Educational Level Of Participants Research Articles

PATH TO THE PEOPLE: ENGAGING CULTURALLY AND EDUCATIONALLY DIVERSE OLDER ADULTS IN PROBLEM-BASED PSYCHOSOCIAL INTERVENTIONS

1/5 of older adults are of a diverse ethnic or racial background. Older minorities with depression report higher levels of disability and are more persistently ill than non-Hispanic white older adults despite lower utilization of mental health care. In addition, 40% of homebound older adults have a psychiatric illness but have limited access to mental health services. Despite increased illness burden, both minority and homebound older adults are underrepresented in clinical trials. Furthermore, the education level of participants in clinical trials tends to be higher than what is observed in a culturally diverse clinic population. Problem Solving Therapy (PST) is an effective intervention to treat depression and disability in older adults. While most PST trials have been conducted in ambulatory settings, the Program to Encourage Active, Rewarding Lives for Seniors (PEARLS) intervention was developed as a home-based intervention for medically ill, homebound older adults with depression. Given the high prevalence of cognitive disorders in homebound older adults, Kiosses and colleagues developed Problem Adaptation Therapy (PATH) for older adults with depression and cognitive impairment. This psychosocial intervention utilizes compensatory strategies, environmental adaptations and caregiver involvement. Montefiore Home Care (MHC) serves a culturally and educationally diverse patient population. In 2016, the MHC-Geriatric Psychiatry Program pursued two funding opportunities to provide problem based psychosocial interventions in the home. The first was a New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene grant to partner with the Jewish Services for the Aged to provide PEARLS to homebound older adults in the Bronx. Secondly, MHC partnered with Weill Cornell, under the leadership of Dr. Dimitris Kiosses, on a Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation grant to pilot PATH for depressed and cognitive impaired older adults. Over ¾ of the patients served by these programs are minority older adults, most of which have less than 12 years of education. Moreover, Kiosses and colleagues found that PATH not only reduced depression and disability, but it improved cognitive outcomes over 24 weeks. During this session, presenters will describe disparities in clinical trial recruitment, present strategies to overcome these difficulties, and discuss how MHC incorporated both PEARLS and PATH into a clinical setting. Presenters will share results from the Home-Delivered PATH vs. Supportive Psychotherapy study for older adults with depression and mild cognitive impairment. Finally, presenters will discuss how these findings will inform the translation of study interventions into clinical care for culturally and educationally diverse populations.

The use of MOOCs in learning English: Rwaq as an example: مدى استفادة المتعلمين من منصات التعلم الإلكترونية في تعلم اللغة الإنجليزية – رواق نموذجاً

This study aimed to examine how effective using MOOCS in learning English, and how a number of factors, such as age, gender, education level, occupation and number of courses taken, can influence this effect, if any. In particular, this study sought to answer the following question: To what extent the use of MOOCS can enhance English learning? A number of English learners (n = 336) were recruited from an online English course initiative (English Mastery) at Rawq (An Arabic online platform offering open courses). Two sets of questionnaire were distributed among the learners. The first set was designed to obtain some demographic information from the participants (age, gender, education level, occupation, and number of Rwaq English Mastery courses taken). The second set contained 33 items designed to examine whether the learners benefited from the offered online English courses in terms of both: knowledge and skills. The results indicate that the use of the online English courses provided by the English Mastery Initiative at Rawq was effective in increasing the learner’s knowledge and skills of the English language. The factors age, gender, education level, and occupation were found not to have any effect on the results. Only the number of online courses taken was found to be effective in enhancing the learners’ knowledge and skills of the English language (from 3 to five courses). The study recommends the following: 1) online English language courses at Rwaq should be increased in number, 2) Rwaq should survey English leaners’ needs before offering their courses, 3) Rwaq should offer courses specialized in training English learners for taking standardized English language tests (e.g., IELTS, TOEFL, STEP), and 4) Saudi Universities should have their own MOOCs.

