Poll Respondents Research Articles

Medical Student Role in the Cardiothoracic Operating Room: A Needs Assessment to Optimize Engagement

BackgroundFocused preparation for the cardiothoracic operating room (CTOR) may optimize intraoperative engagement and medical student interest, but such resources are lacking. We sought to characterize student educational needs in the CTOR to guide resource development. MethodsA web-based survey targeting cardiothoracic surgeons, trainees, and operating room staff was distributed to identify areas for student improvement in the CTOR. Concepts investigated explored common student mistakes and expectations for knowledge and participation in the CTOR. Descriptive analyses were performed on multiple-choice polls and open-ended responses. ResultsPolls received a mean of 317 responses (range, 222-504) and 20 open-ended comments. The most frequently cited student mistake was failure to understand their role in the CTOR (164 [32.5%]), followed by inappropriate chatting (141 [28.0%]) and breaking sterility (132 [26.2%]). Poll respondents valued students’ understanding of how to be helpful in the CTOR (101 [45.5%]) in addition to knowing what can or cannot be touched (47 [21.2%]) and basics of cardiopulmonary bypass (43 [19.4%]). Respondents indicated that students should assume active roles (84 [36.7%]), ask questions (66 [29%]), and help with minor tasks (41 [17.9%]). Respondents reported that students benefited most when they understood patient-specific clinicopathologic factors and basic operative steps. ConclusionsWe identified several areas for student improvement in the CTOR. Development of educational resources addressing these issues may enhance interest and augment recruitment of students to cardiothoracic surgery.

People Believe If 90% Prefer A over B, A Must Be Much Better than B. Are They Wrong?

Abstract We show that consumers confuse consensus information in polls—such as 90% prefer product A over product B—with differences in liking—the extent to which poll respondents like A better than B. Consequently, they interpret a 90% consensus in favor of A as the average liking of A being considerably higher than the average liking of B. We demonstrate empirically and with simulations that—while this can be true—it is more probable that the average liking of A is only slightly higher than that of B. This regularity is robust to the sign and size of the correlation between ratings for A and B, and across most distributions for A and B’s liking. Consumers are not aware of this regularity, and believe that 90% consensus implies A being much better than B. Communicators (marketers, managers, public policy makers, etc) can capitalize on these erroneous inferences and strategically display preference information as consensus or as liking ratings leading to dramatic shifts in choices. Consumers’ erroneous inferences can be corrected by educating them about the shape of the distribution of liking differences. We discuss theoretical and managerial implications for the understanding and usage of polls.

Political backlash and consumer boycotts: Evidence from the NFB relocation and movie demand in Canada

AbstractIn this paper, we investigate the impact of the announcement in 1952 of a change in Canadian cultural policy, namely the reorganization of the National Film Board (NFB) and the move of its headquarters from Ottawa to Montréal, on movie demand. Using weekly box office revenue data for a subsample of movie theatres in Toronto and Montréal from 1945 to 1955, we estimate the impact of this policy change with a triple difference estimator and find that the NFB headquarters move in Canada was followed by a decrease in movie attendance for movies produced in anglophone countries and an increase in movie attendance for French movies in Montréal. We complement our analysis with Odesi public poll Canadian data from 1949 to 1959 and find that poll respondents from Quebec held a more negative opinion about the decisions of the Canadian government and the tide of Americanization, relative to respondents elsewhere, and that their opinion deteriorated further after the relocation announcement and the relocation itself took place. This finding is consistent with our hypothesis that the relocation of NFB headquarters caused political backlash and triggered a boycott against anglophone, especially American, movies in Quebec.

