Public attitudes toward traditional Chinese medicine and how they affect medical treatment choices in Hong Kong

Purpose This study aims to test a conceptual model using public attitudes toward biomedicine and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to predict respondents’ medical treatment choice. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative online survey was conducted using quota sampling. Altogether 1,321 questionnaires from Hong Kong residents of age 15 years or above were collected. Findings Attitudes toward biomedicine in relation to TCM and perceived cost of TCM consultation were found to be significant variables in predicting respondents’ medical treatment choice of treatment. Perceived efficacy of TCM, however, was not a significant predictor. Older respondents, as well as respondents with higher education, were less likely to consult biomedicine first when ill. They were also less likely to consult biomedicine exclusively. Research limitations/implications This study uses a convenience sample recruited through personal networks. The findings cannot be generalized to the rest of the population. Practical implications Respondents in the study generally perceived TCM’s efficacy to be high, but not high enough to make it the medical treatment of choice. To promote TCM in Hong Kong, there is a need to enhance trust in it. This can be achieved through strengthening scientific research and development of TCM, enhancing professional standards of TCM practitioners and educating the public about the qualifications of TCM practitioners. Strategic channel planning to reach potential target and reducing the time cost of TCM medication should be examined. Originality/value The study is the first to relate attitudes to and perceptions of TCM with medical treatment choices in Hong Kong.

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Attitudes toward food fraud in Israel and Germany

British Food Journal ◽

10.1108/bfj-10-2019-0785 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 122 (7) ◽

pp. 2219-2232

Author(s):

Inna Levy ◽

Pamela Kerschke-Risch

Keyword(s):

Gender Differences ◽

Online Survey ◽

Public Attitudes ◽

Food Fraud ◽

Negative Attitudes ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

Content Type ◽

Kosher Food ◽

And Gender ◽

The Impact

PurposeThe current research focused on attitudes toward food fraud (AFF) and examined the impact of types of food fraud, gender differences, and country of residence.Design/methodology/approachA convenience sample of German (n = 151) and Israeli (n = 496) participants was recruited through an online survey. They filled out a sociodemographic questionnaire and AFF scale, which includes three subscales: organic fraud, kosher fraud, and spraying fraud.FindingsThe results indicate that there is a significant effect of type of fraud, country of residence, and gender. German participants expressed more negative attitudes toward organic food fraud and less negative attitudes toward kosher fraud than Israeli participants. Women expressed more negative attitudes toward organic and kosher food frauds than men.Originality/valueThis study offers insight into cross-cultural and gender differences in attitudes toward food fraud. The findings suggest that public attitudes toward food fraud represent not just severity of possible consequences, but also environmental and religious aspects of consumption, norms and culture.

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Attitudes toward acupuncture in Hong Kong

International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing ◽

10.1108/ijphm-10-2013-0055 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 158-174 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Kara Chan ◽

Lennon Tsang ◽

Timothy K.F. Fung

Keyword(s):

Hong Kong ◽

Side Effects ◽

Online Survey ◽

Focus Group Study ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

Content Type ◽

Term Basis ◽

Quota Sampling ◽

Practical Implications

Purpose – This paper aims at describing and exploring how consumers perceive acupuncture as a medical treatment in relation to biomedicine. Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected through an online survey using quota sampling. The attitudes of 879 Hong Kong residents aged 20 or above were surveyed. Questions were generated from a previous focus group study. Findings – Factor analysis found that attitude toward acupuncture consisted of five underlying dimensions, including trust in biomedicine, risks versus benefits, cure and effectiveness, qualification and skills of acupuncturists, side effects and costs and severe aftereffects. Lack of trust in acupuncturists and perceived inferiority of acupuncture to biomedicine were the major barriers of public acceptance of acupuncture. Perceived strengths of acupuncture identified were not involving taking medicine, fewer side effects and being good for preventive care. Research limitations/implications – This study used a convenience sample recruited through personal networks, so the findings cannot automatically be generalized to the rest of the population. Practical implications – There is a need to build trust in the therapy and the reputation of acupuncturists through better communication of the profession’s qualification and accreditation system, as well as dissemination of clinical evidence on a long-term basis. Consumers need to be better educated about the sensations to be expected during acupuncture and the criteria for selecting an acupuncturist. Originality/value – This has been the first quantitative study focusing on Hong Kong consumers’ perceptions of acupuncture.

