Functional Status Is Associated With 30-Day Potentially Preventable Hospital Readmissions After Inpatient Rehabilitation Among Aged Medicare Fee-for-Service Beneficiaries

ObjectivesTo determine the association between patients' functional status at discharge from inpatient rehabilitation and 30-day potentially preventable hospital readmissions. A secondary objective was to examine the conditions resulting in these potentially preventable readmissions.DesignRetrospective cohort study.SettingInpatient rehabilitation facilities submitting claims to Medicare.ParticipantsNational cohort (N=371,846) of inpatient rehabilitation discharges among aged Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries in 2013 to 2014. The average age was 79.1±7.6 years. Most were women (59.7%) and white (84.5%).InterventionsNot applicable.Main Outcome Measures(1) Observed rates and adjusted odds of 30-day potentially preventable hospital readmissions after inpatient rehabilitation and (2) primary diagnoses for readmissions.ResultsThe overall rate of any 30-day hospital readmission after inpatient rehabilitation was 12.4% (n=46,265), and the overall rate of potentially preventable readmissions was 5.0% (n=18,477). Functional independence was associated with lower observed rates and adjusted odds ratios for potentially preventable readmissions. Observed rates for the highest versus lowest quartiles within each functional domain were as follows: self-care: 3.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.3–3.5) versus 6.9% (95% CI, 6.7–7.1), mobility: 3.3% (95% CI, 3.2–3.4) versus 7.2% (95% CI, 7.0–7.4), and cognition: 3.5% (95% CI, 3.4–3.6) versus 6.2% (95% CI, 6.0–6.4), respectively. Similarly, adjusted odds ratios were as follows: self-care: .70 (95% CI, .67–.74), mobility: .64 (95% CI, .61–.68), and cognition: .84 (95% CI, .80–.89). Infection-related conditions (44.1%) were the most common readmission diagnoses followed by inadequate management of chronic conditions (31.2%) and inadequate management of other unplanned events (24.7%).ConclusionsFunctional status at discharge from inpatient rehabilitation was associated with 30-day potentially preventable readmissions in our sample of aged Medicare beneficiaries. This information may help identify at-risk patients. Future research is needed to determine whether follow-up programs focused on improving functional independence will reduce readmission rates.     

专业知识和康复培训对脑卒中偏瘫患者居家康复的效果

目的：探究专业知识和康复培训对于脑卒中偏瘫患者居家康复的效果与常规用药指导和康复训练有否有更好的效果。方法：选取浦东新区大团镇2016年以来首发的脑卒中偏瘫患者120例,分组使用随机数字表法。对照组给予常规用药指导、康复锻炼指导;而观察组在对照组的基础上实施IMPACT管理,比较两组康复知识和训练技能评估问卷评分、FMA指数、FRENCHAY活动指数和Barthel 指数评分。结果：康复知识和训练技能问卷评分、FRENCHAY活动指数和Barthel 指数对照组和实验组均高于入组时（P<0.05）,且观察组显著高于对照组（P<0.05）;观察组干预后FMA指数显著高于干预前（P<0.05）,而对照组不存在显著差异（P>0.05）。结论：常规用药指导和康复培训对偏瘫患者的康复有积极的作用,实施IMPACT管理提供专业知识和康复训练效果更加显著。     

“心境促进协作医疗”模式对社区老年抑郁症生活质量影响及初步卫生经济学评价

目的探讨＂心境-促进协作医疗＂（IMPACT）管理模式对社区老年抑郁症患者生活质量影响及卫生经济学价值。方法对30名社区老年抑郁症患者实施为期2年的IMPACT管理治疗,按1：1配对另30例作为对照组,对其实施常规的社区精神病康复管理。在干预第一年末及第二年末使用汉密尔顿量表（HAMD）、家庭负担表（FIS）、生活满意度（LSR）进行评定并观察费用成本。结果在实施干预的第一年末和第二年末,干预组患者的HAMD和FIS得分较对照组显著降低、干预组患者LSR得分较对照组显著升高（列联表卡方检验结果中,χ^2均大于5.9,P值均〈0.05）。2年内干预组患者总费用低于对照组,表现在门诊费用、住院费用、社区防治费用和家属误工费用等方面干预者患者的支出要明显少于对照组患者（t检验结果中,P值均〈0.05）;同时,两者患者在药物费用支出方面无显著差异。结论 IMPACT管理模式能有效减轻社区老年抑郁症患者的抑郁症状,并显著降低患者因疾病产生的各项费用成本。     

