Using the tetravalent meningococcal polysaccharide-protein conjugate vaccine in the prevention of meningococcal disease

Invasive meningococcal disease occurs worldwide causing an estimated 50,000–135,000 deaths each year in addition to significant sequelae. In developed countries the disease is usually sporadic but outbreaks and epidemics, usually due to serogroups B and C, have occurred. In the US, an increasing number of cases are due to serogroup Y. In developing nations, epidemics due to serogroups A and more recently W-135, are common. The tetravalent meningococcal conjugate vaccine to serogroups A, C, Y, and W-135 (MCV4) has been demonstrated to be highly immunogenic and promote immune memory. This article will describe the rationale for the vaccine and its potential role to significantly decrease mortality and morbidity of meningococcal disease in those areas and populations at greatest risk from these serogroups

A comparison of populations vaccinated in a public service and in a private hospital setting in the same area

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Improving immunisation rates in risk groups is one of the main objectives in vaccination strategies. However, achieving high vaccination rates in children with chronic conditions is difficult. Different types of vaccine providers may differently attract high risk children.</p> <p>Aim</p> <p>To describe the characteristics of two populations of children who attended a private and a public immunisation provider in the same area. Secondarily, to determine if prevalence of patients with underlying diseases by type of provider differs and to study if the choice of different providers influences timeliness in immunisation.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We performed a cross-sectional study on parents of children 2 – 36 months of age who attended a private hospital immunisation service or a public immunisation office serving the same metropolitan area of Rome, Italy. Data on personal characteristics and immunisation history were collected through a face to face interview with parents of vaccinees, and compared by type of provider. Prevalence of underlying conditions was compared in the two populations. Timeliness in immunisation and its determinants were analysed through a logistic regression model.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 202 parents of children 2–36 months of age were interviewed; 104 were in the public office, and 98 in the hospital practice. Children immunised in the hospital were more frequently firstborn female children, breast fed for a longer period, with a lower birthweight, and more frequently with a previous hospitalisation. The prevalence of high risk children immunised in the hospital was 9.2 vs 0% in the public service (P = 0.001). Immunisation delay for due vaccines was higher in the hospital practice than in the public service (DTP, polio, HBV, and Hib: 39.8% vs 22.1%; P = 0.005). Anyway multivariate analyses did not reveal differences in timeliness between the public and private hospital settings.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Children with underlying diseases or a low birthweight were more frequently immunised in the hospital. This finding suggests that offering immunisations in a hospital setting may facilitate vaccination uptake in high risk groups. An integration between public and hospital practices and an effort to improve communication on vaccines to parents, may significantly increase immunisation rates in high risk groups and in the general population, and prevent immunisation delays.</p

A process model of the formation of spatial presence experiences

In order to bridge interdisciplinary differences in Presence research and to establish connections between Presence and “older” concepts of psychology and communication, a theoretical model of the formation of Spatial Presence is proposed. It is applicable to the exposure to different media and intended to unify the existing efforts to develop a theory of Presence. The model includes assumptions about attention allocation, mental models, and involvement, and considers the role of media factors and user characteristics as well, thus incorporating much previous work. It is argued that a commonly accepted model of Spatial Presence is the only solution to secure further progress within the international, interdisciplinary and multiple-paradigm community of Presence research

Educating Grade School Children Using a Structured Bicycle Safety Program

BACKGROUND: Prevention is understudied in trauma care. Furthermore, the effectiveness of prevention outreach programs is not well documented. We attempted to verify that elementary school educational programs effectively create retained knowledge. METHODS: Three hundred fifty-one students (grades 1-3) viewed a bicycle safety videotape and then listened to a structured discussion of bicycle safety rules. Coded pretests were given before and identical posttests were given immediately after the session. Tests were readministered 1 month later to evaluate retained knowledge. Two hundred fifty-one students completed all three tests. RESULTS: Students showed significant (p \u3c 0.01) improvement in retained knowledge about riding with traffic, wearing a bicycle helmet, warning pedestrians when riding on sidewalks, and stopping before riding into the street. CONCLUSION: We conclude that prevention programs are effective and result in retained knowledge. Further analysis is recommended to evaluate retained knowledge at greater intervals after the original education

Educating Grade School Children Using a Structured Bicycle Safety Program

BACKGROUND: Prevention is understudied in trauma care. Furthermore, the effectiveness of prevention outreach programs is not well documented. We attempted to verify that elementary school educational programs effectively create retained knowledge. METHODS: Three hundred fifty-one students (grades 1-3) viewed a bicycle safety videotape and then listened to a structured discussion of bicycle safety rules. Coded pretests were given before and identical posttests were given immediately after the session. Tests were readministered 1 month later to evaluate retained knowledge. Two hundred fifty-one students completed all three tests. RESULTS: Students showed significant (p \u3c 0.01) improvement in retained knowledge about riding with traffic, wearing a bicycle helmet, warning pedestrians when riding on sidewalks, and stopping before riding into the street. CONCLUSION: We conclude that prevention programs are effective and result in retained knowledge. Further analysis is recommended to evaluate retained knowledge at greater intervals after the original education