Antidepressants and lethal violence in the Netherlands 1994-2008

Rationale There is an ongoing discussion on the relation between risk of violent behaviour and the use of antidepressants. The claim that the use of antidepressants can cause violent behaviour would gain credibility if a positive association between the two could be established. Objective The objective of this study is to evaluate the relationship between homicide, suicide and homicide-suicide rates and the rates of antidepressant use by gender and age group. Method Nationwide data from the Netherlands on antidepressant prescriptions (ADs, SSRI and venlafaxine) and lethal violence were analysed over the 15-year period from 1994 to 2008. Results The findings indicated a significant negative association between lethal violence (homicide and suicide) and prescription of antidepressants in the Netherlands, indicating that in a period in which the exposure of the Dutch population to antidepressants increased, rates of lethal violence decreased. Conclusions These data lend no support for an important role of antidepressant use in lethal violence

Стратегії та підходи до реструктуризації підприємств сфери ЖКГ в умовах реформування власності України

Наведено результати дослідження існуючих підходів до стратегічних напрямів реструктуризації підприємств сфери ЖКГ в умовах реформування власності. Ключові слова: стратегія реструктуризації, ЖКГ України, реструктуризація підприємства, антикризове управління, стратегічний менеджмент.Приведены результаты исследования существующих подходов в стратегических направлениях реструктуризации предприятий сферы ЖКГ в условиях реформирования собственности. Ключевые слова: стратегия реструктуризации, ЖКХ Украины, реструктуризация предприятия, антикризисное управление, стратегический менеджмент.The paper presents the results of studying the approaches in strategic directions of restructuring of housing and communal enterprises under property reformation in Ukraine. Keywords: strategy of restructuring, housing and communal facilities of Ukraine, restructuring of enterprise, anti-crisis management, strategic management

Adherence to guideline recommendations for urinary tract infections in adult women: a cross-sectional study

Aim:To study whether changes in drug preferences in the Dutch guideline for the treatment of Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) for General Practitioners (GPs) in 2013, resulted in corresponding changes in antibiotic dispensing.Background:For the treatment of uncomplicated UTI, nitrofurantoin remained the first choice, while fosfomycin became the second choice and changed ranks with trimethoprim. For a subsequent febrile UTI, ciprofloxacin became the first choice and changed ranks with amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, co-trimoxazole remained the third choice.Methods:In this observational cross-sectional study, routinely collected dispensing data from the Dutch Foundation of Pharmaceutical Statistics from 2012 to 2017 were used. The number of women 18 years and older, treated with one of the guideline antibiotics for uncomplicated UTI and subsequent febrile UTI were analysed annually. Proportions were calculated. Data were stratified for age categories. Failure of uncomplicated UTI treatment was defined as the dispensing of an antibiotic for febrile UTI within 14 days after the dispensing of an antibiotic for uncomplicated UTI.Findings:Data were available from 81% of all pharmacies in 2012 to 89% in 2017. Percentages of women dispensed nitrofurantoin were relatively stable with 87.4% in 2012 and 84.4% in 2017. Percentages of women dispensed fosfomycin increased from 5.4% in 2012 to 21.8% in 2017, whereas percentages of women dispensed trimethoprim decreased from 17.8% to 8.0%. Within age categories, the percentage of women dispensed fosfomycin increased from 12.4% in women 18-30 years old to 36.7% in women above 80 years old. Percentages of women dispensed antibiotics for febrile UTI remained stable at 5% annually. Percentages of women receiving ciprofloxacin increased from 1.9% in 2012 to 3.3% in 2017, while those receiving amoxicillin/clavulanic acid decreased from 2.9% to 1.8%. New guideline recommendations resulted in corresponding changes in dispensed antibiotics for uncomplicated UTI and subsequent febrile UTI. Drug choices differed for age categories.Clinical Pharmacy and Toxicolog

How does the general public balance convenience and cognitive pharmaceutical services in community pharmacy practice

