Community Engagement in Vaccination Promotion: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Community engagement plays a vital role in global immunization strategies, offering the potential to overcome vaccination hesitancy and enhance vaccination confidence. Although there is significant backing for community engagement in health promotion, the evidence supporting its effectiveness in vaccination promotion is fragmented and of uncertain quality. OBJECTIVE: This review aims to systematically examine the effectiveness of different contents and extent of community engagement for promoting vaccination rates. METHODS: This study was performed in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. A comprehensive and exhaustive literature search was performed in 4 English databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library) and 2 Chinese databases (CNKI and Wan Fang) to identify all possible articles. Original research articles applying an experimental study design that investigated the effectiveness of community engagement in vaccination promotion were eligible for inclusion. Two reviewers independently performed the literature search, study selection, quality assessment, and data extraction. Discrepancies were resolved through discussion, with the arbitration of a third reviewer where necessary. RESULTS: A total of 20 articles out of 11,404 records from 2006 to 2021 were retrieved. The studies used various designs: 12 applied single-group pre-post study designs, 5 were cluster randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and 3 were non-RCTs. These studies targeted multiple vaccines, with 8 focusing on children's immunization, 8 on human papillomavirus vaccine, 3 on hepatitis B virus vaccine, and 1 on COVID-19 vaccine. The meta-analysis revealed significant increases in vaccination rates both in pre-post comparison (rate difference [RD] 0.34, 95% CI 0.21-0.47, I2=99.9%, P<.001) and between-group comparison (RD 0.18, 95% CI 0.07-0.29, I2=98.4%, P<.001). The meta-analysis revealed that participant recruitment had the largest effect size (RD 0.51, 95% CI 0.36-0.67, I2=99.9%, P<.001), followed by intervention development (RD 0.36, 95% CI 0.23-0.50, I2=100.0%, P<.001), intervention implementation (RD 0.35, 95% CI 0.22-0.47, I2=99.8%, P<.001), and data collection (RD 0.34, 95% CI 0.19-0.50, I2=99.8%, P<.001). The meta-analysis indicated that high community engagement extent yielded the largest effect size (RD 0.49, 95% CI 0.17-0.82, I2=100.0%, P<.001), followed by moderate community engagement extent (RD 0.45, 95% CI 0.33-0.58, I2=99.6%, P<.001) and low community engagement extent (RD 0.15, 95% CI 0.05-0.25, I2=99.2%, P<.001). The meta-analysis revealed that "health service support" demonstrated the largest effect sizes (RD 0.45, 95% CI 0.25-0.65, I2=99.9%, P<.001), followed by "health education and discussion" (RD 0.39, 95% CI 0.20-0.58, I2=99.7%, P<.001), "follow-up and reminder" (RD 0.33, 95% CI 0.23-0.42, I2=99.3%, P<.001), and "social marketing campaigns and community mobilization" (RD 0.24, 95% CI 0.06-0.41, I2=99.9%, P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this meta-analysis supported the effectiveness of community engagement in vaccination promotion with variations in terms of engagement contents and extent. Community engagement required a "fit-for-purpose" approach rather than a "one-size-fits-all" approach to maximize the effectiveness of vaccine promotion. TRIAL REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42022339081; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=339081.

Cholangiocarcinoma protective factors in Greater Mekong Subregion: Critical issues for joint planning to sustainably solve regional public health problems.

Although Opisthorchis viverrini (OV), lifestyle, and diet co-factors have a relatively high prevalence in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) population, cumulative (0-74) incidence rates of cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) do not reach 5% in this region. Other co-factors must influence, but in this study, we only highlighted positive factors for guiding joint planning to address public health problems at the regional level. Therefore, we aimed to study prevalence and factors associated with CCA incidence focusing only on protective factors. A cross-sectional analytic study was carried out from June to October 2017. Participants with informed consent completed the questionnaires. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze general information. Primary variables were classified into high and low levels by mean. Logistic regression was employed to investigate the correlation between interesting variables and the overall risk level of CCA. The overall prevalence of CCA protective factors of the whole region was knowledge (61.39%), health beliefs (42.32%), prevention behavior (31.93%), and community participation (14.53%). When considering the proportions at a high level, they were 49.53%, 53.72%, 35.37%, and 49.67%, respectively. Significant factors associated with CCA prevention were females with secondary or vocational education, a high level of perceived seriousness and benefits, and community participation. These findings are likely to be helpful for both the public and administrators. First, it can be information for people to be aware of CCA risk. Second, policy-driven authorities at the local or regional level should apply the critical issues from this study for joint planning to sustainably solve regional public health problems.

