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New research published in BMJ Open shows that community pharmacy could play a ‘key clinical role’ in the future role of COVID-19 vaccination programmes, according to a study led by Aston University in Birmingham, UK, in collaboration with UK and international researchers. The team found that community pharmacists, as a ‘skilled clinical workforce’, could positively contribute, supporting the community in which they serve - by playing a critical role in ongoing COVID-19 vaccination campaigns. The researchers working on the PERISCOPE study found that community pharmacy is uniquely placed to support individuals, because it is seen by the public as a credible, trustworthy service, which could be key to any future clinical role it might play, especially where addressing vaccine hesitancy in ‘seldom heard’ communities. They are therefore calling on decision-makers to endorse and provide their support for a public health role for community pharmacy. Across the UK, community pharmacy is a critical part of primary care. According to the Kings Fund, as of the end of March 2019, there were more than 11,500 community pharmacies in England alone. It is viewed as one of the four pillars of the primary care system, along with general practice, optical services and dentistry. It has also, in areas of the UK, helped to deliver COVID-19 vaccinations. The study included partners from the Universities of Sheffield, Oxford, Hull and Bradford in the UK, as well as internationally, the University of British Columbia and University of Tasmania. The group reviewed more than a hundred documents including peer reviewed articles, blogs and websites on the role of community pharmacy during COVID-19 and other previous pandemics. Their findings were discussed with more than 30 health professionals and members of the public, to ensure that the findings made sense in the real world. Health professionals included pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, dispensers, counter assistants, and GPs, together with members of the public from a range of diverse ethnic backgrounds. Several recommendations were made by the researchers from the findings of the study. Most significantly the group found it was imperative that policy and practice should focus on the clinical role of community pharmacy. Dr Ian Maidment, reader in clinical pharmacy at Aston University and former community pharmacist leading PERSICOPE, said: “We need to use community pharmacy to a much greater extent for COVID-19 vaccination, particularly for boosters against new variants such as the Delta (Indian) variant. The current model (for example, the large hubs) may not be sustainable in the longer term, particularly if annual COVID-19 vaccination is required. “Our work found some key ways to make this happen. The easy access and local convenience of high street pharmacies makes them an ideal location for vaccinating at-risk populations.” The study includes guidance for policy makers: • Have a clear role for community pharmacy in response to the public health agenda, with that role championed by decision-makers • Involve frontline community pharmacists in the development of policy and service specification in relation to vaccination • Provide prompt, clear, consistent guidelines with adequate detail and enough flexibility to allow community pharmacies to adapt the guidelines to meet the needs of their local population • Provide adequate funding and reimbursement for the delivery and necessary adaptations of any new services community pharmacies are asked to deliver • Provide pharmacy teams with adequate systems to deliver this new role and then trust them to deliver. Hadar Zaman, head of pharmacy and medical sciences at University of Bradford and a community pharmacist, said: “Our research has highlighted the important role community pharmacy has played in overcoming vaccine hesitancy, particularly in ethnic minority communities who have been disproportionately affected by COVID and subsequent mortality. “What comes out very strongly, especially in areas of high social deprivation, is that community pharmacists have worked very closely with their local communities addressing concerns around vaccine safety. “It is through these strongly rooted relationships in local communities that we will ensure vaccine uptake rates in ethnic minority and the wider population can be further improved. Therefore, community pharmacy needs to be seen as an essential delivery partner if the Government is to achieve its national vaccination coverage in the short and long term”. PERISCOPE searched for the best evidence across the world and the team included international collaborators. The findings therefore have international relevance. Maura MacPhee, professor of nursing, University of British Columbia and member of the research team, said: “Our review findings and recommendations for decision-makers, community pharmacists and pharmacy users are adaptable and relevant internationally, including my country, Canada, where community pharmacy has a major role to play in COVID-19 vaccination programmes.” Juanita Breen, also a member of the PERISCOPE team and associate professor of dementia studies at Wicking Dementia Centre, School of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, added: "This study demonstrates how pharmacists can contribute towards this important public health initiative and enhance the uptake of the vaccine. “It provides important learnings for other countries on how best to utilise the skills of our most accessible health professional - the community pharmacist." Professor Claire Anderson, chair of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s English Board said: “This research clearly demonstrates the vital role community pharmacy has played during the pandemic, providing essential advice to communities and tackling health inequalities in areas of high social deprivation. “Policy makers and commissioners need to take forward the recommendations of this research and ensure the strengths of the community pharmacy network are maximised for the benefits of patients.” Alastair Buxton, director of NHS Services at the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee, said: “This research provides a timely examination of the role community pharmacy teams have played in supporting their communities to fight back against COVID-19. “By keeping their doors open throughout, pharmacies have maintained day-to-day activities, and managed increased demand for many services - including advice on the management of minor illness. They have also substantially increased the number of flu vaccinations administered and played a key part in the COVID-19 vaccination programme. “These findings will help guide policy in the later stages of the pandemic and guide practice in any future pandemics.” Tony Kelly, a diabetes ambassador, Diabetes Strategic Patient Partner - NHS Birmingham and Solihull Clinical Commissioning Group and member of PERISCOPE, said: "Community pharmacists are ideally placed at the forefront of the vaccination agenda as they are the nucleus of ethnically diverse communities and are often the first point of contact for most people." PERISCOPE was jointly funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).
