Resumen (Introducción): La farmacontaminación es un tema que preocupa de modo creciente en el nivel mundial, y Latinoamérica no es la excepción. Sin embargo, los datos sobre este fenómeno en la región siguen siendo limitados. Este estudio aborda una de las aristas del problema: la generación y gestión de residuos de medicamentos en el ámbito sanitario. (Objetivo): Caracterizar la generación y gestión de residuos de medicamentos provenientes de instituciones sanitarias, incluyendo farmacias comunitarias, establecimientos sanitarios con y sin internación, droguerías y veterinarias. Adicionalmente, analizar la operatoria y normativa asociada a estos residuos en los entes de control de la ciudad de Neuquén, Argentina (2023). (Metodología): Estudio observacional, transversal y prospectivo. La información fue recolectada mediante encuestas validadas, aplicadas a una muestra estratificada proporcional de 114 establecimientos sanitarios, y a través de entrevistas con representantes de los entes de control. (Resultados): Todos los establecimientos cumplen con las normativas ambientales vigentes. Las droguerías presentan una mejor gestión, así que destacan en trazabilidad, estandarización y capacitación. Aunque se utiliza el control de stock, se aplican pocas estrategias secundarias para reducir residuos y existe una insuficiente valorización de materiales. Si bien hay una actitud municipal proactiva para el control del fenómeno, esta no cuenta con un respaldo efectivo de otros niveles gubernamentales. (Conclusiones): La gestión de residuos en las instituciones sanitarias estudiadas presenta oportunidades de mejora. Según las variables evaluadas, el uso de herramientas y estrategias recomendadas para la gestión de calidad es limitado. Existe un compromiso positivo en el nivel municipal, pero no se replica en todas las instancias de gobierno. Además, la percepción y visibilidad de la farmacontaminación y sus riesgos es baja entre las personas involucradas en la cadena de uso de medicamentos.

Abstract (Introduction): Pharmaceutic contamination is a growing global concern, and Latin America is no exception. However, information specific to this phenomenon in the region remains scarce. This study addresses one aspect of the problem: the generation and management of pharmaceutical waste in healthcare settings. (Objective): To characterize the generation and management of pharmaceutical waste produced by healthcare institutions, including community pharmacies, healthcare facilities with and without inpatient services, pharmaceutical distributors, and veterinary clinics. Additionally, to analyze the operations and regulations governing this waste in regulatory entities within the city of Neuquén, Argentina (2023). (Methodology): Observational, cross-sectional, and prospective study. Data collection involved validated surveys applied to a proportional stratified sample of 114 healthcare establishments and interviews with representatives of regulatory entities. (Results): All establishments comply with current environmental regulations. Pharmaceutical distributors demonstrate superior management, excelling in traceability, standardization, and training. While stock control is utilized, there are few secondary strategies to reduce waste and insufficient material recovery. Municipal initiatives and attitudes towards controlling this phenomenon are positive but lack support from higher levels of government. (Conclusions): The management of pharmaceutical waste in the healthcare institutions studied shows room for improvement. According to the variables analyzed, the use of recommended tools and strategies for quality management is limited. A positive municipal commitment to addressing the issue was identified, but this is not reflected at all governmental levels. Furthermore, the perception and awareness of pharmaceutical contamination and its risks remain low among stakeholders in the pharmaceutical use chain.

Resumen: Desde un principio hedonista, el leer puede generar placer en el lector dependiendo de la postura que adopte frente al texto. En el ámbito de la educación, la enseñanza de la Literatura debe estar direccionada a desarrollar las posturas estética y eferente en todos los niveles de escolarización. Por ello, en el presente estudio se pretendió implementar una propuesta pedagógica en base a metodologías activas para fomentar la lectura por obras literarias en las personas estudiantes de primer y segundo año de bachillerato del colegio Gabriel Arsenio Ullauri durante el periodo lectivo 2022 - 2023. El enfoque de investigación fue mixto y los métodos utilizados: inductivo - deductivo, analítico - sintético e hipotético - demostrativo. Con la aplicación de las sesiones de plan lector, se constató que la apreciación de los educandos sobre las actividades de lectura en la asignatura de Lengua y Literatura cambiaron de algo interesantes a muy interesantes, siendo la máxima calificación. Además, la acción de relacionar las experiencias con los textos leídos adquirió relevancia durante la práctica en el aula. Esta variación se sustenta con el grado de acuerdo que el personal docente mantuvo en los dos procesos diagnóstico respecto a la incorporación de nuevas metodologías para la promoción lectora. Por último, para futuros estudios bajo esta misma línea investigativa se recomienda considerar a toda la población estudiantil del nivel de bachillerato con el fin de obtener resultados de la muestra poblacional ausente en este artículo.

