Abstract

Background: Teachers’ occupational health problems have attracted increasing attention from researchers worldwide, as they are closely linked to both teacher well-being and educational quality. Nevertheless, the specific mechanisms connecting stress sources and health problems unique to teachers remain insufficiently understood. In particular, little is known about whether these associations differ between female and male teachers. To address these limitations, the present study employed network analysis using data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022.

Methods: A total of 2,092 teachers from Hong Kong were included in the analysis. Network analysis was conducted to explore the interconnections among nine identified sources of teacher stress and ten teacher health problems. In addition, gender-specific networks were estimated to examine potential differences in the structure and centrality of nodes between female and male teachers.

Results: The findings indicated that administrative tasks were the most salient source of stress in the overall network, while fatigue was the most prominent health problem. Gender differences emerged in both the central nodes and the network edges. For female teachers, administrative workload and fatigue were central concerns, whereas for male teachers, intimidation or verbal abuse by students and fatigue were central.

Discussion: These findings highlight the necessity of reducing administrative workload and implementing strategies to mitigate teacher fatigue. Moreover, gender-specific interventions are warranted to address distinct stressors and health challenges faced by female and male educators, thereby promoting teacher well-being and supporting sustainable educational development.

Umuarama, in the northwest of Paraná, was founded on 26 June 1955 and completed 70 years in 2025. Despite its historical youth, it has consolidated itself as a regional center of development, with an economy based on agribusiness, commerce and services. Recognized as the "Capital of Friendship", it stands out for its modern infrastructure, good health, education, leisure and safety indicators, as well as quality of life for its inhabitants. Its cultural identity and strategic position in the Entre Rios region reinforce its attractiveness as a promising medium-sized city in southern Brazil. The study evaluates the urban development of Umuarama in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), identifying advances and challenges. The circular city approach involves not only environmental and economic aspects, but also social inclusion, job creation in the circular economy, and community empowerment through sustainable public spaces. According to the Sustainable Development Index of Cities (IDSC-BR), Umuarama occupies the 325th position in the national ranking. Although it is not among the most sustainable, it already has practices aligned with the SDGs: health and leisure services (SDG 3), structured educational institutions (SDG 4), diversified economy that promotes decent work and growth (SDG 8) and green areas that support sustainable cities (SDG 11). The performance in the IDSC-BR indicates advances in quality of life, infrastructure and economy, but also reveals challenges in waste management, use of renewable energy and urban mobility. The municipality has favorable conditions and alignment with the SDGs, but needs to expand environmental policies to consolidate itself as a reference in sustainability.

Background/Objectives: Dementia represents a complex syndrome in which biological, psychological, social, and cultural processes converge. Although its clinical features are well documented, less attention has been given to the lived experiences of patients and caregivers and their role in shaping illness trajectories. This study aimed to investigate risk factors, behavioral manifestations, and quality of life in dementia from an anthropological perspective, focusing on the interaction between comorbidity, cognition, lifestyle, cultural beliefs, and caregiving contexts.

Methods: A cross-sectional, observational study was carried out with family caregivers of individuals diagnosed with dementia who accessed specialized neurological and psychiatric care in Bucharest, Romania. Caregivers completed an anthropological questionnaire capturing socio-demographic data, comorbid conditions, lifestyle behaviors, relational dynamics, and cultural perspectives. Descriptive and inferential analyses examined associations between clinical, social, and cultural variables.

Results: Patients were predominantly older women living with multiple chronic conditions, most frequently neurological and cardiovascular. Cognitive impairment was more severe among individuals with lower levels of education and limited financial resources. Disturbances in appetite and sleep were common and frequently associated with diminished physical activity and reduced wellbeing. Disclosure of diagnosis elicited diverse emotional responses, with families describing processes of adaptation as ambivalent, nonlinear, and often marked by anxiety or sadness. Cultural beliefs and spirituality played a central role in shaping explanatory models and coping strategies, with reliance on religious practices, alternative therapies, and traditional interpretations frequently reported.

Conclusions: These findings suggest that dementia in this context is not solely a product of biological decline but is deeply embedded in socio-economic conditions and cultural frameworks. Addressing these intersecting influences through integrative, culturally responsive models of care may improve outcomes for both patients and caregivers.

Informal caregivers are essential to cancer care, often shouldering complex emotional, physical, and logistical responsibilities. While caregiving can be meaningful, it is frequently linked to psychological distress and reduced wellbeing. Despite their central role, little is known about how sociodemographic inequalities influence caregivers’ mental health in cancer contexts.

This scoping review synthesized recent research on the relationship between caregiver sociodemographic factors and wellbeing outcomes in cancer care. Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a systematic PubMed search identified studies published between 2020 and 2025 using terms related to family caregiving, cancer, sociodemographics, and wellbeing. After eligibility screening, 12 peer-reviewed studies were included. Data were extracted on cancer type, caregiver characteristics, sociodemographic variables, wellbeing measures, and key findings.

