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Challenges
Number of Followers: 2  Open Access journalISSN (Print) 2078-1547 Published by MDPI  [258 journals]
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- Challenges, Vol. 14, Pages 3: Towards Youth-Centred Planetary Health
Education
Authors: Kate C. Tilleczek, Mark Terry, Deborah MacDonald, James Orbinski, James Stinson
First page: 3
Abstract: This paper presents data and analyses from our Planetary Health Film Lab (PHFL) and its sister project the Youth Climate Report. Qualitative data include semi-structured interviews with youth and their educators and content analysis of films produced by young people (ages 19–25) from six countries (Australia, Columbia, Ecuador, Italy, India, Canada). The educative processes designed for the Planetary Health Film Lab are illustrative of our work to build the field of planetary health education that is with/for young people whose educative projects are mobilized in turn to educate wider audiences and for policy change. The analyses show how youth document and record planetary health concerns alongside responsive projects that are embedded in awareness of climate justice and their interconnected ecological systems. The qualitative content analyses of selected films resulted in three themes: (1) Anthropogenic footprints, (2) Ecological and climate justice, and (3) Collective local/global solutions. Data also illustrates how young people’s participation in educative film projects contribute to the education of others and address related intergenerational justice issues. Implications for the knowledge, ethics and practices of youth-centred planetary health education are discussed as they augment the Framework for Planetary Health. Youth are crucial but overlooked collaborators in redressing planetary health education, an error we begin to correct through transdisciplinary approaches with/for young people who could help define the field.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2023-01-08
DOI: 10.3390/challe14010003
Issue No: Vol. 14, No. 1 (2023)
- Challenges, Vol. 14, Pages 4: Public Health Impact and Health System
Preparedness within a Changing Climate in Bangladesh: A Scoping Review
Authors: Mahin Al Nahian
First page: 4
Abstract: Bangladesh, one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world is also severely exposed to climate change (CC) impacts with a multitude of health complexities. Health adaptation to CC is thus a serious issue in Bangladesh, but not explored properly from a health system and policy environment perspective. In order to address this gap and provide a holistic picture of the overall scenario, this scoping review explores CC impacts on the population health in Bangladesh and discusses the policy environment and health system preparedness against such climatic challenges. A total of 28 articles were reviewed following Arksey and O’Malley’s scoping review framework. A “5-point scale” was devised to assess CC integration in the health sector Operational Plans (OPs). Though the country made significant progress in different health indicators, poverty and income inequality have kept marginal communities out of many health provisions. There are four major stakeholders in the health system. The government sector is handicapped by poor governance, bureaucratic processes, and staff shortages; and primarily focuses on the public sector only. National Health Policy (NHP) governs the health system through 29 sectoral OPs, that put CC as a major cross-cutting issue. About 25% of the OPs have fully integrated CC and other OPs have significant CC co-benefits. In Bangladesh CC was linked to increased morbidity and mortality, diarrhea, cholera, skin problems, respiratory infections, malaria, dengue, kala azar, pre-eclampsia, and hypertension. Significant research gaps exist on child health, migrant health, and mental health. Integration of research evidence into policy, planning and program design is largely absent. However, prioritizing health for the National Adaptation Plan is an essential step towards establishing a climate-resilient health system.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2023-01-09
DOI: 10.3390/challe14010004
Issue No: Vol. 14, No. 1 (2023)
- Challenges, Vol. 14, Pages 5: Education for Sustainability: Understanding
Processes of Change across Individual, Collective, and System Levels
Authors: Pöllänen Elin, Osika Walter, Bojner Horwitz Eva, Wamsler Christine
First page: 5
Abstract: Researchers and practitioners increasingly emphasise the need to complement dominant external, technological approaches with an internal focus to support transformation toward sustainability. However, knowledge on how this internal human dimension can support transformation across individual, collective, and systems levels is limited. Our study addresses this gap. We examined the narratives of participants in the sustainability course “One Year in Transition”, using micro-phenomenology and thematic analysis. Our results shed light on the dynamics of inner–outer change and action and the necessary capacities to support them. This related to changes regarding participants’ perspectives, which became more relational and interconnected. We also showed that participants increasingly seek an inner space that provides direction and freedom to act. The data suggested that this, over time, leads to increasing internalisation, and the embodiment of a personal identity as a courageous and principled change agent for sustainability. Our results complement extant quantitative research in the field by offering a nuanced picture of the entangled nature of inner–outer transformation processes and associated influencing factors. In addition, they point towards ways in which inner dimensions can be leveraged to achieve change, thus filling existing knowledge gaps for reaching sustainability and associated goals across all levels.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2023-01-11
DOI: 10.3390/challe14010005
Issue No: Vol. 14, No. 1 (2023)
- Challenges, Vol. 14, Pages 6: Advancing Environmental Justice through the
Authors: Jennifer B. Rasmussen
First page: 6
Abstract: As our planet faces more frequent and severe environmental threats due to climate change (including threats to biodiversity), environmental justice will be essential to ensure that the costs and burdens of combating these threats are shared equally, borne by all people worldwide in a fair and equitable manner. If the past is any indicator, however, environmental problems—and their “solutions”—disproportionately affect poor communities and communities of color, including Indigenous communities. Despite these past injustices, Indigenous lands, which make up only 20 percent of the Earth’s territory, contain 80 percent of the world’s remaining biodiversity—evidence that Indigenous peoples are among the most effective stewards of the environment. A primary reason for this remarkable statistic is the use and practice of Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge; ecological wisdom which has been passed down for generations and has been shown to strengthen community resilience in response to the multiple stressors of global environmental change. While the United States government has been slow to acknowledge the value of Traditional Ecological Knowledge, it has recently begun to incorporate that knowledge into environmental policy in response to the worldwide climate crisis. Continuing the integration of Traditional Ecological Knowledge into government environmental policy will ensure that such policies will be more effective at the federal, state, and local levels and more equitable in their application. Western scientists, government officials, and global leaders need to build trusting and co-equal relationships with Indigenous communities by actively listening to all cultures and respecting the many kinds of knowledge systems required to conserve the natural world and all living beings. This paper will address how incorporating Traditional Ecological Knowledge into U.S. policy would help safeguard the environment from further biodiversity loss and other ecological destruction, and advance environmental justice to ensure the fair treatment of all.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2023-01-11
DOI: 10.3390/challe14010006
Issue No: Vol. 14, No. 1 (2023)
- Challenges, Vol. 14, Pages 7: Acknowledgment to the Reviewers of
Challenges in 2022
Authors: Challenges Editorial Office Challenges Editorial Office
First page: 7
Abstract: High-quality academic publishing is built on rigorous peer review [...]
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2023-01-18
DOI: 10.3390/challe14010007
Issue No: Vol. 14, No. 1 (2023)
- Challenges, Vol. 14, Pages 8: Adopting a Statistical, Mechanistic,
Integrated Surveillance, Thermal Biology, and Holistic (SMITH) Approach
for Arbovirus Control in a Changing Climate: A Review of Evidence
Authors: Habeebullah Jayeola Oladipo, Yusuf Amuda Tajudeen, Iyiola Olatunji Oladunjoye, Sheriff Taye Mustapha, Yusuff Inaolaji Sodiq, Rashidat Onyinoyi Yusuf, Oluwaseyi Muyiwa Egbewande, Abdulbasit Opeyemi Muili, Taofeekat Oluwatosin Adigun, Emmanuel O. Taiwo, Mona Said El-Sherbini
First page: 8
Abstract: Arbovirus control depends on accurate projections of likely changes in the arthropod vector species, essential to inform local and global public health authorities. According to the WHO Assembly and the Global Vector Control Response (GVCR), by 2030, the burden of vector-borne diseases, particularly arbovirus infections, is expected to be greatly decreased. However, anthropogenic drivers, including climate change, insecticide resistance, and a lack of operational local databases for risk management of emerging and re-emerging arboviruses, hinders effective implementation plans. This article presents a statistical, mechanistic, integrated surveillance, thermal biology, and holistic framework (termed SMITH) to discuss how temperature variations affect the biological transmission, replication, extrinsic incubation period, nutritional behavior, distribution, and survival (TRENDS) of arboviruses. Future transdisciplinary research that involves knowledge translation between local and global communities is required for early detection and risk management of the growing threat posed by arboviruses for human, animal, and planetary health.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2023-01-22
DOI: 10.3390/challe14010008
Issue No: Vol. 14, No. 1 (2023)
- Challenges, Vol. 14, Pages 9: Traditional Foods, Globalization, Migration,
and Public and Planetary Health: The Case of Tejate, a Maize and Cacao
Beverage in Oaxacalifornia
Authors: Daniela Soleri, David Arthur Cleveland, Flavio Aragón Cuevas, Violeta Jimenez, May C. Wang
First page: 9
Abstract: We are in the midst of an unprecedented public and planetary health crisis. A major driver of this crisis is the current nutrition transition—a product of globalization and powerful multinational food corporations promoting industrial agriculture and the consumption of environmentally destructive and unhealthy ultra-processed and other foods. This has led to unhealthy food environments and a pandemic of diet-related noncommunicable diseases, as well as negative impacts on the biophysical environment, biodiversity, climate, and economic equity. Among migrants from the global south to the global north, this nutrition transition is often visible as dietary acculturation. Yet some communities are defying the transition through selective resistance to globalization by recreating their traditional foods in their new home, and seeking crop species and varieties customarily used in their preparation. These communities include Zapotec migrants from the Central Valleys of the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca living in greater Los Angeles, California. Focusing on the traditional and culturally emblematic beverage tejate, we review data from our research and the literature to outline key questions about the role of traditional foods in addressing the public and planetary health crisis. We conclude that to answer these questions, a transnational collaborative research partnership between community members and scientists is needed. This could reorient public and planetary health work to be more equitable, participatory, and effective by supporting a positive role for traditional foods and minimizing their harms.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2023-01-29
DOI: 10.3390/challe14010009
Issue No: Vol. 14, No. 1 (2023)
- Challenges, Vol. 14, Pages 10: Planetary Health Requires Tapestry
Thinking—Overcoming Silo Mentality
Authors: Susan L. Prescott
First page: 10
Abstract: Most people know the fabled story of the elephant and the “six blind men”, with each of them separately examining a different portion of the mysterious object before them and drawing a different conclusion without awareness of the whole picture—which could have been gleaned by sharing information with their neighbours (Figure 1) [...]
