Background and Objectives: Elderly Filipinos have four important concerns: security in old age, health status, impact of aging, and elder abuse. Elder abuse committed in their homes or in their community is alarming. How their social networks (their family, friends, relatives, and significant others) treat them plays a crucial role in their well-being. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions on elder abuse and the safety status of Filipino older persons along with the treatment afforded to them by their social networks. The study also determined such perception to be able to devise a cost effective, community-based interventions to address elder abuse. Methodology: The study used mixed methods design and the Experience of Abuse Suspicion Index (EASI) tool, a questionnaire along with the demographic profile of the participants. The results were tallied and analyzed using descriptive statistics. How social networks treat them and their safety status were explored using researcher-made open-ended questions analyzed using the qualitative approach. Results and Conclusion Findings revealed the perceptions of Filipino older persons on elder abuse, with participants from the 60-69 age group, predominantly female, with no work, and have low monthly income. The major themes generated from the qualitative findings were relationship issues with the self, environment, coping, abuses, and values. Several sub-themes were also discovered and were related to the findings. An awareness campaign on the issue of elder abuse in Philippine society was recommended. Educating social networks about the perils of abuse is crucial in maintaining the safety of older persons. A monitoring system must be developed at the barangay level and policies must be put in place to address the concerns of elder abuse.
Elder Abuse ; Social Networking

PURPOSE: Social network analysis (SNA) is increasingly being used to provide a visual and quantitative analysis of relationships among groups of staff and other subjects of interest. This paper examines the role SNA can play in identifying existing networks, and measures the impact of participation in brief task-focused project groups on the underlying communication pathways. METHODS: An SNA of a closed group of nurse leaders was conducted in a health system in Scotland, UK. Data were collected on two occasions 6 months apart. Analysis of both whole network and individual node-based (nurse leader) measures were undertaken. RESULTS: Analysis revealed that the initial network structure was related to functional departments. By establishing task and finish groups, network density and other key measures could be improved. CONCLUSIONS: SNA is a useful tool in mapping existing networks and evaluating how these can be strengthened through the use of task orientated project work. This easy-to-use technique can provide useful insights and a means of targeting management action to improve communication pathways in a moderately large and complex nurse leadership group. Further clinical and academic potential uses of the technique are suggested.
*Communication ; *Cooperative Behavior ; Humans ; *Leadership ; *Nurses ; Scotland ; Social Networking

Unique identifiers of researchers and authors can help all stakeholders of scientific communications improve their workflows. There have been several attempts to establish professional networks of scholars and list their scholarly achievements on digital platforms. Some of these platforms such as Google Scholar, Web of Knowledge and PubMed are searched to pick relevant peer reviewers, assess authors' publication history or choose suitable candidates for research and academic projects. However, each of these hubs has its specific applications, limiting the universal use for permanent tagging of researcher profiles. The Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID) initiative, launched in 2012, is aimed at registering scholarly contributors and averting the persistent ambiguity of recorded author names. The ORCID registry is growing fast and integrating with other ID-generating platforms, thereby increasing the functionality of the integrated systems. ORCID identifiers are increasingly used for selecting peer reviewers and acknowledging various scholarly contributions (e.g., published articles, reviewer comments, conference presentations). The initiative offers unique opportunities for transparent disclosures of author contributions and competing interests and improving ethical standards of research, editing, and publishing.
Databases, Factual ; Peer Review, Research ; Registries ; *Research Personnel ; Social Networking

PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to identify needs and barriers that cancer patients experience with returning to work (RTW) by analyzing posts of the patients on the Internet. METHODS: Posts of online communities of the cancer patients related to RTW were collected using key words from Jan. 2004 to Dec. 2017. PFNet and NodeXL were utilized to visualize intellectual interchanges of the keywords. Additional content analysis of the posts was then conducted to specify informational needs related to RTW. RESULTS: There were 996 posts and 6394 responses related to RTW. A total of 163 and 129 keywords were found for posts and responses respectively. Posts were categorized into four groups by network analysis: 1) cancer diagnosis and treatment; 2) changing working status after cancer diagnosis; 3) concerns about RTW during cancer treatment; 4) balance of work and life after cancer. Responses were grouped into similar themes but most of them were empathetic or encouraging messages. CONCLUSION: Cancer patients posted various concerns and needs in relation to RTW on the online communities. At the same time, they expressed difficulties to obtain information and resources about RTW both on and off line. Further studies would be necessary to develop appropriate intervention for helping cancer patients to return to work.
Diagnosis ; Humans ; Internet ; Return to Work ; Social Networking ; Survivors

