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Global Health Action Dec 2024Family interactions, which are always multi-faceted, are complicated further by family members with disabilities. In resource-poor settings, policies and programmes that...
BACKGROUND
Family interactions, which are always multi-faceted, are complicated further by family members with disabilities. In resource-poor settings, policies and programmes that address the needs of and challenges faced by families are often inaccessible or unavailable. Approximately 13% of the families in Tanzania have at least one member with a disability, yet family-centred research on caring for disabled children and adolescents is scarce in this context.
OBJECTIVE
The aim is to explore the needs and challenges faced by families that care for children and adolescents with physical disabilities in the Kilimanjaro Region of north-eastern Tanzania.
METHODS
This qualitative study had a constructivist grounded-theory design. In-depth interviews, using a semi-structured interview guide based on the social-capital framework, were conducted with 12 female participants aged between 24 and 80. A conceptual model of family needs, inspired by Maslow's hierarchy of needs, informed the analysis.
RESULTS
Challenging needs were grouped into five categories, which were linked to Maslow's hierarchy of needs and related to the central concept of 'adaptive adjustment': (1) 'barely surviving'; (2) 'safety needs in jeopardy'; (3) 'sociocultural protection'; (4) 'self-esteem far beyond reach', and (5) 'dreaming of self-actualisation'.
CONCLUSION
Families caring for children and adolescents with physical disabilities in north-eastern Tanzania have needs that extend beyond the available and accessible resources. Families can adjust and adapt by avoiding certain situations, accepting the reality of their circumstances and exploring alternative ways of coping. A sustainable support system, including social networks, is essential for meeting basic needs and ensuring safety.
Topics: Humans; Tanzania; Adolescent; Female; Child; Disabled Children; Grounded Theory; Adult; Adaptation, Psychological; Qualitative Research; Middle Aged; Young Adult; Aged; Interviews as Topic; Family; Caregivers; Disabled Persons; Male; Health Services Needs and Demand
PubMed: 38832537
DOI: 10.1080/16549716.2024.2354009 -
Journal of Korean Medical Science Jun 2024We aimed to analyze the effects of an antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) on the proportion of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens in bacteremia, antimicrobial use,...
BACKGROUND
We aimed to analyze the effects of an antimicrobial stewardship program (ASP) on the proportion of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens in bacteremia, antimicrobial use, and mortality in pediatric patients.
METHODS
A retrospective single-center study was performed on pediatric inpatients under 19 years old who received systemic antimicrobial treatment from 2001 to 2019. A pediatric infectious disease attending physician started ASP in January 2008. The study period was divided into the pre-intervention (2001-2008) and the post-intervention (2009-2019) periods. The amount of antimicrobial use was defined as days of therapy per 1,000 patient-days, and the differences were compared using delta slope (= changes in slopes) between the two study periods by an interrupted time-series analysis. The proportion of resistant pathogens and the 30-day overall mortality rate were analyzed by the χ².
RESULTS
The proportion of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing and bacteremia increased from 17% (39 of 235) in the pre-intervention period to 35% (189 of 533) in the post-intervention period ( < 0.001). The total amount of antimicrobial use significantly decreased after the introduction of ASP (delta slope value = -16.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], -30.6 to -2.3; = 0.049). The 30-day overall mortality rate in patients with bacteremia did not increase, being 10% (55 of 564) in the pre-intervention and 10% (94 of 941) in the post-intervention period ( = 0.881).
CONCLUSION
The introduction of ASP for pediatric patients reduced the delta slope of the total antimicrobial use without increasing the mortality rate despite an increased incidence of ESBL-producing gram-negative bacteremia.
Topics: Humans; Antimicrobial Stewardship; Retrospective Studies; Child; Bacteremia; Female; Male; Child, Preschool; Interrupted Time Series Analysis; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Infant; Klebsiella pneumoniae; Adolescent; Escherichia coli; Hospitals, Pediatric
PubMed: 38832477
DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2024.39.e172 -
Drug Design, Development and Therapy 2024To compare the influences of propofol, ciprofol and remimazolam on dreaming during painless gastrointestinal endoscopy. (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
PURPOSE
To compare the influences of propofol, ciprofol and remimazolam on dreaming during painless gastrointestinal endoscopy.
METHODS
This study was a single-center, prospective, parallel-design, double-blind, randomized clinical trial. Between May 2023 and October 2023, patients undergoing elective painless gastrointestinal endoscopy were recruited and randomly allocated into one of the three groups. Demographic data, intraoperative information, incidence of dreaming, insufficient anesthesia and intraoperative awareness, type of dream, patient satisfaction score, adverse events, and improvement of sleep quality were collected.