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Traditional Chinese Medicine Use among Emergency Patients in Hong Kong

Hong Kong Journal of Emergency Medicine ◽

10.1177/102490790701400304 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 14 (3) ◽

pp. 151-153 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

ML Tse ◽

FL Lau

Keyword(s):

Hong Kong ◽

Chinese Medicine ◽

Traditional Chinese Medicine ◽

Topical Treatment ◽

Adverse Reactions ◽

Oral Intake ◽

Prospective Survey ◽

Emergency Patients ◽

Number Of Patients ◽

Christian Hospital

Introduction Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) use has been believed to be common in Hong Kong but no data existed on its prevalence among emergency patients. We conducted a prospective survey to study the prevalence of its use, the type of TCM use, frequency and nature of associated adverse reactions. Methods All accident & emergency department (AED) attendances at the United Christian Hospital were screened by the triage nurse and attending doctor for TCM use and its type in a consecutive 31 day period. The causal relationships between the TCM and their presenting illness were also assessed and decided by the doctor in-charge. Results 291 out of 21,475 patients (1.4%) reported TCM use within one week. Among them, 117 (40.2%) consumed Chinese herbal medicine, 75 (25.8%) took proprietary Chinese medicine, 1 (0.3%) took both, 96 (33.0%) received topical treatment and 2 (0.7%) were unclassified, with 22 out of the 291 TCM users (7.6%) presented for TCM-related toxicity. Most complications were mild, the commonest ones being dermatitis after topical treatment (68.2%) and allergic reaction after oral intake (22.7%). Conclusion A small number of patients took TCM treatment shortly before AED consultation. Most TCM-related toxicities were mild and the commonest reactions were dermatitis and systemic allergy.

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How useful are smartphones for learning? Perceptions and practices of Library and Information Science students from Hong Kong and Japan

Library Hi Tech ◽

10.1108/lht-02-2015-0015 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 33 (4) ◽

pp. 545-561 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Zvjezdana Dukic ◽

Dickson K.W. Chiu ◽

Patrick Lo

Keyword(s):

Hong Kong ◽

Information Needs ◽

Information Science ◽

Academic Learning ◽

Library And Information Science ◽

Theory Approach ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

Major Barrier ◽

Content Type ◽

Actual Use

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of higher education students’ experiences in using smartphones for learning purposes, and their perceptions of the suitability of smartphones for learning. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative research method is applied to data collection and analysis by following the grounded theory approach. Data were gathered by an online focus group involving Library and Information Science (LIS) students from University of Hong Kong and University of Tsukuba (Japan). Findings – LIS students at both universities regularly use smartphones for communication, socializing, entertainment and other daily information needs. The findings show that LIS students commonly use smartphones for learning and consider smartphones to be very useful for their academic work. They use smartphones to access course materials, search library catalog, discuss course assignments with peers, take notes, etc. Although both academic libraries involved offer a variety of services for mobile devices, these services are still not used frequently. A major barrier to using smartphone for academic learning is the smartphone’s small screen. Research limitations/implications – The study relies on a convenience sample, restricted to students from two universities, one from Hong Kong and the other from Japan. Further research on a larger sample is recommended. Originality/value – The study adds to the knowledge of smartphone actual use for learning purposes and provides study participants’ insights on the usefulness of smartphones for learning.

