Building Bridges Research Articles

Implementing and sustaining dementia care coordinators across integrated care systems: a realist evaluation

BackgroundGlobally, dementia care is under strain. Rising rates across ageing populations, coupled with overstretched health and care systems, mean that people living with dementia and their carers are missing out on crucial support. Addressing dementia care is a key priority for the UK government. This has led to a period of care transformation, including the implementation of new dementia support services across integrated care systems (ICS). However, little is known about how these new services work. This evaluation identifies how a dementia care coordinator service, implemented in the largest ICS in England, works for people living with dementia, their carers and the workforce.MethodsA realist evaluation using mixed methods was carried out between 2022 and 2024. This involved a repeat survey with dementia care coordinators, carried out a year apart, alongside 57 interviews with coordinators, service managers, healthcare practitioners, people living with dementia and their carers. A realist logic of analysis was applied across all data sets.ResultsThree broad concepts were identified including (1) workforce design and organisational culture, (2) meeting the needs of people living with dementia and their carers and (3) connecting to services and integrating care. A total of 23 context-mechanism-outcome configurations (CMOCs) across these concepts highlighted that whilst tensions exist between the service and wider system, dementia care coordinators ultimately act as bridge builders, connecting people to much-needed support. However, services like this could become a victim of their own success due to increasing caseloads and the risk of staff burnout.ConclusionsThe dementia care coordinator service is capable of supporting people who are pre- and post-dementia diagnosis despite the care system being under strain. This is a direct result of the bridge building work of the dementia care coordinators. Our findings support evidence-based recommendations for those wanting to implement and sustain a system-wide service and provide evidence for policy makers to consider increased funding for this service nationwide.

Contemplative Agitator: Tracing the Contours of Pauli Murray’s Black Contemplative Homiletic

This article explores the preaching of Pauli Murray (1910–1985), an American poet, activist, attorney, professor, and Episcopal priest. Though aptly described as a renaissance person, Murray’s fundamental vocation was that of bridge builder and preaching was instrumental to this work. Preaching became a means of reframing the tensions and exigencies of the empirical world, allowing them to be examined through a numinous lens. After describing the appeal of contemplative preaching and charting key aspects of Murray’s preacherly formation, I discuss three important hallmarks of Murray’s homiletic. These include: (1) maintaining a posture of wonder and irresolution when exploring human identity, (2) weaving intercessions for the listeners into sermons, and (3) invoking the wisdom of saints and Ancestors.

Analysis of Automation and Robotics Application in Construction Project Implementation in Provinsi Aceh

Abstract The construction industry in Provinsi Aceh continues to develop alongside efforts by the government and private sector to accelerate post-conflict and natural disaster reconstruction. Automation and robotics are increasingly being applied in modern construction projects to enhance productivity, construction speed, work accuracy, and workplace safety. This study aims to determine the extent of automation and robotics implementation in construction projects in Provinsi Aceh. The reviewed construction projects include building structures, roads, bridges, drainage systems, irrigation, reservoirs, and dams that have been completed by contracting companies in Provinsi Aceh, funded by Anggaran Pendapatan Belanja Aceh (APBA) from 2018 to 2023. This research uses a quantitative approach through questionnaires with snowball sampling technique involving 100 respondents. The sampling was conducted by distributing questionnaires to respondents who are personnel from contracting companies at the top management level (project manager/site manager/site engineer/supervisor). The data were processed using descriptive statistical methods. The results show that the implementation of automation and robotics in construction projects in Provinsi Aceh is frequently observed in automation and robotics factors, while prefabrication factors are occasionally observed. This is evidenced by the mean value of 4.390 for automation factor, 4.030 for robotics factor and 3.375 for prefabrication factor. Overall, contractors in Aceh more frequently implement automation and robotics technology compared to prefabrication in their construction projects.

