Factors influencing whistle-blowing in the Iranian health system

The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors that contribute whistle-blowing in the Iranian health system and also to develop a model for these factors. Four factors were identified by reviewing the relevant literature including organizational culture factors, organizational factors, materiality of wrongdoing, and individual factors. Because of the local focus of this study, the items of each contributing factor were identified by employing Delphi method. Delphi method was conducted four times and 33 items. Subsequently, the model of factors was designed by DEMATEL technique for the first time in the Iranian context. To test the model, a questionnaire with 52 questions was designed, validated, and distributed among target population. Afterward, the model was tested by applying SEM. The final results indicated that the organizational culture, organizational factors, and materiality of wrongdoing have affected whistle-blowing significantly. However, the effect of individual factor was not significant.     

Factors influencing wagers in simulated Blackjack

To understand some of the deviations from recommended optimal play in Blackjack, gamblers were considered to be decision makers who used decision rules to predict outcomes. The size of their wagers were used as an index of the confidence of these predictions. If this were the case, players' decisions would be affected by time pressure, short-term probability of winning, and their perceived control of outcomes. Players' wagering on a simulated game of Blackjack was examined to assess the feasibility of this approach. The computer simulation of Blackjack used simplified rules (no splitting, doubling down, insurance, etc.), and the probability of winning was controlled by the computer. Subjects could either choose whether they were dealt extra cards, or could bet upon another player. The other player was a computer algorithm that sat upon a total of fifteen. To examine effects of time pressure upon confidence of judgments, the time allowed to place a bet, and to choose extra cards, was manipulated. Twelve subjects played 20 hands under each of the experimental conditions. The mean amounts wagered, and players' choice of cards were both examined. The results suggested that deviations from optimal play can in part be understood in terms of players' decision processes, that are influenced by the time available to make a decision, the short-term probability of winning, and perceived control of outcomes; each factor may potentiate the effects of the others.The authors would like to acknowledge the assistance of Carl Waterman III, for his help with the graphics and timing routines used in the Blackjack program.     

Factors influencing service coordination in rural South Australia

This paper discusses those factors identified in both the review of literature and from the results of nine focus groups held in rural communities that influence service coordination. The paper shows that the practice wisdom of service coordination is congruent with the findings from research on this topic. It discusses the facilitators, inhibitors and triggers to service coordination within these communities. Informal networking and the support given by management are recognised as important facilitators and the competitive tendering funding process and ‘professional elitism’ are seen to be major inhibitors to service coordination. Important triggers of service coordination were perceived to be the efforts of key individuals in providing leadership of the coordination process and the keenness of human service workers to reduce duplication.     

Factors influencing selected heterosexual male college students' condom use

This study assessed selected heterosexual male college students' use of condoms, their reasons for using condoms, and their attitudes toward sexuality and condoms. Three hundred five male subjects completed a questionnaire that assessed class standing, marital status, reasons for using condoms, number of recent sexual partners, intention to use condoms, and attitudes toward sexuality and condoms. Although no relationship between attitudes toward sexuality and attitudes toward condoms was noted, a negative correlation (-.42) was found between attitude toward condoms and intention to use condoms within the next month if the subject were to have intercourse during that time. Recommendations for increasing condom use are presented.     

Factors influencing the policy responses of host governments to mass refugee influxes

"The policy responses of asylum governments to mass influxes of refugees have varied considerably. Focusing on less developed countries, this article explores why some host governments respond in relatively generous ways, while other governments act more restrictively. The policy alternatives available to receiving governments are classified, and a set of factors influencing refugee policy formation is explored. These factors include: the costs and benefits of accepting international assistance, relations with the sending country, political calculations about the local community's absorption capacity, and national security considerations."     

