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Since the outbreak of Covid-19 health communicators around the globe have had to reach, urge, and persuade individuals and communities to adopt appropriate health protective behaviors. They have used a mix of communication channels, including outdoor media and public signage which are the focus of this paper. Drawing on a comparative linguistic landscape analysis, this paper critically examined the amount, content, and prominence of Covid-19 signage in Hackney, a London borough severely hit by the first wave of the pandemic. Having analyzed 1288 signs collected between May and July 2020, we found significant differences in Covid-19 signage between deprived and less deprived areas. These differences (e.g., in messaging about staying at home) have created inequalities in access to Covid-19 related health information and guidance. We also explored the changes in Covid-19 signage over time and the tailoring of risk and health messages to minority communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the preferences of people with memory complaints (PwMC) and their significant others regarding starting a diagnostic trajectory for dementia. A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, and Embase. Selection of abstracts and papers was performed independently by two researchers. Methodological quality was assessed with the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool. Result sections of the selected papers were thematically synthesized. From 2497 citations, seven qualitative studies and two mixed methods studies published between 2010 and 2020 were included. Overall quality of the studies was high to moderate. A thematic synthesis showed that preferences for starting a diagnostic trajectory arose from the feeling of needing to do something about the symptoms, beliefs on the necessity and expected outcomes of starting a diagnostic trajectory. These views were influenced by normalization or validation of symptoms, the support or wishes of the social network, interactions with health care professionals, the health status of the PwMC, and societal factors such as stigma and socioeconomic status. A variety of considerations with regard to decision-making on starting a diagnostic trajectory for dementia were identified. This emphasizes the need to explore individual preferences to facilitate a timely dementia diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mental health of the farming community across industrialised nations has long been a major concern. Using an adapted procedure for a systematic literature review of observational epidemiological studies reporting prevalence (informed by the Joanna Briggs Institute method), this paper reviews peer-reviewed literature that explicitly compares farmer and non-farmer mental health (n = 48). In doing so, it provides a central and accessible evidence base for researchers and practitioners, and simultaneously reveals a stark lack of consensus; specifically, 54.0% of measures deployed to assess farmer mental health determined it to be the same as or even better than non-farming populations. This ambiguity sits in sharp contrast to the unequivocally worrisome farmer suicide statistics. Informed by the literature, the paper discusses potential reasons for this mismatch, including (i) farmers' progression through a different "pathway" to suicide that is not always preceded by mental illness, and (ii) a failure of current methods to accurately gauge the mental health status of farmers. The paper concludes by recommending more research into farmers' "pathway" to suicide, and highlights the need for a dedicated and multi-disciplinary programme of methods research that will afford a more culturally appropriate and effective means of understanding mental health in the farming community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper examines the multi-dimensional nature of Internet Addiction (IA) and its influence on Well-Being (WB) amongst a representative sample of 320 young urban Indian internet users. Nine hypotheses are proposed through a conceptual model to assess the multi-dimensional nature of IA and its relationship with WB. Partial Least Squares – Structure Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was conducted to assess the hypothesised relationships. Of the proposed nine hypotheses, seven were accepted. The result indicated IA as a four-dimensional construct – Internet Control Disorder (ICD), Internet Craving (IC), Internet Obsession (IO), and Addictive Behaviour (AB). The findings supported that ICD positively and significantly influences IC. IC and AB both have a significant impact on IO. ICD and IC have a significant impact on the individual's AB. ICD and IO significantly influence WB. With respect to the dimensions IC, AB, and IO, the model is successful in explaining around 26%, 45%, and 33% of the variation. IA as a multi-dimensional phenomenon and its relationship with WB in a young-demographic nation like India has immense academic and societal value. The study provides critical actionable insights for users, educators, health counsellors, parents, and policymakers regarding interventions for controlling internet addiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A significant proportion of smartphone notifications are indicative of human behaviour (e.g. delivery updates for purchased items, physical activity summaries, and notification of updates to subscribed content). However, present attempts to understand human behaviour from smartphone traces typically focus on sensors such as location, accelerometer and proximity, overlooking the potential for notifications as a valuable data source. In this paper, we propose a general framework that provides end-to-end processing of notifications to understand behavioural aspects. We realise the framework with an implementation that tackles the specific use case of establishing prior buying behaviour from associated notifications. To evaluate the framework and implementation, we conduct a longitudinal user study in which we collect more than 250, 000 notifications, from twelve users, over an average of three months. We apply knowledge-based and machine learning techniques to those notifications to assess the tasks of the proposed framework. The results show a substantial difference in the performance between the methods used to extract behavioural features from the collected notifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fertility rates in Nigeria are declining at such a modest rate, that if more proactive measures are not employed to reduce fertility, the nation may double its population before long. We empirically examined fertility behaviour as derivatives of specific subgroup social norms, and the variations in the factors responsible for different fertility behaviours, using the 2018 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey. Descriptive bivariate, and multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to predict the contribution of demographic and sociocultural factors contributing to the fertility level, and findings were reported as odds ratios. Results revealed that age, religion and level of education are the most significant predictors of fertility level, with remarkable differences in birth rate across subgroups, whereas North-West Nigeria had the highest fertility level. Furthermore, marriage had a significantly negative effect on high fertility among North-Western women, whereas higher education significantly increased high fertility among North-Eastern women. In conclusion, subgroup social norms fertility behaviour is responsible for the persistent fertility differential outcome in Nigeria. Thus, the paper strongly advocates the need to intensify community-led, norm-based solution and not a universal approach in addressing fertility control in Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) during early childhood is associated with self-regulation difficulties. Caregivers can facilitate children's self-regulation through emotion-focused conversations about past experiences, buffering downstream effects. However, caregivers experiencing violence may avoid distressing emotions activated by such conversations. This paper explores two different models of relational stress responses, one involving indirect effects (i.e. spillover effects) and the other moderation (i.e. buffering effects). Mothers (n = 117), oversampled for violence exposure, self-reported on IPV and participated in an emotional reminiscing task with children (aged 3–5 years); narratives were coded for maternal sensitive guidance. Maternal sensitive guidance was related to children's self-regulation. Sensitive guidance did not have indirect effects in the association between IPV exposure and children's self-regulation, but did buffer the association between physical IPV and self-regulation; this pattern did not hold for psychological IPV. Results suggest sensitive guidance during reminiscing