The Internet of Things (IoT) enables opportunities to remotely sense and control objects via communication networks. We study services based on connected devices and the collaboration they generate between the ICT and the Health, Social Care and Wellbeing (HSCWB) industries. In HSCWB, IoT can support a change from episodic treatments of illness to preventive care and wellbeing solutions. The IoT can be a supporter in cost efficient and high quality health care. The objective is to achieve healthier life years and more efficiency in health and social care. Even if the potential of IoT in HSCWB has been proven in pilot projects and small-scale solutions, the benefits and opportunities for many actors are still unclear. There is a research gap in studying the roles and business opportunities for market-driven technology-based solutions enabled by connected devices. The research approach separates technological and business domains. On the technology side, the focus is on advances in connectivity for IoT. We present the technical details on a limitation to support IoT devices in cellular networks. We quantify the limitations in the Random Access Channel of the LTE air interface to support IoT devices. Moreover, we propose the adaptation of an access mechanism to enable massive number of simultaneous access attempt in cellular networks. On the business side, we identify and present how the conditions of the health and social care structure in Sweden affect the establishment of IoT solutions in HSCWB. We then show how these conditions have generated three distinctive development patterns—to innovate within the public sector, to develop solutions in the private care sector, or to target the wellbeing sector to avoid regulatory setbacks. Based on these patterns, we look closer into study cases to show how business opportunities have been addressed from a business network perspective. When deploying an IoT service, not all critical challenges can be appreciated at a single firm level. Therefore, we rely on a network-level business model framework to analyze emerging IoT services in HSCWB. The findings suggest that IoT components can improve an existing service by automating internal working processes, or they can enable new value propositions and convenience to end users. In general terms, the collaboration can be used (i) to improve the efficiency of existing services in health and social care without an original intention to change the service offering, or (ii) to create novelty and differentiation, without affecting the internal logics of existing HSCWB services. / <p>QC 20180828</p> / IoT Ecosystems (VINNOVA) / COIN-SWEAT / MTC2020 / M2MRISE

In recent decades, research from across the social sciences has demonstrated a strong, consistent and causal link between unemployment and a wide range of negative outcomes. These outcomes go beyond economic problems, incorporating issues such as low well-being, poor health and weak social capital. During the same time, successive UK governments have expanded the use of active labour market programmes (ALMPs): a wide range of interventions that aim to move unemployed people closer to the labour market. ALMPs have been widely evaluated since becoming a central part of UK social policy, yet the majority of studies focus almost exclusively on economic outcomes, such as re-employment and wage levels. This is despite the weight of evidence suggesting unemployment is as much a social problem as an economic one. This discrepancy has led to a small but growing body of research suggesting that ALMPs might play a role in modifying some of the health and social costs of unemployment: beyond simply moving people closer to the labour market. Using a mixed methods research design, this study examines whether ALMPs achieve this by considering four key questions. First, are ALMPs associated with higher well-being, health and social capital compared to the alternative of 'open unemployment'? Second, if there is an association, how robust is this and is there any evidence of a causal function? Third, does the context of an ALMP - such as the specific type of scheme and the kind of participant - matter for understanding outcomes? And fourthly, how and why do people's experiences of unemployment and ALMPs shape their health and well-being? The findings presented in this thesis offer five original contributions to the study of the health and social effects of ALMPs. First, there is a dichotomy in the effects of ALMPs: participants have higher well-being than the openly unemployed but similar health and social capital levels. Second, ALMPs are most effective in changing how participants feel about and evaluate their lives but are largely unsuccessful in mitigating negative emotions like anxiety. These two findings are evident in both cross-sectional and longitudinal data, suggesting the possibility of a causal function of ALMPs. Together, the findings suggest that the positive well-being effects of ALMPs are not necessarily linked to improved health or social capital but because participants begin to think about their lives in a different, more positive way. Third, well-being gains are experienced by both short-term and long-term unemployed people but disappear upon re-employment. This finding has an important implication for policy, with ALMPs seemingly effective as a short-term protective well-being measure. Fourth, this is the first UK study to explore whether ALMPs work more effectively for different types of unemployed people. The findings presented in Chapter Seven show that work-oriented ALMPs are more successful than employment-assistance programmes, whilst men, younger people, those with fewer qualifications, lower occupational status and lower pre-programme well-being experience the largest benefits of participation. Fifth, the qualitative analysis presented in Chapter Eight argues that ALMPs worked best when schemes reversed the perceived ‘losses’ associated with unemployment. Three processes of loss were identified - agency loss, functional loss and status loss – which, it is contended, help explain both the observed effects of ALMPs and the broader experience of unemployment. The thesis concludes with policy suggestions for improving the capacity of ALMPs to mediate the experience of unemployment.