Resumo: A partir de um princípio hedonista, a leitura pode gerar prazer no leitor dependendo da postura que ele adota diante do texto. No campo da educação, o ensino de Literatura deve ter como objetivo o desenvolvimento de posturas estéticas e eferentes em todos os níveis de escolaridade. Portanto, no presente estudo, objetivou-se implementar uma proposta pedagógica baseada em metodologias ativas para promover a leitura de obras literárias em pessoas estudantes do primeiro e segundo anos de ensino médio do colégio Gabriel Arsenio Ullauri durante o período letivo 2022-2023. O enfoque de investigação foi misto e os métodos utilizados: indutivo - dedutivo, analítico - sintético e hipotético - demonstrativo. Com a aplicação das sessões do plano de leitura, constatou-se que a apreciação dos alunos sobre as atividades de leitura na matéria de Língua e Literatura passou de algo interessante para muito interessante, com a classificação mais elevada. Além disso, a ação de relacionar experiências com os textos lidos tornou-se relevante durante a prática na aula. Esta variação é suportada pelo grau de concordância que o corpo docente manteve nos dois processos de diagnóstico a respeito da incorporação de novas metodologias de promoção da leitura. Por fim, para estudos futuros nesta mesma linha investigativa, recomenda- se considerar toda a população estudantil no nível do ensino médio para obter resultados da amostra populacional ausente neste artigo.

Abstract: From a hedonistic perspective, reading can bring pleasure to the reader, depending on the attitude he or she adopts toward the text. In the field of education, the teaching of literature should be oriented to the development of aesthetic and reflective attitudes at all educational levels. Therefore, this study aims to implement a pedagogical proposal based on active methodologies to encourage the reading of literary works in first and second year high school students of the Gabriel Arsenio Ullauri School during the school year 2022-2023. The research approach was mixed and the methods used were inductive-deductive, analytical-synthetic and hypothetical-deductive. After the application of the reading plan sessions, it was found that the students’ evaluation of the reading activities in Language and Literature changed from somewhat interesting to very interesting, with the highest rating. In addition, the relationship between the experiences and the texts read gained relevance during the classroom practice. This change is supported by the degree of agreement that the teachers maintained in the two diagnostic processes regarding the incorporation of new methodologies to promote reading. Finally, for future studies in the same line of research, it is recommended to consider the entire population of high school students in order to obtain results from the population sample absent in this article.

ABSTRACT In this paper, we explore and model how three consumer attitudes and beliefs-consumer ethnocentrism, consumer localism, and consumer product judgment-impact Paraguayan consumers’ willingness to purchase Paraguayan products. Through a purposive survey of 396 Paraguayan middle- and upper-class consumers during the first half of 2022, we find evidence that higher levels of consumer ethnocentrism increase the willingness of Paraguayan consumers to Paraguayan-made products. We find that consumer localism and consumer product judgment moderate the consumer ethnocentric link to Paraguayan purchase intentions, but not as expected (i.e., higher levels of localism and local product judgment reduce local product purchase intentions).

RESUMEN El objetivo general del estudio es conocer cómo influye el etnocentrismo del consumidor en la intención de compra de consumidores del Gran Asunción. Se explora tres actitudes y creencias de los consumidores: el etnocentrismo del consumidor, el localismo del consumidor y el juicio de producto del consumidor. Además, se explica cómo estos modelos impactan en la intención de compra de consumidores asuncenos hacia productos de origen local con etiquetas “Hecho en Paraguay”. La recolección de datos se realizó mediante una encuesta dirigida a 396 consumidores, de clases media y alta de Gran Asunción durante el primer semestre de 2022. Se encuentra evidencia de que niveles más altos de etnocentrismo del consumidor aumentan la predisposición del consumidor asunceno a adquirir productos fabricados en Paraguay. Por otro lado, se observa que el localismo del consumidor y el juicio de productos del consumidor moderan la relación etnocéntrica del consumidor con las intenciones de compra de productos “Hecho en Paraguay”, pero no como se esperaba (es decir, niveles más altos de localismo y juicio de productos locales reducen las intenciones de compra de productos locales).

