Development Of Assessment Tool Research Articles

A Review of Sustainable Urban Development Frameworks in Developing Countries

Cities are considered the engines of economic prosperity and responsible for a substantial amount of the world’s CO2 environmental pollution. Urban sustainable development frameworks have become common to manage these challenges. However, new frameworks are required as existing global frameworks are not sufficient to meet current challenges nor do they consider future requirements in developing countries. These frameworks currently focus on planning and engineering aspects and lack the flexibility to incorporate local issues factoring in views of stakeholders. Examples of this are issues such as political instability, degradation of public services and utilities and damage to the infrastructure and economic deterioration caused by conflict. 
 
 This paper reviews and analyses existing sustainable urban development frameworks, it identifies that they have focused on urban sustainable development assessment tools by electing several urban sustainable development factors with rating systems. 
 
 Through this review, this paper finds several strategies have not been addressed in previous research related to locality specific issues. These include (a) consideration of the views of the public, (b) future urban planning requirements, (c) future domestic property requirements of occupants, and (d) achieving a reduction in domestic energy consumption. 
 
 Thus, this paper proposes that future frameworks should be designed based on considering stakeholder feedback, experts’ consultation, and validation stage. This is a challenging proposition, however it does, provide significant advantages in highlighting and addressing the community’s priorities for solving problems in the local context, experts’ views, in order to combatting the gaps found between decision-maker’s opinions and public priorities.

A Longitudinal History-Based Review of the Product-Service System: Past, Present, and Future

The research field of product-service systems (PSS) has experienced rapid growth since it emerged at the end of the 80s. Consequently, the conceptual structure of the PSS research field has expanded, and this phenomenon has driven novel research topics and future trends. This study analyzes the evolution and conceptual structure of the PSS research field since its emergence. A systematic literature review based on a bibliometric analysis was conducted, followed by a co-keyword analysis and content analysis, aiming to develop a historical overview of the nature of the research. The dataset involved 868 studies published between 1988 and 2022. The results present an analysis of the evolution of the literature in the following periods: (i) from 1988 to 2015, referred to in this study as the ‘past’, and (ii) from 2016 to 2022 (the ‘present’). A comparative analysis of the two periods is carried out, and the main topics and research trends and perspectives for future studies are identified (the ‘future’). Some of the main research topics include digitalization and sustainability, for which discussions on smart PSS, life-cycle management, ecodesign, knowledge management, development of assessment tools, simulation, and modeling technologies, have appeared. Research opportunities for future studies aligned with those topics are also identified, e.g., map key success factors to positive implementation of proposals that reconcile PSS with digitalization.

Application of advanced environmentally benign assessment tools in determining ternary cardiovascular drug combination by RP-HPLC with analytical quality by design: Application to stability indicating method evaluation

Assessing any analytical method is becoming an important aspect for showcasing its importance and impact on the environment. The present work aimed to showcase different advanced tools available that need to be applied to analytical methods and make their developed methods essential for sustainable development. The work discussed the method development and validation of fixed combination of cardiovascular drugs, namely, cilnidipine (CIL), telmisartan (TEL), and chlorthalidone (CLD), using ICH Q14 (Recent amendment). Further application of stress studies in different conditions followed by application of recently developed assessment tools to determine the developed methodology. The developed method was optimized by using the rotatable quality by design approach, and the final optimized conditions for the separation of the mentioned drugs were performed on the Eclipse plus RP-HPLC column (C18 250 × 4.6 mm (i.d), 5 μm), with a gradient-elution mobile phase consisting of the ethanol and phosphate buffer (0.01 M, pH 3.5). Initially, the mobile phase composition was set at 40: 60. v/v (ethanol: buffer), then changed to 70: 30, v/v at 4.66 min. With a constant flow rate of 1.103 mL/min. The development method had a linearity concentration of 12.5–37.5 μg/mL for CLD, 40.0–120.0 μg/mL for TEL, and 10.0–30.0 μg/mL for CIL with a correlation coefficient (r) 0.9991, 0.9993 and 0.9991, respectively. The results of the degradation study revealed that the drugs degraded under stressed conditions, and the degradation products were separated using the same method. The degradation results indicated that the drugs degraded in stressful environments and that the degradation products have also been separated successfully using the same method. The application of greenness and whiteness evaluation tools provided comprehensive insights into the environmental impact and sustainability of the suggested methodology. The findings confirmed its favourable performance in terms of eco-friendliness and highlighted its alignment with sustainable practices. Further strengthens the credibility and relevance of the developed method in promoting a greener and more sustainable future.

