Total Number Of Responses Research Articles

A comparative analysis of supportive care service needs in patients with pancreas versus other gastrointestinal cancers.

272 Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the third leading cause of cancer death and presents with advanced incurable disease approximately 75% of the time, contributing to the lowest survival rate and worst multidimensional quality of life (QOL) compared to other adult solid tumors. Standardized screening for early integration of interdisciplinary care (IDC) services, advance care planning, and utilization of electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs) for improved QOL and symptom management are recommended, yet the literature is lacking in rigorously-conducted PDAC needs assessments, an important prerequisite to care model design. Methods: Between September 12, 2023 and May 7, 2024, 525 patients with gastrointestinal (GI) malignancies were sent a Supportive Care Questionnaire (SCQ), an ePRO survey assessing multi-dimensional IDC needs prior to first visit at an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center in the Pacific Northwest. The SCQ includes validated surveys and a total of 12 domains chosen by the IDC service responsible for management of the given need(s), who also set trigger thresholds for referral to the IDC service. Rates of positive screens for each service were compared by cancer type (PDAC, Colorectal [CRC], gastroesophageal [GE]). Results: 340 (65%) SCQs were completed (57% via MyChart, 43% in person) similarly across disease groups; with an average of 10 mins to complete. Respondents were 49% female/59% male (Race: White (76.5%), Asian (10%), Black/African-American (4.5%), Other/Unknown (9%)/Ethnicity Non-Hispanic (90%, Hispanic 7.6%), Other/Declined/Unknown 2.4%), with primary language spoken being English (92%), Spanish (3.5%), simplified Chinese (1.5%) and Other (2.5%). Table 1 shows – by GI cancer type –the total number of responses and the proportion of patients who screened positive for one or more IDC services. Conclusions: Patients with PDAC had the greatest need for IDC services with most frequent positive screens indicating need for nutrition, social work, palliative care and patient navigation services when surveyed in our institution-wide program of SC screening for all new GI cancer patients. Results will inform further development of IDC services in PDAC and other GI cancers, including via staff prediction modeling. The SCQ is also being considered for SC screening and management across the Canopy Cancer Collective, a nationwide learning health network of pancreas cancer programs. PDAC CRC GE Surveyed 187 237 101 Completed 122 (65%) 153 (65%) 65 (64%) Positive Screen 68 (56%) 70 (46%) 26 (40%)

Cerebral arterial blood flow, attention, and executive and cognitive functions in depressed patients after acute hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage.

Intracerebral hemorrhage mainly occurs in middle-aged and elderly patients with hypertension, and surgery is currently the main treatment for hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage, but the bleeding caused by surgery will cause damage to the patient's nerve cells, resulting in cognitive and motor dysfunction, resulting in a decline in the patient's quality of life. To investigate associations between cerebral arterial blood flow and executive and cognitive functions in depressed patients after acute hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage. Eighty-nine patients with depression after acute hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage who were admitted to our hospital between January 2019 and July 2021 were selected as the observation group, while 100 patients without depression who had acute hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage were selected as the control group. The attention span of the patients was assessed using the Paddle Pin Test while executive function was assessed using the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA). The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-24) was used to evaluate the severity of depression of involved patients. Cerebral arterial blood flow was measured in both groups. The MoCA score, net scores I, II, III, IV, and the total net score of the scratch test in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Concurrently, the total number of responses, number of incorrect responses, number of persistent errors, and number of completed responses of the first classification in the WCST test were significantly higher in the observation group than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Blood flow in the basilar artery, left middle cerebral artery, right middle cerebral artery, left anterior cerebral artery, and right anterior cerebral artery was significantly lower in the observation group than in the control group (P < 0.05). The basilar artery, left middle cerebral artery, right middle cerebral artery, left anterior cerebral artery, and right anterior cerebral artery were positively correlated with the net and total net scores of each part of the Paddle Pin test and the MoCA score (P < 0.05), and negatively correlated with each part of the WCST test (P < 0.05). In the observation group, the post-treatment improvement was more prominent in the Paddle Pin test, WCST test, HAMD-24 score, and MoCA score compared with those in the pre-treatment period (P < 0.05). Blood flow in the basilar artery, left middle cerebral artery, right middle cerebral artery, left anterior cerebral artery, and right anterior cerebral artery significantly improved in the observation group after treatment (P < 0.05). Impaired attention, and executive and cognitive functions are correlated with cerebral artery blood flow in patients with depression after acute hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage and warrant further study.

