Health Care Research Articles

Transforming and facilitating health care delivery through social networking platforms: evidences and implications from WeChat.

Telehealth or remote care has been widely leveraged to provide health care support and has achieved tremendous developments and positive results, including in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Social networking platform, as an easy-to-use tool, has provided users with simplified means to collect data outside of the traditional clinical environment. WeChat, one of the most popular social networking platforms in many countries, has been leveraged to conduct telehealth and hosted a vast amount of patient-generated health data (PGHD), including text, voices, images, and videos. Its characteristics of convenience, promptness, and cross-platform support enrich and simplify health care delivery and communication, addressing some weaknesses of traditional clinical care during the pandemic. This study aims to systematically summarize how WeChat platform has been leveraged to facilitate health care delivery and how it improves the access to health care. Utilizing Levesque's health care accessibility model, the study explores WeChat's impact across 5 domains: Approachability, Acceptability, Availability and accommodation, Affordability, and Appropriateness. The findings highlight WeChat's diverse functionalities, ranging from telehealth consultations and remote patient monitoring to seamless PGHD exchange. WeChat's integration with health tracking apps, support for telehealth consultations, and survey capabilities contribute significantly to disease management during the pandemic. The practices and implications from WeChat may provide experiences to utilize social networking platforms to facilitate health care delivery. The utilization of WeChat PGHD opens avenues for shared decision-making, prompting the need for further research to establish reporting guidelines and policies addressing privacy and ethical concerns associated with social networking platforms in health research.

Health Economics in a World of Uneconomic Growth.

Multiple, accelerating and interacting ecological crises are increasingly understood as constituting a major threat to human health and well-being. Unconstrained economic growth is strongly implicated in these growing crises, and it has been argued that this growth has now become "uneconomic growth", which is a situation where the size of the economy is still expanding, but this expansion is causing more harm than benefit. This article summarises the multiple pathways by which uneconomic growth can be expected to harm human health. It describes how health care systems-especially through overuse, low value and poor quality care-can themselves drive uneconomic growth. Health economists need to understand not only the consequences of environmental impacts on health care, but also the significance of uneconomic growth, and pay closer attention to the growing body of work by heterodox economists, especially in the fields of ecological and feminist economics. This will involve paying closer heed to the existence and consequences of diminishing marginal returns to health care consumption at high levels; the central importance of inequalities and injustice in health; and the need to remedy health economists' currently limited ability to deal effectively with low value care, overdiagnosis and overtreatment.

The experiences of gender and sexually diverse parents using support and services for their young children: An integrative review.

To address: What are the experiences of 2SLGBTQQIA+ parents using parenting supports and services to meet their children's early childhood development needs (<5 years of age)? Whittemore and Knafl's (2005) integrative review methodology. Electronic databases were searched from 2000 to October 14, 2022 for empirical studies or reviews addressing the research question. The title and abstract of 12,158 articles were screened for inclusion in the review by two independent researchers; 175 of these articles underwent full-text review. Studies selected were critically appraised using a Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal tool. Relevant key findings were extracted from each study and entered into N-VIVO-12. Thematic content analysis was employed and PRISMA guidelines were adhered to. A total of 18 articles (15 qualitative and three multi-method studies) met the inclusion criteria and were selected for the review. Seven themes were revealed from analysis of the studies: (1) 2SLGBTQQIA+ Status kept a secret; (2) Forced to come out; (3) Heteronormative messaging; (4) Feeling excluded; (5) Stigmatised; (6) Parents act as educators; and (7) Positive experiences. This integrative review provides nurses with insight into the experiences of 2SLGBTQQIA+ parents using health care services for their young child. This article highlights what changes nurses need to make to their practice to ensure appropriate, inclusive care for clients of diverse sexual and gender identities and their families. Health care providers, especially nurses, have an opportunity to improve the experiences of these families and positively impact their health and well-being. Additionally, there is a need for research with the 2SLGBTQQIA+ parent community and the use of rigorous methodological techniques, including clearly linking participants' gender and sexual identities with study findings, to improve our understanding of 2SLGBTQQIA+ parent experiences. Although there was no direct patient contribution to the work since it was an integrative review of the literature, indirectly patient contributions are incorporated from the original research results of studies incorporated into this review.

Ethical challenges in health care during collective hunger strikes in public or occupied spaces.

