Search Results (4,266)

Self-harm is often stigmatised by healthcare professionals. Little is known about how certain characteristics of the behaviour, like the degree of suicidal intent, affect clinicians’ judgements and responses. This study explored how intent of self-harm (suicidal or non-suicidal) affects trainee practitioners’ views and attitudes towards behaviour and clinical decision-making. A qualitative study using semi-structured online interviews was conducted. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using a reflexive thematic analysis. Fifteen trainee healthcare practitioners (psychological wellbeing practitioners, clinical/counselling psychologists, nurses, and medics) were interviewed. Three themes were identified: (1) interpreting intent in self-harm: clinical utility and challenges, (2) the perceived responsibility of self-harm, (3) trainees’ struggle for equal care in a hierarchical system. Participants observed staff expressing pejorative views towards both forms of self-harm but did not share them. Across most clinical decisions, intent informed trainees’ judgements and beliefs. Clients presenting with suicidal-related self-harm received more urgent care but fewer therapeutic interventions. Trainees felt ambivalent about distinguishing intent. Nevertheless, this distinction was evident across treatment, risk and care decisions. A consistent approach towards suicidal and non-suicidal self-harm is important. Trainees should be supported in addressing difficult emotions arising from this work, helping to shift the blame culture and promoting a more empathic approach. Full article

Burnout among students is a widely recognized concern, yet little research has focused on the experiences of disabled students and even less on the social factors at and off campus that contribute to their burnout. To address this gap, we surveyed 91 undergraduate students enrolled in a critical disability studies course at a Canadian university using an online qualitative survey approach. These students, many of whom see themselves as allies of disabled people, were asked whether they believe disabled students are at risk of burnout and what they perceive to be the causes. The majority viewed disabled students as being at significant risk, and 92% identified the social environment as the contributor. Attitudinal inaccessibility, including discrimination, stigma, and exclusion, has emerged as the leading factor in both university settings and broader societal contexts. These findings suggest that interventions to reduce burnout must address both educational environments and the wider lived realities of disabled students. This study contributes to the limited literature on burnout among disabled students and highlights the importance of ally perspectives in understanding and addressing systemic contributors to burnout. Full article

This study investigates the factors influencing the perceived credibility of advertising content on e-commerce platforms, drawing on behavioral economics and communication theories. Through a quasi-experimental design involving 156 participants, we analyzed how message features, product importance, and socio-demographic variables affect user perceptions. The results reveal that users assign higher credibility to simple, essential content and that gender plays a significant role, with women perceiving paramedical and technical content as more credible. Age, however, showed no significant influence. The discussion highlights the psychological mechanisms behind these behaviors, such as risk and ambiguity aversion, and proposes implications for digital marketing strategies and future research. Full article

This research explored the connections between Work Support, Satisfaction with Life, and experienced stress among workers from the automotive sector, with a focus on the indirect influence of job support in the relationship between satisfaction with life and perceived stress using a cross-sectional design. The sample comprised 672 employees (52.98% females). Most participants were aged between 30 and 39 years old (33.48%) or between 40 and 49 years old (29.46%). The primary analysis indicated that Work Support had a partial effect on the connection between Satisfaction with Life and Perceived Stress. Satisfaction with Life was found to directly predict Perceived Stress (B = −0.210, p < 0.001), and there was also a significant indirect effect of Work Support (B = −0.036, 95% CI: −0.051, −0.020). Taken in combination, these results provide several contributions to our comprehension of the mechanisms connecting these constructs, particularly in the car industry. Although Satisfaction with Life showed direct links on Perceived Stress, a significant indirect association via Work Support indicates that a portion of these links are influenced by this route, with potential implications for occupational health. Full article

This research examines residents’ attitudes toward tourism on Croatian islands as a lens for assessing the sustainability of tourism-led development. In regions where tourism represents a primary economic driver and a major source of local development funding, such reliance has increasingly been recognized as a source of vulnerability. By analyzing survey data collected across islands that differ in geographic size and local characteristics, the research offers an in-depth understanding of how local communities perceive the impacts and future of tourism. Data were analyzed using explanatory factor analysis and cluster analysis. The findings reveal three distinct groups of residents, based on their perceptions of tourism development and shaped by three underlying attitudinal dimensions. The first group strongly supports tourism development. While moderately supportive of tourism as a development strategy, the second group raises concerns about its excessive pressure on local communities and advocates for more stringent regulation. The third group emphasizes the risks associated with tourism-driven growth. These findings underscore the heterogeneity of local perspectives, reflecting varying levels of perceived resilience and vulnerability. The results suggest that areas where residents express greater confidence in tourism and its benefits may exhibit stronger resilience to external shocks and be better suited for tourism-focused development. Conversely, areas where skepticism or concern about tourism prevail may be more susceptible to disruptions and would benefit from more diversified development strategies to build long-term resilience. Full article

