Addressing health literacy in patient decision aids

MethodsWe reviewed literature for evidence relevant to these two aims. When high-quality systematic reviews existed, we summarized their evidence. When reviews were unavailable, we conducted our own systematic reviews.ResultsAim 1: In an existing systematic review of PtDA trials, lower health literacy was associated with lower patient health knowledge (14 of 16 eligible studies). Fourteen studies reported practical design strategies to improve knowledge for lower health literacy patients. In our own systematic review, no studies reported on values clarity per se, but in 2 lower health literacy was related to higher decisional uncertainty and regret. Lower health literacy was associated with less desire for involvement in 3 studies, less question-asking in 2, and less patient-centered communication in 4 studies; its effects on other measures of patient involvement were mixed. Only one study assessed the effects of a health literacy intervention on outcomes; it showed that using video to improve the salience of health states reduced decisional uncertainty. Aim 2: In our review of 97 trials, only 3 PtDAs overtly addressed the needs of lower health literacy users. In 90% of trials, user health literacy and readability of the PtDA were not reported. However, increases in knowledge and informed choice were reported in those studies in which health literacy needs were addressed.ConclusionLower health literacy affects key decision-making outcomes, but few existing PtDAs have addressed the needs of lower health literacy users. The specific effects of PtDAs designed to mitigate the influence of low health literacy are unknown. More attention to the needs of patients with lower health literacy is indicated, to ensure that PtDAs are appropriate for lower as well as higher health literacy patients

Knowledge and Perceptions of Agricultural Communications Pilot Curriculum in Arkansas Secondary Agricultural Classrooms

The purpose of this mixed-method study was to assess the effectiveness of agricultural communications curriculum developed and incorporated into a semester-long agricultural leadership and communications course for secondary agricultural education programs in Arkansas. Students (N = 297) participated in newly developed instructional modules addressing four categories of agriculture-themed curricula predetermined by a committee of agricultural education and communications faculty at the University of Arkansas (careers, writing, design, and multimedia). Student agricultural communications knowledge change was assessed using pre- and post-test instruments in each module of study. Additionally, content analysis of participating teachers’ journals was used to identify emergent themes related to teachers’ experiences teaching the curriculum throughout the semester. Overall, the findings from this study indicated students’ knowledge increased after instruction for each curriculum module: careers (16.2%), writing (23.1%), design (35.7%), and multimedia (31.3%). Lack of time, limited technology, teacher training, and curriculum content were the most common emergent themes among teachers. Based on findings from this study, it was concluded future efforts should be made to provide technology for agricultural education instructors to improve agricultural communications program effectiveness and reach

Determinisitic Writing and Control of the Dark Exciton Spin using Short Single Optical Pulses

We demonstrate that the quantum dot-confined dark exciton forms a long-lived integer spin solid state qubit which can be deterministically on-demand initiated in a pure state by one optical pulse. Moreover, we show that this qubit can be fully controlled using short optical pulses, which are several orders of magnitude shorter than the life and coherence times of the qubit. Our demonstrations do not require an externally applied magnetic field and they establish that the quantum dot-confined dark exciton forms an excellent solid state matter qubit with some advantages over the half-integer spin qubits such as the confined electron and hole, separately. Since quantum dots are semiconductor nanostructures that allow integration of electronic and photonic components, the dark exciton may have important implications on implementations of quantum technologies consisting of semiconductor qubits.Comment: Added two authors, minor edits to figure captions, expanded discussion of dark exciton eigenstate

How young people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds experience mental health: some insights for mental health nurses

This article reports on a part of a study which looked at the mental health of culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) young people. The research sought to learn from CALD young people, carers, and service providers experiences relevant to the mental health of this group of young people. The ultimate goal was to gain insights that would inform government policy, service providers, ethnic communities and most importantly the young people themselves. To this end, qualitative interviews were undertaken with 123 CALD young people, 41 carers and 14 mental health service providers in Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia. Only one aspect of the study will be dealt with here, namely the views of the young CALD participants, which included risk factors, coping strategies and recommendations about how they could be supported in their struggle to maintain mental health. One of the most important findings of the study relates to the resilience of these young people and an insight into the strategies that they used to cope. The efforts of these young people to assist us in our attempts to understand their situation deserve to be rewarded by improvements in the care that we provide. To this end this article sets out to inform mental health nurses of the results of the study so that they will be in a position to better understand the needs and strengths of their CALD clients and be in a better position to work effectively with them

The attenuation characteristics of four specially designed mufflers tested on a practical engine setup

Attenuation characteristics of four different resonator mufflers were determined in both cold tests and engine field tests and compared with the theoretical calculations. These mufflers were specifically designed for a helicopter. Engine-exhaust sound pressures, temperatures, and noise levels from the helicopter were measured. The experimental muffler cold tests indicated close a agreement with theory, whereas the engine tests indicated some discrepancies. Test results show the usefulness of the theoretical equation used for predicting muffler attenuation characteristics

Survival and Flight Characteristics of Captive-Reared and Wild Northern Bobwhites in Texas

Introductions of captive-reared northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) to bolster native populations have been largely unsuccessful. We compared the survival and flight characteristics of game-farm (n 46), first-generation (F1) (n = 48), wild translocated (n = 45), and wild native (n = 50) northern bobwhites. In November 1993, all birds were radio-collared, leg banded, sexed, and aged. Birds were then released on a study area in Brooks County, Texas in groups of about 15, 1 bird at a time. Upon release, the direction of departure, speed, and time required to reach cover were recorded. The mean flight speed and distance flown for wild bobwhites was significantly greater (P \u3c 0.01) than captive-reared bobwhites. Wild native, wild translocated, and F1 groups were non-randomly distributed in direction of departure at release site (P \u3c 0.01). Survival of wild groups was significantly higher than captive-raised groups (P \u3c 0.05). The major cause of mortality in all groups was mammalian depredation. Fifteen F1 quail and 1 game-farm quail integrated into wild coveys. Our results re-confirm the inability of game-farm and first-generation northern bobwhites to survive in the wild, and we offer flight speed as one potential causal factor

A CONJOINT ANALYSIS OF PAPER DEMAND BY COMMERCIAL GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Conjoint analysis was used to evaluate the preferences of graphic designers toward kenaf paper. Results indicate that price is of overwhelming importance to designers in their purchasing decisions regarding paper stock. If priced competitively with existing wood and recycled papers, kenaf products should gain market share among designers.Demand and Price Analysis,