Patient and Public Involvement Within Orthopaedic Research: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: We performed a systematic review of patient and public involvement in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in the field of orthopaedic surgery. We assessed the prevalence, extent, and quality of patient and public involvement (PPI) in current academic orthopaedic practice. METHODS: A literature search of the Cochrane, MEDLINE, and Embase databases was performed; we identified RCTs that were published between 2013 and 2020 in the 10 orthopaedic surgery journals with the highest impact factors. Inclusion of studies was based on set criteria, and they were analyzed for their validity. The results were assessed for the rate and the quality of PPI reporting. The Wright and Foster guidelines and the GRIPP2-SF (Guidance for Reporting Involvement of Patients and the Public-2 short form) checklist were used to assess PPI reporting. This review was reported in line with PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. RESULTS: An initial 2,107 results were identified. After the screening process, 475 full-text articles were identified and reviewed. Two papers that described PPI were included in this review. One paper used PPI to inform the research question, the choice of primary outcome, the oversight of the study schedule, and the dissemination of the results. The second article used PPI to design the study protocol. Both articles poorly reported the impact of PPI on the research. CONCLUSIONS: To our knowledge, this systematic review is the first to describe the prevalence, extent, and quality of PPI reporting in orthopaedic RCTs. Barriers to adequate PPI reporting are multifactorial and stem from a lack of systematic uptake of PPI guidelines and a lack of compulsory PPI reporting from publishing bodies. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: PPI can improve the quality of clinical trials by focusing on the clinical questions and outcomes that are most important to patients. This article assesses the prevalence of PPI reporting in orthopaedic RCTs.

Effects of community-based antiretroviral therapy initiation models on HIV treatment outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation in the community and outside of a traditional health facility has the potential to improve linkage to ART, decongest health facilities, and minimize structural barriers to attending HIV services among people living with HIV (PLWH). We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the effect of offering ART initiation in the community on HIV treatment outcomes. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We searched databases between 1 January 2013 and 22 February 2021 to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies that compared offering ART initiation in a community setting to offering ART initiation in a traditional health facility or alternative community setting. We assessed risk of bias, reporting of implementation outcomes, and real-world relevance and used Mantel-Haenszel methods to generate pooled risk ratios (RRs) and risk differences (RDs) with 95% confidence intervals. We evaluated heterogeneity qualitatively and quantitatively and used GRADE to evaluate overall evidence certainty. Searches yielded 4,035 records, resulting in 8 included studies-4 RCTs and 4 observational studies-conducted in Lesotho, South Africa, Nigeria, Uganda, Malawi, Tanzania, and Haiti-a total of 11,196 PLWH. Five studies were conducted in general HIV populations, 2 in key populations, and 1 in adolescents. Community ART initiation strategies included community-based HIV testing coupled with ART initiation at home or at community venues; 5 studies maintained ART refills in the community, and 4 provided refills at the health facility. All studies were pragmatic, but in most cases provided additional resources. Few studies reported on implementation outcomes. All studies showed higher ART uptake in community initiation arms compared to facility initiation and refill arms (standard of care) (RR 1.73, 95% CI 1.22 to 2.45; RD 30%, 95% CI 10% to 50%; 5 studies). Retention (RR 1.43, 95% CI 1.32 to 1.54; RD 19%, 95% CI 11% to 28%; 4 studies) and viral suppression (RR 1.31, 95% CI 1.15 to 1.49; RD 15%, 95% CI 10% to 21%; 3 studies) at 12 months were also higher in the community-based ART initiation arms. Improved uptake, retention, and viral suppression with community ART initiation were seen across population subgroups-including men, adolescents, and key populations. One study reported no difference in retention and viral suppression at 2 years. There were limited data on adherence and mortality. Social harms and adverse events appeared to be minimal and similar between community ART initiation and standard of care. One study compared ART refill strategies following community ART initiation (community versus facility refills) and found no difference in viral suppression (RD -7%, 95% CI -19% to 6%) or retention at 12 months (RD -12%, 95% CI -23% to 0.3%). This systematic review was limited by few studies for inclusion, poor-quality observational data, and short-term outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Based on data from a limited set of studies, community ART initiation appears to result in higher ART uptake, retention, and viral suppression at 1 year compared to facility-based ART initiation. Implementation on a wider scale necessitates broader exploration of costs, logistics, and acceptability by providers and PLWH to ensure that these effects are reproducible when delivered at scale, in different contexts, and over time.

Effect of community-led delivery of HIV self-testing on HIV testing and antiretroviral therapy initiation in Malawi: A cluster-randomised trial.

