Contact Intervention Research Articles

Advancing Active Allyship for Social Justice: Cross-Group Friendships, Social Empathy, and Political Engagement

AbstractCollections of policies in the United States have produced and perpetuated ubiquitous social disadvantage. To overcome this reality, policymaking must be more democratic and participatory with active allyship in support of social justice. By deepening contextual understanding of systemic barriers and promoting macro perspective taking, social empathy may foster allyship from socially advantaged group members. However, research on the promise of social empathy and understanding of how to advance it remain nascent. Drawing on the intergroup contact theory (ICT) and using a sample of white U.S. college students (N = 329), this study explores the relationship between cross-group friendships, social empathy, and political engagement. Having close friends of color was indirectly related to more political engagement through a serial pathway of greater sociopolitical discussions and social empathy. The theoretical significance of these findings to the ICT and social empathy framework are discussed, as well as implications for intergroup contact interventions, social policy, and social work education.

Epidemic management and control through risk-dependent individual contact interventions.

Testing, contact tracing, and isolation (TTI) is an epidemic management and control approach that is difficult to implement at scale because it relies on manual tracing of contacts. Exposure notification apps have been developed to digitally scale up TTI by harnessing contact data obtained from mobile devices; however, exposure notification apps provide users only with limited binary information when they have been directly exposed to a known infection source. Here we demonstrate a scalable improvement to TTI and exposure notification apps that uses data assimilation (DA) on a contact network. Network DA exploits diverse sources of health data together with the proximity data from mobile devices that exposure notification apps rely upon. It provides users with continuously assessed individual risks of exposure and infection, which can form the basis for targeting individual contact interventions. Simulations of the early COVID-19 epidemic in New York City are used to establish proof-of-concept. In the simulations, network DA identifies up to a factor 2 more infections than contact tracing when both harness the same contact data and diagnostic test data. This remains true even when only a relatively small fraction of the population uses network DA. When a sufficiently large fraction of the population (≳ 75%) uses network DA and complies with individual contact interventions, targeting contact interventions with network DA reduces deaths by up to a factor 4 relative to TTI. Network DA can be implemented by expanding the computational backend of existing exposure notification apps, thus greatly enhancing their capabilities. Implemented at scale, it has the potential to precisely and effectively control future epidemics while minimizing economic disruption.

Reducing intergroup anxiety: Applying an imagined contact intervention with counselors‐in‐training

AbstractThis study assessed the impacts of an (elaborated) imagined contact intervention (eICI) with graduate‐level counseling students (N = 38) in a multicultural counseling course. Participant levels of intergroup anxiety were assessed, comparing those who completed an eICI versus those who did not. Intergroup anxiety decreased for both groups over time, albeit with a greater immediate reduction for those who received the ICI. Qualitative commentary suggests specific student learning from the activity.

A Hybrid Model for the Impact of COVID-19 Prevention Measures on the Sustainable Development of the Aviation System

An airport is a complicated system that serves as a vital link in the aviation system. Airplanes are also a popular mode of transportation for daily travel and tourism. Now that COVID-19 is spreading over the world, many airlines are under severe financial strain. Therefore, long-term air traffic planning is critical, especially since the airport is a key region for COVID-19 to expand. To anticipate, simulate, and estimate the medical and health expenditures caused by the propagation of the epidemic under lax, mild, and strict social contact intervention, we utilize a hybrid model of the agent-based model and discrete event simulation. An agent-based model can capture individual behavior, and discrete event simulation can be used to explain the entire boarding process. Limiting the rate of wearing masks while traveling and upgrading airport facilities are the most effective strategies to manage the epidemic, given the convenience of travelers and the swift recovery of the national economy. Simulating passenger boarding will aid government agencies in improving airport equipment and facilities, facilitating passengers’ reasonable travel plans, avoiding large-scale contact, preventing the spread of epidemic diseases, and promoting the long-term sustainability of densely populated public transportation systems such as airports.

