The Role of Scientific Research in Human Papillomavirus Vaccine Discussions on Twitter: Social Network Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Attitudes toward the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine and accuracy of information shared about this topic in web-based settings vary widely. As real-time, global exposure to web-based discourse about HPV immunization shapes the attitudes of people toward vaccination, the spread of misinformation and misrepresentation of scientific knowledge contribute to vaccine hesitancy. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aimed to better understand the type and quality of scientific research shared on Twitter (recently rebranded as X) by vaccine-hesitant and vaccine-confident communities. METHODS: To analyze the use of scientific research on social media, we collected tweets and retweets using a list of keywords associated with HPV and HPV vaccines using the Academic Research Product Track application programming interface from January 2019 to May 2021. From this data set, we identified tweets referring to or sharing scientific literature through a Boolean search for any tweets with embedded links, hashtags, or keywords associated with scientific papers. First, we used social network analysis to build a retweet or reply network to identify the clusters of users belonging to either the vaccine-confident or vaccine-hesitant communities. Second, we thematically assessed all shared papers based on typology of evidence. Finally, we compared the quality of research evidence and bibliometrics between the shared papers in the vaccine-confident and vaccine-hesitant communities. RESULTS: We extracted 250 unique scientific papers (including peer-reviewed papers, preprints, and gray literature) from approximately 1 million English-language tweets. Social network maps were generated for the vaccine-confident and vaccine-hesitant communities sharing scientific research on Twitter. Vaccine-hesitant communities share fewer scientific papers; yet, these are more broadly disseminated despite being published in less prestigious journals compared to those shared by the vaccine-confident community. CONCLUSIONS: Vaccine-hesitant communities have adopted communication tools traditionally wielded by health promotion communities. Vaccine-confident communities would benefit from a more cohesive communication strategy to communicate their messages more widely and effectively.

Individual and Geospatial Determinants of Health Associated With School-Based Human Papillomavirus Immunization in Alberta: Population-Based Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection causes nearly all cervical cancer cases and is a cause of anogenital and oropharyngeal cancers. The incidence of HPV-associated cancers is inequitable, with an increased burden on marginalized groups in high-income countries. Understanding how immunization status varies by material and social deprivation, health system, and geospatial factors is valuable for prioritizing and planning HPV immunization interventions. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to describe school-based HPV immunization rates by individual and geospatial determinants of health in Alberta, Canada. METHODS: Health administrative data for male and female individuals born in 2004 in Alberta were used to determine HPV immunization status based on age and the number of doses administered in schools during the 2014/2015-2018/2019 school years. Immunization status and its relationship with material and social deprivation and health system factors were assessed by a logistic regression model. Geospatial clustering was assessed using Getis-Ord Gi* hot spot analysis. Mean scores of material and social deprivation and health system factors were compared between hot and cold spots without full HPV immunization using independent samples t tests. A multidisciplinary team comprising researchers and knowledge users formed a co-design team to design the study protocol and review the study results. RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 45,207 youths. In the adjusted model, the odds of those who did not see their general practitioner (GP) within 3 years before turning 10 years old and not being fully immunized were 1.965 times higher (95% CI 1.855-2.080) than those who did see their GP. The odds of health system users with health conditions and health system nonusers not being fully immunized were 1.092 (95% CI 1.006-1.185) and 1.831 (95% CI 1.678-1.998) times higher, respectively, than health system users without health conditions. The odds of those who lived in areas with the most material and social deprivation not being fully immunized were 1.287 (95% CI 1.200-1.381) and 1.099 (95% CI 1.029-1.174) times higher, respectively, than those who lived in areas with the least deprivation. The odds of those who lived in rural areas not being fully immunized were 1.428 times higher (95% CI 1.359-1.501) than those who lived in urban areas. Significant hot spot clusters of individuals without full HPV immunization exist in rural locations on the northern and eastern regions of Alberta. Hot spots had significantly worse mean material deprivation scores (P=.008) and fewer GP visits (P=.001) than cold spots. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that material and social deprivation, health system access, and rural residency impact HPV immunization. Such factors should be considered by public health professionals in other jurisdictions and will be used by the Alberta co-design team when tailoring programs to increase HPV vaccine uptake in priority populations and regions.

