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This paper studies the link between school facilities (buildings and grounds) and student achievement in eight countries using data from the TIMSS 2003 database. The results indicate a negative relationship, but the estimated coefficients are mainly insignificant. Interestingly, the coefficients differ heavily across countries. Whereas there seem to be adverse consequences from poor facilities in Australia, The Netherlands and Japan, there is no significant effect in the remaining five countries. It remains an open question for future research why facilities seem to play such a different role across countries. The main lesson to be learnt from the present investigation is that school facilities seem to have different impact across countries.

Background: The implementation and integration of computer technologies in K-12 education has seen nearly constant growth since the early 1980s (Culp, Honey, Mandinach & Bailey, 2003), in part because this trend has become synonymous with skills that students will need as participants in a competitive global economy (Culp et al., 2003). It has been argued that the integration of Web 2.0 tools into K-12 education will help students acquire such skills, as the web-based platforms offered by Web 2.0 provide an open, dynamic environment allowing all end-users to participate, interact, and collaborate with instructors, peers, friends, and unknown people worldwide (Buffington, 2008; Jonassen, Howland, Marra & Crismond, 2008; Solomon & Schrum, 2007). This paper investigated the relationship between in-service teachers' self-efficacy and the integration of Web 2.0 tools (e.g., blogs, wikis, podcasts, social networking sites, image/photo sharing sites, & course management systems) at K-12 public schools in the United States. Goals: This study identified the factors predicting the utilization of these Web 2.0 tools in classroom instruction. It provides insight into the barriers of technology integration for future implementation. Research Method: A nationwide stratified sample frame was utilized to collect quantitative data through a web survey. A multiple regression analysis was employed to isolate the factors influencing the integration of Web 2.0 tools in K-12 classrooms. Results: A total of 559 in-service teachers responded to this research invitation. The results revealed public in-service teachers reported a low level of self-efficacy in using Web 2.0 tools, as well as a low frequency of Web 2.0 tools integration in their classrooms. Three out of five predictors included: teachers' self-efficacy, professional development, and school administrative support significantly predict the use of Web 2.0 tools. (Contains 2 tables.)

A traditionally salient topic of empirical investigation in the sociology of religion, this paper seeks to offer a recent investigation into the intergenerational transmission of religion and the parental forms of religious engagement that predict adult engagement with religion. The study of this paper explores the intergenerational transmission of religion, focusing on the parental forms of religious identity and engagement that influence religious identity, beliefs, and practices in adulthood. By analyzing the 2018 GSS dataset in the United States with multiple regression analyses, I found strong parental and childhood influences on adult religiosity, religious service attendance, and belief in God. Indeed, this engagement often mirrors parental engagement for these variables. However, while paternal religious identity often predicts these religious variables, I found that the religious identity and engagement of parents generally do not predict religious identity in adulthood. Ultimately, while these results generally show strong predictive mechanisms of intergenerational transmission, they also illustrate that these relationships are variably dependent on the form of parental and adult religious engagement, and which parent participates or is associated with that engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have gained significant attention in recent years for their potential to impact education at a global scale. This paper presents the findings from a study that examined the cases of three MOOCs, including Human Trafficking, US Food System, and Animal Behavior and Welfare, that were specifically designed to effect attitudinal change in its participants, specifically focusing on the three aspects of attitudinal change, cognitive, affective and behavioral as well as general learning. The study examined learners' perceptions of attitudinal change, including according to the MOOC they took, the instructional method utilized, and the influence of attitudinal components on each other. The findings from this research provide a number of implications that could be helpful for understanding instruction and instructional design of MOOCs, particularly those MOOCs addressing attitude change.

Despite the huge popularity of YouTube, there has been little research into the factors affecting educational applications of this social medium. This study attempts to predict and compare factors influencing YouTube acceptance among university students and educators in two very different cultures, Japan and the USA, applying the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT). Five hundred and sixty-nine students and 56 educators from Japanese and American universities were surveyed to assess the influence of UTAUT-related factors on YouTube acceptance in these two countries. The paper reports on the findings, proposes further studies and offers some suggestions for the use of YouTube in education.

A business school is a university-level institution that confers degrees in Business Administration. This paper examines the causes of business school reputation using two competing perspectives: the meritocratic and the institutional. The meritocratic perspective is based on the belief that reputation is an outcome of the business school's achievements, which act as signals of organisational reputation. The institutional perspective highlights the importance of the institutional context in explaining reputation (business school past reputation and parent university reputation), minimising the effect of outcomes as reputation signals. The two perspectives are tested on a sample of US business schools via the use of multiple regressions and path analysis. The results lend weight to the institutional thesis, which brings into doubt the efficiency of short-term strategies that look to increase business school reputation. (Contains 3 figures, 4 tables, and 1 note.)

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationships among academic optimism, community engagement, and student achievement in urban elementary schools across one district. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from all 35 urban elementary schools across one district in Virginia, USA. Correlation, multiple regression, and factor analyses were used to test the hypotheses. Findings: In schools where the faculty are optimistic that their students can succeed despite the obstacle of low socioeconomic status (SES) and where the community is engaged, students are more likely to achieve at higher levels. Findings of this study also supported that community engagement, collective efficacy, trust in clients, and academic press do act as predictors to collectively influence student achievement. Research limitations/implications: The Goddard measure for collective efficacy was replaced with one developed for more challenging settings such as urban schools. Practical implications: Academic optimism and community engagement were found to work in ways that improve student achievement. Understanding the social contexts in classrooms and schools allows education leaders to work with faculty in examining current practice, in an effort to improve the educational outcomes for all students, even those who must overcome the obstacles to learning posed by their low SES. Originality/value: With only one previous study of this construct in an urban elementary setting, the current study sought to test those findings in an effort to continue pushing this research agenda into urban settings. (Contains 1 figure and 12 tables.)

Purpose: Most people living with HIV (PLH) in the United States are over age 50 and this sector of PLH continues to grow. Aging with HIV can be challenging due to comorbid medical conditions, mental health disorders, substance use, and lack of social and practical support. Additional challenges are faced by older PLH living in the rural United States, such as longer distances to health care, concerns over privacy and stigma, and social isolation. PLH in rural areas have higher mortality rates than urban PLH. We aimed to understand factors associated with HIV care engagement and quality of life in rural US adults over age 50. Methods: We conducted a cross‐sectional study to evaluate the association between patient‐level factors and a combined outcome variable encompassing multiple aspects of care engagement. Findings: Either online or on paper, 446 participants completed our survey. One‐third of the participants (33%) were from the southern United States; one‐third were women; one‐third were non‐White; and 24% completed the survey on paper. In multiple regression analysis, lower income, residing in the southern United States, lacking internet access at home, not having an HIV specialist provider, higher levels of stress, living alone, and longer distance to an HIV provider were all associated with lower engagement in HIV care. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated multiple potential options for interventions that could improve care engagement, such as providing and enhancing access to technology for health care engagement and remotely delivering social support and mental health services. Research on such potential interventions is needed for older, rural PLH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a statistical study of the contribution of theories previously offered by economists to explain differences in the degree of urban decentralization in the U.S. The focus is on a relative comparison of the influence of auto reliance. A regression analysis reveals that a 10 percent reduction in the percentage of households owning one or more autos would reduce the square mile size of an urban area by only 0.5 percent and raise its population density by only 0.7 percent. Factors falling under the categories of "natural evolution" and "flight from blight" exert a far greater magnitude of influence. For instance, a 10 percent reduction in per capita income would reduce the square mile size of an urban area by 11.4 percent and raise its population density by 10.1 percent, while a 10 percent decrease in the percentage central place(s) population poor would reduce the square mile size of an urban area by 2.6 percent and raise its population density by 1.7 percent. A significant increase in urban decentralization will require more than just reduced auto reliance. (Contains 1 figure, 4 tables and 10 footnotes.)

