Phone Service Research Articles

Help-seeker expectations and outcomes of a crisis support service: Comparison of suicide-related and non-suicide-related contacts to lifeline Australia.

Lifeline Australia aims to prevent suicide and support community members in personal crisis via the provision of free anonymous telephone, online chat and text message services. This study aimed to identify the expectations and outcomes of Lifeline help-seekers, including whether there are differences between suicide-related and non-suicide-related contacts. Help-seekers (N=553) who had previously contacted Lifeline via telephone, online chat, or text message crisis services were recruited via social media and a link provided after Lifeline service use, who completed an online survey about their awareness, expectations and outcomes of Lifeline's services. The responses from help-seekers who self-reported suicide-related and non-suicide-related reasons for contact were compared. Participants were highly aware of Lifeline's services, particularly the phone service. The main expectations of all help-seekers were to feel heard and listened to, feel less upset and feel understood. There were 59.5% of the sample that reported suicidality as a reason for contact. Suicide-related contacts endorsed more reasons for contact than non-suicide-related contacts. Expectations of suicide-related help-seekers were greater, but they were less likely to report that their expectations were met. The high expectations and complexity of suicide-related contacts reveal the challenges in meeting the needs of this high-priority group, particularly within the context of the multiple demands on crisis support services.

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Barriers, Facilitators and Unmet Need Among Rural People Who Inject Drugs: A Qualitative Examination of Syringe Service Program Client Perspectives.

BackgroundPeople who inject drugs (PWID) are at high risk for HIV infection, yet in rural areas PWID are understudied with respect to prevention strategies. Kentucky is notable for heavy rural HIV burden and increasing rates of new HIV diagnoses attributable to injection drug use. Despite high need and the strong evidence for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) as a gold-standard biomedical HIV prevention tool, scale up has been limited among PWID in Kentucky and elsewhere. This paper explores individual, environmental, and structural barriers and facilitators of PrEP care from the perspective of PWID in rural Kentucky.MethodsData are drawn from an ongoing NIH-funded study designed to adapt and integrate a PrEP initiation intervention for high-risk PWID at point of care in two rural syringe service programs (SSPs) in southeastern Kentucky. As part of this initiative, a qualitative study guided by PRISM (Practical, Robust, Implementation, and Sustainability Model) was undertaken to gather SSP client perspectives on intervention needs related to PrEP, competing needs related to substance use disorder, as well as tangible supports for and barriers to PrEP uptake. Recruitment and interviews were conducted during September-November 2021 with 26 SSP clients, 13 from each of the two SSP sites. A semi-structured guide explored injection behaviors, SSP use, knowledge of PrEP, perceived barriers to PrEP, as well as aspects of the risk environment (e.g., housing instability, community stigma) that may impact PrEP uptake. Interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim and verified by project staff. A detailed coding scheme was developed and applied by independent coders using NVivo. Coded transcripts were synthesized to identify salient themes in the data using the principles of thematic analysis All study procedures were approved by the University IRB.ResultsParticipants were 96% white, 42% female, with a median age of 41 years (range 21–62); all reported injection use within the past month. Overall, we found low PrEP awareness among this sample, yet interest in PrEP was high, with several indicating PrEP is urgently needed. Clients reported overwhelmingly positive experiences at the SSPs, considering them trusted and safe locations to receive health services, and were enthusiastic about the integration of co-located PrEP services. Lack of basic HIV and PrEP knowledge and health literacy were in evidence, which contributed to common misperceptions about personal risk for HIV. Situational risks related to substance use disorder, particularly in the context of withdrawal symptoms and craving, often lead to heightened HIV injection and sexual risk behaviors. Stigma related to substance use and HIV arose as a concern for PrEP uptake, with several participants reflecting that privacy issues would impact their preferences for education, prescribing and monitoring of PrEP. Noted tangible barriers included inconsistent access to phone service and transportation. Primary supports included high levels of insurance coverage, consistent pharmacy access, and histories with successful medication management for other health conditions.ConclusionsDrawing on the critical perspectives of people with substance use disorder, our findings provide important and actionable information on individual and environmental barriers and facilitators of PrEP uptake among rural PWID at high risk for HIV infection. These data will drive the adaptation and implementation of a client-centered approach to integrated PrEP care within rurally located SSP settings to address unmet needs for PrEP care.

