scholarly journals Existentialism and Death Education in Anime

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 155-184
Author(s):  
Irene Iwasaki

As the 2020 global pandemic has demonstrated with new force, we continue to struggle with managing primal, existential fear, even during the ongoing struggle to understand and combat a deadly infectious disease. As this paper reveals, multimedia popular culture texts can provide us with tools, knowledge, and avenues to help us better express, empathize, and educate one another during trying times. In particular, this paper aims to form    part of a larger discussion on how we can better face the task of looking at death during a moment of human history where doom may seem ubiquitous. Although it is not possible to separate ourselves from   our dependence on information that links us as individuals to the outside world, we can engage with media that   provides knowledge in a more palatable or entertaining way and in so doing, support the development of better coping skills for apprehension about an unknown tomorrow. This paper analyzes the 2018 Cells at Work! as an example of anime that is both educational and entertaining, and discusses its implications for  terror management and the promotion of well-being.

Author(s):  
Amber Michon ◽  
Liza Hinchey ◽  
Francesca Pernice ◽  
Jessica Drews ◽  
Megan Price ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Azar Kazemi ◽  
Jalil Azimian ◽  
Maryam Mafi ◽  
Kelly-Ann Allen ◽  
Seyedeh Ameneh Motalebi

Abstract Background Coping strategies play a key role in modulating the physical and psychological burden on caregivers of stroke patients. The present study aimed to determine the relationship between the severity of burden of care and coping strategies amongst a sample of Iranian caregivers of older stroke patients. It also aimed to examine the differences of coping strategies used by male and female caregivers. Methods A total of 110 caregivers of older patients who previously had a stroke participated in this descriptive and cross-sectional study. The Zarit Burden Interview and Lazarus coping strategies questionnaires were used for data collection. Questionnaires were completed by the caregivers, who were selected using convenience sampling. The collected data were analyzed using Pearson's correlations and independent t-tests. Results The mean age of participants was 32.09 ± 8.70 years. The majority of the caregivers sampled reported mild to moderate (n = 74, 67.3%) burden. The most commonly used coping strategies reported were positive reappraisal and seeking social support. Results of the independent t-test showed that male caregivers used the positive reappraisal strategy (t(110) = 2.76; p = 0.007) and accepting responsibility (t(110) = 2.26; p = 0.026) significantly more than female caregivers. Pearson’s correlations showed a significant positive correlation between caregiver burden and emotional-focused strategies, including escaping (r = 0.245, p = 0.010) and distancing (r = 0.204, p = 0.032). Conclusions Caregivers with higher burden of care used more negative coping strategies, such as escape-avoidance and distancing. In order to encourage caregivers to utilize effective coping skills, appropriate programs should be designed and implemented to support caregivers. Use of effective coping skills to reduce the level of personal burden can improve caregiver physical health and psychological well-being.


Author(s):  
Kim A. Kayunze ◽  
Angwara D. Kiwara ◽  
Eligius Lyamuya ◽  
Dominic M. Kambarage ◽  
Jonathan Rushton ◽  
...  

One-health approaches have started being applied to health systems in some countries in controlling infectious diseases in order to reduce the burden of disease in humans, livestock and wild animals collaboratively. However, one wonders whether the problem of lingering and emerging zoonoses is more affected by health policies, low application of one-health approaches, or other factors. As part of efforts to answer this question, the Southern African Centre for Infectious Disease Surveillance (SACIDS) smart partnership of human health, animal health and socio-economic experts published, in April 2011, a conceptual framework to support One Health research for policy on emerging zoonoses. The main objective of this paper was to identify which factors really affect the burden of disease and how the burden could affect socio-economic well-being. Amongst other issues, the review of literature shows that the occurrence of infectious diseases in humans and animals is driven by many factors, the most important ones being the causative agents (viruses, bacteria, parasites, etc.) and the mediator conditions (social, cultural, economic or climatic) which facilitate the infection to occur and hold. Literature also shows that in many countries there is little collaboration between medical and veterinary services despite the shared underlying science and the increasing infectious disease threat. In view of these findings, a research to inform health policy must walk on two legs: a natural sciences leg and a social sciences one.


