The Quest to End Human Trafficking: An Educational and Practical Guide for Everyone Who Wants to Help Break the Bonds and Assist Survivors

People often assume that only legislators and law enforcement personnel can take meaningful steps to fight human trafficking, one of the most lucrative transnational crimes in the world. This inquiry sought to assess the validity of that belief. The study was informed by the author’s experience as a college instructor of human trafficking and the inspiration he drew from the range and quality of his students’ projects. The methodology included examining the strategies that governmental and non-governmental organizations are using to fight trafficking and assist survivors. It also considered the work of individual activists and service providers such as social workers and health/mental health professionals. Business allies selected for review included convenience store managers and those in the lodging, tourism, airline, and transportation industries. Community influencers such as public officials, members of the press, spiritual leaders, and college instructors were studied as well. The research demonstrated that each group is making a valuable contribution. The analysis first summarizes major concepts and laws that every antitrafficking activist needs to know. The author then organized the insights and lessons learned into five types of activities: Awareness, political advocacy, prevention, reducing demand (shopping wisely), and survivor intervention/aftercare. A separate discussion focused on ideas for student service projects, internships, and relevant career opportunities. The concluding chapters offer an easy-to-follow game plan for anyone interested in joining the cause. Altogether, the Guide has more than 1,100 hyperlinks to articles and free resources that advocates can use to pursue their personal antitrafficking interests and priorities

Patterns of Receptivity to the Influence Tactic of Pseudo-Reasoning

The “bullshit” construct used within social influence involves presenting ambiguous message content as an ersatz substitute for missing reasoning. This pseudo-reasoning combines with clearer source or affect cues that drive the target toward a desired conclusion. Bullshit receptivity (BSR) has presented a popular focus of research, especially considering the use of pseudo-reasoning within viral disinformation (Van Bavel et al, 2020). Most BSR research has involved non-experimental correlational tests with trait-like, individual cognitive variables, their explanation of BSR’s cause remaining limited and inconsistent (Pennycook et al, 2015). However, influence tactics employing bullshit commonly derive their effects from fulfilling targets’ motivated needs and addressing their accessible knowledge structures (Brown et al, 2019; Carpenter, 2017; Kruglanski & Thompson, 1999). Attitude and knowledge structures partially emerge from and depend upon individuals’ connections to the groups with which they identify (Smith & Hogg, 2008; Terry & Hogg, 1996), and self-uncertain individuals exhibit attraction to group-based messages that reduce their uncertainty (Hogg, 2007). This project tested the hypothesis that self-uncertainty and message cues identifying sources as sharing social identities with subjects positively predict the acceptance of pseudo-reasoning and compliant responses to compliance gaining messages accompanied by pseudo-reasoning

How did the introduction of managed care for the uninsured in Iowa affect the use of substance abuse services?

Concerns about access under managed care have been raised for vulnerable populations such as publicly funded patients with substance abuse problems. To estimate the effects of the Iowa Managed Substance Abuse Care Plan (IMSACP) on substance abuse service use by publicly funded patients, service use before and after IMSACP was compared; adjustments were made for changes in population sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Between fiscal years 1994 and 1997, patient case mix was marked by a higher burden of illness and the use of inpatient, residential nondetox, outpatient counseling, and assessment services declined, while use of intensive outpatient and residential detox services increased. Findings were similar among women, children, and homeless persons. Thus, care moved away from high-cost inpatient settings to less costly venues. Without knowing the impact on treatment outcomes, these changes cannot be interpreted as improved provider efficiency versus simply cost containment and profit maximization

Role of the Hospital in the 21st Century Opioid Overdose Epidemic: The Addiction Medicine Consult Service

Objective: The aim of the study was to explore and describe the structure and design elements of addiction medicine consult (AMC) services within selected US hospitals. Methods: As part of a larger mixed methods study, 10 qualitative semi-structured telephone interviews were completed with board-certified addiction medicine physicians affiliated with the Addiction Medicine Foundation\u27s Addiction Medicine Fellowship Programs at 9 US hospitals. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using a directed content analysis. Results: Interviews completed with established AMC services in 9 hospitals probed AMC structure and design commonalities and differences across 4 domains: (1) availability and coverage, (2) team composition, (3) scope and responsibility, and (4) financing. Only 1 service provided weekend consults and most services did not provide coverage in the emergency department. Interprofessional teams were common with a variety of discipline combinations. AMC service scope and responsibility, generally, included 3 types of activities: (1) education and culture change, (2) the delivery of psychosocial and medical services, and (3) hospital guidance document development. Finally, most AMC services existed within a fragile financial environment with idiosyncratic arrangements. Conclusions: As opioid use disorder (OUD)-related hospitalizations increase stakeholders look to innovative care delivery mechanisms to improve care and outcomes for persons with OUD. The implementation of an AMC service may be an organizational intervention for achieving these aims. Understanding the shared and different approaches to AMC service structure and design is an important first step for delivery systems interested in implementing or expanding these services

