Technology and social media use by adult patients with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities

BackgroundTechnology and social media offer individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (I/DD) unique and innovative ways to facilitate active participation in their own healthcare process. What remains unclear is the extent to which devices are currently used by this growing patient population.ObjectiveTo explore the prevalence of technology and social media use, as well as the possible barriers, among adult patients with I/DD.MethodsA cross-sectional study utilizing an anonymous, accessible survey was used to obtain data from all adult patients (18 + years of age) with I/DD presenting for primary care services at a healthcare facility in New York between September and December of 2016.ResultsA total of 370 individuals completed the survey (529 approached, 69.9% response rate). Less than half (44.6%) of respondents used devices such as a tablet, smartphone or desktop; most (86.8%) did not use social media. Only 21.6% of respondents indicated that they use some type of assistive technology. While some respondents (46.0%) were identified by their caregivers as having a disability that would prevent them from learning/using technology, other respondents reported having no challenges (18.0%), needing training and/or ongoing support (7.4%), or being uncertain as to whether they would experience any challenges (15.5%).ConclusionsMany adult patients with I/DD do not use technology and social media that could promote self-determination and participation in their healthcare. Continued efforts must be made to promote technology use among adults with I/DD and to ensure that appropriate training is available for both the individual and his/her caregivers to achieve adoption and utilization.     

Declines in Pregnancies among U.S. Adolescents from 2007 to 2017: Behavioral Contributors to the Trend

Study ObjectivesAdolescent pregnancies and births in the United States have undergone dramatic declines in recent decades. We aimed to estimate the contribution of changes in 3 proximal behaviors to these declines among 14- to 18-year-olds for 2007-2017: 1) delays in age at first sexual intercourse, 2) declines in number of sexual partners, and 3) changes in contraceptive use, particularly uptake of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC).DesignWe adapted an existing iterative dynamic population model and parameterized it using 6 waves of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Youth Risk Behavior Survey. We compared pregnancies from observed behavioral trends with counterfactual scenarios that assumed constant behaviors over the decade. We calculated outcomes by cause, year, and age.ResultsWe found that changes in these behaviors could explain pregnancy reductions of 496,200, 78,500, and 40,700 over the decade, respectively, with total medical and societal cost savings of $9.71 billion, $1.54 billion, and $796 million. LARC adoption, particularly among 18-year-olds, could explain much of the improvement from contraception use. The 3 factors together did not fully explain observed birth declines; adding a 50% decline in sex acts per partner did.ConclusionsDelays in first sexual intercourse contributed the most to declining births over this decade, although all behaviors considered had major effects. Differences from earlier models could result from differences in years and ages covered. Evidence-based teen pregnancy prevention programs, including comprehensive sex education, youth-friendly reproductive health services, and parental and community support, can continue to address these drivers and reduce teen pregnancy.     

Disability advocacy messaging and conceptual links to underlying disability identity development among college students with learning disabilities and attention disorders

BackgroundLearning disabilities and attention disorders (LD/AD) are highly prevalent neurodevelopmental conditions that influence developmental trajectories and whose impacts exist throughout the life course. Self-advocacy skills are critical for college students with LD/AD, which are underpinned by understanding of self and one's disability.ObjectiveThis study examined disability advocacy messaging included in projects created by college students with LD/AD, compared patterns in disability messaging to existing disability identity models, and explored changes in disability messaging during receipt of holistic campus-based LD/AD supports.MethodsParticipants were 52 undergraduates with LD/AD enrolled in a larger study. This one-group analysis involved qualitative exploration of the projects’ topical content, use of grounded theory procedures for conceptualizing the data, and quantitative analysis to explore changes over time in disability advocacy messaging.ResultsParticipants messaged a broad range of disability-related topics. A five-level theoretical model of disability messaging was created from the textual data. The model evinces parallels to existing disability identity development models. A significant (p < .01) positive shift in disability messaging was observed in a comparison of messages from participants’ first and last projects submitted over the four-semester period of study involvement.ConclusionStudy findings support conceptual linkages among disability messaging and disability identity development. The resultant continuum model suggests a potential extension of existing disability identity development paradigms. Shifts in disability messaging provide preliminary evidence for potential personal and institutional benefits of engaging college students with LD/AD in disability-focused project creation.     

