Search Results (229)

Background: Unhoused individuals face significant health disparities and encounter numerous barriers to accessing adequate healthcare, resulting in high rates of chronic disease, mental illness, and untreated conditions in Houston, TX. The purpose of this study was to identify prevalent health conditions within a sample of unhoused adults and to identify patterns in patient characteristics and clinical health outcomes. Methods: This study utilized clinical and demographic data from n = 191 patients who received care at a student-run clinic embedded within a homeless drop-in center in Houston, TX. Data included patient demographics, chief complaints, social determinants of health (SDOHs), past medical history, on-site diagnoses, and provider actions. Results: The most prevalent issues were housing insecurity (36.1%), cardiovascular conditions (38.7%), and substance use (17.8%). Nearly half of all patients (46.6%) declined treatment or left before receiving care. Significant associations were found between patient demographics and provider responses, including differences by gender and age in treatment type and diagnostic categorization. Conclusions: These findings underscore critical challenges in treatment adherence, diagnostic bias, and retention among unhoused populations. The study provides actionable recommendations for improving care coordination and continuity in low-barrier, student-run clinics serving medically underserved communities. Full article

This quantitative study examined the relationships between perceived social support, psychological resilience, and posttraumatic growth (PTG) among university students affected by the 6 February 2023 earthquakes in Türkiye. Utilizing a correlational design, the study tested whether psychological resilience mediated the relationship between perceived social support and PTG. The sample consisted of 769 undergraduate students from Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University and Malatya Turgut Özal University, selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected via standardized instruments: the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, the Resilience Scale for Adults, and the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. A mediation analysis was conducted using the path analysis and bootstrapping methods with the IBM AMOS 24.0 software. The results revealed that perceived social support positively predicted both psychological resilience and PTG, and psychological resilience positively predicted PTG. The mediation analysis confirmed that psychological resilience partially mediated the relationship between perceived social support and PTG. Additionally, significant differences in PTG, resilience, and perceived social support levels were found across gender, housing conditions, psychological impact levels, and access to support. Notably, female students, those who lost loved ones, and those who received psychological or family support reported higher PTG levels. The results emphasize the critical role of social and individual resources in trauma adaptation. It is recommended that post-disaster psychosocial interventions prioritize strengthening both perceived social networks and individual resilience capacities to foster posttraumatic growth in affected populations. Full article

Industry Revolution Five (Industry 5.0) will shift the focus away from technology and rely more on to the collaboration between humans and AI-powered robots. This approach emphasizes a more human-centric perspective, enhanced resilience, optimized workplace processes, and a stronger commitment to sustainability. The humanoid robot market has experienced substantial growth, fueled by technological advancements and the increasing need for automation in industries such as service, customer support, and education. However, challenges like high costs, complex maintenance, and societal concerns about job displacement remain. Despite these issues, the market is expected to continue expanding, supported by innovations that enhance both accessibility and performance. Therefore, this article proposes the design and implementation of low-cost, remotely controlled humanoid robots via a mobile application for home-assistant applications. The humanoid robot boasts an advanced mechanical structure, high-performance actuators, and an array of sensors that empower it to execute a wide range of tasks with human-like dexterity and mobility. Incorporating sophisticated control algorithms and a user-friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI) provides precise and stable robot operation and control. Through an in-house developed code, our research contributes to the growing field of humanoid robotics and underscores the significance of advanced control systems in fully harnessing the capabilities of these human-like machines. The implications of our findings extend to the future development and deployment of humanoid robots across various industries and societal contexts, making this an ideal area for students and researchers to explore innovative solutions. Full article

