Development and pretesting of a food frequency questionnaire for undergraduate students

Objetivo: Desenvolver e aplicar em um projeto-piloto um questionário de frequência alimentar quantitativo de autopreenchimento destinado a graduandos da área da saúde. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo transversal realizado em 151 universitários de ambos os sexos, usuários do ambulatório de Nutrição do Corpo Discente da Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brasil. O questionário inicial foi composto a partir dos alimentos e preparações informados no Registro Alimentar de Três Dias. As informações em medidas caseiras foram transformadas em gramas ou mililitros com o auxílio de tabelas, e os alimentos foram ordenados segundo a porcentagem de contribuição para o valor energético total informado. Foram selecionados 198 alimentos responsáveis por 95% do consumo energético e agrupados em 77 itens alimentares de acordo com a similaridade nutricional. O tamanho das porções alimentares foi classificado conforme o valor do percentil 50 da distribuição dos pesos correspondentes às medidas caseiras referidas. Definiu-se como porção pequena, aquela cujo valor foi igual ou inferior ao percentil 25; como média, o percentil 50 e grande, o valor igual ou superior ao percentil 75. Resultados: Após o pré-teste do questionário inicial, o questionário final resultou em uma lista com 89 alimentos, agrupados em 70 itens alimentares. As instruções para o autopreenchimento foram refeitas, objetivando-se um melhor preenchimento. Conclusão: Após as modificações realizadas, o questionário de frequência alimentar quantitativo encontra-se pronto para o estudo de validação e calibração. Termos de indexação: Consumo alimentar. Inquéritos nutricionais. Questionário de frequência alimentar. Universitários. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTObjective: The objective of this study was to develop and pretest a self-administered, quantitative food frequency questionnaire for undergraduate students of the health sciences. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study with 151 undergraduate students of both genders from the Students’ Healthcare Service of the Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Brazil. The first version of the food frequency questionnaire was based on the foods and preparations listed in the 3-day food records. Tables were used to convert cooking units into grams or milliliters and the foods were ranked according to their percentage contribution to the total calorie intake. The 198 foods responsible for 95% of the energy intake were selected and grouped into 77 food items according to nutritional resemblance. Serving size was classified according to the 50th percentile of the weight distribution corresponding to the cooking units. Serving size was defined as small (S) when ≤25th percentile; average (A) when equal to the 50th percentile and large (L) when ≥75th percentile. Results: The pretest of the first version of the questionnaire resulted in a final version with a list of 89 foods, grouped into 70 food groups. The instructions for filling out the questionnaire were rewritten to get better answers from the students. Conclusion: After these changes, the quantitative food frequency questionnaire is ready for the validation and calibration study

Outcome in patients perceived as receiving excessive care across different ethical climates: a prospective study in 68 intensive care units in Europe and the USA

Purpose: Whether the quality of the ethical climate in the intensive care unit (ICU) improves the identification of patients receiving excessive care and affects patient outcomes is unknown. Methods: In this prospective observational study, perceptions of excessive care (PECs) by clinicians working in 68 ICUs in Europe and the USA were collected daily during a 28-day period. The quality of the ethical climate in the ICUs was assessed via a validated questionnaire. We compared the combined endpoint (death, not at home or poor quality of life at 1 year) of patients with PECs and the time from PECs until written treatment-limitation decisions (TLDs) and death across the four climates defined via cluster analysis. Results: Of the 4747 eligible clinicians, 2992 (63%) evaluated the ethical climate in their ICU. Of the 321 and 623 patients not admitted for monitoring only in ICUs with a good (n = 12, 18%) and poor (n = 24, 35%) climate, 36 (11%) and 74 (12%), respectively were identified with PECs by at least two clinicians. Of the 35 and 71 identified patients with an available combined endpoint, 100% (95% CI 90.0–1.00) and 85.9% (75.4–92.0) (P = 0.02) attained that endpoint. The risk of death (HR 1.88, 95% CI 1.20–2.92) or receiving a written TLD (HR 2.32, CI 1.11–4.85) in patients with PECs by at least two clinicians was higher in ICUs with a good climate than in those with a poor one. The differences between ICUs with an average climate, with (n = 12, 18%) or without (n = 20, 29%) nursing involvement at the end of life, and ICUs with a poor climate were less obvious but still in favour of the former. Conclusion: Enhancing the quality of the ethical climate in the ICU may improve both the identification of patients receiving excessive care and the decision-making process at the end of life

Frequency of Participation in External Quality Assessment Programs Focused on Rare Diseases: Belgian Guidelines for Human Genetics Centers.

BACKGROUND: Participation in quality controls, also called external quality assessment (EQA) schemes, is required for the ISO15189 accreditation of the Medical Centers of Human Genetics. However, directives on the minimal frequency of participation in genetic quality control schemes are lacking or too heterogeneous, with a possible impact on health care quality. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this project is to develop Belgian guidelines on the frequency of participation in quality controls for genetic testing in the context of rare diseases. METHODS: A group of experts analyzed 90 EQA schemes offered by accredited providers and focused on analyses used for the diagnosis of rare diseases. On that basis, the experts developed practical recommendations about the minimal frequencies of participation of the Medical Centers of Human Genetics in quality controls and how to deal with poor performances and change management. These guidelines were submitted to the Belgian Accreditation Body and then reviewed and approved by the Belgian College of Human Genetics and Rare Diseases and by the National Institute for Health and Disability Insurance. RESULTS: The guidelines offer a decisional algorithm for the minimal frequency of participation in human genetics EQA schemes. This algorithm has been developed taking into account the scopes of the EQA schemes, the levels of experience, and the annual volumes of the Centers of Human Genetics in the performance of the tests considered. They include three key principles: (1) the recommended annual assessment of all genetic techniques and technological platforms, if possible through EQAs covering the technique, genotyping, and clinical interpretation; (2) the triennial assessment of the genotyping and interpretation of specific germline mutations and pharmacogenomics analyses; and (3) the documentation of actions undertaken in the case of poor performances and the participation to quality control the following year. The use of a Bayesian statistical model has been proposed to help the Centers of Human Genetics to determine the theoretical number of tests that should be annually performed to achieve a certain threshold of performance (eg, a maximal error rate of 1%). Besides, the guidelines insist on the role and responsibility of the national public health authorities in the follow-up of the quality of analyses performed by the Medical Centers of Human Genetics and in demonstrating the cost-effectiveness and rationalization of participation frequency in these quality controls. CONCLUSIONS: These guidelines have been developed based on the analysis of a large panel of EQA schemes and data collected from the Belgian Medical Centers of Human Genetics. They are applicable to other countries and will facilitate and improve the quality management and financing systems of the Medical Centers of Human Genetics

Belgian guidelines for the frequency of participation of the Medical Centers of Human Genetics to external quality assessment schemes for analyses focused on rare diseases

C