To explore the barriers and facilitators in adherence to the guidelines in the management of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo from the perspective of primary care physicians.
Qualitative study using focus groups.
L’Hospitalet del Llobregat (Barcelona), Spain.
Qualitative study using focus groups. Structured 90 min focus groups were conducted until data saturation was reached. Each session included a moderator and an observer from the research team. Sessions were transcribed and thematically analysed by three independent researchers.
Purposeful sampling was used to form four groups of 4–10 participants, selected by sex, age, years of experience and primary care team (PCT). Participants were recruited between January and February 2023.
A total of 34 family physicians belonging to four PCTs participated in the study. The main barriers identified were a lack of time, negative initial experiences, a fear of harming patients (especially older adults), difficulty in nystagmus visualisation and challenges in managing patient expectations, as many preferred medication over physical manoeuvres. Facilitators included potential time savings from effective early management, the value of initial practical training with periodic refreshers, access to expert consultants for case discussions and the availability of digital tools, such as tutorials, videos and aids for nystagmus interpretation.
Health systems should invest in protected time for history-taking and physical examination, and in regular, updated training for primary care professionals. This could improve vertigo management and reduce unnecessary investigations and medications, ultimately benefiting both patients and the healthcare system.
The treatment of tobacco dependence in patients admitted to hospital is a priority for the National Health Service in England. We aimed to conduct an economic analysis of a pilot ‘opt-out’ tobacco dependence treatment intervention adapted from the Ottawa Model of Smoking Cessation.
Observational cost analysis of an inpatient tobacco dependence treatment intervention, and matched cohort study comparing readmission costs between patients who received the intervention and benchmarked equivalents who did not.
11 acute inpatient wards in a major teaching hospital in London, England.
673 patients who smoked, admitted between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2021.
The intervention consisted of the systematic identification of smoking status, automatic referral to tobacco dependence advisors, provision of pharmacotherapy and behavioural support throughout the hospital stay and telephone support for 6 months after discharge.
The primary outcomes were cost-per-patient, cost-per-quit and incremental cost effectiveness ratio among patients who received the intervention. The secondary outcomes were patient-level readmission costs and bed-days from 6 months after discharge, compared between the intervention group and a group of matched benchmark patients who smoked but did not receive the intervention.
The total cost of the intervention was £178 105. On the basis of 104 patients who reported not smoking at 6 months, the cost-per-quit was £1712.55, equating to an estimated age-adjusted incremental cost per life year gained of £3325. Among 611 patients who were successfully matched to a benchmark cohort, readmissions for patients in the intervention group cost £492 k less than their benchmark equivalents over 21 months from 1 January 2021 to 30 September 2022 (£266 k vs £758 k), incurred 414 fewer bed days (303 vs 717) and readmitted at a lower rate (5% vs 11%). There were reduced readmission rates and costs among all patients who received the intervention compared with their benchmarked equivalents, regardless of smoking status at 6 months, except among those who opted out.
A pilot ‘opt-out’ tobacco dependence treatment intervention implemented in an acute hospital setting in London demonstrated value for money through reduced readmission rates and costs among all patients who received it.
The HOPSCOTCH study ‘Helping Optimise Primary Care Support During Transition From Children’s Hospice Care’ aims to develop a toolbox to enable engagement of primary care services in the care of young people with life-limiting conditions (LLC) with a specific focus on the point of transition from children’s hospice services.
Individual interviews will be held with young people with LLC, their families and healthcare professionals (HCPs). In alignment with Experience Based Co-Design (EBCD) methodology, extracts of film and audio from young people and family interviews will be combined to professionally produce a ‘catalyst film’ highlighting key points and experiences before, during and after the transition from children’s hospice care. Role-specific workshops will be held with young people with LLC, their families and HCPs working in primary care, children’s hospices and adult hospice services. The catalyst film will be used in feedback workshops to prompt prioritisation of key issues to take forward into toolbox development in a shared young people, family and HCP workshop. A documentary analysis of resources currently used to support transition and communication between care settings will support contextual understanding of the transition process. Young people, parents and professionals have shaped and continue to have influence over the study delivery as advisors alongside a multidisciplinary steering committee.
The study design has been guided by the UK Medical Research Council complex intervention framework. Intervention development draws on the principles of EBCD and is theoretically driven by the Behaviour Change Wheel.
The study is registered with the UK’s Clinical Study Registry (ISCTRN75964234).
