What would affect drivers' stop-and-go decisions at yellow dilemma zones? A driving simulator study in Hong Kong.

Yellow dilemma, at which a driver can neither stop nor go safely after the onset of yellow signals, is one of the major crash contributory factors at the signal junctions. Studies have visited the yellow dilemma problem using observation surveys. Factors including road environment, traffic conditions, and driver characteristics that affect the driver behaviours are revealed. However, it is rare that the joint effects of situational and attitudinal factors on the driver behaviours at the yellow dilemma zone are considered. In this study, drivers' propensity to stop after the onset of yellow signals is examined using the driving simulator approach. For instances, the association between driver propensity, socio-demographics, safety perception, traffic signals, and traffic and weather conditions are measured using a binary logit model. Additionally, variations in the effect of influencing factors on driver behaviours are accommodated by adding the interaction terms for driver characteristics, traffic flow characteristics, traffic signals, and weather conditions. Results indicate that weather conditions, traffic volume, position of yellow dilemma in the sequence, driver age and safety perception significantly affect the drivers' propensity to stop after the onset of yellow signals. Furthermore, there are remarkable interactions for the effects of driver gender and location of yellow dilemma.

Enhancing mutual understanding of e-scooter user's perspective in overtaking maneuver through replaying own driving trajectory.

The global adoption of e-scooters as a convenient mode of micro-mobility transportation is on the rise, offering a flexible solution for covering first- and last-mile journeys. However, this surge in usage brings challenges, particularly concerning road safety, as e-scooter riders often share road space with other vehicles, heightening the risk of serious accidents. While numerous studies have explored safe overtaking behaviors and safety perceptions from drivers' viewpoints, limited attention has been given to understanding the varying safety perceptions of both drivers and e-scooter riders, particularly after riding an e-scooter and being overtaken by their own vehicles. This research aims to bridge this gap by examining variations in safety perceptions and assessing behavioral changes before and after experiencing overtaking scenarios. Specifically, the study focuses on scenarios where an e-scooter rider experiences being overtaken by a vehicle they had previously driven. A Unity-based sequential simulation process is employed to replay scenarios obtained from a vehicle simulator during an e-scooter experiment involving the same participant without their awareness. This innovative approach allows e-scooter rider participants to relive their own prior vehicle overtaking maneuvers while riding an e-scooter. The findings reveal that most participants (64%) felt less safe as e-scooter riders, influenced by factors like relative speed and acceleration of overtaking vehicles. After experiencing being overtaken by their own pre-driven vehicles, a noteworthy positive correlation emerged between safety perception and lateral distance, indicating that greater distance is derived from a better understanding of e-scooter safety. The study demonstrates the effectiveness of the sequential simulation strategy in fostering safe driving behavior and raising road safety awareness. Experiencing overtaking behaviors firsthand as an e-scooter rider, previously behind the wheel of the overtaking vehicle, encourages a heightened awareness of road safety. These findings have significant implications for road safety authorities, suggesting the potential application of this approach in driver education programs. By incorporating such interventions tailored to improve the safety of vulnerable road users, authorities can take proactive steps towards mitigating risks associated with micro-mobility transportation.

Herpes zoster (HZ) vaccine coverage and confidence in Italy: a Nationwide cross-sectional study, the OBVIOUS project.

BACKGROUND: Herpes Zoster is an age dependent disease and as such it represents a problem in the Italian social context, where the demographic curve is characterized by an overrepresentation of the elderly population. Vaccines against Herpes Zoster are available, safe and effective, however coverage remains sub-optimal. This study was therefore conducted to examine the variations in Herpes Zoster vaccine uptake and confidence across different regions in Italy. METHODS: This study utilized a cross-sectional computer-assisted web interview (CAWI) methodology. The survey was conducted by Dynata, an online panel provider, and involved 10,000 respondents recruited in Italy between April 11 and May 29, 2022. The sample was stratified based on geographic region, gender, and age group. Data management adhered to European Union data protection regulations, and the survey covered demographics, living conditions, and vaccination against herpes zoster (HZ), following the BeSD framework. RESULTS: The findings indicate regional disparities in herpes zoster vaccine uptake across Italy. Notably, the Islands region exhibits a particularly low vaccination rate (2.9%), highlighting the need for targeted interventions. The multivariate regression analysis showed that sociodemographic factors, limited access to healthcare services, and inadequate awareness of vaccine eligibility contribute to the lower uptake observed in this region. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, this research emphasizes regional disparities in herpes zoster (HZ) vaccination uptake in Italy. Demographic, socioeconomic, and geographic factors impact individuals' willingness to receive the vaccine. The study highlights the importance of awareness of vaccine eligibility and accessible vaccination facilities in increasing uptake rates.

