Setting the future of digital and social media marketing research: Perspectives and research propositions

Conceptualizing Patient as an Organization With the Adoption of Digital Health

The concept of viewing a patient as an organization within the context of digital healthcare is an innovative and evolving concept. Traditionally, the patient-doctor relationship has been centered around the individual patient and their interactions with healthcare providers. However, with the advent of technology and digital healthcare solutions, the dynamics of this relationship are changing. Digital healthcare platforms and technologies enable patients to have more control and active participation in managing their health and healthcare processes. This shift empowers patients to take on a more proactive role, similar to how an organization functions with various stakeholders, goals, and strategies. The prevalence of mobile phones and wearables is regarded as an important factor in the acceptance of digital health.

Objective

This study aimed to identify the factors affecting adoption intention using the TAM (Technology Acceptance Model), HB (Health Belief model), and the UTAUT (Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology). The argument is made that the adoption of the technology enables patients to create resources (ie, data), transforming patients from mere consumers to producers as well.

Results

PLS analysis showed that health beliefs and perceived ease of use had positive effects on the perceived usefulness of digital healthcare, and system capabilities positively impacted perceived ease of use. Furthermore, perceived service, the customer's willingness to change and reference group influence significantly impacted adoption intention (b > 0.1, t > 1.96, P < .05). However, privacy protection and data security, online healthcare resources, and user guidance were not positively associated with perceived usefulness.

Conclusions

Perceived usefulness, the customer's willingness to change, and the influence of the reference group are decisive variables affecting adoption intention among the general population, whereas privacy protection and data security are indecisive variables. Online resources and user guides do not support adoption intentions.

The role of age, grade level, and subject area in determining the inclusion of digital citizenship elements in elementary school curricula: Perspectives of teachers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

This study examined teachers' inclusion of digital citizenship elements in elementary school curricula. Employing a quantitative research design, the study utilized a survey questionnaire as the primary data collection instrument. A quantitative approach was employed in this study because it could efficiently measure the extent and variance of digital citizenship inclusion across diverse teacher demographics, enabling statistically significant comparisons and actionable insights for curriculum development. The sample consisted of 300 elementary school teachers at an educational institution in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire assessed the degree to which participants incorporated digital citizenship elements, including respect for self and others, self-education and communication with others, and protecting oneself and others, in curricula. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA tests. The findings revealed significant differences in teachers' inclusion of digital citizenship elements based on age, grade level of instruction, and taught subject matter. The study highlights the importance of tailoring digital citizenship education to meet the diverse needs of teachers. These findings contribute to the development of targeted professional development programs and curriculum frameworks that foster responsible and ethical digital participation. The study also holds pedagogical significance by emphasizing the need to account for variations in digital citizenship inclusion across teacher demographics.

AI Meets the Shopper: Psychosocial Factors in Ease of Use and Their Effect on E-Commerce Purchase Intention

The evolution of e-retail and the contribution of artificial intelligence in improving algorithms for greater customer engagement highlight the potential of these technologies to develop e-commerce further, making it more accessible and personalized to meet individual needs. This study aims to explore the psychosocial factors (subjective norms; faith; consciousness; perceived control) that affect AI-enabled ease of use and their impact on purchase intention in online retail. We will also assess the mediating effect of AI-enabled ease of use between psychosocial factors and consumer purchase intention. A quantitative methodology was used, and 1438 responses were collected from Portuguese consumers on e-retail. Structural equation modeling was used for the statistical treatment. The findings indicate that subjective norms do not positively impact AI-enabled ease of use, whereas factors such as faith, consciousness, and perceived control do enhance it. Furthermore, AI-enabled ease of use itself boosts purchase intention. Additionally, the effects of subjective norms, faith, consciousness, and perceived control on purchase intention are significantly enhanced when mediated by AI-enabled ease of use, highlighting the crucial role of usability in shaping consumer purchase behavior. The contribution of this study has been made through the formulation model that provides a systematized perspective about the influencers of purchase intentions and extends the knowledge about the impact of artificial intelligence in e-retail. Furthermore, this study offers insights into the impact of artificial intelligence in e-commerce-artificial intelligence directly affects purchase intentions and plays an important mediator role in the interaction mechanisms between psychosocial factors and purchase intentions.

Natural language processing for analyzing online customer reviews: a survey, taxonomy, and open research challenges

In recent years, e-commerce platforms have become popular and transformed the way people buy and sell goods. People are rapidly adopting Internet shopping due to the convenience of purchasing from the comfort of their homes. Online review sites allow customers to share their thoughts on products and services. Customers and businesses increasingly rely on online reviews to assess and improve the quality of products. Existing literature uses natural language processing (NLP) to analyze customer reviews for different applications. Due to the growing importance of NLP for online customer reviews, this study attempts to provide a taxonomy of NLP applications based on existing literature. This study also examined emerging methods, data sources, and research challenges by reviewing 154 publications from 2013 to 2023 that explore state-of-the-art approaches for diverse applications. Based on existing research, the taxonomy of applications divides literature into five categories: sentiment analysis and opinion mining, review analysis and management, customer experience and satisfaction, user profiling, and marketing and reputation management. It is interesting to note that the majority of existing research relies on Amazon user reviews. Additionally, recent research has encouraged the use of advanced techniques like bidirectional encoder representations from transformers (BERT), long short-term memory (LSTM), and ensemble classifiers. The rising number of articles published each year indicates increasing interest of researchers and continued growth. This survey also addresses open issues, providing future directions in analyzing online customer reviews.

