1. Why does health literacy matter, and for whom? Explaining the differentiating impact of health literacy on vaccine attitudesMaruša Lubej, Andrej Kirbiš, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: Introduction: Vaccination has substantially reduced the spread and severity of infectious diseases. Despite its efficacy, vaccine hesitancy remains a global challenge, often linked to inadequate health literacy and unfavorable vaccine attitudes. Understanding the mechanisms through which health literacy influences vaccine-related attitudes is crucial because it could inform policy interventions aimed at fostering more favorable vaccine attitudes. Method: The present cross-sectional study of Slovenian adults (n = 3,360) examined the impact of health literacy on vaccine attitudes, focusing on the mediating role of beliefs in vaccine myths and the moderating effects of gender, education, economic status, healthcare training, and self-rated health. Results: Using mediation and moderated mediation models, we found that health literacy positively influences vaccine attitudes both directly and indirectly by reducing beliefs in myths. The relationship between health literacy and vaccine attitudes is moderated by healthcare training, with stronger positive effect among individuals with such training. Additionally, the negative effect of health literacy on beliefs in myths is stronger among individuals with higher education. Discussion: Our findings indicate that broader educational inequalities should be addressed to ensure that the positive effect of health literacy on vaccine attitudes is distributed more equitably across groups with different educational levels and fields of expertise.
Keywords: vaccine hesitancy, vaccine attitudes, vaccine myths, socioeconomic inequalities, sociodemographic inequalities
Published in DKUM: 28.03.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 4
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2. Behavioral expectations of business school students concerning extreme climate events : regional insights and implications for Southeast EuropeNikša Alfirević, Darko Rendulić, Sonja Mlaker Kač, 2025, original scientific article Abstract: Abstract: This article presents the role of environmental attitudes and self-efficacy in shaping the behavioral expectations of business students in Southeast Europe regarding extreme climate events. Conducted across twelve public and private business schools in five countries, the study provides a baseline for comparison with similar empirical research. Using multiple linear regression, we analyze the relationship between the proenvironmental attitudes and environmental self-efficacy to the students’ climate change expectations. Our results indicate that pro-environmental attitudes significantly predict the students’ expectations of extreme climate events, while environmental self-efficacy plays a secondary but statistically significant role. These findings extend the extant literature by focusing on the role of sustainability in business school curricula and the potential positive outcomes of experiential learning methods and approaches.
Keywords: pro-environmental attitudes, environmental self-efficiency, climate change expectations, business students, Southeast Europe
Published in DKUM: 27.03.2025; Views: 0; Downloads: 2
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3. Attitudes of teachers towards the inclusion of children with special needs in primary and secondary schoolsMajda Schmidt, Ksenja Vrhovnik, 2015, original scientific article Abstract: Many researchers emphasize teachers' attitudes as a decisive component in ensuring successful inclusion of students with special needs (SN students). The empirical research that is presented in the main part of this article analyzes the attitudes of primary and secondary teachers towards the inclusion of SN students with respect to the type of school, the teachers' age, the number of SN students in the class, and the teachers') acquired skills. A questionnaire was devised for the study, based on two previous questionnaires: the Questionnaire on Attitudes towards Integration and the Teacher Stress and Coping Questionnaire. The secondary teachers showed more positive attitudes towards SN students than did their primary colleagues, as well as towards teaching and adaptation with respect to the students' SN and towards the psychophysical strain related to such work. The youngest group of teachers, those aged from 20 to 30, shows a higher level of agreement related to the provision of adequate support. Teachers with fewer SN students in class (up to two students) show a higher degree of support for inclusion of SN students than do other groups of teachers. Teachers without training for work with SN students in comparison with their colleagues who had it show a lower level of agreement with respect to support and assistance at educational work with SN students.
Keywords: defektologija, pristopi učiteljev, starost učiteljev, otroci s posebnimi potrebami, otroci z motnjami, integrirani otroci, socialna integracija, emocionalna integracija, motivacijska integracija, osnovne šole, srednje šole, defectology, teachers' attitudes, teachers' age, impaired children, integrated children, integration, social integration, emotional integration, motivational integration, primary schools, secondary schools
Published in DKUM: 17.09.2024; Views: 0; Downloads: 4
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4. Exploring the neglected voices of children in sustainable tourism development : a comparative study in six european tourist destinationsMarko Koščak, Mladen Knežević, Daniel Binder, Antonio Pelaez-Verdet, Cem Işik, Vladimir Mićić, Katarina Borisavljević, Tina Šegota, 2023, original scientific article Abstract: For years, sustainable tourism has commanded the attention of academics and practitioners given its achievement through participatory planning. However, much research in the area has neglected to consider all voices of those (i.e., children) affected by tourism. This study, employing a post-test only experimental design, addresses this gap by including the voices of 498 children from six diverse European destinations concerning perceptions of tourism. Results show that children are willing to express their opinions given the opportunity. Moreover, their attitude towards tourists is negative, while they perceive locals to hold a subordinate position to tourists. In general, this study offers insight into children's attitudes to tourism from the host perspective, demonstrating that there is a unique insider's perspective that needs further research.
Keywords: tourism, sustainable development, environmental protection, children, sustainable tourism, resident attitudes, experiment, involvement
Published in DKUM: 27.08.2024; Views: 95; Downloads: 14
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5. Students’ values, professional socialization and the mental gap of corporate social responsibility perceptionsNikša Alfirević, Vojko Potočan, Zlatko Nedelko, 2021, original scientific article Abstract: This paper examines how values and professional socialization in business schools impact the formulation of students’ contextualized view of social responsibility. We propose the empirical concept of a mental gap between the existing and the wished-for level of a business school’s corporate social responsibility and estimate it empirically by using a sample of business school students from Central and South East Europe. Results show that students wish their business schools to reduce their current orientation toward economic outcomes and focus on environmental and social responsibilities. We interpret those empirical results in terms of the students’ wish to balance achieving economic prosperity and enjoyment of life with the prosocial outcomes of their education. New student generations’ perception of corporate social responsibility is not shaped by the professional socialization patterns but rather by the own perceptions, which can be influenced by experiential approaches to academic teaching and learning. Based on these empirical results, implications for academic practice and future research are explored.
Keywords: students, education, social responsibility, economy, culture, human learning, psychological attitudes
Published in DKUM: 06.08.2024; Views: 91; Downloads: 9
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6. Using structural equation modeling to explore patients’ and healthcare professionals’ expectations and attitudes towards socially assistive humanoid robots in nursing and care routineIzidor Mlakar, Urška Smrke, Vojko Flis, Nina Kobilica, Samo Horvat, Bojan Ilijevec, Bojan Musil, Nejc Plohl, 2023, original scientific article Abstract: Healthcare systems around the world are currently witnessing various challenges, including population aging and workforce shortages. As a result, the existing, overworked staff are struggling to meet the ever-increasing demands and provide the desired quality of care. One of the promising technological solutions that could complement the human workforce and alleviate some of their workload, are socially assistive humanoid robots. However, despite their potential, the implementation of socially assistive humanoid robots is often challenging due to low acceptance among key stakeholders, namely, patients and healthcare professionals. Hence, the present study first investigated the extent to which these stakeholders accept the use of socially assistive humanoid robots in nursing and care routine, and second, explored the characteristics that contribute to higher/lower acceptance within these groups, with a particular emphasis on demographic variables, technology expectations, ethical acceptability, and negative attitudes. In study 1, conducted on a sample of 490 healthcare professionals, the results of structural equation modeling showed that acceptance is driven primarily by aspects of ethical acceptability, although education and technology expectations also exert an indirect effect. In study 2, conducted on a sample of 371 patients, expectations regarding capabilities and attitudes towards the social influence of robots emerged as important predictors of acceptance. Moreover, although acceptance rates differed between tasks, both studies show a relatively high acceptance of socially assistive humanoid robots. Despite certain limitations, the study findings provide essential knowledge that enhances our understanding of stakeholders’ perceptions and acceptance of socially assistive humanoid robots in hospital environments, and may guide their deployment.
Keywords: socially assistive humanoid robots, attitudes, expectations, patients, healthcare professionals
Published in DKUM: 12.06.2024; Views: 166; Downloads: 15
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7. Recognition of the perceived benefits of smartphones and tablets and their influence on the quality of learning outcomes by students in lower secondary biology classesVida Lang, Andrej Šorgo, 2023, original scientific article Abstract: After the appearance of the first smartphones in 2007 and shortly thereafter, tablets became
not only useful communication tools, but also objects that function as life organisation units. However,
although they are ubiquitous, their actual and potential role in biology education has not been
sufficiently explored. The objectives of the survey were to investigate the recent use of smartphones in
the last two grades of Slovenian comprehensive school by 14- to 15-year-old students, their satisfaction
with them for educational purposes, and the perceived impact on the quality of schoolwork in biology
classes. Based on the responses of 313 lower secondary school students, we can conclude that
by the end of compulsory education, almost all of them have used smartphones and tablets for
educational purposes to some extent, even if the reported use in different school subjects is low.
Based on structural equation modelling, which examines the influence of the constructs of support,
perceived usability, perceived ease of use, attitudes, and perceived pedagogical impact on the quality
of smartphone-based schoolwork, it can be concluded that only perceived pedagogical impacts and
perceived usability impacted quality, leading to the conclusion that additional efforts should be
made to explore their full potential and the gaps that should be addressed through formal education.
Leaving students to their own devices is the worst solution, resulting in a permanent lack of skills,
such as the ability to select and interpret information provided through the media.
Keywords: attitudes, biology education, quality of schoolwork, secondary school students, smartphones, tablets
Published in DKUM: 05.06.2024; Views: 136; Downloads: 22
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8. The impact of cultural capital on vaccine attitudes among the Slovenian publicAndrej Kirbiš, 2022, original scientific article Abstract: Education and highbrow cultural participation—two dimensions of cultural capital—have previously been identified as determinants of vaccine attitudes, though the links have been mainly inconsistent across studies. The present quantitative study aimed to examine the effects of two dimensions of cultural capital (institutionalized and embodied cultural capital) on the pro-vaccine attitudes of the Slovenian public. A cross-sectional quantitative study was performed in November 2019, a few months prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. The non-probability sample survey was collected by inviting respondents over the age of 18 to participate using the snowball technique via e-mail, digital social networks (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) and University of Maribor social network profiles. The sample was obtained through an online survey tool 1ka.si (N = 661; Mage = 34.9 years). The impact of education and highbrow cultural participation on vaccine attitudes was examined, controlling for sociodemographic variables (gender, age and size of residential settlement) and economic variables (income and family economic status) in multivariate analyses. Bivariate analyses indicated that pro-vaccine attitudes were significantly more likely to be expressed by men, younger respondents, those with lower incomes, higher perceived family economic status, living in urban areas and by those who are more frequently engaged in highbrow cultural activities, while education had no impact on vaccine attitudes. The results did not substantially change when multiple regression models were employed. Our study indicated that cultural capital has an inconsistent impact on vaccine attitudes; while education has no impact, highbrow cultural participation increases pro-vaccine attitudes. The results suggest a multi-type approach is needed to address vaccine scepticism among the Slovenian public.
Keywords: cultural capital, vaccine attitudes, vaccine hesitancy, education, cultural participation
Published in DKUM: 12.04.2024; Views: 266; Downloads: 24
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9. The role of education in sustainable dietary patterns in SloveniaAndrej Kirbiš, Monika Lamot, Marija Javornik, 2021, original scientific article Abstract: The most sustainable dietary patterns involve the consumption of plant-based (vegan) foods, excluding or reducing animal products, including meat, fish, and dairy, yet there is a lack of research on determinants of sustainable dietary patterns in central European countries. The present article aimed to examine the prevalence of sustainable dietary practices and attitudes among the Slovenian public and to investigate the role of education in fostering sustainable dietary patterns. We analyzed a representative national sample of Slovenians, with data gathered in 2019 (ISSP/Slovenian Public Opinion; N = 1079; 51.2% females). The results indicate that most Slovenians do not have sustainable dietary practices or attitudes with regard to health, the environment, animals, and dietary minorities. One in four Slovenians consume meat at least once per day and one in two consume meat three to six times per week. In addition, 78.2% of Slovenians consume milk at least three times per week; more than half consume milk daily or more often. Fish consumption is the least frequent among the three food groups. At least two-thirds of Slovenians also hold attitudes that are low in sustainability. Results also show that, after controlling for confounding variables, higher educational level emerged as an independent predictor of lower meat consumption, but not of lower fish or milk consumption. Furthermore, those in the lowest educational group are significantly less likely to hold sustainable attitudes than those in the higher educational group. Finally, current student status only decreases meat consumption. Since our results show an educational gradient in meat consumption and attitudes, public health and environmental campaigns should focus on the less-educated groups, encouraging them to reduce meat intake and fostering more sustainable attitudes.
Keywords: dietary patterns, education, sustainability, attitudes, meat, animals
Published in DKUM: 12.04.2024; Views: 223; Downloads: 37
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10. The impact of socioeconomic status, perceived threat and healthism on vaccine hesitancyAndrej Kirbiš, 2023, original scientific article Abstract: The ideology of healthism and low perceptions of the threat of vaccine-preventable diseases may explain the positive link between socioeconomic status (SES) and vaccine hesitancy in highincome countries. The present study aimed to examine the effect of three measures of SES (education, income and family economic status), the perceived threat of infectious diseases and two dimensions of healthism (personal responsibility for own health and distrust in healthcare institutions) on vaccine hesitancy, adjusting for sociodemographic variables. A cross-sectional quantitative study was performed in 2019. Non-probability sampling was employed by sending invitations to respondents over the age of 18 to participate in the study. The snowball technique was used, employing e-mails and digital social networks (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram). Data from 661 respondents were collected via 1 ka.si, an online survey tool. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that vaccine hesitancy was significantly more likely to be expressed by women (β = 0.29; p < 0.001), high-income respondents (β = 0.09; p < 0.01), those who have lower perceptions of the threat of vaccine-preventable diseases (β = 0.39; p < 0.001) and those scoring high on two healthism measures (expressing high perceived control of their own health (β = 0.18; p < 0.001) and high distrust in the Slovenian healthcare system and institutions (β = 0.37; p < 0.001)). The findings indicate that among the examined predictors, low perceived threat of vaccine-preventable diseases and low trust in the healthcare system are among the strongest predictors of vaccine hesitancy among the Slovenian public. Policymakers, physicians and other healthcare workers should be especially attentive to the public’s and patients’ perceptions of the risk of infectious diseases and distrust in medical institutions, including during doctor–patient communication and through public health campaigns and policies.
Keywords: vaccine hesitancy, vaccine attitudes, healthism, socioeconomic status, percieved threat
Published in DKUM: 15.03.2024; Views: 311; Downloads: 8
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