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This empirical research paper conducts a comparative analysis of the recovery strategies implemented and their significance on countries with different economic affluence such as the US and Brazil, during the Great Depression. The most significant measures included the New Deal for the US and coffee valorization for Brazil. This study focuses on examining the recovery strategies adopted by these countries and comparing them which is scarce. The hypothesis for this research is: "The more affluent country (US) has more effective recovery strategies than the less affluent country (Brazil)." By shedding light on the differing experiences of 'rich' and 'poor' nations during the Great Depression, this research provides valuable insights into the challenges faced by countries with varying economic statuses. Prior research papers and Figures were used to calculate the rise in GDP of both countries during the 1929-1939 period, which resulted in Brazil having a 44% increase in GDP and the US 40%, proving the hypothesis incorrect. However, this can be attributed to the importance of tailored recovery approaches based on a nation's development level and specific circumstances exhibiting Brazil's massive economic success. However, The US's more general strategies might have broader applicability than Brazil's specific measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE Consent processes are critical for clinical care and research and may benefit from incorporating digital strategies. We compared an electronic informed consent (eIC) option to paper consent across four outcomes: (1) technology burden, (2) protocol comprehension, (3) participant agency (ability to self-advocate), and (4) completion of required document fields. METHODS We assessed participant experience with eIC processes compared with traditional paper-based consenting using surveys and compared completeness of required fields, over 3 years (2019-2021). Participants who consented to a clinical trial at a large academic cancer center via paper or eIC were invited to either pre-COVID-19 pandemic survey 1 (technology burden) or intrapandemic survey 2 (comprehension and agency). Consent document completeness was assessed via electronic health records. RESULTS On survey 1, 83% of participants (n = 777) indicated eIC was easy or very easy to use; discomfort with technology overall was not correlated with discomfort using eIC. For survey 2, eIC (n = 262) and paper consenters (n = 193) had similar comprehension scores. All participants responded favorably to at least five of six agency statements; however, eIC generated a higher proportion of positive free-text comments (P < .05), with themes such as thoroughness of the discussion and consenter professionalism. eIC use yielded no completeness errors across 235 consents versus 6.4% for paper (P < .001). CONCLUSION Our findings suggest that eIC when compared with paper (1) did not increase technology burden, (2) supported comparable comprehension, (3) upheld key elements of participant agency, and (4) increased completion of mandatory consent fields. The results support a broader call for organizations to offer eIC for clinical research discussions to enhance the overall participant experience and increase the completeness of the consent process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) monitors priority health-risk behaviors among US high school students. To better understand the ramifications of changing the YRBSS from paper-and-pencil to Web administration, in 2008 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducted a study comparing these two modes of administration. Eighty-five schools in 15 states agreed to participate in the study. Within each participating school, four classrooms of students in grades 9 or 10 were randomly assigned to complete the Youth Risk Behavior Survey questionnaire in one of four conditions (in-class paper-and-pencil, in-class Web without programmed skip patterns, in-class Web with programmed skip patterns, and “on your own” Web without programmed skip patterns). Findings included less missing data for the paper-and-pencil condition (1.5% vs. 5.3%, 4.4%, 6.4%; p <.001), less perceived privacy and anonymity among respondents for the in-class Web conditions, and a lower response rate for the “on your own” Web condition than for in-class administration by either mode (28.0% vs. 91.2%, 90.1%, 91.4%; p <.001). Although Web administration might be useful for some surveys, these findings do not favor the use of a Web survey for the YRBSS. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of global patent trends in battery recycling, focusing on secondary batteries and related technologies across Korea, China, and the United States. The methodology involved collecting data from various patent databases, followed by quantitative analysis to identify technology trends and guide future development. The research employed statistical tools to analyze patent activities, including the frequency and scope of patent filings, and comparative analysis to highlight differences between countries. This study reveals distinct emphases on technologies such as lithium-ion and waste battery recycling, highlighting notable differences in patent activities among key companies and countries. China's large number of patents in battery manufacturing processes contrasts with the USA's focus on electrochemical cell construction and storage systems, while Korea shows significant activity in waste battery technology. The novelty of this paper lies in its detailed comparative analysis of patent trends across these three major economies, providing insights into the technological focuses and priorities of each country. The study also identifies key challenges, such as the need for consistent innovation and broader geographic coverage in Korea, enhancing patent influence and international presence in China, and ensuring high patent quality and fostering innovation in lagging sectors in the United States. Addressing these challenges through enhanced collaboration, increased R&D investments, and supportive policies is crucial for strengthening the global position and driving further innovation in the battery recycling sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The improper arrest or detention of individuals represents a critical human rights concern with far-reaching implications for the rule of law, justice, and social harmony. This research paper addresses a vital and important topic, which is the reasons for the ineffectiveness of legislative measures in reducing the occurrence of illegal arrests. This paper undertakes a comprehensive comparative analysis of the legal systems in some of the United States and Kuwait states, focusing on the sanctions employed to deter and redress improper arrests and detentions. It became clear from this study that common and similar reasons between the two systems would prevent the effectiveness of legislative measures (criminal, functional, and the rule of excluding evidence resulting from the illegal procedure) from achieving its goal. This study concluded that the reasons for legislative measures not achieving their goals are of a different nature, including the lack of sincere desire to implement these measures by the relevant agencies, as well as the difficulty of implementing some of these measures in practice. Finally, this study recommended the need for a legislative, judicial, and executive review of these measures and the need to adopt means to monitor the effectiveness of these measures and the mechanism for their effective implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic significantly changed the prenatal care experience, specifically regarding medical appointments and social opportunities. It is critical to capture this change through the narratives of pregnant people, particularly those of marginalized populations, whose voices may often be underrepresented in the literature. This mixed-methods paper summarizes the experiences of 40 pregnant Black/African American (AA) women during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional, online survey was administered between 2020 and 2021 to assess prenatal health and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients' pregnancy experience. Coping behaviors during the pandemic were self-reported using the COPE-IS. Univariate analyses were conducted. An additional analysis of participants (n = 4) was explored through a week-long qualitative exercise using a photo documentation procedure. Photo-Elicitation Interviews (PEI) were conducted to capture and center their pandemic pregnancy experiences. Sources of stress during the pandemic varied, with the most common being financial concerns (n = 19, 47.5%). Over half of the sample (n = 18, 54.5%) self-reported increases in their positive coping behaviors during the pandemic, such as communicating with friends and family, talking to healthcare providers, listening to music, and engaging in spiritual practices–such as prayer. The four PEI study participants reflected on the impacts of social distancing on their prenatal experience and mentioned hospital and provider-related weariness due to their race. The findings of this study suggest that during the COVID-19 pandemic, Black/AA pregnant women in Charlotte, NC used social support, mindfulness practices, self-advocacy, and health literacy to navigate challenges present during their prenatal health experience. This paper highlights the personal, social, and structural experiences of pregnant women during a public health crisis so that