Barriers and facilitators of implementation of new antibacterial technologies in patient care: an interview study with orthopedic healthcare professionals at a university hospital.

BACKGROUND: Antimicrobial resistance is a major global health threat. Therefore, promising new antibacterial technologies that could minimize our dependence on antibiotics should be widely adopted. This study aims to identify the barriers and facilitators of the adoption of new antibacterial technologies in hospital patient care. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews, based on the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, were conducted with healthcare professionals related to the orthopedics department of an academic hospital in The Netherlands. RESULTS: In total, 11 healthcare professionals were interviewed. Scientific evidence for the effectiveness of the technology was the most explicitly mentioned facilitator of adoption, but other (often contextual) factors were also considered to be important. At the level of the inner and outer setting, high costs and lacking coverage, competition from other firms, and problems with ordering and availability were the most explicit perceived barriers to adoption. Participants did not collectively feel the need for new antibacterial technologies. CONCLUSIONS: Barriers and facilitators of the adoption of new antibacterial technologies were identified related to the technology, the hospital, and external factors. The implementation climate might have an indirect influence on adoption. New antibacterial technologies that are scientifically proven effective, affordable, and easily obtainable will most likely be adopted.

Labelling of intravenous drug delivery devices in critically ill patients: A scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Labelling is a strategy that contributes to the correct and faster identification of drugs, minimizing misidentification. There is a gap in knowledge on optimal labelling standards for intravenous (IV) devices applied to the care of critically ill patients. AIM: The goal of this article was to map existing knowledge on the labelling of IV drug delivery devices in critically ill patients for the prevention of medication errors. STUDY DESIGN: This was a scoping review conducted according to the JBI methodology in the LILACS, MEDLINE, CINAHL, IBECS, Scopus, Embase and Web of Science databases, and on the websites of specialized institutions. Searches were conducted up to December 2022 for scientific articles and grey literature that addressed the labelling of IV devices in intensive care units, emergency departments, and anaesthesia units. The data were collected using a structured form and were later classified, summarized, and aggregated to map the knowledge related to the review question. RESULTS: Twenty-one documents were included, which demonstrated variability in label use with IV drug delivery devices. The following features of structure and design stood out: printed format, colour coding, letter size differentiation, and the use of sturdy material. In terms of information, the name of the drug, dose, date and time of preparation, identification of the patient, and who prepared it were found. CONCLUSIONS: The identified patterns contributed to the reduction of drug misidentification and the development of timelier drug labelling and administration. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The evidence supports the development of standardized labels for the prevention of medication errors.

New approaches to recovery after stroke.

After a stroke, several mechanisms of neural plasticity can be activated, which may lead to significant recovery. Rehabilitation therapies aim to restore surviving tissue over time and reorganize neural connections. With more patients surviving stroke with varying degrees of neurological impairment, new technologies have emerged as a promising option for better functional outcomes. This review explores restorative therapies based on brain-computer interfaces, robot-assisted and virtual reality, brain stimulation, and cell therapies. Brain-computer interfaces allow for the translation of brain signals into motor patterns. Robot-assisted and virtual reality therapies provide interactive interfaces that simulate real-life situations and physical support to compensate for lost motor function. Brain stimulation can modify the electrical activity of neurons in the affected cortex. Cell therapy may promote regeneration in damaged brain tissue. Taken together, these new approaches could substantially benefit specific deficits such as arm-motor control and cognitive impairment after stroke, and even the chronic phase of recovery, where traditional rehabilitation methods may be limited, and the window for repair is narrow.

Desenvolvimento e validação de software web de apoio à gestão da assistência pré-natal / Desarrollo y validación de software web de apoyo a la gestión de la atención prenatal / Development and validation of web software to support prenatal care management

Resumo Objetivo Descrever o processo de desenvolvimento e validação de um software web de apoio à gestão da assistência pré-natal. Métodos Pesquisa de produção tecnológica, realizada entre março e agosto de 2022, com base em princípios e técnicas do método Scrum. As funcionalidades do software web, com acesso e funções específicas a três diferentes usuários (Administrador, Gestor e Visitante), foram desenvolvidas de forma colegiada entre desenvolvedores, pesquisadores, gestores e profissionais da saúde, a partir de necessidades práticas relacionadas à gestão da assistência pré-natal. Resultados O software web é uma ferramenta de apoio à gestão da assistência pré-natal, com potencial para gerar infográficos que denotem intercorrências gestacionais e que permitem, de forma ágil e segura, à tomada de decisões estratégicas loco-regionais. Conclusão O processo de desenvolvimento e validação do software web de apoio à gestão da assistência pré-natal deu-se de forma colegiada entre desenvolvedores, pesquisadores, gestores e profissionais da saúde, a partir de necessidades práticas relacionadas à gestão da assistência pré-natal. A ferramenta foi desenvolvida de modo a possibilitar acesso e funções específicas a três diferentes usuários (Administrador, Gestor e Visitante), com vistas à tomada de decisões rápidas e seguras.

