Informal caregivers have an important role in caring for family members at home. Supporting persons with a chronic illness such as heart failure (HF) in managing their self-care is reported to be a challenge and telemonitoring has been suggested to be of support. Aim: to explore informal caregivers experiences with performing non-invasive telemonitoring to support persons with HF at home for 30 days following hospital discharge in Norway and Lithuania. Methods: A qualitative explorative study of informal caregivers performing non-invasive telemonitoring using lung-impedance measurements and short message service (SMS). Data was collected using semi-structured interviews with informal caregivers of persons with HF in NYHA class III-IV in Norway and Lithuania. Results: Nine interviews were conducted with informal caregivers of persons with HF who performed non-invasive telemonitoring at home. A sequential process of three categories emerged from the data: access to support, towards routinizing, and mastering non-invasive telemonitoring. Conclusion: Informal caregivers performed non-invasive telemonitoring for the first time in this study. Their experiences were of a sequential process that included access to support from health care professionals, establishing a routine together, and access to nurses or physicians in HF care as part of mastering. This study highlights involving informal caregivers and persons with HF together in the implementation and future research of telemonitoring in HF care.

Background: Noninvasive telemonitoring (TM) can be used in heart failure (HF) patients to perform early detection of decompensation at home, prevent unnecessary health care utilization, and decrease health care costs. However, the evidence is not sufficient to be part of HF guidelines for follow-up care, and we have no knowledge of how TM is used in the Nordic Baltic region. Objective: The aim of this study was to describe health care professionals (HCPs) perception of and presumed experience with noninvasive TM in daily HF patient care, perspectives of the relevance of and reasons for applying noninvasive TM, and barriers to the use of noninvasive TM. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was performed between September and December 2016 in Norway and Lithuania with physicians and nurses treating HF patients at either a hospital ward or an outpatient clinic. A total of 784 questionnaires were sent nationwide by postal mail to 107 hospitals. The questionnaire consisted of 43 items with close- and open-ended questions. In Norway, the response rate was 68.7% (226/329), with 57 of 60 hospitals participating, whereas the response rate was 68.1% (310/455) in Lithuania, with 41 of 47 hospitals participating. Responses to the closed questions were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and the open-ended questions were analyzed using summative content analysis. Results: This study showed that noninvasive TM is not part of the current daily clinical practice in Norway or Lithuania. A minority of HCPs responded to be familiar with noninvasive TM in HF care in Norway (48/226, 21.2%) and Lithuania (64/310, 20.6%). Approximately half of the HCPs in both countries perceived noninvasive TM to be relevant in follow-up of HF patients in Norway (131/226, 58.0%) and Lithuania (172/310, 55.5%). For physicians in both countries and nurses in Norway, the 3 most mentioned reasons for introducing noninvasive TM were to improve self-care, to reduce hospitalizations, and to provide high-quality care, whereas the Lithuanian nurses described ability to treat more patients and to reduce their workload as reasons for introducing noninvasive TM. The main barriers to implement noninvasive TM were lack of funding from health care authorities or the Territorial Patient Fund. Moreover, HCPs perceive that HF patients themselves could represent barriers because of their physical or mental condition in addition to a lack of internet access. Conclusions: HCPs in Norway and Lithuania are currently nonusers of TM in daily HF care. However, they perceive a future with TM to improve the quality of care for HF patients. Financial barriers and HF patients condition may have an impact on the use of TM, whereas sufficient funding from health care authorities and improved knowledge may encourage the more widespread use of TM in the Nordic Baltic region and beyond.

Self-care monitoring at home can be a challenge for patients with heart failure (HF). Tools that leverage information and communication technology (ICT), comprise medical devices, or have written material may support their efforts at home. The aim of this study was to describe HF patients experiences and their prioritization of tools that support, or could support, self-care monitoring at home. A descriptive qualitative design employing semi-structured interviews was used with HF patients living at home and attending an HF outpatient clinic in Norway. We used a deductive analysis approach, using the concept of self-care monitoring with ICT tools, paper-based tools, medical devices, and tools to consult with healthcare professionals (HCPs) as the categorization matrix. Nineteen HF patients with a mean age of 64 years participated. ICT tools are used by individual participants to identify changes in their HF symptoms, but are not available by healthcare services. Paper-based tools, medical devices, and face-to-face consultation with healthcare professionals are traditional tools that are available and used by individual participants. HF patients use traditional and ICT tools to support recognizing, identifying, and responding to HF symptoms at home, suggesting that they could be used if they are available and supplemented by in-person consultation with HCPs.

Bakgrund: ERAS (Enhanced Recovery After Surgery) är ett standardiserat multimodalt vårdprogram vid elektiv kolorektalkirurgi, som syftar till snabbare återhämtning och kortare vårdtider genom ett tvärprofessionellt samarbete.  En vecka innan planerad operation träffar sjuksköterskan patienten för ett samtal om vårdförloppet.

Syfte: Att identifiera och beskriva patientens upplevelse av sjuksköterskans ERAS- samtal och dess betydelse för patientens delaktighet i sin vård. 

Metod: Datainsamlingen skedde genom kvalitativa intervjuer. Tolv patienter, nio män och tre kvinnor har intervjuats. De ljudinspelade samtalen har transkriberats ordagrant och analyserats med hjälp av tolkande fenomenologisk analys (Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis).

Resultat: Analysarbetet resulterade i fem olika teman; bli sedd, trygghet, tillit, ansvar samt delaktighet. Alla teman relaterar till varandra och illustrerar en positiv och en negativ sida av den upplevda erfarenheten. Tillsammans bildar en helhet av upplevelsen; ERAS- samtalet och dess betydelse för patientens delaktighet.

Konklusion: Resultatet visar att patienterna känner sig sedda under informationssamtalet. Det är viktigt att bekräfta patienten och knyta an mer till informationssamtalet under vårdtiden för att patienterna ska vara delaktiga och ta eget ansvar. Tilliten till vårdpersonalen har betydelse för att patienterna ska känna trygghet. Studien visar att ERAS- samtalet upplevs strukturerat och individuellt men informationen måste följa patienterna under hela vårdtillfället.

Quality of life (QoL) studies in heart transplant recipients (HTRs) using validated, quantitative, self-report questionnaires have reported poor QoL in approximately 20% of patients. This consecutive mixed methods study compared self-report questionnaires, the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short Form Health Survey (MOS SF-36) and the Atkinson Life Satisfaction Scale, with phenomenologically informed audiovisual (AV) qualitative interview data in 27 medically stable HTRs (70% male; age 53 ± 13.77 years; time since transplant 4.06 ± 2.42 years). Self-report questionnaire data reported poor QoL and more distress compared with previous studies and normative population samples; in contrast, 52% of HTRs displayed pervasive distress according to visual methodology. Using qualitative methods to assess QoL yields information that would otherwise remain unobserved by the exclusive use of quantitative QOL questionnaires.

As a result of the rapid ageing of societies, meeting the demands for long-term care has become increasingly difficult. In the Netherlands, informal care is recognised as a key element to compensate for cut-backs in formal care provision. Formal, informal and privately paid long-term care services, however, are not used equally across socio-economic status (SES) groups and whether these inequalities have been reduced or exacerbated over time has not been researched. This study investigates to what extent educational and income inequalities in the use of formal, informal and privately paid care have changed over time. Data from the Longitudinal Aging Study Amsterdam (LASA) was used from three points in time: 1995 (N = 787), 2005 (N = 550) and 2015 (N = 473). Participants were between 75 and 85 years of age and living independently. The results indicate that lower SES groups are consistently more likely to use formal and informal care, and less likely to use privately paid care compared to higher SES groups. An increase in inequality was only found in the use of informal care; while informal care use is stable among lower SES groups, it decreases steeply among higher SES groups. These findings highlight the importance of education for explaining variation and changes over time in care use. Governmental efforts to mobilise informal care-givers might be outweighed by trends towards less long-term care. Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press.

