Longitudinal reciprocal associations between volunteering, health and well-being: evidence for middle-aged and older adults in Europe.

BACKGROUND: There is substantial evidence on the importance of voluntary activities for the health of middle-aged and older adults. Evidence on the effects of health and well-being on volunteering is more limited. This study examines reciprocal longitudinal associations between voluntary and/or charity activities and 21 indicators related to physical health, well-being, cognitive impairment and daily life functioning among middle-aged and older adults. METHODS: Longitudinal data were collected between 2011 and 2020 from a sample of 19 821 middle-aged and older adults from 15 countries participating in the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. An outcome-wide analysis and an exposure-wide analysis were applied and generalized estimating equations were used. Robustness analyses were conducted. RESULTS: Voluntary and/or charity activities almost every week or more often were prospectively associated with greater emotional well-being, reduced risks of limitations in activities of daily living and of being diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease at a 6-year follow-up. Positive reverse associations were found from emotional well-being to volunteering. Limitations in daily life activities, increased loneliness, high blood cholesterol, hypertension and chronic lung disease were found to impede participation in voluntary and/or charity activities over time. Feedback loops between voluntary and/or charity activities and well-being and limitations in daily activities may exist. CONCLUSION: Understanding the reciprocal nature of the relationship between volunteering and health and well-being can help identify strategies to encourage volunteering among middle-aged and older adults with specific health conditions and to target health promotion efforts towards volunteers.

The Significance of Potential Volunteering in Late Adulthood: A Janus-Faced Perspective.

This article examines the efficacy of volunteering potential regarding actual volunteering at a later point in time. Volunteering potential consists of two components: past volunteering and the intention to do so in the future. Using two-wave panel data from the German Transitions and Old Age Potential (TOP) study with 1,196 respondents born between 1942 and 1958, binary logistic regression estimates reveal significant adjusted average marginal effects of both potential components on actual volunteering at a later stage (intention: +8.4 percentage points, past volunteering: +6.3 percentage points). Considering both components as an interaction term, analyses provide mixed results. By taking greater account of the potential volunteers, scholars and policy-makers will have better insights into how to assess recruitment potential among older adults.

End-of-life conversations about death and dying from volunteer perspectives: A qualitative study.

OBJECTIVES: Although often unrecognized, volunteers fulfill many essential roles in hospices and other end-of-life care settings. Volunteers complement the actions of professionals in fulfilling many extra care needs, such as delivering newspapers and tidying bedsides. We explored end-of-life conversations about death and dying between hospice volunteers and terminally ill people, with a particular emphasis on any expressed desire to die. Our 2 research questions were as follows: (1) What is the nature of end-of-life conversations between hospice patients and hospice volunteers? and (2) How do hospice volunteers experience conversations about death and dying with patients who are at the end-of-life? METHODS: We conducted semi-structured interviews using an interpretive phenomenological analysis. We recruited hospice volunteers from 4 hospices in Calgary, Edmonton, and Red Deer; 3 larger cities in the province of Alberta, Canada. RESULTS: We interviewed 12 participants to saturation. Four themes emerged: (1) trusting conversations about death and dying in the context of a safe place; (2) normalcy of conversations about death and dying; (3) building meaningful relationships; and (4) end-of-life conversations as a transformative experience. Our results emphasize the importance of preparing volunteers for conversations about death and dying, including the desire to die. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: The safe environment of the hospice, the commitment to patient confidentiality, and the ability of volunteers to meet the basic and emotional needs of dying people or simply just be present without having formal care duties that need to be completed contribute to volunteers being able to participate in timely and needed conversations about death and dying, including the desire to die. In turn, hospice experiences and end-of-life conversations provide a transformative experience for volunteers.

A Greater Variety of Social Activities Is Associated With Lower Mortality Risk.

OBJECTIVES: More frequent engagement in social activity is often associated with better physical health outcomes. Yet, less is known about whether engagement in a greater variety of social activities such as a mix of volunteering and attending club meetings (social activity variety) is important for health. The current study assessed whether social activity variety relates to mortality risk after adjusting for social activity frequency, nonsocial activity frequency and variety, and sociodemographic covariates, and how this relationship varies depending on age. METHODS: Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, we included 5,017 adults aged 51 and older who completed questions about social activity participation in 2008 and whose mortality status was recorded up to 2019. We also examined whether age moderated the relationship between social activity variety and mortality risk. RESULTS: Cox proportional hazard model analyses revealed that those with higher activity variety in social activities were more likely to survive over the following 11 years than those with low social activity variety. Moreover, age moderation indicated that the association between social activity variety with mortality risk was stronger among the oldest adults. DISCUSSION: Findings suggest that a greater variety of social activities is linked to mortality risk even after adjusting for social activity frequency, nonsocial activities, and health status across adulthood.

