Investigating the effect of childhood socioeconomic background on interpersonal trust: Lower childhood socioeconomic status predicts lower levels of trust

Trust is the foundation of human relationships, therefore, understanding its determinants is of utmost importance. In line with recent findings we predict that one factor influencing the individual levels of trust is childhood socioeconomic background. Childhood socioeconomic background has been found to be a key determinant of various behaviors in adulthood as it directs individuals to adopt specific large clusters of behavioral traits often referred to as life-history strategies. In two studies, we show that childhood socioeconomic background is associated with social trust through the adoption of different life-history strategies. In the first study, we establish the link between childhood socioeconomic background and trust and we show that the relationship is mediated by the adoption of different life-history strategies. In the second study, we analyze the data of General Social Survey to replicate the finding in a large sample and provide some initial evidence of two potential moderators of the relationship, sense of control and resource scarcity

The patient journey : a report of skin cancer care across Europe

Summary - Background: There are poorly documented variations in the journey a skin cancer patient will follow from diagnosis to treatment in the European Union. Objectives: To investigate the possible difficulties or obstacles that a person with a skin malignancy in the European Union may have to overcome in order to receive adequate medical screening and care for his/her condition. In addition, we wished to explore differences in European health systems, which may lead to health inequalities and health inequities within Europe. Methods: Ten European countries took part in this investigation (in alphabetical order): Finland, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malta, Poland, Romania, Spain, the Netherlands and the U.K. The individual participants undertook local and national enquiries within their own country and completed a questionnaire. Results This exercise has identified important differences in the management of a skin cancer patient, reflecting major disparities in health care between European countries. Conclusions: Further investigation of health disparities and efforts to address health inequalities should lead to improvements in European health care quality and reduction in morbidity from skin cancer.This publication arises from the EPIDERM project, which was funded by the European Commission’s Executive Agency for Health and Consumers (EPIDERM project: PHEA 2007- A ⁄100994 HI). Funding for publication of this supplement was provided by the European Skin Cancer Foundation (ESCF).peer-reviewe

Call for emergency action to restore dietary diversity and protect global food systems in times of COVID-19 and beyond: Results from a cross-sectional study in 38 countries

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the fragility of the global food system, sending shockwaves across countries' societies and economy. This has presented formidable challenges to sustaining a healthy and resilient lifestyle. The objective of this study is to examine the food consumption patterns and assess diet diversity indicators, primarily focusing on the food consumption score (FCS), among households in 38 countries both before and during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study with 37 207 participants (mean age: 36.70 ± 14.79, with 77 % women) was conducted in 38 countries through an online survey administered between April and June 2020. The study utilized a pre-tested food frequency questionnaire to explore food consumption patterns both before and during the COVID-19 periods. Additionally, the study computed Food Consumption Score (FCS) as a proxy indicator for assessing the dietary diversity of households. Findings: This quantification of global, regional and national dietary diversity across 38 countries showed an increment in the consumption of all food groups but a drop in the intake of vegetables and in the dietary diversity. The household's food consumption scores indicating dietary diversity varied across regions. It decreased in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries, including Lebanon (p < 0.001) and increased in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries including Bahrain (p = 0.003), Egypt (p < 0.001) and United Arab Emirates (p = 0.013). A decline in the household's dietary diversity was observed in Australia (p < 0.001), in South Africa including Uganda (p < 0.001), in Europe including Belgium (p < 0.001), Denmark (p = 0.002), Finland (p < 0.001) and Netherland (p = 0.027) and in South America including Ecuador (p < 0.001), Brazil (p < 0.001), Mexico (p < 0.0001) and Peru (p < 0.001). Middle and older ages [OR = 1.2; 95 % CI = [1.125–1.426] [OR = 2.5; 95 % CI = [1.951–3.064], being a woman [OR = 1.2; 95 % CI = [1.117–1.367], having a high education (p < 0.001), and showing amelioration in food-related behaviors [OR = 1.4; 95 % CI = [1.292–1.709] were all linked to having a higher dietary diversity. Conclusion: The minor to moderate changes in food consumption patterns observed across the 38 countries within relatively short time frames could become lasting, leading to a significant and prolonged reduction in dietary diversity, as demonstrated by our findings.Revisión por pare

