Linkage To Services Research Articles

Exploring the feasibility of Recovery Management Checkups for Primary Care in a Federally Qualified Health Center.

Primary care settings present an opportunity for alcohol and substance use disorder (A/SUD) screening and treatment referral. However, there are recognized deficiencies in widely used treatment referral approaches, including acute care connections, vs. those that can support longer-term recovery. Recovery Management Checkups for Primary Care (RMC-PC) is an intervention with an evidence base for improving treatment referral and subsequent recovery for primary care patients; however, the intervention has never been fully implemented outside of a research context. We conducted a feasibility study to inform a future hybrid study of RMC-PC that will test the implementation and effectiveness of the intervention in primary care practice. We used a convergent mixed method design. The study's setting was a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) located in a large midwestern city. RMC-PC linkage services were administered by one of two treatment linkage managers: an FQHC linkage manager (F-LM) and a research staff linkage manager (R-LM). Quantitative data included (a) rates of positive A/SUD screening among a group of FQHC patients and (b) linkage manager service data (e.g., rate of successful meeting completion and days to completing of key events). Qualitative data included (c) an assessment of linkage manager's motivational interviewing performance and (d) a focus group with FQHC staff focused on their perspectives on RMC-PC implementation determinants. Quantitative data were summarized using descriptive statistics, and linkage manager performance was compared. Qualitative data were analyzed using a hybrid deductive-inductive process. Fifty percent of patients screened met moderate-high A/SUD risk. Eleven of 16 recruited patients completed at least one linkage manager meeting, with 63% completing both meetings. The F-LM delivered RMC-PC services alongside other duties successfully; however, three primary barriers to FQHC implementation were identified (difficulties applying motivational interviewing, incompatibilities of screening with FQHC technology and workflow, and lack of billing mechanism to support services). RMC-PC is feasible for FQHC staff to deliver, though issues identified must be considered to ensure successful and sustainable implementation. Knowledge gained will inform a packaged implementation strategy that will be used in a future hybrid trial.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on tuberculosis notification and outcome in a district of South Gujarat

ABSTRACT Context/Background: The COVID-19 pandemic affected the health care services worldwide, with the target of END TB 2025; it was important to make sure that the TB notification and linkage services were not hampered. The current study aims to document the overall impact of COVID-19 on TB notification and treatment services. Aims/Objectives: To document the impact of COVID-19 on notification and comparison of their outcome between pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 era. Methodology: Programmatic data of 9893 notified TB cases reported from Surat rural between 2019 and 2021 were collected from Nikshay portal through DTO Surat. Detailed comparison of pre- and COVID-19 era was performed using stratified analysis. Results: There was a significant (P = 0.02) 29% decline in cases reported in 2020 as compared to the cases reported in the previous year. The impact of COVID-19 was also seen on mortality of the reported cases (18% increase). The overall proportion of treatment failure was increased (28%), whereas difference of 20% was seen in cases where treatment regimen was required to be changed. Conclusions: Despite the overall impact of COVID-19 on TB services (2020), the health department has proactively countered and bounce back in 2021 with an overall increase in notification and treatment services.

Cluster randomized trial of a team communication training implementation strategy for depression screening in a pediatric healthcare system: a study protocol