Improving mental health care outcomes: the agile psychological medicine clinic

ABSTRACT Objective We hypothesised that providing evidence-based care to people presenting in crisis to three Emergency Departments and the 24/7 phone Psychiatric Triage Service in Victoria, Australia, would improve their clinical outcomes over time and experience of the adult mental health system. We tested this through a service prototype, the agile Psychological Medicine clinic. Method Descriptive statistics were used to understand the characteristics of people who presented in crisis. Patient journey maps were used to understand the impact of the system on the patient and assess whether they received the best clinical care over time. Insights from these analyses, and the evidence base, led to the development of the prototype. Using an open trial design, 194 patients received specialist treatment and effectiveness was measured through patient-reported outcome measures administered at initial and final appointments. Service utilisation was measured 12-months pre and post treatment. Results The agile Psychological Medicine clinic delivered value; outcomes significantly improved across psychological symptomology and behaviours. Reductions in emergency department presentations, phone triage calls and service costs resulted. Conclusions This innovative clinic demonstrated that access to front-end mental health treatment improves clinical outcomes, mitigates later complications and increases the prospects of keeping patients well over the longer term. KEY POINTS What is already known about this topic (1) Hospital emergency departments (EDs) can often be the initial point of care for people seeking immediate help for mental health crises. (2) Demand has increased, patient satisfaction has decreased and patients increasingly re-present in crisis. (3) Therapeutic alliance has been shown to be a robust predictor of treatment outcome. What this paper adds (1) Mental health care could be improved for those presenting in situational crises by bringing evidence-based treatment with a consistent clinician with whom they could form a therapeutic alliance (2) The agile Psychological Medicine clinic demonstrated that bringing specialist treatment to the front end of the system of care, improves clinical outcomes, mitigates later complications and increases the prospects of keeping patients well over the longer term. (3) Patients who engaged in treatment had a 37% reduction in ED presentations 12 months after therapeutic intervention resulting in significant cost savings. Abbreviations: aPM: agile Psychological Medicine; CATT: Crisis Assessment and Treatment Team; CBT: Cognitive behaviour therapy; CCT: Continuing Care Team; ECATT: Emergency Crisis Assessment and Treatment Team; ED: Emergency Department; PTS: Psychiatric Triage Service; SECASA: South Eastern Centre Against Sexual Assault

The Evolving Strategic CSR Practices in Africa: Exploring the Multidimensional Implications for Telecommunication Firms’ Outcomes in Nigeria

In developing African countries, a considerable body of knowledge exists about the evolving stages of corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices from mere philanthropic actions to damage control strategy, especially in the mining sector. However, little is known about the emerging strategic CSR as a competitive strategy particularly its dimensional outcomes among diverse sectors in the region. Applying a multidimensional perspective of corporate social responsibility activities, we explored how customers’ perception of a firm’s economic, legal, ethical, and social responsibility actions influence the firm’s product rating, consumer loyalty, and firms’ strategic legitimacy among telecoms subscribers in Nigeria. A probability sampling technique was used to select 126 subscribers with a proportionate representation of the five mobile phone service providers in Nigeria. From the collected data, descriptive statistics were applied to analyze the demographic profile of the participants while the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the hypotheses. Contrary to expectations, the outcomes suggest that consumer perception of telecoms firms’ economic responsibilities has no significant positive influence on the firms’ product rating, consumer loyalty, and the firms’ strategic legitimacy. Conversely, the outcomes support our propositions that the consumer perception of telecoms firms’ social, legal, and ethical responsibility actions has a significant positive influence on the firms’ product rating, consumer loyalty, and firms’ strategic legitimacy. The findings suggest the need for telecoms firms to focus on social, legal, and ethical responsibility dimensions as competitive strategies.

