Development, implementation, and evaluation of the Australian Stroke Data Tool (AuSDaT): Comprehensive data capturing for multiple uses.

BACKGROUND: Historically, national programs for collecting stroke data in Australia required the use of multiple online tools. Clinicians were required to enter overlapping variables for the same patient in the different databases. From 2013 to 2016, the Australian Stroke Data Tool (AuSDaT) was built as an integrated data management solution. OBJECTIVE: In this article, we have described the development, implementation, and evaluation phases of establishing the AuSDaT. METHOD: In the development phase, a governance structure with representatives from different data collection programs was established. Harmonisation of data variables, drawn from six programs used in hospitals for monitoring stroke care, was facilitated through creating a National Stroke Data Dictionary. The implementation phase involved a staged deployment for two national programs over 12 months. The evaluation included an online survey of people who had used the AuSDaT between March 2018 and May 2018. RESULTS: By July 2016, data entered for an individual patient was, for the first time, shared between national programs. Overall, 119/422 users (90% female, 61% aged 30-49 years, 57% nurses) completed the online evaluation survey. The two most positive features reported about the AuSDaT were (i) accessibility of the system (including simultaneous user access), and (ii) the ability to download reports to benchmark local data against peer hospitals or national performance. More than three quarters of respondents (n = 92, 77%) reported overall satisfaction with the data collection tool. CONCLUSION: The AuSDaT reduces duplication and enables users from different national programs for stroke to enter standardised data into a single system. IMPLICATIONS: This example may assist others who seek to establish a harmonised data management solution for different disease areas where multiple programs of data collection exist. The importance of undertaking continuous evaluation of end-users to identify preferences and aspects of the tool that are not meeting current requirements were illustrated. We also highlighted the opportunities to increase interoperability, utility, and facilitate the exchange of accurate and meaningful data.

A Stepped-Wedge Cluster-Randomized Trial to Improve Adherence to Evidence-Based Practices for Acute Stroke Management.

BACKGROUND: There is limited evidence regarding the optimal design and composition of multifaceted quality improvement programs to improve acute stroke care. The researchers aimed to test the effectiveness of a co-designed multifaceted intervention (STELAR: Shared Team Efforts Leading to Adherence Results) directed at hospital clinicians for improving acute stroke care tailored to the local context using feedback of national registry indicator data. METHODS: STELAR was a stepped-wedge cluster trial (partial randomization) using routinely collected Australian Stroke Clinical Registry data from Victorian hospitals segmented in two-month blocks. Each hospital (cluster) contributed control data from May 2017 and data for the intervention phase from July 2017 until September 2018. The intervention was multifaceted, delivered predominantly in two educational outreach workshops by experienced, external improvement facilitators, consisting of (1) feedback of registry data to identify practice gaps and (2) interprofessional education, barrier assessment, and documentation of an agreed action plan initiated by local clinical leaders appointed as change champions for prioritized clinical indicators. The researchers provided additional outreach support by e-mail/telephone for two months. Multilevel, multivariable regression models were used to assess change in a composite outcome of indicators selected for actions plans (primary outcome) and individual indicators (secondary outcome). Patient survival and disability 90-180 days after stroke were also compared. RESULTS: Nine hospitals (clusters) participated, and 144 clinicians attended 18 intervention workshops. The control phase included 1,001 patients (median age 76.7 years; 47.4% female, 64.7% ischemic stroke), and the intervention phase 2,146 patients (median age 74.9 years; 44.2% female, 73.8% ischemic stroke). Compared to the control phase, the median score for the composite outcome for the intervention phase was 17% greater for the indicators included in the hospitals' action plans (range 3% to 30%, p = 0.016) and overall for the 10 indicators 6% greater (range 3% to 10%, p < 0.001). Compared to the control phase, patients in the intervention phase more often received stroke unit care (odds ratio [OR] 1.39, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05-1.84), were discharged on antithrombotic medications (OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.50-2.33), and received a discharge care plan (OR 1.27, 95% CI 1.05-1.53). Patient outcomes were unchanged. CONCLUSION: External quality improvement facilitation using workshops and remote support, aligned with routine monitoring via registries, can improve acute stroke care.