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2023-02-09
DOI: 10.3390/challe14010010
Issue No: Vol. 14, No. 1 (2023)
- Challenges, Vol. 14, Pages 11: Intergenerational Deliberations for Long
Term Sustainability
Authors: Llinos Haf Spencer, Mary Lynch, Gwenlli Mair Thomas, Rhiannon Tudor Edwards
First page: 11
Abstract: Grŵp Cynefin, a social housing association in North Wales, United Kingdom (UK) with other partner organisations, had a vision to create a community Hub in the Nantlle Valley to strengthen and support the health and well-being of the local community through the provision of a range of traditional and preventative services. Social prescribing (SP), which is a non-medical support using community assets, would be a part of this new innovative Hub. SP activities would be co-designed and co-produced by current community members. Drawing on the principles of citizens’ assembly deliberations and Future Design, four focus groups (n = 16) were conducted to develop sustainable strategies for SP activities as part of the proposed Hub. Deliberations on the perspectives of future generations were considered along with current community needs. Findings from the focus groups imply that current members of society are open to the concept of taking an inter-generational approach when designing SP activities to address the social and economic needs of the community along with integration of traditional and preventative community health services. Deliberations highlighted that the proposed Hub could strengthen communities and support community health and well-being, by providing a place to socialise and acting as a single point of access for community services, which could promote social cohesion in line with the Well-being for Future Generations (Wales) Act. Applying a long-term thinking approach to citizens’ assembly deliberation design offers a voice to the interests of future generations, providing inter-generational equity.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2023-02-11
DOI: 10.3390/challe14010011
Issue No: Vol. 14, No. 1 (2023)
- Challenges, Vol. 14, Pages 12: Remote Sensing from Different Sources for
Crop Growth Monitoring in the Area of the Lower Northern Mississippi
Authors: Yanbo Huang, Gary Feng, Haile Tewolde, Mark W. Shankle
First page: 12
Abstract: Remote sensing monitoring of crop growth began from airborne photography to assist in crop pest management and has evolved into monitoring from satellites, manned aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and ground-based systems for crop production process modeling, optimization, and control. In recent years, for crop growth remote sensing monitoring, apart from satellites, manned aircrafts, and ground-based systems, UAVs have been developed and widely used for low-altitude remote sensing of crop fields to uniquely provide a cost-effective, flexible tool for field crop growth remote sensing. Additionally, their data create a critical layer between all other remote sensing platforms. This paper overviews the use of remote sensing from difference sources, especially airborne remote sensing from manned aircraft and UAVs, to monitor crop growth in the area of the lower northern Mississippi from the Mississippi Delta to the Black Prairie, one of the most important agricultural areas in the U.S. In this paper, three sites typical in the area are demonstrated for remote sensing monitoring of crop growth, and the issues and challenges are identified and discussed for future opportunities to integrate remote sensing data from different sources to improve crop monitoring in this area and surrounding areas.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2023-02-14
DOI: 10.3390/challe14010012
Issue No: Vol. 14, No. 1 (2023)
- Challenges, Vol. 14, Pages 13: Relationships of First-Trimester Body Mass
Index and Weight Change with Persistent Organic Pollutant Concentrations
in Pregnant Canadian Individuals
Authors: Marianne Levesque, Mariame Ouedraogo, Romina Fakhraei, Alysha Dingwall Harvey, Elizabeth Bratton, Mark Walker, Linda Dodds, Laura Gaudet
First page: 13
Abstract: Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are toxic chemicals with demonstrable effects on pregnancy and neonatal outcomes. The associations of early pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and antenatal weight changes with circulating POP concentrations are poorly understood in the Canadian context. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between maternal BMI in the first trimester, weight change from pre-pregnancy to 6–13 weeks of pregnancy, and first-trimester plasma POP concentrations among Canadian pregnant women. We analyzed data collected as part of the Maternal-Infant Research on Environmental Chemicals (MIREC) study and evaluated POP concentrations based on first-trimester BMI and early gestational weight change categories. We tested for overall differences using Kruskal-Wallis tests. The associations between first-trimester maternal BMI, weight change, and plasma concentrations of 41 POPs were evaluated using censored regression models. After controlling for potential confounders, first-trimester plasma levels of multiple POPs differed significantly across BMI categories, with the highest concentrations in underweight/normal-weight individuals and the lowest in class III obese individuals. Our findings provide preliminary evidence of higher circulating POP levels in individuals with obesity and align with previous findings of an inverse relationship between circulating POP concentrations and BMI in pregnancy. Future studies should prospectively evaluate the interplay between weight change and POP concentrations throughout pregnancy to inform gestational weight gain recommendations for pregnant individuals with obesity.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2023-02-16
DOI: 10.3390/challe14010013
Issue No: Vol. 14, No. 1 (2023)
- Challenges, Vol. 14, Pages 14: Challenges in Sustainable Beef Cattle
Production: A Subset of Needed Advancements
Authors: Jason A. Hubbart, Nathan Blake, Ida Holásková, Domingo Mata Padrino, Matthew Walker, Matthew Wilson
First page: 14
Abstract: Estimates of global population growth are often cited as a significant challenge for global food production. It is estimated that by 2050 there will be approximately two- billion additional people on earth, with the greatest proportion of that growth occurring in central Africa. To meet recommended future protein needs (60 g/d), approximately 120 million kg of protein must be produced daily. The production of ruminant meat (particularly beef cattle) offers the potential to aid in reaching increased global protein needs. However, advancements in beef cattle production are necessary to secure the industry’s future sustainability. This article draws attention to a subset of sustainable beef cattle production challenges, including the role of ruminant livestock in meeting global human protein needs, the environmental relationships of advanced beef cattle production, and big data and machine learning in beef cattle production. Considering the significant quantities of resources necessary to produce this form of protein, such advancements are not just a moral imperative but critical to developing advanced beef cattle production practices and predictive models that will reduce costs and liabilities and advance industry sustainability.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2023-02-20
DOI: 10.3390/challe14010014
Issue No: Vol. 14, No. 1 (2023)
- Challenges, Vol. 14, Pages 15: Team Mindfulness in Online Academic
Meetings to Reduce Burnout
Authors: Carol Nash
First page: 15
Abstract: Burnout, a negative job-related psychological state common with health professionals, results in valuable healthcare research loss. Team mindfulness, promoting work engagement, represents an aspect effective in reducing burnout. In a series of diverse-membership academic meetings intended to reduce research burnout—employing writing prompts, doodling, and continuous developmental feedback—team mindfulness was demonstrated when conducted in person. Therefore, whether team mindfulness is evident when meetings are held online is relevant. During the first eighteen months of COVID-19 limitations requiring these meetings to be online, it was previously reported that team mindfulness was diminished. Question-asking, submitted doodles, and feedback responses were analyzed for the following year of the same group, both quantitively and qualitatively, and with respect to COR theory, to determine if the result persisted. Team mindfulness was also compromised in the second year with respect to the entire group but not regarding the individual relationship with the facilitator. For a diverse-membership group to demonstrate team mindfulness, it is suggested that creating and using avatars similar to those used in online games might be effective. To continue the successful aspect of team mindfulness found online for this group or similarly designed groups, a one-on-one meeting between participant and facilitator is recommended.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2023-03-02
DOI: 10.3390/challe14010015
Issue No: Vol. 14, No. 1 (2023)
- Challenges, Vol. 14, Pages 16: Nature Connection: Providing a Pathway from
Personal to Planetary Health
Authors: John Zelenski, Sara Warber, Jake M. Robinson, Alan C. Logan, Susan L. Prescott
First page: 16
Abstract: The vast and growing challenges for human health and all life on Earth require urgent and deep structural changes to the way in which we live. Broken relationships with nature are at the core of both the modern health crisis and the erosion of planetary health. A declining connection to nature has been implicated in the exploitative attitudes that underpin the degradation of both physical and social environments and almost all aspects of personal physical, mental, and spiritual health. It is increasingly clear that the entwined challenges of biodiversity loss, climate change, and human health cannot be addressed without addressing selfishness, greed, apathy, and the value systems that created these global problems. Calls for a spiritual and cultural transformation recognize that “inner” development is important and necessary for meaningful “outward” transitions with a shared purpose for wiser, more sustainable societies. Many of these emotional and spiritual assets appear to be facilitated by a connection to nature, which is also strongly associated with community cohesion, prosocial attitudes, and pro-environmental actions. Restoring the human connection to nature may therefore provide a critical common pathway to promote the physical and spiritual wellbeing of individuals and communities as well as personal and social environmental responsibility. In this paper, we summarize and reflect on the discussions of the Nova Network planetary health community with respect to nature-based solutions as pathways to promote both personal and planetary health with a more mutualistic mindset. These discussions spanned biological to psychological interactions with nature—including the critical relationships with environmental microbes that influence the physical, emotional, and behavioral aspects of health. We consider the ways in which stronger relationships with nature promote “inner assets” to support “outward actions” for personal and planetary health.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2023-03-05
DOI: 10.3390/challe14010016
Issue No: Vol. 14, No. 1 (2023)
- Challenges, Vol. 14, Pages 17: Developing Trusted Voices for Planetary
Health: Findings from a Clinicians for Planetary Health (C4PH) Workshop
Authors: Michael Xie, Vanessa Góes, Melissa Lem, Kristin Raab, Tatiana Souza de Camargo, Enrique Falceto de Barros, Sandeep Maharaj, Teddie Potter
First page: 17
Abstract: Climate change, biodiversity loss, and other environmental changes are rapidly impacting the health of people worldwide, but many clinicians and other health professionals feel unprepared to deal with this burgeoning issue. During the Planetary Health Annual Meeting held in Boston in late 2022, the Clinicians for Planetary Health (C4PH) working group hosted a workshop that highlighted the latest findings of clinicians’ attitudes towards climate change, connections with the related fields of lifestyle medicine and integrative health, lessons learned from implementing “one minute for the planet” in a rural Brazilian clinic, and the benefits of clinicians prescribing time in nature for their patients. This article ends with a few suggestions for healthcare providers to begin implementing planetary health into their professional practice.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2023-03-08
DOI: 10.3390/challe14010017
Issue No: Vol. 14, No. 1 (2023)
- Challenges, Vol. 14, Pages 18: Mobilising the Next Generation of Planetary
Health Leaders: The Dynamism of Youth Engagement in Malaysia
Authors: Saidatul Maisarah Faiesall, Sarah Hanani Ahmad Tajuddin, Andrew Jason George, Nur Hazirah Marzuki, Oliver Lacey-Hall, Jemilah Mahmood, Gopalasamy Reuben Clements, Renzo Guinto
First page: 18
Abstract: With planetary health gaining traction as a global movement and problem-solving approach, this trans-disciplinary field is well-placed to provide an exciting and dynamic platform to promote engagement with young people. Previous studies have shown that although there is great energy and passion from youth, the global planetary health community struggles in sustaining young people’s motivations and engagement in today’s crowded physical and online environments. Planetary health advocates are also dealing with an increase in climate anxiety that has taken a toll on the emotional and mental wellbeing of young people. Here, we review our experience in engaging youth groups and networks in Malaysia through a four-pronged approach (consultation, facilitation, capacity-sharing, and evidence-building), as well as challenges commonly faced by the planetary health community in educating and building a youth movement. After a year of engagement, we found that mobilising the next generation of planetary health leaders requires a change in existing power dynamics to a capacity-sharing model, an emphasis on clear, simplified, and effective communications that utilise the mainstream youth spaces (e.g., social media), and hopeful messages to counter apathy and anxiety into action.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2023-03-10
DOI: 10.3390/challe14010018
Issue No: Vol. 14, No. 1 (2023)
- Challenges, Vol. 14, Pages 19: An Overview of Renewable Energy
Technologies in the Eastern Cape Province in South Africa and the Rural
Households’ Energy Poverty Coping Strategies
Authors: Patrick Mukumba, Shylet Y. Chivanga
First page: 19
Abstract: Despite technological innovation and vast renewable energy sources in rural areas, a significant number of rural households are living in energy poverty, and there is a pressing need to come up with strategies to mitigate this. This paper presents an overview of the energy sources in the Eastern Cape Province, the status of renewable energy technologies and the household energy poverty coping strategies in rural areas. The analysis of this study is based on conducted studies on renewable technologies in the Eastern Cape. This paper aims to help to provide a deeper understanding in the selection of the most appropriate renewable energy technologies suited to rural households’ energy needs and to fill the knowledge gap existing in renewable energy technologies to make it easier to map a way forward into the households’ energy poverty coping strategies in the Eastern Cape.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2023-03-22
DOI: 10.3390/challe14010019
Issue No: Vol. 14, No. 1 (2023)
- Challenges, Vol. 14, Pages 1: 100 Important Questions about
Bitcoin’s Energy Use and ESG Impacts
Authors: Murray A. Rudd
First page: 1
Abstract: Bitcoin critics have argued that energy-intensive Bitcoin production and adoption will exacerbate global warming. Conversely, Bitcoin advocates have been dismayed by critics’ apparent lack of willingness to scrutinize Bitcoin’s potential role in helping to improve the economics of renewable energy investments, reduce net emissions from methane venting and flaring, increase electricity grid efficiency, and provide higher-order environmental, social, and governance (ESG) benefits. Given the disparate views, there is a pressing need to identify key knowledge needs regarding Bitcoin’s net energy use, carbon emissions, and direct and indirect ESG impacts. I used a variation on the ‘key questions’ horizon scanning approach to identify 100 questions that, if answered, could help provide credible evidence to support policymakers’, investors’, and research funders’ decision-making on issues relating to the impact of Bitcoin production and adoption. The questions are distributed across 13 themes (ranging from energy use to social impacts). The breadth of knowledge required to answer key questions highlights the need to build research capacity, encourage collaborative cross-sectoral and -disciplinary research, and develop a prioritized research agenda. Defensible evidence for investors, regulators, and policymakers needs to consider Bitcoin’s complex net impacts on energy use and environmental, social, and governance benefits.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-12-20
DOI: 10.3390/challe14010001
Issue No: Vol. 14, No. 1 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 14, Pages 2: The Cooperative Spirit of Nature in the
Kalevala Creation Myth: An Argument for Modern Animism
Authors: Christina M. Gant
First page: 2
Abstract: The Finnish Kalevala epic contains a world-creation myth that exemplifies the essential cooperation between humans and the nature spirits that inhabit the land. These stories not only reflect the culture’s animistic worldview, they also contain a remarkable awareness of how humans depend on the wisdom of nature to survive and illustrate how that coexistence benefits both humans and nature—a perspective that can be increasingly valuable in the modern era.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-12-28
DOI: 10.3390/challe14010002
Issue No: Vol. 14, No. 1 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 28: Enhancing Hopeful Resilience Regarding
Depression and Anxiety with a Narrative Method of Ordering Memory
Effective in Researchers Experiencing Burnout
Authors: Carol Nash
First page: 28
Abstract: Depression and anxiety are prevalent, persistent, and difficult to treat industrialized world mental health problems that negatively modify an individual’s life perspective through brain function imbalances—notably, in the amygdala and hippocampus. Primarily treated with pharmaceuticals and psychotherapy, the number of individuals affected plus the intensity of their suffering continues to rise post-COVID-19. Decreasing depression and anxiety is a major societal objective. An approach is investigated that considers depression and anxiety consequences of the particular method people adopt in ordering their memories. It focuses on narrative development and the acceptance of different perspectives as uniquely necessary in creating safe protection from research burnout. The method encourages thoughtful reconsideration by participants of the negative assessments of their circumstances that can lead to depression and anxiety. The aim is to determine if the method of ordering developed is helpful in reducing burnout. This is considered through inspecting and comparing group members’ feedback form results, both pre- and post-COVID-19 restrictions. The method found useful to participants in reducing research burnout through developing hopeful resilience is comparable to authentic leadership. The conclusions offered encourage psychological and neurological research with respect to this method of promoting hopeful resilience for burnout to diminish depression and anxiety.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-06-30
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020028
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 29: In Silico Epitope-Based Vaccine Prediction
against Fungal Infection Aspergillosis
Authors: Anamika Basu
First page: 29
