Impact of multimorbidity and polypharmacy on mortality after cancer: a nationwide registry-based cohort study in Denmark 2005-2017.

BACKGROUND: Concurrent chronic diseases and treatment hereof in patients with cancer may increase mortality. In this population-based study we examined the individual and combined impact of multimorbidity and polypharmacy on mortality, across 20 cancers and with 13-years follow-up in Denmark. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This nationwide study included all Danish residents with a first primary cancer diagnosed between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2015, and followed until the end of 2017. We defined multimorbidity as having one or more of 20 chronic conditions in addition to cancer, registered in the five years preceding diagnosis, and polypharmacy as five or more redeemed medications 2-12 months prior to cancer diagnosis. Cox regression analyses were used to estimate the effects of multimorbidity and polypharmacy, as well as the combined effect on mortality. RESULTS: A total of 261,745 cancer patients were included. We found that patients diagnosed with breast, prostate, colon, rectal, oropharynx, bladder, uterine and cervical cancer, malignant melanoma, Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and leukemia had higher mortality when the cancer diagnosis was accompanied by multimorbidity and polypharmacy, while in patients with cancer of the lung, esophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas, kidney, ovarian and brain & central nervous system, these factors had less impact on mortality. CONCLUSION: We found that multimorbidity and polypharmacy was associated with higher mortality in patients diagnosed with cancer types that typically have a favorable prognosis compared with patients without multimorbidity and polypharmacy. Multimorbidity and polypharmacy had less impact on mortality in cancers that typically have a poor prognosis.

Multimorbidity and determinants for initiating outpatient trajectories: A population-based study.

INTRODUCTION: Individuals with multimorbidity often receive high numbers of hospital outpatient services in concurrent trajectories. Nevertheless, little is known about factors associated with initiating new hospital outpatient trajectories; identified as the continued use of outpatient contacts for the same medical condition. PURPOSE: To investigate whether the number of chronic conditions and sociodemographic characteristics in adults with multimorbidity is associated with entering a hospital outpatient trajectory in this population. METHODS: This population-based register study included all adults in Denmark with multimorbidity on January 1, 2018. The exposures were number of chronic conditions and sociodemographic characteristics, and the outcome was the rate of starting a new outpatient trajectory during 2018. Analyses were stratified by the number of existing outpatient trajectories. We used Poisson regression analysis, and results were expressed as incidence rates and incidence rate ratios with 95% confidence intervals. We followed the individuals during the entire year of 2018, accounting for person-time by hospitalization, emigration, and death. RESULTS: Incidence rates for new outpatient trajectories were highest for individuals with low household income and ≥3 existing trajectories and for individuals with ≥3 chronic conditions and in no already established outpatient trajectory. A high number of chronic conditions and male gender were found to be determinants for initiating a new outpatient trajectory, regardless of the number of existing trajectories. Low educational level was a determinant when combined with 1, 2, and ≥3 existing trajectories, and increasing age, western ethnicity, and unemployment when combined with 0, 1, and 2 existing trajectories. CONCLUSION: A high number of chronic conditions, male gender, high age, low educational level and unemployment were determinants for initiation of an outpatient trajectory. The rate was modified by the existing number of outpatient trajectories. The results may help identify those with multimorbidity at greatest risk of having a new hospital outpatient trajectory initiated.

Disentangling concepts of inappropriate polypharmacy in old age: a scoping review.

