Opportunity to Integrate the American Medical Association's Inclusive Language Guidance.

Inclusive language is a cornerstone for inclusive, just, and equitable health care. While the American Medical Association released inclusive language guidance in 2021, it was unclear the extent to which physician practice organizations and their affiliated journals have adopted and promoted inclusive language. In our analysis, we found a lack of inclusive language resources across many physician practice organizations and their affiliated journals. Moreover, when guidance was provided by such entities, it was sometimes limited or not reflective of the American Medical Association recommendations. As such, many practice organizations and their journals have the opportunity to promote inclusive language.

Cohort Study of Downgraded Misdemeanor Convictions and Subsequent Violent Crime: Differences by Defendant Race and Ethnicity.

Introduction: Criminal convictions may be imperfect markers of criminalized behavior, in part because of criminal legal system processes (e.g., plea bargaining). In this retrospective cohort study of individuals convicted of misdemeanors, authors compared the risk of subsequent criminal charges for a violent crime among those initially charged with a felony with that among those initially charged with only misdemeanors, overall and by defendant race and ethnicity. Methods: The study population included individuals aged ≥18 years who were convicted of a misdemeanor in Washington Superior Courts from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2019. Those with and without initial felony charges were age/gender matched in a 4:1 ratio. The primary outcome was the first subsequent violent crime charge in Washington Superior Courts through December 31, 2020. Data were analyzed with Fine-Gray hazard models from June 2022 to November 2023. Results: There were 3,841 individuals with initial felony charges and 956 with initial misdemeanor charges only. Median follow-up was 2.4 years for both groups. During follow-up, there were 166 new violent crime charges. In multivariable models, White defendants with initial felony charges had a greater risk of subsequent violent crime charges (subdistribution hazard ratio=2.58; 95% CI=1.24, 5.36) than White defendants with initial misdemeanor charges only. Among Black and Hispanic/Latinx defendants, initial felony versus misdemeanor charges were not associated with subsequent violent crime charges (subdistribution hazard ratio=0.93; 95% CI=0.44, 1.97 among Black defendants; subdistribution hazard ratio=0.49; 95% CI=0.15, 1.57 among Hispanic/Latinx defendants). Conclusions: Findings suggest differential associations between downgrading of felony charges to misdemeanor convictions and future violent crime charges by defendant race and ethnicity, with implications for inequitable collateral consequences of criminal convictions.

Spatial Heterogeneity of the Respiratory Health Impacts of Wildfire Smoke PM2.5 in California.

Wildfire smoke fine particles (PM2.5) are a growing public health threat as wildfire events become more common and intense under climate change, especially in the Western United States. Studies assessing the association between wildfire PM2.5 exposure and health typically summarize the effects over the study area. However, health responses to wildfire PM2.5 may vary spatially. We evaluated spatially-varying respiratory acute care utilization risks associated with short-term exposure to wildfire PM2.5 and explored community characteristics possibly driving spatial heterogeneity. Using ensemble-modeled daily wildfire PM2.5, we defined a wildfire smoke day to have wildfire-specific PM2.5 concentration ≥15 µg/m3. We included daily respiratory emergency department visits and unplanned hospitalizations in 1,396 California ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) and 15 census-derived community characteristics. Employing a case-crossover design and conditional logistic regression, we observed increased odds of respiratory acute care utilization on wildfire smoke days at the state level (odds ratio [OR] = 1.06, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05, 1.07). Across air basins, ORs ranged from 0.88 to 1.57, with the highest effect estimate in San Diego. A within-community matching design and spatial Bayesian hierarchical model also revealed spatial heterogeneity in ZCTA-level rate differences. For example, communities with a higher percentage of Black or Pacific Islander residents had stronger wildfire PM2.5-outcome relationships, while more air conditioning and tree canopy attenuated associations. We found an important heterogeneity in wildfire smoke-related health impacts across air basins, counties, and ZCTAs, and we identified characteristics of vulnerable communities, providing evidence to guide policy development and resource allocation.

Decolonial framework for applying reflexivity and positionality in global health research.

Contemporary research practices link to colonial and imperialist knowledge creation and production and may promote harmful perspectives on marginalized and oppressed groups. We present a framework for a decolonial approach to research in global health and health promotion applicable across research settings. This framework is aimed at anticipating and alleviating potentially harmful practices inherent in dominant research methods. The framework focuses from a macro- and micro-level perspective on three critical dyads: 'context' and 'accountability'; 'researcher identity' and 'positionality'; and 'procedural ethics' and 'ethics in practice' considerations. We present guidance for how to consider reflexivity and positionality as they apply in this framework in global health and health promotion research practice.

