ImpactScore: A Novel Credit Score for Social Impact

Socially motivated lenders pursue lending that considers both financial return and social good, yet they lack a systematic tool to incorporate such considerations into their decisions. This paper proposes the application of credit scoring mechanisms not only to the likelihood of default but also to the likelihood of happiness. Using the existing data on microcredit loan applicants in Bosnia and Herzegovina, we construct a full credit scoring model that involves the construction of outcome variables to accurately capture borrower’s change in subjective well-being, the classification of input variables depending on the ease of information acquisition, and the selection of the model based on different criteria. We also find that the variables on the household’s level of consumption have significant explanatory power in predicting future subjective well-being of loan applicants

Comparison of Multiple Imputation Methods for Categorical Survey Items with High Missing Rates: Application to the Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health and Eating (FLASHE) Study

Two multiple imputation methods, the Sequential Regression Multivariate Imputation Algorithm and the Cox-Lannacchione Weighted Sequential Hotdeck, were examined and compared to impute highly missing categorical variables from the Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health and Eating (FLASHE) study. This paper describes the imputation approaches and results from the study

“Doing What I Can, but I Got No Magic Wand:” A Snapshot of Early Childhood Educator Experiences and Efforts to Ensure Quality during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted early childhood programs serving infants, toddlers, and preschoolers in dramatic ways. After temporarily closing, many educators quickly adapted their procedures to ensure children\u27s safety as they reopened to provide childcare for essential workers and then the community at large. This manuscript reports on statewide efforts to continue quality improvement initiatives for early childhood programs amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. We first describe the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic for over 2000 educators-teachers, administrators, and specialists-who completed surveys in the Spring and Fall of 2020. These survey data come from a statewide system called the Texas Early Childhood Professional Development System (TECPDS), designed to track the professional development needs/progress of early childhood educators. Second, we describe an example of how a statewide professional development and quality improvement program shifted to remote delivery during the pandemic. As an increasing number of educators turn to virtual training resources, we explain lessons learned from these response efforts and how they can inform future virtual professional development efforts, even amidst crisis, to ensure that a focus on quality improvement continues while supporting teachers\u27 individual needs

Effects of canagliflozin on serum potassium in the CANagliflozin cardioVascular Assessment Study (CANVAS) Program

Background: The sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor canagliflozin has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular and renal events in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus and high risk. Pooled analyses of data from early studies and interim data from the CANagliflozin cardioVascular Assessment Study (CANVAS) suggested that canagliflozin might lead to increases in serum potassium, particularly the 300 mg dose in patients with renal impairment, which is important because high serum potassium is associated with increased cardiovascular and renal risk. We examined the effect of canagliflozin on serum potassium levels and hyperkalemia rates in the completed CANVAS Program. Methods: The CANVAS Program (n = 10,142) was comprised of two comparable double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials (CANVAS and CANVAS-Renal). Participants received canagliflozin 100 or 300 mg or placebo. Serum potassium measurements were performed in a central laboratory0 and assessed at ∼6-month intervals. Results: In the CANVAS Program, mean potassium levels were generally consistent with canagliflozin and placebo, overall and by baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR; ≥60, 45 to<60 and <45 mL/min/1.73 m2). The risk of increased or decreased potassium was similar with canagliflozin and placebo overall and by baseline eGFR (all P-heterogeneity ≥0.56) or use of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system inhibitors (all P-heterogeneity ≥0.71); levels did not appear different by canagliflozin dose. Hyperkalemia {hazard ratio (HR) [95% confidence interval (CI)] 1.60 (0.92-2.81)} and serious hyperkalemia [HR (95% CI) 0.75 (0.27-2.11)] adverse events were not different across groups. Conclusions: In the CANVAS Program, there were no meaningful effects of canagliflozin on serum potassium in the overall population or key subgroups. Hyperkalemia adverse events were uncommon and occurred at comparable rates with canagliflozin and placebo

Cross-sectional examination of physical and social contexts of episodes of eating and drinking in a national sample of US adults

