Design and setting: Discussion paper based on placebo–nocebo and pain studies conducted in the western world.
Main outcome measures: Literature-based theory about impact of communication elements on seriousness of symptoms in clinical practice.
Results: The therapeutic outcome seems to be impacted by rituals around a clinical encounter and by the doctor patient communication and relation. A warm, friendly and empathic attitude is crucial in the first contact with the practice and during the consultation as it influences the patient’s perceived outcome. It is important to raise positive expectations when discussing the prognosis, conducting treatment and prescribing medications as the effect may be reduced if the physician expresses doubt about the effectiveness of the medication. Additionally, overly focus on side effects in the doctor–patient conversation about proposed treatments seems to influence the magnitude of perceived side effects in the patient. Thus, shared decision-making might be a desirable tool for ensuring better expectations in the patient and successful symptom relief.
Conclusions: The context of the doctor–patient interplay matters. Placebo–nocebo research provides strong evidence for this link. The therapeutic context induces biomedical processes in the patient’s brain that may enhance or reduce the effects of chosen interventions. The context thus works as a drug, with real effects and side effects.
- KEY POINTS
Increased awareness of the context drug may help GPs alleviate symptoms and better motivate patients for treatment.
Treatment is affected by multiple types of context, as also confirmed by placebo–nocebo research.
The therapeutic context influences the biomedical processes, which may enhance or reduce intervention effects on symptoms.
The impact of context should be considered in daily general practice as it may serve as a drug, with real effects and side effects.
Design: A prospective, multicenter inception cohort of 133 adult patients in the Paris area (France) who had received a severe traumatic brain injury were followed up postinjury at one and four years. Sociodemographic data, factors related to injury severity and one-year functional and cognitive outcomes were prospectively collected.
Methods: The main outcome measure was employment status. Potential predictors of employment status were assessed by univariate and multivariate analysis.
Results: At the four-year follow-up, 38% of patients were in paid employment. The following factors were independent predictors of unemployment: being unemployed or studying before traumatic brain injury, traumatic brain injury severity (i.e., a lower Glasgow Coma Scale score upon admission and a longer stay in intensive care) and a lower one-year Glasgow Outcome Scale–Extended score.
Conclusion: This study confirmed the low rate of long-term employment amongst patients after a severe traumatic brain injury. The results illustrated the multiple determinants of employment outcome and suggested that students who had received a traumatic brain injury were particularly likely to be unemployed, thus we propose that they may require specific support to help them find work.
- Implications for rehabilitation
Traumatic brain injury is a leading cause of persistent disablity and can associate cognitive, emotional, physical and sensory impairments, which often result in quality-of-life reduction and job loss.
Predictors of post-traumatic brain injury unemployment and job loss remains unclear in the particular population of severe traumatic brain injury patients.
The present study highlights the post-traumatic brain injury student population require a close follow-up and vocational rehabilitation.
The study suggests that return to work post-severe traumatic brain injury is frequently unstable and workers often experience difficulties that caregivers have to consider.
Design: A historical population-based cohort study.
Setting: The Danish CRC screening programme and general practice.
Subjects: The 376,198 individuals invited to the Danish CRC screening programme from 1 March to 31 December 2014.
Main outcome Measures: The diagnostic activity (consultations and haemoglobin measures) in general practice in the year preceding the screening invitation and the cumulated incidence of CRC in the year following the screening invitation.
Results: Screening participants had significantly higher diagnostic activity than non-participants. Individuals with a positive faecal immunochemical test (FIT) had higher diagnostic activity compared to individuals with a negative FIT, and a small increase in the months leading up to the invitation. Individuals with a screen-detected CRC had lower diagnostic activity than individuals with no CRC. In total, 308 (25.3%) of CRCs diagnosed in the invited population were diagnosed outside the screening programme. Non-participants with CRC more often had low socio-economic status, high comorbidity and stage IV CRC than participants with CRC.
Conclusions: There was a tendency that participants and those with a positive FIT had a higher diagnostic activity the year before the screening. This was not seen for those with CRC detected through screening. CRC must still be diagnosed in general practice in the invited population and non-participants are of special interest as they have higher risk of late stage CRC.