responsive and effective programs or policies can be planned in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Decision makers in adult social care are increasingly interested in using evidence from research to support or shape their decisions. The scope and nature of the current landscape of adult social care research (ASCR) need to be better understood. This paper provides a bibliometric assessment of ASCR outputs from 1996 to 2011. ASCR papers were retrieved using three strategies: from key journals; using keywords and noun phrases; and from additional papers preferentially citing or being cited by other ASCR papers. Overall, 195,829 ASCR papers were identified in the bibliographic database Scopus, of which 16 per cent involved at least one author from the UK. The UK output increased 2.45-fold between 1996 and 2011. Among selected countries, those with greater research intensity in ASCR generally had higher citation impact, such as the USA, UK, Canada and the Netherlands. The top five UK institutions in terms of volume of papers in the UK accounted for 26 per cent of total output. We conclude by noting the limitations to bibliometric analysis of ASCR and examine how such analysis can support the strategic development of the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 2012, twenty-four states have legalized adult-use recreational cannabis. To varying degrees, state laws allow for the production, distribution, retail sale, and on-site consumption of cannabis in licensed businesses. Accompanying cannabis, some legalization has acknowledged that black and brown communities were disproportionately impacted by the war on drugs. To address this, social equity provisions have been a component of their public policies related to cannabis legalization. These provisions include measures to expunge cannabis-related criminal records and create social equity set-asides for cannabis business licenses. This paper's research question asks if, under its current structure and implementation, recreational cannabis laws achieve social equity goals. The methods for the analysis apply content analysis to public policy documents and quantify recreational cannabis licensing outcomes. These methods were applied to a comparative analysis of social equity provisions in state and local cannabis laws applicable to large U.S. cities (2020 population > 600,000). This analysis focuses on the characteristics of set-asides for social equity licenses to sell recreational cannabis. The analysis examines the scope of social equity policies, their administration and implementation, and the characteristics of licensees. The findings from the analysis are used to identify a model policy framework and generate recommendations to strengthen social equity outcomes in recreational cannabis licensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the reflections on coordinating a multi-country paper which emphasizes a means to an end. It offers information about a research to inform policy making in multi-country comparative health systems. The research involves the International Medical Workforce Collaborative (IMWC) member countries including Australia, U.S., and Great Britain.

This paper evaluates competing approaches to assess the effectiveness of transmission channels for the U.S. monetary policy from 1°Q 1995 to 3°Q 2019. While evaluating the competing approaches, the paper follows wavelet coherence approach providing results in time and frequency domain. The results show how money and credit channels work quite well during low volatile periods generally, whereas they suggest that these channels are less effective during periods of financial turmoil and very low interest rate. However, investment-based channels and the bank-lending channel revisited version show some effects also during periods of instability. In more detail, investment-based channels and the bank-lending channel revisited appear to be the most effective monetary policy transmission mechanisms, while the traditional banking-lending channel seems effective only in low volatile periods. Finally, the results for consumption-based channels and international trade-based channels show the least effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Teachers often rely on the use of open‐ended questions to assess students' conceptual understanding of assigned content. Particularly in the context of mathematics; teachers use these types of questions to gain insight into the processes and strategies adopted by students in solving mathematical problems beyond what is possible through more close‐ended problem types. While these types of problems are valuable to teachers, the variation in student responses to these questions makes it difficult, and time‐consuming, to evaluate and provide directed feedback. It is a well‐studied concept that feedback, both in terms of a numeric score but more importantly in the form of teacher‐authored comments, can help guide students as to how to improve, leading to increased learning. It is for this reason that teachers need better support not only for assessing students' work but also in providing meaningful and directed feedback to students. Objectives: In this paper, we seek to develop, evaluate, and examine machine learning models that support automated open response assessment and feedback. Methods: We build upon the prior research in the automatic assessment of student responses to open‐ended problems and introduce a novel approach that leverages student log data combined with machine learning and natural language processing methods. Utilizing sentence‐level semantic representations of student responses to open‐ended questions, we propose a collaborative filtering‐based approach to both predict student scores as well as recommend appropriate feedback messages for teachers to send to their students. Results and Conclusion: We find that our method outperforms previously published benchmarks across three different metrics for the task of predicting student performance. Through an error analysis, we identify several areas where future works may be able to improve upon our approach. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Open‐ended questions are used by teachers in the domain of mathematics to assess their students understanding but automated support for these types of questions are limited in online learning platforms. Recent advancements in areas of machine learning and natural language processing have led to promising results in a range of domains and applications. What this paper adds: Emulating how teachers identify similar student answers can be used to build tools that support teachers in assessing and providing feedback to student open‐ended work. Implications for practice: Developing better automated supports can increase the amount of direct feedback students receive to guide their learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper conducts a thorough comparative analysis of custody assessment criteria employed in the legal systems of the United States and Kuwait. The freedom of the accused during the pre-trial investigation stage is one of the most important issues related to human rights and freedoms. The study adopted the analytical method of legal texts, judicial rulings, and jurisprudential opinions between two systems belonging to different legal families, namely the system in the United States of America and the system in the State of Kuwait. The study showed that the legal system in the United States of America addresses the factors that play a role in determining the decision to detain the accused during the pretrial investigation stage in a better and more in-depth manner than the treatment adopted by the Kuwaiti legislators. The study also indicated that the American legislative treatment is preferable to a procedural reason related to the American system. Finally, this study recommended the need to reorganize the issue in Kuwaiti law by adopting many humanitarian aspects related to the accused in the issue of the decision to release or detain the accused during the pre-trial investigation stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Action 3 of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing plan is to deliver integrated care to improve older adults' lives. Integrated care is vital in meeting the complex needs of people with dementia but little is known about how this is or could be delivered in low and middle income countries (LMIC). This paper provides insights into previously unknown care system structures and on the potential and reality of delivering integrated care in Central America for people with dementia. Methods: A social network analysis (SNA) methodology was adopted to engage with providers of services for older adults and families with dementia in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica and Panama. Sixty-eight (68) semi-structured interviews were completed, 57 with organisations and 11 with families. Results: Across the five countries there was evidence of fragmentation and low integration within the dementia care systems. A variety of services and types of providers are present in all five countries, and high levels of diversified connections exist among organisations of differing disciplines. However, unawareness among network members about other members that they could potentially form active links with is a barrier on the path to integration. Conclusion: This innovative and robust study demonstrates SNA can be applied to evaluate LMIC care systems. Findings provide baselines of system structures and insights into where resources are needed to fortify