Demographic Assessment of Burn Injuries in Iranian Patients

Objective

This study investigated the demographic characteristics and factors influencing burn injuries, primarily in low socioeconomic societies where such incidents are prevalent due to factors such as illiteracy and poverty.

Methods

This cross-sectional study included all burn patients admitted to Shahid Motahari Hospital in Tehran, Iran. Demographic data such as age, sex, occupation, education level, and residence as well as detailed information about the burn incidents such as date, time, location, number of people present at the scene, and referral place was collected. Additionally, comprehensive burn details such as cause, extent, severity, previous history, and need for hospitalization directly at the emergency department were documented.

Results

The study included 2213 patients (mean age 34.98±19.41 years; range 1-96), with a men predominance (60.6%). The majority of burns (64.4%) occurred at home, primarily due to accidents (99.6%), with boiling water being the most common cause (39.2%). The most frequent burns were second-degree burns (91.8%), with an average injured body area of 6.31±6.67%. There were significant correlations between burn severity and demographic factors such as age, sex, occupation, cause of burn, hospital admission, outcome, and length of stay. Remarkably, the extent of burns was negatively correlated with the distance to the hospital, while positively correlated with the length of hospital stay.

Conclusion

Burn injuries were significantly influenced by demographic factors. Enhancing treatment facilities and reducing the time and distance to medical care could be crucial in high-risk cases.

Study on incentive factors and incentive effect differences of teachers in universities and colleges under the view of demographic variables

The purpose of this study is to explore the factors of University Teachers' motivation and the differences among the factors under different background variables. Based on a great deal of literatures, this paper classifies the incentive content of teachers in universities and colleges into two aspects: internal incentive and external incentive. Through constructing the incentive structure equation model, this paper analyzes and summarizes the influence factors of the incentive of teachers in universities and colleges from two aspects: internal incentive and external incentive, and finds that external incentive is divided into salary and welfare, organizational environment, career development, and internal incentive is divided into work achievement, individual value, as well as innovation incentive. On this basis, we find that there are significant differences in incentive level based on the characteristics of demographics. Among them, there are significant differences in the factors, including marital status and external incentive. There are significant differences in salary and welfare, organizational environment, work achievement and individual value among different ages. There are significant differences in career development of whether undertaking part-time administrative posts. There are significant differences in salary and welfare, organizational environment and career development among different teaching ages. There are significant differences in organizational environment and career development between different titles. There are significant differences in salary and welfare, organizational environment and incentive between different educational backgrounds, and there are significant differences in innovation incentive between different school types.

Role of demographic variables in investigating occupational stress of disaster and emergency medical management center

BACKGROUND

Emergency medical services face stressful environments such as departments dealing with injuries and sick patients that pose challenging situations for the healthcare staff. This present study investigates the role of demographic variables in investigating occupational stress of disaster and emergency medical management center in 2021.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This present descriptive study selected a sample size of 200 medical personnel associated with disaster and emergency medical management center in Iran, according to the inclusion chosen criteria. The study used a tool consisting of two parts, including demographic information and a job stress Health and Safety Executive (HSE) standard questionnaire. The study selected respondents through Cochran's sample size formula using stratified random sampling with a cross-sectional research design for data collection. This present study has analyzed received data using performed the descriptive and inferential information (t-test and one-way ANOVA) at a significance level P < 0.05. The participants of the survey were males only.

RESULTS

The study results specified that the mean age of respondents was 30.14 ± 5.96. The study results exhibited that the mean score of total occupational stress was 3.41 ± 0.26. The results showed the highest (4.34 ± 0.35) and the lowest (2.72 ± 0.86) stress levels were related to role dimensions.

CONCLUSIONS

The study findings revealed a significant relationship between stress level and participants' age, marital status, educational level, type of base, workplace, and the number of work hours per month. Emergency medical personnel experience a high level of occupational stress. Senior managers can use similar studies to implement measures to reduce the experience of employees' stress.