INTRODUCTION: Polypharmacy is a common concern, especially in the older population. In some countries more that 50% of all individuals over 60 receive five or more drugs, most often due to multimorbidity and increased longevity. However, polypharmacy is associated with multiple adverse events, and more medication may not always be the answer. The terms "appropriate" and "inappropriate" are often used to distinguish between "much" and "too much" medications in relation to polypharmacy in research and practice, but no explicit definition exists to describe what these terms encompass. The aim of this review is to unfold the different understandings of and perspectives on (in)appropriate polypharmacy and suggest a framework for further research and practice. METHOD: A scoping review was conducted using the framework of Arksey and O'Malley and Levac et al. Pubmed, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Cochrane database, Scopus and Web of Science were searched for references in English, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish using the search string "Polypharmacy" AND "Appropriate" OR "Inappropriate". Data was extracted on author information, aims and objectives, methodology, study population and setting, country of origin, main findings and implications, and all text including the words "appropriate," "inappropriate," and "polypharmacy." Qualitative meaning condensation analysis was used and data charted using descriptive and thematic analysis. RESULTS: Of 3982 references, a total of 92 references were included in the review. Most references were from 2016-2021, from fields related to medicine or pharmacy, and occurred within primary and secondary healthcare settings. Based on the qualitative analysis, a framework were assembled consisting of Context, three domains (Standardization, Practices and Values & Concerns) and Patient Perspective. CONCLUSION: Inappropriate polypharmacy is a concept loaded by its heterogeneity and the usefulness of a single definition is doubtful. Instead, the framework suggested in this article representing different dimensions of inappropriate polypharmacy may serve as an initial strategy for focusing research and practice on polypharmacy in old age.

Technology-based support for stroke caregiving: A rapid review of evidence.

AIM: This rapid review examines the technology-based interventions for caregivers of stroke proposed in the literature while also identifying the acceptance, effectiveness and satisfaction of the implemented approaches. BACKGROUND: The increasing burden of supporting stroke survivors has resulted in caregivers searching for innovative solutions, such as technology-based interventions, to provide better care. Hence, its potential to support caregivers throughout the disease trajectory needs to be assessed. EVALUATION: Five electronic databases were systematically searched for articles related to stroke caregiving technologies based on well-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. KEY ISSUE(S): Fifteen articles met the inclusion criteria that focused on supporting caregivers through functionalities such as education, therapy and support, remote consultations, health assessments and logs and reminders using different devices. The majority of interventions demonstrated positive conclusions for caregiving impact, acceptance, effectiveness and satisfaction. CONCLUSION: Findings highlight the influences of technology in improving stroke caregiving and the need to include user-centred design principles to create a meaningful, actionable and feasible system for caregivers. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Technology can educate and support stroke caregivers, thereby minimizing uncertainty and ensuring better care for the survivor.

Patients' assessment of care for type 2 diabetes: Results of the Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care scale in a Danish population.

BACKGROUND: The Patient Assessment of Chronic Illness Care (PACIC) scale is the most appropriate for assessing self-reported experience in chronic care. We aimed to validate the PACIC questionnaire by (1) assess patients' perception of the quality of care for Danish patients with type 2 diabetes, (2) identify which factors are most important to the quality of care designated by the five subscales in PACIC, and (3) the validity of the questionnaire. METHODS: A survey of 7,745 individuals randomly selected from the National Diabetes Registry. Descriptive statistics inter-item and item-rest correlations and factor analysis assessed the PACIC properties. Quality of care was analysed with descriptive statistics; linear and multiple regression assessed the effect of forty-nine covariates on total and subscale scores. RESULTS: In total, 2,696 individuals with type 2 diabetes completed ≥ 50 % of items. The floor effect for individual items was 8.5-74.5 %; the ceiling effect was 4.1-47.8 %. Cronbach's alpha was 0.73-0.86 for the five subscales. The comparative fit index (CFI) and the Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) were 0,87, and 0,84, respectively. Mean PACIC score was 2.44 (± 0.04). Respondents, who receive diabetes care primarily at general practice and outpatient clinics had higher scores compared to those receiving care at a private specialist. Receiving rehabilitation was followed by higher scores in all subscales. Those 70 years or older had lower mean total and subscale scores compared to younger patient groups. A higher number of diabetes visits were associated with higher total scores; a higher number of emergency department visits were associated with lower total scores. The effects of healthcare utilisation on subscale scores varied. CONCLUSIONS: These results provide insight into variations in the quality of provided care and can be used for targeting initiatives towards improving diabetes care. Factors important to the quality of perceived care are having a GP or hospital outpatient clinic as the primary organization. Also having a higher number of visits to the two organizations are perceived as higher quality of care as well as participating in a rehabilitation program. Floor and ceiling effects were comparable to an evaluation of the PACIC questionnaire in a Danish population. Yet, floor effects suggest a need for further evaluation and possible improvement of the PACIC questionnaire in a Danish setting. Total PACIC scores were lower than in other healthcare systems, possible being a result of different contexts and cultures, and of a need for improving diabetes care in Denmark.