Impact of Elevated Screen Time on School-Age Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Analytical Study

INTRODUCTION

The rise in digital technology use, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, has heightened concerns about extended "screen time" (ST) among adolescents. Excessive screen use is linked to negative physical and cognitive effects, yet digital media also offers educational and social advantages. Cultivating healthy digital habits is crucial as technology continues to evolve.

METHODOLOGY

This cross-sectional study was conducted between July and August 2022 among school-going adolescents and a total of 221 participants were assessed through questionnaires, employing statistical analysis.

RESULTS

In the current study, all participants fell within the 16-18 year age group, with 114 (51.6%) being male and 107 (48.4%) female. The majority 209 (94.5%) identified as Hindu, while the rest were from Muslim and Christian communities. Most participants, both male and female, resided in urban areas, 140 (63.3%) were pursuing Class 12, and 73 (33.1%) were pursuing Class 11. Mobile phones were the most commonly owned devices, followed by desktops or laptops and tablets. Males generally spend more time on these devices than females. Notably, 168 (76.01%) adolescents exceeded the recommended 2-hour daily screen time limit set by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), with 92 (80.7%) males more likely to do so than 76 (71%) females. The study found a significant link between increased screen time, reduced physical activity, and academic performance, while no association was observed for behavioral risk factors.

CONCLUSION

There is increased digital device use among youth, with many exceeding recommended screen time limits, particularly males. This was significantly linked to reduced physical activity and academic decline, highlighting the need for further research and balanced digital use.

Child and adolescent exposure to unhealthy food marketing across digital platforms in Canada

BACKGROUND

Children and adolescents are exposed to a high volume of unhealthy food marketing across digital media. No previous Canadian data has estimated child exposure to food marketing across digital media platforms. This study aimed to compare the frequency, healthfulness and power of food marketing viewed by children and adolescents across all digital platforms in Canada.

METHODS

For this cross-sectional study, a quota sample of 100 youth aged 6-17 years old (50 children, 50 adolescents distributed equally by sex) were recruited online and in-person in Canada in 2022. Each participant completed the WHO screen capture protocol where they were recorded using their smartphone or tablet for 30-min in an online Zoom session. Research assistants identified all instances of food marketing in the captured video footage. A content analysis of each marketing instance was then completed to examine the use of marketing techniques. Nutritional data were collected on each product viewed and healthfulness was determined using Health Canada's 2018 Nutrient Profile Model. Estimated daily and yearly exposure to food marketing was calculated using self-reported device usage data.

RESULTS

51% of youth were exposed to food marketing. On average, we estimated that children are exposed to 1.96 marketing instances/child/30-min (4067 marketing instances/child/year) and adolescents are exposed to 2.56 marketing instances/adolescent/30-min (8301 marketing instances/adolescent/year). Both children and adolescents were most exposed on social media platforms (83%), followed by mobile games (13%). Both age groups were most exposed to fast food (22% of marketing instances) compared to other food categories. Nearly 90% of all marketing instances were considered less healthy according to Health Canada's proposed 2018 Nutrient Profile Model, and youth-appealing marketing techniques such as graphic effects and music were used frequently.

CONCLUSIONS

Using the WHO screen capture protocol, we were able to determine that child and adolescent exposure to the marketing of unhealthy foods across digital media platforms is likely high. Government regulation to protect these vulnerable populations from the negative effects of this marketing is warranted.

Assessment of patterns and related factors in using social media platforms to access health and oral health information among Sri Lankan adults, with special emphasis on promoting oral health awareness

BACKGROUND

Social media has evolved beyond its conventional purpose of communication and information sharing to become a potent tool for disseminating health and oral health awareness. This study seeks to assess the patterns and related factors of using social media platforms to access health and oral health information among Sri Lankan adults, with special emphasis to promotion of oral health awareness.

METHODS

In March 2023, individuals aged ≥ 18 years residing in Sri Lanka, who are users of social media participated in this electronic questionnaire-based survey. Statistical analyses of the collected data were done using the SPSS version 21 software, with a p-value of < 0.05 set to determine the level of statistical significance.

RESULTS

A total of 421 persons participated in this survey. Majority (68.4%) belonged to the age category of 18 to 30 years, and 55.5% were females. WhatsApp (96.8%) was the most frequently used social media platform across all age groups and both genders. Statistically significant differences were identified between genders in the usage of Telegram, Twitter, and Viber within the 18-30 years age category, with a higher percentage of males using these platforms (p ≤ 0.05). Similar significant differences were observed in the 31-40 years age group for WhatsApp and Telegram (p ≤ 0.05). Among 95.4% of online health information seekers, YouTube (74.9%) was the most popular platform. One-quarter of the respondents preferred social media platforms, and 22.3% preferred websites for obtaining oral health information. Furthermore, 74.9% had positive opinions on obtaining oral health information via social media, while only 17% reported pleasant experiences with social media platforms for oral health promotion. In assessing the reliability of oral health information on social media, 48% relied on the quality of the information. The most preferred source of oral health information was short videos from professionals (43.1%). Additionally, 69.5% reported changes in their oral health behaviours after accessing information through social media.

CONCLUSION

Social media is a viable platform for promoting public oral health awareness in Sri Lankan; hence, workable strategies need to be employed, to further ensure its effective and wider use in a culturally and socioeconomically diverse country like Sri Lanka.

