Staff Participation Research Articles

Long-term outdoor recreation program for adults with intellectual disabilities: Feasibility and effects.

While people with intellectual disabilities tend to refrain from physical activity, outdoor physical activity programs increase motivation to engage in physical activity. Eighty adults with intellectual disabilities participated in a 12-month outdoor physical activity program. Attendance was used to assess feasibility. Aerobic capacity (6-min walk test), lower extremity endurance (30-s chair stand), and mobility (timed up and go) were assessed at three-time points: before, during, and after the program. Six interviews were also conducted with six staff members and participants. The physical activity program was feasible, with all six groups completing the year-long activity. The six-minute walk and timed-up-and-go tests improved significantly. The qualitative analysis indicates the program's strengths (instructors' qualities and programs' social component) and weaknesses (dependency on weather and bureaucracy). Among adults with intellectual disabilities, a long-term outdoor physical activity program is feasible as a means for increasing aerobic capacity and improving mobility ability.

Modern approaches to public sphere specialist training

Formulation of the problem The system of specialist training, which allows providing public authorities with highly qualified and competent personnel, plays a significant role in the development of the public administration sector. The public service personnel should ensure the effectiveness of activities based on compliance with European democratic principles and standards of social development. Analysis of recent research and publications Though many scientists highlighted theoretical approaches to defining staffing peculiarities in the public sphere, the training of public sphere specialists remains topical and requires constant thorough research due to present challenges and time-stipulated requirements. Separation of previously unsettled parts of the general problem This paper aims to substantiate current approaches to training public sphere specialists. Presenting main material Given the need to increase the efficiency of public administration and develop competencies of public authorities, modern realities set new requirements for the training of public sphere specialists. The specialist training reform in the public sphere should be based on the New Public Management (NPM) concept. This concept declares the possibility of training public servants by applying approaches used in the business environment. The training of specialists, able to effectively perform the functions assigned to them in the public sphere, should ensure not only the acquirement of certain knowledge related to the specifics of future activities but also their development of personal skills. These meta-competencies can be considered more relevant for managers in the context of ensuring their professionalism. They are also regarded by scientists as the main impetus for the career promotion of public sector workers in the future. A set of educational programs for cooperation between Ukraine and the European Union within the framework of projects of European educational initiatives, which allow to effectively implement internationalization policies through student mobility, promote the development of educational initiatives by rendering grants for student mobility and infrastructure support, being based on the principles of partnership among scientific institutions, higher establishments, the public, business and the state. To harmonize education with the requirements of the modern world, educational institutions need to take the following steps: focusing on real staffing needs and requests of public authorities at various levels; annual modernization of educational programs in the field of public administration; participation of academic staff in European programs, projects, internships aimed at enhancing the quality of the educational process; close cooperation with leading experts in the field of public administration. For Ukraine, the most acceptable is the option of the optimal combination of approaches of the American and European models, according to which specialists for the public sphere should be trained with an emphasis on the development of their managerial qualities and professional knowledge of jurisprudence. At the same time, it is necessary to reveal the personal skills of future specialists, which will help to unleash their potential. Conclusions The transformations observed today in Ukrainian society require radical changes towards the formation of new approaches to staff training as well as the unification of approaches in the provision of educational services to public sector spe- cialists. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account the foreign experience of implementing new public management, which will enable future specialists not only to join the international labor market but also to effectively implement the principles of sustainable democratic development in the Ukrainian state.

Aspects of implementation of models of interaction between career centers of universities and industrial enterprises in the conditions of labor market transformation

