Public Efforts Research Articles

Diagnostic testing preferences can help inform future public health response efforts: Global insights from an international survey.

Public perception regarding diagnostic sample types as well as personal experiences can influence willingness to test. As such, public preferences for specific sample type(s) should be used to inform diagnostic and surveillance testing programs to improve public health response efforts. To understand where preferences lie, we conducted an international survey regarding the sample types used for SARS-CoV-2 tests. A Qualtrics survey regarding SARS-CoV-2 testing preferences was distributed via social media and email. The survey collected preferences regarding sample methods and key demographic data. Python was used to analyze survey responses. From March 30th to June 15th, 2022, 2,094 responses were collected from 125 countries. Participants were 55% female and predominantly aged 25-34 years (27%). Education and employment were skewed: 51% had graduate degrees, 26% had bachelor's degrees, 27% were scientists/researchers, and 29% were healthcare workers. By rank sum analysis, the most preferred sample type globally was the oral swab, followed by saliva, with parents/guardians preferring saliva-based testing for children. Respondents indicated a higher degree of trust in PCR testing (84%) vs. rapid antigen testing (36%). Preferences for self- or healthcare worker-collected sampling varied across regions. This international survey identified a preference for oral swabs and saliva when testing for SARS-CoV-2. Notably, respondents indicated that if they could be assured that all sample types performed equally, then saliva was preferred. Overall, survey responses reflected the region-specific testing experiences during the COVID-19. Public preferences should be considered when designing future response efforts to increase utilization, with oral sample types (either swabs or saliva) providing a practical option for large-scale, accessible diagnostic testing.

OPTICAL DEEP LEARNING LANDMINE DETECTION BASED ON LIMITED DATASET OF AERIAL IMAGERY

Landmine detection is one of the most innovative applications of unmanned aerial vehicles that became possible due to rapid development of both aerial vehicles equipped by different optical cameras and sensors using different physical principles, and object classification and detection methods, including machine learning and especially deep learning. Optical detection is an essential part of the overall landmine detection process that can be performed either separately or in combination with data processing from other types of cameras or sensors. The development of deep convolutional neural networks has dramatically changed the landscape of optical detection by making them de-facto choice number one for the majority of object classification, detection and segmentation tasks. However, the deterrent factor in the case of landmine detection is limited availability of appropriate data for training that different researchers try to overcome in different ways. The assessment of necessary amount of training data for any particular object detection problem still remains an experimental task. Despite several years of development in this area, still there is a shortage of research based on real landmine imagery obtained from unmanned aerial vehicles, so currently any public effort in this direction is valuable and works as an inspiration for new researchers. This paper describes such a study, namely its first iteration in which popular open-source tools are used to build detection pipeline and estimation of their efficiency is done using limited amount of data. It is shown that the problem of limited amount of training data can be effectively overcome by data augmentation and iterational process of training optical landmine detector is demonstrated. The effectiveness of open-source tools and libraries for neural networks training, object detection and dataset preparation is also demonstrated.

Environmental Sustainability And Economic Growth: Policy Implications For Developing Countries

Environmental sustainability and economic growth are often considered to be two conflicting goals, especially in developing countries that face significant challenges in managing natural resources while pursuing economic growth. This research explores the complex relationship between environmental sustainability and economic growth in developing countries, with the aim of identifying policies that support sustainable economic growth. The methods used include literature reviews and thematic analysis to identify key patterns and relationships in existing studies. The research results show that although economic growth is often accompanied by increases in resource consumption and pollutant emissions, developing countries can achieve sustainable growth through strengthening environmental regulations, investing in green technologies, and increasing public awareness. Economic diversification, such as the development of sustainable tourism and organic agribusiness, can also reduce pressure on natural resources and create new economic opportunities. The proposed policy implications include increased environmental regulations, support for green technologies, and public education efforts to support environmentally friendly practices, with an integrated approach that ensures a balance between economic growth and environmental protection.