RESULTS
The difference in incidence of dreaming among the three groups was not significant (33.33% vs 48.33% vs 41.67%, =0.061). The number of patients with intraoperative hypotension in the propofol group was larger than that of the remimazolam group (32 vs 12, =0.001). However, the cases of intraoperative hypotension between propofol group and ciprofol group or ciprofol group and remimazolam group were comparable (32 vs 22, =0.122; 22 vs 12, =0.064). The percentage of insufficient anesthesia between propofol group and remimazolam group was significant (13.33% vs 1.67%, =0.001), while no statistical difference was detected between propofol group and remimazolam group or ciprofol group and remimazolam group (13.33% vs 5.00%, =0.025; 5.00% vs 1.67%, =0.150). The ability of propofol to improve sleep quality at 1st post-examination day was significantly better than that of remimazolam (86.21% vs 72.88%, =0.015), while it was not significant between propofol group and ciprofol group or ciprofol group and remimazolam group (86.21% vs 80.36%, =0.236; 72.88% vs. 72.88%, =0.181). Incidence of intraoperative awareness, intraoperative hypoxia, type of dream, satisfaction score, adverse events during recovery, and sleep improvement on the 7th post-examination day was not significant among the groups.
CONCLUSION
Anesthesia with propofol, ciprofol and remimazolam, respectively, for gastrointestinal endoscopy did not induce statistical difference in the incidence of dreaming, despite that all of them are more likely to induce pleasant dreams.
Topics: Humans; Double-Blind Method; Propofol; Male; Female; Middle Aged; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal; Prospective Studies; Dreams; Adult; Anesthesia; Benzodiazepines; Aged; Anesthetics, Intravenous
PubMed: 38828026
DOI: 10.2147/DDDT.S455915 -
Journal of Family Medicine and Primary... Apr 2024In diabetes mellitus (DM) patients, obtaining a good night's sleep is crucial for maintaining body caloric intake, controlling insulin levels, and reducing the...
INTRODUCTION
In diabetes mellitus (DM) patients, obtaining a good night's sleep is crucial for maintaining body caloric intake, controlling insulin levels, and reducing the likelihood of engaging in unhealthy behavior. Patients with poor sleep quality may experience impaired glycemia, playing a significant role in the development of chronic complications. This study aims to explore the effects of DM complications on sleep quality among Saudi Arabian patients.
PATIENT AND METHODS
This is a cross-sectional study conducted among patients with diabetes. A self-administered, validated questionnaire translated into Arabic was distributed among diabetic patients using an online survey. The questionnaire includes sociodemographic characteristics (i.e. age, gender, marital status, etc.), the medical history of the patients, and a questionnaire about sleep quality.
RESULTS
Out of 4171 patients involved, 52.7% were females and 27.7% were aged between 40 and 60 years old. The prevalence of patients with perceived poor sleep quality was 24.1%. Significant predictors of poor sleep quality were the gender female, having social stressors, comorbid sleep disorders, associated comorbidities, increasing HbA1c levels, being overweight/obese, and diabetes complications. Furthermore, sleep disturbance, taking sleep medications, daytime sleepiness, and having bad dreams during sleep were also identified as prognostic factors for poor sleep quality.
CONCLUSION
The subjective poor sleep quality of patients with diabetes was 24.1%. Poor sleep quality was significantly demonstrated by females who were having social stressors, comorbid sleep disorders, comorbidities, uncontrolled HbA1c levels, elevated BMI levels, and complications of diabetes. However, regular physical activity and adequate sleep were estimated to be the protective factors against poor sleep quality. Further research is needed to establish the effect of sleep quality among patients with DM.
PubMed: 38827724
DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_473_23 -
The Canadian Journal of Cardiology May 2024Large language models (LLMs) have emerged as powerful tools in artificial intelligence, demonstrating remarkable capabilities in natural language processing and... (Review)
Review
Large language models (LLMs) have emerged as powerful tools in artificial intelligence, demonstrating remarkable capabilities in natural language processing and generation. In this article, we explore the potential applications of LLMs in enhancing cardiovascular care and research. We discuss how LLMs can be utilized to simplify complex medical information, improve patient-physician communication, and automate tasks such as summarizing medical articles and extracting key information. Additionally, we highlight the role of LLMs in categorizing and analyzing unstructured data, such as medical notes and test results, which could revolutionize data handling and interpretation in cardiovascular research. However, we also emphasize the limitations and challenges associated with LLMs, including potential biases, reasoning opacity, and the need for rigorous validation in medical contexts. This article provides a practical guide for cardiovascular professionals to understand and harness the power of LLMs while navigating their limitations. We conclude by discussing the future directions and implications of LLMs in transforming cardiovascular care and research.
PubMed: 38825181
DOI: 10.1016/j.cjca.2024.05.024 -
Thrombosis Journal May 2024Von Willebrand factor (vWF) plays a crucial role in hemostasis, acting as a key factor for platelet adhesion/aggregation and as a transport protein for coagulation...
Impact of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation treatments on acquired von Willebrand syndrome in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a retrospective observational study.
BACKGROUND
Von Willebrand factor (vWF) plays a crucial role in hemostasis, acting as a key factor for platelet adhesion/aggregation and as a transport protein for coagulation factor VIII. vWF is secreted as a giant multimer, and it undergoes shear stress-dependent cleavage by a specific metalloproteinase in plasma. Among vWF multimers, high-molecular-weight (large) multimers are essential for hemostasis. Acquired von Willebrand syndrome, linked to various conditions, is a hemostatic disorder due to reduced vWF activity. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), utilized recently for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients, generates high shear stress inside the pump. This stress may induce a conformational change in vWF, enhancing cleavage by a specific metalloproteinase and thereby reducing vWF activity. However, no study has investigated the effects of ECMO on vWF-related factors in patients receiving or not receiving ECMO. This study aimed to elucidate the relationship between ECMO treatment and acquired von Willebrand syndrome-related factors in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
METHODS
This study included patients with cardiogenic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest admitted to our hospital. The patients were categorized into two groups (ECMO and non-ECMO) based on the presence or absence of ECMO treatment. Plasma samples were collected from patients admitted to the emergency department (days 0-4). The vWF antigen (vWF: Ag), vWF ristocetin cofactor activity (vWF: RCo), and factor VIII activity were measured. Additionally, a large multimer of vWF was evaluated through vWF multimer analysis, utilizing western blotting to probe vWF under non-reducing conditions.
RESULTS
The ECMO and non-ECMO groups included 10 and 22 patients, respectively. The median ECMO treatment in the ECMO group was 64.6 h. No differences in vWF: Ag or factor VIII activity were observed between the two groups during the observation period. However, the ECMO group exhibited a decrease in large vWF multimers and vWF: RCo during ECMO. Strong correlations were observed between vWF: RCo and vWF: Ag in both groups, although the relationships were significantly different between the two groups.
CONCLUSIONS
ECMO treatment in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest resulted in the loss of large vWF multimers and decreased vWF activity. Hence, decreased vWF activity should be considered as a cause of bleeding during ECMO management.
PubMed: 38822325
DOI: 10.1186/s12959-024-00617-4 -
PLOS Global Public Health 2024Combination HIV prevention packages have reduced HIV incidence and improved HIV-related outcomes among young people. However, there is limited data on how package...
Combination HIV prevention packages have reduced HIV incidence and improved HIV-related outcomes among young people. However, there is limited data on how package components interact to promote HIV-related prevention behaviours. We described the uptake of HIV prevention interventions supported by Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Motivated and Safe (DREAMS) Partnership and assessed the association between uptake and HIV-related behaviours among young people in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. We analysed two cohorts followed from May 2017 to December 2019 to evaluate the impact of DREAMS, covering 13-29 year-old females, and 13-35 year-old males. DREAMS interventions were categorised as healthcare-based or social. We described the uptake of interventions and ran logistic regression models to investigate the association between intervention uptake and subsequent protective HIV-related outcomes including no condomless sex and voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC). For each outcome, we adjusted for socio-demographics and sexual/pregnancy history and reported adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Among 5248 participants, uptake of healthcare interventions increased from 2018 to 2019 by 8.1% and 3.7% for males and females respectively; about half of participants reported receiving both healthcare and social interventions each year. The most utilised combinations of interventions included HIV testing and counselling, school-based HIV education and cash transfers. Participation in social interventions only compared to no intervention was associated with reduced condomless sex (aOR = 1.60, 95%CI: 1.03-2.47), while participation in healthcare interventions only was associated with increased condomless sex. The uptake of interventions did not significantly affect subsequent VMMC overall. Among adolescent boys, exposure to school-based HIV education, cash transfers and HIV testing and counselling was associated with increase in VMMC (aOR = 1.79, 95%CI: 1.04-3.07). Multi-level HIV prevention interventions were associated with an increase in protective HIV-related behaviours emphasizing the importance of accessible programs within both school and community settings for young people.