BackgroundPediatric depression is a global concern that has fueled efforts for enhanced detection and treatment engagement. As one example, the US Preventive Services Task Force recommends depression screening for adolescents ages 12–18 years. While many health systems have implemented components of depression screening protocols, there is limited evidence of effective follow-up for pediatric depression. A key barrier is timely team communication and coordination across clinicians and staff within and across service areas for prompt service linkage. However, team effectiveness interventions have been shown to improve team processes and outcomes and can be applied in healthcare settings.MethodsThis project aims to refine and test a team communication training implementation strategy to improve implementation of an existing pediatric depression screening protocol in a large pediatric healthcare system. The team will be defined as part of the study but is expected to include medical assistants, nurses, physicians, and behavioral health clinicians within and across departments. The implementation strategy will target team mechanisms at the team-level (i.e., intra-organizational alignment and implementation climate) and team member-level (i.e., communication, coordination, psychological safety, and shared cognition). First, the project will use mixed methods to refine the team training strategy to fit the organizational context and workflows. Next, a hybrid type 3 implementation-effectiveness pilot trial will assess the initial effectiveness of the team communication training (implementation strategy) paired with the current universal depression screening protocol (clinical intervention) on implementation outcomes (i.e., feasibility, acceptability, appropriateness, workflow efficiency) and clinical/services outcomes (increased frequency of needed screening and reduced time to service linkage). Finally, the study will assess mechanisms at the team and team member levels that may affect implementation outcomes.DiscussionTeam communication training is hypothesized to lead to improved, efficient, and effective decision-making to increase the compliance with depression screening and timely service linkage. Findings are expected to yield better understanding and examples of how to optimize team communication to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the pediatric depression screening-to-treatment cascade. This should also culminate in improved implementation outcomes including patient engagement critical to address the youth mental health crisis.Trial registrationNCT06527196.Trial Sponsor: University of California San Diego.

Collecting and incorporating feedback through user research to provide the right information on data linkage processes needed to conduct research.

ObjectiveData linkage is increasingly used to generate research-ready datasets to help inform decision makers. Although use of linked data is increasing and accepted as an efficient way to generate new insights, linkage methods and error can have a significant impact on the subsequent analysis and interpretation of the results. Current linkage services overcome this by spending time explaining the linkage to the user. However, as the service demand increases and a generalised approach adopted, ensuring the information is available and understood is a growing challenge. Providing and presenting the information in an accessible way has therefore become a new problem for the data linkage experts. ApproachUser researchers are working with groups of non-linkage experts using linked data to collate and understand feedback on: what information researchers expect. the information researchers find useful. how researchers interpret and use the linkage information to inform their analysis. ResultsFindings to date will be presented by exploring how information should be presented and what information researchers are able to interpret and use as part of their analysis. Conclusions/ImpactFindings will provide guidance as to the information which should be included with a linkage output and the structure most accessible to the research community using linked data. Therefore, the research will help shape how the data linkage service is structured in the future by ensuring researchers can access information they require to interpret linked data and therefore use it appropriately. Ultimately, the feedback will help deliver data linkage services on a large scale.

Roadmap for Linking Registry Data with Health Services Data to Support Evidence-Informed Decision-Making.

ApproachAs part of a learning period to optimize the use of RWE for decision-making for drugs for rare diseases, the [organization name removed to allow for blind review] conducted an environmental scan to map real-world data in patient registries. Over 400 patient registries were identified, signaling the potential wealth of untapped information to support decision-making by linking registry data with health services data. To better understand the challenges faced by registry holders hoping to link registry data with health services data sources available in Canada, a series of interviews were conducted with several Canadian rare disease registries. In addition, a literature review was completed, and Canadian experts in epidemiology, privacy, record linkage, registry science, and health services research were consulted to inform the development of a roadmap to meet various stakeholder needs. ResultsThe resulting roadmap consists of 8 specific steps covering topics related to registry purpose, informed consent, ethical approval, participant privacy, governance, data linkability, participant identifiability and jurisdictional requirements. ConclusionThe roadmap is currently undergoing pilot testing by a pan-Canadian rare disease registry. A final [organization name] report and an accompanying roadmap in a checklist format to facilitate implementation will be finalized, disseminated across key stakeholders, and made publicly available. ImplicationsWhile developed for registries, the roadmap applies to the linkage of clinical trial or cohort study data, or other systematically gathered patient-level data to health services data.

