The role of aggressions suffered by healthcare workers as predictors of burnout

Aims and objectives. To examine the prevalence of aggression against healthcare professionals and to determine the possible impact that violent episodes have on healthcare professionals in terms of loss of enthusiasm and involvement towards work. The objective was to analyse the percentage of occupational assault against professionals’ aggression in different types of healthcare services, differentiating between physical and verbal aggression as a possible variable in detecting burnout in doctors and nursing professionals. Background. Leiter and Maslach have explored a double process model of burnout not only based on exhaustion by overload, but also based on personal and organisational value conflicts (community, rewards or values). Moreover, Whittington has obtained conclusive results about the possible relationship between violence and burnout in mental health nurses. Design. A retrospective study was performed in three hospitals and 22 primary care centres in Spain (n = 1·826). Methods. Through different questionnaires, we have explored the relationship between aggression suffered by healthcare workers and burnout. Results. Eleven percent of respondents had been physically assaulted on at least one occasion, whilst 34·4% had suffered threats and intimidation on at least one occasion and 36·6% had been subjected to insults. Both forms of violence, physical and non‐physical aggression, showed significant correlations with symptoms of burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and inefficacy). Conclusions. The survey showed evidence of a double process: (1) by which excess workload helps predict burnout, and (2) by which a mismatch in the congruence of values, or interpersonal conflict, contributes in a meaningful way to each of the dimensions of burnout, adding overhead to the process of exhaustion–cynicism–lack of realisation. Relevance to clinical practice. Studies indicate that health professionals are some of the most exposed to disorders steaming from psychosocial risks and a high comorbidity: anxiety, depression, etc. There is a clear need for accurate instruments of evaluation to detect not only the burnout but also the areas that cause it. Professional exhaustion caused by aggression or other factors can reflect a deterioration in the healthcare relationship.     

Systematic review and meta-analysis of primary healthcare interventions on health actions in people with intellectual disability

Background People with intellectual disability have substantially more unidentified health needs than the general population. We systematically reviewed the effectiveness of primary healthcare interventions intended to increase health actions for people with intellectual disability.

Methods Electronic databases were searched on 16 September 2014. Randomised and non-randomised studies with a concurrent control group were identified. Study quality was assessed and, where possible, meta-analysis was undertaken.

Results Five studies (3 randomised controlled trials, 1 matched cohort study, and 1 cohort study) with a total of 1,570 participants were included. General practitioner-led health checks were the most effective intervention and resulted in significantly more clinical activities, such as vision testing (risk ratio [RR]?=?3.3, 95% CI [2.3, 4.7]) and hepatitis B vaccinations (RR?=?2.4, 95% CI [1.7, 3.4]).

Conclusions Health checks were the only intervention to significantly increase short-term health promotion and disease prevention activity. The long-term effect of any intervention remains unknown.     

Socioeconomics of coronary artery calcium: Is it scored or ignored?

ImportanceChicago is one of the most racially segregated cities in the US, with the largest mortality gap between neighborhoods. Computed tomographic coronary artery calcium scoring (CACS) is an excellent risk stratification tool, but costs about $200 out-of-pocket, making it inaccessible to some.ObjectiveTo determine whether this ACC/AHA guideline-recommended screening tool is accessible to all populations and neighborhoods, we evaluated the price and availability of CACS in Chicago area hospitals.DesignWe used the Illinois Department of Public Health list of area hospitals to inquire about CACS availability and price. We compared these results to US Census Bureau data for each hospital's service area's demographic, ethnic and socioeconomic population characteristics.ResultsOut of the 40 hospitals in Chicagoland, 30 offered CACS. The 10 hospitals without CACS were smaller hospitals in zip codes with a higher population density (p ?< ?0.01), higher poverty rates (22% vs. 13%, p ?< ?0.01), lower percentage of white population (p ?< ?0.02), lower frequency of higher education (35% vs. 51%, p ?< ?0.05), and a trend toward more black residents (p ?< ?0.10). Life expectancy was greater in areas with CACS available (78 vs. 75 years, p ?< ?0.05).Even in areas with CACS, there was wide price variation, with higher prices in poorer areas (r ?= ?0.57, p ?< ?0.01). The highest vs. lowest quintile of income had higher education, larger white population (80% vs. 14%, p ?< ?0.0001), and longer life expectancy (81 vs. 72 years, p ?< ?0.0002), but tended to have a lower price of CACS ($86 vs. $487, p ?< ?0.08).Conclusions and relevanceCACS is a powerful, evidenced-based clinical tool, but the availability and price vary widely in Chicagoland, and directly correlate with the socioeconomic and health care disparities that are known to exist. Removing these barriers to coronary artery disease screening may be one method to improve the poor cardiovascular outcomes in these areas.     

