FACTORS INFLUENCING THE DESIGN OF BIOACCUMULATION FACTOR AND BIOTA-SEDIMENT ACCUMULATION FACTOR FIELD STUDIES

EPA Science Inventory

General guidance for designing field studies to measure bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) and biota-sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs) is not available. To develop such guidance, a series of modeling simulations were performed to evaluate the underlying factors and principles th...

Development of the Ethical Evaluation Questionnaire: A Machiavellian, Utilitarian, and Religious Viewpoint

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gokce, Asiye Toker

2017-01-01

This study aimed to develop a valid and reliable measurement tool to enhance ethical evaluation literature. The tool consists of two subscales named "Bases of ethical evaluation," and "Grounds of ethical evaluation." In order to determine the factor structure of the scales, both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were…

Systematic evaluation of implementation fidelity of complex interventions in health and social care

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Evaluation of an implementation process and its fidelity can give insight into the 'black box' of interventions. However, a lack of standardized methods for studying fidelity and implementation process have been reported, which might be one reason for the fact that few prior studies in the field of health service research have systematically evaluated interventions' implementation processes. The aim of this project is to systematically evaluate implementation fidelity and possible factors influencing fidelity of complex interventions in health and social care. Methods A modified version of The Conceptual Framework for Implementation Fidelity will be used as a conceptual model for the evaluation. The modification implies two additional moderating factors: context and recruitment. A systematic evaluation process was developed. Multiple case study method is used to investigate implementation of three complex health service interventions. Each case will be investigated in depth and longitudinally, using both quantitative and qualitative methods. Discussion This study is the first attempt to empirically test The Conceptual Framework for Implementation Fidelity. The study can highlight mechanism and factors of importance when implementing complex interventions. Especially the role of the moderating factors on implementation fidelity can be clarified. Trial Registration Supported Employment, SE, among people with severe mental illness -- a randomized controlled trial: NCT00960024. PMID:20815872

Reliability and Validity of "Parents' Evaluation of Responsible Behaviors of 5-6 Year Old Children" Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Polat, Ozgul; Dagal, Asude B.

2013-01-01

This study is aimed at developing a scale (Parents' Evaluation of Responsible Behaviors of 5-6 Year Old Children) for measuring parents' evaluation of their 5-6 year-old children's responsible behaviors. The construct validity of the scale was tested by Factor Analysis. Factor analysis determined that the scale can be clustered under 10 factors.…

Risk Factors for Sexual Dysfunction Among Women and Men: A Consensus Statement From the Fourth International Consultation on Sexual Medicine 2015.

PubMed

McCabe, Marita P; Sharlip, Ira D; Lewis, Ron; Atalla, Elham; Balon, Richard; Fisher, Alessandra D; Laumann, Edward; Lee, Sun Won; Segraves, Robert T

2016-02-01

This article presents a review of previous research concerning risk factors for sexual dysfunction in women and men. The aim is to evaluate past research studies to determine the contribution of all risk factors to the development and maintenance of sexual dysfunction among women and men. Studies were organized under a biopsychosocial framework, with the bulk of studies of women and men having investigated the role of biological factors. The outcome measures were the data on factors for sexual dysfunction. Many more studies investigated risk factors for sexual dysfunction in men than in women. For women and men, diabetes, heart disease, urinary tract disorders, and chronic illness were significant risk factors for sexual dysfunction. Depression and anxiety and the medications used to treat these disorders also were risk factors for sexual dysfunction in women and men. In addition, substance abuse was associated with sexual dysfunction. Many other social and cultural factors were related to sexual dysfunction in women and men. Psychosocial factors are clearly risk factors for sexual dysfunction. Women and men with sexual dysfunction should be offered psychosocial evaluation and treatment, if available, in addition to medical evaluation and treatment. The impact of social and cultural factors on sexual function requires substantially more research. The evidence that erectile dysfunction is a harbinger of other forms of cardiovascular disease is strong enough to recommend that clinical evaluation for occult cardiovascular disease should be undertaken in men who do not have known cardiovascular disease but who develop organic erectile dysfunction, especially in men younger than 70 years. Copyright © 2016 International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of History Interest Inventory--Development and Evaluation of a History Interest Inventory for Chinese K-12 Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dan, Yongjun; Wei, Tianlan; Zhao, Wenjun

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a History Interest Inventory (HII) to measure Chinese K-12 students' history interest. In this study, data were drawn from two independent samples of a city in Eastern China, and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were conducted to reduce instrument size…

42 CFR 456.243 - Content of medical care evaluation studies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Content of medical care evaluation studies. 456.243... Ur Plan: Medical Care Evaluation Studies § 456.243 Content of medical care evaluation studies. Each medical care evaluation study must— (a) Identify and analyze medical or administrative factors related to...

42 CFR 456.143 - Content of medical care evaluation studies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 42 Public Health 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Content of medical care evaluation studies. 456.143...: Medical Care Evaluation Studies § 456.143 Content of medical care evaluation studies. Each medical care evaluation study must— (a) Identify and analyze medical or administrative factors related to the hospital's...

Factors Most Likely to Contribute to Positive Course Evaluations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

VanMaaren, Victoria G.; Jaquett, Caroline M.; Williams, Robert L.

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which students differentially rated ten factors likely to affect their ratings on overall course evaluations. Students (N = 148) in several sections of an undergraduate educational psychology course indicated their preferences among several designated factors. We found remarkable similarity…

Evaluating Academic Journals without Impact Factors for Collection Management Decisions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dilevko, Juris; Atkinson, Esther

2002-01-01

Discussion of evaluating academic journals for collection management decisions focuses on a methodological framework for evaluating journals not ranked by impact factors in Journal Citation Reports. Compares nonranked journals with ranked journals and then applies this framework to a case study in the field of medical science. (LRW)

What works for patients in outpatient treatment for alcohol addiction? An explorative study into clients' evaluation of subjective factors and therapy satisfaction.

PubMed

Frick, Katrin M; Loessl, Barbara; Brueck, Rigo K; Kriston, Levente; Jaehne, Andreas; Riemann, Dieter; Gann, Horst; Batra, Anil; Wodarz, Norbert; Mann, Karl F; Berner, Michael M

2011-01-01

This explorative survey investigated clients' evaluation of therapy elements and other supportive factors within a randomized controlled trial. The treatment of patients with alcohol dependence consisted of pharmacotherapy (acamprosate/naltrexone/placebo) and biweekly medical management (MM). Forty-nine study participants were surveyed with a questionnaire to measure both the patients' satisfaction with the therapy and the subjective assessment of treatment elements and supportive factors.Study participants were highly satisfied with the treatment. The supportive factors previously identified by Orford et al1 were confirmed. 'Pharmacotherapy' was rated significantly less effective than 'MM' and 'global study attendance' (P < 0.001). The significant differences in the evaluation of treatment elements point to a preference for regular low-key contacts rather than for medication. Such contacts based on MM could be a useful intervention in clinical care, and its effectivity should be examined more closely in further research.

A mixed methods evaluation of the maternal-newborn dashboard in Ontario: dashboard attributes, contextual factors, and facilitators and barriers to use: a study protocol.

PubMed

Dunn, Sandra; Sprague, Ann E; Grimshaw, Jeremy M; Graham, Ian D; Taljaard, Monica; Fell, Deshayne; Peterson, Wendy E; Darling, Elizabeth; Harrold, JoAnn; Smith, Graeme N; Reszel, Jessica; Lanes, Andrea; Truskoski, Carolyn; Wilding, Jodi; Weiss, Deborah; Walker, Mark

2016-05-04

There are wide variations in maternal-newborn care practices and outcomes across Ontario. To help institutions and care providers learn about their own performance, the Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN) Ontario has implemented an audit and feedback system, the Maternal-Newborn Dashboard (MND), for all hospitals providing maternal-newborn care. The dashboard provides (1) near real-time feedback, with site-specific and peer comparison data about six key performance indicators; (2) a visual display of evidence-practice gaps related to the indicators; and (3) benchmarks to provide direction for practice change. This study aims to evaluate the effects of the dashboard, dashboard attributes, contextual factors, and facilitation/support needs that influence the use of this audit and feedback system to improve performance. The objectives of this study are to (1) evaluate the effect of implementing the dashboard across Ontario; (2) explore factors that potentially explain differences in the use of the MND among hospitals; (3) measure factors potentially associated with differential effectiveness of the MND; and (4) identify factors that predict differences in hospital performance. A mixed methods design includes (1) an interrupted time series analysis to evaluate the effect of the intervention on six indicators, (2) key informant interviews with a purposeful sample of directors/managers from up to 20 maternal-newborn care hospitals to explore factors that influence the use of the dashboard, (3) a provincial survey of obstetrical directors/managers from all maternal-newborn hospitals in the province to measure factors that influence the use of the dashboard, and (4) a multivariable generalized linear mixed effects regression analysis of the indicators at each hospital to quantitatively evaluate the change in practice following implementation of the dashboard and to identify factors most predictive of use. Study results will provide essential data to develop knowledge translation strategies for facilitating practice change, which can be further evaluated through a future cluster randomized trial.

School Evaluation and Accreditation: A Bibliography of Research Studies.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diamond, Joan

1982-01-01

This 97-item bibliography cites research in the following categories: purposes and structures of school accreditation/evaluation; the school evaluation process, involving self-study, team visits, and implementation; evaluation of the accreditation/evaluation process; external factors influencing school accreditation/evaluation; and objectivity in…

The non-evaluative circumplex of personality adjectives.

PubMed

Saucier, G; Ostendorf, F; Peabody, D

2001-08-01

In judgments about personality, descriptive and evaluative aspects are ordinarily combined; separating them can be important both theoretically and practically. Study 1 showed that two similar descriptive factors can be found in analyses of personality terms, selected independently in English and in German and using different methods to control for evaluation. The factors relate to two pairs of independent axes suggested by previous work: Assertive-Unassertive and Tight-Loose, or alternatively, Interactional Orientation (Extraversion-Introversion) and Affective Orientation. These two pairs of axes are shown to be rotations of each other, and to form the prime non-evaluative circumplex. As in previous studies, non-evaluative scales elicited higher levels of self-peer agreement than did more typical evaluation-confounded scales. Study 2 showed that adjective scales for the octants of this circumplex have circular ordering, can fit even very stringent constraints of a circumplex model, have mild to strong isomorphism with the interpersonal circumplex, but represent somewhat broader constructs, and are systematically related to the Big Five and the Big Three personality factors.

A Comprehensive Evaluation System for Military Hospitals' Response Capability to Bio-terrorism.

PubMed

Wang, Hui; Jiang, Nan; Shao, Sicong; Zheng, Tao; Sun, Jianzhong

2015-05-01

The objective of this study is to establish a comprehensive evaluation system for military hospitals' response capacity to bio-terrorism. Literature research and Delphi method were utilized to establish the comprehensive evaluation system for military hospitals' response capacity to bio-terrorism. Questionnaires were designed and used to survey the status quo of 134 military hospitals' response capability to bio-terrorism. Survey indicated that factor analysis method was suitable to for analyzing the comprehensive evaluation system for military hospitals' response capacity to bio-terrorism. The constructed evaluation system was consisted of five first-class and 16 second-class indexes. Among them, medical response factor was considered as the most important factor with weight coefficient of 0.660, followed in turn by the emergency management factor with weight coefficient of 0.109, emergency management consciousness factor with weight coefficient of 0.093, hardware support factor with weight coefficient of 0.078, and improvement factor with weight coefficient of 0.059. The constructed comprehensive assessment model and system are scientific and practical.

Dental Students' Perceptions of Risk Factors for Musculoskeletal Disorders: Adapting the Job Factors Questionnaire for Dentistry.

PubMed

Presoto, Cristina D; Wajngarten, Danielle; Domingos, Patrícia A S; Campos, Juliana A D B; Garcia, Patrícia P N S

2018-01-01

The aims of this study were to adapt the Job Factors Questionnaire to the field of dentistry, evaluate its psychometric properties, evaluate dental students' perceptions of work/study risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders, and determine the influence of gender and academic level on those perceptions. All 580 students enrolled in two Brazilian dental schools in 2015 were invited to participate in the study. A three-factor structure (Repetitiveness, Work Posture, and External Factors) was tested through confirmatory factor analysis. Convergent validity was estimated using the average variance extracted (AVE), discriminant validity was based on the correlational analysis of the factors, and reliability was assessed. A causal model was created using structural equation modeling to evaluate the influence of gender and academic level on students' perceptions. A total of 480 students completed the questionnaire for an 83% response rate. The responding students' average age was 21.6 years (SD=2.98), and 74.8% were women. Higher scores were observed on the Work Posture factor items. The refined model presented proper fit to the studied sample. Convergent validity was compromised only for External Factors (AVE=0.47), and discriminant validity was compromised for Work Posture and External Factors (r 2 =0.69). Reliability was adequate. Academic level did not have a significant impact on the factors, but the women students exhibited greater perception. Overall, the adaptation resulted in a useful instrument for assessing perceptions of risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders. Gender was found to significantly influence all three factors, with women showing greater perception of the risk factors.

Measuring Educators' Attitudes and Beliefs about Evaluation: Construct Validity and Reliability of the Teacher Evaluation Experience Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reddy, Linda A.; Dudek, Christopher M.; Kettler, Ryan J.; Kurz, Alexander; Peters, Stephanie

2016-01-01

This study presents the reliability and validity of the Teacher Evaluation Experience Scale--Teacher Form (TEES-T), a multidimensional measure of educators' attitudes and beliefs about teacher evaluation. Confirmatory factor analyses of data from 583 teachers were conducted on the TEES-T hypothesized five-factor model, as well as on alternative…

Assessing Social Competence and Behavior Problems in a Sample of Italian Preschoolers Using the Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sette, Stefania; Baumgartner, Emma; MacKinnon, David P.

2015-01-01

Research Findings: The main goals of this study were to examine the factor validity of the Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation (SCBE-30) scale using exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis and to test factor invariance across gender in a sample of Italian preschool-age children (241 boys, 252 girls). The concurrent…

Norming of Student Evaluations of Instruction: Impact of Noninstructional Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nargundkar, Satish; Shrikhande, Milind

2014-01-01

Student Evaluations of Instruction (SEIs) from about 6,000 sections over 4 years representing over 100,000 students at the college of business at a large public university are analyzed, to study the impact of noninstructional factors on student ratings. Administrative factors like semester, time of day, location, and instructor attributes like…

Latent dimensions of social anxiety disorder: A re-evaluation of the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN).

PubMed

Campbell-Sills, Laura; Espejo, Emmanuel; Ayers, Catherine R; Roy-Byrne, Peter; Stein, Murray B

2015-12-01

The Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN; Connor et al., 2000) is a well-validated instrument for assessing severity of social anxiety disorder (SAD). However, evaluations of its factor structure have produced inconsistent results and this aspect of the scale requires further study. Primary care patients with SAD (N=397) completed the SPIN as part of baseline assessment for the Coordinated Anxiety Learning and Management study (Roy-Byrne et al., 2010). These data were used for exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis of the SPIN. A 3-factor model provided the best fit for the data and factors were interpreted as Fear of Negative Evaluation, Fear of Physical Symptoms, and Fear of Uncertainty in Social Situations. Tests of a second-order model showed that the three factors loaded strongly on a single higher-order factor that was labeled Social Anxiety. Findings are consistent with theories identifying Fear of Negative Evaluation as the core feature of SAD, and with evidence that anxiety sensitivity and intolerance of uncertainty further contribute to SAD severity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Perceived Best Friend Delinquency Moderates the Link between Contextual Risk Factors and Juvenile Delinquency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fite, Paula; Preddy, Teresa; Vitulano, Michael; Elkins, Sara; Grassetti, Stevie; Wimsatt, Amber

2012-01-01

The current study evaluated the effects of contextual risk factors (i.e., negative life events and neighborhood problems) and perceived best friend delinquency on child self-reported delinquency. More specifically, the present study extended the literature by evaluating whether best friend delinquency moderated the effects of contextual risk…

Factors associated with agreement between self-perception and clinical evaluation of dental treatment needs in adults in Brazil and Minas Gerais.

PubMed

Nascimento, Alex Rodrigues do; Andrade, Fabíola Bof de; César, Cibele Comini

2016-11-03

This study sought to describe the agreement between self-perception and clinical evaluation of dental treatment needs in adults and analyze associated factors. The sample comprised adult individuals who took part in SBBrazil 2010 and SBMinas Gerais 2012. The study's outcome was agreement between self-perception and clinical evaluation of dental treatment needs. We used multiple Poisson regression in order to determine the factors associated with the outcome. Agreement between self-perception and clinical evaluation was 78.8% in Brazil and 73.8% in Minas Gerais. Clinical and self-reported oral health conditions that affect function and quality of life were associated with a higher agreement, while a recent visit to the dentist was associated with a lower agreement. Identifying associated factors may enable the development of questionnaires that favor correct self-perception regarding treatment needs.

Interviewer as Instrument: Accounting for Human Factors in Evaluation Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Joel H.

2006-01-01

This methodological study examines an original data collection model designed to incorporate human factors and enhance data richness in qualitative and evaluation research. Evidence supporting this model is drawn from in-depth youth and adult interviews in one of the largest policy/program evaluations undertaken in the United States, the Drug,…

[Advance in researches on vegetation cover and management factor in the soil erosion prediction model].

PubMed

Zhang, Yan; Yuan, Jianping; Liu, Baoyuan

2002-08-01

Vegetation cover and land management are the main limiting factors of soil erosion, and quantitative evaluation on the effect of different vegetation on soil erosion is essential to land use and soil conservation planning. The vegetation cover and management factor (C) in the universal soil loss equation (USLE) is an index to evaluate this effect, which has been studied deeply and used widely. However, the C factor study is insufficient in China. In order to strengthen the research of C factor, this paper reviewed the developing progress of C factor, and compared the methods of estimating C value in different USLE versions. The relative studies in China were also summarized from the aspects of vegetation canopy coverage, soil surface cover, and root density. Three problems in C factor study were pointed out. The authors suggested that cropland C factor research should be furthered, and its methodology should be unified in China to represent reliable C values for soil loss prediction and conservation planning.

The structure of evaluative anxiety among children differing in socioeconomic status, ethnicity, and sex.

PubMed

Rhine, W R; Spaner, S D

1983-11-01

Following Anastasi and Thurstone, the factor structure of evaluative anxiety was examined among six groups of primary age boys and girls (N = 8064). A factor matching technique was used to study hypotheses about the effects of group differences in socioeconomic status (SES), ethnicity, and sex on the pattern of the children's responses to the Test Anxiety Scale for Children (TASC). Hypotheses about the congruence of factor patterns were based on both demographic differences and results of developmental research. The hypothesis of an SES X ethnicity X sex interaction was strongly supported. Implications for comparing factor structures, measuring evaluative anxiety, and future research of evaluative anxiety are discussed.

Concentrated Growth Factor Enhanced Fat Graft Survival: A Comparative Study.

PubMed

Hu, Yun; Jiang, Yichen; Wang, Muyao; Tian, Weidong; Wang, Hang

2018-06-08

Concentrated growth factors (CGFs) belong to a new generation biomaterials that concentrate large number of growth factors and CD34 stem cells in small volume of plasma. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of the new technique, CGF, on fat graft survival, which compared with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and platelet-rich fibrin (PRF). Nude mice received fat graft were divided into PRP group, PRF group, CGF group, and saline. The grafts were volumetrically and histologically evaluated at 4, 8, and 12 weeks after fat grafting. In vitro growth factor levels in PRP, PRF, and CGF were compared using enzyme-linked immunoassay method. Cell count and real-time polymerase chain reaction were used to evaluate the impact of CGF in medium on human adipose-derived stem cell (hADSC) proliferation and vascular differentiation, respectively. Fat graft weight was significantly higher in the CGF group than those in the other groups, and histologic evaluation revealed greater vascularity, fewer cysts, and less fibrosis. Adding CGF to the medium maximally promoted hADSC proliferation and expressing vascular endothelial growth factor and PECAM-1. In this preliminary study, CGF treatment improved the survival and quality of fat grafts.

Evaluating quantity and quality of literature focusing on health economics and pharmacoeconomics in Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

PubMed

Eljilany, Islam; El-Dahiyat, Faris; Curley, Louise Elizabeth; Babar, Zaheer-Ud-Din

2018-05-30

The importance of pharmacoeconomics and health economics has been augmented. It has the potential to provide evidence to aid in optimal decision-making in the funding of cost-effective medicines and services in Gulf Cooperation Council countries (G.C.C). To evaluate the quality and quantity of health economic researches published until the end of 2017 in G.C.C. and to identify the factors that affect the quality of studies. Studies were included according to predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quantity was recorded, and the quality was assessed using the Quality of Health Economic Studies (QHES) instrument. Forty-nine studies were included. The mean (SD) quality score of all studies was 57.83 (25.05), and a high number of reviewed studies (47%) were evaluated as either poor or extremely poor quality. The factors that affect the quality of studies with statistical significance were, the type and method of economic evaluation, the economic outcome was the objective of the research, author`s background, the perspective of the study, health intervention and source of funding. The use of economic evaluation studies in G.C.C was limited. Different factors that affect the quality of articles such as performing a full economic evaluation and choosing societal perspective were identified. Strategies to improve the quality of future studies were recommended.

Real association of factors with inappropriate hospital days.

PubMed

Huet, Bernard; Cauterman, Maxime

2005-01-01

Several studies of inappropriate (in the sense of the AEP) hospital days highlighted associations between two factors (rate of inappropriateness and reasons for inappropriateness, rate of inappropriateness and appropriate setting of care,..). The aim of this communication is to present a study on real associations, at constant factor, between five factors associated with hospital inappropriate days: medical management process, reason for inappropriateness, scheduled admission, rate of inappropriateness, length of stay. We used the European version of Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol for evaluation of inappropriate days and the French protocol ;for analysis of inappropriate days. The study set in three Parisian hospitals, four clinical departments, three specialities. 523 patients were included in the study, 5663 days were evaluated on a wide variety of pathologies: 27 Medical Management Processes. Results show that there are real associations (elimination of transitive associations) between five factors : medical management process and discharge processes, reason for inappropriateness, scheduled admission, rate of inappropriate days, length of stay. Multiple Correspondence Analysis on all "groups of contiguous days related with the same reason for inappropriateness" shows five profiles of queues integrating various medical management processes.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Pharmacists regarding Dietary Supplements : A Community Pharmacy- based survey in Tehran.

PubMed

Mehralian, Gholamhossein; Yousefi, Nazila; Hashemian, Farshad; Maleksabet, Hanieh

2014-01-01

The present study aimed to evaluate pharmacy practice regarding dietary supplements in Tehran (I.R. Iran). So, the factors affecting on pharmacists' practice including their knowledge, attitude, and some underlying factors were evaluated. This is an observational knowledge; attitude and practice (KAP) study. The unit of analysis include pharmacies practice located in Tehran. The data was collected in 2013 via an anonymous, self-administered; postal questionnaire consisted of demographic information, knowledge (subjective and objective questions), attitude, and practice evaluation part. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed using SPSS. This study showed that although the knowledge has a significant effect on attitude and practice, the attention should be paid on other underlying factors such as experience, pharmacy ownership situation and academic degree which might have positive impact on pharmacists' practice. According to this study, although many underlying factors such as experience, university and pharmacy ownership have impact on pharmacy practice regarding dietary supplements, the most attention should paid to knowledge as the main factor and more attention should be paid to training on dietary supplement could be recommended.

Factors Influencing Access to Integrated Soil Fertility Management Information and Knowledge and Its Uptake among Smallholder Farmers in Zimbabwe

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gwandu, T.; Mtambanengwe, F.; Mapfumo, P.; Mashavave, T. C.; Chikowo, R.; Nezomba, H.

2014-01-01

Purpose: The study evaluated how farmer acquisition, sharing and use patterns of information and knowledge interact with different socioeconomic factors to influence integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) technology uptake. Design/methodology/approach: The study was conducted as part of an evaluation of field-based farmer learning approaches…

An Empirical Evaluation of Critical Factors Influencing Learner Satisfaction in Blended Learning: A Pilot Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Won Sun; Yao, Adrian Yong Tat

2016-01-01

Blended learning, a convergence of e-learning approach and face-to-face learning, has been regarded as a new paradigm in modern education. The degree of learners' satisfaction with blended learning played a crucial role in evaluating the effectiveness of blended learning adoption. Therefore, this study examined the primary factors affecting…

Feedback-giving behaviour in performance evaluations during clinical clerkships.

PubMed

Bok, Harold G J; Jaarsma, Debbie A D C; Spruijt, Annemarie; Van Beukelen, Peter; Van Der Vleuten, Cees P M; Teunissen, Pim W

2016-01-01

Narrative feedback documented in performance evaluations by the teacher, i.e. the clinical supervisor, is generally accepted to be essential for workplace learning. Many studies have examined factors of influence on the usage of mini-clinical evaluation exercise (mini-CEX) instruments and provision of feedback, but little is known about how these factors influence teachers' feedback-giving behaviour. In this study, we investigated teachers' use of mini-CEX in performance evaluations to provide narrative feedback in undergraduate clinical training. We designed an exploratory qualitative study using an interpretive approach. Focusing on the usage of mini-CEX instruments in clinical training, we conducted semi-structured interviews to explore teachers' perceptions. Between February and June 2013, we conducted interviews with 14 clinicians participated as teachers during undergraduate clinical clerkships. Informed by concepts from the literature, we coded interview transcripts and iteratively reduced and displayed data using template analysis. We identified three main themes of interrelated factors that influenced teachers' practice with regard to mini-CEX instruments: teacher-related factors; teacher-student interaction-related factors, and teacher-context interaction-related factors. Four issues (direct observation, relationship between teacher and student, verbal versus written feedback, formative versus summative purposes) that are pertinent to workplace-based performance evaluations were presented to clarify how different factors interact with each other and influence teachers' feedback-giving behaviour. Embedding performance observation in clinical practice and establishing trustworthy teacher-student relationships in more longitudinal clinical clerkships were considered important in creating a learning environment that supports and facilitates the feedback exchange. Teachers' feedback-giving behaviour within the clinical context results from the interaction between personal, interpersonal and contextual factors. Increasing insight into how teachers use mini-CEX instruments in daily practice may offer strategies for creating a professional learning culture in which feedback giving and seeking would be enhanced.

Appearance motives to tan and not tan: evidence for validity and reliability of a new scale.

PubMed

Cafri, Guy; Thompson, J Kevin; Roehrig, Megan; Rojas, Ariz; Sperry, Steffanie; Jacobsen, Paul B; Hillhouse, Joel

2008-04-01

Risk for skin cancer is increased by UV exposure and decreased by sun protection. Appearance reasons to tan and not tan have consistently been shown to be related to intentions and behaviors to UV exposure and protection. This study was designed to determine the factor structure of appearance motives to tan and not tan, evaluate the extent to which this factor structure is gender invariant, test for mean differences in the identified factors, and evaluate internal consistency, temporal stability, and criterion-related validity. Five-hundred eighty-nine females and 335 male college students were used to test confirmatory factor analysis models within and across gender groups, estimate latent mean differences, and use the correlation coefficient and Cronbach's alpha to further evaluate the reliability and validity of the identified factors. A measurement invariant (i.e., factor-loading invariant) model was identified with three higher-order factors: sociocultural influences to tan (lower order factors: media, friends, family, significant others), appearance reasons to tan (general, acne, body shape), and appearance reasons not to tan (skin aging, immediate skin damage). Females had significantly higher means than males on all higher-order factors. All subscales had evidence of internal consistency, temporal stability, and criterion-related validity. This study offers a framework and measurement instrument that has evidence of validity and reliability for evaluating appearance-based motives to tan and not tan.

Design of psychosocial factors questionnaires: a systematic measurement approach

PubMed Central

Vargas, Angélica; Felknor, Sarah A

2012-01-01

Background Evaluation of psychosocial factors requires instruments that measure dynamic complexities. This study explains the design of a set of questionnaires to evaluate work and non-work psychosocial risk factors for stress-related illnesses. Methods The measurement model was based on a review of literature. Content validity was performed by experts and cognitive interviews. Pilot testing was carried out with a convenience sample of 132 workers. Cronbach’s alpha evaluated internal consistency and concurrent validity was estimated by Spearman correlation coefficients. Results Three questionnaires were constructed to evaluate exposure to work and non-work risk factors. Content validity improved the questionnaires coherence with the measurement model. Internal consistency was adequate (α=0.85–0.95). Concurrent validity resulted in moderate correlations of psychosocial factors with stress symptoms. Conclusions Questionnaires´ content reflected a wide spectrum of psychosocial factors sources. Cognitive interviews improved understanding of questions and dimensions. The structure of the measurement model was confirmed. PMID:22628068

Factors influencing the results of faculty evaluation in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.

PubMed

Kamali, Farahnaz; Yamani, Nikoo; Changiz, Tahereh; Zoubin, Fatemeh

2018-01-01

This study aimed to explore factors influencing the results of faculty member evaluation from the viewpoints of faculty members affiliated with Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. This qualitative study was done using a conventional content analysis method. Participants were faculty members of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences who, considering maximum variation in sampling, were chosen with a purposive sampling method. Semi-structured interviews were held with 11 faculty members until data saturation was reached. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed with conventional content analysis method for theme development. Further, the MAXQDA software was used for data management. The data analysis led to the development of two main themes, namely, "characteristics of the educational system" and "characteristics of the faculty member evaluation system." The first main theme consists of three categories, i.e. "characteristics of influential people in evaluation," "features of the courses," and "background characteristics." The other theme has the following as its categories: "evaluation methods," "evaluation tools," "evaluation process," and "application of evaluation results." Each category will have its subcategories. Many factors affect the evaluation of faculty members that should be taken into account by educational policymakers for improving the quality of the educational process. In addition to the factors that directly influence the educational system, methodological problems in the evaluation system need special attention.

Domestic Environmental Risk Factors Associated with Falling in Elderly

PubMed Central

LÖK, Neslihan; AKIN, Belgin

2013-01-01

Background: This is a cross-sectional study aiming at analyzing the relation between falling and domestic environmental –risk factors in community-dwelling elderly. Methods: The study consisted of 243 randomly chosen community-dwelling elderly over 65 years of age living around a health care center in Central Selcuklu, Konya. Data were collected with a questionnaire form including socio-demographic and other characteristics, with the Rivermead Mobility Index for evaluating mobility condition and an Evaluation Form of Domestic Environmental Risk Factors of Falling (EFDERF), which is developed by the researcher to assess domestic environmental risk factors of falling. Results: Based on (EFDERF) high number of problems lived in bathroom/restroom, kitchen, bedroom, sitting room/saloon and in all other areas was a risk factor in terms of domestic falling characteristics while the number of problems lived in hall and stairs was not a significant risk factor. Conclusion: EFDERF may be used by the nurses and health professionals to evaluate risk of falling and collecting data after visits in primary-care of elderly. PMID:23515204

Factor Structure of Cognition and Functional Capacity in Two Studies of Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder: Implications for Genomic Studies

PubMed Central

Harvey, Philip D.; Aslan, Mihaela; Du, Mengtian; Zhao, Hongyu; Siever, Larry J.; Pulver, Ann; Gaziano, J. Michael; Concato, John

2015-01-01

Objective Impairments in cognition and everyday functioning are common in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Based on two studies of schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar I disorder (BPI) with similar methods, this paper presents factor analyses of cognitive and functional capacity (FC) measures. The overall goal of these analyses was to determine whether performance-based assessments should be examined individually, or aggregated on the basis of the correlational structure of the tests and as well as to evaluate the similarity of factor structures in SCZ and BPI. Method Veterans Affairs (VA) Cooperative Studies Program study #572, evaluated cognitive and FC measures among 5,414 BPI and 3,942 SZ patients. A second study evaluated similar neuropsychological (NP) and FC measures among 368 BPI and 436 SZ patients. Principal components analysis, as well as exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, were used to examine the data. Results Analyses in both datasets suggested that NP and FC measures were explained by of a single underlying factor in BPI and SCZ patients, both when analyzed separately or as in a combined sample. The factor structure in both studies was similar, with or without inclusion of FC measures; homogeneous loadings were observed for that single factor across cognitive and FC domains across the samples. Conclusions The empirically derived factor model suggests that NP performance and FC are best explained as a single latent trait applicable to people with schizophrenia and bipolar illness. This single measure may enhance the robustness of the analyses relating genomic data to performance-based phenotypes. PMID:26710094

A Method to Evaluate Critical Factors for Successful Implementation of Clinical Pathways.

PubMed

Dong, W; Huang, Z

2015-01-01

Clinical pathways (CPs) have been viewed as a multidisciplinary tool to improve the quality and efficiency of evidence-based care. Despite widespread enthusiasm for CPs, research has shown that many CP initiatives are unsuccessful. To this end, this study provides a methodology to evaluate critical success factors (CSFs) that can aid healthcare organizations to achieve successful CP implementation. This study presents a new approach to evaluate CP implementation CSFs, with the aims being: (1) to identify CSFs for implementation of CPs through a comprehensive literature review and interviews with collaborative experts; (2) to use a filed study data with a robust fuzzy DEMATEL (the decision making trial and evaluation laboratory) approach to visualize the structure of complicated causal relationships between CSFs and obtain the influence level of these factors. The filed study data is provided by ten clinical experts of a Chinese hospital. 23 identified CSF factors which are initially identified through a review of the literature and interviews with collaborative experts. Then, a number of direct and indirect relationships are derived from the data such that different perceptions can be integrated into a compromised cause and effect model of CP implementation. The results indicate that the proposed approach can systematically evaluate CSFs and realize the importance of each factor such that the most common causes of failure of CP implementation could be eliminated or avoided. Therefore, the tool proposed would help healthcare organizations to manage CP implementation in a more effective and proactive way.

What Works for Patients in Outpatient Treatment for Alcohol Addiction? An Explorative Study into Clients’ Evaluation of Subjective Factors and Therapy Satisfaction

PubMed Central

Frick, Katrin M.; Loessl, Barbara; Brueck, Rigo K.; Kriston, Levente; Jaehne, Andreas; Riemann, Dieter; Gann, Horst; Batra, Anil; Wodarz, Norbert; Mann, Karl F.; Berner, Michael M.

2011-01-01

This explorative survey investigated clients’ evaluation of therapy elements and other supportive factors within a randomized controlled trial. The treatment of patients with alcohol dependence consisted of pharmacotherapy (acamprosate/naltrexone/placebo) and biweekly medical management (MM). Forty-nine study participants were surveyed with a questionnaire to measure both the patients’ satisfaction with the therapy and the subjective assessment of treatment elements and supportive factors. Study participants were highly satisfied with the treatment. The supportive factors previously identified by Orford et al1 were confirmed. ‘Pharmacotherapy’ was rated significantly less effective than ‘MM’ and ‘global study attendance’ (P < 0.001). The significant differences in the evaluation of treatment elements point to a preference for regular low-key contacts rather than for medication. Such contacts based on MM could be a useful intervention in clinical care, and its effectivity should be examined more closely in further research. PMID:22879748

An Analysis of Peer-Reviewed Scores and Impact Factors with Different Citation Time Windows: A Case Study of 28 Ophthalmologic Journals.

PubMed

Liu, Xue-Li; Gai, Shuang-Shuang; Zhang, Shi-Le; Wang, Pu

2015-01-01

An important attribute of the traditional impact factor was the controversial 2-year citation window. So far, several scholars have proposed using different citation time windows for evaluating journals. However, there is no confirmation whether a longer citation time window would be better. How did the journal evaluation effects of 3IF, 4IF, and 6IF comparing with 2IF and 5IF? In order to understand these questions, we made a comparative study of impact factors with different citation time windows with the peer-reviewed scores of ophthalmologic journals indexed by Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) database. The peer-reviewed scores of 28 ophthalmologic journals were obtained through a self-designed survey questionnaire. Impact factors with different citation time windows (including 2IF, 3IF, 4IF, 5IF, and 6IF) of 28 ophthalmologic journals were computed and compared in accordance with each impact factor's definition and formula, using the citation analysis function of the Web of Science (WoS) database. An analysis of the correlation between impact factors with different citation time windows and peer-reviewed scores was carried out. Although impact factor values with different citation time windows were different, there was a high level of correlation between them when it came to evaluating journals. In the current study, for ophthalmologic journals' impact factors with different time windows in 2013, 3IF and 4IF seemed the ideal ranges for comparison, when assessed in relation to peer-reviewed scores. In addition, the 3-year and 4-year windows were quite consistent with the cited peak age of documents published by ophthalmologic journals. Our study is based on ophthalmology journals and we only analyze the impact factors with different citation time window in 2013, so it has yet to be ascertained whether other disciplines (especially those with a later cited peak) or other years would follow the same or similar patterns. We designed the survey questionnaire ourselves, specifically to assess the real influence of journals. We used peer-reviewed scores to judge the journal evaluation effect of impact factors with different citation time windows. The main purpose of this study was to help researchers better understand the role of impact factors with different citation time windows in journal evaluation.

Factors affecting construction performance: exploratory factor analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soewin, E.; Chinda, T.

2018-04-01

The present work attempts to develop a multidimensional performance evaluation framework for a construction company by considering all relevant measures of performance. Based on the previous studies, this study hypothesizes nine key factors, with a total of 57 associated items. The hypothesized factors, with their associated items, are then used to develop questionnaire survey to gather data. The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was applied to the collected data which gave rise 10 factors with 57 items affecting construction performance. The findings further reveal that the items constituting ten key performance factors (KPIs) namely; 1) Time, 2) Cost, 3) Quality, 4) Safety & Health, 5) Internal Stakeholder, 6) External Stakeholder, 7) Client Satisfaction, 8) Financial Performance, 9) Environment, and 10) Information, Technology & Innovation. The analysis helps to develop multi-dimensional performance evaluation framework for an effective measurement of the construction performance. The 10 key performance factors can be broadly categorized into economic aspect, social aspect, environmental aspect, and technology aspects. It is important to understand a multi-dimension performance evaluation framework by including all key factors affecting the construction performance of a company, so that the management level can effectively plan to implement an effective performance development plan to match with the mission and vision of the company.

Adverse effects of psychosocial work factors on blood pressure: systematic review of studies on demand-control-support and effort-reward imbalance models.

PubMed

Gilbert-Ouimet, Mahée; Trudel, Xavier; Brisson, Chantal; Milot, Alain; Vézina, Michel

2014-03-01

A growing body of research has investigated the adverse effects of psychosocial work factors on blood pressure (BP) elevation. There is now a clear need for an up-to-date, critical synthesis of reliable findings on this topic. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the adverse effects of psychosocial work factors of both the demand-control-support (DCS) and effort-reward imbalance (ERI) models on BP among men and women, according to the methodological quality of the studies. To be eligible, studies had to: (i) evaluate at least one psychosocial work factor, (ii) evaluate BP or hypertension, (iii) comprise ≥100 workers, (iv) be written in English or French, and (v) be published in a peer-reviewed journal. A total of 74 studies were included. Of these, 64 examined the DCS model, and 12 looked at the ERI model, with 2 studies considering both models. Approximately half the studies observed a significant adverse effect of psychosocial work factors on BP. A more consistent effect was observed, however, among men than women. For job strain, a more consistent effect was also observed in studies of higher methodological quality, ie, studies using a prospective design and ambulatory BP measures. A more consistent adverse effect of psychosocial work factors was observed among men than women and in studies of higher methodological quality. These findings contribute to the current effort of primary prevention of cardiovascular disease by documenting the psychosocial etiology of elevated BP, a major cardiovascular risk factor.

Evaluation of B2C website based on the usability factors by using fuzzy AHP & hierarchical fuzzy TOPSIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masudin, I.; Saputro, T. E.

2016-02-01

In today's technology, electronic trading transaction via internet has been utilized properly with rapid growth. This paper intends to evaluate related to B2C e-commerce website in order to find out the one which meets the usability factors better than another. The influential factors to B2C e-commerce website are determined for two big retailer websites. The factors are investigated based on the consideration of several studies and conformed to the website characteristics. The evaluation is conducted by using different methods namely fuzzy AHP and hierarchical fuzzy TOPSIS so that the final evaluation can be compared. Fuzzy triangular number is adopted to deal with imprecise judgment under fuzzy environment.

Effect of Combined Loading Due to Bending and Internal Pressure on Pipe Flaw Evaluation Criteria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miura, Naoki; Sakai, Shinsuke

Considering a rule for the rationalization of maintenance of Light Water Reactor piping, reliable flaw evaluation criteria are essential for determining how a detected flaw will be detrimental to continuous plant operation. Ductile fracture is one of the dominant failure modes that must be considered for carbon steel piping and can be analyzed by elastic-plastic fracture mechanics. Some analytical efforts have provided various flaw evaluation criteria using load correction factors, such as the Z-factors in the JSME codes on fitness-for-service for nuclear power plants and the section XI of the ASME boiler and pressure vessel code. The present Z-factors were conventionally determined, taking conservativity and simplicity into account; however, the effect of internal pressure, which is an important factor under actual plant conditions, was not adequately considered. Recently, a J-estimation scheme, LBB.ENGC for the ductile fracture analysis of circumferentially through-wall-cracked pipes subjected to combined loading was developed for more accurate prediction under more realistic conditions. This method explicitly incorporates the contributions of both bending and tension due to internal pressure by means of a scheme that is compatible with an arbitrary combined-loading history. In this study, the effect of internal pressure on the flaw evaluation criteria was investigated using the new J-estimation scheme. The Z-factor obtained in this study was compared with the presently used Z-factors, and the predictability of the current flaw evaluation criteria was quantitatively evaluated in consideration of the internal pressure.

Evaluating Journal Quality: Is the H-Index a Better Measure than Impact Factors?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodge, David R.; Lacasse, Jeffrey R.

2011-01-01

Objectives: This study evaluates the utility of a new measure--the h-index--that may provide a more valid approach to evaluating journal quality in the social work profession. Method: H-index values are compared with Thomson ISI 5-year impact factors and expert opinion. Results: As hypothesized, the h-index correlates highly with ISI 5-year impact…

Exploring the validity and reliability of a questionnaire for evaluating veterinary clinical teachers' supervisory skills during clinical rotations.

PubMed

Boerboom, T B B; Dolmans, D H J M; Jaarsma, A D C; Muijtjens, A M M; Van Beukelen, P; Scherpbier, A J J A

2011-01-01

Feedback to aid teachers in improving their teaching requires validated evaluation instruments. When implementing an evaluation instrument in a different context, it is important to collect validity evidence from multiple sources. We examined the validity and reliability of the Maastricht Clinical Teaching Questionnaire (MCTQ) as an instrument to evaluate individual clinical teachers during short clinical rotations in veterinary education. We examined four sources of validity evidence: (1) Content was examined based on theory of effective learning. (2) Response process was explored in a pilot study. (3) Internal structure was assessed by confirmatory factor analysis using 1086 student evaluations and reliability was examined utilizing generalizability analysis. (4) Relations with other relevant variables were examined by comparing factor scores with other outcomes. Content validity was supported by theory underlying the cognitive apprenticeship model on which the instrument is based. The pilot study resulted in an additional question about supervision time. A five-factor model showed a good fit with the data. Acceptable reliability was achievable with 10-12 questionnaires per teacher. Correlations between the factors and overall teacher judgement were strong. The MCTQ appears to be a valid and reliable instrument to evaluate clinical teachers' performance during short rotations.

Process Evaluation of an Effective Church-Based Diet Intervention: Body & Soul

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Marci Kramish; Resnicow, Ken; Carr, Carol; Wang, Terry; Williams, Alexis

2007-01-01

Body & Soul has demonstrated effectiveness as a dietary intervention among African American church members. The process evaluation assessed relationships between program exposure and implementation factors and study outcomes and characterized factors important for adoption, implementation, and maintenance. Data sources included participant surveys…

Climate-dependence of ecosystem services in a nature reserve in northern China

PubMed Central

Fang, Jiaohui; Song, Huali; Zhang, Yiran; Li, Yanran

2018-01-01

Evaluation of ecosystem services has become a hotspot in terms of research focus, but uncertainties over appropriate methods remain. Evaluation can be based on the unit price of services (services value method) or the unit price of the area (area value method). The former takes meteorological factors into account, while the latter does not. This study uses Kunyu Mountain Nature Reserve as a study site at which to test the effects of climate on the ecosystem services. Measured data and remote sensing imagery processed in a geographic information system were combined to evaluate gas regulation and soil conservation, and the influence of meteorological factors on ecosystem services. Results were used to analyze the appropriateness of the area value method. Our results show that the value of ecosystem services is significantly affected by meteorological factors, especially precipitation. Use of the area value method (which ignores the impacts of meteorological factors) could considerably impede the accuracy of ecosystem services evaluation. Results were also compared with the valuation obtained using the modified equivalent value factor (MEVF) method, which is a modified area value method that considers changes in meteorological conditions. We found that MEVF still underestimates the value of ecosystem services, although it can reflect to some extent the annual variation in meteorological factors. Our findings contribute to increasing the accuracy of evaluation of ecosystem services. PMID:29438427

Climate-dependence of ecosystem services in a nature reserve in northern China.

PubMed

Fang, Jiaohui; Song, Huali; Zhang, Yiran; Li, Yanran; Liu, Jian

2018-01-01

Evaluation of ecosystem services has become a hotspot in terms of research focus, but uncertainties over appropriate methods remain. Evaluation can be based on the unit price of services (services value method) or the unit price of the area (area value method). The former takes meteorological factors into account, while the latter does not. This study uses Kunyu Mountain Nature Reserve as a study site at which to test the effects of climate on the ecosystem services. Measured data and remote sensing imagery processed in a geographic information system were combined to evaluate gas regulation and soil conservation, and the influence of meteorological factors on ecosystem services. Results were used to analyze the appropriateness of the area value method. Our results show that the value of ecosystem services is significantly affected by meteorological factors, especially precipitation. Use of the area value method (which ignores the impacts of meteorological factors) could considerably impede the accuracy of ecosystem services evaluation. Results were also compared with the valuation obtained using the modified equivalent value factor (MEVF) method, which is a modified area value method that considers changes in meteorological conditions. We found that MEVF still underestimates the value of ecosystem services, although it can reflect to some extent the annual variation in meteorological factors. Our findings contribute to increasing the accuracy of evaluation of ecosystem services.

The relative importance of physicochemical factors to stream biological condition in urbanizing basins: Evidence from multimodel inference

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carlisle, Daren M.; Bryant, Wade L.

2011-01-01

Many physicochemical factors potentially impair stream ecosystems in urbanizing basins, but few studies have evaluated their relative importance simultaneously, especially in different environmental settings. We used data collected in 25 to 30 streams along a gradient of urbanization in each of 6 metropolitan areas (MAs) to evaluate the relative importance of 11 physicochemical factors on the condition of algal, macroinvertebrate, and fish assemblages. For each assemblage, biological condition was quantified using 2 separate metrics, nonmetric multidimensional scaling ordination site scores and the ratio of observed/expected taxa, both derived in previous studies. Separate linear regression models with 1 or 2 factors as predictors were developed for each MA and assemblage metric. Model parsimony was evaluated based on Akaike’s Information Criterion for small sample size (AICc) and Akaike weights, and variable importance was estimated by summing the Akaike weights across models containing each stressor variable. Few of the factors were strongly correlated (Pearson |r| > 0.7) within MAs. Physicochemical factors explained 17 to 81% of variance in biological condition. Most (92 of 118) of the most plausible models contained 2 predictors, and generally more variance could be explained by the additive effects of 2 factors than by any single factor alone. None of the factors evaluated was universally important for all MAs or biological assemblages. The relative importance of factors varied for different measures of biological condition, biological assemblages, and MA. Our results suggest that the suite of physicochemical factors affecting urban stream ecosystems varies across broad geographic areas, along gradients of urban intensity, and among basins within single MAs.

Evaluation of factors affecting the edge formability of two hot rolled multiphase steels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mukherjee, Monideepa; Tiwari, Sumit; Bhattacharya, Basudev

2018-02-01

In this study, the effect of various factors on the hole expansion ratio and hence on the edge formability of two hot rolled multiphase steels, one with a ferrite-martensite microstructure and the other with a ferrite-bainite microstructure, was investigated through systematic microstructural and mechanical characterization. The study revealed that the microstructure of the steels, which determines their strain hardening capacity and fracture resistance, is the principal factor controlling edge formability. The influence of other factors such as tensile strength, ductility, anisotropy, and thickness, though present, are secondary. A critical evaluation of the available empirical models for hole expansion ratio prediction is also presented.

Family Engagement in Literacy Activities: Revised Factor Structure for the Familia--An Instrument Examining Family Support for Early Literacy Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buhs, Eric S.; Welch, Greg; Burt, Jennifer; Knoche, Lisa

2011-01-01

This study evaluated a data-set drawn using "The Familia"--a measure originally developed to evaluate shared-reading activities. A newly developed set of conceptual supports and a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were applied to a new factor structure/model. Data were drawn from 219 young children and their families (mean age = 43…

Psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of the Patient Perceptions of Empowerment Scale (PPES).

PubMed

Yeh, Mei-Yu; Lin, Sieh-Hwa; Tung, Tao-Hsin

2014-01-01

To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Patient Perceptions of Empowerment Scale (PPES) and to perform a cross-cultural validity assessment. In this cross-sectional survey, 554 inpatients in three general hospitals in northern Taiwan were recruited. Principal component analysis was used to examine the factor structure of the scale. Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on the measurement model of the Chinese version of the PPES. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the presence of a second-order four-factor model (information, decision, individual, and self-management) of the Chinese version of the PPES when used with a Taiwanese inpatient population. The results indicate that the 11-item, second-order, four-factor Chinese version of the PPES provided best goodness-of-fit for the data in this study. The 11-item four-factor Chinese version of the PPES is a self-completion scale. This study demonstrated that the Chinese version of the PPES is a reliable and valid self-report instrument for the assessment of patient perceptions of empowerment in clinical practice. Further adaptation and evaluation of the scale will hopefully stimulate further studies on PPES in the fields of psychometrics in Taiwan.

Psychometric Evaluation of the Chinese Version of the Patient Perceptions of Empowerment Scale (PPES)

PubMed Central

Lin, Sieh-Hwa

2014-01-01

Objectives. To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Patient Perceptions of Empowerment Scale (PPES) and to perform a cross-cultural validity assessment. Methods. In this cross-sectional survey, 554 inpatients in three general hospitals in northern Taiwan were recruited. Principal component analysis was used to examine the factor structure of the scale. Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on the measurement model of the Chinese version of the PPES. Results. Confirmatory factor analyses supported the presence of a second-order four-factor model (information, decision, individual, and self-management) of the Chinese version of the PPES when used with a Taiwanese inpatient population. The results indicate that the 11-item, second-order, four-factor Chinese version of the PPES provided best goodness-of-fit for the data in this study. Conclusion. The 11-item four-factor Chinese version of the PPES is a self-completion scale. This study demonstrated that the Chinese version of the PPES is a reliable and valid self-report instrument for the assessment of patient perceptions of empowerment in clinical practice. Further adaptation and evaluation of the scale will hopefully stimulate further studies on PPES in the fields of psychometrics in Taiwan. PMID:24971354

An Analysis of Peer-Reviewed Scores and Impact Factors with Different Citation Time Windows: A Case Study of 28 Ophthalmologic Journals

PubMed Central

Liu, Xue-Li; Gai, Shuang-Shuang; Zhang, Shi-Le; Wang, Pu

2015-01-01

Background An important attribute of the traditional impact factor was the controversial 2-year citation window. So far, several scholars have proposed using different citation time windows for evaluating journals. However, there is no confirmation whether a longer citation time window would be better. How did the journal evaluation effects of 3IF, 4IF, and 6IF comparing with 2IF and 5IF? In order to understand these questions, we made a comparative study of impact factors with different citation time windows with the peer-reviewed scores of ophthalmologic journals indexed by Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) database. Methods The peer-reviewed scores of 28 ophthalmologic journals were obtained through a self-designed survey questionnaire. Impact factors with different citation time windows (including 2IF, 3IF, 4IF, 5IF, and 6IF) of 28 ophthalmologic journals were computed and compared in accordance with each impact factor’s definition and formula, using the citation analysis function of the Web of Science (WoS) database. An analysis of the correlation between impact factors with different citation time windows and peer-reviewed scores was carried out. Results Although impact factor values with different citation time windows were different, there was a high level of correlation between them when it came to evaluating journals. In the current study, for ophthalmologic journals’ impact factors with different time windows in 2013, 3IF and 4IF seemed the ideal ranges for comparison, when assessed in relation to peer-reviewed scores. In addition, the 3-year and 4-year windows were quite consistent with the cited peak age of documents published by ophthalmologic journals. Research Limitations Our study is based on ophthalmology journals and we only analyze the impact factors with different citation time window in 2013, so it has yet to be ascertained whether other disciplines (especially those with a later cited peak) or other years would follow the same or similar patterns. Originality/ Value We designed the survey questionnaire ourselves, specifically to assess the real influence of journals. We used peer-reviewed scores to judge the journal evaluation effect of impact factors with different citation time windows. The main purpose of this study was to help researchers better understand the role of impact factors with different citation time windows in journal evaluation. PMID:26295157

Examining the Factor Structure of the MLQ Transactional and Transformational Leadership Dimensions in Nursing Context.

PubMed

Boamah, Sheila A; Tremblay, Paul

2018-05-01

The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) is the most widely used instrument for assessing dimensions of leadership style; yet, most studies have failed to reproduce the original MLQ factor structure. The current study evaluates the dimensionality and nomological validity of Bass's transactional and transformational leadership model using the MLQ in a sample of registered nurses working in acute care hospitals in Canada. A combination of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to evaluate the hypothetical factor structure of the MLQ consisting of five transformational factors, and three transactional factors. Results suggest that the eight-factor solution displayed best fit indices; however, two transactional factors should be extracted due to high interscale correlations and lack of differential relationships with the two leadership variables. The findings support a scale refinement and the need for new theory concerning the five transformational leadership and contingent reward dimensions of the MLQ.

Factors influencing the results of faculty evaluation in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences

PubMed Central

Kamali, Farahnaz; Yamani, Nikoo; Changiz, Tahereh; Zoubin, Fatemeh

2018-01-01

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore factors influencing the results of faculty member evaluation from the viewpoints of faculty members affiliated with Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This qualitative study was done using a conventional content analysis method. Participants were faculty members of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences who, considering maximum variation in sampling, were chosen with a purposive sampling method. Semi-structured interviews were held with 11 faculty members until data saturation was reached. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed with conventional content analysis method for theme development. Further, the MAXQDA software was used for data management. RESULTS: The data analysis led to the development of two main themes, namely, “characteristics of the educational system” and “characteristics of the faculty member evaluation system.” The first main theme consists of three categories, i.e. “characteristics of influential people in evaluation,” “features of the courses,” and “background characteristics.” The other theme has the following as its categories: “evaluation methods,” “evaluation tools,” “evaluation process,” and “application of evaluation results.” Each category will have its subcategories. CONCLUSIONS: Many factors affect the evaluation of faculty members that should be taken into account by educational policymakers for improving the quality of the educational process. In addition to the factors that directly influence the educational system, methodological problems in the evaluation system need special attention. PMID:29417073

A lifestyle intervention study targeting individuals with low socioeconomic status of different ethnic origins: important aspects for successful implementation.

PubMed

Teuscher, Dorit; Bukman, Andrea J; van Baak, Marleen A; Feskens, Edith J M; Renes, Reint Jan; Meershoek, Agnes

2017-07-25

Evaluation of the implementation process of trials is important, because the way a study is implemented modifies its outcomes. Furthermore, lessons learned during implementation can inform other researchers on factors that play a role when implementing interventions described in research. This study evaluates the implementation of the MetSLIM study, targeting individuals with low socioeconomic status of different ethnic origins. The MetSLIM study was set up to evaluate the effectiveness of a lifestyle programme on waist circumference and other cardio-metabolic risk factors. The objective of this evaluation was to identify components that were essential for the implementation of the MetSLIM study and to inform other researchers on methodological aspects when working with inadequately reached populations in health research. In this evaluation study the experiences of health professionals, study assistants, a community worker and regional research coordinators involved in the MetSLIM study were explored using semi-structured interviews. Questionnaires were used to evaluate participants' satisfaction with the lifestyle intervention. Our analyses show that a flexible recruitment protocol eventually leads to recruitment of sufficient participants; that trust in the recruiter is an important factor in the recruitment of individuals with low socioeconomic status of different ethnic origins; and that health professionals will unavoidably shape the form of intervention activities. Furthermore, our evaluation shows that daily practice and research mutually influence each other and that the results of an intervention are a product of this interaction. Health promotion research would benefit from a perspective that sees intervention activities not as fixed entities but rather as social interaction that can take on numerous forms. Analysing and reporting the implementation process of studies, like in this evaluation, will allow readers to get a detailed view on the appropriateness of the (intended) study design and intervention for the targeted population. Evaluation studies that shed light on the reasons for adaptations, rather than describing them as deviation from the original plan, would point out methodological aspects important for a study's replication. Furthermore, they would show how various factors can influence the implementation, and therewith initiate a learning cycle for the development of future intervention studies. Netherlands Trial Register NTR3721 (since November 27, 2012).

Predicting Resident Performance from Preresidency Factors: A Systematic Review and Applicability to Neurosurgical Training.

PubMed

Zuckerman, Scott L; Kelly, Patrick D; Dewan, Michael C; Morone, Peter J; Yengo-Kahn, Aaron M; Magarik, Jordan A; Baticulon, Ronnie E; Zusman, Edie E; Solomon, Gary S; Wellons, John C

2018-02-01

Neurosurgical educators strive to identify the best applicants, yet formal study of resident selection has proved difficult. We conducted a systematic review to answer the following question: What objective and subjective preresidency factors predict resident success? PubMed, ProQuest, Embase, and the CINAHL databases were queried from 1952 to 2015 for literature reporting the impact of preresidency factors (PRFs) on outcomes of residency success (RS), among neurosurgery and all surgical subspecialties. Due to heterogeneity of specialties and outcomes, a qualitative summary and heat map of significant findings were constructed. From 1489 studies, 21 articles met inclusion criteria, which evaluated 1276 resident applicants across five surgical subspecialties. No neurosurgical studies met the inclusion criteria. Common objective PRFs included standardized testing (76%), medical school performance (48%), and Alpha Omega Alpha (43%). Common subjective PRFs included aggregate rank scores (57%), letters of recommendation (38%), research (33%), interviews (19%), and athletic or musical talent (19%). Outcomes of RS included faculty evaluations, in-training/board exams, chief resident status, and research productivity. Among objective factors, standardized test scores correlated well with in-training/board examinations but poorly correlated with faculty evaluations. Among subjective factors, aggregate rank scores, letters of recommendation, and athletic or musical talent demonstrated moderate correlation with faculty evaluations. Standardized testing most strongly correlated with future examination performance but correlated poorly with faculty evaluations. Moderate predictors of faculty evaluations were aggregate rank scores, letters of recommendation, and athletic or musical talent. The ability to predict success of neurosurgical residents using an evidence-based approach is limited, and few factors have correlated with future resident performance. Given the importance of recruitment to the greater field of neurosurgery, these data provide support for a national, prospective effort to improve the study of neurosurgery resident selection. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACHES TO EVALUATING THE ROLE OF ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE

EPA Science Inventory

Epidemiologic studies have suggested factors in drinking water influence on the human cardiovascular system. A clear identification of the factors involved requires more invasive techniques and more strict experimental controls than can usually be applied in epidemiologic studies...

Factor structure of cognition and functional capacity in two studies of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder: Implications for genomic studies.

PubMed

Harvey, Philip D; Aslan, Mihaela; Du, Mengtian; Zhao, Hongyu; Siever, Larry J; Pulver, Ann; Gaziano, J Michael; Concato, John

2016-01-01

Impairments in cognition and everyday functioning are common in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (BPD). In this article, we present factor analyses of cognitive and functional capacity (FC) measures based on 2 studies of schizophrenia (SCZ) and bipolar I disorder (BPI) using similar methods. The overall goal of these analyses was to determine whether performance-based assessments should be examined individually, or aggregated on the basis of the correlational structure of the tests, as well as to evaluate the similarity of factor structures of SCZ and BPI. Veterans Affairs Cooperative Studies Program Study #572 (Harvey et al., 2014) evaluated cognitive and FC measures among 5,414 BPI and 3,942 SCZ patients. A 2nd study evaluated similar neuropsychological (NP) and FC measures among 368 BPI and 436 SCZ patients. Principal components analysis, as well as exploratory and CFAs, were used to examine the data. Analyses in both datasets suggested that NP and FC measures were explained by a single underlying factor in BPI and SCZ patients, both when analyzed separately or as in a combined sample. The factor structure in both studies was similar, with or without inclusion of FC measures; homogeneous loadings were observed for that single factor across cognitive and FC domains across the samples. The empirically derived factor model suggests that NP performance and FC are best explained as a single latent trait applicable to people with SCZ and BPD. This single measure may enhance the robustness of the analyses relating genomic data to performance-based phenotypes. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Risk factors of the upper limb disorders among cashiers in grocery retail industries: A review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuhaidi, Muhammad Fareez Ahmad; Nasrull Abdol Rahman, Mohd

2017-08-01

Cashiers have been appointed as one of top ten occupations in developing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) particularly on the upper limb. Many of the workers are still in high risk injury due to incorrect workstations and lack of employee education in basic biomechanical principles. Normally, cashiers are exposed in several risk factors such as awkward and static postures, repetition motion and forceful exertions. Thus, cashiers in supermarket are considered at risk from developing upper limb disorders (ULDs). This review evaluates selected papers that have studied risk factors of the upper limb disorders among cashiers in grocery retail industries. In addition, other studies from related industry were reviewed as applicable. In order to understand risk factors of the upper limb disorders among cashiers, it is recommended that future studies are needed in evaluating these risk factors among cashiers.

