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Disability and Health Journal Jan 2024Livability is a concept commonly featured in health research to help shape public policy decisions and improve local place settings. Although widely used, it is a... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Livability is a concept commonly featured in health research to help shape public policy decisions and improve local place settings. Although widely used, it is a contested concept known for its ambiguity and inconsistency of measurements. Other criticisms include the lack of equity perspectives and the underrepresentation of people with disabilities and inhabitants of non-metropolitan places.
OBJECTIVES
This review sought to identify the extent to which people with disabilities and non-metropolitan places are included in measurements of livability and to critically review and summarise i) livability definitions and uses, ii) livability places and populations, and iii) livability measurements.
METHODS
The scoping review followed Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework and the PRISMA extension for scoping reviews. The data extraction used meta-aggregation techniques to evaluate findings. A standardised mixed methods appraisal tool was used, and a novel classification of measurements was created.
RESULTS
Seventy-seven articles were included, and 1955 measurements were extracted. The overarching findings were: i) livability is inconsistently defined and assessed by measuring the performance of related and independent domains, ii) the population sample or the studies' participants are often not disclosed, non-metropolitan settings are overlooked, and equity is not generally applied or operationalised in measurements, and iii) there is an extensive lack of measurements considering people with disabilities and diversity within disabilities.
CONCLUSIONS
The assumptions of homogeneity in study populations in livability measurement literature overlook inequities experienced by people with disabilities and inhabitants of non-metropolitan settings. This review suggests recommendations for future research to assess livability from perspectives inclusive of human diversity.
Topics: Humans; Disabled Persons; Health Equity
PubMed: 37722993
DOI: 10.1016/j.dhjo.2023.101521 -
Sustainable Cities and Society Sep 2023The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted people's daily routines, including travel behaviors, social interactions, and work-related activities. However, the potential impacts...
The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted people's daily routines, including travel behaviors, social interactions, and work-related activities. However, the potential impacts of COVID-19 on the use of campus locations in higher education such as libraries, food courts, sports facilities, and other destinations are still unknown. Focusing on three largest universities in Texas (Texas A&M university, the University of Texas at Austin, and Texas Tech University), this study compares changes in campus destination visitations between pre and post COVID-19 outbreak (2019 Fall and 2021 Fall semesters, respectively) using the mobility data from SafeGraph. It also examines the potential moderation effects of walkable distance (i.e. 1 km) and greenery (i.e. NDVI value). The results presented the significant effects of COVID-19 on decreasing visitations to various campus places. The visitation decreased more significantly for people living within 1 km (defined as a walkable distance) of campus and for the food, eating, and drinking places and the sports, recreation, and sightseeing places. This finding suggests that those living near campus (mostly students) decreased their reliance on campus destinations, especially for eating/drinking and recreation purposes. The level of greeneries at/around campus destinations did not moderate campus visitations after COVID-19. Policy implications on campus health and urban planning were discussed.
PubMed: 37287765
DOI: 10.1016/j.scs.2023.104656 -
JAMA Network Open Jun 2024Although several interventions have been shown to be effective in preventing suicide at high-risk locations, the potential for these interventions to be deployed is...
IMPORTANCE
Although several interventions have been shown to be effective in preventing suicide at high-risk locations, the potential for these interventions to be deployed is limited by a lack of knowledge about where high-risk locations are and the factors associated with choosing these locations.
OBJECTIVE
To identify high-risk suicide locations in Australia and the factors associated with choosing these locations.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
This case-control study included data on individuals who died by suicide in Australia between January 2001 and December 2017, obtained from the National Coronial Information System. Data analysis was conducted from February to December 2021.
EXPOSURES
Sociodemographic, residential, incident time, and incident location variables.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
The scan statistic was used to detect spatial clusters of suicides in public locations. Suicide locations within significant clusters with at least 0.5 suicides per year were defined as high-risk locations. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to examine the factors associated with choosing a high-risk location.
RESULTS
Over the study period, 10 701 suicides took place in public places. The individuals who died of suicide in public places included 8602 (80.4%) male individuals, and most were aged 25 to 49 years (5825 [54.5%]). A total of 17 high-risk suicide locations in Australia were detected. These involved 495 suicides, which accounted for 4.6% of suicides in public locations. For suicides at high-risk locations, 82.2% (407 of 495) occurred at cliffs and bridges. Being female (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.73; 95% CI, 1.41-2.13), employed (aOR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.20-2.04), never married (aOR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.26-2.13), and from a major city (aOR, 3.94; 95% CI, 2.94-5.28) were associated with the choice of a high- over low-risk suicide location. High-risk locations tended to be in major cities.