Association Between Sport-for-All Condition and Healthcare Utilization: Results from the National Health Insurance Sharing Service Linkage

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the association between Sport-for-All (SFA) Condition and Healthcare utilization.METHODS: Using data from the National SFA survey (2019 and 2021) and the National Fitness Award100 (n=313) linked to the National health insurance sharing service, we examined associations between SFA condition and healthcare utilization.RESULTS: Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that demographic and health factors, individual-level factors, social and environmental factors of SFA participation, and physical fitness were associated with healthcare utilization. These factors uniquely explained 16.5%, 19.4%, 3.4%, and 0.2% of healthcare costs, and 11.5%, 11.8%, 8.5%, and 0.6% of healthcare services, respectively. Eight factors were associated with healthcare utilization. For healthcare costs, the significant factors were as follows: age (β=0.279, p<.05), chronic disease (β=0.396, p<.05), frequency of SFA (β=0.309, p<0.05), Intensity of exercise (β=-0.180, p<.05), self-related fitness (β=-0.291, p<.01), awareness of sports facilities (β=-0.178, p<.05), Experience with courses related to Sport-for-All (β=-0.195, p<.05), and certification of physical fitness (β=-0.117, p<.05). For healthcare service, the factors are as follow: age (β=0.349 p<.05), chronic disease (β=0.393, p<.05), frequency of SFA (β=0.302, p<.05), Intensity of exercise (β=-0.157, p<.05), self-related fitness (β= -0.286, p<.01), awareness of sports facilities (β=-0.194, p<.05), Experience with courses related to SFA (β=-0.153, p<.05), and certification of physical fitness (β=-0.134, p<.05). Additionally, participation in SFA exhibited a J-shaped pattern of healthcare utilization.CONCLUSIONS: We confirmed an association between SFA condition and healthcare utilization. Future studies should adopt a systematic, sports data-driven cohort approach to better understand and enhance the effectiveness of SFA participation.

3-Year Outcomes of Balloon-Expandable Valves: 20-mm vs Larger Valves (≥23 mm)

BackgroundA prior Society of Thoracic Surgeons/American College of Cardiology TVT (Transcatheter Valve Therapy) Registry–based analysis reported similar 1-year clinical outcomes with small (20-mm) vs large (≥23-mm) balloon-expandable valves (BEV). ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to describe mid-term 3-year clinical outcomes for small vs large BEV and the relationship between discharge echocardiographic mean gradient (MG) and different definitions of prothesis-patient mismatch (PPM) with clinical outcomes. MethodsUsing the TVT Registry with Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services linkage, a propensity-matched analysis of patients receiving 20- vs ≥23-mm BEVs was performed. Spline curves and Kaplan-Meier plots with adjusted HRs determined the relationship between MG and 3-year mortality. ResultsIn total, 316,091 patients were analyzed; after propensity matching, 8,100 pairs of each group were compared. The 20-mm BEV was associated with higher MGs compared with ≥23-mm BEVs (16.2 ± 7.2 mm Hg vs 11.8 ± 5.7 mm Hg; P < 0.0001). At 3 years, there was no difference in mortality between 20- and ≥23-mm BEVs (31.5% vs 32.5%, respectively; HR: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.90-1.05). Compared with an MG of 10 to 30 mm Hg, an MG <10 mm Hg (HR: 1.25; 95% CI:1.22-1.27) was associated with increased 3-year mortality. Measured severe PPM and predicted no PPM were associated with increased 3-year mortality (33.5% vs 32.9% vs 32.1%; P < 0.0001) and (33.5% vs 31.1% vs 30%; P < 0.0001), respectively. Low MG and severe measured PPM were associated with lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). ConclusionsPatients with small-prosthesis BEVs (20 mm) had identical 3-year survival as those with larger (≥23-mm) BEV valves. Severe measured PPM and low MG (<10 mm Hg), but not predicted severe PPM, were associated with lower LVEF and increased mortality, suggesting that LVEF is the culprit for worse outcomes.

Impact of the Korea Early Childhood Home-visiting Intervention (KECHI) on child health and development and maternal health: a randomised controlled trial protocol

IntroductionRandomised controlled trials (RCTs) of early childhood home-visiting interventions led by nurses have been conducted mainly in Western countries, whereas such trials have been limited in non-Western cultures, including Asia....

