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This study aimed to investigate the associations between body mass index (BMI), physical activity levels (PALs) and sociodemographic factors (gender, age, education and marital status) with different outcomes (symptoms) of osteoarthritis (OA) severity, in patients with knee OA.
Cross-sectional study.
The sample included 200 participants from southern Bosnia and Herzegovina (61 males, 65.1±9.01 years of age) who had been diagnosed with primary knee OA.
OA symptoms as evidenced by the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities OA Index (WOMAC) scale, including three subscores (WOMAC-pain, WOMAC-stiffness, WOMAC-functionality) and total WOMAC score. The predictors included age (in years), gender (male or female), BMI, PAL, education level, urban/rural living environment and marital status (partnership).
Female gender was correlated with the WOMAC-pain, WOMAC-stiffness and WOMAC-total. Older age was correlated with the WOMAC-pain and WOMAC-total. Patients who were better educated and reported higher PAL had better WOMAC functionality. BMI was the most significant factor of influence, with higher WOMAC-pain (OR 1.44, 95% CI 1.27 to 1.65), WOMAC-stiffness (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.1 to –1.33), WOMAC-functionality (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.40) and WOMAC-total (OR 1.29, 95% CI 1.6 to –1.44) scores in patients with higher BMI.
Results indicate the necessity of controlling body weight in patients with diagnosed knee OA irrespective of gender. Further prospective studies are warranted in order to establish causality between variables.
The aim of this integrative review was to explore registered nurses' understandings of organisational culture and cultures of care in aged care.
Integrative literature review.
A literature search was conducted of Medline (OVID), CINAHL Plus with Full Text, Scopus, Proquest Nursing and Allied Health, and Informit databases in June 2024. In October 2024, a search for grey literature was conducted focusing on Google Scholar, the Analysis and Policy Observatory (Australia), Australian Government websites, European Union Institutions and Bodies, and usa.gov. The inclusion criteria were Australian and international literature published in English between 2004 and 2024. The inclusion criteria were amended to focus on literature published from 2014 to 2024.
Seventeen research studies met the inclusion criteria for the review. Four primary themes were identified: competing hierarchies of power; the multifaceted role of nurses in long-term care settings; standing still is not an option; and implications for culture change strategies in practice.
Registered nurses in aged care are pivotal to evolving clinical and administrative practice and creating organisational cultures that affirm the rights of older people, including providing a supportive workplace for those who care for them, in an environment focussed on developing and sustaining quality care. Viewing the complex relationships at different organisational levels through the prism of Foucault's ideas on disciplinary power generates new insights into the role of registered nurses in aged care settings. This review also underscores that research on organisational culture in aged care is at a formative stage. There is potential for future research that fosters a robust evidence base to support the development of organisational cultures that nurture a person-centred environment ultimately leading to improved care and staff experience.
Registered nurses in aged care settings are advocating for a transformative shift in organisational cultures that prioritises inclusivity, compassion and person-centred care. Empowering nurses through clinical and administrative leadership roles is crucial for cultivating person-centred organisational cultures in aged care settings. It is essential that policymakers invest in the development of registered nurses who can excel in clinical and operational roles at management and executive levels. Policy changes that promote frameworks that facilitate nursing leadership are essential for establishing and maintaining person-centred workplace cultures.
Prisma extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA—ScR).
This study did not include patient or public involvement in its design, conduct, or reporting.
To examine community nurses' experiences of caring for people with dark skin tones at high risk of developing a pressure injury.
Qualitative descriptive design.
Focus groups and individual semi-structured interviews were conducted among registered nurses working in the community between November 2023 and March 2024. Thematic analysis was used.
The findings reveal the lack of nurse education on diverse skin tones, how community nurses gain knowledge on skin tone diversity in the context of pressure injuries and the topics community nurses believe are crucial to improve the management of pressure injuries in patients with dark skin tones.
The study highlights the gap in nurse education regarding diverse skin tones, revealing how community nurses acquire knowledge related to pressure injuries in patients with dark skin tones.
