9627 research outputs found
Sort by
Resilience, Optimism, and Entrepreneurial Well-being: A review and research agenda
No full textThis study investigates the relationship between entrepreneurship and well-being, contributing the debate in the literature as to how entrepreneurship relates to resilience, optimism and well-being. While existing studies acknowledge that entrepreneurship contributes to economic indicators like GDP growth and employment, they seldom explore its direct impact on well-being. By reviewing literature on entrepreneurial versus non-entrepreneurial thinking and their effects on well-being, this paper identifies that entrepreneurial thinking promotes well-being through increased income, self-employment, and financial security. However, it remains unclear how entrepreneurial thinking directly targets well-being. The study emphasises the need for future research to explore how entrepreneurial mindsets help individuals perceive and respond to daily challenges and adversity positively, ultimately enhancing their fulfilment. This investigation aims to expand the scope of entrepreneurship research to include psychological well-being, thereby contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of entrepreneurship's impact on human welfare
Inherently irrational: exploring the role of behavioural economics and organisational culture in food supply chain disruption management decisions
Get PDFUnderstanding human behaviour in supply chain disruption management (SCDM) requires moving beyond purely rational models. While traditional decision‑making frameworks focus on empirical factors, they often overlook the role of behavioural economics and organizational culture in shaping responses to crises. This study examines how supply chain managers navigated risks and cultural shifts during the COVID‑19 pandemic, offering insights into the interplay between personal risk values, cultural cohesion, and SCDM risk levels. Using a retrospective approach, the study gathered data from 21 supply chain managers in the fast‑moving consumer goods (FMCG) and food supply chains. Questionnaires captured their attitudes towards risk, decision‑making patterns, and organizational cultural shifts before, during, and after the pandemic. Descriptive statistical analyses revealed that SCDM risk levels peaked at the height of the crisis, while cultural cohesion and personal risk values declined. Interestingly, the relationship between cultural cohesion and personal risk value intensified during the pandemic and continued to strengthen post‑pandemic. A similar trend was observed between personal risk value and SCDM risk levels, which became more pronounced over time. However, the link between cultural cohesion and SCDM risk level was strongest during the crisis but faded in pre‑ and post‑pandemic periods. These findings contribute to the growing field of behavioural operations by demonstrating the significance of psychological and cultural factors in crisis decision‑making. They underscore the need for supply chain strategies that integrate behavioural insights, recognizing that human responses to disruption are shaped by more than just rational calculations. By acknowledging the evolving dynamics of risk perception and cultural adaptation, organizations can develop more resilient and human‑centric approaches to supply chain management in times of crisis
Invisible Men: Unlocking Compassion and Understanding the Needs of Older Men Behind Bars
Get PDFMen over 50 years of age are the fastest-growing population group in the prison system, leading to the prison service of England and Wales now becoming recognised as the largest provider of residential care for older men. Roughly one in five prisoners (18%) is over 50 years of age. This paper focuses on the impact on both staff and prisoners of developing an understanding of the needs and concerns of older prisoners during prison officer training. The authors approach the study of the older prison population from their respective disciplines—criminology and health. Both authors are aware of the necessity for custodial staff to be prepared and equipped to respond and manage a growing number of individuals who are vulnerable and appreciate the need for prison staff to be supported in this process, with an understanding of the complexities that come with housing large numbers of ageing men within a custodial setting. This article explores the provision of training for newly recruited prison officers and considers what good practice might look like
Composite variable bias: causal analysis of weight outcomes
Get PDFBackground: Researchers often use composite variables (e.g., BMI and change scores). By combining multiple variables (e.g., height and weight or follow-up weight and baseline weight) into a single variable it becomes challenging to untangle the causal roles of each component variable. Composite variable bias – an issue previously identified for exposure variables that may yield misleading causal inferences – is illustrated as a similar concern for composite outcomes. We explain how this occurs for composite weight outcomes: BMI, ‘weight change’, their combination ‘BMI change’, and variations involving relative change.
Methods: Data from the National Child Development Study (NCDS) cohort surveys (n = 9223) were analysed to estimate the causal effect of ethnicity, sex, economic status, malaise score, and baseline height/weight at age 23 on weight-related outcomes at age 33. The analyses were informed by a directed acyclic graph (DAG) to demonstrate the extent of composite variable bias for various weight outcomes.
Results: Estimated causal effects differed across different weight outcomes. The analyses of follow-up BMI, ‘weight change’, ‘BMI change’, or relative change in body size yielded results that could lead to potentially different inferences for an intervention.
Conclusions: This is the first study to illustrate that causal estimates on composite weight outcomes vary and can lead to potentially misleading inferences. It is recommended that only follow-up weight be analysed while conditioning on baseline weight for meaningful estimates. How conditioning on baseline weight is implemented depends on whether baseline weight precedes or follows the exposure of interest. For the former, conditioning on baseline weight may be achieved by inclusion in the regression model or via a propensity score. For the latter, alternative strategies are necessary to model the joint effects of the exposure and baseline weight – the choice of strategy can be informed by a DAG
Health—embodiment of corporeal experiences: meanings of health among individuals living with comorbid type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension in The Gambia
Get PDFHealth, a universal human value and a fundamental human right, is a contested and elusive concept. Lay meanings of health are among the different dimensions of the understanding of health, and they have been of great interest to researchers because they help people to understand themselves and their world and influence their health choices and practices. They are subject to change with changing circumstances across the lifespan. The purpose of this study was the exploration of the meanings of health among individuals living with comorbid type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and hypertension (HTN) in The Gambia which, to our knowledge, was hitherto unexplored.
