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1.
Probl Sotsialnoi Gig Zdravookhranenniiai Istor Med ; 32(Special Issue 1): 652-658, 2024 Jun.
Article in Russian | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-39003716

ABSTRACT

Recent demographic trends, particularly the aging of the population, make the issue of ensuring a dignified old age urgent. Russia, as a developed country in the socio-economic sense, at the state level strives to increase the life expectancy of the population; at the same time, it is necessary to set and ensure the achievement of targets for improving the quality of life of the older generation. An important element here is the provision of palliative medical care to people of retirement age and people with disabilities. Until recently, there was virtually no long-term care system in Russia, and the burden was distributed between the healthcare system and the relatives of citizens in need of care. The launch of a pilot project to develop a long-term care system within the framework of the national project "Demography" showed the widespread demand for palliative care services. The article analyzes all aspects of the development of the long-term care system in Russia, identifying both positive results of the pilot project and points of growth. The main obstacle to implementing a long-term care system at the federal level is agreeing on a funding model. Here it makes sense to rely on successful international experience and consider the practical implementation of long-term care programs in various countries. However, the development of a long-term care system and ensuring the processes of its sustainable functioning is an important element of the state's social policy, which must be included in the standard list of social services and developed everywhere.


Subject(s)
Long-Term Care , Humans , Russia , Long-Term Care/organization & administration , Long-Term Care/methods , Long-Term Care/standards , Palliative Care/organization & administration , Palliative Care/methods , Quality of Life , Aged , Pilot Projects , Delivery of Health Care/organization & administration
2.
BMC Med Inform Decis Mak ; 24(1): 188, 2024 Jul 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38965569

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Medication errors and associated adverse drug events (ADE) are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In recent years, the prevention of medication errors has become a high priority in healthcare systems. In order to improve medication safety, computerized Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS) are increasingly being integrated into the medication process. Accordingly, a growing number of studies have investigated the medication safety-related effectiveness of CDSS. However, the outcome measures used are heterogeneous, leading to unclear evidence. The primary aim of this study is to summarize and categorize the outcomes used in interventional studies evaluating the effects of CDSS on medication safety in primary and long-term care. METHODS: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library for interventional studies evaluating the effects of CDSS targeting medication safety and patient-related outcomes. We extracted methodological characteristics, outcomes and empirical findings from the included studies. Outcomes were assigned to three main categories: process-related, harm-related, and cost-related. Risk of bias was assessed using the Evidence Project risk of bias tool. RESULTS: Thirty-two studies met the inclusion criteria. Almost all studies (n = 31) used process-related outcomes, followed by harm-related outcomes (n = 11). Only three studies used cost-related outcomes. Most studies used outcomes from only one category and no study used outcomes from all three categories. The definition and operationalization of outcomes varied widely between the included studies, even within outcome categories. Overall, evidence on CDSS effectiveness was mixed. A significant intervention effect was demonstrated by nine of fifteen studies with process-related primary outcomes (60%) but only one out of five studies with harm-related primary outcomes (20%). The included studies faced a number of methodological problems that limit the comparability and generalizability of their results. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence on the effectiveness of CDSS is currently inconclusive due in part to inconsistent outcome definitions and methodological problems in the literature. Additional high-quality studies are therefore needed to provide a comprehensive account of CDSS effectiveness. These studies should follow established methodological guidelines and recommendations and use a comprehensive set of harm-, process- and cost-related outcomes with agreed-upon and consistent definitions. PROSPERO REGISTRATION: CRD42023464746.