The emergence of the EEG dominant rhythm across the first year of life.

The spectral composition of EEG provides important information on the function of the developing brain. For example, the frequency of the dominant rhythm, a salient features of EEG data, increases from infancy to adulthood. Changes of the dominant rhythm during infancy are yet to be fully characterized, in terms of their developmental trajectory and spectral characteristics. In this study, the development of dominant rhythm frequency was examined during a novel sustained attention task across 6-month-old (n = 39), 9-month-old (n = 30), and 12-month-old (n = 28) infants. During this task, computer-generated objects and faces floated down a computer screen for 10 s after a 5-second fixation cross. The peak frequency in the range between 5 and 9 Hz was calculated using center of gravity (CoG) and examined in response to faces and objects. Results indicated that peak frequency increased from 6 to 9 to 12 months of age in face and object conditions. We replicated the same result for the baseline. There was high reliability between the CoGs in the face, object, and baseline conditions across all channels. The developmental increase in CoG was more reliable than measures of mode frequency across different conditions. These findings suggest that CoG is a robust index of brain development across infancy.

Untangling Concepts of Financial Circumstances for Public Health Professionals and Scholars: A Glossary and Concept Map.

Public health discipline and practice have prioritized work on poverty and populations at high risk for material deprivation, with less consideration for the full spectrum of financial circumstances relative to well-being. Public health can make a much-needed contribution to this area, which is currently dominated by the financial industry, focused on individual behaviors, and lacking the definitional consensus needed for research and evaluation. A population-level lens can reveal the social determinants and health consequences of real or perceived poor financial circumstances. This article aims to improve conceptual understanding of financial circumstances among public health scholars and professionals. We identified concepts through a critical literature review of peer-reviewed and practice-based resources on financial well-being and financial strain. We developed a glossary of concepts related to financial circumstances and categorized concepts according to their level of influence using an approach informed by socioecological models. We provide a concept map that illustrates the relationships between concepts in the context of their levels of influence. This article will help to advance an agenda on financial well-being promotion in public health research and practice. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(1):79-89. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2023.307449).

Geospatial analysis and participant characteristics associated with colorectal cancer screening participation in Alberta, Canada: a population-based cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a leading cause of death in Canada and early detection can prevent deaths through screening. However, CRC screening in Alberta, Canada remains suboptimal and varies by sociodemographic and health system characteristics, as well as geographic location. This study aimed to further the understanding of these participant and health system characteristics associated with CRC screening in Alberta and identify clusters of regions with higher rates of overdue or unscreened individuals. METHODS: We included Albertans aged 52 to 74 as of December 31, 2019 (index date) and we used data from administrative health data sources and linked to the Alberta Colorectal Cancer Screening Program database to determine colorectal cancer screening rates. We used multivariable multinomial logistic regression analysis to investigate the relationship between sociodemographic, health system characteristics and participation in CRC screening. We used optimized Getis-Ord Gi* hot-spot analysis to identify hot and cold-spots in overdue for and no record of CRC screening. RESULTS: We included 919,939 Albertans, of which 65% were currently up to date on their CRC screening, 21% were overdue, and 14% had no record of CRC screening. Compared to Albertans who were currently up to date, those who were in older age groups, those without a usual provider of care, those who were health system non-users, and those living in more deprived areas were more likely to have no record of screening. Areas with high number of Albertans with no record of screening were concentrated in the North and Central zones. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed important variation in colorectal cancer screening participation across sociodemographic, health system and geographical characteristics and identified areas with higher proportions of individuals who have no record of screening or are under-screened in Alberta, Canada.

A perceptual field test in object experts using gaze-contingent eye tracking.

