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Simple Summary: Oral cancer affects the mouth and throat areas. It is a major cause of death for older people in developed countries. This review looked at how living in rural areas influences oral cancer trends in these countries. The studies from these countries showed increasing rates of oral cancer in rural areas of the US, Australia, Canada, and Europe. Older people are more affected by these cancers than younger groups. The main risk factors are tobacco use, alcohol consumption, and HPV infections. People in rural areas often do not know much about HPV-related cancers. They also tend to use more tobacco and alcohol than city dwellers. Even in developed countries, living in rural areas can lead to shorter lifespans for oral cancer patients. This is mainly because it is harder for them to access specialized cancer treatment centres and advanced medical care. In summary, where people live can significantly impact their chances of surviving oral cancer, even in wealthy nations. Oral cancer is the general term used to describe cancers of the oral cavity and oropharyngeal region. These cancers are one of the leading causes of death in elderly residents within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries in the 21st century. This scoping review was carried out to assess the influence of rurality on oral cancer trends and patterns among OECD member countries. Four online databases (Medline, PubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL) were searched for studies that reported on oral cancer trends in rural and remote areas in OECD member countries. A total of 1143 articles were obtained initially; among them, 995 papers were screened to include 18 articles for this scoping review. Studies have reported increasing incidence and prevalence in the United States, Australia, Canada, and European countries wherein risk factors such as tobacco, alcohol, and human papilloma virus (HPV) infections were associated with oral and oropharyngeal cancers. Awareness among people living in rural areas about HPV-related cancers was very low, while rates of tobacco and alcohol abuse were noted to be rising more rapidly than among their urban counterparts. Furthermore, the ageing population was most affected compared to the younger age groups of people with oral and oropharyngeal cancer that are prevalent in these regions. Overall, despite living in developed countries, rurality was noted to be a significant factor in the lower life expectancy of oral cancer patients, mainly due to the limited accessibility to tertiary cancer care centres and advanced medical care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary: What Is Known on the Subject?: Economic and educational opportunities are usually the principal driving forces for migration.There is a large body of quantitative research studies, mainly from the U.K., supporting the high prevalence of psychiatric disorders, mainly psychotic disorders, in Afro‐Caribbean immigrants which increases across generations.The process of migration and acculturation can present significant risk factors for psychiatric disorders in immigrants.Research involving members of the Black community is generally conducted with the perception that Blacks are a homogenous group, ignoring the cultural and ethnic differences among the subgroups. What the Paper Adds to Existing Knowledge?: It provides a broadened understanding of the experiences, thoughts and feelings of Afro‐Caribbean immigrants, and the factors within the processes of migration and acculturation that negatively impacts their mental health.It provides context to the volume of quantitative studies indicating a high prevalence of psychiatric disorders, particularly psychotic disorders, in Afro‐Caribbean immigrants and their offspring. What Are the Implications for Practice?: Nurses conducting mental health evaluations and assessments for members of the Black community should be culturally competent. Cultural competence entails an understanding of cultural beliefs, race, ethnicity and values. Additionally, knowledge of the effects of migration and acculturation as mental health risks is also important to improve mental health outcomes.Cultural competence will help reduce health disparities by increasing trust in the health care system and providers, not only for Afro‐Caribbean immigrants, but all immigrant groups. Introduction: There is evidence to support migration as a significant risk factor for psychiatric disorders in immigrants. Unfortunately, as an immigrant group, little is known about the mental health of Afro‐Caribbean immigrants and the factors that threaten their mental health. Aim: To explore the perceived effects of migration on the mental health of Afro‐Caribbean immigrants. Methods: A qualitative narrative synthesis was employed to interpretively integrate 13 primary qualitative research findings. Eleven of the primary studies were conducted in the U.K., one in the U.S. and one in Canada. Results: The themes gleaned: (1) experiences of racism, (2) generational conflicts, (3) feelings of powerlessness, (4) limited socioeconomic resources, (5) unfulfilled expectations, (6) fragmented family and community and (7) ignoring cultural/ethnic identity. Discussion: The findings broadened the understanding and experiences of Afro‐Caribbean immigrants and their mental health vulnerabilities as they navigate through migration and acculturation. Implications for Practice: Addressing the mental health of Afro‐Caribbeans will require health care providers to: (1) be cognizant of their immigrant status; (2) understand how migration and acculturation influence the mental health of immigrants; (3) be aware of the ethnocultural differences among Black subgroups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This scoping review explores the professional literature in allied healthcare to determine which self-assessments of mentor skills are the most valid and reliable for use in occupational therapy doctoral capstone programs. The aims of this scoping review include mapping evidence related to mentor assessments in healthcare, exploring