Implementation strategies of fall prevention interventions in hospitals: a systematic review.

Background: The effectiveness of implementing fall prevention interventions (FPI) among hospitalised adults exhibits variability. Our review explored implementation strategies for FPIs, how these strategies are operationalised and their impact on fall rates and adherence.

Methods: Databases were searched up to October 2024 for studies reporting the implementation of FPIs in hospitalised adults.

Acceptance and Use of eHealth in Support and Psychological Therapy for People With Intellectual Disabilities: Two Cross-Sectional Studies of Health Care Professionals.

Background: Acceptance of health care professionals is of paramount importance for the uptake and implementation of eHealth. The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model is a widely used framework for studying health care professionals' acceptance and actual use of eHealth among general client populations. However, there is limited understanding of the eHealth acceptance of health care professionals working with people with intellectual disabilities (ID).

Measuring working alliance and technical alliance from the perspective of healthcare professionals working with people with mild intellectual disabilities: adaptation, factor structure and reliability.

Background: The establishment of a valuable and meaningful working alliance between people with mild intellectual disabilities (IDs) and healthcare professionals is critically important for improving both the quality of life and impact of therapy for people with mild IDs. Measuring the working alliance as a treatment or support component is therefore of utmost relevance. In light of the increased use of eHealth tools, it is also essential to measure the alliance using these tools, which is referred to as technical alliance.

A prospective, multicentre study to assess frailty in elderly patients with leg ulcers (GERAS study).

Background: Although leg ulcers are a burdensome disease most common in those aged 65 years and older, frailty in this population has not yet been well established.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to prospectively explore and compare the presence of frailty in elderly patients with chronic leg or foot ulcers by applying different validated frailty screening methods in three healthcare settings and to assess the feasibility of frailty screening.

Methods: We compared frailty of leg ulcer patients referred to an academic hospital with a non-academic hospital, leg ulcer patients receiving (primary) homecare, and a dermato-oncology patient population (control group).

Falls Incidence Compared Between a Multibedded Ward Hospital and a 100% Single-Occupancy Room Hospital: An Uncontrolled Before-After Study.

Background: Single-occupancy patient rooms in hospitals have become popular because of the privacy they offer. A downside, however, is the lack of social control from other patients, which might increase the risk of falls and undetected delirium.

Aim: To study whether the incidence of falls in single-occupancy patient rooms differs from that in multibedded patient rooms.

Anticholinergic Drug Use on Admission and the Risk of In-Hospital Falls in Older Hospitalized Patients.

Purpose: In-hospital falls, especially among older patients, are a major and underestimated problem. Several studies have suggested a possible association between anticholinergic drug use and falls, but the results are inconclusive and studies focusing on in-hospital falls are scarce. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether anticholinergic drug exposure on admission is associated with in-hospital falls.

Experiences of therapists conducting psychological assessments and video conferencing therapy sessions with people with mild intellectual disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Due to the restrictive measures introduced to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, therapists working with people with mild intellectual disabilities have had to use video conferencing to continue to conduct their psychological assessments and therapy sessions. This qualitative study explored therapists' experiences of using video conferencing during the initial lockdown period in the Netherlands. In total, seven therapists working at a service organisation supporting people with intellectual disabilities participated in this qualitative study ( = 34.

eHealth in support for daily functioning of people with intellectual disability: Views of service users, relatives, and professionals on both its advantages and disadvantages and its facilitating and impeding factors.

The use of eHealth in support for daily functioning of service users with intellectual disability (ID) is a rather unexplored domain. Therefore, the current study identified the a) level of familiarity, b) advantages/disadvantages, and c) facilitating/impeding factors for the use of eHealth in support for daily functioning of people with ID according to service users, relatives, and professionals. Four focus groups and one semi-structured qualitative interview were conducted.

Psychological eHealth interventions for people with intellectual disabilities: A scoping review.

Background: The use of eHealth, which has accelerated in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, could contribute to the access to tailor-made psychological interventions for people with intellectual disabilities.

Method: A scoping review was conducted on peer-reviewed studies between 1996-2019.

Results: Thirty-three studies reported on the use of psychological eHealth interventions focused on mental health problems and/or challenging behaviour.

Delirium: A Frequent Manifestation in COVID-19 Older Patients.

The authors report a high prevalence of delirium in COVID-19 old patients admitted in an academic hospital. During the recent COVID-19 period, delirium was present in 38% of old patients admitted with delirium at the COVID ward of the Erasmus MC University Medical Center of Rotterdam. We do not know in which patients COVID-19 can cause delirium; however, considering the high prevalence of delirium in COVID-19 old patients and the potential serious consequences, attention is needed in order to reduce disability and mortality in this vulnerable category of patients.

eHealth in the support of people with mild intellectual disability in daily life: A systematic review.

Background: eHealth has recently made rapid progress in care, support and treatment. However, studies on the use of eHealth to support people with a mild intellectual disability in daily life are limited. A systematic review was conducted to provide an overview of this use of eHealth.

Serum vitamin D levels are associated with structural and functional properties of the carotid artery in older men and women.

Background And Aims: This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the relationship between serum vitamin D levels and carotid and brachial artery distensibility in patients older than 55 years, referred to the outpatient clinic of the department of internal medicine and geriatric medicine of the Erasmus Medical Center, in Rotterdam.

Methods And Results: From April to July 2006 we consecutively enrolled 49 elder patients (21 men and 28 women, mean age 78 ± 8 years) without a cardiovascular event within 6 weeks before the visit. Carotid and brachial artery distensibility coefficients and serum 25(OH)D levels (mean 50 ± 28.

Barriers and Facilitators for Screening Older Adults on Fall Risk in a Hospital Setting: Perspectives from Patients and Healthcare Professionals.

We aimed to gain insight into the barriers and facilitators to fall risk screening of older adults visiting the hospital as experienced by patients and healthcare professionals, and to examine the differences between chronic- and acute-care patients. We invited patients (≥ 70 years) attending the nephrology and emergency department to participate in the screening. Patients and their healthcare professionals were asked to complete a self-administered questionnaire based on the "Barriers and Facilitators Assessment Instrument".

Parameters of bone health and fracture risk in older female fall victims: what do they tell us?

Introduction: A common and severe osteoporotic type fracture in older women is a hip fracture. It is not clear whether bone turnover parameters measured in blood can be a useful tool to predict fracture risk in older persons. The aim of the current study was to assess the association between serum vitamin D (25OHD) levels, parathyroid hormone (PTH), total osteocalcin, carboxy-terminal collagen crosslinks (CTX) and hip fractures in older fallers.

Non-linear associations between serum 25-OH vitamin D and indices of arterial stiffness and arteriosclerosis in an older population.

Background: several studies have been pointing towards a non-linear relationship between serum 25(OH)D and cardiovascular disease. Next to vitamin D deficiency, also higher levels of 25(OH)D have been reported to be associated with increased cardiovascular risk. We aimed to investigate the nature of the relationship between serum 25(OH)D and measures of arterial stiffness and arteriosclerosis in an elderly population.

Vitamin D and physical performance in older men and women visiting the emergency department because of a fall: data from the improving medication prescribing to reduce risk of falls (IMPROveFALL) study.

Objectives: To investigate whether serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) is associated with physical performance in men and women.

Design: Cross-sectional.

Setting: Emergency departments (EDs) of five hospitals.

Emergency department visits due to vertebral fractures in the Netherlands, 1986-2008: steep increase in the oldest old, strong association with falls.

Background: Vertebral fractures are a common consequence of osteoporosis in older persons. With the ageing of the population, numbers are expected to rise.

Objective: To determine trends in health care demand due to vertebral fracture related emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations in the older Dutch population.

The epidemic of hip fractures: are we on the right track?

Background: Hip fractures are a public health problem, leading to hospitalization, long-term rehabilitation, reduced quality of life, large healthcare expenses, and a high 1-year mortality. Especially older adults are at greater risk of fractures than the general population, due to the combination of an increased fall risk and osteoporosis. The aim of this study was to determine time trends in numbers and incidence rates of hip fracture-related hospitalizations and admission duration in the older Dutch population.

Ageing and vitamin D deficiency: effects on calcium homeostasis and considerations for vitamin D supplementation.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble, seco-steroid hormone. In man, the vitamin D receptor is expressed in almost all tissues, enabling effects in multiple systems of the human body. These effects can be endocrine, paracrine and autocrine.

Higher serum vitamin D3 levels are associated with better cognitive test performance in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Background/aims: Recent studies suggest that vitamin D metabolites may be important for preserving cognitive function via specific neuroprotective effects. No large studies have examined the association between vitamin D status and cognition.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we analyzed the serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) levels and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) test scores of 225 older outpatients who were diagnosed as having probable Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Cutoff levels of 17-alpha-hydroxyprogesterone in neonatal screening for congenital adrenal hyperplasia should be based on gestational age rather than on birth weight.

Objective: In newborn screening programs for congenital adrenal hyperplasia, 17-alpha-hydroxyprogesterone (17OHP) cutoff levels are based on birth weight (BW) or on gestational age (GA). We investigated which approach would result in the greatest specificity and sensitivity.

Study Design: For the determination of 17OHP, a neonatal 17OHP assay was used in filter paper blood of 9492 newborns.

Annoyance from transportation noise: relationships with exposure metrics DNL and DENL and their confidence intervals.

We present a model of the distribution of noise annoyance with the mean varying as a function of the noise exposure. Day-night level (DNL) and day-evening-night level (DENL) were used as noise descriptors. Because the entire annoyance distribution has been modeled, any annoyance measure that summarizes this distribution can be calculated from the model.