Micromobility Vehicles, Obstructions, and Rider Safety Behaviors in New York City Bike Lanes.

Micromobility vehicles (MMVs) have become increasingly popular, particularly in urban areas where infrastructure has improved in recent years to facilitate their use. The purpose of this study was to observe protected bike lanes in 10 zones of Manhattan, NYC to: (1) describe the MMVs in bike lanes by type, phone and helmet use; and (2) document MMV users' responses to obstructions. Approximately 1 in 4 of all riders (260/998) were wearing a helmet. Fewer than 2% were observed using a phone while moving. Fewer than 9% of Citi Bike users were wearing a helmet. In contrast, over one-third of non-Citi Bike users were wearing a helmet (228 of 670, 34.03%). This difference was determined to be significant by a chi-squared test (a = 0.05) with a p-value less than 0.0001. Of the 988 MMVs observed in this study, 398 (40.28%) were motorized and 590 (59.72%) were non-motorized. A similar proportion of users of motorized riders versus non-motorized vehicles were wearing a helmet (28.14%, 112/398 versus 24.41%, 144/590). A total of 232 riders (23.50%) encountered an obstruction in their bike lane. Of these obstructions in a bike lane, 82.33% (191/232) were a car/vehicle and 17.67% (41/232) was garbage. A large majority of riders (87.93%) reacted by riding into the traffic lane. These findings suggest that further research and local education, enforcement, and legislative efforts are needed to examine and implement best practices in the safe operation of MMVs, decreasing bike lane obstructions, promoting helmet use, and raising awareness of MMV legislation.

Long Haul COVID-19 Videos on YouTube: Implications for Health Communication.

The term COVID-19 "long haul" originated on social media and was later studied by the scientific community. This study describes content related to persistent COVID-19 symptoms on YouTube. The 100 most viewed English-language videos identified with the keywords "COVID-19 long haul" were assessed for video origin, engagement, and content related to COVID-19 long-haul. The findings indicate that the majority of videos were uploaded by television or internet news (56%), followed by consumers (members of the public, 32%), health professionals (only 9%), and lastly by entertainment TV (non-news programs, 3%). Videos originating from entertainment TV were significantly more likely to be "liked" than videos from other sources. The most commonly mentioned long-haul symptoms in the videos were physical (fatigue, 73%; difficulty breathing/shortness of breath, 56%; and joint or muscle pain, 49%) and cognitive (difficulty thinking or concentrating; 69%). The case of COVID-19 long haul demonstrates that social media are significant fora whereon the public identify health concerns. It is necessary for healthcare professionals to assume an active and responsible role in social media.

Online News Coverage of COVID-19 Long Haul Symptoms.

A number of the people who have recovered from the acute effects of COVID-19 are facing long term sequelae from the infection. As the COVID-19 pandemic is still evolving, so is knowledge of the long-term effects of the virus on patients who still experience symptoms. Clearly, news media play a crucial role in distributing information and this distribution of information can, in turn, influence the actions of the public. The purpose of this study was to describe the content of news coverage of COVID-19 long haul symptoms currently posted on the internet. This study utilized Google News, a news aggregator service, and included the first 100 English language pieces of news. Video content and news article content were coded in depth for information on COVID-19 long haul symptoms. A total of 41% of news reports mentioned the length of time that the COVID-19 related symptoms persist. The length of time was reported to range from 1 month to more than 1 year. The symptom most commonly mentioned was tiredness or fatigue (74%), followed by difficulty breathing or shortness of breath (62 cases; 62%), and difficulty thinking or concentrating (50 cases; 50%). Other symptoms were mentioned less frequently. There were no statistically significant differences in any of the content including having video, written news reports, or both video and written news reports by source of the news reports based on consumer, professional, or television or internet-based news (p = .14). More complete coverage by online news media of the long-term effects of COVID-19 enhances public awareness of the post-acute syndromes, augments health providers' awareness of the range of chronic COVID-19 effects and the possibility of a second infection, increases the probability of patients' seeking and obtaining the proper care for their symptoms, and contributes to preventive actions for enhancing public health.

Public online information about tinnitus: A cross-sectional study of YouTube videos.

