Value Relevance of Financial and Non-Financial Information: Evidence from the Gaming Industry

Using financial and non-financial data from casino gaming firms listed in the United States from 1999–2017, we explore two research questions: (1) Is financial information value relevant to financial markets in the casino gaming industry? (2) Does non-financial information have incremental explanatory power over financial information? In general, we find that accounting numbers can explain a firm’s market value and stock returns in the casino gaming industry, except for accounting accruals, which may behave differently compared to other industries. We also find that non-financial information, such as the number of table games, number of slot machines, and their relative proportion, have significant value relevance in explaining market valuation. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the value relevance of financial and non-financial information in the casino gaming industry. We also provide analysis of firms characterized by these non-financial attributes. Keywords: hospitality, casino, gaming, value relevance, table games, slot machines JEL Code: L83, M19, M4

The Impact of Interactive Education on Caregivers Caring for Individuals With Dementia

Background: Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias are becoming more prevalent and individuals with the disease requiring much physically and emotionally from caregivers. As caregivers are often thrust unprepared into their roles, the need for quality education becomes increasingly important. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify changes in caregiver perception after participation in an interactive educational program. The following research questions were used: 1) What is the perception of both professional and family caregivers about their ability to provide care following an interactive education program for dementia care? 2) Does an education program change the caregiver’s general knowledge of dementia? 3) Does an education program for dementia care change the caregiver’s perceived ability to care for the person with dementia? Theoretical Framework. Education courses based on Cognitive Disabilities Theory and Constructivist theory to promote interactive learning environment for the dissemination of constructs that promote optimal functioning for a person with cognitive impairment. Methods: Participants were family and professional caregivers of persons with dementia recruited from caregiving courses offered by community education entities in southeast Idaho. This was a mixed-method study. Pre- and post-testing was administered to gather information regarding general dementia knowledge and perceptions of ability to fulfill roles of caregiver and yielded quantitative data, while a semi-structured interview conducted following course completion relayed qualitative data regarding the caregiving experience. Results. Initial participants indicated no significant change in their knowledge of dementia, but an improvement in the perception of their ability to provide care was measured. Qualitative interviews resulted in similar codes, however saturation was not achieved to generate themes. Conclusions: The objective of this study was to discover the impact of education for caregivers of people with dementia. Although participation was limited, rich descriptions were given with initial indications that perception positively improved after completion of the education course

An Interprofessional Curriculum on Antimicrobial Stewardship Improves Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Appropriate Antimicrobial Use and Collaboration.

BackgroundInappropriate antimicrobial use can threaten patient safety and is the focus of collaborative physician and pharmacist antimicrobial stewardship teams. However, antimicrobial stewardship is not comprehensively taught in medical or pharmacy school curricula. Addressing this deficiency can teach an important concept as well as model interprofessional healthcare.MethodsWe created an antimicrobial stewardship curriculum consisting of an online learning module and workshop session that combined medical and pharmacy students, with faculty from both professions. Learners worked through interactive, branched-logic clinical cases relating to appropriate antimicrobial use. We surveyed participants before and after the curriculum using validated questions to assess knowledge and attitudes regarding antimicrobial stewardship and interprofessional collaboration. Results were analyzed using paired χ2 and t tests and mixed-effects logistic regression.ResultsAnalysis was performed with the 745 students (425 medical students, 320 pharmacy students) who completed both pre- and postcurriculum surveys over 3 years. After completing the curriculum, significantly more students perceived that they were able to describe the role of each profession in appropriate antimicrobial use (34% vs 82%, P < .001), communicate in a manner that engaged the interprofessional team (75% vs 94%, P < .001), and describe collaborative approaches to appropriate antimicrobial use (49% vs 92%, P < .001). Student favorability ratings were high for the online learning module (85%) and small group workshop (93%).ConclusionsA curriculum on antimicrobial stewardship consisting of independent learning and an interprofessional workshop significantly increased knowledge and attitudes towards collaborative antimicrobial stewardship among preclinical medical and pharmacy students