Investigating the role of green behavior and perceived benefits in shaping green car buying behavior with environmental awareness as a moderator

As the planet faces the challenge of global warming, every individual and organization must adopt green practices to protect nature. The automobile industry is one of the primary industries which can contribute significantly towards sustainability. This study aims to examine the impact of green behavior and green perceived benefits on the green buying behaviors of automobiles. The research also explores the moderating influence of environmental awareness on the mechanism. The research is based on a quantitative method for which primary data was gathered from 406 respondents across Pakistan, China and Saudi Arabia via Quota-based purposive sampling. The gathered data was analyzed via SmartPLS. The results show that green behavior and perceived benefits positively and significantly influence green buying behavior. The findings also show the moderating role of environmental awareness on green behavior towards green buying and show no impact on the perceived benefits towards buying behavior. The study has practical and theoretical implications for managers, researchers, policymakers and institutions in the context of green automobile development and businesses. The study also contributes to the attainment of sustainable development goals.

The impact of AI assimilation on firm performance in small and medium-sized enterprises: A moderated multi-mediation model

Artificial intelligence (AI) and other advanced technologies are increasingly recognized as essential catalysts for enhancing productivity due to their capability to transform nearly all operations within and outside firms. However, the empirical research on how AI assimilation may promote firm-level outcomes such as absorptive capacity (AC), customer agility (CA), and firm performance (FP) is still in its infancy. Drawing from the dynamic capability view and using 417 valid responses collected through cross-sectional methods from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Lebanon, this study examines the effect of AI assimilation on firm performance. The mediating roles of AC and CA were investigated. The moderating role of organizational agility (OA) was also explored. The findings support the hypothesized assumptions that continual advancement of technology evolves the industrial organizations' performance with CA and AC as parallel mediators, partially mediating the link between AI assimilation and FP and OA as a moderator, moderating the positive relationship between AI and CA and between AI and FP. The findings provide crucial insights for practitioners and advance the dynamic capability view framework. They provide compelling evidence that enriches the understanding of AI assimilation, demonstrating its positive impact on critical organizational outcomes and yielding performance benefits for SMEs.

Beyond the basics: Exploring the impact of social media marketing enablers on business success

In today's fast-paced world, social media marketing is crucial for businesses. However, many Saudi Arabian organizations need more skills and resources to use this strategy effectively. This article outlines organizations' top issues when adopting social media marketing and provides valuable insights into how to overcome them. After conducting an extensive literature review and consulting with experts from various sectors, 19 critical issues hindering social media marketing adoption in Saudi Arabian organizations were identified. The study employed the DEMATEL approach to analyze these issues and determine their impact level and cause-effect relationships. The study found that customer support, platform trust, secure data sharing, and perceived value significantly impact a business's social media marketing success. By addressing challenges like customer support, platform trust, and perceived value, businesses can enhance their social media marketing success and promote themselves globally by attracting and retaining customers through their social media presence. The insights gained from this research offer valuable guidance for Saudi Arabian organizations looking to refine their social media marketing strategies. To overcome the challenges hindering the adoption of social media marketing, businesses must address the "cause" and "effect" category issues. By adopting a formal and pragmatic approach, Saudi Arabian organizations can achieve sustainable growth and promote themselves to a global audience.

Internet Addiction Management: A Comprehensive Review of Clinical Interventions and Modalities

Internet addiction is a pervasive and complex issue that has gained increasing attention in the digital age. This comprehensive review provides an in-depth exploration of clinical interventions and modalities for managing internet addiction. It begins by examining the diagnostic criteria and assessment tools used to identify internet addiction, highlighting the diverse subtypes and varying degrees of severity. Subsequently, the review delves into various clinical interventions, including psychotherapeutic approaches like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and mindfulness-based interventions. Pharmacological interventions, technology-based tools, and integrative approaches are also thoroughly analyzed. The review also outlines various treatment settings and modalities such as inpatient treatment centers, outpatient clinics, telehealth, support groups, and prevention programs for schools and communities. Furthermore, it discusses the efficacy and challenges associated with managing internet addiction, emphasizing the need for effective interventions, relapse prevention, ethical considerations, and addressing stigma and access barriers. In conclusion, the review offers practical implications for clinical practice. It emphasizes future research's importance in refining diagnostic criteria, exploring emerging technologies, and adapting interventions to an ever-evolving digital landscape. This comprehensive review is a valuable resource for clinicians, researchers, and policymakers seeking to understand and address the complexities of internet addiction.

Unmasking the Pandemic's Hidden Challenge

In the COVID-19 pandemic, a new challenge emerges in the digital realm – a surge in cyberbullying fuelled by social isolation. This chapter explores the intricate connection between isolation measures and the alarming rise in online harassment. Lockdowns and distancing have turned the online space into both a refuge and a battlefield, revealing unique consequences of isolation. The pandemic has reshaped cyberbullying, with increased screen time, online education, and heightened social media engagement playing complex roles. As social isolation heightens vulnerability, the line between physical and digital blurs, exposing individuals to online harassers. The chapter acknowledges the profound impact of social isolation on mental health, with pandemic stressors and online anonymity fostering anxiety among cyberbullying victims. Educational settings, grappling with remote learning challenges, also experience the ripple effects of cyberbullying. Despite these challenges, coping strategies and support mechanisms emerge, aiding individuals in navigating the digital landscape safely.

