Perceptions Of Safety Research Articles

Longitudinal evaluation of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in the United States: analysis of the US Census Household Pulse survey

Addressing the challenge of vaccine hesitancy is crucial in managing public health crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. This study leverages the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey to examine COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, with a specific focus on the longitudinal tracking of vaccination beliefs and the influence of varying risk perceptions. It investigates how public attitudes towards vaccines evolve, influenced by changing perceptions of COVID-19 risk and vaccine safety. By applying Secondary Risk Theory (SRT), the research elucidates the relationship between different risk perceptions and vaccine hesitancy. We find that threat perception of COVID-19 and lack of trust in the vaccine demonstrate strong predictive value of increased vaccine hesitancy in comparison to other reasons for hesitancy such as access to vaccines, vaccine efficacy beliefs, or perceived secondary risks about vaccine side effects. Respondents with very low primary threat beliefs that COVID-19 is not a threat were 5.65 times more likely (β = 1.732) to intend not to be vaccinated in January 2021, decreasing to 2.70 times more likely to avoid vaccination (β = 0.995) in the December 2021.

Evaluating the impact of road lighting on pedestrian reassurance through the day-dark approach

A field study in the urban area of Ljubljana, Slovenia, explored the impact of variations in lighting parameters on pedestrian perceptions of safety, visual comfort and risk. Utilising the day-dark approach with 35 participants, this research evaluates differences in perception under daytime and after dark (but with road lighting) environments to determine the optimal lighting conditions. The results suggested that a minimum horizontal illuminance of 1.8 lx, corresponding to a day-dark differential of 0.5 on a 5-point scale, and a minimum luminance of about 0.15 cd m−2 were optimal for perceived safety and comfort. The results suggest that minimum illuminance provided a more effective predictor of pedestrian reassurance than did the other lighting parameters considered.

Efficacy and Controversies Surrounding Electroconvulsive Therapy for Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Literature Review

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) remains a vital treatment option for individuals with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Despite its historical stigma, controversy, and limited accessibility, ECT has been demonstrated to be beneficial and effective in severe cases of depressive disorders, where medication fails to produce results. It has been utilized since 1938 as a therapeutic technique for various psychiatric disorders, often used as an alternative to chemically induced seizures. The public’s perspectives on ECT hold significance as they can shape attitudes toward patients undergoing this therapy and the discrimination associated with receiving ECT. Additionally, the perspectives of patients who may benefit from ECT and those who are already undergoing treatment are crucial as they can influence treatment decisions and consent processes. This literature review examines the efficacy and controversies surrounding ECT in the management of TRD. Studies assessing the effectiveness of ECT in TRD, along with associated adverse effects and ethical considerations, are reviewed. Additionally, the role of ECT in contemporary psychiatric practice and its comparison with alternative treatments for TRD are discussed. The review highlights the complex interplay between clinical efficacy, safety, patient preferences, and societal perceptions in shaping the utilization of ECT in the treatment of TRD.

Applying causal inference and Bayesian statistics to understanding vaccine safety signals using a simulation study

Community perception of vaccine safety influences vaccine uptake. Our objective was to assess current vaccine safety monitoring by examining factors that may influence the availability of post-vaccination survey data, and thereby the specificity and sensitivity of existing signal detection methods. We used causal directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) and a Bayesian posterior predictive analysis (PPA) signal detection method to understand biological and behavioural factors which may influence signal detection. The DAGs informed the data simulated for scenarios in which these factors were varied. The influence of biological factors such as severity of adverse reactions and behavioural factors such as healthcare-seeking behaviour upon survey participation was found to drive signal detection. Where there was a low prevalence of moderate to severe reactions, false signals were detected when there was a strong influence of reaction severity on both survey participation and seeking medical attention. These findings provide implications for future vaccine safety monitoring.

How was your Crossing Experience? Development of a Pedestrian Satisfaction with Unsignalized Crossings Scale

Unsignalized pedestrian crossing accommodations can improve pedestrian safety, yet their quality of service for pedestrians remains understudied. The present study explored whether and how pedestrians’ satisfaction with crossing unsignalized crossings varied according to the type of crossing accommodation used, that is, the rectangular rapid-flashing beacon (RRFB) with median island, median island alone, marked crosswalk, and unmarked crosswalk. The research team collected intercept survey and video observation data from 358 pedestrians across a total of 40 sites in two different cities. Structural equation models illustrated how pedestrians’ crossing-oriented satisfaction was shaped by their positive perceptions of safety and low levels of delay in the act of crossing the street. Crossing satisfaction also varied by unsignalized crossing accommodation type. Pedestrians perceived RRFBs with medians and median islands by themselves as comparably safer, more time efficient, and thus more satisfying than marked crosswalks without RRFBs or raised medians or at unmarked crosswalks. These findings could inform efforts to provide higher quality of service to pedestrians.

