SUMMARYEpilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders worldwide, and the majority of people with epilepsy who live in developed countries manage their condition with antiseizure medication. Surprisingly, therefore, the literature on epilepsy does not document a comprehensive investigation of patient adherence to medication treatment. This paper reviews existing literature on direct and indirect measures of adherence. Based on this review, areas in need for further research have been identified, including improvement of self-report instruments, consideration of cultural factors, attention to patient literacy or numeracy levels, and inclusion of patient-guided measures. While no single method of determining adherence has proved effective, combining direct and indirect measures in a patient-guided, culturally competent atmosphere may increase adherence to treatment, improving health outcomes for this population.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has altered the landscape of higher education, forcing institutes across the globe to lock down campuses and shift instructional methods. To determine the impact of these changes on students, 644 currently enrolled higher education students across seven countries (USA,

The process by which the Stafford school district modified and implemented CSHP methods can serve as a model for CSHPs in other rural, high-need areas.

Introduction:The coordination and integration of mental health agencies' plans into disaster responses is a critical step for ensuring effective response to all-hazard emergencies.Problem:In order to remedy the current lack of integration of mental health into emergency preparedness training, researchers must assess mental health emergency preparedness training needs. To date, no recognized assessment exists.The current study addresses this need by qualitatively surveying public health and allied health professionals regarding mental health preparedness in Kansas.Methods:Participants included 144 professionals from public health and allied fields, all of whom attended one of seven training presentations on mental health preparedness. Following each presentation, participants provided written responses to nine qualitative questions about preparedness and mental health preparedness needs, as well as demographic information, and a program evaluation. Survey questions addressed perceptions of bioterrorism and mental health preparedness, perceptions about resource and training needs, as well as coordination of preparedness efforts.Results:Overall, few respondents indicated that they felt their county or community was prepared to respond to an attack. Respondents felt less prepared for mental health issues than they did for preparedness issues in general. The largest proportion of respondents reported that they would look to a community mental health center or the state health department for mental health preparedness information. Most respondents recognized the helpfulness of interagency coordination for mental health preparedness, and reported a willingness to take an active role in coordination.Conclusions:The current study provides important data about the gaps regarding mental health preparedness in Kansas.This study demonstrates the present lack of preparedness and the need for coordination to reach an appropriate level of mental health preparedness for the state.These findings are the first step to implementing effective distribution of information and training.

Recent studies have assessed preparedness training and the resource needs of public health and clinical professionals in responding to a crisis, but few have assessed the needs of the general public, especially in rural areas. The present study, based in a risk assessment and information-seeking theoretical framework, assessed the preparedness awareness, knowledge, and attitudes of the general public in a rural state through a series of focus groups. Six focus groups were conducted with 34 participants in 4 locations in Kansas (2 urban and 2 rural). Focus group interviews followed a standardized script. Participants from all 4 locations reported training and knowledge needs and desired training, knowledge, and emergency preparedness plans. Certain groups also reported a lack of familiarity with preparedness terminology, as well as different ideas about trusted sources and agencies responsible for providing preparedness training or information. Some diverging opinions from these focus groups were stratified by urban/rural status, indicating possible implications for future all-hazards training in rural regions of the nation. These results may be used for planning and improving training for the general public in both urban and rural areas.

Previous public health leadership training research has assessed regional or national programs or evaluated program effectiveness qualitatively. Although these methods are valuable, state-level program impact has not been evaluated quantitatively. Public health core and leadership competency assessments are administered pre and post Kansas Public Health Leadership Institute training (N = 94). Wilcoxon signed rank tests note significant increases by each competency domain. Data are stratified by years of experience, level of education, and urban or rural status, and correlations calculated using Spearman's rho tests in SPSS/PC 14.0. Post training, participants improve significantly in all competency domains (p < .001). Participants with lower education, fewer years of experience, and rural status improve more in certain core competency domains. Lower education and rural status correlate with greater improvement in certain leadership competency domains. Similar assessment methods can be used by other public health education programs to ensure that programs appropriately train specific workforce populations for national accreditation.

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