Background: Few methodologically rigorous international comparisons of student-reported antisocial behavior have been conducted. This paper examines whether there are differences in the frequency of both antisocial behavior and societal responses to antisocial behavior in Victoria, Australia and Washington State, United States. These 2 states were chosen due to their similarities on sociodemographic characteristics and their differences in policy frameworks around problem behavior including antisocial behavior and substance use. Methods: State representative samples of students (N = 5769) in school grades 5, 7, and 9 in Victoria and Washington State completed a modified version of the "Communities That Care" self-report survey of behavior and societal responses to behavior. Chi-square analyses compared frequencies of antisocial behavior, school suspensions, and police arrests in the 2 states. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted for each outcome measure to examine the effect of state, controlling for sample design, clustering of students within schools, age, socioeconomic status, and urbanicity. Results: Few state differences in student-reported antisocial behavior were found, although frequencies varied across behavior type and grade level. Differences in societal responses were observed across grade levels with grade 5 Washington students reporting higher rates of school suspension. Older Washington students reported more arrests. Conclusions: Rates of student antisocial behavior appear similar in these 2 states in Australia and the United States. However, youth in the United States relative to Australia may experience greater societal consequences for problem behavior. Further research is required to examine the impact of these consequences on subsequent behavior. (Contains 4 tables.)

The process of educational expansion and the demographic process of generational replacement would have ongoing liberalization effects and therefore lead to a growth of ethnic tolerance. This was the prediction of Hyman and Sheatsley stated in 1956. Nearly half a century later there is little empirical evidence for a rising support of the implementation of racial or ethnic equality principles (Schuman et al., 1997). Ethnic group identifications and ethnic exclusionism still seems to be one of the major reasons for political conflicts around the world and have reached even more actuality through the September 11 attacks and their political consequences. In this paper, the author uses the data from the IEA Civic Education Study that makes it possible to compare a large number of representatively sampled countries on a variety of individual and school context variables to identify or to explain differences regarding the attitudes towards immigrants between countries. In addition to variables that express individuals' marginality, contact and attitudes towards the political system she also looks at variables that measure school climate. An influence of the number of books at home, which serves as a proxy for the educational family background of students, could not be confirmed in any country. There are only few variables, which could be used to assess economic threat in the data from the IEA Civic Education Study, so she relies on the other explanations named above. (Contains 6 tables, 3 figures and 1 note.)

Purpose: Self-rated physical health (SRPH) and self-rated mental health (SRMH) are both linked to excess morbidity and premature mortality and can vary across rural and urban contexts. This can be particularly problematic for rural residents who have less access to important health care infrastructure. In this paper, we assess the prevalence of and rural-urban disparities at the intersection of SRPH and SRMH, specifically self-rated physical/mental multimorbidity (SRPMM) overall and across rural-urban contexts. Methods: Using a cross-sectional demographically representative national dataset of over 4000 working age adults in the U.S., we expose rural-urban differences in the prevalence of SRPMM and explore individual-level factors that may explain this disparity. Results: Approximately 15 percent of working age adults reported SRPMM, but rural adults were at higher risk than their urban counterparts. However, this disadvantage disappeared for remote rural working-age adults and was attenuated for metro-adjacent rural working-age adults when we controlled for the fact that rural adults had lower household incomes. Conclusion: Findings reveal a higher risk of SRPMM among rural adults, in part because of lower incomes among this group. This work acts as the foundation for facilitating research on and addressing rural-urban disparities in SRPMM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on religion and its practice. This paper aims to examine how the pandemic affects religious activities, donations, and finances over time and across regions within the United Methodist Church (UMC) in the USA. To address this question, we analyze survey data collected during the pandemic from 2963 churches in the USA by United Methodist Communications. Our analysis utilizes several quantitative techniques, including Z-tests, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multinomial logistic regressions. The results indicate a decrease in church attendance over time, with a more pronounced effect observed in non-urban areas (suburban, small town, and rural). Similarly, while church donations and finances mitigate over time across churches, churches in urban areas experience a quicker rebound compared to those in non-urban areas. Lastly, we find that church attendance and donations positively affect finances. These findings hold important implications for churches in various regions, offering insights to develop strategies for navigating the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Site visits (SVs) are a common component of clinical education. The purpose of this paper was to explore clinicians' perspectives regarding SVs, including methods of communication used and their effectiveness, purposes of SVs, and the level of interaction between the stakeholders. Review of the Literature. Several communication methods are used to conduct SVs, with varying levels of "richness" and effectiveness. Previous studies have explored the perceptions of physical therapist (PT) students and Directors of Clinical Education regarding communication methods used during SVs, as well as reporting the purposes, effectiveness, and logistics. Subjects. Clinicians, including clinical instructors (CIs) and Site Coordinators of Clinical Education, from across the United States, representing various geographical locations and settings were invited to participate. Methods. An electronic survey was distributed to participants using information from 2 PT education programs and the Physical Therapist Clinical Performance Instrument database. Results. A total of 273 responses were included in the analysis. Clinicians ranked in-person visits as their first choice of communication for future SVs (n = 157, 59.9%) and indicated that inperson communication was "very effective" (n = 143, 52.4%) when compared with videoconferencing (n = 55, 20.1%) and telephone (n = 49, 17.9%). Clinicians ranked verifying the competency level of the student and verifying site resources during the SV as "extremely important" or "important" (n = 257, 94.2% and n = 250, 91.5%, respectively). Answering CI's questions and providing support to the CI were also identified as "extremely important" or "important" (n = 262, 96% and n = 244, 89.4%, respectively). Analysis of open-ended responses revealed 5 themes: Communication is important, flexibility allows best fit for a situation, on-site visits offer a more complete picture, real-time dialog is preferred, and email can lead to misinterpretation. Discussion and Conclusion. Communication is a key component of the clinical-academic relationship. Although clinicians prefer in-person communication, flexibility is necessary when planning and conducting SVs. Future research recommendations include gathering student and clinician perceptions regarding faculty involvement in SVs, as well as gathering faculty perspectives regarding their participation in SVs. In addition, the impact of the pandemic on the future of SVs warrants further exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Racial and ethnic minorities like Asians in the United States are significantly less likely to receive mental health treatment than Caucasians. Using 2012 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data, we examined the underutilization of mental health treatment in the US and find that being over 65 or 35–44, being unmarried, and being insured were positively associated with mental health treatment utilization, and as mentally unhealthy days increased, the utilization of treatment also increased. The paper offers a discussion on why there is this underutilization of mental health services amongst Asians and what steps can be taken to improve utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The purpose of the study was to examine the influence of parenting stress, self‐efficacy and COVID‐19 health risks on general stress among nurses in the Midwest, United States, during the pandemic. Background: As frontline workers amidst the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic, nurses have been subject to stressors at home and at work. Method: This quantitative, cross‐sectional study included 896 nurses with at least one child below 18 years of age. Using purposive sampling, participants