Climate Change Science in School Curriculum: Solution to Ignorance of Commons in Developing Countries

In developing countries and to a certain degree in developed countries too, either climate change (CC) consequences or drivers of CC are alien to the mindset of commoners, who after High School had with/without vocational skills entered the workforce. This deficit or ignorance can be rectified only by adding CC education in the school system. We present a school appropriate outline of CC learning content spanning Kinder Garten to High School. Adding CC content in school education is immensely warranted, as a large chunk of high schoolers annually joins the work force with or without vocational or skill training. Further, such a knowledge deficit among the generations of working class can be remedied only by providing appropriate and sufficient knowledge on CC consequences, etc., only through a structured adult education campaign.

Awareness About Colorectal Cancer among Young Adults in Poland

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most predominant malignancies among the adult population. Most cases of CRC develop from non-malignant precursor lesions called adenomas over a long time, which provides an opportunity for prevention with screening programmes. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the knowledge and awareness level concerning colorectal cancer epidemiology, risk factors, symptoms, and prevention among young society in Poland. The knowledge was examined with an anonymous survey between February and March 2021. Statistical analysis was performed and differences were considered significant if the p-value obtained was smaller than the assumed level of significance p ≤ 0.05. Respondents were mostly female, living in a city, with a population of over 500 thousand. The study acquired information that might guide educators about knowledge deficit among young society in Poland. The results confirmed that education, family/friends history of CRC and a place of residence differentiate knowledge and awareness about CRC. They revealed a significant knowledge gap between rural and urban inhabitants as well as a medical and non-medical group.

Effects of Selected Inherited Factors on Susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 Infection and COVID-19 Progression

Genetic predispositions may influence geographical and interethnic differences in COVID-19 prevalence and mortality in affected populations. Of the many genes implicated in COVID-19 progression, a substantial number have no direct functional link on virus transfer/viability or on the host immune system. To address this knowledge deficit, a large number of in silico studies have recently been published. However, the results of these studies often contradict the findings of studies involving real patients. For example, the ACE2 has been shown to play an important role in regulating coronavirus entry into cells, but none of its variations have been directly associated with COVID-19 susceptibility or severity. Consistently was reported that increased risk of COVID-19 is associated with blood group A and with the APOE4 allele. Among other genes with potential impacts are the genes for CCR5, IL-10, CD14, TMPRSS2 and angiotensin-converting enzyme. Variants within the protein-coding genes OAS1 and LZTFL1 (transferred to the human genome from Neanderthals) are understood to be among the strongest predictors of disease severity. The intensive research efforts have helped to identify the genes and polymorphisms that contribute to SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 severity.

Nursing diagnoses in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 in Indonesia

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has become a global public health issue, and the roles of nurses are very much needed in providing nursing services in the current situation. The enforcement of appropriate nursing diagnoses for patients with COVID-19 is also fundamental in determining proper nursing care to help the patients achieve maximum health. Objective: This study aimed to describe and analyze nursing diagnoses in patients with COVID-19 treated in the isolation rooms and ICUs. Methods: This study used a secondary data analysis from hospital medical record data of patients with COVID-19 from early December 2020 to the end of February 2021. Data were selected using a cluster random sampling technique and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: The results showed that the signs and symptoms of the patients with COVID-19 that often appeared were fever, cough, shortness of breath, and decreased consciousness. The common nursing diagnoses in the hospitalized patients with COVID-19 were hyperthermia, ineffective airway clearance, gas exchange disorder, self-care deficit, spontaneous ventilation disorder, spontaneous circulation disorder, knowledge deficit, and shock risk. Conclusion: This study offers an insight into nursing practices in the hospital setting, which can be used as a basis for nurses to perform complete nursing assessments and nursing diagnoses during the pandemic.

A Confirmation Bias View on Social Media Induced Polarisation During Covid-19

Social media has played a pivotal role in polarising views on politics, climate change, and more recently, the Covid-19 pandemic. Social media induced polarisation (SMIP) poses serious challenges to society as it could enable ‘digital wildfires’ that can wreak havoc worldwide. While the effects of SMIP have been extensively studied, there is limited understanding of the interplay between two key components of this phenomenon: confirmation bias (reinforcing one’s attitudes and beliefs) and echo chambers (i.e., hear their own voice). This paper addresses this knowledge deficit by exploring how manifestations of confirmation bias contributed to the development of ‘echo chambers’ at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Thematic analysis of data collected from 35 participants involved in supply chain information processing forms the basis of a conceptual model of SMIP and four key cross-cutting propositions emerging from the data that have implications for research and practice.

