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Absorptive capacity (AC) has the potential to explain performance and competitive advantage. The cumulativeness feature of AC has been broadly covered in theory but remains underdeveloped in empirical assessments. This paper aims to revisit the relationships between AC and its knowledge dimensions and to contribute to measurement theory on AC. We adopt an existing survey instrument and confirm through structural equation modelling that the relationships between AC and its knowledge dimensions are better represented by a formative model, as opposed to the more used reflective model. Based on a simplex model and the Mokken scale, we also confirm that AC is an ability, developed cumulatively through a sequence of knowledge processes. The paper contributes to construct convergence by developing and illustrating guidelines for measurement that are congruent with the seminal definitions of AC but are underrepresented in the literature. It contributes to practice by highlighting the roadmap for developing AC.

Introduction While recent studies have focused on confirming satisfaction with telemedicine during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) era, we leveraged a novel survey instrument to identify associations between patient experience and telemedicine-specific factors such as device selection, audio/visual resolution, and connection stability. Methods Telemedicine visit data were gathered from our institution between June 22, 2020 and February 14, 2021. Each patient indicated their overall visit score, likelihood-to-recommend (LTR) score, and device used for the encounter. Remaining questions were randomly distributed to patients to ensure equal distribution across respondents. Results Over 34 weeks, there were 901 unique neurosurgical telemedicine visits linked to a post-visit survey at our institution. The LTR top box score percentage showed no significant change across 34 weeks (p = 0.218). After adjusting across available covariates, patients who experienced wait times exceeding 20 min were significantly less likely to report high overall scores (aOR: 0.12; 95% CI: 0.03–0.41; p = 0.001). Patients who indicated they were less able to understand the provider (aOR: 0.22; 95% CI: 0.07–0.66; p = 0.007), or who indicated the provider was not able to properly see them (aOR: 0.11; 95% CI: 0.03–0.43; p = 0.002) were associated with substantially lower overall scores. Visits with interrupted connectivity or those forced to move to a regular phone call were not important predictors of overall score. Conclusions In the largest description of patient satisfaction with telemedicine in the neurosurgical setting during the COVID-19 era, we identified timely and high-quality physician-patient visualization and communication as among the most important predictors of patient satisfaction in virtual settings.

The knowledge of health workers about magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) safety is essential to ensure patients' safety and comfort, achieve a smooth workflow, and save valuable scan time. The aim of this study was to determine the perception and attitudes of health workers toward MRI safety. A cross-sectional online survey of 194 health workers was conducted between March 27th and April 3rd, 2020. The survey instrument consisted of demographic characteristics, including 15 items on knowledge and 7 items on attitudes on perception and toward MRI safety in Aseer province, Saudi Arabia. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, binary logistic regression, t-tests, and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were conducted. The overall knowledge score of the health workers was 60% and the attitude score was 71.4% for the perception of MRI safety. Participants in the age group of 30-39 years were more aware of MRI basic knowledge than other age groups. Nurses were more likely to be aware of basic MRI knowledge than physicians and dentists (AOR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.11–5.04) and (AOR = 3.06, 95% CI = .96–9.73). Health workers having a Ph.D., master's, or bachelor's degree were more likely aware of basic MRI knowledge than were those with a diploma (AOR = 7, 95%, CI = 1.39–35.35, AOR = 8.17, 95% CI = 1.23–51.40, and AOR = 2.66, 95% CI = .97–7.29, respectively). Participants in the age group of 30-39 years were more aware of MRI safety than were those in the age group of 50- to 59 years (AOR = 4.60, 95% CI = .67–31.76). Nurses were significantly more aware of MRI safety than were other health workers (OR = 4.60, 95% CI = .67–31.76). The education level of health workers had no significant impact on perception of MRI safety (OR 0 .05). The results highlighted the importance of training and higher studies for health workers regarding the perception and attitudes toward MRI safety. The overall knowledge of MRI safety and procedures is generally acceptable; however, more intensive health education programs are needed to improve the level of knowledge.

Background Competence in ultrasonography is essential for pulmonary and critical care medicine (PCCM) fellows, but little is known about fellow-reported barriers to acquiring this crucial skill during fellowship training. Research Question How do PCCM fellows acquire experience performing and interpreting ultrasonography during their training, what is their perspective on barriers to acquiring ultrasound expertise during fellowship, and what is their comfort with a range of ultrasound examinations? Study Design and Methods A 20-item survey including questions about procedural training and acquisition of ultrasound skills during PCCM fellowship was developed. The survey instrument was sent to PCCM fellowship program directors to distribute to their fellows at program directors’ discretion. Results Four hundred seventy-five responses were received. The most common method of learning ultrasonography was performing it independently at the bedside. Fellows reported that the greatest barrier to acquiring ultrasound skills was the lack of trained faculty experts, followed by lack of a formal curriculum. Fellow comfort was greatest with thoracic ultrasound and least with advanced cardiac ultrasound. Interpretation Significant barriers to ultrasound training during PCCM fellowship exist, and future educational efforts should address these barriers at both program and institutional levels.

Background Academic institutions have increasingly focused on educating physicians and surgeons in concepts of value-based care, including quality improvement (QI). The extent to which QI curricular competencies are addressed in specialty surgical residency training is unclear. Methods A survey instrument was developed by content experts and sent to Vascular Surgery and Urology residents electronically. Descriptive statistics and bivariate associations were calculated using StataMP 13.1. Results Vascular Surgery and Urology residents reported exposure to similar types of QI curriculum. Fewer than half of residents reported achieving targets for graduation (Vascular 31%, Urology 42%) related to QI, and few residents in either group felt very well-prepared to lead a QI initiative (Vascular 13%, Urology 8%). Conclusion QI education in surgical specialty training amongst Vascular Surgery and Urology residencies is similar and insufficient. Surgical specialties may benefit from collaborative efforts to improve the quality of QI education.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to identify perceptions of academic surgeons regarding academic productivity and assess its relationship to clinical productivity. We hypothesized that these perceptions would vary based on respondent characteristics including clinical activity and leadership roles. DESIGN This retrospective, survey-based study was performed from August 26, 2019 to September 26, 2019. SETTING The setting was academic surgical departments across the US. PARTICIPANTS The survey instrument was administered to faculty members of the Association of Program Directors in Surgery. A total of 105 academic surgeons responded. RESULTS Most respondents were Program Directors (59%) of general surgery programs. Of the participants, 30% identified as Professor, 36% as Associate Professor, and 15% as Assistant Professor. Respondents agreed that multiple academic pursuits or factors should count towards academic productivity including the following (in descending order): completing a first-authored manuscript (98.8%), completing a senior-authored manuscript (97.7%), chairing a national committee (94.1%), serving on a national committee (88.2%), completing a second-authored manuscript (88.0%), completing a first lecture (83.7%), completing a middle-authored manuscript (71.8%), completing a lecture (whether or not repeated) (70.9%), impact factor of journal (60.7%), and attendance at grand rounds (57.0%). Perspectives did not vary significantly based on surgeon demographics, clinical setting, or leadership role (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Perceptions regarding what constitutes academic productivity and merit a reduction in clinical expectation are remarkably similar across multiple surgeon characteristics including demographics, academic title, leadership role, and practice environment.