Introduction: Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in young men. Studies show that general awareness among the risk group is low, and anticipatory guidance is of paramount importance for early detection. We queried pediatricians and pediatric surgeons on their perceived role and their interaction with patients regarding education on this issue. Materials and Methods: A survey was sent to pediatricians and pediatric surgeons in Germany to assess the extent of genitourinary examinations, health education about testicular cancer, and instructions for testicular self-examination during well-child visits and clinic contacts. Statistics were processed using R software (Version 4.5.1). Results: Data from 150 participating pediatricians and 21 pediatric surgeons were analyzed. Genitourinary examinations were performed routinely by the majority of participants, especially those in solo or group practices (p < 0.05). In particular, physicians who provide health education about testicular cancer perform testicular examinations significantly more often than those who do not provide such education (p < 0.05). Four percent of the participants offered a special consultation for male adolescents to provide information about male sexual diseases. There was a significant correlation between the length of experience of physicians and the level of health education (p < 0.01). Discussion: Although the majority of participants perform regular genitourinary examinations, only a minority provide special health education about testicular cancer or provide instructions for testicular self-examination. Most participating pediatricians and pediatric surgeons asked for more support regarding testicular cancer screening and health education. Full article

Driving in snowy conditions challenges both human drivers and autonomous systems. Snowfall and ice accumulation impair vehicle control and affect driver perception and performance. Road markings are often obscured, forcing drivers to rely on intuition and memory to stay in their lane, which can lead to encroachment into adjacent lanes or sidewalks. Current lane detectors assist in lane keeping, but their performance is compromised by visual disturbances such as ice reflection, snowflake movement, fog, and snow cover. Furthermore, testing these systems with users on actual snowy roads involves risks to driver safety, equipment integrity, and ethical compliance. This study presents a low-cost virtual reality simulation for evaluating winter lane detection in controlled and safe conditions from a human-in-the-loop perspective. Participants drove in a simulated snowy scenario with and without the detector while quantitative and qualitative variables were monitored. Results showed a 49.9% reduction in unintentional lane departures with the detector and significantly improved user experience, as measured by the UEQ-S (p = 0.023, Cohen’s d = 0.72). Participants also reported higher perceived safety, situational awareness, and confidence. These findings highlight the potential of vision-based lane detection systems adapted to winter environments and demonstrate the value of immersive simulations for user-centered testing of ADASs. Full article

Background/Objectives: Workplace violence remains an important vocational psycho-social risk for nurses employed in the emergency department (ED). We investigated the characteristics of workplace violence against ED nurses, and associations with self-assessed resilience, socio-demographic and vocational parameters, including turnover intention. Methods: ED nurses employed in all public hospitals in the Republic of Cyprus (RC) participated. After obtaining informed consent, data were collected using census sampling (January–June 2024) via the translated 2016 Italian National Survey on Violence towards Emergency Nurses Questionnaire (QuINVIP16) for investigating workplace violence characteristics, and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-25) for assessing self-perceived resilience. Results: A total of 132 nurses (53.0% response rate) participated. Verbal violence was reported by 70.5% to 92.4% of participants. Long waiting times, overcrowded EDs, and perception of inadequate attention from healthcare professionals were reported as the primary triggers for violence towards participants by patients/visitors. One-third of participants reported that violence-reporting systems were unclear, while 1 out of 4 reported inadequate safety measures against violence. Participants with higher scores of self-perceived resilience were less likely to report turnover intention due to workplace violence (p < 0.001), while those with lower self-perceived resilience reported a significant decrease in work motivation (p = 0.005). Those who experienced decreased work motivation after exposure to a violent episode were more likely to consider a) leaving the profession [OR (95%CI): 79.1(17.7–353.2); p < 0.01], and b) moving to a different work setting [OR (95%CI): 17.0(3.8–76.2); p < 0.01], and actually applying to be transferred to a different work setting [OR (95%CI): 19.6(4.2–91.5); p < 0.01]. Moreover, those who had not attended communication skills training were 4 times more likely to consider leaving the profession following exposure to violence [OR (95%CI): 4.2(1.1–16.2); p = 0.04]. Conclusions: This study is among the few to link workplace violence with both resilience and actual turnover behaviors among emergency nurses, in general and particularly in the post-pandemic era. By showing how personal resilience in the face of violence is shaped by organizational support, such as reporting systems and training, the present findings move beyond individuals-level explanations, and highlight workplace violence as a systematic administrative challenge. This insight represents an important advance in current knowledge, and calls for multifaceted interventions that strengthen both personal and institutional capacity to address violence. Full article

