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The need of sociology in health education

Hassali MA, Saleem F

Res Social Adm Pharm, 2014 08 01;10(6):923.
PMID: 25176322 DOI: 10.1016/j.sapharm.2014.07.005
Matched MeSH terms: Sociological Factors
A developmental investigation of the other-race categorization advantage in a multiracial population: Contrasting social categorization and perceptual expertise accounts

Woo PJ, Quinn PC, Méary D, Lee K, Pascalis O

J Exp Child Psychol, 2020 09;197:104870.
PMID: 32563132 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2020.104870

Most prior studies of the other-race categorization advantage have been conducted in predominantly monoracial societies. This limitation has left open the question of whether tendencies to more rapidly and accurately categorize other-race faces reflect social categorization (own-race vs. other-race) or perceptual expertise (frequent exposure vs. infrequent exposure). To address this question, we tested Malay and Malaysian Chinese children (9- and 10-year-olds) and adults on (a) own-race faces (i.e., Malay faces for Malay participants and Chinese faces for Malaysian Chinese participants), (b) high-frequency other-race faces (i.e., Chinese faces for Malay participants and Malay faces for Malaysian Chinese participants), and (c) low-frequency other-race faces (i.e., Caucasian faces). Whereas the other-race categorization advantage was in evidence in the accuracy data of Malay adults, other aspects of performance were supportive of either the social categorization or perceptual expertise accounts and were dependent on the race (Malay vs. Chinese) or age (child vs. adult) of the participants. Of particular significance is the finding that Malaysian Chinese children and adults categorized own-race Chinese faces more rapidly than high-frequency other-race Malay faces. Thus, in accord with a perceptual expertise account, the other-race categorization advantage seems to be more an advantage for racial categories of lesser experience regardless of whether these face categories are own-race or other-race.

Matched MeSH terms: Sociological Factors*
Fulltext Impact of individual demographic and social factors on human-wildlife interactions: a comparative study of three macaque species

Balasubramaniam KN, Marty PR, Samartino S, Sobrino A, Gill T, Ismail M, et al.

Sci Rep, 2020 12 15;10(1):21991.
PMID: 33319843 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-78881-3

Despite increasing conflict at human-wildlife interfaces, there exists little research on how the attributes and behavior of individual wild animals may influence human-wildlife interactions. Adopting a comparative approach, we examined the impact of animals' life-history and social attributes on interactions between humans and (peri)urban macaques in Asia. For 10 groups of rhesus, long-tailed, and bonnet macaques, we collected social behavior, spatial data, and human-interaction data for 11-20 months on pre-identified individuals. Mixed-model analysis revealed that, across all species, males and spatially peripheral individuals interacted with humans the most, and that high-ranking individuals initiated more interactions with humans than low-rankers. Among bonnet macaques, but not rhesus or long-tailed macaques, individuals who were more well-connected in their grooming network interacted more frequently with humans than less well-connected individuals. From an evolutionary perspective, our results suggest that individuals incurring lower costs related to their life-history (males) and resource-access (high rank; strong social connections within a socially tolerant macaque species), but also higher costs on account of compromising the advantages of being in the core of their group (spatial periphery), are the most likely to take risks by interacting with humans in anthropogenic environments. From a conservation perspective, evaluating individual behavior will better inform efforts to minimize conflict-related costs and zoonotic-risk.

Matched MeSH terms: Sociological Factors
Are sociodemographic characteristics and attitude good predictors of speeding behavior among drivers on Malaysia federal roads?

