Narrative Review: Clinical Implications and Assessment of Frailty in Patients With Advanced CKD.

Frailty is a multidimensional clinical syndrome characterized by low physical activity, reduced strength, accumulation of multiorgan deficits, decreased physiological reserve, and vulnerability to stressors. Frailty has key social, psychological, and cognitive implications. Frailty is accelerated by uremia, leading to a high prevalence of frailty in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) as well as contributing to adverse outcomes in this patient population. Frailty assessment is not routine in patients with CKD; however, a number of validated clinical assessment tools can assist in prognostication. Frailty assessment in nephrology populations supports shared decision-making and advanced communication and should inform key medical transitions. Frailty screening and interventions in CKD or ESKD are a developing research priority with a rapidly expanding literature base.

The COVID-19 Pandemic: Bereavement Experiences Between Hospital and Home Deaths in Palliative Care.

BACKGROUND: Australian COVID-19 public health measures reduced opportunities for people to communicate with healthcare professionals and be present at the death of family members/friends. AIM: To understand if pandemic-specific challenges and public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic impacted end-of-life and bereavement experiences differently if the death, supported by palliative care, occurred in a hospital or at home. DESIGN: A cross-sectional online survey was completed by bereaved adults during 2020-2022. Analyses compared home and in-patient palliative care deaths and bereavement outcomes. Additional analyses compared health communication outcomes for those identified as persons responsible or next of kin. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Of 744 bereaved people; 69% (n = 514) had a death in hospital and 31% (n = 220) at home. RESULTS: The COVID-19 public health measures influenced people's decision to die at home. Compared to hospital deaths, the home death group had higher levels of grief severity and grief-related functional impairment. Only 37% of bereaved people received information about bereavement and support services. 38% of participants who were at least 12 months postdeath scored at a level suggestive of possible prolonged grief disorder. Levels of depression and anxiety between the two groups were not significantly different. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the need for health services to recognize bereavement as fundamental to palliative and health care and provide pre- and post death grief and bereavement care to ensure supports are available particularly for those managing end-of-life at home, and that such supports are in place prior to as well as at the time of the death.

Use of frailty assessment instruments in nephrology populations: a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Frailty is a clinical syndrome of accelerated aging associated with adverse outcomes. Frailty is prevalent among patients with chronic kidney disease but is infrequently assessed in clinical settings, due to lack of consensus regarding frailty definitions and diagnostic tools. This study aimed to review the practice of frailty assessment in nephrology populations and evaluate the context and timing of frailty assessment. METHODS: The search included published reports of frailty assessment in patients with chronic kidney disease, undergoing dialysis or in receipt of a kidney transplant, published between January 2000 and November 2021. Medline, CINAHL, Embase, PsychINFO, PubMed and Cochrane Library databases were examined. A total of 164 articles were included for review. RESULTS: We found that studies were most frequently set within developed nations. Overall, 161 studies were frailty assessments conducted as part of an observational study design, and 3 within an interventional study. Studies favoured assessment of participants with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and transplant candidates. A total of 40 different frailty metrics were used. The most frequently utilised tool was the Fried frailty phenotype. Frailty prevalence varied across populations and research settings from 2.8% among participants with CKD to 82% among patients undergoing haemodialysis. Studies of frailty in conservatively managed populations were infrequent (N = 4). We verified that frailty predicts higher rates of adverse patient outcomes. There is sufficient literature to justify future meta-analyses. CONCLUSIONS: There is increasing recognition of frailty in nephrology populations and the value of assessment in informing prognostication and decision-making during transitions in care. The Fried frailty phenotype is the most frequently utilised assessment, reflecting the feasibility of incorporating objective measures of frailty and vulnerability into nephrology clinical assessment. Further research examining frailty in low and middle income countries as well as first nations people is required. Future work should focus on interventional strategies exploring frailty rehabilitation.

Frailty in chronic kidney disease: challenges in nephrology practice. A review of current literature.

Frailty is a multidimensional clinical syndrome characterised by low physical activity, reduced strength, accumulation of multi-organ deficits, decreased physiological reserve and vulnerability to stressors. Frailty pathogenesis and 'inflammageing' is augmented by uraemia, leading to a high prevalence of frailty potentially contributing to adverse outcomes in patients with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD), including end-stage kidney disease (ESKD). The presence of frailty is a stronger predictor of CKD outcomes than estimated glomerular filtration rate and more aligned with dialysis outcomes than age. Frailty assessment should form part of routine assessment of patients with CKD and inform key medical transitions. Frailty screening and interventions in CKD/ESKD should be a research priority.