Abstract: Aspergillus fumigatus is a pathogenic microorganism that causes aspergillosis due to the presence of its allergenic proteins. During the last two years, a few clinical cases have been reported where allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) has been detected in COVID-19 patients. The administration of antifungal medicine did not provide satisfactory results. It is a challenging job for medical scientists to protect mankind by designing an epitope-based vaccine against the rare disease aspergillosis. Other than twenty-three allergenic proteins, this microorganism contains an extra-cellular cellulase CelA expansin protein (Afu5g08030), which is allergenic. To design a peptide vaccine against aspergillosis, the identification of B cell and T cell epitopes is state-of-the-art technology. In our latest research, probable T cell and B cell epitopes are predicted. Molecular docking analysis of these predicted epitopes with their receptors is performed. Here, the primary sequence of the expansin protein is extracted and analyzed. Then, its secondary and tertiary structures are predicted using a homology modeling method and validated. Considering the physicochemical properties of this antigenic protein, two short stretches of peptides, namely 80KPQADEDPNASSSSSSS96 and 286DGGKTWQGTTRTS298, are predicted as linear B cell epitopes. Similarly, based on its contacts with the highest number of alleles, the peptide sequence 221LDLFQNAFTQLADVS235 is chosen as the most possible T cell epitope for the protein present in Aspergillus fumigatus with the highest binding energy for MHC II allele HLA-DRB1* 01: 01. Considering the binding energy of the B cell epitope with IgE, the second epitope 286DGGKTWQGTTRTS298 is designated as the most potential epitope of B cells for this protein. Docking studies were performed with the T cell epitope with the human ternary complex of T cell receptor, CD4 receptor, and peptide-MHC II molecule (PDB ID 3T0E) with a binding energy of −192 Kcal/mole. For peptide-based vaccines, the proposed B cell and T cell epitopes may be used against aspergillosis after further experimental analysis.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-07-06
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020029
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 30: Designing the Microbes and Social Equity
Symposium: A Novel Interdisciplinary Virtual Research Conference Based on
Achieving Group-Directed Outputs
Authors: Suzanne L. Ishaq, Emily F. Wissel, Patricia G. Wolf, Laura Grieneisen, Erin M. Eggleston, Gwynne Mhuireach, Michael Friedman, Anne Lichtenwalner, Jessica Otero Machuca, Katherine Weatherford Darling, Amber L. Pearson, Frank S. Wertheim, Abigail J. Johnson, Leslie Hodges, Sabrina K. Young, Charlene C. Nielsen, Anita L. Kozyrskyj, Jean D. MacRae, Elise McKenna Myers, Ariangela J. Kozik, Lisa Marie Tussing-Humphreys, Monica Trujillo, Gaea A. Daniel, Michael R. Kramer, Sharon M. Donovan, Myra Arshad, Joe Balkan, Sarah Hosler
First page: 30
Abstract: The Microbes and Social Equity working group was formed in 2020 to foster conversations on research, education, and policy related to how microorganisms connect to personal, societal, and environmental health, and to provide space and guidance for action. In 2021, we designed our first virtual symposium to convene researchers already working in these areas for more guided discussions. The symposium organizing team had never planned a research event of this scale or style, and this perspective piece details that process and our reflections. The goals were to (1) convene interdisciplinary audiences around topics involving microbiomes and health, (2) stimulate conversation around a selected list of paramount research topics, and (3) leverage the disciplinary and professional diversity of the group to create meaningful agendas and actionable items for attendees to continue to engage with after the meeting. Sixteen co-written documents were created during the symposium which contained ideas and resources, or identified barriers and solutions to creating equity in ways which would promote beneficial microbial interactions. The most remarked-upon aspect was the working time in the breakout rooms built into the schedule. MSE members agreed that in future symposia, providing interactive workshops, training, or collaborative working time would provide useful content, a novel conference activity, and allow attendees to accomplish other work-oriented goals simultaneously.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-07-12
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020030
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 31: The Effects of Trauma Types at
Pre-Migration, Transit, and Post-Migration Stages on Depression and PTSD
among North Korean Refugees in South Korea
Authors: Jin Hyuk Lee
First page: 31
Abstract: This study aimed to assess the interrelationship (comorbidity pattern) between depression and PTSD among North Korean (NK) refugees in South Korea and examine the effects of trauma types at pre-migration, transit, and post-migration stages on both depression and PTSD. Therefore, the study analyzed the data of the 2017 Survey on the Human Right Abuses and Trauma of NK refugees (N = 299) using the Seemingly Unrelated Regression model. The results showed that depression and PTSD have a comorbidity pattern among NK refugees. In addition, the predominant death threat of trauma type at the transit stage had a positive relationship with depression and PTSD simultaneously. Based on these findings, we suggested a transdiagnostic approach and trauma-informed care for NK refugees who suffered from various traumas in the migration stage.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-07-23
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020031
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 32: The Challenge of Risk Assessment of
Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in Cannabidiol (CBD) Oils and Food Supplements:
An Approach for Deriving Maximum Limits
Authors: Sandra Schweikle, Patricia Golombek, Constanze Sproll, Stephan G. Walch, Dirk W. Lachenmeier
First page: 32
Abstract: Information about unsafe foods or feeds must be exchanged between European Union (EU) member states as quickly as possible. This is why the EU’s Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) exists. It helps to ensure that products that may be harmful to health do not enter the market or can be specifically withdrawn from the market. Different notifications are used depending on the risk and urgency. This article provides an overview of the 61 notifications in the RASFF between 2020 and 2022 on the Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) content in cannabidiol (CBD) oils and CBD food supplements. These products are available on the EU market despite the lack of novel food approval. Δ9-THC is a naturally occurring psychotropic compound extracted from the hemp plant Cannabis sativa that can have adverse effects on consumers (such as drowsiness, dizziness, tachycardia, or changes in blood pressure). In a previous German national survey, 23 of the 125 products tested (18%) exceeded the lowest observed adverse effect level (LOAEL) of Δ9-THC. In comparison, for products identified as a serious risk in the RASFF, the Δ9-THC concentrations were generally higher (up to 2410 mg/kg) and 14 of 34 products (41%) exceeded the LOAEL. Considering these data, a threshold of 500 mg/kg (0.05%) may be proposed to define a serious risk, as the LOAEL would not be exceeded in typical consumption scenarios below this level and serious risks, as well as narcotic effects in the product group of food supplements, could be excluded. This threshold could be used in the interim until the full toxicological assessment is available within the novel food approval procedure.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-07-23
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020032
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 33: The COVID-19 Pandemic and the Climate
Crisis: A Call to Question the Mindset of Modernity
Authors: Fulvio Mazzocchi
First page: 33
Abstract: Drawing a parallel between the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, the article explores what can be learned from these crises using two axes of analysis. First, such events show some noteworthy structural analogies, being both typified by nonlinear dynamics. They exhibit latency periods and tipping points: at the beginning, things go slowly, but once a critical threshold is exceeded, suddenly escalate quickly; as a result, when we respond to them will make the difference. Second, it is crucial how complex crises are framed. It would be deceptive to concentrate only on their contingent aspects. Both cases should instead be seen as the symptom of a broader imbalance, i.e., a ‘crisis of modernity’. Consequently, the article investigates their possible common roots: not only their socioeconomic determinants, but also worldview assumptions, particularly a long-lasting dualism that contributed to generate an overall sense of separateness. It argues that this situation cannot be addressed through some superficial changes. Rather, it urges us to move toward some deeper shifts, regarding both our way of thinking and behaving.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-07-25
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020033
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 34: Pandemic-Related Tenure Timeline Extensions
in Higher Education in the United States: Prevalence and Associated
Characteristics
Authors: Rebecca A. Krukowski, Loneke T. Blackman Carr, Danielle Arigo
First page: 34
Abstract: Many universities implemented pandemic-related tenure timeline extensions in response to productivity disruptions. However, little is known about the availability, nature, or uptake of these extensions, including which faculty were most likely to extend their timeline. Tenure-track faculty in the United States (n = 385, 64.4% women, 35.3% identifying with a National Institutes of Health-designated racial/ethnic minority group, 73.0% with children, 33.8% with non-child caregiving) completed a survey about their personal/career/institution characteristics, their institution’s pandemic extension policy (if any), and whether they extended their timeline. Overall, 94.0% reported that their institutions provided either an extension, unless faculty opted out, or an extension that could be requested. Most respondents (60.0%) elected to extend their tenure timeline due to the pandemic. Significantly greater proportions of respondents taking an extension were men (77.2%), identified with a NIH-designated racial/ethnic minority group (75.7%), reported non-child caregiving (86.3%), and had previously taken at least one timeline extension (82.4%). Pandemic-related extensions in tenure and promotion dossiers will be common, though they may not fully account for more than a year of disruption and may exacerbate disparities. Consequently, effective preparation for evaluating dossiers and other mitigation strategies are needed, to prevent the loss of faculty members who offer great value to their institutions.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-07-28
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020034
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 35: The Need to Prioritize Prevention of Viral
Spillover in the Anthropopandemicene: A Message to Global Health
Researchers and Policymakers
Authors: Yusuf Amuda Tajudeen, Habeebullah Jayeola Oladipo, Rashidat Onyinoyi Yusuf, Iyiola Olatunji Oladunjoye, Aminat Olaitan Adebayo, Abdulhakeem Funsho Ahmed, Mona Said El-Sherbini
First page: 35
Abstract: Increased anthropogenic activities including changes in land use and unrelenting ecosystem services related to animal husbandry, wildlife trade, and deforestation are driving the emergence of viral zoonosis. This is primarily due to human–animal interaction which is facilitating the spillover of viral zoonotic pathogens from animals (domestic and wildlife) to humans that could result in epidemics or pandemics. Scientific reports so far have revealed that viral epidemics and pandemics in recent years such as H1N1 Swine Influenza, H5N1 Avian Influenza, Ebola, Zika, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), and the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 were all zoonotic, and their emergence has been linked with spillover events arising from human–animal interaction. This increased interaction and the increased spillover event could facilitate future pandemic risk, and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, “IPBES”, has declared this “the era of pandemics”. Furthermore, since future pandemics would be triggered by anthropogenic activities, we have called this “anthropopandemicene”, i.e., an era of pandemics driven by anthropogenic activities. To minimize the risk of future pandemics, it is important to prioritize the prevention of viral spillover events. Here, we outline five priority areas for global health researchers and policymakers. These areas include improvement of biosecurity at livestock farms, imposing a moratorium or strictly banning wildlife trade that poses a public health risk, conservation of biodiversity by halting deforestation, investing in community-based research for infectious disease control, and strengthening community healthcare systems in precarious ecosystems and infectious diseases hotspots. Finally, we acknowledge the efforts of other renowned global and legally binding frameworks such as IHR, the Paris Agreement, and CITES with regard to addressing the public health risk of infectious diseases, and we provide recommendations for their improvement.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-08-03
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020035
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 36: Discovering Semantic Relations between
Neurodegenerative Diseases and Artistic Behaviors
Authors: Adam Koletis, Athanasios Markopoulos, Konstantinos Kotis
First page: 36
Abstract: This paper aims to introduce the value of semantics for representing knowledge related to patients with brain neurodegenerative diseases (Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and dementia) or behavioral disorders (i.e., schizophrenia) and artistic behavior. The ultimate goal is to facilitate an effective and efficient study of neurological and behavioral changes of patients, analyzing semantically interlinked data related to neurological/behavioral conditions and artistic behaviors. By mapping the neurologically affected areas of the brain in healthy and unhealthy individuals, and by modeling their particular characteristics at the level of both behavioral and neurological expressions, it may be possible to identify semantic similarities in high-level behavioral and brain characteristics that justify correlation and causation between diseases/disorders and artistic behaviors. In this concept paper, we present our view on two key points related to proposed research on a novel framework that will (a) verify if early biomarkers of the neurogenerative diseases can be identified via artistic behavior observations, and (b) correlate patients with delayed onset of the diseases/disorders with artists, at the molecular level, or at the level of brain regions. The proposed framework is evaluated with the development of a proof-of-concept expert system based on the representation of the relevant knowledge.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-08-03
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020036
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 37: No Health without Mental Health: Taking
Action to Heal a World in Distress—With People, Places, and Planet ‘in
Mind’
Authors: Susan Prescott, Jeffrey Greeson, Mona El-Sherbini, The Planetary Health Community Convened by the Nova Institute for Health
First page: 37
Abstract: The unprecedented global rise in mental anguish is closely linked with the erosion of our social fabric, economic and political systems, and to our natural environments. We are facing multiple new large-scale threats to health, safety, and security, with a growing lack of trust in others and in authorities. Pervasive stress, anxiety, depression, and uncertainty are of a nature and scale we have never seen before—manifesting in surging violence, community breakdown, domestic abuse, opioid and other drug overdoses, social isolation, and suicides—with alarming new mental health trends in children and young people. This has been made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic and amplified by an exponential increase in the amount and immediacy of information propagated through electronic media—often negative with manipulative intent aimed at dividing opinions through anger and fear. At the same time, there has been progressive erosion of kindness, civility, compassion, and social supports. Here, in this report from a “campfire” meeting held by the Nova Institute for Health, we discuss the importance of understanding the complexity of these interrelated threats which impact individual and collective mental health. Our dialog highlighted the need for efforts that build both individual and community resilience with more empowering, positive, and inspiring shared narratives that increase purpose and belonging. This includes placing greater value on positive assets that promote awareness and resilience, including creativity, spirituality, mindfulness, and nature connection—recognizing that ‘inner’ transitions contribute to shifts in mindsets for ‘outward’ transformation in communities and the world at large. Ultimately, these strategies also encourage and normalize mutualistic values that are essential for collectively improving the health of people, places, and the planet, by overcoming the destructive, exploitative worldviews which created so many of our current challenges in the first place.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-08-04
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020037
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 38: Community-Based Integrated Care System for
People with Mental Illness in Japan: Evaluating Location Characteristics
of Group Homes to Determine the Feasibility of Daily Life Skill Training
Authors: Yutaka Nagayama, Hisao Nakai
First page: 38
Abstract: As a global trend in mental health and welfare services, the community is increasingly considered to play a central role in the lives of people with mental illness. Group homes (GHs) are used globally as a means of promoting deinstitutionalization and establishing community life. The Japanese government issued a call to build Community-Based Integrated Care Systems for people with mental illness (CICSM). Therefore, we evaluated the location characteristics of GHs to determine the feasibility of daily life skills training, using a Geographic Information System (GIS). The target area was Ishikawa Prefecture. The size of everyday living areas (ELAs) for older adults was set at 1.8 km, and at 2.5 km for adults. We counted the number of service providers (SPs). Two GHs in the adult ELA and two GHs in the older adult ELA did not have SPs. Eight GHs had only one SP in their ELAs. Results showed that GHs with no or a few SPs in their ELAs are disadvantaged in shopping skills training. These findings may help people with mental illness in various countries develop support plans to effectively provide daily life training, considering the characteristics of the geographical environment and social resources around their living bases.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-08-08
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020038
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 39: Ecological Bodies and Relational Anatomies:
Toward a Transversal Foundation for Planetary Health Education
Authors: Robert Richter, Filip Maric
First page: 39
Abstract: As planetary health education enters medical and health professional training, transversal implementation across curricula is critical in developing its full potential and enabling future health professionals to meet the social, environmental, and health challenges of current and future generations in an integrated manner. To advance the transversal implementation of planetary health education, our study proceeded through: (1) a sequence analysis of documents framing physiotherapy education to identify relevant nexus points; (2) an explorative implementation of planetary health into foundational anatomy and physiology modules identified as critical nexus points; (3) practical implementation during the 2021 autumn semester. Implementation in the operative foundations of healthcare education—anatomy and physiology—enables the emphasis of the ecological nature of human bodies and interconnection with our planetary environment. Musculoskeletal joints accentuate the relational nature of bodies highlighted across current research and traditional knowledges, as dynamically pervaded and in interaction with culture, technology, objects, ideas, plants, planets, etc. Teaching relational anatomies thus highlights planetary health as the transversal foundation of medical and healthcare education. Making this foundation more explicit will be critical for the transversal implementation of planetary health education and subsequent practice, as well as the fundamental shifts in our understanding of human lives and health they require.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-08-09
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020039
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 40: Reproductive Effects of Medicinal Plant