Evaluation in undergraduate medical education: Conceptualizing and validating a novel questionnaire for assessing the quality of bedside teaching.

PubMed

Dreiling, Katharina; Montano, Diego; Poinstingl, Herbert; Müller, Tjark; Schiekirka-Schwake, Sarah; Anders, Sven; von Steinbüchel, Nicole; Raupach, Tobias

2017-08-01

Evaluation is an integral part of curriculum development in medical education. Given the peculiarities of bedside teaching, specific evaluation tools for this instructional format are needed. Development of these tools should be informed by appropriate frameworks. The purpose of this study was to develop a specific evaluation tool for bedside teaching based on the Stanford Faculty Development Program's clinical teaching framework. Based on a literature review yielding 47 evaluation items, an 18-item questionnaire was compiled and subsequently completed by undergraduate medical students at two German universities. Reliability and validity were assessed in an exploratory full information item factor analysis (study one) and a confirmatory factor analysis as well as a measurement invariance analysis (study two). The exploratory analysis involving 824 students revealed a three-factor structure. Reliability estimates of the subscales were satisfactory (α = 0.71-0.84). The model yielded satisfactory fit indices in the confirmatory factor analysis involving 1043 students. The new questionnaire is short and yet based on a widely-used framework for clinical teaching. The analyses presented here indicate good reliability and validity of the instrument. Future research needs to investigate whether feedback generated from this tool helps to improve teaching quality and student learning outcome.

Examination of the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale-Version 2 and the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale-Straightforward Items Factor Structure in a Sample of U.S. College Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Liu; Lowe, Patricia A.

2016-01-01

The current study examined the factor structure of the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation-Straightforward Items (BFNE-S) and the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation-Version 2 (BFNE-II) among 151 college students from the United States. Results indicated that the BFNE-S and the BFNE-II scores demonstrated excellent internal consistency reliability.…

Differences among Job Positions Related to Communication Errors at Construction Sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takahashi, Akiko; Ishida, Toshiro

In a previous study, we classified the communicatio n errors at construction sites as faulty intention and message pattern, inadequate channel pattern, and faulty comprehension pattern. This study seeks to evaluate the degree of risk of communication errors and to investigate differences among people in various job positions in perception of communication error risk . Questionnaires based on the previous study were a dministered to construction workers (n=811; 149 adminis trators, 208 foremen and 454 workers). Administrators evaluated all patterns of communication error risk equally. However, foremen and workers evaluated communication error risk differently in each pattern. The common contributing factors to all patterns wer e inadequate arrangements before work and inadequate confirmation. Some factors were common among patterns but other factors were particular to a specific pattern. To help prevent future accidents at construction sites, administrators should understand how people in various job positions perceive communication errors and propose human factors measures to prevent such errors.

A methodology to quantitatively evaluate the safety of a glazing robot.

PubMed

Lee, Seungyeol; Yu, Seungnam; Choi, Junho; Han, Changsoo

2011-03-01

A new construction method using robots is spreading widely among construction sites in order to overcome labour shortages and frequent construction accidents. Along with economical efficiency, safety is a very important factor for evaluating the use of construction robots in construction sites. However, the quantitative evaluation of safety is difficult compared with that of economical efficiency. In this study, we suggested a safety evaluation methodology by defining the 'worker' and 'work conditions' as two risk factors, defining the 'worker' factor as posture load and the 'work conditions' factor as the work environment and the risk exposure time. The posture load evaluation reflects the risk of musculoskeletal disorders which can be caused by work posture and the risk of accidents which can be caused by reduced concentration. We evaluated the risk factors that may cause various accidents such as falling, colliding, capsizing, and squeezing in work environments, and evaluated the operational risk by considering worker exposure time to risky work environments. With the results of the evaluations for each factor, we calculated the general operational risk and deduced the improvement ratio in operational safety by introducing a construction robot. To verify these results, we compared the safety of the existing human manual labour and the proposed robotic labour construction methods for manipulating large glass panels. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Factors affecting quality of life in Hungarian adults with epilepsy: A comparison of four psychiatric instruments.

PubMed

Kováts, Daniella; Császár, Noémi; Haller, József; Juhos, Vera; Sallay, Viola; Békés, Judit; Kelemen, Anna; Fabó, Dániel; Rásonyi, György; Folyovich, András; Kurimay, Tamás

2017-09-01

We investigated the impact of 19 factors on life quality in Hungarian patients with epilepsy. Wellbeing was evaluated by several inventories to investigate the impact of factors in more detail. A cross-sectional study was performed in 170 patients. Wellbeing was evaluated with the WHO-5 Well-being Index (WHOQOL-5), Diener Satisfaction with Life Scale (SwLS), and the Quality of Life in Epilepsy-31 Questionnaire (Qolie-31). We investigated their association with demographic characteristics, general health status, epilepsy, and its treatment. The impact of these factors on illness perception (Illness Perception Questionnaire, IPQ) was also studied. The four measures correlated highly significantly. In addition, the predictive power of factors was comparable with the four inventories as evaluated by Multiple Regression. Factors explained 52%, 41%, 63% and 46% in the variance of WHOQOL-5, SwLS, Qolie-31, and IPQ scores, respectively. However, associations with particular factors were instrument-specific. The WHOQOL-5 was associated with factors indicative of general health. SwLS scores were associated with health-related and several demographic factors. Neither showed associations with epilepsy-related factors. All four categories of factors were associated with Qolie-31 and IPQ scores. Factors had an additive impact on IPQ, but not on Qolie-31. Our findings reveal interactions between the method of life quality assessment and the factors that are identified as influencing life quality. This appears to be the first study that analyses the factors that influence illness perception in epilepsy patients, and suggests that the IPQ may become a valuable tool in epilepsy research. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Factor Analysis of the Counselor Evaluation Rating Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loesch, Larry C.; Rucker, Barbara B.

1977-01-01

This study was conducted on the Counselor Evaluation Rating Scale (CERS). Ratings on 404 students from approximately 35 different supervisors were factor-analyzed using an oblique solution with rotation to simple loadings. It was concluded that the CERS has generally achieved the purposes intended by its authors. (Author)

Review of existing experimental approaches for the clinical evaluation of the benefits of plant food supplements on cardiovascular function.

PubMed

Meoni, Paolo; Restani, Patrizia; Mancama, Dalu T

2013-06-01

We conducted a survey of the National Centre for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) PubMed database to identify methods most commonly used for the evaluation of the effect of plant food supplements on the cardiovascular system and their relevance to the regulatory status of these products. Particularly, our search strategy was aimed at the selection of studies concerning the clinical evaluation of the beneficial effects of the most commonly studied plant food supplements acting on the cardiovascular system. Following the screening of 3839 papers for inclusion criteria, 48 published reports were retained for this review. Most studies included in this review used a double blind controlled design, and evaluated the effect of plant food supplements on individuals affected by a disease of the cardiovascular system. The majority of the studies were found to be of low methodological quality on the Jadad scale, mainly because of inadequate reporting of adverse events and of patient withdrawals. In comparison, measures used for the evaluation of benefits included mostly cardiovascular risk factors as recommended in international guidelines and in accordance with principles laid down for the evaluation of health claims in food. The risk factors most frequently evaluated belonged to the category of "lipid function and levels", "heart function" and "blood pressure". For the absolute majority of the studies, the study period did not exceed one month. This review highlights critical factors to be considered in the design of studies evaluating the health effects of plant food supplements on the cardiovascular system. Between others, the inclusion of healthy individuals, better reporting and description of the characteristics of the product used could improve the quality and relevance of these studies.

Multi-Factor Analysis for Selecting Lunar Exploration Soft Landing Area and the best Cruise Route

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mou, N.; Li, J.; Meng, Z.; Zhang, L.; Liu, W.

2018-04-01

Selecting the right soft landing area and planning a reasonable cruise route are the basic tasks of lunar exploration. In this paper, the Von Karman crater in the Antarctic Aitken basin on the back of the moon is used as the study area, and multi-factor analysis is used to evaluate the landing area and cruise route of lunar exploration. The evaluation system mainly includes the factors such as the density of craters, the impact area of craters, the formation of the whole area and the formation of some areas, such as the vertical structure, rock properties and the content of (FeO + TiO2), which can reflect the significance of scientific exploration factor. And the evaluation of scientific exploration is carried out on the basis of safety and feasibility. On the basis of multi-factor superposition analysis, three landing zones A, B and C are selected, and the appropriate cruising route is analyzed through scientific research factors. This study provides a scientific basis for the lunar probe landing and cruise route planning, and it provides technical support for the subsequent lunar exploration.

Developing a Physiotherapy-Specific Preliminary Clinical Decision-Making Tool for Oxygen Titration: A Modified Delphi Study

PubMed Central

Duong, Michelle; Bertin, Kendra; Henry, Renee; Singh, Deepti; Timmins, Nolla; Brooks, Dina; Mathur, Sunita

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT Purpose: To develop and evaluate a preliminary clinical decision-making tool (CDMT) to assist physiotherapists in titrating oxygen for acutely ill adults in Ontario. Methods: A panel of 14 experienced cardiorespiratory physiotherapists was recruited. Factors relating to oxygen titration were identified using a modified Delphi technique. Four rounds of questionnaires were conducted, during which the goals were to (1) generate factors, (2) reduce factors and debate contentious factors, (3) finalize factors and develop the preliminary CDMT, and (4) evaluate the usability of the tool in a clinical context. Results: The panel reached consensus on a total of 89 factors, which were compiled to create the preliminary CDMT. The global tool reached consensus for sensibility, receiving a mean score of 6/7 on a 7-point Likert-type scale (1=unacceptable; 7=excellent). Five of the nine individual components of evaluation of the tool achieved scores ≥6.0; the remaining four had mean scores between 5.4 and 5.9. Conclusion: This study produced a preliminary CDMT for oxygen titration, which the panel agreed was highly comprehensible and globally sensible. Further research is necessary to evaluate the sensibility and applicability of the tool in a clinical setting. PMID:25125782

Effect of rural-to-urban within-country migration on cardiovascular risk factors in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review.

PubMed

Hernández, Adrián V; Pasupuleti, Vinay; Deshpande, Abhishek; Bernabé-Ortiz, Antonio; Miranda, J Jaime

2012-02-01

Limited information is available of effects of rural-to-urban within-country migration on cardiovascular (CV) risk factors in low- and middle- income countries (LMIC). A systematic review of studies evaluating these effects was performed with rural and/or urban control groups. Two teams of investigators searched observational studies in Medline, Web of Science and Scopus until May 2011. Studies evaluating international migration were excluded. Three investigators extracted the information stratified by gender. Information on 17 known CV risk factors was obtained. Eighteen studies (n=58,536) were included. Studies were highly heterogeneous with respect to study design, migrant sampling frame, migrant urban exposure and reported CV risk factors. In migrants, commonly reported CV risk factors-systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, obesity, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein-were usually higher or more common than in the rural group and usually lower or less common than in the urban group. This gradient was usually present in both genders. Anthropometric (waist-to-hip ratio, hip/waist circumference, triceps skinfolds) and metabolic (fasting glucose/insulin, insulin resistance) risk factors usually followed the same gradient, but conclusions were weak as information was insufficient. Hypertension, high-density lipoprotein, fibrinogen and C-reactive protein did not follow any pattern. In LMIC, most but not all, CV risk factors are higher or more common in migrants than in rural groups but lower or less common than in urban groups. Such gradients may or may not be associated with differential CV events and long-term evaluations are necessary.

Instruments measuring perceived racism/racial discrimination: review and critique of factor analytic techniques.

PubMed

Atkins, Rahshida

2014-01-01

Several compendiums of instruments that measure perceived racism and/or discrimination are present in the literature. Other works have reviewed the psychometric properties of these instruments in terms of validity and reliability and have indicated if the instrument was factor analyzed. However, little attention has been given to the quality of the factor analysis performed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the exploratory factor analyses done on instruments measuring perceived racism/racial discrimination using guidelines from experts in psychometric theory. The techniques used for factor analysis were reviewed and critiqued and the adequacy of reporting was evaluated. Internet search engines and four electronic abstract databases were used to identify 16 relevant instruments that met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Principal component analysis was the most frequent method of extraction (81%). Sample sizes were adequate for factor analysis in 81 percent of studies. The majority of studies reported appropriate criteria for the acceptance of un-rotated factors (81%) and justified the rotation method (75%). Exactly 94 percent of studies reported partially acceptable criteria for the acceptance of rotated factors. The majority of articles (69%) reported adequate coefficient alphas for the resultant subscales. In 81 percent of the studies, the conceptualized dimensions were supported by factor analysis.

INSTRUMENTS MEASURING PERCEIVED RACISM/RACIAL DISCRIMINATION: REVIEW AND CRITIQUE OF FACTOR ANALYTIC TECHNIQUES

PubMed Central

Atkins, Rahshida

2015-01-01

Several compendiums of instruments that measure perceived racism and/or discrimination are present in the literature. Other works have reviewed the psychometric properties of these instruments in terms of validity and reliability and have indicated if the instrument was factor analyzed. However, little attention has been given to the quality of the factor analysis performed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the exploratory factor analyses done on instruments measuring perceived racism/racial discrimination using guidelines from experts in psychometric theory. The techniques used for factor analysis were reviewed and critiqued and the adequacy of reporting was evaluated. Internet search engines and four electronic abstract databases were used to identify 16 relevant instruments that met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Principal component analysis was the most frequent method of extraction (81%). Sample sizes were adequate for factor analysis in 81 percent of studies. The majority of studies reported appropriate criteria for the acceptance of un-rotated factors (81%) and justified the rotation method (75%). Exactly 94 percent of studies reported partially acceptable criteria for the acceptance of rotated factors. The majority of articles (69%) reported adequate coefficient alphas for the resultant subscales. In 81 percent of the studies, the conceptualized dimensions were supported by factor analysis. PMID:25626225

Evaluation of university scientific research ability based on the output of sci-tech papers: A D-AHP approach.

PubMed

Zong, Fan; Wang, Lifang

2017-01-01

University scientific research ability is an important indicator to express the strength of universities. In this paper, the evaluation of university scientific research ability is investigated based on the output of sci-tech papers. Four university alliances from North America, UK, Australia, and China, are selected as the case study of the university scientific research evaluation. Data coming from Thomson Reuters InCites are collected to support the evaluation. The work has contributed new framework to the issue of university scientific research ability evaluation. At first, we have established a hierarchical structure to show the factors that impact the evaluation of university scientific research ability. Then, a new MCDM method called D-AHP model is used to implement the evaluation and ranking of different university alliances, in which a data-driven approach is proposed to automatically generate the D numbers preference relations. Next, a sensitivity analysis has been given to show the impact of weights of factors and sub-factors on the evaluation result. At last, the results obtained by using different methods are compared and discussed to verify the effectiveness and reasonability of this study, and some suggestions are given to promote China's scientific research ability.

A systematic review of posture and psychosocial factors as contributors to upper quadrant musculoskeletal pain in children and adolescents.

PubMed

Prins, Yolandi; Crous, Lynette; Louw, Q A

2008-01-01

Musculoskeletal pain has become a major symptomatic complaint among children and adolescents and is increasingly occurring at a younger age. This systematic review was done to evaluate the evidence for the contribution of posture and psychosocial factors to the development of upper quadrant musculoskeletal pain in children and adolescents. The review describes the measurement tools used to assess musculoskeletal pain, sitting posture, and psychosocial factors. Two independent reviewers searched seven databases for observational studies that included prospective and cross-sectional study designs. Ten studies were extracted and assessed by two reviewers using the Critical Appraisal Form-Quantitative Studies (Law et al, 1998). The studies measured upper quadrant musculoskeletal pain as an outcome measure. Five studies evaluated sitting posture and found an association between the duration of static sitting and upper quadrant musculoskeletal pain. Six studies measured psychosocial factors of which depression, stress, and psychosomatic symptoms were the factors most commonly found to influence the development of upper quadrant musculoskeletal pain. The eligible studies used different pain measurement tools and different measurement tools to assess sitting posture and psychosocial factors. This review concludes that the duration of sitting posture and psychosocial factors may influence the experience of musculoskeletal pain among children and adolescents.

77 FR 9665 - Submission for OMB Emergency Review; Comment Request: A Multi-Center International Hospital-Based...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-17

... postulated risk factors for evaluation in this study are chemical exposures (i.e., organochlorines, trichloroethylene, and benzene) and genetic susceptibility. Other factors potentially related to lymphoma, such as... also be studied. Patterns of key risk factors, including range of exposures, prevalence of exposures...

A Human Factors Evaluation of the Space Shuttle Cockpit Avionics Upgrade

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

cockpit design . This study assesses the CAU design employing human factors principles, evaluates baseline and CAU simulation data, and traces MW and SA...differences back to CAU design modifications. Significant improvements were found in all measures and across all conditions. These improvements were...found to be greater for ascent scenarios than for entry. From the findings, recommendations for the design and evaluation of future spacecraft

Implementation evaluation of the Telephone Lifestyle Coaching (TLC) program: organizational factors associated with successful implementation.

PubMed

Damschroder, Laura J; Reardon, Caitlin M; Sperber, Nina; Robinson, Claire H; Fickel, Jacqueline J; Oddone, Eugene Z

2017-06-01

The Telephone Lifestyle Coaching (TLC) program provided telephone-based coaching for six lifestyle behaviors to 5321 Veterans at 24 Veterans Health Administration (VHA) medical facilities. The purpose of the study was to conduct an evaluation of the TLC program to identify factors associated with successful implementation. A mixed-methods study design was used. Quantitative measures of organizational readiness for implementation and facility complexity were used to purposively select a subset of facilities for in-depth evaluation. Context assessments were conducted using interview transcripts. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) was used to guide qualitative data collection and analysis. Factors most strongly correlated with referral rates included having a skilled implementation leader who used effective multi-component strategies to engage primary care clinicians as well as general clinic structures that supported implementation. Evaluation findings pointed to recommendations for local and national leaders to help anticipate and mitigate potential barriers to successful implementation.

Evaluation research on jiangsu green economy development capability: a case study of Xuzhou

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Fuhua; Liu, Haiyu; Wang, Zhaoxia

2018-02-01

As a national leading province of economic development and demonstration area of ecological civilization construction, Jiangsu makes a scientific and rational evaluation to its green economy development capability through the construction of index system and model, which is significant for better grasping its green development condition, implementing the “green” development concept and promoting Jiangsu to be a new Jiangsu with “good economy, rich public, favourable environment and civilized society degree”. The paper constructs the evaluation system of green economic development capability based on factor analysis method, adjusts indexes at all levels through factor analysis, calculates the factor score, determines the main influencing factors, analyzes the influence factor score, and puts forward the corresponding policy according to the practical situation of Jiangsu Province.

Study design considerations in evaluating environmental impacts

Treesearch

Stan T. Lebow; Paul A. Cooper; Patricia Lebow

2006-01-01

The purpose of this chapter is to make the reader aware of how choices in study parameters may influence the outcome of treated-wood environmental impact evaluations. Evaluation of the leaching and environmental accumulation of preservatives from treated wood is a complex process. and many factors can influence the results of such studies. In laboratory studies, the...

Sensitivity to Peer Evaluation and Its Genetic and Environmental Determinants: Findings from a Population-Based Twin Study.

PubMed

Klippel, Annelie; Reininghaus, Ulrich; Viechtbauer, Wolfgang; Decoster, Jeroen; Delespaul, Philippe; Derom, Cathérine; de Hert, Marc; Jacobs, Nele; Menne-Lothmann, Claudia; Rutten, Bart; Thiery, Evert; van Os, Jim; van Winkel, Ruud; Myin-Germeys, Inez; Wichers, Marieke

2018-02-23

Adolescents and young adults are highly focused on peer evaluation, but little is known about sources of their differential sensitivity. We examined to what extent sensitivity to peer evaluation is influenced by interacting environmental and genetic factors. A sample of 354 healthy adolescent twin pairs (n = 708) took part in a structured, laboratory task in which they were exposed to peer evaluation. The proportion of the variance in sensitivity to peer evaluation due to genetic and environmental factors was estimated, as was the association with specific a priori environmental risk factors. Differences in sensitivity to peer evaluation between adolescents were explained mainly by non-shared environmental influences. The results on shared environmental influences were not conclusive. No impact of latent genetic factors or gene-environment interactions was found. Adolescents with lower self-rated positions on the social ladder or who reported to have been bullied more severely showed significantly stronger responses to peer evaluation. Not genes, but subjective social status and past experience of being bullied seem to impact sensitivity to peer evaluation. This suggests that altered response to peer evaluation is the outcome of cumulative sensitization to social interactions.

The relationship between the effect of pravastatin and risk factors for coronary heart disease in Japanese patients with hypercholesterolemia.

PubMed

Ishikawa, Toshitsugu; Mizuno, Kyoichi; Nakaya, Noriaki; Ohashi, Yasuo; Tajima, Naoko; Kushiro, Toshio; Teramoto, Tamio; Uchiyama, Shinichiro; Nakamura, Haruo

2008-10-01

Several epidemiologic studies in Japan have shown the risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD) in the general population. The present analysis determined the risk factors for CHD in the MEGA Study, a large primary prevention trial with pravastatin in Japanese with hypercholesterolemia. The relationship between each baseline characteristic and the risk of CHD for the 5-year study period were evaluated using the Cox proportional hazard model. The multivariable predictors of CHD were sex, age, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HT), and history of smoking. Serum total and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol were not independent risk factors for CHD in the current analysis. In addition, the effect of pravastatin was evaluated by subgroups in each risk factor using the interaction in a Cox model. Diet plus pravastatin treatment reduced CHD risk by 14-43% compared with diet alone, regardless of the presence or absence of risk factors. The risk factors for CHD were sex, age, DM, HT, smoking, and low HDL-C in the MEGA Study. The pravastatin treatment was effective for reducing the risk of CHD, regardless of the presence of risk factors.

Automated array assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Williams, B. F.

1976-01-01

Manufacturing techniques are evaluated using expenses based on experience and studying basic cost factors for each step to evaluate expenses from a first-principles point of view. A formal cost accounting procedure is developed which is used throughout the study for cost comparisons. The first test of this procedure is a comparison of its predicted costs for array module manufacturing with costs from a study which is based on experience factors. A manufacturing cost estimate for array modules of $10/W is based on present-day manufacturing techniques, expenses, and materials costs.

Evaluating voice characteristics of first-year acting students in Israel: factor analysis.

PubMed

Amir, Ofer; Primov-Fever, Adi; Kushnir, Tami; Kandelshine-Waldman, Osnat; Wolf, Michael

2013-01-01

Acting students require diverse, high-quality, and high-intensity vocal performance from early stages of their training. Demanding vocal activities, before developing the appropriate vocal skills, put them in high risk for developing vocal problems. A retrospective analysis of voice characteristics of first-year acting students using several voice evaluation tools. A total of 79 first-year acting students (55 women and 24 men) were assigned into two study groups: laryngeal findings (LFs) and no laryngeal findings, based on stroboscopic findings. Their voice characteristics were evaluated using acoustic analysis, aerodynamic examination, perceptual scales, and self-report questionnaires. Results obtained from each set of measures were examined using a factor analysis approach. Significant differences between the two groups were found for a single fundamental frequency (F(0))-Regularity factor; a single Grade, Roughness, Breathiness, Asthenia, Strain perceptual factor; and the three self-evaluation factors. Gender differences were found for two acoustic analysis factors, which were based on F(0) and its derivatives, namely an aerodynamic factor that represents expiratory volume measurements and a single self-evaluation factor that represents the tendency to seek therapy. Approximately 50% of the first-year acting students had LFs. These students differed from their peers in the control group in a single acoustic analysis factor, as well as perceptual and self-report factors. No group differences, however, were found for the aerodynamic factors. Early laryngeal examination and voice evaluation of future professional voice users could provide a valuable individual baseline, to which later examinations could be compared, and assist in providing personally tailored treatment. Copyright © 2013 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Scientific evaluation of the safety factor for the acceptable daily intake (ADI). Case study: butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA).

PubMed

Würtzen, G

1993-01-01

The principles of 'data-derived safety factors' are applied to toxicological and biochemical information on butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA). The calculated safety factor for an ADI is, by this method, comparable to the existing internationally recognized safety evaluations. Relevance for humans of forestomach tumours in rodents is discussed. The method provides a basis for organizing data in a way that permits an explicit assessment of its relevance.

Four- and five-factor models of the WAIS-IV in a clinical sample: Variations in indicator configuration and factor correlational structure.

PubMed

Staffaroni, Adam M; Eng, Megan E; Moses, James A; Zeiner, Harriet Katz; Wickham, Robert E

2018-05-01

A growing body of research supports the validity of 5-factor models for interpreting the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV). The majority of these studies have utilized the WAIS-IV normative or clinical sample, the latter of which differs in its diagnostic composition from the referrals seen at outpatient neuropsychology clinics. To address this concern, 2 related studies were conducted on a sample of 322 American military Veterans who were referred for outpatient neuropsychological assessment. In Study 1, 4 hierarchical models with varying indicator configurations were evaluated: 3 extant 5-factor models from the literature and the traditional 4-factor model. In Study 2, we evaluated 3 variations in correlation structure in the models from Study 1: indirect hierarchical (i.e., higher-order g), bifactor (direct hierarchical), and oblique models. The results from Study 1 suggested that both 4- and 5-factor models showed acceptable fit. The results from Study 2 showed that bifactor and oblique models offer improved fit over the typically specified indirect hierarchical model, and the oblique models outperformed the orthogonal bifactor models. An exploratory analysis found improved fit when bifactor models were specified with oblique rather than orthogonal latent factors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Using Empowerment Evaluation to Facilitate the Development of Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Prevention Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Conway, Pat; Cresswell, Janet; Harmon, Diane; Pospishil, Charles; Smith, Kathy; Wages, Jennifer; Weisz, Lisa

2010-01-01

This article addresses the question, "What factors contributed to successful completion of a needs and resource assessment in local communities, using the empowerment evaluation approach?" Case studies of three successful projects allow the exploration of organizational, community, state, and national factors that contributed to a strong needs and…

Bereaved Adults' Evaluations of Grief Management Messages: Effects of Message Person Centeredness, Recipient Individual Differences, and Contextual Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rack, Jessica; Burleson, Brant; Bodie, Graham; Holmstrom, Amanda; Servaty-Seib, Heather

2008-01-01

This study identifies grief management strategies that bereaved adults evaluate as more and less helpful, assesses whether the person centeredness of these strategies explains their helpfulness, and determines whether strategy helpfulness varies as a function of demographic, personality, and situational factors. Participants (105 bereaved young…

A phase I study of ABT-510 plus bevacizumab in advanced solid tumors.

PubMed

Uronis, Hope E; Cushman, Stephanie M; Bendell, Johanna C; Blobe, Gerard C; Morse, Michael A; Nixon, Andrew B; Dellinger, Andrew; Starr, Mark D; Li, Haiyan; Meadows, Kellen; Gockerman, Jon; Pang, Herbert; Hurwitz, Herbert I

2013-06-01

Targeting multiple regulators of tumor angiogenesis have the potential to improve treatment efficacy. Bevacizumab is a monoclonal antibody directed against vascular endothelial growth factor and ABT-510 is a synthetic analog of thrombospondin, an endogenous angiogenesis inhibitor. Dual inhibition may result in additional benefit. We evaluated the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of the combination of bevacizumab plus ABT-510 in patients with refractory solid tumors. We also explored the effects of these agents on plasma-based biomarkers and wound angiogenesis. Thirty-four evaluable subjects were enrolled and received study drug. Therapy was well tolerated; minimal treatment-related grade 3/4 toxicity was observed. One patient treated at dose level 1 had a partial response and five other patients treated at the recommended phase II dose had prolonged stable disease for more than 1 year. Biomarker evaluation revealed increased levels of D-dimer, von Willebrand factor, placental growth factor, and stromal-derived factor 1 in response to treatment with the combination of bevacizumab and ABT-510. Data suggest that continued evaluation of combination antiangiogenesis therapies may be clinically useful.

Ultrasonic evaluation of the strength of unidirectional graphite-polyimide composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vary, A.; Bowles, K. J.

1977-01-01

An acoustic-ultrasonic method is described that was successful in ranking unidirectional graphite-polyimide composite specimens according to variations in interlaminar shear strength. Using this method, a quantity termed the stress wave factor was determined. It was found that this factor increases directly with interlaminar shear strength. The key variables in this investigation were composite density, fiber weight fraction, and void content. The stress wave factor and other ultrasonic factors that were studied were found to provide a powerful means for nondestructive evaluation of mechanical strength properties.

Personal, social, and environmental factors associated with lifejacket wear in adults and children: A systematic literature review

PubMed Central

Demant, Daniel; Hagger, Martin S.; Hamilton, Kyra

2018-01-01

Objective Drowning claims 7% of the global burden of injury-related deaths. Lifejackets are routinely recommended as a drowning prevention strategy; however, a review of related factors regarding lifejacket wear has not previously been investigated. Methods This systematic review examined literature published from inception to December 2016 in English and German languages. The personal, social, and environmental factors associated with lifejacket wear among adults and children were investigated, a quantitative evaluation of the results undertaken, and gaps in the literature identified. Results Twenty studies, with sample sizes of studies ranging between 20 and 482,331, were identified. Fifty-five percent were cross-sectional studies. All studies were scored IV or V on the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) grading system indicating mostly descriptive and cross-sectional levels of evidence. Factors associated with increased wear included age (mostly children), gender (mostly female), boat type (non-motorised), boat size (small boats), role modelling (children influenced by adult lifejacket wear), and activity (water-skiing, fishing). Factors not associated or inconsistent with lifejacket wear included education, household income, ethnicity, boating ability, confidence in lifejackets, waterway type, and weather and water conditions. Factors associated with reduced lifejacket wear included adults, males, discomfort, cost and accessibility, consumption of alcohol, and swimming ability. Three studies evaluated the impact of interventions. Conclusion This review identified factors associated with both increased and decreased lifejacket wear. Future research should address the motivational factors associated with individuals’ decisions to wear or not wear lifejackets. This, combined with further research on the evaluation of interventions designed to increase lifejacket wear, will enhance the evidence base to support future drowning prevention interventions. PMID:29718971

Two-vehicle injury severity models based on integration of pavement management and traffic engineering factors.

PubMed

Jiang, Ximiao; Huang, Baoshan; Yan, Xuedong; Zaretzki, Russell L; Richards, Stephen

2013-01-01

The severity of traffic-related injuries has been studied by many researchers in recent decades. However, the evaluation of many factors is still in dispute and, until this point, few studies have taken into account pavement management factors as points of interest. The objective of this article is to evaluate the combined influences of pavement management factors and traditional traffic engineering factors on the injury severity of 2-vehicle crashes. This study examines 2-vehicle rear-end, sideswipe, and angle collisions that occurred on Tennessee state routes from 2004 to 2008. Both the traditional ordered probit (OP) model and Bayesian ordered probit (BOP) model with weak informative prior were fitted for each collision type. The performances of these models were evaluated based on the parameter estimates and deviances. The results indicated that pavement management factors played identical roles in all 3 collision types. Pavement serviceability produces significant positive effects on the severity of injuries. The pavement distress index (PDI), rutting depth (RD), and rutting depth difference between right and left wheels (RD_df) were not significant in any of these 3 collision types. The effects of traffic engineering factors varied across collision types, except that a few were consistently significant in all 3 collision types, such as annual average daily traffic (AADT), rural-urban location, speed limit, peaking hour, and light condition. The findings of this study indicated that improved pavement quality does not necessarily lessen the severity of injuries when a 2-vehicle crash occurs. The effects of traffic engineering factors are not universal but vary by the type of crash. The study also found that the BOP model with a weak informative prior can be used as an alternative but was not superior to the traditional OP model in terms of overall performance.

Oral Cancer: An Evaluation of Knowledge and Awareness in Undergraduate Dental Students and the General Public.

PubMed

Bakr, Mahmoud M; Skerman, Emma; Khan, Usman; George, Roy

To evaluate the knowledge of signs, symptoms and risk factors associated with oral cancer amongst undergraduate dental students and members of the general public. This study was open for a period of six months (Jan-June, 2013) to all undergraduate dental students in the 4th and 5th year of the dental science programme and dental patients attending the School of Dentistry, Griffith University, Australia. The survey evaluated the knowledge and awareness of clinical signs and symptoms and risk factors of oral cancers. A total of 100 undergraduate students and 150 patients provided informed consent and participated in this survey study. Both patients and dental students were aware of the importance of early detection of oral cancer. With the exception of smoking and persistent ulceration, this study indicated that the knowledge about oral cancer, its signs, symptoms and risk factors was limited amongst participants. This study highlights the need to raise awareness and knowledge pertaining to oral cancer, not only in the general community but also amongst those in the dental field. Specific points of concern were the common intraoral sites for oral cancer, erythroplakia as a risk factor, the synergistic action of smoking and alcohol, and HPV (human papilloma virus) as risk factors for oral cancer.

Influences of Electrification and Salt on Hydrophobicity of Sample Surface in Dynamic Drop Test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shiibara, Daiki; Arata, Yoshihiro; Haji, Kenichi; Miyake, Takuma; Sakoda, Tatsuya; Otsubo, Masahisa

Studies on the development of deterioration/ performance evaluation method for outdoor electric insulation of polymer materials are pushed forward now in the International Council on Large Electric Systems (CIGRE). The small scale test method (Dynamic drop test; DDT) which could evaluate disappearance characteristics of hydrophobicity easily was suggested. This test is to evaluate resistance of a sample to loss of hydrophobicity due to moisture and simultaneous electric stress. As factors for deterioration of hydrophobicity on a sample in DDT, various factors such as electrical influence, physical influence by water droplets and so on were considered. In this study, we investigated two kinds of factors (electrification and salt) affecting deterioration of hydrophobicity on the surface of a silicone rubber until ignition of continuous electrical discharge in DDT.

Measuring Knowledge of Introductory Psychology: What Are the Relevant Constructs?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Milewski, Glenn B.; Patelis, Thanos

The 1999 Advanced Placement[R] (AP[R] Psychology Examination contains items drawn from 13 factors related to the study of psychology. This factor structure had not been explored previously. This study focuses on evaluating the fit of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) models to examination items. Since examination items were dichotomous and…

THE GAP BETWEEN ECONOMIC EVALUATIONS AND CLINICAL PRACTICE: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF ECONOMIC EVALUATIONS ON DABIGATRAN FOR ATRIAL FIBRILLATION.

PubMed

Rolden, Herbert J A; van der Wilt, Gert Jan; Maas, Angela H E M; Grutters, Janneke P C

2018-06-18

As model-based economic evaluations (MBEEs) are widely used to make decisions in the context of policy, it is imperative that they represent clinical practice. Here, we assess the relevance of MBEEs on dabigatran for the prevention of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). We performed a systematic review on the basis of a developed questionnaire, tailored to oral anticoagulation in patients with AF. Included studies had a full body text in English, compared dabigatran with a vitamin K antagonist, were not dedicated to one or more subgroup(s), and yielded an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio. The relevance of all MBEEs was assessed on the basis of ten context-independent factors, which encompassed clinical outcomes and treatment duration. The MBEEs performed for the United States were assessed on the basis of seventeen context-dependent factors, which were related to the country's target population and clinical environment. The search yielded twenty-nine MBEEs, of which six were performed for the United States. On average, 54 percent of the context-independent factors were included per study, and 37 percent of the seventeen context-dependent factors in the U.S. The share of relevant factors per study did not increase over time. MBEEs on dabigatran leave out several relevant factors, limiting their usefulness to decision makers. We strongly urge health economic researchers to improve the relevance of their MBEEs by including context-independent relevance factors, and modeling context-dependent factors befitting the decision context concerned.

Evaluation of Risk Factors for Severe Pneumonia in Children: The Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health Study

PubMed Central

Deloria-Knoll, Maria; Feikin, Daniel R.; DeLuca, Andrea N.; Driscoll, Amanda J.; Moïsi, Jennifer C.; Johnson, Hope L.; Murdoch, David R.; O’Brien, Katherine L.; Levine, Orin S.; Scott, J. Anthony G.

2012-01-01

As a case-control study of etiology, the Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health (PERCH) project also provides an opportunity to assess the risk factors for severe pneumonia in hospitalized children at 7 sites. We identified relevant risk factors by literature review and iterative expert consultation. Decisions for inclusion in PERCH were based on comparability to published data, analytic plans, data collection costs and logistic feasibility, including interviewer time and subject fatigue. We aimed to standardize questions at all sites, but significant variation in the economic, cultural, and geographic characteristics of sites made it difficult to obtain this objective. Despite these challenges, the depth of the evaluation of multiple risk factors across the breadth of the PERCH sites should furnish new and valuable information about the major risk factors for childhood severe and very severe pneumonia, including risk factors for pneumonia caused by specific etiologies, in developing countries. PMID:22403226

Evaluation of risk factors for severe pneumonia in children: the Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health study.

PubMed

Wonodi, Chizoba B; Deloria-Knoll, Maria; Feikin, Daniel R; DeLuca, Andrea N; Driscoll, Amanda J; Moïsi, Jennifer C; Johnson, Hope L; Murdoch, David R; O'Brien, Katherine L; Levine, Orin S; Scott, J Anthony G

2012-04-01

As a case-control study of etiology, the Pneumonia Etiology Research for Child Health (PERCH) project also provides an opportunity to assess the risk factors for severe pneumonia in hospitalized children at 7 sites. We identified relevant risk factors by literature review and iterative expert consultation. Decisions for inclusion in PERCH were based on comparability to published data, analytic plans, data collection costs and logistic feasibility, including interviewer time and subject fatigue. We aimed to standardize questions at all sites, but significant variation in the economic, cultural, and geographic characteristics of sites made it difficult to obtain this objective. Despite these challenges, the depth of the evaluation of multiple risk factors across the breadth of the PERCH sites should furnish new and valuable information about the major risk factors for childhood severe and very severe pneumonia, including risk factors for pneumonia caused by specific etiologies, in developing countries.

Soundscape in the sustainable living environment: A cross-cultural comparison between the UK and Taiwan.

PubMed

Yu, Chia-Jen; Kang, Jian

2014-06-01

This study examines the effects of cultural factors on the evaluation of acoustic quality of residential areas, within the context of general environmental conditions. A comparative study was carried out between the UK and Taiwan, through questionnaire surveys at three stages, namely in selected residential areas, with respondents in their place of work/study, and using a web-based survey, respectively. This study reveals the importance of considering cultural factors, as well as their living experiences. This is reflected by the significant differences between the two cultures in a number of aspects, including choosing and evaluating living environment, noise noticeability, annoyance and sleep disturbance, activities, and sound preference. It is interesting to note the factor 'quiet' is an important consideration compared to other factors, in both the UK and Taiwan. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Protocol for a prospective longitudinal study of risk factors for hypertension incidence in a Mexico City population: the Tlalpan 2020 cohort

PubMed Central

Colín-Ramírez, Eloisa; Rivera-Mancía, Susana; Infante-Vázquez, Oscar; Cartas-Rosado, Raúl; Vargas-Barrón, Jesús; Madero, Magdalena; Vallejo, Maite

2017-01-01

Introduction Systemic hypertension (HTN) is a common risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In Mexico, HTN prevalence has increased over time and is currently 31%. Nonetheless, information about the country's HTN incidence and its associated risk factors is scarce. Understanding this condition is a priority for identifying the scope of primary prevention. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of traditional and non-traditional risk factors on the incidence of HTN in a cohort of healthy Mexico City residents under biannual follow-up for 10 years. Methods and analysis A prospective longitudinal study is proposed in which clinically healthy residents of Mexico City between 20 and 50 years old will be recruited; the participants will be evaluated every 2 years over a period of 10 years or until they develop HTN. Evaluations regarding sociodemographic, clinical, anthropometric, biochemical, diet, physical activity, stress, sleep quality, alcohol and tobacco consumption factors will be performed. The participants will be recruited from the 16 municipalities of Mexico City through promotional strategies aimed at the community and will be clinically evaluated at a tertiary care institution, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez (National Institute of Cardiology Ignacio Chavez), located in Mexico City, Mexico. Sample size estimated for this study is 3436, and the Cox proportional hazards model will be used to estimate HRs for the association between explanatory variables and HTN using both raw and adjusted data. Ethics and dissemination This study was approved by the Institutional Bioethics Committee of the Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez (National Institute of Cardiology Ignacio Chavez) under number 13-802. Findings from this study will be disseminated through scientific papers and research conferences. PMID:28760800

A Scalable Distribution Network Risk Evaluation Framework via Symbolic Dynamics

PubMed Central

Yuan, Kai; Liu, Jian; Liu, Kaipei; Tan, Tianyuan

2015-01-01

Background Evaluations of electric power distribution network risks must address the problems of incomplete information and changing dynamics. A risk evaluation framework should be adaptable to a specific situation and an evolving understanding of risk. Methods This study investigates the use of symbolic dynamics to abstract raw data. After introducing symbolic dynamics operators, Kolmogorov-Sinai entropy and Kullback-Leibler relative entropy are used to quantitatively evaluate relationships between risk sub-factors and main factors. For layered risk indicators, where the factors are categorized into four main factors – device, structure, load and special operation – a merging algorithm using operators to calculate the risk factors is discussed. Finally, an example from the Sanya Power Company is given to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method. Conclusion Distribution networks are exposed and can be affected by many things. The topology and the operating mode of a distribution network are dynamic, so the faults and their consequences are probabilistic. PMID:25789859

Towards an evaluation framework for information quality management (IQM) practices for health information systems--evaluation criteria for effective IQM practices.

PubMed

Mohammed, Siti Asma; Yusof, Maryati Mohd

2013-04-01

Poor information quality (IQ) must be understood as a business problem rather than systems problem. In health care organization, what is required is an effective quality management that continuously manages and reviews the factors influencing IQ in health information systems (HIS) so as to achieve the desired outcomes. Hence, in order to understand the issues of information quality management (IQM) practices in health care organizations, a more holistic evaluation study should be undertaken to investigate the IQM practices in health care organizations. It is the aim of this paper to identify the significant evaluation criteria that influence the production of good IQ in HIS. Six selected frameworks and best practices both from health informatics and information systems literature have been reviewed to identify the evaluation criteria from the perspective of human, organizational and technological factors. From the review, it was found that human and organization factors are of greater significance in influencing HIS IQ. Our review depicts that there is still shortage in finding a comprehensive IQM evaluation framework. Thus, the criteria from the frameworks reviewed can be used in combination for more comprehensive evaluation criteria. Integrated IQM evaluation criteria for HIS are then proposed in this study. Poor IQ is the result of complex interdependency within sociotechnical factors in health care organization and lack of formal and structured IQM practices. Thus, a feedback mechanism such as evaluation is needed to understand the issues in depth in the future. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Extracting the Evaluations of Stereotypes: Bi-factor Model of the Stereotype Content Structure

PubMed Central

Sayans-Jiménez, Pablo; Cuadrado, Isabel; Rojas, Antonio J.; Barrada, Juan R.

2017-01-01

Stereotype dimensions—competence, morality and sociability—are fundamental to studying the perception of other groups. These dimensions have shown moderate/high positive correlations with each other that do not reflect the theoretical expectations. The explanation for this (e.g., halo effect) undervalues the utility of the shared variance identified. In contrast, in this work we propose that this common variance could represent the global evaluation of the perceived group. Bi-factor models are proposed to improve the internal structure and to take advantage of the information representing the shared variance among dimensions. Bi-factor models were compared with first order models and other alternative models in three large samples (300–309 participants). The relationships among the global and specific bi-factor dimensions with a global evaluation dimension (measured through a semantic differential) were estimated. The results support the use of bi-factor models rather than first order models (and other alternative models). Bi-factor models also show a greater utility to directly and more easily explore the stereotype content including its evaluative content. PMID:29085313

Quantifying cognition and behavior in normal aging, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer's disease

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giraldo, Diana L.; Sijbers, Jan; Romero, Eduardo

2017-11-01

The diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is based on neuropsychological evaluation of the patient. Different cognitive and memory functions are assessed by a battery of tests that are composed of items devised to specifically evaluate such upper functions. This work aims to identify and quantify the factors that determine the performance in neuropsychological evaluation by conducting an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA). For this purpose, using data from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), EFA was applied to 67 item scores taken from the baseline neuropsychological battery of the three phases of ADNI study. The found factors are directly related to specific brain functions such as memory, behavior, orientation, or verbal fluency. The identification of factors is followed by the calculation of factor scores given by weighted linear combinations of the items scores.

Integrating Human Factors into Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitmore, Mihriban; Holden, Kritina; Baggerman, Susan; Campbell, Paul

2007-01-01

The purpose of this design process is to apply Human Engineering (HE) requirements and guidelines to hardware/software and to provide HE design, analysis and evaluation of crew interfaces. The topics include: 1) Background/Purpose; 2) HE Activities; 3) CASE STUDY: Net Habitable Volume (NHV) Study; 4) CASE STUDY: Human Modeling Approach; 5) CASE STUDY: Human Modeling Results; 6) CASE STUDY: Human Modeling Conclusions; 7) CASE STUDY: Human-in-the-Loop Evaluation Approach; 8) CASE STUDY: Unsuited Evaluation Results; 9) CASE STUDY: Suited Evaluation Results; 10) CASE STUDY: Human-in-the-Loop Evaluation Conclusions; 11) Near-Term Plan; and 12) In Conclusion

Evaluation of factors that affect hip moment impulse during gait: A systematic review.

PubMed

Inai, Takuma; Takabayashi, Tomoya; Edama, Mutsuaki; Kubo, Masayoshi

2018-03-01

Decreasing the daily cumulative hip moments in the frontal and sagittal planes may lower the risk of hip osteoarthritis. Therefore, it may be important to evaluate factors that affect hip moment impulse during gait. It is unclear what factors affect hip moment impulse during gait. This systematic review aimed to evaluate different factors that affect hip moment impulse during gait in healthy adults and patients with hip osteoarthritis. Four databases (Scopus, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and PEDro) were searched up to August 2017 to identify studies that examined hip moment impulse during gait. Data extracted for analysis included the sample size, age, height, body mass, type of intervention, and main findings. After screening, 10 of the 975 studies identified were included in our analysis. Several factors, including a rocker bottom shoe, FitFlop™ sandals, ankle push-off, posture, stride length, body-weight unloading, a rollator, walking poles, and a knee brace, were reviewed. The main findings were as follows: increasing ankle push-off decreased both the hip flexion and extension moment impulses; body-weight unloading decreased both the hip extension and adduction moment impulses; the FitFlop™ sandal increased the sum of the hip flexion and extension moment impulses; long strides increased the hip extension moment impulse; and the use of a knee brace increased hip flexion moment impulse. Of note, none of the eligible studies included patients with hip osteoarthritis. The hip moment impulses can be modified by person-specific factors (ankle push-off and long strides) and external factors (body-weight unloading and use of the FitFlop™ sandals and a knee brace). Effects on the progression of hip osteoarthritis remain to be evaluated. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Familiality of factor analysis-derived YBOCS dimensions in OCD-affected sibling pairs from the OCD Collaborative Genetics Study.

PubMed

Hasler, Gregor; Pinto, Anthony; Greenberg, Benjamin D; Samuels, Jack; Fyer, Abby J; Pauls, David; Knowles, James A; McCracken, James T; Piacentini, John; Riddle, Mark A; Rauch, Scott L; Rasmussen, Steven A; Willour, Virginia L; Grados, Marco A; Cullen, Bernadette; Bienvenu, O Joseph; Shugart, Yin-Yao; Liang, Kung-Yee; Hoehn-Saric, Rudolf; Wang, Ying; Ronquillo, Jonne; Nestadt, Gerald; Murphy, Dennis L

2007-03-01

Identification of familial, more homogenous characteristics of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) may help to define relevant subtypes and increase the power of genetic and neurobiological studies of OCD. While factor-analytic studies have found consistent, clinically meaningful OCD symptom dimensions, there have been only limited attempts to evaluate the familiality and potential genetic basis of such dimensions. Four hundred eighteen sibling pairs with OCD were evaluated using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV and the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (YBOCS) Symptom Checklist and Severity scales. After controlling for sex, age, and age of onset, robust sib-sib intraclass correlations were found for two of the four YBOCS factors: Factor IV (hoarding obsessions and compulsions (p = .001) and Factor I (aggressive, sexual, and religious obsessions, and checking compulsions; p = .002). Smaller, but still significant, familiality was found for Factor III (contamination/cleaning; p = .02) and Factor II (symmetry/ordering/arranging; p = .04). Limiting the sample to female subjects more than doubled the familiality estimates for Factor II (p = .003). Among potentially relevant comorbid conditions for genetic studies, bipolar I/II and major depressive disorder were strongly associated with Factor I (p < .001), whereas ADHD, alcohol dependence, and bulimia were associated with Factor II (p < .01). Factor-analyzed OCD symptom dimensions in sibling pairs with OCD are familial with some gender-dependence, exhibit relatively specific relationships to comorbid psychiatric disorders and thus may be useful as refined phenotypes for molecular genetic studies of OCD.

Interviewer as instrument: accounting for human factors in evaluation research.

PubMed

Brown, Joel H

2006-04-01

This methodological study examines an original data collection model designed to incorporate human factors and enhance data richness in qualitative and evaluation research. Evidence supporting this model is drawn from in-depth youth and adult interviews in one of the largest policy/program evaluations undertaken in the United States, the Drug, Alcohol, and Tobacco Education evaluation (77 districts, 118 schools). When applying the explicit observation technique (EOT)--the strategic and nonjudgmental disclosure of nonverbal human factor cues by the interviewer to the respondent during interview--data revealed the observation disclosure pattern. Here, respondents linked perceptions with policy or program implementation or effectiveness evidence. Although more research is needed, it is concluded that the EOT yields richer data when compared with traditional semistructured interviews and, thus, holds promise to enhance qualitative and evaluation research methods. Validity and reliability as well as qualitative and evaluation research considerations are discussed.

Cosmetic surgery attitudes among midlife women: Appearance esteem, weight esteem, and fear of negative appearance evaluation.

PubMed

Dunaev, Jamie L; Schulz, Jessica L; Markey, Charlotte N

2018-01-01

Previous research has examined factors thought to influence individuals' interest in cosmetic surgery, yet few studies have examined these issues among midlife women. This study examines predictors of cosmetic surgery attitudes among midlife women ( N = 114; age = 45-65 years; M age  = 53.7) and considers a previously unexplored variable: fear of negative appearance evaluation. Results indicated that lower weight and appearance esteem were associated with more positive cosmetic surgery attitudes and greater fear of negative appearance evaluation. Furthermore, fear of negative appearance evaluation mediated the relationship between appearance and weight esteem and cosmetic surgery attitudes. We conclude that fear of negative appearance evaluation is an important factor to consider in examining cosmetic surgery attitudes.

Study on Factors of Favorable Wet Cotton Hand Towels “Oshibori”

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soeta, Yasuhiro; Kitamoto, Takuma; Hasegawa, Hiroshi; Kasuga, Masao

In the present study, we evaluated important factors of the feelings of comfort associated with wet cotton hand towels, or oshibori. First, the following adjectives were extracted as words used to evaluate the characteristics of the oshibori: “large,” “pretty,” “comfortable,” “high-grade,” “shapely,” “soft,” “favorite,” “thick,” “clean,” “moist,” “luxurious,” “heavy,” “strong,” “safe,” “good-touch,” and “rare.” We then conducted a subjective evaluation of 25 kinds of oshibori of various sizes and thicknesses. Forty males and twenty-four females, ranging in age from their twenties to fifties, participated in the experiment. Each subject evaluated the oshibori by grading them from one to five based on the extracted descriptive characteristics. Factor analysis was conducted on the experimental results and the following three factors were extracted; the first factor defined as “dignity factor,” the second factor defined as “preference factor,” and the third factor defined as “touch factor.” The score for dignity increased as the size of the oshibori increased. The score for preference was high when the size of the oshibori was between 25 cm × 25 cm and 30 cm × 30 cm. These results suggest that subjects felt high-class if the size of the oshibori was greater than 30 cm × 30 cm, but subjects most preferred oshibori that were between 25 cm × 25 cm and 30 cm × 30 cm. No notable trend was found between the thickness of oshibori and the three factors. We then analyzed the experimental data focusing on the following viewpoints; “gender” and “generation.” of the subjects, and discussed how these factors effected on the feelings of oshibori using the Mann-Whitney U test and the Kruskal-Wallis H test. The analyzed results show that the female subjects tended to evaluate more highly on the evaluation words of “thick,” “moist,” and “heavy,” that the evaluations of “large,” “pretty,” “comfortable,” “high-grade,” “shapely,” “soft,” “favorite,” “thick,” “moist,” “luxurious,” “heavy,” “strong,” “safe,” “good-touch,” and “rare” varied depending on generation.

Evaluation of six risk factors for the development of bacteremia in children with cancer and febrile neutropenia

PubMed Central

Asturias, E.J.; Corral, J.E.; Quezada, J.

2010-01-01

Febrile neutropenia is a well-known entity in children with cancer, being responsible for the high risk for infection that characterizes this population. For this reason, cancer patients are hospitalized so that they can receive prophylactic care. Risk factors have been used to classify patients at a high risk for developing bacteremia. The present study evaluates whether those risk factors (C-reactive protein, hypotension, leukemia as the cancer type, thrombocytopenia, recent chemotherapy, and acute malnutrition) apply to patients at the Unidad Nacional de Oncología Pediátrica. We evaluated 102 episodes in 88 patients, in whom risk factors and blood cultures were tested. We observed no statistical relationship between the six risk factors and bacteremia. There was also no relationship between bacteremia and the simultaneous presence of two, three, or more risk factors. A significant relationship of C-reactive protein and platelet count with other outcome factors was observed. PMID:20404980

Relationship between stress-related psychosocial work factors and suboptimal health among Chinese medical staff: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Liang, Ying-Zhi; Chu, Xi; Meng, Shi-Jiao; Zhang, Jie; Wu, Li-Juan; Yan, Yu-Xiang

2018-03-06

The study aimed to develop and validate a model to measure psychosocial factors at work among medical staff in China based on confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The second aim of the current study was to clarify the association between stress-related psychosocial work factors and suboptimal health status. The cross-sectional study was conducted using clustered sampling method. Xuanwu Hospital, a 3A grade hospital in Beijing. Nine hundred and fourteen medical staff aged over 40 years were sampled. Seven hundred and ninety-seven valid questionnaires were collected and used for further analyses. The sample included 94% of the Han population. The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) and the Suboptimal Health Status Questionnaires-25 were used to assess the psychosocial factors at work and suboptimal health status, respectively. CFA was conducted to establish the evaluating method of COPSOQ. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to estimate the relationship between suboptimal health status and stress-related psychosocial work factors among Chinese medical staff. There was a strong correlation among the five dimensions of COPSOQ based on the first-order factor model. Then, we established two second-order factors including negative and positive psychosocial work stress factors to evaluate psychosocial factors at work, and the second-order factor model fit well. The high score in negative (OR (95% CI)=1.47 (1.34 to 1.62), P<0.001) and positive (OR (95% CI)=0.96 (0.94 to 0.98), P<0.001) psychosocial work factors increased and decreased the risk of suboptimal health, respectively. This relationship remained statistically significant after adjusting for confounders and when using different cut-offs of suboptimal health status. Among medical staff, the second-order factor model was a suitable method to evaluate the COPSOQ. The negative and positive psychosocial work stress factors might be the risk and protective factors of suboptimal health, respectively. Moreover, negative psychosocial work stress was the most associated factor to predict suboptimal health. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Relationship between stress-related psychosocial work factors and suboptimal health among Chinese medical staff: a cross-sectional study

PubMed Central

Meng, Shi-Jiao; Zhang, Jie; Wu, Li-Juan; Yan, Yu-Xiang

2018-01-01

Objectives The study aimed to develop and validate a model to measure psychosocial factors at work among medical staff in China based on confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The second aim of the current study was to clarify the association between stress-related psychosocial work factors and suboptimal health status. Design The cross-sectional study was conducted using clustered sampling method. Setting Xuanwu Hospital, a 3A grade hospital in Beijing. Participants Nine hundred and fourteen medical staff aged over 40 years were sampled. Seven hundred and ninety-seven valid questionnaires were collected and used for further analyses. The sample included 94% of the Han population. Main outcome measures The Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ) and the Suboptimal Health Status Questionnaires-25 were used to assess the psychosocial factors at work and suboptimal health status, respectively. CFA was conducted to establish the evaluating method of COPSOQ. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to estimate the relationship between suboptimal health status and stress-related psychosocial work factors among Chinese medical staff. Results There was a strong correlation among the five dimensions of COPSOQ based on the first-order factor model. Then, we established two second-order factors including negative and positive psychosocial work stress factors to evaluate psychosocial factors at work, and the second-order factor model fit well. The high score in negative (OR (95% CI)=1.47 (1.34 to 1.62), P<0.001) and positive (OR (95% CI)=0.96 (0.94 to 0.98), P<0.001) psychosocial work factors increased and decreased the risk of suboptimal health, respectively. This relationship remained statistically significant after adjusting for confounders and when using different cut-offs of suboptimal health status. Conclusions Among medical staff, the second-order factor model was a suitable method to evaluate the COPSOQ. The negative and positive psychosocial work stress factors might be the risk and protective factors of suboptimal health, respectively. Moreover, negative psychosocial work stress was the most associated factor to predict suboptimal health. PMID:29511008

[Heart ischemia and psychosomatics: the role of stressful events and lifestyles].

PubMed

Guarneri, Maurizio Giuseppe; Nastri, Laura; Assennato, Pasquale; Li Puma, Angela; Landi, Arianna; Bonanno, Barbara; Maggì, Giovan Battista; Annino, Giuseppe; Bono, Filippa; La Barbera, Daniele

2009-06-01

the aim of our study was to evaluate the role of stressful events, lifestyles and various socio-environmental factors in the beginning of ischemic cardiac diseases, together with cardiovascular factors. 64 patients with recent cardiac ischemia and 64 controls matched 1:1, according to their sex and age, have been evaluated. The study required the filling in of clinico-anamnestic reports and the evaluation of stressful events, using the Holmes Rahe scale. in the 44% of the patients who had a heart ischemia, an emotional striking event occurred few days before, with a 28% incidence of work and family problems. The mean score of the Holmes Rahe Social Readjustment Rating Scale was statistically significantly higher among cases (p<0,05). The percentage of the subjects who experienced a stressful event during the last year was significantly higher among those with an ischemic event even though the heart disease factors were similar in the 2 groups of cases and controls. although the known heart risk factors predispose to ischemic event, our results suggest that stressful and emotional factors play a fundamental role in increasing the risk.

[Influencing factors on surgical duration of ovarian cystectomy by single-port access].

PubMed

Poizac, S; Ménager, N; Tourette, C; Gnisci, A; Estrade, J-P; Agostini, A

2015-01-01

To evaluate the factors influencing the operative duration of ovarian cystectomy by single-port access (SPA). Observational monocentric study from June 2010 to September 2012. Inclusive patients were patients with an indication of ovarian cystectomy may be done by laparoscopy. The procedures were performed by the SPA system LESS®. Factors evaluated were BMI of the patient, histological nature and size of the cyst. We performed 54 cystectomy in 49 patients. SPA surgery was successfully completed in 53 patients. The median operative time was statistically longer for endometriotic cysts than dermoid cysts or serous-mucinous cysts (P=0.003). Cases exceeding 60minutes were significantly higher in the endometriosis group (P=0.005). There wasn't correlation found between the BMI of the patient and operative time (P=0.5). The operating time wasn't increased according to the size of the cyst (P=0.9). Endometriotic cysts nature appears to be the only limiting factor of cystectomy by SPA. Further studies are needed to evaluate the factors that may limit the SPA actions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Reliability and validity of the faculty evaluation instrument used at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences: Results from the Haematology Course.

