Clinical dietitians play a crucial role in the nutritional support of patients at risk of malnutrition in primary care settings. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of an individualized ...nutritional intervention on clinically relevant outcomes for patients with chronic disease at nutritional risk.
A longitudinal evaluation study was conducted in two Slovenian primary health centres. We used pre-test and post-test design. Patients with chronic disease were screened using the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool and additional risk factors (≥70 years and BMI <22 kg/m
; lower food intake in the last five days). Patients at nutritional risk were referred to a clinical dietitian for individual nutritional intervention. The effect of the nutritional intervention was assessed six months after the patients' first visit with a clinical dietitian.
The sample included 94 patients. Nutritional risk was reduced significantly in high-risk and moderate-risk patients. In a subgroup of patients with a MUST score ≥1 (77 patients), body weight, BMI, Fat-Free Mass Index (FFMI), energy intake, and protein intake increased significantly (p<0.001). At the same time, the phase angle significantly increased (p<0.001), but there were no statistically significant changes in the improvement of grip strength. In a subgroup of patients with MUST score 0 (17 patients), we observed an increase in their median daily energy intake (p<0.001) and median protein intake (p=0.003).
Nutritional intervention delivered by a clinical dietitian improved patients' nutritional intake and nutritional and functional status.
Gestational diabetes (GDM) is one of the most common complications in pregnancy, with a prevalence that continues to rise. At the time of the COVID-19 epidemic, immediate reorganisation and ...adjustment of the system was needed. Telemedicine support was offered in order to provide high-quality treatment to pregnant women. However, the success of the treatment is unknown. We therefore aimed to evaluate COVID-19 epidemic effects on pregnancy outcomes in GDM.
The maternal outcomes (insulin treatment, gestational weight gain, caesarean section, hypertensive disorders) and perinatal outcomes (rates of large and small for gestational age, preterm birth and a composite child outcome) of women visiting a university hospital diabetes clinic from March to December 2020 were compared with those treated in the same period in 2019.
Women diagnosed with GDM during the COVID-19 epidemic (n=417), were diagnosed earlier (23.9 11.7-26.0 vs. 25.1 21.8-26.7 gestational week), had higher fasting glucose (5.2 5.0-5.4 vs. 5.1 4.8-5.3 mmol/l) and earlier pharmacological therapy initiation, and had achieved lower HbA1c by the end of followup (5.1% (32.2 mmol/mol) 4.9% (30.1 mmol/mol)-5.4% (35.0 mmol/mol) vs. 5.2% (33.3 mmol/mol) 5.0% (31.1 mmol/mol) - 5.4%·(35.5 mmol/mol), p<0.001) compared to a year before (n=430). No significant differences in perinatal outcomes were found.
Although GDM was diagnosed at an earlier gestational age and higher fasting glucose concentration was present at the time of diagnosis, the COVID-19 epidemic did not result in worse glucose control during pregnancy or worse pregnancy outcomes in Slovenia.
In the last two decades, the introduction of tandem mass spectrometry in clinical laboratories has enabled simultaneous testing of numerous acylcarnitines and amino acids from dried blood spots for ...detecting many aminoacidopathies, organic acidurias and fatty acid oxidation disorders. The expanded newborn screening was introduced in Slovenia in September 2018. Seventeen metabolic diseases have been added to the pre-existing screening panel for congenital hypothyroidism and phenylketonuria, and the newborn screening program was substantially reorganized and upgraded.
Tandem mass spectrometry was used for the screening of dried blood spot samples. Next-generation sequencing was introduced for confirmatory testing. Existing heterogeneous hospital information systems were connected to the same laboratory information system to allow barcode identification of samples, creating reports, and providing information necessary for interpreting the results.
In t he first y ear of t he expanded newborn screening a total of 15,064 samples w ere screened. Four patients were confirmed positive with additional testing.
An expanded newborn screening program was successfully implemented with the first patients diagnosed before severe clinical consequences.
