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Yearb Med Inform 2021 Apr 21. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

Department of Computer Science, Rutgers University, USA.

Background: The worldwide tragedy of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic vividly demonstrates just how inadequate mitigation and control of the spread of infectious diseases can be when faced with a new microorganism with unknown pathogenic effects. Responses by governments in charge of public health, and all other involved organizations, have proved largely wanting. Data infrastructure and the information and communication systems needed to deal with the pandemic have likewise not been up to the task. Read More

Int J Prosthodont 2021 Mar-Apr;34(2):163-172

Purpose: To systematically evaluate and compare the clinical performance of lithium disilicate (LDS)- and zirconium dioxide (ZrO)-based ceramic monolithic crowns in the posterior dentition.

Materials And Methods: Treatment was administered by two experienced general dental practitioners in two public dental health care clinics. Forty-four patients received 60 crowns randomized to be either LDS or ZrO and cemented with resin cement. Read More

Soc Sci Med 2021 Apr 4;277:113886. Epub 2021 Apr 4.

Melbourne Institute: Applied Economic & Social Research, The University of Melbourne, 111 Barry Street, The University of Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia. Electronic address:

Physician adoption of new technologies is a key issue for population health and the sustainability of the healthcare system. This paper explores gender differences in general practitioners' (GPs) adoption of new oral anticoagulants. We combine detailed individual data on physician and practice style characteristics from the Medicine in Australia: Balancing Employment and Life (MABEL) panel survey of Australian physicians with administrative prescribing data from the Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) for the period January 1, 2012 and December 31, 2015. Read More

Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz 2021 Apr 21. Epub 2021 Apr 21.

Institut für medizinische Informationsverarbeitung, Biometrie und Epidemiologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, München, Deutschland.

The German Prevention Act underlines the need for an evidence-based approach to prevention and health promotion. It is unclear which steps and processes are necessary for the evolving system of prevention and health promotion in Germany to meet this requirement. This overview article aims to define and operationalize evidence-based interventions in prevention and health promotion and describes the necessary organizational support and capacity building to foster evidence-based action in practice. Read More

Radiol Case Rep 2021 Apr 15. Epub 2021 Apr 15.

Department of Radiology, Catholic Health, Long Island, New York.

Due to the association between Covid-19 and thromboembolic events, there has been a surge in anticoagulation use during the pandemic based on evolving guidelines for management of hospitalized Covid-19 patients. Spontaneous soft tissue hematoma (SSTH) can be a severe complication of anticoagulation. Herein we present a fatal case of severe SSTH secondary to anticoagulant therapy in a 67kg 81-year-old female with chronic kidney disease who was admitted to the hospital with Covid-19 pneumonia. Read More

Open Heart 2021 Apr;8(1)

NIHR School for Primary Care Research, Centre for Primary Care and Health Services Research, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre (MAHSC), The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.

Objective: Most current cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk stratification tools are for people without CVD, but very few are for prevalent CVD. In this study, we developed and validated a CVD severity score in people with coronary heart disease (CHD) and evaluated the association between severity and adverse outcomes.

Methods: Primary and secondary care data for 213 088 people with CHD in 398 practices in England between 2007 and 2017 were used. Read More

J Pediatr Health Care 2021 Apr 17. Epub 2021 Apr 17.

Introduction: This study aimed to gain an understanding of practicing acute care pediatric nurse practitioners' (AC-PNPs') perceptions of themselves as leaders in both clinical and professional contexts.

Method: This qualitative study was conducted at a midwestern quaternary care children's hospital. Cultural domain analysis, semistructured interviews, and free listing techniques were employed to identify areas of consensus and variation among a convenience sample of AC-PNPs. Read More

BMC Geriatr 2021 Apr 20;21(1):261. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.

Background: Informal caregiving for people with dementia can negatively impact caregivers' health. In Asia-Pacific regions, growing dementia incidence has made caregiver burnout a pressing public health issue. A cross-sectional study with a representative sample helps to understand how caregivers experience burnout throughout this region. Read More

Cancer 2021 Apr 20. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

National Cancer Centre, Singapore, Singapore.

Background: Assessing patient and caregiver experiences with care is central to improving care quality. The authors assessed variations in the experiences of advanced cancer patients and their caregivers with physician communication and care coordination by patient and caregiver factors.

Methods: The authors surveyed 600 patients with a stage IV solid malignancy and 346 caregivers every 3 months for more than 2 years. Read More

IEEE J Biomed Health Inform 2021 Apr 20;PP. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Kidney Disease (KD) may hide complex causes and is associated with a tremendous socio-economic impact. A timely identification and management from the first level of medical care represent the most effective strategy to address the growing global burden sustainably. Clinical practice guidelines suggest utilizing estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate (eGFR) for routine evaluation within a screening purpose. Read More

Prehosp Emerg Care 2021 Apr 20:1-6. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

Thomas Jefferson University, Emergency Medicine, Philadelphia, 19107-5084 United States.

J Altern Complement Med 2021 Apr 20. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

National Centre for Naturopathic Medicine, Southern Cross University, Lismore, Australia.

This metaethnography provides an interpretative synthesis of complementary medicine (CM) practitioners' perceptions toward their health model and the healing process. CM is commonly described on the basis of its distinction from biomedicine with limited research available on CM practitioners' understanding of what the essence of their practice is and how healing transpires as a result. This is despite the significant patronage of CM and high rates of couse with biomedical services. Read More

Am J Manag Care 2021 Apr 1;27(4):e135-e136. Epub 2021 Apr 1.

Objectives: To describe a complete panel of actions of the Service de Santé des Armées (SSA) (ie, French Military Health Service) that together contributed to prevent French health system saturation during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Study Design: Observational retrospective study.

Methods: Actions taken by military practitioners in the Parisian military hospitals, which contained 500 beds, to fight COVID-19 were listed and described. Read More

Am J Manag Care 2021 Apr 1;27(4):e114-e122. Epub 2021 Apr 1.

Institute of General Practice, Goethe University, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt, Germany. Email:

Objectives: We evaluated a collaborative care program aimed at improving cooperation among general practitioners (GPs) and cardiologists in Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany. The program focused on improving care for patients with chronic cardiac conditions.

Study Design: We conducted a retrospective cohort study. Read More

Recenti Prog Med 2021 Apr;112(4):243-249

Fondazione ReS (Ricerca e Salute), Bologna.

Therapeutic plans (TPs) were introduced in Italy in 2004 in order to ensure the continuity in the prescription of new drugs between specialist physicians and general practitioners (GPs). Over the years this prescription tool was updated several times: starting from a paper form without any template ("paper TP") to a template defined by AIFA to collect specific clinical information, up to a web-based form to collect all information into a database. Over time-critical issues concerning its usefulness have been raised, especially when AIFA established several extensions for TP validity to ensure the social distancing required by the covid-19 pandemic. Read More

Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen 2021 Apr 7;141(6). Epub 2021 Apr 7.

Background: The National Diabetes Plan 2017-21 has implemented measures to improve diagnosis and follow-up of persons with type 2 diabetes by the primary health services. The objective of this study was to explore the experiences and thoughts of Norwegian general practitioners (GPs) with regard to diagnosis and follow-up of this patient group.

Material And Method: In this qualitative study, three focus-group interviews were conducted with a total of 17 GPs. Read More

Diabet Med 2021 Apr 20:e14586. Epub 2021 Apr 20.

General Practice Research Unit (AFE), Department of General Practice, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.

Aims: To explore whether the general practitioners' (GPs') performance of recommended processes of care was associated with estimated risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and poor glycaemic control in their type 2 diabetes patients.

Methods: A cross-sectional study from Norwegian general practice including 6015 people with type 2 diabetes <75 years old, without CVD and their 275 GPs. The GPs were split into quintiles based on each GP's average performance of six recommended processes of care. Read More

Future Child 2020 ;30(2):143-164

Adam Schickedanz is an assistant professor in residence in the Department of Pediatrics at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles. Neal Halfon is the founding director of the Center for Healthier Children, Families and Communities; a professor of pediatrics in the David Geffen School of Medicine; a professor of health policy and management in the Fielding School of Public Health; and a professor of public policy in the Luskin School of Public Affairs, all at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Health care reaches more children under age three in the United States than any other family-facing system and represents the most common entry point for developmental assessment of and services for children. In this article, Adam Schickedanz and Neal Halfon examine how well the child health care system promotes healthy child development early in life. They also review children's access to health care through insurance coverage, the health care system's evolution in response to scientific and technical advances, and the shifting epidemiology of health and developmental risk. Read More

Artif Intell Rev 2021 Apr 15:1-31. Epub 2021 Apr 15.

Discipline of Business Analytics in Business School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.

Since early 2020, the whole world has been facing the deadly and highly contagious disease named coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the World Health Organization declared the pandemic on 11 March 2020. Over 23 million positive cases of COVID-19 have been reported till late August 2020. Medical images such as chest X-rays and Computed Tomography scans are becoming one of the main leading clinical diagnosis tools in fighting against COVID-19, underpinned by Artificial Intelligence based techniques, resulting in rapid decision-making in saving lives. Read More

J Am Pharm Assoc (2003) 2021 Apr 5. Epub 2021 Apr 5.

Pharmacists are well-respected health care practitioners tasked with providing optimal patient care while operating under an assigned code of ethics. Pharmacists know their responsibility regarding improving patients' health in the examination room, pharmacy, and hospital, but several factors influence the well-being of a patient that are not directly related to their therapy regimens. A patient's actions regarding political and social issues can have an indirect effect on their health and the health of others. Read More

Hum Resour Health 2021 Apr 19;19(1):52. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

Department of Health Policy and Administration, College of Public Health, University of the Philippines Manila, 1000, Metro Manila, Philippines.