Development and validation of assessment tools for food allergy-related knowledge and management confidence.

Given the life-threatening nature of food allergy (FA), it is important to assess the level of knowledge among families with food-allergic patients and their ability to cope with anaphylaxis. This study constructed a FA knowledge questionnaire (FAKQ) and confidence in FA management skills (CIFAMS) questionnaire to assess understanding and attitudes toward FA management in food-allergic families. Items from literature review and expert panel showing ≥80% content validity index and semantic equivalence were selected for translation into Chinese. These questionnaires underwent feasibility pilot testing followed by cross-sectional validation to assess their psychometric properties of internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and construct validity with a FA quality-of-life questionnaire and discriminant validity. Exploratory factor analysis was performed to confirm their factor structure. A total of 155 subjects (104 patients and 51 parents) completed a 20-item FAKQ and 10-item CIFAMS. Both tools showed acceptable internal consistency in baseline and retest groups. FAKQ and CIFAMS correlated for all subjects (P=.002) and for adults (P= .002), and similarly between CIFAMS and parent-reported FA independent measure (P=.005). Total score of FAKQ was sensitive to within-group differences of patients hospitalized for FA (P< .001). FAKQ and CIFAMS items were factored into 4 and 2 domains, respectively. Subjects scored the lowest on FAKQ items about signs of allergic reaction and CIFAMS items on epinephrine autoinjector use. FAKQ and CIFAMS developed by our group are valid and reliable in assessing knowledge and confidence in FA management in patients and parents. These tools are crucial for formulating education programs and advocacy campaigns for FA.

Identifying older adults at increased risk of medication-related readmission to hospital within 30 days of discharge: development and validation of a risk assessment tool

ObjectiveDeveloping and validating a risk assessment tool aiming to identify older adults (≥65 years) at increased risk of possibly medication-related readmission to hospital within 30 days of discharge.DesignRetrospective cohort study.SettingThe...

Tumor microenvironment phenotypes and prognostic evaluation tools for osteosarcoma characterized by different prognostic outcomes and immunotherapy responses.

The physiological and immunological characteristics of the tumor microenvironment (TME) have a profound impact on the effectiveness of immunotherapy. The present study aimed to define the TME subtype of osteosarcoma according to the signatures representing the global TME of the tumor, as well as create a new prognostic assessment tool to monitor the prognosis, TME activity and immunotherapy response of patients with osteosarcoma. The enrichment scores of 29 functional gene expression signatures in osteosarcoma samples were calculated by single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA). TME classification of osteosarcoma was performed and a prognostic assessment tool was created based on 29 ssGSEA scores to comprehensively correlate them with TME components, immunotherapy efficacy and prognosis of osteosarcoma. Three TME subtypes were generated that differed in survival, TME activity and immunotherapeutic response. Four differentially expressed genes between TME subtypes were involved in the development of prognostic assessment tools. The established prognosis assessment tool had strong performance in both training and verification cohorts, could be effectively applied to the survival prediction of samples of different ages, genders and transfer states, and could well distinguish the TME status of different samples. The present study describes three different TME phenotypes in osteosarcoma, provides a risk stratification tool for osteosarcoma prognosis and TME status assessment, and provides additional information for clinical decision-making of immunotherapy.

Growth and neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm and low birth weight infants in rural Kenya: a cross-sectional study

ObjectiveData on long-term outcomes of preterm (PT) and low birth weight (LBW) infants in countries with high rates of neonatal mortality and childhood stunting are limited, especially from community settings....

Knowledge Attitude and Practice (KAP) survey among healthcare professionals in pediatrics on the psychomotor development of children. Case of urban and rural health areas in South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo: a cross-sectional study.

