Socio-ecological predictors of dengue in high incidence area of Delhi, India.

Despite the amplified vector-control measures, sporadic-epidemic outbreaks of dengue incidence occurred in Delhi, intermittently. This study aimed to identify the major individual, household, and community level predictors of dengue cases in the hot-spots of Delhi. Primary survey data was collected from the selected sample of 347 households, at the South- West district of Delhi. This survey has interviewed the head of the household to collect the information of dengue incidences within last one year and household information related to socio-economic, demographic, environmental factors, such as housing pattern, density, water storage containers, drainage and garbage collection site and method, mosquito protection measures and awareness. Among 347 households, 54 households had reported dengue cases, and 69 individuals had reported dengue cases in last one year. Garbage and water collection site and methods, drainage and household type, household monthly income, indoor bamboo plants, construction site (within 500 m), presence of tertiary care hospital, were the significant predictors of dengue incidences in Delhi. In conclusion, strategic control measures and intense social interventions such as household and community awareness, promotion of healthy practices should be promoted to control the dengue incidences.

Cervical Cancer Screening Uptake and Experiences of Black African Immigrant Women in Canada.

Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death among African women. Unfortunately, in most sub-Saharan African nations, women are vulnerable if they are unaware that cervical cancer is preventable with frequent screening and early treatment. The aim of this study was to examine Black African immigrant women's perceptions and experiences of cervical screening in British Columbia, Canada. Twenty Black African immigrant women were interviewed using the qualitative research method Interpretive Description. Data collection approaches included indepth interviews and analytic memos. Data were analyzed using a constant comparative technique guided by a socioecologic framework to capture subjective experiences and perceptions. Four key themes were identified, including confusing conceptualizations about cancer and cancer screening, competing priorities, concerns for modesty, and commitment to culture. The study findings point to the need for more active approaches to promoting cervical screening for this population.

Between conflict and reciprocal habituation: Human-wild boar coexistence in urban areas.

Urbanization is an ongoing global environmental change. Wildlife may respond using anthropized environments and resources, which is known as synurbization, creating human-wildlife interactions. Wild boar (Sus scrofa) populations have become common in urban areas, including the metropolitan area of Barcelona. Humans respond to wild boars in urban environments either habituating, with lower conflict perception and higher wild boar acceptance, or sensitizing, with reduced tolerance towards wild boars. Since citizen response influences conflict management, this study analysed the drivers of human responses, which should allow adopting socially-accepted measures to manage synurbic wild boar populations. Interviews to 1956 Barcelona citizens were performed, grouping the response variables to score citizen and urban characteristics, as well as citizen lay-knowledge, emotions, experiences, and perception of wild boar. Five citizen clusters were identified: cluster 1 (3.3 %), highly habituated and active wild boar feeder; cluster 2 (11.3 %), habituated to wild boars with positive feelings; cluster 3 (19.8 %), not habituated nor sensitized, willing to maintain urban wild boar populations; cluster 4 (29.1 %), sensitized and concerned, defending to reduce wild boar; and cluster 5 (40.1 %), highly sensitized and proposing to reduce or even eliminate wild boar. Positive attitudes associated wild boar to aesthetic value, closeness to nature and sympathy, and were more frequent in young citizens with urban background and high education, animal lovers habituated to wild boar through contact without negative experiences. Conversely, negative attitudes were concerned about city fouling, safety or health, accepted lethal management measures, and were more frequent in older citizens with rural background, lower education, low contact with wild boar or sensitized through negative experiences. We document for the first time the sensitization and reciprocal habituation of humans to wild boar in urban areas. The identification of the drivers of citizen attitudes towards urban wildlife should be useful to design socially-accepted management measures.

Analysis of the influencing factors of the scientific fitness literacy of nurses in the context of exercise and medicine integration.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aims to explore the influencing factors of the scientific fitness literacy of nurses and provide a strategic basis for literacy improvement. METHODS: A questionnaire on the influencing factors of scientific fitness literacy of nurses was designed by the group conducting the present study; the questionnaire was based on the socioecology model and the questionnaire preparation method. The general data questionnaire and the questionnaire on the influencing factors of scientific fitness literacy of nurses were adopted to investigate nurses in tertiary hospitals in order to analyze and discuss the influencing factors of their scientific fitness literacy. RESULTS: (1) The questionnaire on the influencing factors of the scientific fitness literacy of nurses comprised five dimensions and 36 items. The overall item-content validity index was 0.833-1.000, the scale-content validity index was 0.974, and the overall Cronbach's α coefficient was 0.955; (2) the results of the pairwise Pearson correlation analysis showed that all five dimensions were positively correlated with the scientific fitness literacy of nurses; and (3) the results of the multiple linear regression analysis revealed that five dimensions, as well as the existence of exercise habits in daily life, had a significant impact on the scientific fitness literacy of nurses (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The factors influencing the scientific fitness literacy of nurses involved all levels of the socioecological system. The methods of improving the awareness of the scientific fitness of nurses and providing opportunities for scientific fitness activities via the hospital played a critical role in literacy improvement. However, the lack of professional guidance and an atmosphere promoting scientific fitness might hinder literacy improvement.

