Who, what, where, when and where to now? The landscape of cognitive assessment in Australia

PurposeVertebral body tethering (VBT) is a new growth-modulating surgery for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) requiring a distinct skillset and intraoperative setup. We compared perioperative details and outcomes of VBTs performed in a public pediatric orthopedic hospital and a general private hospital setting.MethodsWe identified all patients receiving VBT for AIS from 1/2020 to 12/2023 with ≥ 6 months post-operative follow-up, with surgeries performed by the same senior surgeons. Clinical, radiological, and surgical details were retrieved.Results24 VBTs were performed in the private setting and 16 in the public setting. Average age at operation was 11.9 ± 1.1 at a Sanders staging of 3.8 ± 1.2 when the major curve Cobb angle was 50.5 ± 8.0°. Tethered curves were most often thoracic in location (23/40) followed by thoracolumbar/lumbar curves (10/40) and double curve tethers (7/40). Overall correction ratio of 68.0 ± 19.0% was achieved. Time from booking to operation (82.2 ± 39.2 vs 63.1 ± 34.4 days, p = 0.112) and operation time (310 ± 86.4 min vs. 289 ± 87.4 min, p = 0.054) were longer in the public and private setting respectively but failed to reach statistical significance. Time to chest drain removal (1.5 ± 0.8 vs. 3.5 ± 1.7 days, p < 0.001) and length of stay (4.3 ± 0.9 vs. 6.6 ± 1.8 days, p < 0.001) were significantly shorter in the private setting, whilst complication rates remained similar (7/24 vs. 3/16, p = 0.456).ConclusionExpertise, resource availability, and costs differ in the public and private healthcare setting. With regards to VBT, the conditions for referral and surgical outcomes remained similar. Earlier drain removal and discharge for patients managed in the private setting was not associated with an increase in complication rate.

Latino men who have sex with men (MSM) constitute a group at high risk for HIV. Recent approaches to understanding sexual risk have emphasized the role that contextual factors can play in shaping behavior. This study examined sexual behavior of Latino MSM in private and public settings. First, a within-person comparison of behaviors performed in sexual encounters that occurred in public and private settings was conducted. Unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) and other sexual behaviors involving anal stimulation were more common in private settings; group sex was more likely in public settings. Second, a between-person analysis compared sexual behaviors of MSM who went to three different types of public sex settings during the past six months. The types were: (1) commercial sex venues (CSVs), which were defined as businesses with the function of providing a space where MSM can go to have sexual encounters, such as gay bathhouses; (2) commercial sex environments (CSEs), which were defined as businesses with another apparent function, but in which MSM sometimes have sexual encounters, such as gay bars or pornographic movie houses; and (3) public sex environments (PSEs), which were defined as free public areas where MSM can go to find partners for anonymous sex, such as parks or public restrooms. Results indicated that anal sexual behavior was most likely to occur in CSVs and least likely in PSEs, but the probability of UAI was not found to differ among the three types of settings. Behavioral differences were discussed in terms of structural conditions related to privacy and safety, and psychological factors related to intimacy.

Do improvements in health service delivery affect trust in political leaders in Africa? Citizens expect their government to provide social services. Intuitively, improvements in service delivery should lead to higher levels of trust in and support for political leaders. However, in contexts where inadequate services are the norm, and where political support is linked to ethnic or religious affiliation, there may be weak linkages between improvements in service delivery and changes in trust in political leaders. To examine this question empirically, we take advantage of a national intervention that improved health service delivery in 500 primary health care facilities in Nigeria, to estimate the impact of residence within 10 km of one or more of the intervention facilities on trust in the president, local councils, the ruling party, and opposition parties. Using difference-in-difference models, we show that proximity to the intervention led to increases in trust in the president and the ruling party. By contrast, we find no evidence of increased trust in the local council or opposition parties. Our study also examines the role of ethnicity and religious affiliation in mediating the observed increases in trust in the president. While there is a large literature suggesting that both the targeting of interventions, and the response of citizens to interventions is often mediated by ethnic, geographic or religious identity, by contrast, we find no evidence that the intervention was targeted at the president's ethnic group, zone, or state of origin. Moreover, there is suggestive evidence that the intervention increased trust in the president more among those who did not share these markers of identity with the president. This highlights the possibility that broad-based efforts to improve health services can increase trust in political leaders even in settings where political attitudes are often thought to be mediated by group identity.

