Nine out of ten larger companies have an intranet today which is supposed to improve the communication withinthe company and save money. A great part of these intranets were established in the beginning of the 1990’swithout giving any thought to the users and their needs. How does the communication inside the corporationslook like when the intranets that are supposed to be the source for every information request, aren’t usable? Whatother sources do the users use and how much?The aim of this master thesis is to examine information source selection at a specific company. In addition,the aim is to study the companies intranet usability from the users’ perspective. Interviews with five employeesat Viking Line were carried out to analyze these questions. The empiric material also consists of a survey carriedout among 78 employees of the company. The principle of least effort and the cost/benefit model is introduced astwo possible theories that can explain the information source selection at the chosen company.The results show that the information source selection at the company cannot be explained by only onetheory or one model, in contrast to a great part of prior research. The selection of information source do dependon factors like perceived accessibility and perceived quality of the information but other factors are shown toaffect information seeking decisions as well. Therefore, the empiric material shows that time pressure affectsusers’ choice of source selection to more accessible information sources. Another factor that can have an effecton the user is how one employee treats another. When the employee has been negatively treated at the momenthe is seeking information, the employee is more likely to use impersonal sources.Furthermore, the intranet at Viking Line is the most used as well as the most reliable source according tothe users, even though the intranet does not satisfy all needs of the employees. The users are also highly accustomedwith the intranet which increases its perceived accessibility.The conclusion of this study is that the principle of least effort and the cost/benefit model do indeed explainthe users’ choice of information source, but only partly. The study was conducted at a specific company but theconclusions drawn could be applied to other similar companies where intranets are a great part of the employeesinformation seeking. Finally, I believe, that the effectiveness of the employee is directly connected to the effectivenessof the information sources available at the company. Moreover, if companies improved their intranetsthe companies would become more effective.This paper is a two years master’s thesis in Library and Information Science.

This study uses focus groups and a questionnaire to examine the information-seeking behaviours of Swedish upper secondary school students. Focus group interviews were conducted among students aged 17-20 at four Swedish upper secondary schools in two different cities. The interviews focused on how the informants themselves experienced their information seeking. In addition, a survey focused on the opinions of upper secondary school teachers regarding the source use of their students. The research questions considered were: What kind of information-seeking behaviour characterizes Swedish upper secondary school students? What kind of information do Swedish upper secondary school students seek when it comes to issues where corporations can be of assistance? How do Swedish upper secondary school students prefer to have information presented? The results of the study provided some valuable insights concerning these questions. The students turned out to use the Internet, and most often Google, in much of their information seeking. However, human contact in the form of face-to-face conversations or presentations was also considered highly important. Furthermore, the information-seeking skills, or information literacy, of secondary school students are not emphasized in their education. The study was performed in cooperation with AstraZeneca in the hope of the results providing the company with valuable information regarding one of their intended target groups.

Some oil-rich countries suffer from a resource curse, a paradoxical situation in which a country with oil wealth has poor economic growth and social development. A country can escape the resource curse by selecting appropriate policies. Governments are responsible for utilizing the right policies and managing the natural resource revenue effectively to benefit their nation. In this report, various economic, political, and social measurements are used to examine the fall into the resource curse by Nigeria, Iraq, and Brazil for a period of time, and the scape of Norway from the resource curse. The report also evaluates the current circumstances of Iraq to determine which direction the resource curse will take. Several recommendations are presented to direct Iraq out of the resource curse. / text

Abstract Intimate partner violence (IPV) is highly prevalent in Pakistan. Social support is associated with a reduced risk for violence and adverse mental health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between social support and the occurrence of IPV and adverse mental health among Pakistani women exposed to IPV, along with exploring help-seeking behaviour using qualitative interviews. Data from a cross-sectional survey of 759 women, aged 25–60, were analyzed using logistic regression. The results demonstrated that informal social support was associated with fewer occurrences of all forms of IPV and less likelihood of adverse mental health when exposed to psychological violence, whereas formal social support was associated with more occurrences of all forms of IPV and more likelihood of adverse mental health when exposed to psychological violence. The qualitative result showed that fear of social stigma and low autonomy were, among others, obstacles for seeking help. Suggestions for future interventions include strengthening informal social networks and expanding formal resources, as well as raising awareness of IPV in order to address the issue. / This thesis was made possible by a Minor Field Study grant from the Swedish International Developmental Agency (SIDA) distributed by the department of Psychology at Stockholm University and we would like to express our gratitude for assisting us financially. / PhD project by Tazeen Saeed Ali, School of Nursing, Aga Khan University, called, “Living with violence in the home - a normal part of Pakistani women's life or a serious transgression of human rights.”

