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The decline and recovery of the Murut tribe of Sabah

Jones LW

Popul Stud (Camb), 1967 Sep;21(2):133-57.
PMID: 22085038 DOI: 10.1080/00324728.1967.10405470

Abstract The Murut tribe of Sabah (formerly North Borneo) numbered 30,300 in 1921, decreased to 18,700 in 1951, and increased again to 22,100 in 1960. In 1951, the tribe was a small diminishing section of a slowly growing population; in 1960 it was increasing itself, and the growth rate of the whole population had shot up. Marked variations in the age structures of the Murut and other indigenous tribes accompanied these changes. Between 1920 and 1960 several investigators attempted to explain the decline, but could not show why only one tribe was failing to hold its own among many others which were increasing. Their findings are summarized, and unpublished data from the 1960 census are given which suggest that increasing contacts with the rest of the population, earlier thought to be an important contributor to the decline, were probably the means of saving the Murut from extinction.
Fulltext Factors associated with cessation of smoking in health professionals: a scoping review

Evenhuis A, Occhipinti S, Jones L, Wishart D

Glob Health Action, 2023 Dec 31;16(1):2216068.
PMID: 37254873 DOI: 10.1080/16549716.2023.2216068

BACKGROUND: Offering cessation support to health professionals who smoke to ensure optimal implementation of cessation support for patients is a key recommendation of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Article 14 guidelines. However, direct efforts to support this population to quit are limited. Although numerous articles on the topic of tobacco use among health professionals have been published, the factors associated with their own cessation have not been systematically synthesised.
OBJECTIVE: We sought to synthesise existing literature on the predictors and processes informing attitudes and beliefs of smoking health professionals' own cessation.
METHODS: A five-step methodological framework for scoping reviews was followed. We conducted a systematic search of EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, and PsycINFO databases, as well as Google Scholar for relevant articles. Titles, abstracts, and full texts were screened against predefined criteria: research published between 1990 and 2021, in English-language peer-reviewed journals; participants included doctors, nurses, medical, and student nurses who smoke.
RESULTS: The initial search yielded 120, 883 articles, with 27 selected for synthesis. Prevalence estimates and predictors of smoking behaviour have remained the primary focus of smoking health professional research. Few studies explicitly examined the relevant predictors of quit attempts and quit attempt success. There is evidence that age and work environment factors predict quit attempt success in some health professional groups. There is also some evidence of tobacco smoking stigma experiences among nurses and nursing students who smoke.
CONCLUSION: Although cessation support is desperately needed for health professionals who smoke, the evidence for factors predicting quit success remains limited. To better guide future research, first, more theoretical work is required to identify the relevant predictors. Second, these should be tested using prospective research designs that take a multi-focal perspective to clarify the targets for change.
A Multinational Study of Patient Preferences for How Decisions Are Made in Their Care

Pines R, Sheeran N, Jones L, Pearson A, Pamoso AH, Jin YB, et al.

Med Care Res Rev, 2023 Apr;80(2):205-215.
PMID: 35815591 DOI: 10.1177/10775587221108749

Inadequate consideration has been given to patient preferences for patient-centered care (PCC) across countries or cultures in our increasingly global society. We examined what 1,698 participants from the United States, Hong Kong, Philippines, and Australia described as important when making health care decisions. Analysis of frequencies following directed content coding of open-ended questions revealed differences in patients' preferences for doctor behaviors and decision-making considerations across countries. Being well informed by their doctor emerged as most important in decision-making, especially in Hong Kong. Participants in Australia and the United States wanted their doctor to meet their emotional needs. The safety and efficacy of treatments were the most common consideration, especially for Hong Kong. Findings suggest that doctors should focus on information exchange and identifying patient concerns about efficacy, lifestyle impact, cost, and recovery speed. Rather than assuming patients prefer shared decision-making, doctors must assess patient's decision control preferences.
How culture influences patient preferences for patient-centered care with their doctors

Sheeran N, Jones L, Pines R, Jin B, Pamoso A, Eigeland J, et al.

J Commun Healthc, 2023 Jul;16(2):186-196.
PMID: 37401877 DOI: 10.1080/17538068.2022.2095098

BACKGROUND: Patient-centered care (PCC) is the prevailing model of care globally. However, most research on PCC has been conducted in Westernized countries or has focused on only two facets of PCC: decision-making and information exchange. Our study examined how culture influences patients' preferences for five facets of PCC, including communication, decision-making, empathy, individualized focus, and relationship.
METHODS: Participants (N = 2071) from Hong Kong, the Philippines, Australia, and the U.S.A. completed an online survey assessing their preferences for exchange of information, autonomy in decision-making, expression and validation of their emotions, focus on them as an individual, and the doctor-patient relationship.
RESULTS: Participants from all four countries had similar preferences for empathy and shared decision-making. For other facets of PCC, participants in the Philippines and Australia expressed somewhat similar preferences, as did those in the U.S.A. and Hong Kong, challenging East-West stereotypes. Participants in the Philippines placed greater value on relationships, whereas Australians valued more autonomy. Participants in Hong Kong more commonly preferred doctor-directed care, with less importance placed on the relationship. Responses from U.S.A. participants were surprising, as they ranked the need for individualized care and two-way flow of information as least important.
CONCLUSIONS: Empathy, information exchange, and shared decision-making are values shared across countries, while preferences for how the information is shared, and the importance of the doctor-patient relationship differ.
From the Outside in: ASMR Is Characterised by Reduced Interoceptive Accuracy but Higher Sensation Seeking

Poerio GL, Osman F, Todd J, Kaur J, Jones L, Cardini F

Multisens Res, 2023 Sep 27.
PMID: 37758236 DOI: 10.1163/22134808-bja10108

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a complex sensory-perceptual phenomenon characterised by relaxing and pleasurable scalp-tingling sensations. The ASMR trait is nonuniversal, thought to have developmental origins, and a prevalence rate of 20%. Previous theory and research suggest that trait ASMR may be underlined by atypical multisensory perception from both interoceptive and exteroceptive modalities. In this study, we examined whether ASMR responders differed from nonresponders in interoceptive accuracy and multisensory processing style. Results showed that ASMR responders had lower interoceptive accuracy but a greater tendency towards sensation seeking, especially for tactile, olfactory, and gustatory modalities. Exploratory mediation analyses suggest that sensation-seeking behaviours in trait ASMR could reflect a compensatory mechanism for either deficits in interoceptive accuracy, a tendency to weight exteroceptive signals more strongly, or both. This study provides the foundations for understanding how interoceptive and exteroceptive mechanisms might explain not only the ASMR trait, but also individual differences in the ability to experience complex positive emotions more generally.
Fulltext Provision of drug and alcohol services amidst COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative evaluation on the experiences of service providers

Richards-Jones L, Patel P, Jagpal PK, Lowrie R, Saunders K, Burwood S, et al.

Int J Clin Pharm, 2023 Oct;45(5):1098-1106.
PMID: 36971897 DOI: 10.1007/s11096-023-01557-1

BACKGROUND: The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the provision of drug and alcohol (D&A) services and associated outcomes have been under-researched.
AIM: This study aimed to understand the experiences of service providers in relation to how drug and alcohol (D&A) services were affected during COVID-19 pandemic, including the adaptations made and lessons learnt for the future.
METHOD: Focus groups and semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants from various D&A service organisations across the UK. Data were audio recorded, followed by transcription and thematic analysis.
RESULTS: A total of 46 participants representing various service providers were recruited between October and January 2022. The thematic analysis identified ten themes. COVID-19 required significant changes to how the treatment was provided and prioritised. Expansion of telehealth and digital services were described, which reduced service wait times and increased opportunities for peer network. However, they described missed opportunities for disease screening, and some users risked facing digital exclusion. Participants who provided opiate substitution therapy service spoke of improving service provider/user trust following the shift from daily supervised treatment consumption to weekly dispensing. At the same time, they feared fatal overdoses and non-adherence to treatment.
CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates the multifaceted impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on UK-based D&A service provisions. The long-term impact of reduced supervision on Substance Use Disorder treatment and outcomes and any effect of virtual communications on service efficiency, patient-provider relationships and treatment retention and successes are unknown, suggesting the need for further study to assess their utility.
Fulltext A systematic review on the cultural factors associated with stigma during pandemics

Zay Hta MK, Ting RS, Goh PH, Gan QH, Jones L

Curr Psychol, 2023 Mar 15.
PMID: 37359581 DOI: 10.1007/s12144-023-04509-0

Both public stigma and perceived self-stigma are prevalent during pandemics threatening a divide among the global community. This systematic review examined the cultural factors associated with viral respiratory-related pandemic stigma. Following PRISMA guidelines, the keywords, "culture, stigma, and pandemic" were searched across relevant databases for empirical papers between January 2000 to March 2022. Quality assessment and coding were adopted in the screening process. Thirty-one articles were included in the final analysis. Themes revealed that collectivistic values, cultural identities, and non-western regions were associated with public (others) stigma; mismatch of cultural values, minority groups, and North America, Asia, Oceania, and African regions were associated with higher perceived and self-stigma. We further mapped the themes into a proposed systemic cultural stigma model to integrate the dynamic intersection of cultural values, identity, and ecology. The cultural factors and their influence on stigma were then explained by drawing on two evolutionary theories: Cultural rationality theory and scapegoating theory. Lastly, we proposed culturally sensitive and responsive practices for stigma management at the community level, especially in non-Western regions during the pandemic recovery phase.
Global trends in myopia management attitudes and strategies in clinical practice - 2019 Update

Wolffsohn JS, Calossi A, Cho P, Gifford K, Jones L, Jones D, et al.

Cont Lens Anterior Eye, 2020 02;43(1):9-17.
PMID: 31761738 DOI: 10.1016/j.clae.2019.11.002

PURPOSE: A survey in 2015 identified a high level of eye care practitioner concern about myopia with a reported moderately high level of activity, but the vast majority still prescribed single vision interventions to young myopes. This research aimed to update these findings 4 years later.
METHODS: A self-administrated, internet-based questionnaire was distributed in eight languages, through professional bodies to eye care practitioners globally. The questions examined: awareness of increasing myopia prevalence, perceived efficacy of available strategies and adoption levels of such strategies, and reasons for not adopting specific strategies.
RESULTS: Of the 1336 respondents, concern was highest (9.0 ± 1.6; p 
Corrigendum to "Priorities to inform research on marine plastic pollution in Southeast Asia" [Sci. Total Environ. volume 841 (2022) Article 156704]

Omeyer LCM, Duncan EM, Aiemsomboon K, Beaumont N, Bureekul S, Cao B, et al.

Sci Total Environ, 2023 Jan 20;857(Pt 3):159595.
PMID: 36308807 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159595