Characterization of invasive Group B Streptococcus isolates from Western Australian infants, 2004-2020.

Background. Invasive Group B Streptococcus (GBS; Streptococcus agalactiae) remains a leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality. Intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) has been implemented in many countries with a reduction in early-onset disease, but an effective vaccine may further reduce the disease burden. Candidate vaccines targeting capsular polysaccharides and surface proteins are now in clinical trials.Methods. Using whole-genome sequencing and phenotypic antimicrobial susceptibility testing, we characterized sterile-site GBS isolates recovered from Western Australian infants between 2004 and 2020. Characteristics were compared between three time periods: 2004-2008, 2009-2015 and 2016-2020.Results. A total of 135 isolates were identified. The proportion of serotype III (22.7 % in Period 1 to 47.9 % in Period 3, P=0.04) and clonal complex 17 (13.6-39.6 %, P=0.01) isolates increased over time. Overall coverage of vaccines currently being trialled was >95 %. No isolates were penicillin resistant (MIC>0.25 mg l-1), but 21.5 % of isolates had reduced penicillin susceptibility (MIC>0.12 mg l-1) and penicillin MIC increased significantly over time (P=0.04). Clindamycin resistance increased over time to 45.8 % in the latest period.Conclusions. Based on comprehensive characterization of invasive infant GBS in Western Australia, we found that coverage for leading capsular polysaccharide and surface protein vaccine candidates was high. The demonstrated changes in serotype and molecular type highlight the need for ongoing surveillance, particularly with regard to future GBS vaccination programmes. The reduced susceptibility to IAP agents over time should inform changes to antibiotic guidelines.

Engaging Nigerian Older Persons in Neighborhood Environment Assessment for Physical Activity Participation: A Citizen Science Project.

Background and Objectives: Global organizations are advocating that older persons' voices should guide communities in age-friendly design. An important aspect of age friendliness to enable daily function and health is ensuring that physical activity can occur, regardless of age, within local neighborhoods. Research Design and Methods: This study used a specific citizen science approach, Our Voice, to engage a sample (N = 13) of older adults (60 or older) in Festac Town, Nigeria. The citizen scientists' roles were to assess and identify how different aspects of the neighborhood environment act as supports or barriers to their physical activity participation. They were individually enabled using a tablet-based mobile application called the Stanford Healthy Neighborhood Discovery Tool to record a total of 156 geocoded photos and 151 commentaries of neighborhood environmental features that facilitate or hinder physical activity in and around their neighborhoods. In a guided process, the following occurred: collaborative discussions of findings with other citizen scientists to determine common targets, setting of priority targets for change, and brainstorming strategies and solutions. Results: Facilitators of physical activity included: pedestrian and traffic facilities (e.g., traffic lights, walkways); green areas and parks; multigenerational community features (e.g., programs/facilities); opportunities for social connection (e.g., neighborhood associations, churches); safety of destinations and services; and public toilets. Barriers to physical activity included: hazardous walkways/traffic; noise pollution; refuse, selling of public parks; crime (e.g., kidnapping, criminal hideouts); no safe drinking water; and ageism. The priorities for changes were social connectivity; improved pedestrian and traffic facilities; and green and beautiful environments. Discussion and Implications: In this study, both physical and social aspects of the environment were deemed important for older Nigerians to enable physical activity in their local community. This approach has a promise for age-friendly initiatives seeking local changes by meaningfully engaging older adults.

Obstetric and Neonatal Invasive Meningococcal Disease Caused by Neisseria meningitidis Serogroup W, Western Australia, Australia.

Three mother-baby pairs with invasive meningococcal disease occurred over 7 months in Western Australia, Australia, at a time when serogroup W sequence type 11 clonal complex was the predominant local strain. One mother and 2 neonates died, highlighting the role of this strain as a cause of obstetric and early neonatal death.

Older Drivers Reduced Engagement in Distracting Behaviors Over a Six-Year Period: Findings From the Candrive Longitudinal Study.

