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We examined the efficacy of a Model Statement to detect opinion lies. A total of 93 participants discussed their opinion about the recent strikes on two occasions, 1 week apart. In one interview they told the truth and in the other interview they lied. Each interview consisted of two phases. In Phase 1 they discussed their alleged opinion (truth or lie as appropriate). They then either listened to a Model Statement (a detailed account of someone discussing an opinion about a topic unrelated to strike actions) and expressed their opinion again in Phase 2 (Model Statement present condition) or they discussed their opinion again without listening to a Model Statement (Model Statement absent condition). The verbal cues examined were pro‐opinion arguments, anti‐opinion arguments, plausibility, immediacy, directness, clarity, and predictability. The truthful statements sounded more plausible in Phases 1 and 2 than the deceptive statements, providing further evidence that plausibility is a strong veracity indicator. The truthful statements included more pro‐arguments and sounded more immediate and direct than the deceptive statements, but only in Phase 2. The Model Statement had no effect. Reasons for the Model Statement null‐effect are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large number of young adults still live with their parents because they have difficulties entering the job market, because of low wages, or the cost of housing. Despite much research in social science on the consequences of this salient social trend, we lack an understanding of its implications for public opinion. This research note fills this gap by investigating whether such living arrangements between working age children and their parents is correlated with household members' political stances. Specifically, I expect that the anxiety induced by seeing their children having difficulties to become independent will lead parents to hold more negatives political stances, while the same outcome is expected from working age children who failed to fly the nest compared to their independent peers. Using data from the European Social Survey in 32 countries covering the period between 2002 and 2016, I show that, for both parents and young adults, cohabitation is associated with negative evaluations of the national economy and of the government's performance. Studies that do not take into account the situation of other household members might miss an important part of the opinion formation puzzle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with the situated production of opinions in human geography research. Drawing on an online focus group project in which university students were asked to discuss smartphone use in urban greenspace, I'm interested in how our methods can make opinions as much as collect those that are already assumed to exist. Why were these students inclined to speak of having and sharing opinions? How important should opinions be to us if they are not actively influencing the everyday lives of those who we hope to understand in our studies? And what does this all say about staging effective group discussion in the discipline? This paper considers how opinions feature in human geography research and how focus groups are organised most effectively. It does this by drawing on a study in which university students were asked to discuss smartphone use in urban greenspace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Clinical trials of xenotransplantation (XTx, ie, cross‐species transplantation, specifically the transplantation of genetically engineered pig organs into human recipients) are due to start within a few years. Methods: Five focus groups were conducted in April‐May 2019, among local religious leaders (N = 10), organ procurement staff/administrators (N = 5), patients and parents of patients who may need an organ transplant or are transplant recipients (N = 9), and local businesspersons in the community (N = 3). Groups were audio‐recorded, transcribed, and analyzed with NVivo software to identify themes of participants' thoughts to XTx. Results: An overall Cohen's kappa statistic of 0.71 was established. In general, there was wide agreement among participants that XTx is an exciting and acceptable option to explore as an organ alternative. Concerns were expressed primarily regarding issues of animal ethics, stigma regarding how pigs are viewed in society, organ allocation logistics, quality of life after receiving a xenograft, and how XTx would be accepted by certain theological traditions. Conclusion: Overall, various stakeholders accepted XTx as a clinical option. However, there were ethical, social, and physical concerns raised. Future studies exploring the development of education strategies that may help alleviate concerns related to XTx before it becomes a clinical alternative are needed among the general public, potential XTx candidates, and their family members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore nurses' opinions regarding restraint measures and attitudes towards physical restraints use in nursing homes. Design: Cross‐sectional study. Methods: Nursing staff of 33 Portuguese nursing homes was asked to complete the Portuguese version of the Maastricht Attitude Questionnaire (MAQ), an instrument on attitudes regarding physical restraints (reasons, consequences and appropriateness of restraint use) and opinions about restraint