Objective: To explore the impact of activities of daily living (ADL) on depression in the elderly and the role of social networks and children's support. Methods: Data used in this study were obtained as participants aged 60 and above from the "China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey 2018",with a sample size of 10 215. ADL, social network and depression were measured on scales. The moderated mediation model was used to analyze the role of social networks and children's support. The SPSS 25.0 software was used for statistical analysis, the PROCESS 3.3 macro program was used to test the moderated mediation effect. Results: A total of 10 760 participants aged 60 and above were included. Activities of daily living showed a direct impact on depression in the elderly (β=-0.090, P<0.01), with social network playing a mediating role (β=0.035, P<0.01; β=-0.064, P<0.05) and children's support played a moderating role (β=-0.029, P<0.05) in the relationship between the elderly's ADL and depression. Conclusions: The social network is an essential buffer to declining ADL's negative impact on depression of older adults. Children's support is a powerful supplement to enhance social networks' positive role and reduce the risk of elderly depression. Exerting the combined advantages of social networks and children's support are important ways to maintain the elderly's mental health.
Activities of Daily Living ; Aged ; Aging/psychology* ; Child ; China/epidemiology* ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Social Networking ; Social Support

The present study, which is anchored in the interesting but less investigated field of virtual health promotion, examined the concept of interactivity relative to two (2) intersecting actors and their corresponding activities at health promotion in a social networking site, namely (1) promoters or wall posts and (2) consumers or thread comments. This research made use of bibliometric analysis involving validation through covert nonparticipative observation of five thousand and twenty-five (5,025) thread comments from twenty-three (23) health-related SNS pages. Researchers performed and exhibited a resilient and adaptive procedure to assess the importance of SNS interaction. Results of the analysis aspired to supplement the previous gaps in the literature by advancing three (3) themes eidetic of the thread comments and interactions between the SNS site and the virtual participants, namely: (1) concern, (2) conflict and (3) concept, which was further referred to as the Con Triad Response in Healthcare Promotion. Like implied, the study communicates the need to understand SNS consumers' motivation for engaging in and adopting new communication technologies and the unseen potential of SNS in furthering public health awareness and related teaching.

Human ; Male ; Female ; Social Networking ; Public Health ; Research Personnel ; Motivation ; Bibliometrics ; Health Promotion ; Research ; Publications

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown the health literacy effects on the general state of health and its related factors, as well as health outcomes, physical and mental health, and health-related quality of life. This study aimed to investigate the effect of training based on health literacy through social networking strategies to promote health-related quality of life among students of Islamic Azad University, Shahr Rey Branch, Iran. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial was conducted on 120 students with poor or average quality of life score. Participants were randomly assigned into experimental and control groups (60 participants each). Health literacy and quality of life data were collected at baseline, immediately after, and 3 months after intervention. The educational intervention was conducted online using social networking services. Data were analyzed using SPSS ver. 16.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). RESULTS: The results showed no significant differences between the two groups in terms of health literacy and quality of life at baseline (P=0.979 and 0.269, respectively). The mean score of health literacy and quality of life in the experimental group, compared with the control group, significantly increased immediately after and 3 months after the intervention (P<0.001). CONCLUSION: The educational intervention administered by applying health literacy strategies online, through social networking services, can be effective in improving the quality of life of students.
Health Literacy ; Humans ; Iran ; Islam ; Mental Health ; Quality of Life ; Social Networking

