Validation of the cancer needs questionnaire (CNQ) short-form version in an ambulatory cancer setting

The short-form Cancer Needs Questionnaire (CNQ) is a self-administered cancer-specific questionnaire designed to assess patients' needs across several domains. The purpose of this study is to further evaluate its internal consistency and construct validity, in a group of ambulatory patients with cancer. Four hundred and fifty patients with a variety of cancer types participated. Factor analysis reproduced five domains: psychological; health information; physical and daily living; patient care and support; and interpersonal communication needs. Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranged from 0.94 to 0.77, indicating substantial consistency across items grouped in the five domains. A priori predictions regarding convergent and contrasting groups construct validity were explored using bivariate relationships between domains of the short-form CNQ, the EORTC QLQC-30 and Beck Depression Inventory (short-form), with support provided for most of the predictions. The current study provides supportive evidence that the short-form CNQ is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing the needs of patients with cancer in an ambulatory care setting.     

Patient Satisfaction, Treatment Experience, and Disability Outcomes in a Population-Based Cohort of Injured Workers in Washington State: Implications for Quality Improvement

Objective. To determine what aspects of patient satisfaction are most important in explaining the variance in patients' overall treatment experience and to evaluate the relationship between treatment experience and subsequent outcomes.
Data Sources and Setting. Data from a population-based survey of 804 randomly selected injured workers in Washington State filing a workers' compensation claim between November 1999 and February 2000 were combined with insurance claims data indicating whether survey respondents were receiving disability compensation payments for being out of work at 6 or 12 months after claim filing.
Study Design. We conducted a two-step analysis. In the first step, we tested a multiple linear regression model to assess the relationship of satisfaction measures to patients' overall treatment experience. In the second step, we used logistic regression to assess the relationship of treatment experience to subsequent outcomes.
Principal Findings. Among injured workers who had ongoing follow-up care after their initial treatment ( n =681), satisfaction with interpersonal and technical aspects of care and with care coordination was strongly and positively associated with overall treatment experience ( p <0.001). As a group, the satisfaction measures explained 38 percent of the variance in treatment experience after controlling for demographics, satisfaction with medical care prior to injury, job satisfaction, type of injury, and provider type. Injured workers who reported less-favorable treatment experience were 3.54 times as likely (95 percent confidence interval, 1.20–10.95, p= .021) to be receiving time-loss compensation for inability to work due to injury 6 or 12 months after filing a claim, compared to patients whose treatment experience was more positive.     

Quality of life in tuberculosis: Patient and provider perspectives

Tuberculosis (TB) is a persistent problem in the United States; however, little is known about its impact on functioning and quality of life (QOL) among people with TB. The purpose of this study is to describe the impact of TB on patients' QOL by using focus groups to assess the domains of QOL that are affected. Participants included patients (n = 10) who received treatment for active TB and physicians (n = 4) and nurses (n = 9) caring for patients with TB at a public health clinic in Baltimore, Maryland. TB affected all predicted domains of QOL, including general health perceptions, somatic sensation, psychological health, spiritual well-being, and physical, social and role functioning. Social stigmatization, isolation, pill burden, long duration of therapy, sexual dysfunction, loss of income, and fear were additional specific problems related to TB. Surprisingly, 11% (33) of the comments described benefits of TB illness, including increased spirituality and improved life perspectives. In addition, four additional QOL domains and three elements of treatment specific to TB which substantially impact QOL were identified. While patients and clinicians both identified issues in many areas of QOL, only patients mentioned the impact on sexual function, spirituality and improved life perspectives. Despite available curative therapy, TB and its treatment still have significant short and long-term consequences on patients' QOL.     

胸科手术后病人自控镇痛的应用

目的　评价胸科手术后病人自控镇痛与传统的肌内注射哌替啶镇痛的临床效果。方法　 110 8例在全麻下行贲门癌或食管癌根治术的病人 ,随机分为肌注哌替啶组 (A组 )和病人自控镇痛PCA组 (B组 )。A组病人术后感觉疼痛时肌注哌替啶镇痛 ;B组携带镇痛泵 ,由病人或家属自控镇痛。术后 1、8、2 4、72h进行随访并记录镇痛评分 (VAS)等 ,术后 1周随访肺部并发症情况。结果　术后B组疼痛评分明显低于A组 (P<0 0 5或P <0 0 1)。术后 1周肺部并发症A组为 14例 ,而B组仅 2例 (P <0 0 1)。结论　PCA镇痛效果明显 ,肺部并发症发生率低 ,优于传统的哌替啶肌注。     

病人选择就诊医院影响因素的logistic回归分析

目的了解病人选择就诊医院的影响因素，为医院领导决策提供科学的依据。方法采用随机抽样的方法，对病人进行问卷调查，数据的分析用logistic回归验证。结果医疗效果、医疗费用、医务人员的服务态度、就医过程中的方便性四个因素成为病人选择就诊医院着重考虑的问题，医务人员是否尊重病人的隐私和收受“红包”现象两个因素对病人的选择也有影响。结论掌握病人的医疗意向和医疗消费心理能够提高医院竞争力，保证医院的可持续发展。     

老年患者人工股骨头置换术前牵引及手术入路

目的:探讨老年患者人工股骨头置换手术治疗时术前牵引及手术入路的选择对疗效的影响。方法:回顾性分析152例老年患者人工股骨头置换手术治疗的临床资料。结果:86例经髋关节前外侧入路手术,其中60例术前采用下肢皮牵引带牵引,26例术前采用骨牵引;66例经髋关节外侧入路手术,其中51例术前采用下肢皮牵引带牵引,15例术前采用骨牵引;术中复位均较容易;术后优良者占95.1%,很好者占3.7%,好者占1.2%,十年内无后脱位和修正者。结论:老年患者人工股骨头置换手术选择前外侧入路和外侧入路对疗效影响无差异,外侧入路比前外侧入路操作简单、创伤小;股骨头及股骨颈无明显短缩或头颈骨折后2周内手术的老年患者,人工股骨头置换术前采用下肢皮牵引比骨牵引更合适。     