answered an online survey composed of demographic questions, perception of COVID‐19 health risks, measures of self‐efficacy, general stress and parenting stress. Bivariate correlation and multiple regression were conducted. Data were collected from July 13 to August 13, 2020. Results: The four predictors, along with eight demographic covariates, accounted for 40% of the variance in general stress. Parenting stress and COVID‐19 health risks were positively related to general stress, while self‐efficacy was negatively associated with general stress. Conclusions: Results highlight the negative influence of parenting stress on nurses' general stress and the importance of self‐efficacy in reducing stress. Findings suggest that support services for nurses should focus not only on work‐related stressors but also consider parenting stressors, work‐home imbalances and self‐efficacy. Summary Statement: What is already known about this topic? Nurses are experiencing acute stress during the COVID‐19 pandemic because of the close proximity in dealing with infected and dying patients.Healthcare workers who have childcare obligations are facing more responsibilities at home and are less willing to report to work during a pandemic.High self‐efficacy among nurses has been found to significantly relate to willingness to work during a pandemic and that lower self‐efficacy is related to increased fear in caring for infected patients. What is already known about this topic? This paper adds to the limited research on the effects of parenting stress on nurses. This paper shows that parenting stress does contribute to nurses' overall perceived stress.Concerns about the potential risks if nurses themselves were to become infected and worries about the potential risks to family due to the nurses' clinical roles are significantly related to their general stress.In the context of the COVID‐19 pandemic, self‐efficacy can serve as a protective factor against stress for nurses working in the frontlines. The implications of this paper: The COVID‐19 pandemic has increased work stress for nurses and contributed to challenges in finding the balance between the increased demands at home and work. To help mitigate stress and support wellbeing of nurses, health care institutions and nurse managers might consider arranging educational parenting support groups, allowing more flexible work hours or self‐scheduling, extended rest days, providing free or subsidized childcare and offering professional development opportunities that enhance self‐efficacy among nurses.Challenges experienced by nurses must be addressed as sustained levels of work‐life imbalance may contribute to nursing shortages as nurses succumb to the strain of the stress created by the COVID‐19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A list of research and studies on industrial relations, politics and government in North America is presented. It includes "Anti-Right-to-Work Voting: A Multiple Regression Analysis of Missouri's 1978 Right-to-Work Election," by Gilbert Gall, "Public Policy and Strikes in Canada," by Morley Gunderson and Frank Reid, and "Structural Change in Canadian Industrial Relations: An Institutional and Econometric Assessment," by Anil Verma, Morley Gunderson, Noah M. Meltz, Frank Reid and Joseph Weiler.

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Biomarkers may serve as objective measures in complicated grief (CG) potentially capturing responses to stress reduction treatment. This paper reports challenges in obtaining and assessing salivary cortisol and α-amylase (sAA) for a recent randomized clinical trial. Within-session changes in salivary cortisol and sAA for 54 older adults with CG who received Accelerated Resolution Therapy were compared with perceived stress measured by Subjective Units of Distress Scale. Bivariate correlations and multiple regressions examined changes in biomarkers. Protocols, study logs, and audit reports identified challenges. Challenges included obtaining unstimulated passive drool salivary samples and their analyses. Our sample of older females on multiple medications may have resulted in a perfect storm of moderating and intervening variables which affected the stress response. This paper contributes to the discussion on designing clinical trials for older adults which must account for physiologic changes, multimorbidity, and polypharmacy common in this population and makes recommendations moving forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction. Promoting interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) is necessary. Consequently, investigating strategies associated with increased interprofessional socialization, the beliefs, behaviors, and attitudes underlying socialization toward IPCP is suggested. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship, in the presence of control variables, between students' perception of servant leadership by physical therapy faculty mentors and interprofessional socialization. Review of the Literature. Although faculty mentors are associated with influencing students' socialization process and servant leadership is suggested to support collaborative care, investigations exploring these concepts within physical therapy education are limited. Subjects. Three cohorts of students (60 each) at an entry-level physical therapist education program in the Midwest of the United States. One hundred seventy individuals completed an anonymous paper-based composite survey, with 117 identifying the presence of an informal physical therapy faculty mentor. Methods. This cross-sectional survey study, inclusive of student demographic control variables, examined the relationship between interprofessional socialization and perceptions of physical therapy faculty mentors, as measured by the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale (ISVS-21) and the Servant Leadership Measure (SL-7), respectively. Multiple linear regression was used to obtain the semi-partial correlation (sr) between the SL-7 and the ISVS-21, with significance accepted at P < .05. Results. Upon necessary assumptions being met, 114 participants were included with an analysis of variance identifying the model to be significant (F(8,105) = 2.59, P = .01). Multiple linear regression analysis found that the SL-7, in the presence of control variables, was associated with a significant proportion of ISVS-21 scores (R2 = 0.17, F(8,105) = 2.59, P = .01). Notably, only the SL-7 demonstrated a significant contribution to ISVS-21 estimates (β = 0.358, P < .001), with a significant and positive sr of 0.34 (P < .001). Discussion and Conclusion. Perceptions of servant leadership by faculty mentors were positively correlated with interprofessional socialization. Findings bolster the theoretical link between servant leadership and interprofessional socialization, servant leadership in the development of faculty and mentorship programs, and the relevance of informal social interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION The FDA's 'The Real Cost' tobacco prevention campaign aimed to counter tobacco marketing efforts directed toward children and youths. Our objectives were to explore the associations between exposure to the FDA's campaign and cigarette risk perception among the US adolescent population, and between exposure and cigarette smoking curiosity among adolescents who never smoked cigarettes. METHODS We analyzed 3 cycles of National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS 2018-2020, n=53738). Multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to measure the relationship between campaign exposure and cigarettes risk perception (among all), as well as the relationship between campaign exposure and cigarette curiosity (among cigarette never smokers). RESULTS Majority of youths have reported exposure to the campaign 63% between 2018-2020. The odds of youths perceiving cigarettes as risky were 1.6 times higher among exposed compared to those not exposed (adjusted odds ratio, AOR=1.60; 95% CI: 1.43-1.79). There were some racial disparities in risk perceptions among Hispanics and Non-Hispanic Blacks across exposure groups. Exposure was associated with higher cigarettes curiosity odds among Hispanic youths who never smoked (AOR=1.26; 95% CI: 1.10-1.44) compared to their Non-Hispanic White peers. CONCLUSIONS The FDA's 'The Real Cost' campaign had exposure levels deemed essential for population-level perceptions change. Exposure was associated with youths having higher risk perceptions about the negative health outcomes related to cigarette smoking. However, students that never smoked were more curious about smoking with campaign exposure. Therefore, future health communication plans should consider both the potential benefits and possible unintended consequences prior to launching such campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transgender patients are at elevated risk of intimate partner violence (IPV), but national guidelines do not recommend routine screening for this population. This paper explores the feasibility and effectiveness of routine IPV screening of transgender patients in a primary care setting by describing an existing screening program and identifying factors associated with referral and engagement in IPV-related care for transgender patients. An IPV "referral cascade" was created for 1,947 transgender primary care patients at an urban community health center who were screened for IPV between January 1, 2014 to May 31, 2016: (a) Of those screening positive, how many were referred? (b) Of those referred, how many engaged in IPV-specific care within 3 months? Logistic regression identified demographic correlates of referral and engagement. Of the 1,947 transgender patients screened for IPV, 227 screened positive. 