Low back pain (LBP) is a prevalent and costly condition. Awareness of valid and reliable patient history taking, physical examination and clinical testing is important for diagnostic accuracy. Stratified care which targets treatment to patient subgroups based on key characteristics is reliant upon accurate diagnostics. Models of stratified care that can potentially improve treatment effects include prognostic risk profiling for persistent LBP, likely response to specific treatment based on clinical prediction models or suspected underlying causal mechanisms. The focus of this editorial is to highlight current research status and future directions for LBP diagnostics and stratified care.

Background

No previous studies have investigated what biopsychosocial factors are associated with self‐reported work ability in conservatively managed patients with cervical radiculopathy.

Objective

To develop a theoretical model of factors and potential processes associated with variation in work ability based on a thorough assessment of biopsychosocial variables in conservatively managed patients with cervical radiculopathy.

Design

Cross‐sectional observational study.

Setting

Tertiary neurosurgery clinic.

Patients

A total of 144 conservatively managed patients with cervical pain and radiculopathy participated in the study.

Methods

From 64 biopsychosocial candidate variables, significant (P < .05) bivariate correlators with Work Ability Index (WAI) were entered as independent variables in a categorical regression. Elastic net regularization maintained the most parsimonious set of independent variables significantly associated with variation in WAI as the dependent variable. Process analysis of significant independent variable associations with WAI was performed.

Main Outcome Measurement

WAI.

Results

From 42 bivariate correlates of WAI, multivariate regression displayed a total of seven variables that were significantly (F [25,98] = 5.74, P < .05) associated with 65.8% of the variation in WAI. The Neck Disability Index (NDI) and Fear‐Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire Work subscale (FABQ‐W) were significant individual factors within the final regression model. Process analysis displayed FABQ‐W having a significant specific indirect association with the direct association between NDI and WAI, with the model associated with 77% of the variability in WAI (F [2,84] = 141.17, P < .001).

Conclusion

Of 64 candidate biopsychosocial factors, NDI and FABQ‐W were the most significant multivariate correlates with work ability. FABQ‐W has a significant indirect association with baseline NDI scores and perceived work ability. This warrants future research trialing work‐related fear avoidance interventions in conservatively managed patients with cervical radiculopathy.

Level of Evidence

III

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the validity and preference for assessing pain magnitude with electrocutaneous testing (ECT) compared to the visual analogue scale (VAS) and Borg CR10 scale in men and women with cervical radiculopathy of varying sensory phenotypes. An additional purpose was to investigate ECT sensory and pain thresholds in men and women with cervical radiculopathy of varying sensory phenotypes. This is a cross-sectional study of 34 patients with cervical radiculopathy. Scatterplots and linear regression were used to investigate bivariate relationships between ECT, VAS and Borg CR10 methods of pain magnitude measurement as well as ECT sensory and pain thresholds. The use of the ECT pain magnitude matching paradigm for patients with cervical radiculopathy with normal sensory phenotype shows good linear association with arm pain VAS (R(2) = 0.39), neck pain VAS (R(2) = 0.38), arm pain Borg CR10 scale (R(2) = 0.50) and neck pain Borg CR10 scale (R(2) = 0.49) suggesting acceptable validity of the procedure. For patients with hypoesthesia and hyperesthesia sensory phenotypes, the ECT pain magnitude matching paradigm does not show adequate linear association with rating scale methods rendering the validity of the procedure as doubtful. ECT for sensory and pain threshold investigation, however, provides a method to objectively assess global sensory function in conjunction with sensory receptor specific bedside examination measures.

Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) is a common surgical intervention for radiculopathy resulting from degenerative cervical spine conditions. Post-surgical cervical collar use is believed to reduce post-operative pain, provide the patient with a sense of security during activities of daily living and even reduce rates of non-fusion. This prospective randomized controlled pilot trial investigates trial design feasibility in relation to prospective physical, functional, and quality of life-related outcomes of patients undergoing ACDF with interbody cage, with (n = 17) and without (n = 16) post-operative cervical collar usage. Results show that the sample provides sufficient statistical power to show that the use of a rigid cervical collar during 6 post-operative weeks is associated with significantly lower levels of neck disability index after 6 weeks and significantly lower levels of prospective neck pain. To investigate causal quality of life or fusion rate outcomes, sample size needs to be increased at least fourfold and optimally sixfold when accounting for data loss in prospective follow-up. The study suggests that post-surgical cervical collar usage may help certain patients cope with initial post-operative pain and disability.

Questions: Given only 25% of patients, 10 year post-surgery for cervical disc disease report clinically meaningful improvements in functional disability, what are the biopsychosocial factors associated with continued long-term disability? What are the implications for physiotherapy practice?

Design: Cross-sectional observational study.

Participants: Ninety patients who had undergone anterior discectomy and fusion (ACDF) surgery 10-13 years prior.

Outcome Measures: The Neck Disability Index (NDI), ACDF surgery type, surgical fusion status, patient age and Part 1 of the West Haven-Yale multidimensional pain inventory Swedish version (MPI-S) were entered into a statistical model. Part 1 of the MPI-S contains 5 subscales: pain severity, interference, life control, affective distress and support.

Results: Seventy-three patients answered the questionnaires. Non-linear categorical regression modeling (CATREG) of the selected predictive variables explained 76.1% of the variance in NDI outcomes 10-13 years post ACDF. Of these predictors, MPI-S affective distress subscale (β = 0.635, p = <0.001) and pain severity subscale (β = 0.354, p = <0.001) were significant individual predictors of NDI ratings.

Conclusion: This is the first study to investigate potential factors associated with prolonged functional disability greater than 10 years post-surgery for cervical disc disease. The results suggest the importance of not only pain severity but also screening affective distress as a potential barrier to physical functioning in patients previously operated for cervical disc disease. Future research on the utility of affect-focused body awareness therapy and pain coping strategies for post-surgical patients with continuing pain and physical disability is indicated.

Key Practice Points:

•  The screening of pain severity and affective distress is of importance for patients presenting with continuing physical disability after previous surgery for cervical disc disorders

•  Affect-focused body awareness therapies and pain coping strategies may be a potential treatment alternative for patients with continuing pain and physical disability.

Introduction Low back pain (LBP) is a major health problem commonly requiring healthcare. In Sweden, there is a call from healthcare practitioners (HCPs) for the development, implementation and evaluation of a best practice primary healthcare model for LBP.

Aims (1) To improve and understand the mechanisms underlying changes in HCP confidence, attitudes and beliefs for providing best practice coherent primary healthcare for patients with LBP; (2) to improve and understand the mechanisms underlying illness beliefs, self-care enablement, pain, disability and quality of life in patients with LBP; and (3) to evaluate a multifaceted and sustained implementation strategy and the cost-effectiveness of the BetterBack☺ model of care (MOC) for LBP from the perspective of the Swedish primary healthcare context.

Methods This study is an effectiveness-implementation hybrid type 2 trial testing the hypothesised superiority of the BetterBack☺ MOC compared with current routine care. The trial involves simultaneous testing of MOC effects at the HCP, patient and implementation process levels. This involves a prospective cohort study investigating implementation at the HCP level and a patient-blinded, pragmatic, cluster, randomised controlled trial with longitudinal follow-up at 3, 6 and 12 months post baseline for effectiveness at the patient level. A parallel process and economic analysis from a healthcare sector perspective will also be performed. Patients will be allocated to routine care (control group) or the BetterBack☺ MOC (intervention group) according to a stepped cluster dogleg structure with two assessments in routine care. Experimental conditions will be compared and causal mediation analysis investigated. Qualitative HCP and patient experiences of the BetterBack☺ MOC will also be investigated.

Dissemination The findings will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences. Further national dissemination and implementation in Sweden and associated national quality register data collection are potential future developments of the project.

Background: Physiotherapy after lumbar spinal fusion surgery is traditionally focused on physical exercise. Too few studies have investigatedthe efficacy of modern lumbar stabilization exercise regimes. Benefits have been shown for combining traditional physical exercise with a psychosocial intervention. No randomised controlled study has evaluated thecombined biopsychosocial effect of modern lumbar stabilization exercisesand cognitive behavioural intervention compared to traditional physical exercise starting immediately after lumbar spinal fusion.