Building Partnerships Out of Barriers: Lessons Learned From Partnerships Between Centers for Independent Living and Health Departments During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

People with disabilities were left behind in the beginning of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout. More work needs to be done to connect people with disabilities to public health initiatives. Centers for Independent Living (CILs) are an important and under-utilized community partner for health departments and should be engaged as a trusted source when working to reach people with disabilities and improve access to public health programs and services. The National Foundation for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC Foundation), through funding from the CDC, launched the Leveraging CILs to Increase Vaccine Access for People with Disabilities project. The primary goal was to increase accessibility of the COVID-19 vaccination among people with disabilities through (1) outreach and education, (2) service linkage and barrier removal through increasing accessible, (3) widespread education about the vaccine, and (4) improved partnerships between disability-led organizations and local health care providers. A grant program resulted in 39 awards distributed to CILs across the United States totaling $2 955 294.00 between November 2021 and March 2023. The project successfully resulted in reported improvements in partnerships between funded CILs and local health providers and a reported reduction in barriers to accessing vaccinations faced by people with disabilities. A suite of resources was also created to address targeted needs identified throughout partner implementation. Successful outreach to the targeted population resulted in 27 044 consumers being directly reached by CILs and 3 675 655 people reached through communication and outreach activities. Catalytic funding to disability-led organizations during public health emergency response and including people with disabilities as subject matter experts in program design can successfully strengthen access to care via trust building, message dissemination, and partnership. Building the capacity of community-based and consumer-led partners to implement evidence-based public health programming can provide a foundation for improved care for people with disabilities, particularly during an emergency response.

Hepatitis C-related knowledge and attitude among adults on probation in a large US city

BackgroundHepatitis C virus (HCV) continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality within the US, and disproportionately impacts those involved with the criminal justice system. Despite this, knowledge and attitudes regarding HCV treatment among adults on probation have not been well studied. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of adults on probation accessing on-site HCV testing and linkage services at the adult probation department in Denver, Colorado. The survey assessed general knowledge of HCV and HCV treatment, as well as attitudes surrounding HCV treatment that might reflect medical mistrust. We used bivariate and multivariable logistic regression to identify factors associated with previous HCV testing, previous HCV treatment, and HCV antibody positivity at the time the survey was conducted.ResultsA total of 402 participants completed all or a portion of the survey. 69% of the participants were cis-gender men; 29% were white, 27% were Black, and 30% were Hispanic/Latinx. Fewer than half of participants correctly identified that HCV infection is commonly asymptomatic (46%), that there is currently no vaccine that prevents HCV (19%), and that reinfection after treatment is possible (47%). Very few participants felt that side-effects (9%) or cost of treatment (10%) were barriers to care. Many participants believed that racial disparities exist in the treatment of HCV (59%). The belief that people who use substances are treated inequitably by health care providers was also commonly reported (35% of participants). Self-reported injection drug use and higher HCV-related knowledge were positively associated with previous testing for HCV. Higher HCV-related knowledge was positively associated with HCV antibody positivity at the time of survey completion, though the magnitude of the association was small.ConclusionInterventions are needed to increase knowledge of HCV, to improve access to HCV testing and treatment, and to reduce bias associated with HCV and substance use within the probation population.

Results of the Sukuma Ndoda ("Stand up, Man") HIV Self-Screening and Assisted Linkage to Care Project in Johannesburg: A Quasi-Experimental Pre-Post Evaluation.

