Evaluating a Peer-Support Mobile App for Mental Health and Substance Use Among Adolescents Over 12 Months During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Although it is well known that adolescents frequently turn to their friends for support around mental health and substance use problems, there are currently no evidence-based digital programs to support them to do this. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the Mind your Mate program, a digital peer-support program, in improving mental health symptoms, reducing the uptake of substance use, and increasing help seeking. The Mind your Mate program consists of a 40-minute web-based classroom lesson and a companion smartphone mobile app. The active control group received school-based health education as usual. METHODS: A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted with 12 secondary schools and 166 students (mean age 15.3, SD 0.41 years; 72/166, 43.4% female; and 133/166, 80.1% born in Australia). Participants completed self-reported questionnaires assessing symptoms of mental health (depression, anxiety, and psychological distress), substance use (alcohol and other drug use), and help-seeking measures at baseline and at 6-month and 12-month follow-ups. RESULTS: Students who received the Mind your Mate program had greater reductions in depressive symptoms over a 12-month period than controls (b=-1.86, 95% CI -3.73 to 0.02; Cohen d=-0.31). Anxiety symptoms decreased among students in the intervention group; however, these reductions did not meet statistical significance thresholds. No differences were observed in relation to psychological distress or help-seeking. CONCLUSIONS: Small to moderate reductions in depression symptoms were observed among students allocated to receive the Mind your Mate intervention. Although the current results are encouraging, there is a need to continue to refine, develop, and evaluate innovative applied approaches for the prevention of mental disorders in real-world settings. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR) ACTRN12620000753954; https://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?ACTRN=12620000753954. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR2-10.2196/26796.

Pathways to prevention: protocol for the CAP (Climate and Preventure) study to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of school-based universal, selective and combined alcohol misuse prevention into early adulthood.

BACKGROUND: Alcohol use and associated harms are among the leading causes of burden of disease among young people, highlighting the need for effective prevention. The Climate and Preventure (CAP) study was the first trial of a combined universal and selective school-based approach to preventing alcohol misuse among adolescents. Initial results indicate that universal, selective and combined prevention were all effective in delaying the uptake of alcohol use and binge drinking for up to 3 years following the interventions. However, little is known about the sustainability of prevention effects across the transition to early adulthood, a period of increased exposure to alcohol and other drug use. This paper describes the protocol for the CAP long-term follow-up study which will determine the effectiveness of universal, selective and combined alcohol misuse prevention up to 7 years post intervention, and across the transition from adolescence into early adulthood. METHODS: A cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted between 2012 and 2015 with 2190 students (mean age: 13.3 yrs) from 26 Australian high schools. Participants were randomized to receive one of four conditions; universal prevention for all students (Climate); selective prevention for high-risk students (Preventure); combined universal and selective prevention (Climate and Preventure; CAP); or health education as usual (Control). The positive effect of the interventions on alcohol use at 12-, 24- and 36-month post baseline have previously been reported. This study will follow up the CAP study cohort approximately 5- and 7-years post baseline. The primary outcome will be alcohol use and related harms. Secondary outcomes will be cannabis use, alcohol and other drug harms including violent behavior, and mental health symptomatology. Analyses will be conducted using multi-level, mixed effects models within an intention-to-treat framework. DISCUSSION: This study will provide the first ever evaluation of the long-term effectiveness of combining universal and selective approaches to alcohol prevention and will examine the durability of intervention effects into the longer-term, over a 7-year period from adolescence to early adulthood. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This trial was registered in the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ( ACTRN12612000026820 ) on January 6th 2012.

Familial pseudohyperkalemia in blood donors: a novel mutation with implications for transfusion practice.

BACKGROUND: Familial pseudohyperkalemia (FP) is a dominantly inherited condition in which red blood cells (RBCs) have an increased cold-induced permeability to monovalent cations. Potassium leaks into the supernatant of all stored blood with time, but FP RBCs leak potassium more rapidly. We investigated two unrelated blood donors whose RBC donations demonstrated unexpectedly high potassium after 5 and 6 days' storage. We matched the observed pattern of RBC cation leak to a previously recognized family with FP (FP-Cardiff) and investigated the likely cause with targeted DNA analysis. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Cation leakage from the donor RBCs and from standard donor units was measured. DNA analysis of donors and family members with FP-Cardiff was performed. Allele frequencies were obtained from human variation databases. RESULTS: Both implicated donors were found to have increased cold-induced potassium leak identical in pattern to affected members of the family with FP-Cardiff. We found a heterozygous substitution Arg723Gln in the ATP-binding cassette, Subfamily B, Member 6 protein that segregated with FP in the Cardiff family and was also present in both blood donors. Arg723Gln is listed in human variation databases with an allele frequency of approximately 1:1000. CONCLUSIONS: We describe a novel FP mutation that may affect 1:500 European blood donors and causes rapid loss of potassium from stored RBCs. This finding has implications for neonates and infants receiving large-volume RBC transfusions. Genomic screening of donors could be used to identify donors with this mutation and potentially improve the quality and safety of donor units.

