Non-clinical influences on clinical decision-making: a major challenge to evidence-based practice

Advancing Health Equity in the Cardiovascular Device Life Cycle

Despite advancements in diagnostics and therapeutics for cardiovascular disease, significant health disparities persist among patients from historically marginalized racial and ethnic groups, women, individuals who are socioeconomically under-resourced or underinsured, and those living in rural communities. While transcatheter interventions have revolutionized the treatment landscape in cardiology, populations bearing the greatest burden of disease continue to face inequitable access and poorer outcomes. A notable gap in the literature concerns the role of modern approaches to cardiovascular device innovation in shaping and perpetuating health disparities. Health equity has been declared one of the top strategic initiatives for 2022 to 2025 by the Food and Drug Administration Center for Devices and Radiological Health, underscoring the need for greater attention, dialogue, and targeted interventions in this space. This narrative review uses the cardiovascular device life cycle as a conceptual framework to enhance understanding and guide future efforts to mitigate disparities in the field of interventional cardiology. Drawing on illustrative examples from interventional cardiology, we examine current practices in cardiovascular device regulation and approval, clinical trial evaluation, adoption patterns, and postprocedural outcomes with the aim of uncovering potential mechanisms of disparities and identifying opportunities for targeted interventions.

Patients' psychosocial attributes and aggressiveness of cancer treatments near the end of life

BACKGROUND

While the use of chemotherapy near the end of life (EOL) has been identified as a relevant criterion for assessing quality of cancer care and has been estimated as non-beneficial, a trend of aggressiveness in cancer care during the last period of life remains. Both patients' sociodemographic characteristics and physicians' practice setting are associated with this use. The role of patients' psychosocial characteristics has however been understudied. The objectives were to study oncologists' intention to recommend chemotherapy or therapeutic abstention in an EOL patient's case and to examine the factors associated with this decision.

METHODS

A clinical vignette-based questionnaire survey was conducted. While the case presented to the participating oncologists of a patient with EGFR-mutated lung cancer, progressing after osimertinib, ECOG 3, with leptomeningeal disease (N = 146), was strictly equivalent in terms of medical aspects and age, 4 patients' non-medical characteristics were manipulated: gender, marital status, parenthood, and psychosocial characteristics ("nice" patients, patients "making strong demands," or control patients).

RESULTS

77.4% of the oncologists surveyed stated that they would recommend chemotherapy in this situation. Only scenarios with nice patients or patients making strong demands were associated with less recommendation of chemotherapy (70.8% for the nice/making strong demands scenarios together vs 87.7%, for the control scenario P = .017). Medical oncologists with previous experience of similar cases were also less keen to recommend chemotherapy (73% vs 100%, P = .007). Of the 76.7% of respondents declaring that they would think of other therapeutic options, 49.1% mentioned "other treatments" without mentioning palliative care.

CONCLUSION

Developing physicians' awareness of the psychosocial aspects at stake in their medical decisions in these sensitive situations may improve EOL care.

A qualitative study of how clinicians reach agreement in perioperative pathway development: the Consensus Model for Standardising Healthcare

BACKGROUND

Variation in perioperative care persists globally. Consensus discussions may facilitate standardisation, yet the processes used to reach agreement are poorly understood. This study aimed to develop a model for conducting local consensus discussions when implementing standardised perioperative pathways. Specifically, we 1) describe how local consensus discussions are operationalised; 2) identify what guides decision making and consensus between clinicians; and 3) formulate explanatory mechanisms and identify determinants that facilitate consensus discussions.

METHODS

A qualitative, modified grounded theory study was conducted in one private hospital in metropolitan Sydney, Australia. Thirty-one participants from clinical disciplines and hospital management/leadership were included. Data were collected from nine semi-structured interviews and 16 h of participant observations during consensus development or implementation meetings. Data collection and analysis occurred concurrently until theoretical saturation was achieved. Interviews and field notes were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed using coding, constant comparison, detailed memo writing and data interpretation.

RESULTS

Seven individual and contextual factors crucial for building consensus, and eight mechanisms for reaching agreement were identified and integrated into a conceptual model. Seeking evidence to support decision-making emerged as the primary driver of consensus. Strong research evidence in support of a pathway component facilitated swift agreement. Where there was ambiguous evidence for a pathway component, clinicians based their decisions on a desire for professional autonomy, consideration of how their peers practice, patient preferences, practices from external organisations, or the feasibility of implementing the pathway component.

CONCLUSIONS

The Consensus Model for Standardising Healthcare provides a map for healthcare organisations seeking to conduct local consensus discussions to reduce variation in care. Our findings advance our understanding of how local consensus discussions are conducted and factors that impact success when standardising care amongst clinicians.

Genetic proxies for clinical traits are associated with increased risk of severe COVID-19

Routine use of genetic data in healthcare is much-discussed, yet little is known about its performance in epidemiological models including traditional risk factors. Using severe COVID-19 as an exemplar, we explore the integration of polygenic risk scores (PRS) into disease models alongside sociodemographic and clinical variables. PRS were optimized for 23 clinical variables and related traits previously-associated with severe COVID-19 in up to 450,449 UK Biobank participants, and tested in 9,560 individuals diagnosed in the pre-vaccination era. Associations were further adjusted for (i) sociodemographic and (ii) clinical variables. Pathway analyses of PRS were performed to improve biological understanding of disease. In univariate analyses, 17 PRS were associated with increased risk of severe COVID-19 and, of these, four remained associated with COVID-19 outcomes following adjustment for sociodemographic/clinical variables: hypertension PRS (OR = 1.1, 95%CI 1.03-1.18), atrial fibrillation PRS (OR = 1.12, 95%CI 1.03-1.22), peripheral vascular disease PRS (OR = 0.9, 95%CI 0.82-0.99), and Alzheimer's disease PRS (OR = 1.14, 95%CI 1.05-1.25). Pathway analyses revealed enrichment of genetic variants in pathways for cardiac muscle contraction (genes N = 5; beta[SE] = 3.48[0.60]; adjusted-P = 1.86 × 10-5). These findings underscore the potential for integrating genetic data into epidemiological models and highlight the advantages of utilizing multiple trait PRS rather than a single PRS for a specific outcome of interest.

Clinical reasoning in real-world practice: a primer for medical trainees and practitioners

Clinical reasoning is a crucial skill and defining characteristic of the medical profession, which relates to intricate cognitive and decision-making processes that are needed to solve real-world clinical problems. However, much of our current competency-based medical education systems have focused on imparting swathes of content knowledge and skills to our medical trainees, without an adequate emphasis on strengthening the cognitive schema and psychological processes that govern actual decision-making in clinical environments. Nonetheless, flawed clinical reasoning has serious repercussions on patient care, as it is associated with diagnostic errors, inappropriate investigations, and incongruent or suboptimal management plans that can result in significant morbidity and even mortality. In this article, we discuss the psychological constructs of clinical reasoning in the form of cognitive 'thought processing' models and real-world contextual or emotional influences on clinical decision-making. In addition, we propose practical strategies, including pedagogical development of a personal cognitive schema, mitigating strategies to combat cognitive bias and flawed reasoning, and emotional regulation and self-care techniques, which can be adopted in medical training to optimize physicians' clinical reasoning in real-world practice that effectively translates learnt knowledge and skill sets into good decisions and outcomes.

Barriers faced by surgeons in identifying and managing malnutrition in emergency general surgery: A qualitative study

AIM

Many patients undergoing emergency surgery are malnourished. Identifying malnutrition is a prerequisite to offering targeted nutritional support. Guidelines exist but little is known regarding exactly how surgeons identify malnutrition, or the barriers that influence surgeons' clinical decision-making. The aim of this work was to explore how consultant surgeons identify malnutrition in emergency general surgery (EGS) patients and the barriers to nutritional assessment and intervention.

METHOD

Consultant surgeons with emergency surgery duties were invited to participate. Semi-structured interviews were conducted online, audiovisually recorded and transcribed. An inductive approach was used for data analysis using the framework method. Coding and analysis were performed by two independent researchers using NVivo software. Themes were developed and reviewed with the supervising team. Interviews continued until data saturation was reached. Ethical approval was gained prior to interviews.

RESULTS

Eighteen interviews were conducted across three hospital settings. Identification of malnutrition consisted of three themes: 'The surgeon' (knowledge, experience, planning ahead); 'The patient' (selection, composition, clinical progress, operative considerations); and 'The institution' (collaboration, extended surgical team). Three themes encompassed barriers experienced: 'The surgeon' (understanding, culture, ownership, time constraints); 'The institution' (provision, staffing, conflict, hospital setting); and 'The wider context' (research, external factors). These influenced clinical decision-making, which had two themes: 'To join or not to join' (risk taking, site of anastomosis) and 'Nutritional support' (timing, referral pathways).

CONCLUSIONS

The identification and management of malnutrition in EGS is fraught with barriers, impacting operative and clinical decision-making. Improvements in surgeon education, culture, collaborative working and resources are needed.

Prescribing patterns before the initiation of novel antidiabetic medicines in public, occupational, and private healthcare: a register study reflecting the guidelines of care in type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND

Disparities in access to healthcare has been implied before in Finland, a country with universal healthcare but de facto tiered primary care. Less is however known about the content of care provided in different settings. Previous studies indicate potential disparities in prescribing newer medicines between healthcare sectors. We compared the preceding prescribing patterns of patients who initiated a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor or a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) analogue in public, occupational, and private healthcare.

