Purpose: Women with ovarian cancer identify patient-physician communication as an essential element in determining treatment course and believe a discussion about goals and values should precede treatment decisions. We sought to develop a patient-centered priorities assessment tool for women with ovarian cancer that could streamline communication, enhance treatment discussions, and increase patient satisfaction.
Materials And Methods: We designed a priorities assessment tool using a validated ovarian cancer symptom index (National Comprehensive Cancer Center-Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Ovarian Symptom Index-18) combined with an index to assess daily quality-of-life priorities. The tool was distributed to women with ovarian cancer in small focus group settings and online, followed by a postactivity feedback form.
Results: In this pilot study, 36 women completed the priorities assessment tool and 35 completed the postactivity feedback form between September 2015 and May 2016. All participants reported that the tool was easy to understand and comprehensive in scope. Twenty-nine participants (82.9%) completed the tool in 10 minutes or less. Most participants (n = 31, 86.1%) were able to stratify their priorities and identify 5 top treatment-related priorities. Participants who indicated that their goals and priorities had changed since diagnosis (n = 25, 69.4%) reported that the tool helped to identify current goals and priorities (22 [88%] of 25 participants) and would help them feel more comfortable participating in shared decision making with their medical team (21 [84%] of 25 participants).
Conclusion: A patient-centered priorities assessment tool was easy to complete and viewed as comprehensive and useful in a pilot cohort of women with ovarian cancer. Use of a priorities assessment tool has the potential to enhance communication, promote shared decision making, and improve patient satisfaction.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.1200/JOP.19.00455 | DOI Listing |
Environ Res
January 2025
ISPRA, Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, Laboratory of Nekton Ecology, Via del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143, Rome, RM, Italy.
Implementing biomonitoring programs for assessing the impact of microplastic ingestion on marine organisms is a priority to verify the effectiveness of measures adopted by legislative frameworks to deal with plastic pollution. At the European level, the Marine Strategy Framework Directive mandates Member States to establish a unified monitoring approach. However, due to the vast range and differences in marine regions, the selection of bioindicators must be tailored locally.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Environ Manage
January 2025
Department of Environmental Economics & Management, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel.
The Jordan Valley (JV) is a critical region where the interplay of water, energy, food, and ecosystem (WEFE) dynamics presents both challenges and opportunities for sustainable development and climate change mitigation and adaptation. In such a transboundary river basin with acute nexus problems and a long history of conflicts, it is essential that conscious efforts are made to pluralize the debate and actively encourage stakeholders' empowerment, participation and fair collaboration in strategic planning. An integrated framework for participatory strategic planning in the WEFE nexus is proposed, which has been developed in the context of the JV case study.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Med Inform
January 2025
World Health Organization Headquarters Switzerland.
Background: This paper addresses the importance of timely and robust information systems that underpin emergency response decision-making, as evidenced during the COVID-19 pandemic in the WHO European Region. Recognizing the relevance of these systems, we propose the strengthening of national emergency response information management systems (ERIMS) within the broader digital health information system (HIS) framework. We aim to develop and present an innovative assessment tool designed to evaluate and assist in the strengthening of ERIMS, contributing to a more resilient and effective emergency response.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHGG Adv
January 2025
Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; 5 Prime Sciences Inc, Montréal, Quebec, Canada; Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada; Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Department of Twin Research, King's College London, London, UK. Electronic address:
Identifying novel, high-yield drug targets is challenging and often results in a high failure rate. However, recent data indicates that leveraging human genetic evidence to identify and validate these targets significantly increases the likelihood of success in drug development. Two recent papers from Open Targets claimed that around half of FDA-approved drugs had targets with direct human genetic evidence.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNutrients
January 2025
Diabetes and Endocrine Service, Liverpool Hospital, Sydney, NSW 2170, Australia.
Background: The optimal application of medical nutrition therapy (MNT) in treating gestational diabetes remains uncertain. MNT involves individualised nutrition assessment and counselling, which is labour-intensive and is not the sole type of intervention offered by clinical dietitians.
Objective: To determine whether pregnancy outcomes differed for individuals with gestational diabetes who were offered MNT on a risk-prioritised (RP) versus universal basis.
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!