Benefit Health Care Professionals Research Articles

Effectiveness of Lecanemab on Alzheimer’s Disease

<img src=” https://s3.amazonaws.com/production.scholastica/article/92098/large/prnano_1142023_background_image.jpg?1704732136”> Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a global public health crisis with a significant impact on individuals, families, and societies. Monoclonal antibodies have emerged as a potential disease-modifying therapy targeting amyloid-β (Aβ), a hallmark of AD pathology. This study offers a comprehensive overview of the efficacy and safety of lecanemab, a monoclonal antibody, focusing on its binding properties and clinical trial results. Lecanemab’s unique binding profile, with a strong affinity for toxic Aβ protofibrils, sets it apart from other monoclonal antibodies. Clinical trials have shown promising results, including reductions in amyloid burden, improvements in cognitive measures, and a reduction in the rate of cognitive decline. However, limitations such as small sample sizes, short-term follow-up, and the exclusion of certain patient groups must be considered. While lecanemab shows potential in slowing the progression of AD, a more extensive study is required to provide robust evidence of its efficacy, especially in diverse patient populations. Adverse effects and long-term safety also warrant further investigation. The results of this study have the potential to inform clinical guidelines and benefit healthcare professionals, caregivers, and researchers in their efforts to improve the treatment of AD. This review is a crucial step in addressing the growing challenge of AD and enhancing the well-being of affected individuals and their families.

The Middle Temporal Vein on Computed Tomographic Angiography: Implications for Filler Injection and Reconstructive Surgery.

Detailed knowledge of middle temporal vein (MTV) anatomy would benefit health care professionals when performing filler injection and reconstructive surgery. The purpose of this study was to assess the variation and course of the MTV using computed tomographic angiography. Computed tomographic angiography images of 300 MTVs from 150 Asian patients were evaluated in this study. The course and branching pattern of the MTVs were evaluated, as well as the relationship between the location of the MTV and the frontal branch of the superficial temporal artery. The diameter of the MTV and the distances between anatomic landmarks and temporal vessels were measured. The MTV was identified in all images, with an average diameter of 2.98 ± 0.80 mm. All MTVs had at least one major trunk; 12.3% had two major trunks. According to the landmarks, the MTV ran 16.3 ± 8.1 mm, 24.8 ± 4.5 mm, and 24.2 ± 4.6 mm above bony lateral canthus, jugale, and zygion point, respectively. Regarding the relationship between the MTV and the frontal branch of the superficial temporal artery, most of the superficial temporal arteries (81.7%) were located above the MTVs, whereas only 9.0% of the superficial temporal arteries crossed the MTVs. The superficial temporal artery was located 43.5 ± 9.6 mm, 44.3 ± 11.9 mm, and 37.0 ± 11.9 mm above the bony lateral canthus, jugale, and zygion point, respectively. Detailed knowledge of MTV anatomy will provide a valuable reference for safe filler injection and reconstructive surgery in the temporal region. Therapeutic, V.

Internet of Things brings Revolution in eHealth: Achievements and Challenges

The medical field has benefited greatly from the technological revolution around our world, as well as the introduction of artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT aims to make life easier and more convenient by bridging the various gaps in connecting various devices that people employ. A wide range of applications and technologies, including wearable device development, advanced care services, personalized care packages, and remote patient monitoring, benefit healthcare professionals and patients. These technologies gave rise to new terms such as the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), the Internet of Health Things (IoHT), e-Health, and telemedicine. With the advent of technology and the availability of various connected devices, smart healthcare, which has grown in popularity in recent years, has been positively redefined. Through the selection of literature reviews, we systematically investigate how the adoption (and integration) of IoT technologies in healthcare is changing the way traditional services and products are delivered. This paper outlines (i) selected IoT technologies and paradigms related to health care, as well as, (ii) various implementation scenarios for IoT-based models. It also discusses (iii) the various advantages of these applications and finally, (iv) a summary of lessons learned and recommendations for future applications.