Close contact behavior-based COVID-19 transmission and interventions in a subway system

During COVID-19 pandemic, analysis on virus exposure and intervention efficiency in public transports based on real passenger’s close contact behaviors is critical to curb infectious disease transmission. A monitoring device was developed to gather a total of 145,821 close contact data in subways based on semi-supervision learning. A virus transmission model considering both short- and long-range inhalation and deposition was established to calculate the virus exposure. During rush-hour, short-range inhalation exposure is 3.2 times higher than deposition exposure and 7.5 times higher than long-range inhalation exposure of all passengers in the subway. The close contact rate was 56.1 % and the average interpersonal distance was 0.8 m. Face-to-back was the main pattern during close contact. Comparing with random distribution, if all passengers stand facing in the same direction, personal virus exposure through inhalation (deposition) can be reduced by 74.1 % (98.5 %). If the talk rate was decreased from 20 % to 5 %, the inhalation (deposition) exposure can be reduced by 69.3 % (73.8 %). In addition, we found that virus exposure could be reduced by 82.0 % if all passengers wear surgical masks. This study provides scientific support for COVID-19 prevention and control in subways based on real human close contact behaviors.

Effects of skin-to-skin contact on afterpain and postpartum hemorrhage: A randomized controlled trial.

This study determined the effects of skin-to-skin contact between the mother and the infant during the third stage of labor on postpartum hemorrhage and pain. This assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted with primiparous women. Skin-to-skin contact interventions between the infants and their mothers occurred for 30 min after birth (n=34), whereas the infants in the control group were provided routine care (n=34). Data were gathered using a Personal Information Form, the Visual Analog Scale-Pain, postpartum bleeding follow-up bags, and records of blood oxytocin and beta endorphin levels. There was no significant difference in beta-endorphin levels in both groups (p= 0.771), whereas it was determined that the 30th min oxytocin level was significantly higher in the intervention group (The Visual Analog Scale-Pain score at the postpartum sixth hour was significantly lower in the intervention group. It was found that skin-to-skin contact made at the third stage of labor reduced the amount of postpartum hemorrhage. The results of this study suggested that skin-to-skin contact intervention may have beneficial effects on postpartum pain and postpartum hemorrhage in the early postpartum period.

Measuring the Influence of Curricular Content and Personal Stories on Substance Use Stigma.

Understanding of the lived experience is an important educational strategy for improving attitudes toward stigmatized patient groups. This study evaluated the influence of a personal story intervention on nursing students' attitudes toward people who use opioids and measured attitudinal change from students' regular mental health and addictions curriculum. This study used a single-group longitudinal design. Stigma outcomes were measured using the Opening Minds Provider Attitudes Toward Opioid Use Scale. Mean scores were analyzed for four time periods: control, social contact intervention, curricular component, and 3-month follow-up. Qualitative feedback also was collected. Stigma scores improved significantly from pre- to postsocial contact intervention. No differences were observed for curricular content, control period, or follow-up. Qualitative findings suggest the personal story was associated with positive student-reported attitudes. Integrating personal story interventions with traditional curriculum elements is a promising educational approach for improving perceptions and behaviors of nursing students toward people who use drugs. [J Nurs Educ. 2022;61(5):264-267.].

Involving Persons With Lived Experience to Improve Vocational Students' Stigmatizing Attitudes Toward Mental Disorders: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

Mental health problems are estimated to affect one in six individuals in the European Union. Fifty percent of mental disorders start in adolescence, around the age of 14. The stigma associated with having a mental health problem is one of the main barriers to seeking help for psychiatric and psychological disorders among adolescents and young adults. Interventions to reduce social stigma could contribute to increased help-seeking behavior in this population. AIMS: To assess the effectiveness of a direct contact intervention in the classroom by persons with lived experience to reduce vocational students' stigmatizing attitudes. METHOD: One person with lived experience and one first-degree relative implemented a classroom intervention lasting 90 min. Its effectiveness was measured using a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest design and within-subject control. RESULTS: A total of 128 students from three different Vocational and Technical Schools from Spain participated in the study. After the intervention, statistically significant differences were observed in the scores of 11 of the 13 dimensions measured with the Spanish Mental Illness Stigma Attribution Questionnaire (AQ-27-E) and the Community Attitudes toward Mental Illness (CAMI) questionnaires. No differences associated with gender or familiarity with the mental disorder were observed. CONCLUSION: Vocational students' negative attitudes and emotions can be improved through a direct contact intervention in the classroom involving people who have experienced a mental disorder themselves. The age range for optimal results with this type of intervention appears to be 18 to 20 years.

Need satisfaction in intergroup contact: A multinational study of pathways toward social change.