integration strategies. Results suggest that Central American countries have the building blocks in place to develop integrated care systems to meet the needs of people with dementia, but the links across service providers are opportunistic rather than context based coordinated integration policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional foods can be considered to be those whole, fortified, enriched or enhanced foods that provide health benefits beyond the provision of essential nutrients (e.g., vitamins and minerals), when they are consumed at efficacious levels as part of a varied diet on a regular basis. Linking the consumption of functional foods or food ingredients with health claims should be based on sound scientific evidence, with the "gold standard" being replicated, randomized, placebo-controlled, intervention trials in human subjects. However, not all foods on the market today that are claimed to be functional foods are supported by enough solid data to merit such claims. This review categorizes a variety of functional foods according to the type of evidence supporting their functionality, the strength of that evidence and the recommended intakes. Functional foods represent one of the most intensively investigated and widely promoted areas in the food and nutrition sciences today. However, it must be emphasized that these foods and ingredients are not magic bullets or panaceas for poor health habits. Diet is only one aspect of a comprehensive approach to good health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The authors compare perspectives on external evaluation of health service provision between Norway and the USA. External inspection and accreditation are examples of internationally wide-spread external evaluation methods used to assess the quality of care given to patients. Different countries have different national policy strategies and arrangements set up to do these evaluations. Although there is growing attention to the impact and effects on quality and safety from external evaluation, there is still a gap in knowledge to how structures and processes influence these outcomes. Accordingly, the purpose of this article is to describe the structures and processes in external evaluation designed to promote quality improvement in Norway and the USA with attention to comparison of enablers and barriers in external evaluation systems. Design/methodology/approach: Data collection consisted of documentary evidence retrieved from governmental policies, and reviews of the Joint Commission (the US), international guidelines, recommendations and reports from the International Society for Quality in Health Care, and the World Health Organization, and policies and regulations related to Norwegian governmental bodies such as the Ministry of Health and Care Services, the Norwegian Directorate of Health, and the Norwegian Board of Health Supervision. Data were analyzed inspired by a deductive, direct content analytical framework. Findings: The authors found that both accreditation and inspection are strategies put in place to ensure that healthcare providers have adequate quality systems as well as contributing to the wider risk and safety enhancing management and implementation processes in the organizations subjected to evaluation. The US and the Norwegian external regulatory landscapes are complex and include several policymaking and governing institutions. The Norwegian regulatory framework for inspection has replaced an individual blame logic with a model which "blames" the system for inadequate quality and patient harm. This contrasts with the US accreditation system, which focuses on accreditation visits. Although findings indicate an ongoing turning point in accreditation, findings also demonstrate that involving patients and next of kin directly in adverse event inspections is a bigger part of a change in external inspection culture and methods than in processes of accreditation. Research limitations/implications: The message of this paper is important for policymakers, and bodies of inspection and accreditation because knowledge retrieved from the comparative document study may contribute to better understanding of the implications from the different system designs and in turn contribute to improving external evaluations. Originality/value: Although there is a growing attention to the impact and effects on quality and safety from external evaluation, the implications of different regulatory strategies and arrangements for evaluation on quality and safety remain unclear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dementia Care Navigators (DCNs) are professionals without clinical training, who provide individualised emotional and practical support to people living with dementia, working alongside clinical services. Navigator services have been implemented but the service offered vary without a consistent overview provided. The aim of this narrative systematic review was to describe and compare existing service formats, and to synthesise evidence regarding their implementation and impacts. Methods: The review was registered on PROSPERO [CRD42021292518]. Three electronic databases were searched and included studies reported on a DCN service, defined as a service in which non‐clinically trained workers provide personalised advice and support to people with dementia and/or carers in the community. Two independent reviewers screened abstracts and titles and read through full papers for inclusion. Risk of bias was assessed using the Standard Quality Assessment QualSyst. Results: We included 14 papers reporting on six studies. All services were US‐based and only varied by integration and training provided. Studies reported different degrees of impact on service utilisation and on symptoms and mental well‐being of people with dementia and their carers, with too little evidence to draw substantial/meaningful conclusions and studies employing different outcome measures. One study evidenced greater impacts on people with more advanced dementia compared to earlier stages. Conclusions: DCN services have the potential to effectively provide non‐clinical support to people with dementia and carers from the point of diagnosis. Further research from countries other than the USA, focusing on the impact on social care and social support service access and utilisation, and utilising similar established outcome measures are required. Key points: Evidence on the impact of Dementia Care Navigators (DCNs) is limited but shows promising benefits for people living with dementia and their carers.More research needs to be conducted in countries other than the US, where all evidence was reported, and with similar outcome measures to allow comparison.DCNs are a highly useful professional group without medical training, who can navigate people living with dementia and their carers to support and provide support themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public health officials promoted COVID-19 vaccines to limit burdens placed on the U.S. healthcare system and end the pandemic. People in some closed religious communities refused to vaccinate and likely acquired temporary immunity through infection. This paper compares the death rates in Amish, Old Order Mennonites, and conservative Mennonite groups to a rate estimated for the U.S. population. Approximately two-thirds of the U.S. population was immunized against COVID-19, while few in the Amish/Mennonite community were. We find divergent patterns. Once vaccines became available, excess deaths declined in the general population and remained elevated among Amish and Mennonites. Vaccination campaigns must consider and value the cultural beliefs of closed religious communities to be effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper examines the prevalence of long COVID across different demographic groups in the US and the extent to which workers with impairments associated with long COVID have engaged in pandemic-related remote work. Methods: We use the US Household Pulse Survey to evaluate the proportion of all adults who self-reported to (1) have had long COVID, and (2) have activity limitations due to long COVID. We also use data from the US Current Population Survey to estimate linear probability regressions for the likelihood of pandemic-related remote work among workers with and without disabilities. Results: Findings indicate that women, Hispanic people, sexual and gender minorities, individuals without 4-year college degrees, and people with preexisting disabilities are more likely to have long COVID and to have activity limitations from long COVID. Remote work is a reasonable arrangement for people with such activity limitations and may be an unintentional accommodation for some people who have undisclosed disabilities. However, this study shows that people with disabilities were less likely than people without disabilities to perform pandemic-related remote work. Conclusion: The data suggest this disparity persists because people with disabilities are clustered in jobs that are not amenable to remote work. Employers need to consider other accommodations, especially shorter workdays and flexible scheduling, to hire and retain employees who are struggling with the impacts of long COVID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The U.S. Boards of Nursing (BONs) collect annual report data from their nursing programs as part of their approval process. This paper highlights the 2020 and 2021 annual report data on the effect of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on all nursing programs in 17 BONs in 2020 and 19 in 2021. Method: Nursing programs answered 16 questions on the effect of COVID-19 on their programs. Because BONs require annual report data, all programs in the participating states answered the questions, which included 798 programs in 2020 and 929 in 2021. Results: Major disruptions in nursing education occurred during the pandemic. Clinical experiences and didactic classes were greatly affected, though alternative strategies were used. Student and faculty attrition rates were particularly high in 2021. Conclusion: The authors call for a national forum where nurse leaders analyze what happened and make recommendations for future crisis events. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(5):312–319.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: The purpose of the study was to provide a comparative analysis on the psychological and socio-cultural impacts of COVID-19 on victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) in South Africa (SA) and the USA. Design/methodology/approach: The authors collected media and scholarly articles that dealt with IPV victims during the early phase of the pandemic. This study focused solely on SA and the USA because of their unique contexts and the fact that the authors are residents of these countries. The authors observed how both presidents dealt with IPV amidst the COVID 19 pandemic, especially when stay-at-home orders were in place. Aspects relating to the psychological and socio-cultural impacts amidst the pandemic were considered. Findings: The authors found that in both countries, many black women from low socio-economic backgrounds experience IPV. Being in isolated spaces with their perpetrators prohibits victims from reporting the abuse. As the world attempts to curb the spread of COVID-19 infections, effective strategies have been suggested for victims and perpetrators. The authors found the approaches of the two governments (until the Biden Administration in 2021) to be starkly different in terms of effective strategies and the neglect and downplaying of the extent of one or both pandemics (i.e. COVID-19 and IPV). Pro-safety, equality, gender and race-conscious embracing approaches to overcome IPV are urgently needed. Originality/value: The paper focused on IPV during the early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. It provides relevant information about IPV in both countries, especially when stay-at-home orders are in place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper sought to provide a fuller picture of mental health and wellness by examining flourishing among young adult college students, focusing on potential disparities. I analyzed data from the Healthy Minds Study (2020–2021; N = 115,225). About one-in-three students in the sample reported flourishing. Logistic regression models showed transgender/nonbinary/other gender (aOR:0.48; 95%CI: 0.41–0.56), sexual minority (aOR:0.39; 95%CI: 0.37–0.42), Asian American (aOR:0.76; 95%CI: 0.70–0.83), and Multiracial students (aOR:0.91; 95%CI: 0.84–0.99) each had lower odds flourishing when compared with their respective reference groups, while Black students had greater odds of flourishing (aOR:1.36; 95%CI: 1.23–1.51). Flourishing disparities are evident, calling for targeted interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After three years of global rampage, the COVID-19 epidemic, the most serious infectious disease to occur worldwide since the 1918 influenza pandemic, is nearing its end. From the global experience, medical control and social control are the two main dimensions in the prevention and control of COVID-19. From the perspective of "two types of control", namely medical control and social control, this paper finds that the political system, economic structure, and cultural values of the United States greatly limit the government's ability to impose social control, forcing it to adopt medical control to fight the virus in a single dimension. In contrast, China's political system, economic structure, and cultural values allow its government to adopt stringent, extensive, and frequent social control, as well as medical control to fight the virus. This approach departs from the traditional pathway of fighting the epidemic, i.e., "infection–treatment–immunization", thereby outpacing the evolution of the virus and controlling its spread more rapidly. This finding helps explain why the Chinese government adopted a strict "zeroing" and "dynamic zeroing" policy during the first three years, at the cost of enormous economic, social, and even political legitimacy. It was not until late 2022, when the Omicron variant with the waning virulence became prevalent, that China chose to "coexist" with the virus, thus avoiding a massive epidemic-related death. While the United States adopted a pulsed-style strategy at the beginning of the epidemic, i.e., "relaxation–suppression–relaxation–suppression", and began to "coexist" with the virus in just one year, resulting in a large number of excess deaths associated with the epidemic. The study contributes to explaining the difference in the interplay between public health priorities and COVID-19 response strategies in China and the United States, based on the specific public health context and the perspective of "medical control" and "social control". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The prescription opioid epidemic in the United States (US) is well documented, and recent measures have reduced prescribing rates in that country. Evidence suggests opioid prescriptions have been rising recently in other countries too. OBJECTIVE: The current paper aimed to compare trends in opioid prescribing in England and the US. METHODS: Trends in rates of prescriptions per 100 members of the population were calculated for England and the US using publicly available government data on prescriptions and population statistics. RESULTS: Rates of prescribing are converging. At the peak of the US epidemic in 2012, there were 81.3 prescriptions per 100 people, but this had fallen to 43.3 by 2020. Prescribing peaked in England in 2016 at 43.2 prescriptions per 100 people, but has fallen only slightly, so that in 2020 there were 40.9 prescriptions per 100 people. CONCLUSION: The data indicate that levels of opioid prescribing in England are now similar to those in the US. They remain high in both countries, despite recent falls. This suggests the need for further measures to prevent over-prescribing and to support people who would benefit from withdrawing from these drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Revision rates and outcome measures after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) with suture tape as an internal brace is not well-documented because of the emerging nature of the technique. Hypothesis: ACLR with internal bracing (IB) would lead to decreased revision ACLR compared with traditional ACLR while exhibiting comparable patient outcomes. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: A total of 200 patients were included in this study. Patients aged between 13 and 39 years at the time of surgery who underwent primary autograft ACLR with IB between 2010 and 2020 and were enrolled in our institution's registry with a minimum of 2-year follow-up were identified and matched 1 to 1 with a non-internal brace (no-IB) group based on concomitant procedures and patient characteristics. Pre- and postoperatively, patients completed the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, Marx activity rating scale, Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey, and visual analog scale for pain. Knee laxity measurements via the KT-1000 arthrometer were included in the pre- and postoperative objective clinical assessments. Results: A total of 100 IB patients were matched with 100 no-IB patients based primarily on concomitant procedures and secondarily on patient characteristics. The IB group underwent significantly fewer revision ACLRs (1% vs 8%; P =.017). Even though the no-IB group had a significantly longer mean final follow-up time (48.6 months [95% CI, 45.4-51.7] vs 33.4 months [95% CI, 30.3-36.5]; P <.001), the time elapsed from the original ACLR to the revision did not differ significantly between groups, and the mean ages for the IB and no-IB groups were comparable (19 vs 19.9 years). All postoperative patient-reported outcome scores between the 2 groups were comparable and significantly improved postoperatively except for the Marx score, which significantly decreased stepwise for both groups postoperatively. KT-1000 measurements significantly improved in both groups after surgery with the IB and no-IB cohorts yielding comparable results at the manual maximum pull (0.97 vs 0.65 mm). Conclusion: ACLR with IB resulted in a significantly decreased risk of revision ACLRs while maintaining comparable patient-reported outcomes. Therefore, incorporating an internal brace into ACLR appears to be safe and effective within these study parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ObjectiveThe current paper presents a comparison of university policies and health and academic accommodations offered to undergraduate students following sexual assault (SA) and sports-related concussions (SRC). Procedures and protocols for universities to consider adapting from their SRC policies to their SA policies are detailed.Participants: The SRC and SA policies at the 50 United States public flagship universities were analyzed.Methods: The research team coded for a number of policy details including health referrals, academic and financial accommodations, and requirements for follow-up with university