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The top 100 most cited papers in social work journals in 2000–09 were recently listed in a British Journal of Social Work paper by Hodge, Lacasse and Benson. The citations of these 100 papers in a two-year period (2007–09) were identified and a further manual web-based search was conducted to identify some key features of the citing sources. Descriptive statistics are presented on language of publication and national location of citing authors, as well as type of citing source. Bivariate analysis was conducted of the national location of cited journal by national location of citing first author. This analysis shows a strong tendency towards within-country citation in both the UK and USA, providing some evidence of intellectual chauvinism amongst social work academics and, more specifically, evidence of a Great Atlantic Divide. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Accessible Summary: What is already known about this topic?: Individuals with severe mental illness (SMI) have elevated risks for physical health problems and low screening rates.No previous studies have compared the physical health promotion needs of people with SMI using the same screening tool across different international settings. What this paper adds to existing knowledge?: It appears feasible to use the HIP to profile and compare physical health‐related risks in people with SMI across different international settings.The HIP tool identified significant differences in areas of risk across the four countries. What are the implications for practice?: The HIP could be used to identify unique clusters of health promotion needs in different countries.Use of HIP health checks may support implementation of individualized interventions. Introduction: To date, no studies have contrasted physical health profiles of people with severe mental illness (SMI) in different countries. Aim: To evaluate feasibility of using the Health Improvement Profile (HIP) to compare and contrast physical health and health behaviours of people with SMI from four countries. Method: An observational feasibility study using secondary analysis of pooled health state and lifestyle data. Physical health checks using modified versions of HIP were administered in four countries. Results: Findings suggest feasibility of HIP screening to profile and compare physical health and health behaviours of people with SMI across international settings. High overall numbers of risk items (red flags) were identified in all but the Thailand sample. Despite some commonalities, there were important differences in health profiles across countries. Discussion: This is the first study to demonstrate feasibility of the HIP to compare health risks in individuals with SMI across countries. Future multi‐national HIP studies should recruit a fully powered stratified random sample of people with SMI that is representative of each setting. Implications for practice: It appears feasible to utilize the HIP to identify specific areas of health risk in different countries, which may help to better focus nursing interventions and use of resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Drawing on survey data (N = 7,826) collected in the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States, this paper examines whether sexual orientation is a differentiating factor in explaining relationship quality and maintenance. Previous research suggests that sexual orientation is not significant in determining relationship satisfaction; however, these analyses have used traditional variable driven approaches, which do not provide an holistic view of the relationship by considering the unique combination of characteristics. Method: In this study, latent profile analyses were used, which is a person-centered approach that allows for identification of different types of long-term relationships. Results: Data suggested that LGB individuals had marginally higher levels of relationship quality compared to their heterosexual counterparts, and sexual orientation was also associated with differing types of long-term relationships. Discussion: These findings are interrogated in more detail, in particular, how sexual orientation is associated with types of long-term relationships and how everyday practices are associated with relationship quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess rates of traversing barriers to care to access optimal clinical outcomes in people with migraine internationally. Background: People in need of medical care for migraine should consult a health care professional knowledgeable in migraine management, obtain an accurate diagnosis, and receive an individualized treatment plan, which includes scientific society guideline-recommended treatments where appropriate. Methods: The Chronic Migraine Epidemiology and Outcomes-International (CaMEO-I) Study was a cross-sectional, web-based survey conducted from July 2021 through March 2022 in Canada, France, Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States (US). Respondents who met modified International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition, criteria for migraine and had Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS) scores of ≥ 6 (i.e., mild, moderate, or severe disability) were deemed to need medical care and were included in this analysis. Minimally effective treatment required that participants were currently consulting a health care professional for headache (barrier 1), reported an accurate diagnosis (barrier 2), and reported use of minimally appropriate pharmacologic treatment (barrier 3; based on American Headache Society 2021 Consensus Statement recommendations). Proportions of respondents who successfully traversed each barrier were calculated, and chi-square tests were used to assess overall difference among countries. Results: Among 14,492 respondents with migraine, 8,330 had MIDAS scores of ≥ 6, were deemed in need of medical care, and were included in this analysis. Current headache consultation was reported by 35.1% (2926/8330) of respondents. Compared with the US, consultation rates and diagnosis rates were statistically significantly lower in all other countries except France where they were statistically significantly higher. Total appropriate treatment rates were also statistically significantly lower in all other countries compared with the US except France, which did not differ from the US. All 3 barriers were traversed by only 11.5% (955/8330) of respondents, with differences among countries (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Of people with migraine in need of medical care for migraine, less than 15% traverse all 3 barriers to care. Although rates of consultation, diagnosis, and treatment differed among countries, improvements are needed in all countries studied to reduce the global burden of migraine. Trial registration: NA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/aim The successful development and maintenance of professional identity is associated with professional development and retention in the health workforce. This paper explores students' perspectives on the