scholarly journals Public Response, Anxiety and Behaviour during the First Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic in Saudi Arabia

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 4628
Author(s):  
Amani Salem Alqahtani ◽  
Meshael Mohammed Alrasheed ◽  
Ada Mohammed Alqunaibet
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Protective Measures ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Public Response ◽  
Social Events ◽  
Phone Survey ◽  
Younger Age ◽  
Low Levels ◽  
The Government

This study aims to investigate public response attitude, anxiety, practices and trust in the authorities’ mitigation plan during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic. A national cross sectional phone survey was conducted among Saudi residents aged 16 years and above. A total of 90,421 (45.2%) individuals participated in the study. Of those, the overall rate of COVID-19 correct knowledge was 82% (mean: 9.84); social media was the most reported source of knowledge. Younger age, low levels of education and foreign residents were associated with poor knowledge. Overall, 49.5% scored 5 or more on the GAD-7 test, indicating anxiety symptoms, 19.2% of them scored 10 and above, suggesting moderate to severe anxiety. Majority of participants (>78%) trusted and supported the interventions implemented by the government to control COVID-19. Social distancing practices among participants was as following, 72.5% stayed at home and avoid going out for nonessential business and 49.5% avoided attending social events and family gatherings. Trust in authorities, being anxious, worry and levels of knowledge about the disease, were the most common factors affecting adoption of the recommended practices. Continuous evaluation of public response about COVID-19, and the effectiveness of protective measures is essential to better inform policy-makers and identify ways of encouraging behaviour change among public during pandemic.

scholarly journals Preparedness of Frontline Doctors in Jordan Healthcare Facilities to COVID-19 Outbreak

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (9) ◽  
pp. 3181 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aiman Suleiman ◽  
Isam Bsisu ◽  
Hasan Guzu ◽  
Abeer Santarisi ◽  
Murad Alsatari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Virus Transmission ◽  
Knowledge Score ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Protective Measures ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Healthcare Facilities ◽  
Psychological Impacts ◽  
Multiple Challenges ◽  
Sectional Structure

The number of COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease of 2019) cases in Jordan is rising rapidly. A serious threat to the healthcare system appears on the horizon. Our study aims to evaluate preparedness of Jordanian frontline doctors to the worsening scenario. It has a questionnaire-based cross-sectional structure. The questionnaire was designed to evaluate preparedness according to knowledge about virus transmission and protective measures, adherence to protection guidelines, and psychological impacts affecting doctors. Institutional factors affecting doctors’ readiness like adopting approach protocols and making protection equipment available were investigated; 308 doctors from different healthcare facilities participated (response rate: 53.9%). Approximately 25% of doctors (n = 77) previously took care of COVID-19 patients, and 173 (56.2%) have institutional COVID-19 approach protocols. Only 57 doctors (18.5%) reported all PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) available. The self-reported score of preparedness to deal with COVID-19 patients was 4.9 ± 2.4. Doctors having institutional protocols for dealing with COVID-19 cases and those with sustained availability of PPE reported higher scores of preparedness (5.5 ± 2.3 and 6.2 ± 2.1 with p < 0.001, respectively). Correlations with knowledge score, adherence to PPE score, and psychological impacts were investigated. The study revealed multiple challenges and insufficiencies that can affect frontline doctors’ preparedness. Policy makers are urged to take these findings into consideration and to act promptly.

Fish Price Determination Around Lake Victoria, Tanzania: Analysis of Factors Affecting Fish Landing Price

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 348-363
Author(s):  
Damian Boniface Sambuo ◽  
Stephen Kirama ◽  
Kitala Malamsha
Keyword(s):  
Lake Victoria ◽  
Regulatory Body ◽  
Price Determination ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Fish Market ◽  
Fishery Policy ◽  
The Government ◽  
And Performance

Determination of fish landing price is important, as the same contributes to the structure, conduct and performance of the fish market in Lake Victoria. Determination of relevant landing price is a gap to console between fishermen, agents (middlemen), processors and the government. The main objective of this study was therefore to examine fish price determination. Specifically, to examine the methods for fish price determination and analyse factors that affect fish landing price in Lake Victoria, a cross-sectional design was employed, and 300 respondents were randomly selected from two district councils, namely, Sengerema and Buchosa. Both qualitative and quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics and inferential analysis. Findings show that landing price is determined through formal negotiation with processors, consultation with other traders, informal negotiation with buyers and Beach Management Unit (BMU). The study concluded that these are the common methods used to determine landing prices. Also, distance from fishing to onshore landing centres, market information channels, age and experiences of the fishermen are the factors significantly found affecting landing price. It is recommended that the mechanism for setting up fishery price, fish market structure, fishery information and the formation of fishery regulatory body needs fishery policy and sector reforms that mark the determination of fish landing price.

