Opioid trends in Finland: a register-based nationwide follow-up study.

The opioid epidemic in the U.S has gotten payers, prescribers, and policymakers alike interested in trends in opioid use. Despite no recognized opioid crisis in Europe, several countries have reported an increase in opioid-related deaths, which has further prompted discussion on the need of monitoring of opioid prescriptions.

Systematic review: Need for high-quality research on occupational therapy for children with intellectual disability.

Background: Enabling participation in everyday life and supporting development are essential goals in occupational therapy of children and young people with intellectual disabilities (ID).

Objective: To gather and evaluate evidence of the effectiveness of occupational therapy interventions for children with ID in terms of participation in everyday life.

Material And Methods: A literature search conducted using electronic databases (CINAHL, Cochrane Library, PubMed and EMBASE) from January 2000 to May 2020.

ICF Personal Factors Strengthen Commitment to Person-Centered Rehabilitation - A Scoping Review.

The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) classification is a biopsychosocial frame of reference that contributes to a holistic understanding of the functioning of a client and the factors involved. Personal factors (PFs) are not currently classified in the ICF due to large societal and cultural diversity and lack of clarity in the scope of such factors. To ascertain which factors in the ICF classification have been defined as PFs in different studies and what conclusions have been drawn on their role in the ICF classification.

Is Europe also facing an opioid crisis?-A survey of European Pain Federation chapters.

Background: There is considerable public interest in whether Europe is facing an opioid crisis comparable to the one in the United States and the contribution of opioid prescriptions for pain to a potential opioid crisis.

Methods: A task force of the European Pain Federation (EFIC) conducted a survey with its national chapter representatives on trends of opioid prescriptions and of drug-related emergency departments and substance use disorder treatment admissions and of deaths as proxies of opioid-related harms over the last 20 years.

Results: Data from 25 European countries were received.

Uptake of Tele-Rehabilitation in Finland amongst Rehabilitation Professionals during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged rehabilitation professionals to provide therapy through telepractice. The aims of this study were to investigate and compare the uptake of tele-rehabilitation (TR) in Finland amongst different rehabilitation professions during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as potential differences between professions in carrying out TR. In addition, the goal was to explore in more depth therapists' views about the features that work and challenges of TR.

The Wequedong Lodge Cancer Screening Program: implementation of an opportunistic cancer screening pilot program for residents of rural and remote Indigenous communities in Northwestern Ontario, Canada.

Introduction: The rural and remote nature of many First Nations communities in Northwestern Ontario, Canada poses unique obstacles to physically accessing health care, in addition to other barriers. Indigenous peoples face similar challenges globally. First Nations communities experience significant health inequities, including cancer burden, which can be attributed to complex factors associated with colonization and Westernization.

A Multiform, Group-Based Rehabilitation Program for Visually Impaired Young People to Promote Activity and Participation. A Pilot Study.

Unlabelled: Young people with visual impairment (YPWVI) face several challenges in their everyday lives. However, little is known about interventions that focus on promoting their participation that contributes to health and well-being and is considered the most relevant outcome in rehabilitation.

Objectives: This study investigated the clinical outcomes and acceptability of a new one-year, multiform, group-based rehabilitation program for YPWVI.

Health-related quality of life change in patients treated at a multidisciplinary pain clinic.

Background: Multidisciplinary pain management (MPM) is a generally accepted method for treating chronic pain, but heterogeneous outcome measures provide only limited conclusions concerning its effectiveness. Therefore, further studies on the effectiveness of MPM are needed to identify subgroups of patients who benefit, or do not benefit, from these interventions. Our aim was to analyse health-related quality of life (HRQoL) changes after MPM and to identify factors associated with treatment outcomes.

Recurrent groin hernia surgery after primary open inguinal procedures: a reappraisal of the open preperitoneal (Ugahary) technique.

Purpose: There are several methods for repairing recurrent inguinal hernia, depending on the type of initial repair. Our aim was to analyze our long follow-up results on the open preperitoneal repair for patients with recurrent inguinal hernia.

Methods: Our retrospective survey included 135 consecutive recurrent inguinal hernia patients, operated on during 1999-2010, with a mean follow-up time of 8.

Does co-administration of paroxetine change oxycodone analgesia: An interaction study in chronic pain patients.

Oxycodone is a strong opioid and it is increasingly used in the management of acute and chronic pain. The pharmacodynamic effects of oxycodone are mainly mediated by the μ-opioid receptor. However, its affinity for the μ-opioid receptor is significantly lower compared with that of morphine and it has been suggested that active metabolites may play a role in oxycodone analgesia.

Multidisciplinary pain treatment - Which patients do benefit?

