Exploring the impacts of organisational structure,policy and practice on the health inequalities of marginalised communities: Illustrative cases from the UK healthcare system

This paper explores how organisational structure, policies and practices in healthcare can inadvertently disadvantage marginalised populations (e.g. individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds) and reinforce health inequalities. We draw upon three diverse UK healthcare settings (long term care institutions, high security hospitals and community pharmacies) to illustrate how systemic injustices negatively impact on access to care, treatment and health outcomes. The first case study considers the care of older people within nursing homes; specifically the disempowering effects of this service structure and impacts of choice reduction upon health and their access to health provision. The second case study explores the impact of security restrictions upon patients within high security hospitals, focusing particularly on the maintenance of relationships and support networks outside of the hospital. The third and final case study, draws upon a national community pharmacy medicine management service to illustrate ways in which policies and guidelines inadvertently obstruct patients' engagement with the service within a community setting. We draw upon these settings to highlight inequalities within different contexts and to illustrate the ways in which well intended services can inadvertently disadvantage marginalised communities in multiple ways.     

The spatial dimensions of medication management by home-dwelling older adults after hospital discharge

Ageing in place raises pressing questions about medication practices at home. Understanding how medication practices are integrated into older adults’ domestic settings requires an interest in where activities linked to medication take place and why. This study aimed to describe the medication practices and spatial dimensions of medication management for home-dwelling older adults after hospital discharge, using a qualitative research design. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with ten older adults aged 65 years old or more and discharged home from hospital, together with nine informal caregivers. Thematic content analysis identified two main themes dealing with the spatial dimensions of medication management in this specific context: the process of integrating medication changes into routines and familiar spaces, and the individual and collective management of medication changes linked to a renegotiation of the boundaries between public and private spaces.     

上海社区老年人用药安全及影响因素分析

目的：了解上海社区老年人群的用药安全情况及其影响因素，方法：以整群抽样的方法抽取上海市黄浦区两个居民委员会2985名60岁以上的居民进行问卷调查，了解其疾病和用药情况，用药反应，对安全用药的知识，态度，行为，以及影响其用药行为的因素，结果：被调查中高血压、冠心病、消化系统疾病和呼吸系统疾病的患病率分别为35．93％、10．67％、5．70％和3．71％。抗高血压药，心脑血管病药，消化系统疾病和呼吸系统疾病的患病率分别为35．93％、10．67％、5．70％和3．71％，抗高血压药、心脑血管病药，消化系统药和抗生素的使用率分别为31．72％、16．20％、2．43％和2．11％，过去30天内，51．33％的被调查用过药物，用药不良反应发生率为2．06％，对用药安全的正确知识，态度，行为率分别为71．62％、69．39％及60．67％，影响药物选择的因素中医生占88．19％，结论：老年人的用药安全仍存在问题，有待改进，医生是影响老年人药选择的最主要因素。     

1例用药错误事件的分析与改进

采用根本原因分析及行动法对1例儿科用药错误事件进行分析,确定根本原因,从人员、环境、制度等方面提出针对性改进措施。采取措施后,类似不良事件未再发生。建议医疗机构加强关键环节的有效沟通,鼓励患者参与医疗安全管理,营造病区安静环境,严格执行查对制度,正确识别患者身份,优化护理人力资源配置,以保证患者用药安全。     

糖尿病患者药物治疗认知、态度与依从性研究

目的 了解糖尿病患者药物治疗依从性现状及其影响因素,探讨药物治疗认知、态度与依从性之间的关系,为改善药物治疗依从性提供参考。方法 采用分层抽样方法,在山东省东中西部地区选取900名纳入基本公共卫生服务的糖尿病患者进行问卷调查,对842份有效问卷进行描述性分析、χ2检验以及多因素logistic回归分析。结果 842名糖尿病患者中,52.7%的患者药物治疗依从性较好。年龄越大的患者药物治疗依从性越差（OR = 0.66,95%CI:0.46～0.94,P = 0.022;OR = 0.46,95%CI:0.30～0.71,P＜0.001）;病程5～10年的患者比小于5年的患者药物治疗依从性更好（OR = 1.43,95%CI:1.03～1.98,P = 0.034）;药物治疗认知水平越高的患者药物治疗依从性越好（OR = 2.78,95%CI:1.21～6.38,P = 0.016;OR = 2.89,95%CI:1.27～6.58,P = 0.012）;药物治疗态度较好的患者比较差的患者药物治疗依从性更好（OR = 2.58,95%CI:1.28～5.18,P = 0.008）。结论 糖尿病患者的药物治疗依从性仍有待提升;提高患者的药物治疗认知水平与治疗态度有助于提高药物治疗依从性;应加强对糖尿病患者的健康知识教育,转变患者的药物治疗态度。     

甘露醇联合吡拉西坦治疗脑出血致脑水肿的疗效及其安全性分析

目的分析甘露醇联合吡拉西坦治疗脑出血致脑水肿患者的疗效及其安全性。方法选择2019年9月-2020年5月在沈阳市第五人民医院接受治疗的脑出血致脑水肿患者118例,按随机数字表法分为观察组和对照组各59例,两组入院后均实施常规治疗,在此基础上对照组予以甘露醇治疗、观察组给予甘露醇联合吡拉西坦治疗,比较两组的疗效、药物安全性,以及治疗前和治疗20d后神经功能和神经肽Y水平。结果观察组总有效率为98.31%,高于对照组的86.44%,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。治疗后两组美国国立卫生研究院卒中量表评分及神经肽Y水平均较治疗前下降,且观察组较对照组更低,差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。观察组不良反应总发生率为8.47%,高于对照组的5.08%,但差异无统计学意义(P>0.05)。结论甘露醇联合吡拉西坦治疗脑出血致脑水肿的疗效较单独应用甘露醇更好,而且能够改善患者神经功能,安全性较高,值得推广。     

Undiagnosed Depression among Hypertensive Individuals in Gaza: A Cross-sectional Survey from Palestine

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and to determine the associated factors of undiagnosed depression amongst hypertensive patients (HTNP) at primary health care centers (PHCC) in Gaza.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted including 538 HTNP as a recruitment phase of a clustered randomized controlled trial. Data were collected through face-to-face structured interview, and depression status was assessed by Beck''s Depression Inventory (BDI-II). Data were analyzed by STATA version 14 using standard complex survey analyses, accounted for unresponsiveness and clustering approach. Generalized linear regression analysis was performed to assess associations.ResultsThe prevalence of undiagnosed clinical depression was 11.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 8.1, 16.3). Moreover, prevalence of 15.4% (95% CI: 10.8, 21.6) was found for mild depression symptoms. We found that non-adherence to antihypertensive medications (AHTNM) (β = 0.9, 95% CI: 0.17, 1.7), having more health-care system support (β = 2.8, 95% CI: 1.6, 3.9) and number of AHTNM (β = 1.5, 95% CI: 0.6, 2.5) remain significantly positively associated with BDI-II score. On the other hand, older age (β = -0.1, 95% CI: -0.2, -0.02), having better social support (β = -6.8, 95% CI: -8.9, -4.7) and having stronger patient-doctor relationship (β = -4.1, 95% CI: -6.9, -1.2) kept significantly negative association.ConclusionThe prevalence of undiagnosed depression was about one-quarter of all cases; half of them were moderate to severe. Routine screening of depression status should be a part of the care of HTNP in PHCC.