METHODS

We used logistic models and patient-level register data from the city of Oulu, Finland, during 2014-2018. Among patients who initiated SGLT2 inhibitors or GLP-1 analogues, we studied whether it was a first-line treatment or if other antidiabetic medicines preceded the use. In addition, prior use of statins (a lipid-lowering medicine) and insulins were studied. Clinical guidelines for type 2 diabetes recommend in most cases metformin in first-line, and insulin only at later stages or in case of severe hyperglycaemia. Using a lipid-lowering medicine is typically recommended for all.

RESULTS

The examined novel antidiabetic medicines were seldom initiated in first-line, and no significant differences were observed for preceding statin use across sectors, net of patient characteristics. However, patients in the public sector were more likely to have used insulin previously compared to patients in occupational sector.

CONCLUSIONS

Before the initiation of the examined novel antidiabetic medicines, no marked differences across sectors in the use of other antidiabetic medicines or statins were observed. The higher likelihood of prior insulin use in the public sector might reflect initiation at a later stage and/or unobserved differences in clinical characteristics across patient populations.

Factors influencing treatment decisions in permanent mature teeth with irreversible pulpitis: a questionnaire-based study

BACKGROUND

Decision-making in dentistry is a complex process, and this study evaluated factors that influence dentists' approaches in permanent mature teeth with irreversible pulpitis.

METHODS

An online questionnaire was distributed to a group of dental practitioners. The questionnaire surveyed dentists' opinions about the management of vital permanent teeth with irreversible pulpitis including a case scenario.

RESULTS

Data from 262 respondents were analysed. Barriers to perform vital pulp therapy (VPT) included presuming it an inappropriate long-term treatment (29.7%), lack of knowledge, insufficient access to materials, inadequate training and lack of confidence. Patient's preference (79.44%) and tooth restorability (91%) were the most frequently reported factors influencing treatment decisions. Dentists aged 25-35 years and who have 1-5 years of experience ranked extraction as a more successful treatment (P = 0.008; P = 0.003, respectively). Non-Australian graduates ranked pulpotomy to be a more successful procedure (P = 0.007), and public sector/hospital practitioners favoured extraction more than practitioners from other sectors (P = 0.003). Postgraduates/specialists preferred pulpotomy (P = 0.012) more than general dentists. Participants' clinical approaches for the management of symptomatic irreversible pulpitis: root canal treatment (45.0%), indirect pulp capping (22.9%), direct pulp capping (15.8%), pulpotomy (17.1%) and extraction (6.3%).

CONCLUSIONS

Female, more experienced, overseas-educated dentists and endodontists preferred VPT for irreversible pulpitis in permanent mature teeth more than other participants. © 2024 Australian Dental Association.

Bridging the Gap: The Importance of Non-technical Skills in Cardiology for Enhanced Patient Care and Team Performance

Cardiology, a high-acuity medical specialty, has traditionally emphasised technical expertise, often overshadowing the critical role of non-technical skills (NTS). This imbalance stems from the historical focus on procedural competence and clinical knowledge in cardiology training and practice, leaving a significant gap in the development of crucial interpersonal and cognitive abilities. However, emerging evidence highlights the significant impact of NTS on patient outcomes, team dynamics, and overall healthcare efficiency. This review explores the importance of NTS in cardiology whilst drawing parallels with other high-stakes fields, such as aviation, surgery, and emergency medicine, which have successfully integrated NTS frameworks. These fields are particularly relevant due to their similar requirements for rapid decision-making under pressure, team-based approaches, and the potential for severe consequences in case of errors. Key NTS domains relevant to cardiology include leadership, such as in guiding cardiac teams effectively during procedures and emergencies; cooperation and resource management, such as focusing on optimising team performance and resource allocation in cardiac care units; communication and interaction, such as clear and concise information exchange during complex cardiac interventions; assessment and decision-making such as making critical choices in time-sensitive situations; situational awareness (SA) that maintains a comprehensive understanding of the patient's condition and surrounding environment; and coping with stress, which involves managing personal and team stress during and after high-pressure situations. The integration of NTS into cardiology practice is essential for improving patient care, reducing healthcare costs, and preventing clinician burnout. Despite the recognition of NTS' importance, there is a notable lack of structured training and validated assessment tools in cardiology. This absence poses a significant challenge to the implementation of NTS, as it hinders the systematic development and evaluation of these crucial skills amongst cardiologists. For instance, whilst technical skills in procedures like angiography are rigorously assessed, there is limited formal evaluation of NTS, for instance, a cardiologist's ability to lead a team effectively during a cardiac emergency. This review advocates for the development and implementation of NTS training and evaluation methods suitable for cardiology, emphasising the need for a balanced skill set that complements technical proficiency with social and cognitive abilities. Future research should focus on adapting existing tools or developing new ones to address the unique challenges of cardiology teams and foster safer, more effective patient care. Specific areas for investigation include developing cardiology-specific NTS assessment tools, creating structured NTS training programmes for cardiology fellows, evaluating the impact of NTS training on patient outcomes in cardiac care, and exploring the relationship between NTS proficiency and technical skill performance in cardiology procedures. By addressing these research gaps and developing targeted NTS interventions, cardiology can foster a more comprehensive approach to professional development, ultimately leading to improved patient care and healthcare efficiency in this critical field.

Revealing the impact of social circumstances on the selection of cancer therapy through natural language processing of social work notes

Objective

We aimed to investigate the impact of social circumstances on cancer therapy selection using natural language processing to derive insights from social worker documentation.

Materials and Methods

We developed and employed a Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) based approach, using a hierarchical multi-step BERT model (BERT-MS), to predict the prescription of targeted cancer therapy to patients based solely on documentation by clinical social workers. Our corpus included free-text clinical social work notes, combined with medication prescription information, for all patients treated for breast cancer at UCSF between 2012 and 2021. We conducted a feature importance analysis to identify the specific social circumstances that impact cancer therapy regimen.

Results

Using only social work notes, we consistently predicted the administration of targeted therapies, suggesting systematic differences in treatment selection exist due to non-clinical factors. The findings were confirmed by several language models, with GatorTron achieving the best performance with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.721 and a Macro F1 score of 0.616. The UCSF BERT-MS model, capable of leveraging multiple pieces of notes, surpassed the UCSF-BERT model in both AUROC and Macro-F1. Our feature importance analysis identified several clinically intuitive social determinants of health that potentially contribute to disparities in treatment.

Discussion

Leveraging social work notes can be instrumental in identifying disparities in clinical decision-making. Hypotheses generated in an automated way could be used to guide patient-specific quality improvement interventions. Further validation with diverse clinical outcomes and prospective studies is essential.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that significant disparities exist among breast cancer patients receiving different types of therapies based on social determinants of health. Social work reports play a crucial role in understanding these disparities in clinical decision-making.

"I Do Not Believe We Should Disclose Everything to an Older Patient": Challenges and Ethical Concerns in Clinical Decision-Making in Old-Age Care in Ethiopia

Clinical decision-making in old-age care is a complex and ethically sensitive process. Despite its importance, research addressing the challenges of clinical decision-making in old-age care within this cultural context is limited. This study aimed to explore the challenges and ethical concerns in clinical decision-making in old-age care in Ethiopia. This qualitative study employed an inductive approach with data collected via semi-structured interviews with 20 older patients and 26 health professionals recruited from healthcare facilities in Ethiopia. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Our analysis identified three key themes. First, participants highlighted perceptions that older patients' religious beliefs interfere with the clinical decisions both older patients and health professionals make. Second, older patients often receive limited information from health professionals about their diagnosis and treatment. Third, families of older patients appear to strongly influence clinical decisions made by older patients or health professionals. This research enhances the understanding of clinical decision-making in old-age care within Ethiopia, a context where such research is scarce. As a result, this study contributes towards advancing the deliberation of ethical dilemmas that health professionals who work with older patients in Ethiopia might face. A key implication of the study is that there is a need for more ethics and cultural competence training for health professionals working with older patients in Ethiopia.

Treatment discontinuation in adults with atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS): a qualitative study of international experts' perspectives with associated cost-consequence analysis

BACKGROUND

Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) is a rare, life-threatening thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) related to congenital mutations impeding control of the alternative pathway of complement. Following approval of the complement C5 inhibitor eculizumab by the European Medicines Agency and the US Food and Drug Administration, initial guidelines suggested lifelong therapy. Yet, growing evidence indicates that discontinuation of eculizumab, or its long-acting form ravulizumab, is possible for many patients. This mixed-methods study sought to explore international experts' perspectives and experiences related to treatment duration in adult patients with aHUS, while also estimating the financial and potential health consequences of early discontinuation.

METHODS

Between January and December 2023, we conducted 10 qualitative interviews with experts in the treatment of aHUS, based upon which we constructed a quantitative decision tree, designed to estimate time on treatment and treatment- and disease-related adverse events.

RESULTS

Thematic analysis of the interview data identified four main themes: (1) Concerns and prior experience; (2) High-risk vs. low-risk groups; (3) Patient preference and adherence; and (4) Funding for monitoring and re-treatment. Although most interviewees were in favour of considering treatment discontinuation for many patients (citing the high cost, burden, and potential side effects of lifelong treatment as key reasons), a prior negative experience of discontinuation seemed to make others more reluctant to stop. Deciding which patients required lifelong treatment and which not involved consideration of a wide range of factors, including patient- and system-related factors. Cost-consequence analysis demonstrated the financial savings associated with early treatment discontinuation at the expense of increased risk of recurrent TMA events. Close monitoring for these events had the potential to minimise any long-term injury, primarily renal, with an estimated one event per 100 patient years. For patients at high risk of TMA and with poor adherence to monitoring, rates of renal injury rose to three events per 100 patient years.

