Graduate certificate in local development planning, land use management and disaster risk management: a knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) evaluation

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juan Pablo Sarmiento ◽  
Catalina Sarmiento ◽  
Gabriela Hoberman ◽  
Meenakshi Chabba
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Development Planning ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Knowledge Assessment ◽  
Land Use Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Attitude And Practice ◽  
Graduate Certificate ◽  
Knowledge Attitude And Practice

PurposeThis study aims to assess knowledge retention of the graduates of the online graduate certificate on local development planning, land use management and disaster risk management (PDLOTGR, the abbreviation of the certificate's Spanish title). The certificate was offered to practitioners and faculty members of Latin American countries since 2016.Design/methodology/approachThe authors reviewed the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) method to develop a specific approach, which included the preparation of a KAP survey, a composite KAP index and three sub-indices. The survey targeted two groups: (1) experimental group, composed of the certificate's 76 graduates, and (2) control group, comprised of 25 certificate's candidates, who had not yet undergone the training/intervention. The statistical analysis included a one-way multivariate analysis of variance to compare the mean scores on the KAP index and sub-indices for individuals in the experimental and control groups.FindingsThe study results showed significant differences in the knowledge sub-index between those who had completed the PDLOTGR training and those who had not, while the attitudes and practices sub-indices did not show significant differences. When using the KAP index, a statistically significant difference was also observed between the two groups.Originality/valuePerceived knowledge assessment offers an acceptable and non-intimidating option for evaluating continuing education and professional development programs associated to disaster risk. It is particularly helpful in determining whether an intervention or program has a lasting impact. It is not, however, a substitute for direct knowledge assessment, and the use of other methods to evaluate the performance of a capacity building program's graduates.

Employees’ knowledge, attitude and practice of food additives; impacts of an educational intervention

2020 ◽  
Vol 50 (6) ◽  
pp. 1199-1212
Author(s):  
Amir Reza Moravejolahkami ◽  
Zahra Esfandiari ◽  
Hadiseh Ebdali ◽  
Marjan Ganjali Dashti ◽  
Akbar Hassanzadeh ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Safety ◽  
Food Additives ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Safety Issues ◽  
Attitude And Practice ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Knowledge And Attitude ◽  
Safety Attitude ◽  
Knowledge Attitude And Practice

Purpose Understanding consumers’ food safety practices are helpful in reducing foodborne illnesses. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the influence of education on knowledge, attitude and practices toward food additives. Design/methodology/approach This interventional study was performed by random sampling of 826 employees in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences from January 2018 to March 2019. The knowledge, attitude and practices of the employees toward food additives were assessed by a self-administered and structured questionnaire. Two-month education was conducted visually by using pamphlets, posters and leaflets. Descriptive statistics and paired t-test were done by SPSS24 at significant levels of p < 0.05. Findings The results showed that the respondents were very concerned about preservatives, colorants, and artificial sweeteners in foods. Before the education, the percentages collected for the knowledge, attitude and practice were 79.0, 48.9 and 46.7, respectively. Overall, knowledge scores were improved from 79.0 to 88.9 per cent when the education was offered. Safety attitude scores significantly increased, with a 50 per cent difference between the pre and post values. A significant difference was observed in the percentage of knowledge, attitude and practice of the employers before and after education (p < 0.05). Almost half of the respondents chose leaflets and pamphlets as a preferable tool for learning. Originality/value Education may be needed for improving knowledge and attitude about food additives. It also helped the respondents to select healthier food. This study suggests more communication programs regarding food safety issues.

scholarly journals SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND DISASTER RISK REDUCTION MAINSTREAMING: NEXUS BETWEEN POLICY PROCLAMATION AND IMPLEMENTATION

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Akanksha Pandey
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Development Planning ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Secondary Sources ◽  
Risk Sensitive ◽  
Development Data

Land-use planning, disasters and development are clearly related. Risk-sensitive development practices and responsible land use planning can contribute to resilience building. At the same time, poorly planned development can intensify social, economic, physical and environmental vulnerabilities of the population and can trigger devastating extreme events. Therefore, the process of disaster risk reduction has to be weaved into the developmental framework and India has given its commitment at national and international forums to ensure the same. However, since there is no specific policy on integrating DRR into development planning in India, this paper discusses the extent to which such integration is seen through one of the major projects- the Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA) in the planning and approval process, especially in the contexts of environmental vulnerabilities. The study suggests that there are serious gaps between the policy proclamations that seek to ensure sustainable development through DRR integration into development projects and its implementation. Thus, much more work is needed to enforce the idea of mainstreaming DRR in to foster risk aware or risk sensitive development. Data for this qualitative study was obtained from both primary as well as secondary sources.

