Your browser doesn't support javascript.
loading
Show: 20 | 50 | 100
Results 1 - 20 de 27
Filter
1.
BMJ Open ; 14(8): e080021, 2024 Aug 17.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39153765

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Selective fetal growth restriction (sFGR) in monochorionic twin pregnancy, defined as an estimated fetal weight (EFW) of one twin <10th centile and EFW discordance ≥25%, is associated with stillbirth and neurodisability for both twins. The condition poses unique management difficulties: on the one hand, continuation of the pregnancy carries a risk of death of the smaller twin, with a high risk of co-twin demise (40%) or co-twin neurological sequelae (30%). On the other, early delivery to prevent the death of the smaller twin may expose the larger twin to prematurity, with the associated risks of long-term physical, emotional and financial costs from neurodisability, such as cerebral palsy.When there is severe and early sFGR, before viability, delivery is not an option. In this scenario, there are currently three main management options: (1) expectant management, (2) selective termination of the smaller twin and (3) placental laser photocoagulation of interconnecting vessels. These management options have never been investigated in a randomised controlled trial (RCT). The best management option is unknown, and there are many challenges for a potential RCT. These include the rarity of the condition resulting in a small number of eligible pregnancies, uncertainty about whether pregnant women will agree to participate in such a trial and whether they will agree to be randomised to expectant management or active fetal intervention, and the challenges of robust and long-term outcome measures. Therefore, the main objective of the FERN study is to assess the feasibility of conducting an RCT of active intervention vs expectant management in monochorionic twin pregnancies with early-onset (prior to 24 weeks) sFGR. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The FERN study is a prospective mixed-methods feasibility study. The primary objective is to recommend whether an RCT of intervention vs expectant management of sFGR in monochorionic twin pregnancy is feasible by exploring women's preference, clinician's preference, current practice and equipoise and numbers of cases. To achieve this, we propose three distinct work packages (WPs). WP1: A Prospective UK Multicentre Study, WP2A: a Qualitative Study Exploring Parents' and Clinicians' Views and WP3: a Consensus Development to Determine Feasibility of a Trial. Eligible pregnancies will be recruited to WP1 and WP2, which will run concurrently. The results of these two WPs will be used in WP3 to develop consensus on a future definitive study. The duration of the study will be 53 months, composed of 10 months of setup, 39 months of recruitment, 42 months of data collection, and 5 months of data analysis, report writing and recommendations. The pragmatic sample size for WP1 is 100 monochorionic twin pregnancies with sFGR. For WP2, interviews will be conducted until data saturation and sample variance are achieved, that is, when no new major themes are being discovered. Based on previous similar pilot studies, this is anticipated to be approximately 15-25 interviews in both the parent and clinician groups. Engagement of at least 50 UK clinicians is planned for WP3. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study has received ethical approval from the Health Research Authority (HRA) South West-Cornwall and Plymouth Ethics Committee (REC reference 20/SW/0156, IRAS ID 286337). All participating sites will undergo site-specific approvals for assessment of capacity and capability by the HRA. The results of this study will be published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences. The results from the FERN project will be used to inform future studies. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: This study is included in the ISRCTN Registry (ISRCTN16879394) and the NIHR Central Portfolio Management System (CPMS), CRN: Reproductive Health and Childbirth Specialty (UKCRN reference 47201).


Subject(s)
Feasibility Studies , Fetal Growth Retardation , Pregnancy, Twin , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic , Humans , Female , Pregnancy , Fetal Growth Retardation/therapy , Prospective Studies , Twins, Monozygotic , Watchful Waiting , Infant, Newborn
2.
BJOG ; 2024 Jul 02.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38956742

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To identify current practices in the management of selective fetal growth restriction (sFGR) in monochorionic diamniotic (MCDA) twin pregnancies. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: International. POPULATION: Clinicians involved in the management of MCDA twin pregnancies with sFGR. METHODS: A structured, self-administered survey. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical practices and attitudes to diagnostic criteria and management strategies. RESULTS: Overall, 62.8% (113/180) of clinicians completed the survey; of which, 66.4% (75/113) of the respondents reported that they would use an estimated fetal weight (EFW) of <10th centile for the smaller twin and an inter-twin EFW discordance of >25% for the diagnosis of sFGR. For early-onset type I sFGR, 79.8% (75/94) of respondents expressed that expectant management would be their routine practice. On the other hand, for early-onset type II and type III sFGR, 19.3% (17/88) and 35.7% (30/84) of respondents would manage these pregnancies expectantly, whereas 71.6% (63/88) and 57.1% (48/84) would refer these pregnancies to a fetal intervention centre or would offer fetal intervention for type II and type III cases, respectively. Moreover, 39.0% (16/41) of the respondents would consider fetoscopic laser surgery (FLS) for early-onset type I sFGR, whereas 41.5% (17/41) would offer either FLS or selective feticide, and 12.2% (5/41) would exclusively offer selective feticide. For early-onset type II and type III sFGR cases, 25.9% (21/81) and 31.4% (22/70) would exclusively offer FLS, respectively, whereas 33.3% (27/81) and 32.9% (23/70) would exclusively offer selective feticide. CONCLUSIONS: There is significant variation in clinician practices and attitudes towards the management of early-onset sFGR in MCDA twin pregnancies, especially for type II and type III cases, highlighting the need for high-level evidence to guide management.