Objective To determine the quality improvement (QI) experiences of urology residents in the United States. Materials and Methods An Institutional Review Board approved national survey of Urology residents was administered in June 2019. The survey instrument sought to understand QI curricular methods and experiences of urology residents as well as their knowledge of QI fundamentals. Results Of 465 invited residents, 159 (34%) responded. Respondents represented all 8 AUA sections. The majority of respondents self-identified as white (66%). Females made up 30% of respondents. Less than 1/3 of residents (32%) report use of online modules, whereas nearly 2/3 (63%) report lecture-based didactics. Fifteen percent of residents report no QI curriculum. While nearly 2/3 of residents report receiving training in QI principles (64%), far less report receiving training in how to apply QI methodology (44%). Only 29% of residents report being required to lead a QI project. No differences were seen by training level. Only 3 respondents had heard of the Institute of Medicine's aims for quality improvement. Respondents had better knowledge of process, balancing and outcome measures, but less than half of respondents (49%) were able to correctly identify all 3. Having any QI curriculum is associated with correctly answering knowledge questions (P = .03). Conclusion From a resident perspective, urology residency programs currently provide QI curricula that are inadequate to ensure residents achieve Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education milestones. It is imperative the urology community as a whole address these curricular gaps to ensure graduates are prepared to deliver high-quality, cost-conscious care to their patients once in practice.

Background Patient engagement is recognized as a method to improve care quality and safety. A research team developed WeCares (Willingness to Engage in Your Care and Safety), a survey instrument assessing patients’ and families’ engagement in the safety of their care during their hospital stay. The objective of this study is to establish the preliminary construct validity and internal consistency of WeCares. Methods WeCares was distributed to patients and families. With the survey responses, exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed to identify the factorial structure of WeCares. The internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Descriptive and comparative analysis was also performed to summarize patients’ and families’ responses. Results A total of 247 patients and families responded to the WeCare survey, of which 224 were used for EFA. EFA resulted in a 13-item, four-factor structure, including (1) comfortable sharing concerns, (2) responsibility for preventing errors, (3) perception of care team members’ attitude, and (4) patients’/families’ role in preventing errors. The Cronbach alphas were 0.716–0.866, indicating acceptable internal consistency. Overall, patients and families were comfortable sharing concerns with clinicians but preferred to remain anonymous. They believed that the care team members hold most responsibility for error prevention, however, and agreed on their ability to help prevent errors. Conclusion WeCares was developed to assess patients’ and families’ willingness to engage. WeCares can also be used to facilitate conversation about safety concerns and shared responsibility. The study team believes this would lead to patient activation in guarding their own care and ultimately improve patient outcomes and safety.

Background Over-the-counter, natural product-based (nonvitamin, nonmineral) dietary supplement (NVNM DS) use is common in adults with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a group at risk for drug-DS interactions, due to polypharmacy, but this use is underreported to health care providers. Recent dramatic changes in US sales of specific NVNM DS suggest that the prevalence and types of NVNM DS used in RA populations may also have shifted. Objectives A study was undertaken to identify current and past use of specific NVNM DS for RA disease treatment and to examine associations between use of NVNM DS, RA pharmaceuticals, and/or vitamin or mineral (VM) DS. Methods We developed a survey instrument to capture current and ever use of specific NVNM DS, VM DS, and RA pharmaceuticals, with 696 subjects self-reporting an RA diagnosis recruited online or in clinic for survey participation. Analyses were limited to 611 subjects reporting RA diagnosis after age 18 y and treatment with specific RA pharmaceuticals. Results Most participants reported DS use, with current usage prevalence 49.6% (n = 303), 83.5% (n = 510), or 87.6% (n = 535) for NVNM, VM, or any DS, respectively. While not having appeared in previous RA surveys, turmeric and ginger were among the top 3 NVNM DS in current use, along with fish oil/ω-3 (n-3) PUFA. Concurrent NVNM DS use was reported by 48.2% (n = 243) of participants currently using RA pharmaceuticals (n = 504) and was more common in those using disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs only (no biologics). Most methotrexate users (83%) reported concurrent folate supplementation, with one-third also using turmeric, which is notable because methotrexate and turmeric have been associated with hepatotoxicity. Conclusion Individuals with RA commonly use NVNM DS in combination with RA pharmaceuticals, including a previously undocumented but popular use of turmeric or ginger supplements with an unclear risk/benefit ratio.

Made available in DSpace on 2020-12-12T02:15:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2020-09-01 Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) Objective: To investigate the current scenario in Brazil regarding pain assessment and control in experimental animals. Study design: Prospective survey. Methods: A confidential questionnaire was available online and sent by e-mail to Brazilian scientists working with animal experimentation in Brazil. Data collection was conducted from October 2016 to October 2017. The exclusion criteria included blank questionnaires or with

Background Dentists are high prescribers of antibiotics for both treatment and prevention of infection, although there are few guidelines to aid clinicians. Given the worldwide concerns about unnecessary use of antibiotics, there is a need for a better understanding of dentists’ use of these drugs for antibiotic prophylaxis (AP) to prevent distant site infections (i.e., infective endocarditis and prosthetic joint infection). Objective The aim of this study was to develop and implement an effective, self-reporting, cross-sectional, survey instrument that optimized the response rate and maximized reliability and validity for determining the beliefs and behaviors of a large and nationally representative group of generalist and specialist dentists concerning their use of AP. Study Design A 15-question survey (58 items) was developed in a structured process by a multidisciplinary team and configured for automated online dissemination to 3584 national Dental Practice-Based Research Network (DPBRN; hitherto referred to as “Network”) practitioners. The implementation phase consisted of 3 waves of greater than 1000 Network members. Additionally, 47 randomly selected dentists were surveyed twice to assess test–retest reliability. Results Of 3584 eligible Network members, 2169 (60.5%) completed the survey. The age and geographic distributions of responders was similar to those of dentists in the 2019 American Dental Association census. Furthermore, test–retest weighted kappa values for the survey were acceptable (median 0.56; interquartile range 0.42–0.64). Conclusions We developed a highly structured survey with a high response rate and good reliability that will allow us to obtain unique data on dentists’ beliefs and practices regarding AP prescribing.