Effectiveness of a universal, school-based, online programme for the prevention of anxiety, depression, and substance misuse among adolescents in Australia: 72-month outcomes from a cluster-randomised controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The CSC study found that the universal delivery of a school-based, online programme for the prevention of mental health and substance use disorders among adolescents resulted in improvements in mental health and substance use outcomes at 30-month follow-up. We aimed to compare the long-term effects of four interventions-Climate Schools Combined (CSC) mental health and substance use, Climate Schools Substance Use (CSSU) alone, Climate Schools Mental Health (CSMH) alone, and standard health education-on mental health and substance use outcomes among adolescents at 72-month follow-up into early adulthood. METHODS: This long-term study followed up adolescents from a multicentre, cluster-randomised trial conducted across three states in Australia (New South Wales, Queensland, and Western Australia) enrolled between Sept 1, 2013, and Feb 28, 2014, for up to 72 months after baseline assessment. Adolescents (aged 18-20 years) from the original CSC study who accepted contact at 30-month follow-up and provided informed consent at 60-month follow-up were eligible. The interventions were delivered in school classrooms through an online delivery format and used a mixture of peer cartoon storyboards and classroom activities that were focused on alcohol, cannabis, anxiety, and depression. Participants took part in two web-based assessments at 60-month and 72-month follow-up. Primary outcomes were alcohol use, cannabis use, anxiety, and depression, measured by self-reported surveys and analysed by intention to treat (ie, in all students who were eligible at baseline). This trial is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12613000723785), including the extended follow-up study. FINDINGS: Of 6386 students enrolled from 71 schools, 1556 (24·4%) were randomly assigned to education as usual, 1739 (27·2%) to CSSU, 1594 (25·0%) to CSMH, and 1497 (23·4%) to CSC. 311 (22·2%) of 1401 participants in the control group, 394 (26·4%) of 1495 in the CSSU group, 477 (37·%) of 1289 in the CSMH group, and 400 (32·5%) of 1232 in the CSC group completed follow-up at 72 months. Adolescents in the CSC group reported slower year-by-year increases in weekly alcohol use (odds ratio 0·78 [95% CI 0·66-0·92]; p=0·0028) and heavy episodic drinking (0·69 [0·58-0·81]; p<0·0001) than did the control group. However, significant baseline differences between groups for drinking outcomes, and no difference in the predicted probability of weekly or heavy episodic drinking between groups were observed at 72 months. Sensitivity analyses increased uncertainty around estimates. No significant long-term differences were observed in relation to alcohol use disorder, cannabis use, cannabis use disorder, anxiety, or depression. No adverse events were reported during the trial. INTERPRETATION: We found some evidence that a universal online programme for the prevention of anxiety, depression, and substance use delivered in early adolescence is effective in reducing the use and harmful use of alcohol into early adulthood. However, confidence in these findings is reduced due to baseline differences, and we did not see a difference in the predicted probability of drinking between groups at 72-month follow-up. These findings suggest that a universal prevention programme in adolescence is not sufficient to have lasting effects on mental health and substance use disorders in the long term. In addition to baseline differences, substantial attrition warrants caution in interpretation and the latter factor highlights the need for future long-term follow-up studies to invest in strategies to increase engagement. FUNDING: Australian National Health and Medical Research Council.

Development of a Peer Support Mobile App and Web-Based Lesson for Adolescent Mental Health (Mind Your Mate): User-Centered Design Approach.

