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Unlabelled: There is currently no German version of the Oxford hip score. Therefore we sought to cross-culturally adapt and validate the Oxford hip score for use with German-speaking patients (OHS-D) with osteoarthritis of the hip using a forward-backward translation procedure. We then assessed the new score in 105 consecutive patients (mean age, 63.4 years; 48 women) undergoing THA. We specifically determined: the number of fully completed questionnaires, reliability, concurrent validity by correlation with the WOMAC, Harris hip score, and SF-12, and distribution of floor and ceiling effects. We received 96.6% fully completed questionnaires. An intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.90 and Cronbach's alpha of 0.87 suggested the OHS-D was reliable. Correlation coefficients between the OHS-D and the WOMAC total score, pain subscale, stiffness subscale, and physical function subscale were 0.82, 0.70, 0.68, and 0.82, respectively. OHS-D correlated with the Harris hip score (r = 0.63) and the physical component scale of the SF-12 (r = 0.58). We observed no ceiling or floor effects. The OHS-D appeared a reliable and valid measurement tool for assessing pain and disability with German-speaking patients with hip osteoarthritis.Level Of Evidence: Level I, diagnostic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the relation of gender role self-concept (G-SC) to cardiovascular and emotional reactions to an ecologically relevant stressor in a sample of graduating male and female university students. Thirty-seven men and 37 women completed the Personal Attribute Questionnaire and worked on four tasks designed to reflect common features of a job interview. Blood pressure and heart rate were measured at baseline, during, and after each task; subjective stress was measured at baseline and after each task. Subjective and objective stress scores were averaged across tasks and analyzed by sex and G-SC (i.e., instrumentality, expressiveness). Results indicated that women as a group demonstrated greater emotional reactivity, but did not differ in their physiological reactions when compared to men. Regardless of sex, participants' instrumentality scores contributed significantly to the variation in subjective stress response: those scoring high on instrumentality reported less stress, but evidenced greater blood pressure reactivity than those scoring low on instrumentality. These results suggest that gender roles, particularly an instrumental self-concept, may play an important role in both subjective and objective reactions to an ecologically relevant stressor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sexual and reproductive empowerment (SRE) is an important determinant of women's and girls' health yet measuring it is complex due to cultural and domain-specific variations. This study describes the process of adapting an SRE scale consisting of four domains (self-efficacy; future orientation; social support; and safety) and testing its psychometric properties among Arabic speaking adolescent girls in Lebanon., Methods: An SRE scale developed in a Western context was adapted in four steps: (1) reviewing the scale and selecting culturally appropriate domains for translation to standard Arabic; (2) conducting cognitive interviews with 30 11-17-year-old adolescent girls in Lebanon; (3) administering the scale to 339 refugee adolescent girls who participated in an early marriage intervention; and (4) conducting confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on the data to assess the scale's psychometric properties., Results: The original model for the 13-item, four-domain adapted scale demonstrated poor fit in CFA. After iteratively removing two items, scale properties were improved, albeit were not optimal. The validity and reliability results for the self-efficacy domain were acceptable. Cognitive interview data revealed that Arab adolescent girls understood self-efficacy in relational terms, recognizing that autonomous decision-making is not necessarily favored but is influenced by parents and family., Conclusions: This study presents an effort to customize an SRE scale for use in studies on the health of adolescent girls in an Arab cultural context. Findings from cognitive interviews highlight the importance of taking into consideration relationality in adolescent sexual and reproductive decision-making. The self-efficacy domain in the adapted scale demonstrates acceptable psychometric properties and is recommended for use in health studies to capture SRE., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Conflict-affected women and girls living in protracted forced displacement settings are vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Yet, little is known about the risk factors for and lived experiences of STIs in complex humanitarian settings, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa, where STIs have long been understudied. This qualitative study adapts the social ecological model to characterize the multi-level risks for and lived experiences of STIs among Syrian refugee women resettled in an urban refugee camp in Beirut, Lebanon. Adopting a community-based sampling strategy, community health workers, who were refugee women from the camp, recruited and conducted in-depth interviews (IDIs) with 30 adult Syrian refugee women. Data were analyzed using an interpretative phenomenological approach and thematically organized according to the levels of the social ecological model. We identified a confluence of individual, interpersonal, community-based, and societal vulnerabilities to STIs, including extreme poverty and insecurity, patriarchal gender norms, stigma, sexual exploitation and trafficking, poor healthcare accessibility, intimate partner violence, including marital rape, transactional sex, sexual harassment, social isolation, and internalized stigma. Participants described experiencing bothersome symptoms and sequelae of advanced and untreated STIs in the setting of limited access to health services and challenges with engaging their partners in STI treatment, largely due to STI stigma. These novel findings suggest dynamic, interrelated social and health disparities across all social ecological levels influencing refugee women's sexual health, including their risk of STIs. Comprehensive, multi-sectorial interventions, which transcend traditional public health methods and which adopt a sexual well-being approach, are urgently needed to address systemic and intrapersonal violence against refugee women, examine and mitigate the burden of STIs, and ensure sexual justice and health equity in this protracted forced displacement setting., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2024 Fahme et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Individuals with cancer are recommended to engage in regular physical activity (PA) even during cancer therapy. The aim of this study was to explore how patient-reported physician PA counseling influences their PA intention and behavior in addition to psycho-cognitive determinants derived from the theory of planned behavior (TPB). A longitudinal study during cancer treatment was conducted among N = 115 patients with breast, prostate, or colorectal cancer (M age  = 58.0, SD = 11.5; 55.7% female). The median time since diagnosis was 2 months, and 19.1% were diagnosed with metastases. Participants provided information on PA counseling by their physicians and on psycho-cognitive variables of the TPB at three measurement points. Additionally, they wore accelerometers for seven days at baseline and three months later. Nearly half of participants (48%) reported basic PA counseling and 30% reported in-depth PA counseling. Patients in poorer health and with lower education reported significantly less in-depth counseling. In addition to patient self-efficacy in performing PA, only in-depth physician PA counseling, but not basic physician counseling, predicted intention for PA four weeks later. Patients' PA three months after baseline was predicted by patients' PA at baseline and their intention for PA. Overall, the PA level at baseline was identified as the most important predictor of PA three months later. Nevertheless, physicians seem to have the ability to increase their cancer patients' intention for PA by in-depth counseling., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background and Objectives: Subjective age, that is, how old people feel in relation to their chronological age, has mostly been investigated from a macro-longitudinal, lifespan point of view and in relation to major developmental outcomes. Recent evidence also shows considerable intraindividual variations in micro-longitudinal studies as well as relations to everyday psychological correlates such as stress or affect, but findings on the interplay with physical activity or sleep as behavioral factors and environmental factors such as weather conditions are scarce., Research Design and Methods: We examined data from 80 recently retired individuals aged 59-76 years ( M  = 67.03 years, 59% women) observed across 21 days. Daily diary-based assessments of subjective age, stress, affect, and sleep quality alongside physical activity measurement via Fitbit (steps, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity) and daily hours of sunshine were collected and analyzed using multilevel modeling., Results: Forty-four percent of the overall variance in subjective age was due to intraindividual variation, demonstrating considerable fluctuation. Affect explained the largest share in day-to-day fluctuations of subjective age, followed by stress and steps, whereas sunshine duration explained the largest share of variance in interindividual differences., Discussion and Implications: In our daily diary design, subjective age was most strongly related to self-reported affect as a psychological correlate. We, however, also found clear associations with objective data on daily steps and weather. Hence, our study contributes to contextualizing and understanding variations in subjective age in everyday life., Competing Interests: None., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America.)