Effects of home visits on quality of life among older adults: a systematic review protocol

BackgroundHome visiting services for older adults have been offered for decades to maintain and promote health and independent functioning, thus enhancing quality of life. Previous systematic reviews have provided a mixed picture of the benefits of home visiting programmes in older adults, primarily because of heterogeneity in study designs, targeted populations, and intervention strategies. These reviews may also become out of date; thus, an updated synthesis of relevant studies is warranted. Our objective is to perform a systematic review of recently published primary studies on the effectiveness of multi-professional home visits on quality of life among older adults.MethodsWe will perform a comprehensive search for studies investigating the effect of a multi-professional home visit approach on quality of life among older adults. We will conduct the literature search in selected electronic databases and relevant research websites from January 2010 onwards. We will include randomised controlled trials (RCTs), cluster randomised controlled trials (cluster RCTs), and observational studies that enrolled older adults without dementia over 60 years old, along with studies involving multi-professional preventive–promotive home visit approaches not related to recent hospital discharge. We will report our planned review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. We will retrieve and record relevant data in a standardised data extraction form and evaluate the quality of the included articles using the Cochrane risk of bias tool and the quality assessment tool for studies with diverse designs (QATSDD). Where appropriate, outcomes will be pooled for meta-analysis using a random-effects model. The main outcomes include quality of life, incidence of falls, depression, dementia, and emergency department admissions.DiscussionThis review may provide evidence for the effectiveness of home visits in improving older adults’ quality of life. It will potentially benefit health care professionals, policymakers, and researchers by facilitating the design and delivery of interventions related to older generations and improve service delivery in future.Systematic review registrationPROSPERO CRD42021234531.

The relationship between post-resuscitation debriefings and perceptions of teamwork in emergency department nurses

BackgroundEmergency department nurses are faced with traumatic patient events while functioning as members of multidisciplinary teams. Postresuscitation debriefings have been shown to benefit health care professionals and patient clinical outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between the use of post resuscitation debriefings and perceptions of teamwork in emergency department nurses. The study also addressed the type and timing of debriefing to determine whether these factors are associated with perceptions of teamwork. MethodsA nationwide survey was disseminated to emergency department nurses throughout the United States. The design aimed to compare the results from the Nursing Teamwork Survey with the data regarding frequency, type, and timing of debriefings. An ANOVA and Scheffe post hoc was done as well. ResultsThe 68 responses which were included in the data were from 27 different states. Results showed that when debriefings were done more frequently (η = .41, p = .02), were conducted using a formal debriefing method (η = .36, p = .01), and were held immediately after a situation (η = .36, p = .03), there was a significant positive relationship (eta coefficient) with higher levels of trust, team orientation, backup, shared mental model, and leadership. ConclusionFindings may be used to increase utilization of debriefings and improve perceptions of teamwork among emergency department nurses.

Mental Health Support in the Transplantation Workforce: What Can We Learn From the COVID-19 Pandemic?

Burnout (defined as a state of depersonalization, emotional exhaustion, and a sense of reduced achievement) is a risk to all health care workers. The transplantation workforce not only faces the same challenges but also many others linked to the unique work and setting in which they deliver health care. In the past, the mental health care of the transplantation workforce has been sidelined, rather than prioritized. The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has not only compromised the safe delivery of transplant organs worldwide but has magnified the challenges for the transplantation workforce. especially with the high mortality in transplant patients who are infected with SARS-CoV-2. This review addresses the challenges to the mental well-being and psychological health of health care providers, both generally and within the sphere of transplantation, and not only highlights some of the inadequacies but also proposes strategies to establish psychological interventions that could benefit health care professionals within transplantation.

A Review on Signal in Pharmacovigilance

A safety signal is data or information that may suggest a new causal association, or contribute new information about a known association, between a medicine and an adverse event that justifies further investigation. Signals are generated from several sources such as spontaneous reports, clinical studies and the scientific literature. Signal is a potential medicine safety issues, which are derived from individual case safety reports in vigiBase. Signal detection is a cornerstone of drug development process ensuring drug safety. The early detection of Signals helps to improve patient safety and reduce economic burden due to escalating cost of medications and unwanted adverse effects associated with it. The present study is an initiative to make significant contribution towards health-care system by generating evidence based data to benefit health care professionals, consumers, pharmaceutical companies and regulatory authorities.Signal detection and signal strengthening is the most important aspect in Pharmacovigilance which plays an important role in ensuring that patients receive safe drugs. For detection of adverse drug reactions, clinical trials usually provide limited information as they are conducted under strictly controlled conditions. Some of the adverse drug reaction can be detected only after long term use in larger population and in specific patient groups due to specific concomitant medications or disease.

