A proposal to enhance national capability to manage epidemics: The critical importance of expert statistical input including official statistics

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
N.I. Fisher ◽  
D.J. Trewin
Keyword(s):  
Data Streams ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Quantitative Information ◽  
Economic Welfare ◽  
Way Of Life ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
The Social ◽  
Novel Virus ◽  
High Level ◽  
Integration Analysis

Given the high level of global mobility, pandemics are likely to be more frequent, and with potentially devastating consequences for our way of life. With COVID-19, Australia is in relatively better shape than most other countries and is generally regarded as having managed the pandemic well. That said, we believe there is a critical need to start the process of learning from this pandemic to improve the quantitative information and related advice provided to policy makers. A dispassionate assessment of Australia’s health and economic response to the COVID-19 pandemic reveals some important inadequacies in the data, statistical analysis and interpretation used to guide Australia’s preparations and actions. For example, one key shortcoming has been the lack of data to obtain an early understanding of the extent of asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic cases or the differences across age groups, occupations or ethnic groups. Minimising the combined health, social and economic impacts of a novel virus depends critically on ongoing acquisition, integration, analysis, interpretation and presentation of a variety of data streams to inform the development, execution and monitoring of appropriate strategies. The article captures the essential quantitative components of such an approach for each of the four basic phases, from initial detection to post-pandemic. It also outlines the critical steps in each stage to enable policy makers to deal more efficiently and effectively with future such events, thus enhancing both the social and the economic welfare of its people. Although written in an Australian context, we believe most elements would apply to other countries as well.

scholarly journals Analysis and forecasts of Salmonella spp. antibiotic resistance in Dnipropetrovsk region (Ukraine)

2019 ◽  
pp. 16-19
Author(s):  
H. A. Martynenko
Keyword(s):  
Antibiotic Resistance ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Quantitative Information ◽  
Graphical Form ◽  
Salmonella Spp ◽  
Gram Negative ◽  
Trend Line ◽  
E Coli ◽  
Short Period ◽  
High Level

The paper presents data of the research aimed at studying the species composition of major pathogens circulating in the region and the resistance to antibacterial drugs in pathogens of salmonella, one of the most common zoonoses. Within the period 2014–2018 the qualitative composition of microflora from biological and pathological materials from different groups of animals was studied in Dnipropetrovsk region. Own research results and the results of the regional veterinary statistical reporting were analyzed. Within the short period of five years, 237 cultures of Gram-negative bacteria were detected and studied. The dominant agent in the studied region was E. coli (56.7%) from the Enterobacteriaceae family. The second most frequent agent in the pathology was Salmonella spp. (10.5%). In total, 29 cultures of salmonella infection were isolated from six species of animals with a predominance of bird isolates. Thus, for different age groups of poultry the most common were S. Gallinarum-Pullorum (56%) and S. Enteritidis (32%). An antibiotic resistance increase in pathogenic salmonella was observed for β-lactam antibiotics (cefazolin, ceftriaxone), aminoglycosides (gentamicin, streptomycin, kanamycin), as well as for tetracycline and polymyxin. Taking into consideration the high level of resistance against norfloxacin in the region’s dominant pathogens of the Enterobacteriaceae family, we performed a forecast in MS Excel graphically and added a trend line. In the course of work it was proved that the Dnipropetrovsk region is a geographic zone with a stable high (86 ± 3.7%) allocation from different groups of animals of Gram-negative microorganisms. It was found that local dominant pathogens are representatives of the Enterobacteriaceae family (E. coli, Salmonella spp.). This data can be used as surrogate resistance markers. The epizootological patterns of animal salmonellosis are determined. It is shown the possibility of forecasting the distribution of antibiotic resistant strains in MS Excel in graphical form by adding a trend line, using quantitative information on the sensitivity of bacteria. Prospects for further research are the prevention and control of the emergence of resistance to antibiotics in veterinary medicine and agriculture in the region and in the country

Adhering to the “Flashing Yellow Light”

2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 384-419
Author(s):  
Gabriel Henderson
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Risk ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Political Costs ◽  
Scientific Organizations ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Future ◽  
Science Community ◽  
Near Term ◽  
High Level

