Conectar
Timor-Leste has one of the world’s highest estimated tuberculosis (TB) incidences, yet the data which informs this estimate is limited and the true burden of TB disease is not known. TB prevalence surveys offer the best means of determining robust estimates of disease burden. This study aims to provide an estimate of the prevalence of bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary TB in Timor-Leste and provide additional insights into diagnostic coverage and health-seeking behaviour of persons with symptoms suggestive of TB.
A national population-based cross-sectional cluster survey will be conducted in which participants aged 15 years and older will be screened for pulmonary TB using an algorithm consisting of symptom screening and digital X-ray of the chest with computer-aided detection software for X-ray interpretation. Xpert Ultra and liquid culture methods will be used to confirm survey TB cases. Additional data will be collected from persons reporting symptoms suggestive of TB to assess health-seeking behaviour and access to TB diagnosis and care. The survey aims to screen a target sample population of 20 068 people, living within 50 clusters, representing every municipality of Timor-Leste. Bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary TB prevalence will be estimated using WHO-recommended methods.
Research ethics approval has been granted by the human research ethics committee of the Northern Territory, Australia, and the Instituto Nacional da Saúde, Timor-Leste. The results will be published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal and disseminated with relevant stakeholders.
ACTRN12623000718640.
For individuals with mobility limitations, virtual exercise programmes can address the challenges of in-person participation in community exercise programmes. A synthesis of studies of virtual exercise programmes targeting mobility limitations provided outside of conventional rehabilitation services and strategies used to optimise equitable access and inclusivity in these programmes is lacking. We aim to characterise evaluations of virtual exercise programmes for adults with mobility limitations, and the nature of and extent to which equity, diversity and inclusion considerations are integrated in the research process.
A scoping review following a six-stage methodological framework, including a consultation exercise, is proposed. A comprehensive strategy will be used to search Medline, Embase, PEDro, CINAHL and Scopus to identify peer-reviewed studies evaluating virtual exercise programmes for adults with mobility limitations living in the community. Three trained reviewers will select studies independently. Data (eg, study methodology, programme structure and content, participant characteristics) will be extracted using a standardised form, and collated and summarised using quantitative and qualitative methods. The PROGRESS-Plus and International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health frameworks will be used to classify participant characteristics and study outcomes, respectively. During the consultation exercise, key knowledge users, including exercise participants, programme providers and coordinators, and members of community organisations for persons living with disabilities and under-represented groups, will be asked to provide insights regarding the applicability of review findings. A directed content analysis of data from the consultation exercise will be performed.
The research ethics board at the University of Toronto approved the consultation exercise. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. Findings will enhance understanding of current research evaluating virtual exercise programmes and inform future research and strategies for promoting equitable access and outcomes for individuals with mobility limitations.
To study the association between risk for hospitalisation in an elderly population related to renal function, number of chronic diseases and number of prescribed drugs.
A case–control study. Persons hospitalised were included and their controls were obtained from electronic hospital medical records. If data were lacking on creatinine levels, multiple imputation was used.
Blekinge County in southwestern Sweden.
Study of individuals aged 75 years or older in 2013. We identified a total of 2,941 patients with a first hospitalisation. Of these, 81 were excluded, 78 due to incomplete data and 3 because of lack of control persons. Controls were matched to the same sex and birth year, which resulted in 5720 persons.
To analyse the OR for hospitalisation conditional logistic regression was used.
A total of 695 persons lacked creatinine value. Using imputation values comparing persons with estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) 2 with ≥30 univariate analyses showed an increased OR 2.35 (95% CI 1.83 to 3.03). Adjusted analyses demonstrated an OR of 1.90 (95% CI 1.46 to 2.47). Comparing eGFR2 against ≥45 univariate analyses showed OR 1.38 (95% CI 1.22 to 1.57). Adjusted analyses OR for the same group were 1.17 (95% CI 1.03 to 1.33). In both models, the OR for five or more chronic conditions and five or more medications showed a statistically increased risk for hospitalisation.
There is a need for systems using data collected in routine care to follow elderly patients to minimise avoidable hospitalisations that can cause adverse effects. Renal function, number of chronic conditions and medications are factors that are of significant importance. This study demonstrates the complexity of this patient group.