PubMed

Al-Eidan, Fahad; Baig, Lubna Ansari; Magzoub, Mohi-Eldin; Omair, Aamir

2016-04-01

To assess reliability and validity of evaluation tool using Haematology course as an example. The cross-sectional study was conducted at King Saud Bin Abdul Aziz University of Health Sciences, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2012, while data analysis was completed in 2013. The 27-item block evaluation instrument was developed by a multidisciplinary faculty after a comprehensive literature review. Validity of the questionnaire was confirmed using principal component analysis with varimax rotation and Kaiser normalisation. Identified factors were combined to get the internal consistency reliability of each factor. Student's t-test was used to compare mean ratings between male and female students for the faculty and block evaluation. Of the 116 subjects in the study, 80(69%) were males and 36(31%) were females. Reliability of the questionnaire was Cronbach's alpha 0.91. Factor analysis yielded a logically coherent 7 factor solution that explained 75% of the variation in the data. The factors were group dynamics in problem-based learning (alpha0.92), block administration (alpha 0.89), quality of objective structured clinical examination (alpha 0.86), block coordination (alpha 0.81), structure of problem-based learning (alpha 0.84), quality of written exam (alpha 0.91), and difficulty of exams (alpha0.41). Female students' opinion on depth of analysis and critical thinking was significantly higher than that of the males (p=0.03). The faculty evaluation tool used was found to be reliable, but its validity, as assessed through factor analysis, has to be interpreted with caution as the responders were less than the minimum required for factor analysis.

[Incidence and surgical wound infection risk factors in breast cancer surgery].

PubMed

Lefebvre, D; Penel, N; Deberles, M F; Fournier, C

2000-11-18

In order to evaluate occurrence and risk factors for wound infection (WI) in breast cancer surgery, we carried out a prospective study. From September 1996 through April 1997, an infection control physician prospectively evaluated 542 wounds of all patients having breast cancer surgery at the Oscar Lambret Cancer Center. WI was defined as a wound with pus. Antibiotic prophylaxis was given in case of immediate breast reconstruction. Statistical evaluation was performed using the c < or = test for categorial data and non-parametric Mann-Whitney test for continuous data. In univariate analysis, differences were considered significant at p < 0.01. The overall WI rate was 3.51% (19/352). In univariate analysis, risk factors for WI were: total preoperative hospital stay (p = 0.01), previous chemotherapy (p = 0.01), previous oncologic surgery (p = 0.03) and immediate breast reconstruction (p = 0.002). In mutivariate analysis, we observed two independent predictive factors for WI: previous chemotherapy (p = 0.05) and immediate breast reconstruction (p = 0.02). Previous anticancer chemotherapy was a major risk factor. In these cases, a phase III trial could confirm efficacy of standard antibiotic prophylaxis. Breast reconstruction was the second major risk factor. Standard antibiotic prophylaxis (used in our study) was insufficient.

An Evaluation of an Hypothesized Paradigm: The Relationship between Childhood Abuse and Substance Use Mediated by Biopsychosocial Factors among Priority Populations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simons, Loretta N.

This study evaluated an hypothesized model of biopsychosocial factors that mediate the relationship between childhood abuse and substance abuse. A questionnaire packet consisting of self-report measures was administered to 160 drug dependent participants with and without co-occurring psychological disorders in residential, partial, and outpatient…

Evaluating Academic Journals Using Impact Factor and Local Citation Score

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chung, Hye-Kyung

2007-01-01

This study presents a method for journal collection evaluation using citation analysis. Cost-per-use (CPU) for each title is used to measure cost-effectiveness with higher CPU scores indicating cost-effective titles. Use data are based on the impact factor and locally collected citation score of each title and is compared to the cost of managing…

Evaluation of university scientific research ability based on the output of sci-tech papers: A D-AHP approach

PubMed Central

Wang, Lifang

2017-01-01

University scientific research ability is an important indicator to express the strength of universities. In this paper, the evaluation of university scientific research ability is investigated based on the output of sci-tech papers. Four university alliances from North America, UK, Australia, and China, are selected as the case study of the university scientific research evaluation. Data coming from Thomson Reuters InCites are collected to support the evaluation. The work has contributed new framework to the issue of university scientific research ability evaluation. At first, we have established a hierarchical structure to show the factors that impact the evaluation of university scientific research ability. Then, a new MCDM method called D-AHP model is used to implement the evaluation and ranking of different university alliances, in which a data-driven approach is proposed to automatically generate the D numbers preference relations. Next, a sensitivity analysis has been given to show the impact of weights of factors and sub-factors on the evaluation result. At last, the results obtained by using different methods are compared and discussed to verify the effectiveness and reasonability of this study, and some suggestions are given to promote China’s scientific research ability. PMID:28212446

Effects of message, source, and context on evaluations of employee voice behavior.

PubMed

Whiting, Steven W; Maynes, Timothy D; Podsakoff, Nathan P; Podsakoff, Philip M

2012-01-01

The article contained a production-related error. In Table 5, the four values in the rows for Study 1 Prosocial motives and Study 1 Constructive voice should have been shifted one column to the right, to the Direct and Total Performance evaluations columns. All versions of this article have been corrected.] Although employee voice behavior is expected to have important organizational benefits, research indicates that employees voicing their recommendations for organizational change may be evaluated either positively or negatively by observers. A review of the literature suggests that the perceived efficacy of voice behaviors may be a function of characteristics associated with the (a) source, (b) message, and (c) context of the voice event. In this study, we manipulated variables from each of these categories based on a model designed to predict when voice will positively or negatively impact raters' evaluations of an employee's performance. To test our model, we conducted 3 laboratory studies in which we manipulated 2 source factors (voicer expertise and trustworthiness), 2 message factors (recommending a solution and positively vs. negatively framing the message), and 2 context factors (timing of the voice event and organizational norms for speaking up vs. keeping quiet). We also examined the mediating effects of liking, prosocial motives, and perceptions that the voice behavior was constructive on the relationships between the source, message, and context factors and performance evaluations. Generally speaking, we found that at least one of the variables from each category had an effect on performance evaluations for the voicer and that most of these effects were indirect, operating through one or more of the mediators. Implications for theory and future research are discussed.

[Clinical and psychopathological factors associated with impulse control disorders in Parkinson's disease].

PubMed

Sáez-Francàs, N; Martí Andrés, G; Ramírez, N; de Fàbregues, O; Álvarez-Sabín, J; Casas, M; Hernández-Vara, J

2016-05-01

Impulse control disorders (ICD) constitute a complication that may arise during the course of Parkinson's disease (PD). Several factors have been linked to the development of these disorders, and their associated severe functional impairment requires specific and multidisciplinary management. The objective of this study was to evaluate the frequency of ICDs and the clinical and psychopathological factors associated with the appearance of these disorders. Cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study of a sample of 115 PD patients evaluated to determine the presence of an ICD. Clinical scales were administered to assess disease severity, personality traits, and presence of psychiatric symptoms at the time of evaluation. Of the 115 patients with PD, 27 (23.48%) displayed some form of ICD; hypersexuality, exhibited by 14 (12.2%), and binge eating, present in 12 (10.1%), were the most common types. Clinical factors associated with ICD were treatment with dopamine agonists (OR: 13.39), earlier age at disease onset (OR: 0.92), and higher score on the UPDRS-I subscale; psychopathological factors with a significant association were trait anxiety (OR: 1.05) and impulsivity (OR: 1.13). ICDs are frequent in PD, and treatment with dopamine agonists is the most important risk factor for these disorders. High impulsivity and anxiety levels at time of evaluation, and younger age at disease onset, were also linked to increased risk. However, presence of these personality traits prior to evaluation did not increase risk of ICD. Copyright © 2015 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

The Impact of Disciplinary Background and Teaching Experience on the Use of Evaluative Language in Teacher Feedback

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hu, Guangwei; Choo, Lilin

2016-01-01

This study was designed to examine secondary teachers' use of evaluative language resources in their qualitative written feedback on student work and factors shaping the deployment of such resources. Drawing on appraisal theory as an analytic framework for the language of evaluation, the study analyzed 84 teachers' evaluative reports on their…

Use and Non-use of Evaluation Results: Case Study of Environmental Influences in the Private Sector.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Russ-Eft, Darlene; Atwood, Regina; Egherman, Tori

2002-01-01

Studied the evaluation of a sale program within a business services organization. Interviewed 23 sales people, 10 implementation specialists, 9 consultants, and 40 clients of the business. Results show the use and nonuse of evaluation results and point out the factors contributing to use or nonuse of evaluation results in this private sector…

Phonological Awareness: Factors of Influence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frohlich, Linda Paulina; Petermann, Franz; Metz, Dorothee

2013-01-01

Early child development is influenced by various genetic and environmental factors. This study aims to identify factors that affect the phonological awareness of preschool and first grade children. Based on a sample of 330 German-speaking children (mean age = 6.2 years) the following domains were evaluated: Parent factors, birth and pregnancy,…

Development of Evaluation Indicators for Hospice and Palliative Care Professionals Training Programs in Korea.

PubMed

Kang, Jina; Park, Kyoung-Ok

2017-01-01

The importance of training for Hospice and Palliative Care (HPC) professionals has been increasing with the systemization of HPC in Korea. Hence, the need and importance of training quality for HPC professionals are growing. This study evaluated the construct validity and reliability of the Evaluation Indicators for standard Hospice and Palliative Care Training (EIHPCT) program. As a framework to develop evaluation indicators, an invented theoretical model combining Stufflebeam's CIPP (Context-Input-Process-Product) evaluation model with PRECEDE-PROCEED model was used. To verify the construct validity of the EIHPCT program, a structured survey was performed with 169 professionals who were the HPC training program administrators, trainers, and trainees. To examine the validity of the areas of the EIHPCT program, exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted. First, in the exploratory factor analysis, the indicators with factor loadings above 0.4 were chosen as desirable items, and some cross-loaded items that loaded at 0.4 or higher on two or more factors were adjusted as the higher factor. Second, the model fit of the modified EIHPCT program was quite good in the confirmatory factor analysis (Goodness-of-Fit Index > 0.70, Comparative Fit Index > 0.80, Normed Fit Index > 0.80, Root Mean square of Residuals < 0.05). The modified model of the EIHPCT comprised 4 areas, 13 subdomains, and 61 indicators. The evaluation indicators of the modified model will be valuable references for improving the HPC professional training program.

Annual Report. Technical Reports. Evaluation Productivity Project.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alkin, Marvin; And Others

After outlining the 1984 activities and results of the Center for the Study of Evaluation's (CSE's) Evaluation Productivity Project, this monograph presents three reports. The first, "The Administrator's Role in Evaluation Use," by James Burry, Marvin C. Alkin, and Joan A. Ruskus, describes the factors influencing an evaluation's use…

Do volunteer community-based preceptors value students' feedback?

PubMed

Dent, M Marie; Boltri, John; Okosun, Ike S

2004-11-01

A key component of educational practice is to provide feedback and evaluation to teachers and learners to improve the teaching and learning process. The purpose of this study was to determine whether volunteer community preceptors value evaluation and feedback by students as much as they value other resources or rewards. In Fall 1999, a questionnaire concerning the resources and rewards of preceptorship was mailed to 236 community preceptors affiliated with the Mercer University School of Medicine, Macon, Georgia. Preceptors were asked to rate 20 factors on a five-point Likert scale (5 = very important to 1 = not very important). The mean values were compared using t-tests. One hundred sixty-eight preceptors (71%) completed questionnaires. Preceptors rated evaluation and feedback from students significantly higher (p < .001) than all other factors (mean = 4.02, standard deviation [SD] = .87). Continuing medical education for teaching was the next most highly valued factor (mean = 3.67, SD = 1.14). Preceptors rated financial compensation the lowest (mean = 2.01, SD = 1.19) of all factors. The high rank of feedback and evaluation from students persisted across gender, specialty, length of time as a preceptor, practice location, and years practicing medicine. This study demonstrates that feedback and evaluation from students is highly valued. The knowledge that community-based preceptors highly value feedback and evaluation from students should stimulate medical school programs to provide feedback and evaluation to preceptors that will enhance the educational outcomes for both faculty and learners.

Selection and evaluation of optimal two-dimensional CAIPIRINHA kernels applied to time-resolved three-dimensional CE-MRA.

PubMed

Weavers, Paul T; Borisch, Eric A; Riederer, Stephen J

2015-06-01

To develop and validate a method for choosing the optimal two-dimensional CAIPIRINHA kernel for subtraction contrast-enhanced MR angiography (CE-MRA) and estimate the degree of image quality improvement versus that of some reference acceleration parameter set at R ≥ 8. A metric based on patient-specific coil calibration information was defined for evaluating optimality of CAIPIRINHA kernels as applied to subtraction CE-MRA. Evaluation in retrospective studies using archived coil calibration data from abdomen, calf, foot, and hand CE-MRA exams was accomplished with an evaluation metric comparing the geometry factor (g-factor) histograms. Prospective calf, foot, and hand CE-MRA studies were evaluated with vessel signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Retrospective studies show g-factor improvement for the selected CAIPIRINHA kernels was significant in the feet, moderate in the abdomen, and modest in the calves and hands. Prospective CE-MRA studies using optimal CAIPIRINHA show reduced noise amplification with identical acquisition time in studies of the feet, with minor improvements in the hands and calves. A method for selection of the optimal CAIPIRINHA kernel for high (R ≥ 8) acceleration CE-MRA exams given a specific patient and receiver array was demonstrated. CAIPIRINHA optimization appears valuable in accelerated CE-MRA of the feet and to a lesser extent in the abdomen. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

An Automatic Method for Generating an Unbiased Intensity Normalizing Factor in Positron Emission Tomography Image Analysis After Stroke.

PubMed

Nie, Binbin; Liang, Shengxiang; Jiang, Xiaofeng; Duan, Shaofeng; Huang, Qi; Zhang, Tianhao; Li, Panlong; Liu, Hua; Shan, Baoci

2018-06-07

Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of functional metabolism has been widely used to investigate functional recovery and to evaluate therapeutic efficacy after stroke. The voxel intensity of a PET image is the most important indicator of cellular activity, but is affected by other factors such as the basal metabolic ratio of each subject. In order to locate dysfunctional regions accurately, intensity normalization by a scale factor is a prerequisite in the data analysis, for which the global mean value is most widely used. However, this is unsuitable for stroke studies. Alternatively, a specified scale factor calculated from a reference region is also used, comprising neither hyper- nor hypo-metabolic voxels. But there is no such recognized reference region for stroke studies. Therefore, we proposed a totally data-driven automatic method for unbiased scale factor generation. This factor was generated iteratively until the residual deviation of two adjacent scale factors was reduced by < 5%. Moreover, both simulated and real stroke data were used for evaluation, and these suggested that our proposed unbiased scale factor has better sensitivity and accuracy for stroke studies.

Predictive Factors for Death After Snake Envenomation in Myanmar.

PubMed

Aye, Kyi-Phyu; Thanachartwet, Vipa; Soe, Chit; Desakorn, Varunee; Chamnanchanunt, Supat; Sahassananda, Duangjai; Supaporn, Thanom; Sitprija, Visith

2018-06-01

Factors predictive for death from snake envenomation vary between studies, possibly due to variation in host genetic factors and venom composition. This study aimed to evaluate predictive factors for death from snake envenomation in Myanmar. A prospective study was performed among adult patients with snakebite admitted to tertiary hospitals in Yangon, Myanmar, from May 2015 to August 2016. Data including clinical variables and laboratory parameters, management, and outcomes were evaluated. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to evaluate factors predictive for death at the time of presentation to the hospital. Of the 246 patients with snake envenomation recruited into the study, 225 (92%) survived and 21 (8%) died during hospitalization. The snake species responsible for a bite was identified in 74 (30%) of the patients; the majority of bites were from Russell's vipers (63 patients, 85%). The independent factors predictive for death included 1) duration from bite to arrival at the hospital >1 h (odds ratio [OR]: 9.0, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1-75.2; P=0.04); 2) white blood cell counts >20 ×10 3 cells·μL -1 (OR: 8.9, 95% CI: 2.3-33.7; P=0.001); and 3) the presence of capillary leakage (OR: 3.7, 95% CI: 1.2-11.2; P=0.02). A delay in antivenom administration >4 h increases risk of death (11/21 deaths). Patients who present with these independent predictive factors should be recognized and provided with early appropriate intervention to reduce the mortality rate among adults with snake envenomation in Myanmar. Copyright © 2018 Wilderness Medical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of silver diamine fluoride application in children and factors associated with arrested caries survival

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandra, L.; Rahardjo, A.; Adiatman, M.; Darwita, R.; Maharani, D. A.; Callea, M.

2017-08-01

Dental caries is one of the most prevalent infectious diseases in children in Indonesia. Therefore, a solution to overcome caries is needed. Evaluate Silver diamine fluoride (SDF) application for overcoming caries in children and determine factors related to the percentage of arrested caries after SDF application. Cohort study for evaluation and a cross-sectional study; 115 children aged 3-5 years who had active dentin caries were the subjects. Caries risk factors were measured by questionnaires filled out by subjects’ parents. Active caries treated with SDF had odds ratios of 9.9 and 6.8 of being arrested after 3 and 10 months, respectively, when compared with those not treated. Conclusion: SDF is effective in arresting caries and decreasing toothaches suffered by children, thus potentially increasing children’s quality of life.

Moving evidence-based drug abuse prevention programs from basic science to practice: "bridging the efficacy-effectiveness interface".

PubMed

August, Gerald J; Winters, Ken C; Realmuto, George M; Tarter, Ralph; Perry, Cheryl; Hektner, Joel M

2004-01-01

This article examines the challenges faced by developers of youth drug abuse prevention programs in transporting scientifically proven or evidence-based programs into natural community practice systems. Models for research on the transfer of prevention technology are described with specific emphasis given to the relationship between efficacy and effectiveness studies. Barriers that impede the successful integration of efficacy methods within effectiveness studies (e.g., client factors, practitioner factors, intervention structure characteristics, and environmental and organizational factors) are discussed. We present a modified model for program development and evaluation that includes a new type of research design, the hybrid efficacy-effectiveness study that addresses program transportability. The utility of the hybrid study is illustrated in the evaluation of the Early Risers "Skills for Success" prevention program.

Building clinical networks: a developmental evaluation framework.

PubMed

Carswell, Peter; Manning, Benjamin; Long, Janet; Braithwaite, Jeffrey

2014-05-01

Clinical networks have been designed as a cross-organisational mechanism to plan and deliver health services. With recent concerns about the effectiveness of these structures, it is timely to consider an evidence-informed approach for how they can be developed and evaluated. To document an evaluation framework for clinical networks by drawing on the network evaluation literature and a 5-year study of clinical networks. We searched literature in three domains: network evaluation, factors that aid or inhibit network development, and on robust methods to measure network characteristics. This material was used to build a framework required for effective developmental evaluation. The framework's architecture identifies three stages of clinical network development; partner selection, network design and network management. Within each stage is evidence about factors that act as facilitators and barriers to network growth. These factors can be used to measure progress via appropriate methods and tools. The framework can provide for network growth and support informed decisions about progress. For the first time in one place a framework incorporating rigorous methods and tools can identify factors known to affect the development of clinical networks. The target user group is internal stakeholders who need to conduct developmental evaluation to inform key decisions along their network's developmental pathway.

Fidelity and moderating factors in complex interventions: a case study of a continuum of care program for frail elderly people in health and social care

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Prior studies measuring fidelity of complex interventions have mainly evaluated adherence, and not taken factors affecting adherence into consideration. A need for studies that clarify the concept of fidelity and the function of factors moderating fidelity has been emphasized. The aim of the study was to systematically evaluate implementation fidelity and possible factors influencing fidelity of a complex care continuum intervention for frail elderly people. Methods The intervention was a systematization of the collaboration between a nurse with geriatric expertise situated at the emergency department, the hospital ward staff, and a multi-professional team with a case manager in the municipal care services for older people. Implementation was evaluated between September 2008 and May 2010 with observations of work practices, stakeholder interviews, and document analysis according to a modified version of The Conceptual Framework for Implementation Fidelity. Results A total of 16 of the 18 intervention components were to a great extent delivered as planned, while some new components were added to the model. No changes in the frequency or duration of the 18 components were observed, but the dose of the added components varied over time. Changes in fidelity were caused in a complex, interrelated fashion by all the moderating factors in the framework, i.e., context, staff and participant responsiveness, facilitation, recruitment, and complexity. Discussion The Conceptual Framework for Implementation Fidelity was empirically useful and included comprehensive measures of factors affecting fidelity. Future studies should focus on developing the framework with regard to how to investigate relationships between the moderating factors and fidelity over time. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT01260493. PMID:22436121

Effects on agitation with rivastigmine patch monotherapy and combination therapy with memantine in mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease: a multicenter 24-week prospective randomized open-label study (the Korean EXelon Patch and combination with mEmantine Comparative Trial study).

PubMed

Yoon, Soo J; Choi, Seong H; Na, Hae R; Park, Kyung-Won; Kim, Eun-Joo; Han, Hyun J; Lee, Jae-Hong; Shim, Young S; Na, Duk L

2017-03-01

Memantine is known to be effective in the treatment of the behavioral symptoms of dementia, especially agitation in moderate to severe Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, memantine and rivastigmine patch combination therapy has not been well studied in determining treatment effectiveness with mild to moderate AD patients. This was a multicenter, 24-week, prospective, randomized, open-label study design. A total 147 AD patients with Mini-Mental State Examination scores from 10 to 20 were randomly assigned to rivastigmine patch monotherapy and combination therapy with memantine groups. Agitation symptoms, using the Korean Version of the Cohen Mansfield Agitation Inventory were evaluated at baseline and at study end. Suppression and emergence of agitation symptoms were also evaluated. We carried out factor analyses to evaluate the interrelationship of agitation symptoms and to investigate treatment response in these symptoms. Factor analyses showed two symptom clusters: factor A - aggressive agitated behaviors - versus factor B - non-aggressive agitated behaviors. The rivastigmine patch monotherapy group showed significantly decreased factor B scores and had a tendency of decreased Korean Version of the Cohen Mansfield Agitation Inventory total scores and factor A scores. Conversely, the combination therapy group showed significantly increased Korean Version of the Cohen Mansfield Agitation Inventory total scores and factor B scores. Neither monotherapy nor combination therapy reduced the emergence of new agitation symptoms. In this trial of mild to moderate AD patients, the rivastigmine patch monotherapy group experienced a reduction of non-aggressive agitated behaviors. However, combination therapy with memantine did not show any benefit on the agitation associated with mild to moderate AD. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2017; 17: 494-499. © 2016 Japan Geriatrics Society.

Teacher Factors and Perceived Assessment Practices Needs of Social Studies Teachers in Cross River State, Nigeria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ekuri, Emmanuel Etta; Egbai, Julius Michael; Ita, Caroline Iserome

2011-01-01

This study evaluated perceived assessment practices needs among social studies teachers in Cross River State, Nigeria, in relation to some teacher factors (attitude towards social studies, sex, teaching experience and educational qualification). Subjects who participated in this study were 297 social studies teachers (144 males and 153 females)…

A health literacy and usability heuristic evaluation of a mobile consumer health application.

PubMed

Monkman, Helen; Kushniruk, Andre

2013-01-01

Usability and health literacy are two critical factors in the design and evaluation of consumer health information systems. However, methods for evaluating these two factors in conjunction remain limited. This study adapted a set of existing guidelines for the design of consumer health Web sites into evidence-based evaluation heuristics tailored specifically for mobile consumer health applications. In order to test the approach, a mobile consumer health application (app) was then evaluated using these heuristics. In addition to revealing ways to improve the usability of the system, this analysis identified opportunities to augment the content to make it more understandable by users with limited health literacy. This study successfully demonstrated the utility of converting existing design guidelines into heuristics for the evaluation of usability and health literacy. The heuristics generated could be applied for assessing and revising other existing consumer health information systems.

Development and psychometric evaluation of the nursing instructors' clinical teaching performance inventory.

PubMed

A Farahani, Mansoureh; Emamzadeh Ghasemi, Hormat Sadat; Nikpaima, Nasrin; Fereidooni, Zhila; Rasoli, Maryam

2014-10-29

Evaluation of nursing instructors' clinical teaching performance is a prerequisite to the quality assurance of nursing education. One of the most common procedures for this purpose is using student evaluations. This study was to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of Nursing Instructors' Clinical Teaching Performance Inventory (NICTPI). The primary items of the inventory were generated by reviewing the published literature and the existing questionnaires as well as consulting with the members of the Faculties Evaluation Committee of the study setting. Psychometric properties were assessed by calculating its content validity ratio and index, and test-retest correlation coefficient as well as conducting an exploratory factor analysis and an internal consistency assessment. The content validity ratios and indices of the items were respectively higher than 0.85 and 0.79. The final version of the inventory consisted of 25 items, and in the exploratory factor analysis, items were loaded on three factors which jointly accounting for 72.85% of the total variance. The test-retest correlation coefficient and the Cronbach's alpha of the inventory were 0.93 and 0.973, respectively. The results revealed that the developed inventory is an appropriate, valid, and reliable instrument for evaluating nursing instructors' clinical teaching performance.

Psychometric properties evaluation of a new ergonomics-related job factors questionnaire developed for nursing workers.

PubMed

Coluci, Marina Zambon Orpinelli; Alexandre, Neusa Maria Costa

2014-11-01

The objectives of this study were to develop a questionnaire that evaluates the perception of nursing workers to job factors that may contribute to musculoskeletal symptoms, and to evaluate its psychometric properties. Internationally recommended methodology was followed: construction of domains, items and the instrument as a whole, content validity, and pre-test. Psychometric properties were evaluated among 370 nursing workers. Construct validity was analyzed by the factorial analysis, known-groups technique, and convergent validity. Reliability was assessed through internal consistency and stability. Results indicated satisfactory fit indices during confirmatory factor analysis, significant difference (p < 0.01) between the responses of nursing and office workers, and moderate correlations between the new questionnaire and Numeric Pain Scale, SF-36 and WRFQ. Cronbach's alpha was close to 0.90 and ICC values ranged from 0.64 to 0.76. Therefore, results indicated that the new questionnaire had good psychometric properties for use in studies involving nursing workers. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

Risk factors for implant failure: a retrospective study in an educational institution using GEE analyses.

PubMed

Borba, Marcelo; Deluiz, Daniel; Lourenço, Eduardo José Veras; Oliveira, Luciano; Tannure, Patrícia Nivoloni

2017-08-21

This study aimed to evaluate dental implant outcomes and to identify risk factors associated with implant failure over 12 years via dental records of patients attending an educational institution. Dental records of 202 patients receiving 774 dental implants from 2002 to 2014 were analyzed by adopting a more reliable statistical method to evaluate risk factors with patients as the unit [generalized estimating equation (GEE)]. Information regarding patient age at implantation, sex, use of tobacco, and history of systemic diseases was collected. Information about implant location in the arch region and implant length, diameter, and placement in a grafted area was evaluated after 2 years under load. Systemic and local risk factors for early and late implant failure were studied. A total of 18 patients experienced 25 implant failures, resulting in an overall survival rate of 96.8% (2.84% and 0.38% early and late implant failures, respectively). The patient-based survival rate was 91.8%. GEE univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that a significant risk factor for implant failure was the maxillary implant (p = 0.006 and p = 0.014, respectively). Bone grafting appeared to be a risk factor for implant failure (p = 0.054). According to GEE analyses, maxillary implants had significantly worse outcomes in this population and were considered to be a risk factor for implant failure. Our results suggested that implants placed in a bone augmentation area had a tendency to fail.

More Learning in Less Time: A Guide to Effective Study for University Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kahn, Norma B.

A revision of "Effective and Efficient Study," a guide to effective study for university students, is presented. Topics include: self-evaluation using a checklist of factors involved in college reading and study problems; self-evaluation regarding test anxiety; organizing work and budgeting time; remembering effectively; improving…

Validation of Yoon's Critical Thinking Disposition Instrument.

PubMed

Shin, Hyunsook; Park, Chang Gi; Kim, Hyojin

2015-12-01

The lack of reliable and valid evaluation tools targeting Korean nursing students' critical thinking (CT) abilities has been reported as one of the barriers to instructing and evaluating students in undergraduate programs. Yoon's Critical Thinking Disposition (YCTD) instrument was developed for Korean nursing students, but few studies have assessed its validity. This study aimed to validate the YCTD. Specifically, the YCTD was assessed to identify its cross-sectional and longitudinal measurement invariance. This was a validation study in which a cross-sectional and longitudinal (prenursing and postnursing practicum) survey was used to validate the YCTD using 345 nursing students at three universities in Seoul, Korea. The participants' CT abilities were assessed using the YCTD before and after completing an established pediatric nursing practicum. The validity of the YCTD was estimated and then group invariance test using multigroup confirmatory factor analysis was performed to confirm the measurement compatibility of multigroups. A test of the seven-factor model showed that the YCTD demonstrated good construct validity. Multigroup confirmatory factor analysis findings for the measurement invariance suggested that this model structure demonstrated strong invariance between groups (i.e., configural, factor loading, and intercept combined) but weak invariance within a group (i.e., configural and factor loading combined). In general, traditional methods for assessing instrument validity have been less than thorough. In this study, multigroup confirmatory factor analysis using cross-sectional and longitudinal measurement data allowed validation of the YCTD. This study concluded that the YCTD can be used for evaluating Korean nursing students' CT abilities. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

What factors have influence on persistence of neck pain after a whiplash?

PubMed

Cobo, Eulogio Pleguezuelos; Mesquida, M Engracia Pérez; Fanegas, Elisabet Palomera; Atanasio, Eva Moreno; Pastor, M Beatriz Samitier; Pont, Cristina Perucho; Prieto, Carlos Matarrubia; Gómez, Genoveva Reverón; Cano, Lluis Guirao

2010-04-20

Prospective longitudinal study. To identify prognosis factors that allow us to identify patients with risk of developing chronic symptoms and disabilities after a whiplash injury. The prognosis factors for poor recovery in acute whiplash are not conclusive. We included 557 patients who suffered whiplash injury after road traffic accident and visited the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation of Mataró Hospital (Spain) for medical evaluation and rehabilitation treatment. The variables were collected following a protocol designed for the study, and all patients were assessed through the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for the intensity of neck pain, the Goldberg Depression and Anxiety Scale and the Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire (NPH) for cervical column functionality at initial evaluation and 6 months later. Factors related with VAS 6 months after the whiplash injury were women, age, number of days of cervical column immobilization, previous neck pain, self-employed workers, housewives, pensioners, students, presence of headache or dizziness, and VAS, Goldberg Depression and Anxiety scale, and NPH scores at initial evaluation. In multivaried analysis, it had been found that the variables that had influence on VAS 6 months after the whiplash injury were statistically significant for age, presence of dizziness, self-employed workers, and VAS and NPH scores at initial evaluation. Our findings indicate that factors that allow us to identify patients at risk for poor recovery are age, dizziness, and initial evaluation of neck pain with VAS and cervical column functionality with NPH.

Excess costs of comorbidities in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review.

PubMed

Huber, Manuel B; Wacker, Margarethe E; Vogelmeier, Claus F; Leidl, Reiner

2015-01-01

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Comorbidities are often reported in patients with COPD and may influence the cost of care. Yet, the extent by which comorbidities affect costs remains to be determined. To review, quantify and evaluate excess costs of comorbidities in COPD. Using a systematic review approach, Pubmed and Embase were searched for studies analyzing excess costs of comorbidities in COPD. Resulting studies were evaluated according to study characteristics, comorbidity measurement and cost indicators. Mark-up factors were calculated for respective excess costs. Furthermore, a checklist of quality criteria was applied. Twelve studies were included. Nine evaluated comorbidity specific costs; three examined index-based results. Pneumonia, cardiovascular disease and diabetes were associated with the highest excess costs. The mark-up factors for respective excess costs ranged between 1.5 and 2.5 in the majority of cases. On average the factors constituted a doubling of respective costs in the comorbid case. The main cost driver, among all studies, was inpatient cost. Indirect costs were not accounted for by the majority of studies. Study heterogeneity was high. The reviewed studies clearly show that comorbidities are associated with significant excess costs in COPD. The inclusion of comorbid costs and effects in future health economic evaluations of preventive or therapeutic COPD interventions seems highly advisable.

Excess Costs of Comorbidities in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Huber, Manuel B.; Wacker, Margarethe E.; Vogelmeier, Claus F.; Leidl, Reiner

2015-01-01

Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Comorbidities are often reported in patients with COPD and may influence the cost of care. Yet, the extent by which comorbidities affect costs remains to be determined. Objectives To review, quantify and evaluate excess costs of comorbidities in COPD. Methods Using a systematic review approach, Pubmed and Embase were searched for studies analyzing excess costs of comorbidities in COPD. Resulting studies were evaluated according to study characteristics, comorbidity measurement and cost indicators. Mark-up factors were calculated for respective excess costs. Furthermore, a checklist of quality criteria was applied. Results Twelve studies were included. Nine evaluated comorbidity specific costs; three examined index-based results. Pneumonia, cardiovascular disease and diabetes were associated with the highest excess costs. The mark-up factors for respective excess costs ranged between 1.5 and 2.5 in the majority of cases. On average the factors constituted a doubling of respective costs in the comorbid case. The main cost driver, among all studies, was inpatient cost. Indirect costs were not accounted for by the majority of studies. Study heterogeneity was high. Conclusions The reviewed studies clearly show that comorbidities are associated with significant excess costs in COPD. The inclusion of comorbid costs and effects in future health economic evaluations of preventive or therapeutic COPD interventions seems highly advisable. PMID:25875204

Effects of Study Behavior on Objective-Style and Essay-Style Performance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Biggs, J. B.

In this study, the effects of motivational and behavioral dimensions of study behavior on objective and essay modes of evaluating course content were investigated. Several performance measures in two undergraduate Educational Psychology courses were factor analyzed, and three orthogonal performance factors were obtained: general achievement,…

Evaluation of soil saturation, soil chemistry, and early spring soil and air temperatures as risk factors in yellow-cedar decline.

Treesearch

D.V. D' Amore; P.E. Hennon

2006-01-01

Yellow-cedar (Callitropsis nootkatensis (D. Don) Oerst.) is a valuable tree species that is experiencing a widespread decline and mortality in southeast Alaska. This study evaluated the relative importance of several potential risk factors associated with yellow-cedar decline: soil saturation, soil aluminum (Al) toxicity or calcium (Ca) deficiency...

Major Factors Affecting Students' Perception towards Faculty Evaluation of Teaching (SET)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dev, Smitha; Qayyum, Nudrat

2017-01-01

Gathering students' feedback and evaluation during the end of every semester is believed to be valuable for instructors' growth and development. The present study is aimed to find out the validity of students' responses and various factors involved in their rating towards faculty. A total of 150 students from 1 st to 4th year of Abu Dhabi…

Reliability Evaluation and Improvement Approach of Chemical Production Man - Machine - Environment System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miao, Yongchun; Kang, Rongxue; Chen, Xuefeng

2017-12-01

In recent years, with the gradual extension of reliability research, the study of production system reliability has become the hot topic in various industries. Man-machine-environment system is a complex system composed of human factors, machinery equipment and environment. The reliability of individual factor must be analyzed in order to gradually transit to the research of three-factor reliability. Meanwhile, the dynamic relationship among man-machine-environment should be considered to establish an effective blurry evaluation mechanism to truly and effectively analyze the reliability of such systems. In this paper, based on the system engineering, fuzzy theory, reliability theory, human error, environmental impact and machinery equipment failure theory, the reliabilities of human factor, machinery equipment and environment of some chemical production system were studied by the method of fuzzy evaluation. At last, the reliability of man-machine-environment system was calculated to obtain the weighted result, which indicated that the reliability value of this chemical production system was 86.29. Through the given evaluation domain it can be seen that the reliability of man-machine-environment integrated system is in a good status, and the effective measures for further improvement were proposed according to the fuzzy calculation results.

A Study on Fitts' Law Based Gait Symmetric Evaluation and It's Clinic Application.

PubMed

Rencheng, Wang; Meiqin, Zhang; Xiaonan, Deng; Dewen, Jin; Maobin, Wang; Guangqing, Li

2005-01-01

Symmetry, one of the prominent characters of normal human gait, could be destroyed by some special or abnormal factors such as barrier spanning, walking impediment, etc. Therefore, it becomes an important factor used to evaluate qualities and functions of walking. In this paper, the fitts' law based symmetry index calculation is introduced and its application in clinic test is also reported. The results show that the fitts' law based index is effective in clinic evaluation.

To what extent can theory account for the findings of road safety evaluation studies?

PubMed

Elvik, Rune

2004-09-01

This paper proposes a conceptual framework that can be used to assess to what extent the findings of road safety evaluation research make sense from a theoretical point of view. The effects of road safety measures are modelled as passing through two causal chains. One of these, termed the engineering effect, refers to the intended effects of a road safety measure on a set of risk factors related to accident occurrence or injury severity. The engineering effect of road safety measures is modelled in terms of nine basic risk factors, one or more of which any road safety measure needs to influence in order to have the intended effect on accidents or injuries. The other causal chain producing the effects of road safety measures is termed the behavioural effect, and refers to road user behavioural adaptations to road safety measures. The behavioural effect is related to the engineering effect, in the sense that certain properties of the engineering effect of a road safety measure influence the likelihood that behavioural adaptation will occur. The behavioural effect of a road safety measure is modelled in terms of six factors that influence the likelihood that behavioural adaptation will occur. The nine basic risk factors representing the engineering effect of a road safety measure, and the six factors influencing the likelihood of behavioural adaptation can be used as checklists in assessing whether or not the findings of road safety evaluation studies make sense from a theoretical point of view. At the current state of knowledge, a more stringent evaluation of the extent to which theory can explain the findings of road safety evaluation studies is, in most cases, not possible. Copyright 2003 Elsevier Ltd.

Meat consumption as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Barnard, Neal; Levin, Susan; Trapp, Caroline

2014-02-21

Disease risk factors identified in epidemiological studies serve as important public health tools, helping clinicians identify individuals who may benefit from more aggressive screening or risk-modification procedures, allowing policymakers to prioritize intervention programs, and encouraging at-risk individuals to modify behavior and improve their health. These factors have been based primarily on evidence from cross-sectional and prospective studies, as most do not lend themselves to randomized trials. While some risk factors are not modifiable, eating habits are subject to change through both individual action and broader policy initiatives. Meat consumption has been frequently investigated as a variable associated with diabetes risk, but it has not yet been described as a diabetes risk factor. In this article, we evaluate the evidence supporting the use of meat consumption as a clinically useful risk factor for type 2 diabetes, based on studies evaluating the risks associated with meat consumption as a categorical dietary characteristic (i.e., meat consumption versus no meat consumption), as a scalar variable (i.e., gradations of meat consumption), or as part of a broader dietary pattern.

Meat Consumption as a Risk Factor for Type 2 Diabetes

PubMed Central

Barnard, Neal; Levin, Susan; Trapp, Caroline

2014-01-01

Disease risk factors identified in epidemiological studies serve as important public health tools, helping clinicians identify individuals who may benefit from more aggressive screening or risk-modification procedures, allowing policymakers to prioritize intervention programs, and encouraging at-risk individuals to modify behavior and improve their health. These factors have been based primarily on evidence from cross-sectional and prospective studies, as most do not lend themselves to randomized trials. While some risk factors are not modifiable, eating habits are subject to change through both individual action and broader policy initiatives. Meat consumption has been frequently investigated as a variable associated with diabetes risk, but it has not yet been described as a diabetes risk factor. In this article, we evaluate the evidence supporting the use of meat consumption as a clinically useful risk factor for type 2 diabetes, based on studies evaluating the risks associated with meat consumption as a categorical dietary characteristic (i.e., meat consumption versus no meat consumption), as a scalar variable (i.e., gradations of meat consumption), or as part of a broader dietary pattern. PMID:24566443

The Revised Two-Factor Study Process Questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F): Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses at Item Level

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Justicia, Fernando; Pichardo, M. Carmen; Cano, Francisco; Berben, A. B. G.; De la Fuente, Jesus

2008-01-01

The underlying structure of the Revised Two Factor version of the Study Process Questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F), a 20-item instrument for the evaluation of students' approaches to learning (SAL), was examined at item level using two independent groups of undergraduate students enrolled in the first (n = 314) and last (n = 522) years of their studies. The…

Simple analysis of the effect of construction materials on bridge impact factors

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1999-06-01

The purpose of this research is to study the influence of different construction materials on the dynamic impact factor of bridges. Initially, introduction of the dynamic impact factor and some evaluation methods are presented. A comparison of the re...

Caregiver’s feeding styles questionnaire - new factors and correlates

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Study objectives were to conduct exploratory factor analysis (EFA) of Caregiver’s Feeding Styles Questionnaire (CFSQ) and evaluate correlations between factors and maternal feeding practices, attitudes, and perceptions. Mothers (N = 144) were 43% minority race/ethnicity, 24% full-time employed, 54% ...

A Study on Developing Evaluation Criteria for Electronic Resources in Evaluation Indicators of Libraries

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Noh, Younghee

2010-01-01

This study aimed to improve the current state of electronic resource evaluation in libraries. While the use of Web DB, e-book, e-journal, and other e-resources such as CD-ROM, DVD, and micro materials is increasing in libraries, their use is not comprehensively factored into the general evaluation of libraries and may diminish the reliability of…

Association of Psychologic and Nonpsychologic Factors With Primary Dysmenorrhea

PubMed Central

Faramarzi, Mahbobeh; Salmalian, Hajar

2014-01-01

Background: Primary dysmenorrhea seems to be one the most common gynecologic condition in women of childbearing age. Objectives: The aim of this research was to evaluate psychologic and nonpsychologic risk factors of primary dysmenorrhea. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on medical sciences students of Babol University of Medical Sciences. In this study, 180 females with dysmenorrhea and 180 females without dysmenorrhea were enrolled. Psychological risk factors were evaluated in four domains including affect, social support, personality, and alexithymia. Four questionnaires were used to assessed aforementioned domains, namely, Social Support Questionnaire (SSQ), depression, anxiety, stress (DAS-21), 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and NEO-Five Factor Inventory of Personality (NEO-FFI). In addition, nonpsychologic factors were evaluated in three domains including demographic characteristics, habits, and gynecologic factors. Data were analyzed using the χ2 test and multiple logistic regression analysis. Results: The strongest predictor of primary dysmenorrhea was low social support (OR = 4.25; 95% CI, 2.43-7.41). Risk of dysmenorrhea was approximately 3.3 times higher in women with alexithymia (OR = 3.26; 95% CI, 1.88-5.62), 3.1 times higher in women with menstrual bleeding duration ≥ 7 days (OR = 3.06; 95% CI, 1.73-5.41), 2.5 times higher in women with a neurotic character (OR = 2.53; 95% CI, 1.42-4.50), 2.4 times higher in women with a family history of dysmenorrhea (OR = 2.43; 95% CI, 1.42-4.50), and twice higher in women with high caffeine intake (OR = 1.97; 95% CI, 1.09-3.59). Conclusions: Low social support, alexithymia, neuroticism trait, long menstrual bleeding, family history of dysmenorrhea, and high-caffeine diet are important risk factors for women with primary dysmenorrhea. This study recommended considering psychologic factors as an adjuvant to medical risks in evaluation and treatment of primary dysmenorrhea. PMID:25389482

The Quality of Life of Hemodialysis Patients Is Affected Not Only by Medical but also Psychosocial Factors: a Canonical Correlation Study.

PubMed

Kim, Kyungmin; Kang, Gun Woo; Woo, Jungmin

2018-04-02

The quality of life (QoL) of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is very poor, plausibly due to both psychosocial and medical factors. This study aimed to determine the relationship among psychosocial factors, medical factors, and QoL in patients with ESRD undergoing hemodialysis (HD). In total, 55 male and 47 female patients were evaluated (mean age, 57.1 ± 12.0 years). The QoL was evaluated using the Korean version of World Health Organization Quality of Life Scale-Abbreviated Version. The psychosocial factors were evaluated using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Zarit Burden Interview. The medical factors were assessed using laboratory examinations. Correlation and canonical correlation analyses were performed to investigate the association patterns. The QoL was significantly correlated with the psychosocial factors, and to a lesser extent with the medical factors. The medical and psychosocial factors were also correlated. The canonical correlation analysis indicated a correlation between QoL and psychosocial factors (1st canonical correlation = 0.696, P < 0.001; 2nd canonical correlation = 0.421, P = 0.191), but not medical factors (1st canonical correlation = 0.478, P = 0.475; 2nd canonical correlation = 0.419, P = 0.751). The medical and psychosocial factors were also correlated (1st canonical correlation = 0.689, P < 0.001; 2nd canonical correlation = 0.603, P = 0.009). Psychosocial factors influence QoL in patients with ESRD, and should thus be carefully considered when caring for these patients in clinical practice. © 2018 The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences.

Analysis of context factors in compulsory and incentive strategies for improving attraction and retention of health workers in rural and remote areas: a systematic review.

PubMed

Liu, Xiaoyun; Dou, Lixia; Zhang, Huan; Sun, Yang; Yuan, Beibei

2015-07-21

Current literature systematically reports that interventions to attract and retain health workers in underserved areas need to be context specific but rarely defines what that means. In this systematic review, we try to summarize and analyse context factors influencing the implementation of interventions to attract and retain rural health workers. We searched online databases, relevant websites and reference lists of selected literature to identify studies on compulsory rural service programmes and financial incentives. Forty studies were selected. Information regarding context factors at macro, meso and micro levels was extracted and synthesized. Macro-level context factors include political, economic and social factors. Meso-level factors include health system factors such as maldistribution of health workers, growing private sector, decentralization and health financing. Micro-level factors refer to the policy implementation process including funding sources, administrative agency, legislation process, monitoring and evaluation. Macro-, meso- and micro-level context factors can play different roles in agenda setting, policy formulation and implementation of health interventions to attract and retain rural health workers. These factors should be systematically considered in the different stages of policy process and evaluation.

Laughter and Subjective Health Among Community-Dwelling Older People in Japan

PubMed Central

Hayashi, Kei; Kawachi, Ichiro; Ohira, Tetsuya; Kondo, Katsunori; Shirai, Kokoro; Kondo, Naoki

2015-01-01

Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of laughter with subjective health independent of socioeconomic status and social participation among older people in Japan. We used the data of 26,368 individuals (men, 12,174; women, 14,194) 65 years or older who participated in the Japan Gerontological Evaluation Study (JAGES) in 2013. Participants provided information on laughter and self-rated health, depression, socioeconomic, and psychosocial factors. We evaluated laughter from three perspectives: frequency, opportunities, and interpersonal interactions. Even after adjustment for depression, sociodemographic factors, and social participation, the prevalence ratio for poor subjective health among women who never or almost never laugh was 1.78 (95% confidence interval, 1.48–2.15) compared with those who reported laughing every day. Similar associations were observed among men. Laughter may be an important factor for the promotion of general and mental health of older adults. The mechanisms linking laughter and health warrant further study. PMID:26649930

Evaluation of prevalence and risk factors of gestational diabetes in a tertiary care hospital in Kerala.

PubMed

Mohan, Manju A; Chandrakumar, Abin

2016-01-01

The prospective study was conducted with the aim to evaluate the prevalence and risk factors of gestational diabetes mellitus in a tertiary care referral hospital in Kerala. A prospective observational study was conducted with the aim to study the prevalence, risk factors, complications, treatment pattern and cost analysis of GDM. The study was carried out in the Obstetrics & Gynecology dDepartment of Al Shifa hHospital located in northern Kerala. Over an eight-month period, 201 patients who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled for study from which prevalence of GDM was estimated at 15.9%. The study revealed higher prevalence of risk factors and complications such as age >25 years, BMI >26kg/m(2), family history of DM, past history GDM, history of big baby, gestational hypertension, vaginal candidiasis, premature rupture of membranes and hyperbilirubinemia in GDM group as compared to non-GDM group. The study also demonstrated that modern life-style was a major influencing factor for development of diabetes in the study population. The study reveals the necessity of proper screening diagnosis and management of GDM in pregnant women by the clinicians so as to prevent the future burden of type 2 diabetes. Copyright © 2015 Diabetes India. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development and validation of the simulation-based learning evaluation scale.

PubMed

Hung, Chang-Chiao; Liu, Hsiu-Chen; Lin, Chun-Chih; Lee, Bih-O

2016-05-01

The instruments that evaluate a student's perception of receiving simulated training are English versions and have not been tested for reliability or validity. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a Chinese version Simulation-Based Learning Evaluation Scale (SBLES). Four stages were conducted to develop and validate the SBLES. First, specific desired competencies were identified according to the National League for Nursing and Taiwan Nursing Accreditation Council core competencies. Next, the initial item pool was comprised of 50 items related to simulation that were drawn from the literature of core competencies. Content validity was established by use of an expert panel. Finally, exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were conducted for construct validity, and Cronbach's coefficient alpha determined the scale's internal consistency reliability. Two hundred and fifty students who had experienced simulation-based learning were invited to participate in this study. Two hundred and twenty-five students completed and returned questionnaires (response rate=90%). Six items were deleted from the initial item pool and one was added after an expert panel review. Exploratory factor analysis with varimax rotation revealed 37 items remaining in five factors which accounted for 67% of the variance. The construct validity of SBLES was substantiated in a confirmatory factor analysis that revealed a good fit of the hypothesized factor structure. The findings tally with the criterion of convergent and discriminant validity. The range of internal consistency for five subscales was .90 to .93. Items were rated on a 5-point scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). The results of this study indicate that the SBLES is valid and reliable. The authors recommend that the scale could be applied in the nursing school to evaluate the effectiveness of simulation-based learning curricula. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Objective Measure of Interconnection Usage for High Levels of Wind Integration

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yasuda, Yoh; Gomez-Lazaro, Emilio; Holttinen, Hannele

2014-11-13

This paper analyzes selected interconnectors in Europe using several evaluation factors; capacity factor, congested time, and congestion ratio. In a quantitative and objective evaluation, the authors propose to use publically available data on maximum net transmission capacity (NTC) levels during a single year to study congestion rates, realizing that the capacity factor depends upon the chosen capacity of the selected interconnector. This value will be referred to as 'the annual maximum transmission capacity (AMTC)', which gives a transparent and objective evaluation of interconnector usage based on the published grid data. While the method is general, its initial application is motivatedmore » by transfer of renewable energy.« less

Rebooting Kirkpatrick: Integrating Information System Theory Into the Evaluation of Web-based Continuing Professional Development Interventions for Interprofessional Education.

PubMed

Shen, Nelson; Yufe, Shira; Saadatfard, Omid; Sockalingam, Sanjeev; Wiljer, David

2017-01-01

Information system research has stressed the importance of theory in understanding how user perceptions can motivate the use and adoption of technology such as web-based continuing professional development programs for interprofessional education (WCPD-IPE). A systematic review was conducted to provide an information system perspective on the current state of WCPD-IPE program evaluation and how current evaluations capture essential theoretical constructs in promoting technology adoption. Six databases were searched to identify studies evaluating WCPD-IPE. Three investigators determined eligibility of the articles. Evaluation items extracted from the studies were assessed using the Kirkpatrick-Barr framework and mapped to the Benefits Evaluation Framework. Thirty-seven eligible studies yielded 362 evaluation items for analysis. Most items (n = 252) were assessed as Kirkpatrick-Barr level 1 (reaction) and were mainly focused on the quality (information, service, and quality) and satisfaction dimensions of the Benefits Evaluation. System quality was the least evaluated quality dimension, accounting for 26 items across 13 studies. WCPD-IPE use was reported in 17 studies and its antecedent factors were evaluated in varying degrees of comprehensiveness. Although user reactions were commonly evaluated, greater focus on user perceptions of system quality (ie, functionality and performance), usefulness, and usability of the web-based platform is required. Surprisingly, WCPD-IPE use was reported in less than half of the studies. This is problematic as use is a prerequisite to realizing any individual, organizational, or societal benefit of WCPD-IPE. This review proposes an integrated framework which accounts for these factors and provides a theoretically grounded guide for future evaluations.

Effects of different growth factors and carriers on bone regeneration: a systematic review.

PubMed

Khojasteh, Arash; Behnia, Hossein; Naghdi, Navid; Esmaeelinejad, Mohammad; Alikhassy, Zahra; Stevens, Mark

2013-12-01

The application and subsequent investigations in the use of varied osteogenic growth factors in bone regeneration procedures have grown dramatically over the past several years. Owing to this rapid gain in popularity and documentation, a review was undertaken to evaluate the in vivo effects of growth factors on bone regeneration. Using related key words, electronic databases (Medline, Embase, and Cochrane) were searched for articles published from 1999 to April 2010 to find growth factor application in bone regeneration in human or animal models. A total of 63 articles were matched with the inclusion criteria of this study. Bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) was the most studied growth factor. Carriers for the delivery, experimental sites, and methods of evaluation were different, and therefore articles did not come to a general agreement. Within the limitations of this review, BMP-2 may be an appropriate growth factor for osteogenesis. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Injury prevention and future research.

PubMed

Emery, Carolyn A

2005-01-01

To critically examine and summarize the literature identifying risk factors and prevention strategies for injury in child and adolescent sport. Seven electronic databases were searched including: Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Psychinfo, Cochrane Database for Systematic and Complete Reviews, Cochrane Controlled Trials Registry, HealthSTAR and SPORTDiscus. Medical subject headings and text words included: athletic injury, sport injury, risk factors, adolescent and child. Additional articles were reviewed based on sport-specific contributions in the previous chapters of this book. Despite the diversity of injuries occurring in various pediatric sporting populations, the uniformity with respect to many of the risk factors identified in the literature is noteworthy (i.e. previous injury, age, sport specificity, psychosocial factors, decreased strength and endurance). The literature is significantly limited with respect to the prospective evaluation of risk factors and prevention strategies for injury in pediatric sport. The consistencies, however, between the adult and pediatric literature are encouraging with respect to prevention strategies involving neuromuscular training programs (i.e. balance training programs) to reduce lower extremity injuries in some sports and the use of sport-specific protective equipment (i.e. helmets). Notwithstanding the limitations in the literature, the successful evaluation of some sport-specific prevention strategies to reduce injury in pediatric sport is encouraging. There is significant opportunity to methodologically improve upon the current pediatric sport injury literature in descriptive surveillance research, risk factor evaluation research, and prevention research. There is a need for prospective studies, ideally randomized controlled trials, in the evaluation of prevention strategies in pediatric sport. The integration of basic science, laboratory and epidemiological research is critical in evaluating the mechanisms associated with injury and injury prevention in pediatric sport. Finally, long-term studies are needed to identify the public health impact of pediatric sport injury.

Human risk factors associated with pilots in runway excursions.

PubMed

Chang, Yu-Hern; Yang, Hui-Hua; Hsiao, Yu-Jung

2016-09-01

A breakdown analysis of civil aviation accidents worldwide indicates that the occurrence of runway excursions represents the largest portion among all aviation occurrence categories. This study examines the human risk factors associated with pilots in runway excursions, by applying a SHELLO model to categorize the human risk factors and to evaluate the importance based on the opinions of 145 airline pilots. This study integrates aviation management level expert opinions on relative weighting and improvement-achievability in order to develop four kinds of priority risk management strategies for airline pilots to reduce runway excursions. The empirical study based on experts' evaluation suggests that the most important dimension is the liveware/pilot's core ability. From the perspective of front-line pilots, the most important risk factors are the environment, wet/containment runways, and weather issues like rain/thunderstorms. Finally, this study develops practical strategies for helping management authorities to improve major operational and managerial weaknesses so as to reduce the human risks related to runway excursions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Whole-body vibration and postural stress among operators of construction equipment: a literature review.

PubMed

Kittusamy, N Kumar; Buchholz, Bryan

2004-01-01

Operators of construction equipment perform various duties at work that expose them to a variety of risk factors that may lead to health problems. A few of the health hazards among operators of construction equipment are: (a) whole-body vibration, (b) awkward postural requirements (including static sitting), (c) dust, (d) noise, (e) temperature extremes, and (f) shift work. It has been suggested that operating engineers (OEs) are exposed to two important risk factors for the development of musculoskeletal disorders: whole-body vibration and non-neutral body postures. This review evaluates selected papers that have studied exposure to whole-body vibration and awkward posture among operators of mobile equipment. There have been only few studies that have specifically examined exposure of these risk factors among operators of construction equipment. Thus other studies from related industry and equipment were reviewed as applicable. In order to better understand whole-body vibration and postural stress among OEs, it is recommended that future studies are needed in evaluating these risk factors among OEs.

Online Course Evaluations Response Rates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Guder, Faruk; Malliaris, Mary

2013-01-01

This paper studies the reasons for low response rates in online evaluations. Survey data are collected from the students to understand factors that might affect student participation in the course evaluation process. When course evaluations were opened to the student body, an email announcement was sent to all students, and a reminder email was…

Students' Perceptions of Peer Evaluation: An Expectancy Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chen, Yining; Lou, Hao

2004-01-01

Because of the difficulty of evaluating uneven performance among group members, many researchers suggest incorporating peer evaluations in a grading system that permits an instructor to evaluate and grade individual performance more equitably within a group. In this study, the authors employ expectancy theory to assess key factors that may…

Surgical and Patient Factors Affecting Marginal Bone Levels Around Dental Implants: A Comprehensive Overview of Systematic Reviews.

PubMed

Ting, Miriam; Tenaglia, Matthew S; Jones, Gary H; Suzuki, Jon B

2017-04-01

The objective of this systematic review was to perform a comprehensive overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses of surgical and patient factors affecting marginal bone loss around osseointegrated dental implants in humans. Electronic databases were searched for systematic reviews and meta-analyses published up to November 2015. Of the 41 articles selected, 11 evaluated implant factors, 10 evaluated patient factors, 19 evaluated surgical protocol-related factors, and one evaluated all three factors. The chosen studies were AMSTAR rated for quality. The following parameters have statistically significant effect on marginal bone loss: (1) marginal bone loss was significantly more in patients with periodontitis than in periodontally healthy patients; (2) significantly greater in generalized aggressive periodontitis patients compared with chronic periodontitis patients; (3) significantly less in alveolar socket preservation techniques; (4) significantly more in alveolar ridge augmentation sites; (5) significantly more in men than in women; (6) significantly more in smokers than in nonsmokers; and (7) smokers also have significantly more marginal bone loss in the maxilla than in the mandible. Knowledge of the surgical and patient factors that affect marginal bone loss can aid the clinician in making informed choices in selecting implant treatment options that will enhance the longevity and long-term success of their implant-supported cases.

Shifting prevalence of gallbladder polyps in Korea.

PubMed

Lee, Yoo Jin; Park, Kyung Sik; Cho, Kwang Bum; Kim, Eun Soo; Jang, Byoung Kuk; Chung, Woo Jin; Hwang, Jae Seok

2014-09-01

Only a few studies have evaluated the population-adjusted prevalence of gallbladder polyps (GBP). This study aimed to evaluate the changes in GBP prevalence and risk factors at a single health screening center in Korea from 2002 to 2012. Of 48,591 adults who underwent health screening between 2002 and 2012, 14,250 age- and gender-matched subjects were randomly selected to evaluate prevalence. Risk factors were analyzed between the GBP-positive and GBP-negative groups during 2002-2004 (Period A) and 2010-2012 (Period B). The annual prevalence of GBP over the 11-yr period was 5.4%. Annual prevalence increased from 3.8% in Period A to 7.1% in Period B. Male gender and obesity were independent risk factors for GBP in both periods. Hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) positivity was a risk factor for GBP in Period A but not in Period B. The risk factors for GBP changed from HBsAg positivity to lipid profile abnormalities. Other variables including age, hypertension, diabetes, impaired fasting glucose, chronic hepatitis C virus infection, and liver function tests did not correlate with GBP. In conclusion, GBP prevalence is increasing and risk factors for GBP have changed in Korea. More attention should be paid to this issue in the future.

Shifting Prevalence of Gallbladder Polyps in Korea

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Only a few studies have evaluated the population-adjusted prevalence of gallbladder polyps (GBP). This study aimed to evaluate the changes in GBP prevalence and risk factors at a single health screening center in Korea from 2002 to 2012. Of 48,591 adults who underwent health screening between 2002 and 2012, 14,250 age- and gender-matched subjects were randomly selected to evaluate prevalence. Risk factors were analyzed between the GBP-positive and GBP-negative groups during 2002-2004 (Period A) and 2010-2012 (Period B). The annual prevalence of GBP over the 11-yr period was 5.4%. Annual prevalence increased from 3.8% in Period A to 7.1% in Period B. Male gender and obesity were independent risk factors for GBP in both periods. Hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) positivity was a risk factor for GBP in Period A but not in Period B. The risk factors for GBP changed from HBsAg positivity to lipid profile abnormalities. Other variables including age, hypertension, diabetes, impaired fasting glucose, chronic hepatitis C virus infection, and liver function tests did not correlate with GBP. In conclusion, GBP prevalence is increasing and risk factors for GBP have changed in Korea. More attention should be paid to this issue in the future. PMID:25246743

Psychometric properties of the brief version of the Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale in a Turkish sample.

