Crisis and concomitant forms of collective action :a critique of the Greek indignant movement

PhD ThesisWhat can the Greek indignant movement tell us about the forces that shape political subjectivity and forms of collective struggle that can subvert and resist capitalist power relations? In this thesis I argue that Greek indignants’ desire for autonomy and a more “ethical” politics contributed to the decline of the movement, perpetuating the global politics of austerity and a liberal understanding of politics after the crisis that feeds inequalities produced within capitalism. I seek to unravel the forces that contributed to the decline of the Greek indignant movement and the social, political and economic mechanisms that contributed to the production of political subjectivities within the movement. My examination demonstrates that there is a tension between how participants maintain the diversity of the movement and how they build the movement as one with collective political goals; between a desire for autonomy and a desire for a cohesive and effective political programme that has been devised in a collective way. I navigate this tension by examining the production of contemporary forms of political subjectivities in these times of crisis. I engage in a critique of Laclau and Mouffe and Hardt and Negri’s theories on the mechanisms for the production of a collective political subjectivity. I critique their concepts of the “people” and the “multitude” and their assessment of the mechanisms for the production of a collective political subjectivity, bringing this critical analysis within my examination of the Greek indignant movement. I argue that emotion, ideology, culture and the economy bear upon the production of political subjectivities within the movement in important and significant ways. My critique of this theoretical debate provides a rigorous starting point from which to unravel the mechanisms of the production of political subjectivity. I continue with a close examination of the political processes that contributed to the rise and decline of the Greek indignant movement. I demonstrate how emotion and affect are key in the emergence of forms of resistance. In these forms of resistance emotion and affect are bound together with the embodiment of hegemonic ideologies that shape the actions of the Greek indignants contributing to the decline of the movement. I conclude by demonstrating that the Greek indignant movement, in spite of its failures, can still offer the basis for the beginning under which anti-capitalist politics can flourish and serve as an example for the forces that can contribute to building an emancipatory collective political subjectivity.IK

Prevalence and associated factors of anxiety and depression in students at a Greek university during COVID-19 lockdown

Background: Restrictions on movement and lockdown are measures taken in many nations, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. University students are additionally burdened by the transition to distance e-learning. The aims of the study were to investigate the prevalence of anxiety and depression in university students and to identify associated risk factors.Design and Methods: An online questionnaire was administered to 2,009 students in the University of Patras, Greece, during the national lockdown. Socio-demographic, academic data, and the forced disruption of daily life were assessed along with the Greek version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale.Results: Anxiety and depression prevalence was 35.8% and 51.2% respectively. Age, school of study, financial status, self-perceived health status, level of satisfaction with the state's and university's response and specific aspects in the daily routine were associated with both anxiety and depression scores. At higher odds of both depression and anxiety were students with low income, bad health status, annoyed at staying home and those who encountered difficulties with the online education system. Additional risk factors for depression were studies in humanities and social sciences, and low satisfaction with the university's response, while for anxiety were studies in agricultural sciences and absence of information about COVID-19.Conclusions: The proportion of Greek students showing depression and anxiety, during the restrictive measures, is alarming. Mental health in university students should be monitored. Mitigation strategies should focus on specific personal, academic and social variables that have been identified as protective factors

Reliability and validity of the Greek translation of the patient assessment of chronic illness care + (PACIC-PLUS GR) survey

The article was funded by the “CUT Open Access Author Fund”This study aimed to investigate the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care+ (PACIC+) which is a tool to assess care for Chronic Conditions combining PACIC items with an overall 5As score derived from the '5As' model (ask, advise, agree, assist, and arrange), and is congruent with the Chronic Care Model. In addition, the study at hand aimed to translate the PACIC+ tool into Greek and test its psychometric properties to the Greek patients

Dietary Habits and Obesity in Patients with Psychotic Disorders in Rural Areas in Northwestern Greece