Impact of Chart-Derived Frailty Index on 1-Year Mortality After Radical Cystectomy in 1004 Patients with Bladder Cancer

BACKGROUND

Radical cystectomy is a major urological procedure with high morbidity and mortality. The chart-derived frailty index (CFI), a measure of preoperative frailty, can be calculated by using demographic and routine laboratory variables. We assessed the impact of CFI on 1-year mortality after radical cystectomy.

METHODS

This retrospective study included patients with bladder cancer who underwent radical cystectomy between 2007 and 2021. The CFI was calculated as the sum of the presence of the following parameters: age > 70 years, body mass index < 18.5 kg/m2, hematocrit < 35%, albumin < 3.4 g/dL, and creatinine > 2.0 mg/dL. Patients were divided into those with low (0-2) and high (3-5) CFI. The 1-year, all-cause and cancer-specific mortalities after radical cystectomy were evaluated.

RESULTS

Of the 1004 patients, 914 (91.0%) had a low CFI and 90 (9.0%) had a high CFI. The 1-year, all-cause mortality in the low and high CFI groups was 12.0% and 27.8%, respectively (P < 0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that high CFI (P < 0.001), tumor stage (P = 0.003), and red blood cell transfusion amount (P < 0.001) were significantly associated with 1-year, all-cause mortality after radical cystectomy. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated significantly different 1-year, all-cause and cancer-specific mortalities after radical cystectomy between patients with a high CFI and those with a low CFI (log-rank test, both P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

High CFI is associated with higher 1-year mortality after radical cystectomy, suggesting that the CFI can effectively predict mortality after radical cystectomy.

Evaluation of factors strongly associated with nomophobia using structural equation modelling: A cross-sectional study

AIMS

Netlessphobia (fear of being without the Internet) and nomophobia (fear of being without a smartphone/mobile phone) causes anxiety, discomfort, distress or nervousness during non-use of phones. Past studies assessing factors associated with nomophobia have not reported consistent results, and some uncertainties persist. Moreover, only a few studies have measured nomophobia among the general population, and no study has evaluated nomophobia and netlessphobia together. This cross-sectional study determined the factors strongly associated with nomophobia, with an intent toward reducing nomophobia-related negative consequences.

METHODS

The study sample included 523 individuals. 'Demographic Characteristics Form', 'Fırat Nomophobia Scale' and 'Fırat Netlessphobia Scale' were used as data collection tools. The collected data were analysed using SPSS 26 and AMOS 23. Structural equation modelling was used for predicting factors associated with nomophobia, and the goodness-of-fit values of this model were investigated.

RESULTS

The variables netlessphobia, age, gender, marital status, education level, average time of daily use and average number of daily checks of smart devices were included in the estimated baseline model of the study. Among the independent variables with significant standardised regression coefficients in the model, the effect of 'netlessphobia' (91 %) was quite high. The effect of age variable, which was a significant contributor to netlessphobia in the model, was 15 %.

CONCLUSION

Netlessphobia and age are the factors that are strongly associated with nomophobia.

Demographic variations and time to initiation of adjunct treatment following surgical resection of anaplastic astrocytoma in the United States: a National Cancer Database analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The aim of this study was to analyze the trends, demographic differences in the type and time to initiation (TTI) of adjunct treatment AT following surgery for anaplastic astrocytoma (AA).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The National Cancer Database (NCDB) was queried for patients diagnosed with AA from 2004 to 2016. Cox proportional hazards and modeling was used to determine factors influencing survival, including the impact of time to initiation (TTI) of adjuvant therapy.

