Outreach Plan Research Articles

Asbestos: Communicating the Health Issues Derived from Fibrous Minerals to Society

Asbestos, also known by its commercial name “amianthus”, has been widely used in various industries due to its unique properties. However, the extensive use of asbestos has had serious consequences for human health, most notably asbestosis, an irreversible chronic lung disease. Asbestosis increases the risk of lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma, both of which are fatal. Applied sciences such as microscopy (optical and scanning electron microscopy) and geochemistry have been fundamental in characterizing the mineral fibers of asbestos to understand its role in human health. We previously used these techniques to characterize these fibers; in this study, we explored the issues associated with asbestos and asbestosis, as well as the challenges facing science communication strategies in effectively informing society and workers about these risks. The lack of scientific culture, in general, has led to a lack of public awareness of the risks of asbestos. As such, effective communication and outreach plans and strategies, including the visualization of the fibers to demonstrate why problems arise if inhaled, must be implemented to address these challenges. Educational campaigns, guidelines, and plans that are informative and actionable, teaching workers, communities, and the public about the risks of asbestos are crucial. A general knowledge of mineralogy and geochemistry is needed, and providing and disseminating proper scientific communication may help to close the knowledge gap. We use examples and experience from Spain and Italy to illustrate this matter, as we have been working on the characterization of ultramafic complexes in these countries for more than ten years. Additionally, because these countries have strict laws for asbestos-containing materials, they are currently involved in retiring and demolishing buildings and infrastructure that contain asbestos.

Community Outreach, Engagement, and Mentoring Program for Underrepresented Scholars in Cancer Health Disparities.

Racial/ethnic minorities and women are affected by cancer and cancer risk factors at higher rates; however, they are largely underrepresented in scientific professions focused on health disparities. One way to reduce disparities is to increase diversity within the workforce by planning training activities for minority scholars and paying close attention to community outreach. This paper describes the outcomes of a robust community outreach plan engaging communities in education, research, and clinical trials to increase the number of underrepresented student scholars in cancer disparities research through research training, mentorship, and service-learning activities provided within local organizations. The program provided two cohorts of scholars from underrepresented communities with opportunities to attend seminars, present their research to community representatives, and connect with the local community. Cohort 1 consisting of ten scholars participated in a 2-year program that started in the summer of 2018. Cohort 2, consisting of seven scholars, participated in a 1-year program starting in June 2020. Overall, scholars provided positive feedback on all service-learning program activities and the effectiveness of the program in shaping career interests. New procedures developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic continued the effective management of all components of the program and helped increase engagement with the community outreach staff. The outreach program evaluated here can prepare diverse scholars to enter the workforce with interdisciplinary training for mitigating cancer disparities and serve as a model for planning and implementing similar programs at other institutions.

Strategi Efektif Dalam Manajemen Gereja Untuk Membangun Penatalayanan Yang Berdaya Dan Berdampak Bagi Pemuda Kristen

The author discusses effective church management in order to build stewardship to create empowered and impactful Christian youth. The author also classifies contributing elements, analyzes preventing elements, and discusses ways to get past barriers to effective strategies in the church management. Author also describes the progress and innovation made by the Church as a result of its management of youth. This research uses a literature study methodology, which looks at how the church handles stewardship for youth. The findings suggest that direction and guidance, creating a supportive and inclusive environment, and integrating community outreach and service plans are all necessary components for an effective strategy. This method has encouraged and engaged youth, resulting in increased participation and positive outcomes in each youth's faith and personal development. And also shows that management can be responsible for human and financial resources, and that good data administration and an effective ministry group notably influence the congregation's expansion, and this is a method of stewardship. With any luck, this writing can offer wider advantages as well provide appreciation for leaders of the church organizations, ministers, elders, deacons, teachers and all congregation members regarding effective church management to build empowered and impactful stewardship for Christian youth.

