Clinical and cost-effectiveness of telemedicine among patients with type 2 diabetes in primary care: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIMS: Telemedicine has been promoted as an effective way of managing type-2 diabetes (T2DM) in primary care. However, the effectiveness of telemedicine is unclear. We investigated the clinical and cost-effectiveness of different telemedicine interventions for people with T2DM, compared to usual care. METHODS: We searched Medline, Embase, Cochrane, CINHAL, ProQuest and EconLit for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that examined the effectiveness of telemedicine interventions on clinical outcomes (HbA1c, body mass index [BMI], weight, diastolic blood pressure [DBP], systolic blood pressure [SBP], fasting blood glucose, high-density lipoprotein [HDL] cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein [LDL] cholesterol, total cholesterol and triglyceride) in adults with T2DM, published in English from inception until 31 December 2022. Meta-analyses were conducted using random-effects models pooling mean differences, heterogeneity was quantified using the I2 statistic. Publication bias was assessed using funnel plots, Egger tests and trim and fill. Subgroup analyses included type of telemedicine intervention, telemedicine mode of delivery and type of healthcare professionals. This study was registered with PROSPERO, CRD 42022375128. RESULTS: Of the 4093 records identified, 21 RCTs, 10,732 participants from seven regions, were included. Reported interventions included telephone (k = 16 studies), internet-based (k = 2), videoconference (k = 2) and telephone and emails (k = 1). We observed no statistically significant differences between synchronous or asynchronous telemedicine interventions compared to usual care for HbA1c (-0.08% (-0.88 mmol/mol); 95% CI: -0.18, 0.02), BMI (0.51 kg/m2; 95% CI: -0.21, 1.22), SBP (-1.48 mmHg; 95% CI: -3.22, 0.26), DBP (3.23 mmHg; 95% CI: -0.89, 7.34), HDL-cholesterol (0.01 mmol/L; 95% CI: -0.03, 0.05), LDL-cholesterol (0.08 mmol/L; 95% CI: -0.22, 0.37), triglycerides (-0.08 mmol/L, 95% CI: -0.31, -0.15), total cholesterol (-0.10 mmol/L; 95% CI: -0.25, 0.04) and weight (-0.50 kg; 95% CI: -1.21, 0.21). CONCLUSIONS: Telemedicine was as effective as usual care in improving health outcomes of people with T2DM. They can provide a safe solution in times of rising demands for primary healthcare services, or in extreme events, like a global pandemic. More high-quality RCTs are needed on the cost evaluation of telemedicine.

The mental health needs of healthcare workers: When evidence does not guide policy. A comparative assessment of selected European countries.

BACKGROUND: The healthcare workforce (HCWF) globally is facing high stress levels and deteriorating mental health due to workplace, labour market and policy deficiencies that further exacerbate the existing crisis. However, comprehensive and effective action is missing. AIMS: We adopt a health system and governance perspective to address the mental health needs of healthcare workers (HCWs), considering the nature of interventions and the levels and actors involved in governance. The aim is to move the debate forward by identifying governance gaps hampering the implementation of health workforce policies and exploring strategies to effectively increase mental health support. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A qualitative comparative methodology is applied based on a case study design utilising a multi-level intersectoral governance matrix. We conducted a rapid assessment of HCWF developments in the European context (Germany, Portugal, Romania, Switzerland and the United Kingdom), drawing on secondary sources and country experts. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Awareness of mental health threats among HCWs increased, but policy discourse is driven by service delivery and labour market demands. The attention to HCWs' needs is stronger on the international level and weakest at national/regional levels. Although organisations and professions demonstrate varying degrees of activity, their efforts are scattered and lack sustainability. Similar challenges were identified across healthcare systems, including limited action, disconnected actors, missing coordination, and a lack of attention to governance gaps and system weaknesses. CONCLUSION: Adopting a health system approach is important but not sufficient. Successful mental health policy implementation needs multi-level governance and coherent coordination mechanisms.

Evaluating a co-designed care bundle to improve patient safety at discharge from adult and adolescent mental health services (SAFER-MH and SAFER-YMH): protocol for a non-randomised feasibility study.

