Quantifying self-quantification: A statistical study on individual characteristics and motivations for digital self-tracking in young- and middle-aged adults in Germany

2021 ◽  
pp. 146144482110390
Author(s):  
Charlotte Findeis ◽  
Benedikt Salfeld ◽  
Stella Voigt ◽  
Benigna Gerisch ◽  
Vera King ◽  
...  

This study presents a quantitative account of who uses or stops using digital self-tracking (ST). A representative sample of German adults aged 20–50 years ( N = 1022) completed an online survey on their ST practices, personality traits and attitudes toward numbers, on sociodemographic characteristics, mental disorders (particularly bulimia, burnout syndrome, and depression) and somatic disorders. A descriptive statistical analysis was performed on differences between self-trackers and non-trackers. Among others, they differ regarding age, civil status, social class, presence of mental and/or somatic diagnoses, performance-pressure, and strive for competition. A consequent binary logistic regression analysis suggests perfectionism, a somatic diagnosis within the last 5 years, a diagnosis of bulimia in the past, as well as a present mental diagnosis to be significant predictors for ST, though the predictive value of the factors was relatively low.

2018 ◽  
Vol 120 (3) ◽  
pp. 563-577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna Kowalkowska ◽  
Rui Poínhos ◽  
Sara Rodrigues

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the reliability of a Portuguese version of the cooking skills scale (CSS) and to evaluate the association between cooking skills and socio-demographic, psychological and other cooking-related variables. Design/methodology/approach The study was conducted as an online survey among 730 Portuguese university students. Translation and back-translation of the CSS were performed. Data were assessed in two stages (test and retest) and the psychometric properties of the CSS were analyzed. The effect of socio-demographic variables was assessed by binary logistic regression analysis. The odds ratios for upper tertile of the CSS score were calculated using the lower tertile as reference. Findings Cronbach’s α for the CSS was 0.90. In the analysis of test-retest reliability, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was 0.79 and Cohen’s κ (for tertiles) was 0.49. Cooking skills were higher in respondents cooking more often, feeling more confident, enjoying more and indicating the personal interest as the main motivation to learn how to cook. Cooking skills were significantly better in females, older students and those with more independent place of residence. Originality/value Very good psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the CSS were found among university students, providing a proper and simple tool to measure cooking skills in future studies with similar populations. The interventions encouraging to acquire and improve cooking skills as part of promoting healthy eating should be targeted especially toward men and young adults.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Balsam Qubais ◽  
Iffat Elbarazi ◽  
Mai Barakat

ABSTRACT Background: In response to the global (COVID-19) epidemic, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government is taking precautionary action to mitigate the spread of the virus and protect the safety and well-being of citizens, residents, and visitors. The knowledge and practices of individuals will probably have an important bearing on the course of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and practices toward COVID-19 among the general public in the UAE during the current outbreak COVID-19. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey of 1356 of respondents in the UAE we conducted during the epidemic outbreak between 9th to 24th June-2020. The questionnaire consisted of three sections: Socio-demographic, participants knowledge, and participants practices. Independent- samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), chi-square, and binary logistic regression have used. A p-value of (p < 0.05) was considered statistically significant. Results: Of the total sample, 72% were females, 47% % were aged between 30-49 years, 57.2% were from Sharjah, 65.6% had a college degree, and 40.6% were unemployed. The total correct score of knowledge and practices questions was high 85% and 90%, respectively. Males gender, other marital status, and illiterate/primary educational levels had a lower level of knowledge and practices than others. participants aged 18-29 had little higher knowledge than other ages but had a lower level in practices, people who live in Abu Dhabi had better knowledge and practice than other emirates, employed people had a lower level of knowledge but higher in practice. Binary logistic regression analysis presented that females, 18-29 years, and married participants significantly associated with a higher score of knowledge, while female gender, over 30 years old, the martial status of singles, college-level and higher, unemployed, were significantly associated with high mean practice score. Conclusions: To our knowledge, the current study is one of the first studies to evaluate the knowledge and practices of UAE population toward COVID-19. Most of the respondents demonstrate an excellent level of knowledge and awareness as well as proper conscious practices. Continuing to implement the health education programs pursued by the UAE is highly important to maintain the appropriate level of awareness among the public.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. e0255408
Author(s):  
Balsam Qubais Saeed ◽  
Iffat Elbarazi ◽  
Mai Barakat ◽  
Ahmed Omer Adrees ◽  
Kubais Saeed Fahady

