scholarly journals Socio-Ecological Perceptions of Wildfire Management and Effects in Greece

Fire ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 18
Author(s):  
Palaiologos Palaiologou ◽  
Kostas Kalabokidis ◽  
Andreas Troumbis ◽  
Michelle A. Day ◽  
Max Nielsen-Pincus ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Fire Management ◽  
Ecological Problem ◽  
Civil Protection ◽  
Fuel Management ◽  
Wildfire Management ◽  
Organizational Reform ◽  
Fire Use ◽  
Management Policies ◽  
And Behavior

Adapting to the growing frequency of catastrophic wildfires in Greece and mitigating their effects is a complex socio-ecological problem. We used an online survey to query more than 100 engaged stakeholders who can potentially influence possible legislation and fire management organizational reform, emphasizing civil protection agencies and research entities. We focused the questionnaire on the importance of different wildfire effects to understand which were considered negative or unacceptable, indifferent, or positive. For fire prevention, we examined the range of acceptance and views on fuel management and fire use activities that are limited in extent or not allowed in Greece. We also examined the beliefs regarding ignition causes and responsibility, in addition to how different policies might reduce wildfire-related problems. The results revealed an emphasis on reforming wildfire management policies to deal with the way society and agencies function and interact, and mitigate the influence of climate change in wildfire frequency and behavior. In addition, respondents had a negative stance towards allowing wildfires to burn for resource objectives and a strong belief that arsonists are behind most ignitions. They also believe the lack of a national cadaster system is a major source of wildfire-related problems. The results indicate little support for fuel treatments, but increased acceptance for the legalization of fire use during firefighting (backfires). This study summarizes current wildfire perceptions in Greece and identifies opportunities and barriers to changes in wildfire governance to improve risk management programs and guide post-fire management and mitigation.

scholarly journals P87 Paradigms about the COVID-19 pandemic: knowledge, attitudes and practices from medical students

BJS Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eddy Lincango-Naranjo ◽  
Paola Solis-Pazmino ◽  
Eddy Lincango-Naranjo
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Healthcare Workers ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
National Curriculum ◽  
Negative Attitude ◽  
Front Line ◽  
Macroeconomic Factors ◽  
Attitudes And Practices ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Knowledge Attitudes And Practices

Abstract Introduction As new coronavirus has spread globally, economic instability in healthcare systems has been significant. This reality is especially accentuated in Ecuador where, the shortage of healthcare workers combined with cultural and macroeconomic factors have led it to face the most aggressive outbreak in Latin America. In this context, the participation of medical students on the front line is indispensable. Appropriate training on COVID-19 is an urgent need that universities and health systems must guarantee. We aimed to describe the knowledge, attitudes and practices in Ecuadorian final year medical students in order to identify the knowledge gaps, perceptions and behavior patterns which could guide the desig3n of better medical education curricula regarding COVID-19. Methods This descriptive 33-item online survey conducted between April 6 to April 20 sent by email and by Facebook and WhatsApp. Results 309 students responded to the survey. 88% scored high (≥ 70% correct) for knowledge of the disease. The majority of students were pessimistic about possible government actions, which is reflected in the negative attitude towards the control of COVID19 in Ecuador and volunteering during the outbreak (77%, and 58% of the students, respectively). Moreover, 91% of students said they did not have adequate protective equipment or training in their health facilities. Conclusions Ecuador has a capable upcoming workforce that could benefit from an opportunity to strengthen, improve and advance their training in preparation for COVID-19. Creating a national curriculum may be one of the most effective ways for all students to be trained, while simultaneously focusing on the students’ most pressing concerns.

