How We Might Further Integrate Considerations of Environmental Impact When Assessing the Value of Health Technologies.

There is growing awareness of the impact health technologies can have on the environment and the negative consequences of these environmental impacts on human health. However, health system decision-makers may lack the expertise, data, or resources to incorporate environmental considerations when making decisions about the adoption and use of health technologies. In this article, we describe how health technology assessment (HTA) is evolving to address climate change by providing health system decision-makers with the information they can use to reduce the impact of health care systems on the environment.

Methodological quality of clinical practice guidelines with physical activity recommendations for people diagnosed with cancer: A systematic critical appraisal using the AGREE II tool.

Evidence suggests physical activity (PA) is beneficial for people diagnosed with cancer. Clinical practice guidelines provide specific recommendations based on available research and are useful in informing evidence-based practice and guiding future research. Little is known on the extent and quality of guidelines on PA targeted to the cancer population.

The use of information and communication technologies by arthritis health professionals to disseminate a self-management program to patients: a pilot randomized controlled trial protocol.

Unlabelled: This paper describes the protocol for a three-arm, single-blind, parallel design randomized controlled trial (RCT) to investigate the perceived usability of Facebook to share information from an evidence-based arthritis self-management program with patients compared with email or an educational website after two weeks.

Study Population: Three-hundred and twenty-seven arthritis health professionals (i.e.

The use of social media among health professionals to facilitate chronic disease self-management with their patients: A systematic review.

Objective: The objective of this systematic review was to summarize the evidence pertaining to the use of social media by health professionals to facilitate chronic disease self-management with their patients.

Methods: A systematic approach was used to retrieve and extract relevant data. A total of 5163 citations were identified, of which seven unique studies met criteria for inclusion; one was a randomized controlled trial, two were prospective cohort studies, and four were qualitative studies.

The Ottawa Panel guidelines on programmes involving therapeutic exercise for the management of hand osteoarthritis.

Objective:: To identify programmes involving therapeutic exercise that are effective for the management of hand osteoarthritis and to provide stakeholders with updated, moderate to high-quality recommendations supporting exercises for hand osteoarthritis.

Methods:: A systematic search and adapted selection criteria included comparable trials with exercise programmes for managing hand osteoarthritis. Based on the evaluated evidence, a panel of experts reached consensus through a Delphi approach endorsing the recommendations.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF A HEALTH TECHNOLOGY: A SCOPING REVIEW.

Introduction: The Health Technology Expert Review Panel is an advisory body to Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) that develops recommendations on health technology assessments (HTAs) for nondrug health technologies using a deliberative framework. The framework spans several domains, including the environmental impact of the health technology(ies). Our research objective was to identify articles on frameworks, methods or case studies on the environmental impact assessment of health technologies.

The knitting community-based trial for older women with osteoarthritis of the hands: design and rationale of a randomized controlled trial.

Background: The prevalence of hand osteoarthritis (HOA) has been reported to be higher amongst women over 50 years old (66%) compared to men of the same age (34%). Although exercise therapy has been shown effective in reducing symptoms and disability associated with HOA, adherence to treatment programs remains low. The primary objective of this RCT is to examine the effectiveness of a 12-week knitting program for morning stiffness (primary outcome) and pain relief (secondary outcome) 2 h post-wakening in females (aged 50 to 85 years old) with mild to moderate hand osteoarthritis (HOA).

The use of social media by arthritis health professionals to disseminate a self-management program to patients: A feasibility study.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of Facebook as a dissemination strategy for the People Getting a Grip on Arthritis self-management program by arthritis health professionals to their patients.

Methods: The feasibility study comprised a single arm, pre-post design that included a convenience sample of 78 arthritis health professionals across Canada. Assessments were performed at baseline, two-weeks post-intervention, and at three-months follow-up using online questionnaires.

An evidence-based walking program among older people with knee osteoarthritis: the PEP (participant exercise preference) pilot randomized controlled trial.

Knee osteoarthritis is a common joint problem leading to an increase of pain and a loss of function in older individuals. The main objective of this study was to evaluate if a participant who was randomly assigned to his preferred group improved his adherence to an effective walking program compared to a participant who did not receive his preferred group. This was a 9-month pilot randomized clinical trial, based on a patient treatment preferences design.

The Ottawa panel clinical practice guidelines for the management of knee osteoarthritis. Part two: strengthening exercise programs.

Objective: To identify effective strengthening exercise programs and provide rehabilitation teams and patients with updated, high-quality recommendations concerning traditional land-based exercises for knee osteoarthritis.

Methods: A systematic search and adapted selection criteria included comparative controlled trials with strengthening exercise programs for patients with knee osteoarthritis. A panel of experts reached consensus on the recommendations using a Delphi survey.