ACT Transition from Hospital to Home Orthopaedic Survey: a cross-sectional survey of unplanned 30-day readmissions for patients having total hip arthroplasty.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to identify patient, hospital and transitional factors associated with unplanned 30-day readmissions in patients who had a total hip arthroplasty (THA). DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey was performed. All patients attending a 6-week follow-up after a THA in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) at four public and private clinics in the ACT from 1 February 2018 to 31 January 2019, were invited to complete an ACT Transition from Hospital to Home Orthopaedic Survey. PARTICIPANTS: Within the ACT, 431 patients over the age of 16 attending their 6-week post-surgery consultation following a THA entered and completed the survey (response rate 77%). PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE: The primary outcome measure was self-reported readmissions for any reason within 30 days of discharge after a THA. Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate ORs of factors associated with unplanned 30-day readmissions. RESULTS: Of the 431 participants (representing 40% of all THAs conducted in the ACT during the study period), 27 (6%) were readmitted within 30 days of discharge. After controlling for age and sex, patients who did not feel rested on discharge were more likely to be readmitted within 30 days than those who felt rested on discharge (OR=5.75, 95% CI: (2.13 to 15.55), p=0.001). There was no association between post-hospital syndrome (ie, in-hospital experiences of pain, sleep and diet) overall and readmission. Patients who suffered peripheral vascular disease (PVD) were significantly more likely to have an unplanned 30-day readmission (OR=16.9, 95% CI: (3.06 to 93.53), p=0.001). There was no significant difference between private and public patient readmissions CONCLUSIONS: Hospitals should develop strategies that maximise rest and sleep during patients' hospital stay. Diagnosis and optimum treatment of pre-existing PVD prior to THA should also be a priority to minimise the odds of subsequent unplanned readmissions.

Understanding factors affecting 30-day unplanned readmissions for patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA): the ACT Transition from Hospital to Home Orthopaedics Survey.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate factors associated with unplanned 30-day readmissions following a total knee arthroplasty (TKA), including association with post-hospital syndrome, patient enablement and transition from hospital to home. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A cross-sectional written survey of public and private patients attending a 6-week follow-up appointment after TKA at one of four clinical services in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) between 1 February 2018 and 31 January 2019. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to measure associations between patient, hospital and transitional care factors with unplanned 30-day readmissions, while controlling for known confounders. RESULTS: Of the 380 participants who completed the survey (n=380, 54% of TKAs undertaken over the study period), 3.4% (n=13; 95% CI: 1.8 to 5.8) were subsequently readmitted within 30 days of discharge after a primary hospitalisation. Public patients were significantly more likely to be readmitted within 30 days compared with private patients (adjusted OR=6.31, 95% CI: 1.59 to 25.14, p=0.009), and patients who attended rehabilitation were significantly less likely to be readmitted within 30 days of discharge than those who did not (adjusted OR=0.16, 95% CI: 0.04 to 0.57, p=0.005). There were no associations between post-hospital syndrome or patient enablement and 30-day readmissions in this study. CONCLUSION: Reasons underlying the difference in unplanned readmission rates for public versus private patients need to be explored, including differences in surgical waiting times and the consequences for impairment and disease complexity. Strategies to foster increased participation post-surgical rehabilitation programmes need to be developed as an avenue to mitigate the burden of unplanned 30-day readmissions on individuals and health systems.

'Traversing difficult terrain'. Advance care planning in residential aged care through multidisciplinary case conferences: A qualitative interview study exploring the experiences of families, staff and health professionals.

