Tag: statistics

J Nurs Educ. 2025 Feb 12:1-4. doi: 10.3928/01484834-20241029-04. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: This quality improvement project evaluated the effectiveness, barriers, and perceived student effects of an accessibility initiative, including Universal Design for Learning, from faculty perspectives across a school of nursing’s five campuses in the Pacific Northwest.

METHOD: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used for this study. Eighty faculty completed a survey with quantitative and qualitative components. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis.

RESULTS: Faculty found the training and resources useful, improving their knowledge and confidence in designing accessible online and hybrid courses. Barriers often were time-related, with faculty struggling to allocate time to attend training sessions and create digitally accessible content. Student feedback and faculty perceptions illustrated how accessible design supports the diverse needs of students with disabilities and fosters better learning experiences.

CONCLUSION: These findings highlight the effectiveness of accessible design to support the success of all nursing students to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in nursing practice. [J Nurs Educ. 2025;64(X):XXX-XXX.].

PMID:39932726 | DOI:10.3928/01484834-20241029-04

JAMA Netw Open. 2025 Feb 3;8(2):e2458834. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.58834.

ABSTRACT

IMPORTANCE: Information about longitudinal associations of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis, symptom severity, pharmacotherapy, and incident nicotine and tobacco use, including e-cigarettes, among US youths is limited.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether ADHD diagnosis, symptom severity, and pharmacotherapy are associated with incident e-cigarette and tobacco use over a 9-year period.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This longitudinal cohort study followed up a nationally representative sample of US youths and their parents in the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Study via questionnaires from wave 1 (September 2013 to December 2014) to waves 2 to 7 (October 2014 to April 2023). Participants were representative of the US civilian noninstitutionalized population. Youths aged 12 to 17 years at wave 1 (N = 13 572) and their parents were interviewed.

EXPOSURES: Time in years and history of ADHD diagnosis, symptom severity, and pharmacotherapy at wave 1 were used to construct 9 mutually exclusive subgroups of US youths, including those with ADHD diagnosis and pharmacotherapy, ADHD diagnosis without pharmacotherapy, and population controls without ADHD diagnosis; within each of these 3 subgroups, ADHD symptom severity was categorized as none, 1 to 2, or 3 to 4 symptoms.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Incident e-cigarette use, cigarette smoking, other tobacco use, and dual use (e-cigarette and cigarette and/or other tobacco use) in weighted percentages with 95% CIs.

RESULTS: Of the 13 572 youths included in the analysis, 6967 (51.3%; 95% CI, 51.2%-51.5%) were male. An estimated 1881 participants (14.1%; 95% CI, 13.2%-15.0%) were diagnosed with ADHD. Multivariable logistic regression analyses indicated that the adjusted odds of incident e-cigarette use, cigarette smoking, other tobacco use, and dual use did not significantly differ between those with asymptomatic ADHD (with or without pharmacotherapy) compared with population controls. In contrast, all subgroups who had 3 or more ADHD symptoms (with or without pharmacotherapy) had significantly higher adjusted odds of e-cigarette use (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 1.60; 95% CI, 1.34-2.04), cigarette smoking (AOR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.22-1.89), other tobacco use (AOR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.27-2.02), and dual use (AOR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.38-2.14) compared with youths with asymptomatic ADHD or population controls. Among youths with ADHD, those with highly symptomatic ADHD were significantly more likely to initiate e-cigarette (AOR, 1.68; 95% CI, 1.16-2.44) and dual use (AOR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.17-2.83) than youths without symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this cohort study of US youths, ADHD symptoms were associated with the onset of nicotine and tobacco use. Findings highlight the importance of early diagnosis and effective treatment of ADHD to alleviate symptoms and reduce the risk of later nicotine and tobacco use.

PMID:39932711 | DOI:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.58834

JAMA Netw Open. 2025 Feb 3;8(2):e2459342. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.59342.

ABSTRACT

IMPORTANCE: Despite growing national concern about high and increasing rates of pregnancy-associated mortality due to homicide, suicide, and drug overdose, state-level incidence has previously not been available.

OBJECTIVE: To identify cases of pregnancy-associated homicide, suicide, drug overdose, and deaths involving firearms in the US from calendar year 2018 to 2022 and estimate 5-year proportionate mortality and mortality ratios per 100 000 live births by state and cause of death.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This cross-sectional study is a population-based analysis of the 2018-2022 restricted-use mortality files provided by the National Center for Health Statistics. These data include all deaths occurring in the US, with geographic identifiers for state of residence. All records in which the decedent was female aged 10 to 44 years and pregnant at the time of death or up to 1 year earlier were included in the analysis. Data were analyzed from July 1 to December 1, 2024.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision codes for underlying cause of death were used to identify cases of homicide, suicide, drug overdose, and deaths involving firearms occurring in each state from 2018 to 2022. Proportionate mortality was estimated as the count of cases divided by the total count of deaths of pregnant and postpartum women in each state. Cause-specific mortality ratios were estimated as the count of cases divided by the total count of live births in each state from 2018 to 2022.

