Benchmarking life quality support interventions in long‐term care using the Long‐Term Care Quality of Life scale

We aimed to develop a graphical procedure for benchmarking quality of life care results using the Long‐Term Care Quality of Life (LTC‐QoL) scale. While clinical care quality benchmarking is now well established, similar research for quality of life (QOL) aged care benchmarking has received scant attention. Data from 10 facilities utilizing the LTC‐QoL scale were analysed to establish baseline statistics for developing a graphical procedure for QOL benchmarking. Client LTC‐QoL records were tested with varimax rotation factor analysis revealing three viable benchmarking themes: B1 (Self‐efficacy), B2 (supporting relationships), and B3 (outlook on life) were selected for benchmark development utilizing Analysis of Means to generate graphical outputs using Minitab version 17.3.1. In this way, in the absence of verified industry standards, it is possible to compare organizations providing similar services using the same indicators, against group averages. In conclusion, the benchmarking protocol produced comparative information on three benchmarks for 10 facilities. Similar analysis is feasible for a single facility over time. The results of these analyses provide evidence for on‐site discussion of quality of life care quality performance.     

‘It's just a peripheral issue’: A qualitative analysis of mental health clinicians’ accounts of (not) addressing sexuality in their work

Sexuality, relationships, and intimacy are integral parts of many peoples’ lives, not negated by mental distress and illness. Yet typically, these needs are not addressed adequately in mental health settings. In‐depth interviews were conducted with mental health clinicians with an aim of exploring their perceptions and understandings of sexuality and sexual concerns within mental health settings. Participants were 22 mental health nurses, psychologists, and psychiatrists working with people across a range of settings in four Australian cities. Sexuality or aspects of this were often not addressed in clinical practice, and this was common across participants’ accounts. A critical thematic analysis was conducted to explore how participants made sense of or explained this silence in relation to sexuality. Two key themes were ‘Sexuality is hard to talk about’ and ‘Sexuality is a “peripheral issue”’. In positioning sexuality as a peripheral issue, participants drew on three key explanations (sub‐themes): that sexuality rarely ‘comes up’, that it is not pragmatic to address sexuality, and that addressing sexuality is not part of participants’ roles or skill sets. A third theme captured the contrasting perception that ‘Sexuality could be better addressed’ in mental health settings. This analysis indicates that, beyond anticipated embarrassment, mental health clinicians from three disciplines account for omissions of sexuality from clinical practice in similar ways. Moreover, these accounts serve to peripheralize sexuality in mental health settings. We consider these results within the context of espoused holistic and recovery‐oriented principles in mental health settings.     

Relationship of glucose concentrations with PAI-1 and t-PA in subjects with normal glucose tolerance.

AIM: To study metabolic risk factors for the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD), including markers of the fibrinolytic system in relation to blood glucose levels in subjects with normal glucose tolerance and fasting blood glucose levels below 5.6 mmol/l. METHODS: Cross-sectional, community-based study from a primary health-care centre of adult subjects with normal glucose tolerance. Analysis of fasting and 2-h post-load blood glucose concentrations were centralized and related to anthropometric characteristics, metabolic variables, inflammatory markers, and coagulation and fibrinolytic variables. RESULTS: Increasing fasting blood glucose concentrations within the normal range in subjects with normal glucose tolerance were associated with increasing age, body mass index, and waist circumference, and with increasing concentrations of metabolic risk factors for development of CVD. After adjustment for gender, age, body mass index (BMI), and fasting insulin, levels of plasmin activator inhibitor (PAI-1) and tissue type plasminogen activator (t-PA) increased significantly with increasing levels of fasting glucose within the normal range (P = 0.012 and P < 0.0001, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: We found risk factors for CVD, specifically key components of the fibrinolytic system, PAI-1 and t-PA, increased with increasing fasting glucose levels even in subjects with normal glucose tolerance. This observation may help to explain the increased risk of CVD with increasing values of fasting glucose in the normal range.     

Irritable bowel syndrome in general practice: prevalence, characteristics, and referral

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Little is known about the prevalence, symptoms, diagnosis, attitude, and referral to specialists of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in general practice. This study aimed to determine these characteristics. METHODS: 3111 patients attending 36 general practitioners (GPs) at six varied locations in and near Bristol, UK, were screened to identify those with a gastrointestinal problem. These patients (n=255) and their doctors were given questionnaires. Six months later the case notes were examined to reach criteria based diagnoses of functional bowel disorders. RESULTS: Of 255 patients with a gastrointestinal complaint, 30% were judged to have IBS and 14% other functional disorders. Compared with 100 patients with an "organic" diagnoses, those with IBS were more often women and more often judged by their GP to be polysymptomatic and to have unexplained symptoms. The majority of patients with IBS (58%) were diagnosed as such by the GP; 22% had other functional diagnoses. Conversely, among 54 patients diagnosed as having IBS by the GPs, the criteria based diagnosis was indeed functional in 91%; only one patient had organic disease (proctitis). More patients with IBS than those with organic disease feared cancer. In most some fear remained after the visit to the doctor. On logistic regression analysis, predictors of referral to a specialist (29% referred) were denial of a role for stress, multiple tests, and frequent bowel movements. CONCLUSIONS: Half the patients with gut complaints seen by GPs have functional disorders. These are usually recognised, and few patients are referred. In IBS, cancer fears often remain, suggesting unconfident diagnosis or inadequate explanation.     

An evaluation of vignettes for predicting variation in the quality of preventive care

OBJECTIVE: Clinical vignettes offer an inexpensive and convenient alternative to the benchmark method of chart audits for assessing quality of care. We examined whether vignettes accurately measure and predict variation in the quality of preventive care. DESIGN: We developed scoring criteria based on national guidelines for 11 prevention items, categorized as vaccine, vascular-related, cancer screening, and personal behaviors. Three measurement methods were used to ascertain the quality of care provided by clinicians seeing trained actors (standardized patients; SPs) presenting with common outpatient conditions: 1) the abstracted medical record from an SP visit; 2) SP reports of physician practice during those visits; and 3) physician responses to matching computerized case scenarios (clinical vignettes). SETTING: Three university-affiliated (including 2 VA) and one community general internal medicine clinics. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-one randomly selected physicians from among eligible general internal medicine residents and attending physicians. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Physicians saw 480 SPs (120 at each site) and completed 480 vignettes. We calculated the proportion of prevention items for each visit reported or recorded by the 3 measurement methods. We developed a multiple regression model to determine whether site, training level, or clinical condition predicted prevention performance for each measurement method. We found that overall prevention scores ranged from 57% (SP) to 54% (vignettes) to 46% (chart abstraction). Vignettes matched or exceeded SP scores for 3 prevention categories (vaccine, vascular-related, and personal behavior). Prevention quality varied by site (from 40% to 67%) and was predicted similarly by vignettes and SPs. CONCLUSIONS: Vignettes can measure and predict prevention performance. Vignettes may be a less costly way to assess prevention performance that also controls for patient case-mix. This research was funded by grant 11R98118-1 from the Veterans Affairs Health Service Research and Development Service, Washington DC. Dr. Peabody was also a recipient of a Senior Research Associate Career Development Award from 1998–2001 from the Department of Veterans Affairs.     

The relevance of heart failure severity for treatment with evidence-based pharmacotherapy in general practice

AIMS: Internationally, research indicates that pharmacotherapy for chronic heart failure (CHF) is sub-optimal. Traditionally, assessment of drug use in heart failure has focused on the use of individual agents irrespective of CHF severity. This study investigates drug use for CHF patients in general practice with respect to the available evidence, incorporating both disease severity and the use of combination drug regimes. METHODS AND RESULTS: A cross-sectional survey of 769 Dutch CHF patients was performed as part of IMPROVEMENT of HF study. For each New York Heart Association severity classification the minimum treatment appropriate for the heart failure severity according to the scientific evidence available at the time of the study (1999) was defined. The proportion of patients treated with each drug increased with increasing severity, with the exception of the beta-blockers. Patients with less severe heart failure were approximately four to eight times more likely to receive evidence-based treatment than those with more severe heart failure. DISCUSSION: To assess pharmacological treatment of heart failure, in relation to the available evidence, it is important to take severity into account. While the number of drugs prescribed increased with increasing severity, the use of evidence-based regimes was lower in patients with more severe heart failure.     

基于问题学习法教学模式在流行病学教学中的应用研究

目的 探讨基于问题学习法(problem-based learning,PBL)在临床医学本科生流行病学教学中的应用效果.方法 将桂林医学院2010级本科生临床医学专业A班学生为PBL教学组(PBL组,132人)和B班为传统教学组(lecture-based learning,LBL组,90人),采用问卷调查收集相关信息.数据分析采用SPSS 16.0软件.结果 PBL教学模式下学生指标中除学生对理论知识的掌握程度这一指标与LBL组的差异无统计学意义(P=0.601),其它各项指标如学习的积极性、自主学习能力、知识拓展、同学间协作能力、归纳总结能力及科技文献检索能力均高于传统教学模式下,其差异均有统计学意义(均有P＜0.05).教师指标中PBL组学生对教学内容的安排与设计、教师的组织与指导满意程度高于LBL组(均有P＜0.05),并且PBL组学生对本组所施教学方法满意程度高于LBL组学生对本组所施教学方法(P =0.016).结论 PBL教学模式能提高学生学习的积极性、自主学习能力、知识拓展、同学间协作能力、归纳总结能力及科技文献检索能力,有利于全面提高流行病学教学质量与教学水平.