Resumen Objetivo Describir el proceso de desarrollo y validación de un software web de apoyo a la gestión de la atención prenatal. Métodos Investigación de producción tecnológica, realizada entre marzo y agosto de 2022, con base en principios y técnicas de la metodología Scrum. Las funcionalidades del software web, con acceso y funciones específicas para tres usuarios (administrador, gestor y visitante), se desarrollaron de forma colegiada entre desarrolladores, investigadores, gestores y profesionales de la salud, a partir de necesidades prácticas relacionadas con la gestión de la atención prenatal. Resultados El software web es una herramienta de apoyo a la gestión de la atención prenatal, con potencial para generar infográficos que indiquen complicaciones gestacionales y que permitan tomar decisiones estratégicas locorregionales de forma ágil y segura. Conclusión El proceso de desarrollo y validación del software web de apoyo a la gestión de la atención prenatal se realizó de forma colegiada entre desarrolladores, investigadores, gestores y profesionales de la salud, a partir de necesidades prácticas relacionadas con la gestión de la atención prenatal. La herramienta se desarrolló a fin de permitir el acceso y funciones específicas para tres diferentes usuarios (administrador, gestor y visitante), con el objetivo de tomar decisiones rápidas y seguras.

Abstract Objective To describe the development and validation process of a web software to support the management of prenatal care. Methods Technological development research, carried out between March and August 2022, based on principles and techniques of the Scrum method. The functionalities of the web software, with access and specific functions for three different users (Administrator, Manager and Visitor), were developed jointly by developers, researchers, managers and health professionals, based on practical needs related to the management of prenatal care. Results The web software is a tool to support the management of prenatal care, with the potential to generate infographics that denote gestational intercurrences and that allow, in an agile and safe way, the making of local-regional strategic decisions. Conclusion The process of development and validation of the web software to support the management of prenatal care was carried out jointly by developers, researchers, managers and health professionals, based on practical needs related to the management of prenatal care. The tool was developed in order to allow access and specific functions to three different users (Administrator, Manager and Visitor), with a view to making quick and safe decisions.

Construção e validação de um formulário para a transição de cuidados para o recém-nascido prematuro / Construcción y validación de un formulario para la transición de la atención al recién nacido prematuro / Construction and validity of a form for transition of care for premature newborns

Objetivo: construir e validar um formulário para a transição de cuidados com o neonato prematuro. Método: estudo metodológico realizado em três etapas: levantamento do referencial teórico-metodológico, análise semântica e validação de conteúdo, baseado no Modelo de Construção de Instrumentos e utilizando o método de Delphi, sendo considerado aprovado quando o índice de validação de conteúdo foi maior que 80%.Resultados: o formulário composto por seis domínios foi aprovado após três rodadas, com 64itens e alcançou uma aprovação média de 89%.Conclusão: o formulário de transição de cuidados foi validado quanto a face e conteúdo, disponibilizando uma nova tecnologia a ser utilizada para a transição de informações de forma padronizada e segura.

Objective:to construct and validate a form for transition of care for premature newborns. Method:a methodological study carried out in three steps: theoretical-methodological framework survey, semantic analysis and content validity, based on the instrument construction model and using the Delphi method, being considered approved when the Content Validity Index was greater than 80%. Results:the form consisting of six domains was approved after three rounds, with 64 items, and achieved a mean approval of 89%. Conclusion:the transition of care form was validated in terms of face and content, providing a new technology to be used for standardized and safe transition of information.

Objetivo:construir y validar un formulario para la transición de la atención al recién nacido prematuro. Método:estudio metodológico realizado en tres etapas: levantamiento del marco teórico-metodológico, análisis semántico y validación de contenido, con base en el modelo de construcción de instrumentos y mediante el método Delphi, considerándose aprobado cuando el índice de validación de contenido fue superior al 80%. Resultados:el formulario compuesto por seis dominios fue aprobado después de tres rondas, con 64 ítems, y alcanzó una tasa de aprobación promedio del 89%. Conclusión:el formulario de transición de atención fue validado en términos de apariencia y contenido, proporcionando una nueva tecnología para ser utilizada para la transición de información de forma estandarizada y segura.