PubMed

Koydemir, Selda; Demir, Ayhan

2007-06-01

The purpose of the study was to report initial data on the psychometric properties of the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale. The scale was applied to a nonclinical sample of 250 (137 women, 113 men) Turkish undergraduate students selected randomly from Middle East Technical University. Their mean age was 20.4 yr. (SD= 1.9). The factor structure of the Turkish version, its criterion validity, and internal reliability coefficients were assessed. Although maximum likelihood factor analysis initially indicated that the scale had only one factor, a forced two-factor solution accounted for more variance (61%) in scale scores than a single factor. The straightforward items loaded on the first factor, and the reverse-coded items loaded on the second factor. The total score was significantly positively correlated with scores on the Revised Cheek and Buss Shyness Scale and significantly negatively correlated with scores on the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Factor 1 (straightforward items) correlated more highly with both Shyness and Self-esteem than Factor 2 (reverse-coded items). Internal consistency estimate was .94 for the Total scores, .91 for the Factor 1 (straightforward items), and .87 for the Factor 2 (reverse-coded items). No sex differences were evident for Fear of Negative Evaluation.

Treatment Components and Their Relationships with Drug and Alcohol Abstinence.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orwin, Rob; Ellis, Bruce

This study evaluates the effect of treatment components through a secondary analysis of data from the National Treatment Improvement Evaluation Study (NTIES). The study examines the relationship between treatment components, client-level factors, and treatment outcomes, and how these relationships vary by treatment modality. It seeks to understand…

The National Treatment Improvement Evaluation Study: Retention Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Orwin, Rob; Williams, Valerie

This study focuses on programmatic factors that predict retention for individuals in drug and alcohol treatment programs through secondary analysis of data from the National Treatment Improvement Evaluation Study (NTIES). It addresses the relationships between completion rates, lengths of stay, and treatment modality. It examines the effect of…

Exogenous factors matter when interpreting the results of an impact evaluation: a case study of rainfall and child health programme intervention in Rwanda.

PubMed

Mukabutera, Assumpta; Thomson, Dana R; Hedt-Gauthier, Bethany L; Atwood, Sidney; Basinga, Paulin; Nyirazinyoye, Laetitia; Savage, Kevin P; Habimana, Marcellin; Murray, Megan

2017-12-01

Public health interventions are often implemented at large scale, and their evaluation seems to be difficult because they are usually multiple and their pathways to effect are complex and subject to modification by contextual factors. We assessed whether controlling for rainfall-related variables altered estimates of the efficacy of a health programme in rural Rwanda and have a quantifiable effect on an intervention evaluation outcomes. We conducted a retrospective quasi-experimental study using previously collected cross-sectional data from the 2005 and 2010 Rwanda Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), 2010 DHS oversampled data, monthly rainfall data collected from meteorological stations over the same period, and modelled output of long-term rainfall averages, soil moisture, and rain water run-off. Difference-in-difference models were used. Rainfall factors confounded the PIH intervention impact evaluation. When we adjusted our estimates of programme effect by controlling for a variety of rainfall variables, several effectiveness estimates changed by 10% or more. The analyses that did not adjust for rainfall-related variables underestimated the intervention effect on the prevalence of ARI by 14.3%, fever by 52.4% and stunting by 10.2%. Conversely, the unadjusted analysis overestimated the intervention's effect on diarrhoea by 56.5% and wasting by 80%. Rainfall-related patterns have a quantifiable effect on programme evaluation results and highlighted the importance and complexity of controlling for contextual factors in quasi-experimental design evaluations. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Factors influencing emergency medicine physicians' management of sports-related concussions: a community-wide study.

PubMed

Giebel, Stephen; Kothari, Rashmi; Koestner, Amy; Mohney, Gretchen; Baker, Robert

2011-12-01

Numerous guidelines to grade and manage sports-related concussions have been published. However, little is known about how frequently they are implemented in the emergency department. This study evaluates the current practices of emergency physicians (EPs) in managing sports-related concussions. To evaluate the current practice of EP evaluation and management of sports-related concussions. All EPs and emergency medicine residents in Kalamazoo County were surveyed regarding their management of sports-related concussions. The surveys obtained demographic data, participants' use of guidelines, and the importance of clinical and non-clinical factors in deciding when to allow a player to return to play. Of the 73 EP respondents, only 23% used a nationally recognized guideline, with no significant difference between attending and resident EPs. The symptomatic complaints of loss of consciousness, amnesia of the event, and difficulty concentrating were ranked most important by EPs in assessing patients with sports-related concussions. Among non-clinical factors, residents were significantly more likely than attendings to report that medical-legal, parental, and players' concerns were more likely to influence their decision in allowing a patient to return to play. EPs take into consideration important clinical factors in assessing patients with sports-related concussion. However, almost 75% do not use any nationally recognized guideline in their evaluation. Residents are more likely than attendings to be influenced by non-clinical factors. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Three dimensional ultrasonography for advanced neurosonography (Neurosofe-3d). Analysis of acquisition-related factors influencing the quality of the brain volumes.

PubMed

Maiz, Nerea; Alonso, Ignacio; Belar, María; Burgos, Jorge; Irasarri, Ana; Molina, Francisca S; de Paco, Catalina; Pijoan, José I; Plasencia, Walter; Rodó, Carlota; Rodríguez, M Angeles; Tajada, Mauricio; Tubau, Albert

2016-11-01

To evaluate the acquisition-related factors influencing the quality of the brain volumes for further study of advanced neurosonography. This was a prospective multicentre study. Five centres were asked to include five cases each, acquiring two volumes per case, at different gestational ages. Ten operators performed an advanced neurosonography per case. The potential influence of the following factors on the number of evaluable structures was assessed: vaginal/ abdominal acquisition, position of the head, gestational age, subjective quality of the volume and the acquiring operator itself. Four hundred and thirty-two evaluations were included in the study. A total of 80% of the structures were evaluated satisfactorily in the axial plane, 67.1% and 55.1% in the coronal and sagittal plane, respectively. Sagittal volumes acquired transvaginally had a better quality than those acquired transabdominally. Gestational age affected the quality of axial and sagittal volumes (p < 0.001), and the best quality was obtained between 20 and 27 weeks. In axial and sagittal volumes, the head position influenced the percentage of structures visualized (p < 0.001, p < 0.001). Factors affecting the quality of the volume for advanced neurosonography are gestational age, fetal head position, transvaginal acquisition in sagittal volumes, the acquiring operator and the subjective quality of the volume. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

A new tool to evaluate postgraduate training posts: the Job Evaluation Survey Tool (JEST).

PubMed

Wall, David; Goodyear, Helen; Singh, Baldev; Whitehouse, Andrew; Hughes, Elizabeth; Howes, Jonathan

2014-10-02

Three reports in 2013 about healthcare and patient safety in the UK, namely Berwick, Francis and Keogh have highlighted the need for junior doctors' views about their training experience to be heard. In the UK, the General Medical Council (GMC) quality assures medical training programmes and requires postgraduate deaneries to undertake quality management and monitoring of all training posts in their area. The aim of this study was to develop a simple trainee questionnaire for evaluation of postgraduate training posts based on the GMC, UK standards and to look at the reliability and validity including comparison with a well-established and internationally validated tool, the Postgraduate Hospital Educational Environment Measure (PHEEM). The Job Evaluation Survey Tool (JEST), a fifteen item job evaluation questionnaire was drawn up in 2006, piloted with Foundation doctors (2007), field tested with specialist paediatric registrars (2008) and used over a three year period (2008-11) by Foundation Doctors. Statistical analyses including descriptives, reliability, correlation and factor analysis were undertaken and JEST compared with PHEEM. The JEST had a reliability of 0.91 in the pilot study of 76 Foundation doctors, 0.88 in field testing of 173 Paediatric specialist registrars and 0.91 in three years of general use in foundation training with 3367 doctors completing JEST. Correlation of JEST with PHEEM was 0.80 (p < 0.001). Factor analysis showed two factors, a teaching factor and a social and lifestyle one. The JEST has proved to be a simple, valid and reliable evaluation tool in the monitoring and evaluation of postgraduate hospital training posts.

Factors affecting evaluation culture within a non-formal educational organization.

PubMed

Vengrin, Courtney; Westfall-Rudd, Donna; Archibald, Thomas; Rudd, Rick; Singh, Kusum

2018-08-01

While research has been done on many aspects of evaluation within a variety of contexts and organizations, there is a lack of research surrounding the culture of evaluation. This study set out to examine this evaluative culture in one of the world's largest non-formal educational organizations through the use of an online survey and quantitative methodology. A path model was developed to examine the factors affecting evaluation culture. Results show perception regarding evaluation, program area, college major, location, training in evaluation, degree level, and years of experience explained 28% of the variance within evaluation culture. Results also found that the culture of evaluation is greatly impacted by leadership. By taking a closer look at the evaluation culture of a large non-formal educational organization, much can be learned about how to better develop and support evaluative work in other similar organizations and programs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing Defense Structure in School-Age Children Using the Response Evaluation Measure-71-Youth Version (REM-Y-71)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Araujo, Katy B.; Medic, Sanja; Yasnovsky, Jessica; Steiner, Hans

2006-01-01

This study used the Response Evaluation Measure-Youth (REM-Y-71), a self-report measure of 21 defense reactions, among school-age children. Participants were elementary and middle school students (n=290; grades 3-8; age range: 8-15; mean=11.73). Factor analysis revealed a 2-factor defense structure consistent with structure among high school and…

Developing Strategic Leadership for Administrators: Private Vocational College Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jumnongya, Areeya; Sirisuthi, Chaiyuth; Chansirisira, Pacharawit

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to study and define a number of factors measuring quality and efficiency in administrators of private vocational college, and to test and evaluate the efficiency of the strategic leadership program. Twelve factors and 83 indicators were identified as vital for strategic leadership for private vocational college…

College Governance: A Comparison of Faculty Evaluation in Public and Private Colleges with Implications for the Improvement of the Evaluation Process at Johnson and Wales College.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bukowski, Joseph E.

This study focuses on selected factors in the evaluation of faculty members in: (1) colleges accredited by the Association of Independent Colleges and Schools; (2) public junior and senior colleges; and (3) Rhode Island colleges. Results of the study indicate that faculty evaluation schemes must follow the basic goals and philosophy of the…

Assessment of In vitro Sun Protection Factor of Calendula Officinalis L. (Asteraceae) Essential Oil Formulation.

PubMed

Mishra, Ak; Mishra, A; Chattopadhyay, P

2012-01-01

The present study was undertaken to study the sunscreen activity of herbal formulation. There is no evidence of the sun protection factor (SPF) studies on essential oil of Calendula flowers (Calendula officinalis L., Asteraceae). The study investigates the in vitro SPF by ultraviolet specrtophotometry method of Calendula flower oil in a cream formulation. Calendula oil was isolated by Clavenger's apparatus, compositions were identified by GC-MS and the cream of calendula flower oil was prepared by homogenization method followed by evaluation for physical parameters. The sun protection factor of cream was evaluated by in vitro method employing UV-visible spectrophotometer (Shimazdu-1600). The SPF of Calendula oil in cream formulation exhibited good activity (SPF = 14.84 ± 0.16). Finding of this study suggested that calendula oil cream can be used to protect the skin from UV radiations in form of sunscreen cream and to maintain the natural pigmentation of the skin.

Contribution of artificial intelligence to the knowledge of prognostic factors in Hodgkin's lymphoma.

PubMed

Buciński, Adam; Marszałł, Michał Piotr; Krysiński, Jerzy; Lemieszek, Andrzej; Załuski, Jerzy

2010-07-01

Hodgkin's lymphoma is one of the most curable malignancies and most patients achieve a lasting complete remission. In this study, artificial neural network (ANN) analysis was shown to provide significant factors with regard to 5-year recurrence after lymphoma treatment. Data from 114 patients treated for Hodgkin's disease were available for evaluation and comparison. A total of 31 variables were subjected to ANN analysis. The ANN approach as an advanced multivariate data processing method was shown to provide objective prognostic data. Some of these prognostic factors are consistent or even identical to the factors evaluated earlier by other statistical methods.

A prospective study of short- and long-term cosmetic outcome after reduction mammaplasty from three different perspectives: the patient, a department surgeon, and an independent private practitioner in plastic surgery.

PubMed

Breiting, Line Bro; Henriksen, Trine Foged; Kalialis, Louise Vennegaard; Gramkow, Christina; Høyer, Anette Pernille

2012-08-01

Numerous studies have examined the outcome of reduction mammaplasty. This study evaluates the cosmetic outcome after reduction mammaplasty from the perspective of the patient, a ward surgeon, and a private practitioner in plastic surgery, and analyzes which factors influence it. The material stems from a Danish quality assurance program in the public health care system. Nonparametric statistics and logistic regression were used to compare cosmetic outcomes and possible confounding. Over 80 percent of the patients evaluated the short- and long-term cosmetic outcome as good or very good. The surgeons and especially the private practitioner were more critical. The evaluation of breast features also differs between patients and surgeons. The main issue for patients is symmetry. With time, patients and the private practitioner become more critical about the scars. Surgeons are most concerned about nipple bottoming out. Predictive factors for surgeons were the patient's age, body mass index, and postoperative complications. Evaluation by patients was, in addition to complications, influenced by the preoperative information given, confidence in the treatment, and the overall course on the ward. Patients evaluate cosmetic outcome significantly more favorably than surgeons and especially the private practitioner. They are also concerned about different breast features. Decreased nipple sensation does not influence the patient's evaluation. Evaluation by the surgeons depends on more objective measures than does evaluation by the patients. One must not underestimate the importance of factors such as preoperative information about the surgery and complications, together with proper and qualified care. Therapeutic, II.

Organizational determinants of evaluation practice in Australian prevention agencies.

PubMed

Schwarzman, J; Bauman, A; Gabbe, B; Rissel, C; Shilton, T; Smith, B J

2018-06-01

Program evaluation is essential to inform decision making, contribute to the evidence base for strategies, and facilitate learning in health promotion and disease prevention organizations. Theoretical frameworks of organizational learning, and studies of evaluation capacity building describe the organization as central to evaluation capacity. Australian prevention organizations recognize limitations to current evaluation effectiveness and are seeking guidance to build evaluation capacity. This qualitative study identifies organizational facilitators and barriers to evaluation practice, and explores their interactions in Australian prevention organizations. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 40 experienced practitioners from government and non-government organizations. Using thematic analysis, we identified seven key themes that influence evaluation practice: leadership, organizational culture, organizational systems and structures, partnerships, resources, workforce development and training and recruitment and skills mix. We found organizational determinants of evaluation to have multi-level interactions. Leadership and organizational culture influenced organizational systems, resource allocation and support of staff. Partnerships were important to overcome resource deficits, and systems were critical to embed evaluation within the organization. Organizational factors also influenced the opportunities for staff to develop skills and confidence. We argue that investment to improve these factors would allow organizations to address evaluation capacity at multiple levels, and ultimately facilitate effective evaluation practice.

Reliability, Validity, and Factor Structure of the Current Assessment Practice Evaluation-Revised (CAPER) in a National Sample.

PubMed

Lyon, Aaron R; Pullmann, Michael D; Dorsey, Shannon; Martin, Prerna; Grigore, Alexandra A; Becker, Emily M; Jensen-Doss, Amanda

2018-05-11

Measurement-based care (MBC) is an increasingly popular, evidence-based practice, but there are no tools with established psychometrics to evaluate clinician use of MBC practices in mental health service delivery. The current study evaluated the reliability, validity, and factor structure of scores generated from a brief, standardized tool to measure MBC practices, the Current Assessment Practice Evaluation-Revised (CAPER). Survey data from a national sample of 479 mental health clinicians were used to conduct exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, as well as reliability and validity analyses (e.g., relationships between CAPER subscales and clinician MBC attitudes). Analyses revealed competing two- and three-factor models. Regardless of the model used, scores from CAPER subscales demonstrated good reliability and convergent and divergent validity with MBC attitudes in the expected directions. The CAPER appears to be a psychometrically sound tool for assessing clinician MBC practices. Future directions for development and application of the tool are discussed.

The Instructional Values of Humanistic Educators: An Expanded, Empirical Analysis.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shapiro, Stewart B.

1987-01-01

Expanded a previous factorial study of the writings of 40 humanistic educators by including 89 educators. Revealed two new factors--self-determined evaluation and a spiritual-transpersonal factor--as important principles of humanistic education. Confirmed the original factors, a general humanistic instructional paradigm, democratically induced…

Family Factors and Primary Students' Reading Attainment: A Chinese Community Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ko, Hwa Wei; Chan, Yi Ling

2009-01-01

This study examined the relationship between students' reading attainment scores and key family environmental factors in Chinese and non-Chinese communities. Six family environmental factors were considered: parents' evaluation of their offspring's early literacy skills, early home literacy activities (EHLA), reading activities involving parents…

Social-Economic Factors, Student Factors, Student Academic Goals and Performance of Students in Institutions of Higher Learning in Uganda

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ngoma, Muhammed; Ntale, Peter Dithan; Abaho, Earnest

2017-01-01

This article evaluates the relationship between social-economic factors, students' factors, student academic goals and performance of students. The study adopts a cross-sectional survey, with largely quantitative approaches. A sample of 950 students was randomly and proportionately drawn from undergraduates in four institutions of higher learning.…

An Analysis of Factors Affecting Community College Students' Expectations on E-Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilic-Cakmak, Ebru; Karatas, Sercin; Ocak, Mehmet Akif

2009-01-01

There are many factors that affect the e-learning process. Instructor, assessment and evaluation, communication, and technical support are among the leading factors. It is obvious that these factors influence the effectiveness of e-learning and may be related to different expectations of e-learners. Therefore, this study focuses on examining the…

Adolescent personality factors in self-ratings and peer nominations and their prediction of peer acceptance and peer rejection.

PubMed

Scholte, R H; van Aken, M A; van Lieshout, C F

1997-12-01

In this study, the robustness of the Big Five personality factors in adolescents' self-ratings and peer nominations was investigated. Data were obtained on 2,001 adolescents attending secondary school (885 girls; 1,116 boys; M age = 14.5 years). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses on the self-ratings confirmed the Big Five personality factors. In contrast, exploratory analysis on the peer nominations revealed five different factors: Aggression-Inattentiveness, Achievement-Withdrawal, Self-Confidence, Sociability, and Emotionality-Nervousness. It is suggested that peers evaluate group members not in terms of their personality but in terms of their group reputation. Peer evaluations contributed substantially to the prediction of peer acceptance and rejection; the Big Five personality factors based on self-ratings did not.

Evaluation of medication alerts in electronic health records for compliance with human factors principles

PubMed Central

Phansalkar, Shobha; Zachariah, Marianne; Seidling, Hanna M; Mendes, Chantal; Volk, Lynn; Bates, David W

2014-01-01

Introduction Increasing the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) with integrated clinical decision support (CDS) is a key initiative of the current US healthcare administration. High over-ride rates of CDS alerts strongly limit these potential benefits. As a result, EHR designers aspire to improve alert design to achieve better acceptance rates. In this study, we evaluated drug–drug interaction (DDI) alerts generated in EHRs and compared them for compliance with human factors principles. Methods We utilized a previously validated questionnaire, the I-MeDeSA, to assess compliance with nine human factors principles of DDI alerts generated in 14 EHRs. Two reviewers independently assigned scores evaluating the human factors characteristics of each EHR. Rankings were assigned based on these scores and recommendations for appropriate alert design were derived. Results The 14 EHRs evaluated in this study received scores ranging from 8 to 18.33, with a maximum possible score of 26. Cohen's κ (κ=0.86) reflected excellent agreement among reviewers. The six vendor products tied for second and third place rankings, while the top system and bottom five systems were home-grown products. The most common weaknesses included the absence of characteristics such as alert prioritization, clear and concise alert messages indicating interacting drugs, actions for clinical management, and a statement indicating the consequences of over-riding the alert. Conclusions We provided detailed analyses of the human factors principles which were assessed and described our recommendations for effective alert design. Future studies should assess whether adherence to these recommendations can improve alert acceptance. PMID:24780721

Adaptation of the Practice Environment Scale for military nurses: a psychometric analysis.

PubMed

Swiger, Pauline A; Raju, Dheeraj; Breckenridge-Sproat, Sara; Patrician, Patricia A

2017-09-01

The aim of this study was to confirm the psychometric properties of Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index in a military population. This study also demonstrates association rule analysis, a contemporary exploratory technique. One of the instruments most commonly used to evaluate the nursing practice environment is the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index. Although the instrument has been widely used, the reliability, validity and individual item function are not commonly evaluated. Gaps exist with regard to confirmatory evaluation of the subscale factors, individual item analysis and evaluation in the outpatient setting and with non-registered nursing staff. This was a secondary data analysis of existing survey data. Multiple psychometric methods were used for this analysis using survey data collected in 2014. First, descriptive analyses were conducted, including exploration using association rules. Next, internal consistency was tested and confirmatory factor analysis was performed to test the factor structure. The specified factor structure did not hold; therefore, exploratory factor analysis was performed. Finally, item analysis was executed using item response theory. The differential item functioning technique allowed the comparison of responses by care setting and nurse type. The results of this study indicate that responses differ between groups and that several individual items could be removed without altering the psychometric properties of the instrument. The instrument functions moderately well in a military population; however, researchers may want to consider nurse type and care setting during analysis to identify any meaningful variation in responses. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Risk factors for invasive fungal disease in critically ill adult patients: a systematic review.

PubMed

Muskett, Hannah; Shahin, Jason; Eyres, Gavin; Harvey, Sheila; Rowan, Kathy; Harrison, David

2011-01-01

Over 5,000 cases of invasive Candida species infections occur in the United Kingdom each year, and around 40% of these cases occur in critical care units. Invasive fungal disease (IFD) in critically ill patients is associated with increased morbidity and mortality at a cost to both the individual and the National Health Service. In this paper, we report the results of a systematic review performed to identify and summarise the important risk factors derived from published multivariable analyses, risk prediction models and clinical decision rules for IFD in critically ill adult patients to inform the primary data collection for the Fungal Infection Risk Evaluation Study. An internet search was performed to identify articles which investigated risk factors, risk prediction models or clinical decisions rules for IFD in critically ill adult patients. Eligible articles were identified in a staged process and were assessed by two investigators independently. The methodological quality of the reporting of the eligible articles was assessed using a set of questions addressing both general and statistical methodologies. Thirteen articles met the inclusion criteria, of which eight articles examined risk factors, four developed a risk prediction model or clinical decision rule and one evaluated a clinical decision rule. Studies varied in terms of objectives, risk factors, definitions and outcomes. The following risk factors were found in multiple studies to be significantly associated with IFD: surgery, total parenteral nutrition, fungal colonisation, renal replacement therapy, infection and/or sepsis, mechanical ventilation, diabetes, and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) or APACHE III score. Several other risk factors were also found to be statistically significant in single studies only. Risk factor selection process and modelling strategy also varied across studies, and sample sizes were inadequate for obtaining reliable estimates. This review shows a number of risk factors to be significantly associated with the development of IFD in critically ill adults. Methodological limitations were identified in the design and conduct of studies in this area, and caution should be used in their interpretation.

Risk factors for invasive fungal disease in critically ill adult patients: a systematic review

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Introduction Over 5,000 cases of invasive Candida species infections occur in the United Kingdom each year, and around 40% of these cases occur in critical care units. Invasive fungal disease (IFD) in critically ill patients is associated with increased morbidity and mortality at a cost to both the individual and the National Health Service. In this paper, we report the results of a systematic review performed to identify and summarise the important risk factors derived from published multivariable analyses, risk prediction models and clinical decision rules for IFD in critically ill adult patients to inform the primary data collection for the Fungal Infection Risk Evaluation Study. Methods An internet search was performed to identify articles which investigated risk factors, risk prediction models or clinical decisions rules for IFD in critically ill adult patients. Eligible articles were identified in a staged process and were assessed by two investigators independently. The methodological quality of the reporting of the eligible articles was assessed using a set of questions addressing both general and statistical methodologies. Results Thirteen articles met the inclusion criteria, of which eight articles examined risk factors, four developed a risk prediction model or clinical decision rule and one evaluated a clinical decision rule. Studies varied in terms of objectives, risk factors, definitions and outcomes. The following risk factors were found in multiple studies to be significantly associated with IFD: surgery, total parenteral nutrition, fungal colonisation, renal replacement therapy, infection and/or sepsis, mechanical ventilation, diabetes, and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II) or APACHE III score. Several other risk factors were also found to be statistically significant in single studies only. Risk factor selection process and modelling strategy also varied across studies, and sample sizes were inadequate for obtaining reliable estimates. Conclusions This review shows a number of risk factors to be significantly associated with the development of IFD in critically ill adults. Methodological limitations were identified in the design and conduct of studies in this area, and caution should be used in their interpretation. PMID:22126425

Evaluation of LA DOTD traffic load data for determination of traffic load equivalency factors

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-07-01

This study updates Louisiana's Equivalency Factor (LEF) tables, which are used as an integral part of the State's highway design and rehabilitation effort. This study was required because the tables have not been updated in over 15 years and are, as ...

Evaluation of LADOTD traffic load data for determination of traffic load equivalency factors.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-07-01

This study updates Louisiana's Load Equivalency Factor (LEF) tables, which are used as an integral part of the State's highway design and rehabilitation effort. This study was required because the tables have not been updated in over 15 years and are...

Validation of the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale among Korean Adolescents.

PubMed

Heo, Eun-Hye; Choi, Kyeong-Sook; Yu, Je-Chun; Nam, Ji-Ae

2018-02-01

The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) is designed to measure the current level of depressive symptomatology in the general population. However, no review has examined whether the scale is reliable and valid among children and adolescents in Korea. The purpose of this study was to test whether the Korean form of the CES-D is valid in adolescents. Data were obtained from 1,884 adolescents attending grades 1-3 in Korean middle schools. Reliability was evaluated by internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha). Concurrent validity was evaluated by a correlation analysis between the CES-D and other scales. Construct validity was evaluated by exploratory factor and confirmatory factor analyses. The internal consistency coefficient for the entire group was 0.88. The CES-D was positively correlated with scales that measure negative psychological constructs, such as the State Anxiety Inventory for Children, the Korean Social Anxiety Scale for Children and Adolescents, and the Reynold Suicidal Ideation Questionnaire, but it was negatively correlated with scales that measure positive psychological constructs, such as the Korean version of the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale-2. The CES-D was examined by three-dimensional exploratory factor analysis, and the three-factor structure of the scale explained 53.165% of the total variance. The variance explained by factor I was 24.836%, that explained by factor II was 15.988%, and that explained by factor III was 12.341%. The construct validity of the CES-D was tested by confirmatory factor analysis, and we applied the entire group's data using a three-factor hierarchical model. The fit index showed a level similar to those of other countries' adolescent samples. The CES-D has high internal consistency and addresses psychological constructs similar to those addressed by other scales. The CES-D showed a three-factor structure in an exploratory factor analysis. The present findings suggest that the CES-D is a useful and reliable tool for measuring depression in Korean adolescents.

Evaluation of Effective Factors on the Clinical Performance of General Surgeons in Tehran University of Medical Science, 2015.

PubMed

Farzianpour, Fereshteh; Mohamadi, Efat; Najafpour, Zhila; Yousefinezhadi, Taraneh; Forootan, Sara; Foroushani, Abbas Rahimi

2016-09-01

Existence of doctors with high performance is one of the necessary conditions to provide high quality services. There are different motivations, which could affect their performance. Recognizing Factors which effect the performance of doctors as an effective force in health care centers is necessary. The aim of this article was evaluate the effective factors which influence on clinical performance of general surgery of Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2015. This is a cross-sectional qualitative-quantitative study. This research conducted in 3 phases-phases I: (use of library studies and databases to collect data), phase II: localization of detected factors in first phase by using the Delphi technique and phase III: prioritizing the affecting factors on performance of doctors by using qualitative interviews. 12 articles were analyzed from 300 abstracts during the evaluation process. The output of assessment identified 23 factors was sent to surgeons and their assistants for obtaining their opinions. Quantitative analysis of the findings showed that "work qualification" (86.1%) and "managers and supervisors style" (50%) have respectively the most and the least impact on the performance of doctors. Finally 18 effective factors were identified and prioritized in the performance of general surgeons. The results showed that motivation and performance is not a single operating parameter and it depends on several factors according to cultural background. Therefore it is necessary to design, implementation and monitoring based on key determinants of effective interventions due to cultural background.

Measuring immigration stress of first-generation female Korean immigrants in California: psychometric evaluation of Demand of Immigration Scale.

PubMed

Ding, Ding; Hofstetter, C Richard; Norman, Gregory J; Irvin, Veronica L; Chhay, Douglas; Hovell, Melbourne F

2011-02-01

Immigration involves challenges and distress, which affect health and well-being of immigrants. Koreans are a recent, fast-growing, but understudied group of immigrants in the USA, and no study has established or evaluated any immigration stress measure among this population. This study explores psychometric properties of Korean-translated Demands of Immigration (DI) Scale among first-generation female Korean immigrants in California. Analyses included evaluation of factor structure, reliability, validity, and descriptive statistics of subscales. A surname-driven sampling strategy was applied to randomly select a representative sample of adult female Korean immigrants in California. Telephone interviews were conducted by trained bilingual interviewers. Study sample included 555 first-generation female Korean immigrants who were interviewed in Korean language. The 22-item DI Scale was used to assess immigration stress in the study sample. Exploratory factor analysis suggested six correlated factors in the DI Scale: language barriers; sense of loss; not feeling at home; perceived discrimination; novelty; and occupation. Confirmatory factor analysis validated the factor structure. Language barriers accounted for the most variance of the DI Scale (29.11%). The DI Scale demonstrated good internal consistency reliability and construct validity. Evidence has been offered that the Korean-translated DI Scale is a reliable and valid measurement tool to examine immigration stress among Korean immigrants. The Korean-translated DI Scale has replicated factor structure obtained in other ethnicities, but addition of cultural-specific items is suggested for Korean immigrants. High levels of language and occupation-related stress warrant attention from researchers, social workers, and policy-makers. Findings from this study will inform future interventions to alleviate stress due to demands of immigration.

Influence of organizational factors on safety

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haber, S.B.; Metlay, D.S.; Crouch, D.A.

There is a need for a better understanding of exactly how organizational management factors at a nuclear power plant (NPP) affect plant safety performance, either directly or indirectly, and how these factors might be observed, measured, and evaluated. The purpose of this research project is to respond to that need by developing a general methodology for characterizing these organizational and management factors, systematically collecting information on their status and integrating that information into various types of evaluative activities. Research to date has included the development of the Nuclear Organization and Management Analysis Concept (NOMAC) of a NPP, the identification ofmore » key organizational and management factors, and the identification of the methods for systematically measuring and analyzing the influence of these factors on performance. Most recently, two field studies, one at a fossil fuel plant and the other at a NPP, were conducted using the developed methodology. Results are presented from both studies highlighting the acceptability, practicality, and usefulness of the methods used to assess the influence of various organizational and management factors including culture, communication, decision-making, standardization, and oversight. 6 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.« less

Risk factors and precautions of inpatient suicide from the perspective of nurses: A qualitative study.

PubMed

Hu, De-ying; Huang, Di; Xiong, Yu; Lu, Cai-hong; Han, Yan-hong; Ding, Xiao-ping; Wang, Shu-jie; Liu, Yi-lan

2015-04-01

The risk factors and precautions of inpatient suicide were explored. Thirty suicide victims were drawn from the adverse event reports of suicidal act during hospitalization in a general hospital from 2008 to 2014. Data were gathered from the focus group interviews of twelve nurses who had experienced inpatient suicide. The data were analyzed by using analytical technique based on grounded theory, and software QSR NVIVO8 was used to aid the collation of data. Three main themes of risk factors about inpatient suicide emerged from the analysis: individual value, social factors and environmental factors. The individual value was categorized into different groups such as sense of guilt, hopelessness and low self-esteem. Social factors included two aspects of negative life events and social support. Three themes of precautions about inpatient suicide appeared in this study: evaluation, nursing and information exchange. Evaluation was elaborated from both physical and psychological assessments. This finding extends existing work of risk factors and precautions about inpatient suicide and brings new knowledge about the reasons why inpatients commit suicide.

Relationship between the structure of anxiety and the self-educational ability in new pharmacists.

PubMed

Hirashima, Yutaka; Ito, Marika; Doshi, Masaru; Kunii, Midori; Ideguchi, Naoko

2009-05-01

The present study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between the structure of anxiety and the self-educational ability in new pharmacists. Ninety seven new pharmacists rated the 42 items of our anxiety scale toward working in the pharmacy in June and October, 2006 and 40 items of established self-educational ability scale in June, 2006. A factor analysis of anxiety scale indicated four factors including communication ability, professional technique of pharmacist, working condition, and self-respecting. From the evaluation of correlation between factors of anxiety scale and factors of self-educational ability scale, the anxiety concerning communication ability or the problem concerning self-respecting correlated significantly with the poorness of all four factors of self-educational ability such as the aim of self-growth and self-development, self-objectifying, practice and technique of study, and self-confidence and pride. However, working condition did not correlate all four factors. For 4 months, the anxiety of professional technique of pharmacist decreased significantly although three other factors did not indicated significant changes.

Factors Associated With Early Loss of Hallux Valgus Correction.

PubMed

Shibuya, Naohiro; Kyprios, Evangelos M; Panchani, Prakash N; Martin, Lanster R; Thorud, Jakob C; Jupiter, Daniel C

Recurrence is common after hallux valgus corrective surgery. Although many investigators have studied the risk factors associated with a suboptimal hallux position at the end of long-term follow-up, few have evaluated the factors associated with actual early loss of correction. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to identify the predictors of lateral deviation of the hallux during the postoperative period. We evaluated the demographic data, preoperative severity of the hallux valgus, other angular measurements characterizing underlying deformities, amount of hallux valgus correction, and postoperative alignment of the corrected hallux valgus for associations with recurrence. After adjusting for the covariates, the only factor associated with recurrence was the postoperative tibial sesamoid position. The recurrence rate was ~50% and ~60% when the postoperative tibial sesamoid position was >4 and >5 on the 7-point scale, respectively. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Examining the effect of goal clarity on faculty performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waychal, Pradeep

2018-07-01

Performance of faculty members is the prime factor in the success of any academic organisation and certainly engineering academic organisation. The performance depends on various factors. This study tests our hypothesis, in the context of an Indian engineering college, that goal clarity is one such factor that significantly impacts faculty performance. Our experiment emphasised the importance of goal clarity by screening a relevant movie and by seeking professional goals from the faculty members. After a year, we evaluated the faculty performance using peer evaluation method and triangulated the data with course evaluation by students where faculty member's goal was to be a better teacher, to ensure the trustworthiness of peer evaluation. We found that the performance of faculty, who had goal clarity, was significantly better than the performance of those who did not have goal clarity.

Mobile Applications for Patient-centered Care Coordination: A Review of Human Factors Methods Applied to their Design, Development, and Evaluation

PubMed Central

Westbrook, J. I.

2015-01-01

Summary Objectives To examine if human factors methods were applied in the design, development, and evaluation of mobile applications developed to facilitate aspects of patient-centered care coordination. Methods We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE (2013-2014) for studies describing the design or the evaluation of a mobile health application that aimed to support patients’ active involvement in the coordination of their care. Results 34 papers met the inclusion criteria. Applications ranged from tools that supported self-management of specific conditions (e.g. asthma) to tools that provided coaching or education. Twelve of the 15 papers describing the design or development of an app reported the use of a human factors approach. The most frequently used methods were interviews and surveys, which often included an exploration of participants’ current use of information technology. Sixteen papers described the evaluation of a patient application in practice. All of them adopted a human factors approach, typically an examination of the use of app features and/or surveys or interviews which enquired about patients’ views of the effects of using the app on their behaviors (e.g. medication adherence), knowledge, and relationships with healthcare providers. No study in our review assessed the impact of mobile applications on health outcomes. Conclusion The potential of mobile health applications to assist patients to more actively engage in the management of their care has resulted in a large number of applications being developed. Our review showed that human factors approaches are nearly always adopted to some extent in the design, development, and evaluation of mobile applications. PMID:26293851

Neonatal Risk Factors for Treatment-Demanding Retinopathy of Prematurity: A Danish National Study.

PubMed

Slidsborg, Carina; Jensen, Aksel; Forman, Julie Lyng; Rasmussen, Steen; Bangsgaard, Regitze; Fledelius, Hans Callø; Greisen, Gorm; la Cour, Morten

2016-04-01

One goal of the study was to identify "new" statistically independent risk factors for treatment-demanding retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Another goal was to evaluate whether any new risk factors could explain the increase in the incidence of treatment-demanding ROP over time in Denmark. A retrospective, register-based cohort study. The study included premature infants (n = 6490) born in Denmark from 1997 to 2008. The study sample and the 31 candidate risk factors were identified in 3 national registers. Data were linked through a unique civil registration number. Each of the 31 candidate risk factors were evaluated in univariate analyses, while adjusted for known risk factors (i.e., gestational age [GA] at delivery, small for gestational age [SGA], multiple births, and male sex). Significant outcomes were analyzed thereafter in a backward selection multiple logistic regression model. Treatment-demanding ROP and its associations to candidate risk factors. Mechanical ventilation (odds ratio [OR], 2.84; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.99-4.08; P < 0.01) and blood transfusion (OR, 1.97; 95% CI, 1.20-3.14; P = 0.01) were the only new statistically independent risk factors, in addition to GA at delivery, SGA, multiple births, and male sex. Modification in these prognostic factors for ROP did not cause an increase in treatment-demanding ROP. In a large study population, blood transfusion and mechanical ventilation were the only new statistically independent risk factors to predict the development of treatment-demanding ROP. Modification in the neonatal treatment with mechanical ventilation or blood transfusion did not cause the observed increase in the incidence of preterm infants with treatment-demanding ROP during a recent birth period (2003-2008). Copyright © 2016 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Protocol for a prospective longitudinal study of risk factors for hypertension incidence in a Mexico City population: the Tlalpan 2020 cohort.

PubMed

Colín-Ramírez, Eloisa; Rivera-Mancía, Susana; Infante-Vázquez, Oscar; Cartas-Rosado, Raúl; Vargas-Barrón, Jesús; Madero, Magdalena; Vallejo, Maite

2017-07-31

Systemic hypertension (HTN) is a common risk factor for cardiovascular disease. In Mexico, HTN prevalence has increased over time and is currently 31%. Nonetheless, information about the country's HTN incidence and its associated risk factors is scarce. Understanding this condition is a priority for identifying the scope of primary prevention. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of traditional and non-traditional risk factors on the incidence of HTN in a cohort of healthy Mexico City residents under biannual follow-up for 10 years. A prospective longitudinal study is proposed in which clinically healthy residents of Mexico City between 20 and 50 years old will be recruited; the participants will be evaluated every 2 years over a period of 10 years or until they develop HTN. Evaluations regarding sociodemographic, clinical, anthropometric, biochemical, diet, physical activity, stress, sleep quality, alcohol and tobacco consumption factors will be performed. The participants will be recruited from the 16 municipalities of Mexico City through promotional strategies aimed at the community and will be clinically evaluated at a tertiary care institution, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez (National Institute of Cardiology Ignacio Chavez), located in Mexico City, Mexico. Sample size estimated for this study is 3436, and the Cox proportional hazards model will be used to estimate HRs for the association between explanatory variables and HTN using both raw and adjusted data. This study was approved by the Institutional Bioethics Committee of the Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez (National Institute of Cardiology Ignacio Chavez) under number 13-802. Findings from this study will be disseminated through scientific papers and research conferences. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Psychological Factors Associated with Chronic Migraine and Severe Migraine-Related Disability: an Observational Study in a Tertiary Headache Center

PubMed Central

Seng, Elizabeth K.; Buse, Dawn C.; Klepper, Jaclyn E.; Mayson, Sarah Jo; Grinberg, Amy S.; Grosberg, Brian M.; Pavlovic, Jelena M.; Robbins, Matthew S.; Vollbracht, Sarah E.; Lipton, Richard B.

2016-01-01

Objective To evaluate relationships among modifiable psychological factors and chronic migraine and severe migraine-related disability in a clinic-based sample of persons with migraine. Background Evidence evaluating relationships between modifiable psychological factors and chronic migraine and severe migraine-related disability is lacking in people with migraine presenting for routine clinical care. Methods Adults with migraine completed surveys during routinely scheduled visits to a tertiary headache center. Participants completed surveys assessing chronic migraine (meeting criteria for migraine with ≥15 headache days in the past month), severe migraine disability (Migraine Disability Assessment Scale score ≥ 21), and modifiable psychological factors [depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), anxious symptoms (Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7), Pain Catastrophizing Scale and Headache Specific Locus of Control]. Logistic regression evaluated relationships between modifiable psychological factors and chronic migraine and severe migraine disability. Results Among 90 eligible participants the mean age was 45.0 (SD = 12.4); 84.8% were women. One-third (36.0%) met study criteria for chronic migraine; half of participants (51.5%) reported severe migraine-related disability. Higher depressive symptoms (OR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1,11, 3.55) and chance HSLC (OR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.13, 1.43) were associated with chronic migraine. Higher depressive symptoms (OR = 3.54, 95%CI = 1.49, 8.41), anxiety symptoms (OR = 3.65, 95% CI = 1.65, 8.06), and pain catastrophizing (OR = 1.95, 95% CI = 1.14, 3.35), were associated with severe migraine-related disability. Conclusions Psychiatric symptoms and pain catastrophizing were strongly associated with severe migraine-related disability. Depression and chance locus of control were associated with chronic migraine. This study supports the need for longitudinal observational studies to evaluate relationships among naturalistic variation in psychological factors, migraine-related disability and migraine chronification. PMID:28139000

Variation in the Diagnostic Evaluation among Persons with Hematuria: Influence of Gender, Race and Risk Factors for Bladder Cancer.

PubMed

Ark, Jacob T; Alvarez, JoAnn R; Koyama, Tatsuki; Bassett, Jeffrey C; Blot, William J; Mumma, Michael T; Resnick, Matthew J; You, Chaochen; Penson, David F; Barocas, Daniel A

2017-11-01

We sought to determine whether race, gender and number of bladder cancer risk factors are significant predictors of hematuria evaluation. We used self-reported data from SCCS (Southern Community Cohort Study) linked to Medicare claims data. Evaluation of subjects diagnosed with incident hematuria was considered complete if imaging and cystoscopy were performed within 180 days of diagnosis. Exposures of interest were race, gender and risk factors for bladder cancer. Of the 1,412 patients evaluation was complete in 261 (18%). On our adjusted analyses African American patients were less likely than Caucasian patients to undergo any aspect of evaluation, including urology referral (OR 0.72, 95% CI 0.56-0.93), cystoscopy (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.50-0.89) and imaging (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.59-0.95). Women were less likely than men to be referred to a urologist (OR 0.59, 95% CI 0.46-0.76). Also, although all patients with 2 or 3 risk factors had 31% higher odds of urology referral (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.02-1.69), adjusted analyses indicated that this effect was only apparent among men. Only 18% of patients with an incident hematuria diagnosis underwent complete hematuria evaluation. Gender had a substantial effect on referral to urology when controlling for socioeconomic factors but otherwise it had an unclear role on the quality of evaluation. African American patients had markedly lower rates of thorough evaluation than Caucasian patients. Number of risk factors predicted referral to urology among men but it was otherwise a poor predictor of evaluation. There is opportunity for improvement by increasing the completion of hematuria evaluations, particularly in patients at high risk and those who are vulnerable. Copyright © 2017 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Psychometric Evaluation of the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire for Bariatric Surgery Candidates

PubMed Central

Hrabosky, Joshua I.; White, Marney A.; Masheb, Robin M.; Rothschild, Bruce S.; Burke-Martindale, Carolyn H.; Grilo, Carlos M.

2013-01-01

Objective Despite increasing use of the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) in bariatric surgery patients, little is known about the utility and psychometric performance of this self-report measure in this clinical group. The primary purpose of the current study was to evaluate the factor structure and construct validity of the EDE-Q in a large series of bariatric surgery candidates. Methods and Procedures Participants were 337 obese bariatric surgery candidates. Participants completed the EDE-Q and a battery of behavioral and psychological measures. Results Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) produced a 12-item, 4-factor structure of the EDE-Q. The four factors, interpreted as Dietary Restraint, Eating Disturbance, Appearance Concerns, and Shape/Weight Overvaluation, were found to be internally consistent and converged with other relevant measures of psychopathology. Discussion Factor analysis of the EDE-Q in bariatric surgery candidates did not replicate the original subscales but revealed an alternative factor structure. Future research must further evaluate the psychometric properties, including the factor structure, of the EDE-Q in this and other diverse populations and consider means of improving this measure's ability to best assess eating-related pathology in bariatric surgery patients. PMID:18379561

A review and evaluation of the internal structure and consistency of the Approaches to Teaching Inventory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harshman, Jordan; Stains, Marilyne

2017-05-01

This study presents a review from 39 studies that provide evidence for the structural validity and internal consistency of the Approaches to Teaching Inventory (ATI). In addition to this review, we evaluate many alternative factor structures on a sample of 267 first- and second-year chemistry faculty members participating in a professional development, a sample of instructors for which the ATI was originally designed. A total of 26 unique factor structures were evaluated. Through robust checking of assumptions, compilations of existing evidence, and new exploratory and confirmatory analyses, we found that there is greater evidence for the structural validity and internal consistency for the 22-item ATI than the 16-item ATI. Additionally, evidence supporting the original two-factor and four-factor structures proposed by the ATI authors (focusing on information transmission and conceptual change) were not reproducible and while alternative models were empirically viable, more theoretical justification is warranted. Recommendations for ATI use and general comments regarding best practices of reporting psychometrics in educational research contexts are discussed.

Research on the recycling industry development model for typical exterior plastic components of end-of-life passenger vehicle based on the SWOT method.

PubMed

Zhang, Hongshen; Chen, Ming

2013-11-01

In-depth studies on the recycling of typical automotive exterior plastic parts are significant and beneficial for environmental protection, energy conservation, and sustainable development of China. In the current study, several methods were used to analyze the recycling industry model for typical exterior parts of passenger vehicles in China. The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges of the current recycling industry for typical exterior parts of passenger vehicles were analyzed comprehensively based on the SWOT method. The internal factor evaluation matrix and external factor evaluation matrix were used to evaluate the internal and external factors of the recycling industry. The recycling industry was found to respond well to all the factors and it was found to face good developing opportunities. Then, the cross-link strategies analysis for the typical exterior parts of the passenger car industry of China was conducted based on the SWOT analysis strategies and established SWOT matrix. Finally, based on the aforementioned research, the recycling industry model led by automobile manufacturers was promoted. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluating Individual Students' Perceptions of Instructional Quality: An Investigation of their Factor Structure, Measurement Invariance, and Relations to Educational Outcomes.

PubMed

Scherer, Ronny; Nilsen, Trude; Jansen, Malte

2016-01-01

Students' perceptions of instructional quality are among the most important criteria for evaluating teaching effectiveness. The present study evaluates different latent variable modeling approaches (confirmatory factor analysis, exploratory structural equation modeling, and bifactor modeling), which are used to describe these individual perceptions with respect to their factor structure, measurement invariance, and the relations to selected educational outcomes (achievement, self-concept, and motivation in mathematics). On the basis of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2012 large-scale data sets of Australia, Canada, and the USA (N = 26,746 students), we find support for the distinction between three factors of individual students' perceptions and full measurement invariance across countries for all modeling approaches. In this regard, bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling outperformed alternative approaches with respect to model fit. Our findings reveal significant relations to the educational outcomes. This study synthesizes different modeling approaches of individual students' perceptions of instructional quality and provides insights into the nature of these perceptions from an individual differences perspective. Implications for the measurement and modeling of individually perceived instructional quality are discussed.

Design of a Competency Evaluation Model for Clinical Nursing Practicum, Based on Standardized Language Systems: Psychometric Validation Study.

PubMed

Iglesias-Parra, Maria Rosa; García-Guerrero, Alfonso; García-Mayor, Silvia; Kaknani-Uttumchandani, Shakira; León-Campos, Álvaro; Morales-Asencio, José Miguel

2015-07-01

To develop an evaluation system of clinical competencies for the practicum of nursing students based on the Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC). Psychometric validation study: the first two phases addressed definition and content validation, and the third phase consisted of a cross-sectional study for analyzing reliability. The study population was undergraduate nursing students and clinical tutors. Through the Delphi technique, 26 competencies and 91 interventions were isolated. Cronbach's α was 0.96. Factor analysis yielded 18 factors that explained 68.82% of the variance. Overall inter-item correlation was 0.26, and total-item correlation ranged between 0.66 and 0.19. A competency system for the nursing practicum, structured on the NIC, is a reliable method for assessing and evaluating clinical competencies. Further evaluations in other contexts are needed. The availability of standardized language systems in the nursing discipline supposes an ideal framework to develop the nursing curricula. © 2015 Sigma Theta Tau International.

A Comprehensive Model for Developing and Evaluating Study Abroad Programs in Counselor Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Santos, Syntia Dinora

2014-01-01

This paper introduces a model to guide the process of designing and evaluating study abroad programs, addressing particular stages and influential factors. The main purpose of the model is to serve as a basic structure for those who want to develop their own program or evaluate previous cultural immersion experiences. The model is based on the…

Too Much, Too Soon? Unanswered Questions from National Response to Intervention Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gersten, Russell; Jayanthi, Madhavi; Dimino, Joseph

2017-01-01

The report of the national response to intervention (RTI) evaluation study, conducted during 2011-2012, was released in November 2015. Anyone who has read the lengthy report can attest to its complexity and the design used in the study. Both these factors can influence the interpretation of the results from this evaluation. In this commentary, we…

Evaluating Students' Beliefs in Problem Solving Process: A Case Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ozturk, Tugba; Guven, Bulent

2016-01-01

Problem solving is not simply a process that ends when an answer is found; it is a scientific process that evolves from understanding the problem to evaluating the solution. This process is affected by several factors. Among these, one of the most substantial is belief. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the beliefs of high school students…

Ethnicity and Anxiety: A Psychometric Evaluation of the STICSA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lancaster, Steven L.; Melka, Stephen E.; Klein, Keith P.; Rodriguez, Benjamin F.

2015-01-01

The current study examined the convergent validity and factor structure of the State-Trait Inventory of Cognitive and Somatic Anxiety in a sample of African Americans and European Americans. Validity analyses revealed similar associations; however, the factor analysis failed to support the original factor structure and factorial variance was…

A CRITERION FACTOR ANALYSIS OF THE SIXTEEN PERSONALITY FACTOR QUESTIONNAIRE.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MAZER, GILBERT E.

THE CORRELATION OF REPORTED VARIATIONS IN COUNSELOR PRACTICES WITH WELL-IDENTIFIED PERSONALITY TRAITS WAS STUDIED. THE SIXTEEN PERSONALITY FACTOR QUESTIONNAIRE (WHICH MEASURES 15 PERSONALITY TRAITS AND INTELLIGENCE) AND THE INVENTORY OF COUNSELING PRACTICES (WHICH EVALUATES 75 COUNSELING PRACTICES) WERE GIVEN TO 120 GRADUATE GUIDANCE STUDENTS AT…

Risk profiles for weight gain among postmenopausal women: A classification and regression tree analysis approach

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Risk factors for obesity and weight gain are typically evaluated individually while "adjusting for" the influence of other confounding factors, and few studies, if any, have created risk profiles by clustering risk factors. We identified subgroups of postmenopausal women homogeneous in their cluster...

Environmental factors influencing the development of black leaf streak (Mycosphaerella fijiensis Morelet) on bananas in Puerto Rico.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The effects of environmental factors on the development of black leaf streak (BLS) were studied in Puerto Rico under field conditions. Environmental factors evaluated included temperature, relative humidity, rainfall and solar radiation. Their effect on BLS was determined by recording the youngest...

Risk factors for stress fractures.

PubMed

Bennell, K; Matheson, G; Meeuwisse, W; Brukner, P

1999-08-01

Preventing stress fractures requires knowledge of the risk factors that predispose to this injury. The aetiology of stress fractures is multifactorial, but methodological limitations and expediency often lead to research study designs that evaluate individual risk factors. Intrinsic risk factors include mechanical factors such as bone density, skeletal alignment and body size and composition, physiological factors such as bone turnover rate, flexibility, and muscular strength and endurance, as well as hormonal and nutritional factors. Extrinsic risk factors include mechanical factors such as surface, footwear and external loading as well as physical training parameters. Psychological traits may also play a role in increasing stress fracture risk. Equally important to these types of analyses of individual risk factors is the integration of information to produce a composite picture of risk. The purpose of this paper is to critically appraise the existing literature by evaluating study design and quality, in order to provide a current synopsis of the known scientific information related to stress fracture risk factors. The literature is not fully complete with well conducted studies on this topic, but a great deal of information has accumulated over the past 20 years. Although stress fractures result from repeated loading, the exact contribution of training factors (volume, intensity, surface) has not been clearly established. From what we do know, menstrual disturbances, caloric restriction, lower bone density, muscle weakness and leg length differences are risk factors for stress fracture. Other time-honoured risk factors such as lower extremity alignment have not been shown to be causative even though anecdotal evidence indicates they are likely to play an important role in stress fracture pathogenesis.

RELIABILITY OF REPORTING ON LIFESTYLE AND AGRICULTURAL FACTORS BY A SAMPLE OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE AGRICULTURAL HEALTH STUDY FROM IOWA

EPA Science Inventory

Repeat interviews from 4,088 Iowa pesticide applicators participating in the Agricultural Health Study provided the opportunity to evaluate the reliability of self-reported information on pesticide use and various demographic and lifestyle factors. Self-completed questionnaire...

Factors Influencing F/OSS Cloud Computing Software Product Success: A Quantitative Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Letort, D. Brian

2012-01-01

Cloud Computing introduces a new business operational model that allows an organization to shift information technology consumption from traditional capital expenditure to operational expenditure. This shift introduces challenges from both the adoption and creation vantage. This study evaluates factors that influence Free/Open Source Software…

Femoral and carotid subclinical atherosclerosis association with risk factors and coronary calcium: the AWHS study

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

BACKGROUND: Early subclinical atherosclerosis has been mainly researched in carotid arteries. The potential value of femoral arteries for improving the predictive capacity of traditional risk factors is an understudied area. OBJECTIVES: This study sought to evaluate the association of subclinical ca...

Faculty-Specific Factors of Degree of HE Internationalization: An Evaluation of Four Faculties of a Post-1992 University in the United Kingdom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jiang, Nan; Carpenter, Victoria

2013-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the difference in the process of higher education (HE) internationalization across faculties in a post-1992 university and to identify faculty-specific factors through evaluating the four faculties in the case study. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative research is conducted in a post-1992…

Group virtue: the importance of morality (vs. competence and sociability) in the positive evaluation of in-groups.

PubMed

Leach, Colin Wayne; Ellemers, Naomi; Barreto, Manuela

2007-08-01

Although previous research has focused on competence and sociability as the characteristics most important to positive group evaluation, the authors suggest that morality is more important. Studies with preexisting and experimentally created in-groups showed that a set of positive traits constituted distinct factors of morality, competence, and sociability. When asked directly, Study 1 participants reported that their in-group's morality was more important than its competence or sociability. An unobtrusive factor analytic method also showed morality to be a more important explanation of positive in-group evaluation than competence or sociability. Experimental manipulations of morality and competence (Study 4) and morality and sociability (Study 5) showed that only in-group morality affected aspects of the group-level self-concept related to positive evaluation (i.e., pride in, or distancing from, the in-group). Consistent with this finding, identification with experimentally created (Study 2b) and preexisting (Studies 4 and 5) in-groups predicted the ascription of morality, but not competence or sociability, to the in-group.

Spatio-Temporal Dynamic Analysis of Sustainable Development in China Based on the Footprint Family.

PubMed

Zhao, Jing; Ma, Caihong; Zhao, Xiangui; Wang, Xiaoyu

2018-02-01

The existing index systems on sustainable evaluation are mostly based on a multi index comprehensive evaluation method. The main disadvantage of this approach is that the selection and assignment of evaluation indexes are greatly influenced by subjective factors, which can result in poor comparability of results. By contrast, the Footprint Family (including ecological footprint, carbon footprint, and water footprint) is not affected by subjective factors. The Footprint Family also covers the basic tenets of sustainable development. This paper proposes use of a sustainable development evaluation index system based on the principle of the Footprint Family, and including the ecological pressure index ( EPI ), the ecological occupancy index ( EOI ), the ecological economic coordination index ( EECI ), the GHG (Greenhouse Gas) emission index ( CEI ), the water resources stress index ( WSI ), and the sustainable development index ( SDI ). Furthermore, a standard for grading the evaluated results based on global benchmarks is formulated. The results of an empirical study in China were the following. The development situation deteriorated from 1990 to 2015. The results showed that the SDI decreased from a medium level (grade 5) to a lower-medium level (grade 4). The results of this empirical study also showed that the method of evaluation can avoid the influence of subjective factors and can be used in the evaluation of sustainable development for various temporal and spatial conditions.

Spatio-Temporal Dynamic Analysis of Sustainable Development in China Based on the Footprint Family

PubMed Central

Ma, Caihong; Zhao, Xiangui; Wang, Xiaoyu

2018-01-01

The existing index systems on sustainable evaluation are mostly based on a multi index comprehensive evaluation method. The main disadvantage of this approach is that the selection and assignment of evaluation indexes are greatly influenced by subjective factors, which can result in poor comparability of results. By contrast, the Footprint Family (including ecological footprint, carbon footprint, and water footprint) is not affected by subjective factors. The Footprint Family also covers the basic tenets of sustainable development. This paper proposes use of a sustainable development evaluation index system based on the principle of the Footprint Family, and including the ecological pressure index (EPI), the ecological occupancy index (EOI), the ecological economic coordination index (EECI), the GHG (Greenhouse Gas) emission index (CEI), the water resources stress index (WSI), and the sustainable development index (SDI). Furthermore, a standard for grading the evaluated results based on global benchmarks is formulated. The results of an empirical study in China were the following. The development situation deteriorated from 1990 to 2015. The results showed that the SDI decreased from a medium level (grade 5) to a lower-medium level (grade 4). The results of this empirical study also showed that the method of evaluation can avoid the influence of subjective factors and can be used in the evaluation of sustainable development for various temporal and spatial conditions. PMID:29389886

[Development and validation of the Korean patient safety culture scale for nursing homes].

PubMed

Yoon, Sook Hee; Kim, Byungsoo; Kim, Se Young

2013-06-01

The purpose of this study was to develop a tool to evaluate patient safety culture in nursing homes and to test its validity and reliability. A preliminary tool was developed through interviews with focus group, content validity tests, and a pilot study. A nationwide survey was conducted from February to April, 2011, using self-report questionnaires. Participants were 982 employees in nursing homes. Data were analyzed using Cronbach's alpha, item analysis, factor analysis, and multitrait/multi-Item analysis. From the results of the analysis, 27 final items were selected from 49 items on the preliminary tool. Items with low correlation with total scale were excluded. The 4 factors sorted by factor analysis contributed 63.4% of the variance in the total scale. The factors were labeled as leadership, organizational system, working attitude, management practice. Cronbach's alpha for internal consistency was .95 and the range for the 4 factors was from .86 to .93. The results of this study indicate that the Korean Patient Safety Culture Scale has reliability and validity and is suitable for evaluation of patient safety culture in Korean nursing homes.

Refining the Measurement of Distress Intolerance

PubMed Central

McHugh, R. Kathryn; Otto, Michael W.

2012-01-01

Distress intolerance is an important transdiagnostic variable that has long been implicated in the development and maintenance of psychological disorders. Self-report measurement strategies for distress intolerance have emerged from several different models of psychopathology and these measures have been applied inconsistently in the literature in the absence of a clear gold standard. The absence of a consistent assessment strategy has limited the ability to compare across studies and samples, thus hampering the advancement of this research agenda. This study evaluated the latent factor structure of existing measures of DI to examine the degree to which they are capturing the same construct. Results of confirmatory factor analysis in 3 samples totaling 400 participants provided support for a single factor latent structure. Individual items of these four scales were then correlated with this factor to identify those that best capture the core construct. Results provided consistent supported for 10 items that demonstrated the strongest concordance with this factor. The use of these 10 items as a unifying measure in the study of DI and future directions for the evaluation of its utility are discussed. PMID:22697451

[Predictive factors of mortality of the burnt persons: study on 221 adults hospitalized between 2004 and 2009].