RESULTS: Nationally, there were 10 715 deaths of people who were pregnant or within 1 year post partum from 2018 to 2022, including 837 homicides, 579 suicides, 2083 drug overdoses, and 851 that involved firearms. Proportionate mortality and mortality ratios for homicide, suicide, and drug overdose varied across the US. Of states with more than 9 cases, pregnancy-associated homicide mortality was highest in Mississippi (12.86 per 100 000 live births), pregnancy-associated suicide mortality was highest in Montana (21.55 deaths per 100 000 live births), and pregnancy-associated drug overdose was highest in Delaware (36.03 deaths per 100 000 live births). Firearms accounted for as many as 15.56% of pregnancy-associated deaths in Colorado, and pregnancy-associated firearm mortality was highest in Mississippi (13.42 deaths per 100 000 live births).

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The information in this study may provide relevant guidance for state and local intervention strategies to advance the health, safety, and well-being of women during pregnancy and beyond.

PMID:39932710 | DOI:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.59342

Minerva Urol Nephrol. 2025 Feb 11. doi: 10.23736/S2724-6051.24.05871-3. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of Aquablation^® with those of holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) for the treatment of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

METHODS: Prospective comparative non-randomized multicenter study conducted between July 2021 and July 2023, consecutive patients undergoing BPH surgery were enrolled to each group. Patients had moderate to severe lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) ≥8, maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax) ≤15 mL/s, prostate volume ≥30 mL ≤120 mL, and BPH medical therapy failure. Primary outcome was short-term efficacy measured by IPSS, IPSS-QoL, Qmax, post-void residual volume (PVR), prostate-specific antigen (PSA); secondary outcome was safety (intra and post-operative complications, ejaculatory dysfunction, continence, blood transfusions). A six-month follow-up was performed.

RESULTS: Of 150 patients (75:75) enrolled, both groups showed improvements (P<0.05) in IPSS, IPSS-QoL, Qmax, and PVR at six months. No significant differences were observed between HoLEP and Aquablation^® in IPSS (7.6±6.9 vs. 5.05±4.9 points, P=0.11), IPSS-QoL (1.7±1.6 vs. 1.3±1.6 points, P=0.16), Qmax (28.6±8.8 vs. 23.8±9.3 mL/sec, P=0.12), and PVR (7.2±8.2 vs. 20.3±22.6 mL, P=0.19) at six months. No intraoperative complications occurred. Postoperative hemoglobin drop was higher in Aquablation^® group (2.6±1.33 vs. 0.4±0.67 g/dL, P<0.001), with no statistically significant differences in transfusion rate (1.3 vs. 1.3%, P=0.31). Ejaculatory dysfunction rate was significantly lower in Aquablation^® (6,6%) than HoLEP (89.3%, P<0.001). Mean prostate volume was (mean±SD) 81.8±37.4 and 71.9±34.8 mL (P=0.08) in HoLEP and Aquablation^® groups, respectively. Holep demonstrated a smaller prostate volume after treatment (18.1±6.5 vs. 46.5±25.02 mL P<0.001) as well as a significantly greater reduction and lower levels of PSA (1.2±1.4 vs. 2.65±2.8 ng/mL, P<0.001). Aquablation^® demonstrated significantly shorter tissue removal time (5.5±2.4 vs. 22.4±9.8 min, P<0.001), but no difference in total operative time (49.1±15 vs. 43.9±26.8 min, P=0.052).

CONCLUSIONS: HoLEP and Aquablation^® show similar effectiveness and safety for BPH-related-LUTS at 6 months. Aquablation^® has lower ejaculatory dysfunction rates. Larger randomized trials and with longer follow-up time are needed for validation.

PMID:39932697 | DOI:10.23736/S2724-6051.24.05871-3

J Phys Ther Educ. 2025 Feb 7. doi: 10.1097/JTE.0000000000000397. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Physical therapy clinical education experiences (CEE) typically involve a 1:1 or 2:1 student:instructor ratio. Students may also be supervised by more than 1 clinical instructor (CI), referred to as shared clinical instruction. The purpose of this study was to examine the incidence and implementation of shared clinical instruction in the United States.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE: Burnout and moral distress, along with the growing number of physical therapist (PT) education programs, contribute to limitations in clinical education capacity. Shared clinical instruction may benefit both educators and students, warranting further investigation.

