Attachment Matters for All - An Attachment Mapping Exercise for Children's Services in Scotland

As part of the first phase of the Looked After Strategic Implementation Group (LACSIG), the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA) undertook research into care and permanence planning for younger children in care.1 They focused on 100 children all aged under four years old when they first came to the attention of services and examined how long it took from that point to achieve permanence. For over 90% of children this process took longer than two years and more than half had still not achieved a permanent placement four years after first contact with services. Several children had also experienced multiple placements, with transitions between carers often occurring at critical developmental points. The research highlighted the negative impact on long-term outcomes of such continued disruption of children’s attachments

Choosing COVID-19 treatment over prevention through vaccination: A U.S. social media case study

Background: This study examined anti-vaccination social media posts that favored COVID-19 treatment (monoclonal antibodies (mAbs)) rather than prevention through vaccination, both of which were under Emergency Use Authorization rather than full approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration at the time of this study. Our research stemmed from participation in a U.S. public health education campaign led by a coalition of government agencies to expand provider and health system use of mAbs with high-risk COVID-19 positive patients. Aim: Inform real world communication strategies for treatment over prevention therapies. Methods: We analyzed the most-engaged tweets that mentioned mAbs and vaccines from March 1 to August 31, 2021. Results: Our qualitative analysis identified the following themes: distrust in science, individualism, and politically oriented or partisan sentiment. Discussion: Countering anti-vaccine messages and reducing the susceptibility of vaccine-hesitant individuals to these messages must involve message design that considers the individualism and distrust revealed in this study. We recommend two approaches: (1) unmasking anti-vaccine messaging techniques; (2) using colloquial and values-driven language. Conclusions: Our findings reinforce the need for public health practitioners to monitor public and social media discourse, adopt messaging that navigates anti-vaccine sentiment, and engage with the preference for treatment over prevention

Transnational comparison : A retrospective study on e-health in sparsely populated areas of the northern periphery

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Post-poliomyelitis syndrome as a possible viral disease

Summary This review summarizes current concepts on post-polio syndrome (PPS), a condition that may arise in polio survivors after partial or complete functional recovery followed by a prolonged interval of stable neurological function. PPS affects 15–20 million people worldwide. Epidemiological data are reported, together with the pathogenic pathways that possibly lead to the progressive degeneration and loss of neuromuscular motor units. As a consequence of PPS, polio survivors experience new weakness, generalized fatigue, atrophy of previously unaffected muscles, and a physical decline that may culminate in the loss of independent life. Emphasis is given to the possible pathogenic role of persistent poliovirus infection and chronic inflammation. These factors could contribute to the neurological and physical decline in polio survivors. A perspective is then given on novel anti-poliovirus compounds and monoclonal antibodies that have been developed to contribute to the final phases of polio eradication. These agents could also be useful for the treatment or prevention of PPS. Some of these compounds/antibodies are in early clinical development. Finally, current clinical trials for PPS are reported. In this area, the intravenous infusion of normal human immunoglobulins appears both feasible and promising

Attachment Matters for All : Executive Summary

In 2011 the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA) published research into care and permanence planning for looked after children. This identified long delays in achieving permanence, multiple placements and the adverse effects of these on children’s attachments. Potential long-term effects on individuals of poor attachment experiences in infancy and childhood include an increased risk of violent and anti-social behaviour, mental and physical health difficulties and a reduced capacity to parent their own children. Attachment-informed practice can ameliorate the long-term effects of early adversity. The Scottish Government responded to the SCRA research by commissioning the Centre for Excellence for Looked After Children in Scotland (CELCIS) and Scottish Attachment in Action (SAIA) to map attachment training and attachment-focused practice in Scotland

Relationships of Stigma and Shame to Gonorrhea and HIV Screening

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationships between stigma and shame associated with seeking treatment for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and undergoing testing for gonorrhea and HIV. Methods. Participants were 847 males and 1126 females (mean age: 24.9 years) in 7 cities. Two scales assessed STD-related stigma and STD-related shame. Results. Rates of stigma and shame were higher among participants without a gonorrhea test in the past year and among those without an HIV test. Sex, age, health service use, previous suspicion of gonorrhea, and low levels of stigma were independently associated with gonorrhea testing. Age, enrollment site, use of health services, gonorrhea testing, and low levels of stigma were independently associated with HIV testing. Conclusions. Shame is part of the experience of seeking STD-related care, but stigma may be a more powerful barrier to obtaining such care

An exploratory study into the use of Lean Six Sigma to reduce medication errors in the Norwegian public healthcare context

Purpose: Medication errors are a significant cause of injury in Norwegian hospitals. The purpose of this study is to explore how Lean Six Sigma (LSS) has been used in the Norwegian public health-care context to reduce medication errors. Design/methodology/approach: A mixed method approach was used to gather data from participants working in the four regions served by the Norway health authorities. A survey questionnaire was distributed to 38 health-care practitioners and semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 health-care practitioners. Findings: The study finds that the implementation of LSS in the Norwegian public health-care context is still in its infancy. This is amidst several challenges faced by Norwegian hospitals such as the lack of top-management support, lack of LSS training and coaching and a lack of awareness around the benefits of LSS in health care. Research limitations/implications: Because of the large geographical area, it was difficult to reach participants from all health regions in Norway. However, the study managed to assess the current status of LSS implementation through the participants’ perspectives. This is a fruitful area for future research whereby an action research methodology could be used. Originality/value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first empirical study into the use of LSS methodology in reducing medication errors. In addition, this study is valuable for health-care practitioners and professionals as a guideline to achieve the optimal benefit of LSS implementation to reduce medication errors

Dietary carbohydrate restriction as the first approach in diabetes management:Critical review and evidence base

AbstractThe inability of current recommendations to control the epidemic of diabetes, the specific failure of the prevailing low-fat diets to improve obesity, cardiovascular risk, or general health and the persistent reports of some serious side effects of commonly prescribed diabetic medications, in combination with the continued success of low-carbohydrate diets in the treatment of diabetes and metabolic syndrome without significant side effects, point to the need for a reappraisal of dietary guidelines. The benefits of carbohydrate restriction in diabetes are immediate and well documented. Concerns about the efficacy and safety are long term and conjectural rather than data driven. Dietary carbohydrate restriction reliably reduces high blood glucose, does not require weight loss (although is still best for weight loss), and leads to the reduction or elimination of medication. It has never shown side effects comparable with those seen in many drugs. Here we present 12 points of evidence supporting the use of low-carbohydrate diets as the first approach to treating type 2 diabetes and as the most effective adjunct to pharmacology in type 1. They represent the best-documented, least controversial results. The insistence on long-term randomized controlled trials as the only kind of data that will be accepted is without precedent in science. The seriousness of diabetes requires that we evaluate all of the evidence that is available. The 12 points are sufficiently compelling that we feel that the burden of proof rests with those who are opposed