Did you know in America more than 6 million people are living with Alzheimer’s disease? June is Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month and the experts from Georgia Southern University have been busy talking with reporters and media about the importance of brain health and how to monitor your memory for any signs that may require attention. Earlier this month, Georgia Southern’s Adrienne Cohen spoke to NBC News about Dementia and the many types of brain disorders. Alzheimer’s is one of the many types of Dementia, a brain disorder that causes the brain to create gaps, initially effecting the short-term memory. “It can have several stages,” said Adrienne Cohen, Ph.D, associate professor and director, Center for Social Gerontology . “It can effect your memory, it can effect your mood, it can effect the way you interact with other people. It’s a slow progression, initially people might just be confused or can’t remember things and sadly that happens to all of us.” For many, it can be difficult to determine whether a person’s forgetfulness is caused by a number of underlying factors, like vitamin deficiencies or metabolic-related issues, or if it could potentially be something more serious. June 07 – NBC News With nearly six million Americans effected by Alzheimer’s disease, the chance of being effected doubles every five years for every American as they age after 65. This is an important topic and if you are a reporter looking to cover this subject – then let our experts help. Simply reach out to Georgia Southern Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu and she’ll assist with connecting you with Dr. Cohen today.
A new model of health care is coming to Wilmington’s Riverside neighborhood and the Kingswood Community Center. ChristianaCare Virtual Health is now available at The Coker Family Resource Center, inside Kingswood Community Center. It offers convenient, personalized, always-accessible care that makes it easier for people to connect with the care they need and stay well. “This is an entirely new model of health care powered by data and technology to make it easier for people to access care when they need it, and one that fosters strong relationships between patients and their care team,” said Janice E. Nevin, M.D., MPH, president and CEO of ChristianaCare. “In our commitment to make a positive impact on health for everyone in the communities we serve, we’re excited to bring this leading-edge model of care to our neighbors at Riverside. We’re grateful for the partnership of The WRK Group and Kingswood Community Center in this collaborative effort that will support the health and wellbeing of the people in this community.” At The Coker Family Resource Center, patients can connect to ChristianaCare Virtual Health for a virtual appointment with a primary care provider or a member of their care team and also receive access to medical services such as vaccines, blood pressure checks and in-person exams. But care doesn’t have to happen at Kingswood Community Center. Patients can have a virtual visit with their care team anytime and from anywhere they have access to the internet with a smartphone, tablet or laptop with a camera. “Throughout the pandemic, many people have learned the convenience of having a video visit with their doctor instead of coming in for an in-person appointment. At ChristianaCare, we’ve actually been developing this kind of care since the launch of our Virtual Primary Care practice for ChristianaCare caregivers in 2018, in addition to our CareVio data-powered care management platform,” said Sharon Anderson, RN, MS, FACHE, chief virtual health officer at ChristianaCare. “What we’re able to provide today is not just video visits, but an entirely new kind of care that’s always on—it enables patients to interact with their care team when they need support through video visits, secure text messages and other ways that provide care in ways that fit into each person’s lifestyle.” Sharon Anderson, RN, MS, FACHE, chief virtual health officer at ChristianaCare In addition to the on-site medical services provided at the Kingswood location, patients can also receive in-person help with the technology so that they can become comfortable with this new model of care, and ask questions or get help when they need it. Kingswood Community Center, a member of The WRK Group (The Warehouse, REACH Riverside, and Kingswood Community Center), has been a pillar of the Riverside community for 75 years and is located at 2300 Bowers St, Wilmington, DE 19802. In-person appointments are available every Tuesday and Thursday from 12:30 – 2:30 (times may vary). Information and appointments are available by calling 302-428-2400. Establishing easily accessible health care within the Riverside neighborhood marks a long-time goal of The WRK Group. “We are incredibly thankful for this partnership with ChristianaCare Virtual Health as they become the first primary care service provider that exists within Riverside,” said Logan S. Herring, Sr., CEO of The