Public collective hunger strikes take place in complex social and political contexts, require medical attention and present ethical challenges to physicians. Empirical research, the ethical debate to date and existing guidelines by the World Medical Association focus almost exclusively on hunger strikes in detention. However, the public space differs substantially with regard to the conditions for the provision of health care and the diverse groups of healthcare providers or stakeholders involved. By reviewing empirical research on the experience of health professionals with public collective hunger strikes, we identified the following ethical challenges: (1) establishment of a trustful physician-striker relationship, (2) balancing of medico-ethical principles in medical decision-making, (3) handling of loyalty conflicts and (4) preservation of professional independence and the risk of political instrumentalization. Some of these challenges have already been described and discussed, yet not contextualized for public collective strikes, while others are novel. The presence of voluntary physicians may offer opportunities for a trustful relationship and, hence, for ethical treatment decisions. According to our findings, it requires more attention to how to realise autonomous medical decisions in the complex context of a dynamic, often unstructured and politically charged setting, which ethical norms should shape the professional role of voluntary physicians, and what is the influence of the hunger strikers'collective on individual healthcare decisions. Our article can serve as a starting point for further ethical discussion. It can also provide the basis for the development of potential guidelines to support health professionals involved in public collective hunger strikes.

Implications of the Offshore Oil &amp; Gas Working Environment on Mental Health and Performance of Workers

Abstract This study aimed to investigate the potential effect of the site location on the relationship between the Oil and Gas working environment’s psychosocial hazards, mental health disorders and workers’ Performance. Quantitative methods and deductive approaches have been used. The study’s population was Egyptian Oil &amp; Gas workers, and the study sample included 409 participants. The collected data were statistically analyzed using descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, independent samples t-test, and Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The results indicated a high levels of psychosocial hazards in the Oil &amp; Gas working environment, where isolation, remoteness and adverse living conditions significantly depicted the highest levels. The presence of mental health disorders was confirmed by screening Depression, Stress and Anxiety among the study sample, where most responses indicated difficulties in their abilities to overcome. Further, the results showed an average level of performance with a noticeably low levels in contextual performance aspects. The study concluded that performance in the offshore Oil &amp; Gas industry is not entirely a functional pattern but can also be influenced by the working environment, where the moderating effect of the site location of the Oil &amp; Gas working environment on workers’ mental health disorders could eventually compromise their performance levels, ultimately harming the interest and sustainability of this vital sector.

Melanoma image synthesis: a review using generative adversarial networks

Melanoma is a highly malignant skin cancer that may be fatal if not promptly detected and treated. The limited availability of high-quality melanoma images, which are needed for training machine learning models, is one of the obstacles to detecting melanoma. Generative adversarial networks (GANs) have grown in popularity as a strong technique for image synthesis. This research is also targeted at the sustainable development goal (SDG) for health care. In this study, we survey existing GAN-based melanoma image synthesis methods. In this work, we briefly introduce GANs and how they may be used for generating synthetic images. Ensuring healthy lifestyles and promoting well-being for everyone, regardless of age, is the main aim. A comparative study is carried out on how GANs are used in current research to generate melanoma images and how they improve the classification performance of neural networks. Various public and proprietary datasets for training GANs in melanoma image synthesis are also discussed. Lastly, we assess the examined studies' performance using measures like the Frechet Inception distance (FID), Inception score, structural similarity ındex (SSIM), and various classification performance metrics. We compare the evaluated findings and suggest further GAN-based melanoma image-creation research.

Care of the Patient With an Artificial Airway.

Artificial airways are essential in various clinical settings to maintain a patient's airway and provide necessary support for ventilation and oxygenation. These devices are commonly temporary and come in several types, each serving specific purposes. Understanding the indications, types, and proper care of artificial airways is crucial for health care professionals to ensure patients receive optimal care and prevent complications. This article aims to review the indications for using artificial airways and discuss the most commonly used types, including supraglottic airway devices, endotracheal tubes, tracheostomy tubes, and laryngectomy tubes. It also provides insights into the procedures involved in intubation and percutaneous tracheostomy and offers guidance on patient management, emphasizing assessment, oral care, suctioning, and humidification for patients with these airway devices. This article underscores the significance of understanding artificial airways, not just as a set of skills but as a commitment to patient welfare. Health care professionals who master the knowledge and care of these devices can significantly contribute to their patients' well-being and quality of life.

