Quality of Life Outcomes for Veterans With Spinal Cord Injury Receiving Individual Placement and Support (IPS)

Background: Individual Placement and Support (IPS) is an evidence-based practice that helps persons with mental and/or physical disabilities, including spinal cord injury, find meaningful employment in the community. While employment is associated with positive rehabilitation outcomes, more research is needed on the impact of IPS participation on non-vocational outcomes, particularly quality of life (QOL). Objective: To identity QOL outcomes experienced with (1) IPS participation and (2) IPS participation leading to employment. Methods: Using a mixed method design, data on quality of life outcomes were collected from 151 interviews and 213 surveys completed by veterans with SCI participating in IPS. Results: At 12 months, participants who obtained competitive employment (CE) and those who did not (no-CE) showed improvement on most measures. In months 12-24, the CE group showed improvements on all study measures while the no-CE group declined on many indices. Statistically significant changes were observed between participants who obtained CE versus no-CE on several measures. Themes were identified from interview data related to productivity and well-being. Productivity themes were (1) contributing to society, (2) earning an income, and (3) maintaining employment. Themes for well-being were (1) mental health/self-confidence, (2) physical health, and (3) goal setting. Themes were associated with IPS participation irrespective of employment outcomes. Conclusion: IPS participants who were competitively employed report consistent improvement in handicap, health-related QOL, and life satisfaction measures across time. Qualitative findings revealed improved QOL outcomes in productivity and well-being for veterans participating in IPS overall, regardless of employment outcomes

The Environmental and Ecological Benefits of Green Infrastructure for Stormwater Runoff in Urban Areas

Water runoff from impervious surfaces threatens urban ecosystems, public health and property values. Traditional stormwater management systems are often overwhelmed after big storms, prompting the evaluation of alternative green infrastructure (GI) strategies to improve stormwater management. Here, we present a synthesis to determine the effectiveness of GI— detention basins, filtration devices, bioinfiltration, constructed wetlands, green roofs, and permeable pavement—in reducing runoff volumes and peak flows and in mitigating water pollutant loads by testing and using surrogates such as total suspended solids (TSS) and total nitrogen (TN) from storm runoff. In general, all infrastructures reduced stormwater quantity and/or improved runoff water quality at a local scale, and their performance was comparable to more traditional stormwater management approaches (i.e. detention basins). There was a general agreement between the peer-reviewed data and the best management practice (BMP) database for most GI effectiveness, particularly with respect to water quality. Our analysis shows, however, that the effectiveness of most GI was highly variable, possibly due to climate, influent concentration, or scale. Despite the variability in stormwater runoff performance, most GI can potentially provide valuable habitat for wildlife in urban settings. GI can be designed to promote additional ecosystem services in urban areas, such as habitat for flora or pollinators that can aid in urban gardens or C sequestration, among many others

Three-month cumulative precipitation (sum of current month and the previous two months) in Urbana, Illinois prior to occupancy surveys for mink (<i>Neovison vison</i>) and muskrat (<i>Ondatra zibethicus</i>).

<p>Mean (solid line) ± 1 SD (dashed line) represent the historical 3-month cumulative precipitation (1889–2012). Photographs are from the same stream segment during (a) 2008 and (b) 2012.</p

Bars indicate the proportion of locations (mean + 1 SE) of radiomarked (a) muskrat (<i>n</i> = 26) and (b) American mink (<i>n</i> = 20) in relation to distance from the stream edge.

<p>Locations are grouped into 10-m bins for muskrats and 100-m bins for mink. Dark circles represent the proportion of known-fate mortalities in relation to distance from the stream edge. We adapted space-use and mortality data from our previous studies (15, 28). Muskrat movements never exceeded > 3 m from the stream edge. Note differences in scale of <i>x</i> axis for (a) and (b).</p

Ranking of multi-season models for detection (<i>p</i>) of riparian muskrats (<i>Ondatra zibethicus</i>) and American mink (<i>Neovison vison</i>) in Illinois, USA from 2007–2012.

<p>ΔAIC_c = difference between model AIC_c and lowest AIC_c. ω = Akaike weights. K = number of estimable parameters. -2LogLike = twice the negative log-likelihood. For both species, we present all models with ΔAIC_c ≤ 2, along with the base model. The base model includes parameters for initial occupancy in 2007 [<i>Ψ</i>(.)], annual colonization [γ(2008–2012)], annual extinction [ε(2008–2012)], and constant detection probability [<i>p</i>(.)]. Detection covariates include rain 7 days prior to survey (Rain), percentage of trackable surface (Sandbar), day of year site was surveyed (Date), amount of debris (Debris), and observer conducting survey (Observer).</p><p>Ranking of multi-season models for detection (<i>p</i>) of riparian muskrats (<i>Ondatra zibethicus</i>) and American mink (<i>Neovison vison</i>) in Illinois, USA from 2007–2012.</p

Relationship between site occupancy by (a) muskrat, and (b) mink and 3-month precipitation (May, June, and July) from 2007–2012 in Illinois, USA.

<p>Estimates of site occupancy (± 1 SE) are model-averaged and corrected for imperfect detection.</p

Trends in (a) summer precipitation and (b) site occupancy dynamics of mink (<i>Neovison vison</i>) and muskrats (<i>Ondatra zibethicus</i>) in Illinois, USA from 2007–2012.

<p>Summer precipitation (sum of May, June, and July) for each year is compared to the 123-year mean (solid line) ± 1 SD (dashed line) for the same period. Estimates of site occupancy (± 1 SE) are model-averaged and corrected for imperfect detection.</p

Three-month cumulative precipitation (sum of current month and the previous two months) in Urbana, Illinois prior to occupancy surveys for mink (<i>Neovison vison</i>) and muskrat (<i>Ondatra zibethicus</i>).

<p>Mean (solid line) ± 1 SD (dashed line) represent the historical 3-month cumulative precipitation (1889–2012). Photographs are from the same stream segment during (a) 2008 and (b) 2012.</p