Intimate Partner Violence and the Risk of Developing Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a global public health issue with a variety of ill health consequences associated with exposure. Due to the stimulation of chronic stress and inflammatory pathways, childhood abuse has been associated with the subsequent development of functional syndromes such as fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). Although IPV in women appears to elicit similar biochemical responses, this association has not been tested thoroughly in IPV survivors. These functional syndromes are complex in etiology and any indication of their risk factors would benefit health care professionals managing this population. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association between exposure to IPV with functional syndromes: fibromyalgia and CFS. We conducted a retrospective open cohort study using "The Heath Improvement Network" database between January 1, 1995 and December 1, 2017. A total of 18,547 women who were exposed to IPV were each matched by age to four controls who were not exposed (n = 74,188). The main outcome measures were the risk of developing fibromyalgia and CFS. These were presented as adjusted incidence rate ratios (aIRR) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We found that 97 women in the exposed group developed fibromyalgia (incidence rate [IR] = 1.63 per 1,000 person-years) compared to 239 women in the unexposed group (IR = 0.83 per 1,000 person-years). Following adjustment, this translated to an IRR of 1.73 (95% CI = [1.36, 2.22]). Similarly, 19 women developed CFS in the exposed group (IR = 0.32 per 1,000 person-years), compared to 53 in the unexposed group (0.18 per 1,000 person-years), which translates to an aIRR of 1.92 (95% CI = [1.11, 3.33]). Therefore, we have identified an association between a history of IPV in women and the development of these functional syndromes, which may provide more information to inform the biopsychosocial pathway precipitating the development of fibromyalgia and CFS.

Increasing patient safety with neonates via handoff communication during delivery: a call for interprofessional health care team training across GME and CME.

Hospitals have struggled for years regarding the handoff process of communicating patient information from one health care professional to another. Ineffective handoff communication is recognized as a serious patient safety risk within the health care community. It is essential to take communication into consideration when examining the safety of neonates who require immediate medical attention after birth; effective communication is vital for positive patient outcomes, especially with neonates in a delivery room setting. Teamwork and effective communication across the health care continuum are essential for providing efficient, quality care that leads to favorable patient outcomes. Interprofessional simulation and team training can benefit health care professionals by improving interprofessional competence, defined as one’s knowledge of other professionals including an understanding of their training and skillsets, and role clarity. Interprofessional teams that include members with specialization in obstetrics, gynecology, and neonatology have the potential to considerably benefit from training effective handoff and communication practices that would ensure the safety of the neonate upon birth. We must strive to provide the most comprehensive systematic, standardized, interprofessional handoff communication training sessions for such teams, through Graduate Medical Education and Continuing Medical Education that will meet the needs across the educational continuum.

Integrated HPV genomes tend to integrate in gene desert areas in the CaSki, HeLa, and SiHa cervical cancer cell lines.

The integration preferences of human papillomavirus (HPV) have been intensively studied and contested over recent years. To disclose the integration preferences of high-risk HPV in cervical cancer, HPV transcriptional sites and features in different cervical cancer cell lines were identified. In this study, three cervical cancer cell lines (CaSki, HeLa, and SiHa) were subjected for HPV genome status determination by amplification of papillomavirus oncogene transcripts (APOT) assay. The numbers of viral copies in human genomes and numbers of viral-human fusion mRNAs in three HPV-integrated cervical cancer cell lines were measured and analysed. The results revealed that the gene desert region 8q24 of the HPV type 18 integrated HeLa cell line and the 13q21-22 region of the HPV type 16 integrated CaSki and SiHa cell lines were hotspots for HPV integration, and the numbers of viral copies in the human genomes of the three cell lines that we detected were not in accordance with those reported in previous studies. Integration of the HPV genome into the host cell chromosome suggests that persistent HPV infection is vital for malignant cell transformation and carcinogenesis. This study provides information to benefit health care professionals seeking more comprehensive and accurate diagnostics for HPV-related disease"? Please check, and amend as necessary.