implications for occupational therapy doctoral mentor training programs, and identifying common characteristics of mentor self-assessments for occupational therapy programs to consider when developing capstone mentoring resources. Researchers applied and reported via PRISMA Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). A librarian and authors formulated keywords and database selections to search PubMed/MEDLINE/PMC, and Embase were searched from across healthcare professions for training outcomes, mentor self-assessment, mentor attributes, and use of researcher-developed assessments. The search was limited to English publications from the last 20 years. Data were extracted for quantitative information regarding study characteristics and qualitative information about mentoring skills. A total of 852 results were delivered across all databases. Nineteen papers met the final eligibility criteria and were included in the data extraction. Populations were included from several healthcare professions, including 11 nursing, four healthcare researchers, one pharmacy, one midwifery, one medicine, and one medical dietetics. Countries included the United States (n = 7), Finland (n = 5), United Kingdom (n = 4), Japan (n = 1), South Africa (n = 1) and Canada (n = 1). The authors identified four valid self-assessment tools, demonstrating III and IV levels of evidence, that may be implemented by occupational therapy programs as they develop resources for mentor programs. Occupational therapy programs can use the mentor attributes found in this scoping review to create their own mentor assessment measures or may choose to use a validated tool. The authors recommend additional research in mentor education and mentor skill acquisition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: The liberalization of cannabis policies has the potential to affect the use of other substances and the harms from using them, particularly alcohol. Although a previous review of this literature found conflicting results regarding the relationship between cannabis policy and alcohol-related outcomes, cannabis policies have continued to evolve rapidly in the years since that review. SEARCH METHODS: The authors conducted a narrative review of studies published between January 1, 2015, and December 31, 2020, that assessed the effects of cannabis policies on the use of alcohol in the United States or Canada. SEARCH RESULTS: The initial search identified 3,446 unique monographs. Of these, 23 met all inclusion criteria and were included in the review, and five captured simultaneous or concurrent use of alcohol and cannabis. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Associations between cannabis policy liberalization and alcohol use, alcohol-related outcomes, and the co-use of alcohol and cannabis were inconclusive, with studies finding positive associations, no associations, and negative associations. Although several studies found that cannabis policy liberalization was associated with decreases in alcohol use measures, these same studies showed no impact of the cannabis policy on cannabis use itself. The lack of a consistent association was robust to subject age, outcome measure (e.g., use, medical utilization, driving), and type of cannabis policy; however, this may be due to the small number of studies for each type of outcome. This paper discusses several notable limitations of the evidence base and offers suggestions for improving consistency and comparability of research going forward, including a stronger classification of cannabis policy, inclusion of measures of the alcohol policy environment, verification of the impact of cannabis policy on cannabis use, and consideration of mediation effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Thematic arts have been integrated throughout various undergraduate medical education programs to improve students' clinical skills, knowledge, and behaviours to train clinically competent physicians. Applied theatre and drama use theatrical performances and exercises respectively to guide education. Several medical schools across Canada and the United States have incorporated applied theatre and drama within their curriculums, but there is currently no compilation of these initiatives. Methods: Using Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework for scoping reviews, the two authors searched journal databases for articles pertaining to theatre or drama activities being used in undergraduate medical education in Canada and the United States. Search terms revolved around applied theatre and undergraduate medical education. Twenty articles were read in full, 14 were included in this review. The articles were subjected to content analysis to understand how the studies connected with the CanMEDS framework, allowing to understand the impacts and merits of applied theatre and drama in undergraduate medical education. Results: Content analyses generated three categories for how theatre and drama can help medical faculties improve their students' communication skills, integrate creative medical learning, and aid professional development. These three categories touched upon all seven aspects of the CanMEDS framework, indicating the value of drama being included in the current framework for medical education. Conclusion: This scoping review illustrates the intersections between thematic arts and undergraduate medical education by highlighting how applied theatre or drama activities connect to the entire Can-MEDS framework. This review informs current theatre and drama initiatives led by medical faculty aiming to develop their undergraduate medical curricula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Midlife, beginning at 40 years and extending to 65 years, a range that encompasses the late reproductive to late menopausal stages, is a unique time in women's lives, when hormonal and physical changes are often accompanied by psychological and social evolution. Access to sexual health and sexual well-being (SHSW) services, which include the prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections, contraception and the support of sexual function, pleasure and