Search Results (94)

Muslims are religiously obligated to care for the Earth, yet little empirical research exists on how Muslim communities in the U.S. engage with climate change. This study used a mixed-methods approach to explore climate change knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among 82 Muslims in Knoxville, Tennessee, building on prior theoretical or internationally focused work. Results found that participants largely accepted anthropogenic climate change and were strongly willing to act, citing Islamic principles such as stewardship and divine accountability as key motivators. However, many felt underinformed and lacked clarity on how to take action. Religious texts, more than religious leaders, shaped environmental views, offering interpretations that both aligned with and diverged from scientific narratives. Education and personal experience were the most frequently cited sources of climate understanding. Religion emerged as an important source of climate knowledge and a filter through which scientific information was interpreted. The knowledge and environmental attitudes inspired by their religion guided many participants to mitigate climate impacts, although some expressed a more fatalistic view of climate change. These findings suggest that effective climate communication in Muslim communities should integrate faith-based teachings with scientific messaging and engage religious leaders as amplifiers. Expanding this research to include more diverse Muslim populations across the U.S. can provide deeper insight into how Islamic worldviews shape climate engagement and behavior. Full article

Background: The number of people with heart failure (HF) is rapidly increasing globally. Self-care plays a key role in improving HF outcomes. The readiness to engage in heart failure self-care (HFSC) behaviors encompasses a commitment to change and the capacity to make the change. Commitment is a personal investment and value toward enacting self-care and health-related behaviors. Capacity includes an individual’s skills, knowledge, beliefs, previous experience, and resources. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe patient-identified commitment and capacity factors influencing their readiness to carry out HFSC behaviors. Methods: A qualitative study using thematic analysis was conducted using data from 21 interviews to develop readiness for HFSC themes. Results: The commitment themes identified were cultural values and beliefs, social roles, will to live, attitude, self-efficacy, HF perceptions, and general emotional state. Capacity themes included HF literacy, functional capacity, environmental resources, comorbidities, time, cognitive functioning, and social support. Conclusions: Novel themes related to an individual’s commitment to HFSC activities included their will to live and social roles, while time emerged as a consideration in the capacity to engage in self-care. To optimize HF outcomes, people with HF must be ready to engage in HFSC. Evaluating an individual’s readiness for HFSC can focus healthcare team efforts on targeting specific self-care activities that require intervention. Enhancing readiness by intervening with specific commitment and capacity factors is a step toward optimizing HFSC and improving patient outcomes. Full article

Despite a general decline in smoking rates among the U.S. population, smoking among low-income populations remains disproportionately high, likely due to the social determinants of health. To inform tailored approaches and responsive public health policies, the aim of this study was to qualitatively explore the sociocultural contexts, attitudes, and behaviors regarding smoking and quitting in a sample of low-income adults who smoke. In-depth, semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 20 adults. Participants were recruited through local safety-net primary care clinics and community sites. A thematic analytic approach was utilized to analyze transcribed interviews. In exploring smoking and quitting within the context of low-income individuals, the following six themes were identified: caught between health and tobacco use; the nuances of context; roadblocks to quitting; motivation without movement; a temporary escape; and one size does not fit all. Insights into sociocultural and environmental contexts that shape smoking and quitting among low-income individuals revealed a complex interplay of factors that perpetuate smoking behavior and make it difficult to achieve sustained cessation. The study findings point to the importance of patient-centered and collaborative approaches that tailor smoking cessation efforts to the unique needs and lived experiences of low-income people who smoke. Full article

