Communicating genetic risk

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clara Gaff ◽  
Louise Keogh ◽  
Elizabeth Lobb
Keyword(s):  
Risk Communication ◽  
Genetic Risk ◽  
Individual Risk ◽  
Genetic Mutations ◽  
Genetic Constitution ◽  
Personal Risk ◽  
Cancer Specialists ◽  
Individual Risk Factors ◽  
Risk Of Cancer ◽  
Risk Knowledge

The discovery of cancer predisposing genetic mutations has heightened community awareness of the link between family history, genetic constitution, and personal risk. The component of an individual’s cancer risk that is due to their genetic make-up can be described as their ‘genetic risk’. Knowledge of genetic risk can assist both individuals with cancer and unaffected individuals to make decisions about healthcare and inform relatives who may share that genetic risk. Accordingly, patients seek advice about their risk and its implications and management from general practitioners (primary healthcare physician) or cancer specialists. In this chapter, we discuss the interlinked processes of risk assessment, risk perception, and risk communication in the context of genetic risk of cancer. While this is only one component of an individual’s risk of cancer—other factors including lifestyle, medical history, and environmental exposures—the principles of risk communication are applicable to each of these individual risk factors.

scholarly journals Supporting Primary Care Professionals to Stay in Work During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Views on Personal Risk and Access to Testing During the First Wave of Pandemic in Europe

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Wanat ◽  
Melanie Hoste ◽  
Nina Gobat ◽  
Marilena Anastasaki ◽  
Femke Böhmer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Individual Risk ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Analysis Techniques ◽  
Public Health Crisis ◽  
Personal Risk ◽  
Varied Response ◽  
Individual Risk Factors ◽  
Primary Care Professionals

Background: Minimising primary care professionals' (PCPs) risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection is crucial to ensure their safety as well as functioning health care system. PCPs' perspectives on the support they needed in the early stages of a public health crisis can inform future preparedness.Aim: To understand PCPs' experiences of providing care during the COVID-19 pandemic, with focus on personal risk from COVID-19 and testing.Design and Setting: Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with PCPs in England, Belgium, the Netherlands, Ireland, Germany, Poland, Greece and Sweden, between April and July 2020.Method: Interviews were analysed using a combination of inductive and deductive thematic analysis techniques.Results: Eighty interviews were conducted, showing that PCPs tried to make sense of their risk of both contracting and severity of COVID-19 by assessing individual risk factors and perceived effectiveness of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). They had limited access to PPE yet continued providing care as their “duty.” Some PCPs felt that they were put in high-risk situations when patients or colleagues were not flagging symptoms of COVID-19. Not having access to testing in the initial stages of the pandemic was somewhat accepted but when available, was valued.Conclusion: Access to adequate PPE and testing, as well as training for staff and education for patients about the importance of ensuring staff safety is crucial. Given PCPs' varied response in how they appraised personal risk and their tolerance for working, PCPs may benefit from the autonomy in deciding how they want to work during health emergencies.

A Model for Analyzing Suicide Prevention

Crisis ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 80-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maila Upanne
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Theoretical Model ◽  
Protective Factors ◽  
Suicide Prevention ◽  
Suicide Risk ◽  
Practical Work ◽  
Individual Risk ◽  
Self Assessment ◽  
Prevention Project ◽  
Individual Risk Factors

This study monitored the evolution of psychologists' (n = 31) conceptions of suicide prevention over the 9-year course of the National Suicide Prevention Project in Finland and assessed the feasibility of the theoretical model for analyzing suicide prevention developed in earlier studies [ Upanne, 1999a , b ]. The study was formulated as a retrospective self-assessment where participants compared their earlier descriptions of suicide prevention with their current views. The changes in conceptions were analyzed and interpreted using both the model and the explanations given by the subjects themselves. The analysis proved the model to be a useful framework for revealing the essential features of prevention. The results showed that the freely-formulated ideas on prevention were more comprehensive than those evolved in practical work. Compared to the earlier findings, the conceptions among the group had shifted toward emphasizing a curative approach and the significance of individual risk factors. In particular, greater priority was focused on the acute suicide risk phase as a preventive target. Nonetheless, the overall structure of prevention ideology remained comprehensive and multifactorial, stressing multistage influencing. Promotive aims (protective factors) also remained part of the prevention paradigm. Practical working experiences enhanced the psychologists' sense of the difficulties of suicide prevention as well as their criticism and feeling of powerlessness.