SUBJECTS: Deidentified data were extracted from 178 PT education programs using Exxat in September 2023.

METHODS: This study analyzed CEE data between January 2014 and September 2023 (placement setting, state, dates, length of the CEE, number of assigned CIs, CI years of clinical experience and as a CI, credentialed instructor status, and specialization status) using descriptive and inferential statistics.

RESULTS: Almost all, 175 (98.3%) of the 178 programs, and 16,356 (12.5%) of the 131,184 CEEs in the data set had students who participated in shared clinical instruction, representing all 50 states, and every clinical setting. Shared clinical instruction occurred in longer CEEs compared with 1:1 experiences; binary logistic regression indicated that longer CEEs predicted higher rates of shared clinical instruction. Independent t-tests indicate that primary CIs in shared clinical instruction had slightly more years of clinical and instructional experience.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Shared clinical instruction is occurring in most PT education programs and clinical settings in the United States. Further investigation should explore the rationale behind the use of shared clinical instruction in various practice settings, and the selection and pairing of CIs in this model, along with the efficacy of shared clinical instruction, including benefits, challenges, and best practices.

PMID:39932684 | DOI:10.1097/JTE.0000000000000397

CJEM. 2025 Feb 11. doi: 10.1007/s43678-024-00840-y. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The YEARS criteria combine D-dimer testing and clinical features (hemoptysis, signs of deep vein thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism as the most likely diagnosis) to risk stratify patients with symptoms of pulmonary embolism who may undergo CT pulmonary angiography in the emergency department (ED). Electronic clinical decision support can optimize CT pulmonary angiography utilization in EDs, yet its effectiveness with the YEARS criteria remains unstudied. Our goal is to increase the percentage of CT pulmonary angiograms performed with a D-dimer by 10% within six months of integrating the YEARS criteria into our electronic ordering system.

METHODS: Single centre quality improvement initiative for all ED patients > 18 years investigated for pulmonary embolism with a D-dimer and/or CT pulmonary angiogram between Jan 2022 – Jan 2023. An electronic clinical decision support algorithm was created based on the YEARS criteria and a plan-do-study-act cycle was completed. Using an SPC chart, the percentage of CT pulmonary angiograms ordered with a D-dimer was identified. Process measures included the rate of CT pulmonary angiograms ordered, the rate of imaging ordered in accordance with the YEARS criteria, and diagnostic yield of imaging based on YEARS status. Balancing measures included pulmonary embolism identified on CT pulmonary angiogram with a D-dimer < 500 ug/L FEU or within 30 days of index visit after being ruled out with the YEARS criteria.

RESULTS: Over 12 months, 2639 patients were investigated for pulmonary embolism and 906 underwent CT pulmonary angiogram. The percentage of CT pulmonary angiograms ordered with a screening D-dimer increased by 14.5% (63.8%, CI 59.5-68.1% vs 78.4%, CI 74.4-82.3%) without increasing the rate of imaging ordered (34.9%, CI 32.4-37.4% vs 33.7%, CI 31.1-36.3%). The YEARS criteria were properly applied in 60% (255/425) of patients who underwent CT pulmonary angiogram. The diagnostic yield of CT pulmonary angiogram was higher if patients were YEARS positive (13.2%, CI 9.0-17.4) compared to YEARS negative (0%, CI 0-28.3) or if not applied (8.1%, CI 3.9-12.4). There were two missed pulmonary embolisms at baseline and none post-intervention.

CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of the YEARS criteria using electronic ordering assistance increased the percentage of CT pulmonary angiograms ordered with a D-dimer without increasing imaging use in the ED.

PMID:39932659 | DOI:10.1007/s43678-024-00840-y

J Mol Neurosci. 2025 Feb 11;75(1):18. doi: 10.1007/s12031-024-02303-6.

ABSTRACT

The clinical identification of regression phenomena in ASD lacks specific biological or laboratory criteria and is often based on family history and highly subjective observations by clinicians. The present study aimed to investigate the potential role of plasma clusterin (CLU), very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFA), and carnitine as biomarkers of neurodegeneration in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with and without regression. By exploring these biomarkers, we sought to provide insights into mitochondrial dysfunction, glial activation, and lipid metabolism, which may contribute to the pathophysiology of ASD and aid in the early diagnosis and intervention of regression phenomena in ASD. Ninety children aged 2-6 years were included: 30 with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), 30 with regressive ASD, and 30 healthy controls. Psychiatric assessments were conducted using DSM-5 criteria, CARS, ABC, RBS-R, and ASSQ scales. Regression in ASD was evaluated retrospectively using a modified ADI-R questionnaire. Fasting blood samples were collected, and plasma clusterin (CLU), VLCFA, and carnitine levels were measured. Statistical analyses were performed using MANOVA to assess the effect of group differences on dependent biochemical variables. Serum clusterin and carnitine levels showed no significant differences between groups. However, C22 VLCFA levels were significantly higher in both autism groups compared to controls (p = 0.04), with post hoc analysis indicating the difference between the non-regressive and control groups (p = 0.02). Serum carnitine was positively correlated with stereotypic behaviors subscale scores (r = 0.37, p = 0.004) and total scores (r = 0.35, p = 0.006) of RBS-R. Our study provides insights into the complexities of biomarker research in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), highlighting the challenges in identifying consistent biological markers for regression and non-regression phenotypes. Although no significant findings were observed, further biomarker studies are essential to distinguish possible endophenotypes, improve early diagnosis, and uncover potential therapeutic targets in ASD.