Objectives This study aims to explore the incidence of moral distress experienced by UK community pharmacists through the deployment of a previously developed and validated survey instrument to a national sample. Methods An e-mail inviting pharmacists to complete an on-line questionnaire developed to measure moral distress was successfully delivered via the mailing list of a nationwide support organisation for the pharmacy profession. Completed questionnaires were subjected to statistical analysis to determine to what extent common practice scenarios generated moral distress in community pharmacists. Key findings Time constraints represent the greatest source of moral distress for United Kingdom (UK) community pharmacists, scoring highest for both frequency and intensity of distress. The supply of emergency hormonal contraception (EHC) in opposition to religious beliefs scored lowest. Possible underlying causes of moral distress are discussed in the light of our results, and potential mechanisms for reducing the incidence of moral distress for this professional group are considered. The reduction in the frequency and occurrence of moral distress is best achieved by the creation of morally habitable workplaces, where possible triggers can be identified and avoided. Structured undergraduate ethics education and accessible postgraduate training and resources could provide a meaningful opportunity to support pharmacists in exercising their moral competency or moral agency. Conclusions Moral distress provides a reliable indicator of constraints in the form of policies, legislation and regulations, and the structural and relational aspects of the working environment in which pharmacists practise. This provides invaluable information in the search for strategies to reduce the recurrence of this phenomenon.

Microbiological contamination of food during preparation and storage is a risk factor in institutional kitchens. In this Belgian study, hygiene practices in 40 institutional kitchens from four public sectors (10 hospitals, 10 schools, 10 retirement homes, and 10 child care centers) were evaluated to determine whether differences in these practices exist between these sectors. Contamination levels were also analyzed at several critical contact points. A data collection instrument and microbiological analysis of hand contact surfaces, food contact surfaces, and kitchen utensils were used. Hand washing resulted in only a slight reduction in total aerobic bacteria counts (TACs), and all microorganisms evaluated except E. coli were still present at countable levels. Enterobacteriaceae were found on one-third of the cleaned cutting boards. Cleaned work surfaces had the highest average TAC of all cleaned surfaces. Only slight improvements in TACs and Enterobacteriaceae and B. cereus counts were observed between used and cleaned work surfaces. The results from the data collection instrument revealed that child care centers had the lowest hygiene scores, whereas the other three sectors were fairly similar, with hospitals scoring highest. The low hygiene score for the child care centers was verified by comparing the results for cleaned surfaces among the sectors. The average TAC on surfaces was highest for child care centers and lowest for hospitals. Child care centers also had the second highest total mean counts and the highest number of total surface samples positive for Enterobacteriaceae. The highest number of surface samples positive for Staphylococcus aureus was also found in child care centers. This study highlights some areas of concern for hygiene improvement in institutional kitchens, differences between public sectors, and similarities in conclusions about hygiene based on the scores from the survey instrument and the results of the microbiological analyses.

There are many tools for evaluating the learning outcomes measurements of the prelicensure nursing programs, but not for the postlicensure Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-to-BSN) programs (Farmer et al., 2017; Rodriguez, McNiesh, Goyal, & Apen, 2013). Despite the unprecedented growth in RN-to-BSN programs, including community college-based programs, there are limited learning outcome measurement tools available. This study presents the theoretical framework for designing, implementing, and evaluating an RN-to-BSN survey instrument.

© 2019 International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning Background: Tag Team Patient Safety Simulation (TTPSS) was developed to prepare work-ready nursing graduates in the context of patient safety. Method: This descriptive study examined nursing students' (n = 721) satisfaction with the TTPSS and validated the Satisfaction with Patient Safety Simulation Experience Scale (SPSSES). Results: Students reported higher levels of overall satisfaction with TTPSS. Themes from open-ended responses, Observing and being observed and Learning to respond to unexpected, provided insight to the satisfying components of the learning experience. Conclusions: The SPSSES is a valid survey instrument, verifying student's satisfaction with this large group simulation approach in preparing them to respond to patient safety issues.

This study examined determinants of recycling intention behaviour among the general public in Penang, specifically attitude, social norms, social media and self-efficacy, and investigated the moderating role of governmental and non-governmental organisation (NGO) in translating recycling intention to actual recycling behaviour. With reference to the Integrated Behaviour Theory and Theory of Reasoned Action, the survey instrument was distributed and 233 samples were analysed using variance-based structural equation modelling approach. Attitude and self-efficacy appeared to be strong predictors, whereas social norm and social media, to a lesser degree, predicted recycling intention. While the support from NGOs in promoting recycling activities appeared to be advantageous to the materialisation of recycling intention behaviour, the results also showed that governmental support appeared to exert no moderating effect on the relationship under study. In short, recycling behaviour among the wider community can be cultivated through the influence of social media and NGOs intervention.

OBJECTIVE The surveillance and treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) may impact patient quality of life (QOL). A novel AAA specific QOL instrument was developed and validated to quantify the impact of AAA surveillance on QOL. METHODS The study was performed in two phases: development (2011-2013) and validation (2013-2014) of a survey instrument. Content was informed by focus groups at three centres (22 patients) and two multidisciplinary physician focus groups (6 vascular surgeons, 7 primary care providers). Cognitive interviews (17 patients) ensured questions were understood as intended. The final survey was mailed to AAA patients at six US institutions. Patients were scored on two AAA specific domains of QOL: emotional impact (EIS) and behavioural change (BCS), range 0-100 with higher scores indicating worse quality of life. Test retest reliability and internal consistency were assessed. Discriminant validity was determined by comparing scores between patients under surveillance vs. those who had undergone AAA repair. Scores were externally validated by correlation with the Short Form (SF)-12. RESULTS A total of 1,008 (73%) of 1,373 patients returned surveys: 351 (35%) were under surveillance, 657 (65%) had undergone repair (endovascular, 414; open, 179; unsure, 64). Median EIS was 11 (range 0-95; IQR 7-26). Median BCS was 13 (range 0-100; IQR 9-47). To test reliability, 337 patients repeated the survey after four weeks with no significant differences between scores over time. EIS and BCS demonstrated good internal consistency (Cronbach's Alpha 0.85 and 0.75 respectively). There was strong correlation between scores (r = 0.53) and both related moderately to SF-12 scores (r = 0.45 and r = 0.39, respectively). Patients under AAA surveillance had worse EIS than repair patients (22 vs. 13; p

Residency training in podiatric medicine and surgery includes 3years of comprehensive training. Complementing their podiatric medicine and surgery training, residents complete a series of required nonpodiatric, or off-service, rotations in a range of specialties. However, there has been a lack of formal investigation of these off-service rotation experiences. An online survey was developed and distributed to both program directors and residents nationwide. The survey instrument covered various aspects of off-service rotations, including rotation value, length, goals and objectives, activities, feedback, and resident satisfaction. In total, 122 of 222 directors responded and 151 of 243 residents responded. Resident responses reflected the impact of podiatric responsibilities during off-service rotations and the importance of hands-on, interactive, and dedicated learning opportunities during these rotations. Both similarities and differences were appreciated with regard to perceived rotation value between resident and director perspectives. Perceived satisfaction of certain rotations was correlated with rotation length, feedback, specific rotation activities, and whether residents received goals and objectives. Though perhaps neglected, the off-service rotation experience is an important part of the podiatric medical and surgical residency experience. Considering the perspectives of both directors and residents can be helpful in directing these experiences and in considering future changes.