Purpose: To investigate the effectiveness of modern physiotherapy(MPT) compared to a traditional physiotherapy (TPT) starting immediately after lumber spinal fusion.

Study design/setting: Randomized controlled clinical trial.

Patient sample, inclusion period and follow-up: Patients between 18 and 65 years, selected for lumbar spinal fusion due to at least 12 months of CLBP symptoms caused by spinal stenosis, spondylosis, spondylolisthesis or degenerative disc disease were included in the study between 2005 and 2007. A total of 107 patients were randomly allocated to the MPT group (n = 53) and TPT group (n = 54). The TPT group was prescribed daily home based pain contingent training of traditional physical exercises for back, abdominal and leg muscles. The MPT group was prescribed daily home based training of lumbar stabilization exercises combined with 90 min of cognitive behavioural intervention at 3, 6 and 9 weeks after the operation. The patients outcomes were followed up at 3, 6, 12 months and 2–3 years

Outcome measures: Oswestry disability index (ODI), pain intensity, HRQOL, kinesiophobia, anxiety/depression, self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, use of coping strategies, work status, sickness leave and health care use.

Methods: Analysis of mean differences between groups.

Results: 2–3 year follow-up showed that the MPT group had significantly lower percentage scores in ODI = 18.2 (P = 0.008), kinesiophobia= 30.0 (P = 0.001), catastrophizing = 21.8 (P = 0.006) and higher self-efficacy = 64.6 (P = 0.019) compared to TPT group’s ODI = 28.1, kinesiophobia = 41.9, catastrophizing = 31.3 and self-efficacy = 55.5. The MPT group had significantly more employment, less health care use (P = 0.035) and less long-term sickness leave (P = 0.040).

Conclusions: This study provides evidence for the benefits of combining lumbar stabilization exercise and cognitive behavioural intervention starting immediately after lumbar fusion.

Purpose: The primary purpose was to analyse the short and long term effectiveness of physiotherapeutic rehabilitation programs performed during the first 3 month after lumbar fusion surgery. A secondary purpose was to analyse factors predicting long-term disability, back pain and health related quality of life (HRQOL) outcomes after lumbar fusion.

Relevance: The study provides evidence for the effectiveness of early physiotherapy after lumbar fusion. Furthermore improved knowledge of predictive factors can help physiotherapist in the screening of lumbar fusion candidates and the individualised implementation of pre-surgical and post-surgical interventions.

Participants: A total of 107 patients were recruited from the Karolinska University Hospital's Orthopaedic Clinic, Stockholm, Sweden. The inclusion criteria were: men and women aged between 18 and 65 years with a >12 month history of back pain and/or sciatica; a primary diagnosis of spinal stenosis, degenerative or isthmic spondylolisthesis or degenerative disc disease; selected for lumbar fusion with or without decompression; competence in the Swedish language. The criteria for exclusion were: previous lumbar fusion, rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.

Methods: An open book randomised controlled trial with pre-surgical and post-surgical measures at 3, 6, 12 and 24-36 months was performed to investigate the effectiveness of a psychomotor therapy focusing on cognition, behaviour and motor relearning compared to exercise therapy focusing on strength and conditioning, applied during the first 3 months after lumbar fusion. Randomisation allocated 53 patients to psychomotor therapy and 54 patients to exercise therapy. The Oswestry disability index (ODI) was the primary outcome measure. Secondary measures included the Visual analogue scale for back pain (VAS), European quality of life questionnaire (EQ5D), as well as other clinical, psychological and work related variables.

Analysis: A total of 78 patients were needed assuming a power = 80%. Patient compliance was analysed and an intention to treat principle applied to data analysis. For statistical comparison between the 2 independent groups, analysis of covariance was used. Categorical regression with optimal scaling transformation, elastic net regularization and bootstrapping were used to investigate pre-surgical predictor variables and address predictive model validity.

Results: Follow-up rates were 93% at 12 months and 81% at 24-36 months after surgery. Psychomotor therapy improved functional disability, self-efficacy, outcome expectancy and fear of movement/(re)injury significantly more than exercise therapy at respective follow-up occasions. Pre-surgical control over pain significantly predicted functional disability and HRQOL. Pre-surgical catastrophizing and leg pain intensity significantly predicted functional disability and back pain while the pre-surgical lasegue test significantly predicted back pain. The implementation of post-operative psychomotor therapy also significantly predicted functional disability while pre-surgical outcome expectations significantly predicted HRQOL.

Conclusions: The study shows that post-operative rehabilitation can be safely implemented during the first 3 months after lumbar fusion and should include measures to modify psychological as well as motor functions. The study also demonstrates the importance of pre-surgical psychological factors, leg pain intensity, the lasegue test and post-operative psychomotor therapy in the predictions of functional disability, back pain and HRQOL related outcomes.

Implications: Physiotherapist should screen patients pain, psychological factors and neuromusculoskeletal system pre-surgically and rehabilitate patients with early psychomotor therapy after lumbar fusion.

Study Design: Open label randomised controlled trial with 3, 6, 12 month and 2-3 year follow-up.

Objective. To investigate the effectiveness of a psychomotor therapy focusing on cognition, behaviour and motor relearning compared to exercise therapy applied during the first 3 months after lumbar fusion.

Methods: The study recruited 107 patients, aged 18 to 65 years, selected for lumbar fusion due to 12 months of symptomatic spinal stenosis, degenerative/isthmic spondylolisthesis or degenerative disc disease. The exercise therapy group received a home program focusing on pain contingent training of back, abdominal and leg muscle functional strength and endurance, stretching and cardiovascular fitness. The psychomotor therapy group received a home program and 3 outpatient sessions focusing on modifying maladaptive pain cognitions, behaviours and motor control. Patient-rated questionnaires investigating functional disability, pain, health related quality of life, functional self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, fear of movement/(re)injury and copingwere assessed at baseline, 3, 6, 12 months and 2-3 years after surgery.

Results: Follow-up rates were 93% at 12 months and 81% at 2-3 years after surgery. Psychomotor therapy improved functional disability, self-efficacy, outcome expectancy and fear of movement/(re)injury significantly more than exercise therapy at respective follow-up occasions. Similar results occurred for pain coping but group differences were non-significant at 2-3 year follow-up.

Conclusions: The study shows that post-operative rehabilitation can be effectively implemented during the first 3 months after lumbar fusion and should include measures to modify psychological aswell as motor functions.

The Linköping burn score has been used for two decades to calculate the cost to the hospital of each burned patient. Our aim was to validate the Burn Score in a dedicated Burn Centre by analysing the associations with burn-specific factors: percentage of total body surface area burned (TBSA%), cause of injury, patients referred from other (non-specialist) centres, and survival, to find out which of these factors resulted in higher scores. Our second aim was to analyse the variation in scores of each category of care (surveillance, respiration, circulation, wound care, mobilisation, laboratory tests, infusions, and operation).

We made a retrospective analysis of all burned patients admitted during the period 2000–15. Multivariable regression models were used to analyse predictive factors for an increased daily burn score, the cumulative burn score (the sum of the daily burn scores for each patient) and the total burn score (total sum of burn scores for the whole group throughout the study period) in addition to sub-analysis of the different categories of care that make up the burn score.

We retrieved 22 301 daily recordings for inpatients. Mobilisation and care of the wound accounted for more than half of the total burn score during the study. Increased TBSA% and age over 45 years were associated with increased cumulative (model R² 0.43, p < 0.001) and daily (model R² 0.61, p < 0.001) burn scores. Patients who died had higher daily burn scores, while the cumulative burn score decreased with shorter duration of hospital stay (p < 0.001).

To our knowledge this is the first long term analysis and validation of a system for scoring burn interventions in patients with burns that explores its association with the factors important for outcome. Calculations of costs are based on the score, and it provides an indicator of the nurses’ workload. It also gives important information about the different dimensions of the care provided from thorough investigation of the scores for each category.

The prevalence of HF with preserved ejection raction (HFpEF, with EF &gt;= 50%) is increasing across all populations with high rates of hospitalization and mortality, reaching up to 80% and 50%, respectively, within a 5-year timeframe. Comorbidity-driven systemic inflammation is thought to cause coronary microvascular dysfunction and increased epicardial adipose tissue, leading to downstream friborsis and molecular changes in the cardiomyocyte, leading to increased stiffness and diastolic dynsfunction. HFpEF poses unique challenges in terms of diagnosis due to its complex and diverse nature. The diagnosis of HFpEF relies on a combination of clinical assessment, imaging studies, and biomarkers. An additional important step in diagnosing HFpEF involves excluding certain cardiac diagnoses that may be specific underlying causes of HFpEF or may be masquerading as HFpEF and require specific alternative treatment approaches. In addition to administering sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors to all patients, the most effective approach to enhance clinical outcomes may involve tailored therapy based on each patient's unique clinical profile. Exercise should be recommended for all patients to improve the quality of life. Glucagon-like peptide-1 1 agonists are a promising treatment option in obese HFpEF patients. Novel approaches targeting inflammation are also in early phase trials.

Background

This study evaluated and compared the extent, duration, contents, experiences and effects of alcohol conversations in healthcare in the Netherlands and Sweden in 2017.

Methods

Survey data in the Netherlands and Sweden were collected through an online web panel. Subjects were 2996 participants (response rate: 50.8%) in Sweden and 2173 (response rate: 82.2%) in the Netherlands. Data was collected on socio-demographics, alcohol consumption, healthcare visits in the past 12 months, number of alcohol conversations, and characteristics of alcohol conversations (duration, contents, experience, effects).

Results

Results showed that Swedish respondents were more likely to have had alcohol conversations (OR = 1.99; 95%CI = 1.64–2.41; p = < 0.001) compared to Dutch respondents. In Sweden, alcohol conversations were more often perceived as routine (p = < 0.001), were longer (p = < 0.001), and more often contained verbal information about alcohol’s health effects (p = 0.007) or written information (p = 0.001) than in the Netherlands. In Sweden, 40+ year-olds were less likely to report a positive effect compared to the youngest respondents. In the Netherlands, men, sick-listed respondents, and risky drinkers, and in Sweden those that reported “other” occupational status such as parental leave, were more likely to have had alcohol conversations.

Conclusions

The results suggest that alcohol conversations are more common in healthcare practice in Sweden than in the Netherlands. However, positive effects of alcohol conversations were less likely to be reported among older respondents in Sweden. Our results indicate that alcohol preventative work should be improved in both countries, with more focus on risky drinkers and the content of the conversations in Sweden, and expanding alcohol screening in the Netherlands.

Background: To our knowledge, no studies have addressed whether maternal anemia of inflammation (AI) affects newborn iron status, and few have addressed risk factors for specific etiologies of maternal anemia. Objectives: The study aims were to evaluate 1) the contribution of AI and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) to newborn iron endowment, 2) hepcidin as a biomarker to distinguish AI from IDA among pregnant women, and 3) risk factors for specific etiologies of maternal anemia. Methods: We measured hematologic biomarkers in maternal blood at 12 and 32 wk of gestation and in cord blood from a randomized trial of praziquantel in 358 pregnant women with Schistosoma japonicum in The Philippines. IDA was defined as anemia with serum ferritin amp;lt; 30 ng/mL and non-IDA (NIDA), largely due to AI, as anemia with ferritin amp;gt;= 30 ng/mL. We identified cutoffs for biomarkers to distinguish IDA from NIDA by using area under the curve (AUC) analyses and examined the impact of different causes of anemia on newborn iron status (primary outcome) by using multivariate regression modeling. Results: Of the 358 mothers, 38% (n = 136) had IDA and 9% (n = 32) had NIDA at 32 wk of gestation. At 32 wk of gestation, serum hepcidin performed better than soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) in identifying women with NIDA compared with the rest of the cohort (AUCs: 0.75 and 0.70, respectively) and in identifying women with NIDA among women with anemia (0.73 and 0.72, respectively). The cutoff that optimally distinguished women with NIDA from women with IDA in our cohort was 6.1 mu g/L. Maternal IDA, but not NIDA, was associated with significantly lower newborn ferritin (114.4 ng/mL compared with 148.4 mu g/L; P = 0.042). Conclusions: Hepcidin performed better than sTfR in identifying pregnant women with NIDA, but its cost may limit its use. Maternal IDA, but not NIDA, is associated with decreased newborn iron stores, emphasizing the need to identify this cause and provide iron therapy.

The population of the River Nyando catchment largely relies on rain fed agriculture for their subsistence.

Important crops grown include cereals, cash crops fruits and vegetables. Farming is one of the contributors of pollution to Lake Victoria. Organophosphates and other banned organochlorine pesticides such as lindane, aldrin and dieldrin were used by farmers. The pesticides transport was by storm water run-off and air drift into the lake. Environmental risk assessment background information was collected through questionnaire and interviews of farmers to determine knowledge and safe use of pesticides. Fourteen pesticides were identified as commonly used of which four are toxic to bees and five to birds. The farmers identified declines in the number of pollinating insects, the disappearance of Red-billed Oxpecker (Buphagus erythrorthynchus) and wild bird’s fatalities. The general knowledge among farmers about chemicals risks, safety, and chronic illnesses was low. Activities that increases environmental awareness and safety of pesticides should be initiated by the agrochemical firms and government.

The need for interpreters in health care has increased as the number of multilingual individuals increases in today´s society. This entails greater demands on healthcare services to maintain a high quality of healthcare for all. Speech therapists often encounter multilingual people and are then in many cases in need of interpreters during assessments or interventions. Currently, there are only a few studies available that describe challenges that may occur in collaborationsbetween interpreters and speech and language therapist, viewed from the interpreters’perspective. The purpose of this study is thus to investigate the role of interpreters and emphasise their perspective on speech and language therapy activities (e.g. assessment and intervention) for multilingual people. Increased knowledge of the interpreters’ perspective may reveal challenges, as well as identify well-functioning working methods that exist. Results of the study may contribute to strengthening the collaboration between interpreters and speech and language therapists.The material for the study consists of questionnaire responses from 209 interpreters from different parts of Sweden. To provide a comprehensive overview of their answers,information about the interpreters was compiled in tables. Free text answers were an accompanying option to many of the fixed questions. The interpreters' free text answers were analysed using thematic analysis. Overall, the results showed that many of the interpreters perceived the collaboration with the speech therapists as positive, but that there are areas for improvement. The most commonly addressed area was that the interpreters felt that the speech therapists did not have sufficient knowledge of how interpreters are required to perform their profession (by oath of conduct). An improved understanding of each other's professions might increase the degree of satisfaction in the collaboration between interpreter and speech and language pathologist. Getting access to the materials that are to be used for assessment or intervention, before the appointment to be interpreted, would provide the interpreter with a fair chance to prepare appropriately. This is something that a majority of the interpreters in the present study pressed would improve their own performance and thus also increase patient safety.

BACKGROUND: Having an infant in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is associated with intense emotional stress for both mothers and fathers. However, with the right support from staff, this stress can be reduced significantly. Although evidence on needs of parents in the neonatal unit exists, there is lack of a systematic integrative review on the support needs of parents in the neonatal unit. Current review evidence is needed to support busy neonatal unit clinicians in their practice.

AIM AND OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this integrative review is to explore the current available evidence to describe and understand the support needs of parents of infants in the NICU.

METHODS: The integrative review process of Whittemore and Knafl (2005) was used to guide this study. Six databases-MEDLINE, CINHAL, PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar and PsycINFO-were searched for eligible studies using relevant keywords. Primary studies published in English language from 2010 to 2021 were reviewed following a pre-determined inclusion criteria. Studies that met the inclusion criteria were critically appraised using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). The review report is guided by the PRISMA 2020 checklist for systematic reviews.

