Design of a Mindfulness Virtual Community: A focus-group analysis.

Mental illnesses are on the rise on campuses worldwide. There is a need for a scalable and economically sound innovation to address these mental health challenges. The aim of this study was to explore university students' needs and concerns in relation to an online mental health virtual community. Eight focus groups (N = 72, 55.6% female) were conducted with university students aged 18-47 (mean = 23.38, SD = 5.82) years. Participants were asked about their views in relation to online mental health platform. Three major themes and subthemes emerged: (1) perceived concerns: potential loss of personal encounter and relationships, fear of cyber bullying, engagement challenge, and privacy and distraction; (2) perceived advantages: anonymity and privacy, convenience and flexibility, filling a gap, and togetherness; and (3) desired features: user-centered design, practical trustworthy support, and online moderation. The analysis informed design features for a mindfulness virtual community.

Symptoms and Experience of Depression Among Chinese Communities in the West: A Scoping Review.

Despite the increasing presence of Chinese communities in the West, their experiences of depression and the variations in symptoms or presentation are not well understood. Using Arksey and O'Malley's methodical framework, we conducted a scoping review of the published literature, using electronic databases MEDLINE and PsycINFO, and searched for articles published since 1999. Out of 1177 articles identified, 21 met the inclusion criteria. Thematic synthesis revealed valuable scholarly work on (1) depression rates, migration, and contextual determinants, (2) causation beliefs and help seeking, (3) acculturation and symptoms, (4) presenting symptoms and somatization, and (5) culturally sensitive assessment and care. Overall, this review has identified the importance of contextual determinants in the development of depression, low rates of seeking of professional help, subtle variations in somatization, and knowledge gaps in culturally sensitive care. The findings suggest that, rather than treating migration as a cause of mental distress, the accompanying conditions and events need to be further examined and addressed as potential risk or protective factors. Subtle variations in somatization are also evident, and future scholarly work should examine the notion of cultural scripts-namely, that people attend and react to particular experiences in culturally based ways. For this reason (among others), practice models need to develop strategies for culturally sensitive care, such as co-construction of illness narratives and finding common ground. Given the stigma of mental illness and the low level of seeking professional help, the role of primary care should be expanded. Further studies investigating mental health issues beyond depression are also warranted in the studied community.

A Student-Centered Mental Health Virtual Community Needs and Features: A Focus Group Study.

Mental health is a pervasive challenge in the population and especially for university/college students on campuses across North America. Anxiety, stress and depression are on the rise and a scalable, economically sound innovation is essential to address these mental health challenges. The research team has conducted 8 focus groups in April to May 2016 in order to elicit perspectives of students at York University about their online activities and the development of an online mindfulness based Mental Health Virtual Community. This paper explains the main results of the qualitative analysis pertaining to the challenges and benefits of an online mindfulness based Mental Health Virtual Community.

High background rates of positive tuberculosis-specific interferon-γ release assays in a low prevalence region of UK: a surveillance study.

BACKGROUND: Background rates of latent tuberculosis infection in low prevalence regions of Britain are unknown. These would be valuable data for interpreting positive IGRA results, and guiding cost-benefit analyses. The management of a large outbreak of tuberculosis occurring in a rural district hospital provided an opportunity to determine the background rates and epidemiology of IGRA-positivity amongst unselected hospital patients in a low-prevalence region of U.K. METHODS: As part of a public health surveillance project we identified 445 individuals exposed to the index cases for clinical assessment and testing by a TB-specific interferon-γ release assay (IGRA): T-Spot.TB. Uniquely, an additional comparator group of 191 age-matched individuals without specific recent exposure, but with a similar age distribution and demographic, were recruited from the same wards where exposure had previously occurred, to undergo assessment by questionnaire and IGRA. RESULTS: Rates of IGRA positivity were 8.7% (95%CI, 4.2-13, n=149) amongst unexposed patients, 9.5%(3.0-22, n=21) amongst unexposed staff, 22%(14-29, n=130) amongst exposed patients, 11%(6.1-16, n=142) amongst exposed staff. Amongst the individuals without history of recent exposure to the outbreak, IGRA-positivity was associated with prior TB treatment (OR11, P.04) and corticosteroid use (OR5.9, P.02). Background age-specific prevalences of IGRA-positivity amongst unexposed individuals were: age <40 0%(N/A), age 40-59 15%(12-29), age 60-79 7.0%(1.1-13), age≥80 10%(5.9-19). CONCLUSIONS: Background rates of IGRA-positivity remain high amongst unselected white-Caucasian hospital inpatients in U.K. These data will aid interpretation of future outbreak studies. As rates peak in the 5th and 6th decade, given an ageing population and increasing iatrogenic immunosuppression, reactivation of LTBI may be a persistent hazard in this population for several decades to come.

