E-mail Survey Research Articles

Vaccine hesitancy among health paraprofessionals: A mixed methods study.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines vaccine hesitancy as "a delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccines despite availability of vaccination services". Vaccine hesitancy has also been declared a top threat to global health. Some employers imposed vaccine mandates during the Covid-19 pandemic resulting in health care employees resigning or being fired rather than receive a vaccine. Healthcare paraprofessionals such as certified nursing assistants, dietary and home health aides are among the most patient facing of all health care providers. Their beliefs and attitudes about vaccines are critical to how they communicate about vaccines with their patients. The objective of this project was to survey health care paraprofessionals to explore their thoughts and opinions about vaccines in general, and Covid-19 vaccines specifically. This was a 25 question, mixed methods, cross sectional email survey. Subjects were recruited from the mailing list of a non-profit organization in the Midwest. This organization is dedicated to bringing a face and a voice to healthcare paraprofessionals engaged in direct patient care. Most respondents were reasonably well informed about vaccines; had received one or more doses of indicated vaccines; used credible resources to learn about vaccines and believed physicians and pharmacists were the most trusted information sources. Qualitative results indicated that respondents expressed support for vaccines but that the support was often qualified in that a respondent may have had both pro and anti-vaccine opinions in the same response. They also expressed that communications about vaccines were often problematic. Additional vaccine-related continuing professional development for healthcare paraprofessionals appears to be indicated. Although attitudes towards vaccines were generally positive, respondents had concerns about the quality of vaccine information. Additional vaccine-related continuing professional development for healthcare paraprofessionals appears to be indicated.

Testing Motivation-Based vs. Social Exchange Communication Strategies in Email Survey Recruitment

Despite well-documented challenges, researchers across the social sciences continue to rely on email to recruit research participants. However, few studies examine how different communication strategies impact email open and conversion rates, especially among surveys of establishments. Our paper aims to fill that gap by examining whether motivation-based appeals—which we develop from respondents’ reasons for participating—outperform a communication approach based on social exchange theory. Our study identified the top three motivations why current panel members participate in the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond Business Survey: (1) access to data and other benefits, (2) the ability to influence economic policy, and (3) to help make their communities better. Then, we crafted email subject lines and messages to match those three motivations and a version based on tenets of social exchange theory. Our results find that the social exchange version outperforms the motivation-based appeals in both email open and conversion rates—with a stronger influence on conversion rates. We discuss the implications of these results for how social science researchers communicate with potential research participants by email.

Exploring relationship between quality of life, life habits and occupational stress Brazilian public prosecutors: A cluster analysis approach

Background The quality of life (QoL) of Prosecutors can be impacted by their own work. Objective To examine the relationship between sociodemographic and occupational characteristics, and QoL in public prosecutors (PP). Methods Information on life habits, sociodemographic and occupational characteristics, the World Health Organization Quality of Life assessment abbreviated version (WHOQOL-bref), and Job Stress Scale (JSS) of 355 Brazilian PP were collected by email survey. The cluster analysis used the Gower method to form groups with similar characteristics. Chi-squared, Fisher's exact, and Kruskal-Wallis tests verified differences in clusters. A multiple linear regression identified predictors of QoL in clusters. Results The analysis founded 3 distinct groups. In the cluster with highest QoL, the variables explained 48.3% of the total variance ( F(4, 91) = 21.235; p < 0.000; R2 = 0.483). Length of employment βsc = 0.288; t = 3.770; p < 0.000), sedentary lifestyle ( βsc = −0.274; t = −3.494; p < 0.001), sleep quality ( βsc = 0.402; t = 5.212; p < 0.001), and social support ( βsc = 0.296; t = 3.772; p < 0.001) were QoL predictors. In the cluster with worst QoL, sleep quality ( βsc = 0.307; t = 3.798; p < 0.001), social support ( βsc = 0.452; t = 5.140; p < 0.001), and occupational stress ( βsc = −0.210; t = −2.481; p < 0.05) were QoL predictors and explained 54.4% of total QoL variance ( F(3, 79) = 31.364; p < 0.001; R2 = 0.544). In the intermediate QoL cluster, religiosity ( βsc = 0.161; t = 2.144; p < 0.05), sleep quality ( βsc = 0.419; t = 5.541; p < 0.001), social support ( βsc = 0.214; t = 2.743; p < 0.05), and occupational stress ( βsc = −0.218; t = −2.727; p < 0.05) contributed for the model, explaining 45.2% of total QoL variance ( F(5, 104) = 17.173; p < 0.001; R2 = 0.452). Conclusion The QoL of Brazilian PP is related with their life habits, social support at work, and occupational stress, showing the need of Occupational Health Service (OHS) support to ensure individual and organizational strategies to promote better QoL in PP.

A Pilot Study Toward Development of the Digital Literacy, Usability, and Acceptability of Technology Instrument for Healthcare.

Electronic health record proficiency is critical for health professionals to deliver and document patient care. There is scarce research on this topic within undergraduate nursing student populations. The purpose of this study is to describe the psychometric evaluation of the Digital Literacy, Usability, and Acceptability of Technology Instrument for Healthcare. A cross-sectional pilot study for psychometric evaluation of the instrument was conducted using data collected through an emailed survey. Exploratory factor analysis, inter-item and adjusted item-total correlations, and Cronbach's α calculated subscale reliability. A total of 297 nursing students completed the survey. A seven-factor structure best fit the data: technology use-engagement, technology use-confidence, technology use-history, electronic health record-ease of use, electronic health record-comparability, and electronic health record-burden. Cronbach's α indicated good to very good internal consistency (α = .68 to .89). The instrument effectively measured digital literacy, acceptance, and usability of an electronic health record and may be implemented with good to very good reliability across varied healthcare simulation and training experiences.

A national survey of physicians regarding active surveillance for low-risk thyroid cancer in Korea.

Active surveillance (AS) has emerged as a viable alternative to immediate surgery for low-risk thyroid cancer. However, several barriers still hinder its widespread adoption and implementation by physicians. In 2024, an email survey was conducted among members of the Korea Thyroid Association to assess their perspectives on AS. The survey comprised questions about clinical case scenarios, perceptions of the benefits and risks associated with AS, factors influencing the consideration of AS, and unmet needs for the implementation of AS. Among the 287 physicians surveyed, 40.8% were endocrinologists, followed by general surgeons at 20.9%, and otolaryngologists at 19.9%. The majority worked in tertiary hospitals and had over 10 years of experience. Regarding a 65-year-old man with a 0.7-cm low-risk thyroid cancer, 74.6% of the respondents considered AS. Endocrinologists, physicians with higher self-assessment and experience explaining AS to patients were more inclined to consider AS. Although the respondents recognized the benefits of AS, such as avoiding surgery and reducing surgical complications, they expressed concerns about potential risks, including the possibility of patient lawsuits due to disease progression and patient worry and anxiety about the disease. Challenges in screening candidates for AS were highlighted, especially in detecting recurrent laryngeal nerve involvement and lymph node metastases. Additionally, physicians noted unmet needs in AS implementation, specifically regarding psychological support for patients and reimbursement for long-term follow-up costs. The survey underscored the need for further research and initiatives to overcome the barriers and implement AS for the management of low-risk thyroid cancer.

The Associations of Long-Term Temperature and Precipitation with Chronic Respiratory Symptoms: Projections for the Changing Climate

PurposeTo clarify the associations of climatic indices with chronic respiratory symptoms, with a final aim to approximate the effects of climate change on them.MethodsAn e-mail survey was directed to the members of the Finnish Pensioners` Federation. The mean 20-years’ precipitation and temperature in each subjects’ home municipality were obtained from the Finnish Meteorological Institute, separately for summer and winter. Adjusted multivariate models were utilized to investigate the associations of the climatic indices with chronic rhinosinusitis, chronic cough, wheezing with dyspnea, and sleep apnea.ResultsThere were 6189 responders from 283 municipalities. Chronic rhinosinusitis and chronic cough were most prevalent in the southeastern regions of the country, where the precipitation counts were highest. In the multivariate models, winter precipitation in the home municipality increased the risks of chronic rhinosinusitis and chronic cough [adjusted OR 1.80 (1.30–2.51) per 100 mm, p < 0.001, and 1.57 (1.19–2.07) per 100 mm, p = 0.001, respectively]. Wheezing with dyspnea and sleep apnea were not associated with the climatic indices.ConclusionChronic rhinosinusitis and chronic cough were associated with long-term winter precipitation. Given the anticipated increase in winter precipitation in Northern America and Northern Europe, the prevalences of chronic rhinosinusitis and chronic cough may increase there.

Developing a quality indicator system for evaluating internet plus home care nursing services based on the SERVQUAL model: a Delphi-analytic hierarchy process study.

In the context of global population aging and the rapid development of information technology, the demand for Internet Plus Home Care Nursing (Internet+ HCN) services have been on the rise, especially in China. Internet+ HCN services have the potential to maximize existing human resources to counter the shortage of medical healthcare services. However, at present, Internet+ HCN services are difficult to scale due to the lack of standardized service quality governance. Quality indicators for service evaluation of Internet+ HCN services are under-defined. To develop a quality indicator system for evaluating Internet+ HCN services, and to shed theoretical light on assessing mHealth service quality from a user experience perspective. An initial quality indicator system was established based on scenarios related to Internet+ HCN services. The Delphi Method was applied to modify the indicators according to experts' opinions, and the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) was applied to calculate the indicator weight. Finally, a quality indicator system for evaluating Internet+ HCN services was developed based on the SERVQUAL model. Altogether, 17 experts from relevant fields such as nursing education, clinical nursing, health management, and health informatics were consulted through email surveys. The response rates in both rounds of Delphi and the AHP were 100%. The average expert authority coefficients were 0.912 and 0.925 respectively in the two rounds of Delphi. Kendall's W, indicating variation coefficients, ranged from 0.262 to 0.265. Finally, a quality indicator system for evaluating Internet+ HCN services, comprising five primary indicators and 15 secondary indicators, was developed. Primary indicators and their AHP generated the following weights: assurance (0.245), reliability (0.240), tangibles (0.192), responsiveness (0.190), and empathy (0.132). By measuring the services quality gap between user expectations and perceptions, the proposed SERVQUAL model-based quality indicator system shows potential in improving the quality of Internet+ HCN services through the perspective of user experiences.

Family caregiving experiences of medical school faculty: high prevalence, high strain, and low resource awareness

BackgroundAdult caregiving can be demanding and stressful, especially when the caregiver is employed. As the age of the U.S. population and workforce increases, more adults are providing care to aging family members.ObjectiveTo understand the prevalence and aspects of the caregiving experience and caregiving strain among department of medicine faculty members, and to gauge their awareness and utilization of caregiving resources.DesignWe used a cross-sectional survey design. A questionnaire survey was developed and launched in Redcap in October, 2022, and an invitation was emailed followed by two reminders to all full-time and part-time faculty members (N = 1053) in our department of medicine.Main measuresFaculty demographics, caregiver status, caregiving details, degree of mental or emotional strain, and knowledge of and use of employer and external caregiver resources.Key resultsOf the 1053 faculty members who received up to three email survey invitations, 209 (20%) responded of which 76 (36%) were current caregivers and 117 (56%) were non-caregivers. Among the 76 current caregivers, 53 (70%) reported providing care for parents or parent-in-laws and 9 (12%) reported caring for a spouse. One-third of current caregivers reported caring for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia/memory problems. Ninety-five% of current caregivers reported some or a lot of caregiving strain. A wide variation in knowledge of and use of employer and external caregiver resources was reported.ConclusionsDepartment of medicine faculty who provide adult caregiving report a high prevalence of strain and wide variation in knowledge of and use of employer and external caregiver support services, suggesting opportunity to better understand where gaps exist in providing support for caregivers.

Exceeding expectations increases satisfaction among Louisiana waterfowl hunters

AbstractLouisiana surveys waterfowl hunters every 5 years to assess hunter effort, harvest success, demographics, and preferences for proposed regulations and management practices. The 2020 Survey of Louisiana Waterfowl Hunters addressed hunter satisfaction patterns, hunter perceptions on waterfowl migration, associations of field experiences to satisfaction, associations among distribution waves, the efficacy of sample coverage by an email survey, and allowed comparison with hunter satisfaction with surveys in 2005, 2010, and 2015. We distributed a 31‐question survey by email to 73,554 Louisiana waterfowl hunters following the 2019–2020 season. We received 13,483 total responses, of which 8,218 were usable (licensed respondents actively hunting waterfowl during the 2019–2020 season), resulting in a qualified response rate of 12.0%. We compared qualified respondents to the overall population of Harvest Information Program registrants (169,891) and found no significant differences for age class, geographic distribution, and license type. Our results indicated that surveys should be distributed in 3 waves, as the number of days hunted would be overestimated by 7% (mean of 15 days [95% confidence interval = 14.7–15.7] compared to a mean of 14 days [95% confidence interval = 13.7–14.4]) by a single survey. Hunters' satisfaction was independent of which geographic zone they hunted, whether they were members of conservation organizations, or how many waterfowl were seen. Our results also indicated that the probability of greater hunter satisfaction was increased by 98% as the number of waterfowl harvested surpassed 57, by 68% for respondents reporting that their actual harvest exceeded expected harvest by at least one bird, and by 61% for respondents reporting that their actual days hunted exceeded expected days hunted by at least one day.

Barriers to Serious Illness Conversations Among Patients with Advanced Cancer: A Qualitative Study

PurposeSerious illness conversations (SICs) are discussions between clinicians and cancer patients about illness understanding, information preferences, and goals of care. Interventions to prompt SICs increase SIC rates and improve care delivery near the end of life. This embedded substudy examined SIC barriers and facilitators among “refractory” patients without an SIC despite enrollment in an SIC clinical trial. Design, Setting, and PopulationWe recruited advanced cancer patients with no documented SIC 60 days after randomization in a clinical trial of patient- and clinician-nudges to engage in SICs. We conducted semi-structured interviews with patients and their caregivers if present and brief email surveys with patients’ oncologists. We used qualitative content analysis to identify themes related to SIC barriers and facilitators and to identify strategies to improve SICs. ResultsOf 44 participants, 19 were patients, 10 were caregivers, and 15 were oncologists. Themes of SIC barriers and facilitators included (1) how patients coped with their illness, which shaped their readiness for SICs; (2) clinician communication style, which shaped ease of having an SIC; (3) prognostic uncertainty and disease stability, which could prompt or justify delaying an SIC; and (4) family members’ presence, which could instigate an SIC. Regarding ways to improve SIC nudges, patients and caregivers had mixed perspectives but often highlighted a preference for interventions with personal touches. ConclusionsPatient readiness remains an important barrier even after targeted SIC interventions. Future SIC interventions should consider approaches tailored to patient communication preferences and interventions involving personal interactions.

Veterinary students' perceptions toward incorporating and expanding telehealth service delivery knowledge in curricula and future practice: a cross-sectional study.

Telehealth is the use of technology to deliver medical services. Potential uses among veterinarians include consulting with specialists about complicated cases, sending in electronic prescriptions, or meeting with clients to discuss patient health. Although the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic posed many challenges to the veterinary profession, it accelerated the adoption of telehealth among veterinarians. As many of these changes took place quickly in response to the pandemic, many of those in practice did not receive much training or guidance; therefore, this study explores veterinary students' perceptions regarding incorporating telehealth into the veterinary curriculum and the utilization of telehealth in the future. An email survey was sent to students at a veterinary school. 80 students provided answers to the 11-question survey. Nearly 80% reported that it is either "important" or "very important" to incorporate telehealth training into the veterinarian curriculum, whereas almost 90% indicated that they would benefit from more telemedicine training prior to graduation. Almost 75% of participants had legal and malpractice concerns, which may present a barrier to using the technology upon graduation. This study suggests that veterinary schools should explore how to incorporate telehealth training into their curriculum, especially in regard to navigating the potential pitfalls that may be encountered when employing telehealth within the context of a veterinarian-client-patient relationship. Telehealth is a valuable tool, and its use has become commonplace. Educational programs that emphasize telehealth will better equip future clinicians to manage the nuances of this modality in practice.

The moderating effect of ESG pressures on the relationship between the environmental management capabilities and the non-financial performance of Korean SMEs

Based on the resource-based view and institutional theory, this study investigates the impact of their environmental management capabilities and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) pressure on the non-financial performance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In particular, it examines the interaction effect of ESG pressures on the relationship between SMEs’ environmental management capabilities and non-financial performance. For this study, a total of 1865 SME lists were obtained through Jeonnam Techno Park and Jeonnam Small Business Job and Economy Promotion Agency. Based on this, a total of 127 questionnaires were returned as a result of a telephone, e-mail, and online survey, and finally, an empirical analysis was conducted based on 120 questionnaires. We conducted an empirical analysis of Korean SMEs and obtained the following results: First, environmental management capabilities have a significant, positive effect on SMEs’ non-financial performance. Second, ESG pressure has a significant, negative effect on the non-financial performance of SMEs. Next, we analyzed the moderating effect of ESG pressures and observed that ESG pressures strengthen the positive effect of environmental management capabilities on non-financial performance. Based on the resource-based perspective and institutional theory, this study provides meaningful academic implications by examining environmental management capabilities and ESG pressures, which have not been identified in previous studies, as factors of non-financial performance that are becoming important under the new management paradigm, such as climate change and ESG. Furthermore, while ESG pressure has a significant negative effect on non-financial performance, we find that it is a moderating variable that strengthens the relationship between SMEs’ environmental management capabilities and non-financial performance, which has useful academic and practical implications for ESG and strategic management.

7756 Gonadectomy in Individuals with Differences of Sex Development - A Prospective I-DSD Registry Study

Abstract Disclosure: M.A. O'Connell: None. A.K. Lucas-Herald: None. J. Bryce: None. M. Chen: None. J.H. Davies: None. M. Shnorhavorian: None. N. Atapattu: None. I. Bachynska: None. N. Birkebaek: None. M. Cools: None. K. Demir: None. L. de Vries: None. H. Elsedfy: None. M.A. Fahmy: None. E. Globa: None. R. Grinspon: None. G. Guaragna-Filho: None. G. Guerra-Junior: None. D. Janus: None. Z. Kolesinska: None. I. Mazen: None. S.M. O'Connell: None. S.N. Seneviratne: None. M. Stancampiano: None. G. Verkauskas: None. S.F. Ahmed: None. O. i-DSD gonadectomy surveillance consortium: None. Introduction: Gonadectomy may be indicated in people with differences of sex development (DSD), but variation in practice is reported. This study aims to determine, through prospective surveillance, the frequency of gonadectomy and associated care pathways in individuals with DSD internationally. Methods: All I-DSD centres were invited to participate; the study commenced in December 2022. Participating centres receive a monthly email asking whether a gonadectomy has been performed in an individual with DSD. Where informed consent for inclusion in the I-DSD Registry has been obtained in a reported case, a secondary survey captures additional clinical information. Results: Of 208 centres invited, 74 have responded to monthly email surveys. Over the first 12 months of surveillance, gonadectomies were reported in 71 individuals from 34 centres in 19 countries (median [range]: 1[1, 5]); 40 centres reported no gonadectomy. Secondary survey data are available for 30/65 (46%) of reported cases to date. Twenty-four (80%) individuals are female; median (range) age at gonadectomy was 9.2 (2.1,20.0) years. All had specialist multidisciplinary team involvement prior to gonadectomy: endocrinology (97%), genetics (77%) and psychology (67%) were most frequently involved. Gonads were intra-abdominal in 25/30 (83%). Differences of gonadal development (13/30 [43%]) and Turner syndrome (8/30 [27%]) were the most frequent underlying DSD. Pre-gonadectomy investigations included: hormonal testing (28/30 [93%]), imaging (23/30 [77%] - US alone n=14; US + MRI n=7; MRI alone n=2), direct visualisation at laparoscopy (7/30 [23%]) and gonadal biopsy (2/30 [7%]). Bilateral gonadectomy was undertaken in 25/30 (83%). Mitigation of future malignancy risk in the context of gonadal insufficiency was the most common primary indication for gonadectomy (19/30, [63%]); additional indications were concerning changes on biopsy/imaging (3/30 [10%]), hormone production incongruent with sex assigned (4/30 [13%]) or gender identity (2/30 [7%]) and parental choice (2/30 [7%]). Histopathology confirmed neoplastic change in 7 individuals (23%). Gonadectomy was intentionally deferred in 8/30 (27%) individuals, most commonly to allow their involvement in decision making. Twelve individuals (40%) were 12yrs or older at gonadectomy; all were involved in the pre-operative decision-making process. Conclusions: This study offers important contemporary insights into the practice of gonadectomy in individuals with DSD internationally. Multidisciplinary care provision prior to gonadectomy is standard; however, management pathways vary, likely reflecting diversity of clinical presentations and lack of consensus regarding optimal approach. The I-DSD platform shows clear utility for performing prospective surveillance of rare procedures; such studies are essential for care quality improvement. Presentation: 6/2/2024

Variable practice patterns in the surgical management of renal hyperparathyroidism

BackgroundHyperparathyroidism is common among patients with chronic kidney disease, end-stage kidney disease, and kidney transplant. The American Association for Endocrine Surgery published clinical practice guidelines that address the surgical treatment of secondary and tertiary hyperparathyroidism. The purpose of this study is to determine practice patterns for the surgical management of secondary and tertiary hyperparathyroidism prior to guideline publication. MethodsWith the approval of the American Association for Endocrine Surgery, a Qualtrics email survey was sent to the Association’s membership in 2022 about current clinical decision making for surgical treatment of secondary and tertiary hyperparathyroidism. Respondents were divided into groups based on surgical subspecialty (endocrine surgery versus non-endocrine surgery), yearly parathyroidectomy volume, and yearly parathyroidectomy volume for surgical treatment of secondary and tertiary hyperparathyroidism. Descriptive statistics were performed; the role of volume was evaluated. ResultsThere were 142 responses from 795 solicited email addresses (18% response rate); 114 (84%) identified as endocrine surgeons. The majority (62%) perform >50 parathyroidectomies yearly, but most perform <10 parathyroidectomies for surgical treatment of secondary and tertiary hyperparathyroidism per year (<10/y, 53.7%; 10–30/y, 41.9%; >30/y, 4.4%). Subtotal parathyroidectomy is most commonly performed for surgical treatment of secondary (83%) and tertiary (52%) hyperparathyroidism, but transcervical thymectomy variably performed for both. There was no consensus regarding starting calcitriol preoperatively (always 43%, never 25%, depends on vitamin D levels 24%) or stopping cinacalcet (2 weeks prior 28%, day of surgery 29%, postoperatively 20%). Surgeons who perform >10 parathyroidectomies per year for surgical treatment of secondary and tertiary hyperparathyroidism were less likely to consider the patient's preoperative vitamin D levels to inform their decision to start calcitriol before surgery (<10 cases/year, 34%; ≥10 cases/year 15%; P = .023), were more likely to have a postoperative hypocalcemia protocol managed by the surgical team (<10 cases/year, 49%; ≥10 cases/year, 58%; P = .029), and were more likely to use intraoperative parathyroid hormone monitoring for tertiary hyperparathyroidism (<10 cases/year, 70%; ≥10 cases/year, 87%; P = .046). ConclusionThe majority of respondents perform <10 parathyroidectomies yearly for surgical treatment of secondary and tertiary hyperparathyroidism. Subtotal parathyroidectomy was most commonly performed, but there was little other consensus regarding preoperative management, intraoperative decision-making, and postoperative care. Opportunity exists through guideline dissemination to improve heterogeneity of care provided to surgical treatment of secondary and tertiary hyperparathyroidism patients.

United States Provider Experiences With Telemedicine for Hepatitis C Treatment: A Nationwide Survey.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination requires treatment access expansion, especially for underserved populations. Telehealth has the potential to improve HCV treatment access, although data are limited on its incorporation into standard clinical practice. We conducted a cross-sectional, email survey of 598 US HCV treatment providers who had valid email addresses and (1) were located in urban areas and had written ≥ 20 prescriptions for HCV treatment to US Medicare beneficiaries in 2019-2020 or (2) were located in non-urban areas and wrote any HCV prescriptions in 2019-2020. Through email, we notified providers of a self-administered electronic 28-item survey of clinical strategies and attitudes about telemedicine for HCV. We received 86 responses (14% response rate), of which 75 used telemedicine for HCV in 2022. Of those 75, 24% were gastroenterologists/hepatologists, 23% general medicine, 17% infectious diseases and 32% non-physicians. Most (82%) referred patients to commercial laboratories, and 85% had medications delivered directly to patients. Overwhelmingly, respondents (92%) felt that telehealth increases healthcare access, and 76% reported that it promotes or is neutral for treatment completion. Factors believed to be 'extremely' or 'very' important for telehealth use included patient access to technology (86%); patients' internet access (74%); laboratory access (76%); reimbursement for video visits (74%) and audio-only visits (66%). Non-physician licensing and liability statutes were rated 'extremely' or 'very' important by 43% and 44%, respectively. Providers felt that telehealth increases HCV treatment access. Major limitations were technological requirements, reimbursement, and access to ancillary services. These findings support the importance of digital equity and literacy to achieve HCV elimination goals.

Assessing the Recreational Fishers and their Catches based on Social Media Platforms: Privacy and Ethical Data Analysis Considerations

Social Media (SM) can offer insights to track recreational Fishing (Rf); Many Limitations Hinder Its Practical Application. The proportion and characteristics of RFs that share their catches remain unidentified. The objective was to enhance the surveillance abilities of RF by utilizing SM information. This study focuses on the sharing economy information transmission, network optimization of SM platforms, and privacy protection issues during data transmission. The study starts with the data transmission characteristics in SM platforms, analyzes the data ethics in SM information transmission from the perspectives of natural and economic data attributes, and then focuses on the privacy protection principles in network information transmission. Then, a privacy protection scheme based on a locally sensitive hash algorithm is constructed, and finally, an information transmission scheme and method optimization based on a network optimization module are proposed. The research gathered data using physical (face-to-face) surveys and digital (email) surveys to define marine RF that post catches on online platforms (“sharers”), together with additional demographic and fishing data. A comparative analysis was conducted on the computational convergence and accuracy of different privacy protection methods, and the optimal rule framework for data privacy protection was discussed. The observation results show that the efficiency of information transmission using the Minhash-SSNR method is slightly inferior to that using the OSNR-SSNR method. Minhash technology is based on a similarity comparison of dimensionality-reduced data. This leads to data causing the initially highly similar two sets of lists to be misjudged as not having enough similarity, thereby reducing some potential information dissemination opportunities and affecting the efficacy of information transmission. It can be seen that the Minhash-SSNR strategy can effectively send information to nodes with high similarity, preventing excessive information duplication within the system. Although the Minhash-SSNR strategy has a certain degree of decline in information transmission efficiency, it accounts for only about 5% compared to the OSNR-SSNR strategy, ensuring the essential operational stability of SM opportunity networks without significant impact. With few learning and training times, the network information transmission optimization module proposed in this study quickly achieved a lower exponential error. As the number of training sessions gradually increases, the exponential error of the network information transmission optimization module in this study is small, and the prediction accuracy of the method is high. RFs who captured a prize, iconic, or symbolic species tended to discuss their catches more. This research signifies significant progress in incorporating SM information to oversee RFs.

Parameters and barriers affecting the marketability of energy efficient residential buildings: a case study in Turkey

ABSTRACT The data indicate that merely improving energy efficiency within energy-efficient buildings (EEBs) is insufficient to significantly reduce the energy demand of the building sector. To achieve substantial reductions, strategies must also focus on increasing the number of EEBs within the existing building stock. However, research in this area remains limited. Therefore, this study aims to explore the current market demand and barriers for EEBs, examine the impact of various design decisions on housing prices, identify the factors influencing the marketability of residential buildings, and analyze customer purchasing decisions in Turkey (Türkiye). For this purpose, a comprehensive literature review was first made. It was observed that factors such as macroeconomic conditions, sales price, housing opportunities, location, brand, customer demographics, energy efficiency, housing features, and aesthetics were frequently discussed in the literature. Based on the literature review and preliminary study results, among other factors, aesthetic appreciation is considered the most applicable design strategy, and windows and balconies are identified as building components that can simultaneously affect energy efficiency, marketability, and aesthetics. Then, as a preliminary study to determine major marketing strategies, the housing marketing strategies were surveyed and analyzed from the real estate sector in different cities as provided in the advertisements posted on their websites. Furthermore, a comprehensive e-mail survey was conducted with 351 different real estate companies amongst 22 cities of Türkiye. Based on the findings, enhancing architectural designs could potentially elevate the perceived value of energy-efficient homes by up to 18% among consumers and this can increase the marketability.

The Early Reading and Music partnership

There is broad agreement, in relation to the high gravitas of ‘the big six’ in teaching early reading, the pillars of effective reading instruction (Moats, 1999; NRP, 2000; Konza, 2014). Notwithstanding, there exists a body of evidence that indicates the arts, in particular music, enhance and motivate other learning, helping young children to become readers. This suggests the explicit teaching of early reading and music together can yield powerful learning for students, the conflation of which improves and accelerates both reading and music mastery. This research investigates whether participation in music instruction has beneficial effects on young children’s learning and acquisition of early reading skills; specifically, if a link exists between early reading and music acquisition. There are three parts to this research: a) literature review; b) email surveys/ semi structured interviews; c) classroom observations. Results suggest that music serves as a natural bridge to literacy, strengthening auditory processing, and scaffolding learning phonemes and graphemes. Music aids memory because the beat, melody and harmony carry semantic content, clarifying meaning. Children learn with less effort and remember information more easily when rhyme and rhythm are present. Nursery rhymes, poems and action songs engage children through playing with language, suggesting that a transdisciplinary pedagogical approach is a potential solution to challenges currently faced in education in relation to disengagement from traditional schooling and declining reading levels. An early reading and music partnership is an approach to learning that may benefit young learners along the road to becoming readers.

Impact and learner perspectives of a spaced-education platform to assess hand hygiene auditor competency.

To ensure whether spaced education, which increases long-term knowledge retention, could be integrated into auditor competency assessment. Quality improvement project. Academic, freestanding children's hospital. Hand hygiene (HH) auditors. We enrolled trained HH auditors in an online spaced-education platform to assess mastery of knowledge, delivering 46 unique questions at spaced intervals followed by rationale; we retired questions after 3 correct answers. An e-mailed 10-item survey gauged participant satisfaction with the program. The Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to compare change in median knowledge score from first to final attempt. A total of 12,120 questions were attempted by 126 auditors, and 49 (39%) completed the entire course. Median knowledge score increased significantly by 10.5 percentage points (IQR 4-15) between first and final attempts (P < 0.001). Thirty auditors (27%) responded to the survey. The majority agreed the number and complexity of questions were appropriate (57% and 67%, respectively). Eighty-seven percent reported the platform easy to navigate, and 77% agreed adequate time was provided for completion. Free-text suggestions included delivering fewer questions at a narrower spacing interval over a shorter time frame because of competing work demands. Auditor knowledge of HH indications and technique is critical to ensuring data validity. A spaced-education competency program improved HH auditor knowledge in the short term. Completion rate was low, and some participants expressed a desire for fewer questions over a shorter time frame. This study offers insight into ways to optimize spaced education as a potential tool for HH competency assessment.

The allocation of patients with personality disorders to a suitable treatment approach: The development of a checklist based on patients' life stories.

Treatment assignment for patients with personality disorders (PDs) involves a complex process consisting of diagnostic assessment and deciding on the most appropriate psychotherapeutic treatment. This article describes the development of a checklist for systematic analysis of life stories to support reflective and transparent assignment of patients to either dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT) or schema-focused therapy (SFT). In a first study, an email survey, focus group, and member check were conducted among eight clinical experts to identify relevant dimensions in life stories in patients with PDs. In a second study, a checklist based on these dimensions was developed in three rounds of testing with nine clinical experts and nine psychology students. Checklist results were compared to actual assigned treatment for 20 patients. Systematic evaluation of life stories, is promising in supporting the allocation of patients with PDs to a suitable treatment approach by focusing on specific and consensual dimensions in patients' life stories.