mHealth applications to support caregiver needs and engagement during stroke recovery: A content review.

Caregiving in stroke results in severe physical, psychological, and social impacts on the caregiver. Over the past few years, researchers have explored the use of mHealth technologies to support healthcare-related activities due to their ability to provide real-time care at any given place or time. The purpose of this content review is to investigate mHealth apps in supporting stroke caregiving engagement based on three aspects: motivation, value, and satisfaction. We searched app stores and repositories for apps related to stroke caregiving published up to September 2020. Extracted apps were reviewed and filtered using inclusion criteria, and then downloaded onto compatible devices to determine eligibility. Results were compared with evidence-based frameworks to identify the ability of these apps in engaging and supporting the caregiver. Forty-seven apps were included in this review that enabled caregivers to support their needs, such as adjustment to new roles and relationships, involvement in care and caring for oneself using several different functionalities. These functionalities include information resources, risk assessment, remote monitoring, data sharing, reminders and so on. However, no single app was identified that focuses on all aspects of stroke caregiving. We also identified several challenges faced by users through their reviews and the factors associated with value and satisfaction. Our findings can add to the knowledge of existing mHealth technologies and their functionalities to support stroke caregiving needs, and the importance of considering user engagement in the design. They can be used by developers and researchers looking to design better mHealth apps for stroke caregiving.

Total burden of disease in cancer patients at diagnosis-a Danish nationwide study of multimorbidity and redeemed medication.

BACKGROUND: Multimorbidity is a growing challenge worldwide. In this nationwide study, we investigated the prevalence of multimorbidity and polypharmacy at the time of diagnosis across 20 cancers. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide register-based cohort study of all Danish residents with a first primary cancer diagnosed between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2015. Multimorbidity was defined as one or more of 20 conditions (131 specific diagnoses) registered in the Danish National Patient Registry < 5 years before the cancer diagnosis. Polypharmacy was defined as five or more medications registered in the Danish National Prescription Registry and redeemed twice 2-12 months before the cancer diagnosis. RESULTS: We included 261,745 patients with a first primary cancer, of whom 55% had at least one comorbid condition at diagnosis and 27% had two or more. The most prevalent conditions at the time of cancer diagnosis were cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, stroke and depression/anxiety disorder. Polypharmacy was present in one-third of the cancer patients with antihypertensives, anti-thrombotic agents, anti-hyperlipidaemic agents, analgesics and diuretics as the most prevalent redeemed medications. CONCLUSION: Among patients with a newly established cancer diagnosis, 55% had at least one comorbid condition and 32% were exposed to polypharmacy.

Supervised pulmonary tele-rehabilitation versus pulmonary rehabilitation in severe COPD: a randomised multicentre trial.