This study aimed to explore the relationship between ideas and practices of masculinity and help-seeking behaviour amongst young South African men. The need for this research has been motivated by both the limited amount of previous research in this area, and the importance of this kind of research. It was hypothesized that there would be a relationship between the intended and actual help-seeking behaviour, and the common ideas and practices of masculinity amongst the young men taking part in this research. It was hypothesized that where young men agreed with traditional conceptualizations of masculinity their intention and rate of actual help-seeking would be less. The sample included a diverse group of 100 young men attending the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg. Participants included young men from various religious, language, sexual orientation and faculty groups. The data for this research was collected using a questionnaire assessing intended and actual help-seeking behaviour, and participants‟ acceptance of traditional conceptualizations of masculinity. The findings of this study have shown that young men in this context have a low intention and rate of help-seeking behaviour from various help sources, but especially from formal sources such as mental health professionals and general practitioners. It has also found that there are differences in the common ideas and practices of masculinity between young men from different religious, faculty and sexual orientation groups. However, despite the initial hypothesis, this study has been unable to show a clear relationship between ideas and practices of masculinity and help-seeking behaviour. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, PIetermaritzburg, 2008.

Academic libraries are increasingly collecting e-books, but little research has investigated how students use e-books compared to print texts. This study used a prompted think-aloud method to gain an understanding of the information retrieval behavior of students in both formats. Qualitative analysis identified themes that will inform instruction and collection practices. / Selinda Adelle Berg, Clinical Medicine Librarian, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada, sberg@uwindsor.ca; Kristin Hoffmann, Head, Research & Instructional Services, The University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada, khoffma8@uwo.ca; Diane Dawson, Natural Sciences Liaison Librarian, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, diane.dawson@usask.ca

Southeast Asia carries a large burden of endemic zoonotic diseases, in livestock and humans, especially in countries where livestock production is increasing among rural households for income generation and poverty reduction. This thesis explores the risk factors for transmission of pig-associated zoonoses – particularly Q fever, brucellosis, hepatitis E, and Japanese encephalitis – in northern Lao PDR, with a view to development of recommendations for “catch-all” control measures to impact on multiple diseases, improving biosecurity and preventing disease transmission to the human population. Research included (i) a qualitative assessment of the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of villagers related to pig-associated zoonoses and their risk factors using focus group methodology; (ii) an assessment of health seeking behaviour at hospital/health centre and village level to examine factors that influence choice of health care provider and determine the impact of health seeking behaviour on illness and treatment costs, and an examination of non-conventional health care sources to understand the complexity of health seeking behaviour and influences on choice of health care provider and, lastly, (iii) health care provider and service delivery assessments to determine healthcare facility routine service delivery procedures and assess capability in diagnosing and treating illness. In terms of disease, the most common illnesses reportedly seen by all those interviewed were respiratory illness, acute febrile illness and diarrhoea, confirming them as the leading causes of morbidity. Knowledge and awareness of the etiological agent of pig-associated zoonoses among villagers, patients, and health care providers was very poor for brucellosis and Q fever, with limited awareness of hepatitis E. Most were aware of Japanese encephalitis. Clinical diagnosis and symptomatic treatment of illness is the normal practice and identification of causative agents in human illness does not often occur. All three empirical assessments identified poor diagnostic capability as a major concern. Focus group discussions revealed that knowledge and awareness of disease risk factors, and of zoonoses in general, was low among villagers. Practices related to food consumption, latrine usage, hand hygiene and sanitation, which are known disease risk factors, were found to be a concern in study villages. Attitudes and practices adopted by villagers in relation to human and animal health and health seeking behaviours were strongly influenced by financial circumstances, access to appropriate healthcare facilities, spiritual beliefs, and a lack of knowledge and resources to maintain the health of both animals and humans. The first point of care when experiencing illness was often the health centre or a local traditional healer or spiritual healer or pharmacist/drug seller, depending on location. This was followed by the district hospital, if nearby. Many villagers described going back and forth between traditional medicine and modern medicine service providers, with 76% (19/25) of participants reportedly seeing more than one type of healthcare provider for a given episode of illness. Self-medication was the most common practice (84% of all participants) irrespective of the care provider consulted. Attendance at a healthcare facility was dependent on available funds and the perceived severity of illness. Overall household costs ranged between no cost, because of the “poor patient” policy that exempts vulnerable groups from paying for care, and $2500 USD for medical treatment, hospital stay, transportation and sometimes food. Healthcare workers at all facility levels (from health centre to provincial hospital) expressed a lack of confidence in making an accurate diagnosis for these pig associated zoonoses due to poor diagnostic capability in their respective facilities. A One Health approach to zoonotic disease surveillance that incorporates transdisciplinary methods and partnerships will lead to improved understanding of the underlining social determinants of health and their impact on health-seeking behaviours, disease transmission and ultimately disease reporting.

