To understand current practices for screening, implementing and clearing contact precautions (CP) for multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO).

A survey of US-based SHEA Research Network (SRN) members and Community Healthcare Epidemiologists and Stewards (CHES).

The SRN is a consortium of healthcare facilities collaborating on multicenter research projects. CHES is an SRN-affiliated group of community hospital epidemiologists.

A Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) survey was administered between January 7, 2025 and February 25, 2025. Frequencies and proportions were calculated in REDCap and Microsoft Excel. Fisher’s exact and χ2 tests were calculated in R.

Of 134 facilities, 60 (45%) responded; 4 answered only demographic questions and were excluded from analysis. Most facilities (70%) performed active surveillance for ≥1 MDRO, but only 16% employed preemptive CP. All respondents reported using CP for ≥1 MDRO. CP were employed more often for infection than colonization. Clearance protocols to discontinue CP were common for MRSA (97%), C. difficile (95%), and vancomycin-resistant enterococci (82%), but uncommon for Gram-negatives. Training and adherence of frontline staff (70%), unavailability of private rooms (41%), and lack of evidence-based strategies to eradicate reservoirs (34%) were the top 3 identified barriers to MDRO infection control and prevention.

Infection control practices varied by infection, colonization, specific MDRO, and time to clearance. Variation may indicate need for more data on transmission risk by disease state, organism, and time. Evidence-based strategies are needed to guide MDRO prioritization and CP duration and clearance policies. Guidance should acknowledge limitations in adherence, availability of private rooms, and persistent environmental reservoirs as major barriers to MDRO containment identified in this survey.

This study used the Trials of Improved Practices (TIPs) approach to explore complementary feeding practices among caregivers of children under two and assess the acceptance of new nutritional supplements by providing Microbiota-Directed Supplementary Food (MDSF), Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food (RUSF), and Locally Available Food (LAF) among moderately malnourished children.

The study was conducted between May and October 2022 in preparation for a larger trial. The first phase focused on complementary feeding, hygiene, breastfeeding, and responsive feeding practices using in-depth interviews and observations. The second phase involved counseling sessions and providing food supplements for 45 participants. Follow-up visits evaluated acceptability and challenges faced during this period.

Bauniabadh slum, Mirpur, Dhaka.

65 children aged 6-24 months with moderate wasting and their caregivers.

Findings from IDIs and observations revealed poor handwashing practices, with most caregivers washing only with water, and inconsistent use of soap. Only a minority boiled drinking water or cleaned utensils with soap. Responsive feeding practices were also limited, with frequent mobile phone use during feeding and lack of attention to the child. Among the three food interventions, LAF received the highest hedonic ratings across all sensory attributes, with a mean taste score of 5.7±1.4, compared to MDSF (4.8±1.9) and RUSF (4.7±1.6), although median consumption was similar across all supplements (75%).

The TIPs approach identified context-specific caregiver behaviours and feeding preferences. These findings will guide the upcoming trial and assist policymakers and program planners in developing culturally tailored interventions to address childhood malnutrition in urban slums.

This study examines aspects of women’s empowerment related to the nutritional status of under-five children in Bangladesh, including their age-appropriate food intake and access to healthcare during acute respiratory tract infection (ARI).

Three waves of the Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey (BDHS) data (2011, 2014, 2017-18) were pulled and utilized to construct three domains of the survey-based women’s empowerment index, such as social independence, intrinsic agency, and instrumental agency. The Height-for-Age Z (HAZ), Weight-for-Age Z (WAZ), and Weight-for-Height Z (WHZ) scores were used to measure the nutritional status of offspring. Two variables were generated to measure age-appropriate food intake and treatment-seeking from medically trained providers (MTPs) at the commencement of ARI. Generalized structural equation modelling was performed to develop pathways between women’s empowerment and children’s nutritional status.

Data was collected from eight administrative divisions in Bangladesh.

A total of 18706 married women aged 15-45 years residing with their husbands and having at least one under-five child.

Women’s social independence was positively associated with HAZ [0.25 (95% CI: 0.22, 0.28)], WAZ [0.21 (0.18,0.24)], WHZ [0.06 (0.02,0.09)]. Intrinsic agency positively influenced HAZ [0.03 (0.02,0.04)] and WAZ [0.02 (0.01,0.02)]. Both social independence and intrinsic agency promoted appropriate feeding, while instrumental agency had a negative effect on food consumption [-0.0026 (–0.005, –0.0002)]. Both age-appropriate food intake and seeking treatment from MTPs during recent ARI episodes improved nutritional outcomes of offspring.

Maternal social independence and intrinsic agency enhance the nutritional status, food consumption, and healthcare access of offspring in Bangladesh.

Parenting is related to the development of callous-unemotional (CU) traits (i.e. low empathy and restricted guilt), making it an important target of interventions for childhood conduct problems (CPs). However, the relative importance of different parenting features in relation to the development of CU traits remains unclear. This study used machine learning to examine multiple parenting features assessed across infancy and early childhood as predictors of CU traits and CPs in early adolescence.

Data were from the Family Life Project (N = 1,292; 49% female, 41% Black, and 28% below the poverty line). Seventy-four parenting predictors were assessed at eight time points between children aged 6–90 months using parent-reported questionnaires and observer ratings of videotaped interactions and home visits. CU traits and CPs were assessed via parent-reported questionnaires in preadolescence (12–14 years).

Parenting features explained 8.2% of CU traits variability in preadolescence, with top predictors including early sensitive parenting and later behavior management and scaffolding practices. Prediction of CPs was weaker, with parenting explaining 4.5% of the variability.

Results highlight that disruption in close and sensitive early parent–child relationships is relevant to the development of CU traits. Results from the prediction of CPs indicate a more heterogeneous etiology. Findings support targeting parental sensitivity and behavior management within preventative interventions for CU traits and CPs.

This study aimed to examine the experiences of self-identification, diagnosis, and support for adults with tic disorders (including Tourette Syndrome) in the United Kingdom (UK).

Traditionally viewed as a neurological disorder of childhood-onset, tic disorders have been observed to remit or persist, often in a milder form, into adulthood. However, the reappearance of problematic symptoms after periods of asymptomatic latency might be more common than previously recognized. The medical exposure and standardization of clinical practice for primary adult-onset or non-typical adult-presenting cases of tic disorders is currently limited and poses barriers to diagnosis.

An online survey of 42 adults with self-identified tic symptomology explored their tic recognition and journey of attaining a confirmed diagnosis and/or self-identifying after the age of 18 in the UK.

No significant differences were found between adult and childhood-onset cases. Elevated scores on the Acceptance and Action Tic Specific Questionnaire (AAQ-T) correlated with higher overall frequency, intensity, and severity of motor tics from the Adult Tic Questionnaire (ATQ). The AAQ-T was also shown to negatively correlate with increasing age. Nearly all adults expressed dissatisfaction with the diagnostic process, especially regarding information provided and lack of post-diagnostic support. Those who self-identified quoted fear of dismissal, long waiting lists and lack of understanding from clinicians as reasons for not seeking a formal diagnosis. Overall, the results emphasize the importance for a standardized improved comprehension of tic conditions in healthcare including how to best support adults seeking recognition later in life.