More self-efficacy is associated with longitudinally higher health-related quality of life in mechanically ventilated COVID-19 ICU survivors: The prospective MaastrICCht cohort.

Background: More self-efficacy leads to greater confidence in one's ability to perform actions to achieve treatment goals. Therefore, self-efficacy may affect patient recovery and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after ICU discharge.

Aim: In a cohort of mechanically ventilated COVID-19 survivors, we examined the associations between self-efficacy at 3 months and HRQoL at 3, 12 and 24 months after discharge.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Oropharyngeal Dysphagia in Newly Diagnosed Head-and-Neck Cancer Patients.

Background: Head-and-neck cancer (HNC) can cause oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD). Early identification of OD in newly diagnosed HNC patients is important to better prepare patients for their cancer treatment trajectory. The aim of this study is (1) to assess the prevalence of OD in HNC patients within three weeks before the start of cancer treatment and (2) to investigate which demographic and oncological characteristics may be risk factors associated with the risk of OD at baseline.

Impact of the Cooperative Health Insurance System in Saudi Arabia on Universal Health Coverage-A Systematic Literature Review.

Background: This systematic review assesses the role of the Cooperative Health Insurance System (CHIS) in achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in Saudi Arabia's evolving healthcare system by consolidating and analyzing findings from diverse studies to provide a comprehensive overview of CHIS's impact and also identifies contextual challenges and practical insights that can inform similar reforms globally.

Methods: We report results following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The following six databases were searched for relevant studies: PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, Business Source Complete, APA PsycINFO, and SocIndex.

Understanding Interpersonal Influences on Maternal Health Service Utilization at Community Health Centers: A Mixed-Methods Study in Indonesia.

: The utilization of maternal health services at the primary healthcare level is still considered an effective approach despite the critical role in improving maternal health outcomes. The study aimed to assess the influence of sociodemographic characteristics and interpersonal support on the use of maternal health services in three regions of the Province of Jambi, Indonesia. : Using a mixed-methods sequential explanatory design, a quantitative survey of 432 women and qualitative focus group discussions with nine families were conducted.

Evaluating the Implementation of Home-Based Sexual Health Care Among Men Who Have Sex with Men: Limburg4zero.

Home-based sexual health care (including self-sampling testing) could reduce barriers to clinic-based testing. This study systematically evaluated the implementation of home-based sexual health care ('Limburg4Zero') among men who have sex with men (MSM) in a mixed urban-rural region of the Netherlands. We systematically assessed implementation outcomes (contextual domains, population reached, effectiveness, adoption by health care providers (HCP), implementation fidelity, and maintenance) using the practical, robust implementation and sustainability model.

Knowledge, attitude and practice of family caregivers on pressure injury prevention for community-dwelling older adults: a cross-sectional study in an Indonesia City.

Background: Older adults in Indonesia are mostly living at home with their families. Informal care provided by family caregivers is essential to prevent older adults from getting pressure injuries (PIs). The objectives of this study were to examine the knowledge, attitude and practice of family caregivers regarding PI prevention among community-dwelling older adults in Indonesia.

The Lebanese health economic evaluation guideline.

Background: Economic evaluation guidelines (EEGs) serve as a valuable tool to assist appraisers in making consistent and transparent recommendations, standardize EE studies, enhance their quality, and minimize methodological uncertainties. As other LMICs, Lebanon aims for UHC where EEG is a necessity. This paper aims to report on the Lebanese health EEG (LEEG) and its reference case, including the intermediate results leading to the final decisions.

Revising EU pharmaceutical legislation: will it foster drug repurposing?

Repurposing off-patent drugs can be a potential source of low-cost treatments for patients with unmet medical needs. Here, we review the proposed new European Union (EU) pharmaceutical legislation in which two articles address drug repurposing. We find certain barriers hindering the adoption of these new incentives by academic and not-for-profit stakeholders, including lack of knowledge on regulatory aspects, pharmacovigilance, and restrictions in data protection.

Pre-Hospital ECPR cost analysis and cost effectiveness modelling study.

Background: The use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) is increasing. Prehospital ECPR (PH-ECPR) for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) may improve both equity of access and outcomes but its cost effectiveness has yet to be determined.

Methods: Cost analyses of PH-ECPR was performed utilizing current PH-ECPR trial, NSW Ambulance Cardiac Arrest Registry (CAR), geospatial modelling and in-hospital costings data.

The operational definition of old age and impact on outcomes in DMARD-treated patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic literature review.

Objective: To systematically review operational definitions of old(er) age in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and investigate differences in disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) efficacy, safety and drug survival between young(er) and old(er) patients.

Methods: A systematic review was performed on studies conducting research in an old(er) RA patient population. Two reviewers independently performed data extraction and risk of bias assessment.

