Effect of HDL composition and particle size on the resistance of HDL to the oxidation

Objectives  

To study the resistance of HDL particles to direct oxidation in respect to the distribution of HDL particles.     

Patient and public perspectives of community pharmacies in the United Kingdom: A systematic review

Background

The United Kingdom has been at the forefront of enhancing pharmacist roles and community pharmacy services, particularly over the past decade. However, patient and public awareness of community pharmacy services has been limited.

Objective

To identify and synthesize the research literature pertaining to patient and public perspectives on: existing community pharmacy services, extended pharmacist roles and strategies to raise awareness of community pharmacy services.

Search strategy

Systematic search of 8 electronic databases; hand searching of relevant journals, reference lists and conference proceedings.

Inclusion criteria

UK studies investigating patient or public views on community pharmacy services or pharmacist roles from 2005 to 2016.

Data extraction and synthesis

Data were extracted into a grid and subjected to narrative synthesis following thematic analysis.

Main results

From the 3260 unique papers identified, 30 studies were included. Manual searching identified 4 additional studies. Designs using questionnaires (n = 14, 41%), semi‐structured interviews (n = 8, 24%) and focus groups (n = 6, 18%) made up the greatest proportion of studies. Most of the studies (n = 28, 82%) were published from 2010 onwards and covered perceptions of specific community pharmacy services (n = 31). Using a critical appraisal checklist, the overall quality of studies was deemed acceptable. Findings were grouped into 2 main themes “public cognizance” and “attitudes towards services” each with 4 subthemes.

Discussion and conclusions

Patients and the public appeared to view services as beneficial. Successful integration of extended pharmacy services requires pharmacists’ clinical skills to be recognized by patients and physicians. Future research should explore different approaches to increase awareness.     

Temporal analysis of the incidence of meningitis in the Tehran metropolitan area, 1999-2005

Objectives  

The aim of this study was to describe the temporal determinants of meningitis incidence in the population living in the Tehran metropolis.     

Examination of useful items for the assessment of fall risk in the community-dwelling elderly Japanese population

Objectives  

The aim of this study was to select useful items for assessing fall risk in healthy elderly Japanese individuals.     

The use of haematopoietic stem cell transplantation in Fanconi anaemia patients: a survey of decision making among families in the US and Canada

Background

Fanconi anaemia (FA) is a rare genetic disorder associated with bone marrow failure (BMF), congenital anomalies and cancer susceptibility. Stem cell transplantation (SCT) offers a potential cure for BMF or leukaemia, but incurs substantial risks. Little is known about factors influencing SCT decision making.

Objective

The study objective was to explore factors influencing patients' with FA and family members' decision making about SCT.

Design

Using a mixed‐methods exploratory design, we surveyed US and Canadian patients with FA and family members who were offered SCT.

Main variables studied

Closed‐ended survey items measured respondents' beliefs about the necessity, risks and concerns regarding SCT; multivariable logistic regression was used to examine the association between these factors and the decision to undergo SCT. Open‐ended survey items measured respondents' perceptions of factors important to the SCT decision; qualitative analysis was used to identify emergent themes.

Results

The decision to undergo SCT was significantly associated with greater perceived necessity (OR = 2.81, P = 0.004) and lower concern about harms of SCT (OR = 0.31, P = 0.03). Qualitative analysis revealed a perceived lack of choice among respondents regarding the use of SCT, which was related to physician influence and respondent concerns about patients' quality of life.

Conclusions

Overall, study results emphasize the importance of the delicate interplay between provider recommendation of a medical procedure and patient/parental perceptions and decision making. Findings can help providers understand the need to acknowledge family members' perceptions of SCT decision making and offer a comprehensive discussion of the necessity, risks, benefits and potential outcomes.     

Exploring the relationship of sociodemographic changes,economic instability and the availability of health resources with birth rates

Aims  

To examine the relationship among sociodemographic changes, economic instability and the availability of health resources to the birth rate in Macau.     

Cost-effectiveness of infliximab for the treatment of acute exacerbations of ulcerative colitis

Background  

Infliximab has been shown to be efficacious in acute exacerbations of ulcerative colitis (UC).     

Influence of the consumption of fruits and vegetables on the nutritional status of a group of institutionalized elderly persons in the Madrid region

Aim  

To determine the nutritional status in a group of institutionalized elderly people in the Madrid region of Spain, with respect to their consumption of fruits and vegetables.     

The perception of the benefits of herbal medicine consumption among the Thai elderly

Objectives  

To determine how the Thai elderly perceived the benefits of herbal medicine consumption and to study related variables influencing their perception.     

Reliability and validity of the Korean‐language version of the Communication Function Classification System in children with cerebral palsy

Purpose

The Communication Function Classification System (CFCS) and Viking Speech Scale (VSS) are useful systems for describing the broad communication function and speech intelligibility, respectively, of children with cerebral palsy (CP). The aims of this study were to determine the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the CFCS and also to investigate the association between the CFCS and the VSS and other functional classifications for children with CP.