Abstract Despite the implementation of preventive care services in the workplace, resistance persists among female survivors of female survivors of intimate partner violence (VAW) to seek help. In this context, a study was conducted with the aim of determining the prevalence of VAW and the factors associated with the intention to seek help among these workers. The study employed a quantitative approach with a descriptive-correlational design and was conducted with a sample of 142 female employees from a bank in La Paz, Bolivia, which has developed initiatives to prevent VAW. The findings revealed that 45.1% of the workers had experienced some form of violence from their partners or ex-partners throughout their relationships. Additionally, factors directly related to the intention to seek help were identified, such as attitudes that disapprove of self-sufficiency in resolving these cases (rs = .390; p < .05) and a state of complacency that minimizes the importance of addressing the problem (rs = .369; p < .05). It is concluded that, beyond sociodemographic factors, erroneous beliefs limit the intention to seek help through available support channels within the organization or other specialized centers.

Resumen A pesar de la implementación de servicios de atención preventiva en el lugar de trabajo, persiste la resistencia entre las trabajadoras sobrevivientes de violencia contra las mujeres (VcM) en relaciones de pareja a buscar ayuda. En este contexto, se realizó una investigación con el objetivo de determinar la prevalencia de VcM y los factores relacionados con la intención de buscar ayuda entre estas trabajadoras. El enfoque del estudio es cuantitativo con un diseño descriptivo-correlacional, y se realizó en una muestra de 142 funcionarias de un banco en La Paz, Bolivia que ha desarrollado iniciativas para prevenir la VcM. Los hallazgos revelaron que el 45,1 % de las trabajadoras había experimentado algún tipo de violencia por parte de sus parejas o exparejas a lo largo de su relación. Además, se identificaron factores relacionados de forma directa con la intención de buscar ayuda, tales como las actitudes que desaprueban la autosuficiencia en la resolución de estos casos (rs = .390; p<0.05) y un estado de conformismo que minimiza la importancia de afrontar el problema (rs= .369; p<0.05). Se concluye que, más allá de los factores sociodemográficos, son las creencias erróneas las que limitan la intención de buscar ayuda en los canales de atención disponibles dentro de la organización o en otros centros especializados.

Abstract The ethical training of military forces is essential for democracy as it guides respect for human rights, observance of the laws of war, and protection of institutional legitimacy. For this reason, military ethics has become a crucial tool to guide the behavior of the military in complex environments and ensure responsible decision-making. In this context, this article evaluates the impact of the Basic Concepts in Military Ethics course and its inductive approach on the attitudes and behaviors of Colombian military personnel. Using a quantitative methodology, a study was conducted with 230 course participants at the General Rafael Reyes Prieto Higher War School in Colombia to measure attitudes about military ethics, rules of engagement, and operational effectiveness. The main results identified that the course positively impacted the participants’ attitudes about the importance of military ethics, its contribution to unit cohesion, and its influence on responsible decision-making. It is concluded that training in military ethics, through innovative methods such as inductive, prepares the military to face the challenges of today’s world and responsibly fulfill their mission.

Resumen La formación ética de las fuerzas militares es esencial para la democracia, pues orienta el respeto por los derechos humanos, la observancia de las leyes de la guerra y la protección de la legitimidad institucional. Por tal motivo, la ética militar se convierte en una herramienta crucial para guiar el comportamiento de los militares en entornos complejos y garantizar la toma de decisiones responsables. En ese contexto, este artículo evalúa el impacto del curso Conceptos Básicos en Ética Militar y su enfoque inductivo en las actitudes y comportamientos del personal militar colombiano. A través de una metodología con un enfoque cuantitativo, se realizó un estudio con 230 participantes del curso en la Escuela Superior de Guerra General Rafael Reyes Prieto (ESDEG) de Colombia, para medir las actitudes sobre la ética militar, las reglas de enfrentamiento (RE) y la efectividad operacional. Dentro de los principales resultados se identificó que el curso tuvo un impacto positivo en las actitudes de los participantes sobre la importancia de la ética militar, su contribución a la cohesión de las unidades y su influencia en la toma de decisiones responsables. Se concluye que la formación en ética militar, a través de métodos innovadores como el inductivo, prepara a los militares para enfrentar los desafíos del mundo actual y garantizar el cumplimiento de su misión de manera responsable.