RESULTS: Overall, 24 primary qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods studies were included in the review. Analysis of included studies resulted in six themes that demonstrate the support needs of parents in the NICU; 1. Information needs; 2. Emotionally intelligent staff; 3. Hands-on support; 4. Targeted support; 5. Emotional needs; and 6. Practical needs.

CONCLUSION: This review has presented the current evidence on the needs of parents from their own perspective. Healthcare workers' understanding and supporting these needs in the NICU is likely to increase parental satisfaction and improve health outcomes for parents, infants and their family.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Parents of infants in the NICU require staff support to enhance their experiences, well-being, caring and parenting confidence during admission and post-discharge. As parents are in constant need for informational, emotional and practical support, continuing professional development for NICU staff should place emphasis on effective communication strategies, enhancing emotional intelligence and empathy among staff. NICU staff should build positive ongoing relationships with parents and provide targetted support for mothers and fathers.

Introduction: To lose a person close suddenly, during childhood or adolescence, can be devastating. Many children or adolescents experienced the 2004 Indonesian tsunami when they were between 10- and 15-years-old. This study, from Stockholm, Sweden, describes the long-term effects of loss, eight- or nine-years post disaster, in young adulthood.

Method: A mixed-method approach was used including statistical analyses (n = 210) and interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA).

Results: It was shown that there was a significant difference between bereaved (n=34) and nonbereaved (n = 176) respondents concerning, psychological distress, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and self-rated health. Three themes were found by using the IPA approach (n=9): Living in traumas, carrying heavy baggage, and living with change.

Conclusion: The respondents described personal feelings of grief that are not expressed in their outward appearance or behavior in their daily living. When meeting young adults that have lost someone close in childhood or adolescence, this is important to have in mind.

Objective: The main aim of this study was to determine if young adults, who as children and adolescents were heavily exposed to the 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia, had late reminders of this disaster nine years post disaster and, if so, how they handled these late reminders.

Method: The subjects who had been exposed when they were between 10 and 15 years old were interviewed nine years post disaster when they had reached adulthood.

Results: All those interviewed stated that they had experienced different late reminders of the 2004 tsunami even nine years later. They said that they could plan in advance or deal with late reminders should they occur. Two types of reminders were identified, one type designated as external and the other as internal. The interview subjects described how they had handled these reminders by striving for balance by thinking, talking, letting feelings out, doing something else or by avoiding.

Conclusions: These young adults strived to find a balance between their function as adults in society and continued effects from the 2004 tsunami. A person, even if not affected functionally, can be affected in different ways in adulthood by the natural disaster they had experienced during childhood or adolescence. This is something important for anyone to think about when he or she meets persons who have been heavily exposed to a natural disaster many years earlier.

Background: Lack of social support is a risk factor for negative psychological outcomes post disaster. However, we do not know if this is the case after many years.

Aim: The aim was to examine the association between remembered social support directly after the 2004 tsunami or social support eight years post disaster and psychological distress, posttraumatic stress symptoms, self-rated health, worry or anxiety and suicide ideation in 2012 for exposed children and adolescents.

Subjects and Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to young adults who experienced the tsunami when they were 10-15 years of age. The questionnaire included Crises Support Scale, General Health Questionnaire, Impact of Events Scale Revised and questions of Worry and Anxiety, Self-rated Health, and Suicidal ideation and questions specially made.

Results: Low levels of perceived social support given in 2004 or 2012 were associated with higher levels of psychological distress, additional posttraumatic stress symptoms, low self-rated health, more worry or anxiety and more suicidal ideation in 2012.

Conclusion: The results show that providing social support for children and adolescents who have experienced a disaster create better psychological health many years later

Introduction: Diverse decision-making is needed in managing mass casualty incidents (MCIs), by emergency medical services (EMS). The aim of the study was to review consensus among international experts concerning policies of EMS management during MCIs. Methods: Applicability of 21 EMS policies was tested through a 2-cycle modified e-Delphi process, in which 38 multi-disciplinary experts from 10 countries participated. Threshold for approving proposed solutions was defined as consensus of amp;gt;80%. Policies that did not achieve the targeted consensus were reviewed to detect variability according to respondents origin country. Results: 16 policies were endorsed in the first cycle including collaboration between ambulance service providers; implementing a unified mode of operation; preparing criteria for ground versus aerial evacuation; and, developing support systems for caregivers exposed to violence. An additional policy which proposed that senior EMS officers should not necessarily act as on-site MCI commanders was endorsed in the second cycle. Demographic breakdown of views concerning non-consensual policies revealed differences according to countries of origin. Assigning ambulances to off-duty team members was highly endorsed by experts from Israel and South Africa and strongly rejected by European respondents. Avoiding entry to risk areas until declared safe was endorsed by European, Asian and Oceanic experts, but rejected by Israeli, South African and North American experts. Conclusions: Despite uniqueness of countries and EMS agencies, solutions to most dilemmas were applicable to all organizations, regardless of location or affiliation. Cultural diversity was found concerning readiness to implement military-civilian collaboration in MCIs and a rigid separation between work-leisure responsibilities. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bakgrund: Ett vanligt arbetssätt inom slutenvård är teamrond där olika professioner stämmer av vårdarbetet. Fysioterapeuter har en viktig rehabiliterande roll inom slutenvården, vetenskapligt underlag som beskriver fysioterapeuters upplevelser av sin roll i teamronden är mycket begränsat.

Syfte: Syftet var att beskriva hur fysioterapeuter inom slutenvård på svenska sjukhus upplever teamronden och sin egen yrkesroll i denna.

Metod: Studien var en kvalitativ semistrukturerad intervjustudie med induktiv ansats och analyserades med kvalitativ innehållsanalys. Sju fysioterapeuter, som alla hade deltagit i minst tre teamronder under de senaste tre månaderna, intervjuades mellan december 2021 och februari 2022. Den första intervjun genomfördes på informantens arbetsplats, resterande intervjuer som videosamtal.

Resultat: Analysen resulterade i tre huvudkategorier; teamrondens betydelse, fysioterapeuten som en del i teamronden samt faktorer som påverkar teamronden. Huvudkategorierna innefattar tre till fyra subkategorier. Resultatet presenterar informanternas syn på den egna rollen, interprofessionellt samarbete samt huvudsakliga faktorer som påverkar teamrond och dess inverkan på vårdkvaliteten.

Konklusion: Teamronden upplevs vara ett viktigt forum för det interprofessionella samarbetet där fysioterapeuten har en viktig del. Upplevelser om fysioterapeutens begränsade förutsättningar i teamronden vad gäller prioriteringar och rondupplägg framkom. Vidare forskning bör undersöka hur vårdkvaliteten påverkas av fysioterapeutens deltagande i teamronden samt hur fysioterapeutens roll i teamronden kan stärkas.

BackgroundPatient-reported symptoms of acute myocardial infarction (MI) may be affected by recall bias depending on when and where symptoms are assessed.AimThe aim of this study was to gain an understanding of patients symptom description in more detail before and within 24 hours after a confirmed MI diagnosis.MethodsA convergent parallel mixed-methods design was used to examine symptoms described in calls between the tele-nurse and the patient compared with symptoms selected by the patient from a questionnaire less than 24 hours after hospital admission. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed separately and then merged into a final interpretation.ResultsThirty patients (median age, 67.5 years; 20 men) were included. Chest pain was the most commonly reported symptom in questionnaires (24/30). Likewise, in 19 of 30 calls, chest pain was the first complaint mentioned, usually described together with the symptom onset. Expressions used to describe symptom quality were pain, pressure, discomfort, ache, cramp, tension, and soreness. Associated symptoms commonly described were pain or numbness in the arms, cold sweat, dyspnea, weakness, and nausea. Bodily sensations, such as feeling unwell or weak, were also described. Fear and tiredness were described in calls significantly less often than reported in questionnaires (P = .01 and P = .02), whereas "other" symptoms were more often mentioned in calls compared with answers given in the questionnaire (P = .02). Some symptoms expressed in the calls were not listed in the questionnaire, which expands the understanding of acute MI symptoms. The results showed no major inconsistencies between datasets.ConclusionPatients MI symptom descriptions in tele-calls and those reported in questionnaires after diagnosis are comparable and convergent.