Doctoral graduates’ attitudes toward scholarly work and Institutional Review Board and Quality Improvement Committee education and submission processes: A pilot study

BackgroundEducators are challenged to find better ways to prepare doctoral nursing students to conduct scholarly work involving human subjects. PurposeTo better understand doctoral nursing students’ attitudes toward programmatic scholarly work and Institutional Review Board (IRB)/Quality Improvement Committee (QIC) education and submission processes. MethodsRecent Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and Philosophy of Nursing (PhD) graduates were recruited using convenience sampling techniques to participate in this cross-sectional, descriptive, mixed-methods pilot study. Data were collected using two researcher-developed instruments. DiscussionNineteen doctoral nursing students participated in this study. Students most often used a quantitative approach with health care providers to complete their scholarly work requirements. Both PhD and DNP participants were overall satisfied with the IRB/QIC content in the curricula and the submission process. Four themes were identified: (a) Efficiency, (b) Collaboration, (c) Faculty Mentorship, and (d) Areas for Improvement. ConclusionFindings from this pilot study may be used to enhance IRB/QIC processes through revision of administrative processes and student education.

Current state of home health in children with medical complexity

BackgroundHome health services are a right for children in the US, but higher survival rates of extremely preterm infants have led to an increase in children with medical complexity (CMC) and therefore an increased demand for home health services. Unfortunately, an adequately trained and compensated workforce to support medially complex children at home does not exist. MethodsAfter identifying the existing research, common themes were identified. This article was written to give an overview of these themes and highlight specific supporting data. ResultsA lack of resources in the home health arena and the financial barriers that accompany them, as well as the clear impact this issue has on the health and well-being of families and caregivers, were frequently present in the literature. ConclusionsReasonable next steps for research and advocacy include a focus on recruitment and retention of home health nurses, as well as training specific to the level of skill required to adequately care for CMC. Further research is needed, as in our search we found several unexplored, unassessed avenues that could help health care professionals understand the problem more fully. These steps are necessary if we want CMC to live the healthiest life available to them.

Perceptions and Understanding of Transgender Patient Care: A Survey of Practicing Laryngologists.

Transgender individuals face significant health disparities including deficiencies in physician education, knowledge, and comfort with transgender health care. As the prevalence of the transgender population increases more individuals may seek gender-affirming surgery. Herein, we present a survey study which presents data on (1) the current practice patterns, (2) the familiarity with, (3) the perception of, and (4) the future educational goals of transgender health care among laryngologists in the United States. A cross-sectional survey study of practicing laryngologists in the United States. A total of 53 laryngologists participated in the study, with 50 (94.3%) coming from an academic practice. Survey response rate was 32.3% (54/167). The number of patients cared for and surgeries performed were significantly associated with self-perceived overall competence (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001), surgical competence (p = 0.013 and p < 0.001), and comfort counseling patients on gender-affirming surgeries (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001). Most obtained training through real-world experience (n = 46, 86.8%), whereas only 11 (20.7%) had formal training in residency or fellowship. Although 37 (70%) of participants felt competent caring for transgender patients, 38 (72%) want to learn more about transgender care, and 49 (93%) support incorporating transgender care into otolaryngology residency/fellowship curricula. There is a need for an increased awareness of transgender healthcare issues to address disparities experienced by this diverse population. Many laryngologists report wanting to learn more about this developing part of our field and support incorporating transgender care into training. We attempt to spotlight the degree by which practicing laryngologists are familiar, competent, and comfortable with transgender care. 5 Laryngoscope, 134:3215-3219, 2024.

Pharmacokinetic Changes in Medications After Bariatric Surgery: A Scoping Review

There are no established guidelines for evaluating and managing those taking psychotropic medications postoperatively. This study reviews the pharmacokinetic changes in antidepressants after bariatric surgery and their clinical implications. A systematic search found 7 relevant articles out of 245, indicating significant alterations in the bioavailability and metabolism after surgery. Many patients require increased medication doses postoperatively to maintain therapeutic effects, with a gradual return to baseline within 6 to 12 months. The reviewed studies emphasize the importance of close monitoring and adjustments in medication formulations and dosages. The findings offer valuable insights for health care providers working with this patient group.