Today universities are creating all conditions for successful training, improving the graduates’ competitiveness at the labour market and employment according to the qualification received. In the conditions of social and economic transformations a significant number of young specialists are not able to adapt to the labor market. This is caused by lack of practical experience and the resulting low professional status. The balance between the labor market needs for young specialists and the universities’ ability to educate them can be achieved by close interaction between the professional educational institutions and potential employers. To coordinate the interests of both experts apply various interaction models able to ensure harmonization of the process.The article in hand deals with four models of interaction between the university career centres and partner companies which use two models of such interaction in the Southwest State University. The authors analyzed the level of integration of the career centres with other structural departments of the university showing the link between the interaction model implemented in the university and the level of integration. The research allowed to make a conclusion about sufficient influence the university career centres’ activities on the graduates’ competitiveness at the labour market.Cooperation of universities and employers is aimed at implementing a complex of measures, means and methods which ensure providing the appropriate level of professional education. Also it contributes to solving the following tasks: engagement of the companies in the graduates’ employment according to their qualifications, participation of the university staff in scientific research activity within the topics suggested by the companies, involvement of the partner companies to career guidance activities and events aimed at developing the information environment in the labour market and increasing the attractiveness of the employer’s brand in the eyes of graduates.Regional universities are facing the problem of the graduates’ employment in the city – forming enterprises and companies operating in the region. Taking into account that young specialists tend to migrate to the regional centres, it is essential to take measures to increase the attractiveness of work conditions with the emerging trend of staff outflow. Promotion of employment of young specialists can be effective only in case of establishing long-term “university-student-employer” partnership.

Benralizumab for eosinophilic gastritis: a single-site, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial

In eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases, the role of eosinophils in disease pathogenesis and the effect of eosinophil depletion on patient outcomes are unclear. Benralizumab, an eosinophil-depleting monoclonal antibody that targets the interleukin-5 receptor α, might eliminate gastric tissue eosinophils and improve outcomes in eosinophilic gastritis. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of benralizumab in patients with eosinophilic gastritis. We conducted a single-site, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center (Cincinnati, OH, USA). Individuals aged 12-60 years with symptomatic, histologically active eosinophilic gastritis (peak gastric eosinophil count ≥30 eosinophils per high-power field [eos/hpf] in at least five hpfs) and blood eosinophilia (>500 eosinophils per μL [eos/μL]) were randomly assigned (1:1, block size of four) to benralizumab 30 mg or placebo, stratified by the use of glucocorticoids for gastric disease. Investigators, study staff, and study participants were masked to treatment assignment; statisticians were unmasked when analysing data. Treatments were administered subcutaneously once every 4 weeks for a 12-week double-blind period (three total injections). The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients who achieved histological remission (peak gastric eosinophil count <30 eos/hpf) at week 12. Key secondary endpoints were the changes from baseline to week 12 in peak gastric eosinophil count, blood eosinophil count, eosinophilic gastritis histology (total, inflammatory, and structural feature scores), Eosinophilic Gastritis Endoscopic Reference System (EG-REFS) score, and patient-reported outcome symptom measures (Severity of Dyspepsia Assessment [SODA] and Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System [PROMIS] short-form questionnaire). After the 12-week double-blind period, patients were eligible for entry into two open-label extension (OLE) periods up to week 88, in which all patients received benralizumab. Efficacy was analysed in the intention-to-treat (ITT) population and safety was assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of study drug. The trial was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03473977, and is completed. Between April 23, 2018, and Jan 13, 2020, 34 patients were screened, and 26 were subsequently randomly assigned to benralizumab (n=13) or placebo (n=13) and included in the ITT and safety populations (mean age 19·5 years [SD 7·3]; 19 [73%] male patients and seven [27%] female patients). At week 12, ten (77% [95% CI 50 to 92]) of 13 patients who received benralizumab and one (8% [1 to 33]) of 13 who received placebo achieved histological remission (difference 69 percentage points [95% CI 32 to 85]; p=0·0010). Changes from baseline to week 12 were significantly greater in the benralizumab group versus the placebo group for peak gastric eosinophil counts (mean -137 eos/hpf [95% CI -186 to -88] vs -38 eos/hpf [-94 to 18]; p=0·0080), eosinophilic gastritis histology total score (mean -0·31 [-0·42 to -0·20] vs -0·02 [-0·16 to 0·12]; p=0·0016), histology inflammatory score (mean -0·46 [-0·60 to -0·31] vs -0·04 [-0·22 to 0·13]; p=0·0006), and blood eosinophil counts (median -1060 eos/μL [IQR -1740 to -830] vs -160 eos/μL [-710 to 120]; p=0·0044). Changes were not significantly different between the groups for eosinophilic gastritis histology structural score (mean -0·07 [95% CI -0·19 to 0·05] vs 0·03 [-0·09 to 0·15]; p=0·23), EG-REFS score (mean -1·0 [-2·3 to 0·3] vs -0·5 [-2·0 to 1·0]; p=0·62), or in patient-reported outcomes (SODA and PROMIS). During the double-blind period, treatment-emergent adverse events occurred in 11 (85%) of 13 patients in the benralizumab group and six (46%) of 13 in the placebo group; the most common treatment-emergent adverse events were headache (six [46%] vs two [15%] patients), nausea (three [23%] vs two [15%]), and vomiting (two [15%] vs three [23%]). There were no treatment-related deaths. Two patients had serious adverse events (dizziness and rhabdomyolysis in one patient; aspiration in one patient) during the OLE periods, which were considered unrelated to study treatment. Benralizumab treatment induced histological remission, as defined by absence of tissue eosinophilia, in most patients with eosinophilic gastritis. However, the persistence of histological, endoscopic, and other features of the disease suggest a co-existing, eosinophil-independent pathogenic mechanism and the need for broader targeting of type 2 immunity. AstraZeneca and the Division of Intramural Research (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, US National Institutes of Health).