BACKGROUND: Undiagnosed HIV infection remains substantial in key population subgroups including adolescents, older adults, and men, driving ongoing transmission in sub-Saharan Africa. We evaluated the impact, safety, and costs of community-led delivery of HIV self-testing (HIVST), aiming to increase HIV testing in underserved subgroups and stimulate demand for antiretroviral therapy (ART). METHODS AND FINDINGS: This cluster-randomised trial, conducted between October 2018 and July 2019, used restricted randomisation (1:1) to allocate 30 group village head clusters in Mangochi district, Malawi to the community-led HIVST intervention in addition to the standard of care (SOC) or the SOC alone. The intervention involved mobilising community health groups to lead the design and implementation of 7-day HIVST campaigns, with cluster residents (≥15 years) eligible for HIVST. The primary outcome compared lifetime HIV testing among adolescents (15 to 19 years) between arms. Secondary outcomes compared: recent HIV testing (in the last 3 months) among older adults (≥40 years) and men; cumulative 6-month incidence of ART initiation per 100,000 population; knowledge of the preventive benefits of HIV treatment; and HIV testing stigma. Outcomes were measured through a post-intervention survey and at neighboring health facilities. Analysis used intention-to-treat for cluster-level outcomes. Community health groups delivered 24,316 oral fluid-based HIVST kits. The survey included 90.2% (3,960/4,388) of listed participants in the 15 community-led HIVST clusters and 89.2% (3,920/4,394) of listed participants in the 15 SOC clusters. Overall, the proportion of men was 39.0% (3,072/7,880). Most participants obtained primary-level education or below, were married, and reported a sexual partner. Lifetime HIV testing among adolescents was higher in the community-led HIVST arm (84.6%, 770/910) than the SOC arm (67.1%, 582/867; adjusted risk difference [RD] 15.2%, 95% CI 7.5% to 22.9%; p < 0.001), especially among 15 to 17 year olds and boys. Recent testing among older adults was also higher in the community-led HIVST arm (74.5%, 869/1,166) than the SOC arm (31.5%, 350/1,111; adjusted RD 42.1%, 95% CI 34.9% to 49.4%; p < 0.001). Similarly, the proportions of recently tested men were 74.6% (1,177/1,577) and 33.9% (507/1,495) in the community-led HIVST and SOC arms, respectively (adjusted RD 40.2%, 95% CI 32.9% to 47.4%; p < 0.001). Knowledge of HIV treatment benefits and HIV testing stigma showed no differences between arms. Cumulative incidence of ART initiation was respectively 305.3 and 226.1 per 100,000 population in the community-led HIVST and SOC arms (RD 72.3, 95% CI -36.2 to 180.8; p = 0.18). In post hoc analysis, ART initiations in the 3-month post-intervention period were higher in the community-led HIVST arm than the SOC arm (RD 97.7, 95% CI 33.4 to 162.1; p = 0.004). HIVST uptake was 74.7% (2,956/3,960), with few adverse events (0.6%, 18/2,955) and at US$5.70 per HIVST kit distributed. The main limitations include the use of self-reported HIV testing outcomes and lack of baseline measurement for the primary outcome. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we found that community-led HIVST was effective, safe, and affordable, with population impact and coverage rapidly realised at low cost. This approach could enable community HIV testing in high HIV prevalence settings and demonstrates potential for economies of scale and scope. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03541382.

Seeking research questions from implementers: considerations for leveraging ground actors research needs in the fight against malaria in West Africa.

BACKGROUND: To strengthen the fight against malaria, it is imperative to identify weaknesses and possible solutions in order to improve programmes implementation. This study reports experiences gained from collaboration between decision-makers and researchers from a World Bank project (Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases in the Sahel, SM/NTD). The objectives of this paper were to identify bottlenecks in malaria programme implementation as well as related research questions they bring up. METHODS: Questionnaire addressed to National Malaria Control Programme managers and prioritization workshops were used as a medium to identify research questions. The bottlenecks in malaria programme implementation were identified in seven thematic areas namely governance, human resources, drugs, service provision, use of prevention methods, monitoring and evaluation (M and E), and public support or buy-in. The first five priority questions were: (1) compliance with drug doses on the second and third days during the seasonal chemoprevention (SMC) campaigns, (2) the contribution of community-based distributors to the management of severe cases of malaria in children under 5 years, (3) the SMC efficacy, (4) artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) tolerance and efficacy according to existing guidelines, and (5) the quality of malaria control at all levels of the health system. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: This work showed the effectiveness of collaboration between implementers, programmes managers, and researchers in identifying research questions. The responses to these identified research questions of this study may contribute to improving the implementation of malaria control programmes across African countries.

Community-Based Participatory Approach to Increase African Americans' Access to Healthy Foods in Atlanta, GA.