This study examines whether blended first-year writing courses can function as Communities of Inquiry and analyzes whether the amount of time spent online impacts the extent to which students positively perceive teaching presence, social presence, and cognitive presence. A modified version of the 34-item Community of Inquiry survey instrument was delivered to students enrolled in 22 sections of a FYW course at the same university. Findings indicate students in high blend (50% online) classes perceived greater degrees of teaching presence, social presence, and cognitive presence than students in medium blend (33% online) classes. Analysis of survey results, alongside observations of the assigned online activities, suggest a correlation between online time on task and interactive learning activities that promote collaborative student-student interactions. Implications for blended writing instructors and opportunities for future research are discussed.

We explore consumer demand for three types of zero-emissions vehicles (ZEVs): plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs). We assess latent demand, defined as what ZEV sales could be if they were fully available (in a wide variety of makes and models), and if consumers were fully aware of their existence. Using an in-depth, Reflexive Participant approach to data collection, our survey instrument includes two measures of latent demand: a design space exercise and a stated choice experiment. The survey was completed by a representative sample of 2123 new vehicle-buying households in Canada in 2017. Part 1 (this paper) focuses on the design space exercise, which allows consumers to “design” a conventional, hybrid, or ZEV drivetrain, including specific attribute levels. Under higher and lower price conditions, 14% and 21% of respondents (respectively) select a ZEV, with most selecting PHEVs (11% and 12%), followed by BEVs (2.2% and 5.4%), and HFCVs (1.5% and 3.6%). Most respondents who design a PHEV or HFCV as their first choice select a conventional or hybrid vehicle as their second choice, while BEV designers tend to select a PHEV as their second choice. Further, those who select PHEVs and BEVs have higher levels of environmental-oriented lifestyle engagement and altruistic values, whereas respondents who select HFCVs score lower for both constructs. Results provide one measure of latent demand, while also indicating heterogeneity in demand and motivations. In Part 2 (Kormos et al., this issue), we summarize and compare results from a stated choice experiment.

The general objective of the study is to determine the relationship between the learning environment and academic performance of grade eight students in public secondary schools in San Jose City, Philippines. The researcher used the descriptive method of research. Random sampling was used in selecting 312 respondents. A locally prepared combination of the open-ended and scaled questionnaire was used as the survey instrument. Data were analyzed using Pearson Product Moment Correlation. In looking at the relationship of the profile of the respondents to the environment, the result shows that age (r=.141*) and size of the family (r=.224**) were positive and significantly correlated. In determining the relationship of the school location to the profiles, hobbies, and interests of t the respondents, the result shows that it was negatively correlated with "other" (r=.125*) hobbies. A negative correlation was shown between the hobby of doing assignments (r=-.124*) to peacefulness and orderliness of the community of the respondents. Support of the family with regards to the education of the respondents was found to have a negative and significant correlation with the interest of the respondents in watching movies (r=-.168**).Moreover, the completeness and functionality of the school laboratories show a positive effect on the interest of the respondents in watching movies (r=.121*). Also, the type of community (r=.113*) exhibited a positive and significant effect with the utilization of the school laboratories. The classroom environment was also found to have a positive and significant correlation with age (r=.136*), the hobby of reading books (r=.112*), and recreation of hanging out with friends (r=.175**). Negative correlation, on the other hand, shows a negative correlation with doing a project (r=-.152**). In correlating the profiles and interests of the respondents to the academic performance, it can be seen that gender (r=.193**) and mothers' occupation (r=-.131*) show positive and negative correlation respectively. The learning environment of the respondents could contribute to the academic performance of the respondents as shown in the following table. The result shows that parent relationship (r=-.142*), school laboratory (r=-.157**), and school location (r=.158*) have a significant effect on the GPAs of the respondents.

The general objective of the study is to determine the family support to academic and extracurricular activities and academic performance of grade 8 students of public high school in San Jose City, Philippines. The researcher used the descriptive method of research. Random sampling was used in selecting 312 respondents. A locally prepared combination of the open-ended and scaled questionnaire was used as the survey instrument. Mostly were 13 years old, having GPAs of 82.96 in the previous year, receiving an allowance of about P55.00 per day, and belonging to the nuclear type of family. The fathers and mothers of the respondents were high school graduates, married, who were farmers and housewives respectively. More than half of them were residing in rural areas. With regards to their hobbies, 40.7% of the respondents ranked sports as their first choice. Among the study habits listed, doing assignments (40.7%) and doing projects (30.4%) were ranked as one of the most frequently done school activities. The majority of the respondents (82.7%) indicated that they like to hang out with their friends as their favorite recreational activity. Generally, respondents stated that their families "often" support their activities in school which was shown in the mean (Mean=3.54) of their responses

The general objective of the study is to determine community situations and school factors and academic performance of the grade 8 students of public high schools in San Jose City, Philippines. . The researcher used the descriptive method of research. Random sampling was used in selecting 312 respondents. A locally prepared combination of the open-ended and scaled questionnaire was used as the survey instrument. Data were analyzed using measures of central tendency and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. An almost equal distribution of male and female respondents served as the respondents of this study. Mostly were 13 years old, having GPAs of 82.96 in the previous year, receiving an allowance of about P55.00 per day, and belonging to the nuclear type of family. The fathers and mothers of the respondents were high school graduates, married, who were farmers and housewives respectively. More than half of them were residing in rural areas. With regards to their hobbies, 40.7% of the respondents ranked sports as their first choice. Among the study habits listed, doing assignments (40.7%) and doing projects (30.4%) were ranked as one of the most frequently done school activities. The majority of the respondents (82.7%) indicated that they like to hang out with their friends as their favorite recreational activity. In looking at the completeness and functionality of the school facilities, respondents stated that it was complete but not functional (Mean=3.75) at all. The classroom environment was considered to be conducive to learning even if it was not properly ventilated and in the absence of the whiteboard. Corners, bulletin boards, and reading materials help create a favorable classroom environment. Data shows that the school has a computer shop (Mean=1.66) near its vicinity. The school was also located one kilometer away from the flooded area. On the other hand, hospitals (Mean=3.42), entertainment establishments (Mean=3.20), bus stations (Mean=3.18), and shopping malls (Mean=3.14) were located three kilometers away from the school area. In general, respondents stated that their place was peaceful (Mean=3.59).