Key Nanotechnology Breakthroughs in Cardiovascular Disease Therapy

Abstract Background It is justified by the high population's morbidity and mortality rate, as well as the increasing present use of nanoparticles in this pathological context. Objectives To describe the main nanotechnology breakthroughs in the field of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and disseminate pertinent information in the literature. Methods This is a systematic review conducted between September and October 2021. The review was carried out through basic nature, following the initial script for the selective reading of articles in chronological order to collect relevant and consistent data related to the theme. Results It is evidenced the main advances of nanotechnology in the field of CVDs, namely, acute coronary syndromes (ACSs), heart failure (HF), and systemic arterial hypertension (SAH). Conclusion The importance of further and deeper studies in this area is emphasized, in order to make the already approved treatments feasible, so they can reach all publics at a low cost.

Performance in prognostic capacity and efficiency of the Thoracic Care Suite GE AI tool applied to chest radiography of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia.

OBJECTIVE: Rapid progression of COVID-19 pneumonia may put patients at risk of requiring ventilatory support, such as non-invasive mechanical ventilation or endotracheal intubation. Implementing tools that detect COVID-19 pneumonia can improve the patient's healthcare. We aim to evaluate the efficacy and efficiency of the artificial intelligence (AI) tool GE Healthcare's Thoracic Care Suite (featuring Lunit INSIGHT CXR, TCS) to predict the ventilatory support need based on pneumonic progression of COVID-19 on consecutive chest X-rays. METHODS: Outpatients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, with chest X-ray (CXR) findings probable or indeterminate for COVID-19 pneumonia, who required a second CXR due to unfavorableclinical course, were collected. The number of affected lung fields for the two CXRs was assessed using the AI tool. RESULTS: One hundred fourteen patients (57.4±14.2 years, 65-57%-men) were retrospectively collected. Fifteen (13.2%) required ventilatory support. Progression of pneumonic extension ≥0.5 lung fields per day compared to pneumonia onset, detected using the TCS tool, increased the risk of requiring ventilatory support by 4-fold. Analyzing the AI output required 26s of radiological time. CONCLUSIONS: Applying the AI tool, Thoracic Care Suite, to CXR of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia allows us to anticipate ventilatory support requirements requiring less than half a minute.

Eficacia de la capacidad y la eficiencia pronósticas de la herramienta de inteligencia artificial Thoracic Care Suite de GE aplicada a la radiografía torácica de pacientes con neumonía COVID-19 / Performance in prognostic capacity and efficiency of the Thoracic Care Suite GE AI tool applied to chest radiography of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia

Objetivo: La rápida progresión de la neumonía COVID-19 puede implicar la necesidad de recurrir a sistemas de respiración asistida, como la ventilación mecánica no invasiva o la intubación endotraqueal. La introducción de herramientas que detecten la neumonía COVID-19 puede mejorar la atención sanitaria de los pacientes. Nuestro objetivo es evaluar la eficacia y la eficiencia de la herramienta de inteligencia artificial (IA) Thoracic Care Suite de GE Healthcare (que incorpora Lunit Insight CXR) para predecir la necesidad de recurrir a la respiración asistida en función de la progresión de la neumonía en la COVID-19 en radiografías torácicas consecutivas. Métodos: Se incluyó a pacientes ambulatorios con infección por SARS-CoV-2 confirmada, con hallazgos probables o indeterminados de neumonía COVID-19 en la radiografía torácica (RXT) y que necesitaron una segunda RXT debido a la evolución clínica desfavorable. En las 2RXT se evaluaron el número de campos pulmonares afectados mediante la herramienta de IA. Resultados: Se incluyó a 114 pacientes (57,4±14,2 años; 65 de ellos varones, el 57%) de forma retrospectiva; 15 pacientes (el 13,2%) precisaron respiración asistida. La progresión de la diseminación neumónica ≥0,5 campos pulmonares al día en comparación con el inicio de la neumonía, detectada mediante la herramienta TCS, cuadruplicó el riesgo de precisar respiración asistida. El análisis de los resultados de IA precisó 26 segundos. Conclusiones: Aplicar la herramienta de IA, Thoracic Care Suite, a la RXT de pacientes con neumonía COVID-19 nos permite predecir la necesidad de recurrir a la respiración asistida en menos de medio minuto.(AU)

