Search Results (48)

This research examines the role of sustainable knowledge sharing in enhancing service innovation among Palestinian banks, and it explores the mediating roles of employee engagement and meaningful work. The study sample consisted of 366 employees from various banks, who were surveyed using a structured questionnaire. Results from CFA and MGA reveal a significant Hand direct positive path from sustainable Knowledge Sharing to service innovation at a 0.52 level. In addition, the results reveal important indirect effects that are paths through which employee engagement and meaningful work together explain a substantial portion of total influence. The structural model presents good fit indices, explaining service innovation at 85.8%, employee engagement at 79.7%, and relevant work at 67.9%. These trends hold for both public and private banks. The mediating processes show that the engaged employee and meaningful work experience serve as the vital routes through which sustainable Knowledge Sharing enhances organizational innovative capability, addressing an obvious gap in the literature of innovation of Palestinian banking services. This study illustrates how Knowledge Sharing—underpinned by a committed staff and rewarding work surroundings—is associated with service innovation. The results provide pragmatic considerations for bank managers in order to enhance knowledge-sharing routines, raise workers’ involvement, and develop purposive, innovative work climates, which can be applicable regardless of variations in banking ownership forms. Although there are limitations inherent in the cross-sectional approach and its focus on a particular geographic setting, this study has theoretical implications. It provides practical suggestions for the adoption of innovation strategies within the banking industry of developing countries. Full article

In 2016, the South African government approved free oral PrEP distribution among high-risk groups like female sex workers (FSWs) to reduce new HIV infections. Despite the availability, unique barriers exist that challenge PrEP persistence, including limited knowledge, side effects, stigma, and mobility that hinder adherence. As such, engaging FSWs in the design of an FSW-led intervention program is crucial to promote PrEP uptake, adherence, and retention. Processes of an intervention mapping approach were applied to design and develop the program in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. A needs analysis was completed through existing literature and through engagements with FSWs, FSW peer educators, and a healthcare provider. The working group, comprising eight FSW peer educators and a researcher, co-created the intervention following a six-step mapping process. A total of six meetings took place, during which intervention determinants, change objectives, theory-based methods, and the intervention program were discussed and formulated, as well as implementing partners and the evaluation plan identified. The program focuses on the development of agency, self-efficacy, and hope among FSWs and aims to destigmatize PrEP through positive messaging, equipping FSWs with the ability to differentiate PrEP from ARVs given to people living with HIV. Through role-playing, participants will practice discussing PrEP with their intimate partners and friends, receive suggestions on managing pill supply and side effects, and be equipped to become PrEP ambassadors. The introduction of PrEP as a pill for high-risk groups can be stigmatizing. Therefore, it is crucial to involve marginalized groups in the design and implementation of their interventions to foster acceptance and develop a sense of ownership, ensuring the programs’ sustainability. Full article

The construction industry has persistently high accident rates, and major events continue despite strengthened safety management systems. This study analyzes 19,456 accident records from the national Construction Safety Management Integrated Information (CSI) system and applies a Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM) model to predict fatal versus injury outcomes. SHAP was used to identify influential factors and quantify each variable’s contribution. Fatal events represented about 5% of cases, reflecting substantial class imbalance. To address this, three oversampling methods—SMOTE, Borderline-SMOTE, and ADASYN—were tested. The ADASYN model showed the best performance (F1-score = 0.905, AUC = 0.879) and was selected as the final model. Oversampling was applied exclusively to the training folds during stratified 10-fold cross-validation on the training set. After identifying the optimal number of iterations, the model was retrained on the full training data and its final performance was evaluated on the independent test set. SHAP results indicated that Type of Accident, Accident Object, and Work Process were primary drivers of fatal outcomes, whereas Safety Management Plan and Public/Private Ownership helped lessen severity. Project Cost, Progress Rate, and Number of Workers moderated prediction strength through interactions with key variables. This study clarifies structural relationships among factors affecting accident outcomes using a LightGBM–SHAP framework that captures nonlinear interactions, supporting explainable artificial intelligence (AI)–based safety management and risk monitoring. Full article