RESUMO A emergência e reemergência de doenças infectocontagiosas apresenta inegável participação da população e o controle de disseminação continua sendo uma premência do mundo moderno. A investigação do Conhecimento, Atitudes e Práticas (CAP) é uma estratégia que pode ser empregada em uma população definida para identificação da sua percepção acerca do processo saúde-doença e disponibilidade em assumir novas atitudes. O objetivo deste trabalho foi elaborar e validar instrumento CAP para enfrentamento de epidemias e pandemias em estudantes universitários da Educação a Distância. Esses universitários, pertencentes a todas as regiões do país, responderam a um questionário on-line. A validação foi atestada por meio da validade de conteúdo e estrutura interna do instrumento. Foram realizadas análises fatoriais exploratória e confirmatória, respectivamente, por meio do critério de Kaiser-Guttman e pelas medidas de alfa de Cronbach e da variância média extraída. O ajuste da estrutura fatorial foi avaliado por meio dos testes qui-quadrado, Tucker-Lewis fit e comparative fit. O instrumento CAP desenvolvido apresenta validade e confiabilidade. Informações coletadas por meio do instrumento CAP validado podem contribuir para a elaboração de políticas de saúde mais efetivas se baseadas nas características proeminentes de uma população a um dado contexto.

ABSTRACT The emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases involve undeniable participation by the population, and control of their spread continues to be an urgent need in the modern world. The investigation of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) is a strategy that can be used in a defined population to identify their perception of the health-disease process and willingness to take on new attitudes. The objective of this work was to develop and validate the KAP instrument for coping with epidemics and pandemics in distance education university students. These university students from all regions in the country answered the online questionnaire. Validation was attested through the content validity and internal structure of the instrument. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were carried out, respectively, using the Kaiser-Guttman criterion and Cronbach’s alpha and average variance extracted measurements. The adjustment of the factorial structure was evaluated using the chi-square test and the Tucker-Lewis and comparative fit. The developed KAP instrument presents evidence of validity and reliability. Information collected through the validated KAP instrument can help in the development of more effective health policies if based on the prominent characteristics of a population in a given context.

BACKGROUND: Good mental health literacy (MHL) has proven to aid in providing adequate and timely care, promote positive attitudes towards mental health and assist in the integration of mental healthcare with other services. Studies have shown that enhancing the MHL of healthcare workers (HCWs) can help alleviate the burden of mental illness. AIM: The study aims to explore the MHL of HCWs at a tertiary hospital in Johannesburg. SETTING: The study was conducted at Helen Joseph Hospital. METHODS: A quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study via a self-administered questionnaire consisting of: (1) a demographic, work and exposure to mental illness and mental healthcare services questionnaire and (2) the Mental Health Literacy Scale (MHLS) was employed. The MHLS identifies people with low MHL who could benefit from further interventions. RESULTS: Two hundred and fifty-two HCWs participated in the study. The overall median MHLS score was 129, in keeping with a previous study conducted in SA and Zambia. Younger HCWs with less than 5 years of experience scored higher. Among the various professions, doctors scored highest and nurses lowest. The anaesthetic and psychiatric departments obtained the highest MHLS scores. Personal exposure to mental illness and mental health services was associated with higher MHLS scores. CONCLUSION: This study highlighted areas where mental health awareness and education are lacking, which are crucial for improving MHL. Targeted interventions to fill these identified gaps are therefore recommended. CONTRIBUTION: To our knowledge, this was the first South African study to assess MHL among tertiary-level HCWs across various professions.

BACKGROUND: While the Choice on Termination of Pregnancy (CTOP) Act No. 92 was legalised in 1996 permitting termination of pregnancy (TOP) to be accessed at various public health facilities in South Africa, unsafe abortions continue to take place outside of legally designated facilities. The aim of this study was to explore the knowledge, attitudes and practices of healthcare professionals regarding TOP services at public primary healthcare (PHC) centres in the central business district (CBD) of the eThekwini Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. METHODS: This quantitative, descriptive analysis used a questionnaire to obtain data from the healthcare professionals on four areas: demographic details, knowledge of (8 questions), attitudes to (10 questions) and practices (10 questions) regarding TOP services. RESULTS: Among the 91 participants (whose ages ranged from 32 to 48 years), 91.2% were female, 93.4% belonged to the Christian faith, 42.9% were professional nurses and 74.8% had more than 5 years' work experience. The mean of the overall knowledge, attitude and practice score was 51.7%, 67.4% and 62.8%, respectively, which indicated poor knowledge, moderate attitude and unacceptable practice. CONCLUSION: While some healthcare professionals' knowledge regarding TOP services was poor, their personal beliefs may have contributed to their attitudes and practices regarding whether to assist their patients to access such services, despite it being legal. CONTRIBUTION: This study provides insight into the health worker barriers that impede TOP service provision and access in the CBD of eThekwini.