The importance of grasstrees (Xanthorrhoea preissii) as habitat for mardo (Antechinus flavipes leucogaster) during post-fire recovery

2007 ◽  
Vol 34 (8) ◽  
pp. 640 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marnie L. Swinburn ◽  
Patricia A. Fleming ◽  
Michael D. Craig ◽  
Andrew H. Grigg ◽  
Mark J. Garkaklis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fire Management ◽  
Nest Site ◽  
Radio Telemetry ◽  
Important Resource ◽  
Nest Sites ◽  
Single Feature ◽  
Management Policies ◽  
Nesting Resources ◽  
Selection For ◽  
The One

Grasstrees (Xanthorrhoea) are an important structural component of many Australian ecosystems and also an important resource for many fauna species. Grasstrees have distinctive morphologies, with a crown of long thin leaves and skirts, the latter of which are accumulated dead leaves; both are incinerated by fire. This study determined the morphological features of Xanthorrhoea preissii, which change in response to fire from 6 months to 21 years post-burn. In addition, using radio-telemetry and spool-tracking, we determined that grasstrees are utilised as foraging and nesting resources for mardos (Antechinus flavipes leucogaster (Gray, 1841), Marsupialia: Dasyuridae). Recently burnt grasstrees (6 months post-burn) appeared not to be used by mardos at all. We found few mardos in these recently burnt sites, and the one individual we managed to track for 126 m utilised only a single grasstree: a 2-m-tall multiple-crowned grasstree that had escaped the fire was used as a nest site. For sites 5 years post-burn, mardos selectively utilised grasstrees with larger crown areas and those with a greater number of crowns compared with a random sample of available trees. At the 14-year post-burn sites, mardos still demonstrated some selection for grasstrees, although no specific single feature could be determined as most significant. We recorded humidity and temperature buffering effects in association with post-burn accumulation of grasstree skirt material and found that even dead grasstree ‘logs’ were an important resource for nests. We conclude that mardos utilise both live and dead grasstrees for foraging and nest sites, possibly owing to the availability of dense cover, a buffered microclimate, and potentially also food resources. Fire-management policies that promote habitat heterogeneity and retain several intact-skirted grasstrees within the landscape are likely to benefit mardos.

scholarly journals The Public Attitudes, Concerns and Behaviors towards Children Vaccination

2021 ◽  
pp. 39-43
Author(s):  
Nehad J. Ahmed ◽  
Abdulrahman S. Alrawili ◽  
Faisal Z. Alkhawaja
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Public Attitudes ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Arabic Language ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Public ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Attitudes And Behavior ◽  
Public Concerns

Aim: The aim of this study was to identify the public concerns, attitudes and behavior towards vaccination. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study that included an online survey about the public concerns, attitudes and behavior towards vaccination in Saudi Arabia. The survey was translated to Arabic language and converted to an online form using google forms and after that it was sent to be filled by the parents. Results: About 92% of the respondents said that children should be vaccinated in order to protect them and about 86% of them believed that vaccinations are safe for children in general. Regarding the concerns about vaccination, about 69% of the respondents were concerned about the distress to children of the injection itself and 59% of them were concerned about the increasing number of vaccines recommended for children. Furthermore, about 62% of the respondents were concerned that vaccines are not tested enough for safety. Conclusion: The majority of respondents in this study reported positive attitude but more than half of them expressed some degree of concern regarding children vaccination. Healthcare professionals should play an active role in clarifying these concerns about vaccination with the public. Moreover, they should communicate with parents regarding the vaccinations and provide them with a trusted information about the vaccine.

Entering a Brave New World

2021 ◽  
pp. 111-134
Author(s):  
Arild Aspelund ◽  
Øyvind Bjørgum ◽  
Erik Andreas Saether
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Offshore Wind ◽  
Born Global ◽  
Distinctive Features ◽  
Global Industry ◽  
Industrial Companies ◽  
Entry Strategies ◽  
Brave New World ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Environmental Motivation

