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The primary recommendation of the 2010 President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology report on K-12 education was to inspire more students so that they are motivated to study science. Scientists’ visits to classrooms are intended to inspire learners and increase their interest in science, but verifications of this impact are largely qualitative. Our primary goal was to evaluate the impact of a longstanding Brain Awareness classroom visit program focused on increasing learners understanding of their own brains. Educational psychologists have established that neuroscience training sessions can improve academic performance and shift attitudes of students from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset. Our secondary goal was to determine whether short interactive Brain Awareness scientist-in-the-classroom sessions could similarly alter learners’ perceptions of their own potential to learn. Teacher and student surveys were administered in 4th-6th grade classrooms throughout Minnesota either before or after one-hour Brain Awareness sessions that engaged students in activities related to brain function. Teachers rated the Brain Awareness program as very valuable and said that the visits stimulated students’ interest in the brain and in science. Student surveys probed general attitudes towards science and their knowledge of neuroscience concepts (particularly the ability of the brain to change). Significant favorable improvements were found on 10 of 18 survey statements. Factor analyses of 4805 responses demonstrated that Brain Awareness presentations increased positive attitudes toward science and improved agreement with statements related to growth mindset. Overall effect sizes were small, consistent with the short length of the presentations. Thus, the impact of Brain Awareness presentations was positive and proportional to the efforts expended, demonstrating that short, scientist-in-the-classroom visits can make a positive contribution to primary school students’ attitudes toward science and learning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To understand the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on access to healthcare services for patients with inflammatory and non-inflammatory musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions., Methods: Three established cohorts that included individuals with axial SpA, psoriatic arthritis and MSK pain completed a questionnaire between July and December 2020. In parallel, a subset of individuals participated in semistructured interviews., Results: A total of 1054 people (45% female, median age 59 years) were included in the quantitative analyses. Qualitative data included 447 free-text questionnaire responses and 23 interviews. A total of 57% of respondents had tried to access care since the start of the UK national lockdown. More than a quarter reported being unable to book any type of healthcare appointment. General practice appointments were less likely to be delayed or cancelled compared with hospital appointments. Younger age, unemployment/health-related retirement, DMARD therapy, anxiety or depression and being extremely clinically vulnerable were associated with a greater likelihood of attempting to access healthcare. People not in work, those reporting anxiety or depression and poorer quality of life were less likely to be satisfied with remotely delivered healthcare. Participants valued clear, timely and transparent care pathways across primary care and specialist services. While remote consultations were convenient for some, in-person appointments enabled physical assessment and facilitated the development and maintenance of clinical relationships with care providers., Conclusions: We identified patient factors that predict access to and satisfaction with care and aspects of care that patients value. This is important to inform remobilisation of rheumatology services to better meet the needs of patients., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Rheumatology.)