This research could inform the development of targeted educational programmes and training initiatives, ultimately preventing patient harm and enhancing the quality of care and health outcomes for patients with dark skin tones.
It provides valuable insights into key topics that community nurses consider essential for improving the early recognition and management of pressure injuries in people with darker skin tones.
The research adhered to the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) guidelines.
A project steering group contributed to the concept of the study and checked the interview questions were relevant and suitable.
The postnatal period is critical for preventing maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Globally, a significant proportion of maternal and neonatal deaths occur within the first 6 weeks after delivery. Timely and adequate postnatal care (PNC) can detect and manage life-threatening complications; however, service utilisation remains alarmingly low in many low- and middle-income countries, including Saudi Arabia. Addressing the behavioural and perceptual factors that influence service use is essential for improving health outcomes.
This study aimed to assess mothers’ utilisation of PNC services and examine how their health beliefs and sociodemographic characteristics influence this behaviour.
A cross-sectional study guided by the Health Belief Model (HBM) was conducted to explore predictors of PNC utilisation.
Eight primary healthcare (PHC) centres were randomly selected from 179 PHC centres distributed in the different governorates of the Jazan region of Saudi Arabia.
A total of 464 mothers were surveyed between October and December 2023 using an interviewer-administered questionnaire.
The primary outcome was PNC utilisation, defined by the number of postnatal visits. The independent variables included sociodemographic characteristics and HBM constructs (perceived susceptibility, benefits, barriers and cues to action).
In terms of PNC utilisation, 80.0% of participants had two or fewer postnatal visits, whereas 20.0% had three or more postnatal visits. Perceived barriers had the strongest influence (mean score 2.51±0.87), followed by cues to action (2.43±0.89), susceptibility (1.92±0.72) and benefits (1.86±0.64). In the multivariate analysis, perceived barriers, cues to action and perceived susceptibility were significantly associated with PNC utilisation, with adjusted ORs of 1.679 (95% CI: 1.007 to 2.799), 0.470 (95% CI: 0.256 to 0.863) and 0.405 (95% CI: 0.197 to 0.832), respectively.
PNC utilisation in the Jazan region remains suboptimal. Perceptual factors, particularly barriers and cues to action, play a central role in service use. Health interventions targeting these beliefs and improving follow-up mechanisms may help increase PNC engagement and improve maternal and infant health outcomes in Saudi Arabia.
Rehablines is a further use databank that was established to efficiently conduct high-quality research into patient characteristics and underlying disease processes, provide insight into treatment effects and efficiency and support personalised treatment in rehabilitation medicine.
Adult patients (age ≥18) receiving rehabilitation care at the University Medical Center Groningen, Center for Rehabilitation, are included. Inclusion is ongoing. As of December 2024, 1080 participants have been included, receiving diverse types of rehabilitation such as neurorehabilitation, orthopaedic rehabilitation, oncology rehabilitation, pain rehabilitation and rehabilitation for chronic illnesses.
The databank enables reuse of a wide array of routinely collected clinical data for research and educational purposes. Data included are from electronic health records, patient-reported outcomes, training equipment and physical measurements. A successful pilot was conducted with the pain rehabilitation team, and the procedure has been implemented across all adult rehabilitation teams.
The databank aims to expand to include paediatric rehabilitation by 2025. Future plans also involve linking data with other national and international databanks to enhance research opportunities and provide comprehensive insights into rehabilitation outcomes.
