Point Prevalence Survey of Acute Hospital Patients with Difficulty Swallowing Solid Oral Dose Forms.

The safe administration of solid oral dose forms in hospital inpatients with swallowing difficulties is challenging. The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence of difficulties in swallowing solid oral dose forms in acute hospital inpatients. A point prevalence study was completed at three time points.

Adult Patients with Difficulty Swallowing Oral Dosage Forms: A Systematic Review of the Quantitative Literature.

The aim of this systematic review was to identify and critically appraise the available evidence regarding solid oral dosage forms (SODFs), e.g., tablets, and challenges regarding the oral administration of medicine to inpatients in a variety of healthcare settings such as (1) hospitals, (2) nursing homes and (3) long-term stay units (LTSUs).

The Pathological Activation of Microglia Is Modulated by Sexually Dimorphic Pathways.

Microglia are the primary immunocompetent cells of the central nervous system (CNS). Their ability to survey, assess and respond to perturbations in their local environment is critical in their role of maintaining CNS homeostasis in health and disease. Microglia also have the capability of functioning in a heterogeneous manner depending on the nature of their local cues, as they can become activated on a spectrum from pro-inflammatory neurotoxic responses to anti-inflammatory protective responses.

In Their Own Words, "Waiting Sucks:" A Qualitative Study of Medical Testing-Related Anxiety in Patients with Cancer.

Objective: This qualitative study sought to learn from patients with cancer -- in their own words -- about anxiety associated with medical testing.

Methods: Patients with cancer or a history of cancer were recruited from an oncology clinic. After oral consent, each was interviewed in person.

How Did a Multi-Institutional Trial Show Feasibility of Electronic Data Capture in Older Patients With Cancer? Results From a Multi-Institutional Qualitative Study (Alliance A171902).

Purpose: New technology might pose problems for older patients with cancer. This study sought to understand how a trial in older patients with cancer (Alliance A171603) was successful in capturing electronic patient-reported data.

Methods: Study personnel were invited via e-mail to participate in semistructured phone interviews, which were audio-recorded and qualitatively analyzed.

Foot Health Assessment and Problem Identification in a Dominican Batey Community: A Descriptive Study.

Purpose: Foot problems can adversely impact foot function and quality of life. Foot problems are often overlooked, particularly in populations with limited health care access. Little is known about the foot health of Haitian immigrants who live and work in the bateyes (rural sugarcane villages) of the Dominican Republic.

Foot Care Self-Management in Non-Diabetic Older Adults: A Pilot Controlled Trial.

Self-management can mitigate common foot problems; however, community-dwelling older adults without diabetes rarely receive foot care self-management training. This two-group pilot study examined feasibility and preliminary efficacy of the novel, nurse-led 2 Feet 4 Life intervention. Twenty-nine adults ( age 76 years ± 6.

Patients' Perspectives and Advice on How to Discuss Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Sexual Health in Oncology Clinics.

Objective: This study sought to understand the patients' perspective of what contributes to an absence of discussions of sexual orientation (SO), gender identity (GI), and sexual health in cancer care.

Methods: Patients were recruited from oncology, gynecology, and a gender transition clinic to participate in semistructured interviews, which were analyzed with qualitative methods.

Results: A total of 25 patients were interviewed, shedding light on 2 themes.

Querying Patients With Cancer About Sexual Health and Sexual and Gender Minority Status: A Qualitative Study of Health-Care Providers.

Background: Although national organizations advocate that health-care providers ask patients about sexual health and sexual and gender minority status-to learn, for example, about side effects of treatment and to understand patients' social support-these conversations often do not occur. This study explored health-care providers' reasons for having/not having these conversations.

Methods: This single-institution study recruited health-care providers from medical oncology, hematology, radiation oncology, and gynecology.

How (and why) to ask the older cancer patient about sexual health and sexual minority status.

Sexual health and sexual minority status are often undiscussed during oncology visits. Yet, these topics should be addressed in older cancer patients in order to help mitigate the sexual side effects of cancer treatment and to acknowledge - and, at times, help provide - the social support older patients need during their cancer journey. This paper describes 4 tips on how cancer healthcare providers can broach the topics of sexual health and sexual minority status in an oncology clinic.

A qualitative study of healthcare-related experiences of non-smoking women with lung cancer.

Purpose: Lung cancer in non-smoking women is a distinct entity, but few studies have examined these patients' healthcare-related experiences.

Methods: Women with lung cancer and with no smoking history underwent a face-to-face semi-structured, audio-recorded interview that was analyzed with a qualitative inductive approach.

Results: Twenty-three patients were interviewed, and three themes emerged.

Teaching Health-Care Providers to Query Patients With Cancer About Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM) Status and Sexual Health.

End of life is difficult for all patients but sexual and gender minorities (SGM) are prone to isolation and loneliness, especially if their SGM status is unknown or unaccepted. In oncology clinics, where goals of care discussions about end of life are integral and frequent, querying patients about their SGM status and sexual health is of particular importance. The American Society of Clinical Oncology recently released a position statement that called for greater focus on SGM populations with the goal of reducing and eventually eliminating disparities in cancer care within this group.