CONCLUSIONS

aHUS treatment protocols are changing globally in response to new clinical evidence. Against this backdrop, our mixed-methods study provides compelling evidence on the complexity of factors influencing treatment discontinuation decisions in aHUS, as well as the financial and health consequences of early discontinuation.

Improving the primary care clinical testing process in southwest Scotland: a systems-based approach

INTRODUCTION

Across all healthcare environments, inadequately specified patient test requests are commonly encountered and can lead to wasted clinician time and healthcare resources, in addition to either missed or unnecessary testing taking place.Before this work, in a general practice in Southwest Scotland, a mean value of 42% of test requests were already uploaded to ordercomms (a widely used system in general practice for designating clinical testing instructions) at patient presentation, leaving an opportunity for error and wasted clinician time/resources.

METHODS

Patient appointment records were retrospectively reviewed in a general practice in Southwest Scotland to monitor the proportion of test requests already uploaded to ordercomms at the time of patient presentation.The use of quality improvement tools and plan-do-study-act cycling allowed the testing of four change ideas attributable to different 'pathways' of origin for test requests.Change ideas included increasing clinician and secondary care/docman origin test requests already on ordercomms prior to patient presentation, reducing patient origin test requests and improving the test requesting system.

RESULTS

The percentage of test requests already on ordercomms at patient presentation increased from a mean of 42% to 89% over a 30 week test period. The use of test pre-set templates was a welcome intervention that was agreed to be made accessible to 30+ regional general practices.

CONCLUSION

The use of pre-set templates for clinical testing encouraged a 47% rise in test requests already uploaded to ordercomms prior to patient presentation. This saved up to 90 min of clinician time weekly and ensured patients received the correct tests at the appropriate time.Our findings supported the use of pre-set testing templates, in combination with effective information communication, and were recommended for use in any clinical environment requiring patient testing.

Depression Treatment Trajectories and Associated Social Determinants: A Three-Year Follow-Up Study in 66,540 Older Adults Undergoing First-Time Depression Treatment in Denmark

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to describe depression treatment patterns, identify unique trajectory groups using a group-based trajectory approach, and explore associated social determinants in older adults undergoing first-time depression treatment during a 3-year follow-up.

METHODS

This Danish register-based cohort study included all adults aged ≥ 65 who initiated depression treatment by redeeming first-time antidepressant prescriptions (no prescriptions in the last 10 years) between 2006 and 2015. The outcome of interest during the 2-year follow-up was depression treatment, assessed as antidepressant prescriptions redemptions and psychiatric hospital contacts for depression. Latent class growth analyses were applied to model treatment trajectories during 3 years. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were used to analyze adjusted associations between social determinates and trajectory group membership.

RESULTS

Among the 66,540 older adults (55.2% females, mean age: 77.3 years), we identified three distinct groups with unique patterns of depression treatment trajectories: 'brief-treatment' where individuals stopped depression treatment within 6 months (33.7%); 'gradual-withdrawal' (26.5%) where treatment was gradually stopped over 2 years; and 'persistent-treatment' where individuals continued depression treatment for the entire 3 years (39.8%). Females, single-person households, and residents of less-urbanized regions were associated with higher odds of membership in the 'persistent-treatment' group, while older age, widowhood or separation, and non-Danish ethnicities were associated with lower odds.

CONCLUSIONS

Three distinct patterns of depression treatment trajectories were identified in older adults, indicating differential clinical courses of depression-potentially influenced by social determinants, including sex, marital status, urban residence, and ethnicity. Early patient stratification and targeted interventions are crucial in depression care for older adults.

Understanding access to general practice through the lens of candidacy: a critical review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Dominant conceptualisations of access to health care are limited, framed in terms of speed and supply. The Candidacy Framework offers a more comprehensive approach, identifying diverse influences on how access is accomplished.

AIM

To characterise how the Candidacy Framework can explain access to general practice - an increasingly fraught area of public debate and policy.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Qualitative review guided by the principles of critical interpretive synthesis.

METHOD

We conducted a literature review using an author-led approach, involving iterative analytically guided searches. Articles were eligible for inclusion if they related to the context of general practice, without geographical or time limitations. Key themes relating to access to general practice were extracted and synthesised using the Candidacy Framework.

RESULTS

A total of 229 articles were included in the final synthesis. The seven features identified in the original Candidacy Framework are highly salient to general practice. Using the lens of candidacy demonstrates that access to general practice is subject to multiple influences that are highly dynamic, contingent, and subject to constant negotiation. These influences are socioeconomically and institutionally patterned, creating risks to access for some groups. This analysis enables understanding of the barriers to access that may exist, even though general practice in the UK is free at the point of care, but also demonstrates that a Candidacy Framework specific to this setting is needed.

CONCLUSION

The Candidacy Framework has considerable value as a way of understanding access to general practice, offering new insights for policy and practice. The original framework would benefit from further customisation for the distinctive setting of general practice.

The influence of context on diagnostic reasoning: A narrative synthesis of experimental findings

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

Contextual information which is implicitly available to physicians during clinical encounters has been shown to influence diagnostic reasoning. To better understand the psychological mechanisms underlying the influence of context on diagnostic accuracy, we conducted a review of experimental research on this topic.

METHOD

We searched Web of Science, PubMed, and Scopus for relevant articles and looked for additional records by reading the references and approaching experts. We limited the review to true experiments involving physicians in which the outcome variable was the accuracy of the diagnosis.

RESULTS

The 43 studies reviewed examined two categories of contextual variables: (a) case-intrinsic contextual information and (b) case-extrinsic contextual information. Case-intrinsic information includes implicit misleading diagnostic suggestions in the disease history of the patient, or emotional volatility of the patient. Case-extrinsic or situational information includes a similar (but different) case seen previously, perceived case difficulty, or external digital diagnostic support. Time pressure and interruptions are other extrinsic influences that may affect the accuracy of a diagnosis but have produced conflicting findings.

CONCLUSION

We propose two tentative hypotheses explaining the role of context in diagnostic accuracy. According to the negative-affect hypothesis, diagnostic errors emerge when the physician's attention shifts from the relevant clinical findings to the (irrelevant) source of negative affect (for instance patient aggression) raised in a clinical encounter. The early-diagnosis-primacy hypothesis attributes errors to the extraordinary influence of the initial hypothesis that comes to the physician's mind on the subsequent collecting and interpretation of case information. Future research should test these mechanisms explicitly. Possible alternative mechanisms such as premature closure or increased production of (irrelevant) rival diagnoses in response to context deserve further scrutiny. Implications for medical education and practice are discussed.

Clinical Practice Patterns for Transradial Coronary Artery Catheterisation in Australian and New Zealand: Mixed-Methods Survey and Interview Study

BACKGROUND

While there has been an increase in the use of the transradial approach when performing percutaneous coronary angiography and intervention, there is evidence of variations in international practice. Ensuring that operators' practices are supported by evidence is important to ensure optimal outcomes.

METHOD

Interventional cardiologists and advanced trainees completed a cross-sectional survey followed by semi-structured interviews to map current practices for transradial coronary artery procedures in Australia and New Zealand and explore factors that influence clinical decision-making around procedural practice.

RESULTS

The right radial artery was the preferred access site (88%). Over a third (37%) of the participants indicated that they tested the hand circulation pre-procedure. Over a quarter of respondents (28.6%) reported that they would carry out transradial procedures regardless of the patient's coagulation status. Most participants (77.8%) described radial artery spasm in around 10% of transradial procedures performed. Only 62% of participants assessed for radial artery occlusion post-catheterisation. Interview data revealed four themes that guided clinical decision-making, namely (1) Decision-making based on research, (2) Using clinical experience, (3) Being led by their training, and (4) Individual patient factors.

CONCLUSIONS

This study has demonstrated that despite clinical guidelines, substantial practice variation exists in transradial coronary artery catheterisation across Australia and New Zealand. The variation in practice and factors impacting clinical decision-making highlight a need for future strategies to optimise evidence translation and implementation across clinical settings.

Factors affecting shared decision-making concerning menopausal hormone therapy

Menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) is an effective treatment for menopause-related symptoms. Menopause management guidelines recommend a personalized approach to menopause care, including MHT use. Decision-making around menopause care is a complex, iterative process influenced by multiple factors framed by perspectives from both women and healthcare providers (HCPs). This narrative review aims to summarize evidence around factors affecting decision-making regarding menopause-related care. For HCPs, the provision of individualized risk estimates is challenging in practice given the number of potential benefits and risks to consider, and the complexity of the data available, especially within time-limited consultations. Women seeking menopause care have the difficult task of making sense of the benefit versus risk profiles to make choices in line with their decisional needs influenced by sociocultural/economic, educational, demographic, and personal characteristics. The press, social media, and influential celebrities also impact the perception of menopause and decision-making around it. Understanding these factors can lead to improved participation in shared decision-making, satisfaction with the decision and decision-making process, adherence to treatment, reduced decisional regret, efficient use of resources, and ultimately long-term satisfaction with care.

Use of levothyroxine for euthyroid, thyroid antibody positive women with infertility: Analyses of aggregate data from a survey of European thyroid specialists (Treatment of Hypothyroidism in Europe by Specialists: An International Survey)

OBJECTIVES

The use of levothyroxine (LT4) treatment aiming to improve fertility in euthyroid women with positive thyroid peroxidase antibodies (TPOAb) is not supported by the available evidence. The aim of the study was to document the use of LT4 by European thyroid specialists in such patients.

