Social Safety and Security

Social safety in social environments entails the sense of feeling safe with other people. Thus, social safety and security are very important to our life. Although research in this area has made significant progress in the past few years, there are still many social problems that require attention and further development in order to secure peace of mind. There is a very clear and accurate understanding and judgment of the overall situation of social security in the current and future period. This Special Issue focuses on a number of contemporary issues in social safety and security. The objective of this book is to rapidly disseminate the latest research and knowledge in this important area

Migrant Domestic Workers’ Experiences of Sexual Harassment: A Qualitative Study in Four EU Countries

Sexual harassment against female migrant domestic workers is a public health problem, which remains hidden and largely underreported. The current paper presents the results of a qualitative research study on sexually victimized migrant domestic workers in four European countries (Austria, Cyprus, Greece, and Sweden). The study aimed at exploring the profile and experiences of victimised individuals. Data were gathered via 66 semi-structured interviews with victimised female migrant domestic workers. Key findings of the current study indicate that the victims: (a) were usually undocumented and had low local language skills; (b) identified domestic work as the only way into the labour market; (c) suffered primarily psychological, economic, and social consequences; (d) had poor social support networks; (e) were poorly connected to governmental support services. This is the first study to explore this hidden problem via direct contact with victims. Addressing barriers of migrants’ social integration seems important. Better regulation and monitoring of this low-skilled occupation could minimise risks for vulnerable employees

Overestimation of Relative Risk and Prevalence Ratio: Misuse of Logistic Modeling

The extensive use of logistic regression models in analytical epidemiology as well as in randomized clinical trials, often creates inflated estimates of the relative risk (RR). Particularly, in cases where a binary outcome has a high or moderate incidence in the studied population (>10%), the bias in assessing the relative risk may be very high. Meta-analysis studies have estimated that about 40% of the relative risk estimates in prospective investigations, through binary logistic models, lead to extensive bias of the population parameters. The problem of risk inflation also appears in cross-sectional studies with binary outcomes, where the parameter of interest is the prevalence ratio. As an alternative to the use of logistic regression models in both longitudinal and cross-sectional studies, the modified Poisson regression model is proposed

Cross-cultural differences in driving behaviours: A comparison of six countries

The first aim of the present study was to investigate the applicability of the three-factor structure (aggressive violations, ordinary violations, and errors) of the Manchester Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ) and then to compare these driving behaviours across the six countries (Finland, Great Britain, Greece, Iran, The Netherlands, and Turkey). The third aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of driving styles in the relationship between traffic cultures (countries) and the number of traffic accidents utilizing a mediational framework. The fourth aim of this paper was to investigate the relationship between the three factors of DBQ and the number of traffic accidents in each country. Two hundred and forty-two drivers were chosen from each of the six countries, matched for age and sex. The results of confirmatory factor analyses showed that the fit of the three-factor model of DBQ was partially satisfactory in each country. Exploratory factor analyses together with target (Procrustes) rotation and factorial agreement indexes showed that the "ordinary violations" factor was fully congruent and the "errors" factor was fairly congruent across countries. Reliabilities of the scales were at the same level as in the original British data. ANOVA results revealed differences between drivers from "safe" Western/Northern European and Southern European/Middle Eastern countries on DBQ items and scales. Results demonstrated that driving style mediates the relationship between traffic culture (i.e. country) and the number of accidents. Poisson and negative binomial regression analyses also showed that the importance of driver characteristics and behaviours in predicting the number of traffic accidents varies from country to country

Driving performance while using a mobile phone: A simulation study of Greek professional drivers

Purpose: The current study aims to assess the driving performance of professional drivers while using a mobile phone

Knowledge and attitudes about AIDS of residents of greater Athens

A prospective research project on health education about AIDS is being conducted in the Greater Athens area. In the first phase of the project, information was collected concerning the knowledge and attitudes about AIDS of a sample of the population. The results indicated that, in general, the population was moderately well informed about AIDS. The population groups who were best informed were the females, those with a higher level of education and a longer period of urban residence, and those in the occupational category merchants/sales personnel. Three attitudinal categories were identified which could be characterized as discrimination, stigmatization and fear of those affected by AIDS. These attitudes were linked respectively to (1) approval of the enforcement of special measures, (2) stigmatizing of persons, behaviours and districts and (3) fear that AIDS comprises a major social threat. The attitudes expressed by restrictive measures towards those affected and stigmatization were associated with a low level of knowledge about most aspects of AIDS. Health education programmes directed at the population in the districts studied should take into account the findings of this study.AIDS knowledge attitudes discrimination stigmatization

Blood donor behaviour in Greece: Implications for health policy

Blood donation behaviour was studied in 809 residents of the Greater Athens area to identify socio-economic and attitudinal factors and level of knowledge about blood donation related to donor behaviour. The sample was randomly selected and consisted of men and women aged 18-65, the legally defined age for donation. According to stepwise regression analysis, blood donation (40.8% of the study population) was found to be correlated with gender, place of birth, occupation and knowledge about donation. Donors were more likely to be men than women; students and military recruits than professionals and scientists; and those with higher knowledge scores regarding donation. In our factor analysis of the social attitudes related to blood donation, three factors emerged as important regarding donation: health-related incentives for the donor, structural incentives (organization of blood donation education and management of facilities) and the creation of social and economic incentives. With respect to the affective measures those who expressed feelings of guilt when presented with hypothetical, emotionally charged situations dramatizing the need for donor blood were more likely to be donors. The results of the data are discussed within a larger socio-cultural context and suggestions for health policy are made.blood donors blood donation attitudes knowledge behaviour health policy

Cross-cultural differences in driving skills: A comparison of six countries

The first aim of the present study was to investigate the applicability of the two-factor structure (perceptual-motor skills by 11 items, e.g., "fluent driving"; safety skills by 9 items, e.g., "conforming to the speed limits") of the Driver Skill Inventory (DST) among British, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Iranian, and Turkish drivers. It was also hypothesized that the combination of self reported high ratings of perceptual-motor skills and low ratings of safety skills creates a serious risk for dangerous driving and road accident involvement. The second aim of this study was, therefore, to investigate this asymmetric relationship between perceptual-motor and safety skills in traffic penalties and accident involvement. Two hundred and forty two drivers were chosen from each of the six countries, matched for age and sex. The results of exploratory factor analyses together with target rotation showed that the two-factor structure of DST found in "safe" Northern and Western European countries were highly congruent. However, the safety skills factor of DST in Greece, Iran, and Turkey was relatively incongruent in spite of high factor similarity found in perceptual-motor skills. The asymmetric relationship between perceptual-motor and safety skills on traffic penalties was found in Finland and Turkey. A negative relationship between safety skills and the number of accidents was found both in Greece and Iran while a positive relationship between perceptual-motor skills and the number of accidents was found only in Iran