personnel.Results: Compared to SA polices, SRC policies at the public flagship universities offer more comprehensive academic accommodations and physical and mental health resources. Conclusions: Comprehensive policies for student SA survivors, like those available for students who suffer SRCs, would improve student health and academic outcomes and increase SA survivors' likelihood of graduating college, thereby reducing individual and societal human capital loses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burn care remains among the most complex of the time-sensitive treatment interventions in medicine today. An enormous quantity of specialized resources are required to support the critical and complex modalities needed to meet the conventional standard of care for each patient with a critical burn injury. Because of these dependencies, a sudden surge of patients with critical burn injuries requiring immediate and prolonged care following a burn mass casualty incident (BMCI) will place immense stress on healthcare system assets, including supplies, space, and an experienced workforce (staff). Therefore, careful planning to maximize the efficient mobilization and rational use of burn care resources is essential to limit morbidity and mortality following a BMCI. The U.S. burn care profession is represented by the American Burn Association (ABA). This paper has been written by clinical experts and led by the ABA to provide further clarity regarding the capacity of the American healthcare system to absorb a surge of burn-injured patients. Furthermore, this paper intends to offer responders and clinicians evidence-based tools to guide their response and care efforts to maximize burn care capabilities based on realistic assumptions when confronted with a BMCI. This effort also aims to align recommendations in part with those of the Committee on Crisis Standards of Care for the Institute of Medicine, National Academies of Sciences. Their publication guided the work in this report, identified here as "conventional, contingency, and crisis standards of care." This paper also includes an update to the burn Triage Tables- Seriously Resource-Strained Situations (v.2). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Response to intervention (RTI) can be considered an everyday practice in many parts of the United States, whereas, in Finland, only recently has a new framework for support in learning taken shape. Choosing Finland as the comparative partner for this policy paper is justified as its educational system has been widely referenced on the basis of good Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) results. The results of the present comparative article showed first, that the U.S. RTI was primarily intended for diagnosing and preventing learning disabilities whereas the Finnish RTI is mainly an administrative structure for support. Second, the U.S. RTI includes clear definitions regarding the intensity, duration, and content of support provided within each tier whereas the Finnish version contains no explicit guidelines for support. Third, the U.S. RTI assumes no special educational services in the first two tiers, but the Finnish framework includes special educational services from the onset of support. Implications for policy and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There were 9.7 million Native Americans (American Indian, Alaska Native-AI/AN- these acronyms will be used interchangeably with Native Americans throughout the paper) in 2019 comprising 2.9% of the U.S. population. Native American populations have disproportionately higher rates of mental illnesses compared to other racial groups in the U.S. Mental health is a significant public health concern for this population, impacting different areas of their lives including employment. Additionally, Native Americans continue to experience significant disparities in access to Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services and have poor employment outcomes. However, little is known about the relationships among demographic factors, vocational rehabilitation services, and employment outcomes of Native Americans with mental illness. Consequently, the current study examined how demographic factors and VR services are related to successful employment outcomes for Native American VR clients with mental illnesses using data from the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) program year (2019) Case Service Report (9–11). Both descriptive analysis and data mining approaches were used to answer the research questions. Chi-square Automatic Interaction Detector (CHAID) analysis was used to determine which of the VR services could best predict the successful employment outcome of Native Americans with mental illness. The findings of the data mining approach revealed that among all the vocational rehabilitation services, job placement assistance was the strongest predictor of successful employment among Native American clients with mental illnesses. The second most important service predicting successful employment for those who received job placement assistance was shown to be maintenance. Implications for rehabilitation counselors and future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: In recent years, the academic medicine community has produced numerous statements and calls to action condemning racism. Though health equity work examining health disparities has expanded, few studies specifically name racism as an operational construct. As emergency departments serve a high proportion of patients with social and economic disadvantage rooted in structural racism, it is critically important that racism be a focus of our academic discourse. This study examines the frequency at which four prominent emergency medicine journals, Annals of Emergency Medicine, Academic Emergency Medicine, the American Journal of Emergency Medicine, and the Western Journal of Emergency Medicine, publish on health disparities and racism. Methods: This is a descriptive analysis measuring the frequency of publications on health disparities and racism in U.S.‐based emergency medicine journals from 2014 to 2021. The search strategies for the concepts of "racism" and "health disparities" used a combination of MeSH and keywords. These search strategies were developed based on prior literature and the MEDLINE/PubMed Health Disparities and Minority Health Search Strategy. Articles identified through the PubMed search were then reviewed by two authors for final inclusion. Results: Since 2014, a total of 6248 articles were published by the four emergency medicine journals over the 8‐year study period. Of those, 82 research papers that focused on health disparities were identified and only 16 that focused on racism. Most emergency medicine publications on racism and health disparities were in 2021. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the national discourse on racism and calls to action within emergency medicine were followed by an increase in publications on health disparities and racism. Continued investigation is needed to evaluate these trends moving forward. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Last responders constitute an occupational category that includes all those who are involved in the postmortem care of deceased persons and their families. The work of last responders is often considered "dirty work" and, as a result, stigmatized. Last responders are aware of this stigma, and stigma consciousness has been associated with negative health outcomes. Despite the wide acknowledgment of stigma among last responders, specific risk, or protective factors for experiencing stigma have not been investigated. This paper aims to identify determinants of stigma among last responders in the United States. The data for this study were obtained from a national cross-sectional survey of last responders. The survey included a measure of stigma and multiple sociodemographic characteristics. A hurdle model was used to assess the association between the characteristics of last responders and their perceived stigma. Respondents were predominantly male (55.1%), White non-Hispanic (90.2%), and employed full-time (96%). Seventy-seven percent reported having experienced at least one form of occupation-related stigma. There was no significant association between the experience of stigma and any socio-demographic variables. The experience of stigma is nearly ubiquitous among last responders—>75% of last responders in the sample experienced at least one form of stigma. Another aspect of its ubiquitous nature is the lack of evidence that stigma was experienced differentially across sex, race/ethnicity, employment type, and length of years as a last responder. Interventions are needed to decrease stigma among last responders and to support last responders in managing the consequences of the stigma they experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Housing is essential to health. Governmental rental assistance is one way to increase access to affordable housing, but little is known about how it varies by rural/urban location. This paper seeks to address that gap by examining rural/urban and within‐rural differences in receipt of rental assistance, with particular attention differences by health and disability. Methods: We used data from the 2021 National Health Interview Survey (n = 28,254) to conduct bivariate analyses to identify significant differences in receipt of rental assistance by rural/urban location. We then conducted logistic regression analyses to generate odds ratios of receiving rental assistance, adjusting for self‐rated health, disability, sociodemographic characteristics, and the US Census region. Findings: When limiting the sample to those who rent (20.6% of rural residents and 29.6% of urban residents), rural residents were nearly 5 percentage points more likely to receive rental assistance (13.1% vs 8.2%, P<.001). Rural recipients of rental assistance were more likely to have a disability than urban residents (27.9% vs 20.3%, P<.05) and were more likely to report fair/poor health (41.6% vs 31.4%, P<.05). Conclusions: Rural residents are less likely to rent their homes, but, among those who rent, they are more likely to receive governmental rental assistance. This may be reflective of the greater need for rental assistance among rural residents, who were in poorer health and of lower socioeconomic status than urban renters. As housing is essential to good health, policy attention must prioritize addressing a persistent and growing need for affordable housing in rural and urban areas alike. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Students' tendencies to seek feedback are associated with improved learning. Yet, how soon this association becomes robust enough to make predictions about learning is not fully understood. Such knowledge has strong implications for early identification of students at‐risk for underachievement via digital learning platforms. Objectives: We sought to understand how early in the academic year students' end‐of‐year learning outcomes could be predicted by their performance and feedback‐seeking behaviours within a digital learning platform. We analysed data collected at different time points in the academic year and across different cohorts of students within the context of high school advanced placement (AP) Statistics courses. Methods: High school students enrolled in AP Statistics spanning three academic years between 2017 and 2020 (N = 726; Mage = 16.72 years) completed 3 or 4 homework assignments, each 2 and 3 months apart. Results and conclusions: Across the three cohorts, and even as early as the first assignment, a model consisting of demographic variables (gender, race/ethnicity, parental education), assignment performance, and interaction with the digital score report explained significant variation in students' final course grades (R2 = 0.314–0.412) and AP exam scores (κ = 0.583–0.689). Students' assignment performance was positively associated with end‐of‐year learning outcomes. Students who more frequently checked their digital score reports tended to receive better learning outcomes, though not consistently across cohorts. Implications: These findings further an understanding of how students' early performance and feedback‐seeking behaviours within a digital learning platform predict end‐of‐year learning outcomes. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Students' early academic performance predicts end‐of‐year success.Students' self‐regulated learning behaviours are another predictor of academic success.Clickstream data have been used as an indicator of the application of self‐regulated learning strategies, particularly behaviours associated with seeking feedback.Indicators of feedback‐seeking behaviours reflected via clickstream data have been shown to predict student learning.Yet, how soon associations between early performance and such indicators of self‐regulated learning as feedback‐seeking are robust across different groups of learners, different learning circumstances, and different types of learning outcomes has yet to be more fully understood. What this paper adds: We investigated whether performance and feedback‐seeking behaviours predict end‐of‐year learning outcomes at different points during the academic year across multiple cohorts of learners (2017–2018, 2018–2019, and 2019–2020) and using two different learning outcomes (class grades, AP exam scores).One cohort was affected by COVID‐19 during the 2019–2020 academic year, allowing us to examine whether differences emerge amidst unprecedented circumstances.We used assignment scores and online feedback‐seeking to predict end‐of‐year learning outcomes.Assignment scores were positively associated with end‐of‐year grades.First assignment performance predicted AP exam scores.Use of feedback (an indication of self‐regulated learning behaviours) tended to predict learning outcomes, though not consistently across cohorts. Implications for practice and/or policy: The findings from this study could improve understanding of how digital learning platform measurements predict end‐of‐year learning outcomes though also highlight the importance of context differences.Such findings hold implications for early identification of at‐risk students and appreciation for differences between learners and contexts.These findings also contribute to a growing understanding of the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on student engagement and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION This study aims to assess the relationship between use of tobacco products and taste and smell disorders. METHODS A secondary dataset analysis of cross-sectional data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) 2021 survey cycle, a nationally representative annual cross-sectional interview of non-institutionalized US civilians, was used. Participants' senses of smell and taste are assessed using self-reported questions. Participants were categorized into five groups based on their tobacco use: nontobacco users; cigarettes only; e-cigarettes only; cigar, pipe, or smokeless tobacco; and poly-tobacco product users. Disorders were defined as any self-reported difficulty in smelling, tasting, or reporting unpleasant odors or persistent tastes. Weighting procedures were used to estimate the national prevalence of taste, smell, and other disorders, stratified by tobacco products used. Adjusted logistic regression models were used to determine the association between tobacco products used and taste or smell compared to non-tobacco users. RESULTS A total of 40.2 million US adults reported experiencing smell or taste disorders. Nearly one in 10 adults reported a taste disorder (9.8%), and 13.4% indicated a smell disorder. The prevalence of taste or smell disorder was higher among females (17.5%), Hispanics (19.5%), individuals identified as 'other' racial minorities (21.1%), and lower income groups (21%). Compared to non-tobacco users, the highest odds of experiencing smell or taste disorders were among poly-tobacco product users (adjusted odds ratio, AOR=1.44; 95% CI: 1.31-1.58), followed by e-cigarette-only users (AOR=1.38; 95% CI: 1.02-1.87), cigarette-only smokers (AOR=1.17; 95% CI: 1.04-1.32), and users of cigars, pipes, or smokeless tobacco (AOR=1.15; 1.00; and 1.33; respectively). CONCLUSIONS Tobacco product use was associated with an increased risk of smell and taste disorders. The rising use of e-cigarettes among adolescents and young adults is particularly concerning given the limited understanding of the sensory effects of e-cigarettes and their growing popularity among younger populations. The study findings highlight the need for interventions aimed at reducing tobacco use of all kinds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research has repeatedly shown the positive effects of early diagnosis and intervention in improving the quality of life and symptom trajectory of individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Immigrant and racial/ethnic minority children are diagnosed with ASD at significantly older ages, and have access to interventions later than their White peers. Recent efforts to address diagnostic disparities have focused on universal ASD screening in pediatric primary care. However, little is known about immigrant families' experiences with ASD screening and with navigating subsequent referrals after receiving a positive ASD screen. In the current study, we explored cultural influences on: mothers' perceptions of child development and disability, communication with pediatric healthcare providers, and perceived benefits of Early Intervention services. We interviewed 26 mothers (14 US-born and 12 immigrant—representing twelve different nationalities) of children who screened positively for ASD in primary care but did not receive an ASD diagnosis after a formal evaluation (i.e., false positive ASD screen). Mothers completed semi-structured qualitative interviews that explored their perceptions of child development, experiences with the ASD screening and developmental evaluation process, and experiences with developmental services. Data were stratified by U.S. nativity and analyzed using applied thematic analysis. Immigrant mothers described different ways of monitoring child development than US-born mothers, and described a mismatch between their own views and the child development frameworks used in the U.S. Due to this mismatch, immigrant parents may be less likely to raise concerns to their pediatricians, and therefore may particularly benefit from routine screening. This paper uses data from a supplemental study to a larger clinical trial. The clinical trial registration number is NCT02359084. Highlights: Immigrant families view child development as a process that unfolds uniquely for each child, therefore, monitoring development through milestones can be a new idea for culturally diverse families. Immigrant children with elevated risk for ASD may be at higher risk for later identification of developmental delays if they are not screened at their well-child visits. Culturally and linguistically accessible explanations of child development and disabilities can help immigrant