This paper presents a rating scale that can be used by researchers in the validation of research instruments or survey questionnaires. The statements of this survey instrument validation rating scale were adapted from the criteria for evaluating survey questionnaire set forth by Good and Scates, definition of content validity given by Polit and Beck and Chavez and Canino criteria for Cultural Equivalency Model for Translating and Adapting Instruments. It also takes into account the definition of Johnson on face validation.

Can a short survey instrument reliably measure a range of fundamental economic preferences across diverse settings? We focus on survey questions that systematically predict behavior in incentivized experimental tasks among German university students (Becker et al. 2016) and were implemented among representative samples across the globe (Falk et al. 2018). This paper presents results of an experimental validation conducted among low-income individuals in Nairobi, Kenya. We find that quantitative survey measures -- hypothetical versions of experimental tasks -- of time preference, attitude to risk and altruism are good predictors of choices in incentivized experiments, suggesting these measures are broadly experimentally valid. At the same time, we find that qualitative questions -- self-assessments -- do not correlate with the experimental measures of preferences in the Kenyan sample. Thus, caution is needed before treating self-assessments as proxies of preferences in new contexts.

Within the distance education community, the Community of Inquiry (COI) framework is widely accepted as a framework to understand and design text-based learning environments. The framework includes three components: Cognitive Presence, Teaching Presence, and Social Presence. Recent work has proposed the addition of a fourth component, Learning Presence, which reflects students' self-regulation, and its role within the original framework. This study evaluated alternative structures of the COI framework to explain student perceptions of learning online. The study participants (n = 256) were graduate students from multiple institutions who had taken at least one fully online course as part of their degree requirements. Survey data were collected using a single Likert-scaled survey instrument. Presented herein are the results of the first phase of a two-part study, which included a series of confirmatory factor analyses to evaluate the measurement models of the four COI constructs individually, followed by a model including all four constructs simultaneously. Future work on the second phase of the this two-part study evaluated a series of structural models using path analyses and hierarchical linear regression analyses. Findings indicated that teaching presence reached a more parimonious model with two subscales as opposed to the three subscales of the COI survey. A new subscale "peer faciliation" was proposed for teaching presence, but had better model fit as a subscale of social presence. The three existing subscales of social presence could also more parsimoniously represented with two subscales, with the new "peer faciliation" subscale acting as the third. Finally, learning presence was modeled with three subscales, and was the strongest overall predictor of cognitive presence, compared to teaching and social presence. This work makes unique contributions to the study of online learning environments through the COI framework by introducing a comprehensive survey that includes Learning Presence indicators, producing evidence on the multi-dimensionality of the COI constructs, and the strong relationship between Learning Presence and Cognitive Presence.

This study investigates the antecedents and outcomes of consumer engagement through AR apps and suggests a new conceptual model. The purpose of the paper is to examine how consumer engagement is shaped via AR apps, which eventually leads to a positive attitude towards brand and brand usage intent. To this end, a face-to-face survey instrument was administered to 350 participants in Turkey, where participants tried an AR app and then answered a questionnaire. The structural equation modeling (SEM) and Hayes' Process analyses were applied to test the hypotheses and moderated mediation relationships. Findings showed that interactivity and inspiration are two major antecedents of consumers' flow experience. The flow experience with AR can generate favorable attitudes towards AR apps and more trust in AR apps, which trigger consumer engagement with AR apps and then improve brand attitude and brand usage intent. The outcomes of flow experience with AR (i.e., attitude and trust) mediate the relationship between flow and engagement. Although perceived usefulness increases the effect of consumers' attitudes towards AR on engagement, it has no moderating effect on the relationship between trust in AR and engagement. Furthermore, the results of Hayes' Process revealed that the indirect effect of flow on consumers’ engagement with AR through attitude towards AR is moderated by perceived usefulness. So that, if AR marketers aim to strengthen the link between consumer flow experience and engagement via attitudes towards AR, they should therefore consider enhancing the perceived usefulness of AR. Surprisingly, perceived usefulness had no moderating effect on the indirect relationship between flow and engagement via trust. Finally, this paper discusses both the theoretical and managerial implications.

This paper presents an uncertainty analysis of subjective thermal comfort measurement, which was overlooked in some subjective thermal comfort studies. Three chamber experiments were conducted to collect the data and to analyze how the uncertainty of subjective measurement is influenced by the survey instrument and the experiment protocol. Four widely-utilized subjective indicators were examined: thermal sensation, humidity sensation, draught sensation and thermal satisfaction. It was found that the Standard Uncertainty, defined as the Standard Error of the Mean, of subjective thermal comfort measurement would decrease with the increasing number of person-votes (number of subjects times votes per subject). When the person-votes were above 40, the Standard Uncertainty of subjective measurement was within 3% of the total scale length, confirming the precision and reliability of subjective thermal comfort measurement. It was found the measurement of thermal sensation/satisfaction and humidity sensation had similar uncertainty level, while the measurement of draught sensation had higher uncertainty. Discrete multiple-points scales (Likert) are recommended for subjective thermal comfort measurement since continuous scales enlarge intra-individual differences.

Extensive research from sub-Saharan Africa shows that mothers frequently rely on help from other family members to ensure their children's health and well-being. Yet, there is considerable debate about the relative importance of support from grandmothers versus fathers. Using an innovative survey instrument to interview 462 unmarried mothers in a slum area of Nairobi, Kenya, we provide insight into this debate by showing that a status versus transfers approach to measuring kin support asks subtly different questions and yields different results. A status approach reflects an evolutionary perspective that argues that maternal grandmothers have a greater incentive than non-residential fathers to provide material and practical support for young children. In contrast, a transfers approach is consistent with social support theories whereby the social capital provided by fathers may be more beneficial to children's health than that afforded by grandmothers. Demonstrating that different approaches to measuring kin support matter highlights the need for kin research that crosses disciplinary boundaries and encourages the development of more nuanced family policies designed to protect children's health in Africa.