(Azadirachta indica) Used as Forage and for Ethnoveterinary Practices: New
Insights from Animal Models
Authors: Ugochinyere J. Njoga, Ishmael F. Jaja, Osita S. Onwuka, Stanley U. Ilo, Ifeanyi G. Eke, Kenneth O. Abah, Chike F. Oguejiofor, Izuchukwu S. Ochiogu
First page: 40
Abstract: In some African and Asian countries, Azadirachta indica (AI) has been fed to livestock for decades and traditionally used to treat certain animal and human diseases. Recently, there are suspicions that the plant may possess anti-reproductive properties and concerns that the continued use of AI as forage or for folkloric medicine may detrimentally affect reproduction in the subjects. To address these challenges, this work determined the reproductive and fertility effects of a methanolic seed extract of AI (MSEAI) using adult female albino rats (AFARs) as an experimental model. Sixty-four AFARs were randomly assigned into four groups (A–D) of sixteen rats each. Group A was the control while groups B, C and D were treated daily with 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg of MSEAI respectively, for 28 consecutive days via oral gavage. Blood samples were collected for hormonal and biochemistry assays. Ovarian samples from the experimental rats were harvested for histopathological studies. Thereafter, the remaining experimental rats were bred, and certain fertility indices determined. The mean serum FSH and LH levels were significantly decreased (p ≤ 0.05) in the 100 and 200 mg/kg groups. The histopathological studies revealed massive follicular degeneration in the 100 and 200 mg/kg treatment groups. The fertility indices indicated that the post-implantation survival index was 100% in the control and 0% in the 200 mg/kg treatment group. No abortion occurred in the control and 50 mg/kg groups, but 25% and 100% of the pregnant does aborted in the 100 and 200 mg/kg treatment groups, respectively. Considering that high doses (100 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg) of MSEAI had significant anti-reproductive and antifertility properties, the use of AI as forage or for ethnoveterinary medicine in breeding females may adversely affect their reproductive potentials. However, the anti-reproductive and antifertility effects could be utilized in rodent depopulation programs in animal agriculture and as a contraceptive to limit the proliferation of stray dogs, known to be reservoirs of the rabies virus in developing countries. Moreover, the MSEAI could be further refined for human use as an effective, cheap, eco-friendly and acceptable alternative to synthetic/modern contraceptives, the use of which is limited in developing nations due to superstitious beliefs and their multiple side effects.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-08-13
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020040
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 41: Zoonotic Spillover in an Era of Rapid
Deforestation of Tropical Areas and Unprecedented Wildlife Trafficking:
Into the Wild
Authors: Yusuf Amuda Tajudeen, Iyiola Olatunji Oladunjoye, Ousman Bajinka, Habeebullah Jayeola Oladipo
First page: 41
Abstract: Rapid deforestation and unprecedented wildlife trafficking are important factors triggering the rate of zoonotic spillover from animals to humans. Consequently, this leads to the emergence and re-emergence of zoonotic infectious diseases among the human population. Deforestation is an important ecological disruption that leads to the loss of biodiversity. The loss of biodiversity results in the persistence of highest-quality hosts of zoonotic pathogens dominating the low-diversity communities, a process termed the dilution effect. Activities like intensive farming and logging that resulted in deforestation bring vulnerable people in close contact with these highest-quality reservoir hosts (wildlife). As a result of this vulnerability, there is an increased risk of spillover, leading to zoonotic infection in humans and eventually disease outbreaks during human–human transmission. One prominent example of a disease of wildlife origin is the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Coronavirus 2), even though the original source has not been found. Another important factor facilitating the risk of spillover and emergence of zoonotic infectious diseases is wildlife trafficking. This involves illegal hunting and trading of wildlife and their products, which increases the risk of spillover as a result of exchange of bodily fluids and bloodmeals between humans and wildlife during the hunting and butchering of animals’ carcasses. Consequently, little or no hygiene protocol and poor handling practices during the wildlife-trade chain expose poachers, consumers, and local market sellers to the risk of zoonotic diseases. Despite the interventions on deforestation-induced spillover and wildlife trafficking-associated spillover, there are still knowledge and research gaps that need to be addressed towards preventing the outbreaks of future zoonotic infectious diseases. In response to this, there is a need for interdisciplinary and intersectoral collaborations among researchers from various fields as well as sectors in minimizing the risk of zoonotic spillover driven by deforestation and wildlife trafficking at the human–animal–environmental nexus. In addition, there is a need for integrated and unified evidence-based policy formulation that puts an end to deforestation and wildlife trafficking, especially in tropical areas such as Africa and Asia.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-08-29
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020041
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 42: Spotlight: An Interview with NCCIH
Director, Dr. Helene M. Langevin, on Whole Person Health
Authors: Alan C. Logan, Helene M. Langevin
First page: 42
Abstract: In an ongoing series of spotlight interviews, Challenges Advisory Board Member and Nova Institute for Health Fellow, Alan C. Logan, meets with thought leaders, scientists, scholars, healthcare professionals, artisans and visionaries concerned about health at scales of persons, places and the planet. Here in the inaugural interview, the Director of the National Institutes of Health, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, Dr. Helene Langevin, responds to a set of questions posed by Challenges. Dr. Langevin discusses the emerging concept of whole person health, and in particular, how the concept intersects with the grand and interconnected challenges of our time.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-09-01
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020042
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 43: Agrivoltaic Engineering and Layout
Optimization Approaches in the Transition to Renewable Energy
Technologies: A Review
Authors: Meagan Reasoner, Aritra Ghosh
First page: 43
Abstract: As more nations move towards net-zero emission goals by 2050, research into the coupling of photovoltaics (PV) and agriculture has increased into a new sector of agrivoltaics (AV). Measurement of the Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) has allowed researchers to develop methods for optimizing the agrivoltaic system. Studies on innovative engineering technologies related to photovoltaic tracking along with new generation PV cells were reviewed to determine the factors that influence optimization. This review also considered AV farm layouts and how different spacing, height, and density impact the shading under the panels. As panels block the light from hitting the plants, the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) changes and alters plant growth. The shading, however, also creates micro-climates that have beneficial qualities in terms of water usage and PV efficiency. The overall review investigated the research of the last five years into AV optimization and the implications for future AV developments.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-09-01
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020043
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 44: Learning from the Past: Lessons from the
First United Nations Report on Problems of the Human-Environment
Authors: Farshad Amiraslani, Andrew Cooper
First page: 44
Abstract: The 1969 UN Report “Problems of the Human Environment” was a seminal work that first highlighted environmental problems at a global scale. This report underpinned a series of subsequent international summits and conventions of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit and the subsequent three global conventions on Biodiversity, Climate Change and Desertification. We assessed the report half a century after its publication to track changes in vocabulary and highlight critical lessons that could have been learned. The assessment contains several strengths and weaknesses that are pertinent to modern global-scale analyses. Many issues of that day have declined in importance or been superseded, and several major environmental problems (including climate change and plastic pollution) were not foreseen. Most of the report’s predictions proved to be much more conservative than proved by reality (a criticism that has also been levelled at contemporary IPCC reports). The report, however, did forewarn of global pandemics and stimulated thinking on a global scale that led to identification of the current climate crisis.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-09-04
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020044
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 45: Self-Direction in Physics Graduate
Education: Insights for STEM from David J. Rowe’s Career-Long
Methods
Authors: Carol Nash
First page: 45
Abstract: The ability to self-direct a research program determines graduate degree completion. Yet, research on incompletion of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) graduate programs assumes students’ present level of self-direction adequate and neglects to recognize a lack of self-directed learning (SDL) as key. This essay explores SDL for STEM, presenting the work of theoretical nuclear physicist David J. Rowe as a key example of applying a process of SDL in practice. Rowe focused on this challenge of physics graduate education by promoting SDL through the type of research flow that has been found to bring the greatest satisfaction to researchers regarding their insights. Strategies he explored involved his space, time, open mindedness and theoretical contributions with students and in collaboration with colleagues. A self-directed learner himself, Rowe developed methods of mentoring for encouraging physics graduate students to recognize symmetry as valuable in identifying solutions to problems quickly—helping students take the lead in finding insightful resolutions to complex, multidimensional, mathematical physics uncertainties. These strategies for supporting SDL in this context are examined here, with the use of narrative research to interpret the texts and conversations exchanged with the author. The process of SDL developed by Rowe is presented with recommendations on how Rowe’s methods may be modeled to improve self-direction in STEM graduate education more widely.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-09-05
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020045
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 46: Perspectives of Volunteer Firefighters
during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Stumbling Blocks and Silver Linings
Authors: Gaughan, Rush, MacEwan, Panchal, McAlearney
First page: 46
Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected the lives of almost every individual in every nation, with numbers of infections continuing to grow. Across these nations, first responders are essential in their roles addressing emergencies, despite their risk of exposure to COVID-19 in the course of their work. We sought to understand the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the lives of volunteer firefighters in the United States, an understudied group of these first responders. Interviews were conducted with volunteer firefighters between September and November 2021. Interviews were analyzed using deductive dominant thematic analysis. Thirty-three firefighters were interviewed who had an average of 22 years of service and a mean age of 52 years. Interviewees described pandemic-related challenges including the fear of COVID exposure and frustrations with work and personal relationships. They also identified unexpected work-related benefits including a deepened commitment to serve and improvements to training and safety. Further, some volunteers noted personal benefits such as developing stronger connections with others, having a new outlook on life, and observing goodwill. Our findings provide insight into the multifaceted and complex impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on volunteer firefighters.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-09-09
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020046
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 47: Safe from Harm' Massive Attack Nuclear
Worst-Case Scenario for Civil Protection in Germany Regarding High-Risk
Zones of Exposure, Vulnerability, and Safe Havens
Authors: Alexander Fekete
First page: 47
Abstract: New risk geographies are emerging with war and conflict resurfacing, including nuclear threats. This poses challenges to civil protection for conducting risk-informed preparedness planning. A spatial assessment of Germany and Europe is conducted using a geographic information system. Buffer circles of nuclear explosion effects and fallout buffers show potentially exposed areas around major cities. Different scenarios indicate shrinking areas safe from exposure. However, even in a densely populated country, rural areas and smaller cities can be identified that could provide sites for evacuation shelters. Changing wind directions poses a challenge for civil protection planning because fallout risk covers most German territory even when few cities are attacked. However, wind speeds and topography can help identify suitable shelter areas. More knowledge about the temporal development of a nuclear explosion and its specific forms of harm can also help to improve risk knowledge and planning. While nuclear warfare at first seems to render useless any option for safe areas and survival, the spatial risk assessment shows that exposure does not occur at all places at all times. Being safe from harm will be difficult in such a worst-case scenario, but avoiding large city perimeters and being informed can also help reduce risk.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-09-29
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020047
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 48: Childcare Center Evacuation to Vertical
Shelters in a Nankai Trough Tsunami: Models to Predict and Mitigate Risk
Authors: Nakai, Horiike, Itatani, Matsumoto
First page: 48
Abstract: Following the Great East Japan Earthquake, vertical evacuation shelters (VES) were constructed to reduce tsunami risk. Childcare centers (CCs) in the inundation area are required to evacuate to the nearest VES in the event of a tsunami. The study aim was to identify CCs and VES predicted to be inundated by a Nankai Trough earthquake-generated tsunami, and to clarify CC inundation risk. We identified 52 (45.6%) CCs in the tsunami inundation area and found that 14 (25.9%) would evacuate toward the tsunami. If the walking speed was 2.24 km/h and a 0.3 m tsunami arrived in 10 min, nine (17.3%) CCs would be late to safe evacuation. If the tsunami arrival time was 20 min, four (7.7%) CCs would have late evacuation. At a walking speed of 1.00 km/h, 38 (73.1%) and 20 (38.5%) CCs would have late evacuation, with tsunami arrival times of 10 min and 20 min, respectively. Evacuation direction is important in avoiding tsunami damage. An evacuation strategy is needed that evacuates people away from the tsunami, and takes into account children’s age, walking speed, and evacuation method. The evaluation of tsunami risk in this study may support the development of tsunami countermeasures in other coastal areas with latent tsunami risks.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-09-30
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020048
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 49: Local Governance Capacity Needs for
Implementing Climate Change Adaptation in Seychelles: An Assessment Based
on the Capital Approach
Authors: Daniel Etongo, Kelsy Gill
First page: 49
Abstract: As a Small Island Developing State, Seychelles is disproportionately affected by climate change, and enhancing her adaptive capacity is a national priority. Identifying and integrating local capacity needs into policy measures can improve multilevel governance and the effective implementation of National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), given that local governments have contextual knowledge about their territories and the climate change challenges affecting them. Based on the Capital Approach Framework (CAF), this study carries out an analysis of local governance capacity needs for implementing climate change adaptation in Seychelles. Data were collected using two methods: (i) questionnaire-led interviews among twenty-four district administrators (DAs), and (ii) an interactive workshop involving thirty-one participants, of which twenty-six were DAs and five were members of the National Climate Change Committee. The CAF was measured in two ways: (i) through descriptive statistics such as frequencies based on interview data, and (ii) through the ranking of types of capital to assess their weightings across four categories using a consensus approach during the participatory workshop. The findings of this study indicate significant political, financial, and human resource capacity gaps, which collectively hinder local adaptation. The critical shortcomings identified include the low participation in national-level decision-making processes, the inability to access external funding sources, and the lack of technical know-how. Through a participatory approach involving the local government representatives and the National Climate Change Committee, ten recommendations for policy measures that can enhance the effectiveness of local governance in climate change adaptation were co-developed. Seven of these recommendations partly address issues related to political capital. These recommendations highlight that a siloed approach cannot effectively address the impacts of climate change. For example, one of the recommendations stated that land-use planning should be guided by location-specific vulnerabilities, as these differ across districts.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-09-30
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020049
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 50: Preventing the Next Pandemic through a
Planetary Health Approach: A Focus on Key Drivers of Zoonosis
Authors: Yusuf Amuda Tajudeen, Habeebullah Jayeola Oladipo, Iyiola Olatunji Oladunjoye, Mutiat Oluwakemi Mustapha, Sheriff Taye Mustapha, Adam Aberi Abdullahi, Rashidat Onyinoyi Yusuf, Samuel Olushola Abimbola, Aminat Olaitan Adebayo, Joy Ginika Ikebuaso, Damilola Samuel Adesuyi, Blessed Okereke, Abass Olawale Omotosho, Abdulhakeem Funsho Ahmed, Mona Said El-Sherbini
First page: 50
Abstract: The ever-increasing global health impact of SARS-CoV-2—the etiological agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)—coupled with its socio-economic burden, has not only revealed the vulnerability of humanity to zoonotic pathogens of pandemic potential but also serves as a wake-up call for global health communities to rethink sustainable approaches towards preventing future pandemics. However, since the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) convened experts have declared that future pandemics are likely to be zoonotic in origin, it is imperative that we understand the key drivers of zoonosis such as biodiversity loss, climate change, wildlife consumption, and population mobility, as well as the scientific evidence underpinning them. In this article, we underscore the correlations of these drivers with the emergence and re-emergence of zoonosis. Consequently, we highlighted the need for multidisciplinary collaboration under the planetary health approach between researchers across the fields of environmental and human health to fill the knowledge and research gaps on key drivers of zoonosis. This is to prevent or limit future pandemics by protecting the natural systems of the Earth and its resources and safeguarding human and animal health.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-09-30
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020050
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 51: Spotlight: An Interview with Dr.
