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Article
Publication date: 5 January 2015

Jon Poehlman, Jennifer D Uhrig, Allison Friedman, Monica Scales, Ann Forsythe and Susan J Robinson

This study aims to explore peoples cognitive perceptions of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) to inform decisions on message development with regard to message…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to explore peoples cognitive perceptions of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) to inform decisions on message development with regard to message bundling, with limited research on the concept of bundling-related prevention messages and no studies that consider the bundling of HIV and other STD prevention messages.

Design/methodology/approach

Individual and small-group interviews were conducted with 158 African American men and women to explore perceptions of STDs and communication preferences. Open-ended questions and a pile-sort exercise were used to elicit individuals’ judgments on similarities of 12 STDs, including HIV. Interview data were coded and analyzed for themes and patterns; pile sort data were analyzed using multidimensional scaling (MDS) and cluster analysis to visualize the set of relations identified from the piles.

Findings

STDs and HIV are associated with stigma, risk behaviors and personal responsibility. The card sorting activity revealed two primary dimensions by which people organized STDs: seriousness and curability. Potential clusters of STDs that correspond to participants described sorting strategies were identified and they may have implications for message bundling. Disaggregation of the data by sex and age revealed slight variations in the relationships of HIV and human papillomavirus (HPV) to other STDs.

Originality/value

By identifying a set of cognitive attributes people use in organizing the overall semantic domain of STDs, ideas can be generated for how best to combine STD and HIV messages to meet public health communication goals.

Details

Journal of Social Marketing, vol. 5 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-6763

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 January 2024

Lázaro Florido-Benítez

The purpose of this study is to analyse Benidorm, San Sebastián, Gijón, Málaga, Tenerife Island and Santander smart tourist destinations (STDs) as a touristic model and example to…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to analyse Benidorm, San Sebastián, Gijón, Málaga, Tenerife Island and Santander smart tourist destinations (STDs) as a touristic model and example to follow by other destinations in Spain and all over the world.

Design/methodology/approach

To fulfil the stated objective, this study follows several phases that introduce and classify a set of measures implemented by the six Spanish smart destinations to be designed as a STD.

Findings

Findings suggest that being a STD requires a high cost, and this is only accessible to big destinations with enough resources. Of the 50 Spanish provinces, eight are STDs, and these are localised in coastal areas. Obviously, this challenge is not within the reach of any Spanish city. Moreover, findings of the current study prove that the six Spanish smart destinations have a good air accessibility through their six airports, but the accessibility in a STD is not just physical; this must provide digital accessibility to tourists through destination marketing organisation’s website and app that will supply them with information on a wide range of services, including accommodations, tourist attractions, restaurants, public transport, museums and monuments’ locations, amongst many others.

Originality/value

From a resident point of view, a STD cannot be only focused on a technological and tourism context; a STD also requires knowing and meeting the needs of local residents and having a voice in decision-making processes. Hence, this study shows a new perspective on STDs that will benefit the literature on STDs.

Details

International Journal of Tourism Cities, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-5607

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 November 2020

Emerson Cleister Lima Muniz, Gertrudes Aparecida Dandolini, Alexandre Augusto Biz and Alessandro Costa Ribeiro

This paper aims to demonstrate how customer knowledge management (CKM) can assist destination management organizations (DMOs) in the smart management of the tourist experience to…

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to demonstrate how customer knowledge management (CKM) can assist destination management organizations (DMOs) in the smart management of the tourist experience to contribute to the creation of smart solutions and the promotion of smart tourism destinations (STDs). To accomplish it, a CKM conceptual framework aligned with smart tourism and composed of eight processes is developed to guide managers in this management.

Design/methodology/approach

This research adopts the design science research methodology and applies its steps. It was supported by a systematic integrative literature review on CKM models and frameworks and their main elements, as well as by semi-structured interviews with tourism specialists in the context of Santa Catarina, Brazil.

Findings

From the literature it appears that tourist experiences are customer knowledge essential to the improvement and innovation of tourism products and services, and that CKM, still little explored in this scenario, tends to contribute to the management of this crucial knowledge for smart tourism. The analyses and improvements to the structure developed by specialists show its applicability and contributions to the management of STD experiences.

Originality/value

This paper offers an original contribution to the integration of the theoretical constructs of CKM, tourist experience and STDs by showing how the CKM, from tourism experiences, technologies and social networks, can assist DMOs in the management of experiences and promotion of STDs.