Entrepreneurship plays a significant role in the economic development of emerging economies, particularly by addressing persistent issues such as youth unemployment and growth challenges. Developing nations perceive their startup ecosystems as critical engines of economic progress. Policymakers in these countries strive to reduce uncertainties and mitigate risks that could impede the growth of this essential sector. However, they face a significant obstacle: the lack of accurate and reliable data necessary to comprehend the challenges and requirements of the startup ecosystem. To effectively navigate these challenges, policymakers must utilize advanced analytical tools and technologies, including big data analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. These technologies are crucial for the comprehensive collection and analysis of data from diverse sources. This research aims to identify current trends and challenges within the startup ecosystem in developing countries through the meticulous collection and analysis of news data on the topic. To achieve this objective, we developed a detailed plan to collect news data on Iran’s startup ecosystem spanning from 2017 to 2022. By employing advanced natural language processing techniques, we intended to conduct a thorough analysis of the collected data. Our goal is to extract significant insights that will inform and shape effective policymaking. Full article

Mobile learning (m-learning) technologies are gaining popularity in universities but not uniformly across institutions because of cognitive, affective, and behavior obstacles. This research tested and applied an expansion of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) with technostress (TECH) and resistance to change (RTC) as affective obstacles, as well as the core predictors of perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PE), and perceived risk (PR). By employing a cross-sectional survey of Greek university students (N = 608) and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), we tested direct and indirect impacts on behavioral intention (BI) to apply m-learning applications. The results affirm that PU and PE are direct predictors of BI, while PR has no direct impact on BI but acts indirectly through TECH and RTC. Mediation is partial in terms of PE and PU and indirect-only (complete) in terms of PR with respect to the impact of affective states on adoption. Multi-group comparisons found differences in terms of gender, age, confidence, and years of use but not frequency of use, implying that psychological and experiential characteristics have a greater impact on intention than habitual patterns. These results offer theory-driven and segment-specific guidelines for psychologically aware, user-focused m-learning adoption in higher education. Full article

Background: The digital transition is reshaping healthcare systems through the adoption of telemedicine and electronic health records (EHRs). While these innovations enhance efficiency and access, their implementation unfolds within overstretched organizational settings characterized by workforce shortages, bureaucratic demands, and heightened psychosocial risks. Burnout, impostor syndrome, and the quality of organizational support have thus become pivotal constructs in understanding healthcare professionals’ digital preparedness. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 111 professionals employed at two San Donato Group facilities in Bologna, Italy. The battery included socio-demographic and occupational data, perceptions of digitalization, and validated instruments: the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS), and the Work Organization Assessment Questionnaire (WOAQ). Descriptive analyses were complemented by Classification and Regression Trees (CART) to identify predictors of perceived digital preparedness. Results: Most respondents (88%) acknowledged the relevance of digitalization, yet 18% felt unprepared, especially women and administrative staff. Burnout levels were high, with 51% reporting emotional exhaustion, most notably among nurses and female participants. Impostor syndrome affected 43% of the sample, with nurses exhibiting the highest prevalence. CART analysis identified emotional exhaustion, impostor syndrome, and age as principal discriminators of digital preparedness. Conclusions: Our findings highlight the role of emotional exhaustion, impostor syndrome, and age in shaping perceived digital preparedness, underscoring the need for tailored training and supportive practices to ensure a sustainable digital transition. Full article

Driven by the green and low-carbon transformation of urban logistics, the integration of crowdsourced delivery and green transportation is considered an important pathway to achieving sustainable last-mile delivery. This study focuses on urban crowdsourced delivery using cargo bikes and develops an extended behavioral model based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The model systematically examines the key factors influencing the public’s behavioral intention (BI) to participate as crowdshippers. While retaining the core structure of TPB, the model incorporates external variables—perceived risk (PR), policy support (PS), and infrastructure conditions (IC)—to improve its explanatory power and applicability to real-world delivery scenarios. A questionnaire survey was conducted in South Korea, yielding 600 valid responses. The results indicate that usage attitude and perceived behavioral control exert significant positive effects on BI. PR has a significant negative effect on both attitude and BI. PS indirectly enhances BI by improving attitudes, whereas IC primarily influences BI by strengthening the public’s sense of control. This study not only expands the theoretical explanatory power of the TPB model in the context of green crowdsourced delivery but also provides empirical evidence for policymakers and platform operators. Full article