The study design was interpretivist and data were collected through thirty-two qualitative interviews with eighteen participants, most of whom participated in two separate interviews, from November 2018 to July 2019. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis. Three main themes were generated to capture the meanings of health: (1) health: embodiment of corporeal experiences; (2) health: freedom; and (3) health: reward for virtue.
The findings highlight the complexity of lay meanings and underscore the need for their incorporation into health promotion policy and practice to promote equality, participation and empowerment and bring the public back into public health
Post-concussion symptom burden and dynamics: Insights from a digital health intervention and machine learning
Get PDFIndividuals who sustain a concussion can experience a range of symptoms which can significantly impact their quality of life and functional outcome. This study aims to understand the nature and recovery trajectories of post-concussion symptomatology by applying an unsupervised machine learning approach to data captured from a digital health intervention (HeadOn). As part of the 35-day program, patients complete a daily symptom diary which rates 8 post-concussion symptoms. Symptom data were analysed using K-means clustering to categorize patients based on their symptom profiles. During the study period, a total of 758 symptom diaries were completed by 84 patients, equating to 6064 individual symptom ratings. Fatigue, sleep disturbance and difficulty concentrating were the most prevalent symptoms reported. A decline in symptom burden was observed over the 35-day period, with physical and emotional symptoms showing early rates of recovery. In a correlation matrix, there were strong positive correlations between low mood and irritability (r = 0.84), and poor memory and difficulty concentrating (r = 0.83). K-means cluster analysis identified three distinct patient clusters based on symptom severity. Cluster 0 (n = 24) had a low symptom burden profile across all the post-concussion symptoms. Cluster 1 (n = 35) had moderate symptom burden but with pronounced fatigue. Cluster 2 (n = 25) had a high symptom burden profile across all the post-concussion symptoms. Reflecting the severity of the clusters, there was a significant relationship between the symptom clusters for both the Rivermead (p = 0.05) and PHQ-9 (p = 0.003) questionnaires at 6-weeks follow-up. By leveraging digital ecological momentary assessments, a rich dataset of daily symptom ratings was captured allowing for the identification of symptom severity clusters. These findings underscore the potential of digital technology and machine learning to enhance our understanding of post-concussion symptomatology and offer a scalable solution to support patients with their recovery
Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry for Osteoporosis Screening: AJR Expert Panel Narrative Review
No full textDual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is an established method for osteoporosis screening and treatment monitoring, providing results that predict fracture risk. DXA is used not only to measure bone mineral density (BMD) in various anatomic sites, but also to perform vertebral fracture analysis, trabecular bone score (TBS) determination, and whole-body composition analysis. While DXA is central in osteoporosis screening, the test has limitations, and other factors beyond BMD measurements must be considered when planning treatments and follow-up strategies. For example, sex, race and ethnicity, prior fragility fractures, glucocorticoid use, and prior falls, all affect fracture risk. Despite a growing population of older individuals and growing evidence of variations in fracture risk, osteoporosis screening recommendations have not evolved significantly. Moreover, despite existence of screening recommendations, DXA remains underutilized, and osteoporosis underdiagnosed. This AJR Expert Panel Narrative Review discusses the current status of osteoporosis screening by DXA, addressing current practice recommendations, use of BMD results to guide risk predictions and management decisions, as well as challenges and limitations along with evolving solutions. Topics explored include DXA reporting and screening recommendations; fragility fracture risk assessment tools; role of TBS; race, ethnicity, and sex considerations; application in children; and CT-based BMD measurements and opportunistic screening
Barriers and enablers to implementing the UEFA Consensus Statement on Nutrition: insights from sport nutrition practitioners in the English Premier League
Get PDFBackground
Despite the importance of evidence-based nutrition in elite football, Premier League players often exhibit sub-optimal dietary behaviours, highlighting the need for improved guideline implementation.
Purpose
This study used the COM-B model and Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) to explore sport nutritionists’ perceived barriers and enablers to applying the UEFA Consensus Statement on Nutrition.
Method
Twelve lead sport nutritionists from English Premier League clubs took part in semi-structured interviews (1 hour ± 44 mins). The interviews were structured using the COM-B and TDF and analysed thematically.
Results
Six key themes were identified, representing six barriers and two enablers, encompassing all three components of the COM-B model and seven TDF domains. Psychological capability barriers included challenges in changing players’ dietary behaviours. Reflective motivation was hindered by doubts regarding the scientific basis of carbohydrate and body composition guidelines, alongside concerns over players’ ability to practically adhere to carbohydrate recommendations. Physical and social opportunity barriers involved restricted time and support for ongoing personal and professional development. Practitioners desired greater autonomy over the nutrition service, which was either enabled or constrained by the club’ social environment. As an enabler, female practitioners’ strong interpersonal skills (psychological capability) supported implementation; however, they also faced gender-related challenges navigating male predominate environments, making the social opportunity for implementation more complex.
Conclusion
Implementing nutrition guidelines in elite football is challenging. Overcoming barriers-by boosting practitioner confidence, belief in guidelines, professional development support, and autonomy-is key to improving uptake of UEFA recommendations and enhancing player dietary adherence in the English Premier League
Listening to Women, Learning for Justice
Get PDFThis report presents the findings of an independent evaluation of the Problem-Solving Courts (PSCs) for women in Greater Manchester, focusing on the experiences of those involved in the process. Launched in 2014, the Greater Manchester PSCs for women is the most well established and longest running model for women in England and Wales, originating as an alternative to custody. The research centres women’s voices, while also incorporating the views of Probation staff and Magistrates, to better understand the relational approach, as well as the tensions and challenges, and to explore how PSCs can be improved to better support women
Data sources:
Access Repository Dashboard
Do you manage Leeds Beckett Repository? Access insider analytics, issue reports and manage access to outputs from your repository in the CORE Repository Dashboard!