The Abdominal Pain Unit (APU). Study protocol of a standardized and structured care pathway for patients with atraumatic abdominal pain in the emergency department: A stepped wedged cluster randomized controlled trial.

This study aims to improve emergency department (ED) care for patients suffering from atraumatic abdominal pain. An application-supported pathway for the ED will be implemented, which supports quick, evidence-based, and standardized diagnosis and treatment steps for patients with atraumatic abdominal pain at the ED. A mixed-methods multicentre cluster randomized controlled stepped wedge trial design will be applied.

What happens when you stop using the combined contraceptive pill? A qualitative study protocol on consequences and supply needs for women who discontinued the combined contraceptive pill in Germany.

Introduction: For more than 60 years, contraceptive pills have been prescribed to mostly healthy biological women. An emerging body of research concerning the possible physiological and psychological side effects of hormonal contraception has been published over the past two decades. Consequently, discontinuing combined oral contraceptives (COCs) as a conscious decision for reasons other than desired pregnancy has become increasingly common for menstruating individuals.

Experiences of Home-living Vulnerable Older Adults with Clinical Depression during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study.

Objectives: Little is known about the diversity of older adults' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. We therefore investigated the pandemic experiences of home-living vulnerable older adults with depression, an understudied subpopulation.

Methods: We conducted unstructured interviews with = 20 older (60+ years) adults with clinical depression receiving care in their homes in June and again in December 2020.

Development of a patient-oriented navigation model for patients with lung cancer and stroke in Germany.

Background: The concept of patient navigation was first established in the USA to support vulnerable patient groups in receiving timely and comprehensive access to cancer care. It has recently gained increasing interest in Germany to support patients with chronic diseases in a fragmented healthcare system. The aim of this paper is to present the development of such a model adapted to the German context based on the results of mixed-methods studies investigating the need for and barriers to patient-oriented care.

Loneliness and depressive symptoms differ by sexual orientation and gender identity during physical distancing measures in response to COVID-19 pandemic in Germany.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, physical distancing measures to prevent transmission of the virus have been implemented. The effect of physical distancing measures on loneliness especially for vulnerable groups remained unclear. Thus, we aimed to investigate loneliness in relation with depressive symptoms among lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, inter, asexual, and queer (LGBT) persons compared with cis-heterosexual persons during the pandemic.

Emergency Departments as Care Providers for Patients with Cardiac Ambulatory Care Sensitive and Mental Health Conditions: Qualitative Interview and Focus Group Study with Patients and Physicians.

Mental health conditions are frequent among patients with somatic illnesses, such as cardiac diseases. They often remain undiagnosed and are related to increased utilization of outpatient services, including emergency department care. The objective of this qualitative study was to investigate the significance of the emergency department in the patients' course of treatment and from the physicians' perspective.

Mortality, Morbidity and Health-Related Outcomes in Informal Caregivers Compared to Non-Caregivers: A Systematic Review.

A systematic overview of mental and physical disorders of informal caregivers based on population-based studies with good methodological quality is lacking. Therefore, our aim was to systematically summarize mortality, incidence, and prevalence estimates of chronic diseases in informal caregivers compared to non-caregivers. Following PRISMA recommendations, we searched major healthcare databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE and Web of Science) systematically for relevant studies published in the last 10 years (without language restrictions) (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42020200314).

Identifying and handling unbalanced baseline characteristics in a non-randomized, controlled, multicenter social care nurse intervention study for patients in advanced stages of cancer.

Purpose: Given the psychosocial burdens patients in advanced stages of cancer face, innovative care concepts are needed. At the same time, such vulnerable patient groups are difficult to reach for participation in intervention studies and randomized patient inclusion may not be feasible. This article aims to identify systematic biases respectively selection effects occurring during the recruitment phase and to discuss their potential causes based on a non-randomized, multicenter intervention study with patients in advanced stages of cancer.

From Hostile to Benevolent Ageism: Polarizing Attitudes Toward Older Adults in German COVID-19-Related Tweets.

Background And Objectives: Previous studies have linked coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to a rise in ageism. While a growing body of research examined hostile ageism during the pandemic, benevolent ageism received less attention. Drawing on the stereotype content theory and the classic tripartite model of attitudes, the current study explored how benevolent and hostile ageism are reflected in the cognitive, affective, and behavioral dimensions of attitudes toward older adults in German COVID-19-related tweets.