- Key Points
Current awareness:Individuals with colorectal cancer (CRC) in screening may be symptomatic and CRC may still occur outside screening in the invited population.
Most important points:The majority of individuals with CRC in screening cannot be expected to be diagnosed on symptomatic presentation in general practice
GPs have to be aware that CRC still occurs outside screening in the invited population
Non-participants with CRC are often deprived and have late stage CRC
Method: Twenty-two participants including 16 rehabilitation clinicians and 6 persons living with a disability participated in four nominal group sessions. Participants were questioned on current or potential rehabilitation strategies carried out to enhance participation in shopping malls for persons living with a disability. Discussions were audio-recorded and qualitative content analysis was conducted.
Results: Participants mentioned strategies that were either carried out by the clinician, or in collaboration with other parties. The latter type of strategies was either carried out with the collaboration of the client, the interdisciplinary team, the relatives, or community organizations.
Conclusions: Rehabilitation clinicians have a role to play in preparing persons living with a disability to resume activities in a shopping mall. Additionally, therapeutic interventions in community settings may enhance the participation of rehabilitation clients in their everyday activities.
- Implications for rehabilitation
Many strategies are currently used in rehabilitation to prepare persons living with a disability to resume shopping activities.
Clinicians could implement shopping-oriented rehabilitation strategies with the client and/or with other rehabilitation partners.
Involving clients in activities related to shopping might enhance their participation in shopping malls after rehabilitation.
Rehabilitation clinicians can be facilitators for people living with a disability to reach optimal participation.
Design: We conducted focus groups (FGs) with 17 GPs.
Setting: Norwegian primary health care.
Subjects: 17 GPs who attended a 5 d course on leadership in primary health care.
Results: Our study suggests that the GPs experience a need for more preparation and formal training for the leadership role, and that they experienced tensions between the clinical and leadership role. GPs recognized the need to take on leadership roles in primary care, but their lack of leadership training and credentials, and the way in which their practices were organized and financed were barriers towards their involvement.
Conclusions: GPs experience tensions between the clinical and leadership role and note a lack of leadership training and awareness. There is a need for a more structured educational and career path for GPs, in which doctors are offered training and preparation in advance.
- KEY POINTS
Little is known about doctors’ experiences and views about leadership in general practice and primary health care. Our study suggests that:
There is a lack of preparation and formal training for the leadership role.
GPs experience tensions between the clinical and leadership role.
GPs recognize leadership challenges at a system level and that doctors should take on leadership roles in primary health care.
Materials and methods: Cross-cultural adaptation of the original English version of the ABILOCO to the Brazilian–Portuguese language followed standardized procedures. The adapted version was administered to 136 stroke subjects and its measurement properties were assessed using Rash analysis. Cross-cultural validity was based on cultural invariance analyses.
Results: Goodness-of-fit analysis revealed one misfitting item. The principal component analysis of the residuals showed that the first dimension explained 45% of the variance in locomotion ability; however, the eigenvalue was 1.92. The ABILOCO-Brazil divided the sample into two levels of ability and the items into about seven levels of difficulty. The item-person map showed some ceiling effect. Cultural invariance analyses revealed that although there were differences in the item calibrations between the ABILOCO-original and ABILOCO-Brazil, they did not impact the measures of locomotion ability.
Conclusions: The ABILOCO-Brazil demonstrated satisfactory measurement properties to be used within both clinical and research contexts in Brazil, as well cross-cultural validity to be used in international/multicentric studies. However, the presence of ceiling effect suggests that it may not be appropriate for the assessment of individuals with high levels of locomotion ability.
- Implications for rehabilitation
Self-report measures of locomotion ability are clinically important, since they describe the abilities of the individuals within real life contexts.
The ABILOCO questionnaire, specific for stroke survivors, demonstrated satisfactory measurement properties, but may not be most appropriate to assess individuals with high levels of locomotion ability
The results of the cross-cultural validity showed that the ABILOCO-Original and the ABILOCO-Brazil calibrations may be used interchangeable.
Method: The medical history of two HIV-positive patients with PML was reviewed; information on their neurological impairments, rehabilitation treatment and outcome was gathered.