OBJECTIVE: The current study characterizes associations between physical and social contexts of self-reported primary episodes of eating/drinking and sociodemographic and obesity-related variables in US adults. DESIGN: Multinomial logistic regression was used to analyse a nationally representative sample of adults from the 2006-2008 American Time Use Survey. Models identifying physical (where) and social (whom) contexts of primary eating/drinking episodes at the population level, controlling for demographic characteristics, weight status and time of eating, were conducted. SETTING USA SUBJECTS: A nationally representative sample of US adults (n 21 315). RESULTS: Eating/drinking with immediate family was positively associated with age (OR = 1·15 (95 % CI 1·04, 1·27) to 1·23 (95 % CI 1·09, 1·39)), education level (OR = 1·16 (95 % CI 1·03, 1·30) to 1·36 (95 % CI 1·21, 1·54)), obesity (OR = 1·13 (95 % CI 1·04, 1·22)), children in the household (OR = 3·39 (95 % CI 3·14, 3·66)) and time of day (OR = 1·70 (95 % CI 1·39, 2·07) to 5·73 (95 % CI 4·70, 6·99)). Eating in the workplace was negatively associated with female gender (OR = 0·65 (95 % CI 0·60, 0·70)) and children in the household (OR = 0·90 (95 % CI 0·83, 0·98)), while positively associated with non-white status (OR = 1·14 (95 % CI 1·01, 1·29) to 1·47 (95 % CI 1·32, 1·65)) and time of day (OR = 0·25 (95 % CI 0·28, 0·30) to 5·65 (95 % CI 4·66, 6·85)). Women (OR = 0·80 (95 % CI 0·74, 0·86)), those aged >34 years (OR = 0·48 (95 % CI 0·43, 0·54) to 0·83 (95 % CI 0·74, 0·93)) and respondents with children (OR = 0·69 (95 % CI 0·63, 0·75)) were less likely to eat in a restaurant/bar/retail than at home. Overweight and obese respondents had a greater odds of reporting an episode of eating in social situations v. alone (e.g. immediate family and extended family; OR = 1·13 (95 % CI 1·04, 1·22)) and episodes occurring in restaurant/bar/retail locations (OR = 1·12 (95 % CI 1·03, 1·23) to 1·14 (95 % CI 1·05, 1·24)). CONCLUSIONS: Findings underscore the multidimensional nature of describing eating/drinking episodes. Social and physical contexts for eating/drinking and their demographic correlates suggest opportunities for tailoring interventions related to diet and may inform intervention targeting and scope

Social determinants of health and cancer screening implementation and outcomes in the USA: A systematic review protocol

BACKGROUND: Improving the delivery, uptake, and implementation of cancer screening to meet evidence-based recommendations is needed to reduce persistent cancer health disparities in the USA. Current national public health targets emphasize the role of social determinants of health (SDOH) on cancer screening. However, there remains a need to explicate these linkages, toward the goal of identifying and implementing effective interventions that target and address SDOH to reduce inequities in cancer screening. METHODS: We will conduct a systematic review of English language peer-reviewed original research articles published between 2010 and 2021 that describe observational (qualitative and quantitative) and intervention studies conducted in the USA. In alignment with Healthy People 2030, we will include studies of breast, cervical, colorectal, and/or lung cancer screening. Guided by multiple SDOH frameworks, we will broadly define SDOH by five domain areas: economic stability, education access and quality, healthcare access and quality, neighborhood and built environment, and social and community context. Following systematic literature searches in five databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, Cochrane Library) and piloting of screening procedures, reviewers will independently screen titles/abstracts for potential relevance. Reviewer pairs will then screen full text articles for eligibility criteria. We will extract data items from included articles, including study characteristics, cancer screening intervention information, and coding of SDOH constructs. We will assess study quality using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool and synthesize our findings using narrative, descriptive statistics, tables, and figures. Our approach will adhere to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) recommendations. DISCUSSION: By completing this systematic review, we will summarize recent literature on SDOH and cancer screening, identify research gaps for inclusion of SDOH, and propose future opportunities for advancing equity in cancer screening by integrating SDOH as part of the implementation context to promote uptake, sustainability, and scale-up in the implementation of screening guidelines. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42021276582

Rethinking physical activity communication: using focus groups to understand women’s goals, values, and beliefs to improve public health