110/227 (48.5%) were referred to either internal or external IPV-related services. Of those referred to on-site services, 65/103 (63.1%) had an IPV-related appointment within 3 months of a positive screen. IPV referral was associated with being assigned male at birth (AMAB) versus assigned female at birth (AFAB) (AOR = 2.69, 95% CI 1.52, 4.75) and with nonbinary, rather than binary, gender identity (AOR = 2.07, 95%CI 1.09, 3.73). Engagement in IPV-related services was not associated with any measured demographic characteristics. Similar to published rates for cisgender women, half of transgender patients with positive IPV screens received referrals and two-thirds of those referred engaged in IPV-specific care. These findings support routine IPV screening and referral for transgender patients in primary care settings. Provider training should focus on how to ensure referrals are made for all transgender patients who screen positive for IPV, regardless of gender identity, to ensure the benefits of screening accrue equally for all patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Prostate cancer (PCa) globally impacts men of African descent disproportionately more than any other ethnicity. Studies focusing on PCa among the U.S.-based Nigerian immigrant men (NIM) are limited. The purpose of this study was to investigate the predictive effects of health beliefs on NIM's prostate cancer screening intention using select constructs of two health behavior models. Subjects and methods: This study consisted of (N = 130) U.S. NIM, aged 40 years and older, who were recruited from local nonprofit associations in New Jersey. Pen-and-paper questionnaire data were gathered using the Behavioral Intention Scale and the modified version of the Champion's Health Belief Model Scale for Prostate Cancer, along with demographic questions. Data were analyzed in SPSS 25.0. Multiple regression analysis was conducted to evaluate how well perceived susceptibility, benefits, and barriers predicted the intention to undergo screening for prostate cancer. Results: The model was significantly related to intention (R2 = 0.22, F (4,125) = 9.02, p < 0.001). Beta weights indicated that only perceived susceptibility and perceived benefit shared in the 22% of intention variability. Perceived susceptibility (β = 0.61, p < 0.001) and perceived benefits (β = 0.41, p < 0.001) were thus the variables that significantly contributed to the model. Conclusion: Continuous education and awareness of prostate cancer and the importance of screening, as well as a better understanding of health belief perceptions, remain strategies healthcare providers can utilize to reach at-risk minority populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives: This study aimed to measure the frequency of spiritual needs, identify the factors associated with these needs among Korean and American persons living with an advance chronic illness and compare them from a cross‐cultural perspective. Background: Persons with serious or life‐limiting illnesses often have spiritual needs. Unmet spiritual needs are associated with poor well‐being and threaten psychological health. Little is known about how specific spiritual needs vary across cultures. Design: A quantitative, cross‐sectional, observational cross‐cultural comparison was undertaken. Methods: The study has been prepared in accordance with the STROBE guidelines. Convenience sampling was used to recruit participants from outpatient clinics in South Korea and Southern California (N = 202). Spiritual needs were measured using the Spiritual Interests Related to Illness Tool (SpIRIT); demographic and illness‐related variables were also assessed using paper‐and‐pencil questionnaires. Data were analysed using various parametric statistical tests, including multiple regression analysis. Results: The findings quantify the intensity and types of spiritual needs that persons living with an advanced chronic illness experience. Furthermore, they show how the spiritual needs of religiously diverse samples of South Koreans and Americans differ. The findings also indicate that self‐reported spirituality and religiosity independently explain a substantial amount of the variance in spiritual needs. Conclusions: In both the samples, spiritual needs were reported and associated with spirituality and religiosity. Although all the eight domains of spiritual needs assessed by the SpIRIT were pertinent to the Korean and American samples, they were prioritised differently. Relevance to clinical practice: Screening patients to ascertain how important spirituality or religiosity is to them may help clinicians focus their in‐depth assessments on those who report high levels of spirituality or religiosity because these patients may experience the strongest spiritual needs. The SpIRIT shows promise as a measure of diverse spiritual needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to determine the prevalence of fear of bullying among college students, examine socio-demographic predictors of fear of bullying, and assess associations between fear of bullying and depression and anxiety. A cross-sectional study was conducted among college students. Data on socio-demographics; fear of bullying on campus, off campus, and electronically; depression; and anxiety were collected. Multiple logistic regression models were used to assess predictors of fear and the association between fear of bullying and mental health. After controlling for covariates, the odds of fear of bullying on campus, off-campus, and electronic bullying were higher among transgender/gender nonconforming and lesbian/gay/bisexual students. Non-citizens had higher odds of all three types of fear. Fear of bullying on campus, off campus, and electronic bullying were all associated with anxiety and depression. Disparities in fear of bullying exist in college students and should be considered when designing mental health interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The remote sensing satellite cluster system, as an important component of the next generation of space architecture in the United States, has important application prospects in the military field. In order to improve the effects of time, with regard to the effectiveness evaluation of the remote sensing satellite cluster system, neural network methods are generally used to satisfy the requirements of real-time decision-making assistance in the military field. However, there are two problems that emerge when applying the existing neural network methods to an effectiveness evaluation of the remote sensing satellite cluster. On the one hand, the neural network model architecture needs to be designed specifically for the remote sensing satellite cluster system. On the other hand, there is still a lack of hyperparameter optimization methods that consume less time and have good optimization effects for the established neural network model. In this regard, two main modifications were made to the back-propagation neural network, to which an effectiveness evaluation was applied. The first comprised a new architecture named BPS, which was designed for the back-propagation neural network so as to improve its prediction accuracy. In BP architecture, one back-propagation neural network is established for each indicator involved in the effectiveness evaluation indicator system of the remote sensing satellite cluster; the output of each back-propagation neural network model is modified to the residual value between the corresponding indicator value and the value that is predicted through a multiple linear regression analysis of the corresponding indicator. The second modification involved the multi-round traversal method, which is based on the three-way decision theory, and it was proposed in order to significantly improve the model's training time, which is a new type of hyperparameter optimization method. The results show that compared with the traditional simulation model, the modified back-propagation neural network model based on three-way decision theory can quickly and effectively provide stable and accurate evaluation results; this can assist with and meet the requirements for real-time decision-making in the military field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals share a diversity of content on social media for a variety of reasons. Research has often described and explained disclosure via the application of a subjective cost–benefit analysis framed around reciprocity, suggesting that people communicate selfishly motivated by the expectation of receiving something in return. This paper investigates the moderating effects of tie strength and interpersonal trust on the relationship between expected reciprocity and intensity of communication between two social media connections. A Facebook application presented participants with a random set of their friends and asked them to rate their friendships in terms of these values. Overall, 90 participants rated 1728 friendships, while the application collected 11 activity variables depicting the actual communication that has taken place in each pair of connections. A principal component analysis was used to distinguish between text- and photograph-related communication, and two moderated multiple regressions were conducted to establish the moderating effects. The results show significant moderating effects of