WRK Group. “ChristianaCare has created a nimble solution for our neighbors that includes valuable in-person services and care as well as virtual appointments. Creating this physical and virtual space is an achievement for our community and one in a series of initiatives The WRK Group plans to bring to the local area.” The WRK’s Group managing partner, REACH Riverside, is currently overseeing a $250M holistic revitalization project which includes building a new and improved community center, developing a mixed income housing community, and investing in physical capital to create a thriving and vibrant neighborhood. Introducing the Coker Family Resource Center The Coker Family Resource Center is a new addition to the Kingswood Community Center, made possible by the generous donation of the Coker family, a pillar in the Riverside and Wilmington community. From matriarch and civil rights leader Beatrice “Bebe” Coker and her activism efforts to daughters Dr. Joan Coker, Laurie Coker Reid, and Julie Coker's collective philanthropic and community work, the Coker family embodies the values of Kingswood Community Center and The WRK Group’s collective mission to empower the community to reach its full potential. “Thank you to the entire Coker family, who have dedicated themselves to bettering our community for decades, as well as for providing the needed funding to create the physical space that ChristianaCare Virtual Health inhabits,” Herring continued. “The Coker family has once again demonstrated the value of believing and investing in their community. As we look to the future and continue to dream big about the new Kingswood Community Center, I am excited by the prospect of what this space will evolve into and what additional services we can offer our community.” For more information about ChristianaCare Virtual Care at Kingswood Community Center, click here. About ChristianaCare Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, ChristianaCare is one of the country’s most dynamic health care organizations, centered on improving health outcomes, making high-quality care more accessible and lowering health care costs. ChristianaCare includes an extensive network of primary care and outpatient services, home health care, urgent care centers, three hospitals (1,299 beds), a freestanding emergency department, a Level I trauma center and a Level III neonatal intensive care unit, a comprehensive stroke center and regional centers of excellence in heart and vascular care, cancer care and women’s health. It also includes the pioneering Gene Editing Institute. ChristianaCare is nationally recognized as a great place to work, rated by Forbes as the 5th best health system to work for in the United States and by IDG Computerworld as one of the nation’s Best Places to Work in IT. ChristianaCare is rated by HealthGrades as one of America’s 50 Best Hospitals and continually ranked among the nation’s best by U.S. News & World Report, Newsweek and other national quality ratings. ChristianaCare is a nonprofit teaching health system with more than 260 residents and fellows. With its groundbreaking Center for Virtual Health and a focus on population health and value-based care, ChristianaCare is shaping the future of health care. About The WRK Group The WRK Group, which is comprised of three organizations and over 130 employees, shares a collective mission to empower the community to reach its full potential by eliminating the barriers of structural racism and revolutionizing teen engagement. REACH Riverside, overseeing a $250M holistic revitalization, also serves as the managing partner for Kingswood Community Center, a pillar of the Northeast Wilmington neighborhood for 75 years, and The Warehouse, an educational and recreational oasis for teens. The Warehouse: Developed "For Teens, By Teens" - Innovative, one-stop center serving ages 13 to 19 Teen-driven programming focused on recreation, education, arts, career, and health Collaborating with over 140 youth-serving organizations Three goals: safety, educational support, and workforce readiness REACH Riverside: Developed "With the Community, For the Community" Member of the national Purpose Built Communities Redevelopment: Up to 600 units of high quality, mixed-income housing Education: cradle-to-college and career readiness pipeline Community Health: health, wellness, safety services, and programming Kingswood Community Center Empowering the Community of Riverside and Northeast Wilmington since 1946 Early Learning Academy: high quality, evidence-based programming (ages one through five) School-age services (ages six through twelve): before, after-school, and summer programming Jimmy Jenkins Senior Center: activities to remain healthy and self-sufficient Kingswood Academy: alternative school, located at The Warehouse (seventh through twelfth grade) Preparing for the development of a new, state-of-the-art facility that will replace and enhance the current community center ####
Why is the FDA funded in part by the companies it regulates?
In a recent piece published in The Conversation, C. Michael White, Distinguished Professor and head of the Department of Pharmacy Practice at the University of Connecticut shares his perspective on the Food and Drug Administration and its past and current role and influence in America. “The Food and Drug Administration has moved from an entirely taxpayer-funded entity to one increasingly funded by user fees paid by manufacturers that are being regulated. Today, close to 45% of its budget comes from these user fees that companies pay when they apply for approval of a medical device or drug. As a pharmacist and medication and dietary supplement safety researcher, I understand the vital role that the FDA plays in ensuring the safety of medications and medical devices. But I, along with many others, now wonder: Was this move a clever win-win for the manufacturers and the public, or did it place patient safety second to corporate profitability? It is critical that the U.S. public understand the positive and negative ramifications so the nation can strike the right balance.” May 13 - The Conversation The entire piece is a captivating read and a remarkably interesting topic with regards to accountability, transparency, and the influence big pharma holds across many levels of the United States government. And if you are a journalist looking to cover this topic, then let us help. Dr. White is available to speak with media -- click on his icon now, to arrange an interview today.
Queen's Speech: Measures to tackle obesity and food advertising bans
Two University of Warwick experts comment on measures to tackle obesity and food advertising that have been announced in the Queen’s Speech at the State Opening of the UK Parliament today. Dr Paul Coleman (pictured), from Warwick Medical School and the Warwick Obesity Network, said: We welcome the government's intention to tackle rising rates of obesity by restricting the advertising of products high in fat, sugar or salt (HFSS) shown on TV before 9pm and a total online advertising ban However, the government must focus on all forms on online advertising, not simply traditional commercials. This ban must cover online ‘advergames’, which encourage children to win points by placing branded food item in the mouth of children’s characters. These games are notoriously difficult for the government to regulate. While we also welcome the decision to incentivise individuals to both eat better and exercise more, the government must recognise that increased wages, rather than one-off payments, are needed to ensure all families can access healthy food For many families the main barrier in purchasing healthy food is cost, with families regularly limiting the amount of money spent on food to cover the cost of other essentials. All families require the financial means to purchase healthy food. We would like to see new targets to end household food insecurity by the year 2030. Dr Thijs van Rens of the University of Warwick Department of Economics and the Warwick Obesity Network, said: Required calorie labelling for large out-of-home businesses is a welcome start to address the restaurant and take-away sector, where many people get a large and increasing share of their food. A ban on "junk food" advertising on TV and online is long overdue. While we welcome the government renewed commitment to announce a ban on advertising, it is now time to take action. We are still waiting on the government to publish the result of its consultation on this matter, which was announced in November of last year. In the meantime, overweight and obesity are set to overtake smoking as the biggest cause of preventable death in the UK. Overweight is the silent killer that we can do something about, just as deadly as Covid-19 and much more under our control. Advertising is one of the elements of an environment that nudges, forces and tricks parents and children into buying and consuming food that makes them unhealthy, overweight and eventually kills them. Effective action against HFSS food advertising means banning advertising anywhere where children are likely to see it, which means both on telly and online
Kelley School expert who studies causes and effects of recalls available to discuss Peloton
Peloton Interactive Inc. on May 5 announced that it is recalling its treadmills in a statement from CEO John Foley who also apologized for the company’s initial refusal to comply with federal safety regulators’ prior request for this action. George Ball, assistant professor of operations and decision technologies and Weimer Faculty Fellow at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business, studies the causes and effects of product recalls. Below are comments from Ball. He can be reached at gpball@indiana.edu. “Recall decisions like this are very difficult for managers to make, especially the ones that are high profile and associated with consumer injury. Managers have to balance the firm financial health with consumer safety. Thus, this is a rich area of research. The research that my colleagues and I undertake in this field deal both with the regulator and the firm. My comments will attempt to address both perspectives. “I will start with the regulator. I am currently involved in a research project with two colleagues that is specifically critiquing the Consumer Product Safety Commission for situations very similar to this Peloton recall. There are three main regulators in the US that oversee product quality and in particular recalls: the FDA, NHTSA and