Background/Objectives: Poland has remained one of the leaders in meat consumption in Europe for years. This study aimed to determine the relationship between Polish consumers’ meat attachment and willingness to change their consumption habits to plant-based foods and meat, using self-assessment, including attitudes toward health, naturalness of food, product novelty, and willingness to seek information about these products. In addition, the relationship between the meat attachment of the surveyed individuals consuming plant-based meat alternatives and their attitudes towards these products was assessed. Methods: A representative survey with 1003 respondents was conducted using the CAWI (computer-assisted web interview) method. Four consumer clusters were identified using the k-means method: Meat lovers, Meat neutral, Meat attached, and Meat opponents. Results: The Meat lovers cluster was characterized by dominant values for entitlement and hedonism and the least willingness to consume plant-based products in the coming year. It was represented by those who care about their health and like product novelty while lacking familiarity with and willingness to try plant-based meat alternatives. The Meat opponents cluster was distinguished by having the highest readiness for eating plant-based products. These individuals valued the naturalness of food, disliked buying new food products, and were familiar with plant-based meat alternatives but consumed them occasionally. Furthermore, cluster membership differed after considering gender, education level, and place of residence. Conclusions: The findings indicate the need for educational and marketing activities to raise awareness of the health and environmental benefits resulting from reducing meat consumption to decrease meat attachment. Full article

Background: The management of chronic pain is inherently multidisciplinary, requiring collaboration across health and care professions because pain is multidimensional, involving psychological, social, biomedical, cultural, and environmental factors. However, pain education has often focused more on biomedical aspects, limiting the capacity of professionals to deliver integrated, person-centred care. Shifting pain education away from biomedically driven curricula may better prepare graduates for meaningful consultations and biopsychosocial care. Objective: This manuscript reports the development and pilot evaluation of a virtual patient simulation designed to help physiotherapy students develop person-centred pain assessment skills. Methods: We developed and piloted a virtual patient with complex pain scenarios for physiotherapy students. To evaluate the simulation, students completed a self-reported questionnaire assessing their ability, self-confidence in person-centred assessment skills, and their attitudes and beliefs regarding the simulation. Results: Frequency and confidence in person-centred inquiry ranged from 100% to 16.3%, depending on the complexity of information. Inductive thematic analysis revealed four themes: (1) Environmental factors & preferences—students’ preference for the learning environment; (2) Learning experience—including engagement, feedback, discussions, and a ‘safe’ space for building confidence; (3) Professional development—insights into person-centred inquiry, personal biases, and emotional challenges; (4) Limitations—including the desire for more complexity, and technical challenges noted. Conclusions: The development of this virtual patient simulation enabled healthcare students to engage with a multidimensional perspective on pain, fostering skills essential for biopsychosocial pain assessment and patient-centred care. Although designed and piloted with physiotherapy students, this model holds potential for broader application across healthcare disciplines. Full article

Canine cognitive dysfunction (CCD) is a neurodegenerative disease likely to affect 14% to 35% of dogs over the age of eight years. Although it can be associated with a high burden of care in owners of affected dogs, there is a lack of knowledge of how veterinarians diagnose and manage the disease. The aim of this study was to determine how veterinary professionals (veterinarians and veterinary nurses/technicians) manage CCD and their attitudes towards the disease using an anonymous online survey. Chi-square tests were used to assess differences according to years of experience, and multiple correspondence analysis was used to analyze clusters according to age, gender, and experience. One hundred and four responses were obtained: 73 veterinarians and 31 veterinary nurses/technicians. Veterinarians diagnosed CCD based on their own experience or by excluding other diseases (27/73, 37% and 25/73, 34%, respectively) and mostly diagnosed a few cases/year (34/73, 47%) or a few in their career (19/73, 26%). CCD was managed using specific medication or environmental changes (57/73, 78% and 58/73, 79%, respectively). Over half of veterinarians agreed/strongly agreed that they were confident in diagnosing CCD (49/73, 67%) and in giving advice on symptom management (53/73, 71%), but only 14/31 (45%) of veterinary nurses/technicians agreed that veterinarians in their practice actively treated dogs with CCD. Participants mostly agreed that CCD is associated with a large burden of care for owners, but less than half measured this burden of care. Although veterinary professionals are aware of CCD, the low rate of diagnosis suggests many dogs are undiagnosed. Increased awareness of the disease by the veterinary profession will enhance human and dog welfare. Full article

