Rationing, Racism, and Justice: Advancing the Debate Around \u27Colourblind\u27 COVID-19 Ventilator Allocation

Withholding or withdrawing life-saving ventilators can become necessary when resources are insufficient. In the USA, such rationing has unique social justice dimensions. Structural elements of dominant allocation frameworks simultaneously advantage white communities, and disadvantage Black communities—who already experience a disproportionate burden of COVID-19-related job losses, hospitalisations and mortality. Using the example of New Jersey’s Crisis Standard of Care policy, we describe how dominant rationing guidance compounds for many Black patients prior unfair structural disadvantage, chiefly due to the way creatinine and life expectancy are typically considered. We outline six possible policy options towards a more just approach: improving diversity in decision processes, adjusting creatinine scores, replacing creatinine, dropping creatinine, finding alternative measures, adding equity weights and rejecting the dominant model altogether. We also contrast these options with making no changes, which is not a neutral default, but in separate need of justification, despite a prominent claim that it is simply based on ‘objective medical knowledge’. In the regrettable absence of fair federal guidance, hospital and state-level policymakers should reflect on which of these, or further options, seem feasible and justifiable. Irrespective of which approach is taken, all guidance should be supplemented with a monitoring and reporting requirement on possible disparate impacts. The hope that we will be able to continue to avoid rationing ventilators must not stand in the way of revising guidance in a way that better promotes health equity and racial justice, both to be prepared, and given the significant expressive value of ventilator guidance

Tracking integrated ecosystem assessments in the ICES network: a social network analysis of the ICES expert groups

The advice the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) provides to its member countries is crucial for the sustainable management of shared marine resources, and the conservation of relevant marine ecosystems. In 2014, ICES made a strategic decision to integrate marine and social sciences in a new type of assessment framework called “integrated ecosystem assessments” (IEA) to deliver advice on societal trade-offs between different policy options. The IEA-focused expert groups formed before and after this period now cover all major ecoregions. To track the progression of IEAs in the ICES network over time, we conducted a social network analysis (SNA) on expert group attendance for the years 2015–2019. The IEA-focused expert groups generally ranked lower in the overall ICES network. Our study shows that some IEA-groups become more connected over time, while others decline. We also evaluated the role of workshops in the ICES network, particularly their role in the development of IEA knowledge. Our study shows that workshops play an important role in ICES network connectivity. The study demonstrates how social network analysis can be used to study an organization such as ICES and determine the effectiveness, or impact, of that organizational function.publishedVersio

The Iowa Homemaker vol.22, no.5

Keeping Up With Today, Mary Lou Springer, page 2 Portraits in Sculpture, Virginia Carter, page 3 American Dyes Go to War, Du Pont Magazine, page 4 Vicky Celebrates A Warm Holiday, Virginia Brainard, page 6 Food Experts Back the Victory Effort, Dorothy Olson, page 8 Dehydration Gains in Scope, Mary Schmidt, page 9 What’s New In Home Economics, Helen Horton, page 10 His Christmas Box From You, Catherine Tidemanson, page 12 Across Alumnae Desks, Mary Ellen Sullivan, page 14 In an Ordnance Cafeteria, Dorothy Walker, page 16 Bookmarks, Eileen Dudgeon, page 17 That Hosiery Problem, Ann Mason, page 18 Alums in the News, Harriet Zook, page 2

The Iowa Homemaker vol.21, no.2

Rejuvenation, Editor, page 1 The Union Way, Dorothy Ann Klein, page 2 Spices Feel War’s Sting, Clara Collar, page 4 The Institution Management Department, Margaret Read, page 5 Food for 5000, Margaret Mitchell, page 6 Sally’s Ready for Play, Dorothy Roost, page 8 Food Work Proves Intriguing, Ruth Kunerth, page 10 What’s New in Home Economics, page 12 Speaking of Veishea, Virginia Daley, page 14 Novelties in Dining Out, Elizabeth Murfield, page 15 Aluminum Is Drafted, Stuart Swensson, page 16 Alums in the News, Mary Sather, page 19 Campers Must Eat, Doris Plagge, page 20 Behind Bright Jackets, Julie Wendel, page 21 Journalistic Spindles, Mary Schmidt, page 2

Nonhuman Primate Models Used to Study Pelvic Inflammatory Disease Caused by Chlamydia trachomatis

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is a global health concern that is associated with significant morbidity and is a major cause of infertility. Throughout history animals have been used for anatomical studies and later as models of human disease. In particular, nonhuman primates (NHPs) have permitted investigations of human disease in a biologically, physiologically, and anatomically similar system. The use of NHPs as human PID models has led to a greater understanding of the primary microorganisms that cause disease (e.g., Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorroheae), the pathogenesis of infection and its complications, and the treatment of people with PID. This paper explores historical and contemporary aspects of NHP modeling of chlamydial PID, with an emphasis on advantages and limitations of this approach and future directions for this research

