Perceived Food-Related Responsibilities Among Adults Aged 60 Years and Older.

Food citizenship states individuals, organizations, and governments have responsibilities for their actions and policies around food. We conducted twenty semi-structured interviews with older adults as an exploratory study about perceived food-related responsibilities. The government and agribusiness were seen as responsible for food safety and how healthy foods are. The government, agribusiness, and emergency food providers were seen as responsible for availability and accessibility. Individuals were seen as having a personal responsibility to access and choose healthy, safe foods. These results have important implications for understanding how older adults think about the roles themselves and others play in the food system.

Cross-National Variations in Scientific Ethics: Exploring Ethical Perspectives Among Scientists in China, the US, and the UK.

This research explores the perspectives of academic physicists from three national contexts concerning their roles and responsibilities within the realm of science. Using a dataset comprised of 211 interviews with scientists working in China, the United States, and the United Kingdom, the study seeks to explain whether and in what manner physicists conceptualize scientific ethics within a global or national framework. The empirical findings bring to light disparities across nations in the physicists' perceptions of what constitutes responsible mentorship and engagement in public service. These cross-national variations underscore the moral agency of physicists as they navigate the ethical standards embraced by the global scientific community vis-à-vis those that are specific to their respective national contexts. The study's empirical insights may carry significant implications for both policymakers and ethicists, underscoring the imperative of soliciting and acknowledging the perspectives of academic scientists working and living in disparate national contexts when formulating comprehensive science ethics frameworks. Such inclusive and context-aware approaches to shaping ethics in science can contribute to the cultivation of a more robust and universally relevant ethical foundation for the scientific community.

Mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic: An international comparison of gender-related home and work-related responsibilities, and social support.

PURPOSE  : To assess gender differences in COVID-19 related changes in home and work responsibilities longitudinally, and determine whether these differences, together with other potential risk and protective factors, are associated with depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology. METHOD: Symptoms of depression, anxiety, and PTSD were measured using an online survey instrument, between May 2020 and April 2021, in four waves completed at 3-monthly intervals. Analyses were based on data from the COvid MEntal healTh (COMET) survey which investigated the mental health effects of the COVID-19 outbreak spanning 13 countries on five continents in N = 7,909 participants. RESULTS: From the first to the last wave, women reported a greater increase in home and work responsibilities, and had higher depression, anxiety and PTSD scores compared to men. Women who reported a reduction in income due to the pandemic had higher depression scores. Working harder and experiencing a reduction in income were also associated with higher anxiety scores in women but not in men. Women were more likely to score above the cut-off for depression (32.5% vs 23.6%, p < .001), anxiety (21.2% vs 14.4%, p < .001) and PTSD (21.2% vs 14.4%, p < .001) than men during the first wave. Stronger reliance on socially supported coping mechanisms was a risk factor for depression, anxiety and PTSD in men and women. CONCLUSION: Women were more likely to report mental health problems which may be related to the gender disproportionate increase in home and work responsibilities but not necessarily due to COVID-19 stressors.

Exploring the suitability of cannabis use with next-day responsibilities: A behavioral-economic and qualitative study.

Cannabis demand is sensitive to next-day responsibilities, such as job interviews; however, it is unclear how demand is affected by non-work-related responsibilities and how reported compatibility of cannabis use (i.e., how suitable one perceives cannabis use to be in a situation) influences demand. This study examined the effects of a range of responsibilities on cannabis demand in a crowdsourced sample of adults who smoked cannabis at least monthly (n = 177; 78% White; 47% women; mean age = 36.52). Participants completed hypothetical marijuana purchase tasks asking how much cannabis they would consume at escalating prices in the context of no responsibilities and next-day responsibilities spanning work, leisure, and caregiving. Cannabis demand was significantly reduced in all responsibility conditions (ps < .008; ds .28-.94), with the largest reductions for the job interview and caring-for-kids conditions. Higher ratings of suitability of cannabis use in each situation were correlated with higher demand. Finally, a qualitative thematic analysis characterized why cannabis use was considered suitable or unsuitable with each responsibility. These results suggest that demand is sensitive to next-day responsibilities. However, these effects are not uniform, and future research is needed to examine these individual differences and the timing of upcoming responsibilities.