Understanding the Role of External Facilitation to Drive Quality Improvement for Stroke Care in Hospitals.

The use of external facilitation within the context of multicomponent quality improvement interventions (mQI) is growing. We aimed to evaluate the influence of external facilitation for improving the quality of acute stroke care. Clinicians from hospitals participating in mQI (Queensland, Australia) as part of the Stroke123 study were supported by external facilitators in a single, on-site workshop to review hospital performance against eight clinical processes of care (PoCs) collected in the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (AuSCR) and develop an action plan. Remote support (i.e., telephone/email) after the workshop was provided. As part of a process evaluation for Stroke123, we recorded the number and mode of contacts between clinicians and facilitators; type of support provided; and frequency of self-directed, hospital-level stroke registry data reviews. Analysis: We measured the association between amount/type of external facilitation, (i) development of action plans, and (ii) adherence to PoCs before and after the intervention using AuSCR data from 2010 to 2015. In total, 14/19 hospitals developed an action plan. There was no significant difference in amount or type of external facilitator support provided between hospitals that did, and did not, develop an action plan. There was no relationship between the amount of external facilitation and change in adherence to PoCs. Most (95%) hospitals accessed stroke registry performance data. In the Stroke123 study, the amount or type of external facilitation did not influence action plan development, and the amount of support did not influence the changes achieved in adherence to PoCs. Remote support may not add value for mQI.

Screening for Fabry Disease in Young Strokes in the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (AuSCR).

Introduction: Fabry disease (FD) is an X-linked lysosomal storage disorder characterized by a deficiency or absence of alpha-galactosidase A (α-GAL A) enzyme, where stroke can be a serious complication. The aim of this study is to determine the feasibility of centralized screening for FD, among young stroke adults registered in the national Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (AuSCR). Methods: The study was conducted in young (age 18 - 55 years) survivors of acute stroke of unknown etiology registered in AuSCR at hospitals in Queensland, Tasmania, New South Wales, and Victoria during 2014 - 2015; and who, at the 3-month outcome assessment, agreed to be re-contacted for future research. Descriptive analyses of case identification from responses and specific enzyme and DNA sequencing analyses were conducted for α-galactosidase A (α-GLA) from dried blood spot (DBS) testing. Results: Of 326 AuSCR-identified patients invited to participate, 58 (18%) provided consent but six were subsequently unable to provide a blood sample and two later withdrew consent to use their data. Among the remaining 50 participants (median age 53 years [48 - 56 years]; 47% female), 67% had experienced an acute ischemic stroke. All males (n = 27) had an initial screen for α-GLA enzyme activity of whom seven with low enzyme levels had normal secondary α-GLA gene analysis. All females (n = 23) had genetic analysis, with one shown to have a pathogenic c.352C>T p.(Arg118Cys) missense mutation of the α-GLA gene for FD. Conclusions: These findings provide logistical data for embedding a process of automated central stroke registry screening for an additional case-finding tool in FD.

Multicenter, Prospective, Controlled, Before-and-After, Quality Improvement Study (Stroke123) of Acute Stroke Care.

Background and Purpose- Hospital uptake of evidence-based stroke care is variable. We aimed to determine the impact of a multicomponent program involving financial incentives and quality improvement interventions, on stroke care processes. Methods- A prospective study of interventions to improve clinical care quality indicators at 19 hospitals in Queensland, Australia, during 2010 to 2015, compared with historical controls and 23 other Australian hospitals. After baseline routine audit and feedback (control phase, 30 months), interventions involving financial incentives (21 months) and then addition of externally facilitated quality improvement workshops with action plan development (9 months) were implemented. Postintervention phase was 13 months. Data were obtained for the analysis from a previous continuous audit in Queensland and subsequently the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry. Primary outcome: change in median composite score for adherence to ≤8 indicators. Secondary outcomes: change in adherence to self-selected indicators addressed in action plans and 4 national indicators compared with other Australian hospitals. Multivariable analyses with adjustment for clustered data. Results- There were 17 502 patients from the intervention sites (median age, 74 years; 46% women) and 20 484 patients from other Australian hospitals. Patient characteristics were similar between groups. There was an 18% improvement in the primary outcome across the study periods (95% CI, 12%-24%). The largest improvement was following introduction of financial incentives (14%; 95% CI, 8%-20%), while indicators addressed in action plans provided an 8% improvement (95% CI, 1%-17%). The national score (4 indicators) improved by 17% (95% CI, 13%-20%) versus 0% change in other Australian hospitals (95% CI, -0.03 to 0.03). Access to stroke units improved more in Queensland than in other Australian hospitals ( P<0.001). Conclusions- The quality improvement interventions significantly improved clinical practice. The findings were primarily driven by financial incentives, but were also contributed to by the externally facilitated, quality improvement workshops. Assessment in other regions is warranted.