RESULTS

Overall, 5890 patients were identified from the database. The use of combined RT + CT temporally increased from 66.3% (2004-2007) to 79% (2014-2016), p < 0001. Patients more likely to receive no treatment following surgical resection included elderly (> 60 years old), hispanic patients, those with either no or government insurance, those living > 20 miles from the cancer facility, those treated at low volume centers (< 2 cases/year). AT was received following surgical resection within 0-4 weeks, 4.1-8 weeks, and > 8 weeks in 41%, 48%, and 3%, respectively. Compared to patients who received RT + CT, patients were likely to receive RT only as AT either at 4-8 weeks or > 8 weeks after the surgical procedure. Patients who received AT within 0-4 weeks had the 3-year OS of 46% compared to 56.7% for patients who received treatment at 4.1-8 weeks.

CONCLUSION

We found significant variation in the type and timing of adjunct treatment following surgical resection of AA in the United States. A considerable number of patients (15%) received no AT following surgery.

The use of religious and personal resources in coping with stress during COVID-19 for Palestinians

The Palestinian community in Israel has experienced significant stressors historically, yet little research has assessed the strategies these individuals cope with stress. The COVID-19 pandemic provided an opportunity to assess coping resources among Palestinian adults. The present study explored the religious and personal resources adopted by Palestinians living in Israel to cope with the stress caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, and whether differences in using these resources were attributed to selective demographic variables. The sample consisted of 985 Palestinian adults, 58% of whom are women and 42% are men. Participants' ages ranged from 18 to 50 years old (M = 35.8, SD =14.48), and they were chosen using convenience sampling from the Palestinian community living in Israel. Participants completed self-report questionnaires to report on their personal resources for coping with stress. Palestinian adults who participated in this study tended to rely more on faith in God, optimism, social and family support, having the self-control and self-efficacy, as well as subjective well-being, as resources for coping caused by crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, there were significant differences on these coping resources that attributed to selective demographic variables. The findings were discussed with relation to previous studies.

Cost analysis of primary single-level lumbar discectomies using the Value Driven Outcomes database in a large academic center

BACKGROUND CONTEXT

Improving value is an established point of emphasis to reduce the rapidly rising health care costs in the United States. Back pain is a major driver of costs with a substantial fraction caused by lumbar radiculopathy. The most common surgical treatment for lumbar radiculopathy is microdiscectomy. Research is sparse regarding variables driving cost in microdiscectomies and often limited by cost data derived from payer-based Medicare data.

PURPOSE

To identify targets for cost reduction by determining variables associated with significant cost variation in microdiscectomies, using cost data derived from the Value Driven Outcomes tool and actual system costs.

STUDY DESIGN

Single-center, retrospective study of prospectively collected registry data.

PATIENT SAMPLE

Six hundred twenty-two patients identified by CPT code and manually screened for initial, unilateral, single-level lumbar discectomy performed between 2014 and 2018 at a single institution.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Primary outcome measures include total direct cost, clinical length of stay, and OR minutes. Total Direct Cost was further differentiated into facility and nonfacility costs.

METHODS

Univariate and multivariate generalized linear models (GLM) were used to identify variables associated with variation in primary outcome measures. Costs were normalized by mean cost for patients with normal body mass index (BMI) and a healthy American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification. Average marginal effects were reported as percentage of normalized costs.

RESULTS

Advanced age, male gender, Hispanic, black, unemployment, obesity, higher ASA class, insurance status, and being retired were positively associated with costs in univariate analysis. Asian, Native American, outpatient procedures, and being a student were associated with decreases in costs. In multivariate analysis, we found that obesity led to higher average marginal total direct (9%), total facility (15%), and facility OR costs (22%), as well as 24 more OR minutes per surgery. While being overweight was not associated with greater total direct costs, it was associated with higher total facility (8%), and facility OR costs (12%), with 11 more OR minutes per surgery. Age was associated with a longer LOS but not with OR costs. As expected, outpatient surgical costs, LOS, and OR time were significantly lower than inpatient procedures. Severe systematic disease was associated with greater total and nonfacility costs. In addition, Medicare patients had higher facility costs (14%) compared to privately insured patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Significant drivers of total direct cost in multivariate GLM analysis were obesity, severe systemic disease and inpatient surgery. Average LOS was increased due to age and inpatient status, conversely it was decreased by unemployment and retirement. Significant variables in OR time were male sex, Hispanic race and both obese and overweight BMIs.