3.
Health Technol Assess ; 28(1): 1-129, 2024 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38229579

ABSTRACT

Background: People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have high levels of anxiety and depression, which is associated with increased morbidity and poor uptake of effective treatments, such as pulmonary rehabilitation. Cognitive-behavioural therapy improves mental health of people with long-term conditions and could potentially increase uptake of pulmonary rehabilitation, enabling synergies that could enhance the mental health of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Aim: Our aim was to develop and evaluate the clinical effectiveness and cost effectiveness of a tailored cognitive-behavioural approach intervention, which links into, and optimises the benefits of, routine pulmonary rehabilitation. Design: We carried out a pragmatic multicentre randomised controlled trial using a 1.25 : 1 ratio (intervention : control) with a parallel process evaluation, including assessment of fidelity. Setting: Twelve NHS trusts and five Clinical Commissioning Groups in England were recruited into the study. The intervention was delivered in participant's own home or at a local NHS facility, and by telephone. Participants: Between July 2017 and March 2020 we recruited adults with moderate/very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and mild/moderate anxiety and/or depression, meeting eligibility criteria for assessment for pulmonary rehabilitation. Carers of participants were invited to participate. Intervention: The cognitive-behavioural approach intervention (i.e. six to eight 40- to 60-minute sessions plus telephone support throughout pulmonary rehabilitation) was delivered by 31 trained respiratory healthcare professionals to participants prior to commencing pulmonary rehabilitation. Usual care included routine pulmonary rehabilitation referral. Main outcome measures: Co-primary outcomes were Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale - anxiety and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale - depression at 6 months post randomisation. Secondary outcomes at 6 and 12 months included health-related quality of life, smoking status, uptake of pulmonary rehabilitation and healthcare use. Results: We analysed results from 423 randomised participants (intervention, n = 242; control, n = 181). Forty-three carers participated. Follow-up at 6 and 12 months was 93% and 82%, respectively. Despite good fidelity for intervention delivery, mean between-group differences in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale at 6 months ruled out clinically important effects (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale - anxiety mean difference -0.60, 95% confidence interval -1.40 to 0.21; Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale - depression mean difference -0.66, 95% confidence interval -1.39 to 0.07), with similar results at 12 months. There were no between-group differences in any of the secondary outcomes. Sensitivity analyses did not alter these conclusions. More adverse events were reported for intervention participants than for control participants, but none related to the trial. The intervention did not generate quality-of-life improvements to justify the additional cost (adjusted mean difference £770.24, 95% confidence interval -£27.91 to £1568.39) to the NHS. The intervention was well received and many participants described positive affects on their quality of life. Facilitators highlighted the complexity of participants' lives and considered the intervention to be of potential valuable; however, the intervention would be difficult to integrate within routine clinical services. Our well-powered trial delivered a theoretically designed intervention with good fidelity. The respiratory-experienced facilitators were trained to deliver a low-intensity cognitive-behavioural approach intervention, but high-intensity cognitive-behavioural therapy might have been more effective. Our broad inclusion criteria specified objectively assessed anxiety and/or depression, but participants were likely to favour talking therapies. Randomisation was concealed and blinding of outcome assessment was breached in only 15 participants. Conclusions: The tailored cognitive-behavioural approach intervention delivered with fidelity by trained respiratory healthcare professionals to people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was neither clinically effective nor cost-effective. Alternative approaches that are integrated with routine long-term condition care are needed to address the unmet, complex clinical and psychosocial needs of this group of patients. Trial registration: This trial is registered as ISRCTN59537391. Funding: This award was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme (NIHR award ref: 13/146/02) and is published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 28, No. 1. See the NIHR Funding and Awards website for further award information.


People with long-standing lung problems, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, often also have anxiety and depression, which further reduces their quality of life. Two existing treatments could help. Pulmonary rehabilitation (a programme of exercise and education) improves both the physical and mental health of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Cognitive­behavioural therapy (a talking therapy) may reduce anxiety and depression. The TANDEM [Tailored intervention for Anxiety and Depression Management in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)] intervention linked these two treatments by providing talking therapy based on cognitive­behavioural therapy during the waiting time following referral for pulmonary rehabilitation. The TANDEM treatment was delivered by respiratory healthcare professionals (e.g. nurses or physiotherapists) trained to deliver the talking therapy in six to eight weekly sessions. The sessions were conducted in the participant's home (or another convenient location), with brief telephone support during the pulmonary rehabilitation. Of 423 participants recruited to the study, 242 participants received TANDEM talking therapy and 181 participants received usual care (including a referral to pulmonary rehabilitation). We measured mental health, quality of life, social life, attendance at pulmonary rehabilitation and healthcare use in both groups at 6 and 12 months. Forty-three carers joined the study and we assessed their mental well-being. We interviewed patients, carers and health professionals to find out their views and experience of the TANDEM treatment. We also examined whether or not the TANDEM treatment was good value for money. The TANDEM treatment did not improve the mental or the physical health of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In addition, the TANDEM treatment cost the NHS an extra £770 per patient, which was not good value for money. The TANDEM treatment was well received, and many participants told us how it had helped them. Heath-care professionals noted how participants did not just have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, but were coping with many physical, mental and social problems. The TANDEM intervention was not effective and, therefore, other strategies will be needed to help people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and mental health problems live with their condition.


