Single Item Research Articles

Comparison between Swedish EORTC QLQ-C30 general population norm data published in 2000 and 2019

Background Normative health-related quality of life (HRQoL) data from the general population are regularly used to facilitate the interpretation of HRQoL as reported by cancer patients participating in cancer clinical trials, especially when conducting long-term follow-up studies after treatment. The aim of the present study is to compare two Swedish normative data sets, published in 2000 and 2019 respectively, and explore whether HRQoL as reported by the Swedish general population has changed over time. Material and Methods ‘Sample 2000’ was comprised of normative data from the Swedish general population who responded to the EORTC QLQ-C30 in a Swedish mail survey in 1999 (n = 3069). ‘Sample 2019’ consisted of data from the Swedish general population collected as part of a European norm data study using online panels, published in 2019 (n = 1027). Data were analyzed stratified by sex and age (40–49; 50–59; 60–69; 70–79 years). Results For most of the subscales and single items, no age group differences between the two samples were found, with the exception of the oldest age group (70–79 years), where Sample 2019 generally showed better HRQoL as compared to Sample 2000. Lower (worse) levels of Global quality of life and higher (worse) levels of Dyspnoea were found in Sample 2019 for most age groups. Conclusion There were no differences found between the samples for most EORTC QLQ-C30 subscales and single items, with the exception of the oldest age group of both sexes in Sample 2019 who reported better HRQoL on many variables. When deciding which normative dataset to use, the mode of data collection and age group have to be considered.

Comparison of questionnaire items for discomfort glare studies in daylit spaces

When studying discomfort glare, researchers tend to rely on a single questionnaire item to obtain user evaluations. It is unclear whether the choice of questionnaire item affects the distribution of user responses and leads to inconsistencies between studies. This study aims to investigate if different glare questionnaire items yield similar distributions of user discomfort in daylit environments. We conducted a comparative study of selected questionnaire items from previous glare experiments, testing them in three independent user studies with different lighting conditions and glare stimuli. We compared the resulting outputs across questionnaire items with 540 data points from 149 participants. Results indicated that ordinal questionnaire outputs show strong correlations (0.68 < ρ < 0.85), high internal reliability (α = 0.93) and captured the same latent construct. Binary questionnaire items reflected different glare thresholds but still correlated well with ordinal items. The construct validity of tested questionnaire items was confirmed through responses to an open-ended question. These findings suggest that the tested questionnaire items may be used for category rating-type discomfort glare evaluations and consistently capture the same construct.

Regional disparities in food security and depression among single-person households in the Republic of Korea

BackgroundSingle-person households constitute over 40% of all households in the Republic of Korea and are more vulnerable to food insecurity and depression than multi-person households. There is a lack of research on examining whether regional characteristics are associated with the degree of food insecurity and depression among single-person households. This study aimed to examine the regional disparities in food security and depression among single-person households in the Republic of Korea.MethodsA total of 227,873 adults from the 2019 Korean Community Health Survey was included in the analysis. According to population density and poverty rate, the residence of the participants was classified into four regions: metropolitan areas with high population density were classified into areas with low poverty rates (Region 1) and high poverty rates (Region 2), and provinces with low population density were classified into areas with low poverty rates (Region 3) and high poverty rates (Region 4). Using a single item of household food security, those who had experienced a lack of food due to financial difficulties over the past year were classified as food insecure. Depression was measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the risk of food insecurity and depression according to regional characteristics were calculated after adjusting for potential confounding variables.ResultsAfter adjusting for confounding variables, single-person households in regions with high population density, Regions 1 and 2, had 1.16 times (95% CI = 1.04–1.30) and 1.43 times (95% CI = 1.27–1.61) higher odds of food insecurity, respectively, compared to those in Region 4. Single-person households in regions with low poverty rates, Regions 1 and 3, had 1.54 times (95% CI = 1.34–1.77) and 1.21 times (95% CI = 1.01–1.46) higher odds of depression, respectively, than those in Region 4. Among those who lived alone, the middle-aged, having low income, receiving livelihood benefits, or having a low educational attainment had higher odds of experiencing both food insecurity and depression than their counterparts.ConclusionsAs the risk of food insecurity and depression in single-person households differs according to regional characteristics, local governments need to implement policies for single-person households in consideration of these distinct characteristics.

