Upward Communication About Cancer Screening—Adolescent Daughter to Mother

Substantial breast and cervical cancer disparities exist in the United States, particularly among African American women with low social economic status. There is considerable potential for discussions about cancer prevention between mothers and daughters. However, upward communication, from child to parent, remains a relatively novel research area, and it remains unclear how receptive mothers would be to messages from their daughter about cancer, a topic that may be considered culturally inappropriate for daughters to initiate. In this study, we simulated cancer message delivery to daughters and then conducted direct observation of daughters as they recalled and shared the message with their mother or female elder. We found that daughters were able to successfully recall and deliver a cancer appeal to their mother and mothers were generally receptive to this message. Not only did mothers listen to their daughters’ appeals, but also daughters’ knowledge of cancer was considerably improved by the opportunity to educate her female elder. Moreover, daughters’ nonverbal communication suggested a surprisingly relaxed demeanor. The potential of young people to impact the screening behavior of their female elders is very promising in terms of reducing cancer disparities

Connect: Community-Engaged, Community-Based Data Dissemination Framework

This resource discusses community-engaged data dissemination processes. It provides information on being able to produce many scholarly outputs in addition to co-creating accessible outputs for the community. The framework describes how to continue partnerships that are mutually beneficial to both the institution and the community. The CONNECT framework addresses community frustrations by transforming data dissemination into a systematic, partnership-driven process that goes beyond data extraction. It enables researchers to align their work more closely with community needs, guiding the next steps in research design, focus, and methodology

Gaps in detailed knowledge of human papillomavirus (HPV) and the HPV vaccine among medical students in Scotland

<p>Background: A vaccination programme targeted against human papillomavirus (HPV) types16 and 18 was introduced in the UK in 2008, with the aim of decreasing incidence of cervical disease. Vaccine roll out to 12–13 year old girls with a catch-up programme for girls aged up to 17 years and 364 days was accompanied by a very comprehensive public health information (PHI) campaign which described the role of HPV in the development of cervical cancer.</p> <p>Methods: A brief questionnaire, designed to assess acquisition of knowledge of HPV infection and its association to cervical cancer, was administered to two different cohorts of male and female 1st year medical students (school leavers: 83% in age range 17–20) at a UK university. The study was timed so that the first survey in 2008 immediately followed a summer's intensive PHI campaign and very shortly after vaccine roll-out (150 students). The second survey was exactly one year later over which time there was a sustained PHI campaign (213 students).</p> <p>Results: We addressed three research questions: knowledge about three specific details of HPV infection that could be acquired from PHI, whether length of the PHI campaign and/or vaccination of females had any bearing on HPV knowledge, and knowledge differences between men and women regarding HPV. No female student in the 2008 cohort had completed the three-dose vaccine schedule compared to 58.4% of female students in 2009. Overall, participants’ knowledge regarding the sexually transmitted nature of HPV and its association with cervical cancer was high in both year groups. However, in both years, less than 50% of students correctly identified that HPV causes over 90% of cases of cervical cancer. Males gave fewer correct answers for these two details in 2009. In 2008 only around 50% of students recognised that the current vaccine protects against a limited subset of cervical cancer-causing HPV sub-types, although there was a significant increase in correct response among female students in the 2009 cohort compared to the 2008 cohort.</p> <p>onclusions: This study highlights a lack of understanding regarding the extent of protection against cervical cancer conferred by the HPV vaccine, even among an educated population in the UK who could have a vested interest in acquiring such knowledge. The intensive PHI campaign accompanying the first year of HPV vaccination seemed to have little effect on knowledge over time. This is one of the first studies to assess detailed knowledge of HPV in both males and females. There is scope for continued improvements to PHI regarding the link between HPV infection and cervical cancer.</p&gt

Petrophysical characterization of sandstone reservoirs through boreholes E-S3, E-S5 and F-AH4 using multivariate statistical techniques and seismic facies in the Central Bredasdorp Basin