Outcomes for Patients With In-Hospital Stroke: A Multicenter Study From the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (AuSCR).

BACKGROUND: The quality of care and outcomes for people who experience stroke whilst in hospital for another condition has not been previously studied in Australia. AIMS: To explore differences in long-term outcomes among patients with in-hospital events treated in stroke units (SUs) compared to those managed in other hospital wards. METHODS: Forty-five hospitals participating in the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry between January 2010 and December 2014 contributed data. Survival of all patients with in-hospital stroke to 180 days after stroke and health-related quality of life, using EQ-5D-3L among 73% eligible, were compared using multilevel, multivariable regression models. Models were adjusted for age, sex, index of relative socioeconomic disadvantage, ability to walk, stroke type, transfer from another hospital, and history of stroke. RESULTS: Among 20,786 stroke events, 1182 (5.1%) occurred in-hospital (median age 77 years, 49% male). Patients with in-hospital stroke treated in SUs died less often within 30 days (Hazard Ratio 0.56; 95% CI 0.39-0.81) than those not admitted to SUs. Survivors reported similar health-related quality of life between 90 and 180 days compared to those treated in other wards (coefficient = 0.01, 95% CI -0.06-0.09, P = .78). Patients managed in SUs more often received recommended management (e.g. swallowing screening). CONCLUSION: The benefits of SU care may extend to patients experiencing in-hospital stroke. Validation, including accounting for potential residual confounding factors, is required.

Correction to: Hospital organizational context and delivery of evidence-based stroke care: a cross-sectional study.

Following publication of the original article [1], the authors reported an error in one of the authors' names. In this Correction the incorrect and correct author name are shown. The original article has been corrected.

Hospital organizational context and delivery of evidence-based stroke care: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Organizational context is one factor influencing the translation of evidence into practice, but data pertaining to patients with acute stroke are limited. We aimed to determine the associations of organizational context in relation to four important evidence-based stroke care processes. METHODS: This was a mixed methods cross-sectional study. Among 19 hospitals in Queensland, Australia, a survey was conducted of the perceptions of stroke clinicians about their work using the Alberta Context Tool (ACT), a validated measure covering 10 concepts of organizational context, and with additional stroke-specific contextual questions. These data were linked to the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (AuSCR) to determine the relationship with receipt of evidence-based acute stroke care (acute stroke unit admission, use of thrombolysis for those with acute ischemic stroke, receipt of a written care plan on discharge, and prescription of antihypertensive medications on discharge) using quantile regression. Exploratory cluster analysis was used to categorize hospitals into high and low context groups based on all of the 10 ACT concepts. Differences in adherence to care processes between the two groups were examined. RESULTS: A total of 215 clinicians completed the survey (50% nurses, 37% allied health staff, 10% medical practitioners), with 81% being in their current role for at least 1 year. There was good reliability (∞ 0.83) within the cohort to allow pooling of professional groups. Greater ACT scores, especially for social capital (µ 9.00, 95% confidence interval [CI] 4.86 to 13.14) and culture (µ 7.33, 95% CI 2.05 to 12.62), were associated with more patients receiving stroke unit care. There was no correlation between ACT concepts and other care processes. Working within higher compared to lower context environments was associated with greater proportions of patients receiving stroke unit care (88.5% vs. 69.0%) and being prescribed antihypertensive medication at discharge (62.5% vs. 52.0%). Staff from higher context hospitals were more likely to value medical and/or nursing leadership and stroke care protocols. CONCLUSIONS: Overall organizational context, and in particular aspects of culture and social capital, are associated with the delivery of some components of evidence-based stroke care, offering insights into potential pathways for improving the implementation of proven therapies.

