Well-Being in International Large-Scale Assessments

This paper reviews research on young migrants in Germany. Particular attention is given to the question of how Germany’s history of migration, immigration policies, and public attitude toward migrants influence the transcultural adaptation of children and adolescents from different ethnic backgrounds. We combine past research with the results of new empirical studies in order to shed light on migrants’ psychological and sociocultural adaptation. Studies comparing young migrants and their German peers in terms of psychological well-being, life satisfaction, and mental health outcome suggest higher rates of emotional and behavioral problems among migrants of most age groups. With regard to adolescent populations between the ages of 14 and 17 years, however, the existence of differences between migrants and natives appears to be less clear. Research has also yielded inconsistent findings regarding the time trajectory of transcultural adaptation among adolescents. The coincidence of acculturation and age-related change is discussed as a possible source of these inconsistencies. Further, we provide an overview of risk and protective factors such as conflicting role expectations and ethnic discrimination, which may cause heightened vulnerability to adverse adaptation outcomes in some groups. Large-scale studies have repeatedly shown migrants of all age groups to be less successful within the German school system, indicating poor sociocultural adaptation. Possible explanations, such as the idiosyncrasies of the German school system, are presented. Our own studies contribute to the understanding of young migrants’ adaptation process by showing that it is their orientation to German culture, rather than the acculturation strategy of integration, that leads to the most positive psychological and sociocultural outcomes. The paper concludes by discussing implications for future cross-cultural research on young migrants and by suggesting recommendations for multicultural policies.

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Psychosocial Consequences of Body Weight and Obesity

The Oxford Handbook of Integrative Health Science ◽

10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190676384.013.15 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 274-286

Author(s):

Deborah Carr ◽

Vera K. Tsenkova

Keyword(s):

Body Weight ◽

Interpersonal Relationships ◽

Large Scale ◽

Well Being ◽

The United States ◽

Overweight And Obesity ◽

The Body ◽

Integrative Health ◽

Psychosocial Consequences ◽

Adults And Children

The body weight of U.S. adults and children has risen markedly over the past three decades. The physical health consequences of obesity are widely documented, and emerging research from the Midlife in the United States study and other large-scale surveys reveals the harmful impact of obesity on adults’ psychosocial and interpersonal well-being. This chapter synthesizes recent research on the psychosocial implications of body weight, with attention to explanatory mechanisms and subgroup differences in these patterns. A brief statistical portrait of body weight is provided, documenting rates and correlates of obesity, with a focus on race, gender, and socioeconomic status disparities. The consequences of body weight for three main outcomes are described: institutional and everyday discrimination, interpersonal relationships, and psychological well-being. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the ways that recent integrative health research on the psychosocial consequences of overweight and obesity inform our understanding of population health.

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Leisure Time Sports Activities and Life Satisfaction: Deeper Insights Based on a Representative Survey from Germany

Applied Research in Quality of Life ◽

10.1007/s11482-020-09866-7 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Michael Mutz ◽

Anne K. Reimers ◽

Yolanda Demetriou

Keyword(s):

Life Satisfaction ◽

Large Scale ◽

Leisure Time ◽

Organizational Context ◽

Experimental Studies ◽

Well Being ◽

Activity Level ◽

Leisure Satisfaction ◽

General Life Satisfaction ◽

Sports Activities

Abstract Observational and experimental studies show that leisure time sporting activity (LTSA) is associated with higher well-being. However, scholars often seem to assume that 1) LTSA fosters “general” life satisfaction, thereby ignoring effects on domain satisfaction; 2) the effect of LTSA on well-being is linear and independent of a person’s general activity level; 3) the amount of LTSA is more important than the repertoire of LTSA, i.e. the number of different activities; 4) all kinds of LTSA are equal in their effects, irrespective of spatial and organisational context conditions. Using data from the German SALLSA-Study (“Sport, Active Lifestyle and Life Satisfaction”), a large-scale CAWI-Survey (N = 1008) representing the population ≥ 14 years, the paper takes a closer look on these assumptions. Findings demonstrate that LTSA is associated with general life satisfaction and domain-specific satisfaction (concerning relationships, appearance, leisure, work and health), but that the relationship is most pronounced for leisure satisfaction. Associations of sport with life satisfaction, leisure satisfaction and subjective health are non-linear, approaching an injection point from which on additional LTSA is no longer beneficial. Moreover, findings lend support to the notion that diversity in LTSA matters, as individuals with higher variation in sports activities are more satisfied. Finally, results with regard to spatial and organizational context suggest that outdoor sports and club-organized sports have additional benefits.