PMID:39932645 | DOI:10.1007/s12031-024-02303-6

Support Care Cancer. 2025 Feb 11;33(3):174. doi: 10.1007/s00520-025-09246-7.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To explore the relationship among cognitive emotion regulation strategies, psychological flexibility, and subjective well-being, analyze the latent profiles of cognitive emotion regulation strategies, and examine the mediating role of psychological flexibility between cognitive emotion regulation strategies and subjective well-being in patients with breast cancer.

METHODS: The cross-sectional study was conducted from April to December 2023, involving 313 patients with breast cancer. The Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire-short, the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II, and the Index of Well-Being were utilized for data collection. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, latent profile, Bayesian factor, and mediation effect were used for data analysis.

RESULTS: There was a small to strong correlation among the variables. Latent profile analysis revealed three potential profiles of cognitive emotion regulation strategies, named “low copers”, “high copers”, and “flexible copers”, respectively. Compared with the “flexible copers” group, psychological flexibility might potentially mediate the relationship between the “low copers” profile and subjective well-being, as well as between the “high copers” profile and subjective well-being, with relative indirect effects of -0.720 (95%CI: -1.104, -0.387) and -1.216 (95%CI: -1.732, -0.711), respectively.

CONCLUSION: The results examined the relationship among variables, identified three distinct profiles of cognitive emotion regulation strategies, and indicated that psychological flexibility might serve as a potential mediator between cognitive emotion regulation strategies and subjective well-being.

PMID:39932638 | DOI:10.1007/s00520-025-09246-7

J Community Genet. 2025 Feb 11. doi: 10.1007/s12687-025-00775-6. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Brazil is a middle-income country with approximately 210 million inhabitants, with around 2,900,000 births annually. Besides its extensive territorial area, the country is characterized by huge heterogeneity in many aspects, notably in socioeconomic status, education, access to healthcare, geographic mobility, different biomes, agricultural practices and diverse ethnic ancestry. These characteristics directly impact the frequency and distribution of genetic disorders and Congenital Anomalies (CA), which are the second leading cause of death in the first year of life. In this review, we will present the main initiatives and available information from governmental organs and scientific research in Brazil regarding the epidemiology of congenital anomalies and rare diseases, emphasizing teratogenic risk factors and population medical genetics aspects.

PMID:39932625 | DOI:10.1007/s12687-025-00775-6

Environ Monit Assess. 2025 Feb 11;197(3):268. doi: 10.1007/s10661-025-13742-y.

ABSTRACT

Drought is an extensive natural hazard influenced by human activities. Drought has a substantial impact on environmental systems and socioeconomic activities globally, posing serious challenges to water resources, agriculture, and ecosystems. Drought as a complicated natural occurrence is difficult to monitor and anticipate. However, to address the detrimental issues of drought, this study examined the innovative Trivariate Multiscalar-Standardized Drought Index (TMSDI). The climatic factors of precipitation, temperature, and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) are components in the development of TMSDI. To check the association of the innovative index with the another drought indices, this study evaluated correlations between the proposed index (TMSDI) and traditional drought indices, i.e., the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and the Standardized Precipitation Temperature Index (SPTI) at 1-, 3-, 6-, 9-, 12-, 24-, and 48-month time scales. The outcomes demonstrate that there is a consistent relationship between the TMSDI and SPI due to higher values of correlation. The lower correlation between TMSDI and SPTI shows that there is a substantial and consistent relationship between TMSDI and SPI than TMSDI and SPTI. Moreover, the long-term behavior of different drought conditions indicates that extreme drought is more likely than extreme wet across the Markov chain’s Steady States Probabilities (SSPs). Consequently, the proposed index (TMSDI) is recommended as an effective tool to precisely and accurately monitor drought conditions over different time scales within different climate factors.

PMID:39932606 | DOI:10.1007/s10661-025-13742-y