5,538 research outputs found

    Graduate Catalog of Studies, 2023-2024

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    Examining the need for organisational learning and entrepreneurialism to meet the changing roles and expectations of rural and agricultural shows in the UK.

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    Rural and Agricultural Shows are rich in tradition but their role in the rural economy is evolving. The effective closure of the sector in the UK in 2020 as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic led us to examine how rural Shows would re-emerge, as well as how subsequent economic challenges are influencing the future of Shows. The research draws on interviews with Show organisers and conversations with exhibitors while attending live events. Collectively, this has revealed the Shows have accelerated their digitalisation but also that the physical meeting space is critical to their social function. The research identified new expectations from exhibitors who have discovered alternative routes to market, including online, that are competing with the traditional Show space. Forward-thinking Show organisers are identifying methods to tap into these new online markets and offer complementary value to their exhibitors but those who closed for the duration of the pandemic are finding that they are now having to adapt more quickly to the changes that have occurred

    Digital endpoints in clinical trials of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases: challenges and opportunities

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    Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Huntington’s disease (HD) are associated with progressive cognitive, motor, affective and consequently functional decline considerably affecting Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and quality of life. Standard assessments, such as questionnaires and interviews, cognitive testing, and mobility assessments, lack sensitivity, especially in early stages of neurodegenerative diseases and in the disease progression, and have therefore a limited utility as outcome measurements in clinical trials. Major advances in the last decade in digital technologies have opened a window of opportunity to introduce digital endpoints into clinical trials that can reform the assessment and tracking of neurodegenerative symptoms. The Innovative Health Initiative (IMI)-funded projects RADAR-AD (Remote assessment of disease and relapse—Alzheimer’s disease), IDEA-FAST (Identifying digital endpoints to assess fatigue, sleep and ADL in neurodegenerative disorders and immune-mediated inflammatory diseases) and Mobilise-D (Connecting digital mobility assessment to clinical outcomes for regulatory and clinical endorsement) aim to identify digital endpoints relevant for neurodegenerative diseases that provide reliable, objective, and sensitive evaluation of disability and health-related quality of life. In this article, we will draw from the findings and experiences of the different IMI projects in discussing (1) the value of remote technologies to assess neurodegenerative diseases; (2) feasibility, acceptability and usability of digital assessments; (3) challenges related to the use of digital tools; (4) public involvement and the implementation of patient advisory boards; (5) regulatory learnings; and (6) the significance of inter-project exchange and data- and algorithm-sharing

    Facilitating prosociality through technology: Design to promote digital volunteerism

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    Volunteerism covers many activities involving no financial rewards for volunteers but which contribute to the common good. There is existing work in designing technology for volunteerism in HumanComputer Interaction (HCI) and related disciplines that focuses on motivation to improve performance, but it does not account for volunteer wellbeing. Here, I investigate digital volunteerism in three case studies with a focus on volunteer motivation, engagement, and wellbeing. My research involved volunteers and others in the volunteering context to generate recommendations for a volunteer-centric design for digital volunteerism. The thesis has three aims: 1. To investigate motivational aspects critical for enhancing digital volunteers’ experiences 2. To identify digital platform attributes linked to volunteer wellbeing 3. To create guidelines for effectively supporting volunteer engagement in digital volunteering platforms In the first case study I investigate the design of a chat widget for volunteers working in an organisation with a view to develop a design that improves their workflow and wellbeing. The second case study investigates the needs, motivations, and wellbeing of volunteers who help medical students improve their medical communication skills. An initial mixed-methods study was followed by an experiment comparing two design strategies to improve volunteer relatedness; an important indicator of wellbeing. The third case study looks into volunteer needs, experiences, motivations, and wellbeing with a focus on volunteer identity and meaning-making on a science-based research platform. I then analyse my findings from these case studies using the lens of care ethics to derive critical insights for design. The key contributions of this thesis are design strategies and critical insights, and a volunteer-centric design framework to enhance the motivation, wellbeing and engagement of digital volunteers

    The Developer's Dilemma

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    This book explores this developer’s dilemma or ‘Kuznetsian tension’ between structural transformation and income inequality. Developing countries are seeking economic development—that is, structural transformation—which is inclusive in the sense that it is broad-based and raises the income of all, especially the poor. Thus, inclusive economic growth requires steady, or even falling, income inequality if it is to maximize the growth of incomes at the lower end of the distribution. Yet, this is at odds with Simon Kuznets hypothesis that economic development tends to put upward pressure on income inequality, at least initially and in the absence of countervailing policies. The book asks: what are the types or ‘varieties’ of structural transformation that have been experienced in developing countries? What inequality dynamics are associated with each variety of structural transformation? And what policies have been utilized to manage trade-offs between structural transformation, income inequality, and inclusive growth? The book answers these questions using a comparative case study approach, contrasting nine developing countries while employing a common analytical framework and a set of common datasets across the case studies. The intended intellectual contribution of the book is to provide a comparative analysis of the relationship between structural transformation, income inequality, and inclusive growth; to do so empirically at a regional and national level; and to draw conclusions from the cases on the varieties of structural transformation, their inequality dynamics, and the policies that have been employed to mediate the developer’s dilemma