Background/Objectives: Childhood disability is a major stressor for caregivers. There are many problems and challenges in relation to satisfying the psychological support needs of caregivers. This study aims to explore the modifiable psycho-behavioral and social–environmental factors of psychological support needs and need satisfaction, their interaction effects, and their configuration paths. Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey of 363 caregivers using instruments such as the psychological support needs subscale of the Care Needs Assessment Tool for Children with Disabilities. Multivariable logistic regression with interaction terms and crisp-set qualitative comparative analysis were performed. Results: The overall rate of psychological support needs was 78.29%, and the overall need satisfaction was 49.94%. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the caregiver’s need was mainly influenced by anxiety, while need satisfaction was primarily predicted by public policy support and social attitudes. There was an interaction effect between caregiver anxiety and social attitude on need satisfaction. Qualitative comparative analysis indicated that six paths were identified as potentially leading to high levels of psychological support need, while five paths were associated with low levels of need satisfaction. Conclusions: The psychological support need rate among caregivers was high, and the level of need satisfaction was low. There were significant differences in psychological support needs and need satisfaction among different psycho-behavioral and social–environmental characteristics. It is recommended that caregivers with negative emotions be given more attention. The enhancement of social attitudes and the adoption of more supportive policies will contribute to the improvement of need satisfaction. Full article

The complex interwoven crises of climate disruption and biodiversity loss demand not only rapid technological innovation for sustainable development but also major shifts in consumption and behaviour, implying a need for responses rooted in ethical values and a reorientation of attitudes towards the more-than-human world. In this context, given the global significance of faith communities and institutions as motivators and moral authorities, it is important that faith leaders state the challenges for sustainable development and suggest pathways forward to protect the environment and people that live in it. Building on his landmark encyclical of 2015, Laudato Si’, Pope Francis issued Laudate Deum, an apostolic exhortation on the climate crisis, and followed this up with a message to COP 28 for leaders to show leadership in facing up to the climate challenge. We argue that the interventions of Pope Francis point to the crucial importance of an approach to sustainable development that can integrate faith perspectives on social and ecological ethics with the knowledge generated by the natural sciences and by environmental systems science. The interdependence revealed by the emerging scientific understanding of human, animal, and ecosystem life implies the bioethics of care and stewardship, which have the potential to bring people together across religious and disciplinary divides. Unlike other analyses, we argue that it is important to understand how life was created if we are to care for it effectively and sustainably. We also put forward the case for more sustainable land use and the production of more sustainable foods. This article is written from the perspective of the Catholic Church, including its approach to moral theology, but we argue that the implications of the analysis are relevant to all faith communities and religious institutions seeking to promote sustainable development. Full article

The aim of this research is to find out whether education students and professionals are aware of the seriousness of climate change and the environmental crisis and whether they receive training to deal with it in their professional future. More specifically, this study aims to analyze if they are aware of the degrowth proposal and consider they should train themselves and future generations in it to tackle this ecosystemic crisis profoundly. The methodology used was qualitative, through focused semi-structured in-depth interviews. The results of the data analysis, carried out with Atlas.ti, are structured around four dimensions: (a) Climate change, sustainability-consumption-social implications, (b) Growth, degrowth, collapse, (c) Personal attitudes towards caring for the planet and (d) Educating/training for degrowth. It is concluded that there is a general awareness concerning degrowth as a relevant issue and a possible alternative, but this is not applied in educational and curricular practice. The need to review the initial training plans for future teachers to introduce these elements is discussed. A limitation of this study is the scarcity of literature on degrowth in education and the need to expand the research sample in order to generalize the findings obtained in the research. Full article

