BackgroundSocial relationships, which are contingent on access to social networks, promote engagement in social activities and provide access to social support. These social factors have been shown to positively impact health outcomes. In the current systematic review, we offer a comprehensive overview of the impact of social activities, social networks and social support on the cognitive functioning of healthy older adults (50+) and examine the differential effects of aspects of social relationships on various cognitive domains.MethodsWe followed PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) guidelines, and collated data from randomised controlled trials (RCTs), genetic and observational studies. Independent variables of interest included subjective measures of social activities, social networks, and social support, and composite measures of social relationships (CMSR). The primary outcome of interest was cognitive function divided into domains of episodic memory, semantic memory, overall memory ability, working memory, verbal fluency, reasoning, attention, processing speed, visuospatial abilities, overall executive functioning and global cognition.ResultsThirty-nine studies were included in the review; three RCTs, 34 observational studies, and two genetic studies. Evidence suggests a relationship between (1) social activity and global cognition and overall executive functioning, working memory, visuospatial abilities and processing speed but not episodic memory, verbal fluency, reasoning or attention; (2) social networks and global cognition but not episodic memory, attention or processing speed; (3) social support and global cognition and episodic memory but not attention or processing speed; and (4) CMSR and episodic memory and verbal fluency but not global cognition.ConclusionsThe results support prior conclusions that there is an association between social relationships and cognitive function but the exact nature of this association remains unclear. Implications of the findings are discussed and suggestions for future research provided.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO 2012: CRD42012003248.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s13643-017-0632-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Ambient intelligence is increasingly finding applications in health-care settings, such as helping to ensure clinician and patient safety by monitoring staff compliance with clinical best practices or relieving staff of burdensome documentation tasks. Ambient intelligence involves using contactless sensors and contact-based wearable devices embedded in health-care settings to collect data (eg, imaging data of physical spaces, audio data, or body temperature), coupled with machine learning algorithms to efficiently and effectively interpret these data. Despite the promise of ambient intelligence to improve quality of care, the continuous collection of large amounts of sensor data in healthcare settings presents ethical challenges, particularly in terms of privacy, data management, bias and fairness, and informed consent. Navigating these ethical issues is crucial not only for the success of individual uses, but for acceptance of the field as a whole.

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Patients with work-related mental health complaints formed a distinct clinical group that benefitted equally from the intervention(s) provided by SMHC.

Background: Molecular tests (i.e. RT-PCR) and antigen tests are currently used to detect SARS-CoV-2. RT-PCR tests are generally considered to be the gold standard for clinical diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 due to their accuracy and reliability, but can take longer to return results than antigen tests.Objective: Examine if a point-of-care (POC) testing for SARS-CoV-2 infection would provide a flexible resource to help achieve workplace safety during this pandemic.Design: We compared the test results and time to test results between a POC RT-PCR test and a sendout PCR test for workplace screening in a workplace screening program implemented as part of the National Basketball Association (NBA) summer program in Orlando, Florida in the summer of 2020.Participants: We collected 978 samples from NBA support personnel at Disney World during the 2020 NBA Summer League subject to the NBA Universal Screening program.Main Measures: SARS-CoV-2 infection status as tested by the POC RT-PCR test and laboratory-based RT-PCR testing.Results: POC testing shorted the time to results to 110 minutes (SD 37 minutes) in the POC setting from the 754 minutes (SD 207 minutes) (p=0.00) for send-out tests. The specificity of Abstract POC RT-PCR single POC testing was 98.7% compared with send-out RT-PCR testing and was confirmed at 99.8% in a validation analysis. The sensitivity of the POC testing was 100% compared with send-out RT-PCR, although in a validation analysis, sensitivity appeared as 0% because only the 12 positive or indeterminate samples on the first analysis were retested and the majority were false-positives that were correctly ruled out.Conclusions: POC testing for SARS-CoV-2 with RT-PCR technology is possible at a greatly reduced time compared with send-out PCR testing.

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This exploratory study describes circumstances during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic where theme park operation employees had to make the difficult decision to stay home to quarantine or go to work sick. Using 35 semi structured interviews with Central Florida theme park operations employees, the research results reveal emerging qualitative themes regarding the employees' ability to chose between staying home to quarantine or going to work sick. The themes include challenging financial situations, fear of layoffs/furloughs, and lack of sick time being major obstacles for theme park employees to stay home from work during the COVID-19 pandemic.