>Magister Scientiae - MScThe thesis aims to determine the depositional environments, rock types and petrophysical characteristics of the reservoirs in Wells E-S3, E-S5 and F-AH4 of Area X in the Bredasdorp Basin, offshore South Africa. The three wells were studied using methods including core description, petrophysical analysis, seismic facies and multivariate statistics in order to evaluate their reservoir potential. The thesis includes digital wireline log signatures, 2D seismic data, well data and core analysis from selected depths. Based on core description, five lithofacies were identified as claystone (HM1), fine to coarse grained sandstone (HM2), very fine to medium grained sandstone (HM3), fine to medium grained sandstone (HM4) and conglomerate (HM5). Deltaic and shallow marine depositional environments were also interpreted from the core description based on the sedimentary structures and ichnofossils. The results obtained from the petrophysical analysis indicate that the sandstone reservoirs show a relatively fair to good porosity (range 13-20 %), water saturation (range 17-45 %) and a predicted permeability (range 4- 108 mD) for Wells E-S3, E-S5 andF-AH4. The seismic facies model of the study area shows five seismic facies described as parallel, variable amplitude variable continuity, semi-continuous high amplitude, divergent variable amplitude and chaotic seismic facies as well as a probable shallow marine, deltaic and submarine fan depositional system. Linking lithofacies to seismic facies maps helped to understand and predict the distribution and quality of reservoir packages in the studied wells. Multivariate statistical methods of factor, discriminant and cluster analysis were used. For Wells E-S3, E-S5 and F-AH4, two factors were derived from the wireline log data reflecting oil and non- oil bearing depths. Cluster analysis delineated oil and non-oil bearing groups with similar wireline properties. This thesis demonstrates that the approach taken is useful because petrophysical analysis, seismic facies and multivariate statistics has provided useful information on reservoir quality such as net to gross, depths of hydrocarbon saturation and depositional environment

Using a co-production prioritization exercise involving South Asian children, young people and their families to identify health priorities requiring further research and public awareness

OBJECTIVES: To facilitate South Asian (SA) families and health-care professionals (HCPs) participation in a prioritization exercise to co-produce child health research and public awareness agendas. DESIGN: A three-stage process was adopted involving the following: (i) systematic literature review, (ii) HCP scoping survey and (iii) focus groups of SA adolescents and families. A Punjabi- and Urdu-speaking community facilitator moderated focus groups. A British Sign Language interpreter assisted in the hard of hearing group. Concordant and discordant themes between HCPs and SAs were identified. SETTING: National survey of HCPs. Leicestershire for SA families. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 27 HCPs and 35 SAs. SAs varied by descent, age (16-74), UK stay length (3-57 years) religion and disability. RESULTS: Ranked by submission frequency in the survey, HCPs prioritized (i) public awareness on obesity, mental health, health-care access, vitamin D and routine health checks and (ii) research on nutrition, diabetes, health education and parenting methods. DISCUSSION: South Asians prioritized research into the effectiveness of alternative medicines, a theme not identified by HCPs. Both HCPs and SAs prioritized increased research or public awareness on mental health illness, blood and organ donation, obesity and diet. Whilst HCPs identified diabetes, vitamin D and rickets together with parenting methods were important priorities requiring increased public awareness, and these views were not shared by SAs. CONCLUSIONS: Minority groups are not always included in priority setting exercises due to concerns about language and perceived difficulty with accessing communities. Through this co-production exercise, we showed that it is possible and essential

Lifestyle risk factor related disparities in oral cancer examination in the U.S: a population-based cross-sectional study