BACKGROUND: Digital technologies and mobile interventions are possible tools for prevention initiatives to target the substantial social and economic impacts that anxiety, mood, and substance use disorders have on young people. OBJECTIVE: This paper described the design and development of the Mind your Mate program, a smartphone app and introductory classroom lesson enhancing peer support around the topics of anxiety, depression, and substance use for adolescents. METHODS: The development of Mind your Mate was an iterative process conducted in collaboration with adolescents (n=23), experts, school staff, and software developers. The development process consisted of 3 stages: scoping; end-user consultations, including a web-based survey and 2 focus groups with 23 adolescents (mean age 15.9, SD 0.6 years); and app development and beta-testing. RESULTS: This process resulted in a smartphone peer support app and introductory classroom lesson aimed at empowering adolescents to access evidence-based information and tools to better support peers regarding mental health and substance use-related issues. The program contains links to external support services and encourages adolescents to reach out for help if they are concerned about themselves or a friend. CONCLUSIONS: The Mind your Mate program was developed in collaboration with a number of key stakeholders in youth mental health, including adolescents. The resulting program has the potential to be taken to scale to aid prevention efforts for youth mental health and substance use. The next step is to conduct a randomized controlled trial testing the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of the program.

Transfusion-related Acute Lung Injury: 36 Years of Progress (1985-2021).

The term transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) was coined in 1985 to describe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) after transfusion, when another ARDS risk factor was absent; TRALI cases were mostly associated with donor leukocyte antibody. In 2001, plasma from multiparous donors was implicated in TRALI in a randomized controlled trial in Sweden. In 2003 and in many years thereafter, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reported that TRALI was the leading cause of death from transfusion in the United States. In 2003, the United Kingdom was the first among many countries to successfully reduce TRALI using male-predominant plasma. These successes are to be celebrated. Nevertheless, questions remain about the mechanisms of non-antibody TRALI, the role of blood products in the development of ARDS in patients receiving massive transfusion, the causes of unusual TRALI cases, and how to reduce inaccurate diagnoses of TRALI in clinical practice. Regarding the latter, a study in 2013-2015 at 169 U.S. hospitals found that many TRALI diagnoses did not meet clinical definitions. In 2019, a consensus panel established a more precise terminology for clinical diagnosis: TRALI type I and TRALI type II are cases where transfusion is the likely cause, and ARDS are cases where transfusion is not the likely cause. For accurate diagnosis using these clinical definitions, critical care or pulmonary expertise is needed to distinguish between permeability versus hydrostatic pulmonary edema, to determine whether an ARDS risk factor is present, and, if so, to determine whether respiratory function was stable within the 12 hours before transfusion.

K-12, college/university, and mass shootings: similarities and differences.

In a 2003 study, we examined five antecedents of school shootings - a history of rejection, acute rejection experience, history of psychological problems, fascination with death or violence, and fascination with guns. In three studies, the current project examined the role of these factors in 57 K-12 shootings, 24 college/university shootings, and 77 mass shootings that occurred since the original study. Over half of all shooters had a history of psychological problems. More K-12 shooters than college or mass shooters displayed a history of rejection. However, more mass than school shooters had experienced an acute rejection, such as a workplace firing. The characteristics identified in the original study appeared as common antecedent conditions of not only K-12 shootings but college/university and mass shootings as well. These results identify problems that can be addressed to minimize the occurrence of school and mass shootings.

Bidirectional relationships in the development of internalising symptoms and alcohol use in adolescence.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Previous literature has demonstrated an inconsistent relationship between alcohol use and internalising symptoms (anxiety, depression) in youth. This study aimed to clarify this link examining the bidirectional relationships between internalising symptoms and alcohol use in a community sample of adolescents, taking into account the effect of gender and externalising symptoms. DESIGN AND METHODS: Parallel latent growth models were run to prospectively explore the bidirectional relationships between internalising symptoms and alcohol use when assessed five times over 2 years, among 1557 (67% female) adolescents from age 13.5 years. RESULTS: Results showed that higher initial levels of internalising symptoms predicted increasing alcohol use frequency; however, this association was no longer significant once externalising symptoms and gender were accounted for. No bidirectional associations between internalising symptoms and alcohol use were found. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: This study adds to the literature examining the bidirectional relationships between internalising symptoms and alcohol use in adolescence. Findings highlight the importance of both gender and externalising symptoms in the development of this type of comorbidity and may help explain discrepant findings in the existing literature. Future prevention efforts for internalising problems and alcohol use should consider gender and externalising symptoms.

Ten years of hemovigilance reports of transfusion-related acute lung injury in the United Kingdom and the impact of preferential use of male donor plasma.