measures (restrictiveness and discomfort). Descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis were performed. Results: Data from 186 nurses were included in the analysis. Overall, nurses expressed neutral to moderately positive attitudes towards physical restraints usage. Nurses with longer professional experience reported a more positive attitude regarding the appropriateness of restraint use in their clinical practice. Wrist and ankle restraints were the measures that nurses reported feeling most uncomfortable using, and the most restrictive. Bilateral bedrails were globally assessed as a slightly restrictive measure and nurses reported not feeling uncomfortable using them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Changes in UK psychiatric wards have been difficult to implement. Specific areas of nursing staff resistance remain unclear. Previous healthcare research suggests that burnout is common and that managers' regard changes more positively than direct care staff. We will therefore examine whether burnout and workforce characteristics influence psychiatric nurses' perceptions of barriers to change. Psychiatric nurses (N = 125) completed perceptions measures of 'barriers to change' (VOCALISE: subscales included 'powerlessness, confidence and demotivation'); and 'burnout' (Maslach Burnout Inventory: subscales included 'emotional exhaustion, personal accomplishment and depersonalization '). Staff characteristics, such as length of employment, occupational status, education, ethnicity, gender and age, were also collected. Correlations between these measures informed random‐effects regression models, which were conducted to predict the barriers to change score and to explore differential effects in the subscales of VOCALISE. Perceptions of barriers to change (VOCALISE) were correlated with burnout (r = 0.39), occupational status (r = −0.18) and age (r = 0.22). Burnout (Coef. β: 10.52; P > 0.001) and occupational status (Coef. β: −4.58; P = 0.05) predicted VOCALISE. Emotional exhaustion (Coef. β: 0.18; P < 0.001) and low personal accomplishment (Coef. β: 0.21; P = 0.001) predicted powerlessness. Emotional exhaustion predicted low motivation regarding changes (Coef. β: 0.11; P = 0.005). Low confidence predicted high levels of depersonalization (Coef β: 0.23; P = 0.01). Direct care staff expressed significantly more powerlessness (Coef. β: −2.60; P = 0.02) and significantly less confidence (Coef. β: −3.07; P = 0.002) than managers. For changes to be successful in psychiatric wards, burnout will need to be addressed. Future change strategies may consider involving direct care staff to improve perceptions of barriers to change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We evaluated how dermatopathologists are employing molecular testing in the setting of neoplastic skin diseases, and assessed their opinions of the broader role and utility of molecular technologies in clinical practice. Methods: A 15‐question online survey was sent to Fellows of the American Society of Dermatopathology in April 2017. Results: One hundred and thirty‐six dermatopathologists completed the survey (response rate = 16%). A majority (94%) of respondents reported experience with one or more molecular testing strategies. Sixty‐two percent of dermatopathologists order 12 or more molecular tests per year, while 5% of respondents order 2 or fewer assays per year. More frequent utilization of molecular testing is associated with relevant instruction during residency training (P = .009), primary board certification in pathology (P = .008), academic medical center affiliation (P = <.0001), higher volume clinical practice (P = .0004), presence of on‐site clinical molecular pathology/cytogenetics laboratory (P = .007), and greater physician confidence incorporating test results into histopathological assessments (P = <.0001). Conclusions: Wider adoption of molecular testing in dermatopathology may be limited by factors such as physician training, test costs/insurance coverage, logistical issues and lack of evidence‐based clinical practice guidelines. Dermatopathologists have concerns regarding clinical validity/utility and inappropriate/overuse of some molecular tests. The importance of longitudinal education in molecular technologies and their applications for trainee and practicing physicians is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Appropriate use criteria have been developed for many tests using expert judgment, evidence-based practice and clinical experience. In this context, we report the opinions of practitioners about clonality assays in various clinical scenarios where cutaneous lymphoma is suspected. Methods An Appropriate Use Criteria Task Force sponsored by the American Society of Dermatopathology (ASDP) synthesized clinical scenarios for cutaneous lymphoproliferative disorders (LPDs). We conducted, summarized and presented a relevant literature search to an audience of 144 dermatopathologists with a variety of practice experiences at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the ASDP in Chicago, IL. Results Twenty-seven clinical scenarios for LPDs (13 T-cell and 14 B-cell) were defined. Forty relevant studies for T-cell receptor gene clonality assays and 20 relevant studies for IgH/IgK clonality assays were identified. Audience response data from participating dermatopathologists reflected a wide variety of approaches to the application of clonality assays in the evaluation of LPDs, based