Introduction A group of 317 HIV-1 infected pregnant women and 53 postpartum HIV-negative women were recruited for a two-year prospective descriptive study of psychosocial and other determinants of antenatally planned and actual postnatal feeding, associations between maternal status and infant feeding practices, and health outcomes. Methods The subjects were interviewed periodically for 2 years using structured research instruments. Anthropometric measurements, biomarkers of nutritional status and measurements of pysychosocial wellbeing were obtained from the mothers. Data was collected on infant feeding and outcomes for the babies. Results At recruitment, 74% of mothers planned to formula-feed. Significant differences between these women and those who planned to breastfeed emerged. After delivery, 25% of the women who antenatally planned to formula-feed changed their minds and actually breastfed. Conversely, half of the women who antenatally planned to breastfeed actually formula-fed. Some significant reasons emerged for these feeding changes. Most mothers were well-nourished or overweight. Breastfeeding mothers lost little weight between six weeks and six months after delivery. At the end of follow-up, 65% were obese. While there were differences between HIV-infected and uninfected women in respect of micronutrients, no deficiencies were observed. Vitamin A and selenium concentrations were higher in the HIV-infected women than uninfected women at six weeks. There were no significant micronutrient changes over time. Most mothers maintained an adequate immune status with only slow deterioration of CD4 counts. At two years postpartum, 60% had a CD4 cell count greater than 500cells/mm³, and only about 8% less than 200/mm3. HIV transmission was 15% by 24 months of follow-up. Among the 65 ever breastfed children, 16 (24.6%) were HIV-infected compared to 12.8% of never breastfed children. Most children were growing normally, suggesting that, overall, maternal HIV status did not interfere with feeding ability. Eight mothers (3%) and 33 children (11%) died. Only 12 of 33 children who had died had a positive HIV-PCR. By 2 years, 78% surviving HIV-infected children had been initiated onto ARV therapy. Maternal adherence to HAART was poor. Conclusion HIV and infant feeding counselling is inadequate in the routine PMTCT programme, with stigma and lack of disclosure continuing as major barriers to appropriate care. Whilst maternal obesity was common, most children were growing normally. Weaknesses in routine PMTCT services were identified, and compliance with HAART was poor. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Paediatrics and Child Health / unrestricted

This study developed a general framework that can be applied to integrating environmental sustainability aspects into economic development planning in the case of exploiting water resources through inter-basin water transfers (IBWT). Using the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) between Lesotho and South Africa (SA), the study used the multi-country ecological social accounting matrix (MC-ESAM) for Lesotho and SA to integrate ecological implications of the LHWP with the economic benefits of the project. The study further used the developed MC-ESAM multipliers to analyse the impact of lost ecological services downstream the LHWP dams in Lesotho on the wellbeing of households directly affected by the project in Lesotho and the general economies of Lesotho and SA. The MC-ESAM multipliers were also used to analyse different policy scenarios aimed at compensating affected households in Lesotho for ecological losses. The results revealed that while the LHWP has significant direct and indirect benefits in terms of social and economic development in Lesotho and SA, the project has serious unitended impacts on ecological resources and services, with resultant deleterious wellbeing implications for populations residing within the reaches of the LHWP rivers and downstream the LHWP dams in Lesotho. The results from the MC-ESAM multiplier analysis indicated that not only the income of populations directly affected by the project in Lesotho is likely to fall, but also that of other households and social groups, as well as the general economies of Lesotho. Also, because of economic dependence of Lesotho on SA in terms of imports, SA will also loose. The policy simulation results showed that compensating the ecological losses would greatly improve the welfare of directly affected populations and the rest of Lesotho economy. The empirical analysis and policy simulations results showed relatively small impacts in general, but were significant for groups of people directly affected by the project in Lesotho. The study demonstrated the importance of integrating ecological consequences into impact assessment of IBWT before such transfers can be implemented to ensure Pareto optimality and of considering economy-wide impacts and multi-sector, multi-country linkages associated with IBWT for a holistic impact assessment of IBWT. / Thesis (PhD (Agricultural Economics))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Agricultural Economics, Extension and Rural Development / unrestricted

