Matproblem och personlighet

The purpose of this study was to examine by means of Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI), the relationship between Neuroticism, and self-rated eating problems. Altogether 105 respondents, mean aged 42,3 years, including 11 men and 94 women, participated by answering an Internet-based questionnaire comprising three different sections. Neuroticism correlated with self-rated eating problems (r=,468, p<0,01). By means of multiple regression analysis it was indicated that both Neuroticism (p<.001) and Body Mass Index (BMI) (p<.001) contributed significantly to the prediction of self-rated eating problems (multiple correlation (ß=.594). The study indicated that the personality only partly explained the variation of eating problems. The result was discussed in terms of significance of biological factors stressing changes in 5-HT levels triggering eating problems.

Profiling visitors to Dalarna Museum : What are the motivational factors that influence visitors' frequency of visits

Prior studies on museum visitors are extensively centred on national museums, the studies on regional museums are scarce. To fill in the academic gap, a research is proposed concerning the visitors of Dalarna Museum, a regional museum in Sweden. With an aim to profile visitors’ demographic characteristics and investigate the motivational factors that influence visitors’ frequency of visits, a face-to-face questionnaire survey was implemented at Dalarna Museum. To get visitors’ demographic characteristics, a few closed and open questions are devised to profile visitors’ gender, age, occupation, income, education, number of children and residence place. To investigate the motivational factors that influence visitors’ frequency of visits, a seven-point Likert questionnaire is employed with 17 motivational factors included. During a 12-day data collection, 372 visitors were invited to participate in the questionnaire survey, whereof 357 had filled in the questionnaire, generating a response rate that is as high as 96 percent. After data cleansing, there are 355 completed and valid responses in total. According to the results, some of visitors’ demographic characteristics are similar including gender, age, occupation, income, and number of children. However, the characteristics regarding visitors’ residence places and educational attainments are different comparing the frequent visitors to occasional visitors. Through running a multiple regression analysis, 13 out of the 17 motivational factors are detected having significant influences on visitors’ frequency of visits to Dalarna Museum, of which the most influential one is visitors’ day-outs with their friends and relatives.

Health and quality of care from older peoples' and formal caregivers' perspective

Aim: The overall aim of this thesis was to gain a deeper understanding of older people's view of health and care while dependent on community care. Furthermore to describe and compare formal caregivers' perceptions of quality of care, working conditions, competence, general health, and factors associated with quality of care from the caregivers' perspective. Method: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 19 older people in community care who were asked to describe what health and ill health((I), good and bad care meant for them (II). Data were analyzed using content analysis (I) and a phenomenological analysis (II). The formal caregivers; 70 nursing assistants (NAs) 163 enrolled nurses (ENs) and 198 registered nurses (RNs), answered a questionnaire consisting of five instruments: quality of care from the patient's perspective modified to formal caregivers, creative climate questionnaire, stress of conscience, health index, sense of coherence and items on education and competence (III). Statistical analyses were performed containing descriptive statistics, and comparisons between the occupational groups were made using Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA, Mann-Whitney U-test and Pearson's Chi-square test (III). Pearson's  product moment correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis were performed studying the associations between organizational climate, stress of conscience, competence, general health and sense of coherence with quality of care (IV). Results: The older people's health and well-being were related to their own ability to adapt to and compensate for their disabilities and was described as negative and positive poles of autonomy vs. dependence, togetherness vs. being an onlooker, security vs. insecurity and tranquility vs. disturbance (I).  The meaning of good care (II) was that the formal caregivers respected the older people as unique individuals, having the opportunity to live their lives as usual and receiving a safe and secure care. Good care could be experienced when the formal caregivers had adequate knowledge and competence in caring for older people, adequate time and continuity in the care organization (II). Formal caregivers reported higher perceived quality of care in the dimensions medical-technical competence and physical-technical conditions than in identity-oriented approach and socio-cultural atmosphere (III). In the organizational climate three of the dimensions were close to the value of a creative climate and in seven near a stagnant climate. The formal caregivers reported low rate of stress of conscience. The RNs reported to a higher degree than the NAs/ENs a need to gain more knowledge, but the NAs and the ENs more often received training during working hours. The RNs reported lower emotional well-being than the NAs/ENs (III). The formal caregivers' occupation, organizational climate and stress of conscience were associated with perceived quality of care (IV). Implications: The formal caregivers should have an awareness of the importance of kindness and respect, supporting the older people to retain control over their lives. The nursing managers should employ highly competent and adequate numbers of skilled formal caregivers, organize formal caregivers having round the clock continuity. Improvements of organizational climate and stress of conscience are of importance for good quality of care.

