1 or 2 days/month and 41% among subjects who averaged less than one cigarette/day and increased in a dose-response pattern. Regression models derived from the Cyprus data were replicated by the Greek data. Conclusions Two national surveys confirm previous reports of difficulty with smoking cessation with infrequent smoking. Since loss of autonomy is universally recognised as a core feature of addiction, our data indicate that young adolescents experience symptoms of nicotine addiction with infrequent tobacco use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses an unusually large dataset to study scatter in site-effect estimation, focusing on how the events that increase uncertainty can be removed from the dataset. Four hundred seventy-three weak motion earthquake records from the surface and bedrock of a 178-m-deep borehole in Aegion, Gulf of Corinth, Greece, are used to evaluate spectral ratios. A simple statistical tool, variance reduction (VR), is first used to identify two groups of events that lie closest and farthest from the average, which is considered here as the initial best estimate of the site response. The scatter in the original dataset is found to be due to the group of events with smallest VR. These events can be removed from the dataset in order to compute a more reliable site response. However, VR is not normally used to choose records for site-effect studies, and it cannot be applied to the usual small datasets available. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is normally used to this end, for which reason we investigate whether SNR can be used to achieve similar results as VR. Signal-to-noise ratio is estimated using different definitions. Data selection based on SNR is then compared to that using VR in order to define an SNR-based criterion that discriminates against events that, according to VR, increase scatter. We find that defining the SNR of a surface record as the mean value over a frequency range around the resonant peak (here, 0.5-1.5 Hz) and using a cutoff value of 5 may be used in this case to exclude most events for which VR is small. This process is also applied to the downhole station, where we obtain similar results for a cutoff value of 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper estimates demand variability in two rural hospitals in Greece. Three effects are tested: the weekend, the summer holiday and the official holiday. The dependent variable is the daily number of total hospital admissions during 2001-2005. We use the method of Ordinary Least Square. Both hospitals present lower total admissions during official holidays. The seasonal variations are more visible in Trikala, than those in Sparta. For Sparta, the impact is statistically insignificant, while for Trikala is both positive and statistically significant. Weekly seasonal effects can also be observed. For both hospitals, daily total admissions decline on weekends compared to the week days. Hospital managers could be based on that result in order to make as accurate as possible decisions about the staff, supplies and beds needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The #MeToo and #Times Up movements have put a global spotlight on the phenomenon of sexual harassment in healthcare. Yet, most studies have explored sexual harassment among female professionals. This study departs from current research practices and investigates the frequency of sexual harassment in male nurses working in the Greek NHS and the reasons for not reporting their experiences. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using the Sexual Experiences Questionnaire (SEQ) to collect data from 507 male nurses working in Greece's various settings during October and February 2021. The electronic survey was sent to male nurses (n=3,091 registered with the Hellenic Association of Nurses. Survey items were consent form, demographics, three-dimensions of sexual harassment, silencing and negative consequences. Questions were measured using five-point Likert scales, binary scale and multiple-choice questions. ANOVA and T-tests were used to investigate whether specific groups more frequently dealt with sexual harassment. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to investigate the association between independent variables (sexually harassing behaviours) and the dependent variable (participants' negative physical, mental, and job-related outcomes). Results: 40% of male nurses have experienced sexual harassment at least once in their working lives, and the most common form of sexual harassment faced was gender harassment, followed by unwanted sexual attention. Male doctors and male nurses were the most common perpetrators. Private and younger male nurses with up to 5 years of experience experienced more frequent sexual harassment. 30% did not report sexual harassment due to the fear that no one would believe them, and because of beliefs, no action would be taken against the wrongdoer. Multiple regression analyses showed that unwanted sexual attention and sexual coercion were associated with physical and job-related outcomes. Cronbach Alpha was 0.91. Conclusion: A high proportion of male nurses have experienced sexual harassment during their careers. Being younger with limited working experience and working in the private sector were positively associated with sexual harassment. Policymakers and health managers should focus on sexual harassment prevention strategies and report-enabling policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction-Purpose: Despite the growing amount of data on the 'synthetic speech perception' by people with no disabilities, there has been limited research on the intelligibility and comprehension of synthetic speech systems by dyslexics. This study investigated the intelligibility and comprehension of synthetic versus natural speech in Greek dyslexic students. Method: Forty three dyslexic students were presented with various acoustic stimuli (words, sentences, texts) both in synthetic and natural speech. Results: The data analysis has shown that dyslexic students had identified