Using Open Data and Citizen Science in Understanding Disaster Risk: Experience from Western parts of Nepal

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Puja Shakya ◽  
Binod Prasad Parajuli
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Citizen Science ◽  
Spatial Data ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Open Data ◽  
Development Planning ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Data Sources ◽  
Hazard Exposure

&lt;p&gt;Nepal is highly vulnerable to multiple disasters due to its topography and geographic conditions. It also suffers with data deficiency in better understanding the impacts of disasters and existing capacities to cope with such disasters. This information scarcity severely hinders understanding the disasters and their associated risks in the areas. This also hampers local and regional risk reduction, preparedness and response, limiting rigorous and robust disaster risk modelling and assessment. For regions facing recurrent disaster, there is a strong need of more integrated and proactive perspective into the management of disaster risks and innovations. Recent advances on digital and spatial technologies, citizen science and open data are introducing opportunities through prompt data collection, analysis and visualization of locally relevant spatial data. These data could be used as evidence in local development planning as well as linking in different services of the areas. This will be helpful for sustained investment in disaster risk management and resilience building. In current federal structure of Nepal, there is an acute data deficiency at the local level (municipalities and wards) in terms of data about situation analysis, demographics, and statistics, disaster impacts (hazard, exposure and vulnerability) etc. This has caused hindrances to all the relevant stakeholders including government, non-government and donors in diagnosing the available resources, capacities for effective planning and managing disaster risks. In this context, we are piloting an approach to fulfil existing data gaps by mobilizing citizen science through the use of open data sources in Western Nepal. We have already tested it through trainings to the local authorities and the communities in using open data for data collection. Likewise, in one of our upcoming project on data innovations, we shall create a repository of available open data sources; develop analytical tools for risk assessment which will be able to provide climate related services. Later, upon testing the tools, these can be implemented at the local level for informed decision making.&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals Children’s Screen Time At Home: A Study of Parents’ Knowledge, Attitude and Practice

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nur Fatin-Aqilah Arippin ◽  
Mardiah Haji Mahmud ◽  
Hanif Abdul Rahman ◽  
Kolinmo-Yumni A. Aliy-Yuin ◽  
Swee Ching Linda Lai ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Screen Time ◽  
Health Knowledge ◽  
Target Population ◽  
Time Behavior ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Number Of Children ◽  
Brunei Darussalam ◽  
Attitude And Practice ◽  
Knowledge Attitude And Practice ◽  
At Home

Abstract Background The present study investigated the parent’s knowledge, attitude, practice and experience of the screen time spent by their children at home aged below five years old, identify the common screen-based devices use, content type and level of screen time spent by the children and identify the association between sociodemographic variables and parent’s knowledge, attitude and practice on screen time. Methods We assessed target population of parents having children aged zero to four years old attending the Maternal and Child Health Care Clinics in four districts in Brunei Darussalam. Results Parents’ attitude and practice of screen time spent by their children are generally positive, however, the health knowledge level is poor with scores of < 50%. Children studied (< 2 years old and 3 to 4 years old) found to spent more time watching television. Interactive form of screen time content was mostly spent by the children (50%). Statistically significant association observed between children of both aged group with time spent on tablet device (p = 0.037) and (p = < 0.001). Also, significant association between parent’s knowledge, attitude and practice with gender of the parents, household income and total number of children was reported. Conclusion The children in our study exceeds the recommended guidelines on screen time behavior and the parent’s health knowledge with regards to screen time was poor which emphasized the need for improvement and further study.