Current Practices, Challenges, and Statistical Issues With Product Safety Labeling

Prescribing health care professionals are dependent on product labels to give them the information they need to appropriately prescribe drugs and monitor patients. A well-constructed label with accurate, meaningful, and easy-to-understand information is important for understanding the benefit–risk profile of the compound. Statisticians are uniquely qualified to help. Historically, statisticians have played a major role in defining the efficacy information provided in the label. Similar leadership is needed to develop safety information for products. Statisticians should play a key role in making sure that the safety information from clinical trials is accurate and provides adequate information to health care professionals regarding the likely and potential effects of a drug. In this regard, giving careful thought to (a) the way safety information is defined and collected, (b) the way in which different adverse events (AEs) are categorized and combined over multiple studies, (c) the statistical methods used to analyze the safety data, and (d) the tables and graphs in which safety information is presented is needed. We have touched on aspects of each of these in this article. Though product labeling has improved greatly in the past 20 years, there are still many issues that need statisticians’ leadership and thought processes. In this article, we consider some of the important issues and make recommendations to address them. These include passive versus active elicitation of AEs, grouping of terms for labeling purposes, definitions of treatment-emergent AEs, meta-analytical principles, and analytical methods for estimating incidence and rates. Consideration of these issues can benefit health care professionals and ultimately patients who take medicines.

The Internet and Healthcare in Somalia: Knowledge is Power

The introduction of the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s) by the UN has highlighted the need to improve healthcare conditions across the globe. These goals are particularly pertinent in Somalia, one of the least developed countries in the world. This paper intends to look at the way the burgeoning telecommunications network in Somalia can benefit healthcare professionals by providing access to the internet which in turn provides access to information that can improve healthcare. The paper will argue that although the development of healthcare is commonly associated with the modernization paradigm, the internet can offer a more participatory approach to benefit healthcare professionals in Somalia.

Requiring Influenza Vaccination for Health Care Workers

Annual influenza vaccination for health care workers has the potential to benefit health care professionals, their patients, and their families by reducing the transmission of influenza in the health care setting. Furthermore, staff vaccination programs are cost-effective for health care institutions because of reduced staff illness and absenteeism. Despite international recommendations and strong ethical arguments for annual influenza immunization for health care professionals, staff utilization of vaccination remains low. We have analyzed the ethical implications of a variety of efforts to increase vaccination rates, including mandatory influenza vaccination. A program of incentives and sanctions may increase health care worker compliance with fewer ethical impediments than mandatory vaccination.

The Hidden Experience of Violence during Pregnancy: A Study of 400 Pregnant Australian Women

This article will report on the results of research into violence experienced by women during pregnancy, undertaken at a large public tertiary obstetric hospital in Australia. Participants in the research included 400 women from diverse backgrounds, recruited from the Royal Women's Hospital Antenatal clinic in Melbourne. The methodology for the research included a structured interview framework into which was incorporated a modified version of the Abusive Behaviour Inventory (ABI). The instrument measured both physical and psychological abuse indicators. The study found that 20% (n=80) of women interviewed reported experiencing violence during their pregnancy and that they did not disclose this to their health care professionals, thus suffering the abuse in silence. An increase in physical violence was reported by 6% (n=25); however, the majority of women reported that the level of violence and abuse remained the same throughout the pregnancy. It was found that a range of abusive behaviours were reported by the women interviewed, which resulted in three very distinct profile groups emerging from the data. A greater awareness of the prevalence of this phenomenon in the peri-natal population, together with ongoing access to research in this area, will benefit health care professionals in developing sensitive practice strategies for working with women affected by violence during pregnancy. Through a deeper understanding of associated issues, practitioners can work towards creating an environment where women feel safe enough to break their silence and be confident that their disclosures will be responded to appropriately, without pressure to leave the relationship.