Factors affecting utilization of youth friendly health services in Lagos State, Nigeria

2017 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Toriola Temitope Femi-Adebayo ◽  
Yetunde Kuyinu ◽  
Olusola Adedeji Adejumo ◽  
Olayinka Goodman
Keyword(s):  
Health Services ◽  
School Attendance ◽  
Health Facilities ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Lagos State ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Government ◽  
Youth Friendly ◽  
Youth Friendly Services

AbstractBackgroundYouth friendly health services (YFHS) are services that attract, respond to the needs of and retain young people for continuing care. This study was conducted to determine the factors affecting utilization of government (GYFF) and non-governmental youth friendly facilities (NGYFF) in Lagos state, Nigeria.MethodsA descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 543 adolescents aged 15–24 years, between August 1, 2014 and October 31, 2014 were consecutively recruited from 10 (five government and five non-governmental) youth friendly health facilities that had been in operation for at least 6 months prior to the study. Logistic regression was used to determine predictors of utilization of youth friendly health facilities.ResultsOverall, the mean age of respondents was 17.9 ± 2.8. However, the mean age of respondents at GYFF (18.5 ± 3.0) was significantly higher than those at NGYFF (17.1 ± 2.5) (p < 0.001). Of the 567 youths enrolled, 196 (34.6%) had good utilization of youth friendly facilities (YFF) (34% from the GYFF and 35.2% from the NGYFF). Marital status, school attendance, having a baby, satisfaction with visit, perception that information shared was kept confidential and accessibility of the youth friendly services were associated with utilization of YFF (p < 0.05). Confidentiality and access to facilities were predictors of utilization of YFF.ConclusionThere is poor utilization of both government and non-governmental youth friendly services in Lagos, Nigeria. There is a need for both the government and private sector to harmonize resources aimed at encouraging utilization of YFF in Lagos, Nigeria.

scholarly journals Social Factors Associated With Adherence to Preventive Behaviors Related to COVID-19 Among Rural and Semi-urban Communities in Western Maharashtra, India

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suhas P. Shewale ◽  
Suvarna Sanjay Sane ◽  
Dhammasagar Dnyaneshwar Ujagare ◽  
Rais Patel ◽  
Sudipto Roy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Behavior Change ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Knowledge Score ◽  
Actual Behavior ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Protective Measures ◽  
Change Communication ◽  
Precautionary Measures ◽  
The Government

Background: To control the transmission of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection, the Government of India (GoI) had taken stringent precautionary measures during the lockdown period. This study aimed to explore determinants affecting adherence to protective measures against COVID-19 infection among rural and semi-urban settings of Maharashtra, India.Methods: A cross-sectional telephonic survey among 1,016 adults from randomly selected households was conducted between June 5 and July 16, 2020. The data were explored for knowledge, awareness, practices related to protective measures, and self-risk perception. Socio-demographic and attitudinal correlates of failure to use protective measures against COVID-19 were measured.Results: In the survey, 72% of the participants were men. The mean age was 46 years (SD: 13.8). The main source of information was television (91%); however, information from healthcare providers (65%) and mass media announcements (49%) was trustworthy. Washing hands immediately with soap after returning from outdoors was reported by 95% of the respondents, always using a mask while outdoors by 94%, never attended social gatherings by 91%, always using hand sanitizer while outside by 77%, and 68% of the respondents followed all protective measures. The knowledge score [mean score 20.3 (SD: 2.4) out of 24] was independently associated with the risk of not using protective measures, with each unit increase in knowledge score, the risk of not using protective measures reduced by 16%. No source of income was independently associated with not using protective measures [AOR 1.5 95% CI (1.01–2.3)].Conclusions: The COVID-19 public health interventions and behavior change communication strategies should be specifically directed towards the low socio-economic populations through trusted sources. The association between knowledge and practices demonstrates the importance of accurate public health communication to optimally follow preventive measures, such as structural interventions to address poverty and employment policies to address the unemployment crisis are required. Surveillance activity is needed to understand the actual behavior change among the population.

scholarly journals Does Job Satisfaction, Fair Treatment, and Cooperativeness Influence the Whistleblowing Practice in Malaysian Government Linked Companies?