the CPSC. “Of those, CPSC is the least proactive and in my view, least successful in properly managing product recalls and their timeliness. This is because there are two main ways in which a firm can push firms to recall; they can force them to, or they can work with the firm management to help encourage them, or nudge them, to recall. The FDA is very good at influencing firms while NHTSA is quite good at mandating recalls. CPSC does neither well. “In particular, the FDA frequently chooses to use their relationships with senior quality executives at firms to nudge them to recall when FDA feels it may be necessary and the firm has not yet acted upon the quality problem. Conversely, NHTSA mandates approximately 20 to 30 percent of auto recalls, such that they choose to force instead of nudge. However, in both cases, while neither industry (medical products and autos) are perfect when it comes to recall timeliness, and both have suffered unfortunate well-known examples of firms dragging their feet in the recall decision, both have a well-developed approach. “CPSC mandates practically no recalls and they do not, from my research, have strong relationships with firm executives that can help them nudge firms to make the quick recall decision. Thus, this Peloton example is one of many in which consumer product firms may take too long to recall. “From the firm perspective. There are several potential red flags that may indicate the firm took too long. The longer a consumer product industry CEO has been in their role, the slower they are to make recall decisions. This is because the longer a CEO is in the role, the less open they are to taking responsibility for such high-profile mistakes. Interestingly, a new CEO, such as one who has been in their role for two to three years, is much more likely to recall a faulty product. “The CEO of Peloton definitely falls into the category of a fairly long-tenured CEO who has his reputation tied closely to the firm’s success. Secondly, the more stock a CEO owns in their firm, the slower they are to make the recall decision, because they are trying to protect their financial welfare. The CEO of Peloton appears to have a significant fortune at stake in Peloton stock, which would be consistent with our research. The more stock a CEO owns, the slower the firm take to recall defective products.”
Starter vape packs to be handed out in hospitals
A new trial from the University of East Anglia will see smokers attending hospital emergency departments given e-cigarette starter packs to help them quit. The initiative comes as a Cochrane Review - the international gold standard for high quality, trusted health information – about vaping is updated today. The review, led by the University of Oxford and involving the UEA team, shows how nicotine electronic cigarettes could increase the number of people who stop smoking compared to nicotine replacement therapy – such as chewing gum and patches – and compared to electronic cigarettes that do not contain nicotine. The new trial will offer stop smoking advice and an e-cigarette ‘starter pack’ to patients attending hospital emergency departments for any reason, to try to encourage and support them to quit smoking – even for those who might not have considered it before. The new trial is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and will be run by the Norwich Clinical Trials Unit at UEA. Prof Caitlin Notley, from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said; “Many people who smoke want to quit, but find it difficult to succeed in the long term. “Electronic cigarettes mimic the experience of cigarette smoking because they are hand-held and generate a smoke-like vapour when used. They can be an attractive option for helping people switch from smoking, even if they have tried and failed in the past. “We know that they are much less harmful than smoking tobacco, and that they have been shown to help smokers quit. Trial co-lead Dr Ian Pope, also from UEA’s Norwich Medical School and an emergency physician, said: “Emergency Departments in England see over 24 million people each year of whom around a quarter are current smokers. “Attending the Emergency Department offers a valuable opportunity for people to be supported to quit smoking, which will improve their chances of recovery from whatever has brought them to hospital, and also prevent future illness.” The study will run over 30 months across five hospitals in England and Scotland – at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, the Royal London Hospital and Homerton University Hospital in London, Leicester Royal Infirmary and the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh. Smokers who agree to take part will be randomly assigned to receive either smoking advice during their emergency department wait, an e-cigarette starter pack and referral to local stop smoking services, or just written information about locally available stop smoking services. Both groups of patients will be asked if they are still smoking one, three and six months after they attended hospital. The research team hope to eventually recruit around 1,000 smokers to the trial. Prof Notley said: “We’ll be looking at the number of people who successfully quit smoking across both groups, to see which intervention works best. We’ll also work out how much it would cost to roll the scheme out nationally,” she added. ‘Electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation (Review)’ is published by the Cochrane Library on April 29, 2021.
Thousands of men to trial prostate cancer home testing kit
Thousands of men worldwide are to receive a home test kit for prostate cancer – thanks to pioneering research from the University of East Anglia and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital (NNUH). The research team are trialling a new home-testing ‘Prostate Screening Box’ to collect men’s urine samples at-home. The urine samples will be used to analyse the health of the prostate in 2,000 men in the UK, Europe and Canada. This simple urine test is intended to diagnose aggressive prostate cancer and in a pilot study predicted which patients required treatment up to five years earlier than standard clinical methods. Lead researcher Dr Jeremy Clark from the University of East Anglia 'unboxes' the new home testing kit live on Sky News. The Prostate Screening Box has been developed in collaboration with REAL Digital International Limited to create a kit that fits through a standard letterbox. It means that men can provide a urine sample in the comfort of their own home, instead of going into a clinic or having to undergo an uncomfortable rectal examination. The research team hope that it could revolutionise diagnosis of the disease. Lead researcher Dr Jeremy Clark, from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, said: “Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK. However it usually develops slowly and the majority of cancers will not require treatment in a man’s lifetime. It is not a simple matter to predict which tumours will become aggressive, making it hard to decide on treatment for many men. “The most commonly used tests for prostate cancer include blood tests, a physical examination known as a digital rectal examination (DRE), an MRI scan or a biopsy. “We have developed the PUR (Prostate Urine Risk) test, which looks at gene expression in urine samples and provides vital information about whether a cancer is aggressive or ‘low risk’. “The Prostate Screening Box part sounds like quite a small innovation, but it means that in future the monitoring of cancer in men could be so much less stressful for them and reduce the number of expensive trips to the hospital. “The prostate lies just below the bladder. It constantly produces secretions which naturally flow into the urethra - the tube through which urine passes from the bladder. The prostatic secretions carry cells and molecules from all over the prostate which are flushed out of the body on urination. We collect these and examine them. It’s a way of sampling the whole prostate in one go. “As the prostate is constantly secreting, the levels of biomarkers in the urethra will build up with time. Collecting from the first wee of the day means that overnight secretions can be collected which makes the analysis more sensitive.” The team have previously trialled the kit with a small group of participants, but in the next phase of the research study are rolling it out to thousands. Men taking part in the trial will receive a home urine-sampling kit and will be asked to provide two urine samples – one to be taken first thing in the morning and the second an hour later. The samples will then be sent back to the lab for analysis. Dr Clark said: “Feedback from early participants showed that the at-home collection was much preferred over sample collection in a hospital. “We hope that using our Prostate Screening Box could in future revolutionise how those on ‘active surveillance’ are monitored for disease progression, with men only having to visit the clinic after a positive urine result. “This is in contrast to the current situation where men are recalled to the clinic every six to 12 months for a range of tests including DRE, PSA tests, painful and expensive biopsies and MRI. We are working to develop the test to help patients in three years’ time. “A negative test could enable men to only be retested every two to three years, relieving stress to the patient and reducing hospital workload,” he added. Robert Mills, Consultant Clinical Director in Urology at NNUH, said: “This simple, non-invasive urine test has the potential to significantly change how we diagnose and manage early prostate cancer for the benefit of patients and health care systems. It may enable us to avoid unnecessary diagnosis of low risk disease as well as managing patients more appropriately with surveillance for those with low risk of progression and early curative treatment for those at high risk of progression.” Paul Villanti, executive director of programs at Movember, said: “The PUR test has great potential to transform the way prostate cancer is managed. Not only can it accurately predict when a man’s disease will become aggressive and require treatment, but it has the added advantage of allowing men to complete it at home. “We are proud to have supported the development of the PUR test from its early stages as part of our Global Action Plan on Biomarkers, through to this trial involving thousands of men across the world. “Through our Global Action Plan on active surveillance, we have been able to identify hundreds of men from the UK, Germany, Italy and Canada who are suitable to take part in this trial. “We hope it will speed up the trial’s progress and get this test included as part of clinical care for men as quickly as possible.” The research has been funded by a Movember and Prostate Cancer UK Innovation award, the Masonic Charitable Foundation, the Bob Champion Cancer Trust, the King family, the Andy Ripley Memorial Fund, the Hargrave Foundation, Norfolk Freemasons and the Tesco Centenary Grant.