Sleep problems and stress are common among students and are associated with negative effects on academic performance as well as mental and physical health risks, but studies exploring mediating factors between stress and sleep on a daily basis are scarce. This study aimed to investigate the relationship of daily stress, Bedtime procrastination (BP) (i.e., postponing bedtime without external reasons), and sleep outcomes controlling for trait factors such as self-control. N = 96 students at a German university (M = 22.2 years, SD = 4.0) wore a sleep-tracking wearable (Fitbit Charge HR) for two weeks to assess sleep duration and to calculate the gap between the intended time to go to sleep and the objectively measured time of falling asleep. Stress, intended time to go to sleep, and sleep quality were assessed via daily diaries. Established questionnaires were used to measure trait self-control, trait BP, and smartphone addiction. Multilevel analyses indicated that more stress experienced during the day was associated with more BP (b = 2.32, p = 0.008), shorter sleep duration (b = -3.46, p = 0.003), and lower sleep quality (b = 1.03, p = 0.005) after controlling for several trait factors. The association of daily stress with sleep outcomes (quality and duration) was partly mediated by BP. Our findings indicate that BP might be one factor that contributes to stress-linked decreases in sleep duration and quality. Potential reasons for stress-related later time to fall asleep-like higher physiological arousal or stress-related worries-should be investigated in future studies., (© 2023 The Authors. Stress and Health published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Mental contrasting with implementation intentions (MCII) has been successfully applied to improve health-related behaviors (e.g. exercise). We explored its effectiveness to improve sleep outcomes beyond effects of sleep hygiene (SH) information, and investigated associations with stress. Eighty university employees (mean age: 29.6, SD = 4.5) were randomized to either a MCII + SH or a SH-only condition. During a baseline-week and a post-intervention week, sleep duration (Fitbit Alta and self-report), sleep quality, and stress were assessed daily and saliva was collected to assess the cortisol awakening response (CAR). In total, self-reported sleep quality and duration increased, but there was no meaningful condition*week interaction for sleep parameters or CAR. Higher average stress was associated with shorter sleep duration and lower sleep quality. Within-person, days with higher stress were followed by nights with lower sleep quality. Despite overall improvements, effects of MCII were not confirmed. MCII might be less effective to improve behaviors which are less controllable.

Street-based sexual harassment is a prevalent but understudied form of gender-based violence that restricts women's access to public spaces. Drawing on adaptations of the ecological model that identify the root causes of gender-based violence in patriarchy, in this study, we explore the causes of street harassment in informal areas of Greater Cairo. Our analysis is based on qualitative interviews and focus groups with male and female youth aged 13-29 years, parents of youth and community leaders in two informal areas. We supplement the qualitative data with descriptive analysis of a representative, 2016 survey of youth in informal areas of Cairo that measured experiences with and attitudes toward harassment. Harassment was prevalent in the study areas, and respondents tended to place the blame for harassment at the individual level of the ecological model, particularly women's behavior. However, there were also community- and societal-level factors that contributed to the prevalence of harassment. Patriarchal norms and stigmatization of women who are harassed reinforced victim-blaming, such that most young women were afraid to report experiences of harassment due to social censure. In this context, educational or awareness raising interventions are unlikely to be effective in combating harassment, which is widely acknowledged to be a problem. Rather, interventions are needed along the different levels of the ecological model to target peer group and community norms that encourage harassment, address harassment in schools and strengthen reporting mechanisms., (© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Objective: The substitution of an in-study control population with a historical control (HC) population is considered a viable option for reducing the necessary recruitment of control patients. However, it is necessary to evaluate whether this method is applicable to studies on indications targeting endometriosis-associated pelvic pain (EAPP). This study aims to evaluate the potential bias in the results of an EAPP study with an HC arm., Methods: For this case study, we re-evaluated data from a randomised, placebo-controlled trial using dienogest daily to treat EAPP with an HC arm based on data from a second randomised, placebo-controlled trial in the same indication. Propensity Score (PS) matching was used to match between the treatment and HC arm on all baseline variables. To evaluate the effect of matching on the introduced bias, we evaluated efficacy parameters with the full treatment and control group, as well as the matched group., Results: The difference between means (placebo minus treatment) in change in pain, as measured on the Visual Analogue Scale from baseline to end of treatment, deviates in the comparison treatment/pool of HC (7.15 (0.22 to 14.08)) from the overall in-study group (reference: 11.89 (6.06 to 17.73)). After PS matching on the baseline variables, the difference between means (11.79 (4.09 to 19.5)) is close to the reference., Conclusions: Using HC with PS matching has proven to be useful in the setting of treating EAPP, while emphasis must be given to the selection mechanism and the underlying assumptions. This case study has shown that even for studies which are very similar in design, heterogeneity and between-study variations are present. With the use of an HC arm, it was possible to reproduce similar results than in the original study, while the PS matching improved the comparability considerably. For the main endpoint, PS matching could reproduce the original study results., Trial Registration Number: NCT00225199, NCT00185341., Competing Interests: Competing interests: All authors were employees of Bayer AG during the project period. None of the authors have a relevant competing interest to declare., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