What would affect drivers’ stop-and-go decisions at yellow dilemma zones? A driving simulator study in Hong Kong

Yellow dilemma, at which a driver can neither stop nor go safely after the onset of yellow signals, is one of the major crash contributory factors at the signal junctions. Studies have visited the yellow dilemma problem using observation surveys. Factors including road environment, traffic conditions, and driver characteristics that affect the driver behaviours are revealed. However, it is rare that the joint effects of situational and attitudinal factors on the driver behaviours at the yellow dilemma zone are considered. In this study, drivers’ propensity to stop after the onset of yellow signals is examined using the driving simulator approach. For instances, the association between driver propensity, socio-demographics, safety perception, traffic signals, and traffic and weather conditions are measured using a binary logit model. Additionally, variations in the effect of influencing factors on driver behaviours are accommodated by adding the interaction terms for driver characteristics, traffic flow characteristics, traffic signals, and weather conditions. Results indicate that weather conditions, traffic volume, position of yellow dilemma in the sequence, driver age and safety perception significantly affect the drivers’ propensity to stop after the onset of yellow signals. Furthermore, there are remarkable interactions for the effects of driver gender and location of yellow dilemma.

School Perceptions and Attendance for Children With Medical Complexity During COVID-19 Over Time.

Disparities in school attendance exist for children with medical complexity (CMC) due to COVID-19. Longitudinal changes in family-reported school safety perceptions and predictors of full-time, in-person school attendance are unknown. This was a prospective, longitudinal cohort study with 3 survey waves (June 2021-June 2022) among English- and Spanish-speaking families of CMC aged 5 to 17 years and pre-pandemic school attendance. Changes in Health Belief Model perceptions and full-time in-person school attendance were estimated using multivariate generalized linear modeling with repeated measures. Among 1601 respondents (52.9% of 3073 invited), 86.8% participated in all 3 surveys. School safety perceptions improved with time; however, perceived susceptibility to COVID-19 increased. Full-time in-person school attendance rose from 48.4% to 90.0% from wave 1 to 3 (p < .0001), and was associated with motivation, benefits, and cues. For example, families with low compared to high motivation for in-person attendance had 76% versus 98% predicted probability for child's school attendance, respectively at wave 3 (p < .0001). Probability of full-time in-person school attendance was associated with several health belief model perceptions. School health policy and programs may benefit from promoting family motivation, benefits, and cues during future respiratory illness epidemics including COVID-19. In-person school attendance improved for CMC over time. Opportunities exist to continue optimizing in-person attendance and family-perceived safety for CMC at school.

Interdisciplinary teaching squares enhance reflection and collegiality: A collaborative pedagogical approach

AimTo explore the experiences of interdisciplinary Higher Educational Academics within Nursing, Midwifery, Pharmacy and Biomedical Science in the use of teaching squares as a formative, collaborative pedagogical tool to promote reflection. BackgroundOne approach to enhancing academic teaching practice involves the provision of feedback to individual academics. This approach can be challenging for the reviewer, hence other less intimidating approaches are popular. One such approach is the teaching square. In this approach typically 4 other teaching staff are involved in observing their peers’ teaching methods (synchronous or asynchronous) and then engaging in a cycle of personal reflection. Reflection on teaching practices of their peers can provide opportunity to improve their own teaching. Typically teaching squares involve participants from the same academic discipline, however, in this study participants from related yet different disciplines were purposely connected and the benefits of this approach assessed. DesignA qualitative descriptive design was used to explore the participants’ experiences of undertaking interdisciplinary teaching squares through online questionnaires and focus group feedback opportunities. MethodsThis study was undertaken between August 2022 to June 2023 at an Australian university. Sixteen academic staff members from Nursing, Midwifery, Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical science and Biological science expressed an interest in the project. Five participants elected not to continue citing time pressures and 11 staff members participated in the project. Participation involved completing the teaching square experience and a subsequent focus group that were held to explore their experiences of undertaking a teaching square. The demographic survey data were presented and the focus group interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed thematically. ResultsTriangulation of the findings resulted in the identification of four main themes: Teaching squares for professional networks; Perceptions of Safety; Stepping in and out of a reflective cycle; and Time Constraints vs. Time Value. ConclusionsThe study aimed to explore the effectiveness of teaching squares in encouraging academic reflection on teaching and fostering a collaborative teaching culture within interdisciplinary higher education academics. An unexpected finding was the value and promotion of interdisciplinarity professional relationships and networks. The findings from this research project offer valuable insights into the benefits of adopting teaching squares in health education and contributes to evidence-based pedagogical practices.