PubMed

Elkafssaoui, S; Hami, H; Mrabet, M; Bouaiti, E; Tourabi, K; Quyou, A; Soulaymani, A; Ihrai, H

2014-06-01

The objective of the present study is the evaluation of the predictive factors of mortality to a troop of Moroccan grown-up serious burnt persons. Variables analyzed in the study are: the age, the sex, the localization of the burn, the degree of burn, indicates Total Body Surface Area (TBSA), indicate Unit of Standard Burn (UBS) and the indication of leases, sepsis and the medical histories (tobacco, diabetes). Factors associated significantly to a mortality raised at the burned patients were the female genital organ, the localization of the burn at the level of the head, the sepsis, one TBSA greater or equal to 20%, an UBS greater or equal to 200 and an indication of leases greater or equal to 75. Other factors such as the age, the degree of burn and the histories did not show a significant difference. An evaluation and a good knowledge of factors associated to a high risk of death allow an adequate coverage of this category of patients. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Assessment of the Etiologic Factors of Gingival Recession in a Group of Patients in Northwest Iran

PubMed Central

Lafzi, Ardeshir; Abolfazli, Nader; Eskandari, Amir

2009-01-01

Background and aims Gingival recession (GR), a common problem in periodontium, is associated with various etiologic factors. There is controversy over the role and importance of these factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the etiologic factors of GR in a group of subjects in Northwest Iran. Materials and methods In this case-control study, patients referring to a university clinic (123 patients with GR and 123 patients without GR) were evaluated. Patients were examined by an experienced periodontist. A checklist assessing the history of systemic disease, smoking, radiotherapy, orthodontic treatment, chemical and mechanical trauma, tooth-brushing method, type of occlusion, axial inclination of tooth, width and thickness of keratinized gingiva, presence of calculus, prosthesis, faulty restorations and food impaction, and frenum pull was completed for each patient. Chi-square test was used for data analysis. Results Presence of calculus was significantly associated with GR in the evaluated patients (P = 0.000). Low width and thickness of keratinized gingiva, smoking and traumatic tooth brushing were other significant factors (P < 0.05). The type of occlusion, axial inclination of teeth, existence of prosthesis, high frenal attachment, radiotherapy, systemic diseases and chemical trauma were not significantly associated with GR in the evaluated patients (P > 0.05). Conclusion Supra- and sub-gingival calculus, inadequate width and thickness of keratinized tissue, and incorrect tooth brushing techniques are most important etiologic factors of GR. Oral hygiene instructions including correct tooth brushing techniques as well as scaling and root planing with periodic recalls can play a significant role in prevention of GR. PMID:23230492

Assessment of the etiologic factors of gingival recession in a group of patients in northwest iran.

PubMed

Lafzi, Ardeshir; Abolfazli, Nader; Eskandari, Amir

2009-01-01

Gingival recession (GR), a common problem in periodontium, is associated with various etiologic factors. There is controversy over the role and importance of these factors. The aim of this study was to evaluate the etiologic factors of GR in a group of subjects in Northwest Iran. In this case-control study, patients referring to a university clinic (123 patients with GR and 123 patients without GR) were evaluated. Patients were examined by an experienced periodontist. A checklist assessing the history of systemic disease, smoking, radiotherapy, orthodontic treatment, chemical and mechanical trauma, tooth-brushing method, type of occlusion, axial inclination of tooth, width and thickness of keratinized gingiva, presence of calculus, prosthesis, faulty restorations and food impaction, and frenum pull was completed for each patient. Chi-square test was used for data analysis. Presence of calculus was significantly associated with GR in the evaluated patients (P = 0.000). Low width and thickness of keratinized gingiva, smoking and traumatic tooth brushing were other significant factors (P < 0.05). The type of occlusion, axial inclination of teeth, existence of prosthesis, high frenal attachment, radiotherapy, systemic diseases and chemical trauma were not significantly associated with GR in the evaluated patients (P > 0.05). Supra- and sub-gingival calculus, inadequate width and thickness of keratinized tissue, and incorrect tooth brushing techniques are most important etiologic factors of GR. Oral hygiene instructions including correct tooth brushing techniques as well as scaling and root planing with periodic recalls can play a significant role in prevention of GR.

[Psychosocial risk factors at work as predictors of mobbing].

PubMed

Meseguer de Pedro, Mariano; Soler Sánchez, María I; García-Izquierdo, Mariano; Sáez Navarro, M C; Sánchez Meca, Julio

2007-05-01

This work analyses the way in which various psychosocial risk indicators may predict mobbing. A sample of 638 workers, 168 men and 470 women, from the fruit-and-vegetable sector was evaluated. An anonymous questionnaire was administered to all employees who were present on the evaluation days in the companies comprising the study. After analysing the data obtained with the mobbing questionnaire NAQ-RE (Sáez, García-Izquierdo, and Llor, 2003) and with the psychosocial risk factors evaluation method of the INSHT (Martín and Pérez, 1997), using canonical regression, we found that several psychosocial factors such as role definition, mental workload, interest in the workers, and supervision / participation predict two types of mobbing: personal mobbing and work-performance-related mobbing.

Evaluating service user pedagogy in UK higher education: Validating the Huddersfield Service User Pedagogy Scale.

PubMed

Tobbell, Jane; Boduszek, Daniel; Kola-Palmer, Susanna; Vaughan, Joanne; Hargreaves, Janet

2018-04-01

There is global recognition that the inclusion of service users in the education of health and social care students in higher education can lead to more compassionate professional identities which will enable better decision making. However, to date there is no systematic tool to explore learning and service user involvement in the curriculum. To generate and validate a psychometric instrument which will allow educators to evaluate service user pedagogy. Construction and validation of a new scale. 365 undergraduate students from health and social care departments in two universities. A two correlated factor scale. Factor 1 - perceived presence of service users in the taught curriculum and factor 2 - professionals and service users working together (correlation between factor 1 and factor 2 - r = 0.32). The Huddersfield Service User Pedagogy Scale provides a valid instrument for educators to evaluate student learning. In addition, the tool can contribute to student reflections on their shifting professional identities as they progress through their studies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Prevalence, sociodemographic characteristics and risk factors for hepatitis C infection among pregnant women in Calabar municipality, Nigeria.

PubMed

Mboto, Clement Ibi; Andy, Iniobong Ebenge; Eni, Ogban Ibor; Jewell, Andrew Paul

2010-01-01

The epidemiology and risk factors for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in developing countries where intravenous drug use (IDU) is uncommon its poorly understood. This study therefore aims to determine the prevalence of HCV and its associated risk factors among pregnant women in Calabar municipality. A total of 506 out of 716 antenatal care (ANC) patients seen at the General Hospital, Mary Slessor Avenue, Calabar between August and November 2005 and the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) between October and November 2005 were evaluated for their HCV status using the One Step HCV Test kit (Binomial diagnostics, UK), with reference to the subjects' demographic and behavioural risk factors. HCV prevalence was determined to be 0.4% (2/506) and was only seen in women aged 38 years and over. Histories of blood transfusion, surgery, involvement in polygamous marriage, sharing of a toothbrush and female circumcision were all non-significant risk factors for the infecion. This study reveals a low HCV prevalence among pregnant women in Calabar municipality with no identifiable risk factor. The study calls for a re-evaluation of the transmission modes of HCV especially in developing countries where intravenous drug use is rare.

Key success factors of health research centers: A mixed method study.

PubMed

Tofighi, Shahram; Teymourzadeh, Ehsan; Heydari, Majid

2017-08-01

In order to achieve success in future goals and activities, health research centers are required to identify their key success factors. This study aimed to extract and rank the factors affecting the success of research centers at one of the medical universities in Iran. This study is a mixed method (qualitative-quantitative) study, which was conducted between May to October in 2016. The study setting was 22 health research centers. In qualitative phase, we extracted the factors affecting the success in research centers through purposeful interviews with 10 experts of centers, and classified them into themes and sub-themes. In the quantitative phase, we prepared a questionnaire and scored and ranked the factors recognized by 54 of the study samples by Friedman test. Nine themes and 42 sub-themes were identified. Themes included: strategic orientation, management, human capital, support, projects, infrastructure, communications and collaboration, paradigm and innovation and they were rated respectively as components of success in research centers. Among the 42 identified factors, 10 factors were ranked respectively as the key factors of success, and included: science and technology road map, strategic plan, evaluation indexes, committed human resources, scientific evaluation of members and centers, innovation in research and implementation, financial support, capable researchers, equipment infrastructure and teamwork. According to the results, the strategic orientation was the most important component in the success of research centers. Therefore, managers and authorities of research centers should pay more attention to strategic areas in future planning, including the science and technology road map and strategic plan.

Key success factors of health research centers: A mixed method study

PubMed Central

Tofighi, Shahram; Teymourzadeh, Ehsan; Heydari, Majid

2017-01-01

Background In order to achieve success in future goals and activities, health research centers are required to identify their key success factors. Objective This study aimed to extract and rank the factors affecting the success of research centers at one of the medical universities in Iran. Methods This study is a mixed method (qualitative-quantitative) study, which was conducted between May to October in 2016. The study setting was 22 health research centers. In qualitative phase, we extracted the factors affecting the success in research centers through purposeful interviews with 10 experts of centers, and classified them into themes and sub-themes. In the quantitative phase, we prepared a questionnaire and scored and ranked the factors recognized by 54 of the study samples by Friedman test. Results Nine themes and 42 sub-themes were identified. Themes included: strategic orientation, management, human capital, support, projects, infrastructure, communications and collaboration, paradigm and innovation and they were rated respectively as components of success in research centers. Among the 42 identified factors, 10 factors were ranked respectively as the key factors of success, and included: science and technology road map, strategic plan, evaluation indexes, committed human resources, scientific evaluation of members and centers, innovation in research and implementation, financial support, capable researchers, equipment infrastructure and teamwork. Conclusion According to the results, the strategic orientation was the most important component in the success of research centers. Therefore, managers and authorities of research centers should pay more attention to strategic areas in future planning, including the science and technology road map and strategic plan. PMID:28979733

Risk Factors of Orofacial Pain: A Population-Based Study in West Java Province, Indonesia

PubMed Central

Rikmasari, Rasmi; Yubiliana, Gilang; Maulina, Tantry

2017-01-01

Background: The management of orofacial pain in Indonesia has not been well performed, which consequently led to an increase in the orofacial pain occurrences and a decreased quality of life. One of the possible reasons for this particular matter is the lack of evaluation on the risk factors that might induce orofacial pain in some individuals. Objective: The objective of the current study was to evaluate the risk factors of orofacial pain on productive age population in West Java province, Indonesia. Methods: One thousand and fifty-six participants (522 males; 534 females) were recruited for the study. A questionnaire that consists of demographic questions and questions evaluating several assumed risk factors for orofacial pain was used in a single interview. All data was analyzed by using Chi Square test to test the significance, Odds Ratio (OR), as well as Relative Risk (RR) by using SPSS version 23 (IBM Statistic, USA). Results: The result of the current study revealed that bruxism (p<0.01), daytime clenching (p<0.01), and unilateral chewing (p<0.01) were significantly related to the occurrence of orofacial pain. It was also found that participants who performed multitude of heavy liftings at work have an increased risk (RR=1.19: 95% CI: 1.04 – 1.35) of having orofacial pain compared to those who do not. Conclusion: Risk factors for the occurrence of orofacial pain on productive age population in Indonesian sample consisted of oral parafunctional habits and non-parafunctional habits, such as heavy lifting. Further study in this particular topic is of importance. PMID:29399215

Risk Factors of Orofacial Pain: A Population-Based Study in West Java Province, Indonesia.

PubMed

Rikmasari, Rasmi; Yubiliana, Gilang; Maulina, Tantry

2017-01-01

The management of orofacial pain in Indonesia has not been well performed, which consequently led to an increase in the orofacial pain occurrences and a decreased quality of life. One of the possible reasons for this particular matter is the lack of evaluation on the risk factors that might induce orofacial pain in some individuals. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the risk factors of orofacial pain on productive age population in West Java province, Indonesia. One thousand and fifty-six participants (522 males; 534 females) were recruited for the study. A questionnaire that consists of demographic questions and questions evaluating several assumed risk factors for orofacial pain was used in a single interview. All data was analyzed by using Chi Square test to test the significance, Odds Ratio (OR), as well as Relative Risk (RR) by using SPSS version 23 (IBM Statistic, USA). The result of the current study revealed that bruxism ( p <0.01), daytime clenching ( p <0.01), and unilateral chewing ( p <0.01) were significantly related to the occurrence of orofacial pain. It was also found that participants who performed multitude of heavy liftings at work have an increased risk (RR=1.19: 95% CI: 1.04 - 1.35) of having orofacial pain compared to those who do not. Risk factors for the occurrence of orofacial pain on productive age population in Indonesian sample consisted of oral parafunctional habits and non-parafunctional habits, such as heavy lifting. Further study in this particular topic is of importance.

mHealth Series: Factors influencing sample size calculations for mHealth–based studies – A mixed methods study in rural China

PubMed Central

van Velthoven, Michelle Helena; Li, Ye; Wang, Wei; Du, Xiaozhen; Chen, Li; Wu, Qiong; Majeed, Azeem; Zhang, Yanfeng; Car, Josip

2013-01-01

Background An important issue for mHealth evaluation is the lack of information for sample size calculations. Objective To explore factors that influence sample size calculations for mHealth–based studies and to suggest strategies for increasing the participation rate. Methods We explored factors influencing recruitment and follow–up of participants (caregivers of children) in an mHealth text messaging data collection cross–over study. With help of village doctors, we recruited 1026 (25%) caregivers of children under five out of the 4170 registered. To explore factors influencing recruitment and provide recommendations for improving recruitment, we conducted semi–structured interviews with village doctors. Of the 1014 included participants, 662 (65%) responded to the first question about willingness to participate, 538 (53%) responded to the first survey question and 356 (35%) completed the text message survey. To explore factors influencing follow–up and provide recommendations for improving follow–up, we conducted interviews with participants. We added views from the researchers who were involved in the study to contextualize the findings. Results We found several factors influencing recruitment related to the following themes: experiences with recruitment, village doctors’ work, village doctors’ motivations, caregivers’ characteristics, caregivers’ motivations. Village doctors gave several recommendations for ways to recruit more caregivers and we added our views to these. We found the following factors influencing follow–up: mobile phone usage, ability to use mobile phone, problems with mobile phone, checking mobile phone, available time, paying back text message costs, study incentives, subjective norm, culture, trust, perceived usefulness of process, perceived usefulness of outcome, perceived ease of use, attitude, behavioural intention to use, and actual use. From our perspective, factors influencing follow–up were: different caregivers participating in face–to–face and text message survey, sending text messages manually, participants responding incorrectly, and technical issues. Participants provided several recommendations for improving follow–up and we added our views to these. Conclusions This is the first study to evaluate factors influencing recruitment and follow–up of participants in an mHealth study in a middle–income setting. More work is needed to assess effectiveness of our suggested strategies. This work would improve evaluation of mHealth interventions. PMID:24363922

The Development and Validation of the Protective Factors Survey: A Self-Report Measure of Protective Factors against Child Maltreatment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Counts, Jacqueline M.; Buffington, Elenor S.; Chang-Rios, Karin; Rasmussen, Heather N.; Preacher, Kristopher J.

2010-01-01

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the internal structure of a self-report measure of multiple family-level protective factors against abuse and neglect and explore the relationship of this instrument to other measures of child maltreatment. Methods: For the exploratory factor analysis, 11 agencies from 4 states administered…

Relationships among Factors in New Officer Effectiveness Report System. Final Report for Period 15 December 1975-30 April 1978.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bottenberg, Robert A.

To investigate operating characteristics of performance factors and the evaluation of potential ratings for new officers, an analysis of controlled effectiveness for 9,230 lieutenant colonels was performed. The study was done to determine whether performance factor variance was so restricted that the performance factors would not provide useful…

An Application of Fuzzy AHP for Evaluating Course Website Quality

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Hsiu-Fen

2010-01-01

Although previous studies have identified various influences on course website effectiveness, the evaluation of the relative importance of these factors across different online learning experience groups has not been empirically determined. This study develops an evolution model that integrates triangular fuzzy numbers and analytic hierarchy…

Recruitment of general practices: Is a standardised approach helpful in the involvement of healthcare professionals in research?

PubMed

Riis, Allan; Jensen, Cathrine E; Maindal, Helle T; Bro, Flemming; Jensen, Martin B

2016-01-01

Health service research often involves the active participation of healthcare professionals. However, their ability and commitment to research varies. This can cause recruitment difficulties and thereby prolong the study period and inflate budgets. Solberg has identified seven R-factors as determinants for successfully recruiting healthcare professionals: relationships, reputation, requirements, rewards, reciprocity, resolution, and respect. This is a process evaluation of the seven R-factors. We applied these factors to guide the design of our recruitment strategy as well as to make adjustments when recruiting general practices in a guideline implementation study. In the guideline implementation study, we studied the effect of outreach visits, quality reports, and new patient stratification tools for low back pain patients. During a period of 15 months, we recruited 60 practices, which was fewer than planned (100 practices). In this evaluation, five of Solberg's seven R-factors were successfully addressed and two factors were not. The need to involve (reciprocity) end users in the development of new software and the amount of time needed to conduct recruitment (resolution) were underestimated. The framework of the seven R-factors was a feasible tool in our recruitment process. However, we suggest further investigation in developing systematic approaches to support the recruitment of healthcare professionals to research.

Environmental Evaluation of Soil Salinity with Various Watering Technologies Assessment.

PubMed

Seitkaziev, Adeubay; Shilibek, Kenzhegali; Fakhrudenova, Idiya; Salybayev, Satybaldy; Zhaparova, Sayagul; Duisenbayeva, Saule; Bayazitova, Zulfia; Aliya, Maimakova; Seitkazieva, Karlygash; Aubakirov, Hamit

2018-01-01

  The purpose of this study is to develop mathematical tools for evaluating the level of environmental safety of various watering technologies. A set of indicators, was developed with regard to the natural factors, the nature of the man-induced load, degradation type, and characteristics of the disruption of humification conditions. Thermal and physical characteristics of the soil, the state of its surface, and meteorological factors, including air temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, wind speed, solar radiation, etc. were studied with a view to determining the heat and air exchange in the soil. An environmental evaluation of the methods for saline land development was conducted with regard to the heat and moisture supply. This tool can be used to determine the level of environmental safety of soil salinization during the environmental evaluation of the investigation of soil salinity with various watering technologies.

Failure rates of mini-implants placed in the infrazygomatic region.

PubMed

Uribe, Flavio; Mehr, Rana; Mathur, Ajay; Janakiraman, Nandakumar; Allareddy, Veerasathpurush

2015-01-01

The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the failure rates of mini-implants placed in the infrazygomatic region and to evaluate factors that affect their stability. A retrospective cohort study of 30 consecutive patients (55 mini-implants) who had infrazygomatic mini-implants at a University Clinic were evaluated for failure rates. Patient, mini-implant, orthodontic, surgical, and mini-implant maintenance factors were evaluated by univariate logistic regression models for association to failure rates. A 21.8 % failure rate of mini-implants placed in the infazygomatic region was observed. None of the predictor variables were significantly associated with higher or lower odds for failed implants. Failure rates for infrazygomatic mini-implants were slightly higher than those reported in other maxilla-mandibular osseous locations. No predictor variables were found to be associated to the failure rates.

Factors that influence the efficiency of beef and dairy cattle recording system in Kenya: A SWOT-AHP analysis.

PubMed

Wasike, Chrilukovian B; Magothe, Thomas M; Kahi, Alexander K; Peters, Kurt J

2011-01-01

Animal recording in Kenya is characterised by erratic producer participation and high drop-out rates from the national recording scheme. This study evaluates factors influencing efficiency of beef and dairy cattle recording system. Factors influencing efficiency of animal identification and registration, pedigree and performance recording, and genetic evaluation and information utilisation were generated using qualitative and participatory methods. Pairwise comparison of factors was done by strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats-analytical hierarchical process analysis and priority scores to determine their relative importance to the system calculated using Eigenvalue method. For identification and registration, and evaluation and information utilisation, external factors had high priority scores. For pedigree and performance recording, threats and weaknesses had the highest priority scores. Strengths factors could not sustain the required efficiency of the system. Weaknesses of the system predisposed it to threats. Available opportunities could be explored as interventions to restore efficiency in the system. Defensive strategies such as reorienting the system to offer utility benefits to recording, forming symbiotic and binding collaboration between recording organisations and NARS, and development of institutions to support recording were feasible.

Factors Influencing Professional Help-Seeking for Suicidality.

PubMed

Han, Jin; Batterham, Philip J; Calear, Alison L; Randall, Rebecca

2018-05-01

Evidence suggests that the majority of people with suicidality do not seek help. Little systematic evaluation of factors influencing professional help-seeking has been done. To systematically evaluate the factors that influence professional help-seeking for suicidality. Published quantitative and qualitative studies in Medline and PsycInfo databases were reviewed following PRISMA. In all, 55 relevant studies were identified. Of these, 15 studies examined professional help-seeking intentions for perceived suicidal ideation, among people with or without suicidality; 21 studies examined professional help-seeking behavior among people with suicidality; and 19 studies examined suicidal decedents' health services use. Several potential important barriers were identified including high self-reliance, lack of perceived need for treatment, and stigmatizing attitudes toward suicide, toward mental health issues, and toward seeking professional treatment. The presence of suicidality and mental health issues was found to generally decrease help-seeking intentions for perceived suicidal ideation while facilitating actual service use. Social support and informal support from family and friends also played an important role in professional help-seeking. Although the majority of the included studies were of sound quality, some of the factors identified in the review were assessed in relatively few studies, and most of the included studies were conducted in industrialized countries. Further quantitative and qualitative studies examining the potential important factors in broader community samples, especially in developing countries, are needed.

Evaluation of indoor radon equilibrium factor using CFD modeling and resulting annual effective dose

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rabi, R.; Oufni, L.

2018-04-01

The equilibrium factor is an important parameter for reasonably estimating the population dose from radon. However, the equilibrium factor value depended mainly on the ventilation rate and the meteorological factors. Therefore, this study focuses on investigating numerically the influence of the ventilation rate, temperature and humidity on equilibrium factor between radon and its progeny. The numerical results showed that ventilation rate, temperature and humidity have significant impacts on indoor equilibrium factor. The variations of equilibrium factor with the ventilation, temperature and relative humidity are discussed. Moreover, the committed equivalent doses due to 218Po and 214Po radon short-lived progeny were evaluated in different tissues of the respiratory tract of the members of the public from the inhalation of indoor air. The annual effective dose due to radon short lived progeny from the inhalation of indoor air by the members of the public was investigated.

Buildup factor and mechanical properties of high-density cement mixed with crumb rubber and prompt gamma ray study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aim-O, P.; Wongsawaeng, D.; Tancharakorn, S.; Sophon, M.

2017-09-01

High-density cement mixed with crumb rubber has been studied to be a gamma ray and neutron shielding material, especially for photonuclear reactions that may occur from accelerators where both types of radiation exist. The Buildup factors from gamma ray scattering, prompt and secondary gamma ray emissions from neutron capture and mechanical properties were evaluated. For buildup factor studies, two different geometries were used: narrow beam and broad beam. Prompt Gamma Neutron Activation Analysis (PGNAA) was carried out to determine the prompt and secondary gamma ray emissions. The compressive strength of samples was evaluated by using compression testing machine which was central point loading crushing test. The results revealed that addition of crumb rubber increased the buildup factor. Gamma ray spectra following PGNAA revealed no prompt or secondary gamma ray emission. Mechanical testing indicated that the compressive strength of the shielding material decreased with increasing volume percentage of crumb rubber.

Confirmatory factor analysis of 2 versions of the Brief Pain Inventory in an ambulatory population indicates that sleep interference should be interpreted separately.

PubMed

Walton, David M; Putos, Joseph; Beattie, Tyler; MacDermid, Joy C

2016-07-01

The Brief Pain Inventory (BPI-SF) is a widely-used generic pain interference scale, however its factor structure remains unclear. An expanded 10-item version of the Interference subscale has been proposed, but the additional value of the 3 extra items has not been rigorously evaluated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and contrast the factorial and concurrent validity of the original 7-item and 10-item versions of the BPI-SF in a large heterogeneous sample of patients with chronic pain. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on independent subsets of the sample, and concurrent correlations with scales capturing similar constructs were evaluated. Two independent exploratory factor analyses (n=500 each) supported a single interference factor in both the 7- and 10-item versions, while confirmatory factor analysis (N=1000) suggested that a 2-factor structure (Physical and Affective) provided better fit. A 3-factor model, where sleep interference was the third factor, improved in model fit further. There was no significant difference in model fit between the 7- and 10-item versions. Concurrent associations with measures of general health, pain intensity and pain-related cognitions were all in the anticipated direction and magnitude and were not different by version of the BPI-SF. The addition of 3 extra items to the original 7-item Interference subscale of the BPI-SF did not improve psychometric properties. The combined results lead us to endorse a 3-factor structure (Physical, Affective, and Sleep Interference) as the more statistically and conceptually sound option. Copyright © 2016 Scandinavian Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Incidence and risk factors for oxygen desaturation during recovery from modified electroconvulsive therapy: A prospective observational study.

PubMed

Surve, Rohini; Bansal, Sonia; Sriganesh, Kamath; Subbakrishna, Doddaballapur Kumaraswamy; Thirthalli, Jagadisha; Umamaheswara Rao, Ganne Sesha

2015-01-01

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an established modality of treatment for severe psychiatric illnesses. Among the various complications associated with ECT, oxygen desaturation is often under reported. None of the previous studies has evaluated the predictive factors for oxygen desaturation during ECT. The objective of this study was to evaluate the incidence of oxygen desaturation during recovery from anesthesia for modified ECT and evaluate its risk factors in a large sample. All patients aged above 15 years who were prescribed a modified ECT for their psychiatric illness over 1 year were prospectively included in this observational study. The association between age, body mass index (BMI), doses of thiopentone and suxamethonium, stimulus current, ECT session number, pre- and post-ECT heart rate and mean arterial pressure, seizure duration, and pre- and post ECT oxygen saturation, was systematically studied. The incidence of oxygen desaturation was 29% (93/316 patients). Seizure duration and BMI were found to be significantly correlated with post ECT desaturation. In this prospective observational study, the incidence of oxygen desaturation during recovery from anesthesia for ECT was high. The study identified obesity and duration of seizure as the independent predictors of this complication. This knowledge is likely to help in identifying and optimizing such patients before subsequent ECT sessions.

Factors contributing to work related low back pain among personal care workers in old age.

PubMed

Yeung, Simon S

2012-01-01

This study aims to preliminary explore the work related and individual factors that contributed to the occurrence of low back pain (LBP) that affected work activities of Personal Care Workers (PCWs). A cross-sectional study was conducted to 36 PCWs in an old age home of Hong Kong. The study is divided into three parts: 1) a questionnaire to document the workload exposure factors and the musculoskeletal symptoms survey of the PCWs, 2) work posture evaluation; and 3) an evaluation of the physical fitness and lifting capacity of the PCWs. Univariate analyses were used to explore the risk factors associated with LBP that affected work activities. The results indicated that individual physical profile and lifting capacities did not contribute to occurrence of low back pain at work. For the work demand factors, the perceived physical demands in lifting and lowering heavy objects, awkward sustain neck and back postures, loading on the back, and perceived effort of cleaning task contributed to the occurrence of LBP. For the physical environment factors, thermal stress and improper ventilation were associated with the occurrence of LBP cases. For the individual factor, LBP cases were associated with workers' self perceived muscular effort, and perceived risk of mental illness in response to work requirements.

Prevalence, potential risk factors for development and symptoms related to the presence of uterine niches following Cesarean section: systematic review.

PubMed

Bij de Vaate, A J M; van der Voet, L F; Naji, O; Witmer, M; Veersema, S; Brölmann, H A M; Bourne, T; Huirne, J A F

2014-04-01

To review systematically the medical literature reporting on the prevalence of a niche at the site of a Cesarean section (CS) scar using various diagnostic methods, on potential risk factors for the development of a niche and on niche-related gynecological symptoms in non-pregnant women. The PubMed and EMBASE databases were searched. All types of clinical study reporting on the prevalence, risk factors and/or symptoms of a niche in non-pregnant women with a history of CS were included, apart from case reports and case series. Twenty-one papers were selected for inclusion in the review. A wide range in the prevalence of a niche was found. Using contrast-enhanced sonohysterography in a random population of women with a history of CS, the prevalence was found to vary between 56% and 84%. Nine studies reported on risk factors and each study evaluated different factors, which made it difficult to compare studies. Risk factors could be classified into four categories: those related to closure technique, to development of the lower uterine segment or location of the incision or to wound healing, and miscellaneous factors. Probable risk factors are single-layer myometrium closure, multiple CSs and uterine retroflexion. Six out of eight studies that evaluated niche-related symptoms described an association between the presence of a niche and postmenstrual spotting. The reported prevalence of a niche in non-pregnant women varies depending on the method of detection, the criteria used to define a niche and the study population. Potential risk factors can be categorized into four main categories, which may be useful for future research and meta-analyses. The predominant symptom associated with a niche is postmenstrual spotting. Copyright © 2013 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Risk factors associated with nasopharyngeal cicatrix syndrome in horses.

PubMed

Norman, Tracy E; Chaffin, M Keith; Bissett, Wesley T; Thompson, James A

2013-05-01

To determine risk factors associated with the development of nasopharyngeal cicatrix syndrome (NCS) in horses. Retrospective case-control study. 242 horses referred for endoscopic evaluation of the upper portion of the respiratory tract (121 horses with NCS and 121 control horses). Medical records of horses that had an endoscopic evaluation of the upper airway performed between January 2003 and December 2008 were reviewed. Signalment, housing management, and season of evaluation were recorded and reviewed for each horse. The associations between clinical signs and endoscopic findings were evaluated by the use of a prospective logistic model that included a Bayesian method for inference. Results-Breed and sex had no significant effect on the risk of having NCS. The risk that a horse had NCS increased significantly with age. Exclusive housing in a stall was protective against the development of NCS. In addition, the amount of pasture turnout had a dose-related effect, with exclusive pasture turnout positively correlated with increased risk of developing NCS, compared with a mixture of pasture turnout and stall confinement. Horses were significantly more likely to be evaluated because of clinical signs of the syndrome during the warm months of the year. The risk factors for NCS identified in this study may support chronic environmental exposure to an irritant or infectious agent as the cause of NCS. Information gained from this study should be useful for investigating the cause of NCS.

Review of health information technology usability study methodologies

PubMed Central

Bakken, Suzanne

2011-01-01

Usability factors are a major obstacle to health information technology (IT) adoption. The purpose of this paper is to review and categorize health IT usability study methods and to provide practical guidance on health IT usability evaluation. 2025 references were initially retrieved from the Medline database from 2003 to 2009 that evaluated health IT used by clinicians. Titles and abstracts were first reviewed for inclusion. Full-text articles were then examined to identify final eligibility studies. 629 studies were categorized into the five stages of an integrated usability specification and evaluation framework that was based on a usability model and the system development life cycle (SDLC)-associated stages of evaluation. Theoretical and methodological aspects of 319 studies were extracted in greater detail and studies that focused on system validation (SDLC stage 2) were not assessed further. The number of studies by stage was: stage 1, task-based or user–task interaction, n=42; stage 2, system–task interaction, n=310; stage 3, user–task–system interaction, n=69; stage 4, user–task–system–environment interaction, n=54; and stage 5, user–task–system–environment interaction in routine use, n=199. The studies applied a variety of quantitative and qualitative approaches. Methodological issues included lack of theoretical framework/model, lack of details regarding qualitative study approaches, single evaluation focus, environmental factors not evaluated in the early stages, and guideline adherence as the primary outcome for decision support system evaluations. Based on the findings, a three-level stratified view of health IT usability evaluation is proposed and methodological guidance is offered based upon the type of interaction that is of primary interest in the evaluation. PMID:21828224

Scale for positive aspects of caregiving experience: development, reliability, and factor structure.

PubMed

Kate, N; Grover, S; Kulhara, P; Nehra, R

2012-06-01

OBJECTIVE. To develop an instrument (Scale for Positive Aspects of Caregiving Experience [SPACE]) that evaluates positive caregiving experience and assess its psychometric properties. METHODS. Available scales which assess some aspects of positive caregiving experience were reviewed and a 50-item questionnaire with a 5-point rating was constructed. In all, 203 primary caregivers of patients with severe mental disorders were asked to complete the questionnaire. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, cross-language reliability, split-half reliability, and face validity were evaluated. Principal component factor analysis was run to assess the factorial validity of the scale. RESULTS. The scale developed as part of the study was found to have good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, cross-language reliability, split-half reliability, and face validity. Principal component factor analysis yielded a 4-factor structure, which also had good test-retest reliability and cross-language reliability. There was a strong correlation between the 4 factors obtained. CONCLUSION. The SPACE developed as part of this study has good psychometric properties.

Bayes Factor Covariance Testing in Item Response Models.

PubMed

Fox, Jean-Paul; Mulder, Joris; Sinharay, Sandip

2017-12-01

Two marginal one-parameter item response theory models are introduced, by integrating out the latent variable or random item parameter. It is shown that both marginal response models are multivariate (probit) models with a compound symmetry covariance structure. Several common hypotheses concerning the underlying covariance structure are evaluated using (fractional) Bayes factor tests. The support for a unidimensional factor (i.e., assumption of local independence) and differential item functioning are evaluated by testing the covariance components. The posterior distribution of common covariance components is obtained in closed form by transforming latent responses with an orthogonal (Helmert) matrix. This posterior distribution is defined as a shifted-inverse-gamma, thereby introducing a default prior and a balanced prior distribution. Based on that, an MCMC algorithm is described to estimate all model parameters and to compute (fractional) Bayes factor tests. Simulation studies are used to show that the (fractional) Bayes factor tests have good properties for testing the underlying covariance structure of binary response data. The method is illustrated with two real data studies.

Clinical evaluation of post-operative cerebral infarction in traumatic epidural haematoma.

PubMed

Zhang, Suojun; Wang, Sheng; Wan, Xueyan; Liu, Shengwen; Shu, Kai; Lei, Ting

2017-01-01

Patients with traumatic epidural haematoma, undergoing the prompt and correct treatment, usually have favourable outcomes. However, secondary cerebral infarction may be life-threatening condition, as it is difficult to be identified before neurological impairment occurs. To evaluate the clinical data of patients with traumatic EDH and assess potential risk factors for post-operative cerebral infarction. The clinical data of patients with traumatic EDH were collected and analysed retrospectively. The univariate analysis revealed 10 potential risk factors (the haematoma location, volume, the largest thickness and mid-line shift, basal cisterns compression, traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage, pupil dilatation, pre-operative Glasgow Coma Scale score, ∆GCS and intraoperative brain pressure) for cerebral infarction with statistically significant difference. Of these factors, haematoma volume and basal cistern compression turned out to be the most significant risk factors through final multivariate logistic regression analysis. The findings of this study can provide predictive factors for development of cerebral infarction and information for clinical decision-making and future studies.

Evaluation methods on the nutritional status of stroke patients.

PubMed

Wang, J; Luo, B; Xie, Y; Hu, H-Y; Feng, L; Li, Z-N

2014-01-01

This study was designed to assess the effect of particular tools on the nutritional status of patients with stroke risk factors; to analyze these risk factors; to construct an assessment table; and to enable nurses to conduct fast and accurate assessment of the nutritional status of patients with stroke. Various nutritional assessment tools were employed to assess the nutritional status of stroke patients [(Nutritional Risk Screening 2002, NRS2002); (mini nutritional assessment, MNA), (subjective global assessment SGA), (malnutrition universal screening, MUST); (body composition, BCA)]. The leading disease-related factors of cerebral apoplexy were observed in patients with malnutrition. And a statistical analysis was conducted. The significant risk factors of cerebral apoplexy in malnourished patients older than 70 years were swallowing dysfunctions, disturbance of consciousness and reliance or half-reliance on feeding practices. The significant risk factors of malnutrition in patients with cerebral apoplexy were the decline in upper limb muscle strength, decline in the performance of various activities, loss of appetite and gastrointestinal symptoms. Disorders that affect the nutritional status of stroke patients can be used as evaluation tools, as described in the evaluation table. The clinical relevance of this study includes the following: to enable the clinical nursing staff to easily assess the patient's nutritional status in a timely manner; to improve compliance with nutritional evaluation; to provide clinical nutrition support to patients with stroke; and to provide a scientific basis for the improvement of the clinical outcomes of patients with cerebral apoplexy.

Evaluating Oil and Gas Speciation Profiles with Factor Analysis of Ambient Volatile Organic Compound Concentrations in the Colorado Front Range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capps, S.; Paranjothi, G.; Pierce, G. E.; Milford, J. B.

2016-12-01

Increased oil and gas (O&G) development, particularly through the use of hydraulic fracturing, in the Denver-Julesburg Basin (DJB) in Colorado over the last decade has been identified as a source of emissions of air pollutants, which are now included in chemical transport modeling. As one effort to evaluate its impact, ambient concentrations of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that serve as precursors to ozone formation were measured in an Ozone Precursor Study conducted by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment during 2013 and 2014. The study included 6 - 9 a.m. measurements of an extensive suite of ozone-precursor VOCs from a site in an area of intensive O&G development in Platteville, CO, and another site in downtown Denver, CO. To evaluate the influences of urban activity or O&G development on these ambient concentrations, we used the U.S. EPA's Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) tool. A five-factor PMF solution was selected as providing the best fit to the dataset comprised of VOC measurements for both years and both sites. One PMF factor matches the VOC emissions speciation profile for the flashing gas composition for condensate tanks in the DJB that was developed by the Western Regional Air Partnership for use in chemical transport modeling in the region. The contribution of this factor to individual and total VOC concentrations and ozone production reactivity is evaluated for Platteville and Denver.

Evaluation of pharmacotherapy complexity in residents of long-term care facilities: a cross-sectional descriptive study.

PubMed

Alves-Conceição, Vanessa; Silva, Daniel Tenório da; Santana, Vanessa Lima de; Santos, Edileide Guimarães Dos; Santos, Lincoln Marques Cavalcante; Lyra, Divaldo Pereira de

2017-07-25

Polypharmacy is a reality in long-term care facilities. However, number of medications used by the patient should not be the only predictor of a complex pharmacotherapy. Although the level of complexity of pharmacotherapy is considered an important factor that may lead to side effects, there are few studies in this field. The aim of this study was to evaluate the complexity of pharmacotherapy in residents of three long-term care facilities. A cross-sectional study was performed to evaluate the complexity of pharmacotherapy using the protocols laid out in the Medication Regimen Complexity Index instrument in three long-term care facilities in northeastern Brazil. As a secondary result, potential drug interactions, potentially inappropriate medications, medication duplication, and polypharmacy were evaluated. After the assessment, the association among these variables and the Medication Regimen Complexity Index was performed. In this study, there was a higher prevalence of women (64.4%) with a high mean age among the study population of 81.8 (±9.7) years. The complexity of pharmacotherapy obtained a mean of 15.1 points (±9.8), with a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 59. The highest levels of complexity were associated with dose frequency, with a mean of 5.5 (±3.6), followed by additional instructions of use averaging 4.9 (±3.7) and by the dosage forms averaging 4.6 (±3.0). The present study evaluated some factors that complicate the pharmacotherapy of geriatric patients. Although polypharmacy was implicated as a factor directly related to complexity, other indicators such as drug interactions, potentially inappropriate medications, and therapeutic duplication can also make the use of pharmacotherapy in such patients more difficult.

Validation of the trait anxiety scale for state-trait anxiety inventory in suicide victims and living controls of Chinese rural youths.

PubMed

Zhang, Jie; Gao, Qi

2012-01-01

This study evaluated the validation of STAI Trait-Anxiety Scale in suicide cases and community living controls in rural China. The participants were 392 suicides and 416 controls. Cronbach's Alpha was computed to evaluate the internal consistency. The Spearman Correlation Coefficient between Trait-Anxiety Scale and other instrument was calculated to evaluate the external validity, and the Exploratory Factor Analysis was used to evaluate the construct validity. The results showed the Cronbach's Alpha was .891 and .787 respectively in case and control groups. Most of the correlations between instruments were significant. We found 2 factors in cases and 3 factors in controls. We could cautiously infer that the Trait Anxiety Scale was an adequate tool to measure trait anxiety through proxy data in suicide victims and living controls in rural China.

Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the System for Evaluation of Teaching Qualities (SETQ) in Graduate Medical Training.

PubMed

Boerebach, Benjamin C M; Lombarts, Kiki M J M H; Arah, Onyebuchi A

2016-03-01

The System for Evaluation of Teaching Qualities (SETQ) was developed as a formative system for the continuous evaluation and development of physicians' teaching performance in graduate medical training. It has been seven years since the introduction and initial exploratory psychometric analysis of the SETQ questionnaires. This study investigates the validity and reliability of the SETQ questionnaires across hospitals and medical specialties using confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs), reliability analysis, and generalizability analysis. The SETQ questionnaires were tested in a sample of 3,025 physicians and 2,848 trainees in 46 hospitals. The CFA revealed acceptable fit of the data to the previously identified five-factor model. The high internal consistency estimates suggest satisfactory reliability of the subscales. These results provide robust evidence for the validity and reliability of the SETQ questionnaires for evaluating physicians' teaching performance. © The Author(s) 2014.

Factor structure and measurement invariance of the Health Education Impact Questionnaire: Does the subjectivity of the response perspective threaten the contextual validity of inferences?

PubMed

Elsworth, Gerald R; Nolte, Sandra; Osborne, Richard H

2015-01-01

On-going evidence is required to support the validity of inferences about change and group differences in the evaluation of health programs, particularly when self-report scales requiring substantial subjectivity in response generation are used as outcome measures. Following this reasoning, the aim of this study was to replicate the factor structure and investigate the measurement invariance of the latest version of the Health Education Impact Questionnaire, a widely used health program evaluation measure. An archived dataset of responses to the most recent version of the English-language Health Education Impact Questionnaire that uses four rather than six response options (N = 3221) was analysed using exploratory structural equation modelling and confirmatory factor analysis appropriate for ordered categorical data. Metric and scalar invariance were studied following recent recommendations in the literature to apply fully invariant unconditional models with minimum constraints necessary for model identification. The original eight-factor structure was replicated and all but one of the scales (Self Monitoring and Insight) was found to consist of unifactorial items with reliability of ⩾0.8 and satisfactory discriminant validity. Configural, metric and scalar invariance were established across pre-test to post-test and population sub-groups (sex, age, education, ethnic background). The results support the high level of interest in the Health Education Impact Questionnaire, particularly for use as a pre-test/post-test measure in experimental studies, other pre-post evaluation designs and system-level monitoring and evaluation.

Evaluating process in child and family interventions: aggression prevention as an example.

PubMed

Tolan, Patrick H; Hanish, Laura D; McKay, Mary M; Dickey, Mitchell H

2002-06-01

This article reports on 2 studies designed to develop and validate a set of measures for use in evaluating processes of child and family interventions. In Study 1 responses from 187 families attending an outpatient clinic for child behavior problems were factor analyzed to identify scales, consistent across sources: Alliance (Satisfactory Relationship with Interventionist and Program Satisfaction), Parenting Skill Attainment, Child Cooperation During Session, Child Prosocial Behavior, and Child Aggressive Behavior. Study 2 focused on patterns of scale scores among 78 families taking part in a 22-week preventive intervention designed to affect family relationships, parenting, and child antisocial and prosocial behaviors. The factor structure identified in Study 1 was replicated. Scale construct validity was demonstrated through across-source convergence, sensitivity to intervention change, and ability to discriminate individual differences. Path analysis validated the scales' utility in explaining key aspects of the intervention process. Implications for evaluating processes in family interventions are discussed.

What are the barriers and facilitators for third sector organisations (non-profits) to evaluate their services? A systematic review.

PubMed

Bach-Mortensen, Anders Malthe; Montgomery, Paul

2018-01-22

The third sector is becoming a more common provider of social and health services, but little is known about how third sector organisations (TSOs) evaluate their activities. Past research has reported that the third sector is under increasing pressure to evaluate its impact and performance by government and other commissioning bodies. However, in responding to this increased pressure to undertake evaluation, research suggests that many TSOs struggle to evaluate their activities following the principles of evidence-based practice (EBP). Yet, there has been no systematic effort to investigate why the third sector is struggling to provide good quality evidence of its effects. This systematic review is reported following the PRISMA guidelines. Ten interdisciplinary databases were searched using a search string developed following best practice and in consultation with an information systems expert. Included studies were primary research of any research design investigating barriers to and facilitators of the evaluation process of TSOs as identified by practitioners. All studies were quality appraised, and the results were synthesised as a thematic summary. Twenty-four studies were included, which mainly investigated TSOs working within health and social services. The thematic summary identified the main barriers for TSOs to undertake evaluation to be related to the (1) lack of financial resources, (2) lack of technical capability and evaluation literacy and (3) challenges around identifying relevant evaluation systems and outcome indicators. Key facilitating factors involved (1) getting the appropriate support, (2) having an organisational culture that supports evaluation and (3) the motivation to be accountable to stakeholders. These findings were robust to study quality. This review constitutes the first systematic effort to synthesise existing literature on factors supporting and preventing evaluation by TSOs. The prevalence of factors revolving around the lack of support, resources and clarity on appropriate outcome indicators suggests that many of the identified challenges may be met by applying evidence-based and stakeholder-inclusive strategies to develop shared evaluation requirements. Future efforts should address the application of EBP as part of the commissioning process of TSOs.

Recall bias in childhood atopic diseases among adults in the Odense Adolescence Cohort Study.

PubMed

Mortz, Charlotte G; Andersen, Klaus E; Bindslev-Jensen, Carsten

2015-11-01

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common disease in childhood and an important risk factor for the later development of other atopic diseases. Many publications on childhood AD use questionnaires based on information obtained in adulthood, which introduce the possibility of recall bias. In a prospective cohort study, recall bias was evaluated in 1,501 unselected schoolchildren (mean age 14 years) evaluated for the first time in 1995 with a standardized questionnaire combined with a clinical examination and repeated in 2010. The lifetime prevalence of AD was 34.1% including data obtained both during school age and 15 years later, compared with 23.6% including data only from adulthood. The most important factors for remembering having had AD in childhood were: (i) long duration of dermatitis in childhood; (ii) adult hand eczema; and (iii) concomitant atopic disease. Recall bias for childhood AD affected the results of logistic regression on adult hand eczema and is a significant problem in retrospective epidemiological questionnaire studies evaluating previous AD as a risk factor for development of other diseases.

Creating Welcoming Spaces for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Patients: An Evaluation of the Health Care Environment.

PubMed

McClain, Zachary; Hawkins, Linda A; Yehia, Baligh R

2016-01-01

Health outcomes are affected by patient, provider, and environmental factors. Previous studies have evaluated patient-level factors; few focusing on environment. Safe clinical spaces are important for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities. This study evaluates current models of LGBT health care delivery, identifies strengths and weaknesses, and makes recommendations for LGBT spaces. Models are divided into LGBT-specific and LGBT-embedded care delivery. Advantages to both models exist, and they provide LGBT patients different options of healthcare. Yet certain commonalities must be met: a clean and confidential system. Once met, LGBT-competent environments and providers can advocate for appropriate care for LGBT communities, creating environments where they would want to seek care.

The National Evaluation of NASA's Science, Engineering, Mathematics and Aerospace Academy (SEMAA) Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinez, Alina; Cosentino de Cohen, Clemencia

2010-01-01

This report presents findings from a NASA requested evaluation in 2008, which contains both implementation and impact modules. The implementation study investigated how sites implement Science, Engineering, Mathematics, and Aerospace Academy (SEMAA) and the contextual factors important in this implementation. The implementation study used data…

Evaluation of performance based approach for determining contribution of environmental factors to pavement deterioration : H P & R implementation study.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1990-11-01

State Legislation requires that cost responsibility studies be available for the 1991 and 1993 Legislative sessions. Part of this legislative requirement includes the need to re-evaluate and establish a sound basis for the weight-mile tax. To be fair...

Use of phytochrome-dependent reaction in evaluating the effect of space flight factors on the plant organism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shteyne, B. A.; Nevzgodina, L. V.; Miller, A. T.

1982-01-01

The effects of space flight factors on lettuce seeds aboard the Kosmos-936 and Kosmos-1129 satellites for 20 days were studied. The phytochrome dependent (PD) reaction of light sensitive seeds was a sensitive criterion for evaluating the biological effects of space flight factors. The PD reaction of air dry lettuce seeds was suppressed after space flight, especially if the seeds were exposed to open space during the flight. Space flight affects the physiological activity of both phytochrome forms, and both the phi sub 730 dependent reactions of lettuce seeds were suppressed.

Commentary: Factors predicting family court decisions in high-conflict divorce.

PubMed

Stover, Carla Smith

2013-01-01

Factors that predict custody and visitation decisions are an important area of research, especially in the context of high-conflict divorce. In these cases, youths are at significantly higher risk for exposure to ongoing conflict, violence, and triangulation in their parents' disputes. What variables courts and evaluation clinics use to make custody decisions and whether they are the most salient requires further study. The work by Raub and colleagues in this issue extends our understanding of important factors considered by the courts and custody evaluators in high-conflict divorce and points to directions for future research in this area.

Validation of a Tool Evaluating Educational Apps for Smart Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jeong-Sook; Kim, Sung-Wan

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study is to develop and validate an evaluation tool of educational apps for smart education. Based on literature reviews, a potential model for evaluating educational apps was suggested. An evaluation tool consisting of 57 survey items was delivered to 156 students in middle and high schools. An exploratory factor analysis was…

Can You Increase Teacher Engagement with Evaluation Simply by Improving the Evaluation System?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moskal, Adon C. M.; Stein, Sarah J.; Golding, Clinton

2016-01-01

We know various factors can influence how teaching staff engage with student evaluation, such as institutional policies or staff beliefs. However, little research has investigated the influence of the technical processes of an evaluation system. In this article, we present a case study of the effects of changing the technical system for…

DESICCATION AND OTHER FACTORS AFFECTING THE UPPER INTERTIDAL DISTRIBUTION OF EELGRASS IN YAQUINA BAY, OR

EPA Science Inventory

Eelgrass (Zostera marina) in Pacific Northwest is primarily intertidal, yet little research has been done on what factors control its upper intertidal growth boundary. In July 2000 a two year study was initiated in Yaquina Bay (Newport, OR) to evaluate the effects of four factor...

Validation of the Social Appearance Anxiety Scale: Factor, Convergent, and Divergent Validity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levinson, Cheri A.; Rodebaugh, Thomas L.

2011-01-01

The Social Appearance Anxiety Scale (SAAS) was created to assess fear of overall appearance evaluation. Initial psychometric work indicated that the measure had a single-factor structure and exhibited excellent internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent validity. In the current study, the authors further examined the factor,…

Heterogeneity in the Latent Structure of PTSD Symptoms among Canadian Veterans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Naifeh, James A.; Richardson, J. Don; Del Ben, Kevin S.; Elhai, Jon D.

2010-01-01

The current study used factor mixture modeling to identify heterogeneity (i.e., latent classes) in 2 well-supported models of posttraumatic stress disorder's (PTSD) factor structure. Data were analyzed from a clinical sample of 405 Canadian veterans evaluated for PTSD. Results were consistent with our hypotheses. Each PTSD factor model was best…

Teacher Observation of Classroom Adaptation--Checklist: Development and Factor Structure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Koth, Christine W.; Bradshaw, Catherine P.; Leaf, Philip J.

2009-01-01

Two studies examined the validity and factor structure of the Teacher Observation of Classroom Adaptation-Checklist, an instrument used to evaluate school-based programs. The checklist is a cost-effective alternative to the original interview format, and the factor structure is consistent across gender, race, age, and time of administration.…

Simulating the Effects of Common and Specific Abilities on Test Performance: An Evaluation of Factor Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McFarland, Dennis J.

2014-01-01

Purpose: Factor analysis is a useful technique to aid in organizing multivariate data characterizing speech, language, and auditory abilities. However, knowledge of the limitations of factor analysis is essential for proper interpretation of results. The present study used simulated test scores to illustrate some characteristics of factor…

An evaluation framework for Health Information Systems: human, organization and technology-fit factors (HOT-fit).

PubMed

Yusof, Maryati Mohd; Kuljis, Jasna; Papazafeiropoulou, Anastasia; Stergioulas, Lampros K

2008-06-01

The realization of Health Information Systems (HIS) requires rigorous evaluation that addresses technology, human and organization issues. Our review indicates that current evaluation methods evaluate different aspects of HIS and they can be improved upon. A new evaluation framework, human, organization and technology-fit (HOT-fit) was developed after having conducted a critical appraisal of the findings of existing HIS evaluation studies. HOT-fit builds on previous models of IS evaluation--in particular, the IS Success Model and the IT-Organization Fit Model. This paper introduces the new framework for HIS evaluation that incorporates comprehensive dimensions and measures of HIS and provides a technological, human and organizational fit. Literature review on HIS and IS evaluation studies and pilot testing of developed framework. The framework was used to evaluate a Fundus Imaging System (FIS) of a primary care organization in the UK. The case study was conducted through observation, interview and document analysis. The main findings show that having the right user attitude and skills base together with good leadership, IT-friendly environment and good communication can have positive influence on the system adoption. Comprehensive, specific evaluation factors, dimensions and measures in the new framework (HOT-fit) are applicable in HIS evaluation. The use of such a framework is argued to be useful not only for comprehensive evaluation of the particular FIS system under investigation, but potentially also for any Health Information System in general.

Investigation of Alternative Tourism Types and Sights via Geographic Information Systems: the Exaple of Safranbolu

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aydın, F.; Çepni, O.; Turgut, T.

2017-11-01

In this study, alternative tourism types and sights belonging to Safranbolu were identified through Geographic Information System (GIS) tools. In this manner, most favorable tourism activities, which are specific to field, and evaluation factors of these activities were determined. "Suitability classification values" of these factors were charted by receiving opinions from experts. Natural and cultural properties of study area were determined in the light of evaluation factors and a database was set via GIS. This database was examined according to evaluation factors of the activities and the most suitable and conditional suitable areas were determined. In this study, it is aimed to carry out the suitable place analysis for alternative tourism types of Safranbolu, which is a tourism town, such as riding, mountain biking, camping, trekking. 486 km2 area for riding, 319 m2 for trekking, 209 km2 for mountain biking and 148 km2 for camping were figured out as suitable. These results reveal that tourism activities should be more professionally organized in order to apply alternative tourism types such as riding, mountain biking, camping, trekking. In addition, organizations such as festivals and fairs should be arranged in order to introduce products special to Safranbolu.

[Nutritional and metabolic factors as risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in an adult population in the city of Maracibo, Estado Zulia, Venezuela].

PubMed

García-Araujo, M; Semprún-Fereira, M; Sulbarán, T A; Silva, E; Calmón, G; Campos, G

2001-03-01

To analyze the nutritional and metabolic risk factors for Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) present in a group of people in the city of Maracaibo a study was performed with 209 volunteers (145 women and 64 men) between 20 and 89 years of age who underwent: a) Anthropometric Evaluation: Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR) and Physical Examination: Systolic (SBP) and Diastolic Blood Pressure (DBP); b) Dietetic Evaluation (24 hours recall), and c) Biochemical Evaluation: Glycemia (GLYC), Triglycerides (TG), Total Cholesterol (CHOL), HDL-C, LDL-C and VLDL-C, applying enzymatic methods. It was also investigated, their Age, Family History of Metabolic Alterations (FHMA), physical activity, smoking habits and alcohol consumption. More than 50% of the individuals showed a BMI > 25; 64% of women showed a WHR value > 0.8; 34 and 28% of men and women respectively had a high fat ingestion (HFI); 36% of men had hypertriglyceridemia and high levels of VLDL-C; 41% of women and 30% of men showed decreased HDL-C. A high frequency of FHMA was found in 85% of women and 78% of men followed by sedentary life in 64% of men and 79% of women. The age significantly (p < 0.05) affected the values for WHR, SBP, DBP, GLYC, CHOL, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C and VLDL-C. The dietetic evaluation showed a diet that was low in calories, high in protein, normal in fat and low in carbohydrates. It is concluded that the population elected for this study might be considered under a high risk for CVD, since both nutritional and metabolic factors, as well as the other risk factors analyzed, were present in a high percentage of the individuals studied.

Integrating the Ergonomics Techniques with Multi Criteria Decision Making as a New Approach for Risk Management: An Assessment of Repetitive Tasks -Entropy Case Study.

PubMed

Khandan, Mohammad; Nili, Majid; Koohpaei, Alireza; Mosaferchi, Saeedeh

2016-01-01

Nowadays, the health work decision makers need to analyze a huge amount of data and consider many conflicting evaluation criteria and sub-criteria. Therefore, an ergonomic evaluation in the work environment in order to the control occupational disorders is considered as the Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) problem. In this study, the ergonomic risks factors, which may influence health, were evaluated in a manufacturing company in 2014. Then entropy method was applied to prioritize the different risk factors. This study was done with a descriptive-analytical approach and 13 tasks were included from total number of employees who were working in the seven halls of an ark opal manufacturing (240). Required information was gathered by the demographic questionnaire and Assessment of Repetitive Tasks (ART) method for repetitive task assessment. In addition, entropy was used to prioritize the risk factors based on the ergonomic control needs. The total exposure score based on the ART method calculated was equal to 30.07 ±12.43. Data analysis illustrated that 179 cases (74.6% of tasks) were in the high level of risk area and 13.8% were in the medium level of risk. ART- entropy results revealed that based on the weighted factors, higher value belongs to grip factor and the lowest value was related to neck and hand posture and duration. Based on the limited financial resources, it seems that MCDM in many challenging situations such as control procedures and priority approaches could be used successfully. Other MCDM methods for evaluating and prioritizing the ergonomic problems are recommended.

Are cardiovascular disease risk assessment and management programmes cost effective? A systematic review of the evidence.

PubMed

Lee, John Tayu; Lawson, Kenny D; Wan, Yizhou; Majeed, Azeem; Morris, Stephen; Soljak, Michael; Millett, Christopher

2017-06-01

The World Health Organization recommends that countries implement population-wide cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk assessment and management programmes. The aim of this study was to conduct a systematic review to evaluate whether this recommendation is supported by cost-effectiveness evidence. Published economic evaluations were identified via electronic medical and social science databases (including Medline, Web of Science, and the NHS Economic Evaluation Database) from inception to March 2016. Study quality was evaluated using a modified version of the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards. Fourteen economic evaluations were included: five studies based on randomised controlled trials, seven studies based on observational studies and two studies using hypothetical modelling synthesizing secondary data. Trial based studies measured CVD risk factor changes over 1 to 3years, with modelled projections of longer term events. Programmes were either not, or only, cost-effective under non-verified assumptions such as sustained risk factor changes. Most observational and hypothetical studies suggested programmes were likely to be cost-effective; however, study deigns are subject to bias and subsequent empirical evidence has contradicted key assumptions. No studies assessed impacts on inequalities. In conclusion, recommendations for population-wide risk assessment and management programmes lack a robust, real world, evidence basis. Given implementation is resource intensive there is a need for robust economic evaluation, ideally conducted alongside trials, to assess cost effectiveness. Further, the efficiency and equity impact of different delivery models should be investigated, and also the combination of targeted screening with whole population interventions recognising that there multiple approaches to prevention. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Cardio-respiratory outcomes associated with exposure to wildfire smoke are modified by measures of community health

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Characterizing factors which determine susceptibility to air pollution is an important step in understanding the distribution of risk in a population and is critical for setting appropriate policies. We evaluate general and specific measures of community health as modifiers of risk for asthma and congestive heart failure following an episode of acute exposure to wildfire smoke. Methods A population-based study of emergency department visits and daily concentrations of fine particulate matter during a wildfire in North Carolina was performed. Determinants of community health defined by County Health Rankings were evaluated as modifiers of the relative risk. A total of 40 mostly rural counties were included in the study. These rankings measure factors influencing health: health behaviors, access and quality of clinical care, social and economic factors, and physical environment, as well as, the outcomes of health: premature mortality and morbidity. Pollutant concentrations were obtained from a mathematically modeled smoke forecasting system. Estimates of relative risk for emergency department visits were based on Poisson mixed effects regression models applied to daily visit counts. Results For asthma, the strongest association was observed at lag day 0 with excess relative risk of 66%(28,117). For congestive heart failure the excess relative risk was 42%(5,93). The largest difference in risk was observed after stratifying on the basis of Socio-Economic Factors. Difference in risk between bottom and top ranked counties by Socio-Economic Factors was 85% and 124% for asthma and congestive heart failure respectively. Conclusions The results indicate that Socio-Economic Factors should be considered as modifying risk factors in air pollution studies and be evaluated in the assessment of air pollution impacts. PMID:23006928

Cardio-respiratory outcomes associated with exposure to wildfire smoke are modified by measures of community health.