Rapid urbanisation has highlighted the importance of urban green spaces (UGS) in promoting environmental sustainability and human wellbeing, yet the gap between urban planning practices and community preferences remains a significant challenge. This study investigated residents’ perceptions and attitudes towards UGS in a neighbourhood of an Italian city (Quartiere Marconi, Imola), focusing on understanding both the strengths and limitations of existing public green spaces from users’ perspectives. Through a comprehensive questionnaire survey of 126 residents, we examined the associations between socio-demographic characteristics and four aspects of UGS utilisation: visiting purposes, barriers to visits, satisfaction levels, and suggestions for improvement. Chi-square tests were conducted to identify significant relationships. The results indicate that life stage, rather than scattered socio-demographic factors, plays a crucial role in shaping UGS perceptions and usage patterns. Particularly, the 31–45 and 46–60 age groups, characterised by family-caring and career responsibilities, showed distinct preferences for social activities, while individual users focused more on nature enjoyment. Although accessibility was generally sufficient, satisfaction levels varied significantly based on living arrangements, with families emphasising facility-related issues and individual users prioritising natural features. These findings suggest that successful UGS planning requires attention to both high-quality natural elements and user-oriented facilities to meet the diverse needs of different life stages. This study represents the preliminary phase of a project, which concerns the redevelopment of the area under study, in order to create a more inclusive and high-quality UGS, taking into account the needs of the resident population. Full article

Introduction: A pregnant woman’s life and that of her child largely depend on the care they receive during the critical stage of pregnancy, labour, and the postpartum period. Some women question their decisions regarding future pregnancies as well as where and from whom they will receive their pregnancy care because of negative experiences that they have had. Aim: The aim of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of women regarding maternity care services in a selected hospital in Vhembe District, Limpopo Province. Methods: A qualitative approach using a phenomenological research design was adopted in this study. The study population included pregnant women who were admitted to the maternity ward of the selected hospital. A total of 18 participants and 1 hospital were purposively sampled. Pre-testing was conducted to check if the central question was clear and to test the researcher’s interviewing skills. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with all sampled participants in April and May 2024. Interpretive analysis was used to analyze the data collected from the participants. Results: Four themes emerged during data analysis: women’s experiences regrading the provision of maternal healthcare; environmental factors affecting maternal health services; lack of resources; and the attitude of nurses towards patients. Conclusions: This study concludes that the majority of the women stated that they were not happy about the maternity care services provided at the selected hospital. Issues such as trained nurses being verbally and physically abusive towards women in labour, as well as the infrastructure and lack of resources of the hospital contributed towards women not being happy about the provision of maternity care services being provided. This study recommends that in order for maternity care services to improve at the selected hospital, there should be workshops for staff on how to improve patient care principles and improvements in the standard of cleanliness in and around the selected hospital. Full article

Background: As dietary habits shift in response to environmental concerns and health awareness, understanding healthcare professionals’ perceptions of vegan diets is crucial. Objectives: This study aimed to identify the beliefs and attitudes of primary care doctors and nurses in Spain towards vegan diets. Methods: A questionnaire-based, observational, cross-sectional study was conducted among 208 healthcare professionals. Results: 87% of participants followed an omnivorous diet, while only 3.4% identified as lacto-ovo-vegetarian (LOV) or vegan. Statistically significant differences were observed by sex, with women more likely to agree that livestock farming contributes to global warming (27.3% and 28.0% vs. 17.0% and 12.8%, respectively; p = 0.02). Additionally, women were more inclined to consider vegan diets suitable for vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women and children, when adequately supplemented (24.8% and 17.4% vs. 10.6% and 10.6%, respectively; p = 0.030). Healthcare professionals who followed a LOV or vegan diet were more likely to disagree with the notion that vegan diets do not provide the necessary macronutrients and micronutrients compared to omnivores (strongly disagree 19.9%, 56.3%, 85.7%; p = 0.001 for omnivores, flexitarians, and LOVs/vegans, respectively). Conclusions: Current nutrition training may not meet the needs of doctors and nurses. Furthermore, it is implied that some professionals’ attitudes towards vegan diets may be more influenced by personal beliefs than by scientific literature. These findings can inform future clinical guidelines and support a more evidence-based approach to dietary counselling for vegan populations. Full article