HIV testing rates among South African men lag behind rates for women and national targets. Community-based HIV self-screening (HIVSS) distribution and follow-up by community health workers (CHWs) is a scalable option to increase testing coverage, diagnosis, and treatment initiation. We provided HIVSS and assisted linkage to care to men not recently tested (within the past 12 months) residing in high-HIV-burden areas of Johannesburg. CHWs distributed HIVSS in 6 clinic catchment areas. Follow-up to encourage confirmatory testing and antiretroviral therapy initiation was conducted through personal support (PS) or an automated short message service (SMS) follow-up and linkage system in 3 clinic areas each. Using a quasi-experimental pre-post design, we compared differences in the proportion of men testing in the clinic catchment areas during the HIVSS campaign (June-August 2019) to the 3 months prior (March-May 2019) and compared treatment initiations by assisted linkage strategy. Among 4793 participants accepting HIVSS, 62% had never tested. Among 3993 participants with follow-up data, 90.6% reported using their HIVSS kit. Testing coverage among men increased by 156%, from under 4% when only clinic-based HIV testing services were available to 9.5% when HIVSS and HIV testing services were available (z = -11.6; P < 0.01). Reported test use was higher for men followed through PS (99% vs. 68% in SMS); however, significantly more men reported reactive self-test results in the SMS group compared with PS (6.4% vs. 2.0%), resulting in more antiretroviral therapy initiations in the SMS group compared with PS (23 vs. 9; P < 0.01). CHW HIVSS distribution significantly increases testing among men. While PS enabled personalized follow-up, reporting differences indicate SMS is more acceptable and better aligned with expectations of privacy associated with HIVSS.

The Influence of Housing Status and Food Insecurity on a Behavioral HIV/STI Prevention Intervention for Black Women under Community Supervision in New York City: A Moderation Analysis.

Black women in community supervision programs (CSPs) are disproportionately affected by HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). A randomized controlled trial of a group intervention titled Empowering African-American Women on the Road to Health (E-WORTH) demonstrated effectiveness in reducing sexual risk behaviors and STI incidence among Black women in CSPs. This secondary analysis aimed to assess the moderating effects of housing status and food security on E-WORTH effectiveness in reducing sexual risk behaviors and cumulative incidence of STIs over a 12-month period which were found significant in the original trial among a sample of 351 Black women in CSPs in New York City who use drugs and/or engage in binge drinking who reported engaging in HIV risk behaviors or testing positive for HIV. We examined the moderating effects of housing stability, housing independence, and food insecurity on reducing cumulative STI incidence and number of unprotected sex acts using mixed-effects negative binomial regression and logistic regression models that controlled for age, high school education, employment status, and marital status. Findings indicate that the intervention effect was moderated by housing stability, but not housing independence or food security. Compared to the control group, E-WORTH participants who were housing insecure had 63% fewer acts of condomless sex. Our findings highlight the importance of interventions designed for women in CSPs that account for upstream determinants of health and include service linkages to basic needs provisions. Further research is needed to unpack the cumulative impacts of multiple experiences of poverty faced by this population.

Qualitative Exploration of Speech Pathologists' Experiences and Priorities for Aphasia Service Design: Initial Stage of an Experience-Based Co-Design Project to Improve Aphasia Services.