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Charting sustained usage toward mobile social media application: the criticality of expected benefits and emotional motivations

Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics ◽

10.1108/apjml-11-2020-0779 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Xuan Cu Le

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

User Satisfaction ◽

Positive Emotions ◽

Online Survey ◽

Continuance Intention ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

Content Type ◽

Media Platform ◽

Self Discovery ◽

Expected Benefits

PurposeZalo is a Vietnam social media platform attracting over 100 m users worldwide. The work aims to ascertain how to boost users' satisfaction, habit and continuance intention toward Zalo based on the expectation confirmation theory (ECT) and its extension through the impacts of expected benefits and emotional motivations.Design/methodology/approachData are collected via an online survey on a convenience sample of 356 Zalo users. Statistical analysis is performed using Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) and Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) to test proposed hypotheses.FindingsResults indicate that confirmation positively influences expected benefits (i.e. pervasiveness, socialization, and self-discovery) and satisfaction. Moreover, satisfaction and habit are jointly stimulated by expected benefits and emotional motivations. Outcomes also reveal that satisfaction is a motivator of habit, which in turn surmises evidently to continuance intention.Practical implicationsFindings assist practitioners to develop their business trajectories by improving beneficial services of Zalo and positive emotions. This fulfills user satisfaction and habit, and promotes continuance behavior accordingly.Originality/valueConfirmation and expected benefits are acknowledged as the drivers of satisfaction, but existing literature remains inconclusive about dimensions of expected benefits influencing satisfaction and habit in social media. Furthermore, this study, by an extended ECT, explores emotional motivations for satisfaction and habit. Ultimately, habit is uncovered to foster prolonged usage.

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The professional development needs for the use of educational technology

Interactive Technology and Smart Education ◽

10.1108/itse-10-2018-0089 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (2) ◽

pp. 159-171 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Kam-Cheong Li ◽

Billy Tak-Ming Wong

Keyword(s):

Higher Education ◽

Professional Development ◽

Educational Technology ◽

Hong Kong ◽

Online Survey ◽

Teaching Experience ◽

Current Status ◽

Content Type ◽

Professional Development Needs ◽

Hong Kong Higher Education

Purpose This study aimed to identify the professional development needs of academics in Hong Kong higher education for the use of educational technology. Design/methodology/approach An online survey was conducted in 2017, which involved 374 academics from Hong Kong higher education institutions. The survey covered their perception and use of educational technology for professional activities and their relevant professional development needs. Findings The results showed an overall positive perception by the academics of the usefulness of online learning with the aid of technology, which was regarded as an effective complement to face-to-face learning. However, their use of educational technology focused only on general online applications, such as document and video-sharing tools, and e-learning platforms. Among various professional development needs, those related to the use of specific educational software with sharing of practical examples were considered to be most highly desired by the academics. In addition, the academics working in lecturer positions tended to use more online applications and had a higher need for professional development, than those with more teaching experience. Originality/value The findings contribute to identifying the current status of the use of educational technology and the professional development needs among academics in Hong Kong, as well as the differences between academics in different job positions and with different amounts of teaching experience. The results help in designing suitable professional development activities which address the specific needs of academics.

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Moral motives, police legitimacy and acceptance of force

Policing An International Journal of Police Strategies and Management ◽

10.1108/pijpsm-04-2020-0056 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 43 (5) ◽

pp. 799-815

Author(s):

Jasmine R. Silver

Keyword(s):

Procedural Justice ◽

Online Survey ◽

Public Attitudes ◽

Police Legitimacy ◽

Legitimacy Theory ◽

Content Type ◽

The Public ◽

Perceptions Of Police ◽

Insight Into ◽

Moral Motive

PurposeThis study extends legitimacy theory by examining individualizing and binding moral motives and perceptions of police.Design/methodology/approachData are drawn from an online survey of the public (N = 961). OLS regression is used to predict global perceptions of legitimacy, as well as department legitimacy and acceptance of force in an experimental vignette that manipulates procedural justice.FindingsThe binding moral motive is associated with greater global and department legitimacy and acceptance of force. The individualizing moral motive is associated with reduced global legitimacy and acceptance of force, and with department legitimacy when procedural justice is low. Perceptions of legitimacy mediate the effects of the binding moral motive on acceptance of force and of the individualizing moral motive when procedural justice is low.Research limitations/implicationsThis study identifies novel antecedents of police legitimacy and acceptance of force (i.e. binding and individualizing moral motives).Social implicationsThis study provides insight into public attitudes regarding use of force.Originality/valueThis study is the first to propose and test a link between binding and individualizing moral motives and perceptions of police.