PURPOSE: To examine the information about tinnitus contained in different video sources on YouTube. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The 100 most widely viewed tinnitus videos were manually coded. Firstly, we identified the sources of upload: consumer, professional, television-based clip, and internet-based clip. Secondly, the videos were analyzed to ascertain what pertinent information they contained from a current National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders fact sheet. RESULTS: Of the videos, 42 were consumer-generated, 33 from media, and 25 from professionals. Collectively, the 100 videos were viewed almost 9 million times. The odds of mentioning "objective tinnitus" in professional videos were 9.58 times those from media sources [odds ratio (OR) = 9.58; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.94, 47.42; P = 0.01], whereas these odds in consumer videos were 51% of media-generated videos (OR = 0.51; 95% CI: 0.20, 1.29; P = 0.16). The odds that the purpose of a video was to sell a product or service were nearly the same for both consumer and professional videos. Consumer videos were found to be 4.33 times as likely to carry a theme about an individual's own experience with tinnitus (OR = 4.33; 95% CI: 1.62, 11.63; P = 0.004) as media videos. CONCLUSIONS: Of the top 100 viewed videos on tinnitus, most were uploaded by consumers, sharing individuals' experiences. Actions are needed to make scientific medical information more prominently available and accessible on YouTube and other social media.

Identifying Depression in Parents of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: Recommendations for Professional Practice.

Parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) face many challenges, not the least of which can be dealing with their own depression. Depression decreases an individual's capacity for self-care and is often overlooked in this population striving to manage the demands of parenting their child with ASD. This article examines current literature related to prevalence, diagnosis, and interventions for depression in parents of children with ASD. The review indicates that depression is more common in parents of children with ASD than in the general public. However, most literature addresses parenting skills rather than depression and associated self-care deficits identified in these parents. Suggestions for best practice models and proactive interventions to caregivers are provided. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 56(4), 23-27.].

Influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on telepractice in speech-language pathology.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, speech-language pathology telepractice was used by a small percentage of consumers. The 2020 pandemic necessitated the transition of most services to an online format. This article reports on a brief, electronic survey that was completed by 145 speech-language pathologists (SLPs) during the early months (June 2020) of the pandemic. Results showed that the majority of SLPs will continue using a telepractice model into 2021 and beyond, as more than half of SLPs rated the quality as similar to services delivered in-person. The absence of earlier preparation, access to and hindrances with technology, and client factors were the main elements influencing telepractice success for SLPs. However, telepractice was rated as an efficient means of consultation, evaluation, and intervention and survey results revealed that 53.84% of SLPs plan on maintaining this modality at a higher than pre-pandemic level.

Information regarding acute stroke associated with COVID-19 in online news.

Patients with COVID-19 may present with neurological manifestations, lack of oxygenation, or clotting disorders such as ischemic or hemorrhagic strokes. This has been observed in even young patients with mild symptoms. The aim of this study was to explore current online news coverage of acute stroke associated with COVID-19 in the four-month period from April 2020 to July 2020, a time during which the US found itself in the center of the pandemic. The relevant Google News stories were reviewed for content. The analysis indicated that 118 online news reports covered the topic to varying degrees, including data from reputable sources, references to the neurological symptoms, and to the incidence of stroke in young patients. It is important that health professionals be aware of this risk and convey to the public the possibility of stroke due to COVID-19 so as to increase the probability of early diagnosis and optimal outcomes.

Online support information for students with disabilities in colleges and universities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a rapid shift to remote instruction. This may have caused particular challenges for students with disabilities. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to describe the availability of remote instruction and counseling resources on the disability/accessibility websites of colleges and universities in the greater New York City area. At the time this study was conducted, this region was the global COVID-19 epicenter. METHODS: All colleges/universities in the New York City metropolitan area were identified using Petersen's online search guide. Descriptive information (institution's name, size, and location) was recorded. The disability/accessibility pages of websites were located and examined for remote instructional resources for both educators and for students, a way to make an appointment with the counseling center (phone number and/or email address), and a link to the counseling center. Descriptive statistics were recorded (percentages of small, medium, large size institutions, mean, median, range and standard deviations of enrollments, and number and percentage of institutions that provided online accessibility resources) and one-sided Chi square tests were conducted to test the relationship between school size and the availability of resources. RESULTS: 17% of the colleges/universities had no link to disability/accessibility services on their websites. Of the remaining 127 institutions, few made the aforementioned resources available on the disability/accessibility page. The most prevalent resource observed was providing students with remote instruction assistance. The association between school size and the aforementioned resources was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Making information available to students with disabilities is a fundamental part of accessibility in higher education. Doing so is all the more necessary given the challenges wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic, challenges which are likely to continue for years to come.