The Knowledge of Nursing Internship Program Students about Early Detection of Sepsis

Background: Sepsis is a life-threatening condition due to the failure of the body’s regulation of infection. Knowledge deficit is one of the barriers to early detection and initiation of sepsis care. Nursing internship program students as future nurses need to have sufficient knowledge about early detection of sepsis to support their behavior. Thus, the purpose of this study was to describe the knowledge of nursing internship program students regarding the early detection of sepsis and the demographic factor related to the knowledge. Methods: The study design was a quantitative study. Through the proportionate stratified non-random sampling technique, the researcher involved 143 nursing internship program students of Universitas Padjadjaran. Data collection used a questionnaire based on the Sepsis-3 guidelines to measure nursing internship program students’ knowledge about early detection of sepsis. The data was carried out in July-August 2021. Results: The average knowledge score of the respondents was 70.4 (SD=11.9). More than half of the respondents (56.6%) got a score below the average. Almost all respondents do not know the current definition of sepsis and still use the SIRS definition as clinical criteria for sepsis. However, respondents could identify clinical criteria for sepsis based on qSOFA and analyse sepsis indicators based on case scenarios. Meanwhile, based on its characteristics, the information is a factor that significantly affects the knowledge score (p < 0.05). Conclusion: In conclusion, there is still a gap in the knowledge of the nursing internship program students regarding the update of the Sepsis-3 guidelines. Besides, information is identified as the factor that influences knowledge. Therefore, it suggested that the institution provide further effective educational methods to update students’ knowledge about the early detection of sepsis.

Does Knowledge about Climate Change Predict Concern? Concern for Climate Change and the Knowledge-Deficit Theory

<p>The knowledge-deficit theory suggests that if people are not concerned about climate change, it is because there is a deficit in their knowledge of climate change—they do not properly comprehend the scientific consensus. So do people with higher levels of knowledge about climate change feel more concerned than those with lower knowledge levels? Existing research has been inconclusive but suggests differences between perceived and actual knowledge. This thesis comprises two studies. Study 1 tests the effect of perceived knowledge on concern for climate change with a nationally representative, randomly selected sample of 269 New Zealanders. Study 2 tests the effect of actual knowledge about climate change on concern with a sample of 452 New Zealanders recruited via snowball sampling. Results supported the knowledge-deficit theory for concern for climate change, but only when actual knowledge was tested. Participants in both Study 1 and Study 2 with high perceived knowledge did not have correspondingly high levels of concern, but Study 2 participants with high actual knowledge of climate change did also have high levels of concern. Other variables tested that consistently predicted high concern for climate change were perceived efficacy (the perception that one's actions will influence group outcomes) and environmental values. Demographic variables were not strong or consistent predictors of concern, but overall, younger female participants tended to display higher levels of concern than older male participants.</p>

Does Knowledge about Climate Change Predict Concern? Concern for Climate Change and the Knowledge-Deficit Theory

<p>The knowledge-deficit theory suggests that if people are not concerned about climate change, it is because there is a deficit in their knowledge of climate change—they do not properly comprehend the scientific consensus. So do people with higher levels of knowledge about climate change feel more concerned than those with lower knowledge levels? Existing research has been inconclusive but suggests differences between perceived and actual knowledge. This thesis comprises two studies. Study 1 tests the effect of perceived knowledge on concern for climate change with a nationally representative, randomly selected sample of 269 New Zealanders. Study 2 tests the effect of actual knowledge about climate change on concern with a sample of 452 New Zealanders recruited via snowball sampling. Results supported the knowledge-deficit theory for concern for climate change, but only when actual knowledge was tested. Participants in both Study 1 and Study 2 with high perceived knowledge did not have correspondingly high levels of concern, but Study 2 participants with high actual knowledge of climate change did also have high levels of concern. Other variables tested that consistently predicted high concern for climate change were perceived efficacy (the perception that one's actions will influence group outcomes) and environmental values. Demographic variables were not strong or consistent predictors of concern, but overall, younger female participants tended to display higher levels of concern than older male participants.</p>

Changing Climate and Changing Behaviour: Perceptions of Powerlessness and the Commons Dilemma

<p>Mitigating climate change is recognized as an increasingly urgent task that requires several different methods to achieve. Among these is the need to encourage voluntary behaviour change. Doing so necessitates an understanding of the barriers that prevent behaviour change, including those which are psychological. Among the psychological barriers to change are perceptions of powerlessness and the commons dilemma. This thesis takes a mixed method approach to understand importance of these in relation to both each other and other barriers when taking action to mitigate climate change. Results indicate that individuals do not clearly distinguish climate change from general environmental problems and have a tendency to simplify the issues to that considered to be the singularly most important. Powerlessness and the commons dilemma had been evaluated but not extensively or as specifically applicable to climate change. Powerlessness and the commons dilemma were both found to relate to lower amounts of action on climate change and less importance placed upon climate change in actions. Perceived risk and human influence on climate change were the strongest predictors of action. Results generally support the knowledge-deficit model of behaviour change as being applicable to climate change.</p>

Changing Climate and Changing Behaviour: Perceptions of Powerlessness and the Commons Dilemma

<p>Mitigating climate change is recognized as an increasingly urgent task that requires several different methods to achieve. Among these is the need to encourage voluntary behaviour change. Doing so necessitates an understanding of the barriers that prevent behaviour change, including those which are psychological. Among the psychological barriers to change are perceptions of powerlessness and the commons dilemma. This thesis takes a mixed method approach to understand importance of these in relation to both each other and other barriers when taking action to mitigate climate change. Results indicate that individuals do not clearly distinguish climate change from general environmental problems and have a tendency to simplify the issues to that considered to be the singularly most important. Powerlessness and the commons dilemma had been evaluated but not extensively or as specifically applicable to climate change. Powerlessness and the commons dilemma were both found to relate to lower amounts of action on climate change and less importance placed upon climate change in actions. Perceived risk and human influence on climate change were the strongest predictors of action. Results generally support the knowledge-deficit model of behaviour change as being applicable to climate change.</p>