Details

Journal of Knowledge Management, vol. 25 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1367-3270

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 19 May 2022

Islam Elgammal

This study aims to explore community involvement in sustainable tourism development (STD) at Siwa Oasis, Egypt, and examines the perspectives of local communities, visitors and…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to explore community involvement in sustainable tourism development (STD) at Siwa Oasis, Egypt, and examines the perspectives of local communities, visitors and governmental decision makers concerning the area’s STD plans. It provides a brief discussion on the stakeholders’ conflict of interest alongside exploring the costs and benefits of STDs for the community. This study examines the area’s problems and challenges and expands the discussion on STD by providing a deep understanding of the oasis context, which involves a broad range of issues.

Design/methodology/approach

In this exploratory study, 18 semi-structured interviews were conducted with three groups of stakeholders (local community, governmental decision makers and visitors) to investigate the current practices of STD and the future vision for the area. Data were coded and interpreted using thematic analysis.

Findings

This paper provides empirical insights into how STDs can be practised in an oasis context. It suggests there is a conflict between the governmental vision for the area and the community’s needs that could lead to a failure to implement STDs. Themes related to environmental, social and economic STD dimensions are discussed. The findings provide managerial and practical implications for decision makers on the promotion of STDs in remote communities.

Research limitations/implications

Because of the chosen research approach, the results may lack generalizability. Therefore, future studies are encouraged to test the study’s propositions further by using a mixed-methods approach, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Practical implications

This paper has implications for STD within an oasis context, particularly concerning balancing the economic, environmental, political and social aspects of STD.

Originality/value

This paper fulfils an identified need to study how STD can be practised when most of the local community is already comparatively well-off economically.

Details

Journal of Place Management and Development, vol. 15 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1753-8335

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 21 October 2008

Adina Nack

Medical encounters are interactional/interpersonal processes taking place within contexts shaped by macro-level social structures. In the case of sexually transmitted diseases …

Abstract

Medical encounters are interactional/interpersonal processes taking place within contexts shaped by macro-level social structures. In the case of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), medical encounters occur at a stigmatized crossroads of social control and gendered norms of sexual behavior. When women are diagnosed and treated for chronic STDs, practitioner demeanor has an important impact on how patients will view not only their health status but also their moral status. This chapter draws on in depth interviews with 40 women diagnosed with genital infections of herpes and/or human papillomavirus (HPV – the cause of genital warts) to explore three models of patient–practitioner interaction. The analysis focuses on the relationship between gender, construction of illness, and practitioner interaction style. In a broader context, the health risks posed by particular interaction styles to female STD patients shed light on larger public health implications of combining morality with medicine for the broader range of patients with stigmatizing diagnoses.

Details

Care for Major Health Problems and Population Health Concerns: Impacts on Patients, Providers and Policy
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-84855-160-2

Book part
Publication date: 23 September 2005

Michael Grossman, Robert Kaestner and Sara Markowitz

The purpose of this chapter is to examine the role of alcohol policies in reducing the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among youth. Previous research has shown…

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to examine the role of alcohol policies in reducing the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among youth. Previous research has shown that risky sexual practices (e.g., unprotected sex and multiple partners) that increase the risk of contracting an STD are highly correlated with alcohol use. If alcohol is a cause of risky sexual behaviour, then policies that reduce the consumption of alcohol may also reduce the incidence of STDs. In this chapter, we examine the relationship between alcohol policies (e.g., beer taxes and statutes pertaining to alcohol sales and drunk driving) and rates of gonorrhea and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) among teenagers and young adults. Results indicate that higher beer taxes are associated with lower rates of gonorrhea for males and are suggestive of lower AIDS rates. Strict drunk driving policies in the form of zero tolerance laws may also lower the gonorrhea rate among males under the legal drinking age.

Details

Substance Use: Individual Behaviour, Social Interactions, Markets and Politics
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-84950-361-7

Article
Publication date: 1 June 2004

Nolwazi Mbananga

This paper reports on an empirical study that investigated the content of and perceptions about reproductive health information among school teachers and learners in a rural area…

1134

Abstract

This paper reports on an empirical study that investigated the content of and perceptions about reproductive health information among school teachers and learners in a rural area of South Africa. Qualitative methods were used to assess the dissemination and acceptability of and perceptions about information related to HIV/AIDS, sexuality, family planning, sexually transmitted diseases and reproductive cancers. The data highlight the cultural incongruity among teachers, learners, family and the health sectors. It is argued that this incongruity undermines the objectives of such reproductive health information. The theory of the social construction of reality is applied to envisage an approach that will overcome cultural incongruities. There may well be other areas in South Africa which have similar experiences, but this study is not intended as a general reflection of a South African situation. None‐the‐less, important findings that may impact on school policy have emerged.