The objective was to identify modifiable prognostic factors of high societal costs among people on sick leave due to musculoskeletal disorders, and to identify modifiable prognostic factors of high costs related to separately healthcare utilisation and productivity loss.
A prospective cohort study with a 1-year follow-up.
A total of 549 participants (aged 18–67 years) on sick leave (≥ 4 weeks) due to musculoskeletal disorders in Norway were included.
The primary outcome was societal costs aggregated for 1 year of follow-up and dichotomised as high or low, defined by the top 25th percentile. Secondary outcomes were high costs related to separately healthcare utilisation and productivity loss aggregated for 1 year of follow-up. Healthcare utilisation was collected from public records and included primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare use. Productivity loss was collected from public records and included absenteeism, work assessment allowance and disability pension. Nine modifiable prognostic factors were selected based on previous literature. Univariable and multivariable binary logistic regression analyses were performed to identify associations (crude and adjusted for selected covariates) between each modifiable prognostic factor and having high costs.
Adjusted for selected covariates, six modifiable prognostic factors associated with high societal costs were identified: pain severity, disability, self-perceived health, sleep quality, return to work expectation and long-lasting disorder expectation. Depressive symptoms, work satisfaction and health literacy showed no prognostic value. More or less similar results were observed when high costs were related to separately healthcare utilisation and productivity loss.
Factors identified in this study are potential target areas for interventions which could reduce high societal costs among people on sick leave due to musculoskeletal disorders. However, future research aimed at replicating these findings is warranted.
NCT04196634, 12 December 2019.
Tuberculosis (TB) remains a leading cause of mortality among women of childbearing age and a significant contributor to maternal mortality. Pregnant women with TB are at high risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. This study aimed to determine risk factors for an adverse pregnancy outcome among pregnant women diagnosed with TB.
Using TB programmatic data, this retrospective cohort analysis included all women who were routinely diagnosed with TB in the public sector between October 2018 and March 2020 in two health subdistricts of Cape Town, and who were documented to be pregnant during their TB episode. Adverse pregnancy outcome was defined as either a live birth of an infant weighing
Of 248 pregnant women, half (52%) were living with HIV; all were on antiretroviral therapy at the time of their TB diagnosis. Pregnancy outcomes were documented in 215 (87%) women, of whom 74 (34%) had an adverse pregnancy outcome. Being older (35–44 years vs 25–34 years (adjusted OR (aOR): 3.99; 95% CI: 1.37 to 11.57), living with HIV (aOR: 2.72; 95% CI: 0.99 to 4.63), having an unfavourable TB outcome (aOR: 2.29; 95% CI: 1.03 to 5.08) and having presented to antenatal services ≤1 month prior to delivery (aOR: 10.57; 95% CI: 4.01 to 27.89) were associated with higher odds of an adverse pregnancy outcome.
Pregnancy outcomes among women with TB were poor, irrespective of HIV status. Pregnant women with TB are a complex population who need additional support prior to, during and after TB treatment to improve TB treatment and pregnancy outcomes. Pregnancy status should be considered for inclusion in TB registries.
Canada’s long-term care (LTC) homes were founded on an institutional model that viewed residents as passive recipients of care. Many homes continue to follow this model leaving residents removed from operational decision-making within their homes. However, involving residents in the design of their LTC home’s environment, programmes and operations can improve the residents’ quality of life and other outcomes. This codesign project creates a toolkit/resource for LTC homes to facilitate meaningful resident engagement in their home’s organisational design and governance.
This three-part project consists of a scoping review, qualitative interviews, toolkit/resource development and prototyping. In part 1, we conduct a scoping review to synthesise existing knowledge on approaches to engaging LTC home residents in organisational design and governance of their LTC homes, as well as explore barriers, challenges and facilitators of engagement, considerations for diversity and cognitive change, and approaches to evaluation. In part 2, we will have interviews and focus groups with residents, team members (staff) and administrators to assess community capacity to implement and sustain a programme to engage LTC residents in organisational design and governance of their LTC homes. The third part of our project uses these findings to help codesign toolkit(s)/resource(s) to enable the engagement of LTC residents in the organisational design and governance of their LTC homes.