may promote self-regulation in contexts of high IPV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research on the stigma associated with cutaneous leishmaniasis, a vector-transmitted parasitic disease, focuses on aesthetic appearance affectation as the leading cause of stigmatisation. However, Indigenous populations in the hinterland of Amazonian Ecuador trigger stigma expressions by recognising (muco)cutaneous leishmaniasis, primarily through atypical smell, followed by the odd voice sound, appearance and taste. This empirical way of recognising symptoms relies on embodied forms of identifying a disease, contrasting the Western supremacy of visuality and demanding to be understood via multi-sensorial anthropology. Through ethnographic research and data retrieved from eighty-three semistructured interviews and fifteen focus groups in seven Ecuadorian ethnic groups – including six Indigenous groups in the Amazon region – this paper analyses how the sensorium is a health thermometer. Findings reveal that differentiated cultural responses to a sense of peril, contagion and social (self)rejection, understood as stigma expressions, are linked to the holistic approach to health (or well-being) shared by Indigenous populations. In forest societies, well-being is explained through successful (non-)human relationships, and disease permeates through bodies that lack balanced relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the main and interactive effects of national culture dimensions and HIV prevalence rates on stigma towards people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHIVA). We examined these various relationships using data from a sample of 68,041 individuals from 49 countries, obtained from the World Values Survey. We used Hierarchical Linear Modeling to conduct our cross-level analyses. Our results indicated that collectivistic societies were positively associated while egalitarian and performance-oriented societies were negatively associated with stigma towards PLHIVA. Additionally, HIV prevalence rates interact with several cultural dimensions to worsen stigma towards PLHIVA. Our findings indicate the need to tailor stigma reduction strategies by taking the national culture dimensions of a given society into consideration when designing and implementing programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Standardized assessment and progress monitoring are an important part of evidence-based practice. Despite efforts to embed standardized assessments into routine practice, they remain underutilized by practitioners. This underutilization has been attributed to a variety of factors, one of which is the concern that standardized assessments are a burden for individuals to complete. This study sought to gather the first descriptive data on substance users' attitudes toward the use of standardized assessments as part of an initial assessment and for progress monitoring. Seventy-one Australian substanceusing individuals (54.9% male) recruited via online forums, practitioner networks, and advertisements placed in relevant treatment services completed an online survey. The majority of substance-using individuals believed standardized initial assessment and progress monitoring measures to be beneficial to fill out, not burdensome, and valuable in monitoring treatment progress. Individuals would also prefer to choose the administration format of assessment (e.g. computer, mobile device, pencil-and-paper). Findings challenge the assumption that including standardized assessments in routine practice will be considered too burdensome by individuals who use substances, and offer insights that can inform patient-centred implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 1990s, researchers have used community-based participatory approaches to achieve outcomes relevant to local communities, to build collaborative and sustainable research infrastructures, and to address disparities in knowledge production. Notwithstanding these strengths, communities and researchers have questioned its success in addressing power imbalances inherent in collaborative research encounters. In this methodological paper, we describe a novel community-based program science approach to guide an interdisciplinary research project on HIV self-testing among men who have sex with men in three Kenyan counties. Drawing on ethnographic field notes, we detail how community researchers and their academic and programmatic partners collaborated through all phases of the research process, including research design and data collection. Importantly, community researchers also played an integral role in data analysis and dissemination, going well beyond the conventional role of 'community engagement' in global health research. We also present findings from qualitative interviews conducted by community researchers with their peers to inform the rollout of HIV self-testing kits in their respective county-contexts. Our approach highlights that engaging community directly in evidence production allows research findings – owned and generated by communities on their own behalf – to be fed more swiftly and effectively into community-led program delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the recent interest in patient engagement (PE) in drug development, expressed in the growing number of calls for engagement, novel organizations dedicated to changing the culture of drug development, and guidelines for directing and evaluating PE. By reviewing materials produced by actors in the field and analyzing publications reporting on PE initiatives, I map sites of action where PE is being conceived and practiced, delineate how PE is being shaped, and analyze relationships emerging within and around the collectives involved. Pharmaceutical industry players actively mold the landscape of PE in drug development through creating tools and frameworks for PE. These instruments for guiding the implementation of PE are disseminated via training and dedicated events, concurrently disseminating a particular configuration of PE. PE emerges as an attempt to open new avenues for increasing productivity amidst concerns about the future of drug innovation, while PE practices fit smoothly into the arrangements for producing and distributing pharmaceutical knowledge largely shaped by the industry. The ongoing participatory turn in drug development is taking place without shifting the established concentration of epistemic power among commercial entities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individual starts for ventral and dorsal swimming events have changed. After the introduction of back plate and wedge, some studies (mainly on ventral starts) have aimed to clarify their benefits and optimal application. This systematic review is aimed at a critical appraise of the literature on the main findings for back plate and wedge usage. We explored the databases of PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science and conducted a manual search on the reference list of papers. We based our search on the quality scale of the National Health Institutes and found 25 studies that met the eligibility criteria and that scored 7.75 ± 1.18 and 8.0 ± 0.71 on fair-quality studies addressing kick and backstroke starts. Kick start has shown faster start time comparing with grab and track starts by reducing block time and increasing horizontal take-off velocity. Backstroke start using the wedge improved performance through a greater centre of mass vertical position at take-off, horizontal and vertical position at entry and underwater velocity. Swimmers have adopted technical variants of kick and backstroke start by changing block set-up and stance, which should be monitored considering anthropometrics and strength abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study sought to assess the validity of contact involvement (CI) detection using microsensor technology (MST, Catapult Vector) within the context of a Tier One national rugby union (RU) squad, consisting of 44 players. Sensitivity of MST units to detect CI and scrums was assessed in eight test matches, by comparison with match data obtained by video analysis. This paper is the first to assess the sensitivity of MST to the full range of skilled CI which occur in RU, including evaluating "non-performance" collisions, such as incidental collisions or foul play. Sensitivity to tackles made (52.9–84.9%) and ruck hits (53.3–87.2%) was lower than previous research, although ball carries (71.9–93.5%) showed broadly similar sensitivity to established results. The sensitivity of the MST to detect scrums was substantially lower than previous findings, with large positional variation evident (51.4–91.5%). Further refinement of MST software should be considered in order to facilitate valid monitoring of RU performance and injury risk. An additional finding was that video analysis generally demonstrated satisfactory intrarater reliability. This result supports the use of video analysis as a reliable method of assessing RU performance, including CI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recovery-oriented mental health care approach is gaining acceptance in Asian countries, including Singapore. Following Western countries, Singapore started hiring peer support specialists (PSS) as part of mental healthcare services. The aim of this paper was to explore and understand how individual peer support specialists in Singapore perceive and make sense of their role given their unique perspective as both recipients and providers of mental healthcare treatment. Six PSS in Singapore were interviewed utilizing a semi-structured interview schedule. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Four superordinate themes were generated illustrating how PSS viewed their role: embracing and embodying recovery, balancing on a bridge, impossible without support, and helping to end stigma. Findings also illustrated participants' awareness of the nature of the job and the role of PSS as still in the infancy stage. They embraced a recovery-oriented mindset despite experiencing stigma from professionals and/or their social support. The need to understand familial attitudes towards the PSS role is discussed. The limitations, contributions to the research, and several areas for future research are also outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young people with severe and complex depression experience substantial social connectedness difficulties. The aim of this qualitative study was to evaluate the role of social connectedness in a novel group therapy (Relate) for youth living with severe and complex depression from clinicians' perspectives. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 clinicians practicing at Orygen's Youth Mood Clinic in Melbourne. Eight of the 11 clinicians were female, with the sample aged 30–42 years (M = 34 years, SD = 3.6 years) and having an average 4.5 years clinical experience at Orygen. Four key themes were identified by codebook thematic analysis. The first theme pertained to clients' difficulties with social engagement, which impacted their attendance of Relate, but were addressed by the intervention. In the second theme, clinicians identified Relate as providing a safe space. In the third theme, clinicians identified opportunities for positive relational experiences. In the fourth theme, clinicians observed social and clinical improvements in Relate clients, but marked recovery did not always occur after attending. Findings provide initial support for the continuation of Relate. Recommendations for future iterations of Relate include refining the intake criteria for referring clients to Relate and potentially lengthening the program's duration. What is already known about this topic: Group interpersonal therapy is an effective intervention for depression and interpersonal functioning in young people. Few studies have evaluated treatments for young people with severe and complex depression and high suicide risk. Few studies have evaluated group programs within early intervention services. What this paper adds: A relationally-focussed group therapy could improve social connectedness and interpersonal functioning for youth living with severe and complex depression. The Relate group emphasises a safe environment for sharing and social risk-taking, providing opportunities for positive relational experiences with similar others which might be particularly useful for youth with complex social difficulties. Identified issues with engagement suggest clients could benefit from an explicit rationale for how their participation in the group benefits their depression treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Move&Connect-Youth (M&C-Y) is an interdisciplinary virtual group intervention for youth experiencing persisting symptoms after concussion (PSAC) that includes psychoeducation, active rehabilitation, and goal-setting. Using an intervention mapping framework, this paper describes the iterative development of M&C-Y and findings from initial feasibility testing. Ten youth participated in M&C-Y completing pre-intervention demographic questionnaires and semi-structured exit interviews to understand participants' experience and gather feedback. M&C-Y was feasible based on apriori criteria and findings from interviews provided insights related to: (1) intervention structure, (2) intervention engagement, and (3) intervention takeaways. M&C-Y is a meaningful, feasible, and engaging intervention for youth with PSAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper outlines a qualitative exploration of the experiences of Youth in Charge (YiC), a 3-year pilot programme. YiC was designed to promote early, immersive community participation for students with physical disabilities, and was co-developed/co-hosted by three agencies (hospital, community rehabilitation, school board). To better understand the experiences of the youth, parents, and staff involved in this broad intervention, observation of 10 programme sessions and annual semi-structured interviews with youth (n = 5), parents (n = 4) and staff (n = 6) were undertaken. Qualitative results comprise six themes based in the two major thematic areas of participation-related experiences and programme considerations. Results indicate the need for community-based experiences, measured risk-taking, long-term engagement, parental involvement, and greater interagency collaboration and integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ageism is a common phenomenon in the workplace, despite being unethical. Although previous studies have explored the many negative effects of ageism on employees, employee silence has rarely been empirically tested as a negative outcome. Therefore, we explored the positive relationship between ageism and employee silence and its underlying mechanism. A total of 416 working adults completed two time-lagged surveys, with items measuring ageism, work alienation, organizational commitment, and employee silence, administered four weeks apart. The results indicate that work alienation and organizational commitment have serial mediating effects on the relationship between ageism and employee silence. Ageism led to employees experiencing more work alienation, leading to harmful consequences for their organizational commitment and to employee silence. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our findings in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manual user-operated Arise Standing Wheelchair (SWC) is the end-result of multiple design iterations based on comments from user trials. The Arise SWC provides standing functionality, outdoor mobility, affordability, and customizability. This paper describes a user experience study of the Arise SWC's pre-commercial version. Thirty participants (N = 30, 25 Male, 5 Female) were recruited for the study. All the participants were people with spinal cord injury. The study was conducted over a period of six weeks (five participants per week) within the hospital premises under the supervision of clinical personnel. A 30 min interactive training session involved thirteen activities. During the trial period, the participants were trained to perform twenty-two activities to familiarize themselves with the SWC. The participants were also trained to perform four functional usage activities with the SWC. At the end of the study, participant responses to ten outcome measures were captured using a smiley-based Likert-scale questionnaire. A majority of the participants (93.3%) felt happy when they stood in the SWC. The majority participants (83.3%) preferred the Arise SWC over their current wheelchair. Also, 80% participants anticipated that they could get more work done at home using the standing function of the wheelchair. A one-time fitting and training ensured optimal effort for the SWC operation, correct posture, and comfortable user experience. With proper dissemination and awareness, it is believed that the Arise SWC will benefit eligible users and improve their quality of life. The Arise wheelchair provides standing functionality, outdoor mobility, affordability, and customizability. Study confirms that incorporating standing functionality can improve the quality of life for wheelchair users. The majority of users were happy, felt safe and expected to do more with the standing functionality. Study results support further testing in real world conditions beyond the hospital setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exercise is a safe, evidence-based approach for improving symptoms such as mobility impairment, cognitive dysfunction, and fatigue; however, persons with multiple sclerosis (MS) who use wheelchairs for mobility have been excluded from most research. This paper describes our approach for recruiting ten community advisor board (CAB) members and partnering with them on developing a novel home-based exercise training program for wheelchair users with MS. The