African Americans in Atlanta, Georgia disproportionately reside in communities with limited access to healthy foods. Collaborations with local corner stores to provide healthy food options have been identified as an evidence-based intervention that could be used to increase food access. This paper describes the community-based participatory approach used to culturally-tailor a Healthy Corner Store Initiative (HCSI) in five Atlanta communities. A mixed method approach (qualitative/quantitative) was utilized. Spatial analysis and an environmental assessment were conducted to locate all corner stores in the partner communities that were listed in a business database. An environmental assessment was conducted at 34 corner stores using a structured log and checklist. Among them, 11 were selected and signed memorandums of understanding to implement the HCSI. A customer intercept survey was administered to 100 African American corner store customers at five of the healthy corner store sites. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze log/checklist and survey data. Corner store customers indicated that they typically purchase snacks, tobacco, and breads, but would purchase certain healthy foods, if offered. They also indicated that freshness of fruits and vegetables and positive relationships with corner store owners would influence healthy food purchases. Findings demonstrate that working collaboratively with community members, researchers and business owners is a critical step in nurturing trust, strengthening credibility, and building partnerships towards increased healthy food access and improved community health.

Factors affecting online health community participation behavior in patients with thyroid cancer.

Globally, cancer patients obtain much of their disease information online. Online health communities allow patients to share questions and information about diseases. However, there have been few studies on the factors affecting online health community participation behavior in cancer patients. Online social networking is associated with mental health problems, and patients with thyroid cancer experience high levels of distress, anxiety and depression. The purpose of this study was to investigate factors associated with use of online health communities by patients with thyroid cancer to understand the characteristics of patients participating in such online communities. A questionnaire survey was completed by 114 thyroid cancer patients admitted for surgery at a general hospital in Seoul, Korea. General characteristics, clinical characteristics, attitude toward cancer, distress, and anxiety and depression scores of patients who joined an online health community (user group) and patients who did not (non-user group) were compared. The factors affecting online health community participation were education (p = 0.049), tumor size (p = 0.010), attitude toward cancer (p = 0.022), and anxiety and depression (p = 0.021). The average score of satisfaction with the online health community was 4.25 of 5. The user group had larger tumors, a high awareness of the risk of thyroid cancer, and high levels of anxiety and depression. Patients who actively used the online health community have relatively larger cancer size and had higher levels of mental stress. As such patients are often very anxious and depend heavily on the gathered information, the quality of this information is important. Healthcare professionals need to develop appropriate interventions for patients participating in the online health community.

Helicobacter pylori test-and-treat strategy for second-year junior high school students aimed at the prevention of gastric cancer in Takatsuki City.

BACKGROUND: More than 90% of gastric cancer cases are caused by Helicobacter pylori infections. To prevent gastric cancer, an H pylori test-and-treat strategy targeting young people has been implemented in various places in Japan. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of an H pylori test-and-treat strategy for second-year junior high school students in Takatsuki City. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 2014-2017, a urine-based H pylori test was used for initial screening. The final infection status was determined by a 13 C-urea breath test (13 C-UBT). Successful H pylori eradication was confirmed by 13 C-UBT 3 months after treatment. First-line eradication therapy was changed from 10 mg of rabeprazole, 750 mg of amoxicillin, and 200 mg of clarithromycin twice daily for 7 days in 2014 to 20 mg of vonoprazan, 750 mg of amoxicillin, and 200 mg of clarithromycin twice daily for 7 days in 2015-2017. Second-line eradication therapy included 10 mg of rabeprazole, 750 mg of amoxicillin, and 250 mg of metronidazole twice daily for 7 days. RESULTS: In total, 8067 of 13 055 students participated this project and 206 students were diagnosed with H pylori infection. The success rate of first-line therapy was 45.9% in 2014 and 83.8% after the revised first-line therapy was administered. The final eradication rate was 98.5%. There were no severe side effects. CONCLUSION: Our results support the use of the H pylori test-and-treat strategy for junior high school students as a safe approach for the prevention of gastric cancer. H pylori eradication therapy with vonoprazan could be a standard therapy in children.

Conselho de saúde e efetividade participativa: estudo sobre avaliação de desempenho / Health councils and participatory effectiveness: a performance assessment study / Consejo de salud y efectividad participativa: estudio sobre la evaluación de desempeño

