Cognitive Reserve Factors in a Developing Country: Education and Occupational Attainment Lower the Risk of Dementia in a Sample of Lebanese Older Adults.

Background: Dementia secondary to neurodegenerative diseases is prevalent among older adults and leads to social, psychological and economic burden on patients, caregivers and the community as a whole. Cognitive reserve factors such as education, and mental stimulation among others were hypothesized to contribute to the resilience against age-related cognitive impairment. Educational attainment, occupation complexity, physical activity, and leisure activity are explored in the context of protecting the older adults' cognitive function. We investigated the cognitive reserve effect on dementia, cognitive decline and impairment, and global cognitive function. Methods: This study is a secondary analysis of data from a cross-sectional, community-based cohort study that aimed at investigating factors associated with dementia and their prevalence. The sample was of 508 community based older adults in Lebanon, aged 65 years and above in addition to 502 informants designated by these older adults. Older adults and informants answered structured questionnaires administered by interviewers, as well as a physical assessment and a neurological examination. Older adults were diagnosed for dementia. Global cognitive function, depression, and cognitive decline were assessed. Results: Older adults with dementia had lower levels of education, and attained lower occupational complexity. Factors such as high education, complex occupation attainment, and leisure activity, significantly predicted better global cognitive function. An older adult who attained high education levels or high complexity level occupation was 7.1 or 4.6 times more likely to have better global cognitive function than another who attained lower education or complexity level occupation respectively. Conclusion: These results suggest that cognitive reserve factors ought to be taken into consideration clinically during the course of dementia diagnosis and when initiating community-based preventive strategies.The study was funded by the Fogarty International Center, American National Institutes of Health and National Institute on Aging, grant no. 1R21AG039333-01, under the program Brain Disorders in the Developing World: Research across the Lifespan (BRAIN). The content is exclusively the responsibility of the authors and is not representative of the funding agencies' views. The funding agency had no roles in the study design; in the collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data; in the writing of the report; or in the decision to submit the article for publication

Knowledge, Perception, Attitudes and Behavior on Influenza Immunization and the Determinants of Vaccination

BACKGROUND: We sought to determine the knowledge of, perception, attitudes, and behaviors toward influenza virus and immunization, and the determinants of vaccination among students, patients, and Healthcare Workers (HCWs) at the American University of Beirut and its affiliated Medical Center. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study between October 2016 and January 2017 utilizing a self-administered questionnaire that was provided to 247 randomly selected adult participants. Data collected included socio-demographic characteristics, prior vaccination against influenza, knowledge, perception, attitudes, and behaviors toward influenza and influenza immunization. A multivariable regression model was used to evaluate for independent associations between the different variables and regular or yearly vaccination as a primary outcome. RESULTS: The overall survey response rate was 77%. A substantial proportion of respondents (47.4%) had never received the influenza vaccine. Only 10.2% of students, 19.1% of patients, and 35.6% of HCWs reported regular or yearly influenza vaccine uptake. HCWs had the lowest knowledge score about influenza and its vaccine despite high self-reported levels of knowledge. Barriers to vaccinations included lack of information (31%), fear of adverse effects (29%), and a perception of not being at risk (23%). Several factors were independently associated with regular or yearly vaccination uptake including having children (adjusted OR = 3.8; 95% CI 1.2-12.5), a "very good" self-reported level of knowledge (OR = 16.3; 95% CI 1.4-194.2) and being afraid of the consequences of influenza (OR = 0.2; 95% CI 0.1-0.6). CONCLUSION: Adherence rates with regular or yearly vaccination against influenza remain low across all study groups. We were able to identify predictors as well as barriers to vaccination. Future awareness and vaccination campaigns should specifically aim at correcting misconceptions about vaccination, particularly among HCWs, along with addressing the barriers to vaccination. Predictors of vaccination should be integrated in the design of future campaigns

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Care Needs, Social Wellbeing, and Health and Social Services Use in Older Age