    Multilingualism and the Public Sector in South Africa

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    This book contributes to the discourse on language in South Africa with a specific focus on multilingualism and the public sector

    The effect of technology upskilling on the quality of life of elderly people in Iran : A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Lincoln University

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    The impact of smartphones and social media apps on lifestyle, Quality of Life, and well-being among elderly people is an important issue with digital communication becoming the predominant communication mode. The effect of using social media apps on the elderly people’s Quality of Life in developing countries including Iran is an important area to address, to understand what future interventions should be recommended to policy makers. A mixed-methods study was designed to determine the impact of training in using smartphone social media apps (including Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram) on the Quality of Life of the elderly citizens in Shiraz-Iran. The population of the study was all the senior residents registered in local public health centres located in Shiraz, Fars, Iran in 2018-2019. The qualitative results were based on the analysis of semi-structured interviews, while the quantitative results were based on the changes in the mean scores of the CASP-19 scale and subscales (p-value) in the intervention population measured before the study, after the intervention and again one month later. In the quasi-experimental quantitative study, the intervention group in the CASP-19 questionnaire sub-scales (control, autonomy, pleasure, self-realization) mean values increased and the overall mean score of Quality of Life increased between the pre-test and the post-test and between the pre-test and the follow-up test. The control sub-scale had the lowest effect size (η2 =0.11), followed by autonomy (η2=0.13) and self-realization (η2=0.14). The highest size of the effect was for pleasure (η2 =0.42) and Quality of Life (η2=0.46) variables. The control group showed no significant changes in the control, autonomy, pleasure, self-realization, and the level of the Quality of Life variables for the duration of the study. It can be concluded that the significant changes in the level of the Quality of Life in the intervention group was due to the educational program. The result of the qualitative study reinforces this conclusion

    “Have patients with chronic skin diseases needs been met?”:A thesis on psoriasis and eczema patient care in dermatology service

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    Background: Common chronic skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis usually require long term medical care. They are often associated with psychological and metabolic comorbidities, which can impact on patient quality of life (QOL) and on the self-management of these diseases. Regular assessment of patient needs, comorbidities and feedback is a critical step in the development of decision-analytic models. Currently, no intervention is available to regularly assess such patients’ needs and comorbidities and support their involvement in the decision-making and self-management of their morbidity and comorbidities. The aim of this research is to involve the patients in decision making of their care and to support their self-management by the use of a paper questionnaire (study tool) at each consultation. Objective: To explore the acceptability and potential of a self-developed paper questionnaire that constituted a study tool for addressing the needs, comorbidities, and feedback of patients with psoriasis and eczema and supporting their involvement in decision making and self-management of their chronic conditions. Method: A mixed method study was conducted and included a postal survey on adult male and female patients with psoriasis and eczema, using the study tool, which is a paper questionnaire and contains the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI) and seven supplementary open-ended questions to capture patients’ views, feedback, comorbidities, coping status and needs. The survey was followed by semi-structured face-to-face interviews with a sample of the patients who had participated in the survey. The aims of the interviews were two-fold: 1. to gain a deeper understanding of their experience of living with and managing their skin disease; and 2. to gather patient feedback on the service they received as well as their views on using the new study tool or any alternative intervention to address and support their self-management. The final study was a pilot which involved presenting a proposal of an online version of the study tool to a group of healthcare experts asking them to critically review the extent to which the online model responded to patients expressed needs. Results: Of the 114 patients who participated in the postal survey 108 (94.7%) of them expressed physical, metabolic and psychological comorbidities. Stress was identified as the dominant disease-triggering factor in 72 (63%) participants. Thirty-three (28.9%) of participants reported that they could not cope with their chronic illness. Eighteen (15.7%) participants suffered from anxiety, and 12 (10.5%) had depression and suicidal thoughts. Twenty-nine (25%) participants addressed their needs for support at home, and 16 (14%) of them asked for support at work. In the patient feedback section, 21 (18.4%) and 9 (7.8%) participants rated the service they received from their general practitioner (GP) and dermatologist as poor, respectively. In the interviews, all the participants 22 (100%) welcomed the use of the study tool on a regular basis to address their needs, comorbidities and feedback. Nineteen (86.3%) of them suggested that they would prefer using an online version of the tool or patient portal system as a convenient way of remote and interactive communication with the healthcare provider, particularly during the worsening of their skin condition. In the final pilot study, the healthcare experts agreed that the proposed online version of the study tool could be a convenient platform for such patients to support their self-management. They discussed the potential importance of such a tool if it provided them with access to supportive services such as patient information on skin diseases and self-management, access to local mental health service and other relevant psoriasis and eczema patients’ support groups and charities. Conclusion: This novel mixed method research identified knowledge gaps in managing patients with psoriasis and eczema. It provided a new tool that has the potential to regularly engage and assess patients’ unmet needs, comorbidities and feedback. The tool can involve patients in decision-making and offers them the autonomy to disclose heterogeneous needs that may support their self-management. All the interviewees welcomed regular use of the study tool and the majority of them suggested that they would prefer using an online version of the tool if it was available. Future research is needed to assess the impact of the study tool in filling important gaps in patient self-management and in health service improvement