The global nature of businesses has increased the geographical dispersion of operations and has made the location decision an important strategic perspective for manufacturing firms. The consensus view is that three major plant location factors must be kept in mind: (1) access to low-cost manufacturing, (2) proximity to market, and (3) access to development competences. Two options for changing the global manufacturing footprint are offshoring and backshoring. This research has analysed the role and relevance of these manufacturing site location factors as drivers for offshoring and backshoring decisions and has investigated these factors' relationship with operational performance. The study used survey data drawn from Swedish manufacturing plants, including 133 offshoring projects and 99 backshoring projects. The survey instrument used the same set of questions for both relocation directions (for drivers as well as performance benefits), which allowed us to analyse each direction separately as well as to make comparisons between offshoring and backshoring. We applied a theory-testing approach in the study, in that we tested how the three major location factors related to offshoring and backshoring based on confirmatory factor analysis and regression analyses. The results have verified that these three major location factors are relevant for both manufacturing offshoring and backshoring; the results also indicated significant differences in how these factors influence relocation decisions for offshoring and backshoring as well as how they affect performance.

Objectives The high incidence of Acute Otitis Media (AOM) along with low antibiotic efficacy in the treatment of AOM is particularly favorable for the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. The promotion of more conservative antibiotic prescription habits has become an important focus of governments and academic societies. Little is known about the awareness and use of AOM practice guidelines by physicians in the Middle East. Our aim is to characterize AOM management in Lebanon by using an anonymous survey instrument to uncover potential disparities in treatment trends and evaluate differences in clinical guideline adherence patterns. Methods A total of 75 practicing physicians were anonymously surveyed in Beirut, Saida, Nabatieh, Bekaa and Tripoli, Lebanon. The survey tool used was previously used in Amman, Jordan by our colleagues at the University of Michigan. The survey we used assessed awareness of and adherence to practice guidelines by prompting responses to hypothetical AOM cases. Differences in performance between various physician groups were noted. Results Overall, physician participants answered 67% of the survey questions correctly. Trainees did better overall in terms of AOM management (62% correct responses as compared to 48% in attending physicians, p = 0.0175). Trainees also performed better in terms of their ability to manage cases of potential AOM in two-year old children and their ability to choose the appropriate medications (79% correct response rate compared to 71% in attending physicians, p = 0.0278). Participants who reported guideline adherence most or all of the time had a 67% correct response rate in regards to their ability to diagnosis AOM, compared to a 57% correct response rate in those who reported adhering sometimes or rarely to the guidelines (p = 0.0489). In the cases requiring antibiotic treatment for body temp of over 39C with/without otalgia, only 47–57% of participants identified the appropriate antibiotic regimen. Conclusion There are areas of potential improvement in adherence to clinical guidelines in the management, diagnosis, and treatment of AOM by Lebanese physicians. Conducting interventions among physicians to improve awareness of clinical guidelines and current treatment recommendations in Lebanon will likely improve adherence to guidelines, enhance clinical outcomes, and may help advance the fight against antimicrobial resistance.

Objectives Evidence-informed policymaking (EIP) is increasingly viewed as a complex endeavour that requires integration of research evidence with available resources and the preferences of those affected by the policy. The first technical expert meeting to enhance EIP in the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region identified the scope to develop and conduct a survey to gather insights into the generation, translation and application of research evidence across the region. This article describes the process of developing and piloting a multistakeholder survey (promoted and technically supported by WHO/Europe) on the topic of capacity for EIP. Study design Rapid review and pilot cross-sectional survey. Methods A survey instrument was developed based on findings from the published literature and refined with input from EIP experts/champions. The online survey was then piloted using various recruitment strategies designed to maximise its reach among the key target groups (senior researchers, knowledge brokers and members of civil society). Results The rapid review revealed a clear gap in the evidence base in relation to broader surveys of capacity for EIP, as opposed to evidence-based practice at an individual level. Thirteen responses to the pilot survey were received from individuals in 10 European countries. Reported barriers to EIP included a lack of understanding among policymakers and a lack of interaction with researchers. There were examples of efforts to enhance capacity for EIP, both at region or country level and through membership of international networks and collaborations. However, few examples were given of the application and impact of research evidence on the policymaking process. Conclusion This research has demonstrated the feasibility of developing and piloting a multicountry, multistakeholder survey to generate better understanding of evidence use in health policymaking. Next steps include incorporating the lessons learned into a revised version of the survey to be implemented with all 53 WHO/Europe Member States.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of movies and TV dramas on Chinese tourists' choice of international travel destinations. An online survey instrument was developed and distributed to Chinese consumers through an online survey panel company. Findings indicated many Chinese are highly involved with international travel and were ardent about movies and/or TV dramas. There was a high level of agreement that these media outlets have a significant impact on travel motivations. Foods, fashion, and other elements featured in movies and TV dramas were motivators for the Chinese market. Thailand and Korea were the two top favorite destinations based upon movie and TV drama consumption. Implications for the tourism industry and the movie and TV drama industries are discussed.

Objective: To evaluate preceptee satisfaction concerning preceptorship and the preceptor–preceptee relationship among pharmacy students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from May 2017 to August 2017 on senior Pharm D students at King Saud University (KSU) College of Pharmacy. A survey instrument was used to get feedback from students regarding their clinical rotations and internships and to evaluate their satisfaction toward preceptorship to meet the goals of the curriculum. Data were entered into SPSS, version 24. Results: Of the 52 students surveyed, 36 (69.2%) were female. More than half of respondents were somewhat satisfied with their preceptors and 11.5% were satisfied. Additionally, only 17% of students rated their preceptors as having excellent clinical teaching skills; about 19% of students rated them as “needs improvement.” About 40% of students rated their preceptors as very good, concerned, competent, and safe in their care for persons living with serious co-morbidities and diseases. About half of students (48.1%) rated their non-faculty KSU preceptors’ teaching behavior as not satisfactory compared with only four respondents with respect to KSU faculty preceptors’ teaching behavior. Conclusion: Pharm D students were somewhat satisfied with their preceptors’ teaching behaviors in communication skills, practice, and teaching skills as well as feedback and evaluation to students. To enhance the quality of experiential education, preceptors should be trained to develop programs that direct and energize advancement. Keywords: Assessment, Expectations, Perception, Pharm D student, Pharmacy, Preceptors, Practical experience

We introduce rapid game jams, a style of game jam that takes only 1–2 h and is focused on design experimentation rather than on programming and technical implementation. To support that kind of rapid game-design experimentation, we have designed a class of games that we call fluidic games. These are mobile games in which the game mechanics and other aspects of the games are editable on the fly, directly on the device, allowing for frequent play/design context shifts. We have conducted four rapid game jams with 105 participants from a local Girlguiding organisation, in order to gain real-world experience with this concept. We analyse results from a survey instrument completed by 69 participants in two of these rapid game jams. In order to guide future work in addressing questions left open by this study, we did a qualitative analysis of the designed games to gain additional insights into participants’ design practice.