RATIONALE: Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is an effective, key standard treatment for people with COPD. Nevertheless, low participant uptake, insufficient attendance and high drop-out rates are reported. Investigation is warranted of the benefits achieved through alternative approaches, such as pulmonary tele-rehabilitation (PTR). OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether PTR is superior to conventional PR on 6 min walk distance (6MWD) and secondarily on respiratory symptoms, quality of life, physical activity and lower limb muscle function in patients with COPD and FEV1 <50% eligible for routine hospital-based, outpatient PR. METHODS: In this single-blinded, multicentre, superiority randomised controlled trial, patients were assigned 1:1 to 10 weeks of groups-based PTR (60 min, three times weekly) or conventional PR (90 min, two times weekly). Assessments were performed by blinded assessors at baseline, end of intervention and at 22 weeks' follow-up from baseline. The primary analysis was based on the intention-to-treat principle. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The primary outcome was change in 6MWD from baseline to 10 weeks; 134 participants (74 females, mean±SD age 68±9 years, FEV1 33%±9% predicted, 6MWD 327±103 metres) were included and randomised. The analysis showed no between-group differences for changes in 6MWD after intervention (9.2 metres (95% CI: -6.6 to 24.9)) or at 22 weeks' follow-up (-5.3 metres (95% CI: -28.9 to 18.3)). More participants completed the PTR intervention (n=57) than conventional PR (n=43) (χ2 test p<0.01). CONCLUSION: PTR was not superior to conventional PR on the 6MWD and we found no differences between groups. As more participants completed PTR, supervised PTR would be relevant to compare with conventional PR in a non-inferiority design. Trial registration number ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02667171), 28 January 2016.

Social disparities in the prevalence of multimorbidity - A register-based population study.

BACKGROUND: Prevalences of multimorbidity vary between European studies and several methods and definitions are used. In this study we examine the prevalence of multimorbidity in relation to age, gender and educational attainment and the association between physical and mental health conditions and educational attainment in a Danish population. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was used to study the prevalence of multimorbidity, defined as two or more chronic conditions, and of comorbid physical and mental health conditions across age groups and educational attainment levels among 1,397,173 individuals aged 16 years and older who lived in the Capital Region of Denmark on January 1st, 2012. After calculating prevalence, odds ratios for multimorbidity and mental health conditions were derived from logistic regression on gender, age, age squared, education and number of physical conditions (only for odds ratios for mental health conditions). Odds ratios for having multimorbidity and mental health conditions for each variable were adjusted for all other variables. RESULTS: Multimorbidity prevalence was 21.6%. Half of the population aged 65 and above had multimorbidity, and prevalence was inversely related to educational attainment: 26.9% (95% CI, 26.8-26.9) among those with lower secondary education versus 13.5% (95% CI, 13.5-13.6) among people with postgraduate education. Adjusted odds ratios for multimorbidity were 0.50 (95% CI, 0.49-0.51) for people with postgraduate education, compared to people with lower secondary education. Among all population members, 4.9% (95% CI, 4.9-4.9) had both a physical and a mental health condition, a proportion that increased to 22.6% of people with multimorbidity. Physical and mental health comorbidity was more prevalent in women (6.33%; 95% CI, 6.3-6.4) than men (3.34%; 95% CI, 3.3-3.4) and approximately 50 times more prevalent among older persons than younger ones. Physical and mental health comorbidity was also twice as prevalent among people with lower secondary education than among those with postgraduate education. The presence of a mental health condition was strongly associated with the number of physical conditions; those with five or more physical conditions had an adjusted odds ratio for a mental health condition of 3.93 (95% CI, 3.8-4.1), compared to those with no physical conditions. CONCLUSION: Multimorbidity prevalence and patterns in the Danish population are comparable to those of other European populations. The high prevalence of mental and physical health conditions highlights the need to ensure that healthcare systems deliver care that takes physical and mental comorbidity into account. Further, the higher prevalence of multimorbidity among persons with low educational attainment emphasizes the importance of having a health care system providing care that is beneficial to all regardless of socioeconomic status.

COPD online-rehabilitation versus conventional COPD rehabilitation - rationale and design for a multicenter randomized controlled trial study protocol (CORe trial).

