Evaluation of a community-based safe firearm and ammunition storage intervention

BackgroundSafe firearm storage practices are associated with a lower risk of unintentional and self-inflicted firearm injuries among household members, though many firearms remain unlocked and/or loaded.ObjectivesConduct a preliminary evaluation of a community-based firearm safety intervention and assess participants’ preferences for firearm locking devices and their comfort with potential firearm safety counsellors.Design/MethodsBaseline event and follow-up surveys among adult participants to assess changes in firearm storage practices, including whether all household firearms were stored locked, all were unloaded, all ammunition was locked, and a composite measure assessing whether all firearms were locked and unloaded and all ammunition was stored locked.ResultsA total of 206 out of 415 participants completed both surveys and were included. Nearly 9 in 10 respondents preferred the firearm lock box rather than a trigger lock. At follow-up, a significantly greater proportion reported that all household firearms were locked (+13.7%) and unloaded (+8.5%) and a non-significantly greater proportion reported that all ammunition was locked (+6.3%). A significantly greater proportion reported practising all three safe firearm and ammunition storage practices at follow-up (+12.6%). A majority reported they would be comfortable or very comfortable discussing firearm safety with various safety counsellors, though women were less likely to do so than men.ConclusionThis intervention that included distribution of a free, participant-selected locking device improved safe firearm storage practices among participants. Differences in participant preferences for devices and safety counsellors suggest that a ‘one size fits all’ approach may be inadequate in affecting population-level storage practices.

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High-Throughput Digitization of Analog Human Echocardiography Data

10.1101/2020.06.07.20123521 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Alan Chin Kwan ◽

Gerran Salto ◽

Emmanuella Demosthenes ◽

Birgitta T Lehman ◽

Ewa Osypiuk ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Analytical Techniques ◽

Original Image ◽

Imaging Data ◽

Community Based ◽

Longitudinal Outcomes ◽

Moving Images ◽

Adult Participants ◽

Epidemiological Cohort ◽

Prospective Analyses

Echocardiographic imaging data has been acquired for adult participants of a longitudinal community-based epidemiological cohort study at serial examinations between 1987 and 1998. The original image acquisition approach was analog with storage of moving images on Video Home System (VHS) tapes. Accordingly, we designed and implemented a standardized methodology for digitizing, anonymizing, and organizing these analog data to enable contemporary image-based analyses. Herein, we describe the overall methodology and the operational workflow, quality control, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act compliance, and data formatting issues that we addressed. We present this method as an accessible pipeline for enabling digitization of historical imaging data, originally acquired from large cohort studies, in order to preserve and repurpose them for application of advanced and continually evolving image analytical techniques. Such pipelines are critical not only for data conservation but are also invaluable for prospective analyses of imaging phenotypes in relation to already-accrued longitudinal outcomes in community-based cohorts that have been under careful surveillance over up to several decades of follow up.

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Community based design approach as initial stage to promote urban composting from a Hill Station of the Philippines

10.31124/advance.9642488 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Marcelino Jr Lunag ◽

Jessie C. Elauria ◽

Juanito D. Burguillos

Keyword(s):

Population Density ◽

Community Involvement ◽

The Philippines ◽

Design Stage ◽

High Population Density ◽

Community Based ◽

Hill Station ◽

Initial Stage ◽

Household Members ◽

Community Based Design

This study confirms that lack of space due to high population density restricts household members and the barangay to comply with the existing law regarding composting. With these, community involvement in the design stage of compost bin as initial stage was done accordingly. The participants were voluntarily interviewed and were given questionnaires, which was endorsed and approved by barangay committee.