OBJECTIVES: Baltes and Baltes' "selective optimization with compensation" model is pertinent to driving but evidence about the use of compensation using longitudinal designs is scarce. Therefore, we sought to determine if older drivers reduced their engagement in distracting behaviors while driving, over a 6-year period. METHODS: We used data captured over several annual assessments from a cohort of 583 drivers aged 70 and older to determine if their engagement in 12 distracting behaviors (e.g., listening to the radio, talking with passengers) declined over time. We adjusted our multivariable model for several potential confounders of the association between our outcome variable and time. RESULTS: Overall, and after adjustment for potential confounders, the participants reduced their engagement in distracting behaviors over the study period (odds ratio [OR] = 0.96, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.95-0.97). Baseline age was negatively associated with engagement in distracting behaviors (OR = 0.95, 95% CI = 0.94-0.96). Men engaged in more distracting behaviors than women (OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 1.03-1.27), as did participants living in the largest urban centers compared to participants living in the smallest areas (OR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.04-1.41). The number of kilometers driven per year (for every 10,000 km) was positively associated with the proportion of distracting behaviors drivers engaged in (OR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.08-1.19). DISCUSSION: Drivers in our cohort reduced their engagement in distracting behaviors over the study period. This suggests that older drivers adjust their driving over time, which aligns with age-related theories and models about compensation.

Defining and Measuring Preclinical Mobility Limitation: An Expert Consensus Exercise Informed by a Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: Early change in function in older adults has been termed preclinical disability (PCD). PCD has been understudied compared to other stages of disability because it is unlikely to receive comparative priority in clinical settings. It has major implications for prevention and population health as it may be the optimal time to intervene to prevent further decline. A standardized approach to research in PCD, including a common definition and measurement approaches, is needed to advance this work. METHODS: The process to establish how PCD should be defined and measured was undertaken in 2 stages: (1) a scoping review of the literature, which was used to inform (2) a web-enabled consensus meeting with content experts. RESULTS: The scoping review and the consensus meeting support the use of the term preclinical mobility limitation (PCML) and that it should be measured using both patient-reported and performance-based measures. It was agreed that the definition of PCML should include modification of frequency and/or method of task completion, without overt disability, and that requisite mobility tasks include walking (distance and speed), stairs, and transfers. CONCLUSIONS: Currently, there are few standardized assessments that can identify PCML. PCML is the term that most clearly describes the stage where people experience a change in routine mobility tasks, without a perception of disability. Further evaluation into the reliability, validity, and responsiveness of outcome measures is needed to advance research on PCML.

Candrive-Development of a Risk Stratification Tool for Older Drivers.

BACKGROUND: Assessing an older adult's fitness-to-drive is an important part of clinical decision making. However, most existing risk prediction tools only have a dichotomous design, which does not account for subtle differences in risk status for patients with complex medical conditions or changes over time. Our objective was to develop an older driver risk stratification tool (RST) to screen for medical fitness-to-drive in older adults. METHODS: Participants were active drivers aged 70 and older from 7 sites across 4 Canadian provinces. They underwent in-person assessments every 4 months with an annual comprehensive assessment. Participant vehicles were instrumented to provide vehicle and passive Global Positioning System (GPS) data. The primary outcome measure was police-reported, expert-validated, at-fault collision adjusted per annual kilometers driven. Predictor variables included physical, cognitive, and health assessment measures. RESULTS: A total of 928 older drivers were recruited for this study beginning in 2009. The average age at enrollment was 76.2 (standard deviation [SD] = 4.8) with 62.1% male participants. The mean duration for participation was 4.9 (SD = 1.6) years. The derived Candrive RST included 4 predictors. Out of 4 483 person-years of driving, 74.8% fell within the lowest risk category. Only 2.9% of person-years were in the highest risk category where the relative risk for at-fault collisions was 5.26 (95% confidence interval = 2.81-9.84) compared to the lowest risk group. CONCLUSIONS: For older drivers whose medical conditions create uncertainty regarding their fitness-to-drive, the Candrive RST may assist primary health care providers when initiating a conversation about driving and to guide further evaluation.

Developing wound services through digitising wound assessment: the benefits and challenges in a rural community nursing service.