P259 Systematic review of prognostic factors affecting the acquisition of transition readiness skills in patients with inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract Background Around 25% of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are diagnosed before the age of 20, meaning transition from paediatric to adult healthcare is inevitable for some. Good transition is important to maintain quality of care, and poor transition can result in adverse outcomes such as clinic and medication non-adherence. Certain skills are required in order for someone to be ready to transition, and the aim of this study was to identify modifiable and non-modifiable factors affecting the development of these skills in young people with IBD. Methods This review was registered on the PROSERO database (CRD42019152272) and conducted in line with PRISMA guidelines. Studies were included if they (1) explored factors affecting the acquisition of transition readiness skills in IBD patients 2) were written in English (3) were published since 1999. The databases MEDLINE, CINAHL and PsychINFO were searched from September - October 2019. Bias was assessed using the Quality in Prognostic Studies tool. Results Searches identified 822 papers and 27 full texts were retrieved. Sixteen papers were included in the final review, reporting on 1770 patients ranging from 10–29 years of age. Fourteen studies were cross-sectional and two longitudinal. Six assessed transition readiness, five self-management, two disease knowledge, one medication knowledge, one health literacy, and one both disease knowledge and self-management. Modifiable factors found were increased provider-communication about transition, transition duration, and health care satisfaction. Participant self-efficacy was found to be significant for three studies, and increased parent autonomy granting was related to higher disease knowledge in one study. Non-modifiable factors identified were age, sex, socioeconomic score, participant educational level and ethnicity. Nine studies showed increased age as a positive prognostic factor, and two additional papers found an effect for certain domains assessed. Four studies showed higher scores for females, and one study demonstrated higher self-rated self-efficacy scores for males. Disease-related non-modifiable factors identified were IBD family history, age at diagnosis, and absence from school. Conclusion This study identified five potentially modifiable factors. Strategies or interventions to address these in the IBD population transitioning to adult care might lead to improved experience and outcomes. This review also identified eight non-modifiable factors. This may allow healthcare and allied professionals to identify those at an increased risk of not developing the necessary competencies for transition and adapting the way in which they approach transition for each individual.

Influence of internal migration on body mass index: Results of the ELSA-Brasil study.

To investigate the association between internal migration and body mass index (BMI) in the adult population with data from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil) and to determine whether the association differs by the urban hierarchical levels (or influence regions) of Brazilian municipalities. Baseline data from 13 084 participants aged 35 to 74 (2008-2010) in the ELSA-Brasil were analyzed. A migrant was defined as an individual whose municipality of residence at the beginning of schooling (origin) was different from the municipality of residence at the study baseline (destination). The origin and destination municipalities were classified by urban hierarchical levels, or influence regions, and migration was categorized as nonmigrant, stable migrant, downward migrant, or upward migrant. Of the ELSA-Brasil participants, 51% were migrants. Using gamma regression models, it was observed that for women and men, upward migration was associated with lower mean BMI after adjusting for age, mother's education level, participant's education level, and income. Downward migration, on the other hand, was associated with the highest mean BMI, but this result was statistically significant only for women. These findings highlight the role of environmental factors on nutritional status, noting that the effects on BMI may be positive or negative, depending on the trajectory of displacements between origin and destination.

Test R-W jako trafne narzędzie w badaniach przesiewowych z zakresu psychologii pracy

The R-W test is a tool examining the speed and accuracy of thinking used in labor psychology. It is described as a tool „filled with the intellectual component”, however, there is no validation data in the literature confirming that the R-W test exam some aspect of intellectual abilities. To fill this gap, validation studies were conducted. In the first one, conducted on a group of drivers (N=105), the R-W test relationship with the complex reaction time, attention, as well as the participants level of education were revealed. In study 2 conducted on a group of students (N=150) the relationship between the R-W test and fluid intelligence, perceptivity and attention, as well as anxiety as a trait and as a state were revealed. The obtained results confirm our assumptions that performing the R-W test requires the use of fluid intelligence resources. Key words: labor psychology, transportation psychology, intelligence, screening tests

The prevalence of cognitive impairment in laryngology treatment-seeking patients.