Background: Key populations (KPs), particularly female sex workers (FSWs), continue to face significant barriers in accessing HIV-related healthcare services in South Africa. Structural challenges have historically hindered equitable HIV treatment access, worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Overburdened clinics, staff shortages, and travel constraints disrupted HIV services and ART adherence. In response, the Differentiated Service Delivery (DSD) model was rapidly scaled up to decentralise care and improve treatment continuity. Objective: To solicit the views of stakeholders regarding their interests, roles and experiences in the implementation of the HIV treatment DSD model among FSWs in South Africa, as well as associated successes and barriers thereof. Methods: We purposively selected and interviewed eight stakeholders, comprising government officials, implementers and sex workers’ advocacy organizations. Thematic analysis was used to explore the perceived impact of DSD models and associated successes and barriers in the current service delivery landscape. Results: The study found that decentralization of DSD models improved access to services for FSWs. However, the criminalization of sex work perpetuates fear and marginalization, while stigma and discrimination within healthcare settings remain significant deterrents to HIV treatment uptake. High mobility among FSWs also disrupts continuity of care, contributing to treatment interruptions and lack of data on loss to follow-up. Participants highlighted the need for legal reform, increased healthcare provider sensitization, and the integration of mental health and psychosocial support in HIV services. Peer-led interventions and digital health innovations, such as biometric systems and electronic medical records, emerged as promising strategies for enhancing patient tracking and retention. Nonetheless, the sustainability of DSD models is threatened by an overreliance on external donor funding and insufficient government ownership. Conclusions: To achieve equitable healthcare access and improved HIV outcomes for KPs, especially FSWs, a multi-pronged, rights-based approach is essential. This must include community engagement, structural and legal reforms, integrated support services, and sustainable financing mechanisms to ensure the long-term impact and scalability of DSD models. Full article

Background: In light of the concerning increase in burnout among healthcare professionals, it is essential to identify the specific factors that contribute to this phenomenon and can be addressed. This narrative review synthesizes evidence on the relationship between burnout and emotional intelligence (EI) among healthcare professionals, alongside additional factors that may influence both concepts. Methods: A structured search in OVID, PubMed, Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science (2000–2024) was conducted. The inclusion criteria were English language and peer-reviewed studies assessing both burnout and EI in healthcare professionals. The exclusion criteria were non-English papers, studies without EI–burnout correlation, or involving non-healthcare populations. Thirty-one eligible studies were included in this analysis. Results: The findings suggest a consistent inverse correlation between EI and burnout across various healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, and residents. Higher EI was associated with reduced levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization and a greater sense of personal accomplishment. Burnout was found to be prevalent among younger healthcare workers, particularly residents, with contributing factors including exposure to workplace violence, high workload, and diminished psychological ownership. In contrast, associations that suggest protective influences on emotional intelligence included spiritual intelligence, self-control, income, and healthy habits, such as sufficient sleep and physical activity. Conclusions: This narrative review highlights a consistent inverse association between EI and burnout in healthcare professionals. Given that both burnout and EI are affected by adjustable individual and organizational elements, specific interventions aimed at enhancing EI and improving workplace conditions may provide effective techniques to boost clinician occupational well-being and performance. Full article

Background: Since the election of Hamas in 2006, Gaza has endured eight major military conflicts, culminating in the ongoing 2023–2025 war, now surpassing 520 days. This protracted violence, compounded by a 17-year blockade, has resulted in the near-total collapse of Gaza’s health system. Over 49,000 deaths, widespread displacement, and the destruction of more than 60% of health infrastructure have overwhelmed both local capacity and international humanitarian response. Objectives: This narrative review aims to examine and synthesize the current literature (October 2023–April 2025) on the health crisis in Gaza, with a specific focus on identifying key themes and knowledge gaps relevant to rebuilding a sustainable health system. The review also seeks to outline strategic pathways for recovery in the context of ongoing conflict and systemic deprivation. Methods: Given the urgency and limitations of empirical data from conflict zones, a narrative review approach was adopted. Fifty-two sources—including peer-reviewed articles, editorials, reports, and correspondence—were selected through targeted searches using Medline and Google Scholar. The analysis was framed within a public health and political economy perspective, also taking health system building blocks into consideration. Results: The reviewed literature emphasizes emergency needs: trauma care, infectious disease control, and supply chain restoration. Innovations such as mobile clinics and telemedicine offer interim solutions. Gaps include limited attention to mental health (including that of health workers), local governance, and sustainable planning frameworks. Conclusions: Sustainable reconstruction requires a durable ceasefire; international stewardship aligned with local ownership; and a phased, equity-driven strategy emphasizing primary care, mental health, trauma management, and community engagement. Full article

As a high-risk industry characterized by persistently high accident and casualty rates, the construction sector has been extensively studied in terms of individual behavioral safety, organizational safety culture, and safety climate. However, existing research remains fragmented, lacking an integrative perspective to systematically explore the interconnections between these interrelated dimensions. This study investigates the mechanisms through which the ownership climate influences safety behaviors among construction workers in China. Applying self-determination theory (SDT) and the theory of planned behavior (TPB), we propose a dual-mediation model with team building and risk perception as parallel mediators. Empirical data were collected from 312 frontline workers through structured surveys and analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) and bootstrapping techniques. The results demonstrate that a sense of ownership climate not only directly enhances the safety behaviors of construction workers but also functions via dual mechanisms: strengthening team building to improve both compliance with and the execution of safety protocols and heightening risk perception awareness to reduce the propensity for risk-taking behaviors. These findings highlight the need for strategies integrating ownership climate cultivation, team collaboration, and risk awareness training to optimize safety outcomes. This study extends the existing literature by bridging motivational (SDT) and cognitive (TPB) frameworks, offering culturally grounded solutions for transient workforce management in high-risk industries. Full article