INTRODUCTION: Patients being discharged from inpatient mental wards often describe safety risks in terms of inadequate information sharing and involvement in discharge decisions. Through stakeholder engagement, we co-designed, developed and adapted two versions of a care bundle intervention, the SAFER Mental Health care bundle for adult and youth inpatient mental health settings (SAFER-MH and SAFER-YMH, respectively), that look to address these concerns through the introduction of new or improved processes of care. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Two uncontrolled before-and-after feasibility studies, where all participants will receive the intervention. We will examine the feasibility and acceptability of the SAFER-MH in inpatient mental health settings in patients aged 18 years or older who are being discharged and the feasibility and acceptability of the SAFER-YMH intervention in inpatient mental health settings in patients aged between 14 and 18 years who are being discharged. The baseline period and intervention periods are both 6 weeks. SAFER-MH will be implemented in three wards and SAFER-YMH in one or two wards, ideally across different trusts within England. We will use quantitative (eg, questionnaires, completion forms) and qualitative (eg, interviews, process evaluation) methods to assess the acceptability and feasibility of the two versions of the intervention. The findings will inform whether a main effectiveness trial is feasible and, if so, how it should be designed, and how many patients/wards should be included. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval was obtained from the National Health Service Cornwall and Plymouth Research Ethics Committee and Surrey Research Ethics Committee (reference: 22/SW/0096 and 22/LO/0404). Research findings will be disseminated with participating sites and shared in various ways to engage different audiences. We will present findings at international and national conferences, and publish in open-access, peer-reviewed journals.

Forty years on: a new national study of hearing in England and implications for global hearing health policy.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to update the prevalence estimates of hearing loss in older adults in England using a nationally representative sample of adults aged 50 years old and older. DESIGN: A comparative cross-sectional study design was implemented. Hearing loss was defined as ≥35 dB HL at 3.0 kHz, as measured via Hearcheck in the better-hearing ear. STUDY SAMPLE: We compared the estimates based on the English census in 2015 to estimates from psychoacoustic hearing data available for 8,263 participants in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) Wave 7 (2014-2015). RESULTS: Marked regional variability in hearing loss prevalence was revealed among participants with similar age profiles. The regional differences in hearing outcomes reached up to 13.53% in those belonging to the 71-80 years old group; the prevalence of hearing loss was 49.22% in the North East of England (95%CI 48.0-50.4), versus 35.69% in the South East (95%CI 34.8-36.50). CONCLUSION: A socio-spatial approach in planning sustainable models of hearing care based on the actual populations' needs and not on age demographics might offer a viable opportunity for healthier lives. Regular assessment of the extent and causality of the population's different audiological needs within the country is strongly supported.

Youth Culturally adapted Manual Assisted Problem Solving Training (YCMAP) in Pakistani adolescent with a history of self-harm: protocol for multicentre clinical and cost-effectiveness randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Suicide is a global health concern. Sociocultural factors have an impact on self-harm and suicide rates. In Pakistan, both self-harm and suicide are considered as criminal offence's and are condemned on both religious and social grounds. The proposed intervention 'Youth Culturally Adapted Manual Assisted Problem Solving Training (YCMAP)' is based on principles of problem-solving and cognitive-behavioural therapy. YCMAP is a brief, culturally relevant, scalable intervention that can be implemented in routine clinical practice if found to be effective. METHOD AND ANALYSIS: A multicentre rater blind randomised controlled trial to evaluate the clinical and cost-effectiveness of YCMAP including a sample of 652 participants, aged 12-18 years, presenting to general physicians/clinicians, emergency room after self harm or self referrals. We will test the effectiveness of 8-10 individual sessions of YCMAP delivered over 3 months compared with treatment as usual. Primary outcome measure is repetition of self-harm at 12 months. The seconday outcomes include reduction in suicidal ideation, hopelessness and distress and improvement in health related quality of life. Assessments will be completed at baseline, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months postrandomisation. The nested qualitative component will explore perceptions about management of self-harm and suicide prevention among adolescents and investigate participants' experiences with YCMAP. The study will be guided by the theory of change approach to ensure that the whole trial is centred around needs of the end beneficiaries as key stakeholders in the process. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval has been obtained from the Ethics Committee of University of Manchester, the National Bioethics Committee in Pakistan. The findings of this study will be disseminated through community workshops, social media, conference presentations and peer-reviewed journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04131179.

Visual impairment and medication safety: a protocol for a scoping review.