Objective: Rapid progression of COVID-19 pneumonia may put patients at risk of requiring ventilatory support, such as non-invasive mechanical ventilation or endotracheal intubation. Implementing tools that detect COVID-19 pneumonia can improve the patient's healthcare. We aim to evaluate the efficacy and efficiency of the artificial intelligence (AI) tool GE Healthcare's Thoracic Care Suite (featuring Lunit Insight CXR, TCS) to predict the ventilatory support need based on pneumonic progression of COVID-19 on consecutive chest X-rays. Methods: Outpatients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, with chest X-ray (CXR) findings probable or indeterminate for COVID-19 pneumonia, who required a second CXR due to unfavorable clinical course, were collected. The number of affected lung fields for the 2CXRs was assessed using the AI tool. Results: One hundred fourteen patients (57.4±14.2 years; 65 of them were men, 57%) were retrospectively collected; and 15 (13.2%) required ventilatory support. Progression of pneumonic extension ≥ 0.5 lung fields per day compared to pneumonia onset, detected using the TCS tool, increased the risk of requiring ventilatory support by 4-fold. Analyzing the AI output required 26seconds of radiological time. Conclusions: Applying the AI tool, Thoracic Care Suite, to CXR of patients with COVID-19 pneumonia allows us to anticipate ventilatory support requirements requiring less than half a minute.(AU)

Dynamic HTA for digital health solutions: opportunities and challenges for patient-centered evaluation.

OBJECTIVES: Germany's 2019 Digital Healthcare Act (Digitale-Versorgung-Gesetz, or DVG) created a number of opportunities for the digital transformation of the healthcare delivery system. Key among these was the creation of a reimbursement pathway for patient-centered digital health applications (digitale Gesundheitsanwendungen, or DiGA). Worldwide, this is the first structured pathway for "prescribable" health applications at scale. As of October 10, 2023, 49 DiGA were listed in the official directory maintained by Germany's Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM); these are prescribable by physicians and psychotherapists and reimbursed by the German statutory health insurance system for all its 73 million beneficiaries. Looking ahead, a major challenge facing DiGA manufacturers will be the generation of the evidence required for ongoing price negotiations and reimbursement. Current health technology assessment (HTA) methods will need to be adapted for DiGA. METHODS: We describe the core issues that distinguish HTA in this setting: (i) explicit allowance for more flexible research designs, (ii) the nature of initial evidence generation, which can be delivered (in its final form) up to one year after becoming reimbursable, and (iii) the dynamic nature of both product development and product evaluation. We present the digital health applications in the German DiGA scheme as a case study and highlight the role of RWE in the successful evaluation of DiGA on an ongoing basis. RESULTS: When a DiGA is likely to be updated and assessed regularly, full-scale RCTs are infeasible; we therefore make the case for using real-world data and real-world evidence (RWE) for dynamic HTAs. CONCLUSIONS: Continous evaluation using RWD is a regulatory innovation that can help improve the quality of DiGAs on the market.

Proposing a health-specific organizational impact framework to evaluate organizational impacts in health technology assessments.

OBJECTIVES: Health technology assessments (HTAs) have traditionally included clinical and cost-effectiveness evaluation of new health technologies (HTs). However, new HTs can generate important organizational impacts (OIs) that influence their overall value. OIs are currently not clearly identified and evaluated in HTA procedures and tools are limited. To address this issue, a comprehensive framework that allows to assess OIs of new HTs in HTAs is proposed. METHODS: A working and methodological group identified the Oslo Manual 2018, 4th edition, OECD/Eurostat, on the objectives and outcomes of commercial innovations as the basis for the OIs framework for HTAs. The Oslo Manual was translated to the healthcare sector and adapted to HTA procedures through a three-step process. RESULTS: The framework is composed of three main parts. Part I tackles the context of the evaluation, Part II the categories of impacts and the specific impacts - in total, 16 OIs were identified - and Part III the stakeholders involved. The central part of the framework is Part II, and consists of three categories of impacts: (i) on the care process, (ii) on the stakeholders' capabilities and skills, and (iii) on society or the community. CONCLUSIONS: This framework provides a comprehensive and structured basis to document OIs of new HTs. It thus contributes to the extension of HTA evaluation criteria to other dimensions than clinical and economic aspects, that is, organizational aspects. Some of its intrinsic limitations and the questions they raise in the field for policy-makers, practitioners, and researchers are discussed.

Enablers and barriers to adopt the locally developed Masi mechanical ventilator amid COVID-19 pandemic in Peru.

