Cross‐country evidence on the social determinants of the post‐socialist mortality crisis in Europe: a review and performance‐based hierarchy of variables

An unprecedented mortality crisis befell the former socialist countries between 1989 and 1995, representing one of the greatest demographic shocks of the period after the Second World War. While it is likely that country‐level variation in the post‐socialist mortality crisis in Eastern Europe can be explained by a constellation of political and socio‐economic factors, no comprehensive review of the existing scholarly attempts at explaining these factors exists. We review 39 cross‐national multi‐variable peer reviewed studies of social determinants of mortality in post‐socialist Europe in order to assess the social factors behind the post‐socialist mortality crisis, determine the gaps in the existing literature and to make suggestions for future research. We propose a novel methodology to determine the relative importance of variables based on the ratio of significant to insignificant findings for each variable. The literature identifies inequality, welfare payments, religious composition, democracy, economic performance and unemployment as the leading factors that have a significant influence on mortality outcomes. Existing cross‐country studies fail to establish a definitive connection between mortality and diets, drinking patterns, liberalisation, trust, health expenditure and war. We also point out that the level of analysis is not a neutral methodological choice but might influence the results themselves.     

Better together: Coexistence of for-profit and nonprofit firms with an application to the U.S. hospice industry

Many markets maintain a nontrivial mix of both nonprofit and for-profit firms, particularly in health care industries such as hospice, nursing homes, and home health. What are the effects of coexistence vs. dominance of one ownership type? We show how the presence of both ownership types can lead to greater diversity in consumer types served, even if both firms merely profit-maximize. This is the case where firms serve consumers for multiple consumption durations, but where donations are part of a nonprofit firm objective function and happen after services have been provided. This finding is strengthened if the good or service has value beyond immediate consumption or the direct consumer. We show these predictions empirically in the hospice industry, using data containing over 90 percent of freestanding U.S. hospices, 2000–2008. Nonprofit and for-profit providers split the patient market according to length of stay, leading to a wider range of patients being served than in the absence of this coexistence.     

Effects of exercise dose and type during breast cancer chemotherapy on longer-term patient-reported outcomes and health-related fitness: A randomized controlled trial

The Combined Aerobic and Resistance Exercise (CARE) Trial compared different types and doses of exercise performed during breast cancer chemotherapy. Here, we report the longer-term follow-up of patient-reported outcomes, health-related fitness and exercise behavior at 6, 12 and 24 months postintervention. A multicenter trial in Canada randomized 301 breast cancer patients initiating chemotherapy to thrice weekly, supervised exercise consisting of a standard dose of 25–30 min of aerobic exercise (STAN; n = 96), a higher dose of 50–60 min of aerobic exercise (HIGH; n = 101) or a combined dose of 50–60 min of aerobic and resistance exercise (COMB; n = 104) performed for the duration of chemotherapy (median of 17 weeks). Primary outcomes were patient-reported outcomes including quality of life, cancer-related symptoms and psychosocial outcomes. Secondary outcomes were objective health-related fitness (assessed at 12 months only) and self-reported exercise behavior. A total of 269 (89.4%) participants completed patient-reported outcomes at all three follow-up time points and 263 (87.4%) completed the health-related fitness assessment at 12-month follow-up. COMB was significantly superior to (i) STAN for sleep quality at 6-month follow-up (p = 0.027); (ii) HIGH for upper body muscular endurance at 12-month follow-up (p = 0.020); and (iii) HIGH for meeting the resistance exercise guideline at 6-month follow-up (p = 0.006). Moreover, self-reported meeting of the combined exercise guideline during follow-up was significantly associated with better patient-reported outcomes and health-related fitness. Performing combined exercise during and after breast cancer chemotherapy may result in better longer-term patient-reported outcomes and health-related fitness compared to performing aerobic exercise alone.     

基于Andersen行为模型的消化道肿瘤患者支持性照顾需求现状及影响因素分析

目的调查消化道肿瘤患者的支持性照顾需求现状并分析其影响因素。方法于2019年1—10月间,采用便利抽样的方法,抽取重庆市三峡中心医院内消化道肿瘤患者共370例,采用一般资料调查表、癌症病人支持性照顾需求简明问卷(SCNS-SF34)、医院焦虑和抑郁量表(HADS)、社会网络支持量表(LSNS)进行问卷调查。以Andersen行为模型为基础,将调查内容中关于消化道肿瘤患者支持性照顾需求的影响因素分别纳入倾向性因素、使能因素和需求性因素中,构建4个线性回归模型进行分析,并检验各模型的拟合优度,采用多元线性回归分析消化道肿瘤患者支持性照顾需求的影响因素。结果共发放问卷370份,回收有效问卷365份,有效回收率为98.6%。365例消化道肿瘤患者支持性照顾需求总均分为(3.42±0.54)分,其中生理与日常生活需求>健康信息需求>照顾与支持需求>心理需求>性需求。多元线性回归分析结果显示:倾向性因素中年龄、婚姻状况,使能因素中的家庭平均月收入、疾病负担能力、社会网络支持,需求性因素中的病程、疾病分期、疼痛情况、焦虑程度、抑郁程度是消化道肿瘤患者支持性照顾需求的主要影响因素(P<0.05)。结论消化道肿瘤患者有较高的支持性照顾需求,其需求受多种因素的影响,建议临床医护人员针对不同需求患者进行针对性满足,并对不同影响因素进行综合考量并加以分类分析。     

温阳通脉方联合抗抑郁药及认知行为干预对恐惧性姿势性眩晕患者的临床研究

目的:探讨温阳通脉方联合抗抑郁药及认知行为干预治疗恐惧性姿势性眩晕(PPV)的临床疗效。方法:选取2015年6月至2017年6月新乡医学院第一附属医院收治的PPV患者78例作为研究对象,随机分为对照组和观察组,每组39例,对照组采用抗抑郁药及认知行为干预治疗,观察组在对照组基础上给予温阳通脉汤加减治疗,连续治疗4周,随访6个月。治疗前后采用国际眩晕评分量表(DHI)、汉密尔顿抑郁量表(HAMD)和汉密尔顿焦虑量表(HAMA)评定患者的临床症状及心理状态改善情况,检测并比较2组治疗前后凝血功能指标变化,统计2组临床疗效及随访期间复发情况。结果:治疗后,观察组临床总有效率89. 74%,明显高于对照组的69. 23%(P 0. 05)。治疗后2组躯体症状评分、心理因子评分、社会功能评分、DHI总分、HAMD评分及HAMA评分均较治疗前明显下降(P 0. 01),且观察组各项评分均低于对照组(P 0. 05或P 0. 01)。治疗后对照组各项凝血功能指标无明显变化(P 0. 05),观察组PT、APTT明显延长,且长于对照组,FIB及D-D水平明显降低,且低于对照组(P 0. 01)。随访期间,观察组、对照组复发率分别为12. 82%、17. 95%,2组间复发率差异无统计学意义(P 0. 05)结论:PPV患者在抗抑郁药及认知行为干预的基础上应用温阳通脉方治疗效果显著,不仅有效降低患者各种负面情绪,同时改善了血液高凝状态及眩晕症状,具有一定的临床推广价值。     

社区老年人骨质疏松症健康行为和自我效能的调查研究

目的 了解北京市社区老年人预防骨质疏松症健康行为和自我效能的情况，并分析影响自我效能的相关因素。方法 采用方便抽样法选取2016 年1～3 月北京市朝阳区两个社区的109 名60 岁以上老年人为调查对象，应用含预防骨质疏松症健康行为信息的一般情况调查表和骨质疏松症自我效能问卷对其进行调查。结果 （1）预防骨质疏松症相关性健康行为方面，49.54%的老年人补充钙剂，53.21%的老年人运动量合理，28.44%的老年人服用维生素；（2）社区老年人骨质疏松症总自我效能得分为（69.10±19.36）分，不同文化程度、职业的自我效能得分比较，差异有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。结论 社区老年人运动和摄钙行为不足，自我效能有待提高，应加强骨质疏松症的健康教育普及及行为方式干预，促使老年人养成良好的生活习惯，从而更好地预防骨质疏松；同时应重点关注文化程度较低的老年人，给予其更多的指导和帮助，并针对不同职业的老年人分别开展健康教育。     

Beyond the hashtag – An exploration of tweeting and replies at the European Society of Surgical Oncology 39th clinical conference (ESSO39)

IntroductionPrevious studies of conference tweeting have focused on tweets that used the conference hashtag. The aim of this study was to document responses beyond a specific conference hashtag.MethodsObservational study exploring replies to tweets for the 39th meeting of ESSO (ESSO39), Rotterdam, 9–11 October 2019. An extract of #ESSO39 tweets was obtained using NodeXL. Replies to these tweets were identified by viewing the tweets via Twitter.com.ResultsThere were 210 tweets posted using the #ESSO39 hashtag by 64 tweeters. However, extending the analysis to include responses that did not use the hashtag, tweets using the hashtag only represent 54% of all tweets posted or quoted at the conference, and only 49% of the tweeters posting content or quoted in tweets. Based on this study of ESSO39 therefore roughly half of tweets and contributors to conference tweeting were not captured by focusing simply on the conference hashtag (#ESSO39). Mentioning another tweeter(s) in a tweet or response was associated with more retweets, as was including the hashtag in replies.ConclusionsTwitter activity at medical conferences extends beyond the conference hashtag. Almost half of the tweeting was beyond the hashtag. To increase visibility of tweets, conference delegates should include the conference hashtag and mention other tweeters in their tweets and responses. Searching for tweets is an active process requiring users to click into replies. Twitter and third-party social media tools should improve identification and display of responses, showing the branching structure of replies and quoting tweets in real time.