Knowledge, attitude and practice toward sustainability among university students in UAE

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Farouk Radwan ◽  
Engy M. Abou Sreea Khalil
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Basic Knowledge ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Attitudes And Practices ◽  
Attitude And Practice ◽  
Level Of Knowledge ◽  
Knowledge Attitude And Practice ◽  
Knowledge Attitudes And Practices

Purpose This paper aims to assess the level of knowledge, attitudes and practices adopted among University of Sharjah (UOS) students toward sustainability efforts done by their university. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was emailed to students with the assistance of the UOS Sustainability Office. The survey consisted of four sections assessing knowledge, attitudes, practices and preferred media to obtain sustainability information. A total of 200 responses from male and female students, representing 4 levels of study in sciences and humanities colleges, were received. Research data is analyzed using the IBM SPSS Statistics (version 26). For assessing knowledge, eight items were developed to measure if the student knew about the university’s projects and activities in the field of sustainability. For assessing attitudes, six items were developed to indicate the level of agreement or disagreement toward main sustainability issues. For assessing practices, ten items were developed to measure the frequency of acting in a sustainable manner. Findings Survey results showed an advanced level of basic knowledge among university students regarding the programs and activities conducted by UOS, and a positive attitude toward these efforts and toward the importance of supporting sustainable practices. Most of the participating students disagreed with limiting the use of cars on campus – this may be because of a cultural aspect among young people in the Emirati society, who consider driving cars as an essential part of their daily life. Most students also indicated that they care about the behavior that supports sustainability in the university environment, such as rationalizing water consumption and using environment friendly products. Research limitations/implications The study’s limitations are that it was applied to one university – UOS. The sample of the online survey was only 200 students from undergraduate students. Different universities may have their own sets of different environmental approaches, and because of this reason, university students may exhibit different levels of knowledge, attitude and practice toward sustainability in contrast to the findings from this study. Practical implications Findings from this research can give decision-makers a good picture of the university’s performance in accomplishing sustainability. The authors recommend that UOS sustainability communication programs should be more comprehensive, and not only limited to protecting the environment that some students perceive as the primary aspect of sustainability. These efforts must address all economic and social aspects emphasized by the United Arab Emirates 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the current study is considered one of the first studies addressing sustainability efforts in Emirati universities and seeking to assess the level of student knowledge, attitudes and practices toward sustainability issues in the country. The study is crucial in providing better insights such as the level of knowledge, attitude and practices toward UOS sustainability performance. As found in this study, even with sufficient knowledge, students still lack the drive to convert them into actions. So, future research could investigate deeper into the barriers of converting sustainable knowledge and attitudes into practices. The results represent an added value to the research literature concerned with sustainability issues in the Arab world and the Middle East region. This paper will also contribute to the sustainability literature that will be benefited by other various organizations.

scholarly journals Knowledge, attitude and practice of pesticide use and serum cholinesterase levels among rice farmers in Nakhon Nayok Province, Thailand

2020 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 379-387
Author(s):  
Sapsatree Santaweesuk ◽  
Paisit Boonyakawee ◽  
Wattasit Siriwong
Keyword(s):  
Health Effects ◽  
Pesticide Exposure ◽  
Serum Cholinesterase ◽  
Pesticide Use ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Rice Farmers ◽  
Attitude And Practice ◽  
The Government ◽  
Knowledge Attitude And Practice

PurposeThe study purposes were to investigate the knowledge, attitude and practice of pesticide use and to determine the levels of serum cholinesterase among rice farmers in Nakhon Nayok province, Thailand.Design/methodology/approachA cross-sectional study was carried out in communities in Nakhon Nayok Province, Thailand. Multistage random sampling was employed, selecting one person per each rice farmer household. Data was collected from 188 rice farmers using a structured face-to-face interview questionnaire. A reactive-paper finger-blood test was used to determine SChE levels. Chi-square test was used to determine the relationship between the practice of pesticide use and SChE levels.FindingsThe results indicated that the rice farmers had a fairly good knowledge and a neutral attitude toward the practice of pesticide use. Most of the respondents had a fairly proper practice of pesticide use. However, serum cholinesterase levels of the farmers were unsafe and risky. It signified that 68.1% of the farmers had a health risk from using pesticides. The prevalence of abnormal SChE levels among rice farmers with improper use was significantly higher than that among rice farmers who had a proper use.Research limitations/implicationsThe result provided a guideline for operational planning and control and prevention of health effects from pesticides use in farmers or other agriculturists who use pesticides in cultivation.Practical implicationsConcerned local agencies especially health-related agencies are able to conduct a training to educate and build safety awareness including monitoring continuously the safety behaviors toward pesticides use. It can be implemented by establishing leaders from health promoting hospitals led by village health volunteers, community leaders and participation from farmers to collaboratively monitor proper use of pesticides beginning with health surveillance in the abnormal SChE group to be screened for pesticide exposure every six months or one year.Social implicationsFarmers gained knowledge and understanding of pesticides use and used it properly, which resulted in a reduction of pesticide residues in body as well as in the environment. In addition, the government policy should legislate measures for related agencies to promote proper use of pesticides. For instance, Department of Agriculture, Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives should regularly supervise, monitor and inspect the production and distribution of pesticides in local shops and also systematically encourage agriculturists to adopt using pesticides that are less harmful.Originality/valueHaving knowledge, understanding and proper practices toward pesticides use, farmers can reduce health effects of pesticides use in themselves and family members.