Association between Socioecological Status, Nutrient Intake, and Cancer Screening Behaviors in Adults Aged 40 and Over: Insights from the Eighth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES, 2019).

Cancer screening is pivotal for early detection and improved survival rates. While socio-ecological factors are known to influence screening uptake, the role of lifestyle, dietary habits, and general health in shaping these decisions remains underexplored. Utilizing the 2019 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), this study examined the myriad of factors impacting cancer screening utilization. Data from 274,872 adults aged 40 years or older were scrutinized, highlighting demographics, income, lifestyle behaviors, health-related variables, nutrient intake, and dietary quality. A combination of descriptive statistics and logistic regression helped us ascertain influential determinants. Higher educational attainment and income quartiles were positively correlated with cancer screening rates. Regular walkers, those engaged in moderate physical activity, and individuals with a previous cancer diagnosis were more likely to get screened. High-risk drinkers and smokers were less inclined towards screening. Dietary habits also influenced screening decisions. Notably, participants with healthier eating behaviors, indicated by factors such as regular breakfasts and fewer meals out, were more likely to undergo screening. Additionally, nutrient intake analysis revealed that those who had undergone screening consumed greater quantities of most nutrients, bar a few exceptions. For individuals aged 50-64, nutritional assessment indicators highlighted a higher mean adequacy ratio (MAR) and index of nutritional quality (INQ) value among those who participated in screening, suggesting better nutritional quality. This study elucidates the complex socio-ecological and nutritional landscape influencing cancer screening decisions. The results underscore the importance of a holistic approach, emphasizing lifestyle, dietary habits, and socio-economic considerations. It provides a roadmap for policymakers to craft more inclusive screening programs, ensuring equal access and promoting early detection.

Historical Mortality Dynamics on the Baja California Peninsula : Marriage, Mining Booms, Migration, and Infectious Disease.

Historical demographic research shows that the factors influencing mortality risk are labile across time and space. This is particularly true for datasets that span societal transitions. Here, we seek to understand how marriage, migration, and the local economy influenced mortality dynamics in a rapidly changing environment characterized by high in-migration and male-biased sex ratios. Mortality records were extracted from a compendium of historical vital records for the Baja California peninsula (Mexico). Our sample consists of 1,201 mortality records spanning AD 1835-1900. Findings from Cox proportional hazard models indicate that (1) marriage was associated with a protective effect for both sexes; (2) residing in a mining town was associated with higher mortality for men, but not women; (3) migration was associated with decreased mortality risk for women, but not men; and (4) the risk of mortality increased in the face of infectious disease, but decreased over time. Despite the early initiation of reproduction for women, marriage had a protective effect, likely because marriage linked women to resources. Although mining boomtowns were associated with elevated risk factors generally, only men experienced greater mortality risk, likely due to dangerous working conditions that women did not experience. Last, female, but not male, migrants experienced greater longevity, possibly because exposure to harsh labor conditions eroded the protective effect of selection bias for men. Together, these results shed light on an understudied historical population and broaden our understanding of demographic dynamics in preindustrial settings.

Urban socioeconomic variation influences the ecology and evolution of trophic interactions.

As urbanization expands, it is becoming increasingly important to understand how anthropogenic activity is affecting ecological and evolutionary processes. Few studies have examined how human social patterns within cities can modify eco-evolutionary dynamics. We tested how socioeconomic variation corresponds with changes in trophic interactions and natural selection on prey phenotypes using the classic interaction between goldenrod gall flies (Eurosta solidaginis) and their natural enemies: birds, beetles, and parasitoid wasps. We sampled galls from 84 sites across neighbourhoods with varying socioeconomic levels, and quantified the frequency of predation/parasitism on flies and natural selection by each enemy. We found that bird predation was higher in the highest income neighbourhoods, increasing the strength of selection for smaller galls. Wasp and beetle attack, but not their strength of selection, increased in lower income neighbourhoods. We show that socioeconomic variation in cities can have strong unintended consequences for the ecology and evolution of trophic interactions.