We conducted semi structured in-person interviews with 36 dairy farmers in a dairy producing region in southern Brazil undergoing intensification. Thematic analysis revealed that farmers’ perceptions of cow welfare were closely tied to their production environment. Farmers in pasture-based systems emphasized the importance of outdoor access and grazing, associating these with the cows’ intrinsic needs and longevity. Conversely, farmers operating confined systems, or those with positive attitudes towards transitioning to confinement, linked cow welfare to practices that aim at minimizing environmental stressors, enhancing comfort, and boosting productivity. Despite these differing views, empathetic concerns towards the cows were evident in both groups and influenced decisions such as improving farm infrastructure or using anesthetics in invasive procedures. However, the transition to confined systems was associated with a more instrumental view of animals, as seen in the abandonment of naming cows and in a greater focus on productive performance. All things considered, this study suggests that working structures may influence farmers’ perceptions of animal care, indicating that farm animal welfare likely depends not only on farmers’ attitudes but also on global and local policies that shape agricultural practices through incentives and constraints. Full article

The health of road transport workers is affected by working conditions and life. However, there is a lack of studies on the level of stress and health of the families of these workers. This study aimed to evaluate the perceived stress level and family effectiveness of family members of road transport workers. A quantitative study was carried out with the family members of road transport workers in the southern region of Brazil. For data collection, a sociodemographic form, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the Evaluation of Family Effectiveness Strategies were used. The data were analyzed by simple frequency, Spearman correlation coefficient (ρ) (p < 0.05), and descriptive analysis from the perspective of Systemic Organization. The sample was composed of 49 family members of road transport workers. Perceived stress was higher in family members who had more than nine years of education (p = 0.0403). Family members who scored higher in Family Effectiveness scored high on the targets of Control (p = 0.0353) (Control aims to reduce anxiety and prevent and eliminate events that threaten family stability) and Growth (p = 0.0360) (represented by attitudes that promote new roles in response to critical situations experienced by families, which require re-adaptation processes and adjustments). The Control target was significant (p = 0.0353) in families that had more than three people. The Coherence dimension (concerning self-esteem, body image, personal identity, self-confidence, and sexual identity) presented positive significance (p = 0.0244) in families with health problems and whose income was less than USD 792.00 per month (p = 0.0072). The Individuation dimension (including functions and responsibilities, where talents are reinforced, as well as initiatives that allow for the incorporation of knowledge to assume behaviors against personal/family and environmental pressures), was significant (p = 0.0138) in families with incomes over USD 792.00. The Maintenance System (strategies for decision-making, problem negotiation, ritual and traditional roles, communication patterns, standards, financial management, and approaches to maintaining family harmony) presented positive significance (p = 0.0151) in families where drivers worked as intercity drivers, as did the Stability target (p = 0.0196) (concerning the continuity of routines, structure, organization, traditions, and values assumed by the family and transmitted from generation to generation, which promote unity and the development of values, attitudes, and beliefs). In conclusion, social factors, such as education, income, diseases, type of worker activity in road transport, and number of people in the family, influenced perceived stress and family effectiveness, which demonstrates the need to increase the promotion of health care for the families of road transport workers. Full article

Faced with the environmental challenges facing today’s society, it is necessary to form critical, conscious, committed and competent citizens that can take action. Children represent, at the same time, the need for care and hope for a better and more sustainable world. The school is the ideal place to carry out this training. All citizens pass through school for many years and many hours a day. Everything in the school is designed to teach people how to learn and live together: the people who work there, the infrastructure, the rules, the resources and the opportunities to share daily actions. But are schools prepared to carry out effective environmental education? Several reasons have been pointed out as potential explanations of the lack of awareness and sustainable behavior observed in a large part of the population. Surely, one of the most important is the lack of adequate organization, which leads to a lack of long-term planning, of people in charge, or of an evaluation and communication of the results. In this paper, we present a study on environmental education carried out in a group of Early Childhood and Elementary education schools using structured interviews conducted by students of the Catholic University of Valencia San Vicente Mártir. The results obtained are congruent with the contributions made by previous studies, which have highlighted the lack of coherence between training, attitudes and teaching practices. The conclusions drawn seem to indicate that, although practicing teachers are aware of the importance of the subject, the presence of environmental policies in the school and the implementation of good educational action are far from being considered optimal, given the current need for them. Full article