A social network analysis of interorganisational collaboration: Efforts to improve social connectedness.

The Covid-19 pandemic has challenged public health practitioners and clinicians at multiple levels to intentionally consider the impact of social isolation on health outcomes. Many community-based programmes design interventions to address tangible challenges within the social determinants of health, such as asset insecurity or food insecurity, to address health inequities. The growing need to address social isolation within marginalised communities also requires organisations to collaborate and create community partnerships that strengthen their own social integration within the community. The present research reports on the results of a Social Network Analysis (SNA) of community programmes within three southern U.S. cities and their local collaborations to address social isolation. After interviewing representatives of 46 community organisations, it was found that social service organisations that also offer public health services play a central role in community efforts to improve social isolation. The participating organisations primarily collaborate through referrals and information sharing, and report inadequate resources. With a growing recognition that social services and supports play a considerable role in addressing health inequities, this study provides evidence of opportunities for interorganisational collaboration to promote individual and community health.

Community-Based Asset Security: A Scoping Review.

OBJECTIVES: To explore how and what programs or projects address asset security at the community level as a social determinant of health. DATA SOURCES: To conduct a scoping review following Preferred Reporting Items for Systemic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines, the databases searched included CINAHL, EconLit, Embase, Pubmed/Medline, and the Sociological Collection of EBSCOhost. REVIEW METHODS: Keywords used for article identification were ("asset" AND "community") OR ("asset security" AND "community"). Studies were included if published between 1990 and 2019, written in English, and published in a peer-review journal. Reference lists of selected articles were also reviewed for additional articles. Two authors reviewed titles and abstracts separately, then reviewed full-texts for sample selection. RESULTS: After identifying 2,585 articles, researchers refined the final sample to 28 articles. Programs or projects within the sample focused on direct financial interventions or indirect interventions. Direct interventions included financial programs, such as Individual Development Accounts, or ownership opportunities, such as cooperatives or microenterprises. Indirect interventions included those focused on the built environment, such as asset mapping to identify a community's resources, or focused on education, such as those for social workers. CONCLUSIONS: Financial programs, ownership opportunities, assessments of the built environment, and targeted education complement one another to influence a community's assets from many angles. Income inequality has evolved from repeated institutionalized practices that inadvertently reinforce that inequality. Published literature emphasizes the local nature of needs and challenges, culturally responsive efforts, and that observing an impact often requires longitudinal efforts.

Characterization of oral tactile sensitivity and masticatory performance across adulthood.

Texture perception is one of the most important factors in food acceptance, yet population-wide differences in texture sensations are not well understood. The variation in texture perception across populations is thought to depend on oral tactile sensitivity and masticatory performance. To address this hypothesis, we aimed to measure tactile acuity with a battery of tests and quantitate the relationship to masticatory performance. The study was performed on 98 participants, in three age groups (20-25, 35-45, or over 62). Two main measures of oral sensitivity were performed: to assess bite force, subjects were asked to discriminate between foam samples of varying hardness. Second, to assess lingual sensitivity the subjects were asked to identify 3D printed shapes using their tongue, as well as identify confectionary letters. Additionally, masticatory performance was measured through assessing each participants ability to mix two-colored chewing gum. In general, we found that sensitivity and masticatory performance in the younger age groups was superior to that of older adults. We also found a positive linear trend between bite force sensitivity and masticatory performance with younger participants, a trend not found in older participants. We found no significant relationship between age groups for bite force sensitivity and masticatory performance, suggesting that age-related declines in bite force sensitivity are not a significant cause of altered masticatory performance. This study represents a valuable first step in showing that bite force sensitivity does not depend on age, and the minimal influence of factors such as oral sensitivity on masticatory performance. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: In a society that is rapidly aging, it is important to understand the subtle changes in physiology and eating behavior that are associated with aging. This study used a variety of tests oral sensitivity to better understand which aspects of oral physiology are integral for effective chewing. The information gained helps shed light on to the factors that create an effective chewing cycle. Besides moving knowledge forward, this study may help in designing food and rehabilitation programs for those with trouble chewing and swallowing, increasing their overall quality of life.