BACKGROUND: Advance care planning improves the quality of end-of-life care for older persons in residential aged care; however, its uptake is low. Case conferencing facilitates advance care planning. AIM: To explore the experience of participating in advance care planning discussions facilitated through multidisciplinary case conferences from the perspectives of families, staff and health professionals. DESIGN: A qualitative study (February-July 2019) using semi-structured interviews. SETTING: Two residential aged care facilities in one Australian rural town. PARTICIPANTS: Fifteen informants [family (n = 4), staff (n = 5), health professionals (n = 6)] who had participated in advance care planning discussions facilitated through multidisciplinary case conferences. RESULTS: Advance care planning was like navigating an emotional landscape while facing the looming loss of a loved one. This emotional burden was exacerbated for substitute decision-makers, but made easier if the resident had capacity to be involved or had previously made their wishes clearly known. The 'conversation' was not a simple task, and required preparation time. Multidisciplinary case conferences facilitated informed decision-making and shared responsibility. Opportunity to consider all care options provided families with clarity, control and a sense of comfort. This enabled multiple stakeholders to bond and connect around the resident. CONCLUSION: While advance care planning is an important element of high quality care it involves significant emotional labour and burden for families, care staff and health professionals. It is not a simple administrative task to be completed, but a process that requires time and space for reflection and consensus-building to support well-considered decisions. Multidisciplinary case conferences support this process.

The impact of introducing Palliative Care Needs Rounds into rural residential aged care: A quasi-experimental study.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the impact of introducing Palliative Care Needs Rounds (hereafter Needs Rounds) into residential aged care on hospitalisations (emergency department presentations, admissions and length of stay) and documentation of advance care plans. DESIGN: A quasi-experimental study. SETTING: Two residential aged care facilities in one rural town in the Snowy Monaro region of New South Wales, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: The intervention group consisted of all residents who died during the study period (April 2018-March 2019), and included a subgroup of decedents who were discussed in a Needs Round. The control cohort included all residents who died in the three-year period prior to introducing Needs Rounds (2015-2017). INTERVENTION: Needs Rounds are monthly onsite triage/risk stratification meetings where case-based education and staff support help to identify residents most at risk of dying without an adequate plan in place. Needs Rounds were attended by residential aged care staff and led by a palliative medicine physician. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Decedents' hospitalisations (emergency department presentations, admissions and length of stay) in the last three months of life, place of death and documentation of advance care plans. RESULTS: Eleven Needs Rounds were conducted between April and September 2018. The number of documented advance care plans increased (P < .01). There were no statistically significant changes in hospitalisations or in-hospital deaths. CONCLUSION: Needs Rounds are an effective approach to increase the documentation of advance care plans within rural residential aged care. Further studies are required to explore the rural influence on outcomes including hospital transfers and preferred place of death.

Postoperative Delirium Following Joint Replacement in Patients With Dementia in New South Wales, Australia: A State-Wide Retrospective Cohort Study.

The objective of the current study was to investigate the variation in postoperative delirium in patients with dementia undergoing joint replacement in New South Wales (NSW) Australia public hospitals, identify factors related to its occurrence, and explore the volume-outcome relationship. The NSW Admitted Patient Data (July 2001 to June 2014) were used in this study and included patients with dementia undergoing joint replacement who were 65 or older with minor to severe comorbidities. Mixed-effect logistic models were applied to investigate hospital-level variation and factors associated with postoperative delirium. The between-hospital variability of postoperative delirium was 0.19% prior to 2008-2009 and 8.32% after 2008-2009. Hospital volume was not inversely associated with postoperative delirium rate. During 2001-2014, the incidence of postoperative delirium increased by 13% per annum (95% confidence interval [CI] 10% to 16%), while it increased by 15% per annum (95% CI 8% to 22%) after 2008-2009. An integrated approach addressing complex needs of patients with dementia may reduce the observed unwarranted variation and improve surgical outcomes. [Research in Gerontological Nursing, 13(5), 243-253.].

Choice of Statistical Tools for Outlier Removal Causes Substantial Changes in Analyte Reference Intervals in Healthy Populations.

BACKGROUND: Reference intervals are an important aid in medical practice as they provide clinicians a guide as to whether a patient is healthy or diseased.Outlier results in population studies are removed by any of a variety of statistical measures. We have compared several methods of outlier removal and applied them to a large body of analytes from a large population of healthy persons. METHODS: We used the outlier exclusion criteria of Reed-Dixon and Tukey and calculated reference intervals using nonparametric and Harrell-Davis statistical methods and applied them to a total of 36 different analytes. RESULTS: Nine of 36 analytes had a greater than 20% difference in the upper reference limit, and for some the difference was 100% or more. CONCLUSIONS: For some analytes, great importance is attached to the reference interval. We have shown that different statistical methods for outlier removal can cause large changes to reported reference intervals. So that population studies can be readily compared, common statistical methods should be used for outlier removal.