What role does intergroup contact play in promoting support for social change toward greater social equality? Drawing on the needs-based model of reconciliation, we theorized that when inequality between groups is perceived as illegitimate, disadvantaged group members will experience a need for empowerment and advantaged group members a need for acceptance. When intergroup contact satisfies each group's needs, it should result in more mutual support for social change. Using four sets of survey data collected through the Zurich Intergroup Project in 23 countries, we tested several preregistered predictions, derived from the above reasoning, across a large variety of operationalizations. Two studies of disadvantaged groups (Ns = 689 ethnic minority members in Study 1 and 3,382 sexual/gender minorities in Study 2) support the hypothesis that, after accounting for the effects of intergroup contact and perceived illegitimacy, satisfying the need for empowerment (but not acceptance) during contact is positively related to support for social change. Two studies with advantaged groups (Ns = 2,937 ethnic majority members in Study 3 and 4,203 cis-heterosexual individuals in Study 4) showed that, after accounting for illegitimacy and intergroup contact, satisfying the need for acceptance (but also empowerment) is positively related to support for social change. Overall, findings suggest that intergroup contact is compatible with efforts to promote social change when group-specific needs are met. Thus, to encourage support for social change among both disadvantaged and advantaged group members, it is essential that, besides promoting mutual acceptance, intergroup contact interventions also give voice to and empower members of disadvantaged groups. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

A pilot study of a text message and online brief contact intervention following self-harm or a suicide attempt: A mixed methods evaluation

A pilot study of a text message and online brief contact intervention following self-harm or a suicide attempt: A mixed methods evaluation

Remembrance of contact past: When intergroup contact metacognitions decrease outgroup tolerance

Positive intergroup contact reliably reduces prejudice, yet little is known about the metacognitive processes involved in recalling prior contact experiences and their impact on outgroup tolerance. The present research examined whether contact interventions that rely on the recollection of past contact experiences can be susceptible to ease of retrieval effects, and the potential impact on intergroup attitudes. Specifically, we tested whether manipulating the number of contact memories participants were asked to recall (five vs. one) impacts on outgroup tolerance, and whether this effect is contingent upon participants’ prior contact experiences. Results of two experiments ( N = 220) revealed a moderated mediation effect of contact recollection on outgroup tolerance via perceived ease of retrieval, dependent upon levels of prior contact. Recalling more (five) versus fewer (one) contact memories was perceived as more difficult, and this, in turn, decreased tolerance, specifically for individuals low in prior contact. Countering this negative indirect effect, however, recalling more contact experiences had a positive direct effect. Therefore, greater cognitive effort appears to act as a suppressor of the positive effect of contact recall. Our findings provide insight into meta-cognitive processes involved in recalling autobiographical contact memories, and the resulting impact on intergroup relations.

Loss to follow-up in a population-wide brief contact intervention to prevent suicide attempts - The VigilanS program, France.

BackgroundBrief Contact Interventions (BCIs) after a suicide attempt (SA) are an important element of prevention against SA and suicide. VigilanS generalizes to a whole French region a BCI combining resource cards, telephone calls and sending postcards, according to a predefined algorithm. However, a major obstacle to such real-life intervention is the loss of contact during follow-up. Here, we analyze the occurrence of loss of follow-up (LFU) and compare characteristics of patients LFU with follow-up completers.MethodsThe study concerned patients included in VigilanS over the period from 1st January 2015 to 31 December 2018, with an end of follow-up on 1st July 2019. We performed a series of descriptive analysis and logistic regressions. The outcome was the loss to follow-up, relative to the 6th month call marking the end of the follow-up; the predictive variables were the characteristics of the patient at entry and during follow-up. Age and sex were considered as adjustment variables.Results11879 inclusions occurred during the study period, corresponding to 10666 different patients. The mean age was 40.6 ± 15 years. More than a third were non-first suicide attempters (46.6%) and the most frequent means of suicide was by voluntary drug intoxication (83.2%). 8335 patients were LFU. After simple and multiple regression, a significant relationship with loss to follow-up was identified among non-first suicide attempters, alcohol consumers, patients having no companion on arrival at the emergency room, patients who didn’t make or receive any calls. An increased stay in hospital after a SA was a protective factor against loss of follow-up.ConclusionA majority of patients were lost to follow-up by the expected surveillance time of 6 months. Characteristics of lost patients will help focusing efforts to improve retention in the VigilanS program and might give insights for BCI implemented elsewhere.

The effect of intergroup contact on discrimination

This article investigates the causal effect of intergroup contact on statistical and taste-based discrimination as well as on the associated anticipation effects of the latter, leading to reduced intergroup trust. In our experiment, individuals are randomly assigned to teams comprising in-group and out-group members or to homogeneous teams, interact in a cooperative task, and subsequently play different games apt to elicit their discriminatory tastes and beliefs concerning the productivity of in-groups and out-groups. Our contact intervention remedied taste-based discrimination by around 45% but had no significant impact on intergroup trust and on statistical discrimination. Derived lessons for policy makers concerned with the reduction of discrimination involve features that inclusive policies should strive for by changing preferences or beliefs, and thereby reducing different types of discrimination.