The Rehablines databank is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06750601) and the UMCG Research Data Catalogue (
by Nazlee Sharmin, Hady Abdallah, Elias Jirgees, Ava K. Chow
m-Learning is gaining popularity in health professional education; however, reports on mobile apps targeting didactic teaching and learning are scarce, particularly in the context of health professional courses such as histology. Histology is an essential foundational component of dental and medical education. At the Mike Petryk School of Dentistry, University of Alberta, instructors utilize photomicrographs from textbooks to teach students on the microanatomy of teeth, the development of tooth and facial regions, and developmental anomalies. Limited availability of high-quality tissue sections and time constraints present challenges for both students and instructors. To provide students with an accessible collection of diverse histological sections and to facilitate in-class interactive didactic teaching, we developed an Augmented Reality (AR)-based mobile app called Tooth ARcademy. The development of Tooth ARcademy comprises the following steps: selecting histology glass slides, digitizing the glass slides, curating and annotating the digital slides, preparing multiple-choice questions, and integrating the resources into the mobile app. Tooth ARcademy is available worldwide at no cost. The app has three modes. Instructors can use the AR-based Learn mode to create in-class activities and supplemental questions tailored to students with specific learning outcomes. The Practice mode enables students to study oral histology outside of class time. With the Quiz mode of Tooth ARcademy, students can self-assess their knowledge of oral histology by participating in quizzes. The knowledge of oral histology is essential for dental education. Tooth ARcademy is designed to create interactive and engaging learning environments both inside and outside the classroom. Besides some limitations of the current phase, Tooth ARcademy can be a valuable m-learning tool that benefits students and educators in dental, medical, and other professional schools.Body contouring surgery (BCS) can be applied to reduce the physical and mental burden of excess skin after massive weight loss. Self-reported outcomes of patients are used to assess this burden and to evaluate the effectiveness of BCS. The aim of this study is to clarify what is reflected in self-reports of excess skin after bariatric surgery. We hypothesise that the self-reported burden of excess skin is associated with both objectively assessed excess skin and the disposition to experience negative emotions.
This cross-sectional study will include 68 outpatients presenting at a plastic surgery clinic with a request for BCS. Patients fill out two questionnaires (the BODY-Q and the Sahlgrenska Excess Skin Questionnaire (SESQ)) to measure the size and burden of excess skin as well as the Big Five Inventory (BFI) to measure the disposition towards negative emotionality. Anonymised photographs of excess skin will be rated independently by four plastic surgeons using the Pittsburgh Rating Scale (PRS) Rainbow Classification to establish the objective amount of excess skin. Multiple linear regression analyses will be performed to identify the association of BODY-Q and SESQ scores with objective appraisals of excess skin by plastic surgeons, negative emotionality and demographics. Interobserver agreement for PRS Rainbow Classification will be established by Fleiss’ kappa.
Ethical approval was obtained from the regional medical ethics committee (METC; W20.258) and the institutional review board (Lokale Toetsing, St. Antonius Hospital in Nieuwegein, no. Z23.035). Informed consent of participants will be obtained. The results of this study will be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
Our objectives were (1) to characterise the age-sex-standardised prevalence of comorbidities among people living with HIV (PLWH) and people not living with HIV (PnLWH) between 2001 and 2019 and (2) to examine the effect of comorbidities on direct healthcare costs among PLWH and PnLWH.
This was a retrospective, matched cohort study conducted with the Comparative Outcomes and Service Utilisation Trends (COAST) cohort, which contained all known PLWH in British Columbia (BC), Canada and a general population sample.
BC, Canada.
A total of 9554 PLWH and 47 770 PnLWH from the COAST cohort were followed between 2001 and 2019. Participants were at least 19 years old and 82% male in both groups.
The primary outcomes were the age-sex-standardised prevalence of 16 comorbidities, calculated annually, among PLWH and PnLWH. Secondary outcomes included direct healthcare costs associated with each comorbidity among PLWH and PnLWH. Outcomes were ascertained from administrative health databases.
PLWH exhibited a higher age-sex-standardised prevalence of most comorbidities compared with PnLWH over the study period. Relative disparities in liver and kidney diseases markedly decreased since 2008. Disparities in the prevalence of mental health disorders and substance use disorder (SUD) were consistently large throughout the study period. Comorbidities were associated with high healthcare costs, especially among PLWH.