Mohamad FF, Abdullah AS, Mohamad J

Traffic Inj Prev, 2019;20(5):478-483.
PMID: 31188019 DOI: 10.1080/15389588.2019.1612057

Objective: The increasing number of road crashes and fatalities on Malaysian federal roads is a cause for concern. The main causes of road crashes and fatalities on federal roads have been attributed to the speeding behavior among drivers. As such, this research investigates the possible predictors from sociodemographic characteristics and attitudes in predicting speeding behavior among drivers on Malaysia federal roads. Methods: A face-to-face survey was conducted via purposive sampling on 300 drivers at rest areas at 6 crash hotspots on Malaysian federal roads. A set of questions related to speeding behavior was developed. The questionnaire consisted of 10 questions related to sociodemographic characteristics of the participants, 37 questions regarding attitudes toward speeding, and 1 question regarding speeding behavior. Subsequently, the sociodemographics were analyzed using binary logistic regression and the attitude variable was analyzed using factor analysis and binary logistic regression. Results: The findings from the sociodemographic data revealed that male gender, single/separated status, broad driving experience, crash experience, and leisure/vacation trip purposes emerged as significant predictors for speeding behavior. Additionally, the results of factor analysis for the attitude variable revealed 3 components: Affective, behavioral, and cognitive. These 3 components are originally derived from the ABC model of attitude (affective, behavioral, and cognitive) that was adapted in this study. Furthermore, the findings from binary logistic regression appeared consistent with the model assumption, signifying that behavioral aspects significantly influenced speeding behavior among drivers. Nevertheless, affective and cognitive components were insignificant predictors. Furthermore, strong agreement with speeding countermeasures was observed among the participants. Conclusion: In conclusion, sociodemographic characteristics and attitude have been proven to affect speeding behavior among drivers on Malaysian federal roads. The findings have important implications in designing driver risk profiles on federal roads to develop suitable countermeasures based on the 4E approach (engagement, education, enforcement, and engineering) to enhance road safety.

Matched MeSH terms: Sociological Factors
One world is not enough: the structured phenomenology of lifestyle migrants in East Asia

Stones R, Botterill K, Lee M, O'Reilly K

Br J Sociol, 2019 Jan;70(1):44-69.
PMID: 29479667 DOI: 10.1111/1468-4446.12357

The paper is based on original empirical research into the lifestyle migration of European migrants, primarily British, to Thailand and Malaysia, and of Hong Kong Chinese migrants to Mainland China. We combine strong structuration theory (SST) with Heideggerian phenomenology to develop a distinctive approach to the interplay between social structures and the lived experience of migrants. The approach enables a rich engagement with the subjectivities of migrants, an engagement that is powerfully enhanced by close attention to how these inner lives are deeply interwoven with relevant structural contexts. The approach is presented as one that could be fruitfully adopted to explore parallel issues within all types of migration. As is intrinsic to lifestyle migration, commitment to a better quality of life is central to the East Asian migrants, but they seek an uncomplicated, physically enhanced texture of life, framed more by a phenomenology of prosaic well-being than of self-realization or transcendence. In spite of possessing economic and status privileges due to their relatively elite position within global structures the reality for a good number of the lifestyle migrants falls short of their prior expectations. They are subject to particular kinds of socio-structural marginaliszation as a consequence of the character of their migration, and they find themselves relatively isolated and facing a distinct range of challenges. A comparison with research into various groups of migrants to the USA brings into relief the specificities of the socio-structural positioning of the lifestyle migrants of the study. Those East Asian migrants who express the greatest sense of ease and contentment seem to be those who have responded creatively to the specific challenges of their socio-structural situation. Often, this appears to have been achieved through understated but active involvements with their new settings and through sustaining focused transnational connections and relationships.

Matched MeSH terms: Sociological Factors
Health impacts of Facebook usage and mobile texting among undergraduate dental students: it's time to understand the difference between usage and an excessive use