Patient–provider communication data: linking process and outcomes in oncology care

Lisa Kennedy Sheldon1,2, Fangxin Hong3,4, Donna Berry4,51University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, MA, USA; 2St Joseph Hospital, Nashua, NH, USA; 3Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Department of Biostatistics and Computational Biology, Boston, MA, USA; 4Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Phyllis F Cantor Center for Research in Nursing and Patient Care Services, Boston, MA, USA; 5Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USAOverview: Patient–provider communication is vital to quality patient care in oncology settings and impacts health outcomes. Newer communication datasets contain patient symptom reports, real-time audiofiles of visits, coded communication data, and visit outcomes. The purpose of this paper is to: (1) review the complex communication processes during patient–provider interaction during oncology care; (2) describe methods of gathering and coding communication data; (3) suggest logical approaches to analyses; and (4) describe one new dataset that allows linking of patient symptoms and communication processes with visit outcomes.Challenges: Patient–provider communication research is complex due to numerous issues, including human subjects’ concerns, methods of data collection, numerous coding schemes, and varying analytic techniques.Data collection and coding: Coding of communication data is determined by the research question(s) and variables of interest. Subsequent coding and timestamping the behaviors provides categorical data and determines the interval between and patterns of behaviors.Analytic approaches: Sequential analyses move from descriptive statistics to explanatory analyses to direct analyses and conditional probabilities. In the final stage, explanatory modeling is used to predict outcomes from communication elements. Examples of patient and provider communication in the ambulatory oncology setting are provided from the new Electronic Self Report Assessment-Cancer II dataset.Summary: More complex communication data sets provide opportunities to link elements of patient–provider communication with visit outcomes. Given more complex datasets, a step-wise approach is necessary to analyze and identify predictive variables. Sequential analyses move from descriptive results to predictive models with communication data, creating links between patient symptoms and concerns, real-time audiotaped communication, and visit outcomes. The results of these analyses will be useful in developing evidence-based interventions to enhance communication and improve psychosocial outcomes in oncology settings.Keywords: communication, analysis, distress, cancer, outcome

More than a thought experiment : conceptualizing and implementing an Urban Living Lab

In the context of growing urbanization,1 cities are focal points of social interactions. Embedded in bi-directional feedback loops with wider regional environments and the global ecosystem, cities present, simultaneously, ideal reference points and vital arenas for generating debates about and testing pathways toward emerging sustainable models of livability and a redefined prosperity. The latter no longer limited to mainstream economic definitions but encompassing a more holistic societal prosperity, nurtured by shared experiences, enhanced knowledge generation and exchange, eclectic encounters and ample space for creative expression. The paper presents the conceptual development of an Urban Living Lab (ULL). It employs existing literature on ULL to enable a basic frame of reference, draws on the concept of contextual logic and a philosophical understanding of flow to inform processes for rolling out such a multi-stakeholder engagement experiment. The paper attempts to conceptualize an approach that employs community participation to define contours of a socially inclusive and livable society. This approach aims at empowering networks for transitioning towards such a society within a specific context.Content from this work may be used under the terms of theCreativeCommonsAttribution 3.0 licence. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI. Published under licence by IOP Publishing Ltdfi=vertaisarvioitu|en=peerReviewed

Listening through seeing: Using design methods to learn about the health perceptions of Garden on the Go® customers

The goal of this project is to apply an innovative approach to gathering beliefs and attitudes of an inner city population in a more valid and reliable way than traditional data collection methods. This community based research study will focus on dietary risk factors for obesity, diabetes type 2, and cardiovascular disease in underserved communities. Our study assesses what health means to the underserved Garden on the Go® clients and how they define a healthy diet. Garden on the Go®, a signature obesity prevention effort, is Indiana University Health’s year-round mobile produce delivery program providing fresh, affordable produce to Marion County neighborhoods in need. We build upon previous research conducted with Garden on the Go® to enhance the effectiveness of this intervention and provide valuable information that other groups may use to improve the impact of their efforts in meeting the health needs of similar communities

Systematic overview of economic evaluations of health-related rehabilitation

Background: Health related rehabilitation is instrumental in improving functioning and promoting participation by people with disabilities. To make clinical and policy decisions about health-related rehabilitation, resource allocation and cost issues need to be considered. Objectives: To conduct an overview of systematic reviews (SRs) on economic evaluations of health-related rehabilitation. Methods: We searched multiple databases to identify relevant SRs of economic evaluations of health-related rehabilitation. Review quality was assessed by AMSTAR checklist. Results: We included 64 SRs, most of which included economic evaluations alongside randomised controlled trials (RCTs). The review quality was low to moderate (AMSTAR score 5-8) in 35, and high (score 9-11) in 29 of the included SRs. The included SRs addressed various health conditions, including spinal or other pain conditions (n=14), age-related problems (11), stroke (7), musculoskeletal disorders (6), heart diseases (4), pulmonary (3), mental health problems (3), and injury (3). Physiotherapy was the most commonly evaluated rehabilitation intervention in the included SRs (n=24). Other commonly evaluated interventions included multidisciplinary programmes (14); behavioural, educational or psychological interventions (11); home-based interventions (11); complementary therapy (6); self-management (6); and occupational therapy (4). Conclusions: Although the available evidence is often described as limited, inconsistent or inconclusive, some rehabilitation interventions were cost-effective or showed cost-saving in a variety of disability conditions. Available evidence comes predominantly from high income countries, therefore economic evaluations of health-related rehabilitation are urgently required in less resourced settings

DNA methylation at the mu-1 opioid receptor gene (OPRM1) promoter predicts preoperative, acute, and chronic postsurgical pain after spine fusion.

INTRODUCTION:The perioperative pain experience shows great interindividual variability and is difficult to predict. The mu-1 opioid receptor gene (OPRM1) is known to play an important role in opioid-pain pathways. Since deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) methylation is a potent repressor of gene expression, DNA methylation was evaluated at the OPRM1 promoter, as a predictor of preoperative, acute, and chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP). METHODS:A prospective observational cohort study was conducted in 133 adolescents with idiopathic scoliosis undergoing spine fusion under standard protocols. Data regarding pain, opioid consumption, anxiety, and catastrophizing (using validated questionnaires) were collected before and 2-3 months postsurgery. Outcomes evaluated were preoperative pain, acute postoperative pain (area under curve [AUC] for pain scores over 48 hours), and CPSP (numerical rating scale >3/10 at 2-3 months postsurgery). Blood samples collected preoperatively were analyzed for DNA methylation by pyrosequencing of 22 CpG sites at the OPRM1 gene promoter. The association of each pain outcome with the methylation percentage of each CpG site was assessed using multivariable regression, adjusting for significant (P<0.05) nongenetic variables. RESULTS:Majority (83%) of the patients reported no pain preoperatively, while CPSP occurred in 36% of the subjects (44/121). Regression on dichotomized preoperative pain outcome showed association with methylation at six CpG sites (1, 3, 4, 9, 11, and 17) (P<0.05). Methylation at CpG sites 4, 17, and 18 was associated with higher AUC after adjusting for opioid consumption and preoperative pain score (P<0.05). After adjusting for postoperative opioid consumption and preoperative pain score, methylation at CpG sites 13 and 22 was associated with CPSP (P<0.05). DISCUSSION:Novel CPSP biomarkers were identified in an active regulatory region of the OPRM1 gene that binds multiple transcription factors. Inhibition of binding by DNA methylation potentially decreases the OPRM1 gene expression, leading to a decreased response to endogenous and exogenous opioids, and an increased pain experience