Rethinking neglected tropical disease prevalence survey design and analysis: a geospatial paradigm

Current methods for the design and analysis of neglected tropical disease prevalence surveys largely rely on classical survey sampling ideas that treat prevalence data from different locations as an independent random sample from the probability distribution induced by a random sampling design. We set out an alternative, explicitly geospatial paradigm that can deliver much more precise estimates of the geospatial variation in prevalence over a country or region of interest. We describe the advantages of this approach under three headings: streamlining, whereby more precise results can be obtained with smaller sample sizes; integrating, whereby a joint analysis of data from two or more diseases can bring further gains in precision; and adapting, whereby the choice of future sampling location is informed by past data.

Emotional Intelligence among Lithuanian and Latvian Student Athletes

Background. This article deals with the issue of the manifestation of emotional intelligence in Lithuanian and Latvian student athletes. Emotional intelligence has been suggested as providing a new perspective on how emotional competencies necessary for performance in today’s workplace among would-be physical educators might be more effective and better understood. Hence, the following research question is raised: does the emotional intelligence of Lithuanian student athletes differ from that of Latvian student athletes? We hypothesized that the emotional intelligence of Lithuanian student athletes differs from that of Latvian student athletes. Research aim was to reveal the manifestation of emotional intelligence in Lithuanian and Latvian student athletes.Methods. The independent random sample consisted of 227 student athletes from the Latvian Academy of Sports Education and 214 student athletes from the Lithuanian Sports University. Schutte Self-Report Inventory (SSRI) was employed. This instrument divides emotional intelligence into four separate components, namely: ability to use personal positive emotional experience (optimism), ability to assess and express emotions (appraisal), ability to understand and analyse emotions (social skills) and ability to manage emotions (utilization).Results. The analysis of the ability to use personal positive emotional experience resulted in the following averages: 51.48 ± 5.24 in case of the Lithuanian student athletes and 52.78 ± 6.33 in case of the Latvian student athletes. The application of the Student’s t-test revealed a statistically significant difference in the ability of the Lithuanian student athletes to use own positive emotional experience and that of the Latvian student athletes: t (439) = 2.32; p < .005.Conclusions. The comparison of the components of emotional intelligence of Lithuanian and Latvian student athletes revealed that Latvian student athletes have better ability to use own positive emotional experience (optimism) (p < .05). No other statistically significant difference between Lithuanian and Latvian student athletes in terms of the components of emotional intelligence was observed.Keywords: emotional intelligence, emotions, student athletes.

THE OPTIMISM EXPRESSION FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL AGE STUDENTS IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION CLASSES

Background. The paper strives to answer the question what is optimism expression for middle school age students in physical education classes. The following hypothesis was tested: optimism expression of boys would be higher than those of girls. The aim of our study was to examine the optimism expression for middle school age students in physical education classes. Methods. The independent random sample consisted of 214 students of middle school age (108 girls and 106 boys). According to the attendance of physical education classes respondents by were divided into two groups: those who did not attend physical education classes for one month or more were assigned to the group of students not attending physical education classes, and others – the group of students attending physical education classes. The measure of optimism expression was evaluated using Dember’s Optimism/Pessimism Scale. Results. The hypothesis that optimism expression of boys would be higher than that of girls was confirmed. The comparison of optimism expression between boys and girls revealed that optimism expression for boys of middle school age was higher (p < .05) than that of girls. The comparison of optimism expression among students attending and not attending physical education classes revealed that middle school age students (boys, girls) attending physical education classes were more optimistic (p < .05). Conclusions. It was found that the optimism of middle school age boys was higher in physical education classes comparing them to girls of the same age, and middle school age students (boys and girls) who attended physical education classes were more optimistic.