Female behavior drives the formation of distinct social structures in C57BL/6J versus wild-derived outbred mice in field enclosures.

BACKGROUND: Social behavior and social organization have major influences on individual health and fitness. Yet, biomedical research focuses on studying a few genotypes under impoverished social conditions. Understanding how lab conditions have modified social organizations of model organisms, such as lab mice, relative to natural populations is a missing link between socioecology and biomedical science. RESULTS: Using a common garden design, we describe the formation of social structure in the well-studied laboratory mouse strain, C57BL/6J, in replicated mixed-sex populations over 10-day trials compared to control trials with wild-derived outbred house mice in outdoor field enclosures. We focus on three key features of mouse social systems: (i) territory establishment in males, (ii) female social relationships, and (iii) the social networks formed by the populations. Male territorial behaviors were similar but muted in C57 compared to wild-derived mice. Female C57 sharply differed from wild-derived females, showing little social bias toward cage mates and exploring substantially more of the enclosures compared to all other groups. Female behavior consistently generated denser social networks in C57 than in wild-derived mice. CONCLUSIONS: C57 and wild-derived mice individually vary in their social and spatial behaviors which scale to shape overall social organization. The repeatable societies formed under field conditions highlights opportunities to experimentally study the interplay between society and individual biology using model organisms.

Ontogeny and phylogeny of mating behaviour: social heteroch rony in primates.

Based on the Recognition Concept of species, the specific-mate contact model posits that mating systems develop as combinations of two fundamental courtship strategies that we interpret here in terms of behavioural heterochrony: territorial mate-attraction evolved as an effect of peramorphosis whereas group-living mate-seeking evolved as an effect of paedomorphosis. We tested this hypothesis on primates in a phylogenetic and paleo-climatic context. Our results suggest that primate promiscuity (both males and females are mate-seekers) evolved with group-living from ancestral pair-living monogamy (both males and females are mate-attractors) in the Palaeogene, as the result of a slowdown in growth (neoteny) caused by increased environmental predictability. A secondary return to territorial monogamy probably evolved as the result of accelerated growth driven by seasonality (acceleration). Polygamy evolved in the Neogene during periods of forest fragmentation and environmental unpredictability. Small monogamous ancestors evolved seasonal polyandry (female attraction) as an effect of truncated development (progenesis). Large promiscuous, neotenic ancestors evolved non-seasonal polygyny (male attraction) as an effect of prolonged development (hypermorphosis) in males. We conclude that social heterochrony offers alternative explanations for the coevolution of life history and mating be-haviour; and we discuss the implications of our model for human social evolution.

Norm violations and punishments across human societies.

Punishments for norm violations are hypothesised to be a crucial component of the maintenance of cooperation in humans but are rarely studied from a comparative perspective. We investigated the degree to which punishment systems were correlated with socioecology and cultural history. We took data from the Standard Cross-Cultural Sample database and coded ethnographic documents from a sample of 131 largely non-industrial societies. We recorded whether punishment for norm violations concerned adultery, religion, food, rape or war cowardice and whether sanctions were reputational, physical, material or execution. We used Bayesian phylogenetic regression modelling to test for culture-level covariation. We found little evidence of phylogenetic signals in evidence for punishment types, suggesting that punishment systems change relatively quickly over cultural evolutionary history. We found evidence that reputational punishment was associated with egalitarianism and the absence of food storage; material punishment was associated with the presence of food storage; physical punishment was moderately associated with greater dependence on hunting; and execution punishment was moderately associated with social stratification. Taken together, our results suggest that the role and kind of punishment vary both by the severity of the norm violation, but also by the specific socio-economic system of the society.

Responsiveness in cultural-ecological context.

Theoretical and empirical research on responsiveness focused mostly on cultural ecologies of independence. Emerging studies suggest that the responsiveness process may unfold differently in cultural ecologies of interdependence. We organize these studies into a working conceptual model. The model argues that two mechanisms-expectations of culturally normative relationship behaviors and relative centrality of relationships-carry the influence of cultural ecology on responsiveness. Together, these mechanisms explain variation in (a) self-expressive behaviors thought to elicit responsiveness, (b) associations between partner behaviors and perceived responsiveness, and (c) associations between perceived responsiveness and well-being.

Elevating community-driven socioecological participation and action: A case study with Black youth.