on practice setting, personal experience and test availability. Conclusions Our clinical scenario analysis and literature review revealed well-supported clinical scenarios and identified opportunities for additional research to further define the utility of clonality assays in some clinical scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Reuse of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) may help address the unmet need among patients in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Methods To examine Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) physicians' opinions regarding CIED reuse, an online survey eliciting attitudes toward CIED reuse was sent to all 3,380 HRS physician members. Results There were 429 responses (response rate 13%). A large majority of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that resterilization of devices for reimplantation in patients who cannot afford new devices may be safe (370, 87%) and, if proven to be safe, would be ethical (375, 88%). A total of 340 (81%) respondents would be comfortable asking their patients to consider donating their device, and 353 (84%) would be willing to reimplant a resterilized device if it were legal. The most commonly cited concerns about device reuse were infection (270, 64%) and device malfunction (125, 29%). Respondents from the United States and Canada had more favorable impressions of device reuse than respondents from other high-income countries (P < 0.05 for three of five positive statements regarding reuse), and were less likely to cite ethical concerns (P < 0.001). However, when responses from all high-income countries were compared with lower- and upper-middle income countries, there were no significant differences in the rates of approval. Conclusions HRS survey respondents support the concept of CIED reuse for patients in LMICs who cannot afford new devices. Studies are needed to demonstrate the clinical efficacy and safety of this practice and to identify potential barriers to adoption among physicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetic counselors and parents of individuals with Down syndrome (DS) agree that descriptions of DS in prenatal settings should be 'balanced.' However, there is no consensus regarding what constitutes a balanced description of DS. A survey was designed in collaboration with, and sent to the membership of, the British Columbia based Lower Mainland Down Syndrome Society ( N = 260). Respondents were asked how they would describe DS to a couple who have just received a prenatal diagnosis of the condition. We rated the descriptions provided for positivity/negativity. Completed surveys were returned by 101 members, the majority of whom were Caucasian (87%) and female (79%). Participants' descriptions of DS ranged from entirely positive ( n = 5; 10%) to entirely negative ( n = 4; 7%) in nature. Deriving a description of DS that would broadly be perceived as 'balanced' may be impossible. Instead, it may be more important to explore the range of possibilities regarding the family experience of raising a child with DS using nonjudgmental terminology, and to help families evaluate these possibilities in the context of their own values, coping strategies, and support networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successful public involvement efforts can reduce conflict and build trust between resource managers and the public. Differences of opinion between the public and wildlife managers regarding the importance of various characteristics and methods of public involvement have implications for managers wishing to design effective public involvement processes. We compared and contrasted the preferences of German public and European experts in large mammal management regarding characteristics and methods of public involvement. Expert participants attributed high levels of importance to including scientific information in decision making while general public respondents attributed high levels of importance to the cost effectiveness and representativeness of the public involvement effort. Differences were also observed regarding public involvement methods. Experts preferred task forces and advisory groups while the general public preferred information materials and public meetings. We discuss the likely causes of similarities and differences between these two groups and examine the consequent implications for managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Continuing professional development (CPD) for Health Professions Council (HPC) registrants became mandatory in July 2006. Some health professions have identified external barriers to CPD participation, and other research suggests that mandatory CPD can devalue learning. The present study aimed to investigate current CPD practices of UK dietitians and to identify their attitudes towards the new mandatory requirement. Methods: UK Dietitians were asked to participate in an online questionnaire made available via an advert placed on the British Dietetic Association’s website and in an electronic newsletter. Results: Of 206 respondents, 98.1% kept a CPD portfolio. Those who had undertaken the ‘ABC’ placement model (23.7%) were more likely to keep their portfolio up to date ( P = 0.006). Only 41.3% dietitians were confident that they would currently meet the minimum CPD requirement, whereas 77.2% believed they would comply by the first audit in 2010. Some 50.5% dietitians considered their CPD time commitment insufficient due to obstacles such as workload and time constraints. A total of 96.1% respondents acknowledged the importance of undertaking CPD, with the introduction of a mandatory system appearing to provide the motivation to engage in CPD. Conclusions: UK dietitians are currently engaging in CPD. There is, however, concern regarding achievement of the compulsory requirement for the HPC 2010 audit. The findings show barriers exist to engaging in CPD activities and to maintaining a portfolio. These issues could be addressed with the introduction of protected time for CPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Aims. Implementing consumer participation initiatives in Australian drug treatment services successfully is predicated on the support of those most centrally involved. This paper describes service providers' and consumers' (1) beliefs about and commitment to consumer participation; and (2) perceived barriers to conducting or participating in consumer participation. Design and Methods. Data were collected from 64 providers and 179 consumers of drug treatment services. Results. The data showed that almost all consumers (89.9%, n = 161) and providers (84.4%, n = 54) believed in the principle of consumer participation (that consumers' views should be included in service planning and delivery) and a large proportion would be willing to conduct or participate in consumer participation activities in future. Providers were less supportive of activities in which consumers would be involved in decision-making that relates directly to staff (such as staff training, recruitment and performance appraisal), and expressed concerns about the practicality of operationalising such activities, the inadequacy of consumers' skills, consumers' lack of interest and the appropriateness of having consumers involved in such decision-making. A small proportion of consumers also indicated that they did not want to participate, expressing beliefs that it was not their place to be involved and that they lacked the required skills. Conclusions. Overall, these findings revealed that there was considerable support for the further development of consumer participation in drug treatment services, but the predominant obstacle was the view that it is not consumers' place to take part, and that they lack the interest and skills to do so. [Bryant J, Saxton M, Madden A, Bath N, Robinson S. Consumers' and providers' perspectives about consumer participation in drug treatment services: is there support to do more? What are the obstacles? Drug Alcohol Rev 2008;27:138-144] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have conducted a study to assess the opinions of parents of individuals with mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) and adults with MPS regarding newborn screening (NBS) for this condition, as testing is now technically possible. A questionnaire including a number of hypothetical clinical scenarios about NBS for MPS was distributed to members of MPS support groups from United States and Australia. Questionnaires were returned by 249 members of the US (40% response) and Australian (38% response) support groups. Eleven respondents were adults with MPS and the rest were parents of individuals with MPS. Eighty-six percent of respondents indicated that they would have wanted NBS for their own children. Ninety-seven percent supported the use of NBS for MPS in situations where early treatment that favorably impacts on disease outcome is available, 87% supported NBS when a severe form of MPS was diagnosed, but no treatment is available that improves the long-term outcome and 84% supported NBS for mild MPS where no disease-modifying treatment is available. The most common reason cited in support of NBS was that NBS could avoid a delay in diagnosis and the accompanying distress that delayed diagnosis created. This study has identified strong support for the introduction of NBS for MPS from this group. Psychosocial benefits of screening may outweigh potential harms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To look at the level of compliance with Swedish law whether or not parents intend to tell their child about donor insemination. We also wanted to look at the parents' attitudes towards open-identity sperm donors and at relationships within the family.Method: All parents who were treated and gave birth to a child through donor insemination from 1997 to 2003 were included in the study. Sixteen of 20 couples (80%) were willing to take part in an interview, where the men and women were interviewed separately. The children of these couples had an average age of 2.9 years.Results: Three of the 16 couples had told their child about donor insemination and 9 couples intended to tell the child when he/she was older. Thus 12 couples (75%) had disclosed or planned to inform their child in the future. Fourteen of 16 couples had told others about the donor insemination. The majority (21 of 31 individuals) had a positive attitude towards open-identity for sperm donors and 16 of 31 would have chosen an open-identity sperm donor if they had had the choice between that and an anonymous donor. All the parents felt they had an equal relationship with their child.Conclusion: Couples who conceived a child through donor insemination are open about the donor insemination, both to other people in their surroundings and in their intention to tell the child. These families seem to be functioning well with relaxed