OBJECTIVE: To construct a clinical prediction rule for coronary artery disease (CAD) presenting with chest pain in primary care.

STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Meta-Analysis using 3,099 patients from five studies. To identify candidate predictors, we used random forest trees, multiple imputation of missing values, and logistic regression within individual studies. To generate a prediction rule on the pooled data, we applied a regression model that took account of the differing standard data sets collected by the five studies.

RESULTS: The most parsimonious rule included six equally weighted predictors: age ≥55 (males) or ≥65 (females) (+1); attending physician suspected a serious diagnosis (+1); history of CAD (+1); pain brought on by exertion (+1); pain feels like "pressure" (+1); pain reproducible by palpation (-1). CAD was considered absent if the prediction score is <2. The area under the ROC curve was 0.84. We applied this rule to a study setting with a CAD prevalence of 13.2% using a prediction score cutoff of <2 (i.e., -1, 0, or +1). When the score was <2, the probability of CAD was 2.1% (95% CI: 1.1-3.9%); when the score was ≥ 2, it was 43.0% (95% CI: 35.8-50.4%).

CONCLUSIONS: Clinical prediction rules are a key strategy for individualizing care. Large data sets based on electronic health records from diverse sites create opportunities for improving their internal and external validity. Our patient-level meta-analysis from five primary care sites should improve external validity. Our strategy for addressing site-to-site systematic variation in missing data should improve internal validity. Using principles derived from decision theory, we also discuss the problem of setting the cutoff prediction score for taking action.

The duration of treatment for which a physician may prescribe a medicine, ‘prescription duration’, is often dispensed at the pharmacy on multiple occasions of shorter time periods, ‘dispensing duration’. These durations vary significantly between and within countries. In Australia, the quantity of medication supplied at each dispensing has recently been extended from 30 to 60 days for a selection of medicines used for chronic health conditions, such as diabetes and hypertension. Dispensing durations vary between countries, with 30, 60 or 90 days being the most common—with 90 days aligning with the recommendation of the 2023 Global Report on Hypertension from the World Health Organization. The full impact of shorter vs longer prescription durations on health costs and outcomes is unknown, but current evidence suggests that 90-day dispensing could reduce costs and improve patient convenience and adherence. More rigorous research is needed.

BACKGROUND: Paediatric cancer care poses ethically difficult situations that can lead to value conflicts about what is best for the child, possibly resulting in moral distress. Research on moral distress is lacking in paediatric cancer care in Sweden and most questionnaires are developed in English. The Moral Distress Scale-Revised (MDS-R) is a questionnaire that measures moral distress in specific situations; respondents are asked to indicate both the frequency and the level of disturbance when the situation arises. The aims of this study were to translate and culturally adapt the questionnaire to the context of Swedish paediatric cancer care. In doing so we endeavoured to keep the content in the Swedish version as equivalent to the original as possible but to introduce modifications that improve the functional level and increase respondent satisfaction.

METHODS: The procedure included linguistic translation and cultural adaptation of MDS-R's paediatric versions for Physicians, Nurses and Other Healthcare Providers to the context of Swedish paediatric cancer care. The process of adjustment included: preparation, translation procedure and respondent validation. The latter included focus group and cognitive interviews with healthcare professionals in paediatric cancer care.

RESULTS: To achieve a Swedish version with a good functional level and high trustworthiness, some adjustments were made concerning design, language, cultural matters and content. Cognitive interviews revealed problems with stating the level of disturbance hypothetically and items with negations caused even more problems, after having stated that the situation never happens.

CONCLUSIONS: Translation and cultural adaptation require the involvement of various types of specialist. It is difficult to combine the intention to keep the content as equivalent to the original as possible with the need for modifications that improve the functional level and increase respondent satisfaction. The translated and culturally adapted Swedish MDS-R seems to have equivalent content as well as improved functional level and respondent satisfaction. The adjustments were made to fit paediatric cancer care but it could be argued that the changes are relevant for most areas of paediatric care of seriously ill patients.

Objectives COVID-19 presents challenges to the emergency care system that could lead to emergency department (ED) crowding. The Huddinge site at the Karolinska university hospital (KH) responded through a rapid transformation of inpatient care capacity together with changing working methods in the ED. The aim is to describe the KH response to the COVID-19 crisis, and how ED crowding, and important input, throughput and output factors for ED crowding developed at KH during a 30-day baseline period followed by the first 60 days of the COVID-19 outbreak in Stockholm Region. Methods Different phases in the development of the crisis were described and identified retrospectively based on major events that changed the conditions for the ED. Results were presented for each phase separately. The outcome ED length of stay (ED LOS) was calculated with mean and 95% confidence intervals. Input, throughput, output and demographic factors were described using distributions, proportions and means. Pearson correlation between ED LOS and emergency ward occupancy by phase was estimated with 95% confidence interval. Results As new working methods were introduced between phase 2 and 3, ED LOS declined from mean (95% CI) 386 (373-399) minutes to 307 (297-317). Imaging proportion was reduced from 29 to 18% and admission rate increased from 34 to 43%. Correlation (95% CI) between emergency ward occupancy and ED LOS by phase was 0.94 (0.55-0.99). Conclusions It is possible to avoid ED crowding, even during extreme and quickly changing conditions by leveraging previously known input, throughput and output factors. One key factor was the change in working methods in the ED with higher competence, less diagnostics and increased focus on rapid clinical admission decisions. Another important factor was the reduction in bed occupancy in emergency wards that enabled a timely admission to inpatient care. A key limitation was the retrospective study design.

Retirement is a major life transition that involves changes to everyday routines, roles, and habits. Previous studies suggest that retirement may influence drinking habits. Many natural inhibitors of alcohol consumption disappear with the removal of work constraints. The potential impact depends on both individual and contextual factors. Women in the cohorts undergoing retirement now have been more active on the labor market, including the occupation of higher status jobs, which indicates more financial resources as well as a larger role loss after retirement. Also, the current cohorts who retire have had more liberal drinking habits throughout their lives compared to previous cohorts. We therefore examined changes in alcohol consumption surrounding retirement in different education groups among women and men undergoing retirement using annual data from the Health, Aging and Retirement Transitions in Sweden (HEARTS) study, a longitudinal national study of 60- to 66-year-olds (n = 5,913), from 2015 to 2018. Latent growth curve models were used to estimate trajectories of alcohol consumption. Results showed that those who retired during the follow-up increased their usual weekly alcohol consumption while those who worked or were retired throughout the period had stable drinking habits. Those who were retired reported the highest alcohol consumption. The increase surrounding retirement was driven by people with higher education. Women with tertiary education and men with intermediate or tertiary education increased their weekly alcohol intake after retirement, while those with low education had unchanged drinking habits. Mechanisms and motivations that may fuel increased alcohol intake among people with higher education should be further investigated.

There is a need for research to identify effective implementation strategies for injury prevention training within real-world community sports. The aim of this ecological participatory study was to identify facilitators, among stakeholders at multiple levels, that could help injury prevention training become part of regular training routines in youth team handball. Concept mapping, a mixed-method approach for qualitative data collection and quantitative data analysis, was used. Stakeholders (n = 196) of two community team handball clubs (29% players, 13% coaches, 38% caregivers, 11% club, district and national handball administrators, 9% unknown) participated in a brainstorming process. After the research team synthesized the 235 generated statements, 50 stakeholders (34% players, 22% coaches, 24% caregivers, 20% administrators) sorted 89 unique facilitator statements into clusters and rated them for importance and feasibility. Multidimensional scaling and hierarchical cluster analysis yielded five clusters (stress value 0.231): "Understanding and applying knowledge," "Education, knowledge, and consistency," "Set-up and exercises," "Inspiration, motivation, and routines," and "Club policy and expert collaboration." The cluster "Understanding and applying knowledge" had the highest mean importance (3.17 out of 4) and feasibility (2.93) ratings. The 32 statements rated as both highly important and feasible (Go-zone) indicate action is required at the individual (end-users) and organizational (policymakers) levels to implement injury prevention training. Results suggest that developing evidence-based context-specific injury prevention training, incorporating physiological, biomechanical and psychological components, and an associated context-specific implementation plan in partnership with all stakeholders should be a high priority to facilitate the implementation of injury prevention training in youth team handball.

