MODELING THE IMPACT OF EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN ON THE TRANSMISSION DYNAMICS OF EBOLA

Disease awareness that informs the public about the severity and transmission pathways of infectious diseases such as Ebola is key to curtailing an outbreak. Public health education when available can limit the intensity and duration of an Ebola outbreak in any community if there is compliance. It is important that all population groups be informed about the methods in which Ebola is transmitted to control the disease when there is an outbreak. In this paper, we study the impact of public health education that leads to behavioral changes on the dynamics of Ebola spread. The model is formulated as a system of ordinary differential equations and incorporates direct transmission from infectious, hospitalized, and deceased individuals with Ebola. We establish the existence of a disease free equilibrium and an endemic equilibrium, and investigate them for local and global stability. Model predictions show that a more informed community results in fewer cases, and thus limits the impact of an Ebola outbreak. Further, the model also predicts subsequent outbreak waves within a community in the absence of complete eradication. Lastly, the model successfully captures the dynamics of the 2014–2016 West Africa Ebola outbreak and the 2018–2020 Democratic Republic of Congo Ebola outbreak.

76. Effects of the “Undetectable = Untransmittable” (“U=U”) Educational Campaign on Treatment Outcomes and Perceptions among People Living with HIV in North American Countries

Background The educational campaign “Undetectable = Untransmittable” (U=U) began in 2016 to improve the well-being of people living with HIV (PLHIV) and recalibrate HIV-related social norms. As medical practice can vary by region, we examined reports from PLHIV in North American countries to identify if the campaign affected healthcare provider (HCP) communication of U=U and if positive health outcomes differed by U=U-informed status or country. Methods Data were collected from the 2019 Positive Perspectives survey of PLHIV in Canada (n=120), Mexico (n=63), and the United States (US; n=400) and stratified by country. Outcomes were self-rated mental and sexual health (“Good”/”Very good”), viral suppression, and sharing of HIV status. Treatment perceptions were also assessed. Results Whether diagnosis occurred before or after the U=U campaign launch did not significantly affect the proportion of PLHIV who reported receipt of U=U from an HCP in any North American country. Whether an individual was informed of U=U varied significantly by sexual orientation (heterosexual, 62.8%; homosexual, 74.9%; other, 87.8%), sex (men, 64.7%; women, 89.8%; other, 100%), and metropolitan vs non-metropolitan residence (metropolitan, 78.2%; non-metropolitan, 65.2%) in the US (P< 0.01 for all) but not in Canada or Mexico. Prevalence of sharing of HIV status with ≥ 1 person besides an HCP varied among PLHIV (Canada, 87%; Mexico, 95%; US, 84%). Prevalence of other positive outcomes varied by country and whether PLHIV had been informed of U=U (Figure). Whether PLHIV were informed of U=U was also correlated with treatment satisfaction and the perception that treatment needs were being met among PLHIV in the US and Canada (P< 0.01 for all), and with the belief that treatment prevents transmission among PLHIV in the US (P=0.01). Figure. Prevalence of positive outcomes among PLHIV in Canada (n=120), Mexico (n=63), and the US (n=400). PLHIV, people living with HIV; US, United States; U=U, Undetectable = Untransmittable. *P<0.01 for U=U informed vs uninformed. Conclusion Being informed of U=U was associated with higher treatment satisfaction, and higher mental and sexual health outcomes among PLHIV in North America. Receipt of U=U was associated with significantly higher treatment satisfaction among PLHIV in the US and Canada, and significantly more PLHIV with optimal mental and sexual health in the US. Disclosures Frank Spinelli, MD, ViiV Healthcare (Employee) Bruce Richman, JD, ViiV Healthcare (Consultant) Patricia De Los Rios, MSc, GlaxoSmithKline (Shareholder)ViiV Healthcare (Employee) Benjamin Young, MD, PhD, GlaxoSmithKline (Shareholder)ViiV Healthcare (Employee) Nicolas Van de Velde, PhD, ViiV Healthcare (Employee) Chinyere Okoli, PharmD, MSc, DIP, GlaxoSmithKline (Shareholder)ViiV Healthcare (Employee)