Context is important when considering how racism acts to harm Black youth. Hence, social scientists developed socioecological theories that consider both the individual and the context(s) which shapes them. We used these theories to make sense of the challenges facing Black youth and identify points for intervention. However, these theories were rarely shared with community participants. Theory, at its core, is a way to make sense of the world. Theory shared in an age-appropriate manner can help youth make sense of their experiences in a way that promotes psychological wellness. This paper describes the intentional sharing of socioecological theory with community members engaged in two community-based mental health programs. Our team has collaborated closely with community stakeholders to implement and iteratively improve these programs. This first-person account presents the doctoral students' experiences in engaging community members in using socioecological theory to improve the programs with which they have identified as useful to their community. The article underscores the importance of elevating community voices when engaging in community-based research and how that engagement is more fundamental as programs become well-established.

The Relationship between Knowing and Liking for 91 Urban Animal Species among Students.

While there is growing consensus that nature should be promoted in cities, it is less clear what kind of nature this should be. One hypothesis is that humans show greater liking for those parts of nature that they know better. Using questionnaires, we studied the familiarity of 475 students with 91 urban animal species and the relationship between familiarity and attitudes towards the species. Students declared that they were familiar with most animals, but not all animals were equally liked. Better-known species were not generally the better-liked ones. The more familiar animal species were the more extreme attitudes became towards them, both positively and negatively. Our research shows that familiarity and attitude are not two sides of the same coin. It also emphasizes that there are parts of nature that are not liked by many humans and that this dislike is not necessarily correlated with insufficient knowledge. Detailed studies of what components of nature humans like and reasons underlying this are necessary to successfully increase nature in cities.

Disparities in greenspace access during COVID-19 mobility restrictions.

More than half of the human population lives in cities and therefore predominantly experience nature in urban greenspace, an important contributor to wellbeing. As the world faces a pandemic which threatens the physical and mental health of billions of people, it is crucial to understand that all have the possibility to access nature exposure to alleviate some of these challenges. Here, for the first time, we integrate data from Facebook, Twitter, and Google Search users to show that people looked for greenspace during COVID-19 mobility restrictions but may not have always managed to reach it. We used a longitudinal approach, replicated in three European cities, to assess whether people spent more time in locations with more greenspace, and whether this change in urban density remained for the whole pandemic, pre-vaccine, period. We coupled this human density study with a longitudinal study of web search patterns for Parks and online discussion about urban greenspace. People searched for Parks near them more during the pandemic, particularly when they were allowed to visit them. They discussed in positive terms greenspace particularly more at the start of the pandemic. People spent more time in areas with greenspace when they could and that depended on the level of multiple deprivation of their neighbourhood. Importantly, while people sought greenspace throughout the first 20 months of the pandemic, this preference intensified through the waves of lockdown. Living in an affluent area conferred a greenspace advantage in London and Paris but we find that in Berlin greenspace in more deprived neighbourhoods were used more. Overall, urban greenspace occupied a greater place in people's lives during the pandemic. Whether people could realise greenspace access depended on the deprivation level of the neighbourhood. Public greenspace access should be integrated in national indices of deprivation given its importance for wellbeing.

A Socioecological-Genetic Framework of Culture and Personality: Their Roots, Trends, and Interplay.

Culture and personality are two central topics in psychology. Individuals are culturally influenced influencers of culture, yet the research linking culture and personality has been limited and fragmentary. We integrate the literatures on culture and personality with recent advances in socioecology and genetics to formulate the Socioecological-Genetic Framework of Culture and Personality. Our framework not only delineates the mutual constitution of culture and personality but also sheds light on (a) the roots of culture and personality, (b) how socioecological changes partly explain temporal trends in culture and personality, and (c) how genes and culture/socioecology interact to influence personality (i.e., nature × nurture interactions). By spotlighting the roles of socioecology and genetics, our integrative framework advances the understanding of culture and personality.

Behavioral and physiological response to inequity in bonobos (Pan paniscus).

