70,441 research outputs found

    Youth and Digital Media: From Credibility to Information Quality

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    Building upon a process-and context-oriented information quality framework, this paper seeks to map and explore what we know about the ways in which young users of age 18 and under search for information online, how they evaluate information, and how their related practices of content creation, levels of new literacies, general digital media usage, and social patterns affect these activities. A review of selected literature at the intersection of digital media, youth, and information quality -- primarily works from library and information science, sociology, education, and selected ethnographic studies -- reveals patterns in youth's information-seeking behavior, but also highlights the importance of contextual and demographic factors both for search and evaluation. Looking at the phenomenon from an information-learning and educational perspective, the literature shows that youth develop competencies for personal goals that sometimes do not transfer to school, and are sometimes not appropriate for school. Thus far, educational initiatives to educate youth about search, evaluation, or creation have depended greatly on the local circumstances for their success or failure

    REACTIONS REGARDING ONLINE DISCRIMINATION AND AD PROFILES

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    The accessibility and amount of information obtained by online companies has grown over the past decade. This growth has led to the ability of companies to target a desired population to show certain content, products and other services. The two studies conducted for this thesis examine different aspects of online targeting and users’ reactions using advertising as the primary tool. One of the main goals for the studies was to develop policy recommendations and guide policymakers into making ethical decisions. But to do this effectively some of the primary elements that we need to know is what the user understands, what they care about and why that concerns them. Keeping that in mind, we conducted three surveys that made up the first study which examined scenarios around discriminatory ads. For each scenario, we asked the user about their perception when it came to the level of problem and ethical behavior. For the second study, we conducted interviews that had participants look at the profiles that Google and Facebook have created about them based on their online activity. We were able to ask questions in regard to their comfort level, their understanding of why certain interests might be shown to them, and their general understanding of how the profiling works. These two studies were analyzed independently of each other, but the results and possible implications of each were combined to make recommendations to businesses and policy makers. From the first study, we found 43% of participants were moderately or very concerned by the scenarios, even when discrimination took place as result of online behavioral targeting. From the second study, we found several themes emerge from the interviews including the idea that more inaccurate inferences made make them feel more uncomfortable than accurate inferences. That sentiment was expressed by 64% of the participants

    The Collaborative Role of Psychologists in Rural Pediatric Primary Care Settings

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    In this dissertation I discuss research conducted to gain a greater understanding of the unique collaborative needs and desires of medical professionals working with pediatric patients in rural communities. Specifically, I researched the following question: Do medical professionals working in rural areas desire more in-depth collaborative relationships with mental health professionals than they currently have? I acquired information on this subject by mailing surveys to primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, and family practice doctors to learn more about their opinions regarding collaboration with mental health professionals. I collected data over a one-month period, resulting in 11 completed surveys being returned. After collecting data on the physicians’ needs, desires, and barriers to collaboration, I examined the descriptive statistics of the surveys. This study found that, in general, most physicians have not had enough mental health training to adequately screen clients for mental health issues or to know what services mental health professionals can provide their patients. It also indicated that there are many unique barriers that prevent physicians in rural areas from collaborating as much as they desire

    Do clients with spinal cord injuries know what they need to know about pressure ulcers? A descriptive study on the knowledge, beliefs and practices about pressure ulcers