exercise training program, which was developed based on initial qualitative research, includes a progressive exercise prescription, equipment, and one-on-one behavioural coaching based on Social Cognitive Theory. The CAB members convened in groups of five people for five meetings online, using virtual conference software. The CAB meetings each lasted approximately 1-hour and notes were transcribed into digital format for data analyses. Content analysis identified elements that aligned with meeting foci (i.e., prescription, equipment, coaching, and outcomes). Feedback was divided into categories to refine the program, specifically modifying, adding, or retaining content and/or activities. CAB member feedback was very positive and emphasised potential additions to the materials presented. The research team proposed implementing modifications based on the CAB member feedback such as adding wrist weights to the equipment options for completing resistance training exercises. The overall CAB feedback was invaluable for assessing the appropriateness of the proposed exercise training program before initiating feasibility testing. This report provides a model and guidance for researchers who seek community-engaged research approaches in creating products and interventions. Community advisory board participation was invaluable in creating and modifying a novel exercise training programmes for wheelchair users with multiple sclerosis (MS). The current study provides a framework for the creation of exercise interventions for subpopulations of persons with MS that may provide substantial rehabilitation benefits such as improved symptoms and quality of life. Health behaviour interventists targeting individuals with disabilities may consider the benefits of recruiting stakeholders from the community in creation of novel programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Learning disabilities or learning disorders are umbrella terms used for wide variety of learning problems like Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Dysgraphia, and Dyspraxia. These disabilities are due to the neurological disorders which affects brain functions. Early diagnosis of these disabilities in kids from age 3 to 6 will help to start early medical treatments and get them back to the normal condition. we developed a software-based Learning Disability Evaluation Kit called YALU with computer Game Modules for kids targeting their learning disabilities. These Computer game-based modules of the YALU consist of different tasks for the different age levels to identify the symptoms of the disabilities mentioned above. The children's interaction results to each task of the game modules with the answers of the questioner about the children given by the parents will be evaluated with the threshold values given by a panel of consultant psychologist and paediatrician of the normal kids to identify the learning disabilities in kids aged 3–6 years. The result will be given to the respective parties and uploaded to the Website under the child's name. YALU has been tested using 50 students in age 3–5 in three preschools. The teachers have identified Fourteen students with some learning disability symptoms. Using YALU, twelve out of fourteen students had been clearly identified. Hence, the YALU Evaluation Kit to have an accuracy 85% in diagnosing the right disability. However, the accuracy could be increased with the accurate assessments of the parents about their kids. Learning disabilities are neurological disorders that affect the brain's ability to receive, process, store, respond to and communicate information; and there are four types (Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dysgraphia and Dyscalculia) In this paper, we present the extracted computational techniques targeting the Dyslexia, Dyspraxia, Dysgraphia and Dyscalculia and developed a software application (YALU Learning Disability Evaluation Kit) which consists of computer game modules for the kids for evaluation their learning disabilities. The developed game modules can screen the learning disabilities and these gamification modules (YALU) consists of tasks which are based on symptoms of the said disabilities. The outcomes of each module is evaluated these learning disabilities in kids age from 3 years to 6 years by analysing children's interactions to the each tasks, the child condition and then compare the result with the threshold values of the normal kids given by consultant psychologist and paediatrician. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer rates among Asian American women are increasing. Despite this, there are limited studies on help-seeking among this population. Through a qualitative exploration, this paper examines the help-seeking experiences of Asian American breast cancer survivors. Asian American women (n = 52) with early-stage breast cancer were interviewed. Findings illustrate a continuum of experiences including: keeping diagnosis personal and not asking for help, keeping diagnosis personal but asking for limited help, and sharing diagnosis and seeking support. Results indicate that seeking support is a complex process for Asian Americans with breast cancer, with implications for survivorship and quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Appearance and voice are essential factors impacting users' affective preferences for humanoid robots. However, little is known about how the appearance and voice of humanoid robots jointly influence users' affective preferences and visual attention. We conducted a mixed-design eye-tracking experiment to examine the multisensory integration effect of humanoid robot appearances and voices on users' affective preferences and visual attention. The results showed that the combinations of affectively preferred voices and appearances attracted more affective preferences and shorter average fixation durations. The combinations of non-preferred voices and preferred appearances captured less affective preferences and longer fixation durations. The results suggest that congruent combinations of affectively preferred voices and appearances might motivate a facilitation effect on users' affective preference and the depth of visual attention through audiovisual complements. Incongruent combinations of non-preferred voices and preferred appearances might stimulate an attenuation effect and result in less affective preferences and a deeper retrieval of visual information. Besides, the head attracted the most amount of visual attention regardless of voice conditions. This paper contributes to deepening the understanding of the multisensory integration effect on users' affective preferences and visual attention and providing practical implications for designing humanoid robots satisfying users' affective preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teacher hiring is often a dysfunctional time-consuming bureaucratic procedure, which is not always completed on time due to organisational impediments, budget cuts and slow-moving political processes. Specifically, late hiring has been reported to affect negatively teachers' as well as students' performance. This study examined the extent of late hiring in parallel support, which is a Greek institution aiming to support students with disabilities and special education needs within the mainstream classroom. Actually, this paper examined the number of parallel support teachers in Greek primary and secondary education who were hired on time as well as the percentage of recruitment per hiring phase during the school years 2018--2019 and 2019--2020. Results indicated high percentages of late hiring in this institution for both educational levels lead to the suggestion that the Greek State virtually divided the students into two categories; the 'privileged' who were supported from the start and the 'non-privileged' who were belatedly supported. The researchers conclude that policies in Greece concerning hiring of parallel support teachers need fundamental changes in organisation and funding, in order to serve the students' needs and signalise a strike against ableism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Typically developing children who grow up with siblings with disabilities often have numerous negative experiences owing to many factors such as parental differences in behaviour, lack of time & attention received and many others. This paper aims to analyse themes emerging from interviews with typically developing siblings, their parents and experts from the field of child development and child mental health regarding these experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we aimed to explore: (1) challenges that people with mental illnesses (MIs) describe in engaging in smoking cessation, (2) challenges that mental health providers (MHPs) perceive that people living with MIs face, and (3) how the perceived challenges are similar and/or different from both perspectives. Semi-structured interviews were used to obtain