The pathways through which the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted population mental health are potentially gendered. Little research has explored these pathways in low- and middle-income country contexts, such as in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, where socioeconomic roles are highly gendered. To address this gap, we examine the relationships between pandemic-related socioeconomic changes and subjective wellbeing in the MENA region. Our core hypothesis is that the COVID-19 pandemic affected men and women's subjective wellbeing differently in part because these effects were mediated by gendered socioeconomic roles. We exploit multiple waves of longitudinal, nationally-representative phone survey data across Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Sudan, and Tunisia. The data were collected between November 2020 and August 2021 and include 32,296 observations of 20,256 unique individuals. Mental health is measured through the WHO-5 subjective wellbeing scale. Our key independent variables capture pandemic-related employment loss, income loss, experience of limitations on food access, enrollment of children in alternative schooling modalities, and receipt of formal and informal transfers. We find significantly worse subjective wellbeing for women in Egypt and Morocco during the pandemic, but not the three other countries. There were negative associations between employment and income loss during the pandemic and subjective wellbeing, but not gender-differentiated ones. In contrast, high levels of limitations on food access were associated with worse mental health for men than women. Receipt of transfers generally did not have any association with subjective wellbeing. Further research is needed into how social assistance programs implemented in response to pandemics may be designed so as to address the negative mental health consequences of such events., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Sieverding et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Background: Insufficient sleep is common among teachers and is associated with diverse health risks. This study aimed to predict intention and sleep duration by applying the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and to examine the effectiveness of an implementation-intention intervention to improve sleep duration and quality., Method: Sixty-nine teachers (M = 36.8 years, SD = 10.4) were assigned to an active control group (CG) or intervention group (IG). At baseline, TPB variables were assessed and participants of the IG received instructions to develop implementation intentions to reach the goal of sleeping 8 h on average. During a 3-week intervention period, all participants wore an activity tracker (Fitbit Charge HR) to measure sleep duration and kept diaries to assess sleep quality, physical activity, and stress. After 1 month, a 1-week follow-up, including a booster for the IG, was conducted., Results: Forty-two percent of variance in sleep duration were explained by control variables, past behavior, perceived behavioral control, and intention. Mixed ANOVAS with baseline covariates found a large main effect with longer sleep duration in the IG. A time x group interaction suggested that only the IG slept significantly longer in the follow-up period compared to the intervention period. For sleep quality, a medium-sized main effect for study group was found and a time x group interaction indicated higher sleep quality in the IG for week 3 and the follow-up., Conclusion: The TPB was effective in predicting sleep intention and duration. Implementation intentions accompanied by daily monitoring and a booster appear to be promising for improving sleep., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Adolescent Syrian refugee girls living in Lebanon are vulnerable to poor sexual and reproductive health (SRH). Sociocultural norms, stigmatization, and limited educational opportunities in the context of forced displacement may impact adolescent girls' SRH. Little is known about how and where girls in this population access SRH information and services. This study aimed to: (1) assess knowledge of SRH topics among a population of adolescent Syrian refugee girls displaced in Lebanon, and (2) determine the association of schooling versus maternal SRH communication with SRH knowledge. A total of 418 11-17-year-old Syrian refugee girls displaced in the Beqaa region of Lebanon were recruited to participate in a cross-sectional survey. Bivariate logistic regression and ordinary least squares regression models were used to examine the associations between schooling, maternal SRH communication, and other covariates with SRH knowledge outcomes. Significant predictors (p<0.2) were included in multivariate analyses. The mean age of girls was 13.4 years. Approximately two thirds of our sample was enrolled in school, with enrollment rates dropping considerably around age 15. In bivariate and multivariate models, older age and participation in SRH programs were predictive of puberty knowledge. One in five girls enrolled in school had learned about menstruation in school, which was associated with higher puberty knowledge in bivariate models. Older age, current school enrollment, and reaching the 8th-11th grade were strongly associated with HIV knowledge. Schooling is more strongly associated with SRH knowledge among adolescent girls than is maternal communication. School-based SRH curricula should be administered on the basis of age and not grade, given significant age-for-grade heterogeneity in this population. Forced displacement and poverty are major barriers to education retention and may have long-term impacts on girls' health., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright: © 2023 Fahme et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

The goal of our study was to examine the intention to get vaccinated using predictors from the 5C Model of vaccination attitudes, the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and the Health Belief Model (HBM). Between August and November 2020, an online survey was delivered to 1428 participants in the UK and Germany (mean age = 40.6; 57% women), assessing socio-demographic and health factors, general vaccination attitudes, TBP and HBM variables, and COVID-19 vaccination intention. Vaccination intentions did not differ by country or survey period. Predictors of intention with the highest explanatory power in a relative weight analysis were confidence, collective responsibility (5C) perceived behavioral control, social norms, attitudes (especially negative affect & TPB cognitions), and perceived benefits (HBM). Women reported lower intention, although the effect size was small. Predictors from the TPB and HBM were effective to explain the intention to receive COVID-19 vaccines over and above socio-demographic variables, health-related factors and general vaccination attitudes. The results are interpreted in the context of current vaccination campaigns. Messages promoting sense of autonomy and control over the decision to get vaccinated, approval from significant others and reassurance that getting vaccinated will not be associated with fear or other negative feelings are important facilitators of vaccine uptake.

Parental communication during puberty can be a protective factor for adolescents. In Egypt, girls have poor access to sexual and reproductive health services and there is a lack of information on puberty in school curricula. Yet little is known about girls' other sources of information about puberty, including communication with mothers. We analysed 29 in-depth interviews with young mothers of girls in Greater Cairo to better understand mother-daughter communication about puberty. We examine respondents' motivations for communication with their daughters, the type of messages they provided or expected to provide, and barriers to mother-daughter communication, paying particular attention to intergenerational dynamics with respect to how women learn about puberty. We found that while mothers wanted to, and did, play a primary role in communicating with girls about puberty, discussions were constrained by lack of information and embarrassment. Mothers were more open to discussing some aspects of puberty, such as hygiene, than others. Conversations may also be delayed due to social norms about what is appropriate for girls to know and when. Messages were often fear-based and embedded in norms that stigmatised girls' sexuality. Programmes and interventions targeting mothers' knowledge and communication skills around puberty should be adapted and tested in the context of Egypt.

