Month: September 2024

Abstract

Ikhlaas refers to the capacity of having sincere intentions in both acts of worship (ibadah) dedicated to God and our dealings with others, as we strive to seek God’s pleasure. The present research was primarily conducted to develop a psychometrically sound measure of ikhlaas and establish its construct validity. Using an exploratory sequential mixed methods design, it comprised two studies. Study 1 was conducted in three phases. In Phase 1, an initial set of 17 items for the Ikhlaas Scale (IS) was developed through the thematic analysis of Quranic verses, semi-structured interviews, and focus group discussions. Phase 2 was related to the translation and cross-language validation of scales. Phase 3 involved administering this item pool to a sample of Pakistani Muslim adults (N = 300) and conducting an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) that revealed a two-factor structure (item loading 0.45–0.89) for the 12-item IS, accounting for 43.65% of the variance. The first factor measured ikhlaas in worship (7 items), while the second factor measured ikhlaas in dealings with others (5 items). Ikhlaas had a significant positive correlation with taqwa and significant negative correlations with materialism, providing evidence for the convergent validity of the IS. In Study 2, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) conducted on a sample of Muslim adults (N = 702) confirmed the 12-item, two-factor structure of the IS observed in the EFA. Ikhlas was positively related to religious commitment and religious emphasis. In the final measurement model, the average variance extracted (AVE) of all constructs (ikhlaas, religious emphasis, and religious commitment) was > 0.50, the values of maximum shared variance (MSV) were lower than those of AVE, and the diagonal values of the square root of the AVE were higher than the intercorrelations. The heterotrait–monotrait correlation ratio (HTMT) ranged from 0.51 to 0.61, which testified to the discriminant validity of IS. Overall, the IS is a robust measure of ikhlaas that needs to be further studied for developing its nomological network across global Muslim populations.

Abstract

This article examines two 1984 murals—Keeping the Peace in Central America and Culture Contains the Seed of Resistance, Which Blossoms into the Flower of Liberation—painted in San Francisco’s Mission District by members of PLACA, a multi-ethnic collective of thirty-six mural activists. I discuss how the artists depicted imperial encounters in their murals dedicated to US-Central American solidarity as a strategy for building transnational support for Central American liberation movements in the 1980s. PLACA transformed Balmy Alley by creating twenty-seven murals protesting US intervention in Central America and celebrating Central American culture. The collective played a pivotal role in transforming Balmy Alley and manifested the larger Central American solidarity movement taking place across the United States.

Abstract

Background

Risk perception varies greatly among individuals, affecting their behavior and decision-making in risky situations. The COVID-19 pandemic affected worldwide, but the role of risk perception related to COVID-19 in ethnic minorities in Mexico is unclear. This study quantifies the impact of COVID-related risk perception (susceptibility and severity) and perceived fear on the utilization of antenatal care services among indigenous women in San Cristobal de las Casas, Chiapas, Mexico.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective crossover study between June and December 2021, interviewing 98 women from San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas. In a crossover design, each subject acts as their own control, so we required the participants to have a previous pregnancy experience. A logistic model was used to calculate the odds ratio for the outcome of having an adequate number of antenatal care visits. The analysis considered the period (during or before the pandemic) as well as perceived severity and susceptibility levels as independent variables.

Results

COVID-19 reduced antenatal care utilization by 50%. During the pandemic, the adjusted odds ratio for attending health antenatal care services was 0.83 (95% CI: 4.8, 14.5) compared to pre pandemics. Adjusted for fear of contagion, the mother’s perception of severity was associated with an increased likelihood of an insufficient number of antenatal visits. OR = 0.25 (95% CI: 0.10, 0.65).

Conclusion

The risk perception for COVID-19 decreased the likelihood of receiving an adequate number of antenatal care visits.