Background: Limited supply of resources during the COVID-19 emergency encouraged the local development of the Masi mechanical ventilator (MV). Despite the efforts to promote Masi, adopting this innovation faced multiple obstacles, regardless of its performance. We explored the perceptions among healthcare personnel towards incorporating Masi to provide ventilatory support to COVID-19 patients during the second wave in Peru (January to June 2021). Methods: We conducted twelve in-depth virtual interviews. Topics included experience when handling Masi, the impact of the training received, confidence in the device, barriers perceived, and enablers identified. All participants provided verbal informed consent. Results: Most of the participants were male physicians. Participants belonged to seven hospitals that exhibited a wide range of healthcare capacities. Globally, the adoption of Masi MV was driven by the scarcity of ventilatory devices in the wards and reinforced by appropriate training and prompt technical support. Participants reported that Masi's structural and operational features played both advantages and disadvantages. Hospital infrastructure readiness, availability of commercial MVs, mistrust in its simple appearance, and resistance to change among healthcare personnel were perceived as barriers, while low-cost, prompt technical support and user-friendliness were valuable enablers. The first two enablers were observed in participants regardless of their attitude towards Masi. Despite the small number of participants for this qualitative study, it is important to note that the sample size was sufficient to reach saturation, as the topics discussed with participants became redundant and did not yield new information. Conclusions: The perceptions among healthcare personnel to incorporate Masi as a mechanical ventilator for COVID-19 patients showed that communication, training and experience, and peer encouragement were essential to secure its use and sustainability of the technology. A priori judgments and perceptions unrelated to the performance of the novel device were observed, and its proper management may define its further implementation. Altogether our study suggests that along with strengthening local technological development, strategies to improve their adoption process must be considered as early as possible in medical innovations.

Impacto de las nuevas tecnologías en la neurología en España. Revisión del Comité Ad-Hoc de Nuevas Tecnologías de la Sociedad Española de Neurología / Impact of new technologies on neurology in Spain. Review by the New Technologies Ad-Hoc Committee of the Spanish Society of Neurology

Introducción: Las nuevas tecnologías (NT) están cada vez más presentes en el ámbito biomédico. Utilizando la definición de consenso de NT del Comité Ad-Hoc de Nuevas Tecnologías de la Sociedad Española de Neurología (SEN), se evalúa su impacto en la neurología española a través de las comunicaciones de las reuniones anuales de la SEN. Material y métodos: Se define el concepto de NT en neurología como una tecnología novedosa o aplicación de una tecnología anterior, caracterizada por un cierto grado de coherencia persistente en el tiempo, con potencial de tener impacto en el presente y futuro de la neurología. Se plantea un estudio descriptivo tomando como fuente las comunicaciones de las reuniones de la SEN desde 2012 hasta 2018 y analizando los tipos de NT empleadas, la subespecialidad, así como su distribución territorial. Resultados: De las 8.139 comunicaciones presentadas, 299 estaban relacionadas con NT (3,7%), incluyendo 120 pósteres y 179 comunicaciones orales, variando desde el 1,6% en 2012 hasta el 6,8% en 2018. Los tipos de tecnología mayormente representados fueron neuroimagen avanzada (24,7%), biosensores (17,1%), electrofisiología y neuroestimulación (14,7%) y telemedicina (13,7%). Las áreas neurológicas con mayor empleo de NT fueron trastornos del movimiento (18,4%), enfermedades cerebrovasculares (15,7%) y demencias (13,4%). Madrid fue la comunidad que presentó más comunicaciones (32,8%), seguida por Cataluña (26,8%) y Andalucía (9,0%). Conclusiones: Las comunicaciones sobre NT siguen una tendencia creciente. El número de NT empleadas ha ido aumentando de manera paralela a la disponibilidad tecnológica. Se encontraron comunicaciones en todas las subespecialidades neurológicas, con una distribución geográfica heterogénea.(AU)

Introduction: New technologies (NT) are increasingly widespread in biomedicine. Using the consensus definition of NT established by the New Technologies Ad-Hoc Committee of the Spanish Society of Neurology (SEN), we evaluated the impact of these technologies on Spanish neurology, based on communications presented at Annual Meetings of the SEN. Material and methods: We defined the concept of NT in neurology as a novel technology or novel application of an existing technology, characterised by a certain degree of coherence persisting over time, with the potential to have an impact on the present and/or future of neurology. We conducted a descriptive study of scientific communications presented at the SEN's annual meetings from 2012 to 2018, analysing the type of NT, the field of neurology, and the geographical provenance of the studies. Results: We identified 299 communications related with NT from a total of 8,139 (3.7%), including 120 posters and 179 oral communications, ranging from 1.6% of all communications in 2012 to 6.8% in 2018. The technologies most commonly addressed were advanced neuroimaging (24.7%), biosensors (17.1%), electrophysiology and neurostimulation (14.7%), and telemedicine (13.7%). The neurological fields where NT were most widely employed were movement disorders (18.4%), cerebrovascular diseases (15.7%), and dementia (13.4%). Madrid was the region presenting the highest number of communications related to NT (32.8%), followed by Catalonia (26.8%) and Andalusia (9.0%). Conclusions: The number of communications addressing NT follows an upward trend. The number of NT used in neurology has increased in parallel with their availability. We found scientific communications in all neurological subspecialties, with a heterogeneous geographical distribution.(AU)

What Do Older Canadians Think They Need to Walk Well?