Perception of Iconic Russian Elements by English Speakers: Experimental Data

Introduction. In recent years, the anthropocentric scientific paradigm has been actively developing and the experimental method of research in linguistics is becoming increasingly popular and relevant. This article is devoted to the experiment of studying the process of perception iconic lexis of the unfamiliar language. Scientific novelty of this study is determined both by the selected material and methods of presenting this material for consideration.Methodology and sources. The basis for the experiment was a survey for native English speakers who did not know the language of the target stimuli (Russian). To conduct the experiment, a corpus of verbs of motion was used (546 verbs, 2273 word usages). The corpus was selected from 12 novels of English literature of the 20-21st centuries, as well as contextual translations of these verbs into Russian. During the study, a group of respondents (106 people) of both genders, various social and age groups were offered 20 English contextual uses of phonetically motivated verbs of motion, which were pre-selected from the above-mentioned corpus of verbs. In each sentence, a verb of motion was highlighted, and also a sound recording of two Russian verbs was presented, which was a translation of the highlighted English verb and its synonym. The total number of responses was 2120.Results and discussion. Participants of the experiment were asked to choose one of two Russian words that corresponded to the highlighted English word in the best way. Respondents chose with great confidence 4 iconic verbs of motion out of 15 pairs of synonyms in which only one verb is phonetically motivated. In 3 cases, respondents more often preferred the non-iconic word. The remaining pairs of synonyms were divided approximately equally. The more developed syntax of the Russian language compared to English, which sometimes obscured the sound motivated basis of the word could be a possible reason for this. Conclusion. The results of the experiment show that the perception of phonetically motivated units of an unfamiliar language depends on many factors. Thus, native English speakers who do not speak Russian or who speak it at a minimal level do not perceive Russian iconic vocabulary in all cases. Simultaneously, statistically significant differences in the perception by people of different age groups and gender were not revealed during the experiment.

Is Fibular Fixation Necessary with Increasing Proximity in Ankle Fractures: A Survey of OTA and AOFAS Surgeons

Introduction/Purpose: Ankle fractures are one of the most common fractures encountered in orthopedics. The Maisonneuve fracture pattern is described as a pronation, external rotation injury involving the medial ankle structures, the syndesmosis, and the proximal third of the fibula. However, the actual distance from the proximal fibula has not been defined in what distinguishes a Maisonneuve fracture. With Weber C fractures, most surgeons tend to provide fixation to the fibula and reassess the syndesmosis afterwards. When dealing with the proximal fibula “Maisonneuve” fracture pattern, most surgeons would tend to ignore the fibula fracture and focus on syndesmotic reduction. Orthopaedic Trauma Association and American Orthopaedic Foot &amp; Ankle Society provided their opinion via survey in treating increasing proximity of fibula fractures associated with unstable ankle fracture patterns. Methods: A survey was provided to eight OTA and AOFAS orthopedic surgeons. A powerpoint was provided to the surgeons that contained non-weightbearing injury films of eighteen patients. A questionnaire was provided giving two answer choices, address the fibular or syndesmosis primarily. The eighteen ankle fractures were selected based on increasing proximity of the fibula fracture, which ranged from 4.5cm to 32.3cm. The ankle fractures were grouped into four categories to include the Maisonneuve variant based on distance. These fracture radiographs were randomized in order to not influence the surgeon’s opinion during the study. The four groups were as follows: 1. 4.5cm – 7.4cm to include six ankle fracture radiographs 2. 8cm – 10.4cm to include four ankle fracture radiographs 3. 14.6cm to 23.3cm to include five ankle fracture radiographs 4. 30.7cm to 32.3 cm to include three Maisonneuve variant ankle fracture radiographs Results: Regarding section 1, the majority of surgeons responded with open reduction, internal fixation of the fibula as their initial reduction. Section 2, the responses remained consistent with a majority of surgeons choosing to address fibular fixation followed by syndesmotic evaluation. The total number of responses in this section scored 43 answer A selections to 5 answer B selections. Section 3 (14.6-23.3cm) provided the most variability in the responses provided. With 60 possible answer choices, the polled surgeons responded with answer choice A seventeen times and answer choice B 43 times. Section 4 (30.7-32.2cm) or the Maisonneuve produced a steady response of answer choice B. Syndesmotic reduction was performed 34 times compared to only two fibular fixation choices – or answer choice A. Conclusion: The purpose of this study was to evaluate expert opinion on differing treatment as the proximity of the fibular fracture increased in connection with an unstable ankle fracture pattern. General consensus under 10,4cm was to address fibular fixation. However, once the fibular fracture exceeded 14cm, significant variability was noted. These results prove that further biomechanical studies are needed to determine the effect fibular stability in increasing proximity has on the syndesmosis. Chart 1 shows answer selections across the four categories. Chart 2 shows answer selections across the highest variability group 3.