Exploring the Impact of Security Technologies on Mental Health: A Comprehensive Review

This comprehensive review explores the intricate relationship between security technologies and mental health. Security technologies, including physical security, cybersecurity, and surveillance measures, are integral components of our modern world, designed to protect individuals, organizations, and society from various threats. While they are vital in enhancing safety, they also have profound implications for mental well-being. The review delves into the positive impacts of security technologies, including their capacity to enhance personal safety, reduce anxiety and fear, and instill a sense of security. However, it also reveals the negative consequences, such as privacy invasion, surveillance-related stress, paranoia, and ethical concerns, which can erode mental health. User perception and trust are central to understanding how individuals experience security technologies. The review emphasizes the importance of ethical guidelines, user education, and technological advancements in mitigating negative impacts. By embracing an ethical-by-design approach, empowering users, and promoting public awareness, a balanced equilibrium between security and mental health can be achieved. The conclusion highlights the significance of ongoing research and interdisciplinary collaboration to navigate this intricate relationship effectively. By prioritizing ethical considerations and fostering a dialogue that values security and individual well-being, we can ensure a safer and more mentally healthy future in our technologically interconnected world.

Investigating the quality of Iranian hospitals' websites and their association to the Province's share of medical tourism

BACKGROUND

Nowadays, virtual methods are among the most important and influential marketing instruments in various industries, such as medical tourism. This study aims to investigate the quality of Iranian hospitals' web pages and their association with the province's share of the medical tourism industry in Iran and the ownership type of hospitals.

METHODS

In this analytical cross-sectional study, the quality of hospitals' websites was investigated through a 36-item self-administered questionnaire which was validated, and its reliability was verified (Cronbach's alpha = 74%.). The questionnaire was categorized into three sections: hospital services and facilities, hospital's medical tourism-related services, and tourism information of the destination province. The census method was used for data collection. Data analysis was performed using the independent t-test and analysis of variance in SPSS software (version 25), and a P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

RESULTS

A total of, 102 hospitals with an IPD (International Patients Department) were included in the study, and 21.6% did not have an English-language page and were excluded from the study. The mean total score was 47 ± 7.5, indicating low-quality content. Public hospitals had lower quality scores than semi-private and private hospitals. The total quality score, information about the hospital and its services, and the score of information about medical tourism-related services were associated with the province's share of national medical tourism.

CONCLUSION

According to the obtained results and the possible role of website quality in increasing provinces' medical tourism development, the IPD page on hospital websites should be revised and regularly updated to make them more informative for prospective medical tourists.

Healthy eating blog readership: A cross-sectional survey in Australian adults

AIMS

To investigate whether members of the public read blogs for the purpose of accessing healthy eating information; examine demographic predictors of healthy eating blog readership, specifically education, gender, age, body mass index, and residential location; and explore the reasons for reading, and not reading, healthy eating blogs.

METHODS

This study used a cross-sectional online self-reported survey design collected over three time points (round 1: December 2017-March 2018, round 2: August 2018-December 2018, round 3: December 2021-March 2022). The total sample of participants comprised of 238 respondents with a mean age of 46 years old, who mostly reported gender as female (82%), being educated with a university degree (69%), and predominantly resided in urban and city areas (84%).

RESULTS

Fifty-one percent of respondents reported reading healthy eating blogs, suggesting that consumers were proactively seeking healthy eating information through this avenue. Participants who identified as female were 3.2 times more likely to read healthy eating blogs. Commonly, healthy eating blogs were read to receive practical information that aligned with current food choices. The main reason participants reported not reading healthy eating blogs was not thinking about using them (29%).

CONCLUSIONS

Understanding who is seeking healthy eating information through blogs, and their reasons doing so, is important to continue research into the potential effectiveness of blogs as a platform to communicate healthy eating and nutrition messages. This study provides direction for further investigation into how dietetics professionals could effectively use blogs to disseminate healthy eating information and positively influence consumer food choices and dietary intake.

Twitter trends in #Parasitology determined by text mining and topic modelling

This study investigated the emergence and use of Twitter, as of July 2023 being rebranded as X, as the main forum for social media communication in parasitology. A dataset of tweets was constructed using a keyword search of Twitter with the search terms 'malaria', 'Plasmodium', 'Leishmania', 'Trypanosoma', 'Toxoplasma' and 'Schistosoma' for the period from 2011 to 2020. Exploratory data analyses of tweet content were conducted, including language, usernames and hashtags. To identify parasitology topics of discussion, keywords and phrases were extracted using KeyBert and biterm topic modelling. The sentiment of tweets was analysed using VADER. The results show that the number of tweets including the keywords increased from 2011 (for malaria) and 2013 (for the others) to 2020, with the highest number of tweets being recorded in 2020. The maximum number of yearly tweets for Plasmodium, Leishmania, Toxoplasma, Trypanosoma and Schistosoma was recorded in 2020 (2804, 2161, 1570, 680 and 360 tweets, respectively). English was the most commonly used language for tweeting, although the percentage varied across the searches. In tweets mentioning Leishmania, only ∼37% were in English, with Spanish being more common. Across all the searches, Portuguese was another common language found. Popular tweets on Toxoplasma contained keywords relating to mental health including depression, anxiety and schizophrenia. The Trypanosoma tweets referenced drugs (benznidazole, nifurtimox) and vectors (bugs, triatomines, tsetse), while the Schistosoma tweets referenced areas of biology including pathology, eggs and snails. A wide variety of individuals and organisations were shown to be associated with Twitter activity. Many journals in the parasitology arena regularly tweet about publications from their journal, and professional societies promote activity and events that are important to them. These represent examples of trusted sources of information, often by experts in their fields. Social media activity of influencers, however, who have large numbers of followers, might have little or no training in science. The existence of such tweeters does raise cause for concern to parasitology, as one may start to question the quality of information being disseminated.