ways pre-entry experiences and curricula content shape professional identity. Methods An online cross-sectional survey was sent to students enrolled in the final year of entry-level programmes in five countries. Descriptive statistical analyses of data were completed. Results The results reflect the perceptions of 319 respondents from five countries. Respondents identified professional education (98%) and professional socialisation during placement (92%) as curricula components with the greatest influence on professional identity formation. Discipline-specific knowledge such as, occupation-focussed models and occupational science were ranked lower than these aspects of practice. The students' length of programme and level of entry-level programme did not impact on these results. Conclusion When designing curricula educators need to be mindful that students perceive practice education and professional socialisation have the greatest affect on professional identity formation. The findings reinforce the need for curricula to provide students with a range of practice experiences, which allow the observation and application of occupation-based practices. It highlights a need for educators to provide university-based curricula activities, which better prepare students for a potential dissonance between explicit occupation-based curricula and observed practice education experiences. The study indicates the need for further research into the role curricula content, and in particular practice education, plays in the multidimensional formation of professional development within entry-level programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims This study aimed to compare the findings of the quality of nursing doctoral education survey across seven countries and discuss the strategic directions for improving quality. Background No comparative evaluation of global quality of nursing doctoral education has been reported to date despite the rapid increase in the number of nursing doctoral programmes. Design A descriptive, cross-country, comparative design was employed. Methods Data were collected from 2007-2010 from nursing schools in seven countries: Australia, Japan, Korea, South Africa, Thailand, UK and USA. An online questionnaire was used to evaluate quality of nursing doctoral education except for Japan, where a paper version was used. Korea and South Africa used e-mails quality of nursing doctoral education was evaluated using four domains: Programme, Faculty (referring to academic staff), Resource and Evaluation. Descriptive statistics, correlational and ordinal logistic regression were employed. Results A total of 105 deans/schools, 414 faculty and 1149 students/graduates participated. The perceptions of faculty and students/graduates about the quality of nursing doctoral education across the seven countries were mostly favourable on all four domains. The faculty domain score had the largest estimated coefficient for relative importance. As the overall quality level of doctoral education rose from fair to good, the resource domain showed an increased effect. Conclusions Both faculty and students/graduates groups rated the overall quality of nursing doctoral education favourably. The faculty domain had the greatest importance for quality, followed by the programme domain. However, the importance of the resource domain gained significance as the overall quality of nursing doctoral education increased, indicating the needs for more attention to resources if the quality of nursing doctoral education is to improve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Various models of intervention for caregivers of patients with dementia have been described. There has been little direct comparison of cultural differences between countries and the effect any differences may exert on the outcome of caregiver interventions. Aims: The aims of the three-country study (USA, Australia and the UK) were to assess whether caregiver interventions can still be successful when anti-dementia drugs are provided to patients, and whether a caregiver intervention can be successfully implemented using the same methods in three different English-speaking countries. In this paper, the cultural differences and similarities between the three countries are examined. Method: Randomised, controlled trial involving 158 patients and their caregivers (divided equally across three centres, New York, Sydney and Manchester) with all the patients receiving donepezil and the caregivers randomised to a caregiver intervention or treatment as usual. Results: There were few differences between countries in the main outcome measures, and no differences between the treatment-as-usual group and the intervention, but interesting cultural nuances were observed between groups. Despite these differences, the caregiver intervention was associated with positive results on caregiver depression across all the countries. Conclusions: This first multinational carer intervention study has emphasised the similarities between the three countries whilst highlighting crucial differences which may be important when planning cross-cultural studies in the future. The positive results achieved on caregiver depression were replicated across the three centres. Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the impact of the perceptions of antisocial behaviour on the use of the social media platform Twitter. We extend the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) with the Perception of Antisocial Behaviour as a risk factor, and two supporting constructs: Strategic Self-Presentation and Protective Self-Presentation. We call this extended model Technology Acceptance and Use under Risk (TAUR). We investigate two groups via an online questionnaire, contrasting Anglophone countries (the UK, USA, and Canada, 200 responses), with Saudi Arabia (540 responses). In both cases the data shows that the Perception of Antisocial Behaviour impacts Twitter use, but not directly, rather it negatively impacts the influence of other factors such as Behavioural Intention – it also shows that this affects Anglophones more than Saudis. This indicates that future work should differentiate between different cultural groups, and different solutions may be needed to assuage users' fears in different parts of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) permeated social work practice before coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). In addition to ICT-based formal services (e.g. e-counselling), social workers used ICTs informally as an adjunct to face-to-face practice. Building on our previous research, our cross-sectional online survey examined social workers' informal use of ICTs in four countries: Canada, the USA, Israel and the UK. The survey was administered through Qualtrics software among social workers across Canada (n  = 2,609), the USA (n  = 1,225), Israel (n  = 386) and the UK (n  = 134), and analysed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 26. The findings substantiate the ubiquitous use of informal ICTs in social work practice, as an adjunct to face-to-face treatment, across the four countries. Given the current, unprecedented context of COVID-19, we discuss the meaning of our findings related to access, ethical considerations (e.g. professional boundaries) and supervision in the context of restricted face-to-face practice. We discuss the implications for social work practice, education and research, and conclude that in the COVID-19 context, there is an even greater need for research, clinical discussion, supervision and policy on informal ICT use in social work practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the current study was to examine the social representation (SR) of hearing aids in people with hearing loss (PHL) in India, the Republic of Korea (ROK), the United Kingdom (UK), and the United States of America (US). The study used a cross-sectional survey design. The data collected by using a free association task were analysed qualitatively (i.e. content analysis) and quantitatively (i.e. chi-square analysis, similarities analysis, prototypical analysis). 