Primary care physicians' work conditions and their confidence in managing multimorbidity: a quantitative analysis using Job Demands-Resources Model.

Multimorbidity is a global issue that presents complex challenges for physicians, patients, and health systems. However, there is a lack of research on the factors that influence physicians' confidence in managing multimorbidity within primary care settings, particularly regarding physicians' work conditions. Drawing on the Job Demands-Resources Model, this study aims to investigate the level of confidence among Chinese primary care physicians in managing multimorbidity and examine the predictors related to their confidence. Data were collected from 224 physicians working in 38 Community Healthcare Centres (CHCs) in Shanghai, Shenzhen, Tianjin, and Jinan, China. Work-family conflict (WFC) perceived organizational support (POS), self-directed learning (SDL), and burnout were measured. Physicians' confidence was assessed using a single item. Mediation effect analysis was conducted using the Baron and Kenny method. The results showed that the mean confidence score for physicians managing multimorbidity was 3.63 out of 5, only 20.10% rating their confidence level as 5. WFC negatively related physicians' confidence and POS positively related physicians' confidence in multimorbid diagnosis and treatment. Burnout fully mediated the relationship between WFC and physicians' confidence, and SDL partially mediated the relationship between POS and physicians' confidence. The confidence level of Chinese primary care physicians in managing multimorbidity needs improvement. To enhance physicians' confidence in managing multimorbid patients, CHCs in China should address WFC and burnout and promote POS and SDL.

Trust of patients and families in mental healthcare providers and institutions: a cross-cultural study in Chennai, India, and Montreal, Canada.

Cross-cultural psychosis research has typically focused on a limited number of outcomes (generally symptom-related). It is unknown if the purported superior outcomes for psychosis in some low- and middle-income countries extend to fundamental treatment processes like trust. Addressing this gap, we studied two similar first-episode psychosis programs in Montreal, Canada, and Chennai, India. We hypothesized higher trust in healthcare institutions and providers among patients and families in Chennai at baseline and over follow-up. Upon treatment entry and at months 3, 12 and 24, trust in healthcare providers was measured using the Wake Forest Trust scale and trust in the healthcare and mental healthcare systems using two single items. Nonparametric tests were performed to compare trust levels across sites and mixed-effects linear regression models to investigate predictors of trust in healthcare providers. The study included 333 patients (Montreal = 165, Chennai = 168) and 324 family members (Montreal = 128, Chennai = 168). Across all timepoints, Chennai patients and families had higher trust in healthcare providers and the healthcare and mental healthcare systems. The effect of site on trust in healthcare providers was significant after controlling for sociodemographic characteristics known to impact trust. Patients' trust in doctors increased over follow-up. This study uniquely focuses on trust as an outcome in psychosis, via a comparative longitudinal analysis of different trust dimensions and predictors, across two geographical settings. The consistent differences in trust levels between sites may be attributable to local cultural values and institutional structures and processes and underpin cross-cultural variations in treatment engagement and outcomes.

New intumescent coatings for protection flammable materials interior and outside buildings

The effect of silica on the intumescent fire-retardant coating’s properties. Cone calorimetry and a single burning item test were used to determine flammability. The silica-modified intumescent coating allows obtaining a Bs1d0 class non-flammable material for the protection of wood and wood-based materials (e.g., plywood, chipboard, fiberboard, other lignocellulosic composites).

The association between cervical degenerative MRI findings and self-reported neck pain, disability and headache: a cross-sectional exploratory study

