Meetings Of Organizations Research Articles

Women in Defense of Territory in Morelos, Mexico

Women in Mexico who take part in the defense of their territory face the concrete manifestations of capitalist accumulation and patriarchal logic, as well as the colonialist dynamics of extractive projects. These conditions transform their family relationships and their participation in community life. This article reflects upon the experiences of women who have fought against the Morelos Integral Project in central Mexico. It draws from the interviews conducted by the author between 2018 and 2022, as well the author’s participant observation in organizational meetings at the national, regional, and local levels.

Interpreting multilateral diplomacy in the Indonesian Parliament’s debates on climate crisis and sustainability

ABSTRACT Generally ‘diplomacy’ belongs to the tasks of the executive government, especially to the foreign affairs services. Nowadays, diplomacy includes everyone, including parliaments in a multilateral setting, especially when discussing global issues, such as climate change. This article discusses the parliamentary diplomacy practices of the Indonesian Parliament which are claimed to support multilateralism and foreign cooperation in international gatherings. The data is studied from the international events that this committee organized and Indonesian parliamentary meetings abroad in 2017–22, seen from the ideal parliamentary aspects of deliberation, representation, responsibility, and sovereignty. The data reveals that while the climate crisis is agreed to be more critical and awareness has been built among the members of parliament in this committee, the whole parliamentary members or the Indonesian Parliament as the institution does not fully acknowledge it yet. Legislation has not yet been enacted to tackle the climate crisis. Consequently, despite such sporadic efforts, the actions remain small, and inter-parliamentary diplomacy does not result in anything concrete. Multilateral diplomacy from parliament is still limited in this case.

Senior organizations at the time of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Part I.

Senior Clubs are the most commonly available and, in most cases, free form of activation of older people. The aim of their functioning is improvement in the quality of life of seniors through education and activation. By using research tools to assess the needs of seniors it is possible to determine the direction of intervention related with an effective therapeutic, educational and activation procedures. An individual approach to seniors seems to be the key to knowing their real needs, which significantly determine the quality of life, and may also help limit the escalation of gerontophobia occurring in the society. Research was conducted among participants in Senior Clubs and Universities of the Third Age. The aim of the study was verification of the needs, expectations, and potential barriers faced by seniors at the time of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The basic tool used in the study was an author-constructed, anonymous questionnaire including items from the standardized European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q47). Participation in the survey was voluntary, and the selection criterion was participation in meetings of senior organisations located in the Lublin Province of eastern Poland. The study showed that the distance between the place of residence of seniors and the location of senior institutions was the factor determining participation in the classes. In addition, during the period of sanitary regime the seniors had increased difficulties with access to medical care and medical specialists. Senior institutions and organizations should consider the needs of seniors and adjust their offer to the challenges resulting from the period of social isolation.

Implementing an evidence-based behavioral weight-loss program in community mental health centers: A randomized pilot study.

Obesity is a leading cause of preventable death among individuals with serious mental illness (SMI). A prior randomized controlled trial demonstrated the efficacy of a lifestyle style intervention tailored to this population; however, such interventions need to be adapted and tested for real-world settings. This study evaluated implementation interventions to support community mental health program staff to deliver an evidence-based lifestyle intervention to clients with obesity and SMI. In this cluster-randomized pilot trial, the standard arm combined multimodal training with organizational strategy meetings and the enhanced arm included all standard strategies plus performance coaching. Staff-coaches delivered a 6-month group-based lifestyle intervention to clients with SMI. Primary outcomes were changes in staff knowledge, self-efficacy, and fidelity scores for lifestyle intervention delivery. Linear mixed-effects modeling was used to analyze outcomes, addressing within-site clustering and within-participant longitudinal correlation of outcomes. Three sites were in the standard arm (7 staff-coaches); 5 sites in the enhanced arm (11 staff-coaches). All sites delivered all 26 modules of the lifestyle intervention. Staff-coaches highly rated the training strategy's acceptability, feasibility and appropriateness. Overall, mean knowledge score significantly increased pre-post by 5.5 (95% CI: 3.9, 7.1) and self-efficacy was unchanged; neither significantly differed between arms. Fidelity ratings remained stable over time and did not differ between arms. Clients with SMI achieved a mean 6-month weight loss of 3.8 kg (95% CI: 1.6, 6.1). Mental health staff delivering a lifestyle intervention was feasible using multicomponent implementation interventions, and preliminary results show weight reduction among clients with SMI. The addition of performance coaching did not significantly change outcomes. Future studies are needed to definitively determine the effect on client health outcomes.