Harmonizing measurement tools: examining the concurrent validity of the Daily Activity Behaviors Questionnaire compared to the ActiGraph to assess 24-hour movement behaviors among adults.

Purpose: An accurate assessment of time spent in 24-hour movement behaviors (24 h-MBs) is crucial in exploring health related associations. This study aims to evaluate the concurrent validity of the Daily Activity Behavior Questionnaire (DABQ) compared to the ActiGraph using absolute and relative indicators of validity.

Methods: This cross-sectional observational study included 105 adults (45 ± 13 y/o, 54% female).

Respiratory Morbidity Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic from Birth to 18 Months in a Swedish Birth Cohort.

Background: Respiratory infections in early life is one identified risk factor for asthma. We hypothesized that infection preventive measures during the COVID-19 pandemic influenced the risk of respiratory morbidity and aeroallergen sensitization in early childhood.

Objective: To compare respiratory morbidity and aeroallergen sensitization in children born before and during the pandemic.

Bullet characterization using Photon-Counting detector CT: A phantom study with intact bullets.

Objectives: Photon-counting detector CT (PCD-CT) is expected to substantially improve and expand CT-imaging applicability due to its intrinsic spectral capabilities, increased spatial resolution, reduced electronic noise, and improved image contrast. The current study aim is to evaluate PCD-CT efficacy in characterizing bullets based on their dimensions, shape, and material composition.

Materials And Methods: This is an observational phantom study examining 11 unfired, intact bullets of various common calibers, placed in ballistic gelatin.

Cost-effectiveness of FRAX®-based intervention thresholds for management of osteoporosis in Indian women: a Markov microsimulation model analysis.

Unlabelled: A cost-effectiveness analysis of FRAX® intervention thresholds (ITs) in Indian women over 50 years indicated that generic alendronate was cost-effective for age-dependent major osteoporotic fracture (MOF) ITs and hip fracture (HF) ITs starting at ages 60 and 65 years for full and real-world adherence, respectively. Alendronate was cost-effective at fixed MOF IT of 14% and HF IT of 3.5%, regardless of age.

Unravelling Education Needs for Clinical Practice Guideline Development: A Survey Performed in the Netherlands.

Objective: The development of clinical practice guidelines (CPG) has evolved into a rigorous and complex process. There is a need for training of CPG developers including methodologists, panel members and patient representatives. This study explored the educational needs and experiences of CPG developers, with specific attention to the patient perspective and economic considerations.

Improving asthma care in children: revealing needs and bottlenecks through in-depth interviews.

Asthma affects 7% of Dutch children and poses an increasing challenge, highlighting the need for effective paediatric asthma care. Achieving optimal asthma control is crucial given the potentially negative long-term effects of bad asthma control on lung development and quality of life in young children. The aim was to understand the challenges and requirements of existing asthma management practices in children.

Associations of hearing and visual loss with cognitive decline and dementia risk: a 25-year follow-up of the Maastricht Aging Study.

Background: Hearing loss (HL) and visual loss (VL) are recently identified as promising dementia risk factors, but long-term studies with adequate control of other modifiable dementia risk factors are lacking. This 25-year follow-up study investigated the association between objectively measured HL and VL with cognitive decline and incident dementia.

Methods: 1823 participants (age 24-82 years) of the Maastricht Aging Study were assessed at baseline, 6, 12 and 25 years.

Unravelling the art of developing skilled communication: a longitudinal qualitative research study in general practice training.

Doctor-patient communication is a core competency in medical education, which requires learners to adapt their communication flexibly to each clinical encounter. Although conceptual learning models exist, information about how skilled communication develops over time is scant. This study aims to unpack this process of communication learning and to identify its facilitators.

Budget impact analysis of cenobamate for epilepsy patients with drug-resistant focal onset seizures in the Netherlands.

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the financial consequences of adopting cenobamate as a treatment alternative in epilepsy patients with drug-resistant focal onset seizures (FOS) from a societal perspective in the Netherlands.

Methods: A previous budget impact model with a 5-year time horizon was adapted to the Dutch setting accounting for the eligible population, real-world market shares, treatment effectiveness and resource use in two scenarios: cenobamate with constant market share versus cenobamate with linearly increased market share up to 20%. Clinical inputs included treatment response, seizure reduction and adverse events.

Assistance systems for patient positioning in radiotherapy practice.

Effective radiotherapy for cancer treatment requires precise and reproducible positioning of patients at linear accelerators. Assistance systems in digitally networked radiotherapy can help involved specialists perform these tasks more efficiently and accurately. This paper analyses patient positioning systems and develops new knowledge by applying the Design Science Research methodology.