Factors influencing university students' explicit and implicit sexual double standards

Quantitative research has resulted in inconsistent evidence for the existence of a sexual double standard, leading Crawford and Popp ( 2003 ) to issue a call for methodological innovation. The implicit association test (IAT; Greenwald, McGhee, & Schwartz, 1998 ) is a measure that may provide a means to examine the double standard without the contamination of the demand characteristics and social desirability biases that plague self-report research (Marks & Fraley, 2005 ). The purpose of this study was to examine the factors influencing explicit and implicit double standards, and to examine the relationship between these explicit and implicit double standards, and levels of socially desirable responding. One hundred and three university students completed a sexual double standard IAT, an explicit measure of the double standard, and measures of socially desirable responding. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that levels of socially desirable responding were not related to implicit or explicit double standards. Men endorsed a stronger explicit traditional double standard than women, whereas for implicit sexual standards, men demonstrated a relatively gender-neutral evaluation and women demonstrated a strong reverse double standard. These results suggest the existence of a complex double standard, and indicate that more research of sexual attitudes should include implicit measures.     

Factors influencing middle and high schools' active parental consent return rates

The authors examined factors influencing the return rates for attempting to collect active parental consent forms from 21,123 students in the 7th through 10th grades in 41 middle and high schools. Overall return rates from middle schools were higher than from high schools. Schools that offered high levels of staff support for collecting consent forms had higher return rates. Procedures where the consent form was attached to a school form that parents had to complete and return to the school yielded the highest return rate. Implications for how researchers can obtain a high parent consent form return rate are discussed.     

Factors influencing perceptions of teenage motherhood among girls in residential care

The aim of this research is to analyze the cognitive, affective and cultural factors involved in adolescent motherhood among girls in residential care. Using this specific country example, the study also seeks to analyze if the influence of these factors is the same for girls in residential care and girls from disadvantaged backgrounds. A semi-structured interview was conducted with 54 girls distributed across three groups: 18 girls from two residential care homes, 18 girls from a secondary school (normative group) and 18 girls from disadvantaged families. A content qualitative analysis was used. The main results show that girls in care have a positive perception on teenage motherhood, they become sexually active before other girls not in care and they are less likely to use contraceptive methods. Also their life priorities are based on motherhood and having a partner rather than career expectations. Some implications in order to prevent teenage and unplanned pregnancies are highlighted.     

Factors influencing condom use and STD acquisition among African American college women

To identify factors that influence condom use and the risk of acquiring sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among African American college women, the authors surveyed a sample of 123 sexually experienced undergraduate women at a state university. The college women who were older, had initiated sex earlier, or had more recent sexual partners were more likely than others in the study to report a history of an STD. The findings have implications for prevention and intervention programs for African American college women.     

Money management systems in early marriage: Factors influencing change and stability

We know little about how couples develop their systems of money management, nor how and why these might change over time. To address these lacunae, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 42 heterosexual couples before their first marriage and again one year later. A Grounded Theory analysis was used to explore financial practices and how individuals approached monetary issues. Before the wedding the majority had rather independent monetary arrangements, but a year later, some had moved to more collective systems. Factors influencing change or stability in financial arrangements were both pragmatic (having to respond to major expenses such as house purchase or a new baby) and ideological (e.g., the relative importance of autonomy or sharing within the marriage). But an over-riding factor was perceived ownership of income and other assets. Those choosing more separation in money matters did so in order to maintain their financial identity and autonomy. However, there was evidence that such systems can sow the seeds of inequality later if women curtail their employment to provide childcare.     

折板反应平流沉淀池

上海市自来水公司闵行水厂平流式沉淀池由来回隔板反应改成折板反应。处理能力从5万 m~3/d提高到6.7万 m~3/d,并可节约混凝剂25％左右。     

Factors influencing college women's contraceptive behavior: An application of the integrative model of behavioral prediction

Objective: This study investigated variables within the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction (IMBP) as well as differences across socioeconomic status (SES) levels within the context of inconsistent contraceptive use among college women. Participants: A nonprobability sample of 515 female college students completed an Internet-based survey between November 2014 and February 2015. Methods: Respondents were asked about their contraception use, knowledge and information sources, demographic information, and IMBP factors, including attitudes, norms, and perceived behavioral control (PBC). Results: While overall attitudes, norms, PBC, and intentions for contraceptive use were high, only 46.8% of women used contraception consistently. Data also revealed only moderate levels of knowledge about contraception. While there were no differences across SES levels for attitudes, PBC, norms or knowledge, SES levels did differ in sources used to acquire contraceptive information. Conclusions: This study highlights the need to consider where college women acquire contraceptive information which is associated with SES.     

Factors influencing the development of psychiatric disorders in the victims of sexual abuse: A study on Turkish children

The purpose of this study is to test empirically whether there are sex differences in childhood sexual abuse characteristics and psychiatric disorders, and there is an association with sexual abuse characteristics and psychiatric disorders caused by abuse. Files of 482 cases referred to the Child Surveillance Center due to sexual abuse between September 2012 and September 2014, for whom legal reports were prepared, were investigated retrospectively. Of the abused children, 82.2% (n = 396) were girls and 17.8% (n = 86) were boys. The mean age of girls was 14.1 ± 2.9 years, while that of boys was 11.6 ± 3.8 years. The most common type of abuse was sexual touching in girls, while it was anal penetration in boys. The rate of being diagnosed with at least one psychiatric disorder was found to be 68.9% (n = 273) in girls, while it was 38.4% (n = 33) in boys. When the abuser was from the family or someone close to the victim, when the numbers of abuse incidents and abusers were greater than one, and in cases of force and violence, the rate of being diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder was found to be higher. With greater duration of time passing after the abuse, in those who became pregnant due to abuse, and in those who did not tell their parents about the incident, the rate of psychiatric diagnosis was significantly higher. In addition, it was found that when there were more than one abused people in the same event, the rate of psychiatric diagnosis was lower. Among all these variables, independent variables affecting the development of psychiatric disorders in victims were gender, number of abuse, presence of force and physical violence, and presence of more than one abuse victim in the same event. Because of high rates of psychiatric disorders in children exposed to sexual abuse, it is crucial to evaluate these children in a careful and closely manner by clinicians.     

Network centralization with the Gil Schmidt power centrality index

Network centralization is a network index that measures the degree of dispersion of all node centrality scores in a network from the maximum centrality score obtained in the network. The Gil Schmidt power centrality index was developed for use in describing the political networks of Mexico, Gil and Schmidt [Gil, J., Schmidt, S., 1996a. The origin of the Mexican network of power. In: International Social Network Conference, Charleston, SC, USA, pp. 22–25; Gil, J., Schmidt, S., 1996b. The political network in Mexico. Social Networks 18, 355–381]. Upper bounds for network centralization, using the Gil Schmidt power centrality index, are derived for networks of fixed order and for when the network is bipartite, such as can arise from two mode data. In each case the networks that have maximum network centralization are described.     

Factors influencing infant/child mortality in Bangladesh: implication for family planning programs and policies

"This study examined a host of socio-economic and demographic factors (including their interactions) that determine infant/child mortality of married women at the different parity levels in Bangladesh [using data from] a multivariate analysis of the 1975-76 Bangladesh Fertility Survey.... The major hypothesis of this research is that the higher the level of fertility of a married woman, the higher will be her experience of infant/child mortality. However, a woman's family planning practice may interact with fertility and affect the total infant/child deaths...."     

Factors influencing nonprofit career choice in faith‐based and secular NGOs in three developing countries

Much of the research on the factors that draw individuals to nonprofit careers is based in Australia, Western Europe, and the United States, and research on the role of faith in career choice focuses largely on Christian organizations. This article examines the factors that draw individuals to work in the nongovernmental organization (NGO) sector in the developing countries of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lebanon, and Sri Lanka. It also looks at whether faith offers similar motivations for NGO workers in Buddhist, Druze, Sunni Muslim, and Shiite Muslim NGOs as it does for workers in Christian NGOs. Much like nonprofit workers in other studies, the individuals interviewed chose their jobs based on their personal commitment to an organization's work.