OA10 Peer support for people living with axial spondyloarthritis as part of a supported self-management programme

Abstract Background/Aims The National Axial Spondyloarthritis Society (NASS) Supported Self-management Programme aims to empower people with axial spondyloarthritis (axial SpA) to live well with their condition. We ran peer support meet-ups as part of our new Your SpAce programme to improve attendees’ knowledge of their condition, and reduce feelings of isolation. Methods In March 2023, NASS launched Your SpAce, a series of short information and lived experience videos, with downloadable practical resources. It is aimed at people newly diagnosed or those diagnosed longer who had not previously engaged with their condition. The programme was created in consultation with people living with axial SpA and healthcare professionals (HCPs). A steering group comprised 33% people with lived experience. Monthly free online peer support ‘meet-ups’ were planned. Initial topics aligned with Your SpAce topics of pain, flares, and fatigue. Feedback and helpline enquiry trends guided further topics. Attendees booked via an Eventbrite listing, disseminated via the NASS website, social media and e-newsletter, partner organisations, and HCPs. The meet-ups are facilitated by a HCP who lives with axial SpA. Sessions start with a short introduction to axial SpA and the meet-up topic. The focus is on facilitated group discussions, where attendees use their camera and microphone and chat box to meet other people with axial SpA, ask questions, share advice, and receive peer support. Results Your SpAce webpages ask visitors how confident they feel in managing their pain, flares, and fatigue out of 100 (0=not at all, 100=extremely). The results (701 respondents) indicate the programme is reaching people with low confidence, with 60% of pain poll respondents, 69% of fatigue poll respondents, and 72% of flare poll respondents ranking their confidence 0-40/100. Since April 2023, we ran 10 meet-ups, with 516 bookings and 256 attendees. Everyone who booked received presentation slides and resources. In-meeting anonymous polls showed: 25% of attendees had been diagnosed for less than one year; 31% 1-5 years; 11% 6-10 years; and 33% more than 10 years. 24% have a diagnosis of axial SpA, 22% non-radiographic axial SpA, 51% radiographic axial SpA/ankylosing spondylitis, and 3% awaiting diagnosis. Anonymous feedback survey results (n = 67) showed: 97% enjoyed attending the meet-up; 96% found it easy to attend; 82% said the meet-up helped them understand more about their condition; 74% have more practical skills to manage; 54% had never previously met anyone else with axial SpA; 97% felt less alone afterwards; and 99% would like to attend another meet-up. Conclusion The first six months of Your SpAce meetups have improved attendees’ knowledge of axial SpA, increased practical skills in managing symptoms, and reduced feelings of isolation. Results suggest that informal online peer support is a positive strand of supported self-management for people at all stages of their axial SpA. Disclosure Z. Clark: Honoraria; ZC is a member of Council for the Institute of Osteopathy. Grants/research support; NASS receives grant funding from AbbVie, Biogen, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Novartis and UCB.

Virtual quality improvement collaborative with primary care practices during COVID-19: a case study within a clinically integrated network

IntroductionQuality improvement collaboratives (QICs) are a common approach to facilitate practice change and improve care delivery. Attention to QIC implementation processes and outcomes can inform best practices for designing and...

Social determinants of health and COVID-19: An evaluation of racial and ethnic disparities in attitudes, practices, and mental health.

Previous evaluations have reported racial minorities feel they are at greater risk of contracting COVID-19, but that on average, they have better preventative practices, such as wearing face masks and avoiding large gatherings. In this study, we explored associations between social determinants of health (SDOH), race and ethnicity, COVID-19 practices and attitudes, and mental health outcomes during the pandemic. We examined associations between SDOHs and practices, attitudes, and mental health symptoms by race and ethnicity using multivariable linear and logistic regressions in 8582 Arkansan pulse poll respondents (September-December, 2020). Compared to White respondents, mean attitude and practice scores were greater (indicating safer) among Black (4.90 vs. 3.45 for attitudes; 2.63 vs. 2.41 for practices) and Hispanic respondents (4.26 vs. 3.45 for attitudes; 2.50 vs. 2.41 for practices). Respondents' SDOH scores by race/ethnicity were: White (3.65), Black (3.33), and Hispanic (3.22). Overall, attitude and practice scores decreased by 0.35 and 0.09, respectively, for every one-point increase in SDOH. Overall, a one-point increase in SDOH was associated with 76% and 85% increased odds of screening negative for anxiety and depression, respectively. To conclude, underlying social inequities are likely driving safer attitudes, practices, and worse anxiety and depression symptoms in Black and Hispanic Arkansans. In terms of policy implications, our study supports the urgency of addressing SDOHs for rural states similar to Arkansas.

