20 research outputs found
Jointly Building an Evaluation Culture: A Workshop Methodology for a European Project in the Field of Adult Education
This paper presents a reflection on the role of cooperative research in addressing the topic of evaluation within the field of adult education. To this end, the authors outline a specific cooperation initiative that involved academics and practitioners from the field of adult education in different European countries.The project presented here is based on the hypothesis that in order to enhance evaluation at the European level, it is necessary to build a European culture of evaluation, which may be developed by creating a concrete space for collaboration among practitioners and researchers from a range of European adult education contexts.Specifically, the project wasdesigned to promote an exchange of experiences, expertise and practices among academic researchers and “practitioners” (Schön, 1983)involved in the evaluation of adult education. A key role was played by a Mobility Workshop: viewed as the core of the collaborative approach proposed, the Workshop provided a concrete opportunity for collaboration amongevaluators and researchers from different countries within Europe.
Co-occurence of risky driving behaviours and associations with seatbelt and helmet use - a descriptive cross-sectional study among young adults
Background: Greece exhibits one of the highest rates of deaths and injuries due to motor vehicle crashes in young adults in Europe. The personal, social and financial cost is still very high as road traffic crashes account for 65.8% of all deaths among young people aged 10-24 years, with prominent gender differences that are not fully explained yet.
Methods: using a descriptive cross-sectional study design, we examined the associations of seatbelt and helmet use with the likelihood of manifesting multiple driving violations (fail to stop at STOP signs, running red traffic lights, driving towards the wrong direction, illegal overtaking, speeding, cellphone use while driving, driving under the influence of alcohol) in a sample of 536 1st year university students in Greece. A ‘Risky Driving Index’ score (RDI) was produced by summing the frequencies of all behaviours (range 0-28).
Results: only 8.8% of the students reported not performing any of the driving violations, whereas 8.6% engaged in all 7 of them when driving (male: 11.5%; female: 1.9%; score>8, male: 31.7%; female: 8.1%). Male, but not female participants, who never used seatbelts and helmets, reported significantly higher RDI scores with evidence of a dose-response effect in the increase. In adjusted logistic regression models, those who never used (vs regular use) seat belt ‘as drivers’ and ‘as rear seat passengers’ had increased odds of being in the higher score category of RDI (OR=5.239 95%CI=1.280-21.441 and OR=6.782 95%CI=1.891-24.324, respectively).
Conclusion: young male drivers and riders, but not their female counterparts, that do not take typical safety measures (seatbelt and helmet use), reported more illegal and risky driving behaviours. Preventive interventions using a gender-informed approach are needed to address co-occurring risk driving behaviours.
 
Family affluence, socio - economic status and dietary habits of 1st year University students
Introduction: Low socio-economic status (SES) is associated with health risk behaviours contributing to the social inequalities in health. However, the associations of dietary habits with socio-economic status have not been investigated in emerging adulthood in detail yet. Aim: To investigate the associations of dietary habits with socio-economic status in 1st year undergraduate university students. Methods: This cross-sectional analysis draws data from the LATO study, a longitudinal study of all 1st year undergraduate students of TEI Crete during the academic year 2012/13 (Ν=1138, 54% girls, Mean age 18,31 years, response rate 96,7%). The consumption frequencies of fruits, vegetables, soft drinks, breakfast and delivery food were associated with the following socio-economic indicators: Family affluence (FAS II), paternal and maternal educational level and self-reported economic status. The SPSS v21.0 was used to perform logistic regression models after adjusting for potential confounders. Results: Only 24,9%, 12% and 17% of the students were consuming breakfast, fruits and vegetables, respectively, in a daily basis. Soft drinks were consumed daily by 6,1% of the participants but most of them consumed delivery/junk food less than 1/week (73,8%). Higher family affluence was associated with increased odds of consuming breakfast (OR=2,90, 95%CI=1,13-7,44), soft drinks (OR=8,10, 95%CI=1,38-47,68) and delivery/junk food (OR=2,44, 95%CI=1,27-4,70) in boys. High paternal educational level was associated in a protective way with boys’ consumption of delivery food (OR=0,42, 95%CI=0,18-0,95) and soft drinks (OR=0,19, 95%CI=0,05-0,72). Fruits and vegetables consumption was not associated with any SES indicator. Conclusions: The majority of 1st year university students were not following current diet recommendations irrespective of SES. Interventions targeting eating behaviours are needed at higher education institutes
Social Capital, Perceived Economic Affluence, and Smoking During Adolescence: A Cross-Sectional Study
Background: Smoking is among the health risk behaviors taken up by many
adolescents with lifelong consequences and associations with multiple
health risk behaviors. Smoking and smoking initiation in adolescence
involves an interaction between micro-, meso-, and macro systems,
including neighborhoods and the greater community. Objectives: To
examine the associations of individual social and economic capital with
self-reported health, life satisfaction, and smoking behavior in
adolescents. Methods: Using a multistage random sampling of junior high
school students (16-18years old) in Crete, Greece, 703 adolescents
(90.2% 16years old; 55.6% girls, participation rate 84.2%) completed
an anonymous questionnaire based on HBSC study and the Youth Social
Capital Scale (YSCS) during April-June 2008. Multiple logistic
regression models were performed adjusted for potential confounders.