A descriptive study of poisoners and users of other indiscriminate means to illegally control wildlife in Spain

AbstractPoison and other indiscriminate means are used illegally for wildlife control worldwide. This pervasive phenomenon can significantly damage ecosystems overall and be particularly harmful to certain species (endangered or otherwise) that are susceptible to poisoned baits. Poisoning (and co‐occurring poaching) jeopardizes public administration efforts to reintroduce or support the populations of certain species, while the favored toxic substances used pose a major threat not only to the biodiversity of habitats but also to human health. Both alleged and actual harm to crops and hunting resources are the main driver of illegal vermin and predator control. Previous studies on poisons and other nonselective methods of wildlife elimination have focused on the means used and the species affected. We have instead taken a global empirical approach, also analyzing contextual aspects, what motivates perpetrators and, eventually, the characteristics of the poisoners and users of various indiscriminate means for illegal wildlife control in Spain. This analysis is derived from a thorough examination of incidents based on the investigation of perpetrator by police and judicial records. Furthermore, this work provides a methodological framework that serves as first approach to this issue, gaining insight into the formulation of preventive policies and improving decision taking by law enforcement agencies.

Invisible fish: The selective (dis)connection of elite Chinese gated community residents from urban public space

Gated communities remain identified with strong forms of socio-physical segregation, yet there has been relatively light engagement with the question of how their residents engage with the city more broadly. This relationship, of protected privacy to open public space, is important because segregation is found in modes of mobility as well as in fixed residential spaces. This article contributes to the understanding of mobile forms of segregation by examining the use of public space, and sites of work, leisure and city services, by the (upper) middle-class residents of two high-end gated communities in Zhanjiang, a middle-tier Chinese city. In these relatively new elite residential spaces, newly status-conscious inhabitants reveal how their use of private modes of travel, avoidance of public transportation systems and efforts at seamless traversal of urban spaces connect to ideas of social achievement. Through extensive qualitative fieldwork in these two sites, we are granted a privileged insight into the ways in which China’s nascent middle classes utilise shielded addresses from which to access what they see as status-conferring lifestyle and taste destinations through private modes of mobility.

Economics of reducing response time to foreign-animal disease in the United States with point-of-care diagnostic tests

BackgroundAs low probability events, United States producers, value chain actors, and veterinary services (VS) have limited experience with identifying foreign animal disease (FAD), which can allow FADs to spread undetected. Point-of-care (POC) diagnostic testing may help reduce the time from detecting an initial suspect case to implementing actionable interventions compared to the current approach of only using laboratory diagnostic testing for disease diagnosis and confirmation. To evaluate the value of the reduced response time, we compare the associated costs between the two diagnostic approaches while accounting for the uncertainty surrounding the size of a FAD event. MethodsWe apply a state-contingent approach (SCA) to model the uncertainty surrounding a FAD through alternative events, where the event defines the scale of outbreak size and its duration. We apply this approach within a cost-benefit framework (CBA) to determine the economic value from the two testing investment strategies to help explain the policymaker’s response (and costs) to alternative FAD events while also considering the cost impacts on the producers from each event. ResultsCompared to the current laboratory strategy, a POC strategy that reduces response time by 0.5-days (swine, cattle scenarios) and 1.5-days (poultry scenario) may provide cost-saving to both producers and public response efforts. The benefit-cost analysis further suggests that despite the higher fixed costs to adopt the POC strategy, the swine and cattle sectors may benefit while the benefits may not be as pronounced in the poultry sector. DiscussionPOC testing that can reduce the time between detection and response during a FAD event may be a sound strategy for public expenditure and provide cost-savings for producers, especially when minimal fixed costs are incurred. However, to fully determine the value of POC testing, the consequences (costs) associated with potential actions if something goes wrong, (e.g. false positive results), should be considered in future studies.

Rapid Online Data Collection and Reporting to Local Health Departments during the Pandemic: The COVID-19 Outbreak Public Evaluation (COPE) Initiative SARS-CoV-2 Case Surveys.

