Effects of the birthing room environment on vaginal births and client-centred outcomes for women at term planning a vaginal birth: BE-UP, a multicentre randomised controlled trial.

Background: Caesarean sections (CSs) are associated with increased risk for maternal morbidity and mortality. The recommendations of the recently published German national health goal 'Health in Childbirth' (Gesundheit rund um die Geburt) promote vaginal births (VBs). This randomised controlled trial (RCT) evaluates the effects of a complex intervention pertaining to the birth environment, based on the sociology of technical artefacts and symbolic interactionism.

Epidemiologic estimates of hepatitis E virus infection in European countries.

Objectives: Reliable epidemiologic estimates of Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) infection and evidence on factors determining country-differences are sparse. We systematically assessed and extracted research data on three HEV infection markers and identified factors influencing HEV-positivity to generated adjusted EU/EEA country-specific estimates by a meta-analysis.

Methods: Reports on HEV published 2005-2015 for EU/EEA countries were obtained from PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and Cochrane databases.

Antibiotic use on paediatric inpatients in a teaching hospital in the Gambia, a retrospective study.

Background: Antibiotics are useful but increasing resistance is a major problem. Our objectives were to assess antibiotic use and microbiology testing in hospitalized children in the Gambia.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of paediatric inpatient data at The Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital in Banjul, The Gambia.

Changes in risk perceptions during the 2014 Ebola virus disease epidemic: results of two consecutive surveys among the general population in Lower Saxony, Germany.

Background: The Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak 2014 received extensive news media coverage, which faded out before the outbreak ended. News media coverage impacts risk perception; it is, however, unclear if the components of risk perception (affective and cognitive responses) change differently over time.

Methods: In an online panel, we asked participants (n = 1376) about EVD risk perceptions at the epidemic's peak (November 2014) and after news media coverage faded out (August 2015).

Poor knowledge of vaccination recommendations and negative attitudes towards vaccinations are independently associated with poor vaccination uptake among adults - Findings of a population-based panel study in Lower Saxony, Germany.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to (a) assess knowledge of official vaccination recommendations and attitudes towards vaccinations among adults and (b) examine their association with vaccination uptake among adults.

Methods: This study was part of the HaBIDS study (Hygiene and Behaviour Infectious Diseases Survey), which is an online panel established in March 2014 in Lower Saxony, Germany with males and females aged between 15 and 69 years (n = 2379). Every few months, participants completed questionnaires on different aspects of infectious diseases.

Transmission of respiratory and gastrointestinal infections in German households with children attending child care.

Transmission of acute respiratory infections (ARI) and acute gastroenteritis (AGE) often occurs in households. The aim of this study was to assess which proportion of ARI and AGE is introduced and transmitted by children in German households with children attending child care. We recruited families with children aged 0-6 years in Braunschweig (Germany), for a 4 months prospective cohort study in the winter period 2014/2015.

Social relationships and their impact on health-related outcomes in peritoneal versus haemodialysis patients: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Social relationships are important determinants of health-related outcomes for patients with chronic conditions. However, the effects of social networks and social support on health outcomes of dialysis patients in different treatment modalities have been under studied.

Methods: We surveyed peritoneal dialysis (PD) and haemodialysis (HD) patients in the Choice of Renal Replacement Therapy project about their social relationships and health-care outcomes at baseline and 1-year follow-up.

Effects of pathogen dependency in a multi-pathogen infectious disease system including population level heterogeneity - a simulation study.

Background: Increased computational resources have made individual based models popular for modelling epidemics. They have the advantage of incorporating heterogeneous features, including realistic population structures (like e.g.

Impact of the estimation equation for GFR on population-based prevalence estimates of kidney dysfunction.

Background: Estimating equations are recommended by clinical guidelines as the preferred method for assessment of glomerular filtration rate (GFR). The aim of the study was to compare population-based prevalence estimates of decreased kidney function in Germany defined by an estimated GFR (eGFR) <60 ml/min/1.73m using different equations.

Perceptions of Zika virus risk in Germany in 2016.

Background: Risks associated with Zika virus (ZIKV) transmission in the Americas have been discussed widely in the media as several European athletes declined to participate in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. Since risk perceptions of individuals in unaffected areas are unknown, we assessed the risk perceptions of ZIKV and related behaviour in Lower Saxony, Germany, with a specific focus on pregnant women and their partners.

Methods: In May 2016, we surveyed 1,037 participants aged 15-69 years of an online panel (addressing hygiene and preventive behaviour regarding infections) in Lower Saxony with respect to their risk perceptions related to ZIKV.

Peritoneal dialysis is associated with better cognitive function than hemodialysis over a one-year course.

Impaired cognitive functioning in patients with end-stage renal disease may reduce their capabilities to adhere to complex medical or dietary regimens and to fully participate in medical decisions. With decreasing renal function, cognitive abilities are likely to decline, with cognitive dysfunction improving after initiation of dialysis and even being generally reversible after successful renal transplantation. However, little is known about cognitive changes particularly regarding different treatment modalities.

Factors associated with attrition in a longitudinal online study: results from the HaBIDS panel.

Background: Knowing about predictors of attrition in a panel is important to initiate early measures against loss of participants. We investigated attrition in both early and late phase of an online panel with special focus on preferences regarding mode of participation.

Methods: We used data from the HaBIDS panel that was designed to investigate knowledge, attitudes, and practice regarding infections in the German general population.

Evaluation of vaccination herd immunity effects for anogenital warts in a low coverage setting with human papillomavirus vaccine-an interrupted time series analysis from 2005 to 2010 using health insurance data.