Ethical approval was obtained from Wales 3 ethics board on 2 July 2025 (IRAS ID 334486). This study will include ongoing dissemination and knowledge transfer to key audiences (young people, parents, service providers, commissioners) via publications, national bodies, knowledge exchange events, web-based platforms, social media and clinical/academic forums.
Genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) is a prevalent condition among breast cancer survivors, often exacerbated by oncological treatments. Hormonal therapies are typically contraindicated in this population, necessitating effective non-hormonal interventions.
This randomised controlled trial aims to compare the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of multimodal pelvic floor physiotherapy—comprising pelvic floor muscle training, non-ablative radiofrequency, therapeutic pelvic health education and the use of vaginal moisturisers—versus fractional CO2 laser therapy combined with vaginal moisturisers in alleviating GSM symptoms in breast cancer survivors. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of the two intervention groups. Primary outcomes include measures of sexual function (assessed by the Female Sexual Function Index), subjective pelvic perineal pain intensity (measured with a 100 mm Visual Analogue Scale) and health-related quality of life (assessed by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Breast), assessed at baseline, post-intervention and at 3, 6 and 12 months of follow-up. Statistical analyses will be conducted to evaluate the clinical efficacy and cost-effectiveness of the interventions.
The study protocol has been approved by the Ethics and Health Research Committee of the University of Alcalá (Reference: CEIP/2024/1/012). All participants will provide informed consent prior to inclusion in the study. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations, and by engaging with patient associations and survivor groups through tailored materials.
This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of delivering a vocational rehabilitation intervention (Return to Work After Trauma—ROWTATE), remotely to individuals recovering from traumatic injuries. The primary objectives were to assess therapists’ training and competence, adapt the intervention and training for remote delivery and assess the feasibility and fidelity of remote delivery to inform a definitive randomised controlled trial.
A mixed-methods feasibility study incorporating (1) telerehabilitation qualitative literature review, (2) qualitative interviews preintervention and postintervention with therapists and patients, (3) a team objective structured clinical examination to assess competency, (4) usefulness of training, attitudes towards (15-item Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale) and confidence in (4-item Evidence Based Practice Confidence Scale) evidence-based practice, intervention delivery confidence (8-bespoke questions) and intervention behaviour determinants (51-items Theoretical Domains Framework) and (5) single-arm intervention delivery feasibility study.
The study was conducted in two UK Major Trauma Centres. The intervention and training were adapted for remote delivery due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Therapists: Seven occupational therapists (OTs) and clinical psychologists (CPs) were trained, and six participated in competency assessment. Seven OTs and CPs participated in preintervention interviews and surveys; six completed post-intervention interviews and four completed post-training surveys. Patients: 10 patients were enrolled in the single-arm feasibility study and 4 of these participated in postintervention qualitative interviews. Inclusion criteria included therapists involved in vocational rehabilitation delivery and patients admitted to major trauma centres. Exclusion criteria included participation in other vocational rehabilitation trials or those who had returned to work or education for at least 80% of preinjury hours. Intervention: The ROWTATE vocational rehabilitation intervention was delivered remotely by trained OTs and CPs. Training included competency assessments, mentoring and adaptation for telerehabilitation. The intervention was delivered over multiple sessions, with content tailored to individual patient needs.
Therapists found the training useful, reported positive attitudes (Evidence-Based Practice Attitude Scale mean=2.9 (SD 0.9)) and high levels of confidence in delivering evidence-based practice (range 75%–100%) and the ROWTATE intervention (range 80%–100%). Intervention barriers identified pretraining became facilitators post-training. Half the therapists needed additional support post-training through mentoring or additional training. The intervention and training were successfully adapted for remote delivery. High levels of fidelity (intervention components delivered: OTs=84.5%, CPs=92.9%) and session attendance rates were found (median: OT=97%, CP=100%). Virtually all sessions were delivered remotely (OT=98%, CP=100%). The intervention was acceptable to patients and therapists; both considered face-to-face delivery where necessary was important.
The ROWTATE intervention was delivered remotely with high fidelity and attendance and was acceptable to patients and therapists. Definitive trial key changes include modifying therapist training, competency assessment, face-to-face intervention delivery where necessary and addressing lower fidelity intervention components.
Surgical margins are crucial in determining postoperative local recurrence (LR) in patients with colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Achieving a margin greater than 1 cm can be challenging due to constraints related to remnant liver reserve, proximity to major vascular structures and tumour depth. We previously published findings from a retrospective study suggesting that additional margin coagulation (AMC) using radiofrequency may reduce LR, and this multicentre randomised clinical trial aims to further assess this hypothesis.