The project is conducted in partnership with the Ontario Association of Residents’ Councils. We will leverage their communication to disseminate findings and support the use of the codesigned toolkit(s)/resource(S) with knowledge users. We will also publish the study results in an academic journal and present at conferences, webinars and workshops. These results can influence practices within LTC homes by inspiring an organisational culture where residents help shape the place they call home. The interviews and focus groups, conducted in part 2, have been submitted to the University Health Network Research Ethics Board.
Autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT) is increasingly used as treatment for patients with active multiple sclerosis (MS), typically after failure of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs). A recent phase III trial, ‘Multiple Sclerosis International Stem Cell Transplant, MIST’, showed that aHSCT resulted in prolonged time to disability progression compared with DMTs in patients with relapsing remitting MS (RRMS). However, the MIST trial did not include many of the current high-efficacy DMTs (alemtuzumab, ocrelizumab, ofatumumab or cladribine) in use in the UK within the control arm, which are now offered to patients with rapidly evolving severe MS (RES-MS) who are treatment naïve. There remain, therefore, unanswered questions about the relative efficacy and safety of aHSCT over these high-efficacy DMTs in these patient groups. The StarMS trial (Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation versus Alemtuzumab, Ocrelizumab, Ofatumumab or Cladribine in Relapsing Remitting Multiple Sclerosis) will assess the efficacy, safety and long-term impact of aHSCT compared with high-efficacy DMTs in patients with highly active RRMS despite the use of standard DMTs or in patients with treatment naïve RES-MS.
StarMS is a multicentre parallel-group rater-blinded randomised controlled trial with two arms. A total of 198 participants will be recruited from 19 regional neurology secondary care centres in the UK. Participants will be randomly allocated to the aHSCT arm or DMT arm in a 1:1 ratio. Participants will remain in the study for 2 years with follow-up visits at 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months postrandomisation. The primary outcome is the proportion of patients who achieve ‘no evidence of disease activity’ during the 2-year postrandomisation follow-up period in an intention to treat analysis. Secondary outcomes include efficacy, safety, cost-effectiveness and immune reconstitution of aHSCT and the four high-efficacy DMTs.
The study was approved by the Yorkshire and Humber—Leeds West Research Ethics Committee (20/YH/0061). Participants will provide written informed consent prior to any study specific procedures. The study results will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal and abstracts will be submitted to relevant national and international conferences.
The empty pelvis syndrome is a significant source of morbidity following pelvic exenteration surgery. It remains poorly defined with research in this field being heterogeneous and of low quality. Furthermore, there has been minimal engagement with patient representatives following pelvic exenteration with respect to the empty pelvic syndrome. ‘PelvEx—Beating the empty pelvis syndrome’ aims to engage both patient representatives and healthcare professionals to achieve an international consensus on a core outcome set, pathophysiology and mitigation of the empty pelvis syndrome.
A modified-Delphi approach will be followed with a three-stage study design. First, statements will be longlisted using a recent systematic review, healthcare professional event, patient and public engagement, and Delphi piloting. Second, statements will be shortlisted using up to three rounds of online modified Delphi. Third, statements will be confirmed and instruments for measurable statements selected using a virtual patient-representative consensus meeting, and finally a face-to-face healthcare professional consensus meeting.
The University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine ethics committee has approved this protocol, which is registered as a study with the Core Outcome Measures in Effectiveness Trials Initiative. Publication of this study will increase the potential for comparative research to further understanding and prevent the empty pelvis syndrome.
To reduce obesity-related disparities, reaching economically disadvantaged and/or minority status adolescents to assist them in meeting physical activity (PA) and nutrition recommendations is important. To address the problem, a 16-week intervention called Guys/Girls Opt for Activities for Life (GOAL) was designed. The purpose of this randomised controlled trial is to evaluate any effect of the intervention, compared with a control condition, on improving: (1) adolescents’ % body fat (primary outcome), moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), diet quality and cardiorespiratory fitness from 0 to 4 months; (2) body mass index (BMI), overweight/obesity percentage and quality of life from 0 to 4 months and to 13 months; and (3) perceived social support, self-efficacy and motivation from 0 to 4 months with evaluation of any mediating effect on adolescent PA and diet quality. An exploratory aim is to evaluate any effect of the intervention, compared with the control, on improving parents’/guardians’ home environment, MVPA and diet quality from 0 to 4 months; and BMI from 0 to 4 months and to 13 months.