To develop and implement a pilot online data collection tool to help local health departments with their COVID-19 pandemic response efforts and inform health department actions. The COVID-19 Outbreak Public Evaluation (COPE) was an online survey and was distributed by participating sites to individuals who recently tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. Surveys recorded participant demographics and assessed recent infection risk behaviors (eg, mask use, air travel), vaccination status, sleep and exercise habits, social behaviors and beliefs, and physical and mental health. Seven health departments participated in the initiative, which took place during May 1 to September 30, 2022. Identical items were administered to demographically representative samples of adults nationally in the United States within a similar timeframe. A total of 38555 participants completed surveys. Responses from participants with recent SARS-CoV-2 infections were compared with respondents from the national surveys who did not have evidence or awareness of prior SARS-CoV-2 infections. To implement of a process that allows health departments to receive data from local cases and compare this information to national controls during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fifty-four biweekly reports were provided to public health departments between May and September 2022. Information and comparisons within the reports were updated in response to evolving public health priorities for the pandemic response. The initiative helped to guide public health response efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the receptiveness by local health departments and participants provides evidence to support this data collection and reporting model as a component of the public health response to future emergencies. This project demonstrates the feasibility of a centralized, rapid, and adaptive data collection system for local health departments and provides evidence to advocate for data collection methods to help guide local health departments to respond in a timely and effective manner to future public health emergencies.

Care for Women's Health

The mechanisms by which Internet use influences rural women's health are explored in this paper using a mixed-methods approach. Findings indicate that internet use has a significant and positive effect on the health of rural women and hold up to endogenous and robustness testing. Additionally, the strength of the effects of internet use on self-rated health, depression, and cognition level decreases with age. Information accessibility and social trust as the important path mechanisms for Internet use to promote self-rated health and cognition level. We also investigated the impact of COVID-19 outbreak on this mechanism to further recognize the critical role of digital technology in global public health emergency preparedness and response efforts. These findings provide some insights for policy formulation by Governments and practical action by organizations to better improve women's health in rural areas and reduce rural health disparities.

Do COVID-19 related primary emotions affect risk perceptions, efficacy beliefs, and information seeking and behavior? Examining emotions as audience segments

IntroductionPrimary emotions among the populace during global health crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, provide valuable insights. Guided by appraisal theories of emotions, this study explores emotional segmentation by mapping primary emotions related to COVID-19 and investigating their impact on cognitive and behavioral outcomes, including risk perceptions, efficacy beliefs, behavioral intentions, prevention behaviors, and information seeking/avoidance.MethodsStudy 1 surveyed young adults (N = 1,368) to investigate their emotions about COVID-19 and examine the effect of these emotions on risk perceptions, efficacy beliefs, and behavioral intentions regarding mask-wearing and physical distancing. Study 2 replicated Study 1 with a quota-based national sample of U.S. adults (N = 8,454) and further tested the effect of primary emotions on preventive behaviors and information seeking/avoidance.ResultsResults indicated that most people experienced negative emotions, such as sadness, anger, and anxiety. These emotions were associated with varying levels of risk perceptions, efficacy beliefs, behavioral intentions, actual behaviors, and information seeking/avoidance. Notably, across both studies, anxious individuals demonstrated more favorable health-related perceptions and behavioral outcomes compared to those experiencing anger.DiscussionThese findings offer insights into the emotional experiences of individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic and highlight the significant impact of these emotions on risk perceptions and health-related behaviors. Understanding these emotional responses can inform public health strategies and communication efforts during health crises.

Celebratory Image of the 1000-Year-Old City in the Newspaper «Vechernyaya Kazan’» (From the Late 1990s to the First Half of the 2000s)

This article explores how «Vechernyaya Kazan’» (‘Evening Kazan’), a socio-political newspaper specializing in urban affairs, shaped the celebratory image of Kazan for its 1000th anniversary by publishing a variety of multi-genre materials in the late 1990s–early 2000s. For the first time, the vital and informative role of «Vechernyaya Kazan’» in documenting the city’s transformation in anticipation of the celebration held on August 24th–30th, 2005 is shown. The newspaper did not only cover the changes in the urban landscape–their scenarios, progress, and results, but also was actively engaged itself in these events, emphasizing to the general public the importance of both the city’s anniversary and the preparations involved. In addition to spotlighting the official commemorative sites, «Vechernyaya Kazan’» showcased numerous public initiatives and efforts aimed to make the city more comfortable. Particular attention is paid to the newspaper’s interactive features, which contributed significantly to its success.