Salad Bar Use among Middle School Children in a Socio-economically Disadvantaged Rural County

Objective: Our objective in this study was to inform policymakers if including a salad bar in school cafeterias in the district would serve all subgroups of students equally. Methods: A salad bar was implemented during the 2016-2017 academic year in a rural low-income county middle-school. Halfway through, a “healthy lifestyle” educational campaign was presented. Students’ gender, race, and body mass index (BMI) were recorded along with their choice of daily lunch item. Results: Overall, 528 middle schoolers participated in this program. Students opted to consume salad for approximately 5.73 days out of the 123 days that salad was served. The educational campaign had no effect on salad bar use. There was no gender difference in frequency of salad bar use. African- American students consumed significantly more salad than Hispanic students, and marginally more salad than white students. Students classified as normal weight (by BMI percentile) chose the salad bar option more frequently than obese students. Conclusions: Salad bar was the least popular food choice, and popularity of the salad bar decreased over time. The educational campaign designed to increase salad bar use had no effect. These results can help guide future interventions in low-income rural communities.

Identifying the determinants of COVID-19 preventative behaviors and vaccine intentions among South Carolina residents

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has presented a global pandemic in 2020 and 2021, and has therefore spurred a flurry of research, whether related directly to the disease and its treatment or regarding its spread, containment, and effect on everyday lives. In particular, two pressing streams of research have investigated antecedents to COVID-19 preventative behaviors and vaccination intentions. This nascent research has led to many interesting and practically important findings, however, there remains many segmented, compartmentalized studies that address topics that, while certainly generative and meaningful, may not provide a full lens to possible antecedents. The current study takes an interdisciplinary approach that investigates commonly studied variables from biology and public health, political science, and psychology as they relate to COVID-19 preventative behaviors and vaccine intentions in a stratified sample of South Carolina residents (N = 1695). Results from correlations and multiple regression substantiated the findings of many previous studies, however, it was found that, when controlling for shared variance among predictors via relative weights analysis, COVID-19 knowledge, trust in science, age, and Trump approval were the strongest predictors of preventative behaviors. Alternatively, trust in science, gender, age, and conservatism were the strongest predictors of vaccine intentions. Understanding the variables that contribute to the practice of preventative behaviors and vaccine intentions can be used by public health officials to better target and tailor their educational campaign in the community.

IMPLEMENTING A TARGETED MENTORING MODEL: CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS

Предлагаемый обзор проблем внедрения целевой модели наставничества и их решений основан на анализе пилотного этапа в Санкт-Петербурге. Раскрыта основная методологическая и методическая коллизия внедрения. Она состоит в интерпретации наставничества, сущностно относящегося к неформальному образованию как технологии, что определяет риск формализации процесса. Выявлены риски упрощенного понимания педагогическим сообществом идейной основы целевой модели, а также неосведомленности общественности региона о данном проекте. Описаны варианты преодоления проблем формирования баз, наставляемых и наставников, дефицита ресурсов, обеспечения экологичности взаимодействия в наставнической паре или группе. Предложена стратегия оперативного решения проблем в диалоговом пространстве обсуждения новационного и традиционного подходов к организации наставничества. The review of the problems and their solutions offered in the article was created by the author based on the analysis of the pilot stage of the implementation of the target mentoring model in St. Petersburg. The interpretation of mentoring of educational interaction, which is essentially informal as technology, raises a set of problems. They can be solved in the strategy of dialogue between supporters of innovations and traditions. This will help preserve the constructive systems of educational institutions and set a benchmark for their development. The problem of a simplified understanding by the pedagogical community of the ideological basis of the target model, lack of awareness of this project by the public in the region can be solved if the project is preceded by a wide information and educational campaign. To overcome the problem of forming the bases of mentors and mentors, real educational work and a revision of the strategy of forming a partner network are necessary. The development of networks at the level of the administrative district will make it possible to overcome the acute shortage of resources accompanying the implementation. Ensuring the environmental friendliness of interaction in a mentoring couple or group requires the mentor of the mentoring program in the institution to master the basics of non-formal education, adult education.