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    Thesis (MHumanRehabSt)--Stellenbosch University, 2016.ENGLISH SUMMARY : Background: Pressure ulcers are a serious, but preventable, secondary complication of spinal cord injury (SCI). Pressure ulcers limit community integration, and are potentially life-threatening. They also put an increased financial and care burden on health systems. Pressure ulcers can be prevented by following the guidelines for good skin care and pressure-ulcer prevention programmes. Adherence to pressure-ulcer prevention practices is influenced by a person`s knowledge and beliefs. Aim: To describe the knowledge, beliefs and practices about pressure ulcers of clients with SCI who received rehabilitation at a Cape Town rehabilitation center. Methods: A quantitative, descriptive study, that employed consecutive sampling, was done. Participants included in-patients (n=30), out-patients (n =33) and peer supporters (n = 8). Data was collected during April and March 2015 with a questionnaire developed through collating existing questionnaires and adapting them for the study context. Descriptive and inferential analyses of data was done. To determine if any relationship existed between the variables, the Fisher’s exact test and Kruskal-Wallis test were applied. A P-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean age of participants was 36.3 years with 86% being male. Only 31% of participants finished school and 77% were unemployed. Of all the participants, 43% had developed a pressure ulcer at some stage. The mean combined knowledge score was 23.9 out of a possible 56 (42.7%). The in-patients and out-patients had similar scores (40.4% and 39.4% respectively). Areas of knowledge that were particularly challenged, included nutrition to prevent pressure ulcers, the staging of pressure ulcers, the time it takes for a pressure ulcer to develop and the risk factors for pressure ulcer development. While having a similar knowledge score as in-patients, personal experience of life with SCI and contact with others might have influenced the beliefs of out-patients over time as more of them saw themselves as likely to develop pressure ulcers, and a higher percentage believed PU would seriously impact their activities. Peer supporters had a higher mean knowledge score than the other two groups. Despite their higher mean knowledge score, their scores might be too low to effectively teach others PU prevention practices. The majority of participants (88.7%) believed pressure ulcers to be serious and 45% thought they were likely to develop a PU. They believed daily skin checks (80.3%), weight shifting (86%) and limiting sitting time (80.3%) could prevent PU development. Pressure relief was not practiced correctly by 51% of participants, while 39% did not perform skin inspection correctly and 38% of participants smoked. Inferential statistics showed that most of the variables did not have a statistically significant relationship. An increase in time since injury had a significant impact on the belief that pressure ulcers would interfere with ADL (p=0.024), and increased knowledge scores impacted significantly on correct pressure relief practices (p=0.001). Conclusion: Participants showed a lack of knowledge which might have impacted their beliefs and pressure-ulcer prevention practices negatively. It seems as if participants were not equipped with sufficient knowledge to assist them in adhering to pressure-ulcer prevention practices, even though they realized pressure ulcers were serious and would impact their lives negatively. The study findings can be used to assist with the development of a contextually relevant training programme on pressure care.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Agtergrond: Druksere is ’n ernstige, maar voorkombare, sekondĂȘre komplikasie van spinaalkoord beserings (SKB). Druksere maak dit moeilik vir pasiĂ«nte om weer deel van hulle gemeenskappe te raak, en dit kan lewensgevaarlik wees. Dit plaas ook groter finansiele druk en ’n onnodige sorglas op ons gesondheidsorgsisteem. Druksere kan voorkom word deur ’n goeie velsorgroetine en drukseervoorkomingsprogramme. ’n Persoon se kennis en sienings het ’n invloed op hoe doeldreffend hulle drukseervoorkomingspraktyke navolg. Doelwit: Die beskrywing van die kennis, sienings en praktyke rondom druksere van kliĂ«nte met spinaalkoord beserings by die Wes-Kaapse Rehabilitasiesentrum. Metodes: ’n Kwantitatiewe, beskrywende studie is gedoen met opeenvolgende proefsteke. Deelnemers sluit in binne-pasiĂ«nte (n=30), buite-pasiĂ«nte (n =33) en portuurondersteuners (n = 8). Die data is bymekaar gemaak in Maart en April 2015 met ’n vraelys. Die vraelys is ontwikkel deur bestaande vraelyste saam te voeg en aan te pas binne die studiekonteks. Beskrywende en inferensiĂ«le analises is gedoen van die data. Fisher se toets en die Kruskal-Wallis-toets is toegepas om te bepaal of daar enige statisties beduidende verhouding bestaan tussen die veranderlikes. ’n P-waarde van <0.05 is beskou as statistiesbeduidend. Resultate: Die gemiddelde ouderdom van die deelnemers was 36.3 en 86% was manlik. Slegs 31% van deelnemers het skool voltooi en 77% was werkloos, en 43% van die deelnemers het op een of ander stadium ’n drukseer gehad. Die gemiddelde saamgestelde kennistelling was 23.9 uit ’n moontlike 56 (42.7%). Die binne- en buite-pasiĂ«nte het soortgelyke tellings gehad (40.4% and 39.4% onderskeidelik). Kennisgebiede wat veral uitdagend was, sluit in voeding om druksere te voorkom, die stadiums van druksere, hoe lank dit neem vir ’n drukseer om te ontwikkel en die risikofaktore vir drukseerontwikkeling. Buite-pasiĂ«nte het soortgelyke tellings gekry as binne-pasiĂ«nte, maar persoonlike ervaring van SKB en kontak met ander kon die sienings van buite-pasiĂ«nte oor tyd beinvloed. Meer buite-pasiĂ«nte het aangedui hulle gaan waarskynlik druksere ontwikkel, en ’n hoĂ«r persentasie het geglo dit gaan ’n ernstige impak op hulle aktiwiteite hĂȘ. Portuurondersteuners het ’n hoĂ«r gemiddelde kennistelling gehad as die ander twee groepe. Steeds was hulle tellings te laag om ander doeltreffend te leer van drukseervoorkomingspraktyke. Die meerderheid van die deelnemers (88.7%) glo druksere is ernstig en 45% glo hulle kanse is goed om ’n drukseer te ontwikkel. Hulle glo daaglikse velkontrole (80.3%), gewigverskuiwing (86%) en beperkte sittyd (80.3%) kan die ontwikkeling van druksere verhoed. Drukverligting is nie reg toegepas deur 51% van die deelnemers nie terwyl 39% nie vel-inspeksies gedoen het nie en 38% rook. Inferensie-statistiek dui aan dat die meeste van die veranderlikes nie ’n statistiesbeduidende verhouding het nie. Die tydsduur sedert die besering het ’n beduidende impak gehad op die siening dat druksere sal inmeng met daaglikse aktiwiteite (p=0.024), en hoĂ«r kennistellings oor drukverligingpraktyke het ’n beduidende impak gehad op die regte drukverligtingpraktyke (p=0.001). Bevinding: Deelnemers toon ’n gebrek aan kennis, wat moontlik hulle sienings en drukseervoorkomingspraktyke negatief beinvloed het. Dit lyk asof die deelnemers nie toegerus is met genoegsame kennis om drukseervoorkomingspraktyke na te kom nie, selfs al besef hulle druksere is ernstig en het ’n negatiewe impak op hulle lewe. Die bevindings kan gebruik word vir die ontwikkeling van ’n kontekstueel relevante druksorg-opleidingsprogram oor