The incidence of cognitive impairment (CI) in the elderly general population is 10% to 20%. The incidence of CI in the elderly laryngology treatment-seeking population is unknown, and CI may impact decision making for elective medical/surgical treatment and negatively impact the outcome of voice/swallowing therapy. We sought to determine the prevalence of CI in elderly patients who are seeking laryngology care and to evaluate the feasibility of administering a cognitive screening instrument. Prospective, Cross-sectional. One hundred fifty patients (≥65 years old) without a previous diagnosis of CI, seeking laryngology evaluation, were administered the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) test by a trained physician. Other members of the clinical team were blinded to the MoCA results. Twenty-five percent of participants obtained a score diagnostic for at least mild CI. The results showed a correlation between the MoCA scores and 1) the time needed to complete the test, 2) participant age, and 3) participant education level. No differences were observed between gender, alcohol consumption, or use of medications that can affect cognition and MoCA score. One in four elderly laryngology treatment-seeking patients were found to have undiagnosed CI. This finding warrants consideration for CI screening for these patients being evaluated for voice therapy and elective surgery. Treatment decision making in this population may benefit from additional family involvement. 2c Laryngoscope, 130: 2003-2007, 2020.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice about Food Hygiene and Safety among Food Catering Staff in Yazd

Introduction: Observance of food hygiene and safety by the staff working in the food supply and distribution sector is one of the most important factors in prevention of foodborne diseases. However, considering the inadequate knowledge and inappropriate performance of the staff, we are faced with many epidemics of food poisoning. Therefore, this study was conducted to determine the knowledge, attitude, and practice of food supply and distribution companies in Yazd.
 Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 126 employees working in 15 food catering centers in Yazd City in 2018. Census sampling method was applied to collect data by a researcher-made questionnaire. In this questionnaire, the items were about the participants' background demographic information, knowledge, attitude, and practice in the field of food health, which was designed according to previous studies. Data were analyzed using SPSS24, T-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient.
 Results: The employees' mean scores of knowledge, attitude, and practice were 10.08 ± 5.11, 24.31 ± 8.37 and 8.91 ± 6.50, respectively. A significant difference was observed between the mean and standard deviation of the participants' knowledge and education level (P = 0.00). Furthermore, a positive and significant correlation was observed between the participants' knowledge, attitude, and practice.
 Conclusion: It is necessary to provide individuals with practical and continuous training programs by experienced specialists. Moreover, food catering staff should be motivated to adhere to the principles of personal hygiene and food and their health knowledge should be updated.

Validation of a digitally displayed photographic food portion-size estimation aid among women in urban and rural Malawi.

To validate digitally displayed photographic portion-size estimation aids (PSEA) against a weighed meal record and compare findings with an atlas of printed photographic PSEA and actual prepared-food PSEA in a low-income country. Participants served themselves water and five prepared foods, which were weighed separately before the meal and again after the meal to measure any leftovers. Participants returned the following day and completed a meal recall. They estimated the quantities of foods consumed three times using the different PSEA in a randomized order. Two urban and two rural communities in southern Malawi. Women (n 300) aged 18-45 years, equally divided by urban/rural residence and years of education (≤4 years and ≥5 years). Responses for digital and printed PSEA were highly correlated (>91 % agreement for all foods, Cohen's κw = 0·78-0·93). Overall, at the individual level, digital and actual-food PSEA had a similar level of agreement with the weighed meal record. At the group level, the proportion of participants who estimated within 20 % of the weighed grams of food consumed ranged by type of food from 30 to 45 % for digital PSEA and 40-56 % for actual-food PSEA. Digital PSEA consistently underestimated grams and nutrients across foods, whereas actual-food PSEA provided a mix of under- and overestimates that balanced each other to produce accurate mean energy and nutrient intake estimates. Results did not differ by urban and rural location or participant education level. Digital PSEA require further testing in low-income settings to improve accuracy of estimations.