A hallmark of expert object recognition is rapid and accurate subordinate-category recognition of visually homogenous objects. However, the perceptual strategies by which expert recognition is achieved is less known. The current study investigated whether visual expertise changes observers' perceptual field (e.g., their ability to use information away from fixation for recognition) for objects in their domain of expertise, using a gaze-contingent eye-tracking paradigm. In the current study, bird experts and novices were presented with two bird images sequentially, and their task was to determine whether the two images were of the same species (e.g., two different song sparrows) or different species (e.g., song sparrow and chipping sparrow). The first study bird image was presented in full view. The second test bird image was presented fully visible (full-view), restricted to a circular window centered on gaze position (central-view), or restricted to image regions beyond a circular mask centered on gaze position (peripheral-view). While experts and novices did not differ in their eye-movement behavior, experts' performance on the discrimination task for the fastest responses was less impaired than novices in the peripheral-view condition. Thus, the experts used peripheral information to a greater extent than novices, indicating that the experts have a wider perceptual field to support their speeded subordinate recognition.

Novel risk patterns of vasovagal reactions in NZ blood donations complicated by COVID-19 restrictions.

Introduction: Vasovagal reactions (VVRs) are common but complex donor adverse reactions (DAEs) in blood donations. VVRs have been extensively studied with a multitude of risk factors identified including young age, female gender and first-time donor status. How they may interplay remains obscure. Methods: A total of 1,984,116 blood donations and 27,952 immediate VVRs (iVVRs) and 1,365 delayed VVRs (dVVRs) reported between 2011 and 2021 in NZ were used in multivariate logistic regression analyses each concerning donations with iVVRs as cases and those free of DAEs as controls. For each analysis stepwise selection was used to identify the best model and risk factors carrying significant main effects and/or interactions. Identified interactions informed further in-depth regression analyses to dissect iVVR risk patterns. Results: Over 95% of VVRs were iVVRs that had lower female preponderance and deferrals than dVVRs. iVVRs had a school seasonal pattern in whole blood donations driven by first-time donors from schools/colleges, and interactions between gender and age group differentiating the first-time from repeat donations. Subsequent regression analyses identified the known and novel risk factors of year and mobile collection sites and their interactions. iVVR rates were roundly elevated in 2020 and 2021 probably because of COVID-19 restrictions like facemask wearing. Exclusion of the 2020 and 2021 data removed the interactions with year, but confirmed interactions of gender with mobile collection sites (p = 6.2e-07) in first-time donations only and with age group in repeat donations only (p < 2.2e-16), together indicating young female donors at the highest risk of iVVRs. Our results also revealed that donation policy changes contributed to the year effects; donors had a lower iVVR risk at mobile sites than well-medicalized donation centers probably because of under-reporting. Conclusion: Modeling statistical interactions is valuable in identifying odds and revealing novel iVVR risk patterns and insights into blood donations.

HPV vaccine narratives on Twitter during the COVID-19 pandemic: a social network, thematic, and sentiment analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has increased online interactions and the spread of misinformation. Some researchers anticipate benefits stemming from improved public awareness of the value of vaccines while others worry concerns around vaccine development and public health mandates may have damaged public trust. There is a need to understand whether the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccine development, and vaccine mandates have influenced HPV vaccine attitudes and sentiments to inform health communication strategies. METHODS: We collected 596,987 global English-language tweets from January 2019-May 2021 using Twitter's Academic Research Product track. We determined vaccine confident and hesitant networks discussing HPV immunization using social network analysis. Then, we used a neural network approach to natural language processing to measure narratives and sentiment pertaining to HPV immunization. RESULTS: Most of the tweets in the vaccine hesitant network were negative in tone (54.9%) and focused on safety concerns surrounding the HPV vaccine while most of the tweets in the vaccine confident network were neutral (51.6%) and emphasized the health benefits of vaccination. Growth in negative sentiment among the vaccine hesitant network corresponded with legislative efforts in the State of New York to mandate HPV vaccination for public school students in 2019 and the WHO declaration of COVID-19 as a Global Health Emergency in 2020. In the vaccine confident network, the number of tweets concerning the HPV vaccine decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic but in both vaccine hesitant and confident networks, the sentiments, and themes of tweets about HPV vaccine were unchanged. CONCLUSIONS: Although we did not observe a difference in narratives or sentiments surrounding the HPV vaccine during the COVID-19 pandemic, we observed a decreased focus on the HPV vaccine among vaccine confident groups. As routine vaccine catch-up programs restart, there is a need to invest in health communication online to raise awareness about the benefits and safety of the HPV vaccine.