PROTOCOL: Participation, inclusion, transparency and accountability (PITA) to improve public services in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review.

Disparities in Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Acute Myeloid Leukemia Treated in Public Versus Private Services in Brazil: Analysis of the Brazilian Acute Myeloid Leukemia Registry

Part I: The Origins of Intellectual Assessment. Wasserman, A History of Intelligence Assessment: The Unfinished Tapestry. Kamphaus, Winsor, Rowe, Kim, A History of Intelligence Test Interpretation. Part II: Contemporary Theoretical Perspectives. Horn, Blankson, Foundations for Better Understanding of Cognitive Abilities. Schneider, McGrew, The Cattell-Horn-Carroll (CHC) Model of Intelligence. Chen, Gardner, Assessment of Intellectual Profile: A Perspective from Multiple-Intelligences Theory. Sternberg, The Triarchic Theory of Successful Intelligence. Naglieri, Das, Goldstein, Planning, Attention, Simultaneous, Successive (PASS): A Cognitive Processing-based Theory of Intelligence. Part III: Contemporary Intelligence, Cognitive, and Neuropsychological Batteries (and Associated Achievement Tests). Drozdick, Wahlstrom, Zhu, Weiss, The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Fourth Edition (WAIS-IV) and the Wechsler Memory Scale - Fourth Edition (WMS-IV). Wahlstrom, Breaux, Zhu, Weiss, The Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence - Third Edition (WPPSI-III), the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fourth Edition (WISC-IV), and the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test - Third Edition (WIAT-III). Roid, Pomplun, The Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales, Fifth Edition (SB5). Singer, Lichtenberger, J.C. Kaufman, A.S. Kaufman, N.L. Kaufman, The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children - Second Edition (KABC-II) and the Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement-Second Edition (KTEA-II). Schrank, Wendling, The Woodcock-Johnson III Normative Update (WJ III NU): Tests of Cognitive Abilities and Tests of Achievement. Elliott, The Differential Ability Scales - Second Edition (DAS-II). McCallum, Bracken, The Universal Nonverbal Intelligence Test (UNIT): A Multidimensional Nonverbal Alternative for Cognitive Assessment. Naglieri, Otero, The Cognitive Assessment System (CAS): From Theory to Practice. Reynolds, Kamphaus, Raines, The Reynolds Intellectual Assessment Scales (RIAS) and the Reynolds Intellectual Screening Test (RIST). Matthews, Riccio, Davis, The NEPSY-II. Naglieri, Otero, The Wechsler Nonverbal Scale of Ability (WNV): Assessment of Diverse Populations. Part IV: Contemporary Interpretive Approaches and Their Relevance for Intervention. Flanagan, Alfonson, Ortiz, The Cross-Battery Assessment (XBA) Approach: An Overview, Historical Perspective, and Current Directions. Fiorello, Hale, Wycoff, Cognitive Hypothesis Testing (CHT): Linking Test Results to the Real World. Floyd, Kranzler, Processing Approaches to Interpreting Information from Cognitive Ability Tests: A Critical Review. Ortiz, Ochoa, Dynda, Testing with Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Populations: Moving Beyond the Verbal-performance Dichotomy into Evidence-Based Practice. Mather, Wendling, Linking Cognitive Abilities to Academic Interventions for Students with Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD). Part V: Assessment of Intelligence and Cognitive Functioning in Different Populations. Ford, Kozey, Negreiros, Cognitive Assessment in Early Childhood: Theoretical and Practical Perspectives. McIntosh, Dixon, Pierson, Use of Intelligence Tests in the Identification of Giftedness. Flanagan, Alfonso, Mascolo, Sotelo-Dynega, Use of Ability Tests in the Identification of Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD) within the Context of an Operational Definition. Klinger, O'Kelley, Mussey, Goldstein, DeVries, Assessment of Intellectual Functioning in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Hale, Yim, Schneider, Wilcox, Henzel, Dixon, Cognitive and Neuropsychological Assessment of ADHD: Redefining a Disruptive Behavior Disorder. Decker, Englund, Roberts, Intellectual and Neuropsychological Assessment of Individuals with Sensory and Physical Disabilities and Traumatic Brain Injury. Armstrong, Hangauer, Nadeau, Use of Intelligence Tests in the Identification of Children with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDD). Part VI: Contemporary and Emerging Issues in Intellectual Assessment. Braden, Niebling, Using Joint Test Standards to Evaluate the Validity Evidence for Intelligence Tests. Keith, Reynolds, Using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to Aid in Understanding the Constructs Measured by Intelligence Tests. Miller, Maricle, The Emergence of Neuropsychological Constructs into Tests of Intelligence and Cognitive Abilities. Maricle, Avirett, The Role of Cognitive and Intelligence Tests in the Assessment of Executive Functions. Brown-Chidsey, Andren, Intelligence Tests in the Context of Emerging Assessment Practices: Problem-solving Applications. McCloskey, Whitaker, Murphy, Rogers, Intellectual, Cognitive, and Neuropsychological Assessment in Three-tier Service Delivery Practices in Schools. Carroll, Appendix: The Three-Stratum Theory of Cognitive Abilities.

After a service failure, citizens expect a recovery strategy that restores perceived justice and places a reasonable value on their loss. Offering monetary compensation is a strategy commonly used in private settings, but less so in public settings. To date, compensation effects have not been researched in public settings. To investigate citizens’ evaluations of perceived justice, negative emotions and post‐recovery satisfaction we used a 2 (sector: public, private) by 2 (compensation promised: yes, no) by 2 (compensation offered: yes, no) factorial between‐subjects experimental design (student sample), and replicated this in a second study (US citizens sample). Results showed that compensation leads to similar positive effects in public and private settings, confirming earlier private setting research that applied justice theory. Explicitly promising compensation prior to a service encounter had no effect. However, promising compensation and not offering it led to decreased citizens’ evaluations, which confirms expectancy disconfirmation theory.

Worldwide, there are increasingly high expectations when it comes to service delivery. Service delivery is expected both from the public and private sectors. Infrastructure is one of the areas on which citizens rely in their day-to-day activities. Many countries, both developed and developing, are working hard to improve their infrastructure with the objective of achieving this and providing service to their citizens. Kenya's highways have not achieved the desired milestone. Despite the increased funding, this can be associated with rampant corruption and mismanagement of financial allocations, among others. This has left citizens without the desired services from the Kenya National Highway Authority. Thus, the current study aimed at establishing the role of public participation in service delivery by public sector organizations. A case of Kenya's national highway authority. The study was guided by two objectives, which include the role of stakeholder engagement in service delivery at the Kenya National Highway Authority and the influence of public involvement in decision-making on service delivery at the Kenya National Highway Authority. The communicative action theory anchored the research. The target population was a total of 118 employees of the Kenya National Highway Authority in the Nairobi region. The sample size of 91 respondents was calculated using Yamane's 1967 formula. The study used a descriptive research design to examine how the variables were related. The research used a well-structured questionnaire to collect primary data from the respondents. The questionnaire was administered electronically, and the respondents were requested to fill it out and return it. The validity and reliability of the data collection instruments were ascertained using content validity and a pilot test for reliability. Further, a multiple linear regression was done to assess the relationship between the study variables, both independent and dependent variables. Data analysis was done using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Results revealed that public participation improved Service Delivery at the Kenya National Highway Authority. Further, stakeholder engagement will improve service delivery at the Kenya National Highway Authority by 0.420 units, and public involvement in decision-making will improve service delivery at the Kenya National Highway Authority by 0.578 units. In conclusion, the study found that the two variables, stakeholder engagement and Public Involvement in decision-making, significantly explained the service delivery at Kenya's national highway authority. Thus, the study recommended that there should be active citizen involvement in decision-making as well as stakeholder engagement by providing platforms to establish further areas of expansion for improved service delivery. Further study can be done to explore road safety measures and traffic management strategies implemented by the Kenya National Highway Authority.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the role of change management in improving service delivery within government parastatals in Uganda, specifically focusing on the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA). It explored the enabling factors for change management on service delivery and assessed the effects of change management on service delivery within these parastatals. Methodology: The study employed a cross-sectional and exploratory approach, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative methods. The study population consisted of 298 participants from various departments within KCCA. Data collection methods included self-administered questionnaires, interviews with key informants, and documentary reviews. The study instruments were validated using the Content Validity Index, and reliability was assessed using Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and bivariate regression, while qualitative data were analyzed through content analysis. Findings: The study concluded that the enabling factors for change management on service delivery in government parastatals in Uganda are not well understood. Additionally, it found that change management does have a significant impact on service delivery within these institutions. Unique contribution to theory, practice and policy (recommendations): Based on the conclusions, it is recommended that KCCA administrators enhance service delivery through a more holistic approach to change management. This should involve addressing various enabling factors and components of the change management framework to optimize service delivery outcomes.

Introduction: The overall incidence of ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF) as the first recorded electrical rhythm in out of hospital cardiac arrest (OOHCA) has declined from ~70% to ~25% over the last 30 years. This change has been attributed to primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease and VT/VF. We evaluated whether the incidence of VT/VF as first recorded rhythm differed by location among bystander AED applied patients and EMS witnessed cardiac arrests. Methods: Prospective cohort study of non-traumatic cardiac arrest from December 2005 to April 2007 in the Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium database from 10 US and Canadian sites. The incidence of an initial shockable rhythm on AED or documented VT/VF was compared among bystander applied AED patients and EMS witnessed arrests in public versus private settings. Results: The first rhythm was known in 13,235 of 14,059 (94%) adult EMS-treated cardiac arrests. Of the 13,235 with known rhythms, 3436 (26%) had VT/VF. Among 1115 EMS-witnessed arrests, 61/161 (38%) had VT/VF in public settings and 224/954 (23%) in private settings. Similarly, for bystander AED applied in the private setting 39/114 (34%) were shocked. But, in contrast, 125/159 (79%) (P&lt;.001 vs all other) were shocked by the AED in the public setting. Witnessed arrests in both the private setting (vs public) and in EMS witnessed cases (vs bystander AED applied) were more likely to occur in older subjects and females. After adjusting for age and gender via logistic regression models, a significant difference in the odds of having a shockable rhythm in public versus private location of arrest remained in EMS-witnessed arrests (P&lt;0.005). The difference also remained in bystander AED applied arrests (P&lt;0.001) after adjusting for age, gender, and bystander-witnessed status. Conclusions: The incidence of VT/VF is far greater in the public setting particularly for bystander witnessed AED applied arrests. Patients in the private home setting, even for EMS observed arrests, are far less likely to benefit from AED application than bystander witnessed patients in the public setting. CPR strategies may need to be tailored by arrest location.

Is the Australian primary healthcare system ready for the Rheumatic Heart Disease Endgame strategy? Data synthesis and recommendations

Purpose: This study examined the influence of Online Tax Services on service delivery at the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) Nakuru Station. Methods: Utilizing a descriptive case study research design, the study targeted a population of 504 staff and customers at the station. A sample size of 287 was derived using Yamane’s (1967) formula. Results: The findings reveal a moderate positive correlation (Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.538) between Online Tax Services and service delivery, indicating that improvements in the availability and functionality of these services are associated with better service delivery outcomes. Regression analysis further confirms that Online Tax Services significantly impact service delivery, with an unstandardized coefficient of 0.317 and a standardized coefficient of 0.271. This suggests that enhancing these services results in a moderate improvement in service delivery. Respondents also noted the benefits of reduced processing times, increased accuracy of tax assessments, and improved taxpayer compliance. However, concerns about staff training and readiness indicate a need for further capacity-building efforts to fully optimize the benefits of digitization. Conclusion: The study concludes that while Online Tax Services positively influence service delivery, additional focus on staff engagement and system reliability is essential for sustained improvements.

The aim of this study was to establish the factors influencing improvement in performance and delivery of public services. Thus, the paper studied the effect of performance contracting and measurement on public service delivery in Kenya. The public services considered in the study included ministries, state corporations, local authorities and tertiary institutions, with a total of 470 public agencies. The cross-sectional survey design was used. The study is based on performance evaluation results compiled over the period between 2004 and 2011. Using regression analysis, it was found that performance measurement was critical to improvement in public service delivery and explained 73.6 percent of improvement in service delivery, as evidenced by independent measurement of customer satisfaction with the services delivered by the public sector.

Objectives: This study examines the SIMPATIK program, an innovative public service initiative implemented by the DKI Jakarta Provincial Population and Civil Registration Office in Indonesia, which aims to streamline the process of obtaining vital population documents. It also aims to highlight the principles contributing to the program's success. Theoretical Framework: The abstract implicitly draws on theories of public service innovation, focusing on principles of transparency, accountability, and inclusivity. It also touches upon the importance of leadership, community engagement, and systematic evaluation in public sector solutions. Method: The study employs a qualitative approach. Results and Discussion: Key findings indicate significant improvements in service delivery, public satisfaction, and administrative efficiency. The discussion centers on the importance of leadership, community engagement, and systematic evaluation for sustaining innovative public sector solutions like SIMPATIK. Research Implication: The findings suggest a model for other regions or public services seeking to improve document acquisition processes. It implies the value of technology integration, inter-agency partnerships (healthcare facilities), and citizen-centric design. Originality/Value: The study's value lies in its examination of a specific, innovative public service program in Indonesia (SIMPATIK) and its contribution to understanding the factors that drive successful public sector innovation, particularly in the context of streamlining vital document processes. It highlights the shift from SIDUKUN 3IN1 to SIMPATIK, indicating an evolution and improvement in public service delivery.

21 Background: In 2023, the Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC) Financial Advocacy Network published Financial Advocacy Services Guidelines developed through an expert-led, consensus-driven process (1). The Guidelines provide a framework for equitable delivery of financial advocacy (FA) services to address patients’ financial concerns. The Guidelines cover 3 domains: financial advocacy services and functions, program management functions, and partner engagement functions. ACCC adapted the Guidelines into a Financial Advocacy Services Assessment Tool to help cancer care organizations assess and improve service delivery and to advance research of organization-level FA practices across the U.S. Methods: ACCC convened an expert task force to guide this work. ACCC conducted a scan of implementation science literature and health care organizational assessments to inform the development of a rating system for each of the 43 guidelines. Four service delivery levels were identified, and a score was assigned to each level (Table). The tool was programmed in Qualtrics to provide a total score and average score per guideline for each FA domain and sub-domain. The task force added unscored questions about organizational demographics, barriers, and readiness to enable aggregate research and sub-group analysis. ACCC invited members of the Financial Advocacy Network to participate in a pilot via email invitation and provided opportunities for open-ended feedback. Results: 20 cancer centers participated in the pilot between March-May 2024. 15% were academic institutions and 85% were community-based programs (18% of which are directly affiliated with an academic institution). Respondents reported the tool was easy to use and informative for quality improvement efforts. See Table 1 for total scores for initial pilot. Conclusions: Pilot results reflect that all participating cancer centers are already engaged in some level of FA services. Broader dissemination and analysis is ongoing. The assessment provides centers with a practical resource to assess alignment to guidelines and identify opportunities for quality improvement. Regular review of aggregate results will help ACCC provide benchmarks for areas of service delivery, identify barriers to implementation, and monitor trends in FA staffing. 1. Kajdic Hodzic R, Liang MI, et al. Developing consensus-based oncology financial advocacy services guidelines. JCO Oncol Pract. 2023;19(suppl 11):38. Levels of FA service delivery and pilot total scores. Level Description % of pilot cancer centers Level 1 Not performing financial advocacy services. 0% Level 2 Making progress with financial advocacy services, but it is done informally or inconsistently. 35% Level 3 Performing financial advocacy services consistently in at least one key area of the organization. 60% Level 4 Reliably performing financial advocacy services across all key areas of the organization. 5%