BACKGROUND: The number of individuals with a visual impairment in the UK was estimated a few years ago to be around 1.8 million. People can be visually impaired from birth, childhood, early adulthood or later in life. Those with visual impairment are subject to health inequities and increased risk for patient safety incidents in comparison to the general population. They are also known to be at an increased risk of experiencing medication errors compared to those without visual impairment. In view of this, this review aims to understand the issues of medication safety for VI people. METHODS/DESIGN: Four electronic bibliographic databases will be searched: MEDLINE, Embase, PsycInfo and CINAHL. Our search strategy will include search combinations of two key blocks of terms. Studies will not be excluded based on design. Included studies will be empirical studies. They will include studies that relate to both medication safety and visual impairment. Two reviewers (SG and LR) will screen all the titles and abstracts. SG, LR, RM, SCS and PL will perform study selection and data extraction using standard forms. Disagreements will be resolved through discussion or third party adjudication. Data to be collected will include study characteristics (year, objective, research method, setting, country), participant characteristics (number, age, gender, diagnoses), medication safety incident type and characteristics. DISCUSSION: The review will summarise the literature relating to medication safety and visual impairment.

Conceptual Model of Hearing Health Inequalities (HHI Model): A Critical Interpretive Synthesis.

Hearing loss is a major health challenge that can have severe physical, social, cognitive, economic, and emotional consequences on people's quality of life. Currently, the modifiable factors linked to socioeconomic inequalities in hearing health are poorly understood. Therefore, an online database search (PubMed, Scopus, and Psych) was conducted to identify literature that relates hearing loss to health inequalities as a determinant or health outcome. A total of 53 studies were selected to thematically summarize the existing literature, using a critical interpretive synthesis method, where the subjectivity of the researcher is intimately involved in providing new insights with explanatory power. The evidence provided by the literature can be summarized under four key themes: (a) There might be a vicious cycle between hearing loss and socioeconomic inequalities and lifestyle factors, (b) socioeconomic position may interact with less healthy lifestyles, which are harmful to hearing ability, (c) increasing health literacy could improve the diagnosis and prognosis of hearing loss and prevent the adverse consequences of hearing loss on people's health, and (d) people with hearing loss might be vulnerable to receiving low-quality and less safe health care. This study uses elements from theoretical models of health inequalities to formulate a highly interpretive conceptual model for examining hearing health inequalities. This model depicts the specific mechanisms of hearing health and their evolution over time. There are many modifiable determinants of hearing loss, in several stages across an individual's life span; tackling socioeconomic inequalities throughout the life-course could improve the population's health, maximizing the opportunity for healthy aging.

Enhancing the multi-dimensional assessment of quality of life: introducing the WHOQOL-Combi.

INTRODUCTION: We revisited the global concept of subjective quality of life (QoL) as assessed by the WHOQOL-BREF to investigate whether it could be elaborated into a conceptually more comprehensive instrument with good psychometric properties. Responding to a growing need for shorter QoL measures with broader social, spiritual and environmental contents, facets from WHOQOL international modules were examined for potential integration into the new WHOQOL-Combi. METHOD: Adults over 65 years, diagnosed with one or more chronic diseases (n = 2833), completed 41 WHOQOL items during the CLASSIC survey; each item represented a WHOQOL facet. This pool of specific QoL facets contained 24 from the WHOQOL-BREF (excluding general items), and 17 from recent international WHOQOL short-form modules, selected for their generic properties. Rasch modelling reduced the final item pool when assessing the WHOQOL-Combi's conceptual structure. Comparisons are made with the WHOQOL-BREF. RESULTS: Modelling confirmed the tenability of a 36-item solution scored as a five-domain profile, comprised of 24 WHOQOL-BREF facets and 12 new facets from modules. Social and psychological domains were strengthened by three facets, spiritual QoL by five, and physical QoL by one. The WHOQOL-Combi showed sound model fit, excellent internal consistency (α = .95), and scores discriminated between socio-demographic categories. Concurrent validity with the EQ-5D-5L was confirmed for physical and psychological domains. Performance was similar to the WHOQOL-BREF. CONCLUSION: The WHOQOL-Combi offers a contemporary, comprehensive, integrated, multi-dimensional subjective QoL instrument with enhanced evaluations of social, spiritual, psychological and physical QoL. Acceptable to older people, future research should evaluate younger age groups and other cultures.

Regional patterns and trends of hearing loss in England: evidence from the English longitudinal study of ageing (ELSA) and implications for health policy.

