Trends in nurse practitioners' prescribing to older adults in Ontario, 2000-2010: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Nurse prescribing is a practice that has evolved and will continue to evolve in response to emerging trends, particularly in primary care. The goal of this study was to describe the trends and patterns in medication prescription to adults 65 years of age or older in Ontario by nurse practitioners over a 10-year period.

Methods: We conducted a population-based descriptive retrospective cohort study.

Individual- and regional-level determinants of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine refusal: the Ontario Grade 8 HPV vaccine cohort study.

Background: Studies on the determinants of human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine use have generally focused on individual-level characteristics, despite the potentially important influence of regional-level characteristics. Therefore, we undertook a population-based, retrospective cohort study to identify individual- and regional-level determinants of HPV vaccine refusal (non-receipt) in Ontario's (Canada) Grade 8 HPV Immunization Program.

Methods: Ontario's administrative health and immunization databases were used to identify girls eligible for free HPV vaccination in 2007-2011 and to ascertain individual-level characteristics of cohort members (socio-demographics, vaccination history, health care utilization, medical history).

Pharmacist-initiated intervention trial in osteoarthritis: a multidisciplinary intervention for knee osteoarthritis.

Objective: Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a commonly undiagnosed condition and care is often not provided. Pharmacists are uniquely placed for launching a multidisciplinary intervention for knee OA.

Methods: We performed a cluster randomized controlled trial with pharmacies providing either intervention care or usual care (14 and 18 pharmacies, respectively).

Risk of gastrointestinal events in patients with rheumatoid arthritis after withdrawal of rofecoxib.

Objective: To examine the incidence of gastrointestinal (GI) events in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) after the removal of rofecoxib from the market.

Methods: Residents of British Columbia with a diagnosis of RA who were chronic users of cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) inhibitors or nonselective nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (nsNSAID) as of September 30, 2004, were included. We studied the risk of GI events using incidence rates and adjusted HR from Cox proportional hazards regression using time-dependent covariates.

Pharmacists' preferences for providing patient-centered services: a discrete choice experiment to guide health policy.

Background: In Canada, most pharmacists are not paid to provide patient-centered services. In other areas of the world these services have suffered from poor adoption by pharmacists.

Objective: To determine pharmacists' preferences for providing patient-centered services.

After patients are diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis, what do they do?

Objective: To learn more about the health services and products that patients use after receiving a diagnosis of knee osteoarthritis (OA), as well as the trajectory of their health-related quality of life (HRQOL).

Methods: Using a simple screening survey, community pharmacists identified 194 participants with previously undiagnosed knee OA. Of these participants, 190 were confirmed to have OA on further investigation.

Socioeconomic differences in preferences and willingness-to-pay for insulin delivery systems in type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Background: An evaluation of patients' preferences is necessary to understand the demand for different insulin delivery systems. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and patients' preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for various attributes of insulin administration for diabetes management.

Methods: We conducted a discrete choice experiment (DCE) to determine patients; preferences and their WTP for hypothetical insulin treatments.

Using the incremental net benefit framework for quantitative benefit-risk analysis in regulatory decision-making--a case study of alosetron in irritable bowel syndrome.

Objective: There is consensus that a more transparent, explicit, and rigorous approach to benefit-risk evaluation is required. The objective of this study is to evaluate the incremental net benefit (INB) framework for undertaking quantitative benefit-risk assessment by performing a quantitative benefit-risk analysis of alosetron for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome from the patients' perspective.

Methods: A discrete event simulation model was developed to determine the INB of alosetron relative to placebo, calculated as "relative value-adjusted life-years (RVALYs).

A valuation of patients' willingness-to-pay for insulin delivery in diabetes.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the insulin-delivery system and the attributes of insulin therapy that best meet patients' preferences, and to estimate patients' willingness-to-pay (WTP) for them.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional discrete choice experiment (DCE) study involving 378 Canadian patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Patients were asked to choose between two hypothetical insulin treatment options made up of different combinations of the attribute levels.

Inadequate statistical power to detect clinically significant differences in adverse event rates in randomized controlled trials.

Objective: To determine the statistical power to detect potentially clinically significant differences in serious adverse events between drug therapies reported in a sample of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

Study Design And Setting: Systematic review of RCTs with positive efficacy endpoint and at least a twofold difference in the proportion of patients with serious adverse events between treatment groups from six major journals. The power of each study to detect statistically significant differences in serious adverse events was calculated.

Health-related quality of life trajectories among adults with tuberculosis: differences between latent and active infection.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) remains a public health threat with significant annual impacts on morbidity and mortality. However, few studies have examined the impact of active and latent TB infection (LTBI) on health-related quality of life (HRQL).

Methods: Patients with recently diagnosed active TB or LTBI patients were administered the Short Form-36 (SF-36) and the Beck depression inventory (DI) at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months.

Improving osteoarthritis detection in the community: pharmacist identification of new, diagnostically confirmed osteoarthritis.

Objective: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common arthritis and a leading cause of disability. Many persons with knee OA are not diagnosed and not referred for treatment. Therefore, identification of patients with knee pain who have undiagnosed OA needs to be improved.