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Understanding and responding to COVID-19 in Wales: protocol for a privacy-protecting data platform for enhanced epidemiology and evaluation of interventions

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-043010 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (10) ◽

pp. e043010

Author(s):

Jane Lyons ◽

Ashley Akbari ◽

Fatemeh Torabi ◽

Gareth I Davies ◽

Laura North ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Policy Development ◽

Healthcare Utilisation ◽

Population Data ◽

Population Level ◽

Risk Groups ◽

Service Utilisation ◽

Natural Experiments ◽

Spread Of Infection ◽

The Impact

IntroductionThe emergence of the novel respiratory SARS-CoV-2 and subsequent COVID-19 pandemic have required rapid assimilation of population-level data to understand and control the spread of infection in the general and vulnerable populations. Rapid analyses are needed to inform policy development and target interventions to at-risk groups to prevent serious health outcomes. We aim to provide an accessible research platform to determine demographic, socioeconomic and clinical risk factors for infection, morbidity and mortality of COVID-19, to measure the impact of COVID-19 on healthcare utilisation and long-term health, and to enable the evaluation of natural experiments of policy interventions.Methods and analysisTwo privacy-protecting population-level cohorts have been created and derived from multisourced demographic and healthcare data. The C20 cohort consists of 3.2 million people in Wales on the 1 January 2020 with follow-up until 31 May 2020. The complete cohort dataset will be updated monthly with some individual datasets available daily. The C16 cohort consists of 3 million people in Wales on the 1 January 2016 with follow-up to 31 December 2019. C16 is designed as a counterfactual cohort to provide contextual comparative population data on disease, health service utilisation and mortality. Study outcomes will: (a) characterise the epidemiology of COVID-19, (b) assess socioeconomic and demographic influences on infection and outcomes, (c) measure the impact of COVID-19 on short -term and longer-term population outcomes and (d) undertake studies on the transmission and spatial spread of infection.Ethics and disseminationThe Secure Anonymised Information Linkage-independent Information Governance Review Panel has approved this study. The study findings will be presented to policy groups, public meetings, national and international conferences, and published in peer-reviewed journals.

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The Effect of Javanese Language Videos with a Community Based Interactive Approach Method as an Educational Instrument for Knowledge, Perception, and Adherence amongst Tuberculosis Patients

Pharmacy ◽

10.3390/pharmacy9020086 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 86

Author(s):

Fauna Herawati ◽

Yuni Megawati ◽

Aslichah ◽

Retnosari Andrajati ◽

Rika Yulia

Keyword(s):

Intervention Group ◽

Personal Control ◽

Control Group ◽

P Value ◽

Interactive Approach ◽

Community Based ◽

Tuberculosis Patients ◽

Level Of Knowledge ◽

The Impact

The long period of tuberculosis treatment causes patients to have a high risk of forgetting or stopping the medication altogether, which increases the risk of oral anti-tuberculosis drug resistance. The patient’s knowledge and perception of the disease affect the patient’s adherence to treatment. This research objective was to determine the impact of educational videos in the local language on the level of knowledge, perception, and adherence of tuberculosis patients in the Regional General Hospital (RSUD) Bangil. This quasi-experimental study design with a one-month follow-up allocated 62 respondents in the intervention group and 60 in the control group. The pre- and post-experiment levels of knowledge and perception were measured with a validated set of questions. Adherence was measured by pill counts. The results showed that the intervention increases the level of knowledge of the intervention group higher than that of the control group (p-value < 0.05) and remained high after one month of follow-up. The perceptions domains that changed after education using Javanese (Ngoko) language videos with the Community Based Interactive Approach (CBIA) method were the timeline, personal control, illness coherence, and emotional representations (p-value < 0.05). More than 95% of respondents in the intervention group take 95% of their pill compared to 58% of respondents in the control group (p-value < 0.05). Utilization of the local languages for design a community-based interactive approach to educate and communicate is important and effective.

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Prospective association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and hepatic steatosis: the Swiss CoLaus cohort study

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2020-040959 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. e040959

Author(s):

Saman Khalatbari-Soltani ◽

Pedro Marques-Vidal ◽

Fumiaki Imamura ◽

Nita G. Forouhi

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Fatty Liver ◽

Hepatic Steatosis ◽

Mediterranean Diet ◽

Population Level ◽

Inverse Association ◽

Alcoholic Fatty Liver ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Prospective Association