    Reshaping Higher Education for a Post-COVID-19 World: Lessons Learned and Moving Forward

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    Digitaalisen terveystiedonhaun ja terveyden lukutaidon eriarvoisuus nykypÀivÀn Suomessa

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    NykypĂ€ivĂ€n yhteiskunnallinen eriarvoisuus rakentuu tiedon ja verkostojen varaan. On tĂ€rkeÀÀ tutkia, mitĂ€ kĂ€yttĂ€ytymismalleja internetissĂ€ tapahtuvaan terveystiedonhakuun liittyy. TĂ€ssĂ€ pro gradu -tutkielmassa tarkastellaan ensisijaisesti digitaalisen kuilun ilmentymistĂ€ suomalaisessa yhteiskunnassa. Digitaalisella kuilulla viitataan eri asteisiin eroihin yksilöiden vĂ€lillĂ€ digitaalisten teknologioiden kĂ€ytössĂ€, soveltamisessa ja hyödyntĂ€misessĂ€. Teoreettisessa viitekehyksessĂ€ hyödynnetÀÀn Bourdieun pÀÀoma- ja kenttĂ€teoriaa digitaalisen kuilun teorian tukemiseen. Toiseksi analysoidaan suomalaisen vĂ€estön digitaalista terveyden lukutaitoa, joka puolestaan ymmĂ€rretÀÀn informaatiolukutaidon varaan rakentuvana osaamisena. Se on kykyĂ€ löytÀÀ, arvioida ja kĂ€yttÀÀ digitaalista tietoa terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin eduksi. Digitaalista terveyden lukutaitoa kĂ€sitellÀÀn paitsi tiedonhallintaan perustuvana resurssina myös olennaisena hyvinvointia ja terveyttĂ€ edistĂ€vĂ€nĂ€ voimavarana. Tutkimuksessa kĂ€ytetÀÀn ISSP:n 2021 terveys II –aineistoa. Aiempaa tutkimusta seuraten tĂ€mĂ€ tutkimus on mÀÀrĂ€llinen. Digitaalinen terveyden lukutaito jakautuu tĂ€ssĂ€ digitaaliseen terveystiedon hakuun ja siitĂ€ koituvaan hyötyyn. Aiemmissa tutkimuksissa on havaittu, ettĂ€ sosiodemografiset ja -ekonomiset tekijĂ€t – kuten ikĂ€, sukupuoli, asuinalue, tulotaso, koulutus ja ammattiasema – ovat yhteydessĂ€ digitaaliseen kuiluun ja digitaaliseen terveyden lukutaitoon. Tulokset osoittavat, ettĂ€ digitaalinen kuilu on paikanettavissa suomalaisessa vĂ€estössĂ€. ISSP:n aineiston perusteella voidaan todeta, ettĂ€ digitaalisesti syrjĂ€ytyneet ovat todennĂ€köisimmin iĂ€kkĂ€itĂ€ ja heikossa sosioekonomisessa asemassa olevia miehiĂ€. LisĂ€ksi ikĂ€, sukupuoli ja koulutus ovat tilastollisesti merkitsevĂ€llĂ€ tavalla yhteydessĂ€ terveystiedon hakutottumuksiin ja terveystiedosta saadun hyödyn kokemiseen. Koska terveyserot on edelleen merkittĂ€vĂ€ yhteiskunnallinen ongelma, digitaaliseen kuiluun ja terveyden lukutaitoon liittyvĂ€ eriarvoisuus on syytĂ€ huomioida terveyden edistĂ€misessĂ€. Digitaalisen terveyden lukutaidon ymmĂ€rtĂ€minen on tarpeellinen niin ikÀÀn terveydenhuoltojĂ€rjestelmĂ€n digitalisoitumisen
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