Self-Organising Map Approach to Individual Profiles: Age, Sex and Culture in Internet Dating

A marked feature of recent developments in the networked society has been the growth in the number of people making use of Internet dating services. These services involve the accumulation of large amounts of personal information which individuals utilise to find others and potentially arrange offline meetings. The consequent data represent a challenge to conventional analysis, for example, the service that provided the data used in this paper had approximately 5,000 users all of whom completed an extensive questionnaire resulting in some 300 parameters. This creates an opportunity to apply innovative analytical techniques that may provide new sociological insights into complex data. In this paper we utilise the self-organising map (SOM), an unsupervised neural network methodology, to explore Internet dating data. The resulting visual maps are used to demonstrate the ability of SOMs to reveal interrelated parameters. The SOM process led to the emergence of correlations that were obscured in the original data and pointed to the role of what we call \'cultural age\' in the profiles and partnership preferences of the individuals. Our results suggest that the SOM approach offers a well established methodology that can be easily applied to complex sociological data sets. The SOM outcomes are discussed in relation to other research about identifying others and forming relationships in a network society.Self-Organising Map; Neural Network; Complex Data; Internet Dating; Age; Sex; Culture; Relationship; Visualisation

What counts as evidence? The communication of information about older people between health and social care practitioners

This paper draws on a study to provide an evidence base for strategies and effectiveness of the transfer of information about older people between health and social care practitioners at the health and social care interface. It reports on the development of a systematic approach to the review of the related research literature and presents some key findings. It goes on to discuss some methodological issues arising from a review covering both health and social care research. By locating this study - a systematic review - within the wider debate on evidence-based practice, this paper considers the nature and scope of this form of evidence alongside other forms of evidence and their use in professional practice. It concludes with some observations regarding the relevance of the findings from this study for both practice and further research

Internet et société : reconfigurations du patient et de la médecine ?

Internet and society: reconfîguring patients and medical knowledge? This paper argues that the availability of health information on the Internet is playing a major role in changing medical knowledge and people's relationship with health information and advice. The nature of « ehealth » is first defined in order to move away from technological, medical or organisational models that have been given labels including, cybermedicine, telemedicine and health informatics. Theoretical conceptualisations of the relationship between reflexivity, health and information are used to identity key issues that include threats to medical expertise, risks to public safety and the doctor/patient relationship. This analysis suggests that the plural nature of knowledge available through the Internet and the blurring of the distinction between the producers and users of information is changing the nature of medical knowledge.Résumé. Cet article montre que la disponibilité d'informations médicales sur Internet joue un rôle majeur dans la transformation des savoirs médicaux et dans les relations que chacun entretient avec l'information et les conseils en matière de santé. La « e.santé » est ici définie de manière à échapper aux modèles organisationnels, médicaux ou technologiques qui ont donné lieu à l'élaboration de dénominations comme la cyberméde- cine, la télémédecine ou l'informatique médicale. En nous appuyant sur une théorisation des relations entre réflexivité, santé et information, nous mettons en évidence quelques points-clés dans les évolutions constatées, à savoir les menaces pesant sur l'expertise médicale et la sécurité du public, et les relations médecin/patient. Cette analyse suggère que la nature plurielle des savoirs disponibles sur Internet et la dissolution de la frontière existant entre producteurs et utilisateurs d'information conduisent à des changements importants dans les savoirs médicaux.Internet y sociedad : una nueva configuración del paciente y de la medicina ? Este artículo muestra que la disponibilidad de informaciones médicas sobre Internet tiene una función importante en la transformación de los conocimientos médicos y en las relaciones que cada persona mantiene con la información y los consejos en materia de salud. La « e.salud », tal como está definida aquí, escapa a los modelos de organización médicos o tecnológicos que dieron lugar a la elaboración de denominaciones taies como la ciber-medicina, la tele-medicina o la informática médica. Apoyándonos en la teorización de las relaciones entre reflexividad, salud e información, ponemos en evidencia algunos puntos- clave en las evoluciones constatadas respecto a los peligros que pesan sobre el peritaje médico y la seguridad del público y las relaciones médico/paciente. Este análisis sugiere que la múltiplicidad de los conocimientos disponibles sobre Internet y la disolución de la frontera existente entre productores e utilizadores de información, conducen a cambios importantes en los conocimientos médicos.Hardey Michael. Internet et société : reconfigurations du patient et de la médecine ?. In: Sciences sociales et santé. Volume 22, n°1, 2004. Les technologies de l'information à l'épreuve des pratiques, sous la direction de Madeleine Akrich, Cécile Méadel, Janine Pierret et Vololona Rabeharisoa. pp. 21-43