The studies focused on caregivers of patients with breast, pediatric, and oral cancers. Reported wellbeing outcomes included stress, depression, anxiety, resilience, quality of life, and preparedness for caregiving or end-of-life support. Across nearly all studies, lower income, limited education, female gender, and unemployment were consistently associated with poorer psychological outcomes. Eleven of the twelve studies identified significant links between sociodemographic disadvantage and heightened distress. Conversely, factors such as marital status, religious affiliation, and prior caregiving experience were occasionally tied to greater resilience or reduced burden.

Overall, this review highlights that caregiver wellbeing in cancer care is shaped not only by clinical demands but also by structural and social inequities. Sociodemographic disadvantage consistently predicts greater mental health vulnerability. These findings underscore the need for equity-driven, culturally responsive interventions to safeguard high-risk caregivers and prevent cancer care systems from reinforcing existing social inequalities.

This research focuses on subjective well-being, which reflects what people think about various aspects of their lives. The assessment of the well-being of the population is a subject of interest to many scientific disciplines, as it has been noted that people who feel better are more productive at work and in society. Taking women's perspectives into account allows for a broader understanding of specific social groups and provides a basis for the development of appropriate social policy instruments to empower women. The aim of the study was to determine the level of subjective well-being of women at the local level and to identify socio-economic factors related to the subjective well-being of women. The analysis takes into account the examples of Poland and Lithuania as countries with similar historical conditions and levels of development. The study on women's well-being used qualitative data from the European Social Survey (ESS) round 10 (2021), which is one of the most methodologically reliable survey studies in Europe. Descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression were applied. The research revealed differences in the level of life satisfaction and happiness in Poland and Lithuania. Differences in the level of well-being were also found depending on the place of residence of women and in relation to men. Both age and subjective health assessment proved to be significant factors influencing women's subjective well-being. Furthermore, the study revealed that women's well-being at the local level is determined by various factors related to the territory and characteristics of the respondents, and the selection of all its socio-economic determinants poses a challenge for further research. Subjective well-being from a gender perspective should be systematically monitored in order to achieve a higher level of well-being across society.

Introduction. Sustainable consumption in tourism is not determined solely by rational economic choices but is deeply rooted in psychological processes, particularly personal values and attitudinal orientations. Values function as guiding principles that shape environmental responsibility, social connectedness, and individual motivation to engage in sustainable practices. This study explores the role of psychological values in predicting attitudes toward sustainable tourism while also considering whether demographic factors such as parental status and education level exert moderating effects.

Methods. A quantitative survey design was applied, using the V21 Values Questionnaire to assess dimensions such as autonomy, social relationships, rule compliance, and security, alongside a standardized scale measuring attitudes toward sustainable tourism. Data were collected online from a convenience sample of 95 respondents residing in Constanța and Tulcea counties, Romania. Statistical analyses included descriptive measures, correlations, and group comparisons conducted with SPSS v.24.

Results. Findings reveal that stronger endorsement of values related to autonomy, relational orientation, adherence to social norms, and security is significantly associated with more favorable attitudes toward sustainable tourism. Demographic factors such as parental status and education level did not substantially alter these relationships. The results highlight that value-based orientations, rather than socio-demographic characteristics, provide the psychological foundation for pro-environmental attitudes in tourism consumption.

Conclusions. This study underscores the pivotal role of psychological values in shaping sustainable consumption, suggesting that attitudinal change in tourism is more effectively achieved through the reinforcement of value-driven motivations than by relying on demographic segmentation. These findings open pathways for designing psychologically informed interventions and communication strategies that promote sustainable tourism behavior.

Introduction. Single-parent families, a vulnerable social group, face unique challenges in urban and rural areas, including economic hardship, limited professional opportunities, and social marginalization. The effectiveness of public policies and support programs in mitigating these risks varies depending on the social and geographical context, underscoring the need for tailored interventions.

Methods. The study employed a self-developed 22-item questionnaire administered to ninety-five respondents from both urban and rural areas of Romania. The instrument assessed access to, relevance of, and effectiveness of social inclusion policies, social support services, and professional support programs targeting single parents. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, normality tests, the Mann–Whitney U test, and Chi-square tests.

Results. The findings revealed significant urban–rural differences related to belief in social inclusion policies, accessibility of support services, and the availability of professional training opportunities. Urban respondents tended to be more critical but acknowledged the existence of specific services, while rural participants reported more acute deficiencies, emphasizing a lack of resources and opportunities. The most common barriers found included bureaucratic procedures, stigmatization, and insufficient specialized services. Moreover, respondents perceived professional support measures, such as career counseling and flexible employment, as inadequate, with rural participants expressing higher levels of dissatisfaction.