narrative data from 16 MHPs and 13 psychiatric inpatients with MIs. We identified themes purport societal, group, and individual factors may influence smoking cessation treatment engagement. The scope of the perceived challenges appeared varied in the narratives of MHPs as compared to those with MI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify, evaluate and synthesize qualitative literature on adult patients and carer experiences of planning for discharge from an acute setting after a major trauma event. The JBI approach to meta-aggregation was followed. Qualitative studies exploring patient and carer discharge planning experiences of major trauma were included in the systematic review. A comprehensive search was conducted in five databases, supplemented by grey literature. Eligible studies were appraised for methodological quality by two reviewers and data extracted using standardized JBI tools. Four synthesized findings emerged using 69 findings from sixteen papers. (i) Patients and carers feel generally unprepared to manage at home after discharge, (ii) early identification of patients' post discharge needs allows for appropriate referrals and supports to be organised prior to discharge, (iii) patients and carers value participation in the discharge planning process to facilitate a considered, organized and timely discharge from hospital (iv) the timely presentation, delivery, language used, format and relevancy of information impacts how patients and carers manage their discharge. This meta-synthesis demonstrates that patients and carers predominantly have poor experiences of discharge planning after major trauma. Adoption of patient centered principles may improve patient and carer experiences of the discharge planning process. Patients and their carers benefit from a client-centred approach where their needs are recognised and their collaboration encouraged in important decisions, and if they are adequately prepared to reintegrate into their community. Patients can benefit from having a trauma pathway healthcare professional to provide support and advocacy services throughout their hospital admission and after discharge. Discharge planning that is organised, prepared and collaborative leads to a more positive patient experience. Discharge information should be individualised and presented in an easily accessible format for patients and carers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the effect of users' personality traits and emotions expressed through textual communications on YouTube to detect cyberbullying using a series of ensemble classifiers. Personality traits were determined using the Big Five model whereas emotions were based on Ekman's basic emotion theory. Annotated YouTube textual comments in English (N = 5152; i.e. 2576 number of bullying versus 2576 non-bullying instances) were used to detect cyberbullying incidents using several ensemble classifiers, including Random Forest and AdaBoost. Performance metrics revealed both personality traits and emotion to significantly improve the identification of cyberbullying presence, with accuracy and F-score values of more than 95%. Further fine-grained analysis revealed anger and openness to be more profound compared to other emotions and personalities. Further, neurotic individuals tend to be driven to cyberbullying by joy, disgust and fear. The findings show that personality and emotions play pertinent roles in cyberbullying, and the identification of specific traits and emotions can help in designing a more strategic intervention programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have identified associations between affectionate communication and blood lipid levels but been limited by small, homogenous samples and failed replication attempts. Moreover, no study has tested the prediction derived from affection exchange theory that stress mediates the association between affectionate behavior and health. Using secondary analyses of data from the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) Refresher study Biomarker Project, this paper remedies these limitations by testing the prediction that stress mediates the association between kissing and serum levels of triglycerides, high-density lipoproteins, and low-density lipoproteins using a large probability sample of U.S. American adults (N = 863). Results indicate significant indirect effects of kissing frequency on triglycerides and high-density lipoproteins for participants who reported kissing seven or more times in the previous month. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most studies on the benefits of late life civic engagement have focused exclusively on formal volunteering. Older adults' political participation is much more overlooked. The current paper explores the benefits of long-term participation in political organizations as described by actively engaged Spanish older people. We used an adaptation of McAdams' life-story interview with 40 participants from three types of political organizations who occupy a responsible position within the organization. We identified three main themes in participants' answers: personal benefits, relational benefits, and community benefits. Overall, our results showed that the benefits arising from long-term political participation go far beyond the well-studied individual benefits that research on late-life volunteering has typically identified, and spread to relational and community areas. Social work practitioners should consider these benefits when they implement plans and programmes to promote healthy, active ways of aging, fostering age-friendly communities or reducing old-age social exclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper represents the first study to focus on quantifying racial/ethnic group differences in older adults' involvement with adult protective services (APS). Across 3 independent county programs, the rate of APS reports was about twice as high for Black older adults compared to White older adults. These differences were greater for clients who were older and male but remained similar across allegation type. The percent of reports validated was slightly but consistently lower for Black clients than for White clients, and a lower percentage of Black clients' cases were closed due to investigation or service refusal. Findings for Hispanic clients differed by county, so it was impossible to generalize about their APS experience. Researchers should distinguish racial/ethnic group differences that persist across multiple programs from those that are program-specific. Further studies with larger data sets are needed to guide APS practice and ensure equity for all clients served. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify current knowledge about the role of fatigue in occupational injury in the agricultural sector and briefly assess potential intervention approaches. Narrative review of peer reviewed literature (in English) from 2010 to 2022 focusing on fatigue in agricultural and other sectors. Data were extracted from Medline, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The initial search revealed 6,031 papers, of these 33 met the inclusion criteria. The literature unanimously agreed that fatigue contributes to occupational injury in agriculture and related industries. However, there was a scarcity of literature specific to Australia or agriculture. This limits the ability to draw conclusions about the true relationship between fatigue and injury. While fatigue is likely a major contributor to occupational injury in Australian agriculture, the limited literature impedes the ability to draw conclusions and extrapolate interventions used by other industries that are practical and feasible, to agriculture. Future studies should establish the nature of the problem in Australian agriculture and consult with members of the sector to establish the best interventions to ameliorate the problem, then implement and robustly evaluate intervention studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior research suggests that social connectedness is associated with lower levels of depression among college students. The aim of this exploratory study was to determine if an association existed between social activity, need to belong, and depression. Variations in study measures by race, gender, and student status were also explored. Data was collected from students attending a large university in the southeastern United States during the Spring 2019 academic semester (N = 299). Participants completed an anonymous self-administered survey, which was offered in both electronic and paper formats. Need to belong significantly predicted depression among college students even when accounting for social activity and response bias. Study measures varied significantly based on race, gender, and student status. Belonging and social connectedness may be utilized by collegiate stakeholders to increase student and university outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Since the end of 2019, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak rapidly became a pandemic. The psychological state of people during the COVID-19 pandemic has gained interest. Our aim was to study the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and stress in college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A systematic search of Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library was conducted up to September 20, 2020. Reviewers independently assessed full-text articles according to predefined criteria. Stata14/SE was used to calculate the prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of anxiety, depression, and stress among college students from different countries. A random effects model was adopted. The Egger test was used to determine publication bias. Results: A total of 280 references were retrieved, and 28 papers met our inclusion criteria, for a total of 436,799 college students. Thirteen studies involved non-Chinese college students, and 15 studies involved Chinese college students. The prevalence of anxiety, depression, and stress was 29% (95% CI, 19–25%), 37% (95% CI, 32–42%), and 23% (95% CI, 8–39%), respectively. Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative psychological effect on college students, and the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and stress among Chinese college students is lower than among non-Chinese college students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenomenon: The urgency of having fair and trustworthy competency-based assessment in medical training is growing. Simulation is increasingly recognized as a potent method for building and assessing applied competencies. The growing use of simulation and its application in summative assessment calls for comprehensive and rigorously designed programs. Defining the current baseline of what is available and feasible is a crucial first step. This paper uses anesthesia and intensive care (AIC) in France as a case study in how to document this baseline. Approach: An IRB-approved, online anonymous closed survey was submitted to AIC residency program directors and AIC simulation program directors in France from January to February 2021. The researcher-developed survey consisted of 65 questions across five sections: centers' characteristics, curricular characteristics, courses' characteristics, instructors' characteristics, and simulation perceptions and perspectives. Findings: The participation rate was 31/31 (100%) with 29 centers affiliated with a university hospital. All centers had AIC simulation activities. Resident training was structured in 94% of centers. Simulation uses were training (100%), research and development (61%), procedural or organizational testing (42%), and summative assessment (13%). Interprofessional full-scale simulation training existed in 90% of centers. Procedural training on simulators prior to clinical patients' care was performed "always" in 16%, "most often" in 45%, "sometimes" in 29% and "rarely" or "not" in 10% of centers. Simulated patients were used in 61% of centers. Main themes were identified for procedural skills, full-scale and simulated patient simulation training. Simulation activity was perceived as increasing in 68% of centers. Centers expressed a desire to participate in developing and using a national common AIC simulation program. Insights: Based on our findings in AIC, we demonstrated a baseline description of nationwide simulation activities. We now have a clearer perspective on a decentralized approach in which individual institutions or regional consortia conduct simulation for a discipline in a relatively homogeneous way, suggesting the feasibility for national guidelines. This approach provides useful clues for AIC and other disciplines to develop a comprehensive and meaningful program matching existing expectations and closing the identified gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behaviour can have an influence on (coping with) chronic conditions such as dementia. Assistive technology can stimulate the daily behaviour of people with dementia, but the mechanisms through which this happens are unclear. Therefore, this paper focuses on potential behaviour change mechanisms, that can be employed in smart building interventions for people with dementia or MCI. This research uses expert interviews with medical experts (n = 9) and a systematic literature review of smart building interventions stimulating health behaviour (n = 12). Results show how facilitation, incentive motivation (i.e., feedback), observational learning and self-efficacy are most promising according to medical experts; if they are appropriately personalised towards needs, preferences as well as abilities. The literature review shows how most of the examined research uses facilitation and incentive motivation to stimulate behaviour. Although positive results are reported in all studies, methodological quality could be improved. For the design of smart building interventions for people with MCI or dementia, facilitation and incentive motivation seem to be promising behaviour change mechanisms. Outcome expectation, observational learning and self-efficacy could reinforcing the aforementioned mechanisms. Future research should focus on how different (environmental, digital) cues can be personalized and can adapt over time, as dementia progresses. Assistive technology for people with dementia can have an effect on (health) behaviour, which may in turn influence coping strategies or quality of life. Behaviour change mechanisms can inform the design of assistive technology such as smart building interventions. Facilitation, Incentive Motivation, Observational Learning and Self-efficacy seem promising behaviour change mechanisms for people with dementia or MCI. In any intervention for people with dementia, personalized and adaptable cues are of vital importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite few studies assessing the effectiveness of phase-based interventions for treating complex trauma symptoms, such approaches have been endorsed by experts as a first-line intervention. The aim of this study was to evaluate Phase 1 of the Women's Trauma Recovery Program, a phase-based intervention for women who have experienced complex trauma. Quantitative assessments of posttraumatic stress, depression, anxiety and stress (baseline and Week 10) are reported for 11 participants. Six women also participated in qualitative interviews regarding their experience of the program. Descriptive statistics and interpretive phenomenological analysis were used to analyse quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. Four of nine participants with probable PTSD at baseline were asymptomatic at Week 10. Three superordinate themes were generated from the interview data: (1) Empowerment: the experience in Phase 1, (2) Recovery: an ongoing process, and (3) "Hey, I'm human": connection through shared experience. Phase 1 of the program demonstrated promising findings in terms of symptom improvement. Furthermore, participants perceived it as an empowering experience. The group modality enabled women to create connections that validated and normalised their experiences. Future studies of phase-based interventions with larger, well-powered samples are needed. What is already known about this topic: (1) Phase-based approaches are a recommended treatment option for individuals with complex trauma histories. Despite this, little research has examined such treatments for women who have experienced complex trauma. (2) Phase-based approaches assume that individuals who have experienced complex trauma may benefit from a period of safety and stabilisation, to develop the required coping skills to engage in trauma memory processing. (3) Capitalising on the Australian Medicare Rebate Scheme, combining a group phase and individual phase may reduce the cost burden for clients and enable clients to experience benefits unique to group and individual modalities. What this topic adds: (1) This paper presents Australian-first findings regarding the outcomes of the initial phase of a phase-based approach to treat women with complex trauma. (2) Phase 1 of the Women's Trauma Recovery Program, delivered in a group format, was associated with decreases in mental health symptoms for most participants and was perceived as empowering experience that facilitated interpersonal connections. (3) Using a group intervention as phase 1 of phase-based approaches may be an acceptable, effective, and cost-effective option for women with complex trauma histories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is known that parental experiences of perceived racism are associated with poorer mental health in children. However, little is known about the mechanism of transmission of intergenerational racism among Aboriginal Australians. This study aims to explore the causal effect of Aboriginal mothers' experience of perceived