BACKGROUND: Men who have sex with men (MSM) are regarded as a key population that needs specialised healthcare services to address their healthcare needs. This is because of their sexual practices. Men who have sex with men encounter positive and negative experiences when accessing healthcare services in public health care facilities. This study explored and described the experiences of MSM about accessing healthcare services in public healthcare facilities. The study was conducted in Ekurhuleni district, situated in the East of Gauteng province, South Africa. METHODS: A descriptive, explorative, qualitative approach was employed to investigate the experiences of MSM about accessing healthcare services. In-depth interviews were conducted with 17 MSM aged 18 years and above. RESULTS: Overall, MSM had both negative and positive experiences when accessing healthcare services. However, mainly the negative in the public healthcare facilities, whereas positive were experienced in the private healthcare facilities. CONCLUSION: The negative experiences of MSM, the judgemental and discriminatory attitudes of healthcare workers towards them and the scarcity or unavailability of resources and healthcare services to address their specific healthcare needs in healthcare facilities have created interpersonal and structural barriers, which prevent MSM from accessing healthcare services. CONTRIBUTION: These findings suggest the need for the training of healthcare workers to be truly caring, the allocation of resources and healthcare services to addressing MSM-specific healthcare needs in healthcare facilities and the creation of an accommodating environment for them.

In recent decades we have witnessed the progressive implementation of a culture of inclusion making it is essential to provide teachers with training in generic and specific competencies, being the reinforcement of attitudes and views regarding attention to diversity that will be fundamental to ensure the effective implementation of this educational model. Although the study of teachers' views regarding inclusive education has been the subject of much research, we did not find an extensive wide repertoire concerning the opinions of university students on educative attention to specific educational support needs centred in the field of competence in linguistic communication. Thus, with this study we aimed to analyse the opinions of trainee teachers on the development of this key competence in primary education and their training at university. For this, 2 university realities in different international contexts were compared through a mixed descriptive categorical analysis. The main conclusions are that, although there is a consensus about the importance of developing linguistic communication competence, there are considerable differences between the 2 contexts in terms of attention to diversity, teacher education and training, and the provision of resources for its promotion in the classroom.

Resumo Declínios progressivos nas coberturas vacinais vêm sendo registrados no Brasil nos últimos anos. A pandemia de COVID-19 trouxe ainda mais desafios para esse cenário. Considerando a pandemia como um acontecimento, objetivou-se analisar a politização das vacinas sob a perspectiva de cuidadores de crianças pequenas. Esta pesquisa qualitativa foi conduzida em duas capitais brasileiras: São Luís (Maranhão) e Florianópolis (Santa Catarina). O estudo incluiu famílias com crianças de até 6 anos de idade que fossem total ou parcialmente vacinadas, bem como crianças completamente não vacinadas. Utilizou-se amostragem por bola de neve. Entrevistas em profundidade foram conduzidas entre março de 2021 e abril de 2022. Foram entrevistados 48 cuidadores, em sua maioria mães. O estudo revelou que, independentemente da posição prévia em relação às vacinas, o acontecimento sanitário-político da pandemia de COVID-19 abalou crenças e atitudes acerca da vacinação infantil. Os resultados demonstraram, ainda, que a pandemia levou a atrasos na imunização infantil de rotina e fez com que cuidadores buscassem por serviços privados de saúde. Por fim, os resultados revelam a politização das vacinas como um novo fenômeno a ser enfrentado no contexto brasileiro.