The 1.5-degree lifestyles aim to reduce household carbon footprints across six areas (food, housing, mobility, consumer goods, leisure, and services), as identified by IGES, relying on public efforts. This study seeks to understand Japanese university students’ perceptions of 1.5-degree lifestyles, their preferred actions for implementation at the individual, family, and community levels, and the top three enablers and barriers they face. Using a questionnaire based on the KIDA (knowledge, interest, desire, action) framework, which aligns with IGES’s six sectors, data from 244 responses collected via snowball sampling were analyzed. Results reveal low awareness of 1.5-degree lifestyles among Japanese university students, along with a moderate desire to learn more. Gender differences were significant, with females showing higher awareness, desire, and action compared to males. Three common barriers identified include challenges with work–life balance, economic concerns, and gaps between knowledge and action. Recommendations emphasize increasing youth awareness and encouraging action on 1.5-degree lifestyles through early environmental education, youth-focused communication (such as social media), and securing strong political support to help address practical challenges. Full article

This study examines whether and how community schools’ integrated student support services (academic, socioemotional, health, and family support) contributed to improving whole-child/youth development and reducing systemic inequalities of students’ learning/wellness outcomes across New York State under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Applying a quasi-experimental method with propensity score matching to the state’s 2018–2023 school survey and report card databases, it provides new evidence on the efficacy of community school programs on average and by subgroups (race/ethnicity, poverty, disability, English language learner, and housing status). The results of matched comparisons between community schools and non-community schools are mixed, after considering their differences in terms of student demographics and baseline conditions. Overall, community schools showed policy implementation fidelity with more state funding, policy-aligned practices, and school-based health centers/clinics. However, community schools had no discernable impacts on academic achievement and chronic absenteeism overall, except that the operation of school-based health centers was associated with a reduction in absenteeism. In contrast, community schools had more positive impacts on high school graduation rates, particularly among disadvantaged minority students; the impacts are attributable to policy-aligned practices, set-aside funding, and school-based health center dental programs. Educational policy and research implications are discussed. Full article

This study investigates indoor and outdoor air quality monitoring in a student dormitory located in northern Milan (Italy) using low-cost sensors. This research compares two monitoring periods in June and October 2024 to examine common PM_2.5 vertical patterns and differences at the building level, as well as their influence on the indoor spaces at the corresponding positions. In each period, around 30 sensors were installed at various heights and orientations across indoor and outdoor spots for 2 weeks to capture spatial variations around the building. Meanwhile, qualitative surveys on occupation presence, satisfaction, and well-being were distributed in selected rooms. The analysis of PM_2.5 data reveals that the building’s lower floors tended to have slightly higher outdoor PM_2.5 concentrations, while the upper floors generally had lower PM_2.5 indoor/outdoor (I/O) ratios, with the top-floor rooms often below 1. High outdoor humidity reduced PM infiltration, but when outdoor PM fell below 20 µg/m³ in these two periods, indoor sources became dominant, especially on the lower floors. Air pressure I/O differences had minimal impact on PM_2.5 I/O ratios, though slightly positive indoor pressure might help prevent indoor PM infiltration. Lower ventilation in Period-2 possibly contributed to more reported symptoms, especially in rooms with higher PM from shared kitchens. While outdoor air quality affects IAQ, occupant behavior—especially window opening and ventilation management—remains crucial in minimizing indoor pollutants. Users can also manage exposure by ventilating at night based on comfort and avoiding periods of high outdoor PM. Full article

Rental accommodations near European university campuses keep rising in price, while listings remain scattered and opaque. This paper proposes a solution that overcomes these issues by integrating real-time open listing ingestion, zone-level geospatial enrichment, and a reinforcement-learning recommender into one streamlined analysis pipeline. On demand, the system updates price statistics for most districts in Timișoara and returns five budget-safe offers in a short amount of time. By combining adaptive ranking with new spatial metrics, it significantly cuts search time and removes irrelevant offers in pilot trials. Moreover, this implementation is fully open-data, open-source, and free, designed specifically for students to ensure accessibility, transparency, and cost efficiency. Full article