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
This case-control study found 17 high-risk suicide locations in Australia and the factors associated with the choice of these locations. Actions should be taken to prevent suicide at these locations where possible.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Australia; Adult; Middle Aged; Case-Control Studies; Suicide; Risk Factors; Aged; Young Adult; Suicide Prevention; Adolescent
PubMed: 38900425
DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.17770 -
Frontiers in Psychology 2023In English mental health services, people with their own experience of mental distress have trained as Open Dialogue practitioners and have been employed as peer... (Review)
Review
In English mental health services, people with their own experience of mental distress have trained as Open Dialogue practitioners and have been employed as peer practitioners, co-working as equals alongside workers with professional backgrounds in Network Meetings. The conceptual underpinnings of the peer practitioner role have been drawn from the principles and relational approach of Intentional Peer Support. These have significant similarities with Open Dialogue, in terms of philosophical and theoretical orientations, with a particular focus on what happens in the "between" of a relational encounter. However, there are also significant differences in how practice principles are conceptualized, particularly around areas such as mutuality and self-disclosure. This article offers an analysis of this conceptual territory drawing on the relevant literature. This is then taken forward with the teasing out of specific practice principles that capture the unique contribution that peer practitioners can bring to Open Dialogue practice. These are derived through discussions that took place in an Action Learning Set for peer practitioners who have been involved in delivering Open Dialogue services in mainstream mental health service settings. This was part of a wider research study entitled The principles address how peer practitioners may be particularly well-placed to offer attunement, validation, connection and mutuality, and self-disclosure - and hence how they may be able to contribute an additional dimension to dialogical practice.
PubMed: 37663329
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1176839 -
Tobacco Control Mar 2024The primary objective of this observational study was to assess the status of public place and workplace compliance with smoke-free provisions in Ethiopia. (Observational Study)
Observational Study
OBJECTIVES
The primary objective of this observational study was to assess the status of public place and workplace compliance with smoke-free provisions in Ethiopia.
METHODS
This study was conducted in four regions of Ethiopia (Oromia; Sidama; Harari; and Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region) from September to October 2021. Data were collected using a standardised smoke-free checklist. Χ tests were used to assess the association between categorical variables and the smoke-free status. Multivariable binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with the presence of at least one person actively smoking.
RESULTS
Approximately 97% (95% CI 93.1%, 98.8%) of government buildings, 92.5% (95% CI 85.7%, 96.2%) of educational institutions, 89.8% (95% CI 86.3%, 92.5%) of bars, restaurants and cafés, 88.4% (95% CI 82.9%, 92.3%) of food establishments and 84.0% of hotels (95% CI 79.5%, 87.6%) were non-compliant with the tobacco control law. Overall, only 12.3% of sites met the requirements of the current smoke-free law. The multivariable logistic regression models showed that transit facilities (adjusted OR (AOR)=26.66 (95% CI 7.53, 94.41)) and being located in the Harari region (AOR=4.14 (95% CI 2.30, 7.45)) were strongly associated with the presence of active smoking observed during the site visit.
CONCLUSION
This study indicated that public place and workplace non-compliance level was very high in all sites. This calls for more effective implementation of complete smoke-free provisions across all government buildings and institutions in all regions, such as public educational campaigns about the laws and enforcement action for non-compliance. Furthermore, all regional states should adopt Federal Proclamation 1112/2019.
Topics: Humans; Tobacco Smoke Pollution; Ethiopia; Smoke-Free Policy; Workplace; Environment; Restaurants
PubMed: 36858817
DOI: 10.1136/tc-2022-057750 -
Journal of Public Health (Oxford,... Aug 2023Place-based health inequalities persist despite decades of academics and other stakeholders generating ideas and evidence on how to reduce them. This may in part reflect... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Place-based health inequalities persist despite decades of academics and other stakeholders generating ideas and evidence on how to reduce them. This may in part reflect a failure in effective knowledge exchange (KE). We aim to understand what KE strategies are effective in supporting actions on place-based determinants and the barriers and facilitators to this KE.
METHODS
An umbrella review was undertaken to identify relevant KE strategies. Systematic reviews were identified by searching academic databases (Medline, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science) and handsearching. Synthesis involved charting and thematic analysis.
RESULTS
Fourteen systematic reviews were included comprising 105 unique, relevant studies. Four approaches to KE were identified: improving access to knowledge, collaborative approaches, participatory models and KE as part of advocacy. While barriers and facilitators were reported, KE approaches were rarely evaluated for their effectiveness.
CONCLUSIONS
Based on these four approaches, our review produced a framework, which may support planning of future KE strategies. The findings also suggest the importance of attending to political context, including the ways in which this may impede a more upstream place-based focus in favour of behavioural interventions and the extent that researchers are willing to engage with politicized agendas.
Topics: Humans; Health Status Disparities; Systematic Reviews as Topic; Social Determinants of Health; Geography, Medical
PubMed: 36451281
DOI: 10.1093/pubmed/fdac146 -
International Journal of Nursing... Dec 2023An intersectional approach to health research provides an analytical foundation to explain the multidimensionality of health status, resource accessibility, privilege,...