BackgroundNeck pain and headache are highly prevalent conditions and leading causes of disability worldwide. Although MRI is widely used in the management of these conditions, there is uncertainty about the clinical significance of cervical MRI findings in patients with neck pain or headache. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the association between cervical degenerative MRI findings and self-reported neck pain, neck disability, and headache.MethodsThis study was a secondary analysis of a cohort of patients with low back pain aged 18–40 years recruited from a non-surgical outpatient spine clinic. The cervical MRI and outcome measures used in this analysis were collected at a four-year follow-up (2014–2017). Self-reported outcome measures included neck pain intensity, neck disability as measured by the Neck Disability Index, and headache as measured by a single NDI item. Cervical MRI findings included disc degeneration, disc contour changes, and vertebral endplate signal changes (VESC). Multivariable logistic regression analyses, adjusted for age and sex, were used to analyse the associations between MRI findings and neck pain, neck disability, and headache.ResultsA total of 600 participants who underwent MRI and completed the relevant questionnaires at follow-up were included. The median age was 37 years (interquartile range 31–41) and 325 (54%) were female. Of the included participants, 181 (31%) had moderate or severe neck pain, 274 (59%) had moderate or severe neck disability, 193 (42%) reported headaches, and 211 (35%) had one or more cervical degenerative MRI findings. Cervical disc degeneration and disc contour changes were positively associated with moderate or severe neck pain with odds ratio 1.6 (95% CI 1.1–2.4) and 1.6 (1.1–2.3), respectively. VESC was associated with moderate or severe neck disability with odds ratio 3.3 (1.3–8.4). No statistically significant associations were found between the MRI findings assessed and headache.ConclusionsIn this cross-sectional exploratory study, we found that cervical disc degeneration and disc contour changes were associated with neck pain, and VESC was associated with neck disability. None of the MRI findings were associated with headache. The results suggest that cervical degenerative changes may contribute to the aetiology of neck symptoms, but the associations are modest and cannot guide clinical decisions.

Examining behavior specific praise as an individual behavior management strategy in a high-need educational setting

Behavior specific praise (BSP) is widely regarded as an evidence-based classroom management strategy, with decades of research supporting its use. However, relatively few studies have examined the effect of BSP as a targeted intervention strategy, particularly for traditionally underrepresented students. The present study evaluated the utility of BSP as an individual behavior management strategy for diverse students in the context of a high-need educational setting. Specifically, it examined the effects of BSP on teacher’s ratings of academically engaged and disruptive behavior in the classroom using Direct Behavior Ratings–Single Item Scales (DBR-SIS). A concurrent multiple baseline design was implemented with three racially/ethnically minoritized (REM) target students across one third and one fourth grade classroom. Results demonstrated that teachers’ estimated rates of BSP delivered to target students were successfully increased to a criterion level of six per hour following delivery of a multicomponent training package, with high levels of treatment integrity. All participating students demonstrated statistically significant improvements in behavior, although visual analysis suggested only one clear demonstration and one replication of effect. Social validity data revealed high levels of teacher acceptability and willingness to implement the BSP strategy, with mixed perceptions from students. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

A Sustainable Inventory Model to Study the Mixing and Bottling Plant of Single Item for Cost Minimization

A Sustainable Inventory Model to Study the Mixing and Bottling Plant of Single Item for Cost Minimization

A - 01 Association between Social Vulnerability and Susceptibility in Non-Demented Older Adults.

Social vulnerability, conceptualized as an impaired ability to detect or avoid potentially harmful interpersonal interactions, has been associated with the cognitive decline characteristic of neurodegenerative diseases. Social vulnerability is not routinely assessed in clinical evaluations of older adults, despite its potential clinical utility in identifying individuals at risk for poor outcomes. Participants (age 60 and over) were cognitively unimpaired, or presented with subjective cognitive decline or mild cognitive impairment. Each participant had a knowledgeable informant (i.e., family member or friend) who completed the Social Vulnerability Scale (SVS; Pinsker et al., 2006), a 15-item measure including items such as, "Been deceived by someone who has deceived them before." Respondents were asked to rate the likely outcome if the participant was, "placed in that situation now," using a Likert-type scale ranging from never to always (total score range from 0-60). Point biserial correlation was applied to investigate the association between SVS scores and the response to a single item from a COVID-19 questionnaire: "Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, has your loved one fallen prey or come close to falling prey to scam?" For the 69 participants (M age = 75.6; M education = 15.7; 70% female), SVS scores were significantly associated with the report of increased susceptibility to a scam (rpb= 0.47, p < 0.001) during the COVID-19 pandemic. These results highlight the need for attention to social interaction patterns during clinical evaluations, to help identify and mitigate potential harmful outcomes in those most vulnerable. Additional research should clarify the relationship between social vulnerability and falling prey to scams.