Abstract P383: Factors That Improve Young Men Participation in Rural Research: Findings From the Mississippi Core of the Risks Underlying Rural Areas Longitudinal (RURAL) Study

Introduction: Challenges in engaging and recruiting rural communities into health research stem from known barriers such as decreased healthcare awareness, less access to health research, community context and low education. Within rural communities, the demographic that is the most challenging to recruit is men ages 25-44 years. However, there is little data on what factors improve participation among young men in rural areas. The purpose of our study was to explore the reasons for the reluctance of men ages 25-44 to participate in research and identify factors can encourage their willingness to participate in the NHLBI’s Risk Underlying Rural Areas Longitudinal (RURAL) Study. Methods: In June 2022 and June 2023 respectively, the Mississippi (MS) Core of the RURAL Study conducted health fairs in Oktibbeha and Panola counties. Investigators used the health fairs as an opportunity to recruit participants for focus group interviews to explore questions related to men’s health awareness, health behaviors and likelihood to participate in the RURAL Study. Those recruited included community advisory board members and health fair attendees. One focus group in each county consisted of men only. Investigators conducted 4 virtual focus group interviews in each of the two counties. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes and sub-themes. Results: Thirty-two (32) interviewees, including 25 women. participated in focus groups across the two counties (17 Oktibbeha,15 Panola). Four key themes and 8 subthemes were identified. Lack of health awareness, fear of harm, inability to see the benefits of participation, and lack of incentives were among the reasons men ages 25-44 do not participate in research in these rural areas. Investigators learned that providing health education with reassurance of no harm, promoting the benefits of participation to themselves their families and communities, providing meaningful incentives, and motivating them through influences from family, friends and third parties can encourage participation by men in this age group. Particularly, it was suggested health awareness investigators should host events explicitly for men (including small group question and answer sessions) and be visible in the community by going where the young men go such as barbershops, sporting events, gyms, and men’s organizational meetings and by staying in touch. Conclusion: In this study consisting of 8 focus groups conducted across two rural communities, key themes identified to improve young male participation in health research include: 1) addressing perceived concerns through awareness and reassurance of no harm,2) informing potential candidates for the study the benefits of participation, 3) maintaining a presence in the community through community engagement and 4) identifying and social motivators such as family, friends and third-party influencers.

PENGARUH KEPEMIMPINAN TRANSFORMASIONAL, MOTIVASI KERJA, DAN OCB TERHADAP KINERJA KARYAWAN PT. NARMADA AWET MUDA

This research aims to analyze the Influence of Transformational Leadership, Work Motivation, and Organizational Citizenship Behavior on Employee Performance at PT. Narmada Awet Muda. The type of research used is associative-causal. Data collection method involves a survey by distributing questionnaires to respondents. The data analysis technique used is multiple linear regression with SPSS 21. The sampling method employs proportionate random sampling, resulting in a sample size of 80 individuals from a total population of 399. The analysis results indicate that: Transformational Leadership has a positive and significant effect on employee performance. Work Motivation has a significant influence on employee performance. Organizational Citizenship Behavior does not have a significant effect on employee performance. Transformational Leadership has a positive and significant influence on Organizational Citizenship Behavior. Work Motivation has a positive and significant influence on Organizational Citizenship Behavior. The research recommends that the company provides training to enhance intellectual stimulation for employees, listens to the ideas and suggestions of employees, treats all employees equally, acknowledges and rewards employees for their work, encourages employee participation in organizational meetings, and motivates employees to improve time efficiency in completing tasks.