Resumo: O artigo tem por objetivo apresentar e analisar os resultados de um modelo de avaliação de desempenho de conselhos de saúde. O referencial teórico metodológico está fundamentado no método spidergram, adaptado à realidade dos conselhos de saúde. A matriz avaliativa considerou cinco dimensões de maior influência sobre a participação: autonomia, organização, representatividade, envolvimento comunitário e influência política. Com base na avaliação dos indicadores, foi estimado o valor de desempenho de cada dimensão e localizado no gráfico de cinco eixos. A aplicação da matriz foi realizada no Conselho de Saúde de Vitória da Conquista, Bahia, Brasil. Utilizou-se análise de documentos, observação das reuniões e entrevistas com 18 conselheiros como técnicas de coleta de dados. Os resultados demonstram nível avançado de autonomia do conselho com condições estruturais adequadas, porém, com limitações na independência financeira. A dimensão organização atingiu nível máximo de desempenho com a realização regular de reuniões, disponibilidade de informações para os conselheiros e funcionamento das comissões temáticas. A representatividade foi a dimensão de pior desempenho, demostrado pela frágil relação dos representantes com as entidades. A dimensão envolvimento comunitário apresentou nível avançado, com elevada participação de conselheiros e não conselheiros às reuniões e perfil de atuação propositivo. A dimensão influência política obteve nível intermediário. Constatou-se elevada influência dos representantes sociais no processo deliberativo e diminuta capacidade de acompanhamento das políticas. A matriz utilizada mostrou-se adequada e viável para a avaliação de desempenho dos conselhos de saúde.

Abstract: The article aims to analyze the results of a performance assessment model for health councils. The theoretical and methodological frame of reference was the spider graph method, adapted to the reality of health councils. The assessment matrix considered five dimensions with the greatest influence on participation: autonomy, organization, representativeness, community involvement, and political influence. Based on assessment of the indicators, we estimated the performance value for each dimension and located it on the five-axis graph. The matrix was applied to the Health Council in Vitória da Conquista, Bahia State, Brazil. We used document analysis, observation of meetings, and interviews with 18 council members as the data collection techniques. The results show an advanced level of the council's autonomy with adequate structural conditions, but with limitations in financial independence. The organizational dimension reached the maximum level of performance, with regular meetings, availability of information for council members, and functioning of thematic commissions. Representativeness was the dimension with the worst performance, displayed by the weak relationship between the representatives and the organizations. The community involvement dimension displayed an advanced level with high participation by council and non-council members in the meetings and action with numerous proposals. The political influence dimension showed intermediate performance. We observed greater influence by the social representatives on the decision-making process and low capacity for follow-up on policies. The matrix proved adequate and feasible for performance assessment of health councils.

Resumen: El objetivo de este artículo es presentar y analizar los resultados de un modelo de evaluación de desempeño en consejos de salud. El marco referencial teórico metodológico se fundamentó en el método spidergram, adaptado a la realidad de los consejos de salud. La matriz evaluativa consideró las cinco dimensiones de mayor influencia sobre la participación: autonomía, organización, representatividad, implicación comunitaria e influencia política. A partir de la evaluación de los indicadores, se estimó el valor del desempeño de cada dimensión y se localizó en el gráfico con cinco ejes. La aplicación de la matriz se realizó en el Consejo de Salud de Vitória da Conquista, Bahia, Brasil. Se realizó un análisis de documentación, observación de reuniones y entrevistas con 18 consejeros, así como técnicas de recogida de datos. Los resultados demuestran un nivel avanzado de autonomía del consejo con condiciones estructurales adecuadas, aunque con limitaciones en la independencia financiera. La dimensión organización alcanzó el nivel máximo de desempeño con la realización regular de reuniones, disponibilidad de información para los consejeros y funcionamiento de las comisiones temáticas. La representatividad fue la dimensión de peor desempeño, demostrada por la frágil relación de los representantes con las entidades. La dimensión implicación comunitaria presentó un nivel avanzado con una elevada participación de consejeros y no consejeros en las reuniones y perfil de actuación propositivo. La dimensión influencia política obtuvo un nivel intermedio. Se constató una elevada influencia de los representantes sociales en el proceso deliberativo y una diminuta capacidad de seguimiento de las políticas. La matriz utilizada se mostró adecuada y útil para la evaluación de desempeño en los consejos de salud.

Community-based rehabilitation (CBR) in primary care centers in Chile / Rehabilitación basada en la comunidad (RBC) en centros de atención primaria en Chile

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To describe the implementation status of the Community-Based Rehabilitation in Chile. METHODS Quantitative, transversal and descriptive study. The scope was constituted by the 66 community-based rehabilitation centers in the Chilean Metropolitan Region that implemented Community-Based Rehabilitation until December 2016. The sampling was based on a census method, so all the community centers were contacted. A self-administered questionnaire designed based on the Community-Based Rehabilitation matrix defined by the World Health Organization was applied. The questionnaire was answered on-line by the coordinators of the strategy in their respective centers. The data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS A heterogeneous level of implementation of Community-Based Rehabilitation was identified, specifically in terms of the components of the matrix described by the World Health Organization. The most implemented component was Health; the Social, Livelihood and Empowerment components were moderately implemented; and the Education component was the least implemented. CONCLUSION The implementation of Community-Based Rehabilitation is mainly based on the Health component. The level implementation of the other components of the matrix needs to be increased, as well as interdisciplinary and intersectoral strategies to achieve greater social inclusion of people with disabilities.