Aggression has many faces in sport. For this reason, it is a complex but fascinating field for studying the nature of aggression. All athletes have to control and channel aggression constructively into skill in their sport in order to sustain optimal performance. The purpose of this research was to study aggression in sport and determine whether aggressive energies can constructively be expressed in the rules of the game and channelled into a powerful and inspiring performance by the athlete. In sport, any type of aggression can transmute into a destructive force that can debilitate and nullify performance. Through this study, the researcher wanted to determine if the participation in Martial Arts can reduce aggression and whether progression in belt rank (beginner, intermediate and advanced) in Martial Arts could cause a gradual decrease in the aggressive behaviour of young adolescents. The researcher also wanted to determine if participation in Martial Arts, other than other types of sports activities (for example, hockey) and those 16 participants absent from any sporting activity, may serve as a deterrent to aggressiveness. A secondary aim was to determine if Martial Arts could be used as a coping strategy for young adolescents to improve their overall mental wellbeing. The core focus of this study is to determine if the participation in Martial Arts (specifically Tae Kwon Do) can reduce aggressive tendencies in young adolescents. The researcher chose Tae Kwon Do from the various Martial Arts styles, because Tae Kwon Do has a very broad combination of traditional components or elements of what any Martial Arts program consist of. It also consists of elements that are incorporated within the program that may have the desired outcome on a participant taking part in such a training program. In Martial Arts, the emphasis is on physical fitness, self-confidence and training in mental control. Most combat activities are usually thought of as providing opportunities for the display of competence and masculinity, the development of self-confidence and a release of tension with the sublimation of aggressive impulses. The term “Martial Arts” will be used throughout this study. The researcher decided on a survey method to carry out this study. Standardised questionnaires were used to determine whether progression in belt rank (beginner, intermediate and advanced) in Martial Arts (group1) could cause a gradual decrease in aggressive behaviour among young adolescents. The results of the analysis of differences between the different levels of Martial Arts showed no statistically significant differences between the levels on all the aggression sub-scales. The personal growth scores, obtained from the responses to the psychological wellbeing questionnaire, were significantly lower for the beginner group than for the other two groups (intermediate and advanced). The results on the psychological wellbeing sub-scales indicated that the personal growth and self-acceptance scores of the Martial Arts group were significantly higher than those of the other two groups (hockey and non-participation). The group that did not participated in any sporting activity, had the lowest scores. Also to be determined was whether Martial Arts could be used as a coping strategy to improve the overall mental health of these adolescents. Copyright / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Biokinetics, Sport and Leisure Sciences / unrestricted

In this study the researcher set out to determine the levels and the causes of workplace stress, as well as the consequences of stress in terms of witnessed and experienced aggression in the workplace, anxiety, depression, and worry for a sample of 205 subjects. To achieve this, the following tests were used: 1) Experience of Work and Life Circumstances Questionnaire, 2) the Aggression in the Workplace Questionnaire, 3) the IPAT Anxiety Scale,4) the Beck Depression Inventory, and 5) the Penn State Worry Questionnaire. The subjects’ ability to cope withexperienced stressors in relation to social problem solving was examined with the Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised. The raw data were analysed by means of the usual descriptivestatistics. In addition, inferential statistics including z-tests, t-tests, analysis of variance and posthoc analyses (Scheffé) were conducted for the following groups: total group, gender, marital status, age, organizational type, qualification and position level. Results indicate that most of the subjects in the sample experienced normal levels of stress, indicating that the participants generally experienced their circumstances within or outside the workplace as satisfactory. Generally, the results also indicated that their expectations regarding their work situation were met. With reference to the consequences of stress, the total sample reported low levels of witnessing and experiencing workplace aggression, normal levels of anxiety, low levels of depression and worry. Good overall social problem solving suggests the ability to cope with demands and stressors within and outside the workplace. Generally, Pearson correlations indicated significant relationships between a) levels of stress as experienced by subjects and b) witnessed and experienced workplace aggression, c) anxiety, d) depression, e) worry and f) social problem solving. That most of the subjects in this sample were able to deal effectively with the demands and stressors placed on them, from within and outside the workplace suggests the ability to use effective problem-focused coping involving social problem solving which for most participants, was due to a positive problem orientation and effective rational problem solving skills. These findings may be useful as part of a stress management programme to help employees deal with stress proactively by becoming more effective problem-solvers. In terms of a salutogenic paradigm, and consistent with recent developments in positive psychology, the findings indicate that more attention should be paid to possible reasons why some employees appear to cope with stress more effectively than others. / Thesis (PhD (Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Psychology / PhD / unrestricted