The documentation of wound assessments are an integral part of the holistic care of a patient and form the foundation of effective wound care. The COVID-19 pandemic brought about challenges in delivering services. Telehealth was at the forefront of the agenda in many organisations, but within wound care services the physical interaction between clinician and patient needed to continue. With the nurse staffing crisis hitting most areas, there is an ongoing threat to deliver safe and effective care. The aim of this study was to review the benefits and challenges of digital wound assessment technology in clinical practice. The author looked at reviews and guidance on the integration of technology within clinical practice. It was found that utilising digital tools in daily practice can empower clinicians in many ways. The most immediate aim of digitised assessment would be to streamline documentation and assessment processes. However, there are multiple factors in embedding this type of technology into daily practice that can cause challenges, dependent on clinical area and clinician uptake.

Developing the Driving and Dementia Roadmap: a knowledge-to-action process.

OBJECTIVES: Despite three decades of research, gaps remain in meeting the needs of people with dementia and their family/friend carers as they navigate the often-tumultuous process of driving cessation. This paper describes the process of using a knowledge-to-action (KTA) approach to develop an educational web-based resource (i.e. toolkit), called the Driving and Dementia Roadmap (DDR), aimed at addressing some of these gaps. DESIGN: Aligned with the KTA framework, knowledge creation and action cycle activities informed the development of the DDR. These activities included systematic reviews; meta-synthesis of qualitative studies; interviews and focus groups with key stakeholders; development of a Driving and Dementia Intervention Framework (DD-IF); and a review and curation of publicly available resources and tools. An Advisory Group comprised of people with dementia and family carers provided ongoing feedback on the DDR's content and design. RESULTS: The DDR is a multi-component online toolkit that contains separate portals for current and former drivers with dementia and their family/friend carers. Based on the DD-IF, various topics of driving cessation are presented to accommodate users' diverse stages and needs in their experiences of decision-making and transitioning to non-driving. CONCLUSION: Guided by the KTA framework that involved a systematic and iterative process of knowledge creation and translation, the resulting person-centered, individualized and flexible DDR can bring much-needed support to help people with dementia and their families maintain their mobility, community access, and social and emotional wellbeing during and post-driving cessation.

Establishment of RCPA national guidelines for selective reporting of antimicrobials: processes, challenges and measuring the impact.

OBJECTIVES: In 2016, The Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) initiated the formation of a working group comprising medical microbiologists to establish guidelines to assist Australian laboratories to implement selective and cascade reporting of antimicrobials-the first guidelines of this type in the world. METHODS: A 2017 audit of antimicrobial reporting in Australian and New Zealand laboratories identified significant opportunities for improvement and standardization of selective reporting. RESULTS: The first draft of the RCPA Selective Reporting Guidelines was circulated to all RCPA Microbiology fellows for feedback in August 2018 and the first version was published in February 2019. Subsequently, version two of the guidelines has recently been published in Australia, and New Zealand adapted these guidelines for formulation of their own national guidelines to accommodate local needs. CONCLUSIONS: Here we describe the processes, acceptance and challenges associated with the establishment of these guidelines and measurement of their impact.

Examining the contribution of psychological resilience on self-reported and naturalistic driving behavior of older adults.

INTRODUCTION: This study examined the contribution of psychological resilience on self-reported driving comfort, abilities, and restrictions, and on naturalistic driving (ND) behavior of older adults at two time points, five years apart (N = 111; Male: 65.8%, Mean age = 86.1 years). METHOD: Participants from the Ozcandrive older driver cohort study completed a demographic questionnaire, functional assessments, psychosocial driving questionnaires, and a resilience scale. Participants' vehicles were equipped with a recording device to monitor driving behavior throughout the study. Over 1.7 million kilometers of ND data were analyzed. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in resilience over time, and both self-reported and ND measures revealed reduced driving across five years. Hierarchical regression analyses using age, sex, driving exposure, functional measures, and resilience showed that adding resilience into the models at the final step resulted in statistically significant increases in the amount of variance explained for driving comfort during the day and night, perceived driving abilities, number of trips, trip distance, and proportion of night trips. CONCLUSIONS: This research leveraged the longitudinal nature of the Ozcandrive study to provide the first insights into the role of resilience and ND. The observed patterns of reduced driving, captured by both subjective and objective measures, are suggestive of increased levels of self-regulation. As resilience is associated with adaptive coping skills, older adults with higher resilience may be able to more effectively engage in appropriate coping behaviors with regard to driving behavior, safety, and mobility. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Effective methods of increasing resilience in the context of driving is worthy of future research as it will provide valuable information about how older drivers navigate the process of aging as it relates to driving and may assist stakeholders in developing suitable measures to support older driver safety.

