Cognitive Impairment and Length of Stay in Acute Care Hospitals: A Scoping Review of the Literature

Author(s):  
Jonathan Plante ◽  
Karine Latulippe ◽  
Edeltraut Kröger ◽  
Dominique Giroux ◽  
Martine Marcotte ◽  
...  

Abstract Older persons experiencing a longer length of stay (LOS) or delayed discharge (DD) may see a decline in their health and well-being, generating significant costs. This review aimed to identify evidence on the impact of cognitive impairment (CI) on acute care hospital LOS/DD. A scoping review of studies examining the association between CI and LOS/DD was performed. We searched six databases; two reviewers independently screened references until November 2019. A narrative synthesis was used to answer the research question; 58 studies were included of which 33 found a positive association between CI and LOS or DD, 8 studies had mixed results, 3 found an inverse relationship, and 14 showed an indirect link between CI-related syndromes and LOS/DD. Thus, cognitive impairment seemed to be frequently associated with increased LOS/DD. Future research should consider CI together with other risks for LOS/DD and also focus on explaining the association between the two.

2015 ◽  
Vol 81 (9) ◽  
pp. 854-858 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rudy J. Judhan ◽  
Raquel Silhy ◽  
Kristen Statler ◽  
Mija Khan ◽  
Benjamin Dyer ◽  
...  

Acute care of children remains a challenge due to a shortage of pediatric surgeons, particularly in rural areas. In our institutional norm, all cases in patients age six and older are managed by dedicated general surgeons. The provision of care to these children by these surgeons alleviates the impact of such shortages. We conducted a five-year retrospective analysis of all acute care pediatric surgical cases performed in patients aged 6 to 17 years by a dedicated group of adult general surgeons in a rural tertiary care hospital. Demographics, procedure, complications, outcomes, length of stay, and time of consultation/operation were obtained via chart review. Elective, trauma related, or procedures performed by a pediatric surgeon were excluded. Descriptive statistics are reported. A total of 397 cases were performed by six dedicated general surgeons during the study period. Mean age was 11.5 ± 3.1 years. In all, 100 (25.2%) were transferred from outlying facilities and 52.6 per cent of consultations/operations occurred at night (7P–7A), of which 33.2 per cent occurred during late night hours (11P–7A). On weekends, 34.0 per cent occurred. Appendectomy was the most commonly performed operation (n = 357,89.9%), of which 311 were laparoscopic (87.1%). Others included incision/drainage (4.5%), laparoscopic cholecystectomy (2.0%), bowel resection (1.5%), incarcerated hernia (0.5%), small bowel obstruction (0.5%), intraabdominal abscess drainage (0.3%), resection of intussusception (0.3%), Graham patch (0.3%), and resection omental torsion (0.3%). Median length of stay was two days. Complications occurred in 23 patients (5.8%), of which 22(5.5%) were the result of the disease process. These results parallel those published by pediatric surgeons in this age group and for the diagnoses treated. Models integrating dedicated general surgeons into pediatric call rotations can be designed such that quality of pediatric care is maintained while providing relief to an overburdened pediatric surgical workforce.


2019 ◽  
Vol 52 (S4) ◽  
pp. 264-272
Author(s):  
Eva-Luisa Schnabel ◽  
Hans-Werner Wahl ◽  
Susanne Penger ◽  
Julia Haberstroh

Abstract Background and objective Acutely ill older patients with cognitive impairment represent a major subgroup in acute care hospitals. In this context, communication plays a crucial role for patients’ well-being, healthcare decisions, and medical outcomes. As validated measures are lacking, we tested the psychometric properties of an observational instrument to assess Communication Behavior in Dementia (CODEM) in the acute care hospital setting. As a novel feature, we were also able to incorporate linguistic and social-contextual measures. Material and methods Data were drawn from a cross-sectional mixed methods study that focused on the occurrence of elderspeak during care interactions in two German acute care hospitals. A total of 43 acutely ill older patients with severe cognitive impairment (CI group, Mage ± SD = 83.6 ± 5.7 years) and 50 without cognitive impairment (CU group, Mage ± SD = 82.1 ± 6.3 years) were observed by trained research assistants during a standardized interview situation and rated afterwards by use of CODEM. Results Factor analysis supported the expected two-factor solution for the CI group, i.e., a verbal content and a nonverbal relationship aspect. Findings of the current study indicated sound psychometric properties of the CODEM instrument including internal consistency, convergent, divergent, and criterion validity. Conclusion CODEM represents a reliable and valid tool to examine the communication behavior of older patients with CI in the acute care hospital setting. Thus, CODEM might serve as an important instrument for researcher and healthcare professionals to describe and improve communication patterns in this environment.