Abstract Progressive declines in vaccination coverage have been recorded in Brazil in recent years. The COVID-19 pandemic has introduced even more challenges to this scenario. Considering the pandemic as an event, the scope of this article was to analyze the politicization of vaccines from the perspective of caregivers of young children. This qualitative research was conducted in two Brazilian state capitals, namely São Luís (Maranhão) and Florianópolis (Santa Catarina). The study included families with children up to 6 years of age who were fully or partially vaccinated, as well as children who had never been vaccinated. Snowball sampling was used and in-depth interviews were conducted between March 2021 and April 2022. Forty-eight caregivers, most of them mothers, were interviewed. The study revealed that, regardless of their previous stance regarding vaccines, the health-political event of the COVID-19 pandemic shook beliefs and attitudes about childhood vaccination. The results also showed that the pandemic led to delays in routine childhood immunization and caused caregivers to seek private health services. Finally, the results reveal the politicization of vaccines as a new phenomenon to be addressed in the Brazilian context.

Resumen En los últimos años se han registrado descensos progresivos en la cobertura de vacunación en Brasil. La pandemia de COVID-19 trajo aún más desafíos a este escenario. Considerando la pandemia como un evento, este artículo tuvo como objetivo analizar la politización de las vacunas desde la perspectiva de los cuidadores de niños pequeños. Esta investigación cualitativa se realizó en dos capitales brasileñas São Luís (Maranhão) y Florianópolis (Santa Catarina). El estudio incluyó familias con niños de hasta 6 años que estaban total o parcialmente vacunados, así como niños completamente no vacunados. Se utilizó el muestreo de bola de nieve. Se realizaron entrevistas en profundidad entre marzo de 2021 y abril de 2022 con 48 cuidadores, en su mayoría madres. El estudio reveló que, independientemente de la postura previa en relación a las vacunas, el acontecimiento político-sanitario de la pandemia de COVID-19 sacudió creencias y actitudes sobre la vacunación infantil. Los resultados también demostraron que la pandemia provocó retrasos en la vacunación infantil de rutina y provocó que los cuidadores buscaran servicios de salud privados. Finalmente, los resultados revelan la politización de las vacunas como un fenómeno nuevo a enfrentar en el contexto brasileño.

BACKGROUND: Early mobilisation (EM) of critically ill patients in intensive care units (ICUs) has gained significant attention because of its potential to improve patient outcomes. Despite the recognised benefits of EM, implementation remains inconsistent. OBJECTIVES: To describe the knowledge, attitudes and practices of healthcare professionals regarding EM of critically ill patients in Windhoek. METHOD: A descriptive, cross-sectional design using a self-administered survey was conducted in Windhoek, Namibia, targeting nurses, doctors and physiotherapists working in private ICUs. RESULTS: A total of 174 surveys were distributed, with a response rate of 24.1% (n = 42). Respondents included 21 nurses, 5 doctors and 13 physiotherapists. Most participants underestimated the incidence of ICU-acquired weakness and reported unfamiliarity with EM literature (n = 19, 51.4%). Furthermore, 25 respondents (67.6%) reported that patients were not automatically assessed for mobilisation, the majority reported requiring a doctor's referral (n = 31, 83.8%). Mobility practices were conservative, especially when patients were intubated or in the presence of radial and femoral catheters. Major patient-level barriers included medical instability (n = 24, 72.7%) and excessive sedation (n = 18, 54.5%); whereas institutional barriers were the requirement for a doctor's referral (n = 22, 64.7%) and no written guidelines or protocols for mobilisation (n = 16, 47.1%). Provider level barriers were that mobility is not perceived as important by some individuals (n = 18, 78.3%). CONCLUSION: Our study revealed knowledge gaps, conservative mobility practices and numerous barriers to EM implementation at the patient, provider and institutional levels. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: The findings highlight the need for targeted education, training programmes, standardised mobility protocols and the establishment of a dedicated mobility champion to promote EM in Windhoek ICUs.

This article examines the effect of democratic attitudes on voting in 2022. Our hypothesis is that the rising prominence of the topic of democracy in politics and in the public debate, starting in 2013 and becoming more pronounced after 2018, resulted in a division of the electorate into two camps based on their varying degrees of support for democratic principles — something not observed in earlier elections. To test this hypothesis, we utilized two surveys: the 2010 AmericasBarometer and the 2023 Clivagens Políticas no Brasil. The overall result shows that democratic attitudes — such as support for voting as a method for selecting who governs, the separation of powers, political participation, the rule of law, and minority rights — played a more significant role in explaining the vote for president in 2022 than they did in 2010. More than that, we identified a dominant pattern: except for political participation, there is a positive relationship between democratic attitudes and the vote for Lula.