Subject(s)
Decision Support Systems, Clinical , Long-Term Care , Medication Errors , Primary Health Care , Humans , Decision Support Systems, Clinical/standards , Medication Errors/prevention & control , Long-Term Care/standards , Primary Health Care/standards , Patient Safety/standards , Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions/prevention & control , Outcome Assessment, Health Care
3.
BMJ Open Qual ; 13(2)2024 Jun 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38834369

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To examine reported cases of abuse in long-term care (LTC) homes in the province of Ontario, Canada, to determine the extent and nature of abuse experienced by residents between 2019 and 2022. DESIGN: A qualitative mixed methods study was conducted using document analysis and descriptive statistics. Three data sources were analysed: LTC legislation, inspection reports from a publicly available provincial government administrative database and articles published by major Canadian newspapers. A data extraction tool was developed that included variables such as the date of inspection, the type of inspection, findings and the section of legislation cited. Descriptive analyses, including counts and percentages, were calculated to identify the number of incidents and the type of abuse reported. RESULTS: According to legislation, LTC homes are required to protect residents from physical, sexual, emotional, verbal or financial abuse. The review of legislation revealed that inspectors are responsible for ensuring homes comply with this requirement. An analysis of their reports identified that 9% (781) of overall inspections included findings of abuse. Physical abuse was the most common type (37%). Differences between the frequency of abuse across type of ownership, location and size of the home were found. There were 385 LTC homes with at least one reported case of abuse, and 55% of these homes had repeated incidents. The analysis of newspaper articles corroborated the findings of abuse in the inspection reports and provided resident and family perspectives. CONCLUSIONS: There are substantial differences between legislation intended to protect LTC residents from abuse and the abuse occurring in LTC homes. Strategies such as establishing a climate of trust, investing in staff and leadership, providing standardised education and training and implementing a quality and safety framework could improve the care and well-being of LTC residents.


Subject(s)
Elder Abuse , Long-Term Care , Nursing Homes , Qualitative Research , Humans , Long-Term Care/statistics & numerical data , Long-Term Care/standards , Long-Term Care/methods , Nursing Homes/statistics & numerical data , Nursing Homes/standards , Nursing Homes/organization & administration , Ontario , Elder Abuse/statistics & numerical data , Elder Abuse/legislation & jurisprudence , Elder Abuse/prevention & control , Aged , Female , Male
4.
Am J Infect Control ; 52(8): 974-976, 2024 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38734237

ABSTRACT

The Alabama Long-Term Care Strike Team was established in 2022 to help long-term care facilities build and maintain infection prevention and control (IPC) systems. Infection preventionists use CDC's Infection Control Assessment and Response (ICAR) tools to provide IPC-specific recommendations. Analysis of ICAR recommendations identified the 3 greatest training needs in Alabama: source control, hand hygiene, and environmental cleaning. The ICAR provides a standardized and objective way to monitor and mitigate IPC risk.


Subject(s)
Infection Control , Long-Term Care , Alabama , Humans , Infection Control/methods , Infection Control/standards , Long-Term Care/standards , Cross Infection/prevention & control , Hand Hygiene/standards
5.
Rev Med Suisse ; 20(873): 920-924, 2024 05 08.
Article in French | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38716998

ABSTRACT

Family doctors have to provide the geriatric cares needed by an aging population. In particular, the increased complexity of care needs in the population living in long term care facilities (LCTF) raises several challenges. One of these challenges is the adequate training of physicians working in LCTF as well as the next generation. Residency programs in LTCFs for future general practioners has demonstrated their value abroad. We describe here the creation of a residency program in LTCF for family doctors in Canton Vaud. Since its beginning in 2020, the program has not only trained young physicians but has also improved interprofessionality and strengthened the training of other healthcare professionals.


La population vieillissante requiert des soins gériatriques spécifiques auxquels le médecin de famille doit répondre. De plus, la complexification des besoins en soins de la population en établissement médicosocial (EMS) soulève de multiples défis. Un de ces défis est la formation adéquate des médecins travaillant en EMS et leur relève. A l'étranger, l'expérience de tournus des médecins de famille dans des structures similaires aux EMS a démontré sa pertinence. Nous illustrons ici le contexte et la mise en place d'une formation postgraduée en EMS pour les médecins de famille sur le canton de Vaud et présentons un aperçu des bénéfices de ce programme depuis sa mise en place en 2020 : au-delà de la formation de jeunes médecins, l'assistanat en EMS améliore la collaboration interprofessionnelle et contribue à la formation d'autres professionnels de la santé.