BACKGROUND: Hearing loss (HL) is a significant public health concern globally and is estimated to affect over nine million people in England. The aim of this research was to explore the regional patterns and trends of HL in a representative longitudinal prospective cohort study of the English population aged 50 and over. METHODS: We used the full dataset (74,699 person-years) of self-reported hearing data from all eight Waves of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) (2002-2017). We examined the geographical identifiers of the participants at the Government Office Region (GOR) level and the geographically based Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD). The primary outcome measure was self-reported HL; it consisted of a merged category of people who rated their hearing as fair or poor on a five-point Likert scale (excellent, very good, good, fair or poor) or responded positively when asked whether they find it difficult to follow a conversation if there is background noise (e.g. noise from a TV, a radio or children playing). RESULTS: A marked elevation in HL prevalence (10.2%) independent of the age of the participants was observed in England in 2002-2017. The mean HL prevalence increased from 38.50 (95%CI 37.37-39.14) in Wave 1 to 48.66 (95%CI 47.11-49.54) in Wave 8. We identified three critical patterns of findings concerning regional trends: the highest HL prevalence among samples with equal means of age was observed in GORs with the highest prevalence of participants in the most deprived (IMD) quintile, in routine or manual occupations and misusing alcohol. The adjusted HL predictions at the means (APMs) showed marked regional variability and hearing health inequalities between Northern and Southern England that were previously unknown. CONCLUSIONS: A sociospatial approach is crucial for planning sustainable models of hearing care based on actual needs and reducing hearing health inequalities. The Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) currently responsible for the NHS audiology services in England should not consider HL an inevitable accompaniment of older age; instead, they should incorporate socio-economic factors and modifiable lifestyle behaviours for HL within their spatial patterning in England.

Self-management interventions to reduce healthcare use and improve quality of life among patients with asthma: systematic review and network meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the different self-management models (multidisciplinary case management, regularly supported self-management, and minimally supported self-management) and self-monitoring models against usual care and education to determine which are most effective at reducing healthcare use and improving quality of life in asthma. DESIGN: Systematic review and network meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: Medline, the Cochrane Library, CINAHL, EconLit, Embase, Health Economics Evaluations Database, NHS Economic Evaluation Database, PsycINFO, and ClinicalTrials.gov from January 2000 to April 2019. REVIEW METHODS: Randomised controlled trials involving the different self-management models for asthma were included. The primary outcomes were healthcare use (hospital admission or emergency visit) and quality of life. Summary standardised mean differences (SMDs) and 95% credible intervals were estimated using bayesian network meta-analysis with random effects. Heterogeneity and publication bias were assessed. RESULTS: From 1178 citations, 105 trials comprising 27 767 participants were included. In terms of healthcare use, both multidisciplinary case management (SMD -0.18, 95% credible interval -0.32 to -0.05) and regularly supported self-management (-0.30, -0.46 to -0.15) were significantly better than usual care. For quality of life, only regularly supported self-management (SMD 0.54, 0.11 to 0.96) showed a statistically significant benefit compared with usual care. For trials including adolescents/children (age 5-18 years), only regularly supported self-management showed statistically significant benefits (healthcare use: SMD -0.21, -0.40 to -0.03; quality of life: 0.23, 0.03 to 0.48). Multidisciplinary case management (SMD -0.32, -0.50 to -0.16) and regularly supported self-management (-0.32, -0.53 to -0.11) were most effective at reducing healthcare use in patients with symptoms of severe asthma at baseline. CONCLUSIONS: This network meta-analysis indicates that regularly supported self-management reduces the use of healthcare resources and improves quality of life across all levels of asthma severity. Future healthcare investments should provide support that offer reviews totalling at least two hours to establish self-management skills, reserving multidisciplinary case management for patients with complex disease. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO number CRD42019121350.

Community asset participation and social medicine increases qualities of life.

RATIONALE: Social prescribing to community assets, like social groups, is a current policy goal. As aging adults lead longer, healthier lives, the effects of participating in community assets raises questions about whether subjective quality of life (QoL) improves during participation and on what dimensions. OBJECTIVE: The study's goal was to examine the effectiveness of community assets at improving QoL among older people living in the community. METHOD: Examining longitudinal survey data which tracked health and wellbeing in older adults living in Salford, UK over 12 months, we first used regressions on community assets to compare the World Health Organization's QoL Assessment (WHOQOL-BREF) domains at baseline for those who already participated in community assets (54%) and with non-participants (46%). Second, we used propensity score matching to compare QoL in an 'uptake' group (no initial participation but who participated at 12 months), to those who never participated, and to a 'cessation' group who participated initially, but ceased within one year, to those who always participated. RESULTS: Group comparisons confirmed that participants reported significantly higher QoL on all domains - environmental, psychological, physical, and social QoL - and on 16 predicted facets. After affirming group matching reliability, the strongest results were for the uptake group, with significant improvements in all domains, and in 18 facets. All QoL domains decreased in the cessation group, but overall, the effect was weaker. As predicted from the context, QoL relating to 'opportunities for recreation and leisure' showed the greatest effect. Furthermore, QoL increased with uptake, and decreased with cessation. CONCLUSION: Policies to improve QoL in later life should be designed not just to promote community assets, but also maintain participation once initiated.

Patient safety in marginalised groups: a narrative scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Marginalised groups ('populations outside of mainstream society') experience severe health inequities, as well as increased risk of experiencing patient safety incidents. To date however no review exists to identify, map and analyse the literature in this area in order to understand 1) which marginalised groups have been studied in terms of patient safety research, 2) what the particular patient safety issues are for such groups and 3) what contributes to or is associated with these safety issues arising. METHODS: Scoping review. Systematic searches were performed across six electronic databases in September 2019. The time frame for searches of the respective databases was from the year 2000 until present day. RESULTS: The searches yielded 3346 articles, and 67 articles were included. Patient safety issues were identified for fourteen different marginalised patient groups across all studies, with 69% (n = 46) of the studies focused on four patient groups: ethnic minority groups, frail elderly populations, care home residents and low socio-economic status. Twelve separate patient safety issues were classified. Just over half of the studies focused on three issues represented in the patient safety literature, and in order of frequency were: medication safety, adverse outcomes and near misses. In total, 157 individual contributing or associated factors were identified and mapped to one of seven different factor types from the Framework of Contributory Factors Influencing Clinical Practice within the London Protocol. Patient safety issues were mostly multifactorial in origin including patient factors, health provider factors and health care system factors. CONCLUSIONS: This review highlights that marginalised patient groups are vulnerable to experiencing a variety patient safety issues and points to a number of gaps. The findings indicate the need for further research to understand the intersectional nature of marginalisation and the multi-dimensional nature of patient safety issues, for groups that have been under-researched, including those with mental health problems, communication and cognitive impairments. Such understanding provides a basis for working collaboratively to co-design training, services and/or interventions designed to remove or at the very least minimise these increased risks. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Not applicable for a scoping review.

Socioeconomic and lifestyle factors associated with hearing loss in older adults: a cross-sectional study of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA).

OBJECTIVES: Aims were (1) to examine whether socioeconomic position (SEP) is associated with hearing loss (HL) among older adults in England and (2) whether major modifiable lifestyle factors (high body mass index, physical inactivity, tobacco consumption and alcohol intake above the low-risk-level guidelines) are associated with HL after controlling for non-modifiable demographic factors and SEP. SETTING: We used data from the wave 7 of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing, which is a longitudinal household survey dataset of a representative sample of people aged 50 and older. PARTICIPANTS: The final analytical sample was 8529 participants aged 50-89 that gave consent to have their hearing acuity objectively measured by a screening audiometry device and did not have any ear infection. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: HL defined as >35 dBHL at 3.0 kHz (better-hearing ear). Those with HL were further subdivided into two categories depending on the number of tones heard at 3.0 kHz. RESULTS: HL was identified in 32.1% of men and 22.3% of women aged 50-89. Those in a lower SEP were up to two times more likely to have HL; the adjusted odds of HL were higher for those with no qualifications versus those with a degree/higher education (men: OR 1.87, 95%CI 1.47 to 2.38, women: OR 1.53, 95%CI 1.21 to 1.95), those in routine/manual occupations versus those in managerial/professional occupations (men: OR 1.92, 95%CI 1.43 to 2.63, women: OR 1.25, 95%CI 1.03 to 1.54), and those in the lowest versus the highest income and wealth quintiles (men: OR 1.62, 95%CI 1.08 to 2.44, women: OR 1.36, 95%CI 0.85 to 2.16, and men: OR1.72, 95%CI 1.26 to 2.35, women: OR 1.88, 95%CI 1.37 to 2.58, respectively). All regression models showed that socioeconomic and the modifiable lifestyle factors were strongly associated with HL after controlling for age and gender. CONCLUSIONS: Socioeconomic and lifestyle factors are associated with HL among older adults as strongly as core demographic risk factors, such as age and gender. Socioeconomic inequalities and modifiable lifestyle behaviours need to be targeted by the health policy strategies, as an important step in designing interventions for individuals that face hearing health inequalities.