This study investigates the effects of consumer and expert eWOM (electronic word-of-mouth) information on information usefulness perception of information readers in third party forums. Extending existing studies on eWOM, our research model contends that sense of belonging plays moderating roles on eWOM information. Online survey instrument was used to collect data from two third party forums in China. The results show that the attributes of both consumer and expert eWOM information serve as important antecedents to affect information usefulness perception. Additionally, sense of belonging assumes an important role to influence the antecedents’ effects on information usefulness.

The purpose of this study was to investigate consumers’ perception on restaurants’ food safety. More specifically, the first objective was to identify the importance and performance of casual dining restaurant selection factors from the aspect of food safety in the U.S., using the IPA model. The second objective was to assess the relationships between three cleanliness clues (functional clues, mechanic clues, and humanic clues) and overall satisfaction and their effects on behavioral intention. A survey instrument was used for primary data collection. Employees keeping their fingernails clean, employees wear clean uniform or protective clothing, and employees wear gloves while handling ready-to-eat food items were captured in the “concentration” quadrant, indicating they are very important to the respondents but the restaurants’ performances were not satisfactory. Three cleanliness clues directly influenced overall satisfaction towards a restaurant and customer’s revisit intention.

This study presents an evaluation of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) survey instrument developed by Arbaugh et al. (2008) within the context of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). The study reports the results of a reliability analysis and exploratory factor analysis of the CoI survey instrument using the data of 1487 students from five MOOC courses. The findings confirmed the reliability and validity of the CoI survey instrument for the assessment of the key dimensions of the CoI model: teaching presence, social presence, and cognitive presence. Although the CoI survey instrument captured the same latent constructs within the MOOC context as in the Garrison's three-factor model (Garrison et al., 1999), analyses suggested a six-factor model with additional three factors as a better fit to the data. These additional factors were 1) course organization and design (a sub-component of teaching presence), 2) group affectivity (a sub-component of social presence), and 3) resolution phase of inquiry learning (a sub-component of cognitive presence). The emergence of these additional factors revealed that the discrepancies between the dynamics of the traditional online courses and MOOCs affect the student perceptions of the three CoI presences. Based on the results of our analysis, we provide an update to the famous CoI model which captures the distinctive characteristics of the CoI model within the MOOC setting. The results of the study and their implications are further discussed. Refereed/Peer-reviewed

Introduction The objective of this study was to gain an understanding of preceptors’ grading scale preferences for introductory and advanced pharmacy practice experiences (IPPE/APPE). Secondarily, assess if there is a common grading scale for IPPE/APPE rotations among US pharmacy programs. Methods An online, 22-item survey questionnaire was sent to all preceptors at a fully accredited school of pharmacy. The survey instrument assessed preceptor attitudes toward the effectiveness of the primary grading scales, letter or pass/no pass. Demographic variables were also assessed, including gender, age, practice setting, years as a preceptor, and annual number of students precepted. In addition, a phone survey was conducted with all pharmacy programs in the United States at the time to assess grading scales used for introductory and advanced pharmacy practice experiences (IPPE/APPEs). Results Three hundred sixty-five preceptors responded to the survey questionnaire. Overall, preceptors had more favorable attitudes toward the letter grade system as opposed to the pass/no pass system, and when asked specifically which they preferred, approximately 70% preferred the letter grading system. The phone survey of different pharmacy programs grading systems revealed most use the letter grading system. Fifty-six of 87 responding schools (64%) reported use of a letter grading system, compared to 26 of 87 (30%) using a pass/no pass system and five using ‘other variations’ (6%). Conclusion The majority of preceptors preferred the letter grading system over the pass/no pass system. Familiarity with this system was a contributing factor, as a significant number of preceptors preferred the grading scale they had as a pharmacy student – the letter grade system. This trend mimics current pharmacy school's grading system, as approximately 2/3 currently use a letter grading system to evaluate IPPE/APPEs.

Academic consulting centers on research and statistics are the bridge between applied researchers and statisticians and thus at the core of university-wide research. The client-centered evaluation focused on investigating the perspective of the clients in university research and statistical consulting center. A mixed-methods methodology was used in this study, specifically a concurrent triangulation design was implemented to have multiple data sources collected and analyzed simultaneously in order to identify areas of overlapping information. The Research Consulting Scale (RCS) instrument was developed and analyzed using an exploratory factor analysis with 129 participants and resulted in two factors: consulting experience, and consulting facilities. The internal consistency reliability of the scores for these two factors was 0.89 and .86 respectively. These results support the RCS has strong internal consistency. Additionally, client interviews were conducted sampling from those who had responded to the survey in order to gather additional data. Thematic analysis was performed to interview data and resulted in two major themes: consultant expertise and consultancy skills. The results provide a survey instrument and key themes for university consulting centers to focus and assess their efficiency through client’s perspectives.

Background Trauma is highly prevalent among vulnerable populations, including those who are incarcerated, in treatment for substance use, or seeking mental health services. Trauma-informed yoga seeks to create a safer yoga practice for individuals with a trauma history and may improve emotional and physical wellbeing. Thus, we conducted an evaluation of a trauma-informed yoga program to gain insight into participant experiences. Methods Trauma-informed yoga classes were led by trained volunteers and held in three sectors that work with vulnerable populations: corrections and reentry, substance use treatment and recovery, and community and mental health. Data were collected via anonymous survey using a retrospective pre-post design. The survey instrument captured reasons for student participation and perceived effects of yoga on emotional and physical wellbeing. Results Students were motivated to participate in yoga classes by expectations of physical, mental, and spiritual benefit. Students reported perceived improvements in emotional and physical wellbeing and greater use of self-regulation skills after starting yoga. Conclusion Our findings suggest trauma-informed yoga is perceived as beneficial by vulnerable individuals, especially those in the correctional system or recovering from substance use. Our results support the value of offering trauma-informed yoga in institutionalized and community settings. Improvements in emotional and physical wellbeing warrant formal study.

Background Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are widespread among workers in the weaving industry. The most affected body regions are the neck, shoulders, back, and wrist. The present study attempts to understand risk factors for MSDs in various body region among handloom and power loom weavers. Method A cross-sectional household survey was conducted on a sample of 364 weavers during November 2019 to February 2020. The survey instrument for measuring musculoskeletal symptoms was adopted from a standardised Nordic questionnaire. The impact of the occupation of weaving on MSDs was analysed using binary logistics regression. Results The 12-month prevalence of MSDs was higher among handloom weavers compared to power loom weavers, particularly in the upper back (84-45%), lower back (82–50%), knee (60–35%), and shoulder (76–42%) respectively. Similar patterns were observed in the 12-month prevalence of MSDs, which prevented regular activity inside or outside the home. Analysis suggests that the occupation of weaving raises the risk of MSDs particularly in the shoulder (OR: 4.52, C.I.: 2.63–7.76), lower (OR: 6.9, C.I.: 3.79–12.54) and upper back (OR: 5.63, C.I.: 3.19–9.95). Older age and long years of working are significant risk factors for MSDs. Conclusions The findings suggest a relatively higher prevalence of MSDs among handloom weavers, particularly in the upper and lower back and shoulder, compared to Powerloom weavers. Preventive measures and treatment to minimise the burden of MSDs among handloom weavers are strongly recommended.