Tha contribution of home-based technology to older people's quality of life in extra care housing

Background: British government policy for older people focuses on a vision of active ageing and independent living. In the face of diminishing personal capacities, the use of appropriate home-based technology (HBT) devices could potentially meet a wide range of needs and consequently improve many aspects of older people's quality of life such as physical health, psychosocial well-being, social relationships, and their physical or living environment. This study aimed to examine the use of HBT devices and the correlation between use of such devices and quality of life among older people living in extra-care housing (ECH).  Methods: A structured questionnaire was administered for this study. Using purposive sampling 160 older people living in extra-care housing schemes were selected from 23 schemes in England. A face-to-face interview was conducted in each participant's living unit. In order to measure quality of life, the SEIQoL-Adapted and CASP-19 were used.  Results: Although most basic appliances and emergency call systems were used in the living units, communally provided facilities such as personal computers, washing machines, and assisted bathing equipment in the schemes were not well utilised. Multiple regression analysis adjusted for confounders including age, sex, marital status, living arrangement and mobility use indicated a coefficient of 1.17 with 95% CI (0.05, 2.29) and p = 0.04 [SEIQoL-Adapted] and 2.83 with 95% CI (1.17, 4.50) and p = 0.001 [CASP-19].  Conclusions: The findings of the present study will be value to those who are developing new form of specialised housing for older people with functional limitations and, in particular, guiding investments in technological aids. The results of the present study also indicate that the home is an essential site for developing residential technologies.

Avskaffandet av revisionsplikten : Ränteeffekter på företag inom fastighetsbranschen efter avskaffandet av revisionsplikten

Bakgrund: År 2010 avskaffades revisionsplikten för mindre aktiebolag i Sverige. Anledningen till avskaffandet var att minska kostnaderna för mindre företag. Tidigare forskning har kommit fram till att företag som valt bort revisor får en högre kreditkostnad när de till exempel tar lån. Den tidigare forskningen menar att detta kan bero på att banker och andra kreditinstitut anser att oreviderade finansiella rapporter har en sämre kvalitet än reviderade rapporter vilket leder till en högre risk för kreditgivarna. Denna uppsats kommer att undersöka om det finns någon skillnad på låneräntan mellan företag som valt att ha kvar revisor och företag som valt bort revisor. Syfte: Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka, jämföra samt analysera låneräntan hos mindre aktiebolag inom fastighetsbranschen som inte är revisionspliktiga. Metod: Kvantitativ metod, multipel regressionsanalys. Resultat: Resultaten i denna studie visar på att företag med revisor har en lägre ränta i genomsnitt jämfört med företag utan revisor. Vi har även fått fram att revision har en negativ påverkan på företags ränta, men detta resultat är inte signifikant. Därför kan vi inte uttala oss om att revision har en negativ påverkan på företags ränta, trots att tidigare forskning har visat det. Slutsats: Företags val av revisor eller ej är inte det viktigaste för kreditgivare när det kommer till vilken ränta företagen skall få på sina lån. Det finns andra faktorer som har en större påverkan på räntan. I denna studie är det företags storlek samt andelen materiella tillgångar i förhållande till totala tillgångar som har den största negativa påverkan på företags ränta. Detta indikerar att banker och andra kreditinstitut ser dessa företag som en lägre risk.