Under the background of global climate change and sustainable development, low-carbon transformation has become an inevitable choice for China and even global economic development. As the cornerstone of social stability and the key to people’s well-being, employment is facing profound changes brought about by low-carbon development. Based on the micro perspective of enterprise behavior change, this paper takes the implementation of China’s low-carbon city pilot policy as an exogenous policy shock and constructs a time-varying difference-in-differences (DID) model to test the impact of the low-carbon city pilot policy on enterprise employment, based on the data of China’s A-share listed enterprises from 2008–2021. The results show that the implementation of low-carbon city pilot policies significantly expands the employment scale of enterprises and increases overall employment by about 6.77%. From the perspective of employment skill structure, it can promote the employment of high-skilled and low-skilled workers. From the perspective of employment position structure, it can promote the employment of production operations personnel, technology research and development personnel, and service and management personnel. These results are still valid after a series of robustness tests. The policy effect is due to the deepening of enterprise capital integration, green investment, technological innovation and vertical specialization. In addition, it is also affected by the differences of enterprise ownership, enterprise scale, industry pollution degree, regional environmental regulation, and market competition degree. Further research shows that low-carbon city pilot policies significantly reduce the share of labor income of employees in heavily polluting enterprises, resulting in the loss of employee welfare. From the perspective of employment, this paper provides more theoretical support and empirical evidence for low-carbon policies to drive changes in micro-enterprise behavior, so as to achieve the sustainable goals of “double carbon” and “stable employment”. Full article

Background: Microplanning is widely recognized as a critical tool for improving immunization coverage and equity and is considered a core component of routine immunization. However, there is limited evidence on how microplans are developed and implemented and the effectiveness of microplanning. As such, this study sought to review the existing evidence on implementation and institutionalization of microplanning; identify strategies to improve microplanning; and document evidence on new approaches to microplanning, including digitally enhanced and integrated microplanning. Methods: We employed a three-stage mixed-method approach. First, we conducted a literature review on microplanning for routine immunization. Second, we administered an online survey to gather insights into the factors that constrained and enabled microplanning in low-resource settings. Third, we conducted key informant interviews to better understand the barriers and enablers. Results: We found a paucity of published literature describing the drivers and effectiveness of microplanning and how to sustain it over time. Our review indicates that factors at both the development and implementation stages influence implementation and whether the process is sustained over time. These include the level of community engagement and health care worker ownership, access to data, the complexity of the microplanning tools, and the extent to which supervisors follow up on the plans. Conclusion: Our review indicates that microplanning is successful when health care workers and communities are engaged in the development process. While these findings highlight the benefits of a ‘bottom-up’ approach to microplanning, this may be more resource-intensive, and there remains a need for more research on the costs and benefits. Full article

This study examines the key factors influencing e-bike adoption and explores how advancing e-bike usage in Henan Province, China, can foster sustainable urban transportation and contribute to urban environmental preservation. Utilizing data from an online survey, binary logistic regression analyzes the impact of socio-demographic characteristics, perceived advantages, neighborhood environmental attributes, and vehicle ownership on e-bike usage. The findings indicate that socio-demographic factors, such as family size and occupation, significantly influence adoption, with workmen more likely than office workers to choose e-bikes. Cost savings emerged as the primary motivator for e-bike use, overshadowing environmental concerns, which unexpectedly negatively affected usage patterns. However, the presence of supportive infrastructure—particularly charging stations and dedicated lanes—proves crucial for promoting e-bike usage, highlighting the importance of accessible, environmentally supportive urban design. Vehicle ownership characteristics further illuminate how access to e-bikes correlates with regular usage. These findings suggest that, beyond cost efficiency, targeted awareness campaigns and strategic infrastructure improvements are essential for embedding e-bikes into sustainable urban transport systems. By fostering adoption and supporting e-bike infrastructure, cities can significantly reduce urban pollution, improve air quality, and advance toward sustainable mobility goals in Henan Province and beyond. Full article