Results: Adolescents with high participation in their neighborhoods and
communities (higher structural social capital) displayed lower odds for
daily smoking; those feeling unsafe (lower cognitive social capital)
were at greater odds of daily smoking. Adolescents with less friends and
acquaintances had lower odds of having tried tobacco products. Smoking
was not related to any economic capital variables (perceived affluence,
paternal and maternal employment status). Adolescents with low/medium
versus high total social capital were at higher odds for low life
satisfaction and fair/bad versus excellent self-rated health.
Conclusions/Importance: Social capital theory may provide a better
understanding in identifying the social context that is protective or
harmful to adolescents’ smoking. Public health organizations at all
levels need to incorporate social capital theory in their interventions
A longitudinal study of multiple lifestyle health risk behaviours among nursing students and non-nursing peers
Aim: The aim of this paper is to compare the evolution of health risk behaviours between undergraduate nursing and social work students. Background: Nursing includes the promotion of health and the shaping of healthy behaviours. An important determinant for providing lifestyle advice is the lifestyle of nurses themselves. Design: Longitudinal comparative study. Measurements: We compared lifestyle risk behaviours (binge drinking, cannabis/hashish/marijuana use, smoking, oral hygiene/toothbrushing, breakfast/fruit/vegetable consumption, physical activity and screen time/sedentary behaviours) using a self-administered standardized questionnaire in nursing (n = 121) and social work (n = 140) students at the beginning (2012) and the end of their studies (2015). Adjusted multivariable logistic/Poisson regression models were performed. Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the departments in most risk factors in both assessments. However, in relation to their first year, both nursing and social work students displayed higher relative risk of engaging in more behavioural risk factors at the end of their studies (in delivery/junk food consumption, sunburns, hashish/marijuana use and multiple sexual partners). Social work students displayed better behaviours in physical activity and breakfast intake. Conclusion: Nursing students share the patterns of their nonnursing peers in behavioural risk factors compromising their future health and health-promoting role. We need strategies to safeguard the professional nursing practice
Intention, Motivation, and Empowerment: Factors Associated with Seasonal Influenza Vaccination among Healthcare Workers (HCWs)
Background: Vaccination against seasonal influenza has proven effective in preventing nosocomial influenza outbreaks among hospital patients and healthcare workers (HCWs). This study aims to explore the intention, motivation, and empowerment toward vaccination and vaccination advocacy as contributing factors for seasonal influenza vaccination in HCWs. Methods: A cross-sectional study in eight secondary hospitals in Greece was conducted from March to May 2022. An anonymous questionnaire was enclosed in an envelope and distributed to all participants, including questions on vaccine behavior and the MoVac-flu and MoVad scales. Results: A total of 296 participants completed the questionnaire. In multivariate logistic regression models adjusted for potential confounders, increased age, intention score, MoVac-flu scale score, and the presence of chronic diseases were significant predictors of influenza vaccination this year, while increased age, intention score, and presence of chronic diseases were predictors of vaccination every year. Conclusion: Vaccination uptake is simultaneously affected by logical cognitive processes (intention), together with factors related to motivation and empowerment in distinct self-regulatory domains such as value, impact, knowledge, and autonomy. Interventions focused on these identified predictors may be used as a guide to increase HCWs’ vaccination rates
Social capital, tolerance of diversity and adherence to Mediterranean diet: the Rhea Mother-Child Cohort in Crete, Greece
Objective: To estimate the associations of individual maternal social
capital and social capital dimensions (Participation in the Community,
Feelings of Safety, Value of Life and Social Agency, Tolerance of
Diversity) with adherence to the Mediterranean diet during pregnancy.
Design: This is a cross-sectional analysis of data from a prospective
mother-child cohort (Rhea Study). Participants completed a social
capital questionnaire and an FFQ in mid-pregnancy. Mediterranean diet
adherence was evaluated through an a priori score ranging from 0 to 8
(minimal-maximal adherence). Maternal social capital scores were
categorized into three groups: the upper 10% was the high social
capital group, the middle 80% was the medium and the lowest 10% was
the low social capital group. Multivariable log-binomial and linear
regression models adjusted for confounders were performed.