A registered report testing the effect of sleep on Deese-Roediger-McDermott false memory: greater lure and veridical recall but fewer intrusions after sleep

Human memory is known to be supported by sleep. However, less is known about the effect of sleep on false memory, where people incorrectly remember events that never occurred. In the laboratory, false memories are often induced via the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) paradigm where participants are presented with wordlists comprising semantically related words such as nurse , hospital and sick (studied words). Subsequently, participants are likely to falsely remember that a related lure word such as doctor was presented. Multiple studies have examined whether these false memories are influenced by sleep, with contradictory results. A recent meta-analysis suggests that sleep may increase DRM false memory when short lists are used. We tested this in a registered report ( N = 488) with a 2 (Interval: Immediate versus 12 h delay) × 2 (Test Time: 9:00 versus 21:00) between-participant DRM experiment, using short DRM lists ( N = 8 words/list) and free recall as the memory test. We found an unexpected time-of-day effect such that completing free recall in the evening led to more intrusions (neither studied nor lure words). Above and beyond this time-of-day effect, the Sleep participants produced fewer intrusions than their Wake counterparts. When this was statistically controlled for, the Sleep participants falsely produced more critical lures. They also correctly recalled more studied words (regardless of intrusions). Exploratory analysis showed that these findings cannot be attributed to differences in output bias, as indexed by the number of total responses. Our overall results cannot be fully captured by existing sleep-specific theories of false memory, but help to define the role of sleep in two more general theories (Fuzzy-Trace and Activation/Monitoring theories) and suggest that sleep may benefit gist abstraction/spreading activation on one hand and memory suppression/source monitoring on the other.

Management of Priapism: Results of a Nationwide Survey and Comparison with International Guidelines.

The aim of this study is to evaluate current urologic practice regarding the management of priapism in Turkey and compare with international guidelines. Urologists and urology residents were invited to an online survey consisting of 30 multiple-choice questions on priapism-related clinical practices that were consid- ered most important and relevant to practices by using Google Forms. Total number of responses was 340. Respondents reported that they recorded a detailed patient's medical history and physical examination findings (n = 340, 100%) and laboratory testing, which includes corporal blood gas analysis (n=323, 95%). Participants announced that they performed Doppler ultrasound for 1/4 cases (n = 106, 31%), but 22% of the participants (n=75) replied that they performed in >75% of cases. Participants (n=311, 91%) responded that the first-line treatment of ischemic priapism is decompression of the corpus cavernosum. Moreover, most respondents (n = 320, 94%) stated that sympathomimetic injection drugs should be applied as the second step. About three-quarters of respondents (n = 247, 73%) indicated adrenaline as their drug of choice. Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors seems to be the most pre- ferred drug for stuttering priapism (n=141, 41%). Participants (n=284, 84%) replied that corpora-glanular shunts should be preferred as the first. A large number of par- ticipants (n = 239, 70%) declared that magnetic resonance imaging can be performed in cases with delayed (>24 hours) priapism to diagnose corporal necrosis. Most of the participants (84%) responded that penile prosthesis should be preferred to shunts in cases with delayed (>48 hours) priapism. It would be appropriate to improve the training offered by professional associations and to give more training time to the management of priapism during residency.