Beyond control? The political economy of private interception, intrusion, and surveillance markets

Private intrusion, interception, and surveillance (PIIS) markets represent a key vehicle for the global expansion of digital surveillance regimes. Yet, due to their opacity and notorious secrecy, these markets have received relatively little scholarly attention. Triangulating between a unique dataset comprising 5973 industry presentations, interviews, and industry reports, this article provides novel insights into the evolution of market structures and public control efforts. Conceptualizing the PIIS-market as a dynamic and fluid assemblage, we highlight how the enmeshment of social, political, and technological dimensions shaped hierarchies and agencies of control. Our findings point towards the existence of three intersecting dynamics of territorialization, changing technological affordances, and ordering that persistently undermined attempts to limit market operations. In reflecting on these past failures, the presented approach points towards the importance of timing and highlights a need to re-conceptualize control in state-market relations from an assemblage perspective, pragmatically working across bureaucratic boundaries and leveraging disparate power centers across the public and private divide. Considering the growing interest in economic dependencies and the strategic dimension of high-tech markets, these findings have a wider relevance to current debates about the rise of economic security states.

Democracy Promotion and Public Diplomacy: US Efforts to Communicate with the Peoples of the Middle East in the Early Years of the 21st Century

The attacks of 11 September 2001 led to a significant shift in the importance placed by the United States on the region of the Middle East in its overall foreign policy. The United States intervened in Afghanistan and Iraq in the wake of the attacks, and the resulting policies negatively impacted its image more than ever before. While combating terrorism, the United States also sought to engage with the people of the Middle East in order to promote democracy within the region. In addition, public diplomacy has emerged as an effective method for democracy promotion, with the objective of reaching the people of the region through the use of new communication channels. Some theories view this approach as a logical choice. However, in the first years of the 21st century, the image of the United States continued to be negative among the peoples of the region. The article discusses the role of public diplomacy as an important tool for democracy promotion and attempts to explain why the American image in the Middle East has not improved through this approach alone. To this end, it first defines the concept of democracy promotion and then analyses the potential role of public diplomacy in this context. Finally, it analyses the US public diplomacy efforts until 2005 and discusses the effectiveness of these strategies.

Exploring political corporate social responsibility: a qualitative content analysis of multinational corporations' diplomacy efforts during the Russia–Ukraine war

PurposeUsing political corporate social responsibility (PCSR) as a theoretical framework, this study aims to examine how multinational corporations (MNCs) can function as nonstate actors in public diplomacy efforts during the Russia–Ukraine war.Design/methodology/approachA thematic analysis using qualitative content analysis was conducted on 98 new releases from the websites of the top 50 MNCs listed in the Fortune Global 500.FindingsThe findings indicate that MNCs elucidate their initiatives aimed at providing a secure environment for war victims through their news releases, with notable variations in responses based on the companies' geographical location. MNCs also mentioned strengthening the power of public authorities by rebalancing power dynamics between governments and intergovernmental initiatives under war conditions.Originality/valueThis study is one of the first empirical investigations to research corporate diplomacy and explore the theoretical implications of PCSR for corporate diplomacy.

The Impact of an Educational Program on the Awareness and Knowledge of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Vaccine Among Secondary School Girls in Saudi Arabia.