DELIVERING QUALITY EDUCATION TO GIRLS FROM PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TRIBAL GROUPS (PVTGS) IN INDIA

Purpose of the study: The Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) are the least developed among all the communities in India. In spite of multiple state-supported schemes to bring about positive changes in their lives, the results have been abysmally poor. This study aims at identifying the social and cultural barriers that have prevented school-going PVTG girls to participate in education and to suggest the enablers that would facilitate their level of participation in education.
 Methodology: The study was conducted in Sundargarh and Mayurbhanj districts of Odisha (India) comprising four PVTGs, namely, Paudi Bhuiyan, Lodha, Hill Kharia, and Mankidia. For the selection of villages in the districts, a list of villages inhabited by these four tribes was prepared. After filtering out the populated villages, a random selection of four villages was made for each selected tribe. The study included PVTG girls in the age group of 6-14 years, and 80 girls, including both school-going students, and out-of-school girls were randomly accessed to meet the objectives of the study. A mixed-method approach was adopted to identify the barriers to participation in education. Firstly, the primary responses were collected during a five-month period from Aug-Dec, 2018 by using three separate interview schedules for the girls, their parents, and the school teachers. Data triangulation was further done through four focused group discussions (FGD) in the selected villages. The feedbacks thus received were used to prepare the proposed educational structure for the PVTG girls. Additionally, content analysis of all the audio-visual recordings collected during the fieldwork was done to enumerate the case-studies pertaining to each district.
 Main Findings: The results indicate that the dropout percentage is more among students in classes VI-VII as compared to lower classes. Assisting in household work and in agricultural lands during harvest season, single-teacher schools, which are a reality in many remote schools of the districts, and predominantly male teachers in day-schools, are other hindering factors.
 Applications of this study: The study holds implications for researchers and scholars working in the fields of tribal studies and education and other allied areas. It can assist the policymakers in taking corrective measures to address some of the persistent issues relating to tribal girl-child education.
 Novelty/Originality of this study: The novelty of the paper lies in the proposed methodical model that takes into account the ground-level realities, which need to be addressed to enhance the tribal girls ’ participation in quality education. Neg- ative and positive influences of siblings staying and studying in the same residential schools have been identified in this study which could be taken up for further research.

Trends in pediatric cancer mortality and survival in the United States

We investigated the association between social and nutritional adversities in childhood and increased arterial stiffness in adulthood, according to race/skin color.We used baseline data (2008–2010) from 13,365 adults (aged 34–75 years) from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil). Arterial stiffness was assessed by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV). Childhood social and nutritional adversities were assessed by maternal education and birth weight. Race/skin color was self-reported.The lower the maternal education, the higher the cfPWV in adulthood in Whites, Browns, and Blacks. This association was no longer significant after adjusting for the participant's education level in Whites, but it persisted after full adjustment among Browns (low vs. high maternal education: β = 0.18, 95% confidence interval: 0.01; 0.34) and Blacks (low vs. high maternal education: β = 0.44, 95% confidence interval: 0.18; 0.70). On the other hand, the association between low birth weight and higher cfPWV was found only among Whites.Our findings regarding the association between maternal education and arterial stiffness are consistent with the disproportionate burden of cardiovascular disease-related morbidity and mortality in Blacks and Browns. The fact that the association between birth weight and arterial stiffness was only present in Whites may have reflected a survival bias.