Barriers to Using Breast Cancer Screening Methods Among Adult Females in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction Breast cancer (BC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide and it considerably increases morbidity and mortality globally. Screening methods, such as self-examination, clinical examination, and mammography, can help in early detection and treatment, which will help in improving survival rates and reducing mortality. While regular screening of the breast is essential to detect the earliest stages of breast cancer, not all women adhere to regular breast screening. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, between December 2021 to July 2022. using an online self-administered questionnaire. The total number of responses (n = 328), Data was analyzed using SPSS 25. Results In this study, out of the 328 respondents, 18.9% reported undergoing regular mammography, 14.3% reported having regular clinical breast examinations, and 38.1% reported practicing regular breast self-examinations.. In addition, the participants' most known warning signs of BC were a lump under their armpit (69.1%). the most perceived barrier to breast self-examination (BSE) was Doing a breast examination will make her worry about what is wrong with her breast (47%). whereas the most barrier to clinical breast examination (CBE) was embarrassment (45.9%). On the other hand, the main barriers that prevented women from having mammograms were embarrassment (36%) and pain (32.6%). Conclusion The most perceived barrier to BSE was women's concern, while embarrassment and painful procedures were significant barriers to performing mammography and CBE. Therefore, adult females in Jeddah need educational programs to improve their knowledge and increase public awareness of breast cancer screening for early detection.

Relationships between cognitive appraisal and roles/personality traits in basic life support.

To examine the relationship between the cognitive assessment of stress (cognitive appraisal) caused in a scenario requiring basic life support (BLS) and the roles during BLS/personality traits in nursing students. We conducted an anonymous self-administered questionnaire survey for 264 freshman and senior nursing students. The study period was one month from June 2019. The questionnaire included characteristics, roles (active involvement group/passive involvement group/no involvement group), Cognitive Appraisal Rating Scale (CARS), and Maudsley Personality Inventory (MPI). We only included data for female students (107 people) in the analysis because very little data is available for male students. The Mann-Whitney test was used for the comparison between two groups and the Kruskal-Wallis test was used for the comparison between three groups. The significance level was set at p<0.05. The total number of responses was 133 (50.4%), and the number of valid responses was 107 (40.5%). As a result of analyzing the relationship between the role and the CARS subscale, the controllability of the active and passive involvement groups was significantly lower than that of the no involvement group (p=0.046). Also, the analysis of the relationship between the grade and the CARS subscale showed that the controllability was significantly lower in freshmen than seniors (p=0.020). This study showed the relationship between controllability and cognitive appraisal of stress in the simulation scenario of BLS. Therefore, it was suggested that support for improving controllability is necessary as a preventive measure to reduce the stress associated with BLS.

The Impact of Hypothyroidism on Satisfaction with Care and Treatment and Everyday Living: Results from E-Mode Patient Self-Assessment of Thyroid Therapy, a Cross-Sectional, International Online Patient Survey.

Background: Hypothyroid patients often report dissatisfaction and poor quality of life. This survey explored the impact of hypothyroidism on patient satisfaction, everyday living, experiences with health care professionals, and influence of demographic and socioeconomic factors. Methods: Cross-sectional questionnaire survey targeting an international population of hypothyroid patients. Multilevel regression modeling was used for analyses. Results: The total number of responses was 3915 from 68 countries. Satisfaction with care and treatment was not associated with type of treatment for hypothyroidism. Having no confidence and trust in health care professionals was strongly associated with dissatisfaction (p < 0.001). Controlling for all other variables, significant differences were found among satisfaction rates between countries. A weak inverse relationship was found between satisfaction with care and treatment and impact on everyday living (p < 0.001). Respondents taking levothyroxine (LT4) alone were more likely to report a positive impact on everyday living (pooled odds ratio 2.376 [confidence interval: 0.941-5.997]) than respondents taking liothyronine-containing treatments. Conclusions: Low levels of satisfaction with care and treatment for hypothyroidism were strongly associated with lack of confidence and trust and negative experiences with health care professionals. Differences in responses between countries were noted, implying the potential influence of national health care systems, socioeconomic and cultural factors. Contrary to widespread anecdotes in social media, this large-scale survey shows no association between type of treatment for hypothyroidism and patient satisfaction, as well as better outcomes on everyday living associated with LT4, compared with liothyronine-containing treatments.