Relation between Halls' Professionalism Scale and nurses' demographic characteristics

OBJECTIVE

Nursing Professionalism was measured by Hall's Professionalism Scale, consisting of 50 items. The scale was developed to measure the attitudes and ideologies held by professionals in various professional occupations by measuring five attitudinal constructs of professionalism, namely 'sense of calling to the field', 'autonomy', 'using a professional organisation as a major referent', 'belief in self-regulation', and 'belief in public service'. This study focussed on determining the practically significant differences that exist between the means of the five constructs of Hall's Professionalism Scale and certain demographic variables among nurses in South Africa. The 11-item demographic profile included the following variables: gender (1), age (2), age when becoming a professional nurse (3), undergraduate qualifications (4), marital status (5), number of children (6), employment sector (7), years' of nursing experience (8), international experience (9), employment status (10) and satisfaction with nursing as a career (11).

RESULTS

Only (7/11) demographic profile variables had an association with one or more of the five Hall's Professionalism Scale constructs The variables included the following items: age (2), age when becoming a professional nurse (3), number of children (6), years of nursing experience (8), international experience (9), employment status (10), and satisfaction with nursing as a career (11).

The COVID-19-Related Lockdown in Qatar: Associations Among Demographics, Social Distancing, Mood Changes, and Quality of Life

The worldwide spread of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the absence of medical treatment and vaccination, the delayed onset of symptoms, and the rapid human-to-human transmission have led the vast majority of countries to impose strict social distancing procedures. Whereas it appears that social distancing is an effective strategy for mitigating spread, it may also result in a variety of unintended negative consequences to individuals' psychological well-being and mental health. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the present study examined associations among some demographic variables (gender, age, marital and working statuses, and having a family member or a friend infected with COVID-19), acceptance of social distancing, mood changes, and quality of life (QoL) in Qatar, a high-income Middle Eastern Arabic-speaking country. Older, married, and working participants were more accepting of social distancing than younger, unmarried, and non-working participants, respectively. Participants indicated that, during this time, they became more distressed, upset, scared, irritable, nervous, and afraid, and less inspired and determined. In a stark contrast, more individuals indicated that they became more interested, alert, and attentive, whereas higher percentages of participants reported feeling less guilty, hostile, and ashamed. Social distancing correlated positively with negative affect, whereas social avoidances correlated positively with positive affect and with physical, psychological, social, and environmental QoL. Finally, positive affect correlated positively, and negative affect correlated negatively, with these four domains of QoL. These results highlight the need for public health and clinical providers to consider peoples' psychological well-being and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The impact of non-pharmaceutical interventions, demographic, social, and climatic factors on the initial growth rate of COVID-19: A cross-country study

On March 11, 2020 the World Health Organization announced that the COVID-19 disease developed into a global pandemic. In the present paper, we aimed at analysing how the implementation of Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPI) as well as climatic, social, and demographic variables affected the initial growth rate of COVID-19. In more detail, we aimed at identifying and assessing all the predictors in a whole picture of the COVID-19 outbreak and the effectiveness of the response of the countries to the pandemic. It can be expected, indeed, that there is a subtle and complex interplay among the various parameters. As such, we estimated the initial growth rate of COVID-19 for countries across the globe, and used a multiple linear regression model to study the association between the initial growth rate and NPI as well as pre-existing country characteristics (climatic, social and demographic variables measured before the current epidemic began). We obtained a mean initial growth rate of 0.120 (SD 0.076), in the range 0.023-0.315. Ten (8 pre-existing country characteristics and 2 NPI) out of 29 factors considered (21 pre-existing country characteristics and 8 NPI) were associated with the initial growth of COVID-19. Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, PM2.5 air pollution mean annual exposure, life expectancy, hospital beds available, urban population, Global Health Security detection index and restrictions on international movement had the most significant effects on the initial growth of COVID-19. Based on available data and the results we obtained, NPI put in place by governments around the world alone may not have had a significant impact on the initial growth of COVID-19. Only restrictions on international movements had a relative significance with respect to the initial growth rate, whereas demographic, climatic, and social variables seemed to play a greater role in the initial growth rate of COVID-19.

