National Campaign Research Articles

Knowledge and barriers to screening for colorectal cancer among individuals aged 40 years or older visiting primary healthcare clinics in Al-Khobar, Eastern Province.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) ranks third as the most common cancer in the world and the 4th most common cause of deaths from cancer. In Saudi Arabia, CRC is the most common cancer in males and the third most common in females. Early screening reduces the risk of CRC and death. However, there is a lack of awareness of CRC screening in Saudi Arabia. The objective of this study was to determine the knowledge, practices, and barriers to CRC screening using the Health Belief Model (HBM). This study enrolled Saudis aged 40 years or older visiting PHCCs in Al-Khobar. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire or a direct interview of the selected participants. Information sought included sociodemographics, past CRC screening, CRC knowledge, and HBM items. Data analysis was done using SPSS; the Chi-squared test and ANOVA were used to determine statistical significance. A total of 206 of the individuals approached completed the questionnaire. The average age was 51.1 years, and 51% were males. Only 10% reported that a physician had provided information on CRC prevention or discussed/recommended screening for CRC, and 10% had undergone screening for CRC. Seventy-five percent of respondents had heard of CRC, and 74% said that CRC was preventable. Regarding the HBM, no significant difference in the mean scores for perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, self-efficacy, and benefits of CRC screening was found by age groups. The mean score for perceived severity was higher for females than males. About 60% of participants were extremely likely to have a screening test for CRC done on the day if recommended by the doctor. The knowledge and awareness of CRC screening of the targeted sample is inadequate. Individuals with higher perceived susceptibility, severity of CRC, and perceived benefit of the screening tests were more willing to undergo the test. The highest perceived barrier was having no symptoms, and the lowest was "getting a stool test is too much of a hassle." These findings underline the importance of having a national screening program and campaigns to deal with the concerns of people and raise awareness of CRC.

Did antisemitism mislead and conceal from the world's malaria community the first start anywhere of a successful national malaria elimination campaign?

For many years, the malaria community appears to have stumbled and fumbled along in its effort to control malaria with varying results that have often been ineffective. This article makes the suggestion the malaria community has appeared to avoid studying or applying methods that are acknowledged to have been successful in Palestine 100 years ago. The article further suggests such avoidance arose due to an anti-semitic minority element in the Palestine Arab leadership in the 1920s and '30s which sought to inflame the general Palestine Arab populace against the Jews (who had initiated the malaria control) by dishonestly explaining the Arab woes in Palestine had been caused by the Jews. The article asks the question if today's anti-semitism has perpetuated the '20s and '30s Palestine anti-semitism and has thereby continued to discourage the malaria community today from openly adopting the successful anti-malaria methods employed in Palestine 100 years ago.

Exposure to anti- and pro-smoking messages among adults in China: Results from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey, 2018.

For decades, tobacco advertisements and promotions have been common in mass media and public places in China. In 2015, China amended the Advertising Law to prohibit the distribution of tobacco advertising, while also initiating waves of tobacco control media campaigns. This study investigates the associations between exposure to anti- and pro-smoking messages, smoking status, and people's smoking-related beliefs and willingness to support tobacco control policies. A secondary data analysis was performed with the 2018 Global Adult Tobacco Survey of 19,376 adults aged ≥15 years in China. Anti- and pro-smoking message exposures were measured as the sum of sources (media or places) where respondents have seen the messages. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationships among smoking status, message exposure, and the outcome variables (health harm beliefs, support for increasing tax on cigarettes, support for using part of the increased tax on tobacco control) controlling for smoking status and demographic differences. Overall, 63.3% of the respondents reported being exposed to anti-smoking messages from at least 1 source, while 18.1% were exposed to pro-smoking messages from at least 1 source. Adults who currently, formerly, and never smoked differed in their beliefs about smoking and willingness to support tobacco control policies. Greater reported exposure to anti-smoking messages was positively associated with belief that smoking is harmful, support for increased cigarette tax, and support for using increased tax revenue for tobacco control measures. Meanwhile, greater reported exposure to pro-smoking messages was negatively related to willingness to support cigarette tax increases. While national and local tobacco control campaigns in China have reached a large proportion of the adult population, there is still room for improvement. China might consider expanding anti-tobacco campaigns, as reported exposure to these messages is associated with increased public awareness of the health hazards of smoking and support for increasing cigarette taxes.

Relationship between Age, Education, Number of Children, and Knowledge Related to Exclusive Breastfeeding with the Father’s Decisions Toward Supporting Breastfeeding Practices

Breastfeeding is one of the most effective ways to ensure the health and survival of a child for the first two years of life. It is widely accepted that the father’s support is one of the strongest predictors of exclusive and optimum breastfeeding. The purpose of the study was to assess the knowledge and attitude of fathers toward breastfeeding and the effects of their socio-demographic conditions on their decision to support breastfeeding practices. This descriptive cross-sectional quantitative research was conducted at two Child Health Clinics in rural Jamaica study in 2017. A validated questionnaire was used to guide the telephone interviews of 158 fathers who were selected by the systematic sampling technique. All ethical guidelines were adhered to. The data was analysed using SPSS. The findings of the study revealed that 104 (65.8%) of the fathers were knowledgeable about breastfeeding practices, and the remaining 54 (34.2%) had a low knowledge level. Only 65 (41.2%) of them agreed that they should support breastfeeding and play a more active role. There was no statistically significant relationship between age, education, number of children, and the knowledge level and attitude towards breastfeeding practices among fathers. There was however statistical significance in their union status and employment status. The study confirms that some fathers are knowledgeable about breastfeeding but their attitude towards the process needs improvement. The findings could assist in health promotion strategies to strengthen and support fathers’ involvement as well as support the national campaign to improve breastfeeding practices in Jamaica.

Finding a “Niche” for Civil Disobedience? Decriminalizing Disobedience in the Post–Civil Rights Era

Between fifteen and twenty-five million Americans took to the streets in the summer of 2020 to march, mourn, occupy highways, clash with police, and be together in grief and rage. Municipal and state police forces responded with a national campaign of excessive force. Demonstrators were clubbed, tear gassed, sprayed with chemical agents, kettled and trampled, illegally detained, and mutilated by “less-than-lethal” munitions. Internal police reviews and municipal leaders blamed the violence on insufficient training but the scale and intensity of repression suggest a more profound democratic crisis surrounding the criminalization of dissent.

Perioperative Patients With Hemodynamic Instability: Consensus Recommendations of the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation.

In November of 2022, the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation held a Consensus Conference on Hemodynamic Instability with invited experts. The objective was to review the science and use expert consensus to produce best practice recommendations to address the issue of perioperative hemodynamic instability. After expert presentations, a modified Delphi process using discussions, voting, and feedback resulted in 17 recommendations regarding advancing the perioperative care of the patient at risk of, or with, hemodynamic instability. There were 17 high-level recommendations. These recommendations related to the following 7 domains: Current Knowledge (5 statements); Preventing Hemodynamic Instability-Related Harm During All Phases of Care (4 statements); Data-Driven Quality Improvement (3 statements); Informing Patients (2 statements); The Importance of Technology (1 statement); Launch a National Campaign (1 statement); and Advancing the Science (1 statement). A summary of the recommendations is presented in Table 1 .

Stroke Riskometer App as an educational campaign in outpatient clinics and its association with knowledge of stroke Warning Signs

BACKGROUND: Stroke is highly prevalent worldwide; however, the associated symptoms and risk factors are commonly unknown among the general population. No study has been carried out in the Mexican population about the risk of stroke and knowledge of warning signs. AIM: Describe the knowledge of early signs of stroke and their association with the risk of cerebral infarction at 5 and 10 years using the American Stroke Association validated application "Stroke Riskometer." METHODS: Observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study including adult outpatients from the Neurology department at "Dr. José Eleuterio González" University Hospital. Anthropometric measurements and vital signs were taken, and the "Stroke Riskometer" was used to calculate the stroke risk at 5 and 10 years. Early signs of stroke were assessed, with emphasis on the acronym "CAMALEON", a mnemonic that includes the three main early signs of Stroke in Spanish. Descriptive statistics were performed. For inferential statistics, Chi-Square test for categorical variables, Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis for numerical variables, Spearman correlation for numerical and ordinal variables were conducted, considering significance at p<0.05, using SPSSv25 for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Total of 200 individuals were included; 142 (71%) were women; with an average age of 54.72 (±14.63) years. The most prevalent stroke risk factors were sedentary lifestyle (54%), high blood pressure (41%), and diabetes mellitus (32%). 72.5% were unaware of any early signs of stroke, 10.5% knew 1 sign, 6% knew 2 signs, and 11% knew 3 signs. "Facial Weakness" was the most recognized sign (19.5%), followed by "Arm Weakness" (16%) and "Speech Disturbance" (15.5%). A weak correlation was found between knowledge of early signs and 5 or 10-year risk (r=0.14, p=0.048; r=0.138, p=0.051, respectively). There is a significant difference between knowledge of early signs and educational level (p=0.004), with higher knowledge in higher education. A difference was observed between male and female genders and 5 and 10-year risk (Median 5.3 vs 3.6, p=0.007 and Median 11 vs 5.4, p=<0.001, respectively). Additionally, a significant difference was found between current occupation and 5 and 10-year stroke risk (p=<0.001). Post-hoc analysis and percentage risk analysis found significant differences between students and other occupations. There is an increase in stroke risk as an individual's life decade advances. CONCLUSION: Awareness of stroke warning signs is low, remaining an unfinished goal despite educational campaigns in Mexico. A national, massive, and ongoing campaign for the population is necessary.

Emergency Power in Hungary and the COVID-19

We live in an era of overlapping states of exceptions: the climate and ecological emergency, the permanent crisis of global capitalism, the migration crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic. Relying on the Hungarian political regime, this paper investigates how and why exceptional measures restructure our life. It can be argued that the main outcome of the exceptional measures is the rise of a new executive power, and it is demonstrated how heavily authoritarian regimes rely on the state of exception. It has been argued here that behind the strengthening of the emergency power there is the new rise of unlimited executive power, which is nothing more than the legal and political fulfilment of two-thirds majority power. Upon the case of the permanent state of exception of the Orbán regime, it can be said that the COVID-19 as an epidemiological crisis cannot be traced back to the Orbán administration, but the executive power has found a way to create a new political crisis based on the epidemic. The paper briefly discusses the impact of the 2022 Hungarian national election campaign period and the Russian aggression against Ukraine in February 2022 on the Hungarian emergency powers.

Folic acid supplementation use during the peri-conceptional period among professionals of a hospital in France

Folic acid insufficiency is an important risk factor for congenital neural tube defects. Despite recommendations and national campaigns, the proportion of women taking folic acid in the peri-conceptional period remains insufficient worldwide. We describe in this study the proportion of peri-conceptional folic acid supplementation use and its determinants among a population of hospital workers during the course of a prevention campaign. We performed a single-center cross sectional study in a university hospital in France. Data were collected during 2 months in 2019 by an online questionnaire sent to all professionals. We collected information about folic acid supplementation use, its modalities (form, period, frequency and dosage) and reason for initiating or not supplementation. Response rate was 11.4 % (n = 1,075/9,447). Among the 748 women who reported at least one pregnancy, 72.7 % (95 % CI: 69.4–76.0 %) reported taking folic acid during their last pregnancy. Main reason for initiating supplementation was information given by a health professional (87.8 %), especially by gynaecologists-obstetricians. Principal factors associated with folic acid supplementation use were age between 25 and 35 years, high level of education and recent pregnancy. Folic acid supplementation use is still not systematic before and during pregnancy, even among health professionals. There is a case for mandatory folic acid fortification for the French general population.

Serological investigation of vaccine-induced antibodies for measles, rubella, and yellow fever viruses in children vertically exposed to Zika virus or with down syndrome.

Vaccination schedules, as well as their effectiveness and contraindications, need to be evaluated regularly, especially in specific situations. Congenital Zika Syndrome (CZS) is a severe condition that results in extensive functional and neurological impairment of fetuses and newborns due to Zika virus tropism for fetal neural progenitor cells. Down Syndrome (DS) is the leading genetic cause of intellectual disability. The immune impairment in DS has already been described, but little is known about the immune response of CZS children. Thus, CZS and DS are specific conditions that can be considered for a reassessment of the available immunizations. Here, we carried out serological analyses of attenuated vaccines-induced antibodies for measles, rubella, and yellow fever viruses in children aged 2-7, grouped into asymptomatic controls, DS children, and CZS children. Plasma samples were taken, and vaccination records were compiled during clinical follow-up. Enzymatic immunoassays for quantifying anti-measles and anti-rubella IgG were performed to assess the response to the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine. Plaque Reduction Neutralization Test (PRNT) was performed to investigate neutralizing antibodies in response to the Brazilian vaccine strain of yellow fever (YF-17DD). We highlight similar levels of anti-measles IgG and neutralizing antibodies for YF-17DD among CZS, DS, and asymptomatic children, although low positivity of measles data was seen in the three groups. In DS children, the 2-4-year-old group had an increased level of anti-measles IgG compared to the older group of children aged five to seven years. Lower anti-rubella IgG levels were observed in CZS and DS children compared to asymptomatic children. For anti-rubella IgG, the good performance of vaccination in asymptomatic children is due to younger ones rather than older ones. There were no reports of adverse events after the use of the MMR and YF-17DD indicating that CZS and DS could continue to receive these vaccines, but our data draws attention to the necessity of monitoring the vaccination response in CZS and DS children over time and the possible need to adhere to national measles vaccination campaigns. Scientific research needs to continue to help develop appropriate CZS and DS health guidelines.

Breast cancer quality of care in Syria: screening, diagnosis, and staging

BackgroundThe Syrian decade-long war has severely affected the healthcare system, including almost vanishing cancer screening practices, war-destroyed medical facilities, and lack of continuous medical education. This study aims to present data on the affected breast cancer screening practices, methods of diagnosis, and stages distribution in Syria.MethodsMedical charts of breast cancer patients treated at Albairouni University Hospital between January 2019 and May 2022 were retrospectively reviewed. Eligible patients were women diagnosed with primary breast cancer. Exclusion criteria included females receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy and incomplete charts. Data regarding the patient’s age, city of residence, marital status, number of children, smoking habits, method of diagnosis, tumor size (T), lymph nodes (N), and distal metastasis (M) were collected. We used Microsoft Excel and Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) to analyze data. Descriptive methodology (frequency [n], percentage) was used.ResultsThe number of charts reviewed was 4,500. The number of remaining charts after applying the exclusion criteria was 2,367. The mean age was 51.8 (SD = 11.3). More than half of the patients (58.3%) came from outside Damascus -where the hospital is located- and its suburbs. Less than 5% of the population detected cancer by screening mammography. Only 32.4% of patients were diagnosed by a biopsy, while surgical procedures (lumpectomy and mastectomy) were used to diagnose 64.8% of the population. At the time of diagnosis, only 8% of patients presented with local-stage disease (stages 0 & I), 73% had a regional disease (stages II & III), and 19% had metastatic breast cancer (stage IV).ConclusionOur retrospective chart review analysis is the first comprehensive review in Syria for female breast cancer patients. We found a significant low percentage of patients diagnosed based on a screening mammogram, much higher surgical biopsies rather than a simple imaging-guided biopsy, and much lower than the national average of early-stage disease. Our alarming findings can serve as the base for future strategies to raise the population’s health awareness, create more serious national screening campaigns, and adopt a multidisciplinary approach to the disease in Syria.

Cervical cancer screening improvements with self-sampling during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background:At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic cervical screening in the capital region of Sweden was canceled for several months. A series of measures to preserve and improve the cervical screening under the circumstances were instituted, including a switch to screening with HPV self-sampling to enable screening in compliance with social distancing recommendations.Methods:We describe the major changes implemented, which were (1) nationwide implementation of HPV screening, (2) switch to primary self-sampling instead of clinician sampling, (3) implementation of HPV screening in all screening ages, and (4) combined HPV vaccination and HPV screening in the cervical screening program.Results:A temporary government regulation allowed primary self-sampling with HPV screening in all ages. In the Stockholm region, 330,000 self-sampling kits were sent to the home address of screening-eligible women, instead of an invitation to clinician sampling. An increase in organized population test coverage was seen (from 54% to 60% in just 1 year). In addition, a national campaign for faster elimination of cervical cancer with concomitant screening and vaccination for women in ages 23–28 was launched.Conclusions:The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated major changes in the cervical cancer preventive strategies, where it can already be concluded that the strategy with organized primary self-sampling for HPV has resulted in a major improvement of population test coverage.Funding:Funded by the Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions, the Swedish Cancer Society, the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program, the Swedish government, and the Stockholm county.

The national campaign for regional museums: research and university between São Paulo and Belo Horizonte

In the 1960s, faced with numerous sociocultural transformations, but mostly, in the face of the Cold War and the implementation of the harsh military regime in Brazil, journalist Assis Chateaubriand, associated with figures such as Yolanda Penteado and Pietro Maria Bardi, led the National Campaign for Regional Museums, a patronage initiative, that with the support of the São Paulo Museum of Art, the journalistic group Diários Associados, as well as public authorities and other financiers, through the donation of initial new collections encouraged the opening of regional museums spread across Brazil. Starting from a dialogical methodology, this text seeks to reflect on some of the influences of the network and museum model implemented by the Campaign, through the different ways it dialogues with universities, and using as a case study the history of formation and donation of the Brasiliana Gallery collection to the Federal University of Minas Gerais. Keywords: Regional Museum; Regional Museums National Campaign; Brasiliana Gallery; Research; University.

“FORWARD WITH DEMENTIA” CO-DESIGN OF AN ONLINE GUIDE FOR DEMENTIA PATIENTS AND FAMILIES

Objective:Through a co-design process we set out to improve post diagnostic dementia support as part of a wider international programme. A partnership approach was taken with people living with dementia, carers and healthcare professionals.Methods:A scoping review and thematic analysis of existing national and international dementia policies guidelines and campaigns were undertaken to identify gaps and to create a core evidence base. We established co-design local working groups in each of the five partner countries. A series of 20 objective led iterative workshops, four in each country over a period of six months were held. In this way a prototype website was designed, built, populated, and refined. Evidence based English language content was generated and edited collaboratively, core themes were derived from operationalising national Dementia Clinical Guidelines, utilising current evidence, responding to co-designers’ requests and formative research findings. The website was then adapted regionally through translation, links to local information, and including culturally appropriate images, stories and news items. These adapted sites were then user tested and further refined ahead of awareness raising campaigns.Results:We co-designed a dementia friendly accessible resource to support people living with dementia, carers and healthcare professionals for the first 12 months following diagnosis. The workshops determined that the resource should be available online, current, practical, and relevant at a regional and individual level. The need for a practical, empathetic and individually tailored resource was identified. Language, tone, and online accessibility were essential, particularly for people living with dementia. It was important that the content be written and presented specifically and discretely for people recently diagnosed with dementia, for care partners and for healthcare professionals.Conclusion:We set out to improve the dialogue around dementia diagnosis. To empower patients and practitioners through providing information, practical tools, improving awareness of and access to available local supports. Through a person-centred approach with target audience groups together we have developed an online actionable guide Forward with dementia (https://www.forwardwithdementia.org) which supports decision making and to help people find their way forward from a diagnosis of dementia.

Virtual Design of the Brain Health Support Program and CAN‐THUMBS UP

AbstractBackgroundModifiable lifestyle factors account for ∼40% of the population attributable risk of dementia. This provides a strong rationale to develop remotely administered, personally tailored, home‐based interventions to reduce these risk factors. CAN‐THUMBS UP (CTU) is a fully remote program that has enrolled a cohort of individuals at risk of dementia, developed an interactive online educational intervention to address personalized risk factors and their modification, and supports an open platform trial to test and compare the efficacy of multidomain interventions. CTU is reaching a broader geography with potential for inclusion of more representative research populations and with an easier and less demanding participant experience.MethodCTU’s two research intervention programs include: a) The Brain Health Support Program (BHSP) with individuals at increased risk of dementia participating in the Brain Health PRO, a 12‐month online educational program which focuses on lifestyle and dementia risk factors; b) Synchronizing, Exercises and Remedies to Gain Cognition (SYNERGIC), a clinical trial intervention platform whose RCTs are investigating personalized multidomain interventions including those administered fully remotely. In SYNERGIC‐2, the BHPro educational intervention is used as an active control to a more personalized and tailored interventional approach. CTU programs are informed by initial pilot studies, have extensive community input, and incorporate innovative features including an interactive E‐consent platform, remote cognitive testing, wearable technology for sleep and activity monitoring, and home saliva collection for genomics.ResultTarget enrollment of 350 participants in BHSP has been rapidly achieved within 8 months utilizing geotargeted mailing and a coordinated national media campaign. Participants are recruited from all regions of Canada. Pilot studies demonstrated the feasibility of conducting a 100% remote study with high rates of participant satisfaction and completion rates across various virtual outcomes. Results of each of these components of the remote program will be detailed in this FRS.ConclusionCTU demonstrates the feasibility and high rate of participant acceptance in fully remote, comprehensive, online programs that include an educational intervention as well as fully remote, multi‐domain lifestyle intervention trials. The adoption of the various technologies has exceeded expectations and supports further clinical trial development with this approach.

Under the influence: system-level effects of alcohol industry-funded health information organizations.

There is now an established body of evidence that the alcohol industry seeks to obstruct public health policies that could affect the availability, affordability or marketing of alcohol. In parallel, the alcohol industry is active in funding corporate social responsibility initiatives, with a particular focus on 'responsible drinking' campaigns, often facilitated by national-level charities established and/or funded by the alcohol industry and associated organizations. While evidence continues to grow regarding biases in the content produced by such health information organizations, they remain active in partnerships with government health departments on national health promotion campaigns and provide a range of health-related information to the public, community organizations and schools. To understand the implications of such access for policymakers, researchers and the public, there is a need to consider the wider, system-level influences of such organizations and their place in wider alcohol industry strategies. In this article, we describe evolving evidence of the direct and indirect strategic effects of such organizations and demonstrate how they serve key roles in the alcohol industry through their existence, content, partnerships and public profiles. We end by considering the implications for how we conceptualize charities established or funded (entirely or partly) by harmful commodity industries, and to what extent current conflicts of interest guidelines are sufficiently effective.

Effect of national immunisation campaigns with oral polio vaccine on all-cause mortality in children in rural northern Ghana: 20 years of demographic surveillance cohort data

Studies from Guinea-Bissau and Bangladesh have shown that campaigns with oral polio vaccine (C-OPV) may be associated with 25-31% lower child mortality. Between 1996 and 2015, Ghana had 50 national C-OPVs and numerous campaigns with vitamin A supplementation (VAS), and measles vaccine (MV). We investigated whether C-OPVs had beneficial non-specific effects (NSEs) on child survival in northern Ghana. We used data from a health and demographic surveillance system in the Navrongo Health Research Centre in rural northern Ghana to examine mortality from day 1-5 years of age. We used Cox models with age as underlying time scale to calculate hazard ratios (HR) for the time-varying covariate "after-campaign" mortality versus "before-campaign" mortality, adjusted for temporal change in mortality, other campaign interventions and stratified for season at risk. From 1996 to 2015, 75,610 children were followed for 280,156 person-years between day 1 and 5 years of age. In initial analysis, assuming a common effect across all ages, we did not find that OPV-only campaigns significantly reduced all-cause mortality, the HR being 0.96 (95% CI: 0.88-1.05). However, we subsequently found the HR differed strongly by age group, being 0.92 (0.75-1.13), 1.29 (1.10-1.51), 0.79 (0.66-0.94), 0.67 (0.53-0.86) and 1.03 (0.78-1.36) respectively for children aged 0-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-11 and above 12 months of age (p<0.001). Triangulation of the evidence from this and previous studies suggested that increased frequency of C-OPVs and a different historical period could explain these results. In Ghana, C-OPVs had limited effects on overall child survival. However, triangulating the evidence suggested that NSEs of C-OPVs depend on age of first exposure and routine vaccination programs. C-OPVs had beneficial effects for children that were not exposed before 6 months of age. These non-specific effects of OPV should be exploited to further reduce child mortality. DANIDA; Else og Mogens Wedell Wedellsborgs Fond.

The ABOARD Cohort Panel: public involvement in a Dutch Cohort study on a personalized medicine approach for Alzheimer’s disease

AbstractBackgroundABOARD is a Dutch public‐private partnership aiming for a personalized medicine approach for Alzheimer’s disease. Within this project, the ABOARD Cohort is initiated: a national prospective data infrastructure with the objective to study the AD disease trajectory using PROMS and linked clinical data. The ABOARD Cohort Panel has been installed to provide advice on the design, execution, and direction of the study. By incorporating the perspective of potential participants the meaningfulness and accessibility of the ABOARD Cohort is ensured.MethodRecruitment for the panel has been initiated by the Dutch Brain Foundation via social media and newsletters, and approximately 300 people responded with potential interest. To further inform them, we hosted a webinar explaining the ABOARD Cohort Panel. Hereafter, respondents received an official Panel invitation and initial survey (including principles for collaboration), resulting in 59 people signing up as panellists.ResultPanel members are on average 62 years old, 78% is female, 96% has no migration background, and 52% participated in a panel before. Panellists vary in education level and geographic distribution. The majority has a personal interest in dementia (64%) and/or friends/family with dementia (62%). When asked how they would like to be involved, they indicated wanting to be involved in online questionnaires (100%), online focus groups (56%), and in‐person focus groups (36%). The majority preferred monthly questionnaires (50%) with a duration of 10‐20 minutes (52%). In the first months, panellists provided feedback in online surveys on the ABOARD Cohort information letter and informed consent form. They considered these lengthy, too difficult, and raising questions. An in‐depth live session was held with panellists to test subsequent adjustments, resulting in higher agreement rates on the informed consent procedure of the ABOARD Cohort. Panellists also advised on the communication strategy of the national ABOARD Cohort campaign, which is currently being implemented. In the coming months, panel members will test the usability of the ABOARD Cohort portal and an online cognitive test and advice on dissemination and variables that are being collected.ConclusionThe ABOARD Cohort Panel incorporates the perspective of potential participants and aims to ensure the meaningfulness and accessibility of the ABOARD Cohort.

Implementation of Smart Segregation Bins Using IoT

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan Clean India Mission and abbreviated as SBA or SBM for "Swachh Bharat Mission is a national campaign by the Government of India, covering 4,041 statutory cities and towns, to clean the streets, roads and infrastructure of the country. Waste segregation and recycling are effective ways of reducing trash. Segregation at the source is the key in solid waste management especially when we have limited economical resources. Segregation of waste and creating awareness of different types of waste is new boom. We divide solid waste into two categories Wet, and Dry waste. According to solid waste management rule, 2016 it is responsibility of generators to segregate waste into these three categories. The main objective of this project is to design a system using Arduino Mega for automatic segregating of waste at source and capable of cleaning. Moisture sensor categorize the waste based on its threshold value and Ultrasonic sensor estimates the distance and the status of the bin will be send through IFTTT (If this then that) for sending SMS. This bin can be used at places like offices, apartments, shopping malls etc.

Between anger and love: A multi-level study on the impact of policy issues on user reactions in national election campaigns on Facebook in Germany, Hungary, and Norway

Eliciting user reactions is an important tactic for political actors using social media like Facebook to seek attention for campaign messages on policy issues. Still, little is known about policy issues’ effect on user reactions and how structural factors play into this relationship. Applying a standardized manual content analysis on Facebook posts from political parties and their top candidates during the German, Hungarian, and Norwegian national election campaigns in 2021/2022 ( N = 4988), we investigate the relationship between policy issues and two of Facebook’s “emotional reactions” (“angry” and “love”). We find that posts addressing the economy, energy policy, and foreign policy drive more “angry” reactions, while environmental posts drive more “love” reactions. While effects are largely uniform across different party types, there are more variations between countries. Our analyses suggest that differences between individual parties and candidates and situational factors are vital to understanding the relationship between policy issues and user reactions.