BACKGROUND: Rehabilitation of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a key treatment in COPD. However, despite the existing evidence and a strong recommendation from lung associations worldwide, 50% of patients with COPD decline to participate in COPD rehabilitation program and 30-50% drop-out before completion. The main reasons are severe symptoms, inflexible accessibility and necessity for transportation. Currently there are no well-established and evident rehabilitation alternatives. Supervised online screen rehabilitation could be a useful approach to increase accessibility and compliance. The aim of this multicenter RCT study is to compare the potential benefits of a 10-week online COPD rehabilitation program (CORe) with conventional outpatient COPD rehabilitation (CCRe). METHODS: This study is a randomized assessor- and statistician blinded superiority multicenter trial with two parallel groups, employing 1:1 allocation to the intervention and the comparison group.On the basis of a sample size calculation, 134 patients with severe or very severe COPD and eligible to conventional hospital based outpatient COPD rehabilitation will be included and randomized from eight different hospitals. The CORe intervention group receives group supervised resistance- and endurance training and patient education, 60 min, three times/week for 10 weeks at home via online-screen. The CCRe comparison group receives group based supervised resistance- and endurance training and patient education, 90 min, two times/week for 10 weeks (two hospitals) or 12 weeks (six hospitals) in groups at the local hospital. The primary outcome is change in the 6-min walking distance after 10/12 weeks; the secondary outcomes are changes in 30 s sit-to-stand chair test, physical activity level, symptoms, anxiety and depression symptoms, disease specific and generic quality of life. Primary endpoint is 10/12 weeks from baseline, while secondary endpoints are 22, 36, 62 weeks from baseline assessments. DISCUSSION: The study will likely contribute to knowledge regarding COPD tele-rehabilitation and to which extent it is more feasible and thereby more efficient than conventional COPD rehabilitation in patients with severe and very severe COPD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT02667171 . Registration data: January 28th 2016.

Quality of care for people with multimorbidity - a case series.

BACKGROUND: Multimorbidity is becoming increasingly prevalent and presents challenges for healthcare providers and systems. Studies examining the relationship between multimorbidity and quality of care report mixed findings. The purpose of this study was to investigate quality of care for people with multimorbidity in the publicly funded healthcare system in Denmark. METHODS: To investigate the quality of care for people with multimorbidity different groups of clinicians from the hospital, general practice and the municipality reviewed records from 23 persons with multimorbidity and discussed them in three focus groups. Before each focus group, clinicians were asked to review patients' medical records and assess their care by responding to a questionnaire. Medical records from 2013 from hospitals, general practice, and health centers in the local municipality were collected and linked for the 23 patients. Further, two clinical pharmacologists reviewed the appropriateness of medications listed in patient records. RESULTS: The review of the patients' records conducted by three groups of clinicians revealed that around half of the patients received adequate care for the single condition which prompted the episode of care such as a hospitalization, a visit to an outpatient clinic or the general practitioner. Further, the care provided to approximately two-thirds of the patients did not take comorbidities into account and insufficiently addressed more diffuse symptoms or problems. The review of the medication lists revealed that the majority of the medication lists contained inappropriate medications and that there were incongruity in medication listed in the primary and secondary care sector. Several barriers for providing high quality care were identified. These included relative short consultation times in general practice and outpatient clinics, lack of care coordinators, and lack of shared IT-system proving an overview of the treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings reveal quality of care deficiencies for people with multimorbidity. Suggestions for care improvement for people with multimorbidity includes formally assigned responsibility for care coordination, a change in the financial incentive structure towards a system rewarding high quality care and care focusing on prevention of disease exacerbation, as well as implementing shared medical record systems.

Patients' perception of disease and experience with type 2 diabetes patient education in Denmark.

