Collective appropriation and cooperative uses of mobile telephony among Burmese fishers

Early research on mobile phone adoption among fishers followed an economistic perspective, focusing mainly on access to market price information. Researchers called for investigations into collective and cooperative uses of the technology. Responding to these calls, we explored Burmese fishers’ use of mobile phones in the realms of social life and business, mainly related to information seeking and sharing among the community. Interviews with 23 fishers in three regions in Myanmar suggested that both social and commercial, as well as individual- and community-oriented, uses were prevalent. Mobile phones helped channel information on price and market demand among a limited number of fishers, especially the boat owners and fish dealers. The other segments in the fishing labor hierarchy desisted from individual ownership of the phone, while opting for a more community-based appropriation. A nuanced picture of use and non-use of mobiles emerged alongside fishers’ socio-economic status and patterns of fishing.

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Mobile Phone as a Communication Device for Seeking Agricultural Information by the Rural Farm Women in Bangladesh

Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension Economics & Sociology ◽

10.9734/ajaees/2021/v39i330553 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 114-134

Author(s):

Md. Sadekur Rahman ◽

Md. Enamul Haque ◽

Md. Safiul Islam Afrad ◽

Shaikh Shamim Hasan ◽

Md. Abiar Rahman

Keyword(s):

Mobile Phone ◽

Mobile Phones ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Information Seeking ◽

Market Price ◽

Mobile Network ◽

Sampling Technique ◽

Weather Forecast ◽

Farm Women ◽

Contributing Factors

Mobile phone helps in communication and thus, lead to accessing information is gaining popularity in Bangladesh along with many developing countries.In the remote rural areas where mobile network is not up to the expectation yet and scarcity of information is a stark, rural farm women entrepreneur trying to seek information through mobile phone. The focus of the study was to determine the extent and types of information seeking through mobile phones by the rural farm women and explore the contribution of selected characteristics of the rural farm women on the extent of information seeking through mobile phones. The study was conducted in two geographic locations, in the Northern part of Bangladesh Doholpara, and Dakkhinkharibari village under DimlaUpazila, and in the Southern part Borokupot village of ShyamnagarUpazila. A multi-stage sampling technique was followed in conducting the study. The present study was conducted on 150 sampled rural farm women which comprised of 50 from each farm enterprise's crop, fisheries, and livestock. Data were collected by a pre-tested interview schedule that was prepared with simple and direct questions with different appropriate scales from September to December 2020. Along with descriptive statistics, correlation and multiple regression analysis were also performed. The major findings revealed that the majority of the rural farm women of each three farm enterprises (crop, fisheries, and livestock) in the study area were found in a category of those who seek agricultural information through mobile phone at a medium to a higher level. Findings also revealed that in all three agricultural farm enterprises, rural farm women mostly seek market information i.e. calling market centers, traders, and dealers for checking market price followed by collecting weather forecast and contact with experts during an emergency like information regarding diseases of fish, selection fish fries and contact with the veterinary surgeon or quack doctor regarding domestics animal. Among profile characteristics, family size, experience in managing the farm, attitude towards the mobile phone, and organizational participation were identified as the important contributing factors of the rural farm women in seeking information through mobile phone.

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And yet Again: Having Breakfast Is Positively Associated with Lower BMI and Healthier General Eating Behavior in Schoolchildren

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13041351 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 1351

Author(s):

Peggy Ober ◽

Carolin Sobek ◽

Nancy Stein ◽

Ulrike Spielau ◽

Sarah Abel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Weight Status ◽

Economic Status ◽

School Setting ◽

School Type ◽

Community Based Interventions ◽

Community Based ◽

Nutritional Behavior ◽

Related Information ◽

Starting Point ◽

National Programs

Given the high prevalence of childhood overweight, school-based programs aiming at nutritional behavior may be a good starting point for community-based interventions. Therefore, we investigated associations between school-related meal patterns and weight status in 1215 schoolchildren. Anthropometry was performed on-site in schools. Children reported their meal habits, and parents provided family-related information via questionnaires. Associations between nutritional behavior and weight status were estimated using hierarchical linear and logistic regression. Analyses were adjusted for age, socio–economic status, school type, migration background, and parental weight status. Having breakfast was associated with a lower BMI-SDS (βadj = −0.51, p = 0.004) and a lower risk of being overweight (ORadj = 0.30, p = 0.009), while having two breakfasts resulting in stronger associations (BMI-SDS: βadj = −0.66, p < 0.001; risk of overweight: ORadj = 0.22, p = 0.001). Likewise, children who regularly skipped breakfast on school days showed stronger associations (BMI-SDS: β = 0.49, p < 0.001; risk of overweight: OR = 3.29, p < 0.001) than children who skipped breakfast only occasionally (BMI-SDS: β = 0.43, p < 0.001; risk of overweight: OR = 2.72, p = 0.032). The associations persisted after controlling for parental SES and weight status. Therefore, our data confirm the school setting as a suitable starting point for community-based interventions and may underline the necessity of national programs providing free breakfast and lunch to children.

