Discussing patient preferences for levels of life-sustaining treatment: development and pilot testing of a Danish POLST form

Background Medically frail and/or chronically ill patients are often admitted to Danish hospitals without documentation of patient preferences. This may lead to inappropriate care. Modelled on the American Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST) form, the purpose of the study was to develop and pilot test a Danish POLST form to ensure that patients’ preferences for levels of life-sustaining treatment are known and documented. Methods The study was a mixed methods study. In the initial phase, a Danish POLST form was developed on the basis of literature and recommendations from the National POLST organisation in the US. A pilot test of the Danish POLST form was conducted in hospital wards, general practitioners’ clinics, and nursing homes. Patients were eligible for inclusion if death was assessed as likely within 12 months. The patient and his/her physician engaged in a conversation where patient values, beliefs, goals for care, diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment alternatives were discussed. The POLST form was completed based on the patient’s values and preferences. Family members and/or nursing staff could participate. Participants’ assessments of the POLST form were evaluated using questionnaires, and in-depth interviews were conducted to explore experiences with the POLST form and the conversation. Results In total, 25 patients participated, 45 questionnaires were completed and 14 interviews were conducted. Most participants found the POLST form readable and understandable, and 93% found the POLST form usable to a high or very high degree for discussing preferences regarding life-sustaining treatment. Three themes emerged from the interviews: (a) an understandable document is essential for the conversation, (b) handling and discussing wishes, and (c) significance for the future. Conclusion The Danish version of the POLST form is assessed by patients, families, physicians, and nurses as a useful model for obtaining and documenting Danish patients’ preferences for life-sustaining treatment. However, this needs to be confirmed in a larger-scale study.

Reporting characteristics of systematic review abstracts published in the proceedings of the SBPqO meeting

Aim: This study aimed to assess the reporting characteristics of systematic review abstracts published in the proceedings of the Sociedade Brasileira de Pesquisa Odontológica (SBPqO) meeting. Methods: We selected abstracts published in the SBPqO meeting proceedings of 2019 and 2020, mentioning that a systematic review was conducted in the title, objective or methods sections. One researcher performed the screening and the data extraction after a pilot test training. The following data were extracted: affiliation of the primary author, dental specialization, the term “systematic review” mentioned in the title, reporting of the objective, reporting of eligibility criteria, reporting of information sources, reporting of the number of included studies and if a meta-analysis was performed. A descriptive analysis of the data was performed with data summarized as frequencies. Results: We included 235 abstracts. A total of 20 studies were from the Universidade de Uberlândia (8.5%), and the main specialization was Restorative and Esthetic Dentistry, with 47 studies (20%). Most of the studies mentioned the term “systematic review” in the title (n=219; 93.2%) and reported the objective (n=231; 98.3%). A great majority of studies did not report the eligibility criteria (n=97; 41.3%) or it was classified as unclear (n=96; 40.8%). The great majority of studies only reported the databases searched (n=103; 43.8%) or databases and date of search (n=74; 31.5%). Most of the studies reported the number of included studies (n=204; 86.8%). Conclusion: Based on this study, the reporting characteristics of systematic review abstracts published in the proceedings of the SBPqO meeting are satisfactory. However, there is room for improvement.

Green Technology for Industrial Development in Colombia

Colombia's economy is the fourth largest in Latin America. Though there has been significant growth in modern industries, most industries are still driven by agriculture and commodities. The main challenges Colombian industries face include becoming more energy-efficient, modernizing processes and organizational structures, and reducing their environmental impact. In the meantime, the Republic of Korea has made significant efforts to fuel its economy through innovation, and there is also a similarity in terms of both countries' interest and commitment to use ICT as a basis for their growth. This chapter presents a project that is a pilot test of adaptive transfer of “green” ICT technology innovation developed by specialized agencies/private sector in the Republic of Korea, to be applied to a host of Colombian industrial sectors volunteering to participate with the purpose of improving production through environmentally friendly technology.

Quantum Caring for Parents: Tradução e adaptação da aplicação móvel para português