families throughout the ASD screening process. Immigrant families emphasize benefiting from family navigation and logistical support during the developmental evaluation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Low nursing home staffing in the United States is a growing safety concern. Socioeconomic deprivation in the local areas surrounding a nursing home may be a barrier to improving staffing rates but has been poorly studied. Thus, the objective of this paper was to assess the relationship between neighborhood deprivation and nursing home staffing in the United States. Methods: This cross-sectional study used 2018 daily payroll-based staffing records and address data for 12,609 nursing homes in the United States linked with resident assessment data. Our primary exposure of interest was severe economic deprivation at the census block group (neighborhood) level, defined as an area deprivation index score ≥85/100. The primary outcome was hours worked per resident-day among nursing home employees providing direct resident care. Marginal linear regression models and generalized estimating equations with robust sandwich-type standard errors were used to estimate associations between severe neighborhood deprivation and staffing rates. Results: Compared to less deprived neighborhoods, unadjusted staffing rates in facilities located within severely deprived neighborhoods were 38% lower for physical and occupational therapists, 30% lower for registered nurses (RNs), and 5% lower for certified nursing assistants. No disparities in licensed practical nurse (LPN) staffing were observed. In models with state-level and rurality fixed effects and clustered on the county, a similar pattern of disparities was observed. Specifically, RN staffing per 100 resident-days was significantly lower in facilities located within severely deprived neighborhoods as compared to those in less deprived areas (mean difference: 5.6 fewer hours, 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.2–6.9). Disparities of lower magnitude were observed for other clinical disciplines except for LPNs. Conclusions: Significant staffing disparities were observed within facilities located in severely deprived neighborhoods. Targeted interventions, including workforce recruitment and retention efforts, may be needed to improve staffing levels for nursing homes in deprived neighborhoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This systematic study aims at analyzing the differences between the approach of the European healthcare systems to the pharmaceutical market and the American one. This paper highlights the opportunities and the limitations given by the application of managed entry agreements (MEAs) in European countries as opposed to the American market, which does not regulate pharmaceutical prices. Data were collected from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the European Medicines Agency, and the national healthcare agencies of US and European countries. A literature review was undertaken in PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE, and Google for a period ten years (2010–2019). The period 2020–2021 was considered to compare health expenditure before and after the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Scarce information from national agencies has been given in terms of MEAs related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The comparison between the United States approach and the European one shows the importance of a market access regulation to reduce the cost of therapies, increasing the efficiency of national healthcare systems and the advantages in terms of quality and accessibility to the final users: patients. Nevertheless, it seems that the golden age of MEAs for Europe was during the examined period. Except for Italy, countries will move to other forms of reimbursements to obtain higher benefits, reducing the costs of an inefficient implementation and outcomes in the medium term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: US federal, state, and local governments implemented numerous COVID-19 shelter-in-place orders (lockdowns) starting in March 2020 to ensure social distancing regulations and help stop the spread of COVID-19. It is important to know how these lockdowns affected businesses, such as restaurants, in regions that vary in terms of poverty status and geography. In this paper, we analyze the differential changes in rural and urban restaurant visits by the restaurants' NAICS codes following the COVID-19 lockdowns. Our analysis contributes to the public policy literature and helps operational planning for food distribution during a pandemic. Methods: Since urban and rural consumer behavior and food resources are significantly different, it is crucial to conduct a comparative analysis. Our study applies a difference-in-differences model to capture the differential effects lockdowns have on urban and rural restaurants. Results: We find that restaurant visits declined significantly in both rural and urban counties after shelter-at-home orders. The decrease in total restaurant visits was almost twice as high in urban counties as in rural counties. We also find that visits to fast-food restaurants increased in rural counties during shelter-at-home orders. Conclusions: These results contribute to previous studies on the dearth of healthy food in rural and poorer regions, and inform important public policy response in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shiftwork leads to myriad negative health and safety outcomes. Lighting countermeasures can benefit shiftworkers via physiological effects of light (e.g. alerting, circadian adjustment), and short-wavelength light is the most potent for eliciting those responses; however, limited work indicates it may not be required for alerting. We developed similar-appearing light boxes (correlated color temperature: 3000–3375 K; photopic illuminance: 260–296 lux), enriched (SW+, melanopic EDI: 294 lux) or attenuated (SW-, melanopic EDI: 103 lux) in short-wavelength energy, and implemented them on a high-security watchfloor. Efficacy and feasibility of these two novel lighting interventions were assessed in personnel working 12-hour night shifts (n  = 47) in this within-participants, crossover study. For each intervention condition, light boxes were arranged across the front of the watchfloor and illuminated the entire shift; blue-blocking glasses were worn post-shift and before sleep; and sleep masks were used while sleeping. Comparisons between baseline and intervention conditions included alertness, sleep, mood, quality of life (QOL), and implementation measures. On-shift alertness (Karolinska Sleepiness Scale) increased in SW− compared to baseline, while changes in SW+ were more limited. Under SW+, both mood and sleep improved. Psychomotor vigilance task performance did not vary by condition; however, perceived performance and QOL were higher, and reported caffeine consumption and sleep onset latency were lower, under SW−. For both interventions, satisfaction and comfort were high, and fewer symptoms and negative feelings were reported. The addition of spectrally engineered lights to this unique work environment improved sleep, alertness, and mood without compromising visual comfort and satisfaction. This paper is part of the Sleep and Circadian Rhythms: Management of Fatigue in Occupational Settings Collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methadone has several unique characteristics that make it an attractive option for pain relief in serious illness, but the safety of methadone has been called into question after reports of a disproportionate increase in opioid-induced deaths in recent years. The American Pain Society, College on Problems of Drug Dependence, and the Heart Rhythm Society collaborated to issue guidelines on best practices to maximize methadone safety and efficacy, but guidelines for the end-of-life scenario have not yet been developed. A panel of 15 interprofessional hospice and palliative care experts from the U.S. and Canada convened in February 2015 to evaluate the American Pain Society methadone recommendations for applicability in the hospice and palliative care setting. The goal was to develop guidelines for safe and effective management of methadone therapy in hospice and palliative care. This article represents the consensus opinion of the hospice and palliative care experts for methadone use at end of life, including guidance on appropriate candidates for methadone, detail in dosing, titration, and monitoring of patients' response to methadone therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Respect for patients' autonomy is usually considered to be an important ethical principle in Western countries; privacy is one of the implications of such respect. Healthcare professionals frequently encounter ethical dilemmas during their practice. The past few decades have seen an increased use of courts to resolve intractable ethical dilemmas across both the developed and the developing world. However, Chinese and American bioethics differ largely due to the influence of Chinese Confucianism and Western religions, respectively, and there is a dearth of comparative studies that explore cases of ethical dilemmas between China and the United States.Methods: This paper discusses four typical cases with significant social impact. First, it compares two cases concerning patient privacy: the "Shihezi University Hospital Case", in which a patient was used as a clinical teaching object without her permission, and the "New York-Presbyterian Hospital Case", in which the hospital allowed the filming of a patient's treatment without his consent. Second, it compares two cases regarding patient autonomy and potentially life-saving medical procedures: the "Case of Ms. L", concerning a cohabitant's refusal to sign a consent form for a pregnant woman's caesarean, and the "Case of Mrs. V", concerning a hospital's insistence upon a blood transfusion for a dissenting patient. This paper introduces the supporting and opposing views for each case and discusses their social impact. It then compares and analyses the differences between China and the United States from cultural and legislative perspectives.Conclusions: Ethical dilemmas have often occurred in China due to the late development of bioethics. However, the presence of bioethics earlier in the US than in China has not spared the US of ethical dilemmas. This paper highlights lessons and inspiration from the cases for healthcare professionals and introduces readers to the role and weight of privacy and autonomy in China and in the US from the perspectives of different cultures, religions and laws. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moral thinking and communication are critical competencies for confronting social dilemmas in a challenging world. We examined these moral competencies in 70 college students and graduates from Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Participants were assessed through semi-structured written interviews, Facebook group discussions, and a questionnaire. In this paper, we describe the similarities and differences across cultural groupings in (1) the social issues of greatest importance to the participants; (2) the factors influencing their approaches to thinking about social issues and communicating with others; and (3) the characteristics of their moral functioning in terms of moral awareness, moral judgment, moral discourse, and moral decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to perform a bibliometric analysis centered on recent advancements in injury prevention for female athletes. Methods: The study employed Excel, VOSviewer, and the bibliometric R-package tools to analyze and evaluate relevant records obtained from the Web of Science (WOS) database, using a reliable search methodology. Results: From the WOS database, a collection of 10 560 scientific records was acquired using specific keywords, covering the period between 2010 and 2023. These records were subjected to content analysis, revealing the prevalent themes in this research area. Noteworthy topics included risk, risk factors, prevention, women, exercise, physical activity, epidemiology, injuries, performance, injury, strength, and health. The investigation also indicated that the journals "American journal of sports medicine" and "journal of athletic training" demonstrated the highest level of activity in this field. Regarding research productivity, developed countries, such as the United States and Canada stood out as the most prolific contributors. Moreover, the study recognized Gregory D Myer as the most active author in this area. Conclusion: The convergence of injury prevention in female athletes continues to be a subject of significant research attention. This study highlights that the bulk of the literature on this subject originates from researchers in developed countries. However, it is crucial to recognize that a substantial segment of the global population, particularly in developing nations, lacks sufficient representation in research related to early life psychology concerning exercise and physical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to investigate the change in body dimensions over time in both Western (US) and Eastern (Korea) populations. In order to analyse the change of body dimension between the past and present and between western and eastern population, 13 body dimensions relating to automobile driver seat design were extracted from the ANSUR and Size Korea datasets at two time points, the past (ANSUR I: 1988, Size Korea: 1992) and the present (ANSUR II: 2012, Size Korea: 2012). Most of the dimensions differed significantly between past and present, as well as between the US and Korea. Overall, the data show an increasing trend of body dimensions over time for both genders. Based on the results, all countries should be encouraged to conduct periodic and national anthropometric research because body dimensions are continuously changing over time worldwide. Practitioner summary: This paper describes a study that investigates the changes in body dimensions over time in Western (US) and Eastern (Korean) populations. Findings indicate increasing trends in most dimensions for both populations, crucial for user-friendly product design and preventing hazards caused by faulty products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives This paper examines the family ties of older adults in the United States and how they are associated with mental health and social activity. We compare older adults with 4 types of family ties: adults "close" to family in proximity and social network, "kinless" older adults without a partner or children, "distanced" adults who live far from close kin, and "disconnected" older adults who do not report kin in their social network or do not report a location for some kin. Methods Using pooled data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study 2015–2019 for older adults aged 70 and older (N = 24,818 person-waves), we examine how family ties are associated with mental health and social activity, and whether lacking family is tied to poor well-being because older adults' needs are not being met. Results Kinless older adults and disconnected older adults have poorer outcomes (lower mental health scores and less social activity), compared to those close to their family. These findings suggest that both the presence and quality of the connection, as measured here via both location and social network, are critical for understanding which older adults are "at risk." Older adults who were not geographically proximate to their close kin (i.e. distanced) were not disadvantaged relative to those close to their families. Unmet needs do not help explain these patterns. Discussion Our results highlight that family ties are important for older adults well-being, not just through their existence but also their quality and strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents findings from a qualitative study exploring how students at a university in the southern USA conceptualize, theorize, and attempt to influence the role 'social factors' play in mental illness and well-being. Drawing on models of research co-production and principles of critical pedagogy, a group of 10 university students ('student researchers') worked with a faculty member to develop and conduct the study. The results highlight three ways in which the student interviewees ('student interlocutors') theorize 'the social'. The first two – (1) via the 'social determinants of health' and (2) by means of theories on 'neoliberal subjectivity' – provide a powerful frame for interrogating hierarchical systems of power. However, because neither of these corresponds to our interest in producing knowledge for social change, we used prefigurative and speculative approaches to explore a third notion of the social, that of (3) 'world-making practices'. We conclude by reflecting on the relevance of this project for educators, learners, and researchers seeking to deepen knowledge and theories of the social in mental health. We argue that co-produced research that draws from principles of critical pedagogy can enhance interdisciplinary collaboration and lead to more nuanced, transformative, and innovative analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION The FDA's 'The Real Cost' tobacco prevention campaign aimed to counter tobacco marketing efforts directed toward children and youths. Our objectives were to explore the associations between exposure to the FDA's campaign and cigarette risk perception among the US adolescent population, and between exposure and cigarette smoking curiosity among adolescents who never smoked cigarettes. METHODS We analyzed 3 cycles of National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS 2018-2020, n=53738). Multivariable logistic regression models were fitted to measure the relationship between campaign exposure and cigarettes risk perception (among all), as well as the relationship between campaign exposure and cigarette curiosity (among cigarette never smokers). RESULTS Majority of youths have reported exposure to the campaign 63% between 2018-2020. The odds of youths perceiving cigarettes as risky were 1.6 times higher among exposed compared to those not exposed (adjusted odds ratio, AOR=1.60; 95% CI: 1.43-1.79). There were some racial disparities in risk perceptions among Hispanics and Non-Hispanic Blacks across exposure groups. Exposure was associated with higher cigarettes curiosity odds among Hispanic youths who never smoked (AOR=1.26; 95% CI: 1.10-1.44) compared to their Non-Hispanic White peers. CONCLUSIONS The FDA's 'The Real Cost' campaign had exposure levels deemed essential for population-level perceptions change. Exposure was associated with youths having higher risk perceptions about the negative health outcomes related to cigarette smoking. However, students that never smoked were more curious about smoking with campaign exposure. Therefore, future health communication plans should consider both the potential benefits and possible unintended consequences prior to launching such campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]