Cultural validation of the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination Version III Urdu for the British Urdu-speaking population: a qualitative assessment using cognitive interviewing.

OBJECTIVES: Our research determined whether the Addenbrooke's Cognitive Examination Version III (ACE-III) Urdu eliminated cultural bias through a qualitative assessment of its understanding and acceptability within the British Urdu-speaking population, employing cognitive interviews. METHOD: We aimed to recruit 25 participants fluent in speaking and writing Urdu, over the age of 60 years, able to give informed consent and who did not have a history of cognitive impairment. Participants were administered the ACE-III Urdu, and cognitive interviews were conducted, which involve obtaining verbal data on the individual's perception of the assessment overall, their understanding of the mental processes behind how they interpreted questions within the assessment and how they produced appropriate responses. This allows us to gauge the participants' overall thoughts on the Urdu ACE-III before applying question-formatted prompts to every ACE-III Urdu item. RESULTS: We recruited 25 participants, 12 women (48%), ranging from ages 60 years to 85 years (M=69.12, SD=6.57), all from Greater Manchester. Participants came from varied socioeconomic backgrounds, with 22 identifying as Pakistani, one as British Pakistani and two as East African. Across 19 ACE-III Urdu items, 7 required changes based on participant feedback: item 5a: fluency; items 6, 18 and 19: memory; items 12 and 13: language; and item 17: visuospatial abilities.The need for some of these changes was realised after 21 participants, due to persistently reoccurring issues, and these were applied before the last four participants. Overall, the ACE-III Urdu was considered easy and straightforward by all 25 participants, who understood items and felt the ACE-III Urdu was appropriate, not just for them, but for British Urdu speakers in general. CONCLUSION: Our cognitive interviews determined the ACE-III Urdu was acceptable, especially with regards to cultural context, but further changes were made to ensure understanding. Therefore, we adapted the ACE-III Urdu in accordance with feedback, resulting in our finalised version being culturally validated.

Is telephone health coaching a useful population health strategy for supporting older people with multimorbidity? An evaluation of reach, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness using a 'trial within a cohort'.

BACKGROUND: Innovative ways of delivering care are needed to improve outcomes for older people with multimorbidity. Health coaching involves 'a regular series of phone calls between patient and health professional to provide support and encouragement to promote healthy behaviours'. This intervention is promising, but evidence is insufficient to support a wider role in multimorbidity care. We evaluated health coaching in older people with multimorbidity. METHODS: We used the innovative 'Trials within Cohorts' design. A cohort was recruited, and a trial was conducted using a 'patient-centred' consent model. A randomly selected group within the cohort were offered the intervention and were analysed as the intervention group whether they accepted the offer or not. The intervention sought to improve the skills of patients with multimorbidity to deal with a range of long-term conditions, through health coaching, social prescribing and low-intensity support for low mood. RESULTS: We recruited 4377 older people, and 1306 met the eligibility criteria (two or more long-term conditions and moderate 'patient activation'). We selected 504 for health coaching, and 41% consented. More than 80% of consenters received the defined 'dose' of 4+ sessions. In an intention-to-treat analysis, those selected for health coaching did not improve on any outcome (patient activation, quality of life, depression or self-care) compared to usual care. We examined health care utilisation using hospital administrative and self-report data. Patients selected for health coaching demonstrated lower levels of emergency care use, but an increase in the use of planned services and higher overall costs, as well as a quality-adjusted life year (QALY) gain. The incremental cost per QALY was £8049, with a 70-79% probability of being cost-effective at conventional levels of willingness to pay. CONCLUSIONS: Health coaching did not lead to significant benefits on the primary measures of patient-reported outcome. This is likely related to relatively low levels of uptake amongst those selected for the intervention. Demonstrating effectiveness in this design is challenging, as it estimates the effect of being selected for treatment, regardless of whether treatment is adopted. We argue that the treatment effect estimated is appropriate for health coaching, a proactive model relevant to many patients in the community, not just those seeking care. TRIAL REGISTRATION: International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number ( ISRCTN12286422 ).