This study underscores the persistent and evolving burden of non-AIDS-defining comorbidities among PLWH, even in the context of improved HIV management. The high prevalence of mental health disorders and SUD, coupled with the substantial healthcare costs associated with these conditions, emphasises the need for holistic and integrated care models that address the full spectrum of health challenges faced by PLWH.
Trans Tasman Radiation Oncology Group 20.01 CHEST-RT (Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy in Extensive Stage Small cell with Thoracic Radiotherapy) is a single-arm, open-label, prospective, multicentre phase II trial study that aims to establish the safety, feasibility and describe the efficacy of incorporating thoracic radiotherapy (TRT) (concurrent or sequential) to chemotherapy and immunotherapy in patients with extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer.
A single arm of up to 30 evaluable participants given TRT concurrent or sequentially with chemoimmunotherapy will be enrolled. Participants should commence radiotherapy with cycle 3 or cycle 4 of chemotherapy. Those not suitable for concurrent radiotherapy due to large tumour volumes may receive sequential radiotherapy. Accounting for a 15% non-evaluable rate, up to 35 participants will be enrolled. An independent data and safety monitoring committee will review the data and assess safety and feasibility. Progression to a phase III trial would be considered feasible if ≤20% of participants experienced ≥grade 3 oesophageal toxicity and ≤10% experienced ≥grade 3 pneumonitis. This approach would be considered feasible if there is ≤20% treatment discontinuation of systemic therapy secondary to radiation toxicities and ≥75% of participants have tumour volumes that can be safely treated to a dose of 30 Gy in 10 fractions. The primary outcome of the trial is safety and feasibility, and survival and responses will be assessed as secondary endpoints. A predefined subgroup analysis of toxicity will be performed on group 1 (concurrent TRT) versus group 2 participants (consolidation TRT).
This study was approved by the Peter MacCallum Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC/73189/PMCC-2021). The protocol, technical and clinical data will be disseminated by conference presentations and publications. Any modifications to the protocol will be formally documented by administrative letters and will be submitted to the approving HREC for review and approval.
Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ACTRN12621000586819) and ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT05796089).
The incidence of cancer diagnosed during pregnancy is increasing, but data relating to perinatal outcomes for infants exposed to systemic cancer treatment in utero remain limited. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesise evidence from the available literature to investigate whether perinatal outcomes for babies born to women with gestational cancer differ based on whether they are exposed to systemic cancer treatment in utero.
A systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA-P guidelines. We extracted raw data from the eligible studies to calculate ORs and 95% CIs for perinatal outcomes reported in the included studies.
A comprehensive search of Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library and CINAHL databases identified studies published between January 2001 and May 2025.
Studies were eligible for inclusion in the review that reported on both a study group (women with gestational cancer who received systemic therapy during pregnancy) and a comparison group (women with gestational cancer who did not receive systemic therapy during pregnancy).
Two independent reviewers extracted data. Perinatal outcomes included spontaneous abortion, pregnancy termination, intrauterine growth restrictions (IUGR), stillbirth, intrauterine foetal death, neonatal mortality, preterm birth (
Five cohort studies (a total of 416 women and 427 neonates exposed to systemic therapy in utero) met the inclusion criteria. Across these studies, a higher rate of preterm birth was consistently observed among exposed neonates compared with those unexposed, with reported ORs ranging from 1.85 to 24.00. Although effect sizes varied and CIs were wide, the overall trend suggests a potential association between in utero exposure to systemic therapy and increased risk of preterm birth. No significant differences were observed in the rates of spontaneous abortion, congenital anomalies, stillbirth, IUGR or SGA births between exposed and non-exposed babies.
Very few studies have compared outcomes of systemic therapy-exposed and non-exposed babies of women with gestational cancer. These studies are of limited quality. The available evidence suggests that while some studies indicate a possible association between systemic cancer therapy and increased risk of preterm birth, the overall findings should be interpreted cautiously given the small sample sizes, lack of adjusted analyses, and clinical heterogeneity among included studies. Further research is required to better understand the impact of systemic therapy exposure in utero on perinatal outcomes.