Adolescents (fifth to eighth grade) in 14 schools located in underserved urban communities are randomly assigned to the intervention or usual school offerings. One parent per adolescent is enrolled (882 dyads total). Cohort 1 includes four schools (2022–2023). Cohorts 2 and 3 include 5 schools in 2023–2024 and 2024–2025, respectively. The 16-week intervention has three components: (1) after-school GOAL club for adolescents to engage in PA and healthy eating/cooking activities; (2) three parent–adolescent meetings to empower parents to assist adolescents; and (3) GOAL social networking website for parents to share how they helped their adolescent.
The Michigan State University Biomedical Institutional Review Board provided ethical approval for the study. Findings will be shared via the trial registration database, peer-reviewed publications, conferences and community-oriented strategies.
There are limited therapeutic options to efficiently treat patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis. This trial aims to explore the efficacy and safety of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) for the treatment of patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis.
This study is an open-label, dose-escalation, one-armed phase I trial. A single injection of UC-MSCs will be administered in a predetermined dose in each cohort (5.0x107, 1.0x108, 1.5x108 or 2.0x108 cells) according to the ‘3+3’ rule. The primary evaluation measures will include the incidence of adverse events and the change in the Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score from baseline to the 28th day. Secondary evaluation measures will be evaluated at baseline and at each follow-up point. These measures will include the change in the MELD score from baseline to each follow-up point, the incidence of each complication associated with decompensated cirrhosis, liver transplant-free survival and the incidence of liver failure, among other relevant measures. All patients will be followed up for 24 months. This study will evaluate whether the use of UC-MSCs to treat patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis is safe and tolerable.
The study has been approved by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital (Approval#: 2018-107-D-4). Once conducted, the results from the study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.
Obesity is one of the main threats to public health in western countries and increases the risk of several diseases, overall morbidity and mortality. Sustained weight loss will reduce risk factors and improve several obesity comorbidities. Options are conservative treatment such as lifestyle changes, bariatric surgery or medications. Conservative treatment has a low success rate, and bariatric surgery is typically not reversible, with the risk of complications and recurrences. Treatment of obesity with medications has in recent years shown great promise, but the side effects are many, and the long-term effect is unknown. There is also a need for an option for patients where surgery has contraindications and conservative follow-up does not succeed.
The research on obesity and gut microbiota has yielded promising results regarding weight reduction and metabolic health, but more research is needed to better understand the relationship between gut microbiota and severe obesity. This study could show proof of concept that gut microbiota from a lean donor could, in addition to lifestyle intervention, contribute to weight reduction in people suffering from severe obesity.
This study aims to investigate if a fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) from a lean donor leads to weight reduction in participants suffering from severe obesity. The study is a single-centre, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study with 60 participants. Participants will be randomised 1:1 for FMT from a lean donor or placebo. FMT or placebo will be delivered once by enema.
We will include participants from the outpatient clinic for severe obesity, at the Medical Department, University Hospital of North Norway, Harstad, by invitation only. The study has a follow-up period of 12 months, with study visits of 3, 6 and 12 months post FMT. The primary endpoint is a weight reduction of ≥10%, 12 months after intervention.
The results of the study will be published in open access journals. At the end of the study, the participants will receive information on which treatment group they belong to.
The Regional Ethical Committee in North Norway (REK) approved the study protocol (2017/1655/REK Nord). We plan to present the results from the study at (inter)national conferences and publish in open-access general peer-reviewed journals. The enema method for FMT administration used in this study was developed by our study team.
The QCovid 2 and 3 algorithms are risk prediction tools developed during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic that can be used to predict the risk of COVID-19 hospitalisation and mortality, taking vaccination status into account. In this study, we assess their performance in Scotland.