EFFECT OF CONSUMER BRAND ENGAGEMENT ON BRAND LOYALTY: CASE OF MOBILE PHONE SERVICES

The aim of the study is to determine the impact of each of these variables on brand loyalty (BLY) while also examining the drivers of consumer brand engagement (CBE) in the context of consumer involvement (CI), consumer participation (CP), and self-expressive brand (SEB). This study has been conducted in the mobile phone industry. The data were collected through questionnaires from the consumers of mobile phone service users in Pakistan. The online tool were use for the collection of data. The sample size of this study is 340. A quantitative research approach was applied. Smart PLS were used for analysis. The result shows that consumer involvement, consumer participation, and self-expression brands affect differently on CBE dimensions and brand loyalty. Additionally, CBE dimensions mediated the relationship between consumer involvement, consumer participation, self-expression brand, and brand loyalty. Future research and other consequences are discussed. Keywords Consumer brand engagement, consumer involvement, consumer participation, self-expressive brand, loyalty, mobile phone services.

Patient and provider predictors of telemental health use prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic within the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The current study examined patient and provider differences in use of phone, video, and in-person mental health (MH) services. Participants included patients who completed ≥ 1 MH appointment within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from 10/1/17-7/10/20 and providers who completed ≥ 100 VA MH appointments from 10/1/17-7/10/20. Adjusted odds ratios (aORs) are reported of patients and providers: (a) completing ≥1 video MH appointment in the pre-COVID (10/1/17-3/10/20) and COVID (3/11/20-7/10/20) periods; and (b) completing the majority of MH visits via phone, video, or in-person during COVID. The sample included 2,480,119 patients/31,971 providers in the pre-COVID period, and 1,054,670 patients/23,712 providers in the COVID period. During the pre-COVID and COVID periods, older patients had lower odds of completing ≥ 1 video visit (aORs < .65). During the COVID period, older age and low socioeconomic status predicted lower odds of having ≥ 50% of visits via video versus in-person or phone (aORs < .68); schizophrenia and MH hospitalization history predicted lower odds of having ≥ 50% of visits via video or phone versus in-person (aORs < . 64). During the pre-COVID and COVID periods, nonpsychologists (e.g., psychiatrists) had lower odds of completing video visits (aORs < . 44). Older providers had lower odds of completing ≥ 50% of visits via video during COVID (aORs <. 69). Findings demonstrate a digital divide, such that older and lower income patients, and older providers, engaged in less video care. Nonpsychologists also had lower video use. Barriers to use must be identified and strategies must be implemented to ensure equitable access to video MH services. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Very high radiofrequency radiation at Skeppsbron in Stockholm, Sweden from mobile phone base station antennas positioned close to pedestrians’ heads

In urban environment there is a constant increase of public exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields from mobile phone base stations. With the placement of mobile phone base station antennas radiofrequency hotspots emerge. This study investigates an area at Skeppsbron street in Stockholm, Sweden with an aggregation of base station antennas placed at low level close to pedestrians' heads. Detailed spatial distribution measurements were performed with 1) a radiofrequency broadband analyzer and 2) a portable exposimeter. The results display a greatly uneven distribution of the radiofrequency field with hotspots. The highest spatial average across all quadrat cells was 12.1 V m⁻1 (388 mW m⁻2), whereas the maximum recorded reading from the entire area was 31.6 V m⁻1 (2648 mW m⁻2). Exposimeter measurements show that the majority of exposure is due to mobile phone downlink bands. Most dominant are 2600 and 2100 MHz bands used by 4G and 3G mobile phone services, respectively. The average radiofrequency radiation values from the earlier studies show that the level of ambient RF radiation exposure in Stockholm is increasing. This study concluded that mobile phone base station antennas at Skeppsbron, Stockholm are examples of poor radiofrequency infrastructure design which brings upon highly elevated exposure levels to popular seaside promenade and a busy traffic street.

Abstract PO-182: Disaster severity experience and verbal abuse among gynecological cancer patients in Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and María