Stroke survivor follow-up in a national registry: Lessons learnt from respondents who completed telephone interviews.

The Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (AuSCR) collects patient-reported outcomes at 90-180 days post-stroke. During telephone interviews, stroke survivors or their carers/family members often explain why they did not respond to a previously mailed survey. This feedback is useful to explore respondents' experiences of the follow-up process. Three main reasons for not returning surveys included: health-related time constraints, confusion about survey questions, and stroke denial. Such information is helpful in improving procedures for clinical quality disease registries and researchers using postal questionnaires.

Weekend hospital discharge is associated with suboptimal care and outcomes: An observational Australian Stroke Clinical Registry study.

BACKGROUND: The quality of stroke care may diminish on weekends. AIMS: We aimed to compare the quality of care and outcomes for patients with stroke/transient ischemic attack discharged on weekdays compared with those discharged on weekends. METHODS: Data from the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry from January 2010 to December 2015 (n = 45 hospitals) were analyzed. Differences in processes of care by the timing of discharge are described. Multilevel regression and survival analyses (up to 180 days postevent) were undertaken. RESULTS: Among 30,649 registrants, 2621 (8.6%) were discharged on weekends (55% male; median age 74 years). Compared to those discharged on weekdays, patients discharged on weekends were more often patients with a transient ischemic attack (weekend 35% vs. 19%; p < 0.001) but were less often treated in a stroke unit (69% vs. 81%; p < 0.001), prescribed antihypertensive medication at discharge (65% vs. 71%; p < 0.001) or received a care plan if discharged to the community (47% vs. 53%; p < 0.001). After accounting for patient characteristics and clustering by hospital, patients discharged on weekends had a 1 day shorter length of stay (coefficient = -1.31, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -1.52, -1.10), were less often discharged to inpatient rehabilitation (aOR = 0.39, 95% CI = 0.34, 0.44) and had a greater hazard of death within 180 days (hazard ratio = 1.22, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.42) than those discharged on weekdays. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with stroke/transient ischemic attack discharged on weekends were more likely to receive suboptimal care and have higher long-term mortality. High quality of stroke care should be consistent irrespective of the timing of hospital discharge.

Quality of Life Is Poorer for Patients With Stroke Who Require an Interpreter: An Observational Australian Registry Study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: In multicultural Australia, some patients with stroke cannot fully understand, or speak, English. Language barriers may reduce quality of care and consequent outcomes after stroke, yet little has been reported empirically. METHODS: An observational study of patients with stroke or transient ischemic attack (2010-2015) captured from 45 hospitals participating in the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry. The use of interpreters in hospitals, which is routinely documented, was used as a proxy for severe language barriers. Health-Related Quality of Life was assessed using the EuroQoL-5 dimension-3 level measured 90 to 180 days after stroke. Logistic regression was undertaken to assess the association between domains of EuroQoL-5 dimension and interpreter status. RESULTS: Among 34 562 registrants, 1461 (4.2%) required an interpreter. Compared with patients without interpreters, patients requiring an interpreter were more often women (53% versus 46%; P<0.001), aged ≥75 years (68% versus 51%; P<0.001), and had greater access to stroke unit care (85% versus 78%; P<0.001). After accounting for patient characteristics and stroke severity, patients requiring interpreters had comparable discharge outcomes (eg, mortality, discharged to rehabilitation) to patients not needing interpreters. However, these patients reported poorer Health-Related Quality of Life (visual analogue scale coefficient, -9; 95% CI, -12.38, -5.62), including more problems with self-care (odds ratio: 2.22; 95% CI, 1.82, 2.72), pain (odds ratio: 1.84; 95% CI, 1.52, 2.34), anxiety or depression (odds ratio: 1.60; 95% CI, 1.33, 1.93), and usual activities (odds ratio: 1.62; 95% CI, 1.32, 2.00). CONCLUSIONS: Patients requiring interpreters reported poorer Health Related Quality of Life after stroke/transient ischemic attack despite greater access to stroke units. These findings should be interpreted with caution because we are unable to account for prestroke Health Related Quality of Life. Further research is needed.