BACKGROUND AND METHODS: From 1996 through 2006, 195 cases were reported as transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) to the Serious Hazards of Transfusion scheme and from 1999 onward classified by probability, using clinical features and HLA and/or HNA typing. From late 2003, the National Blood Service provided 80 to 90 percent of fresh-frozen plasma (FFP) and plasma for platelet (PLT) pools from male donors. RESULTS: Forty-nine percent of reports were highly likely/probable TRALI, and 51 percent possible/unlikely. Of 96 investigations, donor antibodies recognizing recipient antigens were found in 73 cases (65%), with HLA Class I in 25 of those (40%), HLA Class II antibodies in 38 (62%), and granulocyte antibodies in 12 (17%). A review in 2003 revealed that the TRALI risk/component was 6.9 times higher for FFP and 8.2 times higher for PLTs than for red blood cells, and that in donors of implicated FFP/PLTs, white blood cell antibodies were found 3.6 times more often than by chance (p

Correction: Evaluating the Long-Term Effectiveness of School-Based Depression, Anxiety, and Substance Use Prevention Into Young Adulthood: Protocol for the Climate School Combined Study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.2196/11372.].

Acute lung injury after ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm repair: the effect of excluding donations from females from the production of fresh frozen plasma.

OBJECTIVES: Transfusion-related acute lung injury may contribute to the development of acute lung injury in the critically ill, due to plasma from female donors containing antileukocyte antibodies. In July 2003, the U.K. National Blood Service stopped using female donor plasma for the production of fresh frozen plasma. Patients undergoing repair of a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm receive large amounts of fresh frozen plasma and often develop acute lung injury. We investigated whether the change to male fresh frozen plasma was associated with a change in the frequency of acute lung injury in these patients. DESIGN: A retrospective, before and after, observational, single-center study. SETTING: Tertiary care center and a regional blood center. PATIENTS: The study included 211 patients undergoing open repair of a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm between 1998 and 2006. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Primary outcome was the development of acute lung injury in the first 6 hrs after surgery. Secondary outcomes were significant hypoxia (PaO2/FiO2 ratio <300), time to extubation, and survival at 30 days. Groups were well matched and received similar volumes of intravenous fluids and blood components. There was significantly less acute lung injury following the change to male fresh frozen plasma (36% before vs. 21% after, p = .04). At 6 hrs after surgery, fewer patients were hypoxic (87% before vs. 62% after, p < .01). In multivariate analysis, the change in donor policy was associated with a decreased risk of developing acute lung injury (odds ratio 0.39; 95% confidence interval, 0.16-0.90). Time to extubation and survival at 30 days were not statistically different between groups. CONCLUSIONS: The policy to exclude female donors from the production of fresh frozen plasma was associated with a decrease in the frequency of acute lung injury in patients undergoing repair of a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm.

National Blood Service TRALI Reduction Policies: Implementation and Effect.

SUMMARY: This article describes the TRALI reduction policies which were introduced by the National Blood Service in late 2003. Consideration was given to the reasons for their introduction and how the changes were implemented. The observed effects which followed the introduction of these policies were examined by analysis of reports to the Serious Hazards of Transfusion (SHOT) Scheme.

Escape the bear and fall to the lion: The impact of avoidance availability on threat acquisition and extinction.

Pervasive avoidance behaviour is a core feature of anxiety disorders. However, little is known about how the availability of avoidance modulates learned threat responding. To assess this question, we recorded avoidance behaviour, electrodermal activity and expectancy ratings in 53 healthy participants during an associative learning paradigm with embedded unavoidable and avoidable trials. When avoidance was available, we observed greater avoidance behaviour for threat versus safety cues, as well as reduced differential skin conductance responses for unavoidable threat versus safety cues. When avoidance was unavailable, as during the extinction phase, we observed sustained differential skin conductance responses for threat versus safety cues. For all phases, we found greater expectancy ratings for threat versus safe cues. Furthermore, greater avoidance behaviour predicted larger differential skin conductance responses to threat versus safety cues during extinction. Overall, the results show that the conditioned response is attenuated during situations where avoidance is available, but it recovers when avoidance is unavailable, subsequently prolonging threat extinction.

Development and evaluation of 'Pure Rush': An online serious game for drug education.

INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Learning is most effective when it is active, enjoyable and incorporates feedback. Past research demonstrates that serious games are prime candidates to utilise these principles, however the potential benefits of this approach for delivering drug education are yet to be examined in Australia, a country where drug education in schools is mandatory. DESIGN AND METHODS: The serious game 'Pure Rush' was developed across three stages. First, formative consultation was conducted with 115 students (67% male, aged 15-17 years), followed by feasibility and acceptability testing of a prototype of the game (n = 25, 68% male). In the final stage, 281 students (62% female, aged 13-16 years) were randomly allocated to receive a lesson involving Pure Rush or an active control lesson. The lessons were compared in terms of learning outcomes, lesson engagement and future intentions to use illicit drugs. RESULTS: Students enjoyed playing Pure Rush, found the game age-appropriate and the information useful to them. Both the Pure Rush and the active control were associated with significant knowledge increase from pre to post-test. Among females, multi-level mixed-effects regression showed knowledge gain was greater in the Pure Rush condition compared to control (ß = 2.36, 95% confidence interval 0.36-4.38). There was no evidence of between condition differences in lesson engagement or future intentions to use illicit drugs. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: Pure Rush is an innovative online drug education game that is well received by students and feasible to implement in schools. [Stapinski LA, Reda B, Newton NC, Lawler S, Rodriguez D, Chapman C, Teesson M. Development and evaluation of 'Pure Rush': An online serious game for drug education. Drug Alcohol Rev 2017].

Substance Use Prevention Programs for Indigenous Adolescents in the United States of America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand: Protocol for a Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Indigenous adolescents are at a higher risk of experiencing harms related to substance use compared with their non-Indigenous counterparts as a consequence of earlier onset and higher rates of substance use. Early onset of substance use has been identified as a risk factor for future substance use problems and other health, social, and family outcomes. Therefore, prevention of substance use among adolescents has been identified as a key area to improve health of Indigenous Peoples. Evidence exists for the effectiveness of prevention approaches for adolescents in mainstream populations and, most recently, for the use of computer- and Internet-delivered interventions to overcome barriers to implementation. However, there is currently no conclusive evidence about the effectiveness of these approaches for Indigenous adolescents. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this review is to synthesize the international evidence regarding the effectiveness of substance use prevention programs for Indigenous adolescents in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. METHODS: A total of 8 peer-reviewed databases and 20 gray literature databases will be searched, using search terms in line with the aims of this review and based on previous relevant reviews of substance use prevention. Studies will be included if they evaluate a substance use prevention program with Indigenous adolescents (aged 10 to 19 years) as the primary participant group and are published between January 1, 1990 and August 31, 2017. RESULTS: A narrative synthesis will be provided about the effectiveness of the programs, the type of program (whether culture-based, adapted, or unadapted), delivery of the program (computer- and Internet-delivered or traditional), and the setting in which the programs are delivered (community, school, family, clinical, or a combination). CONCLUSIONS: The study will identify core elements of effective substance use prevention programs among Indigenous adolescents and appraise the methodological quality of the studies. This review will provide researchers, policy makers, and program developers with evidence about the potential use of prevention approaches for Indigenous adolescents.

Evaluating the Long-Term Effectiveness of School-Based Depression, Anxiety, and Substance Use Prevention Into Young Adulthood: Protocol for the Climate School Combined Study.

BACKGROUND: Mental health and substance use disorders are the leading causes of global disability in children and youth. Both tend to first onset or escalate in adolescence and young adulthood, calling for effective prevention during this time. The Climate Schools Combined (CSC) study was the first trial of a Web-based combined universal approach, delivered through school classes, to prevent both mental health and substance use problems in adolescence. There is also limited evidence for the cost-effectiveness of school-based prevention programs. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this protocol paper is to describe the CSC follow-up study, which aims to determine the long-term efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the CSC prevention program for depression, anxiety, and substance use (alcohol and cannabis use) up to 7 years post intervention. METHODS: A cluster randomized controlled trial (the CSC study) was conducted with 6386 participants aged approximately 13.5 years at baseline from 2014 to 2016. Participating schools were randomized to 1 of 4 conditions: (1) control (health education as usual), (2) Climate Substance Use (universal substance use prevention), (3) Climate Mental Health (universal mental health prevention), or (4) CSC (universal substance use and mental health prevention). It was hypothesized that the CSC program would be more effective than conditions (1) to (3) in reducing alcohol and cannabis use (and related harms), anxiety, and depression symptoms as well as increasing knowledge related to alcohol, cannabis, anxiety, and depression. This long-term study will invite follow-up participants to complete 3 additional Web-based assessments at approximately 5, 6, and 7 years post baseline using multiple sources of locator information already provided to the research team. The primary outcomes include alcohol and cannabis use (and related harms) and mental health symptoms. An economic evaluation of the program will also be conducted using both data linkage as well as self-report resource use and quality of life measures. Secondary outcomes include self-efficacy, social networks, peer substance use, emotion regulation, and perfectionism. Analyses will be conducted using multilevel mixed-effects models within an intention-to-treat framework. RESULTS: The CSC long-term follow-up study is funded from 2018 to 2022 by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (APP1143555). The first follow-up wave commences in August 2018, and the results are expected to be submitted for publication in 2022. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to provide a long-term evaluation of combined universal substance use and mental health prevention up to 7 years post intervention. Evidence of sustained benefits into early adulthood would provide a scalable, easy-to-implement prevention strategy with the potential for widespread dissemination to reduce the considerable harms, burden of disease, injury, and social costs associated with youth substance use and mental disorders. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): PRR1-10.2196/11372.

