Crucial and fragile: a multi-methods and multi-disciplinary study of cooperation in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addressing global pandemics, robust cooperation across nations, institutions, and individuals is paramount. However, navigating the complexities of individual versus collective interests, diverse group objectives, and varying societal norms and cultures makes fostering such cooperation challenging. This research delves deep into the dynamics of interpersonal cooperation during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canton Ticino, Switzerland, using an integrative approach that combines qualitative and experimental methodologies.

Modes of responsibility in disclosing cancer genetic test results to relatives: An analysis of Swiss and Korean narrative data.

Objective: We examined how responsibility (the "duty to inform relatives about genetic testing results") is understood and enacted among Swiss and Korean women carrying BRCA1 or BRCA2 pathogenic variants.

Methods: In-depth interviews and/or focus groups with 46 Swiss and 22 Korean carriers were conducted, using an identical interview guide. Data were analyzed inductively and translated into English for cross-country comparisons.

Acceptability and Usability of the Family Gene Toolkit for Swiss and Korean Families Harboring Pathogenic Variants: A Web-Based Platform for Cascade Genetic Testing.

The study adapted the Family Gene Toolkit and developed a customized web application for Swiss and Korean families harboring or pathogenic variants to support family communication of genetic testing results and promote cascade genetic testing among at-risk relatives. In the first step, narrative data from 68 women with / pathogenic variants and clinician feedback informed a culturally sensitive adaptation of the content consistent with current risk management guidelines. In the second step, the Information Technology team developed the functions and the interface of the web application that will host the intervention.

Motivational interviewing for prevention in Swiss family medicine: Opportunities and challenges.

Health promotion and primary prevention are a priority in a healthcare system characterised by a prevalence of chronic conditions. In this context, motivational interviewing (MI) as provided by family doctors (FDs) seems promising: influential health professionals motivate patients to adopt healthy lifestyles in a patient-centred style that promotes a balanced, horizontal doctor-patient relationship. Based on these assumptions, a pilot project called Girasole was implemented in Switzerland between 2016 and 2018 to train and support 19 FDs in implementing MI in their practices.

Factors Associated With COVID-19 Non-Vaccination in Switzerland: A Nationwide Study.

We compared socio-demographic characteristics, health-related variables, vaccination-related beliefs and attitudes, vaccination acceptance, and personality traits of individuals who vaccinated against COVID-19 and who did not vaccinate by December 2021. This cross-sectional study used data of 10,642 adult participants from the Corona Immunitas eCohort, an age-stratified random sample of the population of several cantons in Switzerland. We used multivariable logistic regression models to explore associations of vaccination status with socio-demographic, health, and behavioral factors.

Privacy and utility of genetic testing in families with hereditary cancer syndromes living in three countries: the international cascade genetic screening experience.

Hereditary breast and ovarian cancer and Lynch syndrome are associated with increased lifetime risk for common cancers. Offering cascade genetic testing to cancer-free relatives of individuals with HBOC or LS is a public health intervention for cancer prevention. Yet, little is known about the utility and value of information gained from cascade testing.

Predicting Openness of Communication in Families With Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer Syndrome: Natural Language Processing Analysis.

Background: In health care research, patient-reported opinions are a critical element of personalized medicine and contribute to optimal health care delivery. The importance of integrating natural language processing (NLP) methods to extract patient-reported opinions has been gradually acknowledged over the past years. One form of NLP is sentiment analysis, which extracts and analyses information by detecting feelings (thoughts, emotions, attitudes, etc) behind words.

Relatives from Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer and Lynch Syndrome Families Forgoing Genetic Testing: Findings from the Swiss CASCADE Cohort.

Cascade genetic testing of relatives from families with pathogenic variants associated with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) or Lynch syndrome (LS) has important implications for cancer prevention. We compared the characteristics of relatives from HBOC or LS families who did not have genetic testing (GT (-) group) with those who had genetic testing (GT (+) group), regardless of the outcome. Self-administered surveys collected cross-sectional data between September 2017 and December 2021 from relatives participating in the CASCADE cohort.

Decision-making on COVID-19 vaccination: A qualitative study among health care and social workers caring for vulnerable individuals.

In January 2021, the Swiss government introduced the first COVID-19 vaccines and prioritized allocation to at-risk individuals and professionals working with them. Despite this opportunity, vaccine uptake among staff employed in retirement homes and institutes for people with disabilities was suboptimal. This study aimed to capture real-time decision-making about COVID-19 vaccine among staff employed in nursing homes and institutes for people with disabilities in Southern Switzerland.

The Communication Chain of Genetic Risk: Analyses of Narrative Data Exploring Proband-Provider and Proband-Family Communication in Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer.

Low uptake of genetic services among members of families with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) suggests limitations of proband-mediated communication of genetic risk. This study explored how genetic information proceeds from healthcare providers to probands and from probands to relatives, from the probands' perspectives. Using a grounded-theory approach, we analyzed narrative data collected with individual interviews and focus groups from a sample of 48 women identified as carriers of HBOC-associated pathogenic variants from three linguistic regions of Switzerland.

Effectiveness of crisis resolution home treatment for the management of acute psychiatric crises in Southern Switzerland: a natural experiment based on geography.

Background: Crisis Resolution Home Treatment (CRHT) is an alternative to inpatient treatment for acute psychiatric crises management. However, evidence on CRHT effectiveness is still limited. In the Canton of Ticino (Southern Switzerland), in 2016 the regional public psychiatric hospital replaced one acute ward with a CRHT.

Intention to Inform Relatives, Rates of Cascade Testing, and Preference for Patient-Mediated Communication in Families Concerned with Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer and Lynch Syndrome: The Swiss CASCADE Cohort.