We used the Early Pandemic Evaluation and Enhanced Surveillance of COVID-19 national data platform consisting of individual-level data for the population of Scotland (5.4 million residents). Primary care data were linked to reverse-transcription PCR virology testing, hospitalisation and mortality data. We assessed the discrimination and calibration of the QCovid 2 and 3 algorithms in predicting COVID-19 hospitalisations and deaths between 8 December 2020 and 15 June 2021.
Our validation dataset comprised 465 058 individuals, aged 19–100. We found the following performance metrics (95% CIs) for QCovid 2 and 3: Harrell’s C 0.84 (0.82 to 0.86) for hospitalisation, and 0.92 (0.90 to 0.94) for death, observed-expected ratio of 0.24 for hospitalisation and 0.26 for death (ie, both the number of hospitalisations and the number of deaths were overestimated), and a Brier score of 0.0009 (0.00084 to 0.00096) for hospitalisation and 0.00036 (0.00032 to 0.0004) for death.
We found good discrimination of the QCovid 2 and 3 algorithms in Scotland, although performance was worse in higher age groups. Both the number of hospitalisations and the number of deaths were overestimated.
This study explored cancer pain management practices and clinical care pathways used by healthcare professionals (HCPs) to understand the barriers and facilitators for standardised pain management in oncology outpatient services (OS).
Data were collected using semistructured interviews that were audio-recorded and transcribed. The data were analysed using thematic analysis.
Three NHS trusts with oncology OS in Northern England.
Twenty HCPs with varied roles (eg, oncologist and nurse) and experiences (eg, registrar and consultant) from different cancer site clinics (eg, breast and lung). Data were analysed using thematic analysis.
HCPs discussed cancer pain management practices during consultation and supporting continuity of care beyond consultation. Key findings included : (1) HCPs’ level of clinical experience influenced pain assessments; (2) remote consulting impeded experienced HCPs to do detailed pain assessments; (3) diffusion of HCP responsibility to manage cancer pain; (4) nurses facilitated pain management support with patients and (5) continuity of care for pain management was constrained by the integration of multidisciplinary teams.
These data demonstrate HCP cancer pain management practices varied and were unstructured. Recommendations are made for a standardised cancer pain management intervention: (1) detailed evaluation of pain with a tailored self-management strategy; (2) implementation of a structured pain assessment that supports remote consultations, (3) pain assessment tool that can support both experienced and less experienced clinicians. These findings will inform the development of a cancer pain management tool to integrate within routine oncology OS.
This study aims to evaluate the effect of congenital ectopia lentis (CEL) on functional vision and eye-related quality of life (ER-QOL) in children and their families using the Paediatric Eye Questionnaire (PedEyeQ).
A questionnaire survey administered via in-person interviews of patients with CEL and their parents.
51 children with CEL and 53 visually normal controls accompanied by 1 parent completed the survey questionnaires for the study from March 2022 to September 2022.
PedEyeQ domain scores. Functional vision and ER-QOL of children and their families were evaluated by calculating and comparing the Rasch domain scores of the PedEyeQ.
PedEyeQ domain scores were significantly worse with CEL compared with controls (p
In this study, children with CEL had reduced functional vision and ER-QOL compared with controls. Parents of children with CEL also experience reduced quality of life.
Ageing in place (AIP) for persons with dementia is encouraged by European governments and societies. Healthcare packages may need reassessment to account for the preferences of care funders, patients and informal caregivers. By providing insight into people’s preferences, discrete choice experiments (DCEs) can help develop consensus between stakeholders. This protocol paper outlines the development of a Dutch national study to cocreate a healthcare package design methodology built on DCEs that is person-centred and helps support informal caregivers and persons with dementia to AIP. A subpopulation analysis of persons with dementia with a migration background is planned due to their high risk for dementia and under-representation in research and care.
The DCE is designed to understand how persons with dementia and informal caregivers choose between different healthcare packages. Qualitative methods are used to identify and prioritise important care components for persons with dementia to AIP. This will provide a list of care components that will be included in the DCE, to quantify the care needs and preferences of persons with dementia and informal caregivers. The DCE will identify individual and joint preferences to AIP. The relative importance of each attribute will be calculated. The DCE data will be analysed with the use of a random parameters logit model.