safety, is important for the health of midlife women, their relationships and community cohesion. The objective was to use the socio-ecological model to synthesise the barriers and enablers to SHSW services for midlife women in high-income countries. A systematic review of the enablers and barriers to women (including trans-gender and non-binary people) aged 40–65 years accessing SHSW services in high-income countries was undertaken. Four databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science and Google Scholar) were searched for peer-reviewed publications. Findings were thematically extracted and reported in a narrative synthesis. Eighty-one studies were included; a minority specifically set out to study SHSW care for midlife women. The key barriers that emerged were the intersecting disadvantage of under-served groups, poor knowledge, about SHSW, and SHSW services, among women and their healthcare professionals (HCPs), and the over-arching effect of stigma, social connections and psychological factors on access to care. Enablers included intergenerational learning, interdisciplinary and one-stop women-only services, integration of SHSW into other services, peer support programmes, representation of minoritised midlife women working in SHSW, local and free facilities and financial incentives to access services for under-served groups. Efforts are needed to enhance education about SHSW and related services among midlife women and their healthcare providers. This increased education should be leveraged to improve research, public health messaging, interventions, policy development and access to comprehensive services, especially for midlife women from underserved groups. Plain language summary: Sexual health and sexual wellbeing services for midlife women in high income countries Midlife, beginning at 40 years and extending to 65 years, a range that encompasses the late reproductive to late menopausal stages, is a unique time in women's lives. Access to Sexual Health and Sexual Wellbeing (SHSW) services, which include the prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections, contraception and the support of sexual function, pleasure and safety, is important for the health of midlife women, their relationships and community cohesion. The objective of this systematic review was to use the socio-ecological model to synthesise the barriers and enablers to SHSW services for midlife women in high income countries. Eighty-one studies were included; a minority specifically set out to study SHSW care for midlife women. The key barriers that emerged were the intersecting disadvantage of under-served groups, poor knowledge, about SHSW, and SHSW services, among women and their HealthCare Professionals (HCPs), and the over-arching effect of stigma, social connections, and psychological factors on access to care. Enablers included intergenerational learning, interdisciplinary and one-stop women-only services, integration of SHSW into other services, peer support programmes, representation of minoritised midlife women working in SHSW, local and free facilities, and financial incentives for under-served groups to access services. The appetite for education about SHSW and SHSW services among midlife women and their HCPs should be capitalised upon, and utilised to improve research, public health messaging, interventions and access to holistic services, particularly for midlife women from under-served groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Youth mental health is a growing concern in research, practice, and policy. Practice standards, guidelines, or strategies provide an invisible infrastructure that fosters equity, quality, and safety, potentially addressing inconsistencies and more effectively attending to the mental wellness of Black youth as a particular population of concern. This scoping review aimed to address the following question: What standards exist for the delivery of mental health services to Black youth in community, primary care, and educational settings? Due to a limited initial search yield on publications about standards for the delivery of mental health services for Black youth population, our goal was then to identify and map mental health standards, recommendations, or guidelines for the delivery of mental health services using the same settings to all youth. Methods: Searches were conducted in various databases, including PubMed/MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, SocINDEX, CINAHL, Gender Studies Database, Social Services Abstracts, Sociological Abstracts, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Screening was independently conducted by two reviewers, with disagreements resolved by a third. Information extraction was performed by two independent reviewers. Results: Out of the 2,701 screened publications, 54 were included in this scoping review. Among them, 38.9% were published between 2020 and 2023, with 40.7% originating from the United States of America, 20.4% from the United Kingdom, and 13% from Canada. Concerning the settings, 25.9% of the publications focused on primary care, 24.1% on health care services, 20.4% on educational settings, and 3.7% on the community. Additionally, 25.9% were classified as general because recommendations were applicable to various settings. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (11.1%) was the most frequently considered specific condition, followed by autism spectrum disorder (9.3%) and depression (9.3%). However, 31.5% of the included references addressed mental health in general. Only three references provided specific recommendations for the Black population. Conclusions: Recommendations, guidelines, or standards for Black youth mental health services in community, primary care, or educational settings are scarce and limited to North American countries. This scoping review emphasizes the need to consider ethnicity when developing guidelines or standards to improve racial equity and reduce disparities in access to mental health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bullying is generally defined as a behaviour that occurs when an individual (perpetrator) acts with the intention to harm or intimidate another individual (target). Much of the research in this field has focused on the impact of bullying on the vulnerable populations: children and adolescents, and there is an overall scarcity in discussing adult bullying. The literature supports the existence of characteristic differences between targets and perpetrators as perpetrators usually lack self-awareness and empathy skills, while targets are typically avoidant and submissive. In the workplace, the relationship between perpetrators and targets often involves a form of power imbalance, with perpetrators holding higher positions. Research has shown that up to 30% of American workers have been bullied in the workplace (Lutgen-Sandivk et al., 2007), with one third of healthcare workers experiencing at least 2 incidents of bullying weekly (Chipps et al., 2013). More than 75% of Canadian medical residents have reported being bullied (Vogel, 2018), and 83% of medical students have experienced at least one incident of bullying or mistreatment (Cook et al., 2014). Such bullying incidents have a significant biopsychosocial burden on victims and can negatively compromise their mental, physical, and social health, and create a pernicious work environment. Some consequences that have been associated with adult bullying include mood and anxiety disorders, suicidal ideation, somatic disorders, and decreased job performance. In the medical field, all such consequences could translate to a direct impact on patient care. Therefore, discussing and addressing adult bullying becomes a necessity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Racism in the healthcare system has become a burgeoning focus in health policy-making and research. Existing research has shown both interpersonal and structural forms of racism limiting access to quality healthcare for racialised healthcare users. Nevertheless, little is known about the specifics of racism in the inpatient sector, specifically hospitals and rehabilitation facilities. The aim of this scoping review is therefore to map the evidence on racial discrimination experienced by people receiving treatment in inpatient settings (hospitals and rehabilitation facilities) or their caregivers in high-income countries, focusing specifically on whether intersectional axes of discrimination have been taken into account when describing these experiences. Methods: Based on the conceptual framework developed by Arksey and O'Malley, this scoping review surveyed existing research on racism and racial discrimination in inpatient care in high-income countries published between 2013 and 2023. The software Rayyan was used to support the screening process while MAXQDA was used for thematic coding. Results: Forty-seven articles were included in this review. Specifics of the inpatient sector included different hospitalisation, admission and referral rates within and across hospitals; the threat of racial discrimination from other healthcare users; and the spatial segregation of healthcare users according to ethnic, religious or racialised criteria. While most articles described some interactions between race and other social categories in the sample composition, the framework of intersectionality was rarely considered explicitly during analysis. Discussion: While the USA continue to predominate in discussions, other high-income countries including Canada, Australia and the UK also examine racism in their own healthcare systems. Absent from the literature are studies from a wider range of European countries as well as of racialised and disadvantaged groups other than refugees or recent immigrants. Research in this area would also benefit from an engagement with approaches to intersectionality in public health to produce a more nuanced understanding of the interactions of racism with other axes of discrimination. As inpatient care exhibits a range of specific structures, future research and policy-making ought to consider these specifics to develop targeted interventions, including training for non-clinical staff and robust, transparent and accessible complaint procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The System of Observing Play and Leisure Activity in Youth (SOPLAY) has assisted in providing valid and reliable data of youth physical activity and characteristics specific to environmental contexts. The review aimed to examine empirical research that employed the SOPLAY instrument to measure physical activity in leisure‐based activity environments in North American countries. Methods: The review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses. A systematic search was conducted with an exhaustive process using 10 electronic databases to locate peer‐reviewed studies implementing SOPLAY that were published between 2000 and 2021. Results: A total of 60 studies were included in the review. Most studies (n = 35) reported physical activity findings related to contextual characteristics measured using SOPLAY. Interestingly, a few of the studies (n = 8) found the provision of equipment and supervision, particularly adult supervision, significantly increased child physical activity observed. Conclusions: This review provides information relative to the group‐level physical activity observed across multiple contexts (ie, playgrounds, parks, recreation centers) using a validated direct observation instrument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epidemiological evidence suggests that regular physical activity (PA) positively impacts individuals' mental health (MH). The PA-MH relationship may be critical among immigrants owing to psycho-social-cultural influences. This scoping review of 61 studies employed a holistic bio-psycho-socio-cultural framework to thoroughly investigate the complex relationship between PA (across life domains) and immigrants' MH in Western countries. A systematic search of five electronic databases (Medline, PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO and Anthropology Plus) was conducted to locate relevant articles. No limitations were applied to study design, age, gender, home country, MH condition or PA type. A