Factors associated with community volunteering among adults over the age of 50 in Malaysia.

BACKGROUND: Community volunteering is defined as voluntary participation in activities and services to benefit the local community. It has potential benefits to promote social, physical, and mental well-being, and it enhances productive, healthy, and active aging. The tendency to volunteer varies across individuals and communities. There is limited knowledge of contributing factors influencing volunteering among Malaysian adults over the age of 50. AIMS: The present study aims to assess the association of demographic, cultural, and social factors with volunteering among Malaysian adults over the age of 50. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2020 involving 3,034 Malaysians aged 50 years and above across Malaysia, selected using a multi-stratified random sampling technique based on National Census 2020 data. A validated survey questionnaire to determine the demographic factor (age, sex, education level, employment status, health status, physical disability, and location of residence), cultural factor (ethnicity and religion), and social factor (social support, marital status, living arrangement, mode of transportation) that influence voluntary participation was distributed and collected. The association between these factors and volunteer participation was analysed using logistic regression models to identify significant predictors of voluntary participation among Malaysian adults over the age of 50. RESULTS: A regression model indicates that living in rural areas (OR 2.03, 95% CI 1.63-2.53), having higher education level (Tertiary level: OR 2.77, 95% CI 1.86-4.13), being employed (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.10-1.56), differences in ethnicity background (Chinese: OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.39-0.86) and ease of transportation (Driving private transport: OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.19-1.32; Public transport: OR 1.07, 95% CI 1.00-1.154) were significantly associated with volunteering with R2 Nagelkerke of 0.147. CONCLUSION: Recognising various factors towards community volunteering should be addressed by policymakers and volunteer organisations to increase volunteer participation from potential adults over the age of 50 in promoting healthy and active ageing.

Relationship between benefit finding and volunteer motivation among nursing students: The mediating role of perceived social support.

BACKGROUND: Volunteer motivation is essential to advancing community service, education, and career development of nursing students. However, few studies have been conducted on nursing students' volunteer motivation. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the relationship between social support benefit finding and volunteer motivation among nursing students and the role of social support in these relationships. METHOD: This study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional design. A total of 2166 nursing students were recruited from eighteen medical schools in Henan Province, China. Participants completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Social Support Scale, the Benefit Finding Scale, and the Volunteer Motivation Scale online between March and May 2022. Correlation and mediation analyses were used to explore the mediating role of social support in the relationships among social support, benefit finding, and volunteer motivation. RESULTS: A total of 2166 valid questionnaires were collected in this study. Benefit finding positively affected volunteer motivation (ß = 0.422, p < 0.01), and perceived social support positively affected volunteer motivation (ß = 0.407, p < 0.01). Perceived social support played a mediating role between benefit finding and volunteer motivation (ß = 0.112, 95 % confidence interval 0.076, 0.148). CONCLUSIONS: The study provides evidence on the mechanisms of action between benefit finding and volunteer motivation among nursing students. Professionals in schools and voluntary organizations should prioritize guiding nursing students to explore the motivations behind volunteering while also fostering a supportive environment for student volunteers in nursing.

Dietary Supplement Use in Transmasculine People: Results of an Online Survey of Volunteer Adults.

INTRODUCTION: Health inequities and disparities in nutrition research exist among transmasculine people. A dearth of evidence on dietary supplement use and motivations exist, partially due to constrained collection of sex and gender identity in national surveys. OBJECTIVE: We sought to investigate common motivations and use of dietary supplements in a voluntary survey of transmasculine people. METHODS: A total of 48 participants completed an online survey detailing dietary supplement use, motivations, and demographic information. RESULTS: 64.5 and 90.0% of participants reported use of 1+ dietary supplement within the past 30-days and during some point in their lifetime, respectively. Top reported product types used included multivitamins (52%), melatonin (52%), vitamin D (46%), vitamin C (35%), fish oil (33%), B-vitamins or B-complex (31%), iron (29%), green tea (29%), biotin (25%), cranberry (23%), zinc (23%), protein powder (23%), probiotics (23%), and calcium (21%). There was no relationship between the number of supplements reported and participant age, BMI, income, or mastectomy status (p > 0.05). Participants reported top motivations being for "improving my overall health" (60.4%), "maintaining health" (54.2%), to "supplement my diet due to not getting enough from food"(41.7%), "mental health" (39.6%), and to "prevent colds, boost immune system" (33.3%). CONCLUSION: Transmasculine people in our study reported a high use of dietary supplements. Differences in the types of products and number of products used, as well as specific motivations for use likely exist within this subpopulation, however, future nationally-representative longitudinal studies are needed to fully elucidate these patterns and for informing evidence-based nutrition guidance.

