Search

An adverse event following immunization (AEFI) can have consequences for an individual's future decision making and may contribute to vaccine hesitancy. AEFIs vary in severity and can be experienced directly (by an individual themselves) or indirectly (through witnessed or recounted events). We sought to measure the prevalence of specific AEFIs and understand which AEFIs have the greatest associations with reduced willingness to receive a vaccine and how injection anxiety may moderate the relationship. We conducted a cross-sectional online survey with both qualitative and quantitative elements in a sample of adults aged 18 years and over in Australia. Nineteen percent of the 1050 respondents reported experiencing an AEFI that they found stressful. Those who experienced an AEFI reported significantly higher levels of injection anxiety than those who did not. Within the group who reported experiencing an AEFI, respondents were significantly less likely to be willing to receive a COVID-19 vaccine if they reported: indirect exposure to an uncommon/rare AEFI compared with other AEFIs (aOR:0.39; 95% CI: 0.18-0.87); indirect exposure to a scientifically unsupported AEFI compared with other AEFIs (aOR:0.18; 95% CI: 0.05-0.57). Direct exposure to an AEFI was not associated with willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. For those who reported experiencing an AEFI, the odds of willingness to receive a COVID-19 vaccine decreased significantly with an increase in injection anxiety (aOR:0.94; 95% CI: 0.9-0.98). Our results suggest that more is needed to mitigate the consequences of AEFIs on vaccine willingness. Empathically acknowledging at a community level, the experience of both real and perceived AEFIs and incorporating accounts of positive vaccination experiences in vaccine hesitancy interventions may be useful.

Background:\ud \ud Ensuring adequate knowledge about palliative care and positive attitudes towards death and dying are crucial educational aspects when preparing undergraduate nursing students to respond effectively to the complexities of care for people affected by a progressive, life-limiting illness. In undergraduate nursing education in Greece, the level of students' attained knowledge and developed attitudes towards palliative and end-of-life care remain unknown.\ud Purpose:\ud \ud To investigate undergraduate nursing students' knowledge about palliative care and attitudes towards death and end-of-life care, and explore demographic and academic factors as potential moderators of student knowledge and attitudes.\ud Methods:\ud \ud We conducted a descriptive, cross-sectional, questionnaire-based survey. We recruited 2nd, 3rd and 4th year undergraduate nursing students from the country's two University Faculties. Participants completed a demographic form, the Palliative Care Quiz for Nursing (PCQN), and the Frommelt Attitudes Towards Care of the Dying (FATCOD) questionnaire.\ud Results:\ud \ud The final sample was 529 students (response rate = 87.6%). Mean total PCQN scores revealed low levels of knowledge. Knowledge about pain/symptom management and psychosocial/spiritual care was insufficient. Mean total FATCOD scores indicated positive, liberal and supportive attitudes towards end-of-life care, with 60% of respondents keen to care for a dying person and their family. We noted less positive attitudes mainly in relation to student comfort with the care of a dying person and his/her imminent death. Academic parameters (year of study) and student demographic characteristics (older age) were the most significant moderators of both knowledge and attitudes. Greater knowledge about palliative care was a relatively weak, yet significant, predictor of more liberal attitudes towards care of the dying.\ud Conclusion:\ud \ud Our findings suggest that structured courses in palliative care can be a core part of undergraduate nursing education. Specific attention could be given to such areas patient-health professional communication, misconceptions and biases towards death and dying, and comfort in caring for the dying in order to prepare student nurses to psychologically deal with the sensitive and challenging process of death and dying.

In the last decades, cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (CyanoHABs) pose an intensifying ecological threat. Microcystis aeruginosa is a common CyanoHAB species in freshwater ecosystems, with severe toxic effects in a wide range of organisms. In the present paper we examined whether transient and short (48 h) exposure of fish embryos to sublethal levels of M. aeruginosa crude extract (200 mg biomass dw L

A newly introduced regulation renders the discarding of certain commercially important species illegal within the European waters progressively until 2019 (Article 15, EC Regulation 1380/2013). Thorough research is required in order to understand fishers’ perceptions and to achieve effective implementation of the regulation, as it is possible that certain implications might arise within the fishing industry and the associated communities after the shift to the new management regime. In this paper, fishers’ socio-economic behaviour is analyzed in relation to discarding practices under the “discrete choice” framework. Specifically, a variety of socioeconomic attributes, in the form of principal components that may affect the choices of the Greek bottom trawl fishers on three key discards’ drivers are analyzed to identify possible links between these. Utilizing the same attributes, eight hypothetical management tools that can be adopted for a smoother implementation of the discard ban are examined and the main results are discussed afterwards. Consistent patterns were revealed regarding fishers’ behaviour. An association of vessels’ efficiency with the probability to discard due to market limitations was evident, along with the association of different socioeconomic factors, such as the fishers’ age and the vessel’s crew size, with the incentives proposed regarding the introduction of awareness seminars. It is important to study these patterns carefully to understand the drivers and fishers’ motivation towards discarding. Their preferences on management tools that can be adopted by the EU member will also be considered, which can lead to a successful introduction of the regulation and a meaningful contribution into an effective management framework within which stakeholders can behave sustainably.