Income inequality and subjective well-being: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Reducing income inequality is one possible approach to boost subjective well-being (SWB). Nevertheless, previous studies have reported positive, null and negative associations between income inequality and SWB. OBJECTIVES: This study reports the first systematic review and meta-analysis of the relationship between income inequality and SWB, and seeks to understand the heterogeneity in the literature. METHODS: This systematic review was conducted according to guidance (PRISMA and Cochrane Handbook) and searches (between January 1980 and October 2017) were carried out using Web of Science, Medline, Embase and PsycINFO databases. RESULTS: Thirty-nine studies were included in the review, but poor data reporting meant that only 24 studies were included in the meta-analysis. The narrative analysis of 39 studies found negative, positive and null associations between income inequality and SWB. The meta-analysis confirmed these findings. The overall association between income inequality and SWB was almost zero and not statistically significant (pooled r = - 0.01, 95% CI - 0.08 to 0.06; Q = 563.10, I 2 = 95.74%, p < 0.001), suggesting no association between income inequality and SWB. Subgroup analyses showed that the association between income inequality and SWB was moderated by the country economic development (i.e. developed countries: r = - 0.06, 95% CI -0.10 to -0.02 versus developing countries: r = 0.16, 95% CI 0.09-0.23). The association between income inequality and SWB was not influenced by: (a) the measure used to assess SWB, (b) geographic region, or (c) the way in which income inequality was operationalised. CONCLUSIONS: The association between income inequality and SWB is weak, complex and moderated by the country economic development.

Influences on GP coping and resilience: a qualitative study in primary care.

BACKGROUND: 'Neoliberal' work policies, austerity, NHS restructuring, and increased GP consultation rates provide the backdrop against increasing reports of GP burnout and an impending shortage of GPs. AIM: To explore GPs' experiences of workplace challenges and stresses, and their coping strategies, particularly focusing on understanding the impact of recent NHS workplace change. DESIGN AND SETTING: Study design was qualitative, with data collected from two focus groups and seven one-to-one telephone interviews. METHOD: Focus groups and one-to-one telephone interviews explored the experiences of GPs currently practising in England, recruited through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a semi-structured interview approach and analysed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: There were 22 GP participants recruited: focus groups (n = 15) and interviews (n = 7). Interviewees understood GPs to be under intense and historically unprecedented pressures, which were tied to the contexts in which they work, with important moral implications for 'good' doctoring. Many reported that being a full-time GP was too stressful: work-related stress led to mood changes, sleep disruption, increases in anxiety, and tensions with loved ones. Some had subsequently sought ways to downsize their clinical workload. Workplace change resulted in little time for the things that helped GP resilience: a good work-life balance and better contact with colleagues. Although some GPs were coping better than others, GPs acknowledged that there was only so much an individual GP could do to manage their stress, given the external work issues they faced. CONCLUSION: GPs experience their emotional lives and stresses as being meaningfully shaped by NHS factors. To support GPs to provide effective care, resilience building should move beyond the individual to include systemic work issues.

Systematic meta-review of supported self-management for asthma: a healthcare perspective.

