Reducing Disaster Vulnerability of Coastal Communities on the Salish Sea

This paper provides an overview of the disaster vulnerability of coastal communities on the Salish Sea. In addition to natural hazards such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and floods (both riverine and coastal), coastal communities in this region are at risk from human-induced and technological disasters such as oil spills and terrorism threats. Vulnerability – or the propensity to suffer loss when a hazard event occurs – is affected by many factors related to geographic setting, the built environment, economic conditions, socio-demographics characteristics, and institutional context. In a case study of Metro Vancouver, this paper identifies and compares key vulnerability factors in the context of three major hazards: earthquakes, coastal flooding, and oil spills. The paper then provides a qualitative discussion of the potential for green infrastructure approaches to reduce these key vulnerability factors. Worldwide, some coastal communities struck by disasters have been undertaking ecosystem restoration and green infrastructure initiatives to reduce their future vulnerability (e.g., following Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Sandy, the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, and the 2011 Tohoku earthquake/tsunami). The benefits of green infrastructure for reducing disaster vulnerability are, however, both context-dependent and as yet poorly understood. In the case of Metro Vancouver, this paper suggests that some vulnerability conditions, including development in low-lying delta areas, may be ameliorated by green infrastructure approaches such as tidal wetlands restoration. Other vulnerability conditions, such as the high reliance of most coastal and island communities on maritime transportation systems that could be severely disrupted in a disaster, are less amenable to green infrastructure approaches

Understanding the Impact of of COVID-19 on Minority Groups: Exploring Factors Contributing to Disparities

This research paper explores the multifaceted impact of COVID-19 on minority groups, focusing on two key aspects: vaccination rates and public trust in the government. Through a comprehensive literature review, the vaccination rates within various minority groups are examined, revealing disparities particularly prevalent among African Americans and refugees. Factors contributing to these disparities, including districts in the government, are identified and analyzed. Additionally, the paper investigates the influence of public health policies on political trust both domestically and internationally. By studying different policies implemented during the pandemic, the research aims to assess their effectiveness in fostering public trust and enhancing the overall welfare of the population. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the complex interplay between COVID-19, minority communities, vaccination rates, public trust, and governmental policies, offering valuable insights for future policy-making efforts

Feasibility and implementation of a daily safety brief at a children’s hospital-in-a-hospital

https://scholarlycommons.libraryinfo.bhs.org/nurs_presentations2023/1007/thumbnail.jp

Reducing Pressure Injury Rates at Baystate Children’s Hospital

https://scholarlycommons.libraryinfo.bhs.org/nurs_presentations2023/1021/thumbnail.jp

Psychiatric morbidity and suicidal behaviour in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Psychiatric disorders are reported to be present in 80-90% of suicide deaths in high-income countries (HIC), but this association is less clear in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). There has been no previous systematic review of this issue in LMIC. The current study aims to estimate the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in individuals with suicidal behaviour in LMIC. Methods and findings: PubMed, PsycINFO, and EMBASE searches were conducted to identify quantitative research papers (any language) between 1990 and 2018 from LMIC which reported on the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in suicidal behaviour. We used meta-analytic techniques to generate pooled estimates for any psychiatric disorder and specific diagnosis based on ICD-10 criteria. A total of 112 studies (154 papers) from 26 LMIC (India: 25%; China: 15%; and Other LMIC: 60%) were identified, including 18 non-English articles. They included 30030 individuals with non-fatal suicidal behaviour and 4996 individuals who had died by suicide. Of the 15 studies (5 LMIC) that scored highly on our quality assessment, prevalence estimates for psychiatric disorders ranged between 30% and 80% in suicide deaths, and between 3% and 86% in those who engaged in non-fatal suicidal behaviour. There was substantial heterogeneity between study estimates. Fifty-eight percent (95% CI 46-71%) of those who died by suicide and 45% (95% CI 30-61%) of those who engaged in non-fatal suicidal behaviour had a psychiatric disorder. The most prevalent disorder in both fatal and non-fatal suicidal behaviour was mood disorder (25% and 21% respectively). Schizophrenia and related disorders were identified in 8% (4-12%) of those who died by suicide and 7% (3-11%) of those who engaged in non-fatal suicidal behaviour. In non-fatal suicidal behaviour, anxiety disorders, and substance misuse were identified in 19% (1-36%) and 11% (7-16%) of individuals respectively. This systematic review was limited by the low number of high-quality studies and restricting our searches to databases which mainly indexed English language journals. Conclusions: Our findings suggest a possible lower prevalence of psychiatric disorders in suicidal behaviour in LMIC. We found very few high-quality studies and high levels of heterogeneity in pooled estimates of psychiatric disorder, which could reflect differing study methods or real differences. There is a clear need for more robust evidence in order for LMIC to strike the right balance between community-based and mental health focused interventions

STORIES OF A TAIWANESE DIASPORA: A NARRATIVE INQUIRY ON THE EXPERIENCES OF TAIWANESE AMERICAN STUDENTS

There is a growing emphasis on students’ cultural experiences on campus. As such, the purpose of this study was to explore Taiwanese American students and their connection to Taiwanese culture. As a critical-cultural narrative inquiry this study (a) brought attention to Taiwanese American students and their engagement with Taiwanese culture, (b) expanded upon notions of home and experiences of bicultural integration, and (c) utilized diaspora as a theoretical perspective in a student development and higher education context. Research questions guiding this exploration included the following: (1) What do Taiwanese American students identify as significant and meaningful components of Taiwanese culture? (2) How and where do Taiwanese American students connect to Taiwanese culture on campus? (3) In what ways do the experiences of Taiwanese American students contribute to the existence of Taiwanese diaspora? Eight Taiwanese American students from a Mid-Atlantic University participated in this study. Each participant engaged in two interviews. The outcome of this study included individual participant narratives and a grand narrative encompassing four themes: recognizing their parents’ influence, navigating multiple cultural contexts, finding meaningful connections in non-Taiwanese American settings, and making decisions to move closer to Taiwanese culture. This study explored the importance of Taiwanese American students’ connectedness to their ethnic cultural background

Characteristics and treatments of large cystic brain metastasis: radiosurgery and stereotactic aspiration.

Brain metastasis represents one of the most common causes of intracranial tumors in adults, and the incidence of brain metastasis continues to rise due to the increasing survival of cancer patients. Yet, the development of cystic brain metastasis remains a relatively rare occurrence. In this review, we describe the characteristics of cystic brain metastasis and evaluate the combined use of stereotactic aspiration and radiosurgery in treating large cystic brain metastasis. The results of several studies show that stereotactic radiosurgery produces comparable local tumor control and survival rates as other surgery protocols. When the size of the tumor interferes with radiosurgery, stereotactic aspiration of the metastasis should be considered to reduce the target volume as well as decreasing the chance of radiation induced necrosis and providing symptomatic relief from mass effect. The combined use of stereotactic aspiration and radiosurgery has strong implications in improving patient outcomes