Professional Use of the Internet by Physical Therapists in Michigan

Purpose. The impact of the Internet on health care in growing, therefore emphasizing the need for physical therapists to become knowledgeable about using and evaluating this technology as a source of information. As the profession of physical therapy moves toward online education and evidence-based practice, skill in the use of the Internet will be essential. While clinicians have always been encouraged to use the latest research in clinical practice, the Internet makes access to that information immediate. The purpose of this descriptive study was to determine access, current skill, criteria used to evaluate Web sites, and professional use of the Internet by physical therapists in Michigan. Methods. Five hundred licensed physical therapists from the three largest counties in Michigan were randomly selected to participate. One hundred ninety-three surveys were completed and returned (38.6% response rate). Results. Sixty percent of physical therapists reported they have Internet access at work, with physical therapists working in public schools reporting the greatest access. Infty-three percent reported they had little experience in using the Internet for professional purposes. The most commonly used professional resource was MEDLINE (45.5%). The top criteria used to evaluate the quality of information found on the Internet were personal knowledge (61%) and site sponsorship (39.5%). Conclusions. This study suggests a need to increase the knowledge and comfort of physical therapists in using and evaluating the Internet for professional purposes. Keywords: Physical therapy, Internet, World Wide Web, Health care. INTRODUCTION The introduction of the Internet has greatly affected our society and health care worldwide. Computers used to access the Internet have been integrated into the school, home, and work place at a faster rate than television and the videocassette recorder, and have also been incorporated into health care al a similarly rapid rale, transforming the delivery of care.1-6 The Internet contains vast amounts of medical information, which may benefit health care professionals and palients alike, as it offers immediate access to current medical information and peer-reviewed publications.1,7-10 Like all health professions, the field of physical therapy rapidly advancing. One major change the integration of evidence in clinical decision making, and in particular, the use of evidence-based practice. As described by Sackett, evidence-based medicine is the conscientious, explicit, and judicious use of current best evidence in making decisions about the care of individuals. It means integrating individual clinical expertise with the best available external clinical evidence from systematic research.11(p2) Sackett describes five steps in this model of patient care. These include: developing the clinical question, finding the best available evidence to answer your question, critically appraising the evidence, integrating the critical appraisal with your clinical expertise and the patient's situation and values, and, finally, evaluating your effectiveness and efficiency in the first four steps.12(p4) As noted, the second step in this process locating the best evidence available. The use of the Internet currently the most expeditious means to locate evidence in the peer-reviewed literature. Use of the Internet in physical therapy relatively new, and much of the literature related to the Internet and physical therapy addresses educating physical therapists in its use and suggesting possible uses in the future. In a paper describing Web resources for physical therapists, Singer and Tan13 provide basic information on search engines, medical databases, and professional LISTSERVS. Sherrington, Herbert, Maher, and Moseley14 describe the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) that contains randomized clinical trials and systematic reviews of the literature in physical therapy. …

Attitudes of Hong Kong Chinese to traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine: survey and cluster analysis

Objectives: To determine whether within a cohort of Hong Kong out-patients definable subtypes exist based on their attitudes to traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine. Design: Data were collected using a structured questionnaire. Setting: The sample of 503 subjects was recruited at two local outpatient clinics in Hong Kong. Main outcome measures: The study employs demographic variables, illness status, the Chinese-Western Medical Belief Scale, trust of physicians and subjects’ preferences on consultation fees, attitude of health care professional, efficacy of service and waiting time during consultation. Results: A cluster analysis yielded three clusters based on their attitudes towards traditional Chinese and Western medicine. One cluster, 24% of the sample, is noted for being older, poorer, more likely to be female and to have chronic conditions; they are sceptical of western physicians. The second cluster (63% of the sample) is younger and have considerably more belief in Western than traditional Chinese medicine. The third group (14%) is intermediate in age and is noted for a marked faith in both forms of medicine. Conclusions: A clear profile of these attitudes of Hong Kong Chinese may benefit health care professionals in making appropriate patient–doctor relationships and planning patient care.

Suicide: Survivors: A Guide for Those Left Behind

As its title indicates, Wrobleski has written a self-help manual for persons who are closely related in some way to someone who died by suicide. While it is directed at the general public and, of course, at those who have need for help in relation to the crisis of losing a loved one by suicide, it also contains important information and a point of view that could benefit health care professionals. The volume opens somewhat dramatically with the author's description of her own loss, a married 21-year-old daughter who shot herself. Wrobleski then goes well beyond her personal experience to present a commonsense view of suicide in the United States for those who need to come to terms with it as a personal loss. The self-help approach to problems of every imaginable type has become a kind of American vogue, and I approached this volume with a bit of acquired