BACKGROUND: Patient education programmes for a range of chronic conditions are widely implemented, but studies have shown that not all participants benefit equally from the patient education programmes. AIM: To explore differences in how persons with diabetes experience diabetes-related patient education programmes. METHODS: Qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with eleven participants 6 months after participation in patient education. Using thematic analysis, we identified three themes: programme elements, interactions between participants and the role of facilitators. We used Alonzo's theory of Everyday Illness Behaviour and reported restrictions in daily activities to categorise seven participants as 'healthy' and four as 'ill' and compare their experiences of patient education. RESULTS: Although all participants identified information on diet and exercise as the most beneficial programme element, healthy participants found this information easy to understand and apply to make healthy changes in their daily lives. Ill participants found the information difficult to understand and were much less likely to implement related changes. Healthy participants valued social interactions occurring during interactive programme components such as weigh-in sessions, physical exercise and cooking classes. In contrast, ill participants did not value these social interactions. Healthy participants also tended to view programme facilitators more positively. Regardless of disease status, participants found it motivating to compare their health status to that of participants they perceived as more ill than themselves. CONCLUSION: Patient education experiences differ according to self-perceived disease status. Programme facilitators should be sensitive to the possibility that participants who are more ill may be less likely to perceive patient education as beneficial and implement new behaviours. Knowledge about factors leading to differences in patient experiences of chronic disease self-management education programmes is essential for the development of programmes that benefit all patients. Future research should explore the value of programmes differentiated for participants with different levels of health.

A qualitative study of integrated care from the perspectives of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and their relatives.

BACKGROUND: Disease management programmes have been developed for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to facilitate the integration of care across healthcare settings. The purpose of the present study was to examine the experiences of COPD patients and their relatives of integrated care after implementation of a COPD disease management programme. METHODS: Seven focus groups and five individual interviews were held with 34 patients with severe or very severe COPD and two focus groups were held with eight of their relatives. Data were analysed using inductive content analysis. RESULTS: Four main categories of experiences of integrated care emerged: 1) a flexible system that provides access to appropriate healthcare and social services and furthers patient involvement; 2) the responsibility of health professionals to both take the initiative and follow up; 3) communication and providing information to patients and relatives; 4) coordination and professional cooperation. Most patients were satisfied with their care and raised few criticisms. However, patients with more unstable and severe disease tended to experience more problems. CONCLUSIONS: Participant suggestions for optimizing the integration of healthcare included assigning patients a care coordinator, telehealth solutions for housebound patients and better information technology to support interprofessional cooperation. Further studies are needed to explore these and other possible solutions to problems with integrated care among COPD patients. A future effort in this field should be informed by detailed knowledge of the extent and relative importance of the identified problems. It should also be designed to address variable levels of severity of COPD and relevant comorbidities and to deliver care in ways appropriate to the respective healthcare setting. Future studies should also take health professionals' views into account so that interventions may be planned in the light of the experiences of all those involved in the treatment of COPD patients.

Clusters from chronic conditions in the Danish adult population.

Multimorbidity, the presence of 2 or more chronic conditions in a person at the same time, is an increasing public health concern, which affects individuals through reduced health related quality of life, and society through increased need for healthcare services. Yet the structure of chronic conditions in individuals with multimorbidity, viewed as a population, is largely unmapped. We use algorithmic diagnoses and the K-means algorithm to cluster the entire 2015 Danish multimorbidity population into 5 clusters. The study introduces the concept of rim data as an additional tool for determining the number of clusters. We label the 5 clusters the Allergies, Chronic Heart Conditions, Diabetes, Hypercholesterolemia, and Musculoskeletal and Psychiatric Conditions clusters, and demonstrate that for 99.32% of the population, the cluster allocation can be determined from the diagnoses of 4-5 conditions. Clusters are characterized through most prevalent conditions, absent conditions, over- or under-represented conditions, and co-occurrence of conditions. Clusters are further characterized through socioeconomic variables and healthcare service utilizations. Additionally, geographical variations throughout Denmark are studied at the regional and municipality level. We find that subdivision into municipality levels suggests that the Allergies cluster frequency is positively associated with socioeconomic status, while the subdivision suggests that frequencies for clusters Diabetes and Hypercholesterolemia are negatively correlated with socioeconomic status. We detect no indication of association to socioeconomic status for the Chronic Heart Conditions cluster and the Musculoskeletal and Psychiatric Conditions cluster. Additional spatial variation is revealed, some of which may be related to urban/rural populations. Our work constitutes a step in the process of characterizing multimorbidity populations, leading to increased comprehension of the nature of multimorbidity, and towards potential applications to individual-based care, prevention, the development of clinical guidelines, and population management.