Objective: Evidence on the benefits of physical activity (PA) during cancer has caused a paradigm shift from people with cancer being advised to save energy (rest paradigm) to guidelines recommending them to engage in regular PA (activity paradigm). This study examined the rest and the activity paradigm among people with cancer based on the theory of planned behaviour (TPB)., Methods: A cross-sectional survey was completed by N = 1244 people (58% women; M = 59.95 years) with breast, prostate and colorectal cancer, including 15 items on rest and activity attitudes. To explain the intention to engage in PA, hierarchical regression analyses were calculated., Results: The two-dimensional structure of attitudes (rest and activity) was confirmed. The agreement with the activity paradigm (M = 4.11; SD = 0.78) was higher compared to the rest paradigm (M = 2.56; SD = 0.78, p < .001). The TPB was an appropriate model to explain the intention to engage in PA (R 2  = .59), showing that the activity paradigm, but not the rest paradigm, was significantly associated with participants' intention for PA., Conclusion: Results indicate that the paradigm shift has successfully reached attitudes of people with cancer. Interventions focusing on the benefits of PA rather than addressing rest cognitions promise higher effectiveness in affecting PA levels., Clinical Trial Registration Number: NCT02678832., (© 2022 The Authors. European Journal of Cancer Care published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Wearables provide new opportunities to promote physical activity also among older adults but data on effectiveness and user friendliness are rare., Objective: The effects of a comprehensive self-regulative intervention on moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and number of steps were examined using commercially available activity trackers. Acceptance regarding the devices was analysed in various domains., Methods: In this study 80 older adults (mean = 67.03 years, standard deviation = 3.97 years; 59% women) wore a Fitbit Charge HR for 21 days including a baseline, a postintervention and a follow-up week. The intervention comprised feedback, goal setting and planning and 50% of the participants were additionally randomized to a role model component. Social cognitive predictors based on the health action process approach (HAPA) and user experience were assessed via questionnaires., Results: The MVPA increased by an average of 19 min per week and steps by 1317 per day. An additional benefit of the role model component could be observed for MVPA. In the follow-up, the intervention effect was still significant for the number of steps, while MVPA dropped back to baseline. Multilevel models including HAPA variables explained small but significant amounts of variance in MVPA (8% within-person, 26% between-person) and steps (11% within-person, 12% between-person). User experience was rated as very high., Conclusion: Providing an intervention based on established behavior change techniques and self-monitoring via wearables seems to be effective for increasing physical activity among older adults. The HAPA variables seem to play a limited role to explain activity levels. Acceptance of wearables can be expected to be high., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Background: A better understanding of the role of structural barriers for physical activity (PA) after a cancer diagnosis could help to increase PA among people with cancer. Thus, the present study aimed to identify determinants of structural barriers to PA in people with cancer and investigate the association between structural barriers and insufficient post-diagnosis PA, taking different PA change patterns into account., Methods: A total of 1299 people with breast, prostate, or colorectal cancer completed a questionnaire assessing their socio-demographic and medical characteristics, pre- and post-diagnosis PA, and perceived PA impediment by seven structural barriers. Regression analyses were used to investigate determinants of the perception of structural barriers and to examine the association between structural barriers and insufficient post-diagnosis PA, also with regard to different pre-diagnosis PA levels., Results: Overall 30-60% of participants indicated to feel impeded by structural barriers. The analyses revealed a younger age, higher BMI, lower educational level, no current work activity, co-morbidities, and lacking physicians' exercise counseling as significant determinants of the perception of structural barriers. Individuals reporting stronger impediments by structural barriers were significantly less likely to be meeting PA guidelines post-diagnosis, particularly those with sufficient pre-diagnosis PA levels., Conclusions: The study highlights the need for tailored PA programs for people with cancer as well as for more guidance and support in overcoming structural barriers to improve PA behavior. The study has been registered under NCT02678832 at clinicaltrials.gov on February 10 th 2016., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Previous research has shown that structural barriers negatively influence the physical activity (PA) behavior of cancer patients, but underlying mechanisms are unclear. The aim of the current study was to explore the potential mediating role of social-cognitive factors, namely PA self-efficacy and PA intention in this context. A total of 856 cancer patients completed a questionnaire on sociodemographic and medical characteristics, pre- and post-diagnosis PA, PA self-efficacy, PA intention, and PA impediment by structural barriers. A serial mediation model was used to test whether the association between structural barriers and post-diagnosis PA was mediated by PA self-efficacy and/or PA intention, in the overall sample and in subsamples defined by individuals' pre-diagnosis PA. The results confirmed that structural barriers were not directly (95%CI [-0.45; 0.10]) but indirectly associated with post-diagnosis PA. Higher impediment by structural barriers decreased the likelihood of sufficient post-diagnosis PA via lower PA self-efficacy (95%CI [-0.25; -0.06]) and via the serial pathway of lower PA self-efficacy and lower PA intention (95%CI [-0.19; -0.05]). Investigating differences in these mediations by pre-diagnosis PA yielded significance only among previously active cancer patients. Both structural barriers and PA self-efficacy might hence be relevant target points for interventions aiming to improve PA behavior, especially among pre-diagnosis active cancer patients.

Implementing and evaluating interventions in humanitarian settings in low- and middle-income countries presents unique challenges that are little addressed in the implementation literature. We document the process of developing, implementing, and evaluating the Amenah pilot intervention that aimed to mitigate the drivers of early marriage in a Syrian refugee community in Lebanon. Adolescent girls' vulnerability to early marriage increases following displacement due to poverty, insecurity, and school disruptions. We delineate how, as a local research team, we triangulated evidence from the international literature and formative community research to make informed decisions during the intervention's design and implementation phases. The pilot was delivered to 203 Syrian refugee schoolgirls aged 11-14 years during the 2017-2018 academic year. It consisted of 16 structured, interactive sessions with girls and a set of facilitated meetings with the girls' mothers, both of which were implemented by trained female community workers from the Syrian refugee community. Process evaluation results showed that sociodemographic factors predicted attendance among mothers, but relationships with peers in the intervention were the only significant predictor of attendance among girls. The primary outcomes of the pilot were attitudinal measures related to education and marriage. Attitudes toward education were highly positive at baseline and did not change over the course of the intervention. There were no significant changes in girls' ideal age at marriage. Among girls aged 13 and older at endline, the mean self-reported expected age at marriage increased slightly from 20.2 to 20.8 years ( P <.05). Our results also suggest that girls may adjust their expected age at marriage downward as they become older and if they drop out of school. We reflect in the discussion on some of the challenges encountered and lessons learned for the benefit of researchers intending to conduct community-based interventions in displacement settings., (© Sieverding et al.)

Aim: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to analyse gender differences in COVID-19 vaccination intentions., Subject and Methods: PubMed, Web of Science and PsycInfo were searched (November 2020 to January 2021) for studies reporting absolute frequencies of COVID-19 vaccination intentions by gender. Averaged odds ratios comparing vaccination intentions among men and women were computed. Descriptive analyses of the studies were reported., Results: Sixty studies were included in the review and data from 46 studies ( n  = 141,550) were available for meta-analysis. A majority (58%) of papers reported men to have higher intentions to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Meta-analytic calculations showed that significantly fewer women stated that they would get vaccinated than men, OR 1.41 (95% CI 1.28 to 1.55). This effect was evident in several countries, and the difference was bigger in samples of health care workers than in unspecified general population samples., Conclusion: This systematic review and meta-analysis found lower vaccination intentions among women than men. This difference is discussed in the light of recent data on actual vaccination rates in different countries., Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10389-021-01677-w., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors declare that there is no financial or non-financial conflict of interest., (© The Author(s) 2022.)

Objective: This study examined cancer patients' reporting on physicians' physical activity (PA) counseling, its associations with patients' PA, and comparisons of patients' and physicians' reports of the type(s) of PA counseling provided., Methods: Patients with breast, colorectal, or prostate cancer (n = 1206) participated in a nationwide cross-sectional study. Cancer patients' sociodemographic and treatment-related characteristics as well as self-reported PA levels (pre- and post-diagnosis) were assessed. PA counseling was queried according to the counseling steps of the 5As framework (Assess/Advise/Agree/Assist/Arrange). For a subsample (n = 135), matched patient-physician data were available., Results: Patient-reported PA counseling was categorized into "no counseling" (indicated by 20.8% of participants), "basic counseling" (Assess and/or Advise; 58.8%), and "in-depth counseling" (Agree, Assist, and/or Arrange; 20.4%). "In-depth counseling" was associated with an increase in PA levels pre- to post-diagnosis. This relationship was enhanced for patients with metastases. There were low agreements between patients' and physicians' reporting of PA counseling steps., Conclusion: In-depth PA counseling is rarely provided to cancer patients but seems to be required to affect PA levels. Patients often report receiving less intensive PA counseling than reported by their physician., Practice Implications: Physicians should be enabled to provide routine in-depth PA counseling to all patients with cancer., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. Conflict of interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Adolescent Syrian refugee girls in Lebanon are thought to experience a disproportionate risk of poor sexual and reproductive health, related in part to conflict and displacement. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore healthcare provider and educator perceptions of the sexual and reproductive health determinants and care-seeking behaviors of this vulnerable population. The findings of the study will inform a health intervention that aims to reduce early marriage and improve access to sexual and reproductive health information and services., Methods: In-depth interviews and focus group discussions were conducted with stakeholders who work with adolescent Syrian refugee girls in an under-resourced area of eastern Lebanon bordering Syria. Data analysis followed principles of Clarke and Braun's thematic analysis., Results: Study participants perceived adolescent pregnancy, reproductive tract infections, and sexual- and gender-based violence as major population health needs. The study also identified a number of influencing structural and sociocultural determinants of health, including early marriage, adolescent disempowerment, and men's disengagement from care. A conceptual framework based upon the Gelberg-Andersen Behavioral Model for Vulnerable Populations was developed to relate these determinants and guide pathways for potential interventions., Conclusions: Adolescent sexual and reproductive health interventions among Syrian refugees in Lebanon should adopt a multi-pronged, community-based approach to address underlying health determinants and engage with men and parents of adolescents. Special attention should be given to provider biases in healthcare settings accessible to adolescents, as these may reflect underlying tensions between host and refugee populations and discourage adolescents from seeking care.

