Objective: The purpose of this study was to describe clinical complications and healthcare resource utilization (HCRU) among patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) with recurrent vaso-occlusive crises (VOCs) and patients with transfusion-dependent β-thalassemia (TDT) in Germany.
Methods: The Betriebskrankenkasse (BKKs) Database was used to identify patients with SCD or TDT. To be eligible for inclusion, patients with SCD were required to have ≥ 2 VOCs/year in any two consecutive years and ≥ 12 months of available data before and after the index date (second VOC in the second consecutive year).
Background: Running as a form of physical activity is beneficial to overall health and wellbeing. The aim of the study is to examine 'run streaking' (i.e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLifestyle interventions are strategies used to self-manage medical conditions, such as epilepsy, and often complement traditional pharmacologic and surgical therapies. The need for integrating evidence-based lifestyle interventions into mainstream medicine for the treatment of epilepsy is evident given that despite the availability of a multitude of treatments with medications and surgical techniques, a significant proportion of patients have refractory seizures, and even those who are seizure-free report significant adverse effects with current treatments. Although the evidence base for complementary medicine is less robust than it is for traditional forms of medicine, the evidence to date suggests that several forms of complementary medicine including yoga, mindfulness meditation, cognitive behavioral therapy, diet and nutrition, exercise and memory rehabilitation, and music therapy may have important roles as adjuncts in the treatment armamentarium for epilepsy.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Clostridioides difficile infections (CDIs) and recurrences (rCDIs) remain a major public health challenge due to substantial mortality and associated costs. This study aims to generate real-world evidence on the mortality and economic burden of CDI in Germany using claims data between 2015 and 2019.
Methods: A longitudinal and matched cohort study using retrospective data from Statutory Health Insurance (SHI) was conducted in Germany with the BKK database.
Importance: Effective weight loss interventions are needed for men with obesity.
Objective: To determine whether an intervention that combined text messaging with financial incentives attained significant weight loss at the 12-month follow-up compared with the control group and whether an intervention of text messaging alone attained significant weight loss at the 12-month follow-up compared with the control group.
Design, Setting, And Participants: An assessor-blinded randomized clinical trial conducted in Belfast, Bristol, and Glasgow areas in the UK.
Introduction: The reproductive years can increase women's weight-related risk. Evidence for effective postpartum weight management interventions is lacking and engaging women during this life stage is challenging. Following a promising pilot evaluation of the Supporting MumS intervention, we assess if theory-based and bidirectional text messages to support diet and physical activity behaviour change for weight loss and weight loss maintenance, are effective and cost-effective for weight change in postpartum women with overweight or obesity, compared with an active control arm receiving text messages on child health and development.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Breastfeeding has health benefits for infants and mothers, yet the UK has low rates with marked social inequalities. The Assets-based feeding help Before and After birth (ABA) feasibility study demonstrated the acceptability of a proactive, assets-based, woman-centred peer support intervention, inclusive of all feeding types, to mothers, peer supporters and maternity services. The ABA-feed study aims to assess the clinical and cost-effectiveness of the ABA-feed intervention compared with usual care in first-time mothers in a full trial.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDeveloped more than 2 decades ago, the MEZURE (Assessment Technologies, 1995-2020; https://www.mezure.com/) has received increased attention as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To analyse text message conversations between peer supporters (called Infant Feeding Helpers - IFHs) and new mothers using qualitative methods to understand how peer support can influence and support women's feeding experiences.
Design: Qualitative analysis of text messages conversations using both inductive thematic and deductive content approaches to coding. Thematic analysis of the text message transcripts and deductive content analysis was used to code if Behaviour Change Techniques (BCTs) were employed by IFHs in their interactions with women.
Background: The health of parents before pregnancy influences the short- and long-term health of their offspring. This systematic review explored the preconception knowledge, beliefs and behaviours held by women and men of childbearing age.
Methods: Databases were searched from 2009 to 2022 (MEDLINE, CINAHL Full-text, PsycINFO, EMBASE).
