Delivering a psychosocial program for older people living in retirement homes during the Covid-19 pandemic: A process evaluation and recommendations for community interventions

The Covid-19 pandemic lockdown regulations caused retirement homes to temporarily ban in-person visitation potentially increasing the mental health risks of older people. An opportunity arose for a multistakeholder community collaboration to design a mental health program for older people. To evaluate the process of delivering a 12-week psychosocial program aimed at preventing loneliness, countering boredom, and providing older people in restricted settings with education about Covid-19 during the lockdown, in Durban, South Africa. A qualitative retrospective design was used. Data from two focus groups and six semistructured individual interviews conducted with stakeholders (volunteers, social workers, and residents) postproject were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Stakeholders had varied experiences of the project, in terms of content, processes of engagement, and implementation, resulting in five themes. The study concluded with recommendations. A strong need exists for multistakeholder community collaborations when implementing a program where the context restricts physical access.     

An Evaluation of Breastfeeding Promotion Through Peer Counseling in Mississippi WIC Clinics

Objective: This study evaluates the effectiveness of a peer counseling program at increasing breastfeeding by participants in the Mississippi Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). Methods: Data from the 1989–1993 Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System were analyzed to compare breastfeeding rates in clinics with and without peer counseling programs. A questionnaire completed by program staff to describe the program in greater detail helped identify characteristics associated with greater success. Results: The incidence of breastfeeding rose from 12.3% to 19.9% in those clinics with peer counseling programs, but only from 9.2% to 10.7% in clinics without a program. Clinics that started a program earlier showed greater changes in breastfeeding incidence. However, the presence of lactation specialists or consultants in the clinic appeared to be more important than the presence of less-trained peer counselors. Peer counselors who spent more than 45 minutes per participant were more effective than those spending less time. Conclusions: The peer counseling program significantly increased the incidence of breastfeeding, particularly in clinics with lactation specialists and consultants. Success can be enhanced by ensuring that peer counselors spend a great deal of time with the participants.     

Programmes for tobacco and alcohol users in Australian work-places

This article presents findings from a survey of programmes available for tobacco and alcohol users working in 455 of Australia's top 600 companies. Companies were twice as likely to have programmes for smokers (43%) as for problem drinkers (24%) and these programmes were more apparent in large companies. The majority of programmes for smoking were delivered within a health promotion context which included other life-style issues, such as nutrition, exercise, weight management and stress management. Although Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) were the most commonly available type of work-place programme for excessive drinkers and other drug users, followed by Alcoholics Anonymous and local hospital clinics, only 6% had an EAP for alcohol. Only 21% of programmes for smokers and 12% for excessive alcohol users were evaluated. Around one-quarter of companies knew the costs of smoking programmes, and 9% reported costs of conducting programmes for excessive alcohol consumers.     

Effects of theβ-adrenoceptor antagonists acebutolol and metoprolol on sleep pattern in normal subjects

Summary The effects of acute introduction and withdrawal of 2 new -adrenergic blockers, acebutolol and metoprolol, on sleep in normal subjects were investigated. Both the subjective effects of the drug and EEG sleep variables were determined during a baseline period with placebo and in relation to the drug. The results showed that neither drug had a significant effect on sleep pattern in normal subjects. However, a transient effect on certain sleep parameters was seen on the first night of drug administration, with complete return to baseline, on the following night without any evidence of rebound. Possible mechanisms to explain the central actions of -adrenergic blockers are briefly discussed.     