Abstract Background Communication about physical activity (PA) frames PA and influences what it means to people, including the role it plays in their lives. To the extent that PA messages can be designed to reflect outcomes that are relevant to what people most value experiencing and achieving in their daily lives, the more compelling and effective they will be. Aligned with self-determination theory, this study investigated proximal goals and values that are salient in everyday life and how they could be leveraged through new messaging to better support PA participation among women. The present study was designed to examine the nature of women’s daily goals and priorities and investigate women’s PA beliefs, feelings, and experiences, in order to identify how PA may compete with or facilitate women’s daily goals and priorities. Preliminary recommendations are proposed for designing new PA messages that align PA with women’s daily goals and desired experiences to better motivate participation. Methods Eight focus groups were conducted with White, Black, and Hispanic/Latina women aged 22–49, stratified by amount of self-reported PA (29 low active participants, 11 high active participants). Respondents discussed their goals, values, and daily priorities along with beliefs, feelings about and experiences being physically active. Data were collected, coded, and analyzed using a thematic analysis strategy to identify emergent themes. Results Many of the goals and values that both low and high active participants discussed as desiring and valuing map on to key principles of self-determination theory. However, the discussions among low active participants suggested that their beliefs, feelings, experiences, and definitions of PA were in conflict with their proximal goals, values, and priorities, also undermining their psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Conclusions Findings from this study can be used to inform and evaluate new physical activity communication strategies that leverage more proximal goals, values, and experiences of happiness and success to better motivate PA among ethnically diverse low active women. Specifically, this research suggests a need to address how women’s daily goals and desired experiences may undermine PA participation, in addition to framing PA as facilitating rather than competing with their daily priorities and desired leisure-time experiences.https://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/136775/1/12889_2017_Article_4361.pd

Influence of a National Cancer Institute transdisciplinary research and training initiative on trainees' transdisciplinary research competencies and scholarly productivity

Over the past several decades, there has been burgeoning interest and investment in large transdisciplinary (TD) team science initiatives that aim to address complex societal problems. Despite this trend, TD training opportunities in the health sciences remain limited, and evaluations of these opportunities are even more uncommon due to funding constraints. We had the unique opportunity to conduct an exploratory study to examine the potential outcomes and impacts of TD training in a National Cancer Institute-supported initiative for TD research and training-the Transdisciplinary Research on Energetics and Cancer I (TREC I) initiative. This study used a retrospective mixed-methods approach leveraging secondary analysis of existing data sources to learn about TREC trainees' experiences with TREC training, TD research competencies, changes in scholarly productivity, and the associations among these domains. Results indicated that, on average, TREC trainees were satisfied with their TREC mentoring experiences and believed that TREC training processes were effective, in general. Participation in TREC training was associated with TD research competencies, including TD research orientation, positive general attitude toward TD training, development of scientific skills for TD research, and intrapersonal/interpersonal competencies for collaboration. There was also a significant increase in trainees' scholarly productivity from before to after starting in TREC training, as indicated by average annual number of publications and presentations and average number of coauthors per publication. Perceived effectiveness of TREC training was positively correlated with change in average annual number of research presentations from before to after starting in TREC training (r = 0.65, p &lt; 0.05, N = 12), as well as TD research orientation (r = 0.36, p &lt; 0.05), general attitude toward TD training (0.39, p &lt; 0.05), scientific skills for TD research (r = 0.45-0.48, p &lt; 0.05), and perceived collaborative productivity at one's TREC center (r = 0.47, p &lt; 0.01). Finally, a significant positive correlation was observed between multi-mentoring experiences and both TD research orientation (r = 0.58, p &lt; 0.05) and perceived collaborative productivity at one's TREC center (r = 0.44, p &lt; 0.05). This exploratory study had methodological constraints including the absence of a comparison group and cross-sectional rather than longitudinal data related to TD research competencies. Despite these limitations, the study provided an opportunity to use existing data sources to explore potential outcomes and impacts of TD training and inform development of future rigorous evaluations of TD training. Overall, findings suggest that TD training in the context of a TD research initiative can provide satisfying training opportunities that support the development of TD research competencies and promote scholarly productivity