Spousal support and self-determined physical activity in individuals with multiple sclerosis: A theory-informed qualitative exploration

BackgroundIndividuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) tend to exhibit high levels of sedentary behavior which contributes to increased disability and comorbidity. Understanding what factors underlie the motivation to be physically active in this group is therefore important.ObjectiveThis theory-informed qualitative study explored spousal support and behavior in fostering self-determined physical activity engagement of adults with MS.MethodsEight couples were interviewed using a semi-structured interview guide derived from Self-Determination Theory.ResultsAnalysis of transcribed audio recordings revealed that supportive and empathetic spousal communication, encouragement and expectations regarding physical activity, and bonding through co-participation increased feelings of relatedness. In addition, co-planning and problem-solving around physical activity and serving as a behavioral model facilitated perceptions of competency, while spouses who valued their partners’ independence and offered choice enhanced autonomous motivation for physical activity.ConclusionsInsight into the marital context that supports self-determined physical activity decisions of individuals with MS may better inform family-oriented health promotion approaches in this group.     

Gritty,hardy, resilient,and socially supported: A replication study

BackgroundThe present study adds to the knowledge base in positive psychology and disability sport psychology by replicating and extending the research of Martin, Byrd, Watts, and Dent (2015).ObjectivesIn the current study we replicated previous findings by predicting life quality and sport engagement using measures of grit, hardiness, and resilience. We also extended the work of Martin et al. (2015) by examining athlete social support.MethodsEighty-seven adult (80 men, 7 women) wheelchair rugby athletes with various disabilities (e.g., amputee) participated in the current study. They completed questionnaires at rugby tournaments or on-line assessing grit, hardiness, resilience, social support and life satisfaction and sport engagement.ResultsOverall, the regression equation predicting life satisfaction was significant, F (4, 81) = 9.67, p < .00, accounting for thirty-two percent of the variance. One variable, resilience, contributed unique meaningful variance as indicated by its significant beta weight (β = 0.46, p < .001). The regression analyses predicting sport engagement was also significant, F (4, 81) = 12.08, p < .001, and predicted 37% of the variance. Grit (β = 0.21, p < .05), social support (β = 0.25, p < .01), resilience (β = 0.23, p < .05), and hardiness (β = 0.27, p < .05) were all significant predictors.ConclusionAthletes reporting high levels of resilience reported the highest quality of life. Athletes reporting high levels of grit, resilience, hardiness, and social support were the most engaged in their sport. We also partially replicated the work of Martin et al. (2015).     

中越边境地区暗娼人群HIV感染及性行为特征对比分析

  目的  了解中越边境地区中国籍与越南籍暗娼人群(female sex workers, FSWs)的人类免疫缺陷病毒(human immunodeficiency virus, HIV)感染现状,分析两组人群HIV感染相关因素以及性行为特征。  方法  2015-2016年期间在云南省河口县开展横断面调查,方便抽样纳入中国籍与越南籍FSWs。问卷收集调查对象的社会人口学特征、HIV相关知识态度、性行为等信息;采集血液样本进行HIV、单纯疱疹病毒2型(herpes simplex virus type 2, HSV-2)以及梅毒感染检测;多因素Logistic回归分析模型筛选HIV感染相关因素。  结果  合计纳入1 263名FSWs,中国籍调查对象227人,HIV感染率为0.44%;越南籍调查对象1 036人,HIV感染率为2.12%。越南籍FSWs最近1月商业性性伴数量以及性服务费用均高于中国籍FSWs(均有P＜0.001)。经多因素Logistic回归分析模型分析,HSV-2感染(OR=3.83, 95% CI: 1.37~10.76; P=0.032)、HIV知识知晓不合格(OR=10.40, 95% CI: 3.77~28.66; P=0.001),以及接受HIV相关干预服务(OR=0.27, 95% CI: 0.08~0.84; P=0.022)是越南籍FSWsHIV感染的相关因素。  结论  中国籍与越南籍FSWs感染HIV的风险模式可能存在差异,后续HIV干预工作应针对越南籍FSWs增加服务的覆盖与可及性;对于中国籍FSWs,建议加强与固定性伴安全套使用的行为干预。     

黑龙江省新型冠状病毒肺炎本土相关疫情流行特征

目的 描述黑龙江省新型冠状病毒肺炎（新冠肺炎）本土相关疫情的流行状况及特点,为黑龙江省新冠肺炎防控策略提供参考依据。方法 新冠肺炎个案调查、聚集性疫情调查资料来源于中国CDC全国传染病报告信息管理系统和突发公共卫生事件报告管理信息系统。采用Excel 2010和SPSS 23.0软件整理数据与统计学分析,描述人群、时间及地区分布特征。结果 2020年1月22日黑龙江省报告首例新冠肺炎确诊病例,截至2020年3月11日,13个城市累计报告境内病例482例,发病率为1.28/10万,病死率为2.70%（13/482）。其中聚集性疫情81起,确诊病例数占总确诊病例的79.25%（382/482）,死亡12例;家庭聚集70起（86.42%,70/81）。与散发病例相比,聚集性疫情尤其是家庭聚集性病例中,病死率、≥60岁老年人与重/危重型的比例均较高,差异均无统计学意义（均P>0.05）。涉及病例≥5例的聚集性疫情占41.98%（34/81）,涉及病例数占聚集性病例的68.31%（261/382）,涉及6~9例病例数的聚集性疫情中,年龄≥65岁者的比例较多（26.53%,39/147）。结论 黑龙江省新冠肺炎的发病率较高,前期疫情较为严重;聚集性疫情尤其是家庭聚集涉及病例数较多。     