Abstract Objective: This study aimed to investigate stressors experienced as a result of hurricanes Irma and Maria among a sample of gynecologic (GYN) cancer patients in Puerto Rico (PR) and evaluate if the severity suffered was associated with verbal violence (VV) events during a year after the event. Methods: Secondary analysis of a retrospective cohort study that included 114 women aged ≥ 21 years, diagnosed with GYN cancer, who received oncology services in PR and reported to have a partner during the 12 months post-hurricanes. Participants completed an interview and the Conflict Tactics Scale 2 (CTS 2). Bayesian Exploratory Factor Analysis was performed to create the hurricane severity experience variable (HSE). The association between HSE and VV was evaluated through a logistic regression model. Results: In our study 26.32% of women reported VV within 12 months of the hurricanes, none of them had experienced VV before the event. Regarding hurricane-related stressors, 42.98% suffered house flooding, while 29.82% (phone service) and 31.25% (cellphone service) lost communication. Also, 21.93% lost water service for over 30 days and 21.05% lost power service for over 107.5 days (both over the median). In addition, 22.32% reported death of a close friend and 15.18% death of a family member. Stressors that contributed to form the HSE variable were health complications post-hurricane, loss of power, loss of water, death of a friend or family member, displacement, car flooding, physical injuries or illness after hurricanes, loss of debris and loss of garbage disposal service. No association was found between HSE and VV (RR=1.00, 95% CI=0.94, 1.06), nor each stressor evaluated separately as an independent variable. Adjusted analysis showed that for every unit increase in age, the probability of suffering VV decreased by 2% (RR=0.98, 0.97, 0.99). Conclusions: Our study evidences a high prevalence of VV and hurricane related stressors in this population of GYN cancer patients. Even though we did not evidence an association between HSE and VV in the study sample, cancer patients are vulnerable after disasters and recognizing the intersection they may experience with IPV, should be considered in disaster management and response plans, as well as within cancer control plans. Younger age can be a predictor of IPV. Thus, along with routine screening, physicians can enhance early identification of IPV victims in younger individuals and cancer patients. Citation Format: Lianeris Mariel Estremera-Rodriguez, Istoni da Luz-Sant'Ana, Liz Marie Martinez-Ocasio, Ana Patricia Ortiz-Martinez. Disaster severity experience and verbal abuse among gynecological cancer patients in Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricanes Irma and María [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Virtual Conference: 14th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2021 Oct 6-8. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022;31(1 Suppl):Abstract nr PO-182.

A survey on android mobile based application and its security

It is undeniable that the significance of mobile phones in our daily life and activities is endless. The reason for this is because the mobile phone is undergoing a huge transformation and is no longer the normal communication device of the past. It has become a huge concern for entities and industries alike due to the variety of incredible features and openings that mobile phones offer. This study sounds to explore the use of mobile phone services in educational settings, banking systems, irrigation facilities, women's safety, etc., and explore the nature of mobile use in today's society. This review talks about mobile phone applications and their challenges used by mobile internet users and various applications. Today, given the large number of mobile phones and users, the security of mobile applications is very important. Identifying these challenges will assist the industries to be ready for efficient mobile application development and enable them in the successful completion of mobile application development projects. It is recommended that practitioners would contribute more attention to the frequently mentioned challenges identified in academia and industry. In future, more empirical studies are needed to revise the existing studies with more diverse practitioners.

Abrogation of Article 370: A Look Back At Its Origin and Aftermath

This paper primarily focuses on the revocation of Article 370 by the Modi Government on 5th August 2019 by using Majoritarian power. In order to pre-empt any backlash, the authorities put the entire region under strict lockdown and imposed a complete communication blackout including suspension of internet, mobile and landline phone services. The abrogation of Article 370 turned out to be against the very spirit of the Indian constitution, principles of humanity and the democratic norms at a broader level. The mission of the abrogation of Article 370 was in fact mentioned in the manifesto of BJP since 1980. This paper is divided in two parts. In the first part this research paper will try to focus on the situation before the revocation of Article 370 of Indian Constitution which gave a special status to Jammu &amp; Kashmir state. In the second part this research paper deals with the effects of revoking this article 370 and the problems and prospects arising due to the change. This research paper addresses the issue through constitutional, social and political analysis of the facts and examines the challenges arising from the situation. This study is a critical and theoretical analysis to understand the actual myth and reality.

Feasibility and Acceptability of a Digital Health Intervention to Promote Continued Engagement in Medication for Opioid Use Disorder Following Release From Jail/Prison.