Public Discussion in Russia on Foreign Automobile Purchases and Import Substitution during First World War

The article examines the issue of Russian automobile transport’s dependence on foreign purchases during the First World War and the absence of a developed domestic automotive industry. For the first time, this question is explored through the prism of discussions held at public organization meetings, in the State Duma, and in the pages of periodicals. Special attention is paid to the importance of automobiles during the war, criticism of the existing situation in the automotive transport sector, the inadmissibility of its complete dependence on foreign states, and the necessity of import substitution through the creation of domestic automobile plants and related enterprises. New sources are introduced into the scholarly discourse, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of both the problems that have arisen in the field of automobile transport and their perception by Russian society. It is noted that, despite differences in approaches to organizing the domestic automotive industry, participants in the public discussion unanimously agreed on the need to overcome the situation that existed before the war, the inadmissibility of total dependence on foreign supplies in a matter of great importance to military affairs, and the urgency of developing national production of automobile transport on a state scale.

EFFECTS OF SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT ON WELL-BEING AND COGNITIVE FUNCTIONING IN OLDER HISPANICS

Abstract Research on engaged lifestyles demonstrates the importance of social engagement for aging well. The present study examined this thesis in the context of minority aging. With the theoretical lens that Hispanic cultures value social relationships, we tested whether social engagement was particularly important for maintaining well-being and cognitive functioning in Foreign-born (FB-H) and U.S.-born Hispanics (USB-H) relative to non-Hispanic Whites (NHW). Participants (N = 2677) was drawn from older adults in the Health and Retirement Study who completed the 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020 module at least once. Two types of social engagement were assessed. Social interactions were based on the frequency of interactions with close partners (i.e., children, family members, and friends). Social activity participation was measured by the frequency of volunteering, doing charity, joining clubs, and attending meetings of non-religious organizations. Results of random intercept linear models controlling for covariates showed that, consistent with the literature, social interactions predicted better life satisfaction and that both aspects of social engagement predicted better immediate and delayed recall. Unexpected patterns emerged when interaction effects of race/nativity and social engagement were tested. While the general pattern held for NHWs, we found that greater social interactions predicted lower life satisfaction in USB-H. For FB-H, greater participation in social activities correlated with lower performance on immediate recall. Echoing a recent study that reveals mixed evidence for the well-documented paradox that Hispanic immigrants hold health advantages (Tarraf et al., 2020), we call for more research on lifestyle factors and aging trajectories in racially diverse populations.

The Shadow Economy and Social Change in North Korea

ABSTRACT North Koreans have relied on the shadow economy since the collapse of socialism in the 1990s, but little is known about the degree to which informal markets have influenced the country’s everyday politics. Based on a large-scale survey of defectors, as well as interviews with almost 100 defectors, including some who had been high-ranking officials prior to leaving North Korea, this article finds that the shadow economy has elicited many changes. First, informal marketisation has affected social practices in the workplace, such as reduced job attendance, decreased participation in mandatory organisational meetings, and a strengthened public perception that official job allocations are unfair. Second, the shadow economy has spread unfavourable views of the official welfare system, leading people to prefer life in the market to their past reliance on the command economy. Third, the shadow economy has led to rampant corruption, strengthening popular perceptions that officials are corrupt and law enforcement is unfair. Finally, the shadow economy has negatively affected public views of the North Korean regime, decreasing loyalty to the leadership and reducing public trust in political institutions. Despite these social transformations, people remain sceptical about the idea of regime change due to tight social control.

Peer groups for medical professionals in Ukraine: experience of implementing an innovative format of continuing professional development

