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Betz ME, Meza K, Friedman K, Moceri-Brooks J, Johnson ML, Simonetti J, Baker JC, Bryan CJ, Anestis MD. 'Whether it's your weapon or not, it's your home': US military spouse perspectives on personal firearm storage. BMJ Mil Health 2023:e002591. [PMID: 38135459 DOI: 10.1136/military-2023-002591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In the USA, an estimated 45% of veterans personally own firearms. Firearm access increases the risk of suicide, so suicide prevention efforts in the US Department of Defense (DoD) focus on lethal means safety, including reducing firearm access. Spouse input may enhance effective messaging and intervention delivery of lethal means safety. This study used qualitative methods to explore the perspectives of military spouses or partners on personal firearm storage, including at-home decisions, on-base storage and existing messaging from the DoD. MATERIALS AND METHODS Qualitative data were obtained using 1:1 interviews and focus groups with spouses/partners of US military service members (active duty, Reserve, National Guard, recently separated from the military) and representatives from military support organisations. Sessions focused on personal firearm storage (at home or on military installations) and military messaging around secure firearm storage and firearm suicide prevention. Data were analysed using a team-based, mixed deductive-inductive approach. RESULTS Across 56 participants (August 2022-March 2023), the themes were variability in current home firearm storage and spousal participation in decision-making; uncertainty about firearm storage protocols on military installations; mixed awareness of secure firearm storage messaging from the military; and uncertainty about procedures or protocols for removing firearm access for an at-risk person. CONCLUSION US military spouses are important messengers for firearm safety and suicide prevention, but they are currently underutilised. Tailored prevention campaigns should consider spousal dynamics and incorporate education about installation procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marian E Betz
- Department Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - K Meza
- Department Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - K Friedman
- Department Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - J Moceri-Brooks
- New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - M L Johnson
- Department Emergency Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - J Simonetti
- Firearm Injury Prevention Initiative, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
- Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education, and Clinical Center for Suicide Prevention, Veterans Health Administration, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - J C Baker
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - C J Bryan
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, Ohio, USA
- Center of Excellence for Suicide Prevention, VA Finger Lakes Health Care System, Canandaigua, New York, USA
| | - M D Anestis
- New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center, Rutgers School of Public Health, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
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Schmied EA, Glassman LH, Carinio SR, Dell'Acqua RG, Bryan CJ, Thomsen CJ. Suicide-Specific Training Experiences and Needs Among Military Mental Health Providers. Arch Suicide Res 2022:1-15. [PMID: 35510759 DOI: 10.1080/13811118.2022.2067510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Military suicide rates have risen over the past two decades, with a notable spike in recent years. To address this issue, military mental health providers must be equipped with the skills required to provide timely and effective care; yet little is known about the suicide-specific training experiences or needs of these professionals. METHODS Thirty-five mental health care providers who treat active duty personnel at military treatment facilities participated in this mixed-methods study. All participants completed a survey assessing training and clinical experiences, comfort and proficiency in working with patients at risk for suicide, and perceived barriers to obtaining suicide-specific training. A sub-set of participants (n = 8) completed a telephone interview to further describe previous experiences and perceived challenges to obtaining training. RESULTS The majority of participants (79.4%) had 6+ years of clinical experience, had a patient who had attempted suicide (85.3%), and completed at least one suicide-related training since finishing their education (82.4%). Survey results showed the leading barrier to enrolling in suicide-specific trainings was perceived lack of training opportunities (40.7% reported it was a barrier "quite often" or more), followed by lack of time (25%). Interview results revealed lack of time, location and logistical issues, and low perceived need for additional training among providers could impede enrollment. CONCLUSIONS Study results identified several modifiable barriers to receiving suicide-specific continuing education among military mental health providers. Future efforts should develop accessible training programs that can be easily integrated into routine clinical operations to mount the best defense against suicide. HIGHLIGHTSMilitary mental health providers report significant experience and relatively high degrees of comfort and proficiency working with patients at high risk for suicide.Most providers reported receiving training in suicide assessment and screening; few reported prior training in management of suicidality.Study results identified several modifiable barriers to receiving suicide-prevention continuing education among military mental health care providers; future efforts should seek to develop accessible training programs that can be easily integrated into routine clinical operations to mount the best defense against suicide.