Background The prevalence of chronic non-malignant pain in developed countries is high, ranging from 14% to 50%. Patients with chronic pain are active users of health-care services and they report impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL) when compared with the general population. Psychological distress has been identified as one of the risk factors for pain chronicity.

New approach for treatment of prolonged postoperative pain: APS Out-Patient Clinic.

Background And Aims: Persistent postoperative pain (PPP) is a significant clinical problem. Several patient-related risk factors for PPP have been identified, including a previous chronic pain problem, young age, female gender and psychological vulnerability. Intra- and postoperative risk factors include surgical complications such as infections, haematoma, nerve damage and repeated surgery.

Spinal analgesia for severe cancer pain: A retrospective analysis of 60 patients.

Background And Aims: Pain is highly prevalent in advanced cancer, and in some patients refractory to conventional opioid treatment. For these patients, invasive methods of pain relief should be considered. Spinal administration of opioids has been shown to be an effective alternative in refractory cancer pain.

Validation of EQ-5D and 15D in the assessment of health-related quality of life in chronic pain.

Chronic pain has a significant impact on quality of life. Measurement of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is essential in the assessment of pain management outcomes, but different instruments have produced varying results. We assessed the validity of 2 HRQoL instruments, EuroQol 5 dimensions questionnaire (EQ-5D) and 15-dimensional health-related quality of life measure (15D), in patients with challenging chronic pain.

Measuring Occupational Exposure to Extremely Low-Frequency Electric Fields at 220 kV Substations.

Earlier studies conducted at 400 and 110 kV substations in Finland have shown that the occupational exposure to electric fields can exceed the action levels (ALs) set by Directive 2013/35/EU. This is a case study investigating the level of occupational exposure experienced by workers at 220 kV substations in order to determine if the actions levels are being exceeded. The measurements were conducted at two old 220 kV substations in Finland.

Dispositional optimism as predictor of outcome in short- and long-term psychotherapy.

Objectives: Dispositional optimism predicts various beneficial outcomes in somatic health and treatment, but has been little studied in psychotherapy. This study investigated whether an optimistic disposition differentially predicts patients' ability to benefit from short-term versus long-term psychotherapy.

Design: A total of 326 adult outpatients with mood and/or anxiety disorder were randomized into short-term (solution-focused or short-term psychodynamic) or long-term psychodynamic therapy and followed up for 3 years.

The Possibility of Decreasing 50-Hz Electric Field Exposure near 400-kV Power Lines with Arc Flash Personal Protective Equipment.

Various guidelines for the protection of human beings against possible adverse effects resulting from exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMFs) have been published with a view towards continual improvement; therefore, decreasing exposure is an important research area. The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of decreasing electric field exposure with arc flash rated personal protective equipment (PPE), which in this case was a set of coveralls, and to compare the measurement results to calculations using the helmet-mask measuring system. We collected the data under a 400-kV power line.

Health-related quality of life and burden of disease in chronic pain measured with the 15D instrument.

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) measurement aims to capture the complete, subjective health state of the patients and to comprehensively evaluate treatment outcomes. The aim of this study was to assess, using the 15D HRQoL instrument, HRQoL in a sample of 1528 chronic pain patients, referred to the multidisciplinary pain clinic of the Helsinki University Hospital during 2004 to 2012. The 15D results of the chronic pain patients were compared with those of a matched general population.

Opioid Concentrations in Oral Fluid and Plasma in Cancer Patients With Pain.

Context: Measuring opioid concentrations in pain treatment is warranted in situations where optimal opioid analgesia is difficult to reach.

Objectives: To assess the usefulness of oral fluid (OFL) as an alternative to plasma in opioid concentration monitoring in cancer patients on chronic opioid therapy.

Methods: We collected OFL and plasma samples from 64 cancer patients on controlled-release (CR) oral morphine, CR oral oxycodone, or transdermal (TD) fentanyl for pain.

Depression and major weight gain: a 6-year prospective follow-up of outpatients.

Background: Depression and weight change are linked, but there is a paucity of studies on their association during clinical treatment. The present study investigated how risk factors for a weight gain of at least 10% (major weight gain) and mental health modify their mutual association during a 6-year prospective follow-up of depressed outpatients.

Method: The study sample consisted of 121 depressed treatment-seeking outpatients with a mean age of 44.

[Management of pain in palliative care].

Palliative pain management is usually successful, if the medication is strengthened in a stepwise manner in accordance with pain intensity, and initiation of a strong opioid is not delayed. Finding of a sufficiently effective dose of the opioid drug with simultaneous management of adverse effects requires continuous pain assessment and patient monitoring. In many cases it is possible to enhance analgesia by supplementing the medication with an antidepressant or an antiepileptic along with the opioid and paracetamol or the analgesic.