This study investigates the factors affecting the choice of school travel mode among students in Mersin, Türkiye, focusing on walking, private car, public transit and school bus. A two-step modeling approach was adopted. First, a latent class cluster analysis (LCCA) was applied to identify subgroups of students with similar characteristics. Then, separate multinomial logit (MNL) models were estimated for each cluster. The data come from the 2022 Urban Transport Master Plan household survey and include 2798 students from 2092 households. The results show that trip distance is the most consistent and significant factor across all clusters, as increasing distance makes students more likely to use motorized modes instead of walking. Gender also demonstrates a consistent influence in specific clusters, where male students are less likely to travel by private car. Similarly, residing in a single-family house consistently increases the likelihood of car use in multiple clusters. Conversely, the influence of household structure, parental education, income, and household size differs significantly between clusters, underlining the importance of considering group-level differences in school travel behavior. These findings suggest that policies aiming to promote sustainable school travel should be sensitive to the needs of different student groups. Integrating land use and transportation planning may help to support active and shared modes of travel. Full article

Design studios generally concentrate on some critical concerns of urban life to overcome, and housing is one of those. Rapid development and advanced technology increase the need for and problems with housing. Such concerns should be addressed in theory, practice, and pedagogy. This study assesses the sophomores’ design output and their understanding of housing typologies based on real-world project sites to contribute to pedagogical aspects. Our study results show that students’ villa typologies generally focus on specific social groups with central themes, including health and recreation, while apartment complex designs converge on community life, urban identity, and tranquility. Based on the survey, students were part of it; they had difficulty with the scale and site-related grading problems, while most wished to work on the other typology theme. This study eventually calls attention to housing problems based on the design students’ perspectives on different residential typologies. Full article

Background: Health and safety are critical pillars of functional higher education systems. In South African universities, recurring incidents have highlighted vulnerabilities, particularly concerning gender-based violence (GBV), student housing conditions, infrastructure safety, and campus crime. Methods: This study employed a document-based qualitative approach, analysing public records, police reports, campus press statements, and national media coverage of incidents reported at South African universities (2015 to 2024). The study is guided by public health and victimology frameworks to examine systemic risk factors and institutional responses. Results: The findings indicate increased reports of GBV, multiple student deaths related to substandard residence conditions, infrastructure-related fatalities, and a lack of consistent institutional safety policies. A pattern of poor infrastructure management, weak inter-institutional communication, and failure to implement recommendations following major incidents emerged across the dataset. Conclusions: South African universities remain exposed to preventable student risks. Targeted interventions, mandatory safety audits, emergency response units, and accountability structures are urgently needed to address systemic failings and protect student welfare. The study supports Sustainable Development Goals 3 and 4 by linking campus safety to student well-being and equitable access to higher education. Full article

The rapid shift to online education during the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated mental health risks for students, particularly those experiencing multidimensional poverty—a potential contributor to psychological distress in digital learning environments. This study examines how poverty-driven techno-distress (technology-related stress) impacts university students’ mental health, focusing on 202 Chilean learners engaged in remote classes. Using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), we analyzed multidimensional poverty and its association with techno-distress, measured through validated scales. The results suggest that poverty conditions are associated with 32.5% of technostress variance (R² = 0.325), while techno-distress may indirectly relate to 18.7% of students’ dissatisfaction with academic life—a proxy for emerging mental health risks. Importance–performance map analysis (IPMA) identified housing habitability (e.g., overcrowding, inadequate study spaces) and healthcare access as priority intervention targets, surpassing purely digital factors. These findings indicate that techno-distress in online education may function as a systemic stressor, potentially amplifying pre-existing inequities linked to poverty. For educators and policymakers, this highlights the urgency of early interventions addressing students’ physical environments alongside pedagogical strategies. By framing techno-distress as a public health challenge rooted in socioeconomic disparities, this work advances preventive approaches to safeguard student well-being in increasingly hybrid educational landscapes. Full article

This research explores a studio experience conducted at the Department of Architecture, Gebze Technical University, focusing on the integration of tectonic housing concepts into architectural design education. The study adopts a comprehensive methodology combining phenomenological readings, material experimentation, and contextual analysis through seminars, workshops, and studio projects. Innovative and experimental approaches were employed to move beyond traditional representation techniques, enabling students to engage with architecture through dynamic and multisensory methods. Findings demonstrate that this approach significantly enhances students’ creative capacities, fosters environmental responsiveness, and promotes a deeper understanding of the built environment. The study concludes that integrating tectonic interpretations into studio education can offer a transformative model for future architectural practice, providing a sustainable and human-centered design framework for architectural education and research. Full article

