FreshRSS

🔒
❌ Acerca de FreshRSS
Hay nuevos artículos disponibles. Pincha para refrescar la página.
AnteayerTus fuentes RSS

Exploring the experiences of mental health nurses in the management of schizophrenia in the Upper East Region of Ghana: a qualitative study

Por: Daliri · D. B. · Laari · T. T. · Abagye · N. · Afaya · A.
Objective

Schizophrenia is a chronic condition, of which the diagnosis and management require comprehensive care. The role mental health nurses play in this management cannot be overemphasised. In an effort to give their best, several challenges confront them which need to be sought and addressed. This study aimed to explore the factors that influence the management of schizophrenia by mental health nurses in the Upper East Region.

Design and participants

A descriptive phenomenology design was used in this study. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted among 18 purposively sampled mental health nurses using a semistructured interview guide. Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically using Colaizzi’s approach.

Setting

The study was conducted in five primary and secondary-level health facilities in the Upper East Region of Ghana.

Findings

Five themes were deduced from the theoretical framework, which were as follows: individual factors, interpersonal factors, organisational factors, community-level factors, and policy-level factors. At the individual level, factors such as the condition of the patient at presentation, medication side effects, inadequate knowledge, and poor adherence were identified. Interpersonal factors identified were poor communication, lack of mutual respect, and poor communication, while organisational factors such as inadequate staff, inadequate infrastructure and logistics, and unavailability of antipsychotics were reported. Moreover, the study identified community-level factors such as stigma and cultural beliefs, while policy-level factors such as laws regarding suicide, patient rights, and non-inclusion of mental health services into the National Health Insurance Scheme were reported as factors influencing the management of schizophrenia by mental health nurses.

Conclusions

Addressing these factors is essential to ensure sustainable improvements and the effective management of schizophrenia. It is imperative to consider these factors when designing interventions and policies to optimise the management of schizophrenia by mental health nurses in Ghana.

Association between long-term use of calcium channel blockers (CCB) and the risk of breast cancer: a retrospective longitudinal observational study protocol

Por: Ho · C. · Ha · N. T. · Youens · D. · Abhayaratna · W. P. · Bulsara · M. K. · Hughes · J. D. · Mishra · G. · Pearson · S.-A. · Preen · D. B. · Reid · C. M. · Ruiter · R. · Saunders · C. M. · Stricker · B. H. · van Rooij · F. J. A. · Wright · C. · Moorin · R.
Introduction

Calcium channel blockers (CCB), a commonly prescribed antihypertensive (AHT) medicine, may be associated with increased risk of breast cancer. The proposed study aims to examine whether long-term CCB use is associated with the development of breast cancer and to characterise the dose–response nature of any identified association, to inform future hypertension management.

Methods and analysis

The study will use data from 2 of Australia’s largest cohort studies; the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health, and the 45 and Up Study, combined with the Rotterdam Study. Eligible women will be those with diagnosed hypertension, no history of breast cancer and no prior CCB use at start of follow-up (2004–2009). Cumulative dose-duration exposure to CCB and other AHT medicines will be captured at the earliest date of: the outcome (a diagnosis of invasive breast cancer); a competing risk event (eg, bilateral mastectomy without a diagnosis of breast cancer, death prior to any diagnosis of breast cancer) or end of follow-up (censoring event). Fine and Gray competing risks regression will be used to assess the association between CCB use and development of breast cancer using a generalised propensity score to adjust for baseline covariates. Time-varying covariates related to interaction with health services will also be included in the model. Data will be harmonised across cohorts to achieve identical protocols and a two-step random effects individual patient-level meta-analysis will be used.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval was obtained from the following Human research Ethics Committees: Curtin University (ref No. HRE2022-0335), NSW Population and Health Services Research Ethics Committee (2022/ETH01392/2022.31), ACT Research Ethics and Governance Office approval under National Mutual Acceptance for multijurisdictional data linkage research (2022.STE.00208). Results of the proposed study will be published in high-impact journals and presented at key scientific meetings.

Trial registration number

NCT05972785.

Effects of transcranial direct current stimulation combined with Pilates-based exercises in the treatment of chronic low back pain in outpatient rehabilitation service in Brazil: double-blind randomised controlled trial protocol

Por: da Silva · A. A. C. · Gomes · S. R. A. · do Nascimento · R. M. · Fonseca · A. K. · Pegado · R. · Souza · C. G. · Macedo · L. d. B.
Introduction

Chronic low back pain may be associated with pathoanatomical, neurophysiological, physical, psychological and social factors; thus, treatments to reduce symptoms are important to improve the quality of life of this population. We aimed to evaluate the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) combined with Pilates-based exercises compared with sham stimulation on pain, quality of life and disability in patients with chronic non-specific low back pain.