Purpose: To identify older Canadians' perception of the importance of expert-generated elements of walking quality, and the contributors to and consequences of perceived walking quality. Method: Cross-sectional survey of 649 adults was conducted through a commercial participant panel, Hosted in Canada Surveys. Results: Of the 649 respondents, 75% were between 65 and 74 years old (25% ≥ 75) and 49% were women. The most important elements were foot, ankle, hip, and knee mobility with little difference in ranks across walking perception (Fr χ12 = 5.0, p > 0.05). People who were older by a decade were more likely to report poorer walking (POR: 1.4; 95% CI: 1.0, 1.7), as were women compared to men, and people who used a walking aid compared to none. Lung disease showed the highest association with a perception of not walking well (POR: 7.2; 95% CI: 3.7, 14.2). The odds of being willing to pay more for a technology to improve walking were always greater for those with a lower perception of their walking quality. Conclusions: People who perceived their walking quality as poor were more likely to report poorer health and were willing to pay more for a technology to improve walking. This supports the opportunity of leveraging wearable technologies to improve walking.

Objectif : déterminer la perception des Canadiens âgés à l'égard de l'importance des éléments relatifs à la qualité de la marche produits par des experts et établir les incitatifs à la perception de la qualité de la marche, de même que les conséquences s'y rapportant. Méthodologie : sondage transversal auprès de 649 adultes au moyen de Hosted in Canada Surveys, un groupe commercial de participants. Résultats : sur les 649 répondants, 75 % étaient âgés de 65 à 74 ans (25 % ≥ 75 ans), et 49 % étaient des femmes. La mobilité du pied, de la cheville, de la hanche et du genou constituait les éléments les plus importants, et le niveau hiérarchique de chacun différait peu en matière de perceptions de la marche (test de Friedman [Fr] χ2 = 5,0, degré de liberté [ddl] 12, p > 0,05). Les personnes âgées d'une décennie de plus risquaient davantage de déclarer moins bien marcher (rapport de cotes proportionnel [RCP] : 1,4; IC à 95 % : 1,0 à 1,7), tout comme les femmes et les personnes qui utilisaient une aide à la marche. La maladie pulmonaire était la plus liée à la perception de moins bien marcher (RCP : 7,2; IC à 95 % : 3,7, 14,2). La probabilité d'être prêt à payer plus cher pour disposer d'une technologie destinée à améliorer la marche était toujours plus forte chez les personnes qui avaient une moins bonne perception de leur qualité de marche. Conclusion : les personnes qui avaient une moins bonne perception de leur qualité de marche étaient plus susceptibles de se déclarer en moins bonne santé et étaient prêtes à payer plus cher pour disposer d'une technologie destinée à améliorer la marche. Cette constatation confirme la possibilité de mettre à profit des technologies portables pour améliorer la marche.

An Online Survey of Technology Use Among Patients With Cancer Aged 65 Years or Older.

BACKGROUND: Historically, people aged 65 years or older have been slower to adopt new technology. However, technology use in this demographic continues to increase. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to understand how patients with cancer who are aged 65 years or older engage with technology and whether patient behavior related to technology use has changed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, this study evaluated whether respondents' understanding of technology was associated with increased likelihood of adoption and perceived utility of the ONS On-Call™ cancer treatment symptom assessment tool. METHODS: A U.S. population-based anonymous online survey was conducted between May 17 and May 31, 2021, with 103 patients with cancer aged at least 65 years. FINDINGS: The majority of respondents used technology regularly as part of their daily lives. Activities included shopping online, reading the news, or engaging with a healthcare platform. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, most respondents reported an increased use of digital activities, particularly the use of healthcare technology. Respondents reported they would be likely to use ONS On-Call, particularly if it is recommended by a healthcare provider.

Closing the loop between horizon scanning and health technology assessment - an overview of topics submitted for appraisal in England.