Economic evaluation of meningococcal serogroup B childhood vaccination in Ontario,Canada

Objective

Invasive Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B (MenB) disease is a low incidence but severe infection (mean annual incidence 0.19/100,000/year, case fatality 11%, major long-term sequelae 10%) in Ontario, Canada. This study assesses the cost-effectiveness of a novel MenB vaccine from the Ontario healthcare payer perspective.

Methods

A Markov cohort model of invasive MenB disease based on high quality local data and data from the literature was developed. A 4-dose vaccination schedule, 97% coverage, 90% effectiveness, 66% strain coverage, 10-year duration of protection, and vaccine cost of C$75/dose were assumed. A hypothetical Ontario birth cohort (n = 150,000) was simulated to estimate expected lifetime health outcomes, quality-adjusted life years (QALYs), and costs, discounted at 5%.

Results

A MenB infant vaccination program is expected to prevent 4.6 invasive MenB disease cases over the lifetime of an Ontario birth cohort, equivalent to 10 QALYs gained. The estimated program cost of C$46.6 million per cohort (including C$318,383 for treatment of vaccine-associated adverse events) were not offset by healthcare cost savings of C$150,522 from preventing MenB cases, resulting in an incremental cost of C$4.76 million per QALY gained. Sensitivity analyses showed the findings to be robust.

Conclusions

An infant MenB vaccination program significantly exceeds commonly used cost-effectiveness thresholds and thus is unlikely to be considered economically attractive in Ontario and comparable jurisdictions.     

From expert-derived user needs to user-perceived ease of use and usefulness: A two-phase mixed-methods evaluation framework

Underspecified user needs and frequent lack of a gold standard reference are typical barriers to technology evaluation. To address this problem, this paper presents a two-phase evaluation framework involving usability experts (phase 1) and end-users (phase 2). In phase 1, a cross-system functionality alignment between expert-derived user needs and system functions was performed to inform the choice of “the best available” comparison system to enable a cognitive walkthrough in phase 1 and a comparative effectiveness evaluation in phase 2. During phase 2, five quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods are mixed to assess usability: time-motion analysis, software log, questionnaires – System Usability Scale and the Unified Theory of Acceptance of Use of Technology, think-aloud protocols, and unstructured interviews. Each method contributes data for a unique measure (e.g., time motion analysis contributes task-completion-time; software log contributes action transition frequency). The measures are triangulated to yield complementary insights regarding user-perceived ease-of-use, functionality integration, anxiety during use, and workflow impact. To illustrate its use, we applied this framework in a formative evaluation of a software called Integrated Model for Patient Care and Clinical Trials (IMPACT). We conclude that this mixed-methods evaluation framework enables an integrated assessment of user needs satisfaction and user-perceived usefulness and usability of a novel design. This evaluation framework effectively bridges the gap between co-evolving user needs and technology designs during iterative prototyping and is particularly useful when it is difficult for users to articulate their needs for technology support due to the lack of a baseline.     

HIV/AIDS,childhood and governance: sundering the bonds of human society

There is a disharmonious resonance between the length of HIV infection in the individual human host and the length of a human generation. In brief, an infected person may have children, these may be orphaned and grow up to become infected, and afterwards they themselves may have children, who can be orphaned in turn. Hence, a basic unit of social structure in most human societies, the three-generation bond between grandparents, parents and the current generation — and on into the future — is repeatedly torn apart in the absence of treatment, a vaccine or behaviour change. This situation should be read against the threat of growing viral resistance. Certain implications of these processes for the future are outlined and discussed. The paper notes the uncertain future confronting societies that already have a relatively high number of orphans, and considers some otherwise unexpected possibilities, as well as the dangers of assuming that large-scale orphaning necessarily leads to social unrest and disorder.     

