Yoxas/statistical_literacy huggingface dataset:
The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the way health-related services are delivered, rapidly shifting from in-person to telehealth visits. To ensure that future healthcare providers are fully prepared to deliver services to families of youth with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDD), understanding telehealth's advantages and barriers is vital. To this end, data were gathered to inform the development of a nationally available telehealth curriculum aimed at training future healthcare professionals from the Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) network. Surveys were sent out nationally to current LEND trainees, practicing healthcare professionals, and family members of youth with NDD in November of 2020. Multiple choice and free response questions were completed and analyzed. A total of N = 208 surveys were completed (88 LEND trainees, 94 practicing professionals, 23 family members). Most survey respondents reported having positive experiences with telehealth. LEND trainees and current healthcare professionals cited increased access to care and engagement as the top benefit of telehealth. Most family members reported using telehealth services (78%) and felt it was superior to in-person visits in terms of location of visit, scheduling, and meeting transportation needs. Trainees and professionals agreed the top barriers to telehealth for families were lack of broadband access and complexity of implementation and use. LEND trainees agreed telehealth basics should be included in LEND curriculum. Trainees, professionals, and family members all agreed that knowing the basics of telehealth is essential for effective telehealth service delivery. Emerging healthcare professionals need to understand how those they will be serving engage with technology, their levels of experience in this area, and effective strategies for engaging children and youth with NDD through telehealth. This will bridge the engagement gap many families of children with disabilities face when not meeting in person. Findings from this study contributed to the design of learning materials that currently support LEND trainees across the country in developing these skills.
The COVID-19 pandemic transformed healthcare delivery with the rapid adoption of telehealth and digital technologies to access healthcare. Interventions are needed to ensure that older people in underserved communities do not face new technology-driven healthcare disparities. This article describes pioneering electronic medical record (EMR) embedded tools to assess and support each diverse patient's digital health literacy. We designed and validated a rapid EMR-embedded Digital Health Engagement Tool (DHET) to assess each patient's digital literacy in English and Spanish. We built a separate, EMR-generated auto-scoring function to assess patient use of telehealth and healthcare navigation as recorded within the EMR. Combined, the tools created a complete digital literacy assessment for each patient. We then deployed the tools to conduct a pilot study to elucidate disparities. A total of 112 ethnic/racial diverse older patients were enrolled (mean age was 78, ranging from 57 to 96) years (SD = 8.04). The female participants were 72.3%. Among the participants, non-Hispanic Whites were 47.3%; Hispanic 25.0%; non-Hispanic Asian 19.6%; non-Hispanic others (including multi-race and non-Hispanic Black/African Americans) 8.0%. Digital literacy disparities were revealed for older adults, particularly those over 70 years old, female gender, and those reporting relying on a helper. New EMR-embedded tools enable healthcare systems to assess the ability of patients to navigate and utilize EMR capabilities, such as video telehealth appointments, messaging providers, reviewing labs/radiology reports, and requesting prescriptions. The study identified significant challenges for older patients in navigating EMRs and calls for healthcare systems to better support patient learning.
The COVID-19 pandemic triggered unprecedented global vaccination efforts, with social media being a popular tool for vaccine promotion. This study probes into Macao's COVID-19 vaccine communication dynamics, with a focus on the multifaceted impacts of government agendas on social media. We scrutinized 22,986 vaccine-related Facebook posts from January 2020 to August 2022 in Macao. Using automated content analysis and advanced statistical methods, we unveiled intricate agenda dynamics between government and nongovernment entities. "Vaccine importance" and "COVID-19 risk" were the most prominent topics co-occurring in the overall vaccine communication. The government tended to emphasize "COVID-19 risk" and "vaccine effectiveness," while regular users prioritized vaccine safety and distribution, indicating a discrepancy in these agendas. Nonetheless, the government has limited impact on regular users in the aspects of vaccine importance, accessibility, affordability, and trust in experts. The agendas of government and nongovernment users intertwined, illustrating complex interactions. This study reveals the influence of government agendas on public discourse, impacting environmental awareness, public health education, and the social dynamics of inclusive communication during health crises. Inclusive strategies, accommodating public concerns, and involving diverse stakeholders are paramount for effective social media communication during health crises.
