High Attendance Research Articles

Sustainable Recovery: The Evolution of SPE’s Membership

I appreciate the messages I have received at President@spe.org regarding my column in April. I discussed the proposed merger with AAPG, the lessons learned, and membership feedback. The next SPE Strategic Plan will build on what we learned and a wide participative process, and I look forward to all members’ inputs. I also commented on the declining number of SPE professional and student members. The main driver in the overall membership decline is the level of employment in our industry, which has taken two significant hits in the past years. The first came during the oversupply period of 2014–2015 (and the subsequent collapse in North American shale activity), and the second during the COVID-induced demand reduction in 2019–2020. Employment is not a direct function of oil prices, but of upstream and midstream investment/activity. In 2015 there was a 26% decline in upstream expenditures with a slow subsequent increase in 2016–2018. The 2019–2020 decline was the largest relative drop in our industry (more than 30%), leading to another round of staff reductions, especially in the oilfield services industry. Fluctuations in SPE membership generally lag the activity increase or decrease by 1–2 years (with a buffering effect provided by SPE’s Members in Transition program). It is expected that the current upcycle of activity will contribute to a rebound in membership, especially among the young professionals. Uncertainties prevail in the oil and gas sector because of the dramatic events happening in Ukraine. SPE’s leadership has responded rapidly, expressing grave concern for those affected by the war and offering support to our Ukraine-based colleagues and their families. SPE has provided financial support through our Poland and Romanian sections to supply food and humanitarian aid, and, where feasible, assist the evacuation of our Ukrainian members and their families. Also, following discussions at our recent SPE Board of Directors meeting, SPE is suspending all conferences and workshops in Russia. In March, I attended several events in the Middle East including the GAIA Summit and the Oman Petroleum and Energy Show (OPES), both held in Muscat. The GAIA sustainability framework is taking off strongly thanks to the enthusiastic efforts of the SPE volunteers, and the summit was one of the key events of the first Oman Sustainability Week. Its objective was to aid in designing a roadmap for sustainable development in Oman, the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Middle East, and North Africa. It was a pleasure to see the combined creative efforts of a diverse team of young professionals from the region. One of the highlights of the GAIA Summit was the original presentation on emission remediation made by 2019 SPE President Darcy Spacy using his trademark accordion. The OPES conference themed “Shaping the Future of the Energy Industry” was also a large success with more than 350 local and global oil and gas companies and more than 12,000 tradeshow visitors. On 18 March I participated in an event hosted by the Abu Dhabi and the Northern Emirates sections themed “Outlook of the Oil and Gas Industry in the Energy Mix,” held in conjunction with the Dubai World Expo and with a high attendance level.

Saturday in the stadium: on higher attendance on Saturdays in Norwegian Eliteserien soccer league

ABSTRACT Research question This paper is motivated by the relatively late kick-off time of Sunday games (18:00), which is the main day in the Norwegian Eliteserien men’s soccer league. The paper investigates whether Saturday games attract a larger audience. Research methods We used data from 11 seasons between 2009 and 2019. In our multivariate regression analyzes, we controlled for more than 30 confounding factors. Results and findings We find that Saturday games attract close to 5% larger stadium attendance than Sunday games. Implications Our results indicate that moving a large share of games from Sunday to Saturday would increase the gate revenues of teams that have had a negative trend for several years. These findings have implications for the stakeholders of the leagues, calendar committees, and local businesses.

The impact of impulsivity and school attendance on COVID-19 spread: A web-based cross-sectional questionnaire.

Some personal and social decisions can be influential in the spread of COVID‐19. There are no studies examining school attendance, impulsivity, COVID‐19 phobia, and psychological resilience together while the effect of some individual and social measures on COVID‐19 has been frequently investigated. In this study 360 participants were evaluated through an online questionnaire method during the peak of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Sociodemographic data form prepared by the researchers, COVID‐19 Phobia Scale, Barratt Impulsivity Scale, and Brief Resilience Scale were used in the study. In all, 20.6% (n = 74) of participants had previously experienced COVID‐19. The rate of individuals who experienced the death of any of their relatives due to COVID‐19 was 17.8%. Only 65.8% of respondents fully complied with government‐implemented measures for the outbreak. School attendance (OR = 1.983, p = .033) and impulsivity (OR = 1.115, p < .001) were found to be positively correlated with COVID‐19. The presence of a significantly higher psychiatric disease admission history in patients with COVID‐19 in binary comparisons did not reach the level of significance in regression analysis. Our results suggest that high school attendance and impulsivity scores are positively correlated with COVID‐19 in young people. Government strategies related to schools need to be carefully reviewed for this reason.

