Screening for pressure ulcer risk in an acute care hospital: development of a brief bedside scale.

To derive a brief bedside pressure ulcer prediction tool for patients admitted to acute care hospitals, we conducted a prospective study of first pressure ulcer incidence among 1,190 consecutive patients hospitalized in selected wards of a Swiss teaching hospital. Baseline predictors included patient age and items from the Norton and Braden ulcer prediction scales. During follow-up, 170 patients developed new pressure ulcers.

Alcohol-based handrub improves compliance with hand hygiene in intensive care units.

Background: Nosocomial infection is a leading complication in intensive care units. Although hand hygiene is the single most efficient preventive measure, compliance with this simple action remains low.

Objectives: To assess the effect of an intervention to promote hand hygiene and to investigate risk factors for noncompliance in intensive care units.

Men's and women's knowledge and perceptions of breast cancer and mammography screening.

Background: Although most men are not directly affected by breast cancer, they participate in decisions influencing breast cancer screening and contribute to shaping the social norm on mammography screening. This study tested the hypothesis that men may be less knowledgeable than women about breast cancer and mammography and have less favorable perceptions of mammography screening.

Methods: A survey was mailed to 952 women and 370 men aged 40 to 80 years, randomly selected from the general population of Geneva, Switzerland.

Red blood cell methylfolate and plasma homocysteine as risk factors for venous thromboembolism: a matched case-control study.

Background: Moderate hyperhomocysteinaemia is a risk factor for venous thromboembolism. We do not know whether this risk depends on homocysteine itself or on components of the homocysteine remethylation pathway, such as methylfolate. We did a case-control study to analyse the relation between the major components of the homocysteine remethylation pathway and risk of venous thromboembolism.

Physicians' attitudes toward health care rationing.

Background: Optimal allocation of health care resources under a limited budget is controversial. Particularly important questions are whether rationing decisions should be based on efficiency considerations alone or in combination with equity considerations, and who should be in charge of such decisions. In this study, the authors sought to understand the position of Swiss physicians toward rationing using a previously developed rationing scenario.