Affective and Cognitive Impairments in Rodent Models of Diabetes.

Diabetes and related acute and long-term complications have a profound impact on cognitive, emotional, and social behavior, suggesting that the central nervous system (CNS) is a crucial substrate for diabetic complications. When anxiety, depression, and cognitive deficits occur in diabetic patients, the symptoms and complications related to the disease worsen, contributing to lower quality of life while increasing health care costs and mortality. Experimental models of diabetes in rodents are a fundamental and valuable tool for improving our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the close and reciprocal link between diabetes and CNS alterations, including the development of affective and cognitive disorders. Such models must reproduce the different components of this pathological condition in humans and, therefore, must be associated with affective and cognitive behavioral alterations. Beyond tight glycemic control, there are currently no specific therapies for neuropsychiatric comorbidities associated with diabetes; animal models are, therefore, essential for the development of adequate therapies. To our knowledge, there is currently no review article that summarizes changes in affective and cognitive behavior in the most common models of diabetes in rodents. Therefore, in this review, we have reported the main evidence on the alterations of affective and cognitive behavior in the different models of diabetes in rodents, the main mechanisms underlying these comorbidities, and the applicable therapeutic strategy.

Real-world Study on the Effect of PARPi as Maintenance Therapy on Platinum Sensitivity after First- and Second-line Chemotherapy in Patients with Recurrent High-grade Serous Epithelial Ovarian Cancer.

This study investigated the effect of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors (PARPi) as maintenance therapy after first- and second-line chemotherapy on platinum sensitivity in patients with recurrent high-grade serous epithelial ovarian cancer (rHGSOC). This study retrospectively analyzed 172 patients with rHGSOC treated at Zhejiang Cancer Hospital and Jiaxing Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital between January 2017 and December 2021. The 1st-PARPi group comprised patients who received a PARPi as maintenance therapy after first-line chemotherapy (n=23), and the 1st-control group comprised those who did not (n = 105). Similarly, the 2nd-PARPi group comprised patients not given a PARPi in their first-line treatment (n = 30), and the 2nd-control group comprised those who were given a PARPi (n = 89). Among the 23 patients in the 1st-PARPi group and the 105 patients in the 1st-control group, nine and 99 were platinum-sensitive, and 14 and six were platinum-resistant, respectively (hazard ratio [HR]: 14.46, P < 0.0001). Among the 30 patients in the 2nd-PARPi group and 89 patients in the 2nd-control group, 10 and 71 were platinum-sensitive, and 20 and 18 were platinumresistant, respectively (HR: 4.37, P < 0.0001). Age, stage, residual tumor, the courses of platinumbased chemotherapy, and breast cancer susceptibility gene mutations were not associated with platinum sensitivity when using a PARPi as maintenance therapy after first- and second-line chemotherapy. Patients with rHGSOC using a PARPi were more likely to be platinum-sensitive and develop platinum resistance independent of PARPi duration. Care should be taken when using a PARPi as maintenance therapy after first- and second-line chemotherapy.

Physician and informal care use explained by the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) in children with suspected genetic disorders.

To examine associations between Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) 4.0 Generic Core Scales and PedsQL Infant Scales with formal health care resource utilization (HCRU) and informal caregiver burden. We studied a pediatric cohort of 837 patients (median age: 8.4 years) with suspected genetic disorders enrolled January 2019 through July 2021 in the NYCKidSeq program for diagnostic sequencing. Using linked ~ nine-month longitudinal survey and physician claims data collected through May 2022, we modeled the association between baseline PedsQL scores and post-baseline HCRU (median follow-up: 21.1 months) and informal care. We also assessed the longitudinal change in PedsQL scores with physician services using linear mixed-effects models. Lower PedsQL total and physical health scores were independently associated with increases in 18-month physician services, encounters, and weekly informal care. Comparing low vs. median total scores, increases were 10.6 services (95% CI: 1.0-24.6), 3.3 encounters (95% CI: 0.5-6.8), and $668 (95% CI: $350-965), respectively. For the psychosocial domain, higher scores were associated with decreased informal care. Based on adjusted linear mixed-effects modeling, every additional ten physician services was associated with diminished improvement in longitudinal PedsQL total score trajectories by 1.1 point (95% confidence interval: 0.6-1.6) on average. Similar trends were observed in the physical and psychosocial domains. PedsQL scores were independently associated with higher utilization of physician services and informal care. Moreover, longitudinal trajectories of PedsQL scores became less favorable with increased physician services. Adding PedsQL survey instruments to conventional measures for improved risk stratification should be evaluated in further research.