tie strength and trust on the communication around photographs, but not around text. This study contributes to communication research by explicating the ways that tie strength and trust affect patterns of communication on social media. Implications for social media researchers and designers are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper takes a systems perspective in exploring and analyzing optimization possibilities and market dynamics of the global steel industry. To assess and improve this industry's performance, two analytical approaches are used. First, a multiple regression analysis was applied to determine the important relationships among world crude steel producers, international trading blocs and key countries to quantify the historical correlations in the steel industry. Next, game theory models are applied to study global steel industry dynamics and to quantify and compare historical production data in order to determine optimal approaches that could be employed to gain market share by key countries and players. In order to gain an in-depth understanding of interplay among various system's players within this complex global steel industry, the paper discusses protectionism, quotas, tariffs, exports, imports, capacity, substitution, specialization, mergers and cooperation, among other strategies used historically within the industry. A geographical survey of the global steel industry data is presented in multiple chart formats. Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to the industry players are compared. Implications of the analytical findings for the US, European, and Asian competitors in the global steel industry are outlined and recommendations that would lead to optimization of global steel industry operations are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate executive function measures as they relate to clinical and academic performance outcomes of graduate speechlanguage pathology students. Method: An observational design incorporating correlations and stepwise multiple regressions was used to determine the strength of the relationships between clinical outcomes that occurred at various time points throughout the graduate program (clinical coursework grades throughout the program and case study paper scores at the end of the program), academic outcomes (graduate grade point average and Praxis II exam in speech-language pathology scores), and executive function (EF) scores (EF assessment scores, self-reported EF scores). Participants were 37 students (36 women, Mage = 24.1) in a master's degree program in speech-language pathology at a southeastern U.S. university during the 2017-2018 academic year. Results: Findings of this preliminary study indicated that a limited number of objective EF scores and self-reported EF scores were related to clinical and academic outcomes of graduate speech-language pathology students. Conclusion: As results of this preliminary study suggest that EF tests may be related to clinical and academic outcomes, future research can move to study the potential role of EF measures in the graduate admissions process in clinical graduate programs such as speech-language pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Although it has been suggested that developmental and sociological factors play a role in concussion reporting, the empirical evidence related to this is limited. Objective: To examine the influences of sex, school level, school location, concussion-reporting history, and socioeconomic status on concussion-related knowledge, attitudes, and reporting intentions among middle school and high school athletes. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Master students and High School athletes attending pre-participation examinations (PPEs) were asked to complete paper-based surveys. Patients or Other Participants: Overall, 541 athletes representing 18 sports returned fully completed surveys. Main Outcome Measure(s): Outcomes were concussionrelated knowledge, perceived seriousness, positive feelings about reporting, and self-reporting intentions. We examined group differences in these outcomes across levels of the explanatory variables of sex, school level (middle school versus high school), school location (urban versus rural), concussion self-reporting history (yes or no), and socioeconomic status (free or reduced-price lunch versus no free or reduced-price lunch) using Wilcoxon rank sum tests. Then we used multivariable ordinal logistic regression models to identify predictors of higher score levels for each outcome. Odds ratio (OR) estimates with 95% confidence intervals (Cis) excluding 1.00 were deemed significant. Results: Odds of higher levels of knowledge were higher in urban versus rural school student-athletes (ORAdjusted = 1-81; 95% Cl = 1.03, 3.17), and lower in student-athletes on free or reduced-price lunch versus those not on free or reduced-price lunch (ORAd¡usted = 0.52; 95% Cl = 0.36, 0.77). Similarly, odds of higher levels of seriousness were lower in male versus female student-athletes (ORAdjusted = 0.48; 95% Cl = 0.32, 0.72). Further, odds of higher levels of self-reporting intentions were lower among male versus female student-athletes (ORAdjUSted = 0.53; 95% Cl = 0.37, 0.75). Conclusions: Developmental and sociological factors were differentially associated with concussion-related knowledge, attitudes, and self-reporting intentions. These results can inform medical providers, parents, and coaches with regard to contextspecific clinical assessments of concussion symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes sociodemographic, sexual risk behavior, and clinical care factors associated with sustained viral suppression (SVS) among heterosexual Black men with diagnosed HIV in the US. Sample was 968 men, 2015–2017 cycles of Medical Monitoring Project. We used prevalence ratios and a multivariable logistic regression model to identify independent predictors of SVS. About 9% of sexually active men had sex that carries a risk of HIV transmission. Nearly 2/3 lived at or below the poverty level, 13% were under or uninsured, 1/4 experienced food insecurity and 15% reported recent homelessness. About 26% were not engaged in HIV care, 8% not currently taking antiretroviral therapy (ART) and 59% had SVS. Among men taking ART, care engagement and adherence were the only significant independent predictors of SVS. Efforts to increase VS should focus on increasing ART use, care engagement, and ART adherence, and include strategies that address the social and structural factors that influence them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High annual turnover rates that plague child welfare agencies are costly and disrupt services. Numerous studies have focused on aspects of the workplace and the characteristics of child welfare workers that may be associated with leaving. Fewer studies have explored the types of worker supports that agencies can offer to encourage retention. This two-study paper utilized data from public child welfare caseworkers to examine predictors of self-reported intent to stay and its association with actually staying at the agency. Results of Study 1 indicated that that self-reported intent to stay was a key predictor of staying (as was number of years on the job). Results of Study 2 indicated that self-efficacy, peer support, supervision, and organizational supports were key predictors of intent to stay. Newer workers differed somewhat from more experienced workers, providing an opportunity for reflection on how agencies can best support staff during different phases of their career. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose ? The purpose of this research is to present an alternative to the vast majority of studies on chief executive officer (CEO) compensation practices in the USA which have relied on multiple regression analysis and its variants. Design/methodology/approach ? The paper points out the shortcomings of traditional parametric approaches (such as regression analysis) to the analysis of CEO compensation practices and suggest non-parametric alternatives. Findings ? Using tests for concurrent validity, the paper demonstrates how non-parametric assessment may be successfully applied to the analysis of CEO compensation practices. Originality/value ? Because of the novelty of this approach, the findings should be of value to those academics and practitioners interested in the evaluation of CEO compensation practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background There is a lack of evidence on whether combined lifestyle factors mediate the association between family income and all-cause mortality, as well as the joint relations between family income and lifestyle factors with mortality. Methods Using data on family income and lifestyle factors of participants in the US National Health Interview Survey 2016-2018, we performed multivariable logistic regression models to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association of all-cause mortality with said data. Results We included 73729 participants with a mean age of 47.1 years (standard deviation (SD)=18.0), 51% of whom were women and 65% of whom were non-Hispanic Whites. There were 2284 deaths documented. After multivariable adjustment, middle-income participants had an OR of 0.73 (95% CI=0.61-0.88) for mortality, while high-income participants had an OR of 0.47 (95% CI=0.37-0.60) compared with low-income participants. We found that lower all-cause mortality was related to higher lifestyle scores. Adults from high-income families with