During the late 1970s and early 1980s, despite growing political, scientific, and popular concern about the prospect of melting glaciers, sea-level rise, and more generally, climate-induced societal instability, American high-level science advisers and administrators, scientific committees, national and international scientific organizations, and officials within the Carter administration engineered a politics of restrained management of climate risk. Adopting a strategy of restraint appeared optimal not because of a pervasive disinterest in or ignorance of the potentially catastrophic consequences of climate change. Rather, this administrative decision was rooted in widespread skepticism of the public’s ability to regulate their panic given popular dissemination of alarming scenarios of the future. Their concerns were not epistemic; they were sociopolitical. Broad-based appeals to moderation directly informed both scientists and the administration’s eventual decision in 1980 to minimize executive involvement. Despite some environmentalists’ and scientists’ calls for a more proactive position aligned with their ethical perspectives about the future implications of climate change, these linguistic cues of moderation became powerful heuristics that helped shape and anchor assessments of climate risk, calibrate scientists’ advice to policy makers, and regulate public apprehension about climate risk. Ultimately, officials within and outside the science community concluded that the likely short-term costs incurred from immediate action to curb fossil fuel emissions were greater than the social and political costs incurred from maintaining what was considered to be a tempered approach to climate governance in the near-term.

scholarly journals Social-economic well-being and social tension in the Volga Region

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 494-502
Author(s):  
D. V. Zaitsev ◽  
I. Yu. Surkova ◽  
Yu. V. Selivanova
Keyword(s):  
Social Economic ◽  
Social Trust ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Volga Region ◽  
Russian Society ◽  
Sociological Study ◽  
The Social ◽  
High Level ◽  
Economic Well Being

The article presents the results of the regional sociological study of the parameters of the social-economic well-being in the Volga Region. The well-being category consists of social satisfaction, trust, tension and security. Social well-being reflects the efficiency of the social system, its quality, the authorities’ competence in the development of social-economic processes and of a socially sensitive (accessible, comfortable) social environment. The study identified connections between social-economic well-being and employment, financial situation and the dynamics of migration; and empirically proved the low likelihood of ethnic or religious conflicts in the region, the high level of social well-being as mentioned by the younger generations and the average one among other age groups. The level of ethnic and confessional tension is influenced by the age of the respondents: a third of the younger generations and of the working age are more concerned with the criminal situation and with conflicts on national and religious grounds than pensioners. The able-bodied population of the Volga Region is concerned about their professional well-being due to perceiving migrants as competitors: in some cases, an increase in the share of migrants contributes to conflicts in the interethnic interaction. With an increase in the educational level the degree of social trust increases, which is a positive factor for the tolerant attitude towards others. In general, there are no reasons for concerns about ethnic conflicts in the region. The multi-ethnicity of the Russian society explains the relatively high tolerance to migrants despite many risk factors.

scholarly journals Monitoring local well-being in environmental interventions: a consideration of practical trade-offs

Oryx ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 68-76 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Palmer Fry ◽  
M. Agarwala ◽  
G. Atkinson ◽  
T. Clements ◽  
K. Homewood ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Internal Validity ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Quantitative Information ◽  
Project Design ◽  
Cultural Impact ◽  
Environmental Interventions ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
High Level ◽  
National Governments

AbstractWithin the field of environmental management and conservation, the concept of well-being is starting to gain traction in monitoring the socio-economic and cultural impact of interventions on local people. Here we consider the practical trade-offs policy makers and practitioners must navigate when utilizing the concept of well-being in environmental interventions. We first review current concepts of well-being before considering the need to balance the complexity and practical applicability of the definition used and to consider both positive and negative components of well-being. A key determinant of how well-being is operationalized is the identity of the organization wishing to monitor it. We describe the trade-offs around the external and internal validity of different approaches to measuring well-being and the relative contributions of qualitative and quantitative information to understanding well-being. We explore how these trade-offs may be decided as a result of a power struggle between stakeholders. Well-being is a complex, multi-dimensional, dynamic concept that cannot be easily defined and measured. Local perspectives are often missed during the project design process as a result of the more powerful voices of national governments and international NGOs, so for equity and local relevance it is important to ensure these perspectives are represented at a high level in project design and implementation.