This was a cross-sectional study of knowledge, attitude, and practice conducted in the health areas of South Kivu. Twenty-six caregivers participated in the survey. Men were the most represented (61.5%), mean age 27.62±5.07 years; median experience in pediatrics: 1 year; predominantly urban setting with 69.2%. General practitioners were more represented, with 57.7%. The overall state of knowledge was insufficient in 69.2%. Knowledge1 improves with increasing experience in pediatrics (P=0.008), and qualification improves knowledge1 (P=0.033) and knowledge3 (P=0.009). Knowledge4 improved from rural to urban settings (P=0.022).A good knowledge of the scales used in the evaluation of psychomotor development influences the use of one or the other (P=0.000). The authors also notice that those who indicate and/or have physical therapy practiced in rehabilitation are generally those who have a good knowledge of the use of psychomotor development assessment tools (P=0.010). This study highlights the low theoretical knowledge of caregivers on psychomotor development in our study setting, resulting in late diagnosis and consequently poor treatment of psychomotor development disorders. The results of this study indicate a need for continuing education for pediatric caregivers on the psychomotor development of the child.

Reflections on the co-design process of a holistic assessment tool for a Kaupapa Māori antenatal wānanga (workshop)

ABSTRACT Co-designed health initiatives are gaining popularity in Aotearoa (New Zealand). However, emerging research identifies potential pitfalls for Indigenous populations, particularly Māori (Indigenous Peoples of Aotearoa), when Kaupapa Māori principles are ignored. Using the Indigenous He Pikinga Waiora Implementation (HPW) framework as a guide, this paper provides an autoethnographic reflective account of the co-design process that led to the development and implementation of the Whirihia holistic assessment tool for the Kaupapa Māori antenatal wānanga (workshop) Whirihia Te Korowai Aroha. The co-design process resulted in a culturally appropriate and responsive holistic assessment tool that provided a quality health needs assessment pathway for māmā hapū (pregnant women) and their whānau (family). This reflective account provides examples of key considerations that align to the HPW framework in the hope that it will afford some guidance for fellow emerging researchers who wish to undertake ethical co-designed health research with Māori (and non-Māori) communities and organisations. Glossary of Māori words: Aotearoa: New Zealand; hapū: sub-tribes; hapūtanga: pregnancy; hui: meeting; ipu: clay pot; iwi: tribe; Kaupapa Māori: Māori ideology incorporating the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values of Māori society; māmā: mothers; māmā hapū: pregnant women; Māori: Indigenous people of Aotearoa; Pākehā: non-Māori (most often New Zealand European); pēpi: infant; pono: true, valid, honest, genuine; pōwhiri: welcome ceremony; te ao Māori: Māori world view; te reo Māori: Māori language; tika: correct, accurate, appropriate; tikanga: values and beliefs; wahakura: woven flax basket that can be used in the parental bed; waiata: song; wānanga: workshop; whakawhānau: birth; whakawhanaungatanga: relationship/connections; whānau family; whenua: afterbirth; land.

Critical thinking about treatment effects in Eastern Africa: development and Rasch analysis of an assessment tool

Background: Every day we are faced with different treatment claims, in the news, in social media, and by our family and friends. Some of these claims are true, but many are unsubstantiated. Without being supported by reliable evidence such guidance can lead to waste and harmful health choices. The Informed Health Choices (IHC) Network facilitates development of interventions for teaching children and adults the ability to assess treatment claims (informedhealthchoices.org). Our objective was to develop and evaluate a new assessment tool developed from the item bank for use in an upcoming trial of lower secondary school resources in Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda. Methods: A cross-sectional study evaluating a questionnaire including two item-sets was used. The first evaluated ability using multiple-choice questions (scored dichotomously) and the other evaluated intended behaviour and self-efficacy (measured using Likert scales). This study was conducted in Uganda, Kenya, and Rwanda in 2021. We recruited children (over 12 years old) and adults through schools and our networks. We entered 1,671 responses into our analysis. Summary and individual fit to the Rasch model (including Cronbach’s Alpha) were assessed using the RUMM2030 software. Results: Both item-sets were found to have good fit to the Rasch model and were acceptable to our target audience. The reliability was good (Cronbach’s alpha &gt;0.7). Observations of the individual item and person fit provided us with guidance on how we could improve the design, scoring, and administration of the two item-sets. There was no local dependency in either of the item-sets, and both item-sets were found to have acceptable unidimensionality. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first instrument validated for measuring ability to assess treatment claims in Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda. Overall, the two item-sets were found to have satisfactory measurement properties.

