The role of problem-based learning in developing communication conflict resolving skills among selected non-government organisations in Pakistan

Communication conflicts among employees of the developing organisations in Pakistan have been one of the major issues over the years. The causes are numerous but the efforts to reduce and resolve these conflicts effectively are found to be rare. The objectives of this case study were to examine the nature of communication conflicts predominant among employees at the workplace, explore the role of culture in communication conflicts, identify the perceptions of employees of in-house training using Problem Based Learning (PBL) approach and finally propose a PBL-based training module for developing conflict resolving skills among employees at the work place in Pakistan. This study adopted a Case Study approach. Using purposeful sampling, it involved forty Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) employees from different parts of Pakistan. The data emerged from three instruments involving semi-structured interviews, surveys and observations to examine the nature of communication conflicts among employees and see the impact of PBL training on the soft skills of respondents. Interview and observation data were transcribed and analysed through thematic analysis while the data from the survey was computed through descriptive statistics using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The findings from this study show the existence of different type of communication conflicts among employees in the developing organisations. The result shows the substantial role of PBL in developing conflict resolving skills and other essential soft skills among employees as a whole. The finding concludes that PBL plays an instrumental and effective role towards improving the various soft skills and traits including among employees of an NGO sector

IoT data encryption algorithm for security

This research project is about encryption simulation for IoT data. It is important to enhance the security system when sending and receiving the IoT data. Some of these data, especially the health information for a particular person is very sensitive. Therefore, there is a need to encrypt and protect the data from malicious attack. The technique proposed in this research is using Hash function and encryption method to protect the data. To show the working of the encryption, a simulation is performed. The simulation used is a MATLAB coding. By inserting the number of bit and size of the data with random plain text, the system is able to encrypt the data. The simulation results showing that the encrypted data is completely different from the original data or the data haven't encrypted. Upon encrypted, the data being protected and will be unknown to the malicious. At the end of this research project, the result concluded that the waveforms will show the encryption process

The relative influence of neighbourhood incivilities, cognitive social capital, club membership and individual characteristics on positive mental health

Previous research indicates that residents׳ perceptions of their neighbourhoods can have an adverse influence on their health and wellbeing over and above the influence of structural disadvantage. Contrary to most prior research, this study employed an indicator of positive wellbeing and assessed the impact of individual characteristics, perceived social and environmental incivilities, indicators of cognitive and structural social capital, and perceived safety. Analyses of data from a large regional UK representative study (n=8237; 69.64% response rate) found the most influential determinants of wellbeing were physical health problems, age, SES and cognitive social capital. Smaller, significant effects were also found for environmental and social incivilities, and for perceived safety. The effect of cognitive social capital was moderated by age, with a stronger effect found among those aged 65 years and over than among younger participants. Findings indicate that the promotion of positive mental health within communities may be facilitated by efforts to foster a greater sense of belonging among residents, and that older adults may benefit most from such efforts

Determinants of Depressive Symptoms Among Women on Public Assistance in Louisiana

Depression can be a significant barrier in the welfare-to-work transition of poor women. Fortunately, support from social networks can lessen symptoms and facilitate entry into the workplace. Inconsistency in the literature concerning the effects of social networks on the poor suggests further research is needed. Thus, we examine the level and determinants of depressive symptoms among participants in the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families program. Having a good job, being in good health, married, and black, and living in rural areas inhibit symptoms of depression. Remaining on TANF and having several children increases symptom levels. Those who report that they frequently have people to help them show lower levels of depression. The larger the social network, and the higher the percent of the network that is made up of neighbors, the higher the level of depression. While some of our findings suggest the success of 1996 welfare reform legislation others suggest important policy considerations. Good physical health (including access to health care), reduction of economic hardships, and effective social supports are ongoing issues to be addressed among low-income populations

The association between church attendance and psychological health in Northern Ireland : a national representative survey among adults allowing for sex differences and denominational difference

This study extends previous research concerning the association between religion and psychological health in six ways: (1) by focusing clearly on religious attendance (church attendance); (2) by employing a robust measure of psychological distress (GHQ-12); (3) by studying a highly religious culture (Northern Ireland); (4) by taking sex differences into account (male or female); (5) by taking denominational differences into account (Catholic or Protestant); (6) and by obtaining a national representative sample (N = 4,281 adults aged 16 and above). Results from a 2 (sex) by 2 (denomination) ANCOVA demonstrated that Catholics recorded significantly lower levels of psychological health compared to Protestants, and that females showed significantly lower levels of psychological health compared to males. In addition, females reported higher frequency of religious service attendance than males, and Catholics reported higher attendance rates than Protestants. A significant positive association was found between frequency of religious attendance and GHQ-12 scores, and this association was moderated by sex and denomination. In conclusion, the results suggest that there may be sex and denominational differences in further understanding the relationship between frequency of religious attendance and psychological health

Female media use behavior and agreement with publicly promoted agenda-specific health messages.