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A varietal-specific approach to investigate wine risk perception in South Africa

International Journal of Wine Business Research ◽

10.1108/ijwbr-06-2018-0023 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 31 (4) ◽

pp. 640-659

Author(s):

Nadia Van der Colff ◽

Chris Pentz ◽

Helene Nieuwoudt

Keyword(s):

Mixed Methods ◽

Risk Perception ◽

South African ◽

Mixed Methods Research ◽

Online Survey ◽

Statistical Significance ◽

Research Approach ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

Content Type ◽

Chenin Blanc

Purpose This study aims to describe South African consumers’ wine risk perception on varietal level with recommendations for Chenin blanc. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory mixed methods approach was followed where qualitative data were used to develop the questionnaire. Quantitative data were collected from 2,051 respondents using an online survey. ANOVA and Fischer least significance difference tests were used to indicate statistical significance. Findings Significant perceived risks (PRs) associated with Chenin blanc across age and ethnic groups were functional, time and financial risks. Risk-reducing strategies (RRS) in the white wine category were favourite brands and a trusted store, while Sauvignon blanc was also described as an RRS. Recommended Chenin blanc RRS include tastings and events with food. Research limitations/implications Measurement of PR remains challenging. This research approach can be reproduced and/or adapted to investigate other struggling varietals and/or regions-of-origin. The convenience sample limits generalisability. Practical implications Segments were identified to develop new markets for Chenin blanc. RRS emphasise the importance of real sensory experience rather than media exposure to build knowledge and familiarity. Originality/value This study is a pioneering endeavour in terms of using an exploratory mixed methods research approach to investigate and describe risk perception of a specific wine varietal. Recommendations, with implications for strategic marketing decisions, are made for South African Chenin blanc.

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The moderating effect of e-bank structure on French consumers’ trust

International Journal of Bank Marketing ◽

10.1108/ijbm-04-2019-0119 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 38 (2) ◽

pp. 501-528 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Souheila Kaabachi ◽

Selima Ben Mrad ◽

Anne Fiedler

Keyword(s):

Structural Equation ◽

Online Survey ◽

Group Analysis ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

Content Type ◽

Online Trust ◽

Bank Structure ◽

Website Features ◽

The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how an e-bank’s structure (click-and-mortar bank vs internet-only bank) influences the consumer’s evaluation of website quality, and to identify the most significant website features that influence online trust and lead to consumer loyalty. Design/methodology/approach A non-probability convenience sample of 476 online bank users (248 click-and-mortar and 230 internet-only bank users) was used in this study. An online survey was conducted. Structural equation modeling and multi-group analysis were used to analyze the data. Findings Findings suggest that e-trust and e-loyalty levels depend on the e-banking structure. Click-and-mortar-based online users were found to have more trust and loyalty in their online banks than internet-only bank users. Findings demonstrate that website features are evaluated differently according to the e-bank structure. Information design and interactivity are very important for internet-only banks, and their effect on online trust seems to be higher. On the other hand, website personalization was evaluated as more important for click-and-mortar banks and had a stronger impact on online trust. Practical implications To promote the trustworthiness of their websites and retain customers, internet-only banks should make the experience more tangible for users by developing a pleasant online experience. Personalization is an important variable that can enhance the consumer’s engagement with the brand. Click-and-mortar banks should enhance their interactivity by providing a continuous and consistent experience across different channels of distribution whether online or in-person and provide more interactive tools on their websites. Originality/value This study contributes significantly to the marketing research literature related to consumer trust as well as to the electronic banking literature. It is the first study to compare customers of click-and-mortar banks with customers of internet-only banks when evaluating website features. It also explores the impact of the e-bank model on the relationship between website features and online trust and customer loyalty.

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