Improving quality and outcomes of stroke care in hospitals: Protocol and statistical analysis plan for the Stroke123 implementation study.

Rationale The effectiveness of clinician-focused interventions to improve stroke care is uncertain. Aims To determine whether an organizational intervention can improve the quality of stroke care over usual care. Sample size estimates To detect an absolute 10% difference in overall performance (composite outcome), a minimum of 21 hospitals and 843 patients per group was determined. Methods and design Before and after controlled design in hospitals in Queensland, Australia. Intervention Externally facilitated program (StrokeLink) using outreach workshops incorporating clinical performance feedback, patient outcomes (survival, quality of life at 90-180 days), local barrier assessments to best practice care, action planning, and ongoing support. Descriptive and multivariable analyses adjusted for patient correlations by hospital (intention-to-treat method). Context Concurrent implementation of financial incentives to increase stroke unit access and use of the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry for performance monitoring. Study outcome(s) Primary outcome: net change in composite score (i.e. total number of process indicators achieved divided by the sum of eligible indicators for each cohort). SECONDARY OUTCOMES: change in individual indicators, change in composite score comparing hospitals that did or did not develop action plans (per-protocol analysis), impact on 90-180-day health outcomes. Sensitivity analyses: hospital self-rated status, alternate cross-sectional audit data (Stroke Foundation). To account for temporal effects, comparison of Queensland hospital performance relative to other Australian hospitals will also be undertaken. Discussion Twenty-one hospitals were recruited; however, one was unable to participate within the study time frame. Workshops were held between 11 March 2014 and 7 November 2014. Data are ready for analysis.

Treatment and Outcomes of Working Aged Adults with Stroke: Results from a National Prospective Registry.

BACKGROUND: Given the potential differences in etiology and impact, the treatment and outcome of younger patients (aged 18-64 years) require examination separately to older adults (aged ≥65 years) who experience acute stroke. METHODS: Data from the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (2010-2015) including demographic and clinical characteristics, provision of evidence-based therapies and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) post-stroke was used. Descriptive statistics and multilevel regression models were used for group comparisons. RESULTS: Compared to older patients (age ≥65 years) among 26,220 registrants, 6,526 (25%) younger patients (age 18-64 years) were more often male (63 vs. 51%; p < 0.001), born in Australia (70 vs. 63%; p < 0.001), more often discharged home from acute care (56 vs. 38%; p < 0.001), and less likely to receive antihypertensive medication (61 vs. 73%; p < 0.001). Younger patients had a 74% greater odds of having lower HRQoL compared to an equivalent aged-matched general population (adjusted OR 1.74, 95% CI 1.56-1.93, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Younger stroke patients exhibited distinct differences from their older counterparts with respect to demographic and clinical characteristics, prescription of antihypertensive medications and residual health status.

Risk-adjusted hospital mortality rates for stroke: evidence from the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (AuSCR).

OBJECTIVES: Hospital data used to assess regional variability in disease management and outcomes, including mortality, lack information on disease severity. We describe variance between hospitals in 30-day risk-adjusted mortality rates (RAMRs) for stroke, comparing models that include or exclude stroke severity as a covariate. DESIGN: Cohort design linking Australian Stroke Clinical Registry data with national death registrations. Multivariable models using recommended statistical methods for calculating 30-day RAMRs for hospitals, adjusted for demographic factors, ability to walk on admission, stroke type, and stroke recurrence. SETTING: Australian hospitals providing at least 200 episodes of acute stroke care, 2009-2014. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Hospital RAMRs estimated by different models. Changes in hospital rank order and funnel plots were used to explore variation in hospital-specific 30-day RAMRs; that is, RAMRs more than three standard deviations from the mean. RESULTS: In the 28 hospitals reporting at least 200 episodes of care, there were 16 218 episodes (15 951 patients; median age, 77 years; women, 46%; ischaemic strokes, 79%). RAMRs from models not including stroke severity as a variable ranged between 8% and 20%; RAMRs from models with the best fit, which included ability to walk and stroke recurrence as variables, ranged between 9% and 21%. The rank order of hospitals changed according to the covariates included in the models, particularly for those hospitals with the highest RAMRs. Funnel plots identified significant deviation from the mean overall RAMR for two hospitals, including one with borderline excess mortality. CONCLUSIONS: Hospital stroke mortality rates and hospital performance ranking may vary widely according to the covariates included in the statistical analysis.