The COVID-19 pandemic was one of the deadliest global public health events. In the United States, over 1.1 million individuals have died, and now COVID-19 is the third leading cause of death (CDC, 2023). Vaccine uptake has stalled among different demographics. Vaccine hesitancy, a delay in accepting or refusing vaccines, poses a significant challenge regardless of the availability of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines. This study aimed to identify disparate COVID-19 vaccine uptake among individuals in Western New York. The primary objective was to identify the factors contributing to lower rates of COVID-19 vaccination within this population.Data were collected from 585 adults recruited from 20 Niagara and Erie Counties sites using a self-administered survey on vaccine hesitancy, vaccination status, and COVID-19-related characteristics. The survey included the adult Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (aVHS) and acquired information on demographic characteristics and COVID-19 impact, knowledge, and information sources. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, a chi-squared test, a Wilcoxon rank-sum test, and a logistic regression model.Findings suggest that unvaccinated participants (n = 35) were concerned about vaccine side effects (48.6%). For vaccinated/unboosted participants (n = 52), they (40.0%) reported clinical concerns. After adjusting for gender and age, healthcare provider guidance and family guidance remained significant predictors of vaccination status, while clinical research studies were significant predictors of booster status. Findings from this study suggest public health interventions that target vaccine education and facilitate well-informed decisions about COVID-19 vaccines lead to less vaccine hesitancy.
The COVID-19 pandemic was soon declared a global health threat and had significant economic and health implications. Unprecedented government measures brought massive shifts in teaching-learning pedagogy in nursing to curb the infection. The study was conducted to explore the predictors of pandemic fatigue among nursing undergraduates and mediating role of individual resilience and coping styles during the third wave in India. This online survey included 256 undergraduate nursing students studying at Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in North India. Lockdown/Pandemic Fatigue Questionnaire, Brief Resilience Scale, and Coping Behavior Questionnaire were used to collect the information. Appropriate descriptive and inferential statistics were applied to compute the results. Nursing undergraduates reported a moderate level of fatigue during the restrictions imposed at the time of the third wave. Students' year of study (p = 0.001), tested positive during pandemic (p = 0.003), and post-COVID-19 hospitalization (p = 0.026) were found associated with higher fatigue status. Advanced age (p = 0.046) and higher personal resilience status (p < 0.001) were associated with lower fatigue levels. Resilience status (ß = - 4.311 p < 0.001) and second year of study (ß = 3.198, p = 0.015) were reported as independent predictors of pandemic fatigue in students. Findings suggest that lockdown-related fatigue was common in nursing undergraduates. Considering negative consequences on mental health, routine psychosocial screening of the nursing students should be conducted. Recommending stress-relieving measures should be enforced to help nursing undergraduates to combat lockdown-induced exhaustion.
The COVID-19 pandemic with its containment measures such as closures of schools and daycare facilities led to numerous restrictions in daily life, putting developmental opportunities and health-related quality of life in children at risk. However, studies show that not every family was impacted equally by the pandemic and that this exceptional health and societal situation reinforced pre-existing health inequalities among the vulnerable. Our study aimed at analyzing changes in behavior and health-related quality of life of children attending elementary schools and daycare facilities in Bavaria, Germany in spring 2021. We also sought to identify associated factors contributing to inequalities in quality of life. Data from a multi-center, open cohort study ("COVID Kids Bavaria") conducted in 101 childcare facilities and 69 elementary schools across all electoral districts of Bavaria were analyzed. Children attending these educational settings (aged 3-10 years) were eligible for participation in a survey on changes in behavior and health-related quality of life. The KINDLR questionnaire (based on children's self-report and parental report) was administered about one year after the onset of the pandemic (spring 2021). Descriptive and logistic regression analyses and comparisons to pre-pandemic KiGGS (German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents) data were undertaken. Among respondents, a high percentage of parents reported changes in their children's eating and sleeping behavior, sports and outdoor activities as well as altered screen time. Health-related quality of life in KINDLR analyses compared to pre-pandemic population averages were lower in all age groups (for 3-6-year-old KINDLR-total score: COVID Kids Bavaria MD 74.78 ± 10.57 vs KiGGS data 80.0 ± 8.1; 7-10 years-old KINDLR-total score: COVID Kids Bavaria MD 73.88 ± 12.03 vs KiGGS data 79.30 ± 9.0). No significant differences were detected with regard to associated factors, namely type of institution, sex of the child, migration background, household size and parental education. These findings suggest a relevant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on children's behavior and health-related quality of life one year after the onset of the pandemic. Further analyses in large-scale longitudinal studies are needed to determine the effects of specific pandemic or crisis associated factors contributing to health inequalities.