Christopher A. Lowry, on the Convergence of Microbes, Nature, and Mental
Health
Authors: Alan C. Logan, Christopher A. Lowry
First page: 51
Abstract: In the ongoing series of spotlight interviews, Challenges Advisory Board member and Nova Institute for Health Fellow, Alan C. Logan, meets with thought leaders, scientists, scholars, healthcare professionals, artisans, and visionaries concerned about health at scales of persons, places, and the planet. Here in this interview, Dr. Christopher A. Lowry of the University of Colorado Boulder, responds to a set of questions posed by Challenges. For nearly twenty years, Dr. Lowry has been at the forefront of the research connecting the microbiome to mental health. Ten years ago, Dr. Lowry and his colleagues wrote a provocative article under the title ‘Can we vaccinate against depression'’; Dr. Lowry updates Challenges on where the field has moved, with its promises and possibilities. Dr. Lowry reflects on the early influences that shaped his interest in the field and discusses the ways in which microbiome sciences are casting light on the many interconnected challenges of our time.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-10-07
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020051
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 52: SARS-CoV-2 in Soil: A Microbial Perspective
Authors: Shahid Iqbal, Jianchu Xu, Sehroon Khan, Sadia Nadir, Yakov Kuzyakov
First page: 52
Abstract: SARS-CoV-2 has been found in soil and aquatic environments in addition to aerosols. SARS-CoV-2 enters the soil from various sources, including organic amendments and waste irrigation water. The virus counts and virulence in soil depend on spillover routes and soil properties. Organic matter (OM) and clay minerals protect and enable SARS-CoV-2 to survive for longer periods in soil. Therefore, life forms residing in soil may be at risk, but there is a paucity of scientific interest in such interactions. With this perspective, we aim to provide a new viewpoint on the effects of SARS-CoV-2 on soil microbes. In particular, we present a conceptual model showing how successive mutations within soil animals having the SARS-CoV-2 receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) may change its characteristics and, thus, enable it to infect micro- and macroorganisms and be transferred by them. SARS-CoV-2 particles could be adsorbed on mineral or OM surfaces, and these surfaces could serve as encounter sites for infectious attacks. SARS-CoV-2 accumulation in soil over time can perturb bacteria and other microbes, leading to imbalances in microbial diversity and activities. Thus, SARS-CoV-2 and its interactions with biotic and abiotic soil components should be a future research priority.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-10-21
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020052
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 53: Efficient Methane Production from Anaerobic
Digestion of Cow Dung: An Optimization Approach
Authors: KeChrist Obileke, Golden Makaka, Nwabunwanne Nwokolo
First page: 53
Abstract: In the context of addressing the global challenge of facilitating a decision-making process based on methane production using a predictive model, the study seeks to evaluate the performance of a biogas digester in varying operating conditions for optimization purposes. One of the techniques for doing this is the application of constrained linear least-square optimization. This has been employed to optimize the input parameter with the corresponding measured desired response. The developed model was built from 430 measured data set points of all the predictors over an 18-day monitoring period with an interval of 30 min. The result showed that the difference between the optimized model and the general model output for methane production in the biogas digester was less than 4%. Hence, the performance of the model demonstrated a strong validity as the determination coefficient (R2) between the modeled, and optimized output was 0.968 for the volume of methane produced in the biogas digester. The obtained determination coefficient of the developed and optimized model suggests that the modeled value of the methane fits well with the measured value of methane for validation. Thus, from the test dataset, the optimized and modeled methane volume was reported as 28%. In this scenario, under the various operational parameters, an increase of 26.5% in methane was obtained when comparing the maximum volume of methane from the optimization process with the maximum methane volume (54.5%) produced in the real biogas digester. Interestingly, the biogas digester produced a maximum methane yield of 0.24 m3 and a methane composition of 60%. Evidently, methane yield was influenced by temperature as well as other meteorological factors in the developed model hence, these factors should be widely considered for sustainable biogas production.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-10-22
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020053
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 54: Patterns of Psychoactive Substance Misuse
in Undergraduate University Students: The Case of Mekelle University,
Ethiopia
Authors: Znabu Hadush Kahsay, Azeb Gebresilassie Tesema, Ferehiwot Hailemariam Tesfa, Bisrat Tewelde Gebretsadkan, Welday Hagos Gebretsadik, Maree L. Hackett
First page: 54
Abstract: Background: Substance misuse is a public health concern among University students. Understanding the critical times and places for substance misuse among University students helps to inform effective preventive strategies. However, there is a dearth of studies in Ethiopian Universities on this topic. Here, we aimed to explore the patterns of psychoactive substance misuse, specifically about time and places, among undergraduate students at Mekelle University. Subject and Methods: An explorative qualitative study design was conducted in 2017. Five focus-group discussions among substance user students followed by eleven in-depth interviews with the user and non-user students, proctors, and a bar owners were conducted. In addition, four key informant researchers were involved. Participants were purposefully selected. The data were audio taped, transcribed verbatim and imported into Atlas.ti qualitative data analysis software version 7.5 for coding and analysis. Data were analyzed inductively to capture the emerging themes. Results: Our study showed that students consume alcohol in the evenings, on weekend days, holidays, after exams and at celebrations; smoke cigarettes after waking in the morning and after eating lunch. Concurrent substance use like smoking cigarettes, chewing Khat and drinking alcohol was evident. Khat chewing was reported mainly around noon, in the afternoon and on weekends. Substance use generally peaks at weekends, at the start and end of academic semesters, and when graduation approaches. However, students who become addicted may continue using substances. Students easily accessed and used substances around and inside the gates of the campuses. Conclusion: Event-specific celebrations are linked with substance misuse among University students. The ease with which students can access substances around the campuses increases the likelihood of substance misuse. Proactive interventions that include the provision of alcohol-free recreational alternatives to events on campus, high-risk substance misuse surveillance, tobacco cessation interventions, and promoting plain packaging are recommended.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-10-25
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020054
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 55: Experiences of Relatedness during Enforced
Remote Work among Employees in Higher Education
Authors: Annukka Tapani, Merja Sinkkonen, Kirsi Sjöblom, Katrien Vangrieken, Anne Mäkikangas
First page: 55
Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate experiences of relatedness among higher education staff during enforced remote work caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Experiences were investigated both at the earliest stages of enforced remote work (April 2020) and in November/December 2021. Remote work experiences were analysed through the lens of Deci and Ryan’s self-determination theory, especially through the concept of relatedness. Within this framework, relatedness is described as one of three basic psychological needs affecting health, well-being, and productivity. The main research focus includes ascertaining which factors affect experiences of relatedness among employees in higher education at work at the beginning of enforced remote work and at the end of it. The study uses qualitative data collected from Finnish university employees, analysed using theory-driven content analysis. The analysis of the two datasets enabled us to identify three categories of relatedness: (1) interaction among co-workers, (2) feelings of care and (3) experiences of connectedness. The results showed that the experience of relatedness was severely challenged during the enforced work period. In the future, the need for relatedness needs to be addressed more deliberately in multi-locational work conditions because remote work is especially affecting the experiences of relatedness. Positive experiences of relatedness can be achieved even in remote work conditions with deliberate and thought-out actions, for example by developing good remote interaction practices within the team and remote leadership practices that convey care for the employees.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-10-26
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020055
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 56: Architectural Beauty: Developing a
Measurable and Objective Scale
Authors: Alexandros A. Lavdas, Nikos A. Salingaros
First page: 56
Abstract: After decades of being ignored, the concept of beauty, as understood by the non-architect, has recently been making a comeback in architecture, not so much in the practice itself, as in appeals for design solutions that are more human-centered and not dictated by abstract principles. Architectural beauty needs to be evaluated from its effects on human health. This study discusses two diagnostic tools for measuring the degree of architectural “beauty” and presents the results of the pilot application of one of them. The goal is to use diagnostic imaging for evaluations. Analytical elements are introduced from disciplines with which practitioners are normally not familiar, such as artificial intelligence, medicine, neuroscience, visual attention and image-processing software, etc. In addition to the diagnostic tools, this paper ties related ideas on objective beauty into a novel synthesis. These results support the idea of a feasible, “objective” way to evaluate what the users will consider as beautiful, and set the stage for an upcoming larger study that will quantitatively correlate the two methods.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-10-29
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020056
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 57: Understanding the Knowledge, Attitudes, and
Practices of Healthcare Professionals toward Climate Change and Health in
Minnesota
Authors: Madison Kircher, Brenna Doheny, Kristin Raab, Emily Onello, Stephanie Gingerich, Teddie Potter
First page: 57
Abstract: Climate change is an urgent public health issue that is impacting health locally and across the world. Healthcare professionals are on the front lines for public health, caring for people affected by climate change; yet few studies have assessed their knowledge and experiences of local climate change effects. The purpose of this study was to improve our understanding of the health impacts of climate change in Minnesota from the perspective of healthcare professionals. An electronic survey was administered by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) to a convenience sample of Board-certified nurses and physicians in Minnesota. Seventy-five percent of respondents agreed that climate change is happening, and 60% agreed that it is currently impacting the health of their patients. However, only 21% felt well prepared to discuss climate change, and only 4% discussed climate change with all or most of their patients. Similarly, results from open-ended questions highlighted the importance of climate change and acknowledged the challenges of discussing this topic. While most respondents recognized the health impacts of climate change, they also reported feeling uncomfortable discussing climate change with patients. Thus, there is an opportunity to develop targeted resources to support healthcare professionals in addressing climate change.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-11-01
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020057
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 58: Education for Human Flourishing—A New
Conceptual Framework for Promoting Ecosystemic Wellbeing in Schools
Authors: Wendy Ellyatt
First page: 58
Abstract: Debates about the true purpose of education have increased globally in recent years, with climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic accelerating interest in the subject. It has become clear that education systems play a vital role not only in shaping the values, mindsets and ethical behaviours that we need for caring and responsible societies, but also in influencing our everyday interactions with the environment. To that end, wellbeing always concerns the triple nature of self, others and the natural world and there is increasing recognition of the need to move from a primary focus on personal happiness and attainment to a more balanced interest in the optimisation of human flourishing within the context of sustainable and regenerative futures. This article introduces the educational work of the Flourish Project, exploring the degree to which schools need to be understood as living systems and the way curricular frameworks, as they currently stand, may be inadvertently contributing to human languishing rather than flourishing. It explains the thinking behind the Flourish Model and describes the way in which the educational aspect of the Flourish Project hopes to contribute not only to the ongoing debate concerning the role of flourishing in education, but also to the growing global interest in the Inner Development Goals (IDGs) as skills and qualities that are vital for purposeful, sustainable, and productive lives.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-11-09
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020058
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 59: Challenges in Work and Employment during
the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Satu Kalliola, Tuula Heiskanen
First page: 59
Abstract: Since 2019, we have been living and working in close connection with the threat of an infectious disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus [...]
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-11-14
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020059
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 60: Emerging Arboviruses of Public Health
Concern in Africa: Priorities for Future Research and Control Strategies
Authors: Yusuf Amuda Tajudeen, Habeebullah Jayeola Oladipo, Iyiola Olatunji Oladunjoye, Rashidat Onyinoyi Yusuf, Hammed Sodiq, Abass Olawale Omotosho, Damilola Samuel Adesuyi, Sodiq Inaolaji Yusuff, Mona Said El-Sherbini
First page: 60
Abstract: Arboviruses are most prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions, where arthropods are widespread. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that the mortality burden of arbovirus diseases, such as yellow fever in Africa, was 84,000–170,000 severe cases and 29,000–60,000 deaths in 2013. These epidemics emphasize the urgent need for integrated control and prevention of arboviral diseases. Challenges in managing and controlling arboviral diseases in Africa are mainly attributed to poor insect vector control, insecticide resistance, and poor sanitation and solid waste management. The removal or reduction of mosquito populations amongst susceptible individuals is identified as the most effective measure to control many vector-borne diseases. Current public health needs call for efficient vector control programs and maintenance of adequate surveillance systems through the availability of trained personnel and rapid diagnostic facilities, providing an interdisciplinary response to control and mitigate the threats of emerging and re-emerging arboviruses. Furthermore, research priorities should focus on understanding the factors responsible for adaptation to other vectors, determinants of infection and transmission, and the development of high efficiency antiviral molecules or candidate vaccines. Here, we explore and review our current understanding of arboviruses of public health importance in Africa, with a focus on emerging arboviruses, their arthropod vectors, and the epidemiology of major arboviruses. Finally, we appraise the role of planetary health in addressing the threat of arboviruses and identify other priority areas of research for effective control.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-11-18
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020060
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 61: Tapestry Thinking: An Interview with Dr.