Evaluation of Katara Cultural Village Events and Services: A Visitors’ Perspective

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khalid Ibrahim Al-Sulaiti ◽  
Khalid Hamad Abaalzamat ◽  
Hamzah Khawaldah ◽  
Nidal Alzboun
Keyword(s):  
Social Economic ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Demographic Groups ◽  
Visitor Satisfaction ◽  
The Core ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
The Social ◽  
High Level ◽  
Attendee Behavior ◽  
One Way Anova

Perceived value is understood to be a precursor of visitor satisfaction and loyalty and it is impacted by product quality. The relations between quality, value, and satisfaction have been gaining increasing attention in the marketing and tourism fields. Accordingly, this study examines visitors' evaluations of Katara Cultural Village events and services and their satisfaction. To achieve this aim, a questionnaire was conducted and distributed to 532 visitors in Katara. Results showed that Katara was a successful tourism destination in Doha, which attracts large numbers of visitors with different demographic characteristics. According to respondents, Katara has several social, economic, and environmental impacts, which are mainly positive. The social impacts of Katara seemed to be most noticeable since cultural events and activities represent the core of Katara’s model. As mentioned, results showed a high level of visitors' satisfaction with Katara’s events and services, with an overall assessment score of 78.6% and 71.3% respectively. Additionally, the results from One-way ANOVA and t-tests revealed that there are no significant differences in visitors’ assessment of Katara's events and services between demographic groups in terms of gender, nationality and age. These results, however, contribute to the understanding of event attendee behavior, providing researchers, practitioners and policy makers in Katara with insights into how to effectively design and manage events.

Improving graduateness: addressing the gap between employer needs and graduate employability in Palestine

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nadine Nabulsi ◽  
Beverley McNally ◽  
Grace Khoury
Keyword(s):  
Youth Unemployment ◽  
Quantitative Information ◽  
Training And Development ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Exploratory Research ◽  
Problem Solving Skills ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Social ◽  
High Level ◽  
Skill Shortages

PurposeThis research paper seeks to identify multiple stakeholder perceptions relating to the level of graduateness of a group of business school graduates in Palestine.Design/methodology/approachAn exploratory mixed method approach was employed. Survey data provided the quantitative information that was analysed using statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS). Interviews of 1.5–2 h duration were conducted to gather the qualitative data. The study utilised an inductive thematic approach to analyse these data.FindingsEmployers were resolute in the view that despite the high level of youth unemployment in Palestine, they still had difficulty in sourcing suitably qualified graduates. Collaboration between employers and higher education providers is not of a level that supports the development of graduateness. The identified key skill shortages occurred in the soft skills area, for example, written and verbal communication, language and problem-solving skills, negotiation and conflict resolution.Research limitations/implicationsAs an exploratory research study, there are opportunities for future research investigating more deeply the themes identified and the success or otherwise of the recommended initiatives.Practical implicationsThis study has implications for both educationalists and policymakers, regarding the prioritisation of development funding and of policies and practices aimed at improving youth employment. There are implications for all stakeholders with regard to collaboration in curriculum development, provision of education, and training and development programmes targeting young people to ensure that they are work ready.Originality/valueThis paper is one of the first to examine the skills gap between business schools' graduates and employment in Palestine.

What Can We Learn From Factorial Surveys About Human Behavior?

Methodology ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Knut Petzold ◽  
Tobias Wolbring
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Behavioral Intentions ◽  
Actual Behavior ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Factorial Survey ◽  
Survey Experiment ◽  
Intended Behavior ◽  
The Social ◽  
Survey Experiments ◽  
High Level

Abstract. Factorial survey experiments are increasingly used in the social sciences to investigate behavioral intentions. The measurement of self-reported behavioral intentions with factorial survey experiments frequently assumes that the determinants of intended behavior affect actual behavior in a similar way. We critically investigate this fundamental assumption using the misdirected email technique. Student participants of a survey were randomly assigned to a field experiment or a survey experiment. The email informs the recipient about the reception of a scholarship with varying stakes (full-time vs. book) and recipient’s names (German vs. Arabic). In the survey experiment, respondents saw an image of the same email. This validation design ensured a high level of correspondence between units, settings, and treatments across both studies. Results reveal that while the frequencies of self-reported intentions and actual behavior deviate, treatments show similar relative effects. Hence, although further research on this topic is needed, this study suggests that determinants of behavior might be inferred from behavioral intentions measured with survey experiments.

A Study on Knowledge, Attitude, Awareness and Practice About HIV/AIDS among different age group of Karachi, Pakistan

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 328-333
Author(s):  
Safia Mehmood ◽  
Sheema Zia ◽  
Nida Aziz ◽  
Omama Sajid
Keyword(s):  
Hiv Transmission ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
World Population ◽  
Major Barrier ◽  
Initial Stage ◽  
Awareness Programs ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Strongly Agree ◽  
High Level ◽  
Lack Of Knowledge