scholarly journals Cardio-Metabolic Risk Factors in Scottish South Asian and Caucasian Youth

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 4667
Author(s):  
Meizi Wang ◽  
Jianhua Ying ◽  
Ukadike Chris Ugbolue ◽  
Duncan S. Buchan ◽  
Yaodong Gu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Body Mass Index ◽  
Waist Circumference ◽  
Body Mass ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Metabolic Risk Factors ◽  
Individual Risk ◽  
Metabolic Risk ◽  
Asian Adolescents ◽  
Individual Risk Factors

(1) Background: Scotland has one of the highest rates of obesity in the Western World, it is well established that poor weight profiles, and particularly abdominal obesity, is strongly associated with Type II diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Whether these associations are apparent in ethnic population groups in Scotland is unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between different measures of fatness with clustered cardio metabolic risk factors between Scottish South Asian adolescents and Scottish Caucasian adolescents; (2) Methods: A sample of 208 Caucasian adolescents and 52 South Asian adolescents participated in this study. Stature, waist circumference, body mass index, blood pressure, physical activity, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk were measured; (3) Results: Significant, partial correlations in the South Asian cohort between body mass index (BMI) and individual risk factors were generally moderate. However, correlations between Waist circumference (WC) and individual risk factors were significant and strong. In the Caucasian cohort, a significant yet weak correlation between WC and total cholesterol (TG) was noted although no other associations were evident for either WC or BMI. Multiple regression analysis revealed that both BMI and WC were positively associated with CCR (p < 0.01) in the South Asian group and with the additional adjustment of either WC or BMI, the independent associations with clustered cardio-metabolic risk (CCR) remained significant (p < 0.005); (4) Conclusions: No positive relationships were found between BMI, WC, and CCR in the Caucasian group. Strong and significant associations between measures of fatness and metabolic risk were evident in Scottish South Asian adolescents.

scholarly journals Can Fall Risk Screening and Fall Prevention Advice in Hospital Settings Motivate Older Adult Patients to Take Action to Reduce Fall Risk?

2021 ◽  
pp. 073346482110040
Author(s):  
Lotte M. Barmentloo ◽  
Vicki Erasmus ◽  
Branko F. Olij ◽  
Juanita A. Haagsma ◽  
Johan P. Mackenbach ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fall Risk ◽  
Individual Risk ◽  
Preventive Action ◽  
Dutch Hospital ◽  
Risk Screening ◽  
Patients At Risk ◽  
Individual Risk Factors ◽  
Fall Risk Screening ◽  
Tailored Advice

Objective: We investigated whether an in-hospital intervention consisting of fall risk screening and tailored advice could prompt patients to take preventive action. Method: Patients (≥70) attending the emergency department and nephrology outpatient clinic in a Dutch hospital were screened. Patients at high risk received tailored advice based on their individual risk factors. Three months after screening, preventive steps taken by patients were surveyed. Results: Two hundred sixteen patients were screened. Of the 83 patients completing a 3-month follow-up, 51.8% took action; among patients who received tailored advice ( n = 20), 70% took action. Patients most often adhered to advice on improving muscle strength and undergoing vision checkups (20%). Tailored advice and a reported low quality of life were associated with consulting a health care provider. Discussion: Patients at risk in these settings are inclined to take action after screening. However, they do not always adhere to the tailored prevention advice.

scholarly journals Risk Assessment of Large-Scale Infrastructure Projects—Assumptions and Context

