Promoting wellbeing and empowerment via Youth First: Exploring psychosocial outcomes of a school-based resilience intervention in Bihar, India.

Youth worldwide are struggling with increased mental health concerns. As youth in low- and middle-income countries make up more than 20% of the world's population, finding ways to improve their psychosocial wellbeing is crucial. CorStone's Youth First program is a school-based psychosocial resilience program that seeks to improve the mental, physical, social, and educational wellbeing of early adolescents. The program is delivered via trained government schoolteachers who facilitate students' learning and development in small groups using a discussion and activity-based curriculum. In August 2021, a study among 322 adolescents was conducted to investigate and compare program participants' and non- participants' understanding and use of inter- and intra-personal psychosocial skills. Focus group discussions were held with students in eight intervention schools and four comparable schools not receiving the intervention (control). Through the focus group discussions, students provided their opinions, thoughts, and ideas about vignettes describing challenges that youth in their communities frequently face, including early marriage and financial pressures. Analysis integrated qualitative and quantitative approaches, consisting of an iterative thematic analysis process followed by quantizing data and conducting t-tests. Youth who had received Youth First had greater awareness of problems, perspective-taking, problem-solving strategies, helping approaches, awareness of their own strengths, and visions for the future, when compared with the control group. Findings provide insights into potential outcomes for measurement in future evaluations of mental health promotion and prevention programs among youth in low- and middle-income countries.

Impact of a protein-based assay that predicts prostate cancer aggressiveness on urologists' recommendations for active treatment or active surveillance: a randomized clinical utility trial.

BACKGROUND: Of the more than 1.1 million men diagnosed worldwide annually with prostate cancer, the majority have indolent tumors. Distinguishing between aggressive and indolent cancer is an important clinical challenge. The current approaches for assessing tumor aggressiveness are recognized as insufficient. A validated protein-based assay has been shown to predict tumor aggressiveness from prostate biopsy. The main objective of this study was to measure the clinical utility of this new assay in the management of early-stage prostate cancer. METHODS: One hundred twenty nine board-certified urologists were asked to participate in a randomized, two-arm experiment. We collected data over 2 rounds using simulated clinical cases administered via an online platform. The cases were all newly diagnosed Gleason 3 + 3 or 3 + 4 prostate camcer patients. Urologists in the intervention arm received a 15-min webinar on this protein-based assay and given assay test results for their simulated patients in round 2. Each case had a preferred recommendation of either active surveillance or active treatment. The measured outcome was rate of preferred recommendation, defined as urologists who recommended the proper treatment course. Analyses were done using difference-in-difference estimations. RESULTS: Using multinomial logistical regression, urologists who were given the assay results were significantly more likely to choose the preferred recommendation (active surveillance or active treatment) compared to controls (p = 0.004). These urologists were also significantly more likely to involve their patients in the treatment decision compared to controls (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: By providing additional information to inform the physician's treatment plan, a protein-based assay shows demonstrable clinical utility confirmed through a rigorous randomized controlled study design and regression analyses to test for effects.

Indications for Cesarean Delivery in Mexico: Evaluation of Appropriate Use and Justification.

BACKGROUND: Cesarean delivery is one of the most widely used surgical interventions in Latin America and in many cases it is performed with no clear medical indication. Our objective was to analyze the relationship between reported indications for a cesarean and support for that indication in the clinical record in four Mexican hospitals, during the 2006-2007 period. METHODS: The data are from 604 (37.1%) women from a total of 1,625 who were admitted to the hospital in labor, and who gave birth through cesarean. Multivariate logistical regression analysis was used to explore the association between indications for clinically justified or unjustified surgery and other clinical and sociodemographic variables. RESULTS: Supporting clinical information for indications of cesarean delivery were found in only 45 percent of the cases considered. The adjusted statistical analysis showed that the variables associated with an unjustified indication for cesarean were: not having had a prior birth (OR 1.84 [95% CI 1.16-2.89]), having a maximum cervical dilation of 4 centimeters or less at time of cesarean (OR 2.44 [95% CI 1.53-3.87]), and having received care in a private hospital (OR 6.11 [95% CI 1.90-19.57]). DISCUSSION: The indications for cesarean related to labor dynamics were those least supported. Not having had a prior birth poses the greatest risk of having a poorly supported indication for a cesarean delivery. It would be prudent to institute audits, and greater requirements for and surveillance of documentation for cesarean delivery indications.