Call for emergency action to restore dietary diversity and protect global food systems in times of COVID-19 and beyond: Results from a cross-sectional study in 38 countries

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed the fragility of the global food system, sending shockwaves across countries\u27 societies and economy. This has presented formidable challenges to sustaining a healthy and resilient lifestyle. The objective of this study is to examine the food consumption patterns and assess diet diversity indicators, primarily focusing on the food consumption score (FCS), among households in 38 countries both before and during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional study with 37 207 participants (mean age: 36.70 ± 14.79, with 77 % women) was conducted in 38 countries through an online survey administered between April and June 2020. The study utilized a pre-tested food frequency questionnaire to explore food consumption patterns both before and during the COVID-19 periods. Additionally, the study computed Food Consumption Score (FCS) as a proxy indicator for assessing the dietary diversity of households. Findings: This quantification of global, regional and national dietary diversity across 38 countries showed an increment in the consumption of all food groups but a drop in the intake of vegetables and in the dietary diversity. The household\u27s food consumption scores indicating dietary diversity varied across regions. It decreased in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries, including Lebanon (p \u3c 0.001) and increased in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries including Bahrain (p = 0.003), Egypt (p \u3c 0.001) and United Arab Emirates (p = 0.013). A decline in the household\u27s dietary diversity was observed in Australia (p \u3c 0.001), in South Africa including Uganda (p \u3c 0.001), in Europe including Belgium (p \u3c 0.001), Denmark (p = 0.002), Finland (p \u3c 0.001) and Netherland (p = 0.027) and in South America including Ecuador (p \u3c 0.001), Brazil (p \u3c 0.001), Mexico (p \u3c 0.0001) and Peru (p \u3c 0.001). Middle and older ages [OR = 1.2; 95 % CI = [1.125–1.426] [OR = 2.5; 95 % CI = [1.951–3.064], being a woman [OR = 1.2; 95 % CI = [1.117–1.367], having a high education (p \u3c 0.001), and showing amelioration in food-related behaviors [OR = 1.4; 95 % CI = [1.292–1.709] were all linked to having a higher dietary diversity. Conclusion: The minor to moderate changes in food consumption patterns observed across the 38 countries within relatively short time frames could become lasting, leading to a significant and prolonged reduction in dietary diversity, as demonstrated by our findings

The application of decision support systems and quantitative methods in the strategic management of healthcare units and in the healthcare education