Building bridges to engineering interest: Connections between student perceptions of instructor actions and interest in engineering classes

AbstractBackgroundDevelopment of subject‐matter interest can motivate long‐term learning. Prior research indicates that what instructors do in learning environments and how students feel about their relationship to instructors influence students' learning via the motivational mechanism of interest. This study's research into instructor actions in online learning contexts and in student perceptions of relatedness and interest was inspired by the 21st century transition to online instruction accelerated by COVID‐19.Purpose/Hypothesis(es)This study sought to determine links between student‐perceived teaching presence and immediacy behaviors, perceptions of relatedness to the instructor, and course subject interest. We hypothesized that student interest develops from instructor actions mediated by perceptions of relatedness to the instructor.Design/MethodMultiple methods were used to investigate associations between instructor actions in college‐level engineering courses taught synchronously online and students' perceptions of relatedness to instructor and interest. Qualitative interviews with engineering instructors corroborated use of teaching presence and immediacy behaviors as constructs to describe online instructional actions. Quantitative surveys were administered to undergraduate students (n = 141) enrolled in synchronous, online engineering classes. Qualitative interviews with 10 students supplemented survey findings.ResultsPath modeling and regression models of results indicated that students' perceptions of teaching presence online, but not immediacy behaviors, were predictive of relatedness to instructor and situational interest in course content. Qualitative data corroborated the survey findings by giving voice to students' lived experience.ConclusionsSynthesis of results suggests strategies that could develop teaching presence and enhance student perceptions of relatedness to instructors online, ultimately enhancing interest in engineering.

Reflecting With Teachers on Research-Based Tools: The ySKILLS Education Toolkit

This article focuses on the links between academic research and educational practices, examining how practitioners use, contextualize, and co-construct research findings on digital skills. To explore these issues, firstly we present an education toolkit developed within a European research project and aligned with normative and substantive guidelines for science communication. Aiming to grasp the potentialities and limitations of the toolkit in action, we then explore the perceptions of teachers from two educational settings in Portugal who employed it in their classrooms. Subsequent focus groups evidenced overall positive feedback from teachers, complemented by practical tips to improve the usefulness of the toolkit and adherence to it by teachers and students, thus adding layers of knowledge to the performative dimension of an evidence-based resource and building bridges between the academic and professional worlds.

Building bridges and the chance to do better tomorrow: global resource sharing moving forward

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to disseminate the American Library Association (ALA) Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) Sharing and Transforming Access to Resources Section (STARS) international interlibrary loan (ILL) Committee 2023 international ILL survey results and findings. The survey evaluates current international resource sharing operations, identifies trends and challenges and recommends promoting services within the global library community. Design/methodology/approach The survey used the Qualtrics platform and included multiple-choice and open-ended questions. The survey questionnaire was built upon the 2019 and 2015 instruments to facilitate longitudinal data analysis and comparison. The committee added new questions related to the COVID-19 pandemic and controlled digital lending (CDL). The survey was distributed to libraries worldwide via multiple channels, in all seven official International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) languages. Qualitative comparative analysis methodology was applied to analyze the survey results. Findings The survey results reveal the challenges and opportunities to engage in international ILL activities. The importance of sharing electronic resource content continues to grow as library collections shift from print to electronic resources. Originality/value The 2023 international ILL survey is the first offered in all seven official IFLA languages and included questions on the topics of COVID-19 and CDL. It contributes to the literature by providing global trends and perspectives on current international resource sharing practices, challenges and opportunities facing the global resource sharing community and recommendations on building bridges to do better in the future.

Theodore Burr and the Bridging of Early America: The Man, Fellow Bridge Builders, and Their Forgotten Timber Spans

Theodore Burr and the Bridging of Early America: The Man, Fellow Bridge Builders, and Their Forgotten Timber Spans

Language and spatiality in the study of migrants’ integration into Finnish working life: Building bridges between applied linguistics and geography

While several studies have addressed migrants’ status at the Finnish job market as well as multicultural and multilingual workplace interaction, there is a lack of research that ties these more closely with questions of spatiality. Through discourse analysis, this article examines the interrelationships of language, work, and place in three data sets collected around Finland. The purpose is to better understand how experiential place and geographical space matter in the discourses construed of and by migrants working or seeking employment in Finland. The findings show that different understandings of spatiality feed into one another and affect employment opportunities, requirements for language skills in the workplace and how the relationship between language competence and professional skills is challenged and negotiated.