Stroke survivors with aphasia (impaired language/communication) have poor outcomes and gaps in the clinical implementation of best practice contribute to this. Little is known, however, about speech pathologist perspectives on the touchpoints (key moments shaping experiences) in the clinical care pathway that have the greatest impact on service delivery nor how this varies by geographical location. We explored the experiences of speech pathologists who provide aphasia services to establish priorities for improvement and design. This is the initial experience gathering and priority identification stage of an experience-based co-design (EBCD) project. Speech pathologists were recruited from 21 geographically diverse Hospital and Health Services in Queensland, Australia. Speech pathologists working in acute, rehabilitation and community services shared positive and negative experiences of delivering aphasia care in interviews and focus groups. Experiential data were analysed using qualitative thematic analysis to determine touchpoints. Priorities for service design were identified using an adapted nominal group technique. Speech pathologists (n = 62) participated in 16 focus groups and nine interviews and shared 132 experiences of delivering aphasia care. Providing care in teams with poor awareness of the impacts of aphasia was identified as a key challenge, as poor patient-provider communication was perceived to increase risk of adverse outcomes for patients. Speech pathologists identified areas for improvement related to their own professional needs (e.g., greater access to clinical supervision); collaborative health care (e.g., better coordination and interdisciplinary care to increase therapy time); and the service context and environment (e.g., psychological services able to support diverse communication needs). Speech pathologist delivery of aphasia services could be improved through increased access to clinical supervision, opportunities for peer debriefing and interdisciplinary care. Priorities for service design varied by geographical location and included: education to support care transitions (remote areas), improved referral pathways and service linkage (regional areas) and dedicated aphasia staffing (metropolitan areas). A consumer advisory committee comprising people with aphasia (n = 3, authors K.M., K.D. and B.A.), their significant others (n = 2, authors J.D. and P.M.), and a Cultural Capability Officer (author G.B.) guided this research. The team: (1) reviewed participant information; (2) co-designed surveys and workshop resources; (3) copresented research outcomes and contributed to publications. Research questions and study design (e.g., analysis methods and assessment measures) were developed by the research team (authors L.A., V.J.P., D.A.C. and S.J.W.).

EHealth-Enhanced Peer Navigation for Substance Use Treatment and HIV Prevention Service Linkage for Young Adults Surveilled by the Criminal Legal System: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Trial Study.

In the United States, the proportion of criminal legal-involved (CLI) adults with a substance use disorder reaches 72%, and ~150,000 persons with HIV pass through a carceral setting annually, which represents 16% of the HIV-infected population nationally. Despite the high need for substance use treatment and HIV prevention services, few carceral settings successfully link CLI individuals to treatment upon release. Young adults represent 41.9% of the adults incarcerated in the United States and have the highest HIV incidence rates nationally. Peer patient navigation has successfully increased community-based care linkage for people living with HIV leaving jail; yet, peer-led navigation for HIV prevention among HIV-negative CLI populations is undeveloped and untested. eHealth approaches to substance use and HIV prevention services hold promise because they improve access to effective intervention services, particularly for younger people. This paper describes a protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial that aims to improve linkage to substance use treatment and HIV prevention services using peer navigation and a codeveloped eHealth technology adjunct. The three aims of this study are to (1) adapt an existing evidence-based navigator model and incorporate codeveloped eHealth technology to refer and link young adults (18 to 29 years) surveilled by the criminal legal system to substance use and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) services; (2) refine and test the intervention with criminal legal-involved young adults (CLI-YAs); and (3) assess the feasibility, acceptability, and impact of the intervention. Data to inform the intervention will be collected via system partner interviews (n=4) and focus groups with CLI-YAs (n=24). Next, an open trial (n=10) will be conducted. The intervention will be refined via interviews with participants and facilitators, and a randomized pilot trial (n=75) will be conducted to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary impact of the eHealth-enhanced navigation on substance use and PrEP services linkage. Exit interviews conducted with a subsample of intervention participants (n=10), the navigator (n=1), and system partners (n=4) will assess intervention acceptability and suggestions for improvement. A community of practice, a group of system partners with an interest in working toward solutions to common problems, will inform each phase of the study. The project is currently ongoing. The project was funded in September 2022. Internal review board approval was received on March 21, 2022. The first results from early study aims are expected to be published in 2025. This study provides an opportunity to reduce HIV acquisition and improve access to substance use treatment in a systemically marginalized group: young CLI-YAs. The results will contribute to the development and testing of a future multilevel randomized controlled trial. DERR1-10.2196/54815.