attitudes towards the donor insemination process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A social and environmental study of the Akkar watershed, on the northern boundary of Lebanon and Syria, was initiated in January 2001 and completed in January 2003. The study was a cooperative Lebanese–Syrian–Canadian research project funded by the Canadian International Development and Research Council. The aim of the project was to utilize scientific information and data derived from the watershed study to define issues and possible solutions to be included in a bilateral watershed management plan. The project consisted of four components: watershed maps from remote sensing and geographical information systems, sampling and analysis of water samples, analysis of applicable legislation and institutional arrangements, and a programme of public participation. The direct impact on the watershed by the daily activities of its communities implies that these communities should be involved in both evaluation and management of the watershed. It is very important that environmental management and conservation relate to land use and policies to assure sustainability. A successful conservation approach integrates institutional, geomatics and public participation aspects, leading to the communities themselves being self-regulating. This will strengthen the sustainability within the watershed to enhance the quality of living of its inhabitants. This paper deals strictly with the aspects of the public participation programme on the Lebanese side of the watershed. This programme was designed to ensure wide public involvement and wide dissemination of information derived from the technical study of the watershed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the earlier report (see Yu, 2004) on how Chinese college students perceive hypnosis, this second paper proceeds to examine specifically the beliefs and opinions of Hong Kong Chinese health professionals regarding the notion of hypnosis and its clinical applications. In addition to the 457 college students initially reported in the first paper, 75 professionals working in medical settings are included in this study. The present findings indicate that while the professionals share similar beliefs and misconceptions about the general nature of hypnosis with the college students as a whole, the professionals very much resemble those students without psychology training who hold noticeably different opinions on the dimensions of the worth and transcendence-achieving quality of hypnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purposes of this study were to explore patients’ opinions of nursing care and to identify predictors of patients’ experiences of nursing care in medical-surgical wards. The sample of the study was 225 adult patients in medical-surgical wards in a major teaching hospital in Jordan. The experiences of nursing care total score in this study was relatively high. The findings showed that the majority of the participants had positive experiences regarding the time nurses spent with them as well as the respect nurses provided to patients’ relatives and friends. Although the amount of information nurses provided to patients was found to be a significant predictor of patients’ experiences, the provided information was perceived by the majority of the patients as inadequate. Identifying factors that enhance patients’ experiences of nursing care is crucial as it assists nurses to provide better care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving concordance by identifying beliefs about illness, treatment and medicine-taking should impact positively on behaviour and consumer satisfaction with respect to treatment, and health outcomes may be improved. To explore, in the Australian context, beliefs and expectations of general practitioners (GPs), consumers and pharmacists in relation to concordance to allow further exploration of the implementation of principles of concordance in Australia. Qualitative analysis of focus group and semi-structured interview data. Focus groups were held with seven consumers and nine pharmacists and, in-depth, semi-structured interviews were held with 10 GPs between February and May 2003, in Brisbane (Australia). This explorative study identified a variety of issues. Consumers expressed the need for more input from health professionals – being given more information on their treatments and conditions, more time spent in discussion, and establishing a system where harmonious relationships between health professionals could take place, which would result in a more consumer-friendly health care system. The main issues voiced by the pharmacists were about the idea of organizing the health care system in a way that would accommodate more quality information sharing between all partners. GPs’ issues included better and unlimited information-sharing, having more time to promote quality in health care and receiving remuneration for increased verbal contact with other health care professionals. Suggestions were made about ways to achieve concordance by improved information-sharing and shared decision-making. The data from this study will lead to the development of models to explore and attempt to incorporate principles of concordance in Australian pharmacy and medical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Theory of Reasoned Action can be used to predict the types of information that will influence attitudes toward