Use of CIED Generated Heart Failure Risk Score (HFRS) Alerts in an Integrated, Multi-Disciplinary Approach to HF Management-A Prospective Cohort Study.

Aim: To evaluate use of CIED-generated Heart Failure Risk Score (HFRS) alerts in an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach to HF management. Methods: We undertook a prospective, single centre outcome study of patients implanted with an HFRS-enabled Medtronic CIED, generating a “high risk” alert between November 2018 and November 2020. All patients generating a “high risk” HFRS alert were managed within an integrated HF pathway. Alerts were shared with local HF teams, prompting patient contact and appropriate intervention. Outcome data on health care utilisation (HCU) and mortality were collected. A validated questionnaire was completed by the HF teams to obtain feedback. Results: 367 “High risk” alerts were noted in 188 patients. The mean patient age was 70 and 49% had a Charlson Comorbidity Score of >6. Mean number of alerts per patients was 1.95 and 44 (23%) of patients had >3 “high risk” alerts in the follow up period. Overall, 75 (39%) patients were hospitalised in the 4–6-week period of the alert; 53 (28%) were unplanned of which 24 (13%) were for decompensated HF. A total of 33 (18%) patients died in the study period. Having three or more alerts significantly increased the risk of hospitalisation for heart failure (HR 2.5, CI 1.1–5.6 p = 0.03). The feedback on the pathway was positive. Conclusions: Patients with “high risk” alerts are co-morbid and have significant HCU. An integrated approach can facilitate timely risk stratification and intervention. Intervention in these patients is not limited to HF alone and provides the opportunity for holistic management of this complex cohort.

Valuing diversity: An undervalued mediator of intergroup contact

AbstractValuing diversity and intergroup contact predict less prejudice and discrimination, yet their relationship deserves closer attention. There is some evidence that valuing diversity and intergroup contact are associated, but it has not been tested whether the established effects of contact come about through changes in valuing diversity. We address this in two studies (total N = 2835) that consider valuing diversity as a mediator of intergroup contact. They show that valuing diversity mediates the relationships of intergroup contact with prejudice, bystander intervention intentions, policy support and approach intentions. Our results increase the understanding of pathways from intergroup contact to intergroup relations and offer a lever that contact interventions can target.

Once upon a time…: Using fairy tales as a form of vicarious contact to prevent stigma‐based bullying among schoolchildren

AbstractWe conducted a vicarious contact intervention with the aim of promoting bystanders' intentions to react to stigma‐based bullying among schoolchildren. Participants were Italian primary schoolchildren (N = 117 first to third graders); the outgroup was represented by foreign children. Vicarious contact was operationalized with story reading, creating fairy tales on stigma‐based bullying where minority characters were bullied by majority characters. Once a week for 3 weeks, participants were read fairy tales in small groups by an experimenter and engaged in reinforcing activities. Results revealed that the intervention increased intergroup empathy (but not intergroup perspective‐taking) and anti‐bullying peer norms and fostered contact intentions. The intervention also had indirect effects via intergroup empathy on helping and contact intentions and on bystanders' reactions to stigma based‐bullying. We discuss theoretical and practical implications, also in terms of the relevance of the present results for school policy. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement.

POSB66 Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of the Helicopter Emergency Medical Services for Patients with Myocardial Infarction in Austria

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a life-threatening disease. Accordingly, a time limit of 90 minutes between initial medical contact and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been established for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Thus, many STEMI patients require airlift by helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) to match the goal of 90 minutes. However, HEMS remains a poorly evaluated aspect of MI-care. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of HEMS airlift compared to a ground-based ambulance-transport for patients with MI to a PCI center. A Markov-model was developed based on the distinction between STEMI and non-STEMI to simulate consequences over a 10-year time-horizon. Consequences include recurrent MI, heart failure (HF) due to MI, death due to MI and recurrent MI or other reasons. Health benefits were measured in quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) and life-years (LYs). Probabilities were derived from the literature. According to data derived from the OEAMTC Air Rescue, 6.9% of all hospital admissions are provided by HEMS. The target value for an appropriate use of HEMS was assumed to be 20%. Direct costs (2020.- €) were derived from published sources from the payer’s perspective. QALYs, LYs and costs were discounted. Monte-Carlo-simulation accounted for uncertainty. A >20% proportion of MI patients who were transported by HEMS to a PCI center is associated with savings over a 10-year time-horizon (2,140.- € to 13,640.- € per patient). Savings are due to reduced follow-up costs for rehabilitation, HF, nursing home and care allowance costs. Patients also achieve a higher life expectancy (0,17 to 0,46 LYs) and quality of life [0,13 to 0,38 QALYs). In the entire cohort of MI patients in 2020 (n=17,305), savings of 37 million euros could be achieved. 1€ spend in HEMS leads to savings of 9.7€ in the health-care and social system.