The effect of the “Follow in my Green Food Steps” programme on cooking behaviours for improved iron intake : a quasi-experimental randomized community study

Abstract Background Nutritional iron deficiency is one of the leading factors for disease, disability and death. A quasi-experimental randomized community study in South-West Nigeria explored whether a branded behaviour change programme increased the use of green leafy vegetables (greens) and iron-fortified bouillon cubes in stews for improved iron intake. Methods A coinflip assigned the intervention to Ile-Ife (Intervention town). Osogbo (Control town) received no information. At baseline 602 mother-daughter pairs (daughters aged 12–18) were enrolled (Intervention: 300; Control: 302). A Food Frequency Questionnaire assessed the addition of cubes and greens to stews, the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes were the addition of cubes and greens to soups and changes in behavioural determinants measured using the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) evaluated the impact of the intervention on behavioural determinants and behaviour. Results The data of 527 pairs was used (Intervention: 240; Control: 287). The increase in greens added to stews was larger in the Intervention town compared to the Control town (MIntervention = 0.3 [SE = 0.03]; MControl = 0.0 [SE = 0.04], p < 0.001, r = 0.36). Change in iron-fortified cubes added to stews did not differ between towns (p = 0.07). The increase in cubes added to soups was larger in the Intervention town compared to the Control Town (MIntervention = 0.9 [SE = 0.2] vs MControl = 0.4 [SE = 0.1], p < .0001, r = 0.20). Unexpectedly, change in greens added to soups was larger in the Control town compared to the Intervention town (MIntervention = − 0.1 [SE = 0.1]; MControl = 0.5 [SE = 0.1], p = 0.003, r = 0.15). The intervention positively influenced awareness of anaemia and the determinants of behaviour in the Intervention town, with hardly any change in the Control town. Baseline SEMs could not be established, so no mediation analyses were done. Post-intervention SEMs highlighted the role of habit in cooking stews. Conclusions The behaviour change programme increased the amount of green leafy vegetables added to stews and iron-fortified cubes added to soups. Future research should assess the long-term impact and the efficacy of the programme as it is scaled up and rolled out

The Iowa Homemaker vol.22, no.2

Keeping Up With Today, Barbara Sgarlata, page 4 Women Score Dating, Julie Wendel, page 5 The Union Feeds the Navy, Betty Ann Iverson, page 6 Glass in Uniform, Dorothy Walker, page 7 Sugar Problem – A Challenge, Anne Koebel, page 8 Enter: Variety in Army Menus, Mary Schmidt, page 10 “Is It All Wool?”, Margaret Anne Clark, page 11 America Conserves Equpment, Bette Simpson, page 12 Morale on a Budget, Pat Hayes, page 14 What’s New in Home Economics, Ruth Vogel, page 16 Bookmarks, Eileen Dudgeon, page 18 Isabelle Bevier - Pioneer, Dorothy Ann Olson, page 20 Alums in the News, Harriet Zook, page 22 Our Part in the War, Virginia Bates, page 23 Iowa Goes “All Out”, Catherine Tidemanson, page 24 Tim Must S-t-r-e-t-c-h, Doris Plagge, page 26 Vanilla Joins Shortage Ranks, Grace Brown, page 28 Her Champion Pie, Pat Galligan, page 29 Across Alumnae Desks, Mary Ellen Sullivan, page 30 Speaking of Veishea, Trymby Calhoun, page 3

Reservations to Participate in Biospecimen Research among Pacific Islanders

Background and Significance: Despite high rates of chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, Pacific Islanders (PIs) are underrepresented in clinical and genetic studies designed to identify the physiological causes of poor health outcomes. There are limited genetic data and biospecimen samples from PIs under study. This paper described why PIs have reservations about donating their biospecimen samples for research. Methods: Data were drawn from a pilot study designed to assess the knowledge, attitudes and beliefs surrounding biospecimen research among PIs in southern California. Utilizing a community-based participatory research approach, community and academic partners collected quantitative and qualitative data from a total of 60 PI adults with a mean age of 61 years (SD 13 years). Results: “Fear”, “God or Spirituality” and “Lack of Information or Knowledge” were the most cited reasons for not participating in biospecimen research. Respondents younger than age 65 years expressed more concerns about donating their biospecimen samples than those older than age 65 years (p&lt;0.012). No significant gender differences were found (p=0.84). Conclusion: Our results emphasize the need to conduct relevant and appropriate biospecimen education among minority communities in order to address misconceptions and build support to increase PI and other minority participation in biospecimen-related studies