RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Newer research comparing routes of medication administration has extended beyond efficacy as a primary endpoint to incorporate patient preference. However, little is known about the preferences of pregnant women in terms of routes of medication administration, specifically with regards to hemorrhage prevention and control. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to understand the preferences of pregnant women in terms of medical interventions to prevent hemorrhage at the time of delivery. STUDY DESIGN: Surveys were distributed from April 2022 to September 2022 using electronic tablets at a single urban center with an annual delivery volume of 3000 women per year to women >18 years of age who were either currently pregnant or have been pregnant in the past. Subjects were asked to choose their preferred route of administration from the following options: intravenous, intramuscular, or subcutaneous. The primary outcome was patient preference on the route of medication administration during a hemorrhage event. RESULTS: The study cohort included 300 patients, mostly African American (39.8%) followed by White (32.1%), and the majority of the participants ranged from 30 to 34 years of age (31.7%). When asked which method of administration they would prefer to prevent hemorrhage before birth, the results were as follows: 31.1% would prefer intravenous, 23.0% had no preference, 21.2% were unsure, 15.9% preferred subcutaneous, and 8.8% preferred intramuscular administration. In addition, 69.4% of respondents reported that they have never declined or avoided intramuscular administration of medication if recommended by their physician. CONCLUSION: Although some survey participants preferred an intravenous route of administration, 68.9% of subjects were unsure, had no preference, or preferred nonintravenous routes. This information is helpful particularly in low-resource settings where intravenous treatments are not readily available or in urgent clinical situations in which intravenous administration routes are not easily obtainable in high-risk patients.
RESUMEN
The benefits for older people of participating in regular activity are well documented. This paper focuses on how publicly funded community-based organizations enable older people to engage in physical activity. The research questions were: (i) What activity promotion schemes/initiatives exist for older people? (ii) Who has responsibility for them, how are they funded and organized and what evidence exists of interagency working? (iii) Who are the older people that participate? (iv) What are the perceived and measurable outcomes of the initiatives identified? To establish the type and range of provision for older people in a sector of London, the strategies and information about existing activity promoting schemes of inner city health, local government and voluntary organizations were reviewed. Key informants were then interviewed to establish the rationale, achievements and different schemes. One hundred and nine activity-promoting initiatives for older people were identified. Most were provided within an environment of short-term funding and organizational upheaval and reflected eclectic theoretical and ideological approaches. The findings demonstrate: (i) the need for organizations to apply evidence about what attracts and sustains older people's participation in physical activity, and (ii) the need to develop funded programmes that build on past achievements, have explicit outcomes and exploit opportunities for cross agency working.