The training of medical professionals does not end with graduation – continuing professional development (CPD) should be integrated in the professional life of each medical professional. Peer groups, an innovative format of CPD, were launched in the Netherlands in 1979. Subsequently, in 1980-1990, this format spread to other European countries and became an important method of quality improvement in primary health care. Research on peer groups is rare, and especially for Eastern Europe. The purpose of this study, which is unique for the region and Ukraine, is to describe the context and results of implementation and functioning of the first peer groups in Ukraine among doctors, nurses, and primary care managers. The methodology of the study is a case study, which was implemented through (a) data analysis – a description of the experience that was independently prepared by the facilitators of the newly created peer groups, reflected in text and graphic information on posters, and voiced their stories orally during the Congress of Peer Group Facilitators (October 2021), (b) analysis of facilitators’ publications on social media that highlight their experience, (c) analysis of semi-structured interviews during supervision and organizational meetings on the implementation and development of peer groups, (d) analysis of an expert interview with a Swiss medical doctor who was also involved in the development of peer groups in Ukraine. The results of the study are as follows: more than half of the trained facilitators have created their own peer groups; such groups have been functioning for several years despite COVID-19 and Russia’s full-scale invasion of the sovereign territory of Ukraine. Facilitators and participants of peer groups emphasize not only the educational contribution of peer groups to their profession, but also the social and psychological one. Barriers to the creation and sustainability of peer groups include lack of management support, lack of time, motivation and formal incentives (CPD points). Peer groups as one of the approaches to continuous professional development are gradually creating a culture of learning in healthcare facilities, bringing more trust in the interaction of professionals with each other and improving the quality of care provided.

Scholarly Curriculum at a Psychiatry Residency Program in Canada: 10-Year Outcomes.

For research in medicine to address needed interventions and produce outcomes relevant to patient care, it is important for physicians to gain hands-on experience in scientific methods during their training. However, the results of recent studies in the United States and Canada indicate low interest in research among residents. In 2011, involvement in a scholarly activity was made mandatory for all residents joining the Western University psychiatry residency program (WUPRP). A faculty member was appointed as a research coordinator who collaborated with research-intensive faculty members and prepared a list of potential projects suitable for resident involvement; organized monthly research meetings to support residents in initiating scholarly activities, monitor their progress, and address challenges; and developed competency-based research objectives, guidelines, and assessment tool. Data on all residents enrolled at WUPRP from 2011 to 2017 (the latter graduated in 2022 with completed scholarly requirements) were analyzed with respect to residents' participation in a scholarly project. A total of 54 residents were enrolled during this period. Fifty-two (96%) residents were involved in a scholarly project; of these 52, 38 (73%) completed their project. Of these 38, 32 (84%) had academic achievements, which include poster and oral presentations at a conference, publications, and prizes and awards. Of the 52 residents involved in a scholarly project, 14 (27%) residents could not complete their projects, though they still met scholarly activity requirements and 1 (2%) enrolled in the Western University Clinician Investigator Program with the goal of pursuing research as a career. There is a lack of data on how many WUPRP graduates from 2011 to 2017 are currently pursuing careers in research. The authors plan to perform longer and closer follow-up of residents to evaluate whether a scholarly curriculum makes an impact on residents' career choices.

Influencing air force logisticians' information seeking during the COVID-19 pandemic: the role of organizational meetings in an expanded PRISM framework

PurposeThis research aims to understand how organizational workplace meetings surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic impacted logistics Airmen across the United States Air Force and how these meetings impacted their risk seeking behavior on social media.Design/methodology/approachThis survey research tested an extended Planned Risk Information Risk Seeking Model (PRISM) with organizational meetings as an antecedent to determine if current meetings influenced an Airman's perceived behavioral control, attitude toward seeking, subjective norms, knowledge sufficiency and intention to seek information regarding COVID-19.FindingsResults of the CFA showed that the expanded PRISM model had good model fit. Additionally, using a custom dialog PROCESS macro in SPSS, it was found that perceptions of existing meetings were directly, positively related to attitude toward seeking, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control, and indirectly related to knowledge sufficiency threshold and information seeking. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.Originality/valueThis research adds to the limited body of knowledge of crisis communication and effectively expands the PRISM model to include an antecedent that helps explain information seeking during times of uncertainty.