One important aspect of construct validity is structural validity. Structural validity refers to the degree to which scores of a psychological test are a reflection of the dimensionality of the construct being measured. A factor analysis, which assumes that unobserved latent variables are responsible for the covariation among observed test scores, has traditionally been employed to provide structural validity evidence.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Participating in exercise following a stroke is essential for recovery. When community-based rehabilitation services end, some people struggle to remain active. We codesigned Keeping Active with Texting After Stroke (KATS), a text message intervention to support home-based, self-directed plans to continue exercising.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Post-stroke physical activity reduces disability and risk of further stroke. When stroke rehabilitation ends, some people feel abandoned by services and struggle to undertake physical activities that support recovery and health. The aim of this study was to codesign a novel text message intervention to promote physical activity among people with stroke and provide support when formal rehabilitation ends.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Pharmacists and case managers positively impact patient health outcomes during the transition of care from the hospital to the home. However, the combination of both specialties completing post-discharge telephone calls has not been clearly studied.
Objectives: The primary outcome of this research was to identify the combined impact of post-discharge telephone calls from both pharmacists and case managers on all cause 30-day hospital readmissions when compared to a call from either group alone.
Purpose: To inform intervention development, we measured the modifiable determinants of endocrine therapy (ET) non-adherence in women with breast cancer, using the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF) and examined inter-relationships between these determinants and non-adherence using the Perceptions and Practicalities Approach (PAPA).
Methods: Women with stages I-III breast cancer prescribed ET were identified from the National Cancer Registry Ireland (N = 2423) and invited to complete a questionnaire. A theoretically based model of non-adherence was developed using PAPA to examine inter-relationships between the 14 TDF domains of behaviour change and self-reported non-adherence.
Background: Evidence for benefits of physical activity after stroke is unequivocal. However, many people with stroke are inactive, spending > 80% of waking hours sedentary even when they have physical capacity for activity, indicating barriers to physical activity participation that are not physical. WeWalk is a 12-week person-centred dyadic behaviour change intervention in which a person with stroke (PWS) and a walking buddy form a dyad to work together to support the PWS to increase their physical activity by walking outdoors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Appl Physiol (1985)
February 2023
Pulsation of the cerebral blood flow (CBF) produces intercranial pressure (ICP) waves. The aim of this study is to determine whether externally modifying ICP pulsatility alters parenchymal blood flow pulsatility. A cardiac-gated inflatable device was inserted in the lateral epidural space of 12 anesthetized canines (canis familiaris) and used to cause reduction, inversion, and augmentation of the ICP pulse.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRationale: The associations between the number of COVID-19 cases/deaths and subsequent uptake of protective behaviors may reflect cognitive and behavioral responses to threat-relevant information.
Objective: Applying protection motivation theory (PMT), this study explored whether the number of total COVID-19 cases/deaths and general anxiety were associated with cross-situational handwashing adherence and whether these associations were mediated by PMT-specific self-regulatory cognitions (threat appraisal: perceived vulnerability, perceived illness severity; coping appraisal: self-efficacy, response efficacy, response costs).
Method: The study (#NCT04367337) was conducted in March-September 2020 among 1256 adults residing in 14 countries.
Objective: This systematic review will evaluate the effectiveness of nutrition care interventions delivered by general practitioners versus usual care or no care on dietary and health outcomes in adults with diet-related chronic conditions or risk states.
Introduction: General practitioners are usually the first contacts in the health care system for patients with diet-related chronic conditions. While there is some evidence that general practitioners can be effective in delivering nutrition care for a number of outcomes, to inform future care, an update of the evidence is required as well as an examination of which components are associated with positive outcomes.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a behaviour change intervention to reduce patient delay with symptoms of acute coronary syndrome.
Design: A 3-arm web-based, parallel randomized controlled trial.
Methods: The intervention comprised 12 behaviour change techniques (BCTs) embedded in a text-only or text+visual narrative (the techniques were systematically identified through systematic review and a consensus exercise).