Materials and methods

Participants were 50 children with CP (33 males, 17 females; mean age 7.2 years, range 4–16 years) recruited from a rehabilitation hospital. We analysed the interrater and intrarater reliabilities of the Korean version of the CFCS and VSS between parents, a physiatrist, and a speech–language pathologist (SLP). The social function domain of the Paediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory was assessed to examine the concurrent validity of the CFCS and VSS.

Results

The intrarater reliabilities of the CFCS and VSS were excellent in a physiatrist (? = 0.92, ? = 0.94, respectively) and an SLP (? = 0.98, ? = 0.98) and very good in parents (? = 0.87, ? = 0.89). The interrater reliability of the CFCS and VSS was very good between the physiatrist and SLP (? = 0.87, ? = 0.89) and good between parents and the SLP (? = 0.63, ? = 0.78) and between parents and the physiatrist (? = 0.61, ? = 0.76). The CFCS and VSS were strongly related with the social function domain of Paediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory. In addition, we found very strong associations between the VSS and CFCS.

Conclusions

The Korean version of the CFCS is a valid and reliable tool to classify communication ability and is strongly associated with the VSS, a reliable tool to classify speech intelligibility.     

Survey of the opinions on the occupational health system in turkey expressed by patients of the Istanbul Hospital of Occupational Diseases

Objective  

To examine the opinion of patients of an occupational diseases hospital on the quality of provision of occupational medicine services in Turkey.     

An investigation into the nutritional composition and cost of gluten‐free versus regular food products in the UK

Background

The gluten‐free (GF) food market has expanded considerably, although there is limited comparative evidence for the nutritional quality and cost of GF food products. The present study aims to compare the nutrient composition and cost of GF and gluten‐containing (regular) foods across 10 food categories in the UK.

Methods

Nutritional information and the cost of GF foods available in the UK (n = 679) and comparable regular foods (n = 1045) were systematically collected from manufacturer and supermarket websites. Foods were classified using UK front‐of‐pack labelling for content of fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt and nutrient content, and cost per 100 g were identified and compared between GF and regular foods.

Results

Overall, more GF foods were classified as containing high and medium fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt than regular foods, although this was not universally consistent. More GF bread and flour products contained high fat and sugar, whereas fewer GF crackers contained high fat and sugar compared to regular foods. High salt content was found more frequently in GF than regular products. On average, GF products were 159% more expensive than regular (£0.44/100 g versus £1.14/100 g). GF items were also more likely to be lower in fibre and protein content than regular foods.

Conclusions

Differences exist in the nutritional composition of GF and regular food. GF food is unlikely to offer healthier alternatives to regular foods, except for those who require a GF diet for medically diagnosed conditions, and it is associated with higher costs.     

The applicability of measures of socioeconomic position to different ethnic groups within the UK

Background  

In this paper we seek to tease out differences in socioeconomic position between ethnic groups. There are 3 main reasons why conventional socioeconomic indicators and asset based measures may not be equally applicable to all ethnic groups:

Participation of children on the autism spectrum in home,school, and community

Background

Children on the autism spectrum participate less frequently, and in a narrower range of activities, than their nonautistic peers, but little is known about exact participation patterns across contexts or how this is perceived by caregivers. This study aimed to document patterns of participation and caregiver views with regard to frequency and intensity of activities.

Method

Caregivers of children on the spectrum aged 5 (n = 90) and 9–10 years (n = 128) completed the Participation and Environment Measure for Children and Youth for home, school, and community. Caregivers reported on frequency of child's participation, level of involvement, and caregivers' desire for change in participation patterns.

Results

Item‐level analyses revealed similar patterns of participation across home, school, and community for both cohorts with some small age‐appropriate differences. Caregivers generally desired increased diversity, frequency, and involvement in activities but a decreased use of electronics (computers, games, TV, and DVDs).

Conclusion

The possibility of autism‐specific participation patterns could inform future interventions aimed at enhancing social inclusion. This warrants further investigation through multiinformant designs that seek the perspectives of the child and caregivers.     

The use of end-quintile comparisons to identify under-servicing of the poor and over-servicing of the rich: A longitudinal study describing the effect of socioeconomic status on healthcare

Background  

To demonstrate the use of end-quintile comparisons in assessing the effect of socio-economic status on hospital utilisation and outcomes in Western Australia.     

Comparison of the health of Roma and non-Roma children living in the district of Teplice

Objectives  

To compare the morbidity of 66 Roma and 466 non-Roma children born and living in a diffused type of habitation in the district of Teplice.     

Validation of the psychometric properties of the health-promoting lifestyle profile in a sample of Taiwanese women

Purpose  

To examine the preliminary psychometric properties of the Chinese health-promoting lifestyle profile II (HPLP II) among Taiwanese women.     

Reference values for the Quality of Life Index in the general Swedish population 18–80 years of age

Purpose  

The aim in the present study was to establish underlying dimensions of quality of life in Sweden, measured by QLI, and to obtain reference values among a representative sample between 18 and 80 years of age from the general Swedish population.     

CT scan screening is associated with increased distress among subjects of the APExS

Background  

The aim of this study was to assess the psychological consequences of HRCT scan screening in retired asbestos-exposed workers.