published_or_final_version / Nursing Studies / Master / Master of Nursing in Advanced Practice

Clinical depression has been prevalent in international health statistics but people are often found to be reluctant to seek help when they encounter depression. This thesis built and evaluated a mental health promotion campaign to encourage help-seeking through first forming a behavioral model to conceptualize the interplays of various factors in shaping one’s help-seeking intention and behavior for depression in Hong Kong. The thesis began with in-depth illness narrative qualitative interviews with 18 participants through purposive sampling from the general public of Hong Kong. Through the interview results and close reference to the theory of planned behavior (TPB), a behavioral model was drafted highlighting impacts of view on depression, help-seeking and other factors had on individual’s help-seeking intention and behavior. Followed by that, 70 quantitative questionnaires completed by members of the general public were then done through snowball sampling to validate the model. 16 items were then retained in the model that uses attitude towards help-seeking, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control to explain individual’s help-seeking intention and behavior. At the same time, the interviews and questionnaires found that participants seem to have a limited view of treatment options and have diverse views of the symptoms of depression, both of which profoundly affect their motivation to seek help. The role of family and friends and a holistic approach to mental health education were found to be particularly important for encouraging help-seeking behavior in future campaigns concerning depression. The content for this mental health promotion campaign was then designed into 4-weeks of email campaign material according to the factors mentioned in the model to encourage help-seeking for depression built and validated in the previous stages. The participant recruitment for the media campaign was done through the social media Facebook through two paid advertisements. A total of 5,405 clicks were gained through the Facebook advertisements and these Facebook users were then directed to a Survey Monkey email registration site to the campaign. 383 people registered their emails in the site with 199 of them completed the pre-test and joined the 4-week campaign. The 199 participants were randomly divided in two groups with one receiving the campaign material and another group receiving information from tradition leaflet issued by the Hospital Authority in Hong Kong. Pre-test and post-test were done before and after the campaign to measure the difference in help-seeking intention after reading the two sets of material respectively. As a result, 116 participants completed the campaign and the post-test. With a post-test only design, no significant change has been found in primary outcomes including attitude, subjective norm and perceived behavioral control, but significant change has been found in secondary outcome, which participants were found to have better mental health literacy after the campaign. This thesis has shown the practicality and effectiveness of using online media and theory-guided material for mental health promotion campaigns. It is important for future studies to take advantage of the popularity of online media and conduct primitive and evaluative research on these campaigns. / published_or_final_version / Journalism and Media Studies Centre / Master / Master of Philosophy

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Texas at El Paso, 2008. / Title from title screen. Vita. CD-ROM. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--University of Hong Kong, 1995. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--University of Hong Kong, 1993. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 87-91).

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:26:44Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2008-11-06Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:34:32Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 santos_fb_me_mar.pdf: 809380 bytes, checksum: 7658ccae5a3373b47c194e7a99f23b85 (MD5) / Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP) / A questão ambiental ocupa um importante espaço na sociedade e vem crescendo cada vez mais em abrangência. Uma das características da área de meio ambiente é que esta apresenta facetas de difícil controle, por ser multi e interdisciplinar. A informação produzida e utilizada nesta área encontra-se dispersa em diversas fontes. Dessa forma, o comportamento de busca da informação ambiental por pesquisadores da área faz-se pertinente. A pesquisa teve como objetivo principal a análise do comportamento de busca e uso da informação ambiental por parte dos pesquisadores de duas instituições vinculados a programas de pós-graduação da área de Ecologia. Objetivou-se ainda caracterizar a informação ambiental, incluindo aspectos históricos e atuais, enfocando o contexto brasileiro, delinear o perfil dos pesquisadores-usuários da informação ambiental, identificar os hábitos de busca e as fontes de informação consideradas fundamentais. Utilizou-se uma metodologia quantitativa e descritiva e os dados foram obtidos através de questionário contendo perguntas abertas, semi-abertas e fechadas. Constatou-se que os pesquisadores da área de meio ambiente, tanto de mestrado, quanto de doutorado, apresentam um comportamento de busca e uso da informação independente, não necessitando necessariamente de intermediários para a realização da busca por informação e estes apresentam aspectos similares e diferentes no que concerne a esse comportamento. Espera-se que este estudo possa trazer significativas contribuições ao campo da Ciência da Informação, em especial a linha de Organização da Informação e que suscite outras discussões sobre este tema. / The environmental issue occupies an important place in society and is growing increasingly in scope. One of the characteristics of environment area is that it presents facets difficult to control, to be multi and interdisciplinary. The information produced and used in this area is scattered in various sources. Thus, the study of the conduct of search of environmental information by researchers in the field it is relevant. The research was aimed primarily at examining the conduct of search of environmental information by researchers from both institutions linked to postgraduate programmes in the ecology area. The objective was to further characterize the environmental information, including current and historical aspects, focusing on the Brazilian context, outlining the profile of researchers-users of environmental information, identify patterns of search and sources of information considered essential. We used a descriptive and quantitative methodology and data were obtained through a questionnaire containing questions open, semi-open and closed. It was found that researchers in the field of environment, both master's or a doctorate, presenting a performance of search and use of independent information, not necessarily requiring an intermediary to conduct the search for information and they have similar and different aspects in relation to this behavior.It is hoped that this study could bring significant contributions to the field of Information Science, in particular the line of Organization of information and that raises further discussions on this subject.