The prepared food market has undergone significant growth in response to the contemporary fast-paced lifestyle. This growth has resulted in recurring safety concerns, which have diminished consumer confidence and hindered the industry’s expansion. Analyzing the factors affecting the perceived safety risk of prepared food is essential in this context. This study utilizes consumers of prepared food in Zhengzhou, a newly designated first-tier city in China, as survey participants. This study constructs a research model based on 585 valid questionnaires to systematically investigate the key factors influencing consumers’ perceived risk regarding the safety of prepared food. The findings indicated that perceived risk was adversely affected by the nutritional balance, technical safety, and governance trust. The nutritional balance influences perceived risk indirectly through its impact on technical safety. Governance trust plays a moderating role between technical safety and perceived risk. The higher the governance trust, the stronger the impact of technical safety on reducing perceived risk. This study serves as a valuable resource for governmental oversight and the expansion of prepared food enterprises. Businesses can enhance technical safety, optimize product composition, and cultivate customer trust. To promote sustainable growth in the prepared food industry, the government can improve industry standards and strengthen oversight. Full article

Digital financial services have transformed consumer financial behavior, yet their effects on sustainable development outcomes remain poorly understood. This study examines how mobile financial services (MFS) usage influences financial behaviors across temporal dimensions and investigates the moderating role of financial literacy from a systemic sustainability perspective. Drawing on Construal Level Theory, Dual Process Theory, and Social Cognitive Theory, we analyze data from 21,757 U.S. adults from the 2021 National Financial Capability Study to explore relationships between MFS usage, financial literacy dimensions—objective knowledge (OK), subjective knowledge (SK), and perceived ability (PA)—and both short-term and long-term financial behaviors. The results reveal a dual temporal pattern: MFS usage negatively affects short-term behaviors, including spending control and emergency preparedness, while positively influencing long-term behaviors such as retirement planning and investment participation. Financial literacy dimensions demonstrate differential moderating effects, with OK providing protective benefits against short-term risks, while PA can paradoxically exacerbate these adverse short-term effects. These findings highlight complex implications for sustainable development, demonstrating how individual behaviors aggregate to influence systemic financial resilience and progress toward Sustainable Development Goals related to poverty reduction, economic growth, and inequality reduction. Policymakers should adopt behaviorally informed regulatory approaches that address temporal trade-offs. Educators should design digital-specific literacy programs emphasizing realistic risk assessment alongside confidence-building, thereby promoting sustainable financial behaviors in increasingly digital environments. Full article

Background: hearing loss represents, today, one of the most significant health problems affecting the world’s population. This clinical condition, particularly manifest in adulthood, can arise or be aggravated by both the presence of specific pathologies and by taking multiple classes of drugs at the same time. Methods: to understand this relationship, the present non-interventional observational study aimed to investigate the relationship between worsening hearing abilities in 1651 patients aged between 18 and 99 years. In particular, the thorough history of patients allowed us to evaluate the pathological profiles, pharmacological profiles, and therapeutic regimens adopted. This allowed us to evaluate its association with self-reported hearing loss, assessed through the administration of the HHIE-S-It questionnaire. Furthermore, given the presence of multimorbidity, the possible correlation between self-reported hearing loss and the specific classes of drugs, categorized using the Anatomical Therapeutic Classification (ATC) system, was evaluated. Results: the results highlighted how patients taking drugs, both in mono- and polytherapy regimens, had higher hearing deficits than patients not taking drugs. Furthermore, an apparent dose–response effect, in which the risk of moderate to severe impairment progressively increased with the number of drugs taken, was also observed. Different classes of drugs, particularly those used for the treatment of diseases of the cardiovascular system, as well as drugs for acid-related disorders, were significantly linked to an increased risk of perceived hearing impairment. On the contrary, agents belonging to the antidiabetic category have proven to be drugs capable of offering a potential protective effect. Conclusion: this study highlighted how both the number of drugs taken and some specific categories of drugs can contribute to perceived hearing impairment. While this evidence highlights the importance of integrating audiological evaluation into the management of patients in polypharmacy, the cross-sectional nature of the design precludes the inference of causality. This evidence still favors safer and more personalized therapeutic strategies. Full article