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Bryan CJ, Sipes SD, Arduser M, Kassim L, Gibson DJ, Scott DA, Gage KL. Efficacy of Cover Crops for Pollinator Habitat Provision and Weed Suppression. Environ Entomol 2021; 50:208-221. [PMID: 33438747 DOI: 10.1093/ee/nvaa159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Pollinator declines have been documented globally, but little information is available about native bee ecology in Midwestern U.S. agriculture. This project seeks to optimize pollinator support and weed suppression in a 3-yr crop rotation with a fallow growing season. During fallow, one of five cover crop treatments (T1: crimson, red, and ladino clover and Bob oats [Fabales: Fabaceae - Trifolium incarnatum L., Trifolium pratense L., Trifolium repens L., and Cyperales: Poaceae - Avena sativa]; T2: crimson clover and oats; T3: red clover and oats; T4: ladino clover and oats; T5: no cover crop; T6/control: winter wheat [Cyperales: Poaceae - Triticum aestivum] L.) was seeded in one-half of 25 agricultural fields, whereas wheat was left unharvested in the other half as a comparison. Treatments that provide season-long floral resources support the greatest bee diversity and abundance (T1), and treatments with red clover support declining (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Bombus species (T1 and T3). Late-season floral resources may be important, yet limited (T1 and T4), and some species of agricultural weeds provide floral resources. Floral diversity may be less important than flower abundance or timing for pollinator diversity (T1-T4). Weed diversity was greatest in the no cover crop treatment (T5), least in winter wheat (T6), and intermediate in cover crop treatments (T1-T4) with no differences in weeds of economic concern. Wheat suppresses weeds but does not provide floral resources for pollinators. These results may also be applicable to marginal lands taken out of cultivation or field margin pollinator plantings in a typical corn-soybean rotation. Floral resource availability across the landscape is critical to maintain pollinator diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Casey J Bryan
- School of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL
- Great River, Clarence Cannon, and Middle Mississippi National Wildlife Refuges, Fish and Wildlife Service, 37599 Pike 206, Annada, MO
| | - Sedonia D Sipes
- School of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL
| | - Mike Arduser
- Missouri Department of Conservation, St. Charles, MO
| | - Leila Kassim
- School of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL
| | - David J Gibson
- School of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL
| | - Drew A Scott
- School of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL
- Ronin Institute, 127 Haddon Place, Montclair, NJ
| | - Karla L Gage
- School of Biological Sciences, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL
- School of Agriculture, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, 1205 Lincoln Drive MC 4415, Carbondale, IL
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Chisausky JL, Soley NM, Kassim L, Bryan CJ, Miranda GFG, Gage KL, Sipes SD. Syrphidae of Southern Illinois: Diversity, floral associations, and preliminary assessment of their efficacy as pollinators. Biodivers Data J 2020; 8:e57331. [PMID: 33199967 PMCID: PMC7644652 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.8.e57331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Syrphid flies (Diptera: Syrphidae) are a cosmopolitan group of flower-visiting insects, though their diversity and importance as pollinators is understudied and often unappreciated. Data on 1,477 Syrphid occurrences and floral associations from three years of pollinator collection (2017-2019) in the Southern Illinois region of Illinois, United States, are here compiled and analyzed. We collected 69 species in 36 genera off of the flowers of 157 plant species. While a richness of 69 species is greater than most other families of flower-visiting insects in our region, a species accumulation curve and regional species pool estimators suggest that at least 33 species are yet uncollected. In order to further the understanding of Syrphidae as pollinators in the Southern Illinois region, we produced a NMDS ordination of floral associations for the most common syrphid species. The NMDS did not sort syrphid species into discrete ecological guilds, and syrphid floral associations generally fit those predicted by traditional pollination syndromes. We also conducted a preliminary analysis of the pollen-carrying capacity of different syrphid taxa, which found several Eristalis species to carry pollen loads comparable to the European Honey Bee, Apismellifera, and showed significant differences in the pollen-carrying capacity of various syrphid species. Notably, the extremely common genus Toxomerus and other small Syrphinae species carried very little pollen, while large and pilose Eristalinae species carried large pollen loads.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob L Chisausky
- Southern Illinois University Carbondale, School of Biological Sciences, Carbondale, IL, United States of America Southern Illinois University Carbondale, School of Biological Sciences Carbondale, IL United States of America
| | - Nathan M Soley
- Iowa State University, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Ames, IA, United States of America Iowa State University, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology Ames, IA United States of America.,Southern Illinois University Carbondale, School of Biological Sciences, Carbondale, IL, United States of America Southern Illinois University Carbondale, School of Biological Sciences Carbondale, IL United States of America
| | - Leila Kassim
- Southern Illinois University Carbondale, School of Biological Sciences, Carbondale, IL, United States of America Southern Illinois University Carbondale, School of Biological Sciences Carbondale, IL United States of America
| | - Casey J Bryan
- Southern Illinois University Carbondale, School of Biological Sciences, Carbondale, IL, United States of America Southern Illinois University Carbondale, School of Biological Sciences Carbondale, IL United States of America
| | - Gil Felipe Gonçalves Miranda
- Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes, Ottawa, Canada Canadian National Collection of Insects, Arachnids and Nematodes Ottawa Canada
| | - Karla L Gage
- Southern Illinois University Carbondale, College of Agricultural Sciences, Carbondale, IL, United States of America Southern Illinois University Carbondale, College of Agricultural Sciences Carbondale, IL United States of America.,Southern Illinois University Carbondale, School of Biological Sciences, Carbondale, IL, United States of America Southern Illinois University Carbondale, School of Biological Sciences Carbondale, IL United States of America
| | - Sedonia D Sipes
- Southern Illinois University Carbondale, School of Biological Sciences, Carbondale, IL, United States of America Southern Illinois University Carbondale, School of Biological Sciences Carbondale, IL United States of America
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Hanisch LJ, Bryan CJ, James JL, Pisansky TM, Corbett TB, Parliament MB, Stewart CE, Hartford AC, Sandler H, Berk LB, Kachnic L, Bruner DW. Impact of sildenafil on marital and sexual adjustment in patients and their wives after radiotherapy and short-term androgen suppression for prostate cancer: analysis of RTOG 0215. Support Care Cancer 2012; 20:2845-50. [PMID: 22354624 DOI: 10.1007/s00520-012-1409-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2011] [Accepted: 02/06/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) 0215 investigated the efficacy of sildenafil in improving erectile dysfunction following radiotherapy and neoadjuvant/concurrent androgen deprivation therapy among prostate cancer patients and found a significant improvement on drug but only in 21% of study participants. This paper reports on a secondary aim to investigate the effect of sildenafil on overall sexual and marital adjustment among both patients and their wives. METHODS RTOG 0215 was a placebo-controlled, double-blind, crossover trial of sildenafil. Participation of wives was optional. Twenty-four married heterosexual couples (33% of heterosexual couples in study) completed the Sexual Adjustment Questionnaire and Locke's Marital Adjustment Test. Treatment differences in mean change scores were evaluated by paired t-tests, and the proportion of patients achieving a clinically meaningful change was evaluated using chi-square tests. Spearman's correlation coefficients were used to determine the association of adjustment between patients and wives. RESULTS There was no significant change in either sexual or marital adjustment for patients. For wives, there was a trend for improvement in sexual adjustment but no significant change in marital adjustment. Change in marital adjustment between patients and wives was weakly related (r(s) = 0.15, p = 0.48), and for sexual adjustment, there was a moderate, but nonsignificant relationship (r(s) = 0.40, p = 0.09). CONCLUSIONS Larger studies are warranted to further examine possible differences in sexual experiences and treatment needs between prostate cancer patients and their wives, as well as to assess predictors of sildenafil response.
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Affiliation(s)
- L J Hanisch
- National Comprehensive Cancer Network, 275 Commerce Drive, Suite 300, Fort Washington, PA 19034, USA.
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Abstract
Airway surface liquid (ASL) is a complex fluid with solutes including electrolytes, lipids, mucins, and proteins. The proximal airways are absorptive for most solutes, including proteins. We investigated the process of protein movement across confluent primary cultures of guinea pig trachea grown on filters using fluorescent-labeled bovine serum albumin (BSA), ovalbumin (OA), and 70-kDa dextran (Dex). We found marked asymmetry of BSA and OA transepithelial flux, with apical-to-basolateral flux (JA-->B) 10 times greater than the opposite direction (JB-->A) for both proteins. The apparent permeability for Dex was the same as that for proteins in the basolateral-to-apical direction and showed no asymmetry. Increasing concentrations of unlabeled BSA, OA, or transferrin inhibited JA-->B for both BSA and OA without affecting Dex movement. Cooling reduced JA-->B for BSA without affecting JB-->A. Monensin and nocodazole each reduced JA-->B for BSA and OA without affecting JB-->A. Monensin eliminated all asymmetry for BSA movement. Brefeldin A did not affect JA-->B for either protein but did increase JB-->A for BSA. Treatment with the protease inhibitors increased JA-->B for BSA. Western immunoblotting demonstrated immunologically intact protein in the downstream compartment. We conclude that there is transcytosis of proteins across cultured trachea epithelium in the apical-to-basolateral direction, which is monensin sensitive, involves microtubules, is not dependent on proteolysis, and is not protein species specific. This process may be important for maintenance of the ASL, and defects in this process may contribute to the abnormally thickened airway secretion seen in airway diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- M E Deffebach
- Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, USA
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