and support for novel suburban deer (Odocoileus spp.) management techniques such as contraception. Information that is relevant to individuals' "behavioral beliefs" about the important outcomes of contraception is most likely to be influential, but these priority outcomes will vary from person to person. Different individuals' attitudes, therefore, may be influenced by different types of information. We tested the effects of tailoring information to the concerns of stakeholders. We conducted 2 mail surveys of the same residents of Irondequoit, New York, 19 months apart. The first survey provided a pretreatment measure of attitudes toward contraception and identified respondents' concerns about contraception. The second survey provided a post-treatment measure of attitudes and was distributed in 3 versions--2 containing different types of information about contraception and 1 (without information) to a control group. We confirmed that information addressing stakeholder concerns was most likely to influence attitudes. Agency communication, therefore, is most likely to influence public attitudes if it is tailored so that it addresses the particular concerns of each important stakeholder group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public participation affects stakeholder knowledge and opinions concerning other stakeholders, managers, and resources as well as management decisions. We analyzed participants' knowledge and opinions at the beginning and at the conclusion of a collaborative process to develop a management plan for black bears (Ursus americanus) in Virginia during 1999-2001. We administered identical surveys pre- and post-planning to stakeholders involved in the process: members of a stakeholder advisory committee (active participants, n=15), members of 3 stakeholder organizations with representatives on the committee (passive participants, total n=647), and agency staff (n=21). Both active and passive participation influenced stakeholders' knowledge and opinions concerning black bears and their management. Stakeholders' knowledge of black bears and bear management, and their image of bear managers, improved during the planning process. Stakeholder support for controversial management strategies (e.g., use of lethal methods to address bear problems) increased. Active participation apparently influenced opinions more than passive participation. Extensive interaction among advisory committee members resulted in greater tolerance for views of other stakeholder groups. Opinions of agency staff regarding bear management and stakeholder involvement in decision-making apparently were reinforced. This study demonstrates the utility of active participation, indirect involvement through interaction with active participants, and direct mailings in educating and improving relationships with and among various stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess dentists' opinions about oral cancer (OC) prevention and early detection. METHODS: Data were collected by a self-administered mail questionnaire sent to all 398 registered dentists practising along the Texas-Mexico border. RESULTS: The effective response rate to the survey was 40%. While 90% of respondents agreed that oral cancer examinations (OCE) should be provided annually for patients 40 years of age and older, only 59% of respondents believed their OC knowledge was current. While 99% agreed that dentists were qualified to perform OCE, only 54 and 68% respectively, agreed that dental hygienists and physicians were similarly qualified. Dentists who rated their undergraduate OC training favorably (OR = 2.68, 1.23-5.81, P = 0.011), had attended their last oral cancer continuing education (OCCE) course within the past 5 years (OR = 2.46, 1.25-4.86, P = 0.009), and those who performed OCE on all patients 40 years and older (OR = 2.64, 1.32-5.26, P = 0.005), were more likely to agree their OC knowledge was current. CONCLUSIONS: Respondents expressed diverse opinions about OC prevention and early detection. Positive opinion on currency of OC knowledge was associated with performance of OCE. Results indicate a need for OCCE targeting the study population as well as increased emphasis on OC curriculum in dental schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Opinions about district nurses prescribing The aim of this study was to investigate the opinions of district nurses (DNs) and general practitioners (GPs) about nurse prescribing in Sweden in order to elucidate similarities and differences, and relate different opinions to background and psychosocial working factors. In a questionnaire about psychosocial working conditions, seven statements about DNs prescribing were included. The questionnaire was sent to 554 DNs and 566 GPs with a participant rate of 83%. On all items as well as on the total score DNs rated more positively compared with GPs. Amongst the DNs a positive opinion was related to a traditional primary care organization, age < 50, good social support at work, and high workload. A positive opinion amongst GPs was associated with working in a traditional primary care organization, being male GP, and a good social support at work. In a multiple regression analysis, occupation and organization were independently associated with the total score. The result shows a strong professional solidarity amongst GPs and seems to be based on concern about the profession rather than patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]