Developing a community-responsive research model in the healthcare system: a mixed-method study

BackgroundResponsiveness to the population’s non-clinical needs encompasses various dimensions, including responsive research and an educational outreach plan at the community level. This study aims to develop a community-responsive research model in the healthcare system to ensure the connection between community-identified health priorities and research funds, as well as capacity-building efforts.MethodsA mixed-methods research study was conducted in three main phases, including a comprehensive literature review, a qualitative analysis of an expert panel’s points of view, and the developing of a model using the Equation Modeling (SEM) technique. R software version 3.2.4 was used to conduct statistical analysis, considering a significance level of 0.05.ResultsBased on the literature review, 41 responsiveness components were identified from sixteen relevant studies conducted between 2000 and 2022. Ten sub-themes in four major themes, including planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and action, were identified through qualitative content analysis. Standardized coefficients revealed that components such as dissemination of results to all stakeholders, research prioritization aligned with community needs, commitment to implement research findings, and collaborative learning had statistically significant effects on the community-responsive research model.ConclusionIt is essential to identify community health priorities by following a community-focused, priority-setting process based on the principles of community engagement to develop a community-responsive research model. Afterward, dissemination of research findings to all stakeholders, commitment to apply the obtained results in the real world, and promotion of shared learning among research partners have been proven to facilitate collaborative investigation and mutual understanding between the community and academic partners.

A sex-disaggregated analysis of rank at release and health outcomes among Veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces

LAY SUMMARY This study examines relationships between military rank at release and various health indicators among Canadian Veterans, separately for males and females. These results provide new information about Veterans at greater risk of negative health outcomes, which could be used for targeted military health promotion as well as Veteran outreach and service delivery planning.

The SMARTHEP European Training Network

The SMARTHEP European Training Network

Engaging the Regulatory Community to Aid Environmental Consenting/Permitting Processes for Marine Renewable Energy

Regulators involved in consenting/permitting marine renewable energy (MRE) have faced multiple challenges due to relatively new, unfamiliar technologies and uncertainty surrounding potential environmental impacts. This has resulted in slow progress for the MRE industry, including long consenting timeframes and extensive and expensive monitoring requirements, which increase financial risk for investors. OES-Environmental has surveyed regulators internationally to understand their key knowledge gaps and perspectives to support the development of the MRE industry. From the results of these surveys a data transferability process and a risk retirement pathway have been developed to assess consenting and monitoring requirements in proportion to risk. A tool for discovering existing data sets by using an online matrix has been developed, along with training materials, regulatory guidance documents, and a strategic outreach plan to engage regulators and advisers. his engagement and the application of these products should lead to a better understanding of the environmental effects of marine energy, and more efficient consenting processes.

Advancing shared accountability for meaningful community engagement with socially vulnerable communities: Lessons learned from COVID-19 health education and general outreach in an urban region.

As COVID-19 public health emergency measures come to an end, socially vulnerable communities have reduced access to resources that address social and health disparities created or exacerbated by the pandemic. Social workers must uphold access to healthcare as a human right in the post-pandemic era by reducing social vulnerability and strengthening community resilience to respond to future health emergencies and natural disasters. This paper draws on the experiences of a team of social work researchers, students, and practitioners engaged in efforts to disseminate information on COVID preventive measures and broker access to local health and social resources. This project, based in one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States, formed part of the federal research response to promote community engagement in regions most disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through participation in health fairs and community events that targeted persons with limited access to healthcare resources, we gathered critical insights on how to build community capacity for meaningful community engagement. Drawing on a conceptual model for evaluating community engagement strategies, we describe three main barriers to collaborative community outreach: weak organizational communication and coordination, inconsistent strategies for requesting on-site health services, and low neighborhood awareness of outreach events. We advance strategies for improvement that engage community-based organizations, health systems, backbone organizations, and community members in targeted activities to build community resilience. This includes inter-organizational communication during outreach event planning, formal processes to promote greater use of mobile health services, centralized event communication, and grassroots outreach event promotion.

Adapting and scaling a proven diabetes prevention program across 11 worksites in India: the INDIA-WORKS trial.

