Coping strategies used by older adults to deal with contact isolation in the hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many older adults have experienced contact isolation in a hospital setting which leads to separation from relatives, loss of freedom, and uncertainty regarding disease status. The objective of this study was to explore how older adults (55+) cope with contact isolation in a hospital setting during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to improve their physical and psychological wellbeing. The realist evaluation approach was used to formulate initial program theories on coping strategies used by (older) adults in an isolation setting. Twenty-one semi-structured interviews with older patients (n = 21) were analysed. This study revealed that both emotion-focused coping strategies as well as problem-focused coping strategies were used by older adults during contact isolation. The study also uncovered some new specific coping strategies. The results have useful implications for hospital staff seeking to improve the wellbeing of older adults in contact isolation in hospitals. Problem-focused coping strategies could be stimulated through staff performing care in a person-centred way. Trust in staff, as part of emotion-focused coping strategies, could be stimulated by improving the relationship between patients and staff

Personal Devices to Monitor Physical Activity and Nutritional Intake After Colorectal Cancer Surgery: Feasibility Study

BackgroundThe use of self-monitoring devices is promising for improving perioperative physical activity and nutritional intake. ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess the feasibility, usability, and acceptability of a physical activity tracker and digital food record in persons scheduled for colorectal cancer (CRC) surgery. MethodsThis observational cohort study was conducted at a large training hospital between November 2019 and November 2020. The study population consisted of persons with CRC between 18- and 75 years of age who were able to use a smartphone or tablet and scheduled for elective surgery with curative intent. Excluded were persons not proficient in Dutch or following a protein-restricted diet. Participants used an activity tracker (Fitbit Charge 3) from 4 weeks before until 6 weeks after surgery. In the week before surgery (preoperative) and the fifth week after surgery (postoperative), participants also used a food record for 1 week. They shared their experience regarding usability (system usability scale, range 0-100) and acceptability (net promoter score, range –100 to +100). ResultsIn total, 28 persons were included (n=16, 57% male, mean age 61, SD 8 years), and 27 shared their experiences. Scores regarding the activity tracker were as follows: preoperative median system usability score, 85 (IQR 73-90); net promoter score, +65; postoperative median system usability score, 78 (IQR 68-85); net promotor score, +67. The net promoter scores regarding the food record were +37 (preoperative) and–7 (postoperative). ConclusionsThe perioperative use of a physical activity tracker is considered feasible, usable, and acceptable by persons with CRC in this study. Preoperatively, the use of a digital food record was acceptable, and postoperatively, the acceptability decreased

Benefits of structured advance care plan in end-of-life care planning among older oncology patients:A retrospective pilot study

Objectives:  Studies suggest that advance care planning (ACP) results in improved quality of life and reduced healthcare consumption. We assessed how the use of a structured advance care planning tool (ACPT) in oncology patients relates to their healthcare consumption before death, and to the match between preferred and actual place of death.  Methods:  We performed a pilot study at a teaching hospital in the Netherlands. Endpoints were 1) healthcare consumption at three and one month(s) before death, and 2) the match between preferred and actual place of death. Results: The study included 75 patients without an ACPT (group 1) and 59 patients with an ACPT (group 2) of whom the preferred place of care or death were documented at least three months before death in 15 patients (subgroup 2b). Compared to group 1, patients in group 2 had significantly more healthcare consumption. However, compared to group 1, patients in subgroup 2b underwent significantly less diagnostic (33.3% (n = 5) versus 69.3% (n = 52), p < 0.05) and laboratory tests (33.3% (n = 5) versus 62.7% (n = 47), p < 0.05) one month before death. Patients in subgroup 2b died at their preferred place more often (76.9%, n = 10) compared to patients in group 1 (58.3%, n = 7) (NS), which meant more deaths at home and less in-hospital-deaths.  Conclusions:  The results suggest that timely documentation of the preferred place of care or death in a structured ACPT may result in less healthcare consumption and a better match between the preferred and actual place of death

Benefits of structured advance care plan in end-of-life care planning among older oncology patients: A retrospective pilot study

Objectives:  Studies suggest that advance care planning (ACP) results in improved quality of life and reduced healthcare consumption. We assessed how the use of a structured advance care planning tool (ACPT) in oncology patients relates to their healthcare consumption before death, and to the match between preferred and actual place of death.  Methods:  We performed a pilot study at a teaching hospital in the Netherlands. Endpoints were 1) healthcare consumption at three and one month(s) before death, and 2) the match between preferred and actual place of death. Results: The study included 75 patients without an ACPT (group 1) and 59 patients with an ACPT (group 2) of whom the preferred place of care or death were documented at least three months before death in 15 patients (subgroup 2b). Compared to group 1, patients in group 2 had significantly more healthcare consumption. However, compared to group 1, patients in subgroup 2b underwent significantly less diagnostic (33.3% (n = 5) versus 69.3% (n = 52), p < 0.05) and laboratory tests (33.3% (n = 5) versus 62.7% (n = 47), p < 0.05) one month before death. Patients in subgroup 2b died at their preferred place more often (76.9%, n = 10) compared to patients in group 1 (58.3%, n = 7) (NS), which meant more deaths at home and less in-hospital-deaths.  Conclusions:  The results suggest that timely documentation of the preferred place of care or death in a structured ACPT may result in less healthcare consumption and a better match between the preferred and actual place of death

