BACKGROUND: Depression among older adults is a pressing public health concern, necessitating accurate assessment tools. The Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) offers a brief and efficient means of screening depressive symptoms, yet its performance across ethno-racial groups remains understudied. This study aimed to compare the ability of various brief forms of the GDS to detect depressive symptoms and to assess potential ethno-racial differences in symptom endorsement among White, Black/African-American, and American Indian/Alaska Native older adults.
METHODS: Data were obtained from the Wisconsin Alzheimer\'s Disease Research Center (ADRC) clinical cohort, comprising 555 cognitively healthy individuals at risk for dementia. We used participants\' baseline data for this cross-sectional analysis. Depressive symptoms were assessed using multiple brief forms of the GDS, derived from a systematic review and meta-analysis. We examined internal consistency and correlations with global Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scores. We conducted Kruskal-Wallis tests and post hoc pairwise comparisons to assess ethno-racial group differences in symptom endorsement.
RESULTS: Descriptive statistics revealed a predominance of female and White participants, with notable representation from Black and American Indian/Alaska Native groups. All GDS versions demonstrated moderate to high internal consistency. Significant positive correlations were observed between GDS scores and global CDR scores. Ethno-racial group differences in depressive symptom endorsement were evident, with Black participants consistently reporting higher levels of symptoms across most GDS versions. However, American Indian/Alaska Native participants endorsed significantly fewer symptoms than Black participants in one GDS version.
CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights the importance of considering ethno-racial differences in depressive symptomatology when assessing older adults. While the GDS demonstrates overall reliability, variations in symptom endorsement across different ethno-racial groups underscore the need for culturally sensitive assessment tools and interventions. Future research should further explore these group differences and develop tailored approaches to depression screening and treatment in diverse older adult populations.

Successful implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework requires identifying a process for measuring and valuing changes in biodiversity that build on the recognition that economics and valuation must play a key role in \"halting and reversing\" biodiversity loss. Here, we discuss considerations for a practical path to valuing changes in biodiversity. Framing changes in the value of biodiversity as a summary of changes in certain natural assets enables leveraging existing approaches and international standards associated with environmental-economic accounting. We discuss why an approach that builds from individual species, evolutionary groups, or functional groups into a practical, hierarchical statistical classification system is better than the development of any one biodiversity index. We merge techniques from ecology and other natural sciences, national and environmental-economic accounting, and economics, which are all on the cusp of making measurement of the change in the value of biodiversity possible. The focus should be on scaling and integrating these approaches. The path forward appears to begin with imperfect but useful measures, grounded in robust concepts, while establishing ambition to further scale-up measurements-just like the past evolution of many other official statistical series.

BACKGROUND: As population-based screening programs to identify genetic conditions in adults using genomic sequencing (GS) are increasingly available, validated patient-centered outcome measures are needed to understand participants\' experience. We aimed to develop and validate an instrument to assess the perceived utility of GS in the context of adult screening.
METHODS: Informed by a five-domain conceptual model, we used a five-step approach to instrument development and validation: (1) item writing, (2) cognitive testing, (3) pilot testing and item reduction, (4) psychometric testing, and (5) evaluation of construct validity. Adults undergoing risk-based or population-based GS who had received GS results as part of ongoing research studies participated in structured cognitive interviews and two rounds of surveys. After item pool refinement, we conducted an exploratory factor analysis and calculated Pearson correlations with related instruments.
RESULTS: We derived the 18-item Adult Diagnostic version of the GENEtic Utility (GENE-U) scale (total sum score α = .87). Mirroring the Pediatric Diagnostic version, the instrument has a two-factor structure, including an Informational Utility subscale (14 items, α =.89) and an Emotional Utility subscale (4 items, α =.75). The Informational Utility subscale was strongly associated with empowerment and personal utility of GS. Correlations of the Emotional Utility subscale with psychosocial impact and anxiety and depression were weak to moderate.
CONCLUSIONS: Initial psychometric testing of the Adult Screening GENE-U scale demonstrates its promise, and additional validation in translational genomics research is warranted.