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 109
Author(s):  
Jana Korytárová ◽  
Vít Hromádka
Keyword(s):  
Risk Assessment ◽  
Economic Efficiency ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Cash Flows ◽  
Statistical Characteristics ◽  
Individual Risk ◽  
Dependent Variables ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Input Variables ◽  
Individual Risk Factors

This article deals with the partial outputs of large-scale infrastructure project risk assessment, specifically in the field of road and motorway construction. The Department of Transport spends a large amount of funds on project preparation and implementation, which however, must be allocated effectively, and with knowledge of the risks that may accompany them. Therefore, documentation for decision-making on project financing also includes their analysis. This article monitors the frequency of occurrence of individual risk factors within the qualitative risk analysis, with the support of the national risk register, and identifies dependent variables that represent part of the economic cash flows for determining project economic efficiency. At the same time, it compares these dependent variables identified by sensitivity analysis with critical variables, followed by testing the interaction of the critical variables’ effect on the project efficiency using the Monte Carlo method. A partial section of the research was focused on the analysis of the probability distribution of input variables, especially “the investment costs” and “time savings of infrastructure users” variables. The research findings conclude that it is necessary to pay attention to the setting of statistical characteristics of variables entering the economic efficiency indicator calculations, as the decision of whether or not to accept projects for funding is based on them.

How Community and Individual Risk Factors Mutually Impact Youth’s Perceived Safety: A Syndemic Analysis Using Structural Equation Modeling

2021 ◽  
pp. 088626052110283
Author(s):  
Yingwei Yang ◽  
Karen D. Liller ◽  
Martha Coulter ◽  
Abraham Salinas-Miranda ◽  
Dinorah Martinez Tyson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Structural Equation Modeling ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Community Safety ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Individual Risk ◽  
Latent Factor ◽  
Community Factors ◽  
Individual Risk Factors ◽  
Syndemic Theory

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mutual impact of community and individual factors on youth’s perceptions of community safety, using structural equation modeling (SEM) conceptualized by syndemic theory. This study used survey data collected from a county wide sample of middle and high school students (N=25,147) in West Central Florida in 2015. The outcome variable was youth’s perceptions of community safety. Predictors were latent individual and community factors constructed from 14 observed variables including gun accessibility, substance use, depressive symptoms, and multiple neighborhood disadvantage questions. Three structural equation models were conceptualized based on syndemic theory and analyzed in Mplus 8 using weighted least squares (WLS) estimation. Each model’s goodness of fit was assessed. Approximately seven percent of youth reported feeling unsafe in their community. After model modifications, the final model showed a good fit of the data and adhered to the theoretical assumption. In the final SEM model, an individual latent factor was implied by individual predictors measuring gun accessibility without adult’s permission (β=0.70), sadness and hopelessness (β=0.52), alcohol use (β=0.79), marijuana use (β=0.94), and illegal drug use (β=0.77). Meanwhile, a community latent factor was indicated by multiple community problems including public drinking (β=0.88), drug addiction (β=0.96), drug selling (β=0.97), lack of money (β=0.83), gang activities (β=0.90), litter and trash (β=0.79), graffiti (β=0.91), deserted houses (β=0.86), and shootings (β=0.93). A second-order syndemic factor that represented the individual and community factors showed a very strong negative association with youth’s safe perception (β=-0.98). This study indicates that individual risk factors and disadvantaged community conditions interacted with each other and mutually affected youth’s perceptions of community safety. To reduce these co-occurring effects and improve safe perceptions among youth, researchers and practitioners should develop and implement comprehensive strategies targeting both individual and community factors.

‘Genetics load the gun, but the environment pulls the trigger’: novel, emerging and non-traditional risk factors in cardiovascular disease

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-3
Author(s):  
Andrew Richardson
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Individual Risk ◽  
Traditional Risk Factors ◽  
Individual Risk Factors ◽  
The Impact

In this article, Andy Richardson, BANCC Educational Advisor, examines several important environmental and individual risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Following on from the meeting of Global Leaders at COP26 in Glasgow, he considers the impact of, and exposure to, environmental factors, including pollution and noise.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document