Inequity aversion (IA), the affective, cognitive, and behavioral response to inequitable outcomes, allows individuals to avoid exploitation and therefore stabilizes cooperation. The presence of IA varies across animal species, which has stimulated research to investigate factors that might explain this variation, and to investigate underlying affective responses. Among great apes, IA is most often studied in chimpanzees. Here, we investigate IA in bonobos, a reputedly tolerant and cooperative species for which few IA studies are available. We describe how bonobos respond to receiving less preferred rewards than a partner in a token exchange task. We show that bonobos respond to receiving less preferred rewards by refusing tokens and rewards, and by leaving the experimental area. Bonobos never refused a trial when receiving preferred rewards, and thus showed no advantageous IA. We also investigate the variability in the disadvantageous IA response on a dyadic level, because the level of IA is expected to vary, depending on characteristics of the dyad. Like in humans and chimpanzees, we show that the tolerance towards inequity was higher in bonobo dyads with more valuable relationships. To study the affective component of IA, we included behavioral and physiological measures of arousal: a displacement behavior (rough self-scratching) and changes in salivary cortisol levels. Both measures of arousal showed large variability, and while analyses on rough self-scratching showed no significant effects, salivary cortisol levels seemed to be lower in subjects that received less than their partner, but higher in subjects that received more than their partner, albeit that both were not significantly different from the equity condition. This suggests that although overcompensated bonobos showed no behavioral response, they might be more aroused. Our data support the cooperation hypothesis on an interspecific and intraspecific level. They show inequity aversion in bonobos, a reputedly cooperative species, and suggest that the variability in IA in bonobos can be explained by their socioecology. Most successful cooperative interactions happen between mothers and their sons and among closely bonded females. The limited need to monitor the partners' investment within these dyads can result in a higher tolerance towards inequity. We therefore suggest future studies to consider relevant socioecological characteristics of the species when designing and analyzing IA studies.

COVID-19 alters the relationship between relational mobility and helping behavior.

To determine if helping behaviors are affected by socioecological variables such as relational mobility and the COVID-19 pandemic, we investigated the impact of relational mobility on helping behaviors before (Study 1) and during (Study 2) COVID-19 in China via two experiments. In Study 1, we manipulated participants' relational mobility and found that a greater proportion of participants in the high relational mobility condition signed up for another psychological experiment, relative to the low relational mobility condition. In Study 2, the manipulation of relational mobility was embedded in a phone interview, and we found that a high relational mobility condition caused fewer signups for a COVID-19 support program relative to a low relational mobility condition. These results extend our understanding of the meaning of relational mobility under different ecological contexts.

Exploring resilience processes of Filipino migrant domestic workers: A multisystemic approach.

This study identified resilience processes at the individual, family, and community levels among Filipino migrant domestic workers (MDWs). Resilience processes highlight strengths and resources that can enhance positive adaptation to problems that affect this vulnerable migrant group. Data came from focus groups and key informant interviews involving 27 MDWs and 7 key informants. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis and organized according to the socioecological model. Results revealed 7 resilience processes. Financial coping, health management, and spirituality were found across levels. Companionship and emotional support are transacted within family and community levels, whereas expanding knowledge and support occurs at individual and community levels. MDWs and their families prioritize each family member, whereas the community provides legal support. Resilience processes exist across ecological levels. However, individual resilience processes are insufficient, thus necessitating collective agency through familial and community resilience processes and building social structures that facilitate resilience.

When danger strikes: A linguistic tool for tracking America's collective response to threats.

In today's vast digital landscape, people are constantly exposed to threatening language, which attracts attention and activates the human brain's fear circuitry. However, to date, we have lacked the tools needed to identify threatening language and track its impact on human groups. To fill this gap, we developed a threat dictionary, a computationally derived linguistic tool that indexes threat levels from mass communication channels. We demonstrate this measure's convergent validity with objective threats in American history, including violent conflicts, natural disasters, and pathogen outbreaks such as the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the dictionary offers predictive insights on US society's shifting cultural norms, political attitudes, and macroeconomic activities. Using data from newspapers that span over 100 years, we found change in threats to be associated with tighter social norms and collectivistic values, stronger approval of sitting US presidents, greater ethnocentrism and conservatism, lower stock prices, and less innovation. The data also showed that threatening language is contagious. In all, the language of threats is a powerful tool that can inform researchers and policy makers on the public's daily exposure to threatening language and make visible interesting societal patterns across American history.

Vultures as an overlooked model in cognitive ecology.

Despite important recent advances in cognitive ecology, our current understanding of avian cognition still largely rests on research conducted on a few model taxa. Vultures are an ecologically distinctive group of species by being the only obligate carrion consumers across terrestrial vertebrates. Their unique scavenging lifestyle suggests they have been subject to particular selective pressures to locate scarce, unpredictable, ephemeral, and nutritionally challenging food. However, substantial variation exists among species in diet, foraging techniques and social structure of populations. Here, we provide an overview of the current knowledge on vulture cognition through a comprehensive literature review and a compilation of our own observations. We find evidence for a variety of innovative foraging behaviors, scrounging tactics, collective problem-solving abilities and tool-use, skills that are considered indicative of enhanced cognition and that bear clear connections with the eco-social lifestyles of species. However, we also find that the cognitive basis of these skills remain insufficiently studied, and identify new research areas that require further attention in the future. Despite these knowledge gaps and the challenges of working with such large animals, we conclude that vultures may provide fresh insight into our knowledge of the ecology and evolution of cognition.