Introduction: Oral health impacts much more than a person’s teeth and smile. Research indicates a connection between oral health and illnesses like cardiovascular disease and depression. Poor oral health could lead to social stigmatization and affects a person’s quality of life. Increased dental visits help detect and treat dental disease and offer opportunities for preventive care. Notably, the proportion of older adults in Tennessee is rapidly increasing, coupled with the growing complexity of older adults’ dental treatment. The first aim of this longitudinal study was to examine the prevalence of dental care visits among older persons (≥60 years) in Tennessee from 2010 to 2018. Our second aim was to examine the determinants of dental care visits among our target population. Methods: This study used five even years of Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance system (BRFSS) data including years 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016, and 2018. BRFSS is a network of health-related telephone surveys conducted by all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and participating US territories. Our data was limited to Metropolitan and Micropolitan statistical areas, including East, Middle, and West Tennessee, while focusing on seniors (≥60 years old). Descriptive statistics were conducted. Weighting was conducted to account for the complex sampling design. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the factors associated with dental clinic visits among Tennessee seniors from 2010 to 2018. A p-value<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The current study comprised of 5,362 Tennessee seniors. The year 2012 had the most seniors (1,324) and 2018 had the least number of seniors (787). About 64% of participants visited dentists or dental clinics within the past year while 18% reported that their last dental visit was ≥ 5 years ago. The percentage of older individuals visiting dental clinics within one year gradually decreased from 76.46% in 2010 to 71.17% in 2018. The majority of participants were females (51.7%), Whites (81.3%), never-smokers (46.3%), had good/better health (71.2%), and were located in Middle Tennessee (43.5%). Approximately 19% of Tennessee seniors removed all their permanent teeth. Logistic regression showed that those more likely to visit dentists or dental clinics included females (OR: 1.40; 95% CI: 1.11-1.77), former smokers (OR: 2.23; 95% CI: 1.46-3.41), never-smokers (OR: 2.21;95% CI: 1.46-3.35), individuals who had some college education (OR: 1.64 ;95% CI: 1.11-2.44), and graduated from college (OR: 2.74; 95% CI: 1.78-4.20). Likewise, individuals with a higher level of socioeconomic status, including a high income of $>50,000 (OR: 5.49; 95%CI: 3.60-8.36), were more likely to report dental visits. Conversely, Blacks (OR: 0.60; 95% CI: 0.43-0.82), participants with fair/poor health (OR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.51-0.84), and those that have never-married (OR: 0.46;95% CI: 0.29-0.74) were less likely to report dental visits. Conclusions: The percent of Tennessee seniors visiting dental clinics within one year has gradually decreased from 76.46% in 2010 to 71.17% in 2018. The factors associated with a higher likelihood of seeking dental care include non-smoking status, identifying as females, and high socioeconomic status. Effective interventions to improve dental visits should take the identified factors into account.

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Although other research has addressed some features of successful school group visits to museums, such as preparation and follow up and emphasis on first-hand experience, there has been little research on the practices being used by the teachers who take their classes to the museums. I examined how teachers from five schools conducted their visits to one of four museums (Scibono Discovery Centre, HartRAO, Johannesburg Planetarium or Adler Museum) with their learners. The case study involved observing the five teachers before, during and after the visit and interviewing them before and after the visit. The data were analysed using communities of practice theory to determine the practices of the selected teachers. An in-depth analysis of the five teachers’ interviews and observations was done both for the rich data it provided and for triangulation purposes. The analysis shows that three teachers had what was described as task-oriented preparation while the other two had learning-oriented preparation. One teacher preparation was also described as not directly about the visit. The analysis further shows that four teachers were observed to have no interaction with their learners in some instance. Three teachers had learning oriented interaction with their learners at the museums. Three teachers were also observed controlling the behaviour of their learners. Furthermore, the analysis shows that the purposes and objectives of the field trips as given by teachers were for entertainment, edutainment,curriculum, interactive, career and tradition. Lastly, teachers follow up activities were described as either task-oriented or learning-oriented. The study shows that some teachers are old timers while others are newcomers in the community of teachers who take their classes to the museums.

This study was an attempt to determine to what extent personal contacts, as a part of student recruitment, acquainted high school seniors of 1958 with Brigham Young University and influenced them in their enrollment. Opinions of college freshmen who were graduated from high schools visited by a B.Y.U. public relations representative were elicited by mail questionnaire. Respondents were asked to list the means through which they became "acquainted" with the University. They were also asked to list what "influenced" them to attend. Personal contacts by a public relations representative were considered among various means of "acquaintance" and "influence" of a public relations nature to provide relative comparison. A specific question also asked whether a visit by the public relations representative influenced students to enroll at B.Y.U. Accompanying the areas inviting opinions on means of "acquaintance" and of "influence" was an area inviting free response regarding what the students "reasons" were for enrolling. It was recognized that "reasons" for attending an institution are not necessarily attributed to the source of "acquaintance" or the source of "influence." "Reasons," it was recognized, were likely to be attributed to institutional characteristics established by ideals, objectives, location, course offerings, and others. A series of questions were included to determine students' opinions on whether a college representative could provide assistance toward college orientation of high school students, and whether he could provide assistance, in addition to orientation given by high school guidance personnel and a class unit of college orientation.

The purpose of this paper is to study the variation of library visits and reading habits in different Swedish residential areas (e.g., countryside, towns, cities, and large cities). Furthermore, the paper aims to map out which residential areas that are less covered by library services in order to determine which resources need to be instated. The research questions touched onto the residential areas impact on library visits and reading habits, as well as whether the demography could explain the differences. The paper was based on the national SOM survey of 2015-2019. The results show that people from less populated areas visit the library and read books less frequently than those from more highly populated areas. It also became clear that both gender and education played a part in how often people read and visited the library. Women and those with a higher education were more likely to read and visit the library more often, although the residential area continued to have a clear impact on those habits, particularly amongst those with a lower education. In conclusion these results could help pinpoint where more library resources are necessary.

Yes / In the discussions that have taken place over the past six years since the establishment by the Third Review Conference1 in 1991 of the Ad Hoc Group of Governmental Experts,known as VEREX, to identify and examine potential verification measures from a scientific and technical viewpoint, there has been an increasing debate about the role of non-challenge visits in a regime for a strengthened Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC). The arguments as to why on-site investigations are an essential and central element to such a strengthened regime were addressed in the Briefing Paper issued2 in July 1997. In this Briefing Paper, the necessity for non-challenge visits is addressed drawing upon the previous VEREX, Ad Hoc Group (AHG), Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) and United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) experience. The advantages and disadvantages of a regime containing non-challenge visits are considered and the conclusion is reached that the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages and that non-challenge visits are an important element which could contribute significantly to the effectiveness of a future legally binding instrument to strengthen the BTWC.

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Although breakfast programs in schools have been encouraged in school-aged children due to numerous benefits on physical and academic performance, participation in School Breakfast Programs (SBP) remains lower than the National School Lunch Program in the United States. Some studies have found that lower participation in the SBP are due to barriers and stigmas. Some studies have found that when breakfast programs are taken into the classroom, uptake of the program improves. However, the relationship between breakfast intake and academic outcomes among young adolescents remains inconclusive. The goal of this study was to examine the effect of a newly implemented Breakfast in the Classroom (BIC) program within a large urban school district in Western Massachusetts. A secondary comparative cross-sectional analysis was conducted to investigate the impact of the “Breakfast in the Classroom” (BIC) program on middle school students’ academic performance, absenteeism rates, and school nurse visits, factors that influence learners positive experience within the school system. Data on a total of 1,897 students from seven public schools in Western Massachusetts were included in the analysis. Linear regression models showed that breakfast in the classroom (BIC) program did not have a significant effect on student academic performance, attendance, and school nurse visits in a cohort of middle school students. Sensitivity analysis on a subset of the sample of students receiving free lunch who are also participants of the BIC program, had significantly higher academic performance outcomes than their BIC peers who were ineligible for the free lunch program. Findings of the study provide important baseline data for both food services and the school board district and can help inform future studies on the impact of the BIC program on student outcomes.

The emergency department (ED) has often been considered the safety net of the American healthcare system. It earned this distinction because every person in the United States has access to a medical screening exam and stabilization at an ED regardless of their ability to pay. Unfortunately, over the past several decades, decreasing numbers of EDs and inpatient beds, coupled with increasing rates of ED usage, has led to crowding of EDs across the country. Crowding leads to unsafe conditions that may increase morbidity and mortality for patients, or cause patients to leave the ED without being evaluated by a physician. Essentially, crowding causes a barrier for patients to access their right to emergency evaluation. The problem of crowding is most pronounced in large urban communities, and these already frequently underserved patients suffer the most from the crowding burden. The main cause of crowding seems to be the boarding of admitted patients in the ED, however many often cite high rates of non-urgent patients presenting to the ED as a cause of crowding. Some have even suggested diverting non-urgent patients to help solve the problem of crowding. I became interested in this topic due to crowding concerns and initiatives to decrease the number of patients who left without being seen at my own institution. As I reviewed relevant research, I became aware of my own misconceptions and noted a trend of literature suggesting non-urgent patients are not the cause of crowding. Drawing on research from many different sources, paired with evaluation based on principles in bioethics, I have come to several conclusions. I believe the systematic diversion of non-urgent patients is unsafe, and that the unequal burden of ED crowding on urban communities represents an unjust barrier in access to care. We must continue to carefully research the demographics of patients frequently presenting to EDs to avoid perpetuating stereotypes about which types of patients are responsible for crowding. We should also look for ways to ease the crowding burden in urban communities. Additionally, we should take a qualitative assessment of our individual communities to determine if there are any particular reasons in our community that people choose to use the ED rather than other healthcare options. I believe these suggestions can be an important addition to the efforts already in motion to help reduce ED crowding and provide equitable access to emergency medical evaluation. / Urban Bioethics

This study endeavors to delve into the utilization of field trips by secondary school teachers as an educational tool within religious education. Our aim is to explore teachers' approaches and attitudes towards both virtual and physical field trips in this context, filling a gap identified in existing research. Through a comprehensive review of national and international literature, it became evident that the teacher's perspective on this matter has been relatively understudied. To address this gap, qualitative interviews were conducted with teachers, either in-person at their school or via remote platforms like Zoom. The interviewed teachers were based in the southern region of Sweden, spanning both urban centers and rural areas. Our approach during interviews involved posing open-ended questions, providing teachers with the opportunity to freely articulate their perspectives, ensuring an authentic expression of their opinions. The interview results highlighted a wide array of factors influencing the utilization of field trips by teachers in their educational practices. It became apparent that both physical and virtual field trips present distinct advantages and challenges, with common as well as unique considerations identified by the teachers. While approaches to incorporating field trips varied among the educators, there was unanimous agreement on their value as a resource in religious education.