Libraries and Digital Information: How Library Services Impact Digital Equity

This mixed-method study explains how public library services impact patrons’ access to digital technology. Working with a county stakeholder, the research team developed an online questionnaire for distribution to library staff in two public library systems. The King County Library and Seattle Public Library executive administration representatives worked with the research team to determine the sample of participants: those library staff who regularly interface with patrons needing or requesting access and use of digital technology. Participants provided demographic, Likert scale agreement, and narrative responses to 29 questions. Using statistical software and hand-coding processes, responses were categorized to find alignment with the conceptual framework Informational Justice. Quantitative data suggested moderate strength relationships between independent and dependent variables, especially related to “computer access is the most popular service my branch provides.” Six overall themes were developed from qualitative data: Ability to Access Technology, Identity Based Skill, Interpersonal, Technology Training and Knowledge, Digital Equity in Systems, and Advocacy. Results from the study indicate that computer access is a popular in-branch library service. However, it was also found that library resources are equally distributed to branches in each system, which does not indicate equitable distribution

AN ADAPTIVE BAYESIAN APPROACH TO JOINTLY MODELING RESPONSE AND TOXICITY IN PHASE I DOSE-FINDING TRIALS

The Belmont Report (1979) presents ethical principles governing clinical research: respect for persons, beneficence, and justice. This dissertation attempts to improve beneficence, in particular, in early stage clinical trials, in three directions. First, we develop a "dose-choice control panel" (DCCP) computer program. Inputs are complete population information and patient utilities. DCCP produces optimal dose assignment decisions, and helps users to explore how the population parameters and utilities affect the dose recommendation.Second, we present a new adaptive Bayesian method for dose-finding in phase I clinical trials based on both response and toxicity. Although clinical responses are rare in cancer trials, biological responses may be common and may help decide how aggressive a phase I escalation should be. The model assumes that response and toxicity events happen depending on respective dose thresholds for the individual, assuming that the thresholds jointly follow a bivariate log-normal distribution or a mixture. The design utilizes prior information about the population threshold distribution as well as accumulated data. The next dose is assigned to maximize expected utility integrated over the current posterior distribution. The design is evaluated in a setting inspired by the Gleevec story, with population parameters equaling estimates from early Gleevec trials. This exercise provides evidence for the value of the use of the proposed design for future clinical trials. Third, we propose an adaptive Bayesian design based on a hierarchical pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) model, incorporating prior knowledge and/or patient-specific measurements related to PK/PD processes. Because genetic variations or drug co-administration can lead to huge inter-individual differences in drug efficacy and toxicity, it is desirable to individualize chemotherapy dosage. Those factors influencing drug metabolism and clearance are expected to affect all PD processes downstream, leading to efficacy and toxicity outcomes, while other genetic variations or drug co-administration may affect only one PD process. Application of the design to the Gleevec and Irinotecan settings is encouraging with regard to patient protection and accuracy of estimates. This work could improve public health by providing more accurate answers quicker, and by encouraging accrual through explicit consideration of what is best for each individual patient

Counseling System Documentation and the Relationship Between Treatment Plans and Client Outcomes

The purpose of this qualitative study was to provide a method for evaluating counseling services delivered to patients during treatment. The evaluation of the study required the use of methods that are repeatable and effective that would allow a clinic to continue using them over time to grow a database of valuable information about counseling and patient outcomes. The new database would allow the clinic to change counseling methods and approaches of delivery to promote organizational change. The evidence-based practice (EBP) for counseling therapy would encourage the connection between public administration and public policy in the health care system. Public administration using EBP can help advance the lack of knowledge of how human services manage outcomes for health care and will impact service allocation, ethical distribution, and use of services, as well as social/political power. I examined various performance and process factors including duration, type of problem to be solved, type of service, and which outcome indicators will be tracked, as provided by the clinic. Access was given to unique and extensive data sets to best identify counseling healthcare outcomes contained in individual data from 40 randomized files of 540 total client files, in both hard copy and electronic format. The outcomes were characterized and sorted into four outcome indicators based on services: case management, psychotherapy, peer support, and community-based rehabilitation. The feasibility of assessing and comparing performance by providers will allow the organization to incrementally improve services and recognize shortfalls in its counseling services

A review of factors that influence individual compliance with mass drug administration for elimination of lymphatic filariasis.

BACKGROUND: The success of programs to eliminate lymphatic filariasis (LF) depends in large part on their ability to achieve and sustain high levels of compliance with mass drug administration (MDA). This paper reports results from a comprehensive review of factors that affect compliance with MDA. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Papers published between 2000 and 2012 were considered, and 79 publications were included in the final dataset for analysis after two rounds of selection. While results varied in different settings, some common features were associated with successful programs and with compliance by individuals. Training and motivation of drug distributors is critically important, because these people directly interact with target populations, and their actions can affect MDA compliance decisions by families and individuals. Other important programmatic issues include thorough preparation of personnel, supplies, and logistics for implementation and preparation of the population for MDA. Demographic factors (age, sex, income level, and area of residence) are often associated with compliance by individuals, but compliance decisions are also affected by perceptions of the potential benefits of participation versus the risk of adverse events. Trust and information can sometimes offset fear of the unknown. While no single formula can ensure success MDA in all settings, five key ingredients were identified: engender trust, tailor programs to local conditions, take actions to minimize the impact of adverse events, promote the broader benefits of the MDA program, and directly address the issue of systematic non-compliance, which harms communities by prolonging their exposure to LF. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This review has identified factors that promote coverage and compliance with MDA for LF elimination across countries. This information may be helpful for explaining results that do not meet expectations and for developing remedies for ailing MDA programs. Our review has also identified gaps in understanding and suggested priority areas for further research

Defining and identifying the knowledge economy in Scotland: a regional perspective on a global phenomenon

The development and growth of a knowledge economy has become a key policy aim forgovernments in all advanced economies. This is based on recognition that technologicalchange, the swift growth of global communications, and the ease of mobility of capital across national borders has dramatically changed the patterns of international trade and investment. The economic fate of individual nations is now inseparably integrated into the ebb and flow of the global economy. When companies can quickly move capital to those geographical locations which offer the best return, a country's long term prosperity is now heavily dependent on its abilityto retain the essential factors of production that are least mobile. This has led to apremium being placed on the knowledge and skills embodied in a country's labourforce, as it has become a widely accepted view that a country which possesses a high level of knowledge and skills in its workforce will have a competitive advantage overothers with a lower domestic skill base. Knowledge and skills are thought to be thebasis for the development of a knowledge economy

An analysis for more equitable revenue and expenditure allocations within Lingnan College

From the triennial 1995-98, the funds allocated from University Grants Committee to universities have decreased. In order to use the limited resources effectively, and to manage their revenue and costs efficiently, universities have to set up a better budgeting system. Therefore, the eight universities in Hong Kong are proposing the Revenue Center Management (RCM) instead of the current budgeting system. The purposes of this project focuses on the analyses of the current budgeting system adopted at Lingnan College, and the proposed RCM budgeting system

Special Libraries, September 1946

Volume 37, Issue 7https://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/sla_sl_1946/1006/thumbnail.jp