The purpose of this study was to develop and provide psychometric evidence of the Educational Development Impact Questionnaire (EDIQ) for evaluating complex outcomes of multifaceted educational development work within centres of teaching and learning. Our study addresses the need for a user-friendly and psychometrically sound survey instrument adaptable to differing higher education contexts. Our outcomes framework, mapping the intended short- and medium-term outcomes of our centre’s educational development activities, provided the necessary framework on which to create survey items. Scores from 267 instructors from a research-intensive university provided the data for examining the EDIQ’s initial factor structure using exploratory factor analysis. We justify our use of two different cut-scores to generate two models of factor structures. Factors common to both models are instructor growth, scholarship of teaching and learning, technology integration, impact on students, and knowledge enhancement. We discuss how the models provide different opportunities for assessing short-term and medium-term outcomes over time and the usefulness of the EDIQ beyond the current study context.

In a healthcare organization, teamwork is essential when there is a need to deal with different types of patients. The consistent collaboration between physicians and nurses daily will provide the best outcome for patients. Healthcare professionals need to understand the value of interprofessional collaboration to improve the effectiveness of healthcare organizations. Thus, this pilot study is conducted to examine the validity and reliability of the Inter-Professional Collaboration Practice survey instrument. The instrument measured nine constructs using a 5-Likert scale. A pilot test of the survey instrument was administered to 60 health professionals (nurses and doctors) from a selected teaching hospital in Malaysia. Both IBM SPSS Version 23 and SmartPLS softwares were employed to examine the reliability and validity of the survey instrument at this stage of the pilot study. The results indicate that IPCP instrument is a reliable and valid instrument to be used for actual data collection of this research study.

Background Recent health care changes urge for the implementation of interprofessional practice to improve quality of patient care. Purpose The study sought to determine the current level of workforce readiness for the implementation of interprofessional practice (IPP) in the acute care setting at a health care institution. Method The researchers obtained descriptive data through the use of a survey instrument. Discussion Results demonstrated that the majority (86.67%) of surveyed health care providers had a "medium" or "high" understanding of IPP. However, results exhibited that current application of IPP was inadequate with only 54.17% (n = 65) of the health care professionals reporting "daily" implementation of IPP when providing direct or indirect patient care. Participants identified timing (67.50%) and scheduling conflicts (63.33%) as barriers to IPP, which may explain the exposed discrepancies. Conclusion Further research is needed to establish protocols for the implementation of IPP based on the current study's needs assessment results.

This study aimed to describe existing patterns of female pharmacy students' perceptions and their expectations regarding employment, job sectors, salaries, difficulties, and burdens, and to understand students' long-term prospects for employment in the pharmaceutical sector. The second objective was to assess students' perceptions of their careers in the short- and long-term.This prospective survey was conducted on female pharmacy students at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah from January 12, 2013 through January 21, 2013. The survey instrument was distributed online using Survey Monkey and was designed to assess students' opinions regarding employment in pharmacy.A total of 108 students responded to the surveyed. Approximately half reported that they would prefer to work in the government sector (50.9%), followed by the academic field (19.4%). Community pharmacies were underrepresented in the responses. Students' working durations, their preferred working shifts, and their 10-year prospects differed significantly from what was expected (p0.001). Similarly, students' preferences to work specific shifts (p0.001) and their long-term prospects (p0.001) were significantly different from what was expected. Participants perceived community and private pharmacies as the least rewarding in terms of remuneration. Approximately 61.1% of the participants perceived salaries at private hospitals to range between $1865 and $2397/month (p0.001).Female graduates anticipate challenges in the pharmacy workforce, especially in the pharmaceutical sector. Lack of training, job stability, as well as religious and cultural constraints appeared to influence female graduate's decision to join a particular sector in the pharmacy field.

Ostrom (1990) has argued that in collective action problems, social factors are crucial in order to promote conservation. A survey instrument among shellfish gatherers has been used to analyse their preferences with respect to a proposed conservation management programme, assessing the effect of co-management initiatives and the impact of social norms on extraction. Results show that shellfish gatherers working in a Marine Protected Area (MPA) behave more conservatively with respect to their counterparts in terms of their current extraction patterns, promoting species conservation. With regards to social norms, expected believes about the fulfilment of the current extraction regulation in their network, allow for the acceptance of restrictions imposed by the conservation management plan without decreasing the shellfish gatherers’ utility in any significant way.

A questionnaire instrument for obtaining quantitative behavioral evaluations of pet cats from cat owners was developed and validated. Exploratory Factor Analysis of 2608 questionnaire responses to 149 behavioral questions/items extracted a total of 23 distinct factors that measured most of the more common dimensions of cat behavior. Seventeen of the 23 factors demonstrated adequate–high internal reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.712–0.923). Questionnaire validation was accomplished by determining: (a) whether owners’ subjective ratings of the severity of their cat’s behavior problems were associated with cats’ actual scores on expected questionnaire factors, (b) whether expected associations between specific demographic and/or lifestyle characteristics and behavior were confirmed by cats’ factor or item scores on the questionnaire, and (c) whether breed rankings based on owner-reported factor scores matched those previously derived from the opinions of experts (veterinarians). The results of these various tests confirmed the overall construct validity of the questionnaire.

This study investigated the effects of using a standardized PowerPoint lecture to provide young people with nuanced information about bioenergy. The study's aim was to understand the relationShip between knowledge and participants' perception of bioenergy, and the relationship of the latter to participants' attitude strength and intention to use and learn about bioenergy. Data were collected from 715 participants using a survey instrument that contained mainly Likert-scale questions. Data were then processed using partial least squares structural equation modelling. Results show that providing such information increases knowledge about bioenergy, but does relatively little to create a more positive perception of bioenergy. In turn, having a more positive view about bioenergy would lead to a higher intention to use bioenergy. Attitude strength was found to mediate the previous relationship and decreases the strength of the relationship between perception and intention to use. Results also show that the lecture weakly contributed to building attitude strength, rendering opinion change less likely in the future. We conclude that listening to a lecture on bioenergy slightly improves people's perception of bioenergy, makes it more likely that people maintain such a disposition, and translates into a slightly higher intention to use bioenergy. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This work was supported by the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO; grant number 12G5415N).