Quality of Acute Care and Long-Term Quality of Life and Survival: The Australian Stroke Clinical Registry.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Uncertainty exists over whether quality improvement strategies translate into better health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and survival after acute stroke. We aimed to determine the association of best practice recommended interventions and outcomes after stroke. METHODS: Data are from the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry during 2010 to 2014. Multivariable regression was used to determine associations between 3 interventions: received acute stroke unit (ASU) care and in various combinations with prescribed antihypertensive medication at discharge, provision of a discharge care plan, and outcomes of survival and HRQoL (EuroQoL 5-dimensional questionnaire visual analogue scale) at 180 days, by stroke type. An assessment was also made of outcomes related to the number of processes patients received. RESULTS: There were 17 585 stroke admissions (median age 77 years, 47% female; 81% managed in ASUs; 80% ischemic stroke) from 42 hospitals (77% metropolitan) assessed. Cumulative benefits on outcomes related to the number of care processes received by patients. ASU care was associated with a reduced likelihood of death (hazard ratio, 0.49; 95% confidence interval, 0.43-0.56) and better HRQoL (coefficient, 21.34; 95% confidence interval, 15.50-27.18) within 180 days. For those discharged from hospital, receiving ASU+antihypertensive medication provided greater 180-day survival (hazard ratio, 0.45; 95% confidence interval, 0.38-0.52) compared with ASU care alone (hazard ratio, 0.64; 95% confidence interval, 0.54-0.76). HRQoL gains were greatest for patients with intracerebral hemorrhage who received care bundles involving discharge processes (range of increase, 11%-19%). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with stroke who receive best practice recommended hospital care have improved long-term survival and HRQoL.

Addressing the challenges of cross-jurisdictional data linkage between a national clinical quality registry and government-held health data.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the challenges of obtaining state and nationally held data for linkage to a non-government national clinical registry. METHODS: We reviewed processes negotiated to achieve linkage between the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry (AuSCR), the National Death Index, and state held hospital data. Minutes from working group meetings, national workshop meetings, and documented communications with health department staff were reviewed and summarised. RESULTS: Time from first application to receipt of data was more than two years for most state data-sets. Several challenges were unique to linkages involving identifiable data from a non-government clinical registry. Concerns about consent, the re-identification of data, duality of data custodian roles and data ownership were raised. Requirements involved the development of data flow methods, separating roles and multiple governance and ethics approvals. Approval to link death data presented the fewest barriers. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first time in Australia that person-level data from a clinical quality registry has been linked to hospital and mortality data across multiple Australian jurisdictions. Implications for Public Health: The administrative load of obtaining linked data makes projects such as this burdensome but not impossible. An improved national centralised strategy for data linkage in Australia is urgently needed.