Hypokalemic sensory overstimulation.

This report describes 2 generations of a family with symptoms of sensory overstimulation that exhibit a potassium sensitivity similar to that seen in hypokalemic periodic paralysis. The sensory overstimulation is characterized by a subjective experience of sensory overload and a relative resistance to lidocaine local anesthesia. The sensory overload is treatable with oral potassium gluconate, with onset of the therapeutic effect in approximately 20 minutes. The effect of potassium is reminiscent of its effect in the channelopathies underlying hypokalemic periodic paralysis, and the resistance to lidocaine applied peripherally suggests a peripheral sensory localization to the abnormality. The phenotype overlaps with that of attention deficit disorder, raising the possibility of subtypes of attention deficit disorder that have a peripheral sensory cause and novel forms of therapy.

Serious hazards of transfusion: a decade of hemovigilance in the UK.

The Serious Hazards of Transfusion (SHOT) scheme is a UK-wide, independent, professionally led hemovigilance system focused on learning from adverse events. SHOT was established in 1996 as a confidential reporting system for significant transfusion-related events, building an evidence base to support blood safety policy decisions, clinical guidelines, clinician education, and improvements in transfusion practice. Recommendations are formulated by an independent steering group drawn from medical royal colleges and professional bodies. Ten years after its inception, SHOT has analyzed 2630 transfusion safety events, published 8 annual reports with recommendations, and presented data nationally and internationally. These recommendations have underpinned key initiatives, in particular the UK Department of Health "Better Blood Transfusion" strategy. SHOT has encouraged open reporting of adverse events and "near-misses" in a supportive, learning culture, vigilance in hospital transfusion practice, and evaluation of information technology to support this process. The importance of education and training has been emphasized. Detailed analysis of events has identified weaknesses in the transfusion chain. A collaborative initiative between SHOT, the Chief Medical Officer for England's National Blood Transfusion Committee, and the National Patient Safety Agency aims to reduce ABO-incompatible transfusions by improving bedside practice. Cumulative SHOT data have documented the decline in transfusion-related graft vs host disease after implementation of leucodepletion and have highlighted transfusion-related acute lung injury and bacterial contamination of platelets as important causes of death and morbidity. The UK blood services have developed strategies to reduce these risks. Future SHOT data will evaluate the success of these and other blood safety improvements.

Discriminant validity and gender differences in DSM-5 posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms.

BACKGROUND: The posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) literature is replete with investigations of factor structure, however, few empirical studies have examined discriminant validity and the moderating role of gender on factor structure and symptom expression. This study aimed to address these gaps. METHODS: An online, population-based study of 3175 Australian adults was conducted. This study analyzed data from 642 participants who reported a traumatic event. Overall, 10.2% (13.4% females, 7.6% males) met diagnostic criteria for current PTSD. RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that eight factor models provided excellent fit to the data. The DSM-5 model, anhedonia and hybrid models provided strong fit to the data, based on statistical fit indices and parsimony. The models' factors were significantly associated with a number of external correlates. Factor structure was gender invariant for the three models, albeit significant latent mean-level differences were apparent in relation to the intrusion/re-experiencing and alterations in arousal and reactivity factors. Bonferroni-adjusted Wald chi-square tests indicated significant gender differences in four DSM-5 PTSD symptoms: females reported significantly higher rates of negative beliefs, diminished interest, restricted affect and sleep disturbance symptoms compared to men. LIMITATIONS: Response rate to the survey was low. However, the number of respondents who completed the survey was high and population weights were employed to account for self-selection biases and aid generalizability. CONCLUSIONS: The findings provide support for the DSM-5, anhedonia and hybrid models compared to alternative models based on DSM-5 symptoms. Discriminant validity analyses indicated similar patterns of significant associations with the transdiagnostic factors, potentially suggesting that all the PTSD factors are related to non-specific distress. Further research investigating how gender influences PTSD symptom expression is warranted, including possible gender differences in symptom item interpretation.