Interpersonal Communication of Married Couples Through the Ta'aruf Process in Palu City

Ta'aruf is a process of exploring or introducing prospective husband or wife partners based on Islamic law. The objectives of this study are: 1). To determine the role of ta'aruf mediators in mediating married couples through the ta'aruf process carried out before marriage. 2). To find out the process of searching for information carried out by married couples before marriage through the process of ta'aruf. To dissect the substance of this study, the author uses Charles Berger's Uncertainty Reduction Theory in analyzing the process of finding information on married couples through the process of ta'aruf. The method used was a qualitative approach involving 11 informants consisting of 4 married couples who had been married through the ta'aruf process and 3 ustad, which were determined purposively. The results showed that: Passive strategies carried out by ta'aruf couples include observing the personal biodata of prospective partners, observing secretly when there are formal meetings such as when attending lectures, studies, and organizational meetings. The active strategy carried out by ta'aruf couples is to actively ask mediators (ustad or ustadzah), close people of the prospective spouse, parties who have been married through the process of t a'aruf, and seek information through social media about the personality and daily life of the prospective partner. An interactive strategy carried out by ta'aruf couples by meeting and talking directly with their potential partners before deciding to get married. The topics discussed are related to, things that are liked, discussing various things related to marriage such as vision and mission, number of children, things to be achieved in the future, in this communication is not allowed to discuss the disgrace of each spouse

Трудовые отношения и конфликты на концессионных предприятиях лесной промышленности Архангельской губернии в 1920-е годы

This article dwells on the labour relations at the timber enterprises of the Arkhangelsk Province granted by the Soviet government as a concession to foreign entrepreneurs in the 1920s. The main sources include archival (concession contracts and reports, results of inspections of concessionary enterprises by the authorities, shorthand reports of meetings of Soviet party and trade union organizations, materials of factory rates commissions and investigative and judicial authorities), as well as published sources, primarily, contemporary (publications in newspapers and magazines). Emphasis is placed on the authorities’ attitude to labour conflicts. Timber enterprise concessions were of great international importance to the central government and economic importance to the local authorities; therefore, unlike at other concessionary enterprises, the authorities often supported the “capitalists”. The concessionaires, in their turn, being interested in attracting skilled workers to their enterprises and seeking to normalize relations with the population and the authorities on the territory designated for forest exploitation, were accommodating the employees by spending substantial funds to build housing as well as social and cultural facilities in the factory settlements. Labour relations and conflicts are examined in the article using the example of four personnel categories: skilled workers; labourers at the sawmills; peasants engaged in logging and delivering timber to the factories (loggers and rafters, united in artels); administrative and clerical employees. In addition, a conclusion is made about the specificity of labour conflicts caused by the post-revolutionary social expectations of the population.

RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION’S ONLINE COMMUNICATION DURING PANDEMIC (A CASE STUDY ON KRAMAT PULO SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH IN THE TIME OF COVID-19 OUTBREAK)

Religious organizations are now forced to change their form of communication into online communication because of government policies that urge religious organizations to postpone carrying out religious activities in places of worship in order to reduce the level of transmission of the Covid-19 outbreak. Organizational communication is the process of delivering information and building understanding from individual to individual, or individual to group within an organization. This study raises the issue of online communication as a new form of communication in religious organizations with a focus on knowing the type of online communication used, the flow of online communication of religious organizations, and barriers in online communication. With a qualitative approach used on this research, researchers also used a case study method. Collecting data using in-depth interview and observation techniques. The subject of this research is the administrator of the Kramat Pulo GMAHK organization. The results of the study show that online communication of religious organizations uses asynchronous communication social media such as Facebook, Youtube, and Whatsapp Group as a means of disseminating information, coordinating, and alternative means of religious deepening activities. Meanwhile, synchronous communication media such as Zoom is intended as a substitute for religious activities or worship services, and organizational meetings. The flow of organizational communication online in the process of disseminating information is vertical linear from the leader of the organization to the bottom. Technical barriers, such as internet network problems, are a major problem in online communication of religious organizations.