Better outcomes for hospitalized patients with TIA when in stroke units: An observational study.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate differences in management and outcomes for patients admitted to the hospital with TIA according to care on a stroke unit (SU) or alternate ward setting up to 180 days post event. METHODS: TIA admissions from 40 hospitals participating in the Australian Stroke Clinical Registry during 2010-2013 were assessed. Propensity score matching was used to assess outcomes by treatment group including Cox proportional hazards regression to compare survival differences and other appropriate multivariable regression models for outcomes including health-related quality of life and readmissions. RESULTS: Among 3,007 patients with TIA (mean age 73 years, 54% male), 1,110 pairs could be matched. Compared to management elsewhere in hospitals, management in an SU was associated with improved cumulative survival at 180 days post event (hazard ratio 0.57, 95% confidence interval 0.35-0.94; p = 0.029), despite not being statistically significant at 90 days (hazard ratio 0.66, 95% confidence interval 0.33-1.31; p = 0.237). Overall, there were no differences for being discharged on antihypertensive medication or with a care plan, and the 90- to 180-day self-reported outcomes between these groups were similar. In subgroup analyses of 461 matched pairs treated in hospitals in one Australian state (Queensland), patients treated in an SU were more often prescribed aspirin within 48 hours (73% vs 62%, p < 0.001) and discharged on antithrombotic medications (84% vs 71%, p < 0.001) than those not treated in an SU. CONCLUSIONS: Hospitalized patients with TIA managed in SUs had better survival at 180 days than those treated in alternate wards, potentially through better management, but further research is needed.

Responding to Young People's Health Risks in Primary Care: A Cluster Randomised Trial of Training Clinicians in Screening and Motivational Interviewing.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of a complex intervention implementing best practice guidelines recommending clinicians screen and counsel young people across multiple psychosocial risk factors, on clinicians' detection of health risks and patients' risk taking behaviour, compared to a didactic seminar on young people's health. DESIGN: Pragmatic cluster randomised trial where volunteer general practices were stratified by postcode advantage or disadvantage score and billing type (private, free national health, community health centre), then randomised into either intervention or comparison arms using a computer generated random sequence. Three months post-intervention, patients were recruited from all practices post-consultation for a Computer Assisted Telephone Interview and followed up three and 12 months later. Researchers recruiting, consenting and interviewing patients and patients themselves were masked to allocation status; clinicians were not. SETTING: General practices in metropolitan and rural Victoria, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: General practices with at least one interested clinician (general practitioner or nurse) and their 14-24 year old patients. INTERVENTION: This complex intervention was designed using evidence based practice in learning and change in clinician behaviour and general practice systems, and included best practice approaches to motivating change in adolescent risk taking behaviours. The intervention involved training clinicians (nine hours) in health risk screening, use of a screening tool and motivational interviewing; training all practice staff (receptionists and clinicians) in engaging youth; provision of feedback to clinicians of patients' risk data; and two practice visits to support new screening and referral resources. Comparison clinicians received one didactic educational seminar (three hours) on engaging youth and health risk screening. OUTCOME MEASURES: Primary outcomes were patient report of (1) clinician detection of at least one of six health risk behaviours (tobacco, alcohol and illicit drug use, risks for sexually transmitted infection, STI, unplanned pregnancy, and road risks); and (2) change in one or more of the six health risk behaviours, at three months or at 12 months. Secondary outcomes were likelihood of future visits, trust in the clinician after exit interview, clinician detection of emotional distress and fear and abuse in relationships, and emotional distress at three and 12 months. Patient acceptability of the screening tool was also described for the intervention arm. Analyses were adjusted for practice location and billing type, patients' sex, age, and recruitment method, and past health risks, where appropriate. An intention to treat analysis approach was used, which included multilevel multiple imputation for missing outcome data. RESULTS: 42 practices were randomly allocated to intervention or comparison arms. Two intervention practices withdrew post allocation, prior to training, leaving 19 intervention (53 clinicians, 377 patients) and 21 comparison (79 clinicians, 524 patients) practices. 69% of patients in both intervention (260) and comparison (360) arms completed the 12 month follow-up. Intervention clinicians discussed more health risks per patient (59.7%) than comparison clinicians (52.7%) and thus were more likely to detect a higher proportion of young people with at least one of the six health risk behaviours (38.4% vs 26.7%, risk difference [RD] 11.6%, Confidence Interval [CI] 2.93% to 20.3%; adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.7, CI 1.1 to 2.5). Patients reported less illicit drug use (RD -6.0, CI -11 to -1.2; OR 0.52, CI 0.28 to 0.96), and less risk for STI (RD -5.4, CI -11 to 0.2; OR 0.66, CI 0.46 to 0.96) at three months in the intervention relative to the comparison arm, and for unplanned pregnancy at 12 months (RD -4.4; CI -8.7 to -0.1; OR 0.40, CI 0.20 to 0.80). No differences were detected between arms on other health risks. There were no differences on secondary outcomes, apart from a greater detection of abuse (OR 13.8, CI 1.71 to 111). There were no reports of harmful events and intervention arm youth had high acceptance of the screening tool. CONCLUSIONS: A complex intervention, compared to a simple educational seminar for practices, improved detection of health risk behaviours in young people. Impact on health outcomes was inconclusive. Technology enabling more efficient, systematic health-risk screening may allow providers to target counselling toward higher risk individuals. Further trials require more power to confirm health benefits. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN.com ISRCTN16059206.

