scholarly journals Gendered Beliefs in STEM Undergraduates: A Comparative Analysis of Fuzzy Rating versus Likert Scales

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (15) ◽  
pp. 6227
Author(s):  
Ana M. Castaño ◽  
M. Asunción Lubiano ◽  
Antonio L. García-Izquierdo

Women are underrepresented in growing positions such as those related to STEM field careers (i.e., science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). One of the causes for remaining out of that field could lie on gender stereotypes. Undergraduate stereotypes and beliefs are important as could easily uphold future gender segregation at the workplace. In the research arena the measurement of those biased beliefs is important as most commonly used Likert scales (LS) could raise problems in terms of accuracy. As fuzzy rating scales (FRS) are a promising measurement alternative, the aim of this study is to compare the properties of FRS against LS. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 262 STEM and non-STEM participants who answered to a questionnaire that, besides gendered beliefs and injustice perception towards the situation of women at the workplace, included personal characteristics as coursed degree and working experience. Results pointed out, on one hand, that FRS allowed for a better capture of the variability of individual responses, but on the other hand, that LS were better valued than FRS in what is concerned with satisfaction and ease of response. Advantages of FRS for psychosocial measurement are discussed to facilitate the study around causes of segregation that excludes women from the STEM labour market.

2017 ◽  
Vol Volume 10 ◽  
pp. 155-156
Author(s):  
Tiziana Ramaci ◽  
Monica Pellerone ◽  
Caterina Ledda ◽  
Giovambattista Presti ◽  
Valeria Squatrito ◽  
...  

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. e027525 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula Booth ◽  
Ian P Albery ◽  
Sharon Cox ◽  
Daniel Frings

ObjectivesThis study explored the potential for e-cigarette advertisements to (1) enhance attitudes towards cigarettes and/or (2) reduce barriers to e-cigarettes uptake. The study tested whether exposure to an online electronic cigarette advertisement changed attitudes towards cigarettes and e-cigarettes in smokers, non-smokers, e-cigarette users and dual users (smokers who also use e-cigarettes).DesignCross-sectional studySettingOnline surveyParticipantsAdults (n=964) aged 18 to 65 years old (M=36 years, SD=11.6) from the UK and USA. Participants were grouped into current non-smokers, e-cigarette users, dual users and smokers.InterventionsParticipants viewed 1 of 15 randomly assigned online e-cigarette advertisements.Primary measuresThree single seven-point Likert scales measuring health, desirability, social acceptability were completed pre and post advertisement exposure.ResultsPost exposure all smoking groups showed a decrease or no change in how socially acceptable or desirable they rated cigarettes. Paradoxically, dual users rated cigarettes as being significantly healthier after viewing the advertisement (p=0.01) while all other smoking group ratings remained the same. There was an increase or no change in how all smoking groups perceived the healthiness and desirability of e-cigarettesConclusionsWe observed no evidence that exposure to an e-cigarette advertisement renormalises or encourages smoking in smokers, non-smokers or e-cigarette users. However, there is some indication that viewing an e-cigarette advertisement may increase duals users’ perceptions of the health of smoking.


BMC Medicine ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier A. Caballero ◽  
Steve P. Brown

Abstract Background Outcomes of processes questioning a physician’s ability to practise —e.g. disciplinary or regulatory— may strongly impact their career and provided care. However, it is unclear what factors relate systematically to such outcomes. Methods In this cross-sectional study, we investigate this via multivariate, step-wise, statistical modelling of all 1049 physicians referred for regulatory adjudication at the UK medical tribunal, from June 2012 to May 2017, within a population of 310,659. In order of increasing seriousness, outcomes were: no impairment (of ability to practise), impairment, suspension (of right to practise), or erasure (its loss). This gave adjusted odds ratios (OR) for: age, race, sex, whether physicians first qualified domestically or internationally, area of practice (e.g. GP, specialist), source of initial referral, allegation type, whether physicians attended their outcome hearing, and whether they were legally represented for it. Results There was no systematic association between the seriousness of outcomes and the age, race, sex, domestic/international qualification, or the area of practice of physicians (ORs p≥0.05), except for specialists who tended to receive outcomes milder than suspension or erasure. Crucially, an apparent relationship of outcomes to age (Kruskal-Wallis, p=0.009) or domestic/international qualification (χ2,p=0.014) disappeared once controlling for hearing attendance (ORs p≥0.05). Both non-attendance and lack of legal representation were consistently related to more serious outcomes (ORs [95% confidence intervals], 5.28 [3.89, 7.18] and 1.87 [1.34, 2.60], respectively, p<0.001). Conclusions All else equal, personal characteristics or first qualification place were unrelated to the seriousness of regulatory outcomes in the UK. Instead, engagement (attendance and legal representation), allegation type, and referral source were importantly associated to outcomes. All this may generalize to other countries and professions.


2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Ienne ◽  
Rosa Aurea Quintella Fernandes ◽  
Ana Claudia Puggina

Abstract Objectives: To assess the spirituality of nurses and relate it to personal characteristics, sector of activity, and spiritual practices; to analyze the influence of spirituality of nurses in the record of a "spiritual suffering" diagnosis. Methods: Quantitative cross-sectional study, using the World Health Organization's Quality of Life Instrument-Spirituality, Religion and Personal Beliefs Module (WHOQOL-SRPB). Results: 132 nurses were included and most of them were women (81.8%), married (56.8%), with an average age of 34 years (± 6.8). Most nurses believe in God or in a superior force (99.2%) and have never recorded a "spiritual suffering" diagnosis (78.8%). There was no association of spirituality with the sector of activity; the variable "marital status" was significant in six out of the eight factors of spirituality, and the variable "willingness to talk about spirituality" was significant in seven out of the eight factors. Conclusion: The spirituality of nurses does not interfere with the recording of a "spiritual suffering" diagnosis.


Author(s):  
Melanie Schubert ◽  
Daniel Kämpf ◽  
Marlena Wahl ◽  
Samuel Hofmann ◽  
Maria Girbig ◽  
...  

People working in health care services have an increased risk of being infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), though little is known about the prevalence in rehabilitation centers. This cross-sectional study investigated the MRSA prevalence in employees from different rehabilitation centers and aimed to identify risk factors for MRSA transmission. We invited all staff (i.e., with and without patient contact from 22 participating rehabilitation centers; n = 2499) to participate. Study participation included a questionnaire on personal characteristics, lifestyle, personal and occupational risk factors for MRSA and nasal swabs taken by the study team. In total, 1005 persons participated in the study (response: 40.2%). Only four participants carried MRSA (0.40 (95% CI 0.00–1.00) per 100). MRSA carriage did not seem to be occupationally related, as it was found in different occupations with and without direct contact with MRSA patients, as well as in different clinics with different indications and patient clientele. We could not find a clear association between MRSA carriage and potential risk factors due to the low number of cases found. Genotyping revealed the spa types t032 (Barnim epidemic strain) and t1223. Our results suggest a low point prevalence of nasal MRSA colonization in a non-outbreak setting in employees from rehabilitation centers.


2017 ◽  
Vol Volume 10 ◽  
pp. 109-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiziana Ramaci ◽  
Monica Pellerone ◽  
Caterina Ledda ◽  
Giovambattista Presti ◽  
Valeria Squatrito ◽  
...  

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