ObjectiveThe Mediterranean diet has been promoted as a healthy dietary pattern, but whether the Mediterranean diet may help to prevent hepatic steatosis is not clear. This study aimed to evaluate the prospective association between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and risk of hepatic steatosis.DesignPopulation-based prospective cohort study.SettingThe Swiss CoLaus Study.ParticipantsWe evaluated 2288 adults (65.4% women, aged 55.8±10.0 years) without hepatic steatosis at first follow-up in 2009–2012. Adherence to the Mediterranean diet was scaled as the Mediterranean diet score (MDS) based on the Mediterranean diet pyramid ascertained with responses to Food Frequency Questionnaires.Outcome measuresNew onset of hepatic steatosis was ascertained by two indices separately: the Fatty Liver Index (FLI, ≥60 points) and the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) score (≥−0.640 points). Prospective associations between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and risk of hepatic steatosis were quantified using Poisson regression.ResultsDuring a mean 5.3 years of follow-up, hepatic steatosis was ascertained in 153 (6.7%) participants by FLI criteria and in 208 (9.1%) by NAFLD score. After multivariable adjustment, higher adherence to MDS was associated with lower risk of hepatic steatosis based on FLI: risk ratio 0.84 (95% CI 0.73 to 0.96) per 1 SD of MDS; 0.85 (0.73 to 0.99) adjusted for BMI; and 0.85 (0.71 to 1.02) adjusted for both BMI and waist circumference. When using NAFLD score, no significant association was found between MDS and risk of hepatic steatosis (0.95 (0.83 to 1.09)).ConclusionA potential role of the Mediterranean diet in the prevention of hepatic steatosis is suggested by the inverse association observed between adherence to the Mediterranean diet and incidence of hepatic steatosis based on the FLI. The inconsistency of this association when hepatic steatosis was assessed by NAFLD score points to the need for accurate population-level assessment of fatty liver and its physiological markers.

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Integrating Genomic Screening into Primary Care: Provider Experiences Caring for Latino Patients at a Community-Based Health Center

Journal of Primary Care & Community Health ◽

10.1177/21501327211000242 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

pp. 215013272110002

Author(s):

Tarika Srinivasan ◽

Erica J. Sutton ◽

Annika T. Beck ◽

Idali Cuellar ◽

Valentina Hernandez ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Primary Care ◽

Health Care ◽

Patient Care ◽

Health Center ◽

Care Provider ◽

Primary Care Provider ◽

Genomic Sequencing ◽

Community Based ◽

Genomic Screening

Introduction: Minority communities have had limited access to advances in genomic medicine. Mayo Clinic and Mountain Park Health Center, a Federally Qualified Health Center in Phoenix, Arizona, partnered to assess the feasibility of offering genomic screening to Latino patients receiving care at a community-based health center. We examined primary care provider (PCP) experiences reporting genomic screening results and integrating those results into patient care. Methods: We conducted open-ended, semi-structured interviews with PCPs and other members of the health care team charged with supporting patients who received positive genomic screening results. Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed thematically. Results: Of the 500 patients who pursued genomic screening, 10 received results indicating a genetic variant that warranted clinical management. PCPs felt genomic screening was valuable to patients and their families, and that genomic research should strive to include underrepresented minorities. Providers identified multiple challenges integrating genomic sequencing into patient care, including difficulties maintaining patient contact over time; arranging follow-up medical care; and managing results in an environment with limited genetics expertise. Providers also reflected on the ethics of offering genomic sequencing to patients who may not be able to pursue diagnostic testing or follow-up care due to financial constraints. Conclusions: Our results highlight the potential benefits and challenges of bringing advances in precision medicine to community-based health centers serving under-resourced populations. By proactively considering patient support needs, and identifying financial assistance programs and patient-referral mechanisms to support patients who may need specialized medical care, PCPs and other health care providers can help to ensure that precision medicine lives up to its full potential as a tool for improving patient care.