The Ottawa panel clinical practice guidelines for the management of knee osteoarthritis. Part three: aerobic exercise programs.

Objectives: To identify effective aerobic exercise programs and provide clinicians and patients with updated, high-quality recommendations concerning traditional land-based exercises for knee osteoarthritis.

Methods: A systematic search and adapted selection criteria included comparative controlled trials with strengthening exercise programs for patients with knee osteoarthritis. A panel of experts reached consensus on the recommendations using a Delphi survey.

The Ottawa panel clinical practice guidelines for the management of knee osteoarthritis. Part one: introduction, and mind-body exercise programs.

Objective: To identify effective mind-body exercise programs and provide clinicians and patients with updated, high-quality recommendations concerning non-traditional land-based exercises for knee osteoarthritis.

Methods: A systematic search and adapted selection criteria included comparative controlled trials with mind-body exercise programs for patients with knee osteoarthritis. A panel of experts reached consensus on the recommendations using a Delphi survey.

Ottawa Panel Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines for Structured Physical Activity in the Management of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.

Objective: To create guidelines focused on the use of structured physical activity (PA) in the management of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

Data Sources: A systematic literature search was conducted using the electronic databases Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE (Ovid), and Physiotherapy Evidence Database for all studies related to PA programs for JIA from January 1966 until December 2014, and was updated in May 2015.

Study Selection: Study selection was completed independently by 2 reviewers.

Information and Communication Technologies for the Dissemination of Clinical Practice Guidelines to Health Professionals: A Systematic Review.

Background: The transfer of research knowledge into clinical practice can be a continuous challenge for researchers. Information and communication technologies, such as websites and email, have emerged as popular tools for the dissemination of evidence to health professionals.

Objective: The objective of this systematic review was to identify research on health professionals' perceived usability and practice behavior change of information and communication technologies for the dissemination of clinical practice guidelines.

Ottawa Panel Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines for Foot Care in the Management of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.

Objective: To create evidence-based guidelines evaluating foot care interventions for the management of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

Data Sources: An electronic literature search of the following databases from database inception to May 2015 was conducted: MEDLINE (Ovid), EMBASE (Ovid), Cochrane CENTRAL, and clinicaltrials.gov.

Factors influencing adherence among older people with osteoarthritis.

This study aims to identify potential factors that could affect adherence and influence the implementation of an evidence-based structured walking program, among older adults diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis. A total of 69 participants with mild to moderate osteoarthritis of the knee fulfilled an online survey on potential factors that could affect their adherence to an evidence-based structured walking program. Adherence with regard to the influencing factors was explored using a logistic regression model.

Ottawa Panel evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for therapeutic exercise in the management of hip osteoarthritis.

Objectives: The primary objective is to identify effective land-based therapeutic exercise interventions and provide evidence-based recommendations for managing hip osteoarthritis. A secondary objective is to develop an Ottawa Panel evidence-based clinical practice guideline for hip osteoarthritis.

Methods: The search strategy and modified selection criteria from a Cochrane review were used.

Internet-based implementation of non-pharmacological interventions of the "people getting a grip on arthritis" educational program: an international online knowledge translation randomized controlled trial design protocol.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects 2.1% of the Australian population (1.5% males; 2.

Deep transverse friction massage for treating lateral elbow or lateral knee tendinitis.

Background Deep transverse friction massage, one of several physical therapy interventions suggested for the management of tendinitis pain, was first demonstrated in the 1930s by Dr James Cyriax, a renowned orthopedic surgeon in England. Its goal is to prevent abnormal fibrous adhesions and abnormal scarring. This is an update of a Cochrane review first published in 2001.

A systematic critical appraisal of non-pharmacological management of rheumatoid arthritis with Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II.

Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) have been developed to summarize evidence about the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and facilitate the uptake of evidence-based knowledge by consumers, health professionals, health administrators and policy makers. The objectives of this review was to assess the quality of CPGS on non-pharmacological management of RA with a standardized and validated instrument--the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) tool and summarize the key recommendations from these CPGs. Scientific literature databases from 2001 to 2013 were systematically searched and a total of 13 CPGs for RA was identified.

A systematic critical appraisal for non-pharmacological management of osteoarthritis using the appraisal of guidelines research and evaluation II instrument.

Clinical practice CPGs (CPGs) have been developed to summarize evidence related to the management of osteoarthritis (OA). CPGs facilitate uptake of evidence-based knowledge by consumers, health professionals, health administrators and policy makers. The objectives of the present review were: 1) to assess the quality of the CPGs on non-pharmacological management of OA; using a standardized and validated instrument--the Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation (AGREE II) tool--by three pairs of trained appraisers; and 2) to summarize the recommendations based on only high-quality existing CPGs.