There is ample academic evidence indicating high levels of HIV stigma among BSSA communities. The research suggests that disadvantaged and marginalised social groups like the BSSA communities experience high levels of HIV and sexually transmitted infections. There is a significant amount of quantitative research in the public domain on HIV and stigma. Quantitative research has shown that BSSA communities present late with HIV and sexually transmitted infections often owing to HIV stigma. Currently there is limited published qualitative information on the factors influencing HIV stigma and sexual health seeking behaviour among BSSA communities, particularly from the perspective of the communities themselves. This research study explored beliefs and perceptions in the construction of HIV stigma and sexual health seeking behaviour among Black sub-Sahara African (BSSA) communities in one city in the UK. The Silences Framework, which sits within aspects of feminism, criticalist and ethnicity-based approaches, provided the theoretical underpinning for this study. An exploratory qualitative study methodology was used to identify and explore the key factors influencing the construction of HIV stigma and sexual health seeking behaviour among BSSA communities. Five focus groups and fifteen one-to-one semi-structured follow-up interviews were conducted to collect the data. The institution of Marriage, Religion, Reported HIV statistics, Politics and Immigration, HIV as a Sensitive subject, sexual health professionals Cultural competence, gender stereotyping, Sexual Orientation and Social Media emerged as key pillars underpinning the social scripts associated with the construction of HIV stigma and sexual health seeking behaviour. The experiences emanating from the pillars of HIV stigma, identified in this study, showed the impact of social, political and personal contexts associated with specific sexual scripts among the participants impacting on the construction of HIV stigma and sexual health seeking behaviour. The 'silences' contained in the socially determined scripts were important in understanding the phenomenon under investigation. The findings from this study were reviewed in light of current sexual health policies and strategies to consider how sexual health professionals and services can best meet the health care needs of BSSA communities. This thesis contributes to current knowledge of HIV stigma and ethnicity, by concluding that the construction of HIV stigma and sexual health seeking behaviour among BSSA communities takes place during different contexts of socialization, in a bid to conform to the perceived expectations of society which may be real or imagined. Furthermore, conformity is also influenced by commonly shared and personal appraisal of socially determined relevant issues. These contexts form the bases on which sexual scripts are given meaning and HIV stigma is constructed alongside a socially sanctioned pattern of sexual health seeking behaviour. This study makes an additional contribution in that it is the first time that The Silences Framework has been used to research HIV and stigma among BSSA communities. This research study compliments the currently available pool of quantitative data linking issues of HIV stigma and ethnicity in the United Kingdom. The findings from this exploratory qualitative research study reveal a wide range of critical issues to encourage further qualitative research in the area, while indicating new issues to consider in developing UK based interventions to address HIV stigma and sexual health seeking behaviour among BSSA communities.

Magister Curationis - Mcur / According to Brown (2010), influenza kills and hospitalises thousands of people every year, about thirty-five thousand and two hundred thousand respectively. Some studies have shown that one of the major reasons that people do not take part in preventative behaviour concerning influenza would be some misconceptions and lack of knowledge. The purpose of this study was to investigate perceptions and attitudes of nursing students at a University in the Western Cape about influenza and their prevention and health seeking behaviour against influenza infection. This topic is important as nursing students are a part of the population group that is frequently exposed to influenza, either at their institutions of learning or in the hospitals and clinics, where they come into contact with patients in their roles as health care workers. A comprehensive review of the literature around perceptions and attitudes and health seeking behaviours regarding influenza was undertaken and considered by the researcher. Most of the literature reviewed came from Western countries as not much research has been done in Africa on the topic. From the literature reviewed, the researcher decided to use the Health Belief Model as a conceptual framework for this study as it has proven to be relatively effective in previous studies of this nature as well as in predicting people's health seeking behaviours.

An increasing proportion of people in the United Kingdom are living longer with long-term conditions. The National Health Service is facing the challenge of increased pressure on its service provision. A number of key health policy initiatives encourage individuals to make informed choices and purport to give them rights and control over their own health and healthcare. Within this context, people are actively encouraged to self-care, manage diseases, and make decisions and choices about healthcare in an informed way. To facilitate this, it is important to gain an understanding of the health information seeking behaviours of older people. Health information is available from various sources but little is known about the health information seeking behaviours of older people and what affects this. By exploring this, it helps to reveal how health information is sought regarding on-going health conditions and provides greater depth in understanding the health information seeking process. The study explores older people's experiences and views on their health information seeking behaviours and endeavours to gain a better understanding of these experiences and views. The study draws on constructivist grounded theory with two phases to data collection: Nine participants completed un-structured diaries over two months with follow up semi-structured interviews, a further twenty participants participated in semi-structured interviews. Major categories were inductively drawn from participant's responses. Strategies of health information seeking behaviours are not necessarily fixed, but subject to change over time. The analysis suggested three main categories that explained the health information seeking behaviours of older people. Three interrelated conceptual categories were identified: (1) Regulating self (2) Self managing and (3) Self-mobilisation. These categories formed the basis of the emergent substantive theory called 'navigating later life'. There were different patterns of behaviours between participants which captured variations in information seeking; these informed the development of a typology of health information seekers. Ageing in the 21st century is a complex process; with older people inhabiting a world of more choice, multiple sources of knowledge, changed healthcare roles and increased self-care undertaken within the home. The study provides important insights for healthcare professionals and raises implications for strategies aimed at improving older people's access to appropriate health information. The navigation model provides a potentially valuable tool for policy makers when considering the support older people require to self-care.