Results: The patients, a 47-year-old married man and a 34-year-old single man, both suffered from dense right hemiplegia and motor aphasia. Their rehabilitation course was delayed and prolonged: they were suitable for intensive multidisciplinary rehabilitation only 8 months or more after the initial presentation. Their treatment in outpatient rehabilitation daycare three times a week, that lasted 7 months on average, resulted in slow and steady functional improvement. At the end of the rehabilitation treatment, both patients were living at home, able to express themselves, and able to walk independently with an assistive device. They remained with moderate disability (modified Rankin scale of 3).
Conclusion: PML patients require prolonged multidisciplinary rehabilitation treatment; however, considerable progress can be achieved.
- Implications for Rehabilitation
Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a disabling disease occurring in particular in the context of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
Presently a growing number of HIV-positive PML patients eventually survive the disease and remain with severe neurological impairments.
PML patients require prolonged multidisciplinary rehabilitation treatment, and considerable progress can be achieved.
Method: Thirteen pwMS and 14 chronic stroke patients performed 36 (stroke) or 40 (pwMS) training sessions with the I-TRAVLE system. Evaluation of upper limb function was performed at baseline, after training and at 3 months follow-up. Clinical outcome measures consisted of active range of motion (ROM), Motricity Index, Jamar handgrip strength, perceived fatigue and strength, Wolf Motor Function Test (WFMT) and ABILHAND. Robot-generated outcome measures consisted of movement velocity, ROM and actual covered distance compared to straight-line distance.
Results: In pwMS, significant improvements were found after training in active shoulder ROM, handgrip strength, perceived strength and WMFT activities. No significant change in clinical outcome was found in stroke patients, except for perceived strength. Significant improvement in speed and movement duration was found after training in both groups. At follow-up, clinical outcome deteriorated in pwMS and was maintained in stroke patients.
Conclusions: Robot-mediated training resulted in improved movement coordination in both groups, as well as clinical improvement in pwMS. Absence of functional improvements in stroke patients may relate to severe upper limb dysfunction at baseline.
- Implications for Rehabilitation
Robot-mediated training improved strength, active range of motion and upper limb capacity in pwMS.
Robot-mediated therapy allows for adapted training difficulty.
Design Electronic questionnaire study.
Subjects GPs in seven regions in Norway.
Results A total of 317 GPs responded. Many GPs reported experience in providing follow-up care to cancer patients, during the years following initial diagnosis primarily in collaboration with hospital specialists. More than half of the GPs were satisfied with their collaboration. Most GPs preferred to be involved at an early stage in follow-up care and, generally, GPs felt confident in their skills to provide this type of service. Fewer than 10% were willing to assume responsibility for additional cancer patients, citing potentially increased workload as the main reason.
Conclusions GPs acknowledged the importance of providing follow-up care to cancer patients, and the majority felt confident in their own ability to provide such care. However, they were hesitant to assume greater responsibility primarily due to fears of increased workload.
- Key Points
It has been suggested that follow-up of cancer patients can be provided by general practitioners (GPs). The viewpoints and attitudes of GPs regarding such follow-up were investigated.
GPs reported broad experience in providing follow-up care to patients after active cancer treatment.
GPs acknowledged the importance of follow-up care, and they felt confident in their own ability to provide such care.
Fewer than 10% of GPs were willing to assume responsibility for additional cancer patients, citing potentially increased workload as the main reason.
Materials and methods: Observational data on group climate and individual participation were triangulated with qualitative data from focus group interviews on the participants’ experiences with transdiagnostic groups.
Results: The study included 222 participants receiving a temporary work disability benefit. Self-reported chronic pain (75%), chronic fatigue (79%), and mental distress (62%) were prevalent and the majority reported overlapping conditions (78%). Program completion among participants was high (96%). Those completing participated actively (95%) in the program. Overall group climate was stable with moderately high engagement. Participants with clinically confirmed mental disorders (22%) showed similar outcomes. Self-reported problems with “working in a group” prior to rehabilitation were not associated with how participants experienced group climate. Qualitative data supported the findings of positive participant experiences with transdiagnostic group settings.
Conclusions: Transdiagnostic groups showed high participation rates, moderately high group engagement across symptom profiles and positive participant experiences. Implementing transdiagnostic occupational rehabilitation in groups mixing participants with chronic pain, chronic fatigue and common mental disorders was feasible and acceptable to participants.
- Implications for rehabilitation
Most research has been done on disorder-specific occupational rehabilitation programs, but emerging evidence supports a more generic approach.
Transdiagnostic therapies, such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), have shown promising results for both somatic and mental disorders.
The feasibility of implementing transdiagnostic rehabilitation groups, their acceptability to participants and the demand for such groups has not been established.
This study indicates that it is feasible to introduce a novel transdiagnostic group-based occupational rehabilitation program for mixed groups of sick-listed participants with chronic pain, chronic fatigue and/or common mental disorders.
Method: The literature search examined five databases (Medline, Embase, AMED, Cochrane (CENTRAL), and CINAHL until the end of November 2016. Eligible studies included medication to address symptoms associated with MS and an objective gait outcome measure. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed study quality using structured data extraction forms and the PEDro scale.
Results: From 249 papers identified, 13 papers met inclusion criteria, examining three medications. Fampridine was found to significantly increase gait speed, but only in those people who responded to medication, which was less than half (pooled mean: 39%). Ten milligrams of fampridine twice daily significantly improves gait endurance. No definitive conclusions can be made about the efficacy of cannabinoid medication due to conflicting results across three studies. A single study of baclofen did not provide evidence to support the use of this medication to improve gait.
Conclusions: Limited evidence is available to guide gait symptom control for people with MS. Further research that includes three-dimensional gait analysis, patient perceived measures of gait dysfunction and explores combined efficacy of other modalities on gait is needed.
- Implications for Rehabilitation
Gait disturbance is a common and disabling symptom of multiple sclerosis.
Fampridine and cannabis medication may increase gait speed, baclofen does not.
Fampridine can be used to improve gait endurance.
Future research should include both quantitative and qualitative outcome measures of gait and investigate the combined efficacy of pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions to assist clinicians to maximise gait improvements.
Objective: To examine the associations between patients’ self-rated health and their sleep problems, somatic health complaints, and unmet needs in interpersonal relationships.
Design: We collected data via questionnaires for this cross-sectional study from general practice.
Setting: Primary health care in Norway.
Subjects: 1302 consecutive patients participated.
Main outcome measures: The questionnaire included a single question about SRH, the Bergen Insomnia Scale (BIS), five questions on somatic health complaints, and three questions from the Basic Psychological Needs Scale (BPNS) pertaining to the relationships domain. We analyzed our data using ordinal logistic regression models.
Results: Our response rate was 74%. The prevalence of fair/poor SRH was 26%, with no gender differences. We revealed a significant association between increasing age and reduced SRH. The study showed that sleep problems and somatic health complaints were strongly associated with SRH, and unmet needs in relationships were also significantly and independently associated with reduced SRH in a full model analysis.
Conclusion: Sleep problems, somatic health complaints, and unmet needs in interpersonal relationships were all associated with reduced SRH. These factors are all modifiable and could be managed both within and outside a primary care setting in order to improve SRH.
- Key Points
There was a high prevalence of reduced SRH in clinical general practice
Sleep problems, somatic health complaints, and unmet needs in interpersonal relationships were all associated with reduced SRH
These predictors are all modifiable with a potential to improve SRH
Design: Secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from the 2014 Commonwealth Fund International Health Policy Survey of Older Adults.
Setting: 11 western countries.
Subjects: Community-dwelling adults, aged 55 or older.
Main outcome measure: Assessment of goals and priorities.
Results: The final sample size consisted of 17,222 respondents, 54% of whom reported an assessment of their goals and priorities (AGP) by healthcare professionals. In logistic regression model 1, which was used to analyse the entire population, the determinants found to have moderate to large effects on the likelihood of AGP were information exchange on stress, diet or exercise, or both. Country (living in Sweden) and continuity of care (no regular professional or organisation) had moderate to large negative effects on the likelihood of AGP. In model 2, which focussed on respondents who experienced continuity of care, country and information exchange on stress and lifestyle were the main determinants of AGP, with comparable odds ratios to model 1. Furthermore, a professional asking questions also increased the likelihood of AGP.