An application of copulas to OPEC’s changing influence on fossil fuel prices

This work examines how the dependence structures between energy futures asset prices differ in two periods identified before and after the 2008 global financial crisis. These two periods were characterized by a difference in the number of extraordinary meetings of OPEC countries organized to announce a change of oil production. In the period immediately following the global financial crisis, the decrease in oil prices and oil and gas demand forced OPEC countries to make frequent adjustments to the production of oil, while, since the first quarter of 2010, the recovery led to more regular meetings, with only three organized extraordinary meetings. We propose to use a copula model to study how the dependence structure among energy prices changed among the two periods. The use of copula models allows to introduce flexible and realistic models for the marginal time series; once marginal parameters are estimated, the estimates are used to fit several copula models for all asset combinations. Model selection techniques based on information criteria are implemented to choose the best models both for the univariate asset prices series and for the distribution of co-movements. The changes in the dependence structure of couple of assets are investigated through copula functionals and their uncertainty estimated through a bootstrapping method. We find the strength of dependence between asset combinations considerably differ between the two periods, showing a significant decrease for all the pairs of assets.

EASY-NET Program: Methods and Preliminary Results of an Audit and Feedback Intervention in the Emergency Care for Acute Myocardial Infarction in the Lazio Region, Italy.

Within the EASY-NET network program (NET-2016-02364191), Work Package 1 Lazio evaluates the effectiveness of a structured audit and feedback (A&F) intervention compared with the web-based regional periodic publication of indicators in improving the appropriateness and timeliness of emergency healthcare for acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This work describes the A&F methodology and presents the results of the first feedback delivered. The intervention involves sending periodic reports via e-mail to participating hospitals. The feedback reports include a set of volume and quality (process and outcome) indicators, calculated by facility through the health information system of the Lazio Region and compared with regional mean, target values and values calculated for hospitals with similar volumes of activity. Health managers and clinicians of each participating hospital represent the "feedback recipients". They are invited to organize clinical and organizational audit meetings to identify possible critical issues in the care pathway and define, where necessary, improvement actions. A total of 16 facilities are involved. Twelve facilities present high volumes in all volume indicators, while three facilities present low volumes for each indicator. Concerning the quality indicators, four facilities do not present critical indicators or had average results, three facilities do not present critical indicators but show average results in at least one of the indicators and six facilities present a critical value for at least one of the indicators. The first report highlighted some critical issues in some facilities on several indicators. During the audit meetings, each facility analyzes these issues, defining appropriate improvement actions. The outcome of these actions will be monitored through subsequent reporting to support the continuous care quality improvement process.

Promoting Evidence-Based Tobacco Cessation Treatment in Community Mental Health Clinics: Protocol for a Prepost Intervention Study.

Tobacco smoking is highly prevalent among persons with serious mental illness (SMI) and is the largest contributor to premature mortality in this population. Evidence-based smoking cessation therapy with medications and behavioral counseling is effective for persons with SMI, but few receive this treatment. Mental health providers have extensive experience working with clients with SMI and frequent treatment contacts, making them well positioned to deliver smoking cessation treatment. However, few mental health providers feel adequately trained to deliver this treatment, and many providers believe that smokers with SMI are not interested in quitting or have concerns about the safety of smoking cessation pharmacotherapy, despite substantial evidence to the contrary. We present the protocol for the pilot "IMPACT" (Implementing Action for Tobacco Smoking Cessation Treatment) study, which aims to pilot test a multicomponent implementation intervention to increase the delivery of evidence-based tobacco smoking cessation treatment in community mental health clinics. We are using a prepost observational design to examine the effects of an implementation intervention designed to improve mental health providers' delivery of the following four evidence-based practices related to smoking cessation treatment: (1) assessment of smoking status, (2) assessment of willingness to quit, (3) behavioral counseling, and (4) pharmacotherapy prescribing. To overcome key barriers related to providers' knowledge and self-efficacy of smoking cessation treatment, the study will leverage implementation strategies including (1) real-time and web-based training for mental health providers about evidence-based smoking cessation treatment and motivational interviewing, including an avatar practice module; (2) a tobacco smoking treatment protocol; (3) expert consultation; (4) coaching; and (5) organizational strategy meetings. We will use surveys and in-depth interviews to assess the implementation intervention's effects on providers' knowledge and self-efficacy, the mechanisms of change targeted by the intervention, as well as providers' perceptions of the acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility of both the evidence-based practices and implementation strategies. We will use data on care delivery to assess providers' implementation of evidence-based smoking cessation practices. The IMPACT study is being conducted at 5 clinic sites. More than 50 providers have been enrolled, exceeding our recruitment target. The study is ongoing. In order for persons with SMI to realize the benefits of smoking cessation treatment, it is important for clinicians to implement evidence-based practices successfully. This pilot study will result in a set of training modules, implementation tools, and resources for clinicians working in community mental health clinics to address tobacco smoking with their clients. Trial Registration:ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04796961; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04796961. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04796961; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04796961. DERR1-10.2196/44787.