better words and sentences presented in natural than in synthetic speech. In regards to their levels of performance in text comprehension there was not any significant difference between synthetic and natural speech. Perhaps their observed difficulties in their word/ sentence intelligibility did not manage to restrain their levels of text comprehensibility. It seemed as if the context cues provided by the text each time had assisted dyslexics in comprehending the text more effectively no matter the speech condition used (natural versus synthetic one). Conclusion: Given that the overall purpose of reading is comprehension it is suggested that the text to speech systems could be used after all by the dyslexics as support as scaffolds for the intended purpose of reading comprehension. This research constitutes a trial to investigate the possibility of text-to-speech technology to serve as an educational aid for students with reading deficits helping them to master reading tasks that they may not have been able to do on their own. Students with reading disabilities need to be more successful in the reading process and managing at the same time to decrease the achievement gap that exists between them and those without disabilities. This work suggests that: • Text-to-speech technology needs further development and improvement to provide a closer to natural speech output in order to be a valuable educational aid for students with dyslexia. • Although there is a deviation, especially, in intelligibility between synthetic and natural speech that kind of assistive technology could provide a useful educational aid for those students that reading tasks appear to be a cumbersome process. • Natural and synthetic speech in combination and in discriminating use (for instance, natural speech in word tasks and synthetic in contextual tasks i.e., reading texts) could be integral tools to numerous educational settings and rehabilitation bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing Physical Literacy (PL) in children is considered a promising concept for establishing active lifestyle habits; yet research evidence is scarce. This study aimed at comprehensively assessing PL in 8-12-year-old Greek children. For that purpose, the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy (CAPL-2) was administered to 715 children (M age = 10.2, SD = 1.3 years). Analyses of variance were applied on participants' total, domain and individual measures scores, examining potential gender and age differences; whereas, participants' classification and proportion across CAPL-2 interpretive categories were computed. Results revealed that there were no practically important differences (η2 <.14) between boys and girls or younger (grades 3 & 4) and older children (grades 5 & 6). Greek children presented insufficient levels of PL (their total score classified them into "progressing" PL level). CAPL-2 domains and individual measures scores showed that participants were highly motivated and felt confident to participate in physical activity (PA); however, they exhibited low PA as well as unsatisfactory physical competence, knowledge, and understanding to value and take responsibility for engagement in PA. Although further research is needed for a comprehensive picture of PL correlates, our findings highlight the need for providing Greek children with ample opportunities to enhance their PL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Cross-cultural research constitutes a pivotal topic for marketing; however, the literature indicates that there are a few studies analyzing social media reviews from a cross-cultural perspective using cultural proximity (supra-national level) as a proxy of culture. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to identify cross-cultural differences in service evaluations and specifically, in hotel appraisals among tourists from Central, Eastern (including Post-Soviet States), Northern and Southern Europe. Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative approach has been taken by studying online user-generated ratings of hotels on Trip Advisor. In total, 1,055 reviews of five hotels in Greece were used for the study. Findings: Multivariate analysis of variance and analysis of variances results confirm cultural differences in overall service evaluations and attributes (value, location, sleeping quality, rooms, cleanliness and service) of tourists from various European regions. Specifically, Eastern Europeans uploaded more reviews than any other European group, whereas Northern Europeans were more generous in their appraisals than Eastern, Southern and Central Europeans. Practical implications: The results of the study could be used for segmentation purposes of the European tourism market and for recognizing, which aspects of their services need to be improved based on the segments they serve. Moreover, managers should encourage Northern and Eastern Europeans to upload their reviews as both groups are more generous in their evaluations. Moreover, the findings are useful to marketers of other services. Originality/value: To the author's knowledge, this is the first study that examines cross-cultural differences in hotel appraisals from a supra-national perspective including developed (Northern and Western Europe), developing (Southern Europe) and emerging tourism markets (Eastern Europe). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Stigma concerning mental disorder is a widespread phenomenon concerning the beliefs and attitudes of the public toward mental patients with a significant negative impact on state policy and the outcome of the patients. Material and methods: The study included 1,363 students of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. The survey was based on an Internet-based electronic platform. The statistical analysis included analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Yates corrected chi-square test. Results: Approximately, 87% of students responded that they know what mental disorder is, 70% were informed from the Internet, 30% consider mental patients responsible for their condition, more than 95% blame the way they were raised and almost 60% consider mental disorder to be heritable. Only a minority feel negatively with a mental patient around and close to 80% would socialize with them. More than 80% accept the need for psychiatric medication treatment but the opinion is split concerning compulsory treatment, and one-third consider medication to be harmful. Discussion: The results of this study suggest that most students believe they know much about mental illness; however, overall their responses are contradictory. They reply with confidence although they are informed mainly by the media and the Internet in an unreliable way. A number of factors including gender, specific school or personal experience of mental disorder in the family seem to influence the result. A combined educational plus contact might be necessary to reduce stigma, since education alone seems to exert a weak effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Biologica Nyssana is the property of University of Nis, Department of Biology & Ecology, Faculty of Sciences & Mathematics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Hearing loss affects both speech perception and production with detrimental effects on various speech characteristics including coarticulatory dynamics. The aim of the present study is to explore consonant-to-vowel (C-to-V) and vowel-to-vowel (V-to-V) coarticulation in magnitude, direction and temporal extent in the speech of young adult male and female speakers of Greek with normal hearing (NH) and hearing impairment (HI). Nine intelligible speakers with profound HI, using conventional hearing aids, and five speakers with NH produced /pV1CV2/ disyllables, with the point vowels /i, a, u/ and the consonants /p, t, s/, stressed either on the first or the second syllable. Formant frequencies F1 and F2 were measured in order to examine C-to-V effects at vowel midpoint and V-to-V effects at vowel onset, midpoint and offset. The acoustic and statistical analyses revealed similarities but also significant differences regarding coarticulatory patterns of the two groups. Interestingly, prevalence of anticipatory coarticulation effects in alveolar contexts was observed for speakers with HI. Findings are interpreted on account of possible differences in articulation strategies between the two groups and with reference to current coarticulatory models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous research has linked missed nursing care to nurses’ work environment. Ethical climate is a part of work environment, but the relationship of missed care to different types of ethical climate is unknown. Research objectives: To describe the types of ethical climate in adult in-patient cancer care settings, and their relationship to missed nursing care. Research design: A descriptive correlation design was used. Data were collected using the Ethical Climate Questionnaire and the MISSCARE survey tool, and analyzed with descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation and analysis of variance. Participants and research context: All nurses from relevant units in the Republic of Cyprus were invited to participate. Ethical considerations: The research protocol has been approved according to national legislation, all licenses have been obtained, and respondents participated voluntarily after they have received all necessary information. Findings: Response rate was 91.8%. Five types identified were as follows: caring (M = 3.18, standard deviation = 1.39); law and code (M = 3.18, standard deviation = 0.96); rules (M = 3.17, standard deviation = 0.73); instrumental (M = 2.88, standard deviation = 1.34); and independence (M = 2.74, standard deviation = 0.94). Reported overall missed care (range: 1–5) was M = 2.51 (standard deviation = 0.90), and this was positively (p < 0.05) related to instrumental (r = 0.612) and independence (r = 0.461) types and negatively (p < 0.05) related to caring (r = −0.695), rules (r = −0.367), and law and code (r = −0.487). Discussion: The reported levels of missed care and the types of ethical climates present similarities and differences with the relevant literature. All types of ethical climate were related to the reported missed care. Conclusion: Efforts to reduce the influence of instrumental and independence types and fostering caring, law and code, and rules types might decrease missed nursing care. However, more robust evidence is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is unknown whether children with conduct problems (CP) and poor reading (PR) skills exhibit more profound executive function impairments than children with CP only and whether such impairments are explained by coexisting PR. Executive functions were compared in four groups of 7- to 8-year-old children: 26 CP only, 35 PR only, 27 CP-PR, and 31 comparison (COM) children with neither CP nor PR. The Conners' Teacher Rating Scale-28 and a sentence completion reading test were used to assess CP and PR skills. The Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition Backward Digit Span, the Conners' Continuous Performance Test, and the Tower of London were used to assess three aspects of executive function: verbal working memory, response inhibition, and planning, respectively. The CP-PR group had lower verbal working memory than the CP-only and COM groups, but the difference was not significant after intellectual ability, inattention, and hyperactivity were controlled. The CP-PR group made more errors in the planning task (rule violations) than the COM and CP-only groups, but the difference was not significant after intellectual ability was controlled. No significant group differences were found in response inhibition. A specific PR group effect was found for verbal working memory. Children with CP-PR have more prominent executive function impairments that cannot be attributed to coexisting PR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to develop Greek sentence-based speech audiometry test in quiet test for hearing-impaired (HI) children (G-SEBSAT). Methods: Seventy-six