Predictors of depression: lifestyle choices during the pandemic.

Our study intends to specify the impact of the singular pandemic stressors on the population and also quantify the contribution of different predictors of depression; some of them are stronger than others, and this research shows how the whole effect is divided into single items. This research included a structured online survey using data from 11,340 respondents from six European countries during the first months of the pandemic. The statistical analysis focused on how behavioural patterns appear in different groups of the population and how they mark the psychological wellbeing of these groups with regard to various factors. We targeted social media's role and analyzed the impact of its consumption on symptoms of depression in different groups divided by age and other characteristics. The analysis creates a mosaic of lifestyle choices and other characteristics that manifest different effects on depression inside selected groups whereas several groups generated by the cluster analysis are less vulnerable to their effect than others. Regarding our findings, the perceived reality through information sources and the manner of their processing seems to be more significant than the tangible reality (poor self-reported health correlated with depression more strongly than intrinsic health limitations).

Selecting foods from FNDDS when calculating food intake: Does the reference matter?

To estimate food intake, the nutrient content of food must be known or inferred by matching it to a nutrient database. This study evaluated how different procedures for matching foods to the Food and Nutrient Database for Dietary Studies (FNDDS) affect food intake estimates. Adult participants estimated a meal with the PortionSize app, which contains a subset of FNDDS codes (PortionSize FNDDS). Meals were covertly weighed (weigh back), and intake was estimated by referencing the FNDDS dataset. Combination foods were evaluated by 1) a composite generated by summing the nutrient values (from FNDDS) from single food items and 2) using the single composite food code from FNDDS. Raters analyzed food images from the PortionSize app to estimate intake with the digital photography of foods (DPF) method. Raters estimated intake from: 1) PortionSize FNDDS and 2) full FNDDS. Using PortionSize’s FNDDS database, participants’ energy intake estimates were equivalent to rater estimated energy intake. Raters estimated almost identical energy intake when they used PortionSize vs. full FNDDS. Using the full FNDDS, the DPF’s energy estimates were similar to weigh back. Estimation of energy intake with a single FNDDS code was not equivalent to estimation from summing the nutrient values for combination foods.

MGT: Multi-Granularity Transformer leveraging multi-level relation for sequential recommendation

Sequential recommendation has been a popular research topic in recent times, aiming to predict the next item in a user’s sequence based on their past behaviors. Self-Attention (SA)-based models have shown state-of-the-art performance in this domain. These SA-based models adopt vanilla self-attention mechanism, which takes every single item as the minimum modeling unit and is sufficient to capture the point-level relation: several previously interacted items affecting the target item individually. However, we argue that vanilla self-attention mechanism in existing SA-based models neglects the collective influence of a group of items and thus cannot explicitly capture union-level relation: several previous items affecting the target items jointly. To address this limitation, we propose Multi-Granularity Transformer (MGT) that leverages both point-level and union-level relation for sequential recommendation. The proposed MGT employs a new multi-granularity self-attention (MGSA) mechanism that simultaneously captures multi-level relation (point-level and union-level relation). Specifically, MGSA partitions item latent space into different attention heads and forces different attention heads to account for point-level and union-level relation, respectively. Moreover, to improve the ability of feedforward layer in modeling local patterns, we further propose to incorporate a cross-token scheme into existing point-wise feedforward layer to enable local information interaction between adjacent items. Extensive experiments are conducted on three widely-used benchmark datasets to demonstrate the effectiveness and rationality of the proposed MGT over several state-of-the-art sequential recommendation models.

Older adults' suggestions of research topics on ageing well in urban environments - A participatory study.

Ageing societies and urbanization are global phenomena that pose new challenges for care delivery. It is important to create a scientific evidence base to prepare for these changes. Hence, the aim of our study was to assess which research agenda older adults living in an urban environment in Germany suggest. A total of 1000 participants aged 65 years or older from five different neighborhoods of Berlin were randomly chosen and were sent a single item questionnaire allowing them to freely propose research topics regarding ageing well in the city. Codes were developed inductively and clustered into categories. In a second stage, these results were discussed with the participants and local stakeholders in a workshop and video calls. 102 persons suggested 18 research topics in 6 categories: health, living environment, social issues, mobility, and accessibility to information and communication. Proposed research topics ranged from accessibility of health care, green spaces and recreational means to social involvement and loneliness. There is a substantial interest of older adults for research regarding their living situation. Research projects and local urban planning committees are encouraged to invite older adults to participate and integrate their perspectives suggested by older adults.