Details

Health Education, vol. 104 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0965-4283

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 7 November 2016

Joan C. Micó, Antonio Caselles, David Soler and Pantaleón D. Romero

The purpose of this paper is to suggest a formalism given by an equation suitable for simulating discrete systems with space-time variation in addition to other change variables…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to suggest a formalism given by an equation suitable for simulating discrete systems with space-time variation in addition to other change variables. With such formalism, multidimensional dynamical models of discrete complex systems, such as the social systems and ecosystems, can be built.

Design/methodology/approach

This formalism is named as discrete multidimensional dynamic system (DMDS). The DMDS provides a way to consider the variation of the density of a state variable with regard to the variables of the change space as a function of multidimensional rates. Multidimensional rates describe this evolution as a consequence of the relation of each multidimensional-point with a given set of other points of the change space. This relation contains the accessibility domains (sets of space points with which each space point is related).

Findings

This equation is compared with both the reaction-diffusion equation written in its finite difference form and the cellular-automata model, demonstrating its compatibility with them and an increase in generality, widening the scope of application. The steps to construct models of systems with multidimensional variation based on the equation that defines the DMDS are specified and tested.

Research limitations/implications

Through the DMDS and a well-stated methodology, an application case is provided in order to describe the multidimensional demographic dynamics of an urban system. In this case, the numerical evolution of the population density by districts and cohorts is determined by the DMDS based on some hypothesis about functions of population diffusion between the different districts of the system.

Originality/value

The scope of application of the space-time dynamic system (STDS), given by the authors in a previous work, has been extended to discrete and multidimensional systems. STDS model produces better results than the reaction-diffusion model in validation.

Details

Kybernetes, vol. 45 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0368-492X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 October 2020

Darwyyn Deyo, Blake Hoarty, Conor Norris and Edward Timmons

This study aims to analyze the trends for crime and STDs after the passage of massage therapist licensing. In 1977, Texas passed a law permitting county-level licensing laws for…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to analyze the trends for crime and STDs after the passage of massage therapist licensing. In 1977, Texas passed a law permitting county-level licensing laws for massage therapists, which was soon followed by a statewide licensing requirement in 1985. This early massage therapy law was upheld by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Massage therapy licensing is commonly associated with preventing crime, specifically prostitution. However, massage parlors also represent an opportunity for entrepreneurs starting businesses, who face significant barriers to entry across the USA.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors analyze the effect of state- and city-level licensing of massage therapists on crime and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases using data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reports from 1985–2013 and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention between 1993-2015.

Findings

The authors find that state- and city-level licensing of massage therapists was not associated with preventing crimes related to prostitution or reducing sexually transmitted diseases. This analysis is consistent with the hypothesis that relaxing the stringency of massage therapist licensing would not lead to increases in crime or additional spread of disease while likely encouraging entrepreneurship.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first to examine the effects of city-level licensing on health and safety of consumers.

Details

Journal of Entrepreneurship and Public Policy, vol. 10 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2045-2101

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 2 October 2017

Beom Jun Bae and Yong Jeong Yi

The purpose of this paper is to understand consumers’ preferences for answers about sexually transmitted diseases on social question and answer (Q&A) sites by employing message…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand consumers’ preferences for answers about sexually transmitted diseases on social question and answer (Q&A) sites by employing message features and information sources as conceptual frameworks.

Design/methodology/approach

The study compared best answers selected by questioners with their randomly drawn counterpart non-best answers on Yahoo! Answers as a paired sample (n=180).

Findings

The findings indicate that questioners on social Q&A sites were more likely to prefer answers including message features such as numeric information, social norms, optimistic information, and loss-framing, as well as information sources that featured expertise, references, and links to other websites. Pessimistic information was negatively associated with questioners’ preference for answers.

Research limitations/implications

The study extended the discussion of consumers’ selection of best answers to message features and information sources as additional criteria.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that answerers on social Q&A sites communicate more effectively with their audiences by utilizing persuasive communication.

Social implications

There is a quality issue on social Q&A sites. The findings will be helpful for health professionals to develop answers that are more likely to be selected as best answers, which will enhance overall quality of health information on social Q&A sites.

Originality/value

Consumers’ preference criteria for health information have been investigated using many different approaches. However, no study has used a persuasion framework to examine how consumers appraise answer quality. The present study confirmed consumers’ preference criteria as found in previous social Q&A studies and extended the discussion of consumers’ perceptions of answer quality by applying the frameworks of message features and information sources.

Details

Internet Research, vol. 27 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1066-2243

Keywords

1 – 10 of 380