Background. Over the last hundred years, the increase in longevity, first regarded as one of the greatest successes of humankind, became perceived as a global challenge with substantial and changing implications for societies, economies, and health care systems. To respond to this challenge, a first step is to understand the change in health and social care needs in older age to inform policy and practice. The Cambridge City over-75s Cohort (CC75C) study (1985-2015), one of the largest and longest-running population-based studies of the oldest old (75+ years at recruitment), provides a rare opportunity to investigate the patterns of change in physical, mental, and social health profiles and health and social services use in older age. Objectives. The project aimed to (1) summarise the evidence on the link between social wellbeing and outcomes of interest (mortality and health/ social services use), (2) derive a measure of social wellbeing and describe its longitudinal change, (3) describe the change in health profiles and health/ social services use over the 10 waves of follow-up, (4) determine the longitudinal associations between social wellbeing and outcomes, and finally (5) provide an overview and evaluation of health service use models with respect to the results. Methods. A literature review and a systematic review of reviews were carried out to summarise the evidence on social wellbeing in older age with respect to mortality and health/ social services use. The derivation of a social wellbeing index (SWI) was based on a standardisation method using data pertaining to four social dimensions: relationships, network, support, and participation. Longitudinal descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted. The latter were based on marginal models (generalised estimating equations) and time-to-event-models (Cox regression and competing risks analyses) depending on study outcomes. Missing data were investigated, described, and adjusted for, using different methods including multiple imputation and inverse probability weighting. Results. The review of the literature showed that lower social support, having no spouse, or living alone were associated with higher risk of re-hospitalisation and emergency department visit, with some variation in patterns. Health service use models ranged from broad (for example, the Andersen behavioural model) to specific (for example, a post-hip fracture rehabilitative care model) and focused on healthcare services rather than social care services or both. The analyses revealed that while care needs and health/ social services use increased, social wellbeing decreased as the cohort aged. Furthermore, a higher SWI was significantly associated with a decreased risk of mortality, use of social care services, and stay at a residential care home, and with a more recent last GP visit. Conclusion. This body of work provides (1) a higher-level synthesis of the evidence on social wellbeing in older age, (2) a first longitudinal social wellbeing index based on common social dimensions with details on its conceptualisation and derivation for replication and benchmarking purposes, (3) empirical evidence on the change in patterns of care needs and health/ social services use in older age using a rare longitudinal study, (4) robust quantitative longitudinal evidence on the protective effect of social wellbeing against mortality risk and health/ social services use, and finally (5) an overview and critique of health service use models suggesting the incorporation of social health predictors and social care service use outcomes. Implications for research, practice, and policy are discussed.IsDB Cambridge International Scholarship by the Cambridge Commonwealth, European & International Trus

Road-traffic nuisances (noise, air pollution and insecurity) from annoyance to health risk perception from the point of view of social inequalities

Le transport est un facteur important de la croissance urbaine et de la viabilité des centres urbains mais il est également responsable de nombreuses nuisances telles que le bruit, la pollution de l'air et les accidents de la route, qui causent aujourd'hui de nombreux impacts sur la santé, telles que la gêne. L'objectif principal de notre thèse était d'identifier les déterminants (sociodémographiques, socioéconomiques, liés à la mobilité quotidienne) d'une gêne ressentie vis-à-vis du bruit, de la pollution de l'air et des accidents de la route. L'objectif secondaire était d'identifier les déterminants de la perception du risque sanitaire vis-à-vis de ces trois nuisances et du ressenti des effets du bruit et de la pollution de l'air sur sa propre santé ou celle de son entourage ; dans le but in fine de voir si des inégalités sociales se dessinaient dans le champ de cette problématique. Pour ce faire, deux études transversales ont été menées en population générale, dans le département du Rhône en 2013 puis en 2014 respectivement. La principale conclusion de notre étude est que le milieu socioéconomique ne joue un rôle prédominant ni dans l'expression de la gêne ni dans la perception du risque sanitaire. En revanche, les usagers des modes doux (marche, vélo) et des transports publics sont plus gênés par la pollution de l'air et le bruit du trafic routier comparés aux usagers motorisés. Par ailleurs, la gêne liée à la pollution de l'air influencerait le ressenti des effets du bruit et de la pollution de l'air sur sa propre santé. Nos résultats devraient être utiles aux décideurs politiques dans le cadre des politiques urbaines. Créer un environnement plus « friendly » en réduisant l'utilisation des voitures, en promouvant l'utilisation des modes doux, en améliorant les transports en commun et leur utilisation, en développant des installations pour les piétons et pour les cyclistes - toutes ces mesures sont autant de mesures nécessaires pour réduire les nuisances dus au trafic routier et ainsi le sentiment de gêne et d'insécuritéAn important factor supporting urban growth, and the viability of the urban centers, is transportation but road transport is still a common important source of traffic accidents, noise, and air which have heavy consequences on public health such as annoyance. The main objective of our thesis was to identify the determinants of each kind of trafficrelated annoyance (sociodemographic, socioeconomic, daily mobilty). The secondary objective was to identify the determinants of health risk perception and the feelings of health effects on his own health. Then, tow cross-sectional studies have been conducted in the general population, in the Rhône Department, in France. The main finding of our study is that the socioeconomic level doesn’t play a rule neither in the expression of annoyance nor in the health risk perception. However, active travel modes and public transport users are highly annoyed by traffic air pollution and road-traffic noise more than motorized users. Moreover, annoyance related to air pollution seemed to influence the feeling of health effects of noise and air pollution. Our results should be useful for urban policies. Create a friendly environment by reducing the use of cars, promoting non-motorized or “active” travel mode use (walking, cycling), to improve public transport and to promote the use of public transport, avoiding to add noisy road infrastructure near population centers, to develop facilities for pedestrians and for cyclists - all of these measures are needed to reduce road-traffic nuisances and the feeling of annoyanc

