Customer Behavior and Preferences: A Survey Report

Objective: To evaluate the characteristics of men who support their partners in getting the HPV vaccine. Material And Methods: All married women (< 26 years) who were admitted to the gynecology outpatient clinic and their husbands were evaluated for participation in the study. Patients’ and all characteristics of male partners were recorded. All male participants answered a survey form including ten statements about HPV and HPV vaccination. Male participants were divided into two groups according to their support or lack of support for HPV vaccination of their wife. Results: In total, 92 men supported HPV vaccination for their partners and 144 men opposed HPV vaccination (support rate: 39%). The mean marriage age, education status and monthly income were significantly higher in favor of men who support HPV vaccination for their wives. The rate of those who stated they were religious was significantly higher in the anti-vaccine group. Safety concerns about vaccine (27.8%), cost of vaccine (26.4%) and belief about HPV vaccine effectiveness (26.4%) were most common reasons for opposing HPV vaccination. Multivariate regression analysis revealed marriage age ≥25 years, education level of high school and university, higher monthly income and not self-identification as religious increased the HPV vaccine support rate. Conclusion: The present study found that men with higher marriage age, higher educational level, higher monthly income, and higher score on the HPV survey were significantly more supportive of their spouses getting the HPV vaccination. In contrast, men who identified themselves as religious had significantly less support for their wife being vaccinated. Keywords: vaccine, immunity, genital wart, human papilloma virus, cervical cancer

The financial services industry increasingly relies on technological advancements to maintain and enhance consumer trust. Consumer trust is a critical component influencing customer loyalty, financial inclusion, and overall economic stability. This paper explores the impact of technological security innovations on consumer trust in financial services. Fundamental innovations such as blockchain, advanced encryption, biometric authentication, artificial intelligence, and cloud security play significant roles in addressing security challenges. Blockchain technology provides a decentralized, tamper-proof method for recording transactions, enhancing transparency and reducing fraud risks. Advanced encryption techniques ensure the confidentiality and integrity of financial data, which is critical for protecting sensitive information. Biometric authentication methods offer secure and user-friendly solutions for identity verification, reducing reliance on traditional passwords and enhancing security. Artificial intelligence and machine learning improve fraud detection capabilities by providing real-time monitoring and response. Cloud security solutions offer scalable protection for financial data, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. Through empirical analysis and case studies, this study demonstrates that these technologies significantly enhance consumer confidence by providing greater transparency, security, and reliability in financial transactions. The findings offer valuable insights for policymakers, financial institutions, and technology developers aiming to foster a more resilient and trust-based financial ecosystem. This research contributes to the existing literature by providing evidence of the direct impact of technological security innovations on consumer trust. Keywords: Consumer Trust, Financial Services, Technological Innovations, Blockchain, Encryption, Biometric Authentication, Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Security.

Most studies on workplace bullying have been conducted in high-income countries and on Caucasian samples. Little is known about workplace bullying in Asian countries despite its recognition as a serious public health issue in the workplace. We examined the annual and lifetime prevalence of workplace bullying and its risk factors among Chinese employees in Hong Kong. The study was part of a larger project consisting of two waves. Respondents were recruited from a convenience sampling technique and completed a self-reported survey. Respondents reported whether they had been bullied at work for the past 12 months and during their lifetime. A multivariate logistic regression was conducted to explore the sociodemographic risk factors for workplace bullying. There were a total of 2657 respondents (54.6% male), with a mean age of 41.53 years. The annual and lifetime prevalence of workplace bullying were 39.1% and 58.9%, respectively. Multivariate analyses showed that workplace bullying in the past 12 months was associated with a high monthly income, and the combination of a high monthly income and higher educational attainment was associated with bullying at some point in the participants’ career. Suitable policies and interventions to reduce the extent of workplace bullying in Hong Kong are warranted.

To investigate peptic ulcer disease and other possible risk factors in patients with central serous chorioretinopathy (CSR) using a population-based database. In this population-based retrospective cohort study, longitudinal data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database were analyzed. The study cohort comprised 835 patients with CSR and the control cohort comprised 4175 patients without CSR from January 2000 to December 2009. Conditional logistic regression was applied to examine the association of peptic ulcer disease and other possible risk factors for CSR, and stratified Cox regression models were applied to examine whether patients with CSR have an increased chance of peptic ulcer disease and hypertension development. The identifiable risk factors for CSR included peptic ulcer disease (adjusted odd ratio: 1.39, P = 0.001) and higher monthly income (adjusted odd ratio: 1.30, P = 0.006). Patients with CSR also had a significantly higher chance of developing peptic ulcer disease after the diagnosis of CSR (adjusted odd ratio: 1.43, P = 0.009). Peptic ulcer disease and higher monthly income are independent risk factors for CSR. Whereas, patients with CSR also had increased risk for peptic ulcer development.