Build Bridges, Not Walls: A Call for Collaboration in Oncology With PhD and DNP Colleagues to Improve Research.

Collaboration between DNP-prepared nurse scientists and DNP-prepared nurse clinicians strengthens oncology science and can potentially improve patient-centered outcomes. Many within the nursing community associate the reducti.

Building bridges: how women's relational empowerment is linked to well-being and community embeddedness.

Both host nations and expatriates themselves are concerned with the integration of women expatriates into host countries' societies. We developed a framework based on empowerment theory to illustrate how relational empowerment influences well-being and community embeddedness in a host country. By promoting relational empowerment, individuals enhance their well-being, making them more engaged and embedded within a community. This study collected data from 218 women expatriates living in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and utilized the Hayes PROCESS Macro to test four proposed hypotheses. Based on bootstrapping and regression results, we found that women's relational empowerment is directly and indirectly linked to community embeddedness, with this indirect relationship influenced by factors such as women's well-being. We discussed the implications of these findings for both theoretical advancement and the development of practical strategies, emphasizing on how relational empowerment can impact women's well-being and lead to greater community embeddedness in the UAE and potentially elsewhere.

Custodial Shadows: Lived Experiences of Postpartum Mothers Deprived of Liberty

Postpartum care is critical for women, particularly for those who are incarcerated, as they navigate both physical recovery and the unique challenges of their circumstances. Access to adequate healthcare within correctional systems remains severely limited, impacting the well-being of these women. While existing research has examined various prison-based programs—such as parenting classes, prison nurseries, and health initiatives—the voices and experiences of Postpartum Mothers Deprived of Liberty (PMDL) raising infants while imprisoned are often overlooked. This study aims to illuminate these experiences and how the prison environment influences their roles as mothers. Employing a descriptive phenomenological approach, this research involved a comprehensive literature review and purposive sampling to gather a targeted research sample. Specific criteria were established to identify eligible primary data sources. Data collection primarily utilized semi-structured interviews, allowing for open dialogue that facilitated a deep exploration of the informants' thoughts, beliefs, and experiences. Data analysis followed Colaizzi’s descriptive phenomenological method, ensuring credibility and trustworthiness through triangulation techniques, including audio recordings, field notes, pilot testing, and consultations with a research expert and psychometrician. Member checking was also conducted to verify the accuracy of the findings based on the informants' experiences. The analysis revealed five key themes: "Accepting the Inevitable: The Problems Arise After Birth," "Amusement Amidst Dilemma," "Supporting the Unsung: Building Bridges for Mothers Behind Bars," "Resilient Solitude: Embracing Inner Peace Amidst Maternal Separation," and "Maternal Bonds in Confinement: Underdeveloped Maternal Identity." The study concludes that while PMDLs engage in livelihood initiatives, skill development, and support networks, their separation from their infants significantly hampers their ability to fulfill maternal obligations and undermines their identity as mothers.