STORY: CAA is Canada’s most trusted brand for the second year running.
The Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) has been named the most trusted brand in Canada for the second year in a row in the annual Gustavson Brand Trust Index, released today. Since being named in the Index five years ago, CAA has been one of the top two trusted brands, beating out several hundred other prominent international and Canadian brands. CAA has received the top trusted spot, four years consecutively in the insurance category. In addition, CAA leads the pack this year on the following trust attributes: good customer treatment and honest communications. Conducted by the Peter B. Gustavson School of Business at the University of Victoria, the sixth annual Gustavson Brand Trust Index asked more than 7,800 consumers to score 342 prominent Canadian companies and brands, across 27 industry sectors, on a range of brand value measures. Consumers are asked to assess their perception of the reliability, consistency, honesty, societal responsibility and integrity of the brands surveyed. CAA Clubs are active in communities across Canada. At the start of the pandemic, the clubs quickly pivoted to offer community services, including deliveries of food and medical supplies, free roadside assistance to medical workers, and calls to housebound seniors. Full report 2021 Gustavson Brand Trust Index
Social Work is Advancing Addiction Science Research
Tens of thousands of Americans die from drug use and addiction every year, with overdoses killing over 63,000 people in America in 2016, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Add in deaths linked to alcohol overuse and tobacco, and the number climbs above half a million Americans. The collective work of several researchers at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, in collaboration with other USC faculty and outside organizations, is advancing knowledge of substance use disorders. Social work has become a hub where researchers and practitioners drive understanding and improve treatment for this disease that impacts millions of families each year. “Either as a cause or consequence, addiction relates to every problem we deal with in social work,” said John Clapp, professor and associate dean for research and faculty development at the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work. Addiction’s complexity The social work field is uniquely poised to help effect change because of its holistic approach to individual well-being and the public good. According to Clapp, substance use disorder problems are inherently ecological, impacting and being impacted by individuals, families, peers, neighborhoods, communities and public policy in complex and dynamic ways. Untangling those causes and effects and interdependencies is one part of the solution. The other part is understanding that simple solutions may stay out of reach. “We will not find a one-size-fits-all answer,” said Clapp. Looking at addiction as a genetic, psychological or sociological issue only shows one piece of the overall cause. A comprehensive approach is essential, he said, especially when statistics from the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) show alcohol use disorders alone as the third leading cause of preventable death in the world. A hub for addiction science The need for a transdisciplinary response to this worldwide crisis was behind the 2018 creation of the USC Institute on Addiction Science (IAS), a joint venture between social work and the Keck School of Medicine of USC, with membership from 10 different schools, colleges and hospitals. Its vision is to strengthen the discipline of addiction science and improve the lives of those touched by the disease. Clapp is co-director of the institute and one of its founding architects. IAS is quickly becoming the foremost place for a broad effort focused on addiction that brings together researchers from the fields of public health, social work, law, public policy, mathematicians, computer engineers and others in recognition of the promise of new approaches to longstanding problems. The USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work has eight faculty making substantial contributions to the prevention of addiction-related disorders as members of the IAS: Professor Avalardo Valdez, associate professors Julie Cederbaum and Alice Cepeda, and assistant professors Jordan Davis, Shannon Dunn, Jungeun Olivia Lee, Danielle Madden, and Hans Oh. “Social work brings one of the broadest perspectives on the underpinnings and solutions to the addiction crisis,” said Adam Leventhal, director of IAS and professor of preventive medicine and psychology at Keck. “By approaching addiction as a health condition and a social justice issue, social work brings to the table the opportunity for high-impact, multi-modal intervention and social policy approaches, which are needed to address the addiction epidemic.” A holistic approach Social work faculty are raising the bar in addiction science research, developing new and novel approaches to improving outcomes for those affected by addiction. In a study recently published in Addiction, a multidisciplinary team lead by Davis and Clapp found gender differences in the risk factors for relapse following treatment for opioid use disorder. The study was the first in this field to use machine learning techniques to process large data sets and identify risk factors for relapse, said Davis, who also serves as associate director of the USC Center for Artificial Intelligence in Society (CAIS). The findings may result in more personalized treatment for opioid use disorder with lasting results. This dovetails with additional research Davis is conducting with computer science engineers at CAIS to collect and input neighborhood and census data into their models in an effort to better understand how these macro variables affect relapse. “We are finding that data points such as crime statistics, population density and concentrated poverty tend to be some of the most important predictors of relapse, over and above individual-level predictors such as impulsivity, motivation or gender,” Davis said. These findings echo Clapp’s description of addiction as ecological and point to the need for holistic solutions. “These machine learning techniques are helping us gain an apparent picture of what the most important factors are surrounding someone’s recovery,” Davis said. “Environment matters greatly.” Davis is also collaborating closely with Eric Pedersen, associate professor at Keck School of Medicine at USC, on several research efforts examining substance use among veterans. Most recently, they have assembled a survey group of approximately 1,200 veterans whom they survey quarterly about their well-being. A recently conducted survey of the group found that veterans with PTSD prior to the COVID-19 pandemic were now managing their symptoms with more frequent alcohol and cannabis use. Another joint research endeavor between the two is examining the use of mindfulness smart phone apps to help reduce substance use in Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans with PTSD and alcohol use disorder. Where well-being and inequalities intersect Jungeun Olivia Lee also seeks to decode the network of relationships between socioeconomic status, adverse childhood experiences and drug use. Her experience as a social work practitioner working directly with clients drives her motivation to demonstrate to policymakers what she sees as a linkage between unemployment, economic stress and substance use disorders. She is lead author on a paper published in Nicotine & Tobacco Research that found unemployment may advance nicotine addiction among young adults, rather than the idea that nicotine addiction may lead to unemployment. Lee’s research interests lie at the intersection of substance use and co-occurring mental health, social inequalities (such as poverty and low socioeconomic status), and adverse childhood experiences. She is interested in combining these three areas of inquiry to explore their influence on addictive behavior that can persist over generations of at-risk families, such as adolescent mothers and their children. Her memories of working directly with clients struggling with the impact of addiction remain clear in her mind. When Lee hears policymakers and others suggest that individual willpower will solve substance use disorder problems, she has a straightforward response: “People are not born with addiction.” In her view, many factors contribute to the triggered distress, including socioeconomic status and adverse childhood experiences. Lee is exploring an idea with other IAS researchers to investigate the relationship between financial strain and employment uncertainty and addiction. “Individual circumstances, such as losing a job, certainly influence substance use, but policy-level decisions, such as the generosity of unemployment insurance, can mitigate the impact,” she said. Transdisciplinary collaboration with social scientists, psychologists and medical researchers at IAS and across the USC campus enriches and amplifies her work. “We are breaking down discipline-specific silos and bringing new and valuable perspectives to this work,” she said. “The synergy is both useful and inspiring.” Looking ahead Researchers also hope to spark interest in the field among the next generation. A new minor for undergraduate students in addiction science was introduced at USC in Fall 2020. The minor is an interdisciplinary collaboration of the Keck School of Medicine, the USC Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, the USC School of Pharmacy and the USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences. It is designed to provide students with a transdisciplinary approach to understanding and treatment of the broad spectrum of addiction-related problems. The goal of addiction science research and education is to improve the long-term effect of addiction treatment and save lives. As society’s understanding of the cause of addiction grows, researchers like those in the school of social work and the IAS strive to bridge the gap between science, practice and policy to positively impact outcomes for those affected by addiction.