Subject(s)
Geriatrics , Internship and Residency , Long-Term Care , Humans , Internship and Residency/organization & administration , Internship and Residency/methods , Long-Term Care/organization & administration , Long-Term Care/standards , Long-Term Care/methods , Geriatrics/education , Physicians, Family/education , Aged , Switzerland , Nursing Homes/organization & administration , Nursing Homes/standards
6.
Gerontologist ; 64(7)2024 07 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38661440

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Older adults residing in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) often experience substandard transitions to emergency departments (EDs) through rationed and delayed ED care. We aimed to identify research describing interventions to improve transitions from RACFs to EDs. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: In our scoping review, we included English language articles that (a) examined an intervention to improve transitions from RACF to EDs; and (b) focused on older adults (≥65 years). We employed content analysis. Dy et al.'s Care Transitions Framework was used to assess the contextualization of interventions and measurement of implementation success. RESULTS: Interventions in 28 studies included geriatric assessment or outreach services (n = 7), standardized documentation forms (n = 6), models of care to improve transitions from RACFs to EDs (n = 6), telehealth services (n = 3), nurse-led care coordination programs (n = 2), acute-care geriatric departments (n = 2), an extended paramedicine program (n = 1), and a web-based referral system (n = 1). Many studies (n = 17) did not define what "improvement" entailed and instead assessed documentation strategies and distal outcomes (e.g., hospital admission rates, length of stay). Few authors reported how they contextualized interventions to align with care environments and/or evaluated implementation success. Few studies included clinician perspectives and no study examined resident- or family/friend caregiver-reported outcomes. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Mixed or nonsignificant results prevent us from recommending (or discouraging) any interventions. Given the complexity of these transitions and the need to create sustainable improvement strategies, future research should describe strategies used to embed innovations in care contexts and to measure both implementation and intervention success.


Subject(s)
Emergency Service, Hospital , Long-Term Care , Patient Transfer , Humans , Aged , Long-Term Care/standards , Long-Term Care/organization & administration , Patient Transfer/standards , Homes for the Aged/standards , Homes for the Aged/organization & administration , Aged, 80 and over , Quality Improvement
7.
BMC Med Res Methodol ; 24(1): 98, 2024 Apr 27.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38678174

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Language barriers can impact health care and outcomes. Valid and reliable language data is central to studying health inequalities in linguistic minorities. In Canada, language variables are available in administrative health databases; however, the validity of these variables has not been studied. This study assessed concordance between language variables from administrative health databases and language variables from the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) to identify Francophones in Ontario. METHODS: An Ontario combined sample of CCHS cycles from 2000 to 2012 (from participants who consented to link their data) was individually linked to three administrative databases (home care, long-term care [LTC], and mental health admissions). In total, 27,111 respondents had at least one encounter in one of the three databases. Language spoken at home (LOSH) and first official language spoken (FOLS) from CCHS were used as reference standards to assess their concordance with the language variables in administrative health databases, using the Cohen kappa, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive values (NPV). RESULTS: Language variables from home care and LTC databases had the highest agreement with LOSH (kappa = 0.76 [95%CI, 0.735-0.793] and 0.75 [95%CI, 0.70-0.80], respectively) and FOLS (kappa = 0.66 for both). Sensitivity was higher with LOSH as the reference standard (75.5% [95%CI, 71.6-79.0] and 74.2% [95%CI, 67.3-80.1] for home care and LTC, respectively). With FOLS as the reference standard, the language variables in both data sources had modest sensitivity (53.1% [95%CI, 49.8-56.4] and 54.1% [95%CI, 48.3-59.7] in home care and LTC, respectively) but very high specificity (99.8% [95%CI, 99.7-99.9] and 99.6% [95%CI, 99.4-99.8]) and predictive values. The language variable from mental health admissions had poor agreement with all language variables in the CCHS. CONCLUSIONS: Language variables in home care and LTC health databases were most consistent with the language often spoken at home. Studies using language variables from administrative data can use the sensitivity and specificity reported from this study to gauge the level of mis-ascertainment error and the resulting bias.