Lee YL, Verma RK, Yadav H, Barua A

Eur J Dent Educ, 2016 Nov;20(4):218-228.
PMID: 26277860 DOI: 10.1111/eje.12164

BACKGROUND: Facebook and mobile texting are prevalent in the lives of almost every student. However, little is known about the relationship between Facebook usage or mobile texting and their impacts on health amongst undergraduate dental students. In this study, excessive Facebook use and excessive mobile texting were studied as they relate to impacts on health.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted at a private university in Malaysia. A total of 188 undergraduate dental students were interviewed using a pre-tested and self-rated questionnaire. Data collected from participants were analysed using SPSS version 18.0. Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test and multiple logistic regression analyses were applied to study the relationship between explanatory variables and excessive Facebook use and excessive mobile texting.
RESULTS: The prevalence of excessive Facebook use and excessive mobile texting amongst undergraduate dental students was found to be 33.2% and 33.0%, respectively. According to a multivariate analysis, texting habits, such as the presence of daytime sleepiness after texting late at night (aOR = 2.682, 95% CI = 1.142-6.301) and the presence of anxious feelings if students failed to receive a timely response (aOR = 3.819, 95% CI = 1.580-9.230), were determined to be significant predictors of excessive mobile texting. Excessive Facebook use was found to be significantly related to three variables as follows: fewer numbers of close friends (aOR = 2.275, 95% CI = 1.057-4.898), the checking of updates on the Facebook walls of their friends (aOR = 2.582, 95% CI = 1.189-5.605) and the absence of active and vigorous feelings during Facebook use (aOR = 3.401, 95% CI = 1.233-9.434).
CONCLUSIONS: Approximately one-third of undergraduate dental students in this study experienced excessive Facebook use and/or excessive mobile texting. Health education and promotion should be instituted to create awareness, whilst students should be advised to practise self-control with respect to both mobile texting and Facebook usage.

Matched MeSH terms: Sociological Factors
Mental Well-Being and Its Associated Factors Among Myanmar Migrant Workers in Penang, Malaysia

Htay MNN, Latt SS, Maung KS, Myint WW, Moe S

Asia Pac J Public Health, 2020 07 16;32(6-7):320-327.
PMID: 32672053 DOI: 10.1177/1010539520940199

International migration has become a global phenomenon bringing with it complex and interrelated issues related to the physical and mental well-being of the people involved. This study investigated the mental well-being and factors associated with mental health among Myanmar migrant workers (MMW) in Malaysia. The cross-sectional study was conducted in Penang, Malaysia by using the WHO-5 Well-Being Index Scale (WHO-5) and the Mental Health subscale of 36 items in the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Among 192 migrant workers who were understudied, 79.2% had poor mental well-being according to the WHO-5 scale. The duration of stay in Malaysia and without receiving financial aid from their employers despite having a physical illness were significantly associated with poor mental well-being. Mental health support groups should target migrant workers for mental health education and find ways to provide assistance for them. Furthermore, premigration training should be delivered at the country of origin that also provides information on the availability of mental health support in the host country.

Matched MeSH terms: Sociological Factors
Fulltext Association between the school environment and children's body mass index in Terengganu: A cross sectional study

Wafa SW, Ghazalli R

PLoS One, 2020;15(4):e0232000.
PMID: 32330177 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0232000

With the on-going interest in implementing school policies to address the problem of childhood obesity in Malaysia, there is urgent need for information about the association between school environment and children's weight status. This study aims to investigate the association between school environmental factors (physical, economic, political and sociocultural) with BMI of school children in Terengganu. The school environment factors were assessed using a set of validated whole-school environmental mapping questionnaires, consisting of 76 criteria with four domains; physical environment (41 criteria), economic environment (nine criteria), political environment (nine criteria) and sociocultural environment (17 criteria). This involved face-to-face interview sessions with 32 teachers from 16 schools (eight rural and eight urban). In addition, 400 school children aged between 9 and 11 years of the selected schools were assessed for BMI (WHO 2007 reference chart), dietary intake (food frequency questionnaire (FFQ)) and physical activity level (physical activity questionnaire for children (PAQ-C)). Multiple regression was used to examine the association between school environment factors and BMI of the school children. Seven school environment criteria were found to be associated with BMI of school children when it was adjusted for calorie intake and physical activity level. About 33.4% of the variation in BMI of school children was explained by health professional involvement, simple exercise before class, encouragement to walk/ride bicycle to/from school, no high-calorie food sold, healthy options of foods and drinks at tuck shop, availability of policy on physical activity and training teacher as a role model. Policy makers should make urgent actions to address the obesogenic features of school environments. It should strive towards setting up healthy school environment and improving school curricula to promote healthy behaviours among the school children.

Matched MeSH terms: Sociological Factors