The researcher aim was to ascertain what exactly affects the financial performance of Commercial banks in Central Equatorial State, South Sudan, a case of KCB South Sudan, African National bank, Ecobank-South Sudan, CFC Stanbic Bank-South Sudan, Ethiopian Commercial Bank-South Sudan and Ivory Bank branches in Juba. There are numerous elements that affect performance, this study focused on technological innovations that are thought to drive financial performance. The study was divided into three main common areas that have recently caught the attention of the banking industry namely internet banking, agency banking and mobile banking that affect the financial performance of KCB South Sudan, African Nation bank, Ecobank-South Sudan, CFC Stanbic Bank-South Sudan and Ethiopian Commercial Bank-South Sudan in Central Equatorial State. Central Equatoria State has been chosen since it hosts Juba as the capital City and an epicenter of numerous commercial activities. The study’s specific objectives were to determine the influence of agency banking, mobile banking, Automated Teller Machines and debit and credit cards on financial performance of commercial banks in Central Equatorial State. The study employed a descriptive research design. The study targeted population of 294 respondents. The sample size was 169 staff of KCB South Sudan, African Nation bank, Ecobank-South Sudan, CFC Stanbic Bank-South Sudan, Commercial Bank of Ethiopia-South Sudan and Ivory Bank spread across the branches in Juba, Central Equatoria State. Respondents were selected using purposive random sampling. Structured questionnaires were used to collect primary data from respondents while secondary data was obtained from the annual financial reports from KCB South Sudan, African Nation bank, Ecobank-South Sudan, CFC Stanbic Bank-South Sudan, Commercial Bank of Ethiopia-South Sudan and Ivory Bank of South Sudan. Measures of central tendencies were used to describe the results and data was presented using graphs charts and tables. The influence of dependent and independent variable was depicted by use of multiple regression. The study found that agency banking significantly influences performance of commercial banks in Central Equatoria State, South Sudan (β= 0.889; p=0.000). The study revealed that mobile banking significantly influences performance of commercial banks in Central Equatoria State, South Sudan (β= 0.613; p=0.000). The study established that automated teller machines significantly influences performance of commercial banks in Central Equatoria State, South Sudan (β= 0.744; p=0.000). The study found that debit and credit cards significantly influences performance of commercial banks in Central Equatoria State, South Sudan (β= 0.640; p=0.000). The study concluded agency banking, mobile banking, automated teller machines and debit and credit cards significantly influences financial performance of commercial banks in Central Equatorial State, South Sudan. The study recommended that commercial banks in South Sudan should ensure that bank agent’s guarantees security of data and information that is operated on the agency banking platform. The study recommends that commercial banks in South Sudan should work with regulatory authorities to establish a clear and comprehensive regulatory framework for agency banking including guidelines on risk management, customer protection, and agent licensing. The study also recommends that commercial banks in South Sudan should implement stringent security protocols and fraud prevention mechanisms for ATMs. 

As technology progresses, traditional authentication methods like Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) and passwords are becoming more prone to security breaches. To address this issue, biometric-based authentication systems are being seen as a reliable solution to boost security in different areas, such as Automated Teller Machines (ATMs). This study delves into the deployment, advantages, obstacles, and future potential of a biometric-based ATM system. By examining current research, real-life examples, and technological innovations, the aim of this paper is to shed light on the efficiency and viability of biometric authentication in ATM systems. Key Words: Enhanced Security, Authentication, Efficiency, Reliability

Objective: To assess the relationship between the mother's educational level and family income on the dental caries experience of their children. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, University of Babylon, Iraq. The sample comprised 100 children aged 5-15 years. Data was collected in two parts: first, a self-administered questionnaire was obtained from mothers: Mother's age, level of education, family income, child age, and gender. Another part included the clinical examination of dental caries that was measured for mothers and their children using the DMFT/dmft index for permanent and primary dentition sequentially. The collected data were statistically analyzed using mean ± standard deviation (SD mean and standard deviation, t-test, and F-test. Results: The sample showed 60% were boys and 40% were girls, 86% with dental caries. Mothers with a high level of education and high monthly income have significantly lower dental caries experiences than their children (p<0.05). In contrast, there was a significant difference between the two age groups (p=0.000), a considerable difference between the level of family monthly income and dmft (p=0.01), and there was a correlation value between the caries index DMFT value of the children and their mother with mother's education level. Conclusion: Many dental caries were reported among Babylon City/Iraq children. Mothers with high educational levels and family monthly income were correlated to lower dental care for their children than those with low educational levels and economic status, so they need to focus on oral health knowledge and encourage prophylactic intervention and preventive measures for the population.

Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate viewpoints on the usage of health applications for smartphones and to determine which application patients would consider most useful. Design and method: This study included 1780 participants (random sample of general adult population in Croatia included in the ’Epidemiology of Hypertension in Croatia -2’ project). They completed a questionnaire which included questions about smartphone possession, opinion on health applications, monthly income and duration of education. Participants were then divided into two groups based on whether they considered usage of the health applications useful. Those who deemed them useful were further questioned about their opinion on three types of applications: reminder, keeping a blood pressure log, daily and weekly advice. Results: Out of 1780 participants, 1101 (61.9%) own a smartphone; 437 (24.6%) consider smartphone health applications not useful; 668 (37.5%) consider smartphone health applications useful. The prevalence of finding health applications useful varies by average monthly income: 24.8%, 41.9%, and 57.3% for the group with income &lt; €467, with income €467–€667, and with income &gt; €667, respectively. The prevalence of finding health applications useful varies by education duration: 15.7%, 38.4% and 53.3% in the group with &lt; 8 years of education, in the group with 8–12 years, and in the group with &gt; 12 years of education, respectively. Out of 668 participants who consider health applications useful, 215 (32.2%) would use an application for keeping blood pressure log; 295 (44.2%) would use a reminder application; 355 (53.1%) would use an application which offers daily and weekly advice. Conclusions: Our results show that interest in health applications is higher among those with higher monthly income and longer education. The biggest interest is shown for the application which would offer advice. However, the prevalence of smartphone possession may limit the utilization of health applications as part of the new healthcare approach.

The purpose of this study is to examine and explain the impacts and directions of some outdoor activities as cycling, trekking and mountaineering/rock climbing and the other determinants as emotional intelligence (EQ), age, gender, marital status, education, monthly income, and occupation on life satisfaction (LS) level by linear regression model in Turkey. The Sampling group of this study consists of 1,719 persons who are mountaineers/rock climbers (n = 426, \( \overline{\text{X}} \)age = 36.12 ± 10.10), cyclists (n = 373, \( \overline{\text{X}} \)age = 31.36 ± 9.73), trekkers (n = 382, \( \overline{\text{X}} \)age = 39.92 SD = 10.30) and non participants in outdoor activities (n = 538, \( \overline{\text{X}} \)age = 31.78 ± 11.47). The exact number of mountaineers/rock climbers, cyclists and trekkers in Turkey is not known. In this study, sampling has been applied and an electronic questionnaire form has been sent to all members of mountaineering and cycling clubs under Turkish Mountaineering Federation and Turkish Cycling Federation. All the received survey answers have been assessed. Non participants of outdoor activities were selected randomly. To determine the EQ and LS level of Turkish mountaineers/rock climbers, cyclists, trekkers and the persons who are not interested in any of the outdoor activities, the Satisfaction with Life Scale which was developed by Diener et al. (J Person Assess 49:71–75, 1985) and during the assessment of EQ dimensions the scale by Chan (Pers Individ Differ 36: 1781–1795, 2004; Teach Teach Educ 22:1042–1054, 2006) was utilized. This study is a descriptive and a definitive research which uses Regression Model for LS and in order to analyze the data, the descriptive statistics such as frequency (f), percentage (%), average (M) and standard deviation (SD) were performed. As a result of this study, it was found that being a participant in outdoor activities as cycling, trekking and mountaineering/rock climbing, having a high monthly income, and being a woman, being coupled and/or married, being occupied, capability on emotion assessment and positive emotional management have positive impacts on LS and being a man, being single, being older, and emotions positively have negative impacts on LS.

This study is a descriptive type of cross sectional as well as qualitative study, which is conducted among the diabetic patients of BIRDEM Hospital, Dhaka. The main objective was to assess knowledge and practice about foot care and prevalence of foot infection among the diabetic patients. 100 patients were purposively chosen, face to face interview through a questionnaire along with infected foot examination through an examination check list was done. A clear relationship was established among educational statuses, monthly income, foot care education and diabetic with foot infection. Higher education decreases in prevalence of foot infection; higher monthly income family experienced more prevalence than others did; foot care education earlier reduces the development of foot infection, increase of suffering from diabetic increase the development of foot infection. The development of foot infection increases with the walking bare foot; habit of seat near fire/heater and with the habit of ever have examined feet by doctor. This study emphasizes the need of provision of foot care education. Health care workers should attempt to give their diabetic patients necessary health education about foot care in order to reduce the burden of foot complications among diabetic patients.