Objective: Translate and adapt the Quantum Care for Parents- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit mobile application to Portuguese language and culture.Method: Methodological study that covered the stages of translation, synthesis of translations, retroversion, synthesis of retroversions, evaluation by 20 neonatology experts to validate content, and pilot test applied to 20 Portuguese parents with children hospitalized in the neonatology unit. The content validity was supported by the Lawshe Model and for the lexicographic analysis of the content of the experts' suggestions, the IRaMuTeQ software was used.Results: The evaluation criteria were semantic, cultural and conceptual equivalence between the original app and the translation. Content validity was good for the number of experts. The following classes emerged from the lexicographic analysis of the suggestions: Adequacy of information, Availability of Information to parents, Simplification of Information and Facilitation of Usability. In the pilot test, all items were classified as clear.Conclusion: The mobile application showed validity of content indicative of good adaptation to the Portuguese language and culture and, after the introduction of the experts' suggestions and pilot test, it is considered a good resource to support health education and parental health literacy in the unit neonatology. Objetivo: Traducir y adaptar a la lengua y cultura portuguesa la aplicación móvil Quantum Care for Parents - Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Metodología: Estudio metodológico que contempló las etapas de traducción, síntesis de las traducciones, retroversión, síntesis de las retroversiones, evaluación por 20 expertos en neonatología para hacer la validación de contenidos y prueba piloto aplicada a 20 padres portugueses con hijos internados en la unidad de neonatología. La validez del contenido se apoyó en el Modelo de Lawshe y para el análisis lexicográfico del contenido de las sugerencias de los expertos se utilizó el software IRaMuTeQ. Resultados: Los criterios de evaluación fueron la equivalencia semántica, cultural y conceptual entre la app original y la traducción. La validez del contenido fue buena para el número de expertos. Del análisis lexicográfico de las sugerencias emergen las clases: Adecuación de la información, Disponibilidad de la información para los padres, Simplificación de la información y Facilitación del uso. En la prueba piloto, todos los elementos se clasificaron como claros. Conclusión: La aplicación móvil mostró validez de contenido indicativo de buena adaptación a la lengua y cultura portuguesa y, tras la introducción de las sugerencias de los expertos y de la prueba piloto, se considera un buen recurso de apoyo a la educación para la salud y para la alfabetización parental en salud en la unidad de neonatología. Objetivo: Traduzir e adaptar para a língua e cultura portuguesa a aplicação móvel Quantum Care for Parents- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Método: Estudo metodológico que contemplou as etapas de tradução, síntese das traduções, retroversão, síntese das retroversões, avaliação por 20 peritos em neonatologia para fazer a validação de conteúdo, e teste piloto aplicado a 20 pais portugueses com filhos internados na unidade de neonatologia. A validade de conteúdo foi suportada pelo Modelo de Lawshe e para a análise lexicográfica do conteúdo das sugestões dos peritos, recorreu-se ao software IRaMuTeQ. Resultados: Os critérios de avaliação foram a equivalência semântica, cultural e concetual entre a app original e a tradução. A Validade de Conteúdo foi boa para o número de peritos. Da análise lexicográfica das sugestões emergiram as classes: Adequação da informação, Disponibilização da Informação aos pais, Simplificação da Informação e Facilitação da Usabilidade. No teste piloto todos os itens foram classificados como claros. Conclusão: A aplicação móvel apresentou validade de conteúdo indicativa de boa adaptação à língua e cultura portuguesa e, após a introdução das sugestões dos peritos e teste piloto, considera-se um bom recurso de apoio à educação para a saúde e literacia parental em saúde, na unidade de neonatologia.

Framework for the Promotion of Accountability in the Social Economy: The Specific Case of Private Social Solidarity Institutions

Given the extreme importance of improving the accountability of Private Social Solidarity Institutions (IPSS), both for reasons of legal compliance (hard law) and for reasons of improving legitimacy and notoriety among their stakeholders (soft law), this paper aims to present a framework designed under a more comprehensive research project, for the assessment of IPSS accountability and, consequently, its improvement. This study also present results of the indicators conceived, identifying the main trends of the framework dimensions and sub-dimensions from a pilot test for the years 2018, 2019 and 2020 in Portugal. Given the results, we believe that the framework designed answers the research question: How to promote accountability (social, financial and economic) in the social economy sector, in particular: the case of the IPSS?, however, as this is an exploratory article, it incorporates the limitation that this is a pilot test with only 7 entities.

Multidimensional Measure of Instrumental Support in Transitional Care – Design and Pilot Test of a Questionnaire Assessing Instrumental Support Among Older Adults With Chronic Diseases

Background: Previous studies indicated that poor quantity and quality of instrumental support are one of the main barriers in the application of transitional care. Instrumental support, as one common function of social support, is the provision of financial assistance, material goods, or services. The purpose of our study is to develop a Instrumental Support in Transitional Care Questionnaire (ISTCQ), and use this questionnaire to make an assessment among older adults with chronic diseases. Methods: The draft questionnaire was examined by 18 experts from different professional fields performing three rounds of content validity testing with Delphi method. Afterwards, we conducted a pilot test recruiting 174 participants as a convenience sample in Nantong, China. The construct validity was confirmed via exploratory factor analysis and reliability was assessed using Cronbach's alpha. Results: The authority coefficient of experts was 0.74-0.99 and Kendall harmony coefficient W was 0.381. The exploratory factor analysis indicated that the questionnaire can be interpreted by three factors: namely, anticipated support (items 1, 2, 3, 4), received support (items 5, 6, 7, 8) and support satisfaction (items 9, 10, 11, 12). These three factors (eigenvalues > 1 and factor loading > 0.4) explained 69.128% of the total variance. Furthermore, the calculation of Cronbach's alpha and test-retest reliability have showed good reliability among each dimension of the 12-item questionnaire (Cronbach's alpha 0.711–0.827, test-retest reliability 0.704-0.818). Conclusion: Results from the pilot test demonstrated excellent reliability and validity of ISTCQ through each dimension and as an entire.