A psychosocial resilience curriculum provides the "missing piece" to boost adolescent physical health: A randomized controlled trial of Girls First in India.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Despite a recent proliferation of interventions to improve health, education, and livelihoods for girls in low and middle income countries, psychosocial wellbeing has been neglected. This oversight is particularly problematic as attending to psychosocial development may be important not only for psychosocial but also physical wellbeing. This study examines the physical health effects of Girls First, a combined psychosocial (Girls First Resilience Curriculum [RC]) and adolescent physical health (Girls First Health Curriculum [HC]) intervention (RC + HC) versus its individual components (i.e., RC, HC) and a control group. We expected Girls First to improve physical health versus HC and controls. METHODS: Over 3000 girls in 76 government middle schools in rural Bihar, India participated. Interventions were delivered through in-school peer-support groups, facilitated by pairs of local women. Girls were assessed before and after program participation on two primary outcomes (health knowledge and gender equality attitudes) and nine secondary outcomes (clean water behaviors, hand washing, menstrual hygiene, health communication, ability to get to a doctor when needed, substance use, nutrition, safety, vitality and functioning). Analyses included Difference-in-Difference Ordinary Least-Squares Regressions and F-tests for equality among conditions. RESULTS: Girls First significantly improved both primary and eight secondary outcomes (all except nutrition) versus controls. Additionally, Girls First demonstrated significantly greater effects, improving both primary and six secondary outcomes (clean water behaviors, hand washing, health communication, ability to get to a doctor, nutrition, safety) versus HC. CONCLUSIONS: This study is among the first to assess the impact of a combined psychosocial and adolescent health program on physical health. We found that combining these curricula amplified effects achieved by either curriculum alone. These findings suggest that psychosocial wellbeing should receive much broader attention, not only from those interested in improving psychosocial outcomes but also from those interested in improving physical health outcomes.

Fostering emotional, social, physical and educational wellbeing in rural India: the methods of a multi-arm randomized controlled trial of Girls First.

BACKGROUND: There are 600 million girls in low and middle income countries (LMICs), many of whom are at great risk for poor health and education. There is thus great need for programs that can effectively improve wellbeing for these girls. Although many interventions have been developed to address these issues, most focus on health and education without integrating attention to social and emotional factors. This omission is unfortunate, as nascent evidence indicates that these factors are closely related to health and education. This paper describes the methods of a 4-arm randomized controlled trial among 3,560 adolescent girls in rural Bihar, India that tested whether adding an intervention targeting social-emotional issues (based on a "resilience framework") to an adolescent health intervention would improve emotional, social, physical, and educational wellbeing to a greater extent than its components and a control group. Study arms were: (1) Girls First, a combination of the Girls First Resilience Curriculum (RC) and the Girls First Health Curriculum (HC); (2) Girls First Resilience Curriculum (RC) alone; (3) Girls First Health Curriculum (HC) alone; and (4) a school-as-usual control group (SC). METHODS: Seventy-six schools were randomized (19 per condition) and 74 local women with a tenth grade education were trained and monitored to facilitate the program. Quantitative data were collected from 3,560 girls over 4 assessment points with very low rates of participant attrition. Qualitative assessments were conducted with a subset of 99 girls and 27 facilitators. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: In this article, we discuss guiding principles that facilitated trial implementation, including integrating diverse local and non-local sources of knowledge, focusing on flexibility of planning and implementation, prioritizing systematic measurement selection, and striking a balance between scientific rigor and real-world feasibility. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02429661 . Registered 24 April 2015.

Does stewardship make a difference in the quality of care? Evidence from clinics and pharmacies in Kenya and Ghana.

