Conectar
To explore how, why and under what circumstances transitional care can be normalised as a routine care practice for adult patients with enterostomy after discharge from hospitals.
Realist review.
This review was conducted in three iterative phases: (1) constructing an initial programme theory to identify the scope of the study; (2) retrieving and evaluating the evidence, extracting data and integrating the evidence; and (3) analysing and integrating the evidence to refine the programme theory.
Five bibliographic databases and the grey literature were searched from 1947 to 2024 to identify the studies of two core concepts: enterostomy and transitional care.
A total of 36 papers were included, identifying nine context-mechanism-outcome configurations that explain how, why and under what circumstances transitional care can be normalised as routine care for adult patients with enterostomy after discharge: (1) Responsibilities of individual roles; (2) Interdisciplinary team collaboration; (3) Support from upper management; (4) Communication and interaction; (5) Multiple linkage; (6) Professional training; (7) External support and policy formulation; (8) Personalised measures; and (9) Evaluation and feedback.
The normalised implementation of transitional care is essential to help enterostomal patients better adapt to stoma life and improve their quality of life. An effective transitional care model not only relies on the support of professional caregivers, but requires the close cooperation of patients, family members, communities and healthcare organisations.
Reporting was adhered to the RAMESES publication standards: realist syntheses.
Patients and members of the public were involved in study design. Their contributions were participating in advisory groups, ensuring the research was addressed.
This study provides theoretical guidance for clinical stoma transitional care, translating the research findings into routine healthcare practices, constantly optimising and improving the stoma care system, and offering patients higher-quality and more efficient services.
This research, through the realist review approach in combination with the Normalisation Process Theory (NPT) and the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR), systematically elucidates for the first time how, why and under what circumstances transitional care can be regularised as a routine post-discharge care measure for adult enterostomy patients. The research findings will: Improve the quality of life of patients: Through personalised care plans and multidisciplinary team cooperation, help patients better adapt to life with an ostomy, reduce complications and improve self-management ability. Optimise clinical practice: Provide theoretical guidance for medical staff, promote the regular implementation of transitional care and improve the quality and efficiency of care. Promote education and training: Emphasise the importance of professional training and communication skills, and provide new ideas for nursing education. Support policy formulation: Call on the government and medical institutions to improve relevant policies, provide more resources and support and promote the rational allocation of medical resources.
To analyse current Glasgow Coma Scale practice among emergency nurses in China and identify factors influencing assessment quality.
A quantitative, multicenter cross-sectional design.
A convenience sample of 1740 emergency nurses from secondary and tertiary hospitals across 21 provinces completed a validated structured questionnaire between March and April 2025. Participants had at least 6 months of emergency nursing experience. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multiple logistic regression to examine factors influencing correct Glasgow Coma Scale application.
Participants had a mean age of 29.8 years (SD = 6.2). Only 52.5% of nurses demonstrated correct Glasgow Coma Scale application despite 97.0% having theoretical knowledge of scoring criteria. While 56.8% had received Glasgow Coma Scale training, significant standardisation deficiencies emerged. Notably, 41.8% of departments lacked operational guidelines, and 53.7% of nurses experienced scoring disagreements with colleagues. Clinical utilisation varied substantially by patient population: traumatic brain injury (97.8%), neurological diseases (96.9%), and systemic critical illness (85.8%). Multivariate analysis identified six significant factors influencing correct application: standardised training (OR = 2.252, 95% CI: 1.789–2.825), manageable workload ≤ 4 patients/shift (OR = 1.652, 95% CI: 1.327–2.057), departmental guidelines (OR = 1.523, 95% CI: 1.233–1.881), extensive work experience ≥ 9 years (OR = 1.534, 95% CI: 1.182–1.992), while multidisciplinary collaboration issues (OR = 0.559, 95% CI: 0.439–0.712) and special patient experience (OR = 0.520, 95% CI: 0.406–0.666) were associated with reduced accuracy.
Substantial standardisation challenges exist in Glasgow Coma Scale practice among Chinese emergency nurses, characterised by significant gaps between theoretical knowledge and clinical application. Major barriers include insufficient standardised guidelines, inconsistent training approaches, and inadequate interdisciplinary collaboration.
Healthcare administrators should develop national standardised guidelines, implement simulation-based training programs, optimise emergency workflows, and integrate alternative assessment tools to enhance consciousness assessment accuracy and improve patient safety.