Neighborhood safety perception and depressive symptoms in China: a moderated mediation relationship.

PURPOSE: Despite rich data on neighborhood safety perception's role in shaping depressive symptoms, a comprehensive view of this dynamic interplay remains a frontier. This study seeks to unravel the intricate interplay of neighborhood safety perception and depressive symptoms, utilizing the lens of social safety theory. METHODS: Employing the 2016 and 2020 waves of the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), this study utilized ordered logistic regression (ologit) for statistical analysis. The approach encompassed descriptive analysis of variables, Spearman's correlation analyses to explore associations between variables, and a moderated mediation analysis. Sensitivity analyses were also conducted to affirm the robustness of findings against model assumptions and data processing techniques. RESULTS: The study uncovered a significant negative correlation between neighborhood safety perception and depressive symptoms (Direct effect = - 0.338, Z = - 2.564, p = 0.010). A key finding was the steeper slope of the relationship between neighborhood safety perception and neighborhood relation perception among individuals with a higher perception of neighborhood environment quality. As neighborhood environment quality perception increases, the strength of the mediated negative impact on depressive symptoms intensifies (- 0.102 > - 0.132 > - 0.162). CONCLUSION: This study offers a comprehensive moderated mediation model that establishes a novel connection between neighborhood safety perception and depressive symptoms. It integrates the complexities of social safety theory and social information processes, revealing key strategies such as enhancing perceived neighborhood environment quality and neighborhood relationship quality.

Does food safety perception matter to farmers' happiness？ evidence from China.

Although the determinants of individuals' happiness have been widely examined in the literature, little is known regarding whether and how food safety perception affects farmers' happiness. To fill this research gap, this paper examines the impact of food safety perception on happiness among Chinese farmers, utilizing open-access data collected through the Chinese Social Survey project in 2013, 2017 and 2021. This study focuses on Chinese farmers as the research subject, attempting to analyze the "happiness code" from the perspective of food safety, which supplements the literature on happiness and provides reference for protecting the rights of low-income groups and promoting food safety strategies in developing countries. To address sample selection bias, this paper employs the recursive bivariate ordered probit (RBOP) model and conditional mixed process (CMP) method. The results reveal that the perception of food safety exerts a positive and statistically significant impact on farmers' happiness in China. In addition, food safety perception is more important among middle-aged and elderly farmers and among those with higher education. Thus, the policy makers should continue to make up for the shortcomings of rural food safety work and extend regulatory measures to rural areas. They also need to take efforts to strengthen food safety promotion, enhance farmers' safety awareness, and safeguard farmers' "safety on the tongue".

Stated preference analysis of autonomous vehicle among bicyclists and pedestrians in Pittsburgh using Bayesian Networks.

