Ethnic Groups Research Articles

Analysis of language identification algorithms for regional Indonesian languages

Detecting local languages in Indonesia is essential for recognizing linguistic diversity, promoting intercultural understanding, preserving endangered languages, and improving access to education and services. By identifying and documenting these languages, we can support language preservation efforts, provide tailored resources for communities, and celebrate the unique cultural heritage of different ethnic groups. Ultimately, this encourages a more accepting and open-minded society, prioritizing various languages and cultural customs. This research aims to identify the most suitable algorithm for language detection in Indonesian regional languages and gain insights into their unique characteristics through n-gram analysis. By understanding language diversity, the study contributes to preserving Indonesia's cultural and linguistic heritage and improving language detection techniques. This study compares the performance of five algorithms (Naïve Bayes, K-nearest neighbors (KNN), least-squares, Kullback Leibler divergence, and Kolmogorov Smirnov test) to determine the most accurate and efficient method for language identification. Incorporating trigram features alongside unigrams and bigrams significantly improved the model's performance, with F1 scores increasing from 0.923 to 0.959. The study found that using more features leads to better accuracy, with Naïve Bayes and KNN emerging as the top-performing algorithms for language identification.

Association of Race and Ethnicity With Postoperative Gabapentinoid and Opioid Prescribing Trends for Older Adults

BackgroundDisparities in opioid prescribing by race/ethnicity have been described in many healthcare settings, with White patients being more likely to receive an opioid prescription than other races studied. As surgeons increase prescribing of nonopioid medications in response to the opioid epidemic, it is unknown whether postoperative prescribing disparities also exist for these medications, specifically gabapentinoids. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study using a 20% Medicare sample for 2013–2018. We included patients ≥66 years without prior gabapentinoid use who underwent one of 14 common surgical procedures. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients prescribed gabapentinoids at discharge among racial and ethnic groups. Secondary outcomes were days’ supply of gabapentinoids, opioid prescribing at discharge, and oral morphine equivalent (OME) of opioid prescriptions. Trends over time were constructed by analyzing proportion of postoperative prescribing of gabapentinoids and opioids for each year. For trends by year by racial/ethnic groups, we ran a multivariable logistic regression with an interaction term of procedure year and racial/ethnic group. ResultsOf the 494,922 patients in the cohort (54% female, 86% White, 5% Black, 5% Hispanic, mean age 73.7 years), 3.7% received a new gabapentinoid prescription. Gabapentinoid prescribing increased over time for all groups and did not differ significantly among groups (P = 0.13). Opioid prescribing also increased, with higher proportion of prescribing to White patients than to Black and Hispanic patients in every year except 2014. ConclusionsWe found no significant prescribing variation of gabapentinoids in the postoperative period between racial/ethnic groups. Importantly, we found that despite national attention to disparities in opioid prescribing, variation continues to persist in postoperative opioid prescribing, with a higher proportion of White patients being prescribed opioids, a difference that persisted over time.

Racial discrimination and substance use among people of color.

We provide insights into studying racial discrimination and substance use among people of color, in response to Cénat et al.'s (2023) findings from Black youth in Canada. We discuss relevant literature on the topic. Studying racial discrimination requires a dynamic and temporal conceptualization of race/racism within social contexts and an acknowledgment of the inadequacies of our current approaches. Further, studying the impact of racial discrimination may require an eclectic use of theories and the incorporation of community voices. We recommend collecting measures of racism whenever possible, disaggregating race into ethnic groups and intersections of identities, engaging with communities to clarify concepts and select appropriate measures, and disseminating findings with opportunities for communities to speak and for researchers to listen. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Lipoprotein(a) Levels in Disaggregated Racial and Ethnic Subgroups Across Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk Levels

BackgroundLipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] is a causal risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). ObjectivesThe authors assessed differences in Lp(a) testing and levels by disaggregated race, ethnicity, and ASCVD risk. MethodsThis was a retrospective cohort study of patients from a large California health care system from 2010 to 2021. Eligible individuals were ≥18 years old, with ≥2 primary care visits, and complete race and ethnicity data who underwent Lp(a) testing. Race and ethnicity were self-reported and categorized as follows: non-Hispanic (NH) White, NH-Black, Hispanic (Mexican, Puerto Rican, other), NH-Asian (Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, other). Logistic regression models tested associations between elevated Lp(a) (≥50 mg/dL) and race, ethnicity, and ASCVD risk. Results13,689 (0.9%) individuals underwent Lp(a) testing with a mean age of 54.6 ± 13.8 years, 49% female, 28.8% NH Asian. Over one-third of those tested had Lp(a) levels ≥50 mg/dL, ranging from 30.7% of Mexican patients to 62.6% of NH-Black patients. The ASCVD risk of those tested varied by race: 73.6% of Asian Indian individuals had <5% 10-year risk, whereas 27.2% of NH-Black had established ASCVD. Lp(a) prevalence ≥50 mg/dL increased across the ASCVD risk spectrum. After adjustment, Hispanic (OR: 0.76 [95% CI: 0.66-0.88]) and Asian (OR: 0.88 [95% CI: 0.81-0.96]) had lower odds of Lp(a) ≥50 mg/dL, whereas Black individuals had higher odds (OR: 2.46 [95% CI: 1.97-3.07]). ConclusionsLp(a) testing is performed infrequently. Of those tested, Lp(a) levels were frequently elevated and differed significantly across disaggregated race and ethnicity groups. The prevalence of elevated Lp(a) increased with increasing ASCVD risk, with significant variation by race and ethnicity.

A Research Agenda to Support Families of People With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities With Intersectional Identities.

Family members provide significant practical and emotional support to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) across the lifespan. In September 2022, the State of the Science Conference on Community Living: Engaging Persons With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities From Underserved Racial, Ethnic, Linguistic, and Cultural Groups in Research was held. This article summarizes the efforts of the workgroup that developed research goals related to supporting families of people with IDD. The focus was on families with intersectional identities and minoritized communities. Recommended areas of future research include exploratory research to better understand the experiences of these families, perspectives of families with intersectional identities about the formal support system, funding for family support and services, and inclusive research strategies.

Race and ethnicity and pharmacy dispensing of SGLT2 inhibitors and GLP-1 receptor agonists in type 2 diabetes

Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter 2 Inhibitors (SGLT2i) and Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonists (GLP-1 RA) improve cardiorenal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. Equitable use of SGLT2i and GLP-1 RA has the potential to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities. We evaluated trends in pharmacy dispensing of SGLT2i and GLP-1 RA by race and ethnicity. Retrospective cohort study of patients (≥18 years) with type 2 diabetes using 2014-2022 electronic health record data from six US care delivery systems. Entry was at earliest pharmacy dispensing of any type 2 diabetes medication. We used multivariable logistic regression to evaluate the association between pharmacy dispensing of SGLT2i and GLP1-RA and race and ethnicity. Our cohort included 687,165 patients (median 6 years of dispensing data; median 60 years; 0.3% American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN), 16.6% Asian, 10.5% Black, 1.4% Hawaiian or Pacific Islander (HPI), 31.1% Hispanic, 3.8% Other, and 36.3% White). SGLT2i was lower for AI/AN (OR 0.80, 95% confidence interval 0.68-0.94), Black (0.89, 0.86-0.92) and Hispanic (0.87, 0.85-0.89) compared to White patients. GLP-1 RA was lower for AI/AN (0.78, 0.63-0.97), Asian (0.50, 0.48-0.53), Black (0.86, 0.83-0.90), HPI (0.52, 0.46-0.57), Hispanic (0.69, 0.66-0.71), and Other (0.78, 0.73-0.83) compared to White patients. Dispensing of SGLT2is, and GLP-1 RAs was lower in minority group patients. There is a need to evaluate approaches to increase use of these cardiorenal protective drugs in patients from racial and ethnic minority groups with type 2 diabetes to reduce adverse cardiorenal outcomes and improve health equity. Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute and National Institutes of Health.

Conceptual Approach to Understanding the Social Aspects of the Educational Potential of the Islamic Studies

The relevance of the research theme, lies in its importance for the effective formation of a harmoniously developed personality and society, as well as maintaining the cultural, social and economic prosperity of the modern society. The purpose of this article is to study the social aspects of the educational potential within the framework of Islamic studies, as well as to reveal the conceptual approach to its understanding. The publication materials are the information from scientific and practical disciplines, highlighting the implementation of social aspects of the educational potential of the Islamic studies in its natural environment and in a foreign context, as well as monographic works on the topic and sources that are a fixation of research observations in the field of modernization of the educational and social systems of the society life. The following concepts are the result of its study: fixing the problem under study as a composite and inseparable and a large-scale system; determination of its leading categories; establishing the relationship between its components; the authors’ interpretation of this topic as a panoramic phenomenon interconnected with many other spheres of society. The practical significance of the work was revealed in its novelty, relevance and demand among representatives of the leading areas of scientific thought and activity such as history and sociology; ethics and religious studies; cultural studies and economics; pedagogy and psychology. The prospect of the problem under consideration lies in the need to observe, fix and study its reflection and relevance in the life of modern society, as well as in the importance of expanding and enriching the boundaries of “Islamic studies” as a scientific direction that promotes awareness of the role of spiritual principle in the formation of personality, as well as in saving the ethnic groups for their prosperity and progress.

Renal effects and safety between Asian and non-Asian chronic kidney disease and type 2 diabetes treated with nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid antagonists.

Asians bear a heavier burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD), a common comorbidity of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), than non-Asians. Nonsteroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) have garnered attention for their potential advantages in renal outcomes. Nevertheless, the impact on diverse ethnic groups remains unknown. The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang database, and clinical trial registries were searched through August 2023 with the following keywords: nonsteroidal MRAs (finerenone, apararenone, esaxerenone, AZD9977, KBP-5074), CKD, T2DM, and randomized controlled trial (RCT). A random effects model was used to calculate overall effect sizes. Seven RCTs with 14 997 participants were enrolled. Nonsteroidal MRAs reduced urinary albumin to creatinine ratio (UACR) significantly more in Asians than non-Asians: (weighted mean difference [WMD], -0.59, 95% CI, -0.73 to -0.45, p < .01) vs (WMD, -0.29, 95% CI, -0.32 to -0.27, p < .01), respectively. The average decline of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was similar in Asians and non-Asians (p > .05). Regarding systolic blood pressure (SBP), nonsteroidal MRAs had a better antihypertension performance in Asians (WMD, -5.12, 95% CI, -5.84 to -4.41, p < .01) compared to non-Asians (WMD, -3.64, 95% CI, -4.38 to -2.89, p < .01). A higher incidence of hyperkalemia and eGFR decrease ≥30% was found in Asians than non-Asians (p < .01). Nonsteroidal MRAs exhibited significant renal benefits by decreasing UACR and lowering SBP in Asian than that of non-Asian patients with CKD and T2DM, without increase of adverse events except hyperkalemia and eGFR decrease ≥30%.

Patrilineal Constraints and Female Creativity: Case on Gitar Tunggal Lampung

Women have played a significant role in the history of Lampung's indigenous people, a.k.a Ulun Lappung. Lampung and women have had a long relationship since the Lampung people's ancestors settled in this area in the 14th century. Ratu Sekarmong, a Lampung indigenous resident, has led the Tumi tribe in Sekala Brak. Then women played a unique role in the stringed music of the Pepadun community two generations ago, particularly the gitar tunggal. Participant observations of female gitar tunggal performers, particularly those from the Pepadun ethnic group of Lampung, were used to conduct this qualitative study. The number of female guitar players in Lampung is currently dispersed. Women of the ethnic Pepadun make up the majority of the performers. In-depth descriptions are also produced using ethnographic data and digital documents from the internet. Investigations on virtual field sites, interviews, and literature reviews are used to collect research data. According to the findings, male and female gitar tunggal performers use the same way in techniques. Contrarily, female guitarists have different goals than male guitarists. Women are prohibited from playing stringed instruments in public or in the local music industry. In addition, male performers typically remain active on stage, whereas female performers only reside in their homes. In the traditional view, their creativity is only used for household amusement. As a result, female guitarists must advance new coping mechanisms that affect their ability to retain music. Women's contributions to developing Lampung stringed music must be acknowledged, particularly in light of the patrilineal Lampung traditional system.

Prevalence and presentation of uterine fibroid in a private hospital in Enugu: A 5-year retrospective study

Background: Fibroids are the commonest benign tumours of the uterus. They occur more commonly in the nulliparous women, and among the blacks. They are frequently found incidentally on ultrasonography but common presenting symptoms are abdominal swelling, heavy menstrual bleeding and sub-fertility. Surgery is the definitive treatment modality with most women having myomectomy to preserve fertility. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, presentation and treatment outcomes of fibroid cases treated in the centre. Result: From the study, 42 patients were diagnosed with uterine fibroids over the 5-year period out of a total of 338 gynaecological patients treated in the hospital. This gave a prevalence of 12.42% in the 5-year period. Majority of them, 20(47.6%) were aged 31-40 years, 13(31%) were between 21 and 30 years whereas only 9(21.4%) were aged 41 years and above. Almost all the patients 38(90.5%) were from the Igbo ethnic group; 21(50%) had secondary education while 19(45.2%) had tertiary education. Twenty of them (47.6%) were either civil servants or professionals, 19(42.5%) were traders and 3(7.1%) were unemployed. It also revealed that 22(52.4%) were nulliparous, 11(16.7%) were multiparous and only 2(4.8%) were grand multiparous. More than a quatre of the patients 17(40.5%) presented with abdominal swelling, 14(33.3%) with heavy menses, 8(19%) with infertility and the least 3(7.2%) with recurrent miscarriages. Almost all of them 38(90.5%) had myomectomy and only 4(9.5%) had hysterectomy. Only the age and occupation of the patients had a statistically significant influence on the prevalence of uterine fibroid among the women studied. Conclusion: Most of the women who had uterine fibroids were within the age bracket of 31-40 years with heavy menstrual bleeding as the major presenting symptom. Almost all of them had myomectomy as the definitive treatment.

Evaluation of regional variation in racial and ethnic differences in patient experience among Veterans Health Administration primary care users.

To evaluate racial and ethnic differences in patient experience among VA primary care users at the Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) level. We performed a secondary analysis of the VA Survey of Healthcare Experiences of Patients-Patient Centered Medical Home for fiscal years 2016-2019. We compared 28 patient experience measures (six each in the domains of access and care coordination, 16 in the domain of person-centered care) between minoritized racial and ethnic groups (American Indian or Alaska Native [AIAN], Asian, Black, Hispanic, Multi-Race, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander [NHOPI]) and White Veterans. We used weighted logistic regression to test differences between minoritized and White Veterans, controlling for age and gender. We defined meaningful difference as both statistically significant at two-tailed p < 0.05 with a relative difference ≥10% or ≤-10%. Within VISNs, we included tests of group differences with adequate power to detect meaningful relative differences from a minimum of five comparisons (domain agnostic) per VISN, and separately for a minimum of two for access and care coordination and four for person-centered care domains. We report differences as disparities/large disparities (relative difference ≥10%/≥ 25%), advantages (experience worse or better, respectively, than White patients), or equivalence. Our analytic sample included 1,038,212 Veterans (0.6% AIAN, 1.4% Asian, 16.9% Black, 7.4% Hispanic, 0.8% Multi-Race, 0.8% NHOPI, 67.7% White). Across VISNs, the greatest proportion of comparisons indicated disparities for three of seven eligible VISNs for AIAN, 6/10 for Asian, 3/4 for Multi-Race, and 2/6 for NHOPI Veterans. The plurality of comparisons indicated advantages or equivalence for 17/18 eligible VISNs for Black and 12/14 for Hispanic Veterans. AIAN, Asian, Multi-Race, and NHOPI groups had more comparisons indicating disparities by VISN in the access domain than person-centered care and care coordination. We found meaningful differences in patient experience measures across VISNs for minoritized compared to White groups, especially for groups with lower population representation.

Wild edible vegetables of ethnic communities of Mizoram (Northeast India): an ethnobotanical study in thrust of marketing potential

BackgroundAssessment of wild edible vegetables (WEVs) from the ethnobotanical approach is a significant key to understanding indigenous knowledge systems. The available literature has revealed a tremendous decline in knowledge of WEVs over the last few decades. The main purpose of this study was to document and analyse the traditional knowledge of WEVs among the two major ethnic groups of Mizoram regarding their use and the diversity associated with the importance of traditional medicines. Secondly, a market survey will be conducted to determine the status of available WEVs.MethodsThis study conducted an ethnobotanical survey among 72 informants through semi-structured interviews and questionnaires besides direct field observations. The documented data were quantitatively analysed using various ethnobotanical indices, including Informant’s consensus factor (ICF), Fidelity level value (Fl), and Direct matrix ranking (DMR). A marketing survey was conducted in the Bara Bazar, Mizoram's most prominent local market. A total of 38 vendor informants were interviewed to observe and collect the price of commonly sold WEVs.ResultsA total of 70 WEVs, distributed in 58 genera under 36 families, were documented and identified. Of these, 33 WEVs were of medicinal importance. Leafy vegetables were documented as the most frequently consumed parts (55.71%). The majority (44.29%) of the plants documented were consumed in fried form. The highest level of agreement among informants for food used categories was observed for plants combined with dry fish (ICF = 1). The Informant’s consensus factor (ICF) of disease categories ranges from 0.75 to 1, with the highest being reported for convulsion (ICF = 1), sleep inducer (ICF = 1), and antiseptic (ICF = 1). Picria fel-terrae was the most preferred plant for hypertension treatment (100% FL). Direct matrix ranking (DMR) indicated that Dysoxylum excelsum was highly utilized by the inhabitant for multipurpose species (DMR = 64). Jaccard similarity index (JI) between the two ethnic groups was revealed at 1.26. Forty-seven WEVs were found to be commercialized in the Bara Bazar market, Aizawl, with a price range from 0.1 to 2.4 USD. Ensete superbum was reported as near threatened per the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.ConclusionThis work highlighted the importance and rich diversity of WEVs in Mizoram, which are presently used among different age groups for food and medicine. Informants have good knowledge of WEVs, which was shared to a great extent among the inhabitants; this legacy of traditional culture must be conserved. This study further suggests a priority setting for conserving multipurpose WEVs in human-inhabited sites, investigating the recorded species' nutritional properties and pharmacological activities.

The Intimate Other: Screening North Korean Defectors in Multicultural South Korea

ABSTRACT This article considers two South Korean films, Wedding Campaign (Hwang, 2005) and Secret Reunion (Jang, 2010), to better understand the evolution of cinematic representations of North Koreans within the context of the multicultural South’s approaches to North Korean arrivals. I focus on how the two films construct North Korean defectors in relation to other ethnic groups. After considering governmental approaches to North Korean defectors and other foreign migrants, I examine how the films are distinguished from both Cold War tropes that present North Koreans as the dangerous Other and the narratives of the Sunshine era that embrace North Koreans based on shared ethnicity. I argue that these films’ depiction of North Koreans in relation to multiculturalism manifests neoliberal nationalism within a highly transnational, multiethnic South Korea, as well as the paradoxical nature of South Korean multiculturalism, which emphasises assimilation rather than cultural difference. Ultimately, these films demonstrate changing narratives of South Korea as a multicultural and globalising nation with an increasing emphasis on the latter.

The Role of Stigma and Resilience in Healthcare Engagement Among Transgender Latinas in the U.S. South: Baseline Findings from the ChiCAS Study.

Research demonstrates that stigma and resilience influence transgender peoples' healthcare use. Less is known about transgender Latinas in the U.S. South who face multilevel barriers to healthcare access. We used baseline data from the ChiCAS intervention study. Using logistic regression, we examined how stigma (perceived discrimination related to gender identity, race/ethnicity, sexual behavior and perceived documentation status and internalized transphobia), and resilience (ethnic group pride and social support) are associated with two healthcare outcomes (use of routine medical care and medically supervised gender-affirming hormones). We also explored barriers to accessing both types of care. After removing 13 participants with missing data, our sample size was 131 transgender Latinas in the U.S. South. Most participants (74.8%, n = 98) received routine medical care in the past year and 57.3% (n = 75) had ever received medically supervised gender-affirming hormones. Reports of discrimination were highest for gender identity and documentation status. Race/ethnicity-based discrimination was positively associated with accessing routine medical care in the past year (OR = 1.94, p = 0.048). Having more social support was positively associated with care (routine care: OR = 3.48, p = 0.002 and gender-affirming hormones: OR = 2.33, p = 0.003). The most commonly reported barriers to accessing both types of care included cost, insurance, and not knowing where to go. Findings highlight the importance of social support for healthcare use among transgender Latinas. Social support may be especially important when considering the unique experiences of discrimination faced by transgender Latinas in the U.S. South.

Interethnic dynamics and ethnic identification process an example from the Southern Shan State, Burma (Myanmar)

ABSTRACT The essay addresses the issue of which cultural tools are used in order to index particular ethnic identifications within an interethnic environment. It is analysed how the Inle Lake region has undergone a symbolic restructuring of its socio-cultural network since the end of the 1950s. We shall first address the issue of how the interethnic dynamics was renegotiated after the waning of the Shan political sway upon the region and how the Intha emerged as the new dominant ethnic group as well as how they symbolically manipulated a socio-cultural landscape common to all the ethnic communities inhabiting the region; it will eventually be analysed how a particular ethnic community, the Taung’yo, indexes its position within a newly created dynamics through the technical choice of phonetic markers in a specific context of interaction in order to align with the position within the interethnic dynamics that the oral traditions grant them.

People from ethnic minorities seeking help for Long Covid: a qualitative study.

People from ethnic minority groups are disproportionately affected by COVID-19, are less likely to access primary healthcare and report dissatisfaction with healthcare. Whilst the prevalence of Long Covid in ethnic minority groups is unclear, these groups are under-represented in Long Covid specialist clinics and Long Covid lived experience research which informed the original Long Covid healthcare guidelines. To understand lived experiences of Long Covid in people from ethnic minority groups. Qualitative study with people living with Long Covid in the UK. Semi-structured interviews with people who self-disclosed Long Covid were conducted (between June 2022 and June 2023) via telephone or video call. Thematic analysis was conducted. People living with Long Covid or caring for someone with Long Covid advised on all stages of the research. Interviews were conducted with 31 participants representing diverse socio-economic demographics. Help-seeking barriers included little awareness of Long Covid or available support and not feeling worthy of receiving care. Negative healthcare encounters were reported in primary healthcare; however, these services were crucial for accessing secondary or specialist care. There were further access difficulties and dissatisfaction with specialist care. Experiences of stigma and discrimination contributed to delays in seeking healthcare and unsatisfactory experiences, resulting in feelings of mistrust in healthcare. Experiences of stigma and discrimination resulted in negative healthcare experiences and mistrust in healthcare, creating barriers to help-seeking. Empathy, validation of experiences, and fairness in recognition and support of healthcare needs are required to restore trust in healthcare.

Ethnic differences in physical activity participation when managing gestational diabetes mellitus: a mixed-methods study comparing ethnic Chinese migrants and Australian women

ABSTRACT Background Physical activity is a key component in gestational diabetes mellitus management to optimise glycaemic control and reduce adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, inadequate physical activity during pregnancy is common. Underpinned by a woman-centred pregnancy care model, appropriate strategies targeting patients’ cultural needs may facilitate physical activity participation. Ethnic Chinese migrants have a four-fold higher risk of gestational diabetes mellitus than the Australian Caucasian host population. To identify potentially effective disease management strategies to improve physical activity participation, understanding and comparing ethnic Chinese migrants’ and Caucasian women’s views will provide insights into developing an end-user-informed intervention. Aims This study aimed to compare perceptions and practices around physical activity participation during pregnancy between 44 ethnic Chinese migrants and 39 Australian-born Caucasian women with gestational diabetes mellitus. Methods This mixed-methods study used in-depth, semi-structured audio-recorded interviews, validated pregnancy physical activity questionnaires and pedometers. Qualitative data were thematically analysed and compared between ethnicities. SPSS (SPSS Inc) was used in quantitative data analysis. Data triangulation was made to identify patterns in participant characteristics, physical activity beliefs and participation. Results Despite both ethnic groups doing less physical activity than recommended, Chinese participants were less physically active than Caucasian participants. Chinese participants expressed greater safety concerns about physical activity and opted for a more sedentary lifestyle. Data triangulation indicated that non-Australian-born Chinese participants whose husbands were Asian were overcautious about miscarriage risk related to physical activity, which promoted a sedentary lifestyle. Chinese participants suggested individualised, specific physical activity advice on safe physical activity during pregnancy would mitigate their concerns. Caucasian participants reported that digital step measurement technologies motivated their participation in physical activity. Conclusion Different strategies are suggested by Chinese and Caucasian participants to improve physical activity participation to manage gestational diabetes mellitus among ethnic Chinese and Caucasian populations, which will be evaluated in future interventions.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding dengue among non-health undergraduate students of Nepal.

Dengue poses a significant public health concern worldwide. It is identified as a recent emerging infectious disease in Nepal. Understanding the situation and dynamics between knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) related to dengue among students is crucial for effective prevention and control strategies. This study aimed to assess the KAP and their associated factors of dengue among non-health undergraduate students of Nepal to identify gaps and suggest appropriate interventions. A web-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 429 non-health undergraduate students at eleven Nepalese Universities, with 80% of participants from the four most prominent ones in the country. Self-administered online forms were administered via Google Forms platform predominantly through social media for data collection. Data was cleaned and then exported to IBM SPSS Statistics 20.0 for analysis. Demographic characteristics of respondents were described using descriptive statistics. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to determine the association between individual characteristics and KAP. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to determine the association between knowledge-attitude, attitude-practice, and knowledge-practice. Statistical significance was determined at the p-value < 0.05. Around half of the participants were female (50.3%). The majority of participants were between 22 to 37 years, unmarried, and belonged to the Brahmin/Chhetri ethnic group. This study demonstrated a significant gap in KAP. Only 15.2% of participants had good knowledge while 25.9% and 68.3% of participants exhibited good attitudes and practices respectively. Marital status (AOR = 3.32, CI: 1.32-8.34), third-year educational level (AOR = 3.59, CI:1.34-9.57), and fourth-year educational level (AOR = 4.93, CI:1.88-12.94) were significantly associated with knowledge regarding dengue. Age (AOR = 1.73, CI: 1.10-3.01) was significantly associated with preventive practice regarding dengue. None of the demographic or socio-economic characteristics of respondents was associated with attitude on dengue. The knowledge-attitude (rka = 0.01), knowledge-practice (rkp = 0.22), and attitude-practice (rap = 0.01) were positively correlated in this study.

Quality of life assessment among ethnically diverse Black prostate cancer survivors: a constructivist grounded theory approach.

Prostate cancer (CaP) is the most common cancer in Black men (BM), and the number of Black CaP survivors is rapidly increasing. Although Black immigrants are among the fastest-growing and most heterogeneous ethnic groups in the USA, limited data exist regarding their CaP experiences. Therefore, this study aimed to explore and model the experiences of ethnically diverse Black men with CaP. In-depth interviews were conducted with 34 participants: native-born BM (NBBM) (n = 17), African-born BM (ABBM) (n = 11), and Caribbean-born BM (CBBM) (n = 6) CaP survivors recruited through QR code-embedded flyers posted in Black businesses, clinics, social media platforms, and existing research networks within the USA. Guided by Charmaz's constructivist grounded theory methodology, the interviews were analyzed using constant comparison following key stages of initial, focused, and theoretical coding using Atlas.ti v23. Participants were thirty-four men aged 49-84years (mean ± SD, 66 ± 8). Most were married (77%), likely to be diagnosed at stage I (35%), and treated with radiotherapy (56%). Our study findings explored the complex trajectory of Black prostate cancer (CaP) survivors, unveiling a comprehensive model termed "Journeying through Unfamiliar Terrain." Comprising three phases and 11 sub-phases, this model uniquely captures the pre-diagnosis awareness and post-treatment adaptation among survivors. The resulting theoretical model delineates the entire CaP survivorship process among BM, providing contextual and conceptual understanding for developing interventions and enhancing patient-centered care for ethnically diverse CaP survivors, pivotal in bridging the gaps in survivorship research and healthcare practices. Black CAP survivors experience significant burdens and challenges that impact their overall quality of life.Understsnding the factors that impact the complex survivorship journey can inform design and implementation ofinterventions to address the multiple challenges and thus improve quality of life.

How well do participants in clinical trials represent the U.S. population with chronic neck or back pain?

Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) are the gold standard for assessing treatment effectiveness; however, they have been criticized for generalizability issues such as how well trial participants represent those who receive the treatments in clinical practice. We assessed the representativeness of participants from eight RCTs for chronic spine pain in the U.S., which were used for an individual participant data meta-analysis on the cost-effectiveness of spinal manipulation for spine pain. In these clinical trials, spinal manipulation was performed by chiropractors. We conducted a retrospective secondary analysis of RCT data to compare trial participants' socio-demographic characteristics, clinical features, and health outcomes to a representative sample of (a) U.S. adults with chronic spine pain and (b) U.S. adults with chronic spine pain receiving chiropractic care, using secondary data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) and Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). We assessed differences between trial and U.S. spine populations using independent t-tests for means and z-tests for proportions, accounting for the complex multi-stage survey design of the NHIS and MEPS. We found the clinical trials had an under-representation of individuals from health disparity populations with lower percentages of racial and ethnic minority groups (Black/African American 7% lower, Hispanic 8% lower), less educated (No high school degree 19% lower, high school degree 11% lower), and unemployed adults (25% lower) with worse health outcomes (physical health scores 2.5 lower and mental health scores 5.3 lower using the SF-12/36) relative to the U.S. population with spine pain. While the odds of chiropractic use in the U.S. are lower for individuals from health disparity populations, the trials also under-represented these populations relative to U.S. adults with chronic spine pain who visit a chiropractor. Health disparity populations are not well represented in spine pain clinical trials. Embracing key community-based approaches, which have shown promise for increasing participation of underserved communities, is needed.