Operational Research: methods and applications

This is the final version. Available on open access from Taylor & Francis via the DOI in this recordThroughout its history, Operational Research has evolved to include methods, models and algorithms that have been applied to a wide range of contexts. This encyclopedic article consists of two main sections: methods and applications. The first summarises the up-to-date knowledge and provides an overview of the state-of-the-art methods and key developments in the various subdomains of the field. The second offers a wide-ranging list of areas where Operational Research has been applied. The article is meant to be read in a nonlinear fashion and used as a point of reference by a diverse pool of readers: academics, researchers, students, and practitioners. The entries within the methods and applications sections are presented in alphabetical order. The authors dedicate this paper to the 2023 Turkey/Syria earthquake victims. We sincerely hope that advances in OR will play a role towards minimising the pain and suffering caused by this and future catastrophes

African American Church Participation and Health Care Practices

BACKGROUND: While religious involvement is associated with improvements in health, little is known about the relationship between church participation and health care practices. OBJECTIVES: To determine 1) the prevalence of church participation; 2) whether church participation influences positive health care practices; and 3) whether gender, age, insurance status, and levels of comorbidity modified these relationships. DESIGN: A cross-sectional analysis using survey data from 2196 residents of a low-income, African-American neighborhood. MEASUREMENTS: Our independent variable measured the frequency of church attendance. Dependent variables were: 1) Pap smear; 2) mammogram; and 3) dental visit—all taking place within 2 years; 4) blood pressure measurement within 1 year, 5) having a regular source of care, and 6) no perceived delays in care in the previous year. We controlled for socioeconomic factors and the number of comorbid conditions and also tested for interactions. RESULTS: Thirty-seven percent of community members went to church at least monthly. Church attendance was associated with increased likelihood of positive health care practices by 20% to 80%. In multivariate analyses, church attendance was related to dental visits (odds ratio [OR], 1.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3 to 1.9) and blood pressure measurements (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.2 to 2.1). Insurance status and number of comorbid conditions modified the relationship between church attendance and Pap smear, with increased practices noted for the uninsured (OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.2 to 4.1) and for women with 2 or more comorbid conditions (OR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.1 to 3.5). CONCLUSION: Church attendance is an important correlate of positive health care practices, especially for the most vulnerable subgroups, the uninsured and chronically ill. Community- and faith-based organizations present additional opportunities to improve the health of low-income and minority populations

To be young, Black, and living with breast cancer: a systematic review of health-related quality of life in young Black breast cancer survivors

PURPOSE: Compared with young White women, young Black women are more likely to present with aggressive breast cancer (BC) subtypes that are potentially linked to worse health-related quality of life (HRQOL); however, there is limited consensus regarding HRQOL needs among young Black BC survivors. Employing Ferrell's framework on QOL in BC (i.e., physical, psychological, social, and spiritual well-being), we conducted a systematic review on HRQOL among Black BC survivors aged <50 years and proposed recommendations for advancing HRQOL research and care for this population. METHODS: Literature searches were conducted in MED-LINE/PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO to identify relevant articles published from 1995 to 2015. Abstracts and full-text articles were screened using predetermined inclusion/exclusion criteria and evaluated for quality. RESULTS: A total of 2533 articles were identified, but six met eligibility criteria. Most studies examined multiple HRQOL domains, with the psychological domain most represented. Compared with their older, White, and BC-free counterparts, young Black BC survivors reported greater fear of dying, unmet supportive care needs, financial distress, and lower physical/functional well-being. However, spiritual well-being appeared favorable for young Black survivors. Research gaps include the absence of longitudinal studies and under-representation of studies examining physical, social, and particularly, spiritual HRQOL in young Black BC survivors. CONCLUSIONS: Young Black BC survivors generally experience suboptimal HRQOL after BC diagnosis. As few studies have reported on HRQOL among this group, future research and oncology care should prioritize young Black women in ways that recognize their unique concerns, in order to ensure better HRQOL outcomes both during and after treatment