Ethics approval was waived by the Amsterdam University Medical Center (W23_112 #23.137). A study summary will be available on the websites of Alzheimer Nederland, Pharos and Amsterdam Public Health institute. Results are expected to be presented at (inter)national conferences, peer-reviewed papers will be submitted, and a dissemination meeting will be held to bring stakeholders together. The study results will help improve healthcare package design for all stakeholders.
This study aimed to determine best practices for involving family caregivers in interventions aimed at preventing and reducing responsive behaviour stemming from unmet needs, including pain.
Scoping review, reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews, Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews reporting guideline.
PubMed, Embase, Emcare, Web of Science, COCHRANE Library, PsycINFO, Academic Search Premier and Cinahl searched up to 23 July 2023.
Studies reporting on family involvement in interventions for nursing home residents with dementia were included.
Two researchers independently extracted the data, followed by a content analysis.
Of the 1486 records screened, 20 studies were included. Family caregivers were involved in interventions aimed at planning care, life review (eg, documentation of life experiences of their relative), and selecting activities for their relative. Family caregivers preferred an active role in developing optimal care for their relative. Drivers of success and barriers to family involvement centred around three themes: (1) communication between all involved; (2) prerequisites (organisational and other conditions) and (3) personal circumstances (family’s coping and skills).
Best practices for involving family caregivers in interventions aimed at addressing responsive behaviour in residents with dementia concerned those interventions in which family caregivers were given an important role in managing responsive behaviour. This means that, in order to achieve an active role of family caregivers in the whole care process, their needs must be taken into account.
The protocol of the review was regisered at OSF; https://osf.io/twcfq
Relative to outdoor air pollution, there is little evidence examining the composition and concentrations of indoor air pollution and its associated health impacts. The INGENIOUS project aims to provide the comprehensive understanding of indoor air pollution in UK homes.
‘Real Home Assessment’ is a cross-sectional, multimethod study within INGENIOUS. This study monitors indoor air pollutants over 2 weeks using low-cost sensors placed in three rooms in 300 Born in Bradford (BiB) households. Building audits are completed by researchers, and participants are asked to complete a home survey and a health and behaviour questionnaire, in addition to recording household activities and health symptoms on at least 1 weekday and 1 weekend day. A subsample of 150 households will receive more intensive measurements of volatile organic compound and particulate matter for 3 days. Qualitative interviews conducted with 30 participants will identify key barriers and enablers of effective ventilation practices. Outdoor air pollution is measured in 14 locations across Bradford to explore relationships between indoor and outdoor air quality. Data will be analysed to explore total concentrations of indoor air pollutants, how these vary with building characteristics, and whether they are related to health symptoms. Interviews will be analysed through content and thematic analysis.
Ethical approval has been obtained from the NHS Health Research Authority Yorkshire and the Humber (Bradford Leeds) Research Ethics Committee (22/YH/0288). We will disseminate findings using our websites, social media, publications and conferences. Data will be open access through the BiB, the Open Science Framework and the UK Data Service.
Successful antiviral therapy has transformed HIV infection into a chronic condition, where optimising quality of life (QoL) has become essential for successful lifelong treatment. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) can signal potential physical and mental health problems related to QoL. This study aims to determine whether PROMs in routine clinical care improve quality of care as experienced by people with HIV (PWH).
We report the protocol of a multicentre longitudinal cohort studying PWH at Amsterdam University Medical Centres in the Netherlands. PROMs are offered annually to patients via the patient portal of the electronic health record. Domains include anxiety, depression, fatigue, sleep disturbances, social isolation, physical functioning, stigma, post-traumatic stress disorder, adherence, drug and alcohol use and screening questions for sexual health and issues related to finances, housing and migration status. Our intervention comprises (1) patients’ completion of PROMs, (2) discussion of PROMs scores during annual consultations and (3) documentation of follow-up actions in an individualised care plan, if indicated. The primary endpoint will be patient-experienced quality of care, measured by the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care, Short Form (PACIC-S). Patients will provide measurements at baseline, year 1 and year 2. We will explore change over time in PACIC-S and PROMs scores and examine the sociodemographical and HIV-specific characteristics of subgroups of patients who participated in all or only part of the intervention to ascertain whether benefit has been achieved from our intervention in all subgroups.
