Breastfeeding - a survey of fathers' support needs and preferred sources of information.

BACKGROUND: Fathers can be a critical source of breastfeeding support for their partner, but little is known about what fathers would like to learn about breastfeeding. Partner's support and encouragement enhances mother's breastfeeding confidence and boost the capacity to address breastfeeding difficulties effectively. The aims of this study were to explore what fathers regard as important to learn around breastfeeding, and their current and preferred sources of information. METHODS: A structured online survey was conducted, between September 2022 and November 2022, with fathers containing three sections: (1) sociodemographic variables; (2) perceived importance of 26 breastfeeding topics; and (3) sources of breastfeeding information. A convenience sample of expectant and current fathers aged 18 years or older, who were expecting a baby or had a child aged one year or younger, living in Australia, and able to complete survey in English was recruited. Participants were recruited on Facebook advertisement. RESULTS: A total of 174 fathers participated in the study, majority (75%) were aged 30-39 years, current dads (74%), and university educated (69%). The breastfeeding topics that fathers perceived as the most important/ important to learn about were how to work with their partner to overcome breastfeeding challenges, how fathers can be involved with their breastfed baby, the types of support fathers can provide to breastfeeding mothers, what to expect in the first week and the benefits of breastfeeding. The most preferred health professional sources of breastfeeding information were midwives, child and family nurses and doctors. Among non-health professional sources of support, mobile app, friends and family were most popular. CONCLUSION: Breastfeeding information to enhance fathers' knowledge and awareness of common breastfeeding challenges, and fathers' role in supporting their breastfeeding partner, appear to be (most) important for fathers. Mobile app appears to be among the most preferred non-health professional ways to provide breastfeeding information to fathers.

Uptake and outcomes of VaxCheck, an adult life-course vaccination service: A study among community pharmacists.

Vaccination rates among Canadian adults remain suboptimal. Community pharmacists have increasingly adopted an active role in vaccination and are trusted by the public to provide vaccination-related advice and care. The aim of this prospective descriptive study was to develop and test a novel clinical service, VaxCheck, to support proactive life-course vaccination assessments by community pharmacists. From October 2022-May 2023, 123 VaxCheck consultations were performed at 9 community pharmacies within the Wholehealth Pharmacy Partners banner in Ontario, Canada. Patient age averaged 60 years and 35.8 % had at least one chronic disease risk factor, 17.7 % had lifestyle-related risk factor(s), and 15.4 % were immunocompromised. 95.1 % of VaxCheck consultations resulted in at least one vaccine recommendation, averaging three vaccines per patient. Most frequently recommended vaccines were those against pneumococcal disease, tetanus/diphtheria, herpes zoster, COVID-19, and influenza, with acceptance rates highest for those available without a prescription and at no charge at the pharmacy. Patient feedback was positive with 85 % of respondents agreeing or strongly agreeing that they would recommend the service to others. Vaccine administration at the time of the consultation occurred with only 5.9 % of recommended vaccines, frequently impacted by limitations to scope of practice related to pharmacist ability to prescribe and/or administer the vaccine and lack of pharmacy access to publicly funded vaccine supply for those meeting eligibility criteria. Community pharmacists performing a VaxCheck consultation can proactively identify indicated vaccines for patients. Expansion in scope of practice and access to publicly funded vaccine is recommended to further support vaccine uptake.

The impacts of an mHealth intervention targeting parents on health service usage and out-of-pocket costs in the first 9 months of life: The Growing healthy app.

Mobile health (mHealth) interventions provide a low-cost, scalable approach to supporting parents with infant feeding advice with the potential to reduce health care visits and associated costs for infant feeding support. This Australian study examined the impact of the Growing healthy (GH) app on health service utilisation and out-of-pocket costs for families in the first 9 months of their infants life. A quasi-experimental study with a comparison group was conducted in 2015-2016 with an mHealth intervention group (GH app, n = 301) and a nonrandomized usual care group (n = 344). The GH app aimed to support parents of young infants with healthy infant feeding behaviours from birth to 9 months of age. App-generated notifications directed parents to age-and feeding-specific content within the app. Both groups completed surveys at baseline when infants were less than 3 months old (T1), at 6 months (T2) and 9 months (T3) of age. At T3, participants reported health services used and any out-of-pocket costs for advice on infant feeding, growth or activity. App users had lower odds (odds ratio: 0.38 95% confidence interval: 0.25, 0.59) of using one or more services and had lower number of visits to a general practitioner (1.0 vs. 1.5 visits, p = 0.003) and paediatrician (0.3 vs. 0.4 visits, p = 0.049) compared to the usual care group. There was no difference in out-of-pocket costs between groups. Provision of an evidenced-based infant feeding app may provide substantial savings to the health system and potentially to parents through fewer primary health care and paediatrician visits.