The Value of Screening for a History of Incarceration in the Palliative Care Setting.

The United States (US) has one of the highest rates of incarceration in the world. Due to the aging of the US population as a whole and limited opportunities for early release, the proportion of older people in prison continues to rise. Some correctional health systems have adopted geriatric and palliative care principles to better care for this aging population, many of whom die in prison. However, not everyone who grows old in prison will die behind bars. In this article, we explore existing literature that highlights the unique physical, cognitive, and psychosocial challenges that formerly incarcerated patients face. We proceed to argue that palliative care providers should screen for a history of incarceration to identify and address the needs of this patient population. We also offer strategies to create a safe, welcoming environment to discuss past traumas related to these patients' time in prison.

Transport digitalisation: Navigating futures of hypercognitive disablement.

People living with cognitive impairments face new forms of disablement in the context of transport digitalisation, an issue recently catalysed by controversies regarding rail ticket office closures. Transport can dramatically impact the lives of people diagnosed with dementia, who often find their mobility suddenly and dramatically impaired. Unfortunately, sociological analysis of cognitive disability has traditionally been undermined by under-theorisation. One solution can be found in classic bioethical work on hypercognitivism-the veneration of cognitive acuity-and its disabling consequences. A hypercognitive approach can nurture an attentiveness to the specificities of digital disablement. Here, disability does not emerge from digitalisation inherently, but is instead intensified by the implementation of digitalisation in line with value commitments. A more robust sociology of cognitive disability could better represent the interests of people with cognitive impairments and resist the new forms of disability that current digitalisation risks spreading.

Restorative Parental Discipline and Types of Defending Bystander Intervention in Cyberbullying: The Mediate Role of Justice Sensitivity.

Parental socialization strategies are critical in explaining adolescents' online behavior. This study examined the relationships between parental restorative discipline, observed justice sensitivity, and cyber-bystander defender intervention (constructive and aggressive) in cyberbullying. The sample comprised 900 Mexican adolescents (40.2% male and 58.8% female), of which 450 were from secondary school (M age = 13.6, SD = 0.8) and 450 were from high school (M age = 15.4, SD = 1.3). Structural equation modeling with latent variables was performed. Overall, the results indicate that parental restorative discipline positively relates to the observer's justice sensitivity and the adoption of constructive interventions by cyber-bystander defenders. However, restorative discipline had no significant direct relationship with aggressive intervention. Observers' justice sensitivity mediates the association between restorative parenting discipline and aggressive or constructive defender interventions. Gender does not moderate the relationship proposed in the structural model. These findings suggest that parental restorative discipline explains constructive and aggressive cyber-bystander defender interventions in cyberbullying.

Reproductive Justice as an Alternative to the Pregnancy Planning Paradigm for Teens.

In this critical commentary, we describe the many limitations of the pregnancy planning paradigm as applied to pregnant and parenting teens. We describe how this paradigm, in characterizing pregnancies as intended or unintended, has shaped campaigns to prevent teen pregnancy and remains largely embedded in formal sex education and family planning programs in the United States. We argue that a paradigm shift is long overdue and describe how the reproductive justice framework addresses the limitations of the pregnancy planning paradigm. Although reproductive justice is endorsed by a growing number of organizations, recommended policies face formidable obstacles given that comprehensive sex education, contraception, and legal abortion are increasingly at risk in a post-Dobbs world.

Identification of high lead exposure locations in Ohio at the census tract scale using a generalizable geospatial hotspot approach.