People suffering from psychotic disorders display high rates of physical morbidity and mortality in comparison to the general population. The present study explores the relation between the dietary habits, the prevalence of obesity and the occurrence of physical morbidity in patients who suffer from psychotic disorders in rural regions of northwest Greece. Two scales were applied to evaluate the quality of life (Quality of Life Questionnaire II, Moorehead–Ardelt) and the dietary habits (Dietary Instrument for Nutrition Education (DINE) Questionnaire) of these patients. The study sample used in this study consisted of 55 patients who suffered from a psychotic disorder. Most (75%) were male, with a mean age of 51.5 years and an average duration of disease of 25.1 years. Of these, 38.2% (21 patients) were obese with a BMI < 30 Kg/m2, 32.7% (16 patients) were overweight and 29.1% had a normal body weight. The majority of the sample, 80%, was treated with second-generation medications. With regards to their dietary habits, 94.5% (52/55) of the sample showed a low intake of fiber content, 67.3% (37/55) showed a high intake of saturated fats and 100% (55/55) a low intake of unsaturated fats. The rates of physical morbidity in the present sample were 21.8% with at least one disease and 14.5% with two diseases, whereas 5.5% met the criteria for metabolic syndrome (MS). The average BMI of the women was statistically significantly higher compared to the men. The majority of the sample (69.1%) exhibited acceptable levels of quality of life. No co-relations of quality of life with BMI were found. In addition, no co-relations of BMI with dietary habits were revealed

Clinical Outcome in Persons with Severe Mental Disorders Attending a Mental Health Day Center during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: Studies assessing the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on populations highlight the emergence of mental health difficulties, especially if a mental health disorder is already present. Patients with severe mental illnesses (SMIs) may be even more vulnerable to the psychosocial effects of the pandemic. However, little is known regarding the possible impact of the pandemic on SMI patients supported by community-based mental health day centers. Methods: A two-year prospective study comprising 29 individuals with SMI was conducted by the Skitali Mental Health Day Center in Ioannina, Northwest Greece. The described group of examined patients consisted mainly of psychotic patients (65.5%). Patients were assessed using the Health of Nations Outcome Scale and the Global Assessment of Functioning scale, and scores prior to and after the onset of the pandemic were compared. Results: The results indicated that participants did not present any significant decline in their overall clinical status during the COVID-19 pandemic and the national lockdown measures. Conclusions: This finding is relevant because previous research has shown that the pandemic may negatively impact adherence to treatment and service attendance and that the symptomatology of patients with SMIs may further deteriorate. It is suggested that the operation of mental health day centers during collective stressful events should be preserved, but further research is needed to evaluate their role in maintaining continuity of care during such events

Use of Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics in a Clinical Sample of Community-Dwelling Patients with Schizophrenia-Spectrum Disorders in Rural Greece

Data on the use of long-acting injectable antipsychotics (LAIs) in rural community mental healthcare settings are scarce. This study aimed to investigate the prescription patterns of LAIs in a clinical sample of patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders in rural Greece. All patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders who regularly attend the Mobile Mental Health Unit of the prefectures of Ioannina and Thesprotia (MMHU I-T) in northwestern Greece were included in the study. The sample consists of 87 patients (59 males and 28 females) with a mean age of 54.4 years and a mean illness duration of 28 years. Most patients (72.4%) received antipsychotic monotherapy, and nearly 30% received an LAI formulation, mostly a second-generation LAI (20 of 26 patients, 76.9%). The treatment regimen comprised benzodiazepines in one-third of the patients and antidepressants in one-quarter. There was no statistically significant association between treatment regimen and the clinical and demographic variables studied, except for biological sex (female). The percentage of patients treated with LAIs in this study was almost three times higher than the rate previously reported in Greece and is higher than the rates reported in other countries. Patients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders in rural Greece may have adequate access to innovative treatment with second-generation LAIs. Further research is needed to demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of LAI treatment in rural communities and to elucidate the factors associated with such treatment

Women's Leadership Via Digital TECHNOLOGY and Entrepreneurship in Business and Society

Gender equality and digital development are inextricably linked. On the other hand digital skills are in increased demand due to the digital skill gap expanding. Most of the tech nation's reports have shown that men still outweigh women by 3 to 1. This study aims to expound the relationship between digital technology and women's leadership in business and society and try to clarify the reasons that women fall short of the demands of the digital sector as it is increasingly growing