Suicide prevention for substance using youth experiencing homelessness: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

BackgroundWhile research on substance using youth experiencing homelessness (YEH) is increasing, there is a dearth of information regarding effective prevention interventions for these youth. Suicide is the leading cause of death among YEH and most youth do not access services that may be available to them. Therefore, this study seeks to address this gap in the research literature with the goal to identify an effective suicide prevention intervention that can be readily adopted by communities that serve these youth.MethodsThree hundred (N = 300) YEH with recent substance use and suicidal ideation or a recent suicide attempt will be recruited from the streets as well as a drop-in center serving YEH. After the baseline assessment, all youth will be randomly assigned to Cognitive Therapy for Suicide Prevention (CTSP) + Services as Usual (SAU) (N = 150) or to SAU alone (N = 150). SAU includes outreach, advocacy, and service linkage whereas YEH who receive CTSP will also receive ten CTSP sessions and an optional nine booster sessions. Follow-up assessments will be conducted at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months post-baseline. Theoretically derived mediators (e.g., cognitive distortions) will be tested to shed light on mechanisms associated with change, and the moderating effects of sex, race, sexual orientation, and baseline service connection will be examined. In order to ease future dissemination of the intervention to agencies serving YEH, we will rigorously assess acceptability, feasibility, fidelity, and cost associated with the delivery of our intervention approach using a mixed-methods approach.DiscussionThis study adds to a very small number of clinical trials seeking to prevent lethal suicide among a very high-risk group by addressing suicidal ideation directly rather than underlying conditions. It is hypothesized that youth receiving CTSP + SAU will show greater reductions in suicidal ideation (primary outcome), substance use, and depressive symptoms (secondary outcomes) over time compared to SAU alone, as well as improved risk and protective factors.Trial registrationNCT05994612. Date of Registration: August 16, 2023.

Using Linkage-enhancement Strategies to Bridge Treatment Gap among Inmates and Former Inmates in Correctional Settings with Inadequate Mental Health Care

Abstract: Service linkage and skill enhancement strategies were devised in Nigerian prisons with inadequate mental health resources to support the provision of psycho-legal services, including the assessments, identification, and care of inmates and former inmates with mental illness. Over the study period, 74 individuals, consisting of 64 (86.5%) males with a mean age of 33.25 (SD=11.2) years received care or psycho-legal services through these strategies. Clinically, 49% of the participants were diagnosed with schizophrenia (International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) diagnosis code: F20.0–9), 66.7% had first formal clinical diagnosis of mental illness, and as many as 56.1% of the participants endorsed using psychoactive substances. Most participants (73.0%) were assessed and treated within the prison's general medical services with support from a multidisciplinary team from a regional psychiatric hospital. Of the 50 psycho-legal assessments conducted, eight (10.8%) and 12 (16.2%) participants were not criminally responsible and unfit to stand trial, respectively. We included an action-plan to support the implementation of collaborative care, skill-enhancement, and linkage of services as viable strategies in correctional settings with inadequate mental health care.

Linkage and Advancement Services for Sustainable Digital Literacy Skills Among Undergraduates in Bayelsa State

In the contemporary educational landscape, the integration of digital literacy skills stands as a pivotal determinant of academic success and professional preparedness. The study explored how the linkage and advancement services can sustain the acquisition of digital skills among undergraduates in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. Two (2) research objectives were formulated to guide the study. The population of the study comprised of all principal officers of the ICT units, Linkage and Advancement units, and undergraduates from the seven tertiary institutions in Bayelsa State. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the quantitative data. Experts in Measurement and Evaluation and the field of Education will validate the instruments for data collection. The data gathered was analyzed using descriptive through Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 26. Findings revealed that the extent to which linkage and advancement services enhance sustainable digital literacy among undergraduates in Bayelsa State is low. It was recommended that the tertiary institution management ensure that Linkage and Advancement services are harnessed for sustainable improvement of digital literacy among undergraduates in Bayelsa State.