Relative importance of clinical and sociodemographic factors in association with post-operative in-hospital deaths in colorectal cancer patients in New South Wales: An artificial neural network approach.

RATIONALE, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Co-morbidities in colorectal cancer patients complicate hospital care, and their relative importance to post-operative deaths is largely unknown. This study was conducted to examine a range of clinical and sociodemographic factors in relation to post-operative in-hospital deaths in colorectal cancer patients and identify whether these contributions would vary by severity of co-morbidities. METHODS: In this multicentre retrospective cohort study, we used the complete census of New South Wales inpatient data to select colorectal cancer patients admitted to public hospitals for acute surgical care, who underwent procedures on the digestive system during the period of July 2001 to June 2014. The primary outcome was in-hospital death at the end of acute care. Multilayer perceptron and back-propagation artificial neural networks (ANNs) were used to quantify the relative importance of a wide range of clinical and sociodemographic factors in relation to post-operative deaths, stratified by severity of co-morbidities based on Charlson co-morbidity index. RESULTS: Of 6288 colorectal cancer patients, approximately 58.3% (n = 3669) had moderate to severe co-morbidities. A total of 464 (7.4%) died in hospitals. The performance for ANN models was superior to logistic models. Co-morbid musculoskeletal and mental disorders, adverse events in health care, and socio-economic factors including rural residence and private insurance status contributed to post-operative deaths in hospitals. CONCLUSION: Identification of relative importance of factors contributing to in-hospital deaths in colorectal cancer patients using ANN may help to enhance patient-centred strategies to meet complex needs during acute surgical care and prevent post-operative in-hospital deaths.

Identifying hotspots of type 2 diabetes risk using general practice data and geospatial analysis: an approach to inform policy and practice.

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) is increasing worldwide and there is a need to identify communities with a high-risk profile and to develop appropriate primary care interventions. This study aimed to predict future T2D risk and identify community-level geographic variations using general practices data. The Australian T2D risk assessment (AUSDRISK) tool was used to calculate the individual T2D risk scores using 55693 clinical records from 16 general practices in west Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. Spatial clusters and potential 'hotspots' of T2D risk were examined using Local Moran's I and the Getis-Ord Gi* techniques. Further, the correlation between T2D risk and the socioeconomic status of communities were mapped. Individual risk scores were categorised into three groups: low risk (34.0% of participants), moderate risk (35.2% of participants) and high risk (30.8% of participants). Spatial analysis showed heterogeneity in T2D risk across communities, with significant clusters in the central part of the study area. These study results suggest that routinely collected data from general practices offer a rich source of data that may be a useful and efficient approach for identifying T2D hotspots across communities. Mapping aggregated T2D risk offers a novel approach to identifying areas of unmet need.

Adverse drug reactions due to opioid analgesic use in New South Wales, Australia: a spatial-temporal analysis.

BACKGROUND: Pharmaceutical opioid analgesic use continues to rise and is associated with potentially preventable harm including hospitalisation for adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Spatial detection of opioid-related ADRs can inform future intervention strategies. We aimed to investigate the geographical disparity in hospitalised ADRs related to opioid analgesic use, and to evaluate the difference in patient characteristics between areas inside and outside the geographic clusters. METHODS: We used the all-inclusive Admitted Patient Dataset for an Australian state (New South Wales, NSW) to identify patients admitted for opioid-related ADRs over a 10-year period (July 2004 to June 2014). A space-time analysis was conducted using Kulldroff's scan statistics to identify statistically significant spatial clusters over time. Relative risk (RR) was computed with p-value based on Monte Carlo Simulation. Chi-square test was used to compare proportional difference in patient clustering. RESULTS: During the study period, we identified four statistically significant geographic clusters (RRs: 1.63-2.17) during 2004-08; and seven clusters (RRs: 1.23-1.69) during the period 2009-14. While identified high-risk clusters primarily covered areas with easier access to health services, those associated with socioeconomically disadvantaged areas and individuals with mental health disorders experienced more unmet healthcare needs for opioid analgesic safety than those from the rest of the State. Older people (≥65 years and over) accounted for 62.7% of the total study population and were more susceptible to opioid-related ADRs than younger people,. In the first five-year period the clusters included a greater proportion of people with cancer in contrast to the second five-year period in which there was a lesser proportion of people with cancer. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that there is significant spatial-temporal variation in opioid-related ADRs and future interventions should target vulnerable populations and high-risk geographical areas to improve safer use of pharmaceutical opioid analgesics.