Challenges While Implementation of 5S at the Cardiac Counter of the Tertiary Care Hospital

5S-Kaizen-Total Quality Management (TQM) is a hospital management approach to improve with limited resources. The set actions are conducted systematically with commitment and full participation of staff who are working in the hospital. Samples were drawn from the work environment, housekeeping staff, Cardiac counter staff. Data were collected through a cross-sectional, prospective, observational, qualitative study, and a checklist with 5S parameters was used as a quantitative tool to analyze the data for pre-study score and post-study score. The score has been improved from 64 to 104 out of 125 after training on comparing the score of pre-study and post-study which means a considerable improvement of 60% in the health care working environment. It was found that after the training and continuous monitoring 5S was successfully implemented which showed some benefits such as Self-discipline improvement with a positive attitude, Increasing awareness and morale, improvement of inter-human relations, improvement of the internal communication processes. To improve the working environment and to enhance the motivation of staff who are working in a hospital and health care organizations. 5S as a quality improvement tool has made the working environment smooth and safe. It eliminates unnecessary items from the workplace. It prevents the items and documents from being lost or damaged and minimize the wastage of time and resources. It has improved staff morale.

Opportunities and Challenges to Linkage to Housing in the Context of a Sexual and Reproductive Health Program for Youth Experiencing Homelessness

Youth homelessness remains a major public health issue in the USA, and youth experiencing homelessness (YEH) are still one of the more understudied and underserved groups. Comprehensive sexual and reproductive health (SRH) programs for YEH are rare. Yet, such programs are potentially effective settings through which to link YEH with housing services. Wahine (“woman”) Talk is one such comprehensive program for YEH, and is a multilevel intervention delivered out of a youth drop-in center in Honolulu, Hawai ‘i. One of Wahine Talk’s core components is addressing basic needs, including providing linkages to housing services. Little research exists on SRH programs’ opportunities and challenges to providing linkage to housing for YEH. The current study is an exploratory study asking, “What are opportunities and challenges to linking young women experiencing homelessness to housing services through a comprehensive sexual and reproductive health program?” The study team collected in-depth qualitative data through seven focus groups and 25 individual interviews with Wahine Talk staff and youth participants aged 14–22 years. Multiple team members analyzed the data using template analysis. The analysis revealed that while comprehensive SRH programs may have some opportunities and challenges to linking YEH to housing services that are consistent with traditional housing assistance programs, there are also factors specific to SRH programs. In particular, opportunities would be SRH programs employing a housing staff person and bolstering staff-youth meetings and communication. A challenge specific to SRH programs would be prioritizing youth’s reproductive justice (i.e., choice) in lieu of solely prioritizing pregnancy reductions and delays; thus, it is recommended to train staff to prioritize youth’s reproductive justice. The findings highlight the importance of SRH programs having staff focused on housing, sufficient opportunities for youth and staff to communicate with each other, and staff trained to prioritize youth’s reproductive justice.