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamaliah Said ◽  
Md. Mahmudul Alam ◽  
Dar Irna Bt Mohamed ◽  
Marhamah Rafidi
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Performance Appraisal ◽  
Organizational Factors ◽  
Working Environment ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Fair Treatment ◽  
Subsequent Effect ◽  
The Government

Purpose: Whistleblowing is an important factor in preventing corruption and fraud in organizations. There is a law to promote whistleblowing practices, but the negative subsequent effect of whistleblowing demotivates the reporting of unethical behaviours. Thus, it is important to identify the factors that motivate an employee to exercise whistleblowing in an organization. Therefore, this study aims to examine whether the personal factor of job satisfaction and organizational factors such as fair treatment as well as cooperativeness contribute to the whistleblowing practice in an organization.Design/methodology/approach: This study collected primary data based on a questionnaire survey from 73 respondents of the seven top most GLCs in Malaysia. The data are analyzed using descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and cross-sectional regression.Findings: The findings of the study reveal that only fair treatment is statistically significant and positively related to the whistleblowing practice. The findings imply that if employees perceive that the organization provides fair treatment in terms of career advancement, awards, training, performance appraisal, job assignment, and pay increases, they would tend to report wrongdoing activities to protect the image of the organization.Practical implications: The findings of the study will help the policy makers to ensure better working environment and accountability in the public sector of Malaysia and other similar countries.Originality/value: This is an original study based on primary data to examine the current practices of whistleblowing and its relationship with the practices of job satisfaction, fair treatment, and cooperativeness in the government linked companies of Malaysia.

Evaluation of building security costs determinant within the built environment in Minna, Niger state, Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 85-95
Author(s):  
M.O Anifowose ◽  
I. Said ◽  
J.E Idiake ◽  
R Ismail
Keyword(s):  
Built Environment ◽  
Protective Measures ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Sustainable Building ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Source Data ◽  
Insignificant Difference ◽  
Security Costs ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Wall Openings

Building equipped with protective measures is exceedingly restricted but it brings about a moderately high increment in expenses of building security and the general cost of the home. This study aims at assessing the built environment experts’ perception of factors affecting the cost of maintaining security in houses as a part of sustainable building security cost. The study employed mixed methods sequential exploratory design to source data primarily from the respondents. Purposive and convenience sampling were used for data collection while descriptive statistics and inferential were employed for data analyses. The results revealed insignificant difference in respondents’ perceptions on building security costs. The top ranked respondents’ perceptions were from Builders, Quantity Surveyors and Architects with total mean scores of 267.08, 234.66 and 234.63. No significant variations were shown among the mean scores of the items ranked. This is an indication that all items are important therefore having effect on building security costs. The study concluded that external wall openings access prevention, size of building, perimeter fence and protection are some of the key criteria for measuring building security costs. The study sensitizes the built environment experts, criminologists and policy makers about the implication of the established factors on building security costs. Keyword: Built-Environment, Building security, Cost determinant, Experts’ perceptions

scholarly journals Factors Affecting Technology Transfer and Commercialization of University Research in India: a Cross-sectional Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramya Ravi ◽  
Manthan D. Janodia
Keyword(s):  
Technology Transfer ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Enabling Factors ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
The Government ◽  
University Industry ◽  
Indian Academia

AbstractIn recent years, there is a great emphasis on transferring inventions and technologies originating from academia to industry through technology transfer/licensing or commercialization. The efforts of the Government of India (GOI) aim to create socially useful innovation through university-industry technology transfer. The objective of the study is to examine and understand enabling factors and barriers for technology transfer among Indian universities. The study covers three key aspects: (1) the awareness and practice of patents and research commercialization among Indian academia, (2) comprehending strategies adapted to commercialize research activities, and (3) barriers in university-industry technology transfer (TT). This paper is an attempt to answer the research question whether current dynamics within Indian universities create an environment for enabling knowledge transfer/commercialization and propose plausible suggestions to enable academia-industry technology transfer. A self- assessed structured methodology is contemplated and applied. Convenience sampling methods were adopted. Administrators of 25 universities overseeing research and development activities/patent cell/incubation cell or industrial collaboration of universities were approached to participate in the study. Indian universities are categorized as (i) public funded universities and (ii) private institutes for the purpose of the study. It is interesting to understand that public funded universities have an advantage in terms of receiving funds and licensing the research to potential industrial partners. The authors further conclude that research undertaken in academia is far from the demands of the industry. Even though the relevant supporting system for enhancing university-industry collaboration is in place, such as establishing technology transfer office (TTO) in the university, they hardly channelize the resources for socially useful innovation. It is important for Indian academia to undertake commercially viable research for the benefit of society.

scholarly journals Exorcising the “Ghosts” from the Government Payroll in Developing Countries in the Wake of the Covid-19 Pandemic: Ghana’s Empirical Example

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richmond Sam Quarm ◽  
Rosemond Sam-Quarm ◽  
Richmond Sam-Quarm
Keyword(s):  
Developing Economies ◽  
Government Expenditure ◽  
Fraud Triangle ◽  
Estimation Model ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Government ◽  
Triangle Theory ◽  
Government Workers