Background:Despite the extensive benefits of implementing Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) in jail/prison, criminal justice-involved populations face significant challenges when transitioning back to the community following a period of incarceration. These risk factors are associated with increased drug use and discontinuation of evidence-based care. Novel intervention strategies are needed to support this high-risk period of transition. The primary objective of this protocol was to gather perspectives from the target population to optimize feasibility and acceptability of a combined in-person and text message-delivered intervention designed to support community reentry and continuation of MOUD.Methods:Participants (n = 8), who had prior experience engaging in MOUD while in jail/prison, were recruited from an outpatient primary care clinic in Rhode Island. A semi-structured interview was conducted to assess barriers/facilitators to technology following release, experiences of community reentry and OUD treatment, perceptions of continuum of care, and feasibility/acceptability of the intervention. All interviews were coded independently by 2 research assistants.Results:Participants reacted positively toward an intervention designed to support the transition to community-based care. Most participants denied any apprehension about using this type of platform. Obtaining a cell phone following release was endorsed as generally viable; however, special consideration must be paid to the consistency of cell phone service as well as digital literacy. Participants readily agreed on the utility of structured, daily text messages that provide motivational reminders and distress tolerance skill suggestions as well as the opportunity to access “on-demand” support.Conclusion:Overall, individuals engaged in MOUD while in jail/prison were receptive to a motivational- and distress tolerance-based digital health intervention to support recovery. Incorporating thematic results on suggested structural changes may increase the usability of this intervention to promote continuation of MOUD following release from jail/prison.

Simulation of tourists’ wayfinding during evacuation based on experiments in Kyoto

Tourists are often more vulnerable than residents in sudden disaster situations due to lack of knowledge regarding evacuation routes and safe areas. To establish protocols and the schemes for tourist evacuation to safe areas, it is necessary to gather their likely behavior during an evacuation. Since there are few actual data available we conducted a VR (Virtual Reality) experiment assuming a sudden disaster situation and estimated tourists’ route choice based on the experiment. In the experiment pictures of intersection in the touristic Higashiyama area of Kyoto, Japan, where shown to participants and they could choose the direction they want to proceed until reaching an open space or designated shelter. As a result, we could quantify the impact of road width and, to some degree, network structure. The results reveal the tendency to select wide roads and to proceed straight. If the participants were put under time pressure these tendencies are intensified. Utilizing these results we constructed an evacuation simulation. We estimated the distribution and amount of tourists using data obtained from a mobile phone service provider. We conducted the simulation using VisWalk with various guidance situations and compared those results. The results illustrate potential capacity bottlenecks of designated shelter locations and the importance to provide route guidance and certain points in the network.

Discursive representation of the Article 370 abrogation: A comparative CDA of the headlines of two major Indian online news publications

The Indian government on 5 August, 2019, unilaterally removed Article 370 of its constitution that provided autonomous status to the disputed region of Jammu and Kashmir. In order to pre-empt any backlash, the authorities put the entire region under strict lockdown and imposed a complete communication blackout including suspension of internet, mobile, and landline phone services. The Indian media vociferously covered the issue of higher “national interest” with no counter-narrative from local news media in the region. Using Van Djik’s socio-cognitive model, the study conducted comparative critical discourse analysis of the headlines from two major Indian online news publications; the English daily The Times of India and the Hindi daily Dainik Jagran to identify the discursive strategies adopted by these newspapers after the revocation of the Article 370. The study aimed to understand how Indian newspapers were shaping the discourse when the Indian government imposed communication restrictions and lockdown in the region. Through CDA, the study located the discursive strategies in the headlines and the ideological standpoints they reflected while covering the Article 370 controversy. The CDA found that the headline discourse in both the news publications was characterized by aggressive nationalistic assertion reinforcing domestic legitimacy for the government’s decision. The analysis further showed substantial evidence for the cultural distances between the English and Hindi language news discourse. Unlike English headlines, the Hindi headlines contained explicit linguistic subjectivities and were overtly hyperbolic in recognizing and blending itself with the nationalist assertion and socio-political expression around the abrogation of Article 370.

Ecopedagogy in action: An example of engaging and connecting | Making a case for ecopedagogical writing programs in Nepal

of English Language Learning at Utah Valley University (UVU) explored issues of sustainability and resource management in connection with Capitol Reef National Park, a three-hour drive away. Known for its geology and dark sky, Capitol Reef has a unique and delicately balanced desert ecosystem. Referring to the colorful rock layers, its name in Navajo translates to "Sleeping Rainbow." During a four-day trip taken every semester, students practiced sustainable habits, observing their low environmental impact firsthand. Since the park is without Internet or phone services, students also practiced being digitally disconnected.

