Public Programs Research Articles

Multiple Sclerosis Disease-Modifying Therapy Use in the Department of Veteran Affairs and Medicare: A Comparative Analysis

BackgroundHigh-cost disease-modifying therapies (DMT) for multiple sclerosis (MS) have created affordability challenges for people with MS (PwMS) and payers. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is the largest integrated healthcare system in the US and uses a variety of approaches to manage utilization and cost of MS DMT. The objective of this paper is to compare national utilization trends in the VA to the US Medicare program, another large federal public healthcare program. MethodsCounts of PwMS prescribed DMT from 2012 to 2021 in the VA and Medicare programs were used to estimate changes utilization over this period. For each DMT, we estimated the proportion of all DMT users treated in each year. Trends in utilization were compared to identify differences in how these systems manage DMT use. We compared demographics and DMT use between PwMS in the VA to previously published estimates from a Medicare cohort of PwMS. ResultsDMT use in PwMS was comparable in VA and Medicare programs (65.9% vs 69.7%). In younger (<50 years) PwMS, DMT use was more prevalent in the VA compared to Medicare (85.8% vs 76.9%). Between 2012 and 2021, the proportion of patients on DMT using a lower-efficacy agent (interferon beta and glatiramer) declined in both the VA (90% to 32%) and Medicare (81% to 38%). Oral DMT use (primarily fumarates and sphingosine 1-phosphate [S1P] modulators) increased to a similar degree such that by 2021, 39% of patients in both systems were receiving oral DMT. Use of high-efficacy B cell depleting DMT (ocrelizumab, ofatumumab, and rituximab) was consistently higher in the VA than in Medicare. Despite the approval of generic glatiramer and dimethyl fumarate in 2015 and 2020 respectively, 49% of glatiramer and 58% of fumarate utilization in the Medicare program continued to be for a branded product in 2021. ConclusionsGreater DMT use among younger PwMS along with more frequent use of high-efficacy B cell depleting DMT in VA has the potential to reduce disability and attendant healthcare system costs. Generic DMT adoption in the Medicare program was lower than might be expected. Future studies should evaluate the relationship between DMT utilization, costs, and health outcomes in these populations.

Managing Inclusion and Financial Education for Sustainable Development

Objective: The objective of this study is to analyze the importance of effective management of financial inclusion and education in the context of sustainable development, highlighting its impact on the achievement of the SDGs. It also aims to identify the main challenges faced by vulnerable populations in accessing financial services and propose comprehensive strategies to improve financial literacy and accessibility, contributing to a more inclusive and equitable society. Theoretical Framework: For this research we have several relevant approaches and theories such as: financial inclusion theory; its relationship with the SDGs; financial education theory, as well as inclusion and sustainable development. Method: The methodology adopted for this research comprises a qualitative approach, based on the review of documents, public policies and government programs on financial inclusion and education to assess their effectiveness with respect to the SDGs. Data from the World Bank's Data Dashboard (The Global Findex Database, 2024) was analyzed using content analysis, which allowed identifying key themes and gaining a deeper understanding of the perceptions and experiences related to the evaluated programs.. Results and Discussion:The results obtained revealed that, although there is progress in financial inclusion in Mexico, there are still areas of opportunity to improve access to and use of financial services, especially among the most vulnerable segments of the population. It is necessary to highlight the need to continue working on the promotion of financial inclusion in Mexico and in other regions, through public policies that promote financial education, technological innovation, and collaboration between the public and private sectors. Research Implications: The practical implications of this research include the improvement of public policies and programs focused on financial inclusion and education, promoting more equitable access to financial services in vulnerable populations. At a theoretical level, the study provides a deeper understanding of the relationship between financial management and sustainable development, offering a conceptual framework that links financial inclusion with the SDGs. This strengthens the academic analysis on how financial education can drive inclusive economic growth. Originality/Value: The originality and value of this research lies in its focus on the direct relationship between financial inclusion and financial education with the SDGs, an area underdeveloped in the literature. The research offers a new perspective by assessing how financial education can be a key tool for achieving equitable and sustainable development. Its contribution to the literature is in providing a detailed analysis of public policies and government programs, highlighting their effectiveness and identifying areas for improvement, which brings a comprehensive and updated approach to the study of financial inclusion.