2018 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J. Halloran

The aim of this article is to explicate a terror management theory (TMT) analysis of the poor social and psychological well-being of African Americans by drawing upon a model of cultural trauma to explain the antecedents and effects of posttraumatic slave syndrome. Cultural trauma is defined as a state that occurs when a people’s cultural worldview has been destabilized to the point where it does not effectively meet its TMT function of providing a buffer against basic anxiety and uncertainty. The article outlines how the impact of slavery was a significant trauma to African American people, which was carried forward through successive generations; providing an explanation of their current anxiety-related conditions, poor health, and maladaptive behaviors. Findings from health and justice research and qualitative data from narratives of African Americans are presented to substantiate the adaptation of a model of cultural trauma for understanding the contemporary situation of African Americans.


2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 541-548
Author(s):  
Lee D. Parker

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to critique the accounting and financial orientation of Australian universities’ business model to identify the future university financial management and accounting role in universities’ strategic trajectory responding to COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach Informed by Habermasian perspectives on change, it uses published research into university commercialisation and media commentaries on COVID-19 impacts. Findings Australian universities have aggressively pursued an accounting-based private sector business model. Their revenue generating reliance on international student revenues has been undermined by the COVIS-19 crisis. Nonetheless, university management clings to their commercialised university identity and role colonised by the accounting structures. Fundamental change requires a reversal of this relationship. Research limitations/implications Future research must observe and evaluate university strategic crisis reactions and their impacts on national and societal well-being with a view to identifying alternative futures. Practical implications Universities face decisions concerning their ongoing role in society and their future approach to balancing operational strategies and the accounting influence. Social implications This study raises the issue of whether universities should continue being seen as an export industry supporting the national economy or as knowledge, educational and social resource for their national and regional communities. Originality/value This paper integrates research into universities over several decades into a strategic critique of their current reaction to an unprecedented global pandemic.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (22) ◽  
pp. 138-146
Author(s):  
Mumtaj Hassan ◽  
Anis Shuhaiza Md Salleh ◽  
Yusramizza Md Isa @ Yusuff

The global pandemic of COVID-19 has endangered the human and economic well-being in the world. It also has a huge impact on almost all industries at home and abroad. The International Labor Organization (ILO) expects the pandemic to increase layoffs and unemployment worldwide. In this case, employers are certainly in a dilemma, each looking for and juggling between workers' income and business profit. Thus, this article explores the aspect of termination of employees’ employment through library-based research that focuses on the use of statutes, courts’ cases, legal documents, and scholarly writings published in journals. Descriptive and critical methods are used to analyse the primary and secondary sources referred to. This article stresses that there are procedures and laws which employers need to obey in order to address the excessive number of employees in the face of pandemics. Dismissal of employees should not be done arbitrarily without justifications and procedures that have been outlined by law. The discussion ended with suggestions to employers so that any layoffs can be blocked and minimized.


2017 ◽  
Vol 98 (6) ◽  
pp. 1029-1033 ◽  
Author(s):  
A M Galieva ◽  
A Yu Vafin ◽  
I E Kravchenko ◽  
A N Galiullin

Aim. To conduct analysis of resource provision for medical care for patients with infectious pathology and to study primary infectious morbidity at the level of municipal districts of the Republic of Tatarstan. Methods. Study of primary infectious morbidity according to official statistics of the Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Protection and Human Well-Being in the Republic of Tatarstan based on form No. 2 with extracting data in 495 units, annual reports of Infectious Disease Service of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Tatarstan for 2005-2015 - 66 units. The analysis of resource provision according to the central regional hospitals data, with extracting data in 70 units. Results. During the period of 2005-2015 the highest rates of primary infectious morbidity were observed in municipal districts where the administrative center is a city (13 054.01 per 100 000 population), the lowest - in rural areas (7953.6). The level of infectious morbidity in municipal districts is significantly lower than in average across the Republic of Tatarstan (р ˂0.05). 3 municipal districts having different types of administrative center are studied: Zainsky (urban population 72%), Apastovsky (rural people 73.9%), Drozhzhanovsky (rural people 100%) districts. The highest level of infectious morbidity in Zainsky District (2005 - 10 510; 2015 - 11 800.85 per 100 000 population), Apastovsky (7600.0 and 3612.44) and Drozhzhanovsky district (1629.68 and 4765.84). Differences in resource provision for infectious disease service are established: Zainsky district (there is an infectiologist, infectious beds, infectious disease office, specialized laboratory), Apastovsky district (service in infectious disease office is provided by part-time infectiologist), Drozhzhanovsky district (service in infectious disease office is provided by a nurse). In Drozhzhanovsky and Apastovsky districts there are no infectious beds and specialized laboratories. Conclusion. Level of infectious morbidity in municipal districts of the Republic of Tatarstan is closely related to the type of municipal district and resource provision for infectious disease service.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean C J Liu ◽  
Eddie M W Tong