Hospital psychosocial interventions for patients with brain functional impairment: A retrospective cohort study.

Psychosocial interventions could improve health and care outcomes, however, little is known about their use for patients with complex needs in the acute hospital care setting. This study aimed to evaluate factors associated with psychosocial intervention use when treating patients with brain functional impairment during their hospital care. The all-inclusive New South Wales (NSW) Admitted Patient Data were employed to identify patients with neurodevelopment disorders, brain degenerative disorders, or traumatic brain injuries admitted to NSW public hospitals for acute care from July 2001 to June 2014. We considered receipt of psychosocial interventions as the primary outcome, and used mixed effect logistic models to quantify factors in relation to outcome. Of important note, psychosocial intervention use was more common in principal hospitals, and amongst those receiving intensive care or having comorbid mental disorders in the study populations. Approximate 70.8% of patients with traumatic brain injuries did not receive psychosocial interventions, despite attempts to target those in need and an overall increasing trend in adoption. Continuing efforts are warranted to improve service delivery and uptake.

Patterns of comorbidities in hospitalised cancer survivors for palliative care and associated in-hospital mortality risk: A latent class analysis of a statewide all-inclusive inpatient data.

BACKGROUND: At the end of life, cancer survivors often experience exacerbations of complex comorbidities requiring acute hospital care. Few studies consider comorbidity patterns in cancer survivors receiving palliative care. AIM: To identify patterns of comorbidities in cancer patients receiving palliative care and factors associated with in-hospital mortality risk. DESIGN, SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: New South Wales Admitted Patient Data Collection data were used for this retrospective cohort study with 47,265 cancer patients receiving palliative care during the period financial year 2001-2013. A latent class analysis was used to identify complex comorbidity patterns. A regression mixture model was used to identify risk factors in relation to in-hospital mortality in different latent classes. RESULTS: Five comorbidity patterns were identified: 'multiple comorbidities and symptoms' (comprising 9.1% of the study population), 'more symptoms' (27.1%), 'few comorbidities' (39.4%), 'genitourinary and infection' (8.7%), and 'circulatory and endocrine' (15.6%). In-hospital mortality was the highest for 'few comorbidities' group and the lowest for 'more symptoms' group. Severe comorbidities were associated with elevated mortality in patients from 'multiple comorbidities and symptoms', 'more symptoms', and 'genitourinary and infection' groups. Intensive care was associated with a 37% increased risk of in-hospital deaths in those presenting with more 'multiple comorbidities and symptoms', but with a 22% risk reduction in those presenting with 'more symptoms'. CONCLUSION: Identification of comorbidity patterns and risk factors for in-hospital deaths in cancer patients provides an avenue to further develop appropriate palliative care strategies aimed at improving outcomes in cancer survivors.

Health-related lifestyles and obesity among adults with and without disability in Australia: Implication for mental health care.

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have reported people with disabilities are more likely to be obese and engaged in unhealthy lifestyles. Few studies explored the mechanism of health-related lifestyles and obesity among people with disabilities. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate health-related lifestyles and obesity in relation to disability among Australian adults. We further aimed to explore the potential mediating effect of psychological distress for disability in relation to health related lifestyles and obesity. METHODS: Using the National Health Survey conducted in 2015 in Australia, we considered non-institutionalised adult participants (aged 18 + years old) as our study population (n = 11,598). Study outcomes included currently smoking, smoking daily, alcohol consumption, physical exercises, and obesity. We considered high psychological distress (Kessler 10 scores ≥ 22) a potential mediator for the disability-lifestyles and disability-obesity associations. Sample weights were calculated allowing for complex survey design. Adjusted Odds Ratios and 95% Confidence Intervals were evaluated using weighted Logistic regression models. RESULTS: Compared to their disability-free counterparts, people with disabilities were more likely to be current smokers (aOR: 1.26, 95%CI: 1.08-1.47) and have obesity problems (1.44, 1.27-1.64), and were less likely to do physical exercises (0.67, 0.58-0.77), after controlling for socio-environmental factors. In the presence of high psychological distress, the disability-smoking association was no longer significant, and associations of disability-exercise (0.72, 0.62-0.84) and disability-obesity (1.38, 1.22-1.57) were influenced but remained significant. CONCLUSION: High psychological distress demonstrated important mediating effects. Tailored mental health care for people with disabilities might have the utility to reduce unhealthy behaviors.

