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Prior research shows that using mimetic isomorphism to select price/quality product strategies results in superior performance in the United States, the European Union, and Japan for both developed economy and emerging market manufacturers. However, do these results generalize in the case of emerging market service providers? Due to the nature of services, customers cannot gauge service quality prior to consumption, and they must rely on other cues; commonly, consumers rely on the brand name as a proxy. We theorize that for emerging market service providers, choosing a strategy of "distinctiveness" (pursuing a nondominant price/quality strategy) offers a way to differentiate their offering from the mimetic choice, resulting in superior performance. Implications for theory and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: Refugees typically experience poorer health compared with people from non-refugee backgrounds, and health literacy may play a part in this discrepancy. Using the WHO's revised health literacy definitions as a framework, this qualitative study sought to examine the health literacy experiences and practices of Australian resettled refugees from Myanmar from refugee and service provider perspectives. Methods: Four refugee participant focus groups (n = 27) along with one focus group and four interviews with service providers (n = 7) were conducted in Melbourne, Australia, and analysed using deductive content analysis. Results: Our study found that in addition to individual health literacy, community literacy was practiced by Myanmar refugees, thus highlighting the relevance of social support to health literacy. Furthermore, our study found gaps in healthcare service provision and resourcing related to health literacy development and responsiveness by the healthcare system. Conclusions: Our study confirms the relevance of WHO's revised health literacy definitions to Myanmar refugees while also discussing, in the context of nutrition and dietetics practice, the importance of understanding the different aspects of health literacy and how this relates to working with those who are most marginalised to improve their health and wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about care providers' expectations for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and intellectual disabilities (ID) in Ghana. This study used group concept mapping (n = 9) and a quantitative survey (n = 128) to explore and compare service providers' and parents' expectations for children with ASD or ID. Data were analyzed using hierarchical clustering procedures and Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA). Concept mapping results revealed several expectation clusters, including independence, love and acceptance, equal social rights and opportunities, and professional and caregiver training. MANOVA results revealed significant differences between parents, teachers, and healthcare providers in their perceptions of the importance and likelihood of a child achieving these expectations. Results are discussed in reference to the cultural context, and implications are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the movement of money in a financial infrastructure built to conceal its origin and destination. The literature has addressed this theme in the field of money laundering, converting illegal money into a legitimate source, yet less is known about the reverse process, hiding and transferring legally generated resources to pay kickbacks to officials. We aim to analyze how these money dirtying schemes operate and explore their hidden mechanisms. The paper studies what happens to money in an unseen financial cluster and identifies the main actors and infrastructures essential for managing such process. Using desk research and qualitative analysis of various documents, the article examines the corruption scheme designed by the Odebrecht group to generate resources to bribe politicians and bureaucrats in Latin American and Sub-Saharan countries. It zooms in on one key component of this system, a cluster around two Peruvian entrepreneurs, where money becomes hidden from the eyes of law enforcement agencies and investigators. The main contribution lies in the conceptual distinction between money laundering and money dirtying schemes and the opportunity to expose and interpret the otherwise invisible critical processes of such illicit resource movements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Death registration in Nepal is incomplete, which limits its utility as a routine source of mortality data to inform policy development. This study uses data from the Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) Survey 2015/16 in Nepal conducted among households and CRVS service providers (local registrars) to assess the likelihood of death registration, using logistic regression with covariates of socio-economic, demographic and geographic characteristics. Respondents’ main reasons for registration and non-registration of deaths and ways to improve the CRVS system are also analysed. Death registration (70%) was more likely where the decedent was male (77%) versus female (60%), older aged (45 years and above 70%) versus young aged (0–14 years 26%) or died of injuries (more than 70%) compared with maternal causes (12%), where the household head’s education was higher and where the household haf more communication facilities. There were also large differences death registration by province and for certain ethnic groups. The main reasons for death registration were to transfer property entitlements, access social security or for other legal processes (a combined 85% of registered deaths). The major reason for non-registration of deaths according to most households (72%) and service providers (70%) was that it was not necessary. Both households and service providers stated that registration would be made more convenient by arranging mobile teams for registration, allowing registration at place of occurrence, and promoting online registration. The barriers and enablers identified in this study are valuable evidence to inform CRVS strengthening efforts in Nepal and other countries facing a similar challenge of incomplete death registration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study attempted to identify the barriers to the utilization of mental health services among the Arab society in Israel, as perceived by professionals working with this population. Twenty-seven therapists from community mental health services participated in structured in-depth interviews with at least 5 years of experience. Five main types of barriers to the utilization of mental health services were discovered: barriers related to attitudes and perceptions regarding mental disorders and their treatment, low literacy in the field of mental health, exposure and stigma, family characteristics and cultural values, and instrumental barriers. Flexibility and sensitivity to the socio-cultural context of the target population while allocating resources to create equality in access to mental health care may increase the utilization of mental health services in a traditional society such as the Arab society in Israel. • The underutilization of mental health services harms the mental health of the Arab minority population in Israel. • Service providers indicated several barriers to the utilization of mental health services among the population. • Cultural competence among service providers and establishing equality in the allocation of resources for the accessibility of mental care to the population may significantly increase service utilization and improve the mental health of the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the wide use of information technologies including Big Data and artificial intelligence (AI), consumers' personal actions (their search history, transaction records, click-through behaviors, etc.) can be tracked, recorded and analyzed by the service provider (e.g., Google) to provide personalized services. Under the current regime, consumers usually hand over their personal data for free in exchange for high-quality services. As it becomes more and more commonly accepted that "data is property," should consumers be entitled to claim their property rights over their personal data? New technologies emerge to empower consumers to control their own data, and the service provider may need to compensate for the usage of such data. How consumers and the service provider should react to such technologies, however, is not clear. We build a theoretical model in which consumers have different sensitivities towards their data ownership. We show that the impact of the data ownership shift depends not only on the service provider's revenue structure and the discount in the service quality offered to non-data-providing consumers, but also on whether and how consumers are compensated. More importantly, if the service provider can endogenously adjust the qualities of services provided to consumers, the shift of data ownership may not necessarily benefit consumers, or harm the service provider. We also offer guidelines for data regulation policy designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Care coordination is crucial to ensure the health of individuals with serious mental illness. The aim of this study was to describe and analyze an inclusive innovation process for coordinating municipal health and care services for individuals with serious mental illness. Methods We conducted café dialogues with professionals and service users with serious mental illness. The café dialogues engaged participants in conversation and knowledge exchange about care coordination, adressing topics of efficiency, challenges, and improvement. We used a responsible innovation framework to analyze the innovation process. Results Responsible coordination requires promoting service users’ health and ensuring communication and mutual awareness between professionals. Individual-level factors supporting responsible coordination included service users knowing their assigned professionals, personalized healthcare services, and access to meaningful activities. Provider-level factors included effective coordination routines, communication, information exchange, and professional familiarity. Results reflect professionals’ and service users’ perspectives on efficient care coordination, existing challenges, and measures to improve care coordination. Conclusion Café dialogues are an inclusive, participatory method that can produce insights into the responsible coordination of municipal health and care services for individuals with serious mental illness. The responsible innovation framework is helpful in identifying care coordination challenges and measures for responsible coordination.

The purpose of this study is to examine whether there is a relationship between the formality of police stop outcomes (e.g., no action v. citation) for stops involving individuals experiencing homelessness and the distance of the stop to service providers. We combine several datasets from the city of San Diego to assess our research question, including: police administrative data from the California Department of Justice, location datasets of food banks, homeless shelters, emergency medical and behavior facilities, and detox centers. Using logistic regressions, we model two outcomes – formality of a stop outcome and noncriminal transportation – with distance to within-city service providers and stop characteristics. We find that as proximity to detox facilities and food banks increases, the likelihood of formal outcomes also increases. Yet, when stops occur farther from emergency housing resources there is a reduction in the likelihood of formal outcomes. As the proximity from food banks increases there is also an increase in the likelihood of noncriminal/caretaking transport. Increasing police accessibility to service providers may reduce the use of formal justice-system outcomes in police encounters with individuals experiencing homelessness, which may also reduce the unintended consequences of entering the justice system for individuals experiencing homelessness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study used simulation-based research (SBR) to gain a better understanding of how intimate partner violence (IPV) service providers engage in trauma-informed practice in a simulated session with a standardized patient. Our qualitative study recruited 18 IPV service providers from Canada and the United States. Each participant engaged in a virtual 30-minute case-based simulated session with an actor portraying a survivor of IPV experiencing vulnerabilities related to violence and immigration status. Following each simulation, IPV service providers participated in a 30- to 45-minute reflective dialogue. The data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Identified themes included: (a) simulation builds trauma-informed responses that recognize intersecting identities (e.g., race, immigration status, culture) and (b) simulation helps train service providers in responding to IPV. Implications for social work research and practice, including the benefits of using simulation for training IPV service providers, will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accessibility, acceptance, and effectiveness of domestic violence (DV) services and resources are crucial for survivors, but previous research indicates that Black immigrant survivors face barriers in receiving and using support from formal services. The purpose of this study was to investigate how service providers perceive the available services and resources for survivors of domestic violence, particularly for Black immigrant survivors, and assess the adequacy of these services. This study aims to explore the following questions: 1. How do service providers perceive the adequacy and accessibility of support resources and services for Black immigrant survivors of DV in Calgary? 