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Short message service (SMS or text messaging) surveys can collect data quickly and inexpensively. However, SMS surveys have space constraints that pose difficulties to questionnaire designers: Questions can only be 160 characters or less, surveys must be short, and many respondents use phones with small screens. In this article, we compare SMS and benchmark face-to-face surveys across four African countries to address three common questions in SMS questionnaire design. First, are multiple response questions feasible? Second, is it necessary to randomize response option order? Third, should "don't know" response options be included? Our results provide practical guidance about how to improve data quality with this emerging mode of data collection.

The article in the Clinical & Experimental Dermatology journal evaluates the effectiveness of ChatGPT in responding to patient queries about acne and atopic dermatitis. The study found that ChatGPT generally provided accurate and comprehensive information on both conditions, with higher scores for acne-related questions compared to atopic dermatitis. However, the readability of ChatGPT responses was challenging, exceeding recommended reading levels for patient materials. The study highlights the limitations of relying solely on AI tools like ChatGPT for medical advice and emphasizes the importance of using them as supportive tools rather than replacements for professional expertise. [Extracted from the article]

This study investigates how an interviewer's characteristics affect how respondents answer survey questions about democracy and political engagement. I analyze data from the 2008 Afrobarometer surveys, in which 810 interviewers surveyed 27,713 respondents across 20 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Using these data, I study how interviewer education, age, and gender affect two outcomes: (1) response distributions to attitudinal and behavioral survey questions and (2) the likelihood of respondents saying 'don't know' to a survey question. The analysis also investigates how the respondent's perception of who sponsored the survey (NGO, private sector, government) affects attitudes. The results show that these interviewer characteristics affect the quality of survey data on political attitudes and behaviors. In the discussion, I consider the implications for research based on public opinion data about democracy and political engagement.

Survey researchers are increasingly concerned that the presence of other people (bystanders) may affect data quality in structured, face-to-face survey interviews. In this article, we study bystanders using data from 15,309 face-to-face surveys about technology from Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Brazil and Guatemala. Our analysis (1) describes the frequency of bystander presence (spouses, parents, other family and non-family members), (2) investigates the correlates of bystander presence, and (3) studies whether bystanders affect response distributions, 'don't know' responses, and satisficing behavior. We also consider the influence of other environmental factors -- noise and distractions -- on interviewer--respondent interaction and satisficing. The results are encouraging for the field of survey research. Bystanders did not affect response distributions, the number of 'don't know' responses, or satisficing behavior. Although noise negatively affected interviewer--respondent interactions, noise did not affect data quality. Our research suggests that for less sensitive topics, bystanders have limited influence, and also that respondents and interviewers are resilient to challenges such as noisy environments.

Vignettes are useful for measuring norms and beliefs, but little is known about how vignette placement affects responses to subsequent attitude questions. We investigate how the placement of a vignette about parents and adult children living together affects answers to subsequent questions about family obligations in a survey of the U.S. population. We randomly assigned the order of the vignette and three single-statement attitude questions. For the single-statement question about family members living together, the effect of vignette placement depended on respondents' original attitudes. For individuals with ambivalent or positive attitudes, asking the vignette before the attitude questions doubled reports of favorable attitudes. Vignette placement had no effect for those with negative attitudes. For the single-statement attitude questions about financial support between parents and adult children, vignette placement had no effect, suggesting that vignette placement may only influence subsequent questions about the same topic.

This article discusses a study that examines the differences in sun-protective behaviors among Asian Americans based on their country of birth. The study finds that US-born Asian Americans are more likely to undergo full body skin examinations compared to those born outside of the USA. However, non-US-born Asian Americans are more likely to wear long sleeve shirts and pants for sun protection. The study suggests that cultural practices and healthcare disparities may influence sun-protective behaviors among Asian individuals, and emphasizes the need to address racial disparities in dermatological care. [Extracted from the article]

Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) is a multisystem disease with potentially life‐threatening adverse effects. As patients increasingly seek health information online, and as the landscape for GPP changes, the quality of online health information (OHI) becomes progressively more important. This paper is the first of its kind to examine the quality, comprehensiveness and readability of online health information for GPP. Similar to pre‐existing studies evaluating OHI, this paper examines 5 key search terms for GPP‐ 3 medical and 2 laymen. For each search term, the results were evaluated based on HONcode accreditation, an enhanced DISCERN analysis and a number of readability indices. Of the 500 websites evaluated, 84 (16.8%) were HONcode‐accredited. Mean DISCERN scores of all websites were 74.9% and 38.6% for website reliability and treatment sections, respectively, demonstrating key gaps in comprehensiveness and reliability of GPP‐specific OHI. Additionally, only 4/100 websites (4%) analysed for readability were written at the NIH‐recommended sixth‐grade level. Academic websites were significantly more difficult to read than governmental websites. This further exacerbates the patient information gap, particularly for patients with low health literacy, who may already be at higher risk of not receiving timely medical care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study contributes to the emerging demographic literature on same-sex couples by comparing the level and correlates of union stability among 4 types of couples: (a) male same-sex cohabitation, (b) female same-sex cohabitation, (c) different-sex cohabitation, and (d) different-sex marriage. The author analyzed data from 2 British birth cohort studies: the National Child Development Study (N = 11,469) and the 1970 British Cohort Study (N = 11,924). These data contain retrospective histories of same-sex and different-sex unions throughout young adulthood (age 16-34) from 1974 through 2004. Event-history analyses showed that same-sex cohabitations have higher rates of dissolution than do different-sex cohabiting and marital unions. Among same-sex couples, male couples had slightly higher dissolution rates than did female couples. In addition, same-sex couples from the 1958 and 1970 birth cohorts had similar levels of union stability. The demographic correlates of union stability are generally similar for same-sex and different-sex unions. (Contains 4 tables and 1 figure.)

While they comprise a quarter of US physicians, IMGs represent only 4.7% of actively practicing dermatologists and 3.8% of dermatology residents in 2020 - numbers that continue to decline.[[1]] Generally, IMG physicians are more likely to be racially and ethnically diverse[3] and are often highly qualified, with some having completed residency training abroad. Notably, these survey responses represent the experience of IMG dermatologists who successfully matched into a US residency and continue to practice in the US; the general IMG dermatology applicant pool may face additional challenges not captured by this survey. [Extracted from the article]

While vaccines are a well-established method of controlling the spread of infectious diseases, vaccine hesitancy jeopardizes curbing the spread of COVID-19. Through the Vaccine Information Network (VIN), this study explored barriers and motivators to COVID-19 vaccine uptake. We conducted 18 focus group discussions with male and female community members, stratified by country, age group, and—for Zimbabwe only—by HIV status. Participants' median age across both countries was 40 years (interquartile range of 22–40), and most (65.9%) were female. We conceptualized the key themes within the World Health Organization's Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) 3C (convenience, confidence, complacency) vaccine hesitancy model. Barriers to vaccine uptake—lack of convenience, low confidence, and high complacency—included inaccessibility of vaccines and vaccination sites, vaccine safety and development concerns, and disbelief in COVID-19's existence. Motivators to vaccine uptake—convenience, confidence, and low complacency—included accessibility of vaccination sites, user-friendly registration processes, trust in governments and vaccines, fear of dying from COVID-19, and knowing someone who had died from or become infected with COVID-19. Overall, vaccine hesitancy in South Africa and Zimbabwe was influenced by inconvenience, a lack of confidence, and high complacency around COVID-19 vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed dermatologists' knowledge and comfort levels in prescribing various medications. Knowledge gaps in the management of cyclophosphamide, opioid pain controllers, intravenous immunoglobulin and newer-generation biologics were observed. Dermatologists expressed greater concern about prescribing medications that are broadly immunosuppressive with severe side-effects such as cyclophosphamide and rituximab. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the relationship between nailfold capillary abnormalities and the severity of Raynaud phenomenon (RP) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). The study, conducted at Massachusetts General Hospital, retrospectively reviewed 75 SSc patients and found that nailfold capillary abnormalities were significantly associated with more aggressive RP treatment, such as the use of calcium channel blockers and other vasodilators. However, no significant association was found between nailfold capillary abnormalities and digital ulceration. The study suggests that routine nailfold capillary examination may assist in RP risk stratification in SSc patients. Further research is needed to investigate the potential use of nailfolds as a noninvasive marker for life-threatening vascular complications associated with SSc. [Extracted from the article]