Awareness, Diagnosis and Management of Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension

The diagnosis and management of idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) can be difficult and multiple medical subspecialities are often involved. Several national and international guidelines regarding the investigations and management of IIH have been published in recent years but still there is no consensus about the optimal organization of IIH-care. The objective of this review was to propose and describe a referral pathway and an organization scheme for diagnosis and management of IIH. An extensive search of existing literature was conducted and summarized. In total, 237 IIH-articles were identified and hereof 43 included. The clinical practice in our specialized IIH-clinic is characterized and described. We conclude that an educational campaign involving medical care providers and patients with chronic headaches is necessary. A detailed organizational proposal for a referral pathway and management of IIH patients based on the literature search and our clinical experience from a highly specialized IIH outpatient clinic is suggested and discussed.

Smoking of Parents as a Factor of Visual Impairment in Schoolchildren in Baku

Purpose. To study the number of medical appeals and the incidence of school-age children in Baku, exposed to passive smoking in their families. Material and methods. Schoolchildren were given 5000 questionnaires; the response was 2363 questionnaires (39.4±0.6%). The collected questionnaires of schoolchildren contained the answers of a total of 3895 parents, of which 1885 were fathers and 2010 were mothers. All schoolchildren were divided into 2 groups: 818 schoolchildren whose parents were tobacco-dependent and 1545 schoolchildren whose parents were tobacco-dependent. Depending on the degree of tobacco dependence of parents, 818 schoolchildren were divided into groups: group 1 – non-systematic smoking of parents (about 5 cigarettes a day), tobacco dependence is weak, there are no visible effects on health – 204 schoolchildren; 2nd group – habitual smoking of parents (5–15 cigarettes per day), moderate tobacco dependence, a number of negative effects on health are manifested – 252 schoolchildren; Group 3 – parents' addiction (more than 15 cigarettes a day), severe tobacco dependence, pronounced dysfunctions of various organs are manifested – 362 schoolchildren. We analyzed the outpatient medical records of children in the district children's polyclinics and determined their medical appealss and the degree of morbidity. Results. It was found that despite the widespread anti-tobacco campaign, in 34.6±1.0% of families in Baku, schoolchildren continue to be exposed to the effects of secondhand smoke, which has a detrimental effect on their eye health. The medical appeals of schoolchildren to children's polyclinics increase by 1.95 times and the level of their morbidity increases by 1.35 times, and in families whose parents smoke more than 15.0 cigarettes/ day it reaches 79.8±2.5%. Conclusion. A wide accessible educational campaign among parents is needed, the main argument of which should be the harmful effects of secondhand smoke on the health of the eyes of children. Key words: passive smoking, schoolchildren, health, eye care, vision protection.

STRATEGI KREATIF KAMPANYE PENGGUNAAN EARPHONE YANG AMAN BAGI KESEHATAN TELINGA

As time evolves, it is easier to find children, young, and adults using earphones to do various things ranging from work to entertainment purposes. The habit of using earphones with a volume that is too loud or too long added with other daily noise and a person's lifestyle can certainly harm their hearing. Therefore, the risk of hearing loss that can arise due to unsafe use of earphones needs to be informed early on to young people. This is because hearing loss due to noise is irreversible, so prevention is the most effective way to protect hearing from the risks that may occur. The research objective was to describe the creative strategy design for the educational campaign using earphones. The campaign's creative strategy is using qualitative methods, observation, interviews, literature studies, and surveys. The target chosen for this campaign strategy is young people aged 18-22 years as the generation who use earphones in their everyday life most of the time. The result of this research is a creative strategy in designing a visual communication campaign using an educational approach with the concept of "your last song". This concept emphasizes the delivery of information that the habit of listening to songs using earphones needs to pay attention to safety and risk aspects.