Interactions between nurses during handovers in elderly care.

This paper explores the role of nursing interaction within the context of handovers and seeks to identify the clinical discourses used by registered nurses, student nurses and care assistants in acute elderly care wards, to determine their influence on the delivery of patient care. The study design involved an ethnographic approach to data collection which involved: observations of formal nursing end of shift reports (23 handovers) and informal interactions between nurses (146 hours); interviews (n=34) with registered nurses, student nurses and care assistants; and analysis of written nursing records. A grounded theory analysis was undertaken. Data were collected from five acute elderly care wards at a district general hospital in the south of England. Results from this empirical study indicate that handovers were formulaic, partial, cryptic, given at high speed, used abbreviations and jargon, required socialized knowledge to interpret, prioritized biomedical accounts and emphasized physical aspects of care. Patients' resuscitation status was highly salient to all grades of nurse. Doing 'paperwork' was accorded less status and priority than patient care, and was regarded as excessively time consuming. Despite this, there was evidence of repetition in nursing documents. Moreover, the delivery of clinical nursing appeared to be guided by personal records rather than formal records

Scraps : hidden nursing information and its influence on the delivery of care.

What nurses commonly describe as 'scraps' are defined as the personalized recordings of information that is routinely made on any available piece of paper (hence scraps) or in small notebooks. The use of scraps is common in practice and has been noted in research from across the globe. Drawing on an empirical study it is argued that scraps are a unique combination of personal and professional knowledge that informs the delivery of care. The overall aim of the study was to discover how nurses define and communicate information about patients and the delivery of care to each other on an elderly care unit. The processes by which information was constructed and the organizational structure and interactions that influenced this were also identified. The research design was an ethnographic one that involved: observations of formal nursing end of shift reports (23 handovers) and informal interactions between nurses (146 hours); interviews (n + 34) with registered nurses, student nurses and nursing auxiliaries; and analysis of written records. Data were collected from five acute elderly care wards at a district general hospital in the south of England. A grounded theory analysis was undertaken which revealed that scraps may have a significant role in the communication of information and the delivery of care. Therefore a categorization of scraps within three main themes was undertaken. First, the analysis revealed the processes involved in the construction of scraps. Second, the content and role of scraps in influencing the delivery of care was exposed. Finally, the potentially confidential nature of scraps and consequent problems of storage and disposal was recognized. The findings are discussed in relation to a suggested model of the interrelationship between paperwork, scraps, handovers and the delivery of nursing care. It is concluded that scraps are significant in facilitating nursing care and that this should be recognized in research, education and practice

The integration of information and communication technology into community pharmacists practice in Barcelona

The study aims to identify community pharmacists' (CPs) utilization of information and communication technology (ICT); to develop and characterize a typology of CPs’ utilization of ICT and to identify factors that can enhance or inhibit the use of these technologies. An online survey of the 7649 members of the Pharmacist Association of Barcelona who had a registered email account in 2006 was carried out. Factor analysis, cluster analysis and binomial logit modelling were undertaken. Multivariate analysis of the CPs’ responses to the survey (648) revealed two profiles of adoption of ICT. The first profile (40.75%) represents those CPs who place high emphasis on ICT within their practice. This group is therefore referred to as ‘integrated CPs’. The second profile (59.25%) represents those CPs who make less use of ICT and so are consequently labelled ‘non-integrated CPs’. Statistical modelling was used to identify variables that were important in predisposing CPs to integrate ICT with their work. From the analysis it is evident that responses to questions relating to ‘recommend patients going on line for health information’; ‘patients discuss or share their Internet health information findings’; ‘emphasis on the Internet for communication and dissemination’ and ‘Pharmacists Professional Association information’ play a positive and significant role in the probability of being an ‘integrated CP’. The integration of ICT within CPs' practices cannot be adequately understood and appreciated without examining how CPs are making use of ICT within their own practice, their organizational context and the nature of the pharmacists–client relationship.JRC.J.3-Information Societ