DESIGN

The data presented derive from Treatment of Hypothyroidism in Europe by Specialists, an International Survey (THESIS), a questionnaire conducted between 2019 and 2021 to document the management of hypothyroidism by European thyroid specialists. Here, we report the aggregate results on the use of LT4 in infertile, euthyroid women with positive TPOAb.

RESULTS

A total of 2316/5406 (42.8%) respondents stated that LT4 may be indicated in TPOAb positive euthyroid women with infertility. The proportion of those replying positively to this question varied widely across different countries (median 39.4, range 22.9%-83.7%). In multivariate analyses males (OR: 0.8; CI: 0.7-0.9) and respondents >60 years (OR: 0.7; 0.6-0.8) were the least inclined to consider LT4 for this indication. Conversely, respondents managing many thyroid patients ("weekly" [OR: 1.4; CI: 1.0-1.9], "daily" [OR: 1.8; CI: 1.3-2.4]) and practicing in Eastern Europe (OR: 1.5; CI: 1.3-1.9) were most likely to consider LT4.

CONCLUSIONS

A remarkably high number of respondents surveyed between 2019 and 2021, would consider LT4 treatment in TPOAb positive euthyroid women with infertility. This view varied widely across countries and correlated with sex, age and workload, potentially influencing patient management. These results raise concerns about potential risks of overtreatment.

Challenges in Diagnosing and Managing Hurler Syndrome: A Case Report

This case report details a 12-year-old male diagnosed with Hurler syndrome, a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by a deficiency in the enzyme alpha-L-iduronidase. The patient exhibited typical symptoms, including developmental delays, ocular clouding, and distinctive skeletal deformities, along with mild cognitive abnormalities. Despite the presence of traditional clinical signs and elevated urine heparin and dermatan sulfate levels confirming the diagnosis, access to advanced treatments such as enzyme replacement therapy was severely limited due to socioeconomic constraints and a lack of diagnostic facilities in the region. This case highlights the critical need for accessible diagnostic and treatment options in resource-limited settings and underscores the importance of ethical decision-making in managing rare genetic disorders. The report advocates for a multidisciplinary approach to enhance outcomes for patients with Hurler syndrome.

Perspectives of pediatric oncologists on referral for CAR-T therapy: a mixed methods pilot study

BACKGROUND

Receipt of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy at an institution different from the primary oncologist's institution is a complex, multistep process. Referral by oncologists plays an important role in the process but may be susceptible to bias.

METHODS

Oncologists who previously referred patients for CAR-T therapy at 5 pediatric hospitals were sent surveys by email exploring their CAR-T referral practices. Descriptive statistics were generated, and multivariate analyses examined associations among oncologist characteristics, familiarity with CAR-T therapy, and referral practices. We conducted semistructured interviews with a subset of participants and used thematic analysis to code transcripts.

RESULTS

Sixty-eight oncologists completed the survey; 77% expressed being "very familiar" with CAR-T therapy. Hispanic oncologists and oncologists at institutions with 50 or fewer new diagnoses per year were more likely to identify as less familiar with CAR-T therapy (odds ratio [OR] = 64.3, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.45 to 10 452.50, P = .04 and OR = 24.5, 95% CI = 3.3 to 317.3, P = .005, respectively). In total, 38% of respondents considered nonclinical features (compliance, social support, resources, insurance, language, education, and race or ethnicity) influential in referral decisions. Oncologists who were Hispanic and oncologists who had been practicing for 20 or more years were more likely to consider these features significantly influential (OR = 14.52, 95% CI = 1.49 to 358.66, P = .04 and OR = 6.76, 95% CI = 1.18 to 50.5, P = .04). Nine oncologists completed in-depth interviews; common themes included barriers and concerns regarding CAR-T therapy referral, the value of an established relationship with a CAR-T therapy center, and poor communication after CAR-T therapy.

CONCLUSIONS

Nearly 40% of oncologists consider nonclinical features significantly influential when deciding to refer patients for CAR-T therapy, raising concern for bias in the referral process. Establishing formal partnerships with CAR-T therapy centers may help address physician barriers in referral.

Medical residents' perceptions of group biases in medical decision making: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

Systematic biases in group decision making (i.e., group biases) may result in suboptimal decisions and potentially harm patients. It is not well known how impaired group decision making in patient care may affect medical training. This study aimed to explore medical residents' experiences and perspectives regarding impaired group decision making and the role of group biases in medical decision making.

METHODS

This study used a qualitative approach with thematic analysis underpinned by a social constructionist epistemology. Semi-structured interviews of medical residents were conducted at a single internal medicine residency program. Residents were initially asked about their experiences with suboptimal medical decision making as a group or team. Then, questions were targeted to several group biases (groupthink, social loafing, escalation of commitment). Interviews were transcribed and transferred to a qualitative data analysis software. Thematic analysis was conducted to generate major themes within the dataset.

RESULTS

Sixteen interviews with residents revealed five major themes: (1) hierarchical influence on group decision making; (2) group decision making under pressure; (3) post-call challenges in decision making; (4) interactions between teamwork and decision making; and (5) personal and cultural influences in group decision making. Subthemes were also identified for each major theme. Most residents were able to recognize groupthink in their past experiences working with medical teams. Residents perceived social loafing or escalation of commitment as less relevant for medical team decision making.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings provide unique insights into the complexities of group decision making processes in teaching hospitals. Team hierarchy significantly influenced residents' experiences with group decision making-most group decisions were attributed to consultants or senior team members, while lower ranking team members contributed less and perceived fewer opportunities to engage in group decisions. Other factors such as time constraints on decision making, perceived pressures from other staff members, and challenges associated with post-call days were identified as important barriers to optimal group decision making in patient care. Future studies may build upon these findings to enhance our understanding of medical team decision making and develop strategies to improve group decisions, ultimately leading to higher quality patient care and training.

Australian Dentist's Knowledge and Perceptions of Factors Affecting Radiographic Interpretation

BACKGROUND

Errors of interpretation of radigraphic images, also known as interpretive errors, are a critical concern as they can have profound implications for clinical decision making. Different types of interpretive errors, including errors of omission and misdiagnosis, have been described in the literature. These errors can lead to unnecessary or harmful treat/or prolonged patient care. Understanding the nature and contributing factors of interpretive errors is important in developing solutions to minimise interpretive errors. By exploring the knowledge and perceptions of dental practitioners, this study aimed to shed light on the current understanding of interpretive errors in dentistry.

METHODS

An anonymised online questionnaire was sent to dental practitioners in New South Wales (NSW) between September 2020 and March 2022. A total of 80 valid responses were received and analysed. Descriptive statistics and bivariate analysis were used to analyse the data.

RESULTS

The study found that participants commonly reported interpretive errors as occurring 'occasionally', with errors of omission being the most frequently encountered type. Participants identified several factors that most likely contribute to interpretive errors, including reading a poor-quality image, lack of clinical experience and knowledge, and excessive workload. Additionally, general practitioners and specialists held different views regarding factors affecting interpretive errors.

CONCLUSION

The survey results indicate that dental practitioners are aware of the common factors associated with interpretive errors. Errors of omission were identified as the most common type of error to occur in clinical practice. The findings suggest that interpretive errors result from a mental overload caused by factors associated with image quality, clinician-related, and image interpretation. Managing and identifying solutions to mitigate these factors are crucial for ensuring accurate and timely radiographic diagnoses. The findings of this study can serve as a foundation for future research and the development of targeted interventions to enhance the accuracy of radiographic interpretations in dentistry.

Risk factors for labour induction and augmentation: a multicentre prospective cohort study in India

Background

Guidelines for labour induction/augmentation involve evaluating maternal and fetal complications, and allowing informed decisions from pregnant women. This study aimed to comprehensively explore clinical and non-clinical factors influencing labour induction and augmentation in an Indian population.

Methods

A prospective cohort study included 9305 pregnant women from 13 hospitals across India. Self-reported maternal socio-demographic and lifestyle factors, and maternal medical and obstetric histories from medical records were obtained at recruitment (≥28 weeks of gestation), and women were followed up within 48 h after childbirth. Maternal and fetal clinical information were classified based on guidelines into four groups of clinical factors: (i) ≥2 indications, (ii) one indication, (iii) no indication and (iv) contraindication. Associations of clinical and non-clinical factors (socio-demographic, healthcare utilisation and lifestyle related) with labour induction and augmentation were investigated using multivariable logistic regression analyses.

Findings

Over two-fifths (n = 3936, 42.3%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 41.3-43.3%) of the study population experienced labour induction and more than a quarter (n = 2537, 27.3%, 95% CI 26.4-28.2%) experienced augmentation. Compared with women with ≥2 indications, those with one (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.50, 95% CI 0.42-0.58) or no indication (aOR 0.24, 95% CI 0.20-0.28) or with contraindications (aOR 0.12, 95% CI 0.07-0.20) were less likely to be induced, adjusting for non-clinical characteristics. These associations were similar for labour augmentation. Notably, 34% of women who were induced or augmented did not have any clinical indication. Several maternal demographic (age at labour, parity and body mass index in early pregnancy), healthcare utilization (number of antenatal check-ups, duration of iron-folic acid supplementation and individuals managing childbirth) and socio-economic factors (religion, living below poverty line, maternal education and partner's occupation) were independently associated with labour induction and augmentation.

Interpretation

Although decisions about induction and augmentation of labour in our study population in India were largely guided by clinical recommendations, we cannot ignore that more than a third of the women did not have an indication. Decisions could also be influenced by non-clinical factors which need further research.

