A baseline assessment by healthcare professionals of Dutch pharmacotherapeutic care for the elderly with polypharmacy.

Background: Polypharmacy is common in the elderly population and is associated with an increased risk of adverse drug events. To diminish this risk, the guideline 'Polypharmacy in the Elderly' has been developed in 2012. This study examines, to what extent Dutch pharmacotherapeutic practice amongst elderly with polypharmacy mirrors the best practice described in this guideline and which barriers threaten it.

Impact of a social network-based intervention promoting diabetes self-management in socioeconomically deprived patients: a qualitative evaluation of the intervention strategies.

Objective: There is a need for effective interventions that improve diabetes self-management (DSM) among socioeconomically deprived patients with type 2 diabetes. The group-based intervention Powerful Together with Diabetes (PTWD) aimed to increase social support for DSM and decrease social influences hindering DSM (eg, peer pressure, social norms) in patients living in deprived neighbourhoods. Through a qualitative process evaluation, this paper aims to study whether this intervention changed social support and social influences, and which elements of the intervention contributed to this.

Completeness of medication-related information in discharge letters and post-discharge general practitioner overviews.

Background: Communication and documentation of medication-related information are needed to improve continuity of care.

Objective: To assess the completeness of medication-related information in discharge letters and post-discharge general practitioner (GP)-overviews.

Setting: A general teaching hospital in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Monitoring guideline adherence in the management of acute coronary syndrome in hospitals: design of a multicentre study.

Background: Increasing guideline adherence in the management of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in hospitals potentially reduces heart failure and mortality. Therefore, an expert panel identified three guideline recommendations as the most important aims for improvement in ACS care, i.e.

Factors associated with work disability in employed cancer survivors at 24-month sick leave.

Background: Identification of factors associated with work disability in cancer survivors on long term sick leave may support these survivors in choosing effective measures to facilitate vocational rehabilitation and return to work. Therefore, this study aims to disclose factors associated with work disability in cancer survivors at 24 months of sick leave.

Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted.

Costing an injury prevention program in amateur adult soccer.

Objective: To compare the injury-related societal costs of an injury prevention program with usual warm up programs for amateur adult male soccer players.

Design: Cost effectiveness analysis of a cluster-randomized controlled trial.

Setting: Regional amateur male soccer competitions in the Netherlands during the 2009 season.

Feasibility of pulse oximetry for assessment of infants born in community based midwifery care.

Objective: to evaluate the feasibility of using pulse oximetry (PO) for evaluating infants born in community-based midwifery care.

Design: a prospective, observational study of infants born after midwifery supervised (home) births.

Setting: 27 midwives from seven practices providing primary care in (home) births used PO at birth or the early puerperal period over a ten-month period.

Prognostic factors of work disability in sick-listed cancer survivors.

Purpose: Sick-listed cancer survivors may face lasting side-effects, even after a successful completion of treatment. As a consequence, they are at risk of work disability, which may lead to job loss. Knowledge of prognostic factors of work disability may support cancer survivors in their trajectory of vocational rehabilitation.

Changes in adverse event rates in hospitals over time: a longitudinal retrospective patient record review study.

Objective: To determine the change in adverse event (AE) rates and preventable AE rates over time, identify certain patient risk groups and discuss factors influencing the outcome.

Design: Longitudinal retrospective patient record review study.

Setting And Participants: A random sample of 21 hospitals in The Netherlands in 2004, and 20 hospitals in 2008.

Predictors of return to work and employment in cancer survivors: a systematic review.

The objective of this study was to provide an overview of the prognostic factors for return to work and employment of cancer survivors. Cohort studies were selected if the population consisted of cancer patients between 18 and 65 years of age, with return to work, employment or equivalent concepts as main outcome measure, studying at least one prognostic factor. The methodological quality of the included studies and level of evidence for each prognostic factor were assessed.

What does therapeutic ultrasound add to recovery from acute ankle sprain? A review.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of therapeutic ultrasound (US) for acute ankle sprains.

Data Sources: The Cochrane Bone, Joint and Muscle Trauma Group Specialised Register, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, and EMBASE were searched to September 2010, for trials in any language; CINAHL to 2004, and PEDro to 2009. The Cochrane Rehabilitation and Related Therapies Field database, reference lists of articles, and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform were also searched for additional trials.

The 7-year course of depression and anxiety in the general population.

Objective: Insight into the long-term course of depression and anxiety.

Method: Data were derived from Netherlands Mental Health Survey and Incidence Study/Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety, epidemiologic surveys in the adult population in the Netherlands. Three hundred and three respondents with depressive and/or anxiety Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI) disorder were interviewed, examining the 7-year course of depression (n = 141), anxiety (n = 102) and the comorbid state (n = 60) and possible prognostic factors.

Cost-effectiveness of a minimal intervention for stress-related sick leave in general practice: results of an economic evaluation alongside a pragmatic randomised control trial.

Background: Stress-related mental health problems negatively impact quality of life and productivity. Worldwide, treatment is often sought in primary care. Our objective was to determine whether a general practitioner-based minimal intervention for workers with stress-related sick leave (MISS) was cost-effective compared to usual care (UC).

Ethnic variation in infant-feeding practices in the Netherlands and weight gain at 4 months.

This prospective study of 4438 infants (0-4 months) examined differences in infant-feeding patterns in relation to the ethnic origin of their mothers, based on the mother's native language: Dutch (87%), Turkish (4%), Moroccan (3%), other European languages (3%), and various other languages (4%). Breastfeeding at birth varied between 75% and 94%. Dutch and Moroccan mothers breastfed for a shorter period (32% and 37% at 4 months, respectively) than did Turkish mothers and mothers with a native European language other than Dutch (47% and 51% at 4 months, respectively; P < .

Effects of resistance and functional-skills training on habitual activity and constipation among older adults living in long-term care facilities: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Large-scale RCTs comparing different types of exercise training in institutionalised older people are scarce, especially regarding effects on habitual physical activity and constipation. This study investigated the effects of different training protocols on habitual physical activity and constipation of older adults living in long-term care facilities.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial with 157 participants, aged 64 to 94 years, who were randomly assigned to 1) resistance training; 2) all-round functional-skills training; 3) both; or 4) an 'educational' control condition.