Youth Tobacco Cessation Collaborative and National Blueprint for Action.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the formation of the Youth Tobacco Cessation Collaborative (YTCC), a voluntary collaborative of leading funders of youth tobacco cessation research and services. METHODS: The long-term goal and specific short-term (2-year) goals, strategies, and accomplishments are briefly described with reference to its guiding action plan: National Blueprint for Action: Youth and Young Adult Tobacco-Use Cessation. RESULTS: Aiming to accelerate the pace of discovery and application, YTCC efforts have created a strategic vision for making progress toward filling key knowledge and intervention gaps. CONCLUSIONS: Lessons learned about effective partnership are reviewed, and future directions are described.

Application of a better practices framework to review youth tobacco use cessation.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the Better Practices model and its application to review youth tobacco cessation practices. METHODS: Growing emphasis on evidence-based practice in health has drawn attention to methods for the identification of "best practices." Canadian organizations and government collaborated to develop a framework for "better" practices. RESULTS: An international group of experts used the model to develop recommendations for the practice of youth cessation and further research needed to advance the field. CONCLUSIONS: Tension persits between the need for rigor in research and the need for practical intervention guidance. The Better Practices model provided a framework for action recognizing these needs, and its use resulted in a number of valuable products.

Better practices for youth tobacco cessation: evidence of review panel.

OBJECTIVES: To offer programmers, policy makers, and researchers a scientific basis for developing and selecting smoking cessation treatments for adolescents. METHODS: An evidence review panel systematically rated published and unpublished reports of cessation treatments for youth to make recommendations on theoretical foundations, delivery settings, types of intervention, and provider type. RESULTS: Twenty studies had sufficient validity to inform the recommendations. The 9 studies that reported treatments that increased cessation were based on social cognitive theory. CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive-behavioral interventions are a promising approach for helping young smokers quit smoking. Evidence is insufficient to draw other conclusions at this time.

Recommendations and guidance for practice in youth tobacco cessation.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize recommendations from Youth Tobacco Cessation: A Guide for Making Informed Decisions for careful consideration, selection, implementation, and evaluation of youth cessation interventions. METHODS: Recommendations were developed from an evidence review and consensus from a multidisciplinary advisory panel. RESULTS: Identified essential elements for selecting, planning, delivering, and evaluating youth cessation interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Until there is more evidence for effectiveness of youth specific cessation interventions, clinicians and practitoners should adopt treatments that use cognitive-behavioral approaches for youth cessation interventions that require careful planning and rigorous evaluation.

Improving the future of youth smoking cessation.

OBJECTIVES: To provide recommendations that will build a better foundation for research on youth smoking cessation. METHODS: The Youth Tobacco Collaborative Cessation panel evaluated youth tobacco cessation literature and convened meetings to reach consensus. RESULTS: Methodological issues include design, recruitment and retention, follow-up, measurement, and youth vernacular. Research gaps include youth characteristics, theoretical approaches, delivery settings, and type of provider. Thirteen key research components for reporting are addressed. CONCLUSIONS: Given the dearth of studies on youth smoking cessation, scientifically rigorous studies need to be conducted with attention to methodological issues, research gaps, and reporting of key research components.

A call for action to support best practices in evaluation of comprehensive tobacco control evaluation strategies.

The National Tobacco Control Best Practices Working Group convened a two-day workshop to support best practices in evaluation of comprehensive tobacco control strategies. A Better Practices Model, aimed at developing a self-correcting system for best practices, guided the workshop content and process. Organizers intended to identify a common surveillance and monitoring framework for tobacco control strategies in Canada by first building strong working relationships between 44 decision-makers, practitioners and researchers from 12 Canadian jurisdictions. Participants identified needs and recommendations related to increased understanding and use of uniform evaluation strategies, building capacity, and recognition of the complexity of the task of evaluating comprehensive tobacco control strategies. The workshop highlighted the need for increased communication to facilitate understanding across the different sectors of participants. It also identified the potential benefits of harmonization in evaluation of tobacco control strategies across jurisdictions. Priority actions include forming a national team to agree on a model for evaluation, conducting an environmental scan for indicators, planning evaluation / monitoring and research agendas and determining roles for various stakeholders.