Treatment and Prevention of Opioid Use Disorder: Challenges and Opportunities

Treatment for opioid use disorder in the United States evolved in response to changing federal policy and advances in science. Inpatient care began in 1935 with the US Public Health Service Hospitals in Lexington, Kentucky, and Fort Worth, Texas. Outpatient clinics emerged in the 1960s to provide aftercare. Research advances led to opioid agonist and opioid antagonist therapies. When patients complete opioid withdrawal, return to use is often rapid and frequently deadly. US and international authorities recommend opioid agonist therapy (i.e., methadone or buprenorphine). Opioid antagonist therapy (i.e., extended-release naltrexone) may also inhibit return to use. Prevention efforts emphasize public and prescriber education, use of prescription drug monitoring programs, and safe medication disposal options. Overdose education and naloxone distribution promote access to rescue medication and reduce opioid overdose fatalities. Opioid use disorder prevention and treatment must embrace evidence-based care and integrate with physical and mental health care

Policies for the Treatment of Alcohol and Drug Use Disorders: A Research Agenda for 2010-2015

Provides an agenda for policy research on drug and alcohol addiction treatment, including integrating screening and short-term interventions into primary care and other settings, services in specialty treatment centers, and ongoing support services

Organic Acids and Applications used for Reduction of \u3ci\u3eE. coli\u3c/i\u3e on Beef Shoulder Clods used for Ground Beef

Small processors normally grind beef shoulder clods for ground beef that have not been previously tested for shiga toxin-producing E. coli. Three antimicrobial solutions were applied using three application methods to beef sub-primals to evaluate the effectiveness of reducing E. coli and the effects on quality attributes. Antimicrobials effectively reduced Rifampicin resistant E. coli. However, none of the treatments changed color attributes or total plate counts compared to a control. These results suggest that an appropriate antimicrobial solution and application method can be selected for use by small meat processors without affecting quality attributes

Patients Reasons for Choosing Office-based Buprenorphine: Preference for Patient-Centered Care

Objectives - To explore HIV-infected patients\u27 attitudes about buprenorphine treatment in office-based and opioid treatment program (OTP) settings. Methods - We conducted in-depth qualitative interviews with 29 patients with co-existing HIV infection and opioid dependence seeking buprenorphine maintenance therapy in office-based and OTP settings. We used thematic analysis of transcribed audiorecorded interviews to identify themes. Results - Patients voiced a strong preference for office-based treatment. Four themes emerged to explain this preference. First, patients perceived the greater convenience of office-based treatment as improving their ability to address HIV and other healthcare issues. Second, they perceived a strong patient-focused orientation in patient-provider relationships underpinning their preference for office-based care. This was manifest as increased trust, listening, empathy, and respect from office-based staff and providers. Third, they perceived shared power and responsibility in officebased settings. Finally, patients viewed office-based treatment as a more supportive environment for sobriety and relapse prevention. This was partly due to strong therapeutic alliances with office-based staff and providers who prioritized a harm reduction approach, but also due to the perception that the office-based settings were safer for sobriety, compared with increased opportunities for purchasing and using illicit opiates in OTP settings. Conclusions - HIV-infected patients with opioid dependence preferred office-based buprenorphine because they perceived it as offering a more patient-centered approach to care compared with OTP referral. Office-based buprenorphine may facilitate engagement in care for patients with co-existing opioid dependence and HIV infection

Renewing Teaching Practices: Differentiated Instruction in the College Classroom

At a time of high college student attrition rates, faculty who work in higher education settings are being challenged more than ever before with accountability for student learning. The purpose of this article is to share insights relative to a multi-year professional development initiative that provided college faculty with an opportunity to explore changes in their teaching. Over the course of three years, faculty members honed their knowledge, skills, and dispositions relative to a specific instructional strategy for their own classrooms: differentiated instruction. An experiential approach to the initiative was used, and the degree to which participants committed to change their own instructional practices was evaluated. Results indicated an encouraging degree of success, especially in technology integration, providing clear objectives and feedback to students, and enhanced student engagement