Feasibility analysis of the design of a psychosocial intervention in dementia: Sensitivity analysis

AbstractBackgroundA multicomponent staff training intervention was conducted to improve residential dementia care. The purpose of this work is to present the simulation of the effectiveness of the intervention design over time.MethodPilot study with mixed methods, two‐arm randomized controlled clinical outcomes in 7 care homes in Mexico City. Staff outcome measures were: Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI); Approaches to Dementia Questionnaire (ADQ); Sense of Competence in Dementia Care Staff (SCIDS). Residents' outcome measures were: Quality of Life‐Alzheimer’s Disease scale (QoL‐AD) and Neuropsychiatric Inventory‐Nursing Home Version (NPI‐NH). Using the functions of the R package powerlmm, we performed computer simulations based on linear changes over a period of up to 24 weeks. The measurements were divided into three time points corresponding to the schedule of our study (baseline, post‐intervention and follow‐up). In the different trials, we specified different numbers of subjects and group sizes, including those in the present study, always considering an unbalanced cluster design. We also considered the dropout rate of participants, which in this study was almost 30% and focused on the post‐intervention period, with no additional dropouts at follow‐up. We conducted simulations to determine the performance of our longitudinal study design with fewer or no unanticipated dropouts.Result55 residents and 126 staff participants were recruited in seven care homes. We found that the highest power was achieved for MBI: Personal fulfillment and SCIDS: Sustaining personhood, which were the only variables with a significant effect for the Time × Treatment interaction in the model inference. Focusing on the first of these variables and assuming the specific values for each input parameter, we see that our study design with 7 care homes was potentially capable of detecting a significant effect size of the growth effects of the intervention. Thus, the estimated sample size for a power of 80% would be nearly 85 participants, which corresponds to the complete data (i.e., no dropouts), and about 138 participants for a power of 90%.ConclusionA higher level design that includes more care homes would be sufficient to achieve effective estimates above the 80% threshold while maintaining the lowest number of participants.

Multi-institutional Expansion of a Longitudinal Radiation Oncology Curriculum for Medical Assistants and Allied Health Professionals (OnC MAP)