lifestyle scores of 3 and 4 had an OR for mortality of 0.44 (95% CI=0.30-0.65) compared to those from low-income families and lifestyle scores of 0 or 1. When comparing those in highest vs lowest income groups in the mediation analysis, 9.8% (95% CI=7.4-13.0) of the relation for all-cause mortality was mediated by lifestyles. Adults from high-income families with lifestyle scores of 3 or 4 had an OR of 0.23 (95% CI=0.17-0.33) for mortality compared with those from low-income families and lifestyle scores of 0 or 1. Conclusions A lower risk of all-cause mortality was linked to higher family income and healthier lifestyles. Furthermore, lifestyle factors mediated a small proportion of the association between family income and mortality among US adults. Economic disparity in health may not be eliminated by changing only one's lifestyle. Therefore, besides promoting a healthy lifestyle, we should stress how family income inequality affects health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Obesity is a growing epidemic with non-surgical/non-pharmacological interventions having only nominal and transient effects on excess weight. Those persistent shortcomings are associated with minimal understandings of impacts of treatment-associated changes in psychological variables and their relationships. Women of lower incomes have high rates of obesity and might have increased difficulties accessing evidence-based programs. Methods: Women with obesity of lower- to lower-middle incomes participated in 6-month community-based treatments in the United States emphasizing either self-regulatory skills development (behavioral methods group: n = 63) or typical education in exercise and healthy dietary practices (education group: n = 48). Results: There were significant 6-month improvements in self-regulation, self-efficacy, mood, physical activity/exercise, dietary behaviors, and weight in both groups. All improvements were significantly greater in the behavioral group. Based on the incorporation of multiple behavioral theories, separate multiple regression models were fit for prediction of the weight-loss behavior changes. Stepwise entry of changes in self-regulation, self-efficacy, and mood each significantly contributed to the explained variance in physical activity/exercise change. Change in self-efficacy was most relevant in the prediction of change in dietary behaviors. Change in physical activity/exercise was significantly related to change in dietary behaviors; however, a regression analysis indicated that only physical activity/exercise change was a significant independent contributor to the overall accounted-for variance in lost weight. Conclusion: By incorporating key tenets of social cognitive theory, self-efficacy theory, self-regulation theory, coaction theory, and the mood-behavior model in an additive manner, suggestions and emphases for addressing psychological variables for improved weight-loss behaviors within scalable obesity treatments were advanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Situated within the conservation of resources theory, this study sought to understand how resources such as self-efficacy, job satisfaction, caseload size, and geographic location influence the number of data sources used by school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) to determine eligibility. Method: Using a cross-sectional descriptive design, 665 school-based SLPs from the United States reported professional demographics, workload, and assessment/eligibility characteristics, as well as levels of job satisfaction and self-efficacy. Multiple regression was used to examine the effects of self-efficacy, job satisfaction, caseload size, and geographic location on the number of data sources used in eligibility decision making and to examine the effects of caseload size and job satisfaction resources on SLP self-efficacy. Results: SLPs, on average, reported using 7.98 data sources to support eligibility determinations. Standardized tests, conversation samples, and review of records were most used, and literacy assessments were used least. Results of multiple regression models indicate that SLPs with higher self-efficacy scores reported using significantly more data sources and that SLPs with higher job satisfaction indicated significantly higher self-efficacy. Conclusions: This study affirms self-efficacy as a strong resource for school-based SLPs and that it is, in fact, related to the number of data sources used in eligibility decisions. Limited literacy assessment was reported, despite the SLP's critical role in an educational setting. Job satisfaction as a predictor of self-efficacy and self-efficacy, in turn, as a predictor of data sources underscore the need for SLPs to advocate for work conditions that support their work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many school nurses experienced increased work burden and stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. This analysis examined data from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cross-sectional, nationwide survey of school nurses in March 2022 to examine associations between school nurses' ability to conduct their core responsibilities and selected nurse and school factors among school nurses during the 2021–2022 school year and COVID-19 pandemic. Perceived adequate staffing and financial compensation reduced the odds of reported difficulties across all core school nursing tasks. Nurses without a registered nurse license and with higher caseloads were more likely to report difficulty in implementing specific tasks. The impact of these factors varied, with inadequate financial compensation having the largest association with school nurses' difficulty implementing all the core responsibilities. The study results improve our understanding of school nurses' challenges in implementing core school nursing responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic in the 2021–2022 school year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. To demonstrate the spatially uneven effects of abortion restriction laws in Texas. Methods. We used network analysis to determine the change in distance to the nearest surgical abortion provider for 5253 Texas neighborhoods after the passing of Texas Senate Bill 8 (SB8; 2021) and the US Supreme Court's Dobbs v Jackson Women's Health Organization (2022) decision. We identified associations between key measures of neighborhood socioeconomic context and change in distance to providers using multivariable linear regression models. Results. After the Dobbs decision, Texas residents experienced an average change in distance to the nearest provider of 457 miles (SD = 179). Neighborhoods of concentrated disadvantage experienced the greatest increase in distance to abortion providers after SB8's passing, and neighborhoods with high levels of income inequality experienced the greatest increase in distance after the Dobbs decision. Conclusions. We document the rapidly changing abortion landscape in a highly restrictive state and show that women living in more disadvantaged and unequal areas are most affected by the increasing distance to providers. Public Health Implications. Our methods and findings will continue to be relevant in understanding the burden placed on women in areas where medical abortion has been restricted because of the Dobbs decision. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(10):1024–1033. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307652) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the complex nature of female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) by juxtaposing the mental and sexual health of women who had undergone FGM/C as part of initiation/membership into a traditional women's society (TWS) with those who were also cut but not initiated into a TWS. While considerable differences emerged between TWS members and nonmembers, there was no evidence that TWS membership was protective against the physical and psychological trauma typically ascribed to FGM/C. In fact, the pattern of results would tend to suggest the opposite. Possible explanations for and implications of these findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The systemic immunity-inflammation index (SII) is a newly developed biomarker that provides an integrated measure of inflammation in the body. We aim to evaluate the relationship between SII and body fat distribution. Methods: Adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011–2018 were included. The SII was computed using lymphocyte (LC), neutrophil (NC), and platelet (PC) counts as its components. Body fat distribution was assessed by (total, android, gynoid) percentage fat, total abdominal fat area, subcutaneous adipose tissue area, visceral adipose tissue area, and the ratio of visceral to subcutaneous adipose tissue area (V/S ratio). Multivariable weighted linear regression and subgroup analysis were use to examine the relationships between fat distribution and SII. Restricted cubic splines (RCS) and threshold effect analysis were used to examine analyze nonlinear associations. Results: After exclusions, a total of 11,192 adults with a weighted mean age of 38.46 ± 0.26 years were studied. In multivariable weighted linear regression, each level increase in log2SII was associated with increased of 0.23 SDs total percentage fat (95% CI = 0.03, 0.43) and 0.26 SDs android percentage fat (95% CI = 0.06, 0.47). Besides, the subgroup analysis showed that the positive association between SII and android percentage fat was mainly among obese