Oral motor treatment: Effects of therapeutic feeding on articulatory skills.

The prevalence of feeding problems is over 20% in typically developing children and over 70% in children with developmental disabilities. Oral motor therapy targeting feeding disorders may have secondary/indirect positive effects on co-morbid articulation disorders in young children. The purpose of this study was to examine such indirect effects. Seven young children with feeding problems were assessed via a known standardized articulation test upon admission for feeding therapy. They received a 4-week oral motor treatment protocol toward the development of age-appropriate feeding and swallowing, consisting of the application of tongue pressure and therapeutic spoon placement. At the conclusion of the oral motor feeding therapy, the participants' articulatory skills were tested again. Results indicated a significant difference in the pre- and post-treatment scores on the articulation test as well as on parents' reports on their child's speech intelligibility.

An assessment of the readability of online material related to fluoride.

Community water fluoridation has been deemed one of the greatest public health achievements, yet it remains a controversial topic. As those who are concerned about the benefits and safety of community water fluoridation are likely to turn to the Internet to find information, it is important to know the ease with which a person can read popular materials online. The aim of this study was to assess the readability levels of pro- and anti-fluoride articles on the Internet. Using a highly-recommended readability site, the first 100 articles garnered from websites in a Google were analyzed for a multitude of scores on popular readability tests. Of the 100 articles analyzed, 71 were deemed to be pro-fluoride, and 29 were anti-fluoride. Anti-fluoride materials were more readable across all scores when compared to the pro-fluoride materials. It is critical for consumers to be aware of the credibility of the health information they are reading and to be educated on how to determine if a website or source is reliable, especially when information is conflicting. It is also critical that health associations and other websites devoted to public health promotion develop and provide more accessible health information in terms of readability.

Assessment of Information on Concussion Available to Adolescents on Social Media.

BACKGROUND: Considering how many people obtain information about their health online, the aim of this study was to describe the content of the currently most widely viewed YouTube videos related to concussions and to test the hypothesis that consumer videos would be anecdotal, while other sources would be more informational. METHODS: The term "concussion" was used to search for videos with 100,000 or more views on YouTube that were posted in English or Spanish. Descriptive information about each video was recorded, as was information on whether certain content was conveyed during the video. The main outcome measures are sources of upload and content of videos. RESULTS: Consumer videos accounted for 48% of the videos, television based accounted for 50% of the videos, and internet based accounted for only 2% of the videos. None of the videos viewed fell into the professional category. Television based videos were viewed significantly more than consumer or internet based videos. Consumer and television based videos were equally anecdotal. Many of the videos focused on adolescents and were related to sports injuries. The majority of the videos (70.4%) addressed concussion causes, with 48% stating sports. Few videos discussed symptoms of concussion and prevention. CONCLUSIONS: The potential for widespread misinformation necessitates caution when obtaining information on concussion on a freely accessible and editable medium, such as YouTube.

Sources and content of popular online videos about autism spectrum disorders.