Subject(s)
Depression , Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive , Adult , Humans , Depression/therapy , Quality of Life , Psychosocial Intervention , Anxiety/therapy , Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/therapy , Cost-Benefit Analysis
4.
BMC Complement Med Ther ; 24(1): 41, 2024 Jan 17.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38233784

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: To date, beneficial effects of multimodal exercise programmes on Parkinson's disease (PD) have focused on motor symptoms and little attention has been paid to the potential effects of such programmes on the non-motor symptoms of PD, which are now universally known as one of the key drivers of quality of life and a key unmet need. We aim to explore clinical effectiveness of a ballet-based dance programme in addressing non-motor and motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease across all stages of progression. METHODS: A randomised, single-blind, controlled trial of 160 people with Parkinson's across all motor stages (Participants will be stratified into three groups of motor advancement: Hoehn and Yahr (HY) stages I and II being Mild Group, HY Stage III being Moderate Group and HY Stages IV and V being Severe Group) will be randomly allocated to either an intervention or a control group using an independent randomisation body. The primary outcome is an improvement in non-motor symptoms as measured by the Movement Disorders Society Non-Motor Scale (MDS-NMS). The intervention protocol consists of 12 one-weekly dance sessions led by English National Ballet. Each session is followed by a 'tea and biscuit' social time. Control group follows standard clinical pathway and joins the 'tea and biscuit' to control for any positive effects of social interactions. All participants are assessed at baseline, immediately after completion of the intervention and 3-6 months later to explore any potential longitudinal effects. DISCUSSION: To our knowledge, no adequately powered study has explored the effects of a dance-based intervention on non-motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease, assessing these on both holistic and granular levels. We also aim to stratify participants in accordance with their motor state as assessed by. HY staging to explore specific effects on the symptoms at the initial, moderate and complex stages of the disease. If successful, this trial provides first evidence on clinical effectiveness of a ballet-based dance intervention for symptoms of Parkinson's disease, assessed in a robust, rigorous manner. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT04719468.


Subject(s)
Dancing , Parkinson Disease , Humans , Parkinson Disease/therapy , Quality of Life , Single-Blind Method , Tea , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
5.
Res Sq ; 2023 Aug 18.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37645946

ABSTRACT

Background: Stigma and discrimination towards people with mental health conditions by their communities are common worldwide. This can result in a range of negative outcomes for affected persons, including poor access to health care. However, evidence is still patchy from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) on affordable, community-based interventions to reduce mental health-related stigma and to improve access to mental health care. Methods: This study aims to conduct a feasibility (proof-of-principle) pilot study that involves developing, implementing and evaluating a community-based, multi-component, public awareness-raising intervention (titled Indigo-Local), designed to reduce stigma and discrimination and to increase referrals of people with mental health conditions for assessment and treatment. It is being piloted in five LMICs - China, Ethiopia, India, Nepal and Tunisia - and includes several key components: a stakeholder group workshop; a stepped training programme (using a 'Training of Trainers' approach) of community health workers (or similar cadres of workers) and service users that includes repeated supervision and booster sessions; awareness-raising activities in the community; and a media campaign. Social contact and service user involvement are instrumental to all components. The intervention is being evaluated through a mixed-methods pre-post study design that involves quantitative assessment of stigma outcomes measuring knowledge, attitudes and (discriminatory) behaviour; quantitative evaluation of mental health service utilization rates (where feasible in sites); qualitative exploration of the potential effectiveness and impact of the Indigo-Local intervention; a process evaluation; implementation evaluation; and an evaluation of implementation costs. Discussion: The outcome of this study will be contextually adapted, evidence-based interventions to reduce mental health-related stigma in local communities in five LMICs to achieve improved access to healthcare. We will have replicable models of how to involve people with lived experience as an integral part of the intervention and will produce knowledge of how intervention content and implementation strategies vary across settings. The interventions and their delivery will be refined to be acceptable, feasible and ready for larger-scale implementation and evaluation. This study thereby has the potential to make an important contribution to the evidence base on what works to reduce mental health-related stigma and discrimination and improve access to health care.

6.
BMC Pregnancy Childbirth ; 23(1): 404, 2023 Jun 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37264300

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Healthcare-based Independent Domestic Violence Advisors (hIDVA) are evidence-based programmes that provide emotional and practical support to service users experiencing domestic abuse. hIDVA programmes are found to improve health outcomes for service users and are increasingly delivered across a range of healthcare settings. However, it is unclear how hIDVA programmes are implemented across maternity services and the key facilitators and barriers to their implementation. The aim of this study was to identify; how many English National Health Service (NHS) Trusts with maternity services have a hIDVA programme; which departments within the Trust they operate in; what format, content, and variation in hIDVA programmes exist; and key facilitators and barriers of implementation in maternity services. METHODS: A national survey of safeguarding midwives (Midwives whose role specifically tasks them to protect pregnant women from harm including physical, emotional, sexual and financial harm and neglect) within all maternity services across England; descriptive statistics were used to summarise responses. A World Café event (a participatory method, which aims to create a café atmosphere to facilitate informal conversation) with 38 national key stakeholders to examine barriers and facilitators to hIDVA programme implementation. RESULTS: 86/124 Trusts (69%) with a maternity service responded to the survey; 59(69%) of respondents reported that they had a hIDVA programme, and 47(55%) of the hIDVA programmes operated within maternity services. Key facilitators to implementation of hIDVA programmes included training of NHS staff about the hIDVA role and regular communication between Trust staff and hIDVA staff; hIDVA staff working directly from the Trust; co-creation of hIDVA programmes with experts by experience; governance and middle- and senior-management support. Key barriers included hIDVA staff having a lack of access to a private space for their work, insecure funding for hIDVA programmes and issues with recruitment and retention of hIDVA staff. CONCLUSIONS: Despite hIDVA programmes role in improving the health outcomes of service users experiencing domestic abuse, increased funding and staff training is needed to successfully implement hIDVA staff in maternity services. Integrated Care Board commissioning of acute and mental health trust services would benefit from ensuring hIDVA programmes and clinician DVA training are prioritised.


Subject(s)
Domestic Violence , State Medicine , Humans , Female , Pregnancy , Domestic Violence/prevention & control , Domestic Violence/psychology , Pregnant Women , Referral and Consultation , Surveys and Questionnaires
7.
BMJ Open ; 12(12): e061209, 2022 12 16.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36526311

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The need for quantitative criteria to appraise the quality of implementation research has recently been highlighted to improve methodological rigour. The Implementation Science Research development (ImpRes) tool and supplementary guide provide methodological guidance and recommendations on how to design high-quality implementation research. This protocol reports on the development of the Implementation Science Research Project Appraisal Criteria (ImpResPAC) tool, a quantitative appraisal tool, developed based on the structure and content of the ImpRes tool and supplementary guide, to evaluate the conceptual and methodological quality of implementation research. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This study employs a three-stage sequential mixed-methods design. During stage 1, the research team will map core domains of the ImpRes tool, guidance and recommendations contained in the supplementary guide and within the literature, to ImpResPAC. In stage 2, an international multidisciplinary expert group, recruited through purposive sampling, will inform the refinement of ImpResPAC, including content, scoring system and user instructions. In stage 3, an extensive psychometric evaluation of ImpResPAC, that was created in stage 1 and refined in stage 2, will be conducted. The scaling assumptions (inter-item and item-total correlations), reliability (internal consistency, inter-rater) and validity (construct and convergent validity) will be investigated by applying ImpResPAC to 50 protocols published in Implementation Science. We envisage developing ImpResPAC in this way will provide implementation research stakeholders, primarily grant reviewers and educators, a comprehensive, transparent and fair appraisal of the conceptual and methodological quality of implementation research, increasing the likelihood of funding research that will generate knowledge and contribute to the advancement of the field. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This study will involve human participants. This study has been registered and minimal risk ethical clearance granted by The Research Ethics Office, King's College London (reference number MRA-20/21-20807). Participants will receive written information on the study via email and will provide e-consent if they wish to participate. We will use traditional academic modalities of dissemination (eg, conferences and publications).


Subject(s)
Implementation Science , Research Design , Humans , Psychometrics , Reproducibility of Results , Research Personnel
8.
BMC Health Serv Res ; 22(1): 1392, 2022 Nov 22.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36419089

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the real-world implementation of the Friendship Bench (FB) - an evidence-based brief psychological intervention delivered by community health workers (CHWs) - three years after its implementation in three city health departments in Zimbabwe. Implementation sites were evaluated according to their current performance using the RE-AIM framework making this one of the first evaluations of a scaled-up evidence-based psychological intervention in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). METHODS: Using the RE-AIM guide ( www.re-aim.org ), the authors designed quantitative indicators based on existing FB implementation data. Thirty-six primary health care clinics (PHC) in Harare (n=28), Chitungwiza (n=4) and Gweru (n=4) were included. Among these clinics 20 were large comprehensive health care centers, 7 medium (mostly maternal and child healthcare) and 9 small clinics (basic medical care and acting as referral clinic). Existing data from these clinics, added to additionally collected data through interviews and field observations were used to investigate and compare the performance of the FB across clinics. The focus was on the RE-AIM domains of Reach, Adoption, and Implementation. RESULTS: Small clinics achieved 34% reach, compared to large (15%) and medium clinics (9%). Adoption was high in all clinic types, ranging from 59% to 71%. Small clinics led the implementation domain with 53%, followed by medium sized clinics 43% and large clinics 40%. Small clinics performed better in all indicators and differences in performance between small and large clinics were significant. Program activity and data quality depends on ongoing support for delivering agents and buy-in from health authorities. CONCLUSION: The Friendship Bench program was implemented over three years transitioning from a research-based implementation program to one led locally. The Reach domain showed the largest gap across clinics where larger clinics performed poorly relative to smaller clinics and should be a target for future implementation improvements. Program data needs to be integrated into existing health information systems. Future studies should seek to optimize scale-up and sustainment strategies to maintain effective task-shared psychological interventions in SSA.


Subject(s)
Data Accuracy , Friends , Child , Humans , Zimbabwe , Data Collection , Ambulatory Care Facilities
9.
BMJ Open ; 12(3): e057805, 2022 03 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35277410

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Stroke survivors, once in the community, face challenges with their long-term rehabilitation care and present higher levels of loneliness, depression and anxiety than the rest of the population. A community-based performance arts programme, Stroke Odysseys (SO), has been devised to tackle the challenges of living with stroke in the UK. In this study, we aim to evaluate the implementation, impact and experiences of SO for stroke survivors. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: Scaling-up Health Arts Programmes: Implementation and Effectiveness Research (SHAPER)-SO aims to scale-up SO to 75 participants and 47 stakeholders, while simultaneously evaluating the effectiveness and implementation of the programme. The main research aim is to evaluate the implementation, effectiveness, impact and experiences of a community-based performance arts programme (SO for stroke survivors). This mixed-methods study will evaluate the experience and impact of SO on those participating using mixed methods (interviews, observations and surveys) before and after each stage and carry out non-participant observations during a percentage of the workshops, training and tour. Data will be analysed using quantitative and qualitative approaches. This is a study within the SHAPER programme. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval has been granted by the King's College London PNM Research Ethics Panel, REC reference: LRS/DP-20/21-21549. Written informed consent will be sought for participants and stakeholders. The results of the study will be reported and disseminated at international conferences and in peer-reviewed scientific journals. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04864470.


Subject(s)
Stroke Rehabilitation , Stroke , Humans , Quality of Life , Stroke/therapy , Stroke Rehabilitation/methods , Surveys and Questionnaires , United Kingdom
10.
BMJ Open ; 12(2): e055691, 2022 Feb 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35105591

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Research on the benefits of 'arts' interventions to improve individuals' physical, social and psychological well-being is growing, but evidence on implementation and scale-up into health and social care systems is lacking. This protocol reports the SHAPER-Implement programme (Scale-up of Health-Arts Programmes Effectiveness-Implementation Research), aimed at studying the impact, implementation and scale-up of: Melodies for Mums (M4M), a singing intervention for postnatal depression; and Dance for Parkinson's (PD-Ballet) a dance intervention for Parkinson's disease. We examine how they could be embedded in clinical pathways to ensure their longer-term sustainability. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A randomised two-arm effectiveness-implementation hybrid type 2 trial design will be used across M4M/PD-Ballet. We will assess the implementation in both study arms (intervention vs control), and the cost-effectiveness of implementation. The design and measures, informed by literature and previous research by the study team, were refined through stakeholder engagement. Participants (400 in M4M; 160 in PD-Ballet) will be recruited to the intervention or control group (2:1 ratio). Further implementation data will be collected from stakeholders involved in referring to, delivering or supporting M4M/PD-Ballet (N=25-30 for each intervention).A mixed-methods approach (surveys and semi-structured interviews) will be employed. 'Acceptability' (measured by the 'Acceptability Intervention Measure') is the primary implementation endpoint for M4M/PD-Ballet. Relationships between clinical and implementation outcomes, implementation strategies (eg, training) and outcomes will be explored using generalised linear mixed models. Qualitative data will assess factors affecting the acceptability, feasibility and appropriateness of M4M/PD-Ballet, implementation strategies and longer-term sustainability. Costs associated with implementation and future scale-up will be estimated. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: SHAPER-PND (the M4M trial) and SHAPER-PD (the PD trial) are approved by the West London and GTAC (20/PR/0813) and the HRA and Health and Care Research Wales (REC Reference: 20/WA/0261) Research Ethics Committees. Study findings will be disseminated through scientific peer-reviewed journals and scientific conferences. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBERS: Both trials are registered with NIH US National Library of Medicine, ClinicalTrials.gov. The trial registration numbers, URLs of registry records, and dates of registration are: (1) PD-Ballet: URL: NCT04719468 (https://eur03.safelinks.protection. OUTLOOK: com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.clinicaltrials.gov%2Fct2%2Fshow%2FNCT04719468%3Fterm%3DNCT04719468%26draw%3D2%26rank%3D1&data=04%7C01%7Crachel.davis%40kcl.ac.uk%7C11a7c5142782437919f808d903111449%7C8370cf1416f34c16b83c724071654356%7C0%7C0%7C6375441942616) (date of registration: 22 Jan 2021). (2) Melodies for Mums: NCT04834622 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04834622?term=shaper-pnd&draw=2&rank=1) (date of registration: 8 Apr 2021).


Subject(s)
Depression, Postpartum , Parkinson Disease , Singing , Cost-Benefit Analysis , Depression, Postpartum/therapy , Female , Humans , Parkinson Disease/therapy , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic , Surveys and Questionnaires
11.
Ann Surg ; 275(4): 679-684, 2022 04 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33074892

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate cost-effectiveness of the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist. BACKGROUND: The clinical effectiveness of surgical checklists is largely understood. Few studies to-date have evaluated the cost-effectiveness of checklist use. METHODS: An economic evaluation was carried out using data from the only available randomized controlled trial of the checklist. Analyses were based on 3702 procedures. Costs considered included checklist implementation costs and length and cost of hospital stay, costs of warming blanket use, blood transfusions and antibiotics used in the operating room, and the cost of clinical time in the operating room - all calculated for each procedure and its associated admission. Nonparametric bootstrapping was used to simulate an empirical distribution of the mean effect of the checklist on total admission costs and the probability of observing a complication-free admission and to quantify sampling uncertainty around mean cost estimates. RESULTS: The overall cost of checklist implementation was calculated to be $900 per 100 admissions. Implementation of the WHO checklist resulted in an additional 5.9 complication-free admissions per 100 admissions and an average of 110 bed-days saved per 100 admissions. Accounting for all costs included in the analysis, for every 100 admissions, use of the WHO checklist was estimated to save $55,899. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of the WHO checklist was a cost-effective strategy for improving surgical safety.


Subject(s)
Checklist , Hospitalization , Cost-Benefit Analysis , Humans , Length of Stay , World Health Organization
12.
Ann Surg ; 275(5): 1018-1024, 2022 05 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32941283

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the economic case for nationwide scale-up of the World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist using cost-effectiveness and benefit-cost analyses. BACKGROUND: The Checklist improves surgical outcomes but the economic case for widespread use remains uncertain. For perioperative quality improvement interventions to compete successfully against other worthwhile health and nonhealth interventions for limited government resources they must demonstrate cost-effectiveness and positive societal benefit. METHODS: Using data from 3 countries, we estimated the benefits as the total years of life lost (YLL) due to postoperative mortality averted over a 3 year period; converted the benefits to dollar equivalent values using estimates of the economic value of an additional year of life expectancy; estimated total implementation costs; and determined incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) and benefit-cost ratio (BCR). Costs are reported in international dollars using Word Bank purchasing power parity conversion factors at 2016 price-levels. RESULTS: In Benin, Cameroon, and Madagascar ICERs were: $31, $138, and $118 per additional YLL averted; and BCRs were 62, 29, and 9, respectively. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the associated mortality reduction and increased usage due to Checklist scale-up would need to deviate approximately 10-fold from published data to change our main interpretations. CONCLUSIONS: According to WHO criteria, Checklist scale-up is considered "very cost-effective" and for every $ 1 spent the potential return on investment is $9 to $62. These results compare favorably with other health and nonhealth interventions and support the economic argument for investing in Checklist scale-up as part of a national strategy for improving surgical outcomes.


Subject(s)
Checklist , Africa South of the Sahara , Cameroon , Cost-Benefit Analysis , Humans , World Health Organization
13.
BMJ Open ; 11(11): e052133, 2021 11 17.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34789494

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Postnatal depression (PND) affects approximately 13% of new mothers. Community-based activities are sought after by many mothers, especially mothers that prefer not to access pharmacological or psychological interventions. Singing has shown positive effects in maternal mood and mother-child bonding. The Scaling-Up Health-Arts Programmes: Implementation and Effectiveness Research-Postnatal Depression study will analyse the clinical and implementation effectiveness of 10-week singing sessions for PND in new mothers. This protocol paper will focus on the clinical effectiveness of this trial. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: A total of 400 mothers with PND (with a score of at least 10 on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale) and their babies will be recruited for this hybrid type II randomised controlled trial. The intervention group will attend 10 weekly singing sessions held at community venues or online, facilitated by the arts organisation, Breathe Arts Health Research (Breathe). A control group will be encouraged to attend non-singing sessions in the community or online for 10 weeks. A package of assessments will be collected from participants for clinical, mechanistic and implementation outcomes, at different stages of the trial. Clinical assessments will include questionnaires and interviews for demographics, mental health and social measures, together with biological samples for measurement of stress markers; the study visits are at baseline, week 6 (mid-trial) and week 10 (end of trial), with follow ups at weeks 20 and 36. Multiple imputation will be used to deal with possible missing data and multivariable models will be fitted to assess differences between groups in the outcomes of the study. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval has been granted by the London-West London and GTAC Research Ethics Committee, REC reference: 20/PR/0813. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04834622; Pre-results.


Subject(s)
Depression, Postpartum , Singing , Depression/therapy , Depression, Postpartum/therapy , Female , Humans , Mothers , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic , Surveys and Questionnaires , Treatment Outcome
14.
BMJ Open ; 11(9): e045481, 2021 09 13.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34518246

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Common mental disorders (CMDs) are a leading cause of disability globally. CMDs are highly prevalent in Zimbabwe and have been addressed by an evidence-based, task-shifting psychological intervention called the Friendship Bench (FB). The task-shifted FB programme guides clients through problem-solving therapy. It was scaled up across 36 implementation sites in Zimbabwe in 2016. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This study will employ a mixed-method framework. It aims to: (1) use quantitative survey methodologies organised around the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption and Implementation and Maintenance evaluation framework to assess the current scaleup of the FB intervention and classify 36 clinics according to levels of performance; (2) use qualitative focus group discussions and semistructured interviews organised around the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research to analyse determinants of implementation success, as well as elucidate heterogeneity in implementation strategies through comparing high-performing and low-performing clinics; and (3) use the results from aims 1 and 2 to develop strategies to optimise the Friendship Bench intervention and apply this model in a cluster randomised controlled trial to evaluate potential improvements among low-performing clinics. The trial will be registered with the Pan African Clinical Trial Registry (www.pactr.org). The planned randomised controlled trial for the third research aim will be registered after completing aims one and two because the intervention is dependent on knowledge generated during these phases. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The research protocol received full authorisation from the Medical Research Council of Zimbabwe (MRCZ A/242). It is anticipated that changes in data collection tools and consent forms will take place at all three phases of the study and approval from MRCZ will be sought. All interview partners will be asked for informed consent. The research team will prioritise open-access publications to disseminate research results.


Subject(s)
Friends , Mental Disorders , Africa South of the Sahara , Humans , Primary Health Care , Psychosocial Intervention , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
15.
Pilot Feasibility Stud ; 7(1): 116, 2021 May 31.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34059148

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: People with serious mental illnesses (SMI) such as schizophrenia often also have physical health illnesses and interventions are needed to address the resultant multimorbidity and reduced life expectancy. Research has shown that volunteers can support people with SMI. This protocol describes a feasibility randomised controlled trial (RCT) of a novel intervention involving volunteer 'Health Champions' supporting people with SMI to manage and improve their physical health. METHODS: This is a feasibility hybrid II randomised effectiveness-implementation controlled trial. The intervention involves training volunteers to be 'Health Champions' to support individual people with SMI using mental health services. This face-to-face or remote support will take place weekly and last for up to 9 months following initial introduction. This study will recruit 120 participants to compare Health Champions to treatment as usual for people with SMI using secondary community mental health services in South London, UK. We will measure the clinical and cost effectiveness including quality of life. We will measure the implementation outcomes of acceptability, feasibility, appropriateness, fidelity, barriers and enablers, unintended consequences, adoption and sustainability. DISCUSSION: There is a need for interventions to support people with SMI with their physical health. If this feasibility trial is successful, a definitive trial will follow to fully evaluate the clinical, cost and implementation effectiveness of Health Champions supporting people with SMI. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov, registration no: NCT04124744 .

16.
Trials ; 22(1): 272, 2021 Apr 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33845856

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) services improve health outcomes for young people with psychosis in the medium-long term, but 25% of young people disengage in the first 12 months with costs to their mental health, families, society and the NHS. This study will evaluate the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and implementation of a team-based motivational Early Youth Engagement (EYE-2) intervention. METHOD: The study design is a cluster randomised controlled trial (RCT) with economic evaluation, comparing the EYE-2 intervention + standardised EIP service to standardised EIP service alone, with randomisation at the team level. A process evaluation will evaluate the delivery of the intervention qualitatively and quantitatively across contexts. The setting is 20 EIP teams in 5 sites: Manchester, South London, East Anglia, Thames Valley and Hampshire. Participants are young people (14-35 years) with first episode psychosis, and EIP staff. The intervention is the team-based motivational engagement (EYE-2) intervention, delivered alongside standardised EIP services, and supported by additional training, website, booklets and social groups. The comparator is the standardised EIP service. Both interventions are delivered by EIP clinicians. The primary outcome is time to disengagement (time in days from date of allocation to care coordinator to date of last contact following refusal to engage with EIP service, or lack of response to EIP contact for a consecutive 3-month period). Secondary outcomes include mental and physical health, deaths, social and occupational function, recovery, satisfaction and service use at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months. A 12-month within-trial economic evaluation will investigate cost-effectiveness from a societal perspective and from an NHS perspective. DISCUSSION: The trial will provide the first test of an engagement intervention in standardised care, with the potential for significant impact on the mental health and wellbeing of young people and their families, and economic benefits for services. The intervention will be highly scalable, supported by the toolkit including manuals, commissioning guide, training and resources, adapted to meet the needs of the diverse EIP population, and based on an in-depth process evaluation. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN 51629746 prospectively registered 7th May 2019. Date assigned 10th May 2019.


Subject(s)
Psychotic Disorders , Adolescent , Cost-Benefit Analysis , Humans , London , Mental Health , Motivation , Psychotic Disorders/diagnosis , Psychotic Disorders/therapy
17.
Implement Sci Commun ; 2(1): 12, 2021 Feb 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33536083

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: People diagnosed with a serious mental illness have worse physical health and lower life expectancy than the general population. Integration of mental and physical health services is seen as one service development that could better support this. This protocol describes the evaluation of the provision of a Virtual Physical Health Clinic (VPHC) and Consultant Connect (CC) services to one UK-based mental health Trust. METHODS: Prospective, formative, pragmatic evaluation using both quantitative and qualitative techniques and driven by implementation science theoretical frameworks. The VPHC and CC are described along with the methodology being used to rapidly evaluate their implementation, effectiveness and potential economic impact in order to inform future roll out. We will assess the implementation process through quantitative data on uptake and reach and through self-reported data to be collected from interviews and the use of validated implementation outcome assessment measures. We will assess implementation strategies using the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change (ERIC) strategies as a framework. We will assess the health economic impact of both services using established health economic methods including cost comparison scenarios and health service utilisation analyses. DISCUSSION: Supporting the physical health management of people in psychiatric inpatient units is important in improving the physical health of this population. Integration of mental and physical health can help this to happen effectively. This initiative provides one of the first service evaluation protocols of its kind to be reported in the UK at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.

18.
BJPsych Bull ; 45(1): 32-39, 2021 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33355526

ABSTRACT

The Scaling-up Health-Arts Programme: Implementation and Effectiveness Research (SHAPER) project is the world's largest hybrid study on the impact of the arts on mental health embedded into a national healthcare system. This programme, funded by the Wellcome Trust, aims to study the impact and the scalability of the arts as an intervention for mental health. The programme will be delivered by a team of clinicians, research scientists, charities, artists, patients and healthcare professionals in the UK's National Health Service (NHS) and the community, spanning academia, the NHS and the charity sector. SHAPER consists of three studies - Melodies for Mums, Dance for Parkinson's, and Stroke Odysseys - which will recruit over 800 participants, deliver the interventions and draw conclusions on their clinical impact, implementation effectiveness and cost-effectiveness. We hope that this work will inspire organisations and commissioners in the NHS and around the world to expand the remit of social prescribing to include evidence-based arts interventions.

19.
BMJ Open ; 10(10): e040022, 2020 10 30.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33127635

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this review was to summarise the current evidence on the costing of resource use within UK maternity care, in order to facilitate the estimation of incremental resource and cost impacts potentially attributable to maternity care interventions. METHODS: A systematic review of economic evaluations was conducted by searching Medline, the Health Management Information Consortium, the National Health Service (NHS) Economic Evaluations Database, CINAHL and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines for economic evaluations within UK maternity care, published between January 2010 and August 2019 in the English language. Unit costs for healthcare activities provided to women within the antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal period were inflated to 2018-2019 prices. Assessment of study quality was performed using the Quality of Health Economic Analyses checklist. RESULTS: Of 5084 titles or full texts screened, 37 papers were included in the final review (27 primary research articles, 7 review articles and 3 economic evaluations from NICE guidelines). Of the 27 primary research articles, 21 were scored as high quality, 3 as medium quality and 3 were low quality. Variation was noted in cost estimates for healthcare activities throughout the maternity care pathway: for midwife-led outpatient appointment, the range was £27.34-£146.25 (mean £81.78), emergency caesarean section, range was £1056.44-£4982.21 (mean £3508.93) and postnatal admission, range was £103.00-£870.10 per day (mean £469.55). CONCLUSIONS: Wide variation exists in costs applied to maternity healthcare activities, resulting in challenges in attributing cost to maternity activities. The level of variation in cost calculations is likely to reflect the uncertainty within the system and must be dealt with by conducting sensitivity analyses. Nationally agreed prices for granular unit costs are needed to standardise cost-effectiveness evaluations of new interventions within maternity care, to be used either for research purposes or decisions regarding national intervention uptake. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42019145309.


Subject(s)
Maternal Health Services , State Medicine , Cesarean Section , Cost-Benefit Analysis , Female , Humans , Pregnancy , United Kingdom
20.
BMC Public Health ; 20(1): 559, 2020 Apr 25.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-32334547

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Smoking prevalence among people with psychosis remains high. Providing Very Brief Advice (VBA) comprising: i) ASK, identifying a patient's smoking status ii) ADVISE, advising on the best way to stop and iii) ACT (OFFER), offering a referral to specialist smoking cessation support, increases quit attempts in the general population. We assessed whether system-level changes in a UK mental health organisation improved the recording of the provision of ASK, ADVISE, ACT (OFFER) and consent to referral to specialist smoking cessation support (ACT (CONSENT)). METHODS: We conducted a study using a regression discontinuity design in four psychiatric hospitals with patients who received treatment from an inpatient psychosis service over 52 months (May 2012-September 2016). The system-level changes to facilitate the provision of VBA comprised: A) financially incentivising recording smoking status and offer of support (ASK and ACT (OFFER)); B) introduction of a comprehensive smoke-free policy; C) enhancements to the patient electronic healthcare record (EHCR) which included C1) a temporary form to record the financial incentivisation of ASK and ACT (OFFER) C2) amendments to how VBA was recorded in the EHCR and C3) the integration of a new electronic national referral system in the EHCR. The recording of ASK, ADVISE, ACT (OFFER/CONSENT) were extracted using a de-identified psychiatric case register. RESULTS: There were 8976 admissions of 5434 unique individuals during the study period. Following A) financial incentive, the odds of recording ASK increased (OR: 1.56, 95%CI: 1.24-1.95). Following B) comprehensive smoke-free policy, the odds of recording ADVICE increased (OR: 3.36, 95%CI: 1.39-8.13). Following C1) temporary recording form, the odds of recording ASK (OR:1.99, 95%CI:1.59-2.48) and recording ACT (OFFER) increased (OR: 4.22, 95%CI: 2.51-7.12). Following C3) electronic referral system, the odds of recording ASK (OR:1.79, 95%CI: 1.31-2.43) and ACT (OFFER; OR: 1.09, 95%CI: 0.59-1.99) increased. There was no change in recording VBA outcomes following C2) amendments to VBA recording. CONCLUSIONS: Financial incentives and the recording of incentivised outcomes, the comprehensive smoke-free policy, and the electronic referral system, were associated with increases in recording individual VBA elements, but other changes to the EHCR were not. System-level changes may facilitate staff recording of VBA provision in mental health settings.


Subject(s)
Medical Records/standards , Mental Disorders/therapy , Mental Health Services/organization & administration , Psychotherapy, Brief/statistics & numerical data , Smoking Cessation/psychology , Adult , Female , Hospitalization , Humans , Male
SELECTION OF CITATIONS
SEARCH DETAIL