Randomised controlled trial of a theoretically grounded tailored intervention to diffuse evidence-based public health practice [ISRCTN23257060]

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have shown that Norwegian public health physicians do not systematically and explicitly use scientific evidence in their practice. They work in an environment that does not encourage the integration of this information in decision-making. In this study we investigate whether a theoretically grounded tailored intervention to diffuse evidence-based public health practice increases the physicians' use of research information. METHODS: 148 self-selected public health physicians were randomised to an intervention group (n = 73) and a control group (n = 75). The intervention group received a multifaceted intervention while the control group received a letter declaring that they had access to library services. Baseline assessments before the intervention and post-testing immediately at the end of a 1.5-year intervention period were conducted. The intervention was theoretically based and consisted of a workshop in evidence-based public health, a newsletter, access to a specially designed information service, to relevant databases, and to an electronic discussion list. The main outcome measure was behaviour as measured by the use of research in different documents. RESULTS: The intervention did not demonstrate any evidence of effects on the objective behaviour outcomes. We found, however, a statistical significant difference between the two groups for both knowledge scores: Mean difference of 0.4 (95% CI: 0.2–0.6) in the score for knowledge about EBM-resources and mean difference of 0.2 (95% CI: 0.0–0.3) in the score for conceptual knowledge of importance for critical appraisal. There were no statistical significant differences in attitude-, self-efficacy-, decision-to-adopt- or job-satisfaction scales. There were no significant differences in Cochrane library searching after controlling for baseline values and characteristics. CONCLUSION: Though demonstrating effect on knowledge the study failed to provide support for the hypothesis that a theory-based multifaceted intervention targeted at identified barriers will change professional behaviour

Safer Prescribing:A Trial of Education, Informatics, and Financial Incentives

BACKGROUND High-risk prescribing and preventable drug-related complications are common in primary care. We evaluated whether the rates of high-risk prescribing by primary care clinicians and the related clinical outcomes would be reduced by a complex intervention. METHODS In this cluster-randomized, stepped-wedge trial conducted in Tayside, Scotland, we randomly assigned participating primary care practices to various start dates for a 48-week intervention comprising professional education, informatics to facilitate review, and financial incentives for practices to review patients’ charts to assess appropriateness. The primary outcome was patient-level exposure to any of nine measures of high-risk prescribing of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or selected antiplatelet agents (e.g., NSAID prescription in a patient with chronic kidney disease or coprescription of an NSAID and an oral anticoagulant without gastroprotection). Prespecified secondary outcomes included the incidence of related hospital admissions. Analyses were performed according to the intention-to-treat principle, with the use of mixed-effect models to account for clustering in the data. RESULTS A total of 34 practices underwent randomization, 33 of which completed the study. Data were analyzed for 33,334 patients at risk at one or more points in the preintervention period and for 33,060 at risk at one or more points in the intervention period. Targeted high-risk prescribing was significantly reduced, from a rate of 3.7% (1102 of 29,537 patients at risk) immediately before the intervention to 2.2% (674 of 30,187) at the end of the intervention (adjusted odds ratio, 0.63; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.57 to 0.68; P<0.001). The rate of hospital admissions for gastrointestinal ulcer or bleeding was significantly reduced from the preintervention period to the intervention period (from 55.7 to 37.0 admissions per 10,000 person-years; rate ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.51 to 0.86; P = 0.002), as was the rate of admissions for heart failure (from 707.7 to 513.5 admissions per 10,000 person-years; rate ratio, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.56 to 0.95; P = 0.02), but admissions for acute kidney injury were not (101.9 and 86.0 admissions per 10,000 person-years, respectively; rate ratio, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.68 to 1.09; P = 0.19). CONCLUSIONS A complex intervention combining professional education, informatics, and financial incentives reduced the rate of high-risk prescribing of antiplatelet medications and NSAIDs and may have improved clinical outcomes

Interdisciplinary teams in primary care: a systematic scoping review

Rapporten kan lastes ned gratis fra Folkehelseinstituttets nettsider : www.fhi.noI Stortingsmelding 26 om primærhelsetjenesten (2014-2015) foreslås det å opprette tverrfaglige team i den kommunale helse- og omsorgstjenesten. Teamarbeid er en økende benyttet arbeidsform i organiseringen av helsevesenet i mange land, men det er fortsatt mange ubesvarte spørsmål knyttet til en slik organiseringsmodell. Formålet med denne kartleggingsoversikten var å identifisere og beskrive forskningslitteratur om tverrfaglige team i primærhelsetjenesten. En kartleggingsoversikt over forskningskunnskapen viser først og fremst hva slags type forskning som er gjort. Kartleggingen kan bygges videre på for utvikling av prosjektplaner, etablering av tverrfaglige team, evalueringer av eksisterende og nye team og til bruk i den videre diskusjonen om tverrfaglige primærhelseteam i Norge.publishedVersio