Compassion Focused Group Therapy for Adult Female Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse: a Preliminary Investigation

ObjectivesThe adverse effects of childhood sexual abuse (CSA) are often significant and enduring. It is therefore important to identify therapeutic interventions that can effectively minimize these effects. Compassion focused therapy (CFT) was originally developed for people with high levels of self-criticism and shame. It holds significant promise as an intervention for survivors of CSA, but has not yet been empirically tested. This study explored both the acceptability and preliminary efficacy of a CFT group intervention (CFT-SA) for adult female survivors of CSA.MethodsCFT-SA was developed and tested with adult female survivors of CSA, to determine if there was any change in outcome measure scores after participating in the 12-week intervention (n = 30) and at 3-month post-intervention follow-up (n = 25).ResultsLow attrition and high session attendance, in addition to positive participant feedback, suggested the program had high acceptability. Significant improvement was observed across all outcome variables from pre- to post-intervention (n = 30), which were maintained at follow-up (n = 25). Participants demonstrated increased self-compassion and self-reassurance, and reduced symptoms of post-traumatic stress, shame, and self-criticism, as well as fears of compassion, depression, anxiety, and stress, with medium to large effect sizes (d = .55 to 1.36). Across all measures, between 20 and 57% of participants demonstrated reliable change pre- to post-intervention, and 22 to 57% from pre-intervention to follow-up.ConclusionsThis study provides preliminary support for the acceptability and potential benefits of utilizing CFT-SA as an intervention for adult female survivors of CSA and offers recommendations for future research.Trial Registration.Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12616001041448.

Acing the Fundamentals of Radiology: An Online Series for Medical Students and Interns.

The current undergraduate radiology education predominantly integrates radiology with other disciplines during preclerkship years and is often taught by nonradiologists. Early exposure to radiology and profound understanding of scientific fundamentals of imaging modalities and techniques are essential for a better understanding and interest in the specialty. Furthermore, the COVID-19 pandemic-related impact on in-person medical education aggravated the need for alternative virtual teaching initiatives to provide essential knowledge to medical students. The authors designed an online 7-session course on the principles of imaging modalities for medical students and fresh graduates in the United States and abroad. The course was delivered online and taught by radiologists from different US institutions. Pretests and posttests were delivered before and after each session, respectively, to assess change in knowledge. At the end of the course, a survey was distributed among students to collect their assessment and feedback. A total of 162 students and interns initially enrolled in the program by completing a sign-up interest form. An average of 65 participants attended each live session, with the highest attendance being 93 live attendees. An average of 44 attendees completed both the pretest and posttest for each session. There was a statistically significant increase in posttest scores compared with pretest scores ( P < 0.01) for each session; on average, the posttest scores were 48% higher than the pretest scores. A total of 84 participants answered the end-of-course survey. A total of 11% of the respondents described themselves as first year, 17% as second year, 18% as third year, 21% as fourth year, and 33% as "other." Attendees were enrolled in medical schools across 21 different countries with 35% of the respondents studying medicine in the United States. More than 76% of the respondents stated that they "strongly agree" that the program increased their understanding of radiology, increased their interest in radiology, and would be useful in their clinical practice in the future. Eighty-three percent of the respondents stated that they "strongly agree" that "this course was a worthwhile experience." Particularly, more than 84% of the respondents stated that among the most important components in enhancing their understanding of radiology were "the interpretation of normal imaging" and "interpretation of clinical cases." Ninety-two percent of the respondents stated that "the amount of effort to complete the requirements for this program was just right." Participants were also asked to rate each of the 8 sessions using the following scale: poor = 1 point, fair = 2, good = 3, and excellent = 4. The average rating for all 8 sessions was 3.61 points (SD = 0.55), which translates to 96% of the sessions being rated good or excellent. Eighty percent of the participants reported that the topics presented in the program were "excellent and clinically important to learn," and 20% of the participants reported that the topics presented were "good and somewhat important to learn." The participants were asked to evaluate their confidence regarding basic radiology skills before and after the program using the following scale: not confident at all = 1 point, somewhat confident = 2, moderately confident = 3, and very confident = 4. Figure 2 summarizes the responses of the participants. An online course to teach the fundamentals of imaging modalities could be delivered through a webinar format to medical students and interns in several countries to address the potential gaps in radiology education, therefore increasing their understanding of the different imaging modalities and their proper use in medicine.