A multifaceted approach in promoting positive mental health culture in Hong Kong secondary schools: The Mindshift educational networking programme.

Many young people with mental health problems refuse to seek help because of stigma and leave the problem untreated. Previous research suggests that contact interventions with education could improve the stigma of mental illness in young people, thereby encouraging help-seeking in distress. The current study examined the effectiveness of a multifaceted programme, the Mindshift educational networking programme (MENP), in promoting a positive mental health culture in Hong Kong secondary schools. The MENP provided activities at school, teacher and student levels to 14 Hong Kong secondary schools. School activities included visits, mental health talks and support for capstone projects. While teachers participated in workshops and regional seminars, students received ambassador training workshops, contact opportunities with people with psychosis and attachment programmes. The impact of MENP was evaluated by changes in students' knowledge, attitudes and behaviours toward people with psychosis and mental illness before and after the programme, as well as by teachers' feedback on the programme. This study analysed data from 55 students and 20 teachers. It was found that the MENP improved students' knowledge of mood symptoms (p= .03), acceptance of people with psychosis (p= .04) and intended behaviour toward people with mental illness (p= .02). The feedback of the teachers on the programme was positive. The results support the application of the multifaceted approach to promote a positive mental health culture in schools. The findings call on the government to implement the programme in schools in Hong Kong by providing financial support to relevant organizations.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Survival in the Patients With the Intra-Abdominal Infections.

Objective: To analyze the availability and access to the hospital for the patients with intra-abdominal infections (IAIs) by Escherichia coli (E. coli) as a result of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the impact of these changes in the diagnosis and their effects on the death of these patients.Methods: Two prospective observational cohorts of the patients with IAI by E. coli were conducted in 2016 (the pre-COVID-19, n = 108) and in 2020 (during the COVID-19, n = 96) at the University Hospital of Seville, Spain. The demographic and clinical variables of the patients were collected and analyzed. The patients were followed-up for 120 days, until the hospital discharge or death. The bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed.Results: Both the cohorts were homogeneous according to age, sex, emergency surgery cause, immunosuppression, neutropenia, acquisition type, and previous intervention. The patients attended during the COVID-19 had significantly higher Charlson comorbidity index and the more McCabe score, required more emergency surgery, had more severe infections with the higher rates of septic shock and sepsis, and the presence of additional care support such as a nasogastric tube. They were diagnosed later; the time intervals between the symptoms onset (SO) to the first medical contact or surgical intervention (SI) and between the first medical contact to the admission or SI were significantly higher. The death rates during the COVID-19 and the pre-COVID-19 were 16.7 and 6.5%, respectively (p = 0.02). Finally, the multivariate analysis in both the cohorts together identified the patients diagnosed during the COVID-19, the longer period from SO to SI, septic shock, and the Charlson comorbidity index as the independent factors associated with death.Conclusion: This study showed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the clinical outcome and death due to IAI with an extension of the time between SO and SI.

The role of the perceived engagement of the facilitator in a vicarious contact intervention: A school‐based field experiment in three countries

AbstractIndirect forms of intergroup contact have been shown to reduce prejudice. However, little is known about the factors that can contribute to implementing these methods as interventions in real‐life settings. In this study, we examined whether the students' perception of the facilitator's engagement in carrying out a school‐based vicarious contact intervention affects the effectiveness of the intervention among adolescents in Finland (N = 360), Italy (N = 113), and Slovakia (N = 216). As a result, the participants who perceived the facilitator as highly engaged held more positive intergroup attitudes after the intervention than those perceiving the facilitator less engaged. The results are discussed in relation to social and developmental psychological research on normative influences in adolescence and intergroup contact literature, in which normative support from authorities is considered to contribute to the extent to which contact reduces prejudice. By stressing the role of the facilitator, the results contribute both theoretically and practically to the understanding of the successful implementation of prejudice‐reduction programs. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement.