Remote intervention engagement and outcomes in the Clinical Trials in Organ Transplantation in Children consortium multisite trial

Remote interventions are increasingly used in transplant medicine but have rarely been rigorously evaluated. We investigated a remote intervention targeting immunosuppressant management in pediatric lung transplant recipients. Patients were recruited from a larger multisite trial if they had a Medication Level Variability Index (MLVI) ≥2.0, indicating worrisome tacrolimus level fluctuation. The manualized intervention included three weekly phone calls and regular follow-up calls. A comparison group included patients who met enrollment criteria after the subprotocol ended. Outcomes were defined before the intent-to-treat analysis. Feasibility was defined as ≥50% of participants completing the weekly calls. MLVI was compared pre- and 180 days postenrollment and between intervention and comparison groups. Of 18 eligible patients, 15 enrolled. Seven additional patients served as the comparison. Seventy-five percent of participants completed ≥3 weekly calls; average time on protocol was 257.7 days. Average intervention group MLVI was significantly lower (indicating improved blood level stability) at 180 days postenrollment (2.9 ± 1.29) compared with pre-enrollment (4.6 ± 2.10), p = .02. At 180 days, MLVI decreased by 1.6 points in the intervention group but increased by 0.6 in the comparison group (p = .054). Participants successfully engaged in a long-term remote intervention, and their medication blood levels stabilized. NCT02266888.     

Healthy by Association: The relationship between social participation and self-rated physical and psychological health

This paper investigates the relationship between social participation and subjective health. Using individual-level data from the British Household Panel Survey, we show that being an active member of a social or sport organisation increases self-rated physical and psychological health. For men, the benefits of social interaction work primarily via physical pathways, while women report a more psychosocial channel. We separate the main results by occupation and document some heterogeneity. Manual workers find more physical and psychological relief via social involvement, whereas non-manual workers are more likely to take relief from sport participation. Interestingly, as the number of associations in which the individual is active increases, the incremental increase in social benefits diminishes. Our findings point to the importance of promoting social and sport activities in health communication and policy making.     

Understanding the financial impact of a diagnosis of young onset dementia on individuals and families in the United Kingdom: Results of an online survey

Although literature on postdiagnostic support for people affected by young onset dementia acknowledges financial concerns, this topic has remained underresearched. The aim of this study was to explore the financial impact of a diagnosis of young onset dementia on individuals and families. An online survey, comprising binary yes/no, multiple-response and open-ended questions, was codesigned with people living with young onset dementia. The survey was promoted via networks and online platforms. Data were collected from August to October 2019. Survey respondents across the United Kingdom (n = 55) who had received a diagnosis of young onset dementia were aged between 45 and 64, were at different stages of dementia and had been diagnosed with thirteen different types of dementia. Of the 55 respondents, 71% (n = 39) had received assistance from family members when completing the survey. The main financial impact of a diagnosis of young onset dementia resulted from premature loss of income and reduced and often deferred pension entitlements. In some cases, care-costs became unaffordable. Lack of clarity of processes and procedures around needs assessments, carers' assessments and financial assessments by different organisations resulted in some families having to ask for legal advice and, in some cases, involved lengthy appeal processes. Future research needs to involve Adult Social Care and Third Sector organisations to help codesign and test financial management interventions to support people affected by this progressive health condition.     

Collaborative working in health and social care: Lessons learned from post-hoc preliminary findings of a young families’ pregnancy to age 2 project in South Wales,United Kingdom

Children of young and socially disadvantaged parents are more likely to experience adverse outcomes. In response to this, a unique young families’ project in Swansea, UK, was created, which drew together a team of multi-agency professionals, to support people aged 16–24 from 17 weeks of pregnancy throughout 1,001 days of the child's life. The aim of the JIGSO (the Welsh word for Jigsaw) project is for young people to reach their potential as parents and to break the cycle of health and social inequality. This evaluation analysed routinely collected data held by the project from January 2017 to December 2018 exploring health and social outcomes, including smoking and alcohol use in pregnancy, breastfeeding, maternal diet and social services outcomes. Outcomes were compared to local and national averages, where available. Data relating to parenting knowledge and skills were available via records of 10-point Likert scales, one collected at the start of the JIGSO involvement and one around 4–6 months later. Findings showed higher than average levels of breastfeeding initiation and lower smoking and alcohol use in pregnancy. Parents also reported enhanced knowledge and confidence in their child care skills, as well as improved family relationships. Parents with high levels of engagement with JIGSO also appeared to have positive outcomes with Social Services (their child's name was removed from child protection register or their case was closed to social services). This was a post-hoc evaluation, not an intervention study or trial, and thus findings must be interpreted with caution. Despite this, the findings are promising and more prospective research exploring similar services is required.     

用于评价动物社交偏好程度的新方法

目的：利用一种改进的三箱社交装置评价动物的社交偏好程度,并探索该方法的可行性。方法：采用注意力缺陷多动障碍(ADHD)大鼠作为社交障碍模型动物,以同源大鼠（WKY)大鼠和Wistar大鼠作为对照组,模型组采用治疗ADHD的临床常用中成药小儿黄龙颗粒（1.88 g/kg、3.75 g/kg）灌胃给药16 d。利用改进的三箱社交箱,以待测鼠在陌生鼠侧密切交流区的时间、频次、路程及相关比例作为行为学指标,检测该方法对社交行为评价的可行性。结果：与Wistar大鼠组比较,模型组大鼠与WKY组大鼠在密切交流区域及有陌生鼠侧区域的时间显著减少（P<0.01）,其他指标如频次、路程及比例也均有不同程度减少,小儿黄龙颗粒两剂量均能增加模型大鼠上述各指标数值。结论：该方法能准确捕捉动物的社交行为特征,实现对动物社交偏好程度的全面、客观评价。     

Beyond Zinberg's 'social setting': a processural view of illicit drug use

This article seeks to go beyond existing understandings of 'social setting', or social context, in the addictions field. Using drug-career data, collected during recent ethnographic research, the fluidity and dynamism of recreational drug-using social scenes are described before introducing a number of anthropological and sociological concepts. These concepts are processural, that is, they seek to describe and analyze social and cultural change. Finally, the theoretical and practical implications of recognizing the diversity and ever-changing nature of recreational drug-using social networks are discussed.     

Social/sexual awareness of persons with autism: A parental perspective

A parental survey that addressed the social sexual awareness, sex education, and sex behaviors of persons with autism, a developmental disability is provided. Questionnaires from 100 caregivers of persons with autism 9 years of age and older and with the DSM-III-R diagnosis were analyzed. Eighty-five percent of respondents were mothers, 8% both parents, 5% fathers, and 2% others; 32% of the persons with autism were female and 68% male with an age range of 9.1 to 38.9 years. The verbal level of the person with autism related to parents' beliefs about the relevance of sex relations (² = 6.99, p < 0.05) and sex education (² = 22.91, p < 0.001). No relationship between parents' report of the verbal level of the individual and the display of inappropriate sexual behaviors was found (² = 2.56, ns). Parents of males were more concerned about their son being taken advantage of by a same-sex person (² = 15.90, p < 0.001); parents of females were worried about an opposite-sex person (² = 4.06, p < 0.05). Parental concerns and beliefs regarding sexuality varied and could not be generalized. The nonsignificant finding regarding verbal level and display of inappropriate sexual behaviors suggests that the need for sex education is best determined by the behaviors of the person rather than the functioning or verbal levels.