BACKGROUND In a global pandemic, digital technology offers innovative methods to disseminate public health messages. As an example, the messenger app WhatsApp was adopted by both the World Health Organization and government agencies to provide updates on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). During a time when rumors and excessive news threaten psychological well-being, these services allow for rapid transmission of information and may boost resilience. OBJECTIVE In this study, we sought to accomplish the following: (1) assess well-being during the pandemic; (2) replicate prior findings linking exposure to COVID-19 news with psychological distress; and (3) examine whether subscription to an official WhatsApp channel can mitigate this risk. METHODS Across 8 weeks of the COVID-19 outbreak (March 7 to April 21, 2020), we conducted a survey of 1145 adults in Singapore. As the primary outcome measure, participants completed the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). As predictor variables, participants also answered questions pertaining to the following: (1) their exposure to COVID-19 news; (2) their use of the Singapore government’s WhatsApp channel; and (3) their demographics. RESULTS Within the sample, 7.9% of participants had severe or extremely severe symptoms on at least one DASS-21 subscale. Depression scores were associated with increased time spent receiving COVID-19 updates, whereas use of the official WhatsApp channel emerged as a protective factor (<i>b</i>=–0.07, <i>t</i>[863]=–2.04, <i>P</i>=.04). Similarly, increased anxiety scores were associated with increased exposure to both updates and rumors, but this risk was mitigated by trust in the government’s WhatsApp messages (<i>b</i>=–0.05, <i>t</i>[863]=–2.13, <i>P</i>=.03). Finally, although stress symptoms increased with the amount of time spent receiving updates, these symptoms were not significantly related to WhatsApp use. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that messenger apps may be an effective medium for disseminating pandemic-related information, allowing official agencies to reach a broad sector of the population rapidly. In turn, this use may promote public well-being amid an “infodemic.” CLINICALTRIAL ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04305574; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04305574


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 989-992
Author(s):  
Mula Ram Suthar ◽  
◽  
Manjry Anshumala Barla ◽  
Rakesh Roushan ◽  
◽  
...  

The Severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is an infectious disease caused by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and has affected people's lives globally, since first case was detected in Wuhan, China in December 2019. The coronavirus pandemic has turned the world’s attention to the immune system, the body’s defense mechanism against disease. Concept of Ojas is well explained in all ayurvedic classics, in modern perspective it is considered as immunity (Vyadhikshamatava). Ojas is necessary for well-being of the body, and mind. In Ayurveda textbook, the epidemics and along with their management are discussed under the term of Janapadodhvansa. The preventive and curative treatments for communicable diseases of the Janapadodhvansa (epidemics) are Panchkarma (five bio-purification therapies), Rasayana Chikitsa (rejuvenation treatment), Achara Rasayana (good conducts), and migrate to the place, free from communicable diseases. The intake of all types Rasayanas leads to increase of Ojas and reduce all psychological (mainly stress and emotional) disorder, thereby causes increase immunity responses and help to fight against covid-19. Key Words: Ayurveda, Covid-19, Immunity, Janapadodhvansa, Ojas, Rasayana Chikitsa.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 489-497
Author(s):  
Volkan Ozcan ◽  

This study aims at investigating the mediating effect of coping between perfectionism and well-being. In other words, it has been assumed that with the increase in the level of perfectionism, the increase will make it difficult to cope and consequently decrease the mental well-being of individuals, the study examined athletic coping mediated the perfectionism–wellbeing relationship among student athletes. According to recent research that athletic coping may mediate the relationship between perfectionism and well-being. Participants were 292 sports students obtained with the convenient sampling method comprising 119 females and 173 males. Ages ranged from 18-35 years (M = 21.71, SD = 2.15). Self-report data were collected including psychometric measures assessing multidimensional perfectionism, mental wellbeing and athletic coping skills. The results showed that there was a significant positive correlation between mental well-being and coping skills of sportspeople. There were negative significant correlations observed between mental well-being with other-oriented, socially-prescribed and self-oriented perfectionism. The results of this study suggest that athletic coping skills had a partial mediating role between other-oriented perfectionism and the mental well-being of sportspeople.


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