中国基层医疗卫生机构运行效率及影响因素研究

背景　基层医疗卫生机构是我国卫生服务体系的网底,承担着基本医疗和基本公共卫生服务的职责,在改善居民健康状况、降低医药费用等方面起着重要作用,目前国内关于全国性基层医疗卫生机构效率的研究较为缺乏。目的　分析我国基层医疗卫生机构运行效率,探讨基层医疗卫生机构效率的影响因素。方法　数据来源于2016年11月—2017年5月“基层医疗服务能力和质量的综合评价”项目,收集322家基层医疗卫生机构的外部特征、内部管理与技术因素、投入-产出指标等资料。采用数据包络分析计算基层医疗卫生机构的效率值,采用多元线性回归分析基层医疗卫生机构效率的影响因素,提出针对性的建议。结果　322家基层医疗卫生机构平均规模效率、纯技术效率、综合技术效率值分别为（0.79±0.23）、（0.52±0.25）、（0.42±0.26）。多元线性回归分析结果显示,地域、财政补助方式、辖区6岁以下儿童人数为基层医疗卫生机构规模效率的影响因素,地域、是否开设外科、是否使用电子病历、绩效工资主要的影响因素是否包括国家公共卫生服务达标率是基层医疗卫生机构纯技术效率的影响因素,地域、辖区6岁以下儿童人数、是否开设外科为基层医疗卫生机构综合效率的影响因素（P<0.05）。结论　财政补贴应逐渐向按服务单元付费的购买模式转变,开设临床外科可能对基层医疗卫生机构效率不利,薪酬制度的改革可提升基层医疗卫生机构效率。     

延缓衰老保健食品的中药药性分析

[目的]对延缓衰老保健食品的中药进行药性分析,判别保健食品整体药性,为消费者选择延缓衰老保健食品提供指导。[方法]借助Microsoft Access 2010和SAS9.4统计分析软件,对延缓衰老保健食品组成中的中药进行药性分析。[结果]延缓衰老保健食品使用的中药共151味,使用频数前三的中药依次为枸杞子、人参、蜂蜜,在分类上主要以补虚药为主,占比42.38%,在四气特点上以温性和平性为主,分别占比31.79%、27.81%,在五味上以甘味药的频数最多,占比67.55%,在归经上最多的为归肝经,占比为50.99%。延缓衰老保健食品药性则主要以寒热并用和温热性为主,占比分别为29.20%、26.44%。[结论]当前市场上延缓衰老保健食品使用的中药多具有补虚、味甘、性温、入肝经的药性特点,在功效上更偏向温补。延缓衰老保健食品的药性有寒性、热性的区别,消费者应根据自身的体质寒热辨证选择。     

Shifting risk-stratified early prostate cancer detection to a primary healthcare setting

Objective

To evaluate the feasibility of multivariable risk stratification for early prostate cancer (PCa) detection in a primary healthcare diagnostic facility with regard to its effects on the referral rate and subsequent PCa diagnoses compared to a PSA threshold of 3.0 ng/mL as the current referral indicator.

Patients and Methods

In 2014, the Erasmus MC Cancer Institute and the primary healthcare diagnostic facility STAR-SHL (located in Rotterdam city centre) initiated this observational study, in which general practitioners (GPs) could refer men who wished to undergo PCa screening to STAR-SHL for consultation by specially trained personnel. Referral recommendations to secondary healthcare were based on the outcome of application of the Rotterdam Prostate Cancer Risk Calculator (RPCRC) and were compared to the current Dutch GPs' PSA referral threshold of 3.0 ng/mL. For data collection on PCa diagnoses, the study cohort was linked to the Dutch nationwide pathology databank (PALGA).

Results

Between January 2014 and February 2021, 507 men were referred for consultation and in 495 men prostate-specific antigen (PSA) was tested. The median (interquartile range) follow-up from consultation to PALGA linkage was 43 (25–65) months. In total, 279 men (56%) had a PSA level ≥3.0 ng/mL, of whom 68% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 63–74) were considered at low risk according to the RPCRC. Within 1 year after consultation, one of these men (0.52%; 95% CI 0.092–2.9) was diagnosed with clinically significant (cs)PCa (i.e., International Society of Urological Pathology Grade Group ≥2). Thereafter, another four (2.1%; 95% CI 0.82–5.3) low-risk men were diagnosed with csPCa. Of the high-risk men who were biopsied within 1 year after consultation (n = 61), 77% (95% CI 65–86) were diagnosed with PCa and 49% (95% CI 37–61) with csPCa.

Conclusion

In a primary healthcare diagnostic facility, the RPCRC could reduce up to 68% of referrals to secondary healthcare, as compared to a PSA referral threshold of 3.0 ng/mL. Deploying the RPCRC in this setting resulted in a high csPCa detection rate in those men biopsied. This strategy can be considered safe since the observational data showed low proportions of csPCa among men at low risk.