The AIDS is one of the most complicated health problems of the 21st century and it threatens the world population. AIDS spread at an alarming rate. This was a descriptive study to determine the knowledge, awareness, and practice about HIV among different age groups. The study carried out in Karachi, Pakistan during the period of January 2016-april 2016, in which 82 peoples are participated; 65 peoples having age in between 18-30, people’s lies in 31-40 years, while only 4 peoples having age above 40. From which 91% peoples thought HIV is dangerous virus and 51% peoples having misconception that it cause AIDS on initial stage and does not have any effect on CD4+. Majority of peoples aware about transmission of AIDS through intercourse, and during pregnancy. But the study show the high level of misbelieve also in mode of transmission that HIV transmit through sweat, saliva etc. Majority of the peoples have knowledge that HIV-1 is the most common type found worldwide. Also large number of peoples have knowledge that HIV weak immune system by destroying CD4+ and require long exposure to progress AIDS. Less than 15% of peoples strongly agree that AIDS is common in women. This misconception reflex the lack of knowledge and awareness in the HIV transmission and gender relation. Also majority of peoples thought that lack of knowledge is major barrier in the proper cure of disease. So increasing knowledge by awareness programs; sexual prevention; by starting national testing resources and curing poverty will cured AIDS in Pakistan. Newly drugs are introduced which can stop the progression of AIDS.

ПРАГМАТИЧНИЙ ПОТЕНЦІАЛ НАТИВНОЇ РЕКЛАМИ: ФОРМИ, ТРЕНДИ (НА ПРИКЛАДІ НАТИВНОГО КОНТЕНТУ В СОЦІАЛЬНІЙ МЕРЕЖІ FACEBOOK ЩОДО БРЕНДА ФАКУЛЬТЕТУ ЖУРНАЛІСТИКИ ЗНУ)

2020 ◽  
pp. 113
Author(s):  
V. Kovpak ◽  
N. Trotsenko
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Professional Training ◽  
Educational Process ◽  
Communication Strategy ◽  
Student Centered ◽  
Teacher Student ◽  
The Social ◽  
National University ◽  
High Level ◽  
The Impact

<div><p><em>The article analyzes the peculiarities of the format of native advertising in the media space, its pragmatic potential (in particular, on the example of native content in the social network Facebook by the brand of the journalism department of ZNU), highlights the types and trends of native advertising. The following research methods were used to achieve the purpose of intelligence: descriptive (content content, including various examples), comparative (content presentation options) and typological (types, trends of native advertising, in particular, cross-media as an opportunity to submit content in different formats (video, audio, photos, text, infographics, etc.)), content analysis method using Internet services (using Popsters service). And the native code for analytics was the page of the journalism department of Zaporizhzhya National University on the social network Facebook. After all, the brand of the journalism department of Zaporozhye National University in 2019 celebrates its 15th anniversary. The brand vector is its value component and professional training with balanced distribution of theoretical and practical blocks (seven practices), student-centered (democratic interaction and high-level teacher-student dialogue) and integration into Ukrainian and world educational process (participation in grant programs).</em></p></div><p><em>And advertising on social networks is also a kind of native content, which does not appear in special blocks, and is organically inscribed on one page or another and unobtrusively offers, just remembering the product as if «to the word». Popsters service functionality, which evaluates an account (or linked accounts of one person) for 35 parameters, but the main three areas: reach or influence, or how many users evaluate, comment on the recording; true reach – the number of people affected; network score – an assessment of the audience’s response to the impact, or how far the network information diverges (how many share information on this page).</em></p><p><strong><em>Key words:</em></strong><em> nativeness, native advertising, branded content, special project, communication strategy.</em></p>

Information Practices of Baby Boomers as Caregivers

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khuan Seow ◽  
Nadia Caidi
Keyword(s):  
Social Policy ◽  
Baby Boomers ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Maladie D’Alzheimer ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Family ◽  
Growing Age

Canada has an aging population with the fastest growing age groups (80 and 45-64 years old) vulnerable to age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. Caregiving responsibilities often fall to the family members of the afflicted without much attention and consideration being placed on the information needs of these caregivers. We call for a better understanding of these caregivers' information needs and uses by social policy makers as well as information providers.La population du Canada a tendance à vieillir considérablement, avec la hausse la plus rapide dans les groupes d’âge (80 et 45 à 64 ans). Les personnes âges sont très vulnérables à toute sorte de maladies, telles que la maladie d’Alzheimer. La responsabilité revient souvent aux membres de la famille qui doivent prendre soin des personnes atteintes de cette maladie. Or, nous ne connaissons que peu de chose sur les besoins en information des personnes qui prennent soin de ces malades de l’Alzheimer : qui sont-ils ? Quelles sont leurs sources... 

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