Differentiating poor validity from probable impairment on the medical symptom validity test: a cross-validation study

Aims: In neuropsychological evaluations, it is often difficult to ascertain whether poor performance on measures of validity is due to poor effort or malingering, or whether there is genuine cognitive impairment. Dunham and Denney created an algorithm to assess this question using the Medical Symptom Validity Test (MSVT). We assessed the ability of their algorithm to detect poor validity versus probable impairment, and concordance of failure on the MSVT with other freestanding tests of performance validity.

Methods: Two previously published datasets (n?=?153 and n?=?641, respectively) from outpatient neuropsychological evaluations were used to test Dunham and Denney’s algorithm, and to assess concordance of failure rates with the Test of Memory Malingering and the forced choice measure of the California Verbal Learning Test, two commonly used performance validity tests.

Results: In both datasets, none of the four cutoff scores for failure on the MSVT (70%, 75%, 80%, or 85%) identified a poor validity group with proportionally aligned failure rates on other freestanding measures of performance validity. Additionally, the protocols with probable impairment did not differ from those with poor validity on cognitive measures.

Conclusions: Despite what appeared to be a promising approach to evaluating failure on the easy MSVT subtests when clinical data are unavailable (as recommended in the advanced interpretation program, or advanced interpretation [AI], of the MSVT), the current findings indicate the AI remains the gold standard for doing so. Future research should build on this effort to address shortcomings in measures of effort in neuropsychological evaluations.     

台州市功能性消化不良的流行病学现状调查及影响因素分析

目的 探讨台州市功能性消化不良的流行病学现状及影响因素。方法 回顾性选取2020年1月至2022年2月浙江省台州医院收治的功能性消化不良患者200例，统计患者的一般资料，分析该病的流行病学现状，对功能性消化不良的影响因素进行单因素分析，然后将差异有统计学意义的因素再进一步纳入多因素Logistic回归分析。结果 200例功能性消化不良患者中，女性发病率高于男性；30~60岁年龄段群体，患病率最高；存在暴饮暴食、喜食烫食、挑食、多食酸制品、未准时进食、常食宵夜、睡眠时间<6h、有药物过敏史、有功能性消化不良家族史、存在便秘情况者的患病率均高于未存在以上情况者，差异均有统计学意义（P<0.05）。多因素Logistic回归分析显示，性别、年龄、暴饮暴食、喜食烫食、挑食、多食酸制品、未准时进食、宵夜摄取情况、每天睡眠时间、药物过敏史、家族史、便秘是该病患病率升高的主要影响因素。结论 性别、年龄、暴饮暴食、喜食烫食、挑食、酸制品、未准时进食情况、宵夜摄取情况、每天睡眠时间、药物过敏史、家族史、便秘是功能性消化不良的主要影响因素。     

Dry eye signs and symptoms in aromatase inhibitor treatment and the relationship with pain

PurposeAromatase inhibitors (AIs) limit the synthesis of oestrogen in peripheral tissues thus lowering levels of oestrogen. The primary aim was to evaluate whether women treated with AIs have altered dry eye symptoms and signs. A sub-aim was to investigate whether symptoms of dry eye in postmenopausal women were associated with symptoms of non-eye pain, ocular pain and self-rated pain perception.MethodsThis cross-sectional, observational, single visit study recruited 56 postmenopausal women (mean age 64.1 + 7.9 years) and 52 undergoing AI treatment (mean age 66.6 + 9.0). Ocular symptoms (OSDI, MGD14) and pain questionnaires (PSQ, OPAS) were administered and signs of dry eye and meibomian gland dysfunction were evaluated.ResultsAlmost half of each group reported dry eye symptoms, defined as OSDI>12 (48% control, 46% AI). The PSQ score was significantly higher in the AI group (p = 0.04). Neither frequency or severity of dry eye (or MGD) symptoms scores were significantly different between groups. In the AI group, meibomian gland expressibility score was worse (p = 0.003); there were no differences in any other signs. Higher OSDI scores were associated with higher OPAS eye-pain scores (r = 0.49, p < 0.001), but not OPAS non-eye pain (r = 0.09, p = 0.35). Pain perception (PSQ) showed a moderate positive association with OPAS eye-pain (r = 0.30, p = 0.003).ConclusionsIn this study elevated ocular symptoms were observed in both the AI treated and the untreated groups, with no difference between the groups. Women undergoing AI treatment for early stage breast cancer had worse meibum expressibility score and increased pain perception compared to an untreated group of women.     

镇江市护士分层培训及分层进阶现况分析

目的调查镇江市各医院护士分层培训及分层进阶的方法及现状。方法2018年4—5月间采用自行设计的调查问卷,对全市医院的护理人员进行随机抽样调查。结果调查显示镇江市96.45%的护士受医院分层培训及分层进阶这一模式的管理。其中N1占16.77%,N2占29.5%,N3占41.9%,N4占8.7%,其他占3.11%。有24.53%的护士对医院目前的分层培训方式感到满意并认为无需改进,40.99%的护士表示满意,但需要改进,29.19%的护士表示基本满意,需要改进,5.28%的护士表示不满意需要较大改进。95.82%的医院科室对不用层级的护士有不同的核心能力要求并根据不同核心能力要求进行培训。结论护士分层培训几分层进阶这一管理模式在镇江各医院都有体现,但各医院实行的方式有较大差异,配套的管理方式也有待完善。     

Measuring hope amongst Tanzanian women who participate in microfinance: An evaluation of the Snyder hope scale

ABSTRACT

Measuring hope reliably and accurately remains an important research objective, not least in less prosperous settings where ‘holding on to hope’ may be critically important in the struggle against adverse life conditions. The State Hope Scale was designed for use in the US. Despite reported application in diverse cultures and using translations the scale has not been extensively validated outside US populations. This study contributes to a larger project exploring the measurement of hope and provides a critique of Snyder’s scale as used in a Tanzanian female population of 1021 urban microfinance participants. We evaluate the scale’s validity through assessment of the empirical distribution of scores, item response profiles, internal consistency and discriminatory ability. Participants mostly scored very high and many reached very near the maximum attainable score. Hardly any endorsed the negative half of the response scale. Several problems are discussed including poor discrimination and strong evidence of acquiescence response bias. We also found little association of the scale scores with hypothesised correlates of hope. Future improvements on the measurement of hope are recommended, especially in studies outside the narrow Western context in which the scale was devised.