Presently, technology innovations are disrupting the status quo and changing the way people travel. In an effort to enhance safety, ease driving tasks, and attract car buyers, automobile manufacturers are offering new vehicle automation technologies. As these vehicle technologies become more automated, navigation around and interactions with pedestrians and bicyclists in complex travel environments becomes more challenging. With people being less predictable and less identifiable than other machines, these technologies can pose safety concerns for all users. In light of this, there is a need to further study the interaction between cyclists, pedestrians, and automated vehicles. In 2019, Bike Pittsburgh (BikePGH) conducted a survey of autonomous vehicles (AVs) in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to understand the perception of bicyclists and pedestrians when sharing the road with AVs. This study used the data collected by BikePGH to understand various factors associated with bicyclists' and pedestrians' perception of safety when sharing the road with AVs. Bayesian Networks (BNs) were used to learn the probabilistic interrelationship among AVs' aspects. BN results revealed that familiarity with the technology behind AVs, feeling safe while sharing the road with AVs, and using Pittsburgh's public streets as a proving ground for AVs were associated with higher likelihood of AVs' safety potential to reduce traffic injuries and fatalities. On the other hand, feeling safe while sharing the road with human-driven cars was associated with lower likelihood of AVs' safety potential to reduce traffic injuries and fatalities. Furthermore, the BN model predicted that the experience of sharing the road with AVs while riding a bicycle or walking, familiarity with the technology behind AVs, and using Pittsburgh's public streets as a proving ground for AVs were associated with higher likelihood of feeling safe sharing the road with AVs. The joint analysis of the variable showed the highest predicted probabilities of 95% and 86%, respectively for AVs' potential to reduce traffic injuries and fatalities and for feeling safe sharing the road with AVs. The practical application of this study is presented along with recommendations to operators, city engineers, and planner.

Factors affecting the willingness to pay extra for safe food.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: With the outbreak of infectious diseases, such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), public interest in health and safety has increased, and consequently, interests in food safety have been heightened too. The purpose of this study was to compare and analyze the involvement of various categories of consumers in food safety, the subjective evaluation of food safety in Korea, and the willingness of the consumers to pay extra for safe food according to their demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. MATERIALS/METHODS: This study used data from the 2020 Consumer Behavior Survey for Food provided by the Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI). The subjects were 6,355 adult household members aged 19 to 75 years old. The survey was conducted from June 10th to August 21st, 2020. The data for the study were subjected to statistical analyses, including descriptive statistics, complex sample general linear model, k-means cluster, and multiple regression analyses. RESULTS: The factors affecting the willingness to pay extra for safe food were education level, occupation, monthly household income, presence of a young (teenager) household member, and the subjects' involvement in food safety. the significant factors affecting the willingness to pay extra for safe food were sex, age, and income level for the group exhibiting a low level of involvement in food safety, while education level and presence of a young household member were the statistically significant factors for the group exhibiting a high level of involvement in food safety. CONCLUSION: This study verified the differences in the factors associated with the willingness to pay extra for safe food according to the demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, involvement in food safety, subjective evaluation of food safety. This study offers practical implications to the industry and government that would help in directing strategies to strengthen safe food management.

Impact of social media news on COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and vaccination behavior.

In order to take advantage of the power of social media to promote vaccination, this study reveals the mechanisms of positive and negative impacts of social media news on vaccine hesitancy and vaccination behavior. Based on the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) framework, we developed a research model to understand the effects of vaccine safety news and risk news from social media (external stimuli) on individuals' psychological organism (i.e., safety perception and risk perception) and consequent behavioral response, vaccine hesitancy and vaccination behavior. The proposed model was tested by partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) on a sample gathered in China from September 2021 to November 2021 and from February 2022 to April 2022 (valid responses = 1579). The results found that the relationship between vaccine risk news from social media and risk perception was higher than the relationship between vaccine safety news from social media and safety perception. Individuals are more sensitive to vaccine risk news than safety news on social media. Moreover, both safety perception and risk perception explained the critical psychological mechanisms behind vaccine hesitancy. Interestingly, ego network density mitigated the effect of safety news on safety perception and the effect of risk news on risk perception. The findings contribute to the S-O-R model, the research on social media effects, and the literature on vaccination attitudes and behaviors. This study also informs public health officials about leveraging the power of social media to motivate the public to accept the COVID-19 vaccines.

Impact of perceptions and attitudes on air travel choices in the post-COVID-19 era: A cross-national analysis of stated preference data.

The COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent travel restrictions have had an unprecedented impact on the air travel market. However, a rigorous analysis of the potential role of safety perceptions and attitudes towards COVID-19 interventions on future air passenger choices has been lacking to date. To investigate this matter, 1469 individuals were interviewed between April and September 2020 in four multi-airport cities (London, New York City, Sao Paulo, Shanghai). The core analysis draws upon data from a set of stated preference (SP) experiments in which respondents were asked to reflect on a hypothetical air travel journey taking place when travel restrictions are lifted but there is still a risk of infection. The hybrid choice model results show that alongside traditional attributes, such as fare, duration and transfer, attitudinal and safety perception factors matter to air passengers when making future air travel choices. The cross-national analysis points towards differences in responses across the cities to stem from culturally-driven attitudes towards interpersonal distance and personal space. We also report the willingness to pay for travel attributes under the expected future conditions and discuss post-pandemic implications for the air travel sector, including video-conferencing as a substitute for air travel.

Safety and security perceptions in informal transport: the case of Tunisia.

This study aims to evaluate the perception of safety and security in informal transport in Tunisia. This research employs a questionnaire-based survey of passengers and drivers of informal transport in Tunisia. Interviews were conducted with 215 informal transport Tunisian drivers and 255 Tunisian passengers, all above 18 years of age. Analyses have been made by employing several multivariate statistical analyses. Results showed that personal attributes of informal transport drivers influence their decision to violate traffic laws and to display risky driving behaviors. It was also found that driver skills, personality, education, experience, quality of the car, and information about the road congestion are the main factors influencing safety and security in informal transport. Non-compliance with the law by informal drivers leads to aberrant habits and behaviors as well as to a driving style beyond recognized standards. Informal drivers, police and local authorities are the parties involved in the low safety and security aspects of informal transport. It can be concluded that this study underlines that improving safety and security in informal transport cannot be achieved without improving awareness of the role of traffic laws and the need for their enforcement.

Enhancing pedestrian perceived safety through walking environment modification considering traffic and walking infrastructure.

Urban policies have recently been formulated, following the increasing interest in pedestrian-friendly cities, people-centered safety, and accessibility. Despite the research efforts on physical walking safety, safety evaluations centered on pedestrian perception have been under-reported. Investigating the factors affecting pedestrian subjective safety perception is critical to promoting walking intention because pedestrians forgo walking if they feel unsafe. This study explored the relationship between various walking environmental factors and pedestrians' psychological perception of safety by surveying 99 pedestrians' perceptions at nine study sites and conducting a field investigation. Because of the multifaceted nature of pedestrian perception, mediation effect analyses were also conducted to understand the relationship between walking environment factors and perceived safety in depth, considering the role of the perception of traffic characteristics and walking infrastructure. This study found that walking environmental factors closely related to physical safety (e.g., traffic safety facilities and crosswalks) may not greatly contribute to perceived safety and demonstrated that maintaining infrastructure quality is essential for enhancing perceived safety, considering the mediating effect of the perception of infrastructure on perceived safety. The results imply that to improve the walking environment, it is necessary to consider both the physical safety and the perceived safety of pedestrians. This requires comprehensive planning for enhancing traffic safety facilities as well as ensuring user comfort and pleasure through quality infrastructure. This study can provide a basis for enhancing pedestrian-centered safety and promoting residents' walking intention for public health while increasing their perceptions of safety.

Is negative e-WOM more powerful? Multimodal data analysis on air passengers' perception of COVID-19 safety measures.

