Search Results (68)

The use of telemedicine by the Ultra-Orthodox (UO) population in Israel presents challenges due to unique cultural characteristics, including limited internet use for religious ideological reasons and lower levels of digital literacy. This cross-sectional survey examines the rate of telemedicine use in the UO society in Israel according to religious groups, factors, attitudes and barriers associated with telemedicine use. The study included 1460 adult UO participants using quota by gender, and religiosity groups. The participants underwent a phone interview assessing telemedicine use (defined as at least one monthly phone/video call/e-mail correspondence with a medical professional, during the last year), attitudes, and perceived barriers. In total, 39% of participants used telemedicine and 42% performed one or more administrative actions. Phone consultations were the most common mode of communication with healthcare providers. The main barrier to using telemedicine was religious-ideological. Multiple logistic regression revealed that female sex, participants aged 30–44, married status, above-average income, frequent family physician visits, and internet use significantly associated with telemedicine use. Compared to <30, adults aged 60+ years use less telemedicine (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.32–0.86). These findings indicate telemedicine use within the UO population, though substantial cultural barriers remain, and may assist policymakers in expanding its implementation. Full article

This paper investigates travellers’ intentions, with regard to preferences for a green and/or ethical hotel, boycotting hotels accused of extreme environmental damages or over-exploitation of workers, and sharing relevant information on social media. Questioning the claim that intentions to prefer a green hotel are based mainly or even solely on practical criteria, this study focuses on examining the influencing power of values. The Values-Beliefs-Norms model was employed and modified as the New Environmental Paradigm was replaced by climate change risk perception. Personal interviews were conducted with consumers in the urban area of Thessaloniki, Greece, using a structured questionnaire for data collection. Area sampling, in combination with quota sampling, in terms of gender and age, was used. Results provided that egoistic and altruistic values were excluded from the final structural model, and just biospheric values indicated a statistically significant positive relationship with Risk Perception. The other hypothesised consecutive relationships between Biospheric Values (BV), Risk Perception (RP), Awareness of Consequences (AC), Ascription of Responsibility (AR), Personal Norms (PN) and Intentions (Int) were found to be statistically significant and positive. Overall, 80.9% of the variance in Intentions was explained, while Personal Norms indicated the stronger impact on Intentions among all other relationships in the chain. Eventually, theoretical and practical implications, as well as future research directions, are suggested. Full article

Background/Objectives: The aim of this study was to translate the Dietary Fat and Free Sugar-Short Questionnaire (DFS) into Turkish (DFS-TR) and to establish its construct validity and reliability. Methods: Quota sampling was used to ensure demographic homogeneity across gender and age groups. Participant distribution by age categories was proportionally aligned with the demographic statistics of the adult Turkish population. The study comprised 314 participants aged 19–64 years (38.78 ± 12.10), of which 54.5% were female. The data collection form consisted of demographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, information on eating habits, DFS-TR, the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), and the Power of Food Scale (PFS). Results: Test–retest reliability was confirmed in the 314 participants with a 4-week interval (r = 0.997, p < 0.01). The Cronbach α reliability coefficient was α = 0.777. Using the split-half method, the correlation coefficient between the two halves was 0.681, the Spearman–Brown coefficient was 0.811, and the Guttman coefficient was 0.809. Participants’ total DFS-TR scores and sub-dimension scores varied according to age, education level, income level, anthropometric characteristics, physical activity, and dietary habits, but did not vary according to gender or marital status. To investigate convergent validity, participants’ DFS-TR scores were correlated with the FFQ and PFS. DFS-TR scores showed a significant correlation with the percentage of energy from saturated fat and free sugar assessed by the FFQ. Positive relationships were found between DFS-TR scores and the total PFS score, particularly with the sub-dimension scores for food available and food present. Conclusions: The DFS-TR can be used as a reliable and valid measurement tool for estimating saturated fat and free sugar intake among Turkish adults. Full article

Background: Despite growing concerns about the impact of excessive digital media use on adolescents’ health, few studies have examined how digital detox practices and physical activity interact to influence it, particularly from a gender perspective. Purpose: This study investigated the effects of digital detox and physical activity on adolescents’ health habits, focusing on gender differences and sociocultural implications. Methods: In February 2025, a self-reported survey was conducted among 652 adolescents (mean age = 15.6, SD = 1.4) residing in Seoul, South Korea, using a quota sampling method. The survey measured four domains: demographic characteristics, digital detox practices, physical activity, and perceptions of health habit improvement. Results: Gender-based analyses revealed that female students reported higher engagement in digital detox practices, whereas male students showed greater participation in physical activity and higher levels of health efficacy. Digital detox had a significant positive effect on adolescents’ health habit improvement; however, its effect on physical activity and the effect of physical activity on health habit improvement were not statistically significant. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the complex interplay among digital engagement, physical activity, and gender-based social norms shapes adolescents’ health behaviors. To effectively improve adolescent health, strategies should be tailored to address sociocultural dynamics and gender-specific needs and experiences. Full article