A qualitative analysis of patients’ perception of microwave endometrial ablation as a satisfactory treatment for heavy menstrual blood loss

To explore and analyse patients’ views and comments on microwave endometrial ablation (MEA), we designed a simple and concise questionnaire of 10 items that the participants answered by ticking boxes. They were invited to add their own comments and opinions if they wished. The questionnaire survey was posted to 470 patients who were treated with MEA at Derriford Hospital between 1997 and 2003. We received replies from 343 patients (73%), of whom 165 included handwritten comments (48%). These were reviewed using content thematic analysis. This paper describes the findings of this analysis. Of the 343 respondents, 127 expressed their satisfaction, 32 would recommend MEA to others, and 17 claimed that MEA had transformed their lives. They used words such as “delighted,” “grateful,” “fantastic,” “I cannot tell you how wonderful it has been,” “freedom at last,” “I feel so much better within myself,” “I cannot begin to describe the feelings of well-being and relief I have experienced since I had this treatment,” and “it has changed my life from being housebound to never giving my periods a thought.” Thirty-eight patients were not satisfied; of these, 14 were experiencing moderate to severe pain, and six claimed to have developed severe pain de novo. Their comments included “I was disappointed MEA did not work for me” and “I get heavy bleeding and pain each month, [whereas] before I had no period pains at all.” In conclusion, MEA has been a “miracle cure” for many women who responded, with around 77% being satisfied with this treatment. For a small number, MEA was not successful. For some women, pain was a problem that either developed de novo or was preexisting in the form of dysmenorrhoea. In this paper we also mention success rates and figures from quantitative studies, and we recommend including quotes from satisfied patients in patient information leaflets to further help women and their physicians make informed choices about managing heavy menstrual blood loss, particularly when medical treatment is known to be less successful and with some women being concerned about its side effects.Shortly after this paper was submitted, Emad Louis tragically died from complications following surgery, whilst waiting to take up his post as a Consultant at St. Mary’s Hospital, Isle of Wight. We remember him with great affection as a wonderful colleague, who is held in the highest regard by his patients and all who worked with him. He is greatly missed.He leaves a wife and son who are enormously proud that his research has been published.     

静脉与硬膜外PCA用于剖宫产术后镇痛的对比观察

目的：比较自控静脉镇痛（PCIA）和自控硬膜外镇痛（PCEA）用于剖宫产术后镇痛的有效性、安全性及不良反应。方法：选择剖宫产术后病人90例，随机分为PCIA组、PCEA组和对照组，每组30例。PCIA组和PCEA组术后立即使用自控镇痛（PCA）泵．对照组则不用任何药物镇痛。采用视觉模拟评分法（VAS）对术后1、4、8、24、48h各时间段进行镇痛效果评价和镇静评分并同时观察病人术后肠蠕动恢复情况、拔尿管后排尿情况、子宫复旧情况及产后出血、恶心呕吐、皮肤瘙痒、呼吸抑制等不良反应。结果：同一时间段PCIA组与PCEA组VAS评分比较无显著差异（P〉0．05）．但均小于对照组（P〈0．01）；术后肠蠕动恢复时间、子宫复旧情况、产后出血及恶心、呕吐、皮肤瘙痒、嗜睡等不良反应发生率三组比较无显著差异（P〉0．05）；拔尿管后排尿困难发生率PCIA组明显低于PCEA组（P〈0．05）；呼吸循环抑制PCEA组多于PCIA组，但差异不显著（P〉0．05）。结论：PCIA组与PCEA组均有良好的术后镇痛效果．但PCIA组拔尿管后排尿困难的发生率低．对呼吸循环影响小，镇痛质量优于PCEA组。     

Computer-assisted medication review for asthmatic patients as a basis for intervention Constructing and validating an algorithmic computer instrument in pharmacy practice

OBJECTIVE: To construct and validate a computer instrument that identifies asthma patients receiving--theoretically--suboptimal drug therapy in community pharmacies, by the use of patient medication records. This selection enables the pharmacist to assist these patients in using medicines appropriately. METHODS: According to Dutch asthma guidelines which describe a stepwise approach and in order to define correct profiles for the use at each level of these guidelines, the optimum use of drugs in the different levels in asthma treatment was expressed in defined daily doses (DDDs) per pharmacological drug-group during a period of one year. An algorithmic computer instrument was developed to select patients with medication use deviant from these profiles. By using nine different selection profiles, the computer instrument stratified patients according to the medication records filed in the pharmacy computer. Patient medication records in four community pharmacies were investigated to validate the selection profiles as indicators for theoretically suboptimal drug use by asthma patients. The validation was performed by comparing the professional judgement of participating pharmacists with the selections made by the computer. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Positive predictive value and negative predictive value of the selection made by algorithmic computer instrument. Rate of false-positive results. RESULTS: The computer instrument identified asthma patients using theoretically suboptimal drug therapy with approximately 95% predictive value compared with the professional judgement of the pharmacists. The rate of false-positive results was 5%. CONCLUSION: The results of the algorithmic computer instrument and the professional judgement of the pharmacists are in close agreement. The instrument will be utilised in further research in the IPMP study (Interventions on the principle of Pulmonary Medication Profiles) investigating the role of Dutch community pharmacists in counselling patients who are at risk of suboptimal drug use in the treatment of their asthma.