The Relationship Between Areas of Occupation and Severity of Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in Parkinson’s Disease

Objective Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative progressive condition with a number of nonmotor symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and stress. These have the most debilitating characteristics and increase the severity and progression of the disease and often reduce functional ability in the sufferers. For this reason, they may, over time, lose their daily living activities skills (basic and instrumental) and social participation. The current study investigated the relationship between the areas of occupation and severity of depression, anxiety, and stress in PD. Materials & Methods In this cross-sectional (descriptive-analytical) study, 91 PD patients referring to rehabilitation centers and hospitals in Tehran City, Iran, were selected through convenience sampling method. After obtaining approval from the University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, we referred to the centers and hospitals; if managers of the centers accepted to cooperate with the research team, the study was conducted in accordance with the inclusion criteria in that center. The Assessment of Life Habits (Life-H) test was used to evaluate the areas of occupation and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) was applied to assess depression, anxiety, and stress. Life-H test subscales were categorized by the occupational therapists of the university, based on the classification of the areas of occupation. The obtained data were analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, multiple regression analysis, focal correlation, Independent Samples t-test and Mann-Whitney U test in SPSS. Results The collected results indicated a reverse and significant correlation between the level of Activities of Daily Living (ADL)'s participation and depression. Additionally, the correlation between the levels of participation in education and leisure was inverse and significant in terms of anxiety and stress. The correlation coefficient between the areas of occupation and depression was as r=0.362, P=0.06; between the areas of occupation and anxiety was as r=0.49, P=0.001; and between the areas of occupation and stress was as r=0.5, P=0.001. There was a significant correlation between the different areas of occupation and stress and anxiety; however, the correlation between the areas of occupation and depression was not significant. Focal correlations between the areas of occupation and nonmotor symptoms (depression, anxiety, and stress) were equal to r=0.55, P=0.05 and significant. Conclusion There was a significant relationship between the areas of occupation and the incidence of nonmotor symptoms (depression, anxiety, and stress) in people with PD. Therefore, we can facilitate the direction of rehabilitation and occupational therapy's settings for clinicians, by identifying the areas of occupation that are more affected by the disease; this may help to provide disease-related facilities and may have economic benefits for caregivers of PD patients.

Factors determining choice of place of delivery: analytical cross-sectional study of mothers in Akordet town, Eritrea

BackgroundIn Eritrea, facility delivery rates show great discrepancy within urban centers. This study was conducted in Akordet, a multi-cultural lowland town of Gash-Barka Region, aiming at assessing the factors influencing facility delivery.MethodsA community based analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among a total of 282 mothers who gave birth within the 2 years preceding the data collection time. Data collection was carried out by going house-to-house and interviewing the mothers using a structured closed ended questionnaire. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to determine the magnitude of the relationship between place of delivery and the explanatory variables (Religion, Ethnicity, Mother’s educational level, Husband’s Educational level, Place of delivery preceding last pregnancy, Birth order of last child, Any complications during previous delivery, First ANC Visit during last pregnancy, Number of ANC visits during last pregnancy and Any complication during last pregnancy.). For this study, p-value ≤0.05 was considered as statistically significant.ResultsThe rate of facility delivery in this setting was found to be 82.3%. Almost all (96.1%) the mothers had at least one ANC visit during their last pregnancy, with the majority (59.7%) visiting ANC clinics during second trimester for the first time. Mothers whose educational level is junior and above (AOR 8.8, CI: 1.18–65.64), whose husband’s educational level is junior and above (AOR 3.92, CI: 1.03–14.54), who gave birth in health facility before the last pregnancy (AOR 8.16, CI: 3.41–19.48), and those who had complications during last pregnancy (AOR 2.24, CI: 1.04–4.82) were more likely to deliver in a health facility. Mothers whose last child’s birth order was 4th -6th were less likely (AOR 0.24, CI: 0.090.62) to deliver at health facility.ConclusionsEarly initiation of ANC and regularity in attendance should be emphasized. Health educations given to pregnant mothers should try to persuade the mothers that each pregnancy and ensuing delivery is unique. Empowering the community in general and women in particular by increasing the level of participation in education might payoff in high level of facility delivery.