Academic Responsibilities, Obligations, and Freedom: A Call for Review - In Memory of Professor Dr. Tomás Hudlický.

The advent and dominance of social media in our daily lives is not a matter of discussion, and very few minimalistic individuals have tried to decrease this technological dependency, which can become toxic and noxious for the development of an autonomous personality and free thinking. Academic faculties claim a depauperation in terms of their freedom but are also not free from duties, responsibilities, and obligations. Here, duties, responsibilities, obligations, and freedom are addressed in historical terms as the university as an institution developed over the centuries after its founding in the 11th century is currently under attack. We premonish that these concepts must still be reiterated and divulgated to students and fellows in academia. Galilei's "Eppur si muove" ("and yet it moves") are the words pronounced by the Italian mathematician, physicist, and philosopher Galileo Galilei that should resonate in censorship bodies now and in the future.

Are companies ethically justified in offering nonmedical egg freezing as an employee benefit?

All over the world, many companies are including oocyte cryopreservation for nonmedical reasons, also popularly known as nonmedical egg freezing (NMEF), within their employee benefits packages. However, it is important to ask whether companies are ethically justified in offering NMEF as a benefit for their employees. The inclusion of NMEF within companies' employee benefits packages could be ethically justified in two ways. On the one hand, company-sponsored NMEF can serve as a strategy to mitigate or eliminate gender inequalities in the workplace, such as female underrepresentation in positions of authority and leadership and the so-called work/motherhood conflict. On the other hand, company-sponsored NMEF can be a means to expand women's reproductive autonomy by making egg freezing accessible to those women who are not able to afford it otherwise. This article calls into question these ethical justifications. We argue that by offering NMEF as an employee benefit, companies maintain current workplace inequalities and impose an option for women with multiple risks and externalities. Therefore, companies' offering of NMEF benefits cannot be ethically justified. Furthermore, we argue that companies that offer NMEF benefits incur fiduciary responsibilities related to the physiological, emotional, psychological, and financial costs of the use of company-sponsored NMEF.

Why it is timely to bring a new hormonal male contraceptive to the public - A 35-year perspective of the authors.

This perspective provides an overview of issues needed to bring a testosterone-progestogen combined transdermal male hormonal contraceptive to the market. Large-scale phase 2b trials are near completion and a pivotal trial to confirm efficacy and safety has been designed. We believe we are close to accomplishing the steps necessary to bring the first male-directed effective, safe, and reversible pharmaceutical contraceptive approach to the public. If successful, we believe it will provide a new option for couples to consider in their family planning.

The Evolution of the Ethical Guidelines of the American Society of Anesthesiologists.

In 1992, the American Society of Anesthesiologists Committee on Ethics was formed primarily to address the rights of patients with existing Do-Not-Resuscitate orders presenting for anesthesia. Guidelines written for the ethical management of these patients stated that such orders should be reconsidered-not rescinded-thus respecting patient self-determination. The Committee also rewrote the reigning Guidelines for the Ethical Practice of Anesthesiology by expanding its ethical foundations to reflect the evolving climate of ethical opinions. These Guidelines described ethically appropriate conduct and behavior, including anesthesiologists' ethical responsibilities to patients, themselves, colleagues, health-care institutions, and community and society.

Healthcare Workers on the Frontlines of War: Essential Roles and Responsibilities.

This article explores the indispensable roles and responsibilities of healthcare workers on the frontlines of war, where they grapple with the profound challenges posed by conflict. In the midst of decimated healthcare infrastructure, these professionals become pivotal in delivering urgent medical care while facing significant risks. Beyond immediate healing, healthcare workers navigate the psychological toll of war, addressing widespread trauma and limited mental health support. They emerge as advocates for peace, documenting atrocities, and contribute to postwar recovery by rebuilding healthcare systems, providing psychosocial support, and participating in public health initiatives. This article illuminates the multifaceted impact of conflict on healthcare, underscoring the urgency for international cooperation and the safeguarding of healthcare workers in addressing the complex and pressing intersection of health and war.