Unleashing the Potential: Exploring Attitudes and Overcoming Challenges in Implementing Differentiated Instruction in the Philippines’ English Language Classrooms

This study investigates Filipino English language teachers’ views and issues with diversified education. Differentiated instruction, a student-centered approach, fosters inclusive education by giving students alternative ways to engage with the subject, process knowledge, and demonstrate mastery. However, there is little data on its use in Filipino English language classes. This study examines English language teachers’ views on tailored education and identifies the challenges they encounter when adopting differentiated education. Mixed-methods data collection was used to collect data on teachers’ varied instructional attitudes and obstacles. Most poll respondents were positive about differentiated instruction and confident in constructing effective differentiated units. However, inadequate resources, time, various student needs, reluctance to change, assessment and evaluation, and classroom management were highlighted. Alternative resources, collaboration, prioritization, and time-saving measures helped overcome these challenges. This study found that flexible scheduling, differentiating content, process, and product, cooperative learning, digital technologies, and stakeholder involvement can help teachers meet students’ diverse needs and promote equal learning outcomes.

Rationalizing systematic discrepancies between election outcomes and opinion polls

The Bradley effect concerns the discrepancy between opinion polls and actual election outcomes that emerges when candidates do not exhibit mainstream ideological, sexual or racial features. This effect was first observed during the 1982 election for the Governor of California that resulted in a significant loss for the black Democratic candidate, Tom Bradley, despite him being ahead in polls. It has been argued that poll respondents tend to mask their true political preference and favour of what is generally considered more socially acceptable. We propose an exactly solvable statistical mechanical model, which allows for a quantitative exploration of this phenomenon. The model includes three main ingredients: (i) the tendency of individuals to align their real preference to the declared (public) opinions of others, (ii) a term accounting for an individual integrity factor, which induces voters to be consistent between their public and private opinions, and (iii) a self-monitoring component, which tunes the strength by which an individual is affected by and wishes to publicly conform to social norms. We observe the emergence of order in a wide range of parameters of the model and discuss the effect of noise on the correlation between hidden and public preference. Finally, we present an application of this model to the prediction of election outcomes.

Acceptability of Vaccines Against Preventable Infections Including Coronavirus Disease 2019 Among Patients With Rheumatic Disease.

ObjectiveVaccination against preventable infections is widely recommended for patients with systemic rheumatic disease. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has highlighted variability in attitudes toward vaccination, particularly with the use of novel vaccine platforms. We studied attitudes toward vaccination against COVID‐19 and other preventable infections among patients with systemic rheumatic disease and compared these against the general population.MethodsWe surveyed patients treated at Brigham and Women’s Hospital for systemic rheumatic disease using a secure web‐based survey or paper survey in English or Spanish, from December 2020 to April 2021. We included survey questions used in the nationwide Harris Poll (October 2020 and February 2021), allowing the comparison of responses with those from the general population. Response frequencies were estimated and compared using descriptive statistics.ResultsOf 243 participants (25% response rate), the mean age was 56 years, 82% were women, and 33% were nonwhite. Rheumatoid arthritis (50%) and systemic lupus erythematosus (28%) were the most common diagnoses. Thirty percent had been hospitalized previously for any infection. Seventy‐six percent worried a lot or somewhat about contracting COVID‐19. Attitudes toward vaccination were very favorable, with 92% having received a flu shot in the past year and 84% desiring a COVID‐19 vaccine as soon as possible compared with 30% to 40% of Harris Poll respondents (P < 0.001). Physician recommendation to receive a vaccine and desire to avoid infection were the most common reasons for desiring vaccinations.ConclusionVaccine acceptability, including toward COVID‐19 vaccines, was high among this population of patients with systemic rheumatic disease seen at an academic medical center cohort. Physician recommendation is a key factor for vaccine uptake.

The Role of Online Arts and Humanities in Medical Student Education: Mixed Methods Study of Feasibility and Perceived Impact of a 1-Week Online Course.