Treatment of oesophageal cancer with preoperative chemoradiotherapy may increase operative mortality

AIMS: This phase II multicentric study evaluates a modified preoperative chemoradiotherapy schedule. METHODS: Patients <75 years with potentially resectable neoplasm were eligible. Treatment included an initial course of CDDP 100 mg/m2 (Day 1) and 5-FU CI 5000 mg/m2 (Days 1-5) followed by 45 Gy (Days 28-63) and 5-FU CI 5000 mg/m2 (Days 28-33), CDDP 75 mg/m2 (Day 56) and 5-FU CI 3750 mg/m2 (Days 56-61). Regional lymph nodes were irradiated. RESULTS: Nineteen patients were studied. Oesophagectomy was performed in 17. Clear margins were achieved in 16 of these. Eight patients showed a pathologic complete response (pCR). One patient died of infection during the preoperative treatment and four died due to acute surgical complications. The study was closed prematurely because of excessive mortality. Median follow-up was 19 months. Local and regional relapse occurred in one and three patients, respectively. Median time and actuarial 3-year of overall survival and progression free rates were 18.6 months and 28%, and 12.7 months and 10.4%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This schedule showed a high pCR, resectability and local control rate. Treatment-related mortality limits its clinical applicability, but further investigations are warranted.     

c-Ha-ras、c-erbB_2癌基因产物和p53、nm23抑癌基因产物对葡萄胎恶变的预测价值

目的：探讨ｃ－Ｈａ－ｒａｓ、ｃ－ｅｒｂＢ２癌基因产物和ｐ５３、ｎｍ２３抑癌基因产物表达异常和葡萄胎恶变的关系及在预测葡萄胎恶变的价值。方法：采用针对４种基因产物的单克隆抗体，ＳＰ法免疫组织化学染色，回顾分析了≥２ａ随访证实发生恶变的葡萄胎５０例（恶变组）和未发生恶变的葡萄胎３２例（非恶变组）中４种基因产物的表达情况。结果：恶变组中ｃ－Ｈａ－ｒａｓ和ｎｍ２３基因产物的表达程度显著低于非恶变组（Ｐ＜０．０１，Ｐ＜０．００１）；恶变组中ｃ－ｅｒｂＢ２及ｐ５３基因产物的表达程度显著高于非恶变组（Ｐ＜０．０１，Ｐ＜０．０５）。进一步以４种基因产物的表达程度为变量，进行ｌｏｇｉｓｔｉｃ回归判别分析，表明４种基因产物联合应用对葡萄胎恶变的预测敏感性率为８６％，特异性率为７８．１％，而ｌｏｇｉｓｔｉｃ逐步回归判别分析显示，ｃ－ｅｒｂＢ２和ｎｍ２３基因产物联合应用时，对葡萄胎恶变的预测敏感性率为８４％，特异性率为７５％。结论：ｃ－Ｈａ－ｒａｓ、ｃ－ｅｒｂＢ２癌基因产物及ｐ５３、ｎｍ２３抑癌基因产物表达异常与葡萄胎恶变密切相关，用以预测葡萄胎恶变具有较高的价值     

The Economic Value of Childhood Varicella Vaccination in France and Germany

OBJECTIVE: To determine the economic impact of childhood varicella vaccination in France and Germany. METHODS: A common methodology based on the use of a varicella transmission model was used for the two countries. Cost data (2002 per thousand) were derived from two previous studies. The analysis focused on a routine vaccination program for which three different coverage rates (CRs) were considered (90%, 70%, and 45%). Catch-up strategies were also analyzed. A societal perspective including both direct and indirect costs and a third-party payer perspective were considered (Social Security in France and Sickness Funds in Germany). RESULTS: A routine vaccination program has a clear positive impact on varicella-related morbidity in both countries. With a 90% CR, the number of varicella-related deaths was reduced by 87% in Germany and by 84% in France. In addition, with a CR of 90%, routine varicella vaccination induces savings in both countries from both societal (Germany 61%, France 60%) and third-party payer perspectives (Germany 51%, France 6.7%). For lower CRs, routine vaccination remains cost saving from a third-party payer perspective in Germany but not in France, where it is nevertheless cost-effective (cost per life-year gained of 6521 per thousand in the base case with a 45% CR). CONCLUSION: Considering the impact of vaccination on varicella morbidity and costs, a routine varicella vaccination program appears to be cost saving in Germany and France from both a societal and a third-party payer perspective. For France, routine varicella vaccination remains cost-effective in worst cases when a third-party payer perspective is adopted. Catch-up programs provide additional savings.