Integrated Surveillance of Disparities in Vaccination Coverage and Morbidity during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cohort Study in Southeast Sweden.

We aimed to use the digital platform maintained by the local health service providers in Southeast Sweden for integrated monitoring of disparities in vaccination and morbidity during the COVID-19 pandemic. The monitoring was performed in the adult population of two counties ( = 657,926) between 1 February 2020 and 15 February 2022. The disparities monitored were relocated (internationally displaced), substance users, and suffering from a psychotic disorder.

Co-morbidity associated with development of severe COVID-19 before vaccine availability: a retrospective cohort study in the first pandemic year among the middle-aged and elderly in Jönköping county, Sweden.

Background: In preparation of future pandemics, it is important to recognise population-level determinants associated with development of severe illness before efficient vaccines and evidence-based therapeutic measures are available. The aim of this study was to identify pre-pandemic diagnoses recorded in a middle-aged and elderly population that were associated with development of severe COVID-19 during the first pandemic year.

Methods: A cohort study design was used.

Effectiveness of the BNT162b2 mRNA Vaccine Compared with Hybrid Immunity in Populations Prioritized and Non-Prioritized for COVID-19 Vaccination in 2021-2022: A Naturalistic Case-Control Study in Sweden.

The term hybrid immunity is used to denote the immunological status of vaccinated individuals with a history of natural infection. Reports of new SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern motivate continuous rethought and renewal of COVID-19 vaccination programs. We used a naturalistic case-control study design to compare the effectiveness of the BNT162b2 mRNA vaccine to hybrid immunity 180 days post-vaccination in prioritized and non-prioritized populations vaccinated before 31 July 2021 in three Swedish counties (total population 1,760,000).

Oral health among older adults in nursing homes: A survey in a national quality register, the Senior Alert.

Aim: To investigate the extent to which the Revised Oral Assessment Guide-Jönköping (ROAG-J) is used by nursing staff routinely in nursing homes in Sweden and to describe oral health status of the residents.

Design: An observational, retrospective register-based study.

Methods: Data from different validated health assessments instruments, including ROAG-J, for the period 2011-2016 were obtained from the Web-based national quality register Senior Alert.

Assessment of hormonal levels as prognostic markers and of their optimal cut-offs in small intestinal neuroendocrine tumours grade 2.

Purpose: Small intestinal neuroendocrine tumours (siNETs) with a Ki-67 proliferation index between 3 and 20% belong to WHO grade 2. Response to treatment may be monitored by blood chromogranin A (CgA) and urine 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5HIAA). The aim of this retrospective study was to investigate the prognostic value of baseline CgA and 5HIAA and of the early biochemical response to treatment, and to compare different cut-off values used in the literature.

[Personal physician continuity in primary care associated with fewer emergency room visits].

Overloading of the emergency departments in hospitals is, in Sweden, a common problem that is often blamed on lack of access to primary care.  We have conducted a cross-sectional study comprising more than 40% of the 347 837  inhabitants of Region Jönköping with access to complete individual data on healthcare consumption, personal doctor continuity, socio-economics, and accessibility data for all of the region's health centres. Individuals with high personal continuity at their own health centre had significantly fewer emergency room visits compared to those with the lowest continuity: for younger adults 55% and for elderly 34% fewer emergency room visits.

Surgical Treatment of Degenerative Disk Disease in Three Scandinavian Countries: An International Register Study Based on Three Merged National Spine Registers.

Study Design: Observational study of prospectively collected data.

Objectives: Patients with chronic low back pain resistant to nonoperative treatment often face a poor prognosis for recovery. The aim of the current study was to compare the variation and outcome of surgical treatment of degenerative disc disease in the Scandinavian countries based on The International Consortium for Health Outcomes Measurement core spine data sets.

Effectiveness of surgery for sciatica with disc herniation is not substantially affected by differences in surgical incidences among three countries: results from the Danish, Swedish and Norwegian spine registries.

Purpose: Yearly incidence of surgery for symptomatic lumbar disc herniation varies and is 29/100,000 in Sweden, 46/100,000 in Denmark and 58/100,000 in Norway. This variation was used to study whether differences in surgical incidence were associated with differences in preoperative patient characteristics as well as patient-reported outcomes.

Methods: Data from the national spine registers in Sweden, Denmark and Norway during 2011-2013 were pooled, and 9965 individuals, aged 18-65 years, of which 6468 had one-year follow-up data, were included in the study.

Lumbar spinal stenosis: comparison of surgical practice variation and clinical outcome in three national spine registries.

Background Context: Decompression surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is the most common spinal procedure in the elderly. To avoid persisting low back pain, adding arthrodesis has been recommended, especially if there is a coexisting degenerative spondylolisthesis. However, this strategy remains controversial, resulting in practice-based variation.