2. To what extent do existing services and supports meet the needs of Black immigrant survivors of DV, as perceived by service providers? A hermeneutic phenomenological study was conducted with 10 domestic violence service providers in Calgary who were interviewed in-depth to address these questions. The findings revealed that while numerous services and support are available for domestic violence survivors, Black immigrant survivors face barriers in accessing these services due to limited culturally relevant services, language barriers, transportation issues, financial issues, and lack of training among professionals. This research significantly contributed to the body of knowledge and recommendations to facilitate positive experiences for Black immigrant survivors receiving formal services. Overall, the study highlights the need for culturally sensitive services and training for professionals to support Black immigrant survivors of domestic violence better. The implications for research, practice, and policy are discussed in the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Market stewardship of social care quasi-markets has been an important area of inquiry. While most focus has been on central government stewardship, local level actors can also play a role. Using a case study of the Australian National Disability Insurance scheme, this article focuses on both how service providers can be market stewards and whether they should be. Findings suggest that while some aspects of market stewardship are appropriate for service providers to perform, others may be better done by different actors. We propose a preliminary framework for distributed stewardship to help join up the work of local level actors with central agencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Introduction: Quality abortion care must be person‐centered. Although academic literature has focused on full‐spectrum and abortion doulas supporting instrumentation abortion (also referred to as procedural abortion) clients, clients undergoing medication abortion remain understudied and may have unique needs. We aimed to understand United States (US) abortion support providers' perceptions of medication abortion clients' support needs by exploring which needs they address, which needs remain unmet, and how remote support provision might help address client needs. Methodology: Between April and October 2018, we conducted 60‐ to 90‐min semi‐structured, in‐depth interviews by telephone with medication abortion support providers. The interviews focused on their experiences providing support to medication abortion clients in the US. We used a deductive thematic analysis approach. Results: We interviewed 16 abortion support providers affiliated with nine US‐based organizations. Six participants provided in‐person support to medication abortion clients, five provided remote support, and five provided both remote and in‐person support. Both in‐person and remote providers described offering support that addressed clients' informational, emotional, physical, spiritual, and logistical needs. Through participant narratives, we identified interwoven benefits and challenges to remote support care provision. Participants highlighted that most medication abortion clients did not have a support provider. Discussion: Participants revealed that abortion support providers, including remote support providers, can be a critical component of high‐quality abortion care provision. More work is needed to ensure all abortion clients have access to support services as the abortion landscape in the US continues to evolve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research suggests that youth rarely seek formal help for their problems and tend to turn for assistance to those with whom they interact regularly. The current investigations examined the help-seeking patterns of teenagers in their relationships with service providers from the service providers' perspectives. A preliminary quantitative study (Study 1), based on responses of 424 service providers, examined service providers' view of adolescents' approach to them. It maps the expectations, considerations, and difficulties that characterise adolescents' help-seeking efforts as perceived by these professionals. Furthermore, a qualitative study (Study 2), based on 20 semi-structured interviews of hairdressers and driving instructors, enabled a deeper understanding of adolescents' help-seeking patterns, including the facilitating or constraining aspects of adolescents' relationships with these service providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Future planning is a way of supporting people with intellectual disabilities and their families to think about their support needs as both groups age. Adults with intellectual disabilities, family members, and service providers are often involved in planning processes. However, it is unclear whose perspectives dominate in the literature and how these might vary. A scoping review of qualitative studies (2012–2022) was undertaken to identify which perspectives are present in research on adults with intellectual disabilities and future planning, and to examine key aspects of their future planning experience. The perspectives of parents and siblings predominate in the research. Those of adults with intellectual disabilities and service providers are underrepresented. The views of adults with intellectual disabilities need to be elevated in future planning and they need to be meaningfully involved in planning processes. Focus on the experiences of service providers is likewise needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vendor capabilities development has been an important research stream in the information systems (IS) sourcing literature. The existing research, which was based on the context of implementing centralized enterprise systems, focused on the adoption of deliberate learning and implicit learning, with the assumption that effective selection between these two learning approaches is sufficient for service providers to acquire vendor capabilities. However, this assumption may not hold in implementing a decentralized system based on enterprise blockchain. Because an enterprise blockchain system affords a new way of governing transactions and demands a new governance mode, it creates an uncertain and complex landscape in which the mere selection between deliberate learning and implicit learning becomes insufficient. Addressing this gap is crucial because many enterprise blockchain projects fail due to the incompetence of service providers. By conducting an in-depth case study of a successful blockchain service provider, our study reveals a new mechanism for developing vendor capabilities: parallel play. As with parallel play by preschoolers, the service provider combines a set of learning approaches featuring borrowing from peers and learning through experimentation. Our study extends the IS sourcing literature on vendor capabilities development from the context of implementing centralized enterprise systems to the context of implementing decentralized enterprise blockchain systems. Our findings also provide guidelines for blockchain service providers to follow when acquiring vendor capabilities and for clients to use when selecting service providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