Subject(s)
Language , Humans , Ontario , Female , Male , Middle Aged , Databases, Factual/statistics & numerical data , Adult , Aged , Communication Barriers , Health Surveys/statistics & numerical data , Health Surveys/methods , Long-Term Care/statistics & numerical data , Long-Term Care/standards , Long-Term Care/methods , Home Care Services/statistics & numerical data , Home Care Services/standards , Reproducibility of Results
9.
Jt Comm J Qual Patient Saf ; 50(6): 425-434, 2024 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38492986

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the relationship between Joint Commission accreditation and health care-associated infections (HAIs) in long-term care hospitals (LTCHs). METHODS: This observational study used Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) LTCH data for the period 2017 to June 2021. The standardized infection ratio (SIR) of three measures used by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Healthcare Safety Network were used as dependent variables in a random coefficient Poisson regression model (adjusting for CMS region, owner type, and bed size quartile): catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), Clostridioides difficile infections (CDIs), and central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) for the periods 2017 to 2019 and July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021. Data from January 1 to June 30, 2020, were excluded due to the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: The data set included 244 (73.3%) Joint Commission-accredited and 89 (26.7%) non-Joint Commission-accredited LTCHs. Compared to non-Joint Commission-accredited LTCHs, accredited LTCHs had significantly better (lower) SIRs for CLABSI and CAUTI measures, although no differences were observed for CDI SIRs. There were no significant differences in year trends for any of the HAI measures. For each year of the study period, a greater proportion of Joint Commission-accredited LTCHs performed significantly better than the national benchmark for all three measures (p = 0.04 for CAUTI, p = 0.02 for CDI, p = 0.01 for CLABSI). CONCLUSION: Although this study was not designed to establish causality, positive associations were observed between Joint Commission accreditation and CLABSI and CAUTI measures, and Joint Commission-accredited LTCHs attained more consistent high performance over the four-year study period for all three measures. Influencing factors may include the focus of Joint Commission standards on infection control and prevention (ICP), including the hierarchical approach to selecting ICP-related standards as inputs into LTCH policy.


Subject(s)
Accreditation , Catheter-Related Infections , Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S. , Cross Infection , Infection Control , Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations , Long-Term Care , Humans , United States , Accreditation/standards , Cross Infection/prevention & control , Cross Infection/epidemiology , Infection Control/standards , Infection Control/organization & administration , Long-Term Care/standards , Catheter-Related Infections/prevention & control , Catheter-Related Infections/epidemiology , Urinary Tract Infections/prevention & control , Urinary Tract Infections/epidemiology , Clostridium Infections/prevention & control , Clostridium Infections/epidemiology , Hospitals/standards
10.
J Tissue Viability ; 33(2): 318-323, 2024 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38360494

ABSTRACT

AIM: The aim of the study was to describe types and frequencies of skin care interventions and products provided in institutional long-term care. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Baseline data from a cluster randomized controlled trial conducted in nursing homes in Berlin, Germany was collected before randomization. Numbers, proportions and frequencies of washing, showering and bathing, and the application of leave-on products were calculated. Product labels were iteratively and inductively categorized into overarching terms and concepts. RESULTS: A total of n = 314 residents participated in the study. In the majority, washing of the whole body was done once daily, and showering was performed once per week or more rarely. The majority received leave-on products daily on the face and once per week on the whole body. Most of the skin care interventions were delivered by nurses. There was marked heterogeneity in terms of product names, whereas the product names reveal little about the ingredients or composition. CONCLUSION: Personal hygiene and cleansing interventions are major parts of clinical practice in long-term care. Daily washing is a standard practice at the moment. In contrast, leave-on products are used infrequently. To what extent the provided care promotes skin integrity is unclear. Due to the heterogeneity and partly misleading labels of skin care products, informed decision making is difficult to implement at present. GOV IDENTIFIER: NCT03824886.


