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BackgroundMedical crowdfunding has emerged as a growing field for fundraising opportunities. Some environmental trends have driven the emergence of campaigns to raise funds for medical care. These trends include lack of medical insurance, economic backlash following the 2008 financial collapse, and shortcomings of health care regulations. ObjectiveResearch regarding crowdfunding campaign use, reasons, and effects on the provision of medical care and individual relationships in health systems is limited. This study aimed to explore the nature and dimensions of the phenomenon of medical crowdfunding using a visual analytics approach and data crawled from the GoFundMe crowdfunding platform in 2019. We aimed to explore and identify the factors that contribute to a successful campaign. MethodsThis data-driven study used a visual analytics approach. It focused on descriptive analytics to obtain a panoramic insight into medical projects funded through the GoFundMe crowdfunding platform. ResultsThis study highlighted the relevance of positioning the campaign for fundraising. In terms of motivating donors, it appears that people are typically more generous in contributing to campaigns for children rather than those for adults. The results emphasized the differing dynamics that a picture posted in the campaign brings to the potential for medical crowdfunding. In terms of donor’s motivation, the results show that a picture depicting the pediatric patient by himself or herself is the most effective. In addition, a picture depicting the current medical condition of the patient as severe is more effective than one depicting relative normalcy in the condition. This study also drew attention to the optimum length of the title. Finally, an interesting trend in the trajectory of donations is that the average amount of a donation decreases with an increase in the number of donors. This indicates that the first donors tend to be the most generous. ConclusionsThis study examines the relationship between social media, the characteristics of a campaign, and the potential for fundraising. Its analysis of medical crowdfunding campaigns across the states offers a window into the status of the country’s health care affordability. This study shows the nurturing role that social media can play in the domain of medical crowdfunding. In addition, it discusses the drivers of a successful fundraising campaign with respect to the GoFundMe platform.

This study explores the relationship between greenhouse gases (GHGs) and particulate emissions and quality of life. The aim is to understand how emissions affect quality of life globally—across countries, regions, and the global population. Statistical methods were used to examine the impact of various emissions' indicators on different aspects of quality of life. The study highlights the urgent need for climate change action and encourages policymakers to take strategic steps. Climate change adversely affects numerous aspects of daily life, leading to significant consequences that must be addressed through policy changes and global governance recommendations. Key findings include that higher CO2 and methane emissions and air pollution negatively impact quality of life. CO2 emissions are positively associated with electricity while air pollution is positively associated with GDP and negatively with unemployment. Air pollution has an adverse effect on all three aspects of the children's welfare dimension of quality of life. These results provide timely and convincing insights for policy- and decision-making aimed at mitigating the impact of emissions on quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While data breaches are a frequent and universal phenomenon, the characteristics and dimensions of data breaches are unexplored. In this novel exploratory research, we apply machine learning (ML) and text analytics to a comprehensive collection of data breach litigation cases to extract insights from the narratives contained within these cases. Our analysis shows stakeholders (e.g., litigants) are concerned about major topics related to identity theft, hacker, negligence, FCRA (Fair Credit Reporting Act), cybersecurity, insurance, phone device, TCPA (Telephone Consumer Protection Act), credit card, merchant, privacy, and others. The topics fall into four major clusters: "phone scams", "cybersecurity", "identity theft", and "business data breach". By utilizing ML, text analytics, and descriptive data visualizations, our study serves as a foundational piece for comprehensively analyzing large textual datasets. The findings hold significant implications for both researchers and practitioners in cybersecurity, especially those grappling with the challenges of data breaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technology empowers entrepreneurs to pursue alternative funding through platforms like crowdfunding. This research explores significant startup funding factors using Crunchbase. Controlling for common factors (acquisition/fundingrounds/IPO), the research uniquely focuses on web attention - the visibility on social media - and its impact on funding. It also examines the moderating influence of startup's home country culture (individualism/collectivism). Findings show stronger positive impact of web attention on startup funding for collectivist countries. While individualistic investors value personal goals, collectivists value collaborative goals - inclinations that align with crowdfunding behavior. Therefore while increasing web attention, crowdfunding efforts can be targeted towards collectivist countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the condition of chronic diseases and the association with demographics, hospital statistics, and spending. It provides a contemporary view of the current state of chronic diseases and conditions of Medicare beneficiaries in the United States. The data is drawn from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services for the years 2007–2015. Using visualization tools and descriptive analytics, a series of charts are developed to surface and describe the key characteristics and dimensions of chronic conditions across key regions and races in the U.S. The study indicates the wide prevalence of several chronic diseases cutting across race, region, and other indicators. It implies the need to formulate policies for targeted populations. It is important to conduct such studies periodically to understand the nature and effects of chronic diseases. The results inform policymakers whose job it is to evaluate the efficacy of policies and strategies in the management and prevention of chronic diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]