EFFECT OF PAYE AND OTHER INTERNALLY GENERATED REVENUE TAXES ON EXPENDITURE OF GOVERNMENT IN SOUTHWEST STATE, NIGERIA

A tax is a compulsory charge on income, consumption and production imposed upon an individual, Partnership or companies by the government of a nation in order to fund various public expenditures. The intricate relationship between the collection of PAYE and other internally generated revenue taxes and the allocation of funds towards public services, infrastructure development, and social welfare programs poses a complex challenge. The study therefore examines the tax revenue and government expenditure in Southwest, Nigeria. The study adopts ex-post facto research design while data was sourced secondarily from the audited annual financial reports and budgets of southwestern states governments for the period of forty (40) years 1982-2022. The population of the study were the entire six (6) states of south west Nigeria. Analytical techniques used in the study involved both descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics include minimum, maximum, mean and standard deviation values. Variance Decomposition Analysis (VDA) and Impulse Response Function (IRF) as components of time series regression analysis was used in assessing all the study variables at 5% significant level. Regression analysis was used to examine the effect of PAYE and other internally generated revenue taxes on expenditure. The result of the regression analysis implies that four explanatory variables INT and COT were significant in explaining variation on the effect of PAYE and other internally generated revenue taxes on expenditure of government in southwest state with p values of (0.0202 and 0.0116). The study concludes that Pay AsYou Earn (PAYE) and other internal generated revenue taxes has significant effect to government expenditure in southwest states, Nigeria. Therefore, the study recommends that Government in the southwestern states should develop and implement effective strategies to further boost revenue generation, especially from internal sources like Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and other internally generated taxes..

The Role of The Principal in Improving the Quality of Education Through School-Community Relations Management at MI Persis Gandok Tasikmalaya City

The aim of this research is to determine Public Relations management at MI Persis Gandok City. Tasikmalaya. Meanwhile, the specific aim is to describe the planning of school and community relations, the implementation of school and community relations and how the principal evaluates the implementation of school and community relations. The research method used in this research is qualitative descriptive research. MI Persis Gandok is planning several public relations work programs, among which the Public Relations Program is to form cooperation in the field of strengthening educational institutions through the formation of Madrasah Councils and Congregational Leadership. Through the formation of madrasah councils and congregational leaders, they can provide a bridge in the form of communication between the school and the community. To make the MI Persis Gandok school public relations program a success, there are several techniques that can be used. The technique chosen is a technique that is considered effective and efficient according to school conditions, the condition of the students' parents, the condition of the surrounding community, and the school's finances. Among these techniques are: group face-to-face meeting techniques, individual face-to-face meeting techniques and school publication techniques. One form of evaluation by the Principal of MI Persis Gandok towards Madrasah Public Relations is through observation, checklists, questionnaires and/or through meetings/briefings. The objectives of this evaluation are: 1) To ensure that the entire program is known; 2) Ensure that the Madrasah's image in society has good values; 3) make a follow-up to the evaluation results.

EFFECT OF PAYE AND OTHER INTERNALLY GENERATED REVENUE TAXES ON EXPENDITURE OF GOVERNMENT IN SOUTHWEST STATE, NIGERIA

A tax is a compulsory charge on income, consumption and production imposed upon an individual, Partnership or companies by the government of a nation in order to fund various public expenditures. The intricate relationship between the collection of PAYE and other internally generated revenue taxes and the allocation of funds towards public services, infrastructure development, and social welfare programs poses a complex challenge. The study therefore examines the tax revenue and government expenditure in Southwest, Nigeria. The study adopts ex-post facto research design while data was sourced secondarily from the audited annual financial reports and budgets of southwestern states governments for the period of forty (40) years 1982-2022. The population of the study were the entire six (6) states of south west Nigeria. Analytical techniques used in the study involved both descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics include minimum, maximum, mean and standard deviation values. Variance Decomposition Analysis (VDA) and Impulse Response Function (IRF) as components of time series regression analysis was used in assessing all the study variables at 5% significant level. Regression analysis was used to examine the effect of PAYE and other internally generated revenue taxes on expenditure. The result of the regression analysis implies that four explanatory variables INT and COT were significant in explaining variation on the effect of PAYE and other internally generated revenue taxes on expenditure of government in southwest state with p values of (0.0202 and 0.0116). The study concludes that Pay AsYou Earn (PAYE) and other internal generated revenue taxes has significant effect to government expenditure in southwest states, Nigeria. Therefore, the study recommends that Government in the southwestern states should develop and implement effective strategies to further boost revenue generation, especially from internal sources like Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and other internally generated taxes..