Herbal Components Inspiring Current Lifestyle Disease Treatment: Role of Nutraceuticals.

Nutraceuticals are the foods that are used to prevent and cure diseases. Food and nutrients are essential for the body's normal function and aid in the maintenance of an individual's health and prevent various diseases. Nutraceuticals are medicinal foods that aid in the maintenance of health, the enhancement of immunity, and the prevention and treatment of specific diseases. The markets of nutraceuticals are one of the fastest-growing industry segments. The prime reason for this accelerated market growth lies in the fact that nutraceuticals are low cost, can prevent diseases to occur, hence, can save the health care cost, have more nutritional value, and many others. Nutraceuticals can be classified on different foundations based on what they promise, natural sources, and nutraceutical food available in the market. This article will discuss those classifications in detail along with the role of nutraceuticals in lifestyle diseases, regulations, market trends, and prospects of nutraceuticals. The article will also highlight the concern areas which play as the limiting factor in the nutraceuticals industry growth like lack of quality control, lack of data on its working, and many other things.

Comparison of the Measurement Properties of EQ-5D-5L and SF-6Dv2 in COVID-19 Patients in China.

There are limited studies comparing the health utility values of EQ-5D-5L and SF-6Dv2 within the same patient cohorts. The widespread transmission and recurring infections associated with Omicron variants amid the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in substantial health detriments and increased utilisation of health care resources. This highlights the crucial need to assess the loss in quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Therefore, this study aims to compare the ceiling and floor effects, agreement, correlation and responsiveness between EQ-5D-5L and SF-6Dv2 based on COVID-19 patients during the Omicron outbreak in China. We recruited 694 COVID-19 patients across mainland China to participant in an online questionnaire survey from January to February 2023. The questionnaire encompassed queries concerning the sociodemographic and health details of the participants, who were requested to recollect their health status during and after experiencing COVID-19 using the EQ-5D-5L and SF-6Dv2 questionnaires. Epanechnikov kernel density plots were used to visualise the ceiling and floor effects for both instruments. Agreement was assessed by Bland-Altman graph and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Correlation was evaluated using linear regression, Pearson's correlation and Spearman's correlation. The standardised response mean (SRM) and relative efficiency (RE) were used to examine the responsiveness of EQ-5D-5L and SF-6Dv2 at detecting the health improvement after COVID-19 infection and the difference in dichotomous health indicators. In total, 648 valid responses from patients aged 35.6 ± 15.0 years were involved in analysis. The EQ-5D-5L utility indices were 0.58 ± 0.33 and 0.92 ± 0.14 during and after COVID-19 infection, respectively, which were significantly higher than indices of the SF-6Dv2 utility (0.43 ± 0.31 and 0.81 ± 0.19, p < 0.001). A ceiling effect of EQ-5D-5L larger than that of SF-6Dv2 was observed during COVID-19 infection (49.5% vs 21.6%). Intraclass correlation coefficients between EQ-5D-5L and SF-6Dv2 during and after COVID-19 infection were 0.69 and 0.55, respectively. The utility indices of EQ-5D-5L and SF-6Dv2 were highly correlated, with Pearson's correlation coefficients of 0.76 and 0.70 (p < 0.001) during and after COVID-19 infection, respectively. The spearman's correlations were moderate to high between dimensions of EQ-5D-5L and SF-6Dv2 (p < 0.01). Both EQ-5D-5L and SF-6Dv2 were responsive to detect health improvement after COVID-19 and the differences in dichotomous health indicators. The utility indices generated by EQ-5D-5L and SF-6Dv2 in COVID-19 patients demonstrate strong correlation and responsiveness. However, the agreement between these two instruments does not reach a satisfactory level. Consequently, these two measures cannot be used interchangeably. In situations where apprehensions about ceiling effects affecting outcome measurement arise, it is advisable to consider SF-6Dv2 as a preferable outcome measure for studies on patients with COVID-19.