OBJECTIVE: To measure level and variation of healthcare quality provided by different types of healthcare facilities in Ghana and Kenya and which factors (including levels of government engagement with small private providers) are associated with improved quality. DESIGN: Provider knowledge was assessed through responses to clinical vignettes. Associations between performance on vignettes and facility characteristics, provider characteristics and self-reported interaction with government were examined using descriptive statistics and multivariate regressions. SETTING: Survey of 300 healthcare facilities each in Ghana and Kenya including hospitals, clinics, nursing homes, pharmacies and chemical shops. Private facilities were oversampled. PARTICIPANTS: Person who generally saw the most patients at each facility. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Percent of items answered correctly, measured against clinical practice guidelines and World Health Organization's protocol. RESULTS: Overall, average quality was low. Over 90% of facilities performed less than half of necessary items. Incorrect antibiotic use was frequent. Some evidence of positive association between government stewardship and quality among clinics, with the greatest effect (7% points increase, P = 0.03) for clinics reporting interactions with government across all six stewardship elements. No analogous association was found for pharmacies. No significant effect for any of the stewardship elements individually, nor according to type of engagement. CONCLUSIONS: Government stewardship appears to have some cumulative association with quality for clinics, suggesting that comprehensive engagement with providers may influence quality. However, our research indicates that continued medical education (CME) by itself is not associated with improved care.

Non-physician providers of obstetric care in Mexico: Perspectives of physicians, obstetric nurses and professional midwives.

BACKGROUND: In Mexico 87% of births are attended by physicians. However, the decline in the national maternal mortality rate has been slower than expected. The Mexican Ministry of Health's 2009 strategy to reduce maternal mortality gives a role to two non-physician models that meet criteria for skilled attendants: obstetric nurses and professional midwives. This study compares and contrasts these two provider types with the medical model, analyzing perspectives on their respective training, scope of practice, and also their perception and/or experiences with integration into the public system as skilled birth attendants. METHODOLOGY: This paper synthesizes qualitative research that was obtained as a component of the quantitative and qualitative study that evaluated three models of obstetric care: professional midwives (PM), obstetric nurses (ON) and general physicians (GP). A total of 27 individual interviews using a semi-structured guide were carried out with PMs, ONs, GPs and specialists. Interviews were transcribed following the principles of grounded theory, codes and categories were created as they emerged from the data. We analyzed data in ATLAS.ti. RESULTS: All provider types interviewed expressed confidence in their professional training and acknowledge that both professional midwives and obstetric nurses have the necessary skills and knowledge to care for women during normal pregnancy and childbirth. The three types of providers recognize limits to their practice, namely in the area of managing complications.We found differences in how each type of practitioner perceived the concept and process of birth and their role in this process. The barriers to incorporation as a model to attend birth faced by PMs and ONs are at the individual, hospital and system level. GPs question their ability and training to handle deliveries, in particular those that become complicated, and the professional midwifery model particularly as it relates to a clinical setting, is also questioned. CONCLUSIONS: Hospitals in the Mexican public health sector have a heavy obstetric workload; physicians carry the additional burden of non-obstetric cases. The incorporation of a non- physician model at the primary health center level to attend low-risk, normal deliveries would contribute to the reduction of non-necessary referrals. There is also a role for these providers at the hospital level.

Skilled birth attendants in Mexico: how does care during normal birth by general physicians, obstetric nurses, and professional midwives compare with World Health Organization evidence-based practice guidelines?