An evaluation of the management of severe open tibial fractures in the United Kingdom's major trauma centres.

AIM: To evaluate the management of patients with severe open tibial fractures at major trauma centres (MTCs) in the UK with respect to BOAST 4 guidelines. METHODS: Data collected by the Trauma and Audit Research Network (TARN) for all severe open tibial fractures treated at the 23 adult MTCs were evaluated. Key performance indicators (KPIs) included MTC admission under orthoplastics, administration of antibiotics within three hours of injury, initial debridement within 24 h and definitive fixation and soft tissue coverage within 72 h. Outcomes included 30-day infection rate, amputation rate and mortality rate. A score was calculated according to overall attainment of KPIs, and correlated to outcomes. RESULTS: From 2014 to 2020, 3359 adults with Gustilo-Anderson (GA) IIIB and/or IIIC fractures were admitted to MTCs. Male to female ratio was 2:1 with a mean age of 43 and 65 years respectively. There was a negative correlation between KPI score and mortality rate (r=-0.4929, p = 0.0169). Direct admission to an MTC was positively correlated with receipt of antibiotics within three hours (r = 0.5452, p = 0.0070). Joint orthoplastic plans were documented in 89 % of patients (MTC range 30-95 %). Soft tissue cover was achieved within 72 h for 48 % (MTC range 5.23-89.39 %). Patients over 65 were significantly more likely to have a delay to MTC admission and prophylactic antibiotic administration. Mortality rate in this group was 6% vs 2 % in those under 65. The older cohort were twice as likely to require an amputation. CONCLUSION: This is the largest cohort of open tibial injuries managed in the UK with wide variation in practice between centres demonstrated and better adherence to BOAST guidelines linked to reduced mortality in those aged 65 and over. The older cohort of patients also had higher rates of infection and amputation. It is unclear whether these poor outcomes are due to the pre-morbid physiological status of the patient or non-compliance to Standards. We present these data to highlight the need for improved adherence to Standards - the adoption of a scoring system provides a simple way to evidence this.

Implementing routine paediatric height/length and weight screening and weight management advice by clinicians: an evaluation.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the views of health care professionals (HCPs) in South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD) about the effectiveness of implementation strategies used to increase routine height/length and weight screening, advice, and referral for children and adolescents. A secondary aim was to explore the prevalence of weight bias among HCPs. METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to all HCPs who had undertaken online or face-to-face training between December 2018 and June 2020 in SWSLHD (n=840). The questionnaire collected data on their experience of routine height and weight screening and the effectiveness of strategies used in the implementation. It also included a weight bias assessment. Data were provided by the New South Wales (NSW) Ministry of Health on the performance of routine height/length and weight measures entered into the electronic medical records (eMR) in SWSLHD. RESULTS: Of the 840 questionnaires sent, 87 were undeliverable; of the remaining 753, 285 were returned (38% response rate). More than half (53%, 151/285) of the participants were nurses. Most HCPs agreed that there was a need for routine screening and reported that education, training, and access to resources were the most helpful implementation strategies. Most HCPs were confident in performing routine screening but were less confident in raising the issue of weight with children and their families. Barriers to implementation were lack of time, equipment, appropriate clinical setting, and HCPs' perceptions and beliefs about obesity. CONCLUSION: Routine screening is the first step in identifying children and adolescents at risk of overweight and obesity, but many HCP found it challenging to incorporate into daily practice. Multifaceted strategies are effective in increasing routine screening across diverse healthcare settings so that children and adolescents receive timely and appropriate intervention.