Background A single-institution longitudinal radiation oncology curriculum for medical assistants was shown to be sustainable over multiple years and increased job satisfaction.1 We aimed to assess the sustainability of a multi-institutional expansion of a monthly web-based longitudinal curriculum, and its impact on attendees' confidence and knowledge. Methods Four institutions were recruited, and non-physician staff participants were asked to participate. Between September 2022 and December 2022, participants completed 3 of 15 planned sessions including (1) radiation oncology clinical workflows, (2) medications and vital signs, and (3) prostate cancer. Before and after each session, participants completed surveys about their confidence in knowledge of session topics on a likert-5 point scale (1="very unconfident" to 5= "very confident") and completed knowledge tests. Results of confidence surveys were dichotomized (≥4 vs. ≤3). Surveys and tests were summarized using descriptive statistics and paired t-test. Results Twenty-four of thirty-five (69%) participants report clinical roles (4-7 per institution). Ten (42%) were medical assistants (MA), 8 (33%) were allied health professionals including registered nurses (RN), licensed vocational nurses (LVNs), or advanced practice providers (APP). In pre-session surveys, half of respondents were confident (Likert ≥4) in their understanding of consult notes or knowledge of common medications or abnormal vital signs. Less than half were confident in their ability to understand or use "one-liners" (∼32%) or knowledge of common systemic therapies (29%), medication side effects (41%), risk factors for prostate cancer (25%), or how prostate cancer is staged or managed (38%). On average, respondents were more likely to report confidence in their knowledge after session one (45% to 73%, p<0.01), two (52% to 83%, p<0.01), and three (40% to 95%, p<0.01). On pre-/post-knowledge tests, participants scored similarly for session one (84% vs. 79%, p=0.17) but tended to have increased scores after session two (62% to 74%, p=0.19) and three (38% to 60%, p=0.09), though these differences were not statistically significant. Most participants (85%) considered the amount and level of content appropriate despite the mixed clinical roles of participants. Discussion We report the feasibility of expanding a longitudinal interprofessional curriculum to four institutions, the successful integration of medical assistants, nurses, and advanced practice providers, and incorporation of objective knowledge tests. Participants reported increased confidence in their knowledge after each session and tended to score higher on post-assessments. Future directions include additional monthly disease-site based sessions, incorporation of online asynchronous learning, and incorporation of spaced-repetition of content into assessment to promote knowledge retention. A single-institution longitudinal radiation oncology curriculum for medical assistants was shown to be sustainable over multiple years and increased job satisfaction.1 We aimed to assess the sustainability of a multi-institutional expansion of a monthly web-based longitudinal curriculum, and its impact on attendees' confidence and knowledge. Four institutions were recruited, and non-physician staff participants were asked to participate. Between September 2022 and December 2022, participants completed 3 of 15 planned sessions including (1) radiation oncology clinical workflows, (2) medications and vital signs, and (3) prostate cancer. Before and after each session, participants completed surveys about their confidence in knowledge of session topics on a likert-5 point scale (1="very unconfident" to 5= "very confident") and completed knowledge tests. Results of confidence surveys were dichotomized (≥4 vs. ≤3). Surveys and tests were summarized using descriptive statistics and paired t-test. Twenty-four of thirty-five (69%) participants report clinical roles (4-7 per institution). Ten (42%) were medical assistants (MA), 8 (33%) were allied health professionals including registered nurses (RN), licensed vocational nurses (LVNs), or advanced practice providers (APP). In pre-session surveys, half of respondents were confident (Likert ≥4) in their understanding of consult notes or knowledge of common medications or abnormal vital signs. Less than half were confident in their ability to understand or use "one-liners" (∼32%) or knowledge of common systemic therapies (29%), medication side effects (41%), risk factors for prostate cancer (25%), or how prostate cancer is staged or managed (38%). On average, respondents were more likely to report confidence in their knowledge after session one (45% to 73%, p<0.01), two (52% to 83%, p<0.01), and three (40% to 95%, p<0.01). On pre-/post-knowledge tests, participants scored similarly for session one (84% vs. 79%, p=0.17) but tended to have increased scores after session two (62% to 74%, p=0.19) and three (38% to 60%, p=0.09), though these differences were not statistically significant. Most participants (85%) considered the amount and level of content appropriate despite the mixed clinical roles of participants. We report the feasibility of expanding a longitudinal interprofessional curriculum to four institutions, the successful integration of medical assistants, nurses, and advanced practice providers, and incorporation of objective knowledge tests. Participants reported increased confidence in their knowledge after each session and tended to score higher on post-assessments. Future directions include additional monthly disease-site based sessions, incorporation of online asynchronous learning, and incorporation of spaced-repetition of content into assessment to promote knowledge retention.

A multi-level intervention to reduce the stigma of substance use and criminal involvement: a pilot feasibility trial protocol

BackgroundStigma associated with substance use and criminal involvement is pervasive and creates a barrier to evidence-based addiction care within the criminal legal system. Research has yet to examine a multi-level stigma intervention which targets the intersection of these stigmas among both criminal legal staff and legally-involved clients.MethodsThis paper presents the protocol for a non-randomized trial of a multi-level stigma intervention called Combatting Stigma to Aid Reentry and Recovery (CSTARR) that involves two interventions: (1) training for criminal legal staff to address public stigma and (2) group-based acceptance and commitment therapy to address self-stigma among legally-involved adults enrolled in substance use treatment. Staff and client participants are engaged with a program called the Tennessee Recovery Oriented Compliance Strategy in 6 East Tennessee counties. This study examines the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of CSTARR using a type 1 hybrid implementation/effectiveness trial with pre to post follow-up.DiscussionStigma must be addressed in the criminal legal system to facilitate the uptake of evidence-based addiction care. This study is the first to evaluate a stigma intervention designed for the criminal legal setting and results will be used to inform a larger, randomized controlled trial. The rationale for this study, research design and measures, as well as potential implications for the field are described.Trial registrationThis clinical trial is registered at clinicaltrials.gov with the identifier NCT05152342. Registered 11/5/2021 at https://register.clinicaltrials.gov/prs/app/action/SelectProtocol?sid=S000BIN8&selectaction=Edit&uid=U0005X4C&ts=2&cx=-u3wsbx.