Nalini Nadkarni on an Unexpected Life in Science
Authors: Alan C. Logan, Nalini M. Nadkarni
First page: 61
Abstract: In the ongoing series of Nova Interviews, Challenges Advisory Board member Alan C. Logan meets with thought leaders, scientists, scholars, healthcare professionals, artisans and visionaries concerned about health at the scales of persons, places, and the planet. In this interview, Dr. Nalini M. Nadkarni, of the University of Utah, responds to a set of questions posed by Nova for Challenges. For over forty years, Dr. Nadkarni has been studying the fragility and resiliency of rainforest ecosystems. During this time, Dr. Nadkarni has prioritized science communication with an emphasis on highlighting the interdisciplinary relevancy of research findings. Dr. Nadkarni has worked to promote an integrative way of thinking about the various branches of science and medicine, with an eye toward shifting public policy. Her research career has taken her where only a small minority of scientists have traveled—from remote cloud forests to segregated housing within prison facilities. Dr. Nadkarni successfully challenged the Mattel Corporation to update their globally-recognized toy, Barbie, with women in science in mind. Here, Dr. Nadkarni reflects on the early influences that shaped her career, updates Challenges on the latest directions of her work, and discusses the ways in which the canopy ecosystem can help us understand the complex interconnected challenges of our time.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-11-19
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020061
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 62: The Medical Education Planetary Health
Journey: Advancing the Agenda in the Health Professions Requires
Eco-Ethical Leadership and Inclusive Collaboration
Authors: Michelle McLean, Georgia Behrens, Hannah Chase, Omnia El Omrani, Finola Hackett, Karly Hampshire, Nuzhat Islam, Sarah Hsu, Natasha Sood
First page: 62
Abstract: Climate change and the declining state of the planet’s ecosystems, due mainly to a global resource-driven economy and the consumptive lifestyles of the wealthy, are impacting the health and well-being of all Earth’s inhabitants. Although ‘planetary health’ was coined in 1980, it was only in the early 2000s that a call came for a paradigm shift in medical education to include the impact of ecosystem destabilization and the increasing prevalence of vector-borne diseases. The medical education response was, however, slow, with the sustainable healthcare and climate change educational agenda driven by passionate academics and clinicians. In response, from about 2016, medical students have taken action, developing much-needed learning outcomes, resources, policies, frameworks, and an institutional audit tool. While the initial medical education focus was climate change and sustainable healthcare, more recently, with wider collaboration and engagement (Indigenous voices, students, other health professions, community), there is now planetary health momentum. This chronological account of the evolution of planetary health in medical education draws on the extant literature and our (an academic, students, and recent graduates) personal experiences and interactions. Advancing this urgent educational agenda, however, requires universities to support inclusive transdisciplinary collaboration among academics, students and communities, many of whom are already champions and eco-ethical leaders, to ensure a just and sustainable future for all of Earth’s inhabitants.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-12-01
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020062
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 63: The Correlations among Dietary Lifestyle,
Microecology, and Mind-Altering Toxoplasmosis on the Health of People,
Place, and the Planet
Authors: Vanessa de Araujo Goes, Yusuf Amuda Tajudeen, Mona Said El-Sherbini
First page: 63
Abstract: Being one of the most common foodborne protozoa worldwide, chronic toxoplasmosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) could contribute significantly to the etiology of several mental disorders. The neurotropic parasite can directly influence the gut microbiota, causing inflammation with subsequent degradation of tryptophan required for parasite growth. Research in humans and animals shows that the gut microbiome is involved in the regulation of brain serotonergic pathways through the microbiota–gut–brain axis. Since the serotonin system is extensively interconnected with the body’s master clock through neuronal networks, the microbiota has been suggested as a potential mediator, fine-tuning circadian misalignment, following a reciprocal relationship with human eating patterns. Furthermore, adherence to an intermittent fasting diet can improve the serotonin biosynthesis pathway in the intestines and improve cognitive function. This review aims to explain the role of fasting in parasite-driven gut microbiome perturbation and the mechanisms by which Toxoplasma infection alters brain function. Due to its significant impact on social–economic status, diet patterns, microbiota disruption, circadian rhythm, chronic inflammation, and mental disorders, toxoplasmosis is an underestimated threat that could be prevented by simple lifestyle changes through educational actions. Furthermore, there are few research studies that address toxoplasmosis-induced mental disorders from a holistic perspective. Thus, a planetary health lens is needed to understand these correlations that directly relate to the promotion of a resilient and empathic civilization, crucial to enabling a flourishing healthy society on all scales.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-12-05
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020063
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 64: A Novel Framework for Inner-Outer
Sustainability Assessment
Authors: Kira J. Cooper, Robert B. Gibson
First page: 64
Abstract: Calls for systemic transformations have become prevalent throughout sustainability discourse. Increasingly, these calls point towards consciousness expanding practices and interventions, such as mindfulness, to support the development of individual understandings, skills, and capacities that are conducive to more sustainable ways of being and doing. The growing interest in leveraging inner capacities, including mindsets, worldviews, values, and beliefs for sustainability transformations emerges from concerns that conventional approaches are failing to align social and ecological systems towards long-term viability. Interest in these consciousness-driven transformations is spreading, particularly in governments and prominent organisations. Tempering this enthusiasm are concerns that untethered from moral and ethical guidelines as well as caring understanding of local and global prospects for lasting wellbeing, mindfulness programs, workshops, and interventions for inner transformation can inadvertently strengthen unsustainable systems and deepen inequities. Accordingly, this paper presents an exploratory assessment framework to increase understandings of how events focused on interventions for inner transformation align with broad sustainability requirements. Findings from application of the framework should help to elucidate how these offerings can disrupt normative ways of thinking and doing, and in turn, positively influence multi-scalar transformations. Furthermore, use of the assessment process to plan and/or evaluate inner development offerings is anticipated to help strengthen progress towards sustainability and reduce adverse trade-offs that might undermine positive systemic transformations.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-12-13
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020064
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 65: Public Perception of Epilepsy in Rural
Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces: A Quantitative Study on Knowledge,
Awareness, and Attitudes
Authors: Ofhani Prudance Musekwa, Lufuno Makhado, Angelina Maphula
First page: 65
Abstract: Although epilepsy is a common non-communicable neurological disease, lack of knowledge, awareness, and negative attitudes of it abound. This study aimed to explore public awareness, knowledge, and attitudes towards epilepsy and people living with epilepsy (PLWE). RaoSoft software was used to calculate the sample size, and 4290 respondents were included. The researchers employed a non-experimental quantitative survey method. Data were collected using a questionnaire, and descriptive and regression analyses were performed. Most respondents had a secondary education without grade 12 (45.2%); 79.6% were unemployed in Limpopo and 70.5% in Mpumalanga. This study had a 95.3% response rate. Both provinces displayed low knowledge of epilepsy (48.2%; mean = 5.99; SD = 2.38). Only 41% demonstrated awareness, and 56.7% had a positive attitude towards epilepsy (mean= 4.67; SD = 1.90). The findings revealed positive correlations between demographic factors and overall knowledge, awareness, and attitude. In addition, demographic factors, such as level of education and employment status, may be associated with an individual’s knowledge, awareness, and attitudes towards epilepsy. This study concluded that, despite individuals’ awareness of epilepsy, their levels of knowledge were low, and many (43.3%) had a negative attitude regarding the disease. In the two provinces investigated, the study highlighted the need for epilepsy education to empower the public and improve the quality of life of PLWE and their families.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-12-15
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020065
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 66: Tackling AMR: A Call for a(n Even) More
Integrated and Transdisciplinary Approach between Planetary Health and
Earth Scientists
Authors: Jennifer Cole, Adam Eskdale, Jonathan D. Paul
First page: 66
Abstract: Antibiotic resistance is a pressing global, one health and planetary health challenge. Links between climate change, antibiotic use, and the emergence of antibiotic resistance have been well documented, but less attention has been given to the impact(s) of earth systems on specific bacterial livestock diseases at a more granular level. Understanding the precise impacts of climate change on livestock health—and in turn the use of antibiotics to address that ill-health—is important in providing an evidence base from which to tackle such impacts and to develop practical, implementable, and locally acceptable solutions within and beyond current antibiotic stewardship programs. In this paper, we set out the case for better integration of earth scientists and their specific disciplinary skill set (specifically, problem-solving with incomplete/fragmentary data; the ability to work across four dimensions and at the interface between the present and deep/geological time) into planetary health research. Then, using a case study from our own research, we discuss a methodology that makes use of risk mapping, a common methodology in earth science but less frequently used in health science, to map disease risk against changing climatic conditions at a granular level. The aim of this exercise is to argue that, by enabling livestock farmers, veterinarians, and animal health observatories to better predict future disease risk and risk impacts based on predicted future climate conditions, earth science can help to provide an evidence base from which to influence policy and develop mitigations. Our example—of climate conditions’ impact on livestock health in Karnataka, India—clearly evidences the benefit of integrating earth scientists into planetary health research.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-12-15
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020066
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 67: Challenges and Adverse Effects of Wearing
Face Masks in the COVID-19 Era
Authors: Francis Gyapong, Ethel Debrah, Maame Oforiwaa, Abiola Isawumi, Lydia Mosi
First page: 67
Abstract: Background: The use of face masks was a significant part of the WHO COVID-19 preventive protocols. While their usage has been effective, lack of adherence by individuals has been associated with discomfort and adverse side effects. This might facilitate unnecessary exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus, thereby increasing the incidence of COVID-19. This study assessed the side effects of prolonged mask-wearing and offers recommendations for present and future pandemics. Methods: Adverse side effects of face masks were evaluated from November 2021 to February 2022 with a structured Google Forms online questionnaire. The survey targeted regular and occasional face mask users around the world. All responders anonymously completed the survey, which included ten structured questions with a sub-section on the effects of the continuous use of face masks. The information obtained was analyzed using descriptive statistics, and the data were presented in graphs. Results: Almost 60% (1243) of the 2136 participants indicated discomfort while using face masks. Breathing difficulties and pain around the ears were cited as major causes of discomfort, accounting for 32% and 22%, respectively, of responses. Headaches were reported by 26.8% (572) of the respondents, with 44.6% experiencing one within 1 h of wearing a mask. Nine hundred and eight (908) respondents experienced nasal discomfort, while 412 individuals reported various skin-related discomfort, including excessive sweating around the mouth and acne. Conclusions: This study provides baseline data as to why there was less adherence to face mask use which includes headaches, skin irritation, ear pains, breathing difficulties, sore throat, dry eyes, and increased sweating around the mouth. As a result, this may contribute to an increased risk of infection. While COVID-19 lingers and the management of its undesirable effects persists into the future, it is vital that a superior mask design, concentrating on safety, comfort, and tolerability, be developed.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-12-19
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020067
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 68: Transitioning to Sustainable Healthcare:
Decarbonising Healthcare Clinics, a Literature Review
Authors: David Duindam
First page: 68
Abstract: Background: Climate change is one of the largest threats to human health and well-being globally. The healthcare industry itself currently contributes to fueling the climate crisis with its emissions and material consumption. There has been much research on decarbonising hospitals ecological/carbon footprints but very limited study on ways to assist healthcare clinics in transitioning to a low-carbon healthcare system. Methods: A structured literature review was conducted, and the results analysed. Results: The literature review revealed four important areas to act upon to decarbonise a healthcare clinic most efficiently. These are: energy use, waste minimisation/management, the behaviors/attitudes of staff, and decarbonising the supply chain. Conclusions: The pooled literature reveals an evidence-based set of recommendations or guiding principles to decarbonise healthcare clinics the most effectively. To maximise operational effectiveness, how this is achieved will differ between clinics. Although this research is written with reference to Australia, these identified ini-tiatives are likely to be relatable to many other countries healthcare systems. Decarbonising health clinics will contribute to a sector-wide transition to more sustainable healthcare that will lead to improved environmental, social, economic and health outcomes.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-12-19
DOI: 10.3390/challe13020068
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 2 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 2: Remote and Technology-Based Dialogic
Development during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Positive and Negative
Experiences, Challenges, and Learnings
Authors: Sirpa Syvänen, Kaija Loppela
First page: 2
Abstract: This study aimed to analyze the challenges, learning experiences, and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in a social, healthcare, and special education development project financed by the European Social Fund. The theoretical framework of the project relied on the theories of dialogic development and leadership. The method was participatory action research using data collected from various assessments and a questionnaire. Reports of neutral, negative, and positive experiences among two participant groups of the project—the implementers and pilot organizations—in remote work, devices and applications, and remote and technology-based development processes, were recorded. Both participant groups reported increased pressure at work, social isolation, professional loneliness, and improved work control and efficiency. The pilots have learned the development method, and development has been able to continue by utilizing technology despite the pandemic. Development through technology was more difficult, and new dialogic interaction tools have been created. The project was most effective with regard to leadership, teams, renewal, and information flow. There is a need for wide-ranging dialogues with various working life actors when outlining the ways in which future work will be carried out and to reflect on how remote work, technology, and digitalization affect well-being at work, social relations, and leadership.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-01-20
DOI: 10.3390/challe13010002
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 1 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 3: Acknowledgment to Reviewers of Challenges in
2021
Authors: Challenges Editorial Office Challenges Editorial Office
First page: 3
Abstract: Rigorous peer-reviews are the basis of high-quality academic publishing [...]
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-01-28
DOI: 10.3390/challe13010003
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 1 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 4: Time, Space and Agency in the Finnish
Cultural Sector at the Time of COVID-19
Authors: Arja Haapakorpi, Minna Leinonen, Katri Otonkorpi-Lehtoranta
First page: 4
Abstract: The organization of working times and workplaces has typically been diverse and hybrid for people working in culture. Work is characterized by precarious conditions such as short-term contracts and seasonal employment. The impact of COVID-19 has shown the vulnerability and uniqueness of the employment conditions in this sector. We collected personal written texts from people working in the cultural sector in spring 2020, when in Finland the first wave of COVID-19 was subsiding and nobody knew when the next wave would come. We analyzed the ways cultural workers constructed agency on temporal and relational dimensions as regards work and non-work. The content analytic approach highlighted two main types of situational agencies, the normative employment agency and the precarious work agency, both of which were shaped by the uncertain conditions of the cultural sector. Due to the differing employment conditions, both intensification of work and small agency were present in work of the cultural sector and posed challenges to the management of time and the future. However, the terms and conditions for agency construction varied, even under similar circumstances.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-01-31
DOI: 10.3390/challe13010004
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 1 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 5: Retirement Farewell, and Recommendations for
the Next Generation of Scientists
Authors: Palmiro Poltronieri
First page: 5
Abstract: While thematic journals have seen a great increase in submissions that ensure their status of monthly or bi-weekly editions, growing their audience in the scientific community, journals such as Challenges, at the crossroad of various disciplines, have laid their foundations as cross-cultural and interdisciplinary journals [...]