Racial Disparities and COVID-19: Exploring the Relationship Between Race/Ethnicity, Personal Factors, Health Access/Affordability, and Conditions Associated with an Increased Severity of COVID-19

COVID-19 was recognized as a pandemic in the United States in March 2020. Since the emergence, research has explored conditions associated with the illness; however, racial disparities remain underexplored. The purpose of this paper is to explore disparities in conditions associated with an increased severity risk of COVID-19 including race, personal factors, healthcare accessibility, and affordability. Using data from the 2018 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), univariate and multivariate analysis were performed. More Non-Hispanic (NH) Blacks (61.1%) and NH Whites (61.2%) had conditions associated with increased severity risk of COVID-19 compared to Hispanics (47.1%) (p < .001). Racial differences revealed a higher proportion of NH Blacks with increased severity risk of COVID-19 were female (p < .001), not married (p < .001), not employed for wages (p < .001), had accessibility issues with transportation (p < .001), and had affordability issues with paying for medicine (p < .001). A higher proportion of Hispanic persons had a health place change (p = .020), had accessibility issues (e.g. telephone (p < .001), longer wait times (p < .001), closed facility (p = .038)) and had affordability issue with worrying about pay (p < .001). Significant predictors that were positively associated with increased severity risk of COVID-19 for all racial/ethnic groups were being NH Black, older age, having appointment issues, and affordability issues with medicine. Differences in magnitude across racial group dynamics were observed. Racial disparities exist in conditions associated with increased severity risk of COVID-19. As future policies and interventions are developed, it is important to consider differentials across racial group dynamics.

Predictors of individual, community and national resiliencies of Israeli Jews and Arabs

The contribution of individual characteristics to predicting individual, community and national resilience of Israeli Jews and Arabs was investigated. Psychological resilience refers to people's assessment of their ability to withstand negative psychological consequences of major afflictions, and to keep functioning despite these adversities. The following hypotheses were examined: 1. The Jewish sample would score higher than the Arab sample on indices of individual, community and national resilience. 2. Men of both groups would score higher compared with women on these resilience indices. 3. Exposure to terror and fear of upcoming war would negatively predict the resilience of both groups. 4. Higher level of religiosity, right wing political attitudes, higher income, higher education, older age and higher sense of coherence will positively predict the investigated resiliencies. The random sample included 1100 Jews and 350 Arabs who participated in an internet survey. Resilience was defined in this study as the balance of individual, community and national strength (protective factors) to vulnerability (risk factors). The results supported the first three hypotheses whereas the fourth hypothesis was supported only for the Jewish sample. The present study indicated that some predictors had universal effect on resilience, whereas others seemed to be culture specific predictors.

Compassion fatigue and substance use among nurses

AIM

This study aimed to detect if there were differences in compassion fatigue (CF) among nurses based on substance use and demographic variables of gender, marital status, type of health institution and income.

BACKGROUND

Compassion fatigue is considered an outcome of poorly handled stressful situations in which nurses may respond with self-harming behaviours like substance use. Evidence in this area is critically lacking.

METHODS

This study used a descriptive design to survey differences in CF of 282 nurses. The participants completed a demographic survey and indicated whether they consume any of the following substances on a frequent basis: cigarettes, sleeping pills, power drinks, anti-depressant drugs, anti-anxiety drugs, coffee, analgesics, amphetamines and alcohol. Compassion Fatigue scores were surveyed using CF self-test 66 items developed by Stamm and Figely (Compassion satisfaction and fatigue test. http://www.isu.edu/~bhstamm/tests.htm, 1996).