Effekt av tiltak for å forbedre kvaliteten på helsetjenester til etniske minoriteter: en systematisk oversikt over randomiserte kontrollerte forsøk

Rapport basert på en systematisk oversikt over randomiserte kontrollerte studier av tiltak rettet mot helsepersonell eller helseorganisasjoner for å forbedre helsetjenester for etniske minoriteter.Bakgrunn: Ifølge helseforetakslovens § 1 skal alle pasienter ytes et likeverdig tilbud. Både nasjonale og internasjonale studier tyder imidlertid på at det eksisterer ulikheter i kvaliteten på helsetjenester på grunnlag av etnisitet, og at dette kan ha sin årsak i strukturelle, organisatoriske og kliniske barrierer. Oppdrag: Helse Sør-Øst RHF har gitt oss i oppdrag å innhente og kritisk vurdere tilgjengelig forskning om effekten av tiltak for å forbedre kvaliteten på helsetjenester til etniske minoriteter. Vi har i denne omgangen konsentrert oss om effekten av tiltak rettet mot helsepersonell og helseorganisasjoner. Hovedfunn: • Forskjellige former for opplæringstiltak og elektroniske påminnelser til helsepersonell kan under visse betingelser muligens ha en liten effekt på helsepersonells praksis og minoritetspasienters helseutfall. Kvaliteten varierer isolert sett fra svært lav til lav på dokumentasjonen, men funnene støttes av annen omfattende forskning om denne typen tiltak i andre sammenhenger. • Det er for lav kvalitet på tilgjengelig dokumentasjon til å avgjøre: • om bruk av fjerntolking påvirker pasientens tilfredshet med lege og tolk og fører til bedre kommunikasjon sammenlignet med tradisjonell tolking • om etnisk matching av klient og terapeut påvirker pasientens forståelse, symptomstatus og aksept og tro på nytten av terapeutiske strategier • om oppfølgings- og støttetiltak i form av økte personellressurser påvirker helseutfall hos minoritetspasienter.Helse Sør-Øst RH

Effekt av tiltak for å redusere potensielt uhensiktsmessig bruk av legemidler i sykehjem: en systematisk oversikt over randomiserte kontrollerte forsøk

Beskriver en systematisk litteraturstudie hvor hensikten var å undersøke effekt av tiltak for å redusere uhensiktsmessig legemiddelbruk i sykehjem.Bakgrunn: Studier har vist at beboere i sykehjem kan være utsatt for uhensiktsmessig medisinering, spesielt med psykofarmaka. Dette øker risikoen for uønskede bivirkninger. Oppdrag: Denne rapporten har identifisert, vurdert og sammenstilt forskning om effekten av tiltak for å redusere uhensiktsmessig bruk av legemidler i sykehjem. Rapporten ble bestilt av Helsedirektoratet i tilknytning til arbeidet med Omsorgsplan 2015. Hovedfunn: • Pedagogiske oppsøkende tiltak og undervisningstiltak gitt alene eller som del av en sammensatt pakke rettet mot helsepersonell er vist i noen sammenhenger å føre til reduksjon av antatt uhensiktsmessig legemiddelbruk. Dokumentasjonen for disse resultatene i sykehjem varierer fra svært lav til lav kvalitet. • Legemiddelgjennomgang med farmasøyt i et tverrfaglig samarbeid med sykehjemslegen og annet relevant helsepersonell er vist i noen sammenhenger å føre til reduksjon av uhensiktsmessig legemiddelbruk. Dokumentasjonen for disse resultatene varierer fra svært lav til lav kvalitet. • Bruk av geriatrisk team som ansvarlig for all medisinsk behandling av de eldre viste en statistisk signifikant effekt på forskrivning av legemidler i én studie med få deltagere og med høy risiko for systematisk skjevhet i resultatet. Dokumentasjonsgrunnlaget blir derfor av for lav kvalitet til å kunne bedømme om tiltaket kan påvirke uhensiktsmessig bruk av legemidler. • Tidlig psykiatrisk intervenering viste ingen statistisk signifikant effekt på bruk av psykofarmaka. Ettersom kvaliteten av dokumentasjonen for dette resultatet er svært lav kan vi ikke avgjøre om tiltaket påvirker bruk av legemidler. • Aktivitetstiltak til beboere gitt sammen med utdanningsmøter for helsepersonell viste ingen statistisk signifikant effekt på bruk av antipsykotika eller antall legemidler totalt. Ettersom kvaliteten av dokumentasjonen for dette resultatet er svært lav kan vi ikke avgjøre om tiltaket påvirker bruk av legemidler. • Kvaliteten av dokumentasjonsgrunnlaget er for lav til å bedømme om tiltak for å redusere antatt uhensiktsmessige legemidler påvirker helseutfall