2.F. Scientific session: Challenges in healthcare architectures

Abstract The Workshop titled “Challenges in healthcare architectures” - proposed and developed by the three EUPHA Section: Urban Public Health (URB), Public Mental Health (MEN) and Environmental Health (ENV) - is aimed to foster the dialogue between designers (architects and urban planners), Public Health experts (operators, professionals and epidemiologists), general/sanitary Directors of healthcare facilities and medical staff, to establish a multidisciplinary approach for understanding together how to create and manage the healthcare facilities of the future. According to the main Conference topic “Sailing the waves of European public health: exploring a sea of innovation”, the workshop mainly addresses both the “Health care services and systems” and the “Health workforce, practice and training” EPH24 conference topics. The Workshops purpose is to explore the concept for the hospital of the future, that should be resilient to changes and capable of protecting different users’ health and tackle the transforming social, economic, environmental and epidemiological needs of the context in which they are located. As in many other spheres and economic activities, the pandemic accelerated the processes of innovation and digitization that had somehow already been activated. The healthcare issue, the use of smart devices for a dialogue between the healthcare professionals and the pervasive use of apps to monitor certain health parameters, are just some of the megatrends that were being observed and which have now necessarily entered into everyday life. In the same way, the hospital, which in the face of this gradual process of dematerialization and relocation of ‘softer’ clinical-diagnostic activities, reaffirms itself as a center of the highest specialty for the treatment and care of acute patients, for high-level clinical and experimental re-search, for diagnostics and more complex operations. At the same time, and finally, the hospital is inserted in a territorial healthcare facilities network, that should be planned, designed, and managed. The workshop program includes inputs which they argue current experiences, emerging practices and scientific outcomes related to the hospital design, planning and management sphere, coming from four different European countries. From designing to managing practices, in “Hospital Design and planning in the line of Foresight of Health Needs” and in “Sustainability in the Next Generation Hospital”. From digitalization in national resilience experiences, in “Digital Health Spaces in the City of Lisbon. The Role of Digitalization in linking Boundaryless Hospitals and Smart Health Cities” to novel approaches for specific disease, in “Building bridges: mobile mental health care units in four European countries”. Key messages • Explore the “hospital of the future” concept, resilient to changes, capable of protecting users’ health, and to tackle the transforming social, economic, environmental and epidemiological needs. • Establish a multidisciplinary and territorial approach, for understanding together how to create and manage the healthcare network of the future.

Building bridges: mobile mental health care units in four European countries

Abstract Background Individuals living in rural and remote areas may have limited access to mental healthcare due to lack of facilities, socioeconomic reasons, stigma and lack of mental health literacy. To meet the needs and provide needs-based care care mobile mental health care clinics were established in some countries in Europe, including in Belgium, Germany, Greece and in Moldowa. A mobile clinic is a customized motor vehicle that travels to communities to provide mental health care. The mobile clinics are an integral part of the health care system and help ensure access to mental care. Aims To describe mobile care clinics in two countries in Europe using a case study design. Results Mobile clinics deliver a wide variety of mental health services, are heterogeneous and consist of multidisciplinary teams, including physicians, social workers, and other health professionals. The organization and financing of the Mobile mental health clinics is different in the four countries (e.g. part of the mental health care system in Belgium, and Moldova, part of initiatives in Germany and Greece). Due to data protection no detailed data on patients can be provided at the moment. The structures on mental health care mobile clinics in the four countries will be described in detail in the talk. Discussion Mobile clinics often serve as a bridge between communities and the mental health care system. Another important issue in rural areas is the ongoing aging of the population. The number of Elderly patients is expected to rise in the future. The care of those patients is challenging for the mental health and the primary care system. There is a necessity for establishing bridges between mobile clinics and hospital care.

Building bridges in Climate Pact activities and Climate Action - example from Serbia

Abstract The European Climate Pact is a movement of citizens united around a common cause, each taking steps in their own worlds to build a more sustainable Europe. Launched by the European Commission, the Pact is part of the European Green Deal and is helping the EU to meet its goal to become climate-neutral by 2050. This work presents examples of activities of the EU Climate pact ambassador in different directions (international and national/local level), with an unique goal, to increase awareness of importance of action, change of mindset, and exchange positive experiences. Climate Action is presented: • through educational activities in EUGLOH project (European Global Health Universities Alliance) - by organizing Course Climate Action for Health and presenting to students at international level different Climate actions activities. • engagement of citizens through Rotary Climate Action in RD 2483 and wither in Rotary international community - as citizens activities - Rotary Climate Action with the aim to increase awareness of climate change and health consequences. • as mentorship activities with PhD students in the field (climate change and air pollution impact on respiratory diseases) - as a research activities. • as an example of cooperation with media in Serbia - increasing of awareness among journalists. There are a lot of possibilities to work in the long-term in the community, using glocal principles and trying to find a way to change the behaviour of citizens towards acceptance of climate neutrality as an important goal. Key messages • Climate Action is citizens action. • Climate action is a way to change the behaviour of citizens towards acceptance of climate neutrality as an important goal.