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Psychiatric disorders in China: strengths and challenges of contemporary research and clinical services

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291721002816 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-14

Author(s):

Xiao Chang ◽

Qiyong Gong ◽

Chunbo Li ◽

Weihua Yue ◽

Xin Yu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Psychiatric Disorders ◽

Disease Burden ◽

Large Scale ◽

Well Being ◽

Research Quality ◽

Psychiatric Research ◽

Clinical Services ◽

Contributing Factors ◽

Brain Functions ◽

Neuroscience Research

Abstract China accounts for 17% of the global disease burden attributable to mental, neurological and substance use disorders. As a country undergoing profound societal change, China faces growing challenges to reduce the disease burden caused by psychiatric disorders. In this review, we aim to present an overview of progress in neuroscience research and clinical services for psychiatric disorders in China during the past three decades, analysing contributing factors and potential challenges to the field development. We first review studies in the epidemiological, genetic and neuroimaging fields as examples to illustrate a growing contribution of studies from China to the neuroscience research. Next, we introduce large-scale, open-access imaging genetic cohorts and recently initiated brain banks in China as platforms to study healthy brain functions and brain disorders. Then, we show progress in clinical services, including an integration of hospital and community-based healthcare systems and early intervention schemes. We finally discuss opportunities and existing challenges: achievements in research and clinical services are indispensable to the growing funding investment and continued engagement in international collaborations. The unique aspect of traditional Chinese medicine may provide insights to develop a novel treatment for psychiatric disorders. Yet obstacles still remain to promote research quality and to provide ubiquitous clinical services to vulnerable populations. Taken together, we expect to see a sustained advancement in psychiatric research and healthcare system in China. These achievements will contribute to the global efforts to realize good physical, mental and social well-being for all individuals.

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Tourist Mental Health Drives Destination Choice, Marketing, and Matching

Journal of Travel Research ◽

10.1177/00472875211011548 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 004728752110115

Author(s):

Mary-Ann Cooper ◽

Ralf Buckley

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Large Scale ◽

Well Being ◽

Destination Choice ◽

Destination Marketing ◽

Health Maintenance ◽

Nature Tourism ◽

Tourism Destinations ◽

Tourism Enterprises ◽

Health And Well Being

Leisure tourism, including destination choice, can be viewed as an investment in mental health maintenance. Destination marketing measures can thus be analyzed as mental health investment prospectuses, aiming to match tourist desires. A mental health framework is particularly relevant for parks and nature tourism destinations, since the benefits of nature for mental health are strongly established. We test it for one globally iconic destination, using a large-scale qualitative approach, both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tourists’ perceptions and choices contain strong mental health and well-being components, derived largely from autonomous information sources, and differing depending on origins. Parks agencies emphasize factual cognitive aspects, but tourism enterprises and destination marketing organizations use affective approaches appealing to tourists’ mental health.

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Understanding what matters most to patients in acute care in seven countries, using the flash mob study design

BMC Health Services Research ◽

10.1186/s12913-021-06459-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Eva S. van den Ende ◽