Clarifying middle authorship contributions to reduce abuses in science publishing and assessment of top-ranked SJR biochemistry and pharmacology journals' authorship criteria.

So-called "middle authors," being neither the first, last, nor corresponding author of an academic paper, have made increasing relative contributions to academic scholarship over recent decades. No work has specifically and explicitly addressed the roles, rights, and responsibilities of middle authors, an authorship position which we believe is particularly vulnerable to abuse via growing phenomena such as paper mills. Responsible middle authorship requires transparent declarations of intellectual and other scientific contributions that journals can and should require of co-authors and established guidelines and criteria to achieve this already exist (ICMJE/CRediT). Although publishers, editors, and authors need to collectively uphold a situation of shared responsibility for appropriate co-authorship, current models have failed science since verification of authorship is impossible, except through blind trust in authors' statements. During the retraction of a paper, while the opinion of individual co-authors might be noted in a retraction notice, the retraction itself practically erases the relevance of co-author contributions and position/status (first, leading, senior, last, co-corresponding, etc.). Paper mills may have successfully proliferated because individual authors' roles and responsibilities are not tangibly verifiable and are thus indiscernible. We draw on a historical example of manipulated research to argue that authors and editors should publish publicly available, traceable contributions to the intellectual content of an article-both classical authorship or technical contributions-to maximize both visibility of individual contributions and accountability. To make our article practically more relevant to this journal's readership, we reviewed the top 50 Q1 journals in the fields of biochemistry and pharmacology, as ranked by the SJR, to appreciate which journals adopted the ICMJE or CRediT schools of authorship contribution, finding significant variation in adhesion to ICMJE guidelines nor the CRediT criteria and wording of author guidelines.

Women's contributions versus Men's patriarchal status among Afar pastoralists in the Lower Awash Valley.

This study examined women's unrecognized roles in facilitating socio-economic interactions and clan networks in a patriarchal society. A qualitative research methodology was chosen. Situational observations, key interviews, and group discussions were applied as data-gathering tools. A thematic descriptive analysis method was used to examine the data that had been gathered. Accordingly, the study found that women are not participating in leading customary institutions and publicly due to the traditional patriarchal domination. However, the customary law shields women from various presumptions. It has been noted women's participation in maintaining social order, economic reciprocity, and resource sharing. Most importantly, women's continual control of household responsibilities and income-generating activities is essential to Afar society's survival. The study recommends that multifaceted interventions should be made to maintain women's role in supporting their traditional methods of engaging in maintaining clan networks. An intervention should mostly be better focused on women's activities as it will help to explore additional mechanisms that uplift either women by themselves or by the initial intervention system. Therefore, the study recommends incorporating pastoral women's roles into more extensive women's enclave empowerment policies and removing the existing sociocultural limitations to allow them to contribute more to pastoral livelihoods.

Positioning the surgical patient - roles, responsibilities and challenges. A qualitative study.

