National Survey Research Articles

A Representative Profile of MSW Graduates in the United States.

As the United States faces burgeoning behavioral health needs and a growing recognition of the inextricable link between social conditions and health outcomes and quality-of-life indicators, a current representative profile of the MSW workforce with respect to sociodemographic and employment characteristics can provide a reference point for ongoing assessments of that workforce. The profile also can establish a baseline by which efforts to bolster the diversity and strength of the MSW workforce can be grounded. The core aim of the current study was to generate a nationally representative, descriptive profile of MSW graduates in the United States using a sample of 1,028 MSW graduates (representing a subpopulation of 691,061 individuals) from the 2021 National Survey of College Graduates. Weighted univariate and bivariate analyses were conducted to generate a descriptive profile of MSW graduates with respect to sociodemographic, education, and employment characteristics. Study findings can help employers, health services researchers, policymakers, and practitioners understand the context of the MSW workforce as it relates to diversity, labor workforce projection data, and student loan and salary considerations. This information can guide future policy and training goals to support the future vitality of the social work profession.

When Leaders Don’t Walk the Walk: A National Survey of Academic Nurse Leader Perceptions of Staff Burnout

When Leaders Don’t Walk the Walk: A National Survey of Academic Nurse Leader Perceptions of Staff Burnout

Non-completion of primary and secondary levels of schooling among India’s youth: evidence from a national survey

Non-completion of primary and secondary levels of schooling among India’s youth: evidence from a national survey

Erratum: Knowledge, attitudes, and current practices toward lung cancer palliative care management in China: a national survey

Erratum: Knowledge, attitudes, and current practices toward lung cancer palliative care management in China: a national survey

Covid, financial stress and mental wellbeing of Finnish adolescents

This article investigates the link between perceptions of financial stress and the mental well-being of Finnish adolescents during the second year of the Covid-19 pandemic. Did adolescents perceive an increase in financial stress and a deterioration of their mental wellbeing during the beginning of the pandemic? Moreover, to what extent can perceptions of increased financial strain explain experiences of mental wellbeing, and what protecting factors mitigate this association? We use unique national survey data collected among Finnish 12–17-year-olds in 2021 (N=1102) for answering our research questions. We found only a moderate increase in financial stress but a considerable deterioration in perceived mental wellbeing. Moreover, financial stress and mental wellbeing were negatively correlated, even if this correlation was moderated by social, psychological as well as school-related factors.

Academic Performance, Health and Support Needs: Comparing Foster Care Alumni and Peers in Higher Education in Norway

The completion rates of higher education are low among young adults with a history of foster care. Understanding how students from foster care alumni fare is imperative for facilitating attainment and preventing drop-out. The aim of this study was to compare students from foster care alumni and the general student population by examining (1) sociodemographic characteristics, academic functioning and need for special assistance; (2) contextual factors important for student life; and (3) mental and somatic health, loneliness, life satisfaction and use of cannabis and alcohol. Data comprised self-reports from the Norwegian national survey Students’ Health and Well-being Study 2022. Reports from foster care alumni students (n = 508) were compared to those of the general student sample (n = 59,036). Compared to the general sample, twice as many foster care alumni students reported receiving or needing special assistance in their studies. Moreover, they reported substantially higher economic burden than their student peers, by higher frequency of work income, more financial worries, and less parental financial support. Foster care alumni students also reported a higher load of informal care responsibilities, poorer mental and somatic health, more loneliness and lower life satisfaction. Foster care alumni students fare comparably well in terms of grades and study progression despite the reported economic burden and impaired health and well-being. As these are factors shown to impact study completion, policies need to be put in place to ensure that care-experienced students receive adequate support through their young adulthood and specifically in higher education.

Interprofessional Team Staffing in U.S. Intensive Care Units.

There is a paucity of data, and no consensus, about the composition of interdisciplinary teams of healthcare worker (HCW) that provide care in intensive care units (ICU). Delineate the nature and variation of HCW staff composition in US adult ICUs before the COVID-19 pandemic. A national survey of 574 adult ICUs inquired about ICU staffing. Two sets of survey items asked about: (a) "availability to provide care" in ICU for 11 HCW types, collapsed into six groupings, and (b) presence in formal ICU clinical rounds of nine HCW types, collapsed into six groupings; bedside nurses were assumed to be involved in both categories. Analysis was descriptive, seeking to examine the predominant and full range of staffing patterns. Of surveyed ICUs: 94% were in metropolitan areas, 63% in teaching hospitals, 74% had >250 beds, 66% cared for mixed adult patient types (e.g. medical-surgical), median ICU bed count was 20 (interquartile range 12-25), 27% used some form of telemedicine. In addition to bedside nurses, the core staffing group comprised intensivists, respiratory therapists and pharmacists; in 88% of ICUs all were available to provide care. However, there were 28 different combinations of the six groupings (intensivists, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, attending physician support, advanced bedside nurse support, nurse aides), with the most common one, present in 38% of ICUs, including all six. 96% of ICUs had interprofessional rounds at least five days a week; 78% had them on weekends. Among the ICUs with rounds, 61% of weekday rounding teams included all of intensivists, respiratory therapists and pharmacists. Nutrition, rehabilitation and social support practitioners each participated in rounds in 35-80% of ICUs, and altogether in 28% of ICUs. Except for intensivists, all HCW types participated much less commonly in weekend than in weekday rounds. ICU care almost always included a core team of bedside nurses, intensivists, respiratory therapists, and pharmacists. Beyond that core, great variability was seen in the presence of many other HCW types. Almost all ICUs had interprofessional rounds, with three-quarters also having them on weekends.

Immunophenotyping for the Assessment of Asymptomatic Lymphocytosis: A Retrospective Analysis and National Survey.

Asymptomatic lymphocytosis poses a common challenge in haematology. Immunophenotyping can establish whether a clonal population is present, but it is expensive and the benefit of diagnosing asymptomatic patients is unproven. This study aimed to establish data to guide the use of immunophenotyping. We analysed the proportion of lymphocytosis in full blood count (FBC) samples across a five-year period within a large UK National Health Service (NHS) trust. Persistent lymphocytosis was present in 0.18% (437/242678) of repeat community samples. Of samples sent for immunophenotyping, 743/784 (95%) with a lymphocyte count > 10 × 109/L had a clonal population, compared to 223/1696 (14%) with a lymphocyte count < 5 × 109/L. We followed up a longitudinal cohort of asymptomatic patients with clonal lymphocytosis to determine how many required treatment. The minority (11/46) of patients needed treatment within 9 years of follow-up. Of patients needing treatment, 10/11 (91%) had a presenting lymphocyte count > 10 × 109/L. In all cases, treatment was initiated when the patient became symptomatic. We propose a lymphocyte count threshold of > 10 × 109/L for referral and immunophenotyping in patients with asymptomatic lymphocytosis. This approach aims to balance safety and cost-effectiveness and reflects uncertainty in the value of diagnosis for asymptomatic patients.

The practice of protecting agricultural land in Jiangsu Province of China

The safeguarding of agricultural land is rooted in national land surveys and remote sensing data, which are enhanced by contemporary information technology. This framework facilitates the monitoring and regulation of unauthorized alterations in cultivated land usage. This paper aims to analyze land policies at the national, provincial, and local levels, investigate the cultivated land protection strategies implemented within the research region, where the policies have gained societal acceptance, and propose recommendations and countermeasures to enhance the development and utilization of land resources. The central issue of this study is to identify the challenges in achieving a balance between human activities and natural ecosystems. To address this issue, the research employs a combination of literature review, semi-structured interviews, text analysis, and content analysis, emphasizing the integration of empirical fieldwork and theoretical frameworks. Key areas of focus include: (a) the current state of the farmland protection system, (b) the legal foundations for local enforcement, (c) the systematic mechanisms for implementing arable land protection, and (d) the coordinated oversight system involving both the Party and government. Notably, the practice of cultivated land protection faces several challenges, primarily stemming from two factors. Firstly, there exists a disconnect between the economic interests of certain illegal land users and the objectives of land management, which hinders effective enforcement. Secondly, environmental repercussions arise from misinterpretations of land policy or non-compliant land development practices aimed at profit, which contradict the goals of ecological sustainability. The study examines two approaches to address the issue: the distribution and effective use of land resources, and the capacity for monitoring and early warning systems. Findings indicate that Dongtai City in Jiangsu Province has rigorously implemented all national land management policies, while also preserving the adaptability of local townships in practical applications, thereby ensuring the consistency of both the quality and quantity of arable land.

Mapping schistosomiasis risk landscapes and implications for disease control: A case study for low endemic areas in the Middle Paranapanema river basin, São Paulo, Brazil.

Schistosomiasis, a chronic parasitic disease, remains a public health issue in tropical and subtropical regions, especially in low and moderate-income countries lacking assured access to safe water and proper sanitation. A national prevalence survey carried out by the Brazilian Ministry of Health from 2011 to 2015 found a decrease in human infection rates to 1%, with 19 out of 26 states still classified as endemic areas. There is a risk of schistosomiasis reemerging as a public health concern in low-endemic regions. This study proposes an integrated landscape-based approach to aid surveillance and control strategies for schistosomiasis in low-endemic areas. In the Middle Paranapanema river basin, specific landscapes linked to schistosomiasis were identified using a comprehensive methodology. This approach merged remote sensing, environmental, socioeconomic, epidemiological, and malacological data. A team of experts identified ten distinct landscape categories associated with varying levels of schistosomiasis transmission potential. These categories were used to train a supervised classification machine learning algorithm, resulting in a 92.5% overall accuracy and a 6.5% classification error. Evaluation revealed that 74.6% of collected snails from water collections in five key municipalities within the basin belonged to landscape types with higher potential for S. mansoni infection. Landscape connectivity metrics were also analysed. This study highlights the role of integrated landscape-based analyses in informing strategies for eliminating schistosomiasis. The methodology has produced new schistosomiasis risk maps covering the entire basin. The region's low endemicity can be partly explained by the limited connectivity among grouped landscape-units more prone to triggering schistosomiasis transmission. Nevertheless, changes in social, economic, and environmental landscapes, especially those linked to the rising pace of incomplete urbanization processes in the region, have the potential to increase risk of schistosomiasis transmission. This study will help target interventions to bring the region closer to schistosomiasis elimination.

A novel maximum likelihood based probabilistic behavioral data fusion algorithm for modeling residential energy consumption.

The current research effort is focused on improving the effective use of the multiple disparate sources of data available by proposing a novel maximum likelihood based probabilistic data fusion approach for modeling residential energy consumption. To demonstrate our data fusion algorithm, we consider energy usage by fuel type variables (for electricity and natural gas) in residential dwellings as our dependent variable of interest, drawn from residential energy consumption survey (RECS) data. The national household travel survey (NHTS) dataset was considered to incorporate additional variables that are not available in the RECS data. With a focus on improving the model for the residential energy use by fuel type, our proposed research provides a probabilistic mechanism for appropriately fusing records from the NHTS data with the RECS data. Specifically, instead of strictly matching records with only common attributes, we propose a flexible differential weighting method (probabilistic) based on attribute similarity (or dissimilarity) across the common attributes for the two datasets. The fused dataset is employed to develop an updated model of residential energy use with additional independent variables contributed from the NHTS dataset. The newly estimated energy use model is compared with models estimated RECS data exclusively to see if there is any improvement offered by the newly fused variables. In our analysis, the model fit measures provide strong evidence for model improvement via fusion as well as weighted contribution estimation, thus highlighting the applicability of our proposed fusion algorithm. The analysis is further augmented through a validation exercise that provides evidence that the proposed algorithm offers enhanced explanatory power and predictive capability for the modeling energy use. Our proposed data fusion approach can be widely applied in various sectors including the use of location-based smartphone data to analyze mobility and ridehailing patterns that are likely to influence energy consumption with increasing electric vehicle (EV) adoption.

Trust in Government and COVID-19 Preventive Behaviors

High levels of trust are positively correlated with increased collaboration, prosocial actions, and heightened adherence to preventive behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous studies on trust during the pandemic have primarily focused on either cross-sectional data or its impact in conjunction with other related variables, such as political party affiliations or vaccine availability. In this study, we employed a national survey panel comprising data from 760 individuals interviewed at three intervals between July 2020 and January 2021. We used pooled datasets, panel datasets, and dependent variable lags to control for time-invariant unobservable variables and endogeneity. Our findings reveal that trust in government influences individuals&amp;rsquo; behavior when they are requested to follow public interventions. Notably, trust in local government is associated with increased adherence to COVID-19 preventive behaviors, similar to the effect observed with an annual income exceeding $100,000.

Married and cohabiting women's financial empowerment: A study on women's bank account ownership in Spain

AbstractObjectiveThe goal was to examine the conditions under which young adult women (aged 25–50) in heterosexual couples maintain their economic independence through a personal bank account.BackgroundResearch has shown that in Spain, the pooling of economic resources is seen as an important aspect of being a couple and as a symbol of togetherness. However, in practice, joint management can be characterized by inequalities on several levels, such as access to money, control over money, and personal spending. Few studies have focused on household financial organization in Spain, and studies of women's financial autonomy are lacking.MethodWe conducted a cross‐sectional analysis of couples aged 25–50 in Spain (N = 1,281) using data from the 2020 National Survey on Family Life.ResultsThe findings reveal that women are significantly less likely to have a personal bank account if either partner does not endorse values of economic autonomy, the couple is married with children, or, if the male partner earns significantly more.ConclusionThe results suggest that there is still a long way to go for Spain to reach the levels of women's account ownership seen in countries such as those in Northern Europe. It is important to incorporate women's account ownership into the investigation of financial organization, given its substantial implications for women within couples and those navigating relationship dissolution.ImplicationsGovernment programs should promote women's account ownership. Also, policies targeting financial literacy can incorporate dimensions such as basic budgeting, saving, and debt management so that women can gain further financial skills.

Exploring the Theory of Preschool Skill Convergence Through a National Survey of Kindergarten Teachers

ABSTRACT Preschool effectiveness research consistently documents “fadeout” or “convergence” wherein initial preschool gains dissipate when students enter school. Most fadeout occurs in kindergarten, leading scholars to theorize about mechanisms that make kindergarten a “hotspot” for fadeout. Fielding a national survey of kindergarten teachers (n = 422), this study is the first to shed light on some of these theoretical propositions through the insights of kindergarten teachers themselves. Research Findings: Teachers report that kindergarten classrooms are heterogeneous in terms of school readiness skills and students who attended preschool often enter school near the top of their class. Kindergarten teachers report focusing instructional support on students near the bottom of the class, and consequently, see the differences between students that attended preschool and those that did not converge over the school year. Practice or Policy: This study provides practice-based insights from teachers on a commonly cited theory of preschool skill convergence. The findings buttress the need for future research that can test the specific mechanisms implicated.

Patterns of nicotine pouch use among young Australians

BackgroundDespite increasing interest in the use of nicotine pouches in Australia – where retail sale of the products is illegal – research exploring patterns of pouch use and reasons for use is lacking. Accordingly, this study explored young Australians’ experiences with nicotine pouches. MethodsAn online survey was administered to 1,598 Australians aged 16-39 years (53% women). We assessed (i) awareness and use (lifetime and past 30-day) of nicotine pouches, (ii) patterns of use (e.g., flavours and nicotine strength used), (iii) product source, and (iv) reasons for use. Regression analyses were conducted to assess socio-demographic predictors of awareness and use. ResultsJust over three-quarters (77%) of the sample reported being aware of nicotine pouches. Lifetime use was reported by 26% of respondents and past 30-day use by 19%. Among those who reported past 30-day use, fruit (35%) and menthol/mint (34%) flavours were most common. In terms of pouch source, one-third (33%) reported obtaining the product from a tobacconist. The most common reasons for use were “they come in flavours I like” (34%) and “to help me quit smoking” (32%). Awareness, lifetime use, and past 30-day use of nicotine pouches were more likely among men, those who reported current use of tobacco products, and those who reported current use of e-cigarettes. ConclusionsAwareness and use of nicotine pouches among young Australians may be substantial enough to warrant the inclusion of items measuring pouch use in national surveys. Efforts should be made to better enforce existing laws regarding the sale of nicotine pouches.

Impact of Tobacco Use on Herpes Simplex Virus Infections: Findings From a National Survey.

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections, primarily caused by HSV-1 and HSV-2, are prevalent worldwide and carry significant health implications. The impact of tobacco use on HSV infections, however, remains underexplored. This cross-sectional study utilized the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database (2009-2016) to investigate the link between Tobacco use and HSV infections among U.S. adults. Smoking status, volume, and serum cotinine levels were analyzed, alongside demographic and behavioral factors. Propensity score matching (PSM) was employed to adjust for confounders such as sexual behavior. Our study involved 5693 participants to explore the relationship between tobacco use and HSV infection. We found that smokers, particularly current smokers, have a significantly increased risk of both HSV-1 and HSV-2 infections compared to non-smokers. Specifically, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for HSV-1 in current smokers was 1.36 (95% CI: 1.16-1.59, p < 0.001), and for HSV-2, it was 2.37 (95% CI: 1.88-3, p < 0.001). The risk escalates with the intensity of smoking. Elevated serum cotinine levels correlated with an increased risk of HSV infection (HSV-1:1.13 [95% CI:1.09-1.18, p < 0.001]; HSV-2:1.33 [95% CI:1.25-1.41, p < 0.001]). After PSM for factors such as age, gender, sexual behavior, and condom use, these associations remained significant. Tobacco use is significantly associated with an increased risk of HSV infections, highlighting the importance of reducing tobacco exposure in public health strategies against HSV. Further, longitudinal studies are warranted to establish causality and explore underlying mechanisms.

Association between adverse childhood experiences and the risk of developing chronic headache in Chinese individuals: a RCSCD-TCM study in China evidence from a national survey

BackgroundChronic headache (CH) is a widespread problem in clinical practice. The causes of the disease are very complex and varied, including organic, functional and even psychogenic causes. Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are related to several psychogenic neurological disorders. However, whether the number of ACEs is associated with the risk of developing CH has not been well established. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to identify the association between the number of ACEs and the risk of developing CH in the general population using a Chinese national survey.MethodsParticipants who reported experiencing headache in two consecutive waves of investigation from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) were defined as having CH and were included in this study. The life history information of the participants was then matched. Twelve types of ACEs were identified from the life history information. The participants were divided into four classes according to the number of ACEs. The association between the number of ACEs and the risk of developing CH was analysed using logistic regression.ResultsA total of 654 (14.77%) of 4427 participants were defined as CH within 9 years of the survey. After adjusting for various confounding factors, compared to that associated with Class 1 (ACEs = 0), the OR for CH associated with Class 3 (ACEs = 2) was 1.68 (95% CI: 1.30–2.19), P < 0.001 and the OR for CH associated with Class 4 (ACEs > 2) was 2.62 (95% CI:2.04–3.38),P < 0.001. Further analysis of different types of ACEs demonstrated that physical abuse, household mental illness and five other types of ACEs were associated with the risk of developing CH.ConclusionsExposure to ACEs was associated with a greater risk of developing CH, indicating the importance of early intervention for individuals with ACEs to mitigate the detrimental impact of ACEs on CH and to promote health.

Residency program directors’ views on ideal applicant: a national survey

PurposeThe aim of this study is to investigate and highlight the most important factors influencing the candidate’s selection for residency matching by program directors of surgical and non-surgical specialties in Saudi Arabia.MethodThis cross-sectional study was conducted in the Central, Eastern, Western, Northern, and Southern regions of Saudi Arabia from February 1, 2023, to August 31, 2023. A total of sixty-one program directors completed a questionnaire, which was adapted and validated from a previous study with permission and tailored to meet the objectives of this research.ResultsThe mean age of the study population was 40.2 years, with surgical specialty program directors being older at 41.7 years and nonsurgical specialty program directors being younger at 39.6 years. In both cases, the highest importance was given to ‘Applicant’s attitude and professionalism’, followed in surgical specialties by ‘Doing clinical rotations in the PD institution’ and ‘Performance in clinical rotation during internship’ in non-surgical specialties. with a mean score of 4.13 and 4.95, respectively. The importance of ‘The impression/opinion of current residents’ has had a certain importance in both specialties. While the number of research projects was prioritized more by surgical PDs (38.6%) compared to non-surgical PDs (29.4%).ConclusionThis study highlights the critical role of professionalism and a positive attitude in clinical rotations and interviews for program acceptance in Saudi Arabia. The significance of letters of recommendation and research focus varies between surgical and non-surgical program directors. Program directors should adopt effective recruitment strategies that incorporate practical implications during internships.

How are different traditional Chinese medicine modalities deployed by clinical practitioners in China? Findings from a national survey

How are different traditional Chinese medicine modalities deployed by clinical practitioners in China? Findings from a national survey

Precarious employment and associations with socio-demographic characteristics and self-reported health in Wales, UK

ObjectivesThe study's aim was to explore the prevalence of precarious employment (PE) in Wales prior to the COVID-19 pandemic and examine associations with PE domains across socio-demographics and self-reported health. Study designA cross-sectional design was used to explore the prevalence of PE in Wales prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, in February 2020. MethodsData were collected from a national household survey carried out in May/June 2020, with a sample of 1032 residents in Wales. PE was determined using the Employment Precariousness Scale. Associations between experiencing PE and socio-demographic/health characteristics were examined using Chi-squared tests and logistic regression models (multinomial and binary). ResultsOverall, before the pandemic, one in four respondents (26.5%) was in PE, with the most prevalent domains, wages, and disempowerment being experienced by at least 50% of respondents. Worse perceived treatment at work was twice as likely in those reporting pre-existing conditions (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.45 95% confidence interval [CI]: [1.33–4.49]), poorer general health (aOR: 2.33 95% CI: [1.22–4.47]), or low mental wellbeing (aOR: 2.81 95% CI: [1.34–5.88]). Those with high wage precariousness were three times more likely to report low mental wellbeing (aOR 3.12 95% CI [1.54–6.32]). ConclusionsThe creation and provision of secure, adequately paid job opportunities has the potential to reduce the prevalence of PE in Wales. Targeting such employment opportunities to those people currently unwell would have better population health gains.