Knowledge and Awareness of Syncope Among the Population of Riyadh: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BackgroundAlthough syncope is a common emergency in medical settings, no research has yet evaluated the general population’s awareness regarding it. This study investigated the general population’s knowledge and awareness of syncope and if they could differentiate syncopal and non-syncopal causes of transient loss of consciousness (TLOC).MethodologyA cross-sectional study was conducted in Riyadh through a validated, self-administered Arabic questionnaire that was distributed to the general population through social media using Google Forms (convenience sampling). Participants younger than 18 or not from Riyadh were excluded from the study. Two cardiologists validated the questionnaire, following which forward and backward translation was done. The questionnaire contained three sections. The first section included demographic data and chronic conditions. In the second section, participants were asked if they or one of their relatives had ever experienced syncope. The third section had eight scenarios assessing the participants’ syncope knowledge. Subjects with ≥five correct answers were considered to be aware.ResultsThe number of total responses was 405 participants. Regarding demographic data, 53% of the participants were female, 33% had a medical background, and 76% had a university degree (n = 214, n = 134, and n = 306, respectively). The mean age of the participants was 33.2 ± 13.3 years. Participants who were aware of syncope represented 55% (n = 221). Among the syncope cases, orthostatic syncope had the highest number of correct answers (79%, n = 319), followed by vasovagal syncope (61%, n = 246). Males performed better in cases one (p = 0.001), two (p = 0.004), and seven (p = 0.01).ConclusionsThe results of this study showed that most participants were considered aware of syncope. Gender, marital status, and having a medical background had a significant influence on the results.

Web Enhanced Instruction in Learning Mathematics: Adaption Analysis during COVID-19 Pandemic

Due to the current pandemic situation most of the Higher Educational Institutes (HEI’s) adapted the online learning and evaluation in all the courses. In this study the objective is to is to identify and investigate the characteristics that may influence foundation students' adoption of Web enhanced Instruction in Learning Mathematics (WEILM). The model is based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) [1][2] as shown in fig.1 and social cognitive theory (SCT) [3] see fig.2, which was developed using the structural equation modelling (SEM) technique and analyses the components and their impact on the successful adaptation of Web Enhanced Instruction in Learning Mathematics (WEILM). The factors that were investigated were perceived usefulness (PU), computer self-efficacy (CSE), social influence (SI), availability of IT services (AIT), enjoyment (ENJ), received feedback (RF), comparative feedback (CF), attitude (AT), and behavioural intention (BI). To test the theoretical concept, primary data is obtained from foundation level students via a survey questionnaire. The total number of responses were 387, with 348 of them providing legitimate responses. Our research findings differ by about 80% from what we expected. The summary of the finding is shown in table 1 reveals that all the 12 hypotheses are supported and is consistent with the previous results [4][5][6], and all the factors have a substantial beneficial correlation. The study's findings may give instructors and designers with a better grasp of how to successfully adapt the WEILM.

The Influence of Acute Sprint Interval Training on Cognitive Performance of Healthy Younger Adults.