This chapter investigates key motivations, drivers, and barriers for firms that are seeking to enter new international supply chains for renewable energy. Offshore wind (OW) is a born global industry with a fully internationalized supply chain from inception. The study adopts a mixed-methods approach by first doing 11 case studies of Norwegian industrial companies entering OW and secondly by conducting an online survey targeting the whole population of Norwegian firms in OW. The study finds that new green industries' distinctive features, managerial motivation, and industry relatedness shape a firm's entry strategies and behavior. Risk and uncertainty, complexity and turbulence, high transaction costs and disadvantages of scale postpone industry entry from established actors. The study finds that environmental motivation tops the list of motivations for managers to enter, but financial motivation is the strongest of perceived market performance. Finally, the study finds that market relatedness is more critical than technological relatedness.

scholarly journals Avoiding the Privacy Paradox Using Preference-Based Segmentation: A Conjoint Analysis Approach

Electronics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (9) ◽  
pp. 1382
Author(s):  
Marija Kuzmanovic ◽  
Gordana Savic
Keyword(s):  
Conjoint Analysis ◽  
Online Social Networks ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Personal Information ◽  
Personal Privacy ◽  
Privacy Concerns ◽  
Four Dimensions ◽  
Segmentation Approach ◽  
Privacy Paradox ◽  
And Behavior

Personal privacy on online social networks (OSN) is becoming increasingly important. The collection and misuse of personal information can affect people’s behavior and can have a broader impact on civil society. The aim of this paper is to explore the privacy paradox phenomenon on OSNs that is reflected in the gap between OSN users’ privacy concerns and behavior and to introduce a new segmentation framework based on preference data from conjoint analysis. For the purpose of the study, an online survey on four dimensions of OSNs has been conducted. Conjoint analysis has been employed on collected data to reveal users’ preferences, followed by two-step cluster analysis for the preference-based segmentation. The characteristics of the resulting clusters were compared with self-reported behavior and privacy concerns, as well as the results of the Westin Privacy Segmentation approach. The results suggest that conjoint analysis can improve users’ segmentation and consequently provide better solutions for avoiding the gap between users’ concerns, attitudes, and behavior.

scholarly journals Forest Governance in Nepal: Rationale for Centralised Forest and Wildfire Management

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
pp. 16-35
Author(s):  
Iván Győző Sombai ◽  
John Karakatsoulis ◽  
Wendy Gardner ◽  
Ambika P. Gautam ◽  
Sundar Prasad Sharma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Conservation ◽  
Fire Management ◽  
Management Programme ◽  
Institutional Factors ◽  
Background Information ◽  
Forest Governance ◽  
Similar Measure ◽  
Wildfire Management ◽  
Forest Fire Management ◽  
The Government

Numerous inter-related social and institutional factors are causing concern as to effective responses to the increasing number and severity of forest and wildfires in Nepal, due in similar measure to socio-cultural, politico-bureaucratic as well as global climatic issues. Our binational team of multisectoral field practitioners in bureaucratic as well as natural resource and fire management compiled and verified background information to more clearly discern the issues affecting improved fire governance and thereupon has made supportive recommendations for the belated establishment of a dedicated unit within the Government of Nepal Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation to coordinate, administer and manage a comprehensive forest fire management programme.

scholarly journals Cognitive, Affective, and Behavioral Constructs of COVID-19 Health Beliefs: A Comparison Between Sexual Minority and Heterosexual Individuals in Taiwan

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (12) ◽  
pp. 4282 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nai-Ying Ko ◽  
Wei-Hsin Lu ◽  
Yi-Lung Chen ◽  
Dian-Jeng Li ◽  
Yu-Ping Chang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Beliefs ◽  
Sexual Minority ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Health Belief ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Belief Model ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Minority Participants ◽  
Behavioral Constructs