Motivation, self-determination, and reflexivity of researchers in comedic public engagement.

Understanding motivation and impact of participation in public engagement programs is crucial for fostering dialogue between researchers and the public. Using Self-Determination Theory and Reflexive Thematic Analysis, in this study we analyzed motivation and impact on identity of researchers participating in Bright Club Ireland, a public engagement project where academic researchers learn to use stand-up comedy as an informal and accessible means of communicating their research, then perform at a public-facing variety night alongside professional comedians. Through semi-structured interviews and focus groups, we found that participation in Bright Club is largely intrinsically motivated, driven by researchers' desire to gain skills, be recognized as experts, and present their own perspectives on their disciplines. These findings shed light on how participation in public engagement can promote a sense of autonomy, competence, and relatedness among researchers, and highlight the role of creative expression in facilitating reflection and growth.

How much digital public health is taught in German public health programs? A qualitative analysis

Abstract Background Digital public health (DiPH) professionals are crucial for a successful digital transformation in social and health care. However, the extent to which academic professionals are taught DiPH-related content in their public health studies in Germany remains unclear. Methods We used a systematic module handbook analysis to assess accredited full-time public health-oriented degree programs at German Universities for DiPH-related modules. Programs were identified through the Hochschulkompass platform and among the German Public Health Association member programs. We used MAXQDA for the content analysis of the included module handbooks. Results We identified 79 public health programs. Of these, 10 Bachelor’s and 6 Master’s offered at least one DiPH module, all being highly heterogeneous in their overall addressed public health subfields. Regarding DiPH, 6 programs lectured on the ethics of digitalizing health and data protection, 5 programs each offered modules on DiPH in health policy, on data science in healthcare and software used for eHealth, or on the digital determinants of health. 4 programs each included modules on digital health promotion and alternative evaluation methods. 3 programs each addressed digital science communication and health technology assessment. Finally, 2 programs had modules on digital epidemiology. We found differences between the common understanding of DiPH in academia and the content in the module handbooks. The content identified in the analysis focused mainly on technical areas. Social and health science content was only marginally present. Conclusions The diverse DiPH study programs allow academic public health specialists in Germany to develop specific profiles. There is a need for further development of modules with relevance to the respective degree program to achieve comprehensive competencies in DiPH. We encourage the uptake of our analysis to develop a core curriculum in DiPH among European public health programs. Key messages • Digitalization affects all areas of life, including healthcare systems and public health. Preparing the future workforce already during their training is crucial to enable them to lead the change. • German public health programs are not fit to prepare students for their professions. Developing DiPH curricula with pre-defined and updated competencies will strengthen programs in Germany and beyond.