Socio‐demographic drivers and public perceptions of consumption and conservation of Asian horseshoe crabs in northern Beibu Gulf, China

Abstract Overharvesting Asian horseshoe crabs for food is a primary threat to their populations. In the present study, 451 residents were interviewed from the northern Beibu Gulf, the coastal area that is believed to accommodate the highest density of the Chinese horseshoe crab Tachypleus tridentatus worldwide, to obtain baseline information on their consumption behaviour and underlying drivers. Based on the survey data, it is estimated that a mean individual consumption rate of ten meals per year. Nearly half of the respondents (49.7%) claimed that they had previously eaten at least two horseshoe crab meals. Among the six occupation categories (managers, professionals, workers, environmental‐related workers, fishers and farmers, and students), fishers and farmers were identified as the group that had eaten a significantly higher number of horseshoe crab meals, had consumed them more frequently, and had a greater intention of eating them than that of students. The age, education level, and salary of participants were the important socio‐demographic variables related to their consumption behaviour. More than one‐third of respondents decided to consume horseshoe crabs because they perceived them as tasty ‘seafood’ and valuable ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine. Eighty‐three per cent of participants reported an overall decrease in the number of horseshoe crabs in the region. Although the community was supportive towards horseshoe crab conservation, their ecological knowledge of horseshoe crabs was limited. The findings may be useful for providing insights to merge the gap between scientific data and management planning for the horseshoe crab population in the region. Conservation management initiatives, such as the involvement of fishers in monitoring and enforcement, developing a reporting system for landings and by‐catch, and implementing long‐term conservation education through the school curriculum could promote the protection and management of the population.

Knowledge and Attitudes Regarding Health Education among Sample of Iraqi Patients Attending Primary Health Care Centers

Background: Health education was put as one of the components of primary health care elements and was recognized as a fundamental tool to the attainment of health for all
 Objective: To evaluate the Knowledge, attitude regarding health education & to find out if there is any association between the gathered data and certain variables (age, gender, educational level, occupation). Methods: A Cross-sectional study done at Al Mustansyryia Primary Health Care Center from the 1st of January to 1st of May 2016. All patients attending the Primary Health Care Centers who were above 18 years of age and willing to participate in the research (303) were included in the sample, data was collected by structured questionnaire, & then introduced into Statistical Package for the Social Sciences,V.17 for statistical analysis. Chi-square test was computed for significance of difference, and P < 0.05 was considered significant
 Results: The highest group of age was (18-30) years old, (51.5%) were male, (35.3%) of participants are of high school education. The participants had good knowledge about health education. There was a significant association regarding knowledge, with ages and educational levels of participants, with no association regarding the gender and occupation. There was no association regarding attitude with these variables. Most of the of participants showed positive attitudes about health education as a practice
 Conclusion: The participants had good knowledge about health education, and positive attitude.

Student engagement as predictor of xMOOC completion: An analysis from five courses on energy sustainability

MOOC are characterized as being courses to which a large number of students enroll, but only a small fraction completes them. An understanding of students' engagement construct is essential to minimize dropout rates. This research is of a quantitative design and exploratory in nature, and investigates the interaction between contextual factors (demographic characteristics), student engagement types (academic, behavioral, cognitive and affective), and learning outcomes, with the objective of identifying the factors that are associated with completion of massive and open online courses. Two logistic models were adjusted in two samples, general and secondary, with the binary dependent variable defined as completes the course yes/no. The results in the general sample (15% completion rate) showed that the probabilities of a participant completing the course are positively and significantly related to participation in the forum and the participant educational level, and negatively related to gender (female) and age. The results in the secondary sample (87% completion rate) showed that the probabilities of a participant completing the course are positively and significantly related to participation in the forum, gender (female), and the motivation and satisfaction indexes, and negatively related to age, having previous experience in other MOOC, and self-efficacy and task strategies indexes. The results lead to ideas on how these variables can be used to support students to persist in these learning environments.