Increasing consumption of plant-based alternatives is promoted to reduce the environmental impact of food systems, yet adoption remains limited. The aim of this study was to identify distinct consumer segments and examine differences in their perceptions, consumption habits, and trial intentions concerning plant-based dairy alternatives (PBDAs). Conceptually, it advances PBDAs segmentation by jointly incorporating pro-dairy justifications, avoidance of animal-origin considerations, and self-reported PBDAs familiarity, capturing psychological defence mechanisms alongside knowledge-related influences on adoption. Data were collected in a nationwide cross-sectional CAWI survey of 1220 Polish adults responsible for household food purchasing, stratified and quota-matched by gender, age, region, and settlement size. Factor analysis of the segmenting variables was conducted using principal component analysis with varimax rotation, followed by two-step cluster analysis. Alternative cluster solutions were compared using the Bayesian Information Criterion based on the log-likelihood (BIC-LL). The selected five-cluster solution showed acceptable to good clustering quality, as indicated by silhouette-based measures of cohesion and separation. Given the cross-sectional CAWI design and reliance on self-reported measures, the findings do not allow causal inference and should be interpreted as context-specific to the Polish, dairy-centric food culture. Cluster analysis identified five segments that differed in PBDA-related beliefs, product image evaluations, consumption patterns, and trial intentions. PBDA-oriented segments, comprising a dairy-critical segment and a dual-consumption segment, exhibited higher perceived familiarity and stronger ethical and environmental concerns and showed greater PBDA use and willingness to try new products. The dual-consumption segment reported the highest use and trial readiness. In contrast, resistant segments showed stronger dairy attachment, lower perceived familiarity, and more sceptical evaluations of PBDAs’ healthfulness, naturalness, and sensory appeal, and rarely consumed plant-based alternatives. The findings highlight substantial heterogeneity in how Polish dairy consumers perceive PBDAs, emphasising the importance of segment-specific approaches for communication and product development. Tailored strategies can help address the diverse motivations and barriers of consumers, supporting a dietary shift toward more plant-based options. Full article

(1) Background: Each generation’s approach to private-sphere environmentalism is shaped by distinct historical and socio-economic contexts, values, educational opportunities, and living conditions. The aim of this article is to identify differences on this issue among four generations (BB, X, Y, Z) of Poles. (2) Methods: An online survey was conducted on a quota sample of 1000 individuals, with each generation represented by 250 participants. The sample was balanced across generations in terms of gender, education, and place of residence. (3) Results: The top private-sphere environmental behavior was waste segregation (M = 5.1, SD = 1.23), followed by using reusable bags (M = 4.92, SD = 1.2) and reducing energy use (M = 4.57, SD = 1.2). The older the generation, the higher the score in the private-sphere environmentalism index (F = 33.3 (3, 996), p < 0.001). Significant predictors of the private-sphere environmental behaviors (PSE) index were age, gender, environmental concern, and perceived self-impact on the environment, and the final hierarchical regression model explained 38% of the variance in the PSE index. (4) Conclusions: These results underscores the need to account for generational contexts when developing behavior-change strategies and sustainability policies aligned with SDG 12. Full article

This study explores the persistent barriers hindering women’s meaningful participation in South African politics, with a particular focus on the widespread lack of support that women encounter across various social and institutional domains. Despite South Africa’s progressive constitutional and legislative framework promoting gender equality, the research reveals that many women in politics face systemic non-support from family structures, peer networks, community members, political parties, and even fellow women leaders. Using a feminist political theory lens, particularly liberal and radical feminism, the study focuses on how these barriers constrain women’s political participation at the local level. The study specifically investigates how lack of support affects women’s ability to participate, exercise influence, and access decision-making in local governance. Qualitative data drawn from in-depth interviews highlights experiences of tokenism, exclusion from decision-making, inadequate mentorship, and intra-gender rivalry. Political parties, in particular, emerge as critical gatekeepers that publicly promote gender equity while privately reproducing male-dominated power structures. The study concludes that achieving substantive equality requires more than representational quotas; it demands a structural shift in political culture, values, and leadership practices to foster inclusive and supportive environments that empower women to lead authentically and effectively. Full article