Health management research has applied DSS for some time in the facilitation of decision making and has made it clear that there is a growing need for more penetration at both operational and political level. The methodological approach appears through the structure of the dissertation. The heart of the dissertation is the systematic critical analysis of the bibliography aiming at identifying gaps and weaknesses. On this basis the dissertation uses the real business-case method as the main tool for the PhD implementation and the production of new, useful knowledge. On a first level, the findings of this dissertation demonstrate clearly how the application of a tool like simulation can wield convincing solutions to composite managerial questions. On a second level, this dissertation succeeds in deriving useful conclusions for the improvement of the application of DSS through a multidisciplinary approach (Marketing, Epidemiology). The evolutionary logic of this dissertation is visible in its future extensions. A framework of continuation of this work is presented as a next step. Within this framework, political decisions in the form of risk factor interventions are assessed in real terms with the use of the second case methodology model.Το θέμα που πραγματεύεται η διατριβή είναι η χρήση συστημάτων υποστήριξης αποφάσεων και ποσοτικών μεθόδων στην στρατηγική, στην τακτική διοίκηση μονάδων υγείας και στην εκπαίδευση υγείας. Το ερώτημα που προκύπτει από το θέμα αυτό είναι σχετικά απλό: πώς και κάτω από ποιες προϋποθέσεις μπορούν τα συστήματα υποστήριξης αποφάσεων και οι ποσοτικές μέθοδοι να βοηθήσουν ουσιαστικά στην λήψη αποφάσεων σε όλους τους τομείς της διοίκησης υγείας. Το θέμα έχει ήδη τεθεί επί τάπητος και βρίσκεται υψηλά στην παγκόσμια ατζέντα τόσο της διοίκησης όσο και του ευρύτερου κλάδου της υγείας, καθώς η επιστημονική πρόοδος που έχει γίνει στο πεδίο τα τελευταία 30 χρόνια, αν και σημαντική σε όγκο με αυξητικές μάλιστα τάσεις, δεν έχει επιτύχει την υιοθέτηση αυτών των μεθόδων από την επιχειρηματική πρακτική. Το γενικό αντικείμενο της έρευνας αν και ευνόητο - η λήψη διοικητικών αποφάσεων στην υγεία - είναι αρκετά πολύπλευρο και πολυεπίπεδο. Η έρευνα στην διοίκηση της υγείας εφαρμόζει εδώ και καιρό τα συστήματα στήριξης αποφάσεων στην υποβοήθηση διοικητικών αποφάσεων και έχει καταστήσει σαφές ότι υπάρχει ανάγκη για περισσότερη διαπέραση σε επιχειρησιακό και πολιτικό επίπεδο. Η ανάγκη για υποβοήθηση των αποφάσεων στην υγεία δεν θα ήταν τόσο έντονη, αν ο κλάδος δεν αντιμετώπιζε σοβαρά προβλήματα από την συνεχή αύξηση του κόστους και του ανταγωνισμού, καθώς και την αναβάθμιση της πολυπλοκότητας των επιχειρησιακών δομών και των πληροφοριών με βάση τις οποίες πρέπει να ληφθούν αποφάσεις, υπό ολοένα και αυξανόμενο ρίσκο. Η μεθοδολογική προσέγγιση διαφαίνεται στη δομή που ακολουθεί η εργασία. Η «καρδιά» της διατριβής είναι η συστηματική κριτική ανάλυση της βιβλιογραφίας σε βάθος 40 ετών, δίνοντας έμφαση στις σύγχρονες εξελίξεις (τελευταία δεκαετία), ενώ στόχος της είναι η ανάδειξη κενών και αδυναμιών. Με βάση τα κενά και τις αδυναμίες που εντοπίστηκαν, η εργασία χρησιμοποιεί την μέθοδο των πραγματικών περιπτώσεων ως κύριο εργαλείο για την ανάπτυξη του θέματος και κύριο στόχο την παραγωγή νέας και χρήσιμης γνώσης. Η χρήση δύο διαφορετικών περιπτώσεων (ενός ελληνικού ιδιωτικού κέντρου και μιας γερμανικής πανεπιστημιακής κλινικής) καλύπτει την μελέτη ενός ικανοποιητικού εύρους αντιπροσωπευτικών προβλημάτων στην διοίκηση υγείας. Οι περιπτώσεις αναπτύχθηκαν διαδοχικά και όχι παράλληλα, και τα προβλήματα που εντοπίστηκαν στην πρώτη τροφοδότησαν τον πειραματισμό και την μεθοδολογία στην δεύτερη. Αντιπαραβάλαμε τα τελικά αποτελέσματα με τους αρχικούς στόχους και στη βάση αυτή έγινε η αποτίμηση της εργασίας. Σε ένα πρώτο επίπεδο, τα ευρήματα της διατριβής δείχνουν ξεκάθαρα τον τρόπο με τον οποίο η χρήση ενός εργαλείου όπως η προσομοίωση μπορεί να δώσει πειστικές λύσεις σε πολύ δύσκολα διοικητικά ερωτήματα όπως: πώς μπορούν να συγχωνευθούν δύο όροφοι σε έναν και τι θα συμβεί τότε, ποιες είναι οι δυνατότητες του κέντρου και πώς θα ανταπεξέλθει σε πειραματικές νέες συνθήκες, πόσο και τι προσωπικό θα χρειάζεται το (νέο) κέντρο για να λειτουργεί στα ίδια επίπεδα ποιότητας με σήμερα, πώς μπορεί να υπολογιστεί η μελλοντική ανάγκη για συγκεκριμένους εξειδικευμένους επιστήμονες κτλ. Σε δεύτερο επίπεδο, η εργασία αυτή πετυχαίνει την εξαγωγή χρήσιμων συμπερασμάτων με σκοπό την βελτίωση της εφαρμογής τέτοιων συστημάτων. Η επανεπίσκεψη των αποτελεσμάτων της πρώτης περίπτωσης σε ασφαλή χρόνο μετά την εξαγωγή των αρχικών συμπερασμάτων καταδεικνύει το πόσο εύκολο είναι τα αποτελέσματα μιας φαινομενικά επιτυχημένης εφαρμογής να καταστούν άχρηστα. Το σημαντικό αυτό εύρημα προβάλλει ένα συστεμικό πρόβλημα (την έλλειψη συνέπειας των αποτελεσμάτων, η οποία συνεπάγεται άγνοια αποτυχίας και έλλειψη μεθοδολογικών βελτιώσεων και υποβάθμιση της χρησιμότητας και υιοθέτησης των εργαλείων). Η αιτία του συγκεκριμένου προβλήματος εντοπίστηκε στην κατασκευή των πειραματικών σεναρίων, και η προσέγγιση μιας συνδυαστικής εφαρμογής προβλεπτικών μεθόδων -επιδημιολογική μοντελοποίηση και προσομοίωση - σαν μια πιθανή λύση, δοκιμάστηκε στο δεύτερο πείραμα. Τα ευρήματα από το δεύτερο πείραμα συνιστούν πως τα αποτελέσματα αυτής της μεθόδου είναι πιο συγκεκριμένα και αξιόπιστα και πως οι συνδυαστικές αυτές λύσεις μπορούν να δώσουν νέες και χρήσιμες εφαρμογές. Η εξελικτική λογική της εργασίας αποτυπώνεται στις μελλοντικές επεκτάσεις της. Ένα πλαίσιο συνέχισής της προτείνεται σαν το επόμενο βήμα. Σε αυτό το πλαίσιο οι πολιτικές αποφάσεις με την μορφή παρέμβασης στους παράγοντες κινδύνου αξιολογούνται σε πραγματικούς όρους με την χρήση του υποδείγματος της 2ης περίπτωσης