Methods and analysis

This is a protocol for a double-blind randomised controlled trial with participants, outcome assessor and statistician blinded. We will include 36 individuals with a history of non-specific chronic low back pain for more than 12 weeks and minimum pain intensity of 3 points on the Numerical Pain Rating Scale. Individuals will be randomised into two groups: (1) active tDCS combined with Pilates-based exercises and (2) sham tDCS combined with Pilates-based exercises. Three weekly sessions of the protocol will be provided for 4 weeks, and individuals will be submitted to three assessments: the first (T0) will be performed before the intervention protocol, the second (T1) immediately after the intervention protocol and the third (T2) will be a follow-up 1 month after the end of the intervention. We will assess pain, disability, central sensitisation, quality of life, pressure pain threshold, global impression of change, adverse events and medication use. The Numerical Pain Rating Scale and the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire will be used at T1 to assess pain and disability, respectively, as primary outcome measures.

Ethics and dissemination

This trial was prospectively registered in ClinicalTrials.gov website and ethically approved by the Ethics and Research Committee of the Faculty of Health Sciences of Trairi (report number: 5.411.244) before data collection. We will publish the results in a peer-reviewed medical journal and on institution websites.

Trial registration number

ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT05467566).

Characterisation of internal tremors and vibration symptoms

Por: Massey · D. · Sawano · M. · Baker · A. D. · Güthe · D. B. · Güthe · N. · Shidlovsky · S. P. · Fisher · L. · Grady · C. B. · Caraballo · C. · Zhou · T. · Sharma · R. · Krumholz · H. M.
Objectives

To describe the experiences of patients who have postacute sequelae SARS-CoV-2 infection with internal vibrations and tremors as a prominent component, we leveraged the efforts by Survivor Corps, a grassroots COVID-19 patient advocacy group, to gather information from individuals belonging to its Facebook group with a history of COVID-19 suffering from vibrations and tremors.

Setting and design

A narrative analysis was performed on 140 emails and 450 social media comments from 140 individuals collected as a response to a call to >180 000 individuals participating in Survivor Corps between 15 July and 27 July 2021. We used common coding techniques and the constant comparative method for qualitative data synthesis and categorising emails. Coded data were entered into NVivo V.12 to identify recurrent themes, theme connections and supporting quotations. Comments were analysed using Word Clouds, generated with R V.4.0.3 using quanteda, wordcloud and tm packages.

Main outcome measures

Patient-reported long COVID symptom themes and domains related to internal tremors and vibration.

Results

The respondents’ emails represented 22 themes and 7 domains pertaining to their experience with internal tremor and vibrations. These domains were as follows: (1) symptom experience, description and anatomic location; (2) initial symptom onset; (3) symptom timing; (4) symptom triggers or alleviators; (5) change from baseline health status; (6) experience with medical establishment and (7) impact on individuals’ lives and livelihood. There were 22 themes in total, each corresponding to one of the broader domains. Among the responses, many described symptoms that varied in location, timing and triggers, occurred soon after their COVID-19 infection, and were markedly debilitating. There were often frustrating experiences with the healthcare system.

Conclusions

This study describes key themes and experiences among a group of people reporting long COVID and having a prolonged and debilitating symptom complex that prominently features internal tremors and vibrations.

Comparing the long-term outcomes in chronic coronary syndrome patients with prior ST-segment and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: findings from the TIGRIS registry

Por: Krishnamurthy · S. N. · Pocock · S. · Kaul · P. · Owen · R. · Goodman · S. G. · Granger · C. B. · Nicolau · J. C. · Simon · T. · Westermann · D. · Yasuda · S. · Andersson · K. · Brandrup-Wognsen · G. · Hunt · P. R. · Brieger · D. B. · Cohen · M. G.
Objectives

Compared with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients, non-STEMI (NSTEMI) patients have more comorbidities and extensive coronary artery disease. Contemporary comparative data on the long-term prognosis of stable post-myocardial infarction subtypes are needed.

Design

Long-Term rIsk, clinical manaGement and healthcare Resource utilisation of stable coronary artery dISease (TIGRIS) was a multinational, observational and longitudinal cohort study.

Setting

Patients were enrolled from 350 centres, with >95% coming from cardiology practices across 24 countries, from 19 June 2013 to 31 March 2017.

Participants

This study enrolled 8277 stable patients 1–3 years after myocardial infarction with ≥1 additional risk factor.