Funding

The MaatHRI platform is funded by a Medical Research Council Career Development Award (Grant Ref: MR/P022030/1) and a Transition Support Award (Grant Ref: MR/W029294/1).

Factors influencing imaging clinical decision-making in low back pain management. A scoping review

BACKGROUND

The use of diagnostic imaging in low back pain (LBP) management is often inappropriate, despite recommendations from clinical practice guidelines. There is a limited understanding of factors that influence the imaging clinical decision-making (CDM) process.

AIM

Explore the literature on factors influencing imaging CDM for people with LBP and consider how these findings could be used to reduce inappropriate use of imaging in LBP management.

DESIGN

Scoping review.

METHOD

This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review extension for scoping reviews. A digital search was conducted in Medline, the Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Scopus, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for eligible studies published between January 2010-2023. Data reporting influences on imaging CDM were extracted. Data were then analysed through an inductive process to group the influencing factors into categories.

RESULTS

After screening, 35 studies (5 qualitative and 30 quantitative) were included in the review, which reported factors influencing imaging CDM. Three categories were developed: clinical features (such as red flags, pain, and neurological deficit), non-modifiable factors (such as age, sex, and ethnicity) and modifiable factors (such as beliefs about consequences and clinical practice). Most studies reported non-modifiable factors.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this scoping review challenge the perception that imaging CDM is purely based on clinical history and objective findings. There is a complex interplay between clinical features, patient and clinician characteristics, beliefs, and environment. These findings should be considered when designing strategies to address inappropriate imaging behaviour.

Racial and Socioeconomic Disparities in Complex Abdominal Wall Reconstruction Referrals

Background: Health disparities are pervasive in surgical care. Particularly racial and socioeconomic inequalities have been demonstrated in emergency general surgery outcomes, but less so in elective abdominal wall reconstruction (AWR). The goal of this study was to evaluate the disparities in referrals to a tertiary hernia center. Methods: A prospectively maintained hernia database was queried for patients who underwent open ventral hernia (OVHR) or minimally invasive surgical (MISR) repair from 2011 to 2022 with complete insurance and address information. Patients were divided by home address into in-state (IS) and out-of-state (OOS) referrals as well as by operative technique. Demographic data and outcomes were compared. Standard and inferential statistical analyses were performed. Results: Of 554 patients, most were IS (59.0%); 334 underwent OVHR, and 220 underwent MISR. IS patients were more likely to undergo MISR (OVHR: 45.6% vs. 81.5%, laparoscopic: 38.2% vs. 14.1%, robotic: 16.2% vs. 4.4%; p < 0.001) when compared to OOS referrals. Of OVHR patients, 44.6% were IS and 55.4% were OOS. Patients' average age and BMI, sex, ASA score, and insurance payer were similar between IS and OOS groups. IS patients were more often Black (White: 77.9% vs. 93.5%, Black: 16.8% vs. 4.3%; p < 0.001). IS patients had more smokers (12.1% vs. 3.2%; p = 0.001), fewer recurrent hernias (45.0% vs. 69.7%; p < 0.001), and smaller defects (155.7 ± 142.2 vs. 256.4 ± 202.9 cm2; p < 0.001). Wound class, mesh type, and rate of fascial closure were similar, but IS patients underwent fewer panniculectomies (13.4% vs. 34.1%; p < 0.001), component separations (26.2% vs. 51.4%; p < 0.001), received smaller mesh (744.2 ± 495.6 vs. 975.7 ± 442.3 cm2; p < 0.001), and had shorter length-of-stay (4.8 ± 2.0 vs. 7.0 ± 5.5 days; p < 0.001). There was no difference in wound breakdown, seroma requiring intervention, hematoma, mesh infection, or recurrence; however, IS patients had decreased wound infections (2.0% vs. 8.6%; p = 0.009), overall wound complications (11.4% vs. 21.1%; p = 0.016), readmissions (2.7% vs. 13.0%; p = 0.001), and reoperations (3.4% vs. 11.4%; p = 0.007). Of MISR patients, 80.9% were IS and 19.1% were OOS. In contrast to OVHR, MISR IS and OOS patients had similar demographics, preoperative characteristics, intraoperative details, and postoperative outcomes. Conclusion: Although there were no differences in referred patients for MISR, this study demonstrates the racial disparities that exist among our IS and OOS complex, open AWR patients. Awareness of these disparities can help clinicians work towards equitable access to care and equal referrals to tertiary hernia centers.

Vital pulp therapy-Factors influencing decision-making for permanent mature teeth with irreversible pulpitis: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

There is an increased tendency towards adopting minimally invasive interventions in dentistry, supported by advancement in materials and techniques. However, the decision-making process in choosing conservative or invasive treatments is influenced by several factors, particularly in permanent teeth with irreversible pulpitis.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of the study was to systematically review the literature regarding factors that influence decision-making for vital pulp therapy (VPT) as definitive treatment option in permanent mature teeth diagnosed with irreversible pulpitis.

METHODS

Two independent reviewers searched five electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane Library). Grey literature was searched through Google Scholar and contact with experts. Defined search keys were applied, and all peer-reviewed literature published with no language nor publication date limits were included. The All studies investigating the factors influencing treatment decision-making in mature permanent teeth with irreversible pulpitis were included. The quality of included studies was assessed by two independent reviewers using the Joanna Briggs Institute quality assessment tool.

RESULTS

Six articles were included in the review. All included studies used questionnaires to characterize clinician preferences and attitudes in choosing treatment options for mature permanent teeth with irreversible pulpitis. The available evidence suggests that dentist-related factors have a significant influence on the chosen treatment in teeth with irreversible pulpitis, with speciality training and years of experience influencing the choice of VPT over other treatment options. COVID-19 reportedly swayed the dentists' decision to favour VPT. Only one article studied the influence of patient-related factors, such as age and presence of spontaneous pain on decision-making. Of note, a history of cardiovascular disease moved dentists towards prescribing VPT.

DISCUSSION

Collectively, the included studies demonstrated an overriding influence of dentist-related factors on choosing among treatment options for painful teeth diagnosed with irreversible pulpitis. Patient-related factors were acknowledged but there are also potential factors such as socio-economic constraints that were not included in the component studies.

CONCLUSION

In teeth with irreversible pulpitis clinicians educational background influence the decision towards a specific treatment option. Further data, preferably derived from clinical records, is necessary in future investigations to explore the effect of other important factors related to both dentists and patients.

REGISTRATION

PROSPERO database (CRD42022339653).

Questionnaire-Based Assessment of Patients' Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices Regarding Restorative and Endodontic Treatment at a Multi-disciplinary Tertiary Care Hospital of Jharkhand, India

BACKGROUND

The majority of Indians living in smaller cities and villages don't know much about oral health and how to address it. Thus, this research seeks to assess the endodontic and restorative treatment knowledge, attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions of patients who visit the Dental Institute at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences in Ranchi.

METHODS

This study was conducted on 771 subjects over 2 months at the outpatient department (OPD) of the dental institute, using a prefabricated questionnaire. The participants were divided into three groups based on age. A modified questionnaire consisting of 20 questions obtained from previous studies was provided to the subjects. The first part of the questionnaire was related to demographic details while the second part comprised questions regarding the knowledge of the participants. The third part emphasized on attitude aspect while the last part comprised practice questions.

RESULTS

It was observed that 682 (85%) of the participants had prior information about root canal treatment (RCT) and filling and 555 (72%) thought it to be an alternative to extraction. While 528 (68.5%) participants stated about undergoing RCT, 679 (88%) subjects propagated their recommendation to family and friends. Five hundred thirteen (66%) subjects highlighted anxiety during anesthetic administration.

CONCLUSION

With increasing awareness and information, traditional extraction has given way to the recognition that RCT and filling can salvage a tooth. Patient acceptance of RCT and filling as treatment alternatives may be enhanced by healthcare education and mass activities.

Kidney Transplantation Contraindications: Variation in Nephrologist Practice and Training Vintage

Introduction

Health system leaders aim to increase access to kidney transplantation in part by encouraging nephrologists to refer more patients for transplant evaluation. Little is known about nephrologists' referral decisions and whether nephrologists with older training vintage weigh patient criteria differently (e.g., more restrictively).

Methods

Using a novel, iteratively validated survey of US-based nephrologists, we examined how nephrologists assess adult patients' suitability for transplant, focusing on established, important criteria: 7 clinical (e.g., overweight) and 7 psychosocial (e.g., insurance). We quantified variation in nephrologist restrictiveness-proportion of criteria interpreted as absolute or partial contraindications versus minor or negligible concerns-and tested associations between restrictiveness and nephrologist age (proxy for training vintage) in logistic regression models, controlling for nephrologist-level and practice-level factors.

Results

Of 144 nephrologists invited, 42 survey respondents (29% response rate) were 85% male and 54% non-Hispanic White, with mean age 52 years, and 67% spent ≥1 day/wk in outpatient dialysis facilities. Nephrologists interpreted patient criteria inconsistently; consistency was lower for psychosocial criteria (intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.28) than for clinical criteria (intraclass correlation coefficient: 0.43; P < 0.01). With each additional 10 years of age, nephrologists' odds of interpreting criteria restrictively (top tertile) doubled (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.96; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.95-4.07), with marginal statistical significance. This relationship was significant when interpreting psychosocial criteria (aOR: 3.18; 95% CI: 1.16-8.71) but not when interpreting clinical criteria (aOR: 1.12; 95% CI: 0.52-2.38).

Conclusion

Nephrologists interpret evaluation criteria variably when assessing patient suitability for transplant. Guideline-based educational interventions could influence nephrologists' referral decision-making differentially by age.

Identifying provider, patient and practice factors that shape long-term opioid prescribing for cancer pain: a qualitative study of American and Australian providers

INTRODUCTION

Prescribing long-term opioid therapy is a nuanced clinical decision requiring careful consideration of risks versus benefits. Our goal is to understand patient, provider and context factors that impact the decision to prescribe opioids in patients with cancer.

METHODS

We conducted a secondary analysis of the raw semistructured interview data gathered from 42 prescribers who participated in one of two aligned concurrent qualitative studies in the USA and Australia. We conducted a two-part analysis of the interview: first identifying all factors influencing long-term prescribing and second open coding-related content for themes.

RESULTS

Factors that influence long-term opioid prescribing for cancer-related pain clustered under three key domains (patient-related, provider-related and practice-related factors) each with several themes. Domain 1: Patient factors related to provider-patient continuity, patient personality, the patient's social context and patient characteristics including racial/ethnic identity, housing and socioeconomic status. Domain 2: Provider-related factors centred around provider 'personal experience and expertise', training and time availability. Domain 3: Practice-related factors included healthcare interventions to promote safer opioid practices and accessibility of quality alternative pain therapies.

CONCLUSION

Despite the differences in the contexts of the two countries, providers consider similar patient, provider and practice-related factors when long-term prescribing opioids for patients with cancer. Some of these factors may be categorised as cognitive biases that may intersect in an already disadvantaged patient and exacerbate disparities in the treatment of their pain. A more systematic understanding of these factors and how they impact the quality of care can inform appropriate interventions.

Role of practice standardization in outcome optimization for CDH

Standardization of care seeks to improve patient outcomes and healthcare delivery by reducing unwanted variations in care as well as promoting the efficient and effective use of healthcare resources. There are many types of standardization, with clinical practice guidelines (CPGs), based on a stringent assessment of evidence and expert consensus, being the hallmark of high-quality care. This article outlines the history of CPGs, their benefits and shortcomings, with a specific focus on standardization efforts as it relates to congenital diaphragmatic hernia management.

Stakeholder perspectives of mental healthcare services in Bangladesh, its challenges and opportunities: a qualitative study

This study explores Bangladesh's mental health services from an individual- and system-level perspective and provides insights and recommendations for strengthening it's mental health system. We conducted 13 in-depth interviews and 2 focus group discussions. Thirty-one participants were recruited using a combination of purposive and snowball sampling methods. All interviews and group discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed, and key findings were translated from Bengali to English. Data were coded manually and analysed using a thematic and narrative analysis approach. Stakeholders perceived scarcity of service availability at the peripheral level, shortage of professionals, weak referral systems, lack of policy implementation and regulatory mechanisms were significant challenges to the mental health system in Bangladesh. At the population level, low levels of mental health literacy, high societal stigma, and treatment costs were barriers to accessing mental healthcare. Key recommendations included increasing the number of mental health workers and capacity building, strengthening regulatory mechanisms to enhance the quality of care within the health systems, and raising awareness about mental health. Introducing measures that relate to tackling stigma, mental health literacy as well as building the capacity of the health workforce and governance systems will help ensure universal mental health coverage.

Variability in the perception of palliative care and end-of-life care among hematology professionals from the same reference center in Bahia, Brazil: A descriptive cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

There are several illness-specific cultural and system-based barriers to palliative care (PC) integration and end-of-life (EOL) care in the field of oncohematology.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to investigate the variability in the perceptions of PC and EOL care.

DESIGN AND SETTING

A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Hematology Division of our University Hospital in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.

METHODS

Twenty physicians responded to a sociodemographic questionnaire and an adaptation of clinical questionnaires used in previous studies from October to December 2022.

RESULTS

The median age of the participants was 44 years, 80% of the participants identified as female, and 75% were hematologists. Participants faced a hypothetical scenario involving the treatment of a 65-year-old female with a poor prognosis acute myeloid leukemia refractory to first-line treatment. Sixty percent of the participants chose to follow other chemotherapy regimens, whereas 40% opted for PC. Next, participants considered case salvage for the patient who developed septic shock following chemotherapy and were prompted to choose their most probable conduct, and the conduct they thought would be better for the patient. Even though participants were from the same center, we found a divergence from the most probable conduct among 40% of the participants, which was due to personal convictions, legal aspects, and other physicians' reactions.

CONCLUSIONS

We found considerable differences in the perception of PC and EOL care among professionals, despite following the same protocols. The study also demonstrated variations between healthcare professionals' beliefs and practices and persistent historical tendencies to prioritize aggressive interventions.

Meaning and role of functional-organic distinction: a study of clinicians in psychiatry and neurology services

The functional-organic distinction attempts to differentiate disorders with diagnosable biological causes from those without and is a central axis on which diagnoses, medical specialities and services are organised. Previous studies report poor agreement between clinicians regarding the meanings of the terms and the conditions to which they apply, as well as noting value-laden implications of relevant diagnoses. Consequently, we aimed to understand how clinicians working in psychiatry and neurology services navigate the functional-organic distinction in their work. Twenty clinicians (10 physicians, 10 psychologists) working in psychiatry and neurology services participated in semistructured interviews that were analysed applying a constructivist grounded theory approach. The distinction was described as often incongruent with how clinicians conceptualise patients' problems. Organic factors were considered to be objective, unambiguously identifiable and clearly causative, whereas functional causes were invisible and to be hypothesised through thinking and conversation. Contextual factors-including cultural assumptions, service demands, patient needs and colleagues' views-were key in how the distinction was deployed in practice. The distinction was considered theoretically unsatisfactory, eventually to be superseded, but clinical decision making required it to be used strategically. These uses included helping communicate medical problems, navigating services, hiding meaning by making psychological explanations more palatable, tackling stigma, giving hope, and giving access to illness identity. Clinicians cited moral issues at both individual and societal levels as integral to the conceptual basis and deployment of the functional-organic distinction and described actively navigating these as part of their work. There was a considerable distance between the status of the functional-organic distinction as a sound theoretical concept generalisable across conditions and its role as a gatekeeping tool within the structures of healthcare. Ambiguity and contradictions were considered as both obstacles and benefits when deployed in practice and strategic considerations were important in deciding which to lean on.

Perception of Personal Participation of the Nurses in Resuscitation Procedures: A Qualitative Study

Background and Objectives: Resuscitation is one of the most stressful tasks in emergency medicine. The participation of nurses in this procedure can have specific effects on them. In this research, we wanted to find out what these effects are. Materials and Methods: A qualitative approach by conducting semi-structured interviews was used, and a thematic data analysis of the recorded interviews was carried out. The collected data were transcribed verbatim, with no corrections to the audio recordings. The computer program ATLAS.ti 22 was used for the qualitative data analysis. Results: Eleven male registered nurses were interviewed, with an average of 18.5 years of experience working in a prehospital environment (max. 32/min. 9). A total of 404 min of recordings were analyzed, and 789 codes were found, which were combined into 36 patterns and 11 themes. As the most stressful situations, the interviewees pointed out the resuscitation of a child, familiar persons, conflicts with the environment, conflicts within the resuscitation team, nonfunctioning or insufficient equipment, complications during resuscitation, and resuscitating a person only for training. As positive effects, the interviewees cited successful resuscitations or their awareness that, despite an unsuccessful resuscitation, they did everything they could. Conclusions: Participation in these interventions has a specific positive or negative impact on the performers. The interviewees shared the opinion that they can cope effectively with the adverse or stressful effects of resuscitation. Yet, despite everything, they allow the possibility of subconscious influences of this intervention on themselves.

Digital Triage Tools for Sexually Transmitted Infection Testing Compared With General Practitioners' Advice: Vignette-Based Qualitative Study With Interviews Among General Practitioners

BACKGROUND

Digital triage tools for sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing can potentially be used as a substitute for the triage that general practitioners (GPs) perform to lower their work pressure. The studied tool is based on medical guidelines. The same guidelines support GPs' decision-making process. However, research has shown that GPs make decisions from a holistic perspective and, therefore, do not always adhere to those guidelines. To have a high-quality digital triage tool that results in an efficient care process, it is important to learn more about GPs' decision-making process.

OBJECTIVE

The first objective was to identify whether the advice of the studied digital triage tool aligned with GPs' daily medical practice. The second objective was to learn which factors influence GPs' decisions regarding referral for diagnostic testing. In addition, this study provides insights into GPs' decision-making process.

METHODS

A qualitative vignette-based study using semistructured interviews was conducted. In total, 6 vignettes representing patient cases were discussed with the participants (GPs). The participants needed to think aloud whether they would advise an STI test for the patient and why. A thematic analysis was conducted on the transcripts of the interviews. The vignette patient cases were also passed through the digital triage tool, resulting in advice to test or not for an STI. A comparison was made between the advice of the tool and that of the participants.

RESULTS

In total, 10 interviews were conducted. Participants (GPs) had a mean age of 48.30 (SD 11.88) years. For 3 vignettes, the advice of the digital triage tool and of all participants was the same. In those vignettes, the patients' risk factors were sufficiently clear for the participants to advise the same as the digital tool. For 3 vignettes, the advice of the digital tool differed from that of the participants. Patient-related factors that influenced the participants' decision-making process were the patient's anxiety, young age, and willingness to be tested. Participants would test at a lower threshold than the triage tool because of those factors. Sometimes, participants wanted more information than was provided in the vignette or would like to conduct a physical examination. These elements were not part of the digital triage tool.

CONCLUSIONS

The advice to conduct a diagnostic STI test differed between a digital triage tool and GPs. The digital triage tool considered only medical guidelines, whereas GPs were open to discussion reasoning from a holistic perspective. The GPs' decision-making process was influenced by patients' anxiety, willingness to be tested, and age. On the basis of these results, we believe that the digital triage tool for STI testing could support GPs and even replace consultations in the future. Further research must substantiate how this can be done safely.

Psychological Screening, Standards and Spinal Cord Injury: Introducing Change in NHS England Commissioned Services

Psychologist resourcing across the United Kingdom (UK) spinal cord injury centres (SCICs) varies considerably, which has detrimentally impacted standardising service provision for people with spinal cord injuries/disorders (PwSCI/D) compared with other nations. This paper presents the outcome of a project involving the Spinal Cord Injury Psychology Advisory Group (SCIPAG) and NHS England Clinical Reference Group/SCI transformation groups to agree upon screening and standards and shares data from the National Spinal Injuries Centre (NSIC) and the Yorkshire and Midlands Regional SCICs. Inpatients completed the GAD-7, the PHQ-9, and the short form of the Appraisals of DisAbility: Primary and Secondary Scale (ADAPSSsf), assessing adjustment. A total of 646 participants were included, with 43% scoring above the clinical threshold on at least one of the measures on admission. A subset of 272 participants also completed discharge measures and 42% remained above the threshold on discharge, demonstrating sustained psychological need. This paper provides support for services to move to a screen-and-assessment model supplemented by referral options for those with changing needs or who present with difficulties outside the remit of screening. The findings also support the efficacy of universal screening across the system and consideration of screening and standards for psychological care by the wider psychology community.

Patient Admission and Mechanical Ventilator Allocation Decision-Making Processes by Frontline Medical Professionals in a Japanese ICU During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to triage COVID-19 patients in ICUs emerged globally. Triage guidelines were established in many countries; however, the actual triage decision-making processes and decisions themselves made by frontline medical providers may not have exactly reflected those guidelines. Despite the need to understand decisions and processes in practice regarding patient ICU admission and mechanical ventilator usage to identify areas of improvement for medical care provision, such research is limited. This qualitative study was conducted to identify the decision-making processes regarding COVID-19 patient ICU admissions and mechanical ventilator allocation by frontline medical providers and issues associated with those processes in an ICU during the COVID-19 pandemic. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with ICU physicians and nurses working at an urban tertiary referral hospital in Japan between February and April 2022. Patient characteristics that influenced triage decisions made by physicians and the interaction between physicians, nurses, and senior management staff upon making such decisions are discussed in this article. An implicated issue was the lack of legal support for Japanese physicians to practice withdrawal of life-sustaining treatments even during emergencies. Another issue was the impact of non-clinical forces-likely specific to health emergencies-on physicians' decisions regarding mechanical ventilator allocation, where such forces imposed a significant mental burden on the medical providers. We consider public policy and legal implications for future pandemics.

Impact of consensus guideline publication on the timing of elective pediatric umbilical hernia repair

BACKGROUND

The American Academy of Pediatrics published consensus guidelines advising observation of asymptomatic umbilical hernias until age 4 or 5, given unnecessary risks of early intervention and substantial practice variation. Yet, the impact of guidelines on early repair (age <4) or if certain groups remain at risk for avoidable intervention is unclear.

METHODS

This retrospective study used data from children's hospitals participating in the Pediatric Health Information System database. Children aged 17 years and younger who underwent umbilical hernia repair from July 2017 to August 2022 were eligible for inclusion. Children with recurrent hernias, an emergency, or urgent presentation were excluded. An interrupted time series using segmented multivariable logistic regression estimated the association of guideline publication in November 2019 with the odds of guideline-adherent repair (age ≥4) after adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and hospital-level random effects.

RESULTS

16,544 children underwent repair, of which 3,115 (18.8%) were children <4 years old. After adjustment, guideline publication was associated with an immediate increase in guideline-adherent repairs (odds ratio = 1.25 95% confidence interval = 1.05-1.49). The interrupted time series found that each month after publication was associated with a 2% increase in the odds of guideline-adherent repair (odds ratio = 1.02, 95% confidence interval = 1.01-1.03). Children with public insurance were nearly 20% less likely to receive guideline-adherent repair than privately insured children (odds ratio = 0.82, 95% confidence interval = 0.74-0.91). Children in the Midwest had lower odds of guideline-adherent repair (Midwest versus Northeast: odds ratio = 0.45. 95% confidence interval = 0.24-0.84).

CONCLUSION

Guideline publication was associated with greater odds of guideline-adherent repair, yet public insurance coverage and Midwest location remain significant predictors of early repair against recommendations.

Medical experience as an influencing parameter in emergency medical care for psychiatric emergencies: retrospective analysis of a multicenter survey

BACKGROUND

Prehospital care of psychiatric patients often relies on the medical experience of prehospital emergency physicians (PHEPs). The psychiatrists (PSs) involved in the further treatment of psychiatric patients also often rely on their experience. Furthermore, the interaction between PHEPs and PSs is characterized by interaction problems and different approaches in the prehospital care of the psychiatric emergency.

OBJECTIVES

To analyze the phenomenon of "medical experience" as a cause of possible interaction-related problems and assess its impact on the prehospital decision-making process between prehospital emergency physicians and psychiatrists.

METHODS

The retrospective data analysis was conducted between November 2022 and March 2023. Medical experience was defined as follows, based on the demographic information collected in the questionnaires: For PHEPs, the period since obtaining the additional qualification in emergency medicine was defined as a surrogate marker of medical experience: (i) inexperienced: < 1 year, (ii) experienced: 1-5 years, (iii) very experienced: > 5 years. For PSs, age in years was used as a surrogate parameter of medical experience: (i) inexperienced: 25-35 years, (ii) experienced: 35-45 years, (iii) very experienced: > 45 years.

RESULTS

Inexperienced PSs most frequently expressed anxiety about the psychiatric emergency referred by a PHEP (27.9%). Experienced PHEPs most frequently reported a lack of qualifications in handling the care of psychiatric emergencies (p = 0.002). Very experienced PHEPs were significantly more likely to have a referral refused by the acute psychiatric hospital if an inexperienced PS was on duty (p = 0.01). Experienced PHEPs apply an intravenous hypnotic significantly more often (almost 15%) than PSs of all experience levels (p = 0.001). In addition, very experienced PHEPs sought prehospital phone contact with acute psychiatry significantly more often (p = 0.01).

CONCLUSION

PHEPs should be aware that the PS on duty may be inexperienced and that treating emergency patients may cause him/her anxiety. On the other hand, PHEPs should be receptive to feedback from PS who have identified a qualification deficiency in them. Jointly developed, individualized emergency plans could lead to better prehospital care for psychiatric emergency patients. Further training in the prehospital management of psychiatric disorders is needed to minimize the existing skills gap among PHEPs in the management of psychiatric disorders.

Patients' experiences of temporomandibular disorders and related treatment

BACKGROUND

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are common and therefore managed by dentists on a daily basis. However, patients with TMD consistently go undetected and therefore untreated in dentistry. The reasons for these shortcomings have not been fully explored, specifically with regard to patients' perspectives. Therefore, this study aimed to explore patients' experiences of TMD and related treatment, with special focus on the experiences of having TMD, factors related to seeking care, and perspectives on received treatment.

METHODS

Purposive sampling was used to recruit adult patients at the Public Dental Health services (PDHS) in the Region of Västerbotten, Sweden, during 2019. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysed using Qualitative Content Analysis. Sixteen patients were interviewed (ten women and six men, 20-65 years). The interviews probed the patients' perspectives of having TMD, seeking care, and receiving treatment. All participants were also examined according to the Diagnostic Criteria for TMD (DC/TMD) and qualified for at least one DC/TMD diagnosis.

RESULTS

The data analysis led to the main theme Seeking care when the situation becomes untenable, but dental care fails to meet all needs. The patients expressed worry and social discomfort because of the symptoms but still strived to have an as normal daily life as possible. However, severe symptoms and associated consequences compelled them to seek professional help. Experiences of distrust together with challenges to access the PDHS were identified and related to the patients' unfulfilled expectations.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients' reported experiences indicate that receiving timely and appropriate care is more of an unfulfilled expectation than the current state of management of patients with TMD in dentistry.

Next-Gen biotherapeutics: A systematic review and network meta-analysis on postbiotics as treatment for pediatric atopic dermatitis

BACKGROUND

Due to the recency of the postbiotic field, no head-to-head postbiotic studies have investigated its biotherapeutic potential for atopic dermatitis (AD). No network meta-analysis (NMA) has been conducted to synthesize relevant studies comparing postbiotic interventions for AD.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the comparative efficacy and safety of postbiotic strains in the treatment of pediatric AD.

METHODOLOGY

This was an NMA of randomized controlled studies that evaluated postbiotics in treating pediatric AD. Systematic search of databases and registers from inception to November 30, 2022. Three authors independently performed the search, screening, and appraisal using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool version 2 and data extraction. Data analysis was performed using STATA14 software.

RESULTS

Nine studies evaluated eight postbiotic preparations. Lactobacillus rhamnosus IDCC 3201 (LR) ranked highest in the efficacy outcome. Compared to placebo, LR may be effective in reducing symptoms of atopic dermatitis in the main analysis (SMD -0.53, 95%CI -1.02 to -0.04) and sensitivity analysis involving studies that used SCORAD (MD -5.52, 95% CI -10.46 to -0.58), based on low-certainty evidence. Based on moderate-certainty evidence, LR probably did not increase the risk of adverse events (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.79, 1.21). Although Lactobacillus paracasei GM080 (LP2) ranked highest in the safety outcome, it may not reduce AD symptoms compared to placebo (SMD -0.03, 95% CI -0.37, 0.32) based on low-certainty evidence.