BackgroundThe arts and humanities have been integrated into medical student education worldwide. Integrated arts and humanities courses have been found to serve four primary functions: mastering skills, perspective taking, personal insight, and social advocacy. To what extent and how arts and humanities programs achieve these educational outcomes remain unclear.ObjectiveIn this study, we aimed to explore how the arts and humanities may lead to perceived benefits in clinical skills development, professional identity formation, and self-care, and to evaluate the feasibility of delivering an arts and humanities–based course online.MethodsWe developed and delivered a 1-week online arts and humanities course to second- through fourth-year medical students. A total of 18 students enrolled in the course across its 2 offerings in Spring 2020. The course was primarily visual arts based but also included activities based in other arts and humanities, such as literature, reflective writing, dance, film, music, philosophy, and religion. Using a mixed methods approach, daily polls assessed student engagement in and perceptions of the various activities, and a postcourse survey assessed student perceptions of the course as a whole.ResultsAt least 93% of poll respondents (14/15 to 17/18) across the 2 cohorts rated each type of activity as good or excellent. Qualitative analysis of student responses to the postcourse survey revealed themes concerning both the form (overall course design and online format) and the function of the course (skills development, appreciation of new perspectives, and personal inquiry).ConclusionsResults suggested that the arts and humanities may support the development of clinically relevant skills and attitudes. A more unique finding was that integrative arts and humanities courses delivered online—including those that are primarily visual arts based—engage students and may yield personal and professional benefits.

We're Stronger Together: A Collaboration to Support Military Families During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges for every segment of the U.S. population, including military personnel and their families. The TriService Nursing Research Program's Military Family Research Interest Group (FIG) formed a collaboration with Blue Star Families, a civilian non-profit organization, to identify potential issues faced by military families during the pandemic. The Pain Points Poll was introduced online by Blue Star Families, and findings were aggregated weekly between March 18 and May 26, 2020. Volunteer poll respondents were mainly recruited through social media outreach. FIG-informed questions were incorporated in week 4 of polling and focused on workplace environment, financial health, social support, physical and mental health, child behavior, utilization of family care plans, and general well-being. Data were collected to gain real-time insights into the major challenges posed by the pandemic. Findings from FIG-informed questions were collaboratively reviewed and analyzed by FIG and BSF teams. Data-driven recommendations were made to stakeholders to improve processes and reprioritize investments for services that aim to alleviate the impact of COVID-19 on military families. A total of 2,895 military family units (i.e., service members and spouses) responded to the poll, a majority of which (88%) represented active duty family units. Although the majority of families (range: 59%-69%) noted no impact to their finances, approximately one in five families endorsed dipping into their savings during the pandemic. A majority of respondents (69.5%) reported taking active measures to support their mental health, endorsing various strategies. Among parents of special needs children, 45% of active duty families and 60% of single-parent service members reported the inability to maintain continued services for their children. A majority of parents with school-aged children (65%) reported child behavioral changes due to their child's inability to socialize with peers. Among military service members, 41% were concerned about obtaining fair performance evaluations during the crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic produced significant challenges for military families. Collaboration between military and civilian partners can inform policies and appropriate strategies to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 for military families. The findings presented here provide insight into areas where military families can be supported for optimal outcomes during unprecedented times.

Online negative sentiment towards Mexicans and Hispanics and impact on mental well-being: A time-series analysis of social media data during the 2016 United States presidential election

PurposeThe purpose was to use Twitter to conduct online surveillance of negative sentiment towards Mexicans and Hispanics during the 2016 United States presidential election, and to examine its relationship with mental well-being in this targeted group at the population level. MethodsTweets containing the terms Mexican(s) and Hispanic(s) were collected within a 20-week period of the 2016 United States presidential election (November 9th 2016). Sentiment analysis was used to capture percent negative tweets. A time series lag regression model was used to examine the association between percent count of negative tweets mentioning Mexicans and Hispanics and percent count of worry among Hispanic Gallup poll respondents. ResultsOf 2,809,641 tweets containing terms Mexican(s) and Hispanic(s), 687,291 tweets were negative. Among 8,314 Hispanic Gallup respondents, a mean of 33.5% responded to be worried on a daily basis. A significant lead time of 1 week was observed, showing that negative tweets mentioning Mexicans and Hispanics appeared to forecast daily worry among Hispanics by 1 week. ConclusionSurveillance of online negative sentiment towards racially vulnerable population groups can be captured using social media. This has potential to identify early warning signals for symptoms of mental well-being among targeted groups at the population level.