Enhancing corporate readiness for and resilience to future public health threats, development and deployment of the public health readiness and resilience (PHRR) assessment tool.

As the world suffered through the COVID-19 pandemic, it is increasingly clear that the health of populations is foundational to a high-functioning economy, corporate well-being, and a core driver of social justice. Thus, companies need to understand how to become more resilient to current and future threats. This study (1) explored dimensions of resilience from a public health risk-specific lens and reviewed existing evaluation tools and frameworks to develop a methodology and framework (Public Health Readiness and Resilience-PHRR Assessment Tool) for organizations; and (2) leveraged the framework to evaluate a sample of large corporations to validate the insights the tool can provide, confirm functionality, and evaluate the ability to leverage publicly available vs. propriety data to complete the assessment. We conducted a non-exhaustive search for relevant indices using key word searches and cascade sampling. For the initial review of indices (n = 24), the team evaluated each document based on predefined criteria. Gaps identified in the available indices informed the development of the PHRR assessment tool. The tool was then used to examine real-world companies (n = 22) from eight different industries. Findings from the PHRR tool illustrated variation in readiness and resilience as well as the availability of data. Approximately half of the companies analyzed (n = 11) indicated high levels of potential resilience and readiness with significant data available. Leveraging the PHRR Assessment Tool can inform investments and cross-sector partnerships that enhance companies' readiness and resilience to a variety of public health threats. Additional research is needed to further validate this tool.

Development and initial validation of a video-based peroral endoscopic myotomy assessment tool

Video analysis has emerged as a potential strategy for performance assessment and improvement. We aimed to develop a video-based skill assessment tool for peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM). POEM was deconstructed into basic procedural components through video analysis by an expert panel. A modified Delphi approach and 2 validation exercises were conducted to refine the POEM assessment tool (POEMAT). Twelve assessors used the final POEMAT version to grade 10 videos. Fully crossed generalizability (G) studies investigated the contributions of assessors, endoscopists' performance, and technical elements to reliability. G coefficients below .5 were considered unreliable, between .5 and .7 as modestly reliable, and above .7 as indicative of satisfactory reliability. After task deconstruction, discussions, and the modified Delphi process, the final POEMAT comprised 9 technical elements. G analysis showed low variance for endoscopist performance (.8%-24.9%) and high interrater variability (range, 63.2%-90.1%). The G score was moderately reliable (≥.60) for "submucosal tunneling" and "myotomy" and satisfactorily reliable (≥.70) for "active hemostasis" and "mucosal closure." We developed and established initial content and response process validity evidence for the POEMAT. Future steps include appraisal of the tool using a wider range of POEM videos to establish and improve the discriminative validity of this tool.

Malnutrition in aged care: interplay between dysphagia and diet.

This review aims to deliver expert insights on the current advances and challenges in managing malnutrition in aged care settings, with a specific emphasis on the interaction between dysphagia and diet. Several reviews identify the high prevalence of dysphagia in aged care facilities and highlight the correlation between dysphagia and malnutrition. Recent studies underscore the importance of nutrition and cancer screening and assessment, yet highlight the lack of consensus on the definitive tools to be used. There is a growth in employing innovative implementations for enhancing swallowing function and optimizing texture-modified foods. Early identification and strategic interventions are vital for managing malnutrition and dysphagia in aged care facilities, as these conditions are widespread and lead to a higher risk of complications. Although nutritional strategies have shown potential in enhancing oral intake for residents requiring texture-modified foods, lack of investigation on functional outcomes and long-term impact have been highlighted, emphasizing the need for continued research and development of effective assessment tools and targeted interventions to optimize the care for this at-risk group.

Conception of scientific literacy in the development of scientific literacy assessment tools: a systematic theoretical review

Conception of scientific literacy in the development of scientific literacy assessment tools: a systematic theoretical review

Dietary factors and hypertension risk in West Africa: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.