Exploring the Experts' Perspectives on the Most Important Risk Factors of Breast Cancer in Iranian Women: A Qualitative Delphi Consensus

Background: Several methods have been designed to assess the risk of breast cancer. But according to studies conducted in Iran, the risk of Iranian women could not be correctly calculated. Objective: This study aimed to explore the experts' perspectives on the most important risk factors of breast cancer in Iranian women. Method: In round one, the risk factors identified from an integrative review of literature and specialist interviews (Delphi round one) were used to design a questionnaire survey. In round two, specialists were asked to rate the importance of each risk factor. In round three, respondents were asked to reprioritize moderate important risk factors. The items considered very important in round three were included in the core risk factors set. Results: In the first round, a total of 119 items were obtained from the results of an integrative review of the literature and interview with experts. In round two, 30 specialists (response rate 50%) prioritized 119 risk factors of BC, and 43 low, 51 medium and 25 high-level risk factors were identified by the experts. From those, 43 low-level risk factors were removed, and 51 medium-level risk factors were carried forward to round three for consensus. No consensus was reached on any of the risk factors that went into round three (response rate 86.7%). Therefore, 25 high-level risk factors were recognized as the most important risk factors for BC in Iran. Conclusion: This study highlights the items that specialists feel would be most crucial to include in the clinical assessment of breast cancer risk. This study has the potential to provide an appropriate and usable tool for detecting high-risk women in primary health care in Iran.

The Acute Care Nurse Practitioner: A Global Health Care Perspective

The acute care nurse practitioner/adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner (ACNP/AGACNP) considered one of the newer nurse practitioner population foci, is recognized worldwide. A descriptive study using data from the International Advanced Practice Nursing website examined the title, role, education, and regulation of the acute care nurse practitioner/adult-gerontology acute care nurse practitioner in 94 countries/territories in the 6 World Health Organization regions. This report provides a comprehensive update on the advancement of this role over the last 20 years from a national and global perspective.

Cost effectiveness analysis of a fixed dose combination pill for primary prevention of cardiovascular disease from an individual participant data meta-analysis

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) continues to impart a large burden on the global population, especially in lower income countries where affordability limits the use of cardiovascular medicines. A fixed dose combination strategy of at least 2 blood pressure lowering medications and a statin with aspirin in a single pill has been shown to reduce the risk of incident CVD by 38% in primary prevention in a recent meta-analysis. We report the in-trial (median follow-up: 5 years) cost-effectiveness of a fixed dose combination (FDC) pill in different income groups based on data from that meta-analysis. Countries were categorized using World Bank economic groups: Lower Middle Income Countries (LMIC), Upper Middle Income Countries (UMIC) and High Income Countries (HIC). Country specific costs were obtained for hospitalized events, procedures, and non-study medications (2020 USD). FDC price was based on the cheapest equivalent substitute (CES) for each component. For the CES-FDC pill versus control the difference in cost was $346 (95% CI: $294-$398) per participant in Lower Middle Income Countries, $838 (95% CI: $781-$895) in Upper Middle Income Countries and $42 (95% CI:-$155 to $239) (cost-neutral) in High Income Countries. During the study period the CES-FDC pill was associated with incremental gain in quality-adjusted life years of 0.06 (95% CI: 0.04-0.08) resulting in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of $5767 (95% CI: 5735-$5799), $13,937 (95% CI: $13,893-$14,041) and $700 (95% CI: $662-$738) respectively. In subgroups analyses, the highest 10 years CVD risk subgroup had ICERs of $2033, $7322 and-$6000/QALY. A FDC pill produced at CES costs is cost-neutral in HIC. Governments of LMI and UMI countries should assess these results based on the ICER threshold accepted in their own country and own specific health care priorities but should consider prioritizing this strategy for patients with high 10 years CVD risk as a first step. Population Health Research Institute.

Skin Tears Preventable With a Gentle Approach: A Case Series.

Skin tears are a major problem for patients and the health care professionals who treat them. Although opinions on their prevalence differ, it is estimated that they are encountered more frequently than pressure sores but are overlooked. Recommendations based on strong evidence were presented for the prevention and treatment of skin tears as classified by the International Skin Tear Advisory Panel. This case series includes the clinical status of 3 patients who developed skin tears while receiving care in the hospital, and the corrective and preventive practices related to skin tears. This article will contribute to raising the awareness of health care professionals in predicting, preventing, evaluating, and treating skin tears.