Repression and Dissent in Contemporary Catalonia

AbstractAn extensive literature in political science and sociology has analyzed how state repression shapes attempts by social movements to pursue political objectives. Less studied, however, is the effect that state repression of activists has on the broader public. Understanding public responses to repression is important, as both states and social movements take action with an eye toward (de)mobilizing broader constituencies. This letter analyzes this dynamic in the context of contemporary Catalonia, where the Spanish state cracked down on efforts by Catalan activists to hold a public referendum on independence. Matching poll respondents in the months before and after the crackdown in late 2017, the study finds that repression increased public sympathy for independence for a short period, and heightened animosity towards actors perceived to be associated or complicit with the Spanish state. The findings speak to the potential for state repression of nonviolent movements to create windows of opportunity for broader mobilization.

Predicting from Biased Polls

Poll respondents often attempt to present a positive image by overstating virtuous behaviors. We examine whether people account for this “socially desirable responding” (SDR) when drawing inferences from poll data. In an experiment, we incentivize “predictors” to guess others' choice behaviors across eight actions with varying social desirability. To aid guessing, predictors observe random subsamples of (i) incentivized choices or (ii) hypothetical claims from polls. Predictors show reasonable skepticism towards hypothetical claims, which exhibit predictable SDR. However, their skepticism is not tailored to the direction or magnitude of SDR. This under-correction occurs even though subjects' explicit responses can predict SDR.

Urban nature protection measures evaluated by opinion poll respondents

The article addresses the findings of the poll, conducted by lecturers and students of the National Research Moscow State University of Civil Engineering. The poll objective was to identify the level of ecological culture demonstrated by the residents of Moscow, the Russian capital and a megacity. Residents of its old and new administrative districts were among the respondents. The author verifies the scope and extension of such concepts as ecological culture and environmental safety, sheds light on the structure of environmental safety. The responses, given by the respondents, are used in the rating of environmental hazards of which air pollution is a number one threat. Moreover, the poll addressed such problems as domestic waste removal, pollution of Moscow rivers, lakes, ponds and other water bodies with waste water. Besides the polling method, employed by the author, he used the retrospective analysis of news items. Moreover, environmental monitoring results and opinions, expressed by the authors of research articles, were analyzed; methods of deduction, induction, classification and split of concepts were also used by the author.

PERCEPTIONS OF BRAIN HEALTH AND INTEREST IN PARTICIPATING IN BRAIN HEALTH RESEARCH AMONG ADULTS AGE 50 TO 64

Evidence suggests it may be possible to reduce the risk of developing dementia during midlife. The University of Michigan National Poll on Healthy Aging (NPHA), a nationally representative online survey, sought to determine to what extent adults age 50 to 64 anticipate and worry about developing dementia, are taking steps to prevent dementia, and are likely to participate in dementia-related research. Nearly 50% of poll respondents (n=1,025) perceived themselves as being somewhat or very likely to develop dementia. Worry about developing dementia was higher among respondents who had a family member with dementia (66.3% vs. 31.8%; Pearson’s Chi squared, p<0.001) and those who had been a caregiver of a person with dementia (65.2% v. 38.9%; Pearson’s Chi squared p<0.001). Only 5% of respondents had discussed preventing dementia with their doctor. In contrast, many respondents endorsed pursuing a variety of strategies to help maintain their memory. For example, 55% did crossword puzzles or other brain games; more than 30% reported taking fish oil or omega-3 supplements. Finally, 44% of respondents said they were likely to participate in studies to test a new medicine to prevent dementia and to test a new treatment for dementia. According to this NPHA, while many adults age 50 to 64 in the U.S. are worried about developing dementia, fewer are willing to participate in research to prevent or treat dementia. The low percentage who discussed dementia prevention with their doctor is concerning, particularly because many report using non-evidence-based prevention strategies such as dietary supplements.

Trauma Surgeons' Perspective on Gun Violence and a Review of the Literature.

