Customers interruption costs in power systems

Daily life activities require a continuous supply of electric power. The demand for continuous electric supply has become vital and necessary for all societies. To achieve the demand for the electric power required, there must be a well-developed power system to deliver sustainable, affordable prices, and more reliable electricity to customers. Therefore, previous studies have been studied in order to present methods used to interrupt customer interruption costs. Nonetheless, there are common challenges among all studies, such as the strategic responses with customer survey methods. Furthermore, previous research aims to use the data gathered from the customer surveys and integrate it with an indirect analytical method. The motivation behind this work is that when an outage occurs, companies suffer from significant losses, but if factors that can minimize the losses are well studied, then companies would know how to be prepared for blackouts with a minimum amount of losses. Consequently, a comparison between customer interruption costs calculations was conducted for the industry sector. The comparison conducted was based on a critical review analysis. Furthermore, after the critical review was made, all possible solutions researches has reached to were listed in order to seek opportunities for further developments. Moreover, the estimation of CICs for industrial sector in South Korea was found to be 1.3 times higher than the simple VoLL calculations. Also, all of the studied cases had suffered from the small size of data collected and the reliability of the responses. In Comparison of the cases studied, approaches to estimate CICs in paper [50] presented unique set of solutions that made it stand out. Besides estimating variables which have an effect on the CICs like [40] new SSCDF were introduced to meet each sector specific needs. The new functions CICpp, CICae, CICva, CICu, CICp and weighing factors Ku and Kp made it easier to reach reliable figures when estimating CICs

Predictors of Continued Breastfeeding at One Year among Women Attending Primary Healthcare Centers in Qatar: A Cross-Sectional Study

The number of babies in Qatar being exclusively breastfed is significantly lower than the global target set by the World Health Organization. The purpose of this study was to assess knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP), selected barriers, and professional support as well as their association with continued breastfeeding at one year of age. A sample of Qatari and non-Qatari mothers ( = 195) who attended a well-baby clinic held at primary health care centers in Qatar completed a self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive analysis, the Pearson Chi-squared test, and logistic regression were performed. Around 42% of the mothers stopped breastfeeding when their child was aged between 0 and 11 months old. Mothers who had only one or female child stopped breastfeeding between the ages of 0 and 6 months ( = 0.025, 0.059). The more optimal the breastfeeding practices followed by the mothers, the older the age of the infant when they stopped breastfeeding ( = 0.001). The following factors were inversely associated with breastfeeding duration: the mother's perceptions that she "did not know how to breastfeed," or "wasn't making enough milk," and the need "to return to work/school", with = 0.022, 0.004, and 0.022, respectively. These findings present factors that should be considered when planning for health education and promotion programs to prolong breastfeeding duration in Qatar

Supervised practice program guided by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics standards improves potential employability of nutrition/dietetics graduates: perspective of employers and preceptors.

This study investigated employers' perspectives on the impact of a supervised practice program (SPP), guided by international accreditation standards on the skill development and potential employability of dietetics students. This study was based on qualitative research. Fifteen potential employers, who also served as SPP preceptors, participated in this study. Participants were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaire. All interviews were conducted face-to-face by a trained interviewer. Participates were invited to discuss their own experiences in the current SPP, their perceptions of the impact of SPP on skills and attributes of graduates, and their overall ideas of how SPP may contribute to the employability of graduates. This study found that the SPP program guided by international accreditation standards shaped the duties and responsibilities of preceptors/supervisors and promoted a beneficial relationship between preceptors and SPP students. The benefits to graduates include bridging the gap between classroom didactic knowledge and practice; improving workplace self-confidence; developing competencies such as critical-thinking, communication, interviewing, and counselling skills in various multidisciplinary and multicultural settings. In addition, the preceptors suggested that accreditation-guided SPP contributes to the employability of graduates. Also, they opined that it reduced the need for orientation and shortened the probation time because students were familiar with the work environment and work flow. This lead to the improved preparedness for work. SPP based on set of competencies guided by international accreditation standards provides an up-to-date curriculum, improves the quality of the nutrition and dietetics services, and increases the potential employability of the graduates

Students' perceptions of a university 'No Smoking' policy and barriers to implementation: a cross- sectional study.