Contrary to North America and Europe, the prevalence of hypertension is rising in West Africa. Although diet is implicated as a contributor to this trend, nutritional guidelines in West Africa are not tailored to address this concern. This study aimed to address this limitation by investigating dietary factors common to West Africa and evaluating their association with hypertension. PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Medline were searched to identify studies that investigated diet and hypertension in West African adults. All meta-analyses used a generic inverse-variance random effects model, with subgroup analyses by age, BMI, and study location, and were performed in R. Three thousand, two hundred ninety-eight studies were identified, of which 31 ( n = 48 809 participants) satisfied inclusion criteria - all cross-sectional. Meta-analyses of the association between dietary factors and hypertension included dietary fat [odds ratio (OR) = 1.76; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.44-2.14; P < 0.0001], red meat (OR = 1.51; 95% CI: 1.04-2.18; P = 0.03), junk-food (OR = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.19-1.67; P < 0.0001), dietary salt (OR = 1.25; 95% CI: 1.12-1.40; P < 0.0001), alcohol (OR = 1.17; 95% CI: 1.03-1.32; P = 0.013), and 'fruits and vegetables' (OR = 0.80; 95% CI: 0.24-1.17; P < 0.0001). Subgroup analyses suggested that 'fruit and vegetable' consumption is less protective in the elderly. High consumption of dietary salt, red meat, dietary fat, junk food, and alcohol are associated with increased odds of hypertension, whereas high fruit and vegetable appear protective. This region-specific evidence will support the development of nutritional assessment tools for clinicians, patients, and researchers aiming to reduce hypertension in West Africa.

An innovation maturity assessment framework for universities with an integrated ANP approach

Purpose Identifying the criteria that effectively drive innovation in universities is critical to assessing their innovation maturity level, and hence, planning for the improvements required to reach a target level. This paper aims to propose a three-phase approach to develop a multidimensional maturity assessment framework used by university decision-makers to determine their level of innovation readiness. Design/methodology/approach First, a systematic collection of evaluation criteria from the literature is conducted. The results are mapped into different categories in a hierarchical and multidimensional way, and validated by experts. The second phase aims to identify the critical factors and their priorities, which are determined using analytic network process (ANP). To facilitate that, a panel of thirteen experts is formed and questionnaires are sent to rank the importance of the criteria and their elements. Finally, a maturity assessment tool is developed to complement the framework, allowing decision-makers to determine the level of innovation maturity with respect to each dimension and the overall position. Findings Results revealed three clusters, eight criteria and 26 subcriteria related to innovation in universities. The findings about the relative importance of the various attributes are reflected in the developed assessment tool and taken into consideration in the maturity indices computation approach. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first attempt to develop a comprehensive list of innovation success drivers in universities and to use this list to design an innovation maturity assessment framework

Development of the Augmented Reality Home Assessment Tool (ARHAT): A Qualitative Descriptive Study

Abstract Date Presented 04/21/2023 Access to home assessments that support aging in place can be challenging. This research study will present an augmented reality home assessment tool (ARHAT) and findings from focus groups with diverse stakeholders, including OT practitioners, housing professionals, older adults, and caregivers. Primary Author and Speaker: Zachary Skrove Contributing Authors: McKenzie Fitzpatrick, Lauryn Kinney, Bryce Sprecher, Ross Tredinnick, Kevin Ponto, Jung-hye Shin, Beth Fields

Development and Validation of an Electronic Health Record-Based Risk Assessment Tool for Hypoglycemia in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

The recent availability of high-quality data from clinical trials, together with machine learning (ML) techniques, presents exciting opportunities for developing prediction models for clinical outcomes. As a proof-of-concept, we translated a hypoglycemia risk model derived from the Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes (ACCORD) study into the HypoHazardScore, a risk assessment tool applicable to electronic health record (EHR) data. To assess its performance, we conducted a 16-week clinical study at the University of Minnesota where participants (N = 40) with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) had hypoglycemia assessed prospectively by continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). The HypoHazardScore combines 16 risk factors commonly found within the EHR. The HypoHazardScore successfully predicted (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.723) whether participants experienced least one CGM-assessed hypoglycemic event (glucose <54 mg/dL for ≥15 minutes from two CGMs) while significantly correlating with frequency of CGM-assessed hypoglycemic events (r = 0.38) and percent time experiencing CGM-assessed hypoglycemia (r = 0.39). Compared to participants with a low HypoHazardScore (N = 19, score <4, median score of 4), participants with a high HypoHazardScore (N = 21, score ≥4) had more frequent CGM-assessed hypoglycemic events (high: 1.6 ± 2.2 events/week; low: 0.3 ± 0.5 events/week) and experienced more CGM-assessed hypoglycemia (high: 1.4% ± 2.0%; low: 0.2% ± 0.4% time) during the 16-week follow-up. We demonstrated that a hypoglycemia risk model can be successfully adapted from the ACCORD data to the EHR, with validation by a prospective study using CGM-assessed hypoglycemia. The HypoHazardScore represents a significant advancement toward implementing an EHR-based decision support system that can help reduce hypoglycemia in patients with T2DM.

Design of BWAT method development in diabetic foot ulcers patients in hospital: Action research

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) are one of the complications of diabetes that has a serious impact and requires high treatment costs. However, they can be prevented early through a series of assessments. The most recommended initial assessment method to determine the risk of complications is the BWAT Method. However, nurses’ BWAT method is still considered too long and complicated. In addition, the hospital also has a different handling program from the BWAT method, so it is necessary to develop the BWAT method and adjust this method to the SOP, which is expected to be more easily applied by nurses. This study aims to design the development of the Bates-Jensen Wound Assessment Tools (BWAT) method for DFU patients with the development of Hospital SOPs. The research method is qualitative action research, while data collection uses focus group discussion (FGD) on 10 participants determined through purposive sampling techniques, with minimum nurse criteria and a minimum length of work of 5 years. Data analysis using the Collaizi model expert judgment was given to three speakers to design SOPs for the BWAT method of wound assessment. The study results obtained four themes related to wound assessment in DFU patients and a draft SOP for wound assessment by developing the BWAT method for DFU patients who received treatment at the hospital. The SOP development trial found that with the same flow but with shorter language, the SOP is easier to understand and easier for nurses to implement; however, improvements are still needed from this SOP, namely in the form of additional evaluation items in the SOP that are expected to be used to improve communication between health care providers to facilitate the process of providing sustainable nursing services.

Development of a Municipal Solid Waste Management Life Cycle Assessment Tool for Banepa Municipality, Nepal

In this study, the life cycle assessment (LCA) method has been used to evaluate the environmental impacts of various municipal solid waste (MSW) management system scenarios in Banepa municipality, Nepal, in terms of global warming potential (GWP), acidification potential (AP), eutrophication potential (EP), human toxicity potential (HTP), abiotic depletion potential (ADP), and photochemical ozone creation potential (POCP). There are at least six possible scenarios of MSW management in Banepa: the current or baseline scenario (Scenario 1); composting with landfilling (Scenario 2); material recovery facility (MRF) recycling, composting, and landfilling (Scenario 3); MRF and anaerobic digestion (AD); composting, and landfilling (Scenario 4); MRF, composting, AD, and landfilling (Scenario 5); and, finally, incineration with landfilling (Scenario 6). Using both information from Ecoinvent 3.6 (2019) and published research articles, a spreadsheet tool based on the LCA approach was created. The impact of the recycling rate on each of the six abovementioned scenarios was evaluated using sensitivity analysis, which showed that the recycling rate can considerably decrease the life-cycle emissions from the MSW management system. Scenario 3 was found to have the least overall environmental impact with a GWP of 974.82 kg CO2 eq. per metric ton (t), EP of 0.04 kg PO4 eq./t, AP of 0.15 kg SO2 eq./t, HTP of 4.55 kg 1,4 DB eq./t, ADP of −0.03 kg Sb eq./t, and POCP of 0.06 kg C2H4 eq./t. By adoption of MRF and biological treatments such as composting and AD, environmental impact categories such as AP, EP, HTP, ADP, POCP, and GWP can be significantly reduced. The findings of this study can potentially serve as a reference for cities in the developing world in order to aid in both the planning and the operation of environmentally friendly MSW management systems.