scholarly journals Developing WHO guidelines: Time to formally include evidence from mathematical modelling studies

F1000Research ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 1584 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Egger ◽  
Leigh Johnson ◽  
Christian Althaus ◽  
Anna Schöni ◽  
Georgia Salanti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Modelling ◽  
The Body ◽  
World Health ◽  
Who Guidelines ◽  
Problem Model ◽  
Assessment Development ◽  
Modelling Studies ◽  
Health Organization

In recent years, the number of mathematical modelling studies has increased steeply. Many of the questions addressed in these studies are relevant to the development of World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, but modelling studies are rarely formally included as part of the body of evidence. An expert consultation hosted by WHO, a survey of modellers and users of modelling studies, and literature reviews informed the development of recommendations on when and how to incorporate the results of modelling studies into WHO guidelines. In this article, we argue that modelling studies should routinely be considered in the process of developing WHO guidelines, but particularly in the evaluation of public health programmes, long-term effectiveness or comparative effectiveness.  There should be a systematic and transparent approach to identifying relevant published models, and to commissioning new models.  We believe that the inclusion of evidence from modelling studies into the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) process is possible and desirable, with relatively few adaptations.  No single “one-size-fits-all” approach is appropriate to assess the quality of modelling studies. The concept of the ‘credibility’ of the model, which takes the conceptualization of the problem, model structure, input data, different dimensions of uncertainty, as well as transparency and validation into account, is more appropriate than ‘risk of bias’.

scholarly journals Developing WHO guidelines: Time to formally include evidence from mathematical modelling studies

F1000Research ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 1584 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthias Egger ◽  
Leigh Johnson ◽  
Christian Althaus ◽  
Anna Schöni ◽  
Georgia Salanti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Modelling ◽  
The Body ◽  
World Health ◽  
Who Guidelines ◽  
Problem Model ◽  
Assessment Development ◽  
Modelling Studies ◽  
Health Organization

In recent years, the number of mathematical modelling studies has increased steeply. Many of the questions addressed in these studies are relevant to the development of World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, but modelling studies are rarely formally included as part of the body of evidence. An expert consultation hosted by WHO, a survey of modellers and users of modelling studies, and literature reviews informed the development of recommendations on when and how to incorporate the results of modelling studies into WHO guidelines. In this article, we argue that modelling studies should routinely be considered in the process of developing WHO guidelines, but particularly in the evaluation of public health programmes, long-term effectiveness or comparative effectiveness.  There should be a systematic and transparent approach to identifying relevant published models, and to commissioning new models.  We believe that the inclusion of evidence from modelling studies into the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) process is possible and desirable, with relatively few adaptations.  No single “one-size-fits-all” approach is appropriate to assess the quality of modelling studies. The concept of the ‘credibility’ of the model, which takes the conceptualization of the problem, model structure, input data, different dimensions of uncertainty, as well as transparency and validation into account, is more appropriate than ‘risk of bias’.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of trauma centers verification: Protocol for a systematic review

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brice Batomen ◽  
Lynne Moore ◽  
Mabel Carabali ◽  
Pier-Alexandre Tardif ◽  
Howard Champion ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Trauma Center ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
The Body ◽  
World Health ◽  
Trauma Patients ◽  
Assessment Development ◽  
Health Organization

Abstract Background The implementation of trauma systems in many high-income countries over the last 50 years has led to important reductions in injury mortality and disability in many healthcare jurisdictions. Injury organizations including the American College of Surgeons and the Trauma Association of Canada as well as the World Health Organization provide consensus-based recommendations on resources and processes for optimal injury care. Many hospitals treating trauma patients seek verification to demonstrate that they meet these recommendations. This process may be labeled differently across jurisdictions. In Canada for example, it is called accreditation, but it has the same objective and very similar modalities. The objective of the study described in this protocol is to systematically review evidence on the effectiveness of trauma center verification for improving clinical processes and patient outcomes in injury care. Methods We will perform a systematic review of studies evaluating the association between trauma center verification and hospital mortality (primary outcome), as well as morbidity, resource utilization, and processes of care (secondary outcomes). We will search CINAHL, EMBASE, HealthStar, MEDLINE, and ProQuest databases, as well as key injury organization websites for gray literature. We will assess the methodological quality of studies using the Risk Of Bias In Non-randomized Studies – of Interventions (ROBINS-I) assessment tool. We are planning to conduct a meta-analysis if feasible based on the number of included studies and their heterogeneity. We will evaluate the quality of cumulative evidence and strength of recommendations using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) working group methodology. Discussion This review will provide a synthesis of the body of evidence on trauma center verification effectiveness. Results could reinforce current verification modalities and may suggest ways to optimize them. Results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at an international clinical conference. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42018107083.

scholarly journals Psychometric validation of the Chinese version of the PaArticular Scales among elderly residents in long-term care facilities with joint contractures