CO₂ emissions from urban daily mobility play a major role in both environmental degradation, rising economic costs, and sustainability. Reducing these emissions not only advances environmental sustainability but also fosters economic development by enhancing public health, lowering energy consumption, and alleviating the financial strain caused by climate change. Understanding the dynamics of CO₂ emissions from urban daily mobility provides valuable historical insights into environmental impacts and economic costs tied to urban development. This study takes a historical perspective, examining changes in CO₂ emissions associated with daily mobility in the Lyon agglomeration across two decades, drawing on data from the 1995 and 2006 household travel surveys. Our findings reveal that individual factors such as gender, age, employment status, and income significantly influence CO₂ emissions, with males and full-time workers exhibiting higher emissions. Furthermore, household characteristics, including size and vehicle ownership, are critical in shaping emission levels, while urban form variables such as population density and mixed land use demonstrate a negative correlation with emissions, highlighting the importance of urban planning in mitigating CO₂ output. The analysis emphasizes that greater accessibility and proximity to essential services are vital in reducing individual emissions. Based on these insights, we discuss the implications for policy design, suggesting targeted strategies to enhance urban mobility, improve public transport accessibility, and promote sustainable urban development. Finally, we outline directions for future research to further explore the intricate relationship between urban characteristics and emissions, ultimately aiming to contribute to the development of effective climate policies. Full article

The relationship between diet and health is well-researched, and there is also information regarding the effects of diet on mental health. This study aimed to investigate whether motivation to optimize lifestyles without regulations or restrictions could improve the health of rotating shift workers. In this pilot study, 18 male shift workers were randomly divided into two groups. All participants completed the Short Form Health Survey-36 questionnaire (SF-36) before the start and at the end of the study. Group I (n = 9, mean age 42 ± 6.6 y) received dietary and lifestyle information every other month for one year, and the other, Group II (n = 9 mean age 36 ± 7.3 y), one year later. All participants were motivated to follow the trained dietary recommendations and to engage in physical activity. Almost all scores had improved. Surprisingly, physical performance scores worsened, which was not expected. The impairment in mental health due to the change in ownership of the company could have been better explained. Nutritional advice over a longer period and the motivation to integrate more exercise into everyday life can potentially improve the health of rotating shift workers. Full article

Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) pose a rapidly growing threat to public health. The incidence of TBDs is on the rise, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of the risk factors beyond demographic considerations. This brief report combines a preliminary review of the literature with geographical case mapping to identify the various factors influencing TBD risk. The report highlights the vulnerability of outdoor workers, the importance of outdoor activities, and the role of education in adopting preventive behaviors. Pet ownership and interactions with animals are also associated with an increased risk. The state of Illinois is used as a case study for this report, revealing regional variations in TBD incidence, and linking them to agricultural practices, forested areas, and park accessibility. These findings inform recommendations for targeted prevention strategies, emphasizing the need for detailed geographical data to enhance public health efforts in curbing TBD incidence and risk. Full article

Food insecurity is a known health equity threat for formerly chronically homeless populations even after they transition into permanent housing. This project utilized a human-centered design methodology to plan and implement a nutrition-focused community-health-worker (CHW) intervention in permanent supportive housing (PSH). The project aimed to increase access to healthy foods, improve nutritional literacy, healthy cooking/eating practices, and build community/social connectedness among 140 PSH residents. Validated food-security screening conducted by CHWs identified low or very low food security among 64% of 83 residents who completed the baseline survey, which is similar to rates found in a previous study among formerly homeless populations placed in PSH. Major themes identified through an analysis of resident feedback include (1) lack of needed kitchenware/appliances for food preparation, (2) knowledge gaps on how to purchase and prepare healthier food, (3) positive perceptions of healthy food options, (4) expanded preferences for healthy, easy-to-prepare foods, (5) regaining cooking skills lost during homelessness, (6) positive experiences participating in group activities, (7) community re-entry, and (8) resident ownership. Preliminary findings suggest the use of a human-centered design methodology for planning and implementing this multi-level CHW intervention helped reduce food insecurity, engaged participants in learning and adopting healthy and safe cooking and eating practices, and fostered social connectedness and feelings of community among formerly chronically homeless PSH residents. Full article

Management of competencies is a crucial concern for both learners and workers as well as for training institutions and companies. For the former, it allows users to track and certify the acquired skills to apply for positions; for the latter, it enables better organisation of business processes. However, currently, most software systems for competency management adopted by the industry are either organisation-centric or centralised: that is, they either lock-in students and employees wishing to export their competencies elsewhere, or they require users’ trust and for users to give up privacy (to store their personal data) while being prone to faults. In this paper, we propose a user-centric, fully decentralised competency management system enabling verifiable, secure, and robust management of competencies digitalised as Open Badges via notarization on a public blockchain. This way, whoever acquires the competence or achievement retains full control over it and can disclose his/her own digital certifications only when needed and to the extent required, migrate them across storage platforms, and let anyone verify the integrity and validity of such certifications independently of any centralised organisation. The proposed solution is based on C-Box^®, an existing application for the management of digital competencies that has been improved to fully support models, standards, and technologies of the so-called Web 3.0 vision—a global effort by major web organisations to “give the web back to the people”, pushing for maximum decentralisation of control and user-centric data ownership. Full article