Empowering Indigenous Communities Through a Participatory, Culturally Responsive Evaluation of a Federal Program for Older Americans.

This article describes our experience of conducting a 5-year, culturally responsive evaluation of a federal program with Indigenous communities. It describes how we adapted tenets from "participatory evaluation models" to ensure cultural relevance and empowerment. We provide recommendations for evaluators engaged in similar efforts.

Building connection and improving health for Indigenous elders: Findings from the Title VI evaluation.

Background: As the older Indigenous population in the United States expands, there is a growing demand for programs to address age-related needs. Although Title VI of the OAA provides culturally responsive strategies to support elders through home- and community-based nutrition services, these programs have not been the subject of a national evaluation; our study is the first.

Methods: We conducted a mixed-methods study to assess the impact of the Title VI programs on elders.

Strengthening Communities: A Qualitative Assessment of Opportunities for the Prevention of Adverse Childhood Experiences in the Wake of the Opioid Crisis.

The opioid crisis is a significant challenge for health and human service systems that serve children, youth, and families across the United States. Between 2000 and 2017, the number of foster care entries, a type of adverse childhood experience (ACE), attributable to parental drug use increased by 147%. Nevertheless, there is variation in the burden of opioid overdose and foster care rates across the U.

Synthesis and Anticancer Activity of Structure Simplified Naturally-Inspired Dimeric Chromenone Derivatives.

Select dimeric chromenones exhibit low micromolar cyctotoxicity toward lymphoma and leukemia cell lines, L5178Y and HL60, respectively. The bioactive dimeric chromenones were identified from a focused library of structurally-simplified derivatives of naturally-occurring dimeric chromenones and tetrahydroxanthones that was prepared as part of this study. The simple dimeric chromenone scaffolds contain no stereogenic centers, are easily synthesized, and may be utilized as lead compounds in cancer research and drug discovery.

Oral gavage in rats: animal welfare evaluation.

The effect of chronic daily orogastric gavage with water (5 mL/kg) on behavior and physiology was evaluated in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Treatment groups included: unmanipulated control, restraint control, dry gavage, and gavage, with all rats singly housed (n = 9 or 10 per group). In addition, a group of pair-housed rats (n = 18) was included to determine whether social housing affected response to gavage.

Lung cancer patients' decisions about clinical trials and the theory of planned behavior.

The theory of planned behavior explores the relationship between behavior, beliefs, attitudes, and intentions presupposing that behavioral intention is influenced by a person's attitude about the behavior and beliefs about whether individuals, who are important to them, approve or disapprove of the behavior (subjective norm). An added dimension to the theory is the idea of perceived behavioral control, or the belief that one has control over performing the behavior. The theory of planned behavior suggests that people may make greater efforts to perform a behavior if they feel they have a high level of control over it.

The guinea pig syndrome: improving clinical trial participation among thoracic patients.

Background: The purpose of the study was to examine lung cancer patients' knowledge, attitudes, and behavior regarding clinical trials and to develop an effective intervention for increasing patient knowledge and awareness of clinical trials for lung cancer patients.

Methods: Qualitative semistructured, in-depth interviews were conducted with (1) new patients who had not yet interacted with their physicians, (2) existing patients who had participated in a clinical trial, and (3) existing patients who had not been offered a trial. Findings from the interviews led to the creation of a letter that was sent to all new patients before their first appointment, explaining that offering a clinical trial at this hospital was the norm, to expect this discussion, and the option of standard treatment was always available.