Menopause is a significant milestone for women, marking the permanent cessation of menstruation after 12 months of amenorrhoea. The onset of menopause is influenced by various factors, including genetics, lifestyle and...

Self-determination is a key dimension of quality of life for people with intellectual disabilities, that is, acting freely and willfully to make things happen in one’s own life.1 The United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities recognises self-determination as a human right, in contrast to historic paternalisation in...

Nursing research often tests complex interventions. For example, the intervention may be delivered by different nurses, with varying levels of seniority and expertise and in diverse geographical locations. The efficacy (can it work) or effectiveness (does it work in the real world) of complex interventions is often evaluated within randomised controlled trials (RCTs). The most recent UK Medical Research Council (MRC) guidance1 on developing and evaluating complex interventions has shifted the emphasis from a focus of solely understanding whether or not an intervention achieves its intended outcomes to additional considerations such as why and how an intervention may, or may not, have an effect. The complex nature of the intervention, and the context within which it is delivered, means that there are multiple other processes that may influence whether or not the intervention is effective in real-world clinical practice.2 Process evaluations are recommended...

Nurses, despite playing a significant role in healthcare, have been found to possess poor dietary habits and face elevated rates of chronic illnesses. A recent systematic review by Marko and colleagues explored factors influencing healthy eating among nurses in hospital settings. Barriers included high accessibility of unhealthy foods, high costs and lack of storage/preparation facilities. Enablers included proximity to healthy options, roster planning and structured workplace programmes. Supportive networks were an interpersonal enabler, while work culture and...

In the setting of increasing adoption of virtual healthcare and the surge in electronic patient messages, there has been a higher workload for physicians and nurses, contributing to burnout and potentially terse, unanswered or unhelpful patient messages. Given these challenges, there is a need to explore innovative solutions...

King et al conducted a systematic review of interventions aimed at reducing medication errors during inpatient rounds in children’s hospitals.1 Medication errors in hospitals may arise at many points in a complicated cascade of steps...

Healthy eating patterns play a prominent role in preserving public health. The association between dietary patterns with the mortality risk has been investigated in numerous countries.1 2

Providing maternity care that is trauma informed, respectful, supportive and promotes patient autonomy, agency and cultural beliefs may encourage lower rates of freebirth.

More research is needed to articulate motivations for freebirth among diverse populations and translate trauma informed and respectful maternity care principles across systems and service providers.

Unassisted childbirth (outside a hospital facility with no professional attendant) is common in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs), where barriers to access and poverty delimit engagement in maternity healthcare services. However, even in high-income countries (HICs) where maternity healthcare services are more attainable, a small percentage of birthing people are choosing unassisted birth, a...

The rapid growth of technology, including increased internet access and smartphone usage, has made digital legacy management an important aspect of end-of-life care. Digital legacy refers to the digital assets and online presence that individuals leave behind after they pass away.1 However, a study on healthcare professionals indicated that a significant majority...

The problem addressed in this study is the contribution of cardiovascular risk factors to a healthier life expectancy.1 Life expectancy has been boosted in recent decades in developed countries, but not all of the increased life expectancy elapses in good health.2 This study aims to investigate the associations between levels of cardiovascular health through Life’s Essential...

Non-English speakers (NES) and limited English proficiency (LEP) populations are growing.1 Children from NES/LEP families are vulnerable to health disparities and experience poorer health.2 It is important to provide equitable care to NES/LEP populations. Generating applicable evidence requires inclusion of NES/LEP populations in research. However, inclusion of NES/LEP populations in research is understudied. Additionally, unlike requirements to justify exclusion of other populations, inclusion...

Most types of fatigue cannot be directly observed; therefore, its importance and treatment are often overlooked. Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) and its treatment differs greatly from the fatigue experienced by the general population. Previous studies have shown that comprehensive support tailored to the individual’s priorities can positively encourage appropriate management of CRF. Planning CRF self-management interventions is crucial...

Reducing early-life health inequalities is a critical challenge amid the COVID-19 socioeconomic impact.1 Sociostructural policies addressing upstream determinants are important, but evidence is limited compared with individual interventions—a discrepancy known as the inverse evidence law.2 3 To...

Unplanned readmissions within 30 days and 6 months postdischarge are notably common in patients with HF.1 2 Effective self-care behaviours are essential to lower readmissions. However, the trajectories of self-care behaviours throughout the HF progression can vary among patients.3 Limited research studies have examined the relationships among the influencing variables, self-care behaviours and readmissions over...

Many healthcare practitioners suffer from a lack of competence in death...

This integrative review1 investigates the evidence for incorporating AI-based DSS in mental healthcare as a partial solution to an escalating care demand which can lead to staff’s burnout and potentially unfinished or missed care. Rightly, the authors of this review mention wider systemic problems such as under-resourcing and staff shortages. A DSS is an information...

The incidence of falls increases with age with approximately a third of people over the age of 65 years experiencing one or more falls a year. These falls can result in significant injuries, such as a fracture or even death. Dementia is largely a condition associated with age and there is a growing interest and body of research that explores the...

Smoking cessation in stroke survivors is associated with a reduction in vascular events and death.1 Despite this, less than half of stroke survivors stop smoking2 although if the stroke affects the insular cortex, cessation is easier.3 Clinical practice often fails to go beyond brief counselling to encourage people to stop smoking...