Suchergebnisse

The severity and pervasiveness of the COVID-19 pandemic have necessitated the emergency use of COVID-19 vaccines. Three vaccines have been approved in the United States (USA). However, there is still some hesitancy in COVID-19 vaccine acceptability among some subgroups, including college students. While research is limited on vaccine acceptability behavior among college students, preliminary data suggests hesitancy as being high. This study aimed to explain the correlates of COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among college students who reported hesitancy toward the COVID-19 vaccine and those who did not using the initiation component of the multi-theory model (MTM) of health behavior change. Using a cross-sectional study design, data were collected from a Southern USA University (n = 282) utilizing a valid and reliable 27-item questionnaire in February and March 2021. Almost half (47.5%) of participants reported hesitancy to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The three constructs of MTM's initiation model, behavioral confidence (b = 0.089, p < 0.001), participatory dialogue (b = 0.056, p < 0.001), and changes in the physical environment (b = 0.066, p = 0.001) were significantly associated with COVID-19 vaccine acceptance among those who were not hesitant to take the vaccine and accounted for 54.8% of the variance. Among those who were hesitant to take the COVID-19 vaccine, the MTM construct of behavioral confidence (b = 0.022, p < 0.001) was significant along with Republican Party political affiliation (b = −0.464, p = 0.004), which was negatively associated with vaccine acceptance. The model accounted for 60.6% of the variance in intention to take the COVID-19 vaccine. This study provides evidence for the utility of MTM as a timely intervention to design messages for college students to enhance COVID-19 vaccine acceptability.

Purpose– A continuous mixed opinion on the relevance of caste-based reservations and caste as a factor of socioeconomic disparity in the recent period demands update of evidence on socioeconomic inequalities among caste groups for effective policy making. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether the caste inequalities in terms of socioeconomic opportunities and poverty are still persisting in rural Uttar Pradesh based on village census surveys?Design/methodology/approach– This study used data primarily collected from four village census surveys under the project rural transformation in Uttar Pradesh, 2013. Bivariate analyses, human opportunity index (HOI), multidimensional poverty index (MPI) and inequality decomposition analyses used as methods of analyses.Findings– The authors findings suggest that in spite of more than six decades of welfare policies and major political mobilization movements among lower castes in the state, the huge inequalities in terms of critical socioeconomic indicators such as landholding, higher education and wealth distribution and multi-dimensional poverty across the castes are still persisting in the state. Decomposition results suggest that between group inequalities contribute more to the total inequality in landholding whereas within group inequalities contribute maximum to total inequality in education and wealth status of different castes in rural Uttar Pradesh. However, within inequalities much less in general castes compared to SCs/OBCs.Originality/value– Based on its latest empirical evidence, this study strengthens the argument that caste still matters in socioeconomic achievements of the population in India even after decades of planning and financing of social welfare schemes to uplift the lower castes in India. Thus, provides critical inputs to current debates on the relevance of caste as a determinant of socioeconomic status in India.

Government of Nepal has announced a super-zone of banana in Chitwan district and a block in Nawalparasi East district to enhance productivity and commercialization of banana subsector in the Hetauda-Dumkibas road corridor. This study is the first of its kind to analyze the competitive position of banana value chains in the corridor. Using the literature review approach, the paper generated a conceptual framework to assess competitiveness of value chain. A total of 160 producers, 22 traders, 3 wholesale commission agents and 10 agrovets were selected using stratified random sampling method. The pretested semi-structured questionnaires surveys, focused group discussions and key informant interviews were conducted to collect primary data and analyzed using STATA and MS Excel. The study revealed two value chain streams in the corridor- one in Chitwan district and another in Nawalparasi East district. Most of the structure indicators were found similar for both value chain streams. Banana market was monopolistically competitive along both chains. Producers of Chitwan district were more competitive than Nawalparasi East because of their higher benefit cost ratio and higher farm gate price for fingers. The reasons for this were relatively better institutional set up contributing to extension, insurance and training services, and better technological adoption rate in Chitwan district. In addition, the chain stream of Nawalparasi East had relatively lower marketing cost and higher market margin, market efficiency and value addition. The reasons for this were shorter chains and low level of transportation cost. Thus, policy efforts to strengthen local institutions providing extension, training, insurances, market information and credits are recommended to improve the performance of the value chain. In addition, encouraging processing and value addition of bananas should be of concern to development practitioners and policy makers.

Background: Social Media Fatigue (SMF) has seen a significant increase through the COVID-19 pandemic. It refers to high levels of information overload experienced due to extensive usage of social media. Aim: To understand the causes and consequences for mitigating social media fatigue. Methods: PRISMA model was followed, and 20 papers were consolidated from the years 2014 to 2021. Seven papers were screened out due to duplication and exclusion criteria. Results: The studies found implicated the existence of four umbrella factors, like Cognitive Factors, Self and Personality Factors, Environmental Factors and Social Factors. Self and Personality Factors include personal and intrinsic factors that make one susceptible to developing SMF more easily, whereas aspects like increased boredom and information overload include cognitive factors that increase susceptibility to SMF. Environmental and Social Factors include aspects like parenting and social media role conflict respectively. Conclusions: The current findings have implications to promote research to assess the levels of social media fatigue among the individuals and to evolve psychotherapeutic interventions and digital literacy programs to manage social media fatigue among the community.