BACKGROUND
An intersectional approach to health research provides an analytical foundation to explain the multidimensionality of health status, resource accessibility, privilege, oppression, and current and historical context. The use of intersectionality in health research has known limitations. Its use in health-related fields too often focuses on outcomes, such as health disparities, rather than processes, such as power structures and social determinants.
OBJECTIVE
This scoping review serves to examine how intersectionality has been implemented by nurses in the peer-reviewed literature. We offer insight into how it may be incorporated to inform future nursing research and healthcare provision.
DESIGN & METHODS
Systematic searches of PubMed ( = 257), SCOPUS ( = 807), EMBASE ( = 396), CINAHL ( = 224), and Health Source: Nursing and Academics ( = 491), published since the seminal publication on intersectionality (1989 - 2023), identified 131 research articles that met inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data extraction and synthesis were used to describe the breadth and depth of the literature specific to the application of intersectionality in nursing research.
RESULTS
The included studies used intersectionality to examine the intersections of numerous identities, such as race, gender, and immigration status. However, most studies were descriptive/observational in nature, underreported their methods, and conducted deficit-based research instead of strength-based inquiries. Of note, the vast majority of included articles were published within the last five years.
CONCLUSIONS
Future researchers using intersectionality as a framework can improve their approach by reporting clear definitions and operationalization of intersectionality. Observational science dominated the included studies; future research should focus on intervention development and evaluation using an intersectional lens. Lastly, caution should be placed on research that focuses solely on deficits among marginalized communities, which places scientists at risk of perpetuating stereotypes or enhancing already-existing stigmas.
PubMed: 37982092
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijnsa.2023.100155 -
Research and Reports in Urology 2023This study aimed to evaluate what objectives are most important to men undergoing radical prostatectomy to allow treating physicians to personalize perioperative... (Review)
Review
PURPOSE
This study aimed to evaluate what objectives are most important to men undergoing radical prostatectomy to allow treating physicians to personalize perioperative counselling and improve patient quality of life outcomes.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A predefined search protocol of the Medline and Embase databases was performed from database inception to May 2023. The search was limited to English language and full text. All articles with a specific consideration of patient objectives, preferences or reasons for decision to undergo radical prostatectomy were included for review.
RESULTS
Ten articles out of 375 screened met inclusion criteria for review. All 10 articles utilized a qualitative design and originated across 5 countries across the developed world. A common theme of men placing importance on having their tumor physically removed was found. Methodologies allowing free response beyond predefined categories identified a breadth of considerations including personal circumstance, personal belief and current function in the decision-making process. An investigation on radical prostatectomy performed robotically found some men placed preference on the quicker treatment time with surgery compared to radiation therapy, reflective of shorter recovery times with the robotic approach.
CONCLUSION
Variability in results across studies highlights the heterogeneity in patient preferences. Directed investigation of patient objectives with an open-ended questioning approach would personalize the perioperative experience and may improve patient satisfaction and quality of life outcomes.
PubMed: 38145157
DOI: 10.2147/RRU.S444033 -
Hormones and Behavior May 2024Central to the navigation of an ever-changing environment is the ability to form positive associations with places and conspecifics. The functions of location and social... (Review)
Review
Central to the navigation of an ever-changing environment is the ability to form positive associations with places and conspecifics. The functions of location and social conditioned preferences are often studied independently, limiting our understanding of their interplay. Furthermore, a de-emphasis on natural functions of conditioned preferences has led to neurobiological interpretations separated from ecological context. By adopting a naturalistic and ethological perspective, we uncover complexities underlying the expression of conditioned preferences. Development of conditioned preferences is a combination of motivation, reward, associative learning, and context, including for social and spatial environments. Both social- and location-dependent reward-responsive behaviors and their conditioning rely on internal state-gating mechanisms that include neuroendocrine and hormone systems such as opioids, dopamine, testosterone, estradiol, and oxytocin. Such reinforced behavior emerges from mechanisms integrating past experience and current social and environmental conditions. Moreover, social context, environmental stimuli, and internal state gate and modulate motivation and learning via associative reward, shaping the conditioning process. We highlight research incorporating these concepts, focusing on the integration of social neuroendocrine mechanisms and behavioral conditioning. We explore three paradigms: 1) conditioned place preference, 2) conditioned social preference, and 3) social conditioned place preference. We highlight nonclassical species to emphasize the naturalistic applications of these conditioned preferences. To fully appreciate the complex integration of spatial and social information, future research must identify neural networks where endocrine systems exert influence on such behaviors. Such research promises to provide valuable insights into conditioned preferences within a broader naturalistic context.
Topics: Animals; Reward; Motivation; Humans; Endocrine System; Social Behavior; Conditioning, Psychological; Association Learning
PubMed: 38492501
DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105529