Global Rate of Willingness to Volunteer Among Medical and Health Students During Pandemic: Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: During health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, shortages of health care workers often occur. Recruiting students as volunteers could be an option, but it is uncertain whether the idea is well-accepted. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to estimate the global rate of willingness to volunteer among medical and health students in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A systematic search was conducted on PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Google Scholar for studies reporting the number of health students willing to volunteer during COVID-19 from 2019 to November 17, 2023. The meta-analysis was performed using a restricted maximum-likelihood model with logit transformation. RESULTS: A total of 21 studies involving 26,056 health students were included in the meta-analysis. The pooled estimate of the willingness-to-volunteer rate among health students across multiple countries was 66.13%, with an I2 of 98.99% and P value of heterogeneity (P-Het)<.001. Removing a study with the highest influence led to the rate being 64.34%. Our stratified analyses indicated that those with older age, being first-year students, and being female were more willing to volunteer (P<.001). From highest to lowest, the rates were 77.38%, 77.03%, 65.48%, 64.11%, 62.71%, and 55.23% in Africa, Western Europe, East and Southeast Asia, Middle East, and Eastern Europe, respectively. Because of the high heterogeneity, the evidence from this study has moderate strength. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of students are willing to volunteer during COVID-19, suggesting that volunteer recruitment is well-accepted.

Increasing cost-effectiveness of AEDs using algorithms to optimise location.

OBJECTIVES: Volunteer responder systems (VRSs) aim to decrease time to defibrillation by dispatching trained volunteers to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) victims. AEDs are often underutilized due to poor placement. This study provides a cost-effectiveness analysis of adding AEDs at strategic locations to maximize quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). METHODS: We simulated combined volunteer, police, firefighter, and emergency medical service response scenarios to OHCAs, and applied our methods to a case study of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. We compared the competing strategies of placing additional AEDs, using steps of 40 extra AEDs (0, 40, …, 1480), in addition to the existing 369 AEDs. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) were calculated for each increase in additional AEDs, from a societal perspective. The effect of AED connection and time to connection on survival to hospital admission and neurological outcome at discharge was estimated using logistic regression, using OHCA data from Amsterdam from 2006 to 2018. Other model inputs were obtained from literature. RESULTS: Purchasing up to 1120 additional AEDs (ICER €75,669/QALY) was cost-effective at a willingness-to-pay threshold of €80,000/QALY, when positioned strategically. Compared to current practice, adding 1120 AEDs resulted in a gain of 0.111 QALYs (95% CI 0.110-0.112) at an increased cost of €3792 per OHCA (95% CI €3778-€3807). Health benefits per AED diminished as more AEDs were added. CONCLUSIONS: Our study identified cost-effective strategies to position AEDs at strategic locations in a VRS. The case study findings advocate for a substantial increase in the number of AEDs in Amsterdam.

Volunteering among medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic: what should be taken into account? / Voluntariado entre estudantes de medicina durante a pandemia de COVID-19: o que devemos considerar?

Abstract: Introduction: during the COVID-19 pandemic, the universities suspended in-person activities and medical education adapted from the traditional format to virtual scenarios. Thus, the volunteering activities might improve the apprenticeship in critical situations and constitute a way to obtain competences and clinical skills. Objective: to identify the frequency of student volunteering during the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated factors. Methods: a cross-sectional study was performed targeting medical students in their last 3 years at a medical school in Brazil. Three hundred and fifty invitations were sent by email to ask students to participate in a self-administered, anonymous electronic survey during the pandemic. The primary outcome was the frequency of volunteer activities. Sociodemographic variables and characteristics of the medical students' activities were the dependent variables for the multivariate analysis that calculated the factors associated with volunteering. Results: One hundred and twenty-five respondents (35.8% response rate) were included in the analysis (no missing data). The frequency of volunteering was 52% and most of the participants were females (63.2%) and all had access to online activities. Telemedicine was the most frequent activity (56/65). After the multivariate analysis, it was found that a family income of 5.1-10 minimal wages (OR=2.32[0.94-6.42]), expressing the ability and confidence in a pandemic situation (OR=4.91[1.49-16.2]) and considering e-learning important before the pandemic (OR=16.46[1.35-200.32]) and exposure of more than 120 minutes to social media platforms were less motivating for volunteering. Conclusion: About half of the medical students volunteered during the COVID-19 pandemic. The presence of self-confidence, with previous training in a pandemic situation motivated the students to volunteer.