Expectancies of cancer patients regarding their physical activity before they took part in a behavior change intervention were compared with their experiences during the intervention period. A total of 66 cancer patients completed either a randomly assigned 4-week physical activity or a stress-management counseling intervention. On average, participants had positive expectancies toward physical activity. Outcome expectancies predicted outcomes (e.g. physical activity) at a 10-week follow-up. Outcome realization (discrepancy between expectancies and experiences) further increased explained variance in self-efficacy and physical activity enjoyment. In conclusion, not only initial outcome expectancies but also their realizations seem to be important for subsequent behavior and cognitions.

Providing adolescent girls with sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information protects them from risks and improves their well-being. This qualitative study, conducted in Lebanon, examined Syrian refugee adolescent girls' access to SRH information about and experiences with puberty and menarche, sex, marriage, contraception, and pregnancy. We gathered data through three focus group discussions (FGDs) with unmarried adolescent girls, 11 in-depth interviews with early-married adolescents, and two FGDs with mothers. Our findings highlighted that adolescent participants received inadequate SRH information shortly before or at the time of menarche and sexual initiation, resulting in experiences characterized by anxiety and fear. They also revealed discordance between girls' views of mothers as a preferred source of information and mothers' reluctance to communicate with their daughters about SRH. We advance that mothers are important entry points for future interventions in this refugee population and offer recommendations aimed to improve adolescent girls' SRH and rights.

Former research has identified stigmatizing attitudes toward cancer patients in the general population. Little is known about (implicit) attitudes of physicians toward cancer patients. By using the prototype approach, the study investigated German physicians' prototypical perceptions of cancer patients. Five hundred nineteen physicians (mean age: 46 years, 47% female) who regularly treat cancer patients participated in the questionnaire study. Participants were asked to state three prototype attributes that describe the "typical cancer patient." Open format answers were coded on the dimensions favorability (coded with unfavorable , favorable , or neutral ) and gender-stereotypicality (coded with masculine stereotypical , feminine stereotypical , or gender-neutral ). Of all prototype attributes ( N = 1,589), 69.9% were coded as unfavorable and 14.3% as favorable, the remaining attributes were neutral (15.9%). Analysis of gender-stereotypicality revealed that nearly half of the attributes (49.5%) were compatible with the feminine, whereas only 6.5% were compatible with the masculine stereotype. The remaining attributes (44.0%) were gender-neutral. There were no significant associations between prototype favorability or gender-stereotypicality and demographic/professional characteristics of physicians. The prototype approach was successful to identify (implicit) attitudes toward cancer patients and might be more sensitive than social distance scales when investigating stigmatizing attitudes. Physicians described the "typical cancer patient" with predominantly unfavorable and feminine attributes, while favorable attributes were underrepresented and positive masculine attributes were barely mentioned. The finding that the "typical cancer patient" lacks (positive) masculine attributes should be followed up in further research.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the association between physicians' exercise counseling and post-diagnosis physical activity (PA) in patients with cancer by investigating the mediating role of patients' satisfaction with exercise counseling as well as the moderating role of patients' previous PA., Methods: The study sample consisted of 1002 people with cancer (503 breast, 265 prostate, and 234 colorectal cancer). Participants reported their pre- and post-diagnosis moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) levels, indicated whether their physician had covered different steps of exercise counseling as defined by the 5A framework (Assess, Advise, Agree, Assist, and Arrange) and rated their satisfaction with exercise counseling. A conditional process analysis was used to determine the direct and indirect effects of counseling on post-diagnosis MVPA through satisfaction at different levels of pre-diagnosis MVPA., Results: Physicians' exercise counseling was associated with post-diagnosis MVPA in patients with cancer. However, the association differed by patients' pre-diagnosis MVPA (P = .039). While counseling was directly associated with higher post-diagnosis MVPA for individuals with low pre-diagnosis MVPA (CI: 0.02-0.20, P = .014), the effect was mediated through satisfaction with exercise counseling for previously highly active individuals (Boot CI: 0.01-0.08)., Conclusions: Our findings emphasize the relevance of physicians' exercise counseling for PA in patients with cancer. However, the results indicate that in order to effectively influence patients' PA, it appears important to provide a comprehensive counseling that is adjusted to the patients' exercise experiences., (© 2020 The Authors. Psycho-Oncology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: Assessment of family history of cancer (FHC) mostly relies on self-report. Our goal was to find out whether there is a systematic gender difference in self-reported FHC., Methods: We identified nine population-based studies which provided statistics of FHC in men and women (N 1  = 404 541). Furthermore, we analyzed data (N 2  = 167 154) from several iterations of the US-based Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) and the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS). We calculated the proportion of positive FHC, odds ratios (OR M/F), 95% confidence intervals, and aggregated statistics. We additionally analyzed in-depth questions about FHC from HINTS 5 Cycle 2., Results: In the reviewed studies the odds of men reporting a FHC were lower compared with the odds of women with an average OR of 0.84 [0.71; 1.00] across all studies and an OR of 0.75 [0.70; 0.80] for the six studies from the US and Europe. The gender gap was replicated in our own analyses of HINTS and NHIS with an average OR of 0.75 [0.71; 0.79]. In HINTS 5 Cycle 2 men described themselves as less familiar with their FHC and less confident answering questions regarding FHC. They were also less likely to discuss FHC with family members., Conclusions: Men- at least in the US and Europe-were consistently less likely to report FHC compared with women. Future research should investigate how the assessment of FHC can be improved to reduce these differences. Health care professionals should also consider the potential for biased reporting by gender when assessing FHC., (© 2020 The Authors. Cancer Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Early marriage, which is associated with a wide range of negative health and socioeconomic outcomes, may be a response to conflict and displacement. Since the onset of the Syrian conflict in 2011, there has been considerable attention to reports of high and potentially increasing rates of early marriage among Syrian refugee women. Using nationally representative survey data from Jordan in 2016 and Syria in 2009, as well as qualitative interviews with Syrian refugee youth in Jordan, we examine changes in age at marriage and drivers of early marriage. We find no evidence of an increase in early marriage rates after refugees' arrival to Jordan. Rates of early marriage among the Syrians now in Jordan were higher than preconflict national rates and have remained similar postdisplacement, although poverty and security concerns have created new drivers for accelerating marriage for young women. Other dynamics of the Syrian marriage market in displacement may act to decelerate marriage rates, including declining rates of consanguinity and inability to meet marriage costs. Analysis of early marriage in displacement must be placed within the context of change in marriage practices among refugees more broadly., (© 2020 The Population Council, Inc.)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine and compare pre- to post-diagnosis change patterns of physical activity (PA) among breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer patients. Moreover, the study aimed to investigate sociodemographic and medical determinants of post-diagnosis PA and to identify patient subgroups at increased risk of inactivity., Methods: A total of 912 cancer patients (457 breast, 241 prostate, 214 colorectal cancer) completed a questionnaire assessing their pre- and post-diagnosis PA behavior, and sociodemographic and medical variables. Age-adjusted regression and classification tree analyses were used to investigate PA determinants and detect subgroups that were most likely to meet or not meet PA guidelines., Results: Across cancer types, we found that PA yet decreased from pre- to post-diagnosis, but that 54.1% of participants still reported to be meeting PA guidelines after the diagnosis. While post-diagnosis PA was strongly affected by previous PA behavior among individuals of all patient groups, other sociodemographic and medical determinants played different roles depending on cancer type. The results yielded that previously active, longer diagnosed patients with higher education levels were most likely to be meeting PA guidelines post-diagnosis, whereas specifically previously inactive prostate cancer patients had an increased likelihood of insufficient activity., Conclusions: An encouragingly high number of cancer patients indicated sufficient PA levels. For those having difficulties to maintain or adopt PA post-diagnosis, interventions should be tailored to the specific characteristics of each cancer type, as different factors are associated with PA for each patient group.

