Health Information System Implementation: A Qualitative Meta-analysis

Healthcare information systems (HISs) are often implemented to enhance the quality of care and the degree to which it is patient-centered, as well as to improve the efficiency and safety of services. However, the outcomes of HIS implementations have not met expectations. We set out to organize the knowledge gained in qualitative studies performed in association with HIS implementations and to use this knowledge to outline an updated structure for implementation planning. A multi-disciplinary team performed the analyses in order to cover as many aspects of the primary studies as possible. We found that merely implementing an HIS will not automatically increase organizational efficiency. Strategic, tactical, and operational actions have to be taken into consideration, including management involvement, integration in healthcare workflow, establishing compatibility between software and hardware and, most importantly, user involvement, education and training. The results should be interpreted as a high-order scheme, and not a predictive theory.     

Predominance of a rare type of HIV-1 in Estonia

An earlier study has indicated that a complex recombinant HIV-1 strain dominates the epidemic in Estonia. The objective of this study was to further investigate the molecular epidemiology and genetic structure of HIV-1 in Estonia. Most of the investigated individuals became infected after August 2000 when HIV-1 started to spread rapidly among Estonian intravenous drug users (IDUs). Two viral DNA regions, gag/pol and gp41, were sequenced and subtyped from peripheral blood mononuclear cells or plasma from 141 individuals. Phylogenetic analysis in the gp41 region revealed that the most frequent type of the virus among IDUs was a circulating recombinant form, CRF06_cpx, whereas a few samples showed highest sequence similarity to a subtype A strain circulating in Ukraine and Russia. Likewise, in the gag/pol region, most of the samples were classified as CRF06_cpx, with a few classified as subtype A. In this region, however, 16% of the sequences turned out to be mosaic unique recombinant forms consisting of CRF06_cpx and subtype A. At least 9 mosaic forms were identified, each with distinct patterns of multiple crossover. To characterize Estonian CRF06_cpx as well as recombinant isolates in more detail, 4 near-full-length HIV-1 genomes were sequenced.     

What evidence is there for the existence of individual genes with antagonistic pleiotropic effects?

Classical evolutionary theory predicts the existence of genes with antagonistic effects on longevity and various components of early-life fitness. Quantitative genetic studies have provided convincing evidence that such genes exist. However, antagonistic pleiotropic effects have rarely been attributed to individual loci. We examine several classes of longevity-assurance genes: those involved in regulation of the gonad; the insulin-like growth factor pathway; free-radical scavenging; heat shock proteins and apoptosis. We find initial evidence that antagonistic pleiotropic effects are pervasive in each of these classes of genes and in various model systems--although most studies lack explicit studies of fitness components. This is particularly true of human studies. Very little is known about the early-life fitness effects of longevity loci. Given the possible medical importance of such effects we urge their future study.     

Weight Status and BMI-Related Traits in Adolescent Friendship Groups and Role of Sociodemographic Factors: The European IDEFICS/I. Family Cohort

BackgroundDuring adolescence, health behaviors and weight status are increasingly influenced by friendship and peer networks. This paper examines resemblances in weight-related characteristics and how they differ by sociodemographic factors.MethodsOver 3,000 friendships were reported by 1,603 adolescents, aged 11–16 years, who participated in the school-based I. Family study in 6 European countries. Each “source child” named 1–10 friends for whom standardized weight-related traits were available in the same survey. The mean value of the friends'' traits weighted by time spent together was calculated, and related to the source child''s trait. Country, age and sex of the source child, parental education, and immigrant background were considered for confounding and moderation.ResultsSource children''s z-scores of body fat percent and BMI were positively associated with their friends'' characteristics, in particular if they had highly educated parents. Positive associations were also found regarding the frequency of fast-food consumption, impulsivity, screen time, preference for sugar-sweetened foods, and hours spent in sports clubs, in increasing order of effect size. Additionally, correlations were observed between friends'' cognitive and school functioning and being bullied. No associations were seen for a preference for high-fat foods, weight concerns, and health-related quality of life. Finally, parental education and immigrant background were associated between friends in all countries except Sweden, where no associations were observed.ConclusionAdolescent friends shared a number of weight-related characteristics. For weight measures per se, positive associations with friends'' characteristics were only observed in adolescents with high parental education. Associations regarding energy-balance behaviors and indicators of school-related well-being did not differ by parental education. Parental education and immigrant background correlated positively in friends in most countries showing that social aggregation is already occurring in adolescence. The wide spectrum of friendship associations in weight-related traits and behaviors suggests that health promotion initiatives in adolescents should be directed towards peer groups in both school-related and leisure-time environments.ISRCTN RegistryPan-European IDEFICS/I. Family children cohort (ID ISRCTN62310987; https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN62310987).     

Emotional health and quality of life after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage

Background

Emotional disorders and decrease in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are well-documented sequelae of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of emotional disorders on HRQoL in survivors of SAH.

Methods

This was a retrospective study enrolling 114 SAH-survivors at 1–10 years (mean 4,5 years) after the disease. Emotional State Questionnaire (EST-Q) was used to measure emotional health and the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) was used to assess HRQoL of the patients.

Results

Most of the patients reported good recovery, but EST-Q results revealed high prevalence of emotional disorders after SAH. Almost half of the patients had higher than cut-off values indicating fatigue (47 %) and insomnia (46 %). About one third of SAH-patients had higher than cut-off scores demonstrating depression (30 %) and anxiety (31 %). The patients scored significantly lower in all scales of SF-36 as compared to age-matched general population. All EST-Q subscale results were significantly and negatively correlated with SF-36 scores. Fatigue was independently related to all SF-36 subscales and depression to most of the mental health component scores. Emotional symptoms alone were demonstrated to explain 23–47 % of the SF-36 subscale values, and more than half of the variance of mental health component score values were found to be explained by emotional disorders (53 %).

Conclusions

Emotional disorders are frequent after SAH and significantly associated with impairment of HRQOL. Proper and timely screening tests are important to reveal development of emotional problems and improve QoL for the SAH-patients.     

Prevalence of Parkinson's disease in Estonia

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence of idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) in Tartu district of South Estonia, with a population of 153,240 on prevalence day, 1 January 1996. METHODS: The community-based method of case ascertainment was used, followed by neurologic examination. RESULTS: The age-adjusted prevalence was 152 per 100,000 population, 159 for urban and 139 for the rural group, 154 for men and 153 for women. The age-specific prevalence increased from 22 per 100,000 population in the age group 40-49 years up to 1232 per 100,000 population in the age group 70-79 years. The mean age of PD patients was 71.4 years, the mean age at onset of the symptoms - 66.9 years. CONCLUSIONS: When comparing the prevalence rates with other studies of Caucasian populations in Europe, the results are similar except for slightly but not significantly higher prevalence rates in the urban population in Estonia.