Children’s access to urban greenspace: a survey of factors and measures

ABSTRACT Access to greenspace impacts children’s physical, social, and mental health. Numerous factors affect children’s access to urban greenspaces, often distinct from those affecting the general population, including parental restrictions, limited routine activity-space, and particular preferences. Most accessibility measures, however, employ the same principles for children and the general population, and a comprehensive exploration of factors and corresponding measures remains lacking. We conduct a scoping review and workshops with researchers and practitioners to identify factors affecting children’s access to greenspace, synthesize them into a conceptual model, and assess how existing accessibility measures address these factors. We focus on children aged 6–11 years old. Our analysis indicates children’s access involves a trade-off between reachability, determined by the route connecting the child’s starting setting to greenspace, and attractiveness, determined by how the greenspaces adhere to the child’s, and their companions’, preferences and motivations for visiting. Safety perceptions are important throughout. Existing accessibility measures predominantly emphasize reachability, neglecting personal characteristics and motivations. Based on our findings, we propose future directions for developing child-centered accessibility metrics. Our overview of metrics can facilitate decision-making in the selection of suitable measures, while our conceptual model can foster shared understanding of factors affecting children’s access to urban greenspace.

Acceptability of CYLTEZO pen among biologics autoinjector patients, autoinjector Naïve patients, and healthcare professionals

ABSTRACT Background Cyltezo® (Adalimumab-adbm) is an FDA-approved interchangeable biosimilar for Humira® (adalimumab reference product [RP]) that helps treat chronic inflammatory conditions. Adalimumab-adbm is administered via an autoinjector, the adalimumab-adbm pen. This study assessed user opinions related to usability, perceptions, convenience, safety features, and acceptability of the adalimumab-adbm pen. Methods 98 Humira Pen users, 100 biologics pen naïve patients, and 99 health care professionals simulated use of the adalimumab-adbm pen on injection pads. Opinions were captured with a validated questionnaire using Likert-type scales during moderated interviews. Binomial tests were conducted for top-two ratings percentages. Results Nearly 90% of participants found the adalimumab-adbm pen ‘easy’ or ‘very easy’ to use, handle, and learn how to use. Almost 90% of volunteers thought the pen was ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ solid and convenient to use at home. Around 80% found the pen to be ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ comfortable. Over 90% of respondents said they would be ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied’ with the safety features and the device itself. Nearly 90% of respondents indicated being ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ open to adopting the adalimumab-adbm pen. Conclusions The adalimumab-adbm pen provided users with a positive experience with features that benefit perceptions of usability, handling, safety, convenience, and acceptability.

Hazard versus Risk in Perceptions of Food Safety: The Case of Titanium Dioxide

Hazard versus Risk in Perceptions of Food Safety: The Case of Titanium Dioxide

Effect of Shi-Style Steaming and Bathing Decoction in Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis: Study Protocol for a Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial.

To prove more accurately that Chinese herbal bath therapy may be a safe, effective, simple alternative treatment modality for knee OA, we designed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to explore the effectiveness of SSBD for the relief of pain, daily activities, and quality of life in patients with knee OA. A single-center, 52-week, randomized controlled trial of SSBD versus placebo is being performed. A total of 200 patients with symptomatic knee OA will be randomly allocated to the SSBD treatment or placebo intervention group for 4 weeks. The two groups of patients are allowed to steam and bathe their knees once every other day, using one packet of SSBD each time, for 30 minutes, 3 times a week, for a total of 4 weeks. The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain subscale at 4 weeks is the primary outcome measure, and the secondary outcomes include WOMAC stiffness and function scores, the Lysholm knee scale score, quality of life, the Brief Pain Inventory score, the Patient's Global Impressions of Improvement Scale score and the Clinical Global Impressions of Severity scale score. The safety of the herbal medications will also be evaluated. We will discuss whether SSBD has greater advantages in terms of efficacy, safety, and patient overall perception than does placebo control in middle-aged and elderly patients with knee OA. The findings may provide new and valuable information about the efficacy and safety of Chinese herbal bath therapy in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis.

