Predictors of COVID-19 vaccine uptake: an online three-wave survey study of US adults.

Background: To effectively promote vaccine uptake, it is important to understand which people are most and least inclined to be vaccinated and why. In this study, we examined predictors of COVID-19 vaccine uptake and reasons for non-vaccination.

Methods: We conducted an online English-language survey study in December-2020, January-2021, and March-2021.

Disinfection of central venous access device needleless connectors: A human factors analysis.

Objective: Evidence-based central-line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) prevention guidelines recommend the use of an antiseptic scrub to disinfect needleless connectors before device access. Guideline noncompliance may render disinfection ineffective. The goal of this study was to observe needleless-connector disinfection practices and to identify perceived facilitators and barriers to best practices of needleless-connector access.

Impact of prior COVID-19 infection on perceptions about the benefit and safety of COVID-19 vaccines.

In this online survey of 1,733 US adults in December 2021, respondents believed COVID-19 vaccines are less beneficial and less safe for someone who had already had COVID-19. Those who experienced COVID-19 after being vaccinated believed that the vaccines are less beneficial and less safe than those who had not. Findings highlight the need to better communicate evolving evidence of COVID-19 vaccine benefit and safety and to tailor communications to peoples' COVID-19 history and vaccination status.

Telehealth Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Veterans and Nonveterans: Web-Based Survey Study.

Background: In the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, studies reported delays in health care usage due to safety concerns. Delays in care may result in increased morbidity and mortality from otherwise treatable conditions. Telehealth provides a safe alternative for patients to receive care when other circumstances make in-person care unavailable or unsafe, but information on patient experiences is limited.

Demographic, structural, and psychological predictors of risk-increasing and mask wearing behaviors among US adults between December 2020-March 2021.

Objectives: To assess demographic, structural, and psychological predictors of risk-increasing and risk-decreasing behaviors METHODS: This study used data from an online longitudinal, three-wave COVID-19 survey (12/20-03/21) regarding the behaviors, attitudes, and experiences of US Veteran (n = 584) and non-Veteran (n = 346) adults.

Results: Inability to get groceries delivered emerged as the strongest predictor of more frequent risk-increasing behavior across all timepoints. Other consistent predictors of more frequent risk-increasing behavior and less frequent mask wearing included less worry about getting COVID-19, disbelief in science, belief in COVID-19 conspiracies, and negative perceptions of the state response.

Aerosol containment device design considerations and performance evaluation metrics.

Background: Spurred by the Coronavirus infectious disease 2019 pandemic, aerosol containment devices (ACDs) were developed to capture infectious respiratory aerosols generated by patients at their source. Prior reviews indicated that such devices had low evidence of effectiveness, but did not address how ACDs should be evaluated, how well they should perform, nor have clearly defined performance standards. Towards developing design criteria for ACDs, two questions were posed: 1) What characteristics have guided the design of ACDs? 2) How have these characteristics been evaluated?

Methods: A scoping review was performed consistent with PRISMA guidelines.

Misrepresentation and Nonadherence Regarding COVID-19 Public Health Measures.

Importance: The effectiveness of public health measures implemented to mitigate the spread and impact of SARS-CoV-2 relies heavily on honesty and adherence from the general public.

Objective: To examine the frequency of, reasons for, and factors associated with misrepresentation and nonadherence regarding COVID-19 public health measures.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This survey study recruited a national, nonprobability sample of US adults to participate in an online survey using Qualtrics online panels (participation rate, 1811 of 2260 [80.

Communicating about COVID-19 vaccine development and safety.

Purpose: Beliefs that the risks from a COVID-19 vaccine outweigh the risks from getting COVID-19 and concerns that the vaccine development process was rushed and lacking rigor have been identified as important drivers of hesitancy and refusal to get a COVID-19 vaccine. We tested whether messages designed to address these beliefs and concerns might promote intentions to get a COVID-19 vaccine.

Method: We conducted an online survey fielded between March 8-23, 2021 with US Veteran (n = 688) and non-Veteran (n = 387) respondents.

Communications to Promote Interest and Confidence in COVID-19 Vaccines.

Purpose: Communicating about COVID-19 vaccine side effects and efficacy is crucial for promoting transparency and informed decision-making, but there is limited evidence on how to do so effectively.

Design: A within-subjects experiment.

Setting: Online survey from January 21 to February 6, 2021.

A new methodological framework for hazard detection models in health information technology systems.

The adoption of health information technology (HIT) has facilitated efforts to increase the quality and efficiency of health care services and decrease health care overhead while simultaneously generating massive amounts of digital information stored in electronic health records (EHRs). However, due to patient safety issues resulting from the use of HIT systems, there is an emerging need to develop and implement hazard detection tools to identify and mitigate risks to patients. This paper presents a new methodological framework to develop hazard detection models and to demonstrate its capability by using the US Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) Corporate Data Warehouse, the data repository for the VA's EHR.

Differential gene expression identifies a transcriptional regulatory network involving ER-alpha and PITX1 in invasive epithelial ovarian cancer.

Background: The heterogeneous subtypes and stages of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) differ in their biological features, invasiveness, and response to chemotherapy, but the transcriptional regulators causing their differences remain nebulous.

Methods: In this study, we compared high-grade serous ovarian cancers (HGSOCs) to low malignant potential or serous borderline tumors (SBTs). Our aim was to discover new regulatory factors causing distinct biological properties of HGSOCs and SBTs.

Identification of Cis-Regulatory Sequences Controlling Pollen-Specific Expression of Hydroxyproline-Rich Glycoprotein Genes in .

Hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins (HRGPs) are a superfamily of plant cell wall structural proteins that function in various aspects of plant growth and development, including pollen tube growth. We have previously characterized protein sequence signatures for three family members in the HRGP superfamily: the hyperglycosylated arabinogalactan-proteins (AGPs), the moderately glycosylated extensins (EXTs), and the lightly glycosylated proline-rich proteins (PRPs). However, the mechanism of pollen-specific HRGP gene expression remains unexplored.

Reduction of phone interruptions post implementation of a central call center in community pharmacies of an academic health system.

Purpose: A pharmacy services call center (PSCC) was implemented to centralize pharmacy phone calls and reduce interruptions of dispensing activities in 7 community pharmacies of an academic health center. An evaluation was conducted to define, quantify, and compare the numbers and types of phone interruptions before and 3 months after PSCC implementation.

Methods: Through structured, direct observation of pharmacy staff, the numbers and types of "breaks in task" (BIT) due to phone interruptions and other distractions were identified.

Evaluating Medical Devices Remotely: Current Methods and Potential Innovations.

Objective: We present examples of laboratory and remote studies, with a focus on studies appropriate for medical device design and evaluation. From this review and description of extant options for remote testing, we provide methods and tools to achieve research goals remotely.

Background: The FDA mandates human factors evaluation of medical devices.

Feature Engineering and Process Mining to Enable Hazard Detection in Health Information Technology.

In this work, we aim to enhance the reliability of health information technology (HIT) systems by detection of plausible HIT hazards in clinical order transactions. In the absence of well-defined event logs in corporate data warehouses, our proposed approach identifies relevant timestamped data fields that could indicate transactions in the clinical order life cycle generating raw event sequences. Subsequently, we adopt state transitions of the OASIS Human Task standard to map the raw event sequences and simplify the complex process that clinical radiology orders go through.

Set cover-based methods for motif selection.

Motivation: De novo motif discovery algorithms find statistically over-represented sequence motifs that may function as transcription factor binding sites. Current methods often report large numbers of motifs, making it difficult to perform further analyses and experimental validation. The motif selection problem seeks to identify a minimal set of putative regulatory motifs that characterize sequences of interest (e.

Assessment of perceived workload in academic health center community pharmacies before and after implementation of a central call center.

Purpose: Results of a study to determine whether reducing pharmacy phone call workload through implementation of a pharmacy services call center (PSCC) led to decreased employee workload, improved efficiency, and increased pharmacist availability for patient care are reported.

Methods: A pre-post study was conducted using the NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) instrument. Pharmacists, pharmacy technicians at 7 academic health center community pharmacies, and PSCC staff provided NASA-TLX data over 5 days during 3 data collection periods before and after PSCC implementation.

A qualitative study of factors affecting personal protective equipment use among health care personnel.

Background: Health care personnel (HCP) use of personal protective equipment (PPE) reduces infectious disease transmission. However, PPE compliance remains low. The objective of this study was to better understand how HCP perceptions factor into PPE decision making as well as how organizational processes and the environment impact behavior.

Evaluation of a Redesigned Personal Protective Equipment Gown.

Background: In healthcare, the goal of personal protective equipment (PPE) is to protect healthcare personnel (HCP) and patients from body fluids and infectious organisms via contact, droplet, or airborne transmission. The critical importance of using PPE properly is highlighted by 2 potentially fatal viral infections, severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus and Ebola virus, where HCP became infected while caring for patients due to errors in the use of PPE. However, PPE in dealing with less dangerous, but highly infectious organisms is important as well.

Understanding Workflow and Personal Protective Equipment Challenges Across Different Healthcare Personnel Roles.

Background: Hospitals use standard and transmission-based precautions, including personal protective equipment (PPE), to prevent the spread of infectious organisms. However, little attention has been paid to the potentially unique challenges of various healthcare personnel (HCP) in following precaution practices.

Methods: From September through December 2016, 5 physicians, 5 nurses, and 4 physical therapists were shadowed for 1 hour 30 minutes to 3 hours 15 minutes at an academic medical center.

Use of multiple methods to measure impact of a centralized call center on academic health system community pharmacies.

Purpose: The process and methods used in an impact assessment of a centralized pharmacy call center on community pharmacy employee patient safety climate perceptions, telephone distractions/interruptions, and prescription filling efficiency are described.

Summary: A broad-based team designed a multi-faceted, pre-post call center implementation analysis that included multiple change assessment measures. First, yearly administration of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Community Pharmacy Survey on Patient Safety Culture was used to assess patient safety climate based on employee perceptions of a safe working environment and potential for errors due to interruptions and distractions.

Effectiveness of a multisite personal protective equipment (PPE)-free zone intervention in acute care.

Objective: Determine the effectiveness of a personal protective equipment (PPE)-free zone intervention on healthcare personnel (HCP) entry hand hygiene (HH) and PPE donning compliance in rooms of patients in contact precautions.

Design: Quasi-experimental, multicenter intervention, before-and-after study with concurrent controls.

Setting: All patient rooms on contact precautions on 16 units (5 medical-surgical, 6 intensive care, 5 specialty care units) at 3 acute-care facilities (2 academic medical centers, 1 Veterans Affairs hospital).

Frequent and unexpected deviations from personal protective equipment guidelines increase contamination risks.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) training aims to reinforce the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for donning and doffing; however, many health care and ancillary personnel use non-guideline methods to don and doff their PPE gowns and gloves. We found that hospital personnel commonly deviated from the guidelines, increasing the likelihood of self-contamination. Furthermore, securing the gown ties inappropriately was an especially common problem that consequently increased doffing missteps.