Patients provide consent for the analysis of data collected as part of routine clinical care to the AIDS Therapy Evaluation in the Netherlands study (ATHENA) cohort through mechanisms described in Boender et al. Additional ethical approval for the analysis of these data is not required under the ATHENA cohort protocol. The results will be presented at national and international academic meetings and submitted to peer-reviewed journals for publication.
‘Healthier Wealthier Families’ (HWF) seeks to reduce financial hardship in the early years by embedding a referral pathway between Australia’s universal child and family health (CFH) services and financial counselling. This pilot study investigated the feasibility and short-term impacts of HWF, adapted from a successful Scottish initiative.
Setting: CFH services in five sites across two states, coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants: Caregivers of children aged 0–5 years experiencing financial hardship (study-designed screen). Design: Mixed methods. With limited progress using a randomised trial (RCT) design in sites 1–3 (March 2020–November 2021), qualitative interviews with service providers identified implementation barriers including stigma, lack of knowledge of financial counselling, low financial literacy, research burden and pandemic disruption. This informed a simplified RCT protocol (site 4) and direct referral model (no randomisation, pre–post evaluation, site 5) (June 2021–May 2022). Intervention: financial counselling; comparator: usual care (sites 1–4). Feasibility measures: proportions of caregivers screened, enrolled, followed up and who accessed financial counselling. Impact measures: finances (quantitative) and other (qualitative) to 6 months post-enrolment.
355/434 caregivers completed the screen (60%–100% across sites). In RCT sites (1–4), 79/365 (19%–41%) reported hardship but less than one-quarter enrolled. In site 5, n=66/69 (96%) caregivers reported hardship and 44/66 (67%) engaged with financial counselling; common issues were utility debts (73%), and obtaining entitlements (43%) or material aid/emergency relief (27%). Per family, financial counselling increased income from government entitlements by an average $A6504 annually plus $A784 from concessions, grants, brokerage and debt waivers. Caregivers described benefits (qualitative) including reduced stress, practical help, increased knowledge and empowerment.
Financial hardship screening via CFH was acceptable to caregivers, direct referral was feasible, but individual randomisation was infeasible. Larger-scale implementation will require careful, staged adaptations where CFH populations and the intervention are well matched and low burden evaluation.
ACTRN12620000154909.
Community Paramedicine (CP) is increasingly being used to provide chronic disease management for vulnerable populations in the community. CP@clinic took place in social housing buildings to support cardiovascular health and diabetes management for older adults. The purpose of this study was to examine participant perceptions of their experience with CP@clinic as well as potential ongoing programme benefits.
This descriptive qualitative study used focus groups to understand resident experiences of the CP@clinic programme. Groups were facilitated by experienced moderators using a semistructured guide. An inductive coding approach was used with at least two researchers taking part in each step of the analysis process.
Community-based social housing buildings in Ontario, Canada.
Forty-one participants from four CP@clinic sites took part in a focus group. Convenience sampling was used with anyone having taken part in a CP@clinic session being eligible to attend the focus group.
Analysis yielded six themes across two broad areas: timely access to health information and services, support to achieve personal health goals, better understanding of healthcare system (Personal Benefits); and sense of community, comfortable and familiar place to talk about health, facilitated communication between healthcare professionals (Programme Structure). Participants experienced discernible health changes that motivated their participation. CP@clinic was viewed as a programme that created connections within the building and outside of it. Participants were enthusiastic for the continuation of the programme and appreciated the consistent support to meet their health goals.
CP@clinic was successful in creating a supportive and friendly environment to facilitate health behavioural changes. Ongoing implementation of CP@clinic would allow residents to continue to build their chronic disease management knowledge and skills.
Trial registration number: NCT02152891, Clinicaltrials.gov.
FreshRSS 