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Women with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) are less likely to receive cervical cancer screening (CCS) relative to women without disabilities. Primary care providers (PCPs) play key roles in recommending CCS. The purpose of this study was to identify factors PCPs consider when recommending and performing CCS for women with I/DD. Using a qualitative approach, in-depth semi-structured interviews (N = 13) were conducted with majority family medicine-trained PCPs. Through inductive data analysis, it was found that most PCPs reported recommending CCS; however, follow-through for performing CCS varied. PCPs attempted to align their CCS recommendations with national guidelines and provided counseling and education to families and patients about CCS while taking an individualized risk-benefit approach. Despite most PCPs reporting a lack of knowledge or training related to providing I/DD-specific care, PCPs attempted to draw upon experiences with similar populations to recommend and perform CCS. There is an opportunity to improve knowledge of PCPs related to performing CCS for women with I/DD., (© 2024. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to American Association for Cancer Education.)

Background: Informal learning experiences in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) can enhance STEM learning that occurs in formal educational settings and curricula as well as generate enthusiasm for considering STEM careers. The aim of this systematic review is to focus on the experiences of neurodiverse students in informal STEM learning. Neurodiversity is a subgroup of neurodevelopmental conditions, such as autism, attention deficit disorder, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and other neurological conditions. The neurodiversity movement regards these conditions as natural forms of human variation, as opposed to dysfunction, and recognizes that neurodiverse individuals possess many strengths relevant to STEM fields., Methods: The authors will systematically search electronic databases for relevant research and evaluation articles addressing informal STEM learning for K-12 children and youth with neurodiverse conditions. Seven databases and content-relevant websites (e.g., informalscience.org) will be searched using a predetermined search strategy and retrieved articles will be screened by two members of the research team. Data synthesis will include meta-synthesis techniques, depending on the designs of the studies., Discussion: The synthesis of the findings resulting from various research and evaluation designs, across the K-12 age span, and across various informal STEM learning contexts, will lead to depth and breadth of understanding of ways to improve informal STEM learning programs for neurodiverse children and youth. The identification of informal STEM learning program components and contexts shown to yield positive results will provide specific recommendations for improving inclusiveness, accessibility, and STEM learning for neurodiverse children and youth., Trial Registration: The current study has been registered in PROSPERO., Registration Number: CRD42021278618., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Adolescence is an important period for the acquisition of bone mass, which can be enhanced by several factors. This study aimed examine the relationships of handgrip strength, free-fat mass, and fat mass with bone mineral density in adolescents. 118 adolescents (60 girls), aged 10 to 14 years, participated in the study. Information on sex, age, handgrip strength, free-fat mass, fat mass and bone mineral density were collected. Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to examine possible relationships between bone mineral density and handgrip strength, free-fat mass and fat mass. There was a relation between handgrip strength and free-fat mass with bone mineral density in both sexes. Fat mass was correlated with bone mineral density only in girls (r= 0.314, p< 0.014). The final models, adjusted for sexual maturation, included free-fat mass (girls - β= 0.419, p< 0.001; boys - β= 0.455; p< 0.001) and handgrip strength (girls - β= 0.358, p< 0.05; boys - β= 0.325; p< 0.05) and these variables together explained 51.8% and 62.9% of the variation of bone mineral density, in girls and boys, respectively. Handgrip strength and free-fat mass were positively associated with bone mineral density. A sex-specific difference indicated that higher levels of free-fat mass are of paramount importance for both sexes., (Copyright © 2021 The International Society for Clinical Densitometry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The purpose of this systematic review is to identify and summarise the social determinants of health (SDH) cited in the literature and evaluate their association with individuals using physical therapy services., Design: A systematic review using qualitatively synthesised information to describe the association between SDH and physical therapy use., Data Sources: The electronic databases Medline, Embase and Scopus were searched from inception to February 2021, identifying observational and qualitative studies., Eligibility Criteria: Published studies included all adults, aged 18 or older, who independently sought to use physical therapy, in all practice settings from all geographical locations., Results: Of the 9248 studies screened, 36 met the inclusion criteria for the review. The participants represented 8 countries and totaled 2 699 437. The majority of the papers reported moderate strength of association for each SDH. Female gender, non-Hispanic white race/ethnicity, increased education attainment, urban environment, access to transportation, employment, high socioeconomic status and private insurance were associated with higher likelihood of physical therapy use., Conclusion: This systematic review identifies predisposing and enabling factors impacting physical therapy usage among adults in different countries and across physical therapy settings. The results of this study have implications for policy and future research regarding populations that have been shown to be using physical therapy services less, such as those with lower levels of education, those in a rural area, or those in a low socioeconomic class., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)