BACKGROUND: Supported self-management has been recommended by asthma guidelines for three decades; improving current suboptimal implementation will require commitment from professionals, patients and healthcare organisations. The Practical Systematic Review of Self-Management Support (PRISMS) meta-review and Reducing Care Utilisation through Self-management Interventions (RECURSIVE) health economic review were commissioned to provide a systematic overview of supported self-management to inform implementation. We sought to investigate if supported asthma self-management reduces use of healthcare resources and improves asthma control; for which target groups it works; and which components and contextual factors contribute to effectiveness. Finally, we investigated the costs to healthcare services of providing supported self-management. METHODS: We undertook a meta-review (systematic overview) of systematic reviews updated with randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published since the review search dates, and health economic meta-analysis of RCTs. Twelve electronic databases were searched in 2012 (updated in 2015; pre-publication update January 2017) for systematic reviews reporting RCTs (and update RCTs) evaluating supported asthma self-management. We assessed the quality of included studies and undertook a meta-analysis and narrative synthesis. RESULTS: A total of 27 systematic reviews (n = 244 RCTs) and 13 update RCTs revealed that supported self-management can reduce hospitalisations, accident and emergency attendances and unscheduled consultations, and improve markers of control and quality of life for people with asthma across a range of cultural, demographic and healthcare settings. Core components are patient education, provision of an action plan and regular professional review. Self-management is most effective when delivered in the context of proactive long-term condition management. The total cost (n = 24 RCTs) of providing self-management support is offset by a reduction in hospitalisations and accident and emergency visits (standard mean difference 0.13, 95% confidence interval -0.09 to 0.34). CONCLUSIONS: Evidence from a total of 270 RCTs confirms that supported self-management for asthma can reduce unscheduled care and improve asthma control, can be delivered effectively for diverse demographic and cultural groups, is applicable in a broad range of clinical settings, and does not significantly increase total healthcare costs. Informed by this comprehensive synthesis of the literature, clinicians, patient-interest groups, policy-makers and providers of healthcare services should prioritise provision of supported self-management for people with asthma as a core component of routine care. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: RECURSIVE: PROSPERO CRD42012002694 ; PRISMS: PROSPERO does not register meta-reviews.

Effectiveness of Case Management for 'At Risk' Patients in Primary Care: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: An ageing population with multimorbidity is putting pressure on health systems. A popular method of managing this pressure is identification of patients in primary care 'at-risk' of hospitalisation, and delivering case management to improve outcomes and avoid admissions. However, the effectiveness of this model has not been subjected to rigorous quantitative synthesis. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of case management for 'at-risk' patients in primary care. Six bibliographic databases were searched using terms for 'case management', 'primary care', and a methodology filter (Cochrane EPOC group). Effectiveness compared to usual care was measured across a number of relevant outcomes: Health--self-assessed health status, mortality; Cost--total cost of care, healthcare utilisation (primary and non-specialist care and secondary care separately), and; Satisfaction--patient satisfaction. We conducted secondary subgroup analyses to assess whether effectiveness was moderated by the particular model of case management, context, and study design. A total of 15,327 titles and abstracts were screened, 36 unique studies were included. Meta-analyses showed no significant differences in total cost, mortality, utilisation of primary or secondary care. A very small significant effect favouring case management was found for self-reported health status in the short-term (0.07, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.14). A small significant effect favouring case management was found for patient satisfaction in the short- (0.26, 0.16 to 0.36) and long-term (0.35, 0.04 to 0.66). Secondary subgroup analyses suggested the effectiveness of case management may be increased when delivered by a multidisciplinary team, when a social worker was involved, and when delivered in a setting rated as low in initial 'strength' of primary care. CONCLUSIONS: This was the first meta-analytic review which examined the effects of case management on a wide range of outcomes and considered also the effects of key moderators. Current results do not support case management as an effective model, especially concerning reduction of secondary care use or total costs. We consider reasons for lack of effect and highlight key research questions for the future. REVIEW PROTOCOL: The review protocol is available as part of the PROSPERO database (registration number: CRD42014010824).

Overview of the prevalence, impact, and management of depression and anxiety in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

More than one third of individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) experience comorbid symptoms of depression and anxiety. This review aims to provide an overview of the burden of depression and anxiety in those with COPD and to outline the contemporary advances and challenges in the management of depression and anxiety in COPD. Symptoms of depression and anxiety in COPD lead to worse health outcomes, including impaired health-related quality of life and increased mortality risk. Depression and anxiety also increase health care utilization rates and costs. Although the quality of the data varies considerably, the cumulative evidence shows that complex interventions consisting of pulmonary rehabilitation interventions with or without psychological components improve symptoms of depression and anxiety in COPD. Cognitive behavioral therapy is also an effective intervention for managing depression in COPD, but treatment effects are small. Cognitive behavioral therapy could potentially lead to greater benefits in depression and anxiety in people with COPD if embedded in multidisciplinary collaborative care frameworks, but this hypothesis has not yet been empirically assessed. Mindfulness-based treatments are an alternative option for the management of depression and anxiety in people with long-term conditions, but their efficacy is unproven in COPD. Beyond pulmonary rehabilitation, the evidence about optimal approaches for managing depression and anxiety in COPD remains unclear and largely speculative. Future research to evaluate the effectiveness of novel and integrated care approaches for the management of depression and anxiety in COPD is warranted.