AIMS: The aim was to explore how representatives from the different professions in the surgical team experience roles, responsibilities and challenges in positioning the surgical patient. BACKGROUND: Appropriate patient positioning on the operating table during surgery is vital for optimal anatomical exposure, access to essential equipment, patient comfort and to minimize the risk of injuries. Patient positioning has been described as a shared responsibility of the entire surgical team. The research on roles and responsibilities in patient positioning during surgery is sparse. DESIGN: The study had a qualitative design, including 16 individual, semi-structured interviews, conducted in November and December 2023. METHODS: Participants included surgeons (n = 4), anaesthetists (n = 4), operating room nurses (n = 4) and nurse anaesthetists (n = 4) in a hospital in Southeastern Norway. The data were analysed using Braun and Clarke's six-step Reflexive Thematic Analysis. RESULTS: Three main themes with subthemes were identified, namely (1) A teamwork approach, with subthemes (a) facilitating surgery and (b) health professionals' roles and responsibilities. (2) A patient safety issue, with subthemes (a) risk patients and (b) procedural challenges. (3) Absence of a systematic approach, with subthemes (a) various approach to second time-out and (b) documentation and feedback issues. CONCLUSION: Appropriate and safe positioning during surgery is a common responsibility of all members of the surgical team. Despite the common assumption that surgeons hold the primary responsibility, the operating room nurses seemed to hold the hands-on responsibility. Different health professionals emphasized different risk patients, risk procedures and perceived challenges. This suggests a connection between the specific focus of distinct professional domains, their tasks and expertise within the surgical context. IMPACT: There is a lack of clear guidelines outlining roles and the distribution of responsibility in patient positioning, which may be a safety concern. A need for reviewing responsibilities and defining roles is identified. Systematic follow-up of documentation of post-operative observation and documentation of skin status and the "second time-out" procedure is crucial to establish measures rooted in guidelines supported by both professional and administrative management. This dual commitment may ensure a comprehensive strategy for systematic follow-up, fostering a culture of continuous improvement. PATIENT CONTRIBUTION: Not applicable.

"Trying to write a story together": general practitioners' perspectives on culturally sensitive care.

BACKGROUND: Culturally sensitive care is integral to effective and equitable healthcare delivery, necessitating an understanding and acknowledgment of patients' cultural needs, preferences, and expectations. This study investigates the perceptions of cultural sensitivity among general practitioners (GPs), focusing on their intentions, willingness and perceived responsibilities in providing care tailored to cultural needs. METHODS: In-depth interviews were conducted with 21 Flemish GPs to explore their perspectives on culturally sensitive care. Data analysis followed a conventional qualitative content analysis approach within a constructivist framework. A coding scheme was developed to identify recurring themes and patterns in the GPs' responses. RESULTS: Findings reveal that culturally sensitive care provision is perceived as a multifaceted process, initiated by an exploration phase where GPs inquire about patients' cultural needs and preferences. Two pivotal factors shaping culturally sensitive care emerged: patients' specific cultural expectations and GPs' perceived responsibilities. These factors guided the process of culturally sensitive care towards three distinct outcomes, ranging from complete adaptation to patients' cultural requirements driven by a high sense of responsibility, through negotiation and compromise, to a paternalistic approach where GPs expect patients to conform to GPs' values and expectations. Three typologies of GPs in providing culturally sensitive care were identified: genuinely culturally sensitive, surface-level culturally sensitive, and those perceiving diversity as a threat. Stereotyping and othering persist in healthcare, underscoring the importance of critical consciousness and cultural reflexivity in providing patient-centered and equitable care. CONCLUSIONS: This study emphasizes the significance of empathy and underscores the necessity for GPs to embrace the exploration and acknowledgement of patients' preferences and cultural needs as integral aspects of their professional role. It highlights the importance of shared decision-making, critical consciousness, cultural desire and empathy. Understanding these nuances is essential for enhancing culturally sensitive care and mitigating healthcare disparities.

Catholic religious agency during the Covid-19 emergency: the issue of vaccines.

The Catholic Church's reflection on and assessment of the Covid-19 pandemic has developed in several areas. Inspired by the tradition of its social teaching, specifically by the values of the dignity of the human person, justice, solidarity, and the common good, a strong sense of responsibility-on the part of all to prevent the spread of the pandemic and care for the affected sick-was called for. This resulted in a series of interventions and documents on the various medical and spiritual issues involved, particularly concerning the vaccines again Covid-19. In this short article, I draw out these insights from the official and universal reference point of the Catholic Church (i.e., Vatican sources in their various expressions and expertise). Interventions from other religions have also played a significant role during the Covid-19 pandemic as exemplified by the close relationship between certain religious actors and the World Health Organization. However, these alternative viewpoints, while important in and of themselves, do not find a suitable place within this work, which focuses on the Catholic Church's perspective.

