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Firearm-related injury and mortality prevention strategies are often incompatible with and potentially ineffective for the very populations at risk. Such incompatibility is reflective of a cultural disconnect between investigators and prevention specialists and those who own and use firearms. The current paper describes Project GRIP, a research study that was guided by the principles of Participatory Action Research (PAR). We present the project as a case-example and demonstration of how PAR principles can inform an approach to partner with firearm owners in injury prevention research. Though PAR is a general approach and not a set of techniques, we describe the strategies we used in the hopes that they may be useful for investigators using PAR with firearm owners. We discuss the project and our approach across different stages of the process, including entering into PAR with firearm owners, building partnerships, developing a shared vision, mutual understanding, and co-learning, building and maintaining positive relationships, and executing the project tasks. The PAR approach and the intentional emphasis on partnership is, in our opinion, vital to ensuring that the perspectives of firearm owners are incorporated into the research literature so that more ecologically valid and potentially effective injury and mortality prevention strategies can be developed and disseminated., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Objective: We investigated the associations of ongoing, chronic stress exposure and stress appraisal on vascular endothelial function (VEF) in young adults. Methods: In 72 healthy young adults (74% female; age = 25±1 y), we assessed chronic stress exposure and appraisal with a measure that quantified chronic stress exposure and chronic stress appraisal related to 8 specific stressors over the last year. Participants completed the perceived stress scale (PSS) as a measure of global, proximal stress appraisal. VEF was assessed using the brachial artery flow mediated dilation technique. We examined relations among ongoing, chronic stress exposure and stress appraisal versus VEF adjusted for age and sex, and then assessed whether stress appraisal moderated the effect of chronic stress exposure on VEF. Results: Chronic stress exposure (β=-0.24, p =.045), but not chronic stress appraisal (β=0.07, p =.56) or perceived stress (β=-0.20, p =.11), was related to VEF. Perceived stress (p = .046), but not chronic stress appraisal ( p =.54), moderated the association between chronic stress exposure and VEF. The effect of chronic stress exposure on VEF ceased to be significant at a PSS score of ~22. Subsequent exploratory stratified analysis indicated that those with PSS ≥22 had increased exposure to adverse childhood experiences (+1.6±0.6, p =.01), greater depressive symptoms (+10.2±2.7, p <.001), and reduced psychological resilience (-7.6±3.5, p =.036). Conclusions: Chronic stress exposure significantly predicts impaired VEF among young adults. Further, this relation is influenced by proximal perceived stress, such that the association of chronic stress exposure on VEF may be obscured at high levels of proximal perceived stress.

Background: The Sarasota Memorial Health Care System (SMHCS) Acute Care Rehabilitation Team began implementing the Keep Your Move in the Tube (KYMITT) protocol in February 2023 to improve patient mobility and offer an alternative to traditional sternal precautions. The goal of KYMITT is for patients to remain within a safe zone (referred to as "the tube") rather than complying with time and weight restrictions, which are the cornerstone of traditional sternal precautions. In previous studies, KYMITT was associated with greater independence after surgery without placing patients at an increased risk of experiencing a surgical site infection., Objective: To test the hypothesis that KYMITT is associated with greater patient mobility and independence, without increasing the risk of surgical complications., Methods: Researchers at SMHCS analyzed records of 614 open-heart surgery patients (n = 293 in the traditional sternal precautions group and n = 321 in the KYMITT protocol group) to determine the differences in their Activity Measure for Post-Acute Care (AM-PAC) mobility scores., Results: The average last-recorded AM-PAC score for the traditional sternal precautions group was significantly lower than for those receiving the KYMITT protocol (19.2 [95% CI: 18.86-19.62] vs. 20.0 [95% CI: 19.62-20.35], p = .006). For patients with at least two AM-PAC scores recorded, the difference was calculated for each patient's first to last AM-PAC score (AM-PAC delta). There was not a statistically significant difference between groups with an average improvement of 2.7 (95% CI: 2.30-3.09) for the traditional sternal precautions group compared to 3.1 (95% CI: 2.71-3.45) for the KYMITT protocol, p = .16 when comparing average AM-PAC delta., Conclusion: Overall, during the 7 months that KYMITT was conducted hospital-wide, a significant increase in average last-recorded AM-PAC scores was observed month to month (slope = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.27-0.62, p < .001)., (© 2025 American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.)

Objectives: To summarise the current evidence on the involvement of dental hygienists (DHs) in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) with respect to the feasibility of integration improved oral health for residents with dementia and multidisciplinary collaboration., Background: The oral health of RACF residents with dementia is reported to be poor. However, little is known about how DHs can be integrated into RACFs to improve oral health, particularly as part of a multidisciplinary team., Method: A scoping review was undertaken in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) method. Multiple databases were searched for peer-reviewed articles and grey literature that included a DH working in a RACF with dementia patients, or as part of a multidisciplinary team. Data were charted using a modified version of the JBI source of evidence template., Results: Fifty-eight studies were identified for inclusion. Integration strategies were categorised as support-focused or service-focused, but there was little evaluation of their feasibility. Five key facilitators to multidisciplinary collaboration were identified: using multiple strategies; clearly defining roles; changes to existing administrative systems; fostering multidisciplinary collaboration skills; and encouraging innovation. However, no examples of collaboration within RACFs were identified., Conclusion: There has been limited effort in multidisciplinary collaboration or integration of DHs into RACFs with some evidence that both support-focused and service-focused strategies can improve the oral health of residents with dementia., (© 2025 The Author(s). Gerodontology published by Gerodontology Association and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: GPs have a complex role in obesity management due to patients' individualized experience of living with obesity, coupled with the challenge to deliver healthcare messages in non-stigmatizing ways. This study aimed to explore who initiates the topic of weight and how weight was discussed in real-world GP-patient consultations., Method: A multi-disciplinary team, including obesity lived experience experts, undertook a secondary data analysis of 43 Australian video recorded consultations and patient surveys from The Digital Library using descriptive content analysis., Results: 17/43 consultations included the topic of weight in the discussion. 15 were initiated by the GP and 2 by the patient. 14/17 used a structured approach. All GPs asked for consent to discuss weight or gave patients space to decline the discussion. No overt stigmatizing language was identified. A post-consultation survey found 15/17 patients (2 unanswered) felt listened to and respected during consultations., Conclusion: This study identified the intricate ways GPs approach weight discussions in consultations. GPs navigated weight discussions in ways that made patients feel respected and listened to and related weight to health concerns relevant to each patient., Practice Implications: The findings in this study can serve as a foundation for establishing education and training resources for GPs and can be utilized as a way of continuing professional development. Any future communication technique resources for GPs should be co-designed with obesity lived experience experts to ensure appropriateness and avoid potential stigma and harm., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (© 2025 The Author(s). Obesity Science & Practice published by World Obesity and The Obesity Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)