Permuting incomplete paired data: a novel exact and asymptotic correct randomization test

Various statistical tests have been developed for testing the equality of means in matched pairs with missing values. However, most existing methods are commonly based on certain distributional assumptions such as normality, 0-symmetry or homoscedasticity of the data. The aim of this paper is to develop a statistical test that is robust against deviations from such assumptions and also leads to valid inference in case of heteroscedasticity or skewed distributions. This is achieved by applying a clever randomization approach to handle missing data. The resulting test procedure is not only shown to be asymptotically correct but is also finitely exact if the distribution of the data is invariant with respect to the considered randomization group. Its small sample performance is further studied in an extensive simulation study and compared to existing methods. Finally, an illustrative data example is analysed.     

Coping and Helping to Cope: Perspectives of Children of Palestinian Political Detainees

This qualitative study investigates how children of Palestinian political detainees in Israeli detention cope with their fathers' absences. Researchers conducted 16 semi‐structured interviews with children, mostly aged 15 and older in the West Bank. Three themes are discussed that emerged from the interview data: how children cope with their sadness; the children's perspectives on community support; and older children's support to siblings and parents. Practitioners can support children by providing counselling to mothers and organising interventions, which give children the opportunity to connect. It is important that the agency of the older children is taken into account and built upon.     

Approximate confidence intervals for the weighted kappa coefficient of a binary diagnostic test subject to a case–control design

Case–control design to assess the accuracy of a binary diagnostic test (BDT) is very frequent in clinical practice. This design consists of applying the diagnostic test to all of the individuals in a sample of those who have the disease and in another sample of those who do not have the disease. The sensitivity of the diagnostic test is estimated from the case sample and the specificity is estimated from the control sample. Another parameter which is used to assess the performance of a BDT is the weighted kappa coefficient. The weighted kappa coefficient depends on the sensitivity and specificity of the diagnostic test, on the disease prevalence and on the weighting index. In this article, confidence intervals are studied for the weighted kappa coefficient subject to a case–control design and a method is proposed to calculate the sample sizes to estimate this parameter. The results obtained were applied to a real example.     

More powerful permutation test based on multistage ranked set sampling

Many researches have used ranked set sampling (RSS) method instead of simple random sampling (SRS) to improve power of some nonparametric tests. In this study, the two-sample permutation test within multistage ranked set sampling (MSRSS) is proposed and investigated. The power of this test is compared with the SRS permutation test for some symmetric and asymmetric distributions through Monte Carlo simulations. It has been found that this test is more powerful than the SRS permutation test; its power increased by set size and/or number of cycles and/or number of stages. Symmetric distributions power increased better than asymmetric distributions power.     

Implementation of a collaborative model for opioid overdose prevention on campus

Abstract

Drug overdose is the leading cause of death for Americans under the age of 50, a crisis that is driven by an increasingly potent supply of illicit opioids. College-aged adults are more likely than any other age group to engage in opioid misuse. Naloxone, the antidote for an opioid overdose, can save the life of an opioid overdose victim if it is readily available and administered quickly. The University of Texas at Austin implemented a collaborative model for proactive opioid overdose prevention in 2016. This model includes stocking naloxone in residence halls and providing it to police officers, training resident advisors and police officers to respond to suspected overdoses, and engaging student pharmacists in a service learning program to increase naloxone access and awareness among university students. Programmatic experiences and key recommendations for U.S. campuses are shared by faculty, student, and community leaders.     

COVID-19 and threats to irregular migrants in Kuwait and the Gulf

Prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Gulf region was home to ~29 million foreign residents, an estimated 20–40% of whom were residing there in an irregular status. Most of them had skilfully devised strategies to survive in this irregular situation, with friends and relatives acting as essential support networks. The COVID-19 Pandemic suddenly disrupted this well-established social order. This article outlines the lived experiences of 26 irregular migrants residing in Kuwait when the Pandemic occurred. Twelve of our interviewees were planning to leave in response to the amnesty declared on 1 April, while 14 were planning to stay or were uncertain. Network support continued to provide an essential element in enabling their survival. Intermediaries such as kafeels (sponsors) were often unavailable or unwilling to provide assistance. The health and welfare of irregular migrants require special policy attention since they now face an enhanced risk of being apprehended and deported.