RESUMEN OBJETIVO Describir el estado de implementación de la Rehabilitación Basada en la Comunidad en Chile. MÉTODOS Estudio cuantitativo, transversal y descriptivo. El universo estuvo conformado por los 66 centros comunitarios de rehabilitación de la Región Metropolitana de Chile que implementaron la Rehabilitación Basada en la Comunidad hasta diciembre de 2016. El muestreo tuvo intención censal, por lo que se contactaron todos los centros comunitarios. Se aplicó un cuestionario autoadministrado diseñado con base a la matriz de Rehabilitación Basada en la Comunidad definida por la Organización Mundial de la Salud. El cuestionario fue respondido on-line por los coordinadores de la estrategia en sus respectivos centros. El análisis de datos se realizó utilizando estadígrafos descriptivos. RESULTADOS Se identificó un nivel heterogéneo de implementación de la Rehabilitación Basada en la Comunidad, específicamente en cuanto a los componentes de la matriz descrita por la Organización Mundial de la Salud. El componente más implementado fue Salud; los componentes Social, Subsistencia y Fortalecimiento fueron medianamente implementados; y el componente Educación fue el menos implementado. CONCLUSIÓN La implementación de la Rehabilitación Basada en la Comunidad se basa principalmente en el componente Salud. Se requiere aumentar el nivel de implementación de los otros componentes de la matriz, así como de estrategias interdisciplinarias e intersectoriales para lograr una mayor inclusión social de las personas con discapacidad.

Prevalence and factors associated with health insurance coverage in resource-poor urban settings in Nairobi, Kenya: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of health insurance and associated factors among households in urban slum settings in Nairobi, Kenya. DESIGN: The data for this study are from a cross-sectional survey of adults aged 18 years or older from randomly selected households in Viwandani slums (Nairobi, Kenya). Respondents participated in the Lown scholars' study conducted between June and July 2018. SETTING: The Lown scholars' survey was nested in the Nairobi Urban Health and Demographic Surveillance System in Viwandani slums in Nairobi, Kenya. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 300 randomly sampled households participated in the survey. The study respondents comprised of either the household head, their spouses or credible adult household members. PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE: The primary outcome of this study was enrolment in a health insurance programme. The households were classified into two groups: those having at least one member covered by health insurance and those without any health insurance cover. RESULTS: The prevalence of health insurance in the sample was 43%. Being unemployed (adjusted OR (aOR) 0.17; p<0.05; 95% CI 0.06 to 0.47) and seeking care from a public health facility (aOR 0.50; p<0.05; 95% CI 0.28 to 0.89) was significantly associated with lower odds of having a health insurance cover. The odds of having a health insurance cover were significantly lower among respondents who perceived their health status as good (aOR 0.62; p<0.05; 95% CI 1.17 to 5.66) and those who were unsatisfied with the cost of seeking primary care (aOR 0.34; p<0.05; 95% CI 0.17 to 0.69). CONCLUSIONS: Health insurance coverage in Viwandani slums in Nairobi, Kenya, is low. As universal health coverage becomes the growing focus of Kenya's 'Big Four Agenda' for socioeconomic transformation, integrating enabling and need factors in the design of the national health insurance package may scale-up social health protection.

Role of community-based active case finding in screening tuberculosis in Yunnan province of China.

BACKGROUND: The barriers to access diagnosis and receive treatment, in addition to insufficient case identification and reporting, lead to tuberculosis (TB) spreads in communities, especially among hard-to-reach populations. This study evaluated a community-based active case finding (ACF) strategy for the detection of tuberculosis cases among high-risk groups and general population in China between 2013 and 2015. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study conducted an ACF in ten communities of Dongchuan County, located in northeast Yunnan Province between 2013 and 2015; and compared to 136 communities that had passive case finding (PCF). The algorithm for ACF was: 1) screen for TB symptoms among community enrolled residents by home visits, 2) those with positive symptoms along with defined high-risk groups underwent chest X-ray (CXR), followed by sputum microscopy confirmation. TB incidence proportion and the number needed to screen (NNS) to detect one case were calculated to evaluate the ACF strategy compared to PCF, chi-square test was applied to compare the incidence proportion of TB cases' demography and the characteristics for detected cases under different strategies. Thereafter, the incidence rate ratio (IRR) and multiple Fisher's exact test were applied to compare the incidence proportion between general population and high-risk groups. Patient and diagnostic delays for ACF and PCF were compared by Wilcoxon rank sum test. RESULTS: A total of 97 521 enrolled residents were visited with the ACF cumulatively, 12.3% were defined as high-risk groups or had TB symptoms. Sixty-six new TB patients were detected by ACF. There was no significant difference between the cumulative TB incidence proportion for ACF (67.7/100000 population) and the prevalence for PCF (62.6/100000 population) during 2013 to 2015, though the incidence proportion in ACF communities decreased after three rounds active screening, concurrent with the remained stable prevalence in PCF communities. The cumulative NNS were 34, 39 and 29 in HIV/AIDS infected individuals, people with positive TB symptoms and history of previous TB, respectively, compared to 1478 in the general population. The median patient delay under ACF was 1 day (Interquartile range, IQR: 0-27) compared to PCF with 30 days (IQR: 14-61). CONCLUSIONS: This study confirmed that massive ACF was not effective in general population in a moderate TB prevalence setting. The priority should be the definition and targeting of high-risk groups in the community before the screening process is launched. The shorter time interval of ACF between TB symptoms onset and linkage to healthcare service may decrease the risk of TB community transmission. Furthermore, integrated ACF strategy in the National Project of Basic Public Health Service may have long term public health impact.