Influence of Awareness and Education on Management of Covid-19 Pandemic in Nigeria: Perception of Information Professionals in Ogun State

The catastrophic consequences on the civilization of covid-19 pandemic are obvious on all human endeavours, including information services of academic libraries. Several measures were put in place and funded by the government at all levels to manage the pandemic in Nigeria among which is the closure of all educational institutions in the country. Information professionals in tertiary institutions have become worried about their users' safety and well-being; hence the need to provide awareness and educate them on covid-19 as means to manage the pandemic. The quantitative design using the survey method was employed to determine the perceptions of information professionals, librarians and library officers in academic libraries in Ogun State, South west Nigeria on awareness and education services to manage covid-19. The study revealed that information professionals were reasonably aware of the covid-19 pandemic; had an appreciable level of awareness of signs with system of spreading covid-19 and; they had a good understanding of measures on how to manage covid-19. The Health Belief Theory was used to ascertain that if the respondents are aware of the danger of any disease they will prevent or take precautionary measures. The respondents believed that awareness of and education on covid-19 would educate users and the public on the signs and ways of spreading the virus. Besides, mobile phone services for sending bulk messages were identified as major means of informing and educating users on covid-19. The study concluded that awareness and education services for user-populace of academic libraries can be used for effective information management concerning covid-19 virus in Nigeria.

Impact of Mobile Phone Services on the Traditional Telecommunication Services in India

Background/Purpose: Telecommunication is a principal element in the current technology-driven world. The impact of mobile phone services over traditional services is the key to India witnessing the Digital revolution. This paper highlights the mobile phone services that have impacted the traditional services and the digital penetration that has been observed in almost every sector. Design/Methodology/Approach: This study is mainly based on the data collected from secondary sources of information. The secondary data sources are from annual reports of the telecom sector and websites. It is an explorative research case study that shows the emergence of mobile phone services over traditional telephone services and performs PESTLE analysis. Findings/Result: Based on the study, India has moved into a digital population to a great extent through the advancements in technology and internet services through data packs and broadband connections. The mobile phone services along with the Telecom sector in India have played a crucial role in this transformation with connectivity, affordability, and technological change. Originality/Value: This paper analyzes and interprets the data collected from the past 10 years with respect to telecommunications services and mobile services in India. Based on the findings and their interpretation, new knowledge in the form of recommendations/suggestions is presented. Paper Type: Industry Analysis as a Research Case Study.

Investigations on Three-Pole Microstrip Low-Pass Filters Incorporated with DGS and Fractals for Selectivity Improvement

In this paper, an investigation on compact microstrip low-pass filters (MLPFs) with extremely perfect low-pass characteristics and improved out-band suppression has been carried out for the improvement of the selectivity parameter ([Formula: see text]). For this purpose, two different defected ground structures (DGSs) based on Moore fractals and Meander line have been designed and experimentally validated. The proposed third-order low-pass filter (LPF) configurations are designed and simulated using the High-Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS). To validate the simulation models, the prototypes of the suggested low-pass filters are fabricated using Teflon (TM) substrate having a relative permittivity of 2.65 and a loss tangent of 0.001, and measured using the Vector Network Analyzer. The simulation and measurement results are in good agreement. The proposed filters occupy a compact size of [Formula: see text]. The selectivity parameter values for the proposed Moore fractals- and Meander line-modeled DGS-based LPFs are 425[Formula: see text]dB/GHz and 850[Formula: see text]dB/GHz, respectively. The proposed microstrip low-pass filters offer a significant improvement in the selectivity parameter, offering a maximum value of 850[Formula: see text]dB/GHz. The proposed filters exhibit a very high figure of merit (FOM), reporting 71,335 for Moore fractals-based LPF and 118,354 for the Meander line-based LPF. These proposed filters are suitable for advanced mobile phone services, [Formula: see text]-band radar, Global Positioning System, mobile, paging services, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and wireless LAN.

Facilitating primary care non-antiretroviral drug prescribing in people living with HIV: The 'THINK ARV' initiative.