Cascade screening for Tier 1 cancer genetic conditions is a significant public health intervention because it identifies untested relatives of individuals known to carry pathogenic variants associated with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) and Lynch syndrome (LS). The Swiss CASCADE is a family-based, open-ended cohort, including carriers of HBOC- and LS-associated pathogenic variants and their relatives. This paper describes rates of cascade screening in relatives from HBOC- and LS- harboring families, examines carriers' preferences for communication of testing results, and describes theory-based predictors of intention to invite relatives to a cascade screening program.

Genetic Literacy and Communication of Genetic Information in Families Concerned with Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer: A Cross-Study Comparison in Two Countries and within a Timeframe of More Than 10 Years.

Examining genetic literacy in families concerned with hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) helps understand how genetic information is passed on from individuals who had genetic counseling to their at-risk relatives. This cross-study comparison explored genetic literacy both at the individual and the family level using data collected from three sequential studies conducted in the U.S.

Home Treatment for Acute Mental Health Care: Protocol for the Financial Outputs, Risks, Efficacy, Satisfaction Index and Gatekeeping of Home Treatment (FORESIGHT) Study.

Background: Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment (CRHT) teams represent a community-based mental health service offering a valid alternative to hospitalization. CRHT teams have been widely implemented in various mental health systems worldwide, and their goal is to provide care for people with severe acute mental disorders who would be considered for admission to acute psychiatric wards. The evaluation of several home-treatment experiences shows promising results; however, it remains unclear which specific elements and characteristics of CRHT are more effective and acceptable.

Lived experiences of older adults during the first COVID-19 lockdown: A qualitative study.

Background And Aim: Public health measures used to mitigate the COVID-19 epidemic may have unintended, detrimental consequences particularly on older adults, whose voices and perspectives are often silent or silenced. The aim of this study was to explore the lived experiences of individuals aged 64 or older during the first COVID-19 lockdown.

Methods: We conducted a qualitative study in a convenience sample of 19 older adults (aged 64+) living at home in the Italian-speaking region of Switzerland during the first COVID-19 lockdown, between April and May 2020.

Using a Tailored Digital Health Intervention for Family Communication and Cascade Genetic Testing in Swiss and Korean Families With Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer: Protocol for the DIALOGUE Study.

Background: In hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC), family communication of genetic test results is essential for cascade genetic screening, that is, identifying and testing blood relatives of known mutation carriers to determine whether they also carry the pathogenic variant, and to propose preventive and clinical management options. However, up to 50% of blood relatives are unaware of relevant genetic information, suggesting that potential benefits of genetic testing are not communicated effectively within family networks. Technology can facilitate communication and genetic education within HBOC families.

Physicians communicating with women at genetic risk of breast and ovarian cancer: Are we in the middle of the ford between contradictory messages and unshared decision making?

BRCA1/2 genetic testing offers tremendous opportunities for prevention, diagnosis and treatment of breast and ovarian cancer. Women acquire valuable information that can help them to make informed decisions about their health. However, knowing one's susceptibility to developing cancer may be burdensome for several women, as this risk needs to be managed over time through a continuous dialogue with multiple healthcare professionals.

Challenges and Opportunities for Cancer Predisposition Cascade Screening for Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer and Lynch Syndrome in Switzerland: Findings from an International Workshop.

Background: An international workshop on cancer predisposition cascade genetic screening for hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) and Lynch syndrome (LS) took place in Switzerland, with leading researchers and clinicians in cascade screening and hereditary cancer from different disciplines. The purpose of the workshop was to enhance the implementation of cascade genetic screening in Switzerland. Participants discussed the challenges and opportunities associated with cascade screening for HBOC and LS in Switzerland (CASCADE study); family implications and the need for family-based interventions; the need to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of cascade genetic screening; and interprofessional collaboration needed to lead this initiative.

Cancer Predisposition Cascade Screening for Hereditary Breast/Ovarian Cancer and Lynch Syndromes in Switzerland: Study Protocol.

Background: Breast, colorectal, ovarian, and endometrial cancers constitute approximately 30% of newly diagnosed cancer cases in Switzerland, affecting more than 12,000 individuals annually. Hundreds of these patients are likely to carry germline pathogenic variants associated with hereditary breast ovarian cancer (HBOC) or Lynch syndrome (LS). Genetic services (counseling and testing) for hereditary susceptibility to cancer can prevent many cancer diagnoses and deaths through early identification and risk management.

Can social support work virtually? Evaluation of rheumatoid arthritis patients' experiences with an interactive online tool.

Background: There is strong empirical evidence that the support that chronic patients receive from their environment is fundamental for the way they cope with physical and psychological suffering. Nevertheless, in the case of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), providing the appropriate social support is still a challenge, and such support has often proven to be elusive and unreliable in helping patients to manage the disease.

Objectives: To explore whether and how social support for RA patients can be provided online, and to assess the conditions under which such support is effective.

Genetically at-risk status and individual agency. A qualitative study on asymptomatic women living with genetic risk of breast/ovarian cancer.

For the last 20 years, genetic tests have allowed unaffected women to determine whether they are predisposed to developing breast/ovarian cancer due to BRCA1/2 gene mutations. In the event of adverse results, women receive a specific label associated with a set of medical recommendations: the genetically at-risk status. This qualitative study adopted a life-course perspective to understand the impact of this status on women's agency.

Challenges in managing genetic cancer risk: a long-term qualitative study of unaffected women carrying BRCA1/BRCA2 mutations.

Purpose: Women carrying BRCA1/BRCA2 germ-line mutations have an increased risk of developing breast/ovarian cancer. To minimize this risk, international guidelines recommend lifelong surveillance and preventive measures. This study explores the challenges that unaffected women genetically predisposed to breast/ovarian cancer face in managing their risk over time and the psychosocial processes behind these challenges.