Empowering Accredited Social Health Activist (ASHA) in a rural communities of Pune (Maharashtra)

Background: Diabetes is quickly reaching the status of a potential epidemic, with more than 74.2 million Indians diagnosed with the disease. With the majority of India's population residing in rural areas, the potential burden of diabetes is compounded by rising healthcare expenses, lower literacy, lack of awareness, limited access, and availability of healthcare. Objective: The process evaluation of project diabetes with dignity (DWD) aimed to test the feasibility and effectiveness of a model of enhanced diabetes care for adults, empowering Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs) in rural communities of Pune, Maharashtra. Methods: A community-based, quasi-experimental study was conducted with high-risk identified adults with Type 2 diabetes (n = 431, 30–70 years), in two Primary Health Centers of Baramati block of Pune district. ASHAs implemented six months' DWD intervention, including screening of subjects at risk of Type 2 diabetes using Indian diabetes risk score questionnaire, random blood glucose testing using glucometer, counseling, monthly house-to-house visits, and community-based awareness-raising activities about diabetes care-related issues. Results: Results indicated that the delivery, and reach of DWD intervention were favorable. The intervention was delivered as intended with a high degree of fidelity with dosage delivery, high attendance, and good participation rates. The participants were satisfied with intervention strategies activities and recognized to scale it up further. The engagement of ASHAs as a protagonist in the successful project implementation was emphasized. Conclusions: The findings on DWD intervention satisfaction, reach, and participation favored the capacity-building of ASHAs for diabetes screening, prevention, management, and referrals in rural Indian settings.

Online administration of a pilot mindfulness-based intervention for adolescents: Feasibility, treatment perception and satisfaction.

Adolescents may be more vulnerable to COVID-19-related impacts and require long-term mental health care. Services that bolster emotion regulation, such as mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) promote positive impacts on psychosocial outcomes and have high acceptability. No studies have assessed feasibility, treatment perceptions and satisfaction of online MBIs with adolescents. 56 moderate- and high-risk adolescent (m = 14.5 years, 66.1% female, 26.8% LatinX) participants tested the feasibility, treatment perceptions and satisfaction of an 8-session online MBI focused on observing non-judgmentally, attending to positivity, and self-soothing. The study achieved acceptable feasibility with high attendance (m = 5.75) and retention rates (87.5%). The moderate- vs. high-risk group reported significantly higher ratings of treatment perceptions (t = 2.03, p < .05, d = 0.60). Significant associations were found between increased pre-test depression and anxiety symptomology and reduced intervention utility (rs = -0.34 and -0.32, ps < .05). This study demonstrated feasibility, treatment perceptions and satisfaction of an online MBI for adolescents presenting with two risk levels. Higher-risk adolescents may need a higher-touch intervention than moderate-risk, who may be more likely to find online MBIs acceptable. The impact of adjunctive MBIs for adolescents on treatment attendance and mental health outcomes over longer periods is necessary to understand patterns in effective adolescent treatment options.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-022-03025-x.

Endurance rivalry and female choice jointly influence male mating success in the emerald treefrog (Zhangixalus prasinatus), a lek-chorusing anuran

BackgroundEndurance rivalry and female choice are two important mechanisms of sexual selection in lek-breeding species. Endurance rivalry is when males compete for opportunities to mate by spending more time in leks than others (interaction-independent male-male competition). Because high-quality males can afford to have high lek attendance, females have a higher chance of mating with good-quality males even when they mate randomly. The good gene hypothesis proposes that females can pass good genes on to their offspring by choosing males that display elaborate morphological and/or behavioral traits that reflect the males’ genetic quality. The relative importance of lek attendance and female choice to males’ mating success in anurans is rarely evaluated. In this study, we investigated how these two mechanisms might jointly shape males’ morphological traits in the lek-chorusing emerald treefrog Zhangixalus prasinatus.ResultsOur results show that (1) male lek attendance is positively correlated with body size and condition, and males with higher lek attendance have higher mating success, (2) the dominant frequency of males’ advertisement calls are negatively correlated with body size and males producing lower frequency calls have higher mating success, (3) male body size, but not body condition, has a non-significant positive relationship with mating success and (4) females show preference for calls with lower dominant frequencies in two-choice playback.ConclusionsOverall, both endurance rivalry and female choice play an important role in the mating success of male emerald treefrogs in the field and both are influenced by male body size/condition. By mating with males that have higher lek attendance and produce lower frequency calls, selection may indirectly favor larger males.

Study Buddy: An English Training Program for College Students Who Failed Their English Comprehensive Exam

This study delved into the implementation of the Study Buddy program to help college students who failed their English comprehensive exam. Nine students participated in the study. Descriptive qualitative methods were used. The Study Buddy program was carried out by English lecturers teaching at the university. The program consisted of two stages: English training and private tutoring. The materials were related to those of the English comprehensive exam, covering four language skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Data were collected through the English comprehensive exam and by interviews. It was found that there were significant changes seen after the students participated in the Study Buddy program. The findings also showed that the participants were extremely enthusiastic about the program, shown by their high attendance rates (95%) and their positive responses regarding the program. This study hopes to shed some light on the importance of helping students with English learning difficulties. &#x0D; Keywords: study buddy, English training, college students, English comprehensive exam

Use of Frame Running for Adolescent Athletes With Movement Challenges: Study of Feasibility to Support Health and Participation.

Children and adolescents with movement challenges have lower instances of physical activity and longer time spent in sedentary behaviors compared to children with typical development. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of a sport-based youth development running program modified for accessibility using a running frame and to evaluate initial evidence for its efficacy on endurance and functional strength. We completed four 8-week seasons (2–3 times per week) in a combination of 3 different formats by season: online remote (winter and spring), in person in a community park (winter, spring, and summer), and in person in an afterschool setting (autumn). Participants included 13 athletes (average age 14.46 years, range 8–18 years, 4 females), who collectively completed 22 season blocks. Diagnoses included cerebral palsy (n = 10), arthrogryposis (n = 1), Dandy-Walker malformation (n = 1), and transverse myelitis (n = 1). In all settings, participants engaged in activities of social emotional learning, cardiovascular endurance, and muscle strengthening in a progressive manner. We found that each season format was feasible to administer with high attendance rates (76–97%) and positive qualitative feedback from athletes. In addition, promising average improvements in motor performance across a season (6 min frame running test, 170 m; timed up and go test, 8.44 s; five times sit to stand, 14.1 s; and Goal Attainment Scale, t = 65.01) were identified in the pilot data of this non-randomized cohort. Training in any of the proposed settings with an overall goal of completing a community race in a running frame is feasible and warrants further study.

Molecular Characterization and Antibiotic Susceptibility Profile of Acinetobacter baumannii Recovered from Hospital Wastewater Effluents

Acinetobacter baumannii (A. baumannii) plays a significant part in nosocomial infections world over and is re-emerging as a formidable pathogen due to the wide range of antibiotic resistance factors it acquires and environmental resilience. The high attendance of patients (outpatients and inpatients) into the health care facilities formed the basis for the selection of the hospitals. Consequently, this study profiled the antibiogram and antibiotic resistance genes of A. baumannii isolated from selected hospital wastewater effluents. A total of twenty-four (24) wastewater samples from three selected hospital drainages were collected and analysed presumptively by culture-dependent methods for A. baumannii. The identity confirmation of A. baumannii was done by the amplification of recA and blaoxa-51 genes. Virulence and antibiotic resistance markers were assessed using polymerase chain reaction. A total of 53 A. baumannii isolates were confirmed and the highest antibiotic resistance profile was 93% (piperacillin). Multiple antibiotic resistance index (MARI) showed a range of 0.23 and 0.46. FimH virulence gene was detected in 29 (55%) of the isolates. Tetracycline and beta-lactam resistance markers were found; 70% and 92% of the isolates possessed tetA and ampC genes. The isolates showed high level of resistance to antibiotics. The multiple antibiotic resistance index (MARI) of ≥0.2indicates that some of the isolates harbour virulence and resistance traits emerging from high-risk source thereby projecting a threat to public health.

Learn, Engage, Act, Dedicate (LEAD): development and feasibility testing of a task-shifted intervention to improve alcohol use, depression and family engagement for fathers

BackgroundMen’s depression, alcohol use, and family problems commonly co-occur to create of cluster of mental health problems. Yet, few treatments exist to address these problems, especially in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). This paper describes the development and initial feasibility and acceptability of a novel task-shifted intervention to address this cluster of men’s mental health problems with a focus on engaging and retaining men in treatment.MethodsThe intervention, Learn, Engage, Act, Dedicate (LEAD), is based in behavioral activation blended with motivational interviewing and was pilot tested in Kenya. To develop LEAD, we engaged in a community-engaged multi-step, collaborative process with local Kenyan stakeholders. LEAD was piloted with nine fathers reporting problem drinking. To assess initial feasibility and acceptability, recruitment and participation were tracked and descriptive statistics were generated given engagement of men was key for proof of concept. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants and analyzed using thematic content analysis.ResultsThe development process resulted in a weekly 5-session intervention rooted in behavioral activation, motivational interviewing, and masculinity discussion strategies. These approaches were combined and adapted to fit contextually salient constructs, such as the importance of the man as provider, and streamlined for lay providers. Feasibility and acceptability results were promising with high attendance, acceptability of delivery and intervention content, and perceived intervention helpfulness.ConclusionResults describe an acceptable task-shifted treatment that may engage men in care and addresses a cluster of common mental health problems among men in ways that consider social determinants like masculinity. Findings set the stage for a larger trial.Trial registration ISRCTN, ISRCTN130380278. Registered 7 October 2019—Retrospectively registered, http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN13038027

Impact of a case-management intervention for reducing emergency attendance on primary care: randomised control trial.

BackgroundThe impact on primary care workload of case-management interventions to reduce emergency department (ED) attendances is unknown.AimTo examine the impact of a telephone-based case-management intervention targeting people with high ED attendance on primary care use.Design and settingA single-site data extract from a larger randomised control trial, using the patient-level data from primary care electronic health records (2015–2020), was undertaken.MethodA total of 363 patients at high risk of ED usage were randomised to receive a 6-month case-management intervention (253 patients) or standard care (110 patients). Poisson regression models were used to calculate monthly rates of primary care use over time for the 2 years post-randomisation, comparing both arms. Usage was subclassified into face-to-face, telephone, letter, and community and secondary care referrals, stratified by patient demographics.ResultsNo significant difference was found in the mean annual rate of primary care events between the intervention and control arms (P = 0.70). Secondary care referrals saw a 26% reduction in the mean annual referral rate (incident rate ratio [IRR] 0.74, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.64 to 0.86, P<0.001) and letters sent increased by 6% in the intervention arm compared with the control arm (IRR 1.06, 95% CI = 1.01 to 1.11, P = 0.01). In the case-managed arm, in patients aged ≥80 years there was a 33% increase in primary care usage (IRR 1.33, 95% CI = 1.28 to 1.40, P<0.001); with a corresponding 10% decrease in patients aged <80 years when compared with controls (IRR 0.90, 95% CI = 0.87 to 0.92, P<0.001).ConclusionA targeted case-management intervention to reduce ED attendances did not increase overall primary care use. Redistribution of usage is seen among some patient groups, particularly older people, which may have important implications for primary healthcare planning.

대학의 재직학습자를 위한 단기 영어프로그램 효과 분석

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a short-term English program designed for work-study college students on the learning outcomes and experiences. We analyzed changes in TOEIC scores, learner beliefs, and learning experiences of 24 students who participated in the six-week program. Changes in learning experiences were analyzed through sentiment analysis of learning diaries using Google Natural Language API. Our findings showed that the outcomes varied according to the attendance rate, with the high attendance group showing a statistically significant increase in TOEIC scores. As for the changes in learner beliefs, the high achievement group showed increased positive beliefs about learning outcomes and confidence while the low achievement group perceived learning English as difficult, and their confidence remained unchanged. Sentiment analysis of learning diaries to evaluate the changes in learning experiences showed a V-shaped curve for the sentiment scores of the high achievement group whereas the low achievement group’s scores decreased as the program progressed. Based on the word cloud and qualitative analysis of the diaries, the key learning obstacles were irregular attendance, lack of study time, and difficulties in understanding the lessons.

Feasibility of Implementing a Food Skills Intervention

BackgroundFood skills are defined as meal planning, preparation, shopping, budgeting, resourcefulness, and label reading/consumer awareness. To date, food skills have not been tested in intervention-based studies. ObjectiveTo evaluate the feasibility of implementing a food skills intervention. DesignThis was an 8-week prospective food skills intervention. Study measures were completed through questionnaires provided before the start of the intervention and after the intervention was completed. For questionnaires, the web platform REDCap was used. Participants and settingThirty parents (aged 18 years or older) with at least one child (aged 2 to 12 years), attended weekly virtual intervention sessions via Zoom. The intervention took place from August to October 2020 with assessment measures collected within 2 months of the start and end date of the intervention. Participants were from the mid-Atlantic region of the United States InterventionA food skills intervention based on behavior modification strategies from the Social Cognitive Theory was implemented. Intervention goals included meal planning (six of seven dinner meals per week), meal plan implementation (at least four of six planned dinner meals), and always using a grocery list when shopping. Main outcome measuresFeasibility was evaluated based on parent attendance, number of self-monitoring booklets completed, adherence to goals, implementation fidelity, and qualitative responses to interviews. Change in food skills confidence and nutrition knowledge were also assessed. Statistical analysisDescriptive statistics and qualitative responses were used to describe feasibility. Paired t tests were used to evaluate change in food skills confidence and nutrition knowledge from baseline to 8 weeks. ResultsParents attended a mean of 7.6 ± 1.0 (out of eight) sessions and completed a mean of 6.2 ± 1.7 (out of seven) self-monitoring booklets. Parents planned a mean of 6.1 ± 1.5 dinners per week and implemented a mean of 4.7 ± 1.6 of the six planned dinners, achieving the intervention goals. Of the mean 1.2 ± 0.6 trips/week to the grocery store reported, grocery lists were used a mean of 1.1 ± 0.6 times. Mean food skills confidence score increased significantly from baseline to 8 weeks (baseline = 86.5 ± 18.0; 8 weeks = 101.4 ± 15.3; P < 0.001). Mean nutrition knowledge score also significantly increased (baseline = 64.1 ± 7.2; 8 weeks = 69.1 ± 6.6; P < 0.001). Parents reported on a scale of zero (“easy”) to 10 (“difficult”) a mean difficulty rating of 2.4 ± 2.4 for meal planning, a mean of 2.1 ± 2.1 for meal plan implementation, and a mean of 1.0 ± 1.7 for always using a grocery shopping list indicating acceptability of goals. ConclusionsFeasibility of a food skills intervention was demonstrated by high session attendance, high numbers of self-monitoring booklets turned in, high achievement of intervention goals, parent acceptability, and high ratings of implementation fidelity. There was an increase in food skill confidence and nutrition knowledge. Future research should examine the efficacy of changing food skill behaviors on dietary intake.

Disparities in High School Graduation by Identity and Disability Using Intermediate and Long-Term Educational Outcomes.

Multiple factors influence a student's success in high school graduation. Individual factors such as disability, racial or ethnic identity, and gender may result in inequity in the school environment, interfering with learning and possibly leading to poorer educational outcomes. This secondary analysis of student educational records (N = 3,782) from 2008-2018 tested the associations among the disability, racial or ethnic identity, gender, and 5th grade attendance on high school attendance and graduation. Linear and logistic regression analysis identified students without a disability had a 40% greater chance of graduation (AOR = 1.4 [95% CI = 1.15, 1.71]) than those with a disability. Students identifying as Black, Hispanic, or Native American had half the odds of graduating compared to White students. When controlling for 9th grade attendance, these disparities decreased. Attendance in 5th grade, disability, and racial and ethnic identity influenced attendance, being on track to graduate, and high school graduation.

The Effects of Religiosity on Depression Trajectories After Widowhood.

This longitudinal study analyzed data from the 2006-2016 waves of the nationally representative Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Trajectories of depression among older adults ≥ 50years (N = 1254) were examined over time to explore patterns of depression among those entering widowhood and the potential impact of religiosity on depressive symptoms during various stages of widowhood. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analysis was used to examine the association between widowhood and depression and the role of religiosity as a moderator of this association. Older adults experienced a statistically significant increase in depressive symptomology after the onset of widowhood, and depressive symptomology decreased post widowhood, but did not return to pre-widowhood levels. Additionally, high religious service attendance and higher intrinsic religiosity were both associated with lower depressive symptomology. High religious service attendance moderated the relationship between widowhood and depression among widowed older adults living alone.

Cost-effectiveness and cost-utility evaluation of individual vs. group transdiagnostic psychological treatment for emotional disorders in primary care (PsicAP-Costs): a multicentre randomized controlled trial protocol

BackgroundEmotional disorders are common, and they have become more prevalent since the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to a high attendance burden at the specialized level, most emotional disorders in Spain are treated in primary care, where they are usually misdiagnosed and treated using psychotropic drugs. This contributes to perpetuate their illness and increase health care costs. Following the IAPT programme and the transdiagnostic approach, the PsicAP project developed a brief group transdiagnostic cognitive-behavioural therapy (tCBT) as a cost-effective alternative. However, it is not suitable for everyone; in some cases, one-on-one sessions may be more effective. The objective of the present study is to compare, in cost-benefit terms, group and individual tCBT with the treatment usually administered in Spanish primary care (TAU).MethodsA randomized, controlled, multicentre, and single-blinded trial will be performed. Adults with mild to moderate emotional disorders will be recruited and placed in one of three arms: group tCBT, individual tCBT, or TAU. Medical data and outcomes regarding emotional symptoms, disability, quality of life, and emotion regulation biases will be collected at baseline, immediately after treatment, and 6 and 12 months later. The data will be used to calculate incremental cost-effectiveness and cost-utility ratios.DiscussionThis trial aims to contribute to clinical practice research. The involvement of psychologists in primary care and the implementation of a stepped-care model for mental disorders are recommended. Group therapy and a transdiagnostic approach may help optimize health system resources and unblock waiting lists so that people can spend less time experiencing mental health problems.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov: NCT04847310; Protocols.io: bx2npqde. (April 19, 2021)

Weekly near-peer tutoring sessions improve students’ performance on basic medical sciences and USMLE Step1 examinations

Purpose This study examined the relationship between attendance at weekly near-peer tutoring (NPT) sessions offered in the second year of medical school and academic performance on basic science and USMLE Step 1 examinations. Methods Twenty-four weekly NPT sessions were delivered across all modules in the second year of medical school. Attendance of the sessions was recorded and students were divided into three groups: high (16–24 sessions), moderate (7–15 sessions), and low-no (0–6 sessions) attendance groups. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient was computed to determine the relationship between students’ frequency of attendance and their performance on overall basic sciences, two NBME CBSEs, and USMLE Step 1 examinations. Students’ academic performance was also analyzed using ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc test (p < 0.05) to compare differences between the three groups. Results Pearson correlation analyses revealed that attending peer tutoring sessions was significantly correlated with students’ performance in overall basic sciences, CBSE mid-year, CBSE final, and USMLE Step 1 examinations. The high attendance groups significantly outperformed the low-no attendance groups on overall basic sciences (p = 0.007), CBSE mid-year (p < 0.001), CBSE final (p < 0.018), and USMLE Step 1 (p = 0.048) examinations. Conclusions Attending NPT sessions are significantly correlated with students’ performance on basic sciences and on USMLE Step1 examinations. Attendance of weekly NPT sessions is a valuable experience for M2 students.

Maternal depressive symptoms, attendance of sessions and reduction of home safety problems in a randomized toddler safety promotion intervention trial: A latent class analysis.

ObjectiveLittle is known about the association between maternal depressive symptoms and attendance at safety promotion interventions. This study used latent class analysis (LCA) to identify the profile of attendance within a toddler safety intervention and assessed its relation with maternal depressive symptoms at baseline and reduction of home safety problems over time, separately.MethodsThe analytic sample included 91 mothers of toddlers (mean maternal age 28.16 years) who were assigned to the safety promotion intervention group as part of a randomized trial and assessed at baseline, 6-month and 12-month follow-ups. Using LCA, we classified mothers into low and high attendance classes based on their attendance at 8 intervention sessions. We assessed maternal depressive symptoms with the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and home safety problems with a 9-item home safety problem observation.ResultsThe mothers were classified into low attendance (45%) and high attendance classes (55%). The posterior probability of attending each session ranged from 0–0.29 for the low attendance class and 0.68–0.92 for the high attendance class. Each one unit increase of BDI sum score at baseline was associated with an 8% reduced odds of being in the high attendance class (aOR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.86, 1.00, p = 0.037). The home safety problem score reduction was greater among high attendance class participants than low attendance class participants at the 6-month follow-up (b = -1.15, 95% CI:-2.09, -0.20, p = 0.018).ConclusionMaternal depressive symptoms were associated with the reduced probability of maternal attendance at toddler safety promotion sessions; high session attendance was related to greater reduction of toddler home safety problems. Identifying risk factors for maternal low attendance to interventions and developing strategies to promote attendance should lead to reductions in home safety problems and reductions in unintentional injuries among young children.