This online survey study aimed to compare the cognitive, affective, and behavioral constructs of health beliefs related to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) between sexual minority and heterosexual individuals in Taiwan. In total, 533 sexual minority and 1421 heterosexual participants were recruited through a Facebook advertisement. The constructs pertaining to cognition (perceived relative susceptibility to COVID-19, perceived COVID-19 severity, having sufficient knowledge and information on COVID-19, and confidence in coping with COVID-19), affect (worry toward COVID-19), and behavior (adoption of health-protective behaviors) in relation to health beliefs about COVID-19 were compared between sexual minority and heterosexual participants. The results indicated that sexual minority participants had lower perceived susceptibility to COVID-19, greater self-confidence in coping with COVID-19, and lower worry about COVID-19 and were less likely to maintain good indoor ventilation and disinfect their household than heterosexual individuals. Sexual orientation is the modifying factor for the Health Belief Model in the COVID-19 pandemic and should be taken into consideration when medical professionals establish prevention programs for COVID-19.

scholarly journals A century of changing fire management alters ungulate forage in a wildfire-dominated landscape

2019 ◽  
Vol 92 (5) ◽  
pp. 523-537 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly M Proffitt ◽  
Jesse DeVoe ◽  
Kristin Barker ◽  
Rebecca Durham ◽  
Teagan Hayes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prescribed Fire ◽  
Fire History ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Fire Management ◽  
Forage Quality ◽  
Wildfire Management ◽  
Winter Range ◽  
Forestry Practices ◽  
Summer Range ◽  
Straightforward Approach

Abstract Forestry practices such as prescribed fire and wildfire management can modify the nutritional resources of ungulates across broad landscapes. To evaluate the influences of fire and forest management on ungulate nutrition, we measured and compared forage quality and abundance among a range of land cover types and fire histories within 3 elk ranges in Montana. We used historical fire data to assess fire-related variations in elk forage from 1900 to 2015. Fire affected summer forage more strongly than winter forage. Between 1900–1990 and 1990–2015, elk summer range burned by wildfire increased 242–1772 per cent, whereas the area on winter range burned by wildfire was low across all decades. Summer forage quality peaked in recently burned forests and decreased as time since burn increased. Summer forage abundance peaked in dry forests burned 6–15 years prior and mesic forests burned within 5 years. Forests recently burned by wildfire had higher summer forage quality and herbaceous abundance than those recently burned by prescribed fire. These results suggest that the nutritional carrying capacity for elk varies temporally with fire history and management practices. Our methods for characterizing nutritional resources provide a relatively straightforward approach for evaluating nutritional adequacy and tracking changes in forage associated with disturbances such as fire.

scholarly journals “Study Natural” without Drugs: An Exploratory Study of Theory-Guided and Tailored Health Campaign Interventions to Prevent Nonmedical Use of Prescription Stimulants in College Students

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (12) ◽  
pp. 4421
Author(s):  
Zhaohui Su ◽  
Michael Mackert ◽  
Xiaoshan Li ◽  
Jiyoon (Karen) Han ◽  
Brittani Crook ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Health Campaign ◽  
Prescription Stimulants ◽  
Effective Strategies ◽  
Nonmedical Use ◽  
Students Attitudes ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Attitudes And Behavior

Nonmedical use of prescription stimulants (NMUPS) among college students continues to rise. While some anti-NMUPS campaigns are available, little is known about the campaign development process and how well college students evaluate these messages. To bridge this gap, we developed theory-guided anti-NMUPS campaign interventions that are tailored to college students’ characteristics and evaluated students’ response towards them. A total of 445 college students (74.4% female; Meanage of 20; 18 to 35 years old) reviewed the campaign interventions and offered their evaluation via an online survey. Findings indicate that students responded to the campaigns positively. Results also indicate that female students are more likely to perceive the campaigns as effective than their male counterparts. Overall, the findings of this study suggest that theory-guided and tailored anti-NMUPS campaigns have great potential in changing students’ attitudes and behavior towards NMUPS. While this study fills critical gaps in the literature, considering the progress needed to strengthen the research field, more research is needed to further identify effective strategies that could prevent college students’ participation in NMUPS activities.

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