During the normalization stage of the COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control, the safety threats caused by improper epidemic prevention measures of airlines have become the primary concern for air passengers. Negative e-WOM related to safety perception obtained based on online multimodal reviews of travel websites has become an important decision-making basis for potential air passengers when making airline choices. This study aims to examine the relationship between potential air passengers' negative safety perception and the usefulness of online reviews, as well as to test the moderating effect of review modality and airline type. It also further explores the effectiveness and feasibility of applying big data sentiment analysis to e-WOM management. To this end, the theoretical model of negative safety perception, review modality, and airline type affecting review usefulness was constructed. Then we select 10 low-cost airlines and 10 full-service airlines, respectively, according to the number of reviews sorted by the TripAdvisor website, and use crawling techniques to obtain 10,485 reviews related to COVID-19 safety of the above companies from December 2019 to date, and conduct safety perception sentiment analysis based on Python's Textblob library. Finally, to avoid data overdispersion, the model is empirically analyzed by negative binomial regression using R software. The results indicate that (1) Negative safety perception significantly and negatively affects review usefulness, that is, extreme negative safety perception can provide higher review usefulness for potential air passengers. (2) Review modality and airline type have a significant moderating effect on the relationship between negative safety perception and review usefulness, in which multimodal reviews and full-service airlines both weakened the negative impact of negative safety perception on review usefulness. The theoretical model in this paper is both an extension of the application of big data sentiment analysis techniques and a beneficial supplement to current research findings of e-WOM, providing an important reference for potential air passengers to identify useful reviews accurately and thus reduce safety risks in online decision-making.

How has public perception of food safety and health risks changed a year after the pandemic and vaccines roll out?

The recent coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19) has caused unprecedented turmoil and spurred fears that have profoundly changed the public's social and health behaviours, including the perception of food safety risks. One year after the pandemic and the global vaccination campaign, the public perception of food safety and the changes in their hygiene behaviour, health risks concerns, and trust were studied in Jordan, Lebanon, and Tunisia using a cross-sectional online survey. The results of 538 subjects showed a rise in the frequency of hygiene practices, notably in handwashing. Sixty-four percent of the participants were vaccinated, a proportion made up mainly of the Jordanians and Lebanese. For 66% and 64% of the two population groups, respectively, there were no longer trust concerns about COVID-19 health risks following vaccination, whereas the worries about getting COVID-19 persisted for others. Only 47% of participants trusted eating food prepared by vaccinated food handlers. A great majority of the Tunisians (81%) showed varying degrees of concern about COVID-19 transmission from food and the lowest vaccination rate (33%). The current study demonstrated that the impact of vaccination policy positively affects public perception of food-related risks during the pandemic. On the other hand, 33% of the surveyed Jordanians and Tunisians lost trust in the health authorities' management of the pandemic, and 45% of the Lebanese still don't trust them. Communication strategies on health and food safety with the public still represent a challenge for these and probably other countries in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Strategies for building and maintaining public trust are crucial to curb persistent fear of food, hence, avoiding potential stigmatization affecting the food economy by promoting health awareness and positive changes in food safety perceptions for safer practices.

Are Construction Managers from Mars and Workers from Venus? Exploring Differences in Construction Safety Perception of Two Key Field Stakeholders.

Persisting high rates of worksite accidents and injuries in construction projects indicate the urge to investigate the root causes and revisit safety practices in this industry. Consonance in perceptions and safety approaches has been identified as a fundamental factor in boosting projects' safety. Discrepancies between how different elements of construction safety are perceived and handled by the key stakeholders, namely managers and workers, could be detrimental to worksite safety. This research studied how, if at all, the perception of four key construction safety components, including 33 sets of pairwise questions, is different in the lens of managers from workers. To explore safety perceptions, 133 construction professionals in the United States participated in the study and expressed their perceptions toward their own and counterparts' (1) safety knowledge, (2) safety culture and commitment, (3) safety performance, and (4) safety support and communication. The results indicated that massive gaps in safety perceptions do exist between the construction managers and workers (26 out of 33 areas), and the magnitude varies for different safety elements. In all four categories, both managers and workers perceived a superior safety position for themselves and inferior for their counterparts. Further investigations revealed that the common ground between managers and workers is their consensus on proper communication and safety training as the key solutions to address such discrepancies. Construction safety professionals and practitioners can benefit from the results of this study to establish and implement strategies to foster communication and provide more effective safety training to bridge the existing gaps in the perception of safety by managers and workers.

COVID-19 Pandemic and Teachers' Classroom Safety Perception, Anxiety and Coping Strategies during Instructional Delivery.