Effective policies are an important tool for reducing tobacco use. We examine student perceptions of the existing no-smoking policy in the country's largest national university and identify perceived barriers to its implementation. We explore student support for a 100% tobacco-free campus policy. We conducted a cross-sectional survey using a self-administered on-line questionnaire. This study was conducted at Qatar University (QU), the largest national institution of higher education in Qatar. A total of 199 students participated out of a stratified random sample of students aged ≥18 years with active registration in the Spring 2020 semester. We assessed students' knowledge of and attitudes towards QU's current no-smoking policy, the perceived barriers to its implementation, and support for a 100% tobacco-free policy. Only 26% (95% CI 19.97 to 32.03) and 16.6% (95% CI 11.70 to 22.49) of respondents correctly identified the current policy on traditional and electronic cigarettes, respectively. Less than 30% of respondents held positive attitudes towards policy enforcement, and more male respondents reported positive attitudes towards compliance than women. Support for a 100% tobacco-free policy was at 77.2%, but it was significantly lower among tobacco users compared with non-users (35.9% and 91.8%, respectively; p<0.001). Failure to establish clear penalties, opposition from smoking students, and lack of cessation services were perceived as major barriers to implementation. Clear and comprehensive tobacco-free policies are important tools for creating environments conducive to rejecting smoking and seeking cessation support. The findings underscore the need to increase awareness about the policy, advocate for clear penalties for violations, and promote cessation services on campus. Qualitative research is needed to further understand perceived barriers to successful enforcement of the policy

Harm Perception and Attitudes towards E-cigarette Use Among Qatar University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use is becoming popular worldwide especially among youth. Research reported that university students have poor knowledge and misconceptions about the health risks of e-cigarettes, which may lead students to use them even in populations where prevalence of cigarette smoking is relatively low. At this age, the influence of peers is also significant. In this study, we assessed the prevalence of e-cigarette use among university students as well as their knowledge and attitudes towards e-cigarettes. Methodology: We conducted a cross-sectional study among Qatar University students using a self-administered online questionnaire. Descriptive univariate analysis of all variables was conducted as well as a bivariate analysis to check the association of e-cigarette use with selected variables. A binary logistic regression was conducted to assess predictors of e-cigarette use. Results: The prevalence of e-cigarette use among students was found to be 14% where 32% of them were daily users. Approximately 42% of the participants agreed that ‘e-cigarettes are less harmful to health compared to traditional cigarettes, and 45.7% of them agreed that ‘e-cigarettes can prevent smoking traditional cigarettes. The prevalence of e-cigarettes use was 16.2% among males and 12.8% among females, which showed no significant difference between the two genders. Females were more likely to use e-cigarettes because they “don’t smell” (P-value=0.023). The study showed a significant association between e-cigarette use and knowledge items (P-value < 0.05) and having a smoker among siblings or friends. At the multivariate analysis level, only the friends’ effect remained significant after controlling for the other variables (OR= 7.3, P-value=0.000). Conclusion: Our research found that university students have inadequate knowledge and misconceptions in regards to e-cigarettes use, especially among users. Effective smoking prevention policy and educational interventions are needed to enhance awareness among university students about the health effects associated with e-cigarettes use

Tobacco cessation programs and factors associated with their effectiveness in the Middle East: A systematic review.

In Middle East countries, the average prevalence of tobacco use is relatively high. This systematic review aimed to explore different tobacco cessation programs provided in the Middle East, identify healthcare professionals providing these programs, and the factors associated with their effectiveness. A systematic review was conducted using an electronic search of PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, ProQuest, and Web of Science, bibliographic databases between 24 January 2021 and 7 March 2021, to identify all relevant studies. The keywords used were 'tobacco cessation' and 'Middle East'. The review was undertaken applying the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines (PRISMA). Based on the study types, several quality assessment tools including the Cochrane risk of bias tool for randomized controlled trials, MINORS for quasi-experimental studies, NIH for cross-sectional studies, NIH for pre-post studies, and CASP for cohort studies, were used. Among the 512 studies screened, only 30 were included in this review. Our systematic review identified different cessation methods, with some employing both behavioral change and pharmacological methods, and some utilizing only one method. Physicians are believed to be the most common providers of cessation programs, with only a few other healthcare professionals doing so. The results of this review revealed that several factors are associated with the effectiveness of tobacco cessation programs in the Middle East including individual, interpersonal, community, organizational, policy, and environmental. Future research should focus on examining the sociocultural and economic factors that might influence tobacco cessation programs. The included studies were of average to poor quality, highlighting the need to conduct highquality studies. The findings provide evidence to encourage the development of multilevel programs to improve the efficacy of tobacco cessation initiatives in the Middle East

