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Tomography (Ann Arbor, Mich.) Oct 2023Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) is an international standard that defines a format for storing medical images and a protocol to enable and... (Review)
Review
Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) is an international standard that defines a format for storing medical images and a protocol to enable and facilitate data communication among medical imaging systems. The DICOM standard has been instrumental in transforming the medical imaging world over the last three decades. Its adoption has been a significant experience for manufacturers, healthcare users, and research scientists. In this review, thirty years after introducing the standard, we discuss the innovation, advantages, and limitations of adopting the DICOM and its possible future directions.
Topics: Software; Radiology Information Systems; Diagnostic Imaging
PubMed: 37888737
DOI: 10.3390/tomography9050145 -
Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) Oct 2023Chronic conditions such as stroke, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, vestibular disorders, chronic pain, arthritis, diabetes, chronic... (Review)
Review
INTRODUCTION
Chronic conditions such as stroke, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, vestibular disorders, chronic pain, arthritis, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and heart disease are leading causes of disability among middle-aged and older adults. While evidence-based treatment can optimize clinical outcomes, few people with chronic conditions engage in the recommended levels of exercise for clinical improvement and successful management of their condition. Rehabilitation technologies that can augment therapeutic care-i.e., exoskeletons, virtual/augmented reality, and remote monitoring-offer the opportunity to bring evidence-based rehabilitation into homes. Successful integration of rehabilitation techniques at home could help recovery and access and foster long term self-management. However, widespread uptake of technology in rehabilitation is still limited, leaving many technologies developed but not adopted.
METHODS
In this narrative review, clinical need, efficacy, and obstacles and suggestions for implementation are discussed. The use of three technologies is reviewed in the management of the most prevalent chronic diseases that utilize rehabilitation services, including common neurological, musculoskeletal, metabolic, pulmonary, and cardiac conditions. The technologies are (i) exoskeletons, (ii) virtual and augmented reality, and (iii) remote monitoring.
RESULTS
Effectiveness evidence backing the use of technology in rehabilitation is growing but remains limited by high heterogeneity, lack of long-term outcomes, and lack of adoption outcomes.
CONCLUSION
While rehabilitation technologies bring opportunities to bridge the gap between clinics and homes, there are many challenges with adoption. Hybrid effectiveness and implementation trials are a possible path to successful technology development and adoption.
PubMed: 37893825
DOI: 10.3390/healthcare11202751 -
Telemedicine Reports 2023The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic led health care systems and providers worldwide to rapidly adopt telehealth solutions to minimize risk and comply with isolation...
PURPOSE
The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic led health care systems and providers worldwide to rapidly adopt telehealth solutions to minimize risk and comply with isolation mandates. This article explores telehealth utilization trends in North Carolina (NC) free and charitable clinics-an ambulatory health care delivery setting where traditional third-party reimbursement policies are not a primary consideration.
METHODS
We surveyed NC free and charitable clinic administrators regarding clinic decisions to adopt an externally sponsored telehealth system, what services are provided by telehealth, clinic implementation processes, which populations used telehealth, how telehealth was incorporated into current clinic workflows, and perceptions of telehealth outcomes.
FINDINGS
Telehealth was rapidly adopted among free and charitable clinics after the COVID-19 outbreak. Reasons for implementing telehealth included the ability to continue providing services during a public health emergency and to increase access to patients. However, clinics report that telehealth utilization has dropped significantly since the initial pandemic surge. Patient and provider preferences for in-person services are a common reason cited for this drop. Free and charitable clinics report a strong interest in continuing to deliver services through telehealth. The majority reported continuing to offer telehealth services, but primarily as a supplement to in-person visits rather than as a replacement. They perceive that implementing telehealth has increased access to care but are less certain about the impact on cost of care and patient satisfaction. However, clinic administrators believe improvements in interoperability with other data systems, workflows, scheduling, and care delivery approaches are needed to achieve telehealth's fullest utilization.
CONCLUSION
Telehealth can play a significant role in expanding access to services in the free and charitable clinic setting. However, continued refinements in the technology to facilitate integration with other systems and workflow processes are needed to reach its full potential.
PubMed: 37637374
DOI: 10.1089/tmr.2023.0029 -
PloS One 2023The use of pheromone traps can minimize the excess application of synthetic insecticides, while can also benefit the environment. The use of pheromone traps has been...
The use of pheromone traps can minimize the excess application of synthetic insecticides, while can also benefit the environment. The use of pheromone traps has been promoted and suggested to vegetable farmers of Bangladesh for widespread adoption. However, the majority of farmers have continued to spray insecticides instead of using pheromone traps. The present study investigated the factors influencing farmers' adoption, dis-adoption, and non-adoption behavior of pheromone traps for managing insect pests. Primary data were collected from 438 vegetable growers. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression. About 27% of the farmers abandoned the technique shortly after it was adopted as it was time-consuming to manage insect pests. Marginal effect analysis revealed that the likelihood of continued adoption was 34.6% higher for farmers who perceived that pheromone traps were useful in controlling insect pests. In contrast, the likelihood of dis-adoption was 16.5% and 10.4% higher for farmers who maintained communication with private pesticide company agents and neighbor farmers, respectively. Extension services by government extension personnel might be encouraged and maintained as a key component in increasing farmer awareness regarding the use of pheromone trap. Strategies to promote pheromone traps in vegetable production should highlight the positive impacts to farmers and the environment, as this would most likely lead to their continued and widespread use after initial adoption.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Insecticides; Farmers; Vegetables; Pheromones; Insecta; Pest Control, Biological; Agriculture
PubMed: 37773932
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292254 -
Heliyon May 2024Various Digital Agricultural Technologies (DAT) have been developed and implemented around the world. This study aims to estimate the overall adoption rate and identify...
Various Digital Agricultural Technologies (DAT) have been developed and implemented around the world. This study aims to estimate the overall adoption rate and identify the determinant factors for a better adoption perspective after decades of innovation and dissemination. A systematic review was conducted on published studies that reported adoption rates and determinant factors using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol. We used meta-regression and the partial correlation coefficient to estimate the effect size and establish the correlation between socioeconomic characteristics and the adoption of various technologies reported. Fifty-two studies with 32400 participants met the selection criteria and were included in the study. The results revealed an overall pooled adoption rate of 39 %, with the highest adoption rates in developing countries in Africa and South America. Socioeconomic factors such as age, education, gender, and income were found to be the main determinants and should be considered when designing technology for sustainable adoption. The study also found that young farmers were more susceptible to adoption. Moreover, farmers with higher income levels and educational attainment are more likely to use technology linked to agricultural production, market access, and digital advising, implying that high-income farmers with more education are more tech-savvy. However, this does not exclude low-income and low-educated farmers from adopting the technologies, as many models and strategies with socioeconomic considerations were developed. It is one of the reasons behind the underlying enthusiasm for digital agricultural adoption in low and middle-income countries.
PubMed: 38694104
DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e30210 -
Journal of Postgraduate Medicine 2023Single parent adoption (SPA) is a relatively new construct worldwide and in India. The Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, has laid down... (Review)
Review
Single parent adoption (SPA) is a relatively new construct worldwide and in India. The Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India, has laid down criteria for adoption in general and SPA in particular, in conjunction with the Juvenile Justice Act (Care and Protection of Children), 2015. There is scant literature on this topic of SPA, more so in India, that looks into the various psychological nuances of SPA from a mental health professional's (MHP) perspective. This review paper aims to assess SPA from the perspective of a MHP that will focus on its various legal nuances as well as the psychological connotations attached to it. For this, a search strategy was employed that included a thorough literature search from two databases (PubMed and Google Scholar) with relevant keywords related to the topic. The various legal issues pertaining to SPA in the current scenario, the psychological issues and challenges faced by single parents, the behavioral outcomes of adoptees who are adopted by single parents, and ways to deal with the various obstacles of SPA are discussed.
Topics: Child; Humans; Female; Mental Health; Single Parent; Adoption; India
PubMed: 37357486
DOI: 10.4103/jpgm.jpgm_718_22 -
IScience Oct 2023Low-carbon technology adoption is an essential element of energy transitions toward net-zero emissions around the world. To exploit the full potential of low-carbon...
Low-carbon technology adoption is an essential element of energy transitions toward net-zero emissions around the world. To exploit the full potential of low-carbon technologies, households should ideally co-adopt multiple low-carbon technologies. Whereas previous research primarily investigated predictors of single-technology adoption in isolation, here we focus on the co-adoption of multiple low-carbon technologies, including solar photovoltaics, stationary batteries, heat pumps, and electric vehicles, to examine the interconnections between adoption decisions and the potential of certain technologies to serve as "entry points" for the co-adoption of multiple low-carbon technologies. Based on a sample of 1967 homeowners, we identified unique demographic and psychological variables associated with co-adoption. We moreover observed specific co-adoption patterns across time in that the adoption of one technology increased the likelihood of adopting another technology. This effect, however, was primarily driven by co-adoption in close temporal proximity, pointing to opportunities for targeted policies that support technology bundles.
PubMed: 37731618
DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107815 -
Nursing Open Oct 2023To explore the value of the 6S management strategies in COVID-19 wards.
AIM
To explore the value of the 6S management strategies in COVID-19 wards.
DESIGN
Nurses from the first Fujian medical team in aiding Hubei Province at Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital (2 February, 2020-24 March, 2020) were recruited and instructed to adopt the 6S management strategies for nursing management.
METHODS
The paired-sample t-test was performed to compare the nursing quality, core capabilities of nurses, nursing preparation time, and nursing error rates before and after implementation.
RESULTS
After implementation of the 6S management strategies, a total of 93 nurses experienced significant improvements in nursing quality, especially in workplace stress, material preparation, and medication management (p < .001). Adoption of the 6S model for nursing management in COVID-19 wards effectively improves nursing quality, enhances the core capabilities of nurses, reduces nursing preparation time, and lowers nursing error rates.
Topics: Humans; COVID-19; Occupational Stress; Hospitals
PubMed: 37574659
DOI: 10.1002/nop2.1966 -
Cureus Nov 2023In India, a sizeable share of the female population is in the postmenopausal or perimenopausal stage. Issues related to aging in women are an increased risk of broken... (Review)
Review
In India, a sizeable share of the female population is in the postmenopausal or perimenopausal stage. Issues related to aging in women are an increased risk of broken bones, a decrease in cortical and cancellous bone thickness, and a decrease in bone mineral density (BMD). Osteoporosis has a severely detrimental effect on the life of women, lowering their standard of living, decreasing the quality of their lives, and increasing their likelihood of fractures. It can be terrible if the fracture affects the hip or the spine since it could leave you immobile. Postmenopausal osteoporosis is related to lack of estrogen and lack of eggs produced by ovaries seen with increasing age. After many years of study, the role of estrogen is now well established in bone remodelling. Estrogen contributes to the resorption and strengthening of bone. It detects less density of bone at specific site and helps in strengthening the bone at that location. Treatment choices are based on severity, rate of advancement, and individual patient-specific characteristics. By adopting a lifecycle approach, all women should be educated about this illness and inspired to adopt a healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise and a balanced diet. All premenopausal women should be advised to take vitamin D and calcium supplements regardless of whether or not they have any bone defects. Smoking and alcohol consumption should also be restricted. Pharmacological intervention is carried out on patients diagnosed with the disease. Drugs should be chosen based on their side effects and contradictions. It's crucial to do follow-up, and patient compliance should be closely observed. This article raises awareness of this widespread illness and helps women of postmenopausal age take the required precautions to stop bone thinning and manage its progress; moreover, it also reviews the literature already published on it.
PubMed: 38090417
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.48582