bio-psycho-socio-cultural-informed conceptual model guided the analysis of the multi-domain PA-MH relationship. Immigrant PA-MH studies were conducted and reported most commonly in the USA (38%), Australia (18%), and Canada (11%). Overall, PA was positively related to MH. Each domain-specific PA appeared to be associated with unique MH-promoting pathways/mechanisms. Leisure-related PA may support MH by enhancing self-agency and minimizing risky behaviors, whilst travel- and domestic-related PA may promote self-accomplishment and physical engagement. Ethnic sports appeared to enhance resilience. Occupational-related PA was associated with either positive or negative MH, depending on the type of occupation. A bio-psycho-socio-cultural-informed model is required to gain an encompassing and integrated understanding of immigrants' health. The first iteration of such a model is presented here, along with an illustration of how the model may be used to deepen analysis and understanding of the multi-domain PA-MH relationship among immigrants and inform public health planners and practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Successful completion of clinical education experiences is a graduation requirement for students in occupational therapy and physical therapy programmes. A scoping review was conducted to determine what is known about possible clinical experience performance predictors and to find associated research gaps. Methods: The search included one hand‐searched journal and seven databases, which were used to identify related relevant studies: CINAHL, Education Database, Education Source, Education Resources Information Center (ERIC), PubMed, REHABDATA, and Web of Science. A research librarian guided the search process, and the review's reporting is structured by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta‐Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA‐ScR) Checklist. Studies were included if they contained predictors of clinical experience success indicated by validated performance evaluation tools that were scored by clinical instructors. A multidisciplinary team reviewed the title, abstract, and full text for inclusion and conducted thematic data synthesis to categorise findings. Findings: Twenty‐six articles met the inclusion criteria. The majority of articles were of correlational design and included single institutions. Seventeen articles included occupational therapy, eight included physical therapy, with only one article including both programmes. Four categories of predictors of clinical experience success were identified: pre‐admission variables, academic preparation, learner characteristics, and demographics. Each of the main categories included three to six subcategories. Key findings included the following: (a) The most common cited predictors in clinical experiences are academic preparation and learner characteristics, (b) more experimental design studies are needed to determine the causal relationship between predictors and clinical experience success, and (c) future research is needed on ethnic disparities and clinical experience success. Conclusion: Findings from this review show that possible predictors of clinical experience success include a wide range of factors when correlating success with a standardised tool. Academic preparation and learner characteristics were the most investigated predictors. There were only a small number of studies that found a correlation with pre‐admission variables. The findings of this study suggest that students' academic achievement may be a critical element of clinical experience preparation. Future research using experimental designs and across institutions is needed to determine the main predictors for student success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This integrative review aimed to understand the impact of nursing on the health outcomes of people with opioid use disorder (OUD). Methods: Whittemore and Knafl's (2005) integrative review methodology guided the review process. The authors searched PubMed, the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), and OVID databases for peer‐reviewed, English language articles describing nursing care for people receiving medications for OUD. The literature search followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Results: A total of 773 articles were identified through the database searches after duplicates were removed; 15 articles met inclusion criteria and were included in the final review from the United States, Canada, Ireland, England, and the Netherlands. Two themes emerged: (1) The effect of nurse‐led care on patient outcomes and (2) Nursing roles and the environment of care. Studies emphasized the aspects of nursing care that promote patient‐centeredness and patient satisfaction. Conclusions: The importance of the registered nurse in providing quality care for people receiving medications for OUD is clear from the literature reviewed. The studies in the review highlighted important aspects of the registered nurses' role in affecting outcomes for people receiving medications for OUD including communication and care coordination. Clinical relevance: This review highlights the need for role delineation and further development of nurse‐sensitive indicators in the OUD treatment setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: People who use drugs with life-limiting illnesses experience substantial barriers to accessing palliative care. Demand for palliative care is expected to increase during communicable disease epidemics and pandemics. Understanding how epidemics and pandemics affect palliative care for people who use drugs is important from a service delivery perspective and for reducing population health inequities. Aim: To explore what is known about communicable disease epidemics and pandemics, palliative care, and people who use drugs. Design: Scoping review. Data sources: We searched six bibliographic databases from inception to April 2021 as well as the grey literature. We included English and French records about palliative care access, programs, and policies and guidelines for people ⩾18 years old who use drugs