INTRODUCTION: We evaluated the quality of basic obstetric care provided by Mexican general physicians, obstetric nurses, and professional midwives compared with World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for evidence-based practices and national guidelines. METHODS: Vaginal births were observed in 5 hospitals in 5 states from June 2006 until July 2007. We created 5 indices based on WHO guidelines and national standards for care during normal birth. These indices included 1) favorable practices at admission, 2) favorable practices during labor, birth, and immediately postpartum, 3) harmful or excessively used practices, 4) newborn practices, and 5) obstetric outcomes. We assessed each provider type's performance as high or low compared with the WHO standard and performed bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses to assess the association between indices, patient characteristics, and provider type, adjusting for standard errors for intragroup correlation. RESULTS: We observed 876 independently managed vaginal births. Adjusted regression analyses compared with the general physicians standard revealed significant results for favorable care by obstetric nurses on admission (odds ratio [OR] 6.25; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.08-18.84); for care by professional midwives (OR 21.08; 95% CI, 4.24-104.94) and obstetric nurses (OR 7.88; 95% CI, 2.76-22.52) during labor, birth, and postpartum; and for newborn practices by obstetric nurses (OR 4.14; 95% CI, 1.08-15.90). Professional midwives were least likely to perform harmful/excessively used practices during labor, birth, and the postpartum period (OR 0.06; 95% CI, 0.00-0.35). DISCUSSION: Professional midwives and obstetric nurses perform equally or better than general physicians when assessed by use or misuse of evidence-based practices. Professional midwives are an underutilized resource in Mexico. If integrated into the mainstream Mexican health system, they may improve the quality of obstetric care.

Costs of interventions for AIDS orphans and vulnerable children.

OBJECTIVE: To review the published and grey literature for information regarding the costs and cost-effectiveness of interventions aimed at improving the welfare of orphans and vulnerable children owing to HIV/AIDS in low- and middle-income countries. METHOD: We carried out a search of the peer-reviewed literature through PubMed, EconLit, and Web of Science for the period January 2000 to December 2010. We also extensively reviewed the grey literature through generalized web searches and consultations with experts and searches of the web pages of the main organizations active in providing services to orphans and vulnerable children (OVC). The search yielded 216 articles; cross-sectional or longitudinal studies and articles that did not address specific interventions were not considered. The remaining 21 articles were categorized by domain and by type of intervention strategy. RESULTS: All studies reviewed were carried out in sub-Saharan Africa. All outcomes are expressed as cost per child per year (in 2010 USD). Foster care estimates range from $614 to $1921. Educational support for primary school ranged from $30 to $75. Health interventions that would ensure child survival can be delivered for about $55. CONCLUSION: More research is needed to improve planning and delivery of interventions for OVC. The paucity of cost and cost-effectiveness data reflects the limited number of effectiveness studies. Nevertheless, this systematic literature review shows evidence that suggests that in the area of housing, foster care appears to be more cost effective than institutional care (orphanages).

Educación sobre sexualidad y prevención del VIH: un diagnóstico para América Latina y el Caribe / Sex education and HIV prevention: an evaluation in Latin America and the Caribbean

OBJETIVO: Mostrar, a través de un diagnóstico en América Latina y el Caribe, el panorama legislativo y curricular sobre sexualidad y prevención contra el virus de inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH) en el ámbito escolar, contrastándolo con los comportamientos sexuales reportados en encuestas demográficas y de salud. MÉTODOS: En mayo de 2008 se realizó, con el apoyo del Fondo de Población de las Naciones Unidas (UNFPA), una encuesta a informantes clave en 34 países de la Región. El cuestionario autoaplicado solicitó información sustantiva de agentes de las diferentes partes interesadas, como ministerios de educación y de salud, sobre los programas de prevención contra el VIH/ Sida que se están aplicando en las escuelas. RESULTADOS: Respondieron a la encuesta 27 países que representan 95,5 por ciento de la población objetivo (6 a 18 años de edad). La mayoría de los países informó tener al menos un libro de texto o un capítulo específico para enseñar los temas de educación sobre sexualidad y prevención del VIH. En la escuela secundaria se cubren la mayor parte de los temas pertinentes relevantes para la educación sobre sexualidad, pero no todos. Por ejemplo, el problema de la discriminación por orientación o preferencia sexual no se incluye en los programas escolares. CONCLUSIONES: El material educativo sobre sexualidad debe ser revisado y actualizado periódicamente de modo que refleje los avances en los temas y en la forma de tratar los contenidos. En cada país el currículo debe abordar el tema del respeto a la diversidad sobre orientación, preferencia e identidad sexuales, y en particular el manejo apropiado de la educación para prevenir infecciones de transmisión sexual (ITS) en hombres que tienen sexo con hombres. Los esfuerzos de evaluación de la efectividad de los programas deben contemplar desenlaces tales como marcadores biológicos (incidencia y prevalencia de ITS y embarazo) y no únicamente indicadores de conocimiento y comportamiento...