Statistical Distribution of Heat Release Rate Data for Single Household Items

Statistical Distribution of Heat Release Rate Data for Single Household Items

Voice Handicap Following Curative Therapy for Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer

Voice changes are a common late effect experienced by head and neck cancer (HNC) survivors, but most prior studies have focused primarily on patients with larynx tumors. The purpose of this study was to characterize voice handicap in a broader population of long term HNC survivors. We also sought to determine the sensitivity of a single question screener for voice handicap in this population. This study enrolled patients with locally advanced HNC (T3+ or N+) who received ≥60 Gy at a single academic institution and survived at least 2 years from the completion of radiation therapy (RT). Voice handicap was assessed using the more comprehensive and validated 10-question Voice Handicap Index (VHI-10). Clinically significant voice handicap was defined as a total VHI-10 score of >11. Patient reported hoarseness was assessed by the single question "Have you had problems with hoarseness?" from the EORTC QLQ-HN35 form. Descriptive statistics and univariate binomial logistic regression were used to identify factors associated with significant voice handicap. Missing data were not imputed and denominators were adjusted for each analysis. All analyses were performed using RStudio (PBC, Boston, MA). A total of 199 patients were enrolled in this study and included in the analysis; 182 (91%) completed the VHI-10 and 189 (95%) completed the EORTC QLQ-HN35. The median time from completion of RT to QoL assessment was 5.6 years (range: 1.7 - 28.9 years) and the median age was 65 years (range: 25 - 88 years). The primary tumor was most commonly within the oropharynx (51%) followed by larynx (13%) and oral cavity (11%). Surgery was performed in 64% and 63% systemic therapy. Clinically significant voice handicap was present in 34% of patients and the median VHI-10 score was 8 (range: 0 - 40). Primary tumors of the larynx (OR 7.18; 95% CI 2.52-23.8) and oral cavity (OR 3.29; 95% CI 1.21-9.35; p = 0.02) were associated with a higher odds of significant voice handicap than oropharynx tumors. Other factors associated with voice handicap were African American race (OR = 2.78 versus white race, 95% CI 1.13-7.14), female sex (OR 2.34; 95% CI 1.21-4.55), and T3+ tumor stage (OR = 3.53, 95% CI 1.48-9.19). The sensitivity and specificity of the single item hoarseness question from the EORTC QLQ-HN35 for predicting significant voice handicap ranged from 64.6% and 69.7% when a "A little bit" was considered a positive response to 24.6% and 98.2% when "Very much" was considered a positive response. Significant voice handicap was present in more than one-third of long term HNC survivors in this cohort and primary tumors of the larynx and oral cavity were associated with a higher odds of voice impairment. A single question about hoarseness was not sensitive for detecting significant voice impairment, potentially because voice quality is impacted by a range of factors besides hoarseness. Results of this study highlight the need to improve our understanding of how voice handicap impacts the QoL of HNC survivors.

Analytical solution of a modified single item continuous production inventory model under constant deterioration, goal levels and penalties

Analytical solution of a modified single item continuous production inventory model under constant deterioration, goal levels and penalties

The Patient-Perceived Helpfulness of Measures Scale: Development and Validation of a Scale to Assess the Helpfulness of Using Measures in Psychological Treatment.