Les nuisances liées au trafic routier (bruit, pollution de l’air et insécurité) : de la gêne à la perception du risque sanitaire sous l’angle des inégalités sociales

An important factor supporting urban growth, and the viability of the urban centers, is transportation but road transport is still a common important source of traffic accidents, noise, and air which have heavy consequences on public health such as annoyance. The main objective of our thesis was to identify the determinants of each kind of trafficrelated annoyance (sociodemographic, socioeconomic, daily mobilty). The secondary objective was to identify the determinants of health risk perception and the feelings of health effects on his own health. Then, tow cross-sectional studies have been conducted in the general population, in the Rhône Department, in France. The main finding of our study is that the socioeconomic level doesn’t play a rule neither in the expression of annoyance nor in the health risk perception. However, active travel modes and public transport users are highly annoyed by traffic air pollution and road-traffic noise more than motorized users. Moreover, annoyance related to air pollution seemed to influence the feeling of health effects of noise and air pollution. Our results should be useful for urban policies. Create a friendly environment by reducing the use of cars, promoting non-motorized or “active” travel mode use (walking, cycling), to improve public transport and to promote the use of public transport, avoiding to add noisy road infrastructure near population centers, to develop facilities for pedestrians and for cyclists - all of these measures are needed to reduce road-traffic nuisances and the feeling of annoyanceLe transport est un facteur important de la croissance urbaine et de la viabilité des centres urbains mais il est également responsable de nombreuses nuisances telles que le bruit, la pollution de l'air et les accidents de la route, qui causent aujourd'hui de nombreux impacts sur la santé, telles que la gêne. L'objectif principal de notre thèse était d'identifier les déterminants (sociodémographiques, socioéconomiques, liés à la mobilité quotidienne) d'une gêne ressentie vis-à-vis du bruit, de la pollution de l'air et des accidents de la route. L'objectif secondaire était d'identifier les déterminants de la perception du risque sanitaire vis-à-vis de ces trois nuisances et du ressenti des effets du bruit et de la pollution de l'air sur sa propre santé ou celle de son entourage ; dans le but in fine de voir si des inégalités sociales se dessinaient dans le champ de cette problématique. Pour ce faire, deux études transversales ont été menées en population générale, dans le département du Rhône en 2013 puis en 2014 respectivement. La principale conclusion de notre étude est que le milieu socioéconomique ne joue un rôle prédominant ni dans l'expression de la gêne ni dans la perception du risque sanitaire. En revanche, les usagers des modes doux (marche, vélo) et des transports publics sont plus gênés par la pollution de l'air et le bruit du trafic routier comparés aux usagers motorisés. Par ailleurs, la gêne liée à la pollution de l'air influencerait le ressenti des effets du bruit et de la pollution de l'air sur sa propre santé. Nos résultats devraient être utiles aux décideurs politiques dans le cadre des politiques urbaines. Créer un environnement plus « friendly » en réduisant l'utilisation des voitures, en promouvant l'utilisation des modes doux, en améliorant les transports en commun et leur utilisation, en développant des installations pour les piétons et pour les cyclistes - toutes ces mesures sont autant de mesures nécessaires pour réduire les nuisances dus au trafic routier et ainsi le sentiment de gêne et d'insécurit