Gambling Disorder among Croatian University Students

Abstract Background Gambling has become a routine form of entertainment for many young people studying in universities. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and characteristics of gambling disorder among Croatian university students. Methods A cross-sectional study using an anonymous self-administered questionnaire with sociodemographic and socioeconomic questions along with the Croatian version of the South Oaks Gambling Screen questionnaire (SOGS-CRO) was conducted in a representative sample of Croatian university students from Osijek, Eastern Croatia during January, and February 2020. Results A total of 844 students participated in the study, 45.6% males and 54.4% females, with a median age of 19.00 years (interquartile range 19.00-23.00 years). Gambling activities were performed by 66.2% of the students, most commonly lotteries, sports bets, and bingo. The final scores of the SOGS-CRO suggested that 21.1% of students may have a gambling disorder, with 16.4% being “probable pathological gamblers” and 4.7% being “problem gamblers”. Playing cards for money, animal bets, stocks bets, slot machines bets, pull-tabs, and other gambling activities such as online or videogames or mobile games present a higher risk of gambling disorder (p &amp;lt; 0.001, p &amp;lt; 0.001, p &amp;lt; 0.001, p &amp;lt; 0.001, p &amp;lt; 0.001, p &amp;lt; 0.001, respectively). Being male, repeating the year of study, being a student in interdisciplinary or technical field of study, and having a mother with gambling disorder (p &amp;lt; 0.001, p = 0.029, p &amp;lt; 0.001, p &amp;lt; 0.001, respectively) were the revealed contributing factors to the development of gambling disorder in study participants. Conclusions The study points to the fact that gambling disorder is quite a prevalent public health issue in the Croatian university student population. Specific public health preventive programs need to be designed and implemented in the study population to successfully prevent the development of investigated behavioral addiction. Key messages • Public health interventions directed toward the prevention of gambling must involve younger population subgroups, such as university students. • When designing the preventive programs for the successful prevention of gambling within the university student population selected sociodemographic variables should be considered.

Cellfare: Delivering Self-Targeted Social Protection Using Mobile Phones

This article proposes a new form of self-targeted social protection scheme: beneficiaries carry out a series of small tasks on their mobile phones, each linked to a small payment. Key advantages over traditional public works include potentially large reductions in leakage, costs, and delays. The proposed scheme may also be suitable to wider demographics as it does not require physical labour and can be availed from home. A prototype implementation of a ‘cellfare’ scheme was tested in rural India, and 42 participants with experience of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, a large Indian public works programme, favourably compared the proposed scheme to the existing one.

Large scale public health system transformation: Ireland

Abstract Ireland has coped comparatively well with the COVID-19 pandemic when considering excess mortality. The reasons are likely complex and multifaceted, but it may be, in part, attributable to a comparatively young population and progress on indicators related to premature mortality and preventable mortality on chronic diseases and lifestyle risk factors. “Healthy Ireland” is a national framework in place since 2013 and utilizes a settings based approach to promote health and wellbeing in communities. It aims to improve collaboration between government, institutions, local communities, and individuals. Sláintecare is an all’party long-term health reform initiative developed in 2017 aimed at delivering the right care, at the right time, in the right place by the right team. In addition, in 2018 Ireland embarked on an ambitious public health reform programme with the implementation of the recommendations of the Crowe Horwath review of Public Health. While challenges exist, including access to services and waiting times, the governments has put in place initiatives to address these and is committed to, amongst other things, promo ting the continued integration of services across a variety of domains including primary to quaternary prevention. As Ireland began to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic it established “The Public Health Reform Expert Advisory Group” to identify learnings from the public health components of the response, with a view towards strengthening public health and health protection generally and, specifically, future public health pandemic preparedness. The group, made up of national and international public health experts, submitted its final report in September 2023 which outlined a series of recommendations focused on potential improvements to public health policy, structures and governance. The WHO analysis of the Essential Public Health Functions provided complementary results. More work is now ahead to consider and implement these recommendations and foster institutional reforms including at the Health Services Executive, the Department of Health, and at the Health Protection Surveillance Centre.

10.A. Round table: Transforming public health systems at large scale: no pain, no gain

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic, acceleration of climate change, and geopolitical turmoil have triggered discussions about how public health systems in Europe need to transform to be adequately equipped for the so-called “permacrisis”. The challenges to policy makers, health institutions and health services have become so multifaceted, that single solutions from the health sector alone no longer work. Yet, despite the complexity, countries seek to get its own house in order whilst building on inter-sectoral and European approaches in parallel. Germany, Ireland, and Ukraine have all embarked upon ambitious public health services and institutional reforms, leading to transformative change in public health systems. WHO has been accompanying these reforms. The workshop will provide a platform to draw insights and lessons on transforming public health systems from all three countries, although their population size, their socioeconomic and political situation and their public health system design is so different. As the smallest of the three countries in population, Ireland created coherence and is aligning public health actors within “Healthy Ireland” and the Sláintecaire and the Crowe Horwath public health reforms. Germany’s “Pact for the Public Health Services” has been one of the greatest public health investment programs in Europe that was initiated following lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic. And Ukraine has undertaken important legal steps to adopt a Public Health System Law, in the middle of a war of aggression on its territory. The workshop will exhibit the process of large-scale public health system transformation in each of the three countries. The purpose is to identify the enablers that make large scale system transformation possible and addressing some of the pains and gains. The workshop will have three parts. Part one consists of three presentations on large scale system reforms from each of the participating countries. Part two consists of a moderated Q&amp;A session. Part three will focus on the synthesis of enablers for large scale public health system reforms through interaction with the workshop participants, using a digital white board. Key messages • Disruptive times can create enabling conditions for large scale public health system transformation. • Designing and implementing large scale public health system reforms is complex, requiring passion, resilience, and collaborative leadership.