Comparing Implementation Strategies for an Evidence-Based Weight Management Program Delivered in Community Mental Health Programs: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

Among people with serious mental illness (SMI), obesity contributes to increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. The Achieving Healthy Lifestyles in Psychiatric Rehabilitation (ACHIEVE) randomized controlled trial (RCT) demonstrated that a behavioral intervention tailored to the needs of individuals with SMI results in clinically significant weight loss. While the research team delivered the ACHIEVE intervention in the trial, community mental health program staff are needed to deliver sessions to make scale-up feasible. Therefore, we adapted the ACHIEVE-Dissemination (ACHIEVE-D) curriculum to ease adoption and implementation in this setting. Designing and testing of implementation strategies is now needed to understand how to support ACHIEVE-D delivery by community mental health program staff coaches. This study aims to conduct a pilot trial evaluating standard and enhanced implementation interventions to support the delivery of ACHIEVE-D in community mental health programs by examining effects on staff coaches' knowledge, self-efficacy, and delivery fidelity of the curriculum. We will also examine the effects on outcomes among individuals with SMI taking part in the curriculum. The trial will be a cluster-randomized, 2-arm parallel pilot RCT comparing standard and enhanced implementation intervention at 6 months within community mental health programs. We will randomly assign programs to either the standard or enhanced implementation interventions. The standard intervention will combine multimodal training for coaches (real-time initial training via videoconference, ongoing virtual training, and web-based avatar-assisted motivational interviewing practice) with organizational strategy meetings to garner leadership support for implementation. The enhanced intervention will include all standard strategies, and the coaches will receive performance coaching. At each program, we will enroll staff to participate as coaches and clients with SMI to participate in the curriculum. Coaches will deliver the ACHIEVE-D curriculum to the clients with SMI. Primary outcomes will be coaches' knowledge, self-efficacy, and fidelity to the ACHIEVE-D curriculum. We will also examine the acceptability, feasibility, and appropriateness of ACHIEVE-D and the implementation strategies. Secondary outcomes among individuals with SMI will be weight and self-reported lifestyle behaviors. Data collection started in March 2021, with completion estimated in March 2023. We recruited 9 sites and a total of 20 staff coaches and 72 clients with SMI. The expected start of data analyses will occur in March 2023, with primary results submitted for publication in April 2023. Community mental health programs may be an ideal setting for implementing an evidence-based weight management curriculum for individuals with SMI. This pilot study will contribute knowledge about implementation strategies to support the community-based delivery of such programs, which may inform future research that definitively tests the implementation and dissemination of behavioral weight management programs. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03454997; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03454997. DERR1-10.2196/45802.

All My Dogs Before Me

Excerpt: "Dogs? Did C. S. Lewis own dogs?" That casual question, raised at one of the organizational meetings of the Arizona C. S. Lewis Society,1 led to a rather obscure search. Was Lewis a pet owner? It is well known that he had created two imaginary worlds filled with talking animals: Narnia and Boxen. Less well known was his opposition to vivisection. An entire chapter of The Problem of Pain deals with pain as experienced by animals. A bear at the Whipsnade Zoo, nicknamed “Mr. Bultitude” by Lewis and his brother, Warren, appears as a minor character in That Hideous Strength. The other two books in the Ransom Trilogy contain vivid encounters between man and translunary beasts (both sentient and otherwise). Lewis obviously thought well of animals. But did he have any pets of his own to nurture and deepen that affection? Yes he did, as his autobiography, diary, and letters clearly demonstrate.