Objective: To assess prevalence and frequency of use of self-management strategies among female cancer survivors and to empirically identify categories of self-management., Methods: Female cancer survivors (N=673, mean age 51 years; >90% with breast cancer; M=5 years since diagnosis) completed an Internet survey indicating the frequency (never to very often) with which they had employed each strategy since diagnosis. The survey included commonly assessed self-management strategies, such as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), religious practices, and exercise. Additionally we assessed the use of further strategies identified from recommendations of cancer survivors shared in Internet forums., Results: A principal component analysis yielded five categories: More Conscious Living, Turning to Family/Friends, CAM, Religious/Spiritual Practices, and Exercise. Prevalence rates of commonly measured strategies like CAM, Religious Practices, and Exercise were similar to previous studies. Considering frequency of use, however, revealed that only few participants reported frequent use of these strategies (<10%). In contrast, about half of the women (>50%) reported Turning to Family/Friends and engaging in More Conscious Living strategies (very) often., Conclusions: Relying on prevalence assessments of commonly investigated behaviors such as CAM or exercise may overestimate their use among cancer survivors. Cancer survivors engage in a wide range of self-management strategies. Encouraging living more consciously and cultivating social relations might be of greater relevance compared with CAM use or exercise.

Background: Although physical activity (PA) is beneficial for patients with cancer, healthcare professionals (HCP) still scarcely recommend it. This study aimed to determine how HCP' sociodemographic and professional characteristics and their subjective assessments of patient characteristics are associated with their PA recommendations to patients with cancer., Methods: A cross-sectional survey (paper-pencil or online) was completed by 929 HCP (159 general practitioners, 382 specialized physicians, and 388 oncology nurses). The survey collected information on HCP' sociodemographic and professional characteristics, PA recommendation frequency, and the likelihood of 13 patient characteristics influencing PA recommendations (on a 7-point Likert scale)., Results: Descriptive results showed that 37.6% of HCP indicated often recommending PA and 41.7% indicated routinely recommending PA. More professional experience was associated with a higher reported PA recommendation frequency among specialized physicians and oncology nurses. Patient characteristics could be assigned to three higher-level categories. Characteristics from the categories "medical side effects" and "low affinity for PA" were more frequently judged by HCP as reasons for recommending PA and characteristics belonging to "indicators of poor general health" as reasons for not recommending PA. In all professional groups, the inclusion of patient characteristics resulted in additional variance explained in the prediction of a routine PA recommendation., Conclusions: HCP in this study reported that they frequently recommend PA to patients with cancer. However, HCP consider cancer patient characteristics to influence their decision whether to recommend PA. Future research and interventions should aim to enable HCP to provide adequate PA recommendations to patients with cancer having different characteristics.

Protests are one of the most common expressions of modern political conflict, and the wave of demonstrations that marked the onset of the Arab Spring contributed to a global increase in protest activity. Yet few studies have examined the effects of exposure to protests on population well-being even though such exposure may have profound and lasting effects, especially if experienced at critical stages of development over the life course. The aim of our study is to estimate the effects of exposure to political protests on the human capital accumulation and well-being of youth during the tumultuous political transition experienced in Egypt from 2011 to 2014. For a nationally representative panel of youth captured in the 2009 and 2013/2014 waves of the Survey of Young People in Egypt (SYPE), we exploit exogenous geospatial variation in the occurrence of political protests from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) Project to estimate individual-level changes in social trust, uncertainty, education, and health outcomes for youth exposed to protests. In our panel, 31.1% of the sample lived in districts where riots or protests occurred. Exposure to protests increased overall perceptions of uncertainty about the future. Young men ever exposed to protests were slightly more likely to report good overall health, but experienced sizable worsening in mental health compared to young women ever exposed. Differences by own and family participation in protest events were found for perceptions of uncertainty and mental health. In the aftermath of the Arab Spring and other mass protest movements around the globe, these findings highlight the importance of examining the population-level impacts of different forms of political conflict, particularly as substantial numbers of youth in Middle East and North Africa and elsewhere progress to adulthood under conditions of political instability., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The current study tested in two online experiments whether manipulating normative beliefs about cancer screening uptake increases intention to attend colorectal screening among previously disinclined individuals., Methods: 2461 men and women from an Internet panel (Experiment 1 N = 1032; Experiment 2, N = 1423) who initially stated that they did not intend to take up screening were asked to guess how many men and women they believe to get screened for colorectal cancer. Across participants, we varied the presence/absence of feedback on the participant's estimate, as well as the stated proportion of men and women doing the screening test., Results: Across the two experiments, we found that receiving one of the experimental messages stating that uptake is higher than estimated significantly increased the proportion of disinclined men and women becoming intenders. While, we found a positive relationship between the communicated uptake and screening intentions, we did not find evidence that providing feedback on the estimate has an added benefit., Conclusion: Screening intention can be effectively manipulated through a high uptake message., Practice Implications: Communication of high screening uptake is an easy and effective way to motivate disinclined individuals to engage in colorectal cancer screening., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Studies have shown that presenting correct information about group norms to correct misperceptions of norms can influence health behaviours. In two online studies we investigated how different ways of communicating the current uptake of 43% of the English Bowel Scope Screening (BSS) programme affects intention among disinclined men and women., Methods: In the first study, 202 participants were asked to interpret eight quantifiers for 43% uptake ('few', 'many', 'a considerable number', 'a large number', 'a great number', 'a lot', 'numerous' and 'nearly half') and to indicate how misleading they perceived each of them to be. In the second study, with 1245 participants, we compared the motivational impact of two quantifiers ('a large number' and 'nearly half' which were associated with the highest perceived uptake (48.9%) and considered least misleading in study 1 respectively) with a control message that did not contain any information on uptake, and a message which communicated actual uptake as a proportion (43%)., Results: While we found that both verbal quantifiers increased screening intentions compared with the control group (from 7.8 to 12.5%, aOR 1.72; 95%CI 1.00-2.96 in the case of 'a large number' and 14.3%, aOR 2.02; 95%CI 1.20-3.38 for 'nearly half'), simply communicating that 43% do the test, however, had no impact on intentions (9.9% vs. 7.8% aOR 1.25; 95%CI 0.73-2.16)., Conclusion: Verbal quantifiers can be used to improve the perception of low uptake figures and avoid a demotivating effect.