Resumo: Introdução: Durante a pandemia da Covid-19, as universidades suspenderam as atividades presenciais e o ensino médico adaptou-se do formato tradicional para os cenários virtuais. Assim, as atividades de voluntariado podem melhorar a aprendizagem em situações críticas e são uma forma de obter competências e habilidades clínicas. Objetivo: Este estudo teve como objetivo identificar a frequência do voluntariado nos estudantes durante a pandemia da Covid-19 e seus fatores associados. Método: Realizou-se um estudo transversal com estudantes de Medicina dos três anos finais de uma faculdade no Brasil. Trezentos e cinquenta alunos foram convidados via e-mail para uma pesquisa eletrônica anônima e autoaplicável, em meio à pandemia. O resultado primário foi a frequência das atividades voluntárias. Variáveis sociodemográficas e características da atividade dos estudantes foram as variáveis dependentes para análise multivariada dos fatores associados ao voluntariado. Resultado: Incluíram-se 125 alunos (taxa de resposta de 35,8%) na análise (sem dados ausentes). A frequência de voluntariado foi de 52%, a maioria dos participantes era do sexo feminino (63,2%), e todos tinham acesso a atividades on-line. A telemedicina foi a atividade mais frequente (56/65). Em análise multivariada, constatou-se que os seguintes fatores foram menos motivadores para o voluntariado: renda familiar entre 5,1 e dez salários mínimos (OR = 2,32 [0,94-6,42]), capacidade e confiança em atuar numa situação de pandemia (OR = 4,91 [1,49-16,2]), os alunos que consideraram importante uso do e-learning antes da pandemia (OR = 16,46 [1,35-200,32]) e exposição por mais de 120 minutos a plataformas de mídia social. Conclusão: Cerca de metade dos estudantes de Medicina foram voluntários durante a pandemia da Covid-10. A presença de autoconfiança com aconselhamento prévio em uma situação de pandemia motivou o aluno a se voluntariar.

A experiência do trabalho voluntário e colaborativo em saúde mental e atenção psicossocial na COVID-19 / La experiencia del trabajo voluntario y colaborativo en salud mental y atención psicosocial en COVID-19 / The experience with volunteer and collaborative work in mental health and psychosocial care during the COVID-19 pandemic

O Brasil é um dos países com maior número de casos e óbitos na pandemia por COVID-19, e seus impactos representam múltiplos desafios para a saúde mental. Esta comunicação relata a experiência de conformação emergencial do Grupo de Trabalho (GT) voluntário e colaborativo em saúde mental e atenção psicossocial, com objetivo de fornecer respostas rápidas aos serviços de saúde no contexto da COVID-19. O trabalho envolveu a identificação e sistematização de evidências atualizadas da literatura científica sobre saúde mental e atenção psicossocial em situações de emergências em saúde pública e pandemias, a constituição de uma rede envolvendo 117 pesquisadores e 25 instituições, além da organização de temas para elaboração de materiais, tendo como referência as fases de resposta em emergências em saúde pública e pandemias. Em menos de 60 dias foram publicados 18 documentos técnicos norteadores, englobando desde a organização e gestão dos serviços voltados aos diferentes grupos vulneráveis, ações que se tornaram referência em instituições e serviços de saúde, tendo sido também lançado um curso nacional sobre saúde mental e atenção psicossocial na COVID-19, com mais de 60 mil inscritos. Da experiência, são destacados tópicos para reflexão e contribuição para futuras ações, envolvendo translação do conhecimento nesta e em próximas emergências em saúde pública e pandemias: (1) combinar o trabalho voluntário e colaborativo com o envolvimento de profissionais experientes na organização de serviços e atenção em eventos passados; (2) contar com o suporte e recursos institucionais; (3) envolver a constituição de redes de profissionais e instituições para atingir rapidez e credibilidade no trabalho; (4) para as respostas às necessidades urgentes, deve-se envolver também a capacidade de moldar caminhos para a atenção e os cuidados em saúde mental e atenção psicossocial.

Brasil es uno de los países con mayor número de casos y óbitos en la pandemia por COVID-19 y sus impactos representan múltiples desafíos para la salud mental. Esta comunicación relata la experiencia de conformación de emergencia del Grupo de Trabajo (GT) voluntario y colaborativo en salud mental y atención psicosocial, con el objetivo de proporcionar respuestas rápidas a los servicios de salud en el contexto de la COVID-19. El trabajo implicó la identificación y sistematización de evidencias actualizadas de la literatura científica sobre salud mental y atención psicosocial en situaciones de emergencias en salud pública y pandemias, la constitución de una red implicando a 117 investigadores y 25 instituciones, la organización de temas para la elaboración de materiales, teniendo como referencia las fases de respuesta en emergencias en salud pública y pandemias. En menos de 60 días se publicaron 18 documentos técnicos orientativos, desde la organización de los servicios y gestión de los servicios a los diferentes grupos vulnerables, que se convirtieron en referencia en instituciones y servicios de salud, así como el lanzamiento de un curso nacional sobre salud mental y atención psicosocial en la COVID-19, con más de 60 mil inscritos. De la experiencia se destacan temas para reflexión y contribución para futuras experiencias, implicando translación del conocimiento en esta y en futuras emergencias en salud pública y pandemias: (1) combinar el trabajo voluntario y colaborativo con la implicación profesionales con experiencia en la organización de servicios y atención en eventos pasados; (2) contar con el apoyo y recursos institucionales; (3) la rapidez y la credibilidad del trabajo implica la constitución de redes de profesionales e instituciones; (4) las respuestas a las necesidades urgentes deben implicar también la capacidad de moldear caminos para la atención y los cuidados en salud mental y atención psicosocial.

Brazil is the country of the world with the second most COVID-19 cases and deaths, and the pandemic's impacts pose multiple challenges for mental health. This paper reports on experience with the emergency organization of the volunteer and collaborative Working Group (GT, in Portuguese) on mental health and psychosocial care aimed at producing rapid responses for health services in the context of COVID-19. The study involved the identification and systematization of current evidence in the scientific literature on mental health and psychosocial care in public health emergencies and pandemics, with the establishment of a network involving 117 researchers and 25 institutions, and the organization of themes for the elaboration of materials, referenced on the response phases in public health emergencies and pandemics. In less than 60 days, 18 technical documents were produced, ranging from services organization and management for different vulnerable groups. The materials became references in health institutions and services. A national course on mental health and psychosocial care in COVID-19 was also organized, with more than 60,000 people registered. The experience provides food for thought and a contribution for future experiences involving knowledge translation in the current pandemic and in future public health emergencies and pandemics, with the following: (1) combination of volunteer and collaborative work involving professionals with experience in the organization of services and care in past events; (2) reliance on institutional support and resources; (3) speed and credibility of work involving the establishment of networks of professionals and institutions; and (4) responses to the urgent needs with the capacity to shape paths for care in mental health and psychosocial care.

Validation of a scale to evaluate the abusive use of technologies (Computer, cell phone, tablet, among others)

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Daily, prolonged interactivity of individuals with technologies (computer, cell phone, tablet, among others) impacts life and significantly changes habits, behaviors, personal and social relationships. Technologies lead to a multitude of advantages, but attention is required concerning possible damages. OBJECTIVE: Validation of a scale to evaluate the abuse use of technologies (TAUS). METHOD: TAUS validation was carried out in 5 phases: (1) initial scale construction with 20 questions, (2) expert evaluation, (3) application to 200 volunteers, (4) statistical analysis and results, (5) preparation of the final version of the validated TAUS. We used the R statistical program and the "dplyr" package version 3.4.2 to present descriptive statistics, to test hypotheses of means differences and for factorial analysis. Factor analysis was used for the orthogonal model. The method used was Principal Components based on Spearman's correlation matrix. RESULTS: The results provided a final, validated version of a TAUS suitable for clinical and research contexts. The last step of the study was to calculate Cronbach's alpha, in order to measure the internal consistency of the scale. The value found was 0.910, which is considered good. CONCLUSIONS: This Technology Abuse Scale may contribute to future studies, to the conscious use of technologies, to a reduction of physical and emotional damage and to an improvement of the subjects' quality of life.