Structured lifestyle change education reduces the burden of cardiometabolic diseases such as diabetes. Delivery of these programs at worksites could overcome barriers to program adoption and improve program sustainability and reach; however, tailoring to the worksite setting is essential. The Integrating Diabetes Prevention in Workplaces (INDIA-WORKS) study tested the implementation and effectiveness of a multi-level program for reducing cardiometabolic disease risk factors at 11 large and diverse worksites across India. Herein, we describe and classify program adaptations reported during in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with worksite managers, program staff, and peer educators involved in program delivery, and program participants and drop-outs. We used thematic analysis to identify key themes in the data and classified reported program adaptations using the FRAME classification system. Adaptations were led by worksite managers, peer educators, and program staff members. They occurred both pre- and during program implementation and were both planned (proactive) and unplanned (proactive and reactive). The most frequently reported adaptations to the individual-level intervention were curriculum changes to tailor lessons to the local context, make the program more appealing to the workers at the site, or add a wider variety of exercise options. Other content adaptations included improvements to the screening protocol, intervention scheduling, and outreach plans to tailor participant recruitment and retention to the sites. Environment-level content adaptations included expanding or leveraging healthy food and exercise options at the worksites. Challenges to adaptation included scheduling and worksite-level challenges. Participants discussed the need to continue adapting the program in the future to continue making it relevant for worksite settings and engaging for employees. This study describes and classifies site-specific modifications to a structured lifestyle change education program with worksite-wide health improvements in India. This adds to the literature on implementation adaptation in general and worksite wellness in India, a country with a large and growing workforce with, or at risk of, serious cardiometabolic diseases. This information is key for program scale-up, dissemination, and implementation in other settings. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02813668. Registered June 27, 2016.

A Post-Pandemic Needs Assessment Survey of Three Adopted Barangays of AIMS: Basis in the Development of Institutional Outreach Plans and Programs

The community needs assessment of three adopted barangays of the Asian Institute of Maritime Studies served as a guide for the Center for Outreach Extension Development in enhancing strategic plans and programs, and in preparing necessary resources and funds.
 In assessing the needs of residents of the three adopted barangays, a descriptive-survey method was applied since it aims to gather the present conditions and situations of the barangays’ residents. The Community Needs Assessment survey instrument involves questions relevant to the subjects of the research and distributed to the respondents. Respondents are representative of each family in the three adopted community beneficiaries. In Barangay 13, there were 21 families; in Barangay Julugan IV, there were 24 families and in Barangay La Isla Bonita, there were 14 families. Convenience sampling was used and families living in the nearby vicinity of the Barangay Hall were the participants. From the result of the survey, most of them were high school graduates and unemployed. Likewise, participants cannot identify their own skills so the majority of the families lack a source of income, and this is a common problem within the three barangays. The suggested trainings that the respondents were willing to attend are training for electronic/ computer/cellphone repair, cooking, dressmaking, and practical electricity. The additional training to the existing program could help families to have a source of income or to be employed. Thus, the members of the adopted community could have a better standard of living through skills trainings.

Community-Based Recruitment Strategies for Young Adult Pacific Islanders into a Randomized Community Smoking Cessation Trial

Abstract: Background: Lung cancer represents the leading cause of cancer death for Pacific Islanders in the United States, but they remain underrepresented in studies leading to the lack of evidence-based cessation programs tailored to their culture and lifestyle. Objectives: This paper aims to describe the development of culturally tailored and community informed recruitment materials, and provide lessons learned regarding implementation and adaptation of strategies to recruit Pacific Islander young adult smokers into a randomized cessation study. Methods: Development of recruitment materials involved a series of focus groups to determine the cessation program logo and recruitment video. The initial recruitment strategy relied on community-based participatory research partnerships with Pacific Islander community-based organizations, leaders and health coaches with strong ties to the community. Results/Lessons Learned: While the recruitment materials were well received, initial strategies tapered off after the first 3 months of recruitment resulting in the need to revise outreach plans. Revised plans included the creation of a list with more than 200 community locations frequented by Pacific Islander young adult smokers, along with the hiring of part-time recruitment assistants who reflected the age and ethnicities of the desired cessation study participants. These materials and strategies ultimately yielded 316 participants, 66% of whom were recruited by the revised strategies. Conclusions: Community-based participatory research approaches not only inform the design of culturally tailored intervention recruitment material and strategies, but also result in innovative solutions to recruitment challenges to address the National Cancer Institute's gaps in science regarding small populations.