The rapid development of vaccines in response to the COVID-19 pandemic has provided an effective tool for the management of COVID-19. However, in many African countries there has been a poor uptake of COVID-19 vaccines with only 32.5% first vaccine dose coverage compared to the WHO global target of 70%. As vaccine access improves, one of the important drivers of low uptake has been vaccine hesitancy, driven by levels of confidence, convenience, and complacency. Between 4 January–11 February 2022, we conducted a survey of vaccine late adopters to assess factors that influenced adults in Harare, Zimbabwe to present for their first COVID-19 vaccine dose almost 12 months after the vaccination program began. Of the 1016 adults enrolled, 50% were female and 12.4% had HIV co-infection. Binary logistic regression models were developed to understand factors associated with vaccine confidence. Women were more likely to have negative views about the COVID-19 vaccine compared to men (OR 1.51 (95%CI 1.16, 1.97, p = 0.002). Older adults (≥40 years) compared with youth (18–25 years) were more likely to have 'major concerns' about vaccines. When asked about their concerns, 602 (59.3%) considered immediate side effects as a major concern and 520 (52.1%) were concerned about long-term health effects. People living with HIV (PLWH) were more likely to perceive vaccines as safe (OR 1.71 (95%CI: 1.07, 2.74, p = 0.025) and effective (1.68 (95%CI: 1.07, 2.64, p = 0.026). Internet users were less likely to perceive vaccines as safe (OR 0.72 (95% CI: 0.55, 0.95, p = 0.021) compared to non-Internet users; and social media was a more likely source of information for youth and those with higher education. Family members were the primary key influencers for 560 (55.2%) participants. The most important reason for receiving the COVID-19 vaccine for 715 (70.4%) participants was the protection of individual health. Improving vaccine coverage will need targeted communication strategies that address negative perceptions of vaccines and associated safety and effectiveness concerns. Leveraging normative behavior as a social motivator for vaccination will be important, as close social networks are key influences of vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We performed a post hoc analysis to characterize and compare the views and concerns of dermatology attendings, residents, nurses, and administrative staff on open notes. Medical personnel and staff generally expressed concerns of increased phone calls from patients, patients being offended, and patients being confused; notably, administrative staff held these concerns at lower rates. Greater support of open notes among nurses and administrative staff may be attributed to the ease of directing patients to notes when responding to questions from patients. [Extracted from the article]

Vaccination is one of the most effective methods for preventing morbidity and mortality from COVID-19. Vaccine hesitancy has led to a decrease in vaccine uptake; driven by misinformation, fear, and misperceptions of vaccine safety. Whole inactivated vaccines have been used in one-fifth of the vaccine recipients in Africa, however there are limited real-world data on their safety. We evaluated the reported adverse events and factors associated with reported adverse events following vaccination with whole inactivated COVID-19 vaccines-BBiBP-CorV (Sinopharm) and CoronaVac (Sinovac). A quantitative survey evaluating attitudes and adverse events from vaccination was administered to 1016 adults presenting at vaccination centers. Two follow-up telephone interviews were conducted to determine adverse events after the first and second vaccination dose. Overall, the vaccine was well tolerated; 26.0% and 14.4% reported adverse events after the first and second dose, respectively. The most frequent local and systemic adverse events were pain at the injection site and headaches, respectively. Most symptoms were mild, and no participants required hospitalization. Participants who perceived COVID-19 vaccines as safe or had a personal COVID-19 experience were significantly less likely to report adverse events. Our findings provide data on the safety and tolerability of whole inactivated COVID-19 vaccines in an African population, providing the necessary data to create effective strategies to increase vaccination and support vaccination campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]