Validation of a Scale to evaluate Pathological Digital Game Dependence

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Digital game or video game disorders have been recently (June 2018) included in ICD-11 (International Classification of Diseases) by the World Health Organization (WHO). The disorder can occur with or without an internet connection. OBJECTIVE: Validation of a scale to evaluate the dependence of pathological digital game (PDGD). METHOD: Validation of the PDGD was performed in 5 phases: (1) initial scale construction with 20 questions, (2) expert assessment, (3) application to 200 volunteers, (4) statistical analysis and production of results using statistical programs, (5) elaboration of the final validated scale. RESULTS: We used the R statistical program Version 3.4.2 and the "dplyr" package to present the descriptive statistics, the hypotheses tests of differences of means and the factorial analysis. The last step was to calculate Cronbach's alpha, in order to measure the internal consistency of the questionnaire. The value found was 0.955, which is very good. CONCLUSIONS: This research allowed us to construct a final version of the PDGD suitable for the clinical contexts and usable in research on the dependence of digital games. This scale may contribute to future studies, conscious use of technologies, reduction of physical and emotional damage and improvement of the quality of life.

Scale validation to evaluate WhatsApp dependence (WADS)

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND INFORMATION: One of the most popular social networks is WhatsApp. Abusive use of this tool has produced significant changes in behavioral and social behaviors and habits of individuals. Therefore, research is needed to allow us to specifically evaluate the interaction of WhatsApp with the daily lives of individuals. OBJECTIVE: Production and validation of a scale to evaluate WhatsApp dependence (WADS). METHODS: Validation performed in 5 phases: 1- initial scale construction with 20 questions, 2- expert evaluation, 3- application in volunteers, 4- statistical analysis and results, and 5- elaboration of the final version of the validated WADS. RESULTS: We obtained a descriptive statistical analysis, a clear-cut separation of dependents vs. non-dependents and a successful factorial analysis. These results provided a validated version of WADS. CONCLUSIONS: We were able to construct a final version of WADS adequate to clinical contexts and to be used in future research to evaluate dependence of this digital tool. WADS will contribute to the conscious use of WhatsApp, hopefully reducing harmful effects and improving quality of life.

Validation of a scale to assess Facebook dependence

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Facebook is a social network that has become part of the everyday life of contemporary humanity and is notably the most accessed digital tool, worldwide; through it, one can simultaneously relate to millions of people, as a source of information, communication or entertainment. OBJECTIVE: To produce and validate a scale to evaluate Facebook dependence (FDS). METHOD: Validation was performed in 5 phases: 1- initial scale construction with 20 questions, 2- expert evaluation, 3- application in 200 volunteers, 4- statistical analysis and results, and 5- elaboration of the final 18-question validated version of FDS. RESULTS: We obtained a descriptive statistical analysis, a clear-cut separation of dependents vs. non-dependents and a successful factorial analysis. These results provided a validated version of FDS. CONCLUSIONS: We were able to construct the validated final version of FDS with 18 questions appropriate to the clinical contexts and to be used in conducting research on Facebook dependence. This scale will contribute to future research related to this specific digital dependence, hopefully reducing harmful effects and improving quality of life.

Validation of the scale to evaluate physical damages related to the Abusive Use of Technology in daily life (PDAUTS)

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: New computer technologies, namely smart cellphones and tablets, among others, interacting along the daily life of individuals may contribute toward the rise of problems: depression, stress and physical damage (undue postures, upper and lower extremity disorders, vision problems, obesity), all of them related to excessive time spent on technological equipment; together with inadequate furniture, quality of life can be seriously affected. OBJECTIVE: To validate a scale to evaluate physical damage related to the Abusive Use of Technology (PDAUTS) in daily life. METHODS: Validation of the PDAUTS was performed through 5 phases: (1) initial scale construction with 20 questions; (2) expert evaluation of questions; (3) application to 200 volunteers; (4) statistical analysis of the results; (5) preparation of the final validated version, retaining the 20 questions. RESULTS: We used the R statistical program, version 3.4.2 and the "dplyr" package to present the descriptive statistics, the hypothesis tests of mean differences and the factor analysis. The results provided a validated final version for PDAUTS. The last step of the study was to calculate Cronbach's alpha parameter, in order to measure the internal consistency of the scale. The value found was 0.897, which in is considered very good. CONCLUSION: The validated PDAUTS allowed us to evaluate physical damage in each subject and design adequate training and treatment programs, reducing overall impairments and contributing to the improvement in quality of life.