Education Intervention to Increase Naltrexone Use Among Adult Inpatients With Alcohol Use Disorder.

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) accounts for high rates of global deaths, disability, and health care spending. Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist used to reduce alcohol cravings. Despite demonstrated safety and efficacy, naltrexone is highly underutilized in a variety of health care settings. The current quality improvement (QI) project aimed to increase knowledge and prescribing behaviors of naltrexone. A chart review of a purposive convenience sample was performed to determine the impact of the intervention. Staff participants completed a pre/posttest and a post-module survey. The primary objectives of the QI project were to increase the number of patients with AUD discharged with a prescription for naltrexone by 5% and achieve 50% staff participation in the online module, pre/posttest, and post-module survey. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 61(9), 10-14.].

Hospital Workforce Education and Training for Emergency Management and Disaster Response in Complex Settings.

Introduction:Understanding how to best prepare hospital staff for disasters or emergencies is critical, as there is increasing frequency and scope of these events. Considerations include: identifying key staff, their roles, strategies to support continuity of care, delivery mode of education, and resource allocation.Method:Participants experienced in disasters and major emergencies or preparation at three tertiary referral teaching hospitals were purposively selected during 2016 and 2019. An interpretive paradigm and case study design enabled the exploration of perspectives concerning effective and preferred methods for preparedness. Fifty-five allied health professionals, medical practitioners, and nurses participated in semi-structured interviews; and support staff participated in focus groups.Results:Key findings: 1. Recognition that allied health professionals and support staff are essential and must be included in disaster or major emergency preparation and plans. 2. Factors that increase the likelihood of staff deciding to be absent from work include: perception of danger, insufficient understanding of responsibilities, and hospital preparation is perceived inadequate. Staff understanding their role has a positive influence for attendance and coping during disasters. 3. Preferred and most effective method of disaster preparedness is practical learning, combined with other preparation methods. Online learning as the major mode was unpopular. 4. Challenges of inadequate resources limits managers’ ability to facilitate staff preparation and care delivery during disasters. Resources affect method, duration and multidisciplinary inclusion in disaster preparation.Conclusion:This research found disaster preparedness in hospitals is critical. Site and occupation specific differences need to be addressed. To mitigate impacts of disasters or major emergencies, preparation must include identification of required resources. Disaster preparedness and management must be inclusive of multidisciplinary staff, including allied health and support staff. Facilitation of role understanding to promote continuity of care during disasters or major emergencies is imperative to promote staff participation and effectiveness in response to disasters.

Using FOCUS-PDSA Quality Improvement Methodology Model in Healthcare: Process and Outcomes.

Using FOCUS-PDSA Quality Improvement Methodology Model in Healthcare: Process and Outcomes.

Behind the Scenes: Experiences of Multilingual Therapists and Trainees in U.S. University Counseling Centers

ABSTRACT As student bodies on college campuses in the United States (U.S.) continue to diversify, university counseling centers have begun to recognize the importance of hiring multilingual therapists and trainees to meet the needs of 66 million U.S. residents who speak languages other than English. The study used a qualitative approach to better understand the experiences of multilingual therapists and trainees working at university counseling centers in the U.S. Thirty-one participants (three men and 28 women; 27 senior staff and four trainees) completed an online survey with six open-ended questions. The following themes were identified: rewards and benefits of providing multilingual therapy, supervision experiences given, and organizational support provided to multilingual therapists. Senior staff participants also make suggestions for trainees who would like to practice multilingual therapy as well as support that agencies can offer to their multilingual therapists. Limitations, practical implications, and future research directions are discussed.