In response to the global COVID-19 epidemic, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) government is taking precautionary action to mitigate the spread of the virus. The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge and practices toward COVID-19 among the general public in the UAE during the current outbreak. A cross-sectional online survey of 1356 respondents in the UAE was conducted during the epidemic outbreak between 9th to 24th June-2020. The questionnaire consisted of three sections: Socio-demographic, knowledge, practices. Independent-samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), chi-square and binary logistic regression was used. A p-value of (p < 0.05) was considered statistically significant. The total correct score of knowledge and practice questions was high 85% and 90%, respectively. Male’s sex, other marital status, and illiterate/primary educational levels had a lower level of knowledge and practices than others. Participants aged 18–29 had little higher knowledge than other ages but had a lower level in practices, people who live in Abu Dhabi had better knowledge and practices than other emirates, employed people had a lower level of knowledge but higher in practices. Binary logistic regression analysis presented that females, 18–29 years, and married participants significantly associated with a higher score of knowledge, while female, over 30 years old, the martial status of singles, college-level and higher, unemployed, were significantly associated with high mean practices score. This study provided a full screening of the knowledge and practices among a sample of residents in The UAE toward COVID-19, continuing to implement the health education programs pursued by the UAE is highly important to maintain the appropriate level of awareness among the public.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Julian Wangler ◽  
Michael Jansky

Abstract Background Family caregivers are often the first line of support for people requiring care; although they may personally stand to benefit, these activities substantially increase the risk of physical and emotional stress. General practitioners (GPs) may provide important support and stabilisation, but need to adjust to the needs and expectations of this group in order to do so. The aim of the study was to compare the needs of family caregivers from GPs to the support they actually experience. Additional aims included determining the main factors affecting satisfaction amongst family caregivers with support from GPs. The results were used to develop possible approaches towards optimisation within the purview of general medical practice. Methods Between January and July 2020, 612 people supporting or caring for a family member responded to an online survey posted in seventeen internet forums focused on family caregivers. In addition to the descriptive analysis, a t-test with independent samples was used to identify significant differences between two groups. We also used binary logistic regression analysis to identify indications of potentially influential factors regarding the experienced support from GPs. Results Around three out of every four respondents (72%) consulted GPs in care matters. The respondents gave positive responses on their GP’s knowledge of the care situation (71%), approachability in various issues connecting with care and service towards the caregiver (82%). GPs’ efforts in meeting the needs and requirements of the care recipient were also rated positively (82%). Weaknesses in support from GPs mainly involved the lack of information on advice and assistance services (55%) as well as frequently not identifying or involving caregivers as such soon enough (42%). Results from regression analysis show that the last two aspects play a major role in subjective satisfaction amongst family caregivers with support from GPs. Conclusions We recommend that GPs undergo further training to reinforce awareness that the care triad of needs, requirements and stresses amongst family caregivers also plays a vital role in care outcomes. With this in mind, general practice staff should adopt a pre-emptive strategy towards approaching family members about potential issues and informing them about existing assistance and support services.


2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 188
Author(s):  
Syarifudin Yahya ◽  
Prof. Catur Sugiyanto, M.A. Ph.D