This study adopted a survey instrument based on a consistent conceptual framework to investigate racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 exposure, susceptibility, and treatment among Pennsylvania residents. A cross-sectional design was implemented through primary data collection using a non-probability web panel. Quota sampling ensured statewide representativeness by region and combined age/gender categories, yielding a final sample of 1043 residents across 64 counties who completed the survey between February and April 2021. Propensity score matching was utilized to estimate average effects of race/ethnicity on COVID-19-related outcomes. Results indicated that racial/ethnic minority respondents were more likely than non-Hispanic White respondents to live in apartments or group quarters. Non-Hispanic Blacks and Asians were disproportionately urban residents, while non-Hispanic Blacks faced increased COVID-19 exposure risks due to reliance on public transportation. Additionally, Non-Hispanic Others experienced higher exposure risks from insufficient sick leave and caregiving responsibilities. The study found limited evidence for disparities in susceptibility and treatment. These findings highlight how disparities in COVID-19 exposure conditions likely contribute significantly to the differing COVID-19 outcomes observed between racial/ethnic minorities and non-Hispanic Whites in Pennsylvania. Full article

Board gender diversity (BGD) has gained attention as a governance mechanism that may influence corporate financial decisions. However, empirical evidence from Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) remains limited despite the region’s significant gender disparities in corporate leadership and distinct institutional characteristics. This study examines how BGD affects capital structure decisions in LAC firms, drawing on agency theory and resource dependency theory. We analyze a panel dataset of 403 firms from 2015 to 2022, sourced from the London Stock Exchange Group database, using fixed effects models with Driscoll–Kraay standard errors to control for firm heterogeneity and econometric concerns. Results show that BGD is significantly and negatively associated with leverage ratios, with a one percentage point increase in female board representation corresponding to a 0.15 to 0.25 percentage point decrease in debt-to-capital ratios. This relationship is robust across multiple specifications and exhibits threshold effects, with stronger impacts when female representation reaches 20% or higher. The negative association is more pronounced for larger firms, consistent with enhanced governance benefits in complex organizations. Our findings suggest that gender-diverse boards exercise more effective oversight of financial decisions, leading to more conservative capital structures in emerging markets where governance mechanisms are particularly important for firm credibility and stakeholder confidence. Full article

This study examines the influence of gender composition on corporate financial performance, measured by the Price-to-Earnings (P/E) ratio and Tobin’s Q, considering both male and female directors. Using an econometric panel data analysis, a dual fixed effects model and the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) were applied to all Spanish listed companies from 2017 to 2022. The findings reveal no statistically significant correlation between gender diversity in the boards of directors (hereinafter, the board) and the financial performance indicators analyzed. However, a significant association was observed between gender diversity in non-board managerial positions and improved firm economic performance. This challenges the traditional focus on female representation in boards by highlighting the broader impact of gender composition across corporate structures. This study underscores the need for a comprehensive theoretical framework that considers both male and female directors to better understand gender diversity dynamics in governance. From a practical perspective, the results emphasize the importance of promoting gender diversity not only at the board level but also across all managerial positions. Policymakers and corporations should implement strategies to foster balanced gender representation throughout management levels to enhance economic performance. Full article

The main aim of the article was to examine the relationship between food waste and variables describing the socio-demographic characteristics of households in Poland, including reference to the prosumer behaviour of households. Do we respect food more if we produce it ourselves? That is the research question the authors have asked themselves. Consumer behaviour related to running a household, including the production of food for own needs and food waste by end consumers, is an interesting research area, especially in this combination. Food prosumption, alongside the issue of food waste, is part of new consumer trends that are an element of sustainable development. In order to explore the issue, our study was conducted using the diagnostic survey method with the CAWI (Computer-Assisted Web Interview) survey technique. The survey was conducted in July 2022 among 1112 respondents. This is a representative population of households in Poland (in terms of gender, age, size of place of residence, and education), with non-random quota sampling. The answers to the questions received were analysed with a chi-square correlation, supported by the Yule effect (φ) and Cramer’s coefficient (V). The correlations, significant though weak, showed a link between food waste and the variables of age, number of children, and number of people in the household. In addition, the majority of respondents believe that food prosumption contributes to reducing food waste within the household where food is produced for own needs. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study investigates how individual- and regional-level factors jointly influence depressive symptoms among older adults in South Korea, a rapidly aging society facing growing mental health concerns. Methods: Multilevel structural equation modelling with Monte Carlo confidence interval testing is used to analyze a cross-sectional, secondary dataset of 600 Korean older adults aged 65 years. The data come from the 2020 Ewha Study of Intergenerational Issues (ESoII), which is collected using multistage-quota sampling by age, gender, and region to ensure population representativeness across 14 cities and provinces. Results: Significant direct and indirect effects are observed at both individual and regional levels. At the individual level, aging anxiety is associated with social isolation ($\beta$ = 0.208, p > 001) and depressive symptoms ($\beta$ = 0.224, p < 0.001); social isolation is also associated with depressive symptoms ($\beta$ = 0.288, p > 0.001), and mediates the relationship between aging anxiety and depression (95% CI = [0.016, 0.065]). At the regional level, age-friendly environments are associated with social isolation ($\beta$ = −0.287, p < 0.05), which in turn is associated with depressive symptoms ($\beta$ = 0.403, p < 0.01). The mediation effect of social isolation in the relationship between age-friendly environments and depressive symptoms is statistically significant (95% CI = [−0.022, −0.004]). Conclusions: The findings suggest that social isolation is a key mechanism linking both psychological and environmental risk factors to depression in later life. Promoting age-friendly environments may be an effective strategy for reducing social isolation and improving mental health outcomes among older adults. Interventions should consider both individual vulnerabilities and structural supports. Full article