Conclusions: Continuity of care and information exchange is associated with a higher probability of AGP, while people living in Sweden are less likely to experience these assessments. Further study is required to determine whether increasing information exchange and professionals asking more questions may improve goal setting with older patients.
- Key points
A patient goal-oriented approach can be beneficial for older patients with chronic conditions or multimorbidity; however, discussing goals with these patients is not a common practice.
The likelihood of discussing goals varies by country, occurring most commonly in the USA, and least often in Sweden.
Country-level differences in continuity of care and questions asked by a regularly visited professional affect the goal discussion probability.
Patient characteristics, including age, have less impact than expected on the likelihood of sharing goals.
Design: Cross-sectional method comparison study.
Setting: From April 2014 to February 2015, we included patients coming to the general practice clinic “Lægerne Sløjfen”, Aalborg, Denmark for a routine ECG. Patients with severe dementia, mental illness or poor ECG readings were excluded. After oral and written informed consent an ECG and PEM recordings were obtained simultaneously. The PEM recordings were analyzed by two general practitioners (GPs) in training and ECG recordings were evaluated by a senior GP and a cardiologist. Both the PEM and the ECG recordings were analysed blinded.
Subjects: Ninety-three patients were included and four were excluded due to poor ECG readings.
Main outcome measures: The sensitivity and specificity of PEM compared to a standard 12-lead ECG.
Results: Eighty-nine of the 93 (95.7%) patients had ECGs of a satisfactory technical quality and were included in the study. The sensitivity of diagnosing AF by PEM recordings was 86.7% and the specificity was 98.7% when compared to a 12-lead ECG. According to the cardiologist, the misclassification of three PEM recordings were due to interpretation errors and not related to the PEM recording per se.
Conclusions: The inexpensive portable PEM device recording diagnosed AF with a high sensitivity and specificity.
- KEY POINTS
Simple ECG monitors could be useful to identify atrial fibrillation and thereby lead to a better prevention of stroke.
The PEM device was easy to use and 95.7% of the recordings were technically acceptable for detecting atrial fibrillation.
The PEM device has a high sensitivity and specificity in detecting atrial fibrillation compared to a standard 12-lead ECG.
Further studies should evaluate the clinical usefulness of the PEM device, e.g. to detect intermittent atrial fibrillation.
Design: Population-based questionnaire study.
Setting: Central Denmark Region with approximately 1.3 million inhabitants.
Subjects: All 843 active GPs in the Central Denmark Region were sent a questionnaire by mail.
Main outcome measures: Responses to 18 items concerning four aspects: provision of EOL care to patients with different diagnosis, confidence with being a key worker, organisation of EOL care and EOL skills (medical and psychosocial).
Results: In total, 573 (68%) GPs responded. Of these, 85% often/always offered EOL care to cancer patients, which was twice as often as to patients with non-malignancies (34–40%). Moreover, 76% felt confident about being a key worker, 60% had a proactive approach, and 58% talked to their patients about dying. Only 9% kept a register of patients with EOL needs, and 19% had specific EOL procedures. GP confidence with own EOL skills varied; from 55% feeling confident using terminal medications to 90% feeling confident treating nausea/vomiting. Increasing GP age was associated with increased confidence about being a key worker and provision of EOL care to patients with non-malignancies. In rural areas, GPs were more confident about administering medicine subcutaneously than in urban areas.
Conclusion: We found considerable diversity in self-reported EOL care competences. Interventions should focus on increasing GPs’ provision of EOL care to patients with non-malignancies, promoting better EOL care concerning organisation and symptom management.
- KEY POINTS
GPs are pivotal in end-of-life (EOL) care, but their involvement has been questioned. Hence, GPs’ perceived competencies were explored.
GPs were twice as likely to provide EOL care for patients with cancer than for patients with non-malignancies.
EOL care was lacking clear organisation in general practice in terms of registering palliative patients and having specific EOL procedures.
GPs were generally least confident with their skills in terminal medical treatment, for example, using medicine administered subcutaneously.