Aim: This study aimed to identify sociodemographic and disaster related factors associated with General Disaster Preparedness Belief using the Health Belief Model as a theoretical framework. Methods: The survey study was conducted in Yalova, Turkey between April and July, 2014. A prevalidated General Disaster Preparedness Belief scale instrument based on the Health Belief Model was administered to a study group of 286 academic and administrative staff. The General Disaster Preparedness Belief score was computed by summing up the six Health Belief Model subscales. Hierarchical linear regression was used to test for association between the General Disaster Preparedness Belief score and its associated factors. Results: The General Disaster Preparedness Belief score was positively associated with; higher monthly income, higher occupational status, having experienced any disaster previously and having any emergency/disaster education. Respondents who had any emergency/disaster education had on average an 19.05 higher General Disaster Preparedness Belief score as compared to respondents who had no emergency/disaster education (β=19.05±4.83, p&amp;lt;0.001). Furthermore, participants who had experienced any disaster had on average 21.615 higher GDPB score as compared to participants who had never experienced any disaster (​β​ =21.62±0.32, p&amp;lt;0.001). Conclusions: Monthly income, occupational status, previous experiences of disasters and access to emergency/disaster education were important factors associated with General Disaster Preparedness Belief. Interventions aimed at increasing general disaster preparedness should include provision of disaster education and should target individuals with lower socioeconomic status as a priority.

Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) is an important approach to address opioid dependence. However, MMT clinics usually report high attrition rates. Our previous randomized controlled trial demonstrated additional psycho-social services delivered by social workers could reduce attrition rates compared to MMT alone. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of psycho-social service in a real-world context. A quasi-experimental design and propensity score matching was adopted. 359 clients were recruited from five MMT clinics in Guangzhou from July 2013 to April 2015. One 20-minute counseling session was offered to the control group after enrolment. The intervention group received six sessions of psycho-social services. The baseline characteristics were unbalanced between two arms in the original sample. After propensity score matching, 248 participants remained in the analysis. At month six, the intervention group had a lower attrition rate [intervention (39.5%) versus control (52.4%), P = 0.041], higher monthly income [monthly income of 1000 CNY or higher: intervention (55.9%) versus control (39.0%), P = 0.028)], higher detoxification intention score [full intention score: intervention (51.6%) versus control (32.5%), P = 0.012)], higher family support in MMT participation [intervention (77.9%) versus control (61.4%), P = 0.049)]. This study demonstrated that psycho-social services delivered by social workers can reduce MMT clients’ attrition and improve their well-being in real-world settings.

BackgroundOesophageal carcinoma is one of the most common cancers in Ethiopia. Its occurrences vary among regional states of the country. The identification of local risk factors of oesophageal cancer will make it simple to design a focused intervention. On local risk factors, there is, however, a shortage of empirical evidence. Therefore, the aim of study was to identify local risk factors.MethodsAn unmatched case control study design was employed. From February 2019 to August 2020, 338 histologically confirmed cases and 338 controls were recruited consecutively from six health facilities in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia’s capital city. To collect data from the cases and the controls, face to face interviews were conducted. Epi-info version 7 was used to enter and cleaned data, and SPSS version 23 was used to analyze it. The odds ratio was calculated based on hierarchal model multivariable logistic regression, and statistically significance was declared at p-value of <0.05.ResultsThe mean (SD) age of the cases and the controls was 54.3 ± 12.5 years old and 40.2 ± 13.7 years old, respectively. The odds of oesophageal cancer was significantly higher among older ages (OR =11.0, 95% CI [6.60, 20.91]), rural residents (OR = 4.2, 95% CI [1.04, 16.80]), and those who had history of smoking (OR =1.3, 95% CI [1.12, 1.60]), khat chewing (OR = 4.0, 95% CI [2.50, 6.60]), raw meat consumers (OR = 2.6, 95% CI [1.75, 3.90]). Increasing monthly income (OR = 0.2, CI 95% [0.09, 0.49]) and a habit of eating fruits or vegetables (OR = 0.49, 95% CI [0.32, 0.76]) were associated with lower risks.ConclusionsTobacco smoking, khat chewing, age, residency, and red raw meat consumption were discovered to be positive predictors of oesophageal cancer, whereas fruit or vegetable consumption and higher monthly income were discovered to be inversely associated. It is advised to avoid the use of khat and tobacco, as well as to avail fruits and vegetables in dish.

BackgroundPapillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is prevalent among younger populations and has a favorable survival rate. However, a significant number of patients experience psychosocial stress and a reduced quality of life (QoL) after surgical treatment. Therefore, comprehensive evaluations of the patients are essential to improve their recovery.MethodsThe present study enrolled 512 young and middle-aged patients diagnosed with PTC who underwent surgery at our institution between September 2020 and August 2021. Each participant completed a series of questionnaires: Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7), European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30), Thyroid Cancer-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (THYCA-QoL), and Readiness to Return-to-Work Scale (RRTW).ResultsGAD-7 data showed that almost half of the study subjects were experiencing anxiety. Regarding health-related quality of life (HRQoL), participants reported the highest levels of fatigue, insomnia, voice problems, and scarring, with patients in anxious states reporting worse symptoms. Based on RRTW, more than half of the subjects had returned to work and had better HRQoL compared to the others who were evaluating a possible return to work. Age, gender, BMI, education, diet, residence, health insurance, months since surgery, monthly income, and caregiver status were significantly correlated with return to work. Additionally, having a caregiver, higher monthly income, more time since surgery, and living in a city or village were positively associated with return to work.ConclusionYoung and middle-aged patients with PTC commonly experience a range of health-related issues and disease-specific symptoms following surgery, accompanied by inferior psychological well-being, HRQoL, and work readiness. It is crucial to prioritize timely interventions targeting postoperative psychological support, HRQoL improvement, and the restoration of working ability in PTC patients.

BackgroundSaudi Vision 2030 is transforming the country's healthcare system, with efficacy, accessibility, and patient satisfaction with healthcare services serving as key indicators for assessing patient care quality. As blindness and impaired vision continue to be a rising health issue in most Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) nations, including Saudi Arabia, this study focused on measuring patient satisfaction with healthcare services in ophthalmology clinics.ObjectivesThis study aimed to assess the level of patient satisfaction with healthcare services in ophthalmology clinics and its related factors in the Makkah region of Saudi Arabia in 2022-2023.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted on a convenience sample of 553 Saudi and non-Saudi patients, aged 18 years and older, who attended private and government ophthalmology clinics in the Makkah region of Saudi Arabia during the period between November 2022 and February 2023. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed on several electronic platforms like WhatsApp, X (formerly known as Twitter), Telegram, and Snapchat to collect the data. Finally, all the data were entered and analyzed through the IBM SPSS software version 26.ResultsA total of 553 responses were obtained. The majority were aged between 18 and 35 years old (76.5%, n=423), with the female gender being dominant (79.7%, n=441). More than half of them (52.3%, n=289) preferred to receive ophthalmological healthcare services from governmental hospitals. The most commonly diagnosed eye disease was refractive error (43.2%, n=239). Patient satisfaction with healthcare services provided in ophthalmology clinics represented 75% (n=415). The odds of being satisfied with ophthalmology clinics are expected to decrease by at least 44% among individuals over the age of 35 (odds ratio (OR) =0.437; 95% CI=0.257-0.743; p=0.002). Moreover, those who had been married were predicted to decrease the chance of being satisfied by at least 50% compared to patients who had never been married (OR=0.538; 95% CI=0.352-0.823; p=0.004). Compared to students, patients who were currently employed were predicted to decrease the chance of being satisfied by at least 48% (OR = 0.481; 95% CI=0.270-0.856; p=0.013). Additionally, those with a higher monthly income had decreased odds of being satisfied by at least 58% (OR=0.583; 95% CI=0.381-0.893; p=0.013). In contrast, compared to patients with associated comorbidity, patients who have no comorbidity were predicted to have an increased chance of being satisfied by at least two-fold than those who had comorbidities (OR=2.023; 95% CI=1.199-3.413; p=0.008).ConclusionsThe study concludes that 75% of the patients attending ophthalmology clinics in the Makkah region of Saudi Arabia were satisfied with the healthcare services provided in these clinics. Most patients acknowledged the time of care, doctors' professionalism, continuity of care, comprehensive examination, and their education about their disease and management, in addition to doctors listening to them during their visits to ophthalmology clinics. Factors affecting patient satisfaction with medical services in ophthalmology clinics are patient age, occupation, marital status, monthly income, and associated comorbidities. Further studies are recommended to deeply understand patients' needs and obtain more suggestions to be fully satisfied with healthcare services in ophthalmology clinics and other different healthcare facilities.