Older people living with HIV (PLWH) have higher rates of multimorbidity, polypharmacy and an associated increased risk of potential drug-drug interactions (DDIs). We describe the development, implementation and evaluation of an intervention to increase community prescribers' access to specialist prescribing advice. Phase One: a survey evaluating General Practitioners' (GPs') knowledge of, and confidence detecting DDIs affecting PLWH, was circulated to eight General Practices in one UK city. Phase Two: co-production was used to develop the THINK ARV intervention for prescribers in city-wide General Practices: a dedicated mobile phone and e-mail advice service staffed by HIV specialist pharmacists. Queries were audited for 6months pre- and post-intervention. A user-satisfaction survey was emailed to enquirers. Phase One: 42 GPs responded, of whom 62% requested further support identifying DDIs among PLWH. Phase Two: the number of queries received increased from 25 (6months before 'THINK ARV' launch) to 63 in the following 6months (152% increase). 94% of the queries were specifically about DDIs. Increasing community prescribers' access to specialist telephone and e-mail advice resulted in increased awareness and detection of DDIs. Similar interventions could be embedded within different healthcare settings to optimise medicines and avoid potential patient harm.

COVID-19 Messed Up My Research: Insights from Physical Activity and Nutrition Translational Research

The COVID-19 pandemic led to significant challenges in conducting physical activity and nutrition translational research. This encompassed all phases of translational research, including recruitment (e.g., lack of trust in the scientific community), assessment (university regulations restricting in-person assessments), intervention (conversion of face-to-face interventions to online formats), and retention (loss of employment, phone service, or housing among study participants). The COVID-19 pandemic has had varying impacts on research productivity as well. While some groups found the pandemic led to increases in productivity (as evidenced by increases seen in both manuscript and grant submissions), junior faculty, women (particularly caregivers), African American, Asian, and Latinx faculty, and mid-career and senior scientists all faced unique career and personal challenges during this time. This included competing demands on time that interfered with research productivity and mental and physical health stressors. Therefore, in order to ensure we retain promising scientists in the field of translational physical activity and nutrition science, it will be important to consider these challenges when it comes time to review tenure files and grant applications. Reviewers of these applications should note creativity in moving research forward, continued mentoring of students or other faculty, and plans to get back on track after a pause in their ability to conduct impactful physical activity and nutrition work.

9.2 Children's Mental Healthcare Needs in Primary Care: Results From a Statewide Needs Assessment for Primary Care Physicians in Vermont

The objectives of this presentation are to: 1) provide a qualitative and quantitative description of the experience of a cohort of pediatric primary care providers (PCPs) across the State of Vermont with the treatment and referral of mental health conditions including use of a phone and email consultation service; and 2) describe the barriers that these PCPs report to recommending psychotherapy, medication, wellness strategies, and connecting their patients to care in the community. Individual PCPs engaged around this issue were identified. Online and paper surveys were sent, and 32 responses collected in May-June 2019. Seventy-four percent of respondents were seeing 6 or more children per week with mental health–related complaints. Sixty-two percent reported at least one-quarter of patient encounters involving mental health issues. Nearly all were comfortable with managing mild-moderate ADHD, depression, and anxiety, and reported using rating scales/screening tools to assess for these conditions. Seventy-eight percent had moderate-to-severe complexity patients they were treating without specialty input, with a mean of 4 active cases. The PCPs felt that with these cases, they were operating outside of their scope of practice and comfort. The vast majority were referring cases to child and adolescent psychiatry when there was diagnostic or medication complexity or a high level of acuity. Forty-eight percent reported access to a consultation phone/email service, which was used mostly sporadically, with cited barriers including time and feeling that patients needed to be seen in person to be effective. Diagnostic uncertainty was the most commonly cited barrier to medication prescribing. Barriers to nonmedication treatment included lack of interest or follow through from families, not knowing which particular therapy to recommend or where to refer, and difficulty accessing treatment. Quality concerns and frequent clinician turnover were also mentioned. This selected sampling of pediatric PCPs reported seeing significant numbers of children with mental health issues. For several conditions, they felt comfortable managing mild-to-moderate–level acuity. Many had moderate-to-severe cases they were managing without specialty input. PCPs would welcome increased communication between providers, improved quality measures, databases of community providers and their area of expertise, and consideration of expanded consultative services.