Cell Context is the third axis of synergy for the combination of ATR inhibition and cisplatin in Ewing sarcoma.

PURPOSE: The importance of cellular context to the synergy of DNA Damage Response (DDR) targeted agents is important for tumors with mutations in DDR pathways, but less well-established for tumors driven by oncogenic transcription factors. In this study, we exploit the widespread transcriptional dysregulation of the EWS-FLI1 transcription factor to identify an effective DDR targeted combination therapy for Ewing Sarcoma (ES). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We used matrix drug screening to evaluate synergy between a DNA-PK inhibitor (M9831) or an ATR inhibitor (berzosertib) and chemotherapy. The combination of berzosertib and cisplatin was selected for broad synergy, mechanistically evaluated for ES selectivity, and optimized for in vivo schedule. RESULTS: Berzosertib combined with cisplatin demonstrates profound synergy in multiple ES cell lines at clinically achievable concentrations. The synergy is due to loss of expression of the ATR downstream target CHEK1, loss of cell cycle checkpoints, and mitotic catastrophe. Consistent with the goals of the project, EWS-FLI1 drives the expression of CHEK1 and five other ATR pathway members. The loss of CHEK1 expression is not due to transcriptional repression and instead caused by degradation coupled with suppression of protein translation. The profound synergy is realized in vivo with a novel optimized schedule of this combination in subsets of ES models leading to durable complete responses in 50% of animals bearing two different ES xenografts. CONCLUSION: These data exploit EWS-FLI1 driven alterations in cell context to broaden the therapeutic window of berzosertib and cisplatin to establish a promising combination therapy and a novel in vivo schedule.

Intraoperative Anesthetic Strategies to Mitigate Early Allograft Dysfunction After Orthotopic Liver Transplantation: A Narrative Review.

Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) is the most effective treatment for patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD). Hepatic insufficiency within a week of OLT, termed early allograft dysfunction (EAD), occurs in 20% to 25% of deceased donor OLT recipients and is associated with morbidity and mortality. Primary nonfunction (PNF), the most severe form of EAD, leads to death or retransplantation within 7 days. The etiology of EAD is multifactorial, including donor, recipient, and surgery-related factors, and largely driven by ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). IRI is an immunologic phenomenon characterized by dysregulation of cellular oxygen homeostasis and innate immune defenses in the allograft after temporary cessation (ischemia) and later restoration (reperfusion) of oxygen-rich blood flow. The rising global demand for OLT may lead to the use of marginal allografts, which are more susceptible to IRI, and thus lead to an increased incidence of EAD. It is thus imperative the anesthesiologist is knowledgeable about EAD, namely its pathophysiology and intraoperative strategies to mitigate its impact. Intraoperative strategies can be classified by 3 phases, specifically donor allograft procurement, storage, and recipient reperfusion. During procurement, the anesthesiologist can use pharmacologic preconditioning with volatile anesthetics, consider preharvest hyperoxemia, and attenuate the use of norepinephrine as able. The anesthesiologist can advocate for normothermic regional perfusion (NRP) and machine perfusion during allograft storage at their institution. During recipient reperfusion, the anesthesiologist can optimize oxygen exposure, consider adjunct anesthetics with antioxidant-like properties, and administer supplemental magnesium. Unfortunately, there is either mixed, little, or no data to support the routine use of many free radical scavengers. Given the sparse, limited, or at times conflicting evidence supporting some of these strategies, there are ample opportunities for more research to find intraoperative anesthetic strategies to mitigate the impact of EAD and improve postoperative outcomes in OLT recipients.

OXIDATIVE study: A pilot prospective observational cohort study protocol examining the influence of peri-reperfusion hyperoxemia and immune dysregulation on early allograft dysfunction after orthotopic liver transplantation.