Effect of a Supervised Stretching Program on Neck, Shoulder, and Trunk Range of Motion in Older Women.

Upper body and neck range of motion (ROM) are important for safe walking and driving. The purpose of this study was to determine whether stretching would improve neck, trunk, and shoulder ROM. Forty-eight community-dwelling women (75 ± 3 years of age) were randomly allocated to intervention (upper body stretching, n = 15) and control conditions (lower body power training, n = 33). All participants exercised in supervised 45-minute sessions twice weekly for 12 weeks. Testing of upper body ROM included a cervical ROM, device-based measurement and field tests of the neck, trunk, and shoulder ranges. Shoulder ROM was the only movement that improved in the intervention group beyond levels seen in control participants (33% increase, p < 0.01). Neck and trunk ROM did not change in response to a specific stretching program. Older adults with ROM limitations may need to explore other exercise options or focus on compensatory strategies for safe community mobility.

Neonatal Staphylococcus Aureus Sepsis: a 20-year Western Australian experience.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to characterise neonatal Staphylococcus aureus (SA) sepsis in Western Australia (WA) between 2001 and 2020 at the sole tertiary neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), examine risk factors for sepsis in the cohort, and compare short- and long-term outcomes to control infants without any sepsis. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study at the Neonatal Directorate at King Edward Memorial Hospital (KEMH) and Perth Children's Hospital, using electronic databases and patient medical records. RESULTS: The overall incidence of SA sepsis was 0.10 per 1000 live births (62/614207). From 2001 to 2010 the incidence was 0.13/1000 live births, reducing to 0.07/1000 live births from 2011 to 2020. SA was most frequently isolated from endotracheal aspirates, and infants with SA sepsis had longer median duration of ventilatory support than those without any sepsis (31 days vs 18 days respectively, p < 0.001). In our cohort, SA sepsis was associated with worse neurodevelopmental outcomes compared to infants without any sepsis. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of neonatal SA sepsis has reduced over the last 20 years, suggesting potential effectiveness of the preventative interventions implemented. Endotracheal tube (ETT) colonisation and prolonged ventilation may be under-recognised as potential sources of SA infection. Our study suggests SA sepsis may negatively impact neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Results From the 2019 ParticipACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Adults.

BACKGROUND: The ParticipACTION Report Card on Physical Activity for Adults is a knowledge exchange tool representing a synthesis of the literature and data available at the national level. The purpose of this paper is to summarize the results of the inaugural 2019 edition. METHODS: Thirteen physical activity indicators, grouped into 4 categories, were graded by a committee of experts using a process that was informed by the best available evidence. Sources included national surveys, peer-reviewed literature, and gray literature such as government and nongovernment reports and online content. RESULTS: Grades were assigned to Daily Behaviors (overall physical activity: D; daily movement: C; moderate to vigorous physical activity: F; muscle and bone strength: INC; balance: INC; sedentary behavior: INC; sleep: B-), Individual Characteristics (intentions: B+), Settings and Sources of Influence (social support: INC; workplace: INC; community and environment: B-; health and primary care settings: C-), and Strategies and Investments (government: B-). CONCLUSIONS: Generally, lower grades were given to behavior-related indicators (eg, overall physical activity) and better grades for indicators related to investments, community supports, and strategies and policies. Research gaps and future recommendations and directions are identified for each indicator to support future practice, policy, and research directions.

Speeding and Speed Modification of Older Drivers: Does Vehicle Type Make a Difference?

The purpose of this study was to examine whether vehicle type based on size (car vs. other = truck/van/SUV) had an impact on the speeding, acceleration, and braking patterns of older male and female drivers (70 years and older) from a Canadian longitudinal study. The primary hypothesis was that older adults driving larger vehicles (e.g., trucks, SUVs, or vans) would be more likely to speed than those driving cars. Participants (n = 493) had a device installed in their vehicles that recorded their everyday driving. The findings suggest that the type of vehicle driven had little or no impact on per cent of time speeding or on the braking and accelerating patterns of older drivers. Given that the propensity for exceeding the speed limit was high among these older drivers, regardless of vehicle type, future research should examine what effect this behaviour has on older-driver road safety.