Filial responsibilities and psychological wellbeing among Chinese adolescents in poor single-mother families: does parental warmth matter?

Introduction: Adolescent children raised in single-mother households, particularly those living in poverty, often need to assume more instrumental and emotional familial responsibilities to cope with family challenges. Method: This study examined the relationships between these filial responsibilities and adolescent psychological wellbeing, as well as the moderating effect of maternal warmth on these relationships via survey. The sample comprised 325 Chinese adolescent children (43.3% girls; Mage = 13.5) from economically disadvantaged single-mother families in Hong Kong. Results: The results indicated that adolescents' instrumental filial responsibilities were positively associated with their life satisfaction. Emotional filial responsibilities, on the other hand, were positively linked to life satisfaction and negatively associated with depression. Furthermore, maternal warmth was found to moderate the relationship between emotional filial responsibilities and life satisfaction. Adolescents who perceived higher levels of maternal warmth and performed more emotional filial responsibilities reported greater life satisfaction than those who performed fewer such responsibilities. Furthermore, the moderating effect of maternal warmth on the relationship between instrumental filial responsibilities and life satisfaction varied between boys and girls. Additionally, the age of the adolescent moderated the effect of maternal warmth on the relationship between emotional filial responsibilities and adolescent anxiety. Discussion: These findings suggest that filial responsibilities do not necessarily impede adolescent wellbeing. Instead, maternal warmth appears to be a crucial family factor that influences the nature of the relationship between filial responsibilities and adolescent wellbeing. These insights are valuable for family scholars and practitioners, informing the design of supportive services to enhance the psychological wellbeing of Chinese adolescents from economically disadvantaged single-mother families.

Professional Standards for Specialist Medical Administrators: Over-the-top Downunder?

In Australia, there are only two publicly reported disciplinary cases against specialist medical administrators. In the most recent decision of Medical Board of Australia v Gruner, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal confirmed that specialist medical administrators owe patients and the public the same professional obligations as medical practitioners with direct patient contact. More controversially, the Tribunal also held that medical administrators have a professional obligation only to accept roles with clear position descriptions that afford them sufficient time and resources to ensure the safe delivery of health services. We argue that this imposes unrealistic expectations on medical administrators engaged by rural, regional, or private health services that already struggle to attract and retain specialist medical expertise. This may exacerbate existing health inequalities by disincentivising specialist medical administrators from seeking fractional appointments that assist under-funded areas of workforce shortage.

Health Care Clinical Preceptors' Attitudes Towards Interprofessional Education in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction: IPE fosters a dynamic learning environment that may promote students' knowledge, abilities, and collaborative approach towards addressing challenging clinical circumstances. While much has been reported in the literature regarding these diverse IPE learning environments, limited information exists regarding clinical preceptors' attitude and perceptions of IPE, especially in Saudi Arabia. Given the impact clinical preceptors have on the formation of healthcare students exploring their perceptions, which may impact their actions is imperative. Methodology: The study focused on understanding the attitudes and perceptions of clinical preceptors towards IPE in a healthcare setting in Saudi Arabia. The study was conducted in Saudi Arabia. Data was collected via Email letter of solicitation (LOS) which included a link to the Readiness for Interprofessional Learning Scale (RIPLS) survey. The LOS was sent to all the health care programs in Saudi Arabia. Results: The study surveyed 182 clinical preceptors. The findings revealed consistent favorable opinions towards "Teamwork and Collaboration". The majority of preceptors concurred that learning alongside other students would increase students' efficiency on healthcare teams and deepen their comprehension of clinical issues. The "Roles and Responsibilities" category, however, obtained lower ranks in general from the preceptors. Not surprising, differences in rankings were greatest between preceptors who had and did not have IPE exposure, there were significant variations in views toward "Teamwork and Collaboration", "Negative Professional Identity", and "Roles and Responsibilities". Preceptors exposed to IPE showed lower median ratings for "Negative Professional Identity" and "Roles and Responsibilities" and better median scores for "Teamwork and Collaboration". Conclusion: The attitudes and perceptions of preceptors who had experienced IPE were more favorable toward IPE and thus may foster it more effectively in the students they work with. Therefore, ensuring that all preceptors are aware of and have experience with IPE is important as we seek to promote person-centered care.