8.N. Scientific session: Transferability and adaptation of vaccination interventions: Learning from underserved communities

Abstract Removing barriers in the health system that make it difficult for cultural, religious or ethnic minorities to access vaccinations is an urgent concern in order to prevent infectious diseases in the future. Childhood vaccine uptake for MMR and HPV in most underserved communities is lower than in the general population. The project RIVER-EU (Reducing Inequalities in Vaccine uptake in the European region - Engaging Underserved communities) engages the migrant community in Greece, females with a Turkish or Moroccan migration background in the Netherlands, the Ukrainian minority in Poland and marginalized Roma communities in Slovakia to remove health system barriers to vaccination. Barriers include, e.g., lack of culturally and linguistically appropriate information, financial barriers, insufficient capacities, coordination and delivery of health care. Based on a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach we selected and adapted potentially transferable evidence-based interventions in partnership with the communities. First, we pre-selected 6 useful interventions from a realist review on 36 effective vaccine uptake interventions. Second, we assessed them in depth for their transferability. Building a bridge between evidence on interventions and community needs is not an easy task: We involved various stakeholders in a longitudinal process under consideration of contextual conditions in the primary intervention context and the context of the respective underserved community. We co-created knowledge through 25 workshops and 39 interviews or focus groups for decision-making and determining need for adaptation of selected interventions. The aim of this workshop is to present the results of this co-creative process in each country. Special attention is payed to facilitators and barriers for transferability of evidence-based interventions from the perspective of underserved communities, and contextual commonalities and differences that lead to a specific intervention tailoring. This workshop will contribute to an improved understanding of how to consider contextual needs underserved communities have to remove health system barriers to vaccination on the one hand and suitable evidence on interventions to improve their situation on the other hand. The workshop will include five presentations of eight minutes and a questions and answers session to involve the audience. First, an introductory presentation on transferability of interventions for HPV and MMR vaccine uptake to underserved communities in specific contexts will be given. Then each country will present the intervention(s) to address health system barriers adapted to their context. Thereby, we will underline common key elements that have potential for transferability in all countries. After all presentations, we will discuss the need for context-based decision-making on evidence-based interventions and intervention tailoring to improve vaccine uptake for cultural, religious or ethnic minorities. Key messages • Improving vaccine uptake in underserved communities requires local solutions with tailored interventions. Trusted partnerships with various stakeholders are key to reducing health system barriers. • Participatory approaches to evidence-informed decision-making build bridges between evidence on interventions and needs of underserved communities to understand the transferability of interventions.

Analyzing the roles, workflows, and communication dynamics of social workers within interprofessional care teams

ABSTRACT Social workers frequent interprofessional healthcare teams, but few studies examine the day-to-day experiences of these providers on interprofessional teams. Our study utilized semi-structured interviews with 54 medical social workers practicing on interprofessional healthcare teams. A thematic analysis was used to analyze the day-to-day functions of these social workers. The analysis resulted in three primary themes: 1) Social Workers’ Self-Perceptions of their Roles within Interprofessional Teams, 2) Social Workers Shifting Roles on Interprofessional Teams, and 3) Interprofessional Team Dynamics that Impact the Role of a Social Worker. Social workers perceived their primary roles as contributing a unique systems approach to interprofessional healthcare teams while emphasizing patient self-determination. These self-perceptions influenced their shifting roles on interprofessional healthcare teams (e.g. clinician, case manager, bridge builder). In addition to individual self-perceptions, the healthcare system infrastructure influenced social work roles. For example, social workers in outpatient settings more frequently assumed the role of a mental health practitioner compared to those in inpatient settings. Last, there was variation in interprofessional communication and workflow assignment based on the healthcare infrastructure. Future research should examine the education and training efforts of social workers and other allied health professions for interprofessional healthcare teams.

Building bridges: enhancing cultural understanding and community engagement in the CHAMPS program—experience sought from Gobe Challa Village, Ethiopia

Public health programs’ successful implementation often requires a thorough consideration ⁠ of local cultural contexts and effective community engagement. The complexities and obstacles that public health initiatives may face in culturally ⁠ diverse communities are highlighted by our case study, offering valuable insights. ‍ This article focuses on analyzing a particular incident that occurred in Gobe Challa Village, connected ⁠ to the implementation of the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance (CHAMPS) program. In Gobe Challa Village, an incident occurred that centered on discord within the community and religious fears, resulting ⁠ from misunderstandings surrounding and a general lack of comprehension about the CHAMPS program. Our resolution process involved engaging the community, and religious leaders in constructive dialogue. Throughout this involvement, we delivered extensive elucidation on the aims and ⁠ protocols of the CHAMPS program, mitigating conflicts within the community. The community successfully achieved acceptance of the CHAMPS program by directly ⁠ and respectfully addressing misconceptions and fears, fostering a common understanding. This study emphasizes the significance of effective communication, community engagement, and ⁠ consideration of cultural customs when implementing public health programs. The experiences derived from this incident can act as a practical ⁠ manual for future public health initiatives encountering analogous cultural and societal dynamics. The main emphasis is on highlighting how a proactive, sensitive, and inclusive approach can ⁠ alleviate potential conflicts while also promoting program acceptance and encouraging community engagement. These discoveries have relevance to various public health initiatives and emphasize the significance ⁠ of a culturally conscious, community-involved approach in executing global health programs. ‍

Participation of diaspora representatives in context of professionalization lessons for journalists: characteristics and trends

The article refers to the development of the concept of professionalization lessons, with a focus on the contribution that the involvement of diaspora representatives can have in this kind of events and other activities organized for students. For the most part, the article refers to graduates of the Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences, of Moldova State University, involved in some newsrooms abroad and also experts in the field. These activities have already become a tradition at the faculty and could contribute to building bridges, communication platforms, for the exchange of good practices, for expertise and skills development. In the last 10 years, the number of these activities has been constantly increasing. In this way, the experiences of the invited people are valued in the country of origin, with the aim of knowledge transfer, having a diverse format: professionalization lessons, workshops, book launches, trainings, etc.

Towards a critical co-construction of equity communities of practice in education

Students in Canada have unequal access to safe environments and learning in schools, which impacts their participation in education and their achievement of educational goals. Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) courses for future educators are one way to help them see that the benefits of schooling are not equally available to all students. The authors describe how post-secondary students, who were members of equity-seeking communities and their allies, worked together with instructor guidance to co-create EDI courses. The students were already familiar with the fully online learning community model (FOLC) where student voice and agency feature prominently. As the students co-designed new EDI courses, the critical co-construction of equity model was developed. The model is anchored in human rights and relies on a shared spirit of equity humility. The model recognizes the need for student safety as well as the necessity of potentially uncomfortable conversations. While, in the past, equity teaching tended to focus on distinct aspects of oppression in society as individual topics, the co-construction of equity model relies, instead, on building bridges of equity concepts that cross oppressions. These cross-equity understandings can help future educators see the importance of dismantling oppression and rebuilding safer and more inclusive learning spaces in education.

Bridge Builders: Bridging Resettlement Gaps Through a Relationship-Based Volunteer Program

The Bridge Builders (BB) program is an initiative implemented by Refugee Community Partnership (RCP), an organization that centers refugees. This program matches volunteers with refugee families in reciprocal relationships, facilitating integration and social support. Sixteen volunteers participated in semi-structured interviews that elicited their views on the BB program. Volunteers valued the relationship-based model and its interrogation of power structures. They highlighted challenges in accountability and navigating boundaries with their matched families. Volunteers expressed desire for increased opportunities to connect with other volunteers and the broader RCP community. Findings show strengths and challenges of relationship-based approaches in refugee resettlement and integration.