Orientador: Helen de Castro Silva Casarin / Banca: José Augusto Chaves Guimarães / Banca: Ariadne Chlö Mary Furnival / Resumo: Na atual sociedade globalizada e em constante modificação, o acesso à informação atualizada e confiável é de suma importância para os diversos profissionais que necessitam de tal insumo para obter sucesso em suas atividades profissionais. Para os advogados, em especial, a informação, tanto jurídica quanto de outras áreas do conhecimento, é um recurso imprescindível. Diante do exposto, objetivou-se em âmbito mais geral: identificar as características do comportamento informacional de advogados relacionadas ao desenvolvimento de suas atividades de trabalho. Em um contexto mais específico, objetivouse: a) verificar as fontes de informação utilizadas pelos advogados para identificar e obter informação; b) identificar as fontes de informação utilizadas pelos advogados; c) determinar os fatores positivos e negativos que influenciam o comportamento de busca de informação dos advogados. Para tanto, foi analisada uma amostra composta por 10 advogados que atuam na cidade de Marília e região, os quais totalizam, aproximadamente, 1000 profissionais. A coleta de dados foi realizada por meio de entrevista semi-estruturada e os dados coletados foram analisados qualitativamente. Os resultados demonstraram que as fontes de informação mais utilizadas para identificar informação são os livros; a fonte de informação mais utilizada para obter informação é o contato com colegas de profissão (conversa informal para troca de informações) e com profissionais de outras áreas; dentre as fontes de informação disponíveis em seus escritórios, a Internet é a mais utilizada e considerada a mais importante; as fontes formais de informação (Internet e livros) são as mais utilizadas para localizar informação; a maioria sente dificuldade para localizar e ter acesso à informação, principalmente quando se depara com algum assunto inovador ou desafiador; pedir auxílio nas... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: In the present globalized society, which is in constantly changing, updated and reliable information access is essentially important to several professionals who need such input to be successful in their activities. Especially for lawyers, information, both legal and from other areas of knowledge is an essential resource. In this sense, it is intended in a general scope: to identify the informational behavior characteristics of lawyers related to their daily work. In a more specific context, the goals were: a) verify the sources of information used by lawyers to identify and obtain information; b) identify the sources of information used by lawyers; c) determine the positive and negative aspects that influence the informational behavior of lawyers. For such, a sample made of 10 lawyers who work in Marília and the nearby area was analyzed, representing a total of approximately 1,000 professionals. The data collection was carried out by a semi-structured interview and the collected data were qualitatively analyzed. Results show that the most common mechanism to obtain information is the coworker contact (informal chat for information exchange), and with professionals from other areas; among the sources of information available in their offices, the Internet is the most popular and considered the most important; the formal sources of information (the Internet and books) are the most used; most of the professionals have difficulty to find and access information, mainly when they come across some innovative or challenging subject; ask for help in the activities of information seeking is a very common practice to most of them; several aspects may influence informational behavior, but the one that is positive with the greatest influence is related to people (family and office coworkers). On the other hand, the negative aspects are related to technology. It was concluded that the proposed goals... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Bakgrund: Postpartum depression drabbar 13-19% av nyblivna mammor och konsekvenserna av att behandling inte sätts in i tid kan få bestående effekter för såväl mamman som barnet. Syfte: Att beskriva faktorer som påverkar hjälpsökande beteenden hos nyblivna mammor med symptom på postpartum depression. Metod: En allmän litteraturstudie genomfördes där tio kvalitativa artiklar granskades, analyserades och sammanställdes. Resultat: Ur litteraturstudiens resultat framkom temana: hälso-och sjukvårdens påverkan, familj och närståendes betydelse, kunskapsnivån kring postpartum depression, kulturens betydelse och förväntningar kring moderskapet. Hälso-och sjukvården samt familj och närstående beskrevs vara faktorer som främjade kvinnors hjälpsökande beteenden samtidigt som kultur, okunskap, informationsbrist och förväntningar kring moderskapet var framträdande hinder på vägen till att söka hjälp. Slutsats: Studien visade på ett antal faktorer som påverkade det hjälpsökande beteendet. För att kunna minska stigmatiseringen kring diagnosen och istället öka kunskaperna behövs det mer omfattande informationsåtgärder. Sjuksköterskor behöver ha god kunskap om postpartum depressionen för att förstå kvinnornas hjälpsökande beteenden och vidare forskning kring upplevelsen av hälso-och sjukvården som en hindrande faktor är önskvärt för att denna faktor i framtiden endast ska vara främjande. / Background: Postpartum depression affects 13-19% of new mothers, and the consequences when treatment is not introduced in time can have permanent effects for both the mother and the child. Purpose: To describe factors that affect help seeking behaviors in new mothers with symptoms of postpartum depression. Method: A general literature study was conducted where ten qualitative articles were examined, analyzed and compiled. Results: The results of the literature study featured the themes: the impact of healthcare, the meaning of family and close relatives, the level of knowledge regarding postpartum depression, the significance of culture and expectations about maternity. Healthcare and family were described as promotive factors in women's help seeking behavior while culture, ignorance, lack of information and expectations about motherhood were prominent barriers in help seeking. Conclusion: The study showed several factors that influenced the help seeking behavior. In order to reduce stigmatization around the diagnosis and instead increase knowledge, more comprehensive information measures are needed. Nurses need to have knowledge of postpartum depression in order to understand women's help seeking behaviors and further research on the health care experience as a barrier is desirable for this only be a promotive factor in the future.