The prevention access and risk taking in young people (PARTY) project protocol: a cluster randomised controlled trial of health risk screening and motivational interviewing for young people presenting to general practice.

BACKGROUND: There are growing worldwide concerns about the ability of primary health care systems to manage the major burden of illness in young people. Over two thirds of premature adult deaths result from risks that manifest in adolescence, including injury, neuropsychiatric problems and consequences of risky behaviours. One policy response is to better reorientate primary health services towards prevention and early intervention. Currently, however, there is insufficient evidence to support this recommendation for young people. This paper describes the design and implementation of a trial testing an intervention to promote psychosocial risk screening of all young people attending general practice and to respond to identified risks using motivational interviewing. MAIN OUTCOMES: clinicians' detection of risk-taking and emotional distress, young people's intention to change and reduction of risk taking. SECONDARY OUTCOMES: pathways to care, trust in the clinician and likelihood of returning for future visits. The design of the economic and process evaluation are not detailed in this protocol. METHODS: PARTY is a cluster randomised trial recruiting 42 general practices in Victoria, Australia. Baseline measures include: youth friendly practice characteristics; practice staff's self-perceived competency in young people's care and clinicians' detection and response to risk taking behaviours and emotional distress in 14-24 year olds, attending the practice. Practices are then stratified by a social disadvantage index and billing methods and randomised. Intervention practices receive: nine hours of training and tools; feedback of their baseline data and two practice visits over six weeks. Comparison practices receive a three hour seminar in youth friendly practice only. Six weeks post-intervention, 30 consecutive young people are interviewed post-consultation from each practice and followed-up for self-reported risk taking behaviour and emotional distress three and 12 months post consultation. DISCUSSION: The PARTY trial is the first to examine the effectiveness and efficiency of a psychosocial risk screening and counselling intervention for young people attending primary care. It will provide important data on health risk profiles of young people attending general practice and on the effects of the intervention on engagement with primary care and health outcomes over 12 months. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN16059206.

Supportive-expressive group therapy for women with metastatic breast cancer: survival and psychosocial outcome from a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Mixed reports exist about the impact of supportive-expressive group therapy (SEGT) on survival. METHODS: From 485 women with advanced breast cancer recruited between 1996-2002, 227 (47%) consented and were randomized within an average 10 months of cancer recurrence in a 2:1 ratio to intervention with 1 year or more of weekly SEGT plus three classes of relaxation therapy (147 women) or to control receiving three classes of relaxation therapy (80 women). The primary outcome was survival; psychosocial well-being was appraised secondarily. Analysis was by intention-to-treat. RESULTS: SEGT did not prolong survival (median survival 24.0 months in SEGT and 18.3 in controls; univariate hazard ratio for death 0.92 [95% CI, 0.69-1.26]; multivariate hazard ratio, 1.06 [95% CI, 0.74-1.51]). Significant predictors of survival were treatment with chemotherapy and hormone therapy (p<0.001), visceral metastases (p<0.001) and advanced disease at first diagnosis (p<0.05). SEGT ameliorated and prevented new DSM-IV depressive disorders (p = 0.002), reduced hopeless-helplessness (p = 0.004), trauma symptoms (p = 0.04) and improved social functioning (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: SEGT did not prolong survival. It improved quality of life, including treatment of and protection against depression.