STROBE statement adherence.
No patient or public contribution.
To critically synthesise current literature on the nurses' experiences in providing care for people presenting with mental health issues to the emergency department (ED).
Mental health-related presentations to EDs are increasing. Understanding nurses' experiences of providing care for this patient group will inform future strategies to enhance the care delivered in the ED.
CINAHL, MEDLINE, APA PsycInfo and Psychology and Behavioural Sciences Collection were searched from 2009 to 2024 for peer-reviewed qualitative papers exploring emergency nurses' perspectives of providing care for people with mental health issues, published in the English language. Quality was appraised using the JBI Critical Appraisal tool. This review follows the PRISMA checklist for reporting.
Nine papers, reporting eight studies, were included in the review. Three themes emerged: attitudes towards mental illness, education limitations impacting confidence and structural barriers impacting care quality. The review reveals a disconnect between nurses' compassionate intentions and barriers such as unconscious stigma and prioritising physical illness over mental health concerns. The findings highlight the need for targeted mental health education to enhance ED nurses' confidence and competence. Inadequate local mental health policies also impact care delivery, contributing to suboptimal patient outcomes.
This review provides a deeper understanding of ED nurses' experiences of caring for people with mental health issues. A need to implement a multifaceted approach to mental health education, clear policies to guide care delivery and systems that promote prioritisation of patients presenting with mental health concerns was identified.
Insights into nurses' experiences can shape future ED practices and enhance outcomes for patients. Building ED nurses' capacity to deliver high-quality mental health care is critical.
As a review paper, no patient or public consultation took place.
To explore the network characteristics of symptom clusters in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus through network analysis, identify the core and bridging symptoms within the symptom network, and provide a foundation for targeted interventions and symptom management in people with T2DM.
A cross-sectional survey.
A total of 360 people with T2DM who were hospitalised in the endocrinology departments of two hospitals with Grade A in Daqing City between August 2024 and February 2025 were selected using a convenience sampling method. The symptoms of people with T2DM were measured using the Chinese version of the Diabetes Symptom Checklist-Revised (DSC-R). Symptom clusters were identified through factor analysis, and network analysis was used to identify core and bridging symptoms. This research adhered to the STROBE guidelines.
Six symptom clusters were obtained from factor analysis, which were psychological-behavioural symptom cluster, ophthalmological-neuropathy symptom cluster, cardiovascular symptom cluster, metabolic symptom cluster, body symptom cluster and nephrotic symptom cluster. Symptom network analysis revealed that ‘Deteriorating vision’ exhibited the highest strength centrality and expected influence. The top three symptoms with the highest bridge strength and bridge expected influence were ‘Aching calves when walking’, ‘Queer feeling in the legs or feet’ and ‘Sleepiness or drowsiness’.
People with T2DM commonly exhibit a range of symptoms. ‘Deteriorating vision’ is the most core symptom in people with T2DM. ‘Aching calves when walking’, ‘Queer feeling in the legs or feet’ and ‘Sleepiness or drowsiness’ are identified as the bridging symptoms in the network analysis. Healthcare professionals can design targeted interventions based on symptom clusters, core symptoms and bridging symptoms, thereby improving the efficiency of symptom management and optimising outcomes for people with T2DM.
No patient or public contribution.
To assess the global burden of pressure injuries from 1990 to 2021 and project trends to 2050.
A cross-sectional survey.
Using the Global Burden of Disease 2021 data from 204 countries (1990–2021), we performed a multilevel analysis incorporating age-period-cohort modelling, stochastic frontier analysis and Bayesian projections to 2050. Key metrics included age-standardised incidence rates, disability-adjusted life years and socio-demographic index stratification.
Global incident cases increased by 160.3%, from 1.22 million to 3.18 million. By 2050, cases are expected to reach 8.4 million, with 72.4% in low-middle socio-demographic index areas. Mortality among those aged 95 and older may triple.
The study emphasises the need for global collaboration to address the burden of pressure injuries through equitable prevention and improved healthcare infrastructure, especially in ageing and resource-limited regions.
The escalating global burden of pressure injuries in geriatric populations necessitates evidence-based approaches to optimise healthcare resource allocation and advance nursing-led prevention frameworks.
The STROBE checklist guided reporting.
Global Burden of Disease collaborators extracted the data and analysed it.
This study was to create an interpretable machine learning model to predict the risk of mortality within 90 days for ICU patients suffering from pressure ulcers.