PubMed

Rappold, Ana G; Cascio, Wayne E; Kilaru, Vasu J; Stone, Susan L; Neas, Lucas M; Devlin, Robert B; Diaz-Sanchez, David

2012-09-24

Characterizing factors which determine susceptibility to air pollution is an important step in understanding the distribution of risk in a population and is critical for setting appropriate policies. We evaluate general and specific measures of community health as modifiers of risk for asthma and congestive heart failure following an episode of acute exposure to wildfire smoke. A population-based study of emergency department visits and daily concentrations of fine particulate matter during a wildfire in North Carolina was performed. Determinants of community health defined by County Health Rankings were evaluated as modifiers of the relative risk. A total of 40 mostly rural counties were included in the study. These rankings measure factors influencing health: health behaviors, access and quality of clinical care, social and economic factors, and physical environment, as well as, the outcomes of health: premature mortality and morbidity. Pollutant concentrations were obtained from a mathematically modeled smoke forecasting system. Estimates of relative risk for emergency department visits were based on Poisson mixed effects regression models applied to daily visit counts. For asthma, the strongest association was observed at lag day 0 with excess relative risk of 66% (28,117). For congestive heart failure the excess relative risk was 42% (5,93). The largest difference in risk was observed after stratifying on the basis of Socio-Economic Factors. Difference in risk between bottom and top ranked counties by Socio-Economic Factors was 85% and 124% for asthma and congestive heart failure respectively. The results indicate that Socio-Economic Factors should be considered as modifying risk factors in air pollution studies and be evaluated in the assessment of air pollution impacts.

Qualitative evaluation of a local coronary heart disease treatment pathway: practical implications and theoretical framework.

PubMed

Kramer, Lena; Schlößler, Kathrin; Träger, Susanne; Donner-Banzhoff, Norbert

2012-05-14

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a common medical problem in general practice. Due to its chronic character, shared care of the patient between general practitioner (GP) and cardiologist (C) is required. In order to improve the cooperation between both medical specialists for patients with CHD, a local treatment pathway was developed. The objective of this study was first to evaluate GPs' opinions regarding the pathway and its practical implications, and secondly to suggest a theoretical framework of the findings by feeding the identified key factors influencing the pathway implementation into a multi-dimensional model. The evaluation of the pathway was conducted in a qualitative design on a sample of 12 pathway developers (8 GPs and 4 cardiologists) and 4 pathway users (GPs). Face-to face interviews, which were aligned with previously conducted studies of the department and assumptions of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), were performed following a semi-structured interview guideline. These were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim, coded, and analyzed according to the standards of qualitative content analysis. We identified 10 frequently mentioned key factors having an impact on the implementation success of the CHD treatment pathway. We thereby differentiated between pathway related (pathway content, effort, individual flexibility, ownership), behaviour related (previous behaviour, support), interaction related (patient, shared care/colleagues), and system related factors (context, health care system). The overall evaluation of the CHD pathway was positive, but did not automatically lead to a change of clinical behaviour as some GPs felt to have already acted as the pathway recommends. By providing an account of our experience creating and implementing an intersectoral care pathway for CHD, this study contributes to our knowledge of factors that may influence physicians' decisions regarding the use of a local treatment pathway. An improved adaptation of the pathway in daily practice might be best achieved by a combined implementation strategy addressing internal and external factors. A simple, direct adaptation regards the design of the pathway material (e.g. layout, PC version), or the embedding of the pathway in another programme, like a Disease Management Programme (DMP). In addition to these practical implications, we propose a theoretical framework to understand the key factors' influence on the pathway implementation, with the identified factors along the microlevel (pathway related factors), the mesolevel (interaction related factors), and system- related factors along the macrolevel.

Adolescent Insomnia as a Risk Factor for Early Adult Depression and Substance Abuse

PubMed Central

Roane, Brandy M.; Taylor, Daniel J.

2008-01-01

Study Objective: To evaluate the association between adolescent insomnia and mental health during adolescence and young adulthood. Design: Cross-sectional and prospective study. Settings: School and in home. Participants: Nationally based population sample of 4494 adolescents, 12 to 18 years old at baseline (mean = 15.83 years), with 3582 young adults, 18 to 25 years old (mean = 21.25 years) at 6- to 7-year follow-up. Measures: Self-report measures of mental health. Results: Insomnia symptoms were reported by 9.4% of the adolescents. Cross-sectionally, adolescent insomnia symptoms were associated with use of alcohol, cannabis, and drugs other than cannabis; depression; suicide ideation; and suicide attempts (all P values < 0.01) after controlling for sex. Prospectively, insomnia symptoms during adolescence were a significant risk factor for depression diagnosis (odds ratio = 2.3) in young adulthood after controlling for sex and baseline depression. Conclusion: This study is the first to longitudinally evaluate insomnia symptoms during adolescence as a risk factor for mental health problems in young adulthood. The findings indicate that insomnia is a prevalent problem for adolescents and argue for future treatment-outcome studies to evaluate the efficacy and effectiveness of various insomnia interventions in this age group. Citation: Roane BM; Taylor DJ. Adolescent insomnia as a risk factor for early adult depression and substance abuse. SLEEP 2008;31(10):1351–1356. PMID:18853932

Risk management for outsourcing biomedical waste disposal – Using the failure mode and effects analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Liao, Ching-Jong; Ho, Chao Chung, E-mail: ho919@pchome.com.tw

Highlights: • This study is based on a real case in hospital in Taiwan. • We use Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) as the evaluation method. • We successfully identify the evaluation factors of bio-medical waste disposal risk. - Abstract: Using the failure mode and effects analysis, this study examined biomedical waste companies through risk assessment. Moreover, it evaluated the supervisors of biomedical waste units in hospitals, and factors relating to the outsourcing risk assessment of biomedical waste in hospitals by referring to waste disposal acts. An expert questionnaire survey was conducted on the personnel involved in waste disposalmore » units in hospitals, in order to identify important factors relating to the outsourcing risk of biomedical waste in hospitals. This study calculated the risk priority number (RPN) and selected items with an RPN value higher than 80 for improvement. These items included “availability of freezing devices”, “availability of containers for sharp items”, “disposal frequency”, “disposal volume”, “disposal method”, “vehicles meeting the regulations”, and “declaration of three lists”. This study also aimed to identify important selection factors of biomedical waste disposal companies by hospitals in terms of risk. These findings can serve as references for hospitals in the selection of outsourcing companies for biomedical waste disposal.« less

Evaluating the Evidence for the General Factor of Personality across Multiple Inventories

PubMed Central

Hopwood, Christopher J.; Wright, Aidan G.C.; Donnellan, M. Brent

2012-01-01

A general factor of personality (GFP) has been proposed as the apex of a personality trait hierarchy that explains covariance among the lower-order factors measured by various personality inventories. In this study we evaluated the GFP hypothesis across several personality inventories, unlike most previous research in which the GFP has been derived from individual instruments in isolation. Exploratory analyses did not produce substantial evidence for the existence of a single cross-instrument higher-order factor of factors and efforts to specify a range of GFP-inspired models in a confirmatory framework led to significant estimation difficulties and poor fit to the data. Overall these results fail to support a common GFP that is positioned at the top of a personality trait hierarchy. PMID:22879686

Stratifying risk factors for multidrug-resistant pathogens in hospitalized patients coming from the community with pneumonia.

PubMed

Aliberti, Stefano; Di Pasquale, Marta; Zanaboni, Anna Maria; Cosentini, Roberto; Brambilla, Anna Maria; Seghezzi, Sonia; Tarsia, Paolo; Mantero, Marco; Blasi, Francesco

2012-02-15

 Not all risk factors for acquiring multidrug-resistant (MDR) organisms are equivalent in predicting pneumonia caused by resistant pathogens in the community. We evaluated risk factors for acquiring MDR bacteria in patients coming from the community who were hospitalized with pneumonia. Our evaluation was based on actual infection with a resistant pathogen and clinical outcome during hospitalization.  An observational, prospective study was conducted on consecutive patients coming from the community who were hospitalized with pneumonia. Data on admission and during hospitalization were collected. Logistic regression models were used to evaluate risk factors for acquiring MDR bacteria independently associated with the actual presence of a resistant pathogen and in-hospital mortality.  Among the 935 patients enrolled in the study, 473 (51%) had at least 1 risk factor for acquiring MDR bacteria on admission. Of all risk factors, hospitalization in the preceding 90 days (odds ratio [OR], 4.87 95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.90-12.4]; P = .001) and residency in a nursing home (OR, 3.55 [95% CI, 1.12-11.24]; P = .031) were independent predictors for an actual infection with a resistant pathogen. A score able to predict pneumonia caused by a resistant pathogen was computed, including comorbidities and risk factors for MDR. Hospitalization in the preceding 90 days and residency in a nursing home were also independent predictors for in-hospital mortality.  Risk factors for acquiring MDR bacteria should be weighted differently, and a probabilistic approach to identifying resistant pathogens among patients coming from the community with pneumonia should be embraced.

Development and Assessment of the Social Issues Advocacy Scale

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nilsson, Johanna E.; Marszalek, Jacob M.; Linnemeyer, Rachel M.; Bahner, Angela D.; Misialek, Leah Hanson

2011-01-01

This article describes the development and the initial psychometric evaluation of the Social Issues Advocacy Scale in two studies. In the first study, an exploratory factor analysis (n = 278) revealed a four-factor scale, accounting for 71.4% of the variance, measuring different aspects of social issue advocacy: Political and Social Advocacy,…

An Evaluation of Gestational Exposure to Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA): Effects on Body Composition and Physiological Factors

EPA Science Inventory

Exposure to environmental pollutants can be a factor for induction of metabolic disorders. This study examined if exposure to PFOA during development could alter body composition and other physiological outcomes. Study 1: Pregnant CD-1 mice were gavaged with PFOA at 0,0.001,0.01,...

Monetary conversion factors for economic evaluations of substance use disorders.

PubMed

McCollister, Kathryn; Yang, Xuan; Sayed, Bisma; French, Michael T; Leff, Jared A; Schackman, Bruce R

2017-10-01

Estimating the economic consequences of substance use disorders (SUDs) is important for evaluating existing programs and new interventions. Policy makers in particular must weigh program effectiveness with scalability and sustainability considerations in deciding which programs to fund with limited resources. This study provides a comprehensive list of monetary conversion factors for a broad range of consequences, services, and outcomes, which can be used in economic evaluations of SUD interventions (primarily in the United States), including common co-occurring conditions such as HCV and HIV. Economic measures were selected from standardized clinical assessment instruments that are used in randomized clinical trials and other research studies (e.g., quasi-experimental community-based projects) to evaluate the impact of SUD interventions. National datasets were also reviewed for additional SUD-related consequences, services, and outcomes. Monetary conversion factors were identified through a comprehensive literature review of published articles as well as targeted searches of other sources such as government reports. Eight service/consequence/outcome domains were identified containing more than sixty monetizable measures of medical and behavioral health services, laboratory services, SUD treatment, social services, productivity outcomes, disability outcomes, criminal activity and criminal justice services, and infectious diseases consequences. Unit-specific monetary conversion factors are reported, along with upper and lower bound estimates, whenever possible. Having an updated and standardized source of monetary conversion factors will facilitate and improve future economic evaluations of interventions targeting SUDs and other risky behaviors. This exercise should be repeated periodically as new sources of data become available to maintain the timeliness, comprehensiveness, and quality of these estimates. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Suitability assessment of health education brochures in Qassim province, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Jahan, Saulat; Al-Saigul, Abdullah M; Alharbi, Ali M; Abdelgadir, Muzamil H

2014-09-01

Health education is the cornerstone of primary health care. Health education materials distributed to the community should, therefore, be suitable and effective. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the health education brochures, designed and disseminated by Ministry of Health institutions in the Qassim province. The study was a cross-sectional review of health education brochures. We used a structured evaluation form, comprising general information on the brochures and a modified Suitability Assessment of Materials (SAM) score sheet. The SAM consisting of 22 criteria in six groups, includes content, literacy demands, graphics, layout/typography, learning stimulation/motivation, and cultural appropriateness. SAM criteria categorize written material into "superior," "adequate" and "not suitable." Two qualified consultant family physicians evaluated the brochures. Data were analyzed using Epi Info version 3.4 statistical package. We evaluated 110 brochures, the majority of which addressed chronic health conditions such as mental health, diabetes mellitus and hypertension. Seventy-four (67.3%) brochures were evaluated as "adequate," 34 (30.9%) as "not suitable" and 2 (1.8%) as "superior." "Cultural appropriateness" was the highest scoring factor, with 92 (83.6%) brochures falling into either the "superior" or "adequate" category. With regard to "content," 88 (80.0%) brochures fell into either the "superior" or "adequate" category. This was the second highest scoring factor. Graphics was the factor that scored the least. Seventy-five (68.2%) brochures were rated in this factor as "not suitable." Although two-thirds of our brochures were considered "adequate," the majority needed improvement to their graphics and learning stimulation factors. We recommend that guidelines for designing health education brochures should be formulated to improve the quality of health education brochures.

Depression in Mothers of Children with Cerebral Palsy and Related Factors in Turkey: A Controlled Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Unsal-Delialioglu, Sibel; Kaya, Kurtulus; Ozel, Sumru; Gorgulu, Gulderen

2009-01-01

The primary objective of the study was to determine whether there was any difference, with respect to depression, between mothers of children with cerebral palsy (CP) and mothers of healthy children. The secondary objective was to evaluate whether some additional factors had an impact on the depression of the mothers. The study included 49…

Major Factors Influencing HIV/AIDS Project Evaluation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niba, Mercy Bi; Green, J. Maryann

2005-01-01

This article aimed at finding out if participatory processes (group discussions, enactments, and others) do make a valuable contribution in communication-based project implementation/evaluation and the fight against HIV/AIDS. A case study backed by documentary analysis of evaluation reports and occasional insights from interviews stood as the main…

Using the RE-AIM framework to evaluate physical activity public health programs in Mexico

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Physical activity (PA) public health programming has been widely used in Mexico; however, few studies have documented individual and organizational factors that might be used to evaluate their public health impact. The RE-AIM framework is an evaluation tool that examines individual and organizationa...

Participants' Evaluation of Consultation: Implications for Training in School Psychology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Klose, Laurie McGarry; Plotts, Cynthia; Lasser, Jon

2012-01-01

Evaluation of graduate students' consultation skills is essential to competent practice in school settings. Congruence of evaluation of the consultation experience has been shown as an important factor in the development of competent consultants in other, related disciplines. The current study analysed student consultant and teacher consultee…

Immunogenicity and immune tolerance coagulation Factors VIII and IX.

PubMed

Rup, B

2003-01-01

Some of the major issues related to the development and control of antibodies that occur during treatment of haemophilia with replacement factors (Factor VIII and Factor IX) are reviewed. Information on analytical issues, immunogenicity, and immune tolerance may be applicable to the study of other therapeutic proteins. Conversely, new information obtained from evaluation of other therapeutic protein products may address issues that remain unresolved for Factor VIII and FIX replacement therapy.

Psychometric evaluation of a new instrument in Spanish to measure the wellness of university nursing faculty.

PubMed

Hurtado-Pardos, Barbara; Casas, Irma; Lluch-Canut, Teresa; Moreno-Arroyo, Carmen; Nebot-Bergua, Carlos; Roldán-Merino, Juan

2018-01-02

The aim of this study was to design and validate an instrument to measure the wellness among university nursing faculty. The study was performed in two phases. Phase I consisted of the development of the instrument with discussion groups and participant consensus. We designed an instrument including the 21 items or psychosocial risk factors identified and estimated an index by evaluating the frequency and intensity of each item. The items were grouped into 3 dimensions: teaching work demands, curricular demands, and organizational difficulties. Phase II, we evaluated the psychometric properties of the tool in a sample of 263 participants. Exploratory factor analysis showed a 3-factor structure that explained 53% of the total variance. The internal consistency of the instrument was 0.91 for the whole instrument. The results indicate that the tool developed is valid and reliable and may be a good instrument to monitor the wellness of university nursing faculty.

Good Psychometric Properties of the Addiction Version of the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire for Health Care Professionals

PubMed Central

Dijkstra, Boukje; Golbach, Milou; De Jong, Cor; Schellekens, Arnt

2016-01-01

Background Addiction, or substance dependence, is nowadays considered a chronic relapsing condition. However, perceptions of addiction vary widely, also among healthcare professionals. Perceptions of addiction are thought to contribute to attitude and stigma towards patients with addiction. However, studies into perceptions of addiction among healthcare professionals are limited and instruments for reliable assessment of their perceptions are lacking. The Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ) is widely used to evaluate perceptions of illness. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the IPQ: factor structure, internal consistency, and discriminant validity, when applied to evaluate healthcare professionals’ perceptions of addiction. Methods Participants were 1072 healthcare professionals in training and master students from the Netherlands and Indonesia, recruited from various addiction-training programs. The revised version of the IPQ was adapted to measure perceptions of addiction (IPQ-A). Maximum likelihood method was used to explore the best-fit IPQ factor structure. Internal consistency was evaluated for the final factors. The final factor structure was used to assess discriminant validity of the IPQ, by comparing illness perceptions of addiction between 1) medical students from the Netherlands and Indonesia, 2) medical students psychology students and educational science students from the Netherlands, and 3) participants with different training levels: medical students versus medical doctors. Results Factor analysis revealed an eight-factor structure for the perception subscale (demoralization, timeline chronic, consequences, personal control, treatment control, illness coherence, timeline cyclical emotional representations) and a four-factor structure for the attribution subscale (psychological attributions, risk factors, smoking/alcohol, overwork). Internal reliability was acceptable to good. The IPQ-A was able to detect differences in perceptions between healthcare professionals from different cultural and educational background and level of training. Conclusions The IPQ-A is a valid and reliable instrument to assess healthcare professionals’ perceptions of addiction. PMID:27824872

Good Psychometric Properties of the Addiction Version of the Revised Illness Perception Questionnaire for Health Care Professionals.

PubMed

Ayu, Astri Parawita; Dijkstra, Boukje; Golbach, Milou; De Jong, Cor; Schellekens, Arnt

2016-01-01

Addiction, or substance dependence, is nowadays considered a chronic relapsing condition. However, perceptions of addiction vary widely, also among healthcare professionals. Perceptions of addiction are thought to contribute to attitude and stigma towards patients with addiction. However, studies into perceptions of addiction among healthcare professionals are limited and instruments for reliable assessment of their perceptions are lacking. The Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ) is widely used to evaluate perceptions of illness. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the IPQ: factor structure, internal consistency, and discriminant validity, when applied to evaluate healthcare professionals' perceptions of addiction. Participants were 1072 healthcare professionals in training and master students from the Netherlands and Indonesia, recruited from various addiction-training programs. The revised version of the IPQ was adapted to measure perceptions of addiction (IPQ-A). Maximum likelihood method was used to explore the best-fit IPQ factor structure. Internal consistency was evaluated for the final factors. The final factor structure was used to assess discriminant validity of the IPQ, by comparing illness perceptions of addiction between 1) medical students from the Netherlands and Indonesia, 2) medical students psychology students and educational science students from the Netherlands, and 3) participants with different training levels: medical students versus medical doctors. Factor analysis revealed an eight-factor structure for the perception subscale (demoralization, timeline chronic, consequences, personal control, treatment control, illness coherence, timeline cyclical emotional representations) and a four-factor structure for the attribution subscale (psychological attributions, risk factors, smoking/alcohol, overwork). Internal reliability was acceptable to good. The IPQ-A was able to detect differences in perceptions between healthcare professionals from different cultural and educational background and level of training. The IPQ-A is a valid and reliable instrument to assess healthcare professionals' perceptions of addiction.

48 CFR 852.215-71 - Evaluation factor commitments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Evaluation factor....215-71 Evaluation factor commitments. As prescribed in 815.304-71(b), insert the following clause: Evaluation Factor Commitments (DEC 2009) The offeror agrees, if awarded a contract, to use the service...

Identifying potential working mechanisms behind the positive effects of exercise therapy on pain and function in osteoarthritis; a systematic review.

PubMed

Runhaar, J; Luijsterburg, P; Dekker, J; Bierma-Zeinstra, S M A

2015-07-01

Although physical exercise is the commonly recommended for osteoarthritis (OA) patients, the working mechanism behind the positive effects of physical exercise on pain and function is a black box phenomenon. In the present study we aimed to identify possible mediators in the relation between physical exercise and improvements of pain and function in OA patients. A systematic search for all studies evaluating the effects of physical exercise in OA patients and select those that additionally reported the change in any physiological factor from pre-to post-exercise. In total, 94 studies evaluating 112 intervention groups were included. Most included studies evaluated subjects with solely knee OA (96 out of 112 groups). Based on the measured physiological factors within the included studies, 12 categories of possible mediators were formed. Muscle strength and ROM/flexibility were the most measured categories of possible mediators with 61 and 21 intervention groups measuring one or more physiological factors within these categories, respectively. 60% (31 out of 52) of the studies showed a significant increase in knee extensor muscle strength and 71% (22 out of 31) in knee flexor muscle strength over the intervention period. All 5 studies evaluating extension impairments and 10 out of 12 studies (83%) measuring proprioception found a significant change from pre-to post-intervention. An increase of upper leg strength, a decrease of extension impairments and improvement in proprioception were identified as possible mediators in the positive association between physical exercise and OA symptoms. Copyright © 2015 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Can the Knobe Effect Be Explained Away? Methodological Controversies in the Study of the Relationship Between Intentionality and Morality.

PubMed

Cova, Florian; Lantian, Anthony; Boudesseul, Jordane

2016-10-01

Based on the "Knobe Effect," Knobe has argued that moral evaluations can influence intentionality judgments. However, two methodological objections have been raised against this claim: first, that participants' answers do not accurately reflect what they think and, second, that the Knobe Effect can be fully explained by non-moral factors, such as the agent's desires or beliefs. In this article, we discuss these two methodological objections to the existence of the Knobe Effect and provide new evidence that moral evaluations can shape intentionality judgments. First, Study 1 shows that standard measures of intentionality do not overestimate participants' intentionality judgments. Second, Studies 2 and 3 suggest that participants' moral evaluations still mediate the impact of positive versus negative side-effects on judgments about intentional action, even when taking into account a whole range of non-moral factors. Results suggest that moral evaluations play an irreducible role in shaping our judgments about intentional action. © 2016 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

An Evaluation of the Impact of E-Learning Media Formats on Student Perception and Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurbel, Karl; Stankov, Ivo; Datsenka, Rastsislau

Factors influencing student evaluation of web-based courses are analyzed, based on student feedback from an online distance-learning graduate program. The impact of different media formats on the perception of the courses by the students as well as on their performance in these courses are examined. In particular, we studied conventional hypertext-based courses, video-based courses and audio-based courses, and tried to find out whether the media format has an effect on how students assess courses and how good or bad their grades are. Statistical analyses were performed to answer several research questions related to the topic and to properly evaluate the factors influencing student evaluation.

Standardized assessment of psychosocial factors and their influence on medically confirmed health outcomes in workers: a systematic review.

PubMed

Rosário, Susel; Fonseca, João A; Nienhaus, Albert; da Costa, José Torres

2016-01-01

Previous studies of psychosocial work factors have indicated their importance for workers' health. However, to what extent health problems can be attributed to the nature of the work environment or other psychosocial factors is not clear. No previous systematic review has used inclusion criteria based on specific medical evaluation of work-related health outcomes and the use of validated instruments for the assessment of the psychosocial (work) environment. The aim of this systematic review is to summarize the evidence assessing the relationship between the psychosocial work environment and workers' health based on studies that used standardized and validated instruments to assess the psychosocial work environment and that focused on medically confirmed health outcomes. A systematic review of the literature was carried out by searching the databases PubMed, B-ON, Science Direct, Psycarticles, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection and the search engine (Google Scholar) using appropriate words for studies published from 2004 to 2014. This review follows the recommendations of the Statement for Reporting Systematic Reviews (PRISMA). Studies were included in the review if data on psychosocial validated assessment method(s) for the study population and specific medical evaluation of health-related work outcome(s) were presented. In total, the search strategy yielded 10,623 references, of which 10 studies (seven prospective cohort and three cross-sectional) met the inclusion criteria. Most studies (7/10) observed an adverse effect of poor psychosocial work factors on workers' health: 3 on sickness absence, 4 on cardiovascular diseases. The other 3 studies reported detrimental effects on sleep and on disease-associated biomarkers. A more consistent effect was observed in studies of higher methodological quality that used a prospective design jointly with the use of validated instruments for the assessment of the psychosocial (work) environment and clinical evaluation. More prospective studies are needed to assess the evidence of work-related psychosocial factors on workers´ health.

[Psychosocial factors at work and cardiovascular diseases: contribution of the Effort-Reward Imbalance model].

PubMed

Niedhammer, I; Siegrist, J

1998-11-01

The effect of psychosocial factors at work on health, especially cardiovascular health, has given rise to growing concern in occupational epidemiology over the last few years. Two theoretical models, Karasek's model and the Effort-Reward Imbalance model, have been developed to evaluate psychosocial factors at work within specific conceptual frameworks in an attempt to take into account the serious methodological difficulties inherent in the evaluation of such factors. Karasek's model, the most widely used model, measures three factors: psychological demands, decision latitude and social support at work. Many studies have shown the predictive effects of these factors on cardiovascular diseases independently of well-known cardiovascular risk factors. More recently, the Effort-Reward Imbalance model takes into account the role of individual coping characteristics which was neglected in the Karasek model. The effort-reward imbalance model focuses on the reciprocity of exchange in occupational life where high-cost/low-gain conditions are considered particularly stressful. Three dimensions of rewards are distinguished: money, esteem and gratifications in terms of promotion prospects and job security. Some studies already support that high-effort/low reward-conditions are predictive of cardiovascular diseases.

Nursing Workload as a Risk Factor for Healthcare Associated Infections in ICU: A Prospective Study

PubMed Central

Daud-Gallotti, Renata M.; Costa, Silvia F.; Guimarães, Thais; Padilha, Katia Grillo; Inoue, Evelize Naomi; Vasconcelos, Tiago Nery; da Silva Cunha Rodrigues, Fernanda; Barbosa, Edizângela Vasconcelos; Figueiredo, Walquíria Barcelos; Levin, Anna S.

2012-01-01

Introduction Nurse understaffing is frequently hypothesized as a potential risk factor for healthcare-associated infections (HAI). This study aimed to evaluate the role of nursing workload in the occurrence of HAI, using Nursing Activities Score (NAS). Methods This prospective cohort study enrolled all patients admitted to 3 Medical ICUs and one step-down unit during 3 months (2009). Patients were followed-up until HAI, discharge or death. Information was obtained from direct daily observation of medical and nursing rounds, chart review and monitoring of laboratory system. Nursing workload was determined using NAS. Non-compliance to the nurses’ patient care plans (NPC) was identified. Demographic data, clinical severity, invasive procedures, hospital interventions, and the occurrence of other adverse events were also recorded. Patients who developed HAI were compared with those who did not. Results 195 patients were included and 43 (22%) developed HAI: 16 pneumonia, 12 urinary-tract, 8 bloodstream, 2 surgical site, 2 other respiratory infections and 3 other. Average NAS and average proportion of non compliance with NPC were significantly higher in HAI patients. They were also more likely to suffer other adverse events. Only excessive nursing workload (OR: 11.41; p: 0.019) and severity of patient’s clinical condition (OR: 1.13; p: 0.015) remained as risk factors to HAI. Conclusions Excessive nursing workload was the main risk factor for HAI, when evaluated together with other invasive devices except mechanical ventilation. To our knowledge, this study is the first to evaluate prospectively the nursing workload as a potential risk factor for HAI, using NAS. PMID:23300645

Assessment of In vitro Sun Protection Factor of Calendula Officinalis L. (Asteraceae) Essential Oil Formulation

PubMed Central

Mishra, AK; Mishra, A; Chattopadhyay, P

2012-01-01

The present study was undertaken to study the sunscreen activity of herbal formulation. There is no evidence of the sun protection factor (SPF) studies on essential oil of Calendula flowers (Calendula officinalis L., Asteraceae). The study investigates the in vitro SPF by ultraviolet specrtophotometry method of Calendula flower oil in a cream formulation. Calendula oil was isolated by Clavenger's apparatus, compositions were identified by GC–MS and the cream of calendula flower oil was prepared by homogenization method followed by evaluation for physical parameters. The sun protection factor of cream was evaluated by in vitro method employing UV–visible spectrophotometer (Shimazdu-1600). The SPF of Calendula oil in cream formulation exhibited good activity (SPF = 14.84 ± 0.16). Finding of this study suggested that calendula oil cream can be used to protect the skin from UV radiations in form of sunscreen cream and to maintain the natural pigmentation of the skin. PMID:22523455

Proposal of a risk-factor-based analytical approach for integrating occupational health and safety into project risk evaluation.

PubMed

Badri, Adel; Nadeau, Sylvie; Gbodossou, André

2012-09-01

Excluding occupational health and safety (OHS) from project management is no longer acceptable. Numerous industrial accidents have exposed the ineffectiveness of conventional risk evaluation methods as well as negligence of risk factors having major impact on the health and safety of workers and nearby residents. Lack of reliable and complete evaluations from the beginning of a project generates bad decisions that could end up threatening the very existence of an organization. This article supports a systematic approach to the evaluation of OHS risks and proposes a new procedure based on the number of risk factors identified and their relative significance. A new concept called risk factor concentration along with weighting of risk factor categories as contributors to undesirable events are used in the analytical hierarchy process multi-criteria comparison model with Expert Choice(©) software. A case study is used to illustrate the various steps of the risk evaluation approach and the quick and simple integration of OHS at an early stage of a project. The approach allows continual reassessment of criteria over the course of the project or when new data are acquired. It was thus possible to differentiate the OHS risks from the risk of drop in quality in the case of the factory expansion project. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biomedical and Human Factors Requirements for a Manned Earth Orbiting Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Helvey, W.; Martell, C.; Peters, J.; Rosenthal, G.; Benjamin, F.; Albright, G.

1964-01-01

The primary objective of this study is to determine which biomedical and human factors measurements must be made aboard a space station to assure adequate evaluation of the astronaut's health and performance during prolonged space flights. The study has employed, where possible, a medical and engineering systems analysis to define the pertinent life sciences and space station design parameters and their influence on a measurement program. The major areas requiring evaluation in meeting the study objectives include a definition of the space environment, man's response to the environment, selection of measurement and data management techniques, experimental program, space station design requirements, and a trade-off analysis with final recommendations. The space environment factors that are believed to have a significant effect on man were evaluated. This includes those factors characteristic of the space environment (e. g. weightlessness, radiation) as well as those created within the space station (e. g. toxic contaminants, capsule atmosphere). After establishing the general features of the environment, an appraisal was made of the anticipated response of the astronaut to each of these factors. For thoroughness, the major organ systems and functions of the body were delineated, and a determination was made of their anticipated response to each of the environmental categories. A judgment was then made on the medical significance or importance of each response, which enabled a determination of which physiological and psychological effects should be monitored. Concurrently, an extensive list of measurement techniques and methods of data management was evaluated for applicability to the space station program. The various space station configurations and design parameters were defined in terms of the biomedical and human factors requirements to provide the measurements program. Research design of experimental programs for various station configurations, mission durations, and crew sizes were prepared, and, finally, a trade-off analysis of the critical variables in the station planning was completed with recommendations to enhance the confidence in the measurement program.

A Mixed Method Exploration of the Efficacy of the Teacher Evaluation System in Southwestern Pennsylvania

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johns, Caroline

2017-01-01

This mixed method study was a practitioner inquiry into the teacher evaluation system that was enacted as a result of Pennsylvania House Bill 1901 (Act 82 of 2012). The study was an effort to gain an in-depth understanding of (a) factors that led to the passage of the Act 82 teacher evaluation policy, (b) what the policy was intended to do, and…

Structural differences within negative and depressive syndrome dimensions in schizophrenia, organic brain disease, and major depression: A confirmatory factor analysis of the positive and negative syndrome scale.

PubMed

Eisenberg, Daniel P; Aniskin, Dmitry B; White, Leonard; Stein, Judith A; Harvey, Philip D; Galynker, Igor I

2009-01-01

The emerging dimensional approach to classification and treatment of psychiatric disorders calls for better understanding of diagnosis-related variations in psychiatric syndromes and for proper validation of psychometric scales used for the evaluation of those syndromes. This study tested the hypothesis that negative and depressive syndromes as measured by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) are consistent across different diagnoses. We administered the PANSS to subjects with schizophrenia (n = 305), organic brain disease (OBD, n = 66) and major depressive disorder (MDD, n = 75). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to establish if the PANSS items for negative symptoms and for depression fit the hypothesized factor structure and if the item factor loadings were similar among the diagnostic groups. The negative and depressive symptom subscales fit well according to a variety of fit indexes for all groups individually after some modest model modification. However, multisample modeling procedures indicated that the pattern of factor loadings was significantly different among the groups in most cases. The results of this study indicate diagnosis-related variations in the negative and depressive syndrome dimensions in schizophrenia, OBD and MDD. These results also validate limited use of the PANSS for evaluation of negative and depressive syndromes in disorders other than schizophrenia. Larger studies are warranted to further evaluate clinical and nosologic significance of diagnostic categories, dimensions and structures of psychiatric syndromes. 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

A multi-scaled approach to evaluating the fish assemblage structure within southern Appalachian streams USA.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kirsch, Joseph; Peterson, James T.

2014-01-01

There is considerable uncertainty about the relative roles of stream habitat and landscape characteristics in structuring stream-fish assemblages. We evaluated the relative importance of environmental characteristics on fish occupancy at the local and landscape scales within the upper Little Tennessee River basin of Georgia and North Carolina. Fishes were sampled using a quadrat sample design at 525 channel units within 48 study reaches during two consecutive years. We evaluated species–habitat relationships (local and landscape factors) by developing hierarchical, multispecies occupancy models. Modeling results suggested that fish occupancy within the Little Tennessee River basin was primarily influenced by stream topology and topography, urban land coverage, and channel unit types. Landscape scale factors (e.g., urban land coverage and elevation) largely controlled the fish assemblage structure at a stream-reach level, and local-scale factors (i.e., channel unit types) influenced fish distribution within stream reaches. Our study demonstrates the utility of a multi-scaled approach and the need to account for hierarchy and the interscale interactions of factors influencing assemblage structure prior to monitoring fish assemblages, developing biological management plans, or allocating management resources throughout a stream system.

Evaluating Individual Students' Perceptions of Instructional Quality: An Investigation of their Factor Structure, Measurement Invariance, and Relations to Educational Outcomes

PubMed Central

Scherer, Ronny; Nilsen, Trude; Jansen, Malte

2016-01-01

Students' perceptions of instructional quality are among the most important criteria for evaluating teaching effectiveness. The present study evaluates different latent variable modeling approaches (confirmatory factor analysis, exploratory structural equation modeling, and bifactor modeling), which are used to describe these individual perceptions with respect to their factor structure, measurement invariance, and the relations to selected educational outcomes (achievement, self-concept, and motivation in mathematics). On the basis of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2012 large-scale data sets of Australia, Canada, and the USA (N = 26,746 students), we find support for the distinction between three factors of individual students' perceptions and full measurement invariance across countries for all modeling approaches. In this regard, bifactor exploratory structural equation modeling outperformed alternative approaches with respect to model fit. Our findings reveal significant relations to the educational outcomes. This study synthesizes different modeling approaches of individual students' perceptions of instructional quality and provides insights into the nature of these perceptions from an individual differences perspective. Implications for the measurement and modeling of individually perceived instructional quality are discussed. PMID:26903917

Application of zero-inflated poisson mixed models in prognostic factors of hepatitis C.

PubMed

Akbarzadeh Baghban, Alireza; Pourhoseingholi, Asma; Zayeri, Farid; Jafari, Ali Akbar; Alavian, Seyed Moayed

2013-01-01

In recent years, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection represents a major public health problem. Evaluation of risk factors is one of the solutions which help protect people from the infection. This study aims to employ zero-inflated Poisson mixed models to evaluate prognostic factors of hepatitis C. The data was collected from a longitudinal study during 2005-2010. First, mixed Poisson regression (PR) model was fitted to the data. Then, a mixed zero-inflated Poisson model was fitted with compound Poisson random effects. For evaluating the performance of the proposed mixed model, standard errors of estimators were compared. The results obtained from mixed PR showed that genotype 3 and treatment protocol were statistically significant. Results of zero-inflated Poisson mixed model showed that age, sex, genotypes 2 and 3, the treatment protocol, and having risk factors had significant effects on viral load of HCV patients. Of these two models, the estimators of zero-inflated Poisson mixed model had the minimum standard errors. The results showed that a mixed zero-inflated Poisson model was the almost best fit. The proposed model can capture serial dependence, additional overdispersion, and excess zeros in the longitudinal count data.

Development of a short-form Learning Organization Survey: the LOS-27.

PubMed

Singer, Sara J; Moore, Scott C; Meterko, Mark; Williams, Sandra

2012-08-01

Despite urgent need for innovation, adaptation, and change in health care, few tools enable researchers or practitioners to assess the extent to which health care facilities perform as learning organizations or the effects of initiatives that require learning. This study's objective was to develop and test a short-form Learning Organization Survey to fill this gap. The authors applied exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis to data from Veterans Health Administration personnel to derive a short-form survey and then conducted further confirmatory factor analysis and factor invariance testing on additional Veterans Health Administration data to evaluate the short form. Results suggest that a 27-item, 7-factor survey (2 environmental factors, 1 on leadership, and 4 on concrete learning processes and practices) reliably measures key features of organizational learning, allowing researchers to evaluate theoretical propositions about organizational learning, its antecedents, and outcomes and enabling managers to assess and enhance organizations' learning capabilities and performance.

Risk factors special to eastern culture for the development of anal fissure.

PubMed

Erel, Serap; Adahan, Didem; Kismet, Kemal; Caylan, Ayse; Tanrikulu, Yusuf; Akkus, Mehmet Ali

2009-01-01

To reveal the effect of diet, bowel functions and toilet habits on the development of anal fissure. One hundred patients complaining of anal fissure were included to the case group; and one hundred age- and gender-matched patients referred for other reasons except for anorectal complaints were included to the control group. The information was obtained by face to face interviews using questionnaires. Statistically significant differences were found in coffee, fruit, and meat consumption between the groups. The patients suffering from anal fissure avoided paprika consumption. The rate of anal fissure incidence was higher in squat toilet users. This study is the first study which evaluates the risk factors such as paprika consumption and squat toilet usage that are specific to Eastern culture. Further studies including large numbers of population are needed to evaluate different risk factors for anal fissure development (Tab. 2, Ref. 11). Full Text (Free, PDF) www.bmj.sk.

Research on evaluation methods for water regulation ability of dams in the Huai River Basin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shan, G. H.; Lv, S. F.; Ma, K.

2016-08-01

Water environment protection is a global and urgent problem that requires correct and precise evaluation. Evaluation methods have been studied for many years; however, there is a lack of research on the methods of assessing the water regulation ability of dams. Currently, evaluating the ability of dams has become a practical and significant research orientation because of the global water crisis, and the lack of effective ways to manage a dam's regulation ability has only compounded this. This paper firstly constructs seven evaluation factors and then develops two evaluation approaches to implement the factors according to the features of the problem. Dams of the Yin Shang ecological control section in the Huai He River basin are selected as an example to demonstrate the method. The results show that the evaluation approaches can produce better and more practical suggestions for dam managers.

Current management and prognostic factors in physiotherapy practice for patients with shoulder pain: design of a prospective cohort study.

PubMed

Karel, Yasmaine H J M; Scholten-Peeters, Wendy G M; Thoomes-de Graaf, Marloes; Duijn, Edwin; Ottenheijm, Ramon P G; van den Borne, Maaike P J; Koes, Bart W; Verhagen, Arianne P; Dinant, Geert-Jan; Tetteroo, Eric; Beumer, Annechien; van Broekhoven, Joost B; Heijmans, Marcel

2013-02-11

Shoulder pain is disabling and has a considerable socio-economic impact. Over 50% of patients presenting in primary care still have symptoms after 6 months; moreover, prognostic factors such as pain intensity, age, disability level and duration of complaints are associated with poor outcome. Most shoulder complaints in this group are categorized as non-specific. Musculoskeletal ultrasound might be a useful imaging method to detect subgroups of patients with subacromial disorders.This article describes the design of a prospective cohort study evaluating the influence of known prognostic and possible prognostic factors, such as findings from musculoskeletal ultrasound outcome and working alliance, on the recovery of shoulder pain. Also, to assess the usual physiotherapy care for shoulder pain and examine the inter-rater reliability of musculoskeletal ultrasound between radiologists and physiotherapists for patients with shoulder pain. A prospective cohort study including an inter-rater reliability study. Patients presenting in primary care physiotherapy practice with shoulder pain are enrolled. At baseline validated questionnaires are used to measure patient characteristics, disease-specific characteristics and social factors. Physical examination is performed according to the expertise of the physiotherapists. Follow-up measurements will be performed 6, 12 and 26 weeks after inclusion. Primary outcome measure is perceived recovery, measured on a 7-point Likert scale. Logistic regression analysis will be used to evaluate the association between prognostic factors and recovery. The ShoCoDiP (Shoulder Complaints and using Diagnostic ultrasound in Physiotherapy practice) cohort study will provide information on current management of patients with shoulder pain in primary care, provide data to develop a prediction model for shoulder pain in primary care and to evaluate whether musculoskeletal ultrasound can improve prognosis.

Risk Factors for Peri-Implantitis: Effect of History of Periodontal Disease and Smoking Habits. A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

PubMed Central

Berton, Federico; Perinetti, Giuseppe; Frassetto, Andrea; Lombardi, Teresa; Khoury, Aiman; Andolsek, Francesca; Di Lenarda, Roberto

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Objectives The purpose of this review was to evaluate whether history of periodontitis and smoking habits could represent a risk factor for peri-implantitis and implant loss. Material and Methods This systematic review followed PRISMA guidelines and was registered at the PROSPERO database [registration numbers CRD42016034160 (effect of history of periodontitis) and CRD42016033676 (effect of smoking)]. Broad electronic (MEDLINE) and manual searches were conducted among articles published from January 1st 1990 up to December 31st 2015, resulting in 49332 records for history of periodontitis and 3199 for smoking habits. Selection criteria included prospective studies comparing two cohorts of patients, with and without the investigated risk factor, with a minimum follow-up period of three years, and reporting data on peri-implantitis and implant loss occurrence. Considering that only prospective studies were included, dichotomous data were expressed as risk ratios and 95% confidence intervals. Results Three studies evaluating history of periodontitis (on which quantitative analysis was performed) and one study on smoking effect were included. Both implant and patient-based meta-analyses revealed a significantly higher risk of developing peri-implantitis in patients with a history of periodontitis compared with periodontally healthy subjects, but not a statistically significant increased risk for implant loss. Conclusions The outcomes of this systematic review indicate history of periodontitis as a possible risk factor for peri-implantitis, while insufficient data are present in literature to evaluate the role of smoking. However, available evidence is still weak and immature, and sound epidemiological studies are needed to analyse the specific contribution of these potential risk factors. PMID:27833728

Effective Factors in Severity of Traffic Accident-Related Traumas; an Epidemiologic Study Based on the Haddon Matrix

PubMed Central

Masoumi, Kambiz; Forouzan, Arash; Barzegari, Hassan; Asgari Darian, Ali; Rahim, Fakher; Zohrevandi, Behzad; Nabi, Somayeh

2016-01-01

Introduction: Traffic accidents are the 8th cause of mortality in different countries and are expected to rise to the 3rd rank by 2020. Based on the Haddon matrix numerous factors such as environment, host, and agent can affect the severity of traffic-related traumas. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the effective factors in severity of these traumas based on Haddon matrix. Methods: In the present 1-month cross-sectional study, all the patients injured in traffic accidents, who were referred to the ED of Imam Khomeini and Golestan Hospitals, Ahvaz, Iran, during March 2013 were evaluated. Based on the Haddon matrix, effective factors in accident occurrence were defined in 3 groups of host, agent, and environment. Demographic data of the patients and data regarding Haddon risk factors were extracted and analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results: 700 injured people with the mean age of 29.66 ± 12.64 years (3-82) were evaluated (92.4% male). Trauma mechanism was car-pedestrian in 308 (44%) of the cases and car-motorcycle in 175 (25%). 610 (87.1%) cases were traffic accidents and 371 (53%) occurred in the time between 2 pm and 8 pm. Violation of speed limit was the most common violation with 570 (81.4%) cases, followed by violation of right-of-way in 57 (8.1%) patients. 59.9% of the severe and critical injuries had occurred on road accidents, while 61.3% of the injuries caused by traffic accidents were mild to moderate (p < 0.001). The most common mechanisms of trauma for critical injuries were rollover (72.5%), motorcycle-pedestrian (23.8%), and car-motorcycle (13.14%) accidents (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Based on the results of the present study, the most important effective factors in severity of traffic accident-related traumas were age over 50, not using safety tools, and undertaking among host-related factors; insufficient environment safety, road accidents and time between 2 pm and 8 pm among environmental factors; and finally, rollover, car-pedestrian, and motorcycle-pedestrian accidents among the agent factors PMID:27274517

Human factor studies in evaluation of automated highway system attributes

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-01-01

The goal of the Automated Highway System (AHS) is to blend engineering : ingenuity and technology to produce a new level of transportation services. : Human factors are difficult to integrate with AHS design because : they represent a variety of trai...

Oak Seedling Establishment in Relation to Environmental Factors at Annadel State Park

Treesearch

Stephen J. Barnhart; Joe R. McBride; Peter Warner

1991-01-01

As part of an ongoing study of oak ecology in Sonoma County, California, we have begun to evaluate various environmental factors relative to oak seedling establishment at Annadel State Park. These factors, identified at three spatial scales (macro, meso and microscales), were correlated with the presence of oak seedlings in two contrasting northern oak woodland...

Homework Management Scale: Confirming the Factor Structure with Middle School Students in China

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Xu, Jianzhong; Fan, Xitao; Du, Jianxia

2015-01-01

This study presents a psychometric evaluation of the Homework Management Scale (HMS) for mathematics, consisting of five subscales for measuring homework management strategies. Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted with a sample of middle school students (N = 796). Results indicated that the factor structure of the Chinese version of the HMS…

A Primer on Bootstrap Factor Analysis as Applied to Health Studies Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lu, Wenhua; Miao, Jingang; McKyer, E. Lisako J.

2014-01-01

Objectives: To demonstrate how the bootstrap method could be conducted in exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with a syntax written in SPSS. Methods: The data obtained from the Texas Childhood Obesity Prevention Policy Evaluation project (T-COPPE project) were used for illustration. A 5-step procedure to conduct bootstrap factor analysis (BFA) was…

Evaluating Iowa Community College Student Demographics, Characteristics, Enrollment Factors, and Educational Goals Influence on Retention Rates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchley-McAvoy, Joan A.

2012-01-01

This study examined the influence that previously researched and affirmed persistence and early withdrawal factors such as student demographics, enrollment status factors, student characteristics, and student educational goals had on Iowa community college retention rates for the 2005, 2007, and 2009 academic years. It is the researcher's…

Evaluating the Influence of Postsession Reinforcement on Choice of Reinforcers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kodak, Tiffany; Lerman, Dorothea C.; Call, Nathan

2007-01-01

Factors that influence reinforcer choice have been examined in a number of applied studies (e.g., Neef, Mace, Shea, & Shade, 1992; Shore, Iwata, DeLeon, Kahng, & Smith, 1997; Tustin, 1994). However, no applied studies have evaluated the effects of postsession reinforcement on choice between concurrently available reinforcers, even though basic…

Factors Associated with Evaluation of Contraception Options among University Undergraduates

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McDermott, Robert J.; Malo, Teri L.; Dodd, Virginia J.; Mayer, Alyssa B.

2013-01-01

The objective of this study was to examine attributes assigned by university undergraduates to 12 contraception options, determine if dimensions used to evaluate options differed for women and men, and assess whether these dimensions have changed over time. This study was cross-sectional and involved a written survey. The sample (N = 792) was…

A Review of Elementary School-Based Substance Use Prevention Programs: Identifying Program Attributes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hopfer, S.; Davis, D.; Kam, J. A.; Shin, Y.; Elek, E.; Hecht, M. L.

2010-01-01

This article takes a systematic approach to reviewing substance use prevention programs introduced in elementary school (K-6th grade). Previous studies evaluating such programs among elementary school students showed mixed effects on subsequent substance use and related psychosocial factors. Thirty published evaluation studies of 24 elementary…

Working Commitment among Trainee Teachers: A Meta Evaluation Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamzah, Mohd Sahandri Gani B.; Mohamed, Hapidah Bt.; Abdullah, Saifuddin Kumar B.; Baki, Roselan B.

2008-01-01

The main aim of the study was to evaluate trainee teachers working commitment in their teaching practicum. There were seven component teaching practices and eleven demographic factors. The instrument of the study was extracted from various sources to suit the research design based on Units, Treatments, Observing, and Surveying (UTOS) model…

The psychometric properties of the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale.

PubMed

Duke, Danny; Krishnan, Mohan; Faith, Melissa; Storch, Eric A

2006-01-01

This study examined the psychometric properties of the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation (BFNE) Scale in a nonclinical, nonstudent sample. Participants were administered the BFNE Scale, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the UCLA Loneliness Scale. No differences were found across age, but women scored significantly higher on the BFNE Scale than men. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a two-factor solution corresponding to positive and reverse scored items. Internal consistency was excellent for the positive scored factor (alpha=.94), acceptable for the reverse scored factor (alpha=.73), and good for the full BFNE Scale (alpha=.80). BFNE scores were significantly correlated in the expected directions with the BDI and the UCLA Loneliness Scale. Implications of these findings for clinical practice and future research are discussed.

Clinical and psychosocial factors predicting health-related quality of life in hemodialysis patients.

PubMed

Kang, Gun Woo; Lee, In Hee; Ahn, Ki Sung; Lee, Jonghun; Ji, Yunmi; Woo, Jungmin

2015-07-01

Many patients with end-stage renal disease have significant impairment in health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Most previous studies have focused on clinical factors; however, quality of life can also be affected by psychosocial factors. The aim of this study was to identify the possible predictors of HRQoL among clinical and psychosocial factors in hemodialysis (HD) patients. The study included 101 patients who were undergoing HD. Psychosocial factors were evaluated using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. We also assessed laboratory and clinical factors, including albumin, Kt/V as a marker of dialysis adequacy, normalized protein catabolic rate, and duration of HD. The Euro Quality of Life Questionnaire 5-Dimensional Classification (EQ-5D) was used to evaluate HRQoL. The mean EQ-5D index score was 0.704 ± 0.199. The following variables showed a significant association with the EQ-5D index: age (P < 0.001), depression (P < 0.001), anxiety (P < 0.001), support from friends (P < 0.001), cognitive function (P < 0.001), duration of HD (P = 0.034), triglyceride (P = 0.031), total iron-binding capacity (P = 0.036), and phosphorus (P = 0.037). Multiple regression analysis showed that age (95% confidence interval [CI] -0.008 to -0.002), anxiety (95% CI -0.025 to -0.009), and support from friends (95% CI 0.004 to 0.018) were independent predictors of impaired HRQoL. This study explored determinants of impaired HRQoL in HD patients. We found that impaired HRQoL was independently associated with age, anxiety, and support from friends. We should consider psychosocial as well as clinical factors when evaluating ways to improve HRQoL in HD patients. © 2015 International Society for Hemodialysis.

Relationship among academic engagement, burnout and student perceptions of curriculum delivery in Speech and Language Therapy Students from University of Concepcion, Chile.

PubMed

Glaria, Rocio; Carmona, Lorena; Perez, Cristhian; Parra, Paula

2017-09-01

To relate engagement and academic burnout with curriculum evaluation among speech therapy students. This observational, cross-sectional study was conducted at the end of the first academic semester for each level and at the end of a theoretical class in order to ensure the maximum participation rate at the University of Concepción, Concepción, Chile, and comprised students of a speech and language therapy programme.Curriculum evaluation scale, academic engagement and academic burnout questionnaires were used. STATA SE 11 was used for statistical analysis. Of the 200 participants, 157(78.50%) were women and 43(21.50%) men. The overall mean age was 20.81±2.15 years (range: 18-30 years). Emotional burnout was inversely correlated with the evaluation of teaching and evaluation methods, distribution of fields, teaching team and achievement of objectives (p<0.05 each). Depersonalisation was inversely associated with the distribution of teaching and learning activities (r=-0.13; p<0.05). Lack of personal accomplishment was also significantly and statistically associated with seven out of the eight factors of the curriculum evaluation scale (p<0.05 each). Involvement in studies was statistically and significantly related to all factors (p<0.05 each), except the achievement of objectives. Finally, satisfaction with studies was directly, statistically and significantly related to six of the eight factors (p<0.05 each). A more positive evaluation of the academic curriculum was associated with lower levels of burnout and higher levels of academic engagement.

Factors affecting adoption, implementation fidelity, and sustainability of the Redesigned Community Health Fund in Tanzania: a mixed methods protocol for process evaluation in the Dodoma region

PubMed Central

Kalolo, Albino; Radermacher, Ralf; Stoermer, Manfred; Meshack, Menoris; De Allegri, Manuela

2015-01-01

Background Despite the implementation of various initiatives to address low enrollment in voluntary micro health insurance (MHI) schemes in sub-Saharan Africa, the problem of low enrollment remains unresolved. The lack of process evaluations of such interventions makes it difficult to ascertain whether their poor results are because of design failures or implementation weaknesses. Objective In this paper, we describe a process evaluation protocol aimed at opening the ‘black box’ to evaluate the implementation processes of the Redesigned Community Health Fund (CHF) program in the Dodoma region of Tanzania. Design The study employs a cross-sectional mixed methods design and is being carried out 3 years after the launch of the Redesigned CHF program. The study is grounded in a conceptual framework which rests on the Diffusion of Innovation Theory and the Implementation Fidelity Framework. The study utilizes a mixture of quantitative and qualitative data collection tools (questionnaires, focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and document review), and aligns the evaluation to the Theory of Intervention developed by our team. Quantitative data will be used to measure program adoption, implementation fidelity, and their moderating factors. Qualitative data will be used to explore the responses of stakeholders to the intervention, contextual factors, and moderators of adoption, implementation fidelity, and sustainability. Discussion This protocol describes a systematic process evaluation in relation to the implementation of a reformed MHI. We trust that the theoretical approaches and methodologies described in our protocol may be useful to inform the design of future process evaluations focused on the assessment of complex interventions, such as MHI schemes. PMID:26679408

Going beyond Kirkpatrick's Training Evaluation Model: The Role of Workplace Factors in Distance Learning Transfer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aluko, F. R.; Shonubi, O. K.

2014-01-01

This article emanates from a longitudinal study of the impact of a distance education programme for teacher training on graduates' job performance, in which the authors built on the findings of a previous pilot study. After using Kirkpatrick's Training Evaluation Model in a previous study, one of the authors found there to be a strong relationship…

Exploring Tactile Perceptual Dimensions Using Materials Associated with Sensory Vocabulary.

PubMed

Sakamoto, Maki; Watanabe, Junji

2017-01-01

Considering tactile sensation when designing products is important because the decision to purchase often depends on how products feel. Numerous psychophysical studies have attempted to identify important factors that describe tactile perceptions. However, the numbers and types of major tactile dimensions reported in previous studies have varied because of differences in materials used across experiments. To obtain a more complete picture of perceptual space with regard to touch, our study focuses on using vocabulary that expresses tactile sensations as a guiding principle for collecting material samples because these types of words are expected to cover all the basic categories within tactile perceptual space. We collected 120 materials based on a variety of Japanese sound-symbolic words for tactile sensations, and used the materials to examine tactile perceptual dimensions and their associations with affective evaluations. Analysis revealed six major dimensions: "Affective evaluation and Friction," "Compliance," "Surface," "Volume," "Temperature," and "Naturalness." These dimensions include four factors that previous studies have regarded as fundamental, as well as two new factors: "Volume" and "Naturalness." Additionally, we showed that "Affective evaluation" is more closely related to the "Friction" component (slipperiness and dryness) than to other tactile perceptual features. Our study demonstrates that using vocabulary could be an effective method for selecting material samples to explore tactile perceptual space.

Social cognition in schizophrenia: Factor structure of emotion processing and theory of mind.

PubMed

Browne, Julia; Penn, David L; Raykov, Tenko; Pinkham, Amy E; Kelsven, Skylar; Buck, Benjamin; Harvey, Philip D

2016-08-30

Factor analytic studies examining social cognition in schizophrenia have yielded inconsistent results most likely due to the varying number and quality of measures. With the recent conclusion of Phase 3 of the Social Cognition Psychometric Evaluation (SCOPE) Study, the most psychometrically sound measures of social cognition have been identified. Therefore, the aims of the present study were to: 1) examine the factor structure of social cognition in schizophrenia through the utilization of psychometrically sound measures, 2) examine the stability of the factor structure across two study visits, 3) compare the factor structure of social cognition in schizophrenia to that in healthy controls, and 4) examine the relationship between the factors and relevant outcome measures including social functioning and symptoms. Results supported a one-factor model for the patient and healthy control samples at both visits. This single factor was significantly associated with negative symptoms in the schizophrenia sample and with social functioning in both groups at both study visits. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Social cognition in schizophrenia: Factor structure of emotion processing and theory of mind

PubMed Central

Browne, Julia; Penn, David L.; Raykov, Tenko; Pinkham, Amy E.; Kelsven, Skylar; Buck, Benjamin; Harvey, Philip D.

2018-01-01

Factor analytic studies examining social cognition in schizophrenia have yielded inconsistent results most likely due to the varying number and quality of measures. With the recent conclusion of Phase 3 of the Social Cognition Psychometric Evaluation (SCOPE) Study, the most psychometrically sound measures of social cognition have been identified. Therefore, the aims of the present study were to: 1) examine the factor structure of social cognition in schizophrenia through the utilization of psychometrically sound measures, 2) examine the stability of the factor structure across two study visits, 3) compare the factor structure of social cognition in schizophrenia to that in healthy controls, and 4) examine the relationship between the factors and relevant outcome measures including social functioning and symptoms. Results supported a one-factor model for the patient and healthy control samples at both visits. This single factor was significantly associated with negative symptoms in the schizophrenia sample and with social functioning in both groups at both study visits. PMID:27280525

Factors Influencing Quality of Life of Hungarian Postmenopausal Women Screened by Osteodensitometry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maroti-Nagy, Agnes; Paulik, Edit

2011-01-01

The aim of our study was to evaluate factors influencing health related quality of life in Hungarian postmenopausal women who underwent osteodensitometry. A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was carried out; 359 women aged over 40 years were involved, attending the outpatient Bone Densitometry Centre of Szeged. Two kinds of tools were…

Risk and Protective Factors Contributing to the Longitudinal Psychosocial Well-Being of Adopted Foster Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simmel, Cassandra

2007-01-01

This study is based on a statewide longitudinal sample of adopted foster youth and explores the relationship between early pre-adoption risk factors and subsequent elevated levels of psychopathology symptomatology. One central goal of the study was to evaluate the impact of preadoption stressors (prenatal drug/nicotine exposure, early…

Factor Structure of the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale for Children and Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Storch, Eric A.; Masia-Warner, Carrie; Heidgerken, Amanda D.; Fisher, Paige H.; Pincus, Donna B.; Liebowitz, Michael R.

2006-01-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factor structure of the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale for Children and Adolescents (LSAS-CA). The LSAS-CA was administered to 225 children and adolescents as a component of various clinical studies. In addition, other measures of psychopathology and impairment were administered to a subgroup of the…

Distinctive Information and False Recognition: The Contribution of Encoding and Retrieval Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arndt, Jason

2006-01-01

Four experiments evaluated the role of encoding-based and retrieval-based factors in the production of false recognition. The association of unusual fonts with study items, the match between study and test font, and the duration of retrieval time allotted to subjects to make recognition memory decisions were varied in order to examine the role…

Judicious Use of Journal Impact Factors and the Preservation of Our Fields of Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cardinal, Bradley J.

2013-01-01

This article comments on the judicious use of journal impact factors. It aims to preserve our fields of study within the context of increased scholarly scrutiny and the hierarchical structures inherent in academia. It concludes by recommending actions for "JOPERD," other journals in the field, and the producers and evaluators of…

Faith Is Confidence: The Implication of Psychosocial Components in Faith-Based Educational Programs on Expressive Communication Skills of Adult Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynch, Erin M.

