scholarly journals Measuring the conservation attitudes of local communities towards the African elephant Loxodonta africana, a flagship species in the Mara ecosystem

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. e0253234
Author(s):  
Nyumba Tobias Ochieng ◽  
Kimongo Nankini Elizabeth ◽  
Leader-Williams Nigel

Gaining insights into local people’s views, values and preferences for different conservation management options are increasingly gaining importance among conservationists and decision-makers. This can be achieved through the assessment and understanding of conservation attitudes and perceptions of rural communities including demographic characteristics predicting the attitudes to design and implement conservation policies in a more socially acceptable manner. In this study, we developed and validated user-friendly indices to measure attitudes towards the African elephant, a flagship species and its conservation in Trans Mara District. An iterative item reliability analysis was executed on household data from a random sample of 367 respondents using Cronbach’s Alpha in SPSS. Results yielded two indices; (i) Elephant Attitude Index (EAI); and (ii) Maasai Mara National Reserve Attitude Index (MAI). The EAI had a Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient of 0.73 while the MAI had a Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient of 0.77. Data analysis revealed that (i) location of residence; (ii) age of respondent; (iii) number of income sources; (iv) gender of the respondent; and (v) benefit reception were the main determinants of EAI and MAI in TM. Our attitude indices can assist conservation practitioners and decision-makers to prioritise resources, on the assumption that high-scoring individuals are more likely to participate in conservation initiatives. We encourage making available different sources of income for residents and working towards improving the involvement of younger people and women in conservation activities in TM.

Salmand ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 350-365
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Jokar ◽  
◽  
Abdol Rahim Asadollahi ◽  
ohammad Hossein Kaveh ◽  
Leila Ghahramani ◽  
...  

Objectives: The increasing trend in aging population raises the need to pay attention to the daily activities of the elderly and their social support as an effective factor in promoting their health. This study aims to investigate the correlation of perceived social support and demographic variables with the Activities of Daily Living (ADL) in older adults living in rural communities in Iran. Methods & Materials: This is a descriptive-analytical study with cross-sectional design conducted on 430 elderly people aged ≥60 years living in a rural community in Iran (Bayza county located 45 km away from Shiraz city) who were selected using a convenience sampling method. Procidano & Heller’s Perceived Social Support - Family Scale (PSS-Fa) and the ADL scale for the elderly were used for data collection. The ADL questionnaire’s internal consistency by calculating Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was obtained 0.96. The PSS-Fa with a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient ranging from 0.88 to 0.91 has acceptable internal consistency. The reliability of its Persian version using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was obtained 87%. Data were analyzed in SPSS V. 25 software using multivariate ANOVA and regression analysis. Results: The mean±SD age of the participants was 69.67±7.067 years. The mean score of PSS-Fa and the ADL scale was reported 16.55± 5.16 and 55.10±3.07, respectively. Perceived social support, education and age had significant effect correlation with the ability to perform ADL in the elderly (P<0.001), while marital status and gender showed no significant correlation (P>0.05). The age factor was inversely correlated with the ability to perform ADL; hence, the independence of older adults decreases with the increase of age. Conclusion: Many demographic variables and social support affect the ability to perform ADL in the elderly. Social support can be used as a social investment to improve the quality of life of the elderly. Therefore, considering that one of the duties of health care providers is to improve the health status of the elderly, it is necessary for health care providers to increase social support and maintain and promote a healthy and active life for them through educational programs and periodic physical examinations.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 2081
Author(s):  
Edyta Kinel ◽  
Krzysztof Korbel ◽  
Piotr Janusz ◽  
Mateusz Kozinoga ◽  
Dariusz Czaprowski ◽  
...  

The study aimed to carry on the process of the cultural adaptation of the Italian Spine Youth Quality of Life Questionnaire (ISYQOL) into Polish (ISYQOL-PL). The a priori hypothesis was: the ISYQOL-PL questionnaire is reliable and appropriate for adolescents with a spinal deformity. Fifty-six adolescents (mean age 13.8 ± 1.9) with idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) with a mean Cobb angle 29.1 (±9.7) and two with Scheuermann juvenile kyphosis (SJK) with a kyphosis angle 67.5 (±17.7) degrees were enrolled. All patients had been wearing a corrective TLSO brace for an average duration of 2.3 (±1.8) years. The Institutional Review Board approved the study. The cross-cultural adaptation of the ISYQOL-PL was performed following the guidelines set up by the International Quality of Life Assessment Project. The reliability was assessed using internal consistency (the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient) and test–retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient ICC2.1, CI = 95%); moreover, floor and ceiling effects were calculated. The internal consistency was satisfactory (Cronbach’s alpha coefficient 0.8). The test–retest revealed high reliability with the value of ICC2.1 for the entire group 0.90, CI (0.84 to 0.94). There was neither floor nor ceiling effect for the ISYQOL-PL overall score. The ISYQOL-PL is reliable and can be used in adolescents with spinal deformity.


