Intervention to improve social and family support for caregivers of dependent patients: ICIAS study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Despite the existence of formal professional support services, informal support (mainly family members) continues to be the main source of eldercare, especially for those who are dependent or disabled. Professionals on the primary health care are the ideal choice to educate, provide psychological support, and help to mobilize social resources available to the informal caregiver.Controversy remains concerning the efficiency of multiple interventions, taking a holistic approach to both the patient and caregiver, and optimum utilization of the available community resources. .For this reason our goal is to assess whether an intervention designed to improve the social support for caregivers effectively decreases caregivers burden and improves their quality of life. DESIGN: CONTROLled, multicentre, community intervention trial, with patients and their caregivers randomized to the intervention or control group according to their assigned Primary Health Care Team (PHCT). STUDY AREA: Primary Health Care network (9 PHCTs). STUDY PARTICIPANTS: Primary informal caregivers of patients receiving home health care from participating PHCTs. SAMPLE: Required sample size is 282 caregivers (141 from PHCTs randomized to the intervention group and 141 from PHCTs randomized to the control group. INTERVENTION: a) PHCT professionals: standardized training to implement caregivers intervention. b) Caregivers: 1 individualized counselling session, 1 family session, and 4 educational group sessions conducted by participating PHCT professionals; in addition to usual home health care visits, periodic telephone follow-up contact and unlimited telephone support. CONTROL: Caregivers and dependent patients: usual home health care, consisting of bimonthly scheduled visits, follow-up as needed, and additional attention upon request.Data analysisDependent variables: Caregiver burden (short-form Zarit test), caregivers' social support (Medical Outcomes Study), and caregivers' reported quality of life (SF-12)INDEPENDENT VARIABLES: a) Caregiver: sociodemographic data, Goldberg Scale, Apgar family questionnaire, Holmes and Rahe Psychosocial Stress Scale, number of chronic diseases. b) Dependent patient: sociodemographic data, level of dependency (Barthel Index), cognitive impairment (Pfeiffer test). DISCUSSION: If the intervention intended to improve social and family support is effective in reducing the burden on primary informal caregivers of dependent patients, this model can be readily applied throughout usual PHCT clinical practice. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical trials registrar: NCT02065427.

Pleural mesothelioma in relation to meteorological conditions and residential distance from an industrial source of asbestos.

OBJECTIVES: Few studies have focused on pleural mesothelioma and environmental exposure in individuals residing around an industrial source of asbestos. The aim of this study is to determine whether residential distance and wind conditions are related to the risk of developing pleural mesothelioma. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study carried out in an area of Barcelona province (Catalonia, Spain), 24 environmental pleural mesothelioma cases were diagnosed between 2000 and 2009. We calculated the age-standardised incidence rate ratios of developing this disease in the population studied, taking into account the residential distance from the plant. For cases living within a 500-m radius of the plant, the geographical location in relation to the factory was also assessed. RESULTS: The incidence rate of environmental pleural mesothelioma was higher in the population living within 500 m of the plant than in those living in a radius of 500-2000 m and much higher than those living at 2000-10 000 m. The highest incidence rate ratio for pleural mesothelioma (161.9) was found in the southeast quadrant of the 500-m area, coinciding with the predominant wind direction. CONCLUSIONS: Residential distance from an industrial source of asbestos and local wind conditions have a considerable impact on the risk of developing environmental pleural mesothelioma.

Prospective study of asbestos-related diseases incidence cases in primary health care in an area of Barcelona province.

BACKGROUND: Asbestos related diseases include a number of conditions due to inhalation of asbestos fibres at work, at home or in the environment, such as pleural mesothelioma, asbestosis and calcified pleural plaques. Few epidemiological studies have established the incidence of asbestos related diseases in our area. The present proposal is based on a retrospective study externally funded in 2005 that is currently taking place in the same area and largely carried out by the same research team.The aim of the study is to achieve a comprehensive and coordinated detection of all new cases of Asbestos Related Diseases presenting to primary care practitioners. METHODS/DESIGN: This is a multicentre, multidisciplinary and pluri-institutional prospective study.Setting12 municipalities in the Barcelona province within the catchment area of the health facilities that participate in the study.SampleThis is a population based study, of all patients presenting with diseases caused by asbestos in the study area.MeasurementsA clinical and epidemiological questionnaire will be filled in by the trained researchers after interviewing the patients and examining their clinical reports. DISCUSSION: Data on the incidence of the different Asbestos Related Diseases in this area will be obtained and the most plausible exposure source and space-time-patient profile will be described. The study will also improve the standardization of patient management, the coordination between health care institutions and the development of preventive activities related with asbestos exposure and disease.