On multistage group screening designs

In this article we discuss multistage group screening in which group-factors contain differing number of factors. We describe a procedure for grouping the factors in the absence of concrete prior information, so that the relative testing cost is minimal. It Is shown that under quite general conditions, these designs will require fewer runs than the equivalent designs in which the group-factors contain same number of factors.     

A review of cancer screening evaluation techniques, with some particular examples in breast cancer screening

Summary.  The instigation of mass screening for breast cancer has, over the last three decades, raised various statistical issues and led to the development of new statistical approaches. Initially, the design of screening trials was the main focus of research but, as the evidence in favour of population-based screening programmes mounts, a variety of other applications have also been identified. These include administrative and quality control tasks, for monitoring routine screening services, as well as epidemiological modelling of incidence and mortality. We review the commonly used methods of cancer screening evaluation, highlight some current issues in breast screening and, using examples from randomized trials and established screening programmes, illustrate the role that statistical science has played in the development of clinical research in this field.     

Clinical Pilot Experiences Using the Marijuana Screening Inventory (MSI-X): Screening Guidelines and Case Illustrations

ABSTRACT

A review of the literature indicates that there is a need for marijuana specific screening. The Marijuana Screening Inventory (MSI-X) was developed as a psychometrically reliable and valid tool for clinical use in general health and primary care settings. This paper describes the MSI-X, its potential assessment benefits, and clinical screening guidelines. It discusses the pilot application of the MSI-X with four clients to illustrate its clinical usefulness.     

The EPDS and Australian Indigenous women: A systematic review of the literature

ProblemThe Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is considered the gold standard in perinatal mental health screening and the Australian Clinical Practice Guidelines recommend universal use. However, screening rates are four times lower with Indigenous Australian women compared to non-Indigenous women. Difficulties have been reported using the EPDS in this context.BackgroundEvidence demonstrates the link between perinatal mental health and maternal and child outcomes. Indigenous Australian maternal and child health and wellbeing outcomes remain unacceptably poor across all measured parameters and reported psychological distress and child removal rates are increasing.MethodsA systematic literature review was conducted to assess the effectiveness, validity, reliability, and cultural safety of the EPDS in the Indigenous Australian context and identify the availability and suitability of any adaptations.FindingsThe EPDS has not been validated for use with Indigenous Australian women.DiscussionThe findings and limitations identified in this review are consistent with concerns in other countries about the cross-cultural use of the EPDS and its sensitivity in predicting risk for postnatal depression amongst Indigenous women. Where adaptations of the EPDS have been used there has been no psychometric and cultural validation beyond the remote communities in which they were developed.ConclusionsThere is no evidence to demonstrate that the EPDS in its current form and application is suitable for screening with Indigenous Australian women. Urgent work is required to evaluate and/or develop culturally meaningful screening tools that are predictive of risk for social and emotional wellbeing and perinatal mental distress in this context.     

GPs and Problem Gambling: Can they Help with Identification and Early Intervention?

General Practitioners (GPs) are well placed to identify problem gamblers and provide early intervention. To date there is no evidence to suggest that GP’s are routinely screening patients for potential gambling problems. This paper discusses the prevalence of problem gambling, the links with other health problems and ways that GPs can assist. Results from a pilot project that provided educational resources to GPS are also discussed. Suitable screening tools are available that could easily be used by GPs to assess the possibility of gambling problems in patients who may be at increased risk but do not seek help. Early identification and intervention may help prevent a gambling habit escalating to a serious problem. More work needs to be done to increase awareness with GPs of the extent of problem gambling in our community and to alert patients to the fact that gambling can affect their health and that GPs can help.     