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi-chang Chen ◽  
Keh-chung Lin ◽  
Chen-Jung Chen ◽  
Shu-Hui Yeh ◽  
Ay-Woan Pan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
World Health Organization ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Chinese Version ◽  
World Health ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Joint Contractures ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization

Abstract Background Joint contractures, which affect activity, participation, and quality of life, are common complications of neurological conditions among elderly residents in long-term care facilities. This study examined the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the PaArticular Scales in a population with joint contractures. Methods A cross-sectional study design was used. The sample included elderly residents older than 64 years with joint contractures in an important joint who had lived at one of 12 long-term care facilities in Taiwan for more than 6 months (N = 243). The Chinese version of the PaArticular Scales for joint contractures was generated from the English version through five stages: translation, review, back-translation, review by a panel of specialists, and a pretest. Test-retest reliability, internal consistency reliability, construct validity, and criterion validity were evaluated, and the results were compared with those for the World Health Organization Quality of Life scale and the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule. Results The Chinese version of the PaArticular Scales had excellent reliability, with a Cronbach α coefficient of 0.975 (mean score, 28.98; standard deviation, 17.34). An exploratory factor analysis showed three factors and one factor with an eigenvalue > 1 that explained 75.176 and 62.83 % of the total variance in the Activity subscale and Participation subscale, respectively. The subscale-to-total scale correlation analysis showed Pearson correlation coefficients of 0.881 for the Activity subscale and 0.843 for the Participation subscale. Pearson’s product-moment correlation revealed that the correlation coefficient (r) between the Chinese version of the PaArticular Scales and the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule was 0.770, whereas that for the World Health Organization Quality of Life scale was − 0.553; these values were interpreted as large coefficients. Conclusions The underlying theoretical model of the Chinese version of the PaArticular Scales functions well in Taiwan and has acceptable levels of reliability and validity. However, the Chinese version must be further tested for applicability and generalizability in future studies, preferably with a larger sample and in different clinical domains.

scholarly journals COVID-19 pandemic. Effects of stress

2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 16-24
Author(s):  
Elena S. Akarachkova ◽  
◽  
Anton A. Beliaev ◽  
Dmitrii V. Blinov ◽  
Evgenii V. Bugorskii ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Preventive Health Care ◽  
Preventive Health ◽  
World Health ◽  
Social Stability ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Health Organization

World Health Organization declared COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Fear of illness, self-isolation/quarantine, and reduced quality of life dramatically increased the prevalence of stress-related disorders in the population. Therefore, it is necessary to implement the preventive health-care measures aimed at short-term and long-term COVID-19 pandemic consequences reduction and promotion of social stability.

scholarly journals Measuring Industrial Health Using a Diminished Quality of Life Instrument

Safety ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zuzhen Ji ◽  
Dirk Pons ◽  
John Pearse
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
World Health ◽  
Workplace Health ◽  
Monitoring And Surveillance ◽  
Industrial Health ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Protective Systems

Historically, the focus of industrial health and safety (H&S) has been on safety and accident avoidance with relatively less attention to long-term occupational health other than via health monitoring and surveillance. The difficulty is the multiple overlapping health consequences that are difficult to separate, measure, and attribute to a source. Furthermore, many health problems occur later, not immediately on exposure, and may be cumulative. Consequently, it is difficult to conclusively identify the cause. Workers may lack knowledge of long-term consequences, and thus not use protective systems effectively. Compounding this is the lack of instruments and methodologies to measure exposure to harm. Historically, the existing risk methodologies for calculating safety risk are based on the construct of consequence and likelihood. However, this may not be appropriate for health, especially for the long-term harm, as both the consequence and likelihood may be indeterminate. This paper develops an instrument to measure the health component of workplace H&S. This is achieved by adapting the established World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS) quality of life score to workplace health. Specifically, the method is to identify the likelihood of an exposure incident arising (as estimated by engineering technologists and H&S officers), followed by evaluation of the biological harm consequences. Those consequences are then scored by using the WHODAS 12-item inventory. The result is an assessment of the Diminished Quality of Life (DQL) associated with a workplace hazard. This may then be used to manage the minimization of harm, exposure monitoring, and the design of safe systems of work.

scholarly journals Psychometric validation of the Chinese version of the PaArticular Scales among elderly residents in long-term care facilities with joint contractures

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi-Chang Chen ◽  
Keh-Chung Lin ◽  
Shu-Hui Yeh ◽  
Ay-Woan Pan ◽  
Hao-Ling Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
World Health Organization ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Chinese Version ◽  
World Health ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Joint Contractures ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization

Abstract Background: Joint contractures, which affect activity, participation, and quality of life, are common complications of neurological conditions among elderly residents in long-term care facilities. The aim of this study is to examine the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the PaArticular Scales in a population with joint contractures. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used. The sample included elderly residents older than 64 years with joint contractures in an important joint who had lived at one of 12 long-term care facilities in Taiwan for more than 6 months (N = 243). The Chinese version of the PaArticular Scales of joint contractures was generated in 5 stages: translation, review, back-translation, review by a panel of specialists, and a pretest. Test-retest reliability, internal consistency reliability, construct validity, and criterion validity were evaluated, and the results were compared with those for the World Health Organization Quality of Life scale and the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule.Results: The Chinese version of the PaArticular Scales had excellent reliability with a Cronbach’s α coefficient of .975 (M = 28.98; SD = 17.34). An exploratory factor analysis showed 3 factors and 1 factor with an eigenvalue > 1 that explained 75.176% and 62.83% of the total variance in the Activity subscale and Participation subscale, respectively. The subscale-to-total scale correlation analysis showed a Pearson correlation coefficient of .881 for the Activity subscale and .843 for the Participation subscale. Pearson’s product-moment correlation revealed that the correlation coefficient (r) between the Chinese version of the PaArticular Scales and the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule was .770, and that for the World Health Organization Quality of Life scale was -.553; these values were interpreted as large coefficients. Conclusions: The underlying theoretical model of the Chinese version of the PaArticular Scales functions well in Taiwan, and it has acceptable levels of reliability and validity. However, the Chinese version needs to be further tested for applicability and generalizability in future studies, preferably with a larger sample and in different clinical domains.Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2000030413. Registered 1 March 2020, http://www.chictr.org.cn/usercenter.aspx

scholarly journals Burden of Care: Management of Cleft Lip and Palate

2019 ◽  
Vol 52 (03) ◽  
pp. 343-348
Author(s):  
Jyotsna Murthy
Keyword(s):  
Care Management ◽  
Cleft Lip ◽  
Cleft Lip And Palate ◽  
World Health ◽  
Treatment Intervention ◽  
Interdisciplinary Care ◽  
Burden Of Care ◽  
Health Organization

AbstractBurden of care has become a commonly used terminology in healthcare in the recent years. Burden of care is the balance how much patients and families commit to their time, compromise quality of life, undergo multiple interventions, and take risks weighing against the benefits the patients and families receive. Cleft lip and palate, congenital anomaly, demands a long-term and interdisciplinary care. These children are at high risk of various treatment/intervention episodes increasing the burden of care. This subject has been widely discussed with many other diseases and health conditions at national, international meetings, and World Health Organization as well. We bring out some facts and practices affecting the burden of care in cleft lip and palate.

scholarly journals Physical Exercise as a Multimodal Tool for COVID-19: Could It Be Used as a Preventive Strategy?

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (22) ◽  
pp. 8496
Author(s):  
Diego Fernández-Lázaro ◽  
Jerónimo J. González-Bernal ◽  
Nerea Sánchez-Serrano ◽  
Lourdes Jiménez Navascués ◽  
Ana Ascaso-del-Río ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physical Exercise ◽  
Exercise Program ◽  
World Health ◽  
Preventive Strategy ◽  
Therapeutic Benefits ◽  
Microbial Infections ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) or coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a novel coronavirus not previously recognized in humans until late 2019. On 31 December 2019, a cluster of cases of pneumonia of unspecified etiology was reported to the World Health Organization in China. The availability of adequate SARS-CoV-2 drugs is also limited, and the efficacy and safety of these drugs for COVID-2019 pneumonia patients need to be assessed by further clinical trials. For these reasons, there is a need for other strategies against COVID-19 that are capable of prevention and treatment. Physical exercise has proven to be an effective therapy for most chronic diseases and microbial infections with preventive/therapeutic benefits, considering that exercise involves primary immunological mediators and/or anti-inflammatory properties. This review aimed to provide an insight into how the implementation of a physical exercise program against COVID-19 may be a useful complementary tool for prevention, which can also enhance recovery, improve quality of life, and provide immune protection against SARS-CoV-2 virus infection in the long term. In summary, physical exercise training exerts immunomodulatory effects, controls the viral gateway, modulates inflammation, stimulates nitric oxide synthesis pathways, and establishes control over oxidative stress.

scholarly journals Care management of the patient with amputation in the inferior limb

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 ◽  
pp. 5-7
Author(s):  
Mariana Anghele ◽  
Valeriu Ardeleanu ◽  
Ștefan Claudiu Chicoş
Keyword(s):  
Care Management ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Human Life ◽  
The Body ◽  
World Health ◽  
Limb Amputation ◽  
Major Objective ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Inferior Limb

Lower limb amputation is a therapeutic solution for peripheral vascular disease that affects more and more people on long term, both socially and emotionally.Changing the appearance and shape of the body requires changes in the patient's life and his environment. Most patients are afraid of these changes, the help of professionals and family being essential for solving medical and social issues. According to the recommendations of the World Health Organization, patients’ evaluation should be extended from deficiencies caused by segmentation to structural deficiencies, through all functional, educational and professional aspects of human life. The purpose of the article is to present the complex way of care and rehabilitation of the patient with amputation at the level of the inferior limb, starting from qualified medical care to social and occupational care. Successful rehabilitation of patients with amputation in the inferior limb is a major objective of the multidisciplinary team.

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