The COVID-19 pandemic's impact on preschool children's school readiness skills remains understudied. This research investigates Head Start preschool children's early numeracy, literacy, and executive function outcomes during a pandemic-affected school year. Study children (N = 336 assessed at fall baseline; N = 237-250 assessed in spring depending on outcome; fall baseline sample: mean age = 51 months; 46% Hispanic; 36% Black Non-Hispanic; 52% female) in a network of Head Start centers in four states (Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin) experienced low in-person preschool exposure compared to national pre-pandemic norms. Children experienced fall to spring score gains during the pandemic-affected year of 0.05 SD in executive function, 0.27 SD in print knowledge, and 0.45-0.71 SD in early numeracy skills. Descriptively, for two of the three early numeracy domains measured, spring test score outcomes were stronger among children who attended more in-person preschool. We discuss implications for future research and policy.
The crises of the last decades have provided more evidence of the need for health literacy as a measure of resilience and preparedness. In this study the relationship between health literacy and health-seeking behavior was investigated. This study used a cross-sectional design with a questionnaire of five sections dedicated to health-seeking behavior, health literacy, family background, socioeconomic status and demographics. Health-seeking behavior was used in three dimensions namely preference for hospitals, self-medication, and herbal medicine. The questionnaire was completed by 262 students at the University of Ghana. A significant linear regression model (R = 0.39, R² = 0.15, Adjusted R² = 0.13, F = 8.89, p < 0.001) supported the relationship between health literacy and health-seeking in health facilities such as hospitals. A Pearson correlation further showed an association between self-medication and preference for herbal medication. Findings support the crucial role of health literacy in timely hospital visits by patients. This implies the need to improve health literacy through education, policy, and research. This can promote prevention of diseases through timely health-seeking and improve preparedness against health crises. The study suggests health literacy should be integrated into educational curricula and regular health campaigns run by public health agencies.
The critical aspects of risk management for students are providing knowledge, building positive attitudes, and readiness to practice. Our study aimed to assess Chinese health-care university students' knowledge (K), attitude (A), and readiness to practice (rP) regarding disaster medicine and preparedness. A survey was carried out using a self-administered disaster medicine and preparedness questionnaire. Three main outcome measures were K (22 items), A (16 items), and rP (11 items). Responses were scored and classified as high, moderate, and low. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed for data analysis. A total of 769 valid questionnaires were collected. The associations between K, A, and rP scores was significant, i.e., K-A scores (r = 0.449, P = 0.000), K-rP scores (r = 0.312, P = 0.000), and A-rP scores (r = 0.656, P = 0.000). Multiple linear regression analysis indicated direct low-to-moderate effects of gender, age, attitude, and knowledge on readiness to practice (R2 = 0.198; P < 0.001). The study discovered that most of the students had a moderate level of knowledge, moderate level of attitude, high level of readiness to practice, and a moderate level of total KArP. K, A, and rP were significantly correlated, and K and A were predictors for rP among the health-care students. The findings indicate the importance of health-care colleges for building students' knowledge, attitudes, and readiness to practice disaster medicine and preparedness before joining the profession.
The critical thinking abilities and dispositions of nurse educators are integral to facilitating the critical thinking of nursing students. This descriptive, exploratory study, which was completed as part of a Master's Degree, measures and describes nurse educators' critical thinking. Using the California Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory (CCTDI) and the California Critical Thinking Skills Test (CCTST), quantitative measurements were obtained from 11 full-time nurse educators conveniently sampled from a baccalaureate nursing program in Western Canada. Using the CCTDI, these educators scored highest in the inquisitiveness sub-scale. The results from the CCTST showed nurse educators scored highest in the skill of inductive reasoning. Both instrument total scores indicated these nurse educators' have a moderately high inclination and ability towards critical thinking. Six of the 11 nurse educators also participated in an interview, which captured their varied descriptions of critical thinking; factors that positively and negatively influence their critical thinking; and common approaches they utilize to facilitate critical thinking. The nurse educators who were interviewed preferred to describe critical thinking rather than define it. As well, the interviews highlighted that personal factors related to each nurse educator and conditions within their environment contributed to the facilitation of critical thinking.