Preferences, Needs, and Values of Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Attending a Telehealth Service: Qualitative Interview Study.

BACKGROUND: Digitally assisted health care services and technologies are gaining popularity. They assist patients in managing their conditions, thereby reducing the burden on health care staff. Digital health care enables individuals to receive care that is more tailored to their needs and preferences. When implemented properly, it can promote equity by considering each person's opportunities and limitations in the context of health care needs, preferences, values, and capabilities. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to understand the needs, values, and preferences of individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who are provided with a 24/7 digital health care service. Furthermore, we aim to understand the dynamics of the communities to which they belong and how these communities intersect. This will provide us with the essential knowledge to establish new methods of providing education, including the development of educational activities for health professionals to engage, train, and empower people living with COPD. METHODS: The study included 7 informants diagnosed with COPD who received 24/7 digital health care service support from a regional project in Region Zealand, Denmark. The informants were visited 4 times during 2 months, including a "Hello" visit, a day with a semistructured interview, and 2 days with field observations. The informants participated in a semistructured interview, following participant observation and an ethnographic approach. The interview content was analyzed using an inductive methodology to categorize the empirical data. RESULTS: Using the inductive approach, we identified 3 main categories related to the informants' needs, values, and preferences: (1) Health, (2) Value Creation, and (3) Resources. These 3 main categories were based on 9 subcategories: (1) health and barriers, (2) self-monitoring, (3) medication, (4) behavior, (5) motivation, (6) hobbies, (7) social networks, (8) health professionals, and (9) technology. These findings revealed that the informants placed value on maintaining their daily activities and preserving their sense of identity before the onset of COPD. Furthermore, they expressed a desire not to be defined by their COPD, as conversations about COPD often shifted away from the topic. CONCLUSIONS: Digital health solutions and the health care professionals who offer them should prioritize the individuals they serve, considering their needs, values, and preferences rather than solely focusing on the medical condition. This approach ensures the highest level of daily living and empowerment for those living with long-term health conditions. The communities surrounding individuals must engage in constant interaction and collaboration. They should work together to incorporate people's needs, values, and preferences into future digital health services, thereby promoting empowerment and self-management. New educational programs aimed at developing the digital health service competencies of registered nurses should facilitate collaboration between the 2 communities. This collaboration is essential for supporting patients with long-term health conditions in their daily activities.

Correction: Longitudinal models for the progression of disease portfolios in a nationwide chronic heart disease population.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0284496.].

The Effect of Coordinating the Outpatient Treatment across Medical Specialities for Patients With Multimorbidity.

Introduction: Patients with multimorbidity attend multiple outpatient clinics. We assessed the effects on hospital use of scheduling several outpatient appointments to same-day visits in a multidisciplinary outpatient pathway (MOP). Methods: This study used a quasi-experimental design. Eligible patients had multimorbidity, were aged ≥18 years and attended ≥2 outpatient clinics in five different specialties. Patients were identified through forthcoming appointments from August 2018 to March 2020 and divided into intervention group (alignment of appointments) and comparison group (no alignment). We used patient questionnaires and paired analyses to study care integration and treatment burden. Using negative binomial regression, we estimated healthcare utilisation as incidence rates ratios (IRRs) at one year before and one year after baseline for both groups and compared IRR ratios (IRRRs). Results: Intervention patients had a 19% reduction in hospital visits (IRRR: 0.81, 95% CI: 0.70-0.96) and a 17% reduction in blood samples (IRRR: 0.83, 0.73-0.96) compared to comparison patients. No effects were found for care integration, treatment burden, outpatient contacts, terminated outpatient trajectories, hospital admissions, days of admission or GP contacts. Conclusion: The MOP seemed to reduce the number of hospital visits and blood samples. These results should be further investigated in studies exploring the coordination of outpatient care for multimorbidity. Research question: Can an intervention of coordinating outpatient appointments to same-day visits combined with a multidisciplinary conference influence the utilisation of healthcare services and the patient-assessed integration of healthcare services and treatment burden among patients with multimorbidity?