Objective: While in the past cancer patients were advised to rest, recent research revealed various beneficial effects of physical activity, including increased treatment tolerability during cancer treatment and prolonged survival, which has led to a paradigm shift in relevant guidelines. This study examined if this paradigm shift from rest to activity has been consolidated in health care professionals' (HCP') attitude. It was investigated if the two dimensions of attitude (rest and activity) are endorsed empirically within the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Differences between physicians and nurses were examined., Methods: Five hundred forty seven physicians and 398 nurses treating breast, prostate, or colorectal cancer patients completed a cross-sectional questionnaire. To assess attitude toward physical activity during cancer treatment, we developed a 15-item scale, which included original statements of HCP. TPB variables were assessed., Results: A factor analysis revealed the proposed distinction of attitude into two dimensions. The activity-paradigm was stronger represented in HCP' attitude compared with rest-paradigm (M activity-paradigm  = 4.1 versus M rest-paradigm  = 2.7, p < 0.001). Additionally, the activity-paradigm had higher exploratory power in explaining intention to recommend physical activity in cancer patients. However, the rest-paradigm was able to explain intention to recommend physical activity over and above activity-paradigm (ΔR 2  = 0.05). Nurses had higher scores on the rest-paradigm than physicians., Conclusions: The activity-paradigm has already been consolidated in HCP' minds. However, the rest-paradigm is still present in the daily routine of oncology physicians and nurses. Addressing concerns and insecurities related to supporting cancer patients in maintaining or building up a physically active lifestyle is a very important educational task., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

This vignette based study aimed to examine recommendations of health care professionals (HCPs) in promoting self-management strategies to cancer patients. Nine-hundred-forty-two physicians and nurses were asked to (1) indicate if they would recommend self-management strategies to a vignette cancer patient, and (2) to specify those in an open format. Vignettes included a manipulation of patient age (60 vs. 75 years) and treatment phase (currently treated versus treatment completed). Six categories emerged through coding a total of 2303 recommendations: physical activity (71.8%), nutrition (64.3%), psychological support (36.7%), medical support (29.2%), conscious living (17.2%) and naturopathy (12.3%). While psychological support was particularly recommended during treatment, physical activity was more frequently recommended after completion of treatment. Results suggest that HCPs recommend a variety of self-management strategies besides standard medical treatment. Patient's treatment phase and age seem to partly influence recommendation behavior, potentially indicating insecurities regarding acute treatment situations and age-related stereotypes.

This study investigated conditions under which young men responded with reactance to the suggestion to reduce their alcohol consumption. In an experimental study, 84 young men (university students, mean age: 24 years) listened to a recorded telephone call and were asked to imagine that they themselves were the recipients of this call. In this call, either a girlfriend or a male friend suggested that the recipient of the call should reduce his alcohol intake that evening. In one condition, the suggestion was highly restrictive; in the other condition, the suggestion was framed in a nonrestrictive way. Perceived threat, negative thoughts, and feelings of anger after listening to the call were assessed. Further outcome variables were intention and perceived probability of complying with the suggestion. Participants felt more anger after hearing the highly restrictive suggestion and more threatened by the suggestion made by the girlfriend. Interaction effects emerged. Participants reported more negative thoughts and lower intention and perceived probability to comply when a highly restrictive suggestion was made by the girlfriend. The male friend's highly restrictive suggestion resulted in a perceived probability of complying (54%) that was similar to the probability of the girlfriend's nonrestrictive suggestion (55%). Women's efforts to reduce their male partners' alcohol consumption can result in boomerang effects. Male peers might be more effective in motivating other men to behave in a healthier way. These results support recent findings with regard to the potential of peer positive social control.

Purpose: Although many cancer patients benefit from physical activity (PA), healthcare professionals (HCP) still do not promote it routinely. Including different groups of HCP, this study aimed to examine how structural barriers are perceived as impeding by HCP for promoting PA to cancer patients, how the perceptions of structural barriers are associated with promoting PA, and how HCP react to information resources., Methods: A total of 287 physicians in outpatient care, 242 physicians in inpatient care, and 388 oncology nurses completed our questionnaire (paper-pencil or online). Participants assessed nine different structural barriers (on a 4-point Likert Scale) and reported their PA promotion frequency. Further, they could request three different kinds of information resources about PA in oncological settings., Results: Across professional groups, more than 70% of HCP indicated that they promoted PA to their cancer patients often or routinely. Oncology nurses indicated that they were more impeded in promoting PA by six structural barriers than physicians (all p < .01). "Not enough time per patient" and "lack of an expert contact person" were associated with a reduced PA promotion in two professional groups (all p < .05). Information resources were requested by 69.5% of the participants: mostly physicians working in outpatient care and especially by those perceiving structural barriers., Conclusions: Although a big proportion of HCP reported that they frequently promoted PA, our findings suggest that HCP still perceive structural barriers. The perception and influence of structural barriers differed between professional groups, pointing to the importance of profession specific guidance.