The LIVERATION trial is an international, multicentre, single-blind, randomised, parallel-group, controlled clinical trial involving 698 patients undergoing liver resection for CRLM or HCC. Participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either AMC (study group) or conventional liver resection (control group) to assess oncological outcomes for both CRLM and HCC. The primary outcome is the incidence of LR. Secondary endpoints include overall survival, disease-free survival, cancer-specific survival, surgical complications and quality of life. Follow-ups occur at 30 days, 90 days, and 1, 2 and 3 years postoperatively.
The LIVERATION trial has been approved by the Ethics Committee at the sponsor site Hospital del Mar de Barcelona, CEIM-PSMAR (Comité de Ética de la Investigación con Medicamentos – Parc de Salut Mar), as well as by the Institutional Ethics Committees in all participating countries. The results of the main trial, along with each of the secondary endpoints, will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. The study adheres to national and international guidelines, including the Declaration of Helsinki, and complies with regulations for studies involving biological samples under Law 14/2007 on Biomedical Research. A dissemination strategy has been developed to engage stakeholders and facilitate knowledge transfer to support the use of the findings of the study. LIVERATION is funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe Framework Programme (Project Number: 101104360).
Artificial intelligence (AI)-based clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) are currently being developed to aid prescribing in primary care. There is a lack of research on how these systems will be perceived and used by healthcare professionals and subsequently on how to optimise the implementation process of AI-based CDSSs (AICDSSs).
To explore healthcare professionals’ perspectives on the use of an AICDSS for prescribing in co-existing multiple long-term conditions (MLTC), and the relevance to shared decision making (SDM).
Qualitative study using template analysis of semistructured interviews, based on a case vignette and a mock-up of an AICDSS.
Healthcare professionals prescribing for patients working in the English National Health Service (NHS) primary care in the West Midlands region.
A purposive sample of general practitioners/resident doctors (10), nurse prescribers (3) and prescribing pharmacists (2) working in the English NHS primary care.
The proposed tool generated interest among the participants. Findings included the perception of the tool as user friendly and as a valuable complement to existing clinical guidelines, particularly in a patient population with multiple long-term conditions and polypharmacy, where existing guidelines may be inadequate. Concerns were raised about integration into existing clinical documentation systems, medicolegal aspects, how to interpret findings that were inconsistent with clinical guidelines, and the impact on patient-prescriber relationships. Views differed on whether the tool would aid SDM.
AICDSSs such as the OPTIMAL tool hold potential for optimising pharmaceutical treatment in patients with MLTC. However, specific issues related to the tool need to be addressed and careful implementation into the existing clinical practice is necessary to realise the potential benefits.
Perineal warm compresses in the second stage of labour have been demonstrated by clinical guidelines as an effective intervention for improving perineal outcomes and mothers’ psychological well-being, yet their adoption in clinical practice remains suboptimal. Therefore, this study aims to bridge the evidence-practice gap through the application of implementation science models and frameworks to facilitate clinical adoption. The investigation will systematically explore the barriers and facilitators to the application of perineal warm compresses in the second stage of labour and subsequently develop a corresponding implementation strategy addressing identified barriers.
This study was guided by the PEDALs model. Using a scoping review and a parallel mixed-methods study to systematically investigate the barriers and facilitators to the application of perineal warm compresses in the second stage of labour. The identified barriers and facilitators were mapped to the domains of the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR). Then we will use a modified nominal group technique to determine seven priority barriers that need to be addressed. These barriers will be input into the CFIR-ERIC implementation strategy matching tool to obtain expert-recommended implementation strategies. Finally, the Delphi method will be employed to select and refine the implementation strategies into a clear and actionable implementation strategy bundle.
This study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of Hebei Medical University, with approval number 2024043. Written informed consent will be obtained from all participants. Study findings will be disseminated through articles in scientific, peer-reviewed journals, and at national and international conferences. This study will begin in August 2025 and be completed in June 2026.
Patients who survive admission to intensive care unit (ICU) for critical illness are at high risk of developing muscle atrophy and weakness, commonly diagnosed as ICU-acquired weakness (ICUAW). The development of ICUAW is closely linked to long-term symptoms and impairments known as post-intensive care syndrome (PICS). Despite heightened recognition of impairments, there is limited research supporting effective interventions to improve muscle and physical outcomes after hospital discharge. Prior to developing and testing interventions for ICU survivors, it is imperative to understand the trajectory of muscle and physical function recovery following an ICU stay. The purpose of this study is to longitudinally investigate skeletal muscle health and physical function outcomes after ICU admission.
This protocol describes a single site, prospective, observational study in adult patients who have survived a critical illness (ie, sepsis or acute respiratory failure). Patients will participate in a battery of testing including primary outcomes: muscle power and physical function; and secondary outcomes: muscle strength, muscle size, endurance and physical activity (by accelerometry) at hospital discharge and 3, 6, and 12 months post-discharge. A subset of patients will participate in muscle biopsy and venipuncture. To examine if the trajectory of recovery predicts primary outcomes, we will perform multivariate linear regression models in 150 evaluable patients. To examine differences in molecular and cellular outcomes in plasma and muscle tissue, a control group of community-dwelling adults without history of an ICU stay will be enrolled as a comparator group. Enrolment started on 18 October 2022 with an estimated completion date of 1 August 2027.
This protocol was approved by the University of Kentucky Office of Research Integrity Medical Internal Review Board (# 77407), with patients providing informed written consent. We anticipate our findings to establish recovery trajectories, improving the classification of patients who experience sustained physical disability. Improved identification of recovery trajectories of muscle and physical function enables future studies to employ an individually targeted rehabilitation approach, that is, precision medicine, with the goal of improving patient outcomes. The cellular findings will support the development of novel interventions specifically designed for detecting underlying mechanisms. We intend to disseminate findings to patients, healthcare professionals, the public and other relevant groups via conference presentations and manuscripts without publication restrictions.
To explore Australian and New Zealand nursing and midwifery educators' planetary health knowledge, views, confidence and teaching practices.
A cross-sectional survey design.
An online survey was sent to Australian and New Zealand nursing and midwifery educators across the 45 Schools of Nursing and Midwifery between July and September 2023. The online survey consisted of 29 open- and closed-ended questions about nursing and midwifery educators' planetary health knowledge, views, confidence and teaching practices.
There was a total of 127 responses to the first open-ended question. A total of 97 nursing and midwifery educators then completed the remaining questions. While educators had mostly positive views about integrating planetary health into their teaching, they lacked the knowledge and/or confidence to do so effectively.
Australian and New Zealand nursing and midwifery educators acknowledge that planetary health should be included in nursing and midwifery curricula, but most reported a deficit in knowledge and/or confidence to integrate these complex concepts into their teaching. When considering planetary health, most educators focussed on climate change, which demonstrates their limited understanding of the concept of planetary health.
All nurses and midwives need to understand how the health of the planet and human civilization are interconnected and be prepared to address complex global health challenges now and in the future. Across the world, key healthcare organizations have called upon nursing and midwifery educators to prepare the healthcare workforce to practice in a more sustainable way, including supporting decarbonization of healthcare. However, our study has demonstrated that nursing and midwifery educators do not feel ready to respond due to a lack of required knowledge and/or confidence.
We used the Consensus-Based Checklist for Reporting of Survey Studies (CROSS).
No patient or public contribution.
To achieve consensus on the knowledge and skills that undergraduate/pre-licensure nursing students require to steward healthcare towards a more sustainable future.
A two-phase real-time Delphi study.
Phase 1 included the generation of Planetary Health, climate change and sustainability knowledge and skill statements based on a review of relevant literature. Phase 2 consisted of a real-time Delphi survey designed to seek consensus on the proposed statements from a panel of 42 international experts.
Of the 49 survey statements, 44 (90%) achieved ≥75% consensus and 26 (53%) achieved ≥80% consensus. Three were removed and 32 were modified to improve clarity of language.
The knowledge and skills statements that emerged through this Delphi study can serve as a guide for incorporating Planetary Health, climate change and sustainability into nursing education programs.
Incorporating Planetary Health and climate change education into nursing programs has the potential to produce more environmentally conscious and socially responsible nurses.
The absence of consensus on the essential knowledge and skills expected of nursing students has hindered the advancement of curricula and impacted educators' confidence in teaching Planetary Health and climate change. This study has resulted in a meticulously crafted framework of knowledge and skill statements that will be beneficial to educators, the future nursing workforce, and, ultimately, the individuals and communities whom nurses serve.
This paper adheres to the Conducting and REporting DElphi Studies (CREDES) reporting guideline.
No patient or public contribution.
by Jack Le Vance, Alexandra Emms, Victoria Hodgetts Morton, R. Katie Morris, Leo Gurney
High-risk pregnancies undergo regular antenatal monitoring, including cardiotocography (CTG) and ultrasound. Recently there has been an emergence of sophisticated remote telehealth interventions, potentially enabling care to be shifted into the home setting. Our aim was to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of home CTG and home ultrasound monitoring for high-risk pregnancies. This was a single center study. Women aged ≥18 years, English speaking, singleton pregnancy, ≥ 32 weeks gestation and had at least one of four high-risk obstetric conditions were eligible. Participants were randomized to one of three groups: (1) home ultrasound; (2) home CTG; and (3) both, whilst continuing their routine antenatal care. The primary outcome was completion of 20 minutes of interpretable fetal heart recording and/or completion of an interpretable fetal ultrasound for each monitoring episode. Ultrasound interpretability was assessed for three validated criteria: fetal heartbeat, fetal movements and liquor volume assessment. Secondary outcomes included monitoring adherence, anxiety management, acceptability and safety. Fifteen participants, within three groups, completed 24 remote ultrasounds and 59 remote CTGs. Overall, the fetal heartbeat, movements and an assessment of the liquor volume were identified in 92%, 83% and 100% of all ultrasound scans respectively. 79% of all scans had all three criteria unanimously assessed. Three-quarters of all CTGs contained at least 20 minutes of continuous interpretable computerized fetal heartrate recording. Neither ethnicity, parity, BMI nor fetal presentation were significant factors for achievement of the primary outcome for both devices. There was non-significant reduction in anxiety scores before and after device usage (p = 0.19). Participants’ monitoring adherence and acceptability ratings were high in all groups. No adverse maternal-fetal outcomes relating to device usage occurred. Home ultrasound and cardiotocography are potentially feasible and acceptable to high-risk pregnant women. Larger studies are required to refine how best to implement such devices into clinical practice. ClinicalTrials ID: NCT06366711.To evaluate the impact of the Medicaid Balancing Incentive Programme (BIP) on long-term services and supports utilisation among older adults, focusing on differences in living arrangements.
Quasi-experimental study using a generalised difference-in-differences approach.
States that participated and completed BIP (treatment group: 18 states) and states that were eligible but did not participate (control group: 17 states).
Older Medicaid beneficiaries from the Health and Retirement Study (2006–2018) across states that participated in BIP and those that did not. A negative control analysis was conducted using non-Medicaid beneficiaries.
We examined the probability of long-term nursing home stays (over 100 days), professional home healthcare and three types of home care services for activities of daily living: paid professional caregiving, paid informal caregiving and unpaid informal caregiving. Analysis was stratified by living arrangement (living alone vs with others).
BIP participation was associated with a 5 percentage point (pp) decrease in long-term nursing home stays among Medicaid beneficiaries living alone (average treatment effect on the treated, ATT=–0.06, 95% CI –0.10 to –0.02; p
BIP contributed to a reduction in institutionalisation for individuals living alone while increasing support for family caregivers in multiperson households. These findings highlight the importance of tailoring long-term care policies to the specific needs of populations based on their living arrangements.
Dementia is a chronic and progressive neurological condition characterised by cognitive and functional impairment. It is often associated with multimorbidity and imposes a significant economic burden on healthcare systems and families, especially in low-income and middle-income countries. In Peru, where dementia cases are increasing rapidly, timely detection and referral for diagnosis is crucial. This protocol is part of the IMPACT Salud project in Peru. Here, we focus on a specific component aimed at validating an mHealth tool for the detection of cognitive and functional impairment and assessing its cost-effectiveness. We will also assess changes in cognitive and functional impairment as well as health economic outcomes over 1 year.
This observational study will be conducted in four geographically diverse regions of Peru. Community health workers are expected to contact approximately 32 000 participants (≥60 years) to apply an mHealth-enabled tool that includes cognitive and functional instruments: Ascertain Dementia 8, Peruvian version of Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale and Pfeffer Functional Activities Questionnaire. From this large sample, we aim to find 3600 participants and their study partners to enrol and interview at baseline regarding sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyles, comorbidities and health economic data including resource use, costs and health-related quality of life (HR-QoL). Psychologists, blind to previous results, will assess dementia stage of the participants using an abbreviated Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scale. At 6-month follow-up, participants will complete a brief health economics questionnaire on resource use, costs and HR-QoL. To validate the accuracy of the detection tool, a subsample of 600 participants who completed the baseline will undergo a gold-standard clinical neuropsychological assessment. This subsample will participate in a 12-month follow-up, including health economics, cognitive and functional impairment tests and the CDR scale. Results will be analysed and presented by cognitive status, site, sex and multimorbidity profile. Finally, data from all stages and external sources will inform a decision model to implement a cost-effectiveness analysis of the detection tool at the national level.