individuals (BMI > 30 kg/m2) and non-obese individuals without DM or hypertension. Meanwhile, the relationship between SII and the V/S ratio was found to be significant in the female subgroup, the obese subgroup, individuals with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and those without diabetes mellitus. Finally, SII exhibited an inverted U-shaped relationship with total percentage fat, android percent fat and total abdominal fat. Accordingly, threshold effect analysis indicated a positive association between lower SII levels and total percentage fat, android percentage fat and total abdominal fat area. Conclusions: In the nationwide study, it was observed that the SII exhibited a significant correlation with higher levels of body fat, specifically android fat. This association was particularly noticeable within specific subgroups of the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased funding provided for Community Health Worker (CHW) hiring and training as part of the COVID‐19 pandemic response was to increase their impact in alleviating the effects of negative social determinants of health in the lives of the most vulnerable individuals and communities. This enhanced use of CHW in vulnerable populations can also be used to improve access to such populations for applied research to study ways to improve health outcomes for low‐income minority populations. We carried out a feasibility study using the State CHW association as partners to reach CHWs working with low‐income minority population. Three hundred and three (303) clients of CHWs were interviewed on various demographic, health access, and employment information and both univariate and multivariate analyses was used to determine factors associated with being unvaccinated against COVID‐19 and chi‐squared used to determine if employment was associated with having health insurance. About half of the clients self‐identified as Black/African American and half as Hispanic. Two‐thirds were women and 52.1% were unemployed and 55.1% had no health insurance. There was no association between employment status and having health insurance. Majority (71.6%) had received one dose of a type of COVID‐19 vaccine and being younger and being African American were associated with not getting a dose of COVID‐19 vaccine, as well as being unemployed and not having health insurance. Most of the clients came to see the CHW about a Health/Healthcare issue of the five social determinants of health (SDOH). There were 38 different job titles provided by the clients and the job titles were mainly blue collar jobs and jobs in health and personal care. Our results indicate that CHWs reach the most vulnerable population who have limited health access and high unemployment and that CHWs can effectively be used for linkage to low‐income minority population for applied research. Our analyses found that in this low‐income population, being younger, being African American, being unemployed, and not having health insurance are each associated with not getting vaccinated against COVID‐19, and employment is not associated with having health insurance. We have shown that partnership with CHWs to access their clients as research subjects leads to elucidating new information on the population that can be used in addressing public health programming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shared decision-making (SDM) is an essential component of patient-centered healthcare and disease management. However, the association of SDM with healthcare resource utilization and patient-reported outcomes among multimorbid individuals is not well understood. This study sought to evaluate the association of SDM with healthcare resource utilization and patient-reported outcomes among United States (US) adults with multimorbidity. Data were collected from the 2020 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) for this cross-sectional study. Eligible participants were US adults with two or more comorbidities. The predictor variable was SDM (optimal versus not optimal). The outcome variables were healthcare resource utilization and patient-reported outcomes. Logistic regression models, adjusted for demographic characteristics, assessed associations with SDM for each healthcare resource utilization and patient-reported outcome variable. The analysis maintained the complex survey data and was weighted to produce nationally representative estimates. Individuals who reported optimal SDM in adjusted analyses utilized more healthcare resources compared to those who reported not optimal SDM. Individuals with optimal SDM had more than one outpatient visit (odds ratio OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.03–1.47), emergency room visit (OR = 1.55, 95% CI = 1.17–2.06), and inpatient discharge (OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.05–1.96). Additionally, these individuals had higher odds of reporting limitations in their ability to work or engage in other activities due to their physical health in the past four weeks (OR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.01–1.60). This study indicated evidence of increased healthcare resource utilization among patients who participate in SDM with their providers, which should be explored in future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There is limited research on the writing of young Spanish-English bilinguals and their writing in both languages. In the current study, we addressed whether written syntax features differed by language (English and Spanish) and varied as a function of grade level, English learner status, and instructional program (dual or English immersion). We also examined whether Spanish and English syntax features were related cross-linguistically and related to writing quality within languages and whether these relations to writing quality were moderated by grade level, English learner status, and instructional program. Method: We examined written syntax features of Spanish and English essays by simultaneous and emergent bilinguals in Grades 1, 2, and 3 in either Spanish-English dual immersion or English immersion instruction in the United States (N = 278). Essays were scored for quality and evaluated for mean length of T-units, number of verbs, number of noun agreement words, and number of subject agreement words accurately conjugated. Results: Written syntax features significantly differed by language and varied as a function of grade level, English learner status, and instructional program. Grades 2 and 3 wrote longer utterances, more verbs, and greater noun agreement accuracy than Grade 1. Syntax features were related to writing quality within languages, but Spanish relations were weaker for English learners than non-English learners and for dual immersion students than English immersion students. Conclusion: Our findings suggest written syntax features may be useful for evaluation of English-Spanish simultaneous and emergent bilinguals' writing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and misinformation endorsement among Spanish-speaking Americans is limited. This cross-sectional study used a Spanish-language survey from May–August 2021 among 483 Spanish speakers living in the US and Puerto Rico. We applied multivariable Poisson regression with robust error variances to assess the association between independent variables and binary outcomes for vaccine acceptance versus hesitance, as well as misinformation endorsement. Vaccine acceptance was associated with COVID-19 risk perception score (PR = 1.7 high vs. low perceived risk), opinion of government transparency (PR = 2.2 very transparent vs. not transparent), and trust in vaccine information (PR = 1.8 high vs. low). There was also an interaction between time spent on social media and social media as a main source of COVID-19 information (p = 0.0484). Misinformation endorsement was associated with opinion about government transparency (PR = 0.5 moderately vs. not transparent), trust in vaccine information (PR = 0.5 high vs. low trust), social media impact on vaccine confidence (PR = 2.1 decreased vs. increased confidence), distrust vaccines (PR = 1.9 distrust vs. trust), using vaccine information from Facebook (PR = 1.4 yes vs. no), and time spent on social media by those using social media as main source of COVID-19 vaccine information (p = 0.0120). Vaccine acceptance in respondents with high misinformation endorsement scores was 0.7 times those with low scores. These findings highlight the importance of effective information dissemination, the positive role of social media, and government transparency in boosting vaccine uptake among Spanish speakers in the US. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The relevance of marketing to explain financial success has been seldom investigated. In this scene, the purpose of this study is to analyze whether the correlations between four marketing strategies and seven financial measures has increased (or not) over time. Design/methodology/approach: To reach these objectives, secondary information about 500 companies operating in the USA was analyzed. This information was listed on the US Standard & Poor's 500-company index (SPX Charts, 2019). Data were collected for eight different periods of time (from year 2009 to year 2016) and for 11 different industries. Multiple regression analysis and ANOVA tests were used. Findings: First, two marketing investment decisions out of four (brand value and price) have displayed a significant and incremental change over time. The other marketing investment decisions (brand rank, communication and service) have not increased their importance with time. Second, in two investment decisions (brand value and price), correlations found with financial measures have strengthened over time. Research limitations/implications: This study was conducted on large US public companies. Studying other sectors within the USA such as small capitalization firms or privately owned firms can lead to future discoveries, while looking at similar companies in different countries, could provide compare and contrast opportunities. Second, no qualitative data were obtained in this study, leaving potential for gaps in knowledge that could be remedied by qualitative analysis. Third, given that all marketing investment was considered of equal value in the present paper, future research could be done to avoid this limitation. Practical implications: From a practical approach, the authors want to eliminate the dissonance between marketing and accounts as far as the lack of "marketing accountability" (Webster et al., 2003, p. 27) has lead marketing to "lost its seat at the table" (Kumar and Shah, 2009, p 119). That is, they want to call the attention to the relevance of investing in diverse marketing tools at the same time from an accounting approach, showing how these tools can be used to improve financial results. Kumar (2015) explains how, as companies strive to cut costs, meet annual revenue targets and maximize efficiency, less attention is being placed on the importance of forward-looking marketing strategies. The authors would like to show how favorable financial results are linked to diverse marketing investments. As Arslanagic-Kalajdzic et al. (2018) have underlined, there is a need for building, improving and sustaining marketing accountability within the firm and its relevance for value. Originality/value: From an academic approach, the added value is to adopt a longitudinal perspective to analyze the evolution of marketing investment over time and its interesting results, given that, until now, most of the studies have focused on a specific period (Anderson et al., 2004; Fornell et al., 2006). Previous works have scarcely noticed that by better understanding how marketing investments impact regularly used financial variables, stakeholders can better assess the inner workings of a company (Ambler et al., 2001). Bridging this academic gap from a longitudinal perspective will enable marketing workers and accounting workers to act cohesively to cultivate successful companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Workplace stress costs £3.7bn per annum in the UK and in excess of $300bn per annum in the USA. The purpose of this paper is to examine the existence, strength and direction of relationships between perceptions of social support, work–life conflict, job performance and workplace stress in an Irish higher education institution. Design/methodology/approach: The selected theoretical framework consisted of a combination of reward imbalance theory, expectancy theory and equity theory. An organizational stress screening survey instrument was used to survey the staff (n = 1,420) of an academic institution. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationships between the independent variables (social support, work–life conflict, job performance), the covariates (staff category, direct reports, age, gender), and the dependent variable (workplace stress). Findings: The results showed a negative correlation between social support and workplace stress, a positive correlation between work–life conflict and workplace stress, and a negative correlation between job performance and workplace stress (p < 0.05). The results also revealed significant relationships between the covariates direct reports and gender and the dependent variable workplace stress. Practical implications: The findings from this research can trigger an organizational approach where educational leaders can enable workplace change by developing and implementing social support and work–life strategies, and potential pathways to reduce levels of workplace stress and improve quality of life for employees and enhance performance. Originality/value: The examination and establishment of particular relationships between social support, work–life conflict and job performance with workplace stress is significant for managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Health-related quality of life constructs has been used to understand the multiple dimensions (i.e., physical health, psychological, environment and social relationships) that affect a person's health status. In order to improve health-related quality of life for young adults, it is important to understand the factors that influence each dimension. The purpose of this paper was to examine the influence of the presence of autism spectrum disorder and physical activity on the multiple domains of health-related quality of life for young adults. Methods: Three-hundred and twenty participants, including young adults with ASD, completed a questionnaire about their physical activity and health-related quality of life. Results: Five multiple regressions revealed that the presence of autism spectrum disorder significantly predicted overall health-related quality of life, the physical health domain, psychological domain, and the environment domain. Additionally, physical activity significantly predicted each domain and overall health-related quality of life regardless of the presence of autism spectrum disorder. Conclusion: Practitioners should recognize the limitations that individuals with autism spectrum disorder may experience regarding their health-related quality of life, and utilize physical activity as a tool for improving health-related quality of life. Implications for Rehabilitation: In order to address an individual's overall health, practitioners must consider multiple dimensions of health-related quality of life. Autism spectrum disorders influence how people perceive multiple dimensions of their health. Physical activity is a tool for improving perceptions of the multiple dimensions of health for individuals with and without autism spectrum disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommend that pregnant women receive the Tdap vaccine during every pregnancy. The objectives of this paper are to evaluate disparities in Tdap vaccination among pregnant women in the U.S., and to assess whether race/ethnicity and other characteristics are associated with factors that inform pregnant women's decisions about Tdap vaccination. Methods We conducted a nationwide cross-sectional web-based survey of pregnant women in the U.S. during June-July 2014. The primary outcome was self-reported vaccination status with Tdap during pregnancy, categorized as vaccinated, unvaccinated with intent to be vaccinated during the current pregnancy, and unvaccinated with no intent to be vaccinated during the current pregnancy. Secondary outcomes included factors that influenced women's decisions about vaccination and information needs. We used multivariable logistic regression models to estimate odds ratios for associations between race/ethnicity and the outcomes. Results Among pregnant women who completed the survey, 41% (95% CI 36-45%) reported that they had received Tdap during the current pregnancy. Among those women in the third trimester at the time of survey, 52% (95% CI 43-60%) had received Tdap during the current pregnancy. Hispanic women had higher Tdap vaccination than white women and black women (53%, p < 0.05, compared with 38 and 36%, respectively). In logistic regression models adjusting for maternal age, geographic region, education, and income, Hispanic women were more likely to have been vaccinated with Tdap compared with white women (aOR 2.29, 95% CI 1.20-4.37). Higher income and residing in the western U.S. were also independently associated with Tdap vaccination during pregnancy. Twenty-six percent of surveyed women had not been vaccinated with Tdap yet but intended to receive the vaccine during the current pregnancy; this proportion did not differ significantly by race/ethnicity. The most common factor that influenced women to get vaccinated was a health care provider (HCP) recommendation. The most common reason for not getting vaccinated was a concern about safety of the vaccine. Conclusions This study found that some disparities exist in Tdap vaccination among pregnant women in the U.S., and HCPs have an important role in providing information and recommendations about the maternal Tdap recommendation to pregnant women so they can make informed vaccination decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has found that there are certain personality characteristics that predict whether one is likely to become a target of workplace mistreatment, and that these characteristics provoke such behavior (Milam, Spitzmüller, & Penney, 2009). The present paper aims to replicate and expand Milam et al.'s paper by looking at workplace incivility in two parts of the world, the United States and Romania, and two types of sources (self and coworker) to see if this phenomenon is uniquely American, or if it is present in another, very different culture. Our findings indicate that in both countries, low levels of agreeableness and high levels of neuroticism are associated with individuals' reports of receiving higher levels of workplace incivility than their counterparts, and that from the coworkers' perspectives, this incivility is provoked by the targets of the mistreatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]