Objectives: The subcutaneous depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA-SC) injectable contraceptive was introduced in South West Nigeria in 2015 through private sector channels. The introduction included community-based distribution and was supported by a social marketing approach. From program monitoring and evaluation, aimed at understanding performance, market reach and other process measures, we identify lessons learned to inform future scale-up efforts., Methods: We synthesized the findings from a core set of key performance indicators collected through different methods: (1) implementer performance indicators, (2) phone survey of DMPA-SC users (n=541) with a follow-up after 3 months (n=342) and (3) in-depth interviews with 57 providers and 42 users of DMPA-SC., Results: Distribution of DMPA-SC to private providers was concentrated in states with large urban populations. A shift toward focusing on high-volume family planning facilities coincided with a rapid increase in distribution in late 2016. Users reached in the phone survey were generally older and married with children; few were under age 25. Users and providers reported favorable opinions of DMPA-SC. Many users reported choosing DMPA-SC due to recommendations from providers and friends, and the hope of experiencing reduced side effects compared to other methods. While users reported positive experiences interacting with community-based distributors, the delivery model encountered a number of challenges - high turnover, low motivation, lack of an appropriate compensation package and logistical costs - and was ultimately disbanded., Conclusions: In the DMPA-SC introductory program in Nigeria, distribution was amplified when focused on high-volume contraceptive providers. Although community-based distribution can be one effective service delivery model for reaching underserved populations, more consideration for balancing cost recovery and public health goals through private sector approaches are needed in the context of South West Nigeria. Additional communications and outreach efforts are needed to reach younger, unmarried users with contraceptive services., (Copyright © 2018 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Do lifestyle preferences contribute to the remaining gender gap in higher positions in academia with highly qualified women-especially those with children-deliberately working fewer hours than men do? We tested the "mothers work less" hypothesis in two samples of early career researchers employed at universities in Germany (N = 202) and in the US (N = 197). Early career researchers in the US worked on average 6.3 hours more per week than researchers in Germany. In Germany, female early career researchers with children had drastically reduced work hours (around 8 hours per week) compared to male researchers with children and compared to female researchers without children, whereas we found no such effect for U.S. researchers. In addition, we asked how long respondents would ideally want to work (ideal work hours), and results revealed similar effects for ideal work hours. Results support the "mothers work less" hypothesis for German but not for U.S. early career researchers., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Despite a large body of evidence showing that physical activity (PA) is beneficial to patients with cancer, healthcare professionals (HCPs) are promoting it too scarcely. Factors that hinder HCPs from promoting PA have remained understudied so far. Using a qualitative approach, this study aimed at a comprehensive description of influencing factors for HCPs' PA promotion behaviour and at identifying the reasons and mechanisms behind them. Semi-structured interviews with 30 HCPs were undertaken with a focus on concerns, patient characteristics and structural factors. Answers were analysed using thematic analysis. Results revealed that HCPs had concerns regarding a physical overexertion and psychological stress for patients with cancer. A patient's physical condition and the assumed interest in PA, often derived from former PA, turned out to be the most crucial patient characteristics influencing if PA is addressed. Structural factors relevant for PA promotion pertained to in-house structures, HCPs' workload, timing and coordination, information material for HCPs and patients and availability of exercise programs. In conclusion, this study revealed undetected concerns of HCPs and underlined the relevance of patient characteristics and structural conditions for HCPs' PA promotion towards patients with cancer. A broader perspective is needed to assess these factors in their influence on HCPs' PA promotion., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Introduction: Suggested medical contraindications for physical activity (PA) during cancer therapy might have an influence on PA recommendation behavior of Health Care Professionals (HCP). The purpose of the present study was to examine perceptions of physicians and oncology nurses (ON) toward specific medical conditions as contraindications for PA during cancer treatment., Materials and Methods: A total of 539 physicians and 386 ON were enrolled in this cross-sectional survey. HCP judged 13 medical conditions as to whether they are contraindications for PA during cancer treatment. Answering format was "no contraindication"/"potentially a contraindication"/"yes, a contraindication.", Results: χ 2 analyses revealed significant differences between general practitioners, specialized physicians, and ON in their perception of 10 medical conditions. Approximately half of the medical conditions were answered cautiously, showing high numbers on the response option potentially (36-72%). Moreover, physicians' ratings differed significantly depending on their practical experience with particular medical conditions. Those being familiar with a specific medical condition was more permissive to PA during treatment, with effect sizes (Cramer's V ) ranging from 0.13 to 0.27., Conclusion: Results indicate high cautiousness among HCP in judging medical conditions and their impact on PA during cancer treatment. However, group comparisons show that familiarity and clinical experience with potential contraindications facilitate a confident handling of safety issues, which at best leads to higher levels of PA recommendations during cancer treatment.

Context: Health care providers' biases regarding the provision of contraceptives to adolescent and young adult women may restrict women's access to contraceptive methods., Methods: Two mystery client visits were made to each of 52 private-sector health care facilities and individual providers in South West Nigeria in June 2016. In one visit, the mystery client portrayed an unmarried, nulliparous adolescent, and in the other, the client portrayed a married adult woman with two children. During subsequent in-depth interviews, providers were read vignettes describing hypothetical clients with these same profiles, and were asked how they would interact with each. Descriptive analyses of mystery client interactions were combined with thematic analyses of the interview data., Results: In greater proportions of married-profile visits than of unmarried-profile visits, mystery clients reported that providers had asked about past contraceptive use and method preference; the opposite was true in regard to providers' using side effects to dissuade clients from practicing contraception. In in-depth interviews, providers expressed concerns about fertility loss among unmarried women who used hormonal contraceptives. Providers more commonly recommended condoms, emergency contraception and the pill for unmarried clients, and longer-acting methods for married clients. The restriction of methods was typically explained by providers of various backgrounds in terms of protecting younger, unmarried clients from damaging their fertility., Conclusions: Provider bias in the provision of contraceptives to adolescent and young adult women in South West Nigeria may affect quality of care and method choice. Interventions to reduce provider bias should go beyond technical training to address the underlying sociocultural beliefs that lead providers to impose restrictions that are not based on evidence.

Background: Incorporating private healthcare providers into social health insurance schemes is an important means towards achieving universal health coverage in low and middle income countries. However, little research has been conducted about why private providers choose to participate in social health insurance systems in such contexts, or their experiences with these systems. We explored private providers' perceptions of and experiences with participation in two different social health insurance schemes in Sub-Saharan Africa-the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in Ghana and the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) in Kenya., Methods: In-depth interviews were held with providers working at 79 facilities of varying sizes in three regions of Kenya (N = 52) and three regions of Ghana (N = 27). Most providers were members of a social franchise network. Interviews covered providers' reasons for (non) enrollment in the health insurance system, their experiences with the accreditation process, and benefits and challenges with the system. Interviews were coded in Atlas.ti using an open coding approach and analyzed thematically., Results: Most providers in Ghana were NHIS-accredited and perceived accreditation to be essential to their businesses, despite challenges they encountered due to long delays in claims reimbursement. In Kenya, fewer than half of providers were NHIF-accredited and several said that their clientele were not NHIF enrolled. Understanding of how the NHIF functioned was generally low. The lengthy and cumbersome accreditation process also emerged as a major barrier to providers' participation in the NHIF in Kenya, but the NHIS accreditation process was not a major concern for providers in Ghana., Conclusions: In expanding social health insurance, coordinated efforts are needed to increase coverage rates among underserved populations while also accrediting the private providers who serve those populations. Market pressure was a key force driving providers to gain and maintain accreditation in both countries. Developing mechanisms to engage private providers as stakeholders in social health insurance schemes is important to incentivizing their participation and addressing their concerns.