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Determinants of short birth interval among women in South Gondar, Ethiopia: community-based unmatched case-control study

Archives of Public Health ◽

10.1186/s13690-021-00567-7 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 79 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Gedefaye Nibret Mihretie ◽

Fentahun Yenealem Beyene ◽

Bekalu Getnet Kassa ◽

Alemu Degu Ayele ◽

Tewachew Muche Liyeh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Antenatal Care ◽

Birth Interval ◽

Case Control Study ◽

Birth Spacing ◽

Case Control ◽

Community Based ◽

Short Birth Interval ◽

South Gondar ◽

Control Study

Abstract Background The effect of short birth interval on socio-economic, negative maternal and child health outcomes remains common in developing countries. This study aimed to assess determinants of short birth interval among reproductive age women, who gave birth in health institution for last six-month in South Gondar, Ethiopia 2019. Methods Community-based unmatched case control study design was conducted from February 1 to March 30, 2019. Sample size of 150 was included by simple random sampling technique. The data was collected by semi-structured and pre-tested face to face interviewer-administered questionnaire from selected respondent. The collected data was entered with Epi-Data version 3.1 and analyzed by using SPSS version 23 software. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were used to examine the association. Odds ratio, 95% CI and P-value < 0.05 were used to determine the statistical association. Result The mean age of the respondents was 32.42 (SD ± 5.14) and 35.12 (SD ± 5.86) for cases and controls, respectively. Mothers not used contraceptives (AOR = 6.29, 95% CI (1.95, 20.24)), participants who had ≤2 alive children (AOR = 5.57, 95% CI (1.47, 21.13)), mothers who breast fed less than 24 months (AOR = 3.42, 95% CI (1.38, 8.46)), husband decision on contraceptives utilization (AOR = 2.69,95% CI (1.05,6.88)) and mothers who did not have history of antenatal care follow up (AOR = 3.52, 95% CI (1.27, 9.75)) were associated with short birth interval. Conclusion The optimum birth spacing plays a vital role in decreasing fertility and the morbidity and mortality of mothers and children. Thus, providing health information on the benefit of breast feeding, follow-up of antenatal care during pregnancy, use of contraceptives after delivery and encouraging mothers to make decisions about their own health and use of contraceptives to optimize birth spacing for rural communities.

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Relationship between sensation seeking, alcohol problems and bulimic symptoms: a community-based, longitudinal study

Eating and Weight Disorders - Studies on Anorexia Bulimia and Obesity ◽

10.1007/s40519-021-01193-6 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Leon Hirvelä ◽

Pyry N. Sipilä ◽

Anna Keski-Rahkonen

Keyword(s):

Sensation Seeking ◽

Early Adulthood ◽

Scoring Systems ◽

Population Level ◽

Alcohol Problems ◽

Community Based ◽

Level Of Evidence ◽

Bulimic Symptoms ◽

Clinical Scoring ◽

Sensation Seeking Scale

Abstract Purpose The association of bulimic symptoms with sensation seeking is uncertain; however, both behaviors have been linked to alcohol problems. We assessed in a longitudinal, community-based setting whether sensation seeking in adolescence is associated with bulimic symptoms in early adulthood, also accounting for alcohol problems. Methods Finnish men (N = 2000) and women (N = 2467) born between 1974–1979 completed Zuckerman’s sensation seeking scale (SSS) at age 18. Alcohol problems (Malmö-modified Michigan alcoholism screening test (Mm-MAST) and bulimic symptoms [eating disorder inventory-2, bulimia subscale (EDI-Bulimia), population and clinical scoring systems] were defined at age 22–27. We examined relationships between SSS, Mm-MAST, and EDI-Bulimia using Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) and linear regression. Results Alcohol problems were moderately correlated with sensation seeking and bulimic symptoms (population scoring) among women and men (r = 0.21–0.31). The correlation between sensation seeking and bulimic symptoms (population scoring) was weak among men (r = 0.06, p = 0.006) and even weaker and non-significant among women (r = 0.03, p = 0.214). Adjustment for alcohol problems removed the association between sensation seeking and bulimic symptoms among men. Furthermore, there were no significant correlations between sensation seeking and bulimic symptoms when assessing EDI-Bulimia clinical scoring. Conclusion Sensation seeking and bulimic symptoms were not associated among women. The association between sensation seeking and bulimic symptoms among men was entirely attributable to increased alcohol problems among those with higher sensation seeking. While this association may be important on the population level, its clinical significance may be minor. Level of evidence Level III, well-designed cohort study.