The culture of excessively long overtime work in Japan has not been recently addressed. New legislation on working hours, including a limitation on maximum overtime work for physicians, will be enforced in 2024. This study was performed to elucidate the working conditions of full-time hospital physicians and discuss various policy implications. A facility survey and a physician survey regarding physicians' working conditions were conducted in July 2022. The facility survey was sent to all hospitals in Japan, and the physician survey was sent to all physicians working at half of the hospitals. The physicians were asked to report their working hours from 11 to 17 July 2022. In addition to descriptive statistics, a multivariate logistic regression analysis on the factors that lead to long working hours was conducted. In total, 11,466 full-time hospital physicians were included in the analysis. Full-time hospital physicians worked 50.1 h per week. They spent 45.6 h (90.9%) at the main hospital and 4.6 h (9.1%) performing side work. They spent 43.8 h (87.5%) on clinical work and 6.3 h (12.5%) on activities outside clinical work, such as research, teaching, and other activities. Neurosurgeons worked the longest hours, followed by surgeons and emergency medicine physicians. In total, 20.4% of physicians were estimated to exceed the annual overtime limit of 960 h, and 3.9% were estimated to exceed the limit of 1860 h. A total of 13.3% and 2.0% exceeded this level only at their primary hospital, after excluding hours performing side work. Logistic regression analysis showed that male, younger age, working at a university hospital, working in clinical areas of practice with long working hours, and undergoing specialty training were associated with long working hours after controlling for other factors. With the approaching application of overtime regulations to physicians, a certain reduction in working hours has been observed. However, many physicians still work longer hours than the designated upper limit of overtime. Work reform must be further promoted by streamlining work and task-shifting while securing the functions of university hospitals such as research, education, and supporting healthcare in communities.
The cumulative incidence function is the standard method for estimating the marginal probability of a given event in the presence of competing risks. One basic but important goal in the analysis of competing risk data is the comparison of these curves, for which limited literature exists. We proposed a new procedure that lets us not only test the equality of these curves but also group them if they are not equal. The proposed method allows determining the composition of the groups as well as an automatic selection of their number. Simulation studies show the good numerical behavior of the proposed methods for finite sample size. The applicability of the proposed method is illustrated using real data.
The CUNY Research Scholars Program (CRSP) has provided year-long mentored research experiences for 1678 associate's degree STEM students since 2014. The pluralities (32%) of mentors, all of whom are full-time faculty, have been biologists. Other represented disciplines include, but are not limited to, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, environmental science, linguistics, and psychology. The research experiences take place at all 10 associate's degree-granting colleges within the City University of New York system. Our previous assessment demonstrated that CRSP students are significantly more likely than their counterparts in a matched sample to remain in STEM programs, graduate, transfer to research intensive institutions, and report a stronger sense of belonging in college. The Covid-19 pandemic challenged the program, as colleges shuttered laboratories and other facilities. Some mentors worried that lab-based research experiences would not be possible under such conditions. The first full-year pandemic cohort, however, demonstrated the resilience of the program and its participants. To assess the ongoing impact of CRSP and how it adapted using new modalities, we interviewed college-based directors, surveyed students and mentors, and held focus groups with mentors. Directors described how their colleges adapted to preserve all prepandemic components of the program. Mentors detailed their strategies for engaging students in authentic research experiences in virtual and other formats. Students reported that, along with scientific and technical skills, the program deepened their self-confidence and prepared them for transfer to baccalaureate programs. Our findings show how virtual platforms can be utilized to preserve the most beneficial aspects of undergraduate research experiences for associate's degree students.
The current academic debate on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in research and teaching has been ongoing since the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022. It mainly focuses on ethical considerations, academic integrity, authorship and the need for new legal frameworks. Time efficiencies may allow for more critical thinking, while ease of pattern recognition across large amounts of data may promote drug discovery, better clinical decision making and guideline development with resultant consequences for patient safety. AI is also prompting a re-evaluation of the nature of learning and the purpose of education worldwide. It challenges traditional pedagogies, forcing a shift from rote learning to more critical, analytical, and creative thinking skills. Despite this opportunity to re-think education concepts for pharmacy curricula several universities around the world have banned its use. This commentary summarizes the existing debate and identifies the consequences and opportunities for clinical pharmacy research and education.