Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) and atrial fibrillation (AF) disproportionately affect older adults, who are at increased risk of bleeding from treatment with anticoagulant therapy. The impact of bleeding on older adults' quality of life (QoL) is poorly understood due to the lack of a validated measure of their experience. This study's purpose is to describe the first evidence-based steps in developing a new condition-specific patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) for the effect of anticoagulant-related bleeding on older adults' QoL.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDespite awake tracheal intubation being considered the safest method of intubation for patients with predicted difficult airways, there is limited evidence and poor availability of training interventions to assist emergency medicine physicians achieve competency in this technique. Here, we describe a novel, cadaver-based course for emergency medicine physicians to acquire skills in awake tracheal intubation. A convenience sample of 15 emergency medicine physicians from across Canada participated in the pilot course.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Oral anticoagulants (OAC) reduce the risk of stroke among patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, adherence remains suboptimal. We focused on primary nonadherence to OAC and its associations with patient characteristics-specifically social determinants of health collected in electronic health records (EHR).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHematology Am Soc Hematol Educ Program
December 2024
Nearly 2 out of 3 patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE) and 1 out of 4 patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) will die within the year. Whether, when, and how to manage anticoagulation at the end of life requires many trade-offs. Patients and clinicians must balance symptom burden, greatly elevated bleeding and thrombosis risks, competing comorbidities and medications, and changing goals over time.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: To date, referral practices based on social determinants of health (SDOH) among primary care providers (PCPs) and clinic staff in rural regions, including Appalachian North Carolina (NC), are not well understood.
Purpose: This study aims to develop and content validate a primary care engagement (PCE) survey to assess (1) engagement and burnout; (2) referral practices; and (3) self-efficacy and confidence in making referrals based on SDOH among PCPs and clinic staff in Appalachian NC.
Methods: Using the Social-Ecological Model as a theoretical framework, researchers developed a 37-item PCE survey.