Coping strategies used by older adults to deal with contact isolation in the hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many older adults have experienced contact isolation in a hospital setting which leads to separation from relatives, loss of freedom, and uncertainty regarding disease status. The objective of this study was to explore how older adults (55+) cope with contact isolation in a hospital setting during the COVID-19 pandemic in order to improve their physical and psychological wellbeing. The realist evaluation approach was used to formulate initial program theories on coping strategies used by (older) adults in an isolation setting. Twenty-one semi-structured interviews with older patients (n = 21) were analysed. This study revealed that both emotion-focused coping strategies as well as problem-focused coping strategies were used by older adults during contact isolation. The study also uncovered some new specific coping strategies. The results have useful implications for hospital staff seeking to improve the wellbeing of older adults in contact isolation in hospitals. Problem-focused coping strategies could be stimulated through staff performing care in a person-centred way. Trust in staff, as part of emotion-focused coping strategies, could be stimulated by improving the relationship between patients and staff

Preoperative unintended weight loss and low body mass index in relation to complications and length of stay after cardiac surgery

BACKGROUND: Several studies reported increased adverse outcomes after cardiac surgery in patients with low body mass index (BMI; in kg/m(2)). Little is known yet, however, about the effect of preoperative unintended weight loss (UWL) in cardiac surgery patients. OBJECTIVE: We explored the prevalence and effect of UWL in view of low BMI and vice versa adjusted for a validated set of preoperative risks, inflammatory activity, and duration of extracorporeal circulation on postoperative adverse outcome. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study was performed. Nutritional data of cardiac surgery patients were collected within 24 h of admission and linked to the standard postoperative complication registration database. RESULTS: The cohort consisted of 331 cases. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that preoperative UWL of >or=10% in the past 6 mo (>or=10%UWLin6m) was associated with a prolonged length of stay in the hospital independent from low BMI [odds ratio (OR): 7.06; 95% CI: 1.78, 28.04]. Preoperative BMI or=10%UWLin6m (OR: 4.62; 95% CI: 1.20, 17.82; and OR: 5.27; 95% CI: 1.28, 21.76, respectively). Preoperative undernutrition in cardiac surgery patients (>or=10%UWLin6m or BMI or=10%UWLin6m or BMI <or= 21.0 because both variables are independently related to adverse outcomes. Preoperative referral to a dietitian for further diagnostic assessment and nutritional treatment is strongly recommende

Cardiac Surgery-Specific Screening Tool Identifies Preoperative Undernutrition in Cardiac Surgery

Loss of body tissue resulting in undernutrition can be caused by reduced food intake, altered metabolism, ageing, and physical inactivity. The predominant cause of undernutrition before cardiac operations is unknown. First, we explored the association of reduced food intake and inactivity with undernutrition in patients before elective cardiac operations. Second, we assessed if adding these reversible, cause-based items to the nutritional screening process improved diagnostic accuracy. A prospective observational study was performed. Undernutrition was defined by low fat-free mass index (LFFMI) measured by bioelectrical impedance spectroscopy and/or unintended weight loss (UWL). Reduced food intake was defined as the patient having a decreased appetite over the previous month. Patients admitted to hospital preoperatively were assumed to be less physically active than patients awaiting cardiac operations at home. Using these data, we developed a new tool and compared this with an existing cardiac surgery-specific tool (Cardiac Surgery-Specific Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool [CSSM]). A total of 325 patients who underwent open cardiac operations were included. Reduced food intake and inactivity were associated with undernutrition (odds ratio [OR], 4.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.1-8.5 and OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.0-4.0). Reduced food intake and inactivity were integrated with body mass index (BMI) and UWL into a new scoring system: the Cardiac Surgery-Specific Undernutrition Screening Tool (CSSUST). Sensitivity in identification of undernourished patients was considerably higher with the CSSUST (90%) than with the CSSM (71%) (receiver operating characteristic [ROC] curve-based area under the curve [AUC], 0.79; 95% CI, 0.73-0.86 and ROC AUC, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.63-0.80). Results suggest that reduced food intake and inactivity partly explain undernutrition before cardiac operations. Our new cause-based CSSUST, which includes reduced food intake and inactivity, is superior to existing tools in identifying undernutrition in patients undergoing cardiac operation

Hypertension and Cardiovascular Risk Profile in a Middle-Income Setting: The HELISUR Study

BACKGROUND Hypertension is the leading risk factor responsible for premature death worldwide, but its burden has shifted to low-and middle-income countries. Therefore, we studied hypertension and cardiovascular risk in the population of Suriname, a middle-income country with a predominantly urban population of African and Asian ancestry. METHODS A random sample of 1,800 noninstitutionalized men and women aged 18-70 years was selected to be interviewed at home and examined at the local hospital for cardiovascular risk factors, asymptomatic organ damage, and cardiovascular disease. RESULTS The 1,157 participants examined (37% men) were mainly of self-defined Asian (43%) or African (39%) ancestry, mean age 43 years (SD 14). The majority of the population (71%) had hypertension or prehypertension, respectively, 40% and 31%. Furthermore, 72% was obese or overweight, while 63% had diabetes or prediabetes. Only 1% of the adult population had an optimal cardiovascular risk profile. Hypertension awareness, treatment, and control were respectively 68%, 56%, and 20%. In line with this, 22% of the adult population had asymptomatic organ damage, including increased arterial stiffness, left ventricular hypertrophy, microalbuminuria, or asymptomatic chronic kidney disease. CONCLUSIONS In this first extensive cardiovascular assessment in the general population of this middle-income Caribbean country, high prevalence of hypertension with inadequate levels of treatment and control was predominant. The findings emphasize the need for collaborative effort from national and international bodies to prioritize the implementation of affordable and sustainable public health programs that combat the escalating hypertension and cardiovascular risk factor burde