2016-01-01

Faith-based programs for adult learners have environmental factors that differentiate them from non-faith based programs, but explicit empirical studies evaluating the impact of the psychosocial factors have been lacking in the literature. This study comparatively examines the achievement level of expressive communication skills as measured…

Assessing Mothers' and Fathers' Authoritarian Attitudes: The Psychometric Properties of a Brief Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shears, Jeffrey K.; Whiteside-Mansell, Leanne; McKelvey, Lorraine; Selig, James

2008-01-01

This study used confirmatory factor analysis to examine the structure and factor loadings of an authoritarian parenting scale. The study used data from 315 married couples who had toddlers participating in the Early Head Start Research and Evaluation Project located in 14 communities across the United States. The sample was diverse and consisted…

Site factor variations and responses in temporary forest types in northern Idaho

Treesearch

J. A. Larsen

1940-01-01

The object of the study was to analyze and evaluate the environmental factors which govern the progressional stages of the secondary forest succession in northern Idaho. \\When this study began much uncertainty existed regarding the distribution of trees and forest types in relation to temperature, precipitation, and evaporation and regarding their soil moisture and...

Factors Associated with Recruitment and Screening in the Treatment for Adolescents with Depression Study (TADS)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

May, Diane E.; Hallin, Mary J.; Kratochvil, Christopher J.; Puumala, Susan E.; Smith, Lynette S.; Reinecke, Mark A.; Silva, Susan G.; Weller, Elizabeth B.; Vitiello, Benedetto; Breland-Noble, Alfiee; March, John S.

2007-01-01

Objective: To examine factors associated with eligibility and randomization and consider the efficiency of recruitment methods. Method: Adolescents, ages 12 to 17 years, were telephone screened (N = 2,804) followed by in-person evaluation (N = 1,088) for the Treatment for Adolescents With Depression Study. Separate logistic regression models,…

Contribution of mental workload to job stress in industrial workers.

PubMed

González-Muñoz, Elvia Luz; Gutiérrez-Martínez, Rodolfo E

2007-01-01

This study's central objective is to determine how several individual, organizational and ergonomic factors influence the relationship between job stress and mental workload for workers in an electronics company. A cross-sectional study was made as a test of hypotheses regarding that relationship. The sample is composed of 95 workers, of both sexes, from the electronics industry in the metropolitan zone of Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. Ergonomic conditions were evaluated with the Ergonomic Evaluation List, stress was evaluated by administering the SWS-Survey to groups of subjects, and mental workload was evaluated with the NASA-TLX Workload Index. Using Cochran's and Mantel-Haenzsel statistics, the odds ratio for each of the independent variables was {e}stimated as a risk factor for job stress, and analysis was later conducted by means of logistic regression for those risks found to be significant. Of the 95 worker participants, 26.3% presented a high level of job stress and 17.9% of the workers were found to present high levels of mental workload. The results show that working hours, mental demand, temporal demand, and frustration when faced with a given task may be considered risk factors for job stress.

[Study on artificial neural network combined with multispectral remote sensing imagery for forest site evaluation].

PubMed

Gong, Yin-Xi; He, Cheng; Yan, Fei; Feng, Zhong-Ke; Cao, Meng-Lei; Gao, Yuan; Miao, Jie; Zhao, Jin-Long

2013-10-01

Multispectral remote sensing data containing rich site information are not fully used by the classic site quality evaluation system, as it merely adopts artificial ground survey data. In order to establish a more effective site quality evaluation system, a neural network model which combined remote sensing spectra factors with site factors and site index relations was established and used to study the sublot site quality evaluation in the Wangyedian Forest Farm in Inner Mongolia Province, Chifeng City. Based on the improved back propagation artificial neural network (BPANN), this model combined multispectral remote sensing data with sublot survey data, and took larch as example, Through training data set sensitivity analysis weak or irrelevant factor was excluded, the size of neural network was simplified, and the efficiency of network training was improved. This optimal site index prediction model had an accuracy up to 95.36%, which was 9.83% higher than that of the neural network model based on classic sublot survey data, and this shows that using multi-spectral remote sensing and small class survey data to determine the status of larch index prediction model has the highest predictive accuracy. The results fully indicate the effectiveness and superiority of this method.

Qualitative evaluation of a local coronary heart disease treatment pathway: practical implications and theoretical framework

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a common medical problem in general practice. Due to its chronic character, shared care of the patient between general practitioner (GP) and cardiologist (C) is required. In order to improve the cooperation between both medical specialists for patients with CHD, a local treatment pathway was developed. The objective of this study was first to evaluate GPs’ opinions regarding the pathway and its practical implications, and secondly to suggest a theoretical framework of the findings by feeding the identified key factors influencing the pathway implementation into a multi-dimensional model. Methods The evaluation of the pathway was conducted in a qualitative design on a sample of 12 pathway developers (8 GPs and 4 cardiologists) and 4 pathway users (GPs). Face-to face interviews, which were aligned with previously conducted studies of the department and assumptions of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB), were performed following a semi-structured interview guideline. These were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim, coded, and analyzed according to the standards of qualitative content analysis. Results We identified 10 frequently mentioned key factors having an impact on the implementation success of the CHD treatment pathway. We thereby differentiated between pathway related (pathway content, effort, individual flexibility, ownership), behaviour related (previous behaviour, support), interaction related (patient, shared care/colleagues), and system related factors (context, health care system). The overall evaluation of the CHD pathway was positive, but did not automatically lead to a change of clinical behaviour as some GPs felt to have already acted as the pathway recommends. Conclusions By providing an account of our experience creating and implementing an intersectoral care pathway for CHD, this study contributes to our knowledge of factors that may influence physicians’ decisions regarding the use of a local treatment pathway. An improved adaptation of the pathway in daily practice might be best achieved by a combined implementation strategy addressing internal and external factors. A simple, direct adaptation regards the design of the pathway material (e.g. layout, PC version), or the embedding of the pathway in another programme, like a Disease Management Programme (DMP). In addition to these practical implications, we propose a theoretical framework to understand the key factors’ influence on the pathway implementation, with the identified factors along the microlevel (pathway related factors), the mesolevel (interaction related factors), and system- related factors along the macrolevel. PMID:22584032

Disentangling Wording and Substantive Factors in the Spiritual Well-Being Scale.

PubMed

Murray, Aja L; Johnson, Wendy; Gow, Alan J; Deary, Ian J

2015-05-01

We evaluated the extent to which the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS) may help to meet the need for multidimensional, psychometrically sophisticated measures of spiritual and religious traits. Although the various forms of validity of the scale have, for the most part, been supported by psychometric studies, conflicting evidence surrounding its dimensionality has called into question its structural validity. Specifically, numerous authors have suggested that a more appropriate factor structure for the SWBS includes further substantive factors in addition to the 2 factors that the scale was originally intended to measure. In the current study, we attempted to resolve these debates using a combination of exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis based investigations in the Lothian Birth Cohort, 1921 study. Our analyses suggested that the additional factors suggested in previous studies may not have reflected substantive constructs; but rather, common variance due to methodological factors.

Reliability and Validity of the Visual, Musculoskeletal, and Balance Complaints Questionnaire.

PubMed

Lundqvist, Lars-Olov; Zetterlund, Christina; Richter, Hans O

2016-09-01

To evaluate the reliability and validity of the 15-item Visual, Musculoskeletal, and Balance Complaints Questionnaire (VMB) for people with visual impairments, using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and with Rasch analysis for use as an outcome measure. Two studies evaluated the VMB. In Study 1, VMB data were collected from 1249 out of 3063 individuals between 18 and 104 years old who were registered at a low vision center. CFA evaluated VMB factor structure and Rasch analysis evaluated VMB scale properties. In Study 2, a subsample of 52 individuals between 27 and 67 years old with visual impairments underwent further measurements. Visual clinical assessments, neck/scapular pain, and balance assessments were collected to evaluate the convergent validity of the VMB (i.e. the domain relationship with other, theoretically predicted measures). CFA supported the a priori three-factor structure of the VMB. The factor loadings of the items on their respective domains were all statistically significant. Rasch analysis indicated disordered categories and the original 10-point scale was subsequently replaced with a 5-point scale. Each VMB domain fitted the Rasch model, showing good metric properties, including unidimensionality (explained variances ≥66% and eigenvalues <1.9), person separation (1.86 to 2.29), reliability (0.87 to 0.94), item fit (infit MnSq's >0.72 and outfit MnSq's <1.47), targeting (0.30 to 0.50 logits), and insignificant differential item functioning (all DIFs but one <0.50 logits) from gender, age, and visual status. The three VMB domains correlated significantly with relevant visual, musculoskeletal, and balance assessments, demonstrating adequate convergent validity of the VMB. The VMB is a simple, inexpensive, and quick yet reliable and valid way to screen and evaluate concurrent visual, musculoskeletal, and balance complaints, with contribution to epidemiological and intervention research and potential clinical implications for the field of health services and low vision rehabilitation.

Reliability and Validity of the Visual, Musculoskeletal, and Balance Complaints Questionnaire

PubMed Central

Lundqvist, Lars-Olov; Zetterlund, Christina; Richter, Hans O.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Purpose To evaluate the reliability and validity of the 15-item Visual, Musculoskeletal, and Balance Complaints Questionnaire (VMB) for people with visual impairments, using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and with Rasch analysis for use as an outcome measure. Methods Two studies evaluated the VMB. In Study 1, VMB data were collected from 1249 out of 3063 individuals between 18 and 104 years old who were registered at a low vision center. CFA evaluated VMB factor structure and Rasch analysis evaluated VMB scale properties. In Study 2, a subsample of 52 individuals between 27 and 67 years old with visual impairments underwent further measurements. Visual clinical assessments, neck/scapular pain, and balance assessments were collected to evaluate the convergent validity of the VMB (i.e. the domain relationship with other, theoretically predicted measures). Results CFA supported the a priori three-factor structure of the VMB. The factor loadings of the items on their respective domains were all statistically significant. Rasch analysis indicated disordered categories and the original 10-point scale was subsequently replaced with a 5-point scale. Each VMB domain fitted the Rasch model, showing good metric properties, including unidimensionality (explained variances ≥66% and eigenvalues <1.9), person separation (1.86 to 2.29), reliability (0.87 to 0.94), item fit (infit MnSq’s >0.72 and outfit MnSq’s <1.47), targeting (0.30 to 0.50 logits), and insignificant differential item functioning (all DIFs but one <0.50 logits) from gender, age, and visual status. The three VMB domains correlated significantly with relevant visual, musculoskeletal, and balance assessments, demonstrating adequate convergent validity of the VMB. Conclusions The VMB is a simple, inexpensive, and quick yet reliable and valid way to screen and evaluate concurrent visual, musculoskeletal, and balance complaints, with contribution to epidemiological and intervention research and potential clinical implications for the field of health services and low vision rehabilitation. PMID:27309524

Evaluation of Mother-Child Agreement and Factorial Structures of the SCARED Questionnaire in an Italian Clinical Sample

PubMed Central

Scaini, Simona; Ogliari, Anna; De Carolis, Ludovica; Bellodi, Laura; Di Serio, Clelia; Brombin, Chiara

2017-01-01

Background: A great part of the literature has confirmed the importance of both child and parents reports as source of factual information, especially for childhood emotional syndromes. In our study we aimed at: (i) calculating mother-child agreement and (ii) evaluating factorial structure of the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) questionnaire in an Italian clinical sample. The novelty of this contribution is two-fold: first, from a clinical point of view, we investigated the parent-child agreement level and examined separately the factorial structures of both parent and child versions of the SCARED for the first time in an Italian clinical sample. Second, unlike previous studies, we used statistical approaches specifically suited to account for the ordinal nature of the collected variables. Method: In a clinical sample of 171 children and adolescents aged 8–18 and their mothers we evaluated inter-rater agreement using weighted kappa indices to assess agreement for each item belonging to a certain SCARED subscale. Exploratory factor analysis for ordinal data was then performed on the polychoric correlation matrix calculated on SCARED items. Differences in the numbers of symptoms reported by children and parents were evaluated as well. Results and Conclusions: Our results reveal moderate to strong mother-child agreement. A significant age effect is present. Two different factorial solutions emerged for parent and child SCARED versions (a 5 factor structure for parents and a 6 factor solution in the child version, including a new factor “Worry about Parents”). This study confirmed the importance of evaluating both child and parent reports in assessment protocols for anxiety disorders. Our findings could help clinicians to determine which information, and from which rater, must be accounted for in evaluating treatment decisions. Moreover, we find that patients characteristics, such as gender and age, should be taken into account when assessing agreement. PMID:28286488

Factors affecting length of stay in teaching hospitals of a middle-income country

PubMed Central

Khosravizadeh, Omid; Vatankhah, Soudabeh; Bastani, Peivand; Kalhor, Rohollah; Alirezaei, Samira; Doosty, Farzane

2016-01-01

Introduction The length of stay (LOS) in hospitals is a widely used and important criteria for evaluating hospital performance. The aim of this study was to determine factors affecting LOS in teaching hospitals of Qazvin Providence. Methods In this cross-sectional study, patients’ health records were randomly selected from archives in teaching hospitals of Qazvin in 2013. Data were collected through a data entry form and were analyzed using Kolmogorov–Smirnov, Kruskal–Wallis, and Mann–Whitney U tests at the significant level of 0.05. Results The mean of hospital LOS was 5.45 ± 6.14 days. Age, employment, marital status, history of previous admission, patient condition at discharge, method of payment, and type of treatment had an impact on LOS (p<0.05). Other factors, including gender, place of residence, and type of admission, did not affect LOS. Conclusion Because hospitals consume a perceptible part of resources in a health system, controlled and optimized use of its resources help to save a lot. Therefore, this study showed many clinical and nonclinical factors affect LOS in evaluating these factors, which may reduce inappropriate hospital stays and decrease costs. PMID:27957301

Validity and reliability of the patient assessment of constipation quality of life questionnaire for the Turkish population.

PubMed

Bengi, Göksel; Yalçın, Mustafa; Akpınar, Hale; Keskinoğlu, Pembe; Ellidokuz, Hülya

2015-07-01

There are few specific evaluation forms for evaluating the quality of life among patients with chronic constipation. Our study aimed to determine the validity and reliability of the translated Patient Assessment of Constipation Quality of Life (PAC-QOL) questionnaire for the Turkish population because evidence of its reliability and validity is required to justify its use in other studies and clinical practice. This study included 154 patients with constipation who were treated at the Department of Gastroenterology, Dokuz Eylül University Hospital between January and June 2012. The translated PAC-QOL questionnaire was completed by patients at the clinic and also at a 2-week follow-up to test its reliability. Cronbach's alpha coefficient (internal consistency) was 0.91 (good) for the translated PAC-QOL questionnaire. Time validity was evaluated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) method, and the ICC value for all questions was confirmed as 0.68 at the 2-week follow-up. The validity of the tool in the study group was evaluated using factor analysis, and the results were highly significant (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value: 0.857; Bartlett's test: p=0.001). Questions were categorized according to six factors based on the factor analysis, and these factors explained 65.1% of the total variation. For hypothesis verification of the tool, the correlation coefficient for PAC-QOL and PAC Symptoms (PAC-SYM) was r=0.577 (p<0.001), whereas the correlation coefficient for PAC-QOL and constipation severity score was r=0.457 (p<0.001). The PAC-QOL questionnaire was reliable, although not valid because of the limited sample group.

Human factors phase III : effects of train control technology on operator performance

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2005-01-01

This report describes a study evaluating the effects of train control technology on locomotive engineer performance. Several types : of train control systems were evaluated: partial automation (cruise control and programmed stop) and full automation ...

Human factors phase III : effects of train control technology on operator performance.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2005-01-31

This report describes a study evaluating the effects of train control technology on locomotive engineer performance. Several types of train control systems were evaluated: partial automation (cruise control and programmed stop) and full automation we...

Anticonvulsants.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hillebrand, Marc; Young, John L.

1994-01-01

Anticonvulsants have gained recognition for their beneficial effect in the treatment of aggressive behavior, particularly carbamazepine. Empirical studies of the effectiveness of anticonvulsants in decreasing aggression are reviewed and evaluated, and cost-benefit factors related to the use of anticonvulsants are evaluated. A protocol for the…

Biomechanical, psychosocial and individual risk factors predicting low back functional impairment among furniture distribution employees

PubMed Central

Ferguson, Sue A.; Allread, W. Gary; Burr, Deborah L.; Heaney, Catherine; Marras, William S.

2013-01-01

Background Biomechanical, psychosocial and individual risk factors for low back disorder have been studied extensively however few researchers have examined all three risk factors. The objective of this was to develop a low back disorder risk model in furniture distribution workers using biomechanical, psychosocial and individual risk factors. Methods This was a prospective study with a six month follow-up time. There were 454 subjects at 9 furniture distribution facilities enrolled in the study. Biomechanical exposure was evaluated using the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (2001) lifting threshold limit values for low back injury risk. Psychosocial and individual risk factors were evaluated via questionnaires. Low back health functional status was measured using the lumbar motion monitor. Low back disorder cases were defined as a loss of low back functional performance of −0.14 or more. Findings There were 92 cases of meaningful loss in low back functional performance and 185 non cases. A multivariate logistic regression model included baseline functional performance probability, facility, perceived workload, intermediated reach distance number of exertions above threshold limit values, job tenure manual material handling, and age combined to provide a model sensitivity of 68.5% and specificity of 71.9%. Interpretation: The results of this study indicate which biomechanical, individual and psychosocial risk factors are important as well as how much of each risk factor is too much resulting in increased risk of low back disorder among furniture distribution workers. PMID:21955915

International Dimensions in American Education: Evaluative Criteria for Precollegiate Programs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slouka, Z. J.; Slouka, O.

The purposes of the project described in this document are to identify and evaluate factors which encourage a global perspective in students in grades K-12. The document is presented in three major sections. Section one introduces the scope of the study, discusses objectives, and describes evaluation methods, including reviewing written materials,…

A study of the stress wave factor technique for evaluation of composite materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duke, J. C., Jr.; Henneke, E. G., II; Kiernan, M. T.; Grosskopf, P. P.

1989-01-01

The acousto-ultrasonic approach for nondestructive evaluation provides a measurement procedure for quantifying the integrated effect of globally distributed damage characteristic of fiber reinforced composite materials. The evaluation procedure provides a stress wave factor that correlates closely with several material performance parameters. The procedure was investigated for a variety of materials including advanced composites, hybrid structure bonds, adhesive bonds, wood products, and wire rope. The research program focused primarily on development of fundamental understanding and applications advancements of acousto-ultrasonics for materials characterization. This involves characterization of materials for which detection, location, and identification of imperfections cannot at present be analyzed satisfactorily with mechanical performance prediction models. In addition to presenting definitive studies on application potentials, the understanding of the acousto-ultrasonic method as applied to advanced composites is reviewed.

Defining and evaluating perceptions of victim blame in antigay hate crimes.

PubMed

Cramer, Robert J; Nobles, Matt R; Amacker, Amanda M; Dovoedo, Lisa

2013-09-01

Victimology research often hinges on attribution of blame toward victims despite a lack of conceptual agreement on the definition and measure of the construct. Drawing on established blame attribution and intent literature, the present study evaluates psychometric properties of the Perceptions of Victim Blame Scale (PVBS) using mock jury samples in a vignette-based capital murder antigay hate crime context. Factor analyses show support for a three-factor structure with the following perceptions of victim blame subscales: Malice, Recklessness, and Unreliability. All factors displayed expected positive associations with homonegativity and authoritarianism. Likewise, all factors displayed null relations with trait aggression and social desirability. Only the Malice factor predicted sentencing decisions after controlling for crime condition and support for the death penalty. Results are reviewed with respect to blame attribution theory and practical application of a revised PVBS.

Indicators for Evaluating Community- and Societal-Level Risk and Protective Factors for Violence Prevention: Findings From a Review of the Literature.

PubMed

Armstead, Theresa L; Wilkins, Natalie; Doreson, Amanda

Programs geared toward preventing violence before it occurs at the community and societal levels of the social ecology are particularly challenging to evaluate. These programs are often focused on impacting the antecedents (or risk and protective factors) to violence, making it difficult to determine program success when solely relying on measures of violence reduction. The goal of this literature review is to identify indicators to measure risk and protective factors for violence that are accessible and measured at the community level. Indicators of community- and societal-level risk and protective factors from 116 articles are identified. These indicators strengthen violence prevention researchers' and practitioners' ability to detect proximal effects of violence prevention programs, practices, and policies, and provide timely feedback on the impact of their work. Thus, opportunities exist for violence prevention researchers to further study the associations between various indicators and different violent outcomes and to inform practitioner, evaluator, and funder developed logic models that include indicators of relevant risk and protective factors for crosscutting violence prevention measures and outcomes.

The understanding of risk factors for eating disorders in male adolescents.

PubMed

Akgül, Sinem; Akdemir, Devrim; Kara, Mahmut; Derman, Orhan; Çetin, Füsun Çuhadaroğlu; Kanbur, Nuray

2016-02-01

The study aimed to describe the medical, psychiatric, and cultural features of adolescent males with an eating disorder (ED). This retrospective evaluation took place at Hacettepe University, İhsan Doğramacı Children's Hospital, Ankara, Turkey, and covered a 4-year period between 2010 and 2013. Sixty adolescents were diagnosed with an ED during this period, 47 (78.3%) were females and 13 were males (21.7%) male. All 13 male patients who met full criteria for an ED according to the DSM criteria were included. Medical and psychiatric records of male patients treated for an ED were re-evaluated. The most striking finding of the study was that the female to male ratio became 3.6:1, with the increasing number of male adolescents with an ED. In our study, medical findings and complications of males with ED were similar to those seen in females. However, the most predominant gender difference was the co occurrence of a comorbid physical or mental illness. It is imperative to raise awareness of EDs in males. Although the medical findings of the study suggest that male and female adolescents with EDs are clinically similar to each other, the understanding of certain gender-specific risk factors shown in our study, such as a medical illness and/or obesity and co-morbid psychiatric diagnosis, are essential in raising suspicion. Further studies that especially evaluate cultural and social factors that affect parenting styles for boys are important in addessing possible risk factors for the development of EDs in males within different societies.

Model evaluation of the phytoextraction potential of heavy metal hyperaccumulators and non-hyperaccumulators.

PubMed

Liang, Hong-Ming; Lin, Ting-Hsiang; Chiou, Jeng-Min; Yeh, Kuo-Chen

2009-06-01

Evaluation of the remediation ability of zinc/cadmium in hyper- and non-hyperaccumulator plant species through greenhouse studies is limited. To bridge the gap between greenhouse studies and field applications for phytoextraction, we used published data to examine the partitioning of heavy metals between plants and soil (defined as the bioconcentration factor). We compared the remediation ability of the Zn/Cd hyperaccumulators Thlaspi caerulescens and Arabidopsis halleri and the non-hyperaccumulators Nicotiana tabacum and Brassica juncea using a hierarchical linear model (HLM). A recursive algorithm was then used to evaluate how many harvest cycles were required to clean a contaminated site to meet Taiwan Environmental Protection Agency regulations. Despite the high bioconcentration factor of both hyperaccumulators, metal removal was still limited because of the plants' small biomass. Simulation with N. tabacum and the Cadmium model suggests further study and development of plants with high biomass and improved phytoextraction potential for use in environmental cleanup.

Distress, anxiety, and depression in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy

PubMed Central

Pandey, Manoj; Sarita, Gangadharan P; Devi, Nandkumar; Thomas, Bejoy C; Hussain, Badridien M; Krishnan, Rita

2006-01-01

Background Chemotherapy for cancer is an intense and cyclic treatment associated with number of side-effects. The present study evaluated the effect of chemotherapy on distress, anxiety and depression. Patients and methods A total of 117 patients were evaluated by using distress inventory for cancer (DIC2) and hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS). Majority of the patients were taking chemotherapy for solid tumors (52; 44.4%). Results The mean distress score was 24, 18 (15.38%) were found to have anxiety while 19 (16.23%) had depression. High social status was the only factor found to influence distress while female gender was the only factor found to influence depression in the present study. Conclusion The study highlights high psychological morbidity of cancer patients and influence of gender on depression. Construct of distress as evaluated by DIC 2 may have a possible overlap with anxiety. PMID:17002797

Exploration of Urban Spatial Planning Evaluation Based on Humanland Harmony

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, X. S.; Ma, Q. R.; Liang, W. Q.; Wang, C. X.; Xiong, X. Q.; Han, X. H.

2017-09-01

This study puts forward a new concept, "population urbanization level forecast - driving factor analysis - urban spatial planning analysis" for achieving efficient and intensive development of urbanization considering human-land harmony. We analyzed big data for national economic and social development, studied the development trends of population urbanization and its influencing factors using the grey system model in Chengmai county of Hainan province, China. In turn, we calculated the population of Chengmai coming years based on the forecasting urbanization rate and the corresponding amount of urban construction land, and evaluated the urban spatial planning with GIS spatial analysis method in the study area. The result shows that the proposed concept is feasible for evaluation of urban spatial planning, and is meaningful for guiding the rational distribution of urban space, controlling the scale of development, improving the quality of urbanization and thus promoting highly-efficient and intensive use of limited land resource.

[Municipalities Stratification for Health Performance Evaluation].

PubMed

Calvo, Maria Cristina Marino; Lacerda, Josimari Telino de; Colussi, Claudia Flemming; Schneider, Ione Jayce Ceola; Rocha, Thiago Augusto Hernandes

2016-01-01

to propose and present a stratification of Brazilian municipalities into homogeneous groups for evaluation studies of health management performance. this was a methodological study, with selected indicators which classify municipalities according to conditions that influence the health management and population size; data for the year 2010 were collected from demographic and health databases; correlation tests and factor analysis were used. seven strata were identified - Large-sized; Medium-sized with favorable, regular or unfavorable influences; and Small-sized with favorable, regular or unfavorable influences -; there was a concentration of municipalities with favorable influences in strata with better purchasing power and funding, as well as a concentration of municipalities with unfavorable influences in the North and Northeast regions. the proposed classification grouped similar municipalities regarding influential factors in health management, which allowed the identification of comparable groups of municipalities, setting up a consistent alternative to performance evaluation studies.

Analysis of Factors Affecting Women of Childbearing Age to Screen Using Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid.

PubMed

Sidabutar, Sondang; Martini, Santi; Wahyuni, Chatarina Umbul

2017-02-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate patient factors such as knowledge, attitude, motivation, perception, socio-economic status and travel time to health facilities and assess how these factors affected patients' decision to pursue cervical cancer screening with visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA). A total of 80 women of childbearing age who visited Kenjeran and Balongsari Public Health Centers for health assessments were involved in this study. Patients who agreed to participate in the study underwent a verbal questionnaire to evaluate various factors. Bivariate analysis concluded that knowledge, attitude, motivation, perception, socioeconomic status, and travel time to health facilities were significantly different between women who received VIA screening and women who did not receive VIA screening ( p < 0.05). The factors of knowledge, attitudes, motivation, perception, socio-economic status, and the travel time to health facilities accounted for 2.920-fold, 2.043-fold, 3.704-fold, 2.965-fold, 3.198-fold and 2.386-fold possibility, respectively, of patients to pursue cervical cancer screening with VIA. Multivariate analysis showed that perception, socio-economic status, and travel time to health facilities were the most important factors influencing whether or not women pursued VIA screening. Knowledge, attitude, motivation, perception, socio-economic status, and travel time to health facilities appears to affect women's' decision to pursue cervical cancer screening with VIA, with the largest intake being the motivational factor.

Effective Work Procedure design Using Discomfort and Effort Factor in Brick stacking operation-A case study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rout, Biswaranjan; Dash, R. R.; Dhupal, D.

2018-02-01

In this work a typical planning of movement of limbs and torso of the worker to be well design to reduce fatigue and energy of the worker. A simulation model is generated to suit the procedure and comply with the constraints in the workspace. It requires verifying the capability of human postures and movements in different working conditions for the evaluation of effectiveness of the new design. In this article a simple human performance measure is introduce that enable the mathematical model for evaluation of a cost function. The basic scheme is to evaluate the performance in the form of several cost factors using AI techniques. Here two main cost factors taken in to consideration are discomfort factor and effort factor in limb movements. Discomfort factor measures the level of discomfort from the most neutral position of a given limb to the position of the corresponding limb after movement and effort factor is a measure of the displacement of the corresponding limbs from the original position. The basic aim is to optimize the movement of the limbs with the above mentioned cost functions. The effectiveness of the procedure is tested with an example of working procedure of workers used for stacking of fly ash bricks in a local fly ash bricks manufacturing unit. The objective is to find out the optimised movement of the limbs to reduce discomfort level and effort required of workers. The effectiveness of the procedure in this case study illustrated with the obtained results.

Which sociodemographic factors are important on smoking behaviour of high school students? The contribution of classification and regression tree methodology in a broad epidemiological survey.

PubMed

Ozge, C; Toros, F; Bayramkaya, E; Camdeviren, H; Sasmaz, T

2006-08-01

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the most important sociodemographic factors on smoking status of high school students using a broad randomised epidemiological survey. Using in-class, self administered questionnaire about their sociodemographic variables and smoking behaviour, a representative sample of total 3304 students of preparatory, 9th, 10th, and 11th grades, from 22 randomly selected schools of Mersin, were evaluated and discriminative factors have been determined using appropriate statistics. In addition to binary logistic regression analysis, the study evaluated combined effects of these factors using classification and regression tree methodology, as a new statistical method. The data showed that 38% of the students reported lifetime smoking and 16.9% of them reported current smoking with a male predominancy and increasing prevalence by age. Second hand smoking was reported at a 74.3% frequency with father predominance (56.6%). The significantly important factors that affect current smoking in these age groups were increased by household size, late birth rank, certain school types, low academic performance, increased second hand smoking, and stress (especially reported as separation from a close friend or because of violence at home). Classification and regression tree methodology showed the importance of some neglected sociodemographic factors with a good classification capacity. It was concluded that, as closely related with sociocultural factors, smoking was a common problem in this young population, generating important academic and social burden in youth life and with increasing data about this behaviour and using new statistical methods, effective coping strategies could be composed.

Epidemiological studies of migration and environmental risk factors in the inflammatory bowel diseases.

PubMed

Ko, Yanna; Butcher, Rhys; Leong, Rupert W

2014-02-07

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are idiopathic chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract well known to be associated with both genetic and environmental risk factors. Permissive genotypes may manifest into clinical phenotypes under certain environmental influences and these may be best studied from migratory studies. Exploring differences between first and second generation migrants may further highlight the contribution of environmental factors towards the development of IBD. There are few opportunities that have been offered so far. We aim to review the available migration studies on IBD, evaluate the known environmental factors associated with IBD, and explore modern migration patterns to identify new opportunities and candidate migrant groups in IBD migration research.

Validation of the Japanese version of the job crafting scale.

PubMed

Eguchi, Hisashi; Shimazu, Akihito; Bakker, Arnold B; Tims, Maria; Kamiyama, Kimika; Hara, Yujiro; Namba, Katsuyuki; Inoue, Akiomi; Ono, Masakatsu; Kawakami, Norito

2016-06-16

The aim of this study was to validate the Japanese version of the job crafting scale (JCS-J). JCS measures four independent job crafting dimensions, namely increasing structural job resources, decreasing hindering job demands, increasing social job resources, and increasing challenging job demands. The translated and back-translated JCS-J questionnaires were administered online to 972 employees of a Japanese manufacturing company. The data were then divided into independent explorative and confirmative samples. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to evaluate the factorial validity of JCS-J. The relationship with potential consequences of job crafting (e.g., job demands, job resources, and psychological well-being) was investigated to evaluate construct validity. Internal consistency was examined to evaluate the reliability of the four JCSs. An exploratory factor analysis extracted a five-factor solution. Decreasing hindering job demands was further split into two separate dimensions supporting a five- rather than four-factor structure. A series of confirmatory factor analyses revealed that the modified five-factor model that allows covariance between items fits the data best. Construct validity was generally supported by the expected correlations of each job crafting dimension with each corresponding job resource (+), job demand (+), and psychological well-being (+). Cronbach's α coefficient was sufficient for each of the four dimensions of job crafting (α ranged between 0.76 and 0.90). This study confirmed that JCS-J is an adequate measure of job crafting that can be used in the Japanese context.

Validation of the Japanese version of the job crafting scale

PubMed Central

Eguchi, Hisashi; Shimazu, Akihito; Bakker, Arnold B.; Tims, Maria; Kamiyama, Kimika; Hara, Yujiro; Namba, Katsuyuki; Inoue, Akiomi; Ono, Masakatsu; Kawakami, Norito

2016-01-01

Objectives: The aim of this study was to validate the Japanese version of the job crafting scale (JCS-J). JCS measures four independent job crafting dimensions, namely increasing structural job resources, decreasing hindering job demands, increasing social job resources, and increasing challenging job demands. Methods: The translated and back-translated JCS-J questionnaires were administered online to 972 employees of a Japanese manufacturing company. The data were then divided into independent explorative and confirmative samples. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to evaluate the factorial validity of JCS-J. The relationship with potential consequences of job crafting (e.g., job demands, job resources, and psychological well-being) was investigated to evaluate construct validity. Internal consistency was examined to evaluate the reliability of the four JCSs. Results: An exploratory factor analysis extracted a five-factor solution. Decreasing hindering job demands was further split into two separate dimensions supporting a five- rather than four-factor structure. A series of confirmatory factor analyses revealed that the modified five-factor model that allows covariance between items fits the data best. Construct validity was generally supported by the expected correlations of each job crafting dimension with each corresponding job resource (+), job demand (+), and psychological well-being (+). Cronbach's α coefficient was sufficient for each of the four dimensions of job crafting (α ranged between 0.76 and 0.90). Conclusions: This study confirmed that JCS-J is an adequate measure of job crafting that can be used in the Japanese context. PMID:27108643

Factor structure and measurement invariance of the Health Education Impact Questionnaire: Does the subjectivity of the response perspective threaten the contextual validity of inferences?

PubMed Central

Elsworth, Gerald R; Nolte, Sandra

2015-01-01

Objective: On-going evidence is required to support the validity of inferences about change and group differences in the evaluation of health programs, particularly when self-report scales requiring substantial subjectivity in response generation are used as outcome measures. Following this reasoning, the aim of this study was to replicate the factor structure and investigate the measurement invariance of the latest version of the Health Education Impact Questionnaire, a widely used health program evaluation measure. Methods: An archived dataset of responses to the most recent version of the English-language Health Education Impact Questionnaire that uses four rather than six response options (N = 3221) was analysed using exploratory structural equation modelling and confirmatory factor analysis appropriate for ordered categorical data. Metric and scalar invariance were studied following recent recommendations in the literature to apply fully invariant unconditional models with minimum constraints necessary for model identification. Results: The original eight-factor structure was replicated and all but one of the scales (Self Monitoring and Insight) was found to consist of unifactorial items with reliability of ⩾0.8 and satisfactory discriminant validity. Configural, metric and scalar invariance were established across pre-test to post-test and population sub-groups (sex, age, education, ethnic background). Conclusion: The results support the high level of interest in the Health Education Impact Questionnaire, particularly for use as a pre-test/post-test measure in experimental studies, other pre–post evaluation designs and system-level monitoring and evaluation. PMID:26770785

Anaerobic treatment of complex chemical wastewater in a sequencing batch biofilm reactor: process optimization and evaluation of factor interactions using the Taguchi dynamic DOE methodology.

PubMed

Venkata Mohan, S; Chandrasekhara Rao, N; Krishna Prasad, K; Murali Krishna, P; Sreenivas Rao, R; Sarma, P N

2005-06-20

The Taguchi robust experimental design (DOE) methodology has been applied on a dynamic anaerobic process treating complex wastewater by an anaerobic sequencing batch biofilm reactor (AnSBBR). For optimizing the process as well as to evaluate the influence of different factors on the process, the uncontrollable (noise) factors have been considered. The Taguchi methodology adopting dynamic approach is the first of its kind for studying anaerobic process evaluation and process optimization. The designed experimental methodology consisted of four phases--planning, conducting, analysis, and validation connected sequence-wise to achieve the overall optimization. In the experimental design, five controllable factors, i.e., organic loading rate (OLR), inlet pH, biodegradability (BOD/COD ratio), temperature, and sulfate concentration, along with the two uncontrollable (noise) factors, volatile fatty acids (VFA) and alkalinity at two levels were considered for optimization of the anae robic system. Thirty-two anaerobic experiments were conducted with a different combination of factors and the results obtained in terms of substrate degradation rates were processed in Qualitek-4 software to study the main effect of individual factors, interaction between the individual factors, and signal-to-noise (S/N) ratio analysis. Attempts were also made to achieve optimum conditions. Studies on the influence of individual factors on process performance revealed the intensive effect of OLR. In multiple factor interaction studies, biodegradability with other factors, such as temperature, pH, and sulfate have shown maximum influence over the process performance. The optimum conditions for the efficient performance of the anaerobic system in treating complex wastewater by considering dynamic (noise) factors obtained are higher organic loading rate of 3.5 Kg COD/m3 day, neutral pH with high biodegradability (BOD/COD ratio of 0.5), along with mesophilic temperature range (40 degrees C), and low sulfate concentration (700 mg/L). The optimization resulted in enhanced anaerobic performance (56.7%) from a substrate degradation rate (SDR) of 1.99 to 3.13 Kg COD/m3 day. Considering the obtained optimum factors, further validation experiments were carried out, which showed enhanced process performance (3.04 Kg COD/m3-day from 1.99 Kg COD/m3 day) accounting for 52.13% improvement with the optimized process conditions. The proposed method facilitated a systematic mathematical approach to understand the complex multi-species manifested anaerobic process treating complex chemical wastewater by considering the uncontrollable factors. Copyright (c) 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Factor Analysis of the Community Balance and Mobility Scale in Individuals with Knee Osteoarthritis.

PubMed

Takacs, Judit; Krowchuk, Natasha M; Goldsmith, Charles H; Hunt, Michael A

2017-10-01

The clinical assessment of balance is an important first step in characterizing the risk of falls. The Community Balance and Mobility Scale (CB&M) is a test of balance and mobility that was designed to assess performance on advanced tasks necessary for independence in the community. However, other factors that can affect balancing ability may also be present during performance of the real-world tasks on the CB&M. It is important for clinicians to understand fully what other modifiable factors the CB&M may encompass. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the underlying constructs in the CB&M in individuals with knee osteoarthritis (OA). This was an observational study, with a single testing session. Participants with knee OA aged 50 years and older completed the CB&M, a clinical test of balance and mobility. Confirmatory factor analysis was then used to examine whether the tasks on the CB&M measure distinct factors. Three a priori theory-driven models with three (strength, balance, mobility), four (range of motion added) and six (pain and fear added) constructs were evaluated using multiple fit indices. A total of 131 participants (mean [SD] age 66.3 [8.5] years, BMI 27.3 [5.2] kg m -2 ) participated. A three-factor model in which all tasks loaded on these three factors explained 65% of the variance and yielded the most optimal model, as determined using scree plots, chi-squared values and explained variance. The first factor accounted for 49% of the variance and was interpreted as lower limb muscle strength. The second and third factors were interpreted as mobility and balance, respectively. The CB&M demonstrated the measurement of three distinct factors, interpreted as lower limb strength, balance and mobility, supporting the use of the CB&M with people with knee OA for evaluation of these important factors in falls risk and functional mobility. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Factors affecting quality of life in adults with epilepsy in Taiwan: A cross-sectional, correlational study.

PubMed

Chen, Hsiu-Fang; Tsai, Yun-Fang; Hsi, Mo-Song; Chen, Jui-Chen

2016-05-01

The purpose of this study was to assess eight factors considered important for quality of life in persons with epilepsy in order to determine which of these components affect quality of life in adults with epilepsy in Taiwan. A cross-sectional, correlational study using structured questionnaires assessed 260 patients with epilepsy purposively sampled from a medical center in Northern Taiwan. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was evaluated with the Quality of Life in Epilepsy-31 (QOLIE-31) questionnaire. Data also included personal and health-related characteristics, knowledge of epilepsy, efficacy in the self-management of epilepsy, and social support. Scores for the QOLIE-31 were correlated with the following factors: (1) demographic characteristics of age, gender, and income; (2) sleep quality; (3) symptoms of anxiety and depression; (4) epilepsy-specific variables: seizure frequency; types, number, and frequency of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs); and adverse events of AEDs; and (5) social support. Stepwise regression analysis showed that seven factors were predictive for quality of life: anxiety, depression, adverse events of AEDs, social support, seizure frequency of at least once in three months, household income of NT$ 40,001-100,000, and male gender. These factors accounted for 58.2% of the variance of quality of life. Our study assessed multiple factors in an examination of relationships and predictive factors for quality of life in adults with epilepsy in Taiwan. Knowledge of these contributing factors can assist health-care providers when evaluating patients with epilepsy to help target interventions for improving quality of life. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influencing factors of alexithymia in Chinese medical students: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Zhu, Yaxin; Luo, Ting; Liu, Jie; Qu, Bo

2017-04-04

A much higher prevalence of alexithymia has been reported in medical students compared with the general population, and alexithymia is a risk factor that increases vulnerability to mental disorders. Our aim was to evaluate the level of alexithymia in Chinese medical students and to explore its influencing factors. A cross-sectional study of 1,950 medical students at Shenyang Medical College was conducted in May 2014 to evaluate alexithymia in medical students using the Chinese version of the 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). The reliability of the questionnaire was assessed by Cronbach's α coefficient and mean inter-item correlations. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was used to evaluate construct validity. The relationships between alexithymia and influencing factors were examined using Student's t-test, analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression analysis. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 21.0. Of the 1,950 medical students, 1,886 (96.7%) completed questionnaires. Overall, Cronbach's α coefficient of the TAS-20 questionnaire was 0.868. The results of CFA showed that the original three-factor structure produced an acceptable fit to the data. By univariate analysis, gender, grade (academic year of study), smoking behavior, alcohol use, physical activity, history of living with parents during childhood, and childhood trauma were influencing factors of TAS-20 scores (p < 0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that gender, physical activity, grade, living with parents, and childhood trauma also had statistically significant association with total TAS-20 score (p < 0.05). Gender, physical activity, grade, history of living with parents during childhood, and childhood trauma were all factors determining the level of alexithymia. To prevent alexithymia, it will be advisable to promote adequate physical activity and pay greater attention to male medical students and those who are in the final year of training.

Measuring Authoritative Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ertesvag, Sigrun K.

2011-01-01

High quality measurements are important to evaluate interventions. The study reports on the development of a measurement to investigate authoritative teaching understood as a two-dimensional construct of warmth and control. Through the application of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM) the factor structure…

[Hygienic evaluation of risk factors on powder metallurgy production].

PubMed

2011-01-01

Complex hygienic, clinical, sociologic and epidemiologic studies revealed reliable relationship between work conditions and arterial hypertension, locomotory system disorders, monocytosis in powder metallurgy production workers. Findings are more probable cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, digestive tract diseases due to influence of lifestyle factors.

A system to evaluate the scientific quality of biological and restoration objectives using National Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plans as a case study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schroeder, R.L.

2006-01-01

It is widely accepted that plans for restoration projects should contain specific, measurable, and science-based objectives to guide restoration efforts. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) is in the process of developing Comprehensive Conservation Plans (CCPs) for more than 500 units in the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS). These plans contain objectives for biological and ecosystem restoration efforts on the refuges. Based on USFWS policy, a system was developed to evaluate the scientific quality of such objectives based on three critical factors: (1) Is the objective specific, measurable, achievable, results-oriented, and time-fixed? (2) What is the extent of the rationale that explains the assumptions, logic, and reasoning for the objective? (3) How well was available science used in the development of the objective? The evaluation system scores each factor on a scale of 1 (poor) to 4 (excellent) according to detailed criteria. The biological and restoration objectives from CCPs published as of September 2004 (60 total) were evaluated. The overall average score for all biological and restoration objectives was 1.73. Average scores for each factor were: Factor 1-1.97; Factor 2-1.86; Factor 3-1.38. The overall scores increased from 1997 to 2004. Future restoration efforts may benefit by using this evaluation system during the process of plan development, to ensure that biological and restoration objectives are of the highest scientific quality possible prior to the implementation of restoration plans, and to allow for improved monitoring and adaptive management.

Development of the Human Factors Skills for Healthcare Instrument: a valid and reliable tool for assessing interprofessional learning across healthcare practice settings.

PubMed

Reedy, Gabriel B; Lavelle, Mary; Simpson, Thomas; Anderson, Janet E

2017-10-01

A central feature of clinical simulation training is human factors skills, providing staff with the social and cognitive skills to cope with demanding clinical situations. Although these skills are critical to safe patient care, assessing their learning is challenging. This study aimed to develop, pilot and evaluate a valid and reliable structured instrument to assess human factors skills, which can be used pre- and post-simulation training, and is relevant across a range of healthcare professions. Through consultation with a multi-professional expert group, we developed and piloted a 39-item survey with 272 healthcare professionals attending training courses across two large simulation centres in London, one specialising in acute care and one in mental health, both serving healthcare professionals working across acute and community settings. Following psychometric evaluation, the final 12-item instrument was evaluated with a second sample of 711 trainees. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a 12-item, one-factor solution with good internal consistency (α=0.92). The instrument had discriminant validity, with newly qualified trainees scoring significantly lower than experienced trainees ( t (98)=4.88, p<0.001) and was sensitive to change following training in acute and mental health settings, across professional groups (p<0.001). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed an adequate model fit (RMSEA=0.066). The Human Factors Skills for Healthcare Instrument provides a reliable and valid method of assessing trainees' human factors skills self-efficacy across acute and mental health settings. This instrument has the potential to improve the assessment and evaluation of human factors skills learning in both uniprofessional and interprofessional clinical simulation training.

Study on Influencing Factor Analysis and Application of Consumer Mobile Commerce Acceptance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Gaoguang; Lv, Tingjie

Mobile commerce (MC) refers to e-commerce activities carried out using a mobile device such as a phone or PDA. With new technology, MC will be rapidly growing in the near future. At the present time, what factors making consumer accept MC and what MC applications are acceptable by consumers are two of hot issues both for MC providers and f or MC researchers. This study presents a proposed MC acceptance model that integrates perceived playfulness, perceived risk and cost into the TAM to study which factors affect consumer MC acceptance. The proposed model includes five variables, namely perceived risk, cost, perceived usefulness, perceived playfulness, perceived ease of use, perceived playfulness. Then, using analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to calculate weight of criteria involved in proposed model. Finally, the study utilizes fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to evaluate MC applications accepted possibility, and then a MC application is empirically tested using data collected from a survey of MC consumers.

Performance evaluation of public hospital information systems by the information system success model.

PubMed

Cho, Kyoung Won; Bae, Sung-Kwon; Ryu, Ji-Hye; Kim, Kyeong Na; An, Chang-Ho; Chae, Young Moon

2015-01-01

This study was to evaluate the performance of the newly developed information system (IS) implemented on July 1, 2014 at three public hospitals in Korea. User satisfaction scores of twelve key performance indicators of six IS success factors based on the DeLone and McLean IS Success Model were utilized to evaluate IS performance before and after the newly developed system was introduced. All scores increased after system introduction except for the completeness of medical records and impact on the clinical environment. The relationships among six IS factors were also analyzed to identify the important factors influencing three IS success factors (Intention to Use, User Satisfaction, and Net Benefits). All relationships were significant except for the relationships among Service Quality, Intention to Use, and Net Benefits. The results suggest that hospitals should not only focus on systems and information quality; rather, they should also continuously improve service quality to improve user satisfaction and eventually reach full the potential of IS performance.

The link between discrimination and telomere length in African American adults.

PubMed

Lee, Daniel B; Kim, Eric S; Neblett, Enrique W

2017-05-01

Prior work shows that discrimination is associated with a wide array of negative health outcomes. However, the biological mechanisms through which this link occurs require more study. We evaluated the association between discrimination and leukocyte telomere length (LTL; a biological marker of systemic aging). Cross-sectional data were from the Health and Retirement study, a study of people aged 51+ in the United States, and included 595 African American males and females. Multiple regression analyses were used to evaluate whether discrimination was independently associated with LTL. We also considered the role of potential confounders including sociodemographic factors, health factors, depressive symptoms, and stress. High discrimination was associated with shorter LTL after controlling for sociodemographic factors (b = -.034, SE = 0.14, p = .017). This association persisted in analyses that further adjusted for health factors, depressive symptoms, and stress. Results suggest that discrimination experiences accelerate biological aging in older African American males and females, alike. This finding helps advance our understanding of how discrimination generates greater disease vulnerability and premature death in African Americans. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Are negative symptoms in schizophrenia a distinct therapeutic target?

PubMed Central

MICLUTIA, IOANA VALENTINA

2018-01-01

Background and aims The relationship between negative symptoms and cognition in schizophrenia is not clear, inconsistent findings have been reported by multiple authors and meta analyses. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between cognition and primary negative symptoms. Methods 67 outpatients diagnosed with schizophrenia were evaluated using PANSS and the NSA-16 scale. Correlation and regression analyses were used in the present study to investigate the relationship between the primary negative symptoms and cognition. Results No relationship was found between the PANSS Cognitive factor and Negative factor, but when investigating the relationship of the Cognitive PANSS factor with the negative symptoms evaluated with the NSA-16 scale, it was shown that there is a significant association between cognition and motor retardation. Conclusions Our study reveals the relative independence of cognitive factor from the global negative domain of the psychopathology, even though the association with motor retardation was clear. These findings also support the need of using appropriate assessment tools in order to gain a more refined understanding of the phenomenology of schizophrenia. PMID:29440953

[Factors of working environment and process on non-ferrous metallurgy enterprises in Bashkortostan Republic and workers' occupational health].

PubMed

Bakirov, A B; Takaev, R M; Kondrova, N S; Shaĭkhlislamova, E R

2011-01-01

The authors studied factors of working environment and process on nonferrous metallurgy enterprises in Bashkortostan Republic and evaluated their influence on the workers' occupational health over 1997-2009, with consideration of occupation, sex, age, length of service, work conditions and characters. The article demonstrates that sanitary and hygienic characteristics of occupations connected with machinery operation are prone to increased integral evaluation of work conditions due to underestimation of actual hardiness and intensity of work.

Is the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) a valid measure in a general population 65-80 years old? A psychometric evaluation study.

PubMed

Djukanovic, Ingrid; Carlsson, Jörg; Årestedt, Kristofer

2017-10-04

The HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) aims to measure symptoms of anxiety (HADS Anxiety) and depression (HADS Depression). The HADS is widely used but has shown ambiguous results both regarding the factor structure and sex differences in the prevalence of depressive symptoms. There is also a lack of psychometric evaluations of the HADS in non-clinical samples of older people. The aim of the study was to evaluate the factor structure of the HADS in a general population 65-80 years old and to exam possible presence of differential item functioning (DIF) with respect to sex. This study was based on data from a Swedish sample, randomized from the total population in the age group 65-80 years (n = 6659). Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were performed to examine the factor structure. Ordinal regression analyses were conducted to detect DIF for sex. Reliability was examined by both ordinal as well as traditional Cronbach's alpha. The CFA showed a two-factor model with cross-loadings for two items (7 and 8) had excellent model fit. Internal consistency was good in both subscales, measured with ordinal and traditional alpha. Floor effects were presented for all items. No indication for meaningful DIF regarding sex was found for any of the subscales. HADS Anxiety and HADS Depression are unidimensional measures with acceptable internal consistency and are invariant with regard to sex. Despite pronounced ceiling effects and cross-loadings for item 7 and 8, the hypothesized two-factor model of HADS can be recommended to assess psychological distress among a general population 65-80 years old.

Estimate variable importance for recurrent event outcomes with an application to identify hypoglycemia risk factors.

PubMed

Duan, Ran; Fu, Haoda

2015-08-30

Recurrent event data are an important data type for medical research. In particular, many safety endpoints are recurrent outcomes, such as hypoglycemic events. For such a situation, it is important to identify the factors causing these events and rank these factors by their importance. Traditional model selection methods are not able to provide variable importance in this context. Methods that are able to evaluate the variable importance, such as gradient boosting and random forest algorithms, cannot directly be applied to recurrent events data. In this paper, we propose a two-step method that enables us to evaluate the variable importance for recurrent events data. We evaluated the performance of our proposed method by simulations and applied it to a data set from a diabetes study. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Psychometric assessment of the processes of change scale for sun protection.

PubMed

Sillice, Marie A; Babbin, Steven F; Redding, Colleen A; Rossi, Joseph S; Paiva, Andrea L; Velicer, Wayne F

2018-01-01

The fourteen-factor Processes of Change Scale for Sun Protection assesses behavioral and experiential strategies that underlie the process of sun protection acquisition and maintenance. Variations of this measure have been used effectively in several randomized sun protection trials, both for evaluation and as a basis for intervention. However, there are no published studies, to date, that evaluate the psychometric properties of the scale. The present study evaluated factorial invariance and scale reliability in a national sample (N = 1360) of adults involved in a Transtheoretical model tailored intervention for exercise and sun protection, at baseline. Invariance testing ranged from least to most restrictive: Configural Invariance (constraints only factor structure and zero loadings); Pattern Identity Invariance (equal factor loadings across target groups); and Strong Factorial Invariance (equal factor loadings and measurement errors). Multi-sample structural equation modeling tested the invariance of the measurement model across seven subgroups: age, education, ethnicity, gender, race, skin tone, and Stage of Change for Sun Protection. Strong factorial invariance was found across all subgroups. Internal consistency coefficient Alpha and factor rho reliability, respectively, were .83 and .80 for behavioral processes, .91 and .89 for experiential processes, and .93 and .91 for the global scale. These results provide strong empirical evidence that the scale is consistent, has internal validity and can be used in research interventions with population-based adult samples.

Reliability and validity of Persian version of perceived stress scale (PSS-10) in adults with asthma.

PubMed

Maroufizadeh, Saman; Zareiyan, Armin; Sigari, Naseh

2014-05-01

Asthma is a major public health problem in the world, and recent findings suggest that stress influences asthma and asthma morbidity. The 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) is one of the most frequently used instruments to measure psychological stress. This study was conducted to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian versions of the PSS-10 in adults with asthma. In this descriptive cross-sectional study as a methodological research, 106 asthmatic patients referring to several clinics in Sanandaj (western Iran) were selected through convenience sampling. The PSS-10 and the 21-item Depression anxiety and stress scale (DASS-21) were administrated to all patients. Cronbach's alpha was used to evaluate reliability of PSS-10, and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and convergent validity were used to evaluate its validity. The results of confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a two-factor structure of PSS-10 provided a good fit to data. The Cronbach's alpha coefficients for negative factor, positive factor and total score (PSS-10) were 0.86, 0.83, and 0.90, respectively. The PSS-10 was positively correlated with the DASS-21 and its subscales, indicating an acceptable convergent validity. Female asthmatic patients scored higher on PSS-10 in comparison with male asthmatic patients. The Persian version of PSS-10 is a valid and reliable instrument to measure perceived stress in adults with asthma.

[Development of a scale to measure leadership capacity of players in sports teams].

PubMed

Arce, Constantino; Torrado, Julio; Andrade, Elena; Garrido, Javier; de Francisco, Cristina

2008-11-01

This study describes the process of developing a scale to measure the leadership capacity of players in sports teams. Research into sports leadership has focused almost exclusively on the formal leadership of the coach, in which the studies by Chelladurai, with his five-factor model, have become an essential point of reference. Nevertheless, hardly any research has been carried out into the leadership that certain players exercise over the other team members. For this purpose, a sample of 143 male basketball players was used; these participants were asked to evaluate the characteristics of the sports leader over a total of 54 indicators. Firstly, explanatory factor analysis was performed with participants' responses, using principal axis and oblique rotation methods. The factor structure obtained was then subjected to confirmatory factorial analysis, enabling us to propose a Sports Leader Evaluation Scale (EELD, in Spanish) with 18 items grouped into 3 factors, denominated empathy and responsibility, assertiveness, and impulsiveness. Satisfactory fit indices were obtained for the model, for the reliability of items and for the internal consistency of factors.

Evaluation of Consequences of Dust Positioned in Southwest of Iran on Coagulant Factors

PubMed Central

Saeb, Keivan; Sarizade, Gholamreza; Khodadi, Mohammad; Biazar, Esmaeil

2013-01-01

Background: Various regions in Iran, especially the Khuzestan Province, have been covered by dust and dirt during the past two years due to environmental changes in the Middle East. We sought to evaluate the effect of these pollutants on the coagulant factors of people residing in Abadan and Khoramshahr, two major cities of Khuzestan Province. Methods: One hundred twenty-nine healthy individuals were enrolled into this study, and their prothrombin time as well as fibrinogen, platelet, and Factor VIII levels were measured before and after climate changes. Results: After climate changes, the mean prothrombin time decreased, while the fibrinogen, platelet, and Factor VIII levels rose. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the pollutants deployed in the Middle East can affect prothrombin time as well as fibrinogen, platelet, and Factor VII levels considerably and increase coagulant state. The pollutants can, consequently, increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. It seems that cooperation at government levels between Iran and its neighboring countries is required to reverse desertification and avoid inaccurate usage of subterranean water resources so as to lessen air pollution. PMID:23825886

An epidemiological study of environmental factors associated with canine obesity.

PubMed

Courcier, E A; Thomson, R M; Mellor, D J; Yam, P S

2010-07-01

To assess the relationships between socioeconomic and other environmental factors with canine obesity. This was a cross-sectional questionnaire study of dog owners attending five primary veterinary practices in the UK. Owners were asked about dog age, neuter status, feeding habits, dog exercise, household income and owner age. The body condition score of the dogs was also assessed. Factors hypothesised to be associated with obesity were investigated. In total, data from 696 questionnaires were evaluated. Out of those data evaluated, 35.3% of dogs (n=246) were classed as an ideal body shape, 38.9% (n=271) were overweight, 20.4% (n=142) were obese and 5.3% (n=37) were underweight. Identified risk factors associated with obesity included owner age, hours of weekly exercise, frequency of snacks/treats and personal income. Environmental risk factors associated with canine obesity are multifactorial and include personal income, owner age, frequency of snacks/treats and amount of exercise the dog receives. Awareness about health risks associated with obesity in dogs is significantly less in people in lower income brackets. This phenomenon is recognised in human obesity.

Effective learning among elite football players: the development of a football-specific self-regulated learning questionnaire.

PubMed

Toering, Tynke; Jordet, Geir; Ripegutu, Anders

2013-01-01

The present study aimed to develop a football-specific self-report instrument measuring self-regulated learning in the context of daily practice, which can be used to monitor the extent to which players take responsibility for their own learning. Development of the instrument involved six steps: 1. Literature review based on Zimmerman's (2006) theory of self-regulated learning, 2. Item generation, 3. Item validation, 4. Pilot studies, 5. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), and 6. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The instrument was tested for reliability and validity among 204 elite youth football players aged 13-16 years (Mage = 14.6; s = 0.60; 123 boys, 81 girls). The EFA indicated that a five-factor model fitted the observed data best (reflection, evaluation, planning, speaking up, and coaching). However, the CFA showed that a three-factor structure including 22 items produced a satisfactory model fit (reflection, evaluation, and planning; non-normed fit index [NNFI] = 0.96, comparative fit index [CFI] = 0.95, root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.067). While the self-regulation processes of reflection, evaluation, and planning are strongly related and fit well into one model, other self-regulated learning processes seem to be more individually determined. In conclusion, the questionnaire developed in this study is considered a reliable and valid instrument to measure self-regulated learning among elite football players.

A systematic review of risk factors associated with accidental falls, outcome measures and interventions to manage fall risk in non-ambulatory adults.

PubMed

Rice, Laura A; Ousley, Cherita; Sosnoff, Jacob J

2015-01-01

To systematically review peer-reviewed literature pertaining to risk factors, outcome measures and interventions managing fall risk in non-ambulatory adults. Twenty-one papers were selected for inclusion from databases including PubMed/Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Cochrane Library, Scopus, Consumer Health Complete and Web of Science. Selected studies involved a description of fall related risk factors, outcomes to assess fall risk and intervention studies describing protocols to manage fall risk in non-ambulatory adults. Studies were selected by two reviewers and consultation provided by a third reviewer. The most frequently cited risk factors/characteristics associated with falls included: wheelchair related characteristics, transfer activities, impaired seated balance and environmental factors. The majority of the outcomes were found to evaluate seated postural control. One intervention study was identified describing a protocol targeting specific problems of individual participants. A global fall prevention program was not identified. Several risk factors associated with falls were identified and must be understood by clinicians to better serve their clients. To improve objective assessment, a comprehensive outcome assessment specific to non-ambulatory adults is needed. Finally, additional research is needed to examine the impact of structured protocols to manage fall risk in non-ambulatory adults. Falls are a common health concern for non-ambulatory adults. Risk factors commonly associated with falls include wheelchair related characteristics, transfer activities, impaired seated balance and environmental factors. Limited outcome measures are available to assess fall risk in non-ambulatory adults. Clinicians must be aware of the known risk factors and provide comprehensive education to their clients on the potential for falls. Additional research is needed to develop and evaluate protocols to clinically manage fall risk.

Evaluation of comprehensive environmental effect about coastal zone development activities in Liaoning Province and management advice.