OBJECTIVES: Horizon scanning for health technology appraisal (HTA) in England involves topic notification to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) via technology briefings. This activity is undertaken by the Innovation Observatory with submission timelines designed to ensure that HTA decisions align with regulatory approval time. In this paper, we aimed to track and assess the progression and current status of the topics notified for HTA and provide a descriptive analysis of these topics. METHODS: Technology briefings were mapped from submission to NICE technology appraisal/highly specialized technologies recommendations from April 2017 until October 2021. This was done using a combination of searches on Google and NICE website, searching a downloadable spreadsheet containing NICE topic selection decisions, and querying NICE Topic Selection team. Analysis was undertaken regarding type of indications and interventions of submitted topics and published guidance. RESULTS: Six-hundred and ninety-three topics entered the NICE scoping process, of which 94 percent were prioritized. As of November 2021, approximately 39 percent of prioritized topics were in scoping/in progress, 31 percent were proposed/completed, 20 percent were suspended/terminated, and 4 percent were referred back to Innovation Observatory (IO) for further monitoring. CONCLUSIONS: Our work demonstrates that horizon scanning for HTA is a complex and time-intensive process. Timelines and progress through HTA is challenging due to the growing number of innovative medicines, significant uncertainties, and limited transparency in clinical development and regulatory pathways. A better understanding of clinical trials and regulatory requirements may help eliminate some of this uncertainty and improve timely HTA.

Design of Innovative Clothing for Pressure Injury Prevention: End-User Evaluation in a Mixed-Methods Study.

The global relevance of pressure injury (PI) prevention technologies arise from their impact on the quality of life of people with limited mobility and the costs associated with treating these preventable injuries. The purpose of this mixed methods study is to evaluate the design of a prototype integrating Smart Health Textiles for PI prevention based on feedback from specialist nurses who care for individuals who are prone to or have PIs. This is a mixed methods study. A structured questionnaire was conducted as part of an evaluation of a prototype garment for the prevention of PIs. This questionnaire was applied during the evaluation of the prototype and afterwards focus group discussions were held with experts. Descriptive statistics techniques were used to analyze the data and thematic and integrated content analysis was conducted through concomitant triangulation. Nineteen nurses took part, aged 30 to 39 years (52.6%) and with 12.31 ± 8.96 years of experience. Participants showed that the prototype required more manipulation and physical effort, which interfered its usefulness, in addition to presenting difficulties with the openings and the material of the closure system, which interfered with the ease of use and learning. Overall satisfaction with the product was moderate, with some areas for improvement found, such as satisfaction, recommendations to colleagues, and pleasantness of use. It is concluded that areas for improvement have been found in all dimensions, including in the design of openings and the choice of materials. These findings supply significant insights for improving clothing to meet the needs of healthcare professionals and patients.

The Use of Sensors to Prevent, Predict Transition to Chronic and Personalize Treatment of Low Back Pain: A Systematic Review.

Non-specific low back pain (NSLBP) is a highly prevalent condition that implies substantial expenses and affects quality of life in terms of occupational and recreational activities, physical and psychological health, and general well-being. The diagnosis and treatment are challenging processes due to the unknown underlying causes of the condition. Recently, sensors have been included in clinical practice to implement its management. In this review, we furthered knowledge about the potential benefits of sensors such as force platforms, video systems, electromyography, or inertial measure systems in the assessment process of NSLBP. We concluded that sensors could identify specific characteristics of this population like impaired range of movement, decreased stability, or disturbed back muscular activation. Sensors could provide sufferers with earlier diagnosis, prevention strategies to avoid chronic transition, and more efficient treatment approaches. Nevertheless, the review has limitations that need to be considered in the interpretation of results.

Availability of complementary resources and equipment for use in the prevention of healthcare-associated infections / Disponibilidade de recursos e equipamentos complementares para uso na prevenção de infecções relacionadas à assistência à saúde / Disponibilidad de recursos y equipos complementarios para prevenir las infecciones asociadas a la atención de la salud

Background and Objectives: Recently, complementary resources and equipment have emerged to improve prevention of healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Our aim is to verify availability and use of different resources/ equipment by infection controllers. Methods: We conducted a survey with infection controllers from the State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, by invitation using a social media group, in August 2022. Nine different resources and equipment were evaluated. Categorical and continuous variables were evaluated by the chi-square test and Mann­Whitney U test, respectively. A p value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: One hundred and eight persons answered the questionnaire. The mean age was 42.8 years (SD +/- 8.5 years) and 53 (49.1%) reported most of their workload in public hospitals, 45 (41.7%) in private hospitals and 10 (9.2%) reported the same workload in public and private hospitals. Sixty-there percent reported teaching activities in their institutions. There was no correlation between the existence of teaching activities and hospital profile (p=0.42). The most common resource available was molecular biology (PCR) for microbiological samples research for 73 (67.6%) participants. The second resource most available was applications (Apps) for HAIs prevention and control for 33 (30.6%), 19 (17.6%) reported no availability of resource/equipment technology. Conclusion: Molecular biology (PCR) for microbiological samples research was the most common resource available for infection controllers of an important state of Brazil.(AU)