The study received ethics approval in Peru (Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia: CONSTANCIA-CIEI-378-33-23) and in the UK (Imperial College London: ICREC/SETREC reference number 6647445). Informed consent will be obtained from participants and their study partners, considering the participant’s capacity to consent. For illiterate participants, consent will be obtained through a witnessed procedure involving study partners, with a fingerprint obtained instead of a signature. The results will be disseminated through conferences, published articles, public presentations (particularly to those involved in dementia care) and presentations or meetings with local health authorities.
Neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDs) affect early communication, social engagement and parent-child interactions. Children with NDs often struggle with prelinguistic skills, such as maintaining eye contact and using gestures, which are essential for language development. Parenting behaviour plays a key role in fostering these abilities, and early interventions involving parents can enhance socio-communicative and linguistic outcomes. The present multicentred randomised controlled trial evaluates the effectiveness of a parent-involved speech therapy intervention in improving early socio-communicative skills in children with NDs.
Sixty children with NDs aged 6 months to 5 years will be randomly assigned to either the intervention group (IG, n=30), receiving a parent-involved speech therapy intervention focused on socio-communicative skills, or the control group (CG, n=30), receiving care-as-usual speech therapy. Participants will be recruited from eight rehabilitation centres in Lombardy, Italy. Both interventions will last 8 weeks, with weekly 45 min sessions led by trained speech therapists. Primary outcomes include early communication and intersubjective skills and parenting behaviour, assessed at baseline (T0) and post-intervention (T2—2 months from enrolment). Socio-cognitive skills and socio-emotional development will be considered as secondary outcomes. Feasibility and potential confounders (eg, parental stress) will be measured and controlled between groups.
The study has received formal approval by the deputed ethical committee for all eight participant centres (Comitato Etico Lombardia 2 – Protocol n. R1916/24 – L2-109). Results of the main trial and of the exploratory aims will be submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals and international conferences.
To compare costs and health consequences and to assess the cost-effectiveness of using low-dose oral long-acting morphine in people with chronic breathlessness.
Within-trial planned cost-consequences and cost-effectiveness analysis of data from a multisite, parallel-group, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial of low-dose, long-acting morphine.
11 hospital outpatients across the UK.
Consenting adults with chronic breathlessness due to long-term cardiorespiratory conditions.
5–10 mg two times a day oral long-acting morphine with a blinded laxative for 56 days.
Mean and SD of healthcare resource use (HRU) by trial arm; mean differences and 95% CI of costs between trial arms.
Mean differences in 28- and 56-day quality-adjusted life years (QALYs based on EuroQol five-dimension five-level score), Short Form-six dimensional scores and ICEpop CAPability-Supportive Care Measure scores; cost-utility of long-acting morphine for chronic breathlessness.
143 participants (75 morphine and 67 placebo) were randomised; 140 (90% power, males 66%, mean age 70.5 (SD 9.4)) formed the modified intention-to-treat population (participants receiving at least one dose of study medication). There were more inpatient and fewer outpatient services used by the morphine group versus the placebo. In the base-case analysis at 56 days, long-acting morphine was associated with similar mean per-patient costs and QALYs. There was an increase of £24 (95% CI –£395 to £552) and 0.002 (95% CI –0.004 to 0.008) QALYs. Hospitalisations were the main driver of cost differences. The corresponding incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was £12 000/QALY, with a probability of cost-effectiveness of 54% at a £20 000 willingness-to-pay threshold. In the scenario analysis that excluded costs of adverse events considered unrelated to long-acting morphine by site investigators and researchers, the probability of cost-effectiveness increased to 73%.
Oral morphine for chronic breathlessness is likely to be a cost-effective intervention provided adverse events are minimised, but the effect on outcome is small and cautious interpretation is warranted.
To determine the spatial-temporal patterns of natural hazards and disasters in the Greater Horn of Africa, including climate and environmentally sensitive diseases, and compare the reporting consistencies across multiple open-access databases.