424 participants with hearing loss The most commonly reported categories across all countries were "beneficial," "cost and time," and "appearance and design." Approximately 50% of the associations reported were negative. There were variations in terms of the categories that were predominant in the SR of each country. "Others actions and attitude" category was predominantly reported by PHL in India. "Disturbance" and "dissatisfaction" of hearing aids and the "repairs and maintenance of hearing aids" categories were mainly reported from the ROK and the US, respectively. The current results highlight the main aspects that PHL report spontaneously when they think about hearing aids. The findings will help to further inform public health campaigns and will contribute to develop culturally appropriate media materials regarding hearing aids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Facebook is a frequently used social media platform and is often used for human health information, yet little research has been conducted on how pet owners use Facebook pet groups to obtain and share pet health information. Method: This study was designed to assess how pet owners use dog and cat Facebook groups to provide and receive pet health advice and their perception of these groups' trustworthiness. Two comparable questionnaires (dog and cat owners) were developed and distributed through an online survey platform. Results: Results suggest that Facebook groups are a common source of pet health information, with 56.2% of dog owners and 51.8% of cat owners reporting receiving health information through Facebook groups. Similar numbers report giving health information through Facebook groups: 55.0% of dog owners and 57.9% of cat owners. Dog health information most commonly exchanged related to dermatology, gastroenterology and orthopaedics and the most common cat health information focused on gastroenterology, renal and urinary‐related issues. While the majority of Facebook users report feeling that Facebook groups are not a trustworthy source of pet health information, a substantial minority of users do appear to be influenced by these groups. Conclusion: Approximately 50% of cat and dog owning respondents either give or receive pet health advice through Facebook groups. These results suggest that many owners deem Facebook groups as useful, but not entirely trustworthy, sources of information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims: Past research has found that young smokers are more likely to make quit attempts; however, there are conflicting findings regarding age and quit success. This study examined the degree to which smoker age is related to making quit attempts and quit success. Design Ten waves of the International Tobacco Control Policy Cohort survey (ITC‐4C) collected between 2002 and 2014, with nine wave‐to‐wave transitions with predictors at the first wave predicting quit attempts and success by the next wave. Setting: Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. Participants: Data from 15 874 smokers categorized into four age groups at baseline (18–24, 25–39, 40–54 and 55+ years). Measurements Age, quit attempts and success (defined as ≥ 30 days abstinence confirmed, if possible, on a third wave for recent attempts). Findings Older smokers were more likely to smoke daily (χ2 = 1557.86, r = 0.136, P < 0.001) than younger smokers. Daily smokers were less likely to report quit attempts (38.1 versus 58.2%) and to achieve 30 days of abstinence (22.9 versus 34.3%) than non‐daily smokers. Older daily smokers were less likely to make quit attempts [0.61, confidence interval (CI) = 0.54–0.70, P < 0.001], even after controlling for indicators of nicotine dependence, country, sex, education, income, relationship status and household composition, than younger smokers. Younger smokers (< 25) were more likely to succeed for at least 30 days of abstinence, but only when compared with those aged 40–54 (OR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.68–0.99). However, when controlling for heaviness of smoking the age effect disappeared. Significant interactions with age were found between age and intention when predicting quit attempts, and age and heaviness of smoking when predicting quit success. Conclusions: An international cohort study indicates that young smokers are more likely to attempt to quit and appear to have similar levels of success in abstaining from smoking compared with older smokers when controlling for dependence. Quit success in all ages is most predicted by lower levels of nicotine dependence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Describe and compare levels of happiness, psychological well-being, perceived stress, and health behaviors of university students. Participants: Thai university students were selected (N = 478) during November 2016 using random cluster sampling. Methods: A health and well-being questionnaire was constructed, translated from English to Thai, back-translated, and pilot tested. Descriptive and chi-square statistics were calculated for study variables. Results: Thai male students had lower happiness and psychological well-being than Thai female students. Overall, Thai students had lower happiness and higher perceived stress than US/UK samples. Thai male students reported greater alcohol and tobacco use than Thai female students. Overall, Thai students reported inadequate diet (57%), poor sleep quantity/quality (67%) and depressive symptoms (40%). Conclusions: These preliminary results identify specific areas of concern in the health and well-being of Thai university students. Further analyses are needed to shed light on the factors contributing to these increased health risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine the association between breastfeeding and childhood obesity. A multinational cross‐sectional study of 4,740 children aged 9–11 years was conducted from 12 countries. Infant breastfeeding was recalled by parents or legal guardians. Height, weight, waist circumference, and body fat were obtained using standardized methods. The overall prevalence of obesity, central obesity, and high body fat were 12.3%, 9.9%, and 8.1%, respectively. After