Are Digital Interventions the Next Frontier in Sex Therapy? A Mixed Methods Study Examining Attitudes toward Digital Sex Therapy

Digital health interventions can address governments' aims of providing better care, better outcomes, and lower costs. No previous research has examined attitudes toward digital sex therapy to understand what might facilitate, or hinder, the uptake of these interventions. This sequential mixed-methods study with qualitative structured interviews (n = 27) followed by a quantitative survey (n = 334) aimed to understand participants' expectations and attitudes toward digital sex therapy interventions. Participants reported a mixture of positive and negative attitudes to digital sex therapy. More positive attitudes, higher education level, and previous engagement in therapy predicted greater openness to using these interventions.

Association between Facebook Addiction, Depression, and Emotional Regulation among Women

Facebook has grown to be one of the most widely used communication platforms. A new condition linked with widespread use has emerged with its expanding popularity: Facebook addiction. A descriptive cross-sectional research design was used in the current study, in two randomly selected villages (Elmanial and Batra) and one town (Talkha city) affiliated with Dakahlia Governorate, Egypt. Data were collected from women only through using a self-administered socio-demographic questionnaire, Facebook addiction scale, Beck depression inventory-II, and emotional regulation scale. The study found 83.7% of the studied women reported moderate emotional regulation; 27.9% had moderate Facebook addiction, and 23.9% reported mild depression. The study concluded there was a significant negative correlation between Facebook addiction and emotional regulation.

Exploring the Darkverse: A Multi-Perspective Analysis of the Negative Societal Impacts of the Metaverse

The Metaverse has the potential to form the next pervasive computing archetype that can transform many aspects of work and life at a societal level. Despite the many forecasted benefits from the metaverse, its negative outcomes have remained relatively unexplored with the majority of views grounded on logical thoughts derived from prior data points linked with similar technologies, somewhat lacking academic and expert perspective. This study responds to the dark side perspectives through informed and multifaceted narratives provided by invited leading academics and experts from diverse disciplinary backgrounds. The metaverse dark side perspectives covered include: technological and consumer vulnerability, privacy, and diminished reality, human-computer interface, identity theft, invasive advertising, misinformation, propaganda, phishing, financial crimes, terrorist activities, abuse, pornography, social inclusion, mental health, sexual harassment and metaverse-triggered unintended consequences. The paper concludes with a synthesis of common themes, formulating propositions, and presenting implications for practice and policy.

Occupational Risks and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in the Indian Subcontinent: A Critical Review

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a significant public health concern in the Indian subcontinent, with high prevalence rates observed in countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and neighboring nations. This review article critically examines the occupational risks associated with COPD in the region and emphasizes the need for comprehensive preventive strategies. The review begins by providing background on COPD and highlighting its impact on individuals and the economy. It then explores the different occupational hazards that contribute to the development and progression of COPD, including exposure to airborne pollutants and chemicals, occupational dust, and smoking and secondhand smoke in the workplace. The existing occupational health and safety regulations in the Indian subcontinent are assessed, along with an evaluation of their effectiveness in addressing occupational risks for COPD. The review also highlights gaps and challenges in implementing and enforcing these regulations. The impact of COPD on occupational health and the economy is examined, emphasizing the burden it places on affected individuals and their ability to work. The economic implications of COPD-related productivity losses are evaluated, underscoring the importance of addressing occupational risks to improve workforce health and productivity. Prevention and mitigation strategies are explored, including an overview of preventive measures to reduce occupational risks for COPD, the significance of early detection and diagnosis of COPD in the workplace, and the implementation of engineering controls, personal protective equipment, and ventilation systems. The role of education and training programs for workers and employers is also discussed. The review identifies research gaps in the current understanding of occupational risks and COPD in the Indian subcontinent and suggests future research directions to address these gaps. It emphasizes the importance of collaborative efforts between researchers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to generate evidence, inform policy decisions, and implement effective interventions.

Storytelling and user experience in the cultural metaverse

Enthusiasm for the metaverse is intensifying in academia and industries. The metaverse is a complex concept, combining many technologies to create many different types of user experiences (UX), depending on the intended use. The cultural metaverse was first introduced in this study. This study is an initial attempt to fill the gaps in the practical research and storytelling research in the metaverse. Augmented reality (AR) technology is an applicative tool in cultural experience, which displays computer - generated virtual information on a real-world scene. AR displays digital information realistically, making it appear to be part of the actual environment, deepening or expanding the user's understanding of "reality". This study constructed a cultural metaverse using the innovative AR storytelling. The cultural metaverse is a new cultural ecology in which advanced information technologies are deeply integrated with cultural spaces and exhibits. It combines digital technologies and cultural industries, mixing virtual space and physical space to facilitate the UX in cultural experiences. In this study, the existing AR e-book and the innovative AR version were compared while measuring multiple aspects of UX, including presence, flow, enjoyment, education, and engagement. By analyzing questionnaire data from two groups with a total of 368 participants, the results indicated that the innovative AR storytelling produced a better UX across all variables compared to the AR e-book application. Overall, innovative AR storytelling allows visitors to transition between real and virtual spaces, enriches their interactive experience, and improves user engagement with the metaverse exhibition of cultural experience. Therefore, practitioners can construct a primary cultural metaverse through innovative AR storytelling.