Trends in adverse drug reaction-related hospitalisations over 13 years in New South Wales, Australia.

BACKGROUND: Adverse drug reactions (ADR) are severe problems in global public health, and result in high mortality and morbidity. Various trends of ADR-related hospitalisations have been studied in many countries, while estimates of the trends in Australia are limited. AIM: To examine trends in ADR-related hospitalisations in New South Wales (NSW). METHODS: Data were extracted from the Admitted Patient Data Collection, a census of hospital separations in NSW. We estimated age-adjusted rates of ADR-related hospitalisation between 1 July 2001 and 30 June 2014 and rates by patient characteristics, main therapeutic medication groups and clinical condition groups that warranted the hospitalisation. We used the percentage change annualised estimator to evaluate rates over time. RESULTS: A total of 315 274 NSW residents admitted for urgent care of ADR was identified. The age-adjusted rates of ADR-related hospitalisations nearly doubled and increased by 5.8% (95% CI: 5.0-6.6%) per annum, with an in-hospital death rate increase of 2.4% (1.6-3.3%). Agranulocytosis (2.7%), nausea and vomiting (2.4%) and heart failure (2.4%) were the most common conditions that led to ADR-related hospitalisations over 13 years, with acute renal failure (1.4%) recently emerging as the leading adverse condition. Participants aged between 65 and 84 years accounted for nearly half of ADR hospitalisations (45.6%), with age-adjusted rate increasing from 103.9 in 2001-2002 to 189.0 per 100 000 NSW residents in 2013-2014. Anticoagulants (13.5%) were the most common medications contributing to ADR-related hospitalisation, followed by opioid analgesics (9.6%). CONCLUSION: ADR-related hospitalisation remains a population health burden, with significant increase over time. The findings call for continuing efforts to prevent ADR, especially among high-risk populations, such as older people.

The 'safe death': An ethnographic study exploring the perspectives of rural palliative care patients and family caregivers.

BACKGROUND: In rural settings, relationships between place and self are often stronger than for urban residents, so one may expect that rural people would view dying at home as a major feature of the 'good death'. AIM: To explore the concept of the 'good death' articulated by rural patients with life-limiting illnesses, and their family caregivers. DESIGN: Ethnography, utilising open-ended interviews, observations and field-notes. PARTICIPANTS: In total, 12 rural (town and farm) patients with life-limiting illnesses, 18 family caregivers and 6 clinicians, in the Snowy Monaro region of New South Wales, Australia, participated in this study over the course of the deaths of the patients. Interviews were transcribed and analysed with observational data using an emergent thematic process. RESULTS: A 'safe death' was central to a 'good death' and was described as a death in which one could maintain (1) a connection with one's previous identity; (2) autonomy and control over decisions regarding management of end-of-life care and (3) not being overwhelmed by the physical management of the dying process. For all participants, the preferred place of death was the 'safe place', regardless of its physical location. CONCLUSION: Safety, in this study, is related to a familiar place for death. A home death is not essential for and does not ensure a 'good death'. We all have a responsibility to ensure all places for dying can deliver the 'safe death'. Future research could explore the inter-relationships between safety and preference for home or home-like places of death.

Variation in and factors associated with psychosocial interventions for hospitalised self-harm patients in New South Wales, Australia.

OBJECTIVE: Psychosocial interventions demonstrate benefits during care for self-harm patients, however their adoption in hospital care remain largely unknown. This study aimed to evaluate the variation in and factors associated with psychosocial intervention use when treating self-harm patients at New South Wales (NSW) public hospitals. METHOD: We used the all-inclusive NSW Admitted Patient Data from July 2001 to June 2014. The primary outcome was receipt of hospital based psychosocial intervention. Mixed effect logistic models were used to quantify the between-hospital variation and patient and hospital-level characteristics in relation to outcome. RESULTS: It was noted that over the 13-year study period, the use of psychosocial intervention increased over time by 4% per annum. Substantial variation in use was observed between hospitals, and receipt of psychosocial interventions were also associated with patient characteristics such as increasing age and an increasing number of comorbid mental disorders. CONCLUSION: Despite the increasing trend in use of psychosocial intervention, it was not commonly adopted in many hospitals when treating self-harm patients, even cases with greater needs, suggesting substantial potential to improve uptake and targeting.