adjustment for maternal age at delivery, body mass index (BMI), highest maternal education, history of gestational diabetes, gestational age, and child's age, sex, birth weight, unhealthy diet pattern scores, moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity, sleeping, and sedentary time, exclusive breastfeeding was associated with lower odds of obesity (odds ratio [OR] 0.76, 95% confidence interval, CI [0.57, 1.00]) and high body fat (OR 0.60, 95% CI [0.43, 0.84]) compared with exclusive formula feeding. The multivariable‐adjusted ORs based on different breastfeeding durations (none, 1–6, 6–12, and > 12 months) were 1.00, 0.74, 0.70, and 0.60 for obesity (Ptrend =.020) and 1.00, 0.64, 047, and 0.64 for high body fat (Ptrend =.012), respectively. These associations were no longer significant after adjustment for maternal BMI. Breastfeeding may be a protective factor for obesity and high body fat in 9‐ to 11‐year‐old children from 12 countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To explore the psychometric properties of the full 22-item English (UK and US) version of the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview administered to caregivers to patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Materials and methods: Caregivers to patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy from the United Kingdom and the United States, recruited through the TREAT-NMD network, completed the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview online. The psychometric properties of the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview were examined using Rasch analysis. Results: A total of 475 caregivers completed the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview. Model misfit was identified for 9 of 22 items (mean item fit residual 0.061, SD: 2.736) and 13 of 22 items displayed disordered thresholds. The overall item-trait interaction chi-square value was 499 (198 degrees of freedom, p < 0.001). The mean person fit residual was estimated at −0.213 (SD: 1.235). The Person Separation Index and Cronbach's α were estimated at 0.902 and 0.914, respectively. Item dependency was low and we found no significant differential item functioning by country or sex. Conclusion: Our Rasch analysis shows that the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview fails to fully operationalize a quantitative conceptualization of caregiver burden among caregivers to patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy from the United Kingdom and the United States. Further research is needed to understand the psychometric properties of the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview in other populations and settings. Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a terminal disease characterized by progressive muscle degeneration resulting in substantial disability and a significant burden on family caregivers. The Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview is one of the most widely applied measures of caregiver burden. Our Rasch analysis suggests that the Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview is not fit for purpose to measure burden in UK and US caregivers to patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Clinicians and decision-makers should interpret Zarit Caregiver Burden Interview data from these populations with caution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims To determine whether abstinence or relapse on a quit attempt in the previous year is associated with current depressive symptoms. Design Prospective cohort with approximately annual waves. Mixed-effect logistic regressions tested whether time 2 (T2) quitting status was associated with reporting symptoms at T2, and whether time 1 (T1) symptoms moderated this relationship. Setting Waves 5-8 of the Four-Country International Tobacco Control Study: a quasi-experimental cohort study of smokers from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. Participants A total of 6978 smokers who participated in telephone surveys. Measurements T1 and T2 depressive symptoms in the last 4 weeks were assessed with two screening items from the PRIME-MD questionnaire. Quitting status at T2: (1) no attempt since T1; (2) attempted and relapsed; and (3) attempted and abstinent at T2. Findings Compared with no attempt, relapse was associated with reporting T2 symptoms [odds ratio (OR) = 1.46, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.33, 1.59]). Associations between T2 quitting status and T2 symptoms were moderated by T1 symptoms. Relapse was associated positively with T2 symptoms for those without T1 symptoms (OR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.45, 2.03) and those with T1 symptoms (OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.23, 1.70). Abstinence was associated positively for those without T1 symptoms (OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.10, 1.71) and negatively for those with T1 symptoms (OR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.59, 0.94). Age moderated these associations significantly. Relapse did not predict T2 symptoms for those aged 18-39 irrespective of T1 symptoms. The negative effect of abstinence on T2 symptoms for those with T1 symptoms was significant only for those aged 18-39 (OR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.40, 0.94) and 40-55 (OR = 0.58, 95% CI = 0.40, 0.84). The positive effect of abstinence on T2 symptoms for those without T1 symptoms was significant only for those aged more than 55 (OR =1.97, 95% CI = 1.35, 2.87). Conclusions Most people who stop smoking appear to be at no greater risk of developing symptoms of depression than if they had continued smoking. However, people aged more than 55 who stop smoking may be at greater risk of developing symptoms of depression than if they had continued smoking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current UK Department of Health advice is to introduce solid foods to infants at around 6 months of age, when the infant is showing signs of developmental readiness for solid foods. However, many mothers introduce solid foods before this time, and for a wide variety of reasons, some of which may not promote healthy outcomes. The aim of the current study was to examine infant and maternal characteristics associated with different reasons for introducing solid foods. Seven hundred fifty‐six mothers with an infant aged 6–12 months old completed a questionnaire describing their main reason for introducing solid foods alongside demographic questions, infant weight, gender, breast/formula feeding and timing of introduction to solid foods. The majority of mothers introduced solid foods for reasons explicitly stated in the Department of Health advice as not signs of readiness for solid foods. These reasons centred on perceived infant lack of sleep, hunger or unsettled behaviour. Maternal age, education and parity, infant weight and gender and breast/formula feeding choices were all associated with reasons for introduction. A particular association was found between breastfeeding and perceiving the infant to be hungrier or needing more than milk could offer. Male infants were perceived as hungry and needing more energy than female infants. Notably, signs of readiness may be misinterpreted with some stating this reason for infants weaned prior to 16 weeks. The findings are important for those working to support and educate new parents with the introduction of solid foods in understanding the factors that might influence them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Surgery is currently the only curative treatment for medullary thyroid cancer. Unfortunately, the surgical strategy that will offer patients at each disease stage the best chance of a biochemical cure remains unclear. The American Thyroid Association and British Thyroid Association guidelines offer different strategies.Methods:A retrospective analysis of the surgical management of 47 patients with medullary thyroid cancer diagnosed between 1994 and 2013 was performed. Surgical management was compared with current American Thyroid Association and British Thyroid Association guidelines. Outcome was defined as the first post-operative calcitonin measurement.Results:All patients with stage I–III disease achieved a post-operative biochemical cure regardless of the guidelines followed. The overall biochemical cure rate for patients with stage IVa disease was significantly reduced to 10 per cent (p < 0.01), but the biochemical cure rate for stage IVa disease patients who underwent bilateral lateral lymph node dissection was 33.3 per cent.Conclusion:The conservative, surveillance-driven approach recommended by the American Thyroid Association is appropriate for stage I–III disease. However, the more aggressive approach advocated by the British Thyroid Association might provide stage IVa disease patients a greater chance of achieving a biochemical cure. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

BackgroundThere is an increasing interest in cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT) interventions targeting negative symptoms in schizophrenia. To date, CBT trials primarily focused on positive symptoms and investigated change in negative symptoms only as a secondary outcome. To enhance insight into factors contributing to improvement of negative symptoms, and to identify subgroups of patients that may benefit most from CBT directed at ameliorating negative symptoms, we reviewed all available evidence on these outcomes.MethodA systematic search of the literature was conducted in PsychInfo, PubMed and the Cochrane register to identify randomized controlled trials reporting on the impact of CBT interventions on negative symptoms in schizophrenia. Random-effects meta-analyses were performed on end-of-treatment, short-term and long-term changes in negative symptoms.ResultsA total of 35 publications covering 30 trials in 2312 patients, published between 1993 and 2013, were included. Our results showed studies’ pooled effect on symptom alleviation to be small [Hedges’ g = 0.093, 95% confidence interval (CI) −0.028 to 0.214, p = 0.130] and heterogeneous (Q = 73.067, degrees of freedom = 29, p < 0.001, τ2 = 0.081, I2 = 60.31) in studies with negative symptoms as a secondary outcome. Similar results were found for studies focused on negative symptom reduction (Hedges’ g = 0.157, 95% CI −0.10 to 0.409, p = 0.225). Meta-regression revealed that stronger treatment effects were associated with earlier year of publication, lower study quality and with CBT provided individually (as compared with group-based).ConclusionsThe co-occurring beneficial effect of conventional CBT on negative symptoms found in older studies was not supported by more recent studies. It is now necessary to further disentangle effective treatment ingredients of older studies in order to guide the development of future CBT interventions aimed at negative symptom reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Anecdotal reports and empirical evidence suggest that sensory processing issues are a key feature of autism spectrum conditions. This study set out to investigate whether adults with autism spectrum conditions report more sensory over-responsivity than adults without autism spectrum conditions. Another goal of the study was to identify whether autistic traits in adults with and without autism spectrum conditions were associated with sensory over-responsivity. Adults with (n = 221) and without (n = 181) autism spectrum conditions participated in an online survey. The Autism Spectrum Quotient, the Raven Matrices and the Sensory Processing Scale were used to characterize the sample. Adults with autism spectrum conditions reported more sensory over-responsivity than control participants across various sensory domains (visual, auditory, tactile, olfactory, gustatory and proprioceptive). Sensory over-responsivity correlated positively with autistic traits (Autism Spectrum Quotient) at a significant level across groups and within groups. Adults with autism spectrum conditions experience sensory over-responsivity to daily sensory stimuli to a high degree. A positive relationship exists between sensory over-responsivity and autistic traits. Understanding sensory over-responsivity and ways of measuring it in adults with autism spectrum conditions has implications for research and clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Can the topic of a conversation, when heavily associated with a particular dialect region, influence how a speaker realizes a linguistic variable? We interviewed fans of English Premier League soccer at a pub in Columbus, Ohio. Nine speakers of British English and eleven speakers of American English were interviewed about their favorite American football and English soccer teams. We present evidence that the soccer fans in this speech community produce variants more consistent with Standard American English when talking about American football than English soccer. Specifically, speakers were overall more /r/-ful (F3 values were lower in rhotic environments) when talking about their favorite American football team. Numeric trends in the data also suggest that exposure to both American and British English, being a fan of both sports, and task may mediate these effects. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objectives To investigate the links between health warning labels (WLs) on cigarette packets and relapse among recently quit smokers. Design Prospective longitudinal cohort survey. Setting Australia, Canada, the UK and the USA. Participants 1936 recent ex-smokers (44.4% male) from one of the first six waves (2002-2007) of the International Tobacco Control 4-Country policy evaluation survey, who were followed up in the next wave. Main outcome measures Whether participants had relapsed at follow-up (approximately 1 year later). Results In multivariate analysis, very frequent noticing of WLs among ex-smokers was associated with greater relapse 1 year later (OR: 1.52, 95% CI 1.11 to 2.09, p<0.01), but this effect disappeared after controlling for urges to smoke and self-efficacy (OR: 1.29, 95% CI 0.92 to 1.80, p¼0.135). In contrast, reporting that WLs make staying quit ‘a lot’ more likely (compared with ‘not at all’ likely) was associated with a lower likelihood of relapse 1 year later (OR: 0.65, 95% CI 0.49 to 0.86, p<0.01) and this effect remained robust across all models tested, increasing in some. Conclusions This study provides the first longitudinal evidence that health warnings can help ex-smokers stay quit. Once the authors control for greater exposure to cigarettes, which is understandably predictive of relapse, WL effects are positive. However, it may be that ex-smokers need to actively use the health consequences that WLs highlight to remind them of their reasons for quitting, rather than it being something that happens automatically. Ex-smokers should be encouraged to use pack warnings to counter urges to resume smoking. Novel warnings may be more likely to facilitate this. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Achieving high levels of patient satisfaction requires hospital management to be proactive in patient-centred care improvement initiatives and to engage frontline clinicians in this process. Method We developed a survey to assess the attitudes of clinicians towards hospital management activities with respect to improving patient satisfaction and surveyed clinicians in four academic hospitals located in Denmark, Israel, the UK and the USA. Results We collected 1004 questionnaires (79.9% response rate) from four hospitals in four countries on three continents. Overall, 90.4% of clinicians believed that improving patient satisfaction during hospitalisation was achievable, but only 9.2% of clinicians thought their department had a structured plan to do so, with significant differences between the countries (p<0.0001). Among responders, only 38% remembered targeted actions to improve patient satisfaction and just 34% stated having received feedback from hospital management regarding patient satisfaction status in their department during the past year. In multivariate analyses, clinicians who received feedback from hospital management and remembered targeted actions to improve patient satisfaction were more likely to state that their department had a structured plan to improve patient satisfaction. Conclusions This portrait of clinicians' attitudes highlights a chasm between hospital management and frontline clinicians with respect to improving patient satisfaction. It appears that while hospital management asserts that patientcentred care is important and invests in patient satisfaction and patient experience surveys, our findings suggest that the majority do not have a structured plan for promoting improvement of patient satisfaction and engaging clinicians in the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

lafond c.m. & van hulle vincent c. (2012) A critique of the National League for Nursing/Jeffries simulation framework. Journal of Advanced Nursing 00(0), 000-000. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2012.06048.x Abstract Aims. To present a critique of the National League for Nursing/Jeffries simulation framework. Design. Fawcett's criteria for theory analysis and evaluation are used. Background. Use of simulated learning experiences in nursing education is widespread; a sound framework to guide educators across the globe in implementing these experiences effectively is essential. The basic assertion of the National League for Nursing/Jeffries simulation framework is that student-learning outcomes are influenced by the concepts of teacher, student, educational practices, and simulation design characteristics. Data sources. A literature search was performed using Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PubMed and Google Scholar to identify studies published in the English language, between 2005-June 2011, where the National League for Nursing/Jeffries simulation framework was tested or used as a theoretical framework for research. Discussion. Sixteen publications (two articles in press) from the USA and UK were identified using the framework to guide research; outcomes included increased student satisfaction, confidence, and improved skill performance. Implications for nursing. As a newer theoretical framework, the National League for Nursing/Jeffries simulation framework offers promise to guide the construction and implementation of simulation experiences resulting in positive student outcomes. Conclusion. Empirically supported definitions of concepts would strengthen the framework and help educators to consistently produce and identify positive outcomes. Additional rigorous research is necessary to further test relationships among concepts and the associated concept variables in the framework. More studies outside of the United States are needed to confirm the framework is relevant to nursing programs in other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim. To report a review and narrative synthesis conducted to analyse and evaluate nurses' preparedness to respond to a bioterrorist event. Background. The anthrax attack on the USA in 2001 resulted in the development of global response strategies for future bioterrorist events. However, despite these actions, it remains unclear whether nurses are prepared to respond to such events. Data sources. A search for relevant research articles was conducted using the MEDLINE, CINAHL, BNI, and EMBASE databases to locate articles published in the period 1996-March 2010. Design. Narrative Synthesis Review methods. A narrative synthesis of qualitative and quantitative studies was undertaken and the articles reviewed using Greenhalgh's critical appraisal criteria. The review was conducted with inclusion and exclusion criteria applied to ensure the studies examined focussed on the hospital nurse's role in responding to a bioterrorist event. Results. Seven original research studies were included in the review. Four themes were identified as affecting nurses' preparedness for a bioterrorist attack. These were perceptions of bioterrorism, the role of formal knowledge, the role of institutional plans and policies, and personal factors. The overarching theme centred on nurses' willingness to respond to a bioterrorist event. It was clear that, although nurses were willing to respond to a bioterrorist attack, they felt unprepared to do so. Conclusions. Existing nurse education in areas such as infection control can incorporate bioterrorism training to improve preparedness, yet nurses must also prepare themselves personally for a bioterrorist attack. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Two studies investigated the relative social acceptability of certain prejudices within a society (Study 1) and between societies (Study 2), using (less) internal motivation to control prejudice as an indicator of social acceptability. In Study 1, White British participants reported less internal motivation to control prejudice against people with schizophrenia than against Black people. In Study 2, Jamaican participants reported less internal motivation to control anti-homosexual prejudice than did either British participants or American participants. Other differences in motivation to control prejudice were smaller, absent, or at odds with this difference, indicating that differences in motivation to control anti-homosexual prejudice were not solely due to cultural differences concerning motivation to control prejudice in general. Results are discussed in terms of novel findings, relevance to the literature and possible future research. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cases of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) have been reported world-wide and researchers are beginning to examine if differences occur among different countries. With social skill impairments being a main component of ASD, it is important to determine if these symptoms are consistent across cultures. The current study compared 160 children with ASD, 135 from the United States and 25 from the United Kingdom, on the Matson Evaluation of Social Skills with Youngsters-II (MESSY-II) which is composed of three subscales: Hostile, Adaptive/Appropriate, and Inappropriate Assertiveness/Overconfident. First, the MESSY-II was found to have excellent internal reliability for both countries. Secondly, findings indicated that significant differences only occurred on the Adaptive/Appropriate subscale with the US children having greater adaptive social skills than the UK children. However, for both groups, mean scores fell in the severe range of impairment. Importance of similarities and differences in social skills between countries are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Aims This study aimed to examine the associations between reported exposure to anti-smoking warnings at the point-of-sale (POS) and smokers' interest in quitting and their subsequent quit attempts by comparing reactions in Australia where warnings are prominent to smokers in other countries. Design A prospective multi-country cohort design was employed. Setting Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. Participants A total of 21 613 adult smokers who completed at least one of the seven waves (2002-08) of the International Tobacco Control Four Country Survey were included in the analysis. Measurements Reported exposure to POS anti-smoking warnings and smokers' interest in quitting at the same wave and quit attempts over the following year. Findings Compared to smokers in Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States, Australian smokers reported higher levels of awareness of POS anti-smoking warnings, and this difference was consistent over the study period. Over waves in Australia (but not in the other three countries) there was a significantly positive association between reported exposure to POS anti-smoking warnings and interest in quitting [adjusted odds ratio = 1.139, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.039-1.249, P < 0.01] and prospective quit attempts (adjusted odds ratio = 1.216, 95% CI 1.114-1.327, P < 0.001) when controlling for demographics, smoking characteristics, overall salience of anti-smoking information and awareness of anti-smoking material from channels other than POS. Conclusions Point-of-sale health warnings about tobacco are more prominent in Australia than the United Kingdom, the United States or Canada and appear to act as a prompt to quitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

williams j.k., skirton h., barnette j.j. & paulsen j.s. (2012) Family carer personal concerns in Huntington disease. Journal of Advanced Nursing 68(1), 137-146. Abstract Aim. To examine and compare the personal concerns of family members providing care for people with Huntington disease in the United Kingdom and the United States. Background. Family carers of people with Huntington disease may feel burdened by caregiving responsibilities and concerned about illness risk for relatives. Method. A mailed personal concerns survey was completed by 108 United Kingdom and 119 United States adult family carers of people with Huntington disease in 2006 and 2007. Survey responses included frequency and intensity of concerns, and narrative comments. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics of the products of frequency and intensity of reaction scores to identify a personal concerns index for items with the twelve highest combined scores. Factor analysis identified three factors, which were compared between respondents by factor and items within factors using t tests mean frequency by intensity scores. Narrative comments were thematically analysed. Results. Three main factors were labelled impact of role change, sense of isolation and concerns for children. Within the role change factor, United States family caregivers had significantly higher concerns about family finances and United Kingdom carers expressed significantly greater personal sadness. Both groups expressed concern about isolation from family. Although family carers in both countries expressed concern about their children, those of United States caregivers were significantly higher. Conclusion. Further studies are required to identify benefits of support services that are specific to carer concerns and consistent with national healthcare systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UK has long experienced a shortage of social workers and has recruited internationally to meet demand. There have been few specific data quantifying the scale of social work mobility to the UK through which such experiences can be set in context. The analysis reported in this article uses data from October 2008, relating to registered social workers working in England. As part of a wider study of migrant social care workers in England, the article reports analysis of data records of over 7,000 non-UK social workers registered to work in England and compares their characteristics to UK-qualified social workers. These analyses are supplemented by analysis of more recent application and registration data from the General Social Care Council pertaining to social workers qualified within and outside the European Union during 2008 and 2009. The findings highlight several important observations in terms of non-UK-qualified social workers' profile as well as some possible trends in migration and variations in rates of qualification verification. Over half of all international social workers in England were trained in four countries: Australia, South Africa, India and the USA. Findings are contextualised with qualitative data obtained from the wider study and policy debates. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In 2008, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) issued guidelines discouraging use of over-the-counter cough and cold medications in children under six. In light of these recommendations, this study assessed whether parents had heard of the MHRA recommendations and whether they trusted those recommendations. It also examined parental knowledge, perception and behaviours associated with over-the-counter cough and cold medication use in children. In a sample (N = 941) of UK parents, one-third (36.5%) had not heard about the MHRA recommendations. Half (54.4%) of parents who were aware of the recommendations did not trust them or were unsure what to believe. UK parents with children under six showed widespread (86.9% of sample) use of over-the-counter cough and cold medications with children. Many parents were able to identify one active ingredient in the over-the-counter cough and cold medication they reported using with their children yet few were able to identify all of the active ingredients. Despite ubiquitous use of over-the-counter cough and cold medication with children, only 29.6% of parents rated the medication as very effective, and just half (50.3%) rated the medication as very safe. In a subsample of UK parents (N = 424), 70% misunderstood the purpose of using over-the-counter cough and cold medication with children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine differences in alcohol consumption among Hispanic national groups in the United States [Puerto Ricans, Mexican, Cuban, and Dominican South Central (D/SC) Americans] and identify sociodemographic predictors of drinking and binge drinking (four drinks for women and five for men in a 2-hr period). Method: The study used a household probability sample of adult Hispanics in five metropolitan areas in the United States. Comprehensive data on alcohol consumption were collected. Analyses included bivariate and multivariate regression techniques. Results: Puerto Rican and Mexican American men reported higher drinking rates, weekly consumption, and binge drinking than D/SC and Cuban Americans. Women drank significantly less than men. Mexican American women reported the highest abstention rate (61%); Puerto Rican women drank more per week and binged more frequently compared with their counterparts in other groups. Puerto Rican origin, initiating drinking during high school years (<18), and male gender (US- or foreign-born) were significant predictors of weekly alcohol consumption. Being younger, being single, Puerto Rican or D/SC American origin, initiating drinking at <18 years, being a US- or foreign-born male and being a US-born female were significant predictors of binge drinking. Conclusions: There are considerable differences in drinking behavior across Hispanic national groups as well as between men and women. Results underscore the need to recognize heterogeneity in drinking practices while designing effective prevention interventions in the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the definition and meaning of the word 'sex' has implications for sexual medicine, HIV/AIDS research, and clinical practices. Previous studies have reported variations in the definition of having 'had sex' and the necessity of using behaviorally specific terminology when taking sexual histories and assessing sexual risk. The purpose of the current study is to assess gay men's definitions of what constitutes having 'had sex.' Two international convenience samples are compared: a UK sample of 180 self-identified gay men ranging from 18 to 56 years of age (M=36 years; SD=8.29) and a US sample of 190 self-identified gay men ranging 18-74 years of age (M=33.9 years; SD=12.49). Both groups were asked to indicate whether each of a list of sexual behaviors was considered having 'had sex.' Almost all participants (~95%) believed that penile-anal intercourse constituted having 'had sex.' US and UK gay men differed in defining the following as having 'had sex': giving oral-genital stimulation (US 71.6%, UK 84.9%, P=0.002); giving (G) and receiving (R) manual-anal stimulation (G: US 53.4%, UK 70.9%, P=0.001; R: US 53.7%, UK 71.2%, P=0.001); giving and receiving oral-anal stimulation (G: US 61.2%, UK 78.4%, P<0.001; R: US 59.3%, UK 78.1, P<0.001); and giving and receiving sex-toy stimulation (G: US 55%, UK 77.1%, P<0.001; R: US 56.1%, UK 77.7%, P<0.001). It is important to note that regardless of country there was not overall consensus on which behaviors constituted having 'had sex.' These findings reinforce the need for behavioral specificity in documenting sexual histories and assessing sexual risk. Further, researchers and clinicians should exercise caution by not assuming that their own definitions of the term 'sex' is shared by their gay male participants or patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To report the clinical use of the QOLIBRI, a disease-specific measure of health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) after traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods: The QOLIBRI, with 37 items in six scales (cognition, self, daily life and autonomy, social relationships, emotions and physical problems) was completed by 795 patients in six languages (Finnish, German, Italian, French, English and Dutch). QOLIBRI scores were examined by variables likely to be influenced by rehabilitation interventions and included socio-demographic, functional outcome, health status and mental health variables. Results: The QOLIBRI was self-completed by 73% of participants and 27% completed it in interview. It was sensitive to areas of life amenable to intervention, such as accommodation, work participation, health status (including mental health) and functional outcome. Conclusion: The QOLIBRI provides information about patient's subjective perception of his/her HRQoL which supplements clinical measures and measures of functional outcome. It can be applied across different populations and cultures. It allows the identification of personal needs, the prioritization of therapeutic goals and the evaluation of individual progress. It may also be useful in clinical trials and in longitudinal studies of TBI recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To collect and analyse helmets from real-world equestrian accidents. To record reported head injuries associated with those accidents. To compare damage to helmets certified to different standards and the injuries associated with them. Methods: Two hundred sixteen equestrian helmets were collected in total. One hundred seventy-six helmets from amateur jockeys were collected via accident helmet return schemes in the UK and USA, while 40 helmets from professional jockeys were collected by The Irish Turf Club. All helmet damage was measured, and associated head injury was recorded. Results: Eighty-eight percent (189) of equestrian fall accidents returned an injury report of which 70% (139) reported a head injury. Fifty-four percent (75) of head injury cases had associated helmet damage while 46% had no helmet damage. Reported head injuries consisted of 91% (126) concussion, 4% (6) skull fractures, 1 (0.7%) subdural hematoma, 1 (0.7%) cerebral edema and 5 (3.6%) diffuse axonal injury (DAI). It is also shown that helmets certified to the most severe standard are overrepresented in this undamaged group (p <0.001). Conclusions: It is clear that despite jockeys wearing a helmet, large proportions of concussion injuries still occur in the event of a jockey sustaining a fall. However, the data suggest it is likely that helmets reduce the severity of head injury as the occurrence of skull fracture is low. The proportion of undamaged helmets with an associated head injury suggests that many helmets may be too stiff relative to the surface they are impacting to reduce the risk of traumatic brain injury (TBI). It may be possible to improve helmet designs and certification tests to reduce the risk of head injury in low-severity impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]