racism on children's social and emotional well-being mediated by parenting sense of competence. Pregnant Aboriginal women (N = 159) reported their experiences of perceived racism using the Measure of Indigenous Racism Experiences instrument, and completed a five year follow-up survey, reporting their sense of parenting competence using the Parenting Sense of Competence Scale and their child's social and emotional well-being using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. A single causal mediation analysis was used to examine the causal effects while accounting for confounding variables (mother's age, education, and socioeconomic status). Mothers who experienced perceived racism in at least one setting were at an increased odds of their child experiencing social and emotional difficulties (OR = 1.28, 95% CI [0.55, 2.98]). This effect was not mediated by parenting sense of competence, despite an effect between parenting competence and children's social and emotional well-being (OR = 0.44, 95% CI [0.19, 1.06]). The findings suggest that maternal experiences of perceived racism has a longitudinal effect on their children's social and emotional well-being, which is not mediated through the mothers' parenting sense of competence. These findings highlight the importance of reducing racism as these may have far-reaching effects across generations on socio-social and emotional well-being. What is already known about this topic: Racism is a significant public health issue in Australia as experiences of racism are highly prevalent among Aboriginal Australians, and associated with adverse health and wellbeing. The effects of racism are known to have pervasive intergenerational impacts, with parental experiences of racism affecting children's social and emotional wellbeing. To date, little is known about the mechanism by which parental perceptions of racism lead to adverse social-emotional wellbeing for children. What this topic adds: This paper is the first to explore whether parenting sense of competence mediates the effect of maternal experience of perceived racism on children's social and emotional well-being. Children aged five years were at an increased risk of social and emotional difficulties if their mother had experienced perceived racism in at least one setting during pregnancy. The impact of maternal experience of perceived racism on children's social and emotional well-being was not transmitted through the mother's parenting sense of competence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indocyanine green fluorescence angiography (ICG-FA) is commonly used in general surgery, but its use in bariatric surgery is still marginal. Moreover, post-operative leaks remain a dramatic complication after this surgery and the leak tests available have poor performance preventing them. The aim of the present paper is to assess the use and utility of a new innovative technology based on quantitative measures of fluorescence signal intensity. From January 2022 to June 2022, 40 consecutive patients with a median age of 51 years and a preoperative median body mass index of 45.2 kg/m2 underwent bariatric surgery with quantitative ICG fluorescence angiography in our center. Two different types of surgery, based on the multidisciplinary evaluation, were performed: laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) and one anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB). For ICG visualization, quantitative laparoscopic ICG platform was used to identify the vascular supply. Thirteen patients underwent LSG and 27 patients underwent OAGB. ICG was performed in all patients with no adverse events. An adequate and satisfactory blood supply was assessed in each case. No case of post-operative leak was detected. The quantitative ICG-FA seems to be a useful and promising tool for the prevention of complications in bariatric surgery but further studies are mandatory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Attention should be devoted to the accessibility of campus facilities to older adults and as a means to increase age-diversity. In this paper, we sought to uncover older adults' perceptions of campus accessibility via an online survey. Participants were recruited through local newsletters, and word of mouth, and included 81 community members (M Age = 71.58 years; 79% female; 89% White). Descriptive analyses were conducted for closed-ended responses and a constant comparative method was used to code open-ended responses. Based on the closed-ended responses, participants felt that the campus was somewhat accessible, moderately easy to walk around, and felt somewhat welcome on campus. The following general themes emerged in the open-ended responses: 1) inaccessibility on campus was related to parking and topography constraints (e.g., due to stairs, distance, hills); 2) accessibility on campus was due to sidewalks and access to transportation; 3) feeling welcome on campus was related to people being helpful, and 4) not feeling welcome was related to not 'being in the know' and not feeling like they belonged. These findings have implications for campus initiatives that aim to attract older adults, especially for campuses that have topography constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While HCI literature offers general frameworks for understanding user-centred quality, specific application areas may call for more detailed contextualisation of it. This paper focuses on socio-technical context of online news commenting by investigating speculative UI interventions intended to influence users' emotions and social behaviour. To understand the aspects of quality that matter to users in such UI interventions, we conducted an international online survey (N = 439) and qualitatively analysed respondents' first impressions of eight different design proposals. The findings describe contextually relevant socio-technical viewpoints and offer actionable considerations for design. For example, the findings imply that designers should be mindful of possible unintentional misuse that may result from the UI reinforcing specific emotional states or affording stigmatisation of individual users. The study advances understanding of which aspects of quality should be considered when designing and deploying UI interventions for digital media services and evaluating them with potential end-users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the effect of chatbot empathy and identity disclosure on willingness to donate (WTD) to a fundraising project and the psychological mechanism in the relationship. In a 3 (information-only vs. cognitive empathy vs. affective empathy) × 2 (chatbot vs. human identity) experiment, 496 US adults had a conversation about a fundraising event with one of six artificial intelligence-powered chatbots. The results revealed that neither chatbot empathy nor identity disclosure has a significant effect on WTD, rejecting the hypotheses. However, the data supported a significant interaction effect between chatbot empathy and identity disclosure on WTD. Moreover, the results suggested that the interaction effect between chatbot empathy and identity disclosure on WTD would be mediated through human likeness and social presence. This study suggests how empathy and human identity of chatbots should be applied with care to avoid the uncanny valley effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigates the prevalence of substance use disorder and role of institutions in preventing it in Gangtok, a capital city of the northern Indian state of Sikkim. A survey of 816 respondents was undertaken using a short and easy-to-understand questionnaire. Results reveal that 64% of respondents identified persons with harmful drug use in their immediate families or in their neighborhoods and nearly same percentage of people conceal the actual cause of death in cases where death occurred due to drug overuse. The paper uncovers that cases of substance use disorder have increased and a considerable number of people are reported dying due to it, but families often hide the actual cause of death. The role of institutions is found to be limited in preventing it, as the process of knowledge transmission among families and patients with heavy drug use is abysmally slow. The study argues to empowering society with a potential tool, that is, knowledge transmission, and enabling them to devise meaningful tools to tackle rising cases of substance use disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review is about the ethical use of sensors to monitor occupational exposure to hazards. It considers whether the same or different, ethical measures apply to using sensors, compared to conventional hazard monitoring surveys. To undertake the review, subject experts developed a research question, identified suitable search terms, and set the scope of these searches. Candidate research papers dating from 2000 to mid-2022 that met inclusion criteria were identified and reviewed by each