The objectives were to assess the effectiveness ofthe educational program in enhancing students' understanding of thehuman papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, correcting misconceptions, and increasing overall awareness. Additionally, the study aimed to identify factors influencing knowledge improvement and willingness to be vaccinated against HPV, including prior knowledge, information sources, session attendance, and school type. In this study, 148 participants were enrolled from secondary schools in Saudi Arabia, and data were collected through pre- and post-educational session assessments, logistic regression analyses, and qualitative investigations. Educational sessions focused on key aspects of the HPV vaccine, including its preventive benefits, administration details, and side effects, tailored to address common misconceptions and enhance understanding among students. The study revealed significant improvements in students' knowledge post-educational sessions, particularly in key areas such as cervical cancer prevention, gender recommendations, vaccine administration, and side effect awareness. Prior knowledge, information sources, session attendance, and school type significantly influenced knowledge enhancement and willingness to be vaccinated against HPV. The qualitative analysis provided additional insights into challenges, perceptions, and misconceptions surrounding HPV vaccination, underlining the significance of targeted education and cultural sensitivity in promoting vaccination uptake. The findings underscored the effectiveness of the educational intervention in enhancing HPV vaccine awareness, dispelling myths, and fostering informed decision-making among Saudi Arabian adolescent populations. The study emphasizes the critical role of tailored educational programs in correcting misconceptions, promoting accurate knowledge, and ultimately increasing vaccination acceptance for improved public health outcomes and disease prevention efforts. Ongoing efforts are essential to sustain and expand educational initiatives to enhance HPV vaccine understanding and adolescent uptake.

Motivating parents to protect their children from wildfire smoke: the impact of air quality index infographics

Background. Wildfire smoke events are increasing in frequency and intensity due to climate change. Children are especially vulnerable to health effects even at moderate smoke levels. However, it is unclear how parents respond to Air Quality Indices (AQIs) frequently used by agencies to communicate air pollution health risks. Methods. In an experiment (3 × 2 × 2 factorial design), 2,100 parents were randomly assigned to view one of twelve adapted AQI infographics that varied by visual (table, line, gauge), index type (AQI [0-500], AQHI [1-11+]), and risk level (moderate, high). Participants were told to imagine encountering the infographic in a short-term exposure scenario. They reported worry about wildfire smoke, intentions to take risk-mitigating actions (e.g., air purifier use), and support for various exposure reduction policies. Subsequently, participants were told to imagine encountering the same infographic daily during a school week in a long-term exposure scenario and again reported worry, action intentions, and policy support. Results. Parents’ responses significantly differentiated between risk levels that both pose a threat to children’s health; worry and action intentions were much higher in the high-risk group than the moderate-risk group in both short-exposure (F = 748.68 p<.001; F = 411.59, p<.001) and long-exposure scenarios (F = 470.51, p<.001; F = 212.01, p<.001). However, in the short-exposure scenario, when shown the AQHI [1-11+] with either the line or gauge visuals, parents’ action intentions were more similar between moderate- and high-risk level groups (3-way interaction, F = 6.03, p = .002). Conclusions. These results suggest some index formats such as the AQHI—rather than the AQI—may better attune parents to moderate levels of wildfire smoke being dangerous to children’s health. Our research offers insights for agencies and officials seeking to improve current public education efforts during wildfire smoke events and speaks to the critical need to educate parents and help them act short-term and long-term to protect children’s health.

Factors affecting the future utilisation of high-speed train services in Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC)

The high-speed rail project connecting three airports stands as a pivotal public transportation initiative, strategically designed to enhance economic growth within the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), Thailand. This study focuses on examining the factors influencing the future utilisation of this project. Mueang Chon Buri district, positioned at the heart of the EEC, is chosen as a case study. Data is then collected through a stated preference survey involving 400 randomly individuals, and a binary logistic regression model is constructed for the analysis. The results reveal that individuals with larger households and personal vehicles are less inclined to choose high-speed train services in the future, with probabilities of usage being 48.5% and 55.5% lower, respectively, compared to those with smaller households or without personal cars. To address this trend, service providers should undertake comprehensive public relations efforts and consider different pricing strategies. These measures have been found to enhance the likelihood of high-speed train usage by 3.097 and 1.411 times. In addition, the study also found crucial factors for successful high-speed train services, including station facilities, system reliability, efficient train schedules, and reduced travel time throughout the trip (emphasising seamless connections with other modes of transportation). Effective implementation of these factors could enhance public acceptance and usage of the high-speed train service in the region by 1.659, 2.089, 1.729 and 1.496 times, respectively.