An action-oriented public health framework to reduce financial strain and promote financial wellbeing in high-income countries.

BACKGROUND: Perceived financial security impacts physical, mental, and social health and overall wellbeing at community and population levels. Public health action on this dynamic is even more critical now that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated financial strain and reduced financial wellbeing. Yet, public health literature on this topic is limited. Initiatives targeting financial strain and financial wellbeing and their deterministic effects on equity in health and living conditions are missing. Our research-practice collaborative project addresses this gap in knowledge and intervention through an action-oriented public health framework for initiatives targeting financial strain and wellbeing. METHODS: The Framework was developed using a multi-step methodology that involved review of theoretical and empirical evidence alongside input from a panel of experts from Australia and Canada. In an integrated knowledge translation approach, academics (n = 14) and a diverse group of experts from government and non-profit sectors (n = 22) were engaged throughout the project via workshops, one-on-one dialogues, and questionnaires. RESULTS: The validated Framework provides organizations and governments with guidance for the design, implementation, and assessment of diverse financial wellbeing- and financial strain-related initiatives. It presents 17 priority actionable areas (i.e., entry points for action) likely to have long-lasting, positive effects on people's financial circumstances, contributing to improved financial wellbeing and health. The 17 entry points relate to five domains: Government (All Levels), Organizational & Political Culture, Socioeconomic & Political Context, Social & Cultural Circumstances, and Life Circumstances. CONCLUSIONS: The Framework reveals the intersectionality of root causes and consequences of financial strain and poor financial wellbeing, while also reinforcing the need for tailored actions to promote socioeconomic and health equity for all people. The dynamic, systemic interplay of the entry points illustrated in the Framework suggest opportunities for multi-sectoral, collaborative action across government and organizations towards systems change and the prevention of unintended negative impacts of initiatives.

Face race and sex impact visual fixation strategies for upright and inverted faces in 3- to 6-year-old children.

Everyday face experience tends to be biased, such that infants and young children interact more often with own-race and female faces leading to differential processing of faces within these groups relative to others. In the present study, visual fixation strategies were recorded using eye tracking to determine the extent to which face race and sex/gender impact a key index of face processing in 3- to 6-year-old children (n = 47). Children viewed male and female upright and inverted White and Asian faces while visual fixations were recorded. Face orientation was found to have robust effects on children's visual fixations, such that children exhibited shorter first fixation and average fixation durations and a greater number of fixations for inverted compared to upright face trials. First fixations to the eye region were also greater for upright compared to inverted faces. Fewer fixations and longer duration fixations were found for trials with male compared to female faces and for upright compared to inverted unfamiliar-race faces, but not familiar-race faces. These findings demonstrate evidence of differential fixation strategies toward different types of faces in 3- to 6-year-old children, illustrating the importance of experience in the development of visual attention to faces.

A Policy-Ready Public Health Guidebook of Strategies and Indicators to Promote Financial Well-Being and Address Financial Strain in Response to COVID-19.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic has adversely affected the financial well-being of populations globally, escalating concerns about links with health care and overall well-being. Governments and organizations need to act quickly to protect population health relative to exacerbated financial strain. However, limited practice- and policy-relevant resources are available to guide action, particularly from a public health perspective, that is, targeting equity, social determinants of health, and health-in-all policies. Our study aimed to create a public health guidebook of strategies and indicators for multisectoral action on financial well-being and financial strain by decision makers in high-income contexts. METHODS: We used a multimethod approach to create the guidebook. We conducted a targeted review of existing theoretical and conceptual work on financial well-being and strain. By using rapid review methodology informed by principles of realist review, we collected data from academic and practice-based sources evaluating financial well-being or financial strain initiatives. We performed a critical review of these sources. We engaged our research-practice team and government and nongovernment partners and participants in Canada and Australia for guidance to strengthen the tool for policy and practice. RESULTS: The guidebook presents 62 targets, 140 evidence-informed strategies, and a sample of process and outcome indicators. CONCLUSION: The guidebook supports action on the root causes of poor financial well-being and financial strain. It addresses a gap in the academic literature around relevant public health strategies to promote financial well-being and reduce financial strain. Community organizations, nonprofit organizations, and governments in high-income countries can use the guidebook to direct initiative design, implementation, and assessment.