during communicable disease epidemics and pandemics. Results: Forty-four articles were included in our analysis. We identified limited knowledge about palliative care for people who use drugs during epidemics and pandemics other than HIV/AIDS. Through our thematic synthesis of the records, we generated the following themes: enablers and barriers to access, organizational barriers, structural inequity, access to opioids and other psychoactive substances, and stigma. Conclusions: Our findings underscore the need for further research about how best to provide palliative care for people who use drugs during epidemics and pandemics. We suggest four ways that health systems can be better prepared to help alleviate the structural barriers that limit access as well as support the provision of high-quality palliative care during future epidemics and pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cultural background influences how migrants and ethnic minority populations view and assess health. Poor oral health literacy (OHL) may be a hindrance in achieving good oral health. This systematic review summarizes the current quantitative evidence regarding OHL of migrants and ethnic minority populations. The PubMed database was searched for original quantitative studies that explore OHL as a holistic multidimensional construct or at least one of its subdimensions in migrants and ethnic minority populations. 34 publications were selected. Only 2 studies specifically addressed OHL in migrant populations. Generally, participants without migration background had higher OHL than migrant and ethnic minority populations. The latter showed lower dental service utilization, negative oral health beliefs, negative oral health behavior, and low levels of oral health knowledge. Due to its potential influence on OHL, oral health promoting behavior, attitudes, capabilities, and beliefs as well as the cultural and ethnic background of persons should be considered in medical education and oral health prevention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is minimal research about the military-to-civilian transition (MCT) from the perspective of the family. The goal of this scoping review was to identify what is known about military families across the Five Eyes Nations (FVEY) (Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States) during this phase as well as identify gaps in the evidence base. Scoping review methods were employed with a narrative review process to conceptualize and organize results. The initial search returned 2,219 sources. From these, 27 sources about military family experiences during MCT were identified. Overall, there was limited research on this topic with the majority of sources being from gray literature. A contributing factor to this lack of literature could be the conflation of the MCT with other military transitions (i.e. deployments). Sources highlighted four major themes that influenced identified needs and current services for military families during MCT: (1) mental health; (2) barriers to care; (3) financial needs; and (4) targeted transition support. The limited literature documents promising family skills-based interventions during MCT. However, there is a need for more empirical research on existing family-based interventions and experiences and needs of the family as a unit during MCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has produced massive procedural backlogs in many parts of the developed world, with a disproportionate impact on the elderly. Whereas it is well-known that such a backlog would cause undue morbidity and mortality in thousands of patients, it is still unclear how jurisdictions plan on catching up on their missed surgeries and screening tests. In this comparative review therefore, we examine existing literature to quantify the backlog and thereafter summarize the solutions that have been proposed to clear it. Searches were performed on Google, Google Scholar, PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE®, and Ovid Embase® to identify literature from Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America. We report our findings with a focus on three representative types of procedures including cataract surgery, colorectal screening, and hip and knee replacement surgery. Common themes of potential solutions included leveraging more advanced technology, ensuring preventative care, training an appropriate allied health workforce, and innovating in the operating room to improve efficiency and surgical capacity. Although no single solution emerges to be universally applicable, a combination of proposed solutions can be considered after an individualized assessment of the hospital or clinic context, the type of surgery required, and the availability of equipment, facility, and staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herpes zoster (HZ) is a neurocutaneous disease that causes significant morbidity worldwide. The disease is caused by the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV), which leads to the development of a painful, vesicular rash and can cause complications such as post-herpetic neuralgia and vision loss. Globally, the incidence of HZ is increasing, and it incurs billions in cost annually to the healthcare system and to society through loss of productivity. With the advent of effective vaccines such as the live attenuated vaccine, Zostavax®, in 2006, and more recently the adjuvant recombinant subunit vaccine, Shingrix®, in 2017, HZ has become a preventable disease. However, access to the vaccines remains mostly limited to countries with developed economies, such as the United States and Canada. Even among countries with developed economies that license the vaccine, few have implemented HZ vaccination into their national immunization schedules due to cost-effectiveness considerations. In this review, we discuss the currently available HZ vaccines, landscape of HZ vaccine guidelines, and economic burden of disease in countries with developed and developing economies, as well as barriers and considerations in HZ vaccine access on a global scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]