The ways of Improvement for the Livelihood approaches of Persons with Disabilities: A case study on Kachia, Bhola Sadar

A person with disabilities faces difficulties throughout their life. From the very early stages of life, they found themselves facing challenges due to the social structure and financial condition of our county. The Bangladesh government is now launching various initiatives to improve the lives of people with disabilities. As well as several NGOs and INGOs working for the development and inclusion of people with disabilities in different sectors, this paper is about identifying the challenges and limitations of their services and trying to find ways out for possible solutions to solve those shortcomings. Bhola is an area where disaster is also an issue that affects human life. In a survey of 285 households, 53% were persons with disabilities. The average family size was 5, with 65% literacy. Community structures like Union Parishad Members (54%) and Child Clubs (30%) were prominent. Education findings revealed 24% had knowledge for small businesses. 21% of families with disabilities had adequate resources, and 6% of health professionals enhanced skills. Inclusive education knowledge increased for 20%, with 20% of trained teachers adapting methods. Disaster risk reduction training improved skills for 19%. Regarding climate-related risks, 23% of persons with disabilities reported adoption measures. Overall, the study focuses on enhancing inclusivity, education, and disaster resilience among persons with disabilities. A person's disability becomes more difficult during a disaster. Education and health services are required for the improvement of the lives of people with disabilities. Simultaneously, conditions during disasters were a major focus of this research. Self-help groups and connections with local NGOs/INGOs will be beneficial. Government service linkage and access to information will be helpful for the person with a disability. This study aims at identifying potential ways to improve the lives of people with disabilities and to find ways to increase their employment opportunities in the community.

The linkage misalignment of productive services and firms' domestic value-added ratio——Evidence from Chinese micro-firm data

Promoting the deep integration of advanced manufacturing and modern service industries is essential for enhancing the competitiveness of manufacturing enterprises, cultivating a modern industrial system, and achieving high-quality, sustainable development; however, the low allocation efficiency of productive service resources has led to an extremely limited, long-term process in enhancing China's manufacturing industries' competitiveness. Based on scientific quantification of productive service linkage, this study uses micro level data from China to empirically test its impact and mechanism on the domestic value-added ratio of enterprises' exports. The results reveal a relatively high degree of mismatch of productive service input in China, which primarily reduces enterprises' domestic value-added ratio through import induced and markup reducing effects. The conclusions remain highly consistent across benchmark regression and further robustness tests, including instrumental variable estimation and a quasi-natural experiment. Further analysis reveals that enterprises in regions with a higher degree of marketization, firms facing tighter financing constraints, those with smaller gaps from the technology frontier, and enterprises in industries with comparative advantages are more easily influenced by productive services linkage misalignment. Finally, this study proposes targeted policy recommendations based on the research findings.

Managed care updates of subscriber jail release to prompt community suicide prevention: clinical trial protocol

BackgroundRecent jail detention is a marker for trait and state suicide risk in community-based populations. However, healthcare providers are typically unaware that their client was in jail and few post-release suicide prevention efforts exist. This protocol paper describes an effectiveness-implementation trial evaluating community suicide prevention practices triggered by advances in informatics that alert CareSource, a large managed care organization (MCO), when a subscriber is released from jail.MethodsThis randomized controlled trial investigates two evidence-based suicide prevention practices triggered by CareSource’s jail detention/release notifications, in a partial factorial design. The first phase randomizes ~ 43,000 CareSource subscribers who pass through any Ohio jail to receive Caring Contact letters sent by CareSource or to Usual Care after jail release. The second phase (running simultaneously) involves a subset of ~ 6,000 of the 43,000 subscribers passing through jail who have been seen in one of 12 contracted behavioral health agencies in the 6 months prior to incarceration in a stepped-wedge design. Agencies will receive: (a) notifications of the client’s jail detention/release, (b) instructions for re-engaging these clients, and (c) training in suicide risk assessment and the Safety Planning Intervention for use at re-engagement. We will track suicide-related and service linkage outcomes 6 months following jail release using claims data.ConclusionsThis design allows us to rigorously test two intervention main effects and their interaction. It also provides valuable information on the effects of system-level change and the scalability of interventions using big data from a MCO to flag jail release and suicide risk.Trial registrationThe trial is registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT05579600). Registered 27 June, 2023.