The purpose of this study was to examine differences and relationships in student definition and background characteristics, help seeking behaviors, academic and environmental variables between and among community college students at a single institution who successfully completed and those who did not complete online courses during a single term. An adapted version of Bean and Metzner's conceptual model of nontraditional student attrition provided the theoretical framework for the study. The results of data analysis revealed statistically significant differences between completers and noncompleters on the basis of definition, gender, ethnicity, experience and prior GPA. Statistically significant relationships were found between definition, ethnicity, gender, experience, prior GPA, orientation and completion and noncompletion. No statistically significant interactions were found between definition and experience and help seeking behaviors. No statistically significant differences, relationships or predictor variables were found by degree seeking, preassessment, or technical help seeking. Additional analyses by defining characteristics revealed statistically significant differences between completers and noncompleters on the basis of residency, age and enrollment status. Predictor variables found to be significant were definition, gender, experience, prior GPA and orientation. The odds of completion increased with nontraditional definition, female gender, higher prior GPA, and orientation participation. The odds of completion decreased with experience.

Despite the availability of effective drugs to prevent malaria during pregnancy using intermittent preventive treatment with Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine or Fansidar and insecticide bed net, use of these methods are still little used in Sub-Saharan Africa, including Tanzania. As a result, many pregnant women are at risk of malaria consequences such as maternal anemia and low birth weight babies, which increase the rate of infant mortality. Data from the Demographic Health Survey for Tanzania HIV/AIDs and the Malaria Indicator Survey 2011-2012 were used in a cross-sectional design guided by the health belief model. Logistic regression examined the association between (a) preventive treatment-seeking behavior and (b) SES, malaria media exposure, knowledge of malaria signs and symptoms, perceived seriousness of malaria, and knowledge of malaria preventive measures. After controlling for transportation, family responsibility, and age, significant associations (p < 0.05) were found between SES, malaria media exposure, knowledge of malaria signs and symptom, perceived seriousness of malaria, knowledge of malaria preventive measures, and treatment-seeking behavior. This study contributes to positive social change by helping design and implement policies and programs to improve the knowledge of Tanzanian pregnant women about the risk of malaria infection and the benefits of preventive treatments. Interventions to reduce malaria infection during pregnancy will reduce the associated morbidity and mortality of both mothers and infants; as a result, families and communities will be healthier and prevent unnecessary medical cost of malaria.