children were recruited following approval by the local ethics committee and after obtaining informed consent from their parents. The collection of vocabulary was based on showing pictures selected from popular reading materials in Greek to HI children. A grammatical content analysis was carried out to determine the average syntactic and morphological structures of the sentences used by the HI children. Ten picture-related sentence lists were developed based on the vocabulary and the grammatical analysis, and recorded by a male native speaker of standard Modern Greek. These were presented to both normal-hearing (NH) and HI children, and the average speech response threshold (SRT) as well as the slope of the SRT curve at the SRT level of 50% correct responses (S50) were recorded in both groups. Sentence lists were validated with respect to the variability of their difficulty within each group, as well the test-retest variability of the respective SRT scores. Results: The average SRT across all lists for HI children was 65.27 dB and the slope of the SRT curve at the SRT level of 50% correct responses was 3.11%/dB. The corresponding results across all lists for NH children were 17.66 dB and 9.7%/dB, respectively. The SRT of HI children were strongly positively correlated, in a statistically significant manner with the pure tone audiogram (PTA) in both the test and the retest sessions (test: r=0.750, p<.0005; retest: r=0.753, p<.0005). The Spearman's correlation of the rankings of SRT values and the slope values was 0.998 and 0.997, respectively, for the HI and 0.939 and 0.88, for the NH group, indicating very low variability across the test and retest sessions. In addition, the analysis of variance (ANOVA) of the average SRT in NH children and the SRT residuals in the HI group indicated that the different sentences were of the same difficulty within each group. ((F(9,81)=0.401, p=.930 and (F(9,93)=2.241, p=.025, respectively). Conclusions: A validated G-SEBSAT was created in Greek for the first time. SRT and S50 values for both NH and HI children are comparable to similar tests developed in other languages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives To examine and compare undergraduate healthcare students' attitudes towards people with physical or intellectual disabilities in Greece. Background The experience that people with disabilities have with health care is a complex interaction between their medical condition and the social and physical environment. Attitudes of the nursing and healthcare staff affect the quality of care and people's adaptation to their disability, self-image and rehabilitation outcomes. Design Descriptive cross-sectional survey. Methods Nursing, Social Work and Medicine students ( N = 1007, 79.4% female) attending three universities (Athens, Crete) completed during 2014-2016 two standardised scales regarding physical ( ATDP-B) and intellectual disability ( CLAS- ID). Descriptive and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed. Results Attitudes towards people with physical disabilities in Greece ( ATDP-B scores) were poor with scores just above the mid-point. Medical studies and higher knowledge and work with individuals with physical disabilities signified marginally more positive attitudes. Gender and age displayed no associations with attitudes. Regarding intellectual disability ( CLAS- ID scores), nursing students had slightly less positive attitudes in 'Similarity' but more positive attitudes in 'Sheltering' subscales. Previous work and contact was related to more favourable and higher age to less favourable 'Similarity' and 'Sheltering' attitudes. Males had higher 'Exclusion' scores. Those who knew people with intellectual disabilities had less favourable 'Empowerment' attitudes. Knowledge was related to more positive attitudes in all four CLAS- ID subscales. Conclusions Greek health and social care students showed poor attitudes towards people with physical and intellectual disability. Relevance to clinical practice When holding unfavourable attitudes, healthcare professionals become less involved with the people they care for and they do not provide nursing care to the best of their abilities. Undergraduate and continuing education, along with workplace enhancements, should aim to provide high-quality health care to people with disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To validate and compare the psychometric properties of the EQ-5D-3L with the EQ-5D-5L classification systems in Greece.Methods: Participants (n = 2279) over 40 years old, sampled from the greater area of Athens using a multistage stratified quota sampling method, completed both EQ-5D versions, while information was also collected on socio-demographics and health-related characteristics. The EQ-5D-5L and EQ-5D-3L were evaluated in terms of agreement, ceiling effects, redistribution and inconsistency, informativity, and convergent and known-groups validity.Results: The agreement between the EQ-5D-3L and EQ-5D-5L was high (ICC = 0.85). Ceiling effects decreased significantly in the EQ-5D-5L in all domains (P < 0.001), with "usual activities" (-21.4 %) and "self-care" (-20.1 %) showing the highest absolute and "anxiety/depression" the highest relative reduction (-32.46 %). Inconsistency was low (5.7 %). The increase in prevalence of problems was larger than the decrease in their severity, resulting in a lower mean health utility for the EQ-5D-5L. Overall absolute and relative informativity improved by 70.5 % and 16.4 %, respectively, in the EQ-5D-5L. Both instruments exhibited good convergent and known-groups validity, with evidence of a considerably better convergent performance and discriminatory ability of the EQ-5D-5L.Conclusions: Both EQ-5D versions demonstrated good construct validity and had consistent redistribution. The EQ-5D-5L system may be preferable to the EQ-5D-3L, as it exhibited superior performance in terms of lower ceiling effects, higher absolute and relative informativity, and improved convergent and known-groups validity efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]