There is considerable evidence showing that an acute bout of physical exercises can improve cognitive performance, but the optimal exercise characteristics (e.g., exercise type and exercise intensity) remain elusive. In this regard, there is a gap in the literature to which extent sprint interval training (SIT) can enhance cognitive performance. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the effect of a time-efficient SIT, termed as “shortened-sprint reduced-exertion high-intensity interval training” (SSREHIT), on cognitive performance. Nineteen healthy adults aged 20–28 years were enrolled and assessed for attentional performance (via the d2 test), working memory performance (via Digit Span Forward/Backward), and peripheral blood lactate concentration immediately before and 10 min after an SSREHIT and a cognitive engagement control condition (i.e., reading). We observed that SSREHIT can enhance specific aspects of attentional performance, as it improved the percent error rate (F%) in the d-2 test (t (18) = −2.249, p = 0.037, d = −0.516), which constitutes a qualitative measure of precision and thoroughness. However, SSREHIT did not change other measures of attentional or working memory performance. In addition, we observed that the exercise-induced increase in the peripheral blood lactate levels correlated with changes in attentional performance, i.e., the total number of responses (GZ) (rm = 0.70, p < 0.001), objective measures of concentration (SKL) (rm = 0.73, p < 0.001), and F% (rm = −0.54, p = 0.015). The present study provides initial evidence that a single bout of SSREHIT can improve specific aspects of attentional performance and conforming evidence for a positive link between cognitive improvements and changes in peripheral blood lactate levels.

Practices, Attitudes and Knowledge of COVID-19 among the University Students of LCWU, Lahore

The primary goal of this study was to analyze COVID-19-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices among Lahore College for Women University students (LCWU). Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out among LCWU students. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire and processed using a Google Form. The data was analyzed statistically. Results: The total number of responses received was 114. According to our research, 98 percent of respondents were familiar with COVID-19, with 51.8 percent receiving information via social media. 68.4 percent thought the virus was contagious, 95.60 percent thought it was spread by respiratory droplets, and 24.8 percent thought the elderly and children were at risk. 93.9 percent of participants were aware of social/physical distancing and believed that it could help to prevent infection, 95.5 percent believed that cough and fever could be signs and symptoms of COVID-19, and 106 (93 percent) claimed that staying at home could help to prevent the disease from spreading. Conclusion: It was observed that the majority of individuals were aware of COVID-19, with 90% of the population knowing about it. There is an ever-increasing need for COVID-19 knowledge among the local populace. It will assist in the prevention of COVID-19 transfer with minimal secondary transmission. Extensive survey studies are needed to offer supporting evidence in the development and implementation of public health policies related to the COVID-19 pandemic. It would help to regulate and stop the spread of COVID-19 across the country.

Perceptions of the Cardiologists and Oncologists: Initial Step for Establishing Cardio-Oncology Service.

Background: Over the last years, there was no established cardio-oncology service in Iraq and no firm data about the incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among patients with cancer. As an initial step, we decided to conduct a national cardio-oncology online survey for cardiologists, oncologists, and their residents which would help us to understand the expected prevalence, problems, and readiness for collaboration between the two specialties.Objectives: For evaluating the current national practice in the cardiology and oncology specialty fields and to identify the hidden gaps associated with the development or worsening of CVD among patients with cancer.Methods: An online survey including 19-question for cardiologists/cardiology residents (CCRs) and 30-question for oncologists/oncology residents (OORs) about cardio-oncology service was sent to them including all Iraqi cities using Google document form during December 2020.Results: The total number of responses was 164, mainly 62.2% from CCRs while 37.8% from OORs. Hypertension was the main baseline risk factor (71%). A 77.5% of CCRs prescribe cardiovascular drugs vs. 35.5% by OORs. About 76.5% of CCRs and 79% of OORs are facing difficulties in the management of patients with cancer with established CVD. CVD was the leading cause of both hospitalization (30.7%) and mortality (48.4%). About 62.8% of CCRs and 64.5% of OORs have an interest to work in cardio-oncology service.Conclusion: Based on the perception of cardiologists and oncologists, CVD is the main cause of hospitalization and mortality among patients with cancer. High interest among CCRs and OORs to work in cardio-oncology service. Positive initiatives are available to take the action plan in this emerging field.