Conclusions. The results underscore the potential impact of tailored policy measures on the specific challenges of urban and rural environments. Priority actions should include expanding psychosocial counseling, strengthening professional training programs, promoting flexible employment opportunities, and fostering closer cooperation between employers and public authorities. Reducing territorial disparities is essential to ensure fair access to social and professional support for single-parent families and to foster their full social inclusion.

Peer support provides essential emotional, informational, and practical assistance to individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI), complementing professional healthcare by addressing psychosocial needs and fostering self-management. However, access to in-person peer programs is often limited, particularly in rural or underserved regions, due to geographic, environmental, and mobility-related barriers. Emerging technologies offer promising avenues to overcome these challenges.

This qualitative pilot study explored the potential of spatial meeting technologies, including immersive virtual reality (VR), to enhance virtual peer support for individuals with SCI. Using a descriptive qualitative design, semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants (n = 10) who engaged in two phases of weekly peer support: conventional videoconference sessions via Zoom and spatial VR-based sessions. Interviews were analyzed inductively using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis framework, with reflexive team-based coding to ensure rigor and trustworthiness.

Findings revealed three overarching themes: (1) Accessibility and Convenience—VR reduced geographic and environmental barriers while providing participants with greater flexibility and inclusivity; (2) Enhanced Social Presence—spatial environments fostered a stronger sense of connection, engagement, and community compared to traditional videoconferencing; and (3) Learning and Empowerment—immersive settings supported more open dialogue, shared problem-solving, and increased confidence in managing SCI-related challenges. Participants also highlighted barriers, including technological learning curves and the need for tailored onboarding support.

This study demonstrates that spatial meeting technologies hold promise for strengthening peer mentorship and reducing isolation among people with SCI. While preliminary, the findings suggest that integrating immersive tools into peer support networks can extend the reach and impact of rehabilitation beyond hospital and urban settings. Future research should expand sample diversity, refine training protocols, and evaluate long-term outcomes to inform scalable, accessible models of virtual peer support.

Rural mental health inequities are frequently produced not by an absence of services but by systemic designs that fail to align with the lived realities of local communities. Findings from the From the Ground Up project in Rocky View County, Alberta, demonstrate that farmers encounter barriers embedded in geography and institutional logics that reflect outdated models of care. This paper situates these findings within an anthropological framework, advancing the view that health systems are not neutral infrastructures but socially constructed and culturally mediated assemblages.

Employing ethnographic fieldwork, participatory engagement, and design-thinking methods, we collaborated with farmers, community partners, and health professionals to surface needs, expectations, and symbolic understandings of health and wellbeing. This process generated a set of sixty-six guiding principles that point toward both “hard” innovations (telehealth services, resource networks) and “soft” innovations (community-led initiatives, identity-affirming practices). Reflexive practice was central, enabling the research team to unsettle institutional assumptions and re-center rural voices as epistemic authorities.

The analysis reveals persistent misalignments between institutional access points and agricultural lifeways, including seasonal rhythms of labor and culturally embedded practices of care. These misalignments reinforced experiences of invisibility and mistrust, positioning farmers as passive recipients rather than active agents. By contrast, community-forward approaches foregrounded dignity and agency, offering a more responsive and sustainable path toward equity. This paper concludes by reframing rural health systems as lived, co-constructed, and entangled, calling for a paradigm shift from designing for rural populations to designing with them. This shift emphasizes context-sensitive, participatory innovations that respect rural culture and lifeways, thereby bridging the gap between lived experience and systemic response.

Abstract: The integration of immigrant and refugee youth in Norway entails navigating linguistic, cultural, and social challenges that can hinder educational attainment, wellbeing, and future opportunities. Research shows that community-based mentoring has emerged as a promising strategy to support immigrant youth in their adaptation processes. This study explores how immigrant youth participants in the Vinn Vinn project experienced and perceived the role of mentoring in their social integration and overall wellbeing in three municipalities. The project, initiated by the Human Rights Academy in collaboration with Save the Children Norway, paired young immigrants (aged 16-23) with volunteer mentors who shared similar cultural and linguistic backgrounds. Drawing on twenty-two semi-strucutured interviews and complemented by targeted observations of programme activities, the findings demonstrate that mentoring facilitated social belonging, improved language and cultural competence, reduced loneliness, and provided both emotional and practical support. Anchored in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, theis study highlights how mentoring created opportunities for positive interactions across micro- and meso-level systems, bridging individual needs with wider community and institutional structures. This article contributes to the scholarship on immigrant youth integration by showing how culturally responsive, community-based mentoring can complement formal welfare services and enhance wellbeing among young immigrants in Norway.