BACKGROUND: Lead is a persistent, ubiquitous pollutant whose historical sources have been largely addressed through regulation and voluntary actions. The United States (U.S.) has achieved significant decreases in children's blood lead levels (BLL) over the past 40 years; however, there is no known safe level of Pb exposure. Some communities continue to be disproportionately impacted by exposure to Pb, including Black children and families living in older homes. OBJECTIVE: To identify Ohio (OH) census tracts with children exposed to Pb and evaluate potential exposure determinants. METHODS: We obtained individual children's blood Pb data from 2005-2018 in OH. The percent of children with elevated BLL (EBLL) was calculated for OH census tracts using three blood Pb reference values (3.5, 5, and 10 µg/dL). Getis-Ord Gi* geospatial hotspot or top 20th percentile methodologies were then applied to identify "hotspots." Findings across multiple time periods and blood Pb reference values were evaluated and compared with existing Pb exposure indices and models. RESULTS: Consistency was observed across different blood Pb reference values, with the main hotspots identified at 3.5 µg/dL, also identified at 5 and 10 µg/dL. Substantial gains in public health were demonstrated, with the biggest decreases in the number of census tracts with EBLL observed between 2008-2010 and 2011-2013. Across OH, 355 census tracts (of 2850) were identified as hotspots across 17 locations, with the majority in the most populated cites. Generally, old housing and sociodemographic factors were indicators of these EBLL hotspots. A smaller number of hotspots were not associated with these exposure determinants. Variables of race, income, and education level were all strong predictors of hotspots. IMPACT STATEMENT: The Getis-Ord Gi* geospatial hotspot analysis can inform local investigations into potential Pb exposures for children living in OH. The successful application of a generalizable childhood blood Pb methodology at the census tract scale provides results that are more readily actionable. The moderate agreement of the measured blood Pb results with public Pb indices provide confidence that these indices can be used in the absence of available blood Pb surveillance data. While not a replacement for universal blood Pb testing, a consistent approach can be applied to identify areas where Pb exposure may be problematic.

[A top-down path to promote environmental justice in a contaminated area. The experience with the community of Porto Torres (Sardinia, Italy)]. / Un percorso top-down di promozione della giustizia ambientale in un sito contaminato. L'esperienza con la comunità di Porto Torres.

Nowadays, in Italy, researchers from various disciplines and institutions are referring to environmental justice to promote health equity in relation to environmental risks and benefits. This presents an opportunity for the convergence of bottom-up and top-down perspectives, which differ in nature, to advance environmental justice at the local level. This contribution presents the experience of researchers from the Italian National Institute of Health in the contaminated area of Porto Torres (Sardinia). The experience began with the development of study activities aimed at describing the health profile of the population residing in Porto Torres. These activities embraced the requests of the local community and included interactions with local institutional and social actors. The study activities were designed with a focus on environmental justice, which requires an understanding of the local context and of its history. The contribution describes the various stages that led from the development of the study to the engagement with local institutional and social actors, communication of study results, and participation in local initiatives on environmental justice. Finally, the text proposes some considerations on how researchers from a central institution can develop and conduct study activities to promote environmental justice at the local level.

The fairness of human resource management practices: an assessment by the justice sensitive.

Introduction: Although fairness is a pervasive and ongoing concern in organizations, the fairness of human resource management practices is often overlooked. This study examines how individual differences in justice sensitivity influence the extent to which human resource management practices are perceived to convey principles of organizational justice. Methods: Analysis was performed on a matching sample of 283 university students from three academic units in two countries having responded at two time points. Justice sensitivity was measured with the 40-item inventory developed and validated by Schmitt et al. (2010). Respondents were instructed to indicate to what extent each of 61 human resource management practices generally conveys principles of organizational justice. Results: Justice sensitivity was positively associated with subsequent assessments of the justice contents of human resource management practices. The distinction between self-oriented and other-oriented justice sensitivities was helpful in determining perceptions of these human resource management practices and of a subset of pay-for-performance practices. Discussion: The findings inform current research about the meanings borne by human resource management practices, and also increase understanding of entity judgment formation as an important aspect of systemic justice.

The return of drugs courts: Some important considerations.

Drugs courts can be praised for the rehabilitative health-treatment response they deliver to people with drugs dependence problems. This is when contrasted with traditional courts that operate on adversarial and retributive justice principles and do little to alleviate cycles of repeat drugs offending. Whilst drugs courts have been met with success and embraced in several jurisdictions worldwide, fundamental points need to be raised on the model that is re-emerging in England and Wales. Indications are it will involve drugs testing and a 'graduated sanctions and incentives system' that comprises short custodial sentences for non-compliance. This essay discusses the newly emerging drugs court model as signposted within different legislative and public policy documents and raises questions relating to the precise model these courts will take; whether they prioritise harm reduction or if 'abstinence' goals will predominate. We question whether people with drugs dependence problems should be sanctioned to short custodial prison sentences if in breach of a drugs court order. And perhaps more fundamentally: do we need drugs courts in the English and Welsh justice system?

Hitting the target and missing the point? A BEME systematic review of evidence regarding the efficacy of statutory and mandatory training in health and care: BEME Guide No. 87.