This qualitative study examines current IPV service providers' perspectives on service delivery methods that best reach and serve IPV survivors from culturally diverse communities. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 service providers, and transcripts were analyzed for themes related to service providers' experiences. Five themes emerged from the data that suggest best practices for reaching and serving survivors from culturally diverse backgrounds, including understanding survivors' backgrounds, promoting trust and inclusivity, building community relationships, providing culturally responsive education on IPV, and supporting current and future staff with training. Study findings provide implications for the education and training of future service providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Within North America and worldwide, drug related overdoses have increased dramatically over the past decade. COVID-19 escalated the need for a safer supply to replace unregulated substances and to reduce toxicity and overdoses. Service providers play an integral role in the delivery of safer supply but there is little empirical evidence that conceptualizes effective safer supply from their perspectives. This study explored early implementation and impacts of a safer supply program, capturing the perspectives of an interdisciplinary team of service providers on tensions and issues encountered in the development of the SAFER program. Methods Using a community-based participatory approach, we conducted individual interviews with program providers (n = 9). The research team was composed of researchers from a local drug user organization, a local harm reduction organization, and academic researchers. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) informed the interview guide. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Results There are six themes describing early implementation: (1) risk mitigation prescribing as context for early implementation; (2) developing SAFER specific clinical protocols; (3) accessibility challenges and program innovations; (4) interdisciplinary team and wraparound care; (5) program tensions between addiction medicine and harm reduction; (6) the successes of safer supply and future visions. Conclusion Early implementation issues and tensions included prescriber concerns about safer supply prescribing in a highly politicized environment, accessibility challenges for service users such as stigma, encampment displacement, OAT requirements, program capacity and costs, and tensions between addiction medicine and harm reduction. Navigating these tensions included development of clinical protocols, innovations to reduce accessibility challenges such as outreach, wraparound care, program coverage of medication costs and prescribing safer supply with/without OAT. These findings contribute important insights for the development of prescribed safer supply programs.

Abstract Background Mental health service utilization remains a challenge in developing countries, with numerous barriers affecting access to care. Albeit data suggest poor utilization of mental health services in the Bolgatanga Municipality in Ghana, no studies have explored the barriers to the utilization of mental health services. Therefore, this study explored the perspectives of family caregivers, service providers, and mental health service administrators on the barriers to mental health service utilization in the Bolgatanga Municipality, Ghana. Methods A qualitative descriptive design was employed for the study. Nineteen participants were purposively sampled from two hospitals including fifteen family caregivers, two service providers, and two mental health administrators. Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews using a semi-structured interview guide. Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed using NVivo 12 pro software. Results Five main themes emerged including individual-level barriers, interpersonal barriers, community-level barriers, organizational-level barriers, and policy-level barriers. At the individual level, lack of insight, poor treatment compliance, and financial challenges were prominent barriers. Interpersonal barriers included family pressure influenced by cultural and spiritual beliefs. At the community level, stigma and mental health illiteracy were identified as significant barriers. At the organizational level, barriers encompassed inadequate staffing, limited space, and staff attitudes. Policy-level barriers included the neglect of mental health in policies and the non-inclusion of mental health services in the National Health Insurance Scheme. Conclusion This study highlights the complexity of barriers to mental health service utilization and underscores the need for a comprehensive approach to address them. Collaborative efforts involving healthcare providers, policymakers, communities, and families are essential to mitigate these barriers. It is imperative to consider these barriers when developing strategies to improve the utilization of mental health services in Ghana.

Anger is a well-recognised but little understood emotion in postdisaster contexts. For service providers working in recovery environments, it is critical to understand anger to ensure effective supports and interventions are mobilised. This article describes findings from a study conducted four years after the 2009 Victorian Black Saturday bushfires. Thirty-eight community and service-provider participants were interviewed as individuals, dyads, or within focus groups about their own and others' experiences of anger. Postdisaster anger was described as more immediate, intense, and frequent than predisaster, and seen by participants as destructive, productive, and justified. Experiences and understandings differed by gender, and related to aggression, violence, and family violence. Service provision was a key trigger for anger, with leadership styles, community expectations, and community members' level of control over decision making being factors that shaped experience. Based on these findings, five proposed principles for anger-sensitive practice in disaster contexts, along with wider considerations for understanding anger, are provided. IMPLICATIONS This article provides unique understandings of the experience of anger following disaster, which are useful for social workers, community members and leaders, and other service providers. Research findings about anger experiences and outcomes postdisaster are synthesised into proposed principles for practice with disaster-impacted communities (that can potentially build capability prior to disasters). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally little is known regarding substance use service providers' perceptions of substitute behaviours and this significant gap could hinder service provision and recovery outcomes. Semi-structured focus group discussions (including 22 service providers across five sites) were conducted in residential treatment facilities in the Western Cape, South Africa. Service providers recognised substances (e.g. cigarettes and caffeine) and behaviours (e.g. gambling, eating, love, sex, shopping, exercise, and gaming) as potential substitutes. Identified substitute motives included managing cravings; self-medication; filling the experiential void of the primary substance, and time-spending. Concurrent behaviours and addictions were believed to be a key mechanism underlying substitution however, service providers did not uniformly screen for co-occurring behavioural addictions. Substitute behaviours were primarily considered a pathway to relapse and service providers emphasised prevention, detection and family education. To suitably intervene, screening for co-occurring behaviours should be an integral part of the assessment of those presenting for substance use treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Quality Indicators for Assistive Technology (QIAT) have played a critical role in the development and delivery of effective services for children with disabilities for the past 25 years. The idea for quality indicators was grassroots in origin and began in the 1990s. It grew through the involvement of hundreds of assistive technology (AT) service providers across the country. QIAT provided a way for individuals, teams, and agencies to analyze and improve their AT services. A range of tools to support the understanding and use of the quality indicators has been developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence shows that there is a high prevalence of mental health challenges including depression and anxiety, among Chinese university students. Providing mental health care providers with professional training is crucial to implementing effective mental health promotion initiatives in university settings. Globally, the focus of the mental health system is shifting to recovery and the importance of empowerment is increasingly being emphasized. There is a call to integrate empowerment education into professional training programs for health service providers with the goal of mobilizing them to become mental health champions capable of advancing mental health care. Method: The ACE-LYNX (Acceptance and Commitment to Empowerment-Linking Youth and Xin i.e., "heart(s)" in Chinese) intervention took place at six universities in Jinan, Shandong Province, China. It aimed to promote mental health literacy and build capacity among mental health service providers (MHSPs) to enable them to become mental health champions at their universities and beyond. A total of 139 university MHSPs participated. We collected pre-, immediate post- and three-month-post-surveys. In addition, we recruited forty-five participants to take part in three-month-post-intervention focus group interviews to explore their experiences taking part in ACE-LYNX and applying the knowledge, skills, and insights they gained from the intervention. Result: This paper reports on the effects of empowerment education, which is a key component of ACE-LYNX, on the MHSPs. Four themes were identified: 1) conscious awareness and behavioral change through psychological empowerment users; 2) professional insights and motivation for organizational empowerment; 3) non-self in the continuum of collective empowerment; and 4) interdisciplinary challenges and divergences in empowerment action. Discussion: We found that it is critical to integrate empowerment education into professional training. The process of MHSPs developing their empowerment practice is characterized by their moving from individual to collective empowerment along a continuum, with organizational and collective empowerment taking place in a longer time frame. Experiential learning, empathy education, and critical reflection accelerated the continuous iterative transformative process of empowerment practices. To advance the integration of empowerment into mental health care, the engagement of organizational decision-makers and policy makers in empowerment training is critical to ensure alignment of empowerment values and competence at all levels of service provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a dearth of research on trauma bonding among victims of sex trafficking. This study aims to fill this gap by seeking to understand how service providers working with survivors of sex trafficking conceptualize and observe trauma bonding in their clients. This qualitative study involved interviews with 10 participants. Purposeful sampling was employed among licensed social workers or counselors. Two themes emerged: defining trauma bonding (with four subthemes: embracing intensity, power imbalance, distortion of love, and inescapability) and the development of trauma bonds (with three subthemes: universality, gendered, and grooming). These findings provide much-needed insight into the complexities of trauma bonding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The object of research is decision-making processes regarding the provision of services within the framework of cross-border projects. To achieve the aim of the research, an analysis of the service provision market was first conducted, its features have been revealed and problems arising in the processes of its functioning have been identified. The main problem is to find the optimal distribution of services between performers in the service management system. A mathematical model of the problem of single- and multi-criteria optimization has been developed, where the problem is decomposed into independent sub-problems. The problem is presented in the form of a linear programming problem. Various efficiency criteria of the found distributions are proposed. Depending on the number of criteria, the problem will be a single-criteria Boolean programming problem or a multi-criteria optimization problem. An iterative method for finding the optimal distribution of services has been created, and individual methods are laid out in the form of production rules, which is understandable and allows to gain new knowledge. Based on the obtained data, a decision-making technology has been developed regarding the distribution of service consumers between performers. At the same time, decision-making methods were used, which allow optimizing the processes of service provision. A systematic approach was used when designing information technology. This made it possible to create an effective and problem-relevant technology that helps in making informed decisions about the distribution of services between participants of cross-border projects. A structural and functional diagram of the decision support system has been developed. Its structural elements are detailed. The obtained results reflect a thorough analysis of the current state of the services market and the development of effective decision-making technology, which contributes to the optimization of work in the field of cross-border projects. This approach can be useful for various subjects involved in the implementation and coordination of international projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Within North America and worldwide, drug related overdoses have increased dramatically over the past decade. COVID-19 escalated the need for a safer supply to replace unregulated substances and to reduce toxicity and overdoses. Service providers play an integral role in the delivery of safer supply but there is little empirical evidence that conceptualizes effective safer supply from their perspectives. This study explored early implementation and impacts of a safer supply program, capturing the perspectives of an interdisciplinary team of service providers on tensions and issues encountered in the development of the SAFER program. Methods: Using a community-based participatory approach, we conducted individual interviews with program providers (n = 9). The research team was composed of researchers from a local drug user organization, a local harm reduction organization, and academic researchers. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) informed the interview guide. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: There are six themes describing early implementation: (1) risk mitigation prescribing as context for early implementation; (2) developing SAFER specific clinical protocols; (3) accessibility challenges and program innovations; (4) interdisciplinary team and wraparound care; (5) program tensions between addiction medicine and harm reduction; (6) the successes of safer supply and future visions. Conclusion: Early implementation issues and tensions included prescriber concerns about safer supply prescribing in a highly politicized environment, accessibility challenges for service users such as stigma, encampment displacement, OAT requirements, program capacity and costs, and tensions between addiction medicine and harm reduction. Navigating these tensions included development of clinical protocols, innovations to reduce accessibility challenges such as outreach, wraparound care, program coverage of medication costs and prescribing safer supply with/without OAT. These findings contribute important insights for the development of prescribed safer supply programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Mental health service utilization remains a challenge in developing countries, with numerous barriers affecting access to care. Albeit data suggest poor utilization of mental health services in the Bolgatanga Municipality in Ghana, no studies have explored the barriers to the utilization of mental health services. Therefore, this study explored the perspectives of family caregivers, service providers, and mental health service administrators on the barriers to mental health service utilization in the Bolgatanga Municipality, Ghana. Methods A qualitative descriptive design was employed for the study. Nineteen participants were purposively sampled from two hospitals including fifteen family caregivers, two service providers, and two mental health administrators. Data were collected through individual in-depth interviews using a semi-structured interview guide. Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and thematically analyzed using NVivo 12 pro software. Results Five main themes emerged including individual-level barriers, interpersonal barriers, community-level barriers, organizational-level barriers, and policy-level barriers. At the individual level, lack of insight, poor treatment compliance, and financial challenges were prominent barriers. Interpersonal barriers included family pressure influenced by cultural and spiritual beliefs. At the community level, stigma and mental health illiteracy were identified as significant barriers. At the organizational level, barriers encompassed inadequate staffing, limited space, and staff attitudes. Policy-level barriers included the neglect of mental health in policies and the non-inclusion of mental health services in the National Health Insurance Scheme. Conclusion This study highlights the complexity of barriers to mental health service utilization and underscores the need for a comprehensive approach to address them. Collaborative efforts involving healthcare providers, policymakers, communities, and families are essential to mitigate these barriers. It is imperative to consider these barriers when developing strategies to improve the utilization of mental health services in Ghana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Method choice is an important component of quality abortion care and qualitative research suggests that abortion stigma can influence provider preference and provision of abortion methods. This study is the first to explore the relationships between abortion providers' method preferences, their provision of medication or instrumentation abortion or both methods, and abortion stigma. Methods: We conducted secondary analysis of a survey of United Kingdom (UK) abortion providers (N = 172) to describe and compare providers' self‐reported method preferences and provision. We used multinomial logistic regression to assess the association between method preference and provider experiences of abortion stigma (measured using a revised Abortion Provider Stigma Scale (APSS)), adjusting for relevant provider and facility characteristics. Results: Almost half (52%) of providers reported that they only provided medication abortion care, while 5% only provided instrumentation abortion care and 43% provided both methods. Most (62%) preferred to provide both methods while 32% preferred to provide only medication abortion and 6% only instrumentation abortion. There was no significant difference in revised APSS scores by provider method preference or provision. Discussion: Most surveyed UK abortion providers prefer to offer both methods, but over half only provide medication abortion. This may reflect patients' preferences for medication abortion, and health system and legal constraints on instrumentation abortion. Addressing these systemic constraints on method provision could expand patient choice. Providers' method preference was not significantly associated with provider stigma but future research should consider the influence of structural stigma on method provision at the health system level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the perceptions and experiences of providers of eating disorder services towards men to understand the challenges and barriers experienced by both professionals and patients in addressing the gender bias within this field. A total of 21 professionals took part in the study. Using interviews and focus groups, the study explored service providers' experience, understanding and knowledge in working with men with eating disorders using thematic analysis. Findings suggest that the growing issue of eating disorders affecting men, while a serious concern for practitioners, remains a 'touchy subject', a difficult and sometimes even uncomfortable topic for service providers to tackle. These findings provide insight into the challenges and barriers faced by professionals and men seeking help or treatment for an eating disorder and highlights the need for targeted training and resources to improve the eating disorders health literacy of service providers in relation to men's experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents service provider perspectives on young people and coercive control. Findings illustrate that young people need help from service providers to identify coercive control whilst simultaneously, some service providers minimise young people's experiences using an adult focused frame of reference. This has the potential to deny their agency and render young people's experiences invisible. We highlight the need for education on the specific issues young people face including how that might differ from adults. Finally, we examine the paradoxical role of social media as having transformative possibilities yet in a parallel process, creating opportunities for continued abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Practitioners who work in IPV services have over the years addressed core questions regarding causes and accountability for IPV. Accordingly, service providers' perspectives on IPV and treatment of men reveal that different organisations hold different ideologies, policies, and practices. The present study focused on the perspectives of directors of IPV services in Israel about IPV and men's treatment, and the way they are reflected in practice and policy. 