Subject(s)
Long-Term Care , Skin Care , Humans , Cross-Sectional Studies , Skin Care/methods , Skin Care/standards , Skin Care/statistics & numerical data , Female , Long-Term Care/methods , Long-Term Care/standards , Long-Term Care/statistics & numerical data , Male , Germany , Aged, 80 and over , Aged , Nursing Homes/statistics & numerical data , Nursing Homes/standards , Nursing Homes/organization & administration
11.
J Rural Health ; 40(3): 557-564, 2024 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38225679

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Nursing home closures have raised concerns about access to post-acute care (PAC) and long-term care (LTC) services. We estimate the additional distance rural residents had to travel to access PAC and LTC services because of nursing home closures. METHODS: We identify nursing home closures and the availability of PAC and LTC services in nursing homes, home health agencies, and hospitals with swing beds using the Medicare Provider of Services file (2008-2018). Using distances between ZIP codes, we summarize distances to the closest provider of PAC and LTC services for rural and urban ZIP codes with nursing home closures from 2008 to 2018 and no nursing homes in 2018. FINDINGS: Compared to urban ZIP codes, rural ZIP codes experiencing nursing home closure had higher distances to the closest nursing home providing PAC (6.4 vs. 0.94 miles; p < 0.05) and LTC services (7.2 vs. 1.1 miles; p < 0.05), and these differences remain even after accounting for the availability of home health agencies and hospitals with swing beds. Distances to the closest providers with PAC and LTC services were even higher for rural ZIP codes with no nursing homes in 2018. About 6.1%-15.7% of rural ZIP codes with a nursing home closure or with no nursing homes had no PAC or LTC providers within 25 miles. CONCLUSIONS: Nursing home closures increased distances to nursing homes, home health agencies, and hospitals with swing beds for rural residents. Access to PAC and LTC services is a concern, especially for rural areas with no nursing homes.


Subject(s)
Health Facility Closure , Health Services Accessibility , Long-Term Care , Nursing Homes , Rural Population , Subacute Care , Humans , Nursing Homes/statistics & numerical data , Nursing Homes/organization & administration , Long-Term Care/statistics & numerical data , Long-Term Care/organization & administration , Long-Term Care/standards , Long-Term Care/methods , Long-Term Care/trends , Health Services Accessibility/statistics & numerical data , Health Services Accessibility/standards , Health Facility Closure/statistics & numerical data , Health Facility Closure/trends , Rural Population/statistics & numerical data , Subacute Care/statistics & numerical data , Subacute Care/methods , United States
12.
Melbourne; Stroke Foundation; July 27, 2023. 80 p. tab.
Non-conventional in English | BIGG - GRADE guidelines | ID: biblio-1532772