Fact or Fiction? The Development and Evaluation of a Tobacco Virtual Health Tool.

The virtual setting is an important setting for health promotion as individuals increasingly go online for health information and support. Yet, users can have difficulty finding valid, trustworthy, and user-friendly health information online. In 2022, we launched an interactive Fact or Fiction Tobacco virtual health tool. The virtual health tool uses evidence-informed tailored content to engage users and refer them to local tobacco cessation resources. The present paper describes the development, user testing, and evaluation of this tool. The Fact or Fiction virtual health tool was designed by tobacco cessation and health marketing experts and informed by health behaviour theories of change. The tool captures data on who is seeking health information, the user's stage of readiness to quit tobacco products, and whether they act by accessing referred resources. In 2021, we conducted two phases of user testing prior to marketing the tool publicly. After 7 weeks of marketing, we collected data on user interactions with the tool and evaluated the reach of the tool. Results from user testing found the tool to be engaging, easy to use, and quick to complete. Adaptations were made to simplify and condense text and include additional animations. During the first seven weeks of the tool being live, it reached 2306 users, and 38.7% of those users were current or occasional tobacco users. Users were classified based on their intention to quit. Bivariate analysis found that the tool was successful in driving tobacco users towards action as 21.2% tobacco users who were looking to quit and 8.8% of tobacco users who were not looking to quit clicked on local tobacco cessation resources. This virtual health tool is reaching the targeted population and providing tailored information needed at each stage of the continuum of health behaviour change. Among tobacco users looking to quit, this virtual health tool acts as a quick referral to local tobacco cessation resources.

A label isn't just a label: Brief training leads to label-dependent visuo-cortical processing in adults.

The current study examines the extent to which hearing individual-level names (e.g., Jimmy) and category-level labels (e.g., Hitchel) paired with novel objects impacts neural responses across a brief (6 min) learning period. Event-related Potentials (ERPs) were recorded while adult participants (n = 44) viewed and heard exemplars of two different species of named novel objects. ERPs were examined for each labeling condition and compared across the first and second half of the learning trials (∼3 min/half). Mean amplitude decreased for the P1 and increased for the N170 from the first to the second half of trials. The decrease in P1 was right lateralized. In addition, the P1 amplitude recorded over right occipitotemporal regions was greater than left occipitotemporal areas, but only for objects paired with individual-level labels. Category-level labels did not show regional P1 differences. The N250 component was greatest over the right occipitotemporal region and was enhanced for objects labeled with individual-level relative to category-level names during the second half of trials. Overall, these findings highlight the unfolding of label-dependent visual processing across a short training period in adults. The results suggest that linguistic labels have an important, top-down impact, on visual processing and that label specificity shapes visuo-cortical responses within a 6-min learning period.

Factors influencing human papillomavirus school-based immunization in Alberta: A mixed-methods study protocol.

