The role of National Immunization Technical Advisory Groups (NITAG) in strengthening health system governance: Lessons from three middle-income countries—Argentina,Jordan, and South Africa (2017–2018)

IntroductionToward the Global Vaccine Action Plan 2020 goal, almost 90% of countries have established a National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG). However, little is known about NITAG's contributions to governance.MethodsIn 2017–2018, a two-step, qualitative retrospective study was conducted. Jordan (JO), Argentina (AR), and South Africa (SA) were selected owing to government-financed NITAGs from middle-income countries (MICs), geographic diversity, and a vaccine introduction with NITAG support. Country case studies were developed, collecting data through desk review and face-to-face key informant interviews (KIIs) from Ministry of Health (MoH) and NITAG. Case studies were analyzed together, to assess governance applying the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies framework focusing on transparency, accountability, participation, integrity, and policy capacity (TAPIC).ResultsDocument review and 53 KII (22 AR, 20 SA, 11 JO) showed NITAGs played a pivotal role as advisors promoting a culture of evidence-informed policies. NITAGs strengthened governance, although practices varied among countries. Meetings were conducted behind-closed-doors, participation restricted to members, only in one country agendas, and recommendations were public (AR). To increase participation, policy capacity, and transparency, countries considered adding experts in communications, advocacy, and economics. AR and SA contemplated including community members. NITAGs functioned autonomously from the government, with no established internal or external monitoring or supervision. NITAG meeting minutes allowed the review of integrity, adherence to terms of reference, standard operating procedures, and conflict of interest (CoI). For the most part, NITAGs abided by their mandates. Significant issues were related to the level of MoH support and oversight of CoI declaration and documentation.ConclusionsSystematically implementing governance approaches could improve processes, better tailor policies, and implementation. The long-term survival and resilience of NITAGs in these countries showed they play a significant role in strengthening governance. Lessons learned could be useful to those promoting country-driven evidence-informed decision-making.     

Steep Decrease of Gender Difference in DSM-IV Alcohol Use Disorder: A Comparison of Two Nation-wide Surveys Conducted 10 Years Apart in Korea

While decreasing trend in gender differences in alcohol use disorders was reported in Western countries, the change in Asian countries is unknown. This study aims to explore the shifts in gender difference in alcohol abuse (AA) and dependence (AD) in Korea. We compared the data from two nation-wide community surveys to evaluate gender differences in lifetime AA and AD by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV). Face-to-face interviews using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) were applied to all subjects in 2001 (n=6,220) and 2011 (n=6,022). Male-to-female ratio of odds was decreased from 6.41 (95% CI, 4.81-8.54) to 4.37 (95% CI, 3.35-5.71) for AA and from 3.75 (95% CI, 2.96-4.75) to 2.40 (95% CI, 1.80-3.19) for AD. Among those aged 18-29, gender gap even became statistically insignificant for AA (OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 0.97-2.63) and AD (OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 0.80-2.41) in 2011. Men generally showed decreased odds for AD (0.55; 95% CI, 0.45-0.67) and women aged 30-39 showed increased odds for AA (2.13; 95% CI 1.18-3.84) in 2011 compared to 2001. Decreased AD in men and increased AA in women seem to contribute to the decrease of gender gap. Increased risk for AA in young women suggests needs for interventions.     

重庆市城市居民1991～2000年死亡损失生命年分析

目的：研究重庆市城市居民20世纪90年代疾病所致早死的生命损失。方法：用死亡损失生命年YLLs为测量单位，计算不同性别、不同社区的死因别标化YLLs率，及分析1991～2000年死因别标化YLLs率的变化趋势。结果：非传染性疾病标化YLLs率为42.58‰，占全死因的82.76%，其中，恶性肿瘤标化YLLs率为12.80‰，占30.06%，脑血管疾病标化YLLs率 6.62‰，占15.55%，呼吸系统疾病标化YLLs率5.77‰，占13.55%，心脏病标化YLLs率4.38‰，占10.29%；意外死亡标化YLLs率为7.59‰，占全死因的14.75%；传染病、妇科及围产期疾病标化YLLs率为1.28‰，仅占2.49%。在社区之间，死因别标化YLLs率存在明显差异。结核病和精神病标化YLLs率曾出现上升趋势。结论：非传染性疾病已成为该城市居民的主要疾病负担，结核病防治不能放松，精神卫生工作急待开展。     

Assessment in undergraduate psychiatric education

An assessment of medical students' psychiatric performance demonstrated no association between the ability to rate psychopathology or to observe interview behaviour and traditional written methods of academic achievement. This is in accordance with those few studies which have addressed this issue and indicates that there may well be at least three independent skills involved in clinical decision-making: the ability to engage in interpersonal interaction and elicit information; and the ability to acquire and use academic knowledge. This is consistent with work suggesting that maturational and learning processes influence clinical reasoning, and demonstrates that each component should be addressed in assessing students in psychiatry.     