While individuals living in rural areas often have poorer health outcomes and reduced access to healthcare services compared with those in urban areas, there is a disproportionate gap in research examining rural health issues and identifying solutions to healthcare challenges. This is likely due to the numerous barriers to conducting rural health research, including the centralisation of research in urban areas and limited trained personnel and resources to conduct research in rural communities. This realist review aims to identify articles focused on building rural health research capacity and develop an evidence-based framework to be used by researchers, clinicians and policymakers to improve rural health services and well-being for rural populations.
We will conduct a realist review using the following steps: (1) develop a search strategy, (2) conduct article screening and study selection, (3) perform data extraction, quality appraisal and synthesis, (4) engage stakeholders for feedback on our findings and (5) report our findings and engage in knowledge translation. Search terms include variations of the terms ‘research’, ‘capacity building’ and ‘rural’. Databases include (since inception) Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL Plus, APA PsycINFO, ERIC and Scopus. A separate search of the same databases was also designed to identify relevant theories or frameworks related to research capacity building, using variations of the terms ‘research’, "‘capacity building’, ‘theory’ and ‘framework’. Studies will be screened by title and abstract and full text by two research team members and included based on their relevance to rural health research capacity building. We will exclude articles not published in English. We will also search the grey literature to identify rural health research centres, networks or training programmes that have not been described in the academic literature. Two research team members will extract relevant data from included studies and perform a qualitative analysis based on guidelines for realist reviews.
This review does not require ethical approval as it draws on secondary data that is publicly available. The findings will be disseminated at academic conferences, published in peer-reviewed journals and summarised in a lay report for individuals interested in developing strategies, programmes or policies to improve rural health research. The results will inform individuals developing rural health research training programmes, establishing rural research centres, or others interested in building rural health research capacity.
CRD42023444072.
by Abdallah Tageldein Mansour, Safaa I. Khater, Hemmat M. Eissa, Helal F. Al-Harthi, Areej A. Eskandrani, Mohammed Ageeli Hakami, Wafa S. Alansari, Amirah Albaqami, Hanan M. Alharbi, Tarek Khamis, Doaa Ibrahim
The medicinal application of pomegranate peel extract enriched with polyphenols (PPE) as a therapeutic strategy for managing inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) is still limited. Integrating pomegranate peel extract (PPE) into an effective nanocarrier system could enhance its mechanistic actions, potentially aiding in the remission of colitis. Therefore, this approach aimed to enhance PPE’s stability and bioavailability and investigate mitigating impact of pomegranate peel extract-loaded nanoparticles (PPE-NPs) in a colitis model. Colonic injury was induced by 5% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) and efficacy of disease progression after oral administration of PPE-NPs for 14 days was assessed by evaluating clinical signs severity, antioxidant and inflammatory markers, expressions of endoplasmic reticulum associated genes and histopathological and immunostaining analysis in colonic tissues. Clinical signs and disease activity index were effectively reduced, and the levels of fecal calprotectin were decreased in groups treated with PPE-NPs compared to DSS group. The colitic group showed a significant increase (P IL-17, TNF-α, and IL-1β (increased up to 2.99, 4.36 and 4.90 respectively unlike PPE-NPsIII that recorded reduced levels of CRP, MPO and NO (8,96, 78.30 and 123 nmol/g tissue respectively) and much lower (P CHOP, JUNK, ATF6, BIP, and Elf-2) and immunostaining expression regulation of key markers regulating autophagy (Beclin-2) in this group. The histopathological changes in the colon were less severe in the PPE-NPs received groups (especially at the level of 150 mg/kg) compared to DSS group. Collectively, these findings suggest that the nanoencapsulation of PPE enhances its effectiveness in promoting recovery of colonic tissue damage and achieving remission of colitis.by Geertje van Wijk, Lisa van Antwerpen, Femke A. Hoefnagels, Sjef J. J. M. Staps, Marieke C. E. Battjes-Fries
ObjectiveAn increasing number of children in the Netherlands is overweight or obese, which is largely attributable to an unhealthy lifestyle and unhealthy living environment. Nutrition education and greening the schoolyard, for example with a vegetable garden, have independently been studied and are shown to be effective in teaching children a healthy lifestyle and providing a healthy living environment. However, the feasibility of combining nutrition education and greening the schoolyard has not been studied yet. Therefore, this study aimed to provide insight into primary schools’ vision on making this combination, and the feasibility of doing so.