A Bibliometric Review of the Evolution of Blockchain Technologies

Bitcoin was created in 2008 as the first decentralized cryptocurrency, providing an innovative data management technology, which was later named blockchain. It ensured data validation without intervention from intermediaries. During its early stages, it was conceived as a financial technology by most researchers. It was not until 2015, when the Ethereum cryptocurrency was officially launched worldwide, along with its revolutionary technology called smart contracts, that researchers began to change their perception of the technology and look for uses outside the financial world. This paper analyzes the literature since 2016, one year after Ethereum, analyzing the evolution of interest in the technology to date. For this purpose, a total of 56,864 documents created between 2016 and 2022 from four major publishers were analyzed, providing answers to the following questions. Q1: How has interest in blockchain technology increased? Q2: What have been the major blockchain research interests? Q3: What have been the most outstanding works of the scientific community? The paper clearly exposes the evolution of blockchain technology, making it clear that, as the years go by, it is becoming a complementary technology instead of the main focus of studies. Finally, we highlight the most popular and recurrent topics discussed in the literature over the analyzed period of time.

A Digital Health Initiative (COVIDsmart) for Remote Data Collection and Study of COVID-19's Impact on the State of Virginia: Prospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected people's lives beyond severe and long-term physical health symptoms. Social distancing and quarantine have led to adverse mental health outcomes. COVID-19-induced economic setbacks have also likely exacerbated the psychological distress affecting broader aspects of physical and mental well-being. Remote digital health studies can provide information about the pandemic's socioeconomic, mental, and physical impact. COVIDsmart was a collaborative effort to deploy a complex digital health research study to understand the impact of the pandemic on diverse populations. We describe how digital tools were used to capture the effects of the pandemic on the overall well-being of diverse communities across large geographical areas within the state of Virginia.

OBJECTIVE

The aim is to describe the digital recruitment strategies and data collection tools applied in the COVIDsmart study and share the preliminary study results.

METHODS

COVIDsmart conducted digital recruitment, e-Consent, and survey collection through a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act-compliant digital health platform. This is an alternative to the traditional in-person recruitment and onboarding method used for studies. Participants in Virginia were actively recruited over 3 months using widespread digital marketing strategies. Six months of data were collected remotely on participant demographics, COVID-19 clinical parameters, health perceptions, mental and physical health, resilience, vaccination status, education or work functioning, social or family functioning, and economic impact. Data were collected using validated questionnaires or surveys, completed in a cyclical fashion and reviewed by an expert panel. To retain a high level of engagement throughout the study, participants were incentivized to stay enrolled and complete more surveys to further their chances of receiving a monthly gift card and one of multiple grand prizes.

RESULTS

Virtual recruitment demonstrated relatively high rates of interest in Virginia (N=3737), and 782 (21.1%) consented to participate in the study. The most successful recruitment technique was the effective use of newsletters or emails (n=326, 41.7%). The primary reason for contributing as a study participant was advancing research (n=625, 79.9%), followed by the need to give back to their community (n=507, 64.8%). Incentives were only reported as a reason among 21% (n=164) of the consented participants. Overall, the primary reason for contributing as a study participant was attributed to altruism at 88.6% (n=693).

CONCLUSIONS

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the need for digital transformation in research. COVIDsmart is a statewide prospective cohort to study the impact of COVID-19 on Virginians' social, physical, and mental health. The study design, project management, and collaborative efforts led to the development of effective digital recruitment, enrollment, and data collection strategies to evaluate the pandemic's effects on a large, diverse population. These findings may inform effective recruitment techniques across diverse communities and participants' interest in remote digital health studies.

Exploring social media adoption by nurses for nursing practice in rural Volta, Ghana

AIM

The purpose of the study was to inquire into social media adoption by nurses for nursing practice.

DESIGN

An exploratory descriptive qualitative design was employed in understanding social media adoption for nursing care among nurses.

METHOD

A purposive sampling technique was employed to recruit 12 participants for the study. A semi-structured interview guide was used to conduct in-depth interviews which were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, coded and analysed. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data with NVivo 12.

RESULTS

The findings revealed nurses found social media to be useful for the dissemination, and reception of information, professional development and enhanced referral networks. Apart from its usefulness, participants believe that it is easy to navigate its apps, clear and understandable to use and does not involve much mental effort hence their favourable attitude towards use. Some participants also believe that inaccurate information, privacy and confidentiality concerns, distraction and addiction were some potential risks that are associated with its usage in nursing practice. Due to this, some participants developed a negative attitude towards its usage.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

Twelve nurses actively participated in the study.

Maximizing the positive and minimizing the negative: Social media data to study youth mental health with informed consent

Social media usage impacts upon the mental health and wellbeing of young people, yet there is not enough evidence to determine who is affected, how and to what extent. While it has widened and strengthened communication networks for many, the dangers posed to at-risk youth are serious. Social media data offers unique insights into the minute details of a user's online life. Timely consented access to data could offer many opportunities to transform understanding of its effects on mental wellbeing in different contexts. However, limited data access by researchers is preventing such advances from being made. Our multidisciplinary authorship includes a lived experience adviser, academic and practicing psychiatrists, and academic psychology, as well as computational, statistical, and qualitative researchers. In this Perspective article, we propose a framework to support secure and confidential access to social media platform data for research to make progress toward better public mental health.