BACKGROUND: There has been a rapid expansion of digital health care services, making the need for measuring and improving digital health readiness a priority. In response, our study team developed the Mobile-Centered Digital Health Readiness: Health Literacy and Equity Scale (mDiHERS) to measure digital health readiness.
OBJECTIVE: We aim to develop and validate a scale that assesses digital health readiness, encompassing literacy and equity, and to ensure the effective use of mobile-centered digital health services.
METHODS: This study was conducted from October 2021 to October 2022 to develop and validate the mDiHERS. Participants included patients with inflammatory bowel disease, which is a chronic condition requiring continuous management, and experts in medical and nursing informatics. The scale development involved a literature review, focus group interviews, and content validity evaluations. A total of 440 patients with inflammatory bowel disease were recruited for the validation phase, with 403 completing the survey. The scale\'s validity and reliability were assessed through exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach α. The scale was translated into English by translators and bilingual and native researchers, ensuring its applicability in diverse settings.
RESULTS: The mDiHERS consists of 36 items across 6 domains, with a 5-point Likert scale for responses. The validation process confirmed the scale\'s construct validity, with 4 factors explaining 65.05% of the total variance. The scale\'s reliability was established with Cronbach α values ranging from 0.84 to 0.91. The scale\'s development considered the technical proficiency necessary for engaging with health mobile apps and devices, reflecting the importance of subjective confidence and objective skills in digital health literacy.
CONCLUSIONS: The mDiHERS is a validated tool for measuring patients\' readiness and ability to use digital health services. The mDiHERS assesses user characteristics, digital accessibility, literacy, and equity to contribute to the effective use of digital health services and improve accessibility. The development and validation of the mDiHERS emphasize the importance of confidence and competence in managing health digitally. Continuous improvements are necessary to ensure that all patients can benefit from digital health care.

OBJECTIVE: This study examines the factorial structure and psychometric properties of the Eating Disorder-15 questionnaire (ED-15) in a large clinical sample, as well as the instrument\'s sensitivity to early clinical change in therapy and ability to measure remission.
METHODS: Participants with eating disorders (N = 278) referred to the Flinders University Services for Eating Disorders in South Australia completed the ED-15 as well as other measures of eating disorder symptoms and co-occurring psychopathology, including depression, anxiety, and stress.
RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) revealed a two-factor model for the ED-15. The ED-15 had good internal consistency. It showed satisfactory concurrent validity with moderate correlations with the EDE-Q global score and contribution of unique variance to that score. Correlations indicated good convergent validity with clinical impairment and good divergent validity from depression, anxiety, and stress. The ED-15 showed a significant medium effect size change within the first four sessions of therapy. Good discriminant validity was indicated by cut-off scores used for remission, with significantly different levels of ED psychopathology and other impairments between the two groups.
CONCLUSIONS: This study adds to the four previous psychometric studies of the ED-15, confirming robustness of the English version in a clinical sample. The brevity and psychometric robustness of the ED-15 makes it a preferable measure to the Eating Disorder Examination for sessional assessment of progress in treatment.

BACKGROUND: Trust is a key character at organizational level. Understanding the level of trust with timely relevant instrument is a significant process to capture the level of trust beyond organizational changes in healthcare.
OBJECTIVE: To gather, assess, and synthesize the items of instruments evaluating trust in healthcare organizations.
METHODS: Scoping review methodology.
METHODS: The literature search with deductive-inductive content analysis. The data were charted from articles that involved the use of trust instruments in healthcare organizations.
METHODS: Search from eight databases was updated in January 2024 and included peer-reviewed articles published between 2010 and 2023.
RESULTS: A total of 13 instruments were found measuring trust in the organization, trust in the leader, and trust among peers in healthcare. The items of instruments about trust in the organization included strategic and operational cultures. The trust in the leader consisted of competence, consistency, openness, appreciative acceptance, and loyalty and risk, while instruments about trust among peers included dimensions of moral partnership, common interest, and competent peers.
CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensively measuring trust in the leader, trust in the organization, and trust among peers is significant due to the multifaceted dimension of trust. Measuring trust offers a possibility to recognize the working relationships and cultures in healthcare organizations.

OBJECTIVE: Although breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a valuable screening tool, breast MRI testing burden was associated with cancer worry and quality of life. We aimed to develop and validate the MRI-related distress scale (MRI-DS) to assess comprehensive distress specifically related to breast MRI.
METHODS: We enrolled women aged above 18 years, diagnosed breast cancer, had MRI examination at least one time, and who could speak and read Korean in phase I and enrolled women aged above 18 years, visited outpatient clinic of breast general surgery, had undergone MRI examination at least once, and could speak and read Korean in phase II. We excluded patients who had any physical or psychiatric conditions in both phases. We recruited from a tertiary university-based hospital in South Korea between April and August 2023.
RESULTS: All 18 items had acceptable levels of item correlation (≥0.30) in the explanatory factor analysis with a four-factor solution. The fit indices for the four-factor solution model were good. The discriminant validity of the MRI-DS had a moderate correlation with general anxiety or quality of life. In the known-group analysis, those who reported MRI as the most burden breast examination had higher total scores.
CONCLUSIONS: The validity of the MRI-DS has been confirmed as a scale for measuring the specific distress caused by breast MRI. The MRI-DS is recommended to health professional to communicate with patients with MRI.
CONCLUSIONS: It can be used to assess the distress associated with MRI screening in breast cancer patients. Physician could use MRI-DS to discuss the reasons for distress caused by breast MRI screening and to address specific sources of discomfort associated with it.

BACKGROUND: Rural U.S. residents experience a disproportionate burden of diet and physical activity (PA) related chronic disease compared to urban residents, due to resource and economic challenges. Diverse policy approaches for chronic disease prevention have been implemented to address barriers to breastfeeding, healthy eating, and PA. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to describe policy supports for breastfeeding, healthy eating, and/or PA occurring in rural U.S. areas.
METHODS: A scoping review was conducted March-June 2020 to identify policy, systems, and environment change approaches occurring in the rural U.S. for breastfeeding, healthy eating, and PA. Search procedures were guided by the PRISMA-ScR, Arksey and O\'Malley\'s work (2007), and a science librarian. Medline, PubMed, Web of Science, and Agricola were used to identify peer-reviewed research. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses A&I were used to identify dissertation research. Grey literature searches included Google, Google Scholar, government pages, and public health, federal nutrition assistance program, Cooperative Extension Services, and related webpages. Policy results are reported and inclusion criteria were: (1) breastfeeding, healthy eating, and/or PA focus; (2) about policy factors; (3) specific to U.S. rural populations/places; and (4) English language. Outcomes (study/source design, objective(s), methods/measurement, setting, population characteristics, behavioral focus, policy-specific results) were extracted into a standardized Excel document.
RESULTS: Results include 122 total sources: original research, with some sources referencing multiple behaviors, (n = 74 sources: 8 breastfeeding, 41 healthy eating, 42 PA), grey literature (n = 45 sources: 16 breastfeeding, 15 healthy eating, 27 PA), and graduate research (n = 3 sources: 1 breastfeeding, 2 healthy eating, 1 PA). Breastfeeding policy initiatives included policies or programs at hospitals, increasing access to resources, and improving culture or norms at workplaces. Healthy eating policy initiatives included increasing access to healthy foods, reducing financial burden, implementing programs, food assistance programs, and healthy food prescriptions at healthcare facilities. PA policy initiatives focused on Complete Streets, joint or shared use efforts, Safe Routes to Schools, master plans for greenways, trails, and/or transportation, school health plans, and childcare/school standards.
CONCLUSIONS: Results from this scoping review compile and offer commentary on existing policy solutions to improve breastfeeding, healthy eating, and/or PA in the rural U.S.

Evidence for affective forecasting errors is mixed. We review recent studies to determine whether taking a discrete versus dimensional approach to measuring affective forecasting could partly explain this inconsistency. We observed variation in measurement approaches to measuring and analyzing affective forecasting; those that adopted a discrete approach often examined high arousal positive (e.g., excitement) and negative (e.g., anger) emotions. We recommend conducting empirical studies and meta-analyses to examine whether affective forecasting errors differ systematically depending on measurement approach. Furthermore, we recommend expanding the scope of affective forecasting investigations to examine more granular dimensional affective states and low-arousal discrete emotions. The ideas and future directions presented enhance our understanding of affective forecasting errors and how we study them.

OBJECTIVE: There is a common mischaracterisation that autistic individuals have reduced or absent empathy. Measurement issues may have influenced existing findings on the relationships between autism and empathy, and the structure of the empathy construct in autism remains unclear.
METHODS: The present study sought to address these gaps by examining the structure and psychometric properties of the Perth Empathy Scale (PES) in autistic individuals (N = 239) compared to non-autistic individuals (N = 690).
RESULTS: Our moderated non-linear factor analysis revealed that the multidimensional empathy construct manifested similarly in autistic and non-autistic individuals, with the PES displaying good validity and reliability. Moreover, the results revealed that autistic individuals reported reduced cognitive empathy and reduced affective empathy for positive and negative emotions. However, there was greater heterogeneity of empathic tendencies in the autistic sample, indicating that these mean differences may not be generalisable for all autistic individuals.
CONCLUSIONS: The present study highlights that the PES is suitable for assessing empathy across autistic and non-autistic individuals. This work with the PES also provides greater nuance to our understanding of empathy and autism, and based on these findings, we propose the empathy heterogeneity hypothesis of autism as a new way of describing empathy in autism.