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Change in the social life of urban public spaces: The rise of mobile phones and women, and the decline of aloneness over 30 years

Urban Studies ◽

10.1177/0042098014534905 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 52 (8) ◽

pp. 1489-1504 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

Keith N Hampton ◽

Lauren Sessions Goulet ◽

Garrett Albanesius

Keyword(s):

Mobile Phones ◽

Social Life ◽

Public Spaces ◽

The Social

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Sustainable Model of Organic Agriculture: A Case study of Nepalese Farmers

Journal of Advanced Academic Research ◽

10.3126/jaar.v3i1.16624 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 142-163 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Raj Kumar Banjara ◽

Meena Poudel

Keyword(s):

Organic Agriculture ◽

Social Life ◽

Economic Status ◽

Farming System ◽

Infrastructure Development ◽

Family Farming ◽

Modern Agriculture ◽

The Social ◽

Changing Trend

Epistemology of organic agriculture is logically and practically associated with the conventional farming practices. Organic agriculture can contribute in the social life of people by improving health and ecology. It is even more important for the preservation of natural resources. In relation to the importance of organic agriculture, the main objective of this study was to develop the sustainable model of organic agriculture. The study was based on the inductive approach; qualitative design. Study was conducted in 4 districts of Nepal among the 614 respondents. The result found that there was significant contribution made by the organic agriculture to improve the socio-economic status of farmers as well as to care the relationship between the human being and their environment. Family farming system is the fundamental base for changing trend of agriculture in worldwide practices. There is need to protect and enhance family farming through farmers’ cooperative for the sustainability of organic agriculture. The study developed the sustainable model covering the need of infrastructure development, policy improvement, and motivational factors for farmers and changing process of modern agriculture to organic agriculture. The roles of government, non-government, private sectors, individual farmers and consumers are equally important for the sustainability of organic agriculture. The model focuses on the collective effort of all responsible stakeholders. There is need to test the effectiveness of this model.

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Cognitive output of a neuropsychological stimulation program in an elderly day care center with low educated participants: An observational study

Dementia & Neuropsychologia ◽

10.1590/s1980-57642014dn82000012 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 8 (2) ◽

pp. 162-168

Author(s):

Maria Vânia Silva Nunes ◽

Ana Almeida Pinho ◽

Helena Mauricio Campos ◽

Paula Abreu ◽

Isabel Pinto Gonçalves ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Observational Study ◽

Day Care ◽

Economic Status ◽

Care Center ◽

Cognitive Stimulation ◽

Community Based ◽

Day Care Center ◽

Social Economic Status ◽

Before And After ◽

Low Educated

ABSTRACT Objective: In the present paper we present an observational study of the implementation of a Neuropsychological Stimulation Program at an Elderly Day Care Center in low-educated participants with very similar backgrounds concerning social economic status. Methods: The implemented program tackled several dimensions, including daily orientation sessions, cognitive stimulation sessions twice a week, followed by movement sessions, and structured sessions conducted every two weeks. Cognitive Evaluation was performed before and after implementation of the program. Results: Results are discussed taking into consideration cognitive outputs as well as non-cognitive outputs and the specificities of community-based intervention. Conclusion: It was concluded that community-based intervention is set to become vital in promoting dementia prevention.

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Fundamental determinants and consequences of consumerism in the contemporary capitalist society

RUDN Journal of Sociology ◽

10.22363/2313-2272-2020-20-4-778-789 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (4) ◽

pp. 778-789

Author(s):

N. V. Goncharov

Keyword(s):