In recent years there has been an increased focus on the concept inclusion within the area of pedagogic research. This has led to recommendations that it’s better to give pedagogical support within the regular schoolroom, rather than placing pupils with different abilities and needs to another classroom. There are studies that suggest that placing pupils in remedial classes may have negative consequences for those pupils. It is said that it can be an ineffective and expensive way of giving pedagogical support and that the pupils in remedial classes may not be given as qualified support there as in the regular classroom. Placing pupils in remedial classes also risk effecting their self-esteem in a negative way, making them feel as though they must be in a remedial class because there is something wrong with them. Another criticism against remedial classes is that the pupil will miss out on the sense of community of being with the rest of the class. But being placed in a remedial class may also be a help. According to the Swedish schools inspectorate, Skolinspektionen, being placed in a remedial class can have a positive impact for some pupils regarding school results, school presence and social development. This study has an exploratory approach and aims to find out how pupils in remedial classes feel about that form of education. I’ve made semi-structured interviews with six pupils from four different schools. This study has an exploratory research approach which aims to develop hypothesizes or questions for further research. The study focuses on the pupils view of positive and negative aspects of remedial classes, how it’s different from being in the regular classroom together with the rest of the class, how the pupils would like to develop the education in the remedial classes and in the regular classroom and in what way the remedial class has affected their wellbeing in school. I’ve used PISA:s four dimensions of wellbeing as a definition of the concept wellbeing.  The result from the study show that all the pupils that I interviewed feel good about being in a remedial class. They all expressed that there’s a better and a quieter work environment in the remedial classes as opposed to the work environment in the regular classroom. They also expressed that they receive more pedagogical support in the remedial class than in the regular classroom. According to the pupils, the teachers have more time to help them there and they are given more additional adjustments in the education. Some of the pupils feel that the remedial class allows them to have a certain amount of flexibility regarding the schedule, school subjects and assignments, which they view as something positive. All the pupils expressed that they feel more satisfied with the schoolwork they do in the remedial classes than the schoolwork they do in the regular classroom. All the pupils in the study says that they are satisfied with the extent of their placement in the remedial classes. None of them are hoping to return more to the regular classroom in the future. However, almost all the pupils expressed that they like their classes and that education in the regular classroom can be good too. They appreciate talking to friends and asking them for help in class. None of the pupils talked about the other pupils in the remedial classes as something either positive or negative. In the remedial classes the pupils are more focused on their own work as opposed to joint activities together with the other pupils in the classroom. Some of the pupils missed the communal activities that usually is a natural part of school, such as to present assignments in front of the class. Although negative aspects of the remedial classes were mentioned and that most of the pupils had positive things to say about education in the regular classroom, the placement for these pupils in the remedial classes seem to have a mostly positive impact on their wellbeing in school, mostly for giving them a quiet place to work in and therefore allowing them to perform better at their schoolwork. It shall be mentioned however that the external validity can be regarded as relatively low because of the low number of participants in this study.

While the uptake of cultural safety initiatives is increasing in professional environments, literature on cultural safety lacks reference to the lived experiences and demands of facilitating Indigenous cultural safety training. Using a qualitative and Indigenous approach, this study examined the various challenges and successes involved in facilitating Indigenous cultural safety and anti-racism training from the perspective of facilitators. The diverse sample comprised of 11 facilitators and included those who identified as Indigenous, non-Indigenous or mixed; those who identified as male or female; and those who have worked in post-secondary, healthcare and/or private sector environments. Findings indicate that facilitators, typically highly skilled and perceptive individuals grounded in their identity and critical race analyses, used affect and affective activities that challenge participants to interrogate the ways that power and privilege influence their everyday interpersonal and professional relationships. Affect theory describes the ways in which our bodies have the potential to be creative and respond in new ways; affect and affective activities in Indigenous cultural safety training increased the likelihood of a bodily emergence among participants, which is a necessary and critical turning point to create new relationships to land, others and self. Furthermore, the findings suggest that cultural safety training represents potentially risky spaces, as facilitators must constantly assess and manage the risks of harm, emotional distress and/or taxation for participants and themselves. Finally, the findings reveal possible supports necessary for facilitators to continue this important work. Overall, the findings demonstrate how affect and emergence is foundational to decolonialization and sustainable social change. / Graduate / 2021-04-22

Designing with and for People with Dementia: Wellbeing, Empowerment and Happiness is the International Conference 2019 of the MinD Consortium, the DRS Special Interest Group on Behaviour Change and the DRS Special Interest Group on Wellbeing and Happiness, hosted by the Technische Universität Dresden, in Dresden, Germany. The conference proceedings provide trans-disciplinary contributions for researchers, practitioners, end-users and policy makers from the design and health care professions in terms of new findings, approaches and methods for using design to improve dementia care and to support people with dementia and their carers. The conference has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 691001, and from the DFG German Research Foundation.

The effects of acupuncture on mental wellbeing in chronically ill patients Department of Social and Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové, Charles University in Prague Student: Anna Šteflová Tutor: PharmDr. Jitka Pokladníková, Ph.D. Introduction: Demand of patients for the Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in Czech Republic is raising and therefore it is necessary to critically evaluate its benefit for specific diagnoses, so that it would be possible to draw conclusions about its use in clinical practice. Objective: To evaluate influence of acupuncture with other methods of TCM on wellbeing and subjective level of pain in patients with musculoskeletal disorders. Methods: Wellbeing of patients before and after TCM therapy was assessed using validated questionnaire WEMWBS (Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale) and subjective level of pain before and after TCM therapy was determined using VAS (Visual Analogue Scale). The changes of wellbeing and subjective level of pain were evaluated first for the whole set of patients with musculoskeletal disorders and subsequently for the subsets of patients divided by the type of musculoskeletal disorder (according to International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems) and by the intensity of pain at the beginning of the...