PubMed

Wang, Wei-Wei; Cai, Yue-Yin; Sun, Yong-Guang; Ma, Hong-Wei

2015-07-01

Using spatial analysis function of Arcgis software, the present study investigated the building environment impact evaluation index system of coastal development in Liaoning Province. The factors of it included of current state of environmental quality, environmental impact of marine development and marine environmental disaster. Weighted factor analysis and comprehensive index method were utilized. At the end, comprehensive environment effect of coastal development in Liaoning Province were evaluated successfully. The result showed that the environmental effect of development activity were most serious, along the Zhao Jiatun coast in north of Zhimao bay and coast of Mianhua island in Dalian bay.

Evaluation of the Present Navigation System. Appendix A.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-03-01

Waterways Study; 11I III J .+1 the impact of transportation deregulation, changes in United States environmental policies , higher coal exports, among others...excluded from scenarios. Those factors under the control of decisionmakers, such as shifts in Corps of Engineers policy , are also excluded from...factors - Industry factors (including energy policy ) - Transportation policy - Regulatory - Federal expenditure/cost recovery - Environmental policy

The NEO Five-Factor Inventory: Latent Structure and Relationships with Dimensions of Anxiety and Depressive Disorders in a Large Clinical Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosellini, Anthony J.; Brown, Timothy A.

2011-01-01

The present study evaluated the latent structure of the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO FFI) and relations between the five-factor model (FFM) of personality and dimensions of "DSM-IV" anxiety and depressive disorders (panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder [GAD], obsessive-compulsive disorder, social phobia [SOC], major depressive disorder…

An Assessment of Character and Leadership Development Latent Factor Structures through Confirmatory Factor, Item Response Theory, and Latent Class Analyses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Higginbotham, David L.

2013-01-01

This study leveraged the complementary nature of confirmatory factor (CFA), item response theory (IRT), and latent class (LCA) analyses to strengthen the rigor and sophistication of evaluation of two new measures of the Air Force Academy's "leader of character" definition--the Character Mosaic Virtues (CMV) and the Leadership Mosaic…

Reducing the Digital Divide through ICT Adoption: Factors, Barriers, and How ICT in Schools Can Help

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tengtrakul, Pitikorn

2013-01-01

Through econometric analysis of data from multiple surveys, this study explores factors that affect ICT adoption and evaluates the extent to which ICT in schools affect the ICT adoption of surrounding communities, in order to provide a perspective that can help narrow the gap of digital divide. Understanding factors affecting ICT adoption may…

Evaluation of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale in a Sample of Korean Adults.

PubMed

You, Sukkyung; Yoo, Ji Eun

2016-08-01

This study explored the psychometric qualities and construct validity of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS; Ellison in J Psychol Theol 11:330-340, 1983) using a sample of 470 Korean adults. Two factor analyses, exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis, were conducted in order to test the validity of the SWBS. The results of the factor analyses supported the original two-dimensional structure of the SWBS-religious well-being (RWB) and existential well-being (EWB) with method effects associated with negatively worded items. By controlling for method effects, the evaluation of the two-factor structure of SWBS is confirmed with clarity. Further, the differential pattern and magnitude of correlations between the SWB subscales and the religious and psychological variables suggested that two factors of the SWBS were valid for Protestant, Catholic, and religiously unaffiliated groups except Buddhists. The Protestant group scored higher in RWB compared to the Buddhist, Catholic, and unaffiliated groups. The Protestant group scored higher in EWB compared to the unaffiliated groups. Future studies may need to include more Buddhist samples to gain solid evidence for validity of the SWBS on a non-Western religious tradition.

Initial depressive episodes affect the risk of suicide attempts in Korean patients with bipolar disorder.

PubMed

Ryu, Vin; Jon, Duk-In; Cho, Hyun Sang; Kim, Se Joo; Lee, Eun; Kim, Eun Joo; Seok, Jeong-Ho

2010-09-01

Suicide is a major concern for increasing mortality in bipolar patients, but risk factors for suicide in bipolar disorder remain complex, including Korean patients. Medical records of bipolar patients were retrospectively reviewed to detect significant clinical characteristics associated with suicide attempts. A total of 579 medical records were retrospectively reviewed. Bipolar patients were divided into two groups with the presence of a history of suicide attempts. We compared demographic characteristics and clinical features between the two groups using an analysis of covariance and chi-square tests. Finally, logistic regression was performed to evaluate significant risk factors associated with suicide attempts in bipolar disorder. The prevalence of suicide attempt was 13.1% in our patient group. The presence of a depressive first episode was significantly different between attempters and nonattempters. Logistic regression analysis revealed that depressive first episodes and bipolar II disorder were significantly associated with suicide attempts in those patients. Clinicians should consider the polarity of the first mood episode when evaluating suicide risk in bipolar patients. This study has some limitations as a retrospective study and further studies with a prospective design are needed to replicate and evaluate risk factors for suicide in patients with bipolar disorder.

Validating the 11-Item Revised University of California Los Angeles Scale to Assess Loneliness Among Older Adults: An Evaluation of Factor Structure and Other Measurement Properties.

PubMed

Lee, Joonyup; Cagle, John G

2017-11-01

To examine the measurement properties and factor structure of the short version of the Revised University of California Los Angeles (R-UCLA) loneliness scale from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Based on data from 3,706 HRS participants aged 65 + who completed the 2012 wave of the HRS and its Psychosocial Supplement, the measurement properties and factorability of the R-UCLA were examined by conducting an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on randomly split halves. The average score for the 11-item loneliness scale was 16.4 (standard deviation: 4.5). An evaluation of the internal consistency produced a Cronbach's α of 0.87. Results from the EFA showed that two- and three-factor models were appropriate. However, based on the results of the CFA, only a two-factor model was determined to be suitable because there was a very high correlation between two factors identified in the three-factor model, available social connections and sense of belonging. This study provides important data on the properties of the 11-item R-UCLA scale by identifying a two-factor model of loneliness: feeling isolated and available social connections. Our findings suggest the 11-item R-UCLA has good factorability and internal reliability. Copyright © 2017 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Enhanced/Synthetic Vision Systems - Human factors research and implications for future systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Foyle, David C.; Ahumada, Albert J.; Larimer, James; Sweet, Barbara T.

1992-01-01

This paper reviews recent human factors research studies conducted in the Aerospace Human Factors Research Division at NASA Ames Research Center related to the development and usage of Enhanced or Synthetic Vision Systems. Research discussed includes studies of field of view (FOV), representational differences of infrared (IR) imagery, head-up display (HUD) symbology, HUD advanced concept designs, sensor fusion, and sensor/database fusion and evaluation. Implications for the design and usage of Enhanced or Synthetic Vision Systems are discussed.

Design, Implementation and Evaluation of School-Based Sexual Health Education in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Qualitative Study of Researchers' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sani, A. Sadiq; Abraham, Charles; Denford, Sarah; Mathews, Catherine

2018-01-01

This study investigated facilitators and challenges to designing, implementing and evaluating school-based sexual health education in sub-Saharan Africa, using interviews with intervention designers and researchers. At the pre-planning and planning stages, participants reported that facilitating factors included addressing the reproductive health…

Distance Learning Students' Evaluation of E-Learning System in University of Tabuk, Saudi Arabia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Al-Juda, Mefleh Qublan B.

2017-01-01

This study evaluates the experiences and perceptions of students regarding e-learning systems and their preparedness for e-learning. It also investigates the overall perceptions of students regarding e-learning and the factors influencing students' attitudes towards e-learning. The study uses convenience sampling in which students of the Education…

Lecturers' Perceptions of the Implementation of the Revised English Language Nigeria Certificate in Education Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tom-Lawyer, Oris Oritsebemigho

2015-01-01

This paper examines the perceptions of English language lecturers from three colleges of education on the factors that inhibit the implementation process of the revised English Language Nigeria Certificate Education Curriculum. The study which is underpinned by the CIPP Evaluation model is part of a larger study on the evaluation of the…

Fundamental study of compression for movie files of coronary angiography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ando, Takekazu; Tsuchiya, Yuichiro; Kodera, Yoshie

2005-04-01

When network distribution of movie files was considered as reference, it could be useful that the lossy compression movie files which has small file size. We chouse three kinds of coronary stricture movies with different moving speed as an examination object; heart rate of slow, normal and fast movies. The movies of MPEG-1, DivX5.11, WMV9 (Windows Media Video 9), and WMV9-VCM (Windows Media Video 9-Video Compression Manager) were made from three kinds of AVI format movies with different moving speeds. Five kinds of movies that are four kinds of compression movies and non-compression AVI instead of the DICOM format were evaluated by Thurstone's method. The Evaluation factors of movies were determined as "sharpness, granularity, contrast, and comprehensive evaluation." In the virtual bradycardia movie, AVI was the best evaluation at all evaluation factors except the granularity. In the virtual normal movie, an excellent compression technique is different in all evaluation factors. In the virtual tachycardia movie, MPEG-1 was the best evaluation at all evaluation factors expects the contrast. There is a good compression form depending on the speed of movies because of the difference of compression algorithm. It is thought that it is an influence by the difference of the compression between frames. The compression algorithm for movie has the compression between the frames and the intra-frame compression. As the compression algorithm give the different influence to image by each compression method, it is necessary to examine the relation of the compression algorithm and our results.

Promoting Instructional Improvement or Resistance? A Comparative Study of Teachers' Perceptions of Teacher Evaluation Policy in Korea and the USA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Jihyun; Youngs, Peter

2016-01-01

This study draws on institutional theory to examine teachers' and principals' perceptions of new teacher evaluation policies, factors that influence such perceptions and how such perceptions shape the implementation of the policies in Seoul (Korea) and Michigan (USA). The study featured in-depth interviews of 11 elementary school teachers and 4…

Understanding the Factors That Support the Use of Active Learning Teaching in STEM Undergraduate Courses: Case Studies in the Field of Geoscience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iverson, Ellen A. Roscoe

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to understand the factors that support the adoption of active learning teaching strategies in undergraduate courses by faculty members, specifically in the STEM disciplines related to geoscience. The focus of the study centered on the context of the department which was identified as a gap in evaluation and…

Structural factors of jointed plain concrete pavements : SPS-2--initial evaluation and analysis

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2005-04-01

The SPS-2 experiment, "Strategic Study of Structural Factors for Jointed Plain Concrete Pavements (JPCP)," is one of the key components of the Long Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) program. The main objective of this experiment is to determine the re...

Psychometric Properties of the Farsi Version of “Spiritual Needs Questionnaire” for Cancer Patients in Iran: A Methodological Study

PubMed

Hatamipour, Khadijeh; Rassouli, Maryam; Yaghmaie, Farideh; Zendedel, Kazem

2018-04-25

Background and objectives: Spiritual needs are very important requirements to cancer patients. A valid and reliable instrument is needed for evaluation. This study was conducted to psychometrically evaluate a Spiritual Needs Questionnaire (SpNQ) for cancer patients in Iran. Methods: In this study, the methodology and psychometric properties of the Farsi version of the SpNQ (Büssing et al., (2010)) were evaluated, based on the model proposed by Wilde et al., (2005). The study population included cancer patients referred to the largest referral center in Iran. Some 400 subjects were selected. Then, the content, face and construct validity, as well as the internal consistency and reliability of the Farsi version were assessed. Findings: In the confirmatory factor analysis, the original four-factor version with 19 phrases was not confirmed. Subsequently, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was carried out in which phrases were included in three dimensions (peace and active giving, religion, and existence) that explained 48.1% of the variance. Later, a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted, which showed a good fit of the model (CFI=0.94, GFI=0.94, RMSEA=0.071, and AGFI=0.96). Cronbach’s alpha was α=0.91 for the whole SpNQ. Cronbach’s alpha values ranged from 0.76 to 0.86 for the three factors. The intra-class correlation coefficient was ICC=0.82 between two tests performed with a two-week interval. Conclusion: The modified Farsi version of the SpNQ shows good psychometric properties for patients and can be used to investigate the spiritual needs of Iranian cancer patients. Creative Commons Attribution License

Identifying g: A Review of Current Factor Analytic Practices in the Science of Mental Abilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reeve, Charlie L.; Blacksmith, Nikki

2009-01-01

Factor analysis is arguably one of the most important tools in the science of mental abilities. While many studies have been conducted to make recommendations regarding "best practices" concerning its use, it is unknown the degree to which contemporary ability researchers abide by those standards. The current study sought to evaluate the typical…

Teachers Beware: Elementary Social Studies Textbooks Are Getting Harder to Read.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnson, Roger E.

An evaluation of elementary social studies textbooks indicates that eight factors are making textbooks harder to read. These factors are: (1) the reading level of the book and/or the range of reading levels within it; (2) long sentences and/or too many concepts within a sentence or paragraph; (3) the use of vague terms, technical vocabulary, and…

Further Validation of the Inventory of Mental Toughness Factors in Sport (IMTF-S)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stonkus, Mark A.; Royal, Kenneth D.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to provide further validation a new measure of mental toughness in sport. The Inventory of Mental Toughness Factors in Sport (IMTF-S) was originally developed and validated using principal component analysis. For the present study, the psychometric properties of the IMTF-S were again evaluated, but by way of the Rasch…

An Evaluation of Risk Factors Related to Employment Outcomes for Youth with Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sima, Adam P.; Wehman, Paul H.; Chan, Fong; West, Michael D.; Leucking, Richard G.

2015-01-01

This study explores non-modifiable risk factors associated with poor post-school competitive employment outcomes for students with disabilities. A classification tree analysis was used with a sample of 2,900 students who were in the second National Longitudinal Transition Study-2 (NLTS2) up to 6 years following school exit to identify groups of…

System-Level Evaluation: Language and Other Background Factors Affecting Mathematics Achievement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Howie, Sarah

2005-01-01

The aim of this study is to describe and to explore the main factors affecting the performance of South African pupils in the mathematics test of the Third International Mathematics and Science Study-Repeat (TIMSS-R). The first objective was to describe the performance of the pupils in the mathematics test, the pupils' proficiency in English, as…

Physics Metacognition Inventory Part II: Confirmatory factor analysis and Rasch analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taasoobshirazi, Gita; Bailey, MarLynn; Farley, John

2015-11-01

The Physics Metacognition Inventory was developed to measure physics students' metacognition for problem solving. In one of our earlier studies, an exploratory factor analysis provided evidence of preliminary construct validity, revealing six components of students' metacognition when solving physics problems including knowledge of cognition, planning, monitoring, evaluation, debugging, and information management. The college students' scores on the inventory were found to be reliable and related to students' physics motivation and physics grade. However, the results of the exploratory factor analysis indicated that the questionnaire could be revised to improve its construct validity. The goal of this study was to revise the questionnaire and establish its construct validity through a confirmatory factor analysis. In addition, a Rasch analysis was applied to the data to better understand the psychometric properties of the inventory and to further evaluate the construct validity. Results indicated that the final, revised inventory is a valid, reliable, and efficient tool for assessing student metacognition for physics problem solving.

[The role of urinary markers in the assessment and follow-up of lower urinary tract disorders: a literature review].

PubMed

Peyronnet, B; Bendavid, C; Manunta, A; Damphousse, M; Cheensse, C; Brochard, C; Castel-Lacanal, E; Siproudhis, L; Bensalah, K; Gamé, X

2015-03-01

To conduct a literature review on the role of urinary biomarkers in the initial assessment and follow-up of lower urinary tract symptoms. A literature review was conducted in August 2014 using the Medline/Pubmed database limiting the search to work in English or French. Most studies were of level of evidence 2 or 3 (prospective cohort, controlled or not) and mainly about overactive bladder and bladder pain syndrome. Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) was the most studied and apparently the most promising in the evaluation of overactive bladder (OAB) and neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO). Urinary levels of ATP, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and some cytokines were also significantly higher in most studies in patients with NDO or OAB. Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF), Heparin-Binding EGF (HBEGF) and Antiproliferative Factor (APF) were the most studied urinary markers in bladder pain syndrome, with a significant increase (EGF APF) or decrease (HBEGF) in cases of interstitial cystitis (compared to healthy controls). The urinary N-terminal-telopeptide (NTx) could be predictive of a failed mid-urethral sling. However, few studies reported the diagnostic values of the markers, their association with urodynamic parameters were rarely evaluated and the existence of a publication bias is likely. No randomized controlled study has so far compared the urinary markers to urodynamic evaluation. In the future, urinary markers could complete or replace urodynamic examination. However, to date, there is no high level of evidence study comparing these markers to urodynamics and their use can therefore not be recommended in daily practice. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

[Occupational microclimate. Results and prospects of research].

PubMed

Afanas'eva, R F; Bessonova, N A; Burmistrova, O V; Burmistrov, V M; Losik, T K

2013-01-01

The article covers results of studies conducted over last 15 years and aimed to elaboration of requirements to integral parameters of microclimate at workplace, its evaluation and regulation, prophylactic measures against body overcooling and overheating. The authors present methods to evaluate combined effects of physical factors (noise, vibration, microclimate) and to assess microclimate with consideration of factors determining body thermal load (energy expenditure, duration of stay at workplace, heat insulation of clothes and thermo-physical parameters of its materials). Mathematic models of forecasting cold and heat stress are presented, as well as requirements to heat insulation for individual protective means against cold and methods to calculate it. Regimens of work in heating and cooling conditions are specified. The authors set directions for further studies to define regulation requirements to microclimate on basis of studied patterns of body heat state formation, its evaluation criteria, epidemiologic studies results, specified prophylactic measures against overheating and overcooling with consideration of adaptation, sex, thermo-physical characteristics of individual protective means (special clothes, footwear, gauntlets, headwear).

77 FR 67644 - Examination Rating System

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-11-13

... entities are to be evaluated included a list of ``evaluative factors'' relating to the particular component... revisions or additions to the evaluative factors or the components, which are described briefly below. Under the ``Capital'' component, FHFA has revised the fourth bullet paragraph of evaluative factors...

48 CFR 1552.215-71 - Evaluation factors for award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... for technical acceptability evaluation: (c) Factors for past performance evaluation (optional): (End... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 6 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 true Evaluation factors for award. 1552.215-71 Section 1552.215-71 Federal Acquisition Regulations System ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION...

Evaluation of the psychometric properties of the Pediatric Parenting Stress Inventory (PPSI).

PubMed

Devine, Katie A; Heckler, Charles E; Katz, Ernest R; Fairclough, Diane L; Phipps, Sean; Sherman-Bien, Sandra; Dolgin, Michael J; Noll, Robert B; Askins, Martha A; Butler, Robert W; Sahler, Olle Jane Z

2014-02-01

This work evaluated the psychometric properties of the Pediatric Parenting Stress Inventory (PPSI), a new measure of problems and distress experienced by parents of children with chronic illnesses. This secondary data analysis used baseline data from 1 sample of English-, Spanish-, and Hebrew-speaking mothers of children recently diagnosed with cancer (n = 449) and 1 sample of English- and Spanish-speaking mothers of children recently diagnosed with cancer (n = 399) who participated in 2 problem-solving skills training interventions. The PPSI was administered at baseline with other measures of maternal distress. Factor structure was evaluated using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on the first sample and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on both samples. Internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha. Construct validity was assessed via Spearman correlations with measures of maternal distress. EFA resulted in a stable four-factor solution with 35 items. CFA indicated that the four-factor solution demonstrated reasonable fit in both samples. Internal consistency of the subscales and full scale was adequate to excellent. Construct validity was supported by moderate to strong correlations with measures of maternal distress, depression, and posttraumatic stress symptoms. The PPSI demonstrated good psychometric properties in assessing current problems and distress experienced by mothers of children newly diagnosed with cancer. This tool may be used to identify individualized targets for intervention in families of children with cancer. Future studies could evaluate the utility and psychometrics of the PPSI with other pediatric populations. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Factors associated with implementation of a multicomponent responsible beverage service program – results from two surveys in 290 Swedish municipalities

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to investigate which factors affected the implementation of a multicomponent Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) program in 290 Swedish municipalities and whether the amount of such factors influenced the level of implementation of the program. Methods This study used variation in the presence of implementation-promoting factors to predict the level of implementation of the RBS program in municipalities throughout Sweden. The presence of such factors and the level of implementation of the program were studied by means of two surveys in all Swedish municipalities (N=290). Logistic regression and Spearman’s correlation analyses were used to analyze the relationship between implementation-promoting factors and the level of implementation of the RBS program. Results The response rates of the two surveys were 96% and 98%, respectively. One main finding was that program fidelity was low. Only 13% of the municipalities surveyed had implemented the RBS program as a whole, as stated in the specification of requirements. In municipalities reporting a higher amount of implementation-promoting factors, a significantly higher level of implementation of the program was shown. Evaluation and feedback was the only factor that correlated significantly with the level of implementation of the RBS program as a whole. Conclusion Evaluation and feedback constitutes an important implementation-promoting factor also in complex programs like the RBS program. Program fidelity is significant for the outcome of an intervention and must be a major focus of the implementation processes. PMID:23497692

Evaluation of Work-related Psychosocial and Ergonomics Factors in Relation to Low Back Discomfort in Emergency Unit Nurses

PubMed Central

Habibi, Ehsanollah; Pourabdian, Siamak; Atabaki, Azadeh Kianpour; Hoseini, Mohsen

2012-01-01

Background and Aim: High prevalence of low back pain is one of the most common problems among nurses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relation of the intensity of low back discomfort to two low back pain contributor factors (Ergonomics risk factors and psychosocial factors). Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted on 120 emergency unit nurses in Esfahan. Job content, ergonomics hazards and nordic questionnaire were used in that order for daily assessment of Psychosocial and Ergonomics factors and the intensity of low back discomfort. Nurses were questioned during a 5-week period, at the end of each shift work. The final results were analyzed with SPSS software18/PASW by using Spearman, Mann-Whitney and Kolmogorov-Smirnove test. Results: There was a significant relationship between work demand, job content, social support and intensity of low back discomfort (P value <0.05). But, there was not any link between intensity of low back discomfort and job control. Also, there was significant relationship between intensity of low back discomfort and ergonomics risk factors. Conclusion: This study showed an indirect relationship between the intensity of low back discomfort and social support. This study also confirmed a direct relationship between the intensity of low back discomfort and work demand, job content, ergonomics factors (Awkward Postures (rotating and bending), manual patient handling and repetitiveness, standing continuously more than 30 min). So, to decrease work related low back discomfort, psychosocial factors should be attended in addition to ergonomics factors. PMID:22973487

Participative Evaluation and the Quality of Community Empowerment Training of "Program Keluarga Harapan" (PKH) Companions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rasyad, Ach.

2016-01-01

This research is aiming at describing: (1) the implementation of community empowerment training of PKH companions, (2) types of participative evaluation used in the PKH companion training, and (3) obstacles and supporting factors in PKH companion training using the participative evaluation. The study employed qualitative approach with case study…

An Investigation of Research-Based Teaching Practices through the Teacher Evaluations in Indiana Public Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sargent, Michael Steven

2014-01-01

The purpose of this study was to identify if a relationship existed between the implementation of professional evaluation processes and the use of research-based teaching practices, factoring in both perceptions of principals and practicing teachers. The variables of professional development on the evaluation model and the principal's years of…

Evaluating the Effect of Learning Style and Student Background on Self-Assessment Accuracy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alaoutinen, Satu

2012-01-01

This study evaluates a new taxonomy-based self-assessment scale and examines factors that affect assessment accuracy and course performance. The scale is based on Bloom's Revised Taxonomy and is evaluated by comparing students' self-assessment results with course performance in a programming course. Correlation has been used to reveal possible…

The Relationship of Core Self-Evaluations and Life Satisfaction in College Students with Disabilities: Evaluation of a Mediator Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smedema, Susan Miller; Chan, Fong; Yaghmaian, Rana A.; Cardoso, Elizabeth DaSilva; Muller, Veronica; Keegan, John; Dutta, Alo; Ebener, Deborah J.

2015-01-01

This study examined the factorial structure of the construct core self-evaluations (CSE) and tested a mediational model of the relationship between CSE and life satisfaction in college students with disabilities. We conducted a quantitative descriptive design using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis.…

Residential Wilderness Programs: The Role of Social Support in Influencing Self-Evaluations of Male Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, Emily C.

2008-01-01

This qualitative study explores the aspects of a residential wilderness experience that informed self-evaluations in male adolescents, ages 12-16. To assess change in self-evaluations and program factors associated with change, qualitative interviews were conducted with adolescents upon entry to the program and four months later. Participants'…

Generational Differences among Community College Students in Their Evaluation of Academic Cheating

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wotring, Kathleen E.; Bol, Linda

2011-01-01

This study examined how community college students (n = 650) vary by generation and other characteristics in their evaluation of academic activities as cheating. A Likert-type instrument was developed based on the literature, pilot tested, and subjected to factor analysis. Results of MANOVA found no difference by generation in the evaluation of…

Fear of negative appearance evaluation: development and evaluation of a new construct for risk factor work in the field of eating disorders.

PubMed

Lundgren, Jennifer D; Anderson, Drew A; Thompson, Joel Kevin

2004-01-01

The psychometric properties and correlates of a measure designed to assess fear of negative appearance evaluation are presented. In Study 1, 165 college females completed the Fear of Negative Appearance Evaluation Scale [FNAES; Thomas, C.M., Keery, H., Williams, R., & Thompson, J. K. (1998, November). The Fear of Negative Appearance Evaluation Scale: Development and preliminary validation. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy, Washington, DC] along with measures of body image, eating disturbance, and depression. Results replicated previous analyses indicating the presence of a single factor, good internal consistency, and significant association with measures of body image and eating disturbance. Additionally, the FNAES accounted for unique variance beyond that explained by general fear of negative evaluation, and other measures of body image and eating disturbance, in the prediction of body shape dysphoria, dietary restraint, and trait anxiety. Study 2 further examined the validity of the FNAES, finding it to correlate significantly with measures of social physique anxiety, body image, eating attitude, and mood. The FNAES did not significantly correlate with body mass index (BMI). Regression analyses found the FNAES to predict levels of body image, eating attitude, and mood beyond variance explained by social physique anxiety. The FNAES appears to measure a conceptually unique aspect of body image that has not been indexed by previous measures and may serve a useful role in risk factor and preventive work.

A resilience-based model for performance evaluation of information systems: the case of a gas company

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azadeh, A.; Salehi, V.; Salehi, R.

2017-10-01

Information systems (IS) are strongly influenced by changes in new technology and should react swiftly in response to external conditions. Resilience engineering is a new method that can enable these systems to absorb changes. In this study, a new framework is presented for performance evaluation of IS that includes DeLone and McLean's factors of success in addition to resilience. Hence, this study is an attempt to evaluate the impact of resilience on IS by the proposed model in Iranian Gas Engineering and Development Company via the data obtained from questionnaires and Fuzzy Data Envelopment Analysis (FDEA) approach. First, FDEA model with α-cut = 0.05 was identified as the most suitable model to this application by performing all Banker, Charnes and Cooper and Charnes, Cooper and Rhodes models of and FDEA and selecting the appropriate model based on maximum mean efficiency. Then, the factors were ranked based on the results of sensitivity analysis, which showed resilience had a significantly higher impact on the proposed model relative to other factors. The results of this study were then verified by conducting the related ANOVA test. This is the first study that examines the impact of resilience on IS by statistical and mathematical approaches.

Potential Genetic Risk Factors for Chronic TMD: Genetic Associations from the OPPERA Case Control Study

PubMed Central

Smith, Shad B.; Maixner, Dylan; Greenspan, Joel; Dubner, Ron; Fillingim, Roger; Ohrbach, Richard; Knott, Charles; Slade, Gary; Bair, Eric; Gibson, Dustin G.; Zaykin, Dmitri V.; Weir, Bruce; Maixner, William; Diatchenko, Luda

2011-01-01

Genetic factors play a role in the etiology of persistent pain conditions, putatively by modulating underlying processes such as nociceptive sensitivity, psychological well-being, inflammation, and autonomic response. However, to date, only a few genes have been associated with temporomandibular disorders (TMD). This study evaluated 358 genes involved in pain processes, comparing allelic frequencies between 166 cases with chronic TMD and 1442 controls enrolled in the OPPERA (Orofacial Pain: Prospective Evaluation and Risk Assessment) study cooperative agreement. To enhance statistical power, 182 TMD cases and 170 controls from a similar study were included in the analysis. Genotyping was performed using the Pain Research Panel, an Affymetrix gene chip representing 3295 single nucleotide polymorphisms, including ancestry-informative markers that were used to adjust for population stratification. Adjusted associations between genetic markers and TMD case status were evaluated using logistic regression. The OPPERA findings provided evidence supporting previously-reported associations between TMD and two genes: HTR2A and COMT. Other genes were revealed as potential new genetic risk factors for TMD, including NR3C1, CAMK4, CHRM2, IFRD1, and GRK5. While these findings need to be replicated in independent cohorts, the genes potentially represent important markers of risk for TMD and they identify potential targets for therapeutic intervention. PMID:22074755

Identifying Items to Assess Methodological Quality in Physical Therapy Trials: A Factor Analysis

PubMed Central

Cummings, Greta G.; Fuentes, Jorge; Saltaji, Humam; Ha, Christine; Chisholm, Annabritt; Pasichnyk, Dion; Rogers, Todd

2014-01-01

Background Numerous tools and individual items have been proposed to assess the methodological quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The frequency of use of these items varies according to health area, which suggests a lack of agreement regarding their relevance to trial quality or risk of bias. Objective The objectives of this study were: (1) to identify the underlying component structure of items and (2) to determine relevant items to evaluate the quality and risk of bias of trials in physical therapy by using an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Design A methodological research design was used, and an EFA was performed. Methods Randomized controlled trials used for this study were randomly selected from searches of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Two reviewers used 45 items gathered from 7 different quality tools to assess the methodological quality of the RCTs. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted using the principal axis factoring (PAF) method followed by varimax rotation. Results Principal axis factoring identified 34 items loaded on 9 common factors: (1) selection bias; (2) performance and detection bias; (3) eligibility, intervention details, and description of outcome measures; (4) psychometric properties of the main outcome; (5) contamination and adherence to treatment; (6) attrition bias; (7) data analysis; (8) sample size; and (9) control and placebo adequacy. Limitation Because of the exploratory nature of the results, a confirmatory factor analysis is needed to validate this model. Conclusions To the authors' knowledge, this is the first factor analysis to explore the underlying component items used to evaluate the methodological quality or risk of bias of RCTs in physical therapy. The items and factors represent a starting point for evaluating the methodological quality and risk of bias in physical therapy trials. Empirical evidence of the association among these items with treatment effects and a confirmatory factor analysis of these results are needed to validate these items. PMID:24786942

Identifying items to assess methodological quality in physical therapy trials: a factor analysis.

PubMed

Armijo-Olivo, Susan; Cummings, Greta G; Fuentes, Jorge; Saltaji, Humam; Ha, Christine; Chisholm, Annabritt; Pasichnyk, Dion; Rogers, Todd

2014-09-01

Numerous tools and individual items have been proposed to assess the methodological quality of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The frequency of use of these items varies according to health area, which suggests a lack of agreement regarding their relevance to trial quality or risk of bias. The objectives of this study were: (1) to identify the underlying component structure of items and (2) to determine relevant items to evaluate the quality and risk of bias of trials in physical therapy by using an exploratory factor analysis (EFA). A methodological research design was used, and an EFA was performed. Randomized controlled trials used for this study were randomly selected from searches of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Two reviewers used 45 items gathered from 7 different quality tools to assess the methodological quality of the RCTs. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted using the principal axis factoring (PAF) method followed by varimax rotation. Principal axis factoring identified 34 items loaded on 9 common factors: (1) selection bias; (2) performance and detection bias; (3) eligibility, intervention details, and description of outcome measures; (4) psychometric properties of the main outcome; (5) contamination and adherence to treatment; (6) attrition bias; (7) data analysis; (8) sample size; and (9) control and placebo adequacy. Because of the exploratory nature of the results, a confirmatory factor analysis is needed to validate this model. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first factor analysis to explore the underlying component items used to evaluate the methodological quality or risk of bias of RCTs in physical therapy. The items and factors represent a starting point for evaluating the methodological quality and risk of bias in physical therapy trials. Empirical evidence of the association among these items with treatment effects and a confirmatory factor analysis of these results are needed to validate these items. © 2014 American Physical Therapy Association.

A National Surveillance Survey on Noncommunicable Disease Risk Factors: Suriname Health Study Protocol

PubMed Central

Smits, Christel CF; Jaddoe, Vincent WV; Hofman, Albert; Toelsie, Jerry R

2015-01-01

Background Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death in low- and middle-income countries. Therefore, the surveillance of risk factors has become an issue of major importance for planning and implementation of preventive measures. Unfortunately, in these countries data on NCDs and their risk factors are limited. This also prevails in Suriname, a middle-income country of the Caribbean, with a multiethnic/multicultural population living in diverse residential areas. For these reasons, “The Suriname Health Study” was designed. Objective The main objective of this study is to estimate the prevalence of NCD risk factors, including metabolic syndrome, hypertension, and diabetes in Suriname. Differences between specific age groups, sexes, ethnic groups, and geographical areas will be emphasized. In addition, risk groups will be identified and targeted actions will be designed and evaluated. Methods In this study, several methodologies were combined. A stratified multistage cluster sample was used to select the participants of 6 ethnic groups (Hindustani, Creole, Javanese, Maroon, Chinese, Amerindians, and mixed) divided into 5 age groups (between 15 and 65 years) who live in urban/rural areas or the hinterland. A standardized World Health Organization STEPwise approach to surveillance questionnaire was adapted and used to obtain information about demographic characteristics, lifestyle, and risk factors. Physical examinations were performed to measure blood pressure, height, weight, and waist circumference. Biochemical analysis of collected blood samples evaluated the levels of glucose, high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglycerides. Statistical analysis will be used to identify the burden of modifiable and unmodifiable risk factors in the aforementioned subgroups. Subsequently, tailor-made interventions will be prepared and their effects will be evaluated. Results The data as collected allow for national inference and valid analysis of the age, sex, and ethnicity subgroups in the Surinamese population. A publication of the basic survey results is anticipated in mid-2015. Secondary results on the effect of targeted lifestyle interventions are anticipated in late 2017. Conclusions Using the data collected in this study, the national prevalence of NCD risk factors will be approximated and described in a diverse population. This study is an entry point for formulating the structure of NCD prevention and surveillance. PMID:26085372

Nursing Job Rotation Stress Scale development and psychometric evaluation.

PubMed

Huang, Shan; Lin, Yu-Hua; Kao, Chia-Chan; Yang, Hsing-Yu; Anne, Ya-Li; Wang, Cheng-Hua

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to develop and assess the reliability and validity of the Nurse Job Rotation Stress Scale (NJRS). A convenience sampling method was utilized to recruit two groups of nurses (n = 150 and 253) from a 2751 bed medical center in southern Taiwan. The NJRS scale was developed and used to evaluate the NJRS. Explorative factor analysis revealed that three factors accounted for 74.11% of the explained variance. Confirmatory factor analysis validity testing supported the three factor structure and the construct validity. Cronbach's alpha for the 10 item model was 0.87 and had high linearity. The NJRS can be considered a reliable and valid scale for the measurement of nurse job rotation stress for nursing management and research purposes. © 2015 Japan Academy of Nursing Science.

Development and Evaluation of the Telephone Crisis Support Skills Scale.

PubMed

Kitchingman, Taneile A; Wilson, Coralie J; Caputi, Peter; Woodward, Alan; Hunt, Tara

2015-01-01

Although telephone services continue to play an important role in the delivery of front-line crisis support, published evidence of the standardized assessment of such services does not exist to date. To describe the development of the Telephone Crisis Support Skills Scale (TCSSS), an instrument to assess workers' intentions to use recommended skills with callers, and to evaluate its factor structure and reliability. TCSSS items were mapped to a national telephone crisis support practice model. A national sample of workers (n = 210) completed the TCSSS as part of a larger online survey. Principal axis factoring was used to evaluate the structure of the instrument. Internal consistency was assessed by Cronbach's α values. A single factor accounted for more than 40% of the variance within TCSSS ratings, indicating unidimensional structure. Cronbach's α coefficients suggested adequate internal consistency. Results indicate that the TCSSS is an internally consistent, unidimensional scale, sufficiently sensitive to detect workers' skill priorities for different caller problem types. Further study is required to confirm the factor structure and reliability of the TCSSS using workers from different organizations. Following further evaluation, the TCSSS may be applied to assessing readiness for and quality of service delivery.

Evaluating the behavior of cultured sertoli cells in the presence and absence of spermatogonial stem cell

PubMed Central

Jabarpour, Masoome

2018-01-01

Background The complex process of spermatogenesis is regulated by various factors. Several studies have been conducted to proliferate cells involved in the spermatogenesis process, in culture by used growth factors, different hormones and feeder cells. This study was conducted to evaluate the role of Sertoli cells on gene expression of fibroblast growth factor (FGF2) and glial cell derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) after removal of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) from the culture medium. Methods Following isolation, bovine SSCs were co-cultured with Sertoli cells and follicular stimulating hormone (FSH) for 12 days. In the treatment group, SSCs were removed from the culture medium; in the control group no intervention was done in the culture. Colony formation of SSCs was evaluated by using an inverted microscope. Then, the expression of factors genes were assessed by quantitative RT-PCR. Data was analyzed by using paired-samples t-test. Results The results showed that removal of SSCs led to the increase in expression of GDNF and FGF2. These findings suggest that loss of SSCs population or decline in its population leads to changing in behavior of somatic cells which forming niche and consequently stimulates self-renewal and inhibits differentiation of SSCs. Conclusions The present study showed that removal of SSCs from the culture medium could be a model for damage to SSCs; the results revealed that niche cells respond to SSCs removal by upregulation of FGF2 and GDNF to stimulate self-renewal of SSCs and abrogation of differentiation. PMID:29430457

A retrospective study of factors influencing survival following surgery for gastric dilatation-volvulus syndrome in 306 dogs.

PubMed

Mackenzie, George; Barnhart, Mathew; Kennedy, Shawn; DeHoff, William; Schertel, Eric

2010-01-01

Gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV) is a life-threatening condition in dogs that has been associated with high mortality rates in previous studies. Factors were evaluated in this study for their influence on overall and postoperative mortality in 306 confirmed cases of GDV between 2000 and 2004. The overall mortality rate was 10%, and the postoperative mortality rate was 6.1%. The factor that was associated with a significant increase in overall mortality was the presence of preoperative cardiac arrhythmias. Factors that were associated with a significant increase in postoperative mortality were postoperative cardiac arrhythmias, splenectomy, or splenectomy with partial gastric resection. The factor that was associated with a significant decrease in the overall mortality rate was time from presentation to surgery. This study documents that certain factors continue to affect the overall and postoperative mortality rates associated with GDV, but these mortality rates have decreased compared to previously reported rates.

Evaluation Framework for Telemedicine Using the Logical Framework Approach and a Fishbone Diagram

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Objectives Technological advances using telemedicine and telehealth are growing in healthcare fields, but the evaluation framework for them is inconsistent and limited. This paper suggests a comprehensive evaluation framework for telemedicine system implementation and will support related stakeholders' decision-making by promoting general understanding, and resolving arguments and controversies. Methods This study focused on developing a comprehensive evaluation framework by summarizing themes across the range of evaluation techniques and organized foundational evaluation frameworks generally applicable through studies and cases of diverse telemedicine. Evaluation factors related to aspects of information technology; the evaluation of satisfaction of service providers and consumers, cost, quality, and information security are organized using the fishbone diagram. Results It was not easy to develop a monitoring and evaluation framework for telemedicine since evaluation frameworks for telemedicine are very complex with many potential inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes, and stakeholders. A conceptual framework was developed that incorporates the key dimensions that need to be considered in the evaluation of telehealth implementation for a formal structured approach to the evaluation of a service. The suggested framework consists of six major dimensions and the subsequent branches for each dimension. Conclusions To implement telemedicine and telehealth services, stakeholders should make decisions based on sufficient evidence in quality and safety measured by the comprehensive evaluation framework. Further work would be valuable in applying more comprehensive evaluations to verify and improve the comprehensive framework across a variety of contexts with more factors and participant group dimensions. PMID:26618028

Evaluation Framework for Telemedicine Using the Logical Framework Approach and a Fishbone Diagram.

PubMed

Chang, Hyejung

2015-10-01

Technological advances using telemedicine and telehealth are growing in healthcare fields, but the evaluation framework for them is inconsistent and limited. This paper suggests a comprehensive evaluation framework for telemedicine system implementation and will support related stakeholders' decision-making by promoting general understanding, and resolving arguments and controversies. This study focused on developing a comprehensive evaluation framework by summarizing themes across the range of evaluation techniques and organized foundational evaluation frameworks generally applicable through studies and cases of diverse telemedicine. Evaluation factors related to aspects of information technology; the evaluation of satisfaction of service providers and consumers, cost, quality, and information security are organized using the fishbone diagram. It was not easy to develop a monitoring and evaluation framework for telemedicine since evaluation frameworks for telemedicine are very complex with many potential inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes, and stakeholders. A conceptual framework was developed that incorporates the key dimensions that need to be considered in the evaluation of telehealth implementation for a formal structured approach to the evaluation of a service. The suggested framework consists of six major dimensions and the subsequent branches for each dimension. To implement telemedicine and telehealth services, stakeholders should make decisions based on sufficient evidence in quality and safety measured by the comprehensive evaluation framework. Further work would be valuable in applying more comprehensive evaluations to verify and improve the comprehensive framework across a variety of contexts with more factors and participant group dimensions.

Evaluation of Psychological Hardiness and Coping Style as Risk/Resilience Factors for Health Risk Behaviour

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-04-01

205 RESEARCH DESIGN & METHODS Objective/Hypothesis: The objective of the study is to evaluate the utility of a short hardiness-resilience...problems. Study Design & Methods : This research will evaluate the utility of hardiness, as measured by the DRS-15R, as a screening tool for...may take a toll on defense workers. This research points the way to new approaches for early identification of military workers at risk for stress

Evaluating Mediated Perception of Narrative Health Messages: The Perception of Narrative Performance Scale

PubMed Central

Lee, Jeong Kyu; Hecht, Michael L.; Miller-Day, Michelle; Elek, Elvira

2011-01-01

Narrative media health messages have proven effective in preventing adolescents’ substance use but as yet few measures exist to assess perceptions of them. Without such a measure it is difficult to evaluate the role these messages play in health promotion or to differentiate them from other message forms. In response to this need, a study was conducted to evaluate the Perception of Narrative Performance Scale that assesses perceptions of narrative health messages. A sample of 1185 fifth graders in public schools at Phoenix, Arizona completed a questionnaire rating of two videos presenting narrative substance use prevention messages. Confirmatory factor analyses were computed to identify the factor structure of the scale. Consistent with prior studies, results suggest a 3 factor structure for the Perception of Narrative Performance Scale: interest, realism, and identification (with characters). In addition, a path analysis was performed to test the predictive power of the scale. The analysis shows that the scale proves useful in predicting intent to use substances. Finally, practical implications and limitations are discussed. PMID:21822459

DeltaSA tool for source apportionment benchmarking, description and sensitivity analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pernigotti, D.; Belis, C. A.

2018-05-01

DeltaSA is an R-package and a Java on-line tool developed at the EC-Joint Research Centre to assist and benchmark source apportionment applications. Its key functionalities support two critical tasks in this kind of studies: the assignment of a factor to a source in factor analytical models (source identification) and the model performance evaluation. The source identification is based on the similarity between a given factor and source chemical profiles from public databases. The model performance evaluation is based on statistical indicators used to compare model output with reference values generated in intercomparison exercises. The references values are calculated as the ensemble average of the results reported by participants that have passed a set of testing criteria based on chemical profiles and time series similarity. In this study, a sensitivity analysis of the model performance criteria is accomplished using the results of a synthetic dataset where "a priori" references are available. The consensus modulated standard deviation punc gives the best choice for the model performance evaluation when a conservative approach is adopted.

Update on the evaluation of repeated stone formers.

PubMed

Kadlec, Adam O; Turk, Thomas M

2013-12-01

Office management of stone disease is an important component of a urologist's practice. Evaluation should include analysis of stone composition, 24-hour urine studies, identification of modifiable risk factors, and targeted dietary, lifestyle, and/or medical therapy. A sizeable portion of investigated etiologies and risk factors for stone disease have centered on the complex interplay between obesity, diabetes, and other disease states that comprise the metabolic syndrome. Alternatives to traditional preventive therapy, such as probiotics and various fruit juices, are still being studied but may prove useful adjuncts to traditional preventive therapy, where the mainstays remain increased fluid intake, dietary modification, and pharmacologic therapy. Future studies on preventive therapy of urolithiasis are likely to focus on strategies to increase compliance, cost-effectiveness, and systems-based implementation.

[Epidemiology of genital warts in female population of Czech Republic].

PubMed

Fait, T; Dvořák, V; Skřivánek, A; Rokyta, Z; Pilka, R

2012-08-01

The aim of study was to evaluate prevalence of genital warts in Czech Republic. Multicentric prospective observation study. HPV College. During 6 month (February 2010 - July 2010) 20 private gynaecological centers in all Czech Republic were counting up the number of genital warts cases. Risk factors, therapy and knowledges about genital warts were evaluated. There were 637 patients with genital warts in cohort of 70 980 patients. The prevalence of genital warts was 0.89%. The most frequent risk factor was cigarette smoking in 37%. Main strategy for treatment were podophyllin local application and cold knife excision. The prevalence of genital warts in our study has shown importance for its prevention by rules of safety sex and HPV vaccination against HPV type 6 and 11.

Dimensionality of the 9-item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale revisited: A Bayesian structural equation modeling approach.

PubMed

Fong, Ted C T; Ho, Rainbow T H

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to reexamine the dimensionality of the widely used 9-item Utrecht Work Engagement Scale using the maximum likelihood (ML) approach and Bayesian structural equation modeling (BSEM) approach. Three measurement models (1-factor, 3-factor, and bi-factor models) were evaluated in two split samples of 1,112 health-care workers using confirmatory factor analysis and BSEM, which specified small-variance informative priors for cross-loadings and residual covariances. Model fit and comparisons were evaluated by posterior predictive p-value (PPP), deviance information criterion, and Bayesian information criterion (BIC). None of the three ML-based models showed an adequate fit to the data. The use of informative priors for cross-loadings did not improve the PPP for the models. The 1-factor BSEM model with approximately zero residual covariances displayed a good fit (PPP>0.10) to both samples and a substantially lower BIC than its 3-factor and bi-factor counterparts. The BSEM results demonstrate empirical support for the 1-factor model as a parsimonious and reasonable representation of work engagement.

Evaluating the Factor Validity of the Children's Organizational Skills Scale in Youth with ADHD.

PubMed

Molitor, Stephen J; Langberg, Joshua M; Evans, Steven W; Dvorsky, Melissa R; Bourchtein, Elizaveta; Eddy, Laura D; Smith, Zoe R; Oddo, Lauren E

2017-06-01

Children and adolescents with ADHD often have difficulties with organization, time management, and planning (OTMP) skills, and these skills are a common target of intervention. A limited array of tools for measuring these abilities in youth is available, and one of the most prominent measures is the Children's Organizational Skills Scale (COSS). Although the COSS fills an important need, a replication of the COSS factor structure outside of initial measure development has not been conducted in any population. Given that the COSS is frequently used in ADHD research, the current study evaluated the factor structure of the parent-rated COSS in a sample ( N = 619) of adolescents with ADHD. Results indicated that the original factor structure could be replicated, although the use of item parcels appeared to affect model fit statistics. An alternative bi-factor model was also tested that did not require the use of parcels, with results suggesting similar model fit in comparison to the original factor structure. Exploratory validity tests indicated that the domain-general factor of the bi-factor model appears related to broad executive functioning abilities.

The Thai anesthesia incident monitoring study (Thai AIMS): an analysis of perioperative myocardial ischemia/infarction.

PubMed

Ngamprasertwong, Pornswan; Kositanurit, Inthiporn; Yokanit, Preechayuth; Wattanavinit, Rhuthai; Atichat, Sunida; Lapisatepun, Worawut

2008-11-01

To analyze the clinical course, outcome, contributing factors and factors minimizing the incidents of perioperative myocardial ischemia or infarction (PMI) from Thai AIMS study. The present study was a prospective multicenter study. Data was collected from 51 hospitals in Thailand during a six-month period. The participating anesthesia provider completed the standardized incident report form of the Thai AIMS as soon as they found the PMI incident. Each incident was reviewed by three peer reviewers for clinical courses, contributing factors, outcome and minimizing factors of PMI. From the Thai AIMS incident report, the authors found 25 suspected PMI cases which was 0.9% of the 2,669 incidents reported in the present study. Most of the PMI occurred in elective cases (84%) and orthopedic procedures (56%). The majority of PMI was reported from the patients undergoing general anesthesia (72%). Suspected PMI occurred mostly during operations (56%). New ST-T segment change was detected in 92% of these patients. The most common immediate outcome of PMI was major physiological change (88%). The most common management effect of PMI was unplanned ICU admission (64%); the others were prolonged ventilatory support (12%) and prolonged hospital stay (16%). Four patients (16%) died after the suspected PMI. Most of the events occurred spontaneously and were unpreventable (80%). Patient factors (100%), anesthesia factors (72%), surgical factors (32%) and system factors (8%) were all judged as a precipitating factor for PMI. Human factors were the most common contributing factors which included poor preoperative evaluation, inexperience and improper decision. The three most common factors minimizing the adverse incidents included prior experienced, high awareness and experienced assistance. The recommended corrective strategies were guideline practice, quality assurance activity, improvement of supervision and additional training. Perioperative myocardial ischemia/infarction was infrequent but may be lethal. Patient factors were the most common precipitating cause. The morbidity and mortality could be reduced by high quality preoperative evaluation and preparation, early detection and appropriate treatment. Guideline practice, quality assurance activity, improvement of supervision and additional training were suggested corrective strategies.

Hearing Aid Satisfaction: What Does Research from the Past 20 Years Say?

PubMed Central

Wong, Lena L. N.; Hickson, Louise; McPherson, Bradley

2003-01-01

Hearing aid satisfaction is a pleasurable emotional experience as an outcome of an evaluation of performance. Many tools have been designed to measure the degree of satisfaction overall, or along the dimensions of cost, appearance, acoustic benefit, comfort, and service. Various studies have used these tools to examine the relationships between satisfaction and other factors. Findings are not always consistent across studies, but in general, hearing aid satisfaction has been found to be related to experience, expectation, personality and attitude, usage, type of hearing aids, sound quality, listening situations, and problems in hearing aid use. Inconsistent findings across studies and difficulties in evaluating the underlying relationships are probably caused by problems with the tools (eg, lack of validity) and the methods used to evaluate relationships (eg, correlation analyses evaluate association and not causal effect). Whether satisfaction changes over time and how service satisfaction contributes to device satisfaction are unclear. It is hoped that this review will help readers understand current satisfaction measures, how various factors affect satisfaction, and how the way satisfaction is measured may be improved to yield more reliable and valid data. PMID:15004650

Do maladaptive behaviors exist at one or both ends of personality traits?

PubMed

Pettersson, Erik; Mendle, Jane; Turkheimer, Eric; Horn, Erin E; Ford, Derek C; Simms, Leonard J; Clark, Lee Anna

2014-06-01

In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; American Psychiatric Association, 2013) personality disorder trait model, maladaptive behavior is located at one end of continuous scales. Widiger and colleagues, however, have argued that maladaptive behavior exists at both ends of trait continua. We propose that the role of evaluative variance differentiates these two perspectives and that once evaluation is isolated, maladaptive behaviors emerge at both ends of nonevaluative trait dimensions. In Study 1, we argue that evaluative variance is worthwhile to measure separately from descriptive content because it clusters items by valence regardless of content (e.g., lazy and workaholic; apathetic and anxious; gullible and paranoid; timid and hostile, etc.), which is unlikely to describe a consistent behavioral style. We isolate evaluation statistically (Study 2) and at the time of measurement (Study 3) to show that factors unrelated to valence evidence maladaptive behavior at both ends. We argue that nonevaluative factors, which display maladaptive behavior at both ends of continua, may better approximate ways in which individuals actually behave.

Development and evaluation of a patient-centred measurement tool for surgeons' non-technical skills.

PubMed

Yule, J; Hill, K; Yule, S

2018-06-01

Non-technical skills are essential for safe and effective surgery. Several tools to assess surgeons' non-technical skills from the clinician's perspective have been developed. However, a reliable measurement tool using a patient-centred approach does not currently exist. The aim of this study was to translate the existing Non-Technical Skills for Surgeons (NOTSS) tool into a patient-centred evaluation tool. Data were gathered from four cohorts of patients using an iterative four-stage mixed-methods research design. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to establish the psychometric properties of the tool, focusing on validity, reliability, usability and parsimony. Some 534 patients were recruited to the study. A total of 24 patient-centred non-technical skill items were developed in stage 1, and reduced to nine items in stage 2 using exploratory factor analysis. In stage 3, confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that these nine items each loaded on to one of three factors, with excellent internal consistency: decision-making, leadership, and communication and teamwork. In stage 4, validity testing established that the new tool was independent of physician empathy and predictive of surgical quality. Surgical leadership emerged as the most dominant skill that patients could recognize and evaluate. A novel nine-item assessment tool has been developed. The Patients' Evaluation of Non-Technical Skills (PENTS) tool allows valid and reliable measurement of surgeons' non-technical skills from the patient perspective. © 2018 BJS Society Ltd Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Factors Associated with Student Withdrawal from Community College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scoggin, Donna; Styron, Ronald

2006-01-01

Research was designed to identify commonalities of personal, enrollment, withdrawal, and evaluative factors as they relate to student withdrawal from community college. The study sought to identify interrelationships between identified reasons for student withdrawal and the variables of gender, race, classification status, degree sought, plans for…

Evaluation of Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Douglas, K. A.; Yale, M. S.; Bennett, D. E.; Haugan, M. P.; Bryan, L. A.

2014-01-01

The Colorado Learning Attitudes about Science Survey (CLASS) is a widely used instrument designed to measure student attitudes toward physics and learning physics. Previous research revealed a fairly complex factor structure. In this study, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on data from an undergraduate introductory…

ASSESSING EXPOSURE FACTORS OF ASTHMATIC CHILDREN

EPA Science Inventory

Since 1980, there has been a 75% increase in the prevalence of asthma in children in the U.S.

A pilot study was conducted in a southeastern US city to develop and to evaluate methods and factors associated with asthmatic children's (< 6 yrs.) exposures to air pollutants. ...

META-ANALYSIS OF THE LIFE STYLE FACTORS RELEVANT TO ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS FOR THE AGING POPULATION

EPA Science Inventory

The goal of this U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study is to characterize activity patterns, physiological changes, and environmental exposures for the aging population. Meta analysis was performed on more than 2000 reviewed articles to evaluate the lifestyle factors ...

Frequency of and risk factors for poor cognitive performance in hemodialysis patients

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

There are few detailed data on cognition in patients undergoing dialysis. We evaluated the frequency of and risk factors for poor cognitive performance using detailed neurocognitive testing. In this cross-sectional cohort study, 314 hemodialysis patients from 6 Boston-area hemodialysis units underwe...

Temperature trumps light: Teasing apart interactive factors controlling non-indigenous Zostera japonica growth

EPA Science Inventory

In the Pacific Northwest Zostera marina and Z. japonica co-exist by occupying separate elevation niches. We conducted two mesocosm experiments to evaluate light and temperature as factors controlling the disjunct distribution of congeners. The first study tests the hypothesis t...

Choosing between staying at home or moving: A systematic review of factors influencing housing decisions among frail older adults.

PubMed

Roy, Noémie; Dubé, Roxanne; Després, Carole; Freitas, Adriana; Légaré, France

2018-01-01

Most older adults wish to stay at home during their late life years, but physical disabilities and cognitive impairment may force them to face a housing decision. However, they lack relevant information to make informed value-based housing decisions. Consequently, we sought to identify the sets of factors influencing the housing decision-making of older adults. We performed a systematic literature search for studies evaluating any factors influencing the housing decisions among older adults over 65 years old without cognitive disabilities. Primary research from any study design reported after 1990 in a peer-reviewed journal, a book chapter or an evaluated doctoral thesis and written in English, French or Spanish were eligible. We extracted the main study characteristics, the participant characteristics and any factors reported as associated with the housing decision. We conducted a qualitative thematic analysis from the perspective of the meaning and experience of home. The search resulted in 660 titles (after duplicate removal) from which 86 studies were kept for analysis. One study out of five reported exclusively on frail older adults (n = 17) and two on adults over 75 years old. Overall, a total of 88 factors were identified, of which 71 seem to have an influence on the housing decision-making of older adults, although the influence of 19 of them remains uncertain due to discrepancies between research methodologies. No conclusion was made regarding 12 additional factors due to lack of evidence. A wealth of factors were found to influence housing decisions among older adults. However, very few of them have been studied extensively. Our results highlight the importance of interdisciplinary teamwork to study the influence of a broader range of factors as a whole. These results will help older adults make the best possible housing decision based on their unique situation and values.

Choosing between staying at home or moving: A systematic review of factors influencing housing decisions among frail older adults

PubMed Central

Roy, Noémie; Dubé, Roxanne; Després, Carole; Freitas, Adriana

2018-01-01

Background Most older adults wish to stay at home during their late life years, but physical disabilities and cognitive impairment may force them to face a housing decision. However, they lack relevant information to make informed value-based housing decisions. Consequently, we sought to identify the sets of factors influencing the housing decision-making of older adults. Methods We performed a systematic literature search for studies evaluating any factors influencing the housing decisions among older adults over 65 years old without cognitive disabilities. Primary research from any study design reported after 1990 in a peer-reviewed journal, a book chapter or an evaluated doctoral thesis and written in English, French or Spanish were eligible. We extracted the main study characteristics, the participant characteristics and any factors reported as associated with the housing decision. We conducted a qualitative thematic analysis from the perspective of the meaning and experience of home. Results The search resulted in 660 titles (after duplicate removal) from which 86 studies were kept for analysis. One study out of five reported exclusively on frail older adults (n = 17) and two on adults over 75 years old. Overall, a total of 88 factors were identified, of which 71 seem to have an influence on the housing decision-making of older adults, although the influence of 19 of them remains uncertain due to discrepancies between research methodologies. No conclusion was made regarding 12 additional factors due to lack of evidence. Conclusion A wealth of factors were found to influence housing decisions among older adults. However, very few of them have been studied extensively. Our results highlight the importance of interdisciplinary teamwork to study the influence of a broader range of factors as a whole. These results will help older adults make the best possible housing decision based on their unique situation and values. PMID:29293511

Presentation of a Novel Model for Evaluation of Commercialization of Research and Development: Case Study of the Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Industry

PubMed Central

Emami, Hassan; Radfar, Reza

2017-01-01

The current situation in Iran suggests an appropriate basis for developing biotechnology industries, because the patents for the majority of hi-tech medicines registered in developed countries are ending. Biosimilar and technology-oriented companies which do not have patents will have the opportunity to enter the biosimilar market and move toward innovative initiatives. The present research proposed a model by which one can evaluate commercialization of achievements obtained from research with a focus on the pharmaceutical biotechnology industry. This is a descriptive-analytic study where mixed methodology is followed by a heuristic approach. The statistical population was pharmaceutical biotechnology experts at universities and research centers in Iran. Structural equations were employed in this research. The results indicate that there are three effective layers within commercialization in the proposed model. These are a general layer (factors associated with management, human capital, legal infrastructure, communication infrastructure, a technical and executive infrastructures, and financial factors), industrial layer (internal industrial factors and pharmaceutical industry factors), and a third layer that included national and international aspects. These layers comprise 6 domains, 21 indices, 41 dimensions, and 126 components. Compilation of these layers (general layer, industrial layer, and national and international aspects) can serve commercialization of research and development as an effective evaluation package. PMID:29201110

Presentation of a Novel Model for Evaluation of Commercialization of Research and Development: Case Study of the Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Industry.

PubMed

Emami, Hassan; Radfar, Reza

2017-01-01

The current situation in Iran suggests an appropriate basis for developing biotechnology industries, because the patents for the majority of hi-tech medicines registered in developed countries are ending. Biosimilar and technology-oriented companies which do not have patents will have the opportunity to enter the biosimilar market and move toward innovative initiatives. The present research proposed a model by which one can evaluate commercialization of achievements obtained from research with a focus on the pharmaceutical biotechnology industry. This is a descriptive-analytic study where mixed methodology is followed by a heuristic approach. The statistical population was pharmaceutical biotechnology experts at universities and research centers in Iran. Structural equations were employed in this research. The results indicate that there are three effective layers within commercialization in the proposed model. These are a general layer (factors associated with management, human capital, legal infrastructure, communication infrastructure, a technical and executive infrastructures, and financial factors), industrial layer (internal industrial factors and pharmaceutical industry factors), and a third layer that included national and international aspects. These layers comprise 6 domains, 21 indices, 41 dimensions, and 126 components. Compilation of these layers (general layer, industrial layer, and national and international aspects) can serve commercialization of research and development as an effective evaluation package.