Justificativas e Objetivos: Recentemente, recursos e equipamentos complementares têm surgido para melhorar a prevenção de infecções relacionadas à assistência à saúde. O objetivo deste artigo é verificar a disponibilidade e o uso de diferentes recursos e equipamentos pelos controladores de infecção. Métodos: Realizamos uma pesquisa do tipo survey com controladores de infecção do estado do Rio de Janeiro, por meio de convite pela mídia social, em agosto de 2022. Nove diferentes recursos e equipamentos foram avaliados quanto à disponibilidade e ao uso. Variáveis categóricas e contínuas foram avaliadas pelo teste qui-quadrado e Mann-Whitney, respectivamente. Um valor de p menor que 0,05 foi considerado estatisticamente significativo. Resultados: Cento e oito pessoas responderam ao questionário. A média de idade foi de 42,8 anos (DP +/- 8,5 anos), e 53(49,1%) relataram maior carga de trabalho em hospitais públicos, 45 (41,7%) em hospitais privados e 10(9,2%) carga horária similar nos dois tipos de hospitais. Dos 108, 63% relataram a existência de atividades de ensino nas instituições. Não houve correlação entre existência de atividades de ensino e tipo de hospital (p=0,42). O recurso mais disponível foi o uso de biologia molecular (reação em cadeia de polimerase) por 73 (67,6%) participantes. A segunda ferramenta mais encontrada foi o uso de aplicativos para prevenção e controle de infecção para 33 (30,6%) desses participantes. Dezenove deles (17,6%) relataram ausência de todos os recursos/equipamentos. Conclusão: O uso de biologia molecular para pesquisa de amostras biológicas foi o recurso mais disponível para controladores de infecção de um importante estado brasileiro.(AU)

Antecedentes y objetivos: Recientemente han surgido recursos y equipos complementarios para mejorar la prevención de las infecciones asociadas a la atención de la salud. El objetivo es verificar la disponibilidad y el uso de diferentes recursos/equipos por los controladores de infecciones. Métodos: Realizamos una encuesta entre los controladores de infecciones del estado de Rio de Janeiro, Brasil, por invitación en redes sociales, en agosto de 2022. Se evaluó la disponibilidad y uso de nueve recursos y equipos diferentes. Las variables categóricas y continuas se evaluaron mediante las pruebas de chi-cuadrado y Mann-Whitney, respectivamente. Se consideró estadísticamente significativo un valor de p < 0.05. Resultados: Ciento ocho personas respondieron al cuestionario. La edad media fue de 42,8 años (DE +/- 8,5 años) y 53 (49,1%) reportaron mayor carga de trabajo en hospitales públicos, 45 (41,7%) en privados y 10 (9,2%) reportaron la misma carga en hospitales públicos y privados. De los 108, el 63% reportó actividades docentes en sus instituciones. No hubo correlación entre la existencia de actividades docentes y el tipo de hospital (p=0,42). El recurso más disponible fue el uso de la biología molecular (reacción en cadena de la polimerasa) por 73 (67,6%) participantes. El segundo más común fue el uso de aplicaciones de prevención y control de infecciones por 33 (30,6%) participantes. Diecinueve participantes (17,6%) señalaron la ausencia de todos los recursos/equipos. Conclusiones: El uso de la biología molecular para investigar muestras microbiológicas fue el recurso/equipo más disponible para los controladores de infecciones de un importante estado brasileño.(AU)

Telehealth in oral medicine: A cross-sectional evaluation based on a mobile application.

BACKGROUND: Teledentistry is considered a good tool in the diagnostic process. In oral medicine, there is a low number of trained professionals and dentists have difficulty in diagnosing and treating oral lesions. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to perform a cross-sectional evaluation based on the mobile application for oral diagnosis using a mobile application in a Brazilian State. METHODS: This is a retrospective, cross-sectional, observational study of the data of the "Telehealth in Stomatology in Paraíba" carried out between May 2021 and November 2022. RESULTS: The app has a team of 16 consultants (Ph.D. professors, postgraduate students, residents, and dentists). In addition, there are 289 registered professionals, with a mean age of 33.7 years, predominantly female (70.2%), working in primary care (79.2%), and general practitioners (42.6%). Regarding the cases, the app has 194 cases, and reactive lesions are the most suggested hypotheses reported by dentists (24.5%) and consultants (22.3%). We had an overall concordance rate of 64.1%. CONCLUSION: The application is easily accessible and has an assistance network that helps with early diagnosis. In addition, it has good coverage with users in more than 50% of the cities in the state. Thus, applications that provide specialized care to distant areas are important for better public health.