Preparing Clinicians to Provide Equitable Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) Care: What Continuing Medical Education (CME) Can Achieve (P12-2.003)

<h3>Objective:</h3> To assess the influence of live online CME on clinicians’ (HCPs) awareness of ethnic and racial differences in AD and ability to develop strategies to enhance care access for diverse patients. <h3>Background:</h3> Government agencies and advocacy groups have prioritized reduction of disparities in brain health. HCPs need to recognize the increased risks and burdens associated with AD in various ethno-racial groups and have outreach strategies for diverse underrepresented communities. <h3>Design/Methods:</h3> We partnered with advocacy groups and experts in community-based AD care to produce two 60-minute CME activities, launched 12/16/2021 and 3/2/2022. The activities were on-demand for one year. Experts recorded videos outlining their community-outreach strategy. In addition, HCPs could submit their outreach plans to be reviewed during the second CME activity. Responses to test questions before, immediately post, and 2 months after an activity, along with outreach plans, were analyzed for insights and identification of remaining gaps. Chi-square compared paired responses (pre/post and pre/2 mos, <i>P</i>&lt;0.05). <h3>Results:</h3> As of 10/4/22, 1,893 HCPs participated and 865 identified as treaters seeing 10 patients/week. Post activity, there were marked improvements in awareness of causes of AD care inequities (+37%, <i>P</i>&lt;0.05), genetic predisposition (+46%, <i>P</i>&lt;0.05), and ability to identify tools to evaluate cognitive status (+55%, <i>P</i>&lt;0.05). Reported practice changes included use of assessment tools and strategies to evaluate patients and account for genetic and cultural differences. Six outreach plans were reviewed (communities were rural, urban, and/or low-economic status). Outreach projects included providing culturally appropriate education to communities, hiring a socially sensitive workforce, connecting with churches, and enhancing research diversity. <h3>Conclusions:</h3> Data support the positive impact of live-online CME in preparing HCPs to provide equitable AD care through increased recognition of critical differences in risk among races and ethnic groups and development of outreach strategies to build trust and address barriers to access. <b>Disclosure:</b> Carole Drexel has nothing to disclose. Dr. Wilson has nothing to disclose. Ms. Bixler has nothing to disclose. Goldie S. Byrd has nothing to disclose. Dr. Zwerling has nothing to disclose. Dr. Allen has nothing to disclose. Ms. Lynn has nothing to disclose.

Community Outreach Awareness, Involvement, Motivation, and Challenges in a Philippine Catholic Higher Education Institution

Community outreach serves as a core function of higher education institutions which helps promote sustainable development goals worldwide. In the Philippines, universities have been mandated to provide extension activities and reach the most vulnerable communities in the country. Thus, the study used descriptive, comparative, and correlational approaches to determine the level of awareness, the extent of involvement, the degree of motivation, and the challenges in community outreach in a Catholic Higher Education Institution in the areas of spiritual-moral, education, sociocultural, health, economic, and environment. Using stratified random sampling, 459 students, faculty, and administrators participated in the study through a modified-standardized instrument. Mean, standard deviation, frequency, percentage distribution, Kruskal Wallis, and Spearman rank were used to analyze the data. The findings of the study unveiled that the respondents of the university have a very high level of awareness, a moderate extent of involvement, and a very high degree of motivation. The topmost challenge is time constraints. This signifies that members of the academic units are generally very aware of and highly motivated in community outreach, but involvement has yet to be enhanced. Findings suggest revisiting the community outreach plan and enriching its strategies to attain a more inclusive and progressive involvement among university stakeholders.