Early allograft dysfunction (EAD) is a functional hepatic insufficiency within a week of orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) and is associated with morbidity and mortality. The etiology of EAD is multifactorial and largely driven by ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI), a phenomenon characterized by oxygen scarcity followed by paradoxical oxidative stress and inflammation. With the expanded use of marginal allografts more susceptible to IRI, the incidence of EAD may be increasing. This necessitates an in-depth understanding of the innate molecular mechanisms underlying EAD and interventions to mitigate its impact. Our central hypothesis is peri-reperfusion hyperoxemia and immune dysregulation exacerbate IRI and increase the risk of EAD. We will perform a pilot prospective single-center observational cohort study of 40 patients. The aims are to determine (1) the association between peri-reperfusion hyperoxemia and EAD and (2) whether peri-reperfusion perturbed cytokine, protein, and hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) levels correlate with EAD after OLT. Inclusion criteria include age ≥ 18 years, liver failure, and donation after brain or circulatory death. Exclusion criteria include living donor donation, repeat OLT within a week of transplantation, multiple organ transplantation, and pregnancy. Partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2) as the study measure allows for the examination of oxygen exposure within the confines of existing variability in anesthesiologist-administered fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) and the inclusion of patients with intrapulmonary shunting. The Olthoff et al. definition of EAD is the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes include postoperative acute kidney injury, pulmonary and biliary complications, surgical wound dehiscence and infection, and mortality. The goal of this study protocol is to identify EAD contributors that could be targeted to attenuate its impact and improve OLT outcomes. If validated, peri-reperfusion hyperoxemia and immune perturbations could be targeted via FiO2 titration to a goal PaO2 and/or administration of an immunomodulatory agent by the anesthesiologist intraoperatively.

Exploring organisational readiness to implement a preventive intervention in Australian general practice for overweight and obese patients: key learnings from the HeLP-GP trial.

BACKGROUND: The HeLP-GP trial aimed to increase the capacity of practice nurses to deliver weight management to overweight and obese patients through an intervention comprising a health check, a lifestyle app and/or telephone coaching. This paper describes implementation through the lens of organisational readiness with emphasis on the role of the practice nurse. METHODS: Routinely collected mixed method research data including practice surveys, field notes, and diaries and process data were mapped against the domains: motivation to implement, general capacity and intervention-specific capacity. RESULTS: Organisational readiness varied considerably, particularly the domain of intervention-specific capacity. Practice nurse turnover negatively impacted the implementation, affecting half of the practices. We observed a general lack of practice-based support for intervention delivery, and varying levels of interest, skill and confidence in delivering the intervention. Nurses struggled to complete the research and intervention tasks in a timely way. Conducting risk assessments and referring to coaching were generally not problematic; however, we noted lower confidence levels with the lifestyle app and instructing patients to use it. CONCLUSIONS: We found a lack of general 'readiness' inherent in the nursing role, particularly related to their capacity to complete intervention tasks and practice-level support to implement the intervention. For nurses in general practice to fulfil their potential in supporting patients to reduce risk and adopt healthier life choices, our study indicates that more could be done to improve their workforce positioning and remuneration, which may, in turn, improve continuity of care, retention and individual motivation.

Cognitive flexibility training for chronic pain: a randomized clinical study.

Introduction: Previous studies suggest an association between cognitive flexibility and development of chronic pain after surgery. It is not known whether cognitive flexibility can be improved in patients with chronic pain. Objectives: This study tested whether a neurocognitive training program results in improved cognitive flexibility and pain in patients with chronic pain. Methods: We conducted a single-center, prospective, randomized study investigating 5-week daily neurocognitive training in patients with chronic pain. Participants (n = 145) were randomized into neurocognitive training or care as usual, and they completed assessments at baseline, posttreatment, and 3 months. The treatment group was asked to spend 35 minutes daily completing a program with tasks on cognitive flexibility, memory, attention, and speed. The primary outcome was performance on the neurocognitive performance test (NCPT). Secondary outcomes included levels of pain interference and severity. Results: At 5 weeks, the treatment group showed greater improvements on NCPT compared with the control group (d = 0.37); effect size was smaller at 3 months (d = 0.18). The treatment group reported lower pain severity at 5 weeks (d = 0.16) and 3 months (d = 0.39) than the control group, but pain interference was only lower at 3 months (d = 0.20). Conclusions: Outcomes suggest that using neurocognitive training to modify cognitive flexibility in patients with chronic pain may improve pain severity. This study provided effect size estimates to inform sample size calculations for randomized controlled trials to test the effectiveness of neurocognitive interventions for the prevention and treatment of chronic pain.