OBJECTIVE: To present, through an evaluation in Latin America and the Caribbean, the current regulatory and curricular landscape of sexuality and HIV prevention in the school setting, and contrast it with sexual behaviors as reported by demographic and health surveys. METHODS: In May 2008, with the support of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), a survey was conducted involving key contacts in 34 countries of the Region. The self-administered questionnaire sought in-depth information on school-based HIV/AIDS prevention programs from the staff of various stakeholders, including ministries of education and of health. RESULTS: Twenty-seven countries responded to the survey, representing 95.5 percent of the target population (6-18 years of age). Most countries reported having at least one textbook or one specific chapter devoted to teaching sex education and HIV prevention. Many, but not all of the important sex education topics, were covered in secondary school; for example, the issue of discrimination based on sexual orientation/ preference is not included in school curricula. CONCLUSIONS: Sex education materials should be reviewed and updated periodically to reflect progress being made on the issues and the handling of the subject matter. In each country, the curriculum should address the issue of respecting differences in sexual orientation, preference, and identity, and especially, an appropriate approach toward sexually-transmitted infection (STI) prevention education among males who have sex with males. Efforts to assess the programs' effectiveness should consider outcomes, such as biomarkers (STI incidence and prevalence and pregnancy), not just indicators of self-reported sexual knowledge and behavior.

[Sex education and HIV prevention: an evaluation in Latin America and the Caribbean]. / Educación sobre sexualidad y prevención del VIH: un diagnóstico para América Latina y el Caribe.

OBJECTIVE: To present, through an evaluation in Latin America and the Caribbean, the current regulatory and curricular landscape of sexuality and HIV prevention in the school setting, and contrast it with sexual behaviors as reported by demographic and health surveys. METHODS: In May 2008, with the support of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), a survey was conducted involving key contacts in 34 countries of the Region. The self-administered questionnaire sought in-depth information on school-based HIV/AIDS prevention programs from the staff of various stakeholders, including ministries of education and of health. RESULTS: Twenty-seven countries responded to the survey, representing 95.5% of the target population (6-18 years of age). Most countries reported having at least one textbook or one specific chapter devoted to teaching sex education and HIV prevention. Many, but not all of the important sex education topics, were covered in secondary school; for example, the issue of discrimination based on sexual orientation/ preference is not included in school curricula. CONCLUSIONS: Sex education materials should be reviewed and updated periodically to reflect progress being made on the issues and the handling of the subject matter. In each country, the curriculum should address the issue of respecting differences in sexual orientation, preference, and identity, and especially, an appropriate approach toward sexually-transmitted infection (STI) prevention education among males who have sex with males. Efforts to assess the programs' effectiveness should consider outcomes, such as biomarkers (STI incidence and prevalence and pregnancy), not just indicators of self-reported sexual knowledge and behavior.

Educating skilled birth attendants in Mexico: do the curricula meet international confederation of midwives standards?

Although the majority of births in Mexico are attended by skilled birth attendants, maternal mortality remains moderately high, raising questions about the quality of training and delivery care. We conducted an exhaustive review of the curricula of three representative schools for the education and clinical preparation of three types of birth attendant - obstetric nurses, professional midwives and general physicians - National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) School of Obstetric Nursing; CASA Professional Midwifery School; and UNAM School of Medicine, Iztacala Campus. All curricular materials were measured against the 214 indicators of knowledge and ability in the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) skilled attendant training guidelines. The CASA curriculum covered 83% of the competencies, 93% of basic knowledge and 86% of basic abilities, compared with 54%, 59% and 64% for UNAM Obstetric Nursing School and 43%, 60% and 36% for UNAM School of Medicine, respectively. Neither the Obstetric Nursing School nor the School of Medicine documented the quantity or types of clinical experience required for graduation. General physicians attend the most births in Mexico, yet based on our analysis, professional midwives had the most complete education and training as measured against the ICM competencies. We recommend that professional midwives and obstetric nurses should be formally integrated into the public health system to attend deliveries.