Setting: Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
Subjects: A total of 377 women with singleton pregnancies.
Results: High maternal Total Social Capital was associated with an
increase of almost 1 point in Mediterranean diet score (highest upsilon.
lowest group: beta coefficient=0.95, 95 % CI 0.23, 1.68), after
adjustment for confounders. Similar dose-response effects were noted for
the scale Tolerance of Diversity (highest v. lowest group: adjusted beta
coefficient=1.08, 95 % CI 0.39, 1.77).
Conclusions: Individual social capital and tolerance of diversity are
associated with adherence to the Mediterranean diet in pregnancy. Women
with higher social capital may exhibit a higher sense of obligation to
themselves and to others that may lead to proactive nutrition-related
activities. Less tolerant women may not provide the opportunity to new
healthier, but unfamiliar, nutritional recommendations to become part of
their regular diet
Maternal social capital and birth outcomes in the mother child cohort in Crete, Greece (Rhea study)
This cohort study aimed to estimate the effect of individual maternal
social capital during pregnancy on birth outcomes in the context of the
Mother child cohort (Rhea study), in Crete - Greece. Women were
recruited from four prenatal clinics in Heraklion - Crete for one year
beginning in February 2007. 610 women completed the self-administered
Social Capital Questionnaire at about the 24th week of gestation. The
scale assessed total maternal social capital and four social capital
subscales: Participation in the Community, Feelings of Safety, Value of
Life and Social Agency, and Tolerance of Diversity. Potential
confounders included characteristics that have an established or
potential association w th the maternal social capital, and the birth
outcomes (preterm birth, small weight for the gestational age, fetal
weight growth restriction, weight, length and head circumference). The
results of logistic and I near regression models indicated that there
was an increase in the risk of preterm birth for every unit increase in
maternal participation (range 12-48), and especially in the risk of
medically indicated preterm birth. Although the findings suggest that
participation is associated with an increased probability for preterm
birth, we cannot know whether this is a protective or damaging social
capital effect. Women who participate more in their communities may have
enhanced access to information and/or resources, easier access to health
care and support when they face maternal and fetal conditions that
trigger the need for medical intervention. On the other hand, women may
be more exposed to social and/or environmental stressors. Future
research needs to distinguish between different types of participation
and different components of social capital to better understand their
associations with birth outcomes. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights
reserved
Social capital in pregnancy and postpartum depressive symptoms: A prospective mother-child cohort study (the Rhea study)
Background: Depression, and to a lesser extent postpartum depressive
symptoms, have been associated with characteristics of the social
environment and social capital. Up to the present, mostly
cross-sectional studies have explored such an association without
providing a clear temporal relationship between social capital and
depression.
Objectives: To estimate prospectively the effect of individual-level
self-reported maternal social capital during pregnancy on postpartum
depressive symptoms.
Design: Prospective mother-child cohort (Rhea study).
Settings: 4 prenatal clinics in Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
Participants: All women for one year beginning in February 2007. From
the 1388 participants, complete data were available for 356 women.
Methods: Women self-completed two questionnaires: The Social Capital
Questionnaire at about the 24th week of gestation and the Edinburgh
Postnatal Depression Scale (range 0-30) at about the 8-10th week
postpartum. Maternal social capital scores were categorized into three
groups: the upper 10% was the high social capital group, the middle
80% was the medium and the lowest 10% was the low social capital group
that served as the reference category. Multivariable log-binomial and
linear regression models were performed for: the whole available sample;
for participants with a history of depression and/or prenatal EPDS >=
13; for participants without any previous or current depression and
prenatal EPDS score < 13. Potential confounders included demographic,
socio-economic, lifestyle and pregnancy characteristics that have an
established or potential association with maternal social capital in
pregnancy or postpartum depressive symptoms or both.
Results: Higher maternal social capital was associated with lower EPDS
scores (highest vs lowest group: beta-coefficient = -3.95, 95% CI
-7.75, -0.14). Similar effects were noted for the subscale value of
life/social agency (highest vs lowest group: beta-coefficient = -5.96,
95% CI -9.52, -2.37). This association remained significant for women
with and without past and/or present depression only for the subscale
value of life/social agency although with a more imprecise estimate. No
effect was found for participation, a structural dimension of social
capital.
Conclusions: Women with higher individual-level social capital in
mid-pregnancy reported less depressive symptoms 6-8 weeks postpartum.
Given the proposed association of perceptions of the social environment
with postpartum depressive symptoms, health professionals should
consider evidence-based interventions to address depression in a social
framework. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved