Ongoing Communication Research Articles

The knowledge layer: the role of key messages for translating data into meaning

Abstract The large volume of data generated by health information systems often remains siloed within the institutions that produce it, posing significant challenges to its reuse and interpretation. This fragmentation can result in conflicting information on critical health topics, complicating the decision-making process for policymakers. To address this issue, Belgium has initiated the ‘Health Status Report’ website, hosted at healthybelgium.be. This website aims to synthesize and present health data in a manner that supports evidence-based policy formulation. The website adopts a structured approach to data integration and interpretation: initially, we identify and prioritize key health topics based on their relevance and the quality of available data. Subsequently, we merge and analyze data from diverse sources to discern patterns and trends that are crucial for public health monitoring. The insights gained are then presented through both narrative texts and interactive visualizations, facilitating access and understanding for a broad audience. Crucial to this process is ongoing communication with experts and stakeholders, ensuring that the data is not only accurately interpreted but also aligns with the needs and expectations of its users. We also aim to translate the raw data into meaningful key messages by consulting with internal and external experts. This interactive platform thus serves as a critical tool for translating complex health data into actionable knowledge, enabling informed public health strategies and interventions.

Check, Please! Supervisor-Learner Dyads Using "Checking" for Clinical Support During Indirect Supervision.

Indirect supervision is essential for granting autonomy to learners. Sometimes referred to as leaving the learner "unsupervised," there is growing recognition that learners and supervisors engage in clinical support through ongoing interactions, albeit at a distance. To understand how the complementary activities of asking for and providing clinical support at a distance come together as indirect supervision by identifying the natural language used between learners and supervisors. A collective case study of 15 attending physician-senior medical resident dyads from 2018 to 2023. Each case consisted of 2 full days of ethnographic observation of the resident on an internal medicine clinical teaching unit in one of three metropolitan hospitals; 2 end of day interviews with each dyad member; and a third interview with the attending after the 2-week rotation. Fifteen internal medicine residents (PGY-2 and PGY-3) who were scheduled to work for the first time with 15 attending physicians. Data collection was iterative with deductive and inductive analysis to identify patterns of communication. The language of "checking," such as checkpoints, checking on, and checking in, was central to communications within dyads. Indirect supervision included attendings using scheduled checkpoints and backstage oversight activities to check on the senior resident's patient care while expecting residents to access their support, as needed, by checking-in with them. Residents checked in with their attending to relay patient information updates, ask questions, and hint at needing their plans doublechecked; these communications had similar formats making them difficult to distinguish but functioned to preserve resident independence while accessing clinical support. Indirect supervision creates clinical support through ongoing communication between learners and supervisors at a distance. It is a collaborative process for mutual reassurance that safe patient care is being provided and that support is available when needed.

05 The experience of youth on the waitlist for gender-affirming care in Manitoba

Abstract Background Waitlist times are often two years for youth to be seen for initial assessment for gender-affirming hormone therapy in Manitoba, Canada. It is well known that transgender youth awaiting hormone therapy have high rates of mental health challenges, including depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. Accessing care that is affirming and supportive, including primary care and counselling, can also be a challenge. Objectives The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of youth and their caregivers on the waitlist for the Winnipeg, Manitoba-based Gender Diversity Affirmation and Action for Youth (GDAAY) clinic, the provincial transgender health clinic. Specifically, we were interested in what community based resources youth were accessing, mental health impacts, and suggestions for improvements. Design/Methods Qualitative, semi-structured interviews were conducted. Youth aged 14-17 years on the waitlist for 12-24 months for gender-affirming hormone therapy assessment and their caregivers were recruited. Separate interviews were conducted for youth and their caregivers. All interviews were virtual, recorded, and transcribed prior to thematic analysis. Results Youth (n=8) and caregivers (n=9) described barriers to supported transition. The first theme, “In a Black Hole” describes frustration and disappointment with the lack of regular ongoing communications from GDAAY. It also extends to the mental health challenges faced by youth and caregivers alike. Anxiety and self-harm were consistently described, with caregivers volunteering more information on self-harm and suicidality than youth. Youth described dysphoria and two youth found alternative providers for hormone therapy while on the waitlist. Our second theme, “Structural Transphobia”, describes the attitudinal, technological, physical, and architectural barriers faced by the participants. For example, one caregiver described a hospital admission for suicide attempt during which the hospital bracelet displayed the wrong gender, the wrong name, contributing to frequent mis-gendering. Frustration with the inability to change the name and gender marker in provincial charting systems was similarly of concern. Our final theme, “Manitoba: An Information Desert” describes the systemic barriers faced including lack of knowledgeable providers and reliable information within the province. Youth and caregivers described concerns with identifying primary care and councilors that understood challenges specific to transgender youth. Conclusion Although delays in gender-affirming therapy were noted, youth socially transitioned and accessed existing resources. However, mental health concerns persisted and participants felt frustrated and unsupported during their extensive wait times. Improved experiences may be achieved by additional communication from the clinic, hands-on assistance with accessing relevant resources, and an improved online presence. Potential competing interests Funding was obtained by a resident research small grant from the University of Manitoba. A similar abstract was submitted to CPEG but it focuses on a new intervention of a phone call from social work when a youth is added to the waitlist.

RePAIRing the student nurse journey: empowering interrupted students through innovative support strategies.

This article reports on a study that evaluated an innovative 6-week summer returners' programme, part of the Health Education England RePAIR project, designed to support nursing students who have interrupted their studies. Held from May to July 2022, the programme addressed diverse needs through academic guidance, mental health and resilience workshops, creative arts, professional identity development, and practical nursing skills training. The programme ran alongside support from the programme team, student engagement services, and ongoing communication via phone and email. Despite non-mandatory sessions leading to varying attendance, the combined efforts facilitated the return of 67 out of 135 interrupted students. Thematic analysis identified four key themes: anticipation and fear, making contact and reaching out, preparing for return, and psychological wellbeing. The programme's effectiveness underscores the necessity of tailored support strategies to enhance retention and wellbeing. This innovative approach highlights the importance of personalised support in aiding nursing students' return to education and addressing nursing workforce shortages.

Community perspectives of Ebola Viral Disease in high-risk transmission border regions of Tanzania: a qualitative inquiry

BackgroundTanzania faces ever-rising concerns due to the recurrence of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda. This necessitates a better understanding of the community perspectives in high-risk regions for effective risk communication and preparedness.MethodsThis rapid ethnographic assessment study used explorative qualitative methods to collect data. People from diverse backgrounds participated in 59 in-depth interviews, 57 Key Informant interviews, and 35 focus group discussions. Data was analysed using a thematic analysis approach.FindingThe study revealed existence of awareness of EVD and its symptoms, with radio and television being the main sources of information. However, there were varied perceptions of EVD’s cause and transmission, some attributed it to bats, monkeys, and wild animal meat, while others associated it with high fever, a dirty environment, changing dietary patterns, and the COVID-19 virus. Physical contact with an infected person’s body fluids and eating meat from infected animals were perceived as EVD transmission routes. Women, school children, boda-boda (motorcycle) riders, and fishermen were considered the most susceptible to EVD infections due to their daily activities. Preventive measures included avoiding physical contact, touching fluids, and refraining from eating wild animal meat. Prompt reporting of suspected cases to health facilities was deemed crucial for earlier outbreak identification and containment.ConclusionThe high-risk regions of Tanzania had a high level of awareness and perceived susceptibility to EVD, coupled with varying degrees of misperception about the etiology and its transmission. To improve community perspectives and preparedness in the case of an outbreak, there is a need for ongoing risk communication and participation in EVD prevention and responses.

Trauma Compendium: Management of the Entrapped Patient – a position statement and resource document of NAEMSP

ABSTRACT Entrapped patients may be simply entombed or experiencing crush injury or entanglement. Patients with trauma who are entrapped are at higher risk of significant injury than patients not entrapped. Limited access and prolonged scene times further complicate patient management. Although patient entrapment is a significant focus of specialty teams, such as urban search & rescue (US&R) teams that operate as local, regional, and/or national resources in response to complex scenes and disaster scenarios, entrapment is a regular occurrence in routine EMS response. Therefore, all EMS clinicians must have the training and skills to manage entrapped patients and to support medically-directed rescue throughout the extrication process. NAEMSP recommends: EMS clinicians must perform a timely and thorough primary and secondary assessment and reassessments in parallel with dynamic extrication planning; the environment may require adaption of standard assessment techniques and devices. EMS clinicians should establish early, clear, and ongoing communications with rescue personnel to ensure a coordinated patient-centered medically directed approach to extrication. Communication with the patient should be frequent, clear, and reassuring. EMS clinicians should immediately take measures to effectively prevent and manage hypothermia. EMS clinicians should recognize airway management in the entrapped patient is always challenging. When required, advanced airway placement should be performed by the most experienced operator with proficiency in multiple modalities and alternative techniques in limited access situations. In entrapped patients who are experiencing or are at risk for crush syndrome, EMS clinicians should initiate large-volume (i.e., 1-1.5 liters/hour for adults and 20 milliliters/kilogram/hour for pediatric patients for the initial 3-4 hours) fluid resuscitation with crystalloid, preferably normal saline, as early as possible and prior to extrication. In entrapped patients who are experiencing or are at risk for crush syndrome, EMS clinicians should administer medications to mitigate risks of hyperkalemia, infection, and renal failure, early and prior to extrication. Tourniquet application should be considered in the setting of the crushed extremity as a potential adjunct to medical optimization before extrication of some patients. Patients with prolonged entrapment with the potential for severe injuries require complex resuscitation and may benefit from EMS physician management on scene. EMS systems should consider an early EMS physician response to entrapped patients.

Learning-based visibility prediction for terahertz communications in 6G networks

Terahertz communications are envisioned as a key enabler for 6G networks. The abundant spectrum available in such ultra high frequencies has the potential to increase network capacity to huge data rates. However, they are extremely affected by blockages, to the point of disrupting ongoing communications. In this paper, we elaborate on the relevance of predicting visibility between users and access points (APs) to improve the performance of THz-based networks by minimizing blockages, that is, maximizing network availability, while at the same time keeping a low reconfiguration overhead. We propose a novel approach to address this problem, by combining a neural network (NN) for predicting future user–AP visibility probability, with a probability threshold for AP reselection to avoid unnecessary reconfigurations. Our experimental results demonstrate that current state-of-the-art handover mechanisms based on received signal strength are not adequate for THz communications, since they are ill-suited to handle hard blockages. Our proposed NN-based solution significantly outperforms them, demonstrating the interest of our strategy as a research line.

Enhancing infection control practices and biosecurity plans on Swedish pig farms: insights, challenges, and strategies

BackgroundAfrican swine fever (ASF) poses a threat to the global pig industry, leading to significant economic losses and widespread disruptions in pig farming and associated sectors. In September 2023, the first case of ASF in Swedish wild boar triggered immediate responses from authorities, including the establishment of restricted zones and culling measures. A new ASF certification programme for pig herds was initiated to improve biosecurity and proactive disease management. This survey aimed to assess the sentiments and actions of Swedish pig farmers six months post-outbreak, particularly regarding biosecurity measures. Such information is important to improve preparedness for future disease threats. A questionnaire was distributed to members of the Swedish pig producers' organisation.ResultsA total of 113 farmers responded (response rate 27%), with the majority considering the risk of ASF reappearing in Sweden as high. The estimated cost for connecting the farms to the ASF certification programme varied greatly, with a majority identifying cost as a substantial hurdle. While many farmers sought biosecurity advice from veterinarians, 43% had not implemented suggested measures. Over one third had not received concrete measures that would fit their farms, and 14% had not received any biosecurity advice from veterinarians at all. Discussions among farmers emphasized concerns about ASF outbreaks, transmission mechanisms, and regulatory compliance, highlighting the importance of ongoing communication and knowledge exchange to address the challenges posed by ASF effectively. Additionally, participants also mentioned the role of dense wild boar populations and shortcomings in municipal food waste management as important risk factors.ConclusionsThe responding farmers expressed widespread concern about new ASF outbreaks. A majority identified cost as a substantial hurdle for joining the ASF certification programme. While many farmers consulted veterinarians for advice on biosecurity, a significant number had yet to implement suggested measures and one third had not received specific guidance suitable for their farms. Stakeholder conversations highlighted concerns about ASF outbreaks, transmission, and compliance. They also discussed the role of dense wild boar populations and issues with municipal food waste management as significant risk factors for ASF.

Strategies For Sustainable Sports Events: Understanding the Stakeholders Challenge for Collaboration

Ensuring sustainability in sports events is a complex challenge wherein stakeholders play a pivotal role. This study synthesizes existing literature to comprehensively explore the multifaceted dynamics of stakeholder collaboration in sustainable sports events. The diverse interests and goals among stakeholders, identified as a primary challenge, underscore the complexity of achieving sustainability. Drawing on insights, this study emphasizes the need for a shared vision to align stakeholders and mitigate conflicts arising from disparate priorities. Communication and coordination issues are critical challenges, necessitating transparent, two-way communication channels to build trust and enhance collaboration. Power dynamics pose another significant challenge, emphasizing the importance of balancing power among stakeholders to ensure fairness and inclusivity. Long-term engagement requires continuous engagement, collaborative decision-making, and ongoing communication to sustain stakeholders' interest throughout the event's lifecycle. Social inclusivity contributes to the legacy of sustainable sports events, fostering social cohesion, cultural exchange, and promoting human rights. This study aims to provide nuanced insights into stakeholder collaboration challenges, offering practical strategies for event organizers and contributing to ongoing discourse on sustainable sports event outcomes.

Moving Sustainability from the Periphery to the Core in Your Organization

Abstract: This article presents a holistic, multi-pronged approach to effectively implementing sustainability initiatives within an organization. The article argues that sustainability efforts often fail without establishing a solid foundation, including gaining executive commitment by emphasizing the business case and defining clear, measurable goals. Next, internal and external stakeholders must be educated and engaged to build understanding and support. Sustainability should then be systematically integrated into core operations through practices like sustainable procurement and facilities management. Regular measurement and reporting of progress indicators keeps sustainability visible and ensures accountability. Ultimately, the author asserts that sustainability must be cultivated as an enduring part of organizational culture through ongoing communication, recognition of champions, and incentive structures to survive changes in priorities over time. With persistent, strategic work establishing these foundational elements, the article concludes that organizations can meaningfully advance their sustainability performance.

The Investment Evaluation Standards and Process of Venture Capital Industry in Taiwan: Taking T Venture Capital Company as an Example

Abstract The venture capital industry is characterized by high risk and high reward, demanding sharp market insight and strong assessment capabilities. This article examines the evaluation criteria used by T Venture Capital Company in selecting investment targets, offering a reference for the industry. The study utilizes a case study method, focusing on an experienced venture capital firm identified through the Taiwan Venture Capital Association's 2022 roster. Key findings from interviews and document analysis highlight five main criteria used by T Company: 1. Adjusting evaluation based on the investment stage and industry specifics. 2. Focusing on the entrepreneurial team’s background, skills, passion, and vision. 3. Prioritizing technological innovation and business model sustainability. 4. Ensuring a clear exit strategy with ongoing communication. 5. Conducting thorough due diligence for sound investment decisions. The study reveals that T Company relies on a mix of data, judgment, and flexibility in its decision-making process, adapting to each unique situation. Keywords: Venture Capital, Evaluation Criteria, Entrepreneurial Team, Technological Innovation, Due Diligence.

Cross-Site Evaluation of Alcohol Screening and Brief Intervention Implementation Programs in Healthcare Systems Serving Individuals of Reproductive Age.

With US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funding, from 2018 to 2022, 4 large healthcare systems (n = 53 health centers across 7 states) serving people of reproductive age trained staff and provided implementation support for alcohol screening and brief intervention (SBI). This cross-site evaluation explores each healthcare system's implementation approach to implement SBI, reduce excessive alcohol use, and prevent prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. The SBIRT (Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment) Program Matrix framed the multilevel strategies to implement alcohol SBI programs from 2018 to 2022. Qualitative and quantitative data sources examined outcomes, guided by one logic model, through systems-level process data and provider-level performance metrics. Data analyses utilized frequencies and means for quantitative data and themes for qualitative data according to an established framework. Successful approaches within systems included using electronic health records, flexible implementation and workflow protocols, customized training and technical assistance programs, quality assurance feedback loops, and stakeholder buy-in. Centralized management structures were efficient in standardizing implementation across health centers. Decentralized management structures used tailored approaches, enhancing provider/staff SBI acceptance. Across systems, 1259 staff (eg, clinicians, medical assistants) were trained to provide alcohol SBI services and reported pre-post training increases in self-efficacy in performing brief intervention; skills in PAE counseling; and confidence in screening. Fifty-three (48 providing data) health centers implemented alcohol SBI, screening 106 826 patients over the study period with most of the 10 087 patients who screened positive for excessive alcohol use receiving a BI. Maximizing the use of technology, employing flexibility in program delivery, and institutionalizing processes and protocols improved workflow, efficiency, and program reach. Ongoing partnership and stakeholder communication identify areas for ongoing improvement, engagement, and best practices for sustainability around substance use screening, which are essential with increases in substance use since the pandemic.

“But if you do not keep doing it, you won’t maintain”. A qualitative study on the perspectives of speech-language pathologists on maintenance of therapy gains in aphasia

ABSTRACT Background Maintaining therapy gains in the long term is necessary for therapy to be considered successful. Yet, this topic has received limited attention in aphasia rehabilitation research. Unfortunately, for some people with chronic aphasia, maintaining the gains achieved in therapy can be difficult and many experience reduced communicative functioning over time. Understanding the perspectives of speech-language pathologists (SLPs) on maintenance is vital. As key agents in aphasia therapy, their views are crucial for understanding current practice, identifying service gaps, and informing future research on the maintenance of therapy gains. Aim The aim of this research was to explore speech-language pathologists’ perspectives on maintaining therapy gains in chronic aphasia and to understand their beliefs about the factors that influence the maintenance of gains made during aphasia rehabilitation. Methods & Procedures In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven SLPs who worked with people with chronic aphasia. Inductive thematic data analysis was used to identify themes. Outcomes & Results Six themes were identified, representing SLPs’ beliefs about maintenance and their perceptions of factors important for preserving therapy gains in aphasia rehabilitation. These were: 1) Ongoing communication activity; 2) Meaningful person-centred goals; 3) The challenge of translating functional goals to participation; 4) Individual capacity and resource availability; 5) Home support; and 6) Services. The results illustrate the complexity and interplay of factors that may both facilitate and hinder the maintenance of therapy gains. Conclusions SLPs in this study believe that aphasia rehabilitation interventions should involve meaningful, personalised, enjoyable real-life experiences to optimise maintenance of therapy gains. Moreover, they believe that maintenance must be at the centre of aphasia rehabilitation research and clinical practice, requiring new models of care for chronic aphasia. These insights may provide direction for the development of future interventions and services to enhance long-term maintenance for people with chronic aphasia.

On the Morality of Reallocating Life-Sustaining Interventions in Times of Scarcity

Abstract As coronavirus disease 2019 made its way across the world in 2019, health systems began to develop guidelines to allocate what was expected to be a scarcity of medical resources. Considerable attention was given to triaging intensive care resources such as ventilators. While there was general agreement among bioethicists and policymakers that it may be permissible to withhold life-sustaining interventions from patients with poor prognoses in order to make them available to patients with better prognoses, there was disagreement about the permissibility of withdrawing such interventions for this purpose. Some maintained that the doctrine of double effect (DDE) revealed the intrinsic wrongness of such acts of reallocation. This article argues that so long as there is transparency and effective ongoing communication, the DDE may permit the discontinuation of life-sustaining interventions from patients who may still benefit from them in order to make them available to patients with more favorable prognoses.

Collaborative nursing education between advanced practice registered nurses

The surge in healthcare demands due to the explosion of growth in the aging adult population demands that academic institutions address enhanced education of Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs). This is particularly challenging amidst nurse faculty shortages in specialty areas, stemming from factors such as lack of pay competitiveness with clinical positions, and doctoral-prepared nurses seeking faculty positions. Despite efforts to address the shortages, recruitment challenges persist, necessitating innovative approaches. This article explores the interprofessional collaborative teaching between Nurse Anesthesia (NA) and Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner (NP) programs, focusing on airway management, sedation techniques, chest X-ray interpretation, and ultrasound skills. To date, this collaboration between NA and NP faculty has proven effective. Both synchronous and online asynchronous teaching have received overwhelmingly positive student feedback. Ongoing communication and collaborations between NA and NP faculty facilitate teaching and educational strategies across programs, sharing faculty expertise, and mitigating reduced faculty numbers. This innovative model benefits faculty and students and provides a platform for firsthand interprofessional collaboration, fostering mutual respect and preparing students for effective interdisciplinary healthcare teamwork.

Informed Inclusion Model: Medical Student Wheelchair User in an Obstetrics and Gynecology Clerkship.

Students with physical disabilities are underrepresented in medicine, driven in part by ableist beliefs about the ability of individuals with disabilities to complete procedure-based or surgically oriented clerkships, including obstetrics and gynecology (Ob/Gyn). There is a growing commitment to disability inclusion by medical and specialty training associations. Yet published case studies and accommodation protocols for medical student wheelchair users navigating an Ob/Gyn clerkship are absent in the literature. This article describes successful disability inclusion for an Ob/Gyn clerkship, including accommodations for medical student wheelchair users. The authors share mechanisms to address and combat ableist assumptions and facilitate access for future medical students by working collaboratively with student and key stakeholders to develop an inclusive and accessible training experience.These recommendations are shared through the story of a third-year medical student who rotated through the longitudinal clerkships at the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine. The student, an individual with osteogenesis imperfecta who uses a power wheelchair with a seat elevator, completed third-year rotations and thrived in her clinical experiences. The authors describe her journey through a robust 4-week Ob/Gyn clerkship, in which she fulfilled the required clinical core conditions and observation skills with reasonable accommodation. Given the high acuity, surgery, and outpatient demands in Ob/Gyn-and the transferrable skills to other clerkships-the student's experience is an excellent exemplar for demonstrating disability inclusion and reasonable accommodation.Ob/Gyn clerkship directors and clinical faculty can broadly use the recommended timelines and communication protocols to create accessible training environments. With student input, minor scheduling adjustments, ongoing communication, reasonable accommodations, and an open mind, medical students on the clinical wards who are wheelchair users can successfully navigate the required expectations of medical training.

A Psychometric Evaluation of the Couples’ Financial Communication Scale: Findings and Implications from Two Large, Diverse Samples

AbstractCommunicating about finances is essential to develop shared meaning and goals within couple relationships. When couples struggle to discuss finances, they can experience poor couple outcomes. For researchers and clinicians to effectively study and promote healthy couple communication patterns regarding finances, a parsimonious, reliable, and valid measure of couples’ financial communication is needed. This study examined the psychometric utility of the 5-item Couples’ Financial Communication Scale (originally developed for the Flourishing Families Project; Day, R. D., Bean, R., Coyne, S., Dyer, J., Harper, J., & Walker, L. (2017). Flourishing families project: Survey of family life [codebook].) using two large, diverse samples—one of emerging adult individuals in a romantic relationship (N = 1,950) and another of dyads in a romantic relationship (N = 1,252; 69.9% beyond emerging adulthood). Similar findings emerged across both samples. Inter-item correlations, skewness, and kurtosis of the five items were within acceptable ranges. The five items loaded onto a latent construct with robust standardized factor loadings (ranging from 0.63 to 0.90) and sound model fit. Cronbach’s alpha revealed sound reliability (α = between 0.85 and 0.89). Multiple tests of measurement equivalence suggest the measure appears to be reasonably useful across theoretically meaningful groups (gender, age, income, marital status, and joint banking behaviors). Couples’ financial communication and couples’ relationship quality were positively correlated with large effect sizes—showing initial evidence of predictive validity. The parsimonious Couples’ Financial Communication Scale has sound evidence of reliability, validity, and measurement equivalence across two diverse samples, which positions it to be a useful measure in future scholarship to assess the degree to which couples engage in ongoing healthy and cooperative financial communication.

Komunikasi Interpersonal Pada Relawan di Markas P4GN Kabupaten Sukoharjo

Interpersonal communication is the ongoing communication between two or more individuals that can take place face-to-face and exchange information. The method in this research is a qualitative method. The subject of this study is the P4GN Volunteers Headquarters of Sukoharjo district. The results of this research are interpersonal communication in six volunteers at P4-GN Headquarter of Sukeharjo District. It really happens based on aspects of Joseph A Devito (2011), i.e. there is openness, there is empathy, there has been a positive attitude, there was an attitude of mutual help and there is equality.

Where does the balance lie? Scientific, societal, and individual goals of citizen science projects

Citizen science is growing rapidly with positive outcomes documented for ecological research, conservation, policy, innovation, and increased citizen stewardship. This rapid increase provides an opportunity to reflect on the characteristics of citizen science projects and determine their diverse goals, practices and outcomes. This paper focuses on the perspective of those initiating and leading citizen science projects in the third largest growing citizen science landscape – Australia, discussing the varying goals, outcomes and impacts. Findings from the statistical and thematic analysis of an online questionnaire (for multiple-choice and open-ended questions respectively), demonstrate the Australian citizen science landscape as growing exponentially, dominated by ecological and biodiversity projects, yet mostly local in scope and limited in numbers of participants. Individual and community goals such as education, raising awareness and public engagement, were found to be the focus of most citizen science projects, whilst scientific developments and policy advancement were often considered secondary goals. Projects leaders describe inherent tensions in managing projects and balancing their many goals. For example, public engagement was concurrently considered a benefit of citizen science enabling non-scientists participation in science discourse and research, and a challenge in recruitment, retention and ongoing communication with citizens scientists. The findings underscore the imperative of striking a balance between scientific rigor, policy objectives and societal aims, for advancing the vision of citizen science and maximizing its effectiveness and ecological impact. This relevance extends globally, urging nations from the Global North to the Global South, to consider replicating and adapting these approaches for broader societal benefit.

A new priority aware routing protocol for efficient emergency data transmissions in MANETs

This paper introduces a new priority-aware routing protocol for mobile Ad-hoc networks to be utilized in emergencies, which is based on AODV. Mobile Ad-hoc networks find extensive use in various domains including military operations, environmental monitoring, healthcare, disaster response, smart transportation systems, unmanned aerial vehicles, and smart homes. During emergencies, communication can be severely restricted or even impossible due to the congestion of physical communication channels and unexpected technical failures in the infrastructure. Mobile Ad-hoc networks offer a solution to maintain continuous and reliable communication under such challenging conditions. In emergency scenarios, it is crucial for any node in the network to promptly deliver urgent messages to the intended destination, especially when certain nodes require ongoing active communication. The proposed routing protocol effectively addresses this requirement through its priority-aware mechanisms. The protocol ensures that nodes not involved in emergency tasks select the least congested route to prevent any delays or disruptions in the transmission of critical emergency data. This approach guarantees seamless communication for emergency nodes while allowing non-emergency nodes to communicate with each other as well. The study proposed in this paper introduces a new priority-aware routing protocol based on AODV for mobile Ad-hoc networks in emergencies. The packet transmission ratio of emergency nodes within the network is improved while maintaining the overall network performance unaffected. The adoption of proposed mechanisms to enhance performance does not necessitate an expansion in the size of data and control packets. These mechanisms do not inflict any supplementary latency or incur packet loss expenses on the network. The proposed protocol has been implemented and evaluated using ns-3 simulation software across various emergency scenarios. The results show that emergency nodes using the proposed protocol, achieve better packet delivery ratios compared to the original AODV, DSR, P-AODV, and AOMDV protocols, with improvements of 10.8%, 15.9%, 6.2%, and 5.9% respectively. This improvement in the packet delivery ratio for emergency data traffic is achieved without causing any disruptions in the overall network communication flow.