We retrospectively analysed 1774 ICU pressure ulcer patients from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC)-IV database.
We used the LASSO regression and the Boruta algorithm for feature selection. The dataset was split into training and test sets at a 7:3 ratio for constructing machine learning models. We employed logistic regression and nine other machine learning algorithms to build the prediction model. Restricted cubic spline (RCS) was used to analyse the linear relationship between the Braden score and the outcome, whereas the SHAP (Shapley additive explanations) method was applied to visualise the model's characteristics.
This study compared the predictive ability of the Braden Scale with other scoring systems (SOFA, APSIII, Charlson, SAPSII). The results showed that the Braden Scale model had the highest performance, and SHAP analysis indicated that the Braden Scale is an important influencing factor for the risk of 90-day mortality in the ICU. The restricted cubic spline curve demonstrated a significant negative correlation between the Braden Scale and mortality. Subgroup analysis showed no significant interaction effects among subgroups except for age.
The machine learning-enhanced Braden Scale has been developed to forecast the 90-day mortality risk for ICU patients suffering from pressure ulcers, and its efficacy as a clinically reliable tool has been substantiated.
Patients or public members were not directly involved in this study.
Many systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses (MAs) have reported the potential advantages and risks of ICU diary psychotherapy in patients and relatives, but the results remain uncertain and their quality has not yet been adequately assessed. We summarise existing SRs/MAs and assess their quality and level of evidence.
This overview of SRs was conducted in accordance with the preferred reporting items for overviews of reviews statement.
We conducted a detailed and comprehensive search of eight Chinese and English electronic databases from inception until March 2025. The Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR 2), the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 (PRISMA 2020), and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) were used to assess methodological quality, reporting quality and evidence quality for inclusion in SRs/MAs, respectively.
Fifteen published SRs/MAs met the inclusion criteria and were included in the study. The results of the AMSTAR 2 assessment showed that the methodological quality of the included studies was critically low. In the PRISMA 2020 assessment, the response rate of “Yes” for items 7, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 24, 25 and 27 was less than 50%. The GRADE assessment showed that no results were high-quality evidence, 2 results were moderate-quality evidence, 26 results were low-quality evidence and 45 results were very low-quality evidence.
ICU diaries can improve patients' psychological outcomes and quality of life, and whether there are advantages for their relatives needs to be further explored. However, the methodological quality of the studies was low and the risk of migration was high, reducing its reliability. Therefore, these conclusions should be treated with caution. High-quality studies with large sample sizes are needed to provide stronger and more scientific evidence.
Our paper presents an overview of systematic reviews, and therefore, such specific details may not be relevant to our study.
PROSPERO: CRD42023448359
To explore the heterogeneity of disease-specific anxiety profiles among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) using latent profile analysis (LPA), and to identify the associations between distinct anxiety subtypes and inhaler medication adherence in patients with COPD.
Adherence to inhaled medication among patients with COPD continues to be suboptimal. Anxiety, a common comorbidity, may exacerbate this issue. However, the specific relationship between anxiety and adherence to inhaled medications remains unclear.
A prospective cohort study was conducted following the STROBE Checklist.
A prospective observational study employed the Anxiety Inventory for Respiratory Disease (AIR) to assess disease-specific anxiety in patients with COPD. Inhaler medication adherence was evaluated using the Test of Adherence to Inhalers (TAI) 6 months after initiating treatment. Latent Profile Analysis (LPA) was performed to identify distinct anxiety subtypes. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to examine the associations between identified anxiety subtypes and adherence dimensions, adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical variables.
Among 298 COPD patients, the overall AIR score was 5 (IQR: 2–11). Using LPA, three distinct anxiety subtypes were identified: Low Anxiety—Irritable Subtype (57.05%), Moderate Anxiety—Tense Subtype (26.85%) and High Anxiety—Anticipatory Subtype (16.10%). Through multiple linear regression analysis, the High Anxiety—Anticipatory Subtype was significantly associated with lower inhaler medication adherence among COPD patients.
This study revealed three latent profiles of disease-specific anxiety among COPD patients. The High Anxiety–Anticipatory Subtype was associated with a lower inhaler medication adherence in individuals with COPD after initiating treatment.
Identifying the relationship between disease-specific anxiety and inhaler medication adherence in patients with COPD after initiating treatment underscores the need for healthcare providers to assess anxiety during patient visits and prioritise patients with high anticipatory anxiety. When high anxiety adversely affects inhaler medication adherence, targeted interventions should be developed to improve adherence and prognosis.