Background Youth handball players are vulnerable to injuries. Because there is no available injury prevention training specifically developed for youth handball players targeting both upper and lower limbs or incorporating psychological aspects of injury, we undertook the Implementing injury Prevention training ROutines in TEams and Clubs in youth Team handball (I-PROTECT) project. We used an ecological participatory design incorporating the perspectives of multiple stakeholders (health beneficiaries, programme deliverers and policy makers). The aim of this paper was to describe the process of developing the I-PROTECT model, featuring injury prevention training and an accompanying implementation strategy. Design We used the generalisable six-step intervention development process, outlined to guide researchers when developing implementable, evidence-based sports injury prevention interventions, to develop the I-PROTECT model. The six-step process involves establishing a research-stakeholder collaborative partnership to (1) identify and synthesise research evidence and clinical experience; (2) consult with relevant experts; (3) engage end users to ensure their needs, capacity and values are considered; (4) test the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention; (5) evaluate the intervention against theory; and (6) obtain feedback from early implementers. Two community handball clubs in southern Sweden, offering organised training for youth male and female players, and the district handball federation, participate in the intervention development. Drafts of the I-PROTECT model will be developed and revised with key stakeholder advice and input throughout all six steps. Conclusion The I-PROTECT model described will be an end user-driven intervention, including evidence-based, theory-informed and context-specific injury prevention training for youth handball, and an associated implementation strategy.

Purpose

An inverse relationship between mental health problems and academic achievement is a well-known phenomenon in the scientific literature. However, how and when this association develops is not fully understood and there is a lack of longitudinal, population-based studies on young children. Early intervention is important if associations are to be found already during childhood. The aim of the present study was to investigate the development of the association between mental health and academic performance during different developmental periods of childhood and adolescence.

Methods

Data from a longitudinal birth cohort study of 1700 children were used. Child mental health was assessed through mother’s reports at age 3, and self-reports at age 12 and 20. Academic performance was assessed through teacher reports on educational results at age 12 and final grades from compulsory school (age 15–16) and upper secondary school (age 18–19). The association between mental health and academic performance was assessed through regression models.

Results

The results indicate that social selection mechanisms are present in all three periods studied. Behavioral and emotional problems at age 3 were associated with performing below grade at age 12. Similarly, mental health problems at age 12 were associated with lack of complete final grades from compulsory school and non-eligibility to higher education. Academic performance at ages 15 and 19 did not increase the risk for mental health problems at age 20.

Conclusion

Mental health problems in early childhood and adolescence increase the risk for poor academic performance, indicating the need for awareness and treatment to provide fair opportunities to education.

Objective: To investigate the factors related to self-perceived work ability in patients with chronic whiplash-associated disorder grades II-III. Design: Cross-sectional analysis. Patients: A total of 166 working age patients with chronic whiplash-associated disorder. Methods: A comprehensive survey collected data on work ability (using the Work Ability Index); demographic, psychosocial, personal, work- and condition-related factors. Forward, stepwise regression modelling was used to assess the factors related to work ability. Results: The proportion of patients in each work ability category were as follows: poor (12.7%); moderate (39.8%); good (38.5%); excellent (9%). Seven factors explained 65% (adjusted R-2 = 0.65, p less than 0.01) of the variance in work ability. In descending order of strength of association, these factors are: greater neck disability due to pain; reduced self-rated health status and health-related quality of life; increased frequency of concentration problems; poor workplace satisfaction; lower self-efficacy for performing daily tasks; and greater work-related stress. Conclusion: Condition-specific and psychosocial factors are associated with self-perceived work ability of individuals with chronic whiplash-associated disorder.

Introduction: In orthognathic surgery, understanding the patients motives for treatment is a key factor for postoperative patient satisfaction and treatment success. In countries/systems where orthognathic surgery is funded by public means, patients are referred mainly due to functional problems, although studies of quality of life related changes after treatment indicate that psychosocial and aesthetic reasons might be equal or more important for the patient. There is no available validated condition specific instruments in the Swedish language for quality of life evaluation of patients with dentofacial deformities. Aims/objectives: Cross cultural translation and adaptation of the English-language instrument Orthognathic Quality of Life Questionnaire (OQLQ) into Swedish. Methods: OQLQ was translated into Swedish. A total of 121 patients in four groups were recruited and the Swedish version of the OQLQ (OQLQ-S) was tested by psychometric methods. Reliability was assessed by internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Validity was evaluated by face, convergent and discriminant validity. Results/findings and conclusions: OQLQ-S is reliable and showed good construct validity and internal consistency and can be used in a Swedish speaking population as a complement to clinical variables to evaluate patients with dentofacial deformity.

Aims: To evaluate the effect of video information given before cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging on patient anxiety and to compare patient experiences of cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging versus myocardial perfusion scintigraphy. To evaluate if additional information has an impact on motion artefacts. Background: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging and myocardial perfusion scintigraphy are technically advanced methods for the evaluation of heart diseases. Although cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging is considered to be painless, patients may experience anxiety due to the closed environment. Design: A prospective randomized intervention study, not registered. Methods: The sample (n=148) consisted of 97 patients referred for cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging, randomized to receive either video information in addition to standard text-information (CMR-video/n=49) or standard text-information alone (CMR-standard/n=48). A third group undergoing myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (n=51) was compared with the cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging-standard group. Anxiety was evaluated before, immediately after the procedure and one week later. Five questionnaires were used: Cardiac Anxiety Questionnaire, State-Trait-Anxiety Inventory, Hospital-Anxiety and Depression-scale, MRI-Fear-Survey-Schedule and the MRI-Anxiety-Questionnaire. Motion artefacts were evaluated by three observers, blinded to the information given. Data were collected between April 2015 and April 2016. The study followed the CONSORT guidelines RESULT: The CMR-video group scored lower (better) than the cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging-standard group in the factor Relaxation (p=0.039) but not in the factor Anxiety. Anxiety levels were lower during scintigraphic examinations compared to the CMR-standard group (p<0.001). No difference was found regarding motion artefacts between CMR-video and CMR-standard. Conclusion: Patient ability to relax during cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging increased by adding video information prior the exam, which is important in relation to perceived quality in nursing. No effect was seen on motion artefacts. Relevance To Clinical Practice: Video information prior to examinations can be an easy and time effective method to help patients cooperate in imaging procedures.

Objectives Incident reporting (IR) systems have the potential to improve patient safety if they enable learningfrom the reported risks and incidents. The aim of this study was to investigate incidents registered in an IR system in a Swedish county council.

Methods The study was conducted in the County Council of Östergötland, Sweden. Data were retrieved from the IR system, which included 4755 incidents occurring in somatic care that resulted in patient injuries from 2004 to 2012. One hundred correctly classified patient injuries were randomly sampled from 3 injury severity levels: injuries leading to deaths, permanent harm, and temporary harm. Three aspects were analyzed: handling of the incident, causes of the incident, and actions taken to prevent its recurrence.

Results Of the 300 injuries, 79% were handled in the departments where they occurred. The department head decided what actions should be taken to prevent recurrence in response to 95% of the injuries. A total of 448 causes were identified for the injuries; problems associated with procedures, routines, and guidelines were most common. Decisions taken for 80% of the injuries could be classified using the IR system documentation and root cause analysis. The most commonly pursued type of action was change of work routine or guideline.

Conclusions The handling, causes, and actions taken to prevent recurrence were similar for injuries of different severity levels. Various forms of feedback (information, education, and dialogue) were an integral aspect of the IR system. However, this feedback was primarily intradepartmental and did not yield much organizational learning.