More than 1,300 Canadians are diagnosed with cervical cancer annually, which is nearly preventable through human papillomavirus (HPV) immunization. Across Canada, coverage rates remain below the 90% target set out by the Action Plan for the Elimination of Cervical Cancer in Canada (2020-2030). To support this Plan, the Canadian Partnership Against Cancer has commissioned the Urban Public Health Network (UPHN) to coordinate a quality improvement project with Canada's school-based HPV immunization programs. In Alberta, the UPHN partnered with Alberta Health Services (AHS) for this work. This study has one overarching research question: what are parent/guardian and program stakeholder perceived barriers, enablers and opportunities to immunization for youth as part of the school-based HPV immunization program in Alberta? This study uses a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design. A survey will be emailed to a sample of Albertans with children aged 11-17 years. Questions will be based on a Conceptual Framework of Access to Health Care. Subsequent qualitative work will explore the survey's findings. Parents/guardians identifying as vaccine hesitant in the survey will be invited to participate in virtual, semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Stakeholders of the school-based immunization program will be purposively sampled from AHS' five health zones for virtual focus groups. Quantitative data will be analyzed using SAS Studio 3.6 to carry out descriptive statistics and, using logistic regression, investigate if Framework constructs are associated with parents'/guardians' decision to immunize their children. Qualitative data will be analyzed using NVivo 12 to conduct template thematic analysis guided by the Framework. Study results will provide insights for Alberta's public health practitioners to make evidence-informed decisions when tailoring the school-based HPV immunization program to increase uptake in vaccine hesitant populations. Findings will contribute to the national study, which will culminate in recommendations to increase HPV immunization uptake nationally and progress towards the 90% coverage target.

Investigating the early impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on modifiable risk factors for cancer and chronic disease: a repeated cross-sectional study in Alberta, Canada.

OBJECTIVES: This study contributes to empirical evidence by examining the impact of the first and second waves of the COVID-19 pandemic on modifiable risk factors (MRF) and whether these patterns differ according to level of material deprivation among people living in Alberta. METHODS: Using data from a repeated cross-sectional provincial health survey (Alberta Community Health Survey (ACHS): 2018-2021), we conducted logistic regression analyses examining the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on meeting national guidelines on four MRFs (tobacco use, physical activity, fruit and vegetable consumption, alcohol use) (n=11,249). We compared population-level changes in MRFs from one year before the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2019-February 2020) to one year during the pandemic (March 2020-February 2021) in Alberta. We also assessed whether these trends differed by a measure of material deprivation. RESULTS: Compared to the pre-COVID-19 period, the fully adjusted odds of meeting recommended guidelines for fruit and vegetable consumption (OR=0.42) decreased during the pandemic. Individuals experiencing high material deprivation had lower odds of meeting recommended guidelines for physical activity (OR=0.65) and higher odds of not being current tobacco users (OR=1.36) during the pandemic versus during the pre-pandemic period. CONCLUSION: At a population level, analyses from the ACHS showed minimal impacts of the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic on MRFs, besides fruit and vegetable consumption. Yet, stratifying results showed statistically significant differences in pandemic impacts on MRFs by level of material deprivation. Therefore, understanding the influence of material deprivation on MRFs during the pandemic is key to tailoring future public health interventions promoting health and preventing cancer and chronic disease.

RéSUMé: OBJECTIFS: Notre étude contribue aux preuves empiriques en examinant l'impact de la première et de la deuxième vague de la pandémie de COVID-19 sur les facteurs de risque modifiables (FRM) et en déterminant si ces tendances diffèrent selon le niveau de défavorisation matérielle chez les personnes vivant en Alberta. MéTHODE: À l'aide des données d'une enquête de santé transversale provinciale répétée (Alberta Community Health Survey [ACHS] : 2018-2021), nous avons mené des analyses de régression logistique pour étudier les impacts de la pandémie de COVID-19 sur le respect des directives nationales pour quatre FRM (tabagisme, activité physique, consommation de fruits et légumes, consommation d'alcool) (n = 11 249). Nous avons comparé les changements populationnels dans les FRM une année avant la pandémie de COVID-19 (mars 2019 à février 2020) et une année durant la pandémie (mars 2020 à février 2021) en Alberta. Nous avons aussi cherché à déterminer si ces tendances différaient selon un indicateur de défavorisation matérielle. RéSULTATS: Comparativement à la période ayant précédé la COVID-19, le rapport de cotes entièrement ajusté pour le respect des directives de consommation de fruits et légumes recommandées (RC = 0,42) a diminué durant la pandémie. Les personnes aux prises avec une importante défavorisation matérielle ont présenté une probabilité plus faible de respecter les directives recommandées pour l'activité physique (RC = 0,65) et une probabilité accrue de ne pas être des consommateurs actuels de produits du tabac (OR = 1,36) durant la pandémie qu'avant la pandémie. CONCLUSION: Pour l'ensemble de la population, nos analyses de l'ACHS montrent que la première année de la pandémie de COVID-19 a eu très peu d'impact sur les FRM, sauf pour la consommation de fruits et légumes. Pourtant, la stratification des résultats montre des écarts significatifs dans les impacts de la pandémie sur les FRM selon le niveau de défavorisation matérielle. Il est donc essentiel de comprendre l'influence de la défavorisation matérielle sur les FRM durant la pandémie pour adapter les futures interventions de promotion de la santé et de prévention du cancer et des maladies chroniques.