Trabalho voluntário, características demográficas, socioeconômicas e autopercepção da saúde de idosos de Porto Alegre / Voluntary work, demographic, social and economic features and health self-perception by elderly people from Porto Alegre (Brazil) / Trabajo voluntario, características demográficas, socioeconómicas y autopercepción de la salud de ancianos en Porto Alegre (Brasil)

Trata-se de um estudo transversal e comparativo, que objetivou descrever as características demográficas, socioeconômicas e de saúde de idosos que realizam trabalho voluntário em uma Organização Não Governamental de Porto Alegre, e investigar a influência do trabalho voluntário e suas características sobre a autopercepção da saúde desse grupo de idosos, comparando-o com um grupo pareado de idosos que não realizam trabalho voluntário. Verificou-se, por meio de entrevistas, que 87,4 por cento dos idosos voluntários eram mulheres, com ensino médio completo, renda própria e adeptos a práticas religiosas e de saúde. Quando comparados os dados dos grupos de idosos voluntários e não-voluntários, foi mais frequente o relato de autopercepção da saúde ótima nos voluntários (30,5 por cento versus 6,1 por cento, p=0,054). Pela análise multivariada, realizar trabalho voluntário e possuir um número menor de doenças influenciaram a autopercepção positiva da saúde (p<0,05). Os resultados fornecem subsídios para a hipótese de que o trabalho voluntário atue como um mecanismo de promoção da saúde desses idosos.

The objective of this cross-sectional, comparative study was to describe the demographic, socioeconomic and health characteristics of elderly voluntary workers of a Non-governmental organization of Porto Alegre, and investigate the influence of voluntary work and the referred characteristics on the subjects' self-perception of health, compared to a paired group of elderly individuals who did not perform any voluntary work. Through interviews it was found that 87.4 percent of the elderly voluntary workers were women, with complete secondary education, had their own income and followed a religion and a healthy lifestyle. The comparison of data from both groups showed that self-perception of great health was more common among voluntary workers (30.5 percent compared to 6.1 percent, p=0.054). Multivariate analysis revealed that performing voluntary work and having fewer diseases influenced the individuals' having a positive self-perception of their health (p<0.05). Study results support the hypothesis that voluntary work may be a mechanism of health promotion among the elderly.

Se trata de un estudio transversal, comparativo, que apuntó a describir las características demográficas, socioeconómicas y de salud de ancianos que realizan trabajo voluntario en una Organización No Gubernamental de Porto Alegre (Brasil), e investigar la influencia del trabajo voluntario de tales características en la autopercepción de la salud de ese grupo de ancianos, comparándolo con un grupo testigo de ancianos que no realizan trabajo voluntario. Se verificó a través de entrevistas que el 87,4 por ciento de los ancianos voluntarios son mujeres, con enseñanza media completa, renta propia y adeptos a prácticas religiosas y de salud. Realizada la comparación de los datos obtenidos con los correspondientes al grupo testigo de no voluntarios, fue más frecuente el relato de autopercepción de salud óptima en los voluntarios (30,5 por ciento vs 6,1 por ciento, p=0,054). De acuerdo al análisis multivariado, realizar trabajo voluntario y poseer un número menor de enfermedades influenciaron la autopercepción positiva de la salud (p<0,05). Los resultados respaldan la hipótesis de que el trabajo voluntario actúa como un mecanismo de promoción de la salud de tales ancianos.

Beneficiários do trabalho voluntário: uma leitura a partir da bioética / Beneficiarios del trabajo voluntario: una lectura a partir de la bioética / Beneficiaries of volunteering: a bioethical perspective

OBJETIVO: Descrever a percepção dos voluntários sobre os beneficiários do trabalho voluntário no setor de saúde hospitalar e a influência que o tema dos benefícios exerce sobre as motivações. MÉTODOS: Estudo exploratório com abordagem qualitativa. Participaram 110 voluntários em serviços de saúde referências no tratamento de câncer no Rio de Janeiro (RJ), com coleta de dados de outubro a dezembro de 2001. Os dados foram obtidos por dois instrumentos: um questionário com perfil socioeconômico e sobre motivações para atividade voluntária; e entrevista semi-estruturada para obtenção de dados complementares. RESULTADOS: A visão dos voluntários sobre os beneficiários da atividade voluntária esteve centrada mais freqüentemente no paciente (50,5 por cento), no voluntário (41,9 por cento) e na instituição e sociedade (7,6 por cento). Paciente e voluntário foram considerados simultaneamente beneficiários, sendo o voluntário o que mais recebe benefícios. Foi relatada também uma compreensão do benefício social dessa atividade. CONCLUSÕES: Constatou-se que existe, entre os voluntários, uma noção da importância social do seu trabalho voluntário, faltando uma articulação maior entre motivações individuais e trabalho voluntário como espaço de enfrentamento de problemas sociais.