The Types and Effectiveness of Mobile Health Applications Used in Improving Oral Cancer Knowledge: A Mixed Methods Systematic Review

ABSTRACTBackground and AimsThe global burden of oral cancer (OC) is enormous. Mobile health applications have been found to play a promising role in cancer prevention; however, no known systematic review evidence exists on whether the use of mobile health applications is effective in increasing public knowledge of OC or not. Therefore, this systematic review aimed to synthesize evidence on the types and effectiveness of mobile health applications used for improving OC knowledge.MethodsThis study adopted a mixed methods systematic review design. The review methodology was informed by Joanna Brigg's Institute's PRISMA checklist and the AMSTAR‐2 guidelines. The literature used for this review were obtained through the search of multiple sources, including 12 electronic databases, web sources, and manual searching of the reference lists and citations of the included articles. Quality appraisal of the included articles was done using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool, after which relevant data were collected, synthesized, and configured.ResultsA total of three high‐quality articles, from two studies conducted in India, were included in this review. The studies investigated 574 participants, who are predominantly doctors and community members, on two Android‐based mobile health applications (M‐OncoED and Prayaas). Only Prayaas was found to significantly increase OC knowledge among its users (p &lt; 0.05). Only M‐OncoED was found to significantly increase the practice of OC screening advice provision among a selected group of users. No other significant finding was reported on the effect of OC knowledge obtained from the use of these applications on clinical, behavioral, and epidemiological outcomes.ConclusionMobile health application‐based education is a highly underutilised but very promising strategy that can be used to improve public knowledge of OC. This strategy needs to be adopted in public education programmes on OC.

Use and perceptions of involuntary civil commitment among post-overdose outreach staff in Massachusetts, United States: A mixed-methods study.

Involuntary civil commitment (ICC) is a legal process by which people are compulsorily admitted to substance use treatment. This study explored views about and promotion of ICC procedures for substance use disorders among public health-public safety post-overdose outreach programs and their outreach team members in Massachusetts, USA. In this mixed-methods study, survey data were collected from post-overdose outreach programs in 2019, and semi-structured interviews were conducted with outreach team members in 2019 and 2020. Massachusetts, USA. We received 138 survey responses and conducted 38 interviews with post-overdose outreach team members (law enforcement officers, recovery coaches, social workers and harm reductionists) who were majority male (57%) and white (66%). We used the survey instrument to categorize programs as more (discussed ICC at 50% or more of outreach encounters) or less ICC focused (discussed ICC at less than 50% of outreach encounters) and to identify program characteristics that corresponded with each categorization. Semi-structured interviews explored staff perceptions of ICC effectiveness. Among 138 programs, 36% (n = 50) discussed ICC at 50% or more of outreach encounters. Discussing ICC at a majority of visits was positively associated with abstinence-only program philosophies (36% v. 6%, P < 0.001) and collaborating with drug courts (60% v. 30%, P < 0.001), but negatively associated with naloxone distribution (48% v. 75%, P < 0.001) and referring to syringe service programs (26% v. 65%, P < 0.001). Qualitative interviews identified three themes: 1) some programs viewed ICC as a first line tool to engage overdose survivors in treatment; 2) other programs considered ICC a last resort, skeptical of its benefits and concerned about potential harms; 3) families commonly initiated discussions about ICC, reportedly out of desperation. Promotion of involuntary civil commitment (ICC) appears to vary widely across post-overdose outreach programs in Massachusetts, USA, with approaches ranging from seeing it as a first step to treatment to being a tool of last resort. Demand for ICC among family members may relate to inadequate access to voluntary treatment. Family interest in ICC appears to be driven by inadequate availability of treatment and other services. ICC at post-overdose outreach visits should be limited, if used at all.