The salary payment of government workers constitute a significant percentage of total government expenditure in developing economies, simply because the government remains the largest or biggest employer. The Government Payroll system, therefore, requires a robust control mechanism to detect and prevent the occurrence of “payroll fraud”, as the irregularity denies the state of huge sums of monies going down the drain and into private pockets, and which could have otherwise been channelled into some critical sectors of the economy; and to minimise the excessive borrowing by government to fill the gap. The several efforts and reforms by the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) and the Ghana Audit Service (GAS) in particular; and the Ministry of Finance (MoF) in general, to clean the Government Payroll of these “payroll frauds” consistently over the years have not yielded the desired results. The various studies conducted on “payroll fraud” in Ghana did not address themselves to the introduction of the “Electronic-Salary Payment Voucher (E-SPV) system since 2014, which was hailed by many as the final panacea to the “annual ritual of ghost workers on the government payroll”. To fill the gap, we conducted this empirical cross-sectional research on “payroll fraud” based on the “fraud triangle theory” and the “graft estimation model”. We employed non probability purposive, but convenient, sampling methodology by means of structured questionnaires and face-to-face interviews to arrive at our conclusion. Our major finding was that “payroll fraud” can never be eliminated (but only minimised), and must therefore be treated and necessarily managed to the barest minimum (between 1% and 5%), just as normal “bad debts” in Financial Statements. Policy makers will have to revisit the issues about “Ghost Workers”, in the midst of the novel and dreaded, and disastrous Convid-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals Exorcising the “Ghosts” from the Government Payroll in Developing Countries in the Wake of the Covid-19 Pandemic: Ghana’s Empirical Example

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Richmond Sam Quarm ◽  
◽  
Rosemond Sam-Quarm ◽  
Richmond Sam-Quarm ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Developing Economies ◽  
Government Expenditure ◽  
Fraud Triangle ◽  
Estimation Model ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
The Government ◽  
Triangle Theory ◽  
Government Workers

The salary payment of government workers constitute a significant percentage of total government expenditure in developing economies, simply because the government remains the largest or biggest employer. The Government Payroll system, therefore, requires a robust control mechanism to detect and prevent the occurrence of “payroll fraud”, as the irregularity denies the state of huge sums of monies going down the drain and into private pockets, and which could have otherwise been channelled into some critical sectors of the economy; and to minimise the excessive borrowing by government to fill the gap. The several efforts and reforms by the Controller and Accountant-General’s Department (CAGD) and the Ghana Audit Service (GAS) in particular; and the Ministry of Finance (MoF) in general, to clean the Government Payroll of these “payroll frauds” consistently over the years have not yielded the desired results. The various studies conducted on “payroll fraud” in Ghana did not address themselves to the introduction of the “Electronic-Salary Payment Voucher (E-SPV) system since 2014, which was hailed by many as the final panacea to the “annual ritual of ghost workers on the government payroll”. To fill the gap, we conducted this empirical cross-sectional research on “payroll fraud” based on the “fraud triangle theory” and the “graft estimation model”. We employed non probability purposive, but convenient, sampling methodology by means of structured questionnaires and face-to-face interviews to arrive at our conclusion. Our major finding was that “payroll fraud” can never be eliminated (but only minimised), and must therefore be treated and necessarily managed to the barest minimum (between 1% and 5%), just as normal “bad debts” in Financial Statements. Policy makers will have to revisit the issues about “Ghost Workers”, in the midst of the novel and dreaded, and disastrous Convid-19 pandemic.

How does management perceive export success? An empirical study of Moroccan SMEs

2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 126-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hind El Makrini
Keyword(s):  
Customer Orientation ◽  
Small And Medium Enterprises ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Resource Based View ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Quantitative Design ◽  
Medium Enterprises ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the managerial determinants of the export success of Moroccan small and medium enterprises (SMEs) based on resource-based view (RBV) of a firm. Design/methodology/approach – The quantitative design was employed involving a questionnaire completed by 100 managers of Moroccan SMEs. Multiple regression analyses were carried out to confirm or reject eight hypotheses. Findings – It was found that management export commitment and management customer orientation are the main managerial factors in the export success of Moroccan SMEs. Research limitations/implications – The study was limited to one context, and it followed a cross-sectional approach. Export success was measured by only subjective method with Likert scale. The study suggests that further investigations can be made to incorporate other factors affecting export success. Practical implications – The results offer insights into the practices of Moroccan exporting SMEs and recommendations for policy makers as well as an indication for further research. The research can also be used in teaching. Originality/value – First, the tested model is one of few that consider developing country contexts. Second, this research can serve as a guide for future researchers who intend to study export success in other developing countries, particularly in Maghreb regions where there is a gross dearth of research. Therefore, the study is of significant value to practitioners and scholars alike.

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