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Background: The GORE CARDIOFORM ASD Occluder (GCA, W. L. Gore & Associates) was approved in 2019 for ostium secundum atrial septal defect (ASD) closure., Objectives: This study sought to report the combined pivotal and continued access cohorts of the ASSURED (Safety and Efficacy Study of Transcatheter Closure of Ostium Secundum ASDs) trial results through 36 months., Methods: This prospective, multicenter, single-arm trial evaluated procedural and clinical outcomes of ASD closure with the GCA. The primary endpoints were 6-month closure success following device implantation and composite clinical success (deployment/retention of device, safety, and closure). Technical and procedure success, safety, clinically significant new arrhythmia (CSNA) secondary endpoints, and wire frame fracture (WFF, with fluoroscopy) at 6 and 36 months were evaluated., Results: Of 569 patients (median age of 10.4 years and median weight of 35.0 kg) who underwent attempted secundum ASD closure, 526 were technical successes. The mean stop-flow ASD diameter was 17.6 ± 5.3 mm. All 478 patients with 6-month imaging achieved closure success. Composite clinical success at 6 and 36 months was achieved in 87.6% (468/534) and 84.0% (351/418) of patients, respectively. Technical failure occurred in 8.1% (43/548), 30-day device- or procedure-related serious adverse event in 3.9% (21/534), and 6-month device events in 2.8% (15/534) of patients. At 30 days, 21 of 569 patients (3.7%) had CSNA. At 6 months, 138 of 436 (31.7%) patients had WFFs and 105 of 185 (56.8%) at 36 months (without sequelae)., Conclusions: In this large congenital ASD device trial, the GCA had acceptable results. WFFs, although common, did not result in any clinical sequelae. The unique features, size range, and safety profile expand the options for secundum ASD closure. (Safety and Efficacy Study of Transcatheter Closure of Ostium Secundum ASDs [ASSURED]; NCT02985684)., Competing Interests: Funding Support and Author Disclosures This study was sponsored by W. L. Gore & Associates. Dr Qureshi is a consultant for W. L. Gore & Associates, Medtronic, and B. Braun. Dr Sommer has received institutional funding from W. L. Gore & Associates for working on their national PFO and ASD trials; and serves on the Advisory Board for Conformal Medical. Dr Morgan is a consultant/proctor for W. L. Gore & Associates. Dr Paolillo is a consultant, proctor, and preceptor for W. L. Gore & Associates. Dr Goldstein is a consultant for Medtronic, W. L. Gore & Associates, Edwards Lifesciences, and Mezzion Pharmaceuticals. Dr Sugeng serves on the Speakers Bureau for Philips Healthcare; and is a consultant for Siemens Healthineers and Yale Echo Corelab YCRG. Dr Gillespie is a consultant for W. L. Gore & Associates and Medtronic. All other authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

As mobile health apps become increasingly influential in daily life, they present an important opportunity for health communication for disease prevention. User impressions of app designs are influential for adoption. Using cues to increase feelings of being with others (social presence) is one way to encourage favorable impressions and health app adoption. To examine the impact of social context cues (conversation cues vs. community cues vs. no cue control) on two forms of social presence (emergent and transcendent social presence), we conducted an online experiment ( n = 587) with US adults. We also examined the indirect effects of conversation and community cues through social presence on app trust, perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and intentions to use the app. We found that conversational cues elicited intended feelings for new, emergent interactions and that community cues increased perceptions of ongoing or established social formations for transcendent interactions. These cues also had positive indirect effects for increased trust, perceived usefulness, and intentions to use the health apps and should be considered when developing mHealth to improve uptake and delivery of health promotion online.

Purpose: Comprehensive cancer control (CCC) coalitions and programs have delivered effective models and approaches to reducing cancer burden across the United States over the last two decades. Communication plays an essential role in diverse coalition activities from prevention to survivorship, including organizational and community capacity-building and as cancer control intervention strategies., Methods: Based upon a review of published CCC research as well as public health communication best practices, this article describes lessons learned to assist CCC coalitions and programs with systematic implementation of communication efforts as key strategies in cancer control., Results: Communication-oriented lessons include (1) effective communication work requires listening and ongoing engagement with key stakeholders, (2) communication interventions should target multiple levels from interpersonal to mediated channels, (3) educational outreach can be a valuable opportunity to bolster coalition effectiveness and cancer control outcomes, and (4) dedicated support is necessary to ensure consistent communication efforts., Conclusions: External and internal communication strategies can optimize coalition efforts and resources to ultimately help produce meaningful improvement in cancer control outcomes.

Purpose/objectives: To investigate how gender-specific issues shape the experiences of young adult men with cancer and what they report to be problematic., Research Approach: A qualitative, descriptive approach., Setting: Website, focus group in the southwestern United States, and phone interviews throughout the United States., Participants: Text from an online forum (N=3,000 posts), focus group of six men, and separate interviews with four men., Methodologic Approach: Data analysis took place over two months through constant comparison of online text as well as a focus group and interview transcripts., Findings: Men face challenges being both a receiver and provider of support in relationships with their peers, romantic partners, and children. Cultural expectations to "be strong" drive their support-seeking beliefs and behaviors., Conclusions: Men report conflict between desires to show strength and to be honest that present a barrier to support, as well as contribute to inadequate relationships with male peers and greater difficulty in exchanging support with romantic partners., Interpretation: The authors identified attitudes about and barriers to men's experiences with social support, which healthcare providers, such as nurses, should be sensitive to when developing and providing support.

Adults in the United States increasingly use the Internet for health information, and online discussions can provide insights into public perceptions of health issues. The purpose of this project was to investigate public perceptions of issues related to health literacy, within the context of a conversation about recommendations to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, driven by concerns about acetaminophen-related liver injuries due in part to health literacy issues. The discussion took place July 2-8, 2009, on a technology/science blog and included 625 comments. Participants debated the risks and benefits of acetaminophen, and most believed responsibility for taking medication safely falls on consumers. Some were implicitly aware of issues related to health literacy and its relationship to patient outcomes; most felt improved education is all that is needed, whereas others acknowledged that health information is confusing--particularly for the elderly and sick. Recommendations for future research into public perceptions of health literacy are discussed.

Although individuals with poor food security might be expected to have reduced food intake, and thus reduced body fat and less likelihood of being overweight, these associations have not been adequately studied. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between food insecurity and overweight as measured by body mass index (BMI) using data from the nationally representative 1994-1996 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (CSFII). Overweight was defined as BMI >27.3 kg/m(2) for women and 27.8 kg/m(2) for men. Food insecurity was related to overweight status for women (n = 4509, P < 0.0001), but not for men (n = 4970, P = 0.44). Excluding the 11 severely insecure women, the prevalence of overweight among women increased as food insecurity increased, from 34% for those who were food secure (n = 3447), to 41% for those who were mildly food insecure (n = 966) and to 52% for those who were moderately food insecure (n = 86). Food insecurity remained a significant predictor of overweight status, after adjustment for potentially confounding demographic and lifestyle variables (P < 0.01). In a logistic regression analysis, mildly insecure women were 30% more likely to be overweight than those who were food secure [odds ratio (OR) 1.3, P = 0.005]. Thus, food insecurity had an unexpected and paradoxical association with overweight status among women with a higher prevalence of overweight among the food insecure, and a resulting potential for increased incidence of obesity-related chronic diseases. Given that the rates of both overweight and food insecurity are on the rise, this research area warrants further investigation.