2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (5) ◽  
pp. 421-427 ◽  
Author(s):  
Viswa Chaitanya Chandu ◽  
Yamuna Marella ◽  
Gnana Sarita Panga ◽  
Srinivas Pachava ◽  
Viswanath Vadapalli

Background: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, associated with the economic consequences of non-pharmaceutical interventions such as lockdown, has led to mental health consequences among people worldwide. Protecting the mental well-being of populations is an imperative component of fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. This scoping review attempts to present an overview of the existing tools to measure COVID-19-related mental health problems. Methods: Literature search was conducted in the PubMed electronic database using developed key search terms. Reference lists of the identified eligible articles were reviewed to locate relevant articles missed from the electronic database search. Fifteen scales measuring COVID-19-associated mental health problems, validated among diverse populations across the world, were included in this review. Results: The majority of these scales were validated among middle-aged adults in Turkey. Only a few validated scales encompass the negative socioeconomic consequences of COVID-19. None of the available scales focused on the aspects of suicidal ideation or behavioral responses/coping strategies, neither were they inclusive of participants from diverse age, geographic, and COVID-19 exposure groups. Conclusion: This scoping review highlights the need for future research to develop and validate comprehensive psychometric tools to assess COVID-19-associated mental health problems. Also, in view of the vulnerable nature of healthcare professionals for developing mental health concerns in the course of providing services for COVID-19-affected individuals, future psychometric research needs to concentrate on the development of measures specific for these professionals.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 98-114
Author(s):  
H. Gaminiesfahani ◽  
M. Lozanovska ◽  
R. Tucker

Aim: This article elucidates current understanding in pediatric healthcare building design via scoping review of research on the impacts on the health and well-being of children of the architectural and landscape characteristics of healing spaces. Background: Studies indicate that patients’ phenomenological experiences of the built environment characteristics of healthcare buildings can impact their healing and well-being. It follows that understanding the healing effects of landscape and architecture can inform the design of healthcare settings for increased health benefits. Method: This method comprises five search stages: (1) research question is formed; (2) key words, search terms, and search strategy are identified; (3) databases are searched, and papers are assessed via inclusion and exclusion criteria; (4) information of the selected articles is extracted and summarized; and (5) key findings are interpreted and reported via comparative tabulation. Results: One hundred seventy-three papers were found during the first search stage. After screening and evaluating for relevance and quality, 13 articles were selected for study. Analysis indicates that the built environment characteristics of pediatric healthcare environments that have healing benefits include access to nature, music, art and natural light, reduced crowding, reduced noise, and soft, cyclical, and user-controlled artificial lighting. Conclusions: While it is important to understand the design variables that influence pediatric healthcare, it is also necessary to contextualize them and to distinguish these variables from each other and appreciate their interaction. In other words, a more rounded understanding of these variables is required via research so that their individual and combined impacts are reflected in holistic design recommendations.


2020 ◽  
pp. 084456212098242
Author(s):  
Jennifer Lapum ◽  
Megan Nguyen ◽  
Suzanne Fredericks ◽  
Sannie Lai ◽  
Julie McShane

Background The severity of the COVID-19 health crisis has placed acute care nurses in dire work environments in which they have had to deal with uncertainty, loss, and death on a constant basis. It is necessary to gain a better understanding of nurses’ experiences to develop interventions supportive of their emotional well-being. Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore how nurses are emotionally affected working in COVID-19 acute care hospital environments. The research question is: What is the emotional experience of nurses working in COVID-19 acute care hospital environments? Methods We employed a narrative methodology that focused on participants’ stories. Twenty registered nurses, who worked in six hospitals in the Greater Toronto Area in Canada, participated in interviews. A narrative analysis was conducted with a focus on content and form of stories. Results We identified three themes about working in COVID-19 acute care hospital environments: the emotional experience, the agency of emotions, and how emotions shape nursing and practice. Conclusion In moving forth with pandemic preparations, healthcare leaders and governments need to make sure that a nurse’s sacrifice is not all-encompassing. Supporting nurses’ emotional well-being and resilience is necessary to counterbalance the loss and trauma nurses go through.


2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-68
Author(s):  
Reakeeta Smallwood ◽  
Cindy Woods ◽  
Tamara Power ◽  
Kim Usher

Introduction: Indigenous Peoples are experiencing the ongoing effects of colonization. This phenomenon, historical trauma (HT), helps to address the current ill-health disparity. Aim of this scoping review was to identify sources of evidence available to understand the impact of HT on Indigenous young peoples. Method: A scoping review was conducted on available evidence-based literature. Article quality was assessed using validated quality appraisal tools. Synthesis was conducted with predefined levels of impact. Results: Consistent with the literature, the themes and levels of impact were interrelated. Despite this, studies predominately reported a singular focus with limited discussion of protective factors. Discussion: HT continues to have a profound impact on Indigenous young peoples across Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. Protective factors for HT were evident within Indigenous research designs. Future research should ensure a multilevel focus to explore intergenerational strength and how this influences culturally congruent health care.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qing Zhao ◽  
Pei Chen ◽  
Yu Zhang ◽  
Haining Liu ◽  
Xianwen Li

BACKGROUND Mobile health application has become an important tool for healthcare systems. One such tool is the delivery of assisting in people with cognitive impairment and their caregivers. OBJECTIVE This scoping review aims to explore and evaluate the existing evidence and challenges on the use of mHealth applications that assisting in people with cognitive impairment and their caregivers. METHODS Nine databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, PsycARTICLES, CINAHL, Web of Science, Applied Science & Technology Source, IEEE Xplore and the ACM Digital Library were searched from inception through June 2020 for the studies of mHealth applications on people with cognitive impairment and their caregivers. Two reviewers independently extracted, checked synthesized data independently. RESULTS Of the 6101 studies retrieved, 64 studies met the inclusion criteria. Three categories emerged from this scoping review. These categories are ‘application functionality’, ‘evaluation strategies’, ‘barriers and challenges’. All the included studies were categorized into 7 groups based on functionality: (1) cognitive assessment; (2) cognitive training; (3) life support; (4) caregiver support; (5) symptom management; (6) reminiscence therapy; (7) exercise intervention. The included studies were broadly categorized into four types: (1) Usability testing; (2) Pilot and feasibility studies; (3) Validation studies; and (4) Efficacy or Effectiveness design. These studies had many defects in research design such as: (1) small sample size; (2) deficiency in active control group; (3) deficiency in analyzing the effectiveness of intervention components; (4) lack of adverse reactions and economic evaluation; (5) lack of consideration about the education level, electronic health literacy and smartphone proficiency of the participants; (6) deficiency in assessment tool; (7) lack of rating the quality of mHealth application. Some progress should be improved in the design of smartphone application functionality, such as: (1) the design of cognitive measurements and training game need to be differentiated; (2) reduce the impact of the learning effect. Besides this, few studies used health behavior theory and performed with standardized reporting. CONCLUSIONS Preliminary results show that mobile technologies facilitate the assistance in people with cognitive impairment and their caregivers. The majority of mHealth application interventions incorporated usability outcome and health outcomes. However, these studies have many defects in research design that limit the extrapolation of research. The content of mHealth application is urgently improved to adapt to demonstrate the real effect. In addition, further research with strong methodological rigor and adequate sample size are needed to examine the feasibility, effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness of mHealth applications for people with cognitive impairment and their caregivers.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Martina Madl ◽  
Marietta Lieb ◽  
Katharina Schieber ◽  
Tobias Hepp ◽  
Yesim Erim

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Due to the establishment of a nationwide certification system for cancer centers in Germany, the availability of psycho-oncological services for cancer patients has increased substantially. However, little is known about the specific intervention techniques that are applied during sessions in an acute care hospital, since a standardized taxonomy is lacking. With this study, we aimed at the investigation of psycho-oncological intervention techniques and the development of a comprehensive and structured taxonomy thereof. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> In a stepwise procedure, a team of psycho-oncologists generated a data pool of interventions and definitions that were tested in clinical practice during a pilot phase. After an adaptation of intervention techniques, interrater reliability (IRR) was attained by rating 10 previously recorded psycho-oncological sessions. A classification of interventions into superordinate categories was performed, supported by cluster analysis. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Between April and June 2017, 980 psycho-oncological sessions took place. The experts agreed on a total number of 22 intervention techniques. An IRR of 89% for 2 independent psycho-oncological raters was reached. The 22 techniques were classified into 5 superordinate categories. <b><i>Discussion/Conclusion:</i></b> We developed a comprehensive and structured taxonomy of psycho-oncological intervention techniques in an acute care hospital that provides a standardized basis for systematic research and applied care. We expect our work to be continuously subjected to further development: future research should evaluate and expand our taxonomy to other contexts and care settings.


Author(s):  
Han Shi Jocelyn Chew ◽  
Violeta Lopez

Objective: To provide an overview of what is known about the impact of COVID-19 on weight and weight-related behaviors. Methods: Systematic scoping review using the Arksey and O’Malley methodology. Results: A total of 19 out of 396 articles were included. All studies were conducted using online self-report surveys. The average age of respondents ranged from 19 to 47 years old, comprised of more females. Almost one-half and one-fifth of the respondents gained and lost weight during the COVID-19 pandemic, respectively. Among articles that examined weight, diet and physical activity changes concurrently, weight gain was reported alongside a 36.3% to 59.6% increase in total food consumption and a 67.4% to 61.4% decrease in physical activities. Weight gain predictors included female sex, middle-age, increased appetite, snacking after dinner, less physical exercise, sedentary behaviors of ≥6 h/day, low water consumption and less sleep at night. Included articles did not illustrate significant associations between alcohol consumption, screen time, education, place of living and employment status, although sedentary behaviors, including screen time, did increase significantly. Conclusions: Examining behavioral differences alone is insufficient in predicting weight status. Future research could examine differences in personality and coping mechanisms to design more personalized and effective weight management interventions.


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