PURPOSE: To adapt to rapid and turbulent changes in the field of medicine, education, and society, medical school faculties need appropriate leadership. To develop leadership competencies through education, coaching, and mentoring, we need a leadership competency model. The purpose of this study was to develop a new leadership competency model that is suitable for medical school faculties in Korea. METHODS: To collect behavioral episodes with regard to leadership, we interviewed 54 subjects (faculties, residents, nurses) and surveyed 41 faculties with open-ended questionnaires. We classified the behavioral episodes based on Quinn and Cameron's leadership competency model and developed a Likert scale questionnaire to perform a confirmatory factor analysis. Two hundred seven medical school faculties responded to the questionnaire. RESULTS: The competency clusters that were identified by factor analysis were professionalism, citizenship, leadership, and membership to an organization. Accordingly, each cluster was linked with a dimension: self, society, team (that he/she is leading), and organization (to which he/she belongs). The clusters of competencies were: professional ability, ethics/morality, self-management, self-development, and passion; public interest, networking, social participation, and active service; motivating, caring, promoting teamwork, nurturing, conflict management, directing, performance management, and systems thinking; organizational orientation, collaboration, voluntary participation, and cost-benefit orientation. CONCLUSION: This competency model that fits medical school faculties in Korea can be used to design and develop selection plans, education programs, feedback tools, diagnostic evaluation tools, and career plan support programs.
Cooperative Behavior ; Humans ; Korea ; Leadership ; Mentors ; Orientation ; Schools, Medical ; Self Care ; Social Networking ; Societies, Medical ; Surveys and Questionnaires

BACKGROUND: Millennials are the demographic cohort born from 1982-2004. They exhibit optimism, multi-tasking, techno-savy, but with constant need for structure. Medical trainees are no exception. As local studies on this concern have been trending, available data are lacking.
OBJECTIVE: This cross-sectional study describes the characteristics of millennial physicians as to attitudes towards their profession, approach to authority and rules, learning preferences, and healthcare practice.
METHODOLOGY: Focused group interviews and quantitative survey were conducted among 150 physicians, aged 25-34 years, at the University of Santo Tomas Hospital Manila.
RESULTS: Most respondents perceive medical profession as a noble way of contributing to society. However, they rarely consider it as a full-time vocation. Rather, they intend to pursue part-time entrepreneurial endeavors for economic reasons, or otherwise. Respect for authority based on values over professional accomplishments is a prominent finding. They prefer approachable and friendly mentors. They only comply with rules that they agree on, unless it is morally unacceptable. Furthermore, the millennial participants learn most effectively in a quiet environment, by listening and taking notes than reading and discussing with others. They attend medical lectures most of the time but when they don't, no remorse is associated. They learn most efficiently through repetition and demonstration. Practical skills are favored more than theoretical knowledge. All use medical apps for healthcare practice. Majority chooses digital over printed materials in seeking treatment information. However, in patient education, they do not prefer the use of text messages or social networking sites. They put more value in face-to-face teachings to families than sharing links for online health materials.
CONCLUSION: The qualities and preferences of millennial physicians provide insights and challenges for the medical faculty to better engage the future healthcare providers. Actions to address the emerging generational gaps are recommended to meet the demands of young physicians of today.

Human ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Demography ; Faculty, Medical ; Learning ; Mentors ; Morals ; Occupations ; Optimism ; Philippines ; Physicians ; Social Networking ; Surveys And Questionnaires

OBJECTIVES: Research has shown that obesity appears to spread through social ties. However, the association between other characteristics of social networks and obesity is unclear. This study aimed to identify the association between social network characteristics and body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) in an elderly Korean population. METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 657 Koreans (273 men, 384 women) aged 60 years or older who participated in the Korean Social Life, Health, and Aging Project. Network size is a count of the number of friends. Density of communication network is the number of connections in the social network reported as a fraction of the total links possible in the personal (ego-centric) network. Average frequency of communication (or meeting) measures how often network members communicate (or meet) each other. The association of each social network measure with BMI was investigated by multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: After adjusting for potential confounders, the men with lower density (<0.71) and higher network size (4-6) had the higher BMI (beta=1.089, p=0.037) compared to the men with higher density (>0.83) and lower size (1-2), but not in the women (p=0.393). The lowest tertile of communication frequency was associated with higher BMI in the women (beta=0.885, p=0.049), but not in the men (p=0.140). CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that social network structure (network size and density) and activation (communication frequency and meeting frequency) are associated with obesity among the elderly. There may also be gender differences in this association.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; *Body Mass Index ; Comorbidity ; Depression ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Regression Analysis ; Republic of Korea/epidemiology ; Self Concept ; Smoking ; *Social Networking