Introduction/Main Objectives: This study aims to analyze the factors that influence online shopping. Data are aggregated at the national, island, and regional levels. The regions are categorized based on their level of demand for online shopping. Background Problems: The rapid development of information and communications technology contributes to the transformation of the digital economy. By using 281,185 internet users from the National Households Survey (Survei Sosial Ekonomi-Susenas) 2017 data, we found that the percentage of online shopping in Indonesia is 7.59%. Online shopping is concentrated on the island of Java, especially in the Greater Jakarta area (Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang, and Bekasi). Novelty: This study analyzes online shopping from the point of view of economic development studies, especially related to the development of information technology and the digital economy. Research Methods: We used a binary logistic regression analysis to assess the effect of demographic, socio-economic, and spatial factors on an individual’s decision to shop online. Finding/Results: The results indicate that individuals who have a greater tendency to shop online are those who have a high income, are women, can access the internet using mobile phones, they are the spouses of the heads of households, are 25 to30 years old, live in urban areas, have graduated from college (especially with a diploma), and work in the tertiary sector. The higher that the share of online shopping is in an area, the more intense the influence of individual characteristics will be on the tendency to shop online, according to the demographic and socio-economic factors, while the spatial factors will fade away. Conclusion: Income, gender, internet access, and the shopper’s position in the household are factors that significantly influence individuals to shop online.


Author(s):  
Ana Cristina Escudero-Escudero ◽  
Antonio Segura-Fragoso ◽  
Pablo A. Cantero-Garlito

The objective of this study was to assess the potential levels of burnout syndrome in occupational therapists in Spain, as well as the risk factors involved in its prevalence. The data were obtained through an online survey. The tool utilised for this purpose was the Maslach Burnout Inventory General Survey (MBI-GS) that takes into consideration the following dimensions: emotional fatigue, depersonalisation and reduction of personal satisfaction. A sociodemographic questionnaire was also utilised. The sample of the study included 758 occupational therapists, 90.8% of whom were women and 9.2% of whom were men. For identifying the variables associated to the presence of burnout, the prevalence was compared through the chi-squared test, and the odds ratios by age were calculated through the binary logistic regression model. We found that 69.4% of the occupational therapists presented burnout syndrome and especially emotional fatigue (63.5%). Likewise, relevant and significant differences in the prevalence of burnout syndrome were observed depending on the age, marital status, number of children, work field and type of workday. We can conclude that burnout syndrome poses a clear risk for the health of occupational therapists that could have direct consequences on the work environment, affecting the way the interventions are performed with patients. This study could help to raise awareness on this reality and the factors implied. We suggest the implementation of measures (individual, labour and political) both for the prevention of burnout in occupational therapists as well as for reducing the levels of those who suffer from it.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (18) ◽  
pp. 4935 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aurelian-Petruș Plopeanu ◽  
Daniel Homocianu ◽  
Nelu Florea ◽  
Ovidiu-Aurel Ghiuță ◽  
Dinu Airinei

Based on a survey among students in economics at universities from the Romanian region of Moldova (RoMold) and Republic of Moldova (ReMold), this study explores the influence of familial, background, and individual characteristics on the migration intentions abroad. Both regional models built after using data mining tools and binary logistic regression analysis show a powerful emphasis on our own value recognition, while the other influences indicate clear asymmetric patterns in terms of migration intentions. For RoMold, there is a low level of interpersonal trust, a strong accent on individual liberty and favoritism, a low respect for traditions, and the belief that Orthodoxy could be a migration cause. The paternal occupation and the maternal religiosity matter for their migration plans. For ReMold, the parental migration experience, a low level of parents’ education attainment, and a powerful internal locus of control are considered the main triggers for migrating abroad. For both particular regions, a highly interactive distribution map and two corresponding risk-prediction nomograms provide basic support for replication, fast visual insight, and consistent support for interpretations directly in probabilistic terms. We intend to apply an inductive approach in order to extend the analysis to different types of respondents and geographic areas.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Feng Xu ◽  
Bao-Qiang Chong ◽  
Tong Cai ◽  
Jin-Ling Zhang ◽  
Jing Lv