新型毒品滥用对男男性行为人群高危性行为的影响

目的 了解新型毒品滥用对MSM高危性行为及HIV感染的影响,为制订有针对性的艾滋病防治对策和干预措施提供依据。方法 2019年4-7月在山东省3个MSM监测哨点,收集当地MSM人口学特征、相关行为信息,采集血样做HIV和梅毒检测。结果 共调查MSM 1 203人,年龄（30.2±8.9）岁,未婚815人（67.7%）,大专及以上文化程度805人（66.9%）;曾经使用过新型毒品的比例为54.2%（652/1 203）;最近6个月发生过无保护肛交和群交行为的比例分别为62.2%（721/1 160）和16.3%（189/1 160）;HIV和梅毒抗体阳性率分别为3.1%（37/1 203）和4.7%（56/1 203）。多因素logistic回归分析结果显示,MSM最近6个月发生无保护性肛交的影响因素中,来自青岛市是济南市的1.59倍（95% CI：1.13～2.23）、高中及以下文化程度是大专及以上文化程度的1.61倍（95% CI：1.20～2.16）、从酒吧/歌舞厅等场所寻找男性性伴的是互联网/交友软件的1.69倍（95% CI：1.06～2.69）、艾滋病知识得分<6分是≥6分的1.55倍（95% CI：1.01～2.37）、最近1周同性性伴数≥2人是<2人的1.48倍（95% CI：1.12～1.95）、最近6个月发生群交行为是无群交行为的2.43倍（95% CI：1.61～3.67）,曾使用新型毒品是未使用毒品的1.46倍（95% CI：1.11～1.91）。MSM最近6个月发生群交行为的影响因素中,来自青岛市是济南市的2.21倍（95% CI：1.45～3.38）、外省户籍是本省户籍的2.13倍（95% CI：1.28～3.55）、艾滋病知识得分≥6分是<6分的3.11倍（95% CI：1.55～6.25）、最近6个月肛交未坚持使用安全套是坚持使用安全套的2.60倍（95% CI：1.71～3.96）、最近6个月有同性商业性行为是无同性商业性行为的3.38倍（95% CI：1.92～5.95）、曾经使用过新型毒品是未使用毒品的2.71倍（95% CI：1.82～4.04）、最近1年未检测HIV是检测HIV的2.66倍（95% CI：1.59～4.43）。结论 山东省MSM人群中使用新型毒品现象普遍,新型毒品滥用促进该人群无保护性行为和群交行为的发生,应重点加强对吸毒MSM监测和干预力度。     

Men having sex with men and the HPV vaccine in France: A low vaccine coverage that may be due to its infrequent proposal by physicians

IntroductionIn France, the human papilloma (HPV) vaccine is recommended to all female adolescents, and since 2016 to men having sex with men (MSM) under the age of 27. Here, we aimed to explore HPV vaccine coverage in adult MSM living in France.MethodsWe elaborated an anonymous online questionnaire targeting MSM and disseminated it between October 7, 2018 and January 15, 2019 by various means, including a Facebook® discussion forum for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) users.ResultsOverall, 2094 participants completed the questionnaire (mean age 35.4 ± 11 years); 25.8% were in the age class targeted by the HPV vaccine recommendation; 16.1% were in a PrEP program. On a 1–10 scale, they evaluated being “in favor of vaccination” at a median of 10, and general vaccine usefulness and harmfulness at medians of 10 and 2, respectively; 62.4% considered that the HPV vaccine was rather not or not at all dangerous. Those using PrEP had better perceptions of vaccination in general and of the HPV vaccine in particular. For the 1728 participants with a family physician, he/she had proposed the HPV vaccine in 9.9% of cases (9.1% of those in the targeted age class [<27 years]). Overall, 1994 knew their HPV vaccine status; 8.0% had received at least 1 dose of the vaccine, including 17.9% of those in the targeted age class (and 52.2% among the 40 participants in this age group who received PrEP). When the 1935 participants who declared to be unvaccinated against HPV were asked whether they would accept to be vaccinated, 34.4% answered “rather yes” and 45.5% “definitely yes”.ConclusionHPV vaccine coverage is low among French MSM. Our results suggest that this trend has more to do with the infrequent proposals made by clinicians than with negative vaccine perceptions.