No patient or public contribution.
This study uses a convergent mixed methods approach to investigate the frailty phenotypes and risk factors in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients.
A cross-sectional mixed methods research study was employed.
This study follows the MMR-RHS reporting guidelines. From November 2023 to August 2024, 213 patients were recruited from the PD centre of a tertiary hospital in Chongqing, China. Quantitative data were collected using a general information questionnaire and standardised scales, including Fried Frailty Phenotype (FFP), Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Concurrently, 19 PD patients in pre-frail or frail states participated in semi-structured interviews. The quantitative and qualitative findings were then integrated for analysis.
Amongst the 213 PD patients, 46.5% were non-frail, 41.3% were pre-frail and 12.2% were frail. Integrated analysis indicated that fatigue and low muscle strength were the primary frailty phenotypes amongst the patients. Age, sedentary behaviour, comorbidities, nutritional status, cognitive function, polypharmacy, psychological state and social connections were identified as risk factors for frailty in this patient population.
Many factors influence the frailty of PD patients. Future research should further explore the complex interactions amongst these factors and effective modulation strategies to mitigate the frailty progression. Incorporating the patients' perspectives in designing comprehensive intervention programmes will help identify key challenges and focal points for intervention.
This study identifies risk factors for frailty in PD patients, offering healthcare professionals a basis for designing targeted interventions. These factors encompass multiple dimensions, indicating the need for multidisciplinary collaboration in managing frailty.
The PD patients in this study provided valuable quantitative data and shared their frailty experiences, enhancing the research conclusions' practical value.
To validate a practical method for estimating total Glasgow Coma Scale (etGCS) scores in intubated traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients and evaluate its reliability when integrated into established ICU severity scoring systems.
TBI is a global health issue, often leading to high mortality and disability. The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), essential for assessing TBI severity, is less reliable in intubated patients due to the inability to assess verbal responses.
Retrospective cohort study.
Data were extracted from the MIMIC-IV database. The reliability of the etGCS was evaluated through its association with in-hospital mortality and its performance when integrated into established ICU severity scoring systems. Multiple statistical approaches were used to validate the findings.
Among 886 intubated TBI patients, the etGCS showed consistent reliability in predicting in-hospital mortality (AUC: 68.22%, 95% CI: 64.29%–72.14%). When combined with pupillary assessment (etGCS-P), the predictive performance remained stable (AUC: 71.99%, 95% CI: 67.89%–76.08%). Furthermore, the estimation method demonstrated reliable performance when integrated into established severity scoring systems. The removal of etGCS from these systems resulted in decreased predictive performance, confirming its valuable contribution to mortality prediction.
This study validated a practical and reliable method for estimating total GCS scores in intubated TBI patients. The estimated scores showed consistent predictive value and enhanced existing severity scoring systems, supporting its clinical utility in ICU settings.
This validation of a practical GCS estimation method supports nurses in delivering accurate patient assessments, facilitating clinical communication and making informed care decisions for intubated TBI patients.
This retrospective study involved no patient or public participation in the design or conduct.
To investigate the relationship between self-care and quality of life (QOL) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and their caregivers.
A multicentre, cross-sectional study.
COPD patients and their caregivers were recruited from four tertiary hospitals in Jinan, Shandong Province, China from March to November 2022. Data collection included demographic and clinical characteristics, patients' self-care, caregivers' contribution to patient self-care, and QOL. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, Pearson correlations and Actor–Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) analyses.
A total of 275 valid questionnaires were collected (patients: 67.6% male, mean age 70.5; caregivers: 58.5% female, mean age 54.2). APIM analyses revealed actor effects of self-care on QOL for both patients and caregivers, as well as partner effects indicating the influence of one's self-care on the partner's QOL.
This study elucidates the dyadic relationship between self-care and QOL in COPD patients and caregivers. Higher levels of self-care maintenance by both patients and caregivers were associated with improved physical and mental QOL. Conversely, increased self-care monitoring was correlated with reduced QOL for both patients and caregivers. No significant relationship was found between self-care management and QOL.
For healthcare professionals specialising in geriatric care, our research provides more valuable guidance for the nursing of COPD patients. While maintaining vigilance is essential for both COPD patients and caregivers, our study suggests that excessive monitoring may have adverse effects on QOL, though this impact may vary depending on the underlying need for monitoring. This underscores the importance of tailored interventions that balance necessary vigilance with the potential risks of over-monitoring. By carefully considering the motivations behind monitoring, professionals can better support both patients and caregivers, ultimately enhancing self-care, improving QOL and contributing to healthy ageing.
The STROBE checklist was used to report the present study.
During the research design phase, we conducted interviews with patients and caregivers to capture pertinent issues related to their daily self-care routines. This initial step allowed us to gain an understanding of the potential differences between patients' self-care levels and caregivers' contributions to patients' self-care, while also exploring the potential impact on their health. Prior to data collection, we conducted a pilot study to identify any shortcomings in the research design and made corresponding adjustments. The phrasing of questions in the questionnaire was refined based on the feedback from patients and caregivers. During the interpretation phase, we solicited feedback from a subset of patients and caregivers to further validate our findings, thereby enhancing the clarity and relevance of our results for the target audience.
To construct and validate a prediction model for enteral feeding intolerance in critically ill patients during the first 7 days of enteral feeding.
A retrospective cohort study.
We reviewed the medical records of two intensive care units from January 2015 to August 2023, to develop a prediction model by univariate analysis and logistic regression analysis. Model's performance was evaluated through discrimination, calibration and decision curve analysis.
This study involved a total of 471 patients, with an enteral feeding intolerance incidence rate of 35.7%. The prediction model comprised six variables, namely neurological disease, chronic gastrointestinal disease, Acute Physiological and Chronic Health Assessment II score, sedatives, acid suppressants and serum albumin. The model showed robust discrimination, calibration and clinical net benefit, indicating significant potential for practical application with readily available variables.
The model demonstrated strong predictive performance in assessing the risk of enteral feeding intolerance during the early stage of nutrition initiation.
Enhancing clinicians' capacity to reduce the incidence of enteral feeding intolerance and improve patient outcomes.
The prediction model shows a good capacity to discriminate critically ill patients at risk of enteral feeding intolerance, is helpful to provide personalised care.
TRIPOD + AI checklist.
No patient or public contribution.
Trial Registration: https://www.chictr.org.cn/ ChiCTR2400090757
To examine nurses' knowledge, attitude and practice regarding nutrition management in hospitalised adults and explore their views on it.
A mixed-method approach combining cross-sectional and descriptive qualitative methods.
379 enrolled/registered nurses working in acute or intensive units of a tertiary hospital were recruited between 24th August 2023 and 3rd December 2023. Participants completed a questionnaire on their sociodemographic profile, knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) regarding nutrition management. Data analysis was conducted using R software, reporting levels of KAP and its associations with sociodemographic factors. Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests were used for non-normally distributed knowledge and practice scores (reported as median and interquartile range). Two-sample t-tests and ANOVA were used for normally distributed attitude scores (reported as mean and standard deviation). 21 of the participants from the quantitative study were either purposively sampled or snowballed from the quantitative study to undergo semi-structured interviews (physically or virtually face-to-face), which were transcribed verbatim and analysed using content analysis.
The mean scores on KAP were 61.6, 19.4 and 22.8, respectively. Knowledge varied significantly by educational level (p < 0.001), while attitudes also differed based on education (p = 0.001) and years of employment (p = 0.019). Practice scores showed differences based on subspeciality (p = 0.032), nursing rank (p < 0.001) and years of employment (p = 0.004). Findings identified barriers to effective nutrition management, including prioritisation issues, varying professional roles, limited autonomy and resource shortages. It also emphasises nurses' roles in nutrition management and strategies such as nurses' autonomy and family members involvement to improve nutrition management.
Sociodemographic factors significantly influence nurses' KAP in nutrition management, revealing knowledge deficits, low prioritisation and time constraints. Tailored education and training, increased autonomy, resource expansion and greater family involvement can enhance nurses' KAP in nutrition management.
The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of burnout risk and intention-to-leave among intensive care unit (ICU) nurses and analyse the association of these with workload and work environment.
A cross-sectional survey of nurses working in ICUs was conducted in France between 15 January 2024 and 15 April 2024 alongside a longitudinal assessment of workload during the same period.
ICU nurse workload was assessed using the Nursing Activities Score (NAS). The risk of burnout was assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory scale and intention-to-leave the hospital was assessed with a binary question. A total of 1271 nurses working in 61 intensive care units completed the questionnaire and 14,134 NAS per patient and 1885 NAS per nurse were included in the study.
The median overall of burnout by hospital site was 64.7% [P25: 53.3–P75: 72.7] for the broad definition and a median of 20.7% [13.3–27.3] of ICU nurses reported an intent-to-leave their job. The median overall NAS score per nurse was 135.9% [121.4–156.9] and the prevalence of NAS scores exceeding 100% per nurse was 73.9% [62.8–80.3]. A significant association was found between nurses working in an ICU with a better work environment and all dimensions of burnout as well as the intention-to-leave the job. A prevalence in the hospital site of NAS scores exceeding 100% per nurse below the median was associated with a lower burnout (OR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.50–0.88 for broad definition) and intention-to-leave the job (OR = 0.68, 95% CI: 0.50–0.92).
This study found significant associations between burnout and the intention to leave the job for nurses in ICUs, mainly due to a better work environment and, to a lesser extent, a lower workload for nurses.
In an era of nurse shortages and absenteeism, it is crucial for institutions to retain their nursing staff. Our results should encourage hospital managers to take action to improve the ICU work environment and keep ICU workloads manageable to decrease burnout and the intention-to-leave the job among ICU nurses.
This article follows the STROBE guidelines for the reporting of cross-sectional studies.
No patient or public contribution.
To investigate types of symptom clusters in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after partial hepatectomy and explore symptom cluster trajectories over time.
A longitudinal observational study was conducted.
Symptoms of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were assessed on the second day, seventh day, third week, fourth week and twelfth week post-operation using the MD Anderson Symptom Assessment Inventory and the Symptom Module for Primary Liver Cancer. Symptom clusters were extracted using exploratory factor analysis, and symptom cluster trajectories were analysed using a latent class growth model.
Two hundred and thirty patients with hepatocellular carcinoma completed the five-point investigation after partial hepatectomy. Three symptom clusters were identified: general somatic, psychological and liver impairment. Each symptom cluster was further categorised into three groups: severe, moderate and low. The severity of the three symptom clusters and subgroups decreased over time.
Three symptom clusters were identified in patients who underwent partial hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma, and symptom cluster trajectories decreased over time during the 12-week postoperative period. These findings will assist healthcare professionals in providing prompt symptom management and improve patient quality of life.
Healthcare professionals should evaluate symptom clusters and their trajectories in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after partial hepatectomy.
This report was prepared in accordance with the Guidelines for Reporting Cohort Research.
Hepatobiliary surgery nurses worked closely with the research team to ensure the questionnaires were fully assessed before being sent to patients. The active participation of patients provided valuable information for the study.
Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2400084232)
Given that stroke is a leading cause of disability and mortality worldwide, there is an urgent need for a coordinated healthcare approach to mitigate its effects. The objectives of this study were to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of stroke integrated care models and develop recommendations for a representative model.
A systematic review and meta-analysis.
The literature search identified randomized controlled trials comparing integrated care models with standard care for stroke patients. The included studies followed PICOs inclusion criteria. The qualitative analysis included creating a flowchart for the literature screening process, and tables detailing the basic characteristics of the included studies, the adherence to the ten principles and the results of the quality assessments. Subsequently, quantitative meta-analytical procedures were conducted to statistically pool the data and quantify the effects of the integrated care models on stroke patients' health-related quality of life, activities of daily living, and depression. The China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data, Chongqing VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database (VIP), China Biology Medicine Disc (CBMDISC), Cochrane Library, Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Google Scholar, and Clinical Trials were searched from inception to March 13, 2024.
Of the 2547 obtained articles, 19 were systematically reviewed and 15 were included in the meta-analysis. The integrated care models enhanced stroke patients' health-related quality of life, ability to perform activities of daily living, and reduced depression. Adherence to the 10 principles varied: comprehensive services, patient focus, and standardized care delivery had strong implementation, while gaps were noted in geographic coverage, information systems, governance structures, and financial management.
Integrated care models improve outcomes for stroke patients and adherence to the 10 principles is vital for their implementation success. This study's findings call for a more standardized approach to implementing integrated care models, emphasizing the need for integrated services, patient-centred care, and interdisciplinary collaboration, while also addressing the identified gaps in terms of integration efforts.
This study provides evidence-based recommendations on the most effective integrated care approaches for stroke patients, potentially leading to better patient outcomes, reduced healthcare costs, and improved quality of life.
FreshRSS 