Abstract Objective: The current study aimed to evaluate the association of major dietary patterns with anxiety in middle-aged adults in eastern China. Design: Dietary intake was assessed using a semi-quantitative FFQ. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to estimate OR and 95 % CI for anxiety according to quartiles of each dietary pattern score. Setting: Evidence regarding the relationship between dietary patterns and anxiety in the Chinese population is scarce. Participants: The study participants were 1360 Chinese adults aged 45–59 years, who participated in a health survey at the time of periodic check-up in the city of Linyi, Shandong Province, China. Results: Four major dietary patterns were identified by factor analysis: traditional Chinese, western, grains–vegetables and high-salt diets. After adjusting for potential confounders, participants in the highest quartile of the western pattern had greater odds for anxiety, compared with those in the lowest quartile (OR 1·35, 95 % CI 1·000, 3·086, P < 0·05). In contrast, participants in the highest quartile of the grains–vegetables pattern had lower odds for anxiety than did those in the lowest quartile (OR 0·78, 95 % CI 0·574, 1·000, P < 0·05). Moreover, no significant associations were observed between the traditional Chinese and high-salt patterns and the risk of anxiety. Conclusions: Our findings indicate that the western pattern is associated with an increased risk, and the grains–vegetables pattern is associated with a decreased risk of anxiety.


Author(s):  
Gary L Long ◽  
Carol Marchetti ◽  
Richard Fasse

This paper reports the findings of three studies within a program of research designed to better understand the factors contributing to the academic achievement of students in online courses and the contributions of interaction to online learning. The first study compared the academic achievement of students in the online and face-to-face (F2F) sections of multiple courses. In the second study, an online survey was used to obtain student perceptions of course satisfaction, learning, and communication. These factors were then related, using binary logistic regression analysis, to the amount of interaction that occurred in the students’ respective online courses; information from the myCourses course management system was used to quantify the amount of interaction that occurred in online courses. In the final study, both datasets were used to examine the academic achievement of students in online courses based upon the amount of interaction that had actually occurred. Whenever possible, a subgroup of deaf and hard-of-hearing students was included in the study to increase our understanding of the role that communication plays in the teaching-learning process. Our findings indicate that students enrolled in online courses, especially those designed with high levels of online interaction, receive higher grades and report greater learning than students in comparable F2F courses. In addition, online courses appear to provide deaf and hard-of-hearing students with special benefits in terms of academic achievement through online discussion. Overall, the studies illuminate how the quantity of interaction in online discussions relates to important success factors. Students in online courses with more interaction outperformed students in online courses with less interaction.<br /><br /><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden" /><input id="jsProxy" onclick="if(typeof(jsCall)=='function'){jsCall();}else{setTimeout('jsCall()',500);}" type="hidden" /><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden" /><input id="jsProxy" onclick="if(typeof(jsCall)=='function'){jsCall();}else{setTimeout('jsCall()',500);}" type="hidden" /><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden" /><input id="jsProxy" onclick="if(typeof(jsCall)=='function'){jsCall();}else{setTimeout('jsCall()',500);}" type="hidden" /><input id="gwProxy" type="hidden" /><input id="jsProxy" onclick="if(typeof(jsCall)=='function'){jsCall();}else{setTimeout('jsCall()',500);}" type="hidden" />


Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 3525
Author(s):  
Serena Marchitelli ◽  
Cristina Mazza ◽  
Andrea Lenzi ◽  
Eleonora Ricci ◽  
Lucio Gnessi ◽  
...  

The present study aimed at identifying psychological and psychosocial variables that might predict weight gain during the COVID-19 lockdown in patients affected by overweight/obesity with and without a psychiatric diagnosis. An online survey was administered between 25 April and 10 May 2020, to investigate participants’ changes in dietary habits during the lockdown period. 110 participants were recruited and allocated to two groups, 63 patients had no psychiatric diagnosis; there were 47 patients with psychiatric diagnosis. ANOVA analyses compared the groups with respect to psychological distress levels, risk perception, social support, emotion regulation, and eating behaviors. For each group, a binary logistic regression analysis was conducted, including the factors that were found to significantly differ between groups. Weight gain during lockdown was reported by 31 of the participants affected by overweight/obesity without a psychiatric diagnosis and by 31 patients with a psychiatric diagnosis. Weight gain predictors were stress and low depression for patients without a psychiatric diagnosis and binge eating behaviors for patients with a psychiatric diagnosis. Of patients without a psychiatric diagnosis, 60% reported much more frequent night eating episodes. The risk of night eating syndrome in persons affected by overweight/obesity with no psychiatric diagnosis should be further investigated to inform the development of tailored medical, psychological, and psychosocial interventions.


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