Background: Oral cancers account for 3% of annual U.S. cancer diagnosis, 2 in 5 of which are diagnosed late when prognosis is poor. The purpose of this study was to report the population-level prevalence of oral cancer examination among adult smokers and alcohol drinkers and assess if these modifiable lifestyle factors are associated with receiving an oral cancer examination. Methods: Adult participants ≥30 years (n = 9374) of the 2013–2016 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were included. Oral cancer examination (yes/no), smoking (never, former, current) and alcohol use (abstainers, former, current) were self-reported. Survey-logistic regression estimated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of ever and past year oral cancer examination adjusted for age, gender, race/ethnicity, education, income, and time since last dental visit. Results: One third (33%) reported ever been examined for oral cancer, 66% of whom reported an examination in the past year. Adjusted OR (95% CI) of past year examination comparing current and former smokers to non-smokers were 0.51 (0.29, 0.88) and 0.74 (0.53, 1.04) respectively. Similarly, current and former alcohol drinkers relative to abstainers were less likely to report a past year oral cancer examination, OR (95% CI) = 0.84 (0.53, 1.30) and 0.50 (0.30, 0.83) respectively. Conclusion: This study showed that smokers and alcohol users were less likely than abstainers to self-report a past year oral cancer examination. Access to affordable and targeted oral cancer examination within the dental care setting might ensure that these high-risk individuals get timely examinations and earlier diagnosis that might improve prognosis and survival

Factors Distinguishing Positive Deviance Among Low-Income African American Women: A Qualitative Study on Infant Feeding

Background: Positive deviant individuals practice beneficial behaviors in spite of having qualities characterizing them as high risk for unhealthy behaviors. Objective: This study aimed to identify and understand factors distinguishing low-income African American women who breastfeed the longest (positive deviants) from those who breastfeed for a shorter duration or do not breastfeed. Methods: Seven mini-focus groups on infant-feeding attitudes and experiences were conducted with 25 low-income African American women, grouped by infant-feeding practice. Positive deviants, who had breastfed for 4 months or more, were compared with formula-feeding participants who had only formula fed their babies and short-term breastfeeding participants who had breastfed for 3 months or less. Results: Positive deviant women had more schooling, higher income, breastfeeding intention, positive breastfeeding and unfavorable formula-feeding attitudes, higher self-efficacy, positive hospital and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children experiences, more exclusive breastfeeding, and greater comfort breastfeeding in public. Short-term breastfeeding women varied in breastfeeding intention and self-efficacy, seemed to receive insufficient professional breastfeeding support, and supplemented breastfeeding with formula. Some showed ambivalence, concern with unhealthy behaviors, and discomfort with breastfeeding in public. Formula-feeding women intended to formula feed, feared breastfeeding, thought their behaviors were incompatible with breastfeeding, were comfortable with and found formula convenient, and received strong support to formula feed. Conclusion: Tapping into the strengths of positive deviants; tailoring interventions to levels of general and breastfeeding self-efficacy; increasing social, institutional, and community supports; and removing inappropriate formula promotion may offer promising strategies to increase breastfeeding among low-income African American women

Community-Based Participatory Research and Sustainability: The Petersburg Wellness Consortium

The principle and practice of sustainability is critical in community-based participatory research. Actively planning for and building community capacity to ensure sustainability is even more critical in research involving underserved populations and underrepresented minorities. The perception of researchers engaging with the community until their research needs have been met, then leaving the community with minimal, if any benefits, has all too often been the reality in these communities. This paper offers a case study of how an independent community consortium was borne from an academic/community research partnership in Petersburg, Virginia. We discuss lessons learned and practice implications as we describe the evolution of, and challenges associated with, cultivating a sustainable independent coalition

Genetic effects on gene expression across human tissues

Characterization of the molecular function of the human genome and its variation across individuals is essential for identifying the cellular mechanisms that underlie human genetic traits and diseases. The Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project aims to characterize variation in gene expression levels across individuals and diverse tissues of the human body, many of which are not easily accessible. Here we describe genetic effects on gene expression levels across 44 human tissues. We find that local genetic variation affects gene expression levels for the majority of genes, and we further identify inter-chromosomal genetic effects for 93 genes and 112 loci. On the basis of the identified genetic effects, we characterize patterns of tissue specificity, compare local and distal effects, and evaluate the functional properties of the genetic effects. We also demonstrate that multi-tissue, multi-individual data can be used to identify genes and pathways affected by human disease-associated variation, enabling a mechanistic interpretation of gene regulation and the genetic basis of disease.Postprint (published version