Author(s):  
Lourrany Borges Costa ◽  
Shamyr Sulyvan de Castro ◽  
Diovana Ximenes Cavalcante Dourado ◽  
Bruna Soares Praxedes ◽  
Thayná Custódio Mota ◽  
...  

Abstract: Introduction: Clinical teaching is based on a real work environment, in professional practice settings, such as health services and units, under the supervision of the preceptor. Providing medical teachers with an assessment of their teaching skills is a powerful tool for improving clinical learning for students in training. In this context, the EFFECT (Evaluation and Feedback for Effective Clinical Teaching) questionnaire was developed by Dutch researchers in 2012 for teacher evaluation, being validated based on the literature about medical teaching in the workplace and incorporates the skills of the Canadian competency-based medical curriculum. Objective: To translate and cross-culturally adapt into Brazilian Portuguese and to validate the EFFECT questionnaire for teacher evaluation by Medical students. Method: Cross-cultural adaptation with the following steps: initial translation of the English version, synthesis of translated versions, back-translation, creation of a consensual version in Brazilian Portuguese, with adaptation, review, and analysis of content validity by an expert committee, pre-test with retrospective clarification interview, and reliability analysis by factorial analysis and internal consistency test (Cronbach’s alpha coefficient). Result: In the translation and back-translation stages, the disagreements were related to the use of synonyms and none of the items were modified in terms of their understanding, but in terms of adaptation into the Brazilian context. The evaluation of the expert committee showed the versions maintained the semantic and idiomatic equivalences of the content. Eighty-nine students participated in the pre-test. The internal consistency of the EFFECT questionnaire in Brazilian Portuguese was excellent for all domains, with Cronbach’s alpha coefficient ranging from 0.82 to 0.94. Conclusion: The translated and adapted version of the EFFECT questionnaire into Brazilian Portuguese is equivalent to the original instrument and has evidence of high validity and reliability, being able to constitute a national tool to evaluate the efficiency of clinical medicine teaching.


2021 ◽  
pp. 144-169
Author(s):  
Anatoly N. Krichevets ◽  
Alexey A. Korneev ◽  
K.V. Sugonyaev

Relevance. Nowadays the researchers commonly use a limited set of standard procedures and statistical coefficients when develop psychometric instruments and investigate their structure. The routine using of such procedures without taking into account the specific features of the psychometric scales can lead to incomplete or even inadequate results. In this context detailed consideration of the structure of psychometric instruments seems to be important and it may demand various non-standard ways of statistical analysis. Objectives. To conduct detailed analysis of the results of two intelligent subtests at the item level and to assess the sufficiency and adequacy of using standard methods for estimation of reliability and structural validity for these subtests. Methods. We analyze the data collected in intelligence testing of a large sample of respondents (11335 young adults). The respondents passed the KR-3 battery. In this study we examine in detail the structure of the subtests “Syllogisms” and “Analogies”. Specifically, we estimated the reliability of the scales by the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, and the structure at the item level using the confirmatory factor analysis. Results and conclusions. Estimation of the reliability of the scales by Cronbach’s alpha coefficient showed importance of taking into account the time limitation, which is commonly used in intelligence tests. On the other hand, a detailed analysis of each subtest items made it possible to find out an additional factor which was not originally proposed in the factor structure. This is factor of higher-order abilities of abstract analysis, whilst the subtest originally aimed at estimation of the special abilities. Confirmatory factor analysis showed improvement of fit when this factor was added. The results allow to conclude that the researcher may miss the important properties of scales if not making a detailed analysis of testing procedures and the structure of subtest at the item level, and so may draw incomplete or inadequate conclusions about their psychometric properties


2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 28-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danuta Dyk ◽  
Dorota Ozga ◽  
Aleksandra Gutysz-Wojnicka ◽  
Bogumił Lewandowski ◽  
Marek Wojtaszek

Abstract Introduction. The paper presents the adaptation of the Iowa Satisfaction with Anesthesia Scale to the conditions in Polish hospitals.Methods. The process of cultural adaptation of the Iowa Satisfaction with Anesthesia Scale was divided into three stages. The first stage was to formulate the Polish version of the ISAS. Secondly, the scale was used in the group of patients who were diagnosed with a maxillofacial injury and underwent surgical procedure. The final stage evaluated the psychometric features of the Polish version of the ISAS.Results. 195 questionnaires were completed correctly and they were subject to further analysis. The questionnaires were collected from patients residing at the Maxillofacial Surgery Clinical Ward who were operated under a general anaesthesia due to a maxillofacial trauma. The average result of the satisfaction with anaesthesia in a studied group was 0.77 (scale from -3 to +3) M=2, SD=2.41. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient calculated for 11 multiple choice questions was 0.598. It would be possible to increase the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient if question no. 1 (I vomited or felt nauseous) was eliminated from the test (maximum 0.601). Every item on the scale had significant influence on the general result (p=0.0001).Conclusions. Polish version of the Iowa Satisfaction with Anesthesia Scale meets the criteria of the psychometric equivalence with the original version. It is necessary to continue research using Polish version of the ISAS to provide a constant verification of reliability and accuracy of the research tool.