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-02-08
DOI: 10.3390/challe13010005
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 1 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 6: Professionals’ Views on Challenges in
Inpatient Substance Abuse Treatment during COVID-19 Pandemic in Finland
Authors: Eeva Ekqvist, Tuija Karsimus, Arja Ruisniemi, Katja Kuusisto
First page: 6
Abstract: The pandemic caused by COVID-19 (an acute respiratory illness caused by a coronavirus) has had harmful effects on people in need of special support. People with problematic substance use are recognized as such a group. The pandemic has raised the need for sufficient treatment and services during these unpredictable conditions. At the same time, it poses severe challenges to their production and provision. The purpose of the study was to use content analysis to qualitatively examine Finnish professionals’ (N = 22) views on (1) the challenges posed by COVID-19 in working in inpatient substance abuse treatment, (2) how these challenges have been addressed, and (3) what the consequences of the challenges and the solutions to them are. The findings confirmed that COVID-19 has caused drastic changes in the organization of treatment and daily practices. Professionals experience challenges in preventing infection from spreading into and within treatment units. They also describe difficulties in applying social distancing in treatment that is based on therapeutic communities. The pandemic has also challenged communication and co-worker support among professionals. These challenges have led to practical solutions that, in turn, have their own consequences for treatment practices. We conclude that the quality of treatment has to some extent been impaired because of the pandemic.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-02-17
DOI: 10.3390/challe13010006
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 1 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 7: Together Alone: Going Online during COVID-19
Is Changing Scientific Conferences
Authors: Heather J. Bray, Jennifer Stone, Lillith Litchfield, Kara L. Britt, John L. Hopper, Wendy V. Ingman
First page: 7
Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic caused many scientific conferences to move online, posing a great challenge for scientific communication. This change offers potential advantages and disadvantages for inclusion, diversity, and scientific advancement. Here, we analyse participants’ experiences of the Why Study Mammographic Density' Conference to explore some of these issues and identify key points of contention between different stakeholders. We found that while increasing participant diversity is facilitated by online conferencing, if the participants cannot interact informally with each other, there is value which is lost. In returning to in-person conferences, it will be important not to “shut the door” on those whose participation was enabled by the online format.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-02-19
DOI: 10.3390/challe13010007
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 1 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 8: Silenced Coffee Rooms—The Changes in
Social Capital within Social Workers’ Work Communities during the
First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Sanna Saraniemi, Timo Harrikari, Vera Fiorentino, Marjo Romakkaniemi, Laura Tiitinen
First page: 8
Abstract: The sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing restrictive measures to combat infections led to a significant change in working life and social work within working communities. Workers had to switch to telecommuting quickly, which also affected the interactions between co-workers. In this research, we examined Finnish social workers’ experiences of their work communities during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. We explored (1) how the restrictive measures affected social workers’ work communities and (2) what types of factors promoted and challenged the cohesion of social networks and mutual trust between colleagues. The conceptual framework was based on social capital theory, in which social relations are seen as a resource of a community. The data utilised in the study were social workers’ diaries (n = 33) written from mid-March until the end of May 2020. The data were analysed by a qualitative content analysis. The results highlight how the multilocation of work, fear of viral infection and varying attitudes towards the viral outbreak affected the interactions between colleagues in the early stages of the pandemic, increasing tensions and feelings of social distance between co-workers. The common professional value and knowledge base of social work, as well as remote work practices developed during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, supported interactions between colleagues. Although remote interaction options were developed, they could not, however, fully replace the advantages of face-to-face interactions and everyday informal encounters between colleagues, the importance of which is essential for developing and maintaining the social capital of work communities.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-03-01
DOI: 10.3390/challe13010008
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 1 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 9: The Challenges and Realities of E-Learning
during COVID-19: The Case of University Sport and Physical Education
Authors: Louis Moustakas, Denise Robrade
First page: 9
Abstract: E-learning quickly became a crucial tool for universities and other higher education institutions during the global COVID-19 pandemic. The field of sport and physical education (PE) was no exception. However, though there is considerable growth in digital technologies in sport or physical education, we have very little evidence about the use and outcomes of these technologies. Thus, this study aims to document how e-learning technologies and pedagogical approaches were employed in the field of sport, the challenges and successes associated with these approaches, and potential avenues for improvement. To do so, a total of 27 responses were collected with two online qualitative surveys, one respectively for students (n = 15) and one for teachers (n = 12). Structured follow-up interviews with four students and one additional teacher were conducted to verify and deepen the responses. The findings show that interaction and variety were critical components of successful online learning. However, teachers reported difficulties motivating students, especially if no visual connection was present. Ultimately, even with innovation, variety, and interaction, sport and physical education’s practical and social nature does not fully translate to the online setting. Thus, we conclude by proposing potential avenues for practice and research to respond to the challenges documented here.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-03-11
DOI: 10.3390/challe13010009
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 1 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 10: COVID-19-Related Job Demands and Resources,
Organizational Support, and Employee Well-Being: A Study of Two Nordic
Countries
Authors: Johanna Lilja, Silje Fladmark, Sanna Nuutinen, Laura Bordi, Riitta-Liisa Larjovuori, Siw Tone Innstrand, Marit Christensen, Kirsi Heikkilä-Tammi
First page: 10
Abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine how COVID-19-related job demands and resources have been associated with employee well-being in Nordic countries across specific occupational groups. The study investigated four occupational groups: (1) professional, scientific, and technical occupations in Norway (n = 301); (2) teachers in Finland (n = 315); (3) health and social service occupations in Norway (n = 267); and (4) geriatric nurses in Finland (n = 105). Hypotheses were tested using two-step hierarchical regression analysis. Work–home imbalance in Groups 1, 2, and 3, workload increase in Groups 1 and 3, and fear of infection in Groups 2 and 3 were positively related with exhaustion. A positive attitude towards digital solutions was positively related to work engagement in Groups 2 and 3. In addition, there was a significant positive relationship between COVID-19-related organizational support and work engagement in Groups 2, 3, and 4, and a negative relationship with exhaustion in Group 2. In conclusion, pandemic-related job demands and resources were differently associated with employee well-being across different occupational groups and countries. Further, organizational support may act as a supportive element for sustaining employee well-being during pandemics.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-03-11
DOI: 10.3390/challe13010010
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 1 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 11: Worker Agency versus Wellbeing in the
Enforced Work-From-Home Arrangement during COVID-19: A Labour Process
Analysis
Authors: Sheldon M. Bromfield
First page: 11
Abstract: This article offers a theorization based on selected literature focused on problematizing the work-from-home phenomenon. It incorporates labour process theory and the work-from-home literature to dissect the impact of enforced working from home procedures during COVID-19. The article presents the advantages to working from home from the existing work-from-home literature and draws on labour process theory to challenge these advantages. The disadvantages discussed in this article include constant availability, enhanced productivity with unpaid labour, loss of worker subjectivity, identity conflicts, and extracting productivity while downloading costs of production to workers. While the advantages include enhanced autonomy, reduction in unproductive time and increased affordances in participation, empowerment and worker agency, the article weighs the potential, parallel impacts of worker control and reduction in personal wellbeing. Although it seems that the work-from-home arrangement is, predominantly, here to stay, I argue that workers consent to their demise, as the dark side of enforced work-from-home arrangements detract from the benefits of in-person social relations of work and learning.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-03-17
DOI: 10.3390/challe13010011
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 1 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 12: Human Flourishing in the Era of COVID-19:
How Spirituality and the Faith Sector Help and Hinder Our Collective
Response
Authors: Jeff Levin
First page: 12
Abstract: Throughout the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, religious people and institutions have played a significant role in responding to the challenges that we all have faced. In some instances, religion has been a source of great harm, hindering the global response. Many religious leaders have promoted misinformation and disinformation; others have promulgated messages of hatred and blame, especially hindering efforts to prevent infection and community transmission and to promote immunization. This has occurred throughout the world, across cultures, religions, and nations. In many other instances, however, the faith sector has been a source of great help, ministering to the lives of suffering and fearful people both emotionally and tangibly. People of faith, including clergy and faith-based organizations, have contributed positively to the global response effort by fulfilling the pastoral, ethical, and prophetic roles of religion. Expressions of spirituality, both personal and institutional, have thus contributed to great flourishing in the midst of a terrible public health emergency.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-03-17
DOI: 10.3390/challe13010012
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 1 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 13: The Double-Sided Nature of Meaningful Work:
Promoting and Challenging Factors within the Swedish Equine Sector
Authors: Åsa Bergman Bruhn
First page: 13
Abstract: Meaningful work is related to a range of positive outcomes, but also negative effects. Research regarding meaningful work and lifestyle-oriented work; i.e., when making a livelihood based on a leisure interest and personal lifestyle, is deficient. The aim of this qualitative study is therefore to explore factors that promote and challenge meaningful work in a lifestyle-oriented setting. The study focuses on the perspective of employees within the Swedish equine sector, and is based on individual interviews. The results show that person–environment fit, task significance, and occupational culture seem to be important factors in the promotion of meaningful work. In addition, the analysis also illustrates how the nature of meaningful work has an inherent duality, constructed by a balancing act between doing good for oneself and for others. The tension is reinforced by the fact that the same factors can both promote meaningful work and challenge meaningfulness. This study shows that meaningful work not only comes with satisfaction, enjoyment, and fulfillment, but also an acceptance of challenging working conditions, which may lead to sacrifices and exhaustion. The double-sided nature of meaningful work can therefore affect the employees’ well-being, and challenge the willingness and ability to remain in the occupation.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-04-01
DOI: 10.3390/challe13010013
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 1 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 14: The Importance of Self-Leadership
Strategies and Psychological Safety for Well-Being in the Context of
Enforced Remote Work
Authors: Kirsi Sjöblom, Soile Juutinen, Anne Mäkikangas
First page: 14
Abstract: This study examines the relationship between self-leadership strategies and occupational well-being and whether psychological safety has moderated these relationships in the context of enforced remote work caused by COVID-19. Altogether, 2493 higher education employees, most of whom were working entirely remotely due to the pandemic, responded to an electronic survey in May 2021. Hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses were conducted as the main method of analysis. The results showed that goal-oriented and well-being-related self-leadership strategies as well as psychological safety were positively related to meaningfulness of work and negatively to job burnout. Psychological safety moderated the relation between goal-oriented self-leadership strategies and meaningfulness of work. The study presents much-needed novel knowledge about self-leadership and psychological safety in the context of remote work and sheds light on the interrelatedness between self-leadership strategies, psychological safety, and occupational well-being. It presents a novel category of well-being-related self-leadership strategies and contributes to the measurement of both self-leadership and psychological safety. In order to both enable sufficient well-being and facilitate flourishing at work, it is imperative to support employees in learning and applying diverse self-leadership strategies as well as ensure psychological safety at workplace, especially in post-pandemic multi-locational work.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-04-04
DOI: 10.3390/challe13010014
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 1 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 15: Preliminary Exploration of the Red Pigment
from Scytalidium cuboideum as a Cellulosic Pulp Colorant
Authors: Derek W. Stone, Sarath M. Vega Gutierrez, Zielle M. Walsh, Seri C. Robinson
First page: 15
Abstract: Pollution from the international dye industry continues to be a global problem. Biotechnology offers new options, including a closer look at select wood decay fungi to replace inorganic dyes. The pigments produced by a small group of soft rotting fungi are generally naphthoquinonic and remarkably stable. From this group, the dramada crystals, produced by Scytalidium cuboideum, are of particular interest. To test the application of this pigment as a natural colorant of cellulosic pulps, four different bleached pulps were selected (one hardwood, three softwood), in three different mediums (acetone, ethanol, and DI water). The pigment generated a significant change of color, but there was no significant difference in color intensity based on the solvent carrier. These preliminary results are promising as they open the door for further exploration of applications of fungal pigments in the paper industry. Once these pigments can be reliably grown, they will offer a sustainable organic alternative to polluting inorganic dyestuffs and help reduce the toxic effluent released into the soil and waterways.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-04-07
DOI: 10.3390/challe13010015
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 1 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 16: Experiences of Academics Working from Home
during COVID-19: A Qualitative View from Selected South African
Universities
Authors: Chux Gervase Iwu, Obianuju E. Okeke-Uzodike, Emem Anwana, Charmaine Helena Iwu, Emmanuel Ekale Esambe
First page: 16
Abstract: The continuing crisis caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has raised significant challenges for the higher education community globally. In South Africa, the government-forced lockdown measures and social distancing containment policy changed working arrangements across sectors and organisations. As a result, academics were forced to work from home (WFH), a task for which they were hardly prepared. Several researchers have engaged the WFH situation of academics to understand the relationship between WFH and productivity. As far as we know, very few studies have tried to describe academics’ WFH experiences in relation to the challenges, including determining possible ways of improving their satisfaction with working from home. We examine in this article the experiences of academics working from home across selected universities in South Africa. Using a qualitative approach and applying Atlas.ti for data analysis, our findings show that working from home in academia is a daunting task requiring extensive organisational, personal, and social adjustments. The population comprised all academics irrespective of any demographic or personality characteristic within the management faculty of the participating universities to secure the anonymity of the respondents. Five themes—inability to adapt, lack of a home office, loneliness and isolation, inability to balance family and work, and improving satisfaction with work from home—were identified as significant variables from the participants’ responses. Our analysis suggests that organisations need to customise approaches to engage with the experiences of academics who work from home during COVID-19 and to develop fit-for-purpose support for these academics. The study contributes to the growing research exploring the relationship between COVID-19 lockdown and work in higher education.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-04-16
DOI: 10.3390/challe13010016
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 1 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 17: Association between Information
Dissemination and Compliance with Preventive Measures during the
Coronavirus Disease Pandemic in Hong Kong Working Population:
Cross-Sectional Survey
Authors: Clement Cheuk-Wai Ng, Eliza Lai-Yi Wong, Kin-Fai Ho, Annie Wai-Ling Cheung, Samuel Yeung-Shan Wong, Eng-Kiong Yeoh
First page: 17