Focused Team Engagements to Enhance Interprofessional Collaboration and Safety Behaviors among Novice Nurses and Medical Residents.

Team communication remains a challenge in hospital settings. Hospital-based teams are diverse, team composition changes daily, and team members are frequently not co-located. Novice nurses and medical residents entering the workforce during the coronavirus 2019 pandemic experienced higher communication challenges than before and lacked adequate opportunities for interprofessional learning and communication. We evaluated perceptions of safety and communication among novice nurses and medical residents after a 1-hour focused team engagement consisting of an interprofessional virtual simulation and debrief. We conducted a retrospective pre/post survey to measure perceptions of interprofessional collaboration using the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale. Sixty-eight pediatric nurse residents and medical residents participated in the survey. Overall, the focused team engagements significantly improve participants' perceptions of interprofessional collaboration, with participants showing statistically significant improvement in seven of nine retrospective pre/post survey questions. When analyzing by discipline, nurse residents show stronger gains than medical residents. The interprofessional structured debriefings encourage nurses and medical residents to collaborate and discuss important safety topics away from bedside stressors. After completing the virtual simulation, the outcomes show improved perceptions of interprofessional collaboration and enhanced knowledge of safety techniques.

Validation in the Greek Language of the Patients' Perception of the Surgical Safety Questionnaire.

Introduction Adverse events in the operating room are considered unintended injuries or harm caused by healthcare rather than the patient's disease, leading to death, disability, or prolonged hospital stays. Methods A cross-sectional design was conducted following the random sampling method, on 200 surgical patients. A self-completed questionnaire was used, translated, and adapted into the Greek language. Results Most of the sample (57%) was male. The mean age was 67 years, and52% were elementary school graduates. Uponanalysis, significant correlations were observed between the two-administration (p<0.001) facts (intraclass correlation coefficient= 0.567), which reveal that the scale is stable through time.In addition, Cronbach's alpha had a value of 0.824 suggesting good internal consistency of the scale. Regarding the subscale, the first factor "safety regarding surgical procedure" was found 0.847, the second factor "effective communication and understanding" was 0.792, and finally the third factor "emotional security" was 0.506. A statistically significant difference found between the dimensions of safety in the operating room and the age of the patients was in the factor of emotional security, revealing that patients aged more than 70 were feeling more secure compared to younger patients (198) = 2.374, p=0.019. Conclusions The internal consistency of the Patients' Perspectives of Surgical Safety Scale (PPSS), weighted in a sample of the Greek population, is deemed satisfactory. The safety perceptions of surgical patients are at high levels.

Cyberbullying: Risk Factors for Victimization in Rural Schools and the Influence of School Climate.

This study evaluated the prevalence rates and risk factors for cyberbullying victimization and perpetration among 7th-12th grade students (n = 3,396) enrolled in 22 public school districts across Southern Illinois. Risk factors included victimization by traditional bullying, gender identity, cell phone use, and social media usage. We also examined perceptions of school climate and safety. We observed that traditional bullying victimization, gender identity, and social media usage predicted cyberbullying victimization. Similarly, perceptions of school climate and safety were significantly and positively correlated with cyberbullying victimization. In turn, perceptions of school climate and safety predicted cyberbullying perpetration. Rurality was a factor uniquely related to perpetration. Specifically, students from non-rural schools reported higher levels of cyberbullying perpetration than did students from rural schools. Our results underscore the need for intervention and prevention programs to focus on all forms of bullying and parental monitoring of social media accounts.