Feature Screening for Ultrahigh Dimensional Categorical Data With Applications

Ultrahigh dimensional data with both categorical responses and categorical covariates are frequently encountered in the analysis of big data, for which feature screening has become an indispensable statistical tool. We propose a Pearson chi-square based feature screening procedure for categorical response with ultrahigh dimensional categorical covariates. The proposed procedure can be directly applied for detection of important interaction effects. We further show that the proposed procedure possesses screening consistency property in the terminology of Fan and Lv (2008). We investigate the finite sample performance of the proposed procedure by Monte Carlo simulation studies and illustrate the proposed method by two empirical datasets.     

Step-up test with a single cutoff for unreplicated orthogonal designs

This article presents a simplified means of controlling the experiment-wise risk of declaring too many effects active when analyzing an unreplicated orthogonal design. The method begins by assuming a lower bound on the number of null effects. The regression method of backward elimination is followed, comparing each F statistic with a common critical value, until the first statistically significant outcome. By using a single critical value, the method is simpler than the approach of Langsrud and Naes (1998) and Venter and Steel (1998) and is sometimes more powerful. Simulation is used to demonstrate the actual risk of Type I errors and power under various configurations of the true regression coefficients.     

FDI甄别、东道国福利及引资启示——基于委托-代理理论视角

FDI的流入为东道国的经济增长和社会福利带来各种效应。通过对FDI各种效应的分析,可以将FDI划分为数量型FDI和质量型FDI。在此分类的基础之上,东道国通过委托外企公司吸引不同类型的外资流入,为本国的经济增长和社会福利增加服务。根据委托——代理模型对两种不同类型FDI的分析显示:(1)数量型FDI的极端偏好会恶化本国的福利水平,只有同时引进质量型FDI才可能使本国的福利得到改进;(2)针对外资企业引进“数量型”FDI努力的边际成本和引进“质量型”FDI努力的边际成本之间的不同关系,东道国应分别采用不同的引资激励政策以使得FDI的引进符合本国的经济增长和社会福利所需。     

Midwifery care: A perinatal mental health case scenario

The establishment of the National Perinatal Depression Initiative (NPDI, 2008–2013) has brought a focus across Australia for the need to identify women at risk of perinatal mental health disorders, suggesting that routine screening by relevant health professionals may aid earlier detection, better care and improved outcomes. Midwives are frequently the primary point of contact in the perinatal period and thus ideally placed to identify, interpret and manage complex situations, including screening for perinatal mental health disorders.This paper offers strategies that could be implemented into daily midwifery practice in order to achieve the goals consistent with the National Perinatal Depression Initiative. A case study (Jen) and discussion, guided by recommendations from the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Competency standards and beyondblue Clinical Practice Guidelines, are used to demonstrate how midwifery care can be provided.In accordance with her legal obligations, the midwife should act within her scope of practice to undertake a series of psychosocial and medical assessments in order to best determine how midwifery care and support can be of benefit to Jen, her infant and her family. Suggestions described include administration of validated screening questionnaires, clinical interview, physical assessment, discussion with partner, awareness of the mother–infant interactions and questioning around baby's sleep and feeding. Based on evaluation of the information gained from a bio-psycho-social assessment, suggestions are made as to the midwifery care options that could be applied.     

Social Work in the Emergency Department—Implementation of a Domestic and Family Violence Screening Program

Abstract

Women who have experienced domestic and family violence use health services more frequently than women who have not. Early identification and intervention by the health system may reduce health problems associated with domestic and family violence and lead to savings for the health sector. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a new domestic and family violence screening program, which was based on an ecological model and introduced by a social work team in the Emergency Department of a major metropolitan hospital. The evaluation method included an audit of social work case files to assess the effect on referral rates and a survey of Emergency Department staff to obtain perceptions of the impact of the program on the staff and clients. In the 3-month period following the introduction of the program, the rate of referral to social work increased by 213%. Staff agreed that the Emergency Department is an appropriate place to ask about domestic and family violence, under certain conditions. Findings suggest that an ecological social work model provides an approach to screening for domestic and family violence that not only contributes to increased identification and supportive client interventions but may also contribute to more sustainable systemic change.