Validation of a Digitally Displayed Photographic Food Portion Size Estimation Aid Among Women in Urban and Rural Malawi (P13-012-19)

ObjectivesEasy-to-use tools to facilitate portion size estimation in low-income countries are needed. The objective of this study was to validate digitally displayed photographic portion size estimation aids (PSEAs) against a weighed meal record and compare findings with an atlas of printed photographic PSEAs and actual prepared food PSEAs in a low-income country. MethodsIn Blantyre and Chikwawa Districts, Malawi, we enrolled 300 women 18–45 years of age equally divided by urban/rural residence and years of education (≤4 years and >4 years). Participants served themselves water and five prepared foods, which were weighed separately before the meal and again after the meal to measure any leftovers. Participants returned the following day and completed a meal recall. They estimated the quantities of foods consumed three times using the different PSEAs in a randomized order. ResultsResponses for digital and printed PSEAs were highly correlated (>91% agreement for all foods, Cohen’s κ = 0.78–0.93). Overall, digital and actual-food PSEAs had a similar level of agreement with the weighed meal record at the group level. The proportion of participants who estimated within 20% of the weighed grams of food consumed ranged by type of food from 30–45% for digital PSEAs and 40–56% for actual food PSEAs. Digital PSEAs consistently underestimated grams and nutrients across foods, whereas actual-food PSEAs provided a mix of under- and overestimates that balanced each other to produce accurate mean energy and nutrient intake estimates. Results did not differ by urban and rural location or participant education level. ConclusionsDigital PSEAs require further testing in low-income settings to improve accuracy of estimations because they offer several logistical advantages over other PSEAs. Funding SourcesRTI International.

Exposure to potentially traumatic events in young Swiss men: associations with socio-demographics and mental health outcomes (alcohol use disorder, major depression and suicide attempts)

ABSTRACT Background and objective: The aims of this study were to estimate the lifetime and 12-month prevalence of exposure to potentially traumatic events (PTEs) in young men in Switzerland and to assess factors and mental health outcomes associated with such events. Method: Data were drawn from the Cohort Study on Substance Use Risk Factors (C-SURF), encompassing 5,223 young men. Exposure to PTEs was assessed using the Post-traumatic Diagnostic Scale (PDS), Trauma History Questionnaire (THQ) and Life Event Checklist (LEC). Results: Lifetime prevalence of PTEs was 59.4%, with 37.3% reporting multiple types of events. Twelve-month prevalence was 31.2%, with 12.7% reporting multiple types of events. Low education level of participants, high maternal education, family affluence below average, and not living with biological parents were associated with a higher risk of having experienced one or more PTEs in one’s lifetime. Low education level of participants and high maternal education were also related to exposure to one or more PTEs over the past 12 months. Logistic regression analyses demonstrated that PTE exposure was directly associated with all assessed mental health outcomes. The strongest relationship was found between exposure to multiple types of PTEs and suicide attempts (adjusted OR 4.9 [95% CI: 2.9–8.4]). Conclusions: These results indicate that having experienced one or multiple types of PTEs is common in Swiss young men. Efforts should be intensified to reduce exposure to PTEs and prevent and treat resulting problematic mental health outcomes in young adults.

Building financial management capacity for community ownership of development initiatives in rural Zambia.

SummaryBackgroundBuilding financial management capacity is increasingly important in low‐ and middle‐income countries to help communities take ownership of development activities. Yet, many community members lack financial knowledge and skills.MethodsWe designed and conducted financial management trainings for 83 members from 10 community groups in rural Zambia. We conducted pre‐training and post‐training tests and elicited participant feedback. We conducted 28 in‐depth interviews over 18 months and reviewed financial records to assess practical application of skills.ResultsThe training significantly improved knowledge of financial concepts, especially among participants with secondary education. Participants appreciated exercises to contextualize financial concepts within daily life and liked opportunities to learn from peers in small groups. Language barriers were a particular challenge. After trainings, sites successfully adhered to the principles of financial management, discussing the benefits they experienced from practicing accountability, transparency, and accurate recordkeeping.ConclusionFinancial management trainings need to be tailored to the background and education level of participants. Trainings should relate financial concepts to more tangible applications and provide time for active learning. On‐site mentorship should be considered for a considerable time. This training approach could be used in similar settings to improve community oversight of resources intended to strengthen developmental initiatives.