Collective memory of the Lebanese civil war

Lebanon experienced a civil war between 1975 and 1990, when the 18 Lebanese religious communities fought against each other. Intergroup attitudes today are still influenced by memories of the war and by perceptions of victimhood, even among young people who were born after the war. My research project aims to study the collective memory of the Lebanese civil war and its relation with the Lebanese social identity. Method: online questionnaire that evaluates war memory knowledge, source of information, level of identification (regional, national, religious, and political identity), attribution of responsibility and perceived victimhood, among 5 main religious communities (data are currently being collected: preliminary analyses are expected to be done before the BAPS meeting). Hypothesis: We suggest that the level identification will mediate the effect between the collective memory and the attribution of responsibility and Perceived victimhood.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Impact of ingroup identification and threat on the collective memory of the Lebanese civil war and intergroup relations in Lebanon

The data was collected in the context of a doctoral thesis in social and cultural psychology at the University of Brussels, Belgium. Thesis title: Were we all victims and perpetrators? How national and religious identifications and processes of victimhood and responsibility attributions for the civil war affect present-day intergroup relations in Lebanon. This thesis aims to study the role of ingroup identification in shaping construals of group victimhood and responsibility attributions, in addition to the impact of these factors on intergroup relations. We choose to study this phenomenon in the context of the Lebanese civil war, in Lebanese citizens currently residing in Lebanon, evaluating two types of ingroup identification (national and religious) in the two main religious groups (Christians and Muslims). Quantitative data collected via online survey among Lebanese citizens currently residing in Lebanon. This project aimed to assess various factors (victimhood, responsibility attributions, threat, group status, etc. ) that can impact intergroup relations (attitudes, intergroup contact, forgiveness, collection action). Method of data collection (sample description, procedure, variables scales and items), and a codebook (variables names and their code explained, to better understand the csv and sav data files). CMLCW P5: Collective Memory of The Lebanese Civil War (project acronym) Projectinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Dataset: Collective memory of the Lebanese Civil War, ingroup identification and construals of violence.

The data was collected in, 2019, in the context of a doctoral thesis in social and cultural psychology at the University of Brussels, Belgium. Thesis title: Were we all victims and perpetrators? How national and religious identifications and processes of victimhood and responsibility attributions for the civil war affect present-day intergroup relations in Lebanon. This thesis aims to study the role of ingroup identification in shaping construals of group victimhood and responsibility attributions, in addition to the impact of these factors on intergroup relations. We choose to study this phenomenon in the context of the Lebanese civil war, in Lebanese citizens currently residing in Lebanon, evaluating two types of ingroup identification (national and religious) in the two main religious groups (Christians and Muslims). Quantitative data collected via online survey among Lebanese citizens currently residing in Lebanon. This project aimed to assess how construals of victimhood and responsibility and collective emotions are expressed after being exposed to civil war events, in addition to the impact of group membership and identification on this process. Particularly in this project (among the 5 projects in this thesis) we assessed Arabic and Political identification levels (in addition to Lebanese and religious). Method of data collection (sample description, procedure, variables scales and items), and a codebook (variables names and their code explained, to better understand the csv and sav data files) are provided. CMLCW P1: Collective Memory of The Lebanese Civil War (project acronym) Projectinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Dataset for: Remembering events from the Lebanese Civil War, Construals of violence, and ingroup identification, and the impact on perspective-taking and reconciliation attitudes. A mixed-method approach

The data was collected in 2020, in the context of a doctoral thesis in social and cultural psychology at the University of Brussels, Belgium. Thesis title: Were we all victims and perpetrators? How national and religious identifications and processes of victimhood and responsibility attributions for the civil war affect present-day intergroup relations in Lebanon. This thesis aims to study the role of ingroup identification in shaping construals of group victimhood and responsibility attributions, in addition to the impact of these factors on intergroup relations. We choose to study this phenomenon in the context of the Lebanese civil war, in Lebanese citizens currently residing in Lebanon, evaluating two types of ingroup identification (national and religious) in the two main religious groups (Christians and Muslims). Quantitative and qualitative data collected via online survey among Lebanese citizens currently residing in Lebanon. This project aimed to assess the effect of free recalling of past events (civil war events), in addition to ingroup identification, on construals of violence (victimhood and responsibility attributions) on intergroup relations in Lebanon and other factors (Reconciliation attitudes and perspective-taking). Method of data collection (sample description, procedure, variables scales and items), and a codebook (variables names and their code explained, to better understand the csv and sav data files) are provided. CMLCW P3: Collective Memory of The Lebanese Civil War (project acronym) Projectinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe