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Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) Sep 2021Understanding the attitudes toward FGM/C held by people who have been involved in this practice can lead to more active interventions to prevent this harmful practice.... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Understanding the attitudes toward FGM/C held by people who have been involved in this practice can lead to more active interventions to prevent this harmful practice. In order to achieve this, a systematic review was performed on scientific articles.
METHODS
Electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Science Direct) were examined to identify articles.
RESULTS
Our initial search resulted in 3013 articles, of which 40 articles with estimations of attitudes toward FGM/C were reviewed. The results indicate that the random-effects pooled estimation of negative attitudes toward FGM/C practice was 53% (95% CI 47-59; < 0.001). Furthermore, the pooled estimation of attitudes toward the decision not to circumcise young daughters was 63% (95% CI 46-80; < 0.001).
CONCLUSION
Despite the increased awareness and efforts to ban FGM/C in many countries around the world, our review demonstrates that positive attitudes toward FGM/C are still far from being eradicated and have hardly changed in the past years. This issue reflects deeply rooted cultural and social concerns of health care professionals with regard to continuing the practice. The authors believe that circumcised women can play a key role in encouraging the abandonment of FGM/C through educational and cultural campaigns.
PubMed: 34574958
DOI: 10.3390/healthcare9091184 -
Journal of Biological Regulators and... 2020The conventional use of prosthetic custom-design socket is affected by discomfort related to wellknown problems: sweating, sores or skin irritation, excessive weight and...
The conventional use of prosthetic custom-design socket is affected by discomfort related to wellknown problems: sweating, sores or skin irritation, excessive weight and harness, impaired body image, that lead to a high rate of abandonment. Osseointegrated prosthetic implants for limb amputation are progressively evolving to overcome limitations of socket. The aim of this article is to present a systematic review of the use, safety in terms of rate of infection and complications, and reported outcomes of upper and lower limb osseointegrated prosthetic implants. A systematic search was carried out for studies that evaluated outcomes of osseointegration technique in case of upper and lower limb amputees according to the PRISMA guidelines with a PRISMA checklist and algorithm. MINORS score was used for methodologic assessment. 17 articles about the treatment of patients with upper or lower limb amputation treated with an osseointegrated prostesis were included. The overall rate of infections was 32%. All the clinical outcomes reported were related to lower limb. No clinical data for upper limb was found. The postoperative mean value of MCS and PCS SF-36 and Q-TFA was 55.1, 45.4 and 73.8 respectively, while six minute walk test (6MWT) and the timed up and go (TUG) test scored an average value of 388 meters and 11.5 seconds respectively. MINORS score ranged from 5 to 13, with a median of 11 [interquartile range (IQR), 9-11]. The osseointegration is associated to a high rate of postoperative complications but, significant improvement in clinical outcomes compared to preoperative time are shown. The data available from the literature are limited but suggest good clinical outcomes and significant survivorship of the implants. Further clinical studies are needed to establish which kind of implant is associated to higher clinical performance and lower rate of postoperative complications and infections.
Topics: Amputation, Surgical; Amputees; Artificial Limbs; Humans; Osseointegration; Postoperative Complications; Prosthesis Implantation; Treatment Outcome; Upper Extremity
PubMed: 33261296
DOI: No ID Found -
Journal of Medical Internet Research Oct 2022Online consultations (OCs) allow patients to contact their care providers on the web. Worldwide, OCs have been rolled out in primary care rapidly owing to policy... (Review)
Review
Understanding How the Design and Implementation of Online Consultations Affect Primary Care Quality: Systematic Review of Evidence With Recommendations for Designers, Providers, and Researchers.
BACKGROUND
Online consultations (OCs) allow patients to contact their care providers on the web. Worldwide, OCs have been rolled out in primary care rapidly owing to policy initiatives and COVID-19. There is a lack of evidence regarding how OC design and implementation influence care quality.
OBJECTIVE
We aimed to synthesize research on the impacts of OCs on primary care quality, and how these are influenced by system design and implementation.
METHODS
We searched databases from January 2010 to February 2022. We included quantitative and qualitative studies of real-world OC use in primary care. Quantitative data were transformed into qualitative themes. We used thematic synthesis informed by the Institute of Medicine domains of health care quality, and framework analysis informed by the nonadoption, abandonment, scale-up, spread, and sustainability framework. Strength of evidence was judged using the GRADE-CERQual approach.
RESULTS
We synthesized 63 studies from 9 countries covering 31 OC systems, 14 (22%) of which used artificial intelligence; 41% (26/63) of studies were published from 2020 onward, and 17% (11/63) were published after the COVID-19 pandemic. There was no quantitative evidence for negative impacts of OCs on patient safety, and qualitative studies suggested varied perceptions of their safety. Some participants believed OCs improved safety, particularly when patients could describe their queries using free text. Staff workload decreased when sufficient resources were allocated to implement OCs and patients used them for simple problems or could describe their queries using free text. Staff workload increased when OCs were not integrated with other software or organizational workflows and patients used them for complex queries. OC systems that required patients to describe their queries using multiple-choice questionnaires increased workload for patients and staff. Health costs decreased when patients used OCs for simple queries and increased when patients used them for complex queries. Patients using OCs were more likely to be female, younger, and native speakers, with higher socioeconomic status. OCs increased primary care access for patients with mental health conditions, verbal communication difficulties, and barriers to attending in-person appointments. Access also increased by providing a timely response to patients' queries. Patient satisfaction increased when using OCs owing to better primary care access, although it decreased when using multiple-choice questionnaire formats.
CONCLUSIONS
This is the first theoretically informed synthesis of research on OCs in primary care and includes studies conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. It contributes new knowledge that, in addition to having positive impacts on care quality such as increased access, OCs also have negative impacts such as increased workload. Negative impacts can be mitigated through appropriate OC system design (eg, free text format), incorporation of advanced technologies (eg, artificial intelligence), and integration into technical infrastructure (eg, software) and organizational workflows (eg, timely responses).
TRIAL REGISTRATION
PROSPERO CRD42020191802; https://tinyurl.com/2p84ezjy.
Topics: United States; Humans; Female; Male; COVID-19; Pandemics; Artificial Intelligence; Referral and Consultation; Quality of Health Care
PubMed: 36279172
DOI: 10.2196/37436 -
Frontiers in Bioengineering and... 2023The amputee population according to the World-Health-Organization is about 40 million. However, there is a high abandon rate of socket prostheses for the lower limb... (Review)
Review
The amputee population according to the World-Health-Organization is about 40 million. However, there is a high abandon rate of socket prostheses for the lower limb (25%-57%). The direct connection between the external prosthesis and the patient's bone makes osseointegrated prostheses for transfemoral amputees advantageous (e.g., improvement of the motor control) compared to socket prostheses, which are currently the gold standard. However, similarly to other uncemented prostheses, the osseointegrated ones are at risk of aseptic loosening and adverse bone remodelling caused by stress-shielding. The preclinical assessment of these prostheses has already been evaluated using different methods which did not provide unanimous and comparable evidence. To compare data from different investigations, a clear and detailed overview of the methods used to assess the performance is necessary. In this review 17 studies investigating the primary stability, stress shielding and stress concentration of osseointegrated transfemoral prostheses are examined. Primary stability consists in the biomechanical stability upon implant insertion. Primary stability is assessed measuring extraction force (either with a pull-out or a push-out test) and micromotion at the interface between the implant and the host bone with LVDT ( test) or numerical models. Stress-shielding causes adaptive changes in the bone density around metal implants, and thus in the bone strength and stiffness. Stress-shielding is assessed with strain gauges or numerical models measuring the load transfer and the strain distribution on the surface of the femur, and between the implant and the bone respectively. Stress concentration can lead to the formation of cracks inside the bone, resulting in fractures. The stress concentration is assessed measuring the load transfer and the strain energy density at the interface between the implant and the bone, using numerical models. As a result, a global view and consensus about the methods are missing from all these tests. Indeed, different setup and loading scenario were used in the test, while different model parameters (e.g., bone properties) were used in the numerical models. Once the preclinical assessment method is established, it would be important to define thresholds and acceptance criteria for each of the possible failure scenarios investigated.
PubMed: 37662439
DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1237919 -
Europace : European Pacing,... Jun 2024Persistent reluctance to perform magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with abandoned and/or epicardial leads of cardiac implantable electronic devices is related... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
AIMS
Persistent reluctance to perform magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with abandoned and/or epicardial leads of cardiac implantable electronic devices is related to in vitro studies reporting tip heating. While there is a plethora of data on the safety of MRI in conditional and non-conditional implantable devices, there is a clear lack of safety data in patients with abandoned and/or epicardial leads.
METHODS AND RESULTS
Relevant literature was identified in Medline and CINAHL using the key terms 'magnetic resonance imaging' AND 'abandoned leads' OR 'epicardial leads'. Secondary literature and cross-references were supplemented. For reporting guidance, the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 was used. International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) registration number 465530. Twenty-one publications with a total of 656 patients with 854 abandoned and/or epicardial leads and 929 MRI scans of different anatomical regions were included. No scan-related major adverse cardiac event was documented, although the possibility of under-reporting of critical events in the literature should be considered. Furthermore, no severe device dysfunction or severe arrhythmia was reported. Mainly transient lead parameter changes were observed in 2.8% in the subgroup of patients with functional epicardial leads. As a possible correlate of myocardial affection, subjective sensations occurred mainly in the subgroup with abandoned epicardial leads (4.0%), but no change in myocardial biomarkers was observed.
CONCLUSION
Existing publications did not report any relevant adverse events for MRI in patients with abandoned and/or epicardial leads if performed according to strict safety guidelines. However, a more rigorous risk-benefit calculation should be made for patients with epicardial leads.
Topics: Humans; Defibrillators, Implantable; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Pacemaker, Artificial; Patient Safety
PubMed: 38918179
DOI: 10.1093/europace/euae165 -
Sexual Medicine Reviews Jan 2020The puerperium is a period of adaptation in which various transformations take place in the lives of women and men on their way to becoming mothers and fathers. These...
INTRODUCTION
The puerperium is a period of adaptation in which various transformations take place in the lives of women and men on their way to becoming mothers and fathers. These changes can also have repercussions on their sexual relations. How the couple deals with this transition is crucial to the well-being of the couple and affects how parents relate to the baby.
AIM
This study aimed to explore the factors that influence sexuality in both women and men during postpartum.
METHODS
We conducted a bibliographic review of 236 articles found on the PubMed database and published from 2008 to January 2019.
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE
The main outcome measure was the impact of various physical, psychological, and sociocultural factors on couples' sexual functioning during postpartum.
RESULTS
The main problems that couples face after childbirth can be classified as (i) psychological changes, such as loss of a sense of self, transitioning to parenthood, taking on the new roles of mother and father, and feelings of abandonment among men; (ii) body changes in women that affect their self-image and perineal trauma; (iii) hormonal changes in women and men that can lead to reduced sexual desire in both and vaginal dryness or dyspareunia in women; (iv) changes in the marital relationship, including changes in each other's roles, taking time for intimacy, and initiating sexual intercourse; (v) sociocultural influences, such as social support, culturally expected roles, and beliefs regarding when to resume sex; and (vi) lifestyle changes, especially with regard to baby care.
CONCLUSION
Sexuality during postpartum is influenced by multiple factors: physical, psychological, and sociocultural. Our findings offer a deeper understanding of how the transition to parenthood affects sexual relationships during the postpartum period. Implications regarding caring for and promoting the sexual health of individuals and couples after childbirth are discussed, and some medical recommendations for parents are offered. Serrano Drozdowskyj E, Gimeno Castro E, Trigo López E, et al. Factors Influencing Couples' Sexuality in the Puerperium: A Systematic Review. Sex Med Rev 2020;8:38-47.
Topics: Dyspareunia; Female; Humans; Libido; Male; Postpartum Period; Sexual Behavior
PubMed: 31447412
DOI: 10.1016/j.sxmr.2019.07.002 -
PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases May 2024Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) mainly affect underprivileged populations, potentially resulting in catastrophic health spending (CHS) and impoverishment from... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
INTRODUCTION
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) mainly affect underprivileged populations, potentially resulting in catastrophic health spending (CHS) and impoverishment from out-of-pocket (OOP) costs. This systematic review aimed to summarize the financial hardship caused by NTDs.
METHODS
We searched PubMed, EMBASE, EconLit, OpenGrey, and EBSCO Open Dissertations, for articles reporting financial hardship caused by NTDs from database inception to January 1, 2023. We summarized the study findings and methodological characteristics. Meta-analyses were performed to pool the prevalence of CHS. Heterogeneity was evaluated using the I2 statistic.
RESULTS
Ten out of 1,768 studies were included, assessing CHS (n = 10) and impoverishment (n = 1) among 2,761 patients with six NTDs (Buruli ulcer, chikungunya, dengue, visceral leishmaniasis, leprosy, and lymphatic filariasis). CHS was defined differently across studies. Prevalence of CHS due to OOP costs was relatively low among patients with leprosy (0.0-11.0%), dengue (12.5%), and lymphatic filariasis (0.0-23.0%), and relatively high among patients with Buruli ulcers (45.6%). Prevalence of CHS varied widely among patients with chikungunya (11.9-99.3%) and visceral leishmaniasis (24.6-91.8%). Meta-analysis showed that the pooled prevalence of CHS due to OOP costs of visceral leishmaniasis was 73% (95% CI; 65-80%, n = 2, I2 = 0.00%). Costs of visceral leishmaniasis impoverished 20-26% of the 61 households investigated, depending on the costs captured. The reported costs did not capture the financial burden hidden by the abandonment of seeking healthcare.
CONCLUSION
NTDs lead to a substantial number of households facing financial hardship. However, financial hardship caused by NTDs was not comprehensively evaluated in the literature. To develop evidence-informed strategies to minimize the financial hardship caused by NTDs, studies should evaluate the factors contributing to financial hardship across household characteristics, disease stages, and treatment-seeking behaviors.
Topics: Neglected Diseases; Humans; Tropical Medicine; Health Expenditures; Financial Stress; Leprosy; Poverty; Cost of Illness; Elephantiasis, Filarial
PubMed: 38739636
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012086