Doing public health differently: How can public health departments engage with local communities through social media interventions?

Objectives This paper evaluates a collaborative intervention between public health professionals and local social media administrators, in which the social media site Facebook was used with a view to strengthening engagement with and, dissemination of, core messages and building trust and resilience within local communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. Study design A qualitative design was used, exploring the research question: how does collaboration between public health professionals and local social network group administrators create community engagement during a global crisis? Methods Fourteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with public health staff and online group administrators. Data was analysed using framework analysis. Results Collaboration between public health professionals and local group administrators created both opportunities and challenges. Local group administrators had wide reach and trust within the local community, but message credibility was enhanced through local authority involvement. Such collaborations contain inherent tensions due to perceived risks to social capital and independence but can be successful if receiving strong risk-tolerant support from the local authority. Findings are discussed in the context of Bourdieu's theory of social capital to examine how public health information can be delivered by trusted social media actors in communication tailored to the local community. Conclusions Social media provides new channels of communication for delivery of public health messages, enabling new ways of working which create long-term engagement and community building. Although the intervention was developed quickly in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, participants felt it could be mobilised to address a wider range of issues

Proof of the Formulae for the Molecular Orbitals and Energy Levels of Mobius Annulenes, Based on the Theory of Skew-Circulant Matrices

The formulae for the molecular orbitals and corresponding energy-levels that arise in a Huckel molecular-orbital (HMO) treatment of Miobius systems are derived by appeal to the theory of skew-circulant matrices. The approach adopted is analogous to that previously used to obtain the orbital energies and HMO\u27s of \u27Huckel\u27 annulenes from the theory of circulant matrices

Favorable patient acceptance of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in a primary care setting in the United States: a cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND: The use of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) in the diagnosis and management of hypertension in primary care settings in the United States is increasing. Insufficient information is available describing patients' experiences and acceptance of this technology in the United States, where medical insurance coverage of the procedure is often limited. The objective of this study was to describe patient satisfaction with ABPM performed in a primary care office in the United States, using modern ABPM technology. METHODS: Cross-sectional survey performed on consecutive patients referred to the ABPM service of the Family Care Center, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, Iowa from January 2001 to July 2003. Measures of patient satisfaction and acceptance with the device, comfort, and overall session were assessed via a 9-question, Likert-scale response survey. RESULTS: Since its inception two and a half years ago, 245 total ABPM sessions have been conducted in 235 unique patients. Of the 235 eligible respondents, 177 returned completed surveys, yielding a 75% response rate. Three-fourths (75%) of patients believed that undergoing the test was worthwhile considering the time and monetary cost involved, while most (90%) reported they thought the information provided by the test would be helpful to their physician in making treatment decisions. Patients reporting that their physician had clearly explained the benefit of undergoing the testing were more likely to report that they thought the results of the test would be more helpful in making treatment decisions. Few patients (20%) found that wearing the monitor was uncomfortable. CONCLUSIONS: When clinically indicated, clinicians should not hesitate to order ABPM testing for fear of subjecting patients to an uncomfortable test, or an uncovered insurance benefit. When ordering ABPM, they should be sure to educate the patient about the potential benefits of undergoing the testing. Most patients believe the test will provide useful information in making treatment decisions, despite probable lack of insurance coverage, and appear willing to experience some discomfort for the overall gain of the results obtained from undergoing the session

All that glisters is not gold: a comparison of electronic monitoring versus filled prescriptions – an observational study

BACKGROUND: Poor compliance with antihypertensive medication is assumed to be an important reason for unsatisfactory control of blood pressure. Poor compliance is difficult to detect. Each method of measuring compliance has its own strengths and weaknesses. The aim of the present study was to compare patient compliance with antihypertensive drugs as measured by two methods, electronic monitoring versus refill compliance. METHODS: 161 patients with a diagnosis of hypertension for at least a year prior to inclusion, and inadequate blood pressure control (systolic blood pressure ≥ 160 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 95 mmHg) despite the use of antihypertensive drugs, were included. Patients' pharmacy records from 12 months prior to inclusion were obtained. Refill compliance was calculated as the number of days for which the pills were prescribed divided by the total number of days in this period. After inclusion compliance was measured with an electronic monitor that records time and date of each opening of the pillbox. Agreement between both compliance measures was calculated using Spearman's correlation coefficient and Cohen's kappa coefficient. RESULTS: There was very little agreement between the two measures. Whereas refill compliance showed a large range of values, compliance as measured by electronic monitoring was high in almost all patients with estimates between 90% and 100%. Cohen's kappa coefficient was 0.005. CONCLUSION: While electronic monitoring is often considered to be the gold standard for compliance measurements, our results suggest that a short-term electronic monitoring period with the patient being aware of electronic monitoring is probably insufficient to obtain valid compliance data. We conclude that there is a strong need for more studies that explore the effect of electronic monitoring on patient's compliance

2007 Guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension: The Task Force for the Management of Arterial Hypertension of the European Society of Hypertension (ESH) and of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC)

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Twenty-four-hour intraocular pressure and ocular perfusion pressure characteristics in newly diagnosed patients with normal tension glaucoma

PurposeTo determine the mean 24-h intraocular pressure (IOP) and mean ocular perfusion pressure (MOPP) characteristics of newly diagnosed, previously untreated, Caucasian, normal tension glaucoma (NTG) patients and to identify relationships between these features and visual field (VF) loss at diagnosis.MethodsConsecutive newly diagnosed NTG patients underwent 24-h habitual IOP and blood pressure (BP) monitoring. Parameters from pooled measurements obtained in the sitting (0800-2200 hours) and supine (1200-0600 hours) positions were compared and associations were sought with VF mean deviation (MD) and pattern standard deviation (PSD).ResultsSixty-two Caucasian NTG patients (24 men and 38 women) successfully completed circadian IOP and BP monitoring. In habitual position, 8 subjects (12.9%) exhibited a diurnal acrophase, 42 subjects (67.7%) demonstrated a nocturnal acrophase, one subject (1.6%) showed a flat rhythm and 11 patients (17.7%) revealed a biphasic/polyphasic rhythm. Nighttime MOPP values (supine position) were significantly greater than diurnal values (sitting position); (P<0.001). No association could be demonstrated between glaucomatous damage, as indicated by VF parameters, and either mean habitual 24-h IOP (P=0.20 and P=0.12 for MD and PSD, respectively), or habitual 24-h MOPP (P=0.96 and 0.29, for MD and PSD, respectively).ConclusionsIn this cohort of Caucasian NTG patients, most patients exhibited a nocturnal IOP acrophase when evaluated in a habitual position. No association was found between 24-h IOP or MOPP and VF damage.Eye advance online publication, 29 July 2016; doi:10.1038/eye.2016.168