7.L. Practice session: Is there an investment case for health at older ages?

Abstract The global demographic landscape is undergoing significant transformation due to increases in longevity and declining birth rates. According to the United Nations, the world’s population aged 65 and over is projected to more than double, reaching over 1.5 billion by 2050, while global fertility rates are expected to decline to 2.4 births per woman by 2030 and continue decreasing to 2.2 births per woman by 2050. Ageing populations have frequently concerned decision-makers due to the potential implications of changes in population age-mix for labour markets and the economy, as well as for the sustainability of public programs and spending, particularly the health sector. For example, as the share of the population at older age increases, there are concerns over how to cope with the possible economic implications of having a smaller share of people at traditional working age (with potentially more people obtaining income security through both public and private pensions) and how to respond to greater health and long-term care needs. Without appropriate policy responses, there are worries that demographic changes will have inevitable consequences for households, public finances and possibly for economic growth and development. To support policy decisions related to population ageing it is important to have informative evidence and modelling tools that allow policymakers to better understand both the implications of population ageing as well as the consequences of policy action or inaction. To this end, this session presents three recently developed modelling tools that aim to address a number of policy relevant questions related to ageing: 1) How does ageing affect health financing and are health systems unsustainable? 2) How does ageing affect economic objectives and does health at older ages matter? 3) Can we develop economically relevant measures of health at older ages if older people do not have formal ties to the labour force? Using data and analyses from a range of European countries, we will demonstrate empirically that the way ageing affects health financing systems, economies, and societies more broadly reflects policy choices and is not an inevitable consequence of demographic changes. Key messages • Policymakers must prioritize informed policies to comprehensively understand the impact of aging on health financing and economies, facilitating the development of sustainable solutions. • Immediate action is imperative to address the implications of aging on labor markets and public spending, ensuring future economic stability and safeguarding societal well-being.

Accommodating Seed Libraries into Public Libraries: A Platform to Address Food Insecurity in India

ABSTRACT There are several initiatives adopted by public libraries to address issues on food insecurity which includes public food programs, community-based agricultural programmes, community food gardens, and seed libraries. The need of a seed library in the community is not just about promoting agricultural practices, it also helps to address the rising food insecurity and hunger issues prevailing in the society. This paper explores how seed libraries could be incorporated within public libraries and their scope in Indian context. For the purpose of the study, previous articles on seed libraries were analyzed to understand its functions and operations. The “Annapurna Seed Library” in Assam is selected to provide insight on the scope for seed libraries in India and how it could be implemented in other states as well.

Educational intervention to raise awareness and foster responsibility for Chagas disease risk factors in the rural community of Texca, Guerrero, Mexico.”

Problem consideredChagas disease is a vector-borne parasitic infection considered of public health importance. For farmers and residents of endemic areas, vectors are part of their day to day life and they often lack awareness of their infectious potential, so the risk they pose is not a main concern in their lives. So far, existing measures set in place to eradicate the vector have not been effective long-term. MethodsIn this study, a one-year program was designed and implemented to inform and assess the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of 81 parents or heads of household regarding the risk of transmission and prevention of Trypanosoma cruzi infection. The program aimed to raise awareness of the crucial role they play in the prevention and control of vectors associated with Chagas disease. ResultsAfter educational interventions, a notable increase in the percentage of knowledge regarding the parasite, transmission factors, and Chagas disease was observed. ConclusionThis might suggest that properly implementing educational interventions within the population, with training from health professionals and through public programs, will allow for the reduction of infection risks. In the long term, it could significantly reduce the incidence of the disease in the region and state.