Abstract: Background: To fight the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, it is important for the population to keep abreast of COVID-19 updates and comply with the suggested preventive measures. Understanding the influence of popular dissemination channels under the surge of an ‘infodemic’ is crucial, as the population may receive conflicting information from various sources. Objective: This study aimed to examine the association between information source usage and COVID-19-preventive measures compliance. Methods: An online cross-sectional study was conducted in February 2020. Four COVID-19-preventive strategies, including ‘hand hygiene’, ‘mask wearing’, ‘household hygiene’, and ‘social distancing’, were studied with respect to their usage from three common health information sources and three dissemination channels. Logistic regressions were modelled to study the odds ratio of the preventive behavior compliance in terms of information source usage. Results: A total of 1048 respondents completed the survey and the sample demonstrated high compliance in hand hygiene (81.4%) and mask wearing (93.5%), but lower compliance in household hygiene (22.4%) and social distancing (65.7%). Females and chronic diseases patients were found more likely to adopt COVID-19-preventive measures. Participants recorded highest usage in social media (80.1%) among information sources and respondents with frequent social media use had improved compliances in the preventive behaviors studied. Conclusions: The study presented evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of social media in disseminating information related to complying COVID-19-preventive behaviors. The impact of social media in spreading COVID-19 information should be recognized, despite the concerns regarding misinformation. With disciplined use, social media may help to halt the spread of COVID-19 and other communicable diseases by encouraging community participation.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-04-21
DOI: 10.3390/challe13010017
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 1 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 18: Biosynthesis of Silver Nanoparticles from
Cymbopogon citratus Leaf Extract and Evaluation of Their Antimicrobial
Properties
Authors: S M Rakib-Uz-Zaman, Ehsanul Hoque Apu, Mohammed Nimeree Muntasir, Sadrina Afrin Mowna, Mst Gitika Khanom, Shah Saif Jahan, Nahid Akter, M. Azizur R. Khan, Nadia Sultana Shuborna, Shahriar Mohd Shams, Kashmery Khan
First page: 18
Abstract: Background: Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are toxic to microorganisms and can potentially kill multidrug-resistant bacteria. Nanoparticles can be synthesized in many ways, such as physical or chemical methods. Recently, it has been found that plant molecules can perform the same reduction reactions necessary for the production of nanoparticles but in a much more efficient way. Results: Here, green chemistry was employed to synthesize AgNPs using leaf extracts of Cymbopogon citratus. The effects of different parameters such as temperature, pH, and the volume of plant extract were also tested using their absorbance pattern at different wavelengths. The Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) changed with the changes in parameters. Changes in temperature from 20 °C to 60 °C have changed the highest absorbance from 0.972 to 3.893 with an SPR of 470 nm. At higher pH (11.1), the particles become highly unstable and have irregular shapes and sizes. The peak shifts to the right at a lower pH level (3.97), indicating a smaller but unstable compound. We have also investigated the effect of the volume of plant extracts on the reaction time. The sample with the highest amount of plant extract showed the most absorbance with a value of 0.963 at λmax, calculated to be 470 nm. The total formation of the AgNPs was observed visually with a color change from yellow to brownish-black. UV-visible spectroscopy was used to monitor the quantitative formation of AgNPs, showing a signature peak in absorbance between 400 and 500 nm. We have estimated the size of the nanoparticles as 47 nm by comparing the experimental data with the theoretical value using Mieplot. The biosynthesized AgNPs showed enhanced antibacterial activity against several multidrug-resistant bacteria, determined based on the minimal inhibitory concentration and zone of inhibition. Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that an aqueous extract of C. citratus can synthesize AgNPs when silver nitrate is used as a precursor, and AgNPs act as antimicrobial property enhancers, which can be used to treat antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Hence, mass production and green synthesis of AgNPs from C. citratus will be able to increase the overall health of the general population. Moreover, it will enormously reduce the costs for drug development and provide employment options in the remotely located source areas. Finally, our findings will influence further studies in this field to better understand the properties and applications of AgNPs and ultimately contribute to improving planetary health by increasing immunity with high biocompatibility and less drug toxicity.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-05-05
DOI: 10.3390/challe13010018
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 1 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 19: Planetary Health: We Need to Talk about
Narcissism
Authors: Alan C. Logan, Susan L. Prescott
First page: 19
Abstract: Concepts of planetary health attempt to collectively address the biological, psychological, social, and cultural factors contributing to “Anthropocene Syndrome”, which encompasses the many wicked interrelated challenges of our time. It is increasingly evident that the wide array of causative factors is underpinned by attitudes, values, and worldviews. Emerging research suggests that certain dispositions or ‘traits’—observable along the continuum from individuals to large groups—may be central to the promotion of health of all systems, at all scales. Here in this viewpoint, we focus on the personality trait of narcissism in the collective context of planetary health. First described in 1852 by pioneering psychiatrist Joseph Guislain, the Mania of Narcissus refers to ‘the patient infatuated with his beauty, his charms, his wit, dress, talents, and birth’. We argue that Guislain’s observations are not restricted to the clinical setting, and that a larger-scale narcissism can interfere with the principles of planetary health. We propose that increasing narcissism, at scales ranging from the individual to the collective, is an important consideration in attitudes and behaviors that undermine health along the continuum of person, place, and planet. Despite a growing body of research directed at collective narcissism, and the role that empathy plays in healthy relationships between humans and nature, it is our contention that the role of narcissism and empathy are important but neglected aspects of the planetary health agenda.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-05-07
DOI: 10.3390/challe13010019
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 1 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 20: A Spirit of Place
Authors: Ava Carney
First page: 20
Abstract: This article charts the effects of community, public space, and transdisciplinary interaction on the author’s artistic practice. By considering some of the broader societal and ideological implications of situating artwork in a natural setting, A Spirit of Place reflects on connection points between public art and ecological citizenship.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-05-10
DOI: 10.3390/challe13010020
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 1 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 21: Why Do Young Adults in the United States
Have Such Low Rates of Organ Donation Registration'
Authors: Amy J. Wotring, Timothy R. Jordan, Barbara Saltzman, Tavis Glassman, Jennifer Holloway, Jagdish Khubchandani
First page: 21
Abstract: The demand for transplantable organs has outpaced the supply. Thus, 20 Americans die every day while waiting for an organ. Although most adults support organ donation, 42% are not registered. The rate is even lower among young adults who are not enrolled in/never graduated from college. The aim of this study was to use the Integrated Behavior Model (IBM) to identify factors that predicted organ donation registration among a racially diverse sample of non-student young adults. The study was observational and cross-sectional. Proportional allocation was used to identify a racially diverse sample of 550 non-student, young adults from ten states in the U.S. with the lowest registration rates. A valid and reliable survey was designed, pilot-tested, and administered. A total of 407 young adults completed the survey (74%). Only 19% were registered donors. Caucasians were more likely to be registered donors than racial minorities, χ² (3, N = 407) = 15.19, p = 0.002. Those with more positive direct attitudes toward registration were 1.5 times more likely to be registered than those who had negative direct attitudes. Among non-registrants, indirect descriptive norm and direct attitude were statistically significant predictors of behavioral intention. Moreover, those who knew someone who donated an organ and knew someone who needed a transplant were nearly three times more likely to intend to register in the next year. The IBM proved useful in elucidating factors that predicted intention to register among non-student young adults. The IBM should be used by those who desire to increase registration rates.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-05-19
DOI: 10.3390/challe13010021
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 1 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 22: Arctic Sea Ice Decline and Geoengineering
Solutions: Cascading Security and Ethical Considerations
Authors: Alec P. Bennett, Troy J. Bouffard, Uma S. Bhatt
First page: 22
Abstract: Climate change is generating sufficient risk for nation-states and citizens throughout the Arctic to warrant potentially radical geoengineering solutions. Currently, geoengineering solutions such as surface albedo modification or aerosol deployment are in the early stages of testing and development. Due to the scale of deployments necessary to enact change, and their preliminary nature, these methods are likely to result in unforeseen consequences. These consequences may range in severity from local ecosystem impacts to large scale changes in available solar energy. The Arctic is an area that is experiencing rapid change, increased development, and exploratory interest, and proposed solutions have the potential to produce new risks to both natural and human systems. This article examines potential security and ethical considerations of geoengineering solutions in the Arctic from the perspectives of securitization, consequentialism, and risk governance approaches, and argues that proactive and preemptive frameworks at the international level, and especially the application of risk governance approaches, will be needed to prevent or limit negative consequences resulting from geoengineering efforts. Utilizing the unique structures already present in Arctic governance provides novel options for addressing these concerns from both the perspective of inclusive governance and through advancing the understanding of uncertainty analysis and precautionary principles.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-05-25
DOI: 10.3390/challe13010022
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 1 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 23: Economic Evaluation of Nature-Based Therapy
Interventions—A Scoping Review
Authors: Henriette Busk, Ulrik Sidenius, Line Planck Kongstad, Sus Sola Corazon, Christina Bjørk Petersen, Dorthe Varning Poulsen, Patrik Karlsson Nyed, Ulrika Karlsson Stigsdotter
First page: 23
Abstract: Introduction: Nature-based therapy (NBT) has shown positive effects on different health-related outcomes and is becoming a more frequent approach in various rehabilitative interventions. Economic evaluations are widely used to inform decision makers of cost-effective interventions. However, economic evaluations of NBT have not yet been reviewed. The aim of this review was to uncover existing types and characteristics of economic evaluations in the field of nature-based therapeutic interventions. Methods: In this scoping review available knowledge about the topic was mapped. A comprehensive search of selected databases (MEDLINE; EMBASE; CINAHL; Scopus; Cochrane; PSYCinfo; Web of Science) and grey literature was conducted in November 2021. Data was synthesised in a thematic presentation. Results: Three papers met the inclusion criteria, containing differences in design, types and dose of nature-based therapeutic interventions, outcome measures and target groups (n = 648). The papers showed tendencies toward a good treatment effect and positive economic effect in favour of NBT. Conclusions: Three different cohort studies have tried calculating the economic impact of NBT indicating a good effect of the NBT. The evidence on the economic benefits of NBT is still sparse though promising, bearing the limitations of the studies in mind. Economic evaluation of NBT is a new area needing more research, including high-quality research studies where the economic evaluation model is included/incorporated from the beginning of the study design. This will enhance the credibility and usefulness to policy makers and clinicians.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-05-30
DOI: 10.3390/challe13010023
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 1 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 24: Planetary Health and Traditional Medicine:
A Potential Synergistic Approach to Tackle Antimicrobial Resistance
Authors: Iyiola Olatunji Oladunjoye, Yusuf Amuda Tajudeen, Habeebullah Jayeola Oladipo, Mona Said El-Sherbini
First page: 24
Abstract: Antimicrobials are compounds that impede the activities of bacteria, viruses, parasites, or fungi. Continuous antimicrobial overuse, misuse, and improper use for human, animal, and agricultural purposes are raising concerns about antibiotic residue pollution in the environment, and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Because antimicrobial-resistant diseases are linked to human–-microbial ecosystems, environmental pollution from antibiotic residue and ARGs alters the makeup and diversity of human gut microbiota, putting resistance under selection pressure. This perspective proposes that antibiotic-induced microbiome depletion is linked to environmental quality and has repercussions for human health via the gut microbiome’s sensitive ecosystem. This has stimulated new global efforts and multidisciplinary, integrative approaches to addressing Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) awareness in communities. Several academic papers published in recent years have shown that medicinal plant extracts are effective against diseases on WHO’s pathogen priority lists (PPL), such as the ESKAPE pathogens (Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species). Traditional medicine, with its knowledge of medicinal plants, promises to be a valuable source of next-generation powerful antimicrobials. Examples include the recent discovery of Artemisinin, a highly active antimalarial drug derived from Artemisia annua, and the discovery of Taxol, an active chemotherapeutic drug derived from the bark of the Pacific yew, Taxus brevifolia. The connections between small and large ecosystems’ vitality, biodiversity protection, and human health have been acknowledged by Planetary Health principles. To address these intertwined concerns, a Planetary Health and Traditional Medicine approach can be adopted, and antimicrobial resistance can be addressed by expanding the screening of medicinal plants for bioactive compounds.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-06-01
DOI: 10.3390/challe13010024
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 1 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 25: The Right to Make Mistakes' The Limits
to Adaptive Planning for Climate Change
Authors: Andrew Kirby
First page: 25
Abstract: While the UN recognizes the right of individuals “to take risks and make mistakes”, there are reasons to question whether this right can be universal. In the context of a changing climate, it is imperative that individuals have access to a safe and sustainable environment; yet we must ask if this covenant is broken if people choose to place themselves in harm’s way. In its first part, this paper explores outcomes of climate change denial, manifested as continued migration to dangerous locations, and skepticism for adaptive strategies. The second half of the paper explores how localities can create a false narrative concerning risks, and asks whether communities also have a right to make mistakes'
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-06-06
DOI: 10.3390/challe13010025
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 1 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 26: Healthcare Service Quality from the Point
of Healthcare Providers’ Perception at the Time of COVID-19
Authors: Olivera Ivanov, Zoran Gojković, Nenad Simeunović, Danijela Gračanin, Aleksandra Milovančev, Dejan Ivanov, Marko Bojović, Miloš Bugarčić, Nikola Stojić
First page: 26
Abstract: The pandemic of the Coronavirus 19 disease (COVID-19) has had significant impact on healthcare systems worldwide. The present study aims to investigate the service providers’ quality dimensions in public sector hospitals in the Republic of Serbia during the COVID-19 pandemic and to propose a sustainable model for healthcare improvement. The study was conducted from September 2021 to December 2021. A modified SERPERF quality measurement questionnaire was distributed to healthcare workers in nine secondary care public hospitals of the Serbian Autonomous Province of Vojvodina (APV). Six hundred one questionnaires were found to be complete in all aspects and compared to 528 questionnaires from the database of the Provincial Secretariat for Health Care obtained from healthcare workers before the COVID-19 outbreak. The present study suggests that supportive measures during the COVID-19 pandemic are effective and, from the providers’ perception, increase healthcare quality. Continual investment in healthcare would provide sustainable development of healthcare quality in the future, regardless of the pandemic conditions.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-06-06
DOI: 10.3390/challe13010026
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 1 (2022)
- Challenges, Vol. 13, Pages 27: Investigating the Status of Women Engineers
in Education and Employment during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Seema Singh
First page: 27
Abstract: Engineering is traditionally considered a male domain with lower female participation despite various affirmative actions taken in recent decades. There is evidence of greater gender equality as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and precautionary lockdown measures. With this in mind, this paper investigates whether women engineers in India were more adversely affected than their male counterparts by the COVID-19 pandemic. Such an impact may be explained by ‘intersectional stigma’, expanded upon in the literature on discrimination. The impact of such stigma varies in different countries based on socio-cultural factors. Through the use of ethnographic and statistical research methods on secondary and primary data from a sample of 384 engineers, this paper shows that the impact of COVID-19 is not significantly different between genders in engineering education and employment. This may be due to the high demand for digital engineering skills, and strong family support in Indian society. Engineering branch may play a relatively more important role than gender in terms of impact. This finding has repercussions for continuing engineering education (CEE) programs and regulatory bodies in India in terms of enhancing course content and the results may be used in developing affirmative programs in other regions.
Citation: Challenges
PubDate: 2022-06-15
DOI: 10.3390/challe13010027
Issue No: Vol. 13, No. 1 (2022)