BackgroundIn the United States, there is a constant debate between the proponents of the right to bear arms and those desiring to reduce the epidemic of gun violence. We sought to capture the trauma surgeons' perspective on gun control.MethodsWe presented an on-line based survey to the members of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST). Survey questions were chosen to reflect the popular media poll questions as well as trauma-specific perspectives. We compared the trauma surgeons' perspectives to that of the general populace from a poll conducted by the New York Times (NYT).ResultsA total of 120 trauma surgeons responded to the survey. The age group ranged from 34 to 82 years, and the median age was 51. Most respondents were male (64%, n = 67) and worked at a Level I trauma center (80%, n = 96) in an academic setting (67%, n = 80). About half of the responding surgeons owned a household firearm (40%; n = 48 of the AAST members vs. 47%; n = 521 of the general populace). Sixty-one percent of the trauma surgeons (n = 73) and 53% (n = 588) of the NYT respondents favor stricter gun control laws. While 80% (n = 888) of the NYT respondents felt that mental health screening and treatment would decrease gun violence, only 56% (n = 67) of surgeons felt that mental health screening would be beneficial. The majority (90%, n = 999) of the NYT poll respondents favor a law restricting the sale of guns only by licensed dealers. Only (66%, n = 79) of the trauma surgeons were in agreement with the stricter gun sale legislation by licensed dealers.ConclusionTrauma surgeons appear to share similar views with the general American populace regarding gun violence and injury control.

Achieving the “ideal” family size at advanced reproductive ages through oocyte cryopreservation

Women are increasingly delaying pregnancy, and in 2014 the mean age at first birth in the USA had risen from 25.2 years in 2000 to 26.3 years [1]. Despite advances in IVF technology, advanced reproductive age remains a significant impediment to success with a live birth rate of 3.6% per oocyte retrieval in women over 42 years [2]. Concurrent with the trend of delayed childbearing has been an increase in the use of donor oocytes [3] to overcome age-related fertility decline and diminished ovarian reserve. Oocyte cryopreservation (OC), no longer considered experimental for women with medical indications but widely utilized to defer reproduction, is allowing women to conceive using autologous oocytes at ages when donor oocytes would have previously been required. The success of the technology has been demonstrated as women increasingly return for oocyte thaw/warming and embryo transfer [4–7]. Findings from a 2013 Gallup poll indicate that Americans view the ideal family size as two to three children. Among Gallup poll respondents aged 30–49 years, 47% viewed two children as the ideal number of children and 25% viewed three children as ideal [8]. Our experience shows that most women using their cryopreserved oocytes have previously exhausted other conventional methods of ART, suggesting that their cryopreserved oocytes may represent a last resort for pregnancy with autologous oocytes. If patients returning to use their cryopreserved oocytes are among the 72% of Americans 30–49 years who view two to three children as an ideal family size, OC success would thus be defined by aiding patients in achieving their complete family-building goals. Reports of successful deliveries after OC and thaw/warming have certainly been described in the literature; however, to our knowledge there are no published reports of women achieving more than one singleton live birth with previously cryopreserved autologous oocytes. In this case series, we present six women who underwent OC for fertility preservation and subsequently achieved more than one singleton live birth after oocyte thaw/warming and embryo transfer. These representative patients highlight the use of OC technology to build multi-child families through singleton gestations at advanced reproductive ages.

Washington View

Maria Ferguson looks at results from the latest PDK poll, which shows the highest level of support ever for increasing teacher salaries. This support is significant at a time of high-profile teacher strikes and the Supreme Court’s Janus ruling that forbids requiring non-union members to pay fair-share fees. Another acknowledgement of the challenges of teaching today was poll respondents’ reduced enthusiasm for the idea of their own children becoming teachers.

Citizen Panels and Opinion Polls: Convergence and Divergence in Policy Preferences

Citizen panels offer an alternative venue for gathering input into the policy-making process. These deliberative exercises are intended to produce more thoughtful and informed inputs into the policy-making process, compared to public opinion polls. This paper highlights a six day deliberative event about energy and climate issues, tracking opinion changes before and after the deliberation, as well as six months after the deliberation. In two of the five policy domains, opinions change as a result of the deliberation and these changes endure six months after the deliberation. The tracking of opinions across the three points in time reveals a pattern of convergence between panelists’ views and poll results for three of the five policy domains. Panelists were overly optimistic about many of the policy options prior to deliberation, but became more critical of these policies post-deliberation, moving their opinions closer to those of poll respondents.