In response to the increase in Routine Outcome Monitoring and Clinical Feedback, the Patient-Perceived Helpfulness of Measures Scale (ppHMS) was developed to assess the helpfulness-as perceived by patients-of using measures in psychological treatment. Study 1: The construct of patient-perceived helpfulness of measures was explored using thematic analysis with 15 patients. Six helpful and three unhelpful themes were identified and informed item development. Study 2: 28 items were formulated and rated by experts. Ten items were taken forward for psychometric shortening in a sample of 76 patients. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) led to an adequately fitting six-item model with excellent internal consistency, and convergence with the Delighted-Terrible single item of product satisfaction and a single item of measure helpfulness. Study 3: In a stratified online sample of 514 U.K. psychotherapy patients, a five-item model constituted the best fit. The final ppHMS had excellent internal consistency (McDonald's ω = .90), convergent validity with psychotherapy satisfaction (r = .5; p < .001), divergence from social desirability (r = .1), and metric and scalar invariance across measures. Study 4: Analyses were replicated and confirmed in a stratified U.S. sample (n = 602). The ppHMS is a reliable and valid scale that can be used to assess and compare patients' perceptions of the helpfulness of different measures as part of their psychological treatment.

A Study on the Combination Prediction of Anhui Residents’ Consumption Level Based on the IOWA Operator

Aims: In order to study the future trend of Anhui residents’ consumption level and predict the consumption level of Anhui residents in the next three years (2022-2024), this paper constructs a combination prediction model based on the induced ordered weighted averaging (IOWA) operator.&#x0D; Study Design: This paper selects the national resident consumption level in Anhui province from 2000 to 2021, which covers a period of 21 years. Based on the data, an IOWA operator combination prediction model is constructed using a multiple regression model, ARIMA (2,2,0) model, and machine learning decision tree model. This is a qualitative analytical study which set the sum of squared errors as dependent variables and error value of different single item prediction method as independent variables.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Study: This paper selects the national resident consumption level in Anhui Province from 2000 to 2021.&#x0D; Methodology: This paper constructs a combination prediction model based on the IOWA operator based on the multiple regression model, ARIMA (2,2,0) model, and machine learning decision tree model. The combination prediction method that minimizes the sum of squared errors is used to predict the consumption level of Anhui residents in the next three years (2022-2024), and the effectiveness of the IOWA operator-based combination prediction model is evaluated.&#x0D; Results: This study finds that the prediction accuracy of the IOWA operator-based combination prediction model is generally greater than that of individual prediction models, and the sum of squared errors is generally significantly lower than that of individual prediction models.&#x0D; Conclusion: The prediction results show that the consumption level of Anhui residents in the next three years will not fluctuate greatly, but will have a trend of slight increase. The results of this study can be helpful for the government to improve the consumption level of residents in Anhui Province.

Effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a multimodal, physiotherapist-led, vocational intervention in people with inflammatory arthritis: study protocol of the Physiotherapy WORKs trial

BackgroundAlthough reduced work ability is a substantial problem among people with inflammatory arthritis (IA), work ability is an underexposed area in clinical practice. Evidence on vocational interventions in IA is limited, but favourable results of delivery by a physiotherapist (PT) warrant the need for further research. Therefore, we aim to evaluate the (cost-)effectiveness of a multimodal, PT-led, vocational intervention in (self-)employed people with IA compared to usual care.MethodsThis randomized controlled trial will include 140 people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) who are (self-)employed and have reduced work ability (Work Ability Index – Single Item Scale (WAS) ≤ 7/10) and/or RA/axSpA related sick leave (≤ 6 months). Participants will be randomized 1:1 to the intervention or control condition (usual care). The intervention, delivered by primary care PTs, will be personalized to each patient, consisting of 10 to 21 sessions over 12 months. The intervention will be multimodal, comprising of 1) exercise therapy and a physical activity plan, 2) education/self-management support, 3) work-roadmap to guide participants in finding relevant other care, with optionally 4) online self-management course and 5) workplace examination. Assessments will be performed at baseline and after 3, 6, and 12 months. The primary outcome measure of effectiveness is work ability, as measured with the WAS at 12 months. For the cost-effectiveness analysis, the EuroQol (EQ-5D-5L), self-reported healthcare use, sick leave and productivity while at work will be used to estimate the trial based cost-utility from a societal perspective. A process evaluation, including assessments of adherence and treatment fidelity, will be undertaken using the registrations of the PTs and semi-structured interviews at 12 months follow-up in a random sample of the intervention group.DiscussionThe results of this study will provide insights in the (cost-)effectiveness of a multimodal, PT-led, vocational intervention in people with IA and a reduced work ability.Trial registrationThis study is registered in the International Clinical Trial Registry Platform (ICTRP) under number NL9343.