Knowledge, attitude and practice of health professionals about probiotic use in Ahmedabad, India

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richa Soni ◽  
Kamna Tank ◽  
Nayan Jain
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Mechanism Of Action ◽  
Health Professionals ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Health Benefits ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Attitude And Practice ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Right ◽  
Knowledge Attitude And Practice

Purpose The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice about probiotic use among health professionals of Ahmedabad, India. Design/methodology/approach A structured questionnaire was prepared. The questionnaire consisted of 12 close-ended questions related to definition, mechanism of action, safety consideration, health benefits, sources and four questions to assess their attitude and practice about probiotics. Total 267 healthcare professionals were requested to fill the questionnaire. Participants were doctors, medical students, nutritionists, nutrition students, pharmacists and pharmacy students. Findings Results of the survey revealed that most of the participants (93.25 per cent) were aware of the term probiotic, 66.66 per cent professionals were able to answer the right mechanism of action of probiotics. Only 54.68 per cent health professionals knew the health benefits correctly. There was a significant difference between the knowledge of professionals from different fields (p < 0.05). Medical students had highest knowledge scores, whereas nutrition students had lowest knowledge scores. There was no significant difference between knowledge of doctors, pharmacist and nutritionist, but knowledge of medical students was significantly higher than the nutrition students (p < 0.05). Majority of the respondents (85.76 per cent) believed that probiotics are useful for patients. Nearly 50 per cent preferred probiotic food over probiotic drugs. Almost half of them (48.68 per cent) agreed that probiotics can significantly affect the outcome of any therapy. Originality/value Nutritionists and medical students have shown to be more knowledgeable about probiotics than professionals and students of other fields. A positive and significant correlation was found between knowledge and attitude of healthcare providers.

Land use planning for disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 158-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
David King ◽  
Yetta Gurtner ◽  
Agung Firdaus ◽  
Sharon Harwood ◽  
Alison Cottrell
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Risk Reduction ◽  
Climate Change Adaptation ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Disaster Risk Reduction ◽  
Disaster Risk ◽  
Planning Systems ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Resilient Communities

Purpose The Hyogo Framework for Action focussed disaster risk reduction (DRR) on land-use planning, with international agencies, research organisations and national governments recognising the importance of DRR through hazard informed land-use planning. This paper aims to examine the roles of planners in reducing hazard risk through settlement design, land-use plans and legislation, and identify shortcomings and constraints towards achieving Disaster Risk Reduction. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses community-based research from Australia, Thailand and Indonesia to discuss land-use planning in local governance frameworks following major disasters, including cyclone, flood and tsunami. Findings This paper shows that land-use planning systems are still primarily geared toward promoting and facilitating development and have not evolved sufficiently to take account of DRR and climate change. Social implications Land-use planning frameworks for hazard-resilient communities remain disconnected from the emergency management and disaster risk reduction systems. The goal to create disaster-resilient communities through the land-use planning systems requires a fundamental change to the way in which planning is conceptualised and practised. Social equity is also a huge issue where investment focuses on urban development. Originality/value The study contributes to an understanding of the opportunities and constraints for land-use planning to enhance climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction through legislation, policies, regional and local statutory planning schemes, enforceable planning and development controls and building codes.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document