OBJECTIVE: To describe volunteers' perceptions of the beneficiaries of volunteering within the hospital setting and the influence that the theme of benefits exercises on their motivations. METHODS: This is an exploratory study with a qualitative approach. One hundred and ten volunteers working in health services that are references for the treatment of cancer in Rio de Janeiro (Southeastern Brazil) are the subjects of this study. Data was collected between October and December 2001. Data was obtained by two instruments - a questionnaire which identifies the socioeconomic profile and the motivations for undertaking voluntary activity; and a semi-structured interview that provided complementary information. RESULTS: According to the volunteers' perception, the beneficiaries of voluntary activity were, primarily, the patient, (50.5 percent); secondarily the volunteer him/herself (41.9 percent); and least of all, the institution and the society in which these benefits are obtained (7.6 percent). Both the patient and the volunteer were considered simultaneously beneficiaries, being that the volunteer tends to receive more benefits. A comprehension of the social benefits of this activity was also reported. CONCLUSIONS: A notion of the social importance of their volunteering was verified among the volunteers. However, the study indicates that a larger articulation is lacking between individual motivations and volunteer work as a setting within which social problems may be confronted.

OBJETIVO: Describir la percepción de los voluntarios sobre los beneficiarios del trabajo voluntario en el sector de salud hospitalaria y la influencia que el tema de los beneficios ejerce sobre las motivaciones. MÉTODOS: Se efectuó estudio exploratorio con abordaje cualitativo. Participaron 110 voluntarios en servicios de salud de referencia en el tratamiento de cáncer en la ciudad de Rio de Janeiro (Sureste de Brasil), con colecta de datos de octubre a diciembre de 2001. Los datos fueron obtenidos por dos instrumentos: un cuestionario con perfil socioeconómico y sobre motivaciones para actividad voluntaria; y entrevista semi-estructurada para la obtención de datos complementarios. RESULTADOS: La visión de los voluntarios sobre los beneficiarios de la actividad voluntaria estuvo centrada más frecuentemente en el paciente (50,5 por ciento), en el voluntario (41,9 por ciento) y en la institución y sociedad (7,6 por ciento). Paciente y voluntario fueron considerados simultáneamente beneficiarios, siendo el voluntario el que más recibe beneficios. Fue señalado también una comprensión del beneficio social de esa actividad. CONCLUSIONES: Se constató que existe, entre los voluntarios, una noción de la importancia social de su trabajo voluntario, faltando una articulación mayor entre motivaciones individuales y trabajo voluntario como espacio de enfrentamiento de problemas sociales.

Reconocimiento y aceptacion de la labor de promotora, por parte de la comunidad de Cogua, Cundinamarca / Recognition and acceptance of the health promotor work, by the community of Cogua, Cundinamarca

Se realizo una encuesta de opinion para saber el reconocimiento y la aceptacion que el trabajo de la promotora de salud tiene en la comunidad y un cuestionario abierto para conocer la imagen que tiene la promotora de salud de su labor. Para el primero, se tomo una muestra estratificada de 231 familias del area rural de Cogua. Se considero reconocimiento o aceptacion el porcentaje igual o mayor que 60%respecto al significado de la promotora de salud, el 87%la definio como una persona da servicios de salud y previene enfermedad, y el 13%no la reconoce como agente de salud. En cuanto al conocimiento que tiene la comunidad sobre las actividades de la promotora, el 14%nombro mas de 5 y el 86%menos de 5. En relacion a la calidad del servicio, el 87%opina que es bueno porque beneficia la salud de la comunidad y el bienestar de las personas, y el 13%considera que es mala. Explorando las espectativas de la comunidad en relacion a la labor, el 72%espera colaboracion, capacitacion, atencion de consulta, el 28%no manifesto espectativas. El 79%cree importante la presencia de la promotora en la vereda. En caso de enfermedad, el 43%acude al medico y el 57%a la promotora. El 79%aplica sus ensenanzas. En el analisis del cuestionario dirigido a las promotoras de salud se encontro que se identifican como "voceras de salud de la comunidad", "el vinculo entre la comunidad y las agencias de salud" estan satisfechas con su labor de ayuda y orientacion sobre servicios de salud.