BACKGROUND: Mandatory training is considered fundamental to establishing and maintaining high standards of professional practice. There is little evidence however, of the training either achieving its required learning outcomes, or delivering improvement in outcomes for patients. Whist organisations may be hitting their compliance target for mandatory training, is the purpose missing the point? This systematic review aims to synthesize and evaluate the efficacy of statutory and mandatory training. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, CNAHL, ERIC and Cochrane Central registers were searched on 23rd May 2023. All research designs were included and reported training had to specify an organisational mandate within a healthcare setting. Data was coded using a modified Kirkpatrick (KP) rating system. Critical appraisal was undertaken using the Modified Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument, Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Qualitative Studies checklist and Mixed Methods Assessment Tool. RESULTS: Twenty-five studies were included, featuring 9132 participants and 1348 patient cases audited. Studies described evaluation of mandatory training according to Kirkpatrick's outcomes levels 1-4b, with the majority (68%) undertaken in the UK and within acute settings. Training duration varied from 5 min to 3 days. There is a lack of consensus regarding mandatory training rationale, core topics, duration, and optimum refresher training period. Currently, mandatory training does not consistently translate to widescale improvements in safe practice or improved patient outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Due to the lack of international consensus regarding the need for mandated training, most papers originated from countries with centrally administered national health care systems. The rationale for mandating training programmes remains undefined. The assumption that mandatory training is delivering safe practice outcomes is not supported by studies included in this review. The findings of this review offer a basis for further research to be undertaken to assist with the design, facilitation, and impact of mandatory training.

Person, People, Planet: Eco-Systematic Analysis of Older Adults' Experiences of Engagement with Nature and Discourse About Nature.

This study combined ecological, environmental, nature-based, and epistemic interpretations of older adulthood to gain a previously unresearched look at how older adults feel that their relations with nature are treated by others. Sixty older adults were interviewed in-depth, and data was analyzed using the Eco-Appreciation framework and Thematic Content Analysis. The results indicate the concurrence of processes of withdrawal of older adults from spaces of nature and discourse about nature. These processes obstruct older adults' wellbeing; entail the infliction of existential epistemic injustices and "eco-ageism" toward them; and emphasize the crucial role social work can play in responding thereto.

Unpacking Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status in Children's Health Research from an Environmental Justice Perspective: A Scoping Review.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Clearly defining and measuring neighborhood socioeconomic status (nSES) is a key first step in achieving environmental justice, as the disproportionate distribution of environmental hazards and access to resources is heavily influenced by socioeconomic factors. This scoping review explores the definition of neighborhoods, measurement of neighborhood socioeconomic status (nSES), and studies that evaluated the association between nSES and child health in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. RECENT FINDINGS: We identified 4112 articles published on US pediatric populations between 2013 and 2022. We identified 170 distinct indicators across seven broad domains of nSES used to create 121 different measures of nSES across the 206 publications included in this review. While there is considerable interest in nSES and children's health, there is also substantial variation in the measurement of neighborhood as a geographic unit and nSES as a construct. We observed methodological challenges related to the identification of neighborhood boundaries, indicator selection, and nSES measure definition(s). We discuss common pitfalls in neighborhood research that can complicate identifying, targeting, and resolving environmental injustices. Lastly, we put forward a series of recommendations to reduce measurement error and improve inference, in addition to reporting recommendations for neighborhoods and health research that can aid in improving our understanding of pathways between neighborhood context and child health, inform policy development, and allocate resources to achieve environmental justice.

The impact of perceived organizational justice on young nurses' job performance: a chain mediating role of organizational climate and job embeddedness.

BACKGROUND: The level of nurses' job performance has always been of great concern, which not only represents the level of nursing service quality but is also closely related to patients' treatment and prognosis. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between perceived organizational justice and job performance and to explore the mediating role of organizational climate and job embeddedness among young Chinese nurses. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 1136 young nurses was conducted between March and May 2023 using convenience sampling. Data were collected using the Job Performance Scale, Organizational Justice Assessment Scale, Nursing Organizational Climate Scale, and Job Embeddedness Scale, and the resulting data were analyzed using SPSS 25.0 and AMOS 26.0. RESULTS: There was a significant positive correlation between job performance and perceived organizational justice (r = 0.477, p < 0.01), organizational climate (r = 0.500, p < 0.01), and job embeddedness (r = 0.476, p < 0.01). Organizational climate and job embeddedness acted as chain mediators between perceived organizational justice and job performance. The total effect of perceived organizational justice on job performance (ß = 0.513) consisted of a direct effect (ß = 0.311) as well as an indirect effect (ß = 0.202) mediated through organizational climate and job embeddedness, with the mediating effect accounting for 39.38% of the total effect. CONCLUSIONS: Organizational climate and job embeddedness play a chain mediating role between perceived organizational justice and job performance, so hospital managers should pay attention to the level of perceived organizational justice among young nurses, and develop a series of targeted measures to improve their job performance using organizational climate and job embeddedness as entry points.