RESULTS

There were significant differences in CF scores in favour of nurses who used cigarettes, sleeping pills, power drinks, anti-depressants and anti-anxiety drugs. While no significant differences in CF were found between nurses who used coffee, analgesics, amphetamines and alcohol, significant differences in nurses' CF were found in relation to type of institution, gender and marital status. But nurses' income did not bring differences to CF scores.

CONCLUSION

Nurses who might be lacking resilience cope negatively with CF using maladaptive negative behaviours such as substance use.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT

Nursing management should be aware of the substance use drive among nurses and build organizational solutions to overcome compassion fatigue and potential substance use problems.

Prevalence and Predictors of Video Game Addiction: A Study Based on a National Representative Sample of Gamers

Video gaming has become a popular leisure activity in many parts of the world, and an increasing number of empirical studies examine the small minority that appears to develop problems as a result of excessive gaming. This study investigated prevalence rates and predictors of video game addiction in a sample of gamers, randomly selected from the National Population Registry of Norway (N = 3389). Results showed there were 1.4 % addicted gamers, 7.3 % problem gamers, 3.9 % engaged gamers, and 87.4 % normal gamers. Gender (being male) and age group (being young) were positively associated with addicted-, problem-, and engaged gamers. Place of birth (Africa, Asia, South- and Middle America) were positively associated with addicted- and problem gamers. Video game addiction was negatively associated with conscientiousness and positively associated with neuroticism. Poor psychosomatic health was positively associated with problem- and engaged gaming. These factors provide insight into the field of video game addiction, and may help to provide guidance as to how individuals that are at risk of becoming addicted gamers can be identified.

[Burnout Syndrome, Family and Work Related Variables on General Practitioners in Bogota. A Strategy of Work Quality]

BACKGROUND

The burnout syndrome is a set of work-related symptoms related to weariness and exhaustion, in response to the emotional stress at work and its consequences. The aim of the study was to measure the frequency of burnout in General Practitioners (GPs) from 3 private institutions in Bogotá, Colombia and to determine the associated factors according to the variables taken into account.

METHODS

It is a descriptive cross-sectional study which was used to analyse the Questionnaire for Burnout Syndrome (CESQT). The population was 106 GPs.

RESULTS

The level of burnout was at a critical level in 6.6% of the GP population. The variables showed that having a stable partner and children are a protective factor. By contrast, work in emergency rooms is a risk factor.

Investigating the relationship between the demographic variables associated with suicide in different seasons, among suicidal people in the Shahid Mohammadi Hospital, Bandar Abass, Iran

INTRODUCTION

Suicide is committed by a person himself or herself and whether conscious or semiconscious it is aimed to end one's life. This action is not committed inadvertently or incongruously. However, it could be related to one's unmet needs and feelings of despair. Studies on the prevalence of suicide are related to environmental and seasonal circumstances. As there are diverse populations in Bandar Abbas of different races due to its geographical position, and as its weather condition is different from the other parts of country there is no study with this regard. Hence, the aim of this research is to investigate the correlations between and among demographical variables and suicide in different seasons of the year.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This study is a cross-sectional one. Participants included 80 persons who had attempted suicide and were hospitalized within 2011 in the Ebnesina Hospital of Bandar Abases, Iran. The variables under investigation are the suicidal patients' demographic characteristics, where, when, and how the person had committed suicide. All of these data were available in their profiles. These data were analyzed by using the SSPS software.

RESULTS

The results showed that 45% of the suicidal people were the young and adolescent. Also, 75.5% of these people were single and 22.5% of them were married. Most suicides occurred in summer, which makes up 41.3% of all the suicidal people. On the other hand 11.3% of the suicides were committed successfully and 88.7% of them had been unsuccessful; 42.5% of suicidal people had used drugs and 38.8% of them had used pesticides to commit suicide - 78.8% of these patients had psychotic disorders and 12.5% of them suffered from mental disorders such as schizophrenia. Furthermore, a significant relationship was found between seasons in which suicide was committed, marital status, age, mental illness, and educational and occupational characteristics of suicidal patients.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that the most vulnerable people committing suicide were from among the young and adolescent. Singles had attempted suicide more than the married. Most of suicide attempters had used drugs to commit suicide. Generally, in the current study, some variables including season, marital status, age, history of mental illnesses, and educational and occupational variables were all associated with committing suicide.