Abstract Introduction Despite the high prevalence of malnutrition in patients at all levels of healthcare, early prevention and treatment of malnourished patients are often neglected and overlooked ...in clinical practice. The aim of this systematic literature review was to identify the factors considered most important by healthcare professionals in the identification and treatment of malnourished patients or those at risk of malnutrition. Methods A systematic literature review of qualitative research was conducted. Documents published in scientific journals in English from 2011 to 2021 were searched in the PubMed (MEDLINE), CINAHL and ProQuest databases. The results were analysed with a thematic analysis of qualitative research findings. Results From the search set of 1010 results, 7 sources were included in the final analysis. Factors identified by health professionals as important in the identification and treatment of malnourished patients in clinical practice were grouped into five themes: unclear organizational structure; indefinite structure of nutritional care; poor continuity of nutritional care; lack of knowledge and skills of health professionals; lack of time and human resources. Conclusions Health policy must provide resources for nutritional care for patients at all levels of health care on the initiative of the highest professional bodies at the state level. To improve the nutritional care of patients in clinical practice, the management of health care institutions must promote and enable the professional and organizational establishment of clinical nutrition as a regular medical activity of the institution, develop clinical nutritional pathways, and promote evidence-based clinical practice and interprofessional collaboration.
One of the most consistent models for estimating personalized breast cancer (BC) risk is the Tyrer-Cuzick algorithm that is incorporated into the International Breast Cancer Intervention Study (IBIS) ...software. Our main objective was to provide criteria for the classification of the Slovenian population, which has BC incidence below the European average, into risk groups, and to evaluate the integration of the criteria in Slovenian guidelines. Our main focus was on women age <50 with higher BC risk, since no organized BC screening is available for these women.
Slovenian age-specific BC risks were incorporated into IBIS software and threshold values of risk categories were determined. Risk categories were assigned according to the individual's ten-year risk for women aged 40 and older, and lifetime risk for women between 20 and 39. To test the software, we compared screening strategies with the use vs. no use of IBIS.
Of the 197 women included in the study IBIS assigned 75.1% to the BC risk group, and the rest to the moderately increased risk. Without IBIS 80 women were offered mammographic and 33 ultrasound screening. In contrast, 28 instead of 80 would have been offered mammographic screening and there would have been no referrals for ultrasound if IBIS had been used.
The Slovenian IBIS has been developed, tested and suggested for personalized breast cancer risk assessment. The implementation of the software with the consideration of Slovenian risk thresholds enables a more accurate and nationally unified assessment.
The Ukrainian primary healthcare programme of preventive and screening recommendations has not been evidence-based. The traditional system of continuous medical education in Ukraine places ...participants in the role of passive listeners. This study explored the effects of an interactive training course on evidence-based prevention and screening of cardiovascular risks, on changes in Ukrainian family doctors' (FDs) and primary care nurses' (PCNs) knowledge and readiness to change practice over time.
Three hundred and seven FDs and PCNs participated in the study. Changes in participants' knowledge were assessed with 20 multiple choice questions, and their readiness to change practice with a five-item questionnaire. These were administered before, immediately after, three and twelve months after training.
The mean pre-course knowledge score was 6.1 (SD 1.8) out of 20, increasing to 14.9 (SD 2.3) immediately afterwards (p<0.001). Three months later it was 10.2 (SD 3.2) and at one year it was 10.4 (SD 3.3), both of which were significantly higher than the pre-training level (p<0.005). The percentage of participants that were highly motivated to change their practice increased from 18.4% before the training to 62.3% immediately afterwards (p<0.001). Three months later, this fell to 40.4%. At 12 months it further reduced to 27.4%, but was still significantly higher than the baseline level (p<0.001).
The interactive training was effective in increasing both participants' knowledge and their readiness to change their clinical practice. The impact of the training diminished over time, but was still evident a year later.
Gangrene and amputation are among most feared complications of diabetes mellitus. Early detection of patients at high risk for foot ulceration can prevent foot complications. Regular foot screening ...(medical history, foot examination and classification into risk groups) was introduced at the out-patient diabetes clinic in Ljubljana in November 1996. We aimed to explore the relationships between the observed variables, check the appropriateness of the risk status classification and of the post-screening decisions.
The data of 11.594 patients, obtained in 18 years, were analysed by multiple correspondence analysis (MCA). Most of the observed variables were categorical.
The majority of the screened population was free of foot complications. We demonstrated an increasing frequency and severity of foot problems with an increasing age, as well as the association between the loss of protective sensation and the history of foot ulceration, foot deformity and callus formation, the history of foot ulcer or amputation and acute foot ulceration. A new finding was that the location of foot deformity points was closer to female than male gender, indicating the possible role of fashionable high-heel footwear. The appropriateness of therapeutic decisions was confirmed: the points representing absent foot pulses and referral to vascular specialist were close together, as well as points representing foot deformity and special footwear prescription or callus formation and referral to pedicurist.
MCA was applied to the data on foot pathology in the population attending the out-patient diabetes clinic. The method proved to be a useful statistical tool for analysing the data of screening procedures.
In 1996 the World Health Organization declared intimate partner violence (IPV) the most important public health problem. Meta-analyses in 2013 showed every third female globally had been a victim of ...violence. Experts find screening controversial; family medicine is the preferred environment for identifying victims of violence, but barriers on both sides prevent patients from discussing it with doctors.
In July 2014, a qualitative study was performed through semi-structured interviews with ten family doctors of different ages and gender, working in rural or urban environments. Sound recordings of the interviews were transcribed, and the record verified. The data were interpreted using content analysis. A coding scheme was developed and later verified and analysed by two independent researchers. The text of the interviews was analysed according to the coding scheme.
Two coding schemes were developed: one for screening, and the other for the active detection of IPV. The main themes emerging as barriers to screening were lack of time, staff turnover, inadequate finance, ignorance of a clear definition, poor commitment to screening, obligatory follow-up, risk of deterioration of the doctor-patient relationship, and insincerity on the part of the patient. Additionally, cultural aspects of violence, uncertainty/ helplessness, fear, lack of competence and qualifications, autonomy/negative experience, and passive role/stigma/ fear on the part of the patients were barriers to active detection.
All the participating doctors had had previous experience with active detection of IPV and were aware of its importance. Due to several barriers to screening for violence they preferred active detection.
Background. There is now compelling evidence that screening for colorectal cancer may result in significantly reduced mortality. Screening tests for colorectal cancer are not systematically performed ...in Bulgaria.
Aim. This article explores the effect of an educational intervention on the willingness of patients to participate in the screening for colorectal cancer with the immunochemical faecal occult blood test in the home setting.
Materials and methods. A before-after design study of the effects of educational intervention comprising distribution of a brochure and one-to-one discussion with a GP. A self-administered, original questionnaire was administered before and after the intervention to 600 randomly selected patients in 40 general practices (15 patients per practice) in Plovdiv district.
Results. The intervention led to an increase with >20% of the patient’s knowledge of the importance of the test and on how to carry out the test. Statistical analysis indicated that there was an increase in knowledge after the educational intervention about the usefulness of the test (24.8% in males, 18.3% in females) and its performance (22.7% in males, 25.4% in females).
Conclusion. The educational intervention has significantly influenced the patient’s awareness about the test’s usefulness and its self-administration. It improved the awareness by providing an easy access to information, thus fostering the active involvement of the patients. A strength of the intervention was the patient-centered approach in providing additional information through one-to-one discussions, and it ensured a higher quality of the preventive screening in the general practice.
Uvod. Sedaj obstajajo prepričljivi dokazi, da presejanje za raka debelega črevesa in danke lahko bistveno zniža stopnjo smrtnosti. Presejalni testi za raka debelega črevesa in danke se v Bolgariji ne izvajajo sistematično.
Cilj. Članek raziskuje učinek izobraževalnega ukrepa na pripravljenost pacientov za presejanje za raka debelega črevesa in danke z imunokemičnim testom na domu za določanje okultne krvi v blatu.
Metode. Študija “prej in potem” učinka izobraževalnega ukrepa, ki vključuje razdeljevanje brošure in osebni pogovor s splošnim zdravnikom. Prvotni vprašalnik je bil pred in po ukrepu razdeljen 600 naključno izbranim pacientom in 40 splošnim ambulantam (15 pacientov na ambulanto) v okraju Plovdiv.
Rezultati. Ukrep je prinesel več kot 20 % povečanje zavedanja pacientov o pomenu testa in o načinu njegove izvedbe. Statistična analiza je pokazala, da po izobraževalnem ukrepu obstaja porast znanja o uporabnosti testa (24,8 % pri moških, 18,3 pri ženskah) in njegovem delovanju (22,7 % pri moških, 25,4 % pri ženskah).
Zaključek. Izobraževalni ukrep je bistveno vplival na pacientovo zavedanje o uporabnosti testa in njegovi izvedbi. Povečal je zavedanje z zagotavljanjem enostavnega dostopa do informacij in s tem spodbudil aktivno udeležbo pacientov. Ukrep je bil uspešen zaradi pristopa, usmerjenega k pacientu, pri zagotavljanju dodatnih informacij prek osebnih pogovorov in je prinesel višjo kakovost preventivnega presejanja v splošnih ambulantah.
Introduction. Besides participation in the primary prevention, screening as secondary prevention is an important requirement for primary care services. The effect of this work is influenced by the ...characteristics of individual primary care practices and doctors’ screening habits, as well as by the regulation of screening processes and available financial resources. Between 1999 and 2009, a managed care program was introduced and carried out in Hungary, financed by the government. This financial support and motivation gave the opportunity to increase the number of screenings.
Method. 4,462 patients of 40 primary care practices were screened on the basis of SCORE risk assessment. The results of the screening were compared on the basis of two groups of patients, namely: those who had been pre-screened (pre-screening method) for known risk factors in their medical history (smoking, BMI, age, family cardiovascular history), and those randomly screened. The authors also compared the mortality data of participating primary care practices with the regional and national data.
Results. The average score was significantly higher in the pre-screened group of patients, regardless of whether the risk factors were considered one by one or in combination. Mortality was significantly lower in the participating primary practices than had been expected on the basis of the national mortality data.
Conclusion. This government-financed program was a big step forward to establish a proper screening method within Hungarian primary care. Performing cardiovascular screening of a selected target group is presumably more appropriate than screening within a randomly selected population. Both methods resulted in a visible improvement in regional mortality data, though it is very likely that with pre-screening a more cost-effective selection for screening may be obtained.
Uvod. Poleg primarne preventive je presejanje kot sekundarna preventiva pomemben člen pri storitvah osnovnega zdravstvenega varstva. Na uspešnost tovrstnega dela vplivajo značilnosti posameznih splošnih ambulant varstva in pripravljenost zdravnikov za izvajanje presejalnih pregledov kot tudi ureditev procesov presejanja in razpoložljivih finančnih virov. Med leti 1999 in 2009 je bil v Madžarski uveden in izpeljan program vodene oskrbe, ki ga je financirala vlada. Ta finančna podpora in spodbuda je omogočila priložnost za povečanje števila presejalnih pregledov.
Metode. 4462 pacientov iz 40 splošnih ambulant je bilo vključenih v presejalni pregled v sklopu ocene tveganja SCORE. Rezultate presejanja se je primerjalo na podlagi dveh skupin pacientov, in sicer tistih, ki so bili predhodno presejani (metoda predhodnega presejanja) za znane dejavnike tveganja v njihovi zdravstveni anamnezi (kajenje, indeks telesne mase, starost, zgodovina srčno-žilnih obolenj) ter tistih, ki so bili presejani naključno. Avtorji so primerjali tudi podatke sodelujočih splošnih ambulant o smrtnosti z regionalnimi in nacionalnimi podatki.
Rezultati. Povprečen rezultat je bil bistveno višji v predhodno presejani skupini pacientov, ne glede na to, ali so bili dejavniki tveganja upoštevani posamično ali v kombinaciji. Smrtnost je bila bistveno nižja pri sodelujočih splošnih ambulantah, kot je bilo pričakovati na podlagi nacionalnih podatkov o smrtnosti.
Zaključek. Ta program, ki ga je financirala država, je pomenil velik korak naprej k ustanovitvi ustrezne metode presejanja znotraj madžarskega sistema osnovne zdravstvene oskrbe. Izvajanje presejanja za ogroženost srčnožilnega sistema pri izbrani skupini je očitno bolj primerno od naključnih pregledov. Obe metodi sta vidno prispevali k izboljšanju regionalnih podatkov o smrtnosti, čeprav je precej verjetno, da se s predhodnim presejanjem doseže bolj stroškovno učinkovita izbira presejanj.
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