29 directors of centres for violence prevention and treatment in Israel participated in in-depth, semi-structured focus group interviews. The analysis offered three main themes: (1) A process of changing from a 'gender' to a 'gender-inclusive' perspective. (2) A question of whether service providers should confront men about their role as aggressors at the beginning of treatment. (3) Who is the main client? The study reveals a tension that exists between a 'gender' and 'gender-inclusive' approach and stresses the need to raise professionals' awareness about assumptions and stereotypes regarding gender roles, and the way they reflected in policy and practice. In addition, the study emphasises the need to extend training to a variety of stakeholders, allowing them to see IPV as a complex problem, thus, improving policy, treatment, and working models of IPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract\nIMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONObjective: Access to assistive products (APs) is essential to maximising function, participation, and inclusion of persons with disabilities. Challenges to AP access in low- and middle-income countries include stigma, costs, supply, and rehabilitation capacity gaps. This study aimed to examine AT access in the context of a low-resource setting in rural South India. Objectives were to examine rehabilitation professionals’ perceptions of AP needs, barriers and facilitators of AP provision, and AT knowledge.Methods: A descriptive study design with a 2-part online survey methodology was utilized. This study was conducted in April-September 2020 at a non-governmental organization (NGO) serving children and adults with disabilities in 3 districts of rural South India. Purposive sampling of NGO’s multidisciplinary rehabilitation professionals (N=62) was used. The survey was developed based on WHO’s Assistive Products List (APL). Barriers and facilitators were classified according to the principles of AT access. Analyses revealed acceptability, affordability, and availability as the top three barrier themes across disciplines, including poor acceptance by clients/families due to stigma, high AP costs, and a long waitlist for government-provided devices. Acceptability, affordability, and accessibility were the top three facilitator themes, including community awareness, availability of AP funding, client/family education, and AT service provision training.Impact: Our study identified key enabling strategies for AT access, aimed at reducing reported barriers. Enabling AP provision was determined to be multi-factorial, aimed at users/ families, service providers, organizations, communities, and policymakers. Local stakeholder groups are crucial to understanding challenges and opportunities to AP provision within a low-resource context.Identified barriers to assistive product (AP) provision in rural South India include poor acceptance by clients/families due to stigma, high AP costs, limited AP availability, and rehabilitation capacity gaps.Suggested facilitators to AP provision in rural South India include improving AP acceptability, affordability, and accessibility through community awareness, client/family education, AP funding and supply, and assistive technology (AT) service provision capacity building.An organisational-level survey based on the WHO’s Priority Assistive Products List and the Principles of AT Access can identify local needs, barriers and facilitators.An AT access strategies in resource-limited areas may be developed based on barriers and facilitators identified by local/regional rehabilitation professionals.Identified barriers to assistive product (AP) provision in rural South India include poor acceptance by clients/families due to stigma, high AP costs, limited AP availability, and rehabilitation capacity gaps.Suggested facilitators to AP provision in rural South India include improving AP acceptability, affordability, and accessibility through community awareness, client/family education, AP funding and supply, and assistive technology (AT) service provision capacity building.An organisational-level survey based on the WHO’s Priority Assistive Products List and the Principles of AT Access can identify local needs, barriers and facilitators.An AT access strategies in resource-limited areas may be developed based on barriers and facilitators identified by local/regional rehabilitation professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demographic landscape of Norway is diversifying. These changes present challenges for frontline professionals working with immigrant parents raising children with disabilities. This article explored service providers' perspectives on the challenges they face in delivering services to immigrant adolescents and young adults with disabilities aged 16–25. The study generated qualitative data from seven informants from different state institutions using semi-structured interviews. Our findings showed that service providers encountered personal and organisational challenges, including communicating and collaborating with immigrant parents. Service agencies experienced underfunding, making them unable to cope with growing demands. Additionally, service providers experienced inter-agency cooperation and collaboration difficulties such as a lack of information sharing, even when they served the same clients. Increasing funding, staff training, and strengthening formal and informal communication with immigrant parents of children with disabilities can provide opportunities to improve service delivery. The Norwegian service apparatuses were designed to serve a homogenous population. Adjusting to a diversifying working environment by service providers was necessary to enhance service delivery. Service providers considered low participation by immigrant parents of disabled children in school activities had negative impacts on home-school partnership. They thought some immigrant parents were uninterested in the academic life of their children. Service providers faced communication challenges in service delivery because of language and cultural barriers. The use of untrained cultural brokers and translators was unhelpful in bridging the cultural and communication gaps. Service providers experience work pressure because of insufficient resources and a lack of cooperation and information sharing between agencies. The authors observed that agencies did not coordinate their activities. The study shows a need for in-service training on multiculturalism for professionals working with immigrant parents raising disabled children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Caring