1990—2019年中国女性乳腺癌发病及死亡趋势的年龄-时期-队列模型分析

背景 乳腺癌位居全球女性癌因死亡首位,具有发病率高、疾病负担重等特点。目的 评估1990—2019年中国女性乳腺癌发病率及死亡率的流行变化趋势。方法 提取《2019年全球疾病负担》数据库中1990—2019年中国≥15岁女性乳腺癌发病及死亡数据,应用年龄-时期-队列的贝叶斯模型对中国1990—2019年女性乳腺癌发病及死亡趋势进行拟合,进一步估计中国女性乳腺癌发病及死亡风险中的年龄效应、时期效应和队列效应。结果 1990—2019年中国女性乳腺癌粗发病率从14.14/10万升至52.81/10万,粗死亡率从7.22/10万升至13.40/10万。乳腺癌标化发病率总体呈上升趋势(1990年为17.07/10万,2019年为35.61/10万),标化死亡率呈平稳略减趋势(1990年为9.16/10万,2019年为8.98/10万)。年龄-时期-队列模型分析结果显示：所有年龄组女性乳腺癌发病率净漂移值为2.58%〔95%CI(2.34%,2.83%)〕,局部漂移值在65～69岁年龄段达到最高,为3.46%〔95%CI(3.11%,3.80%)〕;死亡率净漂移值为-0.75%〔95%CI(-1...     

老年慢病共存患者治疗负担量表的研制

背景 老年慢病共存患者治疗负担重,准确、有效评估患者治疗负担可为个性化干预方案制定、干预效果评价提供至关重要的评估工具,但目前尚无本土化的老年慢病共存患者治疗负担量表。目的 研制老年慢病共存患者治疗负担量表并检验其信效度,为科学评价老年慢病共存患者干预措施的效果提供合适的评估工具。方法 通过文献分析和患者访谈构建量表的条目池,通过专家咨询的方式形成初始量表。通过预测试,对初始量表条目的语义、最佳表达方式等做出修改。于2021年9—11月,采用便利抽样法选取老年慢病共存患者294名,使用项目分析和探索性因子分析对初始量表进行条目筛选,形成测试版量表。于2021年11月至2022年1月,采用便利抽样法选择老年慢病共存患者316名,使用信度、效度、可行性对测试版量表进行科学性考评,最终形成正式版量表。结果正式版老年慢病共存患者治疗负担量表包括33个条目、7个维度,7个维度分别为经济负担、自我管理负担、获得医疗服务负担、药物管理负担、药物不良反应负担、社交负担、心理负担。验证性因子分析结果显示,χ2/df=1.506,比较拟合指数（CFI）=0.933,非规准适配指数（TLI）=0.925,标...     

Does Low FEV1 in Addition to Fixed Ratio and/or Lower Limit of Normal of FEV1/FVC Improve Prediction of Mortality in COPD? The NHANES-III-linked-mortality Cohort

Purpose

There is presently an ongoing debate on the relative merits of suggested criteria for spirometric airway obstruction. This study tests the null hypothesis that no superiority exists with the use of fixed ratio (FR) of forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (FVC) < 0.7 versus less than lower limit predicted (LLN) criteria with or without FEV1 <80% predicted in regards to future mortality.

An epidemiologic approach to computerized medical diagnosis—AEDMI program

A program called “An Epidemiological Approach to Computerized Medical Diagnosis” (AEDMI) is presented. Using an interactive questionnaire, physician-patient interviews are conducted and a summary of the relevant clinical data is provided. Standard items, obained on a multi-centre basis, form a large-scale data base. Simultaneously, the reasoning of clinical experts in each real case is analyzed to obtain a knowledge-rules data base. The methodology of the program combines Bayesian systems, expert systems, and other new lines of researcg such as neural networks or case-based reasoning. The general concepts of clinical decision making aid systems are reviewed. This publication is aimed at obtaining international cooperation.     

Infrared spectroscopy: A new diagnostic tool in Alzheimer disease

Biological markers play an evolving role in the diagnosis of Alzheimer disease (AD). We compare conventional measurements of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tau and β-amyloid_1–42 proteins to a novel approach – Fourier transformed infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy – a simple technique derived from chemical and physical sciences that characterizes intramolecular bonds. For automatic diagnostic analysis, we developed an artificial neural network (ANN). We examined 71 patients with a clinical diagnosis of AD and 66 controls. β-Amyloid_1–42 was decreased (sensitivity 80% and specificity 78%); tau was elevated (sensitivity 76% and specificity 88%) in CSF of AD patients. The combined tau/β-amyloid_1–42 quotient was able to distinguish healthy from diseased subjects with 99% sensitivity and 86% specificity. The ANN could separate FT-IR spectroscopy data with 88.5% sensitivity and 80% specificity. FT-IR spectroscopy proved to be cost-effective and simple to perform. Diagnostic sensitivity and specificity is in the range of CSF tau and β-amyloid_1–42 protein analysis. Larger sample numbers for ANN training and validation could increase diagnostic accuracy and thus prove to be a useful screening tool.