The value of an integrated approach to assessing the availability of primary health care, taking into account public opinion and EMIAS data

Introduction. The study of public opinion as the basis for strategic planning of the activities of medical institutions is more relevant than ever, as it allows finding ways to solve the problems of ensuring the availability and satisfaction of citizens with medical care. Purpose. Comparative assessment of the availability of primary health care based on the results of a sociological study of public opinion and data from the Unified Medical Information and Analytical System of the City of Moscow (UMIAS). Material and methods. To study public opinion, the practice of population survey was used, which was conducted through direct interviewing with filling out questionnaires of visitors to Moscow polyclinics and the method of questioning doctors based on a questionnaire developed by researchers. To analyze the data, the authors used general scientific methods of cognition, including the dialectical method, a systematic approach, logical correspondence and harmonization, detailing and generalization. As part of the study, the index value of the patient loyalty to the medical institution (MI) was calculated according to Net Promoter Score (NPS) method as the difference between the share of the “Promoters” group and the share of the “Critics” group in the total number of responses. Results and discussion. The established correlations indicate the opinions of doctors and citizens to coincide and the UMIAS data on the issue of assessing the accessibility of admission of level 1 doctors for citizens. Based on the results of a sociological survey, the number of dissatisfied patients is mainly affected by managing medical care and its availability. The study confirmed that the higher the availability of an appointment with a level 1 doctor, the lower the number of visits the doctor on duty. Conclusion. The conducted research has shown the practicality of an integrated approach to evaluating the activities of medical organizations based on the results of public opinion research and UMIAS data.

Piloting a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Needs Assessment to Explore Patron Perceptions at a University Health Science Library

Objective:&#x0D; A pilot diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) needs assessment was conducted at a health sciences library. The objectives were to 1) quantitatively assess patrons’ attitudes towards the existing DEI climate in the library and 2) qualitatively identify contextual factors influencing patrons’ perceptions.&#x0D; Population:&#x0D; The assessment was led by a DEI Team at the University of Florida’s Health Science Center Libraries (HSCL). HSCL serves the university’s six health science colleges from two sites, Gainesville and Jacksonville. HSCL Gainesville was selected as the study location, due to higher annual footfall within the physical library.&#x0D; Methods:&#x0D; Two “HappyOrNot” customer satisfaction machines were placed by library exits. Twelve DEI-related questions were displayed on the machines, one question per week, for the duration of 12 weeks total. Additionally, a box for open-ended comments was placed by each machine.&#x0D; Findings:&#x0D; The total number of responses was 3,445, with 7 written comments. Overall, respondents felt happiest with the library’s welcoming and home-like environment. The library was perceived by many as a physically safe space. Most also felt that the library demonstrates a commitment to DEI and that they are treated fairly, equitably, and with respect by library staff. Areas of concern were a perceived lack of respect from other library visitors, as well as library services for patrons with disabilities and non-native English language speakers.&#x0D; Conclusions:&#x0D; The project enabled the HSCL to gather important information concerning patrons’ perceptions of the library’s DEI climate and their associated needs. The HappyOrNot machines provided a straightforward and convenient method for patron feedback, resulting in an impressive number of responses. However, limitations of the pilot included the inability to obtain participants’ demographic information, as well as the anecdotal evidence indicating that some respondents did not read the questions. Future plans therefore involve a follow-up online survey with detailed demographic questions.

The post-pandemic era: will physical distancing be a perceived way of life?

Background: This study aimed to determine whether people living in the Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia would prefer to continue the practice of physical distancing after the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic or to return to their previous way of life. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from August 2020 to October 2020 in the Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia. A pre-tested questionnaire was sent electronically through social media. Data on participants’ demographics and their perspectives regarding post-pandemic physical distancing were collected. The calculated sample size was 1,066; however, the total number of responses included in the analysis was 989. Results: The average age of the participants was 31.15±11.93 years. There were 435 men and 554 women in the study. Participants showed significantly high levels of disagreement with statements indicating that they were willing to use public transportation (61%), attend social gatherings (36%), and hug relatives or colleagues (40%) after the pandemic (p&lt;0.001); however, 43% agreed that they would spend time with family or friends (p&lt;0.001). The level of education was also found to be significantly related to the responses, and the level of disagreement increased as the level of education increased (p&lt;0.001). Conclusions: One-third of the study participants planned to continue engaging in physical distancing even after the current pandemic. This clearly indicates that our lives are not returning to how they were before the pandemic. However, it cannot be concluded whether or not this behavior will prevail in the long run. If so, it may greatly affect some businesses and perhaps some social norms and values as well.