The Change in Public Perception and Knowledge Acquisition Methods of Chronic Kidney Disease Among General Population in Okayama Prefecture, Japan

CKD public education plays a very important role in effective chronic kidney disease (CKD) countermeasure. We have been conducting CKD public education programs in Okayama Prefecture since 2007. Here, we aimed to examine the actual status of CKD perceptance and changes in CKD perceptance due to these education programs. The study was conducted on individuals who underwent health checkups at 12 medical institutions across five medical regions in Okayama Prefecture between 1 October and 30 November in 2015, 2019, and 2023. The results showed that overall CKD perceptance has improved over time (perceptance of “CKD” 4% to 7%, “chronic kidney disease” 27% to 34%, 2015 vs. 2023). “Chronic kidney disease” was more commonly recognized than “CKD”, and the elderly were more aware of the disease than younger people. The CKD perceptance improved across all age groups. However, the rate of CKD perceptance is still low, especially among young people. Previously, newspapers were the second most common resource of information about CKD after television. However, the Internet has recently replaced newspapers as the second most common source of information, especially among younger people. Understanding of the exact diagnosis of CKD also remains insufficient. It is necessary to continue more effective CKD public education programs through more intelligible terminology and information sources that match the demographics of target population.

Tracing success: Assessing the influence of bachelor of public administration program on graduates’ outcomes

Tracing success: Assessing the influence of bachelor of public administration program on graduates’ outcomes

Association Between Socio-Demographic Characteristics and Household Food Waste Behaviors Among University Students in Italy: The UniFoodWaste Study

Food waste is a growing environmental, economic, and social challenge worldwide. This study aimed to assess the association between various socio-demographic characteristics and household food waste behaviors among university students in Italy. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a validated, online, anonymous, and voluntary-based questionnaire distributed among university students in Milan, Italy. Linear regression analyses were performed to explore the association between socio-demographic factors and anti-household food waste behaviors (preventive practice, abilities scores, and parental guidance). A total of 2779 students participated in the survey. Students residing outside Lombardy exhibited higher preventive practice scores (β = 0.11, p = 0.030). Regular smoking was negatively associated with preventive practice (β = −0.22, p &lt; 0.001) and abilities scores (β = −0.11, p = 0.009). Cohabitation with a partner positively impacted abilities scores (β = 0.23, p = 0.007). Larger family sizes and students in scientific fields showed higher scores for parents’ guidance (β = 0.18, p &lt; 0.001). Frequent use of food delivery apps correlated with lower scores across all categories, while anti-food waste apps had a positive effect. Socio-demographic factors significantly influence food waste behaviors among university students. Tailored public health policies and educational programs addressing these factors could effectively reduce food waste.

Validation Study of the Claims-Based Algorithm Using the International Classification of Diseases Codes to Identify Patients With Coronavirus Disease in Japan From 2020 to 2022: The VENUS Study.

We validated claims-based algorithms using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) to identify patients with the first-ever coronavirus disease (COVID-19) onset between May 2020 and August 2022. The study cohort was comprised of residents of one municipality enrolled in a public insurance program. This study used data provided by the municipality, including residents' insurer-based medical claims data linked to the Health Center Real-time Information-Sharing System (HER-SYS). The HER-SYS data included positive results from COVID-19 tests and were used as reference standards. Claims-based algorithms #1 and #2 were U07.1, B34.2, with and without suspicious diagnoses, respectively. Claims-based algorithms #3 and #4 were U07.1 with and without suspicious diagnoses, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated for each algorithm. The study cohort included 165 038 residents, including 13 402 residents were the reference standard. For the entire period, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were 55.7% (95% confidence interval: 54.8%-56.5%), 65.4% (65.2%-65.6%), 11.5% (11.3%-11.8%), and 98.9% (98.8%-99.0%) for Algorithm #1, and 67.0% (66.2%-67.8%), 88.1% (87.9%-88.3%), 31.6% (31.1%-32.2%), and 97.8% (97.7%-97.8%) for Algorithm #2, and 52.9% (52.0%-53.7%), 67.1% (66.9%-67.3%), 11.5% (11.2%-11.8%), and 98.3% (98.3%-98.4%) for Algorithm #3, 62.6% (61.8%-63.4%), 88.5% (88.3%-88.7%), 30.9% (30.3%-31.4%), and 97.3% (97.2%-97.4%) for Algorithm #4, respectively. Our study showed that the validity of claims-based algorithms consisting of COVID-19-related ICD-10 codes to identify patients with first-onset COVID-19 is limited.