Background: Community pharmacy is shifting its focus from traditional, product-focused roles to the provision of cognitive pharmaceutical services (CPS). Previous research has indicated that community pharmacists predominantly want to devote their capacity to CPS. Ideally, services provided also address users' needs. The general public's preferences regarding the services provided by community pharmacists are currently less understood. Aim: This study investigates the general public's preferences and perceived importance of CPS versus convenience in community pharmacy practice. Method: An online survey of 1.500 members of the Dutch Health Care Consumer Panel containing questions regarding preferences for CPS and convenience was distributed. Descriptive statistics and linear regression analysis were performed to investigate the relationship between preferences and participant characteristics. Results: 516 panel members completed all questions regarding preferences and importance of the availability of services. The majority preferred convenience (68.2%) and a smaller proportion preferred CPS (27.7%). However, participants considered it important from a societal viewpoint that CPS is provided (45.0%). Participants who preferred CPS over convenience were generally older (p < 0.001) and used more medicines (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Convenience of community pharmacy services is most preferred by the general public. However, CPS is perceived as important, especially for elderly who use more medicines. Elderly patients who use more medicines more often rate CPS as more important than convenience. These findings suggest that community pharmacists should ensure that pharmacy logistics are organized efficiently before focusing on the provision of CPS

Antidepressants in primary care:patients' experiences, perceptions, self-efficacy beliefs, and nonadherence

PURPOSE: Patient adherence to antidepressants is poor. However, this is rather unsurprising, given the equivocal efficacy, side effects, and practical problems of antidepressants. The aim of this study was to examine a wide array of patient experiences and perceptions regarding the efficacy, side effects, and practical problems of antidepressants, as well as their associations with nonadherence, and whether patients' perceived self-efficacy moderated these associations.PATIENTS AND METHODS: Experiences and perceptions of 225 patients, recruited through community pharmacies, were efficiently assessed with the Tailored Medicine Inventory. Nonadherence was assessed through self-report and pharmacy refill data.RESULTS: Many patients were not convinced of the efficacy, thought the efficacy to be limited or did not believe antidepressants to prevent relapse, were worried about or had experienced one or more side effects, and/or had experienced one or more practical problems regarding information, intake, and packaging. Being convinced of efficacy was associated with lower intentional nonadherence (odds ratio [OR] 0.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.8-0.96). A higher number of practical problems experienced was associated with increased unintentional nonadherence (OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.1-1.7). Higher perceived self-efficacy regarding taking antidepressants was associated with lower unintentional nonadherence (OR 0.7, 95% CI 0.5-0.9). Perceived self-efficacy did not moderate associations of patient experiences and perceptions with nonadherence.CONCLUSION: Assessing a wide array of patients' experiences and perceptions regarding the efficacy, side effects, and practical problems of antidepressants contributes to better understanding of nonadherence to antidepressants. Guiding physician-patient conversations by patients' experiences and perceptions may reduce both unintentional and intentional nonadherence. Also, it may give rise to considerations of prudent discontinuation, eg, when patients are not convinced of the efficacy.</p

Robot-Assisted vs. Conventional Laparoscopic Rectopexy for Rectal Prolapse: A Comparative Study on Costs and Time

PURPOSE: Laparoscopic rectopexy has become one of the most advocated treatments for full-thickness rectal prolapse, offering good functional results compared with open surgery and resulting in less postoperative pain and faster convalescence. However, laparoscopic rectopexy can be technically demanding. Once having mastered dexterity, with robotic assistance, laparoscopic rectopexy can be performed faster. Moreover, it shortens the learning curve in simple laparoscopic tasks. This may lead to faster and safer laparoscopic surgery. Robot-assisted rectopexy has been proven safe and feasible; however, until now, no study has been performed comparing costs and time consumption in conventional laparoscopic rectopexy vs. robot-assisted rectopexy. METHODS: Our first 14 cases of robot-assisted laparoscopic rectopexy were reviewed and compared with 19 patients who underwent conventional laparoscopic rectopexy in the same period. RESULTS: Robot-assisted laparoscopic rectopexy did not show more complications. However, the average operating time was 39 minutes longer, and costs were 557.29 (or: $745.09) higher. CONCLUSION: Robot-assisted laparoscopic rectopexy is a safe and feasible procedure but results in increased time and higher costs than conventional laparoscopy. AD - Department of Surgery, Maastricht University Hospital, Maastricht, The Netherlands