James Case

A class of games having Pareto optimal Nash equilibria

A simple two-person exchange model is considered first as a cooperative game without side payments, then as a non-cooperative game. It is shown that the Nash equilibrium solution of the latter agrees with the von Neumann-Morgenstern and core solutions of the former. This is made possible by the Pareto optimality of the Nash equilibrium, which is the main theoretical result presented.

Social interaction in the aftermath of conflict-related trauma experiences among women in Walungu Territory, Democratic Republic of Congo

The aim of this study was to understand the relative contribution of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)– and non-PTSD–associated reductions in social interaction among a group of adult Congolese women (N = 701) who have experienced multiple and different traumatic events and are participating in a village livestock microfinance programme. The two main outcomes were frequency of (1) family/community members visiting womens homes and (2) women visiting family/community members in their home. Bivariate and multivariable linear regression was used to understand relationships between multiple and grouped trauma experiences, PTSD, depression and social interaction. The majority of women (51.6%) reported rarely or never visiting family/community members or having family/community members visit the womans home (54.9%). In the multivariable model, material deprivation was significantly associated with fewer visits in the womans home. Exposure to certain conflict-related traumas, but not material deprivation, was significantly associated with fewer visits to the homes of family/community members. Increased symptoms of PTSD were significantly associated with fewer visitors in womans home and fewer visits to the homes of family/community members. A better understanding of the social effects of conflict on individuals and local communities is necessary to support rebuilding of local communities.

A smartphone app to communicate child passenger safety: an application of theory to practice

Child passenger safety remains an important public health problem because motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children, and the majority of children ride improperly restrained. Using a mobile app to communicate with parents about injury prevention offers promise but little information is available on how to create such a tool. The purpose of this article is to illustrate a theory-based approach to developing a tailored, smartphone app for communicating child passenger safety information to parents. The theoretical basis for the tailoring is the elaboration likelihood model, and we utilized the precaution adoption process model (PAPM) to reflect the stage-based nature of behavior change. We created assessment items (written at ≤6th grade reading level) to determine the childs proper type of car seat, the parents PAPM stage and beliefs on selected constructs designed to facilitate stage movement according to the theory. A message library and template were created to provide a uniform structure for the tailored feedback. We demonstrate how messages derived in this way can be delivered through new m-health technology and conclude with recommendations for the utility of the methods used here for other m-health, patient education interventions.

On Nash equilibrium points and games of imperfect information

This paper considers a class of two-player, nonzero-sum games in which the players have only local, as opposed to global, information about the payoff functions. We study various modes of behavior and their relationship to different stability properties of the Nash equilibrium points.

The Longitudinal Impact of an Internet Safety Decision Aid for Abused Women

INTRODUCTION Women experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) navigate complex, dangerous decisions. Tailored safety information and safety planning, typically provided by domestic violence service providers, can prevent repeat IPV exposure and associated adverse health outcomes; however, few abused women access these services. The Internet represents a potentially innovative way to connect abused women with tailored safety planning resources and information. The purpose of this study was to compare safety and mental health outcomes at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months among abused women randomized to: (1) a tailored, Internet-based safety decision aid; or (2) control website (typical safety information available online). DESIGN Multistate, community-based longitudinal RCT with one-to-one allocation ratio and blocked randomization. Data were collected March 2011-May 2013 and analyzed June-July 2015. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS Currently abused Spanish- or English-speaking women (N=720). INTERVENTION A tailored Internet-based safety decision aid included priority-setting activities, risk assessment, and tailored feedback and safety plans. A control website offered typical safety information available online. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Primary outcomes were decisional conflict, safety behaviors, and repeat IPV; secondary outcomes included depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. RESULTS At 12 months, there were no significant group differences in IPV, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder. Intervention women experienced significantly less decisional conflict after one use (β= -2.68, p=0.042) and greater increase in safety behaviors they rated as helpful from baseline to 12 months (12% vs 9%, p=0.033) and were more likely to have left the abuser (63% vs 53%, p=0.008). Women who left had higher baseline risk (14.9 vs 13.1, p=0.003) found more of the safety behaviors they tried helpful (61.1% vs 47.5%, p<0.001), and had greater reductions in psychological IPV ((11.69 vs 7.5, p=0.001) and sexual IPV (2.41 vs 1.25, p=0.001) than women who stayed. CONCLUSIONS Internet-based safety planning represents a promising tool to reduce the public health impact of IPV.