Impact of a Primary Care intervention on the colorectal cancer early detection programme. / Impacto de una intervención de Atención Primaria en el programa de detección precoz de cáncer colorrectal.

AIM: To assess the effectiveness of a telephonic interview performed by primary care professionals among non-participants in the first round of the colorectal cancer early detection programme in the basic urban health area Guineueta in Barcelona, Spain. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The Primary Healthcare Team of La Guineueta contacted people who did not respond to the invitation to the first round of the colorectal cancer early detection programme using a standardised telephone call protocol. We analysed the impact of the intervention based on participation and diagnosed disease. RESULTS: We made 3,327 phone calls to 2,343 people. After the intervention the participation rate was 54.9%, which meant an increase of 5.7% with respect to the participation in the usual protocol for the programme (49.2%). The intervention allowed 5cancers, 2high-risk neoplasms and 8low- and intermediate-risk lesions to be diagnosed. An average of 9phone calls was necessary to achieve the participation of one additional person. DISCUSSION: The telephonic intervention performed by primary care professionals has significantly increased the population participation rate and the detection of neoplasms with respect to the usual colorectal cancer early detection programme protocol.

Recalling, Sharing and Participating in a Social Media Intervention Promoting HIV Testing: A Longitudinal Analysis of HIV Testing Among MSM in China.

Social media interventions may enhance HIV services among key populations, including men who have sex with men (MSM). This longitudinal analysis examined the effect of recalling, sharing, and participating in different components of a social media intervention on HIV testing among MSM. The social media intervention included six images/texts and information about an online local community contest to promote testing. Of the 1033 men, they recalled a mean of 2.7 out of six images and shared an average of one image online. 34.5% of men recalled information on the online local community contest and engaged in a mean of 1.3 contest. Recalling images/texts (aOR = 1.13, 95% CI 1.02-1.25) and recalling a local contest (aOR = 1.59, 95% CI 1.13-1.24) were associated with facility-based HIV testing. This study has implications for the development and evaluation of social media interventions to promote HIV testing.

Participation in university activities for the elderly: Motivations of Brazilian and Spanish Seniors / La participación de ancianos en actividades universitarias para la tercera edad: las motivaciones de brasileños y españoles / A participação em atividades universitárias para idosos: motivações de brasileiros e espanhóis

ABSTRACT Objective: To understand the reasons that lead Brazilian and Spanish seniors to enroll in a university for the elderly. Method: A qualitative study that used Symbolic Interactionism as a theoretical reference and the Grounded Theory as a methodological reference. We interviewed 44 seniors enrolled in universities for the elderly from two countries (Brazil and Spain) between October 2014 and May 2016. Results: The motivations were related to the necessity of occupying the free time, even for improving health; to the opportunity of access to university learning bypassing formal education criteria; to the expansion of social relations, sought through the creation of new friendships, the desire to know other people's life experiences, and the exchange of knowledge. Final considerations: Older people have sought in universities for the elderly a pleasurable way of learning and occupying the free time.

RESUMEN Objetivo: Conocer cuáles fueron las razones de ancianos brasileños y españoles para inscribirse en la universidad abierta a la tercera edad. Método: Estudio cualitativo que utilizó como referencial teórico el Interaccionismo Simbólico y como referencial metodológico la Teoría Fundamentada en los Datos. Se entrevistaron 44 ancianos matriculados en universidades abiertas a la tercera edad de dos países (Brasil y España), en el período de octubre de 2014 a mayo de 2016. Resultados: Las motivaciones fueron las siguientes: la necesidad de ocupar el tiempo libre, incluso para mejorar la salud; la oportunidad de acceder al aprendizaje en la universidad sin los criterios de la enseñanza formal; y la ampliación de las relaciones sociales, por medio de nuevas amistades, por el anhelo de conocer las experiencias vivenciadas por otras personas y por el intercambio de saberes. Consideraciones finales: Los ancianos buscaron una forma placentera de aprender y de ocupar el tiempo libre en las universidades abiertas a la tercera edad.