ABSTRACT

The Stroke Foundation is a national charity that partners with the community to prevent, treat and beat stroke. We stand alongside stroke survivors and their families, healthcare professionals and researchers. We build community awareness and foster new thinking and innovative treatments. We support survivors on their journey to live the best possible life after stroke. We are the voice of stroke in Australia and we work to: • Raise awareness of the risk factors, signs of stroke and promote healthy lifestyles. • Improve treatment for stroke to save lives and reduce disability. • Improve life after stroke for survivors. • Encourage and facilitate stroke research. • Advocate for initiatives to prevent, treat and beat stroke. • Raise funds from the community, corporate sector and government to continue our mission. The Stroke Foundation has been developing stroke guidelines since 2002 and in 2017 released the fourth edition. In order for the Australian Government to ensure up-to-date, best-practice clinical advice is provided and maintained to healthcare professionals, the NHMRC requires clinical guidelines be kept current and relevant by reviewing and updating them at least every five years. As a result, the Stroke Foundation, in partnership with Cochrane Australia, have moved to a model of living guidelines, in which recommendations are continually reviewed and updated in response to new evidence. This approach was piloted in a three year project (July 2018 -June 2021) funded by the Australian Government via the Medical Research Future Fund. This online version of the Clinical Guidelines for Stroke Management updates and supersedes the Clinical Guidelines for Stroke Management 2017. The Clinical Guidelines have been updated in accordance with the 2011 NHMRC Standard for clinical practice guidelines and therefore recommendations are based on the best evidence available. The Clinical Guidelines cover the whole continuum of stroke care, across 8 chapters. Review of the Clinical Guidelines used an internationally recognised guideline development approach, known as GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation), and an innovative guideline development and publishing platform, known as MAGICapp (Making Grade the Irresistible Choice). GRADE ensures a systematic process is used to develop recommendations that are based on the balance of benefits and harms, patient values, and resource considerations. MAGICapp enables transparent display of this process and access to additional practical information useful for guideline recommendation implementation.


Subject(s)
Humans , Long-Term Care/standards , Community Participation , Stroke , Stroke Rehabilitation
13.
United European Gastroenterol J ; 9(6): 681-687, 2021 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-34077635

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Recently, three updated guidelines for post-polypectomy colonoscopy surveillance (PPCS) have been published. These guidelines are based on a comprehensive summary of the literature, while some recommendations are similar, different surveillance intervals are recommended after detection of specific types of polyps. AIM: In this review, we aimed to compare and contrast these recommendations. METHODS: The updated guidelines for PPCS were reviewed and the recommendations were compared. RESULTS: For patients with 1-4 adenomas <10 mm with low-grade dysplasia, irrespective of villous components, or 1-4 serrated polyps <10 mm without dysplasia, the European Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ESGE) and British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG), the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland (ACPGBI) and Public Health England (PHE) (BSG/ACPGBI/PHE) guidelines do not recommend colonoscopic surveillance and instead recommend that the participate in routine CRC screening program (typically based on the fecal immunochemical test), while the USMSTF recommends surveillance colonoscopies 7-10 years after diagnosis of 1-2 tubular adenomas <10 mm and 3-5 years for 3-4 tubular adenomas of the same size. The USMSTF define adenomas with tubulovillous or villous histology as high-risk adenomas; thus, surveillance colonoscopy is recommended after 3 years. However, the ESGE and BSG do not consider such histology as a criterion for repeating colonoscopy at this short interval. For patients with 1-2 sessile serrated polyps (SSPs) <10 mm and those with 3-4 SSPs <10 mm, the USMSTF recommends surveillance colonosocopy after 5-10 and 3-5 years, respectively.


Subject(s)
Colonic Polyps/surgery , Colorectal Neoplasms/surgery , Population Surveillance/methods , Practice Guidelines as Topic , Colectomy , Colonoscopy/standards , Evidence-Based Medicine/methods , Humans , Long-Term Care/methods , Long-Term Care/standards , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local/diagnosis , Patient Selection , Postoperative Period , Societies, Medical
14.
J Med Internet Res ; 23(3): e27443, 2021 03 25.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33685854