Several professionals, including teachers, have been engrossed in fear of the worst happening due to COVID-19 and the rapidly evolving nature of the virus affecting the perception of safety in any working environment. This study examined teachers' perception of classroom safety, anxiety, and coping strategies during instructional delivery in senior high schools in Ghana. Adopting the cross-sectional survey design with a quantitative approach, a convenient sample of 174 senior high school teachers in the Cape Coast Metropolis completed a questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression. The findings showed that teachers perceived their classroom environment as unsafe during instructional delivery amidst COVID-19 and reported modest to extreme levels of anxiety. Further, teachers with a high level of COVID-19 anxiety were found to utilize active coping strategies to manage stressful situations. The reported unsafe working environment in schools during pandemic times highlights the critical role of supportive working environments for teachers' mental and psychological wellness. School counseling psychologists, school welfare officers, and school health coordinators should collaborate to implement interventions (e.g., social emotional learning; resilience strategies) that promote the wellbeing of teachers and a safe working environment.

Presence of tourists and perceived safety from COVID-19 among local bus users: Evidence from a Mediterranean city.

Since the start of COVID-19 pandemic, public transport has been signalled as a potential contagion hot-spot, leading to a generalised decrease in its use. However, public transport use is still being used and little is known about how the perception of loyal users is configured in contexts of influenza-like viruses such as SARS-CoV-2. The configuration of the perception of safety acquires a critical importance in urban contexts where the public transport system is used both by tourists and local users. The presence of strangers or higher crowding levels could impact the perception of safety among residents and their consequent travel behaviour. In the present study, we explored how the presence of tourists influences the configuration of the perception safety related to the transmission of COVID-19 on public transport of daily users. We used data from an ad-hoc survey conducted at the main bus stations and stops of the Tarragona Urban Area (Catalonia, Spain) between August and September 2020. This area includes the Costa Daurada coastal destination. The 2020 summer holiday season was characterised for the relaxation of mobility restrictions and the start of the second wave of COVID-19. Results show how the presence of tourists in buses negatively influenced the perception of safety of local users. However, this influence can be mostly explained to their prior perception of risk of contagion. These findings will be useful for policymakers and public transport managers in both the latter stages of the COVID-19 pandemic and future virus-related epidemics to maintain public transport ridership.

Train travel in corona time: Safety perceptions of and support for policy measures.

To minimize the risk of becoming infected by the Coronavirus while traveling by train, the national government and the Dutch railways' operator (NS) in the Netherlands have taken several policy measures. These involve that passengers have to wear masks and guidelines are issued for working at home and teaching online. In addition, other policy measures, such as introducing a reservation system, were considered. To examine to what extent train travelers support policy measures and how these change their perception of becoming infected while traveling by train, a stated preference experiment is conducted. Respondents were asked to evaluate various combinations of policy measures, both whether they consider it safe to travel by train under the stated conditions and whether they would vote in favor of the policy package in a referendum. To analyze the data, a mediation choice model is developed, which allows disentangling the direct effect of the policy measures on support and the indirect effect mediated by infection safety perception. To illustrate this, the results show that implementing the policy measure teaching on campus with later starting times would decrease travelers' infection safety perception and therefore indirectly decrease its support. However, the positive direct effect on support suggests that travelers like this option better than teaching online, the guideline that applied at the time of data collection. The direct and indirect effects cancel each other out, indicating that this alternative policy measure would not count on more support than the guideline teaching online. Furthermore, this paper examines the heterogeneity in the support for policy measures by presenting and discussing the results of a Latent Class Choice Model. Amongst others, the results reveal that one class strongly supports the policy measure reservation system, while another class stongly opposes this measure, suggesting that implementing this measure is not trivial as suggested by its moderate effects at the aggregate level.