Increasing acceptance of medical AI: The role of medical staff participation in AI development

BackgroundMedical artificial intelligence (AI) in varying degrees has exerted significant influence on many medical fields, especially in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, little is known regarding how to address the reluctance of medical staff to use AI technology. While recent research has highlighted the importance of medical staff participation in the development of AI, the current understanding of influence of medical staff participation on acceptance of AI is limited. ObjectivesTo provide insights into the mechanism that how medical staff participation impacts on the medical staff’s acceptance of AI and to examine the moderating effect of speciesism. MethodsThis study was conducted from 6th August to 3rd September. Data was collected from doctors and nurses and a total of 288 valid questionnaires were obtained. Smart PLS 3.2.8 was used as partial least square (PLS) software to validate the research model. ResultsThe study determined that medical staff participation had a significant impact on acceptance of medical AI-IDT (β = 0.35, p ≤ 0.001) and acceptance of medical AI-ADT (β = 0.44, p ≤ 0.001). The results also show that AI self-efficacy and AI anxiety have significant mediating effects and speciesism has significant moderating effects among the theoretical model. ConclusionsThis study provides insights into ways to explore influence factors of acceptance of AI based on user participation perspective. The results indicate that medical staff participation enhances acceptance of medical AI through the cognitive path (i.e., AI self-efficacy) and the affective path (i.e., AI anxiety). These results have practical implications for how organizations assist the staff to accommodate themselves to AI technology in the future.

Assessing and Improving Provider Knowledge for a Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit Electronic Dashboard Initiative.

Electronic dashboards measure intensive care unit (ICU) performance by tracking quality indicators, especially pinpointing sub-standard metrics. This helps ICUs scrutinize and change current practices in an effort to improve failing metrics. However, its technological value is lost if end users are unaware of its importance. This results in decreased staff participation, leading to unsuccessful initiation of the dashboard. Therefore, the purpose of this project was to improve cardiothoracic ICU providers' understanding of electronic dashboards by providing an educational training bundle in preparation for an electronic dashboard initiation. A Likert survey assessing providers' knowledge, attitudes, skills, and application of electronic dashboards was conducted. Subsequently, an educational training bundle, consisting of a digital flier and laminated pamphlets, was made available to providers for four months. After bundle review, providers were assessed using the same pre-bundle Likert survey. A comparison of summated scores from pre-bundle (mean = 38.75) and post-bundle surveys (mean = 46.13) yielded an increased summated score overall (mean = 7.38, p ≤ 0.001). An educational bundle improved providers' understanding and increased their likelihood of using electronic dashboards upon its initiation. Further studies are needed to continue increasing staff participation such as providing specific education to navigate the interface for data retrieval and interpretation.

Impacts of microaggressions and neo-racism on international students' sense of belonging

This study explored international student sense of belonging within three state universities in New England and found a concurrent theme of microaggressions and neo-racism on their campuses that has affected their sense of belonging. Despite trends in the international higher education literature that have historically investigated ways to improve the academic experiences and engagement of international students, the findings indicate less attention has been paid to the sense of belonging felt by these students, particularly how microaggressions and neo-racism affect their sense of belonging. Microaggressions, or subtle verbal or nonverbal insults directed towards people of color, often unconsciously (Solorzano et al., 2000), were a common experience of international student participants and frequently mentioned in communications with faculty, domestic students, and staff participants. Suggestions for best practices in fostering international student sense of belonging for higher education professionals and practitioners are also discussed.

Staff responses to self-harm by children and young people in mental health inpatient settings: Experiences and views of children and young people, parents and staff.

This study aimed to understand the views of children and young people (CYP), parents and staff on how staff should respond to incidents of self-harm carried out by CYP in mental health inpatient settings. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with CYP (n = 6), parents (n = 5) and mental health professionals (n = 6) with experience of this issue. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Two superordinate themes were identified: (1) The threshold for intervening; and (2) Interpersonal attributes of staff. There was general agreement among participants about the interpersonal skills that staff should possess to work safely and effectively with this population. There was disagreement between staff and parent participants about the appropriate threshold for using restrictive interventions to manage incidents of self-harm for this group. Our findings suggest that further work is needed to develop effective approaches for addressing self-harm in this population which are considered acceptable to all key stakeholders. The results of this study could be used to inform future intervention development.