    Reliable online social network data collection

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    Large quantities of information are shared through online social networks, making them attractive sources of data for social network research. When studying the usage of online social networks, these data may not describe properly users’ behaviours. For instance, the data collected often include content shared by the users only, or content accessible to the researchers, hence obfuscating a large amount of data that would help understanding users’ behaviours and privacy concerns. Moreover, the data collection methods employed in experiments may also have an effect on data reliability when participants self-report inacurrate information or are observed while using a simulated application. Understanding the effects of these collection methods on data reliability is paramount for the study of social networks; for understanding user behaviour; for designing socially-aware applications and services; and for mining data collected from such social networks and applications. This chapter reviews previous research which has looked at social network data collection and user behaviour in these networks. We highlight shortcomings in the methods used in these studies, and introduce our own methodology and user study based on the Experience Sampling Method; we claim our methodology leads to the collection of more reliable data by capturing both those data which are shared and not shared. We conclude with suggestions for collecting and mining data from online social networks.Postprin

    Redescribing Health Privacy: The Importance of Health Policy

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    Current conversations about health information policy often tend to be based on three broad assumptions. First, many perceive a tension between regulation and innovation. We often hear that privacy regulations are keeping researchers, companies, and providers from aggregating the data they need to promote innovation. Second, aggregation of fragmented data is seen as a threat to its proper regulation, creating the risk of breaches and other misuse. Third, a prime directive for technicians and policymakers is to give patients ever more granular methods of control over data. This article questions and complicates those assumptions, which I deem (respectively) the Privacy Threat to Research, the Aggregation Threat to Privacy, and the Control Solution. This article is also intended to enrich our concepts of “fragmentation” and “integration” in health care. There is a good deal of sloganeering around “firewalls” and “vertical integration” as idealized implementations of “fragmentation” and “integration” (respective). The problem, though, is that terms like these (as well as “disruption”) are insufficiently normative to guide large-scale health system change. They describe, but they do not adequately prescribe. By examining those instances where: a) regulation promotes innovation, and b) increasing (some kinds of) availability of data actually enhances security, confidentiality, and privacy protections, this article attempts to give a richer account of the ethics of fragmentation and integration in the U.S. health care system. But, it also has a darker side, highlighting the inevitable conflicts of values created in a “reputation society” driven by stigmatizing social sorting systems. Personal data control may exacerbate social inequalities. Data aggregation may increase both our powers of research and our vulnerability to breach. The health data policymaking landscape of the next decade will feature a series of intractable conflicts between these important social values

    Online tracking: Questioning the power of informed consent

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    Online tracking technologies have raised considerable concerns regarding privacy and the protection of personal data of users. In order to help users to regain control over their personal data, Europe has amended its ePrivacy directive towards an opt-in regime. There are however many open questions concerning its implementation, especially regarding the issue of informed consent. This paper explores how the new legal situation impacts on behavioral advertising practices via the storing and reading of cookies in the Netherlands. The results show that the majority of the surveyed parties involved in behavioural advertising do not inform users about the storing of cookies or the purposes of data processing of the subsequently obtained data, neither do they have obtained users' consent for the storage of cookies. We also found that the majority of users lack the skills and knowledge how to handle cookies. These findings critically question the wisdom of the informed consent regime which lies currently at the heart of Europe's ePrivacy directive. --Online behavioural advertising,profiling,cookies,informed consent,Do Not Track,ePrivacy Directive

    Resources for Workplace Diversity: An Annotated Practitioner Guide to Information

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    [Excerpt] We are pleased to offer this updated edition of Resources for Workplace Diversity: An Annotated Practitioner Guide to Information, a unique offering of The Workplace Diversity Network. Our goal is to assemble a selected, annotated list of compelling and useful resources available to help diversity practitioners create organizations that are diverse and productive. As a working group, we agreed that useful resources would include newly published books as well as historic, seminal works that provide insight and illumination irrelevant of their age. In the updated edition, we’ve expanded existing sections, added new ones and referenced online access where possible. Designed with practitioner needs in mind, Resources for Workplace Diversity is meant to be an evolving document, one that will grow according to the needs and recommendations of its users. To capture the advantage of networking, we invite you to suggest additional resources that you have found to be valuable
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