◽

Bo Schouten ◽

Marjolein N. T. Kremers ◽

Tim Cooksley ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Acute Care ◽

Patient Perspective ◽

Large Scale ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Well Being ◽

Good Health ◽

Care Needs ◽

Patient Centred Care ◽

Trial Register ◽

What Matters

Abstract Background Truly patient-centred care needs to be aligned with what patients consider important, and is highly desirable in the first 24 h of an acute admission, as many decisions are made during this period. However, there is limited knowledge on what matters most to patients in this phase of their hospital stay. The objective of this study was to identify what mattered most to patients in acute care and to assess the patient perspective as to whether their treating doctors were aware of this. Methods This was a large-scale, qualitative, flash mob study, conducted simultaneously in sixty-six hospitals in seven countries, starting November 14th 2018, ending 50 h later. One thousand eight hundred fifty adults in the first 24 h of an acute medical admission were interviewed on what mattered most to them, why this mattered and whether they felt the treating doctor was aware of this. Results The most reported answers to “what matters most (and why)?” were ‘getting better or being in good health’ (why: to be with family/friends or pick-up life again), ‘getting home’ (why: more comfortable at home or to take care of someone) and ‘having a diagnosis’ (why: to feel less anxious or insecure). Of all patients, 51.9% felt the treating doctor did not know what mattered most to them. Conclusions The priorities for acutely admitted patients were ostensibly disease- and care-oriented and thus in line with the hospitals’ own priorities. However, answers to why these were important were diverse, more personal, and often related to psychological well-being and relations. A large group of patients felt their treating doctor did not know what mattered most to them. Explicitly asking patients what is important and why, could help healthcare professionals to get to know the person behind the patient, which is essential in delivering patient-centred care. Trial registration NTR (Netherlands Trial Register) NTR7538.

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Xylanolytic Bacillus species for xylooligosaccharides production: a critical review

Bioresources and Bioprocessing ◽

10.1186/s40643-021-00369-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Rozina Rashid ◽

Muhammad Sohail

Keyword(s):

Large Scale ◽

Extracellular Enzymes ◽

Membrane Separation ◽

Well Being ◽

Bacillus Species ◽

Scale Production ◽

Food Ingredients ◽

Large Scale Production ◽

Wide Range ◽

Biological Impacts

AbstractThe capacity of different Bacillus species to produce large amounts of extracellular enzymes and ability to ferment various substrates at a wide range of pH and temperature has placed them among the most promising hosts for the industrial production of many improved and novel products. The global interest in prebiotics, for example, xylooligosaccharides (XOs) is ever increasing, rousing the quest for various forms with expanded productivity. This article provides an overview of xylanase producing bacilli, with more emphasis on their capacity to be used in the production of the XOs, followed by the purification strategies, characteristics and application of XOs from bacilli. The large-scale production of XOs is carried out from a number of xylan-rich lignocellulosic materials by chemical or enzymatic hydrolysis followed by purification through chromatography, vacuum evaporation, solvent extraction or membrane separation methods. Utilization of XOs in the production of functional products as food ingredients brings well-being to individuals by improving defense system and eliminating pathogens. In addition to the effects related to health, a variety of other biological impacts have also been discussed.

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The utility of self-rated health in population surveys: the role of bodyweight

Population Health Metrics ◽

10.1186/s12963-021-00255-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Robert Bozick

Keyword(s):

Treatment Group ◽

Large Scale ◽

Well Being ◽

Control Group ◽

Self Rated Health ◽

Risk Of Mortality ◽

Highly Sensitive ◽

The Usa ◽

Group Members ◽

Nationally Representative

Abstract Background Self-rated health (SRH) is one of the most commonly used summary measures of overall health and well-being available to population scientists due to its ease of administration in large-scale surveys and to its efficacy in predicting mortality. This paper assesses the extent to which SRH is affected by its placement before or after questions about bodyweight on a survey, and whether differences in placement on the questionnaire affects SRH’s predictive validity. Methods I assessed the validity of SRH in predicting the risk of mortality by comparing outcomes of sample members who were asked to rate their health before reporting on their bodyweight (the control group) and sample members who were asked to rate their health after reporting on their bodyweight (the treatment group). Both the control and treatment group were randomly assigned via an experiment administered as a module in a nationally representative sample of adults in the USA in 2019 (N = 2523). Results The odds of reporting a more favorable appraisal of health are 30% lower for sample members who were in the treatment group when compared with the control group. Additionally, the SRH of treatment group members is significantly associated with their risk of mortality, while the SRH of control group members is not. Conclusion The findings from this study suggest that for researchers to maximize the utility of SRH, closer attention needs to be paid to the context of the survey within which it asked. SRH is highly sensitive to the questions that precede it, and this sensitivity may in turn mischaracterize the true health of the population that the survey is intending to measure.