Active travel, public transport and the built environment in youth: Interactions with perceived safety, distance to school, age and gender

IntroductionThis study examined interactive effects of the built environment, perceived safety, age and gender on active travel and public transport use among adolescents for school journeys. MethodThis study used cross-sectional data from 440 adolescents (mean age 15.4 ± 1.5 years, 58% girls) in Melbourne, Australia. Adolescents self-reported their school travel modes, perceptions of traffic and personal safety. Exclusive active travel and public transport use to/from school were determined. Objective built environment features around home and school (1 km buffer) were generated. Multilevel logistic regression was used to estimate main and interactive associations. ResultsOverall, 18% travelled exclusively by active travel and 32% by public transport. Distance to school was negatively associated with exclusive active school travel (OR = 0.44, 95%CI: 0.34, 0.56). Distance to school moderated the association between some built environment attributes (land use mix, residential density around home, distance to public transport stops) and odds of active school travel. There was a positive association between residential density around school and active school travel among those who perceived their traffic environment to be safer. Boys were more likely than girls to use public transport if they lived further from school. A negative association between distance to a public transport stop from home and the odds of public transport use was observed among those who perceived their environment to be less safe. ConclusionThe findings highlight the complexity of influences on mode choice for the school journey. Distance to school remains one of the most important predictors of active travel/public transport use. Supportive built environment attributes, such as a diverse mix of land use around home had facilitating effects on active travel among adolescents who lived closer to school. Multilevel interventions that target both the environment and perceived safety are needed to promote active travel and public transport use among adolescents.

Considering Race in Teacher Well-Being

Despite evidence that teachers’ professional experiences are racialized, few studies have quantitatively examined possible racial disparities in teachers’ job satisfaction. Using data from a nationally representative survey of teachers in the United States, we find that Black teachers report significantly lower job satisfaction than their White colleagues. Moreover, we find that teacher perceptions of school safety are the primary predictor of this gap in job satisfaction. We argue that centralizing race and racialized experiences in consideration of teacher job satisfaction will open new sites of inquiry in educational research and can guide educational policy to promote equity in K–12 schools.

Could breaks reduce general practitioner burnout and improve safety? A daily diary study.

Rates of burnout are currently at record high levels, and GPs experience higher burnout than many other specialties. Organisational interventions may reduce burnout, but few studies have investigated these in primary care. The current study investigated whether breaks, both with and without social interactions, were associated with burnout and patient safety perceptions in GPs. A within-subjects, interval contingent, quantitative daily diary design. UK GP practices. Participants completed questionnaires at baseline measuring demographic variables, burnout and patient safety perceptions. They then completed a questionnaire in the evening each day for a week which captured whether they had taken a break that day, whether it involved a positive social interaction, burnout (comprising subscales of disengagement and exhaustion), positive and negative affect and patient safety perceptions. The data were analysed using hierarchical linear modelling to assess same-day and next-day associations. We included 241 responses from 58 GPs for analysis. Taking at least one break (involving any or no social interactions) was associated with lower disengagement that day and lower exhaustion the next day. Taking at least one break involving a positive interaction was associated with 1) lower disengagement, exhaustion, overall burnout and negative affect on the same day, as well as higher positive affect and improved perceptions of patient safety, and 2) lower exhaustion and improved patient safety perceptions on the next day. Organizing daily team or practice breaks where staff can socialise may help to reduce burnout and improve perceptions of patient safety.

Impact of social and environmental factors on child safety in gated vs. conventional areas

Gated communities are perceived as safer for children, yet they still raise concerns among parents regarding safety, security measures, play areas, and social cohesion. Developing a truly child-friendly environment requires creating safe and well-maintained spaces, but empirical research on these issues remains limited. This study investigates factors influencing parents’ perceptions of child safety, focusing on social cohesion, disorder, territoriality, and natural surveillance in both gated and conventional communities. Structured interviews were conducted with 118 residents from Al-Mafraq, Jordan, comparing perceptions in a gated community and a conventional district. The methodology combined quantitative analysis of survey data with qualitative insights from interviews. The results revealed that perceived social cohesion and disorder significantly affect parents’ perceptions of child safety in both types of communities (p &lt; 0.05). Conversely, territoriality showed no significant relationship (p &gt; 0.05), while natural surveillance significantly influenced perceptions in conventional communities but not in gated communities (p &lt; 0.05). These findings underscore the importance of social and environmental factors in shaping safety perceptions and highlight the need for urban planning strategies to enhance child safety across different community settings.

Associations of perceptions of patient safety culture, job crafting, and perceptions of patient rounding with patient safety management activities among tertiary hospital nurses

Associations of perceptions of patient safety culture, job crafting, and perceptions of patient rounding with patient safety management activities among tertiary hospital nurses