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Most residents of long-term care facilities (LTCFs) are at high risk of complications and death following SARS-CoV-2 infection. In these facilities, viral transmission can be facilitated by shortages of human and material resources, which can lead to suboptimal application of infection prevention and control (IPC) procedures. To improve the dissemination of COVID-19 IPC guidelines, we developed a serious game called "Escape COVID-19" using Nicholson's RECIPE for meaningful gamification, as engaging serious games have the potential to induce behavioral change. OBJECTIVE: As the probability of executing an action is strongly linked to the intention of performing it, the objective of this study was to determine whether LTCF employees were willing to change their IPC practices after playing "Escape COVID-19." METHODS: This was a web-based, triple-blind, randomized controlled trial, which took place between November 5 and December 4, 2020. The health authorities of Geneva, Switzerland, asked the managers of all LTCFs under their jurisdiction to forward information regarding the study to all their employees, regardless of professional status. Participants were unaware that they would be randomly allocated to one of two different study paths upon registration. In the control group, participants filled in a first questionnaire designed to gather demographic data and assess baseline knowledge before accessing regular online IPC guidelines. They then answered a second questionnaire, which assessed their willingness to change their IPC practices and identified the reasons underlying their decision. They were then granted access to the serious game. Conversely, the serious game group played "Escape COVID-19" after answering the first questionnaire but before answering the second one. This group accessed the control material after answering the second set of questions. There was no time limit. The primary outcome was the proportion of LTCF employees willing to change their IPC practices. Secondary outcomes included the factors underlying participants' decisions, the domains these changes would affect, changes in the use of protective equipment items, and attrition at each stage of the study. RESULTS: A total of 295 answer sets were analyzed. Willingness to change behavior was higher in the serious game group (82% [119/145] versus 56% [84/150]; P<.001), with an odds ratio of 3.86 (95% CI 2.18-6.81; P<.001) after adjusting for professional category and baseline knowledge, using a mixed effects logistic regression model with LTCF as a random effect. For more than two-thirds (142/203) of the participants, the feeling of playing an important role against the epidemic was the most important factor explaining their willingness to change behavior. Most of the participants unwilling to change their behavior answered that they were already applying all the guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: The serious game "Escape COVID-19" was more successful than standard IPC material in convincing LTCF employees to adopt COVID-19-safe IPC behavior. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR2-10.2196/25595.


Subject(s)
COVID-19/prevention & control , COVID-19/transmission , Disease Transmission, Infectious/prevention & control , Infection Control/methods , Long-Term Care/methods , Video Games , COVID-19/epidemiology , Female , Humans , Infection Control/statistics & numerical data , Intention , Internet , Long-Term Care/standards , Male , SARS-CoV-2/isolation & purification
15.
Res Aging ; 43(3-4): 123-126, 2021.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33530855

ABSTRACT

This special issue covers several important topics related to long-term care (LTC) systems and policy development in China. It provides a good contextual background on the development of the LTC system in China as well as the needs and preferences of LTC from family and older adults' perspectives. In addition, this issue covers the topic of evaluation of a recently developed long-term care nursing insurance and provides an example of family caregiving for persons with dementia within the Chinese context. The authors in this special issue also provided insights into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on older adults' life and LTC quality, and explored potential strategies to handle the challenges during and post-pandemic.


Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Health Policy , Health Services for the Aged/organization & administration , Health Services for the Aged/standards , Long-Term Care/organization & administration , Long-Term Care/standards , Quality Improvement , China , Humans
16.
Health Econ Policy Law ; 16(3): 371-377, 2021 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33551010

ABSTRACT

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has shifted the health policy debate in Canada. While the pre-pandemic focus of policy experts and government reports was on the question of whether to add outpatient pharmaceuticals to universal health coverage, the clustering of pandemic deaths in long-term care facilities has spurred calls for federal standards in long-term care (LTC) and its possible inclusion in universal health coverage. This has led to the probability that the federal government will attempt to expand medicare as Canadians have known it for the first time in over a half century. However, these efforts are likely to fail if the federal government relies on the shared-cost federalism that marked the earlier introduction of medicare. Two alternative pathways are suggested, one for LTC and one for pharmaceuticals, that are more likely to succeed given the state of the Canadian federation in the early 21st century.