Organisational and staff-related effects on cultural competence in the hospital setting: a cross-sectional online survey of nursing and medical staff.

Background: Cultural competence is considered a core qualification for dealing with socio-cultural diversity and balancing disparities in health care.

Objectives: To explore features supporting and inhibiting cultural competence in the hospital at both organisational and staff levels.

Design: Cross-sectional online survey in the form of a full census from May to November 2018.

Dietary concepts in the dyad: Results from a qualitative study of middle-aged and older couples.

The positive effects of a healthy diet on older adults' health status are well established. Yet, inadequate health outcomes prevail. Insufficient healthy dietary styles may be related to the complexity of lay concepts regarding what constitutes a healthy diet.

Patient Navigation-Who Needs What? Awareness of Patient Navigators and Ranking of Their Tasks in the General Population in Germany.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the awareness of patient navigation (PN) in the general population in Germany and to assess which navigator tasks are considered most important. The analysis drew on a 2019 nationwide telephone survey of 6110 adults. We compared rankings of emotional support, administrative support and information among respondents with and without experience of patient navigation.

A school-based educational on-site vaccination intervention for adolescents in an urban area in Germany: feasibility and psychometric properties of instruments in a pilot study.

Background: Vaccination rates for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) and diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, and polio (Tdap-IPV) are not optimal among German adolescents. Education in combination with easy access to vaccination may be a promising approach to improve vaccination rates. The present paper describes a pilot study of a planned cluster randomized controlled trial (cRCT) in which we aim to improve MMR and Tdap-IPV vaccination rates together with knowledge and self-efficacy in a school setting.

Parents' Perspectives on Counseling for Fetal Heart Disease: What Matters Most?

After diagnosis of congenital heart disease (CHD) in the fetus, effective counseling is considered mandatory. We sought to investigate which factors, including parental social variables, significantly affect counseling outcome. A total of = 226 parents were recruited prospectively from four national tertiary medical care centers.

Women bear a burden: gender differences in health of older migrants from Turkey.

Studies show that older migrants have poorer health than native populations in Western Europe. To date, little systematic research has explored the differences between men and women within older populations with migration backgrounds. This article examines gender-specific aspects and mediating mechanisms of self-reported health among older migrants from Turkey.

Evaluation of Recruitment Strategies for Home-Living Vulnerable Older Adults With Depression: Findings From a Randomized Controlled Psychotherapy Trial.

Objective: Vulnerable older adults, such as physically impaired or care-dependent individuals, are vastly underrepresented in psychotherapy research. Improving their inclusion in randomized controlled trials is necessary to determine the effectiveness of psychotherapy in this population. This study is the first to systematically evaluate strategies to recruit home-living vulnerable older adults with clinically significant depression into a large randomized controlled psychotherapy trial.

Measuring patient satisfaction in acute care hospitals: nationwide monitoring in Switzerland.

The National Association for Quality Development in Hospitals and Clinics (ANQ) has conducted patient satisfaction measurements in the inpatient sector in Switzerland since 2009. Specifically designed for this measurement, an instrument consisting of five questions was evaluated on an 11-point rating scale. Nevertheless, the instrument showed substantial ceiling effects, which did not allow for hospital discrimination.

Fetal Cardiac Services during the COVID-19 Pandemic: How Does It Affect Parental Counseling?

The COVID-19 pandemic impacts health care providers in multiple ways, even specialties that do not seem to be affected primarily, such as fetal cardiac services. We aimed to assess the effects on parental counseling for fetal congenital heart disease (CHD). In this multicenter study, we used a validated questionnaire.

Pain-coping types among older community-dwelling care receivers with chronic pain.

Objectives: There is a lack of knowledge on coping with pain and sub-group specific pain-coping profiles among older home care receivers with chronic pain. To describe pain-coping strategies, identify subgroups based on cognitive and behavioral pain-coping strategies and pain-related psychological impairment and to compare these groups with regard to socio-demographic, medical, pharmacological and psychological characteristics.

Method: Data of 212 care receivers were examined using the German pain-coping questionnaire (FESV) to determine how they cope with pain.