What do parents think about child's routine height and weight measures? A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Routine height and weight screening of children accessing health services in South Western Sydney Local Health District (SWSLHD) was implemented to address childhood obesity. This qualitative study aims to explore the views of parents/carers regarding the role of healthcare professionals (HCPs) in measuring their child and raising the issue of weight when accessing health services. METHODS: A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews was performed. Parents/carers of children who had their height and weight measured at a SWSLHD facility were invited to participate. Purposive sampling was used to select parents/carers of children from different body mass index (BMI) categories and different health settings. Interviews were digitally audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The de-identified data were coded and analysed thematically using NVivo. RESULTS: A total of 24 semi-structured interviews were conducted. Of these, 14 were of parents/carers of children who were outside the healthy weight range. Three main themes were identified: parental perception of their child's weight, parental expectations, and parental challenges. We found that many parents/carers were unaware of their child's weight status and often underestimated it. Many were open to receiving advice and resources as long as it was addressed professionally and respectfully. CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to the views of some health professionals, parents/carers want to know their child's weight status. They valued the information and advice provided by well-trained clinicians who are confident to raise the issue of weight with parents/carers.

A novel theta-controlled vibrotactile brain-computer interface to treat chronic pain: a pilot study.

Limitations in chronic pain therapies necessitate novel interventions that are effective, accessible, and safe. Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) provide a promising modality for targeting neuropathology underlying chronic pain by converting recorded neural activity into perceivable outputs. Recent evidence suggests that increased frontal theta power (4-7 Hz) reflects pain relief from chronic and acute pain. Further studies have suggested that vibrotactile stimulation decreases pain intensity in experimental and clinical models. This longitudinal, non-randomized, open-label pilot study's objective was to reinforce frontal theta activity in six patients with chronic upper extremity pain using a novel vibrotactile neurofeedback BCI system. Patients increased their BCI performance, reflecting thought-driven control of neurofeedback, and showed a significant decrease in pain severity (1.29 ± 0.25 MAD, p = 0.03, q = 0.05) and pain interference (1.79 ± 1.10 MAD p = 0.03, q = 0.05) scores without any adverse events. Pain relief significantly correlated with frontal theta modulation. These findings highlight the potential of BCI-mediated cortico-sensory coupling of frontal theta with vibrotactile stimulation for alleviating chronic pain.

Rumination mediates associations between microaggressions and sleep quality in Black Americans: the toll of racial microstressors.

Disparities in health outcomes between Black and White Americans are well-documented, including sleep quality, and disparities in sleep may lead to disparities in health over the life course. A meta-model indicates that cognitive processes may underly the connection between race and poor sleep quality, and ultimately, health disparities. That is, there are race-specific stressors that disproportionately affect Black Americans, which are associated with poor health through biological, cognitive, and behavioral mechanisms (e.g., sleep). Among these race-specific stressors is discrimination, which has been linked to poor sleep quality, and there is a body of literature connecting perseverative cognition (e.g., rumination and worry or vigilance) to poor sleep. Microaggressions, a more subtle but pervasive form of discrimination, are another race-specific stressor. Although less research has considered the connection of microaggressions to perseverative cognition, there are some studies linking microaggressions to health outcomes and sleep. Therefore, using a cross-sectional survey, we tested the following hypotheses: racism-related vigilance and rumination would mediate the relationship between discrimination and poor sleep as well as between microaggressions and poor sleep among Black Americans (N = 223; mean age = 35.77 years, 53.8% men, 86% employed, 66.8% with college degree or higher education). Results of seven parallel mediation models showed that neither rumination nor racism-related vigilance mediated a relationship between discrimination and poor sleep quality. However, rumination partially mediated relationships between the six microaggression sub-scales and poor sleep quality: there were significant indirect effects for Foreigner/Not Belonging (ß = .13, SE = 0.03, 95% CI 0.08, 0.20), Criminality (ß = .11, SE = 0.03, 95% CI 0.05, 0.17), Sexualization (ß = .10, SE = 0.03, 95% CI 0.05, 0.17), Low-Achieving/Undesirable (ß = .10, SE = 0.03, 95% CI 0.05, 0.15), Invisibility (ß = .15, SE = 0.04, 95% CI 0.08, 0.23), and Environmental Invalidations (ß = .15, SE = 0.04, 95% CI 0.08, 0.23). Overall, these findings indicate support for the meta-model, demonstrating a specific pathway from racial microstressors to poor sleep quality. Furthermore, these results suggest the importance of developing clinical and community approaches to address the impact of microaggressions on Black Americans' sleep quality.