Psychometric and demographic predictors of the perceived risk of terrorist threats and the willingness to pay for terrorism risk management programs

A 2009 national telephone survey of 924 U.S. adults assessed perceptions of terrorism and homeland security issues. Respondents rated severity of effects, level of understanding, number affected, and likelihood of four terrorist threats: poisoned water supply; explosion of a small nuclear device in a major U.S. city; an airplane attack similar to 9/11; and explosion of a bomb in a building, train, subway, or highway. Respondents rated perceived risk and willingness to pay (WTP) for dealing with each threat. Demographic, attitudinal, and party affiliation data were collected. Respondents rated bomb as highest in perceived risk but gave the highest WTP ratings to nuclear device. For both perceived risk and WTP, psychometric variables were far stronger predictors than were demographic ones. OLS regression analyses using both types of variables to predict perceived risk found only two significant demographic predictors for any threat--Democrat (a negative predictor for bomb) and white male (a significant positive predictor for airline attack). In contrast, among psychometric variables, severity, number affected, and likelihood were predictors of all four threats and level of understanding was a predictor for one. For WTP, education was a negative predictor for three threats; no other demographic variables were significant predictors for any threat. Among psychometric variables, perceived risk and number affected were positive predictors of WTP for all four threats; severity and likelihood were predictors for three; level of understanding was a significant predictor for two.

The effects of sociodemographic factors on psychiatric diagnosis

OBJECTIVE

Several studies have reported that ethnic differences influence psychiatric diagnoses. Some previous studies reported that African Americans and Hispanics are diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorders more frequently than Caucasians, and that Caucasians are more likely to be diagnosed with affective disorders than other ethnic groups. We sought to identify associations between sociodemographic factors and psychiatric diagnosis.

METHODS

We retrospectively examined the medical records of all psychiatric inpatients (ages over 18 years) treated at Kern county mental hospital (n=2,051) between July 2003 and March 2007 for demographic, clinical information, and discharge diagnoses.

RESULTS

African American and Hispanic males were more frequently diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorders than Caucasians, whereas Caucasian females were more frequently diagnosed with affective disorders than females in the other ethnic groups, suggesting that patient ethnicity and gender may influence clinical diagnoses. Demographic variables, that is, a lower education, failure of marriage, homelessness, and low quality insurance, were found to be significantly associated with a diagnosis of schizophrenia spectrum disorders after adjusting for clinical variables. And, the presence of a family psychiatric history, failure of marriage, not-homelessness, and quality insurance were found to be associated with a diagnosis of affective disorders.

CONCLUSION

Our results show that these demographic factors, including ethnicity, have effects on diagnoses in psychiatric inpatients. Furthermore, these variables may help prediction of psychiatric diagnoses.

Coping behaviour of female teachers: Demographic determinants

BACKGROUND

The study investigates the role of certain demographic variables in determining stress-coping behavior of female teachers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The sample consists of 150 female teachers selected by stratified sampling method from various schools of Bhopal. Stress-coping behavior was measured with the help of a subscale of 'The Occupational Stress Indicator' (Wendy Lord, 1993) consisting of 28 items encompassing six dimensions of coping strategies i.e. Logics, Involvement, Social Support, Task Strategies, Time Management and Home and Work Relations. The scores of the subjects were compared in terms of marital status, age, and level of teaching with the help of 't' test and 'F' test was used for comparing experience.

RESULTS

Marital status, age, and experience were found to be significant determinants of stress-coping, whereas the sores did not differ significantly on the basis of level of teaching.

CONCLUSION

Married teachers in the age range of 40-60 years, with higher experience can cope better with the job stress than their counterparts.