Stigma Related to COVID-19 Positive Patients in Jeddah – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during 2020 Pandemic

Background: COVID-19 has contributed to the development of stigma in the community of Jeddah, thus causing negative attitudes and beliefs toward individuals linked to the disease.&#x0D; Objective: To describe stigma related to COVID-19 positive patients and find out factors associated with stigma subscales.&#x0D; Subjects and Methods: Analytical cross-sectional study conducted on COVID-19 positive patients (lab confirmed) in Jeddah. The sample size was 420 patients, and the data was collected using a validated questionnaire adapted from HIV/AIDS stigma instrument (HASI-P). The data were analysed using the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS, version 27.0).&#x0D; Results: Total number of responses was (419). The median age was 32 (IQR, 25-43). Both genders, Saudi and non-Saudi, were included. The tool used to measure the COVID-19 related stigma of different six subscales. The verbal abuse had a median of (0, IQR=0-0.25), negative self-perception (median=0, IQR=0.02), health care neglect (median=0, IQR=0-0), social isolation (median=0.2, IQR=0-0.6), fear of contagion (median=0.33, IQR=0-0.83) and workplace stigma (median=0, IQR=0-0). Male gender was significantly associated with social isolation and fear of contagion, while working in the health care field was associated with workplace-related stigma. &#x0D; Conclusion: COVID-19-related social stigma was reported by a considerable number of Jeddah healthcare providers, specifically workplace-related stigma. Unexpectedly, males need more attention as regard to social isolation and fear of contagion. The results of this study can be of used to guide supportive social interventions to suppress the COVID-19 related stigma.

Does Uncertainty Moderate the Relationship between Strategic Flexibility and Companies’ Performance? Evidence from Small and Medium Pharmaceutical Companies in Iran

The business environment has become complicated—full of risk and uncertainty over and above companies’ control— therefore companies must find mechanisms to enhance their performance in the light of this instability. The Iranian market is one of the best examples of unstable markets because of its political and economic circumstances; despite this, the pharmaceutical industry in Iran is considered one of the best industries, which is still working efficiently. The aim of the study is to investigate the impact of strategic flexibility on the performance of Iranian SME pharmaceutical companies, by considering the effect of environmental uncertainty as a moderator. The study is a cross-sectional one. Primary data was collected from 113 companies by using an adopted questionnaire. The questionnaires were forwarded to managers at these companies, a purposive (selective) sampling technique was used to collect the data, and the total number of responses that were valid for statistical analysis was 228. The response rate was 67.25%. The results showed that strategic flexibility positively affects companies’ performance. Supply and demand uncertainty moderate the relationship between strategic flexibility and companies’ performance.

Priorities for sexually transmitted infection vaccine research and development: Results from a survey of global leaders and representatives

ObjectiveTo determine the sexually transmitted infection (STI) vaccine research priorities of global leaders in STI vaccine research, development, and service provision. MethodsGlobal representatives attending the STI Vaccines: Opportunities for Research, Development, and Implementation symposium preceding the STI & HIV World Congress in 2019 were invited to complete an electronic survey. We asked participants to rank items by importance/priority for STI vaccine development for the following areas of focus: specific STIs (gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, and trichomoniasis), broad research domains (basic science, funding, communication, program planning, and vaccine hesitancy), and specific research activities related to these domains. We calculated weighted value scores based on the ranking (e.g., first, second, third) and the total number of responses in order to produce a ranked list of the priorities. ResultsA total of 46 out of 97 (44%) symposium attendees responded to the survey. Gonorrhea was identified as the STI that should be prioritized for vaccine development, followed by syphilis with weighted value scores of 3.82 and 3.37, respectively, out of a maximum of five. Basic science (and vaccine development) was the domain ranked with the highest priority with a weighted value score of 4.78 out of six. Research activities related to basic science and vaccine development (including pre-clinical and clinical trials, and surveillance measures) and increased funding opportunities were the most highly ranked activities in the “STI vaccine development” and “research domains and activities” categories. ConclusionGlobal leaders in attendance at the STI Vaccines symposium prioritized continued scientific work in vaccine development and program planning. Gonorrhea was identified as the highest priority infection, followed by syphilis.