2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (8) ◽  
pp. 1512-1516 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nahid Ardian ◽  
Seyed Alireza Afshani ◽  
Mohammad Ali Morowatisharifabad ◽  
Seyed Saeid Mazloomi Mahmoodabad ◽  
Ali Akbar Vaezi ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND: Given the increased rate of divorce, it is important to analyse the characteristics of divorce applicants. The theory of planned behaviour (TPB) can provide a suitable framework to predict, explain, and/or change the behaviours. In Iran, no instrument can be found, based on health education models, to investigate divorce petition filing as a behaviour.AIM: This study was conducted to design a questionnaire on withdrawal of divorce petition based on the TPB and estimate its validity and reliability.MATERIAL AND METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted in 27 participants involved in the divorce process using directed content analysis. The face and content validity of 58 items, drawn from the qualitative study, were evaluated by 10 experts. The reliability was estimated using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. The SPSS version 16 was used to analyse data.RESULTS: Estimates of the face and content validity (quantitative and qualitative), revealed that of the 58 items, 48 were valid based on four of the constructs of the TPB. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was also derived greater than 0.6.CONCLUSION: The designed questionnaire, whose validity and reliability was confirmed in this study, can be used in similar studies. However, the social and cultural differences and their related effects should be considered.


Author(s):  
Concepción Soto-Vidal ◽  
Soraya Pacheco-da-Costa ◽  
Victoria Calvo-Fuente ◽  
Sara Fernández-Guinea ◽  
Carlos González-Alted ◽  
...  

Background: Stroke causes a wide variety of clinical manifestations that may have a negative impact on quality of life. Therefore, it is very important to use specific instruments for measuring quality of life in individuals who suffered a stroke. The aim of this study was to develop a psychometrically validated Spanish version of the Newcastle stroke-specific quality of life measure (NEWSQOL). Methods: A psychometric validation of the Spanish version of the NEWSQOL questionnaire was carried out in 159 patients. The reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient), validity (factorial analysis and Spearman’s coefficient), feasibility (response rate), and the ceiling and floor effects were calculated. Results: Internal consistency showed that Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.93. The test–retest reliability was high or excellent for all domains (range 0.71–0.97 p < 0.001). The response rate of the questionnaire was 100% and the average administration time was 20.5 (±7.2) min. No ceiling effect was detected and two domains (pain and vision) may have a significant potential for floor effect. Construct validity showed that all the variables are important enough to keep them all in the questionnaire. Concerning convergent construct validity, a high correlation was found with the Nottingham Health Profile, the Barthel Index, and the Modified Rankin Scale. Conclusion: The Spanish version of the NEWSQOL questionnaire is reliable, valid, and feasible to evaluate quality of life in the Spanish population.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Asma Mostafa ◽  
Rozina Hoque ◽  
Mohammad Mostafa ◽  
Md. Mashud Rana ◽  
Faisal Mostafa

Empathy is considered to be associated with better patient compliance, satisfaction, and clinical outcomes. The aim of the study is to measure and examine empathy among a sample of undergraduate medical students of Bangladesh. It was a cross-sectional study and all the medical students of first through fifth year enrolled at Chattagram Maa-O-Shishu Hospital Medical College during the study period of 2014 were surveyed. Participants anonymously completed the Jefferson Scale of Empathy Medical Student version translated into Bengali language, a valid and reliable 20-item self-administered questionnaire. Principal component factor analysis with varimax rotation and Cronbach’s alpha coefficient were calculated to check validity and reliability of the scale. ANOVA was used to examine the differences in empathy between gender, academic years, and specialty preferences. The mean empathy score was 110.41 ± 13.59. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.88. There were significant associations between gender and empathy scores. The level of empathy in medical students gradually increases after clinical training in medical college. A nonsignificant difference was found between empathy scores and specialty preferences. It is suggested that the medical curriculum in Bangladesh should include more extensive program to promote empathy and other humanistic values among the medical students.


2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 368-380 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muder Alkrisat ◽  
Vivien Dee

Background and Purpose: To establish the psychometric soundness for Coping and Adaptation Processing Scale (CAPS) using the Roy adaptation model as theoretical framework. Method: A descriptive, cross-sectional survey of a convenience sample of 199 nurses working in different acute health care facilities in California. The internal consistency of the multifactor CAPS questionnaire was explored using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient. Factors correlation was examined using Pearson product moment correlation. The factor structure was studied using confirmatory factor analyses. Results: In the confirmatory factor analysis, the indices of fitness highly supported these results. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the total score was .81 and varied between .31 and .78 in the 5 domains. A positive and significant correlation emerged between CAPS factors and total scores (r = .91, p < .01) ranging from .17 to .81. CAPS showed acceptable validity and reliability for measuring the coping of nurses in acute setting. Future studies using the scale might lead to the improvement of the subscales measurement. Conclusion: The psychometric data suggests that CAPS is a highly suitable instrument to measure coping processes.


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