Social Life ◽

Economic Status ◽

Personal Communication ◽

Essential Elements ◽

Social Trends ◽

Goods And Services ◽

Social Economic Status ◽

The Status ◽

Consumer Values ◽

Market Relations

Abstact. The article considers consumerism as embracing virtually all areas of social life and creating persistent structural algorithms of consumption, which are efficiently integrated by the market into contemporary societal systems. By exploiting and distorting the true humanistic principles, commercialization of social structure, which is determined by the market relations liberalization, raises capitalist values to the highest rank of the axiological hierarchy and contributes to strengthening of social and individual consumerism. The article emphasizes significance and consequences of the commodity worlds dazzle, because dominant consumer values acquired the status of global social trends that determine the structural-essential elements of socialization. Contemporary advertising technologies based on behavioral concepts expand limits of consuming goods and services and successfully form customer needs by verbal and non-verbal semantic speculations that support the desire to consume. The author emphasizes that today the commodity consumption is not just purchase and use of goods but rather a commercial ritual designed by marketers to make people follow certain consumer standards regardless of their social-economic status. The consequences of the internalized consumerism are obvious: first, consumerism contributes to the transformation of personal communication by making goods and services mediators of relationships; second, the permanent development of consumer values contributes to axiological transformations, especially to commodification of the moral component of social reality.

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Relationships Between the Usage of Televisions, Computers, and Mobile Phones and the Quality of Sleep in a Chinese Population: Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.18095 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Yao Jie Xie ◽

Daphne SK Cheung ◽

Alice Y Loke ◽

Bernice L Nogueira ◽

Karry M Liu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sleep Quality ◽

Mobile Phone ◽

Mobile Phones ◽

Chinese Population ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Computer Usage ◽

Tv Viewing ◽

Community Based ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Mobile Phone Usage

BACKGROUND No study has comprehensively investigated the association between the usage of typical screen-based electronic media devices and sleep quality in a Chinese population with individuals in a wide range of ages. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to understand the characteristics of television (TV) viewing, computer usage, and mobile phone usage in a representative Chinese population in Macau and to examine their roles in predicting the variations in sleep quality. METHODS This cross-sectional study was an analysis of 1500 Macau residents aged 15 to 90 years based on a community-based health needs assessment study entitled, “Healthy Living, Longer Lives.” Data collection was conducted in 7 districts of Macau from 2017 to 2018 through face-to-face interviews. The durations of daily TV viewing, computer usage, and mobile phone usage were recorded in a self-administered questionnaire. The Chinese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to assess the sleep quality. RESULTS The prevalence of TV, computer, and mobile phone usage was 78.4% (1176/1500), 51.6% (769/1490), and 85.5% (1276/1492), respectively. The average daily hours of usage were 1.75 (1.62), 1.53 (2.26), and 2.85 (2.47) hours, respectively. Females spent more time watching TV (P=.03) and using mobile phones (P=.02) and less time on the computer (P=.04) as compared to males. Older adults were more likely to watch TV while young people spent more time using the computer and mobile phones (P for all trends<.001). The mean PSQI global score was 4.79 (2.80) among the participants. Females exhibited significantly higher PSQI scores than males (5.04 vs 4.49, respectively; P<.001). No linear association was observed between the PSQI score and the amount of time spent on the 3 electronic devices (P=.58 for PSQI-TV, P=.05 for PSQI-computer, and P=.52 for PSQI-mobile phone). Curve estimation showed significant quadratic curvilinear associations in PSQI-TV (P=.003) and PSQI-computer (P<.001) among all the participants and in PSQI-mobile phone among youths (age, 15-24 years; P=.04). After adjustment of the gender, age, body mass index, demographics, and lifestyle factors, more than 3 hours of TV viewing and 4 hours of computer usage or mobile phone usage was associated with 85% (95% CI 1.04-1.87; P=.008), 72% (95% CI 1.01-2.92; P=.045), and 53% (95% CI 1.06-2.22; P=.03) greater odds of having poor sleep quality (PSQI score>5), respectively. CONCLUSIONS The mobile phone was the most popular screen-based electronic device used in the Macau population, especially among young people. “J” shape associations were observed between sleep quality and the duration of TV viewing, computer usage, and mobile phone usage, indicating that the extreme use of screen-based electronic devices predicted poorer sleep status, whereas moderate use would be acceptable.