This study set out to explore the relationship between female media use behavior and agreement with agenda-specific publicly promoted health messages. A random digit dial telephone cross-sectional survey was conducted using a nationally representative sample of female residents aged 25 and over. Respondents' agreement with health messages was measured by a six-item Health Information Scale (HIS). Data were analyzed using chi-square tests and multiple logistic regression. This survey achieved a response rate of 86% (n = 1074). In this study the longest duration of daily television news watching (OR = 2.32), high self-efficacy (OR = 1.56), and greater attention to medical and health news (OR = 5.41) were all correlates of greater agreement with the selected health messages. Surprisingly, Internet use was not significant in the final model. Many women that public health interventions need to be targeting are not receptive to health information that can be accessed through Internet searches. However, they may be more readily targeted by television campaigns. Agenda-specific public health campaigns aiming to empower women to serve as nodes of information transmission and achieve efficient trickle down through the family unit might do better to invest more heavily in television promotion

The Study of the Effects of the Regular Exercise Program on the Self-Esteem of the Elderly in the Old People Home of Rasht

Background & Objectives: Regarding the importance of improving the health of elderly and the relationship between the physical performance and self-esteem, this tudy was done with the aim of determining the effect of the regular exercise programs on the self-esteem of elderly in the old people home of Rasht (north of Iran) in 2008. Methods: This was a pre-post test study done on 32 elderly in the old people home of Rasht. The qualified elderly after filling out the Rosenberg’s self-esteem questionnaire received one month of designed exercise programs and after one month, their self-esteem of the samples was determined. The data were analyzed by a t-test and the SPSS soft ware. Results: The mean age of participants in the study was 73.5. 59.4% of participants were widowed, 43.8% didn't have any children, 87.5% were uneducated, and 12.5% had primary education. 37.2% of them had been there for less than one year and the mean of their residence duration was 1357 days. The source of their income in 59.4% of them was from their children and relatives. 27 of them (84.4%) received visits. 34.4% had the history of disease. There was a significant coefficient between the number of children, marital status education, job, the number of the previous jobs, gender and visits and education and the last time visit. The mean score of self-esteem was 22.81±4.84 before exercise program. This reached 26.84±4.35 after exercise programs, and this change was statistically significant (p< 0.001). Conclusion: Doing exercises is effective in increasing self-esteem and it is recommended as a harmless and inexpensive way which has no complications

Occupational and educational differentials in mortality in French elderly people

Mortality follow-up of two census samples allowed an estimate of socio-economic differentials in mortality for old men, using occupational classes and levels of education reported by individuals when they were active. The study shows persisting mortality differentials after 60 years of age. Over the 1960-65 and 1990-95 periods mortality differentials remained constant between non-manual upper classes and manual workers, while differentials have increased between the upper classes and the least skilled manual workers. Educational status has an impact on the mortality risks, independently from occupational status; the magnitude of its impact slightly changed over time. Level of education partly explains occupational differentials in mortality. The study shows that a differentiated increase in the average level of education can impact on trends in occupational differentials in mortality.education, France, mortality, mortality differentials, occupation, old ages, social differentials, trends

The impact of early and adult life conditions on educational health inequality over the life course: a counterfactual decomposition of survival functions and hazard rates

"The positive relation between education and health has been shown to be remarkably pronounced over the life course. Less is, however, known about the underlying mechanisms. Two groups of explanatory factors have been advanced: Initial life conditions affecting both education and health in early life, and health related educational returns during adulthood. We apply a counterfactual decomposition of hazard rate models to study the relative importance of these two pathways on the transition to poor health. Using data from SHARE (2006/07) and SHARELIFE (2008/09), we find that early socioeconomic conditions contribute most to the educational health differences. This is true especially for the oldest cohort. In the successive cohorts the impact of the early conditions weakens, while determinants during adulthood become also important." (author's abstract

A comfirmatory factor analysis of a newly integrated multidimensional school engagement scale

Inconsistencies in measures of school engagement in the literature have called for a re-conceptualization of the school engagement construct. Although many researchers view school engagement as a multifaceted construct, to our knowledge, none of the available instruments have integrated all the important domains that represent its multifaceted nature. This study is our first attempt to examine the psychometric properties of a newly integrated Multidimensional School Engagement Scale (MSES). Data were gathered from 2,381 secondary school students, aged 14 to 16, from 40 day schools in northern Malaysia. Exploratory factor analysis and confi rmatory factor analytic techniques were used to examine the instrument. Based on the available literature, we posited an a priori hypothesis that the scales could be explained by three fi rst-order factors and one second-order factor. We used SPSS v.12 and AMOS 6.0 to analyze the data. Findings supported our hypothesis that the school engagement construct can be explained by three fi rst-order factors and one hierarchical factor comprising cognitive engagement, behavioural engagement, and psychological engagement sub-scales. Findings also showed acceptable internal consistency reliability for the overall scale and the three specific sub-scales of adolescent school engagement