Multisectoral partnerships to tackle complex health issues at the community level: lessons from a Healthy Communities Approach in rural Alberta, Canada.

SETTING: Health inequities exist in rural communities across Canada, as rural residents are more likely than their urban counterparts to experience injuries, chronic conditions, obesity, and shorter life expectancy. Cooperative and coordinated action across sectors is required to both understand and address these complex public health issues. INTERVENTION: The Alberta Healthy Communities Approach (AHCA) is based on the values and core building blocks of the Healthy Communities Approach, a framework centred on building community capacity to support community-led actions on the determinants of health. Adaptations within the AHCA focused on implementation mechanisms with a 5-step process and supporting implementation and assessment tools for multisectoral team building. Local measurement of change was enhanced and focused on community capacity and multisectoral action stages. Between 2016 and 2019, the AHCA was piloted with 15 rural communities across Alberta with population sizes ranging from 403 to 15,051 people. OUTCOMES: While communities piloting the AHCA ranged in the level of diversity of their coalition membership and partnerships, members' reflections demonstrate that intentional engagement with diverse citizens and sectors is pivotal to collaboratively identifying local assets and priorities and mobilizing cross-sectoral action that will sustainably improve supportive environments for cancer and chronic disease prevention. IMPLICATIONS: Engaging across sectors, building partnerships, and establishing a multisectoral team increase diversity and can catalyze community-led prioritization and actions for asset-based community development. An increase in diversity may lead to increased investment and sustainability at the community level.

RéSUMé: LIEU: Il existe des iniquités en santé dans les communautés rurales de tout le Canada, car les résidents ruraux sont plus susceptibles que leurs homologues urbains de connaître des blessures, des affections chroniques, l'obésité et une espérance de vie plus courte. Une action coopérative et coordonnée entre plusieurs secteurs est nécessaire à la fois pour comprendre ces problèmes de santé publique complexes et pour les aborder. INTERVENTION: L'approche des Communautés en santé de l'Alberta (AHCA) repose sur les valeurs et les composantes de base de l'approche des Communautés en santé, un cadre axé sur le renforcement des moyens de proximité pour soutenir des actions communautaires sur les déterminants de la santé. Les adaptations de l'AHCA ont porté sur les mécanismes de mise en œuvre de l'approche, dont un processus en cinq étapes et une aide à la création d'outils de mise en œuvre et d'évaluation pour la consolidation d'équipes multisectorielles. Les instruments de mesure du changement à l'échelle locale ont été améliorés et recentrés sur les moyens de proximité et les étapes de l'action multisectorielle. Entre 2016 et 2019, l'AHCA a été mise à l'essai dans 15 communautés rurales de l'Alberta comptant entre 403 et 15 051 habitants. RéSULTATS: Les communautés dans lesquelles l'AHCA a été mise à l'essai présentaient différents degrés de diversité dans les membres et les partenaires de leurs coalitions, mais les réflexions des membres montrent que la mobilisation intentionnelle d'une forte mixité de citoyens et de secteurs est cruciale pour définir de façon concertée les priorités et les atouts locaux et pour mobiliser une action intersectorielle qui instaure durablement des milieux favorables à la prévention du cancer et des maladies chroniques. CONSéQUENCES: L'implication de plusieurs secteurs, la création de partenariats et la formation d'une équipe multisectorielle accroissent la diversité et peuvent accélérer la définition des priorités collectives et les actions de développement de proximité fondées sur les atouts. Une augmentation de la diversité peut mener à des investissements et à une durabilité accrus à l'échelle des communautés.