A safety app to respond to dating violence for college women and their friends: the MyPlan study randomized controlled trial protocol

BackgroundResearch demonstrates high rates of physical and sexual victimization of women by intimate partners on college campuses (Black et al. 2001). College women in abusive relationships must weigh complex factors (health, academics, economics, and social stigma) during critical decision-making regarding the relationship. Rather than access formal support systems (e.g., campus security, administrators, counselors), research indicates abused college women most often turn to informal networks; specifically friends (Perspect Psychiatr Care 41:162–171, 2005), who often lack the knowledge or resources to provide effective support (Nurs Res 54(4):235–242, 2005). Decision aids have been shown to assist with health-related decisions by improving knowledge, creating realistic expectations, and resolving decisional conflict (Cochrane Database Syst Rev 1:1–332, 2014).Methods/DesignThis study is a randomized controlled trial testing the effectiveness of an interactive safety decision aid web-based and smartphone application (App) for abused college women and their friends. Three hundred female college students experiencing abuse and three hundred friends of female college students experiencing abuse will be recruited in Maryland and Oregon and randomized to either the intervention safety decision aid, accessible by website or smartphone App, or a usual safety planning control website/App. The intervention App allows users to enter information on: a) relationship health; b) safety priorities; and c) severity of violence/danger in relationship. The App uses this information to provide personalized safety planning information and resources. Self-reported outcome measures for abused college women on safety seeking behaviors, decisional conflict, IPV exposure and mental health will be collected at baseline, six, and 12-months post-baseline via the study App/website. Outcomes measured for friends are IPV awareness, confidence to intervene, supportive behaviors and decisional conflict. Protocols for safely recruiting, retaining and collecting data from abused women via web/App are discussed.DiscussionThis trial may provide important information on the impact of an App and web-based safety planning tool on college women’s decisional conflict and safety behavior use when making difficult safety decisions. This study is the first, to our knowledge, to test an intervention that engages friends of abused college women. The trial may also inform researchers on the feasibility of safely conducting research with abused women using online recruitment and enrollment methods and collecting data via an App or website.Trial registrationClinicaltrials.gov ID: NCT02236663

Results of an RCT in Two Pediatric Emergency Departments to Evaluate the Efficacy of an m-Health Educational App on Car Seat Use

INTRODUCTION The growing interest in incorporating prevention into emergency health care make it timely to examine the use of computer technology to efficiently deliver effective education in this setting. STUDY DESIGN This RCT compared results from an intervention group (n=367) that received child passenger safety information, to an attention-matched control (n=375). A baseline survey and two follow-up surveys at 3 and 6 months were conducted. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS Data were collected from June 2014 to September 2016 from a sample of parents with children aged 4-7 years recruited from a pediatric emergency department in an East Coast urban area and one in a Midwest semi-rural area. INTERVENTION A theory-based, stage-tailored educational program, Safety in Seconds v2.0TM, delivered on a mobile app. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Four car seat behaviors: (1) having the correct restraint for the childs age and weight; (2) having the child ride in the backseat all the time; (3) buckling up the child all the time; and (4) having the childs restraint inspected by a child passenger safety technician. RESULTS At 3 months, adjusting for baseline behaviors and attrition, the odds of reporting the correct behavior by the intervention group relative to the control group was 2.07 (p<0.01) for using the correct car seat; 2.37 (p<0.05) times for having the child ride in the back seat; 1.04 (nonsignificant) for riding buckled up all the time; and 1.99 (p<0.01) times for having the car seat inspected. At 6 months, there were statistically significant effects for reporting use of the correct car seat (OR=1.84, p<0.01) and having the car seat inspected (OR=1.73, p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Mobile apps hold promise for reaching large populations with individually tailored child passenger safety education. TRIAL REGISTRATION Clinical Trial Registration # NCT02345941.