Background: There is limited information on how the barriers to interprofessional collaboration (IPC) across various professionals, organizations, and care facilities influence the health and welfare of older adults. This study aimed to describe the status of IPC practices among health and social workers providing care for older adults in the Philippines; investigate the perceived barriers to its implementation and perceived effects on geriatric care; and identify possible solutions to address the barriers limiting collaborative practice.

Methods: A case study approach was utilized employing 12 semi-structured in-depth interviews and 29 focus group discussions with care workers from selected primary health care units, public and private hospitals, and nursing homes that are directly involved in geriatric care delivery in two cities in the Philippines. Read More

BMC Infect Dis 2021 Apr 19;21(1):368. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

Department of Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Bahrami Children Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran.

Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) as an acute, systemic vasculitis is the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children under the age of 5 years.

Methods: A 10-year cross-sectional retrospective study was designed to assess 190 Iranian children with KD during 2008-2018. Demographic data, clinical and laboratory manifestations from the onset of symptoms to diagnosis, clinical signs and symptoms, and subsequent treatments were evaluated to predict hospitalization stay, complications, and response to treatment. Read More

Med J Aust 2021 Apr 19. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, Melbourne, VIC.

Sleep Med 2021 Mar 15;82:23-28. Epub 2021 Mar 15.

National Reference Network for Narcolepsy, Sleep-Wake Disorders Unit, Department of Neurology, Gui-de- Chauliac Hospital, CHU Montpellier, Univ Montpellier, Institute of Neuroscience INM INSERM, Montpellier, France.

Background: There are limited data available on regional differences in the diagnosis and management of narcolepsy. In order to better understand worldwide trends in clinical assessment and management of narcolepsy, a survey of health-care providers was conducted by the World Sleep Society Narcolepsy task force.

Methods: A total of 146 surveys that included items on the diagnosis and management of narcolepsy were completed by practitioners representing 37 countries. Read More

Methods Mol Biol 2021 ;2249:455-466

Division of Nephrology, University of British Colombia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) are systematically developed statements to assist practitioners and patient to reach appropriate health-care decisions. The synthesis and translation of a large amount of evidence into practice recommendations should ultimately reduce the use of unnecessary or harmful interventions, help patients to achieve maximum benefit, and minimize risk, all at an acceptable cost.In the past, CPGs were developed based on expert opinion, and using consensus methodology either formally or informally. Read More

Scand J Prim Health Care 2021 Apr 19:1-8. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

Department of Global Public Health and Primary Health Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.

Background: Inactivity is prevalent in patients presenting in general practice, and the health benefits of increased physical activity (PA) are well known. Few studies have explored whether patients want their general practitioner's (GPs) contribution in facilitating a lifestyle change.

Objective: To identify the characteristics of patients who expect help from their doctor in increasing levels of PA. Read More

Ir J Psychol Med 2021 Apr 19:1-6. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

School of Medicine, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.

People with severe mental illness and intellectual disabilities are overrepresented in the criminal justice system worldwide and this is also the case in Ireland. Following Ireland's ratification of the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities in 2018, there has been an increasing emphasis on ensuring access to justice for people with disabilities as in Article 13. For people with mental health and intellectual disabilities, this requires a multi-agency approach and a useful point of intervention may be at the police custody stage. Read More

Aging Ment Health 2021 Apr 19:1-9. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

Department of Human Development and Family Science, University of Missouri, Columbia, USA.

Objectives: The present study examines the moderating role of social connectedness (i.e. closeness, talk frequency, social network size, and neighborhood social ties) in the association between one's own and spouse's relationship strain and emotional well-being (i. Read More

J Sleep Res 2021 Apr 18:e13353. Epub 2021 Apr 18.

Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and Criminal Justice, Rutgers University Camden, Camden, NJ, USA.

The current study examines the associations between unfair police treatment and sleep quantity and quality among a nationally representative sample of adults from Wave V (years 2016-2018) of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (N = 12,057). Furthermore, considering the documented negative associations between unjust police treatment and both physical and psychological wellbeing, we investigate whether this relationship is attenuated by aspects of general health and depressive symptoms. Findings demonstrate that personal experience with unfair police treatment corresponds to worse sleep among adults, including sleeping fewer hours (especially 6 or fewer hours) and reporting more frequent trouble sleeping. Read More

Nurs Forum 2021 Apr 19. Epub 2021 Apr 19.

Stone Foundation and Elise D. Fish Professor of Nursing, New York, New York, USA.

Background: Burnout threatens patient care and clinicians are experiencing challenges within the practice environment. Little is known about nurse practitioner (NP) perceptions of burnout and its relationship to care quality and practice environment. We investigate the relationship between primary care NP burnout on perceptions of care quality and if the practice environment moderates the relationship between burnout and care quality. Read More