Outcome measures

Over a 2 year follow-up, cardiovascular events and deaths and self-reported health using the EuroQol 5-dimension questionnaire score were recorded. Relative risk of clinical events and health resource utilisation in STEMI and NSTEMI patients were compared using multivariable Poisson regression models, adjusting for prognostically relevant patient factors.

Results

Of 7752 patients with known myocardial infarction type, 46% had NSTEMI; NSTEMI patients were older with more comorbidities than STEMI patients. NSTEMI patients had significantly poorer self-reported health and lower prevalence of dual antiplatelet therapy at hospital discharge and at enrolment 1–3 years later. NSTEMI patients had a higher incidence of combined myocardial infarction, stroke and cardiovascular death (5.6% vs 3.9%, p

Conclusions

Post-NSTEMI chronic coronary syndrome patients had a less favourable risk factor profile, poorer self-reported health and more adverse cardiovascular events during long-term follow-up than individuals post STEMI. Efforts are needed to recognise the risks of stable patients after NSTEMI and optimise secondary prevention and care.

Trial registration number

NCT01866904.

Stratification of risk for emergent intracranial abnormalities in children with headaches: a Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) study protocol

Por: Tsze · D. S. · Kuppermann · N. · Casper · T. C. · Barney · B. J. · Richer · L. P. · Liberman · D. B. · Okada · P. J. · Morris · C. R. · Myers · S. R. · Soung · J. K. · Mistry · R. D. · Babcock · L. · Spencer · S. P. · Johnson · M. D. · Klein · E. J. · Quayle · K. S. · Steele · D. W. · Cr
Introduction

Headache is a common chief complaint of children presenting to emergency departments (EDs). Approximately 0.5%–1% will have emergent intracranial abnormalities (EIAs) such as brain tumours or strokes. However, more than one-third undergo emergent neuroimaging in the ED, resulting in a large number of children unnecessarily exposed to radiation. The overuse of neuroimaging in children with headaches in the ED is driven by clinician concern for life-threatening EIAs and lack of clarity regarding which clinical characteristics accurately identify children with EIAs. The study objective is to derive and internally validate a stratification model that accurately identifies the risk of EIA in children with headaches based on clinically sensible and reliable variables.

Methods and analysis

Prospective cohort study of 28 000 children with headaches presenting to any of 18 EDs in the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN). We include children aged 2–17 years with a chief complaint of headache. We exclude children with a clear non-intracranial alternative diagnosis, fever, neuroimaging within previous year, neurological or developmental condition such that patient history or physical examination may be unreliable, Glasgow Coma Scale score

Ethics and dissemination

Ethics approval was obtained for all participating sites from the University of Utah single Institutional Review Board. A waiver of informed consent was granted for collection of ED data. Verbal consent is obtained for follow-up contact. Results will be disseminated through international conferences, peer-reviewed publications, and open-access materials.

Prior exposure to antiretroviral therapy among adult patients presenting for HIV treatment initiation or reinitiation in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review

Por: Benade · M. · Maskew · M. · Juntunen · A. · Flynn · D. B. · Rosen · S.
Objectives

As countries have scaled up access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV, attrition rates of up to 30% annually have created a large pool of individuals who initiate treatment with prior ART experience. Little is known about the proportion of non-naïve reinitiators within the population presenting for treatment initiation.

Design

Systematic review of published articles and abstracts reporting proportions of non-naïve adult patients initiating ART in sub-Saharan Africa.

Data sources

PubMed, Embase Elsevier, Web of Science Core Collection, International AIDS Society conferences, Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections conferences.

Eligibility criteria

Clinical trials and observational studies; reporting on adults in sub-Saharan Africa who initiated lifelong ART; published in English between 1 January 2018 and 11 July 2023 and with data collected after January 2016. Initiator self-report, laboratory discernment of antiretroviral metabolites, and viral suppression at initiation or in the medical record were accepted as evidence of prior exposure.

Data extraction and synthesis

We captured study and sample characteristics, proportions with previous ART exposure and the indicator of previous exposure reported. We report results of each eligible study, estimate the risk of bias and identify gaps in the literature.

Results

Of 2740 articles, 11 articles describing 12 cohorts contained sufficient information for the review. Proportions of initiators with evidence of prior ART use ranged from 5% (self-report only) to 53% (presence of ART metabolites in hair or blood sample). The vast majority of screened studies did not report naïve/non-naïve status. Metrics used to determine and report non-naïve proportions were inconsistent and difficult to interpret.

Conclusions

The proportion of patients initiating HIV treatment who are truly ART naïve is not well documented. It is likely that 20%–50% of ART patients who present for ART are reinitiators. Standard reporting metrics and diligence in reporting are needed, as is research to understand the reluctance of patients to report prior ART exposure.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42022324136.

❌