[Utilization of Rehabilitation After Orthopedic Operation - Does Severity of Case Influence the Setting of Rehabilitation (Out- Vs. Inpatient)?] / Inanspruchnahme einer Anschlussrehabilitation nach orthopädischer Operation ­ Beeinflusst die Fallschwere das Rehabilitationssetting (ambulant vs. stationär)?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to examine which factors predict rehabilitation setting (inpatient vs. outpatient) after hospitalization in order to indicate the meaning of severity for access to a certain kind of rehabilitation. METHODS: All patients with surgery for hip or knee (joint) endoprosthesis or disc surgery between 2005 and 2010 were selected for analysis from anonymized data from statutory health insurance (AOK Baden-Württemberg) and German Pension Fund (Bund as well as Baden-Württemberg). Logistic regression was performed for outpatient vs. inpatient rehabilitation. RESULTS: Patients from all surgery groups utilize more often inpatient rehabilitation, if they started treatment immediately after hospitalization than patients that start treatment after a period at home. With increasing age as well as comorbidities patients use more inpatient rehabilitation. The probability for inpatient rehabilitation decreased between 2005 and 2009. CONCLUSION: Beneath severity also context factors seem to be issues for the choice of inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation. For a demand-orientated access to a certain kind of rehabilitation, environmental conditions like support by family or accessibility to therapeutic, nursing or medical assistance and medical parameters like severity should be weighed against each other.

[Return to Work after Disk Surgery - Influenced by Rehabilitation?] / Erwerbsstatus nach einer Bandscheibenoperation: Was bewirkt eine Anschlussrehabilitation?

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was a comparison of treatment results in the year after disk surgery between the following treatment groups: rehabilitation immediately after discharge from hospital, rehabilitation with a transition time (at home) up to twenty days after rehabilitation or no rehabilitation. METHODS: On basis of claims data from a statutory health insurance and the German Federal Pension Fund the comparison of treatment results was performed. Therefore, duration of disability, return to work and early retirement are considered as treatment results and are analyzed using general linear models (GLM). Furthermore utilization of occupational rehabilitation was compared between the treatment groups with logistic regression. RESULTS: Rehabilitants showed a lower risk of unemployment. Moreover, rehabilitants utilize more often occupational rehabilitation. Both rehabilitation treatment groups had a higher duration of disability (including duration of rehabilitation) in the first quarter after surgery. Afterwards the duration of disability decreased faster. Risk of early retirement was higher in patients that started rehabilitation immediately. CONCLUSION: Rehabilitants tend to have better treatment results in the year following disc surgery.

[Utilization of Rehabilitation after Disk Surgery - A Cross-Sectoral Analysis of Claims Data from Statutory Health Insurance and German Federal Pension Fund]. / Inanspruchnahme der Anschlussrehabilitation nach einer Bandscheibenoperation.

The aim of this study was to identify relevant factors that influence utilization and interim period between hospitalization and postoperative rehabilitation after disk surgery. Logistic regression was performed for utilization of an early postoperative rehabilitation and for an interim period, when patients were going to a rehabilitation facility (directly after hospitalization or after a period at home) on claims data from statutory pension insurance and statutory health insurance. Increased utilization of postoperative rehabilitation was found in older and German patients. Moreover, adiposity and additional physiotherapy in hospital increased the utilization of postoperative rehabilitation, while blood transfusion during hospitalization was an inhibiting factor.Female gender, older age and additional physiotherapy in hospital decreased the probability for an interim period between hospitalization and postoperative rehabilitation. However, the probability for an interim period increased from 2005 to 2010. Utilization and interim period between hospitalization and postoperative rehabilitation meet patient's needs and seem adequate. Nevertheless, there are indications for under-utilization of certain patient groups (foreign citizens, unemployed persons, male patients).

Promoting Help-seeking using E-technology for ADolescents with mental health problems: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial within the ProHEAD Consortium.

BACKGROUND: The highest incidence and prevalence of mental health problems across the lifespan as well as the first onset of most long-term mental health conditions are reported for youths between 14 and 25 years of age. At the same time, only 25% of adolescents with mental health problems receive professional treatment. One explanation for poor treatment access in youths is their low help-seeking behavior. Barriers that can keep children and adolescents (C&A) from seeking professional help include a lack of perceived need, structural barriers, or stigma. Interventions based on e-technology might present an effective approach, overcoming these barriers by reducing stigma and providing low-threshold access with enhanced reach, ultimately facilitating help-seeking for mental health problems among youths. METHODS: The study is designed as a multi-center, randomized controlled trial. In total, an estimated number of n = 1,500 C&A with mental health problems, drawn from a school-based sample of n = 15,000 pupils attending school grades 6 to 13 (≥ 12 years of age), recruited in five regions of Germany, will be randomized either to an intervention (ProHEAD online) or a control condition. C&A in the intervention group will receive online access to tailored information and individual advice on where to seek professional help for their specific needs close to their place of living, case reports of and interaction with peers, as well as the opportunity for online and telephone counseling. C&A in the control intervention will receive a recommendation to seek help and online information on where to find professional help. All participants will be asked to complete questionnaires concerning their help-seeking behavior at baseline, during the intervention (monitoring), and also at a 1 and 2 year follow-up. The primary endpoint is the number of C&A seeking conventional face-to-face professional help in the real-world setting within 1 year after their initial screening. DISCUSSION: The trial will investigate if an Internet-based intervention can increase professional help-seeking in C&A with mental health problems. With its randomized controlled design and large-scale school-based sampling, the study aims to overcome the shortages of previous research. The intervention has the potential to narrow the treatment gap in C&A and to ultimately improve the mental health care system. TRIAL REGISTRATION: German Clinical Trials Register, DRKS00014685 . Registered on 7 July, 2018.

International Psychometric Validation of an EORTC Quality of Life Module Measuring Cancer Related Fatigue (EORTC QLQ-FA12).

Background: The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) Group has developed a new multidimensional instrument measuring cancer-related fatigue to be used in conjunction with the quality of life core questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30). The module EORTC QLQ-FA13 assesses physical, cognitive, and emotional aspects of cancer-related fatigue. Methods: The methodology follows the EORTC guidelines for phase IV validation of modules. This paper focuses on the results of the psychometric validation of the factorial structure of the module. For validation and cross-validation confirmatory factor analysis (maximum likelihood estimation), intraclass correlation and Cronbach alpha for internal consistency were employed. The study involved an international multicenter collaboration of 11 European and non-European countries. Results: A total of 946 patients with various tumor diagnoses were enrolled. Based on the confirmatory factor analysis, we could approve the three-dimensional structure of the module. Removing one item and reassigning the factorial mapping of another item resulted in the EORTC QLQ-FA12. For the revised scale, we found evidence supporting good local (indicator reliability ≥ 0.60, factor reliability ≥ 0.82) and global model fit (GFI t1|t2 = 0.965/0.957, CFI t1|t2 = 0.976/0.972, RMSEA t1|t2 = 0.060/0.069) for both measurement points. For each scale, test-retest reliability proved to be very good (intraclass correlation: R t1-t2 = 0.905-0.921) and internal consistency proved to be good to high (Cronbach alpha = .79-.90). Conclusion: Based on the former phase III module, the multidimensional structure was revised as a phase IV module (EORTC FA12) with an improved scale structure. For a comprehensive validation of the EORTC FA12, further aspects of convergent and divergent validity as well as sensitivity to change should be determined.