Fathers’ parental leave use has often been explained by differing fatherhood ideals among low vs. highly educated fathers. However, recent research reveals that 75% of the educational-level impact stems from workplace differences. Therefore, a deeper understanding of how workplace dynamics interact with both fathers’ ideals and actual leave practices is needed. Drawing on in-depth interviews with Norwegian fathers with and without higher education, we explore how different workplace dynamics, especially the degree of individual competition, interact with fatherhood ideals and fathers’ actual leave practices. We find strong adherence to the idea of ‘involved fatherhood’ and fathers’ quota across educational levels and workplace dynamics but large variation in practices. Our analyses show how childcare responsibility and absence from work responsibility do not necessarily correspond and how formal leave uptake and actual leave practices may differ. Our findings indicate that non-transferable fathers’ leave may dissolve former attitude-based divisions, as fathers across educational levels in collectively organized jobs support and practice child-centered leave. Still, fathers in competitive jobs may continue to practice ‘work-centered fatherhood’ despite their strong gender-egalitarian beliefs and formal leave uptake. Hence, workplace dynamics—especially the degree of individualized competition and the fear of becoming replaceable—may be more relevant than fatherhood ideals to understand and enhance fathers’ actual leave use and involved fatherhood practices. Full article

The sphere of leisure time fulfils important roles in human life, translating into the quality of life of the individual and society. Hence, comprehensive research is being conducted on the ways in which different age groups, including older people, use leisure time. However, few of them take into account factors related to the place of residence, which are important for respondents’ leisure time activities. This study aims to fill the gap in this regard. The aim of the article is to identify socio-demographic variables determining the way adults spend their leisure time, with a particular focus on older people in selected border municipalities in Poland. The study included 1068 individual questionnaire questionnaires completed in 2021 by respondents of border municipalities. One of the non-probability techniques was chosen as the method for selecting elements for the sample, namely, the quota method, which took into account the following characteristics of the population: age, gender, and place of residence. The analyses used selected methods of descriptive statistics and multivariate comparative analysis. The results confirmed that leisure use varied by gender, age, and education. The research also showed that, in the case of older people, leisure time use is influenced by elements relating to their place of residence. Particularly important were the development of green areas in the municipality, safety in the municipality, and the cleanliness of recreational sites. Full article

Climate change will lead to widespread adverse global impacts on nature, people and economies. The importance of gender in tackling climate change is becoming increasingly evident, with the Paris Agreement highlighting this. According to the evidence base, women typically show higher levels of concern and action towards climate change within the general public, within politics and on company boards. However, few studies have investigated the influence of gender on climate concerns and action within the workforce. The construction industry is one of the biggest emitters of greenhouse gases; therefore, this is a key sector to focus on with respect to decarbonisation. Simultaneously, construction is dominated by men and has significant gender inequity issues. Given the importance of including women in climate change decisions, it is important to assess construction employees’ knowledge and awareness regarding this key issue. Quota and snowball sampling techniques were used to recruit UK-based participants (n = 30) from a large engineering/construction company to explore the perceived concern, importance and action towards climate change, and qualitative analysis using NVivo 14 software was employed to identify key themes. This qualitative work provides initial important insights for an industry with one of the largest carbon footprints in the world and that also reports significant gender inequities. Full article