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Leisure Activities of Healthy Children and Adolescents

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16122078 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (12) ◽

pp. 2078 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Lea Auhuber ◽

Mandy Vogel ◽

Nico Grafe ◽

Wieland Kiess ◽

Tanja Poulain

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Social Life ◽

Economic Status ◽

Leisure Activities ◽

Age Groups ◽

Healthy Children ◽

Older Children ◽

Physically Active ◽

Mobile Phone Use ◽

Study Participants

The objective of the present study was to give a detailed overview on the leisure behavior of adolescents (frequency, differences between gender, age groups and social class, time trends, and inter-relations). In total, 1449 10- to 18-year-old German adolescents were included in the study. Participants answered questionnaires about their media use, physical activity, outdoor time, engagement in choir/orchestra and theater/dancing, social life and socio-economic status (SES). The results revealed that girls, children with lower SES as well as older children reported to use screen-based media more often and that girls, older children and children with lower SES were less physically active. In addition, boys and children with lower SES engaged less frequently in choir/orchestra and theater/dancing, while children with higher SES met their friends more often. The time trend analysis showed that mobile phone use increased drastically from 2011 to 2017, while engagement in choir/orchestra and theater/dancing decreased. Regarding the inter-relation between leisure activities, high screen times were significantly associated with less physical activity and less outdoor time. Physical activity, in contrast, was significantly related to better social life and more outdoor time. These findings highlight the growing importance of electronic media in adolescents’ lives and their tendency to displace other leisure activities.

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Dynamic Pricing Based on Net Cost for Mobile Content Services

Encyclopedia of Mobile Computing and Commerce ◽

10.4018/978-1-59904-002-8.ch038 ◽

2007 ◽

pp. 220-226

Author(s):

N. Srikhutkhao

Keyword(s):

Mobile Phone ◽

Mobile Phones ◽

Dynamic Pricing ◽

Market Price ◽

Actual Cost ◽

Pricing Model ◽

Market Growth ◽

The Past ◽

Fixed Price ◽

And Performance

In the past few years, the mobile phone’s performance has increased rapidly. According to IDC’s Worldwide Mobile Phone 2004-2008 Forecast and Analysis, sales of 2.5G mobile phones will drive market growth for the next several years, with sales of 3G mobile phones finally surpassing the 100 million annual unit mark in 2007. Future mobile phones can support more than 20,000 colors. With the advancements in functionality and performance of mobile phones, users will use them for all sorts of activities, and that will increase mobile content service requests. Currently, the pricing of mobile content service is up to each provider; typically they implement a fixed price called a market price because the providers do not have a formula to estimate the price according to the actual cost of their services. This article proposes a dynamic pricing model based on net cost for mobile content services.

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Why do participants drop-out: findings from a prospective pediatric cohort for fever surveillance established at Vellore, southern India

BMC Medical Research Methodology ◽

10.1186/s12874-019-0881-y ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Kulandaipalayam Natarajan Sindhu ◽

Manikandan Srinivasan ◽

Sathyapriya Subramaniam ◽

Anita Shirley David ◽

Venkata Raghava Mohan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cohort Studies ◽

Large Scale ◽

Economic Status ◽

Field Research ◽

Drop Out ◽

Background Characteristics ◽

Group Discussions ◽

Community Based ◽

Drop Out Rate ◽

Drop Outs

Abstract Background Cohort studies are pivotal in understanding the natural history, and to thereby determine the incidence of a disease. The conduct of large-scale community-based cohort studies is challenging with reference to money, manpower and time. Further, attrition inherent to cohort studies can affect the power, and thereby the study’s validity. Our objective was to estimate the percentage of participant withdrawal and to subsequently understand reasons for the same in the Vellore Typhoid Surveillance (VTS) cohort. Methods VTS study, a prospective community-based pediatric cohort, was established in a semi-urban settlement of Vellore to estimate the incidence rate of typhoid fever. An active weekly surveillance identified children with fever, and blood cultures were performed for fevers of ≥3 days. Reasons for participant drop-out in the cohort were documented. Nine focus group discussions (FGD), each with 5 to 7 parents/primary caregivers of former as well current participants were conducted separately, to understand reasons for consent withdrawal as well as the good aspects of the study that the current participants perceived. A descriptive, as well as an interpretative account of the themes that emerged from the FGDs were done. Results Of the 5639 children in the VTS cohort, 404 (7.2%) withdrew consent during the 12-month surveillance. Of these, 50% dropped out due to migration from study area; 18.1% as their parents were unhappy with the blood draws for blood culture; and 14.4% did not clearly put forth the reason for consent withdrawal. Being from an orthodox background, high socio-economic status and joint family were associated with a decision to drop-out. Frequent and voluminous blood draws, male field research assistants (FRA) making weekly home-visits, the perception that inquiring about fever made their child fall sick, and that the study clinic did not initiate antibiotics immediately, were the important themes that emerged from the FGDs conducted among drop-outs. Conclusion Our study showed that specific beliefs and behaviours within the community influenced the drop-out rate of the VTS cohort. Background characteristics and perceptions that exist, along with attrition data from previous cohort studies in the specific community are important to be considered while implementing large-scale cohort studies.

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