Innovative Nutrition Education: A Color-Coded Tool for Individuals with Low Literacy Level

Background: The food exchange system was developed to serve as an educational tool in helping individuals plan their own meals. This study aimed to develop a friendly-user food exchange list for individuals with a low literacy level; (2) Methods: A two-group, pre-test/post-test research study aimed to develop a friendly-user food exchange list for individuals with a low literacy level. Thirty female workers of low literacy were recruited. Participants were divided into two groups. Group one was taught how to use the standard exchange system, while group two was taught how to use the modified exchange system. Each participant was assigned a task of prepare a meal with a specified caloric content and macronutrient distribution. The task was assigned before and after the exchange list education session. Groups’ differences were tested using the chi-square test, and the analysis of variance (ANOVA); (3) Results: A higher percentage of participants in group two were able to plan daily diets that achieved the recommendations of fruits (p = 0.02), protein (p = 0.03), dairy (p < 0.001), carbohydrates (p < 0.001), and calories (p < 0.001). Moreover, diet plans prepared by group two had a higher healthy eating index (p < 0.001) when compared to diet plans prepared by group one. The modified exchange lists are a friendly-user tool that can be implemented for individuals with low literacy, since it relies on visual techniques.QU research grant QUST-1-CHS-2022-471

The psychological impact of COVID-19 on health care workers working in a unique environment under the umbrella of Qatar Red Crescent Society

Objectivesto determine the levels of depression, anxiety, and stress among healthcare workers (HCWs) working in a unique male-dominated environment under the umbrella of Qatar Red Crescent, and to explore the associated factors during COVID-19 pandemic in Qatar. Methodsa cross-sectional study utilizing a web-based survey was conducted in the period between 15 November 2020 and 22 December 2020. Depression, anxiety, and stress were determined using the 9-items patient health questionnaire (PHQ-9), the 7-item generalized anxiety disorder (GAD-7) scale, and the 22- item impact of event scale revised (IES-R), respectively. We conducted multivariable logistic regression analysis to determine the predictors of mental health outcomes among HCWs. Resultsthe proportions of the participants reporting symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress were 12.4 (95%CI: 9.3–16.1), 14.2 (95%CI: 10.9–18.1), and 18.5% (95%CI: 14.8–22.7) respectively. Arabs had significantly more severe anxiety levels than non-Arabs (p = 0.031), HCWs with high COVID-19 risk perception experienced more severe mental health outcomes (p < 0.001). The multivariable logistic regression showed that high risk perception was independently associated with depression (adjusted OR 4.62, 95%CI: 2.00–10.68), anxiety (adjusted OR 4.90, 95%CI: 2.24–10.68), and stress (adjusted OR 3.067, 95%CI: 1.62–5.79) with p < 0.001. Compared to nurses, technicians and paramedics were more likely to report anxiety symptoms with (adjusted OR 2.97, 95%CI: 1.23–7.17, p = 0.015), and (adjusted OR 5.48, 95%CI: 1.86–16.12, p = 0.002) respectively. Having a relative or a friend died of COVID-19 infection was significantly associated with depression symptoms (adjusted OR 2.54, 95%CI: 1.21–5.36, p = 0.014). Not living with family was significantly associated with the presence of different mental health outcomes. Conclusionrelatively lower rates of mental health outcomes in this study compared to others could have several explanations related to the unique characteristics of our target population and their working environment. Ensuring proper mental health support for HCWs is highly recommended.The publication of the article was funded by Qatar National Library