Evaluation approaches to empowering interventions

Empowerment has been a widespread term since the 1990s and is common in contexts as social work, community development, psychology, medicine, and several other areas of human development and health. Empowerment is a process during which a person, an organization, or a community is enabled to identify themselves, to recognize their own power positions and to improve their unequal social situations (Varga, 2017). The evaluation of empowerment outcomes has been missing from the Hungarian professional literature. This review article focuses on the empowerment of adults through educational theatre and drama, and is based on the analysis of previous research results in the area. Empowerment is a multi-level, context-dependent construct, hence, evaluating empowerment outcomes is challenging. Theorists of empowerment warn against creating a general instrument for measurement (Zimmerman, 1995). I reflect on quantitative, qualitative, and combined evaluation methods, such as the Psychological Empowerment Scale (Akey et al., 2000), the Empowerment Evaluation (Fetterman, 2001), and the Empowerment Measuring Tool (Jupp et al., 2010), also taking Wandersman and associates’ (2005) principles for empowerment evaluation into account.

Applicability of the Fels questionnaire on physical activity of children in rural areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Introduction: Insufficient physical activity is one of the leading public health problems in the world, but also in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Modern civilization is characterized by a significant decrease in physical activity, and the number of people whose lifestyle can be called sedentary has never been higher, which is especially emphasised among children and adolescents. Aim of the study is to examine public health significance of physical activity on the occurrence and the degree of obesity in children and adolescents in primary and secondary schools and to determine the applicability of the Fels questionnaire on physical activity of children in rural areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Methods: We used a transversal research method of a cross-sectional study at a one-time point, and for obtaining results we used the Fels physical activity questionnaire for children and measurement protocol. Results: 276 primary and secondary school students in two cities participated in this survey. Respondents in Busovača are more physically active than their peers in Sarajevo. One-third of the total number of respondents is overweight and obese, and respondents in Sarajevo are significantly more nourished than their peers in Busovača. The Fels questionnaire is conditionally applicable, especially in rural areas. Conclusion: This study confirmed that the Fels questionnaire for assessing the level of physical activity for children and young people, which is the general instrument for research of physical activity in children, is too generalized because it is based on a homogeneous urban population.

Uncertainties of the solar wind in-situ velocity measurements

We study spectral features of Alfvénic turbulence in fast solar wind. We propose a general, instrument independent method to estimate the uncertainty in velocity fluctuations obtained by in-situ satellite observations in the solar wind. We show that when the measurement uncertainties of the velocity fluctuations are taken into account the less energetic Elsasser spectrum obeys a unique power law scaling throughout the inertial range as prevailing theories of magnetohydrodynamic turbulence predict.

THE INDIVIDUAL WORK PERFORMANCE SCALE: A PSYCHOMETRIC STUDY AND ITS APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

Purpose: This research aims to get an individual work performance scale of the modified version which is more acceptable and has a good psychometric property. Methodology: This study was conducted using a modified measuring instrument approach. Researchers use existing theories and then make items according to the context in which this research will be conducted. The advantage of this modification approach is getting a more comprehensive understanding of the subject we are researching. Main Findings: Of the 303 employees that were tested in the research, the modification scale of the individual work performance has a good psychometric property with the criteria of reliability more than 0.8 and the fit model that has a good item with RMSEA score (0.062). Other than that, the modification scale of individual work performance shows a good convergent validity with presenteeism and correlate with job burnout. Applications of this study: The Individual Work Performance Scale has a comprehensive methodology and good psychometric properties. This instrument is appropriate to be the general instrument for seeing the employee situation. In addition, this instrument can also be used as a set of tests that are suitable for use by those who will conduct an assessment of employee performance. Novelty: This scale was made as a form of development from previous research which did not explore and develop forms of assessment that were specific to an employee's performance. There is not much-related research that focuses on many dimensions that are actually important to assess in employee performance.

Reconciliation of Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Law in Armed Conflict

A common insight on human rights law as an instrument that aimed to protect the human dignity and values are often regarded to be separate from international humanitarian law. In relation to the norms, the difference between the two concepts related to the current conflict arise many debates. This paper reviews the common thread of the two international legal instruments. The connection between the two can be elaborated by explaining the concept; similarities and dissimilarities; and linking the basis for the establishment of legal instruments between human rights law and international humanitarian law. The results of research indicated that between international humanitarian law and human rights law have relevant rules applied in conflict situations. International humanitarian law as an instrument of international law is specifically applied in situations of armed conflict, whereas human rights law as a general instrument can be applied both in peace or conflict conditions. In a condition of armed conflict, international humanitarian law as a lex specialist is not widely interpreted to set aside human rights law. Human rights law is applied if facts or incidents exist in armed conflict that is contrary to human values.

Validation of self-assessment instrument for the Patient Safety Center

ABSTRACT Objective: To develop and validate an instrument for the self-assessment of the Patient Safety Centers in health care institutions. Method: Non-experimental methodological study. Divided in the following stages: literature review and construction of the preliminary instrument; content validation by nine professionals with experience in Quality Management and patient safety, who contributed to the adequacy of the items in terms of clarity and relevance; finally, 12 PSC coordinators, which conducted the reliability validation of the final instrument, using Cronbach's Alpha. Results: The instrument presented content validity regarding clarity and relevance, evidenced by an agreement level greater than 70%. The internal consistency presented high reliability, with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.857 for the general instrument, 0.825 for the domain Structure, and 0.809 for the domain Process. Conclusion: The instrument presented evidence of content validity and reliability for self-assessment, implementation and evaluation of the PSC in health institutions.