Supporting Engagement,Adherence, and Behavior Change in Online Dietary Interventions

IntroductionPoor diet is a leading cause of death and disease globally. This epidemic requires effective and accessible interventions to stop the increasing number of diet-related deaths and the health and economic impacts of diet-related disease. Online interventions provide flexibility and accessibility. With the ubiquitous use of smartphones, they can be intertwined with daily activities such as shopping and eating. The aim of this review is to determine what features and behavior change techniques employed in online dietary interventions for adult populations promoting dietary behavior change.MethodsThe researchers conducted a systematic search of Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health, Cochrane Library, Global Health, MEDLINE, PsychINFO, and psychological and behavioral sciences electronic bibliography databases, and specialist electronic health (e-health) journals from database inception to January, 2018. Studies were included if they were randomized controlled trials of online dietary interventions with active comparator conditions in adult populations, and with reported dietary change measures. A quality score was applied to each study calculated by a developed scoring system. The review analyzed intervention dietary change measures, attrition (nonuse and dropout), engagement (metrics and intensity of use), adherence (defined as compliance to the treatment protocol), behavior change techniques employed to achieve dietary change, and techniques employed in successful (those who achieved significant results in the targeted dietary behavior) vs unsuccessful interventions as reported by the studies.ResultsA total of 21 studies composed of a total of 7,455 adults and reporting on 19 different e-health interventions were included from 1,237 records. These studies targeted dietary change as measured by reduced energy intake (5) or changes in specific dietary components (15) and overall diet quality (4). Dietary change was a behavior target in general healthy populations (12) and for managing diseases such as obesity and cardiovascular disease (7), or for improving quality of life for those with chronic conditions (1). Improvements in dietary behavior were seen in 14 of the 19 interventions reported.DiscussionThe results suggest that online interventions can be successful in achieving dietary behavior change across a range of defined populations. However, disparate reporting of engagement and limited reporting of nonuse attrition rates limited the analysis of which behavior change techniques were most effective in achieving this change.Implications for Research and PracticeThe results of this review support the potential of online and smartphone dietary interventions as a method to achieve change in diet in defined populations. However, further work needs to be done in examining how users engage with interventions, and thus which behavior change techniques are most effective.     

One extra month of depression: the effects of caregiving on depression outcomes in the IMPACT trial

BACKGROUND: Depression occurs in 5-10% of older adults and there are nearly 6 million informal caregivers aged 65 or older. Prior research has focused on vulnerability to psychological distress in caregivers. Research has not addressed the caregiving burden of depressed elderly patients or how that burden affects depression treatment outcomes. AIMS: To describe the self-reported caregiving burden in a large, representative cohort of depressed elderly patients and compare depression treatment outcomes between caregivers and non-caregivers. METHODS: Univariate and multiple regression analyses were performed comparing 24-month depression outcomes (measured as depression free days) in those providing care at any time over the 24-month trial to those who never reported a caregiving burden. RESULTS: At 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months, nearly 10% of cohabitating elderly depressed patients provided care for basic activities such as bathing or dressing while nearly 20% reported providing care for other activities such as making phone calls or taking medication. Over 24 months, after adjusting for marital status, intervention status, and number of medical comorbidities, those reporting any caregiving burden had over 30 more days with depression compared to those with no caregiving burden. The IMPACT collaborative care model did not modify the effect of caregiving on depression outcomes. CONCLUSION: Caregiving is common in depressed older adults and appears to affect response to depression treatment. In the future, interventions for depressed older adults should consider and specifically address caregiving activities in addition to specific depression treatment.