Proceedings of the 28th Annual Congress of the International Liver Transplantation Society.

The 2023 Joint International Congress of the International Liver Transplantation Society (ILTS), the European Liver and Intestine Transplant Association (ELITA), and the Liver Intensive Care Group of Europe (LICAGE) held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, marked a significant recovery milestone for the liver transplant community after COVID-19. With 1159 participants and a surge in abstract submissions, the event focused on "Liver Disorders and Transplantation: Innovations and Evolving Indications." This conference report provides a comprehensive overview of the key themes discussed during the event, encompassing Hepatology, Anesthesia and Critical Care, Acute Liver Failure, Infectious Disease, Immunosuppression, Pediatric Liver Transplantation, Living Donor Liver Transplantation, Transplant Oncology, Surgical Approaches, and Machine Perfusion. The congress provided a platform for extensive discussions on a wide range of topics, reflecting the continuous advancements and collaborative efforts within the liver transplant community.

Screening tools used in primary health care settings to identify health behaviours in children (birth-16 years); A systematic review of their effectiveness, feasibility and acceptability.

BACKGROUND: Child health behaviour screening tools have potential to enhance the effectiveness of health promotion and early intervention. This systematic review aimed to examine the effectiveness, acceptability and feasibility of child health behaviour screening tools used in primary health care settings. METHODS: A systematic review of studies published in English in five databases (CINAHL, Medline, Scopus, PsycINFO and Web of Science) prior to July 2022 was undertaken. Eligible studies described: 1) screening tools for health behaviours (dietary, physical activity, sedentary or sleep-related behaviours) used in primary health care settings in children birth to 16 years; 2) tool effectiveness for identifying child health behaviours and changing practitioner behaviour; 3) tool acceptability or feasibility from child, caregiver or practitioner perspective and/or 4) implementation of the screening tool. RESULTS: Of the 7145 papers identified, 22 studies describing 14 screening tools were included. Only four screening tools measured all four behaviour domains. Fourteen studies reported changes in practitioner self-reported behaviour, knowledge and practice. Practitioners and caregivers identified numerous benefits and challenges to screening. CONCLUSIONS: Health behaviour screening can be an acceptable and feasible strategy to assess children's health behaviours in primary health care. Further evaluation is needed to determine effectiveness on child health outcomes.

Mothers' sociodemographic factors and use of health professionals for child feeding advice.

This study examined sociodemographic factors associated with mothers seeking child feeding advice from health professionals (HPs). Cross-sectional analysis of survey data from linked randomized controlled trials was conducted. Surveys asked which sources of feeding information mothers used when their child was 6 months and 5 years old. Logistic regression was used to examine associations between sociodemographic characteristics and use of information from HPs. Here, 947 and 405 mothers completed 6-month and 5-year surveys, respectively. At 6 months, multiparous mothers were less likely to seek advice from child and family health nurses (CFHNs) (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 0.558, 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.416-0.749) and other HPs (AOR: 0.706, 95% CI: 0.542-0.919), unmarried mothers were less likely to seek advice from other HPs (AOR: 0.582, 95% CI: 0.342-0.990). At 5 years, mothers with household income ≥$80,000 p.a. were less likely to seek advice from CFHNs (AOR: 0.514, 95% CI: 0.302-0.875) and working mothers less likely to seek advice from general practitioners (GPs) (AOR: 0.581, 95% CI: 0.374-0.905). Mothers born in Australia were less likely to seek information from CFHNs (AOR: 0.462, 95% CI: 0.257-0.833) and GPs (AOR: 0.431, 95% CI: 0.274-0.677). There was a greater likelihood that multiparous mothers (AOR: 2.114, 95% CI: 1.272-3.516) and mothers of children whose fathers had not attended university (AOR: 2.081, 95% CI: 1.256-3.449) had never sought advice from CFHNs, and that mothers who had not attended university (AOR: 1.769, 95% CI: 1.025-3.051), multiparous (AOR: 1.831, 95% CI: 1.105-3.035) and employed (AOR: 2.058, 95% CI: 1.135-3.733) mothers had never sought advice from other HPs. Understanding sociodemographic factors associated with seeking child feeding advice from HPs may inform priorities for engaging families in health promotion.

Evaluating skills for psychological recovery with gunshot injury survivors in a hospital-based early intervention program.

Gun violence is a serious public health problem that places surviving victims at increased risk for a variety of mental health problems, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Recognizing that many gunshot injury survivors lack access to mental health care in the early aftermath of a shooting, there has been growing interest in the use of early, preventive mental health interventions to help prevent long-term mental health complications like PTSD as part of routine care for survivors in acute medical settings, where initial outreach to survivors may be more successful. This study evaluates clinical outcomes associated with one such early intervention-Skills for Psychological Recovery (SPR)-provided to gunshot injury survivors as part of a hospital-based early intervention program embedded in a Level 1 trauma center in the Midwestern United States. Clinic data from 100 survivors (74.0% male, 78.0% Black/African American) who received SPR were included in the present study. Results suggest that receiving SPR in the early aftermath of a shooting is associated with statistically significant reductions in both PTSD, F(1, 26.77) = 22.49, p < .001, and depression, F(1, 29.99) = 6.49, p = .016, symptoms. Outcomes did not vary as a function of either PTSD risk status or intervention delivery method (i.e., in-person, telehealth). These findings support the effectiveness and acceptability of SPR as an early intervention for gunshot injury survivors when delivered as part of a hospital-based early intervention program. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

The Effects of Exoskeleton Assistance at the Ankle on Sensory Integration During Standing Balance.

Exoskeleton devices can reduce metabolic cost, increase walking speed, and augment load-carrying capacity. However, little is known about the effects of powered assistance on the sensory information required to achieve these tasks. To learn how to use an assistive device, humans must integrate novel sensory information into their internal model. This process may be disrupted by challenges to the sensory systems used for posture. We investigated the exoskeleton-induced changes to balance performance and sensory integration during quiet standing. We asked 11 unimpaired adults to perform a virtual reality-based test of sensory integration in balance (VRSIB) on two days while wearing the exoskeleton either unpowered, using proportional myoelectric control, or with regular shoes. We measured postural biomechanics, muscle activity, equilibrium scores, postural control strategy, and sensory ratios. Results showed improvement in balance performance when wearing the exoskeleton on firm ground. The opposite occurred when standing on an unstable platform with eyes closed or when the visual information was non-veridical. The balance performance was equivalent when the exoskeleton was powered versus unpowered in all conditions except when both the support surface and the visual information were altered. We argue that in stable ground conditions, the passive stiffness of the device dominates the postural task. In contrast, when the ground becomes unstable the passive stiffness negatively affects balance performance. Furthermore, when the visual input to the user is non-veridical, exoskeleton assistance can magnify erroneous muscle inputs and negatively impact the user's postural control.

Community efforts to promote vaccine uptake in a rural setting: a qualitative interview study.

Vaccine hesitancy has been identified as one of the top 10 threats to global health. The causes of low vaccine uptake are many and vary at micro and macro levels. However, rural and remote coastal areas in the UK experience unique vaccine inequalities due to high levels of deprivation and their unique and complex access-related problems. This study aimed to explore community efforts to promote vaccine uptake during the COVID-19 pandemic and understand how the COVID-19 vaccination campaign was experienced by the public. We conducted an exploratory descriptive qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with decision-makers, health professionals and community members in Lincolnshire, a predominantly rural county with a long coastline, a large population of white minority ethnicities, and those living in caravan and temporary housing. Data were analysed using conventional content analysis. Overcoming the various access barriers to vaccination uptake involved working with local media stations, local communities and local community groups, translation of information, bringing vaccines closer to the people through pop-up and mobile clinics and provision of transport and ensuring confidentiality. There is a need to employ inclusive targeted non-conventional care interventions whilst dealing with complex problems as occur in rural and remote coastal regions.