COVID-19 Informationsvermeidungsskala (COVIAS)

This scale was developed at the University of Mannheim. It is based on the Information Avoidance Scale by Howell & Shepperd (2016). Several items were adapted and added to make this instrument applicable to the COVID-19 pandemic

Can cognitive insight predict symptom remission in a first episode psychosis cohort?

BACKGROUND: The outcome of first episode psychosis (FEP) is highly variable and difficult to predict. Cognitive insight measured at illness onset has previously been found to predict psychopathology 12-months later. The aims of this study were to examine whether the prospective relationship between cognitive insight and symptom severity is evident at four-years following FEP and to examine some psychological correlates of cognitive insight. METHODS: FEP participants (n = 90) completed the Beck Cognitive Insight Scale (BCIS) at illness onset, and associations between BCIS scores with symptom severity outcomes (4-years after FEP) were assessed. The BCIS scales (self-reflectiveness and self-certainty) were examined as a composite score, and individually compared to other cognitive measures (IQ and jumping to conclusions (JTC) bias). RESULTS: Regression analyses revealed that the cognitive insight composite did not predict 4-year symptom remission in this study while the self-reflection subscale of the BCIS predicted severity of symptoms at 4-years. Self-certainty items of the BCIS were not associated with symptom severity. Significant correlations between the JTC bias, self-certainty and IQ were found, but self-reflection did not correlate with these other cognitive measures. CONCLUSIONS: Self-reflective capacity is a more relevant and independent cognitive construct than self-certainty for predicting prospective symptom severity in psychosis. Improving self-reflection may be a useful target for early intervention research

Data from the paper: Shared Decision Making during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic pushed some of the most well-developed healthcare systems to their limits. In many cases, this has challenged patient-centered care. We set out to examine individuals’ attitudes towards shared decision making (SDM) and to identify predictors of participation preference during the pandemic. Methods: We conducted an online survey with a large convenience sample (N = 1061). Our main measures of interest were participants’ generic and COVID-19 related participation preferences, and their acceptance and distress regarding a triage vignette. We also assessed anxiety, e-health literacy, and aspects of participants’ health. We conducted group comparisons and multiple linear regression analyses on participation preference and triage acceptance. Results: In generic decision making, most participants expressed a strong need for information and a moderate participation preference. In the hypothetical case of COVID-19 infection, the majority preferred physician-led decisions. Generic participation preference was the strongest predictor for COVID-19 related participation preference, followed by age, education and anxiety. Furthermore, higher generic and COVID-19 related participation preferences both predicted lower triage acceptance. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate potential healthcare recipients’ attitudes towards SDM during a severe healthcare crisis and emphasize that participation preference varies according to the context

Supplementary Material for: Characterisation of Prognosis and Invasion of Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma by Podoplanin and E-Cadherin Expression

<p><b><i>Background:</i></b> Around 5% of all cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) metastasise. Metastases usually locate in regional skin and lymph nodes, suggesting collective cancer invasion. The cellular level of tumour invasion and prognostic parameters remain to be characterised. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We performed immunohistochemical analyses of E-cadherin (marker for collective cancer invasion) and podoplanin (marker for epithelial-mesenchymal transition [EMT], single-cell invasion) expression in 102 samples of metastatic and non-metastatic cSCC and 18 corresponding skin and lymph node metastases to characterise the invasion of cSCC. Immunohistochemical results were retrospectively correlated with clinical data. <b><i>Results:</i></b> E-cadherin was highly expressed in metastatic and non-metastatic cSCC and skin metastases. This suggests collective cancer invasion. However, E-cadherin was downregulated in poorly differentiated cSCC and lymph node metastases, suggesting partial EMT. Podoplanin was significantly upregulated in metastatic (<i>p</i> = 0.002) and poorly differentiated (<i>p</i> = 0.003) cSCC. Overexpression of podoplanin represented a statistically independent prognostic factor for disease-free survival (<i>p</i> = 0.014). <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> Collective cancer invasion is likely in cSCC. In lymph node metastases and poorly differentiated cSCC, partial EMT is possible. Podoplanin is an independent prognostic parameter for metastasis.</p

A scoping review of empirical evidence on the impacts of the DRG introduction in Germany and Switzerland

Germany and Switzerland have introduced diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) for hospital reimbursement. This scoping review aims to evaluate if empirical evidence exists on the effect of the DRG introduction.; Medline via PubMed, Embase (Elsevier), CINAHL, PsychINFO, and Psyndex were systematically screened for studies from 2003 onwards using keywords-DRG, prospective payment system, and lump sum-in English, German, and French. Abstracts were screened for alignment with our inclusion criteria and classified as editorial/commentary, review, or empirical study. The full-text extraction included data on country, study design, collected data, study population, specialty, comparison group, and outcome measures.; Our literature search yielded 1944 references, of which 1405 references were included in the abstract screening after removal of duplicates. 135 articles were relevant to DRG, including 94 editorials/comments/reviews and 41 empirical articles from 36 different samples. The most frequently used outcome parameters were length of stay (12), reimbursement/cost (9), and case numbers (9).; Only a minority of identified articles (30.4%; 41 of 135) presented empirical data. This indicates that discussion on the topic is not totally evidence-based. The only common trend was a decrease in length of stay