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Flashbulb memories (FBMs) refer to vivid and long-lasting autobiographical memories for the circumstances in which people learned of a shocking and consequential public event. A cross-national study across eleven countries aimed to investigate FBM formation following the first COVID-19 case news in each country and test the effect of pandemic-related variables on FBM. Participants had detailed memories of the date and others present when they heard the news, and had partially detailed memories of the place, activity, and news source. China had the highest FBM specificity. All countries considered the COVID-19 emergency as highly significant at both the individual and global level. The Classification and Regression Tree Analysis revealed that FBM specificity might be influenced by participants' age, subjective severity (assessment of COVID-19 impact in each country and relative to others), residing in an area with stringent COVID-19 protection measures, and expecting the pandemic effects. Hierarchical regression models demonstrated that age and subjective severity negatively predicted FBM specificity, whereas sex, pandemic impact expectedness, and rehearsal showed positive associations in the total sample. Subjective severity negatively affected FBM specificity in Turkey, whereas pandemic impact expectedness positively influenced FBM specificity in China and negatively in Denmark. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:The European Disability Strategy (2010–2020) seeks to significantly raise the proportion of people with disabilities working in the open labour market. The ERGO WORK project is a collaboration of academic and industrial partners in six European countries, focused on understanding and tackling barriers to workplace inclusion for workers with disabilities. Methods:This study sought to explore the perceptions and needs of stakeholders in terms of workplace adaptation to the needs of employees with disabilities. An exploratory online survey was completed by 480 participants across six countries. Results:The analysis suggests that workplaces could be further improved to meet the needs of employees with considerable scope for training within companies to raise awareness about employees’ needs, employers’ obligations and workplace adaptation. Conclusions:This snapshot suggests there is still a gap between intent and reality in workplace inclusion and further strategies are needed to improve the opportunities for employees with disabilities. The paper argues that ergonomics may have a key role to play in tackling these challenges and adapting the workplace environment and job design to suit the needs of individual employees.Implications for rehabilitationThis study suggests there is considerable scope for workplace adaptation and improvements to meet the needs of employees with disabilities.Employers need and want further specialist practitioner guidance to facilitate workplace inclusion and support adaptation to individual needs.Organisations would benefit from training to raise awareness about potential solutions and approaches that would support more widespread employment of people with disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background:Alcohol is one of the least intervened risk factors in the management of hypertension at the primary care level. In order to improve alcohol interventions, a better understanding of knowledge, attitudes and clinical practice of lifestyle interventions in the management of hypertension is needed. Method:As a part of a European study (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, UK), 211 German general practitioners (GPs) were recruited in Bavaria and Hamburg and surveyed via an Internet-based questionnaire. Results were compared with the European sample (n = 2870). Results:One-third of the patients seen by German GPs had hypertension (36.2%, standard deviation (SD): 14.6) and among cases with hypertension, less than half were ever screened for alcohol (4.5 out of 10 patients). The foremost reasons for not screening for alcohol were that alcohol was not considered a major risk factor for hypertension plus the lack of knowledge of appropriate alcohol screening instruments. The majority of German GPs managed patients with hazardous drinking levels themselves or in their practice (71.3%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 64.6–77.2%), but only 42.0% (95% CI: 35.2–49.0%) managed alcohol dependent patients. German screening rates were slightly lower but interventions of screened positive patients higher than the European average. Conclusions:Rates of alcohol screening in patients with hypertension in primary health care may be increased by improving GPs knowledge of alcohol as a major risk factor for hypertension, increasing GPs education on alcohol and screening instruments, and providing reimbursement. This may increase treatment of alcohol problems in patients with hypertension and reduce hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]