MethodsIn this study a qualitative research design was used. The theoretical frameworks of Proctor et al. and Sekhon et al. were used to develop the interview guide. Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with members of school teams and school directors. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using the thematical analysis of Braun and Clarke.
ResultsAccording to the interviewees, three facets are essential to make the combination of greening schoolyards and nutrition education feasible and successful. Firstly, the interviewees mentioned that the school team and school directors of schools must be able to see the connection between greening the schoolyard and nutrition education. Additionally, support is needed among the parents, school team, pupils and local community. Finally, the interviewees stated that schools must be able to integrate greening the schoolyard and nutrition education into their existing curriculum.
ConclusionsThe results of this study showed that combining greening schoolyards and nutrition education in primary schools is feasible and successful when vision, support and integration are present. Future research should investigate the vision of the local community and parents on making the combination, and the effects of the combination on pupils and their environment.
To examine the personal experiences and perceptions of people with dark skin tones and their carers, in relation to pressure injury.
Qualitative study using semi-structured interviews.
Twenty-two interviews with people with dark skin tone and/or their family carers, who were known to and visited by community nurses for pressure area management or who had been identified as being at high risk for developing a pressure injury were carried out.
Thematic analysis of the interview transcripts revealed that skin discolouration towards a darker hue than usual was the commonest symptom identified by participants as a sign of altered skin integrity and potential pressure damage. Four main overarching themes were revealed through comprehensive analysis of the transcripts: (1) indicators of pressure injury; (2) experienced symptoms of pressure damage; (3) trust in healthcare workers; and (4) improving care for populations with dark skin tones.
The findings from this study clearly present how early-stage pressure damage is identified among people with dark skin tones.
These findings have the potential to reduce health inequality by influencing and informing clinical policies and strategies in practice. Findings could also lead to the development of patient-informed educational strategies for nurses and health workers which will enable the early identification of pressure ulcers among people with dark skin tones. Further research is needed to better understand health disparities in relation to preventable patient safety harm.
The findings demonstrate the importance of engaging with and listening to the stories and experiences of people living with pressure damage to help in the early recognition of pressure injuries.
The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) guidelines for qualitative research were followed.
A project steering group reviewed information sheets for participants and checked the interview questions were relevant and suitable.
by Gee-Hyun Kim, Jiho Lee, Young-Hoon Park
PurposeTo investigate the preoperative choriocapillaris perfusion (CCP) as a biomarker in patients with idiopathic epiretinal membrane (iERM).
Materials and methods28 patients (28 eyes) with unilateral iERM who received pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling were included for retrospective observational study. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and angiography (OCTA) was performed before and after PPV. Area, perimeter, and circularity of superficial foveal avascular zone (FAZ) were analyzed preoperatively in both eyes using OCTA. Preoperative CCP was also analyzed with binarized en-face OCTA images. Measurements of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and central foveal thickness (CFT) by OCT were conducted at the baseline and 6 months following the surgery. The correlations of preoperative OCT parameters with postoperative BCVA and CFT reduction were analyzed.
ResultsCCP was significantly lower (p p p = 0.001, p p = 0.005), postoperative BCVA (β = 0.108, p = 0.023) and ratio of post- to preoperative CFT (β = 0.106, p = 0.044).
ConclusionsPreoperative CCP is a biomarker for poor functional and anatomical prognosis after surgery in iERM.
FreshRSS 