Metabolic-inflammatory status as predictor of clinical outcome at 1-year follow-up in patients with first episode psychosis.

Background: Metabolic abnormalities and peripheral inflammation have been increasingly reported in patients at the onset of psychosis and associated with important physical health disorders and increased mortality. However, the impact of an abnormal metabolic-inflammatory status on the psychiatric outcome of these patients has not yet been investigated.

Objectives: The aims of this study were 1) to explore whether, in a sample of patients at their first episode of psychosis (FEP), an overall metabolic-inflammatory status may be measured, by combining metabolic and inflammatory variables in metabolic-inflammatory factors; 2) to explore the association between these factors and clinical outcome at 1-year follow-up (FU), in terms of symptoms severity and treatment response.

Assessment of Fall Characteristics From Depth Sensor Videos.

Falls are a major source of death and disability in older adults; little data, however, are available about the etiology of falls in community-dwelling older adults. Sensor systems installed in independent and assisted living residences of 105 older adults participating in an ongoing technology study were programmed to record live videos of probable fall events. Sixty-four fall video segments from 19 individuals were viewed and rated using the Falls Video Assessment Questionnaire.

Laparoscopy Using Room Air Insufflation in a Rural African Jungle Hospital: The Bongolo Hospital Experience, January 2006 to December 2013.

Introduction: Carbon dioxide is the standard insufflation gas for laparoscopy. However, in many areas of the world, bottled carbon dioxide is not available. Laparoscopy offers advantages over open surgery and has been practiced using filtered room air insufflation since 2006 at Bongolo Hospital in Gabon, Africa.

Can cognitive insight predict symptom remission in a first episode psychosis cohort?

Background: The outcome of first episode psychosis (FEP) is highly variable and difficult to predict. Cognitive insight measured at illness onset has previously been found to predict psychopathology 12-months later. The aims of this study were to examine whether the prospective relationship between cognitive insight and symptom severity is evident at four-years following FEP and to examine some psychological correlates of cognitive insight.

Interaction between cannabis consumption and childhood abuse in psychotic disorders: preliminary findings on the role of different patterns of cannabis use.

Aim: Several studies have suggested that lifetime cannabis consumption and childhood abuse synergistically contribute to the risk for psychotic disorders. This study aimed to extend existing findings regarding an additive interaction between childhood abuse and lifetime cannabis use by investigating the moderating role of type and frequency of cannabis use.

Methods: Up to 231 individuals presenting for the first time to mental health services with psychotic disorders and 214 unaffected population controls from South London, United Kingdom, were recruited as part of the Genetics and Psychosis study.

Impact of Different Childhood Adversities on 1-Year Outcomes of Psychotic Disorder in the Genetics and Psychosis Study.

While the role of childhood adversity in increasing the risk of psychosis has been extensively investigated, it is not clear what the impact of early adverse experiences is on the outcomes of psychotic disorders. Therefore, we investigated associations between childhood adversity and 1-year outcomes in 285 first-presentation psychosis patients. Exposure to childhood adversity prior to 17 years of age was assessed using the Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse Questionnaire.

Proportion of patients in south London with first-episode psychosis attributable to use of high potency cannabis: a case-control study.

Background: The risk of individuals having adverse effects from drug use (eg, alcohol) generally depends on the frequency of use and potency of the drug used. We aimed to investigate how frequent use of skunk-like (high-potency) cannabis in south London affected the association between cannabis and psychotic disorders.

Methods: We applied adjusted logistic regression models to data from patients aged 18-65 years presenting to South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust with first-episode psychosis and population controls recruited from the same area of south London (UK) to estimate the effect of the frequency of use, and type of cannabis used on the risk of psychotic disorders.

Jumping to conclusions and the persistence of delusional beliefs in first episode psychosis.

Background: Cognitive biases may contribute to delusion persistence. We tested this in a longitudinal study of first episode psychosis (FEP).

Methods: 34 FEP patients completed assessments of delusions and Jumping to Conclusions (JTC) at baseline and 12-month follow-up.

Brain derived Neurotropic Factor (BDNF) is associated with childhood abuse but not cognitive domains in first episode psychosis.

Background: The Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) modulates cognitive processes and is associated with increased risk of schizophrenia. Childhood trauma (CT) is frequent in patients with psychosis and severely affects course and outcome.

Aims: We investigated the hypothesis that BDNF is associated with both CT and cognitive deficits in a sample of first-episode psychosis (FEP) cases and unaffected controls.

Jumping to conclusions, neuropsychological functioning, and delusional beliefs in first episode psychosis.

Background: The "jumping to conclusions" (JTC) data-gathering bias is implicated in the development and maintenance of psychosis but has only recently been studied in first episode psychosis (FEP). In this study, we set out to establish the relationship of JTC in FEP with delusions and neuropsychological functioning.

Methods: One hundred and eight FEP patients and 101 age-matched controls completed assessments of delusions, general intelligence (IQ), working memory (WM), and JTC (the probabilistic reasoning "beads" task).