An analysis of ALA-accredited MLS curricula indicates deficiencies in the initial training provided for public librarians.

BACKGROUND: Public librarians often address patron inquiries regarding health concerns. However, prior research indicates that public librarians may be unprepared to meet the health information requests of patrons. OBJECTIVE: This study examined the availability of health-themed courses in American Library Association (ALA) accredited Master of Library and Information Studies/Science (MLIS) programs. METHODS: Accredited MLIS programs were identified using the ALA directory. Curricula were reviewed for health content and public librarianship, children's, and young adult concentrations. Descriptive and bivariate analyses assessed the percent of programs that offered various health-related course content and the differences in availability of such content. RESULTS: Of the 59 accredited MLIS programs, only 35 (59.32%) listed at least one health elective and none listed a required health course. No MLIS programs that had a public library concentration (n = 21) listed a required or elective health course, two programs with a children's concentration (n = 25) listed health course electives, and one program with a young adult concentration (n = 25) listed a health course elective. CONCLUSION: ALA-accredited MLIS programs should consider increasing their offerings or requiring health-related courses to improve the training of public librarians to meet the health information needs of communities.

Exploring Multilevel Workplace Tobacco Control Interventions: A Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: The workplace provides a unique opportunity to intervene on tobacco use, by implementing multilevel interventions engaging diverse employees. Using the social ecological model (SEM), this scoping review aimed to synthesize descriptions of multilevel workplace tobacco control programs to create a health equity informed framework for intervention planning. METHODS: Multiple databases were searched for articles published from January 2010 to December 2020 meeting inclusion criteria (i.e., discussed multilevel tobacco cessation interventions that intervene, target, or incorporate two or more levels of influence, and one of the levels must be the workplace). Articles were screened by two independent researchers and included if they discussed multilevel tobacco cessation interventions that intervened, targeted, or incorporated two or more levels of influence. To integrate the extracted information into the SEM, we utilized the McLeroy et al. model and definitions to describe potential multilevel interventions and their determinants. RESULTS: Nine articles were included in this review. No studies intervened across all five levels (individual, interpersonal, institutional, community, and policy), and the most common levels of intervention were individual (e.g., individual counseling), interpersonal (e.g., group therapy), and institutional (e.g., interventions during work hours). Participation rates varied by key social determinants of health (SDOHs) such as age, gender, education and income. Barriers including cost and sustainability influenced successful implementation, while leadership endorsement and accessibility facilitated successful implementation. DISCUSSION/APPLICATION TO PRACTICE: Multilevel interventions targeting at least two SEM levels may reduce persistent health inequities if they address how SDOHs influence individual health behaviors. Employee characteristics impacted the success of tobacco cessation interventions, but more research is needed to understand the barriers and facilitators related to workplace characteristics.

The FreqTag toolbox: A principled approach to analyzing electrophysiological time series in frequency tagging paradigms.

Steady-state visual evoked potential (ssVEP) frequency tagging is an increasingly used method in electrophysiological studies of visual attention and perception. Frequency tagging is suitable for studies examining a wide range of populations, including infants and children. Frequency tagging involves the presentation of different elements of a visual array at different temporal rates, thus using stimulus timing to "tag" the brain response to a given element by means of a unique time signature. Leveraging the strength of the ssVEP frequency tagging method to isolate brain responses to concurrently presented and spatially overlapping visual objects requires specific signal processing methods. Here, we introduce the FreqTag suite of functions, an open source MATLAB toolbox. The purpose of the FreqTag toolbox is three-fold. First, it will equip users with a set of transparent and reproducible analytical tools for the analysis of ssVEP data. Second, the toolbox is designed to illustrate fundamental features of frequency domain and time-frequency domain approaches. Finally, decision criteria for the application of different functions and analyses are described. To promote reproducibility, raw algorithms are provided in a modular fashion, without additional hidden functions or transformations. This approach is intended to facilitate a fundamental understanding of the transformations and algorithmic steps in FreqTag, and to allow users to visualize and test each step in the toolbox.