RESUMO Objetivo: Compreender os motivos que levam idosos brasileiros e espanhóis a matricularem-se na universidade aberta à terceira idade. Método: Estudo qualitativo que utilizou o Interacionismo Simbólico como referencial teórico e a Teoria Fundamentada nos Dados como referencial metodológico. Foram entrevistados 44 idosos matriculados em universidades abertas à terceira idade de dois países (Brasil e Espanha) no período de outubro de 2014 a maio de 2016. Resultados: As motivações vincularam-se à necessidade de ocupação do tempo disponível, inclusive para melhoria da saúde; à oportunidade de acesso ao aprendizado na universidade sem os critérios do ensino formal e; à ampliação das relações sociais, buscada por meio da criação de novas amizades, pelo anseio em conhecer as experiências vivenciadas por outras pessoas e pela troca de saberes. Considerações finais: Os idosos buscaram nas universidades abertas à terceira idade uma forma prazerosa de aprender e ocupar o tempo disponível.

Learning more about scaly leg and tassel foot.

Georgina Mills explains how members of the public have contributed to investigations of leg lesions in garden finches.

Participation in a prostate cancer support group and health literacy.

BACKGROUND: To cope with prostate cancer (PC) and its consequences and to be certain about therapeutic alternatives, some patients seek mutual help in prostate cancer support groups (PCSGs), where they share information and find social support. Our study was intended to assess whether group participation is associated with health literacy (HL). METHODS: We compared PCSG members (n = 441) with PC patients without support group experiences (n = 135) in a cross-sectional design. For this purpose, HL was operationalized through PC-specific knowledge, noncancer-specific knowledge about health care, guideline awareness, and skills needed to apply health information to meet own needs. Binary logistic regression models were calculated. Socio-demographic data and disease-related characteristics were used as control variables. RESULTS: Knowledge about PC (OR, 2.2; CI, 1.3-3.7), the fact of having heard of guidelines (OR, 3.7; CI, 2.1-6.8) and having read one (OR, 5.1; CI, 2.8-9.4), and competencies regarding health service navigation (OR, 1.8; CI, 1.0-3.1) are associated with PCSG membership. No statistically significant associations could be found between PCSG membership and further skills questioned, as well as between membership and knowledge about noncancer-specific health care. CONCLUSION: PCSG membership is associated with HL in some areas only. In particular, the groups seem to provide an important platform for information exchange in the field of PC. The potentially conflicting results on PC knowledge and the application skills may arise from the different forms of measurement-knowledge was tested; skills were self-assessed.

The state of health services partnering with consumers: evidence from an online survey of Australian health services.

BACKGROUND: Involving consumers in producing health services is mandated in many countries. Evidence indicates consumer partnerships lead to improved service design, quality and innovation. Involving participants from minority groups is crucial because poor understanding of distinctive needs affects individuals' service experiences and outcomes. Few studies consider service compliance with consumer partnering requirements or inclusion of minority group participants. METHODS: An online survey structured by domains of the Australian National Safety and Quality in Health Service Standards (NSQHS, 2013), was conducted. Questions covered consumer partnering in service planning, management and evaluation plus patient care design and inclusion of consumers from minority groups. Approximately 1200 Australian hospital and day surgery services were identified and 447 individual email addresses were identified for staff leading consumer partnerships. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS. Qualitative responses, managed in NVivo, were analysed thematically. Frequencies were produced to indicate common activities and range of activities within question domains. RESULTS: Comprehensive responses were received from 115 services (25.7%), including metropolitan and non-metropolitan, private and public service settings. Most respondents (95.6%) "partnered with consumers to develop or provide feedback on patient information". Regarding inclusion of participants from minority groups, respondents were least likely to specifically include those from socially disadvantaged backgrounds (23.6%). Public health services were more likely than private services to engage with consumers. CONCLUSIONS: The survey is the first to include responses about consumer partnering from across Australia. While many respondents partner with consumers, it is clear that more easily-organised activity such as involvement in existing committees or commenting on patient information occurs more commonly than involvement in strategy or governance. This raises questions over whether strategic-level involvement is too difficult or unrealistic; or whether services simply lack tools. Minority views may be missed where there is a lack of specific action to include diversity. Future work might address why services choose the activities we found and probe emerging opportunities, such as using social media or online engagement.