PubMed: 38820546
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0003258 -
Journal of Vision May 2024Perceptual reality monitoring refers to the ability to distinguish internally triggered imagination from externally triggered reality. Such monitoring can take place at...
Perceptual reality monitoring refers to the ability to distinguish internally triggered imagination from externally triggered reality. Such monitoring can take place at perceptual or cognitive levels-for example, in lucid dreaming, perceptual experience feels real but is accompanied by a cognitive insight that it is not real. We recently developed a paradigm to reveal perceptual reality monitoring errors during wakefulness in the general population, showing that imagined signals can be erroneously attributed to perception during a perceptual detection task. In the current study, we set out to investigate whether people have insight into perceptual reality monitoring errors by additionally measuring perceptual confidence. We used hierarchical Bayesian modeling of confidence criteria to characterize metacognitive insight into the effects of imagery on detection. Over two experiments, we found that confidence criteria moved in tandem with the decision criterion shift, indicating a failure of reality monitoring not only at a perceptual but also at a metacognitive level. These results further show that such failures have a perceptual rather than a decisional origin. Interestingly, offline queries at the end of the experiment revealed global, task-level insight, which was uncorrelated with local, trial-level insight as measured with confidence ratings. Taken together, our results demonstrate that confidence ratings do not distinguish imagination from reality during perceptual detection. Future research should further explore the different cognitive dimensions of insight into reality judgments and how they are related.
Topics: Humans; Imagination; Male; Female; Adult; Bayes Theorem; Young Adult; Metacognition; Photic Stimulation; Visual Perception
PubMed: 38814936
DOI: 10.1167/jov.24.5.13 -
Journal of Sleep Research May 2024The world-wide prevalence of insomnia disorder reaches up to 10% of the adult population. Women are more often afflicted than men, and insomnia disorder is a risk factor... (Review)
Review
The world-wide prevalence of insomnia disorder reaches up to 10% of the adult population. Women are more often afflicted than men, and insomnia disorder is a risk factor for somatic and mental illness, especially depression and anxiety disorders. Persistent hyperarousals at the cognitive, emotional, cortical and/or physiological levels are central to most theories regarding the pathophysiology of insomnia. Of the defining features of insomnia disorder, the discrepancy between minor objective polysomnographic alterations of sleep continuity and substantive subjective impairment in insomnia disorder remains enigmatic. Microstructural alterations, especially in rapid eye movement sleep ("rapid eye movement sleep instability"), might explain this mismatch between subjective and objective findings. As rapid eye movement sleep represents the most highly aroused brain state during sleep, it might be particularly prone to fragmentation in individuals with persistent hyperarousal. In consequence, mentation during rapid eye movement sleep may be toned more as conscious-like wake experience, reflecting pre-sleep concerns. It is suggested that this instability of rapid eye movement sleep is involved in the mismatch between subjective and objective measures of sleep in insomnia disorder. Furthermore, as rapid eye movement sleep has been linked in previous works to emotional processing, rapid eye movement sleep instability could play a central role in the close association between insomnia and depressive and anxiety disorders.
PubMed: 38811745
DOI: 10.1111/jsr.14252 -
Nursing Reports (Pavia, Italy) Apr 2024Music evokes positive emotions and reduces stress and anxiety. Operating room (OR) staff face various challenges which can lead to high levels of stress. The aim of the...
BACKGROUND
Music evokes positive emotions and reduces stress and anxiety. Operating room (OR) staff face various challenges which can lead to high levels of stress. The aim of the study is to assess whether listening to music during intraoperative phases improves the work environment by reducing anxiety and stress in the entire surgical team.
METHODS
A prospective observational study was conducted from February to September 2023, involving medical personnel, nursing staff, and nursing students. They were divided into two groups: Group 1 with music during surgical procedures, and Group 2 without music. Participants were administered two validated instruments: the Zung Anxiety Self-Assessment Scale (SAS) to measure anxiety, and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule to assess emotions generating stress. Additional items were included for demographics, job satisfaction, and the organization method.
RESULTS
Music did not impact anxiety, but increased positive emotions while reducing negative ones. Music had an ancillary effect, highlighting the need for significant organizational interventions aimed at increasing operator satisfaction, including offering voluntary instead of mandatory assignments to nursing staff.
CONCLUSIONS
Music appears to reduce stress in the intraoperative team when supported by a positive work environment in which assigned operators have chosen to work in the OR.
PubMed: 38804415
DOI: 10.3390/nursrep14020082