Social media use and alcohol consumption among students in Uganda: a cross sectional study

Background

Globally, alcohol use significantly contributes to the disease burden. Alcohol consumption in Uganda is related to several health consequences among young people, including university students. Social media is commonly used by students to share academic information and create social networks. Among young people in high-income countries, previous studies have also shown that social media use can have negative health outcomes related to alcohol use, and associated problems. To date, similar studies conducted in low- and middle-income countries are largely missing.

Objective

To assess the prevalence of and associations between social media use and alcohol consumption among university students in Uganda.

Method

This was a cross-sectional study among 996 undergraduate students at Makerere University. Data were collected using a questionnaire. Alcohol use in the previous 12 months was the dependent variable. The independent variable was social media use categorised as general use, alcohol-related use, and social media lurking/passive participation. Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess associations. Crude and adjusted odds ratios were reported.

Results

Nearly all students (97%) used social media and 39% reported alcohol use. Regular alcohol use was significantly associated with moderate (OR = 2.22, CI: 1.35–3.66) and high level general social media use (OR = 2.45, CI: 1.43–4.20). Regular alcohol use was also associated with alcohol-related social media (OR = 6.46, CI: 4.04–10.30), and alcohol-related lurking (OR = 4.59, CI: 2.84–7.39). Similar, although weaker associations were identified for occasional alcohol use.

Conclusions

Approximately four in ten students reported alcohol use in the past year, and almost all students used social media. Alcohol-related social media use was associated with occasional and regular alcohol use, with stronger associations for regular use. These findings may guide further research and present an opportunity for potential alcohol control interventions to improve health among young populations in low- and middle-income countries.

Exploring the Impact of Online and Offline Channel Advantages on Brand Relationship Performance: The Mediating Role of Consumer Perceived Value

As omnichannel shopping behavior becomes increasingly popular among consumers, how to leverage the respective advantages and synergies of online and offline channels to retain customers for a long time is an urgent issue for retailers to solve. The purpose of this study is to explore the key advantages of online and offline channels influencing the omnichannel shopping experience in the decision-making process, and investigate their impact on consumer perceived value and brand relationship performance, as well as the interaction effect of online channel advantages and offline channel advantages. This study identifies the key advantages of online channels (search convenience, customer-generated information richness, and social connection) and offline channels (direct product experience, sales-staff assistance, and servicescape aesthetics) through a qualitative study and relevant literature review. Then, the proposed research framework was tested using the structural model equation in AMOS and hierarchical regression techniques in SPSS utilizing data from 347 shoppers. The results show that all variables except customer-generated information richness have positive impact on consumer perceived value. Other than search convenience and customer-generated information richness, consumer perceived value mediates the effect of other variables on brand relationship performance. Additionally, the interaction effect of online and offline channel advantages positively impacts consumer perceived value.

Chasing Metaverses: Reflecting on Existing Literature to Understand the Business Value of Metaverses

Metaverses refer to immersive virtual worlds in which people, places, and things of the physical world are represented by their digital representations. The wide adoption of metaverses is expected to widely disrupt the way we interact in the virtual world by elevating our online interactive experiences and bringing a plethora of implications for businesses. Following a structured literature review of related research published in the last decade, we shed light on our current understanding of metaverses and reflect on the potentially transformative value of metaverses for businesses in the near future. We draw on an established research framework to organize the insights of existing literature across different levels of analysis and activities' purpose. Through this analysis, we reveal eight propositions on the changes brought by the use of metaverses and identify a number of open questions which could serve as future research avenues.

Fake news on Facebook and their impact on supply chain disruption during COVID-19

Social media (SM) fake news has become a serious concern especially during COVID-19. In this study, we develop a research model to investigate to what extent SM fake news contributes to supply chain disruption (SCD), and what are the different SM affordances that contribute to SM fake news. To test the derived hypotheses with survey data, we have applied partial least square based structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique. Further, to identify how different configurations of SC resilience (SCR) capabilities reduce SCD, we have used fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). The results show that SM affordances lead to fake news, which increases consumer panic buying (CPB); CPB in turn increases SCD. In addition, SM fake news directly increases SCD. The moderation test suggests that, SCR capability, as a higher-order construct, decreases the effect of CPB on SCD; however, neither of the capabilities individually moderates. Complimentarily, the fsQCA results suggest that no single capability but their three specific configurations reduce SCD. This work offers a new theoretical perspective to study SCD through SM fake news. Our research advances the knowledge of SCR from a configurational lens by adopting an equifinal means towards mitigating disruption. This research will also assist the operations and SC managers to strategize and understand which combination of resilience capabilities is the most effective in tackling disruptions during a crisis e.g., COVID-19. In addition, by identifying the relative role of different SM affordances, this study provides pragmatic insights into SM affordance measures that combat fake news on SM.

Detecting fake news and disinformation using artificial intelligence and machine learning to avoid supply chain disruptions

Fake news and disinformation (FNaD) are increasingly being circulated through various online and social networking platforms, causing widespread disruptions and influencing decision-making perceptions. Despite the growing importance of detecting fake news in politics, relatively limited research efforts have been made to develop artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) oriented FNaD detection models suited to minimize supply chain disruptions (SCDs). Using a combination of AI and ML, and case studies based on data collected from Indonesia, Malaysia, and Pakistan, we developed a FNaD detection model aimed at preventing SCDs. This model based on multiple data sources has shown evidence of its effectiveness in managerial decision-making. Our study further contributes to the supply chain and AI-ML literature, provides practical insights, and points to future research directions.