PKM pada Bank sampah wahana bersama dan Rosella di Siantan Tengah Kecamatan Pontianak Utara

Central Siantan is an area that has great potential in waste management business so that it becomes the center of the establishment of the Wahana Bersama (Mitra I) and Rosella (Mitra II) waste banks. The purpose of this PKM program is to accompany the waste bank: (1) get capital (credit application); (2) having a legal entity, (3) having a banking bookkeeping administration system; (4) Apply science and technology to waste collectors. In general, the PKM program targets garbage banks: (1) Having additional capital in providing facilities and payment for scavengers; (2) Having a legal entity (3) Managing the administration system of banking accounting (4) Increasing the amount of diversification of waste products; (5) There is a marketing gallery of waste products. The implementation of this program is carried out in three stages: 1) the preparation phase (survey the target location, coordinate with partners, plan outreach and training materials, divide the team's tasks according to their fields. Schedule agreements with partners; 2) implementation stage , socialization of the provision of facilities / facilities, conducting counseling, assisting the administration of banking bookkeeping), training in diversification of handicraft products from waste waste); and 3) Monetering and Evaluation Phase both internal and external. The implementation of this PKM runs smoothly, although there are obstacles in time adjustments between the team and partners, but can be overcome by implementation in the afternoon or evening or carried out during holidays.

Socio-demographic, behavioural and clinical factors influencing control of diabetes and hypertension in urban Mysore, South India: a mixed-method study conducted in 2018

BackgroundInadequate control of diabetes and hypertension is a major concern in India because of rising mortality and morbidity. Few studies in India have explored factors that influence control of diabetes and hypertension. The current study aimed to improve the understanding of multifactorial influence on the control of diabetes and hypertension among patients in Primary Health Care Settings(PHC) of urban Karnataka.MethodsWe used a mixed-method study design, within a project aiming to improve non-communicable disease (NCD) continuum of care across PHC in Mysore city, India, conducted in 2018. The quantitative study was conducted among 399 patients with diabetes and/or hypertension and a logistic regression model was used to assess the factors responsible for biological control levels of diabetes and hypertension measured through Glycated Haemoglobin(HbA1c) and blood pressure. Further, in-depth interviews(IDI) were conducted among these patients and the counsellors at PHCs to understand the barriers and enablers for better control.ResultThe quantitative assessment found odds of poor control amongst diabetics’ increased with older age, longer duration of disease, additional chronic conditions, and tobacco consumption. For hypertensives, odds of poor control increased with higher body mass index(BMI), alcohol consumption, and belongingness to lower social groups. These findings were elaborated through qualitative assessment which found that the control status was affected by stress as a result of family or financial worries. Stress, poor lifestyle, and poor health-seeking behaviour interplay with other factors like diet and exercise leading to poor control of diabetes and hypertension.ConclusionA better understanding of determinants associated with disease control can assist in designing focused patient outreach plans, customized communication strategies, need-based care delivery plans, and specific competency-based capacity-building models for health care workers. Patient-centric care focusing on biological, social and behavioural determinants is pivotal for appropriate management of NCDs at community level in low-middle income countries.

Increasing Latinx representation in the US medical schools: A top-ranked medical school's experience.

Despite the increasing racial and ethnic diversity of the general US population, many, if not most, medical schools fall short of matriculating students reflective of this change in diversity. The Latinx community constitutes nearly 20% of the US population and is expected to rise substantially in the coming decades. Over the past 20 years, the number of Latinx students applying to and being admitted to medical school has grown but remains below 4% of the total medical student body composition. Several factors contribute to the under-representation of Latinx students in medical schools that include access to secondary education, finances, lack of mentorship or advice, and a multitude of other structural inequities and system-level biases. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are often named as key pillars of workforce development across the US medical schools and academic institutions. Despite significant efforts, medical schools continue to have low Latinx representation within their student body, and recruitment efforts often lack sustainability. In this manuscript, we share our experience of increasing Latinx student representation within a top-ranked medical school in the US southeast region. We have discussed the barriers we faced in enrolling and attracting Latinx students' amidst similar under-representation of Latinx faculty, staff, and leadership and the challenges of financial support for applicants and financial aid packages for admitted students. The strategies we implemented to achieve an increased representation of Latinx students in the School of Medicine (SOM) included revitalizing the Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA), ensuring Latinx student representation within the SOM admission committee that included Latinx faculty as active participants in recruitment and retention efforts, redesigning the medical Spanish course, and creating dedicated outreach plans during second look weekend for interested Latinx students and active outreach to applicants and accepted students by current students. In combination, these efforts led to a significant increase in Latinx representation in the SOM student body from 2.6% in 2009 to 12.2% in 2021. We will conclude by discussing our ongoing challenges and our approach to sustain and improve Latinx representation in our medical school.

