Search

The rapid expansion of smartphone‐based diet applications has been driven by the growing prevalence of mobile technology among consumers and their diverse lifestyle preferences. This study seeks to analyze the factors influencing the use of these applications. The conceptual framework combines three models: the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT2), the DeLone and McLean information system (IS) (D&M IS) success model, and the protection motivation model. Conducted in Saudi Arabia, the research employed a quantitative methodology with a survey questionnaire administered to 572 customers. The study, validated through partial least squares (PLS) structural equation modeling (PLS‐SEM), identified several significant predictors for the intention to use smartphone diet applications. These include performance expectancy (PE), effort expectancy (EE), social influence (SI), price value (PV), IS, and service quality (SEQ), as well as perceived vulnerability and perceived severity. Contrary to expectations, factors like facilitating conditions (FCs) and hedonic motivation (HM) did not significantly impact behavioral intention. This pioneering study sheds light on the adoption of smartphone diet applications in an emerging economy, offering valuable insights for scholars, developers, and health professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread availability of vaccines has profound implications for sustainable public health. Positive recommendation on vaccination is one of the most effective ways to increase the willingness to vaccinate against COVID-19. This study aims to investigate the factors influencing the intentions to recommend COVID-19 vaccination for specific groups (IRCVSG) and the intentions to recommend COVID-19 vaccination for non-specific groups (IRCVNSG) in China and explore the mediating role of vaccine hesitancy and perception of vaccination information. This study conducted a cross-sectional anonymous online survey of adults (N = 903) in 28 provincial-level administrative regions in China in May 2022. The prevalence of IRCVSG and IRCVNSG was 60.5% and 93.0%, respectively. Health information literacy has a significant direct and indirect impact on IRCVSG through safety hesitancy and the perceived adequacy and usefulness of vaccination information. The relationship between health information literacy and IRCVNSG is entirely mediated via hesitation about the effectiveness and perceived usefulness of vaccination information. Special attention should be paid to the safety hesitation of COVID-19 vaccination for specific groups. This study tests these effects from both theoretical and practical perspectives, helping to address barriers to promoting the vaccination of specific groups for COVID-19 in clinical practice, improving health and sustainability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teacher self-concept and efficacy have been investigated with burnout separately, while the two self-beliefs might work together to impact burnout. Guided by a model of the cyclical nature of teacher efficacy, we aimed to extend previous work on self-perceived predictors of teacher burnout by simultaneously investigating teacher self-concept and efficacy to detect the possibility of teacher efficacy being a mediator between teacher self-concept and burnout as well as whether such relationship remains constant across all groups of teachers with different gender and teaching experience. A sample of 1892 teachers across seven Chinese geographical regions completed a self-reported questionnaire addressing self-concept, efficacy, burnout and demographic variables. Structural equation modelling indicated that teacher self-concept influenced the burnout dimensions of emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and reduced personal accomplishment via teacher efficacy. Further multi-group analysis suggested that this mechanism worked equally across different gender and teaching experience groups. With a non-western teacher sample, teacher efficacy was found to work as a mediator between teacher self-concept and burnout. The finding especially contributes to the knowledge in the teacher efficacy literature. The integrated relationship should be further explored in other cultures.

Presenteeism behaviour (working while one is ill or experiencing cognitive or emotional difficulties) and the consequent productivity loss are attracting growing attention. Without proper support, employees who are under stress or ill are prone to presenteeism, which incurs invisible burdens on organizations. In this study, we focussed on productivity loss due to presenteeism (PRE) among the ageing workforce, because this group may be more vulnerable to productivity loss due to age‐related deteriorating cognitive functions and physical abilities. We established a longitudinal latent difference score model over a two‐wave period so we could examine whether and how the work–nonwork interface mediates the effects of work support and workplace discrimination (DIS) on PRE. The results showed that the work–nonwork interface fully mediated the positive influence of DIS on PRE as well as the negative influence of supervisor support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The current study aims to empirically evaluate the direct relationship between the proportion of pharmaceutical spending and total medical expenditure in China in a recent decade period.Methods: A two-way fixed-effect model was established to estimate the relationship between the proportion of pharmaceutical spending and total medical expenditure using the balanced panel data for thirty provincial-level administrative regions in mainland China from 2010 to 2019.Results: The proportion of pharmaceutical spending was significantly positively related to inpatient and outpatient expenditure, with coefficients of 0.30 (p = 0.014) and 0.58 (p = 0.002), respectively. This positive correlation was not significant in the eastern regions, likely due to the unexpected supply-side coping behaviors brought about by the compulsory control of the proportion of pharmaceutical spending. We investigated the improvement of service efficiency could significantly alleviate the burden of medical expenses.Conclusion: Our research provided empirical evidence for the necessity of using the proportion of pharmaceutical spending as a cost control indicator and showed the factors that may affect the amount of medical expenditure, emphasizing the significance of improving the efficiency of resource utilization to compensate for the unintended behaviors and effects caused by single index assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine if job stress, health, and presenteeism differ between healthcare workers at Chinese public and private hospitals. This cross-sectional study analyzed the records of 1080 healthcare workers in eastern, central, and western China for the period from January2015 through November2015. Data on challenge stress, hindrance stress, health, and presenteeism were collected. Using univariate and multivariate regression and SPSS, we investigated differences between Chinese public and private hospitals in China. Challenge stress, hindrance stress, and presenteeism, but not health status, significantly differed between healthcare workers at public and private hospitals in China. Challenge stress and hindrance stress were significantly higher in public hospitals, while presenteeism was significantly lower in private hospitals. The significant differences between public and private hospitals are attributable to differences in the business practices and management of public and private hospitals. To achieve successful long-term medical reform in China, the adverse effects of psychosocial factors should be considered in future research plans and policies. Chinese hospitals urgently require improvements in management and leadership. Reform efforts should encompass fields such as management science, psychology, and the behavioral sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]