author. Ethical concerns were identified by the authors of studies in which sensors were used to monitor employee health and well-being, but most of the studies that used them to monitor employee exposure to hazards focused on the technical aspects of their deployment. These ethical concerns included questions about employee rights and privacy, the anonymity of the data collected with sensors, and how the security of this data is managed. The review considers ethical standards and codes of practice for occupational hygiene work and the ethical risks when sensors are used to gather data. Sensors may provide insight into occupational exposure to hazards, but their use is not always adequately explained to employees by those managing this monitoring work. The ethical concerns identified were relevant to many areas of industrial hygiene work, but more studies are required that consider the ethical use of sensors in workplaces. Studies that monitored employee health, well-being, and productivity, identified ethical risks in using sensors to monitor these endpoints. An ethical framework and checklist for hygienists are proposed including a set of questions that consider the risks of using sensors to monitor occupational hazards. Industrial hygiene professional bodies provide ethical codes of practice for their members but may also need to consider the implications of using sensors in workplaces. Ethical standards support the collection of industrial hygiene exposure data whilst maintaining the privacy rights of employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interprofessional competence is needed to improve health care outcomes. The aim of this paper is to describe the development of theoretically grounded interprofessional education (IPE) experiences to advance interprofessional competencies for occupational and physical therapy doctoral students. In addition, a pretest/postest survey was designed to determine the participants' perceptions of knowledge attainment, roles, and attitudes. Two cohorts of students (N = 115) completed surveys pre and post IPE experiences. Statistically significant changes were found on perception of roles and knowledge attainment. Additional studies are needed to determine if IPE leads to behavioral changes in practice and improves patient outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research on compassion work has focused on the emotion regulation of human services workers. However, little attention has been paid to the job characteristics of this work. In this paper, we conceptualise a model of compassion work that differentiates the task characteristics (1) exposure and (2) empathy, and the work style requirements (3) compassion and (4) distancing. We tested an operationalisation of our compassion work model for its factor structure and validity in two studies (total N = 985). Our findings confirmed the proposed four-factor structure. Moreover, as expected, exposure was positively related to engagement and burnout, suggesting exposure is a challenge stressor in compassion work; empathy was positively related to burnout, suggesting empathy is a hindrance stressor in compassion work; compassion was positively related to work engagement and work meaningfulness, suggesting it supports self-enhancement in compassion work; and finally distancing was negatively related to burnout, suggesting it supports health and well-being in compassion work. Overall, these findings suggest our model is a promising vantage point for future research, job design, and health prevention in compassion work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimization of the human-centeredness of technological innovations – policy digitalization - has exceedingly proliferated in most policy sectors. Yet, a few studies exist on the implications of digital policy tools in realizing social protection policies for older people, particularly in Africa. This paper discusses this issue. It examines data on the 'digital capabilities' of older persons and how digital technologies impact their usage and access to social safety net programs in Kenya, where digital policy tools like mHealth and e-Payment platforms are used to realize them. The data collection involved interviews with 81 respondents between 65-90 years of age (individuals targeted by social safety net programs and Social Protection officers). Findings show a need for more robust and policy target-sensitive efforts and budget allocation to overcome policy digitalization challenges, especially those arising from structural governance inequalities or older people's capability deficits that underpin digital transformation pathways for different policy targets. Most older people in rural areas have negative attitudes and low user digital capabilities toward digital services. This is partly due to a range of challenges from infrastructural deficiencies, low access to internet resources to inadequate policy communication around digital tools. However, higher digital capabilities of policy targets and positive societal attitudes toward digital platforms could improve effective 'public policy digitalization' with more targeted investments and user-sensitive designs in place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Internationally mental distress is more prominent in the LGBTI community than the general population. The LGBTIreland study was set up to take stock of this in the Republic of Ireland. This paper reports on the analysis of the transgender group with reference to minority stress theory and cognitive dissonance theory. Method: An online survey was conducted addressing several aspects of mental health and distress that received responses from all groupings (n = 2,264) among which 12.3% (n = 279) identified as transgender. The survey consisted of several validated tools to measure depression, anxiety, stress (DASS-21), coping (CSES), self-esteem (RSES), alcohol and drugs misuse (AUDIT) and a variety of questions addressing demographics, experiential aspects, coping and self-related factors. Data analysis focused on predicting mental distress using DASS-general (composite of depression, anxiety and stress). Results: Transgender participants reported higher levels of mental distress, self-harm, suicidal ideation and attempts, and lower levels of self-esteem in comparison with the LGB groups, as well as the general population. Hierarchical multiple regression showed that 53% of variance in mental distress could be predicted from reduced self-esteem, the experience of harassment and not belonging in school. Furthermore, mental distress was highest among younger participants, those who were 'not out', those who had self-harmed and used avoidant coping. There was no significant difference in distress levels among those who had sought mental health support and those who had not. Conclusions: To understand mental distress in transgender people, the minority stress model is useful when taking into account both adverse external (environmental) and internal (cognitive/emotional) factors. The cognitive dissonance mechanism is essential in outlining the mechanism whereby gender incongruence is associated with psychological discomfort, low self-esteem and high mental distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Occupational therapists support individuals experiencing homelessness in traditional roles, and occupational therapy positions focussed specifically on homelessness appear to be growing. To develop and refine a framework to guide occupational therapy practice and research in homelessness. We developed a framework and refined it through a stakeholder consultation process conducted with 17 international occupational therapy experts using an online survey. In this survey, we presented an initial framework and requested qualitative feedback. We analyzed this qualitative data using content analysis. Stakeholder feedback was categorized into eight recommendations: (1) Revision to the 'four processes'; (2) Emphasizing social justice and systems-level advocacy; (3) Reflecting intersectionality; (4) Emphasizing meaningful activity; (5) Emphasizing peer support; (6) Incorporating a focus on independent living skills; (7) Increasing a focus on an activity for addressing substance misuse; and (8) Acknowledging cognitive and physical health. Each of these recommendations was incorporated into a refined version of this framework. These recommendations and a refined version of the framework are presented in this paper. We have developed and refined a framework aimed at guiding practice and research in occupational therapy in homelessness that will be evaluated in future research. Though a range of frameworks exists for guiding the practice of occupational therapists more generally, this framework represents the first that is focussed specifically on guiding occupational therapy practice and research with individuals who experience homelessness. Research and practice implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]