The Integration of Information and Communication Technology into Nursing

Objectives To identify and characterise different profiles of nurses¿ utilization of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and the Internet and to identify factors that can enhance or inhibit the use of these technologies within nursing. Methods An online survey of the 13,588 members of the Nurses Association of Barcelona who had a registered email account in 2006 was carried out. Factor analysis, cluster analysis and binomial logit model was undertaken. Results/Findings Although most of the nurses (76,70%) are utilising the Internet within their daily work, multivariate statistics analysis revealed two profiles of the adoption of ICT. The first profile (4.58%) represents those nurses who value ICT and the Internet so that it forms an integral part of their practice. This group is thus referred to as ¿integrated nurses¿. The second profile (95.42%) represents those nurses who place less emphasis on ICT and the Internet and are consequently labelled ¿non-integrated nurses¿. From the statistical modelling, it was observed that undertaking research activities an emphasis on international information and a belief that health information available on the Internet was ¿very relevant¿ play a positive and significant role in the probability of being an integrated nurse. Conclusion The emerging world of the 'integrated nurse' cannot be adequately understood without examining how nurses make use of ICT and the Internet within nursing practice and the way this is shaped by institutional, technical and professional opportunities and constraints.JRC.DDG.J.4-Information Societ

Appraising the evidence : reviewing disparate data systematically.

The authors describe a method of systematically reviewing research from different paradigms. They draw on the methods adapted, developed, and designed during a study concerned with the delivery of care across professional boundaries. Informed by the established method of systematic review, the authors undertook the review in distinct stages. They describe the methods developed for each stage and outline the difficulties encountered, the solutions devised, and the appraisal tools developed. Although many of the problems encountered were related to the critical assessment of qualitative research, the authors argue that the method of systematic review can be adapted for use with different data and across disciplines

Delivering care across professional boundaries: the communication of information about older people between health and social care practitioners.

Aim: to provide an evidence base for strategies, and effectiveness of the transfer of patient information between hospital and community for older people with physical illness. Design: a systematic review of qualitative and quantitative literature. Search strategy: literature from medical, health-related and social science databases as well as work in progress from national databases, the Internet, British PhD theses and other grey literature and policy documents. Selection criteria: literature relating to similar healthcare systems published between January 1994 and June 2000 on hospital discharge planning. Empirical studies from peer reviewed sources; theoretical papers from non-peer reviewed sources; research papers from non-peer reviewed sources and professional documents. Data collection and analysis: extracted data from empirical studies under the headings of location, sector, research questions and study design and duration. We made structured summaries of all other data sources and used them to supply context and background. We categorized literature and analysed it in terms of method and analysis, quality and strength of evidence and its relevance to the research questions. We synthesized the results and presented them in terms of answers to our research questions. Results: a database of 373 potentially relevant studies and of these, 53 were accepted for further analysis. Thirty-one were empirical studies, most of which were qualitative or a combination of qualitative and quantitative in design. The most effective strategy for transferring information is the appointment of a ‘key worker’, who can provide a point of contact for workers from hospital and community. Nevertheless, problems have arisen because both settings are under pressure and pursuing different goals. Neither setting is fully aware of the needs, limitations and pressures of the other. Conclusion: raised awareness and the establishment of common goals are the first steps needed to bridge the divide between health and social care staff in hospital and the community