Cross-sectional retrospective secondary analysis of natural hazard and disaster data.
Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan and Uganda.
Primary data from Emergency Events Database (EM-DAT), and comparative data from ReliefWeb, WHO Disease Outbreak News (WHO-DON), FloodList and Global Unique Disaster Identifier Number (GLIDE).
EM-DAT reported 228 natural hazards and disasters affecting 145.7 million people; highest numbers reported in Uganda (n=48), Kenya (n=46), Somalia (n=38) and Ethiopia (n=35); 175 geophysical, hydrological, meteorological and climatological hazards reported, including 118 floods, 26 droughts, 11 storms and 17 landslides; 46 epidemics reported, primarily bacterial (eg, cholera) or viral (eg, yellow fever, measles) diseases, with 20% preceded by a flood, drought or landslide within the previous 3 months. Reporting consistency and content varied considerably across the five databases.
Natural hazards and disasters affect millions of people. There is an urgent need to improve database connectedness to facilitate better monitoring and mapping, which can inform disease forecasting and decision tools to develop preparedness and intervention strategies.
Systematic reviews (SRs) on the management of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) have predominantly focused on evaluating the effectiveness of various treatments, identifying those that provide the greatest benefits. However, the economic evaluation of these treatments has not been systematically explored. This SR aims to address this gap by evaluating the economic outcomes of the most common treatment modalities for TMDs, including cost-effectiveness, cost-utility, cost-benefit, cost-minimisation and the burden of illness.
This SR will be conducted using the following electronic databases Business Source Complete, CINAHL, EconLit (ProQuest), Embase (Ovid), MEDLINE (PubMed), MEDLINE (Ovid) and Scopus to identify studies evaluating the economic outcomes of treatments for TMDs. The eligibility criteria are as follows: (1) studies examining the costs and/or impact of treatments for TMDs and (2) articles published between 2000 and 2025. The primary outcomes of interest are the economic findings outlined earlier. Data extraction will include the following: author(s), year of publication, country, study objectives, study design, eligibility criteria, TMD diagnosis and screening, study groups, randomisation, blinding, sample size, number of participants invited, enrolled and completed, duration of treatment, follow-up, study duration, settings, assessment instruments, study outcomes, statistical analyses, results, limitations, strengths and funding sources. The quality of studies will be evaluated using the Consolidated Health Economic Evaluation Reporting Standards 2022 checklist, with risk of bias assessed using the Cochrane Effective Practice and Organization of Care’s risk-of-bias tool; where applicable, the Outcome Reporting Bias in Trials will be used to detect reporting biases. A narrative synthesis and summary tables will outline study characteristics, economic outcomes and the overall quality of evidence. We will conduct qualitative secondary and sensitivity analyses.
This SR does not require an ethics approval. The results will be disseminated through international and national conferences and peer-reviewed journals.
CRD42024613553.
To understand how staff who chose to live-in with residents in a level 3 dementia care unit perceived the experience, in particular, their perceptions of how residing on site affected resident well-being.
COVID-19 has been especially devastating in aged residential care (ARC) facilities. In March 2020, when the threat became realised in New Zealand, one residential dementia care facility implemented a unique response to the imminent threat of COVID-19. Eight staff members made the decision to live on site during the lockdown, ensuring residents’ risk of contracting the virus was significantly reduced as carers would not go outside of the facility.
A qualitative descriptive inquiry.
Seven staff who chose to live-in, and the facility manager, participated in semi-structured, face-to-face interviews at the ARC. Audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using a thematic analysis approach. COREQ guidelines were adhered to in the reporting of this study.
An overarching motif which emerged from the findings was the articulation of an ‘all in this together’ attitude which fostered feelings of camaraderie and collaboration which enhanced the experience for staff individually, and as a group. Themes identified were as follows: (a) A ‘safe’ but challenging choice, (b) Benefits for the staff and (c) Positive outcomes for the residents.
This crisis inadvertently brought about an enhanced ‘dementia-friendly’, person-centred communal environment.
This study identified themes that deepen our understanding of caring for vulnerable populations during a pandemic and beyond. Given the success of this ‘live-in’ innovation, consideration must be given to applying these findings more generally when planning care models for best outcomes for residents receiving rest home level dementia care. How we care for people in disaster situations reflects the heart of the caring workforce, but such innovation may be extended to usual care where indicated.