Adverse effects with semaglutide: a protocol for a systematic review with meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Semaglutide is increasingly used for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, overweight and other conditions. It is well known that semaglutide lowers blood glucose levels and leads to significant weight loss. Still, a systematic review has yet to investigate the adverse effects with semaglutide for all patient groups. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will conduct a systematic review and search major medical databases (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Medline, Embase, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature, Science Citation Index Expanded, Conference Proceedings Citation Index-Science) and clinical trial registries from their inception and onwards to identify relevant randomised clinical trials. We expect to conduct the literature search in July 2024. Two review authors will independently extract data and perform risk-of-bias assessments. We will include randomised clinical trials comparing oral or subcutaneous semaglutide versus placebo. Primary outcomes will be all-cause mortality and serious adverse events. Secondary outcomes will be myocardial infarction, stroke, all-cause hospitalisation and non-serious adverse events. Data will be synthesised by meta-analyses and trial sequential analysis; risk of bias will be assessed with Cochrane Risk of Bias tool-version 2, an eight-step procedure will be used to assess if the thresholds for statistical and clinical significance are crossed, and the certainty of the evidence will be assessed by Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This protocol does not present any results. Findings of this systematic review will be published in international peer-reviewed scientific journals. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42024499511.

Is Europe putting theory into practice? A qualitative study of the level of self-management support in chronic care management approaches.

BACKGROUND: Self-management support is a key component of effective chronic care management, yet in practice appears to be the least implemented and most challenging. This study explores whether and how self-management support is integrated into chronic care approaches in 13 European countries. In addition, it investigates the level of and barriers to implementation of support strategies in health care practice. METHODS: We conducted a review among the 13 participating countries, based on a common data template informed by the Chronic Care Model. Key informants presented a sample of representative chronic care approaches and related self-management support strategies. The cross-country review was complemented by a Dutch case study of health professionals' views on the implementation of self-management support in practice. RESULTS: Self-management support for chronically ill patients remains relatively underdeveloped in Europe. Similarities between countries exist mostly in involved providers (nurses) and settings (primary care). Differences prevail in mode and format of support, and materials used. Support activities focus primarily on patients' medical and behavioral management, and less on emotional management. According to Dutch providers, self-management support is not (yet) an integral part of daily practice; implementation is hampered by barriers related to, among others, funding, IT and medical culture. CONCLUSIONS: Although collaborative care for chronic conditions is becoming more important in European health systems, adequate self-management support for patients with chronic disease is far from accomplished in most countries. There is a need for better understanding of how we can encourage both patients and health care providers to engage in productive interactions in daily chronic care practice, which can improve health and social outcomes.

Early detection of COPD in primary care: the Copenhagen COPD screening project.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of a screening programme for COPD in primary care. MATERIAL/METHODS: Subjects aged 65 years or older registered with a general practitioner in Copenhagen were asked to complete a questionnaire on smoking status and symptoms of COPD. If they were smokers or former smokers or if morning cough with sputum and/or dyspnoea was present, subjects were defined as "at risk of COPD" and were invited to undergo spirometric examination. RESULTS: Of the 7103 subjects who met the study criteria, 81.2% responded to the questionnaire. Of these, 58.5% were at risk of COPD. Of those at risk, 40% underwent a spirometric examination. COPD was classified as mild in 252 (42.3%), moderate in 258 (43.3%) and severe-very severe in 86 subjects (14.4%). The participation rate was significantly higher among subjects invited for spirometry at a healthcare centre compared to general practice. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that a questionnaire can be used as a screening tool to identify subjects at risk of COPD. Furthermore, the study shows that more than half the subjects aged 65 years and above were at risk of COPD and required clinical assessment. Willingness to undergo spirometric examination depends on the location of the screening.