Addressing evidence needs during health crises in the province of Quebec (Canada): a proposed action plan for rapid evidence synthesis.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated the rapid availability of evidence to respond in a timely manner to the needs of practice settings and decision-makers in health and social services. Now that the pandemic is over, it is time to put in place actions to improve the capacity of systems to meet knowledge needs in a situation of crisis. The main objective of this project was thus to develop an action plan for the rapid syntheses of evidence in times of health crisis in Quebec (Canada).

Cannabis use characteristics and associations with problematic use outcomes, quitting-related factors, and mental health among US young adults.

Objective: Given the changes in trends of cannabis use (e.g., product types), this study examined latent classes of young adult use and associations with use-related outcomes.

Wealth-related inequality in women healthcare-seeking behaviour for under-five children illness in Afghanistan: evidence from 2022 Afghanistan Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey.

Background: This study examined the wealth-related inequality in women healthcare seeking behaviour for under-five children illness in Afghanistan and its determinants.

Methods: Data of 32409 mothers/caregivers of children under-five were extracted from Afghanistan Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey conducted in 2022. Wealth-related inequalities in women healthcare seeking behaviour for under-five children illness was investigated using Erreygers and Wagstaff concentration indices and curve.

Results from the PROmoting Early Childhood Outside cluster randomized trial evaluating an outdoor play intervention in early childhood education centres.

Participation in outdoor play is beneficial for the health, well-being, and development of children. Early childhood education centers (ECECs) can provide equitable access to outdoor play. The PROmoting Early Childhood Outside (PRO-ECO) study is a pilot randomized trial that evaluates the PRO-ECO intervention on children's outdoor play participation.

A multilevel social network approach to studying multiple disease-prevention behaviors.

The effective prevention of many infectious and non-infectious diseases relies on people concurrently adopting multiple prevention behaviors. Individual characteristics, opinion leaders, and social networks have been found to explain why people take up specific prevention behaviors. However, it remains challenging to understand how these factors shape multiple interdependent behaviors.

Using an inferior decoy alternative to nudge COVID-19 vaccination.

Optimizing vaccine uptake is a public health challenge that requires the implementation of effective strategies. The asymmetric dominance (or decoy) effect describes the increasing likelihood of selecting an option when a clearly inferior alternative is offered. Therefore, we aimed to test the impact of offering decoy alternatives-less convenient vaccination appointments-on vaccination intentions.

Risk of ischemic stroke after cancer diagnosis: a population-based matched cohort study.

Background: There are limited data regarding the association between cancer and ischemic stroke, particularly among individuals with previous stroke. Our objective was to measure and compare the risk of ischemic stroke in individuals with and without cancer.

Methods: Population-based matched cohort study in Ontario, Canada.

Transcatheter versus Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients Younger than 65 Years in the US.

Objective: To characterize trends and outcomes of aortic valve replacement in patients <65 with aortic stenosis between 2013 and 2021.

Methods: This retrospective analysis included 9,557 patients who underwent biological aortic valve replacement in California, New York, and New Jersey from 2013 through 2021. Patients were stratified by approach: transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) versus surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR).

Procalcitonin-guided duration of antibiotic treatment in children hospitalised with confirmed or suspected bacterial infection in the UK (BATCH): a pragmatic, multicentre, open-label, two-arm, individually randomised, controlled trial.

Background: Procalcitonin is a rapid response biomarker specific for bacterial infection, which is not routinely used in the UK National Health Service. We aimed to assess whether using a procalcitonin-guided algorithm would safely reduce the duration of antibiotic therapy compared with usual care, in which C-reactive protein is the commonly used biomarker.

Methods: The BATCH trial was a pragmatic, multicentre, open-label, parallel, two-arm, individually randomised, controlled trial conducted in 15 hospitals in England and Wales.

A Concussion Management Policy Change Promoted Earlier Initiation of Rehabilitation Services and Improved Clinical Recovery Outcomes in Concussion.

Context: In line with emerging research, an interprofessional specialty concussion clinic instituted a policy change permitting earlier physiotherapy-based treatment entry. Our objective was to determine the effect of this policy change on concussion recovery outcomes.

Design: Secondary analysis of prospectively collected clinical data.

Do educated politicians facilitate better public health? Evidence from India.

Political representatives and their directives are discredited when there is an instance of rising mortality. However, there is limited empirical evidence linking public health outcomes to the quality of politicians. We investigate whether electing political leaders with higher levels of formal education affects child survival.

Factors Contributing to Opioid Overprescribing at Surgical Discharge.

Introduction: Opioids remain the gold standard for treating acute pain, whereas overprescribing occurs regularly in the postoperative setting with little clinical guidance. The objective of this study is to examine whether the length of surgery is an independent risk factor for opioid overprescribing at discharge.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective case-control study to determine if there is an association between the length of surgery and overprescribed opioids.

Projections of Public Spending on Pharmaceuticals: A Review of Methods.

Background: Forecasting future public pharmaceutical expenditure is a challenge for healthcare payers, particularly owing to the unpredictability of new market introductions and their economic impact. No best-practice forecasting methods have been established so far. The literature distinguishes between the top-down approach, based on historical trends, and the bottom-up approach, using a combination of historical and horizon scanning data.

Evaluating the Real-World Safety of Icosapent Ethyl Versus Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid in Nationwide US Veterans Cohort: Examining Atrial Fibrillation and Bleeding Endpoints.

Purpose: The REDUCE-IT randomized trial demonstrated a cardiovascular benefit of icosapent ethyl (IPE) but also raised potential safety signals for atrial fibrillation (AF) and serious bleeding. We aimed to evaluate the real-world safety of IPE versus mixed omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (OM-3) formulations.

Methods: This retrospective active comparator new-user cohort study compared rates of new-onset AF and major bleeding (MB) among adult new users of IPE versus OM-3 in 2020-2024 US Veterans Affairs data.

Dietary Salt-Related Knowledge, Attitudes, and Behaviors of New Zealand Adults Aged 18-65 Years.

Objective: To explore dietary salt-related knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of New Zealand (NZ) adults aged 18-65 years and assess differences by demographic subgroups.

Design: Cross-sectional online survey conducted between June 1, 2018 and August 31, 2018.

Setting: Participants were recruited in shopping malls, via social media, and a market research panel.

Patterns and Predictors of COVID-19 Vaccine Uptake Among U.S. Active Duty Service Members, 2020-2022: Implications for Future Pandemics.

Introduction: Vaccine mandates have been used to minimize the duty days lost and deaths attributable to infectious disease among active duty Service members (ADSMs). In response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, in August 2021, the U.S.

Do Physical Activities Prevent the Occurrence of Bothersome Pain?

We examined the associations between physical activity (PA)-measured through self-reported walking and vigorous activities-and pain occurrence (self-reported bothersome pain or frequent pain medication use), and persistent pain (pain occurring for two consecutive years). This analysis used a large, nationally representative sample of 2279 older adults from the National Health and Aging Trends Study of 2015-2018, and applied generalized estimating equation regression with propensity score weighting. Approximately 70% and 50% of the participants reported walking and vigorous activities respectively at baseline.

Cognitive Trajectory Before and After Cataract Surgery: A Population-Based Approach.

Background: Cataract surgery is the most common surgical procedure performed for older US adults. Cataracts are associated with poor cognition and higher rates of dementia, but whether cataract surgery improves cognition for US older adults is not known. We examined the relationship between cataract surgery and long-term change in cognition in the Health and Retirement Study, a population-based study of older US adults linked with Medicare billing data.

Unlocking Vision Care Accessibility: Evaluating Caregivers' Willingness to Pay in Specialised Eye Clinics for Family Members With Intellectual Disabilities.

Background: People with intellectual disabilities (IDs) require more vision care but encounter considerable challenges during eye examinations. Specialised clinics established specifically for people with IDs are generally limited. This study aims to evaluate primary family caregivers' willingness to pay (WTP) for specialised ophthalmology services designed for people with IDs.

Attitudes towards vaccination against COVID-19 during pregnancy and its determinants among people of reproductive age.

The attitudes of reproductive-age individuals toward COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy are still not well understood. We aimed to explore the attitudes toward COVID-19 vaccines during pregnancy and the determinants among the Chinese reproductive-age population. An anonymous cross-sectional study was conducted in China from July 4 to August 11, 2023.

Barriers to medication administration error reporting in a tertiary hospital in Lebanon.

Objective: The aim of this study is to identify the key barriers that prevent medication administration errors (MAEs) from being reported by nurses in Lebanese hospitals.

Methods: A quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted at Hotel-Dieu de France Hospital using a self-administered questionnaire. A total of 275 responses were recorded and analysed using the IBM SPSS software V.

Emergency department and inpatient interhospital transfers for patients with status epilepticus.

Objective: Interhospital transfers for status epilepticus (SE) are common, and some are avoidable and likely lower yield. The use of interhospital transfer may differ in emergency department (ED) and inpatient settings, which contend with differing clinical resources and financial incentives. However, transfer from these two settings is understudied, leaving gaps in our ability to improve the hospital experience, cost, and triage for this neurologic emergency.

Segregation in hospital care for Medicare beneficiaries by race and ethnicity and dual-eligible status from 2013 to 2021.

Objective: To examine the extent of segregation between hospitals for Medicare beneficiaries by race, ethnicity, and dual-eligible status over time.

Data Sources And Study Setting: We used Medicare inpatient hospital provider data for fee-for-service (FFS) beneficiaries, and the Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care from 2013 to 2021 nationwide, for hospital referral regions (HRRs), and for and hospital service areas (HSAs).

Study Design: We conducted time trend analysis with dissimilarity indices (DIs) for Black (DI-Black), Hispanic (DI-Hispanic), non-White (including Black, Hispanic, and other non-White) (DI-non-White), and dual-eligible (DI-Dual) beneficiaries.

Long-Term Outcomes and Quality of Life of High-Risk Neuroblastoma Patients Treated with a Multimodal Treatment Including Anti-GD2 Immunotherapy: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: The incorporation of anti-GD2 antibodies such as ch14.18/SP2/0 into the multimodal treatment of high-risk neuroblastoma (HR-NB) patients has improved their outcomes. As studies assessing the long-term outcomes, long-term sequelae, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of this treatment are limited, this retrospective analysis aimed to explore these.