Investigating the effect of childhood socioeconomic background on interpersonal trust: Lower childhood socioeconomic status predicts lower levels of trust

© 2019 Elsevier Ltd Trust is the foundation for human relationships, therefore, understanding its determinants is of utmost importance. In line with recent findings we predict that one factor influencing the individual levels of trust is childhood socioeconomic background. Childhood socioeconomic background has been found to be a key determinant of various behaviors in adulthood as it directs individuals to adopt specific large clusters of behavioral traits often referred to as lifehistory strategies. In two studies, we show that childhood socioeconomic background is associated with social trust through the adoption of different life-history strategies. In the first study, we establish the link between childhood socioeconomic background and trust and we show that the relationship is mediate by the adoption of different lifehistory strategies. In the second study, we analyze the data of General Social Survey to replicate the finding in a large sample and provide some initial evidence of two potential moderators of the relationship, sense of control and resource scarcity.status: publishe

H2M survey data on commercialisation training needs of Health Researchers

<p>Health-2-Market was a 3-year long Coordination and Support Action, funded by the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration (Grant Agreement No 305532). H2M aimed at providing training and individual support to Health / Life Sciences researchers in the process of translating their research results into successful new business ideas.</p> <p>With a view to properly adapting the training offer of the project to the needs of Health / Life Sciences researchers in terms of entrepreneurship and business skill development a Training Needs Analysis (TNA) was conducted. In this context, H2M launched an online survey targeted at Health / Life Sciences researchers who have been involved in EU health projects. In particular, the objectives of the survey were:</p> <ul> <li>To formulate  a  descriptive  understanding  of various  aspects  of  commercialisation  and  training  needs  of  the main target group of the project;</li> <li>To divide this target group into homogeneous sub-groups (clusters) along a number of key characteristics such as demographics, commercialisation attitudes and needs;</li> <li>To understand preferences and importance of different aspects and needs through the analysis of: <ul> <li>Knowledge  areas  that  can  influence  commercialisation behaviour;</li> <li>Training modalities  that  have  an  effect  on  the  intention  to participate and /or on the perception of the usefulness of a commercialisation training;</li> <li>Variations identified over different sub-groups.</li> </ul> </li> </ul> <p>The survey was dispatched to a database composed of 7,991 unique contacts of participants in previous health projects, accessed through the Directorate General for Health and Food Safety of the European Commission. The initial aim of at least 50 complete responses was overwhelmingly surpassed: 637 respondents completed the survey in full.</p> <p>The “H2M survey data on commercialisation training needs of Health Researchers” dataset contains the raw, anonymised data that were collected from these respondents, along with the questionnaire items that were utilised.</p

Investigating the preferences of individuals on public transport innovations using the Maximum Difference Scaling method

Abstract Introduction Public Transport users have diverse mobility needs and preferences on how to meet those needs. While this is consistent with typical standards for both academic scholars and practitioners, less is known about the structure of these preferences, how different they are, especially with regard to innovations in Public Transport. Previous research works have been successful in bringing together and developing a comprehensive set of state-of-the-art innovations that could be potentially valuable for Public Transport Authorities and Operators in covering mobility needs. Purpose Going a step further, this study collected empirical evidence on the preferences’ pattern of European citizens when considering these innovations. The present study’s objectives were (a) to measure European citizens’ preferences regarding Public Transport innovations, (b) to examine potential differences at individual level between innovations and demographic and behavioral measures, and (c) to profile respondents based on a multidimensional set of parameters including individual preference scores. Methods Correspondingly, the study employed complementary methodological designs like the Maximum Difference Scaling method, which is an effective tool for encompassing large numbers of attributes, Analysis of Variance, and Latent Class Analysis. Results Findings prioritized significant differences in user preferences along the tested innovations and innovations were linked to specific motivational schemes (viz. “information provision”, “efficient design concerns”, “provision of effectiveness”, “pricing concerns”, and “assistance provision”). Motivational schemes and their properties encompassing users’ diverse patterns of ranked preferences regarding Public Transport innovations were then employed as the basis for profiling. Conclusion Further to methodological contributions reflecting the design of the present study, implications for practitioners regarding the use of differentiated mix of motives are also provided

Health literacy, sunscreen and sunbed use: an uneasy association

status: publishe

Potential impact of interventions resulting in reduced exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation (UVA and UVB) on skin cancer incidence in four European countries, 2010-2050

BACKGROUND: Behavioural interventions to reduce exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) can reduce risk of skin cancer. OBJECTIVES: To integrate the data and to evaluate the impact of interventions to limit exposure to UVR on skin cancer incidence in four selected countries. METHODS: Using PREVENT, a dynamic simulation model, we modelled the potential for skin cancer prevention in four European countries under various scenarios to avoid damage by UVR. RESULTS: In general, the most effective interventions were those aimed at protecting people during outdoor work and outdoor hobbies against the harmful effects of UVR, and combinations of several interventions. These could in theory lead to reductions of up to 45% in skin cancer cases projected for the year 2050. CONCLUSIONS: The scope for prevention depends on the prevalence of the risk factors in the different countries, as well as the associated risk factors and time lags modelled.status: publishe