Identifying strategies to improve access to credible and relevant information for public health professionals: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND: Movement towards evidence-based practices in many fields suggests that public health (PH) challenges may be better addressed if credible information about health risks and effective PH practices is readily available. However, research has shown that many PH information needs are unmet. In addition to reviewing relevant literature, this study performed a comprehensive review of existing information resources and collected data from two representative PH groups, focusing on identifying current practices, expressed information needs, and ideal systems for information access. METHODS: Nineteen individual interviews were conducted among employees of two domains in a state health department – communicable disease control and community health promotion. Subsequent focus groups gathered additional data on preferences for methods of information access and delivery as well as information format and content. Qualitative methods were used to identify themes in the interview and focus group transcripts. RESULTS: Informants expressed similar needs for improved information access including single portal access with a good search engine; automatic notification regarding newly available information; access to best practice information in many areas of interest that extend beyond biomedical subject matter; improved access to grey literature as well as to more systematic reviews, summaries, and full-text articles; better methods for indexing, filtering, and searching for information; and effective ways to archive information accessed. Informants expressed a preference for improving systems with which they were already familiar such as PubMed and listservs rather than introducing new systems of information organization and delivery. A hypothetical ideal model for information organization and delivery was developed based on informants' stated information needs and preferred means of delivery. Features of the model were endorsed by the subjects who reviewed it. CONCLUSION: Many critical information needs of PH practitioners are not being met efficiently or at all. We propose a dual strategy of: 1) promoting incremental improvements in existing information delivery systems based on the expressed preferences of the PH users of the systems and 2) the concurrent development and rigorous evaluation of new models of information organization and delivery that draw on successful resources already operating to deliver information to clinical medical practitioners

The potential for research-based information in public health: Identifying unrecognised information needs

OBJECTIVE: To explore whether there is a potential for greater use of research-based information in public health practice in a local setting. Secondly, if research-based information is relevant, to explore the extent to which this generates questioning behaviour. DESIGN: Qualitative study using focus group discussions, observation and interviews. SETTING: Public health practices in Norway. PARTICIPANTS: 52 public health practitioners. RESULTS: In general, the public health practitioners had a positive attitude towards research-based information, but believed that they had few cases requiring this type of information. They did say, however, that there might be a potential for greater use. During five focus groups and six observation days we identified 28 questions/cases where it would have been appropriate to seek out research evidence according to our definition. Three of the public health practitioners identified three of these 28 cases as questions for which research-based information could have been relevant. This gap is interpreted as representing unrecognised information needs. CONCLUSIONS: There is an unrealised potential in public health practice for more frequent and extensive use of research-based information. The practitioners did not appear to reflect on the need for scientific information when faced with new cases and few questions of this type were generated

The effect of the SAFE or SORRY? programme on patient safety knowledge of nurses in hospitals and nursing homes: a cluster randomised trial

Background: patients in hospitals and nursing homes are at risk for the development of often preventable adverse events. Guidelines for the prevention of many types of adverse events are available, however compliance with these guidelines appears to be lacking. As a result many patients do not receive appropriate care. We developed a patient safety program that allows organisations to implement multiple guidelines simultaneously and therefore facilitates guideline use to improve patient safety. This program was developed for three frequently occurring nursing care related adverse events: pressure ulcers, urinary tract infections and falls. For the implementation of this program we developed educational activities for nurses as a main implementation strategy.Objectives: the aim of this study is to describe the effect of interactive and tailored education on the knowledge levels of nurses.Design: a cluster randomised trial was conducted between September 2006 and July 2008.Settings: ten hospital wards and ten nursing home wards participated in this study. Prior to baseline, randomisation of the wards to an intervention or control group was stratified for centre and type of ward.Participants: all nurses from participating wards.Methods: a knowledge test measured nurses’ knowledge on the prevention of pressure ulcers, urinary tract infections and falls, during baseline en follow-up. The results were analysed for hospitals and nursing homes separately.Results: after correction for baseline, the mean difference between the intervention and the control group on hospital nurses’ knowledge on the prevention of the three adverse events was 0.19 points on a zero to ten scale (95% CI: ?0.03 to 0.42), in favour of the intervention group. There was a statistically significant effect on knowledge of pressure ulcers, with an improved mean mark of 0.45 points (95% CI: 0.10–0.81). For the other two topics there was no statistically significant effect. Nursing home nurses’ knowledge did neither improve (0 points, CI: ?0.35 to 0.35) overall, nor for the separate subjects.Conclusion: the educational intervention improved hospital nurses’ knowledge on the prevention of pressure ulcers only. More research on long term improvement of knowledge is neede

Effectiveness of Strategies to Improve Health-Care Provider Practices in Low-Income and Middle-Income Countries: a Systematic Review

Inadequate health-care provider performance is a major challenge to the delivery of high-quality health care in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). The Health Care Provider Performance Review (HCPPR) is a comprehensive systematic review of strategies to improve health-care provider performance in LMICs