This study investigated changes in lifestyles and psychological anxiety among Koreans during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic using the 2020 data from the nationwide Korean Community Health Survey. The study outcomes were psychological anxiety about the infection and death, due to COVID-19. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to evaluate the relationship between psychological anxiety and lifestyle changes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, people who practiced healthy behaviors and followed social distancing and quarantine regulations experienced increased psychological anxiety for infection and death. Daily life changes during the COVID-19 pandemic were not associated with psychological anxiety. The result of this study can provide baseline measures for further study on psychological anxiety during re-infection of COVID-19 and future pandemics in Korea.

Climate change is a pressing global challenge that requires immediate action. To address this issue effectively, it is essential to engage and empower the younger generation who will shape the future. This abstract presents the experience of Mohamed Bin Zayed University for Humanities (MBZUH) in UAE in promoting climate action through youth empowerment and environmental education.MBZUH has recognized the significance of incorporating environmental education into its curriculum to foster a generation of environmentally conscious individuals. Through a multidimensional approach, the university has developed innovative strategies to empower students, enabling them to become active participants in addressing climate change. These strategies encompass both formal and informal education, leveraging various platforms and partnerships to create a comprehensive learning environment.This study delves into the initiatives undertaken by MBZUH to empower youth in climate action. It explores the incorporation of environmental education across disciplines, integrating sustainability principles into existing courses, and offering specialized programs focused on environmental science and climate studies. Additionally, it highlights the university's efforts in promoting hands-on learning experiences, such as field trips, research projects, and community engagement, to deepen students' understanding of climate issues and inspire practical action.Furthermore, the study examines the role of MBZUH's collaboration with local and international organizations, governmental bodies, and the wider community in fostering youth empowerment and climate action. It showcases successful partnerships that have resulted in impactful initiatives, including awareness campaigns, capacity-building workshops, and youth-led environmental projects.By sharing the experience of MBZUH, this study aims to provide valuable insights and best practices for promoting climate action through youth empowerment and environmental education. It underscores the importance of empowering the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and motivation to become effective agents of change in addressing climate challenges.

Mecula Haroano Laa is a local wisdom that includes beliefs, norms, and practices passed down from generation to generation in the context of agricultural resource preservation and community cultural identity formation. The author is interested in investigating the practices of the Mecula Haroano Laa tradition, which is unique to North Buton Regency and has unique specifications and characteristics. This research uses a qualitative approach. The data collection techniques used in this study are in-depth interviews and participatory observations. The results of this study demonstrate that Mecula Haroano Laa in North Buton society is more than just an agricultural custom; it is also an attempt to strengthen social solidarity among community members. This practice reflects the spirit of solidarity, gotong royong together, and respect for the environment. The North Buton community is actively involved in implementing Mecula Haroano Laa as a form of participation in developing sustainable agriculture. This research contributes to understanding the importance of local wisdom in building social cohesion in communities. Research implications include sustainable planning and efforts to empower communities in developing farms in North Buton Regency. Natural resource management policies may incorporate. Mecula Haroano Laa’s effective and sustainable resource management techniques to promote wise use, environmental conservation, economic resilience, and dependency reduction.

This study aims to identify factors related to the impact of social capital on happiness among multicultural families using the 2019 Community Health Survey, which represents the South Korean population. The study utilized data from the 2019 Korea Community Health Survey, and the study participants, aged 20 years or older, included 3524 members of multicultural families from a total of 229,099 adult households. The study found a significant difference in happiness scores across different age groups (t = 57.00, p < 0.01). Based on the median value of happiness, significant relationships were found with the independent variables: Physical Environment of Trust (t = −5.13, p < 0.001), Social Networks (t = −5.51, p < 0.001), and Social Participation (t = −5.47, p < 0.001). Happiness was found to have a positive correlation with the Physical Environment of Trust (r = 0.12, p < .001), Social Participation (r = 0.11, p < 0.001), and Social Network (r = 0.13, p ≤ 0.001). In contrast, Age (r = −0.13, p ≤ 0.001) and Stress (r = −0.14, p ≤ 0.001) showed negative correlations with happiness (r = 0.57, p < 0.001). The analysis identified a positive community physical environment (t = 3.85, p < 0.01), increased social networks (t = 4.27, p < 0.01), and higher social participation (t = 6.88, p < 0.01) as significant predictors of happiness. This model suggests that the explanation power is 15%, which is statistically significant (R² = 0.15, F = 57.72, p < 0.001). This study highlights the influence of social capital on the happiness of multicultural families living in Korea. Given the increasing number of multicultural families in the country, strategic interventions aimed at enhancing social networks and participation are necessary to promote their happiness.

Good health and well-being are embedded in the 3rd Goal amongst the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The primary objective of this research was to identify the most critical economic, social, and administrative barriers to implementing the Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) in the Punjab Province of Pakistan. A sequential exploratory design and case study technique were used, employing both qualitative and quantitative methods. In the first stage, in-depth interviews with 50 key officials were conducted to identify the most critical barriers to the EPI program. A quantitative analysis was then performed based on the results obtained from qualitative analysis, and rank orders of barriers were received from the same health department experts. The results indicate that twenty-eight barriers can cause implementation problems for this program. Still, the ten barriers that gained the maximum hits are the most important barriers, which include Shortage of vaccinators, mismanagement of vaccines’ cold chain, biometric android application, ice-lined refrigerators, communication gap, inadequate legislation of EPI program, capacity building issues with EPI staff, Misconceptions about EPI program, lack of awareness of the parents and community, refusal cases and inadequate cooperation of lady health workers (LHWs). Coordinated efforts of the government and the public are highly recommended to address these barriers.

Background: Globally, unpaid carers face economic and societal pressures. Unpaid carers’ support is valued at £132 billion a year in the United Kingdom (UK) alone. However, this care comes at a high cost for the carers themselves. Carers providing round the clock care are more than twice as likely to be in bad health than non-carers. These carers are therefore proportionately more likely to need statutory services such as health care provision. It is critical that carers are better supported to be involved in the shaping, delivery and evaluation of the services they receive. Unfortunately, qualitative evidence on how carer organisations can do this better is scarce. Methods: Working collaboratively with a community-based carers organization, we undertook a qualitative study. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 23 participants. Online, semi-structured, one-to-one interviews were conducted with carers, community organization staff and stakeholders to ascertain their experience and views on the involvement service. Results: Firstly, there are a range of benefits resulting from the involvement service. The carers see the service as an opportunity to connect with other carers and share their views and ideas. Secondly, staff and service providers also reported how involvement gave a platform for carers and was of value in helping them shape needs-led services. Thirdly, we found that barriers to good involvement include the lack of a clearly understood, shared definition of involvement as well as the lack of a diverse pool of carer representatives available for involvement activities. Conclusion: The findings from our study provide important insights into how carers, staff and service stakeholders view barriers and enablers to good involvement. The findings will be of interest to a range of community-based organizations interested in further involving members of their community in shaping the services they receive.