for children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN) is a significant undertaking for families. While respite care is intended to address this burden, demand continues to exceed supply. Exploring the perspectives of respite service providers (SPs) and stakeholders (SKs) provides unique insight into families' needs and respite care systems. Methods: We conducted semistructured interviews with 41 respite care SPs and SKs across four Canadian provinces to ascertain perspectives on current and ideal respite care for families of CYSHCN. The analysis included delineating units of meaning from the data, clustering units of meaning to form thematic statements and extracting themes. The second‐level analysis involved applying themes and subthemes to cross‐functional process maps. Findings: Participants noted the critical, but sometimes absent role of Community Service Workers, who have the ability to support families accessing and navigating respite care systems. SPs and SKs identified current respite systems as operating in crisis mode. New findings suggest an ideal respite care system would incorporate advocacy for families, empower families and value CYSHCN, their families and respite workers. Conclusion: The evidence of unmet respite care needs of families of CYSHCN across Canada has long been available. Our findings identifying respite system challenges and solutions can be used by funders and policymakers for planning and enhancing resources, and by healthcare professionals, respite care providers and SKs to understand barriers and take action to improve respite outcomes to meet the respite needs of all families and CYSHCN. Patient or Public Contribution: The research team is composed of patients, researchers, clinicians and decision‐makers along with our Family Advisory Committee (FAC) composed of members of families of CYSHNC. The FAC was formed and met regularly with research team members, knowledge users and collaborators throughout the study to provide input on design, review themes and ensure findings are translated and disseminated in a meaningful way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic exerted a devastating impact on all members of society, it highlighted the worsening inequalities experienced by marginalised groups such as people experiencing poverty and homelessness in South Africa. The pandemic also exacerbated the multiple demands and stressors of service providers working in homeless shelters. Hence, the study examined the experiences of service providers in terms of challenges and opportunities derived from working at homeless shelters in Tshwane, South Africa, during the hard lockdown from 27 March to 30 April 2020. Guided by a qualitative approach, five service providers were interviewed online. Thematic analysis revealed organizational challenges, such as a lack of knowledge and preparedness regarding disaster management, while client challenges included getting service users to adapt to living with rules. Organizational opportunities included the opportunity for the organization to conduct research, while personal opportunities included the learning experience of working with a vulnerable population during an unprecedented pandemic. Findings highlight the need for programmes to support the wellness needs of service providers and the development of a national policy on homelessness.

This study focuses on the legal system applicable to internet service providers. They are essential to the operation and management of internet activity and serve as a link between the network and its users, ensuring the provision of various client needs. Therefore, they are subject to several legislations, including the Algerian legislation. This can be observed in Law 04-09, which regulates them and includes specific provisions aimed at preventing and fighting crimes related to information technology and communication. This topic aims to explore the legal provisions and guidelines governing internet service providers and their responsibilities toward their clients under this law. The study has yielded a number of results, the foremost among which is that the Algerian legislator has been unable to fully address the legal aspects of Internet service providers, particularly since he has not differentiated between them in terms of criminal liability within the limits of their involvement in providing Internet services.

Abstract Purpose The COVID-19 pandemic led to major service disruptions in the healthcare sector, especially regarding sexual and reproductive health services. However, the impact of the pandemic on Canadian adolescents is relatively unknown. This study aimed to investigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated public health measures on the sexual and reproductive health (SRH) of adolescents in Alberta, Canada. Methods A qualitative study using an interpretive description (ID) approach and community-based participatory research principles was conducted to capture the subjective experience and perceptions of adolescents and service providers. With the collaboration of the Adolescent Advisory Group and community partners, 18 adolescents and 15 service providers were recruited for the study through purposive sampling. Findings from the qualitative interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Three major themes emerged from the analysis: (1) COVID-19 SRH experience, (2) barriers to SRH, and (3) adolescent SRH strategies. Our findings highlight numerous barriers and challenges that prevented adolescents from accessing SRH education, products, and services. Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on the SRH and the well-being of adolescents. Our study reflects the need for diverse SRH strategies to maintain continued access to SRH resources during disruptive events, such as the pandemic.

Background/Objectives: Refugees typically experience poorer health compared with people from non-refugee backgrounds, and health literacy may play a part in this discrepancy. Using the WHO’s revised health literacy definitions as a framework, this qualitative study sought to examine the health literacy experiences and practices of Australian resettled refugees from Myanmar from refugee and service provider perspectives. Methods: Four refugee participant focus groups (n = 27) along with one focus group and four interviews with service providers (n = 7) were conducted in Melbourne, Australia, and analysed using deductive content analysis. Results: Our study found that in addition to individual health literacy, community literacy was practiced by Myanmar refugees, thus highlighting the relevance of social support to health literacy. Furthermore, our study found gaps in healthcare service provision and resourcing related to health literacy development and responsiveness by the healthcare system. Conclusions: Our study confirms the relevance of WHO’s revised health literacy definitions to Myanmar refugees while also discussing, in the context of nutrition and dietetics practice, the importance of understanding the different aspects of health literacy and how this relates to working with those who are most marginalised to improve their health and wellbeing.