COVID-19-Related Knowledge and Anxiety Response among Physical Education Teachers during Practical In-Person Lessons: Effects of Potential Moderators.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in heightened anxiety levels among teachers, especially regarding PE teachers who are required to engage students in practical in-person or contact teaching lessons. Previous research showed that these levels of anxiety among PE teachers appeared to be explained by the interplay between COVID-19 knowledge, workplace safety perception, and educational qualification. This study assessed the relationship between COVID-19-related knowledge and anxiety response among PE teachers during such practical lessons while moderating the effects of workplace safety perception and educational qualification within the relationship. The study conveniently recruited 160 PE teachers to solicit responses through both online and printed questionnaires. Using correlation and linear regression analyses, the study revealed a significant negative relationship between COVID-19-related knowledge and anxiety response among PE teachers. The educational qualification of PE teachers did not significantly moderate the association between COVID-19-related knowledge and anxiety response. Workplace safety perception significantly moderated the association between COVID-19-related knowledge and anxiety response among PE teachers. The findings remind educational authorities about the essence of creating a positive and safe working environment conducive to academic work. Achieving this goal requires the provision of adequate COVID-19 management logistics (e.g., personal protective equipment, hand sanitizers) by educational authorities for PE teachers to maintain safety practices and optimal learning conditions.

Subjective symptoms of SMFs and RF energy, and risk perception among staff working with MR scanners within two public hospitals in South Africa.

This study assessed subjective symptoms associated with exposure to static magnetic fields (SMFs) and radiofrequency (RF) energy, and perceived safety risk of scanners among magnetic resonance (MR) staff working in the 1.5 and 3 T MRI units. A questionnaire survey was completed by 77 clinical imaging staff working in two hospitals (A and B) in the Mangaung metropolitan region. 50 participants working with the MR scanners were regarded as exposed group and 27 participants from CT scan and X-ray departments were classified as control group. The study comprised 57% females and 43% male participants with an average MRI experience of 5.4 years. Using logistic regression, tinnitus was significantly different between various job titles (p< .034) and it was reported more often (OR 8:00; CI 1.51, 15.17) by those who worked on a 3 T scanner. Increased years of MRI experience was a significant predictor of headache (p< .05), and reporting of nausea was significantly different between various job titles (p < .01). There was an increased risks of reporting vertigo often among female participants (OR: 4.43; CI 0.91, 21.47), those with 5-15 years of MRI experience (OR: 2.09; CI 0.47, 9.34), and those with a light to moderate workload (OR: 2.70; CI 0.49, 14.86). Using linear regression, presence in zone IV during image acquisitioning was the only significant predictor for the sensation of glowing (p < .000). Movement of head/ upper body in the scanner bore was a significant predictor of nausea (p< .026), vertigo (p< .014), instability when standing (p< .014), and a metallic taste (p< .031). There was no correlation between reporting of symptoms and perceived risk of scanners. However, shift duration (rs = 0.576), movement of head/upper body in the scanner bore (rs = 0.424), and strength of the scanners (rs = 0.299) were significantly correlated with perceived risk of scanners. MRI safety training and a comprehensive occupational health and safety program are necessary.

Tourists' Safety Perception Clues in the Urban Forest Environment: Visual Quality, Facility Completeness, Accessibility-A Case Study of Urban Forests in Fuzhou, China.

The service quality and safety perception of urban forests are important factors that influence tourists to choose them as recreation destinations. This study aims to propose a theoretical model of multivariate relationships to explore the relationship between service quality (including visual quality, facility completeness, and accessibility) and safety perception to examine whether visual quality, facility completeness, and accessibility on tourists' safety perception in the urban forest and to explain the specific reasons for the impact. We collected sample data from many urban forest green spaces in Fuzhou through a two-stage field survey (N = 891), and controlling for potential confounders, a structural equation model was used to estimate relationships. Safety perception was divided into safety environment perception, control perception, and safety emotion. Visual quality of an urban forest positively affected safety emotion. Traffic accessibility positively affected control perception. Facility completeness had a positive impact on safety emotion and control perception. Both safety emotion and control perception played an important intermediary role in improving the perception of a safe environment in the multivariate model. Visual quality, facility completeness, and accessibility all had a positive impact on tourists' safety perception of urban forests. The findings suggest that improving the service quality of a green space can effectively improve tourists' evaluation of the safety of the urban forest environment. Specifically, tourists' psychological tolerance to threats and their self-confidence in survival can be enhanced by improving the service quality of a green space.