CONCLUSION

LR showed significant benefits in children with AD based on low-certainty evidence. Further investigation of LR is recommended.

Transforming mental health systems globally: principles and policy recommendations

A burgeoning mental health crisis is emerging globally, regardless of each country's human resources or spending. We argue that effectively responding to this crisis is impeded by the dominant framing of mental ill health through the prism of diagnostic categories, leading to an excessive reliance on interventions that are delivered by specialists; a scarcity of widespread promotive, preventive, and recovery-oriented strategies; and failure to leverage diverse resources within communities. Drawing upon a series of syntheses, we identify five principles to transform current practices; namely, address harmful social environments across the life course, particularly in the early years; ensure that care is not contingent on a categorical diagnosis but aligned with the staging model of mental illness; empower diverse front-line providers to deliver psychosocial interventions; embrace a rights-based approach that seeks to provide alternatives to violence and coercion in care; and centre people with lived experience in all aspects of care. We recommend four policy actions which can transform these principles into reality: a whole of society approach to prevention and care; a redesign of the architecture of care delivery to provide a seamless continuum of care, tailored to the severity of the mental health condition; investing more in what works to enhance the impact and value of the investments; and ensuring accountability through monitoring and acting upon a set of mental health indicators. All these actions are achievable, relying-for the most part-on resources already available to every community and country. What they do require is the acceptance that business as usual will fail and the solutions to transforming mental health-care systems are already present within existing resources.

Validation of the Structured Assessment of Gastrointestinal Symptoms Scale to Support Standardized Evaluation and Follow-up

OBJECTIVES

Patient-reported outcome measures facilitate evaluation of patients and allow to better assess treatment effects. Validated tools are lacking for pediatric gastroenterological patients. We thus aimed to adapt and validate for pediatric populations a self-administered Structured Assessment of Gastrointestinal Symptoms (SAGIS) tool that previously has been validated in adult cohorts.

METHODS

Each item of the original SAGIS instrument was thoroughly reviewed for its relevance in the pediatric population. The resulting pediatric (p)SAGIS was utilized over a 35 months' period in consecutive patients in a pediatric outpatient GI clinic. Principal component analysis (PCA) followed by varimax rotation and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was performed in derivation and validation samples. Responsiveness to change was assessed in 32 children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) after 12 months of therapy.

RESULTS

The final pediatric SAGIS (pSAGIS) consisted of 21 GI-related Likert-type questions, 8 dichotomous questions assessing extra-intestinal symptoms, and 2 most bothersome symptoms; 1153 children/adolescents completed a total of 2647 questionnaires. Cronbach alpha was 0.89, indicating good internal consistency. PCA supported a 5-factor model (symptom groups: abdominal pain, dyspepsia, diarrhea, constipation, dysphagia/nausea) and CFA showed good model fit (comparative fit index: 0.96, root-mean-square error of approximation: 0.075). The initial mean total GI symptom score in IBD patients (8.7 ± 10.3) decreased to 3.6 ± 7.7 after 1 year of therapy ( P < 0.01), and 4 of 5 symptom group scores decreased significantly upon treatment ( P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The pSAGIS is a novel, easy to use, self-administered instrument for GI-symptom assessment in children/adolescents with excellent psychometric properties. It may standardize GI-symptom assessment and may enable uniform clinical analysis of treatment outcomes.

The future of food allergy: Challenging existing paradigms of clinical practice

The field of food allergy has seen tremendous change over the past 5-10 years with seminal studies redefining our approach to prevention and management and novel testing modalities in the horizon. Early introduction of allergenic foods is now recommended, challenging the previous paradigm of restrictive avoidance. The management of food allergy has shifted from a passive avoidance approach to active interventions that aim to provide protection from accidental exposures, decrease allergic reaction severity and improve the quality of life of food-allergic patients and their families. Additionally, novel diagnostic tools are making their way into clinical practice with the goal to reduce the need for food challenges and assist physicians in the-often complex-diagnostic process. With all the new developments and available choices for diagnosis, prevention and therapy, shared decision-making has become a key part of medical consultation, enabling patients to make the right choice for them, based on their values and preferences. Communication with patients has also become more complex over time, as patients are seeking advice online and through social media, but the information found online may be outdated, incorrect, or lacking in context. The role of the allergist has evolved to embrace all the above exciting developments and provide patients with the optimal care that fits their needs. In this review, we discuss recent developments as well as the evolution of the field of food allergy in the next decade.

Cognitive biases and moral characteristics of healthcare workers and their treatment approach for persons with advanced dementia in acute care settings

INTRODUCTION

Palliative care (PC) delivery for persons with advanced dementia (AD) remains low, particularly in acute-care settings. Studies have shown that cognitive biases and moral characteristics can influence patient care through their effect on the thinking patterns of healthcare workers (HCWs). This study aimed to determine whether cognitive biases, including representativeness, availability, and anchoring, are associated with treatment approaches, ranging from palliative to aggressive care in acute medical situations, for persons with AD.

METHODS

Three hundred fifteen HCWs participated in this study: 159 physicians and 156 nurses from medical and surgical wards in two hospitals. The following questionnaires were administered: a socio-demographic questionnaire; the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire; the Professional Moral Courage Scale; a case scenario of a person with AD presenting with pneumonia, with six possible interventions ranging from PC to aggressive care (referring to life-prolonging interventions), each given a score from (-1) (palliative) to 3 (aggressive), the sum of which is the "Treatment Approach Score;" and 12 items assessing perceptions regarding PC for dementia. Those items, the moral scores, and professional orientation (medical/surgical) were classified into the three cognitive biases.

RESULTS

The following aspects of cognitive biases were associated with the Treatment Approach Score: representativeness-agreement with the definition of dementia as a terminal disease and appropriateness of PC for dementia; availability-perceived organizational support for PC decisions, apprehension regarding response to PC decisions by seniors or family, and apprehension regarding a lawsuit following PC; and anchoring-perceived PC appropriateness by colleagues, comfort with end-of-life conversations, guilt feelings following the death of a patient, stress, and avoidance accompanying care. No association was found between moral characteristics and the treatment approach. In a multivariate analysis, the predictors of the care approach were: guilt feelings about the death of a patient, apprehension regarding senior-level response, and PC appropriateness for dementia.

CONCLUSION

Cognitive biases were associated with the care decisions for persons with AD in acute medical conditions. These findings provide insight into the potential effects of cognitive biases on clinical decisions, which may explain the disparity between treatment guidelines and the deficiency in the implementation of palliation for this population.

The Mediating Effect of Operative Approach on Racial Disparities in Bariatric Surgery Complications

INTRODUCTION

A laparoscopic approach to bariatric surgeries confers a favorable side-effect profile as compared to an open approach. However, literature regarding the independent association of race with access to and postoperative outcomes in laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and sleeve gastrectomy (GS) is scarce.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

All RYGB and GS cases recorded in American College of Surgeons National Quality Improvement Program data from 2012 to 2020 were subjected to propensity score matching to assess the independent association between Black self-identified race on access to a laparoscopic approach and postoperative complications. Finally, a series of logistic regressions enabled evaluation of the mediating effect of operative approach on racial disparities in postoperative complications.

RESULTS

55,846 cases of RYGB and 94,209 cases of GS were identified. Following propensity score matching, logistic regression identified Black race as an independent predictor of open approach to RYGB (P < 0.001) and GS (P = 0.019). Black patients had increased incidence of any, minor and severe postoperative complications and unplanned readmissions in both RYGB (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P = 0.0412, and P < 0.001, respectively) and GS (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P = 0.0037, and P < 0.001, respectively). Open approach to RYGB was identified as a partial mediator of the independent association between Black race and any complication, minor complications, and unplanned readmission.

CONCLUSIONS

This methodology identified racial disparities in complications following RYGB and GS. Interestingly, reduced access to a laparoscopic approach mediated racial disparities in complications following RYGB but not GS. Further research might elucidate upstream determinants of health that catalyze these disparities.

Exploring Biologic Treatment Hesitancy Among Black and Indigenous Populations in Canada: a Review

Biologics are becoming an increasingly important part of patient care across Canada. Recent studies from the USA show that Black patients are less likely than White patients to receive biologic treatment for several medical conditions. The relative lack of race-based data in Canada makes it difficult to replicate such studies in Canada. As a result, there is a paucity of literature that explores the association between biologic usage and race in Canada. Our review aims to explore the factors that might be driving racial treatment disparity in Canada that likely parallels the inequalities found in the USA. We provide a summary of the available literature on the factors that contribute to biologic treatment hesitancy among Black and Indigenous populations in Canada. We highlight several solutions that have been proposed in the literature to address biologic treatment hesitancy. Our review found that biologic treatment decision at the individual level can be very complex as patient's decisions are influenced by social inputs from family and trusted community members, biologic-related factors (negative injection experience, fear of needles, formulation, and unfamiliarity), cultural tenets (beliefs, values, perception of illness), and historical and systemic factors (past research injustices, socioeconomic status, patient-physician relationship, clinical trial representation). Some proposed solutions to address biologic treatment hesitancy among Black and Indigenous populations include increasing the number of Black and Indigenous researchers involved in and leading clinical trials, formally training physicians and healthcare workers to deliver culturally competent care, and eliminating financial barriers to accessing medications. Further research is needed to characterize and address race-based new treatment inequalities and hesitancy in Canada.