A Qualitative Assessment of the Treatment Needs of Women with Concurrent Eating and Substance Use Disorders in a Residential Setting

Objectives: Eating and substance use disorders (SUD) are generally treated separately, leaving eating disorders (ED) overlooked within substance use treatment. The frequent co-occurrence of SUD and ED is well documented. Despite their many similarities and frequent co-occurrence, these two disorder types continue to be largely treated separately–either sequentially, with the most severe disorder addressed first, or concurrently but in separate programs. Our study, therefore, responds to this lacuna of data on patient and provider treatment needs for integrated ED and SUD treatment, centering the perspectives of women with lived experience of ED and SUD to support the development of therapeutic groups for women in treatment programs. Methods: This study was designed as a needs and assets assessment to determine the needs and priorities of women with concurrent ED and SUD for developing group programs. Participants for the needs assessment included both staff members (n = 10) and women receiving treatment (n = 10) who were recruited from a 90-day residential treatment program for women with SUD in British Columbia, Canada. Interviews and focus groups conducted with participants were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were thematically analyzed and coded using Dedoose software. Results: Six key themes emerged from the qualitative data and were organized into sections with sub themes. An overarching premise from both staff and program participants was the need for concurrent therapeutic programming, nutritional support, and medical monitoring. The six discrete themes that were elicited included the similarities between ED and SUD, gaps in treatment, community support, family involvement, program participant treatment suggestions, staff treatment suggestions, and family involvement. Conclusions: Throughout this qualitative study, the need for screening and assessment of both disorders along with integrated treatment was stressed by participants, both program participants and staff alike. These findings complement current literature and suggest that pursuing concurrent treatment design may be helpful in addressing unmet program participant needs and could provide a more holistic framework for recovery.

Connectivity and racial equity in responding to COVID-19 impacts in the Chicago regional food system

The COVID-19 outbreak led to major disruptions in food systems across the globe. In the United States’ Chicago region, the outbreak created immediate concerns around increased hunger, food insecurity, supply chain disruptions, and loss of local liveli­hoods. This was especially evident in communities of color, which faced disproportionate impacts from the pandemic. In March 2020, the Chicago Food Policy Action Council (CFPAC) coordinated a Rapid Response Effort that convened people in working groups related to emergency food assis­tance, local food producers, small businesses, and food system workers to address urgent needs that arose due to the pandemic. Each working group met regularly through virtual calls. This effort has persisted throughout the pandemic in various forms. For this study, we interviewed CFPAC staff members and participants in these calls to create narratives that document respondents’ perceptions of the Rapid Response Effort’s evolution, benefits, challenges, and potential for long-term impacts. Thematic analysis conducted across these narra­tives revealed the importance of network connec­tions to overcoming food system disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our analysis also underscored challenges associated with racism in efforts to strengthen local and regional food sys­tems. These findings indicate a need for research and practice that intentionally attend to power dis­parities related to race within collaborative net­works in order to structure local and regional food systems to achieve greater racial equity and resili­ence to future shocks.

An anti-infodemic virtual center for the Americas.

The Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) Anti-Infodemic Virtual Center for the Americas (AIVCA) is a project led by the Department of Evidence and Intelligence for Action in Health, PAHO and the Center for Health Informatics, PAHO/WHO Collaborating Center on Information Systems for Health, at the University of Illinois, with the participation of PAHO staff and consultants across the region. Its goal is to develop a set of tools-pairing AI with human judgment-to help ministries of health and related health institutions respond to infodemics. Public health officials will learn about emerging threats detected by the center and get recommendations on how to respond. The virtual center is structured with three parallel teams: detection, evidence, and response. The detection team will employ a mixture of advanced search queries, machine learning, and other AI techniques to sift through more than 800 million new public social media posts per day to identify emerging infodemic threats in both English and Spanish. The evidence team will use the EasySearch federated search engine backed by AI, PAHO's knowledge management team, and the Librarian Reserve Corps to identify the most relevant authoritative sources. The response team will use a design approach to communicate recommended response strategies based on behavioural science, storytelling, and information design approaches.