Racial differences in the association between early socioeconomic position, birth weight, and arterial stiffness in adults from ELSA-Brasil

PurposeWe investigated the association between social and nutritional adversities in childhood and increased arterial stiffness in adulthood, according to race/skin color. MethodsWe used baseline data (2008–2010) from 13,365 adults (aged 34–75 years) from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil). Arterial stiffness was assessed by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV). Childhood social and nutritional adversities were assessed by maternal education and birth weight. Race/skin color was self-reported. ResultsThe lower the maternal education, the higher the cfPWV in adulthood in Whites, Browns, and Blacks. This association was no longer significant after adjusting for the participant's education level in Whites, but it persisted after full adjustment among Browns (low vs. high maternal education: β = 0.18, 95% confidence interval: 0.01; 0.34) and Blacks (low vs. high maternal education: β = 0.44, 95% confidence interval: 0.18; 0.70). On the other hand, the association between low birth weight and higher cfPWV was found only among Whites. ConclusionsOur findings regarding the association between maternal education and arterial stiffness are consistent with the disproportionate burden of cardiovascular disease-related morbidity and mortality in Blacks and Browns. The fact that the association between birth weight and arterial stiffness was only present in Whites may have reflected a survival bias.

Malaria prevention practices and associated environmental risk factors in a rural community in Wakiso district, Uganda.

BackgroundBesides use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS), other complimentary measures including suitable housing structures, and environmental management that reduce breeding of malaria vectors, can be implemented at households to prevent the disease. However, most studies on malaria prevention have focused mainly on ITNs and IRS. The aim of this study was therefore to assess malaria prevention practices beyond ITNs and IRS, and associated environmental risk factors including housing structure in rural Wakiso district, Uganda.MethodsA clustered cross-sectional survey was conducted among 727 households in Wakiso district. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire and observational checklist. The questionnaire assessed participants’ household practices on malaria prevention, whereas the checklist recorded environmental risk factors for malaria transmission, and structural condition of houses. Poisson regression modeling was used to identify factors associated with use of mosquito nets by households.ResultsOf the 727 households, 471 (64.8%) owned at least one mosquito net. Use of mosquito nets by households was higher with increasing education level of participants—primary (aPR = 1.27 [95% CI: 1.00–1.60]), secondary (ordinary level) (aPR = 1.47 [95% CI: 1.16–1.85]) and advanced level / tertiary (aPR = 1.55 [95% CI: 1.19–2.01]), and higher household income (aPR = 1.09 [95% CI: 1.00–1.20]). Additionally, participants who were not employed were less likely to have mosquito nets used in their households (aPR = 0.83 [95% CI: 0.70–0.98]). Houses that had undergone IRS in the previous 12 months were 42 (5.8%), while 220 (43.2%) households closed their windows before 6.00 pm. Environmental risk factors found at households included presence of vessels that could potentially hold water for mosquito breeding 414 (56.9%), and stagnant water in compounds 144 (19.8%). Several structural deficiencies on houses that could promote entry of mosquitoes were found such as lack of screening in ventilators 645 (94.7%), and external doors not fitting perfectly into walls hence potential for mosquito entry 305 (42.0%).ConclusionThere is need to increase coverage and utilisation of ITNs and IRS for malaria prevention in Wakiso district, Uganda. In addition, other malaria prevention strategies such as environmental management, and improving structural condition of houses are required to strengthen existing malaria prevention approaches.