The mediating role of gender in social media shopping acceptance: from the WOM perspective

Today, online consumers' shopping experiences are wholly transformed because of technology to maximize consumer shopping experiences. However, even after increased online shopping after the Covid-19 outbreak, no study has examined the role of demographics in online shopping acceptance. Thus, we filled this gap by employing a cross-sectional design in the UAE and conducting Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). For data gathering purposes, we used structured questionnaires and randomly selected a sample of n = 320 respondents from Al Ain city. Findings revealed strong relationships between Online Shopping, Social Media Usage, and Electronic Word of Mouth (p > 0.000, p > 0.000). Despite the relationships between Social Media Usage, Electronic Word of Mouth, and online shopping acceptance remaining insignificant (p < .384, p < .425), the relationship between Social Media Usage, Online Shopping Acceptance (p > .004) remained significant. Finally, we conducted the mediating analyses and found a substantial mediation of gender between Social Media Usage, Online Shopping Acceptance (p > .000), and Electronic Word of Mouth and Online Shopping Acceptance (p >. 001). Hence, we conclude that people from Al-Ain city primarily rely on online shopping. For this purpose, they consider different factors, including their demographics, i.e., gender, as highly influential on their online shopping acceptance. However, the major limitations of the current study involve selecting gender as the only mediating variable, rejection o two prominent hypotheses, and geographical generalizability of results. Finally, we recommend that future researchers examine the impact of other demographical variables, i.e., age, income, qualification, residence, and others, to examine their impacts on consumer online shopping acceptance.

The Critical Success Factors for Sustainability Financial Technology in Vietnam: A Partial Least Squares Approach

This paper helps in determining the critical success factors (CSFs) for sustainability financial technology business. An attempt is made to study the influence of were found CSFs to be key aspects of a business that must go well to ensure the success of an organization. These CSFs include issues that are vital to a company’s operating activities and its future success. The study collected data from 253 respondents through a structured questionnaire. Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling has been adopted to analyze the data through SmartPLSv3. For better understanding, we emphasize that companies within the same industry may exhibit different CSFs due to anomalies in their environmental situation or strategic situations, which might pose as a challenge for this study and the future exploration towards a general set of CSFs for sustainability fintech companies. The research concluded the presented seven CSFs with the following customer centricity, low profit margin, agility, scalability, security management, innovation, and compliance easy. The findings of the paper are beneficial for fintech enterprises and marketers to enhance the awareness and advantages of financial technology according to the needs of consumers and add value to the existing literature on the future sustainable financial technology businesses.

Creating behavioral engagement among higher education's prospective students through social media marketing activities: The role of brand equity as mediator

In today's competitive environment, higher education needs to find an effective way to convey its brand to prospective students. Given that the "digital native" (Gen Z) is becoming college aged, social media marketing has become an essential approach to engage with them. However, blasting out recruiting content on its social feeds just isn't working. By developing the higher education adjusted SMMA, structural equation modeling was adopted to figure out its effects on higher education brand equity and prospective student behavioral engagement, quantitatively. 356 3rd grade high school students in Indonesia were employed to assess the structural model. According to the findings of this study, SMMA has a considerable influence on brand equity and behavioral engagement, and brand equity has a noteworthy effect on behavioral engagement. Moreover, brand equity was found as a statistically meaningful mediator in the relationship between SMMA and behavioral engagement. The outcome advised the higher education need to organize its social in fun and interactive ways by leveraging higher education's SMMA as a pillar or benchmark on arranging social media posts and content. Yet, the content and posts should still need prioritize institution awareness and the good image of a higher education. The theoretical and managerial implication were discussed further.

The Impact of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Economy on Vietnam's Legal System

Digital transformation incorporates new technology into all elements of business and will require the modification of old business models. Similarly, artificial intelligence (AI) is a relatively new disruptive technology with the potential to impact industry and society substantially. Cognitive techniques imitating human behaviour and thought have resulted in advanced analytical models that assist businesses in increasing sales and improving customer engagement, operational efficiency, and service quality by producing new relevant from existing data. These decision-making models are based on descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics. A legislative framework that oversees all digital development uniformly across countries and facilitates a fully regulated digital transformation process is required. However, this regulatory system must not hinder the digital revolution. This study shows that AI and digital transformation will be integrated into various applications and thus used extensively. Nonetheless, the implementation must be carried out in conformity with both standard regulations and the new realities.

Advertising of foods and beverages in social media aimed at children: high exposure and low control

Background

This work is aimed to describe the recent scientific literature developed in the food/beverage sector and social networks aimed at children and adolescents, as well as current regulations.

Methods

A rapid review of the studies on advertising and social media aimed at children, published from 2010 tp 2020 is carried out, following the established inclusion criteria. In addition, the regulations in the countries in which the studies were carried out were also reviewed.

Results

Of the 573 articles, 7 met these criteria. The great attraction of unhealthy foods for children is observed, who remembered and recognized a greater number of unhealthy food brands and, by extension, the ability to influence of communication in social networks. Each country has its own self-regulation, two (Ireland and USA) have legislation on children’s food advertising, and Australia has legislation that applies only to open television. However, none of the analyzed countries have specific regulations on food, children and media advertising.

Conclusions

Given the fact that there is evidence about the great attraction that social networks suppose for the child, that they are a stimulus for the consumption of food and that many of these foods are harmful to their health; we should work in two directions: 1) Promote public policies based on promoting healthy habits among minors; and 2) Monitor and implement regulations in commercial communication social media.