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Why ability point estimates can be pointless: a primer on using skill measures from large-scale assessments in secondary analyses

Measurement Instruments for the Social Sciences ◽

10.1186/s42409-020-00020-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Clemens M. Lechner ◽

Nivedita Bhaktha ◽

Katharina Groskurth ◽

Matthias Bluemke

Keyword(s):

Measurement Error ◽

Statistical Models ◽

Test Scores ◽

Large Scale ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Model Parameters ◽

Advantages And Disadvantages ◽

Point Estimates ◽

Secondary Analyses ◽

Large Scale Assessments

AbstractMeasures of cognitive or socio-emotional skills from large-scale assessments surveys (LSAS) are often based on advanced statistical models and scoring techniques unfamiliar to applied researchers. Consequently, applied researchers working with data from LSAS may be uncertain about the assumptions and computational details of these statistical models and scoring techniques and about how to best incorporate the resulting skill measures in secondary analyses. The present paper is intended as a primer for applied researchers. After a brief introduction to the key properties of skill assessments, we give an overview over the three principal methods with which secondary analysts can incorporate skill measures from LSAS in their analyses: (1) as test scores (i.e., point estimates of individual ability), (2) through structural equation modeling (SEM), and (3) in the form of plausible values (PVs). We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each method based on three criteria: fallibility (i.e., control for measurement error and unbiasedness), usability (i.e., ease of use in secondary analyses), and immutability (i.e., consistency of test scores, PVs, or measurement model parameters across different analyses and analysts). We show that although none of the methods are optimal under all criteria, methods that result in a single point estimate of each respondent’s ability (i.e., all types of “test scores”) are rarely optimal for research purposes. Instead, approaches that avoid or correct for measurement error—especially PV methodology—stand out as the method of choice. We conclude with practical recommendations for secondary analysts and data-producing organizations.

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Well-Being of Healthcare Workers and the General Public during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Vietnam: An Online Survey

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18094737 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (9) ◽

pp. 4737

Author(s):

Tuyen Dinh Hoang ◽

Robert Colebunders ◽

Joseph Nelson Siewe Fodjo ◽

Nhan Phuc Thanh Nguyen ◽

Trung Dinh Tran ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Healthcare Workers ◽

Large Scale ◽

Online Survey ◽

Preventive Measures ◽

Vaccine Coverage ◽

Health Sector ◽

Well Being ◽

Multivariate Logistic Regression Model ◽

The Mean ◽

Restrictive Measures

The COVID-19 pandemic and associated restrictive measures implemented may considerably affect people’s lives. This study aimed to assess the well-being of Vietnamese people after COVID-19 lockdown measures were lifted and life gradually returned to normal. An online survey was organized from 21 to 25 April 2020 among Vietnamese residents aged 18 and over. The survey was launched by the Hue University of Medicine and Pharmacy. The WHO-5 Well-Being Index (scored 0–25) was used to score participants’ well-being. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to determine the predictors of well-being. A total of 1922 responses were analyzed (mean age: 31 years; 30.5% male; 88.2% health professionals or students in the health sector). The mean well-being score was 17.35 ± 4.97. Determinants of a high well-being score (≥13) included older age, eating healthy food, practicing physical exercise, working from home, and adhering to the COVID-19 preventive measures. Female participants, persons worried about their relatives’ health, and smokers were more likely to have a low well-being score. In conclusion, after the lockdown measures were lifted, the Vietnamese have people continued to follow COVID-19 preventive measures, and most of them scored high on the well-being scale. Waiting to achieve large-scale COVID-19 vaccine coverage, promoting preventive COVID-19 measures remains important, together with strategies to guarantee the well-being of the Vietnamese people.

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