RESUMO: O principal objetivo deste estudo é determinar o uso de plantas medicinais como abordagem terapêutica alternativa na Turquia. Além disso, o estudo visa identificar as doenças específicas para as quais estas plantas são utilizadas e a correspondente proporção de utilização. Os dados foram coletados por meio de entrevista presencial usando um formulário de questionário estruturado em todas as regiões da Turquia. Estatísticas descritivas e inferenciais foram utilizadas na análise dos dados. De acordo com os resultados da pesquisa, aproximadamente 65.4% dos participantes utilizam plantas medicinais em seu regime de tratamento, afirmando seus benefícios significativos. Além disso, afirma-se que o consumo de plantas medicinais aumentou durante a epidemia de Covid-19. As atitudes dos participantes em relação às plantas medicinais são diretamente influenciadas pelo seu nível de conhecimento, conveniência e utilidade percebida. O estudo revela que os participantes possuem conhecimento sobre aproximadamente 200 plantas medicinais. Entre as plantas mais conhecidas estão o alho (Allium sativum L.), erva de São João (Hypericum perforatum L.), salsa (Petroselinum crispum), camomila (Matricaria chamomilla L.), gengibre (Curcuma longa L.), cravo (Syzygium Aromatum L.), hortelã (Melissa officinalis L.), tomilho (Thymus vulgaris L.), erva-doce (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.), babosa (Aloe vera L.), tília (Colocasia esculenta L.), urtiga (Achillea millefolium L.) e sálvia (Salvia officinalis L.). O determinante mais crítico para a prevalência do consumo de plantas medicinais parece ser as crenças positivas dos indivíduos relativamente à sua eficácia na cura de doenças. Adicionalmente, a promoção do conhecimento sobre as plantas medicinais é considerada essencial para fomentar práticas de consumo informadas e conscientes.

ABSTRACT: This study determined the use of medicinal plants as an alternative therapeutic approach in Turkey. Moreover, the study identified the specific ailments for which these plants are employed and the corresponding proportion of usage. Data was collected by face to face interview with using a structured questionnaire form in all regions of Turkey. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used in data analysis. According to the research findings, approximately 65.4% of participants use medicinal plants into their treatment regime, asserting their significant benefits. Furthermore, it is posited that the consumption of medicinal plants has witnessed an upsurge during the Covid-19 epidemic. The participants’ attitudes towards medicinal plants are directly influenced by their level of knowledge, convenience and perceived usefulness. The study reveals that participants possess awareness of approximately 200 medicinal plants. Among the most well-known plants are garlic (Allium sativum L.), St. John’s Wort (Hypericum perforatum L.), parsley (Petroselinum crispum), chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.), ginger (Crocus sativus L.), cloves (Syzygium aromaticum L.), mint (Melissa officinalis L.), thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.), aloe (Aloe vera L.), linden (Colocasia esculenta L.), nettle (Achillea millefolium L.), and sage (Salvia officinalis L.). The most critical determinant fort he prevalence of medicinal plant consumption appears to be individuals’ positive beliefs regarding their efficacy in curing diseases. Additionally, promoting knowledge about medicinal plants is deemed essential in fostering informed and conscientious consumption practices.

ABSTRACT Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a shift from in-person to remote learning, including team-based learning activities. Many studies have explored several aspects of team-based learning; however, there is still a lack of knowledge regarding the factors affecting students’ attitudes and performance. Objective: To evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical students’ performance in individual readiness assurance tests during team-based learning activities, given that their grades were excluded from the final course grades. Methods: We compared the number of team-based learning applications, student absences, and individual readiness assurance tests grades of medical undergraduate students in three different scenarios: Group 1, in-person individual readiness assurance tests before the pandemic; Group 2, remote individual readiness assurance tests during the lockdown period when their grades were excluded from the final grade calculation; and Group 3, in-person individual readiness assurance tests during the pandemic after lockdown restrictions eased. Results: Remote team-based learning led to significantly lower grades than in-person evaluations. Moreover, the number of students with failing or insufficient grades (below seven) increased during the remote learning period, when their grades were excluded from the final grade calculation, compared to in-person individual readiness assurance tests before the pandemic. Furthermore, absenteeism was higher when the online strategy was applied. Conclusion: We observed lower academic performance by medical students during remote team-based learning sessions, likely owing to the exclusion of individual readiness assurance tests grades from the final course grade calculations during the COVID-19 pandemic.