Background: Shortly after the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine recommendation and hence the reimbursement of vaccination costs for the respective age groups in Germany in 2007, changes in the incidence of anogenital warts (AGWs) were observed, but it was not clear at what level the incidence would stabilize and to what extent herd immunity would be present. Given the relatively low HPV vaccination coverage in Germany, we aimed to assess potential vaccination herd immunity effects in the German setting.

Methods: A retrospective open cohort study with data from more than nine million statutory health insurance members from 2005 to 2010 was conducted.

Knowledge, attitude and practice of Gambian health practitioners towards antibiotic prescribing and microbiological testing: a cross-sectional survey.

Background: Inappropriate antibiotic use is the leading cause of antibiotic resistance worldwide. At the same time, the practice of antibiotic prescribing in Africa is less well documented when compared to developed countries. The objective of the study was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of health practitioners towards antibiotic prescribing and microbiological testing in The Gambia.

Incidence and comparison of retrospective and prospective data on respiratory and gastrointestinal infections in German households.

Background: Acute respiratory infections (ARI) and acute gastrointestinal infections (AGI) are the most common childhood infections, and corresponding data can either be collected prospectively or retrospectively. The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence of respiratory and gastrointestinal episodes in German households with children attending day care and to compare results of prospective and retrospective data collection.

Methods: We conducted a 4 months prospective cohort study in the winter period 2014/2015 and recruited parents of children aged 0-6 years in 75 day care centers in Braunschweig, Lower Saxony, Germany.

Effect of Disease Definition on Perceived Burden of Acute Respiratory Infections in Children: A Prospective Cohort Study Based on Symptom Diaries.

Background: Acute respiratory infections (ARIs) are among the most frequent childhood diseases in Western countries. Assessment of ARI episodes for research purposes is usually based on parent-administered retrospective questionnaires or prospective symptom diaries. The aim of our analysis was to compare the effect of ARI definitions on the corresponding disease burden in a prospective cohort study using symptom diaries.

Deficits in knowledge, attitude, and practice towards blood culture sampling: results of a nationwide mixed-methods study among inpatient care physicians in Germany.

Purpose: Blood culture (BC) sampling rates in Germany are considerably lower than recommended. Aim of our study was to assess knowledge, attitudes, and practice of physicians in Germany regarding BC diagnostics.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional mixed-methods study among physicians working in inpatient care in Germany.

The Choice of Renal Replacement Therapy (CORETH) project: dialysis patients' psychosocial characteristics and treatment satisfaction.

Background: Until today, research has underestimated the role of psychosocial conditions as contributing factors to dialysis modality choice. The novelty within the Choice of Renal Replacement Therapy (CORETH) project (German Clinical Trials Register #DRKS00006350) is its focus on the multivariate associations between these aspects and their consecutive significance regarding treatment satisfaction (TS) in peritoneal dialysis (PD) versus haemodialysis (HD) patients. In this article, we present the baseline results of a multicentre study, which is supported by a grant from the German Ministry for Education and Research.

Cognitive Testing in Patients with CKD: The Problem of Missing Cases.

Background And Objectives: Cognitive testing is only valid in individuals with sufficient visual and motor skills and motivation to participate. Patients on dialysis usually suffer from limitations, such as impaired vision, motor difficulties, and depression. Hence, it is doubtful that the true value of cognitive functioning can be measured without bias.

Classical Hodgkin lymphoma-type PTLD after solid organ transplantation in children: a report on 17 patients treated according to subsequent GPOH-HD treatment schedules.

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) is a severe complication after solid organ transplantation (SOT). Classical Hodgkin lymphoma-type (HL-) PTLD is a rare subtype, and systematic data on treatment and prognosis are lacking. We report on 17 pediatric patients with classical HL-PTLD.

Health-related quality of life in rehabilitants with different cancer entities.

The focus of the study is the analysis of changes in health-related quality of life in various cancer entities during and after an inpatient rehabilitation programme. In a multicentre longitudinal study, a total of 211 cancer patients (breast cancer: N = 84; prostate cancer: N = 90; colon cancer: N = 37) were asked about their quality of life (EORTC QLQ-C30; HADS) at the beginning, the end and 3 months after the end of the rehabilitation programme. In different domains of quality of life significant and mostly clinically relevant improvements were found during rehabilitation.

Validating a Patient-Reported Comorbidity Measure with Respect to Quality of Life in End-Stage Renal Disease.

Purpose: Medical record-derived comorbidity measures such as the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) do not predict functional limitations or quality of life (QoL) in the chronically ill. Although these shortcomings are known since the 1980s, they have been largely ignored by the international literature. Recently, QoL has received growing interest as an end-point of interventional trials in Nephrology.

Shared decision-making in chronic kidney disease: A retrospection of recently initiated dialysis patients in Germany.

Objective: To compare differences in shared decision-making (SDM) and treatment satisfaction (TS) between haemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.

Methods: 6-24 months after initiation of dialysis, we surveyed 780 patients from throughout Germany (CORETH-project) regarding SDM, the reason for modality choice and TS. Data were compared between two age-, comorbidity-, education-, and employment status-matched groups (n=482).

The Choice of Renal Replacement Therapy (CORETH) project: study design and methods.

Background: To date, research has neglected the patient's psychosocial and cognitive conditions as contributing factors to dialysis modality decision-making. Hence, the Choice of Renal Replacement Therapy (CORETH) study aims to examine these conditions with regard to their impact on the choice. Here we describe the design of the multicentre study, which is supported by a grant from the German Ministry for Education and Research.