Responsibilities of General Practitioners Regarding Diabetes Mellitus During the Month of Ramadan.

Muslims practice fasting during the ''holy month of Ramadan'', which poses special difficulties for those who have diabetes. Studies show that a sizable fraction of people with type 1 and type 2 diabetes fast despite the health hazards that come with the condition. This indicates that the incidence of diabetes among Muslims who fast is noteworthy. An increased vulnerability to acute problems, such as hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, and diabetic ketoacidosis, is caused by extended fasting periods, irregular eating and sleeping routines, and changes in medication regimens. Healthcare professionals (HCPs), especially General Practitioners (GPs), should be involved in advising patients on safe fasting practices to strike a balance between religious observance and medical guidance. While guidelines from groups such as the Diabetes and Ramadan International Alliance and the International Diabetes Federation provide helpful suggestions, GPs are responsible for ensuring patient safety during Ramadan, particularly in areas where access to diabetes specialists is restricted. GPs are essential in managing diabetes-related issues before and throughout Ramadan, as well as in providing organized education and increasing awareness. A GP's primary responsibility at this time is to oversee the timely referral of high-risk patients and to effectively communicate with patients. To increase public awareness and support for diabetes care during Ramadan, it is also advised to work with religious leaders and make use of social media channels. It is ultimately in line with medical and religious beliefs to prioritize diabetes treatment during Ramadan, emphasizing the critical role general practitioners play in preserving the health and well-being of diabetics who are fasting.

Peer Review and Medical Journals.

Journal editors depend on peer reviewers to make decisions about submitted manuscripts. These reviewers help evaluate the methods, the results, the discussion of the results, and the overall organization and presentation of the manuscript. In addition, reviewers can help identify important mistakes and possible misconduct. Editors frequently have difficulty obtaining enough peer reviews which are submitted in a timely manner. This increases the workload of editors and journal managers and potentially delays the publication of clinical and research studies. This commentary discusses of the importance of peer reviews and make suggestions which potentially can increase the participation of academic faculty and researchers in this important activity.

"Family doctors are also people": a qualitative analysis of how family physicians managed competing personal and professional responsibilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Family physicians (FPs) fill an essential role in public health emergencies yet have frequently been neglected in pandemic response plans. This exclusion harms FPs in their clinical roles and has unintended consequences in the management of concurrent personal responsibilities, many of which were amplified by the pandemic. The objective of our study was to explore the experiences of FPs during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic to better understand how they managed their competing professional and personal priorities. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured interviews with FPs from four Canadian regions between October 2020 and June 2021. Employing a maximum variation sampling approach, we recruited participants until we achieved saturation. Interviews explored FPs' personal and professional roles and responsibilities during the pandemic, the facilitators and barriers that they encountered, and any gender-related experiences. Transcribed interviews were thematically analysed. RESULTS: We interviewed 68 FPs during the pandemic and identified four overarching themes in participants' discussion of their personal experiences: personal caregiving responsibilities, COVID-19 risk navigation to protect family members, personal health concerns, and available and desired personal supports for FPs to manage their competing responsibilities. While FPs expressed a variety of ways in which their personal experiences made their professional responsibilities more complicated, rarely did that affect the extent to which they participated in the pandemic response. CONCLUSIONS: For FPs to contribute fully to a pandemic response, they must be factored into pandemic plans. Failure to appreciate their unique role and circumstances often leaves FPs feeling unsupported in both their professional and personal lives. Comprehensive planning in anticipation of future pandemics must consider FPs' varied responsibilities, health concerns, and necessary precautions. Having adequate personal and practice supports in place will facilitate the essential role of FPs in responding to a pandemic crisis while continuing to support their patients' primary care needs.