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Weathering the storm: A qualitative study of social prescribing in urban and rural Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic

SAGE Open Medicine ◽

10.1177/20503121211029187 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

pp. 205031212110291

Author(s):

Alison Fixsen ◽

Simon Barrett ◽

Michal Shimonovich

Keyword(s):

Urban Areas ◽

Third Sector ◽

Community Services ◽

Clinical Approach ◽

Community Based ◽

Online Delivery ◽

Social Distancing ◽

Social Prescribing ◽

And Shifts

Objectives: The non-clinical approach known as social prescribing aims to tackle multi-morbidity, reduce general practitioner (GP) workload and promote wellbeing by directing patients to community services. Usual in-person modes of delivery of social prescribing have been virtually impossible under social distancing rules. This study qualitatively examined and compared the responses of three social prescribing schemes in Scotland to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We interviewed a theoretical sample of 23 stakeholders in urban and rural social prescribing schemes at the start of COVID-19 pandemic. Follow-up interviews with a representative sample were conducted around 10 months later. Interviewees included social prescribing coordinators (SPCs) GPs, managers, researchers and representatives of third sector organizations. Interview transcripts were analysed in stages and an inductive approach to coding was supported by NVivo. Results: Findings revealed a complex social prescribing landscape in Scotland with schemes funded, structured and delivering services in diverse ways. Across all schemes, working effectively during the pandemic and shifting to online delivery had been challenging and demanding; however, their priorities in response to the pandemic had differed. With GP time and services stretched to limits, GP practice-attached ‘Link Workers’ had taken on counselling and advocacy roles, sometimes for serious mental health cases. Community-based SPCs had mostly assumed a health education role, and those on the Western Isles of Scotland a digital support role. In both rural or urban areas, combatting loneliness and isolation – especially given social distancing – remained a pivotal aspect of the SPC role. Conclusion: This study highlights significant challenges and shifts in focus in social prescribing in response to the pandemic. The use of multiple digital technologies has assumed a central role in social prescribing, and this situation seems likely to remain. With statutory and non-statutory services stretched to their limits, there is a danger of SPCs assuming new tasks without adequate training or support.

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Rapid deployment of a community engagement study and educational trial via social media: implementation of the UC-COVID study

Trials ◽

10.1186/s13063-021-05467-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 22 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Lauren E. Wisk ◽

Russell G. Buhr

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Search Activity ◽

Community Partners ◽

Community Values ◽

Sample Representativeness ◽

Adult Participants ◽

Health Related ◽

Social Media Platforms ◽

Rapid Deployment

Abstract Background In response to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated adoption of scarce resource allocation (SRA) policies, we sought to rapidly deploy a novel survey to ascertain community values and preferences for SRA and to test the utility of a brief intervention to improve knowledge of and values alignment with a new SRA policy. Given social distancing and precipitous evolution of the pandemic, Internet-enabled recruitment was deemed the best method to engage a community-based sample. We quantify the efficiency and acceptability of this Internet-based recruitment for engaging a trial cohort and describe the approach used for implementing a health-related trial entirely online using off-the-shelf tools. Methods We recruited 1971 adult participants (≥ 18 years) via engagement with community partners and organizations and outreach through direct and social media messaging. We quantified response rate and participant characteristics of our sample, examine sample representativeness, and evaluate potential non-response bias. Results Recruitment was similarly derived from direct referral from partner organizations and broader social media based outreach, with extremely low study entry from organic (non-invited) search activity. Of social media platforms, Facebook was the highest yield recruitment source. Bot activity was present but minimal and identifiable through meta-data and engagement behavior. Recruited participants differed from broader populations in terms of sex, ethnicity, and education, but had similar prevalence of chronic conditions. Retention was satisfactory, with entrance into the first follow-up survey for 61% of those invited. Conclusions We demonstrate that rapid recruitment into a longitudinal intervention trial via social media is feasible, efficient, and acceptable. Recruitment in conjunction with community partners representing target populations, and with outreach across multiple platforms, is recommended to optimize sample size and diversity. Trial implementation, engagement tracking, and retention are feasible with off-the-shelf tools using preexisting platforms. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04373135. Registered on May 4, 2020

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