Background: Our study aimed to determine source of upload and content portrayed in the100 most-viewed videos on autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) on the video sharing public forum, YouTube. ASDs have become highly prevalent in the last decade, arousing a significant response from the media and psycho-educational health professions. Utilization of and reliance on social media for information on health matters has also proliferated. Some suggest that online videos could promote early detection (and intervention) of ASD by prompting caregivers to seek guidance. However, the usefulness of the available videos is unclear. Methods: The 100 most popular YouTube videos were examined for source of upload and information provided. Popularity was determined by number of views, using the filter tool. Results: The videos had more than 121 million views combined. Only one video had been uploaded by a professional (a clinical psychologist). The 99 (non-professional) videos provided minimal data and research into known ASD risk factors. Interestingly, discredited vaccine-associated risks were promoted in 16% (95% CI = 09%-25%) of the 100 videos analyzed. Many videos featured a child with ASD exhibiting some characteristic patterns, such as engaging in a repetitive behavior (73%, 95% CI = 63%-81%); about as many videos referenced various therapies (75%, 95% CI = 65%-83%); and 54% (95% CI = 44%-64%) and 61% (95% CI =51%-71%) of the videos mentioned the economic and emotional toll of ASD on the family,respectively. Additional variables are discussed. Conclusion: The most popular online videos were primarily uploaded by non-professionals and provided limited content regarding ASD. Given the wide reach of social media and its potential for providing valuable information and guidance to the public on matters pertaining to ASD, we wish to underscore the necessity for a professional presence in this medium.

The Relationship Between Physical Activity and Depressive Symptoms in Healthy Older Women.

Objective: Depression and inactivity in the elderly are major health problems with significant ramifications for healthy aging. Research shows an inverse relationship between depression and physical activity levels. The purpose of the current investigation is to examine the relationship between physical activity and depressive symptoms in healthy older women, first within the framework of exercise programs, and second via the impact of an intervention. Method: Two experiments were conducted. In the first, 65 women, all above the age of 60, participated. Measures of physical activity were gained by self-report using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire while the measure of depressive symptomatology was the Beck Depression Inventory. In the second, 11 women participated in a line dancing intervention, and their self-reported depressive symptomatology was measured prior to and just after the 6-week exercise intervention using the Beck Depression Inventory. In addition, during the second experiment, pedometer data were gathered during the fourth week. Results and Conclusion: The data of the first study revealed a relationship between the total amount of physical activity and scores on the Beck Depression Inventory; that is, the more active a person is, the lower her self-reported depressive symptoms. Significant correlations were found between the Beck Depression Inventory and the reports of vigorous and moderate exercise levels, but not with walking. Participants who were part of an organized exercise group exercised significantly more than those who exercised on their own. In the second study, those who participated in a line dancing intervention had significantly lower Beck Depression Inventory scores post intervention. The implications of these findings for public health are discussed.

Speech, language, hearing delays: time for early intervention?

A wait-and-see approach may not be best for the child exhibiting delayed development. This review--complete with extensive resource lists--can facilitate an expeditious referral.

Testing the limits of language production in long-term survivors of major stroke: A psycholinguistic and anatomic study.

BACKGROUND: There is still a dearth of information about grammatical aspects of language production in aphasia. AIMS: Making novel use of methods of elicited production aimed at testing the limits of competence, we studied three cases of chronic aphasia, stemming from major stroke. We asked: (1) Whether the elicited production method reveals sparing of language abilities not readily evidenced in spontaneous utterances or on conventional aphasia tests. (2) Which language production abilities survive damage to both Broca's region and Wernicke's region? MATERIALS & PROCEDURES: Targeted words, morphological and syntactic structures were elicited by sentence completion with supporting linguistic and visual context. Targets were never modelled during the procedure. For verbs, visual and auditory contexts emphasise completed actions, targeting past tense forms. Lesion description was based on structural MRI scans. OUTCOMES & RESULTS: The three participants showed partially spared ability to produce nouns, adjectives, and verb stems in context. The elicitation method proved more productive in some cases than picture prompts or sentence prompts. Past tense inflections were usually omitted. Hence stems and inflections were dissociable. Two participants showed partial success with the passive, and no participant produced a full relative clause, including the relative pronoun, but two produced reduced forms of subject relatives. Partial sparing of production capability in these cases points to the likely importance of portions of the left hemisphere remote from Broca and Wernicke regions. CONCLUSIONS: This application of elicited production methodology demonstrates possibilities of lexical, morphological, and syntactic production not evident in spontaneous utterances or by conventional aphasia tests. Some lexical and grammatical capabilities survived massive damage to both anterior and posterior portions of the left hemisphere.