Abstract

There are 230 UNESCO World Heritage Sites that were designated based on their important natural features. These represent some of the most iconic and important natural places on Earth, with immense value for biodiversity conservation, ecosystem service supply and cultural well-being. Many of these sites are degraded by anthropogenic drivers, including socioeconomic factors (population growth, poverty and tourism), extractive activities (logging, mining, and hunting), external threats (fire, climate change, land-use change, pollution), and biological threats (disease and invasive species). Of these, invasive species remain one of the most problematic for management, and once introduced, populations can grow exponentially and spread to other locations even when actively managed. Given the economic and environmental threats imposed by invasive species, we asked how they compare to the other anthropogenic threats. We reviewed the primary literature for each World Heritage Site and scored the prevalence of 12 different anthropogenic drivers. We found that invasive species rank as one of the most frequently identified threats and pose the greatest degree of concern compared to all other threats, on par with the threat from pollution and greater than logging, land-use change and climate change. We compared our scoring, based on review of the literature, with that of the UNESCO and IUCN monitoring reports. Although there was general agreement between these two assessments, the literature provided information on 55 sites not included in the monitoring reports. We further examine the invasive species examined in the articles and the degree of their perceived impacts on biodiversity, habitat, rare species, ecosystem function, tourism, and economic impacts. It is important that invasive species are well monitored and managed in WHSs to reduce their impacts and meet policy mandated targets and conservation goals.

Abstract

In this study, a research team made up of Métis artists and knowledge keepers, Anishinaabe and non-Indigenous educators, and a non-Indigenous university mathematics education researcher co-designed and delivered an Indigenous cultural mathematical inquiry in a Grade 5 classroom. We explored the connections between loom bead designs and computational thinking of students using the LYNX coding platform to create and refine bracelet designs. Results indicate this investigation supported the development of (1) incremental and iterative approaches to coding, (2) testing and debugging, (3) reusing and remixing code, and (4) abstracting and modularizing. More importantly, students gained an appreciation of Métis culture and the importance of experiencing multiple cultural perspectives when learning mathematics.

Abstract

Background

In the U.S., Black children have disproportionately elevated rates of pediatric morbidity compared with White children, but data are lacking for other countries. We studied the extent to which Black Haitians were at risk of pediatric morbidity in Canada.

Methods

We analyzed a retrospective cohort of 736,498 children born in Quebec between 2008 and 2020. We identified Black Haitians using the mother tongue and birth country of parents. The outcome was mortality or hospitalization for infectious diseases, allergy, cancer, and other morbidity between birth and 12 years of age. We estimated hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for these outcomes, comparing Haitians with non-Haitians in Cox regression models adjusted for patient characteristics.

Results

Compared with non-Haitians, Haitians tended to have a greater risk of pediatric mortality, especially before age 2 years (HR 1.56, 95% CI 1.00–2.45). However, Haitian children had a lower risk of hospitalization than non-Haitian children (HR 0.61, 95% CI 0.59–0.63). Haitians were less likely to be hospitalized for infectious diseases, allergies, appendicitis, cancers, fractures, dental caries, and ophthalmologic conditions. Hospitalization rates were low throughout childhood, even though Haitian children were more likely to be born preterm, develop severe neonatal morbidity, and have other adverse outcomes at birth.

Conclusion

Haitian children have an elevated risk of neonatal morbidity and early childhood mortality, but lower risk of hospitalization compared with non-Haitians in Canada. The reasons for the disparity are unclear, but greater effort is needed to address potential gaps in healthcare among Black children.

Abstract

Psychological interventions are important tools for addressing different mental disorders around the world, and considering cultural diversity during the implementation of psychological intervention may lead to improved outcomes. This scoping review updates on the knowledge about the cultural adaptation of cognitive behavioral therapy in the Arab world. This study included 21 studies about the cultural adaptation of cognitive behavioral therapy and other types of psychological interventions that have been implemented for Arab people. The sources of information were PUBMED, Web of Science Journal, CINHA, and search engine Google. For scoping review, the PRISMA-ScR framework was followed. The results showed that the process of cultural adaptation of CBT for Arab people focused on the following stages: (1) define the target group, (2) review the literature and select content, (3) feedback from stakeholders, (4) producing a guide for adaptation, (5) translation and adaptation process, (6) testing process for the adapted tools, and (7) final refinement. The process of cultural adaptation for CBT was superficial and focused on the content but not on the context. In addition, the cultural adaption process for CBT for Arab people focused on three major areas: (1) cultural awareness, (2) assessment and engagement, and (3) technique modification.