The Impact of Relocation Patterns on Psychological Stress.

This study investigated how relocation patterns affect disaster survivors' psychological stress on the diverse durations and spaces of relocation. It analyzed a 10-year data set of 1,236 families affected by 2009's Typhoon Morakot in Taiwan, identifying six relocation patterns through dynamic time warping (DTW). A hierarchical linear model was utilized, revealing the discernible impacts of environmental factors, sociocultural factors, and family-level socioeconomic factors on psychological stress. The study revealed that survivors who quickly found stable residences after the disaster initially experienced lower stress levels, but in the long term, their stress increased. Conversely, those with unstable residences experienced higher initial stress but lower long-term stress. Comparing similar patterns, we found that survivors who had more time for preparation and who sought opportunities, coped, or adapted to secondary stressors before long-distance relocation faced lower stress levels. These findings suggest that relocation patterns have a greater impact on the psychosocial stress of disaster survivors than time or relocation distance.

Service evaluation: A grey area of research?

The National Health Service in the United Kingdom categorises research and research-like activities in five ways, such as 'service evaluation', 'clinical audit', 'surveillance', 'usual practice' and 'research'. Only activities classified as 'research' require review by the Research Ethics Committees. It is argued, in this position paper, that the current governance of research and research-like activities does not provide sufficient ethical oversight for projects classified as 'service evaluation'. The distinction between the categories of 'research' and 'service evaluation' can be a grey area. A considerable percentage of studies are considered as non-research and therefore not eligible to be reviewed by the Research Ethics Committee, which scrutinises research proposals rigorously to ensure they conform to established ethical standards, protecting research participants from harm, preserving their rights and providing reassurance to the public. This article explores the ethical discomfort potentially inherent in the activity currently labelled as 'service evaluation'.

Using Data Mining Strategies in Clinical Decision Making: A Literature Review.

Several data-mining models have been embedded in the clinical environment to improve decision making and patient safety. Consequently, it is crucial to survey the principal data-mining strategies currently used in clinical decision making and to determine the disadvantages and advantages of using these strategies in data mining in clinical decision making. A literature review was conducted, which identified 21 relevant articles. The article findings showed that multiple models of data mining were used in clinical decision making. Although data mining is efficient and accurate, the models are limited with respect to disease and condition.

An exploration into registered nurses' knowledge of adult fever in Scotland: A mixed method study.

BACKGROUND: Fever may be a result of many causes, infective or non-infective. Nurses' fever management can be affected by their knowledge and beliefs and also by patients' beliefs. Consequently, an understanding of fever is vital in the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of various ailments and diseases. Greater knowledge of fever will guide more accurate assessments of the epidemiology of fever and its management. OBJECTIVES: This study explored nurses' knowledge in the context of fever and identified factors that affected this knowledge acquisition. METHODS: A mixed methods approach was used with a validated questionnaire designed to gather information about nurses' knowledge of fever. This was followed up by semi-structured interviews to explore factors associated with the acquisition of fever knowledge. The online survey was distributed to registered nurses in Scotland. RESULTS: A total of 177 questionnaires were completed. The questionnaires were scored with a correct answer 1 point, while a wrong answer -1 point. The mean total score in the knowledge section was 0.47. Only 49.2 % of participants scored above 0. The stepwise linear regression demonstrated working experience in critical care unit, acute care unit and the role of nurse practitioner together could predict 10 % of the total knowledge score (P < 0.05). Through analysis of associations and qualitative data, it was found that many factors had contributed to the nurses' knowledge about fever, specifically educational content, individual confidence and the Sepsis Six bundle. CONCLUSIONS: Considerable misconceptions were found to exist in the nurses' understanding of fever. Only a few factors were found to be associated with the total knowledge score. It was highlighted that the due to the strong influence of the Sepsis Six bundle, participants often assumed a direct causal connection between fever and infectious disease or sepsis. The study result indicated a concern in nurses' acquisition of fever knowledge. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Misconceptions from foundational learning were found in nurses' understanding of fever. However, the Sepsis 6 was found to impact their current knowledge of fever.

Application of Pandemic Intelligence in Dynamic Data in Taiwan.

Taiwan was successful in containing the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in 2020. One major factor in this success was the compilation and provision of comprehensive information about the pandemic. The present study proposes a pandemic intelligence system that provides data on the number of epidemic prevention professionals in each county and city, as well as daily confirmed cases, the demographics of the confirmed cases, and available resources (negative-pressure room beds and artificial ventilation apparatuses) in hospitals. Furthermore, the system provides the location of pharmacies selling masks and their current inventories, as well as the distribution of crowds at popular tourist destinations and social-distance monitoring. The most frequently used map layer in the thematic map of the pandemic is that of crowd distribution during the study period from March 2020 until the end of the same year. The case study used in this investigation for applying the system is represented by the 4-day weekend for Tomb-Sweeping Day of 2020. Through the real-time analysis of dynamic data and the integration of intelligence, the system offers a clear insight into changes in relevant information and, thus, enables the preemptive deployment of control measures by the county/city governments regarding pandemic management.