Exploring University Age-Friendliness Using Collaborative Citizen Science.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Since the launch of Dublin City University's Age-Friendly University (AFU) Initiative in 2012, relatively little empirical research has been published on its feasibility or implementation by institutions of higher learning. This article describes how collaborative citizen science-a research method where professional researchers and community members work together across multiple stages of the research process (e.g., data collection, analysis, and/or knowledge mobilization) to investigate an issue-was used to identify barriers and supports to university age-friendliness at the University of Manitoba (UofM) in Canada. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Ten citizen scientists each completed 1 data collection walk around the UofM campus and used a tablet application to document AFU barriers and supports via photographs and accompanying audio commentaries. The citizen scientists and university researchers then worked together in 2 analysis sessions to identify AFU priority areas and brainstorm recommendations for institutional change. These were then presented to a group of interested university stakeholders. RESULTS: The citizen scientists collected 157 photos documenting AFU barriers and supports on campus. Accessibility, signage, and transportation were identified as being the most pressing issues for the university to address to improve overall age-friendliness. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS: We suggest that academic institutions looking to complete assessments of their age-friendliness, particularly those exploring physical barriers and supports, could benefit from incorporating older citizen scientists into the process of collecting, analyzing, and mobilizing findings.

Employing Participatory Citizen Science Methods to Promote Age-Friendly Environments Worldwide.

The trajectory of aging is profoundly impacted by the physical and social environmental contexts in which we live. While "top-down" policy activities can have potentially wide impacts on such contexts, they often take time, resources, and political will, and therefore can be less accessible to underserved communities. This article describes a "bottom-up", resident-engaged method to advance local environmental and policy change, called Our Voice, that can complement policy-level strategies for improving the health, function, and well-being of older adults. Using the World Health Organization's age-friendly cities global strategy, we describe the Our Voice citizen science program of research that has specifically targeted older adults as environmental change agents to improve their own health and well-being as well as that of their communities. Results from 14 Our Voice studies that have occurred across five continents demonstrate that older adults can learn to use mobile technology to systematically capture and collectively analyze their own data. They can then successfully build consensus around high-priority issues that can be realistically changed and work effectively with local stakeholders to enact meaningful environmental and policy changes that can help to promote healthy aging. The article ends with recommended next steps for growing the resident-engaged citizen science field to advance the health and welfare of all older adults.

Moving in for Renovations: An Innovative Solution for Replacing End-of-Life Capital Equipment. The Michael Garron Hospital-Sunnybrook Collaborative Catheterization Laboratory Project.

Replacement of an end-of-life cardiac catheterization laboratory ("cath lab") can pose a significant challenge to a hospital, particularly in single-cath-lab institutions. The disruption in patient care requires innovative approaches to minimize the inconvenience and ensure ongoing quality of care. We describe a unique approach whereby Michael Garron Hospital (MGH) "leased" a cath lab within Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre for a 12-week period during a cath lab replacement project at MGH. The MGH cath lab and patient recovery bay remained a completely separate entity staffed by MGH nurses and physicians, with electronic connection to the home hospital. A total of 420 patients underwent cardiac catheterization with no adverse outcomes while maintaining system efficiency and high patient and staff satisfaction. Cath lab leasing involving two cooperating hospitals is an innovative and safe way to bridge a cath lab replacement.

Charting a future for Canada's first Age-Friendly University (AFU).

Situated within a Canadian context, but with implications for a broad range of institutional settings, this paper describes the events that preceded the adoption of the Age-Friendly University (AFU) framework at the University of Manitoba (U of M), as well as the specific strategies being employed within the university to assess and encourage age-friendliness. These include: a) the university's Centre on Aging and its mandate to foster interdisciplinary age-related research and community dialogue, b) the creation of an interdisciplinary AFU committee and several working groups, c) innovative research projects that have assessed university age-friendliness from a variety of stakeholder perspectives, and d) an interactive undergraduate course activity being used to educate students about AFU features. Present and future AFU challenge areas and potential solutions are discussed.