Organizational and social justice paradoxes in EDI.

This perspective article positions social justice as an addition to the aims of organizational justice, and core to diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI). It problematizes simplistic DEI rhetoric and positions paradoxes within DEI, as experienced by employers, based on an explanation of key justice concepts and the introduction of fairness, equality, desert, and need. The paper broadens perspective-taking beyond a sole focus on beneficiaries of DEI, towards tensions that employers experience in working towards the aims of workplace justice, including the embeddedness of social justice within both organizations and social systems. The paper concludes with avenues for future research and a call to carefully examine simplistic notions of organizational justice in effecting DEI, suggesting a paradoxical lens on embracing, rather than avoiding, multiple and often conflicting workplace justice imperatives.

The Power of Proximity: Toward an Ethic of Accompaniment in Surgical Care.

Although the field of surgical ethics focuses primarily on informed consent, surgical decision-making, and research ethics, some surgeons have started to consider ethical questions regarding justice and solidarity with poor and minoritized populations. To date, those calling for social justice in surgical care have emphasized increased diversity within the ranks of the surgical profession. This article, in contrast, foregrounds the agency of those most affected by injustice by bringing to bear an ethic of accompaniment. The ethic of accompaniment is born from a theological tradition that has motivated work to improve health outcomes in those at the margins through its emphasis on listening, solidarity against systemic drivers of disease, and proximity to individuals and communities. Through a review of surgical ethics and exploration of a central patient case, we argue for applying an ethic of accompaniment to the care of surgical patients and their communities.

The future of childhood maltreatment research: Diversity and equity-informed perspectives for inclusive methodology and social justice.

A long-standing practice in clinical and developmental psychology research on childhood maltreatment has been to consider prospective, official court records to be the gold standard measure of childhood maltreatment and to give less weight to adults' retrospective self-reports of childhood maltreatment, sometimes even treating this data source as invalid. We argue that both formats of assessment - prospective and retrospective - provide important information on childhood maltreatment. Prospective data drawn from court records should not necessarily be considered the superior format, especially considering evidence of structural racism in child welfare. Part I overviews current maltreatment definitions in the context of the developmental psychopathology (DP) framework that has guided maltreatment research for over 40 years. Part II describes the ongoing debate about the disproportionalities of minoritized children at multiple decision-making stages of the child welfare system and the role that racism plays in many minoritized families' experience of this system. Part III offers alternative interpretations for the lack of concordance between prospective, official records of childhood maltreatment and retrospective self-reports, and for the differential associations between each format of data with health outcomes. Moving forward, we recommend that future DP research on childhood maltreatment apply more inclusive, diversity and equity-informed approaches when assessing and interpreting the effects of childhood maltreatment on lifespan and intergenerational outcomes. We encourage future generations of DP scholars to use assessment methods that affirm the lived experiences of individuals and families who have directly experienced maltreatment and the child welfare system.

Judicial Actors' Understanding of the Mental Health Impacts of Intimate Partner Violence: A Scoping Review.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global public health issue that has grave physical and mental health consequences for millions of women. The judicial system plays a critical role in responding to IPV principally through the criminal justice system, family law, and/or child welfare jurisdictions. However, victims/survivors who interact with the legal system report negative experiences. An under-researched area of scholarship is the degree to which judicial actors understand the mental health impacts of IPV on victims/survivors and how they apply that knowledge in practice. This scoping review aimed to identify and synthesize existing scholarship on judicial actors' understanding of the mental health impacts of IPV on women survivors. We searched 10 databases (Medline, Scopus, PubMed, PsycINFO, EMBASE, Westlaw, HeinOnline, the Cochrane Library, and the Joanna Briggs Library databases) for studies published between 2000 and 2023. A total of 27 studies were included in the review. We identified five main themes, including: awareness of survivors' experiences, gap in judicial actors' knowledge, understanding of perpetrator tactics and risk factors, disclosing mental health problems, training, and guidance. The review highlights significant gaps in judicial actors' understanding of this issue and recommends strategies to increase the awareness and understanding of IPV among judicial actors. The findings can be used to justify future research to better understand the training and development needs of judicial actors to improve their level of awareness of the dynamics and impact of IPV and to make policy and practice recommendations to build the capacity of the judicial workforce.