Subject(s)
Delivery of Health Care/organization & administration , Health Care Reform/organization & administration , Health Policy , Long-Term Care/standards , Universal Health Insurance , COVID-19/epidemiology , Canada/epidemiology , Federal Government , Humans
17.
J Med Internet Res ; 23(1): e22831, 2021 01 20.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33470949

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: As the aging population continues to grow, the number of adults living with dementia or other cognitive disabilities in residential long-term care homes is expected to increase. Technologies such as real-time locating systems (RTLS) are being investigated for their potential to improve the health and safety of residents and the quality of care and efficiency of long-term care facilities. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to identify factors that affect the implementation, adoption, and use of RTLS for use with persons living with dementia or other cognitive disabilities in long-term care homes. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of the peer-reviewed English language literature indexed in MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and CINAHL from inception up to and including May 5, 2020. Search strategies included keywords and subject headings related to cognitive disability, residential long-term care settings, and RTLS. Study characteristics, methodologies, and data were extracted and analyzed using constant comparative techniques. RESULTS: A total of 12 publications were included in the review. Most studies were conducted in the Netherlands (7/12, 58%) and used a descriptive qualitative study design. We identified 3 themes from our analysis of the studies: barriers to implementation, enablers of implementation, and agency and context. Barriers to implementation included lack of motivation for engagement; technology ecosystem and infrastructure challenges; and myths, stories, and shared understanding. Enablers of implementation included understanding local workflows, policies, and technologies; usability and user-centered design; communication with providers; and establishing policies, frameworks, governance, and evaluation. Agency and context were examined from the perspective of residents, family members, care providers, and the long-term care organizations. CONCLUSIONS: There is a striking lack of evidence to justify the use of RTLS to improve the lives of residents and care providers in long-term care settings. More research related to RTLS use with cognitively impaired residents is required; this research should include longitudinal evaluation of end-to-end implementations that are developed using scientific theory and rigorous analysis of the functionality, efficiency, and effectiveness of these systems. Future research is required on the ethics of monitoring residents using RTLS and its impact on the privacy of residents and health care workers.


Subject(s)
Cognitive Dysfunction/therapy , Computer Systems/standards , Long-Term Care/standards , Data Analysis , Humans , Qualitative Research
20.
J Am Geriatr Soc ; 69(3): 581-586, 2021 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-33370463

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Recommendations for infection prevention and control (IPC) of COVID-19 in long-term care settings were developed based on limited understanding of COVID-19 and should be evaluated to determine their efficacy in reducing transmission among high-risk populations. DESIGN AND SETTING: Site visits to 24 long-term care facilities (LTCFs) in Fulton County, Georgia, were conducted between June and July 2020 to assess adherence to current guidelines, provide real-time feedback on potential weaknesses, and identify specific indicators whose implementation or lack thereof was associated with higher or lower prevalence of COVID-19. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-four LTCFs were visited, representing 2,580 LTCF residents, among whom 1,004 (39%) were infected with COVID-19. MEASUREMENTS: Overall IPC adherence in LTCFs was analyzed for 33 key indicators across five categories: Hand Hygiene, Disinfection, Social Distancing, PPE, and Symptom Screening. Facilities were divided into Higher- and Lower-prevalence groups based on cumulative COVID-19 infection prevalence to determine differences in IPC implementation. RESULTS: IPC implementation was lowest in the Disinfection category (32%) and highest in the Symptom Screening category (74%). Significant differences in IPC implementation between the Higher- and Lower-prevalence groups were observed in the Social Distancing category (Higher-prevalence group 54% vs Lower-prevalence group 74%, P < .01) and the PPE category (Higher-prevalence group 41% vs Lower-prevalence group 72%, P < .01). CONCLUSION: LTCFs with lower COVID-19 prevalence among residents had significantly greater implementation of IPC recommendations compared to those with higher COVID-19 prevalence, suggesting the utility in adhering to current guidelines to reduce transmission in this vulnerable population.


Subject(s)
COVID-19/prevention & control , Guideline Adherence/statistics & numerical data , Homes for the Aged/statistics & numerical data , Infection Control/standards , Long-Term Care/standards , Residential Facilities/statistics & numerical data , Aged , Female , Georgia , Homes for the Aged/standards , Humans , Male , Residential Facilities/standards , SARS-CoV-2
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