Background: Competency in providing high-quality, comprehensive patient care is essential for newly qualified dentists. Dental curricula are designed to equip graduates with necessary skills to develop competencies. Outplacement training has been incorporated into most dental curricula to provide broader clinical experience in a real-world situation. Methods: This cross-sectional study aimed to assess (1) the perceived confidence of final-year dental students (FYDSs) at an Australian university with reference to the Australian Dental Council (ADC) professional competencies for newly qualified dentists; (2) the association between perceived confidence and the timing of outplacement training; and (3) students’ perceptions on outplacement training in developing their competencies. Two online surveys were administered to a cohort of FYDSs at the end of the first and second trimesters. ‘Survey 1’ was based on the ADC competency requirements (2022) and assessed aims 1 and 2. The five domains assessed were (1) communication and leadership; (2) critical thinking; (3) health promotion; (4) scientific and clinical knowledge; and (5) person-centred care. ‘Survey 2’ assessed students’ perception on outplacement training and was administered towards the completion of their outplacement to assess aim 3. Results: Students’ perceived competency levels were high across all domains. Those with prior tertiary education were more confident in communication and leadership, health promotion, and scientific and clinical knowledge than students with secondary qualifications. The perceived confidence in professional competencies among FYDSs had no significant association (p > 0.05) with the location or the sequence of outplacement. The thematic analysis of survey 2 responses reported the guidance and constructive feedback received from supervisors while managing cases in a real-life setup as a significant contributor to their confidence development. Conclusions: FYDSs reported a satisfactory level of perceived confidence in professional competencies. Both in-house training and outplacement equally improve the levels of competency development. FYDSs perceive outplacement training as a positive integral component in the development of skills. Full article

In Industry 5.0 it is essential that humans are in the loop of technology integration of industry processes. With the advancements of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), a lot of new opportunities and challenges for learning and teaching are present. Many students already use publicly available AI Digital Assistants (p-AIDA) like ChatGPT for academic purposes. However, there are concerns around the use of such p-AIDA tools, particularly in terms of academic integrity, data privacy, intellectual property, and the impact on the quality of education. Furthermore, many higher education institutions have substantial learning materials and data about students that they may not want to share with p-AIDA. Therefore, using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and following a Design-Based Research (DBR) approach, we explored the perspectives and experiences of a beta-test of an institutionally developed AIDA (i-AIDA) with 18 UK students using multiple methods and data sources (including pre-post-test, interviews, think-aloud, and prompt analysis). Our research underscores the potential benefits and limitations of in-house i-AIDA in enhancing learning experiences without compromising academic integrity or privacy, and how higher education institutions can prepare themselves for Industry 5.0. Full article

The educational value of the Ecological Footprint (EF) lies in its ability to facilitate the identification and quantification of individuals’ environmental impacts, stemming from their daily habits and lifestyles, while also supporting the achievement of the 2030 sustainability goals. This study aimed to enhance primary school students’ understanding of their EF through the implementation of specially designed educational materials based on the Greek online EF calculator. A 10 h teaching intervention (TI) on EF was designed and carried out with 112 primary school students aged 10–12 years. The effectiveness of the intervention was assessed using a specially developed questionnaire. The results showed a statistically significant increase in students’ scores from the pre-test to the post-test regarding their understanding of the EF concept. When each EF category was examined individually, the most statistically significant differences were recorded in the categories of Infrastructure/Housing, Goods/Services, and Waste. These findings suggest that primary school students’ understanding of the EF can be effectively improved through a well-structured teaching intervention. This conclusion holds value not only for education for sustainable development (ESD), but also more broadly, in an era where understanding and embracing sustainability is a top priority for all modern educational institutions. Full article