Differential time series analysis shows deceleration in melanoma mortality prior to the widespread use of highly effective therapies

Although the recent drop in melanoma mortality has been attributed to the introduction of newer therapies, the impact of ongoing public efforts remains unknown. Characterize and model melanoma mortality trends before the era of molecular and immune therapies (1969-2014) in the U.S. and Australia. Differential time series analysis based on population-ascertained melanoma mortality rates from the U.S. and Australia. Mortality rates were modeled and compared to the trajectories of ten other cancers. Melanoma mortality rates have been significantly decelerating since the 1970s in both the U.S. (P<.0001) and Australia (P=.0021). Zero acceleration occurred around 2001 (95% CI: 1996, 2008) for the U.S. and 2004 (95% CI: 1999, 2011) for Australia. Male mortality rates decelerated 3x-4x faster than females in both countries. Melanoma mortality followed a similar quadratic function (R2>0.9) to 10 other cancers, albeit with a later inflection point (1986 vs 2001) and broader focal width. Absolute mortality data used without further stratification or considering cancer incidence or covariates. Melanoma deaths have been decelerating for the past 5decades, reaching an inflection point around 2001, suggesting that mitigating campaigns were already afoot in both the U.S. and Australia before the advent of modern therapies.

Research on the Effect of Low-Carbon Education on Residents by the Chinese Government

The low carbon living of residents is important for China to achieve the “double carbon goal.” This paper uses the natural language processing technique in machine learning to collect data from 2005 to 2020, constructs the government’s “green will” index and residents’ low-carbon life index, and conducts an empirical study through a static panel model and a dynamic panel model. The study shows that: (a) all cities in the Yangtze River Delta pay more and more attention to low-carbon publicity, but there are individual differences in the degree of attention; (b) in general, the government’s willingness to go green does drive residents to develop a low-carbon life; (c) affluence and human capital growth are positively related to the effect of government low-carbon publicity. Accordingly, the following measures are proposed: increase the government’s low-carbon publicity efforts, deepen education reform, attract high-end talents, strengthen scientific and technological innovation, promote new urbanization, and reduce the marginal cost of carbon emissions.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Other Sexual and Gender Minority Health Disparities: A Position Paper From the American College of Physicians.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or other sexual and gender minorities (LGBTQ+) populations in the United States continue to experience disparities in health and health care. Discrimination in both health care and society at large negatively affects LGBTQ+ health. Although progress has been made in addressing health disparities and reducing social inequality for these populations, new challenges have emerged. There is a pressing need for physicians and other health professionals to take a stance against discriminatory policies as renewed federal and state public policy efforts increasingly impose medically unnecessary restrictions on the provision of gender-affirming care. In this position paper, the American College of Physicians (ACP) reaffirms and updates much of its long-standing policy on LGBTQ+ health to strongly support access to evidence-based, clinically indicated gender-affirming care and oppose political efforts to interfere in the patient-physician relationship. Furthermore, ACP opposes institutional and legal restrictions on undergraduate, graduate, and continuing medical education and training on gender-affirming care and LGBTQ+ health issues. This paper also offers policy recommendations to protect the right of all people to participate in public life free from discrimination on the basis of their gender identity or sexual orientation and encourages the deployment of inclusive, nondiscriminatory, and evidence-based blood donation policies for members of LGBTQ+ communities. Underlying these beliefs is a reaffirmed commitment to promoting equitable access to quality care for all people regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

Meeting Targets in Competitive Product Markets

ABSTRACTWe show that public banks face negative stock return jumps after missing their earnings per share (EPS) targets, and theoretically and quantitatively link these jumps to bunching behavior in the EPS surprise distribution. Bunching banks cut deposit rates to meet their targets, but do so at the expense of deposit outflows and franchise value losses. Local competitors, including private banks unexposed to capital market pressure, increase deposit rates, compensating depositors for switching. Our results provide new evidence that performance targeting incentives can affect consumer product prices, and suggest that competition may provide a check on public firms' targeting efforts.