Family Planning and Mother’s Practice In Children’s Feeding In Bengkulu Province, Indonesia

Family planning will affect the mother’s ability in parenting which will affect the children’s growth and development. This study aims to determine the relationship between family planning and the practice of child feeding (PCF). The study used Indonesian Demographic and Health Survey 2017 data with a cross-sectional approach. Family planning is measured by variables age at first marriage, the distance between births, parity, number of children under five, and pregnancy desired. The PCF is based on the variable composite of Early Initiation of Breastfeeding, Exclusive Breastfeeding, Infant and Child Feeding, and Consumption of food sources of vitamin A. The sample size is 97 children aged 6-23 months. Data analysis using multivariate logistic regression. The study results that almost part of the mother did not PCF well (45.4%). Most (69.1%) mothers were not good at family planning. Family planning related to poor PCF was age at first marriage less than 18 years (p = 0.003) primiparous parity (p = 0.017), 2-5 years birth spacing (p = 0.033) and the number of children under five (p = 0.025). There need to be more educational efforts, outreach and family planning movements so that people, especially teenagers, understand the importance of family planning.

The imaginary eruption – volcanic activity through kids' eyes

Abstract. Strategies of risk mitigation become effective when citizens facing hazardous phenomena adopt rational behaviours that contribute to the lowering of the risk. This is more likely to occur when endangered communities share a widespread understanding of natural phenomena and their impacts. To reach this goal, educational and outreach materials are often organised around the descriptions of the natural process and its effects. Unfortunately, however, receiving correct information does not automatically grant the adoption of safe behaviours. Our teaching efforts may fail because of pre-existing biases, beliefs, and misconceptions. The identification of these biases is important to plan effective educational campaigns capable of providing the concepts that are needed to actually inform citizens' choices about natural hazards. In this work, we present the results of an unconventional workshop on volcanic risk that we proposed to primary and secondary schools (aged 6–13) in Italy. The workshop is meant to explore the mental models that kids and youngsters have about volcanic eruptions, and it takes the form of a creative exercise. We asked the pupils to write and illustrate a story in four frames, describing the onset and outcome of an imaginary eruption. All stories were then presented to the class and always provided useful hints to spark discussion about volcanic processes and hazards. As a whole, the collected stories provide a multifaceted description of volcanic eruptions and their potential impacts as imagined by the kids. A careful analysis of this material provided several insights useful to improve future outreach material and educational plans. The workshop is simple to reproduce, even remotely, and could easily be extended to different types of hazards. While very simple to organise, this approach grants the secure engagement of most participants and offers a very different perspective on pupils' understanding of natural phenomena.

Grand Challenge Aims to Eradicate MH Stigma

Grand Challenge Aims to Eradicate MH Stigma

The Tactile Comics of Shapereader

Abstract Shapereader is a system for tactile storytelling specifically designed for visually impaired readers and makers of comics. Its interface is built on a repertoire of free-floating tactile ideograms intended to provide haptic translations of the semantic features, conceptual functions and attributes of a textual expression. Shapereader works challenge the assumptions and exclusions of graphic literature and explore the conditions for synthesizing language through embodied notions of materiality and performativity. Shapereader situates touch as a conduit for vibrant artistic exploration and demonstrates that comics can address a diverse readership. Promoting an embodied, nonretinal narrative experience with an ongoing outreach plan, Shapereader has been unfolding worldwide in a variety of formats, contexts and collaborations.