When COVID-19 came as an uninvited guest into our everyday lives, nursing in intensive care was affected and thus the studies contain data from both before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before the pandemic, most intensive care units, which care for patients with critical illness in a technical setting, allowed family members to visit the patient 24 hours a day. The intensive care unit is a stressful and frightening environment for both the patient and their family. They can be affected both mentally and physically, showing symptoms such as difficulty sleeping, stress and depression. The intensive cared patient often does not remember anything from the time they were cared for in the intensive care unit, and the family needs to explain and recount this unconscious time. During the pandemic, this changed, with restrictions and limited opportunities to visit the hospital and patient due to virus outbreaks. Family members received information about the patient's medical condition by phone from a physician.   

The overall aim of this thesis was to explore and conceptualise the family functioning of families with a family member treated in the intensive care unit. There was also an intention to describe and evaluate how an intervention affects the family and individual family members in families where a family member received intensive care.

In these studies, qualitative, quantitative, as well as mixed methods were utilised. Participants were adult intensive cared patients from seven intensive care clinics, and their families. The results examined between families are based on the patient and family characteristics.   

The results from study I show that families who have experienced COVID-19 and with a family member who was cared for in an intensive care unit, have existential thoughts.   

Study II shows no major impact on family function between families, but the answers differ within the families who experienced intensive care.   

In study III, concerning families experiencing intensive care and attending family health conversations, there was an awareness of family function. The conversations brought the family closer together, through improved understanding of each other.  

In study IV family functioning, hope and sense of coherence were com-pared among the participants in two intervention groups: Family health conversations and support group conversations. Family functioning and hope were higher in the group that participated in the family health conversations and comprehensibility, meaningfulness and vitality were higher among the participants in the support group conversation.  

By exploring how family function affects the individual family member and the family as a unit during critical illness and intensive care, new ways of working can be strengthened in the care of patients and their families.    

Objectives: In order to provide a deeper understanding of family functioning, the aim of this study was to identify, describe and conceptualise the family functioning of families where a formerly critically ill family member had stayed at the intensive care unit, with the impact of a pandemic.Research methodology/design: The study has a grounded theory design including interviews with eight families.Setting: Former adult intensive care patients cared for Covid-19 infection and their family. Eight patients and twelve family members from three different intensive care units.Main outcome measures: The results presented are grounded in data and identified in the core category "Existential issues" and the categories "Value considerateness; Anxiety and insecurity in life; Insight into the unpredictability of life." Findings: The core category could be found in all data and its relationship and impact on the categories and each other. The core is a theoretical construction, whereas the family functioning of families where a formerly critically ill family member had stayed at the intensive care unit was identified, described, and conceptualised. Being able to talk repeatedly about existential issues and the anxiety and insecurity in life, with people that have similar experiences helps the patient and their family to consider and gain insight into the unpredictability of life, and thereby better cope with changes in life.Conclusion: There is awareness about the love that exists within the family. A willing to supporting each other in the family even if the critical illness made the family anxious and afraid. Implications for clinical practice: Even if the pandemic Covid-19 led to restrictions inhibiting family focused nursing, it is important to confirm the family as a part of the caring of the ICU patient. The patients are not alone, their family are fighting together for the future.

Background:Partners have a burdensome time during and after their partners’ intensive care period. They may appear to be coping welloutwardly but inside feel vulnerable and lost. Evaluated interventions for partners on this aspect are limited.

Aim:The aim of this study was to describe the experience of participating in group communication with other partners of former intensivecare patients.

Design:The study has a descriptive intervention-based design where group communication for partners of former, surviving intensive careunit (ICU) patients was evaluated.

Methods:A strategic selection was made of adult partners to former adult intensive care patients (n=15), 5 men and 10 women, aged37–89 years. Two group communication sessions lasting 2 h were held at monthly intervals with three to five partners. The partners later wrote,in a notebook, about their feelings of participating in group communications. To deepen the understanding of the impact of the sessions, six ofthe partners were interviewed. Content analysis was used to analyse the notebooks and the interviews.

Findings:Three categories were identified: (1) Emotional impact, the partners felt togetherness and experienced worries and gratitude, (2)Confirmation, consciousness through insight and reflection and (3) The meeting design, group constellation and recommendation to participatein group communication.

Conclusion:Partners of an intensive care patient are on a journey, constantly trying to adapt to the new situation and find new strategiesto ever-changing circumstances. Group communications contributed to togetherness and confirmation. To share experiences with others is oneway for partners to be able to move forward in life.

Relevance to clinical practice:Group communication with other patients’ partners eases the process of going through the burden ofbeing a partner to an intensive care patient. Group communications needs to be further developed and evaluated to obtain consensus andevidence for the best practice.

Being cared for in an intensive care unit affects both the patient being cared for and the family in various ways. The family is of great importance for the recovery of the former intensive-care patient. The aim is to explore family functioning and family hardiness in families of former intensive care patients. A cross-sectional study using two self-reported questionnaires. Former adult intensive care patients and their family were recruited to participate between December 2017 and June 2019. The data were coded and entered the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 25, for analysis. To explore questionnaire data, descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed. Scale values were calculated on, both family wise and between the patients and the family members. STROBE checklist was used. Data was collected from 60 families (60 former intensive cared patients and 85 family members) and showed that 50 families scored healthy family functioning and 52 high strengths in hardiness. The data showed small variations between and within families for family functioning and family hardiness, there were only two families scoring low for both family functioning and hardiness. The variation was higher within the families, but there was no significance level.The conclusions were that family functioning and hardiness was, to a large extent, assessed as good by the families. Nevertheless, it is important to help the family obtain information and support. So, the family need to continue to communicate, finding coping abilities and strengths in adopting new strategies to protect the family unit. The family are very important for members mental and physical recovery as the health of one family member affects the family as a unit.

Introduction: When a family member has been critically ill and cared for at an intensive care unit the individual family member as well as the family system are affected and in need of support. The aim of this study was to compare and contrast the responses from 2 different types of follow-up interventions for families of critically ill persons, focusing on individual hopes, health-related quality of life, family functioning and ability to cope with challenges. Method: Adult family members from 3 hospitals attended 1 of 2 interventions 2 months after intensive care. The family health conversation included the family. The support group conversation included just family members and not the patient who had experienced intensive care. Data were collected via self-reported questionnaires and follow-up interviews with family members. Quantitative and qualitative data were first analyzed separately, and the results were then integrated through mixed methods analysis. Results: A total of 38 family members took part in the interventions. Family members in the 2 intervention groups talked about how they had more hope for the future, and about how talking within the family and the group had helped them justify their feelings, which empowered them in the transition toward a healthier quality of life. Comparisons of the interventions show a higher significance of family function and hope in the family health conversation. Discussion: The article illustrates a disparity between how family members function and the needs they have for follow-up. We discuss what kind of follow-up these persons need.

Our objective was to assess parents' expectations about participating in antenatal parenthood education classes and to determine whether their expectations might be related to gender, age, and educational level. Data from 1,117 women and 1,019 partners residing in three cities in Sweden were collected with a questionnaire in a cross-sectional study. Participants believed that antenatal education classes would help them to feel more secure as parents and to be better oriented toward childbirth. Men had more positive expectations about the childbirth than the women. The participants mostly wanted help in preparing for parenthood and in learning infant care skills, followed by help in preparing for childbirth. The participants' expectations were affected by gender, age, and educational level. The expectant parents appeared to want more focus on preparation for parenthood than on childbirth.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify the challenges, strategies and needs of dyads who are dealing with postoperative heart failure.

Background: An increasing number of patients with postoperative heart failure are living with their partner as primary caregiver. Heart failure is known to reduce quality of life but little is known about the strategies dyads use to cope with postoperative heart failure or what kind of support they need.

Methods: Data were collected through semi-structured dialogue guides. Content analysis was performed to derive the main themes and categories of the data.

Results: Three main themes were derived from the data; Everyday challenges, Strategies to deal with everyday challenges and Factors facilitating everyday life.

Conclusions: Dyads living with postoperative heart failure find the change in everyday life challenging, but have strategies to handle the situation and know what kind of help they need. With the right help from health care, quality of life and self-care can be improved.